Voices from the Field: Stakeholder Perspectives on PBIS Implementation in Alternative Educational Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swain-Bradway, Jessica; Swoszowski, Nicole Cain; Boden, Lauren J.; Sprague, Jeffrey R.

2013-01-01

The positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) framework is currently implemented in over 18,000 schools in the United States. Schools implementing PBIS with fidelity report school level benefits including decreases in problem behavior, increases in academic engaged time, and improved perceptions of school safety. While potential benefits…

Arrhenius parameters for primary thermal injury in human tonsillar tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMillan, Kathleen; Radabaugh, Rebecca; Coad, James E.

2011-03-01

Clinical implementation of a thermal therapy requires the ability to predict tissue injury following exposures to specific thermal histories. As part of an effort to develop a nonexcisional alternative to tonsillectomy, the degree of primary hyperthermic tissue injury in human tonsil was characterized. Fifteen fresh pediatric hypertrophic tonsillectomy specimens were sectioned and treated in a NIST-calibrated saline bath at temperatures of 40 to 70°C with hold times of one to seven minutes. The treated tissues were subsequently nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) stained to assess for thermal respiratory enzyme inactivation as a marker of cellular injury/death. The NBT stains were quantitatively image analyzed and used to calculate Arrhenius parameters for primary thermal injury in human tonsils.

Determination of life for a polyimide-epoxy alternator insulation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penn, W. B.; Schaefer, R. F.; Balke, R. L.

1974-01-01

Tests were conducted to predict remaining electrical insulation life of a polyimide epoxy insulated 60 KW, 208 volt homopolar inductor alternator, following completion of 23,130 hours of turbo-alternator endurance tests. The sectioned armature winding of this alternator stator was used as means to evaluate and measure end-life at several aging temperatures for development of an Arrhenius plot. A one-half life rate of 11.3 C was established from these data with a predicted remaining life of 60,000 hours at an armature winding temperature of 248 C and a total life, including endurance test time, of 61,645 hours.

Drying based on temperature-detection-assisted control in microwave-assisted pulse-spouted vacuum drying.

PubMed

Cao, Xiaohuang; Zhang, Min; Qian, He; Mujumdar, Arun S

2017-06-01

An online temperature-detection-assisted control system of microwave-assisted pulse-spouted vacuum drying was newly developed. By using this system, temperature control can be automatically and continuously adjusted based on the detection of drying temperature and preset temperature. Various strategies for constant temperature control, linear temperature control and three-step temperature control were applied to drying carrot cubes. Drying kinetics and the quality of various temperature-controlled strategies online are evaluated for the new drying technology as well as its suitability as an alternative drying method. Drying time in 70 °C mode 1 had the shortest drying time and lowest energy consumption in all modes. A suitable colour, highest re-hydration ratio and fracture-hardness, and longest drying time occurred in 30-40-50 °C mode 3. The number of hot spots was reduced in 40-50-60 °C mode 3. Acceptable carrot snacks were obtained in 50-60-70 °C mode 3 and 70 °C mode 2. All temperature curves showed that the actual temperatures followed the preset temperatures appropriately. With this system, a linear temperature-controlled strategy and a three-step temperature-controlled strategy can improve product quality and heating non-uniformity compared to constant temperature control, but need greater energy consumption and longer drying time. A temperature-detection-assisted control system was developed for providing various drying strategies as a suitable alternative in making a snack product. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance in complex oxide tunnel junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez, Benjamín; López-Mir, Laura; Galceran, Regina; Balcells, Lluis; Pomar, Alberto; Konstantinovic, Zorica; Sandiumenge, Felip; Frontera, Carlos; Advanced Characterization of Nanostructured Materials Team

The magnetotransport properties of La2/3Sr1/3MnO3(LSMO)/LaAlO3(LAO)/ Pt tunneling junctions have been analyzed as a function of temperature and magnetic field. The junctions exhibit magnetoresistance (MR) values of about 37%, at H = 90 kOe at low temperature. However, the temperature dependence of MR indicates a clear distinct origin than that of conventional colossal MR. In addition, tunneling anisotropic MR (TAMR) values around 4% are found at low temperature and its angular dependence reflects the expected uniaxial anisotropy. The use of TAMR response could be an alternative of much easier technological implementation than conventional MTJs since only one magnetic electrode is required, thus opening the door to the implementation of more versatile devices. However, further studies are required in order to improve the strong temperature dependence at the present stage. Finantial support from Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the Severo Ochoa Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D (SEV-2015-0496), and projects MAT2012-33207 and MAT2015-71664-R is acknowledged.

Relative effects of statistical preprocessing and postprocessing on a regional hydrological ensemble prediction system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Sanjib; Siddique, Ridwan; Reed, Seann; Ahnert, Peter; Mendoza, Pablo; Mejia, Alfonso

2018-03-01

The relative roles of statistical weather preprocessing and streamflow postprocessing in hydrological ensemble forecasting at short- to medium-range forecast lead times (day 1-7) are investigated. For this purpose, a regional hydrologic ensemble prediction system (RHEPS) is developed and implemented. The RHEPS is comprised of the following components: (i) hydrometeorological observations (multisensor precipitation estimates, gridded surface temperature, and gauged streamflow); (ii) weather ensemble forecasts (precipitation and near-surface temperature) from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction 11-member Global Ensemble Forecast System Reforecast version 2 (GEFSRv2); (iii) NOAA's Hydrology Laboratory-Research Distributed Hydrologic Model (HL-RDHM); (iv) heteroscedastic censored logistic regression (HCLR) as the statistical preprocessor; (v) two statistical postprocessors, an autoregressive model with a single exogenous variable (ARX(1,1)) and quantile regression (QR); and (vi) a comprehensive verification strategy. To implement the RHEPS, 1 to 7 days weather forecasts from the GEFSRv2 are used to force HL-RDHM and generate raw ensemble streamflow forecasts. Forecasting experiments are conducted in four nested basins in the US Middle Atlantic region, ranging in size from 381 to 12 362 km2. Results show that the HCLR preprocessed ensemble precipitation forecasts have greater skill than the raw forecasts. These improvements are more noticeable in the warm season at the longer lead times (> 3 days). Both postprocessors, ARX(1,1) and QR, show gains in skill relative to the raw ensemble streamflow forecasts, particularly in the cool season, but QR outperforms ARX(1,1). The scenarios that implement preprocessing and postprocessing separately tend to perform similarly, although the postprocessing-alone scenario is often more effective. The scenario involving both preprocessing and postprocessing consistently outperforms the other scenarios. In some cases, however, the differences between this scenario and the scenario with postprocessing alone are not as significant. We conclude that implementing both preprocessing and postprocessing ensures the most skill improvements, but postprocessing alone can often be a competitive alternative.

17 CFR 242.613 - Consolidated audit trail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... data; and the basis for selecting such method(s); (ii) The time and method by which the data in the... alternative approaches to creating, implementing, and maintaining a consolidated audit trail that the plan... description of any such alternative approach; the relative advantages and disadvantages of each such...

17 CFR 242.613 - Consolidated audit trail.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... data; and the basis for selecting such method(s); (ii) The time and method by which the data in the... alternative approaches to creating, implementing, and maintaining a consolidated audit trail that the plan... description of any such alternative approach; the relative advantages and disadvantages of each such...

Implementation of and Ada real-time executive: A case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laird, James D.; Burton, Bruce A.; Koppes, Mary R.

1986-01-01

Current Ada language implementations and runtime environments are immature, unproven and are a key risk area for real-time embedded computer system (ECS). A test-case environment is provided in which the concerns of the real-time, ECS community are addressed. A priority driven executive is selected to be implemented in the Ada programming language. The model selected is representative of real-time executives tailored for embedded systems used missile, spacecraft, and avionics applications. An Ada-based design methodology is utilized, and two designs are considered. The first of these designs requires the use of vendor supplied runtime and tasking support. An alternative high-level design is also considered for an implementation requiring no vendor supplied runtime or tasking support. The former approach is carried through to implementation.

The Feasibility of Conformal Thermal Therapy with Transurethral Ultrasound Heating Applicators and MR Temperature Feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choy, Vanessa; Tang, Kee; Wachsmuth, Jeff; Chopra, Rajiv; Bronskill, Michael

2006-05-01

Transurethral thermal therapy offers a minimally invasive alternative for the treatment of prostate diseases including benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer. Accurate heating of a targeted region of the gland can be achieved through the use of a rotating directional heating source incorporating planar ultrasound transducers, and the implementation of active temperature feedback along the beam direction during heating provided by magnetic resonance (MR) thermometry. The performance of this control method with practical spatial, temporal, and temperature resolution (such as angular alignment, spatial resolution, update rate for temperature feedback (imaging time), and the presence of noise) for thermal feedback using a clinical 1.5 T MR scanner was investigated in simulations. As expected, the control algorithm was most sensitive to the presence of noise, with noticeable degradation in its performance above ±2°C of temperature uncertainty. With respect to temporal resolution, acceptable performance was achieved at update rates of 5s or faster. The control algorithm was relatively insensitive to reduced spatial resolution due to the broad nature of the heating pattern produced by the heating applicator, this provides an opportunity to improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The overall simulation results confirm that existing clinical 1.5T MR imagers are capable of providing adequate temperature feedback for transurethral thermal therapy without special pulse sequences or enhanced imaging hardware.

The Arabidopsis sickle mutant exhibits altered circadian clock responses to cool tempatures and tempature-dependent alternative splicing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The circadian clock allows plants to anticipate and respond to daily changes in ambient temperature. Mechanisms establishing the timing of circadian rhythms in Arabidopsis thaliana through temperature entrainment remain unclear. Also incompletely understood is the temperature compensation mechanism ...

Proximate effects of temperature versus evolved intrinsic constraints for embryonic development times among temperate and tropical songbirds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ton, Riccardo; Martin, Thomas E.

2017-01-01

The relative importance of intrinsic constraints imposed by evolved physiological trade-offs versus the proximate effects of temperature for interspecific variation in embryonic development time remains unclear. Understanding this distinction is important because slow development due to evolved trade-offs can yield phenotypic benefits, whereas slow development from low temperature can yield costs. We experimentally increased embryonic temperature in free-living tropical and north temperate songbird species to test these alternatives. Warmer temperatures consistently shortened development time without costs to embryo mass or metabolism. However, proximate effects of temperature played an increasingly stronger role than intrinsic constraints for development time among species with colder natural incubation temperatures. Long development times of tropical birds have been thought to primarily reflect evolved physiological trade-offs that facilitate their greater longevity. In contrast, our results indicate a much stronger role of temperature in embryonic development time than currently thought.

Dynamic Balancing of Isoprene Carbon Sources Reflects Photosynthetic and Photorespiratory Responses to Temperature Stress1[W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Chambers, Jeffrey; Alves, Eliane G.; Teixeira, Andrea; Garcia, Sabrina; Holm, Jennifer; Higuchi, Niro; Manzi, Antonio; Abrell, Leif; Fuentes, Jose D.; Nielsen, Lars K.; Torn, Margaret S.; Vickers, Claudia E.

2014-01-01

The volatile gas isoprene is emitted in teragrams per annum quantities from the terrestrial biosphere and exerts a large effect on atmospheric chemistry. Isoprene is made primarily from recently fixed photosynthate; however, alternate carbon sources play an important role, particularly when photosynthate is limiting. We examined the relative contribution of these alternate carbon sources under changes in light and temperature, the two environmental conditions that have the strongest influence over isoprene emission. Using a novel real-time analytical approach that allowed us to examine dynamic changes in carbon sources, we observed that relative contributions do not change as a function of light intensity. We found that the classical uncoupling of isoprene emission from net photosynthesis at elevated leaf temperatures is associated with an increased contribution of alternate carbon. We also observed a rapid compensatory response where alternate carbon sources compensated for transient decreases in recently fixed carbon during thermal ramping, thereby maintaining overall increases in isoprene production rates at high temperatures. Photorespiration is known to contribute to the decline in net photosynthesis at high leaf temperatures. A reduction in the temperature at which the contribution of alternate carbon sources increased was observed under photorespiratory conditions, while photosynthetic conditions increased this temperature. Feeding [2-13C]glycine (a photorespiratory intermediate) stimulated emissions of [13C1–5]isoprene and 13CO2, supporting the possibility that photorespiration can provide an alternate source of carbon for isoprene synthesis. Our observations have important implications for establishing improved mechanistic predictions of isoprene emissions and primary carbon metabolism, particularly under the predicted increases in future global temperatures. PMID:25318937

Dynamic balancing of isoprene carbon sources reflects photosynthetic and photorespiratory responses to temperature stress.

PubMed

Jardine, Kolby; Chambers, Jeffrey; Alves, Eliane G; Teixeira, Andrea; Garcia, Sabrina; Holm, Jennifer; Higuchi, Niro; Manzi, Antonio; Abrell, Leif; Fuentes, Jose D; Nielsen, Lars K; Torn, Margaret S; Vickers, Claudia E

2014-12-01

The volatile gas isoprene is emitted in teragrams per annum quantities from the terrestrial biosphere and exerts a large effect on atmospheric chemistry. Isoprene is made primarily from recently fixed photosynthate; however, alternate carbon sources play an important role, particularly when photosynthate is limiting. We examined the relative contribution of these alternate carbon sources under changes in light and temperature, the two environmental conditions that have the strongest influence over isoprene emission. Using a novel real-time analytical approach that allowed us to examine dynamic changes in carbon sources, we observed that relative contributions do not change as a function of light intensity. We found that the classical uncoupling of isoprene emission from net photosynthesis at elevated leaf temperatures is associated with an increased contribution of alternate carbon. We also observed a rapid compensatory response where alternate carbon sources compensated for transient decreases in recently fixed carbon during thermal ramping, thereby maintaining overall increases in isoprene production rates at high temperatures. Photorespiration is known to contribute to the decline in net photosynthesis at high leaf temperatures. A reduction in the temperature at which the contribution of alternate carbon sources increased was observed under photorespiratory conditions, while photosynthetic conditions increased this temperature. Feeding [2-(13)C]glycine (a photorespiratory intermediate) stimulated emissions of [(13)C1-5]isoprene and (13)CO2, supporting the possibility that photorespiration can provide an alternate source of carbon for isoprene synthesis. Our observations have important implications for establishing improved mechanistic predictions of isoprene emissions and primary carbon metabolism, particularly under the predicted increases in future global temperatures. © 2014 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Physical aspects of heat generation/absorption in the second grade fluid flow due to Riga plate: Application of Cattaneo-Christov approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anjum, Aisha; Mir, N. A.; Farooq, M.; Javed, M.; Ahmad, S.; Malik, M. Y.; Alshomrani, A. S.

2018-06-01

The present article concentrates on thermal stratification in the flow of second grade fluid past a Riga plate with linear stretching towards a stagnation region. Heat transfer phenomenon is disclosed with heat generation/absorption. Riga plate is known as electromagnetic actuator which comprises of permanent magnets and alternating electrodes placed on a plane surface. Cattaneo-Christov heat flux model is implemented to analyze the features of heat transfer. This new heat flux model is the generalization of classical Fourier's law with the contribution of thermal relaxation time. For the first time heat generation/absorption effect is computed with non-Fourier's law of heat conduction (i.e., Cattaneo-Christov heat flux model). Transformations are used to obtain the governing non-linear ordinary differential equations. Approximate convergent solutions are developed for the non-dimensionalized governing problems. Physical features of velocity and temperature distributions are graphically analyzed corresponding to various parameters in 2D and 3D. It is noted that velocity field enhances with an increment of modified Hartman number while it reduces with increasing variable thickness parameter. Increment in modified heat generation parameter results in reduction of temperature field.

WGM Temperature Tracker

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strekalov, Dmitry V.

2012-01-01

This software implements digital control of a WGM (whispering-gallerymode) resonator temperature based on the dual-mode approach. It comprises one acquisition (dual-channel) and three control modules. The interaction of the proportional-integral loops is designed in the original way, preventing the loops from fighting. The data processing is organized in parallel with the acquisition, which allows the computational overhead time to be suppressed or often completely avoided. WGM resonators potentially provide excellent optical references for metrology, clocks, spectroscopy, and other applications. However, extremely accurate (below micro-Kelvin) temperature stabilization is required. This software allows one specifically advantageous method of such stabilization to be implemented, which is immune to a variety of effects that mask the temperature variation. WGM Temperature Tracker 2.3 (see figure) is a LabVIEW code developed for dual-mode temperature stabilization of WGM resonators. It has allowed for the temperature stabilization at the level of 200 nK with one-second integration time, and 6 nK with 10,000-second integration time, with the above room-temperature set point. This software, in conjunction with the appropriate hardware, can be used as a noncryogenic temperature sensor/ controller with sub-micro-Kelvin sensitivity, which at the time of this reporting considerably outperforms the state of the art.

Temperature measurement method using temperature coefficient timing for resistive or capacitive sensors

DOEpatents

Britton, Jr., Charles L.; Ericson, M. Nance

1999-01-01

A method and apparatus for temperature measurement especially suited for low cost, low power, moderate accuracy implementation. It uses a sensor whose resistance varies in a known manner, either linearly or nonlinearly, with temperature, and produces a digital output which is proportional to the temperature of the sensor. The method is based on performing a zero-crossing time measurement of a step input signal that is double differentiated using two differentiators functioning as respective first and second time constants; one temperature stable, and the other varying with the sensor temperature.

Fuel Performance Calculations for FeCrAl Cladding in BWRs

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

George, Nathan; Sweet, Ryan; Maldonado, G. Ivan

2015-01-01

This study expands upon previous neutronics analyses of the reactivity impact of alternate cladding concepts in boiling water reactor (BWR) cores and directs focus toward contrasting fuel performance characteristics of FeCrAl cladding against those of traditional Zircaloy. Using neutronics results from a modern version of the 3D nodal simulator NESTLE, linear power histories were generated and supplied to the BISON-CASL code for fuel performance evaluations. BISON-CASL (formerly Peregrine) expands on material libraries implemented in the BISON fuel performance code and the MOOSE framework by providing proprietary material data. By creating material libraries for Zircaloy and FeCrAl cladding, the thermomechanical behaviormore » of the fuel rod (e.g., strains, centerline fuel temperature, and time to gap closure) were investigated and contrasted.« less

Inclinometer--time-domain reflectometry comparative study : research implementation plan.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-10-01

ODOT currently uses slope indicator probing to analyze subsurface conditions at roadway landslide : locations. However, the current method is subject to several limitations, and time domain reflectometry : (TDR) has been proposed as an alternative to...

Large active mirror in aluminium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leblanc, Jean-M.; Rozelot, Jean-Pierre

1991-11-01

The Large Active Mirrors in Aluminum Project (LAMA) is intended as a metallic alternative to the conventional glass mirrors. This alternative is to bring about definite improvements in terms of lower cost, shorter manufacturing, and reduced brittleness. Combined in a system approach that integrates design, development, and manufacturing of both the aluminum meniscus and its active support, the LAMA project is a technologically consistent product for astronomical and laser telescopes. Large size mirrors can be delivered, up to 8 m diameter. Recent progress in active optics makes possible control, as well as real-time adjustment, of a metallic mirror's deformations, especially those induced by temperature variations and/or aging. It also enables correction of whatever low-frequency surface waves escaped polishing. Besides, the manufacturing process to produce the aluminum segments together with the electron welding technique ensure the material's homogeneity. Quality of the surface condition will result from optimized implementation of the specific aluminum machining and polishing techniques. This paper highlights the existing aluminum realizations compared to glass mirrors, and gives the main results obtained during a feasibility demonstration phase, based on 8 m mirror requirements.

Optimization of the Divergent method for genotyping single nucleotide variations using SYBR Green-based single-tube real-time PCR.

PubMed

Gentilini, Fabio; Turba, Maria E

2014-01-01

A novel technique, called Divergent, for single-tube real-time PCR genotyping of point mutations without the use of fluorescently labeled probes has recently been reported. This novel PCR technique utilizes a set of four primers and a particular denaturation temperature for simultaneously amplifying two different amplicons which extend in opposite directions from the point mutation. The two amplicons can readily be detected using the melt curve analysis downstream to a closed-tube real-time PCR. In the present study, some critical aspects of the original method were specifically addressed to further implement the technique for genotyping the DNM1 c.G767T mutation responsible for exercise-induced collapse in Labrador retriever dogs. The improved Divergent assay was easily set up using a standard two-step real-time PCR protocol. The melting temperature difference between the mutated and the wild-type amplicons was approximately 5°C which could be promptly detected by all the thermal cyclers. The upgraded assay yielded accurate results with 157pg of genomic DNA per reaction. This optimized technique represents a flexible and inexpensive alternative to the minor grove binder fluorescently labeled method and to high resolution melt analysis for high-throughput, robust and cheap genotyping of single nucleotide variations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Biodiesel Offers an Easy Alternative for

Science.gov Websites

substantial petroleum reductions and cost savings. The University has also purchased a mobile fueling station , particularly because the university chose to implement a relatively unique mobile trailer to fuel their shuttle . The mobile fueling station was the only upfront cost, but Worku says the resulting time efficiencies

Evaluation of corrective measures implemented for the preventive conservation of fresco paintings in Ariadne’s house (Pompeii, Italy)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A microclimate monitoring study was conducted in 2008 aimed at assessing the conservation risks affecting the valuable wall paintings decorating Ariadne’s House (Pompeii, Italy). It was found that thermohygrometric conditions were very unfavorable for the conservation of frescoes. As a result, it was decided to implement corrective measures, and the transparent polycarbonate sheets covering three rooms (one of them delimited by four walls and the others composed of three walls) were replaced by opaque roofs. In order to examine the effectiveness of this measure, the same monitoring system comprised by 26 thermohygrometric probes was installed again in summer 2010. Data recorded in 2008 and 2010 were compared. Results Microclimate conditions were also monitored in a control room with the same roof in both years. The average temperature in this room was lower in 2010, and it was decided to consider a time frame of 18 summer days with the same mean temperature in both years. In the rooms with three walls, the statistical analysis revealed that the diurnal maximum temperature decreased about 3.5°C due to the roof change, and the minimum temperature increased 0.5°C. As a result, the daily thermohygrometric variations resulted less pronounced in 2010, with a reduction of approximately 4°C, which is favorable for the preservation of mural paintings. In the room with four walls, the daily fluctuations also decreased about 4°C. Based on the results, other alternative actions are discussed aimed at improving the conservation conditions of wall paintings. Conclusions The roof change has reduced the most unfavorable thermohygrometric conditions affecting the mural paintings, but additional actions should be adopted for a long term preservation of Pompeian frescoes. PMID:23683173

Evaluation of corrective measures implemented for the preventive conservation of fresco paintings in Ariadne's house (Pompeii, Italy).

PubMed

Merello, Paloma; García-Diego, Fernando-Juan; Zarzo, Manuel

2013-05-17

A microclimate monitoring study was conducted in 2008 aimed at assessing the conservation risks affecting the valuable wall paintings decorating Ariadne's House (Pompeii, Italy). It was found that thermohygrometric conditions were very unfavorable for the conservation of frescoes. As a result, it was decided to implement corrective measures, and the transparent polycarbonate sheets covering three rooms (one of them delimited by four walls and the others composed of three walls) were replaced by opaque roofs. In order to examine the effectiveness of this measure, the same monitoring system comprised by 26 thermohygrometric probes was installed again in summer 2010. Data recorded in 2008 and 2010 were compared. Microclimate conditions were also monitored in a control room with the same roof in both years. The average temperature in this room was lower in 2010, and it was decided to consider a time frame of 18 summer days with the same mean temperature in both years. In the rooms with three walls, the statistical analysis revealed that the diurnal maximum temperature decreased about 3.5°C due to the roof change, and the minimum temperature increased 0.5°C. As a result, the daily thermohygrometric variations resulted less pronounced in 2010, with a reduction of approximately 4°C, which is favorable for the preservation of mural paintings. In the room with four walls, the daily fluctuations also decreased about 4°C. Based on the results, other alternative actions are discussed aimed at improving the conservation conditions of wall paintings. The roof change has reduced the most unfavorable thermohygrometric conditions affecting the mural paintings, but additional actions should be adopted for a long term preservation of Pompeian frescoes.

A new approach to preparation of standard LEDs for luminous intensity and flux measurement of LEDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Seung-Nam; Park, Seongchong; Lee, Dong-Hoon

2006-09-01

This work presents an alternative approach for preparing photometric standard LEDs, which is based on a novel functional seasoning method. The main idea of our seasoning method is simultaneously monitoring the light output and the junction voltage to obtain quantitative information on the temperature dependence and the aging effect of the LED emission. We suggested a general model describing the seasoning process by taking junction temperature variation and aging effect into account and implemented a fully automated seasoning facility, which is capable of seasoning 12 LEDs at the same time. By independent measurements of the temperature dependence, we confirmed the discrepancy of the theoretical model to be less than 0.5 % and evaluate the uncertainty contribution of the functional seasoning to be less than 0.5 % for all the seasoned samples. To demonstrate assigning the reference value to a standard LED, the CIE averaged LED intensity (ALI) of the seasoned LEDs was measured with a spectroradiometer-based instrument and the measurement uncertainty was analyzed. The expanded uncertainty of the standard LED prepared by the new approach amounts to be 4 % ~ 5 % (k=2) depending on color without correction of spectral stray light in the spectroradiometer.

Mobile messaging services-based personal electrocardiogram monitoring system.

PubMed

Tahat, Ashraf A

2009-01-01

A mobile monitoring system utilizing Bluetooth and mobile messaging services (MMS/SMSs) with low-cost hardware equipment is proposed. A proof of concept prototype has been developed and implemented to enable transmission of an Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal and body temperature of a patient, which can be expanded to include other vital signs. Communication between a mobile smart-phone and the ECG and temperature acquisition apparatus is implemented using the popular personal area network standard specification Bluetooth. When utilizing MMS for transmission, the mobile phone plots the received ECG signal and displays the temperature using special application software running on the client mobile phone itself, where the plot can be captured and saved as an image before transmission. Alternatively, SMS can be selected as a transmission means, where in this scenario, dedicated application software is required at the receiving device. The experimental setup can be operated for monitoring from anywhere in the globe covered by a cellular network that offers data services.

Mobile Messaging Services-Based Personal Electrocardiogram Monitoring System

PubMed Central

Tahat, Ashraf A.

2009-01-01

A mobile monitoring system utilizing Bluetooth and mobile messaging services (MMS/SMSs) with low-cost hardware equipment is proposed. A proof of concept prototype has been developed and implemented to enable transmission of an Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal and body temperature of a patient, which can be expanded to include other vital signs. Communication between a mobile smart-phone and the ECG and temperature acquisition apparatus is implemented using the popular personal area network standard specification Bluetooth. When utilizing MMS for transmission, the mobile phone plots the received ECG signal and displays the temperature using special application software running on the client mobile phone itself, where the plot can be captured and saved as an image before transmission. Alternatively, SMS can be selected as a transmission means, where in this scenario, dedicated application software is required at the receiving device. The experimental setup can be operated for monitoring from anywhere in the globe covered by a cellular network that offers data services. PMID:19707531

Core Temperature Measurement During Submaximal Exercise: Esophageal, Rectal, and Intestinal Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Stuart M. C.; Williams, W. Jon; Schneider, Suzanne M.

2000-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if intestinal temperature (Tin) might be in acceptable alternative to esophageal (Tes) and rectal temperature (Trec) to assess thermoregulation during supine exercise. We hypothesized that Tin would have values similar to Tes and a response time similar to Trec, but the rate of temperature change across time would not be different between measurement sites. Seven subjects completed a continuous supine protocol of 20 min of rest, 20 min of cycle exercise at 40% peak oxygen consumption (VO2pk), 20 min of cycle exercise at 65% V02pk, and 20 min of recovery. Tes, Trec, and Tin were recorded each min throughout the test. Temperatures were not different after 20 min of rest, but Trec was less than the Tes and Tin at the end of the 40% and 65% VO2pk stages. After 20 min of recovery, Tes was less than either Trec or Tin, which were not different from each other. Time to threshold for increased temperature from rest was greater for Trec than Tes but not different from Tin. Time to reach peak temperature was greater for Tin and Trec than Tes. Similarly, time to a decrease in temperature after exercise was greater for Trec than Tes, but not different from Tin. The rate of temperature change from threshold to the end of the 40% VO2pk stage was not different between measurement sites. However, the rate of change during recovery was more negative for Tes than Tin and Trec, which were different from each other. Measurement of Tin may he an acceptable alternative to Tes and Trec with an understanding of its limitations.

Magnetic induction of hyperthermia by a modified self-learning fuzzy temperature controller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei-Cheng; Tai, Cheng-Chi

2017-07-01

The aim of this study involved developing a temperature controller for magnetic induction hyperthermia (MIH). A closed-loop controller was applied to track a reference model to guarantee a desired temperature response. The MIH system generated an alternating magnetic field to heat a high magnetic permeability material. This wireless induction heating had few side effects when it was extensively applied to cancer treatment. The effects of hyperthermia strongly depend on the precise control of temperature. However, during the treatment process, the control performance is degraded due to severe perturbations and parameter variations. In this study, a modified self-learning fuzzy logic controller (SLFLC) with a gain tuning mechanism was implemented to obtain high control performance in a wide range of treatment situations. This implementation was performed by appropriately altering the output scaling factor of a fuzzy inverse model to adjust the control rules. In this study, the proposed SLFLC was compared to the classical self-tuning fuzzy logic controller and fuzzy model reference learning control. Additionally, the proposed SLFLC was verified by conducting in vitro experiments with porcine liver. The experimental results indicated that the proposed controller showed greater robustness and excellent adaptability with respect to the temperature control of the MIH system.

Effect of alternating day and night temperature on short day-induced bud set and subsequent bud burst in long days in Norway spruce

PubMed Central

Olsen, Jorunn E.; Lee, YeonKyeong; Junttila, Olavi

2014-01-01

Young seedlings of the conifer Norway spruce exhibit short day (SD)-induced cessation of apical growth and bud set. Although different, constant temperatures under SD are known to modulate timing of bud set and depth of dormancy with development of deeper dormancy under higher compared to lower temperature, systematic studies of effects of alternating day (DT) and night temperatures (NT) are limited. To shed light on this, seedlings of different provenances of Norway spruce were exposed to a wide range of DT-NT combinations during bud development, followed by transfer to forcing conditions of long days (LD) and 18°C, directly or after different periods of chilling. Although no specific effect of alternating DT/NT was found, the results demonstrate that the effects of DT under SD on bud set and subsequent bud break are significantly modified by NT in a complex way. The effects on bud break persisted after chilling. Since time to bud set correlated with the daily mean temperature under SD at DTs of 18 and 21°C, but not a DT of 15°C, time to bud set apparently also depend on the specific DT, implying that the effect of NT depends on the actual DT. Although higher temperature under SD generally results in later bud break after transfer to forcing conditions, the fastest bud flush was observed at intermediate NTs. This might be due to a bud break-hastening chilling effect of intermediate compared to higher temperatures, and delayed bud development to a stage where bud burst can occur, under lower temperatures. Also, time to bud burst in un-chilled seedlings decreased with increasing SD-duration, suggesting that bud development must reach a certain stage before the processes leading to bud burst are initiated. The present results also indicate that low temperature during bud development had a larger effect on the most southern compared to the most northern provenance studied. Decreasing time to bud burst was observed with increasing northern latitude of origin in un-chilled as well as chilled plants. In conclusion, being a highly temperature-dependent process, bud development is strongly delayed by low temperature, and the effects of DT is significantly modified by NT in a complex manner. PMID:25538722

Temperature measurement method using temperature coefficient timing for resistive or capacitive sensors

DOEpatents

Britton, C.L. Jr.; Ericson, M.N.

1999-01-19

A method and apparatus for temperature measurement especially suited for low cost, low power, moderate accuracy implementation. It uses a sensor whose resistance varies in a known manner, either linearly or nonlinearly, with temperature, and produces a digital output which is proportional to the temperature of the sensor. The method is based on performing a zero-crossing time measurement of a step input signal that is double differentiated using two differentiators functioning as respective first and second time constants; one temperature stable, and the other varying with the sensor temperature. 5 figs.

Kalman-Predictive-Proportional-Integral-Derivative (KPPID) Temperature Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fluerasu, Andrei; Sutton, Mark

2003-09-01

With third generation synchrotron X-ray sources, it is possible to acquire detailed structural information about the system under study with time resolution orders of magnitude faster than was possible a few years ago. These advances have generated many new challenges for changing and controlling the state of the system on very short time scales, in a uniform and controlled manner. For our particular X-ray experiments [1] on crystallization or order-disorder phase transitions in metallic alloys, we need to change the sample temperature by hundreds of degrees as fast as possible while avoiding over or under shooting. To achieve this, we designed and implemented a computer-controlled temperature tracking system which combines standard Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) feedback, thermal modeling and finite difference thermal calculations (feedforward), and Kalman filtering of the temperature readings in order to reduce the noise. The resulting Kalman-Predictive-Proportional-Integral-Derivative (KPPID) algorithm allows us to obtain accurate control, to minimize the response time and to avoid over/under shooting, even in systems with inherently noisy temperature readings and time delays. The KPPID temperature controller was successfully implemented at the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratories and was used to perform coherent and time-resolved X-ray diffraction experiments.

Body Temperature Cycles Control Rhythmic Alternative Splicing in Mammals.

PubMed

Preußner, Marco; Goldammer, Gesine; Neumann, Alexander; Haltenhof, Tom; Rautenstrauch, Pia; Müller-McNicoll, Michaela; Heyd, Florian

2017-08-03

The core body temperature of all mammals oscillates with the time of the day. However, direct molecular consequences of small, physiological changes in body temperature remain largely elusive. Here we show that body temperature cycles drive rhythmic SR protein phosphorylation to control an alternative splicing (AS) program. A temperature change of 1°C is sufficient to induce a concerted splicing switch in a large group of functionally related genes, rendering this splicing-based thermometer much more sensitive than previously described temperature-sensing mechanisms. AS of two exons in the 5' UTR of the TATA-box binding protein (Tbp) highlights the general impact of this mechanism, as it results in rhythmic TBP protein levels with implications for global gene expression in vivo. Together our data establish body temperature-driven AS as a core clock-independent oscillator in mammalian peripheral clocks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementation-intention encoding in a prospective memory task enhances spontaneous retrieval of intentions.

PubMed

Rummel, Jan; Einstein, Gilles O; Rampey, Hilary

2012-01-01

Although forming implementation intentions (Gollwitzer, 1999) has been demonstrated to generally improve prospective memory, the underlying cognitive mechanisms are not completely understood. It has been proposed that implementation-intention encoding encourages spontaneous retrieval (McDaniel & Scullin, 2010). Alternatively one could assume the positive effect of implementation-intention encoding is caused by increased or more efficient monitoring for target cues. To test these alternative explanations and to further investigate the cognitive mechanisms underlying implementation-intention benefits, in two experiments participants formed the intention to respond to specific target cues in a lexical decision task with a special key, but then had to suspend this intention during an intervening word-categorisation task. Response times on trials directly following the occurrence of target cues in the intervening task were significantly slower with implementation-intention encoding than with standard encoding, indicating that spontaneous retrieval was increased (Experiment 1). However, when activation of the target cues was controlled for, similar slowing was found with both standard and implementation-intention encoding (Experiment 2). The results imply that implementation-intention encoding as well as increased target-cue activation foster spontaneous retrieval processes.

SU-E-T-558: An Exploratory RF Pulse Sequence Technique Used to Induce Differential Heating in Tissues Containing Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for a Possible Hyperthermic Adjuvant Effect to Radiotherapy

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

Yee, S; Ionascu, D; Wilson, G

2014-06-01

Purpose: In pre-clinical trials of cancer thermotherapy, hyperthermia can be induced by exposing localized super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) to external alternating magnetic fields generated by a solenoid electrical circuit (Zhao et al., Theranostics 2012). Alternatively, an RF pulse technique implemented in a regular MRI system is explored as a possible hyperthermia induction technique . Methods: A new thermal RF pulse sequence was developed using the Philips pulse programming tool for the 3T Ingenia MRI system to provide a sinusoidal magnetic field alternating at the frequency of 1.43 kHz (multiples of sine waves of 0.7 ms period) before each excitationmore » RF pulse for imaging. The duration of each thermal RF pulse routine was approximately 3 min, and the thermal pulse was applied multiple times to a phantom that contains different concentrations (high, medium and low) of SPION samples. After applying the thermal pulse each time, the temperature change was estimated by measuring the phase changes in the T1-weighted inversion-prepared multi-shot turbo field echo (TFE) sequence (TR=5.5 ms, TE=2.7 ms, inversion time=200 ms). Results: The phase values and relative differences among them changed as the number of applied thermal RF pulses increased. After the 5th application of the thermal RF pulse, the relative phase differences increased significantly, suggesting the thermal activation of the SPION. The increase of the phase difference was approximately linear with the SPION concentration. Conclusion: A sinusoidal RF pulse from the MRI system may be utilized to selectively thermally activate tissues containing super-paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.« less

Application of troposphere model from NWP and GNSS data into real-time precise positioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilgan, Karina; Hadas, Tomasz; Kazmierski, Kamil; Rohm, Witold; Bosy, Jaroslaw

2016-04-01

The tropospheric delay empirical models are usually functions of meteorological parameters (temperature, pressure and humidity). The application of standard atmosphere parameters or global models, such as GPT (global pressure/temperature) model or UNB3 (University of New Brunswick, version 3) model, may not be sufficient, especially for positioning in non-standard weather conditions. The possible solution is to use regional troposphere models based on real-time or near-real time measurements. We implement a regional troposphere model into the PPP (Precise Point Positioning) software GNSS-WARP (Wroclaw Algorithms for Real-time Positioning) developed at Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences. The software is capable of processing static and kinematic multi-GNSS data in real-time and post-processing mode and takes advantage of final IGS (International GNSS Service) products as well as IGS RTS (Real-Time Service) products. A shortcoming of PPP technique is the time required for the solution to converge. One of the reasons is the high correlation among the estimated parameters: troposphere delay, receiver clock offset and receiver height. To efficiently decorrelate these parameters, a significant change in satellite geometry is required. Alternative solution is to introduce the external high-quality regional troposphere delay model to constrain troposphere estimates. The proposed model consists of zenith total delays (ZTD) and mapping functions calculated from meteorological parameters from Numerical Weather Prediction model WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) and ZTDs from ground-based GNSS stations using the least-squares collocation software COMEDIE (Collocation of Meteorological Data for Interpretation and Estimation of Tropospheric Pathdelays) developed at ETH Zurich.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Ten Ways You Can Implement Alternative Fuels

Science.gov Websites

and Energy-Efficient Vehicle Technologies Ten Ways You Can Implement Alternative Fuels and Energy-Efficient Vehicle Technologies to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Ten Ways You Can Implement Alternative Fuels and Energy-Efficient Vehicle Technologies on Facebook Tweet about

Superplasticizer Addition to Carbon Fly Ash Geopolymers Activated at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Carabba, Lorenza; Manzi, Stefania; Bignozzi, Maria Chiara

2016-07-18

Present concerns about global warming due to the greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere have pushed the cement industry to research alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Geopolymer binder may constitute a possible breakthrough in the development of sustainable materials: understanding the effectiveness and the influences of superplasticizers on geopolymer systems is one of the essential requirements for its large-scale implementation. This study aims to investigate the possibility of using commercially available chemical admixtures designed for OPC concrete, to improve fresh properties of fly ash-based geopolymers and mortars. A special emphasis is laid upon evaluating their influence on mechanical and microstructural characteristics of the hardened material realized under room-temperature curing conditions. Results indicate that the addition of a polycarboxylic ether-based superplasticizer, in the amount of 1.0 wt. % by mass of fly ash, promotes an improvement in workability without compromising the final strength of the hardened material. Moreover, the addition of the polycarboxylic ether- and acrylic-based superplasticizers induces a refinement in the pore structure of hardened mortar leading to a longer water saturation time.

The design, deployment, and testing of kriging models in GEOframe with SIK-0.9.8

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bancheri, Marialaura; Serafin, Francesco; Bottazzi, Michele; Abera, Wuletawu; Formetta, Giuseppe; Rigon, Riccardo

2018-06-01

This work presents a software package for the interpolation of climatological variables, such as temperature and precipitation, using kriging techniques. The purposes of the paper are (1) to present a geostatistical software that is easy to use and easy to plug in to a hydrological model; (2) to provide a practical example of an accurately designed software from the perspective of reproducible research; and (3) to demonstrate the goodness of the results of the software and so have a reliable alternative to other, more traditional tools. A total of 11 types of theoretical semivariograms and four types of kriging were implemented and gathered into Object Modeling System-compliant components. The package provides real-time optimization for semivariogram and kriging parameters. The software was tested using a year's worth of hourly temperature readings and a rain storm event (11 h) recorded in 2008 and retrieved from 97 meteorological stations in the Isarco River basin, Italy. For both the variables, good interpolation results were obtained and then compared to the results from the R package gstat.

Superplasticizer Addition to Carbon Fly Ash Geopolymers Activated at Room Temperature

PubMed Central

Carabba, Lorenza; Manzi, Stefania; Bignozzi, Maria Chiara

2016-01-01

Present concerns about global warming due to the greenhouse emissions in the atmosphere have pushed the cement industry to research alternatives to ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Geopolymer binder may constitute a possible breakthrough in the development of sustainable materials: understanding the effectiveness and the influences of superplasticizers on geopolymer systems is one of the essential requirements for its large-scale implementation. This study aims to investigate the possibility of using commercially available chemical admixtures designed for OPC concrete, to improve fresh properties of fly ash-based geopolymers and mortars. A special emphasis is laid upon evaluating their influence on mechanical and microstructural characteristics of the hardened material realized under room-temperature curing conditions. Results indicate that the addition of a polycarboxylic ether-based superplasticizer, in the amount of 1.0 wt. % by mass of fly ash, promotes an improvement in workability without compromising the final strength of the hardened material. Moreover, the addition of the polycarboxylic ether- and acrylic-based superplasticizers induces a refinement in the pore structure of hardened mortar leading to a longer water saturation time. PMID:28773707

Alternating temperatures affect life table parameters of Phytoseiulus persimilis, Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and their prey Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae).

PubMed

Vangansbeke, Dominiek; De Schrijver, Lien; Spranghers, Thomas; Audenaert, Joachim; Verhoeven, Ruth; Nguyen, Duc Tung; Gobin, Bruno; Tirry, Luc; De Clercq, Patrick

2013-11-01

Increasing energy costs force glasshouse growers to switch to energy saving strategies. In the temperature integration approach, considerable daily temperature variations are allowed, which not only have an important influence on plant growth but also on the development rate of arthropods in the crop. Therefore, we examined the influence of two constant temperature regimes (15 °C/15 °C and 20 °C/20 °C) and one alternating temperature regime (20 °C/5 °C, with an average of 15 °C) on life table parameters of Phytoseiulus persimilis and Neoseiulus californicus and their target pest, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae at a 16:8 (L:D) h photoperiod and 65 ± 5 % RH. For females of both predatory mites the alternating temperature regime resulted in a 25-30 % shorter developmental time as compared to the corresponding mean constant temperature regime of 15 °C/15 °C. The immature development of female spider mites was prolonged for 7 days at 15 °C/15 °C as compared to 20 °C/5 °C. With a daytime temperature of 20 °C, no differences in lifetime fecundity were observed between a nighttime temperature of 20 and 5 °C for P. persimilis and T. urticae. The two latter species did show a higher lifetime fecundity at 20 °C/5 °C than at 15 °C/15 °C, and their daily fecundity at the alternating regime was about 30 % higher than at the corresponding mean constant temperature. P. persimilis and T. urticae showed no differences in sex ratio between the three temperature regimes, whereas the proportion of N. californicus females at 15 °C/15 °C (54.2 %) was significantly lower than that at 20 °C/5 °C (69.4 %) and 20 °C/20 °C (67.2 %). Intrinsic rates of increase were higher at the alternating temperature than at the corresponding mean constant temperature for both pest and predators. Our results indicate that thermal responses of the studied phytoseiid predators to alternating temperature regimes used in energy saving strategies in glasshouse crops may have consequences for their efficacy in biological control programs.

Time-asymptotic solutions of the Navier-Stokes equation for free shear flows using an alternating-direction implicit method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rudy, D. H.; Morris, D. J.

1976-01-01

An uncoupled time asymptotic alternating direction implicit method for solving the Navier-Stokes equations was tested on two laminar parallel mixing flows. A constant total temperature was assumed in order to eliminate the need to solve the full energy equation; consequently, static temperature was evaluated by using algebraic relationship. For the mixing of two supersonic streams at a Reynolds number of 1,000, convergent solutions were obtained for a time step 5 times the maximum allowable size for an explicit method. The solution diverged for a time step 10 times the explicit limit. Improved convergence was obtained when upwind differencing was used for convective terms. Larger time steps were not possible with either upwind differencing or the diagonally dominant scheme. Artificial viscosity was added to the continuity equation in order to eliminate divergence for the mixing of a subsonic stream with a supersonic stream at a Reynolds number of 1,000.

Investigations on Absorber Materials at Cryogenic Temperatures

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

Marhauser, Frank; Elliott, Thomas; Rimmer, Robert

2009-05-01

In the framework of the 12 GeV upgrade project for the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) improvements are being made to refurbish cryomodules housing Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility's (JLab) original 5-cell cavities. Recently we have started to look into a possible simplification of the existing Higher Order Mode (HOM) absorber design combined with the aim to find alternative material candidates. The absorbers are implemented in two HOM-waveguides immersed in the helium bath and operate at 2 K temperature. We have built a cryogenic setup to perform measurements on sample load materials to investigate their lossy characteristics and variationsmore » from room temperature down to 2 K. Initial results are presented in this paper.« less

The data base management system alternative for computing in the human services.

PubMed

Sircar, S; Schkade, L L; Schoech, D

1983-01-01

The traditional incremental approach to computerization presents substantial problems as systems develop and grow. The Data Base Management System approach to computerization was developed to overcome the problems resulting from implementing computer applications one at a time. The authors describe the applications approach and the alternative Data Base Management System (DBMS) approach through their developmental history, discuss the technology of DBMS components, and consider the implications of choosing the DBMS alternative. Human service managers need an understanding of the DBMS alternative and its applicability to their agency data processing needs. The basis for a conscious selection of computing alternatives is outlined.

Physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the integration of light and temperature cues in Arabidopsis thaliana seeds.

PubMed

Arana, María Verónica; Tognacca, Rocío Soledad; Estravis-Barcalá, Maximiliano; Sánchez, Rodolfo Augusto; Botto, Javier Francisco

2017-12-01

The relief of dormancy and the promotion of seed germination are of extreme importance for a successful seedling establishment. Although alternating temperatures and light are signals promoting the relief of seed dormancy, the underlying mechanisms of their interaction in seeds are scarcely known. By exposing imbibed Arabidopsis thaliana dormant seeds to two-day temperature cycles previous of a red light pulse, we demonstrate that the germination mediated by phytochrome B requires the presence of functional PSEUDO-RESPONSE REGULATOR 7 (PRR7) and TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1 (TOC1) alleles. In addition, daily cycles of alternating temperatures in darkness reduce the protein levels of DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 (DOG1), allowing the expression of TOC1 to induce seed germination. Our results suggest a functional role for some components of the circadian clock related with the action of DOG1 for the integration of alternating temperatures and light signals in the relief of seed dormancy. The synchronization of germination by the synergic action of light and temperature through the activity of circadian clock might have ecological and adaptive consequences. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sensor fault detection and isolation via high-gain observers: application to a double-pipe heat exchanger.

PubMed

Escobar, R F; Astorga-Zaragoza, C M; Téllez-Anguiano, A C; Juárez-Romero, D; Hernández, J A; Guerrero-Ramírez, G V

2011-07-01

This paper deals with fault detection and isolation (FDI) in sensors applied to a concentric-pipe counter-flow heat exchanger. The proposed FDI is based on the analytical redundancy implementing nonlinear high-gain observers which are used to generate residuals when a sensor fault is presented (as software sensors). By evaluating the generated residual, it is possible to switch between the sensor and the observer when a failure is detected. Experiments in a heat exchanger pilot validate the effectiveness of the approach. The FDI technique is easy to implement allowing the industries to have an excellent alternative tool to keep their heat transfer process under supervision. The main contribution of this work is based on a dynamic model with heat transfer coefficients which depend on temperature and flow used to estimate the output temperatures of a heat exchanger. This model provides a satisfactory approximation of the states of the heat exchanger in order to allow its implementation in a FDI system used to perform supervision tasks. Copyright © 2011 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Part-time and Job-Share Careers Among Pharmacy Practice Faculty Members

PubMed Central

Vest, Kathleen; Pohl, Shaunte; Mazan, Jennifer; Winkler, Susan

2014-01-01

Part-time and job-share policies may allow pharmacy practice faculty members to achieve work/life balance while pursuing their professional goals. Precedent for alternative work schedules within the health professions community can be found throughout the literature; however, little is known about part-time roles in academic pharmacy. The design and implementation of 3 different alternative faculty appointments are described and department chair and faculty perspectives are shared. Teaching, service, and scholarship responsibilities, as well as outcomes before and after changes in appointment, are described. Advantages and disadvantages, including advice for other colleges of pharmacy, are presented. Alternate appointments may be a key factor in retaining highly qualified faculty members who continue to bring their expertise to teaching, precepting, and scholarship within a college or school of pharmacy. PMID:24761010

Part-time and job-share careers among pharmacy practice faculty members.

PubMed

Griffin, Brooke; Vest, Kathleen; Pohl, Shaunte; Mazan, Jennifer; Winkler, Susan

2014-04-17

Part-time and job-share policies may allow pharmacy practice faculty members to achieve work/life balance while pursuing their professional goals. Precedent for alternative work schedules within the health professions community can be found throughout the literature; however, little is known about part-time roles in academic pharmacy. The design and implementation of 3 different alternative faculty appointments are described and department chair and faculty perspectives are shared. Teaching, service, and scholarship responsibilities, as well as outcomes before and after changes in appointment, are described. Advantages and disadvantages, including advice for other colleges of pharmacy, are presented. Alternate appointments may be a key factor in retaining highly qualified faculty members who continue to bring their expertise to teaching, precepting, and scholarship within a college or school of pharmacy.

Effect of temperature on the anthocyanin extraction and color evolution during controlled dehydration of Tempranillo grapes.

PubMed

Marquez, Ana; Perez-Serratosa, Maria; Varo, M Angeles; Merida, Julieta

2014-08-06

In this paper, the influence of temperature during the controlled dehydration of Tempranillo red grapes has been studied. Two experiments at fixed temperatures of 30 and 40 °C, and a third experiment alternating temperatures of 40 and 15 °C every 12 h were carried out. The must from grapes dried at 40 °C presented the reddest color, and the highest anthocyanin concentration and antioxidant activity. A possible hypothesis could be that the high temperature induced a continuous water evaporation from the grapes, preventing the oxygen entry. At the same time, the dehydration resulted in broken skins, which facilitated the transfer of colored compounds to the pulp, increasing the red color of the musts. However, when the temperature dropped, oxygen could penetrate through the skin and the browning reactions started. As a result, the must obtained from gra pes dehydrated by alternating high and low temperatures presented the least anthocyanin content and the least red color.

Temperature measurement and damage detection in concrete beams exposed to fire using PPP-BOTDA based fiber optic sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Yi; Hoehler, Matthew S.; Smith, Christopher M.; Bundy, Matthew; Chen, Genda

2017-10-01

In this study, Brillouin scattering-based distributed fiber optic sensor is implemented to measure temperature distributions and detect cracks in concrete structures subjected to fire for the first time. A telecommunication-grade optical fiber is characterized as a high temperature sensor with pulse pre-pump Brillouin optical time domain analysis (PPP-BODTA), and implemented to measure spatially-distributed temperatures in reinforced concrete beams in fire. Four beams were tested to failure in a natural gas fueled compartment fire, each instrumented with one fused silica, single-mode optical fiber as a distributed sensor and four thermocouples. Prior to concrete cracking, the distributed temperature was validated at locations of the thermocouples by a relative difference of less than 9%. The cracks in concrete can be identified as sharp peaks in the temperature distribution since the cracks are locally filled with hot air. Concrete cracking did not affect the sensitivity of the distributed sensor but concrete spalling broke the optical fiber loop required for PPP-BOTDA measurements.

Method and apparatus to measure the depth of skin burns

DOEpatents

Dickey, Fred M.; Holswade, Scott C.

2002-01-01

A new device for measuring the depth of surface tissue burns based on the rate at which the skin temperature responds to a sudden differential temperature stimulus. This technique can be performed without physical contact with the burned tissue. In one implementation, time-dependent surface temperature data is taken from subsequent frames of a video signal from an infrared-sensitive video camera. When a thermal transient is created, e.g., by turning off a heat lamp directed at the skin surface, the following time-dependent surface temperature data can be used to determine the skin burn depth. Imaging and non-imaging versions of this device can be implemented, thereby enabling laboratory-quality skin burn depth imagers for hospitals as well as hand-held skin burn depth sensors the size of a small pocket flashlight for field use and triage.

Guidelines for Implementing a Real Estate Cooperative Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearson, Thomas R.

Background information and guidelines are provided for the development of cooperative education programs for real estate industry personnel. The first section outlines the operation of cooperative education programs and presents two organizational plans: the alternating plan, where students attend class full-time and work full-time during…

Feasibility of Applying Ohmic Heating and Split-Phase Aseptic Processing for Ration Entree Preservation

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

study demonstrated that either of these reduced- temperature sterilization processes will produce an acceptable product that is an alternative to thermal...and uniform heating of liquids and solids simultaneously, even of large particles, up to sterilization temperatures . Uniform heating means shorter...potential cost reduction by substitution of continuous processing of a high- temperature /short-time ( HTST ) nature for traditional batch retort

Characterization of Radial Curved Fin Heat Sink under Natural and Forced Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khadke, Rishikesh; Bhole, Kiran

2018-02-01

Heat exchangers are important structures widely used in power plants, food industries, refrigeration, and air conditioners and now widely used in computing systems. Finned type of heat sink is widely used in computing systems. The main aim of the design of the heat sink is to maintain the optimum temperature level. To achieve this goal so many geometrical configurations are implemented. This paper presents a characterization of radially curved fin heat sink under natural and forced convection. Forced convection is studied for the optimization of temperature for better efficiency. The different alternatives in geometry are considered in characterization are heat intensity, the height of the fin and speed of the fan. By recognizing these alternatives the heat sink is characterized by the heat flux usually generated in high-end PCs. The temperature drop characteristics across height and radial direction are presented for the constant heat input and air flow in the heat sink. The effect of dimensionless elevation height (0 ≤ Z* ≤ 1) and Elenbaas Number (0.4 ≤ El ≤ 2.8) of the heat sink were investigated for study of the Nusselt number. Based on experimental characterization, process plan has been developed for the selection of the similar heat sinks for desired output (heat dissipation and temperature distribution).

Treatment of clinical solid waste using a steam autoclave as a possible alternative technology to incineration.

PubMed

Hossain, Md Sohrab; Balakrishnan, Venugopal; Rahman, Nik Norulaini Nik Ab; Sarker, Md Zaidul Islam; Kadir, Mohd Omar Ab

2012-03-01

A steam autoclave was used to sterilize bacteria in clinical solid waste in order to determine an alternative to incineration technology in clinical solid waste management. The influence of contact time (0, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min) and temperature (111 °C, 121 °C and 131 °C) at automated saturated steam pressure was investigated. Results showed that with increasing contact time and temperature, the number of surviving bacteria decreased. The optimum experimental conditions as measured by degree of inactivation of bacteria were 121 °C for 15 minutes (min) for Gram negative bacteria, 121 °C and 131 °C for 60 and 30 min for Gram positive bacteria, respectively. The re-growth of bacteria in sterilized waste was also evaluated in the present study. It was found that bacterial re-growth started two days after the inactivation. The present study recommends that the steam autoclave cannot be considered as an alternative technology to incineration in clinical solid waste management.

Treatment of Clinical Solid Waste Using a Steam Autoclave as a Possible Alternative Technology to Incineration

PubMed Central

Hossain, Md. Sohrab; Balakrishnan, Venugopal; Rahman, Nik Norulaini Nik Ab; Sarker, Md. Zaidul Islam; Kadir, Mohd Omar Ab

2012-01-01

A steam autoclave was used to sterilize bacteria in clinical solid waste in order to determine an alternative to incineration technology in clinical solid waste management. The influence of contact time (0, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min) and temperature (111 °C, 121 °C and 131 °C) at automated saturated steam pressure was investigated. Results showed that with increasing contact time and temperature, the number of surviving bacteria decreased. The optimum experimental conditions as measured by degree of inactivation of bacteria were 121 °C for 15 minutes (min) for Gram negative bacteria, 121 °C and 131 °C for 60 and 30 min for Gram positive bacteria, respectively. The re-growth of bacteria in sterilized waste was also evaluated in the present study. It was found that bacterial re-growth started two days after the inactivation. The present study recommends that the steam autoclave cannot be considered as an alternative technology to incineration in clinical solid waste management. PMID:22690168

[Activation of the alternative oxidase of Yarrowia lipolytica by adenosine 5'-monophosphate].

PubMed

Medentsev, A G; Arinbasarova, A Iu; Smirnova, N M; Akimenko, V K

2004-01-01

The study of the effect of nucleoside phosphates on the activity of cyanide-resistant oxidase in the mitochondria and the submitochondrial particles of Yarrowia lipolytica showed that adenosine monophosphate (5'-AMP, AMP) did not stimulate the respiration of the intact mitochondria. The incubation of the mitochondria at room temperature (25 degrees C) for 3-5 h or their treatment with ultrasound, phospholipase A, and detergent Triton X-100 at a low temperature inactivated the cyanide-resistant alternative oxidase. The inactivated alternative oxidase could be reactivated by AMP. The reactivating effect of AMP was enhanced by azolectin. Some other nucleoside phosphates also showed reactivating ability in the following descending order. AMP = GMP > GDP > GTP > XMP > IMP. The apparent reaction rate constant Km for AMP upon the reactivation of the alternative oxidase of mitochondria treated with Triton X-100 or incubated at 25 degrees C was 12.5 and 20 microM, respectively. The Km for AMP upon the reactivation of the alternative oxidase of submitochondrial particles was 15 microM. During the incubation of yeast cells under conditions promoting the development of alternative oxidase, the content of adenine nucleotides (AMP, ADP, and ATP) in the cells and their respiration tended to decrease. The subsequent addition of cyanide to the cells activated their respiration, diminished the intracellular content of ATP three times, and augmented the content of AMP five times. These data suggest that the stimulation of cell respiration by cyanide may be due to the activation of alternative oxidase by AMP.

Quantum dynamics at finite temperature: Time-dependent quantum Monte Carlo study

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

Christov, Ivan P., E-mail: ivan.christov@phys.uni-sofia.bg

2016-08-15

In this work we investigate the ground state and the dissipative quantum dynamics of interacting charged particles in an external potential at finite temperature. The recently devised time-dependent quantum Monte Carlo (TDQMC) method allows a self-consistent treatment of the system of particles together with bath oscillators first for imaginary-time propagation of Schrödinger type of equations where both the system and the bath converge to their finite temperature ground state, and next for real time calculation where the dissipative dynamics is demonstrated. In that context the application of TDQMC appears as promising alternative to the path-integral related techniques where the realmore » time propagation can be a challenge.« less

Novel Growth Technologies for In Situ Formation of Semiconductor Quantum Wire Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-01-01

as the alternative source for phosphine for the first time. We have developed the Stranski-Krastanow (SK) growth mode for the in-situ formation of InP...tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) as the alternative source 3 for phosphine for the first time. At growth temperatures of 600oC specular surface morphology and mobilities...semi-insulating hnP buffer layer using ferrocene as the Fe-dopant. For the n-channel in our JFET structure disilane is used to obtain carrier

Communications system evolutionary scenarios for Martian SEI support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kwong, Paulman W.; Bruno, Ronald C.

1992-01-01

In the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI) mission scenarios, expanding human presence is the primary driver for high data rate Mars-Earth communications. To support an expanding human presence, the data rate requirement will be gradual, following the phased implementation over time of the evolving SEI mission. Similarly, the growth and evolution of the space communications infrastructure to serve this requirement will also be gradual to efficiently exploit the useful life of the installed communications infrastructure and to ensure backward compatibility with long-term users. In work conducted over the past year, a number of alternatives for supporting high data rate Mars-Earth communications have been analyzed with respect to their compatibility with gradual evolution of the space communications infrastructure. The alternatives include RF, millimeter wave (MMW), and optical implementations, and incorporate both surface and space-based relay terminals in the Mars and Earth regions. Each alternative is evaluated with respect to its ability to efficiently meet a projected growth in data rate over time, its technology readiness, and its capability to satisfy the key conditions and constraints imposed by evolutionary transition. As a result of this analysis, a set of attractive alternative communications architectures have been identified and described, and a road map is developed that illustrates the most rational and beneficial evolutionary paths for the communications infrastructure.

Germination shifts of C3 and C4 species under simulated global warming scenario.

PubMed

Zhang, Hongxiang; Yu, Qiang; Huang, Yingxin; Zheng, Wei; Tian, Yu; Song, Yantao; Li, Guangdi; Zhou, Daowei

2014-01-01

Research efforts around the world have been increasingly devoted to investigating changes in C3 and C4 species' abundance or distribution with global warming, as they provide important insight into carbon fluxes and linked biogeochemical cycles. However, changes in the early life stage (e.g. germination) of C3 and C4 species in response to global warming, particularly with respect to asymmetric warming, have received less attention. We investigated germination percentage and rate of C3 and C4 species under asymmetric (+3/+6°C at day/night) and symmetric warming (+5/+5°C at day/night), simulated by alternating temperatures. A thermal time model was used to calculate germination base temperature and thermal time constant. Two additional alternating temperature regimes were used to test temperature metrics effect. The germination percentage and rate increased continuously for C4 species, but increased and then decreased with temperature for C3 species under both symmetric and asymmetric warming. Compared to asymmetric warming, symmetric warming significantly overestimated the speed of germination percentage change with temperature for C4 species. Among the temperature metrics (minimum, maximum, diurnal temperature range and average temperature), maximum temperature was most correlated with germination of C4 species. Our results indicate that global warming may favour germination of C4 species, at least for the C4 species studied in this work. The divergent effects of asymmetric and symmetric warming on plant germination also deserve more attention in future studies.

Two-sample statistics for testing the equality of survival functions against improper semi-parametric accelerated failure time alternatives: an application to the analysis of a breast cancer clinical trial.

PubMed

Broët, Philippe; Tsodikov, Alexander; De Rycke, Yann; Moreau, Thierry

2004-06-01

This paper presents two-sample statistics suited for testing equality of survival functions against improper semi-parametric accelerated failure time alternatives. These tests are designed for comparing either the short- or the long-term effect of a prognostic factor, or both. These statistics are obtained as partial likelihood score statistics from a time-dependent Cox model. As a consequence, the proposed tests can be very easily implemented using widely available software. A breast cancer clinical trial is presented as an example to demonstrate the utility of the proposed tests.

A Survey of Alternative Oxygen Production Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lueck, Dale E.; Parrish, Clyde F.; Buttner, William J.; Surma, Jan M.; Delgado, H. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Utilization of the Martian atmosphere for the production of fuel and oxygen has been extensively studied. The baseline fuel production process is a Sabatier reactor, which produces methane and water from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The oxygen produced from the electrolysis of the water is only half of that needed for methane-based rocket propellant, and additional oxygen is needed for breathing air, fuel cells and other energy sources. Zirconia electrolysis cells for the direct reduction of CO2 are being developed as an alternative means of producing oxygen, but present many challenges for a large-scale oxygen production system. The very high operating temperatures and fragile nature of the cells coupled with fairly high operating voltages leave room for improvement. This paper will survey alternative oxygen production technologies, present data on operating characteristics, materials of construction, and some preliminary laboratory results on attempts to implement each.

76 FR 14616 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; State of California; Interstate Transport of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-17

... during the winter time, when frequent and persistent temperature inversions occur, were specifically... winds and strong temperature inversions. These meteorological conditions may trap emissions within the... show a very high frequency of surface temperature inversions in the winter. Due to the meteorology...

Enhancements to High Temperature In-Pile Thermocouple Performance

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

J.C. Crepeau; J.L. Rempe; J.E. Daw

2008-03-31

A joint University of Idaho (UI) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) University Nuclear Research Initiative (UNERI) was to initiated to extend initial INL efforts to develop doped molybdenum/niobium alloy High Temperature Irradiation Resistant Thermocouples (HTIR-TCs). The overall objective of this UNERI was to develop recommendations for an optimized thermocouple design for high temperature, long duration, in-pile testing by expanding upon results from initial INL efforts. Tasks to quantify the impact of candidate enhancements, such as alternate alloys, alternate geometries, and alternate thermocouple fabrication techniques, on thermocouple performance were completed at INL's High Temperature Test Laboratory (HTTL), a state of themore » art facility equipped with specialized equipment and trained staff in the area of high temperature instrumentation development and evaluation. Key results of these evaluations, which are documented in this report, are as follows. The doped molybdenum and Nb-1%Zr, which were proposed in the initial INL HTIR-TC design, were found to retain ductility better than the developmental molybdenum-low niobium alloys and the niobium-low molybdenum alloys evaluated. Hence, the performance and lower cost of the commercially available KW-Mo makes a thermocouple containing KW-Mo and Nb-1%Zr the best option at this time. HTIR-TCs containing larger diameter wires offer the potential to increase HTIR-TC stability and reliability at higher temperatures. HTIR-TC heat treatment temperatures and times should be limited to not more than 100 C above the proposed operating temperatures and to durations of at least 4 to 5 hours. Preliminary investigations suggest that the performance of swaged and loose assembly HTIR-TC designs is similar. However, the swaged designs are less expensive and easier to construct. In addition to optimizing HTIR-TC performance, This UNERI project provided unique opportunities to several University of Idaho students, allowing them to become familiar with the techniques and equipment used for specialized high temperature instrumentation fabrication and evaluation and to author/coauthor several key conference papers and journal articles.« less

Enhancements to High Temperature In-Pile Thermocouple Performance

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

J. C. Crepeau; J. L. Rempe; J. E. Daw

2008-03-01

A joint University of Idaho (UI) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) University Nuclear Research Initiative (UNERI) was to initiated to extend initial INL efforts to develop doped lybdenum/niobium alloy High Temperature Irradiation Resistant Thermocouples (HTIR-TCs). The overall objective of this UNERI was to develop recommendations for an optimized thermocouple design for high temperature, long duration, in-pile testing by expanding upon results from initial INL efforts. Tasks to quantify the impact of candidate enhancements, such as alternate alloys, alternate geometries, and alternate thermocouple fabrication techniques, on thermocouple performance were completed at INL's High Temperature Test Laboratory (HTTL), a state of themore » art facility equipped with specialized equipment and trained staff in the area of high temperature instrumentation development and evaluation. Key results of these evaluations, which are documented in this report, are as follows. The doped molybdenum and Nb-1%Zr, which were proposed in the initial INL HTIR-TC design, were found to retain ductility better than the developmental molybdenum-low niobium alloys and the niobium-low molybdenum alloys evaluated. Hence, the performance and lower cost of the commercially available KW-Mo makes a thermocouple containing KW-Mo and Nb-1%Zr the best option at this time. HTIR-TCs containing larger diameter wires offer the potential to increase HTIR-TC stability and reliability at higher temperatures. HTIR-TC heat treatment temperatures and times should be limited to not more than 100 °C above the proposed operating temperatures and to durations of at least 4 to 5 hours. Preliminary investigations suggest that the performance of swaged and loose assembly HTIR-TC designs is similar. However, the swaged designs are less expensive and easier to construct. In addition to optimizing HTIR-TC performance, This UNERI project provided unique opportunities to several University of Idaho students, allowing them to become familiar with the techniques and equipment used for specialized high temperature instrumentation fabrication and evaluation and to author/coauthor several key conference papers and journal articles.« less

Implementation of real-time nonuniformity correction with multiple NUC tables using FPGA in an uncooled imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Gyong Jin; Kim, Lyang-June; Sheen, Sue-Ho; Koo, Gyou-Phyo; Jin, Sang-Hun; Yeo, Bo-Yeon; Lee, Jong-Ho

2009-05-01

This paper presents a real time implementation of Non Uniformity Correction (NUC). Two point correction and one point correction with shutter were carried out in an uncooled imaging system which will be applied to a missile application. To design a small, light weight and high speed imaging system for a missile system, SoPC (System On a Programmable Chip) which comprises of FPGA and soft core (Micro-blaze) was used. Real time NUC and generation of control signals are implemented using FPGA. Also, three different NUC tables were made to make the operating time shorter and to reduce the power consumption in a large range of environment temperature. The imaging system consists of optics and four electronics boards which are detector interface board, Analog to Digital converter board, Detector signal generation board and Power supply board. To evaluate the imaging system, NETD was measured. The NETD was less than 160mK in three different environment temperatures.

A Microcomputer-Based Computer Science Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Compeau, Larry D.

1984-01-01

Examines the use of the microcomputer in computer science programs as an alternative to time-sharing computers at North Country Community College. Discusses factors contributing to the program's success, security problems, outside application possibilities, and program implementation concerns. (DMM)

Alternative stable qP wave equations in TTI media with their applications for reverse time migration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yang; Wang, Huazhong; Liu, Wenqing

2015-10-01

Numerical instabilities may arise if the spatial variation of symmetry axis is handled improperly when implementing P-wave modeling and reverse time migration in heterogeneous tilted transversely isotropic (TTI) media, especially in the cases where fast changes exist in TTI symmetry axis’ directions. Based on the pseudo-acoustic approximation to anisotropic elastic wave equations in Cartesian coordinates, alternative second order qP (quasi-P) wave equations in TTI media are derived in this paper. Compared with conventional stable qP wave equations, the proposed equations written in stress components contain only spatial derivatives of wavefield variables (stress components) and are free from spatial derivatives involving media parameters. These lead to an easy and efficient implementation for stable P-wave modeling and imaging. Numerical experiments demonstrate the stability and computational efficiency of the presented equations in complex TTI media.

Implementing high-temperature short-time media treatment in commercial-scale cell culture manufacturing processes.

PubMed

Pohlscheidt, Michael; Charaniya, Salim; Kulenovic, Fikret; Corrales, Mahalia; Shiratori, Masaru; Bourret, Justin; Meier, Steven; Fallon, Eric; Kiss, Robert

2014-04-01

The production of therapeutic proteins by mammalian cell culture is complex and sets high requirements for process, facility, and equipment design, as well as rigorous regulatory and quality standards. One particular point of concern and significant risk to supply chain is the susceptibility to contamination such as bacteria, fungi, mycoplasma, and viruses. Several technologies have been developed to create barriers for these agents to enter the process, e.g. filtration, UV inactivation, and temperature inactivation. However, if not implemented during development of the manufacturing process, these types of process changes can have significant impact on process performance if not managed appropriately. This article describes the implementation of the high-temperature short-time (HTST) treatment of cell culture media as an additional safety barrier against adventitious agents during the transfer of a large-scale commercial cell culture manufacturing process. The necessary steps and experiments, as well as subsequent results during qualification runs and routine manufacturing, are shown.

An agent-based computational model of the spread of tuberculosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Espíndola, Aquino L.; Bauch, Chris T.; Troca Cabella, Brenno C.; Souto Martinez, Alexandre

2011-05-01

In this work we propose an alternative model of the spread of tuberculosis (TB) and the emergence of drug resistance due to the treatment with antibiotics. We implement the simulations by an agent-based model computational approach where the spatial structure is taken into account. The spread of tuberculosis occurs according to probabilities defined by the interactions among individuals. The model was validated by reproducing results already known from the literature in which different treatment regimes yield the emergence of drug resistance. The different patterns of TB spread can be visualized at any time of the system evolution. The implementation details as well as some results of this alternative approach are discussed.

Implementation of a method for calculating temperature-dependent resistivities in the KKR formalism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahr, Carsten E.; Czerner, Michael; Heiliger, Christian

2017-10-01

We present a method to calculate the electron-phonon induced resistivity of metals in scattering-time approximation based on the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism. The general theory as well as its implementation in a density-functional theory based Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker code are described and subsequently verified by studying copper as a test system. We model the thermal expansion by fitting a Debye-Grüneisen curve to experimental data. Both the electronic and vibrational structures are discussed for different temperatures, and employing a Wannier interpolation of these quantities we evaluate the scattering time by integrating the electron linewidth on a triangulation of the Fermi surface. Based thereupon, the temperature-dependent resistivity is calculated and found to be in good agreement with experiment. We show that the effect of thermal expansion has to be considered in the whole calculation regime. Further, for low temperatures, an accurate sampling of the Fermi surface becomes important.

Free School or Chalk Talk Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, M. Robert

1971-01-01

The author suggests that the time a teacher spends in a classroom is an observable way of knowing how the ideals of the discipline are being implemented. The article attempts to develop an alternative position to the one characterized by four traditions: lecture; traditional literature study; correctness; and one path for all English programs.…

Sensitivity of disease management decision aids to temperature input errors associated with out-of-canopy and reduced time-resolution measurements

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plant disease management decision aids typically require inputs of weather elements such as air temperature. Whereas many disease models are created based on weather elements at the crop canopy, and with relatively fine time resolution, the decision aids commonly are implemented with hourly weather...

Research and development program for the development of advanced time-temperature dependent constitutive relationships. Volume 2: Programming manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cassenti, B. N.

1983-01-01

The results of a 10-month research and development program for nonlinear structural modeling with advanced time-temperature constitutive relationships are presented. The implementation of the theory in the MARC nonlinear finite element code is discussed, and instructions for the computational application of the theory are provided.

78 FR 14111 - Final Candidate Conservation Agreement With Assurances, Final Environmental Assessment, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-04

... alternative (Alternative 2) for implementation based on multiple environmental and social factors, including... review of the alternatives and their environmental consequences. Implementation of this decision entails... implementation of conservation actions and measures contained in the CCAA, and social and economic considerations...

Metastable liquid lamellar structures in binary and ternary mixtures of Lennard-Jones fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz-Herrera, Enrique; Ramírez-Santiago, Guillermo; Moreno Razo, José A.

2004-03-01

We have carried out extensive equilibrium MD simulations to investigate the Liquid-Vapor coexistence in partially miscible binary and ternary mixtures LJ fluids. We have studied in detail the time evolution of the density profiles and the interfacial properties in a temperature region of the phase diagram where the condensed phase is demixed. The composition of the mixtures are fixed, 50% for the binary mixture and 33.33% for the ternary mixture. The results of the simulations clearly indicate that in the range of temperatures 78 < T < 102 ^oK,--in the scale of argon-- the system evolves towards a metastable alternated liquid-liquid lamellar state in coexistence with its vapor phase. These states can be achieved if the initial configuration is fully disordered, that is, when the particles of the fluids are randomly placed on the sites of an FCC crystal or the system is completely mixed. As temperature decreases these states become very well defined and more stable in time. We find that below 90 ^oK, the alternated liquid-liquid lamellar state remains alive for 80 ns, in the scale of argon, the longest simulation we have carried out. Nonetheless, we believe that in this temperature region these states will be alive for even much longer times.

Possible forcing of global temperature by the oceanic tides

PubMed Central

Keeling, Charles D.; Whorf, Timothy P.

1997-01-01

An approximately decadal periodicity in surface air temperature is discernable in global observations from A.D. 1855 to 1900 and since A.D. 1945, but with a periodicity of only about 6 years during the intervening period. Changes in solar irradiance related to the sunspot cycle have been proposed to account for the former, but cannot account for the latter. To explain both by a single mechanism, we propose that extreme oceanic tides may produce changes in sea surface temperature at repeat periods, which alternate between approximately one-third and one-half of the lunar nodal cycle of 18.6 years. These alternations, recurring at nearly 90-year intervals, reflect varying slight degrees of misalignment and departures from the closest approach of the Earth with the Moon and Sun at times of extreme tide raising forces. Strong forcing, consistent with observed temperature periodicities, occurred at 9-year intervals close to perihelion (solar perigee) for several decades centered on A.D. 1881 and 1974, but at 6-year intervals for several decades centered on A.D. 1923. As a physical explanation for tidal forcing of temperature we propose that the dissipation of extreme tides increases vertical mixing of sea water, thereby causing episodic cooling near the sea surface. If this mechanism correctly explains near-decadal temperature periodicities, it may also apply to variability in temperature and climate on other times-scales, even millennial and longer. PMID:11607740

3 CFR - Demonstration Grants for the Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Alternatives to the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., Implementation, and Evaluation of Alternatives to the Current Medical Liability System Presidential Documents..., Implementation, and Evaluation of Alternatives to the Current Medical Liability System Memorandum for the... report that fear of lawsuits leads them to practice defensive medicine, which may contribute to higher...

Experimental evaluation of a heat pump for the water-supply heating of a public swimming pool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López, R.; Vaca, M.; Terres, H.; Lizardi, A.; Morales, J.; Chávez, S.

2017-01-01

In this work the analysis of the thermodynamic behavior of heat pumps (HP) which supply the energy needed in the public pool at the Aquatic Center of Azcapotzalco was performed. There are 18 installed HP’s but only those needed to provide the energy required are alternately activated. The evaluation was conducted during May and June of 2015. We selected one of the HP to implement temperature and pressure gauges at the inlet and outlet of the compressor. The measurements were made every day at three times, 6:30, 13:00 and 18:00 hours. In a period of 24 hours, 1 000 L evaporated, there was no variation registered overnight, since the pool was covered with plastic to avoid loss of the fluid. The heat pump provided 150 kW to maintain the water temperature at the right level of operation, namely 28 °C. The coefficients of performance (COP) of the HP were 6.39 at 6:30, 7.42 at 13:00 and 7:32 at 18:00 hrs., values which are very close to the one provided by the manufacturer.

Development and Implementation of Environmentally Compatible Solid Film Lubricants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Novak, Howard L.; Hall, Phillip B.

1999-01-01

Multi-body launch vehicles require the use of Solid Film Lubricants (SFLs) to allow for unrestricted relative motion between structural assemblies and components during lift-off and ascent into orbit. The Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster (SRB), uses a dual coat, ceramic-bonded high temperature SFL in several locations such as restraint hardware between the SRB aft skirt and the Mobile Launch Platform (MLP), the aft SRB/External Tank (ET) attach struts, and the forward skirt SRB/ET attach ball assembly. Future launch systems may require similar applications of SFLs for attachment and restraint hardware. A family of environmentally compatible non-lead/antimony bearing alternative SFLs have been developed including a compatible repair material. In addition, commercial applications for SFLs on transportation equipment, all types of lubricated fasteners, and energy related equipment allow for wide usage's of these new lubricants. The new SFLs trade named BOOSTERLUBE is a family of single layer thin film (0.001 inch maximum) coatings that are a unique mixture of non-hazardous pigments in a compatible resin system that allows for low temperature curing (450 F). Significant savings in energy and processing time as well as elimination of hazardous material usage and disposal would result from the non-toxic one-step SFL application. Compatible air-dry field repair lubricants will help eliminate disassembly of launch vehicle restraint hardware during critical time sensitive assembly operations.

Hydrogen mobility in transition zone silicates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caracas, R.; Panero, W. R.

2016-12-01

Hydrogen defects in mantle silicates adopt a variety of charge-balanced defects, including VMg''+2(H*), VSi''''+4(H*), and VSi'+(Mg+2H*). Constraining the defect mechanism experimentally can be quite difficult, as it relies almost entirely on vibrational spectroscopy whose interpretation can often be controversial. Here we use a computational alternative: we study the above-mentioned defect mechanisms using molecular dynamics simulations based on the density-functional theory, in the VASP implementation. We perform isokinetical NVT simulations over a 1500 - 2500K temperature range using supercells containing 16 equivalent formula units of Mg2SiO4. Our results show that temperature has a tremendous effect on mobility. H is significantly more mobile when incorporated as VMg''+2H* defects than as hydrogarnet defects and that VMg''+2H* defects are more mobile in wadsleyite than ringwoodite. This result is the opposite from the proton conductivity inferences of Yoshino et al. [2008] and Huang et al [2006], as well as the observed increase in electrical conductivity with depth through the transition zone [e.g. Kuvshinov et al, 2005; Olsen 1998]. Over the simulation time of several tens of picoseconds the H travel over several lattice sites. However, during its path it spends a considerable amount of time pinned in the defect sites. The lowest mobility is for the VSi''''+4(H*) defect, where the H atoms remain inside the octahedron from which they replaced the Si.

TDRSS telecommunications system, PN code analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dixon, R.; Gold, R.; Kaiser, F.

1976-01-01

The pseudo noise (PN) codes required to support the TDRSS telecommunications services are analyzed and the impact of alternate coding techniques on the user transponder equipment, the TDRSS equipment, and all factors that contribute to the acquisition and performance of these telecommunication services is assessed. Possible alternatives to the currently proposed hybrid FH/direct sequence acquisition procedures are considered and compared relative to acquisition time, implementation complexity, operational reliability, and cost. The hybrid FH/direct sequence technique is analyzed and rejected in favor of a recommended approach which minimizes acquisition time and user transponder complexity while maximizing probability of acquisition and overall link reliability.

The use of distributed temperature sensing technology for monitoring wildland fire intensity and distribution.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ochoa, C. G.; Cram, D.; Hatch, C. E.; Tyler, S. W.

2014-12-01

Distributed temperature sensing (DTS) technology offers a viable alternative for accurately measuring wildland fire intensity and distribution in real time applications. We conducted an experiment to test the use of DTS as an alternative technology to monitor prescribed fire temperatures in real time and across a broad spatial scale. The custom fiber-optic cable consisted of three fiber optic lines buffered by polyamide, copper, and polyvinyl chloride, respectively, each armored in a stainless steel tube backfilled with Nitrogen gas. The 150 m long cable was deployed in three different 20 by 26 m experimental plots of short-grass rangeland in central New Mexico. Cable was arranged to maximize coverage of the experimental plots and allow cross-comparison between two main parallel straight-line sections approximately 8 m apart. A DTS system recorded fire temperatures every three seconds and integrated every one meter. A series of five thermocouples attached to a datalogger were placed at selected locations along the cable and also recorded temperature data every three seconds on each fiber. Results indicate that in general there is good agreement between thermocouple-measured and DTS-measured temperatures. A close match in temperature between DTS and thermocouples was particularly observed during the rising limb but not so much during the decline. The metal armoring of the fiber-optic cable remained hot longer than the thermocouples after the flames had passed. The relatively short-duration, high-intensity, prescribed burn fire in each plot resulted in temperatures reaching up to 450 degrees Celsius. In addition, DTS data allow for illustration of the irregular nature of flame speed and travel path across the rangeland grasses, a phenomenon that was impossible to quantify without the use of this tool. This study adds to the understanding of using DTS as a new alternative tool for better characterizing wildland fire intensity, distribution and travel patterns, and establishes the baseline for expanding these test plot results to larger spatial scales.

South African Guidelines Excellence (SAGE): Adopt, adapt, or contextualise?

PubMed

Dizon, J M; Grimmer, K; Louw, Q; Kredo, T; Young, T; Machingaidze, S

2016-12-01

Clinical practice guideline (CPG) activities must be planned carefully for efficient use of available resources and evidence-based implementation. De novo development of CPGs may sometimes 'recreate the wheel' and delay implementation. Three innovative alternatives to de novo CPG development (adopt, contextualise or adapt) are outlined, which have greater potential than de novo development to best use the limited available resources, personnel and time in settings such as South Africa.

The Interplay of Temperature and Genotype on Patterns of Alternative Splicing in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Jakšić, Ana Marija; Schlötterer, Christian

2016-09-01

Alternative splicing is the highly regulated process of variation in the removal of introns from premessenger-RNA transcripts. The consequences of alternative splicing on the phenotype are well documented, but the impact of the environment on alternative splicing is not yet clear. We studied variation in alternative splicing among four different temperatures, 13, 18, 23, and 29°, in two Drosophila melanogaster genotypes. We show plasticity of alternative splicing with up to 10% of the expressed genes being differentially spliced between the most extreme temperatures for a given genotype. Comparing the two genotypes at different temperatures, we found <1% of the genes being differentially spliced at 18°. At extreme temperatures, however, we detected substantial differences in alternative splicing-with almost 10% of the genes having differential splicing between the genotypes: a magnitude similar to between species differences. Genes with differential alternative splicing between genotypes frequently exhibit dominant inheritance. Remarkably, the pattern of surplus of differences in alternative splicing at extreme temperatures resembled the pattern seen for gene expression intensity. Since different sets of genes were involved for the two phenotypes, we propose that purifying selection results in the reduction of differences at benign temperatures. Relaxed purifying selection at temperature extremes, on the other hand, may cause the divergence in gene expression and alternative splicing between the two strains in rarely encountered environments. Copyright © 2016 by the Genetics Society of America.

An FPGA computing demo core for space charge simulation

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

Wu, Jinyuan; Huang, Yifei; /Fermilab

2009-01-01

In accelerator physics, space charge simulation requires large amount of computing power. In a particle system, each calculation requires time/resource consuming operations such as multiplications, divisions, and square roots. Because of the flexibility of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), we implemented this task with efficient use of the available computing resources and completely eliminated non-calculating operations that are indispensable in regular micro-processors (e.g. instruction fetch, instruction decoding, etc.). We designed and tested a 16-bit demo core for computing Coulomb's force in an Altera Cyclone II FPGA device. To save resources, the inverse square-root cube operation in our design is computedmore » using a memory look-up table addressed with nine to ten most significant non-zero bits. At 200 MHz internal clock, our demo core reaches a throughput of 200 M pairs/s/core, faster than a typical 2 GHz micro-processor by about a factor of 10. Temperature and power consumption of FPGAs were also lower than those of micro-processors. Fast and convenient, FPGAs can serve as alternatives to time-consuming micro-processors for space charge simulation.« less

Using simulation modeling to improve patient flow at an outpatient orthopedic clinic.

PubMed

Rohleder, Thomas R; Lewkonia, Peter; Bischak, Diane P; Duffy, Paul; Hendijani, Rosa

2011-06-01

We report on the use of discrete event simulation modeling to support process improvements at an orthopedic outpatient clinic. The clinic was effective in treating patients, but waiting time and congestion in the clinic created patient dissatisfaction and staff morale issues. The modeling helped to identify improvement alternatives including optimized staffing levels, better patient scheduling, and an emphasis on staff arriving promptly. Quantitative results from the modeling provided motivation to implement the improvements. Statistical analysis of data taken before and after the implementation indicate that waiting time measures were significantly improved and overall patient time in the clinic was reduced.

High and low temperatures have unequal reinforcing properties in Drosophila spatial learning.

PubMed

Zars, Melissa; Zars, Troy

2006-07-01

Small insects regulate their body temperature solely through behavior. Thus, sensing environmental temperature and implementing an appropriate behavioral strategy can be critical for survival. The fly Drosophila melanogaster prefers 24 degrees C, avoiding higher and lower temperatures when tested on a temperature gradient. Furthermore, temperatures above 24 degrees C have negative reinforcing properties. In contrast, we found that flies have a preference in operant learning experiments for a low-temperature-associated position rather than the 24 degrees C alternative in the heat-box. Two additional differences between high- and low-temperature reinforcement, i.e., temperatures above and below 24 degrees C, were found. Temperatures equally above and below 24 degrees C did not reinforce equally and only high temperatures supported increased memory performance with reversal conditioning. Finally, low- and high-temperature reinforced memories are similarly sensitive to two genetic mutations. Together these results indicate the qualitative meaning of temperatures below 24 degrees C depends on the dynamics of the temperatures encountered and that the reinforcing effects of these temperatures depend on at least some common genetic components. Conceptualizing these results using the Wolf-Heisenberg model of operant conditioning, we propose the maximum difference in experienced temperatures determines the magnitude of the reinforcement input to a conditioning circuit.

A Soft Sensor for Bioprocess Control Based on Sequential Filtering of Metabolic Heat Signals

PubMed Central

Paulsson, Dan; Gustavsson, Robert; Mandenius, Carl-Fredrik

2014-01-01

Soft sensors are the combination of robust on-line sensor signals with mathematical models for deriving additional process information. Here, we apply this principle to a microbial recombinant protein production process in a bioreactor by exploiting bio-calorimetric methodology. Temperature sensor signals from the cooling system of the bioreactor were used for estimating the metabolic heat of the microbial culture and from that the specific growth rate and active biomass concentration were derived. By applying sequential digital signal filtering, the soft sensor was made more robust for industrial practice with cultures generating low metabolic heat in environments with high noise level. The estimated specific growth rate signal obtained from the three stage sequential filter allowed controlled feeding of substrate during the fed-batch phase of the production process. The biomass and growth rate estimates from the soft sensor were also compared with an alternative sensor probe and a capacitance on-line sensor, for the same variables. The comparison showed similar or better sensitivity and lower variability for the metabolic heat soft sensor suggesting that using permanent temperature sensors of a bioreactor is a realistic and inexpensive alternative for monitoring and control. However, both alternatives are easy to implement in a soft sensor, alone or in parallel. PMID:25264951

A soft sensor for bioprocess control based on sequential filtering of metabolic heat signals.

PubMed

Paulsson, Dan; Gustavsson, Robert; Mandenius, Carl-Fredrik

2014-09-26

Soft sensors are the combination of robust on-line sensor signals with mathematical models for deriving additional process information. Here, we apply this principle to a microbial recombinant protein production process in a bioreactor by exploiting bio-calorimetric methodology. Temperature sensor signals from the cooling system of the bioreactor were used for estimating the metabolic heat of the microbial culture and from that the specific growth rate and active biomass concentration were derived. By applying sequential digital signal filtering, the soft sensor was made more robust for industrial practice with cultures generating low metabolic heat in environments with high noise level. The estimated specific growth rate signal obtained from the three stage sequential filter allowed controlled feeding of substrate during the fed-batch phase of the production process. The biomass and growth rate estimates from the soft sensor were also compared with an alternative sensor probe and a capacitance on-line sensor, for the same variables. The comparison showed similar or better sensitivity and lower variability for the metabolic heat soft sensor suggesting that using permanent temperature sensors of a bioreactor is a realistic and inexpensive alternative for monitoring and control. However, both alternatives are easy to implement in a soft sensor, alone or in parallel.

Prisoners of Time: Implementing a Block Schedule in the High School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mistretta, Gerald M.; Polansky, Harvey B.

1997-01-01

A committee comprised of six veteran teachers, the principal, and one parent initiated East Lyme (Connecticut) High School's search for a workable school schedule. The alternative-day block schedule featured semester and full-year course formats, 85-minute time blocks, a 45-minute lunch/club/activity period, and a closed campus. A survey found…

Two-Sample Statistics for Testing the Equality of Survival Functions Against Improper Semi-parametric Accelerated Failure Time Alternatives: An Application to the Analysis of a Breast Cancer Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

BROËT, PHILIPPE; TSODIKOV, ALEXANDER; DE RYCKE, YANN; MOREAU, THIERRY

2010-01-01

This paper presents two-sample statistics suited for testing equality of survival functions against improper semi-parametric accelerated failure time alternatives. These tests are designed for comparing either the short- or the long-term effect of a prognostic factor, or both. These statistics are obtained as partial likelihood score statistics from a time-dependent Cox model. As a consequence, the proposed tests can be very easily implemented using widely available software. A breast cancer clinical trial is presented as an example to demonstrate the utility of the proposed tests. PMID:15293627

Guidance: Strategies to Achieve Timely Settlement and Implementation of RD/RA at Superfund Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Memorandum recommends strategies to encourage PRPs to enter into a settlement using the model RD/RA Consent Decree; discusses the current model UAO; and suggests practical alternatives to expedite Superfund settlements and the cleanup process.

Individualizing in Traditional Classroom Settings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thornell, John G.

1980-01-01

Effective individualized instruction depends primarily on the teacher possessing the skills to implement it. Individualization is therefore quite compatible with the traditional self-contained elementary classroom model, but not with its alternative, departmentalization, which allows teachers neither the time flexibility nor the familiarity with…

Photoacoustic-Based-Close-Loop Temperature Control for Nanoparticle Hyperthermia.

PubMed

Xiaohua, Feng; Fei, Gao; Yuanjin, Zheng

2015-07-01

Hyperthermia therapy requires tight temperature control to achieve selective killing of cancerous tissue with minimal damage on surrounding healthy tissues. To this end, accurate temperature monitoring and subsequent heating control are critical. However, an economic, portable, and real-time temperature control solution is currently lacking. To bridge this gap, we present a novel portable close-loop system for hyperthermia temperature control, in which photoacoustic technique is proposed for noninvasive real-time temperature measurement. Exploiting the high sensitivity of photoacoustics, the temperature is monitored with an accuracy of around 0.18 °C and then fed back to a controller implemented on field programmable gate array (FPGA) for temperature control. Dubbed as portable hyperthermia feedback controller (pHFC), it stabilizes the temperature at preset values by regulating the hyperthermia power with a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) algorithm; and to facilitate digital implementation, the pHFC further converts the PID output into switching values (0 and 1) with the pulse width modulation (PWM) algorithm. Proof-of-concept hyperthermia experiments demonstrate that the pHFC system is able to bring the temperature from baseline to predetermined value with an accuracy of 0.3° and a negligible temperature overshoot. The pHFC can potentially be translated to clinical applications with customized hyperthermia system design. This paper can facilitate future efforts in seamless integration of close-loop temperature control solution and various clinical hyperthermia systems.

A Stochastic Spiking Neural Network for Virtual Screening.

PubMed

Morro, A; Canals, V; Oliver, A; Alomar, M L; Galan-Prado, F; Ballester, P J; Rossello, J L

2018-04-01

Virtual screening (VS) has become a key computational tool in early drug design and screening performance is of high relevance due to the large volume of data that must be processed to identify molecules with the sought activity-related pattern. At the same time, the hardware implementations of spiking neural networks (SNNs) arise as an emerging computing technique that can be applied to parallelize processes that normally present a high cost in terms of computing time and power. Consequently, SNN represents an attractive alternative to perform time-consuming processing tasks, such as VS. In this brief, we present a smart stochastic spiking neural architecture that implements the ultrafast shape recognition (USR) algorithm achieving two order of magnitude of speed improvement with respect to USR software implementations. The neural system is implemented in hardware using field-programmable gate arrays allowing a highly parallelized USR implementation. The results show that, due to the high parallelization of the system, millions of compounds can be checked in reasonable times. From these results, we can state that the proposed architecture arises as a feasible methodology to efficiently enhance time-consuming data-mining processes such as 3-D molecular similarity search.

Advanced digital SAR processing study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martinson, L. W.; Gaffney, B. P.; Liu, B.; Perry, R. P.; Ruvin, A.

1982-01-01

A highly programmable, land based, real time synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processor requiring a processed pixel rate of 2.75 MHz or more in a four look system was designed. Variations in range and azimuth compression, number of looks, range swath, range migration and SR mode were specified. Alternative range and azimuth processing algorithms were examined in conjunction with projected integrated circuit, digital architecture, and software technologies. The advaced digital SAR processor (ADSP) employs an FFT convolver algorithm for both range and azimuth processing in a parallel architecture configuration. Algorithm performace comparisons, design system design, implementation tradeoffs and the results of a supporting survey of integrated circuit and digital architecture technologies are reported. Cost tradeoffs and projections with alternate implementation plans are presented.

Enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil via alternate solvent winterization and enzymatic interesterification.

PubMed

Lei, Qiong; Ba, Sai; Zhang, Hao; Wei, Yanyan; Lee, Jasmine Yiqin; Li, Tianhu

2016-05-15

Enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil via alternate operation of solvent winterization and enzymatic interesterification was attempted. Variables including separation method, solvent, oil concentration, time and temperature were optimized for the winterization. Meanwhile, Novozyme 435, Lipozyme RM IM and Lipozyme TL IM were screened for interesterification efficiency under different system air condition, time and temperature. In optimized method, alternate winterization (0.1g/mL oil/acetone, 24h, -80°C, precooled Büchner filtration) and interesterification (Lipozyme TL IM, N2 flow, 2.5h, 40°C) successfully doubled the omega-3 fatty acid content to 43.20 mol%. (1)H NMR was used to determine omega-3 fatty acid content, and GC-MS to characterize oil product, which mainly contained DHA (15.81 mol%) and EPA (20.23 mol%). The proposed method offers considerable efficiency and reduce production cost drastically. Oil produced thereof is with high quality and of particular importance for the development of omega-3 based active pharmaceutical ingredients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forecasting models for sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) pollen count showing an alternate dispersal rhythm.

PubMed

Ito, Yukiko; Hattori, Reiko; Mase, Hiroki; Watanabe, Masako; Shiotani, Itaru

2008-12-01

Pollen information is indispensable for allergic individuals and clinicians. This study aimed to develop forecasting models for the total annual count of airborne pollen grains based on data monitored over the last 20 years at the Mie Chuo Medical Center, Tsu, Mie, Japan. Airborne pollen grains were collected using a Durham sampler. Total annual pollen count and pollen count from October to December (OD pollen count) of the previous year were transformed to logarithms. Regression analysis of the total pollen count was performed using variables such as the OD pollen count and the maximum temperature for mid-July of the previous year. Time series analysis revealed an alternate rhythm of the series of total pollen count. The alternate rhythm consisted of a cyclic alternation of an "on" year (high pollen count) and an "off" year (low pollen count). This rhythm was used as a dummy variable in regression equations. Of the three models involving the OD pollen count, a multiple regression equation that included the alternate rhythm variable and the interaction of this rhythm with OD pollen count showed a high coefficient of determination (0.844). Of the three models involving the maximum temperature for mid-July, those including the alternate rhythm variable and the interaction of this rhythm with maximum temperature had the highest coefficient of determination (0.925). An alternate pollen dispersal rhythm represented by a dummy variable in the multiple regression analysis plays a key role in improving forecasting models for the total annual sugi pollen count.

Fully Digital Arrays of Silicon Photomultipliers (dSiPM) - a Scalable Alternative to Vacuum Photomultiplier Tubes (PMT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haemisch, York; Frach, Thomas; Degenhardt, Carsten; Thon, Andreas

Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) have emerged as promising alternative to fast vacuum photomultiplier tubes (PMT). A fully digital implementation of the Silicon Photomultiplier (dSiPM) has been developed in order to overcome the deficiencies and limitations of the so far only analog SiPMs (aSiPMs). Our sensor is based on arrays of single photon avalanche photodiodes (SPADs) integrated in a standard CMOS process. Photons are detected directly by sensing the voltage at the SPAD anode using a dedicated cell electronics block next to each diode. This block also contains active quenching and recharge circuits as well as a one bit memory for the selective inhibit of detector cells. A balanced trigger network is used to propagate the trigger signal from all cells to the integrated time-to-digital converter. In consequence, photons are detected and counted as digital signals, thus making the sensor less susceptible to temperature variations and electronic noise. The integration with CMOS logic provides the added benefit of low power consumption and possible integration of data post-processing directly in the sensor. In this overview paper, we discuss the sensor architecture together with its characteristics with a focus on scalability and practicability aspects for applications in medical imaging, high energy- and astrophysics.

Performance Testing of a High Temperature Linear Alternator for Stirling Convertors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Metscher, Jonathan; Geng, Steven

2016-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center has conducted performance testing of a high temperature linear alternator (HTLA) in support of Stirling power convertor development for potential future Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS). The high temperature linear alternator is a modified version of that used in Sunpowers Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC), and is capable of operation at temperatures up to 200 C. Increasing the temperature capability of the linear alternator could expand the mission space of future Stirling RPS designs. High temperature Neodymium-Iron-Boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnets were selected for the HTLA application, and were fully characterized and tested prior to uses. Higher temperature epoxy for alternator assembly was also selected and tested for thermal stability and strength. A characterization test was performed on the HTLA to measure its performance at various amplitudes, loads, and temperatures. HTLA endurance testing at 200 C is currently underway.

Performance Testing of a High Temperature Linear Alternator for Stirling Convertors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Metscher, Jonathan F.; Geng, Steven M.

2016-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center has conducted performance testing of a high temperature linear alternator (HTLA) in support of Stirling power convertor development for potential future Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS). The high temperature linear alternator is a modified version of that used in Sunpower's Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC), and is capable of operation at temperatures up to 200 deg. Increasing the temperature capability of the linear alternator could expand the mission set of future Stirling RPS designs. High temperature Neodymium-Iron-Boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnets were selected for the HTLA application, and were fully characterized and tested prior to use. Higher temperature epoxy for alternator assembly was also selected and tested for thermal stability and strength. A characterization test was performed on the HTLA to measure its performance at various amplitudes, loads, and temperatures. HTLA endurance testing at 200 deg is currently underway.

MSWT-01, an alternative in combining Production Based Education (PBE) and student CSR program in Polman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ananto, Gamawan; Setiawan, Albertus B.; Z, Darman M.

2014-06-01

MSWT-01, Mobile Surface Water Treatment, producing 1m3 per hour, is an alternative for providing clean water in flood disaster areas, and was developed at Bandung State Polytechnic for Manufacturing (Polman) as a part of institution research project. The combination of cartridge or membrane technology such as carbon block, MF, UF and filtration media is used for this machine, instead of coagulation-flocculation with chemical addition, due to emergency purposes related with its treatment processing time. The idea is that MSWT could be combined with Production Based Education (PBE) concept in Polman as a vocational education institution and students 'CSR', students social activities. With the number of implementation trials in real flood area condition, MSWT will be developed further based on the technical output result. The manufacturing process for improving or adding necessary features could be implemented as a student's project in PBE system. This might be an ideal combination alternative for such vocational institution that students get the product media for their PBE program and implement their work as a defined social activity. They will learn and experience related technical matters and more social interactions with the people and other disaster stakeholder as well.

Physical characteristics cannot be used to predict cooling time using cold-water immersion as a treatment for exertional hyperthermia.

PubMed

Poirier, Martin P; Notley, Sean R; Flouris, Andreas D; Kenny, Glen P

2018-03-12

We examined if physical characteristics could be used to predict cooling time during cold water immersion (CWI, 2°C) following exertional hyperthermia (rectal temperature ≥39.5°C) in a physically heterogeneous group of men and women (n=62). Lean body mass was the only significant predictor of cooling time following CWI (R²=0.137; P<0.001); however that prediction did not provide the precision (mean residual square error: 3.18±2.28 min) required to act as a safe alternative to rectal temperature measurements.

The inverse Numerical Computer Program FLUX-BOT for estimating Vertical Water Fluxes from Temperature Time-Series.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trauth, N.; Schmidt, C.; Munz, M.

2016-12-01

Heat as a natural tracer to quantify water fluxes between groundwater and surface water has evolved to a standard hydrological method. Typically, time series of temperatures in the surface water and in the sediment are observed and are subsequently evaluated by a vertical 1D representation of heat transport by advection and dispersion. Several analytical solutions as well as their implementation into user-friendly software exist in order to estimate water fluxes from the observed temperatures. Analytical solutions can be easily implemented but assumptions on the boundary conditions have to be made a priori, e.g. sinusoidal upper temperature boundary. Numerical models offer more flexibility and can handle temperature data which is characterized by irregular variations such as storm-event induced temperature changes and thus cannot readily be incorporated in analytical solutions. This also reduced the effort of data preprocessing such as the extraction of the diurnal temperature variation. We developed a software to estimate water FLUXes Based On Temperatures- FLUX-BOT. FLUX-BOT is a numerical code written in MATLAB which is intended to calculate vertical water fluxes in saturated sediments, based on the inversion of measured temperature time series observed at multiple depths. It applies a cell-centered Crank-Nicolson implicit finite difference scheme to solve the one-dimensional heat advection-conduction equation. Besides its core inverse numerical routines, FLUX-BOT includes functions visualizing the results and functions for performing uncertainty analysis. We provide applications of FLUX-BOT to generic as well as to measured temperature data to demonstrate its performance.

The Effect of Tree Spacing and Size in Urban Areas: Strategies for Mitigating High Temperature in Urban Heat Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry, R.; Shandas, V.; Makido, Y.

2017-12-01

Many cities are unintentionally designed to be heat sinks, which absorb the sun's short-wave radiation and reemit as long-wave radiation. Long time reorganization of this `urban heat island' (UHI) phenomena has led researchers and city planners into developing strategies for reducing ambient temperatures through urban design. Specifically, greening areas have proven to reduce the temperature in UHI's, including strategies such as green streets, green facades, and green roofs have been implemented. Among the scientific community there is promoted study of how myriad greening strategies can reduce temperature, relatively limited work has focused on the distribution, density, and quantity of tree campaigns. This paper examines how the spacing and size of trees reduce temperatures differently. A major focus of the paper is to understand how to lower the temperature through tree planting, and provide recommendations to cities that are attempting to solve their own urban heat island issues. Because different cities have different room for planting greenery, we examined which strategies are more efficient given an area constraint. Areas that have less available room might not be able to plant a high density of trees. We compared the different experimental groups varying in density and size of trees against the control to see the effect the trees had. Through calibration with local weather stations, we used a micrometeorology program (ENVI-Met) to model and simulate the different experimental models and how they affect the temperature. The results suggest that some urban designs can reduce ambient temperatures by over 7 0C, and the inclusion of large form trees have the greatest contribution, by reducing temperatures over 15 0C. The results suggest that using specific strategies that combine placement of specific tree configurations with alternative distribution of urban development patterns can help to solve the current challenges of UHI's, and thereby support management actions for addressing future impacts from climate change.

Emission of phthalates and phthalate alternatives from vinyl flooring and crib mattress covers: the influence of temperature.

PubMed

Liang, Yirui; Xu, Ying

2014-12-16

Emissions of phthalates and phthalate alternatives from vinyl flooring and crib mattress covers were measured in a specially designed chamber. The gas-phase concentrations versus time were measured at four different temperatures, that is, 25, 36, 45, and 55 °C. The key parameter that controls the emissions (y0, gas-phase concentration in equilibrium with the material phase) was determined, and the emissions were found to increase significantly with increasing temperature. Both the material-phase concentration (C0) and the chemical vapor pressure (Vp) were found to have great influence on the value of y0. The measured ratios of C0 to y0 were exponentially proportional to the reciprocal of temperature, in agreement with the van't Hoff equation. A emission model was validated at different temperatures, with excellent agreement between model calculations and chamber observations. In residential homes, an increase in the temperature from 25 to 35 °C can elevate the gas-phase concentration of phthalates by more than a factor of 10, but the total airborne concentration may not increase that much for less volatile compounds. In infant sleep microenvironments, an increase in the temperature of mattress can cause a significant increase in emission of phthalates from the mattress cover and make the concentration in the infant's breathing zone about four times higher than that in the bulk room air, resulting in potentially high exposure.

Temperature-dependent ozone chemiluminescence: A new approach for hydrocarbon monitoring

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

Marley, N.; Gaffney, J.

1996-12-31

Ozone chemiluminescent reactions have been used for some time to detect oxides of nitrogen, ozone, and olefins in air quality studies. Current procedures use non-methane hydrocarbon analyzers based on the flame ionization detector (FID), which quantitate total non-methane hydrocarbons but do not differentiate between the wide variety of volatile organic classes and oxygenates. The other methodology that has been used, gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS), can measure a variety of individual hydrocarbon species and classes, but it is costly, time-consuming, and labor intensive and is not amenable to real-time measurements. Presented here is preliminary research aimed at the development of anmore » alternative to FID and GC/MS: the ozone chemiluminescent detector (OCD) for measurement of a variety of hydrocarbon species and classes by use of the temperature dependence of ozone chemiluminescent reactions. Responses for various hydrocarbon classes obtained with an OCD operated at 170 C or the FID were compared. The results indicate that the OCD detector responds like a total carbon detector at this temperature, with sensitivities 10-100 times higher than those of a FID. Use of the temperature dependence of the chemiluminescent reaction and prereactors will apparently make a real-time hydrocarbon analyzer based on this approach feasible for determination of high-, moderate-, and low-reactivity hydrocarbon levels in ambient air. The OCD approach may be very useful in determining oxygenate emissions from motor vehicles, particularly alternative fuels. The OCD may also be useful in monitoring of ambient air for natural hydrocarbon emissions.« less

Technical note: Assessment of an alternative technique for measuring body temperature in pigs.

PubMed

Petry, A; McGilvray, W; Rakhshandeh, A R; Rakhshandeh, A

2017-07-01

Core body temperature (CBT) is one of the main vital signs that is used to evaluate the health status of pigs. The most common and feasible method for assessing CBT in pigs is rectal temperature (RT). Obtaining RT is stressful for animals, may generate inaccurate results, and has the risk of spreading disease. Infrared imaging (IR) thermography of the body of pigs may be a safer and less stressful alternative to RT. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of using IR as an alternative for monitoring CBT in pigs. Twenty-three gilts (30.5 ± 5.62 kg BW) were housed in metabolism crates in an environmentally controlled facility and fed an 860 g/d grower diet. After 4 d of adaptation, the febrile response was induced by intramuscular injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 25 µg/kg BW). Each pig's body temperature was recorded at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 24 h after LPS challenge using the following 3 methods: 1) RT, 2) IR of the eye and ear, and 3) CBT using an orally administered digital temperature sensor. Statistical analysis was performed in a completely randomized design in SAS using Mixed, Correlation, and Regression procedures. Relative to time 0 h, LPS increased the eye temperature, CBT, and RT by 0.92, 1.32, and 1.48°C, respectively ( < 0.01), but had no significant effect on ear temperature. Eye temperature, RT, and CBT, but not ear temperature, were highly correlated ( ≥ 0.96) during the course of the study ( < 0.01). Estimated regression parameters (α and β) for predicting CBT using eye temperature were -28.2 ± 8.70 and 1.76 ± 0.221, respectively, and for RT were -24.5 ± 7.69 and 1.65 ± 0.196, respectively ( ≥ 0.96; 95% confidence interval). Collectively, these results indicated a strong relationship between eye temperature, RT, and CBT in pigs. Therefore, IR of the eye can be used as a precise, noncontact alternative to RT measurements for monitoring CBT in swine.

Crowdsourcing urban air temperatures from smartphone battery temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Overeem, A.; Robinson, J. C. R.; Leijnse, H.; Steeneveld, G. J.; Horn, B. K. P.; Uijlenhoet, R.

2013-08-01

Accurate air temperature observations in urban areas are important for meteorology and energy demand planning. They are indispensable to study the urban heat island effect and the adverse effects of high temperatures on human health. However, the availability of temperature observations in cities is often limited. Here we show that relatively accurate air temperature information for the urban canopy layer can be obtained from an alternative, nowadays omnipresent source: smartphones. In this study, battery temperatures were collected by an Android application for smartphones. A straightforward heat transfer model is employed to estimate daily mean air temperatures from smartphone battery temperatures for eight major cities around the world. The results demonstrate the enormous potential of this crowdsourcing application for real-time temperature monitoring in densely populated areas.

Alternative Student Growth Measures for Teacher Evaluation: Implementation Experiences of Early-Adopting Districts. REL 2015-093

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCullough, Moira; English, Brittany; Angus, Megan Hague; Gill, Brian

2015-01-01

Alternative student growth measures for teacher evaluation: Implementation experiences of early-adopting districts: State requirements to include student achievement growth in teacher evaluations are prompting the development of alternative ways to measure growth in grades and subjects not covered by state assessments. These alternative growth…

Introduction to Shaped Charges

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

Figure 144. Late time collapse of a hemispherical depleted uranium liner. COPPER 430MM(17") LEAD-TIN EUTECTIC Figure 145. Comparison between...46 Figure 91. Setup for diffusion bonding of copper- nickel assemblies, temperature is 982 °C, time is 1–3 hr, argon atmosphere...46 Figure 92. Diffusion-bonded alternately layered copper- nickel

76 FR 64124 - Implementation of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-17

... Register notice (FRN) for public comment. The NRC's ADR Program is comprised of two entirely different sub... safety conscious work environment by facilitating timely and amicable resolution of discrimination concerns without resorting to prolonged litigation and unnecessary expenses. The second sub-program...

Infrared Sensor-Based Temperature Control for Domestic Induction Cooktops

PubMed Central

Lasobras, Javier; Alonso, Rafael; Carretero, Claudio; Carretero, Enrique; Imaz, Eduardo

2014-01-01

In this paper, a precise real-time temperature control system based on infrared (IR) thermometry for domestic induction cooking is presented. The temperature in the vessel constitutes the control variable of the closed-loop power control system implemented in a commercial induction cooker. A proportional-integral controller is applied to establish the output power level in order to reach the target temperature. An optical system and a signal conditioning circuit have been implemented. For the signal processing a microprocessor with 12-bit ADC and a sampling rate of 1 Ksps has been used. The analysis of the contributions to the infrared radiation permits the definition of a procedure to estimate the temperature of the vessel with a maximum temperature error of 5 °C in the range between 60 and 250 °C for a known cookware emissivity. A simple and necessary calibration procedure with a black-body sample is presented. PMID:24638125

Infrared sensor-based temperature control for domestic induction cooktops.

PubMed

Lasobras, Javier; Alonso, Rafael; Carretero, Claudio; Carretero, Enrique; Imaz, Eduardo

2014-03-14

In this paper, a precise real-time temperature control system based on infrared (IR) thermometry for domestic induction cooking is presented. The temperature in the vessel constitutes the control variable of the closed-loop power control system implemented in a commercial induction cooker. A proportional-integral controller is applied to establish the output power level in order to reach the target temperature. An optical system and a signal conditioning circuit have been implemented. For the signal processing a microprocessor with 12-bit ADC and a sampling rate of 1 Ksps has been used. The analysis of the contributions to the infrared radiation permits the definition of a procedure to estimate the temperature of the vessel with a maximum temperature error of 5 °C in the range between 60 and 250 °C for a known cookware emissivity. A simple and necessary calibration procedure with a black-body sample is presented.

Complex hydrides as room-temperature solid electrolytes for rechargeable batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Jongh, P. E.; Blanchard, D.; Matsuo, M.; Udovic, T. J.; Orimo, S.

2016-03-01

A central goal in current battery research is to increase the safety and energy density of Li-ion batteries. Electrolytes nowadays typically consist of lithium salts dissolved in organic solvents. Solid electrolytes could facilitate safer batteries with higher capacities, as they are compatible with Li-metal anodes, prevent Li dendrite formation, and eliminate risks associated with flammable organic solvents. Less than 10 years ago, LiBH4 was proposed as a solid-state electrolyte. It showed a high ionic conductivity, but only at elevated temperatures. Since then a range of other complex metal hydrides has been reported to show similar characteristics. Strategies have been developed to extend the high ionic conductivity of LiBH4 down to room temperature by partial anion substitution or nanoconfinement. The present paper reviews the recent developments in complex metal hydrides as solid electrolytes, discussing in detail LiBH4, strategies towards for fast room-temperature ionic conductors, alternative compounds, and first explorations of implementation of these electrolytes in all-solid-state batteries.

Development of intermediate temperature sodium nickel chloride rechargeable batteries using conventional polymer sealing technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Hee Jung; Lu, Xiaochuan; Bonnett, Jeff F.; Canfield, Nathan L.; Son, Sori; Park, Yoon-Cheol; Jung, Keeyoung; Sprenkle, Vincent L.; Li, Guosheng

2017-04-01

Developing advanced and reliable electrical energy storage systems is critical to fulfill global energy demands and stimulate the growth of renewable energy resources. Sodium metal halide batteries have been under serious consideration as a low cost alternative energy storage device for stationary energy storage systems. Yet, there are number of challenges to overcome for the successful market penetration, such as high operating temperature and hermetic sealing of batteries that trigger an expensive manufacturing process. Here we demonstrate simple, economical and practical sealing technologies for Na-NiCl2 batteries operated at an intermediate temperature of 190 °C. Conventional polymers are implemented in planar Na-NiCl2 batteries after a prescreening test, and their excellent compatibilities and durability are demonstrated by a stable performance of Na-NiCl2 battery for more than 300 cycles. The sealing methods developed in this work will be highly beneficial and feasible for prolonging battery cycle life and reducing manufacturing cost for Na-based batteries at elevated temperatures (<200 °C).

Frequency addressable beams for land mobile communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, J. D.; Dubellay, G. G.

1988-01-01

Satellites used for mobile communications need to serve large numbers of small, low cost terminals. The most important parameters affecting the capacity of such systems are the satellite equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) and gain to noise temperature ratio (G/T) and available bandwidth. Satellites using frequency addressed beams provide high EIRP and G/T with high-gain antenna beams that also permit frequency reuse over the composite coverage area. Frequency addressing is easy to implement and compatible with low-cost terminals and offers higher capacity than alternative approaches.

OGS#PETSc approach for robust and efficient simulations of strongly coupled hydrothermal processes in EGS reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Norihiro; Blucher, Guido; Cacace, Mauro; Kolditz, Olaf

2016-04-01

A robust and computationally efficient solution is important for 3D modelling of EGS reservoirs. This is particularly the case when the reservoir model includes hydraulic conduits such as induced or natural fractures, fault zones, and wellbore open-hole sections. The existence of such hydraulic conduits results in heterogeneous flow fields and in a strengthened coupling between fluid flow and heat transport processes via temperature dependent fluid properties (e.g. density and viscosity). A commonly employed partitioned solution (or operator-splitting solution) may not robustly work for such strongly coupled problems its applicability being limited by small time step sizes (e.g. 5-10 days) whereas the processes have to be simulated for 10-100 years. To overcome this limitation, an alternative approach is desired which can guarantee a robust solution of the coupled problem with minor constraints on time step sizes. In this work, we present a Newton-Raphson based monolithic coupling approach implemented in the OpenGeoSys simulator (OGS) combined with the Portable, Extensible Toolkit for Scientific Computation (PETSc) library. The PETSc library is used for both linear and nonlinear solvers as well as MPI-based parallel computations. The suggested method has been tested by application to the 3D reservoir site of Groß Schönebeck, in northern Germany. Results show that the exact Newton-Raphson approach can also be limited to small time step sizes (e.g. one day) due to slight oscillations in the temperature field. The usage of a line search technique and modification of the Jacobian matrix were necessary to achieve robust convergence of the nonlinear solution. For the studied example, the proposed monolithic approach worked even with a very large time step size of 3.5 years.

Parallelizing alternating direction implicit solver on GPUs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We present a parallel Alternating Direction Implicit (ADI) solver on GPUs. Our implementation significantly improves existing implementations in two aspects. First, we address the scalability issue of existing Parallel Cyclic Reduction (PCR) implementations by eliminating their hardware resource con...

Single-Use Poly(etheretherketone) Solid-Phase Microextraction-Transmission Mode Devices for Rapid Screening and Quantitation of Drugs of Abuse in Oral Fluid and Urine via Direct Analysis in Real-Time Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Vasiljevic, Tijana; Gómez-Ríos, Germán Augusto; Pawliszyn, Janusz

2018-01-02

The analysis of oral fluid (OF) and urine samples to detect drug consumption has garnered considerable attention as alternative biomatrices. Efficient implementation of microextraction and ambient ionization technologies for rapid detection of target compounds in such biomatrices creates a need for biocompatible devices which can be implemented for in vivo sampling and easily interfaced with mass spectrometry (MS) analyzers. This study introduces a novel solid-phase microextraction-transmission mode (SPME-TM) device made of poly(etheretherketone) (PEEK) mesh that can rapidly detect prohibited substances in biofluids via direct analysis in real-time tandem MS (DART-MS/MS). PEEK mesh was selected due to its biocompatibility, excellent resistance to various organic solvents, and its ability to withstand relatively high temperatures (≤350 °C). The meshes were coated with hydrophilic-lipophilic-balance particle-poly(acrylonitrile) (HLB-PAN) slurry. The robustness of the coated meshes was tested by performing rapid vortex agitation (≥3200 rpm) in LC/MS-grade solvents and by exposing them to the DART source jet stream at typical operational temperatures (∼250-350 °C). PEEK SPME-TM devices proved to be robust and were therefore used to perform ex vivo analysis of drugs of abuse spiked in urine and OF samples. Excellent results were obtained for all analytes under study; furthermore, the tests yielded satisfactory limits of quantitation (median, ∼0.5 ng mL -1 ), linearity (≥0.99), and accuracy (80-120%) over the evaluated range (0.5-200 ng mL -1 ). This research highlights plastic SPME-TM's potential usefulness as a method for rapidly screening for prohibited substances in on-site/in vivo scenarios, such as roadside or workplace drug testing, antidoping controls, and pain management programs.

It's Time for a Conceptual Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hausfather, Samuel J.

1992-01-01

Conceptual change teaching is an instructional method that helps students modify, extend, or exchange their alternative conceptions for the appropriate scientific conceptions. Provides activities and a diagnostic test to apply the method to the concepts of heat and temperature. (MDH)

Chip Scale Ultra-Stable Clocks: Miniaturized Phonon Trap Timing Units for PNT of CubeSats

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rais-Zadeh, Mina; Altunc, Serhat; Hunter, Roger C.; Petro, Andrew

2016-01-01

The Chip Scale Ultra-Stable Clocks (CSUSC) project aims to provide a superior alternative to current solutions for low size, weight, and power timing devices. Currently available quartz-based clocks have problems adjusting to the high temperature and extreme acceleration found in space applications, especially when scaled down to match small spacecraft size, weight, and power requirements. The CSUSC project aims to utilize dual-mode resonators on an ovenized platform to achieve the exceptional temperature stability required for these systems. The dual-mode architecture utilizes a temperature sensitive and temperature stable mode simultaneously driven on the same device volume to eliminate ovenization error while maintaining extremely high performance. Using this technology it is possible to achieve parts-per-billion (ppb) levels of temperature stability with multiple orders of magnitude smaller size, weight, and power.

Interfacing modeling suite Physics Of Eclipsing Binaries 2.0 with a Virtual Reality Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harriett, Edward; Conroy, Kyle; Prša, Andrej; Klassner, Frank

2018-01-01

To explore alternate methods for modeling eclipsing binary stars, we extrapolate upon PHOEBE’s (PHysics Of Eclipsing BinariEs) capabilities in a virtual reality (VR) environment to create an immersive and interactive experience for users. The application used is Vizard, a python-scripted VR development platform for environments such as Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) and other off-the-shelf VR headsets. Vizard allows the freedom for all modeling to be precompiled without compromising functionality or usage on its part. The system requires five arguments to be precomputed using PHOEBE’s python front-end: the effective temperature, flux, relative intensity, vertex coordinates, and orbits; the user can opt to implement other features from PHOEBE to be accessed within the simulation as well. Here we present the method for making the data observables accessible in real time. An Occulus Rift will be available for a live showcase of various cases of VR rendering of PHOEBE binary systems including detached and contact binary stars.

Alternatives to animal testing: A review.

PubMed

Doke, Sonali K; Dhawale, Shashikant C

2015-07-01

The number of animals used in research has increased with the advancement of research and development in medical technology. Every year, millions of experimental animals are used all over the world. The pain, distress and death experienced by the animals during scientific experiments have been a debating issue for a long time. Besides the major concern of ethics, there are few more disadvantages of animal experimentation like requirement of skilled manpower, time consuming protocols and high cost. Various alternatives to animal testing were proposed to overcome the drawbacks associated with animal experiments and avoid the unethical procedures. A strategy of 3 Rs (i.e. reduction, refinement and replacement) is being applied for laboratory use of animals. Different methods and alternative organisms are applied to implement this strategy. These methods provide an alternative means for the drug and chemical testing, up to some levels. A brief account of these alternatives and advantages associated is discussed in this review with examples. An integrated application of these approaches would give an insight into minimum use of animals in scientific experiments.

Alternatives to animal testing: A review

PubMed Central

Doke, Sonali K.; Dhawale, Shashikant C.

2013-01-01

The number of animals used in research has increased with the advancement of research and development in medical technology. Every year, millions of experimental animals are used all over the world. The pain, distress and death experienced by the animals during scientific experiments have been a debating issue for a long time. Besides the major concern of ethics, there are few more disadvantages of animal experimentation like requirement of skilled manpower, time consuming protocols and high cost. Various alternatives to animal testing were proposed to overcome the drawbacks associated with animal experiments and avoid the unethical procedures. A strategy of 3 Rs (i.e. reduction, refinement and replacement) is being applied for laboratory use of animals. Different methods and alternative organisms are applied to implement this strategy. These methods provide an alternative means for the drug and chemical testing, up to some levels. A brief account of these alternatives and advantages associated is discussed in this review with examples. An integrated application of these approaches would give an insight into minimum use of animals in scientific experiments. PMID:26106269

Lisp as an Alternative to Java

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gat, E.

2000-01-01

In a recent study, Prechelt compared the relative performance of Java and C++ in terms of execution time and memory utilization. Unlike many benchmark studies, Prechelt compared mulitple implementations of the same task by multiple programmers in order to control for the effects of difference in programmer skill.

DSP Implementation of the Retinex Image Enhancement Algorithm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hines, Glenn; Rahman, Zia-Ur; Jobson, Daniel; Woodell, Glenn

2004-01-01

The Retinex is a general-purpose image enhancement algorithm that is used to produce good visual representations of scenes. It performs a non-linear spatial/spectral transform that synthesizes strong local contrast enhancement and color constancy. A real-time, video frame rate implementation of the Retinex is required to meet the needs of various potential users. Retinex processing contains a relatively large number of complex computations, thus to achieve real-time performance using current technologies requires specialized hardware and software. In this paper we discuss the design and development of a digital signal processor (DSP) implementation of the Retinex. The target processor is a Texas Instruments TMS320C6711 floating point DSP. NTSC video is captured using a dedicated frame-grabber card, Retinex processed, and displayed on a standard monitor. We discuss the optimizations used to achieve real-time performance of the Retinex and also describe our future plans on using alternative architectures.

Effects of two-temperature parameter and thermal nonlocal parameter on transient responses of a half-space subjected to ramp-type heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Zhang-Na; Yu, Ya-Jun; Tian, Xiao-Geng

2017-07-01

Based upon the coupled thermoelasticity and Green and Lindsay theory, the new governing equations of two-temperature thermoelastic theory with thermal nonlocal parameter is formulated. To more realistically model thermal loading of a half-space surface, a linear temperature ramping function is adopted. Laplace transform techniques are used to get the general analytical solutions in Laplace domain, and the inverse Laplace transforms based on Fourier expansion techniques are numerically implemented to obtain the numerical solutions in time domain. Specific attention is paid to study the effect of thermal nonlocal parameter, ramping time, and two-temperature parameter on the distributions of temperature, displacement and stress distribution.

Ionic Liquid Activation of Amorphous Metal-Oxide Semiconductors for Flexible Transparent Electronic Devices

DOE PAGES

Pudasaini, Pushpa Raj; Noh, Joo Hyon; Wong, Anthony T.; ...

2016-02-09

To begin this abstract, amorphous metal-oxide semiconductors offer the high carrier mobilities and excellent large-area uniformity required for high performance, transparent, flexible electronic devices; however, a critical bottleneck to their widespread implementation is the need to activate these materials at high temperatures which are not compatible with flexible polymer substrates. The highly controllable activation of amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide semiconductor channels using ionic liquid gating at room temperature is reported. Activation is controlled by electric field-induced oxygen migration across the ionic liquid-semiconductor interface. In addition to activation of unannealed devices, it is shown that threshold voltages of a transistormore » can be linearly tuned between the enhancement and depletion modes. Finally, the first ever example of transparent flexible thin film metal oxide transistor on a polyamide substrate created using this simple technique is demonstrated. Finally, this study demonstrates the potential of field-induced activation as a promising alternative to traditional postdeposition thermal annealing which opens the door to wide scale implementation into flexible electronic applications.« less

Thermal maps of Jupiter - Spatial organization and time dependence of stratospheric temperatures, 1980 to 1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orton, Glenn S.; Friedson, A. James; Baines, Kevin H.; Martin, Terry Z.; West, Robert A.; Caldwell, John; Hammel, Heidi B.; Bergstralh, Jay T.; Malcolm, Michael E.

1991-01-01

The spatial organization and time dependence of Jupiter's stratospheric temperatures have been measured by observing thermal emission from the 7.8-micrometer CH4 band. These temperatures, observed through the greater part of a Jovian year, exhibit the influence of seasonal radiative forcing. Distinct bands of high temperature are located at the poles and midlatitudes, while the equator alternates between warm and cold with a period of approximately 4 years. Substantial longitudinal variability is often observed within the warm midlatitude bands, and occasionally elsewhere on the planet. This variability includes small, localized structures, as well as large-scale waves with wavelengths longer than about 30,000 kilometers. The amplitudes of the waves vary on a time scale of about 1 month; structures on a smaller scale may have lifetimes of only days. Waves observed in 1985, 1987, and 1988 propagated with group velocities less than + or - 30 meters/sec.

The effect of temperature on the germination of Melocactus violaceus Pfeiff. (Cactaceae), a threatened species in restinga sandy coastal plain of Brazil.

PubMed

Zamith, Luiz R; Cruz, Denise D; Richers, Bárbara T T

2013-01-01

Melocactus violaceus is an endangered species due to habitat destruction and the overcollection of this species for ornamental use. The aim of this study was to test the effect of different temperatures on the germination of M. violaceus. Three treatments were conducted: a constant temperature of 25ºC, a 20-35ºC alternating temperature, both inside germination chamber, and an alternating temperature under room temperature (mean temperature ranged from 25-37ºC). The final seed germination rates at the alternating temperature treatments were not significantly different (65% in the seed germinator and 62.5% at room condition). However, both treatments with alternating temperatures had significantly higher germination rates compared to the treatment kept at the constant temperature (8%). Our study showed that alternating temperatures between 20 and 37ºC provides satisfactory conditions to induce a high percentage of seed germination of M. violaceus, without the passage of seeds through the digestive tract of its natural disperser, the lizard Tropidurus torquatus. This condition contributes to efficiently producing seedlings that can be reintroduced into conservation areas or used as ornamentals that may help reduce the overcollection of the remaining native populations.

Deciding to Decide: How Decisions Are Made and How Some Forces Affect the Process.

PubMed

McConnell, Charles R

There is a decision-making pattern that applies in all situations, large or small, although in small decisions, the steps are not especially evident. The steps are gathering information, analyzing information and creating alternatives, selecting and implementing an alternative, and following up on implementation. The amount of effort applied in any decision situation should be consistent with the potential consequences of the decision. Essentially, all decisions are subject to certain limitations or constraints, forces, or circumstances that limit one's range of choices. Follow-up on implementation is the phase of decision making most often neglected, yet it is frequently the phase that determines success or failure. Risk and uncertainty are always present in a decision situation, and the application of human judgment is always necessary. In addition, there are often emotional forces at work that can at times unwittingly steer one away from that which is best or most workable under the circumstances and toward a suboptimal result based largely on the desires of the decision maker.

Cluster Tool for In Situ Processing and Comprehensive Characterization of Thin Films at High Temperatures.

PubMed

Wenisch, Robert; Lungwitz, Frank; Hanf, Daniel; Heller, René; Zscharschuch, Jens; Hübner, René; von Borany, Johannes; Abrasonis, Gintautas; Gemming, Sibylle; Escobar-Galindo, Ramon; Krause, Matthias

2018-06-13

A new cluster tool for in situ real-time processing and depth-resolved compositional, structural and optical characterization of thin films at temperatures from -100 to 800 °C is described. The implemented techniques comprise magnetron sputtering, ion irradiation, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, Raman spectroscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The capability of the cluster tool is demonstrated for a layer stack MgO/amorphous Si (∼60 nm)/Ag (∼30 nm), deposited at room temperature and crystallized with partial layer exchange by heating up to 650 °C. Its initial and final composition, stacking order, and structure were monitored in situ in real time and a reaction progress was defined as a function of time and temperature.

Nb doped TiO2 as a Cathode Catalyst Support Material for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Toole, Alexander W.

In order to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases and reduce dependence on the use of fossil fuels, it is necessary to pursue alternative sources of energy. Transportation is a major contributor to the emission of greenhouse gases due to the use of fossil fuels in the internal combustion engine. To reduce emission of these pollutants into the atmosphere, research is needed to produce alternative solutions for vehicle transportation. Low temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells are energy conversion devices that provide an alternative to the internal combustion engine, however, they still have obstacles to overcome to achieve large scale implementation. T he following work presents original research with regards to the development of Nb doped TiO2 as a cathode catalyst support material for low temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. The development of a new process to synthesize nanoparticles of Nb doped TiO2 with controlled compositions is presented as well as methods to scale up the process and optimize the synthesis for the aforementioned application. In addition to this, comparison of both electrochemical activity and durability with current state of the art Pt on high surface area carbon black (Vulcan XC-72) is investigated. Effects of the strong metal-support interaction on the electrochemical behavior of these materials is also observed and discussed.

Will spin-relaxation times in molecular magnets permit quantum information processing?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ardavan, Arzhang

2007-03-01

Certain computational tasks can be efficiently implemented using quantum logic, in which the information-carrying elements are permitted to exist in quantum superpositions. To achieve this in practice, a physical system that is suitable for embodying quantum bits (qubits) must be identified. Some proposed scenarios employ electron spins in the solid state, for example phosphorous donors in silicon, quantum dots, heterostructures and endohedral fullerenes, motivated by the long electron-spin relaxation times exhibited by these systems. An alternative electron-spin based proposal exploits the large number of quantum states and the non-degenerate transitions available in high spin molecular magnets. Although these advantages have stimulated vigorous research in molecular magnets, the key question of whether the intrinsic spin relaxation times are long enough has hitherto remained unaddressed. Using X-band pulsed electron spin resonance, we measure the intrinsic spin-lattice (T1) and phase coherence (T2) relaxation times in molecular nanomagnets for the first time. In Cr7M heterometallic wheels, with M = Ni and Mn, phase coherence relaxation is dominated by the coupling of the electron spin to protons within the molecule. In deuterated samples T2 reaches 3 μs at low temperatures, which is several orders of magnitude longer than the duration of spin manipulations, satisfying a prerequisite for the deployment of molecular nanomagnets in quantum information applications.

Modeling and Analysis of the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mauro, Stephanie

2013-01-01

The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRad) is a payload carried by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at altitudes up to 60,000 ft with the purpose of measuring ocean surface wind speeds and near ocean surface rain rates in hurricanes. The payload includes several components that must maintain steady temperatures throughout the flight. Minimizing the temperature drift of these components allows for accurate data collection and conclusions to be drawn concerning the behavior of hurricanes. HIRad has flown on several different UAVs over the past two years during the fall hurricane season. Based on the data from the 2011 flight, a Thermal Desktop model was created to simulate the payload and reproduce the temperatures. Using this model, recommendations were made to reduce the temperature drift through the use of heaters controlled by resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensors. The suggestions made were implemented for the 2012 hurricane season and further data was collected. The implementation of the heaters reduced the temperature drift for a portion of the flight, but after a period of time, the temperatures rose. With this new flight data, the thermal model was updated and correlated. Detailed analysis was conducted to determine a more effective way to reduce the temperature drift. The final recommendations made were to adjust the set temperatures of the heaters for 2013 flights and implement hardware changes for flights beyond 2013.

Thermal Modeling and Analysis of the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRad)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mauro, Stephanie

2013-01-01

The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRad) is a payload carried by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at altitudes up to 60,000 ft with the purpose of measuring ocean surface wind speeds and near ocean surface rain rates in hurricanes. The payload includes several components that must maintain steady temperatures throughout the flight. Minimizing the temperature drift of these components allows for accurate data collection and conclusions to be drawn concerning the behavior of hurricanes. HIRad has flown on several different UAVs over the past two years during the fall hurricane season. Based on the data from the 2011 flight, a Thermal Desktop model was created to simulate the payload and reproduce the temperatures. Using this model, recommendations were made to reduce the temperature drift through the use of heaters controlled by resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensors. The suggestions made were implemented for the 2012 hurricane season and further data was collected. The implementation of the heaters reduced the temperature drift for a portion of the flight, but after a period of time, the temperatures rose. With this new flight data, the thermal model was updated and correlated. Detailed analysis was conducted to determine a more effective way to reduce the temperature drift. The final recommendations made were to adjust the set temperatures of the heaters for 2013 flights and implement hardware changes for flights beyond 2013.

Application of Shear Plate Interferometry to Jet Diffusion Flame Temperature Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanDerWege, Brad A.; OBrien, Chris J.; Hochgreb, Simone

1997-01-01

The recent ban on the production of bromotrifluoromethane (CF3Br) because of its high stratospheric ozone depletion potential has led to interest in finding alternative agents for fire extinguishing applications. Some of the promising alternatives are fluorinated hydrocarbons. A clear understanding of the effects of CF3Br and alternative chemical suppressants on diffusion flames is therefore necessary in the selection of alternative suppressants for use in normal and microgravity. The flame inhibition effects of halogen compounds have been studied extensively in premixed systems. The effect of addition of halocarbons (carbon-halogen compounds) to diffusion flames has been studied experimentally in coflow configurations and in counterflow gaseous and liquid-pool flames. Halogenated compounds are believed to inhibit combustion by scavenging hydrogen radicals to form the relatively unreactive compound HF, or through a catalytic recombination cycle involving HBr to form H2. Comparisons between halogens show that bromine inhibition is significantly more effective than chlorine or fluorine. Although fluorinated compounds are only slightly more effective inhibitors on a mass basis than nitrogen, they are more effective on a volume basis and are easily stored in liquid form. The objectives of this study are (a) to determine the stability limits of laminar jet diffusion flames with respect to inhibitor concentration in both normal and microgravity, and (b) to investigate the structure of halocarbon-inhibited flames. In the initial phase of this project, visual diagnostics were used to observe the structure and behavior of normal and microgravity flames. The initial observations showed significant changes in the structure of the flames with the addition of halocarbons to the surrounding environment, as discussed below. Furthermore, the study established that the flames are more stable relative to the addition of halocarbons in microgravity than in normal gravity. Visual diagnostics of flames are, however, necessarily limited to detection of radiative emission in the visible range, and offer only qualitative information about the nature of the processes in the flame. In particular, the study sought to understand the structure of the inhibitor-perturbed flames with regard to temperature and species concentration in the outer region of the flame. Whereas thermocouple measurements can be used in ground based studies, their implementation in drop-tower rigs is limited. A possible approach to determine the temperature field around the flame is to use interferometric techniques. The implementation and testing of a shear-plate interferometry technique is described below.

General purpose molecular dynamics simulations fully implemented on graphics processing units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Joshua A.; Lorenz, Chris D.; Travesset, A.

2008-05-01

Graphics processing units (GPUs), originally developed for rendering real-time effects in computer games, now provide unprecedented computational power for scientific applications. In this paper, we develop a general purpose molecular dynamics code that runs entirely on a single GPU. It is shown that our GPU implementation provides a performance equivalent to that of fast 30 processor core distributed memory cluster. Our results show that GPUs already provide an inexpensive alternative to such clusters and discuss implications for the future.

Low-Energy Truly Random Number Generation with Superparamagnetic Tunnel Junctions for Unconventional Computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vodenicarevic, D.; Locatelli, N.; Mizrahi, A.; Friedman, J. S.; Vincent, A. F.; Romera, M.; Fukushima, A.; Yakushiji, K.; Kubota, H.; Yuasa, S.; Tiwari, S.; Grollier, J.; Querlioz, D.

2017-11-01

Low-energy random number generation is critical for many emerging computing schemes proposed to complement or replace von Neumann architectures. However, current random number generators are always associated with an energy cost that is prohibitive for these computing schemes. We introduce random number bit generation based on specific nanodevices: superparamagnetic tunnel junctions. We experimentally demonstrate high-quality random bit generation that represents an orders-of-magnitude improvement in energy efficiency over current solutions. We show that the random generation speed improves with nanodevice scaling, and we investigate the impact of temperature, magnetic field, and cross talk. Finally, we show how alternative computing schemes can be implemented using superparamagentic tunnel junctions as random number generators. These results open the way for fabricating efficient hardware computing devices leveraging stochasticity, and they highlight an alternative use for emerging nanodevices.

Real-Time GPS-Alternative Navigation Using Commodity Hardware

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

4.1 Test Plan and Setup ..............................................................................................84 4.1.1 Component and...improvements planned , the most influential for navigation are additional signals, frequencies, and improved signal strength. These improvements will... planned and implemented to provide maximum extensibility for additional sensors and functionality without disturbing the core GPU-accelerated

A Case Study: To Internet or Not To Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carman, Jared; Boynton, Doug

1997-01-01

Interactive multimedia training can be delivered via CD-ROM, hard drive, local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), Intranet, Internet and hybrid systems. This article presents a case study of how two companies (Los Angeles Times and Allen Communication) evaluated alternative delivery systems, chose one, and implemented multimedia…

Time dependent viscoelastic rheological response of pure, modified and synthetic bituminous binders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Airey, G. D.; Grenfell, J. R. A.; Apeagyei, A.; Subhy, A.; Lo Presti, D.

2016-08-01

Bitumen is a viscoelastic material that exhibits both elastic and viscous components of response and displays both a temperature and time dependent relationship between applied stresses and resultant strains. In addition, as bitumen is responsible for the viscoelastic behaviour of all bituminous materials, it plays a dominant role in defining many of the aspects of asphalt road performance, such as strength and stiffness, permanent deformation and cracking. Although conventional bituminous materials perform satisfactorily in most highway pavement applications, there are situations that require the modification of the binder to enhance the properties of existing asphalt material. The best known form of modification is by means of polymer modification, traditionally used to improve the temperature and time susceptibility of bitumen. Tyre rubber modification is another form using recycled crumb tyre rubber to alter the properties of conventional bitumen. In addition, alternative binders (synthetic polymeric binders as well as renewable, environmental-friendly bio-binders) have entered the bitumen market over the last few years due to concerns over the continued availability of bitumen from current crudes and refinery processes. This paper provides a detailed rheological assessment, under both temperature and time regimes, of a range of conventional, modified and alternative binders in terms of the materials dynamic (oscillatory) viscoelastic response. The rheological results show the improved viscoelastic properties of polymer- and rubber-modified binders in terms of increased complex shear modulus and elastic response, particularly at high temperatures and low frequencies. The synthetic binders were found to demonstrate complex rheological behaviour relative to that seen for conventional bituminous binders.

Demagnetization Tests Performed on a Linear Alternator for a Stirling Power Convertor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geng, Steven M.; Niedra, Janis M.; Schwarze, Gene E.

2012-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is conducting in-house research on rare-earth permanent magnets and linear alternators to assist in developing free-piston Stirling convertors for radioisotope space power systems and for developing advanced linear alternator technology. This research continues at GRC, but, with the exception of Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator references, the work presented in this paper was conducted in 2005. A special arc-magnet characterization fixture was designed and built to measure the M-H characteristics of the magnets used in Technology Demonstration Convertors developed under the 110-W Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG110) project. This fixture was used to measure these characteristics of the arc magnets and to predict alternator demagnetization temperatures in the SRG110 application. Demagnetization tests using the TDC alternator on the Alternator Test Rig were conducted for two different magnet grades: Sumitomo Neomax 44AH and 42AH. The purpose of these tests was to determine the demagnetization temperatures of the magnets for the alternator under nominal loads. Measurements made during the tests included the linear alternator terminal voltage, current, average power, magnet temperatures, and stator temperatures. The results of these tests were found to be in good agreement with predictions. Alternator demagnetization temperatures in the Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC-developed under the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator project) were predicted as well because the prediction method had been validated through the SRG110 alternator tests. These predictions led to a specification for maximum temperatures of the ASC pressure vessel.

Evaluation of Alternative Refrigerants for Mini-Split Air Conditioners

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

Abdelaziz, Omar; Shrestha, Som S

The phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) refrigerants in developing countries is currently underway according to the Montreal Protocol. R-22 is one of the most commonly used HCFCs in the developing nations. It is extremely well suited for air conditioning and refrigeration (AC&R) in high ambient temperature environments. Non-Article 5 countries have already gone through the phase-out of HCFCs and settled on using R-410A as the refrigerant of choice for AC applications. Previous studies have shown that R-410A results in significant capacity and performance degradation at higher ambient temperature conditions. As such, there is a growing concern on finding alternative refrigerants tomore » R-22 that would have zero ODP, lower GWP, and at the same time maintain acceptable performance at higher ambient temperatures. Furthermore, the developed world s transition through higher global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants like HFC and HFC blends resulted in significant direct CO2 equivalent emissions. It is imperative to develop a bridge for developing nations to avoid the transition from HCFC to HFC and then from HFC to alternative lower GWP refrigerants. This paper summarizes data from an experimental campaign on alternative refrigerant evaluation for R-22 and R-410A substitutes for mini-split air conditioners designed for high ambient environments. The experimental evaluation was performed according to ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 37 and the performance was rated at test conditions specified by ANSI/AHRI 210-240 and ISO 5151. Additional tests were conducted at outdoor ambient temperatures of 52 C (125.6 F) and 55 C (131 F) to evaluate their performance at high ambient conditions. Alternative refrigerants, some of which are proprietary, included R-444B, DR-3, N-20b, ARM-20b, R-290, and DR-93 as alternatives to R-22 and R-32, DR-55, L41-2, ARM-71A, and HPR-2A as alternatives to R-410A. The units performances were first verified using the baseline refrigerant and then drop-in refrigerant evaluation followed including soft optimization to ensure refrigerant performance is adequately represented. The soft optimization included: 1) charge optimization, 2) lubricant change, and 3) flow control. The paper presents the relative performances (efficiency and capacity) of the alternative refrigerants compared to the baseline refrigerants at the different operating conditions. Paper concludes with remarks about the suitability of alternative refrigerants for R-22 and R-410A applications in high ambient temperature regions.« less

Bypass valve and coolant flow controls for optimum temperatures in waste heat recovery systems

DOEpatents

Meisner, Gregory P

2013-10-08

Implementing an optimized waste heat recovery system includes calculating a temperature and a rate of change in temperature of a heat exchanger of a waste heat recovery system, and predicting a temperature and a rate of change in temperature of a material flowing through a channel of the waste heat recovery system. Upon determining the rate of change in the temperature of the material is predicted to be higher than the rate of change in the temperature of the heat exchanger, the optimized waste heat recovery system calculates a valve position and timing for the channel that is configurable for achieving a rate of material flow that is determined to produce and maintain a defined threshold temperature of the heat exchanger, and actuates the valve according to the calculated valve position and calculated timing.

An Efficient Randomized Algorithm for Real-Time Process Scheduling in PicOS Operating System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helmy*, Tarek; Fatai, Anifowose; Sallam, El-Sayed

PicOS is an event-driven operating environment designed for use with embedded networked sensors. More specifically, it is designed to support the concurrency in intensive operations required by networked sensors with minimal hardware requirements. Existing process scheduling algorithms of PicOS; a commercial tiny, low-footprint, real-time operating system; have their associated drawbacks. An efficient, alternative algorithm, based on a randomized selection policy, has been proposed, demonstrated, confirmed for efficiency and fairness, on the average, and has been recommended for implementation in PicOS. Simulations were carried out and performance measures such as Average Waiting Time (AWT) and Average Turn-around Time (ATT) were used to assess the efficiency of the proposed randomized version over the existing ones. The results prove that Randomized algorithm is the best and most attractive for implementation in PicOS, since it is most fair and has the least AWT and ATT on average over the other non-preemptive scheduling algorithms implemented in this paper.

All-Digital Time-Domain CMOS Smart Temperature Sensor with On-Chip Linearity Enhancement.

PubMed

Chen, Chun-Chi; Chen, Chao-Lieh; Lin, Yi

2016-01-30

This paper proposes the first all-digital on-chip linearity enhancement technique for improving the accuracy of the time-domain complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) smart temperature sensor. To facilitate on-chip application and intellectual property reuse, an all-digital time-domain smart temperature sensor was implemented using 90 nm Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Although the inverter-based temperature sensor has a smaller circuit area and lower complexity, two-point calibration must be used to achieve an acceptable inaccuracy. With the help of a calibration circuit, the influence of process variations was reduced greatly for one-point calibration support, reducing the test costs and time. However, the sensor response still exhibited a large curvature, which substantially affected the accuracy of the sensor. Thus, an on-chip linearity-enhanced circuit is proposed to linearize the curve and achieve a new linearity-enhanced output. The sensor was implemented on eight different Xilinx FPGA using 118 slices per sensor in each FPGA to demonstrate the benefits of the linearization. Compared with the unlinearized version, the maximal inaccuracy of the linearized version decreased from 5 °C to 2.5 °C after one-point calibration in a range of -20 °C to 100 °C. The sensor consumed 95 μW using 1 kSa/s. The proposed linearity enhancement technique significantly improves temperature sensing accuracy, avoiding costly curvature compensation while it is fully synthesizable for future Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) system.

All-Digital Time-Domain CMOS Smart Temperature Sensor with On-Chip Linearity Enhancement

PubMed Central

Chen, Chun-Chi; Chen, Chao-Lieh; Lin, Yi

2016-01-01

This paper proposes the first all-digital on-chip linearity enhancement technique for improving the accuracy of the time-domain complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) smart temperature sensor. To facilitate on-chip application and intellectual property reuse, an all-digital time-domain smart temperature sensor was implemented using 90 nm Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). Although the inverter-based temperature sensor has a smaller circuit area and lower complexity, two-point calibration must be used to achieve an acceptable inaccuracy. With the help of a calibration circuit, the influence of process variations was reduced greatly for one-point calibration support, reducing the test costs and time. However, the sensor response still exhibited a large curvature, which substantially affected the accuracy of the sensor. Thus, an on-chip linearity-enhanced circuit is proposed to linearize the curve and achieve a new linearity-enhanced output. The sensor was implemented on eight different Xilinx FPGA using 118 slices per sensor in each FPGA to demonstrate the benefits of the linearization. Compared with the unlinearized version, the maximal inaccuracy of the linearized version decreased from 5 °C to 2.5 °C after one-point calibration in a range of −20 °C to 100 °C. The sensor consumed 95 μW using 1 kSa/s. The proposed linearity enhancement technique significantly improves temperature sensing accuracy, avoiding costly curvature compensation while it is fully synthesizable for future Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) system. PMID:26840316

Micro-incubator for bacterial biosensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clasen, Estine; Land, Kevin; Joubert, Trudi-Heleen

2016-02-01

The presence of Escherichia coli (E. coli ) is a commonly used indicator micro-organism to determine whether water is safe for human consumption.1 This paper discusses the design of a micro-incubator that can be applied to concentrate bacteria prior to environmental water quality screening tests. High sensitivity and rapid test time is essential and there is a great need for these tests to be implemented on-site without the use of a laboratory infrastructure. In the light of these requirements, a mobile micro-incubator was designed, manufactured and characterised. A polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) receptacle has been designed to house the 1-5 ml cell culture sample.2 A nano-silver printed electronics micro-heater has been designed to incubate the bacterial sample, with an array of temperature sensors implemented to accurately measure the sample temperature at various locations in the cell culture well. The micro-incubator limits the incubation temperature range to 37+/-3 °C in order to ensure near optimal growth of the bacteria at all times.3 The incubation time is adjustable between 30 minutes and 9 hours with a maximum rise time of 15 minutes to reach the set-point temperature. The surface area of the printed nano silver heating element is 500 mm2. Electrical and COMSOL Multiphysics simulations are included in order to give insight on micro-incubator temperature control. The design and characterization of this micro-incubator allows for further research in biosensing applications.

Is it possible to design a portable power generator based on micro-solid oxide fuel cells? A finite volume analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pla, D.; Sánchez-González, A.; Garbayo, I.; Salleras, M.; Morata, A.; Tarancón, A.

2015-10-01

The inherent limited capacity of current battery technology is not sufficient for covering the increasing power requirements of widely extended portable devices. Among other promising alternatives, recent advances in the field of micro-Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (μ-SOFCs) converted this disruptive technology into a serious candidate to power next generations of portable devices. However, the implementation of single cells in real devices, i.e. μ-SOFC stacks coupled to the required balance-of-plant elements like fuel reformers or post combustors, still remains unexplored. This work aims addressing this system-level research by proposing a new compact design of a vertically stacked device fuelled with ethanol. The feasibility and design optimization for achieving a thermally self-sustained regime and a rapid and low-power consuming start-up is studied by finite volume analysis. An optimal thermal insulation strategy is defined to maintain the steady-state operation temperature of the μ-SOFC at 973 K and an external temperature lower than 323 K. A hybrid start-up procedure, based on heaters embedded in the μ-SOFCs and heat released by chemical reactions in the post-combustion unit, is analyzed allowing start-up times below 1 min and energy consumption under 500 J. These results clearly demonstrate the feasibility of high temperature μ-SOFC power systems fuelled with hydrocarbons for portable applications, therefore, anticipating a new family of mobile and uninterrupted power generators.

Balanced Trade-Offs between Alternative Strategies Shape the Response of C. elegans Reproduction to Chronic Heat Stress

PubMed Central

Aprison, Erin Z.; Ruvinsky, Ilya

2014-01-01

To ensure long-term reproductive success organisms have to cope with harsh environmental extremes. A reproductive strategy that simply maximizes offspring production is likely to be disadvantageous because it could lead to a catastrophic loss of fecundity under unfavorable conditions. To understand how an appropriate balance is achieved, we investigated reproductive performance of C. elegans under conditions of chronic heat stress. We found that following even prolonged exposure to temperatures at which none of the offspring survive, worms could recover and resume reproduction. The likelihood of producing viable offspring falls precipitously after exposure to temperatures greater than 28°C primarily due to sperm damage. Surprisingly, we found that worms that experienced higher temperatures can recover considerably better, provided they did not initiate ovulation. Therefore mechanisms controlling this process must play a crucial role in determining the probability of recovery. We show, however, that suppressing ovulation is only beneficial under relatively long stresses, whereas it is a disadvantageous strategy under shorter stresses of the same intensity. This is because the benefit of shutting down egg laying, and thus protecting the reproductive system, is negated by the cost associated with implementing this strategy – it takes considerable time to recover and produce offspring. We interpret these balanced trade-offs as a dynamic response of the C. elegans reproductive system to stress and an adaptation to life in variable and unpredictable conditions. PMID:25165831

Improvement of Alternative Crop Phenology Detection Algorithms using MODIS NDVI Time Series Data in US Corn Belt Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J.; Kang, S.; Seo, B.; Lee, K.

2017-12-01

Predicting crop phenology is important for understanding of crop development and growth processes and improving the accuracy of crop model. Remote sensing offers a feasible tool for monitoring spatio-temporal patterns of crop phenology in region and continental scales. Various methods have been developed to determine the timing of crop phenological stages using spectral vegetation indices (i.e. NDVI and EVI) derived from satellite data. In our study, it was compared four alternative detection methods to identify crop phenological stages (i.e. the emergence and harvesting date) using high quality NDVI time series data derived from MODIS. Also we investigated factors associated with crop development rate. Temperature and photoperiod are the two main factors which would influence the crop's growth pattern expressed in the VI data. Only the effect of temperature on crop development rate was considered. The temperature response function in the Wang-Engel (WE) model was used, which simulates crop development using nonlinear models with response functions that range from zero to one. It has attempted at the state level over 14 years (2003-2016) in Iowa and Illinois state of USA, where the estimated phenology date by using four methods for both corn and soybean. Weekly crop progress reports produced by the USDA NASS were used to validate phenology detection algorithms effected by temperature. All methods showed substantial uncertainty but the threshold method showed relatively better agreement with the State-level data for soybean phenology.

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

S.K. Kawatra; B. Anamerie; T.C. Eisele

The pig iron nugget process was developed as an alternative to the traditional blast furnace process by Kobe Steel. The process aimed to produce pig iron nuggets, which have similar chemical and physical properties to blast furnace pig iron, in a single step. The pig iron nugget process utilizes coal instead of coke and self reducing and fluxing dried green balls instead of pellets and sinters. In this process the environmental emissions caused by coke and sinter production, and energy lost between pellet induration (heat hardening) and transportation to the blast furnace can be eliminated. The objectives of this researchmore » were to (1) produce pig iron nuggets in the laboratory, (2) characterize the pig iron nugget produced and compare them with blast furnace pig iron, (3) investigate the furnace temperature and residence time effects on the pig iron nugget production, and (4) optimize the operational furnace temperatures and residence times. The experiments involved heat treatment of self reducing and fluxing dried green balls at various furnace temperatures and residence times. Three chemically and physically different products were produced after the compete reduction of iron oxides to iron depending on the operational furnace temperatures and/or residence times. These products were direct reduced iron (DRI), transition direct reduced iron (TDRI), and pig iron nuggets. The increase in the carbon content of the system as a function of furnace temperature and/or residence time dictated the formation of these products. The direct reduced iron, transition direct reduced iron, and pig iron nuggets produced were analyzed for their chemical composition, degree of metallization, apparent density, microstructure and microhardness. In addition, the change in the carbon content of the system with the changing furnace temperature and/or residence time was detected by optical microscopy and Microhardness measurements. The sufficient carbon dissolution required for the production of pig iron nuggets was determined. It was determined that pig iron nuggets produced had a high apparent density (6.7-7.2 gr/cm3), highly metallized, slag free structure, high iron content (95-97%), high microhardness values (> 325 HVN) and microstructure similar to white cast iron. These properties made them a competitive alternative to blast furnace pig iron.« less

Direct and indirect effects of development temperature on adult water balance traits of Eldana saccharina (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

PubMed

Kleynhans, Elsje; Conlong, Des E; Terblanche, John S

2014-09-01

For water balance physiology, prior thermal history may pre-condition individuals to be more sparing in their water consumption at a given temperature upon subsequent exposure, or alternatively, may relax constraints on water economy leading to more frivolous use of water at a later stage. Here we test these two major alternative hypotheses on the adult life stage of Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) by exposing them to different rearing temperatures (acclimation treatments) during immature stage development and comparing adult physiological performance (water loss rates, time to death) and water-balance related traits (body size, water content). Developmental acclimation at 20°C, 25°C or 30°C throughout the larval and pupal stage resulted in significant effects on water balance traits of two-day old adult male and female E. saccharina. In summary, lower developmental acclimation resulted in a 61% increase in water loss rate (range: 0.78mg/h) and a 26% reduction in survival time (6.8h). Initial body water content and initial body mass generally remained similar across male acclimation groups while higher developmental acclimation reduced female body mass significantly. High developmental acclimation resulted in significantly higher (∼23%) body water content at death possibly indicating a better overall ability to withstand desiccating conditions, although there was no difference in time to death compared to the intermediate group. The relationship between time to death and body mass was altered from negative at 25°C and 30°C acclimation, to positive at 20°C acclimation. These results show pervasive effects of rearing temperature on adult physiological performance, with low temperature relaxing what appear to be substantial constraints on water economy at higher temperatures for E. saccharina. Furthermore, they are significant for understanding the recent range expansion of E. saccharina into cooler environments in southern Africa and for management of the species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Real-time Quantitative PCR to Examine the Dynamics of Soil Fungi and Bacteria in Response to Ecosystem Warming

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As atmospheric trace gas concentrations and global temperatures climb, scientists are challenged to determine how microbial communities may mediate plant response to future climate change. To this end, a Temperature Free-Air Controlled Enrichment (T-FACE) experiment was implemented in a spring wheat...

Preparation of carboplatin-Fe@C-loaded chitosan nanoparticles and study on hyperthermia combined with pharmacotherapy for liver cancer.

PubMed

Li, Fu-rong; Yan, Wen-hui; Guo, Yue-hua; Qi, Hui; Zhou, Han-xin

2009-08-01

Magnetic fluid hyperthermia is a kind of technology for treating tumors based on nanotechnology. It is suitable to various types of tumors. The purpose of this study was to prepare carboplatin-Fe@C-loaded chitosan nanoparticles with Fe@C as a magnetic core and to investigate efficacy of hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy for transplanted liver cancer in rats. Fe@C nanopowder was treated with dilute hydrochloric acid to prepare Fe@C nanocage. Carboplatin-Fe@C-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were prepared by reverse microemulsion method with the nanocages as the magnetic cores, chitosan as the matrix. The shape, size, drug-loading rate, and in vitro cumulative release of the nanoparticles were observed and heat product under high frequency alternating electromagnetic field in vitro was explored. Eighty rats with transplanted liver cancer were randomly divided into 4 groups (group A: control group, group B: free carboplatin group, group C: nanoparticles with static magnetic field group, and group D: nanoparticles with static field and alternating magnetic field). Drug was injected into the hepatic artery. The therapeutic effect of hyperthermia combined with chemotherapy for tumor, toxicity and rat survival time were observed. Carboplatin-Fe@C-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average size of (207 +/- 21) nm and high saturation magnetization. The drug-loading rate of the nanoparticles was 11.0 +/- 1.1%. The cumulative release percentage of carboplatin-Fe@C-loaded chitosan nanoparticles in vitro at different point time phase of 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h and 120 h were 51%, 68%, 80%, 87% and 91%, respectively. With an increase in carboplatin-Fe@C-loaded chitosan nanoparticle concentration and magnetic field strength, the heating rate and constant temperature of carboplatin-Fe@C-loaded chitosan nanoparticles dispersed in physiological saline were increased in an alternating magnetic field. In vivo experiments showed that after particle injection, tumor temperature reached 42.6 degrees +/- 0.2 degrees C within 10 min in the alternating magnetic field; and the temperatures in the right hepatic lobes and the rectum were significantly lower than in the tumor and the constant temperature could last up to 30 min. The inhibition ratio of tumor weight in group D was significantly enhanced, no obviously toxic and side-effect occurred and survival time was prolonged. Carboplatin-Fe@C-loaded chitosan nanoparticles possess good magnetic targeting and heat production properties. They can target liver cancer tissue by static magnetic field, and with the application of alternating magnetic field, effectively raise tumor tissue temperature and facilitate tumor apoptosis. The combination of chemotherapy and magnetic materials into nanoparticles as described herein demonstrates promising efficacy.

QCD nature of dark energy at finite temperature: Cosmological implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizi, K.; Katırcı, N.

2016-05-01

The Veneziano ghost field has been proposed as an alternative source of dark energy, whose energy density is consistent with the cosmological observations. In this model, the energy density of the QCD ghost field is expressed in terms of QCD degrees of freedom at zero temperature. We extend this model to finite temperature to search the model predictions from late time to early universe. We depict the variations of QCD parameters entering the calculations, dark energy density, equation of state, Hubble and deceleration parameters on temperature from zero to a critical temperature. We compare our results with the observations and theoretical predictions existing at different eras. It is found that this model safely defines the universe from quark condensation up to now and its predictions are not in tension with those of the standard cosmology. The EoS parameter of dark energy is dynamical and evolves from -1/3 in the presence of radiation to -1 at late time. The finite temperature ghost dark energy predictions on the Hubble parameter well fit to those of Λ CDM and observations at late time.

Effect of ultrasound on some chemical and microbiological properties of sour cherry juice by response surface methodology.

PubMed

Türken, Tuğba; Erge, Hande S

2017-09-01

In this study, it is aimed to determine effect of ultrasonication on some chemical and microbiological properties of sour cherry juice by response surface methodology, since ultrasound is known as an alternative method for thermal food processing. Sour cherry juice was sonicated at varying amplitude levels (50, 75, 100%); moderate temperatures (20, 30, 40 ℃); and treatment times of 2, 6, 10 min at a constant frequency of 20 kHz. Different ultrasonication amplitudes, temperatures, and times had no significant effect on pH,°Bx, and titratable acidity. A significant increase in total monomeric anthocyanins was observed as the amplitude level and temperature increased (p < 0.01). An increase in the total phenolics was also obtained as the temperature increased (p < 0.05). The effect of amplitude level on antioxidant capacity of sour cherry juice was also found significant (p < 0.05). Color parameters (L*, a*, b*, C, h) generally increased by increasing temperature, amplitude level, and treatment time. It was determined that Escherichia coli O157:H7 significantly affected by temperature and treatment time (p < 0.05).

Survival of indianmeal moth and navel orangeworm (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) at low temperatures.

PubMed

Johnson, J A

2007-08-01

Concerns over insect resistance, regulatory action, and the needs of organic processors have generated renewed interest in developing nonchemical alternative postharvest treatments to fumigants used on dried fruits and nuts. Low-temperature storage has been identified as one alternative for the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hiibner), and navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), common postharvest pests in California dried fruits and nuts. The response of eggs, nondiapausing larvae, and pupae of both species to exposure to low temperatures (0, 5, and 10 degrees C) was evaluated. Eggs of both species were the least tolerant of low temperatures. At 0 and 5 degrees C, pupae were most tolerant, but at 10 degrees C, nondiapausing larvae of both species were most tolerant, with lethal time (LT)95 values of 127 and 100 d for Indianmeal moth and navel orangeworm, respectively. The response of diapausing Indianmeal moth larvae to subfreezing temperatures also was evaluated. Diapausing larvae were very cold tolerant at -10 degrees C, with LT95 values of 20 and 17 d for long-term laboratory and recently isolated cultures, respectively. Diapausing larvae were far less tolerant at lower temperatures. At -15 degrees C, LT95 values for both cultures were <23 h, and at -20 degrees C, LT95 values were <7 h. Refrigeration temperatures of 0-5 degrees C should be useful in disinfesting product contaminated with nondiapausing insects, with storage times of 3 wk needed for adequate control. Relatively brief storage in commercial freezers, provided that the temperature throughout the product was below -15 degrees C for at least 48 h, also shows potential as a disinfestation treatment, and it is necessary when diapausing Indianmeal moth larvae are present.

State Perspectives on Implementing, or Choosing Not to Implement, an Alternate Assessment Based on Modified Academic Achievement Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Porter W.

2009-01-01

Since Federal regulations have given states the option to implement alternate assessments based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS) as part of their accountability systems for a small group of students with disabilities, a number of states have made decisions about whether or not to develop and implement such an assessment.…

Proposals for Updating Tai Algorithm

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-12-01

1997 meeting, the Comiti International des Poids et Mesures (CIPM) decided to change the name of the Comiti Consultatif pour la Difinition de la ...Report of the BIPM Time Section, 1988,1, D1-D22. [2] P. Tavella, C. Thomas, Comparative study of time scale algorithms, Metrologia , 1991, 28, 57...alternative choice for implementing an upper limit of clock weights, Metrologia , 1996, 33, 227-240. [5] C. Thomas, Impact of New Clock Technologies

Development of high-temperature Kolsky compression bar techniques for recrystallization investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, B.; Antoun, B. R.; Boston, M.

2012-05-01

We modified the design originally developed by Kuokkala's group to develop an automated high-temperature Kolsky compression bar for characterizing high-rate properties of 304L stainless steel at elevated temperatures. Additional features have been implemented to this high-temperature Kolsky compression bar for recrystallization investigation. The new features ensure a single loading on the specimen and precise time and temperature control for quenching to the specimen after dynamic loading. Dynamic compressive stress-strain curves of 304L stainless steel were obtained at 21, 204, 427, 649, and 871 °C (or 70, 400, 800, 1200, and 1600 °F) at the same constant strain rate of 332 s-1. The specimen subjected to specific time and temperature control for quenching after a single dynamic loading was preserved for investigating microstructure recrystallization.

Design, Analysis and Implementation of an Experimental System to Harvest Energy From Atmospheric Temperature Variations Using Ethyl Chloride Filled Bellows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Gibran

The increase in global warming and the dwindling supplies of fossil fuels have shifted the focus from traditional to alternate sources of energy. This has resulted in a concerted effort towards finding new energy sources as well as better understanding traditional renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. In addition to the shift in focus towards alternate energy, the last two decades have offered a dramatic rise in the use of digital technologies such as wireless sensor networks that require small but isolated power supplies. Energy harvesting, a method to gather energy from ambient sources including sunlight, vibrations, heat, etc., has provided some success in powering these systems. One of the unexplored areas of energy harvesting is the use of atmospheric temperature variations to obtain usable energy. This thesis investigates an innovative mechanism to extract energy from atmospheric variations using ethyl chloride filled mechanical bellows. The energy harvesting process was divided into two parts. The first part consisted of extracting energy from the temperature variations and converting it into the potential energy stored in a linear coil spring. This was achieved by designing and fabricating an apparatus that consisted of an ethyl chloride filled bellows working against a mechanical spring in a closed and controlled environment. The bellows expanded/contracted depending upon the ambient temperature and the energy harvested was calculated as a function of the bellows' length. The experiments showed that 6 J of potential energy may be harvested for a 23°C change in temperature. The numerical results closely correlated to the experimental data with an error magnitude of 1%. In regions with high diurnal temperature variation, such an apparatus may yield approximately 250 microwatts depending on the diurnal temperature range. The second part of the energy harvesting process consisted of transforming linear expansion of the bellows into electric power. A system was designed and simulated using Mathworks Simulink and SimDriveline packages that converted the linear oscillations of the bellows into electric power. This was achieved in two steps; a gear train was designed that would convert the linear displacement of the bellows into potential energy stored in a spiral spring. The spiral spring would then periodically engage to a small generator producing electric power. The electrical power generated was found to depend solely on the potential energy stored in the spring. It was discovered that for a sinusoidal force with constant amplitude and frequency, the potential energy stored in the spring depended on the duration of force input and the parameters of the drivetrain such as the spring stiffness, the gear ratios, and the pinion radii. After simulating the system for different parameters, an optimal set of values was presented to maximize the electrical energy output for a given duration of time. For constant amplitude (120 N) sinusoidal force input with a time period of T seconds, the system stored 37 J, 65 J, and 90 J after a time of 3T, 5T, and 7T, respectively. The electric power output was 7.14 microwatts for a conversion efficiency of 5%. The next step is building a physical geartrain generator assembly based on the design presented in the thesis. The physical system will first be verified by simulating the force input using a pneumatic cylinder. The two parts of the research experiment can then be integrated into one system that would generate electric power directly from temporal temperature and pressure variations.

Variable Valve Actuation

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

Jeffrey Gutterman; A. J. Lasley

2008-08-31

Many approaches exist to enable advanced mode, low temperature combustion systems for diesel engines - such as premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI), Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) or other HCCI-like combustion modes. The fuel properties and the quantity, distribution and temperature profile of air, fuel and residual fraction in the cylinder can have a marked effect on the heat release rate and combustion phasing. Figure 1 shows that a systems approach is required for HCCI-like combustion. While the exact requirements remain unclear (and will vary depending on fuel, engine size and application), some form of substantially variable valve actuation ismore » a likely element in such a system. Variable valve actuation, for both intake and exhaust valve events, is a potent tool for controlling the parameters that are critical to HCCI-like combustion and expanding its operational range. Additionally, VVA can be used to optimize the combustion process as well as exhaust temperatures and impact the after treatment system requirements and its associated cost. Delphi Corporation has major manufacturing and product development and applied R&D expertise in the valve train area. Historical R&D experience includes the development of fully variable electro-hydraulic valve train on research engines as well as several generations of mechanical VVA for gasoline systems. This experience has enabled us to evaluate various implementations and determine the strengths and weaknesses of each. While a fully variable electro-hydraulic valve train system might be the 'ideal' solution technically for maximum flexibility in the timing and control of the valve events, its complexity, associated costs, and high power consumption make its implementation on low cost high volume applications unlikely. Conversely, a simple mechanical system might be a low cost solution but not deliver the flexibility required for HCCI operation. After modeling more than 200 variations of the mechanism it was determined that the single cam design did not have enough flexibility to satisfy three critical OEM requirements simultaneously, (maximum valve lift variation, intake valve opening timing and valve closing duration), and a new approach would be necessary. After numerous internal design reviews including several with the OEM a dual cam design was developed that had the flexibility to meet all motion requirements. The second cam added complexity to the mechanism however the cost was offset by the deletion of the electric motor required in the previous design. New patent applications including detailed drawings and potential valve motion profiles were generated and alternate two cam designs were proposed and evaluated for function, cost, reliability and durability. Hardware was designed and built and testing of sample hardware was successfully completed on an engine test stand. The mechanism developed during the course of this investigation can be applied by Original Equipment Manufacturers, (OEM), to their advanced diesel engines with the ultimate goal of reducing emissions and improving fuel economy. The objectives are: (1) Develop an optimal, cost effective, variable valve actuation (VVA) system for advanced low temperature diesel combustion processes. (2) Design and model alternative mechanical approaches and down-select for optimum design. (3) Build and demonstrate a mechanism capable of application on running engines.« less

Transient simulation of coolant peak temperature due to prolonged fan and/or water pump operation after the vehicle is keyed-off

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pang, Suh Chyn; Masjuki, Haji Hassan; Kalam, Md. Abul; Hazrat, Md. Ali

2014-01-01

Automotive designers should design a robust engine cooling system which works well in both normal and severe driving conditions. When vehicles are keyed-off suddenly after some distance of hill-climbing driving, the coolant temperature tends to increase drastically. This is because heat soak in the engine could not be transferred away in a timely manner, as both the water pump and cooling fan stop working after the vehicle is keyed-off. In this research, we aimed to visualize the coolant temperature trend over time before and after the vehicles were keyed-off. In order to prevent coolant temperature from exceeding its boiling point and jeopardizing engine life, a numerical model was further tested with prolonged fan and/or water pump operation after keying-off. One dimensional thermal-fluid simulation was exploited to model the vehicle's cooling system. The behaviour of engine heat, air flow, and coolant flow over time were varied to observe the corresponding transient coolant temperatures. The robustness of this model was proven by validation with industry field test data. The numerical results provided sensible insights into the proposed solution. In short, prolonging fan operation for 500 s and prolonging both fan and water pump operation for 300 s could reduce coolant peak temperature efficiently. The physical implementation plan and benefits yielded from implementation of the electrical fan and electrical water pump are discussed.

Low temperature dissolution flowsheet for Pu metal

DOE PAGES

Daniel, Jr., William E.; Almond, Philip M.; Rudisill, Tracy S.

2017-06-30

The Savannah River National Laboratory was requested to develop a Pu metal dissolution flowsheet at two reduced temperature ranges for implementation in the Savannah River Site H-Canyon facility. The dissolution and H 2 generation rates during Pu metal dissolution were investigated using a dissolving solution at ambient temperature (20–30°C) and for an intermediate temperature of 50–60°C. The Pu metal dissolution rate measured at 57°C was approximately 20 times slower than at boiling (112–116°C). As a result, the dissolution rate at ambient temperature (24°C) was approximately 80 times slower than the dissolution rate at boiling. Hydrogen concentrations were less than detectablemore » (<0.1 vol%).« less

Birmingham Urban Climate Laboratory (BUCL): Experiences, Challenges and Applications of an Urban Temperature Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, Catherine; Chapman, Lee; Young, Duick; Grimmond, Sue; Cai, Xiaoming

2013-04-01

The Birmingham Urban Climate Laboratory (BUCL) has recently been established by the University of Birmingham. BUCL is an in-situ, real-time urban network that will incorporate 3 nested networks - a wide-array of 25 weather stations, a dense array of 131 low-cost air temperature sensors and a fine-array of temperature sensor across the city-centre (50/km^2) - with the primary aim of monitoring air temperatures across a morphologically-heterogeneous urban conurbation for a variety of applications. During its installation there have been a number of challenges to overcome, including siting equipment in suitable urban locations, ensuring that the measurements were 'representative' of the local-scale climate, managing a large, near real-time data set and implementing QA/QC procedures. From these experiences, the establishment of a standardised urban meteorological network metadata protocol has been proposed in order to improve data quality, to ensure the end-user has access to all the supplementary information they would require for conducting valid analyses and to encourage the adequate recording and documentation of any changes to in-situ urban networks over time. This paper will provide an introduction to the BUCL in-situ network, give an overview of the challenges and experiences gained from its implementation, and finally discuss the proposed applications of the network, including its use in remote sensing observations of urban temperatures, as well as health and infrastructure applications.

A Survey of Alternative Oxygen Production Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lueck, Dale E.; Parrish, Clyde F.; Buttner, William J.; Surma, Jan M.; Delgado, H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Utilization of the Martian atmosphere for the production of fuel and oxygen has been extensively studied. The baseline fuel production process is a Sabatier reactor, which produces methane and water from carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The oxygen produced from the electrolysis of the water is only half of that needed for methane-based rocket propellant, and additional oxygen is needed for breathing air, fuel cells and other energy sources. Zirconia electrolysis cells for the direct reduction of CO2 arc being developed as an alternative means of producing oxygen, but present many challenges for a large-scale oxygen production system. The very high operating temperatures and fragile nature of the cells coupled with fairly high operating voltages leave room for improvement. This paper will survey alternative oxygen production technologies, present data on operating characteristics, materials of construction, and some preliminary laboratory results on attempts to implement each. Our goal is to significantly improve upon the characteristics of proposed zirconia cells for oxygen production. To achieve that goal we are looking at electrolytic systems that operate at significantly lower temperatures, preferably below 31C to allow the incorporation of liquid CO2 in the electrolyte. Our preliminary results indicate that such a system will have much higher current densities and have simpler cathode construction than a porous gas feed electrode system. Such a system could be achieved based on nonaqueous electrolytes or ionic liquids. We are focusing our research on the anode reaction that will produce oxygen from a product generated at the cathode using CO2 as the feed. Operation at low temperatures also will open up the full range of polymer and metal materials, allowing a more robust system design to withstand the rigors of flight, landing, and long term unattended operation on the surface of Mars.

Innovative application of the moisture analyzer for determination of dry mass content of processed cheese

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalska, Małgorzata; Janas, Sławomir; Woźniak, Magdalena

2018-04-01

The aim of this work was the presentation of an alternative method of determination of the total dry mass content in processed cheese. The authors claim that the presented method can be used in industry's quality control laboratories for routine testing and for quick in-process control. For the test purposes both reference method of determination of dry mass in processed cheese and moisture analyzer method were used. The tests were carried out for three different kinds of processed cheese. In accordance with the reference method, the sample was placed on a layer of silica sand and dried at the temperature of 102 °C for about 4 h. The moisture analyzer test required method validation, with regard to drying temperature range and mass of the analyzed sample. Optimum drying temperature of 110 °C was determined experimentally. For Hochland cream processed cheese sample, the total dry mass content, obtained using the reference method, was 38.92%, whereas using the moisture analyzer method, it was 38.74%. An average analysis time in case of the moisture analyzer method was 9 min. For the sample of processed cheese with tomatoes, the reference method result was 40.37%, and the alternative method result was 40.67%. For the sample of cream processed cheese with garlic the reference method gave value of 36.88%, and the alternative method, of 37.02%. An average time of those determinations was 16 min. Obtained results confirmed that use of moisture analyzer is effective. Compliant values of dry mass content were obtained for both of the used methods. According to the authors, the fact that the measurement took incomparably less time for moisture analyzer method, is a key criterion of in-process control and final quality control method selection.

SINTERING METHOD

DOEpatents

Googin, J.M.

1963-11-01

Methods of making articles by powder metallurgy techniques are presented. An article is made by packing a metal powder into a desired shape, raising the temperature of the powder compact to a sintering temperature in the presence of a reducing gas, and alternately increasing and decreasing the pressure of the gas while the temperatume is being raised. The product has a greater density than can be achieved by sintering for the same length of time at a constant gas pressure. (AEC)

Use of qualitative environmental and phenotypic variables in the context of allele distribution models: detecting signatures of selection in the genome of Lake Victoria cichlids.

PubMed

Joost, Stéphane; Kalbermatten, Michael; Bezault, Etienne; Seehausen, Ole

2012-01-01

When searching for loci possibly under selection in the genome, an alternative to population genetics theoretical models is to establish allele distribution models (ADM) for each locus to directly correlate allelic frequencies and environmental variables such as precipitation, temperature, or sun radiation. Such an approach implementing multiple logistic regression models in parallel was implemented within a computing program named MATSAM: . Recently, this application was improved in order to support qualitative environmental predictors as well as to permit the identification of associations between genomic variation and individual phenotypes, allowing the detection of loci involved in the genetic architecture of polymorphic characters. Here, we present the corresponding methodological developments and compare the results produced by software implementing population genetics theoretical models (DFDIST: and BAYESCAN: ) and ADM (MATSAM: ) in an empirical context to detect signatures of genomic divergence associated with speciation in Lake Victoria cichlid fishes.

Smoothing of climate time series revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, Michael E.

2008-08-01

We present an easily implemented method for smoothing climate time series, generalizing upon an approach previously described by Mann (2004). The method adaptively weights the three lowest order time series boundary constraints to optimize the fit with the raw time series. We apply the method to the instrumental global mean temperature series from 1850-2007 and to various surrogate global mean temperature series from 1850-2100 derived from the CMIP3 multimodel intercomparison project. These applications demonstrate that the adaptive method systematically out-performs certain widely used default smoothing methods, and is more likely to yield accurate assessments of long-term warming trends.

Impact of hydrogen SAE J2601 fueling methods on fueling time of light-duty fuel cell electric vehicles

DOE PAGES

Reddi, Krishna; Elgowainy, Amgad; Rustagi, Neha; ...

2017-05-16

Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEVs) are zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) that can provide drivers a similar experience to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), in terms of fueling time and performance (i.e. power and driving range). The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) developed fueling protocol J2601 for light-duty HFCEVs to ensure safe vehicle fills while maximizing fueling performance. This study employs a physical model that simulates and compares the fueling performance of two fueling methods, known as the “lookup table” method and the “MC formula” method, within the SAE J2601 protocol. Both the fueling methods provide fast fueling of HFCEVsmore » within minutes, but the MC formula method takes advantage of active measurement of precooling temperature to dynamically control the fueling process, and thereby provides faster vehicle fills. Here, the MC formula method greatly reduces fueling time compared to the lookup table method at higher ambient temperatures, as well as when the precooling temperature falls on the colder side of the expected temperature window for all station types. Although the SAE J2601 lookup table method is the currently implemented standard for refueling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, the MC formula method provides significant fueling time advantages in certain conditions; these warrant its implementation in future hydrogen refueling stations for better customer satisfaction with fueling experience of HFCEVs.« less

Impact of hydrogen SAE J2601 fueling methods on fueling time of light-duty fuel cell electric vehicles

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

Reddi, Krishna; Elgowainy, Amgad; Rustagi, Neha

Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEVs) are zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) that can provide drivers a similar experience to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), in terms of fueling time and performance (i.e. power and driving range). The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) developed fueling protocol J2601 for light-duty HFCEVs to ensure safe vehicle fills while maximizing fueling performance. This study employs a physical model that simulates and compares the fueling performance of two fueling methods, known as the “lookup table” method and the “MC formula” method, within the SAE J2601 protocol. Both the fueling methods provide fast fueling of HFCEVsmore » within minutes, but the MC formula method takes advantage of active measurement of precooling temperature to dynamically control the fueling process, and thereby provides faster vehicle fills. Here, the MC formula method greatly reduces fueling time compared to the lookup table method at higher ambient temperatures, as well as when the precooling temperature falls on the colder side of the expected temperature window for all station types. Although the SAE J2601 lookup table method is the currently implemented standard for refueling hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, the MC formula method provides significant fueling time advantages in certain conditions; these warrant its implementation in future hydrogen refueling stations for better customer satisfaction with fueling experience of HFCEVs.« less

Novel Application of a Reverse Triage Protocol Providing Increased Access to Care in an Outpatient, Primary Care Clinic Setting.

PubMed

Sacino, Amanda N; Shuster, Jonathan J; Nowicki, Kamil; Carek, Peter J; Wegman, Martin P; Listhaus, Alyson; Gibney, Joseph M; Chang, Ku-Lang

2016-02-01

As the number of patients with access to care increases, outpatient clinics will need to implement innovative strategies to maintain or enhance clinic efficiency. One viable alternative involves reverse triage. A reverse triage protocol was implemented during a student-run free clinic. Each patient's chief complaint(s) were obtained at the beginning of the clinic session and ranked by increasing complexity. "Complexity" was defined as the subjective amount of time required to provide a full, thorough evaluation of a patient. Less complex cases were prioritized first since they could be expedited through clinic processing and allow for more time and resources to be dedicated to complex cases. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize and summarize the data obtained. Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square. A time series analysis of the outcome versus centered time in weeks was also conducted. The average number of patients seen per clinic session increased by 35% (9.5 versus 12.8) from pre-implementation of the reverse triage protocol to 6 months after the implementation of the protocol. The implementation of a reverse triage in an outpatient setting significantly increased clinic efficiency as noted by a significant increase in the number of patients seen during a clinic session.

Effects of anthropogenic heat due to air-conditioning systems on an extreme high temperature event in Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Li, Y.; Di Sabatino, S.; Martilli, A.; Chan, P. W.

2018-03-01

Anthropogenic heat flux is the heat generated by human activities in the urban canopy layer, which is considered the main contributor to the urban heat island (UHI). The UHI can in turn increase the use and energy consumption of air-conditioning systems. In this study, two effective methods for water-cooling air-conditioning systems in non-domestic areas, including the direct cooling system and central piped cooling towers (CPCTs), are physically based, parameterized, and implemented in a weather research and forecasting model at the city scale of Hong Kong. An extreme high temperature event (June 23-28, 2016) in the urban areas was examined, and we assessed the effects on the surface thermal environment, the interaction of sea-land breeze circulation and urban heat island circulation, boundary layer dynamics, and a possible reduction of energy consumption. The results showed that both water-cooled air-conditioning systems could reduce the 2 m air temperature by around 0.5 °C-0.8 °C during the daytime, and around 1.5 °C around 7:00-8:00 pm when the planetary boundary layer (PBL) height was confined to a few hundred meters. The CPCT contributed around 80%-90% latent heat flux and significantly increased the water vapor mixing ratio in the atmosphere by around 0.29 g kg-1 on average. The implementation of the two alternative air-conditioning systems could modify the heat and momentum of turbulence, which inhibited the evolution of the PBL height (a reduction of 100-150 m), reduced the vertical mixing, presented lower horizontal wind speed and buoyant production of turbulent kinetic energy, and reduced the strength of sea breeze and UHI circulation, which in turn affected the removal of air pollutants. Moreover, the two alternative air-conditioning systems could significantly reduce the energy consumption by around 30% during extreme high temperature events. The results of this study suggest potential UHI mitigation strategies and can be extended to other megacities to enable them to be more resilient to UHI effects.

Predicting the Reliability of Ceramics Under Transient Loads and Temperatures With CARES/Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nemeth, Noel N.; Jadaan, Osama M.; Palfi, Tamas; Baker, Eric H.

2003-01-01

A methodology is shown for predicting the time-dependent reliability of ceramic components against catastrophic rupture when subjected to transient thermomechanical loads (including cyclic loads). The methodology takes into account the changes in material response that can occur with temperature or time (i.e., changing fatigue and Weibull parameters with temperature or time). This capability has been added to the NASA CARES/Life (Ceramic Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Structures/Life) code. The code has been modified to have the ability to interface with commercially available finite element analysis (FEA) codes executed for transient load histories. Examples are provided to demonstrate the features of the methodology as implemented in the CARES/Life program.

Thermal contact through a two-temperature kinetic Ising chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, M.; Cornu, F.

2018-05-01

We consider a model for thermal contact through a diathermal interface between two macroscopic bodies at different temperatures: an Ising spin chain with nearest neighbor interactions is endowed with a Glauber dynamics with different temperatures and kinetic parameters on alternating sites. The inhomogeneity of the kinetic parameter is a novelty with respect to the model of Racz and Zia (1994 Phys. Rev. E 49 139), and we exhibit its influence upon the stationary non equilibrium values of the two-spin correlations at any distance. By mapping to the dynamics of spin domain walls and using free fermion techniques, we determine the scaled generating function for the cumulants of the exchanged heat amounts per unit of time in the long time limit.

Design of a high speed, high resolution thermometry system for 1.5 GHz superconducting radio frequency cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knobloch, Jens; Muller, Henry; Padamsee, Hasan

1994-11-01

Presented in this paper are the description and the test results of a new stationary thermometry system used to map the temperature of the outer surface of 1.5 GHz superconducting single-cell cavities during operation at 1.6 K. The system comprises 764 removable carbon thermometers whose signals are multiplexed and scanned by a Macintosh computer. A complete temperature map can be obtained in as little as 0.1 s at a temperature resolution of about 0.2 mK. Alternatively, it has been demonstrated that if the acquisition time is increased to several seconds, then a temperature resolution on the order of 30 μK is possible. To our knowledge, these are the fastest acquisition times so far achieved with L-band cavities at these resolutions.

Steady-state temperature distribution within a Brayton rotating unit operating in a power conversion system using helium-xenon gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnsen, R. L.; Namkoong, D.; Edkin, R. A.

1971-01-01

The Brayton rotating unit (BRU), consisting of a turbine, an alternator, and a compressor, was tested as part of a Brayton cycle power conversion system over a side range of steady state operating conditions. The working fluid in the system was a mixture of helium-xenon gases. Turbine inlet temperature was varied from 1200 to 1600 F, compressor inlet temperature from 60 to 120 F, compressor discharge pressure from 20 to 45 psia, rotative speed from 32 400 to 39 600 rpm, and alternator liquid-coolant flow rate from 0.01 to 0.27 pound per second. Test results indicated that the BRU internal temperatures were highly sensitive to alternator coolant flow below the design value of 0.12 pound per second but much less so at higher values. The armature winding temperature was not influenced significantly by turbine inlet temperature, but was sensitive, up to 20 F per kVA alternator output, to varying alternator output. When only the rotational speed was changed (+ or - 10% of rated value), the BRU internal temperatures varied directly with the speed.

Conditional Toxin Splicing Using a Split Intein System.

PubMed

Alford, Spencer C; O'Sullivan, Connor; Howard, Perry L

2017-01-01

Protein toxin splicing mediated by split inteins can be used as a strategy for conditional cell ablation. The approach requires artificial fragmentation of a potent protein toxin and tethering each toxin fragment to a split intein fragment. The toxin-intein fragments are, in turn, fused to dimerization domains, such that addition of a dimerizing agent reconstitutes the split intein. These chimeric toxin-intein fusions remain nontoxic until the dimerizer is added, resulting in activation of intein splicing and ligation of toxin fragments to form an active toxin. Considerations for the engineering and implementation of conditional toxin splicing (CTS) systems include: choice of toxin split site, split site (extein) chemistry, and temperature sensitivity. The following method outlines design criteria and implementation notes for CTS using a previously engineered system for splicing a toxin called sarcin, as well as for developing alternative CTS systems.

78 FR 8273 - Approval of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Navajo Nation; Regional Haze Requirements for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-05

... in significant visibility improvement that is well-balanced with the cost of those controls. For a... visibility benefits over time and that there may be changes in energy demand, supply or other developments... encourages a robust public discussion of our proposed BART determination and alternative, the additional...

Multiple Attempts for Online Assessments in an Operations Management Course: An Exploration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orchard, Ryan K.

2016-01-01

In learning management systems, tools for online homework assessments include a number of alternatives for the assessment settings, including the ability to permit students to attempt an assessment multiple times, with options for how the multiple attempts are administered. A specific implementation of online assessments in an introductory…

Special Education in General Education Classrooms: Cooperative Teaching Using Supportive Learning Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Robin R.; And Others

1995-01-01

Supportive learning activities were implemented in a multiple-baseline time series design across four fifth-grade classrooms to evaluate the effects of a cooperative teaching alternative (supportive learning) on teaching behavior, the behavior and grades of general and special education students, and the opinions of general education teachers.…

Implementation and Validation of Trial-Based Functional Analyses in Public Elementary School Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Blair P.; Wehby, Joseph H.; Weaver, Emily S.; Goldman, Samantha E.; Harvey, Michelle N.; Sherlock, Daniel R.

2015-01-01

Although functional analysis (FA) remains the standard for identifying the function of problem behavior for students with developmental disabilities, traditional FA procedures are typically costly in terms of time, resources, and perceived risks. Preliminary research suggests that trial-based FA may be a less costly alternative. The purpose of…

Soybean biodiesel methyl esters, free glycerin and acid number quantification by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Coral, Natasha; Rodrigues, Elizabeth; Rumjanek, Victor; Zamian, José Roberto; da Rocha Filho, Geraldo Narciso; da Costa, Carlos Emmerson Ferreira

2013-02-01

Production of alternative fuels, such as biodiesel, from transesterification of vegetable oil driven by heterogeneous catalysts is a promising alternative to fossil diesel. However, achieving a successful substitution for a new renewable fuel depends on several quality parameters. (1)H NMR spectroscopy was used to determine the amount of methyl esters, free glycerin and acid number in the transesterification of soybean oil with methanol in the presence of hydrotalcite-type catalyst to produce biodiesel. Reaction parameters, such as temperature and time, were used to evaluate soybean oil methyl esters rate conversion. Temperatures of 100 to 180 °C and times of 20 to 240 min were tested on a 1 : 12 molar ratio soybean oil/methanol reaction. At 180 °C/240 min conditions, a rate of 94.5 wt% of methyl esters was obtained, where free glycerin and free fatty acids were not detected. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Man-machine cooperation in advanced teleoperation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fiorini, Paolo; Das, Hari; Lee, Sukhan

1993-01-01

Teleoperation experiments at JPL have shown that advanced features in a telerobotic system are a necessary condition for good results, but that they are not sufficient to assure consistently good performance by the operators. Two or three operators are normally used during training and experiments to maintain the desired performance. An alternative to this multi-operator control station is a man-machine interface embedding computer programs that can perform some of the operator's functions. In this paper we present our first experiments with these concepts, in which we focused on the areas of real-time task monitoring and interactive path planning. In the first case, when performing a known task, the operator has an automatic aid for setting control parameters and camera views. In the second case, an interactive path planner will rank different path alternatives so that the operator will make the correct control decision. The monitoring function has been implemented with a neural network doing the real-time task segmentation. The interactive path planner was implemented for redundant manipulators to specify arm configurations across the desired path and satisfy geometric, task, and performance constraints.

Multi-alternative decision-making with non-stationary inputs.

PubMed

Nunes, Luana F; Gurney, Kevin

2016-08-01

One of the most widely implemented models for multi-alternative decision-making is the multihypothesis sequential probability ratio test (MSPRT). It is asymptotically optimal, straightforward to implement, and has found application in modelling biological decision-making. However, the MSPRT is limited in application to discrete ('trial-based'), non-time-varying scenarios. By contrast, real world situations will be continuous and entail stimulus non-stationarity. In these circumstances, decision-making mechanisms (like the MSPRT) which work by accumulating evidence, must be able to discard outdated evidence which becomes progressively irrelevant. To address this issue, we introduce a new decision mechanism by augmenting the MSPRT with a rectangular integration window and a transparent decision boundary. This allows selection and de-selection of options as their evidence changes dynamically. Performance was enhanced by adapting the window size to problem difficulty. Further, we present an alternative windowing method which exponentially decays evidence and does not significantly degrade performance, while greatly reducing the memory resources necessary. The methods presented have proven successful at allowing for the MSPRT algorithm to function in a non-stationary environment.

Deriving a sea surface temperature record suitable for climate change research from the along-track scanning radiometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merchant, C. J.; Llewellyn-Jones, D.; Saunders, R. W.; Rayner, N. A.; Kent, E. C.; Old, C. P.; Berry, D.; Birks, A. R.; Blackmore, T.; Corlett, G. K.; Embury, O.; Jay, V. L.; Kennedy, J.; Mutlow, C. T.; Nightingale, T. J.; O'Carroll, A. G.; Pritchard, M. J.; Remedios, J. J.; Tett, S.

We describe the approach to be adopted for a major new initiative to derive a homogeneous record of sea surface temperature for 1991 2007 from the observations of the series of three along-track scanning radiometers (ATSRs). This initiative is called (A)RC: (Advanced) ATSR Re-analysis for Climate. The main objectives are to reduce regional biases in retrieved sea surface temperature (SST) to less than 0.1 K for all global oceans, while creating a very homogenous record that is stable in time to within 0.05 K decade-1, with maximum independence of the record from existing analyses of SST used in climate change research. If these stringent targets are achieved, this record will enable significantly improved estimates of surface temperature trends and variability of sufficient quality to advance questions of climate change attribution, climate sensitivity and historical reconstruction of surface temperature changes. The approach includes development of new, consistent estimators for SST for each of the ATSRs, and detailed analysis of overlap periods. Novel aspects of the approach include generation of multiple versions of the record using alternative channel sets and cloud detection techniques, to assess for the first time the effect of such choices. There will be extensive effort in quality control, validation and analysis of the impact on climate SST data sets. Evidence for the plausibility of the 0.1 K target for systematic error is reviewed, as is the need for alternative cloud screening methods in this context.

Moderate-dose sedation and analgesia during targeted temperature management after cardiac arrest.

PubMed

May, Teresa L; Seder, David B; Fraser, Gilles L; Stone, Philip; McCrum, Barbara; Riker, Richard R

2015-02-01

Sedation and analgesia regimens during targeted temperature management (TTM), after cardiac arrest varies widely, are poorly described in the literature and may have a negative impact on outcome. Since implementing TTM in 2005, we have used moderate-dose sedation and describe our experience with this approach. In this retrospective review, we included patients treated with TTM for cardiac arrest at our institution for 2008-2012. Patients received TTM if they did not follow verbal commands following cardiac arrest, regardless of place of arrest or rhythm. Utstein-compatible data were prospectively entered into the International Cardiac Arrest Registry, supplemented by review of nursing, pharmacy, and physical therapy records. We report analgesic and sedative medications and doses during the 24 h of active TTM at 33 °C, resource utilization, and important clinical events. 166 patients treated with TTM after in- and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with complete data were included. Overall survival was 42 %, median time to following commands was 3 h after rewarming (-6, 14), time to spontaneous breathing trial was 19 h (5-35), time to extubation was 28 h (9-60), and 59 % of survivors were discharged directly home at 13 (10-20) days. The incidence of seizure was 6 %, septic shock 4 %, and pneumonia 32 %. Four survivors required tracheostomy at 8, 8, 12, and 16 days. A moderate-dose sedation and analgesia regimen was well tolerated and effective during therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest and is an effective alternative to very deep sedation. We recommend more complete description of sedation and analgesia protocols in future studies, including expanded outcome reporting to include variables affected by sedation therapy. Further study is required to define which sedation approach for TTM may be best.

A stream temperature model for the Peace-Athabasca River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales-Marin, L. A.; Rokaya, P.; Wheater, H. S.; Lindenschmidt, K. E.

2017-12-01

Water temperature plays a fundamental role in water ecosystem functioning. Because it regulates flow energy and metabolic rates in organism productivity over a broad spectrum of space and time scales, water temperature constitutes an important indicator of aquatic ecosystems health. In cold region basins, stream water temperature modelling is also fundamental to predict ice freeze-up and break-up events in order to improve flood management. Multiple model approaches such as linear and multivariable regression methods, neural network and thermal energy budged models have been developed and implemented to simulate stream water temperature. Most of these models have been applied to specific stream reaches and trained using observed data, but very little has been done to simulate water temperature in large catchment river networks. We present the coupling of RBM model, a semi-Lagrangian water temperature model for advection-dominated river system, and MESH, a semi-distributed hydrological model, to simulate stream water temperature in river catchments. The coupled models are implemented in the Peace-Athabasca River basin in order to analyze the variation in stream temperature regimes under changing hydrological and meteorological conditions. Uncertainty of stream temperature simulations is also assessed in order to determine the degree of reliability of the estimates.

Alternative Refrigerant Evaluation for High-Ambient-Temperature Environments: R-22 and R-410A Alternatives for Mini-Split Air Conditioners

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

Abdelaziz, Omar; Shrestha, Som S.; Munk, Jeffrey D.

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) High-Ambient-Temperature Evaluation Program for low– global warming potential (Low-GWP) Refrigerants aims to develop an understanding of the performance of low-GWP alternative refrigerants to hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants in mini-split air conditioners under high-ambient-temperature conditions. This final report describes the parties involved, the alternative refrigerant selection process, the test procedures, and the final results.

Alternative Refrigerant Evaluation for High-Ambient Temperature Environments: R-22 and R-410A Alternatives for Mini-Split Air Conditioners

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

Abdelaziz, Omar; Munk, Jeffrey D.; Shrestha, Som S.

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) High-Ambient Temperature Testing Program for Low-GWP Refrigerants aims to develop an understanding of the performance of low-Global Warming Potential (low-GWP) alternatives to Hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) and Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants in mini-split air conditioners under high ambient temperature conditions. This interim working paper describes the parties involved, the alternative refrigerants selection process, the test procedures, and the preliminary results.

Combined Characterization of the Time Response of Impression Materials via Traditional and FTIR Measurements

PubMed Central

Derchi, Giacomo; Manca, Enrico; Shayganpour, Amirreza; Barone, Antonio; Diaspro, Alberto; Salerno, Marco

2015-01-01

We investigated the temporal response of four dental impression materials, namely three siloxanes (Imprint 4, Flexitime, Aquasil) and one polyether (Impregum). The null hypothesis was that the nominal working times are confirmed by instrumental laboratory tests. We also aimed to identify alternative techniques with strong physical-chemical background for the assessment of temporal response. Traditional characterization was carried out by shark fin test device and durometer at both ambient and body temperature. Additionally, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was performed at room temperature. From shark fin height and Shore hardness versus time the working time and the setting time of the materials were evaluated, respectively. These were in reasonable agreement with the nominal values, except for Impregum, which showed longer working time. Spectroscopy confirmed the different character of the two types of materials, and provided for Imprint 4 and Aquasil an independent evaluation of both evolution times, consistent with the results of the other techniques. Shark fin test and durometer measurements showed deviations in setting time, low sensitivity to temperature for Flexitime, and longer working time at higher temperature for Impregum. Deviations of working time appear in operating conditions from what specified by the manufacturers. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy can provide insight in the correlation between material properties and their composition and structure.

Uncooled tunneling infrared sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, Thomas W. (Inventor); Kaiser, William J. (Inventor); Podosek, Judith A. (Inventor); Vote, Erika C. (Inventor); Muller, Richard E. (Inventor); Maker, Paul D. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

An uncooled infrared tunneling sensor in which the only moving part is a diaphragm which is deflected into contact with a micromachined silicon tip electrode prepared by a novel lithographic process. Similarly prepared deflection electrodes employ electrostatic force to control the deflection of a silicon nitride, flat diaphragm membrane. The diaphragm exhibits a high resonant frequency which reduces the sensor's sensitivity to vibration. A high bandwidth feedback circuit controls the tunneling current by adjusting the deflection voltage to maintain a constant deflection of the membrane. The resulting infrared sensor can be miniaturized to pixel dimensions smaller than 100 .mu.m. An alternative embodiment is implemented using a corrugated membrane to permit large deflection without complicated clamping and high deflection voltages. The alternative embodiment also employs a pinhole aperture in a membrane to accommodate environmental temperature variation and a sealed chamber to eliminate environmental contamination of the tunneling electrodes and undesireable accoustic coupling to the sensor.

Time delayed Ensemble Nudging Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Zhe; Abarbanel, Henry

Optimal nudging method based on time delayed embedding theory has shows potentials on analyzing and data assimilation in previous literatures. To extend the application and promote the practical implementation, new nudging assimilation method based on the time delayed embedding space is presented and the connection with other standard assimilation methods are studied. Results shows the incorporating information from the time series of data can reduce the sufficient observation needed to preserve the quality of numerical prediction, making it a potential alternative in the field of data assimilation of large geophysical models.

Feasibility Study of Vapor-Mist Phase Reaction Lubrication Using a Thioether Liquid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morales, Wilfredo; Handschuh, Robert F.; Krantz, Timothy L.

2007-01-01

A primary technology barrier preventing the operation of gas turbine engines and aircraft gearboxes at higher temperatures is the inability of currently used liquid lubricants to survive at the desired operating conditions over an extended time period. Current state-of-the-art organic liquid lubricants rapidly degrade at temperatures above 300 C; hence, another form of lubrication is necessary. Vapor or mist phase reaction lubrication is a unique, alternative technology for high temperature lubrication. The majority of past studies have employed a liquid phosphate ester that was vaporized or misted, and delivered to bearings or gears where the phosphate ester reacted with the metal surfaces generating a solid lubricious film. This method resulted in acceptable operating temperatures suggesting some good lubrication properties, but the continuous reaction between the phosphate ester and the iron surfaces led to wear rates unacceptable for gas turbine engine or aircraft gearbox applications. In this study, an alternative non-phosphate liquid was used to mist phase lubricate a spur gearbox rig operating at 10,000 rpm under highly loaded conditions. After 21 million shaft revolutions of operation the gears exhibited only minor wear.

Calculation of optimal modes for electric-contact welding of rails of mine haulage tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shevchenko, R. A.; Kozyrev, N. A.; Usoltsev, A. A.; Kriukov, R. E.; Shishkin, P. E.

2017-09-01

The choice of thermal regime is based on the exclusion of formation of quenching structures (martensite and bainite), causing additional stresses and cracks which lead to the destruction of rails. After welded joint upset and cooling at the time of reaching the required temperature it is proposed to perform quasi-isothermal exposure by passing pulses of alternating current through the welded joint. The method for calculating the quasi-isothermal exposure is described that depends on the strength of the welding current and different rails section. It is suggested that after welding the rails during quenching, a quasi-isothermal holding is carried out in the temperature range of the formation of the fine-dispersed structure by passing pulses of alternating electric current through the welded joint maintaining this temperature until the end of the transformation. It is shown that the use of quasi-isothermal exposure at a chosen temperature of 600 - 650 °C makes it possible to obtain a finely dispersed structure of the welded seam of rails of mine haulage tracks without additional heat treatment.

Biodegradation of Toluene Under Seasonal and Diurnal Fluctuations of Soil-Water Temperature.

PubMed

Yadav, Brijesh K; Shrestha, Shristi R; Hassanizadeh, S Majid

2012-09-01

An increasing interest in bioremediation of hydrocarbon polluted sites raises the question of the influence of seasonal and diurnal changes on soil-water temperature on biodegradation of BTEX, a widespread group of (sub)-surface contaminants. Therefore, we investigated the impact of a wide range of varying soil-water temperature on biodegradation of toluene under aerobic conditions. To see the seasonal impact of temperature, three sets of batch experiments were conducted at three different constant temperatures: 10°C, 21°C, and 30°C. These conditions were considered to represent (1) winter, (2) spring and/or autumn, and (3) summer seasons, respectively, at many polluted sites. Three additional sets of batch experiments were performed under fluctuating soil-water temperature cases (21<>10°C, 30<>21°C, and 10<>30°C) to mimic the day-night temperature patterns expected during the year. The batches were put at two different temperatures alternatively to represent the day (high-temperature) and night (low-temperature) times. The results of constant- and fluctuating-temperature experiments show that toluene degradation is strongly dependent on soil-water temperature level. An almost two-fold increase in toluene degradation time was observed for every 10°C decrease in temperature for constant-temperature cases. Under fluctuating-temperature conditions, toluene degraders were able to overcome the temperature stress and continued thriving during all considered weather scenarios. However, a slightly longer time was taken compared to the corresponding time at daily mean temperature conditions. The findings of this study are directly useful for bioremediation of hydrocarbon-polluted sites having significant diurnal and seasonal variations of soil-water temperature.

Comprehensive Compressor Calorimeter Testing of Lower-GWP Alternative Refrigerants for Heat Pump and Medium Temperature Refrigeration Applications

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

Shrestha, Som S; Sharma, Vishaldeep; Abdelaziz, Omar

In response to environmental concerns raised by the use of refrigerants with high Global Warming Potential (GWP), the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) has launched an industry-wide cooperative research program, referred to as the Low-GWP Alternative Refrigerants Evaluation Program (AREP), to identify and evaluate promising alternative refrigerants for major product categories. This paper reports one of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) contributions to AREP. It compares performance of alternative refrigerants to that of R-410A and R-404A for heat pump and medium temperature applications, respectively. The alternatives reported in this paper are: R-32, DR-5, and L-41a for R-410A andmore » ARM-31a, D2Y-65, L-40, and a mixture of R-32 and R-134a for R-404A. All performance comparison tests were conducted using scroll compressors of ~1.85 tons (6.5 kW) cooling capacity. Tests were conducted over a range of combinations of saturation suction and saturation discharge temperatures for both compressors. The tests showed that, in general, energy efficiency ratio (EER) and cooling capacity of R-410A alternative refrigerants were slightly lower than that of the baseline refrigerant with a moderate increases in discharge temperature. On the other hand, R-404A alternative refrigerants showed relative performance dependence on saturation suction and saturation discharge temperatures and larger increases in discharge temperature than for the R-410A alternatives. This paper summarizes the relative performance of all alternative refrigerants compared to their respective baseline.« less

Recent progress in MBE grown HgCdTe materials and devices at UWA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, R.; Lei, W.; Antoszewski, J.; Madni, I.; Umana-Menbreno, G.; Faraone, L.

2016-05-01

HgCdTe has dominated the high performance end of the IR detector market for decades. At present, the fabrication costs of HgCdTe based advanced infrared devices is relatively high, due to the low yield associated with lattice matched CdZnTe substrates and a complicated cooling system. One approach to ease this problem is to use a cost effective alternative substrate, such as Si or GaAs. Recently, GaSb has emerged as a new alternative with better lattice matching. In addition, implementation of MBE-grown unipolar n-type/barrier/n-type detector structures in the HgCdTe material system has been recently proposed and studied intensively to enhance the detector operating temperature. The unipolar nBn photodetector structure can be used to substantially reduce dark current and noise without impeding photocurrent flow. In this paper, recent progress in MBE growth of HgCdTe infrared material at the University of Western Australia (UWA) is reported, including MBE growth of HgCdTe on GaSb alternative substrates and growth of HgCdTe nBn structures.

Thermoelectric Converter for Loop Heat Pipe Temperature Control: Experience and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jentung; Ottenstein, Laura

2010-01-01

This paper describes the theoretical background and implementation methodology of using a thermoelectric converter (TEC) for operating temperature control of a loop heat pipe (LHP). In particular, experimental results from ambient and thermal vacuum tests of an LHP are presented for illustrations. The most commonly used state-of-the-art method to control the LHP operating temperature is to cold bias its compensation chamber (CC) and use an electrical heater to maintain the CC at the desired set point temperature. Although effective, this approach has its shortcomings in that the electrical heater can only provide heating to the CC, and the required power can be large under certain conditions. An alternative method is to use a TEC, which is capable of providing both heating and cooling to the CC. In this method, one side of the TEC is attached to the CC, and the other side is connected to the evaporator via a thermal strap. Using a bipolar power supply and a control algorithm, a TEC can function as a heater or a cooler, depending on the direction of the current flow. Extensive ground tests of several LHPs have demonstrated that a TEC can provide very tight temperature control for the CC. It also offers several additional advantages: (1) The LHP can operate at temperatures below its natural operating temperature at low heat loads; (2) The required heater power for a TEC is much less than that for an electrical heater; and (3) It enhances the LHP start-up success. Although the concept of using a TEC for LHP temperature control is simple, there are many factors to be considered in its implementation for space applications because the TEC is susceptible to the shear stress and yet has to sustain the dynamic load under the spacecraft launch environment. The added features that help the TEC to withstand the dynamic load will inevitably affect the TEC thermal performance. Some experiences and lessons learned are addressed in this paper.

Overview of RFID technology and its applications in the food industry.

PubMed

Kumar, P; Reinitz, H W; Simunovic, J; Sandeep, K P; Franzon, P D

2009-10-01

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an alternative technology with a potential to replace traditional universal product code (UPC) barcodes. RFID enables identification of an object from a distance without requiring a line of sight. RFID tags can also incorporate additional data such as details of product and manufacturer and can transmit measured environmental factors such as temperature and relative humidity. This article presents key concepts and terminology related to RFID technology and its applications in the food industry. Components and working principles of an RFID system are described. Numerous applications of RFID technology in the food industry (supply chain management, temperature monitoring of foods, and ensuring food safety) are discussed. Challenges in implementation of RFID technology are also discussed in terms of read range, read accuracy, nonuniform standards, cost, recycling issues, privacy, and security concerns.

Copper plasmonics and catalysis: role of electron-phonon interactions in dephasing localized surface plasmons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qi-C.; Ding, Yuchen; Goodman, Samuel M.; H. Funke, Hans; Nagpal, Prashant

2014-10-01

Copper metal can provide an important alternative for the development of efficient, low-cost and low-loss plasmonic nanoparticles, and selective nanocatalysts. However, poor chemical stability and lack of insight into photophysics and plasmon decay mechanisms has impeded study. Here, we use smooth conformal ALD coating on copper nanoparticles to prevent surface oxidation, and study dephasing time for localized surface plasmons on different sized copper nanoparticles. Using dephasing time as a figure of merit, we elucidate the role of electron-electron, electron-phonon, impurity, surface and grain boundary scattering on the decay of localized surface plasmon waves. Using our quantitative analysis and different temperature dependent measurements, we show that electron-phonon interactions dominate over other scattering mechanisms in dephasing plasmon waves. While interband transitions in copper metal contributes substantially to plasmon losses, tuning surface plasmon modes to infrared frequencies leads to a five-fold enhancement in the quality factor. These findings demonstrate that conformal ALD coatings can improve the chemical stability for copper nanoparticles, even at high temperatures (>300 °C) in ambient atmosphere, and nanoscaled copper is a good alternative material for many potential applications in nanophotonics, plasmonics, catalysis and nanoscale electronics.Copper metal can provide an important alternative for the development of efficient, low-cost and low-loss plasmonic nanoparticles, and selective nanocatalysts. However, poor chemical stability and lack of insight into photophysics and plasmon decay mechanisms has impeded study. Here, we use smooth conformal ALD coating on copper nanoparticles to prevent surface oxidation, and study dephasing time for localized surface plasmons on different sized copper nanoparticles. Using dephasing time as a figure of merit, we elucidate the role of electron-electron, electron-phonon, impurity, surface and grain boundary scattering on the decay of localized surface plasmon waves. Using our quantitative analysis and different temperature dependent measurements, we show that electron-phonon interactions dominate over other scattering mechanisms in dephasing plasmon waves. While interband transitions in copper metal contributes substantially to plasmon losses, tuning surface plasmon modes to infrared frequencies leads to a five-fold enhancement in the quality factor. These findings demonstrate that conformal ALD coatings can improve the chemical stability for copper nanoparticles, even at high temperatures (>300 °C) in ambient atmosphere, and nanoscaled copper is a good alternative material for many potential applications in nanophotonics, plasmonics, catalysis and nanoscale electronics. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04719b

The alternative workplace: changing where and how people work.

PubMed

Apgar, M

1998-01-01

Today many organizations, including AT&T and IBM, are pioneering the alternative workplace--the combination of nontraditional work practices, settings, and locations that is beginning to supplement traditional offices. This is not a fad. Although estimates vary widely, it is safe to say that some 30 million to 40 million people in the United States are now either telecommuters or home-based workers. What motivates managers to examine how people spend their time at the office and where else they might do their work? Among the potential benefits for companies are reduced costs, increased productivity, and an edge in vying for and keeping talented employees. They can also capture government incentives and avoid costly sanctions. But at the same time, alternative workplace programs are not for everyone. Indeed, such programs can be difficult to adopt, even for those organizations that seem to be most suited to them. Ingrained behaviors and practical hurdles are hard to overcome. And the challenges of managing both the cultural changes and systems improvements required by an alternative workplace initiative are substantial. How should senior managers think about alternative workplace programs? What are the criteria for determining whether the alternative workplace is right for a given organization? What are the most common pitfalls in implementing alternative workplace programs? The author provides the answers to these questions in his examination of this new frontier of where and how people work.

Effect of a pharmacologically induced decrease in core temperature in rats resuscitated from cardiac arrest.

PubMed

Katz, Laurence M; Frank, Jonathan E; Glickman, Lawrence T; McGwin, Gerald; Lambert, Brice H; Gordon, Christopher J

2015-07-01

Hypothermia is recommended by international guidelines for treatment of unconscious survivors of cardiac arrest to improve neurologic outcomes. However, temperature management is often underutilized because it may be difficult to implement. The present study evaluated the efficacy of pharmacologically induced hypothermia on survival and neurological outcome in rats resuscitated from cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest was induced for 10 min in 120 rats. Sixty-one rats were resuscitated and randomized to normothermia, physical cooling or pharmacological hypothermia 5 min after resuscitation. Pharmacological hypothermia rats received a combination of ethanol, vasopressin and lidocaine (HBN-1). Physical hypothermia rats were cooled with intravenous iced saline and cooling pads. Rats in the pharmacological hypothermia group received HBN-1 at ambient temperature (20 °C). Normothermic rats were maintained at 37.3 ± 0.2 °C. HBN-1 (p < 0.0001) shortened the time (85 ± 71 min) to target temperature (33.5 °C) versus physical hypothermia (247 ± 142 min). The duration of hypothermia was 17.0 ± 6.8h in the HBN-1 group and 17.3 ± 7.5h in the physical hypothermia group (p = 0.918). Survival (p = 0.034), neurological deficit scores (p < 0.0001) and Morris Water Maze performance after resuscitation (p = 0.041) was improved in the HBN-1 versus the normothermic group. HBN-1 improved survival and early neurological outcome compared to the physical hypothermia group while there was no significant difference in performance in the Morris water maze. HBN-1 induced rapid and prolonged hypothermia improved survival with good neurological outcomes after cardiac arrest suggesting that pharmacologically induced regulated hypothermia may provide a practical alternative to physical cooling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Role of Demand Response in Reducing Water-Related Power Plant Vulnerabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macknick, J.; Brinkman, G.; Zhou, E.; O'Connell, M.; Newmark, R. L.; Miara, A.; Cohen, S. M.

2015-12-01

The electric sector depends on readily available water supplies for reliable and efficient operation. Elevated water temperatures or low water levels can trigger regulatory or plant-level decisions to curtail power generation, which can affect system cost and reliability. In the past decade, dozens of power plants in the U.S. have curtailed generation due to water temperatures and water shortages. Curtailments occur during the summer, when temperatures are highest and there is greatest demand for electricity. Climate change could alter the availability and temperature of water resources, exacerbating these issues. Constructing alternative cooling systems to address vulnerabilities can be capital intensive and can also affect power plant efficiencies. Demand response programs are being implemented by electric system planners and operators to reduce and shift electricity demands from peak usage periods to other times of the day. Demand response programs can also play a role in reducing water-related power sector vulnerabilities during summer months. Traditionally, production cost modeling and demand response analyses do not include water resources. In this effort, we integrate an electricity production cost modeling framework with water-related impacts on power plants in a test system to evaluate the impacts of demand response measures on power system costs and reliability. Specifically, we i) quantify the cost and reliability implications of incorporating water resources into production cost modeling, ii) evaluate the impacts of demand response measures on reducing system costs and vulnerabilities, and iii) consider sensitivity analyses with cooling systems to highlight a range of potential benefits of demand response measures. Impacts from climate change on power plant performance and water resources are discussed. Results provide key insights to policymakers and practitioners for reducing water-related power plant vulnerabilities via lower cost methods.

Photophysics of Thermally-Assisted Photobleaching in "Giant" Quantum Dots Revealed in Single Nanocrystals.

PubMed

Orfield, Noah J; Majumder, Somak; McBride, James R; Yik-Ching Koh, Faith; Singh, Ajay; Bouquin, Sarah J; Casson, Joanna L; Johnson, Alex D; Sun, Liuyang; Li, Xiaoqin; Shih, Chih-Kang; Rosenthal, Sandra J; Hollingsworth, Jennifer A; Htoon, Han

2018-05-07

Quantum dots (QDs) are steadily being implemented as down-conversion phosphors in market-ready display products to enhance color rendering, brightness, and energy efficiency. However, for adequate longevity, QDs must be encased in a protective barrier that separates them from ambient oxygen and humidity, and device architectures are designed to avoid significant heating of the QDs as well as direct contact between the QDs and the excitation source. In order to increase the utility of QDs in display technologies and to extend their usefulness to more demanding applications as, for example, alternative phosphors for solid-state lighting (SSL), QDs must retain their photoluminescence emission properties over extended periods of time under conditions of high temperature and high light flux. Doing so would simplify the fabrication costs for QD display technologies and enable QDs to be used as down-conversion materials in light-emitting diodes for SSL, where direct-on-chip configurations expose the emitters to temperatures approaching 100 °C and to photon fluxes from 0.1 W/mm 2 to potentially 10 W/mm 2 . Here, we investigate the photobleaching processes of single QDs exposed to controlled temperature and photon flux. In particular, we investigate two types of room-temperature-stable core/thick-shell QDs, known as "giant" QDs for which shell growth is conducted using either a standard layer-by-layer technique or by a continuous injection method. We determine the mechanistic pathways responsible for thermally-assisted photodegradation, distinguishing effects of hot-carrier trapping and QD charging. The findings presented here will assist in the further development of advanced QD heterostructures for maximum device lifetime stability.

Sensitivity of snowpack storage to precipitation and temperature using spatial and temporal analog models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luce, Charles H.; Lopez-Burgos, Viviana; Holden, Zachary

2014-12-01

Empirical sensitivity analyses are important for evaluation of the effects of a changing climate on water resources and ecosystems. Although mechanistic models are commonly applied for evaluation of climate effects for snowmelt, empirical relationships provide a first-order validation of the various postulates required for their implementation. Previous studies of empirical sensitivity for April 1 snow water equivalent (SWE) in the western United States were developed by regressing interannual variations in SWE to winter precipitation and temperature. This offers a temporal analog for climate change, positing that a warmer future looks like warmer years. Spatial analogs are used to hypothesize that a warmer future may look like warmer places, and are frequently applied alternatives for complex processes, or states/metrics that show little interannual variability (e.g., forest cover). We contrast spatial and temporal analogs for sensitivity of April 1 SWE and the mean residence time of snow (SRT) using data from 524 Snowpack Telemetry (SNOTEL) stations across the western U.S. We built relatively strong models using spatial analogs to relate temperature and precipitation climatology to snowpack climatology (April 1 SWE, R2=0.87, and SRT, R2=0.81). Although the poorest temporal analog relationships were in areas showing the highest sensitivity to warming, spatial analog models showed consistent performance throughout the range of temperature and precipitation. Generally, slopes from the spatial relationships showed greater thermal sensitivity than the temporal analogs, and high elevation stations showed greater vulnerability using a spatial analog than shown in previous modeling and sensitivity studies. The spatial analog models provide a simple perspective to evaluate potential futures and may be useful in further evaluation of snowpack with warming.

Stepwise drying of medicinal plants as alternative to reduce time and energy processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuervo-Andrade, S. P.; Hensel, O.

2016-07-01

The objective of drying medicinal plants is to extend the shelf life and conserving the fresh characteristics. This is achieved by reducing the water activity (aw) of the product to a value which will inhibit the growth and development of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, significantly reducing enzyme activity and the rate at which undesirable chemical reactions occur. The technical drying process requires an enormous amount of thermal and electrical energy. An improvement in the quality of the product to be dried and at the same time a decrease in the drying cost and time are achieved through the utilization of a controlled conventional drying method, which is based on a good utilization of the renewable energy or looking for other alternatives which achieve lower processing times without sacrificing the final product quality. In this work the method of stepwise drying of medicinal plants is presented as an alternative to the conventional drying that uses a constant temperature during the whole process. The objective of stepwise drying is the decrease of drying time and reduction in energy consumption. In this process, apart from observing the effects on decreases the effective drying process time and energy, the influence of the different combinations of drying phases on several characteristics of the product are considered. The tests were carried out with Melissa officinalis L. variety citronella, sowed in greenhouse. For the stepwise drying process different combinations of initial and final temperature, 40/50°C, are evaluated, with different transition points associated to different moisture contents (20, 30, 40% and 50%) of the product during the process. Final quality of dried foods is another important issue in food drying. Drying process has effect in quality attributes drying products. This study was determining the color changes and essential oil loses by reference the measurement of the color and essential oil content of the fresh product was used. Drying curves were obtained to observe the dynamics of the process for different combinations of temperature and points of change, corresponding to different conditions of moisture content of the product.

Efficient and effective implementation of alternative project delivery methods.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-05-01

Over the past decade, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway : Administration (MDOT SHA) has implemented Alternative Project Delivery (APD) methods : in a number of transportation projects. While these innovative practices have produ...

Nanotechnology, a new paradigm in atherosclerosis treatment.

PubMed

Martín Giménez, Virna M; Ruiz-Roso, María Belén; Camargo, Alejandra Beatriz; Kassuha, Diego; Manucha, Walter

Atherosclerosis, a known and prevalent disease, causes progressive deterioration of affected vessels, inducing a blood flow reduction with different complications, and its symptoms usually manifest in advanced stages of the disease. Therefore, the classic therapeutic alternatives are insufficient because the damages are many times irreversible. For this reason, there is a need to implement intelligent forms of drug administration and develop new therapeutic targets that reduce the progression of atherosclerotic lesion. The implementation of new tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this cardiovascular disease is of special interest, focusing our attention on achieving a more effective control of the immune system. Finally, this review highlights the latest knowledge about nanotechnology as a powerful, modern, and promising therapeutic alternative applied to atherosclerotic disease, as well as warning of the potential complications with their use. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Estimating Travel Time in Bank Filtration Systems from a Numerical Model Based on DTS Measurements.

PubMed

des Tombe, Bas F; Bakker, Mark; Schaars, Frans; van der Made, Kees-Jan

2018-03-01

An approach is presented to determine the seasonal variations in travel time in a bank filtration system using a passive heat tracer test. The temperature in the aquifer varies seasonally because of temperature variations of the infiltrating surface water and at the soil surface. Temperature was measured with distributed temperature sensing along fiber optic cables that were inserted vertically into the aquifer with direct push equipment. The approach was applied to a bank filtration system consisting of a sequence of alternating, elongated recharge basins and rows of recovery wells. A SEAWAT model was developed to simulate coupled flow and heat transport. The model of a two-dimensional vertical cross section is able to simulate the temperature of the water at the well and the measured vertical temperature profiles reasonably well. MODPATH was used to compute flowpaths and the travel time distribution. At the study site, temporal variation of the pumping discharge was the dominant factor influencing the travel time distribution. For an equivalent system with a constant pumping rate, variations in the travel time distribution are caused by variations in the temperature-dependent viscosity. As a result, travel times increase in the winter, when a larger fraction of the water travels through the warmer, lower part of the aquifer, and decrease in the summer, when the upper part of the aquifer is warmer. © 2017 The Authors. Groundwater published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of National Ground Water Association.

Simulation of Propagation of Compartment Fire on Building Facades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simion, A.; Dragne, H.; Stoica, D.; Anghel, I.

2018-06-01

The façade fire simulation of buildings is carried out with Pyrosim numerical fire modeling program, following the implementation of a fire scenario in this simulation program. The scenario that was implemented in the Pyrosim program by researchers from the INCERC Fire Safety Research and Testing Laboratory complied with the requirements of BS 8414. The results obtained following the run of the computational program led to the visual validation of effluents at different time points from the beginning of the thermal load burning, as well as the validation in terms of recorded temperatures. It is considered that the results obtained are reasonable, the test being fully validated from the point of view of the implementation of the fire scenario, of the correct development of the effluents and of the temperature values [1].

Report on the FY17 Development of Computer Program for ASME Section III, Division 5, Subsection HB, Subpart B Rules

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

Swindeman, M. J.; Jetter, R. I.; Sham, T. -L.

One of the objectives of the high temperature design methodology activities is to develop and validate both improvements and the basic features of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components, Division 5, High Temperature Reactors, Subsection HB, Subpart B (HBB). The overall scope of this task is to develop a computer program to aid assessment procedures of components under specified loading conditions in accordance with the elevated temperature design requirements for Division 5 Class A components. There are many features and alternative paths of varying complexity in HBB. The initial focus ofmore » this computer program is a basic path through the various options for a single reference material, 316H stainless steel. However, the computer program is being structured for eventual incorporation all of the features and permitted materials of HBB. This report will first provide a description of the overall computer program, particular challenges in developing numerical procedures for the assessment, and an overall approach to computer program development. This is followed by a more comprehensive appendix, which is the draft computer program manual for the program development. The strain limits rules have been implemented in the computer program. The evaluation of creep-fatigue damage will be implemented in future work scope.« less

Hot filament-dissociation of (CH3)3SiH and (CH3)4Si, probed by vacuum ultra violet laser time of flight mass spectroscopy.

PubMed

Sharma, Ramesh C; Koshi, Mitsuo

2006-11-01

The decomposition of trimethylsilane and tetramethylsilane has been investigated for the first time, using hot wire (catalytic) at various temperatures. Trimethylsilane is catalytic-dissociated in these species SiH(2), CH(3)SiH, CH(3), CH(2)Si. Time of flight mass spectroscopy signal of these species are linearly increasing with increasing catalytic-temperature. Time of flight mass spectroscopy (TOFMS) signals of (CH(3))(3)SiH and photodissociated into (CH(3))(2)SiH are decreasing with increasing hot filament temperature. TOFMS signal of (CH(3))(4)Si is decreasing with increasing hot wire temperature, but (CH(3))(3)Si signal is almost constant with increasing the temperature. We calculated activation energies of dissociated species of the parental molecules for fundamental information of reaction kinetics for the first time. Catalytic-dissociation of trimethylsilane, and tetramethylsilane single source time of flight coupled single photon VUV (118 nm) photoionization collisionless radicals at temperature range of tungsten filament 800-2360 K. The study is focused to understand the fundamental information on reaction kinetics of these molecules at hot wire temperature, and processes of catalytic-chemical vapour deposition (Cat-CVD) technique which could be implemented in amorphous and crystalline SiC semiconductors thin films.

Alternative splicing and nonsense-mediated decay of circadian clock genes under environmental stress conditions in Arabidopsis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The circadian clock enables living organisms to anticipate recurring daily and seasonal fluctuations in their growth habitats and synchronize their biology to the environmental cycle. The plant circadian clock consists of multiple transcription-translation feedback loops that are entrained by environmental signals, such as light and temperature. In recent years, alternative splicing emerges as an important molecular mechanism that modulates the clock function in plants. Several clock genes are known to undergo alternative splicing in response to changes in environmental conditions, suggesting that the clock function is intimately associated with environmental responses via the alternative splicing of the clock genes. However, the alternative splicing events of the clock genes have not been studied at the molecular level. Results We systematically examined whether major clock genes undergo alternative splicing under various environmental conditions in Arabidopsis. We also investigated the fates of the RNA splice variants of the clock genes. It was found that the clock genes, including EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3) and ZEITLUPE (ZTL) that have not been studied in terms of alternative splicing, undergo extensive alternative splicing through diverse modes of splicing events, such as intron retention, exon skipping, and selection of alternative 5′ splice site. Their alternative splicing patterns were differentially influenced by changes in photoperiod, temperature extremes, and salt stress. Notably, the RNA splice variants of TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1 (TOC1) and ELF3 were degraded through the nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) pathway, whereas those of other clock genes were insensitive to NMD. Conclusion Taken together, our observations demonstrate that the major clock genes examined undergo extensive alternative splicing under various environmental conditions, suggesting that alternative splicing is a molecular scheme that underlies the linkage between the clock and environmental stress adaptation in plants. It is also envisioned that alternative splicing of the clock genes plays more complex roles than previously expected. PMID:24885185

Self-calibrated active pyrometer for furnace temperature measurements

DOEpatents

Woskov, Paul P.; Cohn, Daniel R.; Titus, Charles H.; Surma, Jeffrey E.

1998-01-01

Pyrometer with a probe beam superimposed on its field-of-view for furnace temperature measurements. The pyrometer includes a heterodyne millimeter/sub-millimeter-wave or microwave receiver including a millimeter/sub-millimeter-wave or microwave source for probing. The receiver is adapted to receive radiation from a surface whose temperature is to be measured. The radiation includes a surface emission portion and a surface reflection portion which includes the probe beam energy reflected from the surface. The surface emission portion is related to the surface temperature and the surface reflection portion is related to the emissivity of the surface. The simultaneous measurement of surface emissivity serves as a real time calibration of the temperature measurement. In an alternative embodiment, a translatable base plate and a visible laser beam allow slow mapping out of interference patterns and obtaining peak values therefor. The invention also includes a waveguide having a replaceable end portion, an insulating refractory sleeve and/or a source of inert gas flow. The pyrometer may be used in conjunction with a waveguide to form a system for temperature measurements in a furnace. The system may employ a chopper or alternatively, be constructed without a chopper. The system may also include an auxiliary reflector for surface emissivity measurements.

A reconfigurable cryogenic platform for the classical control of quantum processors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homulle, Harald; Visser, Stefan; Patra, Bishnu; Ferrari, Giorgio; Prati, Enrico; Sebastiano, Fabio; Charbon, Edoardo

2017-04-01

The implementation of a classical control infrastructure for large-scale quantum computers is challenging due to the need for integration and processing time, which is constrained by coherence time. We propose a cryogenic reconfigurable platform as the heart of the control infrastructure implementing the digital error-correction control loop. The platform is implemented on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) that supports the functionality required by several qubit technologies and that can operate close to the physical qubits over a temperature range from 4 K to 300 K. This work focuses on the extensive characterization of the electronic platform over this temperature range. All major FPGA building blocks (such as look-up tables (LUTs), carry chains (CARRY4), mixed-mode clock manager (MMCM), phase-locked loop (PLL), block random access memory, and IDELAY2 (programmable delay element)) operate correctly and the logic speed is very stable. The logic speed of LUTs and CARRY4 changes less then 5%, whereas the jitter of MMCM and PLL clock managers is reduced by 20%. The stability is finally demonstrated by operating an integrated 1.2 GSa/s analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with a relatively stable performance over temperature. The ADCs effective number of bits drops from 6 to 4.5 bits when operating at 15 K.

A reconfigurable cryogenic platform for the classical control of quantum processors.

PubMed

Homulle, Harald; Visser, Stefan; Patra, Bishnu; Ferrari, Giorgio; Prati, Enrico; Sebastiano, Fabio; Charbon, Edoardo

2017-04-01

The implementation of a classical control infrastructure for large-scale quantum computers is challenging due to the need for integration and processing time, which is constrained by coherence time. We propose a cryogenic reconfigurable platform as the heart of the control infrastructure implementing the digital error-correction control loop. The platform is implemented on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) that supports the functionality required by several qubit technologies and that can operate close to the physical qubits over a temperature range from 4 K to 300 K. This work focuses on the extensive characterization of the electronic platform over this temperature range. All major FPGA building blocks (such as look-up tables (LUTs), carry chains (CARRY4), mixed-mode clock manager (MMCM), phase-locked loop (PLL), block random access memory, and IDELAY2 (programmable delay element)) operate correctly and the logic speed is very stable. The logic speed of LUTs and CARRY4 changes less then 5%, whereas the jitter of MMCM and PLL clock managers is reduced by 20%. The stability is finally demonstrated by operating an integrated 1.2 GSa/s analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with a relatively stable performance over temperature. The ADCs effective number of bits drops from 6 to 4.5 bits when operating at 15 K.

Long-memory and the sea level-temperature relationship: a fractional cointegration approach.

PubMed

Ventosa-Santaulària, Daniel; Heres, David R; Martínez-Hernández, L Catalina

2014-01-01

Through thermal expansion of oceans and melting of land-based ice, global warming is very likely contributing to the sea level rise observed during the 20th century. The amount by which further increases in global average temperature could affect sea level is only known with large uncertainties due to the limited capacity of physics-based models to predict sea levels from global surface temperatures. Semi-empirical approaches have been implemented to estimate the statistical relationship between these two variables providing an alternative measure on which to base potentially disrupting impacts on coastal communities and ecosystems. However, only a few of these semi-empirical applications had addressed the spurious inference that is likely to be drawn when one nonstationary process is regressed on another. Furthermore, it has been shown that spurious effects are not eliminated by stationary processes when these possess strong long memory. Our results indicate that both global temperature and sea level indeed present the characteristics of long memory processes. Nevertheless, we find that these variables are fractionally cointegrated when sea-ice extent is incorporated as an instrumental variable for temperature which in our estimations has a statistically significant positive impact on global sea level.

78 FR 29124 - Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Implementation of Energy, Water, and Solid...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-17

... plant (Alternative 4); construction and operation of a geothermal energy facility (Alternative 5); and... Implementation of Energy, Water, and Solid Waste Sustainability Initiatives at Fort Bliss, Texas and New Mexico... proposes to implement Net Zero energy, water and waste initiatives by 2020 at Fort Bliss to meet mandates...

Examining Behavioral Consultation plus Computer-Based Implementation Planning on Teachers' Intervention Implementation in an Alternative School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Anna C. J.; Sanetti, Lisa M. Hagermoser; Lark, Catherine R.; Connolly, Jennifer J. G.

2018-01-01

Students who demonstrate the most challenging behaviors are at risk of school failure and are often placed in alternative schools, in which a primary goal is remediating behavioral and academic concerns to facilitate students' return to their community school. Consistently implemented evidence-based classroom management is necessary toward this…

The Design and Implementation of an Alternative High School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kritek, William J.

The analysis of the planning for an implementation of an alternative high school in a large urban school system is the focus of this study. Interview data are used. This investigation draws on, and compliments, the previous literature on implementation. While most of the earlier studies look at failures, this one is based on an instance of…

Implementing a lessons learned process at Sandia National Laboratories

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

Fosshage, Erik D.; Drewien, Celeste A.; Eras, Kenneth

2016-01-01

The Lessons Learned Process Improvement Team was tasked to gain an understanding of the existing lessons learned environment within the major programs at Sandia National Laboratories, identify opportunities for improvement in that environment as compared to desired attributes, propose alternative implementations to address existing inefficiencies, perform qualitative evaluations of alternative implementations, and recommend one or more near-term activities for prototyping and/or implementation. This report documents the work and findings of the team.

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

Anameric, B.; Kawatra, S.K.

The pig iron nugget process is gaining in importance as an alternative to the traditional blast furnace. Throughout the process, self-reducing-fluxing dried greenballs composed of iron ore concentrate, reducing-carburizing agent (coal), flux (limestone) and binder (bentonite) are heat-treated. During the heat treatment, dried greenballs are first transformed into direct reduced iron (DRI), then to transition direct reduced iron (TDRI) and finally to pig iron nuggets. The furnace temperature and/or residence time and the corresponding levels of carburization, reduction and metallization dictate these transformations. This study involved the determination of threshold furnace temperatures and residence times for completion of all ofmore » the transformation reactions and pig iron nugget production. The experiments involved the heat treatment of self-reducing-fluxing dried greenballs at various furnace temperatures and residence times. The products of these heat treatments were identified by utilizing optical microscopy, apparent density and microhardness measurements.« less

An alternative to the traditional cold pressor test: the cold pressor arm wrap.

PubMed

Porcelli, Anthony John

2014-01-16

Recently research on the relationship between stress and cognition, emotion, and behavior has greatly increased. These advances have yielded insights into important questions ranging from the nature of stress' influence on addiction(1) to the role of stress in neural changes associated with alterations in decision-making(2,3). As topics being examined by the field evolve, however, so too must the methodologies involved. In this article a practical and effective alternative to a classic stress induction technique, the cold pressor test (CPT), is presented: the cold pressor arm wrap (CPAW). CPT typically involves immersion of a participant's dominant hand in ice-cold water for a period of time(4). The technique is associated with robust activation of the sympatho-adrenomedullary (SAM) axis (and release of catecholamines; e.g. adrenaline and noradrenaline) and mild-to-moderate activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis with associated glucocorticoid (e.g. cortisol) release. While CPT has been used in a wide range of studies, it can be impractical to apply in some research environments. For example use of water during, rather than prior to, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the potential to damage sensitive and expensive equipment or interfere with acquisition of MRI signal. The CPAW is a practical and effective alternative to the traditional CPT. Composed of a versatile list of inexpensive and easily acquired components, CPAW makes use of MRI-safe gelpacs cooled to a temperature similar to CPT rather than actual water. Importantly CPAW is associated with levels of SAM and HPA activation comparable to CPT, and can easily be applied in a variety of research contexts. While it is important to maintain specific safety protocols when using the technique, these are easy to implement if planned for. Creation and use of the CPAW will be discussed.

National Voice Response System (VRS) Implementation Plan Alternatives Study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-07-01

This study examines the alternatives available to implement a national Voice Response System (VRS) for automated preflight weather briefings and flight plan filing. Four major hardware configurations are discussed. A computerized analysis model was d...

Alternating current transport and dielectric relaxation of nanocrystalline graphene oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zedan, I. T.; El-Menyawy, E. M.

2018-07-01

Graphene oxide (GO) has been synthesized from natural graphite using modified Hummer's method and is subjected to sonication for 1 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the prepared GO has nanocrystalline structure with particle size of about 5 nm and high-resolution transmission electron microscope showed that it had a layered structure. The nanocrystalline GO powder was pressed as a disk and the alternating current (AC) electrical conductivity, σAC, and dielectric properties have been investigated in the frequency range 50Hz-5 MHz and temperature range 298-523K using parallel plate spectroscopic technique. Analysis of σ AC as a function of frequency shows that the relation follows Jonscher's universal law with frequency exponent decreases with increasing temperature in which the correlated barrier hopping model is applicable to describe the behavior. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss are studied as functions of frequency and temperature. The dielectric modulus formalism is used for describing the relaxation process in which the relaxation time and its activation energy were evaluated.

Semiconductor laser using multimode interference principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Zisu; Yin, Rui; Ji, Wei; Wu, Chonghao

2018-01-01

Multimode interference (MMI) structure is introduced in semiconductor laser used in optical communication system to realize higher power and better temperature tolerance. Using beam propagation method (BPM), Multimode interference laser diode (MMI-LD) is designed and fabricated in InGaAsP/InP based material. As a comparison, conventional semiconductor laser using straight single-mode waveguide is also fabricated in the same wafer. With a low injection current (about 230 mA), the output power of the implemented MMI-LD is up to 2.296 mW which is about four times higher than the output power of the conventional semiconductor laser. The implemented MMI-LD exhibits stable output operating at the wavelength of 1.52 μm and better temperature tolerance when the temperature varies from 283.15 K to 293.15 K.

Hidden Markov model tracking of continuous gravitational waves from young supernova remnants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, L.; Melatos, A.; Suvorova, S.; Moran, W.; Evans, R. J.

2018-02-01

Searches for persistent gravitational radiation from nonpulsating neutron stars in young supernova remnants are computationally challenging because of rapid stellar braking. We describe a practical, efficient, semicoherent search based on a hidden Markov model tracking scheme, solved by the Viterbi algorithm, combined with a maximum likelihood matched filter, the F statistic. The scheme is well suited to analyzing data from advanced detectors like the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (Advanced LIGO). It can track rapid phase evolution from secular stellar braking and stochastic timing noise torques simultaneously without searching second- and higher-order derivatives of the signal frequency, providing an economical alternative to stack-slide-based semicoherent algorithms. One implementation tracks the signal frequency alone. A second implementation tracks the signal frequency and its first time derivative. It improves the sensitivity by a factor of a few upon the first implementation, but the cost increases by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude.

User data dissemination concepts for earth resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davies, R.; Scott, M.; Mitchell, C.; Torbett, A.

1976-01-01

Domestic data dissemination networks for earth-resources data in the 1985-1995 time frame were evaluated. The following topics were addressed: (1) earth-resources data sources and expected data volumes, (2) future user demand in terms of data volume and timeliness, (3) space-to-space and earth point-to-point transmission link requirements and implementation, (4) preprocessing requirements and implementation, (5) network costs, and (6) technological development to support this implementation. This study was parametric in that the data input (supply) was varied by a factor of about fifteen while the user request (demand) was varied by a factor of about nineteen. Correspondingly, the time from observation to delivery to the user was varied. This parametric evaluation was performed by a computer simulation that was based on network alternatives and resulted in preliminary transmission and preprocessing requirements. The earth-resource data sources considered were: shuttle sorties, synchronous satellites (e.g., SEOS), aircraft, and satellites in polar orbits.

Integrated Stirling Convertor and Hall Thruster Test Conducted

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, Lee S.

2002-01-01

An important aspect of implementing Stirling Radioisotope Generators on future NASA missions is the integration of the generator and controller with potential spacecraft loads. Some recent studies have indicated that the combination of Stirling Radioisotope Generators and electric propulsion devices offer significant trip time and payload fraction benefits for deep space missions. A test was devised to begin to understand the interactions between Stirling generators and electric thrusters. An electrically heated RG- 350 (350-W output) Stirling convertor, designed and built by Stirling Technology Company of Kennewick, Washington, under a NASA Small Business Innovation Research agreement, was coupled to a 300-W SPT-50 Hall-effect thruster built for NASA by the Moscow Aviation Institute (RIAME). The RG-350 and the SPT-50 shown, were installed in adjacent vacuum chamber ports at NASA Glenn Research Center's Electric Propulsion Laboratory, Vacuum Facility 8. The Stirling electrical controller interfaced directly with the Hall thruster power-processing unit, both of which were located outside of the vacuum chamber. The power-processing unit accepted the 48 Vdc output from the Stirling controller and distributed the power to all the loads of the SPT-50, including the magnets, keeper, heater, and discharge. On February 28, 2001, the Glenn test team successfully operated the Hall-effect thruster with the Stirling convertor. This is the world's first known test of a dynamic power source with electric propulsion. The RG-350 successfully managed the transition from the purely resistive load bank within the Stirling controller to the highly capacitive power-processing unit load. At the time of the demonstration, the Stirling convertor was operating at a hot temperature of 530 C and a cold temperature of -6 C. The linear alternator was producing approximately 250 W at 109 Vac, while the power-processing unit was drawing 175 W at 48 Vdc. The majority of power was delivered to the Hall thruster discharge circuit operating at 115 Vdc and 0.9 A. Testing planned for late 2001 will examine the possibility of directly driving the Hall thruster discharge circuit using rectified and filtered output from the Stirling alternator.

The Employer Perspective on Sustainable Employability in the Construction Industry.

PubMed

Tonnon, Susanne C; van der Veen, Rozan; Westerman, Marjan J; Robroek, Suzan J W; van der Ploeg, Hidde P; van der Beek, Allard J; Proper, Karin I

2017-01-01

To determine the measures employers in the construction industry take to promote sustainable employability, the barriers and facilitators that influence implementation and employer needs. Questionnaire among 499 employers and interviews with 17 employers. Employers expressed a need for alternative jobs for workers who can no longer perform physically demanding tasks, as well as means to stimulate proactive employee behavior. Measures frequently targeted the work environment (95%) and employee health (79%), less frequently personal development (63%) and organization (65%). Implementation was influenced by economic factors, rules and regulations, client demands, employee demands, company vision, company culture, and time/manpower/expertise. Implementation of measures aimed at reducing physical load and the promotion of personal development are needed.

Toward real-time temperature monitoring in fat and aqueous tissue during magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound using a three-dimensional proton resonance frequency T1 method.

PubMed

Diakite, Mahamadou; Odéen, Henrik; Todd, Nick; Payne, Allison; Parker, Dennis L

2014-07-01

To present a three-dimensional (3D) segmented echoplanar imaging (EPI) pulse sequence implementation that provides simultaneously the proton resonance frequency shift temperature of aqueous tissue and the longitudinal relaxation time (T1 ) of fat during thermal ablation. The hybrid sequence was implemented by combining a 3D segmented flyback EPI sequence, the extended two-point Dixon fat and water separation, and the double flip angle T1 mapping techniques. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) heating experiments were performed at three different acoustic powers on excised human breast fat embedded in ex vivo porcine muscle. Furthermore, T1 calibrations with temperature in four different excised breast fat samples were performed, yielding an estimate of the average and variation of dT1 /dT across subjects. The water only images were used to mask the complex original data before computing the proton resonance frequency shift. T1 values were calculated from the fat-only images. The relative temperature coefficients were found in five fat tissue samples from different patients and ranged from 1.2% to 2.6%/°C. The results demonstrate the capability of real-time simultaneous temperature mapping in aqueous tissue and T1 mapping in fat during HIFU ablation, providing a potential tool for treatment monitoring in organs with large fat content, such as the breast. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis of photovoltaic with water pump cooling by using ANSYS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syafiqah, Z.; Amin, N. A. M.; Irwan, Y. M.; Shobry, M. Z.; Majid, M. S. A.

2017-10-01

Almost all regions in the world are facing with problem of increasing electricity cost from time to time. Besides, with the mankind’s anxiety about global warming, it has infused an ideology to rapidly move towards renewable energy sources since it is believed to be more reliable and safer. One example of the best alternatives to replace the fossil fuels sourced is solar energy. Photovoltaic (PV) panel is used to convert the sunlight into electricity. Unfortunately, the performance of PV panel can be affected by its operating temperature. With the increment of ambient temperature, the PV panel operating temperature also increase and will affect the performance of PV panel (in terms of power generated). With this concern, a water cooling system was installed on top of PV panel to help reduce the PV panel’s temperature. Five different water mass flow rate is tested due to investigate their impact towards the thermal performance and heat transfer rate.

System design analyses of a rotating advanced-technology space station for the year 2025

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Queijo, M. J.; Butterfield, A. J.; Cuddihy, W. F.; Stone, R. W.; Wrobel, J. R.; Garn, P. A.; King, C. B.

1988-01-01

Studies of an advanced technology space station configured to implement subsystem technologies projected for availability in the time period 2000 to 2025 is documented. These studies have examined the practical synergies in operational performance available through subsystem technology selection and identified the needs for technology development. Further analyses are performed on power system alternates, momentum management and stabilization, electrothermal propulsion, composite materials and structures, launch vehicle alternates, and lunar and planetary missions. Concluding remarks are made regarding the advanced technology space station concept, its intersubsystem synergies, and its system operational subsystem advanced technology development needs.

The impact of global budgets on pharmaceutical spending and utilization: early experience from the alternative quality contract.

PubMed

Afendulis, Christopher C; Fendrick, A Mark; Song, Zirui; Landon, Bruce E; Safran, Dana Gelb; Mechanic, Robert E; Chernew, Michael E

2014-01-01

In 2009, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts implemented a global budget-based payment system, the Alternative Quality Contract (AQC), in which provider groups assumed accountability for spending. We investigate the impact of global budgets on the utilization of prescription drugs and related expenditures. Our analyses indicate no statistically significant evidence that the AQC reduced the use of drugs. Although the impact may change over time, early evidence suggests that it is premature to conclude that global budget systems may reduce access to medications. © The Author(s) 2014.

Logical Consequences: Using Passing Times to Prevent Misbehavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harriman, Dion; Pierre, Christina

2009-01-01

This article discusses the No Passing Plan, a no-passing policy implemented at White Bear Lake (MN) High School-North Campus in order to prevent chronic tardiness and misbehavior in the halls. The plan is an alternative consequence for administrators to use with students who are disruptive in the halls or consistently tardy to class. Suspending…

Environmental assessment of alternative pasteurization technologies for fluid milk production using process simulation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fluid milk processing (FMP) has significant environmental impact because of its high energy use. High temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization is the third most energy intensive operation comprising about 16% of total energy use, after clean-in-place operations and packaging. Nonthermal processe...

Environmental assessment of alternative pasteurization technologies for fluid milk production using process simulation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

JUSTIFICATION Fluid milk processing (FMP) has significant environmental impact because of its high energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. High temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization is the third most energy intense operation in FMP comprising about 16% of total energy use, after clean-...

Dielectric properties of dried vegetable powders and their temperature profile during radio frequency heating

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recently, Salmonella contamination was identified in low-moisture foods including dried vegetable powder. Radio Frequency (RF) dielectric heating is a potential alternative pasteurization method with short heating time. Dielectric properties of broccoli powder with 6.9, 9.1, 12.2, and 14.9%, w. b....

Prediction of Long-Term Strength of Thermoplastic Composites Using Time-Temperature Superposition. Degree awarded by Texas A&M Univ., May 1998

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeder, James R.

2002-01-01

Accelerated tests for composite failure were investigated. Constant ramp transverse strength tests on thermoplastic composite specimens were conducted at four temperatures from 300 F to 450 F and five duration times from 0.5 sec to 24 hrs. Up to 400 F, the time-temperature-superposition method produces a master curve allowing strength at longer times to be estimated from strength tests conducted over shorter times but at higher temperatures. The shift factors derived from compliance tests applied well to the strength data. To explain why strength behaved similar to compliance, a viscoelastic fracture model was investigated based on the hypothesis that the work of fracture for crack initiation at some critical flaw remains constant with time and temperature. The model, which used compliance as input, was found to fit the strength data only if the critical fracture energy was allowed to vary with stress rate. Fracture tests using double cantilever beam specimens were conducted from 300 F to 450 F over time scales similar to the strength study. The toughness data showed a significant change with loading rate, less variation with temperature, did not form a master curve, and could not be correlated with the fracture model. Since the fracture model did not fit the fracture data, an alternative explanation based on the dilatational strain energy density was proposed. However the usefulness of this model is severely limited because it relies on a critical parameter which varies with loading rate.

Evaluation of two-fold fully conditional specification multiple imputation for longitudinal electronic health record data

PubMed Central

Welch, Catherine A; Petersen, Irene; Bartlett, Jonathan W; White, Ian R; Marston, Louise; Morris, Richard W; Nazareth, Irwin; Walters, Kate; Carpenter, James

2014-01-01

Most implementations of multiple imputation (MI) of missing data are designed for simple rectangular data structures ignoring temporal ordering of data. Therefore, when applying MI to longitudinal data with intermittent patterns of missing data, some alternative strategies must be considered. One approach is to divide data into time blocks and implement MI independently at each block. An alternative approach is to include all time blocks in the same MI model. With increasing numbers of time blocks, this approach is likely to break down because of co-linearity and over-fitting. The new two-fold fully conditional specification (FCS) MI algorithm addresses these issues, by only conditioning on measurements, which are local in time. We describe and report the results of a novel simulation study to critically evaluate the two-fold FCS algorithm and its suitability for imputation of longitudinal electronic health records. After generating a full data set, approximately 70% of selected continuous and categorical variables were made missing completely at random in each of ten time blocks. Subsequently, we applied a simple time-to-event model. We compared efficiency of estimated coefficients from a complete records analysis, MI of data in the baseline time block and the two-fold FCS algorithm. The results show that the two-fold FCS algorithm maximises the use of data available, with the gain relative to baseline MI depending on the strength of correlations within and between variables. Using this approach also increases plausibility of the missing at random assumption by using repeated measures over time of variables whose baseline values may be missing. PMID:24782349

StreamFlow 1.0: an extension to the spatially distributed snow model Alpine3D for hydrological modelling and deterministic stream temperature prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallice, Aurélien; Bavay, Mathias; Brauchli, Tristan; Comola, Francesco; Lehning, Michael; Huwald, Hendrik

2016-12-01

Climate change is expected to strongly impact the hydrological and thermal regimes of Alpine rivers within the coming decades. In this context, the development of hydrological models accounting for the specific dynamics of Alpine catchments appears as one of the promising approaches to reduce our uncertainty of future mountain hydrology. This paper describes the improvements brought to StreamFlow, an existing model for hydrological and stream temperature prediction built as an external extension to the physically based snow model Alpine3D. StreamFlow's source code has been entirely written anew, taking advantage of object-oriented programming to significantly improve its structure and ease the implementation of future developments. The source code is now publicly available online, along with a complete documentation. A special emphasis has been put on modularity during the re-implementation of StreamFlow, so that many model aspects can be represented using different alternatives. For example, several options are now available to model the advection of water within the stream. This allows for an easy and fast comparison between different approaches and helps in defining more reliable uncertainty estimates of the model forecasts. In particular, a case study in a Swiss Alpine catchment reveals that the stream temperature predictions are particularly sensitive to the approach used to model the temperature of subsurface flow, a fact which has been poorly reported in the literature to date. Based on the case study, StreamFlow is shown to reproduce hourly mean discharge with a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of 0.82 and hourly mean temperature with a NSE of 0.78.

Single well thermal tracer test, a new experimental set up for characterizing thermal transport in fractured media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de La Bernardie, Jérôme; Bour, Olivier; Guihéneuf, Nicolas; Chatton, Eliot; Labasque, Thierry; Longuevergne, Laurent; Le Lay, Hugo; Koch, Floriant; Gerard, Marie-Françoise; Le Borgne, Tanguy

2017-04-01

Thermal transport in fractured media depends on the hydrological properties of fractures and thermal characteristics of rock. Tracer tests using heat as tracer can thus be a good alternative to characterize fractured media for shallow geothermal needs. This study investigates the possibility of implementing a new thermal tracer test set up, the single well thermal tracer test, to characterize hydraulic and thermal transport properties of fractured crystalline rock. The experimental setup is based on injecting hot water in a fracture isolated by a double straddle packer in the borehole while pumping and monitoring the temperature in a fracture crossing the same borehole at greater elevation. One difficulty comes from the fact that injection and withdrawal are achieved in the same borehole involving thermal losses along the injection tube that may disturb the heat recovery signal. To be able to well localize the heat influx, we implemented a Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (FO-DTS) which allows the temperature monitoring with high spatial and temporal resolution (29 centimeters and 30 seconds respectively). Several tests, at different pumping and injection rates, were performed in a crystalline rock aquifer at the experimental site of Ploemeur (H+ observatory network). We show through signal processing how the thermal breakthrough may be extracted thanks to Fiber-Optic distributed temperature measurements. In particular, we demonstrate how detailed distributed temperature measurements were useful to identify different inflows and to estimate how much heat was transported and stored within the fractures network. Thermal breakthrough curves of single well thermal tracer tests were then interpreted with a simple analytical model to characterize hydraulic and thermal characteristics of the fractured media. We finally discuss the advantages of these tests compared to cross-borehole thermal tracer tests.

Control of Advanced Reactor-Coupled Heat Exchanger System: Incorporation of Reactor Dynamics in System Response to Load Disturbances

DOE PAGES

Skavdahl, Isaac; Utgikar, Vivek; Christensen, Richard; ...

2016-05-24

We present an alternative control schemes for an Advanced High Temperature Reactor system consisting of a reactor, an intermediate heat exchanger, and a secondary heat exchanger (SHX) in this paper. One scheme is designed to control the cold outlet temperature of the SHX (T co) and the hot outlet temperature of the intermediate heat exchanger (T ho2) by manipulating the hot-side flow rates of the heat exchangers (F h/F h2) responding to the flow rate and temperature disturbances. The flow rate disturbances typically require a larger manipulation of the flow rates than temperature disturbances. An alternate strategy examines the controlmore » of the cold outlet temperature of the SHX (T co) only, since this temperature provides the driving force for energy production in the power conversion unit or the process application. The control can be achieved by three options: (1) flow rate manipulation; (2) reactor power manipulation; or (3) a combination of the two. The first option has a quicker response but requires a large flow rate change. The second option is the slowest but does not involve any change in the flow rates of streams. The final option appears preferable as it has an intermediate response time and requires only a minimal flow rate change.« less

Groundwater thermal-effective injection systems in shallow aquifers: possible alternatives to vertical water wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lo Russo, Stefano; Taddia, Glenda; Cerino Abdin, Elena

2014-05-01

Urbanized areas have environmental features that may influence the development of low-enthalpy geothermal systems and the choice of the most suitable among the available (roughly earth-coupled closed-loop and groundwater open-loop type). In particular, if compared to less anthropized areas, some characteristic urban elements require particular attention: underground extensive use, contamination of groundwater, interference between the systems, authorization procedures and planning restrictions, the competition with cogeneration systems and the impact on emissions of pollutants. In this general context, the increasing implementation in several areas of the world of the open-loop groundwater heat pumps technology which discharge into the aquifer for cooling and heating buildings, could potentially cause, even in the short term, a significant environmental impact associated with thermal interference with groundwater, particularly in the shallow aquifers. The discharge of water at different temperatures compared to baseline (warmer in summer and colder in winter) poses a number of problems in relation to the potential functionality of many existing situations of use of the groundwater (drinking water wells, agricultural, industrial, etc.). In addition, there may be cases of interference between systems, especially in the more densely urbanized areas. Appropriate hydrogeological investigations should be performed for the characterization of the main hydrogeological parameters of the subsoil at the considered site in order to minimize the environmental impact of discharges into aquifers. The current Italian legislation related to withdrawals and discharges into aquifers designs a framework suitable for the protection of groundwater and induce deciding the best configuration of the plant with a case by case approach. An increased contact area between the dispersant system and the ground makes it possible to affect a greater volume of aquifer and, consequently, reduce the areal extent of the thermal plume that develops around the area of injection minimizing the time and the space needed for the disappearance of the thermal plume and the restoration of undisturbed temperature conditions. The reduction in plan and temporal extension of the thermal plume would have several benefits, minimizing the use of large areas around the buildings involved by the thermal perturbation, with direct implementation benefits. In order to investigate alternatives to traditional drilled water well for the re-injection and dispersion of water in aquifer downstream of the heat pump, we modeled with FEFLOW the possible reverse use of commercial draining gabions in various types of ground configuration, geometry and interconnection with systems of pre-fabricated vertical drains on a possible reliable test-site. The results highlighted that they can represent a good and efficient alternative for the groundwater dispersion in the aquifers.

Model Development for MODIS Thermal Band Electronic Crosstalk

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Tiejun; Wu, Aisheng; Geng, Xu; Li, Yonghonh; Brinkman, Jake; Keller, Graziela; Xiong, Xiaoxiong

2016-01-01

MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) has 36 bands. Among them, 16 thermal emissive bands covering a wavelength range from 3.8 to 14.4 m. After 16 years on-orbit operation, the electronic crosstalk of a few Terra MODIS thermal emissive bands developed substantial issues that cause biases in the EV brightness temperature measurements and surface feature contamination. The crosstalk effects on band 27 with center wavelength at 6.7 m and band 29 at 8.5 m increased significantly in recent years, affecting downstream products such as water vapor and cloud mask. The crosstalk effect is evident in the near-monthly scheduled lunar measurements, from which the crosstalk coefficients can be derived. The development of an alternative approach is very helpful for independent verification.In this work, a physical model was developed to assess the crosstalk impact on calibration as well as in Earth view brightness temperature retrieval. This model was applied to Terra MODIS band 29 empirically to correct the Earth brightness temperature measurements. In the model development, the detectors nonlinear response is considered. The impact of the electronic crosstalk is assessed in two steps. The first step consists of determining the impact on calibration using the on-board blackbody (BB). Due to the detectors nonlinear response and large background signal, both linear and nonlinear coefficients are affected by the crosstalk from sending bands. The second step is to calculate the effects on the Earth view brightness temperature retrieval. The effects include those from affected calibration coefficients and the contamination of Earth view measurements. This model links the measurement bias with crosstalk coefficients, detector non-linearity, and the ratio of Earth measurements between the sending and receiving bands. The correction of the electronic cross talk can be implemented empirically from the processed bias at different brightness temperature. The implementation can be done through two approaches. As routine calibration assessment for thermal infrared bands, the trending over select Earth scenes is processed for all the detectors in a band and the band averaged bias is derived at a certain time. In this case, the correction of an affected band can be made using the regression of the model with band averaged bias and then corrections of detector differences are applied. The second approach requires the trending for individual detectors and the bias for each detector is used for regression with the model. A test using the first approach was made for Terra MODIS band 29 with the biases derived from long-term trending of brightness temperature over ocean and Dome-C.

Defining alternative rules in water and sanitation.

PubMed

Robert, J

1995-11-01

While the conventional water and sanitation package remains most prominent, alternatives exist to conventional waterworks and sanitation practices. Some alternate courses of action are considered. Promising an unprecedented availability of piped water, water development projects foster a pump-and-dump mentality even before they are completed. Often simply announcing the impending implementation of such projects encourages the intention among future beneficiaries to waste water resources. Alternatives to the domestic waste of water must be sought and implemented. Disestablishing water development, styles of alternative water technologies, decision-making and decision-makers, water policy scale, regenerating community access to sources, and water pricing are discussed.

A clinical audit cycle of post-operative hypothermia in dogs.

PubMed

Rose, N; Kwong, G P S; Pang, D S J

2016-09-01

Use of clinical audits to assess and improve perioperative hypothermia management in client-owned dogs. Two clinical audits were performed. In Audit 1 data were collected to determine the incidence and duration of perioperative hypothermia (defined as rectal temperatures <37·0°C). The results from Audit 1 were used to reach consensus on changes to be implemented to improve temperature management, including re-defining hypothermia as rectal temperature <37·5°C. Audit 2 was performed after 1 month with changes in place. Audit 1 revealed a high incidence of post-operative hypothermia (88·0%) and prolonged time periods (7·5 hours) to reach normothermia. Consensus changes were to use a forced air warmer on all dogs and measure rectal temperatures hourly post-operatively until temperature ≥37·5°C. After 1 month with the implemented changes, Audit 2 identified a significant reduction in the time to achieve a rectal temperature of ≥37·5°C, with 75% of dogs achieving this goal by 3·5 hours. The incidence of hypothermia at tracheal extubation remained high in Audit 2 (97·3% with a rectal temperature <37·5°C). Post-operative hypothermia was improved through simple changes in practice, showing that clinical audit is a useful tool for monitoring post-operative hypothermia and improving patient care. Overall management of perioperative hypothermia could be further improved with earlier intervention. © 2016 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

Model development for MODIS thermal band electronic cross-talk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Tiejun; Wu, Aisheng; Geng, Xu; Li, Yonghong; Brinkmann, Jake; Keller, Graziela; Xiong, Xiaoxiong (Jack)

2016-10-01

MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) has 36 bands. Among them, 16 thermal emissive bands covering a wavelength range from 3.8 to 14.4 μm. After 16 years on-orbit operation, the electronic crosstalk of a few Terra MODIS thermal emissive bands develop substantial issues which cause biases in the EV brightness temperature measurements and surface feature contamination. The crosstalk effects on band 27 with center wavelength at 6.7 μm and band 29 at 8.5 μm increased significantly in recent years, affecting downstream products such as water vapor and cloud mask. The crosstalk issue can be observed from nearly monthly scheduled lunar measurements, from which the crosstalk coefficients can be derived. Most of MODIS thermal bands are saturated at moon surface temperatures and the development of an alternative approach is very helpful for verification. In this work, a physical model was developed to assess the crosstalk impact on calibration as well as in Earth view brightness temperature retrieval. This model was applied to Terra MODIS band 29 empirically for correction of Earth brightness temperature measurements. In the model development, the detector nonlinear response is considered. The impacts of the electronic crosstalk are assessed in two steps. The first step consists of determining the impact on calibration using the on-board blackbody (BB). Due to the detector nonlinear response and large background signal, both linear and nonlinear coefficients are affected by the crosstalk from sending bands. The crosstalk impact on calibration coefficients was calculated. The second step is to calculate the effects on the Earth view brightness temperature retrieval. The effects include those from affected calibration coefficients and the contamination of Earth view measurements. This model links the measurement bias with crosstalk coefficients, detector nonlinearity, and the ratio of Earth measurements between the sending and receiving bands. The correction of the electronic crosstalk can be implemented empirically from the processed bias at different brightness temperature. The implementation can be done through two approaches. As routine calibration assessment for thermal infrared bands, the trending over select Earth scenes is processed for all the detectors in a band and the band averaged bias is derived for certain time. In this case, the correction of an affected band can be made using the regression of the model with band averaged bias and then corrections of detector differences are applied. The second approach requires the trending for individual detectors and the bias for each detector is used for regression with the model. A test using the first approach was made for Terra MODIS band 29 with the biases derived from long-term trending of sea surface temperature and Dome-C surface temperature.

Surveillance for collision avoidance with integrity using raw measurements in the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vana, Sudha; Uijt de Haag, Maarten

2010-04-01

This paper discusses an alternative ADS-B implementation that uses available provisions (Mode-S, UAT and GPS receivers) and existing GPS algorithms and techniques. This alternative has many advantages over the current ADS-B implementation, especially with respect to integrity of the solution. The paper will describe the methodology, its advantages, simulation results and implementation issues.

Elasticity and Anelasticity of Materials from Time-Resolved X-ray Diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinogeikin, S. V.; Smith, J.; Lin, C.; Bai, L.; Rod, E.; Shen, G.

2014-12-01

Recent advances in synchrotron sources, x-ray optics, area detectors, and sample environment control have enabled many time-resolved experimental techniques for studying materials at extreme pressure and temperature conditions. The High Pressure Collaborative Access Team (HPCAT) at the Advanced Photon Source has made a sustained effort to develop and assemble a powerful collection of high-pressure apparatus for time-resolved research, and considerable time has been invested in developing techniques for collecting high-quality time-resolved x-ray scattering data. In this talk we will outline recently developed capabilities at HPCAT for studying elasticity and anelasticity of minerals using fast compression and cyclic compression-decompression. A few recent studies will be highlighted. For example, with fast x-ray area detectors having millisecond time resolution, accurate thermal equations of state of materials at temperatures up to 1000K and megabar pressures can be collected in a matter of seconds using membrane-driven diamond anvil cells (DAC), yielding unprecedented time and pressure resolution of true isotherms. Short duration of the experiments eliminates temperature variation during the experiments and in general allows volume measurements at higher pressures and temperatures. Alternatively, high-frequency (kilohertz range) radial diffraction measurements in a panoramic DAC combined with fast, precise cyclic loading/unloading by piezo drive could provide the short time scale necessary for studying rheology of minerals from the elastic response and lattice relaxation as a function of pressure, temperature and strain rate. Finally, we consider some possible future applications for time-resolved high-pressure, high-temperature research of mantle minerals.

75 FR 18782 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Alternate Monitoring...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-13

...EPA is proposing to approve a revision to Indiana's State Implementation Plan alternative monitoring requirements for Indianapolis Power and Light Company (IPL) at its Harding Street Generating Station. On December 31, 2008, Indiana requested approval of alternative monitoring requirements that allow the use of a particulate matter continuous emissions monitoring system in place of a continuous opacity monitor.

Electronic Thermometer Readings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

NASA Stennis' adaptive predictive algorithm for electronic thermometers uses sample readings during the initial rise in temperature and applies an algorithm that accurately and rapidly predicts the steady state temperature. The final steady state temperature of an object can be calculated based on the second-order logarithm of the temperature signals acquired by the sensor and predetermined variables from the sensor characteristics. These variables are calculated during tests of the sensor. Once the variables are determined, relatively little data acquisition and data processing time by the algorithm is required to provide a near-accurate approximation of the final temperature. This reduces the delay in the steady state response time of a temperature sensor. This advanced algorithm can be implemented in existing software or hardware with an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM). The capability for easy integration eliminates the expense of developing a whole new system that offers the benefits provided by NASA Stennis' technology.

The Temperature Fuzzy Control System of Barleythe Malt Drying Based on Microcontroller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Xiaoyang; Bi, Yang; Zhang, Lili; Chen, Jingjing; Yun, Jianmin

The control strategy of temperature and humidity in the beer barley malt drying chamber based on fuzzy logic control was implemented.Expounded in this paper was the selection of parameters for the structure of the regulatory device, as well as the essential design from control rules based on the existing experience. A temperature fuzzy controller was thus constructed using relevantfuzzy logic, and humidity control was achieved by relay, ensured the situation of the humidity to control the temperature. The temperature's fuzzy control and the humidity real-time control were all processed by single chip microcomputer with assembly program. The experimental results showed that the temperature control performance of this fuzzy regulatory system,especially in the ways of working stability and responding speed and so on,was better than normal used PID control. The cost of real-time system was inquite competitive position. It was demonstrated that the system have a promising prospect of extensive application.

Competency-based education: programme design and challenges to implementation.

PubMed

Gruppen, Larry D; Burkhardt, John C; Fitzgerald, James T; Funnell, Martha; Haftel, Hilary M; Lypson, Monica L; Mullan, Patricia B; Santen, Sally A; Sheets, Kent J; Stalburg, Caren M; Vasquez, John A

2016-05-01

Competency-based education (CBE) has been widely cited as an educational framework for medical students and residents, and provides a framework for designing educational programmes that reflect four critical features: a focus on outcomes, an emphasis on abilities, a reduction of emphasis on time-based training, and promotion of learner centredness. Each of these features has implications and potential challenges for implementing CBE. As an experiment in CBE programme design and implementation, the University of Michigan Master of Health Professions Education (UM-MHPE) degree programme was examined for lessons to be learned when putting CBE into practice. The UM-MHPE identifies 12 educational competencies and 20 educational entrustable professional activities (EPAs) that serve as the vehicle for both learning and assessment. The programme also defines distinct roles of faculty members as assessors, mentors and subject-matter experts focused on highly individualised learning plans adapted to each learner. Early experience with implementing the UM-MHPE indicates that EPAs and competencies can provide a viable alternative to traditional courses and a vehicle for rigorous assessment. A high level of individualisation is feasible but carries with it significant costs and makes intentional community building essential. Most significantly, abandoning a time-based framework is a difficult innovation to implement in a university structure that is predicated on time-based education. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Modeling of acoustic emission signal propagation in waveguides.

PubMed

Zelenyak, Andreea-Manuela; Hamstad, Marvin A; Sause, Markus G R

2015-05-21

Acoustic emission (AE) testing is a widely used nondestructive testing (NDT) method to investigate material failure. When environmental conditions are harmful for the operation of the sensors, waveguides are typically mounted in between the inspected structure and the sensor. Such waveguides can be built from different materials or have different designs in accordance with the experimental needs. All these variations can cause changes in the acoustic emission signals in terms of modal conversion, additional attenuation or shift in frequency content. A finite element method (FEM) was used to model acoustic emission signal propagation in an aluminum plate with an attached waveguide and was validated against experimental data. The geometry of the waveguide is systematically changed by varying the radius and height to investigate the influence on the detected signals. Different waveguide materials were implemented and change of material properties as function of temperature were taken into account. Development of the option of modeling different waveguide options replaces the time consuming and expensive trial and error alternative of experiments. Thus, the aim of this research has important implications for those who use waveguides for AE testing.

Metabolic engineering of E. coli top 10 for production of vanillin through FA catabolic pathway and bioprocess optimization using RSM.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Debkumar; Gupta, Gaganjot; Kaur, Baljinder

2016-12-01

Metabolic engineering and construction of recombinant Escherichia coli strains carrying feruloyl-CoA synthetase and enoyl-CoA hydratase genes for the bioconversion of ferulic acid to vanillin offers an alternative way to produce vanillin. Isolation and designing of fcs and ech genes was carried out using computer assisted protocol and the designed vanillin biosynthetic gene cassette was cloned in pCCIBAC expression vector for introduction in E. coli top 10. Recombinant strain was implemented for the statistical optimization of process parameters influencing F A to vanillin biotransformation. CCD matrix constituted of process variables like FA concentration, time, temperature and biomass with intracellular, extracellular and total vanillin productions as responses. Production was scaled up and 68 mg/L of vanillin was recovered from 10 mg/L of FA using cell extracts from 1 mg biomass within 30 min. Kinetic activity of enzymes were characterized. From LCMS-ESI analysis a metabolic pathway of FA degradation and vanillin production was predicted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cache-Oblivious parallel SIMD Viterbi decoding for sequence search in HMMER.

PubMed

Ferreira, Miguel; Roma, Nuno; Russo, Luis M S

2014-05-30

HMMER is a commonly used bioinformatics tool based on Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) to analyze and process biological sequences. One of its main homology engines is based on the Viterbi decoding algorithm, which was already highly parallelized and optimized using Farrar's striped processing pattern with Intel SSE2 instruction set extension. A new SIMD vectorization of the Viterbi decoding algorithm is proposed, based on an SSE2 inter-task parallelization approach similar to the DNA alignment algorithm proposed by Rognes. Besides this alternative vectorization scheme, the proposed implementation also introduces a new partitioning of the Markov model that allows a significantly more efficient exploitation of the cache locality. Such optimization, together with an improved loading of the emission scores, allows the achievement of a constant processing throughput, regardless of the innermost-cache size and of the dimension of the considered model. The proposed optimized vectorization of the Viterbi decoding algorithm was extensively evaluated and compared with the HMMER3 decoder to process DNA and protein datasets, proving to be a rather competitive alternative implementation. Being always faster than the already highly optimized ViterbiFilter implementation of HMMER3, the proposed Cache-Oblivious Parallel SIMD Viterbi (COPS) implementation provides a constant throughput and offers a processing speedup as high as two times faster, depending on the model's size.

Gradual electronic health record implementation: new insights on physician and patient adaptation.

PubMed

Shield, Renée R; Goldman, Roberta E; Anthony, David A; Wang, Nina; Doyle, Richard J; Borkan, Jeffrey

2010-01-01

Although there is significant interest in implementation of electronic health records (EHRs), limited data have been published in the United States about how physicians, staff, and patients adapt to this implementation process. The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of EHR implementation, especially regarding physician-patient communication and behaviors and patients' responses. We undertook a 22-month, triangulation design, mixed methods study of gradual EHR implementation in a residency-based family medicine outpatient center. Data collection included participant observation and time measurements of 170 clinical encounters, patient exit interviews, focus groups with nurses, nurse's aides, and office staff, and unstructured observations and interviews with nursing staff and physicians. Analysis involved iterative immersion-crystallization discussion and searches for alternate hypotheses. Patient trust in the physician and security in the physician-patient relationship appeared to override most patients' concerns about information technology. Overall, staff concerns about potential deleterious consequences of EHR implementation were dispelled, positive anticipated outcomes were realized, and unexpected benefits were found. Physicians appeared to become comfortable with the "third actor" in the room, and nursing and office staff resistance to EHR implementation was ameliorated with improved work efficiencies. Unexpected advantages included just-in-time improvements and decreased physician time out of the examination room. Strong patient trust in the physician-patient relationship was maintained and work flow improved with EHR implementation. Gradual EHR implementation may help support the development of beneficial physician and staff adaptations, while maintaining positive patient-physician relationships and fostering the sharing of medical information.

Admission and capacity planning for the implementation of one-stop-shop in skin cancer treatment using simulation-based optimization.

PubMed

Romero, H L; Dellaert, N P; van der Geer, S; Frunt, M; Jansen-Vullers, M H; Krekels, G A M

2013-03-01

Hospitals and health care institutions are facing the challenge of improving the quality of their services while reducing their costs. The current study presents the application of operations management practices in a dermatology oncology outpatient clinic specialized in skin cancer treatment. An interesting alternative considered by the clinic is the implementation of a one-stop-shop concept for the treatment of new patients diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma. This alternative proposes a significant improvement in the average waiting time that a patient spends between the diagnosis and treatment. This study is focused on the identification of factors that influence the average throughput time of patients treated in the clinic from the logistic perspective. A two-phase approach was followed to achieve the goals stated in this study. The first phase included an integrated approach for the deterministic analysis of the capacity using a demand-supply model for the hospital processes, while the second phase involved the development of a simulation model to include variability to the activities involved in the process and to evaluate different scenarios. Results showed that by managing three factors: the admission rule, resources allocation and capacity planning in the dermato-oncology unit throughput times for treatments of new patients can be decreased with more than 90 %, even with the same resource level. Finally, a pilot study with 16 patients was also conducted to evaluate the impact of implementing the one stop shop concept from a clinical perspective. Patients turned out to be satisfied with the fast diagnosis and treatment.

DQM: Decentralized Quadratically Approximated Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokhtari, Aryan; Shi, Wei; Ling, Qing; Ribeiro, Alejandro

2016-10-01

This paper considers decentralized consensus optimization problems where nodes of a network have access to different summands of a global objective function. Nodes cooperate to minimize the global objective by exchanging information with neighbors only. A decentralized version of the alternating directions method of multipliers (DADMM) is a common method for solving this category of problems. DADMM exhibits linear convergence rate to the optimal objective but its implementation requires solving a convex optimization problem at each iteration. This can be computationally costly and may result in large overall convergence times. The decentralized quadratically approximated ADMM algorithm (DQM), which minimizes a quadratic approximation of the objective function that DADMM minimizes at each iteration, is proposed here. The consequent reduction in computational time is shown to have minimal effect on convergence properties. Convergence still proceeds at a linear rate with a guaranteed constant that is asymptotically equivalent to the DADMM linear convergence rate constant. Numerical results demonstrate advantages of DQM relative to DADMM and other alternatives in a logistic regression problem.

Statistical properties and time-frequency analysis of temperature, salinity and turbidity measured by the MAREL Carnot station in the coastal waters of Boulogne-sur-Mer (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kbaier Ben Ismail, Dhouha; Lazure, Pascal; Puillat, Ingrid

2016-10-01

In marine sciences, many fields display high variability over a large range of spatial and temporal scales, from seconds to thousands of years. The longer recorded time series, with an increasing sampling frequency, in this field are often nonlinear, nonstationary, multiscale and noisy. Their analysis faces new challenges and thus requires the implementation of adequate and specific methods. The objective of this paper is to highlight time series analysis methods already applied in econometrics, signal processing, health, etc. to the environmental marine domain, assess advantages and inconvenients and compare classical techniques with more recent ones. Temperature, turbidity and salinity are important quantities for ecosystem studies. The authors here consider the fluctuations of sea level, salinity, turbidity and temperature recorded from the MAREL Carnot system of Boulogne-sur-Mer (France), which is a moored buoy equipped with physico-chemical measuring devices, working in continuous and autonomous conditions. In order to perform adequate statistical and spectral analyses, it is necessary to know the nature of the considered time series. For this purpose, the stationarity of the series and the occurrence of unit-root are addressed with the Augmented-Dickey Fuller tests. As an example, the harmonic analysis is not relevant for temperature, turbidity and salinity due to the nonstationary condition, except for the nearly stationary sea level datasets. In order to consider the dominant frequencies associated to the dynamics, the large number of data provided by the sensors should enable the estimation of Fourier spectral analysis. Different power spectra show a complex variability and reveal an influence of environmental factors such as tides. However, the previous classical spectral analysis, namely the Blackman-Tukey method, requires not only linear and stationary data but also evenly-spaced data. Interpolating the time series introduces numerous artifacts to the data. The Lomb-Scargle algorithm is adapted to unevenly-spaced data and is used as an alternative. The limits of the method are also set out. It was found that beyond 50% of missing measures, few significant frequencies are detected, several seasonalities are no more visible, and even a whole range of high frequency disappears progressively. Furthermore, two time-frequency decomposition methods, namely wavelets and Hilbert-Huang Transformation (HHT), are applied for the analysis of the entire dataset. Using the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT), some properties of the time series are determined. Then, the inertial wave and several low-frequency tidal waves are identified by the application of the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD). Finally, EMD based Time Dependent Intrinsic Correlation (TDIC) analysis is applied to consider the correlation between two nonstationary time series.

Simultaneous optical fibre strain and temperature measurements in a hybrid distributed sensor based on Rayleigh and Raman scatteringYjdjvj

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorshkov, B. G.; Taranov, M. A.

2018-02-01

A new type of sensor for simultaneous measurements of strain and temperature changes in an optical fibre is proposed. Its operation builds on the use of Raman optical time-domain reflectometry and wavelength-tunable quasi-monochromatic Rayleigh reflectometry implemented using a microelectromechanical filter (MEMS). The sensor configuration includes independent Raman and Rayleigh scattering channels. Our experiments have demonstrated that, at a sensing fibre length near 8 km, spatial resolution of 1-2 m, and measurement time of 10 min, the noise level (standard deviation) is 1.1 μɛ (μm m-1) for the measured tension change (at small temperature deviations) and 0.04 °C for the measured temperature change, which allows for effective sensing of mechanical and temperature influences with improved accuracy.

Diurnal temperature fluctuation effects on potatoes grown with 12 hr photoperiods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, S. M.; Tibbitts, T. W.; Cao, W.

1991-01-01

This study was designed to characterize the growth responses of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to diurnal temperature fluctuations. Potato plants of two cultivars, Norland and Denali, were grown for 90 days under 12 hr photoperiod in walk-in growth rooms at the University of Wisconsin Biotron. The alternating temperature was 22 C light/14 C dark and compared to a constant 18 C as control. At all temperature regimes vapor pressure deficit was maintained at 0.62 kPa (70% relative humidity [correction of humdidity] at 18 C). Plant height, plant dry weight, tuber dry weight, and harvest index were overall greater under the warm light/cool dark alternating temperatures than under the constant temperature. The differences between temperature treatments were greater for Denali than for Norland. Alternating temperatures increased Denali tuber weights by 25%, but no significant increase was found with Norland. Also the total plant weight was increased over 20% with Denali, but increased with Norland in only one of the two replications of the experiment. This study documents that alternating temperatures are a benefit to some cultivars but may not be of benefit to all cultivars.

Fast, high sensitivity dewpoint hygrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoenk, Michael E. (Inventor)

1998-01-01

A dewpoint/frostpoint hygrometer that uses a surface moisture-sensitive sensor as part of an RF oscillator circuit with feedback control of the sensor temperature to maintain equilibrium at the sensor surface between ambient water vapor and condensed water/ice. The invention is preferably implemented using a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device in an RF oscillator circuit configured to generate a condensation-dependent output signal, a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the SAW device and to distinguish between condensation-dependent and temperature-dependent signals, a temperature regulating device to control the temperature of the SAW device, and a feedback control system configured to keep the condensation-dependent signal nearly constant over time in the presence of time-varying humidity, corrected for temperature. The effect of this response is to heat or cool the surface moisture-sensitive device, which shifts the equilibrium with respect to evaporation and condensation at the surface of the device. The equilibrium temperature under feedback control is a measure of dewpoint or frostpoint.

Social Thinking®: Science, Pseudoscience, or Antiscience?

PubMed

Leaf, Justin B; Kassardjian, Alyne; Oppenheim-Leaf, Misty L; Cihon, Joseph H; Taubman, Mitchell; Leaf, Ronald; McEachin, John

2016-06-01

Today, there are several interventions that can be implemented with individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Most of these interventions have limited to no empirical evidence demonstrating their effectiveness, yet they are widely implemented in home, school, university, and community settings. In 1996, Green wrote a chapter in which she outlined three levels of science: evidence science, pseudoscience, and antiscience; professionals were encouraged to implement and recommend only those procedures that would be considered evidence science. Today, an intervention that is commonly implemented with individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder is Social Thinking®. This intervention has been utilized by behaviorists and non-behaviorists. This commentary will outline Social Thinking® and provide evidence that the procedure, at the current time, qualifies as a pseudoscience and, therefore, should not be implemented with individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, especially given the availability of alternatives which clearly meet the standard of evidence science.

Primary Care Physicians' Experience with Electronic Medical Records: Barriers to Implementation in a Fee-for-Service Environment

PubMed Central

Ludwick, D. A.; Doucette, John

2009-01-01

Our aging population has exacerbated strong and divergent trends between health human resource supply and demand. One way to mitigate future inequities is through the adoption of health information technology (HIT). Our previous research showed a number of risks and mitigating factors which affected HIT implementation success. We confirmed these findings through semistructured interviews with nine Alberta clinics. Sociotechnical factors significantly affected physicians' implementation success. Physicians reported that the time constraints limited their willingness to investigate, procure, and implement an EMR. The combination of antiquated exam room design, complex HIT user interfaces, insufficient physician computer skills, and the urgency in patient encounters precipitated by a fee-for-service remuneration model and long waitlists compromised the quantity, if not the quality, of the information exchange. Alternative remuneration and access to services plans might be considered to drive prudent behavior during physician office system implementation. PMID:19081787

Study of copper-free back contacts to thin film cadmium telluride solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, Vijay

The goals of this project are to study Cu free back contact alternatives for CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells, and to research dry etching for CdTe surface preparation before contact application. In addition, an attempt has been made to evaluate the stability of some of the contacts researched. The contacts studied in this work include ZnTe/Cu2Te, Sb2Te 3, and Ni-P alloys. The ZnTe/Cu2Te contact system is studied as basically an extension of the earlier work done on Cu2Te at USF. RF sputtering from a compound target of ZnTe and Cu2Te respectively deposits these layers on etched CdTe surface. The effect of Cu2Te thickness and deposition temperature on contact and cell performance will be studied with the ZnTe depositions conditions kept constant. C-V measurements to study the effect of contact deposition conditions on CdTe doping will also be performed. These contacts will then be stressed to high temperatures (70--100°C) and their stability with stress time is analyzed. Sb2Te3 will be deposited on glass using RF sputtering, to study film properties with deposition temperature. The Sb2Te 3 contact performance will also be studied as a function of the Sb 2Te3 deposition temperature and thickness. The suitability of Ni-P alloys for back contacts to CdTe solar cells was studied by forming a colloidal mixture of Ni2P in graphite paste. The Ni-P contacts, painted on Br-methanol etched CdTe surface, will be studied as a function of Ni-P concentration (in the graphite paste), annealing temperature and time. Some of these cells will undergo temperature stress testing to determine contact behavior with time. Dry etching of CdTe will be studied as an alternative for wet etching processes currently used for CdTe solar cells. The CdTe surface is isotropically etched in a barrel reactor in N2, Ar or Ar:O 2 ambient. The effect of etching ambient, pressure, plasma power and etch time on contact performance will be studied.

75 FR 9218 - Notice of Availability Record of Decision for the Update to the Master Plan for the Consolidation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-01

..., Maryland. The ROD identifies that Alternative 2: Dispersed Density Action Alternative, as defined in the...: Implement Alternative 2: Dispersed Density Action Alternative. This alternative includes the following: (1...

Lifetime Prediction of Nano-Silica based Glass Fibre/Epoxy composite by Time Temperature Superposition Principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anand, Abhijeet; Banerjee, Poulami; Prusty, Rajesh Kumar; Ray, Bankin Chandra

2018-03-01

The incorporation of nano fillers in Fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites has been a source of experimentation for researchers. Addition of nano fillers has been found to improve mechanical, thermal as well as electrical properties of Glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites. The in-plane mechanical properties of GFRP composite are mainly controlled by fibers and therefore exhibit good values. However, composite exhibits poor through-thickness properties, in which the matrix and interface are the dominant factors. Therefore, it is conducive to modify the matrix through dispersion of nano fillers. Creep is defined as the plastic deformation experienced by a material for a temperature at constant stress over a prolonged period of time. Determination of Master Curve using time-temperature superposition principle is conducive for predicting the lifetime of materials involved in naval and structural applications. This is because such materials remain in service for a prolonged time period before failure which is difficult to be kept marked. However, the failure analysis can be extrapolated from its behaviour in a shorter time at an elevated temperature as is done in master creep analysis. The present research work dealt with time-temperature analysis of 0.1% SiO2-based GFRP composites fabricated through hand-layup method. Composition of 0.1% for SiO2nano fillers with respect to the weight of the fibers was observed to provide optimized flexural properties. Time and temperature dependence of flexural properties of GFRP composites with and without nano SiO2 was determined by conducting 3-point bend flexural creep tests over a range of temperature. Stepwise isothermal creep tests from room temperature (30°C) to the glass transition temperature Tg (120°C) were performed with an alternative creep/relaxation period of 1 hour at each temperature. A constant stress of 40MPa was applied during the creep tests. The time-temperature superposition principle was followed while determining the Master Curve and cumulative damage law. The purpose of a Master Curve was to determine the variation of compliance with respect to increase in time and temperature of the specimen. The shift factors at any reference temperature were determined by Arrhenius activation energy method at a far lower temperature than Tg (Glass transition temperature) and by manual shift method at a temperature near Tg (Glass transition temperature).

Teacher Perspectives of School-Level Implementation of Alternate Assessments for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities. A Report from the National Study on Alternate Assessments. NCSER 2010-3007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameto, Renee; Bergland, Frances; Knokey, Anne-Marie; Nagle, Katherine M.; Sanford, Christopher; Kalb, Sara C.; Blackorby, Jose; Sinclair, Beth; Riley, Derek L.; Ortega, Moreica

2010-01-01

The report is organized to provide information on the school-level implementation of alternate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities. Following the Introduction in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 describes the study design and methods, including the development of the teacher survey and data collection procedures and analyses.…

Ultrasonication and the quality of human milk: variation of power and time of exposure.

PubMed

Christen, Lukas; Lai, Ching Tat; Hartmann, Peter E

2012-08-01

Donor human milk is pasteurized to prevent the potential risk of the transmission of pathogens to preterm infants. Currently, Holder pasteurization (human milk held at 62·5°C for 30 min) is used in most human milk banks, but has the disadvantage that it results in excessive inactivation of important bioactive components. Power-ultrasound (20-100 kHz) is an emerging technology for the preservation of foods and could be an alternative method for the treatment of human milk. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different ultrasound settings on the elimination of Escherichia coli and the retention of bile salt stimulated lipase (BSSL) activity. Ultrasonication with a constant power decreased Esch. coli viability exponentially over time until the processing temperature increased to sub-pasteurization level to between 51·4 and 58·5°C, then a log10 1·3 decrease was observed (P<0·05). BSSL activity decreased to 91% until a temperature of 51·4°C and then it decreased to 8% between 51·4 and 64·9°C. Ultrasonication with a constant energy and various power and exposure times showed the highest temperature (53·7°C) when treated with the longest exposure time and lowest ultrasound-power (276 s at 3·62 W) compared with 37·6°C for 39 s at 25·64 W. The findings predict that the viability of Esch. coli could be reduced by log10 5 with a minimal loss of activity of BSSL by applying 13·8 kJ of energy in 12 ml of human milk using high ultrasound power over a short exposure time to ensure that the temperature remains below the critical level for protein denaturation. Alternatively, the use of lower power settings such as the 26 W used in the present studies would require a cooling system to ensure the human milk BSSL was protected against temperature denaturation.

Alternator insulation evaluation tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penn, W. B.; Schaefer, R. F.; Balke, R. L.

1972-01-01

Tests were conducted to predict the remaining electrical insulation life of a 60 KW homopolar inductor alternator following completion of NASA turbo-alternator endurance tests for SNAP-8 space electrical power systems application. The insulation quality was established for two alternators following completion of these tests. A step-temperature aging test procedure was developed for insulation life prediction and applied to one of the two alternators. Armature winding insulation life of over 80,000 hours for an average winding temperature of 248 degrees C was predicted using the developed procedure.

The effect of loading time on flexible pavement dynamic response: a finite element analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Hao; Solaimanian, Mansour; Kumar, Tanmay; Stoffels, Shelley

2007-12-01

Dynamic response of asphalt concrete (AC) pavements under moving load is a key component for accurate prediction of flexible pavement performance. The time and temperature dependency of AC materials calls for utilizing advanced material characterization and mechanistic theories, such as viscoelasticity and stress/strain analysis. In layered elastic analysis, as implemented in the new Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), the time dependency is accounted for by calculating the loading times at different AC layer depths. In this study, the time effect on pavement response was evaluated by means of the concept of “pseudo temperature.” With the pavement temperature measured from instrumented thermocouples, the time and temperature dependency of AC materials was integrated into one single factor, termed “effective temperature.” Via this effective temperature, pavement responses under a transient load were predicted through finite element analysis. In the finite element model, viscoelastic behavior of AC materials was characterized through relaxation moduli, while the layers with unbound granular material were assumed to be in an elastic mode. The analysis was conducted for two different AC mixtures in a simplified flexible pavement structure at two different seasons. Finite element analysis results reveal that the loading time has a more pronounced impact on pavement response in the summer for both asphalt types. The results indicate that for reasonable prediction of dynamic response in flexible pavements, the effect of the depth-dependent loading time on pavement temperature should be considered.

Evaluation of Heliostat Standby Aiming Strategies to Reduce Avian Flux Hazards and Impacts on Operational Performance

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

Wendelin, Timothy J; Ho, Clifford K.; Horstman, Luke

This paper presents a study of alternative heliostat standby aiming strategies and their impact on avian flux hazards and operational performance of a concentrating solar power plant. A mathematical model was developed that predicts the bird-feather temperature as a function of solar irradiance, thermal emittance, convection, and thermal properties of the feather. The irradiance distribution in the airspace above the Ivanpah Unit 2 heliostat field was simulated using a ray-trace model for two different times of the day, four days of the year, and nine different standby aiming strategies. The impact of the alternative aiming strategies on operational performance wasmore » assessed by comparing the heliostat slew times from standby position to the receiver for the different aiming strategies. Increased slew times increased a proxy start-up time that reduced the simulated annual energy production. Results showed that spreading the radial aim points around the receiver to a distance of ~150 m or greater reduced the hazardous exposure times that the feather temperature exceeded the hazard metric of 160 degrees C. The hazardous exposure times were reduced by ~23% and 90% at a radial spread of aim points extending to 150 m and 250 m, respectively, but the simulated annual energy production decreased as a result of increased slew times. Single point-focus aiming strategies were also evaluated, but these strategies increased the exposure hazard relative to other aiming strategies.« less

Ways of achieving continuous service from computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinn, M. J., Jr.

1974-01-01

This paper outlines the methods used in the real-time computer complex to keep computers operating. Methods include selectover, high-speed restart, and low-speed restart. The hardware and software needed to implement these methods is discussed as well as the system recovery facility, alternate device support, and timeout. In general, methods developed while supporting the Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab space missions are presented.

Effect of an Automated Training Presentation on Pre-Service Behavior Analysts' Implementation of Trial-Based Functional Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Joseph M.; Lloyd, Blair P.; Staubitz, Johanna L.; Weaver, Emily S.; Jennings, Chelsea M.

2014-01-01

The trial-based functional analysis (FA) is a useful alternative to the traditional FA in contexts in which it is challenging to establish environmental control for extended periods of time. Previous researchers have demonstrated that others can be trained to conduct trial-based FAs with high procedural fidelity by providing a didactic…

A survey of fault diagnosis technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riedesel, Joel

1989-01-01

Existing techniques and methodologies for fault diagnosis are surveyed. The techniques run the gamut from theoretical artificial intelligence work to conventional software engineering applications. They are shown to define a spectrum of implementation alternatives where tradeoffs determine their position on the spectrum. Various tradeoffs include execution time limitations and memory requirements of the algorithms as well as their effectiveness in addressing the fault diagnosis problem.

Susceptibility of Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) developmental stages to high temperatures used during structural heat treatments.

PubMed

Mahroof, R; Subramanyam, B

2006-12-01

Heating the ambient air of a whole, or a portion of a food-processing facility to 50 to 60 degrees C and maintaining these elevated temperatures for 24 to 36 h, is an old technology, referred to as heat treatment. There is renewed interest in adopting heat treatments around the world as a viable insect control alternative to fumigation with methyl bromide. There is limited published information on responses of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), exposed to elevated temperatures typically used during heat treatments. Time-mortality relationships were determined for eggs, fifth-instars (wandering-phase larvae), pupae, and adults of P. interpunctella exposed to five constant temperatures between 44 and 52 degrees C. Mortality of each stage increased with increasing temperature and exposure time. In general, fifth-instars were the most heat-tolerant stage at all temperatures tested. Exposure for a minimum of 34 min at 50 degrees C was required to kill 99% of the fifth-instars. It is proposed that heat treatments aimed at controlling fifth-instars should be able to control all other stages of P. interpunctella.

Solvent coarsening around colloids driven by temperature gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Sutapa; Dietrich, Siegfried; Maciolek, Anna

2018-04-01

Using mesoscopic numerical simulations and analytical theory, we investigate the coarsening of the solvent structure around a colloidal particle emerging after a temperature quench of the colloid surface. Qualitative differences in the coarsening mechanisms are found, depending on the composition of the binary liquid mixture forming the solvent and on the adsorption preferences of the colloid. For an adsorptionwise neutral colloid, the phase next to its surface alternates as a function of time. This behavior sets in on the scale of the relaxation time of the solvent and is absent for colloids with strong adsorption preferences. A Janus colloid, with a small temperature difference between its two hemispheres, reveals an asymmetric structure formation and surface enrichment around it, even if the solvent is within its one-phase region and if the temperature of the colloid is above the critical demixing temperature Tc of the solvent. Our phenomenological model turns out to capture recent experimental findings according to which, upon laser illumination of a Janus colloid and due to the ensuing temperature gradient between its two hemispheres, the surrounding binary liquid mixture develops a concentration gradient.

Retrieval of air temperatures from crowd-sourced battery temperatures of cell phones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Overeem, Aart; Robinson, James; Leijnse, Hidde; Uijlenhoet, Remko; Steeneveld, Gert-Jan; Horn, Berthold K. P.

2013-04-01

Accurate air temperature observations are important for urban meteorology, for example to study the urban heat island and adverse effects of high temperatures on human health. The number of available temperature observations is often relatively limited. A new development is presented to derive temperature information for the urban canopy from an alternative source: cell phones. Battery temperature data were collected by users of an Android application for cell phones (opensignal.com). The application automatically sends battery temperature data to a server for storage. In this study, battery temperatures are averaged in space and time to obtain daily averaged battery temperatures for each city separately. A regression model, which can be related to a physical model, is employed to retrieve daily air temperatures from battery temperatures. The model is calibrated with observed air temperatures from a meteorological station of an airport located in or near the city. Time series of air temperatures are obtained for each city for a period of several months, where 50% of the data is for independent verification. Results are presented for Buenos Aires, London, Los Angeles, Paris, Mexico City, Moscow, Rome, and Sao Paulo. The evolution of the retrieved air temperatures often correspond well with the observed ones. The mean absolute error of daily air temperatures is less than 2 degrees Celsius, and the bias is within 1 degree Celsius. This shows that monitoring air temperatures employing an Android application holds great promise. Since 75% of the world's population has a cell phone, 20% of the land surface of the earth has cellular telephone coverage, and 500 million devices use the Android operating system, there is a huge potential for measuring air temperatures employing cell phones. This could eventually lead to real-time world-wide temperature maps.

Carbon Dioxide: an alternative processing method for milk

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The shelf life of refrigerated fluid milk pasteurized at high temperature for a short time (HTST) in the United States is typically about 14 days, due to the eventual growth of heat-resistant bacteria and the off-flavors they produce. Fluid milk processors would like to achieve a shelf life of 60 t...

Experimental investigation of an alternating evaporator duty refrigerator/freezer

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

Lavanis, M.; Haider, I.; Radermacher, R.

1998-12-31

A bistable solenoid valve has been used to build an alternating evaporator duty (AED) domestic refrigerator/freezer. This refrigerator has two vapor compression refrigeration loops that share a common compressor, condenser, and suction line heat exchanger. Each of the refrigeration loops has an expansion device and evaporator. One evaporator is located in the fresh food compartment and the other is located in the freezer compartment. The bistable solenoid valve directs the flow of the refrigerant through one loop at a time. Only one of the two compartments is cooled at any given time. With this configuration, the food compartment is cooledmore » at a higher evaporator temperature than the freezer. Due to this, the energy efficiency of the refrigerator is improved by 8.5% over a conventional domestic refrigerator/freezer. Also, this cycle allows for completely independent temperature control of the freezer and fresh food compartments. There may be a penalty because this cycle does not allow for both loops to be simultaneously optimized. Isobutane was the only refrigerant used in this investigation.« less

Global depression in gene expression as a response to rapid thermal changes in vent mussels

PubMed Central

Boutet, Isabelle; Tanguy, Arnaud; Le Guen, Dominique; Piccino, Patrice; Hourdez, Stéphane; Legendre, Pierre; Jollivet, Didier

2009-01-01

Hydrothermal vent mussels belonging to the genus Bathymodiolus are distributed worldwide and dominate communities at shallow Atlantic hydrothermal sites. While organisms inhabiting coastal ecosystems are subjected to predictable oscillations of physical and chemical variables owing to tidal cycles, the vent mussels sustain pronounced temperature changes over short periods of time, correlated to the alternation of oxic/anoxic phases. In this context, we focused on the short-term adaptive response of mussels to temperature change at a molecular level. The mRNA expression of 23 genes involved in various cell functions of the vent mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus was followed after heat shocks for either 30 or 120 min, at 25 and 30°C over a 48 h recovery period at 5°C. Mussels were genotyped at 10 enzyme loci to explore a relationship between natural genetic variation, gene expression and temperature adaptation. Results indicate that the mussel response to increasing temperature is a depression in gene expression, such a response being genotypically correlated at least for the Pgm-1 locus. This suggests that an increase in temperature could be a signal triggering anaerobiosis for B. azoricus or this latter alternatively behaves more like a ‘cold’ stenotherm species, an attribute more related to its phylogenetic history, a cold seeps/wood fall origin. PMID:19515664

Magnetic hyperthermia study in water based magnetic fluids containing TMAOH coated Fe3O4 using infrared thermography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lahiri, B. B.; Ranoo, Surojit; Philip, John

2017-01-01

We study the alternating magnetic field induced heating of a water based ferrofluid containing tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide coated iron oxide nanoparticles using infrared thermography and compare the results obtained from the conventional fiber optic temperature sensor. Experiments are performed on ferrofluid samples of five different concentrations and under four different external field amplitudes at a fixed frequency. The temperature rise curves measured using both the infrared thermography and fiber optic sensor are found to be very similar up to a certain time interval, above which deviations are observed, which are attributed to the internal and external convection phenomena. A correction methodology is developed to account for the convection losses. The convection corrected specific absorption rate is found to be in good agreement with the values obtained from the conventional fiber optic temperature sensor, within a maximum error of ±3.4%. The highest specific absorption rate obtained in the present study is 135.98 (±4.6) W/gFe for a sample concentration of 3 wt.%, at an external field amplitude and a frequency of 63.0 kA m-1 and 126 kHz, respectively. The specific absorption rate is found to decrease with increasing sample concentration, due to the enhancement of dipolar interaction with increasing sample concentration due to agglomeration. This study validates the efficacy and universal applicability of IRT as an alternate, real time, non-contact and wide area temperature measurement methodology for magnetic fluid hyperthermia experiments without any sample contamination.

Tempering-Induced Microstructural Changes in the Weld Heat-Affected Zone of 9 to 12 Pct Cr Steels and Their Influence on Sliding Wear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velkavrh, Igor; Kafexhiu, Fevzi; Klien, Stefan; Diem, Alexander; Podgornik, Bojan

2017-01-01

Increasing amount of tribological applications is working under alternating high/low temperature conditions where the material is subjected to temperature fatigue mechanisms such as creep, softening due to annealing, and at the same time must withstand mechanical wear due to sliding contact with pairing bodies. Steam turbine valves, gate valves, valve heads, stems, seats and bushings, and contacting surfaces of the carrier elements are some examples of such applications. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the potential of X20 and P91 steels as materials for applications operating under combined effect of mechanical wear and alternating high/low temperature conditions. It was focused on how the microstructural changes occurring in the weld zone affect the wear properties of the selected materials. Generally, with longer tempering time and higher tempering temperature, the number of carbide precipitates decreased, while their relative spacing increased. Before tempering, the morphology of the steel matrix (grain size, microstructure homogeneity) governed the wear resistance of both steels, while after tempering wear response was determined by the combination of the number and the size of carbide particles. After tempering, in X20 steel larger number of stable M23C6 carbides was observed as compared with P91 steel, resulting in lower wear rates. It was observed that for both steels, a similar combination of number density and size distribution of carbide particles provided the highest wear resistance.

[Problems and solutions of implementing plan environmental impact assessment in China].

PubMed

Liang, Xue-gong; Liu, Juan

2004-11-01

At present, there are two forms of Plan Environmental Impact Assessment (PEIA): Self-assessment and entrusted assessment. The appropriate object and the time of starting PEIA were discussed. It points out that self-assessment should be able to realize the essential roles of PEIA, such as 'starting as early as possible', 'optimization of options', etc. At the same time, the concept and function of alternative, PEIA methodology and the role of public participation are all elementarily discussed.

The Texas Thermal Interface: A real-time computer interface for an Inframetrics infrared camera

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

Storek, D.J.; Gentle, K.W.

1996-03-01

The Texas Thermal Interface (TTI) offers an advantageous alternative to the conventional video path for computer analysis of infrared images from Inframetrics cameras. The TTI provides real-time computer data acquisition of 48 consecutive fields (version described here) with 8-bit pixels. The alternative requires time-consuming individual frame grabs from video tape with frequent loss of resolution in the D/A/D conversion. Within seconds after the event, the TTI temperature files may be viewed and processed to infer heat fluxes or other quantities as needed. The system cost is far less than commercial units which offer less capability. The system was developed formore » and is being used to measure heat fluxes to the plasma-facing components in a tokamak. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Rapid mortality of pest arthropods by direct exposure to a dielectric barrier discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bures, Brian Lee

The spread of arthropods due to trade of agricultural commodities and travel of humans is a significant problem in many countries. Limiting the movement of pest species is commonly achieved by the use of chemical pesticides at quarantine facilities. One potential alternative to chemical pesticides is direct exposure of contaminated commodities to ambient pressure electrical discharges. The arthropods are directly exposed to a 5.0 cm helium discharge with power densities on the order of 60 mW/cm3. Direct measurement of chemical species and ambient gas temperature shows the DBD treatment remains effective when the chemically reactive species are suppressed by helium, and when the ambient gas temperature of the discharge is below 40°C. In addition to gas temperature measurements and chemical species identification, the electron temperature and electron density were measured using the neutral bremsstrahlung continuum technique. This study is the first successful implementation of the neutral bremsstrahlung continuum emission diagnostic to a barrier discharge. The primary advantages of the diagnostic for barrier discharges are the measurement is passive and the spatial resolution is only limited by the collimation of the light and the sensitivity of the detector. Although the electron temperature (1.0--1.5 eV) and electron density (˜108 cm-3) are modest, non-chemical dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) treatment of arthropods has proven effective in significantly reducing the population of some arthropods including human body lice, green peach aphids, and western flower thrips. However, the treatment was not universally effective on all arthropod species. German cockroaches and citrus mealy bugs showed substantial resistance to the treatment. The study has shown the treatment does not always induce instant mortality: however, the mortality increases over a 24 hr-period after treatment. Based upon visual observation and the time after treatment to reach maximum mortality, the mode of action is either direct damage to the nervous system or changes to the hydrocarbon layer that protects the arthropods from dehydration.

An environmental cost-benefit analysis of alternative green roofing strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, M.; William, R. K.; Goodwell, A. E.; Le, P. V.; Kumar, P.; Stillwell, A. S.

2016-12-01

Green roofs and cool roofs are alternative roofing strategies that mitigate urban heat island effects and improve building energy performance. Green roofs consist of soil and vegetation layers that provide runoff reduction, thermal insulation, and potential natural habitat, but can require regular maintenance. Cool roofs involve a reflective layer that reflects more sunlight than traditional roofing materials, but require additional insulation during winter months. This study evaluates several roofing strategies in terms of energy performance, urban heat island mitigation, water consumption, and economic cost. We use MLCan, a multi-layer canopy model, to simulate irrigated and non-irrigated green roof cases with shallow and deep soil depths during the spring and early summer of 2012, a drought period in central Illinois. Due to the dry conditions studied, periodic irrigation is implemented in the model to evaluate its effect on evapotranspiration. We simulate traditional and cool roof scenarios by altering surface albedo and omitting vegetation and soil layers. We find that both green roofs and cool roofs significantly reduce surface temperature compared to the traditional roof simulation. Cool roof temperatures always remain below air temperature and, similar to traditional roofs, require low maintenance. Green roofs remain close to air temperature and also provide thermal insulation, runoff reduction, and carbon uptake, but might require irrigation during dry periods. Due to the longer lifetime of a green roof compared to cool and traditional roofs, we find that green roofs realize the highest long term cost savings under simulated conditions. However, using longer-life traditional roof materials (which have a higher upfront cost) can help decrease this price differential, making cool roofs the most affordable option due to the higher maintenance costs associated with green roofs

The impact of the 2010 Polish smoke-free legislation on the popularity and sales of electronic cigarettes

PubMed Central

Kosmider, Leon; Delijewski, Marcin; Knysak, Jakub; Ochota, Patryk; Sobczak, Andrzej

2014-01-01

Electronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), have become widely available globally, particularly via the Internet. They are considered by many users as a safe alternative to regular cigarettes, and some use them for smoking cessation. We investigated whether the implementation of new tobacco control legislation in Poland affected the popularity and sales of ENDS. This study monitored Google searches and online sales before and after the implementation of new tobacco control legislation in November 2010. The study demonstrated that the implementation of the smoke-free legislation was associated with only a temporary increase in ENDS online popularity in Poland. In longer time frames, there was decrease in ENDS online popularity and sales in Poland after implementation of the smoke-free policy. PMID:24424581

Epoxy-encapsulated ceramic superconductor microelectrodes

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

Gollmor, R.O.; McDevitt, J.T.; Murray, R.W.

1989-12-01

A procedure is outlined for fabricating well-behaved microelectrodes from ceramic pellets of YBa{sub 2}CU{sub 3}O{sub 7} and Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub 8} which involves systematic polishing of an epoxy-encapsulated superconductror chip, under Et{sub 4}NCIO{sub 4}/acetonitrile solution, to a potentiometric end point. Voltammetry of the resulting microelectrodes in acetronitrile is illustrated and compared to that arising from alternative superconductor electrode geometries. The microelectrodes have active electrode surface areas ranging from 2 {times} 10 {sup {minus} sup 6} to 3 {times} 10 {sup {minus} sup 4}cm{sup 2}, as characterized electrochemically and microscopically. The results discussed herein are steps toward developing the methodologymore » necessary to study the electrochemical response of high temperature superconductor phases at temperatures below theirtheir superconductor critical temperature.« less

Parametric optimisation of heat treated recycling aluminium (AA6061) by response surface methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, A.; Lajis, M. A.; Yusuf, N. K.; Shamsudin, S.; Zhong, Z. W.

2017-09-01

Alternating typical primary aluminium production with recycling route should benefit various parties, including the environment since the need of high cost and massive energy consumption will be ruled out. At present, hot extrusion is preferred as the effective solid-state recycling process compared to the typical method of melting the swarf at high temperature. However, the ideal properties of extruded product can only be achieved through a controlled process used to alter the microstructure to impart properties which benefit the working life of a component, which also known as heat treatment process. To that extent, this work ought to investigate the effect of extrusion temperature and ageing time on the hardness of the recycled aluminium chips. By employing Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for full factorial design with centre point, a total of 11 runs were carried out randomly. Three dissimilar extrusion temperatures were used to obtain gear-shape billet. Extruded billets were cut and ground before entering the treatment phase at three different ageing times. Ageing time was found as the influential factor to affect the material hardness, rather than the extrusion temperature. Sufficient ageing time allows the impurity atoms to interfere the dislocation phenomena and yield great hardness. Yet, the extrusion temperatures still act to assist the bonding activities via interparticle diffusion transport matter.

Real-Time Parameter Estimation Method Applied to a MIMO Process and its Comparison with an Offline Identification Method

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

Kaplanoglu, Erkan; Safak, Koray K.; Varol, H. Selcuk

2009-01-12

An experiment based method is proposed for parameter estimation of a class of linear multivariable systems. The method was applied to a pressure-level control process. Experimental time domain input/output data was utilized in a gray-box modeling approach. Prior knowledge of the form of the system transfer function matrix elements is assumed to be known. Continuous-time system transfer function matrix parameters were estimated in real-time by the least-squares method. Simulation results of experimentally determined system transfer function matrix compare very well with the experimental results. For comparison and as an alternative to the proposed real-time estimation method, we also implemented anmore » offline identification method using artificial neural networks and obtained fairly good results. The proposed methods can be implemented conveniently on a desktop PC equipped with a data acquisition board for parameter estimation of moderately complex linear multivariable systems.« less

Implementation of a Serial Replica Exchange Method in a Physics-Based United-Residue (UNRES) Force Field

PubMed Central

Shen, Hujun; Czaplewski, Cezary; Liwo, Adam; Scheraga, Harold A.

2009-01-01

The kinetic-trapping problem in simulating protein folding can be overcome by using a Replica Exchange Method (REM). However, in implementing REM in molecular dynamics simulations, synchronization between processors on parallel computers is required, and communication between processors limits its ability to sample conformational space in a complex system efficiently. To minimize communication between processors during the simulation, a Serial Replica Exchange Method (SREM) has been proposed recently by Hagan et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B 2007, 111, 1416–1423). Here, we report the implementation of this new SREM algorithm with our physics-based united-residue (UNRES) force field. The method has been tested on the protein 1E0L with a temperature-independent UNRES force field and on terminally blocked deca-alanine (Ala10) and 1GAB with the recently introduced temperature-dependent UNRES force field. With the temperature-independent force field, SREM reproduces the results of REM but is more efficient in terms of wall-clock time and scales better on distributed-memory machines. However, exact application of SREM to the temperature-dependent UNRES algorithm requires the determination of a four-dimensional distribution of UNRES energy components instead of a one-dimensional energy distribution for each temperature, which is prohibitively expensive. Hence, we assumed that the temperature dependence of the force field can be ignored for neighboring temperatures. This version of SREM worked for Ala10 which is a simple system but failed to reproduce the thermodynamic results as well as regular REM on the more complex 1GAB protein. Hence, SREM can be applied to the temperature-independent but not to the temperature-dependent UNRES force field. PMID:20011673

Generalized reference fields and source interpolation for the difference formulation of radiation transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luu, Thomas; Brooks, Eugene D.; Szőke, Abraham

2010-03-01

In the difference formulation for the transport of thermally emitted photons the photon intensity is defined relative to a reference field, the black body at the local material temperature. This choice of reference field combines the separate emission and absorption terms that nearly cancel, thereby removing the dominant cause of noise in the Monte Carlo solution of thick systems, but introduces time and space derivative source terms that cannot be determined until the end of the time step. The space derivative source term can also lead to noise induced crashes under certain conditions where the real physical photon intensity differs strongly from a black body at the local material temperature. In this paper, we consider a difference formulation relative to the material temperature at the beginning of the time step, or in cases where an alternative temperature better describes the radiation field, that temperature. The result is a method where iterative solution of the material energy equation is efficient and noise induced crashes are avoided. We couple our generalized reference field scheme with an ad hoc interpolation of the space derivative source, resulting in an algorithm that produces the correct flux between zones as the physical system approaches the thick limit.

Reporting From the Front Lines: Implementing Oregon's Alternative Payment Methodology in Federally Qualified Health Centers.

PubMed

Cottrell, Erika K; Hall, Jennifer D; Kautz, Glenn; Angier, Heather; Likumahuwa-Ackman, Sonja; Sisulak, Laura; Keller, Sara; Cameron, David C; DeVoe, Jennifer E; Cohen, Deborah J

Alternative payment models have been proposed as a way to facilitate patient-centered medical home model implementation, yet little is known about how payment reform translates into changes in care delivery. We conducted site visits, observed operations, and conducted interviews within 3 Federally Qualified Health Center organizations that were part of Oregon's Alternative Payment Methodology demonstration project. Data were analyzed using an immersion-crystallization approach. We identified several care delivery changes during the early stages of implementation, as well as challenges associated with this new model of payment. Future research is needed to further understand the implications of these changes.

Subnanosecond time-to-digital converter implemented in a Kintex-7 FPGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sano, Y.; Horii, Y.; Ikeno, M.; Sasaki, O.; Tomoto, M.; Uchida, T.

2017-12-01

Time-to-digital converters (TDCs) are used in various fields, including high-energy physics. One advantage of implementing TDCs in field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) is the flexibility on the modification of the logics, which is useful to cope with the changes in the experimental conditions. Recent FPGAs make it possible to implement TDCs with a time resolution less than 10 ps. On the other hand, various drift chambers require a time resolution of O(0.1) ns, and a simple and easy-to-implement TDC is useful for a robust operation. Herein an eight-channel TDC with a variable bin size down to 0.28 ns is implemented in a Xilinx Kintex-7 FPGA and tested. The TDC is based on a multisampling scheme with quad phase clocks synchronised with an external reference clock. Calibration of the bin size is unnecessary if a stable reference clock is available, which is common in high-energy physics experiments. Depending on the channel, the standard deviation of the differential nonlinearity for a 0.28 ns bin size is 0.13-0.31. The performance has a negligible dependence on the temperature. The power consumption and the potential to extend the number of channels are also discussed.

The challenges of heat sterilization of peritoneal dialysis solutions: is there an alternative?

PubMed

Hanrahan, Conor T; Himmele, Rainer; Diaz-Buxo, Jose A

2012-01-01

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) solutions are currently sterilized in an autoclave using high-temperature saturated steam. Although thermal methods are an effective means of sterilization, the heating of PD solutions results in the formation of toxic glucose degradation products (GDPs). Here, we review basic concepts in the sterilization of PD solutions and discuss possible alternatives to steam sterilization, including filtration, ohmic heat, ionizing radiation, and pulsed ultraviolet light. Although the latter methods have several advantages, many also have prohibitive limitations or have not been adequately studied for use on PD solutions. Thus, in the absence of suitable alternatives, conventional heat sterilization, in combination with low-GDP manufacturing practices, remains the best option at the present time.

Uncertainty in a Markov state model with missing states and rates: Application to a room temperature kinetic model obtained using high temperature molecular dynamics.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Abhijit; Bhattacharya, Swati

2015-09-21

Several studies in the past have generated Markov State Models (MSMs), i.e., kinetic models, of biomolecular systems by post-analyzing long standard molecular dynamics (MD) calculations at the temperature of interest and focusing on the maximally ergodic subset of states. Questions related to goodness of these models, namely, importance of the missing states and kinetic pathways, and the time for which the kinetic model is valid, are generally left unanswered. We show that similar questions arise when we generate a room-temperature MSM (denoted MSM-A) for solvated alanine dipeptide using state-constrained MD calculations at higher temperatures and Arrhenius relation — the main advantage of such a procedure being a speed-up of several thousand times over standard MD-based MSM building procedures. Bounds for rate constants calculated using probability theory from state-constrained MD at room temperature help validate MSM-A. However, bounds for pathways possibly missing in MSM-A show that alternate kinetic models exist that produce the same dynamical behaviour at short time scales as MSM-A but diverge later. Even in the worst case scenario, MSM-A is found to be valid longer than the time required to generate it. Concepts introduced here can be straightforwardly extended to other MSM building techniques.

Evaluation of an implementation model: a national investigation of VA residential programs.

PubMed

Cook, Joan M; Dinnen, Stephanie; Coyne, James C; Thompson, Richard; Simiola, Vanessa; Ruzek, Josef; Schnurr, Paula P

2015-03-01

This national investigation utilizes qualitative data to evaluate an implementation model regarding factors influencing provider use of two evidence-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Semi-structured qualitative interviews with 198 mental health providers from 38 Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) residential treatment programs were used to explore these issues regarding prolonged exposure (PE) and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in VA residential PTSD programs. Several unique and some overlapping predictors emerged. Leadership was viewed as an influence on implementation for both CPT and PE, while a lack of dedicated time and resources was viewed as a deterrent for both. Compatibility of CPT with providers' existing practices and beliefs, the ability to observe noticeable patient improvement, a perceived relative advantage of CPT over alternative treatments, and the presence of a supportive peer network emerged as influential on CPT implementation. Leadership was associated with PE implementation. Implications for the design and improvement of training and implementation efforts are discussed.

A Comparison of Prediction Methods for Design of Pump as Turbine for Small Hydro Plant: Implemented Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naeimi, Hossein; Nayebi Shahabi, Mina; Mohammadi, Sohrab

2017-08-01

In developing countries, small and micro hydropower plants are very effective source for electricity generation with energy pay-back time (EPBT) less than other conventional electricity generation systems. Using pump as turbine (PAT) is an attractive, significant and cost-effective alternative. Pump manufacturers do not normally provide the characteristic curves of their pumps working as turbines. Therefore, choosing an appropriate Pump to work as a turbine is essential in implementing the small-hydro plants. In this paper, in order to find the best fitting method to choose a PAT, the results of a small-hydro plant implemented on the by-pass of a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) in Urmia city in Iran are presented. Some of the prediction methods of Best Efficiency Point of PATs are derived. Then, the results of implemented project have been compared to the prediction methods results and the deviation of from measured data were considered and discussed and the best method that predicts the specifications of PAT more accurately determined. Finally, the energy pay-back time for the plant is calculated.

A Practical Method for the Vinylation of Aromatic Halides using Inexpensive Organosilicon Reagents

PubMed Central

Denmark, Scott E.; Butler, Christopher R.

2009-01-01

The preparation of styrenes by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of aromatic iodides and bromides with divinyltetramethyldisiloxane (DVDS) in the presence of inexpensive silanolate activators has been developed. To facilitate the discovery of optimal reaction conditions, Design of Experiment protocols were used. By the guided selection of reagents, stoichiometries, temperatures, and solvents the vinylation reaction was rapidly optimized with three stages consisting of ca. 175 experiments (of a possible 1440 combinations). A variety of aromatic iodides undergo cross-coupling at room temperature in the presence of potassium trimethylsilanoate using Pd(dba)2 in DMF in good yields. Triphenylphosphine oxide is needed to extend catalyst lifetime. Application of these conditions to aryl bromides was accomplished by the development of two complementary protocols. First, the direct implementation of the successful reaction conditions using aryl iodides at elevated temperature in THF provided the corresponding styrenes in good to excellent yields. Alternatively, the use of potassium triethylsilanolate and a bulky “Buchwald-type” ligand allows for the vinylation reactions to occur at or just above room temperature. A wide range of bromides underwent coupling in good yields for each of the protocols described. PMID:18303892

High Spectral Resolution Lidar for atmospheric temperature profiling.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razenkov, I.; Eloranta, E. W.

2017-12-01

The High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) designed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is equipped with two iodine absorption filters with different line widths (1.8 GHz and 2.85 GHz). The filters are implemented to discriminate between Mie and Rayleigh backscattering and to resolve temperature sensitive changes in Rayleigh spectrum for atmospheric temperature profile measurements. This measurement capability makes the instrument intrinsically and absolutely calibrated. HSRL has a shared transmitter-receiver telescope and operates in the eye-safe mode with the product of laser average power and telescope aperture less than 0.025 𝑊𝑚2 at 532 nm. With this low-power prototype instrument we have achieved temperature profile measurements extending above tropopause with a time resolution of several hours. Further instrument optimizations will reduce systematic measurement errors and will improve a signal-to-noise ratio providing temperature data comparable to a standard radiosonde with higher time resolution.

Lattice QCD Thermodynamics and RHIC-BES Particle Production within Generic Nonextensive Statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tawfik, Abdel Nasser

2018-05-01

The current status of implementing Tsallis (nonextensive) statistics on high-energy physics is briefly reviewed. The remarkably low freezeout-temperature, which apparently fails to reproduce the firstprinciple lattice QCD thermodynamics and the measured particle ratios, etc. is discussed. The present work suggests a novel interpretation for the so-called " Tsallis-temperature". It is proposed that the low Tsallis-temperature is due to incomplete implementation of Tsallis algebra though exponential and logarithmic functions to the high-energy particle-production. Substituting Tsallis algebra into grand-canonical partition-function of the hadron resonance gas model seems not assuring full incorporation of nonextensivity or correlations in that model. The statistics describing the phase-space volume, the number of states and the possible changes in the elementary cells should be rather modified due to interacting correlated subsystems, of which the phase-space is consisting. Alternatively, two asymptotic properties, each is associated with a scaling function, are utilized to classify a generalized entropy for such a system with large ensemble (produced particles) and strong correlations. Both scaling exponents define equivalence classes for all interacting and noninteracting systems and unambiguously characterize any statistical system in its thermodynamic limit. We conclude that the nature of lattice QCD simulations is apparently extensive and accordingly the Boltzmann-Gibbs statistics is fully fulfilled. Furthermore, we found that the ratios of various particle yields at extreme high and extreme low energies of RHIC-BES is likely nonextensive but not necessarily of Tsallis type.

Stellar models with calibrated convection and temperature stratification from 3D hydrodynamics simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosumgaard, Jakob Rørsted; Ball, Warrick H.; Aguirre, Víctor Silva; Weiss, Achim; Christensen-Dalsgaard, Jørgen

2018-06-01

Stellar evolution codes play a major role in present-day astrophysics, yet they share common simplifications related to the outer layers of stars. We seek to improve on this by the use of results from realistic and highly detailed 3D hydrodynamics simulations of stellar convection. We implement a temperature stratification extracted directly from the 3D simulations into two stellar evolution codes to replace the simplified atmosphere normally used. Our implementation also contains a non-constant mixing-length parameter, which varies as a function of the stellar surface gravity and temperature - also derived from the 3D simulations. We give a detailed account of our fully consistent implementation and compare to earlier works, and also provide a freely available MESA-module. The evolution of low-mass stars with different masses is investigated, and we present for the first time an asteroseismic analysis of a standard solar model utilising calibrated convection and temperature stratification from 3D simulations. We show that the inclusion of 3D results have an almost insignificant impact on the evolution and structure of stellar models - the largest effect are changes in effective temperature of order 30 K seen in the pre-main sequence and in the red-giant branch. However, this work provides the first step for producing self-consistent evolutionary calculations using fully incorporated 3D atmospheres from on-the-fly interpolation in grids of simulations.

On the design of a radix-10 online floating-point multiplier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McIlhenny, Robert D.; Ercegovac, Milos D.

2009-08-01

This paper describes an approach to design and implement a radix-10 online floating-point multiplier. An online approach is considered because it offers computational flexibility not available with conventional arithmetic. The design was coded in VHDL and compiled, synthesized, and mapped onto a Virtex 5 FPGA to measure cost in terms of LUTs (look-up-tables) as well as the cycle time and total latency. The routing delay which was not optimized is the major component in the cycle time. For a rough estimate of the cost/latency characteristics, our design was compared to a standard radix-2 floating-point multiplier of equivalent precision. The results demonstrate that even an unoptimized radix-10 online design is an attractive implementation alternative for FPGA floating-point multiplication.

Technology Application of Environmental Friendly Refrigeration (Green Refrigeration) on Cold Storage for Fishery Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasta, IM; Susila, IDM; Subagia, IWA

2018-01-01

The application of refrigeration technology to postharvest fishery products is an very important. Moreover, Indonesia is a tropical region with relatively high temperatures. Fish storage age can be prolonged with a decrease in temperature. Frozen fish can even be stored for several months. Fish freezing means preparing fish for storage in low-temperature cold storage. The working fluid used in cold storage to cool low-temperature chambers and throw heat into high-temperature environments is refrigerant. So far refrigerant used in cold storage is Hydrochloroflourocarbons (HCFC) that is R-22. Chlor is a gas that causes ODP (Ozone Depleting Potential), while Flour is a gas that causes GWP (Global Warming Potential). Government policy began in 2015 to implement Hydrochloroflourocarbons Phase-Out Management Plan. Hydrocarbon (HC) is an alternative substitute for R-22. HC-22 (propane ≥ 99.5%) has several advantages, among others: environmentally friendly, indicated by a zero ODP value, and GWP = 3 (negligible), thermophysical property and good heat transfer characteristics, vapor phase density Which is low, and good solubility with mineral lubricants. The use of HC-22 in cold storage is less than R-22. From the analysis results obtained, cold storage system using HC-22 has better performance and energy consumption is more efficient than the R-22.

Alternating current line-filter based on electrochemical capacitor utilizing template-patterned graphene.

PubMed

Wu, Zhenkun; Li, Liyi; Lin, Ziyin; Song, Bo; Li, Zhuo; Moon, Kyoung-Sik; Wong, Ching-Ping; Bai, Shu-Lin

2015-06-17

Aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) are widely used for alternating current (ac) line-filtering. However, their bulky size is becoming more and more incompatible with the rapid development of portable electronics. Here we report a scalable process to fabricate miniaturized graphene-based ac line-filters on flexible substrates at room temperature. In this work, graphene oxide (GO) is reduced by patterned metal interdigits at room temperature and used directly as the electrode material. The as-fabricated device shows a phase angle of -75.4° at 120 Hz with a specific capacitance of 316 µF/cm(2) and a RC time constant of 0.35 ms. In addition, it retains 97.2% of the initial capacitance after 10000 charge/discharge cycles. These outstanding performance characteristics of our device demonstrate its promising to replace the conventional AECs for ac line filtering.

Predicting the visual quality impacts of development: a simulation of alternative policies for implementing the Massachusetts Scenic and Recreational Rivers Act

Treesearch

Carl Steinitz

1979-01-01

An implementation work program has been de-veloped by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management (MASS D.E.M.) for the Massachusetts Scenic and Recreational Rivers Act, and the North River has been chosen as the pilot project area. The question which has been posed by MASS D.E.M. is: "What will be the impacts of eleven alternative implementation...

Polysaccharide extraction from Sphallerocarpus gracilis roots by response surface methodology.

PubMed

Ma, Tingting; Sun, Xiangyu; Tian, Chengrui; Luo, Jiyang; Zheng, Cuiping; Zhan, Jicheng

2016-07-01

The extraction process of Sphallerocarpus gracilis root polysaccharides (SGRP) was optimized using response surface methodology with two methods [hot-water extraction (HWE) and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE)]. The antioxidant activities of SGRP were determined, and the structural features of the untreated materials (HWE residue and UAE residue) and the extracted polysaccharides were compared by scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that the optimal UAE conditions were extraction temperature of 81°C, extraction time of 1.7h, liquid-solid ratio of 17ml/g, ultrasonic power of 300W and three extraction cycles. The optimal HWE conditions were 93°C extraction temperature, 3.6h extraction time, 21ml/g liquid-solid ratio and three extraction cycles. UAE offered a higher extraction yield with a shorter time, lower temperature and a lower solvent consumption compared with HWE, and the extracted polysaccharides possessed a higher antioxidant capacity. Therefore, UAE could be used as an alternative to conventional HWE for SGRP extraction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Now Is the Time for CVE-2. Updating and Implementing a Revised U.S. National Strategy to Counter Violent Extremism

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-05

These bombings included Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park in 1996, an abortion clinic and gay bar in 1997, and a second abortion clinic in 1998.144...by two individuals—would be on a level similar to the 1996 Centennial Park bombing in Atlanta. On the other hand, as an alternate narrative, if the

Sensorized Garments and Textrode-Enabled Measurement Instrumentation for Ambulatory Assessment of the Autonomic Nervous System Response in the ATREC Project

PubMed Central

Seoane, Fernando; Ferreira, Javier; Alvarez, Lorena; Buendia, Ruben; Ayllón, David; Llerena, Cosme; Gil-Pita, Roberto

2013-01-01

Advances in textile materials, technology and miniaturization of electronics for measurement instrumentation has boosted the development of wearable measurement systems. In several projects sensorized garments and non-invasive instrumentation have been integrated to assess on emotional, cognitive responses as well as physical arousal and status of mental stress through the study of the autonomous nervous system. Assessing the mental state of workers under stressful conditions is critical to identify which workers are in the proper state of mind and which are not ready to undertake a mission, which might consequently risk their own life and the lives of others. The project Assessment in Real Time of the Stress in Combatants (ATREC) aims to enable real time assessment of mental stress of the Spanish Armed Forces during military activities using a wearable measurement system containing sensorized garments and textile-enabled non-invasive instrumentation. This work describes the multiparametric sensorized garments and measurement instrumentation implemented in the first phase of the project required to evaluate physiological indicators and recording candidates that can be useful for detection of mental stress. For such purpose different sensorized garments have been constructed: a textrode chest-strap system with six repositionable textrodes, a sensorized glove and an upper-arm strap. The implemented textile-enabled instrumentation contains one skin galvanometer, two temperature sensors for skin and environmental temperature and an impedance pneumographer containing a 1-channel ECG amplifier to record cardiogenic biopotentials. With such combinations of garments and non-invasive measurement devices, a multiparametric wearable measurement system has been implemented able to record the following physiological parameters: heart and respiration rate, skin galvanic response, environmental and peripheral temperature. To ensure the proper functioning of the implemented garments and devices the full series of 12 sets have been functionally tested recording cardiogenic biopotential, thoracic impedance, galvanic skin response and temperature values. The experimental results indicate that the implemented wearable measurement systems operate according to the specifications and are ready to be used for mental stress experiments, which will be executed in the coming phases of the project with dozens of healthy volunteers. PMID:23857264

Sensorized garments and textrode-enabled measurement instrumentation for ambulatory assessment of the autonomic nervous system response in the ATREC project.

PubMed

Seoane, Fernando; Ferreira, Javier; Alvarez, Lorena; Buendia, Ruben; Ayllón, David; Llerena, Cosme; Gil-Pita, Roberto

2013-07-12

Advances in textile materials, technology and miniaturization of electronics for measurement instrumentation has boosted the development of wearable measurement systems. In several projects sensorized garments and non-invasive instrumentation have been integrated to assess on emotional, cognitive responses as well as physical arousal and status of mental stress through the study of the autonomous nervous system. Assessing the mental state of workers under stressful conditions is critical to identify which workers are in the proper state of mind and which are not ready to undertake a mission, which might consequently risk their own life and the lives of others. The project Assessment in Real Time of the Stress in Combatants (ATREC) aims to enable real time assessment of mental stress of the Spanish Armed Forces during military activities using a wearable measurement system containing sensorized garments and textile-enabled non-invasive instrumentation. This work describes the multiparametric sensorized garments and measurement instrumentation implemented in the first phase of the project required to evaluate physiological indicators and recording candidates that can be useful for detection of mental stress. For such purpose different sensorized garments have been constructed: a textrode chest-strap system with six repositionable textrodes, a sensorized glove and an upper-arm strap. The implemented textile-enabled instrumentation contains one skin galvanometer, two temperature sensors for skin and environmental temperature and an impedance pneumographer containing a 1-channel ECG amplifier to record cardiogenic biopotentials. With such combinations of garments and non-invasive measurement devices, a multiparametric wearable measurement system has been implemented able to record the following physiological parameters: heart and respiration rate, skin galvanic response, environmental and peripheral temperature. To ensure the proper functioning of the implemented garments and devices the full series of 12 sets have been functionally tested recording cardiogenic biopotential, thoracic impedance, galvanic skin response and temperature values. The experimental results indicate that the implemented wearable measurement systems operate according to the specifications and are ready to be used for mental stress experiments, which will be executed in the coming phases of the project with dozens of healthy volunteers.

Annual Industrial Capabilities Report to Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-02-01

suspension systems is not a concern. Deformable Mirrors (September 1998) The atmosphere, temperature variations, and vibration distort optical system...images. Deformable mirrors can compensate for these effects in real time. They are used in surveillance optics, laser weapons, and astronomical telescopes...This assessment investigated the availability of current and potential deformable mirror producers, and possible alternative technologies. The

Process control of laser conduction welding by thermal imaging measurement with a color camera.

PubMed

Bardin, Fabrice; Morgan, Stephen; Williams, Stewart; McBride, Roy; Moore, Andrew J; Jones, Julian D C; Hand, Duncan P

2005-11-10

Conduction welding offers an alternative to keyhole welding. Compared with keyhole welding, it is an intrinsically stable process because vaporization phenomena are minimal. However, as with keyhole welding, an on-line process-monitoring system is advantageous for quality assurance to maintain the required penetration depth, which in conduction welding is more sensitive to changes in heat sinking. The maximum penetration is obtained when the surface temperature is just below the boiling point, and so we normally wish to maintain the temperature at this level. We describe a two-color optical system that we have developed for real-time temperature profile measurement of the conduction weld pool. The key feature of the system is the use of a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor standard color camera leading to a simplified low-cost optical setup. We present and discuss the real-time temperature measurement and control performance of the system when a defocused beam from a high power Nd:YAG laser is used on 5 mm thick stainless steel workpieces.

Thermal Hall conductivity in the spin-triplet superconductor with broken time-reversal symmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imai, Yoshiki; Wakabayashi, Katsunori; Sigrist, Manfred

2017-01-01

Motivated by the spin-triplet superconductor Sr2RuO4 , the thermal Hall conductivity is investigated for several pairing symmetries with broken time-reversal symmetry. In the chiral p -wave phase with a fully opened quasiparticle excitation gap, the temperature dependence of the thermal Hall conductivity has a temperature linear term associated with the topological property directly and an exponential term, which shows a drastic change around the Lifshitz transition. Examining f -wave states as alternative candidates with d =Δ0z ̂(kx2-ky2) (kx±i ky) and Δ0z ̂kxky(kx±i ky) with gapless quasiparticle excitations, we study the temperature dependence of the thermal Hall conductivity, where for the former state the thermal Hall conductivity has a quadratic dependence on temperature, originating from the linear dispersions, in addition to linear and exponential behavior. The obtained result may enable us to distinguish between the chiral p -wave and f -wave states in Sr2RuO4 .

Processing Of Neem And Jatropha Methyl Esters -Alternative Fuels From Vegetable Oil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramasubramanian, S.; Manavalan, S.; Gnanavel, C.; Balakrishnan, G.

2017-03-01

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel for diesel engine. The methyl esters of vegetable oils, known as biodiesel are becoming increasingly popular because of their low environmental impact and potential as a green alternative fuel for diesel engine. This paper deals with the manufacturing process of Biodiesel from jatropha and neem oil. Biodiesel was prepared from neem oil and jatropha oil, the transestrified having kinematic viscosity of 3 & 2.6 centistokes, methanol ratio is 6:1 & 5.1respectively. The secondary solution is preheated at 65 C & 60 C and reaction temperature is maintained at 60C & 55 C and reaction time is 60 minutes approximately with NaOH catalyst and low viscosity oil is allowed to settle 24 hours. The average yield of neem and jatropha methyl esters was about 85%. These methyl esters shows excellent alternative under optimum condition for fossil fuels.

Dynamic temperature response of electrocaloric multilayer capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Beomjin; Roh, Im-Jun; Baek, Seung-Hyub; Keun Kim, Seong; Kim, Jin-Sang; Kang, Chong-Yun

2014-05-01

We measure and model the dynamic temperature response of electrocaloric (EC) multilayer capacitors (MLCs) which have been recently highlighted as novel solid-state refrigerators. The MLC temperature responses depend on the operation voltage waveform, thus we consider three types of voltage waveforms, which include square, triangular, and trapezoidal. Further, to implement an effective refrigeration cycle, the waveform frequency and duty cycle should be carefully chosen. First, our model is fitted to the measurements to evaluate an effective EC power and thermal properties, and calculates an effective cooling power for an EC MLC. The prediction shows that for a MLC with a thermal relaxation time for cooling, trc, a square voltage waveform with a duty cycle of 0 < d ≤ 0.3 and a period of trc < P ≤ 1.4trc provides the maximum cooling power. This work will help to improve the implementing methods for EC refrigeration cycles.

Circuit-Detour Design and Implementation - Enhancing the Southern California's Seismic Network Reliability through Redundant Network Paths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watkins, M.; Busby, R.; Rico, H.; Johnson, M.; Hauksson, E.

2003-12-01

We provide enhanced network robustness by apportioning redundant data communications paths for seismic stations in the field. By providing for more than one telemetry route, either physical or logical, network operators can improve availability of seismic data while experiencing occasional network outages, and also during the loss of key gateway interfaces such as a router or central processor. This is especially important for seismic stations in sparsely populated regions where a loss of a single site may result in a significant gap in the network's monitoring capability. A number of challenges arise in the application of a circuit-detour mechanism. One requirement is that it fits well within the existing framework of our real-time system processing. It is also necessary to craft a system that is not needlessly complex to maintain or implement, particularly during a crisis. The method that we use for circuit-detours does not require the reconfiguration of dataloggers or communications equipment in the field. Remote network configurations remain static, changes are only required at the central site. We have implemented standardized procedures to detour circuits on similar transport mediums, such as virtual circuits on the same leased line; as well as physically different communications pathways, such as a microwave link backed up by a leased line. The lessons learned from these improvements in reliability, and optimization efforts could be applied to other real-time seismic networks. A fundamental tenant of most seismic networks is that they are reliable and have a high percentage of real-time data availability. A reasonable way to achieve these expectations is to provide alternate means of delivering data to the central processing sites, with a simple method for utilizing these alternate paths.

Alternative modeling methods for plasma-based Rf ion sources

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

Veitzer, Seth A., E-mail: veitzer@txcorp.com; Kundrapu, Madhusudhan, E-mail: madhusnk@txcorp.com; Stoltz, Peter H., E-mail: phstoltz@txcorp.com

Rf-driven ion sources for accelerators and many industrial applications benefit from detailed numerical modeling and simulation of plasma characteristics. For instance, modeling of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) internal antenna H{sup −} source has indicated that a large plasma velocity is induced near bends in the antenna where structural failures are often observed. This could lead to improved designs and ion source performance based on simulation and modeling. However, there are significant separations of time and spatial scales inherent to Rf-driven plasma ion sources, which makes it difficult to model ion sources with explicit, kinetic Particle-In-Cell (PIC) simulation codes. Inmore » particular, if both electron and ion motions are to be explicitly modeled, then the simulation time step must be very small, and total simulation times must be large enough to capture the evolution of the plasma ions, as well as extending over many Rf periods. Additional physics processes such as plasma chemistry and surface effects such as secondary electron emission increase the computational requirements in such a way that even fully parallel explicit PIC models cannot be used. One alternative method is to develop fluid-based codes coupled with electromagnetics in order to model ion sources. Time-domain fluid models can simulate plasma evolution, plasma chemistry, and surface physics models with reasonable computational resources by not explicitly resolving electron motions, which thereby leads to an increase in the time step. This is achieved by solving fluid motions coupled with electromagnetics using reduced-physics models, such as single-temperature magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), extended, gas dynamic, and Hall MHD, and two-fluid MHD models. We show recent results on modeling the internal antenna H{sup −} ion source for the SNS at Oak Ridge National Laboratory using the fluid plasma modeling code USim. We compare demonstrate plasma temperature equilibration in two-temperature MHD models for the SNS source and present simulation results demonstrating plasma evolution over many Rf periods for different plasma temperatures. We perform the calculations in parallel, on unstructured meshes, using finite-volume solvers in order to obtain results in reasonable time.« less

Alternative modeling methods for plasma-based Rf ion sources.

PubMed

Veitzer, Seth A; Kundrapu, Madhusudhan; Stoltz, Peter H; Beckwith, Kristian R C

2016-02-01

Rf-driven ion sources for accelerators and many industrial applications benefit from detailed numerical modeling and simulation of plasma characteristics. For instance, modeling of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) internal antenna H(-) source has indicated that a large plasma velocity is induced near bends in the antenna where structural failures are often observed. This could lead to improved designs and ion source performance based on simulation and modeling. However, there are significant separations of time and spatial scales inherent to Rf-driven plasma ion sources, which makes it difficult to model ion sources with explicit, kinetic Particle-In-Cell (PIC) simulation codes. In particular, if both electron and ion motions are to be explicitly modeled, then the simulation time step must be very small, and total simulation times must be large enough to capture the evolution of the plasma ions, as well as extending over many Rf periods. Additional physics processes such as plasma chemistry and surface effects such as secondary electron emission increase the computational requirements in such a way that even fully parallel explicit PIC models cannot be used. One alternative method is to develop fluid-based codes coupled with electromagnetics in order to model ion sources. Time-domain fluid models can simulate plasma evolution, plasma chemistry, and surface physics models with reasonable computational resources by not explicitly resolving electron motions, which thereby leads to an increase in the time step. This is achieved by solving fluid motions coupled with electromagnetics using reduced-physics models, such as single-temperature magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), extended, gas dynamic, and Hall MHD, and two-fluid MHD models. We show recent results on modeling the internal antenna H(-) ion source for the SNS at Oak Ridge National Laboratory using the fluid plasma modeling code USim. We compare demonstrate plasma temperature equilibration in two-temperature MHD models for the SNS source and present simulation results demonstrating plasma evolution over many Rf periods for different plasma temperatures. We perform the calculations in parallel, on unstructured meshes, using finite-volume solvers in order to obtain results in reasonable time.

Cache-Oblivious parallel SIMD Viterbi decoding for sequence search in HMMER

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background HMMER is a commonly used bioinformatics tool based on Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) to analyze and process biological sequences. One of its main homology engines is based on the Viterbi decoding algorithm, which was already highly parallelized and optimized using Farrar’s striped processing pattern with Intel SSE2 instruction set extension. Results A new SIMD vectorization of the Viterbi decoding algorithm is proposed, based on an SSE2 inter-task parallelization approach similar to the DNA alignment algorithm proposed by Rognes. Besides this alternative vectorization scheme, the proposed implementation also introduces a new partitioning of the Markov model that allows a significantly more efficient exploitation of the cache locality. Such optimization, together with an improved loading of the emission scores, allows the achievement of a constant processing throughput, regardless of the innermost-cache size and of the dimension of the considered model. Conclusions The proposed optimized vectorization of the Viterbi decoding algorithm was extensively evaluated and compared with the HMMER3 decoder to process DNA and protein datasets, proving to be a rather competitive alternative implementation. Being always faster than the already highly optimized ViterbiFilter implementation of HMMER3, the proposed Cache-Oblivious Parallel SIMD Viterbi (COPS) implementation provides a constant throughput and offers a processing speedup as high as two times faster, depending on the model’s size. PMID:24884826

Evaluation of electrical test conditions in MIL-M-38510 slash sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandgren, K.

1980-08-01

Adequacy of MIL-M-38510 slash sheet requirements for electrical test conditions in an automated test environment were evaluated. Military temperature range commercial devices of 13 types from 6 manufacturers were purchased. Software for testing these devices and for varying the test conditions was written for the Tektronix S-3260 test system. The devices were tested to evaluate the effects of pin-condition settling time, measurement sequence of the same and different D-C parameters, temperature sequence, differently defined temperature ambients, variable measurement conditions, sequence of time measurements, pin-application sequence, and undesignated pin condition ambiguity. An alternative to current tri-state enable and disable time measurements is proposed; S-3260 'open' and 'ground' conditions are characterized; and suggestions for changes in MIL-M-38510 slash sheet specifications and MIL-STD-883 test methods are proposed, both to correct errors and ambiguities and to facilitate the gathering of repeatable data on automated test equipment. Data obtained showed no sensitivity to measurement or temperature sequence nor to temperature ambient, provided that test times were not excessive. V sub ICP tests and some low current measurements required allowance for a pin condition settling time because of the test system speed. Some pin condition application sequences yielded incorrect measurements. Undefined terminal conditions of output pins were found to affect I sub OS and propagation delay time measurements. Truth table test results varied with test frequency and V sub IL for low-power Schottky devices.

Thermal characteristics of time-periodic electroosmotic flow in a circular microchannel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moghadam, Ali Jabari

2015-10-01

A theoretical analysis is performed to explore the thermal characteristics of electroosmotic flow in a circular microchannel under an alternating electric field. An analytical approach is presented to solve energy equation, and then, the exact solution of temperature profiles is obtained by using the Green's function method. This study reveals that the temperature field repeats itself for each half-period. Frequency has a strong influence on the thermal behavior of the flow field. For small values of the dimensionless frequency (small channel size, large kinematic viscosity, or small frequency), the advection mechanism is dominant in the whole domain and the resultant heating (Joule heating and wall heat flux) can be transferred by the complete flow field in the axial direction; while, the middle portion of the flow field at high dimensionless frequencies does not have sufficient time to transfer heat by advection, and the bulk fluid temperature, especially in heating, may consequently become greater than the wall temperature. In a particular instance of cooling mode, a constant surface temperature case is temporarily occurred in which the axial temperature gradient will be zero. For relatively high frequencies, the unsteady bulk fluid temperature in some radial positions at some moments may be equal to the wall temperature; hence instantaneous cylindrical surfaces with zero radial heat flux may occur over a period of time. Depending on the value and sign of the thermal scale ratio, the quasi-steady-state Nusselt number (time-averaged at one period) approaches a specific value as the electrokinetic radius becomes infinity.

The realization of temperature controller for small resistance measurement system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobecki, Jakub; Walendziuk, Wojciech; Idzkowski, Adam

2017-08-01

This paper concerns the issues of construction and experimental tests of a temperature stabilization system for small resistance increments measurement circuits. After switching the system on, a PCB board heats up and the long-term temperature drift altered the measurement result. The aim of this work is reducing the time of achieving constant nominal temperature by the measurement system, which would enable decreasing the time of measurements in the steady state. Moreover, the influence of temperatures higher than the nominal on the measurement results and the obtained heating curve were tested. During the working process, the circuit heats up to about 32 °C spontaneously, and it has the time to reach steady state of about 1200 s. Implementing a USART terminal on the PC and an NI USB-6341 data acquisition card makes recording the data (concerning temperature and resistance) in the digital form and its further processing easier. It also enables changing the quantity of the regulator settings. This paper presents sample results of measurements for several temperature values and the characteristics of the temperature and resistance changes in time as well as their comparison with the output values. The object identification is accomplished due to the Ziegler-Nichols method. The algorithm of determining the step characteristics parameters and examples of computations of the regulator settings are included together with example characteristics of the object regulation.

Fabrication of highly textured lithium cobalt oxide films by rapid thermal annealing

DOEpatents

Bates, John B.

2003-04-29

Systems and methods are described for fabrication of highly textured lithium cobalt oxide films by rapid thermal annealing. A method of forming a lithium cobalt oxide film includes depositing a film of lithium cobalt oxide on a substrate; rapidly heating the film of lithium cobalt oxide to a target temperature; and maintaining the film of lithium cobalt oxide at the target temperature for a target annealing time of at most, approximately 60 minutes. The systems and methods provide advantages because they require less time to implement and are, therefore less costly than previous techniques.

Fabrication of highly textured lithium cobalt oxide films by rapid thermal annealing

DOEpatents

Bates, John B.

2002-01-01

Systems and methods are described for fabrication of highly textured lithium cobalt oxide films by rapid thermal annealing. A method of forming a lithium cobalt oxide film includes depositing a film of lithium cobalt oxide on a substrate; rapidly heating the film of lithium cobalt oxide to a target temperature; and maintaining the film of lithium cobalt oxide at the target temperature for a target annealing time of at most, approximately 60 minutes. The systems and methods provide advantages because they require less time to implement and are, therefore less costly than previous techniques.

Fabrication of highly textured lithium cobalt oxide films by rapid thermal annealing

DOEpatents

Bates, John B.

2003-05-13

Systems and methods are described for fabrication of highly textured lithium cobalt oxide films by rapid thermal annealing. A method of forming a lithium cobalt oxide film includes depositing a film of lithium cobalt oxide on a substrate; rapidly heating the film of lithium cobalt oxide to a target temperature; and maintaining the film of lithium cobalt oxide at the target temperature for a target annealing time of at most, approximately 60 minutes. The systems and methods provide advantages because they require less time to implement and are, therefore less costly than previous techniques.

Coadsorbed species explain the mechanism of methanol temperature-desorption on CeO 2(111)

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

Sutton, Jonathan E.; Steven H. Overbury; Beste, Ariana

2016-03-24

Here, we have used density functional theory calculations to investigate the temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of methanol from CeO 2(111). For the first time, low-temperature water formation and high-temperature methanol desorption are explained by our calculations. High coverages of methanol, which correspond to experimental conditions, are required to properly describe these features of the TPD spectrum. We identify a mechanism for the low-temperature formation of water involving the dissociation of two methanol molecules on the same surface O atom and filling of the resulting surface vacancy with one of the methoxy products. After water desorption, methoxy groups are stabilized on themore » surface and react at higher temperatures to form methanol and formaldehyde by a disproportionation mechanism. Alternatively, the stabilized methoxy groups undergo sequential C–H scission reactions to produce formaldehyde. Calculated energy requirements and methanol/formaldehyde selectivity agree with the experimental data.« less

Temperature compensation and temperature sensation in the circadian clock

PubMed Central

Kidd, Philip B.; Young, Michael W.; Siggia, Eric D.

2015-01-01

All known circadian clocks have an endogenous period that is remarkably insensitive to temperature, a property known as temperature compensation, while at the same time being readily entrained by a diurnal temperature oscillation. Although temperature compensation and entrainment are defining features of circadian clocks, their mechanisms remain poorly understood. Most models presume that multiple steps in the circadian cycle are temperature-dependent, thus facilitating temperature entrainment, but then insist that the effect of changes around the cycle sums to zero to enforce temperature compensation. An alternative theory proposes that the circadian oscillator evolved from an adaptive temperature sensor: a gene circuit that responds only to temperature changes. This theory implies that temperature changes should linearly rescale the amplitudes of clock component oscillations but leave phase relationships and shapes unchanged. We show using timeless luciferase reporter measurements and Western blots against TIMELESS protein that this prediction is satisfied by the Drosophila circadian clock. We also review evidence for pathways that couple temperature to the circadian clock, and show previously unidentified evidence for coupling between the Drosophila clock and the heat-shock pathway. PMID:26578788

High-Temperature Oxidation Behavior of Two Nickel-Based Superalloys Produced by Metal Injection Molding for Aero Engine Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albert, Benedikt; Völkl, Rainer; Glatzel, Uwe

2014-09-01

For different high-temperature applications like aero engines or turbochargers, metal injection molding (MIM) of superalloys is an interesting processing alternative. For operation at high temperatures, oxidation behavior of superalloys produced by MIM needs to match the standard of cast or forged material. The oxidation behavior of nickel-based superalloys Inconel 713 and MAR-M247 in the temperature interval from 1073 K to 1373 K (800 °C to 1100 °C) is investigated and compared to cast material. Weight gain is measured discontinuously at different oxidation temperatures and times. Analysis of oxidized samples is done via SEM and EDX-measurements. MIM samples exhibit homogeneous oxide layers with a thickness up to 4 µm. After processing by MIM, Inconel 713 exhibits lower weight gain and thinner oxide layers than MAR-M247.

Testing strategies for embryo-fetal toxicity of human pharmaceuticals. Animal models vs. in vitro approaches: a workshop report.

PubMed

van der Laan, Jan Willem; Chapin, Robert E; Haenen, Bert; Jacobs, Abigail C; Piersma, Aldert

2012-06-01

Reproductive toxicity testing is characterized by high animal use. For registration of pharmaceutical compounds, developmental toxicity studies are usually conducted in both rat and rabbits. Efforts have been underway for a long time to design alternatives to animal use. Implementation has lagged, partly because of uncertainties about the applicability domain of the alternatives. The reproductive cycle is complex and not all mechanisms of development can be mimicked in vitro. Therefore, efforts are underway to characterize the available alternative tests with regard to the mechanism of action they include. One alternative test is the mouse embryonic stem cell test (EST), which has been studied since the late 1990s. It is a genuine 3R "alternative" assay as it is essentially animal-free. A meeting was held to review the state-of-the-art of various in vitro models for prediction of developmental toxicity. Although the predictivity of individual assays is improving, a battery of several assays is likely to have even higher predictivity, which is necessary for regulatory acceptance. The workshop concluded that an important first step is a thorough survey of the existing rat and rabbit studies, to fully characterize the frequency of responses and the types of effects seen. At the same time, it is important to continue the optimization of in vitro assays. As more experience accumulates, the optimal conditions, assay structure, and applicability of the alternative assays are expected to emerge. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the results of several heat transfer computer codes when applied to a hypothetical nuclear waste repository

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

Claiborne, H.C.; Wagner, R.S.; Just, R.A.

1979-12-01

A direct comparison of transient thermal calculations was made with the heat transfer codes HEATING5, THAC-SIP-3D, ADINAT, SINDA, TRUMP, and TRANCO for a hypothetical nuclear waste repository. With the exception of TRUMP and SINDA (actually closer to the earlier CINDA3G version), the other codes agreed to within +-5% for the temperature rises as a function of time. The TRUMP results agreed within +-5% up to about 50 years, where the maximum temperature occurs, and then began an oscillary behavior with up to 25% deviations at longer times. This could have resulted from time steps that were too large or frommore » some unknown system problems. The available version of the SINDA code was not compatible with the IBM compiler without using an alternative method for handling a variable thermal conductivity. The results were about 40% low, but a reasonable agreement was obtained by assuming a uniform thermal conductivity; however, a programming error was later discovered in the alternative method. Some work is required on the IBM version to make it compatible with the system and still use the recommended method of handling variable thermal conductivity. TRANCO can only be run as a 2-D model, and TRUMP and CINDA apparently required longer running times and did not agree in the 2-D case; therefore, only HEATING5, THAC-SIP-3D, and ADINAT were used for the 3-D model calculations. The codes agreed within +-5%; at distances of about 1 ft from the waste canister edge, temperature rises were also close to that predicted by the 3-D model.« less

Implementation of laser speckle contrast analysis as connection kit for mobile phone for assessment of skin blood flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakovels, Dainis; Saknite, Inga; Spigulis, Janis

2014-05-01

Laser speckle contrast analysis (LASCA) offers a non-contact, full-field, and real-time mapping of capillary blood flow and can be considered as an alternative method to Laser Doppler perfusion imaging. LASCA technique has been implemented in several commercial instruments. However, these systems are still too expensive and bulky to be widely available. Several optical techniques have found new implementations as connection kits for mobile phones thus offering low cost screening devices. In this work we demonstrate simple implementation of LASCA imaging technique as connection kit for mobile phone for primary low-cost assessment of skin blood flow. Stabilized 650 nm and 532 nm laser diode modules were used for LASCA illumination. Dual wavelength illumination could provide additional information about skin hemoglobin and oxygenation level. The proposed approach was tested for arterial occlusion and heat test. Besides, blood flow maps of injured and provoked skin were demonstrated.

The impact of the 2010 Polish smoke-free legislation on the popularity and sales of electronic cigarettes.

PubMed

Goniewicz, Maciej L; Kosmider, Leon; Delijewski, Marcin; Knysak, Jakub; Ochota, Patryk; Sobczak, Andrzej

2014-06-01

Electronic cigarettes, also called e-cigarettes or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), have become widely available globally, particularly via the Internet. They are considered by many users as a safe alternative to regular cigarettes, and some use them for smoking cessation. We investigated whether the implementation of new tobacco control legislation in Poland affected the popularity and sales of ENDS. This study monitored Google searches and online sales before and after the implementation of new tobacco control legislation in November 2010. The study demonstrated that the implementation of the smoke-free legislation was associated with only a temporary increase in ENDS online popularity in Poland. In longer time frames, there was decrease in ENDS online popularity and sales in Poland after implementation of the smoke-free policy. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Optimized and parallelized implementation of the electronegativity equalization method and the atom-bond electronegativity equalization method.

PubMed

Vareková, R Svobodová; Koca, J

2006-02-01

The most common way to calculate charge distribution in a molecule is ab initio quantum mechanics (QM). Some faster alternatives to QM have also been developed, the so-called "equalization methods" EEM and ABEEM, which are based on DFT. We have implemented and optimized the EEM and ABEEM methods and created the EEM SOLVER and ABEEM SOLVER programs. It has been found that the most time-consuming part of equalization methods is the reduction of the matrix belonging to the equation system generated by the method. Therefore, for both methods this part was replaced by the parallel algorithm WIRS and implemented within the PVM environment. The parallelized versions of the programs EEM SOLVER and ABEEM SOLVER showed promising results, especially on a single computer with several processors (compact PVM). The implemented programs are available through the Web page http://ncbr.chemi.muni.cz/~n19n/eem_abeem.

230 s room-temperature storage time and 1.14 eV hole localization energy in In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}As quantum dots on a GaAs interlayer in GaP with an AlP barrier

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

Bonato, Leo, E-mail: leo.bonato@tu-berlin.de; Sala, Elisa M.; Stracke, Gernot

2015-01-26

A GaP n{sup +}p-diode containing In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}As quantum dots (QDs) and an AlP barrier is characterized electrically, together with two reference samples: a simple n{sup +}p-diode and an n{sup +}p-diode with AlP barrier. Localization energy, capture cross-section, and storage time for holes in the QDs are determined using deep-level transient spectroscopy. The localization energy is 1.14(±0.04) eV, yielding a storage time at room temperature of 230(±60) s, which marks an improvement of 2 orders of magnitude compared to the former record value in QDs. Alternative material systems are proposed for still higher localization energies and longer storage times.

Production of biodiesel from bioethanol and Brassica carinata oil: oxidation stability study.

PubMed

Bouaid, Abderrahim; Martinez, Mercedes; Aracil, Jose

2009-04-01

In the present work the synthesis from bioethanol and Brassica carinata, as alternative vegetable oil, using KOH as catalyst, has been developed and optimized by application of the factorial design and response surface methodology (RSM). Temperature and catalyst concentration were found to have significant influence on conversion. A second-order model was obtained to predict conversions as a function of temperature and catalyst concentration. The maximum yield of ester (98.04%) was obtained working with an initial concentration of catalyst (1.5%) and an operation temperature of (35 degrees C). Results show that the acid value, peroxide value, and viscosity, increased while the iodine value decreased with increasing storage time of the biodiesel sample. Fatty acid ethyl esters (biodiesel) from B. carinata oil were very stable because they did not demonstrate rapid increase in peroxide value, acid value, and viscosity with increasing storage time to a period of 12 months.

76 FR 10530 - Supplemental Proposed Rule of Source Specific Federal Implementation Plan for Implementing Best...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-25

... proposed post-control BART limit of 0.012 lb/MMBtu on Units 1-3. C. Modeling and Demonstrating Reasonable... a different alternative emissions control strategy would achieve more progress than EPA's BART... Background for Proposing To Approve an Alternative Emissions Control Strategy as Achieving Better Progress...

40 CFR 63.1166 - Implementation and enforcement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 10 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Implementation and enforcement. 63...) Approval of alternatives to the requirements in §§ 63.1155, 63.1157 through 63.1159, and 63.1160(a). (2... major alternatives to recordkeeping and reporting under § 63.10(f), as defined in § 63.90, and as...

Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth: Recommended Parameters and Best Practices for Effective Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2005

2005-01-01

This document was prepared to serve as an aid in the planning, design, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth Programs in Pennsylvania. School Codes and Public Laws are cited for guidance on mandatory issues. The suggestions and implementation strategies provided in this document are not requirements…

Implementation and Analysis of Real-Time Streaming Protocols.

PubMed

Santos-González, Iván; Rivero-García, Alexandra; Molina-Gil, Jezabel; Caballero-Gil, Pino

2017-04-12

Communication media have become the primary way of interaction thanks to the discovery and innovation of many new technologies. One of the most widely used communication systems today is video streaming, which is constantly evolving. Such communications are a good alternative to face-to-face meetings, and are therefore very useful for coping with many problems caused by distance. However, they suffer from different issues such as bandwidth limitation, network congestion, energy efficiency, cost, reliability and connectivity. Hence, the quality of service and the quality of experience are considered the two most important issues for this type of communication. This work presents a complete comparative study of two of the most used protocols of video streaming, Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) and the Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC). In addition, this paper proposes two new mobile applications that implement those protocols in Android whose objective is to know how they are influenced by the aspects that most affect the streaming quality of service, which are the connection establishment time and the stream reception time. The new video streaming applications are also compared with the most popular video streaming applications for Android, and the experimental results of the analysis show that the developed WebRTC implementation improves the performance of the most popular video streaming applications with respect to the stream packet delay.

Temperature and Material Flow Prediction in Friction-Stir Spot Welding of Advanced High-Strength Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miles, M.; Karki, U.; Hovanski, Y.

2014-10-01

Friction-stir spot welding (FSSW) has been shown to be capable of joining advanced high-strength steel, with its flexibility in controlling the heat of welding and the resulting microstructure of the joint. This makes FSSW a potential alternative to resistance spot welding if tool life is sufficiently high, and if machine spindle loads are sufficiently low that the process can be implemented on an industrial robot. Robots for spot welding can typically sustain vertical loads of about 8 kN, but FSSW at tool speeds of less than 3000 rpm cause loads that are too high, in the range of 11-14 kN. Therefore, in the current work, tool speeds of 5000 rpm were employed to generate heat more quickly and to reduce welding loads to acceptable levels. Si3N4 tools were used for the welding experiments on 1.2-mm DP 980 steel. The FSSW process was modeled with a finite element approach using the Forge® software. An updated Lagrangian scheme with explicit time integration was employed to predict the flow of the sheet material, subjected to boundary conditions of a rotating tool and a fixed backing plate. Material flow was calculated from a velocity field that is two-dimensional, but heat generated by friction was computed by a novel approach, where the rotational velocity component imparted to the sheet by the tool surface was included in the thermal boundary conditions. An isotropic, viscoplastic Norton-Hoff law was used to compute the material flow stress as a function of strain, strain rate, and temperature. The model predicted welding temperatures to within 4%, and the position of the joint interface to within 10%, of the experimental results.

Temperature and Material Flow Prediction in Friction-Stir Spot Welding of Advanced High-Strength Steel

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

Miles, Michael; Karki, U.; Hovanski, Yuri

Friction-stir spot welding (FSSW) has been shown to be capable of joining advanced high-strength steel, with its flexibility in controlling the heat of welding and the resulting microstructure of the joint. This makes FSSW a potential alternative to resistance spot welding if tool life is sufficiently high, and if machine spindle loads are sufficiently low that the process can be implemented on an industrial robot. Robots for spot welding can typically sustain vertical loads of about 8 kN, but FSSW at tool speeds of less than 3000 rpm cause loads that are too high, in the range of 11–14 kN.more » Therefore, in the current work, tool speeds of 5000 rpm were employed to generate heat more quickly and to reduce welding loads to acceptable levels. Si3N4 tools were used for the welding experiments on 1.2-mm DP 980 steel. The FSSW process was modeled with a finite element approach using the Forge* software. An updated Lagrangian scheme with explicit time integration was employed to predict the flow of the sheet material, subjected to boundary conditions of a rotating tool and a fixed backing plate. Material flow was calculated from a velocity field that is two-dimensional, but heat generated by friction was computed by a novel approach, where the rotational velocity component imparted to the sheet by the tool surface was included in the thermal boundary conditions. An isotropic, viscoplastic Norton-Hoff law was used to compute the material flow stress as a function of strain, strain rate, and temperature. The model predicted welding temperatures to within percent, and the position of the joint interface to within 10 percent, of the experimental results.« less

Experimental evaluation of passive cooling using phase change materials (PCM) for reducing overheating in public building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Abdullahi; Mateo-Garcia, Monica; McGough, Danny; Caratella, Kassim; Ure, Zafer

2018-02-01

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) is essential for the health and productivity of building users. The risk of overheating in buildings is increasing due to increased density of occupancy of people and heat emitting equipment, increase in ambient temperature due to manifestation of climate change or changes in urban micro-climate. One of the solutions to building overheating is to inject some exposed thermal mass into the interior of the building. There are many different types of thermal storage materials which typically includes sensible heat storage materials such as concrete, bricks, rocks etc. It is very difficult to increase the thermal mass of existing buildings using these sensible heat storage materials. Alternative to these, there are latent heat storage materials called Phase Change Materials (PCM), which have high thermal storage capacity per unit volume of materials making them easy to implement within retrofit project. The use of Passive Cooling Thermal Energy Storage (TES) systems in the form of PCM PlusICE Solutions has been investigated in occupied spaces to improve indoor environmental quality. The work has been carried out using experimental set-up in existing spaces and monitored through the summer the months. The rooms have been monitored using wireless temperature and humidity sensors. There appears to be significant improvement in indoor temperature of up to 5°K in the room with the PCM compared to the monitored control spaces. The success of PCM for passive cooling is strongly dependent on the ventilation strategy employed in the spaces. The use of night time cooling to purge the stored thermal energy is essential for improved efficacy of the systems to reduce overheating in the spaces. The investigation is carried within the EU funded RESEEPEE project.

Metal-metal laminar composites for high temperature applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, C. A.; Weeton, J. W.

1972-01-01

A study was conducted to obtain indications of the potentialities of laminar metal-metal composites for elevated temperature use. Most of the composites consisted of multiple layers or laminae of tungsten alternated with laminae of Nichrome V, a ductile, weaker but oxidation-resistant alloy. Composites with 50 volume percent of each phase were tested in tension and stress rupture at temperatures of 871 and 1093 C (1600 and 2000 F) and in impact at 23 and 524 C (73 and 975 F). A tension and a short time stress-rupture test was conducted on specimens of 77 v/o W-Re-Hf-C/23 v/o Inconel alloy 600 at 1093 C (2000 F).

Open-WiSe: a solar powered wireless sensor network platform.

PubMed

González, Apolinar; Aquino, Raúl; Mata, Walter; Ochoa, Alberto; Saldaña, Pedro; Edwards, Arthur

2012-01-01

Because battery-powered nodes are required in wireless sensor networks and energy consumption represents an important design consideration, alternate energy sources are needed to provide more effective and optimal function. The main goal of this work is to present an energy harvesting wireless sensor network platform, the Open Wireless Sensor node (WiSe). The design and implementation of the solar powered wireless platform is described including the hardware architecture, firmware, and a POSIX Real-Time Kernel. A sleep and wake up strategy was implemented to prolong the lifetime of the wireless sensor network. This platform was developed as a tool for researchers investigating Wireless sensor network or system integrators.

Optimizing the implementation of the target motion sampling temperature treatment technique - How fast can it get?

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

Tuomas, V.; Jaakko, L.

This article discusses the optimization of the target motion sampling (TMS) temperature treatment method, previously implemented in the Monte Carlo reactor physics code Serpent 2. The TMS method was introduced in [1] and first practical results were presented at the PHYSOR 2012 conference [2]. The method is a stochastic method for taking the effect of thermal motion into account on-the-fly in a Monte Carlo neutron transport calculation. It is based on sampling the target velocities at collision sites and then utilizing the 0 K cross sections at target-at-rest frame for reaction sampling. The fact that the total cross section becomesmore » a distributed quantity is handled using rejection sampling techniques. The original implementation of the TMS requires 2.0 times more CPU time in a PWR pin-cell case than a conventional Monte Carlo calculation relying on pre-broadened effective cross sections. In a HTGR case examined in this paper the overhead factor is as high as 3.6. By first changing from a multi-group to a continuous-energy implementation and then fine-tuning a parameter affecting the conservativity of the majorant cross section, it is possible to decrease the overhead factors to 1.4 and 2.3, respectively. Preliminary calculations are also made using a new and yet incomplete optimization method in which the temperature of the basis cross section is increased above 0 K. It seems that with the new approach it may be possible to decrease the factors even as low as 1.06 and 1.33, respectively, but its functionality has not yet been proven. Therefore, these performance measures should be considered preliminary. (authors)« less

Photosynthesis and Photosynthetic Electron Flow in the Alpine Evergreen Species Quercus guyavifolia in Winter

PubMed Central

Huang, Wei; Hu, Hong; Zhang, Shi-Bao

2016-01-01

Alpine evergreen broadleaf tree species must regularly cope with low night temperatures in winter. However, the effects of low night temperatures on photosynthesis in alpine evergreen broadleaf tree species are unclear. We measured the diurnal photosynthetic parameters before and after cold snap for leaves of Quercus guyavifolia growing in its native habitat at 3290 m. On 11 and 12 December 2013 (before cold snap), stomatal and mesophyll conductances (gs and gm), CO2 assimilation rate (An), and total electron flow through PSII (JPSII) at daytime were maintained at high levels. The major action of alternative electron flow was to provide extra ATP for primary metabolisms. On 20 December 2013 (after cold snap), the diurnal values of gs, gm, An, and JPSII at daytime largely decreased, mainly due to the large decrease in night air temperature. Meanwhile, the ratio of photorespiration and alternative electron flow to JPSII largely increased on 20 December. Furthermore, the high levels of alternative electron flow were accompanied with low rates of extra ATP production. A quantitative limitation analysis reveals that the gm limitation increased on 20 December with decreased night air temperature. Therefore, the night air temperature was an important determinant of stomatal/mesophyll conductance and photosynthesis. When photosynthesis is inhibited following freezing night temperatures, photorespiration and alternative electron flow are important electron sinks, which support the role of photorespiration and alternative electron flow in photoportection for alpine plants under low temperatures. PMID:27812359

76 FR 43698 - Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control Alternatives Workgroup

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-21

...] Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control Alternatives Workgroup AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior... of the Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control Alternatives Workgroup (Workgroup). The Workgroup's purpose... implementation of sea lamprey control techniques alternative to lampricide that are technically feasible, cost...

Developing the plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The basic sequence in the planning development process is discussed. Alternative ways of satisfying estimated needs, and the selection of an alternative are described along with the development of a plan to implement the selected alternative.

Model Checking Real Time Java Using Java PathFinder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindstrom, Gary; Mehlitz, Peter C.; Visser, Willem

2005-01-01

The Real Time Specification for Java (RTSJ) is an augmentation of Java for real time applications of various degrees of hardness. The central features of RTSJ are real time threads; user defined schedulers; asynchronous events, handlers, and control transfers; a priority inheritance based default scheduler; non-heap memory areas such as immortal and scoped, and non-heap real time threads whose execution is not impeded by garbage collection. The Robust Software Systems group at NASA Ames Research Center has JAVA PATHFINDER (JPF) under development, a Java model checker. JPF at its core is a state exploring JVM which can examine alternative paths in a Java program (e.g., via backtracking) by trying all nondeterministic choices, including thread scheduling order. This paper describes our implementation of an RTSJ profile (subset) in JPF, including requirements, design decisions, and current implementation status. Two examples are analyzed: jobs on a multiprogramming operating system, and a complex resource contention example involving autonomous vehicles crossing an intersection. The utility of JPF in finding logic and timing errors is illustrated, and the remaining challenges in supporting all of RTSJ are assessed.

A new Ultra Precision Interferometer for absolute length measurements down to cryogenic temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schödel, R.; Walkov, A.; Zenker, M.; Bartl, G.; Meeß, R.; Hagedorn, D.; Gaiser, C.; Thummes, G.; Heltzel, S.

2012-09-01

A new Ultra Precision Interferometer (UPI) was built at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt. As its precursor, the precision interferometer, it was designed for highly precise absolute length measurements of prismatic bodies, e.g. gauge blocks, under well-defined temperature conditions and pressure, making use of phase stepping imaging interferometry. The UPI enables a number of enhanced features, e.g. it is designed for a much better lateral resolution and better temperature stability. In addition to the original concept, the UPI is equipped with an external measurement pathway (EMP) in which a prismatic body can be placed alternatively. The temperature of the EMP can be controlled in a much wider range compared to the temperature of the interferometer's main chamber. An appropriate cryostat system, a precision temperature measurement system and improved imaging interferometry were established to permit absolute length measurements down to cryogenic temperature, demonstrated for the first time ever. Results of such measurements are important for studying thermal expansion of materials from room temperature towards less than 10 K.

On-the-fly Doppler broadening of unresolved resonance region cross sections

DOE PAGES

Walsh, Jonathan A.; Forget, Benoit; Smith, Kord S.; ...

2017-07-29

In this paper, two methods for computing temperature-dependent unresolved resonance region cross sections on-the-fly within continuous-energy Monte Carlo neutron transport simulations are presented. The first method calculates Doppler broadened cross sections directly from zero-temperature average resonance parameters. In a simulation, at each event that requires cross section values, a realization of unresolved resonance parameters is generated about the desired energy and temperature-dependent single-level Breit-Wigner resonance cross sections are computed directly via the analytical Ψ-x Doppler integrals. The second method relies on the generation of equiprobable cross section magnitude bands on an energy-temperature mesh. Within a simulation, the bands are sampledmore » and interpolated in energy and temperature to obtain cross section values on-the-fly. Both of the methods, as well as their underlying calculation procedures, are verified numerically in extensive code-to-code comparisons. Energy-dependent pointwise cross sections calculated with the newly-implemented procedures are shown to be in excellent agreement with those calculated by a widely-used nuclear data processing code. Relative differences at or below 0.1% are observed. Integral criticality benchmark results computed with the proposed methods are shown to reproduce those computed with a state-of-the-art processed nuclear data library very well. In simulations of fast spectrum systems which are highly-sensitive to the representation of cross section data in the unresolved region, k-eigenvalue and neutron flux spectra differences of <10 pcm and <1.0% are observed, respectively. The direct method is demonstrated to be well-suited to the calculation of reference solutions — against which results obtained with a discretized representation may be assessed — as a result of its treatment of the energy, temperature, and cross section magnitude variables as continuous. Also, because there is no pre-processed data to store (only temperature-independent average resonance parameters) the direct method is very memory-efficient. Typically, only a few kB of memory are needed to store all required unresolved region data for a single nuclide. However, depending on the details of a particular simulation, performing URR cross section calculations on-the-fly can significantly increase simulation times. Alternatively, the method of interpolating equiprobable probability bands is demonstrated to produce results that are as accurate as the direct reference solutions, to within arbitrary precision, with high computational efficiency in terms of memory requirements and simulation time. Analyses of a fast spectrum system show that interpolation on a coarse energy-temperature mesh can be used to reproduce reference k-eigenvalue results obtained with cross sections calculated continuously in energy and directly at an exact temperature to within <10 pcm. Probability band data on a mesh encompassing the range of temperatures relevant to reactor analysis usually require around 100 kB of memory per nuclide. Finally, relative to the case in which probability table data generated at a single, desired temperature are used, minor increases in simulation times are observed when probability band interpolation is employed.« less

Elementary Metric Curriculum - Project T.I.M.E. (Timely Implementation of Metric Education). Part II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Community School District 18, Brooklyn, NY.

This is the second part of a two-part teacher's manual for an ISS-based elementary school course in the metric system. Behavioral objectives and student activities are included. Topics include: (1) capacity; (2) calculation of volume and surface area of cylinders and cones; (3) mass; (4) temperature; and (5) metric conversions. (BB)

Microbial Utilization of Free and Clay-Bound Insecticidal Toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis and Their Retention of Insecticidal Activity after Incubation with Microbes

PubMed Central

Koskella, J.; Stotzky, G.

1997-01-01

The insecticidal toxins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis subspp. kurstaki and tenebrionis were resistant when bound on clays, but not when free, to utilization by pure and mixed cultures of microbes as sources of carbon and carbon plus nitrogen, and their availability as a nitrogen source was reduced. The bound toxins retained insecticidal activity both before and after exposure to microbes or pronase. The insecticidal activity of the toxins persisted for 40 days (the longest time evaluated) in nonsterile soil continuously maintained at the -33-kPa water tension and room temperature, alternately air dried and rewetted to the -33-kPa water tension, or alternately frozen and thawed, although alternate drying and wetting reduced the activity. PMID:16535692

The Potential of Biodiesel Production derived from Fish Waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farzana Samat, Amira; Amirah Safiah Muhamad, Nor; Rasib, Nur Aziera Abd; Hassan, Siti Aminah Mohd; Sohaimi, Khairunissa Syairah Ahmad; Izzati Iberahim, Nur

2018-03-01

Petroleum based diesel is one of the largest greenhouse emitters in the worlds based on its contribution to more likely of all carbon, methane and other greenhouse emissions. Besides, the depletion of fossil fuel that indirectly increased its price has force the global oil industry not to be so dependent on the fossil fuel but instead start focusing on alternative sources. Biodiesel is recognized as a clean alternative fuel or as a fuel additive to reduce pollutant from combustion equipment. In this study, the discarded parts of mixed marine fish species were used as the raw material to produce biodiesel. Marine fish oil was extracted from the discarded part of fish and if refined through a series of pretreatment process. The refined marine fish oil undergoes esterification process to reduce the amount of free fatty acid. The oil was then transesterified with methanol and sodium hydroxide as an alkaline catalyst that will speed up the conversion of oil to methyl ester. The three process parameters considered for this study were reaction time, reaction temperature and methanol to oil molar ratio. Biodiesel obtained was then analyzed using gas chromatography (GC). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software. The data obtained was analyzed by using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) repeated measure. The results obtained showed that the conversion of FAME yield is the highest at reaction time 180 minutes, reaction temperature 60°C and methanol to oil molar ratio at 15:1 with FAME yield 80.16%, 80.03% and 80.39%. Thus, it can be concluded that the conversion of biodiesel increased as the reaction time, temperature and

Investigation of Cyprus thermal tenancy using nine year MODIS LST data and Fourier analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skarlatos, D.; Miliaresis, G.; Georgiou, A.

2013-08-01

Land Surface Temperature (LST) is an extremely important parameter that controls the exchange of long wave radiation between surface and atmosphere. It is a good indicator of the energy balance at the Earth's surface and it is one of the key parameters in the physics of land-surface processes on regional as well as global scale. This paper utilizes monthly night and day averaged LST MODIS imagery over Cyprus for a 9 year period. Fourier analysis and Least squares estimation fitting are implemented to analyze mean daily data over Cyprus in an attempt to investigate possible temperature tenancy over these years and possible differences among areas with different land cover and land use, such as Troodos Mountain and Nicosia, the main city in the center of the island. The analysis of data over a long time period, allows questions such as whether there is a tenancy to temperature increase, to be answered in a statistically better way, provided that `noise' is removed correctly. Dealing with a lot of data, always provides a more accurate estimation, but on the other hand, more noise in implemented on the data, especially when dealing with temperature which is subject to daily and annual cycles. A brief description over semi-automated data acquisition and standardization using object-oriented programming and GIS-based techniques, will be presented. The paper fully describes the time series analysis implemented, the Fourier method and how it was used to analyze and filter mean daily data with high frequency. Comparison of mean monthly daily LST against day and night LSTs is also performed over the 9 year period in order to investigate whether use of the extended data series provide significant advantage over short.

Russia: update on animal experiments and alternatives in education.

PubMed

Jukes, Nick

2008-01-01

Progress continues in Russia with growing awareness and implementation of alternatives in education. Further outreach visits and negotiations for replacement have been made by InterNICHE campaigners. Russian language information resources have been complemented by the distribution of translated freeware physiology and pharmacology alternatives; and the InterNICHE Alternatives Loan Systems continue to provide valuable hands-on access to a range of learning tools. Donations of computers and alternatives have established exemplary multimedia laboratories, with software having directly replaced the annual use of several thousand animals. New agreements have been made with institutes to abandon animal experiments for teaching purposes. Work to consolidate the successes is being done, and Russian teachers have begun to present at conferences to share their experiences of implementation. Further development and implementation of alternatives is being achieved through grant funding from the InterNICHE Humane Education Award. Using a different approach, cases of determined conscientious objection have included a campaign against the use of stolen companion animals for surgery practice in the Russian Far East, and a continuing legal challenge to experiments at Moscow State University. This multi-pronged, decentralised and culturally appropriate campaigning strategy has proved to be an effective approach to achieving sustainable change in Russia.

Lower growth temperature increases alternative pathway capacity and alternative oxidase protein in tobacco.

PubMed

Vanlerberghe, G C; McIntosh, L

1992-09-01

Suspension cells of NT1 tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv bright yellow) have been used to study the effect of growth temperature on the CN-resistant, salicylhydroxamic acid-sensitive alternative pathway of respiration. Mitochondria isolated from cells maintained at 30 degrees C had a low capacity to oxidize succinate via the alternative pathway, whereas mitochondria isolated from cells 24 h after transfer to 18 degrees C displayed, on average, a 5-fold increase in this capacity (from 7 to 32 nanoatoms oxygen per milligram protein per minute). This represented an increase in alternative pathway capacity from 18 to 45% of the total capacity of electron transport. This increased capacity was lost upon transfer of cells back to 30 degrees C. A monoclonal antibody to the terminal oxidase of the alternative pathway (the alternative oxidase) from Sauromatum guttatum (T.E. Elthon, R.L. Nickels, L. McIntosh [1989] Plant Physiology 89: 1311-1317) recognized a 35-kilodalton mitochondrial protein in tobacco. There was an excellent correlation between the capacity of the alternative path in isolated tobacco mitochondria and the levels of this 35-kilodalton alternative oxidase protein. Cycloheximide could inhibit both the increased level of the 35-kilodalton alternative oxidase protein and the increased alternative pathway capacity normally seen upon transfer to 18 degrees C. We conclude that transfer of tobacco cells to the lower temperature increases the capacity of the alternative pathway due, at least in part, to de novo synthesis of the 35-kilodalton alternative oxidase protein.

Communication: Time-dependent optimized coupled-cluster method for multielectron dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Takeshi; Pathak, Himadri; Orimo, Yuki; Ishikawa, Kenichi L.

2018-02-01

Time-dependent coupled-cluster method with time-varying orbital functions, called time-dependent optimized coupled-cluster (TD-OCC) method, is formulated for multielectron dynamics in an intense laser field. We have successfully derived the equations of motion for CC amplitudes and orthonormal orbital functions based on the real action functional, and implemented the method including double excitations (TD-OCCD) and double and triple excitations (TD-OCCDT) within the optimized active orbitals. The present method is size extensive and gauge invariant, a polynomial cost-scaling alternative to the time-dependent multiconfiguration self-consistent-field method. The first application of the TD-OCC method of intense-laser driven correlated electron dynamics in Ar atom is reported.

Communication: Time-dependent optimized coupled-cluster method for multielectron dynamics.

PubMed

Sato, Takeshi; Pathak, Himadri; Orimo, Yuki; Ishikawa, Kenichi L

2018-02-07

Time-dependent coupled-cluster method with time-varying orbital functions, called time-dependent optimized coupled-cluster (TD-OCC) method, is formulated for multielectron dynamics in an intense laser field. We have successfully derived the equations of motion for CC amplitudes and orthonormal orbital functions based on the real action functional, and implemented the method including double excitations (TD-OCCD) and double and triple excitations (TD-OCCDT) within the optimized active orbitals. The present method is size extensive and gauge invariant, a polynomial cost-scaling alternative to the time-dependent multiconfiguration self-consistent-field method. The first application of the TD-OCC method of intense-laser driven correlated electron dynamics in Ar atom is reported.

Implementation of Adaptive Digital Controllers on Programmable Logic Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gwaltney, David A.; King, Kenneth D.; Smith, Keary J.; Ormsby, John (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Much has been made of the capabilities of FPGA's (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) in the hardware implementation of fast digital signal processing (DSP) functions. Such capability also makes and FPGA a suitable platform for the digital implementation of closed loop controllers. There are myriad advantages to utilizing an FPGA for discrete-time control functions which include the capability for reconfiguration when SRAM- based FPGA's are employed, fast parallel implementation of multiple control loops and implementations that can meet space level radiation tolerance in a compact form-factor. Other researchers have presented the notion that a second order digital filter with proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control functionality can be implemented in an FPGA. At Marshall Space Flight Center, the Control Electronics Group has been studying adaptive discrete-time control of motor driven actuator systems using digital signal processor (DSF) devices. Our goal is to create a fully digital, flight ready controller design that utilizes an FPGA for implementation of signal conditioning for control feedback signals, generation of commands to the controlled system, and hardware insertion of adaptive control algorithm approaches. While small form factor, commercial DSP devices are now available with event capture, data conversion, pulse width modulated outputs and communication peripherals, these devices are not currently available in designs and packages which meet space level radiation requirements. Meeting our goals requires alternative compact implementation of such functionality to withstand the harsh environment encountered on spacecraft. Radiation tolerant FPGA's are a feasible option for reaching these goals.

Monitoring And Modeling Environmental Water Quality To Support Environmental Water Purchase Decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Null, S. E.; Elmore, L.; Mouzon, N. R.; Wood, J. R.

2016-12-01

More than 25 million cubic meters (20,000 acre feet) of water has been purchased from willing agricultural sellers for environmental flows in Nevada's Walker River to improve riverine habitat and connectivity with downstream Walker Lake. Reduced instream flows limit native fish populations, like Lahontan cutthroat trout, through warm daily stream temperatures and low dissolved oxygen concentrations. Environmental water purchases maintain instream flows, although effects on water quality are more varied. We use multi-year water quality monitoring and physically-based hydrodynamic and water quality modeling to estimate streamflow, water temperature, and dissolved oxygen concentrations with alternative environmental water purchases. We simulate water temperature and dissolved oxygen changes from increased streamflow to prioritize the time periods and locations that environmental water purchases most enhance trout habitat as a function of water quality. Monitoring results indicate stream temperature and dissolved oxygen limitations generally exist in the 115 kilometers upstream of Walker Lake (about 37% of the study area) from approximately May through September, and this reach acts as a water quality barrier for fish passage. Model results indicate that low streamflows generally coincide with critically warm stream temperatures, water quality refugia exist on a tributary of the Walker River, and environmental water purchases may improve stream temperature and dissolved oxygen conditions for some reaches and seasons, especially in dry years and prolonged droughts. This research supports environmental water purchase decision-making and allows water purchase decisions to be prioritized with other river restoration alternatives.

Methodology for estimation of time-dependent surface heat flux due to cryogen spray cooling.

PubMed

Tunnell, James W; Torres, Jorge H; Anvari, Bahman

2002-01-01

Cryogen spray cooling (CSC) is an effective technique to protect the epidermis during cutaneous laser therapies. Spraying a cryogen onto the skin surface creates a time-varying heat flux, effectively cooling the skin during and following the cryogen spurt. In previous studies mathematical models were developed to predict the human skin temperature profiles during the cryogen spraying time. However, no studies have accounted for the additional cooling due to residual cryogen left on the skin surface following the spurt termination. We formulate and solve an inverse heat conduction (IHC) problem to predict the time-varying surface heat flux both during and following a cryogen spurt. The IHC formulation uses measured temperature profiles from within a medium to estimate the surface heat flux. We implement a one-dimensional sequential function specification method (SFSM) to estimate the surface heat flux from internal temperatures measured within an in vitro model in response to a cryogen spurt. Solution accuracy and experimental errors are examined using simulated temperature data. Heat flux following spurt termination appears substantial; however, it is less than that during the spraying time. The estimated time-varying heat flux can subsequently be used in forward heat conduction models to estimate temperature profiles in skin during and following a cryogen spurt and predict appropriate timing for onset of the laser pulse.

Development of Meandering Winding Magnetometer (MWM (Register Trademark)) Eddy Current Sensors for the Health Monitoring, Modeling and Damage Detection of High Temperature Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Richard; Washabaugh, Andy; Sheiretov, Yanko; Martin, Christopher; Goldfine, Neil

2011-01-01

The increased use of high-temperature composite materials in modern and next generation aircraft and spacecraft have led to the need for improved nondestructive evaluation and health monitoring techniques. Such technologies are desirable to improve quality control, damage detection, stress evaluation and temperature measurement capabilities. Novel eddy current sensors and sensor arrays, such as Meandering Winding Magnetometers (MWMs) have provided alternate or complimentary techniques to ultrasound and thermography for both nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM). This includes imaging of composite material quality, damage detection and .the monitoring of fiber temperatures and multidirectional stresses. Historically, implementation of MWM technology for the inspection of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Reinforced Carbon-Carbon Composite (RCC) leading edge panels was developed by JENTEK Sensors and was subsequently transitioned by NASA as an operational pre and post flight in-situ inspection at the Kennedy Space Center. A manual scanner, which conformed'automatically to the curvature of the RCC panels was developed and used as a secondary technique if a defect was found during an infrared thermography screening, During a recent proof of concept study on composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV's), three different MWM sensors were tested at three orientations to demonstrate the ability of the technology to measure stresses at various fiber orientations and depths. These results showed excellent correlation with actual surface strain gage measurements. Recent advancements of this technology have been made applying MWM sensor technology for scanning COPVs for mechanical damage. This presentation will outline the recent advance in the MWM.technology and the development of MWM techniques for NDE and SHM of carbon wraped composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) including the measurement of internal stresses via a surface mounted sensor array. In addition, this paper will outline recent efforts to produce sensors capable of making real-time measurements at temperatures up to 850 C, and discuss previous results demonstrating capability to monitor carbon fiber temperature changes within a composite material.

Fabrication and characterization of low temperature polycrystalline silicon thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishnan, Anand Thiruvengadathan

2000-10-01

The proliferation of devices with built-in displays, such as personal digital assistants and cellular phones has created a demand for rugged light-weight displays. Polymeric substrates could be suited for these applications, and they offer the possibility of flexible displays also. However, driver circuitry needs to be integrated in the display if the cost is to be reduced. Low temperature (<350°C) polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin film transistors, if developed, offer driver circuitry integration during pixel transistor fabrication on top of flexible substrates. This thesis addresses several issues related to the fabrication of thin film transistors at low temperatures on glass substrates. A high-density plasma (electron cyclotron resonance (ECR)) based approach was adopted for deposition of thin films. A process for deposition of n-type doped silicon (n-type doped Si) at T < 350°C and having resistivity <1 ohm/cm has been developed. Intrinsic poly-Si was deposited under different conditions of microwave power, RF bias and deposition times. The properties of n-type doped Si and intrinsic poly-Si were correlated with the structure and the deposition conditions. A novel TFT structure has been proposed and implemented in this work. This top gate TFT structure uses n-type doped Si and utilizes only two masks and one alignment step. There are no critical etch steps and good interface quality could be obtained even without post-processing hydrogenation as the poly-Si surface was not exposed to air before deposition of the gate dielectric. TFTs using this top gate structure were fabricated with no process step exceeding 340°C electrode temperature (surface temperature <300°C). These TFTs show ON/OFF ratios in excess of 105. Their sub-threshold swing is ˜0.5 V/decade and mobility is 1--10 cm2/V-s. Several TFTs were also fabricated using alternative dielectrics such as oxide deposited from tetramethyl silane in an RFPECVD chamber and silicon nitride deposited in the ECR and these TFTs also show reasonable device characteristics. TFTs processed using this high-density plasma based approach show great potential for use in applications such as driver circuitry integration on low temperature substrates.

The Effect of Acclimation to Sublethal Temperature on Subsequent Susceptibility of Sitophilus zeamais Mostchulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to High Temperatures

PubMed Central

Lü, Jianhua; Zhang, Huina

2016-01-01

Heat treatment is a popular alternative to synthetic pesticides in disinfesting food-processing facilities and empty grain storages. Sitophilus zeamais Mostchulsky is one of the most cosmopolitan and destructive insects found in empty grain storage facilities and processing facilities. The effect of acclimation in S. zeamais adults to sublethal high temperature on their subsequent susceptibility to high temperatures was investigated. S. zeamais adults were acclimated to 36°C for 0 (as a control), 1, 3, and 5 h, and then were exposed at 43, 47, 51, and 55°C for different time intervals respectively. Acclimation to sublethal high temperature significantly reduced subsequent susceptibility of S. zeamais adults to lethal high temperatures of 43, 47, 51, and 55°C, although the mortality of S. zeamais adults significantly increased with increasing exposure time at lethal high temperatures. The mortality of S. zeamais adults with 1, 3, and 5 h of acclimation to 36°C was significantly lower than that of S. zeamais adults without acclimation when exposed to the same lethal high temperatures. The present results suggest that the whole facility should be heated to target lethal high temperature as soon as possible, avoiding decreasing the control effectiveness of heat treatment due to the acclimation in stored product insects to sublethal temperature. PMID:27462906

Analysis of enterococci using portable testing equipment for developing countries--variance of Azide NutriDisk medium under variable time and temperature.

PubMed

Godfrey, S; Watkins, J; Toop, K; Francis, C

2006-01-01

This report compares the enterococci count on samples obtained with Azide NutriDisk (AND) (sterile, dehydrated culture medium) and Slanetz and Bartley (SB) medium when exposed to a variable in incubation time and temperature. Three experiments were performed to examine the recovery of enterococci on AND and SB media using membrane filtration with respect to: (a) incubation time; (b) incubation temperature; and (c) a combination of the two. Presumptive counts were observed at 37, 41, 46 and 47 degrees C and at 20, 24, 28 and 48 h. These were compared to AWWA standard method 9230 C (44 degrees C, 44 h). Samples were confirmed using Kanamycin Aesculin Azide (KAA) agar. Friedman's ANOVA and Students t-test analysis indicated higher enumeration of enterococci when grown on AND (p = 0.45) than SB (p = < 0.001) at all temperatures with a survival threshold at 47 degrees C. Significant results for AND medium were noted at 20 h (p = 0.021), 24 h (p = 0.278) and 28 h (p = 0.543). The study concluded that the accuracy of the AND medium at a greater time and temperature range provided flexibility in incubator technology making it an appropriate alternative to SB medium for monitoring drinking water using field testing kits in developing countries.

Logical-rule models of classification response times: a synthesis of mental-architecture, random-walk, and decision-bound approaches.

PubMed

Fific, Mario; Little, Daniel R; Nosofsky, Robert M

2010-04-01

We formalize and provide tests of a set of logical-rule models for predicting perceptual classification response times (RTs) and choice probabilities. The models are developed by synthesizing mental-architecture, random-walk, and decision-bound approaches. According to the models, people make independent decisions about the locations of stimuli along a set of component dimensions. Those independent decisions are then combined via logical rules to determine the overall categorization response. The time course of the independent decisions is modeled via random-walk processes operating along individual dimensions. Alternative mental architectures are used as mechanisms for combining the independent decisions to implement the logical rules. We derive fundamental qualitative contrasts for distinguishing among the predictions of the rule models and major alternative models of classification RT. We also use the models to predict detailed RT-distribution data associated with individual stimuli in tasks of speeded perceptual classification. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Paint removal activities in the US Navy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozol, Joseph

1993-03-01

Use of methylene chloride and phenol based chemical strippers for aircraft paint removal generates large quantities of hazardous waste and creates health and safety problems for operating personnel. This paper presents an overview of the U.S. Navy's activities in the investigation and implementation of alternate paint stripping methods which will minimize or eliminate hazardous waste and provide a safe operating environment. Alternate paint removal methods under investigation by the Navy at the present time include use of non-hazardous chemical paint removers, xenon flashlamp/CO2 pellets, lasers and plastic media. Plastic media blasting represents a mature technology in current usage for aircraft paint stripping and is being investigated for determination of its effects on Navy composite aircraft configurations.

Agreement between auricular and rectal measurements of body temperature in healthy cats.

PubMed

Sousa, Marlos G; Carareto, Roberta; Pereira-Junior, Valdo A; Aquino, Monally C C

2013-04-01

Measurement of body temperature is a routine part of the clinical assessment of a patient. However, this procedure may be time-consuming and stressful to most animals because the standard site of temperature acquisition remains the rectal mucosa. Although an increasing number of clinicians have been using auricular temperature to estimate core body temperature, evidence is still lacking regarding agreement between these two methods in cats. In this investigation, we evaluated the agreement between temperatures measured in the rectum and ear in 29 healthy cats over a 2-week period. Temperatures were measured in the rectum (using digital and mercury-in-glass thermometers) and ear once a day for 14 consecutive days, producing 406 temperature readings for each thermometer. Mean temperature and confidence intervals were similar between methods, and Bland-Altman plots showed small biases and narrow limits of agreement acceptable for clinical purposes. The interobserver variability was also checked, which indicated a strong correlation between two near-simultaneous temperature readings. Results are consistent with auricular thermometry being a reliable alternative to rectal thermometry for assessing core body temperature in healthy cats.

Estimating Temperature Rise Due to Flashlamp Heating Using Irreversible Temperature Indicators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koshti, Ajay M.

1999-01-01

One of the nondestructive thermography inspection techniques uses photographic flashlamps. The flashlamps provide a short duration (about 0.005 sec) heat pulse. The short burst of energy results in a momentary rise in the surface temperature of the part. The temperature rise may be detrimental to the top layer of the part being exposed. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the nondestructive nature of the technique. Amount of the temperature rise determines whether the flashlamp heating would be detrimental to the part. A direct method for the temperature measurement is to use of an infrared pyrometer that has much shorter response time than the flash duration. In this paper, an alternative technique is given using the irreversible temperature 'indicators. This is an indirect technique and it measures the temperature rise on the irreversible temperature indicators and computes the incident heat flux. Once the heat flux is known, the temperature rise on the part can be computed. A wedge shaped irreversible temperature indicator for measuring the heat flux is proposed. A procedure is given to use the wedge indicator.

Temperature evolution, injury enhancement and treatment planning in cryosurgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rewcastle, John Cameron

Cryosurgery is the in situ ablation of target tissues by exposing them to low subzero temperatures. The last ten years have seen a resurgence of the interest in low temperature medicine and an advancement in the technologies used to inflict a freezing injury. Based on a comparative study, a new Joule-Thompson based cryomachine was found to have superior control than the standard liquid nitrogen cryomachine tested. The ability of the new generation of machines to quickly change temperatures led to the hypothesis that Dynamic Cryosurgery, the generation of thermal waves by oscillating cryoprobe tip temperatures, may increase the direct injury to cells within a cryosurgical iceball. An alternative means of accomplishing the same goal is to hold the iceball at a constant size once the critical temperature has been reached by the target tissue thereby increasing the hold time of cells at subzero temperatures. This alternative was tested in-vivo with an AT-1 Dunning rat prostate model and was found to increase the lethality of the iceball. To further the understanding of the cell damage mechanisms occurring during cryosurgery freezing and thawing rates that would be experienced clinically were mimicked on a cryostage and an in-vitro map of cellular damage was created, again using the Dunning cell line. Single and double freeze-thaw cycle experiments were performed. No intracellular ice was observed during the first freeze thaw cycle and viable cells were found in all regions of the iceball. This finding supports the role of ischemia resulting from post-treatment vascular stasis as a major contributor to cell killing. Cryosurgery is currently preformed with the goal of enclosing the target tissue within a critical isotherm assumed to insure necrosis. A three dimensional model of temperatures about multiple cryoprobes was developed to predict temperatures during cryosurgery and compared to experimental data. Predictions of this model were found to be accurate within experimental error. The ablative ratio, a measure of iceball potency, was calculated for one, three and five cryoprobe configurations. Multiple cryoprobe arrays produce an iceball with an ablative ratio that increases with time then plateaus. This contrasts with the ablative ratio for a single cryoprobe which is a continually decreasing as a function of time. In an attempt to simulate the thermal environment which occurs during prostate cryosurgery a thermal model was created taking into account the heating effects of the bladder and urethra. Computer generated three-dimensional visualization of isotherms overlaid on the relevant anatomy with temperature-volume-histograms and regions of concern maps allowed quantitative assessment of the planned treatment.

A temperature-based feedback control system for electromagnetic phased-array hyperthermia: theory and simulation.

PubMed

Kowalski, M E; Jin, J M

2003-03-07

A hybrid proportional-integral-in-time and cost-minimizing-in-space feedback control system for electromagnetic, deep regional hyperthermia is proposed. The unique features of this controller are that (1) it uses temperature, not specific absorption rate, as the criterion for selecting the relative phases and amplitudes with which to drive the electromagnetic phased-array used for hyperthermia and (2) it requires on-line computations that are all deterministic in duration. The former feature, in addition to optimizing the treatment directly on the basis of a clinically relevant quantity, also allows the controller to sense and react to time- and temperature-dependent changes in local blood perfusion rates and other factors that can significantly impact the temperature distribution quality of the delivered treatment. The latter feature makes it feasible to implement the scheme on-line in a real-time feedback control loop. This is in sharp contrast to other temperature optimization techniques proposed in the literature that generally involve an iterative approximation that cannot be guaranteed to terminate in a fixed amount of computational time. An example of its application is presented to illustrate the properties and demonstrate the capability of the controller to sense and compensate for local, time-dependent changes in blood perfusion rates.

Atmospheric volatilization of methyl bromide, 1,3-dichloropropene, and propargyl bromide through two plastic films: transfer coefficient and temperature effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, D.; Yates, S. R.; Gan, J.; Knuteson, J. A.

Atmospheric emission of methyl bromide (MeBr) and its potential alternative chemicals such as 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) and propargyl bromide (PrBr) can contribute to air pollution and ozone depletion (for MeBr). One of the main sources of these chemicals is from agricultural soil fumigation. To understand the volatilization dynamics, emission of MeBr, 1,3-D, and PrBr through a polyethylene-based high-barrier film (HBF) and a virtually impermeable film (VIF) was measured using an air flow and sampling system that produced >90% mass balance. The experiment was conducted outdoors and was subjected to ambient daily temperature variations. The HBF film was found to be very permeable to 1,3-D and PrBr, but somewhat less permeable to MeBr. The VIF film was very impermeable to 1,3-D, PrBr, or MeBr. Measured volatilization flux, in general, exhibited strong diurnal variations which were controlled by film temperature. Unlike the HBF film, a time lag (˜12 h) was observed between high-temperatures and high-emission flux values for the VIF film. An impermeable film may be used as an effective means of controlling the atmospheric emission of MeBr and its alternative chemicals.

Plastic breeding system response to day length in the California wildflower Mimulus douglasii.

PubMed

Barnett, Laryssa L; Troth, Ashley; Willis, John H

2018-04-25

Angiosperms have evolved multiple breeding systems that allow reproductive success under varied conditions. Striking among these are cleistogamous breeding systems, where individuals can produce alternative flower types specialized for distinct mating strategies. Cleistogamy is thought to be environmentally-dependent, but little is known about environmental triggers. If production of alternate flowers is environmentally induced, populations may evolve locally adapted responses. Mimulus douglasii, exhibits a cleistogamous breeding system, and ranges across temperature and day-length gradients, providing an ideal system to investigate environmental parameters that control cleistogamy. We compared flowering responses across Mimulus douglasii population accessions that produce distinct outcrossing and self-pollinating flower morphs. Under controlled conditions, we determined time to flower, and number and type of flowers produced under different temperatures and day lengths. Temperature and day length both affect onset of flowering. Long days shift flower type from predominantly chasmogamous to cleistogamous. The strength of the response to day length varies across accessions whether temperature varies or is held constant. Cleistogamy is an environmentally sensitive polyphenism in Mimulus douglasii, allowing transition from one mating strategy to another. Longer days induce flowering and production of cleistogamous flowers. Shorter days induce chasmogamous flowers. Population origin has a small effect on response to environmental cues. © 2018 Botanical Society of America.

Development of a versatile high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization device for small-scale processing of cell culture medium formulations.

PubMed

Floris, Patrick; Curtin, Sean; Kaisermayer, Christian; Lindeberg, Anna; Bones, Jonathan

2018-07-01

The compatibility of CHO cell culture medium formulations with all stages of the bioprocess must be evaluated through small-scale studies prior to scale-up for commercial manufacturing operations. Here, we describe the development of a bespoke small-scale device for assessing the compatibility of culture media with a widely implemented upstream viral clearance strategy, high-temperature short-time (HTST) treatment. The thermal stability of undefined medium formulations supplemented with soy hydrolysates was evaluated upon variations in critical HTST processing parameters, namely, holding times and temperatures. Prolonged holding times of 43 s at temperatures of 110 °C did not adversely impact medium quality while significant degradation was observed upon treatment at elevated temperatures (200 °C) for shorter time periods (11 s). The performance of the device was benchmarked against a commercially available mini-pilot HTST system upon treatment of identical formulations on both platforms. Processed medium samples were analyzed by untargeted LC-MS/MS for compositional profiling followed by chemometric evaluation, which confirmed the observed degradation effects caused by elevated holding temperatures but revealed comparable performance of our developed device with the commercial mini-pilot setup. The developed device can assist medium optimization activities by reducing volume requirements relative to commercially available mini-pilot instrumentation and by facilitating fast throughput evaluation of heat-induced effects on multiple medium lots.

Testing tail-mounted transmitters with Myocastor coypus (nutria)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merino, S.; Carter, J.; Thibodeaux, G.

2007-01-01

We developed a tail-mounted radio-transmitter for Myocastor coypus (nutria) that offers a practical and efficient alternative to collar or implant methods. The mean retention time was 96 d (range 57-147 d, n = 7), making this a practical method for short-term studies. The tail-mounts were less injurious to animals than collars and easier for field researchers to implement than either collars or surgically implanted transmitters.

Evaluation of effectiveness of Er,Cr:YSGG laser for root canal disinfection: theoretical simulation of temperature elevations in root dentin.

PubMed

Zhu, L; Tolba, M; Arola, D; Salloum, M; Meza, F

2009-07-01

Erbium, chromium: yttrium, scandium, gallium, garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) lasers are currently being investigated for disinfecting the root canal system. Prior to using laser therapy, it is important to understand the temperature distribution and to assess thermal damage to the surrounding tissue. In this study, a theoretical simulation using the Pennes bioheat equation is conducted to evaluate how heat spreads from the canal surface using an Er,Cr:YSGG laser. Results of the investigation show that some of the proposed treatment protocols for killing bacteria in the deep dentin are ineffective, even for long heating durations. Based on the simulation, an alternative treatment protocol is identified that has improved effectiveness and is less likely to introduce collateral damage to the surrounding tissue. The alternative protocol uses 350 mW laser power with repeating laser tip movement to achieve bacterial disinfection in the deep dentin (800 microm lateral from the canal surface), while avoiding thermal damage to the surrounding tissue (T<47 degrees C). The alternative treatment protocol has the potential to not only achieve bacterial disinfection of deep dentin but also shorten the treatment time, thereby minimizing potential patient discomfort during laser procedures.

Food Safety Informatics: A Public Health Imperative

PubMed Central

Tucker, Cynthia A.; Larkin, Stephanie N.; Akers, Timothy A.

2011-01-01

To date, little has been written about the implementation of utilizing food safety informatics as a technological tool to protect consumers, in real-time, against foodborne illnesses. Food safety outbreaks have become a major public health problem, causing an estimated 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Yet, government inspectors/regulators that monitor foodservice operations struggle with how to collect, organize, and analyze data; implement, monitor, and enforce safe food systems. Currently, standardized technologies have not been implemented to efficiently establish “near-in-time” or “just-in-time” electronic awareness to enhance early detection of public health threats regarding food safety. To address the potential impact of collection, organization and analyses of data in a foodservice operation, a wireless food safety informatics (FSI) tool was pilot tested at a university student foodservice center. The technological platform in this test collected data every six minutes over a 24 hour period, across two primary domains: time and temperatures within freezers, walk-in refrigerators and dry storage areas. The results of this pilot study briefly illustrated how technology can assist in food safety surveillance and monitoring by efficiently detecting food safety abnormalities related to time and temperatures so that efficient and proper response in “real time” can be addressed to prevent potential foodborne illnesses. PMID:23569605

Environmental Exposure Effects on Composite Materials for Commercial Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, D. J.

1980-01-01

The test program concentrates on three major areas: flight exposure; ground based exposure; and accelerated environmental effects and data correlation. Among the parameters investigated were: geographic location, flight profiles, solar heating effects, ultraviolet degradation, retrieval times, and test temperatures. Data from the tests can be used to effectively plan the cost of production and viable alternatives in materials selection.

Computer simulation to predict energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and costs for production of fluid milk using alternative processing methods

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Computer simulation is a useful tool for benchmarking the electrical and fuel energy consumption and water use in a fluid milk plant. In this study, a computer simulation model of the fluid milk process based on high temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization was extended to include models for pr...

77 FR 31856 - Record of Decision for the Department of Homeland Security Headquarters Consolidation at St...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-30

... thereby implement the Preferred Alternative for the FEMA facility, improvements to MLK Avenue and... Alternative that includes implementation of improvements to I-295, it is a public facility under FHWA's and... Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321-4347, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations...

A Preventive Intervention Program for Urban African American Youth Attending an Alternative Education Program: Background, Implementation, and Feasibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carswell, Steven B.; Hanlon, Thomas E.; O'Grady, Kevin E.; Watts, Amy M.; Pothong, Pattarapan

2009-01-01

This paper presents background, implementation, and feasibility findings associated with planning and conducting an after-school intervention program in an alternative education setting designed to prevent the initiation and escalation of violence and substance abuse among urban African American youth at high risk for life-long problem behaviors.…

Locally adaptive parallel temperature accelerated dynamics method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shim, Yunsic; Amar, Jacques G.

2010-03-01

The recently-developed temperature-accelerated dynamics (TAD) method [M. Sørensen and A.F. Voter, J. Chem. Phys. 112, 9599 (2000)] along with the more recently developed parallel TAD (parTAD) method [Y. Shim et al, Phys. Rev. B 76, 205439 (2007)] allow one to carry out non-equilibrium simulations over extended time and length scales. The basic idea behind TAD is to speed up transitions by carrying out a high-temperature MD simulation and then use the resulting information to obtain event times at the desired low temperature. In a typical implementation, a fixed high temperature Thigh is used. However, in general one expects that for each configuration there exists an optimal value of Thigh which depends on the particular transition pathways and activation energies for that configuration. Here we present a locally adaptive high-temperature TAD method in which instead of using a fixed Thigh the high temperature is dynamically adjusted in order to maximize simulation efficiency. Preliminary results of the performance obtained from parTAD simulations of Cu/Cu(100) growth using the locally adaptive Thigh method will also be presented.

Hydrolysis of ammonia borane as a hydrogen source: fundamental issues and potential solutions towards implementation.

PubMed

Sanyal, Udishnu; Demirci, Umit B; Jagirdar, Balaji R; Miele, Philippe

2011-12-16

In today's era of energy crisis and global warming, hydrogen has been projected as a sustainable alternative to depleting CO(2)-emitting fossil fuels. However, its deployment as an energy source is impeded by many issues, one of the most important being storage. Chemical hydrogen storage materials, in particular B-N compounds such as ammonia borane, with a potential storage capacity of 19.6 wt % H(2) and 0.145 kg(H2)L(-1), have been intensively studied from the standpoint of addressing the storage issues. Ammonia borane undergoes dehydrogenation through hydrolysis at room temperature in the presence of a catalyst, but its practical implementation is hindered by several problems affecting all of the chemical compounds in the reaction scheme, including ammonia borane, water, borate byproducts, and hydrogen. In this Minireview, we exhaustively survey the state of the art, discuss the fundamental problems, and, where applicable, propose solutions with the prospect of technological applications. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Real-time temperature monitoring with fiber Bragg grating sensor during diffuser-assisted laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy.

PubMed

Pham, Ngot Thi; Lee, Seul Lee; Park, Suhyun; Lee, Yong Wook; Kang, Hyun Wook

2017-04-01

High-sensitivity temperature sensors have been used to validate real-time thermal responses in tissue during photothermal treatment. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the feasible application of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor for diffuser-assisted laser-induced interstitial thermotherapy (LITT) particularly to treat tubular tissue disease. A 600 - ? m core-diameter diffuser was employed to deliver 980-nm laser light for coagulation treatment. Both a thermocouple and a FBG were comparatively tested to evaluate temperature measurements in ex vivo liver tissue. The degree of tissue denaturation was estimated as a function of irradiation times and quantitatively compared with light distribution as well as temperature development. At the closer distance to a heat source, the thermocouple measured up to 41% higher maximum temperature than the FBG sensor did after 120-s irradiation (i.e., 98.7 ° C ± 6.1 ° C for FBG versus 131.0 ° C ± 5.1 ° C for thermocouple; p < 0.001 ). Ex vivo porcine urethra tests confirmed the real-time temperature measurements of the FBG sensor as well as consistently circumferential tissue denaturation after 72-s irradiation ( coagulation thickness = 2.2 ± 0.3 ?? mm ). The implementation of FBG can be a feasible sensing technique to instantaneously monitor the temperature developments during diffuser-assisted LITT for treatment of tubular tissue structure.

New insights into soil temperature time series modeling: linear or nonlinear?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonakdari, Hossein; Moeeni, Hamid; Ebtehaj, Isa; Zeynoddin, Mohammad; Mahoammadian, Abdolmajid; Gharabaghi, Bahram

2018-03-01

Soil temperature (ST) is an important dynamic parameter, whose prediction is a major research topic in various fields including agriculture because ST has a critical role in hydrological processes at the soil surface. In this study, a new linear methodology is proposed based on stochastic methods for modeling daily soil temperature (DST). With this approach, the ST series components are determined to carry out modeling and spectral analysis. The results of this process are compared with two linear methods based on seasonal standardization and seasonal differencing in terms of four DST series. The series used in this study were measured at two stations, Champaign and Springfield, at depths of 10 and 20 cm. The results indicate that in all ST series reviewed, the periodic term is the most robust among all components. According to a comparison of the three methods applied to analyze the various series components, it appears that spectral analysis combined with stochastic methods outperformed the seasonal standardization and seasonal differencing methods. In addition to comparing the proposed methodology with linear methods, the ST modeling results were compared with the two nonlinear methods in two forms: considering hydrological variables (HV) as input variables and DST modeling as a time series. In a previous study at the mentioned sites, Kim and Singh Theor Appl Climatol 118:465-479, (2014) applied the popular Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) neural network and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) nonlinear methods and considered HV as input variables. The comparison results signify that the relative error projected in estimating DST by the proposed methodology was about 6%, while this value with MLP and ANFIS was over 15%. Moreover, MLP and ANFIS models were employed for DST time series modeling. Due to these models' relatively inferior performance to the proposed methodology, two hybrid models were implemented: the weights and membership function of MLP and ANFIS (respectively) were optimized with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm in conjunction with the wavelet transform and nonlinear methods (Wavelet-MLP & Wavelet-ANFIS). A comparison of the proposed methodology with individual and hybrid nonlinear models in predicting DST time series indicates the lowest Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) index value, which considers model simplicity and accuracy simultaneously at different depths and stations. The methodology presented in this study can thus serve as an excellent alternative to complex nonlinear methods that are normally employed to examine DST.

Time-temperature-stress capabilities of composite materials for advanced supersonic technology application, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerr, J. R.; Haskins, J. F.

1980-01-01

Implementation of metal and resin matrix composites into supersonic vehicle usage is contingent upon accelerating the demonstration of service capacity and design technology. Because of the added material complexity and lack of extensive service data, laboratory replication of the flight service will provide the most rapid method of documenting the airworthiness of advanced composite systems. A program in progress to determine the time temperature stress capabilities of several high temperature composite materials includes thermal aging, environmental aging, fatigue, creep, fracture, and tensile tests as well as real time flight simulation exposure. The program has two parts. The first includes all the material property determinations and aging and simulation exposures up through 10,000 hours. The second continues these tests up to 50,000 cumulative hours. Results are presented of the 10,000 hour phase, which has now been completed.

Estimation of viscoelastic shear properties of vocal-fold tissues based on time-temperature superposition.

PubMed

Chan, R W

2001-09-01

Empirical data on the viscoelastic shear properties of human vocal-fold mucosa (cover) were recently reported at relatively low frequency (0.01-15 Hz). For the data to become relevant to voice production, attempts have been made to parametrize and extrapolate the data to higher frequencies using constitutive modeling [Chan and Titze, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 107, 565-580 (2000)]. This study investigated the feasibility of an alternative approach for data extrapolation, namely the principle of time-temperature superposition (TTS). TTS is a hybrid theoretical-empirical approach widely used by rheologists to estimate the viscoelastic properties of polymeric systems at time or frequency scales not readily accessible experimentally. It is based on the observation that for many polymers, the molecular configurational changes that occur in a given time scale at a low temperature correspond to those that occur in a shorter time scale at a higher temperature. Using a rotational rheometer, the elastic shear modulus (G') and viscous shear modulus (G'') of vocal-fold cover (superficial layer of lamina propria) tissue samples were measured at 0.01-15 Hz at relatively low temperatures (5 degrees-37 degrees C). Data were empirically shifted according to TTS, yielding composite "master curves" for predicting the magnitude of the shear moduli at higher frequencies at 37 degrees C. Results showed that TTS may be a feasible approach for estimating the viscoelastic shear properties of vocal-fold tissues at frequencies of phonation (on the order of 100-1000 Hz).

Multiple climate drivers accelerate Arctic plant community senescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Livensperger, C.; Steltzer, H.; Wallenstein, M. D.; Weintraub, M. N.

2015-12-01

Alteration of seasonal phenology cues due to climate change has led to changes in the onset and duration of the growing season. While photoperiod often acts as an ultimate control on phenological events, recent studies have shown that environmental cues such as temperature and soil water content can modify the direction and rate of senescence processes. Warmer temperatures have resulted in an observed trend towards delayed senescence across temperate latitudes. However, Arctic regions are characterized by extreme seasonality and rapidly decreasing photoperiod, and consequently senescence may not shift as climate warms. We monitored the timing of Arctic plant community senescence for three years under the framework of an experimental manipulation that altered seasonal phenological cues through warming and earlier snowmelt. Alternative models of senescence were tested to determine if microclimate (air temperature, soil temperature, and soil moisture) or start of season phenology affect the timing and rate of community senescence. We found that all three microclimate predictors contributed to explaining variation in timing of senescence, suggesting that photoperiod is not the sole control on timing of senescence in Arctic plant communities. Rather, increased air and soil temperatures along with drier soil conditions, led to acceleration in the onset of senescence at a community level. Our data suggest that (1) multiple climate drivers predict timing of plant community senescence, and (2) climate change could result in a shorter peak season due to earlier onset of senescence, which would decrease the potential carbon uptake in moist acidic tundra.

Runtime Performance and Virtual Network Control Alternatives in VM-Based High-Fidelity Network Simulations

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

Yoginath, Srikanth B; Perumalla, Kalyan S; Henz, Brian J

2012-01-01

In prior work (Yoginath and Perumalla, 2011; Yoginath, Perumalla and Henz, 2012), the motivation, challenges and issues were articulated in favor of virtual time ordering of Virtual Machines (VMs) in network simulations hosted on multi-core machines. Two major components in the overall virtualization challenge are (1) virtual timeline establishment and scheduling of VMs, and (2) virtualization of inter-VM communication. Here, we extend prior work by presenting scaling results for the first component, with experiment results on up to 128 VMs scheduled in virtual time order on a single 12-core host. We also explore the solution space of design alternatives formore » the second component, and present performance results from a multi-threaded, multi-queue implementation of inter-VM network control for synchronized execution with VM scheduling, incorporated in our NetWarp simulation system.« less

Impact of a personalised active labour market programme for persons with disabilities.

PubMed

Adamecz-Völgyi, Anna; Lévay, Petra Zsuzsa; Bördős, Katalin; Scharle, Ágota

2018-02-01

The paper estimates the impact of a supported employment programme implemented in Hungary. This is a non-experimental evaluation using a matching identification strategy supported by rich data on individual characteristics, personal employment and unemployment history and the local labour market situation. We use a time-window approach to ensure that programme participants and matched controls entered unemployment at the same point in time, and thus faced very similar labour market conditions. We find that the programme had a positive effect of 16 percentage points on the probability of finding a job among men and 25 percentage points among women. The alternative outcome indicator of not re-entering the unemployment registry shows somewhat smaller effects in the case of women. In comparison to similarly costly programmes that do not facilitate employment in the primary labour market, rehabilitation services represent a viable alternative.

Alternative scheduling models and their effect on science achievement at the high school level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dostal, Jay Roland

This study will evaluate alternative scheduling methods implemented in secondary level schools. Students were selected based on parent selection of programs. Traditional scheduling involves numerous academic subjects with small increments of time in each class and block scheduling focuses on fewer academic subjects and more instructional time. This study will compare office referral numbers, absence frequency, and Essential Learner Outcome (ELO) science strand scores in the 8th-grade (pretest) to the same students office referrals, absence frequency, and ELO science strand scores in the 11th-grade (posttest) between Seven Period Traditional Scheduling (SPTS) and Four Period Block Scheduling (FPBS) in the hopes that no matter what schedule students are a part of, the achievement results will be similar. (Study participants had completed both grade level ELO assessments and were continuously enrolled in one high school through their junior year.

Pentadiagonal alternating-direction-implicit finite-difference time-domain method for two-dimensional Schrödinger equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tay, Wei Choon; Tan, Eng Leong

2014-07-01

In this paper, we have proposed a pentadiagonal alternating-direction-implicit (Penta-ADI) finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for the two-dimensional Schrödinger equation. Through the separation of complex wave function into real and imaginary parts, a pentadiagonal system of equations for the ADI method is obtained, which results in our Penta-ADI method. The Penta-ADI method is further simplified into pentadiagonal fundamental ADI (Penta-FADI) method, which has matrix-operator-free right-hand-sides (RHS), leading to the simplest and most concise update equations. As the Penta-FADI method involves five stencils in the left-hand-sides (LHS) of the pentadiagonal update equations, special treatments that are required for the implementation of the Dirichlet's boundary conditions will be discussed. Using the Penta-FADI method, a significantly higher efficiency gain can be achieved over the conventional Tri-ADI method, which involves a tridiagonal system of equations.

High-Temperature Short-Time Pasteurization System for Donor Milk in a Human Milk Bank Setting

PubMed Central

Escuder-Vieco, Diana; Espinosa-Martos, Irene; Rodríguez, Juan M.; Corzo, Nieves; Montilla, Antonia; Siegfried, Pablo; Pallás-Alonso, Carmen R.; Fernández, Leónides

2018-01-01

Donor milk is the best alternative for the feeding of preterm newborns when mother's own milk is unavailable. For safety reasons, it is usually pasteurized by the Holder method (62.5°C for 30 min). Holder pasteurization results in a microbiological safe product but impairs the activity of many biologically active compounds such as immunoglobulins, enzymes, cytokines, growth factors, hormones or oxidative stress markers. High-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization has been proposed as an alternative for a better preservation of some of the biological components of human milk although, at present, there is no equipment available to perform this treatment under the current conditions of a human milk bank. In this work, the specific needs of a human milk bank setting were considered to design an HTST equipment for the continuous and adaptable (time-temperature combination) processing of donor milk. Microbiological quality, activity of indicator enzymes and indices for thermal damage of milk were evaluated before and after HTST treatment of 14 batches of donor milk using different temperature and time combinations and compared to the results obtained after Holder pasteurization. The HTST system has accurate and simple operation, allows the pasteurization of variable amounts of donor milk and reduces processing time and labor force. HTST processing at 72°C for, at least, 10 s efficiently destroyed all vegetative forms of microorganisms present initially in raw donor milk although sporulated Bacillus sp. survived this treatment. Alkaline phosphatase was completely destroyed after HTST processing at 72 and 75°C, but γ-glutamil transpeptidase showed higher thermoresistance. Furosine concentrations in HTST-treated donor milk were lower than after Holder pasteurization and lactulose content for HTST-treated donor milk was below the detection limit of analytical method (10 mg/L). In conclusion, processing of donor milk at 72°C for at least 10 s in this HTST system allows to achieve the microbiological safety objectives established in the milk bank while having a lower impact regarding the heat damage of the milk. PMID:29867837

High-Temperature Short-Time Pasteurization System for Donor Milk in a Human Milk Bank Setting.

PubMed

Escuder-Vieco, Diana; Espinosa-Martos, Irene; Rodríguez, Juan M; Corzo, Nieves; Montilla, Antonia; Siegfried, Pablo; Pallás-Alonso, Carmen R; Fernández, Leónides

2018-01-01

Donor milk is the best alternative for the feeding of preterm newborns when mother's own milk is unavailable. For safety reasons, it is usually pasteurized by the Holder method (62.5°C for 30 min). Holder pasteurization results in a microbiological safe product but impairs the activity of many biologically active compounds such as immunoglobulins, enzymes, cytokines, growth factors, hormones or oxidative stress markers. High-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization has been proposed as an alternative for a better preservation of some of the biological components of human milk although, at present, there is no equipment available to perform this treatment under the current conditions of a human milk bank. In this work, the specific needs of a human milk bank setting were considered to design an HTST equipment for the continuous and adaptable (time-temperature combination) processing of donor milk. Microbiological quality, activity of indicator enzymes and indices for thermal damage of milk were evaluated before and after HTST treatment of 14 batches of donor milk using different temperature and time combinations and compared to the results obtained after Holder pasteurization. The HTST system has accurate and simple operation, allows the pasteurization of variable amounts of donor milk and reduces processing time and labor force. HTST processing at 72°C for, at least, 10 s efficiently destroyed all vegetative forms of microorganisms present initially in raw donor milk although sporulated Bacillus sp. survived this treatment. Alkaline phosphatase was completely destroyed after HTST processing at 72 and 75°C, but γ-glutamil transpeptidase showed higher thermoresistance. Furosine concentrations in HTST-treated donor milk were lower than after Holder pasteurization and lactulose content for HTST-treated donor milk was below the detection limit of analytical method (10 mg/L). In conclusion, processing of donor milk at 72°C for at least 10 s in this HTST system allows to achieve the microbiological safety objectives established in the milk bank while having a lower impact regarding the heat damage of the milk.

Tm:fiber laser ablation with real-time temperature monitoring for minimizing collateral thermal damage: ex vivo dosimetry for ovine brain.

PubMed

Tunc, Burcu; Gulsoy, Murat

2013-01-01

The thermal damage of the surrounding tissue can be an unwanted result of continuous-wave laser irradiations. In order to propose an effective alternative to conventional surgical techniques, photothermal damage must be taken under control by a detailed dose study. Real-time temperature monitoring can be also an effective way to get rid of these negative effects. The aim of the present study is to investigate the potential of a new laser-thermoprobe, which consists of a continuous-wave 1,940-nm Tm:fiber laser and a thermocouple measurement system for brain surgery in an ex vivo study. A laser-thermoprobe was designed for using the near-by tissue temperature as a real-time reference for the applicator. Fresh lamb brain tissues were used for experiments. 320 laser shots were performed on both cortical and subcortical tissue. The relationship between laser parameters, temperature changes, and ablation (removal of tissue) efficiency was determined. The correlation between rate of temperature change and ablation efficiency was calculated. Laser-thermoprobe leads us to understand the basic laser-tissue interaction mechanism in a very cheap and easy way, without making a change in the experimental design. It was also shown that the ablation and coagulation (thermally irreversible damage) diameters could be predicted, and carbonization can be avoided by temperature monitoring. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Green Islands - nutrition not predation -an alternative hypothesis.

PubMed

White, T C R

1985-10-01

Mountain birch trees are said to survive as "green islands" around nests of red ants in Finnish Lapland because the ants kill larvae which would defoliate trees during outbreaks of the moth O. autumnata. An alternative hypothesis says that because the ants will concentrate soil nutrients (and possibly ameliorate soil moisture and temperature) in and around their nests, they provide a more favourable site for trees growing nearby. These trees are therefore less stressed and a poorer source of food for defoliators at times of outbreaks. Few if any young O. autumnata larvae survive on the trees which then survive in green islands around ant nests.

3,5-Dichlorophenol Removal From Wastewater Using Alternative Adsorbents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobetičová, Hana; Lipovský, Marek; Wachter, Igor; Soldán, Maroš

2015-06-01

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency of 3,5-dichlorophenol removal from wastewater by using alternative low cost adsorbents. Waste from the production and processing of metals (black nickel mud, red mud) and a biosorbent (Lemna minor) were used for this research. Initial concentration of the contaminant was 4 mmol L-1, the contact time of sorbent and waste water was 0 - 48 hrs and the temperature during experiment was 25 ± 0.2 °C. The results show that the highest removal efficiency of 3,5 - dichlorophenol (58.18 %) was reached by the red mud in 48 hours.

Mandatory Nap Times and Group Napping Patterns in Child Care: An Observational Study.

PubMed

Staton, Sally L; Smith, Simon S; Hurst, Cameron; Pattinson, Cassandra L; Thorpe, Karen J

2017-01-01

Policy provision for naps is typical in child care settings, but there is variability in the practices employed. One practice that might modify children's early sleep patterns is the allocation of a mandatory nap time in which all children are required to lie on their beds without alternate activity permitted. There is currently limited evidence of the effects of such practices on children's napping patterns. This study examined the association between duration of mandatory nap times and group-level napping patterns in child care settings. Observations were undertaken in a community sample of 113 preschool rooms with a scheduled nap time (N = 2,114 children). Results showed that 83.5% of child care settings implemented a mandatory nap time (range = 15-145 min) while 14.2% provided alternate activities for children throughout the nap time period. Overall, 31% of children napped during nap times. Compared to rooms with ≤ 30 min of mandatory nap time, rooms with 31-60 min and > 60 min of mandatory nap time had a two-and-a-half and fourfold increase, respectively, in the proportion of children napping. Nap onset latency did not significantly differ across groups. Among preschool children, exposure to longer mandatory nap times in child care may increase incidence of napping.

Identification and root cause analysis of cell culture media precipitates in the viral deactivation treatment with high-temperature/short-time method.

PubMed

Cao, Xiaolin; Stimpfl, Gregory; Wen, Zai-Qing; Frank, Gregory; Hunter, Glenn

2013-01-01

High-temperature/short-time (HTST) treatment of cell culture media is one of the proven techniques used in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry for the prevention and mitigation of media viral contamination. With the HTST method, the formulated media is pasteurized (virus-deactivated) by heating and pumping the media continuously through the preset high-temperature holding tubes to achieve a specified period of time at a specific temperature. Recently, during the evaluation and implementation of HTST method in multiple Amgen, Inc. manufacturing facilities, media precipitates were observed in the tests of HTST treatments. The media precipitates may have adverse consequences such as clogging the HTST system, altering operating conditions and compromising the efficacy of viral deactivation, and ultimately affecting the media composition and cell growth. In this study, we report the identification of the composition of media precipitates from multiple media HTST runs using combined microspectroscopic methods including Raman, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The major composition in the precipitates was determined to be metal phosphates, including calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, and iron (III) phosphate. Based on the composition, stoichiometry, and root-cause study of media precipitations, methods were implemented for the mitigation and prevention of the occurrence of the media precipitation. Viral contamination in cell culture media is an important issue in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry and may have serious consequences on product quality, efficacy, and safety. High-temperature/short-time (HTST) treatment of cell culture media is one of the proven techniques used in the industry for the prevention and mitigation of media viral contamination. With the HTST method, the formulated media is pasteurized (virus-deactivated) by heating at preset conditions. This paper provides the identification and root-cause study of the media precipitates that adversely affected the HTST process and discusses the possible solutions to mitigate the precipitation problem.

Low-temperature limitation of bioreactor sludge in anaerobic treatment of domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Bowen, Emma J; Dolfing, Jan; Davenport, Russell J; Read, Fiona L; Curtis, Thomas P

2014-01-01

Two strategies exist for seeding low-temperature anaerobic reactors: the use of specialist psychrophilic biomass or mesophilic bioreactor sludge acclimated to low temperature. We sought to determine the low-temperature limitation of anaerobic sludge from a bioreactor acclimated to UK temperatures (<15 °C). Anaerobic incubation tests using low-strength real domestic wastewater (DWW) and various alternative soluble COD sources were conducted at 4, 8 and 15 °C; methanogenesis and acidogenesis were monitored separately. Production of methane and acetate was observed; decreasing temperature resulted in decreased yields and increased 'start-up' times. At 4 °C methanogenesis not hydrolysis/acidogenesis was rate-limiting. The final methane yields at 4 °C were less than 35% of the theoretical potential whilst at 8 and 15 °C more than 75 and 100% of the theoretical yield was achieved respectively. We propose that the lower temperature limit for DWW treatment with anaerobic bioreactor sludge lies between 8 and 4 °C and that 8 °C is the threshold for reliable operation.

Evaluation of occupational health interventions using a randomized controlled trial: challenges and alternative research designs.

PubMed

Schelvis, Roosmarijn M C; Oude Hengel, Karen M; Burdorf, Alex; Blatter, Birgitte M; Strijk, Jorien E; van der Beek, Allard J

2015-09-01

Occupational health researchers regularly conduct evaluative intervention research for which a randomized controlled trial (RCT) may not be the most appropriate design (eg, effects of policy measures, organizational interventions on work schedules). This article demonstrates the appropriateness of alternative designs for the evaluation of occupational health interventions, which permit causal inferences, formulated along two study design approaches: experimental (stepped-wedge) and observational (propensity scores, instrumental variables, multiple baseline design, interrupted time series, difference-in-difference, and regression discontinuity). For each design, the unique characteristics are presented including the advantages and disadvantages compared to the RCT, illustrated by empirical examples in occupational health. This overview shows that several appropriate alternatives for the RCT design are feasible and available, which may provide sufficiently strong evidence to guide decisions on implementation of interventions in workplaces. Researchers are encouraged to continue exploring these designs and thus contribute to evidence-based occupational health.

Materials for a new generation of vehicles

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

Grobstein, T.

1995-12-31

The Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) is a national initiative with three goals: first, to significantly improve national competitiveness in manufacturing; second, to implement commercially viable innovations from ongoing research on conventional vehicles, and third, to develop a vehicle to achieve up to three times the fuel efficiency of today`s comparable vehicle (i.e., the 1994 Chrysler Concorde, Ford Taurus, and Chevrolet Lumina). Note this vehicle will have the equivalent customer purchase price of today`s vehicles adjusted for economics, while meeting the customers` needs for quality, performance, and utility. Eight federal agencies are currently contributing to these goals,more » as well as the three principal US automobile manufacturers, numerous automotive component suppliers, research laboratories, and universities. Materials research and development is a significant effort within PNGV. The goals in this area include development of lightweight, recyclable materials for structural applications, high strength, long-life, high temperature materials for engine components, improved materials for alternative propulsion and energy storage systems, and cost-effective process technologies and component fabrication methods. Application of advanced materials to automobiles will involve consideration of diverse factors, including weight savings, affordability, recyclability, crashworthiness, repairability, and manufacturability.« less

Evaluation of Water consumption and savings achieved in Datacenters through Air side Economization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Ravi

Recent researches and a few facility owners have focused on eliminating the chiller plant altogether by implementing 'Evaporative Cooling', as an alternative or augmentation to compressor-based air conditioning since the energy consumption is dominated by the compressor work (around 41%) in the chiller plant. Because evaporative cooling systems consume water, when evaluating the energy savings potential of these systems, it is imperative to consider not just their impacts on electricity use, but also their impacts on water consumption as well since Joe Kava, Google's head of data center operations, was quoted as saying that water is the "big elephant in the room" for data center companies. The objective of this study was to calculate the savings achieved in water consumption when these evaporative cooling systems were completely or partially marginalized when the facility is strictly working in the Economizer mode also known as 'free cooling' considering other modes of cooling required only for a part of the time when outside temperature, humidity and pollutant level were unfavorable causing improper functioning and reliability issues. The analysis was done on ASHRAE climatic zones with the help of TMY-3 weather data.

Deactivation of Legionella Pneumophila in municipal wastewater by ozone generated in arrays of microchannel plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Shengkun; Li, Jun; Kim, Min-Hwan; Cho, Jinhoon; Park, Sung-Jin; Nguyen, Thanh H.; Eden, J. Gary

2018-06-01

A greater than four log10 reduction in the concentration of Legionella pneumophila in municipal wastewater has been achieved in 1 min with ozone produced by a microchannel plasma reactor. Requiring less than 22 W of electrical power, and ambient air as the feedstock gas, the microplasma ozone generator is robust and a promising alternative to conventional corona and dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) technologies. Contrary to previous studies, the Ct model for pathogen deactivation (i.e. rate proportional to the product of the available disinfectant concentration and the exposure duration) is found to be valid for L. pneumophila. Accordingly, wastewater-specific Ct equations have been developed to predict the deactivation of L. pneumophila in the secondary wastewater environment. Inactivation of this pathogen was found to be dependent on temperature only in the absence of wastewater organic matter (WOM). In the presence of WOM, pathogen deactivation is controlled by the disinfection contact time, initial ozone concentration (varied between 15 and 281 µg l‑1), and initial WOM loading. The data reported here will assist in the implementation of plasma ozone generators for L. pneumophila deactivation in cooling towers, point-of-use systems, and wastewater reclamation facilities.

Cold storage effects on egg hatch in laboratory-reared Culicoides variipennis sonorensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae).

PubMed

Hunt, G J; Tabachnick, W J

1995-09-01

The effects of cold storage (5 degrees C) on the hatching rates of laboratory-reared Culicoides variipennis sonorensis eggs were examined. Mortality increased with storage time. Average maximum embryo survivorship for 4 trials was 55.0 +/- 4.2 (+/- SEM) days. Alternating daily cycles of high and then low mean hatching rates occurred and possibly were due to location differences in temperature within the temperature-controlled rearing system. During cold storage at 5 degrees C, C. v. sonorensis eggs may be kept for ca. 28 days with an anticipated hatching rate of about 50%.

Quantitative Investigation of Room-Temperature Breakdown Effects in Pixelated TlBr Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koehler, Will; He, Zhong; Thrall, Crystal; O'Neal, Sean; Kim, Hadong; Cirignano, Leonard; Shah, Kanai

2014-10-01

Due to favorable material properties such as high atomic number (Tl: 81, Br: 35), high density ( 7.56 g/cm3), and a wide band gap (2.68 eV), thallium-bromide (TlBr) is currently under investigation for use as an alternative room-temperature semiconductor gamma-ray spectrometer. TlBr detectors can achieve less than 1% FWHM energy resolution at 662 keV, but these results are limited to stable operation at - 20°C. After days to months of room-temperature operation, ionic conduction causes these devices to fail. This work correlates the varying leakage current with alpha-particle and gamma-ray spectroscopic performances at various operating temperatures. Depth-dependent photopeak centroids exhibit time-dependent transient behavior, which indicates trapping sites form near the anode surface during room-temperature operation. After refabrication, similar performance and functionality of failed detectors returned.

Design and Implementation of a Mechanical Control System for the Scanning Microwave Limb Sounder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bowden, William

2011-01-01

The Scanning Microwave Limb Sounder (SMLS) will use technological improvements in low noise mixers to provide precise data on the Earth's atmospheric composition with high spatial resolution. This project focuses on the design and implementation of a real time control system needed for airborne engineering tests of the SMLS. The system must coordinate the actuation of optical components using four motors with encoder readback, while collecting synchronized telemetric data from a GPS receiver and 3-axis gyrometric system. A graphical user interface for testing the control system was also designed using Python. Although the system could have been implemented with a FPGA-based setup, we chose to use a low cost processor development kit manufactured by XMOS. The XMOS architecture allows parallel execution of multiple tasks on separate threads-making it ideal for this application and is easily programmed using XC (a subset of C). The necessary communication interfaces were implemented in software, including Ethernet, with significant cost and time reduction compared to an FPGA-based approach. For these reasons, the XMOS technology is an attractive, cost effective, alternative to FPGA-based technologies for this design and similar rapid prototyping projects.

Clean, agile alternative binders, additives and plasticizers for propellant and explosive formulations

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

Hoffman, D.M.; Hawkins, T.W.; Lindsay, G.A.

1994-12-01

As part of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) a clean, agile manufacturing of explosives, propellants and pyrotechniques (CANPEP) effort set about to identify new approaches to materials and processes for producing propellants, explosives and pyrotechniques (PEP). The RDX based explosive PBXN-109 and gun propellant M-43 were identified as candidates for which waste minimization and recycling modifications might be implemented in a short time frame. The binders, additives and plasticizers subgroup identified cast non-curable thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) formulations as possible replacement candidates for these formulations. Paste extrudable explosives were also suggested as viable alternatives to PBXN-109. Commercial inertmore » and energetic TPEs are reviewed. Biodegradable and hydrolyzable binders are discussed. The applicability of various types of explosive formulations are reviewed and some issues associated with implementation of recyclable formulations are identified. It is clear that some processing and weaponization modifications will need to be made if any of these approaches are to be implemented. The major advantages of formulations suggested here over PBXN-109 and M-43 is their reuse/recyclability. Formulations using TPE or Paste could by recovered from a generic bomb or propellant and reused if they met specification or easily reprocessed and sold to the mining industry.« less

Alternative work schedules for female pharmacists.

PubMed

Mason, N A; Perry, W R; Ryan, M L

1991-01-01

The impact of the increased proportion of women in pharmacy is discussed, and two leadership positions for which part-time work schedules were implemented are described. Issues associated with the increased representation of women include pharmacist shortages, loss of future leaders, decreased staff productivity related to inadequate day-care services, and a reduced earning potential of pharmacists. Many of these problems can be addressed by altering benefit packages and work schedules to enable employees to raise children while continuing to work. Specific strategies include legislation, day-care programs, flex time and flex scheduling, telecommuting, and the creation of alternative work schedules or permanent part-time positions. At the University of Michigan, a part-time position that combines faculty and clinical responsibilities has been in place since 1988. At The Washington Hospital Center, one of the three assistant director of pharmacy positions is part-time. The women in both positions have met or exceeded job performance requirements while raising a family. Issues raised by the increasing number of female pharmacists must be addressed by the profession. Part-time work schedules are one strategy for enabling female pharmacists to meet both their family and career responsibilities.

Hydraulic design to optimize the treatment capacity of Multi-Stage Filtration units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mushila, C. N.; Ochieng, G. M.; Otieno, F. A. O.; Shitote, S. M.; Sitters, C. W.

2016-04-01

Multi-Stage Filtration (MSF) can provide a robust treatment alternative for surface water sources of variable water quality in rural communities at low operation and maintenance costs. MSF is a combination of Slow Sand Filters (SSFs) and Pre-treatment systems. The general objective of this research was to optimize the treatment capacity of MSF. A pilot plant study was undertaken to meet this objective. The pilot plant was monitored for a continuous 98 days from commissioning till the end of the project. Three main stages of MSF namely: The Dynamic Gravel Filter (DGF), Horizontal-flow Roughing Filter (HRF) and SSF were identified, designed and built. The response of the respective MSF units in removal of selected parameters guiding drinking water quality such as microbiological (Faecal and Total coliform), Suspended Solids, Turbidity, PH, Temperature, Iron and Manganese was investigated. The benchmark was the Kenya Bureau (KEBS) and World Health Organization (WHO) Standards for drinking water quality. With respect to microbiological raw water quality improvement, MSF units achieved on average 98% Faecal and 96% Total coliform removal. Results obtained indicate that implementation of MSF in rural communities has the potential to increase access to portable water to the rural populace with a probable consequent decrease in waterborne diseases. With a reduced down time due to illness, more time would be spent in undertaking other economic activities.

The Alternative Workplace: Changing Where and How People Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apgar, Mahlon, IV

1998-01-01

Discusses the alternative workplace, the combination of nontraditional work practices, settings, and locations that is beginning to supplement traditional offices. Looks at myths and realities, options, advantages and disadvantages, and implementation of alternative workplaces. (JOW)

Alternative fuels and vehicles choice model

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-10-01

This report describes the theory and implementation of a model of alternative fuel and vehicle choice (AFVC), designed for use with the United States Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Trade Model (AFTM). The AFTM is a static equilibrium model ...

Silicon thin-film transistor backplanes on flexible substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kattamis, Alexis Z.

Flexible large area electronics, especially for displays, is a rapidly growing field. Since hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin-film transistors (a-Si:H TFTs) have become the industry standard for liquid crystal displays, it makes sense that they be used in any transition from glass substrates to flexible substrates. The goal of this thesis work was to implement a-Si:H backplane technology on stainless steel and clear plastic substrates, with minimal recipe changes to ensure high device quality. When fabricating TFTs on flexible substrates many new issues arise, from thin-film fracture to overlay alignment errors. Our approach was to maintain elevated deposition temperatures (˜300°C) and engineer methods to minimize these problems, rather than reducing deposition temperatures. The resulting TFTs exhibit more stable operation than their low temperature counterparts and are therefore similar to the TFTs produced on glass. Two display projects using a-Si:H TFTs will be discussed in detail. They are an active-matrix organic light emitting display (AMOLED) on stainless steel and an active-matrix electrophoretic display (AMEPD) on clear plastic, with TFTs deposited at 250°C-280°C. Achieving quality a-Si:H TFTs on these substrates required addressing a host of technical challenges, including surface roughness and feature misalignment. Nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) was also implemented on a clear plastic substrate as a possible alternative to a-Si:H. nc-Si:H TFTs can be deposited using the same techniques as a-Si:H but yield carrier mobilities one order of magnitude greater. Their large mobilities could enable high resolution OLED displays and system-on-panel electronics.

Research on human physiological parameters intelligent clothing based on distributed Fiber Bragg Grating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miao, Changyun; Shi, Boya; Li, Hongqiang

2008-12-01

A human physiological parameters intelligent clothing is researched with FBG sensor technology. In this paper, the principles and methods of measuring human physiological parameters including body temperature and heart rate in intelligent clothing with distributed FBG are studied, the mathematical models of human physiological parameters measurement are built; the processing method of body temperature and heart rate detection signals is presented; human physiological parameters detection module is designed, the interference signals are filtered out, and the measurement accuracy is improved; the integration of the intelligent clothing is given. The intelligent clothing can implement real-time measurement, processing, storage and output of body temperature and heart rate. It has accurate measurement, portability, low cost, real-time monitoring, and other advantages. The intelligent clothing can realize the non-contact monitoring between doctors and patients, timely find the diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases, and make patients get timely treatment. It has great significance and value for ensuring the health of the elders and the children with language dysfunction.

Alternative approach to modeling bacterial lag time, using logistic regression as a function of time, temperature, pH, and sodium chloride concentration.

PubMed

Koseki, Shige; Nonaka, Junko

2012-09-01

The objective of this study was to develop a probabilistic model to predict the end of lag time (λ) during the growth of Bacillus cereus vegetative cells as a function of temperature, pH, and salt concentration using logistic regression. The developed λ model was subsequently combined with a logistic differential equation to simulate bacterial numbers over time. To develop a novel model for λ, we determined whether bacterial growth had begun, i.e., whether λ had ended, at each time point during the growth kinetics. The growth of B. cereus was evaluated by optical density (OD) measurements in culture media for various pHs (5.5 ∼ 7.0) and salt concentrations (0.5 ∼ 2.0%) at static temperatures (10 ∼ 20°C). The probability of the end of λ was modeled using dichotomous judgments obtained at each OD measurement point concerning whether a significant increase had been observed. The probability of the end of λ was described as a function of time, temperature, pH, and salt concentration and showed a high goodness of fit. The λ model was validated with independent data sets of B. cereus growth in culture media and foods, indicating acceptable performance. Furthermore, the λ model, in combination with a logistic differential equation, enabled a simulation of the population of B. cereus in various foods over time at static and/or fluctuating temperatures with high accuracy. Thus, this newly developed modeling procedure enables the description of λ using observable environmental parameters without any conceptual assumptions and the simulation of bacterial numbers over time with the use of a logistic differential equation.

Classifying Infrastructure in an Urban Battlespace Using Thermal IR Signatures

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

Huntsville, Alabama for sharing their ATLAS data for Atlanta. REFERENCES Bentz , D . P . (2000). A Computer Model to Predict the Surface Temperature...10: 2 2 xt α Δ Δ ≤ (10) 2.2 Implementing the Model Bentz uses a 1- D finite difference grid with a varying number of nodes. The nodes are equally...and rooftops were modeled as a function of time and environmental conditions using 1- D heat transfer theory. The model was implemented in MATLAB

Telemedicine can make healthcare greener.

PubMed

Yellowlees, Peter M; Chorba, Kathy; Burke Parish, Michelle; Wynn-Jones, Hannah; Nafiz, Najia

2010-03-01

The American healthcare industry is generally lacking environmentally sustainable practices. The environmental impact of healthcare practices in the country has been largely disregarded due to ambivalence, ignorance, and fears of additional costs and regulations. The current practices continue to pollute the environment by requiring large amounts of travel and paperwork by both the patient and the clinician. Telemedicine and health information technology help save time, energy, raw materials (such as paper and plastic), and fuel, thereby lowering the carbon footprint of the health industry. By implementing green practices, for instance, by engaging in carbon credit programs, the health industry could benefit financially as well as reduce its negative impact on the health of our planet. Companies that reduce their carbon emissions by implementing energy-saving practices can sell their carbon credits to companies that emit more carbon than permissible by their legally binding commitment. These carbon profits can then be used for healthcare research or to provide healthcare to the underserved. Alternatively, the savings could be used for green purchasing and to implement other carbon-reducing activities. This report reviews the numerous possible options for the American health industry to become greener and lower its carbon footprint while at the same time becoming more time- and cost efficient.

Lower Growth Temperature Increases Alternative Pathway Capacity and Alternative Oxidase Protein in Tobacco 1

PubMed Central

Vanlerberghe, Greg C.; McIntosh, Lee

1992-01-01

Suspension cells of NT1 tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv bright yellow) have been used to study the effect of growth temperature on the CN-resistant, salicylhydroxamic acid-sensitive alternative pathway of respiration. Mitochondria isolated from cells maintained at 30°C had a low capacity to oxidize succinate via the alternative pathway, whereas mitochondria isolated from cells 24 h after transfer to 18°C displayed, on average, a 5-fold increase in this capacity (from 7 to 32 nanoatoms oxygen per milligram protein per minute). This represented an increase in alternative pathway capacity from 18 to 45% of the total capacity of electron transport. This increased capacity was lost upon transfer of cells back to 30°C. A monoclonal antibody to the terminal oxidase of the alternative pathway (the alternative oxidase) from Sauromatum guttatum (T.E. Elthon, R.L. Nickels, L. McIntosh [1989] Plant Physiology 89: 1311-1317) recognized a 35-kilodalton mitochondrial protein in tobacco. There was an excellent correlation between the capacity of the alternative path in isolated tobacco mitochondria and the levels of this 35-kilodalton alternative oxidase protein. Cycloheximide could inhibit both the increased level of the 35-kilodalton alternative oxidase protein and the increased alternative pathway capacity normally seen upon transfer to 18°C. We conclude that transfer of tobacco cells to the lower temperature increases the capacity of the alternative pathway due, at least in part, to de novo synthesis of the 35-kilodalton alternative oxidase protein. Images Figure 3 Figure 4 PMID:16652932

FFT-based computation of the bioheat transfer equation for the HCC ultrasound surgery therapy modeling.

PubMed

Dillenseger, Jean-Louis; Esneault, Simon; Garnier, Carole

2008-01-01

This paper describes a modeling method of the tissue temperature evolution over time in hyperthermia. More precisely, this approach is used to simulate the hepatocellular carcinoma curative treatment by a percutaneous high intensity ultrasound surgery. The tissue temperature evolution over time is classically described by Pennes' bioheat transfer equation which is generally solved by a finite difference method. In this paper we will present a method where the bioheat transfer equation can be algebraically solved after a Fourier transformation over the space coordinates. The implementation and boundary conditions of this method will be shown and compared with the finite difference method.

High-temperature thermal treatment of the uterus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, Thomas P.; Xiao, Jia Hua; Chung, Juh Yun

2003-06-01

More than 200,000 hysterectomies are performed annually in the US due to abnormal uterine bleeding from excessive menstrual flow. A minimally invasive procedure has been developed using thermal treatment combined with pressure to the endometrial lining of the uterus. Results from a 3-D finite element model will be shown, as well as experimental data. Good correlation was seen between simulations and experiments. The study found similar results then temperatures were increased and times for treatment were shortened.More than 200,000 hysterectomies are performed annually in the US due to abnormal uterine bleeding from excessive menstrual flow. A minimally invasive procedure has been developed using a balloon-based thermal treatment combined with pressure to the endometrial lining of the uterus. A 3D finite element model was set up to simulate the balloon ablation device in the human uterus as used in over 150,000 patients to date. Several additional simulations were made at higher temperatures to seek alternative combinations with higher temperature and shorter time intervals for the same depth of penetration, or deeper penetration at longer times and elevated temperatures. A temperature range of 87 to 150°C was explored. The Bioheat Equation was used in the simulations to predict temperature distributions in tissue. The Damage Integral was also used to characterize the location at depth of irreversible damage in the uterus. Treatment safety issues were also analyzed as the simulations showed the depth of penetration into the myometrium, towards the serosa.

A versatile test for equality of two survival functions based on weighted differences of Kaplan-Meier curves.

PubMed

Uno, Hajime; Tian, Lu; Claggett, Brian; Wei, L J

2015-12-10

With censored event time observations, the logrank test is the most popular tool for testing the equality of two underlying survival distributions. Although this test is asymptotically distribution free, it may not be powerful when the proportional hazards assumption is violated. Various other novel testing procedures have been proposed, which generally are derived by assuming a class of specific alternative hypotheses with respect to the hazard functions. The test considered by Pepe and Fleming (1989) is based on a linear combination of weighted differences of the two Kaplan-Meier curves over time and is a natural tool to assess the difference of two survival functions directly. In this article, we take a similar approach but choose weights that are proportional to the observed standardized difference of the estimated survival curves at each time point. The new proposal automatically makes weighting adjustments empirically. The new test statistic is aimed at a one-sided general alternative hypothesis and is distributed with a short right tail under the null hypothesis but with a heavy tail under the alternative. The results from extensive numerical studies demonstrate that the new procedure performs well under various general alternatives with a caution of a minor inflation of the type I error rate when the sample size is small or the number of observed events is small. The survival data from a recent cancer comparative study are utilized for illustrating the implementation of the process. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Investigation of welded interconnection of large area wraparound contacted silicon solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lott, D. R.

1984-01-01

An investigation was conducted to evaluate the welding and temperature cycle testing of large area 5.9 x 5.9 wraparound silicon solar cells utilizing printed circuit substrates with SSC-155 interconnect copper metals and the LMSC Infrared Controlled weld station. An initial group of 5 welded modules containing Phase 2 developmental 5.9 x 5.9 cm cells were subjected to cyclical temperatures of + or 80 C at a rate of 120 cycles per day. Anomalies were noted in the adhesion of the cell contact metallization; therefore, 5 additional modules were fabricated and tested using available Phase I cells with demonstrated contact integrity. Cycling of the later module type through 12,000 cycles indicated the viability of this type of lightweight flexible array concept. This project demonstrated acceptable use of an alternate interconnect copper in combination with large area wraparound cells and emphasized the necessity to implement weld pull as opposed to solder pull procedures at the cell vendors for cells that will be interconnected by welding.

Phase change thermal energy storage methods for combat vehicles, phase 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynch, F. E.

1986-06-01

Three alternative cooling methods, based on latent heat absorption during phase changes, were studied for potential use in combat vehicle microclimate temperature control. Metal hydrides absorb heat as they release hydrogen gas. Plastic crystals change from one solid phase to another, absorbing heat in the process. Liquid air boils at cryogenic temperature and absorbs additional sensible heat as the cold gas mixes with the microclimate air flow. System designs were prepared for each of the three microclimate cooling concepts. These designs provide details about the three phase change materials, their containers and the auxiliary equipment needed to implement each option onboard a combat vehicle. The three concepts were compared on the basis of system mass, system volume and the energy required to regenerate them after use. Metal hydrides were found to be the lightest and smallest option by a large margin. The energy needed to regenerate a hydride thermal storage system can be extracted from the vehicle's exhaust gases.

Implementing augmentative and alternative communication in inclusive educational settings: a case study.

PubMed

Stoner, Julia B; Angell, Maureen E; Bailey, Rita L

2010-06-01

The purpose of this study was to describe a single case of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) implementation. Case study methodology was used to describe the perspectives of educational team members regarding AAC implementation for Joey, a high school junior with athetoid cerebral palsy. Benefits included greater intelligibility for Joey and subsequent comfort of the staff. Facilitators of Joey's AAC system use included the team's student-focused disposition and willingness to implement use of the device, Joey's increased intelligibility, peers' acceptance of the technology, and the resulting increase in Joey's socialization. Limited team cohesiveness, problem solving, and communication were the true barriers in this case. Implications of these facilitators and barriers are discussed and recommendations for school-based AAC implementation are made.

Electrical stimulation for enhanced denitrification in woodchip bioreactors: Opportunities and challenges

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Woodchip bioreactors are being implemented for the removal of nitrates in groundwater and tile water drainage. However, low nitrate removals in denitrifying woodchip bioreactors have been observed for short hydraulic retention time (HRT) and low water temperature (< 10ºC). One potential approach to ...

Teacher Implementation of Trial-Based Functional Analysis and Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior for Students with Challenging Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flynn, Susan D.; Lo, Ya-yu

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a training package on three middle school special education teachers' accurate implementation of trial-based functional analysis (TBFA) and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) with their students with autism spectrum disorders or emotional and behavioral disorders in the…

Angle-Beam Shear Wave Scattering from Buried Crack-like Defects in Bonded Specimens (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-01

wavenumber filtering and spatial windowing is proposed and implemented as an alternative approach to quantify scattering from damage. 15. SUBJECT...TERMS Backscattering . Ultrasonography . Spatial filtering . Ultrasonic scattering . Scattering measurement 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17...of frequency- wavenumber filtering and spatial windowing is proposed and implemented as an alternative approach to quantify scattering from damage

Bridging the gap between PAT concepts and implementation: An integrated software platform for fermentation.

PubMed

Chopda, Viki R; Gomes, James; Rathore, Anurag S

2016-01-01

Bioreactor control significantly impacts both the amount and quality of the product being manufactured. The complexity of the control strategy that is implemented increases with reactor size, which may vary from thousands to tens of thousands of litres in commercial manufacturing. The Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative has highlighted the need for having robust monitoring tools and effective control schemes that are capable of taking real time information about the critical quality attributes (CQA) and the critical process parameters (CPP) and executing immediate response as soon as a deviation occurs. However, the limited flexibility that present commercial software packages offer creates a hurdle. Visual programming environments have gradually emerged as potential alternatives to the available text based languages. This paper showcases development of an integrated programme using a visual programming environment for a Sartorius BIOSTAT® B Plus 5L bioreactor through which various peripheral devices are interfaced. The proposed programme facilitates real-time access to data and allows for execution of control actions to follow the desired trajectory. Major benefits of such integrated software system include: (i) improved real time monitoring and control; (ii) reduced variability; (iii) improved performance; (iv) reduced operator-training time; (v) enhanced knowledge management; and (vi) easier PAT implementation. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A review on potential use of low-temperature water in the urban environment as a thermal-energy source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laanearu, J.; Borodinecs, A.; Rimeika, M.; Palm, B.

2017-10-01

The thermal-energy potential of urban water sources is largely unused to accomplish the up-to-date requirements of the buildings energy demands in the cities of Baltic Sea Region. A reason is that the natural and excess-heat water sources have a low temperature and heat that should be upgraded before usage. The demand for space cooling should increase in near future with thermal insulation of buildings. There are a number of options to recover heat also from wastewater. It is proposed that a network of heat extraction and insertion including the thermal-energy recovery schemes has potential to be broadly implemented in the region with seasonally alternating temperature. The mapping of local conditions is essential in finding the suitable regions (hot spots) for future application of a heat recovery schemes by combining information about demands with information about available sources. The low-temperature water in the urban environment is viewed as a potential thermal-energy source. To recover thermal energy efficiently, it is also essential to ensure that it is used locally, and adverse effects on environment and industrial processes are avoided. Some characteristics reflecting the energy usage are discussed in respect of possible improvements of energy efficiency.

Ligand Binding Analysis and Screening by Chemical Denaturation Shift

PubMed Central

Sch n, Arne; Brown, Richard K.; Hutchins, Burleigh M.; Freire, Ernesto

2013-01-01

The identification of small molecule ligands is an important first step in drug development, especially drugs that target proteins with no intrinsic activity. Towards this goal, it is important to have access to technologies that are able to measure binding affinities for a large number of potential ligands in a fast and accurate way. Since ligand binding stabilizes the protein structure in a manner dependent on concentration and binding affinity, the magnitude of the protein stabilization effect elicited by binding can be used to identify and characterize ligands. For example, the shift in protein denaturation temperature (Tm shift) has become a popular approach to identify potential ligands. However, Tm shifts cannot be readily transformed into binding affinities and the ligand rank order obtained at denaturation temperatures (60°C or higher) does not necessarily coincide with the rank order at physiological temperature. An alternative approach is the use of chemical denaturation, which can be implemented at any temperature. Chemical denaturation shifts allow accurate determination of binding affinities with a surprisingly wide dynamic range (high micromolar to sub nanomolar) and in situations in which binding changes the cooperativity of the unfolding transition. In this paper we develop the basic analytical equations and provide several experimental examples. PMID:23994566

Ligand binding analysis and screening by chemical denaturation shift.

PubMed

Schön, Arne; Brown, Richard K; Hutchins, Burleigh M; Freire, Ernesto

2013-12-01

The identification of small molecule ligands is an important first step in drug development, especially drugs that target proteins with no intrinsic activity. Toward this goal, it is important to have access to technologies that are able to measure binding affinities for a large number of potential ligands in a fast and accurate way. Because ligand binding stabilizes the protein structure in a manner dependent on concentration and binding affinity, the magnitude of the protein stabilization effect elicited by binding can be used to identify and characterize ligands. For example, the shift in protein denaturation temperature (Tm shift) has become a popular approach to identify potential ligands. However, Tm shifts cannot be readily transformed into binding affinities, and the ligand rank order obtained at denaturation temperatures (≥60°C) does not necessarily coincide with the rank order at physiological temperature. An alternative approach is the use of chemical denaturation, which can be implemented at any temperature. Chemical denaturation shifts allow accurate determination of binding affinities with a surprisingly wide dynamic range (high micromolar to sub nanomolar) and in situations where binding changes the cooperativity of the unfolding transition. In this article, we develop the basic analytical equations and provide several experimental examples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Male-specific expression of Sox9 during gonad development of crocodile and mouse is mediated by alternative splicing of its proline-glutamine-alanine rich domain.

PubMed

Agrawal, Raman; Wessely, Oliver; Anand, Amit; Singh, Lalji; Aggarwal, Ramesh K

2009-08-01

The initial trigger for sexual differentiation is regulated by multiple ways during embryonic development. In vertebrates, chromosome-based mechanisms generally known as genetic sex determination are prevalent; however, some species, such as many reptilians, display temperature-dependent sex determination. The Sry-related transcription factor, Sox9, which is expressed by an evolutionary conserved gene, has been shown to be a key player in the process of sex determination. In the present study, we report the identification and expression of crocodile homolog of Sox9 (cpSox9) from the Indian Mugger, Crocodylus palustris. We show that cpSox9 undergoes extensive alternative splicing around the proline-glutamine-alanine rich transactivation domain that results in cpSox9 variants with presumably impaired or reduced transactivation potential. The multiple isoforms were also detected in various embryonic tissues, with some of them displaying a differential expression profile. With respect to sex differentiation, a putative unspliced full-length cpSox9 could be detected only in the genital ridge-adrenal-mesonephros complex of male, but not female embryos during the temperature-sensitive period. Importantly, we further show that this phenomenon was not restricted to the temperature-dependent sex determination species C. palustris, but was also observed in the mouse, a species exhibiting genetic sex determination. Thus, the present study describes, for the first time, a complete coding locus of Sox9 homolog from a temperature-dependent sex determination species. More importantly, we demonstrate an evolutionarily conserved role of alternative splicing resulting in transcriptional diversity and male-sex specific expression of Sox9 during testis development in vertebrates (i.e. irrespective of their underlying sex-determination mechanisms).

Validation Study of Rapid Assays of Bioburden, Endotoxins and Other Contamination.

PubMed

Shintani, Hideharu

2016-01-01

Microbial testing performed in support of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical production falls into three main categories: detection (qualitative), enumeration (quantitative), and characterization/identification. Traditional microbiological methods are listed in the compendia and discussed by using the conventional growth-based techniques, which are labor intensive and time consuming. In general, such tests require several days of incubation for microbial contamination (bioburden) to be detected, and therefore management seldom is able to take proactive corrective measures. In addition, microbial growth is limited by the growth medium used and incubation conditions, thus impacting testing sensitivity, accuracy, and reproducibility. 　For more than 20 years various technology platforms for rapid microbiological methods (RMM) have been developed, and many have been readily adopted by the food industry and clinical microbiology laboratories. Their use would certainly offer drug companies faster test turnaround times to accommodate the aggressive deadlines for manufacturing processes and product release. Some rapid methods also offer the possibility for real-time microbial analyses, enabling management to respond to microbial contamination events in a more timely fashion, and can provide cost savings and higher efficiencies in quality control testing laboratories. Despite the many proven business and quality benefits and the fact that the FDA's initiative to promote the use of process analytical technology (PAT) includes rapid microbial methods, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries have been somewhat slow to embrace alternative microbial methodologies for several reasons. The major reason is that the bioburden counts detected by the incubation method and rapid assay are greatly divergent. 　The use of rapid methods is a dynamic field in applied microbiology and one that has gained increased attention nationally and internationally over time. This topic has been extensively addressed at conferences and in published documents around the world. More recently, the use of alternative methods for control of the microbiological quality of pharmaceutical products and materials used in pharmaceutical production has been addressed by the compendia in an attempt to facilitate implementation of these technologies by pharmaceutical companies. The author presents some of the rapid method technologies under evaluation or in use by pharmaceutical microbiologists and the current status of the implementation of alternative microbial methods.

Robust Ambiguity Estimation for an Automated Analysis of the Intensive Sessions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kareinen, Niko; Hobiger, Thomas; Haas, Rüdiger

2016-12-01

Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) is a unique space-geodetic technique that can directly determine the Earth's phase of rotation, namely UT1. The daily estimates of the difference between UT1 and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) are computed from one-hour long VLBI Intensive sessions. These sessions are essential for providing timely UT1 estimates for satellite navigation systems. To produce timely UT1 estimates, efforts have been made to completely automate the analysis of VLBI Intensive sessions. This requires automated processing of X- and S-band group delays. These data often contain an unknown number of integer ambiguities in the observed group delays. In an automated analysis with the c5++ software the standard approach in resolving the ambiguities is to perform a simplified parameter estimation using a least-squares adjustment (L2-norm minimization). We implement the robust L1-norm with an alternative estimation method in c5++. The implemented method is used to automatically estimate the ambiguities in VLBI Intensive sessions for the Kokee-Wettzell baseline. The results are compared to an analysis setup where the ambiguity estimation is computed using the L2-norm. Additionally, we investigate three alternative weighting strategies for the ambiguity estimation. The results show that in automated analysis the L1-norm resolves ambiguities better than the L2-norm. The use of the L1-norm leads to a significantly higher number of good quality UT1-UTC estimates with each of the three weighting strategies.

A Temperature-Hardened Sensor Interface with a 12-Bit Digital Output Using a Novel Pulse Width Modulation Technique

PubMed Central

Badets, Franck; Nouet, Pascal; Masmoudi, Mohamed

2018-01-01

A fully integrated sensor interface for a wide operational temperature range is presented. It translates the sensor signal into a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal that is then converted into a 12-bit digital output. The sensor interface is based on a pair of injection locked oscillators used to implement a differential time-domain architecture with low sensitivity to temperature variations. A prototype has been fabricated using a 180 nm partially depleted silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. Experimental results demonstrate a thermal stability as low as 65 ppm/°C over a large temperature range from −20 °C up to 220 °C. PMID:29621171

Radionuclide calorimeter system

DOEpatents

Donohoue, Thomas P.; Oertel, Christopher P.; Tyree, William H.; Valdez, Joe L.

1991-11-26

A circuit for measuring temperature differentials in a calorimeter is disclosed. The temperature differential between the reference element and sample element containing a radioactive material is measured via a wheatstone bridge arrangement of thermistors. The bridge is driven with an alternating current on a pulsed basis to maintain the thermal floor of the calorimeter at a low reference value. A lock-in amplifier connected to the bridge phase locks a signal from the bridge to the input pulsed AC signal to provide a DC voltage. The DC voltage is sampled over time and provided to a digital computer. The digital computer, using curve fitting algorithms, will derive a function for the sample data. From the function, an equilibrium value for the temperature may be calculated.

Radionuclide calorimeter system

DOEpatents

Donohoue, T.P.; Oertel, C.P.; Tyree, W.H.; Valdez, J.L.

1991-11-26

A circuit for measuring temperature differentials in a calorimeter is disclosed. The temperature differential between the reference element and sample element containing a radioactive material is measured via a Wheatstone bridge arrangement of thermistors. The bridge is driven with an alternating current on a pulsed basis to maintain the thermal floor of the calorimeter at a low reference value. A lock-in amplifier connected to the bridge phase locks a signal from the bridge to the input pulsed AC signal to provide a DC voltage. The DC voltage is sampled over time and provided to a digital computer. The digital computer, using curve fitting algorithms, will derive a function for the sample data. From the function, an equilibrium value for the temperature may be calculated. 7 figures.

Tile Surface Thermocouple Measurement Challenges from the Orbiter Boundary Layer Transition Flight Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Charles H.; Berger, Karen; Anderson, Brian

2012-01-01

Hypersonic entry flight testing motivated by efforts seeking to characterize boundary layer transition on the Space Shuttle Orbiters have identified challenges in our ability to acquire high quality quantitative surface temperature measurements versus time. Five missions near the end of the Space Shuttle Program implemented a tile surface protuberance as a boundary layer trip together with tile surface thermocouples to capture temperature measurements during entry. Similar engineering implementations of these measurements on Discovery and Endeavor demonstrated unexpected measurement voltage response during the high heating portion of the entry trajectory. An assessment has been performed to characterize possible causes of the issues experienced during STS-119, STS-128, STS-131, STS-133 and STS-134 as well as similar issues encountered during other orbiter entries.

Alternative nuclear technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schubert, E.

1981-10-01

The lead times required to develop a select group of nuclear fission reactor types and fuel cycles to the point of readiness for full commercialization are compared. Along with lead times, fuel material requirements and comparative costs of producing electric power were estimated. A conservative approach and consistent criteria for all systems were used in estimates of the steps required and the times involved in developing each technology. The impact of the inevitable exhaustion of the low- or reasonable-cost uranium reserves in the United States on the desirability of completing the breeder reactor program, with its favorable long-term result on fission fuel supplies, is discussed. The long times projected to bring the most advanced alternative converter reactor technologies the heavy water reactor and the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor into commercial deployment when compared to the time projected to bring the breeder reactor into equivalent status suggest that the country's best choice is to develop the breeder. The perceived diversion-proliferation problems with the uranium plutonium fuel cycle have workable solutions that can be developed which will enable the use of those materials at substantially reduced levels of diversion risk.

Bearing development program for a 25 kWe solar-powered organic Rankine-cycle engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nesmith, B.

1985-01-01

The bearing development program is summarized for a 25-kWe power conversion subsystem (PCS) consisting of an organic Rankine-cycle engine, and permanent magnetic alternator (PMA) and rectifier to be used in a 100-kWe point-focusing distributed receiver solar power plant. The engine and alternator were hermetically sealed and used toluene as the working fluid. The turbine, alternator, and feed pump (TAP) were mounted on a single shaft operating at speeds up to 60,000 rev/min. Net thermal-to-electric efficiencies in the range of 21 to 23% were demonstrated at the maximum working fluid temperature of 400 C (750 F). A chronological summary of the bearing development program is presented. The primary causes of bearing wear problems were traced to a combination of rotordynamic instability and electrodynamic discharge across the bearing surfaces caused by recirculating currents from the PMA. These problems were resolved by implementing an externally supplied, flooded-bearing lubrication system and by electrically insulating all bearings from the TAP housing. This program resulted in the successful development of a stable, high-speed, toluene-lubricated five-pad tilting-pad journal bearing and Rayleigh step thrust bearing system capable of operating at all inclinations between horizontal and vertical.

A uniform laminar air plasma plume with large volume excited by an alternating current voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xuechen; Bao, Wenting; Chu, Jingdi; Zhang, Panpan; Jia, Pengying

2015-12-01

Using a plasma jet composed of two needle electrodes, a laminar plasma plume with large volume is generated in air through an alternating current voltage excitation. Based on high-speed photography, a train of filaments is observed to propagate periodically away from their birth place along the gas flow. The laminar plume is in fact a temporal superposition of the arched filament train. The filament consists of a negative glow near the real time cathode, a positive column near the real time anode, and a Faraday dark space between them. It has been found that the propagation velocity of the filament increases with increasing the gas flow rate. Furthermore, the filament lifetime tends to follow a normal distribution (Gaussian distribution). The most probable lifetime decreases with increasing the gas flow rate or decreasing the averaged peak voltage. Results also indicate that the real time peak current decreases and the real time peak voltage increases with the propagation of the filament along the gas flow. The voltage-current curve indicates that, in every discharge cycle, the filament evolves from a Townsend discharge to a glow one and then the discharge quenches. Characteristic regions including a negative glow, a Faraday dark space, and a positive column can be discerned from the discharge filament. Furthermore, the plasma parameters such as the electron density, the vibrational temperature and the gas temperature are investigated based on the optical spectrum emitted from the laminar plume.

Alternative approaches for identifying acute systemic toxicity: Moving from research to regulatory testing.

PubMed

Hamm, Jon; Sullivan, Kristie; Clippinger, Amy J; Strickland, Judy; Bell, Shannon; Bhhatarai, Barun; Blaauboer, Bas; Casey, Warren; Dorman, David; Forsby, Anna; Garcia-Reyero, Natàlia; Gehen, Sean; Graepel, Rabea; Hotchkiss, Jon; Lowit, Anna; Matheson, Joanna; Reaves, Elissa; Scarano, Louis; Sprankle, Catherine; Tunkel, Jay; Wilson, Dan; Xia, Menghang; Zhu, Hao; Allen, David

2017-06-01

Acute systemic toxicity testing provides the basis for hazard labeling and risk management of chemicals. A number of international efforts have been directed at identifying non-animal alternatives for in vivo acute systemic toxicity tests. A September 2015 workshop, Alternative Approaches for Identifying Acute Systemic Toxicity: Moving from Research to Regulatory Testing, reviewed the state-of-the-science of non-animal alternatives for this testing and explored ways to facilitate implementation of alternatives. Workshop attendees included representatives from international regulatory agencies, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and industry. Resources identified as necessary for meaningful progress in implementing alternatives included compiling and making available high-quality reference data, training on use and interpretation of in vitro and in silico approaches, and global harmonization of testing requirements. Attendees particularly noted the need to characterize variability in reference data to evaluate new approaches. They also noted the importance of understanding the mechanisms of acute toxicity, which could be facilitated by the development of adverse outcome pathways. Workshop breakout groups explored different approaches to reducing or replacing animal use for acute toxicity testing, with each group crafting a roadmap and strategy to accomplish near-term progress. The workshop steering committee has organized efforts to implement the recommendations of the workshop participants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternative Approaches for Identifying Acute Systemic Toxicity: Moving from Research to Regulatory Testing

PubMed Central

Hamm, Jon; Sullivan, Kristie; Clippinger, Amy J.; Strickland, Judy; Bell, Shannon; Bhhatarai, Barun; Blaauboer, Bas; Casey, Warren; Dorman, David; Forsby, Anna; Garcia-Reyero, Natàlia; Gehen, Sean; Graepel, Rabea; Hotchkiss, Jon; Lowit, Anna; Matheson, Joanna; Reaves, Elissa; Scarano, Louis; Sprankle, Catherine; Tunkel, Jay; Wilson, Dan; Xia, Menghang; Zhu, Hao; Allen, David

2017-01-01

Acute systemic toxicity testing provides the basis for hazard labeling and risk management of chemicals. A number of international efforts have been directed at identifying non-animal alternatives for in vivo acute systemic toxicity tests. A September 2015 workshop, Alternative Approaches for Identifying Acute Systemic Toxicity: Moving from Research to Regulatory Testing, reviewed the state-of-the-science of non-animal alternatives for this testing and explored ways to facilitate implementation of alternatives. Workshop attendees included representatives from international regulatory agencies, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and industry. Resources identified as necessary for meaningful progress in implementing alternatives included compiling and making available high-quality reference data, training on use and interpretation of in vitro and in silico approaches, and global harmonization of testing requirements. Attendees particularly noted the need to characterize variability in reference data to evaluate new approaches. They also noted the importance of understanding the mechanisms of acute toxicity, which could be facilitated by the development of adverse outcome pathways. Workshop breakout groups explored different approaches to reducing or replacing animal use for acute toxicity testing, with each group crafting a roadmap and strategy to accomplish near-term progress. The workshop steering committee has organized efforts to implement the recommendations of the workshop participants. PMID:28069485

Turbulent fluxes by "Conditional Eddy Sampling"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siebicke, Lukas

2015-04-01

Turbulent flux measurements are key to understanding ecosystem scale energy and matter exchange, including atmospheric trace gases. While the eddy covariance approach has evolved as an invaluable tool to quantify fluxes of e.g. CO2 and H2O continuously, it is limited to very few atmospheric constituents for which sufficiently fast analyzers exist. High instrument cost, lack of field-readiness or high power consumption (e.g. many recent laser-based systems requiring strong vacuum) further impair application to other tracers. Alternative micrometeorological approaches such as conditional sampling might overcome major limitations. Although the idea of eddy accumulation has already been proposed by Desjardin in 1972 (Desjardin, 1977), at the time it could not be realized for trace gases. Major simplifications by Businger and Oncley (1990) lead to it's widespread application as 'Relaxed Eddy Accumulation' (REA). However, those simplifications (flux gradient similarity with constant flow rate sampling irrespective of vertical wind velocity and introduction of a deadband around zero vertical wind velocity) have degraded eddy accumulation to an indirect method, introducing issues of scalar similarity and often lack of suitable scalar flux proxies. Here we present a real implementation of a true eddy accumulation system according to the original concept. Key to our approach, which we call 'Conditional Eddy Sampling' (CES), is the mathematical formulation of conditional sampling in it's true form of a direct eddy flux measurement paired with a performant real implementation. Dedicated hardware controlled by near-real-time software allows full signal recovery at 10 or 20 Hz, very fast valve switching, instant vertical wind velocity proportional flow rate control, virtually no deadband and adaptive power management. Demonstrated system performance often exceeds requirements for flux measurements by orders of magnitude. The system's exceptionally low power consumption is ideal for the field (one to two orders of magnitude lower compared to current closed-path laser based eddy covariance systems). Potential applications include fluxes of CO2, CH4, N2O, VOCs and other tracers. Finally we assess the flux accuracy of the Conditional Eddy Sampling (CES) approach as in our real implementation relative to alternative techniques including eddy covariance (EC) and relaxed eddy accumulation (REA). We further quantify various sources of instrument and method specific measurement errors. This comparison uses real measurements of 20 Hz turbulent time series of 3D wind velocity, sonic temperature and CO2 mixing ratio over a mixed decidious forest at the 'ICOS' flux tower site 'Hainich', Germany. Results from a simulation using real wind and CO2 timeseries from the Hainich site from 30 April to 3 November 2014 and real instrument performance suggest that the maximum flux estimates error (50% and 75% error quantiles) from Conditional Eddy Sampling (CES) relative to the true flux is 1.3% and 10%, respectively for monthly net fluxes, 1.6% and 7%, respectively for daily net fluxes and 8% and 35%, respectively for 30-minute CO2 flux estimates. Those results from CES are promising and outperform our REA estimates by about a factor of 50 assuming REA with constant b value. Results include flux time series from the EC, CES and REA approaches from 30-min to annual resolution.

Alternate Waveforms for a Low-Cost Civil Global Positioning System Receiver.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-01

implementation. 17 Is. D i* on. S’ *. l7Gfo ai" ositioning System Navigation Receiver DOCUMENT IS AVAILASLe TO THE PUSLIC THROUGH THE NATIONAL TECHNICALRanging...be included were ranging performance, data hand- ling capability, time-to-first fix, acquisition and re-acquisition capability, and sensitivity to...seconds). This receiver would exhibit less sensitivity to multipath and to signal dropouts because it would continuously track all satellites in view and

Continuity of Operations Planning (COOP): A Strategy for Implementation

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-18

5050 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/ MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) 11. SPONSOR...a position of building an alternate command and control site from ground zero , with little time or thought going into the functions, capacities and...above, there are two other approaches available to leaders in selecting a site. One option is to allow employees to telecommute and work from home

Simulation of fault performance of a diesel engine driven brushless alternator through PSPICE

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

Narayanan, S.S.Y.; Ananthakrishnan, P.; Hangari, V.U.

1995-12-31

Analysis of the fault performance of a brushless alternator with damper windings in the main alternator has been handled ab initio as a total modeling and simulation problem through proper application of Park`s equivalent circuit approach individually to the main exciter alternator units of the brushless alternator and the same has been implemented through PSPICE. The accuracy of the parameters used in the modeling and results obtained through PSPICE implementation are then evaluated for a specific 125 kVA brushless alternator in two stages as followed: first, by comparison of the predicted fault performance obtained from simulation of the 125 kVAmore » main alternator alone treated as a conventional alternator with the results obtained through the use of closed form analytical expressions available in the literature for fault currents and torques in such conventional alternators. Secondly, by comparison of some of the simulation results with those obtained experimentally on the brushless alternator itself. To enable proper calculation of derating factors to be used in the design of such brushless alternators, simulation results then include harmonic analysis of the steady state fault currents and torques. Throughout these studies, the brushless alternator is treated to be on no load at the instant of occurrence of fault.« less

Induction heating apparatus and methods for selectively energizing an inductor in response to a measured electrical characteristic that is at least partially a function of a temperature of a material being heated

DOEpatents

Richardson, John G.; Morrison, John L.; Hawkes, Grant L.

2006-07-04

An induction heating apparatus includes a measurement device for indicating an electrical resistance of a material to be heated. A controller is configured for energizing an inductor in response to the indicated resistance. An inductor may be energized with an alternating current, a characteristic of which may be selected in response to an indicated electrical resistance. Alternatively, a temperature of the material may be indicated via measuring the electrical resistance thereof and a characteristic of an alternating current for energizing the inductor may be selected in response to the temperature. Energizing the inductor may minimize the difference between a desired and indicated resistance or the difference between a desired and indicated temperature. A method of determining a temperature of at least one region of at least one material to be induction heated includes correlating a measured electrical resistance thereof to an average temperature thereof.

Open-WiSe: A Solar Powered Wireless Sensor Network Platform

PubMed Central

González, Apolinar; Aquino, Raúl; Mata, Walter; Ochoa, Alberto; Saldaña, Pedro; Edwards, Arthur

2012-01-01

Because battery-powered nodes are required in wireless sensor networks and energy consumption represents an important design consideration, alternate energy sources are needed to provide more effective and optimal function. The main goal of this work is to present an energy harvesting wireless sensor network platform, the Open Wireless Sensor node (WiSe). The design and implementation of the solar powered wireless platform is described including the hardware architecture, firmware, and a POSIX Real-Time Kernel. A sleep and wake up strategy was implemented to prolong the lifetime of the wireless sensor network. This platform was developed as a tool for researchers investigating Wireless sensor network or system integrators. PMID:22969396

Alternative route for the preparation of CoSb{sub 3} and Mg{sub 2}Si derivatives

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

Godlewska, E., E-mail: godlewsk@agh.edu.pl; Mars, K.; Zawadzka, K.

2012-09-15

An alternative manufacturing route has been developed for cobalt triantimonide and magnesium disilicide derivatives. Elemental powders were mixed in stoichiometric proportions, cold pressed into cylindrical preforms and heated in oxygen-free environment to initiate the exothermic reaction. According to DTA/TG measurements and observations under high-temperature microscope, the onset of reaction occurred at a temperature not exceeding the melting point of the more volatile component, i.e. antimony in the case of CoSb{sub 3} and magnesium in the case of Mg{sub 2}Si. The reaction products were additionally heat treated to secure homogenization. Dense sinters were obtained by hot uniaxial pressing of the obtainedmore » powders in moderate temperature-and-pressure conditions. Several advantages were identified in the proposed technology: absence of liquid phases, relatively short time of the synthesis, possibility of in-situ or ex-situ doping and grain size control. - Graphical abstract: (1) Manufacturing flow sheet for CoSb{sub 3} (milling included) and Mg{sub 2}Si (no milling). (2) Micrographs of CoSb{sub 3} product. (3) Micrographs of Mg{sub 2}Si product. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The combustion synthesis followed by HP was used for the manufacturing of CoSb{sub 3} or Mg{sub 2}Si. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The time of reaction is shorter compared with many other synthesis methods. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The process is scalable and practically wasteless.« less

Improving Self-Assembly by Varying the Temperature Periodically with Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raz, Oren; Jarzynski, Christopher

Self-assembly (SA) is the process by which basic components organize into a larger structure without external guidance. These processes are common in Nature, and also have technological applications, e.g. growing a crystal with a specific structure. So far, artificial SA processes have been designed mostly using diffusive building blocks with high specificity and directionality. The formation of the self-assembled structures is then driven by free-energy minimization into a thermodynamically stable state. In an alternative approach to SA, macroscopic parameters such as temperature, pressure, pH, magnetic field etc., are varied periodically with time. In this case, the SA structures are the stable periodic states of the driven system. Currently there are no design principles for periodically driven SA, other than in the limits of fast or weak driving. We present guiding ideas for self-assembly under periodic driving. As an example, we show a particular case in which self-assembly errors can be dramatically reduced by varying a system's temperature periodically with time. James S. McDonnell Foundation, and the US National Science Foundation: DMR-1506969.

Mixing to Monsoons: Air-Sea Interactions in the Bay of Bengal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lucas, A. J.; Shroyer, E. L.; Wijesekera, H. W.; Fernando, H. J. S.; D'Asaro, E.; Ravichandran, M.; Jinadasa, S. U. P.; MacKinnon, J. A.; Nash, J. D.; Sharma, R.; Centurioni, L.; Farrar, J. T.; Weller, R.; Pinkel, R.; Mahadevan, A.; Sengupta, D.; Tandon, A.

2014-07-01

More than 1 billion people depend on rainfall from the South Asian monsoon for their livelihoods. Summertime monsoonal precipitation is highly variable on intraseasonal time scales, with alternating "active" and "break" periods. These intraseasonal oscillations in large-scale atmospheric convection and winds are closely tied to 1°C-2°C variations of sea surface temperature in the Bay of Bengal.

Implementation of Adaptive Digital Controllers on Programmable Logic Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gwaltney, David A.; King, Kenneth D.; Smith, Keary J.; Monenegro, Justino (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Much has been made of the capabilities of FPGA's (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) in the hardware implementation of fast digital signal processing. Such capability also makes an FPGA a suitable platform for the digital implementation of closed loop controllers. Other researchers have implemented a variety of closed-loop digital controllers on FPGA's. Some of these controllers include the widely used proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller, state space controllers, neural network and fuzzy logic based controllers. There are myriad advantages to utilizing an FPGA for discrete-time control functions which include the capability for reconfiguration when SRAM-based FPGA's are employed, fast parallel implementation of multiple control loops and implementations that can meet space level radiation tolerance requirements in a compact form-factor. Generally, a software implementation on a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or microcontroller is used to implement digital controllers. At Marshall Space Flight Center, the Control Electronics Group has been studying adaptive discrete-time control of motor driven actuator systems using digital signal processor (DSP) devices. While small form factor, commercial DSP devices are now available with event capture, data conversion, pulse width modulated (PWM) outputs and communication peripherals, these devices are not currently available in designs and packages which meet space level radiation requirements. In general, very few DSP devices are produced that are designed to meet any level of radiation tolerance or hardness. The goal of this effort is to create a fully digital, flight ready controller design that utilizes an FPGA for implementation of signal conditioning for control feedback signals, generation of commands to the controlled system, and hardware insertion of adaptive control algorithm approaches. An alternative is required for compact implementation of such functionality to withstand the harsh environment encountered on spacecraft. Radiation tolerant FPGA's are a feasible option for reaching this goal.

Implementation of Adaptive Digital Controllers on Programmable Logic Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gwaltney, David A.; King, Kenneth D.; Smith, Keary J.; Montenegro, Justino (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Much has been made of the capabilities of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA's) in the hardware implementation of fast digital signal processing functions. Such capability also makes an FPGA a suitable platform for the digital implementation of closed loop controllers. Other researchers have implemented a variety of closed-loop digital controllers on FPGA's. Some of these controllers include the widely used Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller, state space controllers, neural network and fuzzy logic based controllers. There are myriad advantages to utilizing an FPGA for discrete-time control functions which include the capability for reconfiguration when SRAM- based FPGA's are employed, fast parallel implementation of multiple control loops and implementations that can meet space level radiation tolerance requirements in a compact form-factor. Generally, a software implementation on a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) device or microcontroller is used to implement digital controllers. At Marshall Space Flight Center, the Control Electronics Group has been studying adaptive discrete-time control of motor driven actuator systems using DSP devices. While small form factor, commercial DSP devices are now available with event capture, data conversion, Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) outputs and communication peripherals, these devices are not currently available in designs and packages which meet space level radiation requirements. In general, very few DSP devices are produced that are designed to meet any level of radiation tolerance or hardness. An alternative is required for compact implementation of such functionality to withstand the harsh environment encountered on spacemap. The goal of this effort is to create a fully digital, flight ready controller design that utilizes an FPGA for implementation of signal conditioning for control feedback signals, generation of commands to the controlled system, and hardware insertion of adaptive-control algorithm approaches. Radiation tolerant FPGA's are a feasible option for reaching this goal.

An Environmental Data Set for Vector-Borne Disease Modeling and Epidemiology

PubMed Central

Chabot-Couture, Guillaume; Nigmatulina, Karima; Eckhoff, Philip

2014-01-01

Understanding the environmental conditions of disease transmission is important in the study of vector-borne diseases. Low- and middle-income countries bear a significant portion of the disease burden; but data about weather conditions in those countries can be sparse and difficult to reconstruct. Here, we describe methods to assemble high-resolution gridded time series data sets of air temperature, relative humidity, land temperature, and rainfall for such areas; and we test these methods on the island of Madagascar. Air temperature and relative humidity were constructed using statistical interpolation of weather station measurements; the resulting median 95th percentile absolute errors were 2.75°C and 16.6%. Missing pixels from the MODIS11 remote sensing land temperature product were estimated using Fourier decomposition and time-series analysis; thus providing an alternative to the 8-day and 30-day aggregated products. The RFE 2.0 remote sensing rainfall estimator was characterized by comparing it with multiple interpolated rainfall products, and we observed significant differences in temporal and spatial heterogeneity relevant to vector-borne disease modeling. PMID:24755954

Quasi-one-dimensional density of states in a single quantum ring.

PubMed

Kim, Heedae; Lee, Woojin; Park, Seongho; Kyhm, Kwangseuk; Je, Koochul; Taylor, Robert A; Nogues, Gilles; Dang, Le Si; Song, Jin Dong

2017-01-05

Generally confinement size is considered to determine the dimensionality of nanostructures. While the exciton Bohr radius is used as a criterion to define either weak or strong confinement in optical experiments, the binding energy of confined excitons is difficult to measure experimentally. One alternative is to use the temperature dependence of the radiative recombination time, which has been employed previously in quantum wells and quantum wires. A one-dimensional loop structure is often assumed to model quantum rings, but this approximation ceases to be valid when the rim width becomes comparable to the ring radius. We have evaluated the density of states in a single quantum ring by measuring the temperature dependence of the radiative recombination of excitons, where the photoluminescence decay time as a function of temperature was calibrated by using the low temperature integrated intensity and linewidth. We conclude that the quasi-continuous finely-spaced levels arising from the rotation energy give rise to a quasi-one-dimensional density of states, as long as the confined exciton is allowed to rotate around the opening of the anisotropic ring structure, which has a finite rim width.

A flexible 32-channel time-to-digital converter implemented in a Xilinx Zynq-7000 field programmable gate array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yonggang; Kuang, Jie; Liu, Chong; Cao, Qiang; Li, Deng

2017-03-01

A high performance multi-channel time-to-digital converter (TDC) is implemented in a Xilinx Zynq-7000 field programmable gate array (FPGA). It can be flexibly configured as either 32 TDC channels with 9.9 ps time-interval RMS precision, 16 TDC channels with 6.9 ps RMS precision, or 8 TDC channels with 5.8 ps RMS precision. All TDCs have a 380 M Samples/second measurement throughput and a 2.63 ns measurement dead time. The performance consistency and temperature dependence of TDC channels are also evaluated. Because Zynq-7000 FPGA family integrates a feature-rich dual-core ARM based processing system and 28 nm Xilinx programmable logic in a single device, the realization of high performance TDCs on it will make the platform more widely used in time-measuring related applications.

System and method of adjusting the equilibrium temperature of an inductively-heated susceptor

DOEpatents

Matsen, Marc R; Negley, Mark A; Geren, William Preston

2015-02-24

A system for inductively heating a workpiece may include an induction coil, at least one susceptor face sheet, and a current controller coupled. The induction coil may be configured to conduct an alternating current and generate a magnetic field in response to the alternating current. The susceptor face sheet may be configured to have a workpiece positioned therewith. The susceptor face sheet may be formed of a ferromagnetic alloy having a Curie temperature and being inductively heatable to an equilibrium temperature approaching the Curie temperature in response to the magnetic field. The current controller may be coupled to the induction coil and may be configured to adjust the alternating current in a manner causing a change in at least one heating parameter of the susceptor face sheet.

Alternating current characterization of nano-Pt(II) octaethylporphyrin (PtOEP) thin film as a new organic semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

M, Dongol; M, M. El-Nahass; A, El-Denglawey; A, A. Abuelwafa; T, Soga

2016-06-01

Alternating current (AC) conductivity and dielectric properties of thermally evaporated Au/PtOEP/Au thin films are investigated each as a function of temperature (303 K-473 K) and frequency (50 Hz-5 MHz). The frequency dependence of AC conductivity follows the Jonscher universal dynamic law. The AC-activation energies are determined at different frequencies. It is found that the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model is the dominant conduction mechanism. The variation of the frequency exponent s with temperature is analyzed in terms of the CBH model. Coulombic barrier height W m , hopping distance R ω , and the density of localized states N(E F) are valued at different frequencies. Dielectric constant ɛ 1(ω,T) and dielectric loss ɛ 2(ω,T) are discussed in terms of the dielectric polarization process. The dielectric modulus shows the non-Debye relaxation in the material. The extracted relaxation time by using the imaginary part of modulus (M″) is found to follow the Arrhenius law.

Effects of regional temperature on electric vehicle efficiency, range, and emissions in the United States.

PubMed

Yuksel, Tugce; Michalek, Jeremy J

2015-03-17

We characterize the effect of regional temperature differences on battery electric vehicle (BEV) efficiency, range, and use-phase power plant CO2 emissions in the U.S. The efficiency of a BEV varies with ambient temperature due to battery efficiency and cabin climate control. We find that annual energy consumption of BEVs can increase by an average of 15% in the Upper Midwest or in the Southwest compared to the Pacific Coast due to temperature differences. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from BEVs vary primarily with marginal regional grid mix, which has three times the GHG intensity in the Upper Midwest as on the Pacific Coast. However, even within a grid region, BEV emissions vary by up to 22% due to spatial and temporal ambient temperature variation and its implications for vehicle efficiency and charging duration and timing. Cold climate regions also encounter days with substantial reduction in EV range: the average range of a Nissan Leaf on the coldest day of the year drops from 70 miles on the Pacific Coast to less than 45 miles in the Upper Midwest. These regional differences are large enough to affect adoption patterns and energy and environmental implications of BEVs relative to alternatives.

Recent advances in the characterization of high temperature industrial materials

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

Meadowcroft, D.B.; Tomkings, A.B.

1995-12-31

This paper reviews several techniques under development or recently commercialized which aid the characterization of high temperature plant components when carrying out lifetime predictions. Temperature measurements are frequently limited because of the limited lifetime and cost of thermocouples in aggressive environments and three alternative methods of assessing the ``average effective`` temperature of a component being evaluated by the authors are described steam side oxide thickness (specifically for ferritic superheater tubes), copper gold diffusion couples (``PETIT``), and the measurement of ferrite in duplex steels (``FEROPLUG``). Advances are described which have been made recently in the measurement techniques available for making plantmore » measurements on components to reduce the time needed for significant values of wastage rates to be established. In addition on-line high, temperature corrosion monitors are coming available which allow wastage rates to be assessed over periods of hours or days. These involve electrical resistance or electrochemical techniques. Finally the use of thin layer activation by a radioactive isotope is highlighted which enables the wastage of components to be assessed remotely without direct contact. Whilst available for a long time for laboratory and pilot plant studies, the authors are actively concerned with introducing the technique into operational boiler plant.« less

Cobalt: A GPU-based correlator and beamformer for LOFAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broekema, P. Chris; Mol, J. Jan David; Nijboer, R.; van Amesfoort, A. S.; Brentjens, M. A.; Loose, G. Marcel; Klijn, W. F. A.; Romein, J. W.

2018-04-01

For low-frequency radio astronomy, software correlation and beamforming on general purpose hardware is a viable alternative to custom designed hardware. LOFAR, a new-generation radio telescope centered in the Netherlands with international stations in Germany, France, Ireland, Poland, Sweden and the UK, has successfully used software real-time processors based on IBM Blue Gene technology since 2004. Since then, developments in technology have allowed us to build a system based on commercial off-the-shelf components that combines the same capabilities with lower operational cost. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a GPU-based correlator and beamformer with the same capabilities as the Blue Gene based systems. We focus on the design approach taken, and show the challenges faced in selecting an appropriate system. The design, implementation and verification of the software system show the value of a modern test-driven development approach. Operational experience, based on three years of operations, demonstrates that a general purpose system is a good alternative to the previous supercomputer-based system or custom-designed hardware.

Timbal muscle physiology in the endothermic cicada Tibicen winnemanna (Homoptera: Cicadidae).

PubMed

Sanborn, A F

2001-08-01

The operative muscle temperature and contraction kinetics are described for the endothermic cicada Tibicen winnemanna (Davis). Measurements of timbal muscle temperature in the field demonstrate that timbal muscle temperature is elevated above ambient temperature during activity. Timbal muscle temperature increases as the acoustic output progresses from a 'warm-up' buzz (27.9-29.7 degrees C) to full song production (36.3-39.5 degrees C). Mean muscle-ambient temperature difference increases from 5.8 degrees C in buzzing animals to 13.1 degrees C in animals producing a full calling song. Twitch rise time and onset to 50% relaxation time decrease while tension production increases with increasing temperature to 40 degrees C. Mean force production at 20 degrees C was determined to be 0.22+/-0.06 N/cm(2). The characteristics of T. winnemanna muscle are similar to those reported in other cicada species. Analysis of the songs produced by animals with one timbal destroyed and the sounds produced by mechanical manipulation suggest that the timbals alternately contract and relax in the sequence IN(1)-IN(2)-OUT(1)-OUT(2). Measurements of the inferred period of muscle contraction from song recordings and the contraction kinetics of isolated timbal muscles measured in the laboratory show that the temperature of the timbal muscle must be elevated in order for the cicada to be able to produce the calling song.

The design and hardware implementation of a low-power real-time seizure detection algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raghunathan, Shriram; Gupta, Sumeet K.; Ward, Matthew P.; Worth, Robert M.; Roy, Kaushik; Irazoqui, Pedro P.

2009-10-01

Epilepsy affects more than 1% of the world's population. Responsive neurostimulation is emerging as an alternative therapy for the 30% of the epileptic patient population that does not benefit from pharmacological treatment. Efficient seizure detection algorithms will enable closed-loop epilepsy prostheses by stimulating the epileptogenic focus within an early onset window. Critically, this is expected to reduce neuronal desensitization over time and lead to longer-term device efficacy. This work presents a novel event-based seizure detection algorithm along with a low-power digital circuit implementation. Hippocampal depth-electrode recordings from six kainate-treated rats are used to validate the algorithm and hardware performance in this preliminary study. The design process illustrates crucial trade-offs in translating mathematical models into hardware implementations and validates statistical optimizations made with empirical data analyses on results obtained using a real-time functioning hardware prototype. Using quantitatively predicted thresholds from the depth-electrode recordings, the auto-updating algorithm performs with an average sensitivity and selectivity of 95.3 ± 0.02% and 88.9 ± 0.01% (mean ± SEα = 0.05), respectively, on untrained data with a detection delay of 8.5 s [5.97, 11.04] from electrographic onset. The hardware implementation is shown feasible using CMOS circuits consuming under 350 nW of power from a 250 mV supply voltage from simulations on the MIT 180 nm SOI process.

Real-time portable system for fabric defect detection using an ARM processor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez-Gallego, J. A.; Yañez-Puentes, J. P.; Ortiz-Jaramillo, B.; Alvarez, J.; Orjuela-Vargas, S. A.; Philips, W.

2012-06-01

Modern textile industry seeks to produce textiles as little defective as possible since the presence of defects can decrease the final price of products from 45% to 65%. Automated visual inspection (AVI) systems, based on image analysis, have become an important alternative for replacing traditional inspections methods that involve human tasks. An AVI system gives the advantage of repeatability when implemented within defined constrains, offering more objective and reliable results for particular tasks than human inspection. Costs of automated inspection systems development can be reduced using modular solutions with embedded systems, in which an important advantage is the low energy consumption. Among the possibilities for developing embedded systems, the ARM processor has been explored for acquisition, monitoring and simple signal processing tasks. In a recent approach we have explored the use of the ARM processor for defects detection by implementing the wavelet transform. However, the computation speed of the preprocessing was not yet sufficient for real time applications. In this approach we significantly improve the preprocessing speed of the algorithm, by optimizing matrix operations, such that it is adequate for a real time application. The system was tested for defect detection using different defect types. The paper is focused in giving a detailed description of the basis of the algorithm implementation, such that other algorithms may use of the ARM operations for fast implementations.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction of rare-earth elements from carbonatite rocks.

PubMed

Diehl, Lisarb O; Gatiboni, Thais L; Mello, Paola A; Muller, Edson I; Duarte, Fabio A; Flores, Erico M M

2018-01-01

In view of the increasing demand for rare-earth elements (REE) in many areas of high technology, alternative methods for the extraction of these elements have been developed. In this work, a process based on the use of ultrasound for the extraction of REE from carbonatite (an igneous rock) is proposed to avoid the use of concentrated reagents, high temperature and excessive extraction time. In this pioneer work for REE extraction from carbonatite rocks in a preliminary investigation, ultrasonic baths, cup horn systems or ultrasound probes operating at different frequencies and power were evaluated. In addition, the power released to the extraction medium and the ultrasound amplitude were also investigated and the temperature and carbonatite mass/volume of extraction solution ratio were optimized to 70°C and 20mg/mL, respectively. Better extraction efficiencies (82%) were obtained employing an ultrasound probe operating at 20kHz for 15min, ultrasound amplitude of 40% (692Wdm -3 ) and using a diluted extraction solution (3% v/v HNO 3 +2% v/v HCl). It is important to mention that high extraction efficiency was obtained even using a diluted acid mixture and relatively low temperature in comparison to conventional extraction methods for REE. A comparison of results with those obtained by mechanical stirring (500rpm) using the same conditions (time, temperature and extraction solution) was carried out, showing that the use of ultrasound increased the extraction efficiency up to 35%. Therefore, the proposed ultrasound-assisted procedure can be considered as a suitable alternative for high efficiency extraction of REE from carbonatite rocks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

28 CFR 42.734 - Alternative funding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Alternative funding. 42.734 Section 42.734 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE NONDISCRIMINATION; EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY...; Implementation of the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 Compliance Procedures § 42.734 Alternative funding. When...

Admixture compatibility of alternative supplementary cementitious materials for pavement and structural concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-08-01

The objectives of this research project were: (1) to gain a better understanding about the interaction among alternative SCMS and : chemical admixtures in Portland cement mixtures; and (2) to facilitate implementation of alternative SCMs in transport...

28 CFR 42.734 - Alternative funding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Alternative funding. 42.734 Section 42.734 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE NONDISCRIMINATION; EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY...; Implementation of the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 Compliance Procedures § 42.734 Alternative funding. When...