Tracheid diameter is the key trait determining the extent of freezing-induced embolism in conifers.

PubMed

Pittermann, Jarmila; Sperry, John

2003-09-01

We tested the hypotheses that freezing-induced embolism is related to conduit diameter, and that conifers and angiosperms with conduits of equivalent diameter will exhibit similar losses of hydraulic conductivity in response to freezing. We surveyed the freeze-thaw response of conifers with a broad range of tracheid diameters by subjecting wood segments (root, stem and trunk wood) to a freeze-thaw cycle at -0.5 MPa in a centrifuge. Embolism increased as mean tracheid diameter exceeded 30 microm. Tracheids with a critical diameter greater than 43 microm were calculated to embolize in response to freezing and thawing at a xylem pressure of -0.5 MPa. To confirm that freezing-induced embolism is a function of conduit air content, we air-saturated stems of Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt. (mean conduit diameter 13.7 +/- 0.7 microm) by pressurizing them 1 to 60 times above atmospheric pressure, prior to freezing and thawing. The air saturation method simulated the effect of increased tracheid size because the degree of super-saturation is proportional to a tracheid volume holding an equivalent amount of dissolved air at ambient pressure. Embolism increased when the dissolved air content was equivalent to a mean tracheid diameter of 30 microm at ambient air pressure. Our centrifuge and air-saturation data show that conifers are as vulnerable to freeze-thaw embolism as angiosperms with equal conduit diameter. We suggest that the hydraulic conductivity of conifer wood is maximized by increasing tracheid diameters in locations where freezing is rare. Conversely, the narrowing of tracheid diameters protects against freezing-induced embolism in cold climates.

Effect of AOT Microemulsion Composition on the Hydrodynamic Diameter and Electrophoretic Mobility of Titanium Oxide Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaparenko, N. O.; Beketova, D. I.; Demidova, M. G.; Bulavchenko, A. I.

2018-05-01

The hydrodynamic diameter and electrophoretic mobility of titania nanoparticles in AOT microemulsions are studied depending on their water content (from 0 to 1.5 vol %), chloroform content in n-decane-chloroform mixture (from 0 to 30 vol %) and temperature (from 0 to 60°C). Considerable changes in diameter (from 20 to 400 nm) are detected upon adding water to the microemulsion. The electrophoretic mobility grows by 2-3 times upon adding chloroform, or as the temperature falls. The observed features allow us to halve the time of electrophoretic concentration for 140 nm TiO2 nanoparticles, and to concentrate 14 nm nanoparticles that do not exhibit electrophoretic mobility in the absence of chloroform.

Soot superaggregates from flaming wildfires and their direct radiative forcing.

PubMed

Chakrabarty, Rajan K; Beres, Nicholas D; Moosmüller, Hans; China, Swarup; Mazzoleni, Claudio; Dubey, Manvendra K; Liu, Li; Mishchenko, Michael I

2014-07-01

Wildfires contribute significantly to global soot emissions, yet their aerosol formation mechanisms and resulting particle properties are poorly understood and parameterized in climate models. The conventional view holds that soot is formed via the cluster-dilute aggregation mechanism in wildfires and emitted as aggregates with fractal dimension Df ≈ 1.8 mobility diameter Dm ≤ 1 μm, and aerodynamic diameter Da ≤ 300 nm. Here we report the ubiquitous presence of soot superaggregates (SAs) in the outflow from a major wildfire in India. SAs are porous, low-density aggregates of cluster-dilute aggregates with characteristic Df ≈ 2.6, Dm > 1 μm, and Da ≤ 300 nm that form via the cluster-dense aggregation mechanism. We present additional observations of soot SAs in wildfire smoke-laden air masses over Northern California, New Mexico, and Mexico City. At 550 nm wavelength, [corrected] we estimate that SAs contribute, per unit optical depth, up to 35% less atmospheric warming than freshly-emitted (D(f) ≈ 1.8) [corrected] aggregates, and ≈90% more warming than the volume-equivalent spherical soot particles simulated in climate models.

Soot superaggregates from flaming wildfires and their direct radiative forcing

PubMed Central

Chakrabarty, Rajan K.; Beres, Nicholas D.; Moosmüller, Hans; China, Swarup; Mazzoleni, Claudio; Dubey, Manvendra K.; Liu, Li; Mishchenko, Michael I.

2014-01-01

Wildfires contribute significantly to global soot emissions, yet their aerosol formation mechanisms and resulting particle properties are poorly understood and parameterized in climate models. The conventional view holds that soot is formed via the cluster-dilute aggregation mechanism in wildfires and emitted as aggregates with fractal dimension Df ≈ 1.8 mobility diameter Dm ≤ 1 μm, and aerodynamic diameter Da ≤ 300 nm. Here we report the ubiquitous presence of soot superaggregates (SAs) in the outflow from a major wildfire in India. SAs are porous, low-density aggregates of cluster-dilute aggregates with characteristic Df ≈ 2.6, Dm > 1 μm, and Da ≤ 300 nm that form via the cluster-dense aggregation mechanism. We present additional observations of soot SAs in wildfire smoke-laden air masses over Northern California, New Mexico, and Mexico City. We estimate that SAs contribute, per unit optical depth, up to 35% less atmospheric warming than freshly-emitted (Df ≈ 1.8) aggregates, and ≈90% more warming than the volume-equivalent spherical soot particles simulated in climate models. PMID:24981204

Attenuation-based size metric for estimating organ dose to patients undergoing tube current modulated CT exams

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

Bostani, Maryam, E-mail: mbostani@mednet.ucla.edu; McMillan, Kyle; Lu, Peiyun

2015-02-15

Purpose: Task Group 204 introduced effective diameter (ED) as the patient size metric used to correlate size-specific-dose-estimates. However, this size metric fails to account for patient attenuation properties and has been suggested to be replaced by an attenuation-based size metric, water equivalent diameter (D{sub W}). The purpose of this study is to investigate different size metrics, effective diameter, and water equivalent diameter, in combination with regional descriptions of scanner output to establish the most appropriate size metric to be used as a predictor for organ dose in tube current modulated CT exams. Methods: 101 thoracic and 82 abdomen/pelvis scans frommore » clinically indicated CT exams were collected retrospectively from a multidetector row CT (Sensation 64, Siemens Healthcare) with Institutional Review Board approval to generate voxelized patient models. Fully irradiated organs (lung and breasts in thoracic scans and liver, kidneys, and spleen in abdominal scans) were segmented and used as tally regions in Monte Carlo simulations for reporting organ dose. Along with image data, raw projection data were collected to obtain tube current information for simulating tube current modulation scans using Monte Carlo methods. Additionally, previously described patient size metrics [ED, D{sub W}, and approximated water equivalent diameter (D{sub Wa})] were calculated for each patient and reported in three different ways: a single value averaged over the entire scan, a single value averaged over the region of interest, and a single value from a location in the middle of the scan volume. Organ doses were normalized by an appropriate mAs weighted CTDI{sub vol} to reflect regional variation of tube current. Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlations between normalized organ doses and each size metric. Results: For the abdominal organs, the correlations between normalized organ dose and size metric were overall slightly higher for all three differently (global, regional, and middle slice) reported D{sub W} and D{sub Wa} than they were for ED, but the differences were not statistically significant. However, for lung dose, computed correlations using water equivalent diameter calculated in the middle of the image data (D{sub W,middle}) and averaged over the low attenuating region of lung (D{sub W,regional}) were statistically significantly higher than correlations of normalized lung dose with ED. Conclusions: To conclude, effective diameter and water equivalent diameter are very similar in abdominal regions; however, their difference becomes noticeable in lungs. Water equivalent diameter, specifically reported as a regional average and middle of scan volume, was shown to be better predictors of lung dose. Therefore, an attenuation-based size metric (water equivalent diameter) is recommended because it is more robust across different anatomic regions. Additionally, it was observed that the regional size metric reported as a single value averaged over a region of interest and the size metric calculated from a single slice/image chosen from the middle of the scan volume are highly correlated for these specific patient models and scan types.« less

Mass-Mobility Characterization of Flame-made ZrO2 Aerosols: Primary Particle Diameter & Extent of Aggregation

PubMed Central

Eggersdorfer, M.L.; Gröhn, A.J.; Sorensen, C.M.; McMurry, P.H.; Pratsinis, S.E.

2013-01-01

Gas-borne nanoparticles undergoing coagulation and sintering form irregular or fractal-like structures affecting their transport, light scattering, effective surface area and density. Here, zirconia (ZrO2) nanoparticles are generated by scalable spray combustion, and their mobility diameter and mass are obtained nearly in-situ by differential mobility analyzer (DMA) and aerosol particle mass (APM) measurements. Using these data, the density of ZrO2 and a power law between mobility and primary particle diameters, the structure of fractal-like particles is determined (mass-mobility exponent, prefactor and average number and surface area mean diameter of primary particles, dva). The dva determined by DMA-APM measurements and this power law is in good agreement with the dva obtained by ex-situ nitrogen adsorption and microscopic analysis. Using this combination of measurements and above power law, the effect of flame spray process parameters (e.g. precursor solution and oxygen flow rate as well as zirconium concentration) on fractal-like particle structure characteristics is investigated in detail. This reveals that predominantly agglomerates (physically-bonded particles) and aggregates (chemically- or sinter-bonded particles) of nanoparticles are formed at low and high particle concentrations, respectively. PMID:22959835

Purification of 1.9-nm-diameter semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes by temperature-controlled gel-column chromatography and its application to thin-film transistor devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thendie, Boanerges; Omachi, Haruka; Hirotani, Jun; Ohno, Yutaka; Miyata, Yasumitsu; Shinohara, Hisanori

2017-06-01

Large-diameter semiconductor single-wall carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs) have superior mobility and conductivity to small-diameter s-SWCNTs. However, the purification of s-SWCNTs with diameters larger than 1.6 nm by gel filtration has been difficult owing to the low selectivity of the conventional purification method in these large-diameter regions. We report a combination of temperature-controlled gel filtration and the gradient elution technique that we developed to enrich a high-purity s-SWCNT with a diameter as large as 1.9 nm. The thin-film transistor (TFT) device using the 1.9-nm-diameter SWCNT shows an average channel mobility of 23.7 cm2 V-1 s-1, which is much higher than those of conventional SWCNT-TFTs with smaller-diameters of 1.5 and 1.4 nm.

Low cost satellite land mobile service for nationwide applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weiss, J. A.

1978-01-01

A satellite land mobile system using mobile radios in the UHF band, and Ku-band Communications Routing Terminals (earth stations) for a nationwide connection from any mobile location to any fixed or mobile location, and from any fixed location to any mobile location is proposed. The proposed nationwide satellite land mobile service provides: telephone network quality (1 out of 100 blockage) service, complete privacy for all the users, operation similar to the telephone network, alternatives for data services up to 32 Kbps data rates, and a cost effective and practical mobile radio compatible with system sizes ranging from 10,000 to 1,000,000 users. Seven satellite alternatives (ranging from 30 ft diameter dual beam antenna to 210 ft diameter 77 beam antenna) along with mobile radios having a sensitivity figure of merit (G/T) of -15 dB/deg K are considered. Optimized mobile radio user costs are presented as a function of the number of users with the satellite and mobile radio alternatives as system parameters.

The influence of surfaces on the transient terahertz conductivity and electron mobility of GaAs nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joyce, Hannah J.; Baig, Sarwat A.; Parkinson, Patrick; Davies, Christopher L.; Boland, Jessica L.; Tan, H. Hoe; Jagadish, Chennupati; Herz, Laura M.; Johnston, Michael B.

2017-06-01

Bare unpassivated GaAs nanowires feature relatively high electron mobilities (400-2100 cm2 V-1 s-1) and ultrashort charge carrier lifetimes (1-5 ps) at room temperature. These two properties are highly desirable for high speed optoelectronic devices, including photoreceivers, modulators and switches operating at microwave and terahertz frequencies. When engineering these GaAs nanowire-based devices, it is important to have a quantitative understanding of how the charge carrier mobility and lifetime can be tuned. Here we use optical-pump-terahertz-probe spectroscopy to quantify how mobility and lifetime depend on the nanowire surfaces and on carrier density in unpassivated GaAs nanowires. We also present two alternative frameworks for the analysis of nanowire photoconductivity: one based on plasmon resonance and the other based on Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory with the nanowires modelled as prolate ellipsoids. We find the electron mobility decreases significantly with decreasing nanowire diameter, as charge carriers experience increased scattering at nanowire surfaces. Reducing the diameter from 50 nm to 30 nm degrades the electron mobility by up to 47%. Photoconductivity dynamics were dominated by trapping at saturable states existing at the nanowire surface, and the trapping rate was highest for the nanowires of narrowest diameter. The maximum surface recombination velocity, which occurs in the limit of all traps being empty, was calculated as 1.3  ×  106 cm s-1. We note that when selecting the optimum nanowire diameter for an ultrafast device, there is a trade-off between achieving a short lifetime and a high carrier mobility. To achieve high speed GaAs nanowire devices featuring the highest charge carrier mobilities and shortest lifetimes, we recommend operating the devices at low charge carrier densities.

Brain injury and development in preterm infants exposed to fentanyl

PubMed Central

McPherson, Christopher; Haslam, Matthew; Pineda, Roberta; Rogers, Cynthia; Neil, Jeffrey J.; Inder, Terrie E.

2015-01-01

Background Fentanyl is commonly utilized in preterm infants. Relatively little is known regarding the neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants exposed to fentanyl. Objective To investigate the association between cumulative fentanyl dose and brain injury and diameters in a cohort of preterm infants Methods Data on demographics, perinatal course, and neonatal course, including total fentanyl exposure prior to term equivalent age, were retrospectively evaluated for 103 infants born at ≤ 30 weeks gestational age who underwent magnetic resonance imaging at term equivalent age (mean gestational age 26.9 ± 1.8 weeks). Magnetic resonance images were evaluated for brain injury and regional brain diameters. Developmental testing was conducted at term equivalent and 2 years of age. Results Seventy-eight infants (76%) received fentanyl (median cumulative dose 3 μg/kg, interquartile range 1 – 441 μg/kg). Cumulative fentanyl dose in the first week of life correlated with the incidence of cerebellar hemorrhage after correction for covariates (OR 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.1 – 4.1). Cumulative fentanyl dose before term equivalent age correlated with reductions in transverse cerebellar diameter after correction for covariates including the presence of cerebellar hemorrhage (r = 0.461, p = 0.002). No correlation was detected between cumulative fentanyl dose and development at 2 years of age. Conclusions Higher cumulative fentanyl dose in preterm infants correlated with a higher incidence of cerebellar injury and lower cerebellar diameter at term equivalent age. Our findings must be taken with caution, but emphasize the need for future prospective trials examining the risks and benefits of commonly utilized analgesic agents in preterm infants. PMID:26369570

Highly crosslinked polyethylene: a safe alternative to conventional polyethylene for dual mobility cup mobile component. A biomechanical validation.

PubMed

Malatray, Matthieu; Roux, Jean-Paul; Gunst, Stanislas; Pibarot, Vincent; Wegrzyn, Julien

2017-03-01

Dual mobility cup (DMC) consists of a cobalt-chromium (CoCr) alloy cup articulated with a polyethylene (PE) mobile component capturing the femoral head in force using a snap-fit technique. This biomechanical study was the first to evaluate and compare the generation of cracks in the retentive area of DMC mobile components made of highly crosslinked PE (XLPE) or conventional ultra-high molecular weight PE (UHMWPE). Eighty mobile components designed for a 52-mm diameter Symbol® DMC (Dedienne Santé, Mauguio, France) and a 28-mm diameter femoral head were analyzed. Four groups of 20 mobile components were constituted according to the PE material: raw UHMWPE, sterilized UHMWPE, annealed XLPE and remelted XLPE. Ten mobile components in each group were impacted with a 28-mm diameter CoCr femoral head using a snap-fit technique. The occurrence, location and area of the cracks in the retentive area were investigated using micro-CT (Skyscan 1176®, Bruker, Aarsellar, Belgium) with a 35 μm nominal isotropic voxel size by two observers blinded to the PE material and impaction or not of the mobile components. Compared to conventional UHMWPE, the femoral head snap-fit did not generate more or wider cracks in the retentive area of annealed or remelted XLPE mobile components. This biomechanical study suggests that XLPE in DMC could be a safe alternative to conventional UHMWPE regarding the generation of cracks in the retentive area related to the femoral head snap-fit.

30 CFR 57.12027 - Grounding mobile equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Grounding mobile equipment. 57.12027 Section 57... Surface and Underground § 57.12027 Grounding mobile equipment. Frame grounding or equivalent protection shall be provided for mobile equipment powered through trailing cables. ...

SU-G-IeP4-10: Microimaging for Different Degrees of Human Cavernous Hemangioma of Liver by Using In-Line Phase-Contrast Imaging CT

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

Duan, J

2016-06-15

Purpose: Cavernous hemangioma of the liver (CHL) is the most common benign solid tumor of the liver. In this study, we quantitative assessment the different degrees of CHL from microscopic viewpoint by using in-line phase-contrast imaging CT (ILPCI-CT). Methods: The experiments were performed at x-ray imaging and biomedical application beamline (BL13W1) of Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) in China. Three typical specimens at different stages, i.e., mild, moderate and severe human CHL were imaged using ILPCI-CT at 16keV without contrast agents. The 3D visualization of different degrees of CHL samples were presented using ILPCI-CT. Additionally, quantitative evaluation of the CHLmore » features, such as the range of hepatic sinusoid equivalent diameters in different degrees of CHL samples, the ratio of the hepatic sinusoid to the CHL tissue, were measured. Results: The planar image clearly displayed the dilated hepatic sinusoids in microns. There was no normal hepatic vascular found in the all CHL samples. Different stages of CHL samples were presented with vivid shapes and stereoscopic effects by using 3D visualization. The equivalent diameters of hepatic sinusoids in three degrees CHL were different. The equivalent diameters of the hepatic sinusoids in mild CHL, range from 60 to 120 µm. The equivalent diameters of the hepatic sinusoids in moderate CHL, range from 65 to 190 µm. The equivalent diameters of the hepatic sinusoids in severe CHL, range from 95 to 215 µm. The ratio of the hepatic sinusoid to the mild, moderate and severe CHL tissue were 3%, 16% and 21%, respectively. Conclusion: The results show that the high degree of sensitivity of the ILPCI-CT technique and demonstrate the feasibility of accurate visualization of different stage human CHL. ILPCI-CT may offers a potential use in non-invasive study and analysis of CHL.« less

Separation of very hydrophobic analytes by micellar electrokinetic chromatography IV. Modeling of the effective electrophoretic mobility from carbon number equivalents and octanol-water partition coefficients.

PubMed

Huhn, Carolin; Pyell, Ute

2008-07-11

It is investigated whether those relationships derived within an optimization scheme developed previously to optimize separations in micellar electrokinetic chromatography can be used to model effective electrophoretic mobilities of analytes strongly differing in their properties (polarity and type of interaction with the pseudostationary phase). The modeling is based on two parameter sets: (i) carbon number equivalents or octanol-water partition coefficients as analyte descriptors and (ii) four coefficients describing properties of the separation electrolyte (based on retention data for a homologous series of alkyl phenyl ketones used as reference analytes). The applicability of the proposed model is validated comparing experimental and calculated effective electrophoretic mobilities. The results demonstrate that the model can effectively be used to predict effective electrophoretic mobilities of neutral analytes from the determined carbon number equivalents or from octanol-water partition coefficients provided that the solvation parameters of the analytes of interest are similar to those of the reference analytes.

Economic assessment of using a mobile Micromill® for processing small-diameter ponderosa pine.

Treesearch

Dennis R. Becker; Evan E. Hjerpe; Eini C. Lowell

2004-01-01

An economic assessment of an SLP5000 Diesel Micromill® was conducted to determine the maintenance and operation costs and the logistics of a mobile sawmill used to process small-diameter ponderosa pine. The Micromill® was first introduced in 1997 and has since received considerable attention. In 2003, the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station...

Large wood mobility processes in low-order Chilean river channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iroumé, Andrés; Mao, Luca; Andreoli, Andrea; Ulloa, Héctor; Ardiles, María Paz

2015-01-01

Large wood (LW) mobility was studied over several time periods in channel segments of four low-order mountain streams, southern Chile. All wood pieces found within the bankfull channels and on the streambanks extending into the channel with dimensions more than 10 cm in diameter and 1 m in length were measured and their position was referenced. Thirty six percent of measured wood pieces were tagged to investigate log mobility. All segments were first surveyed in summer and then after consecutive rainy winter periods. Annual LW mobility ranged between 0 and 28%. Eighty-four percent of the moved LW had diameters ≤ 40 cm and 92% had lengths ≤ 7 m. Large wood mobility was higher in periods when maximum water level (Hmax) exceeded channel bankfull depth (HBk) than in periods with flows less than HBk, but the difference was not statistically significant. Dimensions of moved LW showed no significant differences between periods with flows exceeding and with flows less than bankfull stage. Statistically significant relationships were found between annual LW mobility (%) and unit stream power (for Hmax) and Hmax/HBk. The mean diameter of transported wood pieces per period was significantly correlated with unit stream power for H15% and H50% (the level above which the flow remains for 15 and 50% of the time, respectively). These results contribute to an understanding of the complexity of LW mobilization processes in mountain streams and can be used to assess and prevent potential damage caused by LW mobilization during floods.

The Glass Floor: Education, Downward Mobility, and Opportunity Hoarding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeves, Richard V.; Howard, Kimberly

2013-01-01

From an intergenerational perspective, the U.S. income distribution is sticky at both ends. Affluence and poverty are both partially inherited. Policy and research has focused on upward mobility, especially from the bottom. But relative intergenerational upward mobility is only possible with equivalent rates of downward mobility, where much less…

Establishing reference condition for streambed mobility: Quantifying the effect of form roughness from stream habitat survey data

EPA Science Inventory

The size and mobility of streambed particles are sensitive to changes in the balance between sediment supply and transport. Therefore, changes in mobility can be an indicator of natural or anthropogenic alterations in this balance. Predictions of the critical diameter for mobil...

Determination of ion mobility in EHD flow zone of plasma generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sumariyah, Kusminarto, Hermanto, Arief; Nuswantoro, Pekik

2015-12-01

Determination has been carried out for ion mobility in EHD flow zone generated using a pin-concentric multiple ring electrodes and a pin-single ring electrode used as a comparator. The pin needle was made from stainless steel with a tip diameter of 0.18 mm. The concentris multiple ring electrode in form three/two concentric ring electrodes which made of metal material connected to each other. Each ring of three concentric ring electrode has a diameter of 24 mm, 16 mm and 8 mm. And each ring of two concentric ring electrode has a diameter of 24 mm and 16 mm. Single ring electrode has a diameter24 mm. The all ring has same of width and thickness were 2 mm and 3 mm. EHD was generated by using a DC high voltage of 10 kV. Pin functional as an active electrode of corona discharge while the all ring electrodes acted as ions collector and passive electrodes. The experimental results show that the ion current is proportional to V2 according to calculations by Chouelo for hyperbolic-field approach. Ion mobility obtained from the quadratic polynomial fitting of experimental data were current and voltage as well as Choelo formulation. The results showed that the mobility of ions in the EHD flow zones utilizing pin-consentric multiple ring electrode larger than utilizing pin-single ring electrode. Pin-three Consentic ring electrode has the largest of ion mobility

Mobility performance analysis of an innovation lunar rover with diameter-variable wheel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Gang; Gao, Feng; Sun, Peng; Xu, Guoyan

2007-11-01

To achieve excellent mobility performance, a four-wheel, all-wheel drive lunar rover with diameter-variable wheel was presented, the wheel can be contracted and extended by the motor equipped in the wheel hub, accompanied with wheel diameter varying from 200mm to 390mm. The wheel sinkage and drawbar pull force were predicated with terramechanics formulae and lunar regolith mechanic parameters employed, furthermore, the slope traversability was investigated through quasi-static modeling mechanic analysis, also the obstacle resistance and the maximum negotiable obstacle height for different wheel radius were derived from the equations of static equilibrium of the rover. Analysis results show that for the innovation lunar rover presented, it will bring much better slope traveling stability and obstacle climbing capability than rovers with normal wheels, these will improve the rover mobility performance and stabilize the rover's frame, smooth the motion of sensors.

A simple index of stand density for Douglas-fir.

Treesearch

R.O. Curtis

1982-01-01

The expression RD = G/(Dg½), where G is basal area and Dg is quadratic mean stand diameter, provides a simple and convenient scale of relative stand density for Douglas-fir, equivalent to other generally accepted diameter-based stand density measures.

Soot Superaggregates from Flaming Wildfires and Their Direct Radiative Forcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chakrabarty, Rajan K.; Beres, Nicholas D.; Moosmuller,Hans; China, Swarup; Mazzoleni, Claudio; Dubey, Manvendra K.; Liu, Li; Mishchenko, Michael I.

2014-01-01

Wildfires contribute significantly to global soot emissions, yet their aerosol formation mechanisms and resulting particle properties are poorly understood and parameterized in climate models. The conventional view holds that soot is formed via the cluster-dilute aggregation mechanism in wildfires and emitted as aggregates with fractal dimension D(sub f) approximately equals 1.8 mobility diameter D(sub m) (is) less than or equal to 1 micron, and aerodynamic diameter D(sub a) (is) less than or equal to 300 nm. Here we report the ubiquitous presence of soot superaggregates (SAs) in the outflow from a major wildfire in India. SAs are porous, low-density aggregates of cluster-dilute aggregates with characteristic D(sub f) approximately equals 2.6,D(sub m) (is) greater than 1 micron, and D(sub a) is less than or equal to 300 nm that form via the cluster-dense aggregation mechanism.We present additional observations of soot SAs in wildfire smoke-laden air masses over Northern California, New Mexico, and Mexico City. We estimate that SAs contribute, per unit optical depth, up to 35% less atmospheric warming than freshly-emitted (D(sub f) approximately equals 1.8) aggregates, and approximately equals 90% more warming than the volume-equivalent spherical soot particles simulated in climate models.

47 CFR 25.201 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... craft designed for traveling on water receiving from and transmitting to fixed-satellite space stations... an electronic form using Internet or World Wide Web on-line filing forms. Equivalent diameter. When... diameter of the antenna's main reflector. When non-reflector or non-circular aperture antennas are employed...

47 CFR 25.201 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... craft designed for traveling on water receiving from and transmitting to fixed-satellite space stations... an electronic form using Internet or World Wide Web on-line filing forms. Equivalent diameter. When... diameter of the antenna's main reflector. When non-reflector or non-circular aperture antennas are employed...

47 CFR 25.201 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... craft designed for traveling on water receiving from and transmitting to fixed-satellite space stations... an electronic form using Internet or World Wide Web on-line filing forms. Equivalent diameter. When... diameter of the antenna's main reflector. When non-reflector or non-circular aperture antennas are employed...

Development of a mobile sensor for robust assessment of river bed grain forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maniatis, G.; Hoey, T.; Sventek, J.; Hodge, R. A.

2013-12-01

The forces experienced by sediment grains at entrainment and during transport, and those exerted on river beds, are significant for the development of river systems and landscape evolution. The assessment of local grain forces has been approached using two different methodologies. The first approach uses static impact sensors at points or cross-sections to measure velocity and/or acceleration. A second approach uses mobile natural or artificial 'smart' pebbles instrumented with inertia micro-sensors for directly measuring the local forces experienced by individual grains. The two approaches have yielded significantly different magnitudes of impact forces. Static sensors (piezoelectric plates connected to accelerometers) temporally smooth the impacts from several grains and infrequently detect the higher forces (up to ×100g) generated by direct single-grain impacts. The second method is currently unable to record the full range of impacts in real rivers due to the low measurement range of the deployed inertia sensors (×3g). Laboratory applications have required only low-range accelerometers, so excluding the magnitude of natural impacts from the design criteria. Here we present the first results from the development of a mobile sensor, designed for the purpose of measuring local grain-forces in a natural riverbed. We present two sets of measurements. The first group presents the calibration of a wide range micro-accelerometer from a set of vertical drop experiments (gravitational acceleration) and further experiments on a shaking table moving with pre-defined acceleration. The second group of measurements are from incipient motion experiments performed in a 9m x0.9m flume (slope 0.001 to 0.018) under steadily increasing discharge. Initially the spherical sensor grain was placed on an artificial surface of hemispheres of identical diameter to the sensor (111mm). Incipient motion was assessed under both whole and half-diameter exposure for each slope. Subsequently, the sensor was placed on a bed of natural gravel of equivalent mean diameter under low slope conditions (0.001). Incipient motion was monitored over a fully covered stable bed and over a partially covered bed developed over an artificial surface constructed to simulate a natural bedrock surface. Statistical analysis of the results describes the relationship between flow conditions and pre-entrainment grain vibration and the acceleration threshold for incipient motion. Finally we perform a preliminary analysis to assess the degree of dependency of the same threshold on the different degrees of alluvial coverage of a river bed and so illustrate the potential to evaluate existing models describing grain entrainment and transport.

A Biomechanical Comparison of Allograft Tendons for Ligament Reconstruction.

PubMed

Palmer, Jeremiah E; Russell, Joseph P; Grieshober, Jason; Iacangelo, Abigail; Ellison, Benjamin A; Lease, T Dylan; Kim, Hyunchul; Henn, R Frank; Hsieh, Adam H

2017-03-01

Allograft tendons are frequently used for ligament reconstruction about the knee, but they entail availability and cost challenges. The identification of other tissues that demonstrate equivalent performance to preferred tendons would improve limitations. Hypothesis/Purpose: We compared the biomechanical properties of 4 soft tissue allograft tendons: tibialis anterior (TA), tibialis posterior (TP), peroneus longus (PL), and semitendinosus (ST). We hypothesized that allograft properties would be similar when standardized by the looped diameter. Controlled laboratory study. This study consisted of 2 arms evaluating large and small looped-diameter grafts: experiment A consisted of TA, TP, and PL tendons (n = 47 each) with larger looped diameters of 9.0 to 9.5 mm, and experiment B consisted of TA, TP, PL, and ST tendons (n = 53 each) with smaller looped diameters of 7.0 to 7.5 mm. Each specimen underwent mechanical testing to measure the modulus of elasticity (E), ultimate tensile force (UTF), maximal elongation at failure, ultimate tensile stress (UTS), and ultimate tensile strain (UTε). Experiment A: No significant differences were noted among tendons for UTF, maximal elongation at failure, and UTϵ. UTS was significantly higher for the PL (54 MPa) compared with the TA (44 MPa) and TP (43 MPa) tendons. E was significantly higher for the PL (501 MPa) compared with the TP (416 MPa) tendons. Equivalence testing showed that the TP and PL tendon properties were equivalent or superior to those of the TA tendons for all outcomes. Experiment B: All groups exhibited a similar E. UTF was again highest in the PL tendons (2294 N) but was significantly different from only the ST tendons (1915 N). UTϵ was significantly higher for the ST (0.22) compared with the TA (0.19) and TP (0.19) tendons. Equivalence testing showed that the TA, TP, and PL tendon properties were equivalent or superior to those of the ST tendons. Compared with TA tendons, TP and PL tendons of a given looped diameter exhibited noninferior initial biomechanical strength and stiffness characteristics. ST tendons were mostly similar to TA tendons but exhibited a significantly higher elongation/UTϵ and smaller cross-sectional area. For smaller looped-diameter grafts, all tissues were noninferior to ST tendons. In contrast to previous findings, PL tendons proved to be equally strong. The results of this study should encourage surgeons to use these soft tissue allografts interchangeably, which is important as the number of ligament reconstructions performed with allografts continues to rise.

Comparison of lenograstim vs filgrastim administration following chemotherapy for peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection: a retrospective study of 126 patients.

PubMed

Lefrère, F; Bernard, M; Audat, F; Cavazzana-Calvo, M; Belanger, C; Hermine, O; Arnulf, B; Buzyn, A; Varet, B

1999-11-01

Mobilization techniques for peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection include the administration of chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic growth factors or growth factors alone. Two forms of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) are available for PBSC mobilization: lenograstim and filgrastim which are the glycosylated and non-glycosylated forms respectively. In order to determine the influence of the two forms of G-CSF following chemotherapy on PBSC collection, we conducted a retrospective study in 126 patients with various hematological malignancies: 65 and 61 for the lenograstim and filgrastim groups respectively. No significant differences between the two groups were observed in terms of sex, age and diagnosis. Prior therapies and PBSC mobilization regimen were also equivalent. No significant difference was observed between the groups for the median CD34+ cells harvested. The number of leukapheresis necessary to obtain a minimal number of 3 x 10(6) CD34+ cells/kg was equivalent for the two groups. The proportion of patients affected by a failure in PBSC collection was similar in the two groups. Our data suggest that lenograstim and filgrastim are equivalent for PBSC mobilization after chemotherapy.

46 CFR 169.563 - Firehose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Lifesaving and... or equivalent of not over 11/2 inch diameter or garden hose of not less than 5/8 inch nominal inside diameter. If garden hose is used, it must be of a good commercial grade constructed of an inner rubber tube...

46 CFR 169.563 - Firehose.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) NAUTICAL SCHOOLS SAILING SCHOOL VESSELS Lifesaving and... or equivalent of not over 11/2 inch diameter or garden hose of not less than 5/8 inch nominal inside diameter. If garden hose is used, it must be of a good commercial grade constructed of an inner rubber tube...

For Your Phone Only: Custom Protocols for Efficient Secure Function Evaluation on Mobile Devices (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

that mobile application developers should reconsider implementing garbled circuits due to their extreme resource usage, and instead rely upon our equivalently secure and significantly more efficient alternative.

Classic electrocardiogram-based and mobile technology derived approaches to heart rate variability are not equivalent.

PubMed

Guzik, Przemyslaw; Piekos, Caroline; Pierog, Olivia; Fenech, Naiman; Krauze, Tomasz; Piskorski, Jaroslaw; Wykretowicz, Andrzej

2018-05-01

We compared classic ECG-derived versus a mobile approach to heart rate variability (HRV) measurement. 29 young adult healthy volunteers underwent a simultaneous recording of heart rate using an ECG and a chest heart rate monitor at supine rest, during mental stress and active standing. Mean RR interval, Standard Deviation of Normal-to-Normal (SDNN) of RR intervals, and Root Mean Square of the Successive Differences (RMSSD) between RR intervals were computed in 168 pairs of 5-minute epochs by in-house software on a PC (only sinus beats) and by mobile application "ELITEHRV" on a smartphone (no beat type identification). ECG analysis showed that 33.9% of the recordings contained at least one non-sinus beat or artefact, the mobile app did not report this. The mean RR intervals were significantly longer (p = 0.0378), while SDNN (p = 0.0001) and RMSSD (p = 0.0199) were smaller for the mobile approach. Measures of identical HRV parameters by ECG-based and mobile approaches are not equivalent. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of reducing rotor blade inlet diameter on the performance of a 11.66-Centimeter radial-inflow turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kofskey, M. G.; Haas, J. E.

1973-01-01

The effect of increased rotor blade loading on turbine performance was investigated by reducing rotor blade inlet diameter. The reduction was made in four stages. Each modification was tested with the same stator using cold air as the working fluid. Results are presented in terms of equivalent mass flow and efficiency at equivalent design rotative speed and over a range of pressure ratios. Internal flow characteristics are shown in terms of stator exit static pressure and the radial variation of local loss and rotor-exit flow angle with radius ratio. Included are velocity diagrams calculated from the experimental results.

A comparison of the CHF between tubes and annuli under PWR thermal-hydraulic conditions

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

Herer, C.; Souyri, A.; Garnier, J.

1995-09-01

Critical Heat Flux (CHF) tests were carried out in three tubes with inside diameters of 8, 13, and 19.2 mm and in two annuli with an inner tube of 9.5 mm and an outer tube of 13 or 19.2 mm. All axial heat flux distributions in the test sections were uniform. The coolant fluid was Refrigerant 12 (Freon-12) under PWR thermal-hydraulic conditions (equivalent water conditions - Pressure: 7 to 20 MPa, Mass Velocity: 1000 to 6000 kg/m2/s, Local Quality: -75% to +45%). The effect of tube diameter is correlated for qualities under 15%. The change from the tube to themore » annulus configuration is correctly taken into account by the equivalent hydraulic diameter. Useful information is also provided concerning the effect of a cold wall in an annulus.« less

24 CFR 3280.611 - Vents and venting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... drain piping for each toilet shall be vented by a 11/2 inch minimum diameter vent or rectangular vent of..., connected to the toilet drain by one of the following methods: (i) A 11/2 inch diameter (min.) individual vent pipe or equivalent directly connected to the toilet drain within the distance allowed in § 3280...

Does endothelial cell density correlate with corneal diameter in a group of young adults?

PubMed

Giasson, Claude J; Gosselin, Lucie; Masella, Aviva; Forcier, Pierre

2008-07-01

In children, but not in the elderly, an association exists between corneal diameter and endothelial cell density (ECD). We tested whether such an association also held true in young adults. The eyes of 35 healthy subjects (mean age, 23.1 +/- 3.1 years) were photographed by using a video camera and a noncontact endothelial microscope. Both sets of images were analyzed with image software and the contour method to measure corneal diameter, ECD, and endothelial coefficients. Axial lengths, refractive errors, and corneal curvatures were measured by using an A-scan ultrasonic biometer and kerato-refractometer. Measurements, averaged for the right and left eyes, were analyzed depending on (1) use of contact lenses, (2) ametropia, and on whether (3) axial length or (4) corneal diameter was above or below group means. Differences were tested for statistical significance with independent t tests and association with the Pearson correlation coefficient. ECD, corneal diameter, and spherical equivalent refraction were 3022 +/- 262 cells/mm2, 12.0 +/- 0.5 mm, and -3.1 +/- 2.5 D, respectively. The only significant differences between wearers and nonwearers of contact lenses were the spherical refractive equivalent and axial length. There was no correlation between ECD and corneal diameter or axial length. As opposed to previously reported results in children, but as found in the elderly, there is no correlation between ECD and corneal diameter in young adults. Therefore, corneal size cannot be considered a determinant of ECD in young adults.

A fast integrated mobility spectrometer for rapid measurement of sub-micrometer aerosol size distribution, Part II: Experimental characterization

DOE PAGES

Wang, Jian; Pikridas, Michael; Pinterich, Tamara; ...

2017-06-08

A Fast Integrated Mobility Spectrometer (FIMS) with a wide dynamic size range has been developed for rapid aerosol size distribution measurements. The design and model evaluation of the FIMS are presented in the preceding paper (Paper I), and this paper focuses on the experimental characterization of the FIMS. Monodisperse aerosol with diameter ranging from 8 to 600 nm was generated using Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA), and was measured by the FIMS in parallel with a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC). The mean particle diameter measured by the FIMS is in good agreement with the DMA centroid diameter. Comparison of the particlemore » concentrations measured by the FIMS and CPC indicates the FIMS detection efficiency is essentially 100% for particles with diameters of 8 nm or larger. For particles smaller than 20 nm or larger than 200 nm, FIMS transfer function and resolution can be well represented by the calculated ones based on simulated particle trajectories in the FIMS. For particles between 20 and 200 nm, the FIMS transfer function is boarder than the calculated, likely due to non-ideality of the electric field, including edge effects near the end of the electrode, which are not represented by the 2-D electric field used to simulate particle trajectories.« less

A fast integrated mobility spectrometer for rapid measurement of sub-micrometer aerosol size distribution, Part II: Experimental characterization

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

Wang, Jian; Pikridas, Michael; Pinterich, Tamara

A Fast Integrated Mobility Spectrometer (FIMS) with a wide dynamic size range has been developed for rapid aerosol size distribution measurements. The design and model evaluation of the FIMS are presented in the preceding paper (Paper I), and this paper focuses on the experimental characterization of the FIMS. Monodisperse aerosol with diameter ranging from 8 to 600 nm was generated using Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA), and was measured by the FIMS in parallel with a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC). The mean particle diameter measured by the FIMS is in good agreement with the DMA centroid diameter. Comparison of the particlemore » concentrations measured by the FIMS and CPC indicates the FIMS detection efficiency is essentially 100% for particles with diameters of 8 nm or larger. For particles smaller than 20 nm or larger than 200 nm, FIMS transfer function and resolution can be well represented by the calculated ones based on simulated particle trajectories in the FIMS. For particles between 20 and 200 nm, the FIMS transfer function is boarder than the calculated, likely due to non-ideality of the electric field, including edge effects near the end of the electrode, which are not represented by the 2-D electric field used to simulate particle trajectories.« less

An experimental investigation on the performance of conical nozzles for argon cluster formation in supersonic jets.

PubMed

Lu, Haiyang; Ni, Guoquan; Li, Ruxin; Xu, Zhizhan

2010-03-28

This work intends to get a better understanding of cluster formation in supersonic nozzles of different geometries. The throat diameters d are within 0.26 mm < or = d < or = 0.62 mm, the half-opening-angle alpha within 4.2 degrees < or = alpha < or = 11.3 degrees, and the length L of the conical section is 17.5 mm (eight nozzles) or 12 mm (two nozzles). Thus the so-called "equivalent sonic-nozzle diameter d(eq)" for these conical nozzle geometries, defined by d(eq)=0.74 d/tan alpha (for monatomic gases), is in the range of 1.59 mm < or = d(eq) < or = 5.21 mm. Source temperature for the clustering experiments was T(0)=298 K, and the backing pressure P(0) was between 0.5 and 30 bars. The (average) cluster sizes observed for these conical nozzles deviate from the predictions of the simple stream-tube-model. These deviations are accounted for by introducing the so-called "effective equivalent sonic-nozzle diameter d(eq)*," defined as the product of the equivalent sonic-nozzle diameter d(eq) and a new parameter delta, d(eq)*=deltad(eq). The parameter delta serves to modify the equivalent diameters d(eq) of the conical nozzles, which are applied in the idealized cases where the gas flows are suggested to be formed through free jet expansion. Then, delta represents the deviation of the performance in cluster formation of the practical conical nozzles from those predicted based on the idealized picture. The experimental results show that the values of delta can be described by an empirical formula, depending on the gas backing pressure P(0) and the parameter d(eq) of the conical nozzles. The degradation of the performance of the present conical nozzles was found with the increase in P(0) and the larger d(eq). It was revealed that delta is inversely proportional to a fractional power (approximately 0.5-0.6) of the molecular density n(mol) in the gas flows under the present experimental conditions. The boundary layers effects are considered to be mainly responsible for the restriction of the performance of the conical nozzles in cluster formation.

KSC-2009-2537

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The sound suppression system is tested on the mobile launcher platform on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X flight test that is targeted for summer 2009. The mobile launcher platform was handed over to the Constellation Program and modified for the Ares I-X flight test. It is being tested before being moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building for assembly of the Ares I-X rocket. A sound suppression water system is in¬stalled on the pads to protect against damage by acoustical energy and rocket exhaust reflected from the flame trench and mobile launcher plat¬form during a launch. The sound suppression system includes an elevated 290-foot-high water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The water releases just prior to the ignition of the rocket and flows through 7-foot-diameter pipes for about 20 seconds. A torrent of water will flow onto the mobile launcher platform from six large quench nozzles, or “rainbirds,” mounted on its surface. The rainbirds are 12 feet high. The two in the center are 42 inches in diameter; the other four have a 30-inch diameter. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

KSC-2009-2538

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The sound suppression system is tested on the mobile launcher platform on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X flight test that is targeted for summer 2009. The mobile launcher platform was handed over to the Constellation Program and modified for the Ares I-X flight test. It is being tested before being moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building for assembly of the Ares I-X rocket. A sound suppression water system is in¬stalled on the pads to protect against damage by acoustical energy and rocket exhaust reflected from the flame trench and mobile launcher plat¬form during a launch. The sound suppression system includes an elevated 290-foot-high water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The water releases just prior to the ignition of the rocket and flows through 7-foot-diameter pipes for about 20 seconds. A torrent of water will flow onto the mobile launcher platform from six large quench nozzles, or “rainbirds,” mounted on its surface. The rainbirds are 12 feet high. The two in the center are 42 inches in diameter; the other four have a 30-inch diameter. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome: creation of an electronic version of a patient-reported outcome instrument by conversion from a pen-and-paper version and evaluation of their equivalence.

PubMed

Delgado-Herrera, Leticia; Banderas, Benjamin; Ojo, Oluwafunke; Kothari, Ritesh; Zeiher, Bernhardt

2017-01-01

Subjects with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) experience abdominal cramping, bloating, pressure, and pain. Due to an absence of clinical biomarkers for IBS-D severity, evaluation of clinical therapy benefits depends on valid and reliable symptom assessments. A patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument has been developed, comprising of two questionnaires - the IBS-D Daily Symptom Diary and IBS-D Symptom Event Log - suitable for clinical trials and real-world settings. This program aimed to support instrument conversion from pen-and-paper to electronic format. Digital technology (Android/iOS) and a traditional mode of administration study in the target population were used to migrate or convert the validated PRO IBS-D pen-and-paper measure to an electronic format. Equivalence interviews, conducted in three waves, each had three parts: 1) conceptual equivalence testing between formats, 2) electronic-version report-history cognitive debriefing, and 3) electronic version usability evaluation. After each inter-view wave, preliminary analyses were conducted and modifications made to the electronic version, before the next wave. Final revisions were based on a full analysis of equivalence interviews. The final analysis evaluated subjects' ability to read, understand, and provide meaningful responses to the instruments across both formats. Responses were classified according to conceptual equivalence between formats and mobile-format usability assessed with a questionnaire and open-ended probes. Equivalence interviews (n=25) demonstrated conceptual equivalence between formats. Mobile-application cognitive debriefing showed some subjects experienced difficulty with font/screen visibility and understanding or reading some report-history charts and summary screens. To address difficulties, minor revisions/modifications were made and landscape orientation and zoom-in/zoom-out features incorporated. This study indicates that the two administration modes are conceptually equivalent. Since both formats are conceptually equivalent, both are psychometrically reliable, as established in the pen-and-paper version. Subjects found both mobile applications (Android/iOS) offered many advantages over the paper version, such as real-time assessment of their experience.

Fiber inhalability and head deposition in rats and humans. ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Due to their dimensions and long durability, inhaled asbestos fibers clear slowly from lung airways. Retained fibers may injure the epithelium, interact with macrophages, or translocate to the interstitium to result in various respiratory diseases. Therefore, calculations of fiber inhalability, deposition, and retention in respiratory tract regions of both rats and humans are crucial, both to assess the health risk of fiber exposures and to facilitate inferences from rat inhalation studies. Rat inhalation experiments are underway at the EPA and NIEHS. A model of fiber inhalability and initial deposition in the human and rat nasal cavity was developed. Existing models for particles were extended to fibers by replacing particle diameter with an equivalent fiber diameter. Since fiber inhalability into the respiratory tract and deposition in the extra thoracic airways depended mainly on its inertia, equivalent impaction diameters were derived and substituted in expressions for spherical particle diameter to determine fiber inhalability and nasal losses. Fiber impaction diameter depended strongly on its orientation in the air. Highest inhalability was obtained when fibers were aligned perpendicular to the flow streamlines in the inhaled air. However, detailed calculations of fiber transport in slow moving air such as that in the atmosphere and in lung airways showed that fibers stayed primarily aligned (parallel) to the flow. Therefore, for inhalability calculations,

Small-diameter roundwood, strong-post W-beam guardrail systems

Treesearch

David Kretschmann; Ronald Faller; John Reid; Jason Hascall; Dean Sicking; John Rohde

2006-01-01

Round guardrail posts may provide an important value-added option for small-diameter thinnings. Such posts require minimum processing and are believed to have higher strength for the equivalent rectangular volume. The resulting value-added product may bring a higher return compared to lumber. The obstacles to immediate utilization of ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir...

Design Study for Ground-Based Atmospheric Lidar System.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-29

Diameter: 36 inches with center hole to pass telescope focus Material: Pyrex, Zerodur or equivalent f/number: f/4 Secondary Mirror : Diameter: 10...Measurement of Atmospheric Molecular Density Transmitter Section (includes Laser, Beam Expander and 45 Mirror ) Receiving Telescope (receives...Alignment .. .. ..... 134 6.4 Fixed Autocollimator:Receiver Alignment .. .. ... ....... 136 6.5 Adjustment and Use of Reference Mirrors

A new performance index for the repetitive motion of mobile manipulators.

PubMed

Xiao, Lin; Zhang, Yunong

2014-02-01

A mobile manipulator is a robotic device composed of a mobile platform and a stationary manipulator fixed to the platform. To achieve the repetitive motion control of mobile manipulators, the mobile platform and the manipulator have to realize the repetitive motion simultaneously. To do so, a novel quadratic performance index is, for the first time, designed and presented in this paper, of which the effectiveness is analyzed by following a neural dynamics method. Then, a repetitive motion scheme is proposed by combining the criterion, physical constraints, and integrated kinematical equations of mobile manipulators, which is further reformulated as a quadratic programming (QP) subject to equality and bound constraints. In addition, two important Bridge theorems are established to prove that such a QP can be converted equivalently into a linear variational inequality, and then equivalently into a piecewise-linear projection equation (PLPE). A real-time numerical algorithm based on PLPE is thus developed and applied for the online solution of the resultant QP. Two tracking-path tasks demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the repetitive motion scheme. In addition, comparisons between the nonrepetitive and repetitive motion further validate the superiority and novelty of the proposed scheme.

Stiff Filamentous Viruses Probe the Mobility of Counterions During Nanopore Translocations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMullen, Angus; Tang, Jay; Stein, Derek

2015-03-01

We study the electrophoresis of two different filamentous viruses and double-stranded DNA through solid-state nanopores. The two viruses we examine, fd and M13, are both 880 nm in length, 6.6 nm in diameter, very stiff, and monodisperse. They only differ in their linear charge density, which is 30 % lower for M13 than for fd. Filamentous viruses are therefore ideal for testing transport models and for comparisons with DNA dynamics. We find that the mean translocation speed of fd virus is related to the nanopore diameter, D, and the virus diameter, d, as ln(D / d) - 1 , in agreement with the conventional electrokinetic model of translocations. In order to obtain quantitative agreement between that electrokinetic model and the measured translocation dynamics, however, one must conclude that the mobility of counterions within a few Angstroms of the polymer surface is strongly reduced from the bulk value. Similar reductions in counterion mobility near fd, M13, and dsDNA explain their dynamics over a wide range of ionic strengths. This work was supported by NSF Grant CBET0846505, NSF Grant PHYS1058375 and Oxford Nanopore Technologies.

Determining size-specific emission factors for environmental tobacco smoke particles

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

Klepeis, Neil E.; Apte, Michael G.; Gundel, Lara A.

Because size is a major controlling factor for indoor airborne particle behavior, human particle exposure assessments will benefit from improved knowledge of size-specific particle emissions. We report a method of inferring size-specific mass emission factors for indoor sources that makes use of an indoor aerosol dynamics model, measured particle concentration time series data, and an optimization routine. This approach provides--in addition to estimates of the emissions size distribution and integrated emission factors--estimates of deposition rate, an enhanced understanding of particle dynamics, and information about model performance. We applied the method to size-specific environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) particle concentrations measured everymore » minute with an 8-channel optical particle counter (PMS-LASAIR; 0.1-2+ micrometer diameters) and every 10 or 30 min with a 34-channel differential mobility particle sizer (TSI-DMPS; 0.01-1+ micrometer diameters) after a single cigarette or cigar was machine-smoked inside a low air-exchange-rate 20 m{sup 3} chamber. The aerosol dynamics model provided good fits to observed concentrations when using optimized values of mass emission rate and deposition rate for each particle size range as input. Small discrepancies observed in the first 1-2 hours after smoking are likely due to the effect of particle evaporation, a process neglected by the model. Size-specific ETS particle emission factors were fit with log-normal distributions, yielding an average mass median diameter of 0.2 micrometers and an average geometric standard deviation of 2.3 with no systematic differences between cigars and cigarettes. The equivalent total particle emission rate, obtained integrating each size distribution, was 0.2-0.7 mg/min for cigars and 0.7-0.9 mg/min for cigarettes.« less

Effect of Morphology and Composition on the Hygroscopicity of Soot Aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, L.; Slowik, J.; Davidovits, P.; Jayne, J.; Kolb, C.; Worsnop, D.; Rudich, Y.

2003-12-01

Freshly generated soot aerosols are initially hydrophobic and unlikely to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). However, during combustion many low vapor pressure gas products are formed that may then condense on existing soot aerosols. Additionally, soot particles may acquire coatings as they age, such as acids, salts, and oxygenated organics. An understanding of this aging process and its effect on soot hygroscopicity is necessary to address the potential of soot to act as a CCN. The transformation of soot from hydrophobic to hydrophilic is the focus of this work. An aim here is to determine the minimum coating required for hygroscopic growth. Soot particles produced by combustion of mixtures of fuel and air are size selected by a Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA) and entrained in a laminar flow passing through a flow tube. The size selected soot particles are mixed with a controlled amount of the gas phase precursors to produce the coatings to be studied. Initial studies are focused on coatings of H2SO4, NH4NO3, and selected organics. The number of particles per unit volume of air is counted by a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) and the particles are isokinetically sampled into an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS). Two distinct types of soot aerosols have been observed depending on the type of fuel and air mixture. With soot produced by the combustion of propane and air, the AMS shows a polydisperse particle size distribution with aerodynamic diameters ranging from 100 nm to 400 nm. The aerodynamic diameter is linearly related to the DMA-determined mobility diameter with the product density x shape factor = 1.2. The organic molecules in this soot are mostly PAH compounds. However, when kerosene is added to the propane flame, the soot particle morphology and composition is strikingly altered. While the DMA shows an essentially unchanged mobility diameter distribution, in the range 100 nm to 400, aerodynamic particle diameter is constant at about 100 nm, independent of the mobility diameter. This type of constancy of the aerodynamic diameter has been observed for soot particles in diesel engine exhaust and has been interpreted in terms of a size-dependent effective density. The soot chemical composition is also altered. In this soot the organics are mainly linear hydrocarbons. The differences between these two types of soot with respect to hygroscopicity and effective area are being investigated.

Technical note: estimating absorbed doses to the thyroid in CT.

PubMed

Huda, Walter; Magill, Dennise; Spampinato, Maria V

2011-06-01

To describe a method for estimating absorbed doses to the thyroid in patients undergoing neck CT examinations. Thyroid doses in anthropomorphic phantoms were obtained for all 23 scanner dosimetry data sets in the ImPACT CT patient dosimetry calculator. Values of relative thyroid dose [R(thy)(L)], defined as the thyroid dose for a given scan length (L) divided by the corresponding thyroid dose for a whole body scan, were determined for neck CT scans. Ratios of the maximum thyroid dose to the corresponding CTDI(vol) and [D'(thy)], were obtained for two phantom diameters. The mass-equivalent water cylinder of any patient can be derived from the neck cross-sectional area and the corresponding average Hounsfield Unit, and compared to the 16.5-cm diameter water cylinder that models the ImPACT anthropomorphic phantom neck. Published values of relative doses in water cylinders of varying diameter were used to adjust thyroid doses in the anthropomorphic phantom to those of any sized patient. Relative thyroid doses R(thy)(L) increase to unity with increasing scan length and with very small difference between scanners. A 10-cm scan centered on the thyroid would result in a dose that is, nearly 90% of the thyroid dose from a whole body scan when performed using the constant radiographic techniques. At 120 kV, the average value of D'(thy) for the 16-cm diameter was 1.17 +/- 0.05 and was independent of CT vendor and year of CT scanner, and choice of x-ray tube voltage. The corresponding average value of D'(thy) in the 32-cm diameter phantom was 2.28 +/- 0.22 and showed marked variations depending on vendor, year of introduction into clinical practice as well as x-ray tube voltage. At 120 kV, a neck equivalent to a 10-cm diameter cylinder of water would have thyroid doses 36% higher than those in the ImPACT phantom, whereas a neck equivalent to a 25-cm cylinder diameter would have thyroid doses 35% lower. Patient thyroid doses can be estimated by taking into account the amount of radiation used to perform the CT examination (CTDI(vol)) and accounting for scan length and patient anatomy (i.e., neck diameter) at the thyroid location.

Effects of Long Term Exposure of 900-1800 MHz Radiation Emitted from 2G Mobile Phone on Mice Hippocampus- A Histomorphometric Study.

PubMed

Mugunthan, Narayanaperumal; Shanmugasamy, Kathirvelu; Anbalagan, Jayaram; Rajanarayanan, Swamynathan; Meenachi, Swamynathan

2016-08-01

The advancement in the telecommunications technology with multi-functional added features in mobile phone, attracts more users of all age group. It is alarming to note that, the mobile phone use has increased amongst children and they are exposed to potentially harmful radiofrequency radiation in their lifetime. To investigate the long term exposure of 900 to 1800 MHz radiations emitted from 2G mobile phone in mice hippocampus at histomorphometric level. With due approval from institutional animal ethics committee, 36 mice were exposed to 2G mobile phone radiation, 48 minutes per day for a period of 30-180 days. The control group was kept under similar conditions without 2G exposure. Mice were sacrificed and the brain was removed from the first month to six months period. Brain was removed from the cranial cavity and hippocampus region was dissected out carefully and processed for routine histological study. Random serial sections were analysed under microscope for histomorphometric changes. For statistical analysis, independent t-test was used for comparing control and 2G exposed groups. The mean density of neurons in the hippocampus regions CA1, CA2 and DGDB from first to sixth month was significantly lower in the 2G exposed groups; however, in CA3 and DGVB, the 2G exposed mice showed significantly higher density of neurons. The mean nuclear diameter of neurons in the hippocampus region of CA1, CA2, CA3, DGDB and DGVB from first to sixth months showed lower nuclear diameter in 2G exposed mice. The long term exposure to 900-1800 MHz frequency radiations emitted from 2G mobile phone could cause significantly reduced neuron density and decreased nuclear diameter in the hippocampus neurons of mice.

Analysis of Mechanical Failure of Polymer Microneedles by Axial Force

PubMed Central

Park, Jung-Hwan; Prausnitz, Mark R.

2010-01-01

A polymeric microneedle has been developed for drug delivery applications. The ultimate goal of the polymeric microneedle is insertion into the specified region without failure for effective transdermal drug delivery. Mechanical failure of various geometries of microneedles by axial load was modeled using the Euler formula and the Johnson formula to predict the failure force of tapered-column microneedles. These formulas were compared with measured data to identify the mechanical behavior of microneedles by determining the critical factors including the actual length and end-fixed factor. The comparison of the two formulas with the data showed good agreement at the end-fixity (K) of 0.7. This value means that a microneedle column has one fixed end and one pinned end, and that part of the microneedle was overloaded by axial load. When the aspect ratio of length to equivalent diameter is 12:1 at 3 GPa of Young’s modulus, there is a transition from the Euler region to the Johnson region by the decreased length and increased base diameter of the microneedle. A polymer having less than 3 GPa of stiffness would follow the Euler formula. A 12:1 aspect ratio of length to equivalent diameter of the microneedle was the mechanical indicator determining the failure mode between elastic buckling and inelastic buckling at less than 3 GPa of Young’s modulus of polymer. Microneedles with below a 12:1 aspect ratio of length-to-equivalent diameter and more than 3 GPa of Young’s were recommended for reducing sudden failure by buckling and for successfully inserting the microneedle into the skin. PMID:21218133

THE MASS ACCOMMODATION COEFFICIENT OF AMMONIUM NITRATE AEROSOL. (R823514)

EPA Science Inventory

The mass transfer rate of pure ammonium nitrate between the aerosol and gas phases was
quantified experimentally by the use of the tandem differential mobility analyzer/scanning mobility
particle sizer (TDMA/SMPS) technique. Ammonium nitrate particles 80-220 nm in diameter<...

Principles of quasi-equivalence and Euclidean geometry govern the assembly of cubic and dodecahedral cores of pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes.

PubMed

Izard, T; Aevarsson, A; Allen, M D; Westphal, A H; Perham, R N; de Kok, A; Hol, W G

1999-02-16

The pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (Mr of 5-10 million) is assembled around a structural core formed of multiple copies of dihydrolipoyl acetyltransferase (E2p), which exhibits the shape of either a cube or a dodecahedron, depending on the source. The crystal structures of the 60-meric dihydrolipoyl acyltransferase cores of Bacillus stearothermophilus and Enterococcus faecalis pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes were determined and revealed a remarkably hollow dodecahedron with an outer diameter of approximately 237 A, 12 large openings of approximately 52 A diameter across the fivefold axes, and an inner cavity with a diameter of approximately 118 A. Comparison of cubic and dodecahedral E2p assemblies shows that combining the principles of quasi-equivalence formulated by Caspar and Klug [Caspar, D. L. & Klug, A. (1962) Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 27, 1-4] with strict Euclidean geometric considerations results in predictions of the major features of the E2p dodecahedron matching the observed features almost exactly.

Investigating the use of small-diameter softwood as guardrail posts: static test results

Treesearch

David E. Kretschmann; Ron Faller; Jason Hascall; John Reid; Dean Sicking; John Rohde; Dick Shilts; Tim Nelson

2007-01-01

Round guardrail posts may provide an important value added option for small-diameter thinnings. Such posts require minimum processing and have been shown to have higher strength compared to the equivalent rectangular volume. The resulting value-added product may bring a higher return compared to lumber. The obstacles to immediate utilization of ponderosa pine and...

Essential features of long-term changes of areas and diameters of sunspot groups in solar activity cycles 12-24

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efimenko, V. M.; Lozitsky, V. G.

2018-06-01

We analyze the Greenwich catalog data on areas of sunspot groups of last thirteen solar cycles. Various parameters of sunspots are considered, namely: average monthly smoothed areas, maximum area for each year and equivalent diameters of groups of sunspots. The first parameter shows an exceptional power of the 19th cycle of solar activity, which appears here more contrastively than in the numbers of spots (that is, in Wolf's numbers). It was found that in the maximum areas of sunspot groups for a year there is a unique phenomenon: a short and high jump in the 18th cycle (in 1946-1947) that has no analogues in other cycles. We also studied the integral distributions for equivalent diameters and found the following: (a) the average value of the index of power-law approximation is 5.4 for the last 13 cycles and (b) there is reliable evidence of Hale's double cycle (about 44 years). Since this indicator reflects the dispersion of sunspot group diameters, the results obtained show that the convective zone of the Sun generates embryos of active regions in different statistical regimes which change with a cycle of about 44 years.

Gas dispersion and immobile gas volume in solid and porous particle biofilter materials at low air flow velocities.

PubMed

Sharma, Prabhakar; Poulsen, Tjalfe G

2010-07-01

Gas-phase dispersion in granular biofilter materials with a wide range of particle sizes was investigated using atmospheric air and nitrogen as tracer gases. Two types of materials were used: (1) light extended clay aggregates (LECA), consisting of highly porous particles, and (2) gravel, consisting of solid particles. LECA is a commercial material that is used for insulation, as a soil conditioner, and as a carrier material in biofilters for air cleaning. These two materials were selected to have approximately the same particle shape. Column gas transport experiments were conducted for both materials using different mean particle diameters, different particle size ranges, and different gas flow velocities. Measured breakthrough curves were modeled using the advection-dispersion equation modified for mass transfer between mobile and immobile gas phases. The results showed that gas dispersivity increased with increasing mean particle diameter for LECA but was independent of mean particle diameter for gravel. Gas dispersivity also increased with increasing particle size range for both media. Dispersivities in LECA were generally higher than for gravel. The mobile gas content in both materials increased with increasing gas flow velocity but it did not show any strong dependency on mean particle diameter or particle size range. The relative fraction of mobile gas compared with total porosity was highest for gravel and lowest for LECA likely because of its high internal porosity.

Assessing the Equivalence of Paper, Mobile Phone, and Tablet Survey Responses at a Community Mental Health Center Using Equivalent Halves of a 'Gold-Standard' Depression Item Bank.

PubMed

Brodey, Benjamin B; Gonzalez, Nicole L; Elkin, Kathryn Ann; Sasiela, W Jordan; Brodey, Inger S

2017-09-06

The computerized administration of self-report psychiatric diagnostic and outcomes assessments has risen in popularity. If results are similar enough across different administration modalities, then new administration technologies can be used interchangeably and the choice of technology can be based on other factors, such as convenience in the study design. An assessment based on item response theory (IRT), such as the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) depression item bank, offers new possibilities for assessing the effect of technology choice upon results. To create equivalent halves of the PROMIS depression item bank and to use these halves to compare survey responses and user satisfaction among administration modalities-paper, mobile phone, or tablet-with a community mental health care population. The 28 PROMIS depression items were divided into 2 halves based on content and simulations with an established PROMIS response data set. A total of 129 participants were recruited from an outpatient public sector mental health clinic based in Memphis. All participants took both nonoverlapping halves of the PROMIS IRT-based depression items (Part A and Part B): once using paper and pencil, and once using either a mobile phone or tablet. An 8-cell randomization was done on technology used, order of technologies used, and order of PROMIS Parts A and B. Both Parts A and B were administered as fixed-length assessments and both were scored using published PROMIS IRT parameters and algorithms. All 129 participants received either Part A or B via paper assessment. Participants were also administered the opposite assessment, 63 using a mobile phone and 66 using a tablet. There was no significant difference in item response scores for Part A versus B. All 3 of the technologies yielded essentially identical assessment results and equivalent satisfaction levels. Our findings show that the PROMIS depression assessment can be divided into 2 equivalent halves, with the potential to simplify future experimental methodologies. Among community mental health care recipients, the PROMIS items function similarly whether administered via paper, tablet, or mobile phone. User satisfaction across modalities was also similar. Because paper, tablet, and mobile phone administrations yielded similar results, the choice of technology should be based on factors such as convenience and can even be changed during a study without adversely affecting the comparability of results. ©Benjamin B Brodey, Nicole L Gonzalez, Kathryn Ann Elkin, W Jordan Sasiela, Inger S Brodey. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 06.09.2017.

KSC-2009-2539

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-04-06

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Water cascades over the side of the mobile launcher platform on Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The sound suppression system is being tested on the platform. Pad 39B will be the site of the first Ares vehicle launch, including the Ares I-X flight test that is targeted for summer 2009. The mobile launcher platform was handed over to the Constellation Program and modified for the Ares I-X flight test. It is being tested before being moved to the Vehicle Assembly Building for assembly of the Ares I-X rocket. A sound suppression water system is in¬stalled on the pads to protect against damage by acoustical energy and rocket exhaust reflected from the flame trench and mobile launcher plat¬form during a launch. The sound suppression system includes an elevated 290-foot-high water tank with a capacity of 300,000 gallons. The water releases just prior to the ignition of the rocket and flows through 7-foot-diameter pipes for about 20 seconds. A torrent of water will flow onto the mobile launcher platform from six large quench nozzles, or “rainbirds,” mounted on its surface. The rainbirds are 12 feet high. The two in the center are 42 inches in diameter; the other four have a 30-inch diameter. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Aerosol monitoring during carbon nanofiber production: mobile direct-reading sampling.

PubMed

Evans, Douglas E; Ku, Bon Ki; Birch, M Eileen; Dunn, Kevin H

2010-07-01

Detailed investigations were conducted at a facility that manufactures and processes carbon nanofibers (CNFs). Presented research summarizes the direct-reading monitoring aspects of the study. A mobile aerosol sampling platform, equipped with an aerosol instrument array, was used to characterize emissions at different locations within the facility. Particle number, respirable mass, active surface area, and photoelectric response were monitored with a condensation particle counter (CPC), a photometer, a diffusion charger, and a photoelectric aerosol sensor, respectively. CO and CO(2) were additionally monitored. Combined simultaneous monitoring of these metrics can be utilized to determine source and relative contribution of airborne particles (CNFs and others) within a workplace. Elevated particle number concentrations, up to 1.15 x 10(6) cm(-3), were found within the facility but were not due to CNFs. Ultrafine particle emissions, released during thermal treatment of CNFs, were primarily responsible. In contrast, transient increases in respirable particle mass concentration, with a maximum of 1.1 mg m(-3), were due to CNF release through uncontrolled transfer and bagging. Of the applied metrics, our findings suggest that particle mass was probably the most useful and practical metric for monitoring CNF emissions in this facility. Through chemical means, CNFs may be selectively distinguished from other workplace contaminants (Birch et al., in preparation), and for direct-reading monitoring applications, the photometer was found to provide a reasonable estimate of respirable CNF mass concentration. Particle size distribution measurements were conducted with an electrical low-pressure impactor and a fast particle size spectrometer. Results suggest that the dominant CNF mode by particle number lies between 200 and 250 nm for both aerodynamic and mobility equivalent diameters. Significant emissions of CO were also evident in this facility. Exposure control recommendations were described for processes as required.

Aerosol Monitoring during Carbon Nanofiber Production: Mobile Direct-Reading Sampling

PubMed Central

Evans, Douglas E.; Ku, Bon Ki; Birch, M. Eileen; Dunn, Kevin H.

2010-01-01

Detailed investigations were conducted at a facility that manufactures and processes carbon nanofibers (CNFs). Presented research summarizes the direct-reading monitoring aspects of the study. A mobile aerosol sampling platform, equipped with an aerosol instrument array, was used to characterize emissions at different locations within the facility. Particle number, respirable mass, active surface area, and photoelectric response were monitored with a condensation particle counter (CPC), a photometer, a diffusion charger, and a photoelectric aerosol sensor, respectively. CO and CO2 were additionally monitored. Combined simultaneous monitoring of these metrics can be utilized to determine source and relative contribution of airborne particles (CNFs and others) within a workplace. Elevated particle number concentrations, up to 1.15 × 106 cm−3, were found within the facility but were not due to CNFs. Ultrafine particle emissions, released during thermal treatment of CNFs, were primarily responsible. In contrast, transient increases in respirable particle mass concentration, with a maximum of 1.1 mg m−3, were due to CNF release through uncontrolled transfer and bagging. Of the applied metrics, our findings suggest that particle mass was probably the most useful and practical metric for monitoring CNF emissions in this facility. Through chemical means, CNFs may be selectively distinguished from other workplace contaminants (Birch et al., in preparation), and for direct-reading monitoring applications, the photometer was found to provide a reasonable estimate of respirable CNF mass concentration. Particle size distribution measurements were conducted with an electrical low-pressure impactor and a fast particle size spectrometer. Results suggest that the dominant CNF mode by particle number lies between 200 and 250 nm for both aerodynamic and mobility equivalent diameters. Significant emissions of CO were also evident in this facility. Exposure control recommendations were described for processes as required. PMID:20447936

29 CFR 1910.29 - Manually propelled mobile ladder stands and scaffolds (towers).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

.... (stress grade) construction grade lumber or equivalent. (vi) All scaffold work levels 10 feet or higher... (towers). 1910.29 Section 1910.29 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND..., construction, and use of mobile work platforms (including ladder stands but not including aerial ladders) and...

29 CFR 1910.29 - Manually propelled mobile ladder stands and scaffolds (towers).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... (stress grade) construction grade lumber or equivalent. (vi) All scaffold work levels 10 feet or higher... (towers). 1910.29 Section 1910.29 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND..., construction, and use of mobile work platforms (including ladder stands but not including aerial ladders) and...

29 CFR 1910.29 - Manually propelled mobile ladder stands and scaffolds (towers).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

.... (stress grade) construction grade lumber or equivalent. (vi) All scaffold work levels 10 feet or higher... (towers). 1910.29 Section 1910.29 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND..., construction, and use of mobile work platforms (including ladder stands but not including aerial ladders) and...

29 CFR 1910.29 - Manually propelled mobile ladder stands and scaffolds (towers).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

.... (stress grade) construction grade lumber or equivalent. (vi) All scaffold work levels 10 feet or higher... (towers). 1910.29 Section 1910.29 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND..., construction, and use of mobile work platforms (including ladder stands but not including aerial ladders) and...

29 CFR 1910.29 - Manually propelled mobile ladder stands and scaffolds (towers).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

.... (stress grade) construction grade lumber or equivalent. (vi) All scaffold work levels 10 feet or higher... (towers). 1910.29 Section 1910.29 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND..., construction, and use of mobile work platforms (including ladder stands but not including aerial ladders) and...

Theoretical prediction of high carrier mobility in single-walled black phosphorus nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Q. F.; Wang, H. F.; Yang, C. H.; Li, Q. Q.; Rao, W. F.

2018-05-01

One-dimensional semiconductors are promising materials for high-performance nanoscale devices. Using the first-principles calculations combined with deformation potential approximation, we study the electronic structures and carrier transport properties of black phosphorus nanotubes (BPNTs). It is found that both armchair and zigzag BPNTs with diameter 13.5-18.5 Å are direct bandgap semiconductors. At a similar diameter, the carrier mobility of zigzag BPNT is one order of magnitude larger than that of armchair BPNT. For armchair BPNTs, the electron mobility is about 90.70-155.33 cm2 V-1 s-1 at room temperature, which is about three times of its hole counterpart. For zigzag BPNTs, the maximum mobility can reach 2.87 ×103 cm2 V-1 s-1. Furthermore, the electronic properties can be effectively tuned by the strain. For zigzag (0,13) nanotube, there is a direct-to-indirect band gap transition at a tensile strain of about 6%. Moreover, the electron mobility is boosted sharply by one order of magnitude by applying the compressive or tensile strain. The electron mobility increases to 14.05 ×103 cm2 V-1 s-1 at a tensile strain of 9%. Our calculations highlight the tunable electronic properties and superior carrier mobility of BPNTs that are promising for interesting applications in future nano-electronic devices.

MOBILIZATION OF AVIATION GASOLINE FROM A RESIDUAL SOURCE

EPA Science Inventory

A simple one-dimensional model describes the mobilization of 90 m3 of residual aviation gasoline from an 80-m diameter, O.3O6-m thick contaminated soil mass at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station in Traverse City, Michigan. riginally deposited under a paved ground surface in Decembe...

[Mobilization of the stomach and colon using high-frequency electric welding of tissues apparatus].

PubMed

Sukhin, I A; Ostapenko, O M; Kachan, S H; Bilylovets', O M; Honchar, I V

2012-08-01

The experience of the native high-frequency electrical generator 300M EC-1 "Patonmed" for mobilization of advanced vascular network, particularly stomach and colon are presented. The variants of modes depending on the diameter of blood vessels and accompanied diseases are suggested.

77 FR 48448 - Connect America Fund; A National Broadband Plan for Our Future; Establishing Just and Reasonable...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-14

... to the total reduction required in 2012. In addition, the Bureau clarifies that non-commercial mobile... than their functionally equivalent interstate rates in making this transition. 6. Carriers and state... functionally equivalent interstate switched access rate element rates. Other of the carrier's intrastate...

Origami Wheel Transformer: A Variable-Diameter Wheel Drive Robot Using an Origami Structure.

PubMed

Lee, Dae-Young; Kim, Sa-Reum; Kim, Ji-Suk; Park, Jae-Jun; Cho, Kyu-Jin

2017-06-01

A wheel drive mechanism is simple, stable, and efficient, but its mobility in unstructured terrain is seriously limited. Using a deformable wheel is one of the ways to increase the mobility of a wheel drive robot. By changing the radius of its wheels, the robot becomes able to pass over not only high steps but also narrow gaps. In this article, we propose a novel design for a variable-diameter wheel using an origami-based soft robotics design approach. By simply folding a patterned sheet into a wheel shape, a variable-diameter wheel was built without requiring lots of mechanical parts and a complex assembly process. The wheel's diameter can change from 30 to 68 mm, and it is light in weight at about 9.7 g. Although composed of soft materials (fabrics and films), the wheel can bear more than 400 times its weight. The robot was able to change the wheel's radius in response to terrain conditions, allowing it to pass over a 50-mm gap when the wheel is shrunk and a 50-mm step when the wheel is enlarged.

Design, Synthesis, and Chemical and Biological Properties of Cyclic ADP-4-Thioribose as a Stable Equivalent of Cyclic ADP-Ribose.

PubMed

Tsuzuki, Takayoshi; Takano, Satoshi; Sakaguchi, Natsumi; Kudoh, Takashi; Murayama, Takashi; Sakurai, Takashi; Hashii, Minako; Higashida, Haruhiro; Weber, Karin; Guse, Andreas H; Kameda, Tomoshi; Hirokawa, Takatsugu; Kumaki, Yasuhiro; Arisawa, Mitsuhiro; Potter, Barry V L; Shuto, Satoshi

2014-01-01

Here we describe the successful synthesis of cyclic ADP-4-thioribose (cADPtR, 3 ), designed as a stable mimic of cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR, 1 ), a Ca 2+ -mobilizing second messenger, in which the key N1-β-thioribosyladenosine structure was stereoselectively constructed by condensation between the imidazole nucleoside derivative 8 and the 4-thioribosylamine 7 via equilibrium in 7 between the α-anomer ( 7α ) and the β-anomer ( 7β ) during the reaction course. cADPtR is, unlike cADPR, chemically and biologically stable, while it effectively mobilizes intracellular Ca 2+ like cADPR in various biological systems, such as sea urchin homogenate, NG108-15 neuronal cells, and Jurkat T-lymphocytes. Thus, cADPtR is a stable equivalent of cADPR, which can be useful as a biological tool for investigating cADPR-mediated Ca 2+ -mobilizing pathways.

Low-temperature synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes with a narrow diameter distribution using size-classified catalyst nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondo, Daiyu; Sato, Shintaro; Awano, Yuji

2006-05-01

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with a narrow diameter distribution have been synthesized by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition using acetylene at 590 °C. Iron nanoparticles with diameters of 1.6, 2.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10 nm (standard deviation: ≈10%) obtained with a differential mobility analyzer were used as a catalyst without any supporting materials on a substrate. SWNTs were obtained from 2.0 nm or smaller particles. The ratio of G band to D band in Raman spectra was as high as 35 without purification, indicating that high-quality SWNTs were synthesized. The SWNT diameters correlated with the particle diameters, demonstrating diameter-controlled SWNT growth.

Equivalent Air Spring Suspension Model for Quarter-Passive Model of Passenger Vehicles.

PubMed

Abid, Haider J; Chen, Jie; Nassar, Ameen A

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the GENSIS air spring suspension system equivalence to a passive suspension system. The SIMULINK simulation together with the OptiY optimization is used to obtain the air spring suspension model equivalent to passive suspension system, where the car body response difference from both systems with the same road profile inputs is used as the objective function for optimization (OptiY program). The parameters of air spring system such as initial pressure, volume of bag, length of surge pipe, diameter of surge pipe, and volume of reservoir are obtained from optimization. The simulation results show that the air spring suspension equivalent system can produce responses very close to the passive suspension system.

30 CFR 77.1605 - Loading and haulage equipment; installations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Mobile equipment shall be provided with audible warning devices. Lights shall be provided on both ends... windows shall be of safety glass or equivalent, in good condition and shall be kept clean. (b) Mobile... passage of wheels. (h) Rocker-bottom or bottom-dump cars shall be equipped with positive locking devices...

Ruling Out Brain CT Contraindications prior to Intravenous Thrombolysis: Diagnostic Equivalence between a Primary Interpretation Workstation and a Mobile Tablet Computer.

PubMed

Salazar, Antonio J; Useche, Nicolás; Granja, Manuel; Morillo, Aníbal J; Bermúdez, Sonia

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the equivalence of brain CT interpretations performed using a diagnostic workstation and a mobile tablet computer, in a telestroke service. The ethics committee of our institution approved this retrospective study. A factorial design with 1452 interpretations was used. The assessed variables were the type of stroke classification, the presence of contraindications to the tPA administration, the presence of a hyperdense intracranial artery sign (HMCA), and the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) score. These variables were evaluated to determine the effect that the reading system had on their magnitudes. The achieved distribution of observed lesions using both the reading systems was not statistically different. The differences between the two reading systems to claim equivalence were 1.6% for hemorrhagic lesions, 4.5% for cases without lesion, and 5.2 for overall ischemic lesion. Equivalence was achieved at 2.1% for ASPECTS ≤ 6, 6.5% for the presence of imaging contraindication to the tPA administration, and 7.2% for the presence of HMCA. The diagnostic performance for detecting acute stroke is likely equivalent whether a tablet computer or a diagnostic workstation is used or not.

Ruling Out Brain CT Contraindications prior to Intravenous Thrombolysis: Diagnostic Equivalence between a Primary Interpretation Workstation and a Mobile Tablet Computer

PubMed Central

Useche, Nicolás; Granja, Manuel; Morillo, Aníbal J.; Bermúdez, Sonia

2017-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the equivalence of brain CT interpretations performed using a diagnostic workstation and a mobile tablet computer, in a telestroke service. Materials and Methods The ethics committee of our institution approved this retrospective study. A factorial design with 1452 interpretations was used. The assessed variables were the type of stroke classification, the presence of contraindications to the tPA administration, the presence of a hyperdense intracranial artery sign (HMCA), and the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) score. These variables were evaluated to determine the effect that the reading system had on their magnitudes. Results The achieved distribution of observed lesions using both the reading systems was not statistically different. The differences between the two reading systems to claim equivalence were 1.6% for hemorrhagic lesions, 4.5% for cases without lesion, and 5.2 for overall ischemic lesion. Equivalence was achieved at 2.1% for ASPECTS ≤ 6, 6.5% for the presence of imaging contraindication to the tPA administration, and 7.2% for the presence of HMCA. Conclusion The diagnostic performance for detecting acute stroke is likely equivalent whether a tablet computer or a diagnostic workstation is used or not. PMID:29250111

29 CFR (non - mandatory) Appendix A to Subpart L of Part 1926-Scaffold Specifications

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... equivalent in strength to at least 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) diameter improved plow steel wire rope. (s) Float (ship... force. (d) Guardrails shall be as follows: (i) Toprails shall be equivalent in strength to 2 inch by 4 inch lumber; or 11/4 inch × 1/8 inch structural angle iron; or 1 inch × .070 inch wall steel tubing; or...

29 CFR (non - mandatory) Appendix A to Subpart L of Part 1926-Scaffold Specifications

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... equivalent in strength to at least 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) diameter improved plow steel wire rope. (s) Float (ship... force. (d) Guardrails shall be as follows: (i) Toprails shall be equivalent in strength to 2 inch by 4 inch lumber; or 11/4 inch × 1/8 inch structural angle iron; or 1 inch × .070 inch wall steel tubing; or...

Sediment Characterization in St. Alban's Bay, VT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nethercutt, S.; Manley, T.; Manley, P.

2017-12-01

St. Alban's Bay within Lake Champlain is plagued with harmful algal blooms. With future intensification due to climate change, a multidisciplinary program (BREE-Basin Resilience to Extreme Events) was initiated in 2016. In order to assess the mobilization of harmful nutrients from sediment resuspension events and riverine input, 74 sediment samples were collected in a grid fashion throughout St. Alban's Bay. Sediments were deflocculated and analyzed using a LA920 Horiba laser scattering particle size distribution analyzer to define the frequency of sediment sizes from clay to sand. Gridded surfaces of mean sortable silt percentage, silt percentage, sand percentage, and clay percentage were used to represent the sediment distribution of the region. A plot of diameter versus frequency showed the bimodal nature of some of the sediments, with one peak at about 10 microns diameter (silt) and the second at about 525 microns diameter (sand). The data showed an extremely low percentage of clay relative to that of sand and silt. The highest frequencies of sortable silt, which represents the most easily mobilized particle size, are found in the deepest areas of the bay, suggesting that these regions are where dominant bottom flow occurs. The high occurrence of sortable silt in the St. Alban's Bay does suggest that sediment mobilization, and therefore nutrient mobilization has the potential to occur. These data combined with high-resolution multibeam and hydrodynamic data will allow for future models of water flow and remobilization studies in the future.

Gel Electrophoresis of Gold-DNA Nanoconjugates

DOE PAGES

Pellegrino, T.; Sperling, R. A.; Alivisatos, A. P.; ...

2007-01-01

Gold-DNA conjugates were investigated in detail by a comprehensive gel electrophoresis study based on 1200 gels. A controlled number of single-stranded DNA of different length was attached specifically via thiol-Au bonds to phosphine-stabilized colloidal gold nanoparticles. Alternatively, the surface of the gold particles was saturated with single stranded DNA of different length either specifically via thiol-Au bonds or by nonspecific adsorption. From the experimentally determined electrophoretic mobilities, estimates for the effective diameters of the gold-DNA conjugates were derived by applying two different data treatment approaches. The first method is based on making a calibration curve for the relation between effectivemore » diameters and mobilities with gold nanoparticles of known diameter. The second method is based on Ferguson analysis which uses gold nanoparticles of known diameter as reference database. Our study shows that effective diameters derived from gel electrophoresis measurements are affected with a high error bar as the determined values strongly depend on the method of evaluation, though relative changes in size upon binding of molecules can be detected with high precision. Furthermore, in this study, the specific attachment of DNA via gold-thiol bonds to Au nanoparticles is compared to nonspecific adsorption of DNA. Also, the maximum number of DNA molecules that can be bound per particle was determined.« less

Equivalent input spectrum and drain current spectrum for 1/ƒ noise in short channel MOS transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gentil, P.; Mounib, A.

1981-05-01

Flicker noise in MOS transistors can be evaluated by measuring the spectrum SID of the drain current fluctuation or the spectrum Sve of an equivalent gate fluctuation. We show here that experimental variations of {S I D}/{Sve} are in good agreement with gm2 by considering a model of the transconductance gm which takes into account the variations of the channel carriers mobility with the surface electric field. The model agrees with the experimental results obtained on short channel MOS transistors which exhibit large variations of mobility with the gate voltage. The validity of physical interpretations of noise data on MOS transistors is examined.

A mobile system for a comprehensive online-characterization of nanoparticle aggregates based on wide-angle light scattering and laser-induced incandescence

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

Huber, Franz J. T.; Will, Stefan, E-mail: stefan.will@fau.de; Erlangen Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies

A mobile demonstrator for the comprehensive online-characterization of gas-borne nanoparticle aggregates is presented. Two optical measurement techniques are combined, both utilizing a pulsed Nd:YAG laser as light source. Aggregate size and fractal dimension are measured by Wide-Angle Light Scattering (WALS). An ellipsoidal mirror images elastically scattered light from scattering angles between 10° and 165° onto a CCD-camera chip resulting in an almost complete scattering diagram with high angular resolution. Primary particle size and volume fraction are measured by time-resolved Laser-Induced Incandescence (TiRe-LII). Here, particles are heated up to about 3000 K by the short laser pulse, the enhanced thermal radiationmore » signal is detected with gated photomultiplier tubes. Analysis of the signal decay time and maximum LII-signal allows for the determination of primary particle diameter and volume fraction. The performance of the system is demonstrated by combined measurements on soot nanoparticle aggregates from a soot aerosol generator. Particle and aggregate sizes are varied by using different equivalence ratios of the combustion in the generator. Soot volume fraction can be adjusted by different levels of dilution with air. Online-measurements were carried out demonstrating the favorable performance of the system and the potential for industrial applications such as process control and product development. The particle properties obtained are confirmed through transmission electron microscopy analysis on representative samples.« less

A mobile system for a comprehensive online-characterization of nanoparticle aggregates based on wide-angle light scattering and laser-induced incandescence.

PubMed

Huber, Franz J T; Altenhoff, Michael; Will, Stefan

2016-05-01

A mobile demonstrator for the comprehensive online-characterization of gas-borne nanoparticle aggregates is presented. Two optical measurement techniques are combined, both utilizing a pulsed Nd:YAG laser as light source. Aggregate size and fractal dimension are measured by Wide-Angle Light Scattering (WALS). An ellipsoidal mirror images elastically scattered light from scattering angles between 10° and 165° onto a CCD-camera chip resulting in an almost complete scattering diagram with high angular resolution. Primary particle size and volume fraction are measured by time-resolved Laser-Induced Incandescence (TiRe-LII). Here, particles are heated up to about 3000 K by the short laser pulse, the enhanced thermal radiation signal is detected with gated photomultiplier tubes. Analysis of the signal decay time and maximum LII-signal allows for the determination of primary particle diameter and volume fraction. The performance of the system is demonstrated by combined measurements on soot nanoparticle aggregates from a soot aerosol generator. Particle and aggregate sizes are varied by using different equivalence ratios of the combustion in the generator. Soot volume fraction can be adjusted by different levels of dilution with air. Online-measurements were carried out demonstrating the favorable performance of the system and the potential for industrial applications such as process control and product development. The particle properties obtained are confirmed through transmission electron microscopy analysis on representative samples.

A mobile system for a comprehensive online-characterization of nanoparticle aggregates based on wide-angle light scattering and laser-induced incandescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huber, Franz J. T.; Altenhoff, Michael; Will, Stefan

2016-05-01

A mobile demonstrator for the comprehensive online-characterization of gas-borne nanoparticle aggregates is presented. Two optical measurement techniques are combined, both utilizing a pulsed Nd:YAG laser as light source. Aggregate size and fractal dimension are measured by Wide-Angle Light Scattering (WALS). An ellipsoidal mirror images elastically scattered light from scattering angles between 10° and 165° onto a CCD-camera chip resulting in an almost complete scattering diagram with high angular resolution. Primary particle size and volume fraction are measured by time-resolved Laser-Induced Incandescence (TiRe-LII). Here, particles are heated up to about 3000 K by the short laser pulse, the enhanced thermal radiation signal is detected with gated photomultiplier tubes. Analysis of the signal decay time and maximum LII-signal allows for the determination of primary particle diameter and volume fraction. The performance of the system is demonstrated by combined measurements on soot nanoparticle aggregates from a soot aerosol generator. Particle and aggregate sizes are varied by using different equivalence ratios of the combustion in the generator. Soot volume fraction can be adjusted by different levels of dilution with air. Online-measurements were carried out demonstrating the favorable performance of the system and the potential for industrial applications such as process control and product development. The particle properties obtained are confirmed through transmission electron microscopy analysis on representative samples.

Effects of Long Term Exposure of 900-1800 MHz Radiation Emitted from 2G Mobile Phone on Mice Hippocampus- A Histomorphometric Study

PubMed Central

Shanmugasamy, Kathirvelu; Anbalagan, Jayaram; Rajanarayanan, Swamynathan; Meenachi, Swamynathan

2016-01-01

Introduction The advancement in the telecommunications technology with multi-functional added features in mobile phone, attracts more users of all age group. It is alarming to note that, the mobile phone use has increased amongst children and they are exposed to potentially harmful radiofrequency radiation in their lifetime. Aim To investigate the long term exposure of 900 to 1800 MHz radiations emitted from 2G mobile phone in mice hippocampus at histomorphometric level. Materials and Methods With due approval from institutional animal ethics committee, 36 mice were exposed to 2G mobile phone radiation, 48 minutes per day for a period of 30-180 days. The control group was kept under similar conditions without 2G exposure. Mice were sacrificed and the brain was removed from the first month to six months period. Brain was removed from the cranial cavity and hippocampus region was dissected out carefully and processed for routine histological study. Random serial sections were analysed under microscope for histomorphometric changes. For statistical analysis, independent t-test was used for comparing control and 2G exposed groups. Results The mean density of neurons in the hippocampus regions CA1, CA2 and DGDB from first to sixth month was significantly lower in the 2G exposed groups; however, in CA3 and DGVB, the 2G exposed mice showed significantly higher density of neurons. The mean nuclear diameter of neurons in the hippocampus region of CA1, CA2, CA3, DGDB and DGVB from first to sixth months showed lower nuclear diameter in 2G exposed mice. Conclusion The long term exposure to 900-1800 MHz frequency radiations emitted from 2G mobile phone could cause significantly reduced neuron density and decreased nuclear diameter in the hippocampus neurons of mice. PMID:27656427

Mobile user environment and satellite diversity for NGSO S-PCN's

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Werner, Markus; Bischl, Hermann; Lutz, Erich

1995-01-01

The performance of satellite diversity under the influence of the mobile user environment is analyzed. To this end, a digital channel model is presented which takes into account the elevation angle as well as the user mobility in a given environment. For different LEO and MEO systems and for varying mobile user environments, some crucial benefits and drawbacks of satellite diversity are discussed. Specifically, the important GW service area concept is introduced. The conclusions are validated by numerical results from computer simulations. Globalstar (LEO) and Inmarsat (MEO) are compared in terms of visibility, service availability and equivalent handover complexity for different environments and user mobility.

The morphology and electrical geometry of rat jaw-elevator motoneurones.

PubMed Central

Moore, J A; Appenteng, K

1991-01-01

1. The aim of this work was to quantify both the morphology and electrical geometry of the dendritic trees of jaw-elevator motoneurones. To do this we have made intracellular recordings from identified motoneurones in anaesthetized rats, determined their membrane properties and then filled them with horseradish peroxidase by ionophoretic ejection. Four neurones were subsequently fully reconstructed and the lengths and diameters of all the dendritic segments measured. 2. The mean soma diameter was 25 microns and values of mean dendritic length for individual cells ranged from 514 to 773 microns. Dendrites branched on average 9.1 times to produce 10.2 end-terminations. Dendritic segments could be represented as constant diameter cylinders between branch points. Values of dendritic surface area ranged from 1.08 to 2.52 x 10(5) microns 2 and values of dendritic to total surface area from 98 to 99%. 3. At branch points the ratio of the summed diameters of the daughter dendrites to the 3/2 power against the parent dendrite to the 3/2 power was exactly 1.0. Therefore the individual branch points could be collapsed into a single cylinder. Furthermore for an individual dendrite the diameter of this cylinder remained constant with increasing electrical distance from the soma. Thus individual dendrites can be represented electrically as cylinders of constant diameter. 4. However dendrites of a given neurone terminated at different electrical distances from the soma. The equivalent-cylinder diameter of the combined dendritic tree remained constant over the proximal half and then showed a pronounced reduction over the distal half. The reduction in equivalent diameter could be ascribed to the termination of dendrites at differing electrical distances from the soma. Therefore the complete dendritic tree of these motoneurones is best represented as a cylinder over the proximal half of their electrical length but as a cone over the distal half. PMID:1804966

7 CFR 51.1216 - Size requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) The numerical count or a count-size based on equivalent tray pack size designations or the minimum... numerical count is not shown the minimum diameter shall be plainly stamped, stenciled, or otherwise marked...

7 CFR 51.1216 - Size requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...) The numerical count or a count-size based on equivalent tray pack size designations or the minimum... numerical count is not shown the minimum diameter shall be plainly stamped, stenciled, or otherwise marked...

The Effects of a Mobile Gamification App on Elementary Students' Spanish Achievement and Self-Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rachels, Jason R.; Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda J.

2018-01-01

A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, non-equivalent control group design was used to examine the effect of a mobile gamification application on third and fourth grade students' Spanish language achievement and student academic self-efficacy. In this study, the treatment group's Spanish language instruction was through the use of…

Time Series Evaluation of Race Relations Improvement.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-07-01

Perceiving sexism is not equivalent to *perceiving racism . Throughout the project, our consistent *" finding has been that white women perceive racial...number) perceived racism , upward mobility, personnel committees, intergroup theory , dialectical conflict, team development, archival information 20. A...eleven year period to determine whether the race relations improvement program was associated with changes in perceived racism , mobility patterns, and

Innovative Leaders Take the Phone and Run: Profiles of Four Trailblazing Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, Cathleen; Soloway, Elliot; Menchhofer, Kyle; Bauman, Billie Diane; Dickerson, Mindy; Schad, Lenny; Tomko, Sue

2010-01-01

While the Internet changed everything, mobile will change everything squared. The Internet is just a roadway, and computers--the equivalent of cars for the Internet--have been expensive. The keepers of the information roadway--the telecommunication companies--will give one a "computer," such as cell phone, mobile learning device, or MLD,…

Chemical Reactions in Turbulent Mixing Flows. Revision.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-02

jet diameter F2 fluorine H2 hydrogen HF hydrogen fluoride I(y) instantaneous fluorescence intensity distribution L-s flame length measured from...virtual origin -.4 of turbulent region (L-s). flame length at high Reynolds number LIF laser induced fluorescence N2 nitrogen PI product thickness (defined...mixing is attained as a function of the equivallence ratio. For small values of the equivalence ratio f, the flame length - defined here as the

7 CFR 51.1565 - Internal defects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., Internal Discoloration, Vascular Browning, Fusarium Wilt, Net Necrosis, Other Necrosis, Stem End Browning 5... Discoloration (Heat Necrosis) Not more than the equivalent of 3 scattered spots 1/8 inch in diameter in a potato...

7 CFR 51.1565 - Internal defects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., Internal Discoloration, Vascular Browning, Fusarium Wilt, Net Necrosis, Other Necrosis, Stem End Browning 5... Discoloration (Heat Necrosis) Not more than the equivalent of 3 scattered spots 1/8 inch in diameter in a potato...

7 CFR 1755.507 - Aerial cable services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

....5 kilogram/meter (kg/m)] except when equivalent combinations of greater span lengths with cable... horizontal runs, cable clamps shall be placed not more than 16 in. (400 mm) apart for cable diameters equal...

Empirical Relationships Between Optical Properties and Equivalent Diameters of Fractal Soot Aggregates at 550 Nm Wavelength.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pandey, Apoorva; Chakrabarty, Rajan K.; Liu, Li; Mishchenko, Michael I.

2015-01-01

Soot aggregates (SAs)-fractal clusters of small, spherical carbonaceous monomers-modulate the incoming visible solar radiation and contribute significantly to climate forcing. Experimentalists and climate modelers typically assume a spherical morphology for SAs when computing their optical properties, causing significant errors. Here, we calculate the optical properties of freshly-generated (fractal dimension Df = 1.8) and aged (Df = 2.6) SAs at 550 nm wavelength using the numericallyexact superposition T-Matrix method. These properties were expressed as functions of equivalent aerosol diameters as measured by contemporary aerosol instruments. This work improves upon previous efforts wherein SA optical properties were computed as a function of monomer number, rendering them unusable in practical applications. Future research will address the sensitivity of variation in refractive index, fractal prefactor, and monomer overlap of SAs on the reported empirical relationships.

Equivalent Air Spring Suspension Model for Quarter-Passive Model of Passenger Vehicles

PubMed Central

Abid, Haider J.; Chen, Jie; Nassar, Ameen A.

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the GENSIS air spring suspension system equivalence to a passive suspension system. The SIMULINK simulation together with the OptiY optimization is used to obtain the air spring suspension model equivalent to passive suspension system, where the car body response difference from both systems with the same road profile inputs is used as the objective function for optimization (OptiY program). The parameters of air spring system such as initial pressure, volume of bag, length of surge pipe, diameter of surge pipe, and volume of reservoir are obtained from optimization. The simulation results show that the air spring suspension equivalent system can produce responses very close to the passive suspension system. PMID:27351020

Internet Administration of Three Commonly Used Questionnaires in Panic Research: Equivalence to Paper Administration in Australian and Swedish Samples of People With Panic Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, David W.; Carlbring, Per; Richards, Jeffrey C.; Andersson, Gerhard

2006-01-01

This study assessed the degree of equivalence between paper and Internet administration of three measures of panic and agoraphobia-related cognition and behavior: Body Sensations Questionnaire (BSQ), Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire (ACQ), and Mobility Inventory (MI). Participants were 110 people with panic disorder who had registered for an…

7 CFR 51.3416 - Classification of defects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., Fusarium Wilt, Net Necrosis, Other Necrosis, Stem End Browning 5% waste 10% waste. Occurring entirely... discoloration (Heat Necrosis) Not more than the equivalent of 3 scattered spots 1/8 inch in diameter in a potato...

7 CFR 51.3416 - Classification of defects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., Fusarium Wilt, Net Necrosis, Other Necrosis, Stem End Browning 5% waste 10% waste. Occurring entirely... discoloration (Heat Necrosis) Not more than the equivalent of 3 scattered spots 1/8 inch in diameter in a potato...

MIXI: Mobile Intelligent X-Ray Inspection System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arodzero, Anatoli; Boucher, Salime; Kutsaev, Sergey V.; Ziskin, Vitaliy

2017-07-01

A novel, low-dose Mobile Intelligent X-ray Inspection (MIXI) concept is being developed at RadiaBeam Technologies. The MIXI concept relies on a linac-based, adaptive, ramped energy source of short X-ray packets of pulses, a new type of fast X-ray detector, rapid processing of detector signals for intelligent control of the linac, and advanced radiography image processing. The key parameters for this system include: better than 3 mm line pair resolution; penetration greater than 320 mm of steel equivalent; scan speed with 100% image sampling rate of up to 15 km/h; and material discrimination over a range of thicknesses up to 200 mm of steel equivalent. Its minimal radiation dose, size and weight allow MIXI to be placed on a lightweight truck chassis.

Exploration of Near-Field Plume Properties for Aerated-Liquid Jets Using X-Ray Radiography (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

nozzle exit to discharge more liquid and aerating gas , plume momentum flux increases with liquid flow rate (at the same GLR) in the region...for testing. Water and nitrogen were used as the injectant and aerating gas , respectively. It was demonstrated that the liquid -weighted plume...diameter D2 = throat diameter EPL = equivalent path length GLR = aerating gas -to- liquid mass ratio I = intensity of the transmitted light I0

Accuracy and equivalence testing of crown ratio models and assessment of their impact on diameter growth and basal area increment predictions of two variants of the Forest Vegetation Simulator

Treesearch

Laura P. Leites; Andrew P. Robinson; Nicholas L. Crookston

2009-01-01

Diameter growth (DG) equations in many existing forest growth and yield models use tree crown ratio (CR) as a predictor variable. Where CR is not measured, it is estimated from other measured variables. We evaluated CR estimation accuracy for the models in two Forest Vegetation Simulator variants: the exponential and the logistic CR models used in the North...

Technology Goes Bush: Using Mobile Technologies to Support Learning in a Bush Kinder Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masters, Jennifer; Grogan, Leanne

2015-01-01

A "bush kinder" is the Australian equivalent of a European forest kindergarten. Although it is not usual for technology to be used in the type of program, the authors suggest that mobile technologies can be used creatively and sensitively to support learning in the bush kinder context. This paper describes an ethnographical case study…

An external heat pulse method for measurement of sap flow through fruit pedicels, leaf petioles and other small-diameter stems.

PubMed

Clearwater, Michael J; Luo, Zhiwei; Mazzeo, Mariarosaria; Dichio, Bartolomeo

2009-12-01

The external heat ratio method is described for measurement of low rates of sap flow in both directions through stems and other plant organs, including fruit pedicels, with diameters up to 5 mm and flows less than 2 g h(-1). Calibration was empirical, with heat pulse velocity (v(h)) compared to gravimetric measurements of sap flow. In the four stem types tested (Actinidia sp. fruit pedicels, Schefflera arboricola petioles, Pittosporum crassifolium stems and Fagus sylvatica stems), v(h) was linearly correlated with sap velocity (v(s)) up to a v(s) of approximately 0.007 cm s(-1), equivalent to a flow of 1.8 g h(-1) through a 3-mm-diameter stem. Minimum detectable v(s) was approximately 0.0001 cm s(-1), equivalent to 0.025 g h(-1) through a 3-mm-diameter stem. Sensitivity increased with bark removal. Girdling had no effect on short-term measurements of in vivo sap flow, suggesting that phloem flows were too low to be separated from xylem flows. Fluctuating ambient temperatures increased variability in outdoor sap flow measurements. However, a consistent diurnal time-course of fruit pedicel sap flow was obtained, with flows towards 75-day-old kiwifruit lagging behind evaporative demand and peaking at 0.3 g h(-1) in the late afternoon.

Efficacy of Arnica montana D4 for healing of wounds after Hallux valgus surgery compared to diclofenac.

PubMed

Karow, Jens-Hagen; Abt, Hans-Peter; Fröhling, Markus; Ackermann, Hanns

2008-01-01

This study was undertaken to answer the question: "Is Arnica D4 as efficacious as diclofenac in relation to symptoms and wound healing after foot surgery?" In this randomized double-blinded, parallel-group study (GCP-standard), the efficacy of Arnica D4 10 pillules (taken orally, 3 times per day) and diclofenac sodium, 50 mg (taken orally, 3 times per day) were investigated for equivalence in 88 patients 4 days after hallux valgus surgery. Outcome parameters were (1) postoperative irritation, (2) patient mobility, (3) rated pain, and (4) use of analgesics. The hierarchic equivalence test based on one-sided Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney-U confidence intervals (CIs) was used. Equivalence was perceived, when the lower margin of the 95% CI was > 0.36 corresponding to a range of equivalence of 1/2 standard deviation. Arnica D4 and diclofenac were equivalent for wound irritation (lower margin of the 95% CI on day 4: 0.4729 for rubor; 0.3674 for swelling; 0.4106 for calor) and patient mobility (0.4726). A descriptive analysis showed the superiority of Arnica D4 with respect to patient mobility (p = 0.045). With respect to pain, Arnica D4 was inferior to diclofenac (lower margin of the 95% CI 0.026). No significant differences were found regarding the use of additional analgesics during the 4 postoperative days (Dipidolor, Janssen-Cilag, Neuss, Germany; p = 0.54; Tramal, Grünenthal, Aachen, Germany; p = 0.1; and Novalgin, AVENTIS-Pharma, Bad Soden, Germany; p = 0.1). Arnica D4 was significantly better tolerated than diclofenac (p = 0.049). Nine (9) patients (20.45%) of the diclofenac group and 2 (4.5%) of the Arnica D4 group reported intolerance. There was no disturbance in wound healing in any of the patients. Arnica D4 is 60% cheaper than diclofenac. After foot operations, Arnica D4 can be used instead of diclofenac to reduce wound irritation.

Fog Harvesting with Harps.

PubMed

Shi, Weiwei; Anderson, Mark J; Tulkoff, Joshua B; Kennedy, Brook S; Boreyko, Jonathan B

2018-04-11

Fog harvesting is a useful technique for obtaining fresh water in arid climates. The wire meshes currently utilized for fog harvesting suffer from dual constraints: coarse meshes cannot efficiently capture microscopic fog droplets, whereas fine meshes suffer from clogging issues. Here, we design and fabricate fog harvesters comprising an array of vertical wires, which we call "fog harps". Under controlled laboratory conditions, the fog-harvesting rates for fog harps with three different wire diameters were compared to conventional meshes of equivalent dimensions. As expected for the mesh structures, the mid-sized wires exhibited the largest fog collection rate, with a drop-off in performance for the fine or coarse meshes. In contrast, the fog-harvesting rate continually increased with decreasing wire diameter for the fog harps due to efficient droplet shedding that prevented clogging. This resulted in a 3-fold enhancement in the fog-harvesting rate for the harp design compared to an equivalent mesh.

Diameter of retinal vessels in patients with diabetic macular edema is not altered by intravitreal ranibizumab (lucentis).

PubMed

Terai, Naim; Haustein, Michael; Siegel, Anastasia; Stodtmeister, Richard; Pillunat, Lutz E; Sandner, Dirk

2014-07-01

To investigate the effect(s) of intravitreally injected ranibizumab on retinal vessel diameter in patients with diabetic macular edema. Participants of this prospective study were 14 men and 16 women (30 eyes) aged 60 ± 11 years (mean ± standard deviation), all with clinically significant diabetic macular edema. Treatment comprised 3 intravitreal injections of ranibizumab given at 4-week intervals. Examinations were conducted before the first (baseline), before the second (Month 1), before the third (Month 2) injections, and 3 months after baseline (Month 3). Measured parameters included systemic blood pressure, static retinal vessel analysis (central retinal artery equivalent and central retinal vein equivalent), and dynamic retinal vessel analysis, as measured by the change in vessel diameter in response to flicker stimulation during three measurement cycles. Flicker stimulation was accomplished using a 50-second baseline recording, followed by an online measurement during 20-second flicker stimulation and 80-second online measurements in both arteriolar and venular vessel segments. Static retinal vessel analysis showed a reduction of central retinal artery equivalent from 186.25 ± 51.40 μm (baseline) to 173.20 ± 22.2 μm (Month 1), to 174.30 ± 27.30 μm (Month 2), and to 170.56 ± 22.89 μm (Month 3), none of which was statistically significant (P = 0.23, 0.12, and 0.14, respectively). Central retinal vein equivalent was reduced from 216.21 ± 25.0 μm (baseline) to 214.48 ± 25.4 μm (Month 1), to 214.80 ± 24.30 μm (Month 2), and to 211.41 ± 24.30 μm (Month 3), revealing no statistically significant differences between examination time points (P = 0.54, 0.06, and 0.24, respectively). Dynamic vessel analysis yielded a mean retinal arterial diameter change of +1.47% ± 2.3 (baseline), +1.91% ± 2.5 (Month 1), +1.76% ± 2.2 (Month 2), and +1.66% ± 2.1 (Month 3), none of which showed statistically significant differences (P = 0.32, 0.49, and 0.70, respectively). Mean retinal venous diameter changes were +3.15% ± 1.7 (baseline), +3.7% ± 2.3 (Month 1), +4.0% ± 2.0 (Month 2), and +4.95% ± 1.9 (Month 3), none of which showed statistically significant differences (P = 0.12, 0.17, and 0.14, respectively). Central retinal thickness, as measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography, decreased significantly from 435.2 ± 131.8 μm (baseline) to 372.3 ± 142.8 μm (Month 3), P = 0.01. Regression analysis of arteriolar and venular diameters indicated that there was no significant correlation between these 2 parameters (r = 0.053; P = 0.835 and r = 0.06; P = 0.817, respectively). Also, no significant correlation was observed between the difference in the central retinal thickness and change in arteriolar or venular dilatation (r = 0.291, P = 0.241 and r = 0.06, P = 0.435, respectively). Intravitreally applied ranibizumab did not significantly affect retinal vessel diameter in patients with diabetic macular edema. Decline in the central foveal thickness after ranibizumab therapy, as measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography, was not linked to any change in retinal vessel diameter or dilatatory response, neither for arterioles nor venules.

Minimizing masses in explosively driven two-shockwave physics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buttler, William; Cherne, Frank; Furlanetto, Michael; Payton, Jeremy; Stone, Joseph; Tabaka, Leonard; Vincent, Samuel

2015-06-01

We have experimentally investigated different two-shockwave high-explosives (HE) physics package designs to maximize the variability of the second shockwave peak stress, while minimizing the total HE load of the physics tool. A critical requirement is to also have a large radial diameter of the second shockwave to maintain its value as an HE driven two-shockwave drive. We have previously shown that we could vary the peak-stress of the second-shockwave with a 76 mm diameter HE lens driving different composite boosters of PBX 9501 and TNT. Here we report on our results with a 56- and 50-mm diameter HE lens driving Baritol. The results indicate that the 56-mm diameter HE lens works well, as does the Baritol, giving total HE loads of about 250 mg TNT equivalent explosives.

The flux of small near-Earth objects colliding with the Earth.

PubMed

Brown, P; Spalding, R E; ReVelle, D O; Tagliaferri, E; Worden, S P

2002-11-21

Asteroids with diameters smaller than approximately 50-100 m that collide with the Earth usually do not hit the ground as a single body; rather, they detonate in the atmosphere. These small objects can still cause considerable damage, such as occurred near Tunguska, Siberia, in 1908. The flux of small bodies is poorly constrained, however, in part because ground-based observational searches pursue strategies that lead them preferentially to find larger objects. A Tunguska-class event-the energy of which we take to be equivalent to 10 megatons of TNT-was previously estimated to occur every 200-300 years, with the largest annual airburst calculated to be approximately 20 kilotons (kton) TNT equivalent (ref. 4). Here we report satellite records of bolide detonations in the atmosphere over the past 8.5 years. We find that the flux of objects in the 1-10-m size range has the same power-law distribution as bodies with diameters >50 m. From this we estimate that the Earth is hit on average annually by an object with approximately 5 kton equivalent energy, and that Tunguska-like events occur about once every 1,000 years.

Particle size distributions by transmission electron microscopy: an interlaboratory comparison case study

PubMed Central

Rice, Stephen B; Chan, Christopher; Brown, Scott C; Eschbach, Peter; Han, Li; Ensor, David S; Stefaniak, Aleksandr B; Bonevich, John; Vladár, András E; Hight Walker, Angela R; Zheng, Jiwen; Starnes, Catherine; Stromberg, Arnold; Ye, Jia; Grulke, Eric A

2015-01-01

This paper reports an interlaboratory comparison that evaluated a protocol for measuring and analysing the particle size distribution of discrete, metallic, spheroidal nanoparticles using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The study was focused on automated image capture and automated particle analysis. NIST RM8012 gold nanoparticles (30 nm nominal diameter) were measured for area-equivalent diameter distributions by eight laboratories. Statistical analysis was used to (1) assess the data quality without using size distribution reference models, (2) determine reference model parameters for different size distribution reference models and non-linear regression fitting methods and (3) assess the measurement uncertainty of a size distribution parameter by using its coefficient of variation. The interlaboratory area-equivalent diameter mean, 27.6 nm ± 2.4 nm (computed based on a normal distribution), was quite similar to the area-equivalent diameter, 27.6 nm, assigned to NIST RM8012. The lognormal reference model was the preferred choice for these particle size distributions as, for all laboratories, its parameters had lower relative standard errors (RSEs) than the other size distribution reference models tested (normal, Weibull and Rosin–Rammler–Bennett). The RSEs for the fitted standard deviations were two orders of magnitude higher than those for the fitted means, suggesting that most of the parameter estimate errors were associated with estimating the breadth of the distributions. The coefficients of variation for the interlaboratory statistics also confirmed the lognormal reference model as the preferred choice. From quasi-linear plots, the typical range for good fits between the model and cumulative number-based distributions was 1.9 fitted standard deviations less than the mean to 2.3 fitted standard deviations above the mean. Automated image capture, automated particle analysis and statistical evaluation of the data and fitting coefficients provide a framework for assessing nanoparticle size distributions using TEM for image acquisition. PMID:26361398

Giant enhancement of the carrier mobility in silicon nanowires with diamond coating.

PubMed

Fonoberov, Vladimir A; Balandin, Alexander A

2006-11-01

We show theoretically that the low-field carrier mobility in silicon nanowires can be greatly enhanced by embedding the nanowires within a hard material such as diamond. The electron mobility in the cylindrical silicon nanowires with 4-nm diameter, which are coated with diamond, is 2 orders of magnitude higher at 10 K and a factor of 2 higher at room temperature than the mobility in a free-standing silicon nanowire. The importance of this result for the downscaled architectures and possible silicon-carbon nanoelectronic devices is augmented by an extra benefit of diamond, a superior heat conductor, for thermal management.

Influence of beam efficiency through the patient-specific collimator on secondary neutron dose equivalent in double scattering and uniform scanning modes of proton therapy.

PubMed

Hecksel, D; Anferov, V; Fitzek, M; Shahnazi, K

2010-06-01

Conventional proton therapy facilities use double scattering nozzles, which are optimized for delivery of a few fixed field sizes. Similarly, uniform scanning nozzles are commissioned for a limited number of field sizes. However, cases invariably occur where the treatment field is significantly different from these fixed field sizes. The purpose of this work was to determine the impact of the radiation field conformity to the patient-specific collimator on the secondary neutron dose equivalent. Using a WENDI-II neutron detector, the authors experimentally investigated how the neutron dose equivalent at a particular point of interest varied with different collimator sizes, while the beam spreading was kept constant. The measurements were performed for different modes of dose delivery in proton therapy, all of which are available at the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute (MPRI): Double scattering, uniform scanning delivering rectangular fields, and uniform scanning delivering circular fields. The authors also studied how the neutron dose equivalent changes when one changes the amplitudes of the scanned field for a fixed collimator size. The secondary neutron dose equivalent was found to decrease linearly with the collimator area for all methods of dose delivery. The relative values of the neutron dose equivalent for a collimator with a 5 cm diameter opening using 88 MeV protons were 1.0 for the double scattering field, 0.76 for rectangular uniform field, and 0.6 for the circular uniform field. Furthermore, when a single circle wobbling was optimized for delivery of a uniform field 5 cm in diameter, the secondary neutron dose equivalent was reduced by a factor of 6 compared to the double scattering nozzle. Additionally, when the collimator size was kept constant, the neutron dose equivalent at the given point of interest increased linearly with the area of the scanned proton beam. The results of these experiments suggest that the patient-specific collimator is a significant contributor to the secondary neutron dose equivalent to a distant organ at risk. Improving conformity of the radiation field to the patient-specific collimator can significantly reduce secondary neutron dose equivalent to the patient. Therefore, it is important to increase the number of available generic field sizes in double scattering systems as well as in uniform scanning nozzles.

Glass-like dynamics in confined and congested ant traffic.

PubMed

Gravish, Nick; Gold, Gregory; Zangwill, Andrew; Goodisman, Michael A D; Goldman, Daniel I

2015-09-07

The collective movement of animal groups often occurs in confined spaces. As animal groups are challenged to move at high density, their mobility dynamics may resemble the flow of densely packed non-living soft materials such as colloids, grains, or polymers. However, unlike inert soft-materials, self-propelled collective living systems often display social interactions whose influence on collective mobility are only now being explored. In this paper, we study the mobility of bi-directional traffic flow in a social insect (the fire ant Solenopsis invicta) as we vary the diameter of confining foraging tunnels. In all tunnel diameters, we observe the emergence of spatially heterogeneous regions of fast and slow traffic that are induced through two phenomena: physical obstruction, arising from the inability of individual ants to interpenetrate, and time-delay resulting from social interaction in which ants stop to briefly antennate. Density correlation functions reveal that the relaxation dynamics of high density traffic fluctuations scale linearly with fluctuation size and are sensitive to tunnel diameter. We separate the roles of physical obstruction and social interactions in traffic flow using cellular automata based simulation. Social interaction between ants is modeled as a dwell time (Tint) over which interacting ants remain stationary in the tunnel. Investigation over a range of densities and Tint reveals that the slowing dynamics of collective motion in social living systems are consistent with dynamics near a fragile glass transition in inert soft-matter systems. In particular, flow is relatively insensitive to density until a critical density is reached. As social interaction affinity is increased (increasing Tint) traffic dynamics change and resemble a strong glass transition. Thus, social interactions play an important role in the mobility of collective living systems at high density. Our experiments and model demonstrate that the concepts of soft-matter physics aid understanding of the mobility of collective living systems, and motivate further inquiry into the dynamics of densely confined social living systems.

The truth about laser fiber diameters.

PubMed

Kronenberg, Peter; Traxer, Olivier

2014-12-01

To measure the various diameters of laser fibers from various manufacturers and compare them with the advertised diameter. Fourteen different unused laser fibers from 6 leading manufacturers with advertised diameters of 200, 270, 272, 273, 365, and 400 μm were measured by light microscopy. The outer diameter (including the fiber coating, cladding, and core), cladding diameter (including the cladding and the fiber core), and core diameter were measured. Industry representatives of the manufacturers were interviewed about the diameter of their fibers. For all fibers, the outer and cladding diameters differed significantly from the advertised diameter (P <.00001). The outer diameter, which is of most practical relevance for urologists, exhibited a median increase of 87.3% (range, 50.7%-116.7%). The outer, cladding, and core diameters of fibers with equivalent advertised diameters differed by up to 180, 100, and 78 μm, respectively. Some 200-μm fibers had larger outer diameters than the 270- to 273-μm fibers. All packaging material and all laser fibers lacked clear and precise fiber diameter information labels. Of 12 representatives interviewed, 8, 3, and 1 considered the advertised diameter to be the outer, the cladding, and the core diameter, respectively. Representatives within the same company frequently gave different answers. This study suggests that, at present, there is a lack of uniformity between laser fiber manufacturers, and most of the information conveyed to urologists regarding laser fiber diameter may be incorrect. Because fibers larger than the advertised laser fibers are known to influence key interventional parameters, this misinformation can have surgical repercussions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intrinsic H+ ion mobility in the rabbit ventricular myocyte

PubMed Central

Vaughan-Jones, R D; Peercy, B E; Keener, J P; Spitzer, K W

2002-01-01

The intrinsic mobility of intracellular H+ ions was investigated by confocally imaging the longitudinal movement of acid inside rabbit ventricular myocytes loaded with the acetoxymethyl ester (AM) form of carboxy-seminaphthorhodafluor-1 (carboxy-SNARF-1). Acid was diffused into one end of the cell through a patch pipette filled with an isotonic KCl solution of pH 3.0. Intracellular H+ mobility was low, acid taking 20-30 s to move 40 μm down the cell. Inhibiting sarcolemmal Na+-H+ exchange with 1 mm amiloride had no effect on this time delay. Net Hi+ movement was associated with a longitudinal intracellular pH (pHi) gradient of up to 0.4 pH units. Hi+ movement could be modelled using the equations for diffusion, assuming an apparent diffusion coefficient for H+ ions (DappH) of 3.78 × 10−7 cm2 s−1, a value more than 300-fold lower than the H+ diffusion coefficient in a dilute, unbuffered solution. Measurement of the intracellular concentration of SNARF (≈400 μM) and its intracellular diffusion coefficient (0.9 × 10−7 cm2 s−1) indicated that the fluorophore itself exerted an insignificant effect (between 0.6 and 3.3 %) on the longitudinal movement of H+ equivalents inside the cell. The longitudinal movement of intracellular H+ is discussed in terms of a diffusive shuttling of H+ equivalents on high capacity mobile buffers which comprise about half (≈11 mm) of the total intrinsic buffering capacity within the myocyte (the other half being fixed buffer sites on low mobility, intracellular proteins). Intrinsic Hi+ mobility is consistent with an average diffusion coefficient for the intracellular mobile buffers (Dmob) of ≈9 × 10−7 cm2 s−1. PMID:12015426

Deoxyribonucleic acid-deficient strains of Candida albicans.

PubMed

Olaiya, A F; Steed, J R; Sogin, S J

1980-03-01

We analyzed a series of germ tube-negative variants isolated from Candida albicans 3153A for deoxyribonucleic acid content. As analyzed by flow microfluorometry, the deoxyribonucleic acid level in these variant strains was 50% of that of the parental strain and equivalent to that of haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This finding was confirmed by comparison of survival rates when exposed to the mutagens ultraviolet light, ethyl methane sulfonate, and methyl methane sulfonate. The diameter of the variant cells as compared to the diameter of the parental 3153A strain showed a relationship similar to that of the diameters of haploid versus diploid S. cerevisiae. These results indicate that those strains may be representative of the imperfect stage of C. albicans.

A new high transmission inlet for the Caltech nano-RDMA for size distribution measurements of sub-3 nm ions at ambient concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franchin, A.; Downard, A. J.; Kangasluoma, J.; Nieminen, T.; Lehtipalo, K.; Steiner, G.; Manninen, H. E.; Petäjä, T.; Flagan, R. C.; Kulmala, M.

2015-06-01

Reliable and reproducible measurements of atmospheric aerosol particle number size distributions below 10 nm require optimized classification instruments with high particle transmission efficiency. Almost all DMAs have an unfavorable potential gradient at the outlet (e.g. long column, Vienna type) or at the inlet (nano-radial DMA). This feature prevents them from achieving a good transmission efficiency for the smallest nanoparticles. We developed a new high transmission inlet for the Caltech nano-radial DMA (nRDMA) that increases the transmission efficiency to 12 % for ions as small as 1.3 nm in mobility equivalent diameter (corresponding to 1.2 × 10-4 m2 V-1 s-1 in electrical mobility). We successfully deployed the nRDMA, equipped with the new inlet, in chamber measurements, using a Particle Size Magnifier (PSM) and a booster Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) as a counter. With this setup, we were able to measure size distributions of ions between 1.3 and 6 nm, corresponding to a mobility range from 1.2 × 10-4 to 5.8 × 10-6 m2 V-1 s-1. The system was modeled, tested in the laboratory and used to measure negative ions at ambient concentrations in the CLOUD 7 measurement campaign at CERN. We achieved a higher size resolution than techniques currently used in field measurements, and maintained a good transmission efficiency at moderate inlet and sheath air flows (2.5 and 30 LPM, respectively). In this paper, by measuring size distribution at high size resolution down to 1.3 nm, we extend the limit of the current technology. The current setup is limited to ion measurements. However, we envision that future research focused on the charging mechanisms could extend the technique to measure neutral aerosol particles as well, so that it will be possible to measure size distributions of ambient aerosols from 1 nm to 1 μm.

Mobile computing initiatives within pharmacy education.

PubMed

Cain, Jeff; Bird, Eleanora R; Jones, Mikael

2008-08-15

To identify mobile computing initiatives within pharmacy education, including how devices are obtained, supported, and utilized within the curriculum. An 18-item questionnaire was developed and delivered to academic affairs deans (or closest equivalent) of 98 colleges and schools of pharmacy. Fifty-four colleges and schools completed the questionnaire for a 55% completion rate. Thirteen of those schools have implemented mobile computing requirements for students. Twenty schools reported they were likely to formally consider implementing a mobile computing initiative within 5 years. Numerous models of mobile computing initiatives exist in terms of device obtainment, technical support, infrastructure, and utilization within the curriculum. Responders identified flexibility in teaching and learning as the most positive aspect of the initiatives and computer-aided distraction as the most negative, Numerous factors should be taken into consideration when deciding if and how a mobile computing requirement should be implemented.

Single crystal growth of submillimeter diameter sapphire tube by the micro-pulling down method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamada, Kei; Murakami, Rikito; Kochurikhin, Vladimir V.; Luidmila, Gushchina; Jin Kim, Kyoung; Shoji, Yasuhiro; Yamaji, Akihiro; Kurosawa, Shunsuke; Ohashi, Yuji; Yokota, Yuui; Yoshikawa, Akira

2018-06-01

This paper addresses several aspects of the μ-PD growth technology as applied to submillimeter diameter sapphire tubes for UFD application. The μ-PD method has been successfully adapted for single crystal sapphire tube growth. A compound crucible made possible the growth of single crystal sapphire tube as small as around 0.70-0.72 mm in outer diameter and 0.28-0.29 in inner diameter over 160 mm in length at growth rate of 2-4 mm/min along 〈0 0 1〉 direction. An Ir crucible with a die composed of an equivalent hole and Ir wire was heated by RF coil in N2 atmosphere. The μ-PD method has been successfully adapted for single crystal sapphire tube growth. Grown crystal tube showed good XRC value of 30.2 arcsec.

Final report of CCQM-K136 measurement of porosity properties (specific adsorption, BET specific surface area, specific pore volume and pore diameter) of nanoporous Al2O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobina, E.; Zimathis, A.; Prinz, C.; Emmerling, F.; Unger, W.; de Santis Neves, R.; Galhardo, C. E.; De Robertis, E.; Wang, H.; Mizuno, K.; Kurokawa, A.

2016-01-01

CCQM key comparison K-136 Measurement of porosity properties (specific adsorption, BET specific surface area, specific pore volume and pore diameter) of nanoporous Al2O3 has been performed by the Surface Analysis Working Group (SAWG) of the Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance (CCQM). The objective of this key comparison is to compare the equivalency of the National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) and Designated Institutes (DIs) for the measurement of specific adsorption, BET specific surface area, specific pore volume and pore diameter) of nanoporous substances (sorbents, catalytic agents, cross-linkers, zeolites, etc) used in advanced technology. In this key comparison, a commercial sorbent (aluminum oxide) was supplied as a sample. Five NMIs participated in this key comparison. All participants used a gas adsorption method, here nitrogen adsorption at 77.3 K, for analysis according to the international standards ISO 15901-2 and 9277. In this key comparison, the degrees of equivalence uncertainties for specific adsorption, BET specific surface area, specific pore volume and pore diameter was established. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Bias of cylinder diameter estimation from ground-based laser scanners with different beam widths: A simulation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forsman, Mona; Börlin, Niclas; Olofsson, Kenneth; Reese, Heather; Holmgren, Johan

2018-01-01

In this study we have investigated why diameters of tree stems, which are approximately cylindrical, are often overestimated by mobile laser scanning. This paper analyzes the physical processes when using ground-based laser scanning that may contribute to a bias when estimating cylinder diameters using circle-fit methods. A laser scanner simulator was implemented and used to evaluate various properties, such as distance, cylinder diameter, and beam width of a laser scanner-cylinder system to find critical conditions. The simulation results suggest that a positive bias of the diameter estimation is expected. Furthermore, the bias follows a quadratic function of one parameter - the relative footprint, i.e., the fraction of the cylinder width illuminated by the laser beam. The quadratic signature opens up a possibility to construct a compensation model for the bias.

Improved community model for social networks based on social mobility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Zhe-Ming; Wu, Zhen; Luo, Hao; Wang, Hao-Xian

2015-07-01

This paper proposes an improved community model for social networks based on social mobility. The relationship between the group distribution and the community size is investigated in terms of communication rate and turnover rate. The degree distributions, clustering coefficients, average distances and diameters of networks are analyzed. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model possesses the small-world property and can reproduce social networks effectively and efficiently.

Director, Operational Test and Evaluation FY 2004 Annual Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

HIGH) Space Based Radar (SBR) Sensor Fuzed Weapon (SFW) P3I (CBU-97/B) Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) Secure Mobile Anti-Jam Reliable Tactical Terminal...detection, identification, and sampling capability for both fixed-site and mobile operations. The system must automatically detect and identify up to ten...staffing within the Services. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION AND MISSION The Services envision JCAD as a hand-held device that automatically detects, identifies, and

Portraiture lens concept in a mobile phone camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheil, Conor J.; Goncharov, Alexander V.

2017-11-01

A small form-factor lens was designed for the purpose of portraiture photography, the size of which allows use within smartphone casing. The current general requirement of mobile cameras having good all-round performance results in a typical, familiar, many-element design. Such designs have little room for improvement, in terms of the available degrees of freedom and highly-demanding target metrics such as low f-number and wide field of view. However, the specific application of the current portraiture lens relaxed the requirement of an all-round high-performing lens, allowing improvement of certain aspects at the expense of others. With a main emphasis on reducing depth of field (DoF), the current design takes advantage of the simple geometrical relationship between DoF and pupil diameter. The system has a large aperture, while a reasonable f-number gives a relatively large focal length, requiring a catadioptric lens design with double ray path; hence, field of view is reduced. Compared to typical mobile lenses, the large diameter reduces depth of field by a factor of four.

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

Seibert, JA; Boone, JM

Purpose: Phantom development in medical physics plays an important role in radiation dose assessment and image quality evaluation, and this is especially true in the pediatric patient population. The purpose of this investigation was to establish the relationship between patient age and patient size, focusing on the abdomen-pelvis and head effective diameters, for patients ranging in age from newborn to 18 years. Methods: A dose reporting tool for computed tomography systems was installed at our institution to achieve compliance with state law commencing on July 1, 2012. The software records a number of patient-specific data, and also reports CT dosemore » metrics (CTDIvol and DLP) into the patients interpretive report. The database generated by the software was mined to determine patient effective diameter as a function of age for pediatric patients aged 0–18 years. CT protocols including abdomen-pelvis and routine head were evaluated, and specific to this study the patients age, gender and equivalent diameter were recorded. Results: Six age ranges were evaluated: A(0–3), B(4–6), C(7–9), D(10–12),E(13–15),F(16–18). For the torso in these groups based upon 694 patients, median effective diameters were 147, 167, 184, 214, 231, 246 mm, respectively. For the head (N=1833), median diameters were 143, 157, 162, 168, 174, and 174, respectively. Conclusion: A solid understanding of the approximate dimensions of pediatric patients as a function of age is useful in the development of age-based imaging protocols and dose assessments. CT dose-reporting tools generate a great deal of data with respect to body dimensions automatically. In this study, median equivalent diameters for the abdomen-pelvis and head of pediatric patients were evaluated. These data may prove useful in the development of both mathematical and physical phantoms for dosimetry and image quality assessment.« less

MRI surface-coil pair with strong inductive coupling.

PubMed

Mett, Richard R; Sidabras, Jason W; Hyde, James S

2016-12-01

A novel inductively coupled coil pair was used to obtain magnetic resonance phantom images. Rationale for using such a structure is described in R. R. Mett et al. [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 87, 084703 (2016)]. The original rationale was to increase the Q-value of a small diameter surface coil in order to achieve dominant loading by the sample. A significant improvement in the vector reception field (VRF) is also seen. The coil assembly consists of a 3-turn 10 mm tall meta-metallic self-resonant spiral (SRS) of inner diameter 10.4 mm and outer diameter 15.1 mm and a single-loop equalization coil of 25 mm diameter and 2 mm tall. The low-frequency parallel mode was used in which the rf currents on each coil produce magnetic fields that add constructively. The SRS coil assembly was fabricated and data were collected using a tissue-equivalent 30% polyacrylamide phantom. The large inductive coupling of the coils produces phase-coherency of the rf currents and magnetic fields. Finite-element simulations indicate that the VRF of the coil pair is about 4.4 times larger than for a single-loop coil of 15 mm diameter. The mutual coupling between coils influences the current ratio between the coils, which in turn influences the VRF and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Data on a tissue-equivalent phantom at 9.4 T show a total SNR increase of 8.8 over the 15 mm loop averaged over a 25 mm depth and diameter. The experimental results are shown to be consistent with the magnetic resonance theory of the emf induced by spins in a coil, the theory of inductively coupled resonant circuits, and the superposition principle. The methods are general for magnetic resonance and other types of signal detection and can be used over a wide range of operating frequencies.

High energy forming facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ciurlionis, B.

1967-01-01

Watertight, high-explosive forming facility, 25 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep, withstands repeated explosions of 10 pounds of TNT equivalent. The shell is fabricated of high strength steel and allows various structural elements to deform or move elastically and independently while retaining structural integrity.

Defining Dose across Different Experimental Designs: Fiber Equivalent Diameter and Surface Area

EPA Science Inventory

Inhaled fibers (elongated bio-durable particles) of all lengths have been shown to induce pathological responses, but different sizes are respirable in different species. To be able to accurately assess the health effects observed in toxicological or epidemiological studies,...

Urban increments of gaseous and aerosol pollutants and their sources using mobile aerosol mass spectrometry measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elser, Miriam; Bozzetti, Carlo; El-Haddad, Imad; Maasikmets, Marek; Teinemaa, Erik; Richter, Rene; Wolf, Robert; Slowik, Jay G.; Baltensperger, Urs; Prévôt, André S. H.

2016-06-01

Air pollution is one of the main environmental concerns in urban areas, where anthropogenic emissions strongly affect air quality. This work presents the first spatially resolved detailed characterization of PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic equivalent diameter daero ≤ 2.5 µm) in two major Estonian cities, Tallinn and Tartu. The measurements were performed in March 2014 using a mobile platform. In both cities, the non-refractory (NR)-PM2.5 was characterized by a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) using a recently developed lens which increases the transmission of super-micron particles. Equivalent black carbon (eBC) and several trace gases including carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) were also measured. The chemical composition of PM2.5 was found to be very similar in the two cities. Organic aerosol (OA) constituted the largest fraction, explaining on average about 52 to 60 % of the PM2.5 mass. Four sources of OA were identified using positive matrix factorization (PMF): hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA, from traffic emissions), biomass burning OA (BBOA, from biomass combustion), residential influenced OA (RIOA, probably mostly from cooking processes with possible contributions from waste and coal burning), and oxygenated OA (OOA, related to secondary aerosol formation). OOA was the major OA source during nighttime, explaining on average half of the OA mass, while during daytime mobile measurements the OA was affected by point sources and dominated by the primary fraction. A strong increase in the secondary organic and inorganic components was observed during periods with transport of air masses from northern Germany, while the primary local emissions accumulated during periods with temperature inversions. Mobile measurements offered the identification of different source regions within the urban areas and the assessment of the extent to which pollutants concentrations exceeded regional background levels (urban increments). HOA, eBC, CO2, and CO showed stronger enhancements on busy roads during the morning and evening traffic rush hours; BBOA had its maximum enhancement in the residential areas during the evening hours and RIOA was enhanced in both the city center (emissions from restaurants) and in the residential areas (emissions from residential cooking). In contrast, secondary components (OOA, sulfate (SO4), nitrate (NO3), ammonium (NH4), and chloride (Cl)) had very homogeneous distributions in time and space. We were able to determine a total PM2.5 urban increment in Tartu of 6.0 µg m-3 over a regional background concentration of 4.0 µg m-3 (i.e., a factor of 2.5 increase). Traffic exhaust emissions were identified as the most important source of this increase, with eBC and HOA explaining on average 53.3 and 20.5 % of the total increment, respectively.

Biologically Inspired mm-size Gliding UAV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weihs, Daniel; Zussman, Eyal; Yarin, Alexander

2002-11-01

We present a first design of an unmanned aerial vehicle whose aerodynamic loads are carried by comb-like permeable surfaces. This concept was based on observation and analysis of the flight capabilities of the Thrip family of insects, whose have wings of this form and various plant seeds which use this concept to form an aerodynamic decelerator. This concept is only practical for at low Reynolds numbers, as the viscous trace of bodies moving in fluid becomes thicker as Re becomes smaller. When Re<1, a cylinder moving in fluid can drag along fluid up to several cylinder diameters. This drag effect can be used to produce a comb structure, where the ratio of comb rod to inter-rod distance can be up to 0.1 without significant throughflow, i.e. the comb is equivalent to a continuous surface. To demonstrate this principle, we have built artificial ``dandelion seeds", i.e. stable aerodynamic decelerators (parachutes) made of permeable light mats of submicron diameter nanofibers. We produced the nanofiber matrices (mats) by electrospinning of polymer solutions, obtaining fibers of 200-400 nm diameter. These fibers were then deposited on frames that serve to define the aerodynamic surfaces, thus producing the mat, with controllable density. For stability, the aerodynamic surfaces had positive dihedral ( inverted umbrella) forms with the fuselage hanging below. When dropped, the platforms fell freely through the air, apex down, reaching terminal velocity very quickly. By comparing the sink rate of the permeable structures with equivalent decelerators with continuous (Saran-wrap) surfaces we show that the permeable surfaces are equivalent to continuous surfaces, with significant weight savings, as long as the local Reynolds number is o(1).

Comparison of the x-ray attenuation properties of breast calcifications, aluminium, hydroxyapatite and calcium oxalate.

PubMed

Warren, L M; Mackenzie, A; Dance, D R; Young, K C

2013-04-07

Aluminium is often used as a substitute material for calcifications in phantom measurements in mammography. Additionally, calcium oxalate, hydroxyapatite and aluminium are used in simulation studies. This assumes that these materials have similar attenuation properties to calcification, and this assumption is examined in this work. Sliced mastectomy samples containing calcification were imaged at ×5 magnification using a digital specimen cabinet. Images of the individual calcifications were extracted, and the diameter and contrast of each calculated. The thicknesses of aluminium required to achieve the same contrast as each calcification when imaged under the same conditions were calculated using measurements of the contrast of aluminium foils. As hydroxyapatite and calcium oxalate are also used to simulate calcifications, the equivalent aluminium thicknesses of these materials were also calculated using tabulated attenuation coefficients. On average the equivalent aluminium thickness was 0.85 times the calcification diameter. For calcium oxalate and hydroxyapatite, the equivalent aluminium thicknesses were 1.01 and 2.19 times the thickness of these materials respectively. Aluminium and calcium oxalate are suitable substitute materials for calcifications. Hydroxyapatite is much more attenuating than the calcifications and aluminium. Using solid hydroxyapatite as a substitute for calcification of the same size would lead to excessive contrast in the mammographic image.

Land mobile communications satellite mission (LAMOCOSAMIS) Task 1: Market study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1985-12-01

Land mobile communication service demand in Europe and the Mediterranean basin in the years 1995-2005 was estimated. A traffic model was derived. There is an exploding demand for land mobile communications in Europe, with overwhelming preference for two way telephone services. The users survey shows a surprising lack of sensitivity to prices and tariffs, which widely contributed to the preeminence of the needs for telephone services. This demand justifies that every effort be made to develop as fast as possible a compatible pan-European terrestrial mobile system. If a large proportion of the needs may be satisfied by terrestrial mobile system solutions, the potential remaining needs for telephony, outside of the presently planned terrestrial mobile, which can be served only by satellite, even under the pessimistic economic scenario and high cost/tariff assumptions, requires a number of equivalent telephone circuits which cannot be achieved with available state of the art technology.

Quantification of pulmonary vessel diameter in low-dose CT images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudyanto, Rina D.; Ortiz de Solórzano, Carlos; Muñoz-Barrutia, Arrate

2015-03-01

Accurate quantification of vessel diameter in low-dose Computer Tomography (CT) images is important to study pulmonary diseases, in particular for the diagnosis of vascular diseases and the characterization of morphological vascular remodeling in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). In this study, we objectively compare several vessel diameter estimation methods using a physical phantom. Five solid tubes of differing diameters (from 0.898 to 3.980 mm) were embedded in foam, simulating vessels in the lungs. To measure the diameters, we first extracted the vessels using either of two approaches: vessel enhancement using multi-scale Hessian matrix computation, or explicitly segmenting them using intensity threshold. We implemented six methods to quantify the diameter: three estimating diameter as a function of scale used to calculate the Hessian matrix; two calculating equivalent diameter from the crosssection area obtained by thresholding the intensity and vesselness response, respectively; and finally, estimating the diameter of the object using the Full Width Half Maximum (FWHM). We find that the accuracy of frequently used methods estimating vessel diameter from the multi-scale vesselness filter depends on the range and the number of scales used. Moreover, these methods still yield a significant error margin on the challenging estimation of the smallest diameter (on the order or below the size of the CT point spread function). Obviously, the performance of the thresholding-based methods depends on the value of the threshold. Finally, we observe that a simple adaptive thresholding approach can achieve a robust and accurate estimation of the smallest vessels diameter.

Mechanical properties investigation on single-wall ZrO2 nanotubes: A finite element method with equivalent Poisson's ratio for chemical bonds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiao; Li, Huijian; Hu, Minzheng; Liu, Zeliang; Wärnå, John; Cao, Yuying; Ahuja, Rajeev; Luo, Wei

2018-04-01

A method to obtain the equivalent Poisson's ratio in chemical bonds as classical beams with finite element method was proposed from experimental data. The UFF (Universal Force Field) method was employed to calculate the elastic force constants of Zrsbnd O bonds. By applying the equivalent Poisson's ratio, the mechanical properties of single-wall ZrNTs (ZrO2 nanotubes) were investigated by finite element analysis. The nanotubes' Young's modulus (Y), Poisson's ratio (ν) of ZrNTs as function of diameters, length and chirality have been discussed, respectively. We found that the Young's modulus of single-wall ZrNTs is calculated to be between 350 and 420 GPa.

SEDIDAT: A BASIC program for the collection and statistical analysis of particle settling velocity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Robyn; Thornberg, Steven M.

SEDIDAT is a series of compiled IBM-BASIC (version 2.0) programs that direct the collection, statistical calculation, and graphic presentation of particle settling velocity and equivalent spherical diameter for samples analyzed using the settling tube technique. The programs follow a menu-driven format that is understood easily by students and scientists with little previous computer experience. Settling velocity is measured directly (cm,sec) and also converted into Chi units. Equivalent spherical diameter (reported in Phi units) is calculated using a modified Gibbs equation for different particle densities. Input parameters, such as water temperature, settling distance, particle density, run time, and Phi;Chi interval are changed easily at operator discretion. Optional output to a dot-matrix printer includes a summary of moment and graphic statistical parameters, a tabulation of individual and cumulative weight percents, a listing of major distribution modes, and cumulative and histogram plots of a raw time, settling velocity. Chi and Phi data.

A comprehensive comparison of turbulence models in the far wake

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cimbala, John M.

1993-01-01

In the present study, the far wake was examined numerically using an implicit, upwind, finite-volume, compressible Navier-Stokes code. The numerical grid started at 500 equivalent circular cylinder diameters in the wave, and extended to 4000 equivalent diameters. By concentrating only on the far wake, the numerical difficulties and fine mesh requirements near the wake-generating body were eliminated. At the time of this writing, results for the K-epsilon and K-omega turbulence models at low Mach number have been completed and show excellent agreement with previous incompressible results and far-wake similarity solutions. The code is presently being used to compare the performance of various other turbulence models, including Reynolds stress models and the new anisotropic two-equation turbulence models being developed at NASA Langley. By increasing our physical understanding of the deficiencies and limits of these models, it is hoped that improvements to the universality of the models can be made. Future plans include examination of two-dimensional momentumless wakes as well.

Testing Moderating Detection Systems with {sup 252}Cf-Based Reference Neutron Fields

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

Hertel, Nolan E.; Sweezy, Jeremy; Sauber, Jeremiah S.

Calibration measurements were carried out on a probe designed to measure ambient dose equivalent in accordance with ICRP Pub 60 recommendations. It consists of a cylindrical {sup 3}He proportional counter surrounded by a 25-cm-diameter spherical polyethylene moderator. Its neutron response is optimized for dose rate measurements of neutrons between thermal energies and 20 MeV. The instrument was used to measure the dose rate in four separate neutron fields: unmoderated {sup 252}Cf, D{sub 2}O-moderated {sup 252}Cf, polyethylene-moderated {sup 252}Cf, and WEP neutron howitzer with {sup 252}Cf at its center. Dose equivalent measurements were performed at source-detector centerline distances from 50 tomore » 200 cm. The ratio of air-scatter- and room-return-corrected ambient dose equivalent rates to ambient dose equivalent rates calculated with the code MCNP are tabulated.« less

46 CFR 108.419 - Fire main capacity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Fire Main System § 108.419 Fire main capacity. The diameter of the fire... pumps operating simultaneously. ...

46 CFR 108.419 - Fire main capacity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) A-MOBILE OFFSHORE DRILLING UNITS DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT Fire Extinguishing Systems Fire Main System § 108.419 Fire main capacity. The diameter of the fire... pumps operating simultaneously. ...

Spacecraft (Mobile Satellite) configuration design study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

The relative costs to procure and operate a two-satellite mobile satellite system designed to operate either in the UHF band of the L Band, and with several antenna diameter options in each frequency band was investigated. As configured, the size of the spacecraft is limited to the current RCA Series 4000 Geosynchronous Communications Spacecraft bus, which spans the range from 4000 to 5800 pounds in the transfer orbit. The Series 4000 bus forms the basis around which the Mobile Satellite transponder and associated antennas were appended. Although the resultant configuration has little outward resemblance to the present Series 4000 microwave communications spacecraft, the structure, attitude control, thermal, power, and command and control subsystems of the Series 4000 spacecraft are all adapted to support the Mobile Satellite mission.

K- and Ka-band mobile-vehicular satellite-tracking reflector antenna system for the NASA ACTS mobile terminal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Densmore, Art; Jamnejad, Vahraz; Wu, T. K.; Woo, Ken

1993-01-01

This paper describes the development of the K- and Ka-band mobile-vehicular satellite-tracking reflector antenna system for NASA's ACTS Mobile Terminal (AMT) project. ACTS is NASA's Advanced Communications Technology Satellites. The AMT project will make the first experimental use of ACTS soon after the satellite is operational, to demonstrate mobile communications via the satellite from a van on the road. The AMT antenna system consists of a mechanically steered small reflector antenna, using a shared aperture for both frequency bands and fitting under a radome of 23 cm diameter and 10 cm height, and a microprocessor controlled antenna controller that tracks the satellite as the vehicle moves about. The RF and mechanical characteristics of the antenna and the antenna tracking control system are discussed. Measurements of the antenna performance are presented.

The Intravitreal Autologous Platelet Concentrate Injection as an Adjunct of Vitrectomy for the Treatment of Refractory Macular Holes

ClinicalTrials.gov

2014-03-06

Macular Hole With High Myopia (Spherical Equivalent ≤ -6.0 Diopters) or,; Large Size Macular Hole (Diameter > 600 Microns) or; Recurred or Failed Macular Hole From Previous Surgery; or Chronic Macular Hole (Symptom Duration > 6 Months)

Phased Array Focusing for Acoustic Wireless Power Transfer.

PubMed

Tseng, Victor Farm-Guoo; Bedair, Sarah S; Lazarus, Nathan

2018-01-01

Wireless power transfer (WPT) through acoustic waves can achieve higher efficiencies than inductive coupling when the distance is above several times the transducer size. This paper demonstrates the use of ultrasonic phased arrays to focus power to receivers at arbitrary locations to increase the power transfer efficiency. Using a phased array consisting of 37 elements at a distance nearly 5 times the receiver transducer diameter, a factor of 2.6 increase in efficiency was achieved when compared to a case equivalent to a single large transducer with the same peak efficiency distance. The array has a total diameter of 7 cm, and transmits through air at 40 kHz to a 1.1-cm diameter receiver, achieving a peak overall efficiency of 4% at a distance of 5 cm. By adjusting the focal distance, the efficiency can also be maintained relatively constant at distances up to 9 cm. Numerical models were developed and shown to closely match the experimental energy transfer behavior; modeling results indicate that the efficiency can be further doubled by increasing the number of elements. For comparison, an inductive WPT system was also built with the diameters of the transmitting and receiving coils equivalent to the dimensions of the transmitting ultrasonic phased array and receiver transducer, and the acoustic WPT system achieved higher efficiencies than the inductive WPT system when the transmit-to-receive distance is above 5 cm. In addition, beam angle steering was demonstrated by using a simplified seven-element 1-D array, achieving power transfer less dependent on receiver placement.

Measurement and interpretation of skin prick test results.

PubMed

van der Valk, J P M; Gerth van Wijk, R; Hoorn, E; Groenendijk, L; Groenendijk, I M; de Jong, N W

2015-01-01

There are several methods to read skin prick test results in type-I allergy testing. A commonly used method is to characterize the wheal size by its 'average diameter'. A more accurate method is to scan the area of the wheal to calculate the actual size. In both methods, skin prick test (SPT) results can be corrected for histamine-sensitivity of the skin by dividing the results of the allergic reaction by the histamine control. The objectives of this study are to compare different techniques of quantifying SPT results, to determine a cut-off value for a positive SPT for histamine equivalent prick -index (HEP) area, and to study the accuracy of predicting cashew nut reactions in double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) tests with the different SPT methods. Data of 172 children with cashew nut sensitisation were used for the analysis. All patients underwent a DBPCFC with cashew nut. Per patient, the average diameter and scanned area of the wheal size were recorded. In addition, the same data for the histamine-induced wheal were collected for each patient. The accuracy in predicting the outcome of the DBPCFC using four different SPT readings (i.e. average diameter, area, HEP-index diameter, HEP-index area) were compared in a Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) plot. Characterizing the wheal size by the average diameter method is inaccurate compared to scanning method. A wheal average diameter of 3 mm is generally considered as a positive SPT cut-off value and an equivalent HEP-index area cut-off value of 0.4 was calculated. The four SPT methods yielded a comparable area under the curve (AUC) of 0.84, 0.85, 0.83 and 0.83, respectively. The four methods showed comparable accuracy in predicting cashew nut reactions in a DBPCFC. The 'scanned area method' is theoretically more accurate in determining the wheal area than the 'average diameter method' and is recommended in academic research. A HEP-index area of 0.4 is determined as cut-off value for a positive SPT. However, in clinical practice, the 'average diameter method' is also useful, because this method provides similar accuracy in predicting cashew nut allergic reactions in the DBPCFC. Trial number NTR3572.

Mobility and settling rate of agglomerates of polydisperse nanoparticles.

PubMed

Spyrogianni, Anastasia; Karadima, Katerina S; Goudeli, Eirini; Mavrantzas, Vlasis G; Pratsinis, Sotiris E

2018-02-14

Agglomerate settling impacts nanotoxicology and nanomedicine as well as the stability of engineered nanofluids. Here, the mobility of nanostructured fractal-like SiO 2 agglomerates in water is investigated and their settling rate in infinitely dilute suspensions is calculated by a Brownian dynamics algorithm tracking the agglomerate translational and rotational motion. The corresponding friction matrices are obtained using the HYDRO++ algorithm [J. G. de la Torre, G. del Rio Echenique, and A. Ortega, J. Phys. Chem. B 111, 955 (2007)] from the Kirkwood-Riseman theory accounting for hydrodynamic interactions of primary particles (PPs) through the Rotne-Prager-Yamakawa tensor, properly modified for polydisperse PPs. Agglomerates are generated by an event-driven method and have constant mass fractal dimension but varying PP size distribution, mass, and relative shape anisotropy. The calculated diffusion coefficient from HYDRO++ is used to obtain the agglomerate mobility diameter d m and is compared with that from scaling laws for fractal-like agglomerates. The ratio d m /d g of the mobility diameter to the gyration diameter of the agglomerate decreases with increasing relative shape anisotropy. For constant d m and mean d p , the agglomerate settling rate, u s , increases with increasing PP geometric standard deviation σ p,g (polydispersity). A linear relationship between u s and agglomerate mass to d m ratio, m/d m , is revealed and attributed to the fast Brownian rotation of such small and light nanoparticle agglomerates. An analytical expression for the u s of agglomerates consisting of polydisperse PPs is then derived, u s =1-ρ f ρ p g3πμmd m (ρ f is the density of the fluid, ρ p is the density of PPs, μ is the viscosity of the fluid, and g is the acceleration of gravity), valid for agglomerates for which the characteristic rotational time is considerably shorter than their settling time. Our calculations demonstrate that the commonly made assumption of monodisperse PPs underestimates u s by a fraction depending on σ p,g and agglomerate mass mobility exponent. Simulations are in excellent agreement with deposition rate measurements of fumed SiO 2 agglomerates in water.

Mobility and settling rate of agglomerates of polydisperse nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spyrogianni, Anastasia; Karadima, Katerina S.; Goudeli, Eirini; Mavrantzas, Vlasis G.; Pratsinis, Sotiris E.

2018-02-01

Agglomerate settling impacts nanotoxicology and nanomedicine as well as the stability of engineered nanofluids. Here, the mobility of nanostructured fractal-like SiO2 agglomerates in water is investigated and their settling rate in infinitely dilute suspensions is calculated by a Brownian dynamics algorithm tracking the agglomerate translational and rotational motion. The corresponding friction matrices are obtained using the HYDRO++ algorithm [J. G. de la Torre, G. del Rio Echenique, and A. Ortega, J. Phys. Chem. B 111, 955 (2007)] from the Kirkwood-Riseman theory accounting for hydrodynamic interactions of primary particles (PPs) through the Rotne-Prager-Yamakawa tensor, properly modified for polydisperse PPs. Agglomerates are generated by an event-driven method and have constant mass fractal dimension but varying PP size distribution, mass, and relative shape anisotropy. The calculated diffusion coefficient from HYDRO++ is used to obtain the agglomerate mobility diameter dm and is compared with that from scaling laws for fractal-like agglomerates. The ratio dm/dg of the mobility diameter to the gyration diameter of the agglomerate decreases with increasing relative shape anisotropy. For constant dm and mean dp, the agglomerate settling rate, us, increases with increasing PP geometric standard deviation σp,g (polydispersity). A linear relationship between us and agglomerate mass to dm ratio, m/dm, is revealed and attributed to the fast Brownian rotation of such small and light nanoparticle agglomerates. An analytical expression for the us of agglomerates consisting of polydisperse PPs is then derived, us=(1/-{ρf/ρp})g 3 π μ m/dm (ρf is the density of the fluid, ρp is the density of PPs, μ is the viscosity of the fluid, and g is the acceleration of gravity), valid for agglomerates for which the characteristic rotational time is considerably shorter than their settling time. Our calculations demonstrate that the commonly made assumption of monodisperse PPs underestimates us by a fraction depending on σp,g and agglomerate mass mobility exponent. Simulations are in excellent agreement with deposition rate measurements of fumed SiO2 agglomerates in water.

A novel equivalent definition of Caputo fractional derivative without singular kernel and superconvergent analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhengguang; Li, Xiaoli

2018-05-01

In this article, we present a new second-order finite difference discrete scheme for a fractal mobile/immobile transport model based on equivalent transformative Caputo formulation. The new transformative formulation takes the singular kernel away to make the integral calculation more efficient. Furthermore, this definition is also effective where α is a positive integer. Besides, the T-Caputo derivative also helps us to increase the convergence rate of the discretization of the α-order(0 < α < 1) Caputo derivative from O(τ2-α) to O(τ3-α), where τ is the time step. For numerical analysis, a Crank-Nicolson finite difference scheme to solve the fractal mobile/immobile transport model is introduced and analyzed. The unconditional stability and a priori estimates of the scheme are given rigorously. Moreover, the applicability and accuracy of the scheme are demonstrated by numerical experiments to support our theoretical analysis.

The Effect of the Presence of an Internet-Connected Mobile Tablet Computer on Physical Activity Behavior in Children.

PubMed

Kobak, Mallory S; Lepp, Andrew; Rebold, Michael J; Faulkner, Hannah; Martin, Shannon; Barkley, Jacob E

2018-02-01

Mobile Internet-connected electronic devices provide access to activities that have traditionally been associated with sedentary behavior. Because they are portable, these devices can be utilized in any environment. Therefore, providing children with access to these devices in environments that typically promote physical activity may result in a reduction in physical activity behavior. To assess children's physical and sedentary (ie, sitting) activity with and without the presence of a mobile Internet-connected tablet computer. A total of 20 children [6.7 (1.9) y old] participated in 2 simulated recess conditions in a gymnasium on separate days. During each condition, children had free-choice access physical activity options and a table of sedentary activities for 40 minutes. During 1 session, the iPad was present, and in the other session, it was not. Physical activity was monitored via an accelerometer, and sedentary time was monitored via a stopwatch. Children significantly (P ≤ .03) reduced average physical activity intensity and increased their sedentary behavior with the iPad present [4.4 (4.0) metabolic equivalents/min and 20.9 (12.4) min sitting] versus the condition without the iPad present [5.3 (4.0) metabolic equivalents/min and 13.6 (13.2) min sitting]. Introducing an mobile Internet-connected tablet computer into a gymnasium reduced children's physical activity intensity by 17% and increased sedentary behavior by 54%.

Growth Retardation Of Chick Embryo Exposed To A Low Dose Of Electromagnetic Waves.

PubMed

Siddiqi, Najam; John C, Muthusami; Norrish, Mark; Heming, Thomas

2016-01-01

The objectives of this study were to explore the effects of low dose of the nonionizing (REW) emitted by a mobile phone on the development of chick embryo. one hundred and twenty chick fertilized eggs were equally divided into a control and an exposed group. Sixty fertilized eggs were placed in an egg incubator with a mobile phone (SAR US: 1.10W/kg (head) 0.47 W/kg body) in silent mode having vibration disable mode. Mobile was called for a total of 20 minutes in 24 hours. Twenty embryos each were sacrificed at day 5, 10 and 15, mortality, wet body weight, head to rump length, eye diameter and morphological changes were noted. The control group, 60 eggs were incubated in the same conditions, having removed the phone. No mortality was noted. The experimental group exposed to REW showed subcutaneous haemorrhagic areas and significant growth retardation at day 10 as evidence by smaller eye diameter, wet weight and CR length than the control group. There were no significant growth differences at either day 5 or at day 15. Electromagnetic waves emitted from mobile phones even though for a very short duration of 20 minutes per day have affected the growth of the chick embryo at day 10 of incubation, Hence exposure of these waves are not 100% safe.

Critical bed shear stress and threshold of motion of maerl biogenic gravel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Siddhi; Duffy, Garret Patrick; Brown, Colin

2017-07-01

A determination of the critical bed shear stress of maerl is a prerequisite for quantifying its mobility, rate of erosion and deposition in conservation management. The critical bed shear stress for incipient motion has been determined for the first time for samples from biogenic free-living maerl beds in three contrasting environments (open marine, intertidal and beach) in Galway Bay, west of Ireland. The bed shear stress was determined using two methods, Law of the Wall and Turbulent Kinetic Energy, in a rotating annular flume and in a linear flume. The velocity profile of flowing water above a bed of natural maerl grains was measured in four runs of progressively increasing flow velocity until the flow exceeded the critical shear stress of grains on the bed. The critical Shields parameter and the mobility number are estimated and compared with the equivalent curves for natural quartz sand. The critical Shields parameters for the maerl particles from all three environments fall below the Shields curve. Along with a previously reported correlation between maerl grain shape and settling velocity, these results suggest that the highly irregular shapes also allow maerl grains to be mobilised more easily than quartz grains with the same sieve diameter. The intertidal beds with the roughest particles exhibit the greatest critical shear stress because the particle thalli interlock and resist entrainment. In samples with a high percentage of maerl and low percentage of siliciclastic sand, the lower density, lower settling velocity and lower critical bed shear stress of maerl results in its preferential transport over the siliciclastic sediment. At velocities ∼10 cm s-1 higher than the threshold velocity of grain motion, rarely-documented subaqueous maerl dunes formed in the annular flume.

Cellphone based mobile colposcope for the evaluation of women with abnormal cervical cancer screening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kahn, Bruce S.; Kass, Alex J.; Waalen, Jill; Levitz, David

2015-03-01

Objective: Compare an inexpensive cell-phone based Mobile Colposcope, with a standard colposcope in the evaluation of women with abnormal Pap smear screening. Methodology: The study was a prospective, parallel noninferiority trial. Thirty women underwent colposcopy for the evaluation of an abnormal Pap smear. After application of acetic acid, images of the cervix were obtained with both a standard colposcope and the Mobile Colposcope. An additional set of images using both devices were obtained using the red-free (green filter) mode. Eight experienced gynecologists then evaluated 100 paired images (plain and green filter) from two different sites in random order using a web based assessment program. After reviewing each set of paired images, the expert would make an assessment of: 1) normal (no biopsy/ random biopsy), or 2) abnormal. For abnormal images, the expert then electronically marked the site(s) on the image where a biopsy was recommended. In image analysis, the cervical image was divided into 12 radial sectors and the marked sites for biopsy on the matched pairs were compared. Matched pairs that were considered normal, or those where biopsy site recommendations were within +/- 30° were considered equivalent; unmatched biopsy sites were considered non-equivalent. Results were compared using Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Signed Ranks Test. Expert assessment of Mobile Colposcope images compared with assessment by standard colposcope is currently onging. Conclusions: if the Mobile Colposcope demonstrates non-inferiority to imaging obtained with a standard colposcope and due to its low cost, it has the potential help improve cervical cancer screening in low resource settings.

In situ investigation of the mobility of small gold clusters on cleaved MgO surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Metois, J. J.; Heinemann, K.; Poppa, H.

1976-01-01

The mobility of small clusters of gold (about 10 A in diameter) on electron-beam-cleaved MgO surfaces was studied by in situ transmission electron microscopy under controlled vacuum and temperature conditions. During the first 10 min following a deposition at room temperature, over 10 per cent of the crystallites moved over short distances (about 20 A) discontinuously, with a velocity greater than 150 A/sec. Eighty per cent of the mobility events were characterized by the avoidance of proximity of other crystallites, and this was tentatively explained as the result of repulsive elastic forces between the interacting crystallites.

Design and evaluation of a low-volume total suspended particulate sampler

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The regulation of particulate matter (PM) emitted by agricultural sources, e.g., cotton gins, feed mills, and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), is based on downwind concentrations of particulate matter less than 10 and 2.5 'm (PM10 and PM2.5) aerodynamic equivalent diameter (AED). Both...

30 CFR 35.20 - Autogenous-ignition temperature test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS FIRE-RESISTANT HYDRAULIC FLUIDS Test Requirements § 35.20... (alundum or equivalent) cylinder 5 inches in internal diameter and 5 inches in height; a transite-ring top... is obtained. (d) Appraisal of test. A fluid shall be considered fire-resistant, according to the test...

30 CFR 35.20 - Autogenous-ignition temperature test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS FIRE-RESISTANT HYDRAULIC FLUIDS Test Requirements § 35.20... (alundum or equivalent) cylinder 5 inches in internal diameter and 5 inches in height; a transite-ring top... is obtained. (d) Appraisal of test. A fluid shall be considered fire-resistant, according to the test...

30 CFR 35.20 - Autogenous-ignition temperature test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS FIRE-RESISTANT HYDRAULIC FLUIDS Test Requirements § 35.20... (alundum or equivalent) cylinder 5 inches in internal diameter and 5 inches in height; a transite-ring top... is obtained. (d) Appraisal of test. A fluid shall be considered fire-resistant, according to the test...

30 CFR 35.20 - Autogenous-ignition temperature test.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS FIRE-RESISTANT HYDRAULIC FLUIDS Test Requirements § 35.20... (alundum or equivalent) cylinder 5 inches in internal diameter and 5 inches in height; a transite-ring top... is obtained. (d) Appraisal of test. A fluid shall be considered fire-resistant, according to the test...

Probing size-dependent electrokinetics of hematite aggregates

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

Kedra-Królik, Karolina; Rosso, Kevin M.; Zarzycki, Piotr

Aqueous particle suspensions of many kinds are stabilized by the electrostatic potential developed at their surfaces from reaction with water and ions. An important and less well understood aspect of this stabilization is the dependence of the electrostatic surface potential on particle size. Surface electrostatics are typically probed by measuring particle electrophoretic mobilities and quantified in the electrokinetic potential (f), using commercially available Zeta Potential Analyzers (ZPA). Even though ZPAs provide frequency-spectra (histograms) of electrophoretic mobility and hydrodynamic diameter, typically only the maximal-intensity values are reported, despite the information in the remainder of the spectra. Here we propose a mappingmore » procedure that inter-correlates these histograms to extract additional insight, in this case to probe particle size-dependent electrokinetics. Our method is illustrated for a suspension of prototypical iron (III) oxide (hematite, a-Fe2O3). We found that the electrophoretic mobility and f-potential are a linear function of the aggregate size. By analyzing the distribution of surface site types as a function of aggregate size we show that site coordination increases with increasing aggregate diameter. This observation explains why the acidity of the iron oxide particles decreases with increasing particle size.« less

Sub-millimeter-Wave Equivalent Circuit Model for External Parasitics in Double-Finger HEMT Topologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karisan, Yasir; Caglayan, Cosan; Sertel, Kubilay

2018-02-01

We present a novel distributed equivalent circuit that incorporates a three-way-coupled transmission line to accurately capture the external parasitics of double-finger high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) topologies up to 750 GHz. A six-step systematic parameter extraction procedure is used to determine the equivalent circuit elements for a representative device layout. The accuracy of the proposed approach is validated in the 90-750 GHz band through comparisons between measured data (via non-contact probing) and full-wave simulations, as well as the equivalent circuit response. Subsequently, a semi-distributed active device model is incorporated into the proposed parasitic circuit to demonstrate that the three-way-coupled transmission line model effectively predicts the adverse effect of parasitic components on the sub-mmW performance in an amplifier setting.

Optical properties of soot particles: measurement - model comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forestieri, S.; Lambe, A. T.; Lack, D.; Massoli, P.; Cross, E. S.; Dubey, M.; Mazzoleni, C.; Olfert, J.; Freedman, A.; Davidovits, P.; Onasch, T. B.; Cappa, C. D.

2013-12-01

Soot, a product of incomplete combustion, plays an important role in the earth's climate system through the absorption and scattering of solar radiation. In order to accurately model the direct radiative impact of black carbon (BC), the refractive index and shape dependent scattering and absorption characteristics must be known. At present, the assumed shape remains highly uncertain because BC particles are fractal-like, being agglomerates of smaller (20-40 nm) spherules, yet traditional optical models such as Mie theory typically assume a spherical particle morphology. To investigate the ability of various optical models to reproduce observed BC optical properties, we measured light absorption and extinction coefficients of methane and ethylene flame soot particles. Optical properties were measured by multiple instruments: absorption by a dual cavity ringdown photoacoustic spectrometer (CRD-PAS), absorption and scattering by a 3-wavelength photoacoustic/nephelometer spectrometer (PASS-3) and extinction and scattering by a cavity attenuated phase shift spectrometer (CAPS). Soot particle mass was quantified using a centrifugal particle mass analyzer (CPMA) and mobility size was measured with a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). Measurements were made for nascent soot particles and for collapsed soot particles following coating with dioctyl sebacate or sulfuric acid and thermal denuding to remove the coating. Wavelength-dependent refractive indices for the sampled particles were derived by fitting the observed absorption and extinction cross-sections to spherical particle Mie theory and Rayleigh-Debye-Gans theory. The Rayleigh-Debye-Gans approximation assumes that the absorption properties of soot are dictated by the individual spherules and neglects interaction between them. In general, Mie theory reproduces the observed absorption and extinction cross-sections for particles with volume equivalent diameters (VED) < ~160 nm, but systematically predicts lower absorption cross-sections relative to observations for larger particles with VED > ~160 nm. The discrepancy is most pronounced for measurements made at shorter wavelengths. In contrast, Rayleigh-Debye-Gans theory, which does not assume spherical particle morphology, exhibited good agreement with the observations for all particle diameters and wavelengths. These results indicate that the use of Mie theory to describe the absorption behavior of particles >160 nm VED will underestimate the absorption by these particles. Concurrent measurements of the absorption Angstrom exponent and the single scattering albedo, and their dependence on particle size, will also be discussed.

Uncertainty propagation using the Monte Carlo method in the measurement of airborne particle size distribution with a scanning mobility particle sizer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coquelin, L.; Le Brusquet, L.; Fischer, N.; Gensdarmes, F.; Motzkus, C.; Mace, T.; Fleury, G.

2018-05-01

A scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) is a high resolution nanoparticle sizing system that is widely used as the standard method to measure airborne particle size distributions (PSD) in the size range 1 nm–1 μm. This paper addresses the problem to assess the uncertainty associated with PSD when a differential mobility analyzer (DMA) operates under scanning mode. The sources of uncertainty are described and then modeled either through experiments or knowledge extracted from the literature. Special care is brought to model the physics and to account for competing theories. Indeed, it appears that the modeling errors resulting from approximations of the physics can largely affect the final estimate of this indirect measurement, especially for quantities that are not measured during day-to-day experiments. The Monte Carlo method is used to compute the uncertainty associated with PSD. The method is tested against real data sets that are monosize polystyrene latex spheres (PSL) with nominal diameters of 100 nm, 200 nm and 450 nm. The median diameters and associated standard uncertainty of the aerosol particles are estimated as 101.22 nm  ±  0.18 nm, 204.39 nm  ±  1.71 nm and 443.87 nm  ±  1.52 nm with the new approach. Other statistical parameters, such as the mean diameter, the mode and the geometric mean and associated standard uncertainty, are also computed. These results are then compared with the results obtained by SMPS embedded software.

Zero-bias offsets in I-V characteristics of the staircase type quantum well infrared photodetectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nutku, Ferhat; Erol, Ayse; Arikan, M. Cetin; Ergun, Yuksel

2014-11-01

In this work, observed zero-bias offsets in I-V characteristics and differences in J-V characteristics of staircase quantum well infrared photodetectors were investigated. Temperature and voltage sweep rate dependence of the zero-bias offsets were studied on mesa structures shaped in different diameters. Furthermore, effect of mesa diameter on J-V characteristics was investigated. The temperature, initial bias voltage and voltage sweep rate dependence of the zero-bias offsets were explained by a qualitative model, which is based on a RC equivalent circuit of the quantum well infrared photodetector.

Magnetogasdynamic compression of a coaxial plasma accelerator flow for micrometeoroid simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Igenbergs, E. B.; Shriver, E. L.

1974-01-01

A new configuration of a coaxial plasma accelerator with self-energized magnetic compressor coil attached is described. It is shown that the circuit may be treated theoretically by analyzing an equivalent circuit mesh. The results obtained from the theoretical analysis compare favorably with the results measured experimentally. Using this accelerator configuration, glass beads of 125 micron diameter were accelerated to velocities as high as 11 kilometers per second, while 700 micron diameter glass beads were accelerated to velocities as high as 5 kilometers per second. The velocities are within the hypervelocity regime of meteoroids.

[The effect of composition and structure of radiological equivalent materials on radiological equivalent].

PubMed

Wang, Y; Lin, D; Fu, T

1997-03-01

Morphology of inorganic material powders before and after being treated by ultrafine crush was observed by transformite electron microscope. The length and diameter of granules were measured. Polymers inorganic material powders before and after being treated by ultrafine crush were used for preparing radiological equivalent materials. Blending compatibility of inorganic meterials with polymer materials was observed by scanning electron microscope. CT values of tissue equivalent materials were measured by X-ray CT. Distribution of inorganic materials was examined. The compactness of materials was determined by the water absorbed method. The elastic module of materials was measured by laser speckle interferementry method. The results showed that the inorganic material powders treated by the ultrafine crush blent well with polymer and the distribution of these powders in the polymer was homogeneous. The equivalent errors of linear attenuation coefficients and CT values of equivalent materials were small. Their elastic modules increased one order of magnitude from 6.028 x 10(2) kg/cm2 to 9.753 x 10(3) kg/cm2. In addition, the rod inorganic material powders having rod granule blent easily with polymer. The present study provides a theoretical guidance and experimental basis for the design and synthesis of radiological equivalent materials.

Development of a Mobile Robot with Wavy Movement by Rotating Bars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitagawa, Ato; Zhang, Liang; Eguchi, Takashi; Tsukagoshi, Hideyuki

A mobile robot with a new type of movement called wavy movement is proposed in this paper. Wavy movement can be readily realized by many bars or crosses which are rotating at equivalent speeds, and the robot with simple structure and easy control method is able to ascend and descend stairs by covering the corners of stairs within separate wave shapes between touching points. The principle of wavy movement, the mechanism, and the experimental result of the proposed robot are discussed.

Inertial migrations of cylindrical particles in rectangular microchannels: Variations of equilibrium positions and equivalent diameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Jinghong; Chen, Xiaodong; Hu, Guoqing

2018-03-01

Inertial migration has emerged as an efficient tool for manipulating both biological and engineered particles that commonly exist with non-spherical shapes in microfluidic devices. There have been numerous studies on the inertial migration of spherical particles, whereas the non-spherical particles are still largely unexplored. Here, we conduct three-dimensional direct numerical simulations to study the inertial migration of rigid cylindrical particles in rectangular microchannels with different width/height ratios under the channel Reynolds numbers (Re) varying from 50 to 400. Cylindrical particles with different length/diameter ratios and blockage ratios are also concerned. Distributions of surface force with the change of rotation angle show that surface stresses acting on the particle end near the wall are the major contributors to the particle rotation. We obtain lift forces experienced by cylindrical particles at different lateral positions on cross sections of two types of microchannels at various Re. It is found that there are always four stable equilibrium positions on the cross section of a square channel, while the stable positions are two or four in a rectangular channel, depending on Re. By comparing the equilibrium positions of cylindrical particles and spherical particles, we demonstrate that the equivalent diameter of cylindrical particles monotonously increases with Re. Our work indicates the influence of a non-spherical shape on the inertial migration and can be useful for the precise manipulation of non-spherical particles.

Flash Infrared Thermography Contrast Data Analysis Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koshti, Ajay

2014-01-01

This paper provides information on an IR Contrast technique that involves extracting normalized contrast versus time evolutions from the flash thermography inspection infrared video data. The analysis calculates thermal measurement features from the contrast evolution. In addition, simulation of the contrast evolution is achieved through calibration on measured contrast evolutions from many flat-bottom holes in the subject material. The measurement features and the contrast simulation are used to evaluate flash thermography data in order to characterize delamination-like anomalies. The thermal measurement features relate to the anomaly characteristics. The contrast evolution simulation is matched to the measured contrast evolution over an anomaly to provide an assessment of the anomaly depth and width which correspond to the depth and diameter of the equivalent flat-bottom hole (EFBH) similar to that used as input to the simulation. A similar analysis, in terms of diameter and depth of an equivalent uniform gap (EUG) providing a best match with the measured contrast evolution, is also provided. An edge detection technique called the half-max is used to measure width and length of the anomaly. Results of the half-max width and the EFBH/EUG diameter are compared to evaluate the anomaly. The information provided here is geared towards explaining the IR Contrast technique. Results from a limited amount of validation data on reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) hardware are included in this paper.

Interior and Ejecta Morphologies of Impact Craters on Ganymede

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barlow, Nadine G.; Klaybor, K.; Katz-Wigmore, J.

2006-09-01

We are utilizing Galileo SSI imagery of Ganymede to classify impact crater interior and ejecta morphologies. Although we are in the early stages of compiling our Catalog of Impact Craters on Ganymede, some interesting trends are beginning to emerge. Few craters display obvious ejecta morphologies, but 68 craters are classified as single layer ejecta and 3 as double layer ejecta. We see no obvious correlation of layered ejecta morphologies with terrain or latitude. All layered ejecta craters have diameters between 10 and 40 km. Sinuosity ("lobateness") and ejecta extent ("ejecta mobility ratio") of Ganymede layered ejecta craters are lower than for martian layered ejecta craters. This suggests less mobility of ejecta materials on Ganymede, perhaps due to the colder temperatures. Interior structures being investigated include central domes, peaks, and pits. 57 dome craters, 212 central peak craters, and 313 central pit craters have been identified. Central domes occur in 50-100 km diameter craters while peaks are found in craters between 20 and 50 km and central pit craters range between 29 and 74 km in diameter. The Galileo Regio region displays higher concentrations of central dome and central pit craters than other regions we have investigated. 67% of central pit craters studied to date are small pits, where the ratio of pit diameter to crater diameter is <0.2. Craters containing the three interior structures preferentially occur on darker terrain units, suggesting that an ice-silicate composition is more conducive to interior feature formation than pure ice alone. Results of this study have important implications not only for the formation of specific interior and ejecta morphologies on Ganymede but also for analogous features associated with Martian impact craters. This research is funded through NASA Outer Planets Research Program Award #NNG05G116G to N. G. Barlow.

Omni-directional L-band antenna for mobile communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, C. S.; Moldovan, N.; Kijesky, J.

1988-01-01

The principle and design of an L-band omni-directional mobile communication antenna are discussed. The antenna is a circular wave guide aperture with hybrid circuits attached to higher order mode excitation. It produces polarized and symmetric two split beams in elevation. The circular waveguide is fed by eight probes with a 90 degree phase shift between their inputs. Radiation pattern characteristics are controlled by adjusting the aperture diameter and mode excitation. This antenna satisfies gain requirements as well as withstanding the harsh environment.

Mobility Analyses of Standard- and High-Mobility Tactical Support Vehicles (HIMO Study)

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-02-01

l, APPENDIX G: PARTICIPANTS IN SCENARIO EXERCISES ... ....... Gl I ?S LIST OF TABLES Table Page I Summary of Vehicle Caracteristics and Some...15 1 :1010 2 :1111 Organid silts and clays ( plastic ) >7-30 0 11212 1 1 1313Peat (nou plastic ) _._>_3_0 0 .1414 Li Groups with Different Materiai in 0...diameter LL = Liquid limit PI - Plasticity index Drainage potential classified by occurrence of water table as follows: Class 0 Water table occurs at

Normal Cerebellar Growth by Using Three-dimensional US in the Preterm Infant from Birth to Term-corrected Age.

PubMed

Benavente-Fernández, Isabel; Rodríguez-Zafra, Enrique; León-Martínez, Jesús; Jiménez-Gómez, Gema; Ruiz-González, Estefanía; Fernández-Colina, Rosalía Campuzano; Lechuga-Sancho, Alfonso M; Lubián-López, Simón P

2018-04-03

Purpose To establish cross-sectional and longitudinal reference values for cerebellar size in preterm infants with normal neuroimaging findings and normal 2-year neurodevelopmental outcome by using cranial ultrasonography (US). Materials and Methods This prospective study consecutively enrolled preterm infants admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit from June 2011 to June 2014 with a birth weight of less than or equal to 1500 g and/or gestational age (GA) of less than or equal to 32 weeks. They underwent weekly cranial US from birth to term-equivalent age and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at term-equivalent age. The infants underwent neurodevelopmental assessments at age 2 years with Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd edition (BSID-III). Patients with adverse outcomes (death or abnormal neuroimaging findings and/or BSID-III score of <85) were excluded. The following measurements were performed: vermis height, craniocaudal diameter, superior width, inferior width, vermis area, and transcerebellar diameter. Statistical analyses were conducted by using multilevel analyses. Results A total of 137 infants with a mean GA at birth of 29.4 weeks (range, 25-32 weeks) were included. Transcerebellar diameter increased by 1.04 mm per week on average; vermis height and craniocaudal diameter increased by 0.55 mm and 0.59 mm, respectively. Superior vermian width increased by an average of 0.45 mm, whereas inferior vermian width increased by an average of 0.51 mm per week. Vermis area was found to increase by 0.22 cm 2 per week on average. The sex effect was significant (female lower than male) for vermis height (P < .05), craniocaudal diameter (P < .05), inferior vermian width (P <. 05), and vermis area (P <. 05). Conclusion Cross-sectional and longitudinal reference values were established for cerebellar growth in preterm infants, which may be included in routine cranial US. © RSNA, 2018 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Determination of gas phase protein ion densities via ion mobility analysis with charge reduction.

PubMed

Maisser, Anne; Premnath, Vinay; Ghosh, Abhimanyu; Nguyen, Tuan Anh; Attoui, Michel; Hogan, Christopher J

2011-12-28

We use a charge reduction electrospray (ESI) source and subsequent ion mobility analysis with a differential mobility analyzer (DMA, with detection via both a Faraday cage electrometer and a condensation particle counter) to infer the densities of single and multiprotein ions of cytochrome C, lysozyme, myoglobin, ovalbumin, and bovine serum albumin produced from non-denaturing (20 mM aqueous ammonium acetate) and denaturing (1 : 49.5 : 49.5, formic acid : methanol : water) ESI. Charge reduction is achieved through use of a Po-210 radioactive source, which generates roughly equal concentrations of positive and negative ions. Ions produced by the source collide with and reduce the charge on ESI generated drops, preventing Coulombic fissions, and unlike typical protein ESI, leading to gas-phase protein ions with +1 to +3 excess charges. Therefore, charge reduction serves to effectively mitigate any role that Coulombic stretching may play on the structure of the gas phase ions. Density inference is made via determination of the mobility diameter, and correspondingly the spherical equivalent protein volume. Through this approach it is found that for both non-denaturing and denaturing ESI-generated ions, gas-phase protein ions are relatively compact, with average densities of 0.97 g cm(-3) and 0.86 g cm(-3), respectively. Ions from non-denaturing ESI are found to be slightly more compact than predicted from the protein crystal structures, suggesting that low charge state protein ions in the gas phase are slightly denser than their solution conformations. While a slight difference is detected between the ions produced with non-denaturing and denaturing ESI, the denatured ions are found to be much more dense than those examined previously by drift tube mobility analysis, in which charge reduction was not employed. This indicates that Coulombic stretching is typically what leads to non-compact ions in the gas-phase, and suggests that for gas phase measurements to be correlated to biomolecular structures in solution, low charge state ions should be analyzed. Further, to determine if different solution conditions give rise to ions of different structure, ions of similar charge state should be compared. Non-denatured protein ion densities are found to be in excellent agreement with non-denatured protein ion densities inferred from prior DMA and drift tube measurements made without charge reduction (all ions with densities in the 0.85-1.10 g cm(-3) range), showing that these ions are not strongly influenced by Coulombic stretching nor by analysis method.

A new high-transmission inlet for the Caltech nano-RDMA for size distribution measurements of sub-3 nm ions at ambient concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franchin, Alessandro; Downard, Andy; Kangasluoma, Juha; Nieminen, Tuomo; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Steiner, Gerhard; Manninen, Hanna E.; Petäjä, Tuukka; Flagan, Richard C.; Kulmala, Markku

2016-06-01

Reliable and reproducible measurements of atmospheric aerosol particle number size distributions below 10 nm require optimized classification instruments with high particle transmission efficiency. Almost all differential mobility analyzers (DMAs) have an unfavorable potential gradient at the outlet (e.g., long column, Vienna type) or at the inlet (nano-radial DMA), preventing them from achieving a good transmission efficiency for the smallest nanoparticles. We developed a new high-transmission inlet for the Caltech nano-radial DMA (nRDMA) that increases the transmission efficiency to 12 % for ions as small as 1.3 nm in Millikan-Fuchs mobility equivalent diameter, Dp (corresponding to 1.2 × 10-4 m2 V-1 s-1 in electrical mobility). We successfully deployed the nRDMA, equipped with the new inlet, in chamber measurements, using a particle size magnifier (PSM) and as a booster a condensation particle counter (CPC). With this setup, we were able to measure size distributions of ions within a mobility range from 1.2 × 10-4 to 5.8 × 10-6 m2 V-1 s-1. The system was modeled, tested in the laboratory and used to measure negative ions at ambient concentrations in the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets) 7 measurement campaign at CERN. We achieved a higher size resolution (R = 5.5 at Dp = 1.47 nm) than techniques currently used in field measurements (e.g., Neutral cluster and Air Ion Spectrometer (NAIS), which has a R ˜ 2 at largest sizes, and R ˜ 1.8 at Dp = 1.5 nm) and maintained a good total transmission efficiency (6.3 % at Dp = 1.5 nm) at moderate inlet and sheath airflows (2.5 and 30 L min-1, respectively). In this paper, by measuring size distributions at high size resolution down to 1.3 nm, we extend the limit of the current technology. The current setup is limited to ion measurements. However, we envision that future research focused on the charging mechanisms could extend the technique to measure neutral aerosol particles as well, so that it will be possible to measure size distributions of ambient aerosols from 1 nm to 1 µm.

A new method for CT dose estimation by determining patient water equivalent diameter from localizer radiographs: Geometric transformation and calibration methods using readily available phantoms.

PubMed

Zhang, Da; Mihai, Georgeta; Barbaras, Larry G; Brook, Olga R; Palmer, Matthew R

2018-05-10

Water equivalent diameter (Dw) reflects patient's attenuation and is a sound descriptor of patient size, and is used to determine size-specific dose estimator from a CT examination. Calculating Dw from CT localizer radiographs makes it possible to utilize Dw before actual scans and minimizes truncation errors due to limited reconstructed fields of view. One obstacle preventing the user community from implementing this useful tool is the necessity to calibrate localizer pixel values so as to represent water equivalent attenuation. We report a practical method to ease this calibration process. Dw is calculated from water equivalent area (Aw) which is deduced from the average localizer pixel value (LPV) of the line(s) in the localizer radiograph that correspond(s) to the axial image. The calibration process is conducted to establish the relationship between Aw and LPV. Localizer and axial images were acquired from phantoms of different total attenuation. We developed a program that automates the geometrical association between axial images and localizer lines and manages the measurements of Dw and average pixel values. We tested the calibration method on three CT scanners: a GE CT750HD, a Siemens Definition AS, and a Toshiba Acquilion Prime80, for both posterior-anterior (PA) and lateral (LAT) localizer directions (for all CTs) and with different localizer filters (for the Toshiba CT). The computer program was able to correctly perform the geometrical association between corresponding axial images and localizer lines. Linear relationships between Aw and LPV were observed (with R 2 all greater than 0.998) on all tested conditions, regardless of the direction and image filters used on the localizer radiographs. When comparing LAT and PA directions with the same image filter and for the same scanner, the slope values were close (maximum difference of 0.02 mm), and the intercept values showed larger deviations (maximum difference of 2.8 mm). Water equivalent diameter estimation on phantoms and patients demonstrated high accuracy of the calibration: percentage difference between Dw from axial images and localizers was below 2%. With five clinical chest examinations and five abdominal-pelvic examinations of varying patient sizes, the maximum percentage difference was approximately 5%. Our study showed that Aw and LPV are highly correlated, providing enough evidence to allow for the Dw determination once the experimental calibration process is established. © 2018 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Determining the effective density of airborne nanoparticles using multiple charging correction in a tandem DMA/ELPI setup

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bau, Sébastien; Bémer, Denis; Grippari, Florence; Appert-Collin, Jean-Christophe; Thomas, Dominique

2014-10-01

Increasing numbers of workers are exposed to airborne nanoparticles, the health effects of which remain difficult to evaluate. Effective density is considered to be a key characteristic of airborne nanoparticles due to its role in particle deposition in the human respiratory tract and in the conversion of number distributions to mass distributions. Because effective density cannot be measured directly, in this study the electrical mobility and aerodynamic equivalent diameters of airborne nanoparticles were measured simultaneously (tandem DMA/ELPI). Test aerosols consisted of spherical Di-Ethyl-Hexyl-Sebacate nanoparticles produced by nebulization (PALAS AGK 2000). To take into account the presence of multiple-charged particles at the DMA outlet, a theoretical model was developed in which the successive mechanisms undergone by particles are accounted for. Using this model, it is possible to determine the proportion of each population exiting the DMA ( p = 1, 2,…,5 elementary charges) in each channel of the overall ELPI signal. Thus, particle effective density can be estimated for each population. The results indicate that using the ELPI signal alone could lead to significant misevaluation of particle effective density, with biases up to 150 %. However, when the proportion of each population is taken into account, particle effective density is determined within ±15 % of the theoretical value.

Size exclusion chromatography with superficially porous particles.

PubMed

Schure, Mark R; Moran, Robert E

2017-01-13

A comparison is made using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) of synthetic polymers between fully porous particles (FPPs) and superficially porous particles (SPPs) with similar particle diameters, pore sizes and equal flow rates. Polystyrene molecular weight standards with a mobile phase of tetrahydrofuran are utilized for all measurements conducted with standard HPLC equipment. Although it is traditionally thought that larger pore volume is thermodynamically advantageous in SEC for better separations, SPPs have kinetic advantages and these will be shown to compensate for the loss in pore volume compared to FPPs. The comparison metrics include the elution range (smaller with SPPs), the plate count (larger for SPPs), the rate production of theoretical plates (larger for SPPs) and the specific resolution (larger with FPPs). Advantages to using SPPs for SEC are discussed such that similar separations can be conducted faster using SPPs. SEC using SPPs offers similar peak capacities to that using FPPs but with faster operation. This also suggests that SEC conducted in the second dimension of a two-dimensional liquid chromatograph may benefit with reduced run time and with equivalently reduced peak width making SPPs advantageous for sampling the first dimension by the second dimension separator. Additional advantages are discussed for biomolecules along with a discussion of optimization criteria for size-based separations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SURFACE CHEMICAL EFFECTS ON COLLOID STABILITY AND TRANSPORT THROUGH NATURAL POROUS MEDIA

EPA Science Inventory

Surface chemical effects on colloidal stability and transport through porous media were investigated using laboratory column techniques. Approximately 100 nm diameter, spherical, iron oxide particles were synthesized as the mobile colloidal phase. The column packing material was ...

Potency Determination of Antidandruff Shampoos in Nystatin International Unit Equivalents

PubMed Central

Anusha Hewage, D. B. G.; Pathirana, W.; Pinnawela, Amara

2008-01-01

A convenient standard microbiological potency determination test for the antidandruff shampoos was developed by adopting the pharmacopoeial microbiological assay procedure of the drug nystatin. A standard curve was drawn consisting of the inhibition zone diameters vs. logarithm of nystatin concentrations in international units using the fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) strain National Collection of Type Culture (NCTC) 1071606 as the test organism. From the standard curve the yeast inhibitory potencies of the shampoos in nystatin international unit equivalents were determined from the respective inhibition zones of the test samples of the shampoos. Under test conditions four shampoo samples showed remarkable fungal inhibitory potencies of 10227, 10731, 12396 and 18211 nystatin international unit equivalents/ml while two shampoo samples had extremely feeble inhibitory potencies 4.07 and 4.37 nystatin international unit equivalents/ml although the latter two products claimed antifungal activity. The potency determination method could be applied to any antidandruff shampoo with any one or a combination of active ingredients. PMID:21394271

A continuous sampler with background suppression for monitoring alpha-emitting aerosol particles.

PubMed

McFarland, A R; Rodgers, J C; Ortiz, C A; Moore, M E

1992-05-01

A continuous air monitor has been developed that includes provisions for improving the detection of alpha-emitting aerosol particles in the presence of radon/thoron progeny that are unattached to ambient aerosol particles. Wind tunnel tests show that 80% of 10-microns aerodynamic equivalent diameter particles penetrate the flow system from the ambient air to the collection filter when the flow rate is 57 L min-1 (2 cfm) and the wind speed is 1 m s-1. Uniformity of aerosol collection on the filter, as characterized by the coefficient of variation of the areal density deposits, is less than 15% for 10-microns aerodynamic-equivalent-diameter aerosol particles. Tests with unattached radon daughters in a flow-through chamber showed that approximately 99% of the 218Po was removed by an inlet screen that is designed to collect radon daughters that are in the size range of molecular clusters. The inlet screen offers the opportunity to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of energy spectra in the regions of interest (subranges of the energy spectrum) of transuranic elements and thereby enhance the performance of background compensation algorithms.

Characterization of holding brake friction pad surface after pin-on-plate wear test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drago, N.; Gonzalez Madruga, D.; De Chiffre, L.

2018-03-01

This article concerns the metrological characterization of the surface on a holding brake friction material pin after a pin-on-plate (POP) wear test. The POP test induces the formation of surface plateaus that affect brake performances such as wear, friction, noise and heat. Three different materials’ surfaces have been characterized after wear from data obtained with a focus variation 3D microscope. A new surface characterization approach with plateau identification is proposed, using the number of plateau on the surface, equivalent diameter, length and breadth as measurands. The identification method is based on determining and imposing ISO 27158-2 lower plateau limit (LPL) in material probability curves; and on applying a combined criterion of height segmentation threshold and equivalent diameter threshold. The method determines the criterion thresholds for each material since LPL appears typical by material. The proposed method has allowed quantifying the surface topography at two different levels of wear. An expanded measurement uncertainty of 3.5 µm for plateau dimensions in the range 50–2000 µm and one of 0.15 µm for plateau heights up to 10 µm have been documented.

Master/slave manipulator system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vykukal, H. C.; King, R. F.; Vallotton, W. C.

1973-01-01

System capabilities are equivalent to mobility, dexterity, and strength of human arm. Arrangement of torque motor, harmonic drive, and potentiometer combination allows all power and control leads to pass through center of slave with position-transducer arrangement of master, and "stovepipe joint" is incorporated for manipulator applications.

30 CFR 57.14103 - Operators' stations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Equipment Safety Devices and Maintenance Requirements § 57.14103 Operators' stations. (a) If windows are provided on operators' stations of self-propelled mobile equipment, the windows shall be made of safety glass or material with equivalent safety characteristics. The windows shall be maintained to provide...

Investigation of Biomass Burning Aerosol Hygroscopicity Using a New Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer and New Inversion Routine.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oxford, C. R.; Williams, B. J.

2017-12-01

Biomass burning aerosol (BBA) constitutes a significant fraction of atmospheric aerosol and impacts health, visibility, and radiative forcing. The nature and scale of these impacts are influenced by the size distribution of the aerosol. Hygroscopicity governs the water content of an aerosol at elevated relative humidity, and thus determines the size distribution of the hydrated aerosol. Characterization of BBA during the second Fire Lab At Missoula Experiment (FLAME-II) determined that BBA with high inorganic concentrations did not have a single hygroscopicity, but exhibited a bimodal nature. Mechanisms contributing to this bimodality could include condensation of hygrophilic inorganics, release of hygrophobic soot aerosol, presence of non-spherical morphologies, and condensation of volatile organic compounds with low hygroscopicity. Conclusions from FLAME-II attribute the bimodality to externally mixed BBA at a given diameter. Other authors, using different fuels, attribute differences in BBA hygroscopicity to non-spherical morphologies. We measured the hygroscopicity of BBA emitted from the burning of grasses obtained from western Montana in a laboratory burn chamber. The investigation used a newly built Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (TDMA) and a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer together with a new TDMA inversion routine specifically designed for the analysis of multi-charged phenomena. Additionally, we used Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) to assess particle morphology. Outputs from the inversion routine along with images from TEM were used to evaluate reasons for hygroscopicity dependence on mobility diameter.

Effect of facility variation on the acoustic characteristics of three single stream nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gutierrez, O. A.

1980-01-01

The characteristics of the jet noise produced by three single stream nozzles were investigated statistically at the NASA-Lewis Research Center outdoor jet acoustic facility. The nozzles consisted of a 7.6 cm diameter convergent conical, a 10.2 cm diameter convergent conical and an 8-lobe daisy nozzle with 7.6 cm equivalent diameter flow area. The same nozzles were tested previously at cold flow conditions in other facilities such as the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) 7.3 m acoustic wind tunnel. The acoustic experiments at NASA covered pressure ratios from 1.4 to 2.5 at total temperatures of 811 K and ambient. The data obtained with four different microphone arrays are compared. The results are also compared with data taken at the RAE facility and with a NASA prediction procedure.

Dynamics of membrane nanotubes coated with I-BAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barooji, Younes F.; Rørvig-Lund, Andreas; Semsey, Szabolcs; Reihani, S. Nader S.; Bendix, Poul M.

2016-07-01

Membrane deformation is a necessary step in a number of cellular processes such as filopodia and invadopodia formation and has been shown to involve membrane shaping proteins containing membrane binding domains from the IRSp53-MIM protein family. In reconstituted membranes the membrane shaping domains can efficiently deform negatively charged membranes into tubules without any other proteins present. Here, we show that the IM domain (also called I-BAR domain) from the protein ABBA, forms semi-flexible nanotubes protruding into Giant Unilamellar lipid Vesicles (GUVs). By simultaneous quantification of tube intensity and tubular shape we find both the diameter and stiffness of the nanotubes. I-BAR decorated tubes were quantified to have a diameter of ~50 nm and exhibit no stiffening relative to protein free tubes of the same diameter. At high protein density the tubes are immobile whereas at lower density the tubes diffuse freely on the surface of the GUV. Bleaching experiments of the fluorescently tagged I-BAR confirmed that the mobility of the tubes correlates with the mobility of the I-BAR on the GUV membrane. Finally, at low density of I-BAR the protein upconcentrates within tubes protruding into the GUVs. This implies that I-BAR exhibits strong preference for negatively curved membranes.

The ESA/MBB unfurlable mesh antenna development for mobile services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kellermeier, H.; Vorbrugg, H.; Pontoppidan, K.; Eaton, D. C. G.

Mobile services via satellite in the 800-900 MHz frequency range have recently been studied by SPAR Aerospace Ltd in the M-SAT phase B using various unfurlable offset reflector concepts between 9 and 5 m aperture diameters for 6-, 4- and 2-beam coverage. For a 2-beam coverage of Canada and U.S.A. two offset antennas each of 5 m aperture diameter are required. The MBB offset unfurlable mesh antenna (UMA) developed since 1983 under an ESA contract is one of the attractive candidates: The design concept chosen uses foldable radial ribs of carbon fibre which deploy a gold plated molybdenum mesh on adjustable stand-offs. This concept is applicable for offset aperture diameters up to 12 m since the carbon fibre ribs are double folded and provide for a high package density when stowed at the spacecraft during launch. The electrical analysis performed by TICRA/Copenhagen was assisted by electrical measurements on mesh samples, verifying that main charactertics as ohmic resistance, transmission loss and passive intermodulation products (PIMP) lie within the required tolerances if the mesh is pretensioned to a certain configuration. For on-orbit testing and retrieval by the Shuttle the reflector shows a unique design feature of retractability by the reversable deployment sequence.

Evaluation of the safety and durability of low-cost nonprogrammable electric powered wheelchairs.

PubMed

Pearlman, Jonathan L; Cooper, Rory A; Karnawat, Jaideep; Cooper, Rosemarie; Boninger, Michael L

2005-12-01

To evaluate whether a selection of low-cost, nonprogrammable electric-powered wheelchairs (EPWs) meets the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) Wheelchair Standards requirements. Objective comparison tests of various aspects of power wheelchair design and performance of 4 EPW types. Three of each of the following EPWs: Pride Mobility Jet 10 (Pride), Invacare Pronto M50 (Invacare), Electric Mobility Rascal 250PC (Electric Mobility), and the Golden Technologies Alanté GP-201-F (Golden). Rehabilitation engineering research center. Not applicable. Static tipping angle; dynamic tipping score; braking distance; energy consumption; climatic conditioning; power and control systems integrity and safety; and static, impact, and fatigue life (equivalent cycles). Static tipping angle and dynamic tipping score were significantly different across manufacturers for each tipping direction (range, 6.6 degrees-35.6 degrees). Braking distances were significantly different across manufacturers (range, 7.4-117.3 cm). Significant differences among groups were found with analysis of variance (ANOVA). Energy consumption results show that all EPWs can travel over 17 km before the battery is expected to be exhausted under idealized conditions (range, 18.2-32.0 km). Significant differences among groups were found with ANOVA. All EPWs passed the climatic conditioning tests. Several adverse responses were found during the power and control systems testing, including motors smoking during the stalling condition (Electric Mobility), charger safety issues (Electric Mobility, Invacare), and controller failures (Golden). All EPWs passed static and impact testing; 9 of 12 failed fatigue testing (3 Invacare, 3 Golden, 1 Electric Mobility, 2 Pride). Equivalent cycles did not differ statistically across manufacturers (range, 9759-824,628 cycles). Large variability in the results, especially with respect to static tipping, power and control system failures, and fatigue life suggest design improvements must be made to make these low-cost, nonprogrammable EPWs safe and reliable for the consumer. Based on our results, these EPWs do not, in general, meet the ANSI/RESNA Wheelchair Standards requirements.

47 CFR 20.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... effectively available to a substantial portion of the public; or (b) The functional equivalent of such a... Booster. A Consumer Signal Booster designed to be operated in a fixed location in a building. Incumbent... exclusively for a licensee's internal control purposes. Location-capable handsets. Portable or mobile phones...

47 CFR 20.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... effectively available to a substantial portion of the public; or (b) The functional equivalent of such a... Booster. A Consumer Signal Booster designed to be operated in a fixed location in a building. Incumbent... exclusively for a licensee's internal control purposes. Location-capable handsets. Portable or mobile phones...

30 CFR 56.14103 - Operators stations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Safety Devices and Maintenance Requirements § 56.14103 Operators stations. (a) If windows are provided on operators' stations of self-propelled mobile equipment, the windows shall be made of safety glass or material with equivalent safety characteristics. The windows shall be maintained to provide visibility for...

Finite Element Analysis of Bone Stress around Micro-Implants of Different Diameters and Lengths with Application of a Single or Composite Torque Force.

PubMed

Lu, Ying-juan; Chang, Shao-hai; Ye, Jian-tao; Ye, Yu-shan; Yu, Yan-song

2015-01-01

Stress on the bone surrounding dental micro-implants affects implant success. To compare the stress on the bone surrounding a micro-implant after application of a single force (SF) of 200 g or a composite force (CF) of 200 g and 6 N.mm torque. Finite element models were developed for micro-implant diameters of 1.2, 1.6, and 2.0 mm, and lengths of 6, 8, 10, and 12 mm and either a SF or CF was applied. The maximum equivalent stress (Max EQS) of the bone surrounding the micro-implant was determined, and the relationships among type of force, diameter, and length were evaluated. The Max EQS of the CF exceeded that of the SF (P< 0.05). The effect of force on stress was related to implant diameter, but not to implant length. The larger CF led to greater instability of the micro-implant and the effect was most pronounced at an implant diameter of 1.2 mm. The use of implant diameters of 1.6 mm and 2.0 mm produced no significant difference in implant stability when either a CF or SF was applied. When considering the use of an implant to perform three-dimensional control on the teeth, the implant diameter chosen should be > 1.2 mm.

Finite Element Analysis of Bone Stress around Micro-Implants of Different Diameters and Lengths with Application of a Single or Composite Torque Force

PubMed Central

Lu, Ying-juan; Chang, Shao-hai; Ye, Jian-tao; Ye, Yu-shan; Yu, Yan-song

2015-01-01

Background Stress on the bone surrounding dental micro-implants affects implant success. Purpose To compare the stress on the bone surrounding a micro-implant after application of a single force (SF) of 200 g or a composite force (CF) of 200 g and 6 N.mm torque. Materials and Methods Finite element models were developed for micro-implant diameters of 1.2, 1.6, and 2.0 mm, and lengths of 6, 8, 10, and 12 mm and either a SF or CF was applied. The maximum equivalent stress (Max EQS) of the bone surrounding the micro-implant was determined, and the relationships among type of force, diameter, and length were evaluated. Results The Max EQS of the CF exceeded that of the SF (P< 0.05). The effect of force on stress was related to implant diameter, but not to implant length. The larger CF led to greater instability of the micro-implant and the effect was most pronounced at an implant diameter of 1.2 mm. The use of implant diameters of 1.6 mm and 2.0 mm produced no significant difference in implant stability when either a CF or SF was applied. Conclusion When considering the use of an implant to perform three-dimensional control on the teeth, the implant diameter chosen should be > 1.2 mm. PMID:26659581

Long Chain DNA Separation in a Sparse Nanopost Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Jia; Joswiak, Mark; Dorfman, Kevin

2010-11-01

Long chain DNA separation is a challenge for gel lectrophoresis. Our previous DNA separation experiments and simulations demonstrated that a sparse micro post array can separate large DNA. However, the smaller DNA are not well resolved. We hypothesized that smaller posts will increase the collision frequency of the smaller DNA and thus the resolution. We successfully fabricated a hexagonal array of 350 nm diameter posts with a 3 μm spacing using an oxygen plasma etching method. Under an electric field of 10 V/cm, the mobilities of different species ranging from 10-48.5 kilobasepair (kbp) were normalized by the mobility of λ DNA (48.5 kbp), which was included in all experiments as a standard to correct for day-to-day variations in electroosmotic flow. The resolution of these DNA is markedly improved when compared with a 1 μm diameter micropost array. We demonstrate the robustness of the device by using the calibration curve to identify the peaks in a separation of the λ DNA-Mono Cut mix.

Long-term changes in retinal vascular diameter and cognitive impairment in type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Nunley, Karen A; Metti, Andrea L; Klein, Ronald; Klein, Barbara E; Saxton, Judith A; Orchard, Trevor J; Costacou, Tina; Aizenstein, Howard J; Rosano, Caterina

2018-05-01

To assess associations between cognitive impairment and longitudinal changes in retinal microvasculature, over 18 years, in adults with type 1 diabetes. Participants of the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study received ≥3 fundus photographs between baseline (1986-1988) and time of cognitive assessment (2010-2015: N = 119; 52% male; mean age and type 1 diabetes duration 43 and 34 years, respectively). Central retinal arteriolar equivalent and central retinal venular equivalent were estimated via computer-based methods; overall magnitude and speed of narrowing were quantified as cumulative average and slope, respectively. Median regression models estimated associations of central retinal arteriolar equivalent and central retinal venular equivalent measures with cognitive impairment status, adjusted for type 1 diabetes duration. Interactions with HbA1c, proliferative retinopathy and white matter hyperintensities were assessed. Compared with participants without cognitive impairment, those with clinically relevant cognitive impairment experienced 1.8% greater and 31.1% faster central retinal arteriolar equivalent narrowing during prior years (t = -2.93, p = 0.004 and t = -3.97, p < 0.0001, respectively). Interactions with HbA1c, proliferative retinopathy and white matter hyperintensities were not significant. No associations were found between central retinal arteriolar equivalent at baseline, at time of cognitive testing, or any central retinal venular equivalent measures, and cognitive impairment. Long-term arterial retinal changes could indicate type 1 diabetes-related cognitive impairment. Studies examining longitudinal central retinal arteriolar equivalent changes as early biomarkers of cognitive impairment risk are warranted.

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.

Ultra-low noise high electron mobility transistors for high-impedance and low-frequency deep cryogenic readout electronics

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

Dong, Q.; Liang, Y. X.; Ferry, D.

2014-07-07

We report on the results obtained from specially designed high electron mobility transistors at 4.2 K: the gate leakage current can be limited lower than 1 aA, and the equivalent input noise-voltage and noise-current at 1 Hz can reach 6.3 nV/Hz{sup 1∕2} and 20 aA/Hz{sup 1∕2}, respectively. These results open the way to realize high performance low-frequency readout electronics under very low-temperature conditions.

Small-world behaviour in a system of mobile elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manrubia, S. C.; Delgado, J.; Luque, B.

2001-03-01

We analyze the propagation of activity in a system of mobile automata. A number ρLd of elements move as random walkers on a lattice of dimension d, while with a small probability p they can jump to any empty site in the system. We show that this system behaves as a Dynamic Small World (DSW) and present analytic and numerical results for several quantities. Our analysis shows that the persistence time T* (equivalent to the persistence size L* of small-world networks) scales as T* ~ (ρp)-τ, with τ = 1/(d + 1).

Impact of gas backing pressure and geometry of conical nozzle on the formation of methane clusters in supersonic jets.

PubMed

Lu, Haiyang; Chen, Guanglong; Ni, Guoquan; Li, Ruxin; Xu, Zhizhan

2010-01-14

We present an experimental investigation of the dependence of the production of large methane clusters on the cluster source conditions. The clusters were produced at room temperature through supersonic expansion of methane gas at the backing pressures P(0) ranging from 10 to 84 bar using five conical nozzles of different geometries. The cluster size was characterized by Rayleigh scattering measurements and calibrated with Coulomb explosion of the clusters at P(0) = 44 bar subjected to an ultraintense laser pulse. A quantitative evaluation of the performance of the conical nozzles against the nozzle geometry and the backing pressure was made by introducing a parameter delta. Differ from the idealized case where the performance of the conical nozzle can be described by the equivalent sonic nozzle of diameter d(eq), in the present work, the "effective equivalent sonic-nozzle diameter" of the conical nozzle defined by d(eq)* = deltad(eq) is introduced. delta represents the deviation of the performance in cluster formation of the conical nozzles from that predicted on the basis of the concept of the equivalent diameter d(eq) = d/tan alpha, with d being the throat diameter, and alpha the half-opening angle of the conical nozzle. Experimental results show that the cluster growth process will be restricted when the gas backing pressure P(0) is higher and/or d/tan alpha of the conical nozzle becomes larger, resulting in smaller delta. From the experimental data, delta can be expressed by an empirical relation delta = A/[P(0)(B)(d/tan alpha)(1.36)], where A = 8.4 and B = 0.26 for 24 bar

Vessel Sampling and Blood Flow Velocity Distribution With Vessel Diameter for Characterizing the Human Bulbar Conjunctival Microvasculature.

PubMed

Wang, Liang; Yuan, Jin; Jiang, Hong; Yan, Wentao; Cintrón-Colón, Hector R; Perez, Victor L; DeBuc, Delia C; Feuer, William J; Wang, Jianhua

2016-03-01

This study determined (1) how many vessels (i.e., the vessel sampling) are needed to reliably characterize the bulbar conjunctival microvasculature and (2) if characteristic information can be obtained from the distribution histogram of the blood flow velocity and vessel diameter. Functional slitlamp biomicroscope was used to image hundreds of venules per subject. The bulbar conjunctiva in five healthy human subjects was imaged on six different locations in the temporal bulbar conjunctiva. The histograms of the diameter and velocity were plotted to examine whether the distribution was normal. Standard errors were calculated from the standard deviation and vessel sample size. The ratio of the standard error of the mean over the population mean was used to determine the sample size cutoff. The velocity was plotted as a function of the vessel diameter to display the distribution of the diameter and velocity. The results showed that the sampling size was approximately 15 vessels, which generated a standard error equivalent to 15% of the population mean from the total vessel population. The distributions of the diameter and velocity were not only unimodal, but also somewhat positively skewed and not normal. The blood flow velocity was related to the vessel diameter (r=0.23, P<0.05). This was the first study to determine the sampling size of the vessels and the distribution histogram of the blood flow velocity and vessel diameter, which may lead to a better understanding of the human microvascular system of the bulbar conjunctiva.

Simple taper: Taper equations for the field forester

Treesearch

David R. Larsen

2017-01-01

"Simple taper" is set of linear equations that are based on stem taper rates; the intent is to provide taper equation functionality to field foresters. The equation parameters are two taper rates based on differences in diameter outside bark at two points on a tree. The simple taper equations are statistically equivalent to more complex equations. The linear...

PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF EPA'S PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF FEDERAL REFERENCE METHODS AND FEDERAL EQUIVALENT METHODS FOR COARSE PARTICULATE MATTER

EPA Science Inventory

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of sampling methods for potential use as a Federal Reference Method (FRM) capable of providing an estimate of coarse particle (PMc: particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter between 2.5 µm and 10 µm) ...

46 CFR 169.537 - Description of equipment for lifefloats.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... type. Boathook handles must be of clear grained white ash, or equivalent, not less than 6 feet long and 11/2 inches in diameter. (b) Lifeline and pendants. The lifeline and pendants must be as furnished by... in such a way it runs freely when the life float floats away from the sinking vessel. (e) Water light...

French Sizing of Medical Devices is not Fit for Purpose

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

Kibriya, Nabil, E-mail: nabskib@yahoo.co.uk; Hall, Rebecca; Powell, Steven

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to quantify the variation in the metric equivalent of French size in a range of medical devices, from various manufacturers, used in interventional radiology.MethodsThe labelling of a range of catheters, introducers, drains, balloons, stents, and endografts was examined. Products were chosen to achieve a broad range of French sizes from several manufacturers. To assess manufacturing accuracy, eight devices were selected for measurement using a laser micrometer. The external diameters of three specimens of each device were measured at centimeter intervals along the length of the device to ensure uniformity.ResultsA total of 200 labels ofmore » interventional radiology equipment were scrutinized. The results demonstrate a wide variation in the metric equivalent of French sizing. Labelled products can vary in diameter across the product range by up to 0.79 mm.The devices selected for measurement with the non-contact laser micrometer demonstrate acceptable manufacturing consistency. The external diameter differed by 0.05 mm on average.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate wide variation in the interpretation of the French scale by different manufacturers of medical devices. This has the potential to lead to problems using coaxial systems especially when the products are from different manufacturers. It is recommended that standard labelling should be employed by all manufacturers conveying specific details of the equipment. Given the wide variation in the interpretation of the French scale, our opinion is that this scale either needs to be abandoned or be strictly defined and followed.« less

Mobile assemblies of Bennett linkages from four-crease origami patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiao; Chen, Yan

2018-02-01

This paper deals with constructing mobile assemblies of Bennett linkages inspired by four-crease origami patterns. A transition technique has been proposed by taking the thick-panel form of an origami pattern as an intermediate bridge. A zero-thickness rigid origami pattern and its thick-panel form share the same sector angles and folding behaviours, while the thick-panel origami and the mobile assembly of linkages are kinematically equivalent with differences only in link profiles. Applying this transition technique to typical four-crease origami patterns, we have found that the Miura-ori and graded Miura-ori patterns lead to assemblies of Bennett linkages with identical link lengths. The supplementary-type origami patterns with different mountain-valley crease assignments correspond to different types of Bennett linkage assemblies with negative link lengths. And the identical linkage-type origami pattern generates a new mobile assembly. Hence, the transition technique offers a novel approach to constructing mobile assemblies of spatial linkages from origami patterns.

Mobile assemblies of Bennett linkages from four-crease origami patterns.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao; Chen, Yan

2018-02-01

This paper deals with constructing mobile assemblies of Bennett linkages inspired by four-crease origami patterns. A transition technique has been proposed by taking the thick-panel form of an origami pattern as an intermediate bridge. A zero-thickness rigid origami pattern and its thick-panel form share the same sector angles and folding behaviours, while the thick-panel origami and the mobile assembly of linkages are kinematically equivalent with differences only in link profiles. Applying this transition technique to typical four-crease origami patterns, we have found that the Miura-ori and graded Miura-ori patterns lead to assemblies of Bennett linkages with identical link lengths. The supplementary-type origami patterns with different mountain-valley crease assignments correspond to different types of Bennett linkage assemblies with negative link lengths. And the identical linkage-type origami pattern generates a new mobile assembly. Hence, the transition technique offers a novel approach to constructing mobile assemblies of spatial linkages from origami patterns.

Fipronil mobility and transformation in undisturbed soil columns.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Niladri Sekhar; Gupta, Suman

2010-08-01

The downward movement of fipronil and its two toxic metabolites i.e. sulfone and desulfinyl were studied in undisturbed soil columns. Mobility behavior of two different formulations of fipronil viz granular and suspension concentrate were also studied. The undisturbed columns containing sandy loam soil were leached with water equivalent to 400 mm rainfall. Results revealed that although majority of the fipronil (approximately 80%) remained in top 0-5 cm layer, substantial amount (approximately 15%) moved to 5-10 cm depth. In case of metabolites sulfone and desulfinyl >90% of the residues remained in 0-5 cm core indicating low mobility of these metabolites in comparison to fipronil. Results of mobility behavior of fipronil in granular and SC formulations revealed low mobility in granular formulation. Sulfide was detected as the major degradation product in both the formulations and was found to be distributed throughout the column. A little amount of sulfone (0.1% of the total recovered) was also detected upto 10 cm depth.

MOBILE Model and Transportation Planning : A Brief Overview

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-01-01

Americans lose 3.7 billion hours and 2.3 billion gallons of fuel every year sitting in traffic. In 2004, trucks idling in traffic are estimated to have cost the trucking industry some 243 million hours, the equivalent of 17,000 work years, with a cos...

The National Near-Road Mobile Source Air Toxics Study: Las Vegas

EPA Science Inventory

EPA, in collaboration with FHWA, has been involved in a large-scale monitoring research study in an effort to characterize highway vehicle emissions in a near-road environment. The pollutants of interest include particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 microns ...

Parametric test results of a swirl-can combustor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niedzwiecki, R. W.; Jones, R. E.

1973-01-01

Pollutant levels of oxides of nitrogen, unburned hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide were measured for three models of an experimental, annular swirl can combustor. The combustor was 1.067 meters in outer diameter, incorporated 120 modules, and was specifically designed for elevated exit temperature performance. Test conditions included combustor inlet temperatures of 589, 756 and 839 K, inlet pressures of 3 to 6.4 atmospheres, reference velocities of 21 to 38 meters per second and combustor equivalence ratios, based on total combustor flows of 0.206 to 1.028. Maximum oxides of nitrogen emission index values occurred at an equivalence ratio of 0.7 with lower values measured for both higher and lower equivalence ratios. Oxides of nitrogen concentrations, to the 0.7 level with 756 K inlet air, were correlated for the three models by a combined parameter consisting of measured flow and geometric parameters. Effects of the individual parameters comprising the correlation are also presented.

Modeling Percolation in Polymer Nanocomposites by Stochastic Microstructuring

PubMed Central

Soto, Matias; Esteva, Milton; Martínez-Romero, Oscar; Baez, Jesús; Elías-Zúñiga, Alex

2015-01-01

A methodology was developed for the prediction of the electrical properties of carbon nanotube-polymer nanocomposites via Monte Carlo computational simulations. A two-dimensional microstructure that takes into account waviness, fiber length and diameter distributions is used as a representative volume element. Fiber interactions in the microstructure are identified and then modeled as an equivalent electrical circuit, assuming one-third metallic and two-thirds semiconductor nanotubes. Tunneling paths in the microstructure are also modeled as electrical resistors, and crossing fibers are accounted for by assuming a contact resistance associated with them. The equivalent resistor network is then converted into a set of linear equations using nodal voltage analysis, which is then solved by means of the Gauss–Jordan elimination method. Nodal voltages are obtained for the microstructure, from which the percolation probability, equivalent resistance and conductivity are calculated. Percolation probability curves and electrical conductivity values are compared to those found in the literature. PMID:28793594

Size distributions and aerodynamic equivalence of metal chondrules and silicate chondrules in Acfer 059

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skinner, William R.; Leenhouts, James M.

1993-01-01

The CR2 chondrite Acfer 059 is unusual in that the original droplet shapes of metal chondrules are well preserved. We determined separate size distributions for metal chondrules and silicate chondrules; the two types are well sorted and have similar size distributions about their respective mean diameters of 0.74 mm and 1.44 mm. These mean values are aerodynamically equivalent for the contrasting densities, as shown by calculated terminal settling velocities in a model solar nebula. Aerodynamic equivalence and similarity of size distributions suggest that metal and silicate fractions experienced the same sorting process before they were accreted onto the parent body. These characteristics, together with depletion of iron in Acfer 059 and essentially all other chondrites relative to primitive CI compositions, strongly suggest that sorting in the solar nebula involved a radial aerodynamic component and that sorting and siderophile depletion in chondrites are closely related.

Compact, low profile antennas for MSAT and mini-M and Std-M land mobile satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strickland, P. C.

1995-01-01

CAL Corporation has developed a new class of low profile radiating elements for use in planar phased array antennas. These new elements have been used in the design of a low cost, compact, low profile antenna unit for MSAT and INMARSAT Mini-M land mobile satellite communications. The antenna unit which measures roughly 32 cm in diameter by 5 cm deep incorporates a compact LNA and diplexer unit as well as a complete, low cost, beam steering system. CAL has also developed a low profile antenna unit for INMARSAT-M land mobile satellite communications. A number of these units, which utilize a microstrip patch array design, were put into service in 1994.

An analytical investigation of a conceptual design for the station transverse boom rotary joint structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lake, M. S.; Bush, H. G.

1986-01-01

A study was conducted to define an annular ring, discrete roller assembly concept for the space station transverse boom rotary joint. The concept was analyzed using closed-form and finite element techniques, to size structural members for a range of joint diameters and to determine necessary equivalent stiffnesses for the roller assemblies. Also, a mass study of the system was conducted to determine its practicality, and maximum loads in the joint were identified. To obtain the optimum balance between high stiffness and low structural mass in the design of the rotary joint, it is necessary to maximize the diameter of the annular ring within operational constraints (i.e., shuttle cargo bay size). Further, a rotary joint designed with the largest possible ring diameter will result in minimum operational loads in both the roller assemblies and the transition truss members while also allowing minimum design stiffnesses for the roller assemblies.

Shaft balancing

DOEpatents

Irwin, John A.

1979-01-01

A gas turbine engine has an internal drive shaft including one end connected to a driven load and an opposite end connected to a turbine wheel and wherein the shaft has an in situ adjustable balance system near the critical center of a bearing span for the shaft including two 360.degree. rings piloted on the outer diameter of the shaft at a point accessible through an internal engine panel; each of the rings has a small amount of material removed from its periphery whereby both of the rings are precisely unbalanced an equivalent amount; the rings are locked circumferentially together by radial serrations thereon; numbered tangs on the outside diameter of each ring identify the circumferential location of unbalance once the rings are locked together; an aft ring of the pair of rings has a spline on its inside diameter that mates with a like spline on the shaft to lock the entire assembly together.

Cold-air performance of a 12.766-centimeter-tip-diameter axial-flow cooled turbine. 3: Effect of rotor tip clearance on overall performance of a solid blade configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haas, J. E.; Kofskey, M. G.

1977-01-01

Two tip clearance configurations, one with a recess in the casing and the other with a reduced rotor blade height, were investigated at design equivalent speed over a range of tip clearance from about 2.0 to 5.0 percent of the stator blade height. The optimum configuration with a recess in the casing was the one where the rotor tip diameter was equal to the stator tip diameter (zero blade extension). For this configuration there was an approximate 1.5 percent decrease in total efficiency for an increase in tip clearance of 1 percent of stator blade height. For the reduced blade height configurations there was an approximate 2.0 percent decrease in total efficiency for an increase in tip clearance of 1 percent of stator blade height.

A small-diameter NMR logging tool for groundwater investigations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walsh, David; Turner, Peter; Grunewald, Elliot; Zhang, Hong; Butler, James J.; Reboulet, Ed; Knobbe, Steve; Christy, Tom; Lane, John W.; Johnson, Carole D.; Munday, Tim; Fitzpatrick, Andrew

2013-01-01

A small-diameter nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging tool has been developed and field tested at various sites in the United States and Australia. A novel design approach has produced relatively inexpensive, small-diameter probes that can be run in open or PVC-cased boreholes as small as 2 inches in diameter. The complete system, including surface electronics and various downhole probes, has been successfully tested in small-diameter monitoring wells in a range of hydrogeological settings. A variant of the probe that can be deployed by a direct-push machine has also been developed and tested in the field. The new NMR logging tool provides reliable, direct, and high-resolution information that is of importance for groundwater studies. Specifically, the technology provides direct measurement of total water content (total porosity in the saturated zone or moisture content in the unsaturated zone), and estimates of relative pore-size distribution (bound vs. mobile water content) and hydraulic conductivity. The NMR measurements show good agreement with ancillary data from lithologic logs, geophysical logs, and hydrogeologic measurements, and provide valuable information for groundwater investigations.

Nearshore dynamics of artificial sand and oil agglomerates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dalyander, P. Soupy; Plant, Nathaniel G.; Long, Joseph W.; McLaughlin, Molly R.

2015-01-01

Weathered oil can mix with sediment to form heavier-than-water sand and oil agglomerates (SOAs) that can cause beach re-oiling for years after a spill. Few studies have focused on the physical dynamics of SOAs. In this study, artificial SOAs (aSOAs) were created and deployed in the nearshore, and shear stress-based mobility formulations were assessed to predict SOA response. Prediction sensitivity to uncertainty in hydrodynamic conditions and shear stress parameterizations were explored. Critical stress estimates accounting for large particle exposure in a mixed bed gave the best predictions of mobility under shoaling and breaking waves. In the surf zone, the 10-cm aSOA was immobile and began to bury in the seafloor while smaller size classes dispersed alongshore. aSOAs up to 5 cm in diameter were frequently mobilized in the swash zone. The uncertainty in predicting aSOA dynamics reflects a broader uncertainty in applying mobility and transport formulations to cm-sized particles.

Evaluation of a coupled dispersion and aerosol process model against measurements near a major road

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pohjola, M. A.; Pirjola, L.; Karppinen, A.; Härkönen, J.; Ketzel, M.; Kukkonen, J.

2007-02-01

A field measurement campaign was conducted near a major road "Itäväylä" in an urban area in Helsinki in 17-20 February 2003. Aerosol measurements were conducted using a mobile laboratory "Sniffer" at various distances from the road, and at an urban background location. Measurements included particle size distribution in the size range of 7 nm-10 μm (aerodynamic diameter) by the Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI) and in the size range of 3-50 nm (mobility diameter) by Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS), total number concentration of particles larger than 3 nm detected by an ultrafine condensation particle counter (UCPC), temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, driving route of the mobile laboratory, and traffic density on the studied road. In this study, we have compared measured concentration data with the predictions of the road network dispersion model CAR-FMI used in combination with an aerosol process model MONO32. The vehicular exhaust emissions, and atmospheric dispersion and transformation of fine and ultrafine particles was evaluated within the distance scale of 200 m (corresponding to a time scale of a couple of minutes). We computed the temporal evolution of the number concentrations, size distributions and chemical compositions of various particle size classes. The atmospheric dilution rate of particles is obtained from the roadside dispersion model CAR-FMI. Considering the evolution of total number concentration, dilution was shown to be the most important process. The influence of coagulation and condensation on the number concentrations of particle size modes was found to be negligible at this distance scale. Condensation was found to affect the evolution of particle diameter in the two smallest particle modes. The assumed value of the concentration of condensable organic vapour of 1012 molecules cm-3 was shown to be in a disagreement with the measured particle size evolution, while the modelling runs with the concentration of condensable organic vapour of 109-1010 molecules cm-3 resulted in particle sizes that were closest to the measured values.

Laboratory assessment of the mobility of water-dispersed engineered nanoparticles in a red soil (Ultisol)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dengjun; Su, Chunming; Zhang, Wei; Hao, Xiuzhen; Cang, Long; Wang, Yujun; Zhou, Dongmei

2014-11-01

Soils are major sinks of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) as results of land applications of sewage sludge, accidental spills, or deliberate applications of ENPs (e.g., nano-pesticides). In this study, the transport behaviors of four widely used ENPs (i.e., titanium dioxide [TiO2], buckminsterfullerene [C60], single-walled carbon nanotube [SWNT], and elemental silver [Ag0]) were investigated in water-saturated columns packed with either a quartz sand, a red soil (Ultisol), or sand/soil mixtures with soil mass fraction (λ) from 0% to 100% at slightly acidic solution pH (4.0-5.0). The mobility of tested ENPs decreased significantly with increasing λ, which was attributed to increased surface area and/or retention sites imparted by iron oxides, clay minerals, and organic matter in the red soil. Breakthrough curves of all ENPs exhibited blocking effects (decreasing deposition rate over time) and were well-described using an unfavorable and favorable, two-site kinetic attachment model accounting for random sequential adsorption on the favorable site. Modeled maximum retention capacity and first-order attachment rate coefficient on the favorable site both increased linearly with increasing λ, suggesting that transport parameters of ENPs in natural soils may be accurately extrapolated from transport parameters in the sand/soil mixtures. In addition, the mobility of three negatively charged ENPs (C60, SWNT, and Ag0 NPs) was reversely correlated with their average hydrodynamic diameters, highlighting that the average hydrodynamic diameter of negatively charged ENPs is the dominant physicochemical characteristics controlling their mobility in the Ultisol.

A 640 foot per second impact test of a two foot diameter model nuclear reactor containment system without fracture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Puthoff, R. L.

1971-01-01

An impact test was conducted on an 1142 pound 2 foot diameter sphere model. The purpose of this test was to determine the feasibility of containing the fission products of a mobile reactor in an impact. The model simulated the reactor core, energy absorbing gamma shielding, neutron shielding and the containment vessel. It was impacted against an 18,000 pound reinforced concrete block. The model was significantly deformed and the concrete block demolished. No leaks were detected nor cracks observed in the model after impact.

23 CFR 630.1012 - Project-level procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Project-level procedures. 630.1012 Section 630.1012... PRECONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES Work Zone Safety and Mobility § 630.1012 Project-level procedures. (a) This section... maintained at an equivalent or better level than existed prior to project implementation. The scope of the...

A preliminary characterization of parachute wake recontact

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

Strickland, J.H.; Macha, J.M.

1989-01-01

A series of tests was conducted on a 10-ft.-diameter ringslot parachute with a geometric porosity of 20% to establish the conditions under which ''wake recontact'' occurs. The vertical helicopter drop tests covered a range of mass ratios from 0.5 to 3.0 and a range of Froude numbers from 70 to 400. Data consisted of velocity time histories obtained using a laser tracker and diameter time histories obtained from photometric data. A collapse parameter based on the ratio of the maximum parachute diameter to the subsequent minimum diameter was correlated with the mass ratio M/sub R/ and the Froude number Frmore » or equivalently with the initial to final velocity ratio V/sub o//V/sub t/. For large values of V/sub o//V/sub t/ the collapse parameter R/sub c/ appears to be a function of M/sub R/ alone. Non-dimensional opening time and ''collapse time'' data were also correlated with M/sub R/ and V/sub o//V/sub t/. 11 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.« less

Comparison of the PTSD Checklist (PCL) Administered via a Mobile Device Relative to a Paper Form.

PubMed

Price, Matthew; Kuhn, Eric; Hoffman, Julia E; Ruzek, Josef; Acierno, Ron

2015-10-01

Mobile devices are increasingly used to administer self-report measures of mental health symptoms. There are significant differences, however, in the way that information is presented on mobile devices compared to the traditional paper forms that were used to administer such measures. Such differences may systematically alter responses. The present study evaluated if and how responses differed for a self-report measure, the PTSD Checklist (PCL), administered via mobile device relative to paper and pencil. Participants were 153 trauma-exposed individuals who completed counterbalanced administrations of the PCL on a mobile device and on paper. PCL total scores (d = 0.07) and item responses did not meaningfully or significantly differ across administrations. Power was sufficient to detect a difference in total score between administrations determined by prior work of 3.46 with a d = 0.23. The magnitude of differences between administration formats was unrelated to prior use of mobile devices or participant age. These findings suggest that responses to self-report measures administered via mobile device are equivalent to those obtained via paper and they can be used with experienced as well as naïve users of mobile devices. Copyright © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

The short-term effect of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate on retinal vessel diameter in glaucoma patients and age-matched controls.

PubMed

Terai, Naim; Gedenk, Alexandra; Spoerl, Eberhard; Pillunat, Lutz E; Stodtmeister, Richard

2014-08-01

To investigate the effect of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate and non-flavonoid-rich white chocolate on retinal vessel diameter in glaucoma patients and age-matched controls. Thirty glaucoma patients and 30 age-matched subjects were assigned to dark or white chocolate by randomization with forced equal distribution. The number in each of the four groups was 15. Measured parameters included systemic blood pressure (BP), blood glucose levels, static retinal vessel analysis, as measured by central retinal artery equivalent (CRAE) (which relates to the diameter of the central retinal artery), central retinal vein equivalent (CRVE) (which relates to the diameter of central retinal vein) and the arterio-venous ratio (AVR), which represents the CRAE/CRVE ratio, dynamic retinal vessel analysis as measured by the change in vessel diameter in response to flicker light stimulation. Three recording cycles from each were averaged. Blood pressure parameters (systolic BP, diastolic BP and pulse), IOP and blood glucose levels did not differ significantly between both groups before and after consumption of white or dark chocolate. Static vessel analysis did not show any significant changes in CRAE, CRVE or AVR before and after dark or white chocolate in both groups (p > 0.05). Mean dilatation of the venules in the control group was 3.2 ± 0.9 % before dark chocolate and 4.2 ± 1.4 % after dark chocolate intake, which was statistically significantly different (p = 0.01). Mean dilatation of the arterioles in the control group was 2.8 ± 1.8 % before dark chocolate and 3.5 ± 1.8 % after dark chocolate intake with a trend to statistical significance (p = 0.14), but not reaching the significance level. Mean diameter changes in the glaucoma group did not show any significant differences after dark chocolate consumption. The present study showed a significant improvement of venous vasodilatation 2 hr after dark chocolate intake in the control group, but not in the glaucoma group. This effect might be indicative of an increased bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO) after dark chocolate consumption. The lack of finding a significant venous response after dark chocolate in the glaucoma group might be related to the already impaired endothelial function in these patients. © 2014 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mechanics of Nanotubes and Nanotube-Polymer Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, Deepak; Wei, Cheng-Yu; Cho, Kyeong-Jae; Menon, Madhu; Osman, Mohamed; Biegel, Bryan A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

CNT is a tubular form of carbon with diameter as small as 1 nm. Length: few nm to microns. CNT is configurationally equivalent to a two dimensional graphene sheet rolled into a tube. CNT exhibits extraordinary mechanical properties: Young's modulus over 1 Tera Pascal, as stiff as diamond, and tensile strength approx. 200 GPa. CNT can be metallic or semiconducting, depending on chirality.

Impact resistance of hybrid composite fan blade materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedrich, L. A.

1974-01-01

Improved resistance to foreign object damage was demonstrated for hybrid composite simulated blade specimens. Transply metallic reinforcement offered additional improvement in resistance to gelatin projectile impacts. Metallic leading edge protection permitted equivalent-to-titanium performance of the hybrid composite simulated blade specimen for impacts with 1.27 cm and 2.54 cm (0.50 and 1.00 inch) diameter gelatin spheres.

Hair cell tufts and afferent innervation of the bullfrog crista ampullaris

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, Steven F.; Lewis, Edwin R.

1990-01-01

Within the bullfrog semicircular canal crista, hair cell tuft types were defined and mapped with the aid of scanning electron microscopy. Dye-filled planar afferent axons had mean distal axonal diameters of 1.6-4.9 microns, highly branched arbors, and contacted 11-24 hair cells. Dye-filled isthmus afferent axons had mean distal axonal diameters of 1.8-7.9 microns, with either small or large field arbors contacting 4-9 or 25-31 hair cells. The estimated mean number of contacts per innervated hair cell was 2.2 for planar and 1.3 for isthmus afferent neurons. Data on evoked afferent responses were available only for isthmus units that were observed to respond to our microrotational stimuli. Of 21 such afferent neurons, eight were successfully dye-filled. Within this sample, high-gain units had large field arbors and lower-gain units had small field arbors. The sensitivity of each afferent neuron was analyzed in terms of noise equivalent input (NEI), the stimulus amplitude for which the afferent response amplitude is just equivalent to the rms deviation of the instantaneous spike rate. NEI for isthmus units varied from 0.63 to 8.2 deg/s; the mean was 3.2 deg/s.

Low-Cost Large Aperture Telescopes for Optical Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hemmati, Hamid

2006-01-01

Low-cost, 0.5-1 meter ground apertures are required for near-Earth laser communications. Low-cost ground apertures with equivalent diameters greater than 10 meters are desired for deep-space communications. This presentation focuses on identifying schemes to lower the cost of constructing networks of large apertures while continuing to meet the requirements for laser communications. The primary emphasis here is on the primary mirror. A slumped glass spherical mirror, along with passive secondary mirror corrector and active adaptive optic corrector show promise as a low-cost alternative to large diameter monolithic apertures. To verify the technical performance and cost estimate, development of a 1.5-meter telescope equipped with gimbal and dome is underway.

Calibration of optical particle-size analyzer

DOEpatents

Pechin, William H.; Thacker, Louis H.; Turner, Lloyd J.

1979-01-01

This invention relates to a system for the calibration of an optical particle-size analyzer of the light-intercepting type for spherical particles, wherein a rotary wheel or disc is provided with radially-extending wires of differing diameters, each wire corresponding to a particular equivalent spherical particle diameter. These wires are passed at an appropriate frequency between the light source and the light detector of the analyzer. The reduction of light as received at the detector is a measure of the size of the wire, and the electronic signal may then be adjusted to provide the desired signal for corresponding spherical particles. This calibrator may be operated at any time without interrupting other processing.

Characteristic of nanoparticles generated from different nano-powders by using different dispersion methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Chuen-Jinn; Lin, Guan-Yu; Liu, Chun-Nan; He, Chi-En; Chen, Chun-Wan

2012-03-01

A standard rotating drum with a modified sampling train (RD), a vortex shaker (VS), and a SSPD (small-scale powder disperser) were used to investigate the emission characteristics of nano-powders, including nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2, primary diameter: 21 nm), nano-zinc oxide (nano-ZnO, primary diameter: 30-50 nm), and nano-silicon dioxide (nano-SiO2, primary diameter: 10-30 nm). A TSI SMPS (scanning mobility particle sizer), a TSI APS (aerodynamic particle sizer), and a MSP MOUDI (micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor) were used to measure the number and mass distributions of generated particles. Significant differences in specific number and mass concentration or distributions were found among different methods and nano-powders with the most specific number and mass concentration and the smallest particles being generated by the most energetic SSPD, followed by VS and RD. Near uni-modal number or mass distributions were observed for the SSPD while bi-modal number or mass distributions existed for nano-powders except nano-SiO2 which also exhibited bimodal mass distributions. The 30-min average results showed that the mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and number median diameter (NMD) of the SSPD ranged 1.1-2.1 μm and 166-261 nm, respectively, for all three nano-powders, which were smaller than those of the VS (MMAD: 3.3-6.0 μm and NMD: 156-462 nm), and the RD (MMAD: 5.2-11.2 μm and NMD: 198-479 nm). For nano-particles (electric mobility diameter < 100 nm), specific mass concentrations were nearly negligible for all three nano-powders and test methods. Specific number concentrations of nano-particles were low for the RD tester but were elevated when more energetic VS and SSPD testers were used. The quantitative size and concentration data obtained in this study is useful to elucidate the field emission and personal exposure data in the future provided that particle loss in the generation system is carefully assessed.

Effects of mobile phone use on specific intensive care unit devices.

PubMed

Hans, Nidhi; Kapadia, Farhad N

2008-10-01

To observe the effects of mobile phone use in the vicinity of medical devices used in a critical care setting. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) was tested by using two types of mobile phones - GSM and CDMA. Mobile phones were placed at a distance of one foot from three medical devices - syringe pump, mechanical ventilator, and the bedside monitor - in switch off, standby, and talking modes of the phone. Medical devices were observed for any interference caused by the electromagnetic radiations (EMR) from the mobile phones. Out of the three medical devices that were tested, EMI occurred while using the mobile phone in the vicinity of the syringe pump, in the 'talk mode.' The mean variation observed in the calculated and delivered volume of the syringe pump was 2.66 ml. Mechanical ventilator did not show any specific adverse effects with mobile phone use in the one-foot vicinity. No other adverse effects or unexplained malfunctions or shutdown of the syringe pump, mechanical ventilator, or the bedside monitor was noted during the study period of 36 hours. EMI from mobile phones have an adverse effect on the medical devices used in critical care setup. They should be used at least one foot away from the diameter of the syringe pump.

Thoron concentration, aerosol characteristics of 212Pb and estimation of equivalent dose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohery, M.; Abdallah, A. M.; Kelany, Adel M.; Yaghmour, S. J.

2014-08-01

The thoron gas (220Rn) activity concentration as well as activity size distribution of unattached and attached 212Pb to aerosol particles was measured in the open air of Jeddah City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An electroprecipitation method was applied for measuring the 220Rn concentration. A mean activity concentration of 220Rn was determined to be 1.80±0.47 Bq m-3. The unattached activities of 212Pb were collected using the wire screen diffusion battery technique while a low-pressure cascade impactor collected the attached activities. The mean activity median thermodynamic diameter (AMTD) of unattached 212Pb was determined to be 1.32 nm with a relative mean geometric standard deviation (σg) of 1.45. A mean concentration of unattached activity of 212Pb was found to be 9.48±1.12 mBq m-3. A mean unattached fraction (fp) of 0.028±0.002 was obtained at a mean aerosol particle concentration of 29×103 cm-3. Sometimes, the fp values were less than the detection limit of 0.009. A mean activity median aerodynamic diameter (AMAD) of the accumulation mode of attached 212Pb was determined to be 352 nm with a mean (σg) of 2.6. The mean value of specific air activity concentration of 212Pb associated with that mode was determined to be 310±12 mBq m-3. With a dosimetric model calculation (ICRP, 1994) the total and regional deposition fractions, total and regional equivalent doses could be evaluated considering the obtained parameters of the activity size distributions. At a total deposition fraction of about 97% of unattached activities the total equivalent dose to the human lung was determined to be 0.16 μSv while a total equivalent dose of 0.44 μSv was determined at a total deposition fraction of about 23% for the attached activities. It was found that an unattached fraction of fP≈3% yields to about 27% of the total equivalent dose.

Water-level surface in the Chicot equivalent aquifer system in southeastern Louisiana, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tomaszewski, Dan J.

2011-01-01

The Chicot equivalent aquifer system is an important source of freshwater in southeastern Louisiana. In 2005, about 47 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) were withdrawn from the Chicot equivalent aquifer system in East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Livingston, Tangipahoa, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Washington, and West Feliciana Parishes. Concentrated withdrawals exceeded 5 Mgal/d in Bogalusa, the city of Baton Rouge, and in northwestern East Baton Rouge Parish. In the study area, about 30,000 wells screened in the Chicot equivalent aquifer system were registered with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD). These wells were constructed for public-supply, industry, irrigation, and domestic uses. Most of the wells were registered as domestic-use wells and are small-diameter, low-yielding wells. Total withdrawal from the Chicot equivalent aquifer system for domestic use was estimated to be 12 Mgal/d in 2005. This report documents the 2009 water-level surface of the Chicot equivalent aquifer system in southeastern Louisiana. The report also shows differences in water-level measurements for the years 1991 and 2009 at selected sites. Understanding changes and trends in water levels is important for continued use, planning, and management of groundwater resources. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, conducted this study of the water-level surface of the Chicot equivalent aquifer system as part of an ongoing effort to monitor groundwater levels in aquifers in Louisiana.

Large wood storage, longitudinal distribution and mobility in channel segments of four mountain rivers, Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iroume, A.; Mao, L.; Andreoli, A.; Ulloa, H.

2013-12-01

In Chile, besides an anecdotal reference to in-stream wood by Vidal Gormaz (1875), the first report on LW is the one by Andreoli et al. (2007). Since then, more abundant research has developed, focusing mainly on morphologic and hydraulic functions (Comiti et al., 2008; Mao et al., 2008, 2010; Iroumé at al., 2010, 2011; Ulloa et al., 2011), and also on the ecology of low order channels (Vera et al., 2012). Large wood storage, longitudinal distribution and mobility have been studied for several periods in channel segments of four mountain catchments (Pichún, El Toro, Tres Arroyos and Vuelta de Zorra) in southern Chile. The surveyed segments were divided into individual reaches, and the length of each reach was calculated using a laser distance meter and mean individual reach bankfull width and depth were obtained by averaging measurements in cross-sections. All wood pieces found within the bankfull channel more than 10 cm in diameter and 1 m in length were measured and their position was referenced to natural elements and to numbered wooden stakes indicating every reach limit. Several of these wood elements were tagged to study LW mobilization. A 1.54 km-long segment divided into 17 individual reaches was first surveyed in the Tres Arroyos during March-April 2005, and then re-surveyed in November 2008 when the study segment was extended to a total length of 2.07 km with the addition of 5 new individual reaches. Pichún, El Toro and Vuelta de Zorra were first surveyed from November 2008 to February 2009. The length of the channel segments is 1.0 (12 reaches), 2.2 (17 reaches) and 1.56 km (16 reaches) for Pichún, El Toro and Vuelta de Zorra, respectively. These segments have been re-surveyed after every winter rainy season to study LW recruitment and mobility. Using the area of the bankfull channel as reference, total LW volume was 54 m3/ha in Pichún, 202 m3/ha in El Toro, 1449 m3/ha for Tres Arroyos and 109 m3/ha for Vuelta de Zorra. The LW travel distance and travel distance/piece diameter ratio decreased with increasing piece length/mean bankfull ratio. LW mobility (in %, i.e. the ratio between mobilized tagged wood elements and the total number of tagged LW) was significantly higher in periods where maximum water level exceeded channel bankfull height. However, LW diameter, length and travel distance showed no significant variation between periods with flows exceeding and with flows less than bankfull stage. These results contribute to understand the complexity of LW mobilization processes, and can be used to consider wood transport along with peak discharge in designing bridges and culverts in large wood dominated mountain channels. This research is undertaken through Fondecyt Project 1110609.

Adsorption of water from aqueous acetonitrile on silica-based stationary phases in aqueous normal-phase liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Soukup, Jan; Jandera, Pavel

2014-12-29

Excess adsorption of water from aqueous acetonitrile mobile phases was investigated on 16 stationary phases using the frontal analysis method and coulometric Karl-Fischer titration. The stationary phases include silica gel and silica-bonded phases with different polarities, octadecyl and cholesterol, phenyl, nitrile, pentafluorophenylpropyl, diol and zwitterionic sulfobetaine and phosphorylcholine ligands bonded on silica, hybrid organic-silica and hydrosilated matrices. Both fully porous and core-shell column types were included. Preferential uptake of water by the columns can be described by Langmuir isotherms. Even though a diffuse rather than a compact adsorbed discrete layer of water on the adsorbent surface can be formed because of the unlimited miscibility of water with acetonitrile, for convenience, the preferentially adsorbed water was expressed in terms of a hypothetical monomolecular water layer equivalent in the inner pores. The uptake of water strongly depends on the polarity and type of the column. Less than one monomolecular water layer equivalent was adsorbed on moderate polar silica hydride-based stationary phases, Ascentis Express F5 and Ascentis Express CN column at the saturation capacity, while on more polar stationary phases, several water layer equivalents were up-taken from the mobile phase. The strongest affinity to water was observed on the ZIC cHILIC stationary phases, where more than nine water layer equivalents were adsorbed onto its surface at its saturation capacity. Columns with bonded hydroxyl and diol ligands show stronger water adsorption in comparison to bare silica. Columns based on hydrosilated silica generally show significantly decreased water uptake in comparison to stationary phases bonded on ordinary silica. Significant correlations were found between the water uptake and the separation selectivity for compounds with strong polarity differences. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies on low-loss coupling of non-node anti-resonant hollow-core fiber and tapered fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Naiqian; Wang, Zefeng; Liu, Wenbo; Xi, Xiaoming

2017-10-01

Up to now, near almost optical fiber gas lasers employ/adopt the scheme of free-space coupling, which increases the difficulty to adjust the optical path, and has poor stability. All-fiber structure fiber-gas lasers are important development directions in the future. We established the numerical model of SMF-28 type tapered single-mode fiber and non-node hollow-core fiber. When the SMF-28 type single-mode fiber has a waist diameter of 40μm when the light source is LP01 fundamental mode with 1550nm wavelength, the mode field diameter is the largest. Meanwhile, we simulated that the equivalent mode field diameter of non-node anti-resonant hollow-core fiber is about 75μm at the same 1550nm wavelength light source. Then, we use different waist diameters of SMF-28 type tapered fibers injected to the non-node anti-resonant hollow-core fiber in simulation and experiments. In the scheme of the single-ended low-loss coupling, the simulation results indicate that the best waist diameter of tapered fiber is 40μm, and the calculated maximum coupling efficiency is 83.55%. Meanwhile, the experimental result of maximum coupling efficiency is 80.74% when the best waist diameter of tapered fiber is also 40μm. As for the double-ended low-loss coupling, the calculated maximum coupling efficiency is near 83.38%.

Twentieth-century decline of large-diameter trees in Yosemite National Park, California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lutz, J.A.; van Wagtendonk, J.W.; Franklin, J.F.

2009-01-01

Studies of forest change in western North America often focus on increased densities of small-diameter trees rather than on changes in the large tree component. Large trees generally have lower rates of mortality than small trees and are more resilient to climate change, but these assumptions have rarely been examined in long-term studies. We combined data from 655 historical (1932-1936) and 210 modern (1988-1999) vegetation plots to examine changes in density of large-diameter trees in Yosemite National Park (3027 km2). We tested the assumption of stability for large-diameter trees, as both individual species and communities of large-diameter trees. Between the 1930s and 1990s, large-diameter tree density in Yosemite declined 24%. Although the decrease was apparent in all forest types, declines were greatest in subalpine and upper montane forests (57.0% of park area), and least in lower montane forests (15.3% of park area). Large-diameter tree densities of 11 species declined while only 3 species increased. Four general patterns emerged: (1) Pinus albicaulis, Quercus chrysolepis, and Quercus kelloggii had increases in density of large-diameter trees occur throughout their ranges; (2) Pinus jeffreyi, Pinus lambertiana, and Pinus ponderosa, had disproportionately larger decreases in large-diameter tree densities in lower-elevation portions of their ranges; (3) Abies concolor and Pinus contorta, had approximately uniform decreases in large-diameter trees throughout their elevational ranges; and (4) Abies magnifica, Calocedrus decurrens, Juniperus occidentalis, Pinus monticola, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Tsuga mertensiana displayed little or no change in large-diameter tree densities. In Pinus ponderosa-Calocedrus decurrens forests, modern large-diameter tree densities were equivalent whether or not plots had burned since 1936. However, in unburned plots, the large-diameter trees were predominantly A. concolor, C. decurrens, and Q. chrysolepis, whereas P. ponderosa dominated the large-diameter component of burned plots. Densities of large-diameter P. ponderosa were 8.1 trees ha-1 in plots that had experienced fire, but only 0.5 trees ha-1 in plots that remained unburned. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel mobile phone application to assess nutrition environment measures in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Kanter, Rebecca; Alvey, Jeniece; Fuentes, Deborah

2014-09-01

Consumer nutrition environment measures are important to understanding the food environment, which affects individual dietary intake. A nutrition environment measures survey for supermarkets (NEMS-S) has been designed on paper for use in Guatemala. However, a paper survey is not an inconspicuous data collection method. To design, pilot test, and validate the Guatemala NEMS-S in the form of a mobile phone application (mobile app). CommCare, a free and open-source software application, was used to design the NEMS-S for Guatemala in the form of a mobile app. Two raters tested the mobile app in a single Guatemalan supermarket. Both the interrater and the test-retest reliability of the mobile app were determined using percent agreement and Cohen's kappa score and compared with the interrater and test-retest reliability of the paper version. Interrater reliability was very high between the paper survey and the mobile app (Cohen's kappa > 0.90). Test-retest reliability ranged from kappa 0.78 to 0.91. Between two certified NEMS-S raters, survey completion time using the mobile app was 5 minutes less than that with the paper form (35 vs. 40 minutes). The NEMS-S mobile app provides for more rapid data collection, with equivalent reliability and validity to the NEMS-S paper version, with advantages over a paper-based survey of multiple language capability and concomitant data entry.

Small, Untethered, Mobile Robots for Inspecting Gas Pipes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilcox, Brian

2003-01-01

Small, untethered mobile robots denoted gas-pipe explorers (GPEXs) have been proposed for inspecting the interiors of pipes used in the local distribution natural gas. The United States has network of gas-distribution pipes with a total length of approximately 109 m. These pipes are often made of iron and steel and some are more than 100 years old. As this network ages, there is a need to locate weaknesses that necessitate repair and/or preventive maintenance. The most common weaknesses are leaks and reductions in thickness, which are caused mostly by chemical reactions between the iron in the pipes and various substances in soil and groundwater. At present, mobile robots called pigs are used to inspect and clean the interiors of gas-transmission pipelines. Some carry magnetic-flux-leakage (MFL) sensors for measuring average wall thicknesses, some capture images, and some measure sizes and physical conditions. The operating ranges of pigs are limited to fairly straight sections of wide transmission- type (as distinguished from distribution- type) pipes: pigs are too large to negotiate such obstacles as bends with radii comparable to or smaller than pipe diameters, intrusions of other pipes at branch connections, and reductions in diameter at valves and meters. The GPEXs would be smaller and would be able to negotiate sharp bends and other obstacles that typically occur in gas-distribution pipes.

Measurements of ultrafine particles carrying different number of charges in on- and near-freeway environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eon S.; Xu, Bin; Zhu, Yifang

2012-12-01

This paper presents measurements of electrical charges on ultrafine particles (UFPs) of different electrical mobility diameters (30, 50, 80, and 100 nm) in on- and near-freeway environments. Using a tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA) system, we first examined the fraction of UFPs carrying different number of charges on two distinctive freeways: a gasoline-vehicle dominated freeway (I-405) and a heavy-duty diesel truck dominated freeway (I-710). The fractions of UFPs of a given size carrying one or more charges were significantly higher on the freeways than in the background. The background UFPs only carried up to two charges but freeway UFPs could have up to three charges. The total fraction of charged particles was higher on the I-710 than I-405 across the studied electrical mobility diameters. Near the I-405 freeway, we observed a strong decay of charged particles on the downwind side of the freeway. We also found fractional decay of the charged particles was faster than total particle number concentrations, but slower than total ion concentrations downwind from the freeway I-405. Among charged particles, the highest decay rate was observed for particles carrying three charges. Near the I-710 freeway, we found strong net positive charges on nucleation mode particles, suggesting that UFPs were not at steady-state charge equilibrium near freeways.

Structural Change of Aerosol Particle Aggregates with Exposure to Elevated Relative Humidity.

PubMed

Montgomery, James F; Rogak, Steven N; Green, Sheldon I; You, Yuan; Bertram, Allan K

2015-10-20

Structural changes of aggregates composed of inorganic salts exposed to relative humidity (RH) between 0 and 80% after formation at selected RH between 0 and 60% were investigated using a tandem differential mobility analyzer (TDMA) and fluorescence microscopy. The TDMA was used to measure a shift in peak mobility diameter for 100-700 nm aggregates of hygroscopic aerosol particles composed of NaCl, Na2SO4, (NH4)2SO4, and nonhygroscopic Al2O3 as the RH was increased. Aggregates of hygroscopic particles were found to shrink when exposed to RH greater than that during the aggregation process. The degree of aggregate restructuring is greater for larger aggregates and greater increases in RH. Growth factors (GF) calculated from mobility diameter measurements as low as 0.77 were seen for NaCl before deliquescence. The GF subsequently increased to 1.23 at 80% RH, indicating growth after deliquescence. Exposure to RH lower than that experienced during aggregation did not result in structural changes. Fluorescent microscopy confirmed that aggregates formed on wire surfaces undergo an irreversible change in structure when exposed to elevated RH. Analysis of 2D movement of aggregates shows a displacement of 5-13% compared to projected length of initial aggregate from a wire surface. Surface tension due to water adsorption within the aggregate structure is a potential cause of the structural changes.

Triazines mobility in sugarcane cultivated soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Portocarrero, Rocio; Aparicio, Virginia; de Gerónimo, Eduardo; Costa, José Luis

2017-04-01

Atrazine and ametryn are pre and post-emergence herbicides, widely used in sugarcane crops in Argentina. Both herbicides are characterized by their moderate to high mobility in soil. The mobility increases with higher soil pH and lower organic matter content (OM). Tucuman province has the main sugarcane cultivated area in the country (>65%), which lies over a shallow aquifer and drains to the Salí river. Most of the cultivated soils from the southeast of the province have a pH> 7.3 and OM< 2.5%, therefore it is expected that atrazine and ametryn would have a high risk of mobility. The aim of this study was to estimate the leaching potential of atrazine and ametryn in soils from the southeast of Tucuman under sugarcane production. Miscible displacement experiments were carried out using undisturbed topsoil cores from four production fields, by triplicate. Each column was 15 cm length and 8 cm diameter. The dose of atrazine and ametryn that was applied in the columns corresponds to the equivalent dose used in the field of 2 kg ha-1a.i and 1.2 kg ha-1a.i respectively. Br- was used as a tracer molecule and it was applied previous to the herbicides pulse at a concentration of 150 BrK kg ha-1. Displacement was made with CaCl2 (0.01M) at a flow of 0.4 ml min-1, constant temperature (21°C) and unsaturated conditions (-0,5 m). The leached water samples were analyzed by ultra performance liquid chromatography (Waters® ACQUITY® UPLC) coupled to a mass spectrometer (MS/MSQuattro Premier XE Waters).The breakthrough curves (BTCs) for each compound were estimated by the convection-dispersion equation (using CXTFIT 2.0 program) in order to estimate the transport parameters. Results showed that the hydraulic transport was in equilibrium conditions, meaning that all the soil water is involved in solute convective transport. This could be explained by a soil porosity composed mainly by micro and mesopores, due to natural conditions or by tillage and harvest practices. Water velocity and dispersion range were 0.73-1.6 cm h-1 and 0.24-2.3 cm2 h-1 respectively. Atrazine had asymmetric BTCs, revealing chemical non-equilibrium conditions, with at least two adsorption-desorption sites participating in the process. Retardation coefficients were between 8-14 units. In contrast, ametryn concentrations in leached samples were low and inconsistent, so no BTCs could be described. Atrazine leaching potential was high in the studied soils. This herbicide is a well-known mobile molecule, found in many rural catchments and aquifers, independently of the soil type and the unsaturated properties or climatic conditions. On the contrary, ametryn had a higher potential to be sorbed and was less mobile than atrazine. This implies that there is a higher risk of contaminating groundwater with atrazine than with ametryn in the southeast soils of Tucuman.

47 CFR 20.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... pending pursuant to section 332(c)(1)(B) of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. 332(c)(1)(B). A mobile... 47 Telecommunication 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Definitions. 20.3 Section 20.3... effectively available to a substantial portion of the public; or (b) The functional equivalent of such a...

Aboriginal Students and School Mobility in British Columbia Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aman, Cheryl

2008-01-01

In British Columbia, K-12 school Aboriginal students' completion rates are far from equivalent to those of their non-Aboriginal peers. In addition, there is a high degree of variability in Aboriginal students' school completion rates across schools and communities. Administrative data associating approximately 1.5 million school census records of…

Implementation of focal zooming on the Nike KrF laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kehne, D. M.; Karasik, M.; Aglitsky, Y.; Smyth, Z.; Terrell, S.; Weaver, J. L.; Chan, Y.; Lehmberg, R. H.; Obenschain, S. P.

2013-01-01

In direct drive inertial confinement laser fusion, a pellet containing D-T fuel is imploded by ablation arising from absorption of laser energy at its outer surface. For optimal coupling, the focal spot of the laser would continuously decrease to match the reduction in the pellet's diameter, thereby minimizing wasted energy. A krypton-fluoride laser (λ = 248 nm) that incorporates beam smoothing by induced spatial incoherence has the ability to produce a high quality focal profile whose diameter varies with time, a property known as focal zooming. A two-stage focal zoom has been demonstrated on the Nike laser at the Naval Research Laboratory. In the experiment, a 4.4 ns laser pulse was created in which the on-target focal spot diameter was 1.3 mm (full width at half maximum) for the first 2.4 ns and 0.28 mm for the final 2 ns. These two diameters appear in time-integrated focal plane equivalent images taken at several locations in the amplification chain. Eight of the zoomed output beams were overlapped on a 60 μm thick planar polystyrene target. Time resolved images of self-emission from the rear of the target show the separate shocks launched by the two corresponding laser focal diameters.

Implementation of focal zooming on the Nike KrF laser.

PubMed

Kehne, D M; Karasik, M; Aglitsky, Y; Smyth, Z; Terrell, S; Weaver, J L; Chan, Y; Lehmberg, R H; Obenschain, S P

2013-01-01

In direct drive inertial confinement laser fusion, a pellet containing D-T fuel is imploded by ablation arising from absorption of laser energy at its outer surface. For optimal coupling, the focal spot of the laser would continuously decrease to match the reduction in the pellet's diameter, thereby minimizing wasted energy. A krypton-fluoride laser (λ = 248 nm) that incorporates beam smoothing by induced spatial incoherence has the ability to produce a high quality focal profile whose diameter varies with time, a property known as focal zooming. A two-stage focal zoom has been demonstrated on the Nike laser at the Naval Research Laboratory. In the experiment, a 4.4 ns laser pulse was created in which the on-target focal spot diameter was 1.3 mm (full width at half maximum) for the first 2.4 ns and 0.28 mm for the final 2 ns. These two diameters appear in time-integrated focal plane equivalent images taken at several locations in the amplification chain. Eight of the zoomed output beams were overlapped on a 60 μm thick planar polystyrene target. Time resolved images of self-emission from the rear of the target show the separate shocks launched by the two corresponding laser focal diameters.

Stability and transport of graphene oxide nanoparticles in groundwater and surface water

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A transport study investigating the effects of natural organic matter (NOM) in the presence of monovalent (KCl) and divalent (CaCl2) salts was performed in a packed bed column. The electrophoretic mobility (EPM) and effective diameter of the graphene oxide nanoparticles (GONPs) were measured as a fu...

Undisturbed soil columns for lysimetry II. Miscible displacement and field evaluation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Concerns about agriculture's effect on water quality and the expanding use of no-tillage, has produced a crucial need for in situ solute transport research of mobile nutrients as affected by tillage system. Eight undisturbed soil columns (41 cm diameter by 100 cm long) were sealed into PVC cylinder...

Radiation from mobile phone systems: Is it perceived as a threat to people's health?

PubMed

Kristiansen, Ivar S; Elstein, Arthur S; Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte; Kildemoes, Helle W; Nielsen, Jesper B

2009-07-01

The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence, nature and determinants of concerns about mobile phone radiation. We used data from a 2006 telephone survey of 1004 people aged 15+ years in Denmark. Twenty-eight percent of the respondents were concerned about exposure to mobile phone radiation; radiation from masts was of concern to about 15%. In contrast, 82% were concerned about pollution. Nearly half of the respondents considered the mortality risk of 3G phones and masts to be of the same order of magnitude as being struck by lightning (0.1 fatalities per million people per year) while 7% thought it was equivalent to tobacco-induced lung cancer (approximately 500 fatalities per million per year). Among women, concerns about mobile phone radiation were positively associated with educational attainment, perceived mobile phone mortality risk and concerns about unknown consequences of new technologies. More than two thirds of the respondents felt that they had received inadequate public information about the 3G system. The results of the study indicate that the majority of the population has little concern about mobile phone radiation while a small minority is very concerned. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Practical Issues of Wireless Mobile Devices Usage with Downlink Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krejcar, Ondrej; Janckulik, Dalibor; Motalova, Leona

Mobile device makers produce tens of new complex mobile devices per year to put users a special mobile device with a possibility to do anything, anywhere, anytime. These devices can operate full scale applications with nearly the same comfort as their desktop equivalents only with several limitations. One of such limitation is insufficient download on wireless connectivity in case of the large multimedia files. Main area of paper is in a possibilities description of solving this problem as well as the test of several new mobile devices along with server interface tests and common software descriptions. New devices have a full scale of wireless connectivity which can be used not only to communication with outer land. Several such possibilities of use are described. Mobile users will have also an online connection to internet all time powered on. Internet is mainly the web pages but the web services use is still accelerate up. The paper deal also with a possibility of maximum user amounts to have a connection at same time to current server type. At last the new kind of database access - Linq technology is compare to ADO.NET in response time meaning.

Multi-Scale Simulations of Carbon Nanotubes: Mechanics and Electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, Deepak

2003-01-01

Carbon Nanotube (CNT) is a tubular form of carbon with diameter as small as 1 nm. Length: few mn to microns. CNT is configurationally equivalent to a two dimensional graphene sheet rolled into a tube. CNT exhibits extraordinary mechanical properties; Young's modulus over 1 Tera Pascal, as stiff as diamond, and tensile strength approx. 200 GPa. CNT can be metallic or semiconducting, depending on chirality.

10 CFR Appendix J1 to Subpart B of... - Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Automatic and Semi-Automatic Clothes...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... clothes washer design can achieve spin speeds in the 500g range. When this matrix is repeated 3 times, a...) or an equivalent extractor with same basket design (i.e. diameter, length, volume, and hole... materially inaccurate comparative data, field testing may be appropriate for establishing an acceptable test...

Microdosimetric investigation at the therapeutic proton beam facility of CATANA.

PubMed

De Nardo, L; Moro, D; Colautti, P; Conte, V; Tornielli, G; Cuttone, G

2004-01-01

Proton beams (62 Mev) are used by the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud of the Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics to treat eye melanoma tumours at the therapeutic facility called CATANA. A cylindrical slim tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) of 2.7 mm external diameter has been used to compare the radiation quality of two spread-out Bragg peaks (SOBP) at the CATANA proton beam.

Post hoc support vector machine learning for impedimetric biosensors based on weak protein-ligand interactions.

PubMed

Rong, Y; Padron, A V; Hagerty, K J; Nelson, N; Chi, S; Keyhani, N O; Katz, J; Datta, S P A; Gomes, C; McLamore, E S

2018-04-30

Impedimetric biosensors for measuring small molecules based on weak/transient interactions between bioreceptors and target analytes are a challenge for detection electronics, particularly in field studies or in the analysis of complex matrices. Protein-ligand binding sensors have enormous potential for biosensing, but achieving accuracy in complex solutions is a major challenge. There is a need for simple post hoc analytical tools that are not computationally expensive, yet provide near real time feedback on data derived from impedance spectra. Here, we show the use of a simple, open source support vector machine learning algorithm for analyzing impedimetric data in lieu of using equivalent circuit analysis. We demonstrate two different protein-based biosensors to show that the tool can be used for various applications. We conclude with a mobile phone-based demonstration focused on the measurement of acetone, an important biomarker related to the onset of diabetic ketoacidosis. In all conditions tested, the open source classifier was capable of performing as well as, or better, than the equivalent circuit analysis for characterizing weak/transient interactions between a model ligand (acetone) and a small chemosensory protein derived from the tsetse fly. In addition, the tool has a low computational requirement, facilitating use for mobile acquisition systems such as mobile phones. The protocol is deployed through Jupyter notebook (an open source computing environment available for mobile phone, tablet or computer use) and the code was written in Python. For each of the applications, we provide step-by-step instructions in English, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese to facilitate widespread use. All codes were based on scikit-learn, an open source software machine learning library in the Python language, and were processed in Jupyter notebook, an open-source web application for Python. The tool can easily be integrated with the mobile biosensor equipment for rapid detection, facilitating use by a broad range of impedimetric biosensor users. This post hoc analysis tool can serve as a launchpad for the convergence of nanobiosensors in planetary health monitoring applications based on mobile phone hardware.

Does the choice of mobile C-arms lead to a reduction of the intraoperative radiation dose?

PubMed

Richter, P H; Steinbrener, J; Schicho, A; Gebhard, F

2016-08-01

Mobile C-arm imaging is commonly used in operating rooms worldwide. Especially in orthopaedic surgery, intraoperative C-arms are used on a daily basis. Because of new minimally-invasive surgical procedures a development in intraoperative imaging is required. The purpose of this article is investigate if the choice of mobile C-arms with flat panel detector technology (Siemens Cios Alpha and Ziehm Vision RFD) influences image quality and dose using standard, commercially available test devices. For a total of four clinical application settings, two zoom formats, and all dose levels provided, the transmission dose was measured and representative images were recorded for each test device. The data was scored by four observers to assess low contrast and spatial resolution performance. The results were converted to a relative image quality figure allowing for a direct image quality and dose comparison of the two systems. For one test device, the Cios Alpha system achieved equivalent (within the inter-observer standard error) or better low contrast resolution scores at significantly lower dose levels, while the results of the other test device suggested that both systems achieved similar image quality at the same dose. The Cios Alpha system achieved equivalent or better spatial resolution at significantly lower dose for all application settings except for Cardiac, where a comparable spatial resolution was achieved at the same dose. The correct choice of a mobile C-arm is very important, because it can lead to a reduction of the intraoperative radiation dose without negative effects on image quality. This can be a big advantage to reduce intraoperative radiation not only for the patient but also for the entire OR-team. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Are We There Yet? Exploring the Impact of Translating Cognitive Tests for Dementia Using Mobile Technology in an Aging Population.

PubMed

Ruggeri, Kai; Maguire, Áine; Andrews, Jack L; Martin, Eric; Menon, Shantanu

2016-01-01

This study examines implications of the expanded use of mobile platforms in testing cognitive function, and generates evidence on the impact utilizing mobile platforms for dementia screen. The Saint Louis University Mental State examination (SLUMS) was ported onto a computerized mobile application named the Cambridge University Pen to Digital Equivalence assessment (CUPDE). CUPDE was piloted and compared to the traditional pen and paper version, with a common comparator test for both groups. Sixty healthy participants (aged 50-79) completed both measurements. Differences were tested between overall outcomes, individual items, and relationship with the comparator. Significant differences in the overall scores between the two testing versions as well as within individual items were observed. Even when groups were matched by cognitive function and age, scores on SLUMS original version (M = 19.75, SD = 3) were significantly higher than those on CUPDE (M = 15.88, SD = 3.5), t (15) = 3.02, p < 0.01. Mobile platforms require the development of new normative standards, even when items can be directly translated. Furthermore, these must fit aging populations with significant variance in familiarity with mobile technology. Greater understanding of the interplay and related mechanisms between auditory and visual systems, which are not well understood yet in the context of mobile technologies, is mandatory.

X-cube model on generic lattices: Fracton phases and geometric order

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slagle, Kevin; Kim, Yong Baek

2018-04-01

Fracton order is a new kind of quantum order characterized by topological excitations that exhibit remarkable mobility restrictions and a robust ground-state degeneracy (GSD) which can increase exponentially with system size. In this paper, we present a generic lattice construction (in three dimensions) for a generalized X-cube model of fracton order, where the mobility restrictions of the subdimensional particles inherit the geometry of the lattice. This helps explain a previous result that lattice curvature can produce a robust GSD, even on a manifold with trivial topology. We provide explicit examples to show that the (zero-temperature) phase of matter is sensitive to the lattice geometry. In one example, the lattice geometry confines the dimension-1 particles to small loops, which allows the fractons to be fully mobile charges, and the resulting phase is equivalent to (3+1)-dimensional toric code. However, the phase is sensitive to more than just lattice curvature; different lattices without curvature (e.g., cubic or stacked kagome lattices) also result in different phases of matter, which are separated by phase transitions. Unintuitively, however, according to a previous definition of phase [X. Chen et al., Phys. Rev. B 82, 155138 (2010), 10.1103/PhysRevB.82.155138], even just a rotated or rescaled cubic results in different phases of matter, which motivates us to propose a coarser definition of phase for gapped ground states and fracton order. This equivalence relation between ground states is given by the composition of a local unitary transformation and a quasi-isometry (which can rotate and rescale the lattice); equivalently, ground states are in the same phase if they can be adiabatically connected by varying both the Hamiltonian and the positions of the degrees of freedom (via a quasi-isometry). In light of the importance of geometry, we further propose that fracton orders should be regarded as a geometric order.

Aerosol Inlet Characterization Experiment Report

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

Bullard, Robert L.; Kuang, Chongai; Uin, Janek

2017-05-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility Aerosol Observation System inlet stack was characterized for particle penetration efficiency from 10 nm to 20 μm in diameter using duplicate scanning mobility particle sizers (10 nm-450 nm), ultra-high-sensitivity aerosol spectrometers (60 nm-μm), and aerodynamic particle sizers (0.5 μm-20 μm). Results show good model-measurement agreement and unit transmission efficiency of aerosols from 10 nm to 4 μm in diameter. Large uncertainties in the measured transmission efficiency exist above 4 μm due to low ambient aerosol signal in that size range.

Control of electroosmosis in coated quartz capillaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herren, Blair J.; Van Alstine, James; Snyder, Robert S.; Shafer, Steven G.; Harris, J. Milton

1987-01-01

The effectiveness of various coatings for controlling the electroosmotic fluid flow that hinders electrophoretic processes is studied using analytical particle microelectrophoresis. The mobilities of 2-micron diameter glass and polystyrene latex spheres (exhibiting both negative and zero effective surface charge) were measured in 2-mm diameter quartz capillaries filled with NaCl solutions within the 3.5-7.8 pH range. It is found that capillary inner surface coatings using 5000 molecular weight (or higher) poly(ethylene glycol): significantly reduced electroosmosis within the selected pH range, were stable for long time periods, and appeared to be more effective than dextran, methylcellulose, or silane coatings.

Mass spectrometric analysis and aerodynamic properties of various types of combustion-related aerosol particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, J.; Weimer, S.; Drewnick, F.; Borrmann, S.; Helas, G.; Gwaze, P.; Schmid, O.; Andreae, M. O.; Kirchner, U.

2006-12-01

Various types of combustion-related particles in the size range between 100 and 850 nm were analyzed with an aerosol mass spectrometer and a differential mobility analyzer. The measurements were performed with particles originating from biomass burning, diesel engine exhaust, laboratory combustion of diesel fuel and gasoline, as well as from spark soot generation. Physical and morphological parameters like fractal dimension, effective density, bulk density and dynamic shape factor were derived or at least approximated from the measurements of electrical mobility diameter and vacuum aerodynamic diameter. The relative intensities of the mass peaks in the mass spectra obtained from particles generated by a commercial diesel passenger car, by diesel combustion in a laboratory burner, and by evaporating and re-condensing lubrication oil were found to be very similar. The mass spectra from biomass burning particles show signatures identified as organic compounds like levoglucosan but also others which are yet unidentified. The aerodynamic behavior yielded a fractal dimension (Df) of 2.09 +/- 0.06 for biomass burning particles from the combustion of dry beech sticks, but showed values around three, and hence more compact particle morphologies, for particles from combustion of more natural oak. Scanning electron microscope images confirmed the finding that the beech combustion particles were fractal-like aggregates, while the oak combustion particles displayed a much more compact shape. For particles from laboratory combusted diesel fuel, a Df value of 2.35 was found, for spark soot particles, Df [approximate] 2.10. The aerodynamic properties of fractal-like particles from dry beech wood combustion indicate an aerodynamic shape factor [chi] that increases with electrical mobility diameter, and a bulk density of 1.92 g cm-3. An upper limit of [chi] [approximate] 1.2 was inferred for the shape factor of the more compact particles from oak combustion.

A photonic crystal fiber glucose sensor filled with silver nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, X. C.; Lu, Y.; Wang, M. T.; Yao, J. Q.

2016-01-01

We report a photonic crystal fiber glucose sensor filled with silver nanowires in this paper. The proposed sensor is both analyzed by COMSOL multiphysics software and demonstrated by experiments. The extremely high average spectral sensitivity 19009.17 nm/RIU for experimental measurement is obtained, equivalent to 44.25 mg/dL of glucose in water, which is lower than 70 mg/dL for efficient detection of hypoglycemia episodes. The silver nanowires diameter which may affect the sensor's spectral sensitivity is also discussed and an optimal range of silver nanowires diameter 90-120 nm is obtained. We expect that the sensor can provide an effective platform for glucose sensing and potentially leading to a further development towards minimal-invasive glucose measurement.

Homogeneous Bacterial Aerosols Produced with a Spinning-Disc Generator

PubMed Central

Harstad, J. Bruce; Filler, Melvin E.; Hushen, William T.; Decker, Herbert M.

1970-01-01

Aerosols composed of viable particles of a uniform size were produced with a commercial spinning-disc generator from aqueous suspensions of Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores containing various amounts of an inert material, dextran, to regulate aerosol particle size. Aerosols composed of single naked spores having an equivalent spherical diameter of 0.87 μm were produced from spore suspensions without dextran, whereas aerosols produced from suspensions containing 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, and 1% dextran had median diameters of 0.90, 1.04, 1.80, and 3.62 μm, respectively. Such aerosols, both homogeneous and viable, would be useful for calibrating air sampling devices, evaluating air filter systems, or for employment wherever aerosol behavior may be size-dependent. Images PMID:4989672

Going wireless and booth-less for hearing testing in industry.

PubMed

Meinke, Deanna K; Norris, Jesse A; Flynn, Brendan P; Clavier, Odile H

2017-01-01

To assess the test-retest variability of hearing thresholds obtained with an innovative, mobile wireless automated hearing-test system (WAHTS) with enhanced sound attenuation to test industrial workers at a worksite as compared to standardised automated hearing thresholds obtained in a mobile trailer sound booth. A within-subject repeated-measures design was used to compare air-conducted threshold tests (500-8000 Hz) measured with the WAHTS in six workplace locations, and a third test using computer-controlled audiometry obtained in a mobile trailer sound booth. Ambient noise levels were measured in all test environments. Twenty workers served as listeners and 20 workers served as operators. On average, the WAHTS resulted in equivalent thresholds as the mobile trailer audiometry at 1000, 2000, 3000 and 8000 Hz and thresholds were within ±5 dB at 500, 4000 and 6000 Hz. Comparable performance may be obtained with the WAHTS in occupational audiometry and valid thresholds may be obtained in diverse test locations without the use of sound-attenuating enclosures.

Application of neural models as controllers in mobile robot velocity control loop

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cerkala, Jakub; Jadlovska, Anna

2017-01-01

This paper presents the application of an inverse neural models used as controllers in comparison to classical PI controllers for velocity tracking control task used in two-wheel, differentially driven mobile robot. The PI controller synthesis is based on linear approximation of actuators with equivalent load. In order to obtain relevant datasets for training of feed-forward multi-layer perceptron based neural network used as neural model, the mathematical model of mobile robot, that combines its kinematic and dynamic properties such as chassis dimensions, center of gravity offset, friction and actuator parameters is used. Neural models are trained off-line to act as an inverse dynamics of DC motors with particular load using data collected in simulation experiment for motor input voltage step changes within bounded operating area. The performances of PI controllers versus inverse neural models in mobile robot internal velocity control loops are demonstrated and compared in simulation experiment of navigation control task for line segment motion in plane.

Dual adaptive dynamic control of mobile robots using neural networks.

PubMed

Bugeja, Marvin K; Fabri, Simon G; Camilleri, Liberato

2009-02-01

This paper proposes two novel dual adaptive neural control schemes for the dynamic control of nonholonomic mobile robots. The two schemes are developed in discrete time, and the robot's nonlinear dynamic functions are assumed to be unknown. Gaussian radial basis function and sigmoidal multilayer perceptron neural networks are used for function approximation. In each scheme, the unknown network parameters are estimated stochastically in real time, and no preliminary offline neural network training is used. In contrast to other adaptive techniques hitherto proposed in the literature on mobile robots, the dual control laws presented in this paper do not rely on the heuristic certainty equivalence property but account for the uncertainty in the estimates. This results in a major improvement in tracking performance, despite the plant uncertainty and unmodeled dynamics. Monte Carlo simulation and statistical hypothesis testing are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the two proposed stochastic controllers as applied to the trajectory-tracking problem of a differentially driven wheeled mobile robot.

Use of vancomycin silica stationary phase in packed capillary electrochromatography: III. enantiomeric separation of basic compounds with the polar organic mobile phase.

PubMed

Fanali, Salvatore; Catarcini, Paolo; Quaglia, Maria Giovanna

2002-02-01

The separation of basic compounds into their enantiomers was achieved using capillary electrochromatography in 50 or 75 microm inner diameter (ID) fused-silica capillaries packed with silica a stationary phase derivatized with vancomycin and mobile phases composed of mixtures of polar organic solvents containing 13 mM ammonium acetate. Enantiomer resolution, electroosmotic flow, and the number of theoretical plates were strongly influenced by the type and concentration of the organic solvent. Mobile phases composed of 13 mM ammonium acetate dissolved in mixtures of acetonitrile/methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, or isopropanol were tested and the highest enantioresolutions were achieved using the first mobile phase, allowing the separation of almost all investigated enantiomers (9 from 11 basic compounds). The use of capillaries with different ID (50 and 75 microm ID) packed with the same chiral stationary phase revealed that a higher number of theoretical plates and higher enantioresolution was achieved with the tube with lowest ID.

Mechanical Design and Testing of an Instrumented Rocker-Bogie Mobility System for the Kapvik Micro-Rover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setterfield, T.

The rocker-bogie mobility system is a six-wheeled mobility system with the ability to equilibrate ground pressure amongst its wheels and traverse obstacles up to one wheel diameter in height; it has been used previously on NASA's Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity rovers. This paper presents the mechanical design of an instrumented rocker-bogie mobility system for Kapvik, a 30 kg planetary micro-rover prototype developed for the Canadian Space Agency. The design of the wheel drive system is presented, including: motor selection, gear train selection, and performance limits. The design of a differential mechanism, which minimizes the pitch angle of the rover body, is provided. Design considerations for the integration of single-axis force sensors above the wheel hubs are presented. Structural analysis of the rocker and bogie links is outlined. The cross-hill and uphill-downhill static stability of Kapvik is investigated. Load cell and joint position data from testing during obstacle negotiation and uphill operation are presented.

Detonation propagation in a high loss configuration

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

Jackson, Scott I; Shepherd, Joseph E

2009-01-01

This work presents an experimental study of detonation wave propagation in tubes with inner diameters (ID) comparable to the mixture cell size. Propane-oxygen mixtures were used in two test section tubes with inner diameters of 1.27 mm and 6.35 mm. For both test sections, the initial pressure of stoichiometric mixtures was varied to determine the effect on detonation propagation. For the 6.35 mm tube, the equivalence ratio {phi} (where the mixture was {phi} C{sub 3}H{sub 8} + 50{sub 2}) was also varied. Detonations were found to propagate in mixtures with cell sizes as large as five times the diameter ofmore » the tube. However, under these conditions, significant losses were observed, resulting in wave propagation velocities as slow as 40% of the CJ velocity U{sub CJ}. A review of relevant literature is presented, followed by experimental details and data. Observed velocity deficits are predicted using models that account for boundary layer growth inside detonation waves.« less

Estimating surface hardening profile of blank for obtaining high drawing ratio in deep drawing process using FE analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, C. J.; Aslian, A.; Honarvar, B.; Puborlaksono, J.; Yau, Y. H.; Chong, W. T.

2015-12-01

We constructed an FE axisymmetric model to simulate the effect of partially hardened blanks on increasing the limiting drawing ratio (LDR) of cylindrical cups. We partitioned an arc-shaped hard layer into the cross section of a DP590 blank. We assumed the mechanical property of the layer is equivalent to either DP980 or DP780. We verified the accuracy of the model by comparing the calculated LDR for DP590 with the one reported in the literature. The LDR for the partially hardened blank increased from 2.11 to 2.50 with a 1 mm depth of DP980 ring-shaped hard layer on the top surface of the blank. The position of the layer changed with drawing ratios. We proposed equations for estimating the inner and outer diameters of the layer, and tested its accuracy in the simulation. Although the outer diameters fitted in well with the estimated line, the inner diameters are slightly less than the estimated ones.

Mobile phase additives for enhancing the chromatographic performance of astaxanthin on nonendcapped polymeric C30-bonded stationary phases.

PubMed

Kaiser, Philipp; Surmann, Peter; Fuhrmann, Herbert

2009-01-01

Astaxanthin shows peak deformation and reduced peak area response when eluted with methanol and methyl tert-butyl ether on nonendcapped polymeric C30-bonded HPLC phases. The present study tested different column manufacturers, column batches, and ten mobile phase additives including acids, bases, buffers, complexing and antioxidant agents for improvement of peak shape and peak area response. Concerning chromatographic benefits and feasibility, ammonium acetate was found to be the best additive followed by triethylamine for all columns tested. Variation of the mobile phase pH equivalent and the column temperature showed no synergistic effects on peak shape and peak area response. Results indicate that peak tailing and variation of peak area response are due to different on-column effects. Possible mechanisms of the observed phenomenon will be discussed.

[Investigation on Mobile Phone Based Thermal Imaging System and Its Preliminary Application].

PubMed

Li, Fufeng; Chen, Feng; Liu, Jing

2015-03-01

The technical structure of a low-cost thermal imaging system (TIM) lunched on a mobile phone was investigated, which consists of a thermal infrared module and mobile phone and application software. The designing strategies and technical factors toward realizing various TIM array performances are interpreted, including sensor cost and Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference (NETD). In the software algorithm, a mechanism for scene-change detection was implemented to optimize the efficiency of non-uniformity correction (NUC). The performance experiments and analysis indicate that the NETD of the system can be smaller than 150 mK when the integration time is larger than 16 frames. Furthermore, a practical application for human temperature monitoring during physical exercise is proposed and interpreted. The measurement results support the feasibility and facility of the system in the medical application.

Direct observation of small cluster mobility and ripening

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heinemann, K.; Poppa, H.

1976-01-01

Direct evidence is reported for the simultaneous occurrence of Ostwald ripening and short-distance cluster mobility during annealing of discontinuous metal films on clean amorphous substrates. The annealing characteristics of very thin particulate deposits of silver on amorphized clean surfaces of single-crystalline thin graphite substrates have been studied by in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) under controlled environmental conditions in the temperature range from 25 to 450 C. It was possible to monitor all stages of the experiments by TEM observation of the same specimen area. Slow Ostwald ripening was found to occur over the entire temperature range, but the overriding surface transport mechanism was short-distance cluster mobility. This was concluded from in situ observations of individual particles during annealing and from measurements of cluster size distributions, cluster number densities, area coverages, and mean cluster diameters.

Pollen-imprinted polyurethanes for QCM allergen sensors.

PubMed

Jenik, Michael; Seifner, Alexandra; Lieberzeit, Peter; Dickert, Franz L

2009-05-01

Molecularly imprinted polymers for detecting plant pollen were designed as artificial recognition materials for quartz crystal microbalances in the gaseous phase. Imprints of birch (diameter, 25 mum) and nettle (diameter, 15 mum) pollen can be generated by polydimethylsiloxane stamping technique as proven by atomic force microscopy. If pollen grains are able to access the cavities and thus are incorporated, the resulting sensors display Sauerbrey-like negative frequency shifts. Non-Sauerbrey behaviour can be observed as soon as pollen is prevented from entering the selective hollows: this results in grain mobility on the electrode surface leading to frequency increases. Access to the cavities is determined by the diameter ratio between pollen grains and imprints as can be revealed during cross-selectivity measurements of nettle and birch pollen imprinted layers. When the amount of pollen grains on the electrode surface exceeds the number of available imprints, the excess particles move freely, resulting in positive, non-Sauerbrey frequency shifts.

Beach profile modification and sediment transport by ice: an overlooked process on Lake Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barnes, P.W.; Kempema, E.W.; Reimnitz, E.; McCormick, M.; Weber, W.S.; Hayden, E.C.

1993-01-01

Coastal lake ice includes a belt of mobile crash and slush ice and a stable nearshore-ice complex (NIC). Sediment concentrations indicate that the NIC and the belt of brash and slush contains 180 to 280 t (113 to 175m3) of sand per kilometer of coast. This static sediment load is roughly equivalent to the average amount of sand eroded from the bluffs and to the amount accumulating in the deep lake basin each year. Sediment is being rafted alongshore in the mobile brash and slush at rates of 10 to 30 cm/sec. -from Authors

New Control Paradigms for Resources Saving: An Approach for Mobile Robots Navigation.

PubMed

Socas, Rafael; Dormido, Raquel; Dormido, Sebastián

2018-01-18

In this work, an event-based control scheme is presented. The proposed system has been developed to solve control problems appearing in the field of Networked Control Systems (NCS). Several models and methodologies have been proposed to measure different resources consumptions. The use of bandwidth, computational load and energy resources have been investigated. This analysis shows how the parameters of the system impacts on the resources efficiency. Moreover, the proposed system has been compared with its equivalent discrete-time solution. In the experiments, an application of NCS for mobile robots navigation has been set up and its resource usage efficiency has been analysed.

New Control Paradigms for Resources Saving: An Approach for Mobile Robots Navigation

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

In this work, an event-based control scheme is presented. The proposed system has been developed to solve control problems appearing in the field of Networked Control Systems (NCS). Several models and methodologies have been proposed to measure different resources consumptions. The use of bandwidth, computational load and energy resources have been investigated. This analysis shows how the parameters of the system impacts on the resources efficiency. Moreover, the proposed system has been compared with its equivalent discrete-time solution. In the experiments, an application of NCS for mobile robots navigation has been set up and its resource usage efficiency has been analysed. PMID:29346321

The versatility of a truss mounted mobile transporter for in-space construction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bush, Harold G.; Lake, Mark S.; Watson, Judith J.; Heard, Walter L., Jr.

1988-01-01

The Mobile Transporter (MT) evolution from early erectable structures assembly activities is detailed. The MT operational features which are required to support astronauts performing on-orbit structure construction or spacecraft assembly functions are presented and discussed. Use of the MT to perform a variety of assembly functions is presented. Estimated EVA assembly times for a precision segmented reflector approximately 20 m in diameter are presented. The EVA/MT technique under study for construction of the reflector (and the entire spacecraft) is illustrated. Finally, the current status of development activities and test results involving the MT and Space Station structural assembly are presented.

Characterization and variability of pollutant concentrations for the Las Vegas implementation of the National Near-Road Mobile Source Air Toxics Study

EPA Science Inventory

EPA, in collaboration with FHWA, has been involved in a large-scale monitoring research study in an effort to characterize highway vehicle emissions in a near-road environment. The pollutants of interest include particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 microns ...

Fluorescence lidar multi-color imaging of vegetation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johansson, J.; Wallinder, E.; Edner, H.; Svanberg, S.

1992-01-01

Multi-color imaging of vegetation fluorescence following laser excitation is reported for distances of 50 m. A mobile laser radar system equipped with a Nd:YAG laser transmitter and a 40 cm diameter telescope was used. Image processing allows extraction of information related to the physiological status of the vegetation and might prove useful in forest decline research.

Evaluation and modelling of the size fractionated aerosol particle number concentration measurements nearby a major road in Helsinki - Part I: Modelling results within the LIPIKA project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pohjola, M. A.; Pirjola, L.; Karppinen, A.; Härkönen, J.; Korhonen, H.; Hussein, T.; Ketzel, M.; Kukkonen, J.

2007-08-01

A field measurement campaign was conducted near a major road "Itäväylä" in an urban area in Helsinki in 17-20 February 2003. Aerosol measurements were conducted using a mobile laboratory "Sniffer" at various distances from the road, and at an urban background location. Measurements included particle size distribution in the size range of 7 nm-10 μm (aerodynamic diameter) by the Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI) and in the size range of 3-50 nm (mobility diameter) by Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS), total number concentration of particles larger than 3 nm detected by an ultrafine condensation particle counter (UCPC), temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, driving route of the mobile laboratory, and traffic density on the studied road. In this study, we have compared measured concentration data with the predictions of the road network dispersion model CAR-FMI used in combination with an aerosol process model MONO32. For model comparison purposes, one of the cases was additionally computed using the aerosol process model UHMA, combined with the CAR-FMI model. The vehicular exhaust emissions, and atmospheric dispersion and transformation of fine and ultrafine particles was evaluated within the distance scale of 200 m (corresponding to a time scale of a couple of minutes). We computed the temporal evolution of the number concentrations, size distributions and chemical compositions of various particle size classes. The atmospheric dilution rate of particles is obtained from the roadside dispersion model CAR-FMI. Considering the evolution of total number concentration, dilution was shown to be the most important process. The influence of coagulation and condensation on the number concentrations of particle size modes was found to be negligible on this distance scale. Condensation was found to affect the evolution of particle diameter in the two smallest particle modes. The assumed value of the concentration of condensable organic vapour of 1012 molecules cm-3 was shown to be in a disagreement with the measured particle size evolution, while the modelling runs with the concentration of condensable organic vapour of 109-1010 molecules cm-3 resulted in particle sizes that were closest to the measured values.

Live tree carbon stock equivalence of fire and fuels extension to the Forest Vegetation Simulator and Forest Inventory and Analysis approaches

Treesearch

James E. Smith; Coeli M. Hoover

2017-01-01

The carbon reports in the Fire and Fuels Extension (FFE) to the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) provide two alternate approaches to carbon estimates for live trees (Rebain 2010). These are (1) the FFE biomass algorithms, which are volumebased biomass equations, and (2) the Jenkins allometric equations (Jenkins and others 2003), which are diameter based. Here, we...

CHRIS: Hazard Assessment Handbook

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-12-12

3.10 Vectorial Addition of Sea and Wind Currents 50 B1 Flame Length for Gases Venting Through Holes 177 B2 Equivalent...determined are: • Flame length (flame height), • Safe distance for people (away from the flame) • Safe distance for people in fire-protective clothing (away...pencil so it can be erased) Determine the flame length from Figure B1, using the venting hole diameter and the curve corresponding to the specific

Air Blast Calculations

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

composition C-4 (C4), a polymer-bonded explosive (PBXN-109), and nitromethane (NM). Each charge diameter (CD) is assumed to be 17.46 cm (equivalent to a 10-lb... explosive detonates, the rapid expansion of reaction gases generates a shock wave that propagates into the surrounding medium. The pressure history at a...spherical explosive charge suspended in air. A comparison of the results obtained using CTH are made to ones generated using the Friedlander

29 CFR (non - mandatory) Appendix A to Subpart L of Part 1926-Scaffold Specifications

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... equivalent in strength to at least 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) diameter improved plow steel wire rope. (s) Float (ship... wire or synthetic rope, and shall be supported by angle irons attached to brackets welded to the steel... inch lumber; or 11/4 inch × 1/8 inch structural angle iron; or 1 inch × .070 inch wall steel tubing; or...

29 CFR (non - mandatory) appendix A to Subpart L of Part 1926-Scaffold Specifications

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... equivalent in strength to at least 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) diameter improved plow steel wire rope. (s) Float (ship... wire or synthetic rope, and shall be supported by angle irons attached to brackets welded to the steel... inch lumber; or 11/4 inch × 1/8 inch structural angle iron; or 1 inch × .070 inch wall steel tubing; or...

Retractor Tool for Brain Surgery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helms, R.; Hayes, T.

1982-01-01

Proposed brain-surgery tool has an octogonal fixture for positioning latex tube over incision. Eight stainless-steel wires embedded in latex extend to hold positioning fixture. Another eight are also embedded in the latex. Concentric sleeves are successively inserted into expandable latex tube. The first sleeve is placed over a solid rod. Last sleeve is a stainless-steel tube 1 inch in diameter. It is overcoated with Teflon (or equivalent) material.

47 CFR 25.212 - Narrowband analog transmissions and digital transmissions in the GSO Fixed Satellite Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... kHz (or up to 1 MHz for command carriers at the band edge) if the equivalent diameter of the... dBW/4 kHz, transmitted satellite carrier EIRP density will not exceed 17 dBW/4 kHz, and the... greater, input power spectral density into the antenna will not exceed −14 dBW/4 kHz, transmitted...

Process for producing silicon nitride based articles of high fracture toughness and strength

DOEpatents

Huckabee, Marvin; Buljan, Sergej-Tomislav; Neil, Jeffrey T.

1991-01-01

A process for producing a silicon nitride-based article of improved fracture toughness and strength. The process involves densifying to at least 98% of theoretical density a mixture including (a) a bimodal silicon nitride powder blend consisting essentially of about 10-30% by weight of a first silicon nitride powder of an average particle size of about 0.2 .mu.m and a surface area of about 8-12 m.sup.2 /g, and about 70-90% by weight of a second silicon nitride powder of an average particle size of about 0.4-0.6 .mu.m and a surface area of about 2-4 m.sup.2 /g, (b) about 10-50 percent by volume, based on the volume of the densified article, of refractory whiskers or fibers having an aspect ratio of about 3-150 and having an equivalent diameter selected to produce in the densified article an equivalent diameter ratio of the whiskers or fibers to grains of silicon nitride of greater than 1.0, and (c) an effective amount of a suitable oxide densification aid. Optionally, the mixture may be blended with a binder and injection molded to form a green body, which then may be densified by, for example, hot isostatic pressing.

Process for producing silicon nitride based articles of high fracture toughness and strength

DOEpatents

Huckabee, M.; Buljan, S.T.; Neil, J.T.

1991-09-10

A process for producing a silicon nitride-based article of improved fracture toughness and strength is disclosed. The process involves densifying to at least 98% of theoretical density a mixture including (a) a bimodal silicon nitride powder blend consisting essentially of about 10-30% by weight of a first silicon nitride powder of an average particle size of about 0.2 [mu]m and a surface area of about 8-12 m[sup 2]/g, and about 70-90% by weight of a second silicon nitride powder of an average particle size of about 0.4-0.6 [mu]m and a surface area of about 2-4 m[sup 2]/g, (b) about 10-50 percent by volume, based on the volume of the densified article, of refractory whiskers or fibers having an aspect ratio of about 3-150 and having an equivalent diameter selected to produce in the densified article an equivalent diameter ratio of the whiskers or fibers to grains of silicon nitride of greater than 1.0, and (c) an effective amount of a suitable oxide densification aid. Optionally, the mixture may be blended with a binder and injection molded to form a green body, which then may be densified by, for example, hot isostatic pressing.

Power mixture and green body for producing silicon nitride base articles of high fracture toughness and strength

DOEpatents

Huckabee, M.L.; Buljan, S.T.; Neil, J.T.

1991-09-17

A powder mixture and a green body for producing a silicon nitride-based article of improved fracture toughness and strength are disclosed. The powder mixture includes (a) a bimodal silicon nitride powder blend consisting essentially of about 10-30% by weight of a first silicon nitride powder of an average particle size of about 0.2 [mu]m and a surface area of about 8-12m[sup 2]g, and about 70-90% by weight of a second silicon nitride powder of an average particle size of about 0.4-0.6 [mu]m and a surface area of about 2-4 m[sup 2]/g, (b) about 10-50 percent by volume, based on the volume of the densified article, of refractory whiskers or fibers having an aspect ratio of about 3-150 and having an equivalent diameter selected to produce in the densified article an equivalent diameter ratio of the whiskers or fibers to grains of silicon nitride of greater than 1.0, and (c) an effective amount of a suitable oxide densification aid. The green body is formed from the powder mixture, an effective amount of a suitable oxide densification aid, and an effective amount of a suitable organic binder. No Drawings

Power mixture and green body for producing silicon nitride base & articles of high fracture toughness and strength

DOEpatents

Huckabee, Marvin L.; Buljan, Sergej-Tomislav; Neil, Jeffrey T.

1991-01-01

A powder mixture and a green body for producing a silicon nitride-based article of improved fracture toughness and strength. The powder mixture includes 9a) a bimodal silicon nitride powder blend consisting essentially of about 10-30% by weight of a first silicon mitride powder of an average particle size of about 0.2 .mu.m and a surface area of about 8-12m.sup.2 g, and about 70-90% by weight of a second silicon nitride powder of an average particle size of about 0.4-0.6 .mu.m and a surface area of about 2-4 m.sup.2 /g, (b) about 10-50 percent by volume, based on the volume of the densified article, of refractory whiskers or fibers having an aspect ratio of about 3-150 and having an equivalent diameter selected to produce in the densified articel an equivalent diameter ratio of the whiskers or fibers to grains of silicon nitride of greater than 1.0, and (c) an effective amount of a suitable oxide densification aid. The green body is formed from the powder mixture, an effective amount of a suitable oxide densification aid, and an effective amount of a suitable organic binder.

Combustion characteristics in the transition region of liquid fuel sprays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cernansky, N. P.; Namer, I.; Tidona, R. J.

1986-01-01

A number of important effects have been observed in the droplet size transition region in spray combustion systems. In this region, where the mechanism of flame propagation is transformed from diffusive to premixed dominated combustion, the following effects have been observed: (1) maxima in burning velocity; (2) extension of flammability limits; (3) minima in ignition energy; and (4) minima in NOx formation. A monodisperse aerosol generator has been used to form and deliver a well controlled liquid fuel spray to the combustion test section where measurements of ignition energy have been made. The ignition studies were performed on monodisperse n-heptane sprays at atmospheric pressure over a range of equivalence ratios and droplet diameters. A capacitive discharge spark ignition system was used as the ignition source, providing independent control of spark energy and duration. Preliminary measurements were made to optimize spark duration and spark gap, optimum conditions being those at which the maximum frequency or probability of ignition was observed. Using the optimum electrode spacing and spark duration, the frequency of ignition was determined as a function of spark energy for three overall equivalence ratios (0.6, 0.8, and 1.0) and for initial droplet diameters of 25, 40, 50, 60, and 70 micro m.

Applying Hanford Tank Mixing Data to Define Pulse Jet Mixer Operation

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

Wells, Beric E.; Bamberger, Judith A.; Recknagle, Kurtis P.

Pulse jet mixed (PJM) process vessels are being developed for storing, blending, and chemical processing of nuclear waste slurries at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) to be built at Hanford, Washington. These waste slurries exhibit variable process feed characteristics including Newtonian to non-Newtonian rheologies over a range of solids loadings. Waste feed to the WTP from the Hanford Tank Farms will be accomplished via the Waste Feed Delivery (WFD) system which includes million-gallon underground storage double-shell tanks (DSTs) with dual-opposed jet mixer pumps. Experience using WFD type jet mixer pumps to mobilize actual Hanford waste in DSTs maymore » be used to establish design threshold criteria of interest to pulse jet mixed process vessel operation. This paper describes a method to evaluate the pulse jet mixed vessel capability to process waste based on information obtained during mobilizing and suspending waste by the WFD system jet mixer pumps in a DST. Calculations of jet velocity and wall shear stress in a specific pulse jet mixed process vessel were performed using a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. The CFD-modelled process vessel consists of a 4.9-m- (16-ft-) diameter tank with a 2:1 semi-elliptical head, a single, 10-cm (4-in.) downward facing 60-degree conical nozzle, and a 0.61-m (24-in.) inside diameter PJM. The PJM is located at 70% of the vessel radius with the nozzle stand-off-distance 14 cm (6 in.) above the vessel head. The CFD modeled fluid velocity and wall shear stress can be used to estimate vessel waste-processing performance by comparison to available actual WFD system process data. Test data from the operation of jet mixer pumps in the 23-m (75-ft) diameter DSTs have demonstrated mobilization, solid particles in a sediment matrix were moved from their initial location, and suspension, mobilized solid particles were moved to a higher elevation in the vessel than their initial location, of waste solids. Jet mixer pumps were used in Hanford waste tank 241-AZ-101, and at least 95% of the 0.46-m (18-in.) deep sediment, with a shear strength of 1,500 to 4,200 Pa, was mobilized. Solids with a median particle size of 43 μm, 90th percentile of 94μm, were suspended in tank 241-AZ-101 to at least 5.5 m (216 in.) above the vessel bottom. Analytical calculations for this jet mixer pump test were used to estimate the velocities and wall shear stress that mobilized and suspended the waste. These velocities and wall shear stresses provide design threshold criteria which are metrics for system performance that can be evaluated via testing. If the fluid motion in a specific pulse jet mixed process vessel meets or exceeds the fluid motion of the demonstrated performance in the WFD system, confidence is provided that that vessel will similarly mobilize and suspend those solids if they were within the WTP. The single PJM CFD-calculated jet velocity and wall shear stress compare favorably with the design threshold criterion estimated for the tank 241-AZ-101 process data. Therefore, for both mobilization and suspension, the performance data evaluated from the WFD system testing increases confidence that the performance of the pulse jet mixed process vessels will be sufficient to process that waste even if that waste is not fully characterized.« less

Primary and Aggregate Size Distributions of PM in Tail Pipe Emissions form Diesel Engines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arai, Masataka; Amagai, Kenji; Nakaji, Takayuki; Hayashi, Shinji

Particulate matter (PM) emission exhausted from diesel engine should be reduced to keep the clean air environment. PM emission was considered that it consisted of coarse and aggregate particles, and nuclei-mode particles of which diameter was less than 50nm. However the detail characteristics about these particles of the PM were still unknown and they were needed for more physically accurate measurement and more effective reduction of exhaust PM emission. In this study, the size distributions of solid particles in PM emission were reported. PMs in the tail-pipe emission were sampled from three type diesel engines. Sampled PM was chemically treated to separate the solid carbon fraction from other fractions such as soluble organic fraction (SOF). The electron microscopic and optical-manual size measurement procedures were used to determine the size distribution of primary particles those were formed through coagulation process from nuclei-mode particles and consisted in aggregate particles. The centrifugal sedimentation method was applied to measure the Stokes diameter of dry-soot. Aerodynamic diameters of nano and aggregate particles were measured with scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS). The peak aggregate diameters detected by SMPS were fallen in the same size regime as the Stokes diameter of dry-soot. Both of primary and Stokes diameters of dry-soot decreased with increases of engine speed and excess air ratio. Also, the effects of fuel properties and engine types on primary and aggregate particle diameters were discussed.

Beam hardening and partial beam hardening of the bowtie filter: Effects on dosimetric applications in CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez-Rendon, X.; Zhang, G.; Bosmans, H.; Oyen, R.; Zanca, F.

2014-03-01

Purpose: To estimate the consequences on dosimetric applications when a CT bowtie filter is modeled by means of full beam hardening versus partial beam hardening. Method: A model of source and filtration for a CT scanner as developed by Turner et. al. [1] was implemented. Specific exposures were measured with the stationary CT X-ray tube in order to assess the equivalent thickness of Al of the bowtie filter as a function of the fan angle. Using these thicknesses, the primary beam attenuation factors were calculated from the energy dependent photon mass attenuation coefficients and used to include beam hardening in the spectrum. This was compared to a potentially less computationally intensive approach, which accounts only partially for beam hardening, by giving the photon spectrum a global (energy independent) fan angle specific weighting factor. Percentage differences between the two methods were quantified by calculating the dose in air after passing several water equivalent thicknesses representative for patients having different BMI. Specifically, the maximum water equivalent thickness of the lateral and anterior-posterior dimension and of the corresponding (half) effective diameter were assessed. Results: The largest percentage differences were found for the thickest part of the bowtie filter and they increased with patient size. For a normal size patient they ranged from 5.5% at half effective diameter to 16.1% for the lateral dimension; for the most obese patient they ranged from 7.7% to 19.3%, respectively. For a complete simulation of one rotation of the x-ray tube, the proposed method was 12% faster than the complete simulation of the bowtie filter. Conclusion: The need for simulating the beam hardening of the bow tie filter in Monte Carlo platforms for CT dosimetry will depend on the required accuracy.

Study of microdosimetric energy deposition patterns in tissue-equivalent medium due to low-energy neutron fields using a graphite-walled proportional counter.

PubMed

Waker, A J; Aslam

2011-06-01

To improve radiation protection dosimetry for low-energy neutron fields encountered in nuclear power reactor environments, there is increasing interest in modeling neutron energy deposition in metrological instruments such as tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCs). Along with these computational developments, there is also a need for experimental data with which to benchmark and test the results obtained from the modeling methods developed. The experimental work described in this paper is a study of the energy deposition in tissue-equivalent (TE) medium using an in-house built graphite-walled proportional counter (GPC) filled with TE gas. The GPC is a simple model of a standard TEPC because the response of the counter at these energies is almost entirely due to the neutron interactions in the sensitive volume of the counter. Energy deposition in tissue spheres of diameter 1, 2, 4 and 8 µm was measured in low-energy neutron fields below 500 keV. We have observed a continuously increasing trend in microdosimetric averages with an increase in neutron energy. The values of these averages decrease as we increase the simulated diameter at a given neutron energy. A similar trend for these microdosimetric averages has been observed for standard TEPCs and the Rossi-type, TE, spherical wall-less counter filled with propane-based TE gas in the same energy range. This implies that at the microdosimetric level, in the neutron energy range we employed in this study, the pattern of average energy deposited by starter and insider proton recoil events in the gas is similar to those generated cumulatively by crosser and stopper events originating from the counter wall plus starter and insider recoil events originating in the sensitive volume of a TEPC.

Microwave Properties of Ice-Phase Hydrometeors for Radar and Radiometers: Sensitivity to Model Assumptions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Benjamin T.; Petty, Grant W.; Skofronick-Jackson, Gail

2012-01-01

A simplied framework is presented for assessing the qualitative sensitivities of computed microwave properties, satellite brightness temperatures, and radar reflectivities to assumptions concerning the physical properties of ice-phase hydrometeors. Properties considered included the shape parameter of a gamma size distribution andthe melted-equivalent mass median diameter D0, the particle density, dielectric mixing formula, and the choice of complex index of refraction for ice. We examine these properties at selected radiometer frequencies of 18.7, 36.5, 89.0, and 150.0 GHz; and radar frequencies at 2.8, 13.4, 35.6, and 94.0 GHz consistent with existing and planned remote sensing instruments. Passive and active microwave observables of ice particles arefound to be extremely sensitive to the melted-equivalent mass median diameter D0 ofthe size distribution. Similar large sensitivities are found for variations in the ice vol-ume fraction whenever the geometric mass median diameter exceeds approximately 1/8th of the wavelength. At 94 GHz the two-way path integrated attenuation is potentially large for dense compact particles. The distribution parameter mu has a relatively weak effect on any observable: less than 1-2 K in brightness temperature and up to 2.7 dB difference in the effective radar reflectivity. Reversal of the roles of ice and air in the MaxwellGarnett dielectric mixing formula leads to a signicant change in both microwave brightness temperature (10 K) and radar reflectivity (2 dB). The choice of Warren (1984) or Warren and Brandt (2008) for the complex index of refraction of ice can produce a 3%-4% change in the brightness temperature depression.

Novel Genetic Loci Associated with Retinal Microvascular Diameter

PubMed Central

Jensen, Richard A.; Sim, Xueling; Smith, Albert Vernon; Li, Xiaohui; Jakobsdóttir, Jóhanna; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Brody, Jennifer A.; Cotch, Mary Frances; Mcknight, Barbara; Klein, Ronald; Wang, Jie Jin; Kifley, Annette; Harris, Tamara B.; Launer, Lenore J.; Taylor, Kent D.; Klein, Barbara E.K.; Raffel, Leslie J.; Li, Xiang; Ikram, M. Arfan; Klaver, Caroline C.; van der Lee, Sven J.; Mutlu, Unal; Hofman, Albert; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Liu, Chunyu; Kraja, Aldi T.; Mitchell, Paul; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Rotter, Jerome I.; Boerwinkle, Eric; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; Psaty, Bruce M.; Wong, Tien Y.

2015-01-01

Background There is increasing evidence that retinal microvascular diameters are associated with cardio- and cerebrovascular conditions. The shared genetic effects of these associations are currently unknown. The aim of this study was to increase our understanding of the genetic factors that mediate retinal vessel size. Methods and Results This study extends previous genome-wide association study results using 24,000+ multi-ethnic participants from 7 discovery and 5,000+ subjects of European ancestry from 2 replication cohorts. Using the Illumina HumanExome BeadChip, we investigate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and variants collectively across genes with summary measures of retinal vessel diameters, referred to as the central retinal venule equivalent (CRVE) and the central retinal arteriole equivalent (CRAE). We report 4 new loci associated with CRVE, one of which is also associated with CRAE. The 4 SNPs are rs7926971 in TEAD1 (p=3.1×10−11, minor allele frequency (MAF)=0.43), rs201259422 in TSPAN10 (p=4.4×10−9, MAF=0.27), rs5442 in GNB3 (p=7.0×10−10, MAF=0.05) and rs1800407 in OCA2 (p=3.4×10−8, MAF=0.05). The latter SNP, rs1800407, was also associated with CRAE (p=6.5×10−12). Results from the gene-based burden tests were null. In phenotype look-ups, SNP rs201255422 was associated with both systolic (p=0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (p=8.3×10−04). Conclusions Our study expands the understanding of genetic factors influencing the size of the retinal microvasculature. These findings may also provide insight into the relationship between retinal and systemic microvascular disease. PMID:26567291

Human thoracic duct in vitro: diameter-tension properties, spontaneous and evoked contractile activity.

PubMed

Telinius, Niklas; Drewsen, Nanna; Pilegaard, Hans; Kold-Petersen, Henrik; de Leval, Marc; Aalkjaer, Christian; Hjortdal, Vibeke; Boedtkjer, Donna Briggs

2010-09-01

The current study characterizes the mechanical properties of the human thoracic duct and demonstrates a role for adrenoceptors, thromboxane, and endothelin receptors in human lymph vessel function. With ethical permission and informed consent, portions of the thoracic duct (2-5 cm) were resected and retrieved at T(7)-T(9) during esophageal and cardia cancer surgery. Ring segments (2 mm long) were mounted in a myograph for isometric tension (N/m) measurement. The diameter-tension relationship was established using ducts from 10 individuals. Peak active tension of 6.24 +/- 0.75 N/m was observed with a corresponding passive tension of 3.11 +/- 0.67 N/m and average internal diameter of 2.21 mm. The equivalent active and passive transmural pressures by LaPlace's law were 47.3 +/- 4.7 and 20.6 +/- 3.2 mmHg, respectively. Subsequently, pharmacology was performed on rings from 15 ducts that were normalized by stretching them until an equivalent pressure of 21 mmHg was calculable from the wall tension. At low concentrations, norepinephrine, endothelin-1, and the thromboxane-A(2) analog U-46619 evoked phasic contractions (analogous to lymphatic pumping), whereas at higher contractions they induced tonic activity (maximum tension values of 4.46 +/- 0.63, 5.90 +/- 1.4, and 6.78 +/- 1.4 N/m, respectively). Spontaneous activity was observed in 44% of ducts while 51% of all the segments produced phasic contractions after agonist application. Acetylcholine and bradykinin relaxed norepinephrine preconstrictions by approximately 20% and approximately 40%, respectively. These results demonstrate that the human thoracic duct can develop wall tensions that permit contractility to be maintained across a wide range of transmural pressures and that isolated ducts contract in response to important vasoactive agents.

Spark Ignition of Monodisperse Fuel Sprays. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danis, Allen M.; Cernansky, Nicholas P.; Namer, Izak

1987-01-01

A study of spark ignition energy requirements was conducted with a monodisperse spray system allowing independent control of droplet size, equivalent ratio, and fuel type. Minimum ignition energies were measured for n-heptane and methanol sprays characterized at the spark gap in terms of droplet diameter, equivalence ratio (number density) and extent of prevaporization. In addition to sprays, minimum ignition energies were measured for completely prevaporized mixtures of the same fuels over a range of equivalence ratios to provide data at the lower limit of droplet size. Results showed that spray ignition was enhanced with decreasing droplet size and increasing equivalence ratio over the ranges of the parameters studied. By comparing spray and prevaporized ignition results, the existence of an optimum droplet size for ignition was indicated for both fuels. Fuel volatility was seen to be a critical factor in spray ignition. The spray ignition results were analyzed using two different empirical ignition models for quiescent mixtures. Both models accurately predicted the experimental ignition energies for the majority of the spray conditions. Spray ignition was observed to be probabilistic in nature, and ignition was quantified in terms of an ignition frequency for a given spark energy. A model was developed to predict ignition frequencies based on the variation in spark energy and equivalence ratio in the spark gap. The resulting ignition frequency simulations were nearly identical to the experimentally observed values.

On the Solutions of a 2+1-Dimensional Model for Epitaxial Growth with Axial Symmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Xin Yang

2018-04-01

In this paper, we study the evolution equation derived by Xu and Xiang (SIAM J Appl Math 69(5):1393-1414, 2009) to describe heteroepitaxial growth in 2+1 dimensions with elastic forces on vicinal surfaces is in the radial case and uniform mobility. This equation is strongly nonlinear and contains two elliptic integrals and defined via Cauchy principal value. We will first derive a formally equivalent parabolic evolution equation (i.e., full equivalence when sufficient regularity is assumed), and the main aim is to prove existence, uniqueness and regularity of strong solutions. We will extensively use techniques from the theory of evolution equations governed by maximal monotone operators in Banach spaces.

TU-CD-207-10: Dedicated Cone-Beam Breast CT: Design of a 3-D Beam-Shaping Filter

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

Vedantham, S; Shi, L; Karellas, A

2015-06-15

Purpose: To design a 3 -D beam-shaping filter for cone-beam breast CT for equalizing x-ray photon fluence incident on the detector along both fan and cone angle directions. Methods: The 3-D beam-shaping filter was designed as the sum of two filters: a bow-tie filter assuming cylindrical breast and a 3D difference filter equivalent to the difference in projected thickness between the cylinder and the real breast. Both filters were designed with breast-equivalent material and converted to Al for the targeted x-ray spectrum. The bow-tie was designed for the largest diameter cylindrical breast by determining the fan-angle dependent path-length and themore » filter thickness needed to equalize the fluence. A total of 23,760 projections (180 projections of 132 binary breast CT volumes) were averaged, scaled for the largest breast, and subtracted from the projection of the largest diameter cylindrical breast to provide the 3D difference filter. The 3 -D beam shaping filter was obtained by summing the two filters. Numerical simulations with semi-ellipsoidal breasts of 10–18 cm diameter (chest-wall to nipple length=0.75 x diameter) were conducted to evaluate beam equalization. Results: The proposed 3-D beam-shaping filter showed a 140% -300% improvement in equalizing the photon fluence along the chest-wall to nipple (cone-angle) direction compared to a bow-tie filter. The improvement over bow-tie filter was larger for breasts with longer chest-wall to nipple length. Along the radial (fan-angle) direction, the performance of the 3-D beam shaping filter was marginally better than the bow-tie filter, with 4%-10% improvement in equalizing the photon fluence. For a ray traversing the chest-wall diameter of the breast, the filter transmission ratio was >0.95. Conclusion: The 3-D beam shaping filter provided substantial advantage over bow-tie filter in equalizing the photon fluence along the cone-angle direction. In conjunction with a 2-axis positioner, the filter can accommodate breasts of varying dimensions and chest-wall inclusion. Supported in part by NIH R01 CA128906 and R21 CA134128. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not reflect the official views of the NIH or NCI.« less

Antibiotic resistance genes show enhanced mobilization through suspended growth and biofilm-based wastewater treatment processes.

PubMed

Petrovich, Morgan; Chu, Binh; Wright, Dorothy; Griffin, Jim; Elfeki, Maryam; Murphy, Brian T; Poretsky, Rachel; Wells, George

2018-05-01

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are known to harbor antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) that are disseminated into the environment via effluent. However, few studies have compared abundance, mobilization and selective pressures for ARGs in WWTPs as a function of variations in secondary treatment bioprocesses. We used shotgun metagenomics to provide a comprehensive analysis of ARG composition, relationship to mobile genetic elements and co-occurrences with antibiotic production genes (APGs) throughout two full-scale municipal WWTPs, one of which employs biofilm-based secondary treatment and another that uses a suspended growth system. Results showed that abundances of ARGs declined by over 90% per genome equivalent in both types of wastewater treatment processes. However, the fractions of ARGs associated with mobile genetic elements increased substantially between influent and effluent in each plant, indicating significant mobilization of ARGs throughout both treatment processes. Strong positive correlations between ARGs and APGs were found for the aminoglycoside antibiotic class in the suspended growth system and for the streptogramin antibiotic class in the biofilm system. The biofilm and suspended growth WWTPs exhibited similarities in ARG abundances, composition and mobilization trends. However, clear differences were observed for within-plant ARG persistence. These findings suggest that both biofilm and suspended growth-based WWTPs may promote genetic mobilization of persistent ARGs that are then disseminated in effluent to receiving water bodies.

A dragline-forming mobile robot inspired by spiders.

PubMed

Wang, Liyu; Culha, Utku; Iida, Fumiya

2014-03-01

Mobility of wheeled or legged machines can be significantly increased if they are able to move from a solid surface into a three-dimensional space. Although that may be achieved by addition of flying mechanisms, the payload fraction will be the limiting factor in such hybrid mobile machines for many applications. Inspired by spiders producing draglines to assist locomotion, the paper proposes an alternative mobile technology where a robot achieves locomotion from a solid surface into a free space. The technology resembles the dragline production pathway in spiders to a technically feasible degree and enables robots to move with thermoplastic spinning of draglines. As an implementation, a mobile robot has been prototyped with thermoplastic adhesives as source material of the draglines. Experimental results show that a dragline diameter range of 1.17-5.27 mm was achievable by the 185 g mobile robot in descending locomotion from the solid surface of a hanging structure with a power consumption of 4.8 W and an average speed of 5.13 cm min(-1). With an open-loop controller consisting of sequences of discrete events, the robot has demonstrated repeatable dragline formation with a relative deviation within -4% and a length close to the metre scale.

Ca{sup 2+}-dependent mobility of vesicles capturing anti-VGLUT1 antibodies

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

Stenovec, Matjaz; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology - Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Zaloska 4, 1000 Ljubljana; Kreft, Marko

2007-11-01

Several aspects of secretory vesicle cycle have been studied in the past, but vesicle trafficking in relation to the fusion site is less well understood. In particular, the mobility of recaptured vesicles that traffic back toward the central cytoplasm is still poorly defined. We exposed astrocytes to antibodies against the vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1), a marker of glutamatergic vesicles, to fluorescently label vesicles undergoing Ca{sup 2+}-dependent exocytosis and examined their number, fluorescence intensity, and mobility by confocal microscopy. In nonstimulated cells, immunolabeling revealed discrete fluorescent puncta, indicating that VGLUT1 vesicles, which are approximately 50 nm in diameter, cycle slowlymore » between the plasma membrane and the cytoplasm. When the cytosolic Ca{sup 2+} level was raised with ionomycin, the number and fluorescence intensity of the puncta increased, likely because the VGLUT1 epitopes were more accessible to the extracellularly applied antibodies following Ca{sup 2+}-triggered exocytosis. In nonstimulated cells, the mobility of labeled vesicles was limited. In stimulated cells, many vesicles exhibited directional mobility that was abolished by cytoskeleton-disrupting agents, indicating dependence on intact cytoskeleton. Our findings show that postfusion vesicle mobility is regulated and may likely play a role in synaptic vesicle cycle, and also more generally in the genesis and removal of endocytic vesicles.« less

Enhancement of the performance of GaN IMPATT diodes by negative differential mobility

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

Dai, Yang; Yang, Lin’an, E-mail: layang@xidian.edu.cn; Chen, Qing

2016-05-15

A theoretical analysis of high-efficiency punch-through operation GaN-based terahertz IMPATT diodes has been carried out in this paper. It is shown that the negative differential mobility (NDM) characteristics of GaN coupled with the space charge effect acting as a self-feedback system can markedly increase the drift velocity of injection carriers, and thereby enhance diode performance under appropriate external RF voltage. The behavior of traveling electrons in the transit zone is investigated in detail. It is found that the IMPATT diode with a punch-through structure operating in the NDM mode exhibits superior characteristics compared with the equivalent diode operating in themore » Si-like constant mobility mode. In particular, the NDM-mode diode can tolerate a larger RF voltage swing than that operating in constant mobility mode. Numerical simulation results reveal that the highest efficiency of 26.6% and maximum RF power of 2.29 W can be achieved for the NDM-mode diode at a frequency of 225 GHz. A highest efficiency of 19.0% and maximum RF power of 1.58 W are obtained for the diode with constant mobility.« less

Method for fabricating boron carbide articles

DOEpatents

Ardary, Zane L.; Reynolds, Carl D.

1980-01-01

The present invention is directed to the fabrication of boron carbide articles having length-to-diameter or width ratios greater than 2 to 1. The process of the present invention is practiced by the steps comprising hot pressing boron carbide powder into article segments or portions in which the segments have a length-to-diameter or width ratio less than 1.5, aligning a plurality of the initially hot-pressed segments in a hot-pressing die with the end surfaces of the segments placed in intimate contact with one another, and then hot pressing the aligned segments into an article of the desired configuration. The resulting article exhibits essentially uniform density throughout the structure with the bonds between the segments being equivalent in hardness, strength, and density to the remainder of the article.

Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of as-Drawn and Laboratory Annealed Pearlitic Steel Wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durgaprasad, A.; Giri, S.; Lenka, S.; Kundu, S.; Mishra, S.; Chandra, S.; Doherty, R. D.; Samajdar, I.

2017-10-01

Near eutectoid fully pearlitic wire rod (5.5 mm diameter) was taken through six stages of wire drawing (drawing strains of 0 to 2.47). The as-drawn (AD) wires were further laboratory annealed (LA) to re-austenitize and reform the pearlite. AD and LA grades, for respective wire diameters, had similar pearlite microstructure: interlamellar spacing ( λ) and pearlite alignment with the wire axis. However, LA grade had lower hardness (for both phases) and slightly lower fiber texture and residual stresses in ferrite. Surprisingly, essentially identical tensile yield strengths in AD and LA wires, measured at equivalent spacing, were found. The work hardened AD had, as expected, higher torsional yield strengths and lower tensile and torsional ductilities than LA. In both wires, stronger pearlite alignment gave significantly increased torsional ductility.

Effects of percentage of blockage and flameholder downstream counterbores on lean combustion limits of premixed, prevaporized propane-air mixture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fernandez, M. A. B.

1983-01-01

Lean combustion limits were determined for a premixed prevaporized propane air mixture with flat plate flame stabilizers. Experiments were conducted in a constant area flame tube combustor utilizing flameholders of varying percentages of blockage and downstream counterbores. Combustor inlet air velocity at ambient conditions was varied from 4 to 9 meters per second. Flameholders with a center hole and four half holes surrounding it were tested with 63, 73, and 85 percent blockage and counterbore diameters of 112 and 125 percent of the thru hole diameter, in addition to the no counterbore configuration. Improved stability was obtained by using counterbore flameholders and higher percentages of blockage. Increases in mixture velocity caused the equivalence ratio at blowout to increase in all cases.

Reliability testing of ultra-low noise InGaAs quad photoreceivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Abhay M.; Datta, Shubhashish; Prasad, Narasimha; Sivertz, Michael

2018-02-01

We have developed ultra-low noise quadrant InGaAs photoreceivers for multiple applications ranging from Laser Interferometric Gravitional Wave Detection, to 3D Wind Profiling. Devices with diameters of 0.5 mm, 1mm, and 2 mm were processed, with the nominal capacitance of a single quadrant of a 1 mm quad photodiode being 2.5 pF. The 1 mm diameter InGaAs quad photoreceivers, using a low-noise, bipolar-input OpAmp circuitry exhibit an equivalent input noise per quadrant of <1.7 pA/√Hz in 2 to 20 MHz frequency range. The InGaAs Quad Photoreceivers have undergone the following reliability tests: 30 MeV Proton Radiation up to a Total Ionizing Dose (TID) of 50 krad, Mechanical Shock, and Sinusoidal Vibration.

Design and performance of mobile terminal for North American MSAT network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fuji, Tsuyoshi; Tsuchiya, Makio; Isota, Yoji; Aoki, Katsuhiko

1995-01-01

The mobile terminal (MT), which can be selected for various applications, i.e. land mobile, transportable, fixed site, and maritime use, has been developed. Medium gain and high gain antennas are available. The MT can support circuit switched voice and data service. Additionally, cellular roaming service, net radio, and Group 3 facsimile services are optionally provided. A Mitsubishi handheld portable phone can be used as a stand-alone portable cellular-only phone or it can provide MSAT voice service when connected to MT. The MT which operates in L-band (1.5 GHz/1.6 GHz) satisfies equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) of 12.5 dBW minimum and G/T of -16 dB/K minimum for medium gain system and -12 dB/K for high gain system. The excellent performance of transmit phase noise and bit error rate is achieved by using new technologies.

Virtual Reality and Computer-Enhanced Training Applied to Wheeled Mobility: An Overview of Work in Pittsburgh

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Rory A.; Ding, Dan; Simpson, Richard; Fitzgerald, Shirley G.; Spaeth, Donald M.; Guo, Songfeng; Koontz, Alicia M.; Cooper, Rosemarie; Kim, Jongbae; Boninger, Michael L.

2005-01-01

Some aspects of assistive technology can be enhanced by the application of virtual reality. Although virtual simulation offers a range of new possibilities, learning to navigate in a virtual environment is not equivalent to learning to navigate in the real world. Therefore, virtual reality simulation is advocated as a useful preparation for…

International Student Mobility Programs and Effects on Student Teachers' Perceptions and Beliefs about Education and Their Role as Future Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Rachel; Munday, Jennifer

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the value and benefits obtained from a semester length academic exchange for Australian early childhood teacher education students in equivalent programs in selected European sites. The data obtained from interviews conducted in this qualitative study indicate that students involved in the international…

Exposure assessment of nano-sized and respirable particles at different workplaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Chuen-Jinn; Huang, Cheng-Yu; Chen, Sheng-Chieh; Ho, Chi-En; Huang, Cheng-Hsiung; Chen, Chun-Wan; Chang, Cheng-Ping; Tsai, Su-Jung; Ellenbecker, Michael J.

2011-09-01

In this study, nanoparticle (NP, diameter < 100 nm) and respirable particles measurements were conducted at three different nanopowder workplaces, including the mixing area of a nano-SiO2-epoxy molding compound plant (primary diameter: 15 nm), bagging areas of a nano-carbon black (nano-CB) (primary diameter: 32 nm) and a nano-CaCO3 (primary diameter: 94 nm) manufacturing plant. Chemical analysis of respirable particle mass (RPM) and NPs was performed to quantify the content of manufactured nanoparticles in the collected samples. Nanopowder products obtained from the plants were used in the laboratory dustiness testing using a rotating drum tester to obtain particle mass and number distributions. The obtained laboratory data were then used to elucidate the field data. Both field and laboratory data showed that NP number and mass concentrations of manufactured materials were close to the background level. Number concentration was elevated only for particles with the electrical mobility diameter >100 nm during bagging or feeding processes, unless there were combustion-related incidental sources existed. Large fraction of nanomaterials was found in the RPM due to agglomeration of nanomaterials or attachment of nanomaterials to the larger particles. From this study, it is concluded that RPM concentration measurements are necessary for the exposure assessment of nanoparticles in workplaces.

RF characteristics of the hoop column antenna for the land mobile satellite system mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foldes, P.

1984-11-01

A communication system using a satellite with a 118 meter diameter quad aperture antenna to provide telephone service to mobile users remotely located from the large metropolitan areas where the telephone companies are presently implementing their cellular system is described. In this system, which is compatible with the cellular system, the mobile user communicates with the satellite at UHF frequencies. The satellite connects him at S-Band, to the existing telephone network via a base station. The results of the RF definition work for the quad aperture antenna are presented. The elements of the study requirements for the LMSS are summarized, followed by a beam topology plan which satisfies the mission requirements with a practical and realiable configuration. The geometry of the UHF antenna and its radiation characteristics are defined. The various feed alternatives, and the S-band aperture are described.

The Role of Mean-motion Resonances in Semimajor Axis Mobility of Asteroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milić Žitnik, Ivana; Novaković, Bojan

2016-01-01

Here, we report our findings about the effect of 11 two-body mean-motion resonances (MMRs) with Jupiter, on the mobility of an asteroid’s semimajor axis caused by the Yarkovsky effect. This study is accomplished using numerical integrations of test particles. The obtained results reveal that MMRs could either speed up or slow down the drift in the semimajor axis. Moreover, this allows us to determine the distribution that represents the best data obtained for time delays dtr caused by the resonances on the mobility of an asteroid. We also found a certain functional relationship that describes dependence of the average time lead/lag < {dtr}> on the strength of the resonance SR and the semimajor axis drift speed da/dt. As the Yarkovsky effect scales as 1/D, an important consequence of this relationship is that average time lead/lag < {dtr}> is directly proportional to the diameter D of an asteroid.

RF characteristics of the hoop column antenna for the land mobile satellite system mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foldes, P.

1984-01-01

A communication system using a satellite with a 118 meter diameter quad aperture antenna to provide telephone service to mobile users remotely located from the large metropolitan areas where the telephone companies are presently implementing their cellular system is described. In this system, which is compatible with the cellular system, the mobile user communicates with the satellite at UHF frequencies. The satellite connects him at S-Band, to the existing telephone network via a base station. The results of the RF definition work for the quad aperture antenna are presented. The elements of the study requirements for the LMSS are summarized, followed by a beam topology plan which satisfies the mission requirements with a practical and realiable configuration. The geometry of the UHF antenna and its radiation characteristics are defined. The various feed alternatives, and the S-band aperture are described.

Electric wind in a Differential Mobility Analyzer

DOE PAGES

Palo, Marus; Meelis Eller; Uin, Janek; ...

2015-10-25

Electric wind -- the movement of gas, induced by ions moving in an electric field -- can be a distorting factor in size distribution measurements using Differential Mobility Analyzers (DMAs). The aim of this study was to determine the conditions under which electric wind occurs in the locally-built VLDMA (Very Long Differential Mobility Analyzer) and TSI Long-DMA (3081) and to describe the associated distortion of the measured spectra. Electric wind proved to be promoted by the increase of electric field strength, aerosol layer thickness, particle number concentration and particle size. The measured size spectra revealed three types of distortion: wideningmore » of the size distribution, shift of the mode of the distribution to smaller diameters and smoothing out the peaks of the multiply charged particles. Electric wind may therefore be a source of severe distortion of the spectrum when measuring large particles at high concentrations.« less

Fatigue acceptance test limit criterion for larger diameter rolled thread fasteners

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

Kephart, A.R.

1997-05-01

This document describes a fatigue lifetime acceptance test criterion by which studs having rolled threads, larger than 1.0 inches in diameter, can be assured to meet minimum quality attributes associated with a controlled rolling process. This criterion is derived from a stress dependent, room temperature air fatigue database for test studs having a 0.625 inch diameter threads of Alloys X-750 HTH and direct aged 625. Anticipated fatigue lives of larger threads are based on thread root elastic stress concentration factors which increase with increasing thread diameters. Over the thread size range of interest, a 30% increase in notch stress ismore » equivalent to a factor of five (5X) reduction in fatigue life. The resulting diameter dependent fatigue acceptance criterion is normalized to the aerospace rolled thread acceptance standards for a 1.0 inch diameter, 0.125 inch pitch, Unified National thread with a controlled Root radius (UNR). Testing was conducted at a stress of 50% of the minimum specified material ultimate strength, 80 Ksi, and at a stress ratio (R) of 0.10. Limited test data for fastener diameters of 1.00 to 2.25 inches are compared to the acceptance criterion. Sensitivity of fatigue life of threads to test nut geometry variables was also shown to be dependent on notch stress conditions. Bearing surface concavity of the compression nuts and thread flank contact mismatch conditions can significantly affect the fastener fatigue life. Without improved controls these conditions could potentially provide misleading acceptance data. Alternate test nut geometry features are described and implemented in the rolled thread stud specification, MIL-DTL-24789(SH), to mitigate the potential effects on fatigue acceptance data.« less

Ion transport in sub-5-nm graphene nanopores.

PubMed

Suk, Myung E; Aluru, N R

2014-02-28

Graphene nanopore is a promising device for single molecule sensing, including DNA bases, as its single atom thickness provides high spatial resolution. To attain high sensitivity, the size of the molecule should be comparable to the pore diameter. However, when the pore diameter approaches the size of the molecule, ion properties and dynamics may deviate from the bulk values and continuum analysis may not be accurate. In this paper, we investigate the static and dynamic properties of ions with and without an external voltage drop in sub-5-nm graphene nanopores using molecular dynamics simulations. Ion concentration in graphene nanopores sharply drops from the bulk concentration when the pore radius is smaller than 0.9 nm. Ion mobility in the pore is also smaller than bulk ion mobility due to the layered liquid structure in the pore-axial direction. Our results show that a continuum analysis can be appropriate when the pore radius is larger than 0.9 nm if pore conductivity is properly defined. Since many applications of graphene nanopores, such as DNA and protein sensing, involve ion transport, the results presented here will be useful not only in understanding the behavior of ion transport but also in designing bio-molecular sensors.

The role of cell size in density gradient electrophoretic separation of mouse leukemia cells according to position in the cell cycle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plank, L. D.; Kunze, M. E.; Todd, P. W.

1985-01-01

Cultured mouse leukemia cells line L5178Y were subjected to upward electrophoresis in a density gradient and the slower migrating cell populations were enriched in G2 cells. It is indicated that this cell line does not change electrophoretic mobility through the cell cycle. The possibility that increased sedimentation downward on the part of the larger G2 cells caused this separation was explored. Two different cell populations were investigated. The log phase population was found to migrate upward faster than the G2 population, and a similar difference between their velocities and calculated on the basis of a 1 um diameter difference between the two cell populations. The G2 and G1 enriched populations were isolated by Ficoll density gradient sedimentation. The bottom fraction was enriched in G2 cells and the top fraction was enriched with G1 cells, especially when compared with starting materials. The electrophoretic mobilities of these two cell populations did not differ significantly from one another. Cell diameter dependent migration curves were calculated and were found to be different. Families of migration curves that differ when cell size is considered as a parameter are predicted.

Impurity and phonon scattering in silicon nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, W.; Persson, M. P.; Mera, H.; Delerue, C.; Niquet, Y. M.; Allan, G.; Wang, E.

2011-03-01

We model the scattering of electrons by phonons and dopant impurities in ultimate [110]-oriented gate-all-around silicon nanowires with an atomistic valence force field and tight-binding approach. All electron-phonons interactions are included. We show that impurity scattering can reduce with decreasing nanowire diameter due to the enhanced screening by the gate. Donors and acceptors however perform very differently : acceptors behave as tunnel barriers for the electrons, while donors behave as quantum wells which introduce Fano resonances in the conductance. As a consequence the acceptors are much more limiting the mobility than the donors. The resistances of single acceptors are also very dependent on their radial position in the nanowire, which might be a significant source of variability in ultimate silicon nanowire devices. Concerning phonons, we show that, as a result of strong confinement, i) electrons couple to a wide and complex distribution of phonons modes, and ii) the mobility has a non-monotonic variation with wire diameter and is strongly reduced with respect to bulk. French National Research Agency ANR project QUANTAMONDE Contract No. ANR-07-NANO-023-02 and by the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement, French Ministry of Defense under Grant No. 2008.34.0031.

Analysis of single quantum-dot mobility inside 1D nanochannel devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, H. T.; Segers-Nolten, I. M.; Tas, N. R.; van Honschoten, J. W.; Subramaniam, V.; Elwenspoek, M. C.

2011-07-01

We visualized individual quantum dots using a combination of a confining nanochannel and an ultra-sensitive microscope system, equipped with a high numerical aperture lens and a highly sensitive camera. The diffusion coefficients of the confined quantum dots were determined from the experimentally recorded trajectories according to the classical diffusion theory for Brownian motion in two dimensions. The calculated diffusion coefficients were three times smaller than those in bulk solution. These observations confirm and extend the results of Eichmann et al (2008 Langmuir 24 714-21) to smaller particle diameters and more narrow confinement. A detailed analysis shows that the observed reduction in mobility cannot be explained by conventional hydrodynamic theory.

[A Case of a Patient with Metastatic Rectal-Uterine Cancer from the Ascending Colon Who Underwent NOSE].

PubMed

Naito, Atsushi; Kato, Takeshi; Ishida, Tomo; Kuwahara, Ryuichi; Akiyama, Yasuki; Sakamato, Takuya; Inatome, Junichi; Murakami, Kohei; Katsura, Yoshiteru; Ohmura, Yoshiaki; Kagawa, Yoshinori; Takeno, Atsushi; Egawa, Chiyomi; Takeda, Yutaka; Tamura, Shigeyuki

2016-11-01

An 80-year-old woman had undergone a right hemicolectomy for ascending colon cancer 9 months prior to the current presentation. CT and PET-CT showed a solitary tumor measuring 55mm in diameter at the uterus and rectum. Three 5mm ports and two 12mm two ports were placed. The sigmoid colon was mobilized using a medial approach as usual in laparoscopic surgery. The rectum and uterus were mobilized and were resected. We inserted the End-catchTM in from the vagina and removed the specimen. The patient had no abdominal pain and was discharged from the hospital 9 days after the operation.

Biosimilar G-CSF Based Mobilization of Peripheral Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cells for Autologous and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

PubMed Central

Schmitt, Michael; Publicover, Amy; Orchard, Kim H; Görlach, Matthias; Wang, Lei; Schmitt, Anita; Mani, Jiju; Tsirigotis, Panagiotis; Kuriakose, Reeba; Nagler, Arnon

2014-01-01

The use of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) biosimilars for peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell (PBSC) mobilization has stimulated an ongoing debate regarding their efficacy and safety. However, the use of biosimilar G-CSF was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for all the registered indications of the originator G-CSF (Neupogen®) including mobilization of stem cells. Here, we performed a comprehensive review of published reports on the use of biosimilar G-CSF covering patients with hematological malignancies as well as healthy donors that underwent stem cell mobilization at multiple centers using site-specific non-randomized regimens with a biosimilar G-CSF in the autologous and allogeneic setting. A total of 904 patients mostly with hematological malignancies as well as healthy donors underwent successful autologous or allogeneic stem cell mobilization, respectively, using a biosimilar G-CSF (520 with Ratiograstim®/Tevagrastim, 384 with Zarzio®). The indication for stem cell mobilization in hematology patients included 326 patients with multiple myeloma, 273 with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), 79 with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), and other disease. 156 sibling or volunteer unrelated donors were mobilized using biosimilar G-CSF. Mobilization resulted in good mobilization of CD34+ stem cells with side effects similar to originator G-CSF. Post transplantation engraftment did not significantly differ from results previously documented with the originator G-CSF. The side effects experienced by the patients or donors mobilized by biosimilar G-CSF were minimal and were comparable to those of originator G-CSF. In summary, the efficacy of biosimilar G-CSFs in terms of PBSC yield as well as their toxicity profile are equivalent to historical data with the reference G-CSF. PMID:24505236

Biosimilar G-CSF based mobilization of peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cells for autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

PubMed

Schmitt, Michael; Publicover, Amy; Orchard, Kim H; Görlach, Matthias; Wang, Lei; Schmitt, Anita; Mani, Jiju; Tsirigotis, Panagiotis; Kuriakose, Reeba; Nagler, Arnon

2014-01-01

The use of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) biosimilars for peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell (PBSC) mobilization has stimulated an ongoing debate regarding their efficacy and safety. However, the use of biosimilar G-CSF was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for all the registered indications of the originator G-CSF (Neupogen (®) ) including mobilization of stem cells. Here, we performed a comprehensive review of published reports on the use of biosimilar G-CSF covering patients with hematological malignancies as well as healthy donors that underwent stem cell mobilization at multiple centers using site-specific non-randomized regimens with a biosimilar G-CSF in the autologous and allogeneic setting. A total of 904 patients mostly with hematological malignancies as well as healthy donors underwent successful autologous or allogeneic stem cell mobilization, respectively, using a biosimilar G-CSF (520 with Ratiograstim®/Tevagrastim, 384 with Zarzio®). The indication for stem cell mobilization in hematology patients included 326 patients with multiple myeloma, 273 with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), 79 with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), and other disease. 156 sibling or volunteer unrelated donors were mobilized using biosimilar G-CSF. Mobilization resulted in good mobilization of CD34+ stem cells with side effects similar to originator G-CSF. Post transplantation engraftment did not significantly differ from results previously documented with the originator G-CSF. The side effects experienced by the patients or donors mobilized by biosimilar G-CSF were minimal and were comparable to those of originator G-CSF. In summary, the efficacy of biosimilar G-CSFs in terms of PBSC yield as well as their toxicity profile are equivalent to historical data with the reference G-CSF.

Development and validation of the Italian version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale and its generalisability to apps targeting primary prevention.

PubMed

Domnich, Alexander; Arata, Lucia; Amicizia, Daniela; Signori, Alessio; Patrick, Bernard; Stoyanov, Stoyan; Hides, Leanne; Gasparini, Roberto; Panatto, Donatella

2016-07-07

A growing body of literature affirms the usefulness of mobile technologies, including mobile applications (apps), in the primary prevention field. The quality of health apps, which today number in the thousands, is a crucial parameter, as it may affect health-related decision-making and outcomes among app end-users. The mobile application rating scale (MARS) has recently been developed to evaluate the quality of such apps, and has shown good psychometric properties. Since there is no standardised tool for assessing the apps available in Italian app stores, the present study developed and validated an Italian version of MARS in apps targeting primary prevention. The original 23-item version of the MARS assesses mobile app quality in four objective quality dimensions (engagement, functionality, aesthetics, information) and one subjective dimension. Validation of this tool involved several steps; the universalist approach to achieving equivalence was adopted. Following two backward translations, a reconciled Italian version of MARS was produced and compared with the original scale. On the basis of sample size estimation, 48 apps from three major app stores were downloaded; the first 5 were used for piloting, while the remaining 43 were used in the main study in order to assess the psychometric properties of the scale. The apps were assessed by two raters, each working independently. The psychometric properties of the final version of the scale was assessed including the inter-rater reliability, internal consistency, convergent, divergent and concurrent validities. The intralingual equivalence of the Italian version of the MARS was confirmed by the authors of the original scale. A total of 43 apps targeting primary prevention were tested. The MARS displayed acceptable psychometric properties. The MARS total score showed an excellent level of both inter-rater agreement (intra-class correlation coefficient of .96) and internal consistency (Cronbach's α of .90 and .91 for the two raters, respectively). Other types of validity, including convergent, divergent, discriminative, known-groups and scalability, were also established. The Italian version of MARS is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the health-related primary prevention apps available in Italian app stores.

Comparison of low- and ultralow-dose computed tomography protocols for quantitative lung and airway assessment.

PubMed

Hammond, Emily; Sloan, Chelsea; Newell, John D; Sieren, Jered P; Saylor, Melissa; Vidal, Craig; Hogue, Shayna; De Stefano, Frank; Sieren, Alexa; Hoffman, Eric A; Sieren, Jessica C

2017-09-01

Quantitative computed tomography (CT) measures are increasingly being developed and used to characterize lung disease. With recent advances in CT technologies, we sought to evaluate the quantitative accuracy of lung imaging at low- and ultralow-radiation doses with the use of iterative reconstruction (IR), tube current modulation (TCM), and spectral shaping. We investigated the effect of five independent CT protocols reconstructed with IR on quantitative airway measures and global lung measures using an in vivo large animal model as a human subject surrogate. A control protocol was chosen (NIH-SPIROMICS + TCM) and five independent protocols investigating TCM, low- and ultralow-radiation dose, and spectral shaping. For all scans, quantitative global parenchymal measurements (mean, median and standard deviation of the parenchymal HU, along with measures of emphysema) and global airway measurements (number of segmented airways and pi10) were generated. In addition, selected individual airway measurements (minor and major inner diameter, wall thickness, inner and outer area, inner and outer perimeter, wall area fraction, and inner equivalent circle diameter) were evaluated. Comparisons were made between control and target protocols using difference and repeatability measures. Estimated CT volume dose index (CTDIvol) across all protocols ranged from 7.32 mGy to 0.32 mGy. Low- and ultralow-dose protocols required more manual editing and resolved fewer airway branches; yet, comparable pi10 whole lung measures were observed across all protocols. Similar trends in acquired parenchymal and airway measurements were observed across all protocols, with increased measurement differences using the ultralow-dose protocols. However, for small airways (1.9 ± 0.2 mm) and medium airways (5.7 ± 0.4 mm), the measurement differences across all protocols were comparable to the control protocol repeatability across breath holds. Diameters, wall thickness, wall area fraction, and equivalent diameter had smaller measurement differences than area and perimeter measurements. In conclusion, the use of IR with low- and ultralow-dose CT protocols with CT volume dose indices down to 0.32 mGy maintains selected quantitative parenchymal and airway measurements relevant to pulmonary disease characterization. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Transmissive Diffractive Optical Element Solar Concentrators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baron, Richard; Moynihan, Philip; Price, Douglas

2008-01-01

Solar-thermal-radiation concentrators in the form of transmissive diffractive optical elements (DOEs) have been proposed as alternatives to mirror-type solar concentrators now in use. In comparison with functionally equivalent mirror-type solar concentrators, the transmissive, diffractive solar concentrators would weigh and cost less, and would be subject to relaxed mechanical tolerances. A DOE concentrator would be made from a thin, flat disk or membrane of a transmissive material having a suitable index of refraction. By virtue of its thinness, the DOE concentrator would have an areal mass density significantly less than that of a functionally equivalent conventional mirror. The DOE concentrator would have a relatively wide aperture--characterized by a focal-length/aperture-diameter ratio ('f number') on the order of 1. A kinoform (a surface-relief phase hologram) of high diffractive order would be microfabricated onto one face of the disk. The kinoform (see figure) would be designed to both diffract and refract incident solar radiation onto a desired focal region, without concern for forming an image of the Sun. The high diffractive order of this kinoform (in contradistinction to the low diffractive orders of some other kinoforms) would be necessary to obtain the desired f number of 1, which, in turn, would be necessary for obtaining a desired concentration ratio of 2,500 or greater. The design process of optimizing the concentration ratio of a proposed DOE solar concentrator includes computing convolutions of the optical bandwidth of the Sun with the optical transmission of the diffractive medium. Because, as in the cases of other non-imaging, light-concentrating optics, image quality is not a design requirement, the process also includes trading image quality against concentration ratio. A baseline design for one example calls for an aperture diameter of 1 m. This baseline design would be scalable to a diameter as large as 10 m, or to a smaller diameter for a laboratory test article. Initial calculations have indicated that the characteristics of the test article would be readily scalable to a full-size unit.

A case-case study of mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma risk in Japan.

PubMed

Sato, Yasuto; Akiba, Suminori; Kubo, Osami; Yamaguchi, Naohito

2011-02-01

Results of case-control studies of mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma have been inconsistent. We conducted a case-case study of mobile phone use and acoustic neuroma using a self-administered postal questionnaire. A total of 1589 cases identified in 22 hospitals throughout Japan were invited to participate, and 787 cases (51%) actually participated. Associations between laterality of mobile phone use prior to the reference dates (1 and 5 years before diagnosis) and tumor location were analyzed. The overall risk ratio was 1.08 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.93-1.28) for regular mobile phone use until 1 year before diagnosis and 1.14 (95% CI, 0.96-1.40) for regular mobile phone use until 5 years before diagnosis. A significantly increased risk was identified for mobile phone use for >20 min/day on average, with risk ratios of 2.74 at 1 year before diagnosis, and 3.08 at 5 years before diagnosis. Cases with ipsilateral combination of tumor location and more frequently used ear were found to have tumors with smaller diameters, suggesting an effect of detection bias. Furthermore, analysis of the distribution of left and right tumors suggested an effect of tumor-side-related recall bias for recall of mobile phone use at 5 years before diagnosis. The increased risk identified for mobile phone users with average call duration >20 min/day should be interpreted with caution, taking into account the possibilities of detection and recall biases. However, we could not conclude that the increased risk was entirely explicable by these biases, leaving open the possibility that mobile phone use increased the risk of acoustic neuroma. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Characteristics of storms driving wave-induced seafloor mobility on the U.S. East Coast continental shelf

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dalyander, P. Soupy; Butman, Bradford

2015-01-01

This study investigates the relationship between spatial and temporal patterns of wave-driven sediment mobility events on the U.S. East Coast continental shelf and the characteristics of the storms responsible for them. Mobility events, defined as seafloor wave stress exceedance of the critical stress of 0.35 mm diameter sand (0.2160 Pa) for 12 or more hours, were identified from surface wave observations at National Data Buoy Center buoys in the Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) and South Atlantic Bight (SAB) over the period of 1997-2007. In water depths ranging from 36-48 m, there were 4-9 mobility events/year of 1-2 days duration. Integrated wave stress during events (IWAVES) was used as a combined metric of wave-driven mobility intensity and duration. In the MAB, over 67% of IWAVES was caused by extratropical storms, while in the SAB, greater than 66% of IWAVES was caused by tropical storms. On average, mobility events were caused by waves generated by storms located 800+ km away. Far-field hurricanes generated swell 2-4 days before the waves caused mobility on the shelf. Throughout most of the SAB, mobility events were driven by storms to the south, east, and west. In the MAB and near Cape Hatteras, winds from more northerly storms and low-pressure extratropical systems in the mid-western U.S. also drove mobility events. Waves generated by storms off the SAB generated mobility events along the entire U.S. East Coast shelf north to Cape Cod, while Cape Hatteras shielded the SAB area from swell originating to the north offshore of the MAB.

Satellite-aided mobile communications limited operational test in the trucking industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, R. E.; Frey, R. L.; Lewis, J. R.

1980-01-01

An experiment with NASA's ATS-6 satellite, that demonstrates the practicality of satellite-aided land mobile communications is described. Satellite communications equipment for the experiment was designed so that it would be no more expensive, when mass produced, than conventional two-way mobile radio equipment. It embodied the operational features and convenience of present day mobile radios. Vehicle antennas 75 cm tall and 2 cm in diameter provided good commercial quality signals to and from trucks and jeeps. Operational applicability and usage data were gathered by installing the radio equipment in five long-haul tractor-trailer trucks and two Air Force search and rescue jeeps. Channel occupancy rates are reported. Air Force personnel found the satellite radio system extremely valuable in their search and rescue mission during maneuvers and actual rescue operations. Propagation data is subjectively analyzed and over 4 hours of random data is categorized and graded as to signal quality on a second by second basis. Trends in different topographic regions are reported. An overall communications reliability of 93% was observed despite low satellite elevation angles ranging from 9 to 24 degrees.

Dynamic mechanism of equivalent conductivity minimum of electrolyte solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, T.; Matsuoka, T.; Koda, S.

2011-10-01

The theory on electric conductivity of electrolyte solutions we have developed [T. Yamaguchi, T. Matsuoka, and S. Koda, J. Chem. Phys. 127, 064508 (2007)] is applied to a model electrolyte solution that shows a minimum of equivalent conductivity as the function of concentration [T. Yamaguchi, T. Akatsuka, and S. Koda, J. Chem. Phys. 134, 244506 (2011)]. The theory succeeds in reproducing the equivalent conductivity minimum, whereas the mode-coupling theory (MCT) underestimates the conductivity in the low-concentration regime. The theory can also reproduce the decrease in the relaxation time of conductivity with increasing the concentration we have demonstrated with a Brownian dynamics simulation. A detailed analysis shows that the relaxation of the conductivity occurs through two processes. The faster one corresponds to the collision between a cation and an anion, and the slower one does to the polarization of the ionic atmosphere. The increase in the equivalent conductivity with concentration is attributed to the decrease in the effect of the ionic atmosphere, which is in turn explained by the fact that the counter ion cannot penetrate into the repulsive core when the Debye screening length is compatible or smaller than the ionic diameter. The same mechanism is also observed in MCT calculation with static structure factor determined by mean-spherical approximation.

On the transfer of radiation at asteroidal surfaces in relation to their orbit deflection - II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yabushita, Shin

1998-08-01

The efficiency of absorption of X-rays generated by a nuclear explosion at the surface of an asteroid, estimated earlier, is used to calculate the explosion yield needed to deflect the orbit of an asteroid. Following the work of Ahrens & Harris, it is shown that a recoil velocity of 1 cm s^-1 is required to deflect an asteroid from a collision course with the Earth, and the necessary yield of explosion energy is estimated. If it is assumed that the scaling law between the energy and the diameter of the resulting crater, obtained from experiments carried out on the Earth, remains valid on the asteroid surface, where gravity is much weaker, an explosion energy of 8 and 800 megaton (Mton) equivalent of TNT would be required for asteroids of diameter 1 and 10 km respectively. If, on the other hand, the crater diameter is proportional to a certain power of the gravity g, the power being determined from a dimension analysis, 130 kton and 12 Mton would be required to endow asteroids of diameters 1 and 10 km with the required velocity, respectively. The result indicates that in order to estimate the required explosion energy, a better understanding of cratering under gravity much weaker than on the Earth would be required.

The New Dual-beam Spectropluviometer Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delahaye, J. Y.; Barthes, L.; Golé, P.; Lavergnat, J.; Vinson, J. P.

A Dual Beam Spectropluviometer (DBS) measuring the equivalent diameter D, the vertical velocity V and the time T of arrival of particles is presented. Its main advan- tage over previous optical disdrometers is the extensive measurement range of atmo- spheric precipitations near ground. In particular, 0.15 mm diameter particles can be observed in quiet laboratory conditions and 0.2 mm is the smallest diameter observed in the outdoor turbulent air velocity field. The means for obtaining such results are (i) two uniform beams of rectangular cross-section 2 mm in height, 40 mm in width and 250 mm in length, with a 2 mm vertical gap, (ii) a dual 16-bit analog to digital converter, (iii) a dedicated program for extracting the 3 parameters in real time by computing the signal slopes and determining the correlation between both channels, (iii) various means for reducing splashing and vibration. Laboratory tests and typical rain measurements are shown. The DBS is particularly suited for extensive atmospheric and radio propagation research applications where the smallest drops were not correctly estimated in the distributions because of the lack of appropriate measurement devices.

Subsonic Dynamics of Stardust Sample Return Capsule

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitcheltree, Robert A.; Fremaux, Charles M.

1997-01-01

Subsonic dynamic stability tests performed in the NASA Langley 20-Foot Vertical Spin-Tunnel on a 0.238 scale model of the Stardust Sample Return Capsule are discussed. The tests reveal that the blunted 60 degree half-angle cone capsule is dynamically unstable at low subsonic conditions due to the aft location of the center-of-gravity (0.351 body diameters back from the nose). The divergent behavior of the capsule continued when the center-of-gravity was moved to 0.337 and 0.313 body diameters back from the nose. When the center-of-gravity was moved further forward to 0.290 body diameters back from the nose, the vehicle established itself in a limit cycle with amplitude around 10 degrees. Two afterbody modifications were examined which proved unsuccessful in alleviating the instability of the original design. Finally, the addition of different sized parachutes was examined as a means to stabilize the vehicle. The parachute tests indicate that a parachute with equivalent full scale drag area of at least 2.24 ft. is necessary to assure large perturbations are damped.

Prediction of Performance of Diamond Wire Saw with Respect to Texture Characteristics of Rock / Prognozowanie Wydajności Pracy Strunowej Piły Diamentowej W Odniesieniu Do Charakterystyki Tekstury Skał

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghaysari, N.; Ataei, M.; Sereshki, F.; Mikaiel, R.

2012-12-01

In this study, prediction of production rate in diamond wire saw has been investigated. Performance measurements of diamond wire saw carried out in 7 different quarries of carbonate rocks in Iran. For determination textural properties, rock samples were collected from these quarries. At first, a thin section was prepared for each rock and then 5 digital photographs were taken from each section. After this, all images were digitized using AutoCAD software. Then, area, perimeter, longest diameter and shortest diameter were assigned. According to these parameters, all of the other textural characteristics and texture coefficient were determined too. The correlation between sawing rate and textural characteristics were evaluated using multiple and simple regression analyses. Then developed model was validated by P-value test. It was concluded that area, perimeter, diameter equivalent and index of grain size homogeneity are very effective on production rate. Production rate using diamond wire saw can reliably be predicted using developed model.

Computerized method and system for designing an aerodynamic focusing lens stack

DOEpatents

Gard, Eric [San Francisco, CA; Riot, Vincent [Oakland, CA; Coffee, Keith [Diablo Grande, CA; Woods, Bruce [Livermore, CA; Tobias, Herbert [Kensington, CA; Birch, Jim [Albany, CA; Weisgraber, Todd [Brentwood, CA

2011-11-22

A computerized method and system for designing an aerodynamic focusing lens stack, using input from a designer related to, for example, particle size range to be considered, characteristics of the gas to be flowed through the system, the upstream temperature and pressure at the top of a first focusing lens, the flow rate through the aerodynamic focusing lens stack equivalent at atmosphere pressure; and a Stokes number range. Based on the design parameters, the method and system determines the total number of focusing lenses and their respective orifice diameters required to focus the particle size range to be considered, by first calculating for the orifice diameter of the first focusing lens in the Stokes formula, and then using that value to determine, in iterative fashion, intermediate flow values which are themselves used to determine the orifice diameters of each succeeding focusing lens in the stack design, with the results being output to a designer. In addition, the Reynolds numbers associated with each focusing lens as well as exit nozzle size may also be determined to enhance the stack design.

Characterisation of aerosol combustible mixtures generated using condensation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saat, Aminuddin; Dutta, Nilabza; Wahid, Mazlan A.

2012-06-01

An accidental release of a liquid flammable substance might be formed as an aerosol (droplet and vapour mixture). This phenomenon might be due to high pressure sprays, pressurised liquid leaks and through condensation when hot vapour is rapidly cooled. Such phenomena require a fundamental investigation of mixture characterisation prior to any subsequent process such as evaporation and combustion. This paper describes characterisation study of droplet and vapour mixtures generated in a fan stirred vessel using condensation technique. Aerosol of isooctane mixtures were generated by expansion from initially a premixed gaseous fuel-air mixture. The distribution of droplets within the mixture was characterised using laser diagnostics. Nearly monosized droplet clouds were generated and the droplet diameter was defined as a function of expansion time. The effect of changes in pressure, temperature, fuel-air fraction and expansion ratio on droplet diameter was evaluated. It is shown that aerosol generation by expansion was influenced by the initial pressure and temperature, equivalence ratio and expansion rates. All these parameters affected the onset of condensation which in turn affected the variation in droplet diameter.

Architecture and sedimentology of turbidite reservoirs from Miocene Moco T and Webster zones, Midway-Sunset field, California

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

Link, M.H.; Hall, B.R.

1989-03-01

Thirty-five turbidite sandstone bodies from the Moco T and Webster reservoir zones were delineated for enhanced oil recovery projects in Mobil's MOCO FEE property, south Midway-Sunset field. The recognition of these sand bodies is based on mappable geometries determined from wireline log correlations, log character, core facies, reservoir characteristics, and comparison to nearby age-equivalent outcrops. These turbidite sands are composed of unconsolidated arkosic late Miocene sandstones (Stevens equivalent, Monterey Formation). They were deposited normal to paleoslope and trend southwest-northeast in an intraslope basin. Reservoir quality in the sandstone is very good, with average porosities of 33% and permeabilities of 1more » darcy.« less

Biomechanical evaluation of different instrumentation for spinal stabilisation.

PubMed

Graftiaux, A G; Wattier, B; Gentil, P; Mazel, C; Skalli, W; Diop, A; Kehr, P H; Lavaste, F

1995-12-01

The varying problems following arthrodesis of the lumbar spine with rods or plates (too much rigidity for the first and insufficient stability for the second) have led us to conceive another type of material, flexible but with enough stability, to favorise healing of bone graft, and decrease the induced pathology on adjacent levels. An experimental study of three types of material: rigid, semi-rigid and flexible was performed on eighteen fresh cadaver spinal segments without and then with discectomy and corporectomy to find out the various types of behaviour. The flexible device seems more supple than the other materials tested: more mobility, less stiffness. Rising hysteresis is explained by plastic deformation. The semi-rigid device presents strong osseous stresses on the L3 level and a large hysteresis corresponding most likely to a mobility between the screws and plates. The rigid device has less mobility, especially in torsion, ascribed to the transverse connection. The stability is high with a small hysteresis. This is of value for bone loss or instability with displacement of the vertebral body.The second study was a modeling of the flexible device validated by comparison to the experimental study. The strains in the wire were high, decreasing with increasing diameter, but is still lower than the elastic limit. The proximity of the elastic limit may allow plastic deformation of the wire. Howewer less strains were found on the screw fixation but increase with the increase diameter of the wire. The influence of the bone quality on the behavior of the device was demonstrated.

Seven Experiment Designs Addressing Problems of Safety and Capacity on Two-Lane Rural Highways : Volume 5. Experimental Design for Vehicle Equivalency and Capacity Including Effects of Commercial and Recreational Vehicles on Rural Non-Controlled Access

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-04-01

The Advantage I-75 project was established as an international public/private partnership to provide a testbed for deploying advanced IVHS technologies designed to increase transport efficiency, improve safety, and enhance mobility along the 2,200-mi...

Condensation Heat-Transfer Measurements of Refrigerants on Externally Enhanced Tubes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

Pf Density of condensate at Tf (kgjm3 ) e Insulated angle em Rotation angle of normal to fin surface Of Surface tension of condensate (N/m) a Nusselt ...reported data for the condensation of steam at near atmospheric pressure on smooth tubes and roped tubes with and without a helical , external wrap of...Their model, a Nusselt -type equation based on the equivalent diameter of the finned tube, lives the average condensing coefficient by the following

Biophysical modelling of phytoplankton communities from first principles using two-layered spheres: Equivalent Algal Populations (EAP) model: erratum.

PubMed

Lain, Lisl Robertson; Bernard, Stewart; Matthews, Mark W

2016-11-28

We regret that the Rrs spectra shown for the EAP modelled high biomass validation in Fig. 7 [Opt. Express, 22, 16745 (2014)] are incorrect. They are corrected here. The closest match of modelled to measured effective diameter is for a generalised 16 μm dinoflagellate population and not a 12 μm one as previously stated. These corrections do not affect the discussion or the conclusions of the paper.

Reineke’s stand density index: a quantitative and non-unitless measure of stand density

Treesearch

Curtis L. VanderSchaaf

2013-01-01

When used as a measure of relative density, Reineke’s stand density index (SDI) can be made unitless by relating the current SDI to a standard density but when used as a quantitative measure of stand density SDI is not unitless. Reineke’s SDI relates the current stand density to an equivalent number of trees per unit area in a stand with a quadratic mean diameter (Dq)...

Tailoring MCM-41 mesoporous silica particles through modified sol-gel process for gas separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sang, Wong Yean; Ching, Oh Pei

2017-10-01

Mobil Composition of Matter-41 (MCM-41) is recognized as a potential filler to enhance permeability of mixed matrix membrane (MMM). However, the required loading for available micron-sized MCM-41 was considerably high in order to achieve desired separation performance. In this work, reduced-size MCM-41 was synthesized to minimize filler loading, improve surface modification and enhance polymer-filler compatibility during membrane fabrication. The effect of reaction condition, stirring rate and type of post-synthesis washing solution used on particle diameter of resultant MCM-41 were investigated. It was found that MCM-41 produced at room temperature condition yield particles with smaller diameter, higher specific surface area and enhanced mesopore structure. Increase of stirring rate up to 500 rpm during synthesis also reduced the particle diameter. In addition, replacing water with methanol as the post-synthesis washing solution to remove bromide ions from the precipitate was able to further reduce the particle size by inhibiting polycondensation reaction.

Gravity-Independent Mobility and Drilling on Natural Rock using Microspines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parness, Aaron; Frost, Matthew; Thatte, Nitish; King, Jonathan P.

2012-01-01

To grip rocks on the surfaces of asteroids and comets, and to grip the cliff faces and lava tubes of Mars, a 250 mm diameter omni-directional anchor is presented that utilizes a hierarchical array of claws with suspension flexures, called microspines, to create fast, strong attachment. Prototypes have been demonstrated on vesicular basalt and a'a lava rock supporting forces in all directions away from the rock. Each anchor can support >160 N tangent, >150 N at 45?, and >180 N normal to the surface of the rock. A two-actuator selectively- compliant ankle interfaces these anchors to the Lemur IIB robot for climbing trials. A rotary percussive drill was also integrated into the anchor, demonstrating self-contained rock coring regardless of gravitational orientation. As a harder- than-zero-g proof of concept, 20mm diameter boreholes were drilled 83 mm deep in vesicular basalt samples, retaining a 12 mm diameter rock core in 3-6 pieces while in an inverted configuration, literally drilling into the ceiling.

Small Particle Driven Chain Disentanglements in Polymer Nanocomposites

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

Senses, Erkan; Ansar, Siyam M.; Kitchens, Christopher L.

2017-04-01

Using neutron spin-echo spectroscopy, X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy and bulk rheology, we studied the effect of particle size on the single chain dynamics, particle mobility, and bulk viscosity in athermal polyethylene oxide-gold nanoparticle composites. The results reveal an ≈ 25 % increase in the reptation tube diameter with addition of nanoparticles smaller than the entanglement mesh size (≈ 5 nm), at a volume fraction of 20 %. The tube diameter remains unchanged in the composite with larger (20 nm) nanoparticles at the same loading. In both cases, the Rouse dynamics is insensitive to particle size. These results provide a directmore » experimental observation of particle size driven disentanglements that can cause non-Einstein-like viscosity trends often observed in polymer nanocomposites.« less

Modelling NOx emissions of single droplet combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moesl, Klaus G.; Schwing, Joachim E.; Sattelmayer, Thomas

2012-02-01

An approach for modelling and simulation of the generation of nitrogen oxide (NOx) in the gas phase surrounding single burning droplets is presented. Assuming spherical symmetry (no gravity, no forced convection), the governing equations are derived first. Then simplifications are introduced and it is proven that they are appropriate. The influences of the initial droplet diameter, the ambient conditions, and the droplet pre-vapourisation on NOx are investigated. The fuel of choice is n-decane (C10H22) as it resembles kerosene and diesel fuel best, and the complexity of the reaction mechanism is manageable. Combinations of C10H22 mechanisms and well-established NOx kinetics are evaluated in detail and validated for their applicability in the context of this work. The conducted simulations of droplet combustion in an atmosphere of hot exhaust gas show that NOx formation (by mass of fuel) increases linearly with the droplet diameter. There is a trade-off between available oxygen and ambient temperature. Increasing the equivalence ratio of the exhaust gas leads to higher NOx emissions in the very lean regime, but to lower emissions if the equivalence ratio exceeds 0.85. Pre-vapourisation of fuel at ambient conditions becomes beneficial with respect to NOx emissions only if the degree of vapourisation is above a minimum limit. If less fuel is vapourised before ignition, the NOx emissions remain almost unaffected.

An automated inner dimensional measurement system based on a laser displacement sensor for long-stepped pipes.

PubMed

Zhang, Fumin; Qu, Xinghua; Ouyang, Jianfei

2012-01-01

A novel measurement prototype based on a mobile vehicle that carries a laser scanning sensor is proposed. The prototype is intended for the automated measurement of the interior 3D geometry of large-diameter long-stepped pipes. The laser displacement sensor, which has a small measurement range, is mounted on an extended arm of known length. It is scanned to improve the measurement accuracy for large-sized pipes. A fixing mechanism based on two sections is designed to ensure that the stepped pipe is concentric with the axis of rotation of the system. Data are acquired in a cylindrical coordinate system and fitted in a circle to determine diameter. Systematic errors covering arm length, tilt, and offset errors are analyzed and calibrated. The proposed system is applied to sample parts and the results are discussed to verify its effectiveness. This technique measures a diameter of 600 mm with an uncertainty of 0.02 mm at a 95% confidence probability. A repeatability test is performed to examine precision, which is 1.1 μm. A laser tracker is used to verify the measurement accuracy of the system, which is evaluated as 9 μm within a diameter of 600 mm.

Experimental investigation of the effect of inlet particle properties on the capture efficiency in an exhaust particulate filter

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

Viswanathan, Sandeep; Rothamer, David; Zelenyuk, Alla

The impact of inlet particle properties on the filtration performance of clean and particulate matter (PM) laden cordierite filter samples was evaluated using PM generated by a spark-ignition direct-injection (SIDI) engine fuelled with tier II EEE certification gasoline. Prior to the filtration experiments, a scanning mobility particle spectrometer (SMPS) was used to measure the electrical-mobility based particle size distribution (PSD) in the SIDI exhaust from distinct engine operating conditions. An advanced aerosol characterization system that comprised of a centrifugal particle mass analyser (CPMA), a differential mobility analyser (DMA), and a single particle mass spectrometer (SPLAT II) was used to obtainmore » additional information on the SIDI particulate, including particle composition, mass, and dynamic shape factors (DSFs) in the transition () and free-molecular () flow regimes. During the filtration experiments, real-time measurements of PSDs upstream and downstream of the filter sample were used to estimate the filtration performance and the total trapped mass within the filter using an integrated particle size distribution method. The filter loading process was paused multiple times to evaluate the filtration performance in the partially loaded state. The change in vacuum aerodynamic diameter () distribution of mass-selected particles was examined for flow through the filter to identify whether preferential capture of particles of certain shapes occurred in the filter. The filter was also probed using different inlet PSDs to understand their impact on particle capture within the filter sample. Results from the filtration experiment suggest that pausing the filter loading process and subsequently performing the filter probing experiments did not impact the overall evolution of filtration performance. Within the present distribution of particle sizes, filter efficiency was independent of particle shape potentially due to the diffusion-dominant filtration process. Particle mobility diameter and trapped mass within the filter appeared to be the dominant parameters that impacted filter performance.« less

GHGfrack: An Open-Source Model for Estimating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Combustion of Fuel during Drilling and Hydraulic Fracturing.

PubMed

Vafi, Kourosh; Brandt, Adam

2016-07-19

This paper introduces GHGfrack, an open-source engineering-based model that estimates energy consumption and associated GHG emissions from drilling and hydraulic fracturing operations. We describe verification and calibration of GHGfrack against field data for energy and fuel consumption. We run GHGfrack using data from 6927 wells in Eagle Ford and 4431 wells in Bakken oil fields. The average estimated energy consumption in Eagle Ford wells using lateral hole diameters of 8 (3)/4 and 6 (1)/8 in. are 2.25 and 2.73 TJ/well, respectively. The average estimated energy consumption in Bakken wells using hole diameters of 6 in. for horizontal section is 2.16 TJ/well. We estimate average greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 419 and 510 tonne of equivalent CO2 per well (tonne of CO2 eq/well) for the two aforementioned assumed geometries in Eagle Ford, respectively, and 417 tonne of CO2 eq/well for the case of Bakken. These estimates are limited only to GHG emissions from combustion of diesel fuel to supply energy only for rotation of drill string, drilling mud circulation, and fracturing pumps. Sensitivity analysis of the model shows that the top three key variables in driving energy intensity in drilling are the lateral hole diameter, drill pipe internal diameter, and mud flow rate. In hydraulic fracturing, the top three are lateral casing diameter, fracturing fluid volume, and length of the lateral.

Scattering properties of normal and cancerous tissues from human stomach based on phase-contrast microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hui; Li, Zhifang; Li, Hui

2012-12-01

In order to study scattering properties of normal and cancerous tissues from human stomach, we collect images for human gastric specimens by using phase-contrast microscope. The images were processed by the way of mathematics morphology. The equivalent particle size distribution of tissues can be obtained. Combining with Mie scattering theory, the scattering properties of tissues can be calculated. Assume scattering of light in biological tissue can be seen as separate scattering events by different particles, total scattering properties can be equivalent to as scattering sum of particles with different diameters. The results suggest that scattering coefficient of the cancerous tissue is significantly higher than that of normal tissue. The scattering phase function is different especially in the backscattering area. Those are significant clinical benefits to diagnosis cancerous tissue

Spatial-Temporal Data Collection with Compressive Sensing in Mobile Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Li, Jiayin; Guo, Wenzhong; Chen, Zhonghui; Xiong, Neal

2017-01-01

Compressive sensing (CS) provides an energy-efficient paradigm for data gathering in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). However, the existing work on spatial-temporal data gathering using compressive sensing only considers either multi-hop relaying based or multiple random walks based approaches. In this paper, we exploit the mobility pattern for spatial-temporal data collection and propose a novel mobile data gathering scheme by employing the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm with delayed acceptance, an improved random walk algorithm for a mobile collector to collect data from a sensing field. The proposed scheme exploits Kronecker compressive sensing (KCS) for spatial-temporal correlation of sensory data by allowing the mobile collector to gather temporal compressive measurements from a small subset of randomly selected nodes along a random routing path. More importantly, from the theoretical perspective we prove that the equivalent sensing matrix constructed from the proposed scheme for spatial-temporal compressible signal can satisfy the property of KCS models. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme can not only significantly reduce communication cost but also improve recovery accuracy for mobile data gathering compared to the other existing schemes. In particular, we also show that the proposed scheme is robust in unreliable wireless environment under various packet losses. All this indicates that the proposed scheme can be an efficient alternative for data gathering application in WSNs. PMID:29117152

Spatial-Temporal Data Collection with Compressive Sensing in Mobile Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Zheng, Haifeng; Li, Jiayin; Feng, Xinxin; Guo, Wenzhong; Chen, Zhonghui; Xiong, Neal

2017-11-08

Compressive sensing (CS) provides an energy-efficient paradigm for data gathering in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). However, the existing work on spatial-temporal data gathering using compressive sensing only considers either multi-hop relaying based or multiple random walks based approaches. In this paper, we exploit the mobility pattern for spatial-temporal data collection and propose a novel mobile data gathering scheme by employing the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm with delayed acceptance, an improved random walk algorithm for a mobile collector to collect data from a sensing field. The proposed scheme exploits Kronecker compressive sensing (KCS) for spatial-temporal correlation of sensory data by allowing the mobile collector to gather temporal compressive measurements from a small subset of randomly selected nodes along a random routing path. More importantly, from the theoretical perspective we prove that the equivalent sensing matrix constructed from the proposed scheme for spatial-temporal compressible signal can satisfy the property of KCS models. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme can not only significantly reduce communication cost but also improve recovery accuracy for mobile data gathering compared to the other existing schemes. In particular, we also show that the proposed scheme is robust in unreliable wireless environment under various packet losses. All this indicates that the proposed scheme can be an efficient alternative for data gathering application in WSNs .

The high velocity, high adiabat, "Bigfoot" campaign and tests of indirect-drive implosion scaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casey, D. T.; Thomas, C. A.; Baker, K. L.; Spears, B. K.; Hohenberger, M.; Khan, S. F.; Nora, R. C.; Weber, C. R.; Woods, D. T.; Hurricane, O. A.; Callahan, D. A.; Berger, R. L.; Milovich, J. L.; Patel, P. K.; Ma, T.; Pak, A.; Benedetti, L. R.; Millot, M.; Jarrott, C.; Landen, O. L.; Bionta, R. M.; MacGowan, B. J.; Strozzi, D. J.; Stadermann, M.; Biener, J.; Nikroo, A.; Goyon, C. S.; Izumi, N.; Nagel, S. R.; Bachmann, B.; Volegov, P. L.; Fittinghoff, D. N.; Grim, G. P.; Yeamans, C. B.; Gatu Johnson, M.; Frenje, J. A.; Rice, N.; Kong, C.; Crippen, J.; Jaquez, J.; Kangas, K.; Wild, C.

2018-05-01

The Bigfoot approach is to intentionally trade off high convergence, and therefore areal-density, in favor of high implosion velocity and good coupling between the laser, hohlraum, shell, and hotspot. This results in a short laser pulse that improves hohlraum symmetry and predictability, while the reduced compression reduces hydrodynamic instability growth. The results thus far include demonstrated low-mode symmetry control at two different hohlraum geometries (5.75 mm and 5.4 mm diameters) and at two different target scales (5.4 mm and 6.0 mm hohlraum diameters) spanning 300-405 TW in laser power and 0.8-1.6 MJ in laser energy. Additionally, by carefully scaling the 5.4 mm design to 6.0 mm, an increase in target scale of 13%, equivalent to 40% increase in laser energy, has been demonstrated.

Development of a digital mobile solar tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baidar, S.; Kille, N.; Ortega, I.; Sinreich, R.; Thomson, D.; Hannigan, J.; Volkamer, R.

2015-11-01

We have constructed and deployed a fast digital solar tracker aboard a moving ground-based platform. The tracker consists of two rotating mirrors, a lens, an imaging camera, and a motion compensation system that provides the Euler angles of the mobile platform in real time. The tracker can be simultaneously coupled to UV-Vis and FTIR spectrometers making it a versatile tool to measure the absorption of trace gases using solar incoming radiation. The integrated system allows the tracker to operate autonomously while the mobile laboratory is in motion. Mobile direct sun Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (mobile DS-DOAS) observations using this tracker were conducted during summer 2014 as part of the Front Range Photochemistry and Pollution Experiment (FRAPPE) in Colorado, USA. We demonstrate an angular precision of 0.052° (about 1/10 of the solar disk diameter) during research drives, and verify this tracking precision from measurements of the center to limb darkening (CLD, the changing appearance of Fraunhofer lines) in the mobile DS-DOAS spectra. The high photon flux from direct sun observation enables measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) slant columns with high temporal resolution, and reveals spatial detail in the variations of NO2 vertical column densities (VCDs). The NO2 VCD from DS-DOAS is compared with a co-located MAX-DOAS instrument. Overall good agreement is observed amid a highly heterogeneous air mass.

Development of a digital mobile solar tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baidar, Sunil; Kille, Natalie; Ortega, Ivan; Sinreich, Roman; Thomson, David; Hannigan, James; Volkamer, Rainer

2016-03-01

We have constructed and deployed a fast digital solar tracker aboard a moving ground-based platform. The tracker consists of two rotating mirrors, a lens, an imaging camera, and a motion compensation system that provides the Euler angles of the mobile platform in real time. The tracker can be simultaneously coupled to UV-Vis and Fourier transform infrared spectrometers, making it a versatile tool to measure the absorption of trace gases using solar incoming radiation. The integrated system allows the tracker to operate autonomously while the mobile laboratory is in motion. Mobile direct sun differential optical absorption spectroscopy (mobile DS-DOAS) observations using this tracker were conducted during summer 2014 as part of the Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Experiment (FRAPPE) in Colorado, USA. We demonstrate an angular precision of 0.052° (about 1/10 of the solar disk diameter) during research drives and verify this tracking precision from measurements of the center to limb darkening (CLD, the changing appearance of Fraunhofer lines) in the mobile DS-DOAS spectra. The high photon flux from direct sun observation enables measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) slant columns with high temporal resolution and reveals spatial detail in the variations of NO2 vertical column densities (VCDs). The NO2 VCD from DS-DOAS is compared with a co-located MAX-DOAS instrument. Overall good agreement is observed amid a highly heterogeneous air mass.

Diffusion of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes in the mitochondrial matrix in vivo. Evidence for restricted mobility of a multienzyme complex.

PubMed

Haggie, Peter M; Verkman, A S

2002-10-25

It has been proposed that enzymes in many metabolic pathways, including the tricarboxylic acid cycle in the mitochondrial matrix, are physically associated to facilitate substrate channeling and overcome diffusive barriers. We have used fluorescence recovery after photobleaching to measure the diffusional mobilities of chimeras consisting of green fluorescent protein (GFP) fused to the C terminus of four tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes: malate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and succinyl-CoA synthetase. The GFP-enzyme chimeras were localized selectively in the mitochondrial matrix in transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and COS7 cells. Laser photobleaching using a 0.7-microm diameter spot demonstrated restricted diffusion of the GFP-enzyme chimeras. Interestingly, all four chimeras had similar diffusional characteristics, approximately 45% of each chimera was mobile and had a diffusion coefficient of 4 x 10(-8) cm(2)/s. In contrast, unconjugated GFP in the mitochondrial matrix (targeted using COX8 leader sequence) diffused freely (nearly 100% mobility) with a greater diffusion coefficient of 20 x 10(-8) cm(2)/s. The mobility of the GFP-enzyme chimeras was insensitive to substrate source, ATP depletion, or inhibition of the adenine nucleotide translocase. These results indicate similar mobility characteristics of unrelated tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes having different sizes and physical properties, providing biophysical evidence for a diffusible multienzyme complex in the mitochondrial matrix.

Morphological transformation of soot: investigation of microphysical processes during the condensation of sulphuric acid and limonene ozonolysis products vapours

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, R. K. P.; Pei, X.; Hallquist, M.; Pagels, J. H.

2017-12-01

Morphological transformation of soot particle by condensation of low volatility materials on it is a dominant atmospheric process with serious implications for its optical and hygroscopic properties, and atmospheric lifetime. In this study, the morphological transformation of soot agglomerate under the influence of condensation of vapours of sulphuric acid, and/or limonene ozonolysis products were investigated systematically using a Differential Mobility Analyser-Aerosol Particle Mass Analyser (DMA-APM) and the Tandem DMA techniques integrated with a laminar flow-tube system. We discovered that the morphology transformation of soot in general was a sequence of two-step process, i.e. (i) filling of void space within soot agglomerate; (ii) growth of particle diameter. These two steps followed and complimented each other. In the very beginning the filling was the dominant process followed by growth until it led to the accumulation of enough material that in turn exerted surface forces that eventually facilitated the further filling. The filling of void space was constrained by the initial morphology of fresh soot and the nature and amount of the material condensed. This process continued in several sequential steps until all void space within the soot agglomerate was filled completely and then growth of a spherical particle continued as long as mass was condensed on it. In this study, we developed a framework to quantify the microphysical transformation of soot upon the condensation of various materials. The framework utilized experimental data and hypothesis of ideal sphere growth and filling of voids to quantify the distribution of condensed materials in these two processes complimenting each other. Using this framework, we have quantified the percentage of material that went into processes of particle growth and void filling at each step. Using the same framework, we further estimated the fraction of internal voids and open voids and used this information to derive the volume equivalent diameter of soot agglomerate containing internal voids and calculated in-situ dynamic shape factor. Our study is the first study that tracks in situ microphysical changes in soot morphology quantitatively, providing the detailed status of both fresh and coated soot particles.

Assessment of mammographic film processor performance in a hospital and mobile screening unit.

PubMed

Murray, J G; Dowsett, D J; Laird, O; Ennis, J T

1992-12-01

In contrast to the majority of mammographic breast screening programmes, film processing at this centre occurs on site in both hospital and mobile trailer units. Initial (1989) quality control (QC) sensitometric tests revealed a large variation in film processor performance in the mobile unit. The clinical significance of these variations was assessed and acceptance limits for processor performance determined. Abnormal mammograms were used as reference material and copied using high definition 35 mm film over a range of exposure settings. The copies were than matched with QC film density variation from the mobile unit. All films were subsequently ranked for spatial and contrast resolution. Optimal values for processing time of 2 min (equivalent to film transit time 3 min and developer time 46 s) and temperature of 36 degrees C were obtained. The widespread anomaly of reporting film transit time as processing time is highlighted. Use of mammogram copies as a means of measuring the influence of film processor variation is advocated. Careful monitoring of the mobile unit film processor performance has produced stable quality comparable with the hospital based unit. The advantages of on site film processing are outlined. The addition of a sensitometric step wedge to all mammography film stock as a means of assessing image quality is recommended.

Effect of forced use of the lower extremity on gait performance and mobility of post-acute stroke patients

PubMed Central

Yu, Wen-Hsiu; Liu, Wen-Yu; Wong, Alice May-Kuen; Wang, Tzu-Chi; Li, Yen-Chen; Lien, Hen-Yu

2015-01-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a forced-use training program on gait, mobility and quality of life of post-acute stroke patients. [Subjects] Twenty-one individuals with unilateral stroke participated in this study. All participants had suffered from first-ever stroke with time since onset of at least 3 months. [Methods] A single-blinded, non-equivalent, pre-post controlled design with 1-month follow-up was adopted. Participants received either a forced-use or a conventional physical therapy program for 2 weeks. The main outcomes assessed were preferred and fastest walking velocities, spatial and temporal symmetry indexes of gait, the timed up and go test, the Rivermead Mobility Index, and the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale (Taiwan version). [Results] Forced-use training induced greater improvements in gait and mobility than conventional physical therapy. In addition, compared to pre-training, patients in the conventional physical therapy group walked faster but more asymmetrically after training. However, neither program effectively improved in-hospital quality of life. [Conclusion] The forced-use approach can be successfully applied to the lower extremities of stroke patients to improve mobility, walking speeds and symmetry of gait. PMID:25729182

LiteNet: Lightweight Neural Network for Detecting Arrhythmias at Resource-Constrained Mobile Devices.

PubMed

He, Ziyang; Zhang, Xiaoqing; Cao, Yangjie; Liu, Zhi; Zhang, Bo; Wang, Xiaoyan

2018-04-17

By running applications and services closer to the user, edge processing provides many advantages, such as short response time and reduced network traffic. Deep-learning based algorithms provide significantly better performances than traditional algorithms in many fields but demand more resources, such as higher computational power and more memory. Hence, designing deep learning algorithms that are more suitable for resource-constrained mobile devices is vital. In this paper, we build a lightweight neural network, termed LiteNet which uses a deep learning algorithm design to diagnose arrhythmias, as an example to show how we design deep learning schemes for resource-constrained mobile devices. Compare to other deep learning models with an equivalent accuracy, LiteNet has several advantages. It requires less memory, incurs lower computational cost, and is more feasible for deployment on resource-constrained mobile devices. It can be trained faster than other neural network algorithms and requires less communication across different processing units during distributed training. It uses filters of heterogeneous size in a convolutional layer, which contributes to the generation of various feature maps. The algorithm was tested using the MIT-BIH electrocardiogram (ECG) arrhythmia database; the results showed that LiteNet outperforms comparable schemes in diagnosing arrhythmias, and in its feasibility for use at the mobile devices.

In situ colloid mobilization in Hanford sediments under unsaturated transient flow conditions: effect of irrigation pattern.

PubMed

Zhuang, Jie; McCarthy, John F; Tyner, John S; Perfect, Edmund; Flury, Markus

2007-05-01

Colloid transport may facilitate off-site transport of radioactive wastes at the Hanford site, Washington State. In this study, column experiments were conducted to examine the effect of irrigation schedule on releases of in situ colloids from two Hanford sediments during saturated and unsaturated transientflow and its dependence on solution ionic strength, irrigation rate, and sediment texture. Results show that transient flow mobilized more colloids than steady-state flow. The number of short-term hydrological pulses was more important than total irrigation volume for increasing the amount of mobilized colloids. This effect increased with decreasing ionic strength. At an irrigation rate equal to 5% of the saturated hydraulic conductivity, a transient multipulse flow in 100 mM NaNO3 was equivalent to a 50-fold reduction of ionic strength (from 100 mM to 2 mM) with a single-pulse flow in terms of their positive effects on colloid mobilization. Irrigation rate was more important for the initial release of colloids. In addition to water velocity, mechanical straining of colloids was partly responsible for the smaller colloid mobilization in the fine than in the coarse sands, although the fine sand contained much larger concentrations of colloids than the coarse sand.

LiteNet: Lightweight Neural Network for Detecting Arrhythmias at Resource-Constrained Mobile Devices

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiaoqing; Cao, Yangjie; Liu, Zhi; Zhang, Bo; Wang, Xiaoyan

2018-01-01

By running applications and services closer to the user, edge processing provides many advantages, such as short response time and reduced network traffic. Deep-learning based algorithms provide significantly better performances than traditional algorithms in many fields but demand more resources, such as higher computational power and more memory. Hence, designing deep learning algorithms that are more suitable for resource-constrained mobile devices is vital. In this paper, we build a lightweight neural network, termed LiteNet which uses a deep learning algorithm design to diagnose arrhythmias, as an example to show how we design deep learning schemes for resource-constrained mobile devices. Compare to other deep learning models with an equivalent accuracy, LiteNet has several advantages. It requires less memory, incurs lower computational cost, and is more feasible for deployment on resource-constrained mobile devices. It can be trained faster than other neural network algorithms and requires less communication across different processing units during distributed training. It uses filters of heterogeneous size in a convolutional layer, which contributes to the generation of various feature maps. The algorithm was tested using the MIT-BIH electrocardiogram (ECG) arrhythmia database; the results showed that LiteNet outperforms comparable schemes in diagnosing arrhythmias, and in its feasibility for use at the mobile devices. PMID:29673171

Mitigation of cross-beam energy transfer: Implication of two-state focal zooming on OMEGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Froula, D. H.; Kessler, T. J.; Igumenshchev, I. V.; Betti, R.; Goncharov, V. N.; Huang, H.; Hu, S. X.; Hill, E.; Kelly, J. H.; Meyerhofer, D. D.; Shvydky, A.; Zuegel, J. D.

2013-08-01

Cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) during OMEGA low-adiabat cryogenic experiments reduces the hydrodynamic efficiency by ˜35%, which lowers the calculated one-dimensional (1-D) yield by a factor of 7. CBET can be mitigated by reducing the diameter of the laser beams relative to the target diameter. Reducing the diameter of the laser beams by 30%, after a sufficient conduction zone has been generated (two-state zooming), is predicted to maintain low-mode uniformity while recovering 90% of the kinetic energy lost to CBET. A radially varying phase plate is proposed to implement two-state zooming on OMEGA. A beam propagating through the central half-diameter of the phase plate will produce a large spot, while a beam propagating through the outer annular region of the phase plate will produce a narrower spot. To generate the required two-state near-field laser-beam profile, a picket driver with smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD) would pass through an apodizer, forming a beam of half the standard diameter. A second main-pulse driver would co-propagate without SSD through its own apodizer, forming a full-diameter annular beam. Hydrodynamic simulations, using the designed laser spots produced by the proposed zooming scheme on OMEGA, show that implementing zooming will increase the implosion velocity by 25% resulting in a 4.5× increase in the 1-D neutron yield. Demonstrating zooming on OMEGA would validate a viable direct-drive CBET mitigation scheme and help establish a pathway to hydrodynamically equivalent direct-drive-ignition implosions by increasing the ablation pressure (1.6×), which will allow for more stable implosions at ignition-relevant velocities.

Usefulness of multidetector-row CT (MDCT) for the diagnosis of non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI): assessment of morphology and diameter of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) on multi-planar reconstructed (MPR) images.

PubMed

Woodhams, Reiko; Nishimaki, Hiroshi; Fujii, Kaoru; Kakita, Satoko; Hayakawa, Kazushige

2010-10-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of multidetector-row CT (MDCT) for the diagnosis of non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) by analyzing morphology and diameter of superior mesenteric artery (SMA). We assessed whether MDCT was as useful as angiography for the diagnosis of NOMI. Four patients who were diagnosed with NOMI were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had 8-row MDCT followed by laparotomy. Two of them underwent angiography after MDCT. The morphology and diameter of SMA of these cases was analyzed on multi-planar reconstructed (MPR) images. The mean diameter of SMA of NOMI cases was compared to that of 13 control cases. MPR images of all NOMI cases showed irregular narrowing of the SMA, spasm of the arcades of SMA, and poor demonstration of intramural vessels. MPR images of two patients who had angiography were concordant with their angiograms. The mean diameter of SMA of NOMI patients was 3.4±1.1mm, which was statistically smaller than that of 13 control patients, 6.0±1.5mm (P<0.05, Wilcoxon rank sum tests). Angiography has been recognized essential for the diagnosis of NOMI. This study shows the possibility of MDCT to be an equivalently useful modality compared to angiography for the diagnosis of NOMI by interpreting morphologic appearance and diameter of SMA. Introduction of MDCT in the decision tree of NOMI treatment may bring the benefit of prompt diagnosis and subsequent early and efficient initiation of therapy, which may improve the mortality. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cervical spinal stenosis and sports-related cervical cord neurapraxia in children.

PubMed

Boockvar, J A; Durham, S R; Sun, P P

2001-12-15

Congenital spinal stenosis has been demonstrated to contribute to cervical cord neurapraxia after cervical spinal cord injury in adult athletes. A sagittal canal diameter <14 mm and/or a Torg ratio (sagittal diameter of the spinal canal: midcervical sagittal vertebral body diameter) of <0.8 are indicative of significant cervical spinal stenosis. Although sports-related cervical spine injuries are common in children, the role of congenital cervical stenosis in the etiology of these injuries remains unclear. The authors measured the sagittal canal diameter and the Torg ratio in children presenting with cervical cord neurapraxia resulting from sports-related cervical spinal cord injuries to determine the presence of congenital spinal stenosis. A total of 13 children (9 male, 4 female) presented with cervical cord neurapraxia after a sports-related cervical spinal cord injury. Age ranged from 7 to 15 years (mean +/- SD, 11.5 +/- 2.7 years). The sports involved were football (n = 4), wrestling (n = 2), hockey (n = 2), and soccer, gymnastics, baseball, kickball, and pogosticking (n = 1 each). Lateral cervical spine radiographs were used to determine the sagittal canal diameter and the Torg ratio at C4. The sagittal canal diameter (mean +/- SD, 17.58 +/- 1.63 mm) and the Torg ratio (mean +/- SD, 1.20 +/- 0.24) were normal in all of these children. Using the sagittal canal diameter and the Torg ratio as a measurement of congenital spinal stenosis, the authors did not find evidence of congenital cervical spinal stenosis in a group of children with sports-related cervical spinal cord neurapraxia. The occurrence of cervical cord neurapraxia in pediatric patients can be attributed to the mobility of the pediatric spine rather than to congenital cervical spinal stenosis.

A mobile detector for measurements of the atmospheric muon flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitrica, B.; Brancus, I. M.; Margineanu, R.; Petcu, M.; Dima, M.; Sima, O.; Haungs, A.; Rebel, H.; Petre, M.; Toma, G.; Saftoiu, A.; Apostu, A.

2011-04-01

Measurements of the underground atmospheric muon flux are important in order to determine accurately the overburden in mwe (meter water equivalent) of an underground laboratory for appreciating which kind of experiments are feasible for that location. Slanic- Prohava is one of the 7 possible locations for the European large underground experiment LAGUNA (Large Apparatus studying Grand Unification and Neutrino Astrophysics). A mobile device consisting of 2 scintillator plates (≍0.9 m2, each) one above the other and measuring in coincidence, was set-up for determining the muon flux. The detector it is installed on a van which facilitates measurements on different positions at the surface or in the underground and it is in operation since autumn 2009. The measurements of muon fluxes presented in this contribution have been performed in the underground salt mine Slanic-Prahova, Romania, where IFIN-HH has built a low radiation level laboratory, and at the surface on different sites of Romania, at different elevations from 0 m a.s.l up to 655 m a.s.l. Based on our measurements we can say that Slanic site is a feasible location for LAGUNA in Unirea salt mine at a water equivalent depth of 600 mwe. The results have been compared with Monte-Carlo simulations performed with the simulation codes CORSIKA and MUSIC.

In vivo and phantom measurements of the secondary photon and neutron doses for prostate patients undergoing 18 MV IMRT.

PubMed

Reft, Chester S; Runkel-Muller, Renate; Myrianthopoulos, Leon

2006-10-01

For intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatments 6 MV photons are typically used, however, for deep seated tumors in the pelvic region, higher photon energies are increasingly being employed. IMRT treatments require more monitor units (MU) to deliver the same dose as conformal treatments, causing increased secondary radiation to tissues outside the treated area from leakage and scatter, as well as a possible increase in the neutron dose from photon interactions in the machine head. Here we provide in vivo patient and phantom measurements of the secondary out-of-field photon radiation and the neutron dose equivalent for 18 MV IMRT treatments. The patients were treated for prostate cancer with 18 MV IMRT at institutions using different therapy machines and treatment planning systems. Phantom exposures at the different facilities were used to compare the secondary photon and neutron dose equivalent between typical IMRT delivered treatment plans with a six field three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) plan. For the in vivo measurements LiF thermoluminescent detectors (TLDs) and Al2O3 detectors using optically stimulated radiation were used to obtain the photon dose and CR-39 track etch detectors were used to obtain the neutron dose equivalent. For the phantom measurements a Bonner sphere (25.4 cm diameter) containing two types of TLDs (TLD-600 and TLD-700) having different thermal neutron sensitivities were used to obtain the out-of-field neutron dose equivalent. Our results showed that for patients treated with 18 MV IMRT the photon dose equivalent is greater than the neutron dose equivalent measured outside the treatment field and the neutron dose equivalent normalized to the prescription dose varied from 2 to 6 mSv/Gy among the therapy machines. The Bonner sphere results showed that the ratio of neutron equivalent doses for the 18 MV IMRT and 3DCRT prostate treatments scaled as the ratio of delivered MUs. We also observed differences in the measured neutron dose equivalent among the three therapy machines for both the in vivo and phantom exposures.

The rotating universe.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surdin, M.

A closed universe obeying the Hubble equation v = Hu·r, where Hu is the Hubble constant, is considered. It is shown that such a universe is equivalent to a universe rotating around one of its diameters at an angular velocity Ωu = Hu. If one revives Blackett's conjecture, viz., a rotating body creates at its center a magnetic dipole, one computes the value of the magnetic field as B ≅ 2.5×10-5G. Intergalactic magnetic fields of the order of 10-6G were deduced from observations.

Drilling Holes in Graphite/Epoxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minlionica, Ronald

1987-01-01

Relatively long-lived bit produces high-quality holes. Effective combination of cutting-tool design, feed, and speed determined for drilling 3/16-and-1/4-in. (0.48-and 0.65-cm) diameter holes in 0.18 in. (0.46cm) thick GM3013A or equivalent graphite/epoxy corrugated spar without backup material and without coolant. Developed to produce holes in blind areas, optimal techniques yielded holes of high quality, with minimal or acceptable delamination and/or fiber extension on drill-exit side.

Performance of transonic fan stage with weight flow per unit annulus area of 208 kilograms per second per square meter (42.6 (lb/sec)/sq ft)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urasek, D. C.; Kovich, G.; Moore, R. D.

1973-01-01

Performance was obtained for a 50-cm-diameter compressor designed for a high weight flow per unit annulus area of 208 (kg/sec)/sq m. Peak efficiency values of 0.83 and 0.79 were obtained for the rotor and stage, respectively. The stall margin for the stage was 23 percent, based on equivalent weight flow and total-pressure ratio at peak efficiency and stall.

Proceedings of the Antenna Applications Symposium Held at Monticello, Illinois on 21-23 September 1983. Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-03-01

are the zig-zag [12] and the yagi. A zig-zag antenna is the two-dimensional equivalent of a helix . It may be printed unto a supporting substrate and...In the last decade the advances have been subtle, but none-the-less important in optimizing performance of broadband systems. This paper describes some...geometry commonly used is the planar spiral/ helix antenna. Figure 4 shows a single-mode 2 inch diameter spiral/ helix antenna designed to operate

Cold-air performance of a 12.766-centimeter-tip-diameter axial-flow cooled turbine. 1: Design and performance of a solid blade configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haas, J. E.; Kofskey, M. G.

1975-01-01

A solid blade version of a single-stage, axial-flow turbine was investigated to determine its performance over a range of speeds from 0 to 105 percent of equivalent design speed and over a range of total to static pressure ratios from 1.62 to 5.07. The results of this investigation will be used as a baseline for comparison with those obtained from a cooled version of this turbine.

The Analysis of Metal Finishing Solutions by Ion Chromatography

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-08-01

Chromatographic Instrumentation ...... 33 2.3 Modes of Separation .................. 35 2.4 Modes of Detection ................... 44 2.5 Method Development...Chromium Plating Solutions a and R with Added HCl ..................... 151 Table 35 . Chromium Plating Solutions a and R with Added NaOH...Dm (20) HETPld= Zd Dm / U (21) HETPsm= Zsm dp dp U / Dm (22) HETPsp= Zs dp dp U / Ds (23) where: dp- Particle diameter. Dm= Solute mobile phase

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Delta II Heavy rocket waits the arrival of the mobile service tower with three additional solid rocket boosters (SRBs). Nine 46-inch-diameter, stretched SRBs will help launch the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). Consisting of three cryogenically cooled science instruments and an 0.85-meter telescope, SIRTF is one of NASA's largest infrared telescopes to be launched. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Most of this infrared radiation is blocked by the Earth's atmosphere and cannot be observed from the ground.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-07-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Delta II Heavy rocket waits the arrival of the mobile service tower with three additional solid rocket boosters (SRBs). Nine 46-inch-diameter, stretched SRBs will help launch the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). Consisting of three cryogenically cooled science instruments and an 0.85-meter telescope, SIRTF is one of NASA's largest infrared telescopes to be launched. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Most of this infrared radiation is blocked by the Earth's atmosphere and cannot be observed from the ground.

Effects of microwaves (950 MHZ mobile phone) on morphometric and apoptotic changes of rabbit epididymis.

PubMed

Azadi Oskouyi, E; Rajaei, F; Safari Variani, A; Sarokhani, M R; Javadi, A

2015-08-01

The effect of mobile phone radiation on human reproduction system is still a matter of debate. In this study, 18 male rabbits were randomly divided into two experimental groups and one control group. Experimental groups received simulated microwaves with the frequency of 950 MHz and the output power of 3 and 6 watts for 2 weeks, 2 h a day. After a week of rest, the microscopic slides from the quada of the excised epididymis were prepared. Then, the diameter of epididymis, the height of epithelium and the number of apoptotic cells in epithelium in study groups were determined. The data were compared using spss software and one-way anova test. The epithelial height and diameter of the epididymis in 3 watt and 6 watt groups had a significant decrease compared to the control group (P < 0.001), while the testosterone level only in 6 watt group was significantly decreased compared to control group. The rate of apoptosis in the epithelial cells of the epididymis had a significant increase only in 6 watt group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). This study showed that the microwaves with the frequency of 950 MHz can have negative impacts on morphometric and apoptotic changes of rabbit epididymis. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Sex differences in virtual navigation influenced by scale and navigation experience.

PubMed

Padilla, Lace M; Creem-Regehr, Sarah H; Stefanucci, Jeanine K; Cashdan, Elizabeth A

2017-04-01

The Morris water maze is a spatial abilities test adapted from the animal spatial cognition literature and has been studied in the context of sex differences in humans. This is because its standard design, which manipulates proximal (close) and distal (far) cues, applies to human navigation. However, virtual Morris water mazes test navigation skills on a scale that is vastly smaller than natural human navigation. Many researchers have argued that navigating in large and small scales is fundamentally different, and small-scale navigation might not simulate natural human navigation. Other work has suggested that navigation experience could influence spatial skills. To address the question of how individual differences influence navigational abilities in differently scaled environments, we employed both a large- (146.4 m in diameter) and a traditional- (36.6 m in diameter) scaled virtual Morris water maze along with a novel measure of navigation experience (lifetime mobility). We found sex differences on the small maze in the distal cue condition only, but in both cue-conditions on the large maze. Also, individual differences in navigation experience modulated navigation performance on the virtual water maze, showing that higher mobility was related to better performance with proximal cues for only females on the small maze, but for both males and females on the large maze.

On the Adsorption of DNA Origami Nanostructures in Nanohole Arrays.

PubMed

Brassat, Katharina; Ramakrishnan, Saminathan; Bürger, Julius; Hanke, Marcel; Doostdar, Mahnaz; Lindner, Jörg K N; Grundmeier, Guido; Keller, Adrian

2018-05-22

DNA origami nanostructures are versatile substrates for the controlled arrangement of molecular capture sites with nanometer precision and thus have many promising applications in single-molecule bioanalysis. Here, we investigate the adsorption of DNA origami nanostructures in nanohole arrays which represent an important class of biosensors and may benefit from the incorporation of DNA origami-based molecular probes. Nanoholes with well-defined diameter that enable the adsorption of single DNA origami triangles are fabricated in Au films on Si wafers by nanosphere lithography. The efficiency of directed DNA origami adsorption on the exposed SiO 2 areas at the bottoms of the nanoholes is evaluated in dependence of various parameters, i.e., Mg 2+ and DNA origami concentrations, buffer strength, adsorption time, and nanohole diameter. We observe that the buffer strength has a surprisingly strong effect on DNA origami adsorption in the nanoholes and that multiple DNA origami triangles with 120 nm edge length can adsorb in nanoholes as small as 120 nm in diameter. We attribute the latter observation to the low lateral mobility of once adsorbed DNA origami on the SiO 2 surface, in combination with parasitic adsorption to the Au film. Although parasitic adsorption can be suppressed by modifying the Au film with a hydrophobic self-assembled monolayer, the limited surface mobility of the adsorbed DNA origami still leads to poor localization accuracy in the nanoholes and results in many DNA origami crossing the boundary to the Au film even under optimized conditions. We discuss possible ways to minimize this effect by varying the composition of the adsorption buffer, employing different fabrication conditions, or using other substrate materials for nanohole array fabrication.

Vertically resolved concentration and liquid water content of atmospheric nanoparticles at the US DOE Southern Great Plains site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Haihan; Hodshire, Anna L.; Ortega, John; Greenberg, James; McMurry, Peter H.; Carlton, Annmarie G.; Pierce, Jeffrey R.; Hanson, Dave R.; Smith, James N.

2018-01-01

Most prior field studies of new particle formation (NPF) have been performed at or near ground level, leaving many unanswered questions regarding the vertical extent of NPF. To address this, we measured concentrations of 11-16 nm diameter particles from ground level to 1000 m during the 2013 New Particle Formation Study at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Southern Great Plains site in Lamont, Oklahoma. The measurements were performed using a tethered balloon carrying two condensation particle counters that were configured for two different particle cut-off diameters. These observations were compared to data from three scanning mobility particle sizers at the ground level. We observed that 11-16 nm diameter particles were generated at the top region of the boundary layer, and were then rapidly mixed throughout the boundary layer. We also estimate liquid water content of nanoparticles using ground-based measurements of particle hygroscopicity obtained with a Humidified Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer and vertically resolved relative humidity (RH) and temperature measured with a Raman lidar. Our analyses of these observations lead to the following conclusions regarding nanoparticles formed during NPF events at this site: (1) ground-based observations may not always accurately represent the timing, distribution, and meteorological conditions associated with the onset of NPF; (2) nanoparticles are highly hygroscopic and typically contain up to 50 % water by volume, and during conditions of high RH combined with high particle hygroscopicity, particles can be up to 95 % water by volume; (3) increased liquid water content of nanoparticles at high RH greatly enhances the partitioning of water-soluble species like organic acids into ambient nanoparticles.

Selectivity in reversed-phase separations: general influence of solvent type and mobile phase pH.

PubMed

Neue, Uwe D; Méndez, Alberto

2007-05-01

The influence of the mobile phase on retention is studied in this paper for a group of over 70 compounds with a broad range of multiple functional groups. We varied the pH of the mobile phase (pH 3, 7, and 10) and the organic modifier (methanol, acetonitrile (ACN), and tetrahydrofuran (THF)), using 15 different stationary phases. In this paper, we describe the overall retention and selectivity changes observed with these variables. We focus on the primary effects of solvent choice and pH. For example, transfer rules for solvent composition resulting in equivalent retention depend on the packing as well as on the type of analyte. Based on the retention patterns, one can calculate selectivity difference values for different variables. The selectivity difference is a measure of the importance of the different variables involved in method development. Selectivity changes specific to the type of analyte are described. The largest selectivity differences are obtained with pH changes.

1.5-V-threshold-voltage Schottky barrier normally-off AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors with f T/f max of 41/125 GHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, Bin; Ma, Xiaohua; Yang, Ling; Zhu, Jiejie; Zhu, Qing; Chen, Lixiang; Mi, Minhan; Zhang, Hengshuang; Zhang, Meng; Zhang, Peng; Zhou, Xiaowei; Hao, Yue

2017-07-01

In this paper, a normally-off AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMT) fabricated using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) CF4 plasma recessing and an implantation technique is reported. A gate-to-channel distance of ˜10 nm and an equivalent negative fluorine sheet charge density of -1.21 × 1013 cm-2 extracted using a simple threshold voltage (V th) analytical model result in a high V th of 1.5 V, a peak transconductance of 356 mS/mm, and a subthreshold slope of 133 mV/decade. A small degradation of channel mobility leads to a high RF performance with f T/f max of 41/125 GHz, resulting in a record high f T × L g product of 10.66 GHz·µm among Schottky barrier AlGaN/GaN normally-off HEMTs with V th exceeding 1 V, to the best of our knowledge.

Mobile source CO2 mitigation through smart growth development and vehicle fleet hybridization.

PubMed

Stone, Brian; Mednick, Adam C; Holloway, Tracey; Spak, Scott N

2009-03-15

This paper presents the results of a study on the effectiveness of smart growth development patterns and vehicle fleet hybridization in reducing mobile source emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) across 11 major metropolitan regions of the Midwestern U.S. over a 50-year period. Through the integration of a vehicle travel activity modeling framework developed by researchers atthe Oak Ridge National Laboratory with small area population projections, we model mobile source emissions of CO2 associated with alternative land development and technology change scenarios between 2000 and 2050. Our findings suggest that under an aggressive smart growth scenario, growth in emissions expected to occur under a business as usual scenario is reduced by 34%, while the full dissemination of hybrid-electric vehicles throughout the light vehicle fleet is found to offset the expected growth in emissions by 97%. Our results further suggest that high levels of urban densification could achieve reductions in 2050 CO2 emissions equivalent to those attainable through the full dissemination of hybrid-electric vehicle technologies.

Increasing the Lifetime of Mobile WSNs via Dynamic Optimization of Sensor Node Communication Activity

PubMed Central

Guimarães, Dayan Adionel; Sakai, Lucas Jun; Alberti, Antonio Marcos; de Souza, Rausley Adriano Amaral

2016-01-01

In this paper, a simple and flexible method for increasing the lifetime of fixed or mobile wireless sensor networks is proposed. Based on past residual energy information reported by the sensor nodes, the sink node or another central node dynamically optimizes the communication activity levels of the sensor nodes to save energy without sacrificing the data throughput. The activity levels are defined to represent portions of time or time-frequency slots in a frame, during which the sensor nodes are scheduled to communicate with the sink node to report sensory measurements. Besides node mobility, it is considered that sensors’ batteries may be recharged via a wireless power transmission or equivalent energy harvesting scheme, bringing to the optimization problem an even more dynamic character. We report large increased lifetimes over the non-optimized network and comparable or even larger lifetime improvements with respect to an idealized greedy algorithm that uses both the real-time channel state and the residual energy information. PMID:27657075

Analysis of the interplay among charge, hydration and shape of proteins through the modeling of their CZE mobility data.

PubMed

Piaggio, Maria V; Peirotti, Marta B; Deiber, Julio A

2009-07-01

Electrophoretic mobility data of four proteins are analyzed and interpreted through a physicochemical CZE model, which provides estimates of quantities like equivalent hydrodynamic radius (size), effective charge number, shape orientation factor, hydration, actual pK values of ionizing groups, and pH near molecule, among others. Protein friction coefficients are simulated through the creeping flow theory of prolate spheroidal particles. The modeling of the effective electrophoretic mobility of proteins requires consideration of hydrodynamic size and shape coupled to hydration and effective charge. The model proposed predicts native protein hydration within the range of values obtained experimentally from other techniques. Therefore, this model provides consistently other physicochemical properties such as average friction and diffusion coefficients and packing fractal dimension. As the pH varies from native conditions to those that are denaturing the protein, hydration and packing fractal dimension change substantially. Needs for further research are also discussed and proposed.

Increasing the Lifetime of Mobile WSNs via Dynamic Optimization of Sensor Node Communication Activity.

PubMed

Guimarães, Dayan Adionel; Sakai, Lucas Jun; Alberti, Antonio Marcos; de Souza, Rausley Adriano Amaral

2016-09-20

In this paper, a simple and flexible method for increasing the lifetime of fixed or mobile wireless sensor networks is proposed. Based on past residual energy information reported by the sensor nodes, the sink node or another central node dynamically optimizes the communication activity levels of the sensor nodes to save energy without sacrificing the data throughput. The activity levels are defined to represent portions of time or time-frequency slots in a frame, during which the sensor nodes are scheduled to communicate with the sink node to report sensory measurements. Besides node mobility, it is considered that sensors' batteries may be recharged via a wireless power transmission or equivalent energy harvesting scheme, bringing to the optimization problem an even more dynamic character. We report large increased lifetimes over the non-optimized network and comparable or even larger lifetime improvements with respect to an idealized greedy algorithm that uses both the real-time channel state and the residual energy information.

Lithium-ion battery electrolyte mobility at nano-confined graphene interfaces

PubMed Central

Moeremans, Boaz; Cheng, Hsiu-Wei; Hu, Qingyun; Garces, Hector F.; Padture, Nitin P.; Renner, Frank Uwe; Valtiner, Markus

2016-01-01

Interfaces are essential in electrochemical processes, providing a critical nanoscopic design feature for composite electrodes used in Li-ion batteries. Understanding the structure, wetting and mobility at nano-confined interfaces is important for improving the efficiency and lifetime of electrochemical devices. Here we use a Surface Forces Apparatus to quantify the initial wetting of nanometre-confined graphene, gold and mica surfaces by Li-ion battery electrolytes. Our results indicate preferential wetting of confined graphene in comparison with gold or mica surfaces because of specific interactions of the electrolyte with the graphene surface. In addition, wetting of a confined pore proceeds via a profoundly different mechanism compared with wetting of a macroscopic surface. We further reveal the existence of molecularly layered structures of the confined electrolyte. Nanoscopic confinement of less than 4–5 nm and the presence of water decrease the mobility of the electrolyte. These results suggest a lower limit for the pore diameter in nanostructured electrodes. PMID:27562148

Nanohole Structuring for Improved Performance of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon Photovoltaics.

PubMed

Johlin, Eric; Al-Obeidi, Ahmed; Nogay, Gizem; Stuckelberger, Michael; Buonassisi, Tonio; Grossman, Jeffrey C

2016-06-22

While low hole mobilities limit the current collection and efficiency of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) photovoltaic devices, attempts to improve mobility of the material directly have stagnated. Herein, we explore a method of utilizing nanostructuring of a-Si:H devices to allow for improved hole collection in thick absorber layers. This is achieved by etching an array of 150 nm diameter holes into intrinsic a-Si:H and then coating the structured material with p-type a-Si:H and a conformal zinc oxide transparent conducting layer. The inclusion of these nanoholes yields relative power conversion efficiency (PCE) increases of ∼45%, from 7.2 to 10.4% PCE for small area devices. Comparisons of optical properties, time-of-flight mobility measurements, and internal quantum efficiency spectra indicate this efficiency is indeed likely occurring from an improved collection pathway provided by the nanostructuring of the devices. Finally, we estimate that through modest optimizations of the design and fabrication, PCEs of beyond 13% should be obtainable for similar devices.

A Modular Habitation System for Human Planetary and Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howe, A. Scott

2015-01-01

A small-diameter modular pressure vessel system is devised that can be applied to planetary surface and deep space human exploration missions. As one of the recommendations prepared for the NASA Human Spaceflight Architecture Team (HAT) Evolvable Mars Campaign (EMC), a compact modular system can provide a Mars-forward approach to a variety of missions and environments. Small cabins derived from the system can fit into the Space Launch System (SLS) Orion "trunk", or can be mounted with mobility systems to function as pressurized rovers, in-space taxis, ascent stage cabins, or propellant tanks. Larger volumes can be created using inflatable elements for long-duration deep space missions and planetary surface outposts. This paper discusses how a small-diameter modular system can address functional requirements, mass and volume constraints, and operational scenarios.

Soot Particle Studies - Instrument Inter-Comparison – Project Overview

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

Cross, E.; Sedlacek, A.; Onasch, T. B.

2010-03-06

An inter-comparison study of instruments designed to measure the microphysical and optical properties of soot particles was completed. The following mass-based instruments were tested: Couette Centrifugal Particle Mass Analyzer (CPMA), Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer - Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (AMS-SMPS), Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2), Soot Particle-Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SP-AMS) and Photoelectric Aerosol Sensor (PAS2000CE). Optical instruments measured absorption (photoacoustic, interferometric, and filter-based), scattering (in situ), and extinction (light attenuation within an optical cavity). The study covered an experimental matrix consisting of 318 runs that systematically tested the performance of instruments across a range of parameters including: fuel equivalence ratiomore » (1.8 {le} {phi} {le} 5), particle shape (mass-mobility exponent (D{sub f m}), 2.0 {le} D{sub f m} {le} 3.0), particle mobility size (30 {le} d{sub m} {le} 300 nm), black carbon mass (0.07 {le} m{sub BC} {le} 4.2 fg) and particle chemical composition. In selected runs, particles were coated with sulfuric acid or dioctyl sebacate (DOS) (0.5 {le} {Delta}r{sub ve} {le} 201 nm) where {Delta}r{sub ve} is the change in the volume equivalent radius due to the coating material. The effect of non-absorbing coatings on instrument response was determined. Changes in the morphology of fractal soot particles were monitored during coating and denuding processes and the effect of particle shape on instrument response was determined. The combination of optical and mass based measurements was used to determine the mass specific absorption coefficient for denuded soot particles. The single scattering albedo of the particles was also measured. An overview of the experiments and sample results are presented.« less

The energy cost of triglyceride-fatty acid recycling in nonobese subjects after an overnight fast and four days of starvation.

PubMed

Elia, M; Zed, C; Neale, G; Livesey, G

1987-03-01

The basal blood glycerol concentration was determined and the rate of glycerol turnover was assessed by a nonradioactive infusion technique in six healthy nonobese adults after an overnight fast and again after four days of total starvation. Simultaneously, estimates of total energy expenditure and net fat oxidation were made from measurements of oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and urinary nitrogen excretion. The data were combined to provide quantitative estimates of the activity of the triglyceride/fatty acid cycle. The basal concentration of glycerol in venous blood rose from a mean value of 54 +/- 8 mumol/L (SEM) before starvation to 154 +/- 5 mumol/L on day 4 of starvation. Glycerol turnover rates correlated well with the basal blood glycerol concentration (r = .95) and increased from a mean value of 115 +/- 17 mumol/min before starvation (equivalent to mobilization of about 3.95 kJ triglyceride/min) to 304 +/- 20 mumol/min (equivalent to mobilization of about 18.41 kJ/min). The estimated rate of net fat oxidation was 3.00 +/- 0.47 kJ/min before starvation and 4.00 +/- 0.14 kJ/min on day +4 of starvation. The rate of triglyceride energy recycling or rate of deposition of triglyceride energy into fat stores was calculated from the difference in the rate of fat energy mobilization and the rate of energy released during net fat oxidation. The values were found to be 0.94 +/- 0.26 kJ/min before starvation and 6.29 +/- 0.54 kJ/min on day +4 of starvation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

SU-F-I-05: Dose Symmetry for CTDI Equivalent Measurements with Limited Angle CBCT

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

Singh, V; McKenney, S; Sunde, P

Purpose: CTDI measurements, useful for characterizing the x-ray output for multi-detector CT (MDCT), require a 360° rotation of the gantry; this presents a problem for cone beam CT (CBCT) due to its limited angular rotation. The purpose of this work is to demonstrate a methodology for overcoming this limited angular rotation so that CTDI measurements can also be made on CBCT systems making it possible to compare the radiation output from both types of system with a common metric. Methods: The symmetry of the CTDI phantom allows a 360° CTDI measurement to be replaced with two 180° measurements. A pencilmore » chamber with a real-time digitizer was placed at the center of the head phantom (16 cm, PMMA) and the resulting exposure measurement from a 180° acquisition was doubled. A pair of edge measurements, each obtained with the gantry passing through the same 180 arc, was obtained with the pencil chamber at opposite edges of the diameter of the phantom and then summed. The method was demonstrated on a clinical CT scanner (Philips, Brilliance6) and then implemented on an interventional system (Siemens, Axiom Artis). Results: The equivalent CTDI measurement agreed with the conventional CTDI measurement within 8%. The discrepancy in the two measurements is largely attributed to uncertainties in cropping the waveform to a 180°acquisition. (Note: Because of the reduced fan angle in the CBCT, CTDI is not directly comparable to MDCT values when a 32 cm phantom is used.) Conclusion: The symmetry-based CTDI measurement is an equivalent measurement to the conventional CTDI measurement when the fan angle is large enough to encompass the phantom diameter. This allows a familiar metric of radiation output to be employed on systems with a limited angular rotation.« less

Role of immediate recurrent laryngeal nerve reconstruction in surgery for thyroid cancers with fixed vocal cords.

PubMed

Iwaki, Shinobu; Maeda, Tatsuyoshi; Saito, Miki; Otsuki, Naoki; Takahashi, Miki; Wakui, Emi; Shinomiya, Hirotaka; Morimoto, Koichi; Inoue, Hiroyuki; Masuoka, Hiroo; Miyauchi, Akira; Nibu, Ken-Ichi

2017-03-01

Quality of voice after immediate recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) reconstruction in thyroid cancers has not been thoroughly studied. Thirteen patients with fixed vocal cords (fixed vocal cord group) and 8 patients with intact or impaired mobile vocal cords (mobile vocal cord group) who had immediate RLN reconstruction simultaneously with total thyroidectomy, and patients who had arytenoid adduction and thyroplasty for vocal cord paralysis caused by previous surgery (arytenoid adduction thyroplasty group) were enrolled in this study. Preoperative phonation efficiency index was significantly lower (p = .008) in the fixed vocal cord group than in the mobile vocal cord group. One year after surgery, all voice parameters of the patients in the fixed vocal cord group had improved, compared with their preoperative data. The fixed vocal cord group had attained satisfactory voice qualities equivalent to those of the mobile vocal cord group in terms of various voice parameters. The present results support the idea that immediate RLN reconstruction at the time of surgery for thyroid cancers may spare the need for subsequent arytenoid adduction thyroplasty even in the patients with preoperatively fixed vocal cords. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 427-431, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparative performance analysis for computer aided lung nodule detection and segmentation on ultra-low-dose vs. standard-dose CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiemker, Rafael; Rogalla, Patrik; Opfer, Roland; Ekin, Ahmet; Romano, Valentina; Bülow, Thomas

2006-03-01

The performance of computer aided lung nodule detection (CAD) and computer aided nodule volumetry is compared between standard-dose (70-100 mAs) and ultra-low-dose CT images (5-10 mAs). A direct quantitative performance comparison was possible, since for each patient both an ultra-low-dose and a standard-dose CT scan were acquired within the same examination session. The data sets were recorded with a multi-slice CT scanner at the Charite university hospital Berlin with 1 mm slice thickness. Our computer aided nodule detection and segmentation algorithms were deployed on both ultra-low-dose and standard-dose CT data without any dose-specific fine-tuning or preprocessing. As a reference standard 292 nodules from 20 patients were visually identified, each nodule both in ultra-low-dose and standard-dose data sets. The CAD performance was analyzed by virtue of multiple FROC curves for different lower thresholds of the nodule diameter. For nodules with a volume-equivalent diameter equal or larger than 4 mm (149 nodules pairs), we observed a detection rate of 88% at a median false positive rate of 2 per patient in standard-dose images, and 86% detection rate in ultra-low-dose images, also at 2 FPs per patient. Including even smaller nodules equal or larger than 2 mm (272 nodules pairs), we observed a detection rate of 86% in standard-dose images, and 84% detection rate in ultra-low-dose images, both at a rate of 5 FPs per patient. Moreover, we observed a correlation of 94% between the volume-equivalent nodule diameter as automatically measured on ultra-low-dose versus on standard-dose images, indicating that ultra-low-dose CT is also feasible for growth-rate assessment in follow-up examinations. The comparable performance of lung nodule CAD in ultra-low-dose and standard-dose images is of particular interest with respect to lung cancer screening of asymptomatic patients.

Submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics, functional mobility, and physical activity in older adults with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction

PubMed Central

Hummel, Scott L; Herald, John; Alpert, Craig; Gretebeck, Kimberlee A; Champoux, Wendy S; Dengel, Donald R; Vaitkevicius, Peter V; Alexander, Neil B

2016-01-01

Background Submaximal oxygen uptake measures are more feasible and may better predict clinical cardiac outcomes than maximal tests in older adults with heart failure (HF). We examined relationships between maximal oxygen uptake, submaximal oxygen kinetics, functional mobility, and physical activity in older adults with HF and reduced ejection fraction. Methods Older adults with HF and reduced ejection fraction (n = 25, age 75 ± 7 years) were compared to 25 healthy age- and gender-matched controls. Assessments included a maximal treadmill test for peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), oxygen uptake kinetics at onset of and on recovery from a submaximal treadmill test, functional mobility testing [Get Up and Go (GUG), Comfortable Gait Speed (CGS), Unipedal Stance (US)], and self-reported physical activity (PA). Results Compared to controls, HF had worse performance on GUG, CGS, and US, greater delays in submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics, and lower PA. In controls, VO2peak was more strongly associated with functional mobility and PA than submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics. In HF patients, submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics were similarly associated with GUG and CGS as VO2peak, but weakly associated with PA. Conclusions Based on their mobility performance, older HF patients with reduced ejection fraction are at risk for adverse functional outcomes. In this population, submaximal oxygen uptake measures may be equivalent to VO2 peak in predicting functional mobility, and in addition to being more feasible, may provide better insight into how aerobic function relates to mobility in older adults with HF. PMID:27594875

Submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics, functional mobility, and physical activity in older adults with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.

PubMed

Hummel, Scott L; Herald, John; Alpert, Craig; Gretebeck, Kimberlee A; Champoux, Wendy S; Dengel, Donald R; Vaitkevicius, Peter V; Alexander, Neil B

2016-07-01

Submaximal oxygen uptake measures are more feasible and may better predict clinical cardiac outcomes than maximal tests in older adults with heart failure (HF). We examined relationships between maximal oxygen uptake, submaximal oxygen kinetics, functional mobility, and physical activity in older adults with HF and reduced ejection fraction. Older adults with HF and reduced ejection fraction (n = 25, age 75 ± 7 years) were compared to 25 healthy age- and gender-matched controls. Assessments included a maximal treadmill test for peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), oxygen uptake kinetics at onset of and on recovery from a submaximal treadmill test, functional mobility testing [Get Up and Go (GUG), Comfortable Gait Speed (CGS), Unipedal Stance (US)], and self-reported physical activity (PA). Compared to controls, HF had worse performance on GUG, CGS, and US, greater delays in submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics, and lower PA. In controls, VO2peak was more strongly associated with functional mobility and PA than submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics. In HF patients, submaximal oxygen uptake kinetics were similarly associated with GUG and CGS as VO2peak, but weakly associated with PA. Based on their mobility performance, older HF patients with reduced ejection fraction are at risk for adverse functional outcomes. In this population, submaximal oxygen uptake measures may be equivalent to VO2 peak in predicting functional mobility, and in addition to being more feasible, may provide better insight into how aerobic function relates to mobility in older adults with HF.

Low-temperature direct synthesis of mesoporous vanadium nitrides for electrochemical capacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hae-Min; Jeong, Gyoung Hwa; Kim, Sang-Wook; Kim, Chang-Koo

2017-04-01

Mesoporous vanadium nitrides are directly synthesized by a one-step chemical precipitation method at a low temperature (70 °C). Structural and morphological analyses reveal that vanadium nitride consist of long and slender nanowhiskers, and mesopores with diameters of 2-5 nm. Compositional analysis confirms the presence of vanadium in the VN structure, along with oxidized vanadium. The cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge tests indicate that the obtained material stores charges via a combination of electric double-layer capacitance and pseudocapacitance mechanisms. The vanadium nitride electrode exhibits a specific capacitance of 598 F/g at a current density of 4 A/g. After 5000 charge-discharge cycles, the electrode has an equivalent series resistance of 1.42 Ω and retains 83% of its initial specific capacitance. This direct low-temperature synthesis of mesoporous vanadium nitrides is a simple and promising method to achieve high specific capacitance and low equivalent series resistance for electrochemical capacitor applications.

Cs2LiLa(Br,Cl)6 Crystals for Nuclear Security Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawrami, R.; Pandian, L. Soundara; Ariesanti, E.; Glodo, J.; Finkelstein, J.; Tower, J.; Shah, K.

2016-04-01

Properties of dual-mode scintillation detectors based on CLLBC crystals are reported. Energy resolution and light yield are measured at 2.9% (FWHM) at 662 keV and 45000 photons/MeV, respectively, for a 1-in-diameter and 1-in-long crystal. With less than 2% variation in light yield as a function of energy, CLLBC has better proportionality than LaBr3 and NaI:Tl. Neutron peak resulting from reactions with neutrons emitted by 252Cf (moderated) is measured at a gamma energy equivalent of 3.1 MeVee (electron energy equivalent), making pulse height discrimination between gamma-rays and neutrons easy. The material is also of effective pulse shape discrimination. The figure-of-merit for discrimination of gamma rays and thermal neutrons in CLLBC can be as high as 3.2, which is comparable to that of CLYC.

Lineal energy calibration of mini tissue-equivalent gas-proportional counters (TEPC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conte, V.; Moro, D.; Grosswendt, B.; Colautti, P.

2013-07-01

Mini TEPCs are cylindrical gas proportional counters of 1 mm or less of sensitive volume diameter. The lineal energy calibration of these tiny counters can be performed with an external gamma-ray source. However, to do that, first a method to get a simple and precise spectral mark has to be found and then the keV/μm value of this mark. A precise method (less than 1% of uncertainty) to identify this markis described here, and the lineal energy value of this mark has been measured for different simulated site sizes by using a 137Cs gamma source and a cylindrical TEPC equipped with a precision internal 244Cm alpha-particle source, and filled with propane-based tissue-equivalent gas mixture. Mini TEPCs can be calibrated in terms of lineal energy, by exposing them to 137Cesium sources, with an overall uncertainty of about 5%.

Low-level gamma and neutron monitoring based on use of proportional counter filled with 3He in polythene moderator: study of the responses to gamma and neutrons.

PubMed

Pszona, S; Bantsar, A; Tulik, P; Wincel, K; Zaręba, B

2014-10-01

It has been shown that a proportional counter filled with (3)He placed centrally inside a polythene sphere opens a new possibility for measuring gamma photons and neutrons in the separate pulse-height windows. The responses to gamma and neutrons (in terms of ambient dose equivalent) of the detector assembly consisting of 203-mm polythene sphere with centrally positioned 40-mm diameter (3)He proportional counter have been studied. The response to secondary gammas from capture process in hydrogen has also been studied. The rather preliminary studies indicate that the proposed measuring system has very promising features as an ambient dose equivalent device for mixed gamma-neutron fields. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Wake recontact: An experimental investigation using a ringslot parachute

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

Strickland, J.H.; Macha, J.M.

1989-01-01

A series of tests was conducted on a 10-ft.-diameter ringslot parachute with a geometric porosity of 20% to establish the conditions under which ''wake recontact'' occurs. The vertical helicopter drop tests covered a range of mass ratios from 0.5 to 3.0 and a range of Froude numbers from 70 to 400. Data consisted of velocity time histories obtained using a laser tracker and diameter time histories obtained from photometric data. A collapse parameter based on the ratio of the maximum parachute diameter to the subsequent minimum diameter was correlated with the mass ratio M/sub R/ and the Froude number Fr.more » This pair of similarity parameters was subsequently replaced by the equivalent pair M/sub R/ and V/sub o//V/sub t/ in order to provide more intuitive results (V/sub o//V/sub t/ is the initial to final velocity ratio). For large values of V/sub o//V/sub t/ the collapse parameter R/sub C/ appears to be a function of M/sub R/ alone. Non-dimensional opening time and ''collapse time'' data were also correlated with M/sub R/ and V/sub o//V/sub t/. In addition, opening load factors C/sub X/ were calculated from the data and plotted as a function of V/sub o//V/sub t/. 10 refs., 11 figs.« less

Role of parenteral testosterone in hypospadias: A study from a teaching hospital in India

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Reyaz; Chana, Rajendra Singh; Ali, Syed Manazir; Khan, Shehtaj

2011-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of parenteral testosterone on penile length, preputial skin and side effects in patients with hypospadias. Materials and Methods: 23 patients with hypospadias were included in this study. An oily solution, each ml of which contained testosterone propionate 25 mg, and testosterone enanthate 110 mg, equivalent to 100 mg of testosterone was given deep intramuscularly 4, 3 and 2 weeks before reconstructive surgery at the dose of 2 mg/kg body weight. Increase in penile length, transverse preputial diameter, and diameter at the base of penis were noted. Basal testosterone levels were obtained before the institution of therapy and on the day of operation. In addition, side effect such as development of pubic hair and delay in bone age was noted. Results: Following parenteral testosterone administration, the mean increase in penile length, transverse preputial diameter and diameter at the base of penis was 1.35±0.40 cm (P<0.001), 1.40±0.47 cm (P<0.001), and 0.72±0.47 cm (P<0.001), respectively. Serum testosterone level after injection was well within normal range for that age. Minimal side effects were noted in form of development of fine pubic hair. Conclusion: We conclude that parenteral testosterone can be safely used to improve the surgical outcome of hypospadias repair. PMID:21976926

Near Earth asteroid orbit perturbation and fragmentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahrens, Thomas J.; Harris, Alan W.

1992-01-01

Collisions by near earth asteroids or the nuclei of comets pose varying levels of threat to man. A relatively small object, approximately 100 meter diameter, which might be found on an impact trajectory with a populated region of the Earth, could potentially be diverted from an Earth impacting trajectory by mass driver rocket systems. For larger bodies, such systems would appear to be beyond current technology. For any size object, nuclear explosions appear to be more efficient, using either the prompt blow-off from neutron radiation, the impulse from ejecta of near-surface explosion for deflection, or as a fragmenting charge. Practical deflections of bodies with diameters of 0.1, 1, and 10 km require interception, years to decades prior to earth encounter, with explosions a few kilotons, megatons, or gigatons, respectively, of equivalent TNT energy to achieve orbital velocity changes or destruction to a level where fragments are dispersed to harmless spatial densities.

Fabrication and characterization of 8.87 THz schottky barrier mixer diodes for mixer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wenjie; Li, Qian; An, Ning; Tong, Xiaodong; Zeng, Jianping

2018-04-01

In this paper we report on the fabrication and characterization of GaAs-based THz schottky barrier mixer diodes. Considering the analyzed results as well as fabrication cost and complexity, a group of trade-off parameters was determined. Electron-beam lithography and air-bridge technique have been used to obtain schottky diodes with a cut off frequency of 8.87 THz. Equivalent values of series resistance, ideal factor and junction capacitance of 10.2 (1) Ω, 1.14 (0.03) and 1.76(0.03) respectively have been measured for 0.7um diameter anode devices by DC and RF measurements. The schottky barrier diodes fabrication process is fully planar and very suitable for integration in THz frequency multiplier and mixer circuits. THz Schottky barrier diodes based on such technology with 2 μm diameter anodes have been tested at 1.6 THz in a sub-harmonic mixer.

Comparison of analytical and experimental performance of a wind-tunnel diffuser section

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shyne, R. J.; Moore, R. D.; Boldman, D. R.

1986-01-01

Wind tunnel diffuser performance is evaluated by comparing experimental data with analytical results predicted by an one-dimensional integration procedure with skin friction coefficient, a two-dimensional interactive boundary layer procedure for analyzing conical diffusers, and a two-dimensional, integral, compressible laminar and turbulent boundary layer code. Pressure, temperature, and velocity data for a 3.25 deg equivalent cone half-angle diffuser (37.3 in., 94.742 cm outlet diameter) was obtained from the one-tenth scale Altitude Wind Tunnel modeling program at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The comparison is performed at Mach numbers of 0.162 (Re = 3.097x19(6)), 0.326 (Re = 6.2737x19(6)), and 0.363 (Re = 7.0129x10(6)). The Reynolds numbers are all based on an inlet diffuser diameter of 32.4 in., 82.296 cm, and reasonable quantitative agreement was obtained between the experimental data and computational codes.

Evaluation of a mobile screening service for abdominal aortic aneurysm in Broken Hill, a remote regional centre in far western NSW.

PubMed

Lesjak, Margaret S; Flecknoe-Brown, Stephen C; Sidford, Jan R; Payne, Kerryn; Fletcher, John P; Lyle, David M

2010-04-01

To evaluate the feasibility of a mobile screening service model for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in a remote population centre in Australia. Screening test evaluation. A remote regional centre (population: 20 000) in far western NSW. Men aged 65-74 years, identified from the Australian Electoral roll. A mobile screening service using directed ultrasonography, a basic health check and post-screening consultation. Attendance at the screening program, occurrence of AAA in the target population and effectiveness of screening processes. A total of 516 men without a previous diagnosis of AAA were screened, an estimated response rate of 60%. Of these, 463 (89.7%) had a normal aortic diameter, 28 (5.4%) ectatic and 25 (4.9%) a small, moderate or significant aneurysm. Two men with AAA were recommended for surgery. Feedback from participants indicated that the use of a personalised letter of invitation helped with recruitment, that the screening process was acceptable and the service valued. It is feasible to organise and operate a mobile AAA screening service from moderate sized rural and remote population centres. This model could be scaled up to provide national coverage for rural and remote residents.

Quantitative Characterization of Magnetic Mobility of Nanoparticle in Solution-Based Condition.

PubMed

Rodoplu, Didem; Boyaci, Ismail H; Bozkurt, Akif G; Eksi, Haslet; Zengin, Adem; Tamer, Ugur; Aydogan, Nihal; Ozcan, Sadan; Tugcu-Demiröz, Fatmanur

2015-01-01

Magnetic nanoparticles are considered as the ideal substrate to selectively isolate target molecules or organisms from sample solutions in a wide variety of applications including bioassays, bioimaging and environmental chemistry. The broad array of these applications in fields requires the accurate magnetic characterization of nanoparticles for a variety of solution based-conditions. Because the freshly synthesized magnetic nanoparticles demonstrated a perfect magnetization value in solid form, they exhibited a different magnetic behavior in solution. Here, we present simple quantitative method for the measurement of magnetic mobility of nanoparticles in solution-based condition. Magnetic mobility of the nanoparticles was quantified with initial mobility of the particles using UV-vis absorbance spectroscopy in water, ethanol and MES buffer. We demonstrated the efficacy of this method through a systematic characterization of four different core-shell structures magnetic nanoparticles over three different surface modifications. The solid nanoparticles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and saturation magnetization (Ms). The surfaces of the nanoparticles were functionalized with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid and bovine serum albumin BSA was selected as biomaterial. The effect of the surface modification and solution media on the stability of the nanoparticles was monitored by zeta potentials and hydrodynamic diameters of the nanoparticles. Results obtained from the mobility experiments indicate that the initial mobility was altered with solution media, surface functionalization, size and shape of the magnetic nanoparticle. The proposed method easily determines the interactions between the magnetic nanoparticles and their surrounding biological media, the magnetophoretic responsiveness of nanoparticles and the initial mobilities of the nanoparticles.

A new primary mobility tool for the visually impaired: A white cane-adaptive mobility device hybrid.

PubMed

Rizzo, John-Ross; Conti, Kyle; Thomas, Teena; Hudson, Todd E; Wall Emerson, Robert; Kim, Dae Shik

2017-05-16

This article describes pilot testing of an adaptive mobility device-hybrid (AMD-H) combining properties of two primary mobility tools for people who are blind: the long cane and adaptive mobility devices (AMDs). The long cane is the primary mobility tool used by people who are blind and visually impaired for independent and safe mobility and AMDs are adaptive devices that are often lightweight frames approximately body width in lateral dimension that are simply pushed forward to clear the space in front of a person. The prototype cane built for this study had a wing apparatus that could be folded around the shaft of a cane but when unfolded, deployed two wheeled wings 25 cm (9.8 in) to each side of the canetip. This project explored drop-off and obstacle detection for 6 adults with visual impairment using the deployed AMD-H and a standard long cane. The AMD-H improved obstacle detection overall, and was most effective for the smallest obstacles (2 and 6 inch diameter). The AMD-H cut the average drop off threshold from 1.79 inches (4.55 cm) to .96 inches (2.44 cm). All participants showed a decrease in drop off detection threshold and an increase in detection rate (13.9% overall). For drop offs of 1 in (2.54 cm) and 3 in (7.62 cm), all participants showed large improvements with the AMD-H, ranging from 8.4 to 50%. The larger drop offs of 5 in (12.7 cm) and 7 in (17.8 cm) were well detected by both types of canes.

Cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Singapore.

PubMed

Wang, Ye; Tan, Ngiap-Chuan; Tay, Ee-Guan; Thumboo, Julian; Luo, Nan

2015-07-16

This study aimed to assess the measurement equivalence of the 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) among the English, Chinese, and Malay versions. A convenience sample of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were enrolled from a public primary health care institution in Singapore. The survey questionnaire comprised the EQ-5D-5L and questions assessing participants' socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the difference in EQ-5D-5L index (calculated using an interim algorithm) and EQ-visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) scores across survey language (Chinese vs. English, Malay vs. English, and Malay vs. Chinese). Measurement equivalence was examined by comparing the 90% confidence interval of difference in the EQ-5D-5L index and EQ-VAS scores with a pre-determined equivalence margin. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the response patterns of the 5 Likert-type items of the EQ-5D-5L across survey language. Equivalence was demonstrated between the Chinese and English versions and between the Malay and English versions of the EQ-5D-5L index scores. Equivalence was also demonstrated between the Chinese and English versions and between the Malay and Chinese versions of the EQ-VAS scores. Equivalence could not be determined between the Malay and Chinese versions of the EQ-5D-5L index score and between the Malay and English versions of the EQ-VAS score. No significant difference was found in responses to EQ-5D-5L items between any languages, except that patients who chose to complete the Chinese version were more likely to report "no problems" in mobility compared to those who completed the Malay version of the questionnaire. This study provided evidence for the measurement equivalence of the different language versions of EQ-5D-5L in Singapore.

Brachial artery vasodilatation during prolonged lower limb exercise: role of shear rate

PubMed Central

Padilla, Jaume; Simmons, Grant H.; Vianna, Lauro C.; Davis, Michael J.; Laughlin, M. Harold; Fadel, Paul J.

2012-01-01

We recently observed a marked increase in brachial artery (BA) diameter during prolonged leg cycling exercise. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that this increase in BA diameter during lower limb exercise is shear stress mediated. Accordingly, we determined whether recapitulation of cycling-induced BA shear rate with forearm heating, a known stimulus evoking shear-induced conduit artery dilatation, would elicit comparable profiles and magnitudes of BA vasodilatation to those observed during cycling. In 12 healthy men, BA diameter and blood velocity were measured simultaneously using Doppler ultrasonography at baseline and every 5 min during 60 min of either steady-state semi-recumbent leg cycling (120 W) or forearm heating. At the onset of cycling, the BA diameter was reduced (−3.9 ± 1.2% at 5 min; P < 0.05), but it subsequently increased throughout the remainder of the exercise bout (+15.1 ± 1.6% at 60 min; P < 0.05). The increase in BA diameter during exercise was accompanied by an approximately 2.5-fold rise in BA mean shear rate (P < 0.05). Similar increases in BA mean shear with forearm heating elicited an equivalent magnitude of BA vasodilatation to that observed during cycling (P > 0.05). Herein, we found that in the absence of exercise the extent of the BA vasodilator response was reproduced when the BA was exposed to comparable magnitudes of shear rate via forearm heating. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that shear stress plays a key role in signalling brachial artery vasodilatation during dynamic leg exercise. PMID:21784788

A preliminary investigation into the prevalence and prediction of problematic cell phone use

PubMed Central

Smetaniuk, Peter

2014-01-01

Background and aims: Likening mobile phone use dependency to the classification of excessive behaviors may be necessarily equivalent in seriousness to previously established addictions such as problematic computing or excessive gambling. The aim of the study explores into the behavior of excessive use of mobile phones as a pathological behavior. Methods: Two studies investigated criteria for problematic mobile phone usage by examining student (Study 1, N = 301) and nonstudent (Study 2, N = 362) responses to a set of adapted mobile phone addiction inventories. Study 1 investigated cell phone addiction inventories as constructs designed to measure problematic cell phone use. Additionally, Study 2 sought to predict age, depression, extraversion, emotional stability, impulse control, and self-esteem as independent variables that augment respondents’ perceptions of problematic use. Results: The results from Study 1 and Study 2 indicate that 10 to 25% of the participants tested exhibited problematic cell phone usage. Additionally, age, depression, extraversion, and low impulse control are the most suitable predictors for problematic use. Conclusions: The results of the two studies indicate that problematic mobile phone use does occur and ought to be taken seriously by the psychological community. Presently, there is limited data providing conclusive evidence for a comprehensible categorization of cell phone addiction, as well as a unified explanatory model specific to problematic mobile phone use. Studies such as this one may contribute substantial findings, adding scientific significance, and offering a valuable submission for the ongoing progress of creating intervention frameworks relative to “virtual addictions”. PMID:25215213

A preliminary investigation into the prevalence and prediction of problematic cell phone use.

PubMed

Smetaniuk, Peter

2014-03-01

Likening mobile phone use dependency to the classification of excessive behaviors may be necessarily equivalent in seriousness to previously established addictions such as problematic computing or excessive gambling. The aim of the study explores into the behavior of excessive use of mobile phones as a pathological behavior. Two studies investigated criteria for problematic mobile phone usage by examining student (Study 1, N = 301) and nonstudent (Study 2, N = 362) responses to a set of adapted mobile phone addiction inventories. Study 1 investigated cell phone addiction inventories as constructs designed to measure problematic cell phone use. Additionally, Study 2 sought to predict age, depression, extraversion, emotional stability, impulse control, and self-esteem as independent variables that augment respondents' perceptions of problematic use. The results from Study 1 and Study 2 indicate that 10 to 25% of the participants tested exhibited problematic cell phone usage. Additionally, age, depression, extraversion, and low impulse control are the most suitable predictors for problematic use. The results of the two studies indicate that problematic mobile phone use does occur and ought to be taken seriously by the psychological community. Presently, there is limited data providing conclusive evidence for a comprehensible categorization of cell phone addiction, as well as a unified explanatory model specific to problematic mobile phone use. Studies such as this one may contribute substantial findings, adding scientific significance, and offering a valuable submission for the ongoing progress of creating intervention frameworks relative to "virtual addictions".

An Automated Inner Dimensional Measurement System Based on a Laser Displacement Sensor for Long-Stepped Pipes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Fumin; Qu, Xinghua; Ouyang, Jianfei

2012-01-01

A novel measurement prototype based on a mobile vehicle that carries a laser scanning sensor is proposed. The prototype is intended for the automated measurement of the interior 3D geometry of large-diameter long-stepped pipes. The laser displacement sensor, which has a small measurement range, is mounted on an extended arm of known length. It is scanned to improve the measurement accuracy for large-sized pipes. A fixing mechanism based on two sections is designed to ensure that the stepped pipe is concentric with the axis of rotation of the system. Data are acquired in a cylindrical coordinate system and fitted in a circle to determine diameter. Systematic errors covering arm length, tilt, and offset errors are analyzed and calibrated. The proposed system is applied to sample parts and the results are discussed to verify its effectiveness. This technique measures a diameter of 600 mm with an uncertainty of 0.02 mm at a 95% confidence probability. A repeatability test is performed to examine precision, which is 1.1 μm. A laser tracker is used to verify the measurement accuracy of the system, which is evaluated as 9 μm within a diameter of 600 mm. PMID:22778615

Info Based Med Emergency Decision Tools, Rural Mobil Comm

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

through its ability to deliver and manage a wide variety of environmental sensors – in short, a robotic equivalent of hearing, sight, smell, taste, and...spread of infection . Panasonic Rugged Laptop: At the time of the evaluation, the Panasonic Toughbook was regarded as the industry standard for...a patient’s systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature, and oxygen saturation ( SpO2 ). The front of the device contains an LCD

AC impedance analysis of polypyrrole thin films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penner, Reginald M.; Martin, Charles R.

1987-01-01

The AC impedance spectra of thin polypyrrole films were obtained at open circuit potentials from -0.4 to 0.4 V vs SCE. Two limiting cases are discussed for which simplified equivalent circuits are applicable. At very positive potentials, the predominantly nonfaradaic AC impedance of polypyrrole is very similar to that observed previously for finite porous metallic films. Modeling of the data with the appropriate equivalent circuit permits effective pore diameter and pore number densities of the oxidized film to be estimated. At potentials from -0.4 to -0.3 V, the polypyrrole film is essentially nonelectronically conductive and diffusion of polymer oxidized sites with their associated counterions can be assumed to be linear from the film/substrate electrode interface. The equivalent circuit for the polypyrrole film at these potentials is that previously described for metal oxide, lithium intercalation thin films. Using this model, counterion diffusion coefficients are determined for both semi-infinite and finite diffusion domains. In addition, the limiting low frequency resistance and capacitance of the polypyrrole thin fims was determined and compared to that obtained previously for thicker films of the polymer. The origin of the observed potential dependence of these low frequency circuit components is discussed.

A duplex DNA-gold nanoparticle probe composed as a colorimetric biosensor for sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins.

PubMed

Ahn, Junho; Choi, Yeonweon; Lee, Ae-Ree; Lee, Joon-Hwa; Jung, Jong Hwa

2016-03-21

Using duplex DNA-AuNP aggregates, a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein, SQUAMOSA Promoter-binding-Like protein 12 (SPL-12), was directly determined by SPL-12-duplex DNA interaction-based colorimetric actions of DNA-Au assemblies. In order to prepare duplex DNA-Au aggregates, thiol-modified DNA 1 and DNA 2 were attached onto the surface of AuNPs, respectively, by the salt-aging method and then the DNA-attached AuNPs were mixed. Duplex-DNA-Au aggregates having the average size of 160 nm diameter and the maximum absorption at 529 nm were able to recognize SPL-12 and reached the equivalent state by the addition of ∼30 equivalents of SPL-12 accompanying a color change from red to blue with a red shift of the maximum absorption at 570 nm. As a result, the aggregation size grew to about 247 nm. Also, at higher temperatures of the mixture of duplex-DNA-Au aggregate solution and SPL-12, the equivalent state was reached rapidly. On the contrary, in the control experiment using Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), no absorption band shift of duplex-DNA-Au aggregates was observed.

Results of an interlaboratory method performance study for the size determination and quantification of silver nanoparticles in chicken meat by single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sp-ICP-MS).

PubMed

Weigel, Stefan; Peters, Ruud; Loeschner, Katrin; Grombe, Ringo; Linsinger, Thomas P J

2017-08-01

Single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sp-ICP-MS) promises fast and selective determination of nanoparticle size and number concentrations. While several studies on practical applications have been published, data on formal, especially interlaboratory validation of sp-ICP-MS, is sparse. An international interlaboratory study was organized to determine repeatability and reproducibility of the determination of the median particle size and particle number concentration of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) in chicken meat. Ten laboratories from the European Union, the USA, and Canada determined particle size and particle number concentration of two chicken meat homogenates spiked with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-stabilized AgNPs. For the determination of the median particle diameter, repeatability standard deviations of 2 and 5% were determined, and reproducibility standard deviations were 15 and 25%, respectively. The equivalent median diameter itself was approximately 60% larger than the diameter of the particles in the spiking solution. Determination of the particle number concentration was significantly less precise, with repeatability standard deviations of 7 and 18% and reproducibility standard deviations of 70 and 90%.

Refreshing Music: Fog Harvesting with Harps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Weiwei; Anderson, Mark; Kennedy, Brook; Boreyko, Jonathan

2017-11-01

Fog harvesting is a useful technique for obtaining fresh water in arid climates. The wire meshes currently utilized for fog harvesting suffer from dual constraints: coarse meshes cannot efficiently capture fog, while fine meshes suffer from clogging issues. Here, we design a new type of fog harvester comprised of an array of vertical wires, which we call ``fog harps.'' To investigate the water collection efficiency, three fog harps were designed with different diameters (254 μm, 508 μm and 1.30 mm) but the same pitch-to-diameter ratio of 2. For comparison, three different size meshes were purchased with equivalent dimensions. As expected for the mesh structures, the mid-sized wires performed the best, with a drop-off in performance for the fine or coarse meshes. In contrast, the fog harvesting rate continually increased with decreasing wire diameter for the fog harps, due to its low hysteresis that prevented droplet clogging. This resulted in a 3-fold enhancement in the fog harvesting rate for the harp form factor compared to the mesh. The lack of a performance ceiling for the harps suggest that even greater enhancements could be achieved by scaling down to yet smaller sizes.

Design of dual-diameter nanoholes for efficient solar-light harvesting

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

A dual-diameter nanohole (DNH) photovoltaic system is proposed, where a top (bottom) layer with large (small) nanoholes is used to improve the absorption for the short-wavelength (long-wavelength) solar incidence, leading to a broadband light absorption enhancement. Through three-dimensional finite-element simulation, the core device parameters, including the lattice constant, nanohole diameters, and nanohole depths, are engineered in order to realize the best light-matter coupling between nanostructured silicon and solar spectrum. The designed bare DNH system exhibits an outstanding absorption capability with a photocurrent density (under perfect internal quantum process) predicted to be 27.93 mA/cm2, which is 17.39%, 26.17%, and over 100% higher than the best single-nanohole (SNH) system, SNH system with an identical Si volume, and equivalent planar configuration, respectively. Considering the fabrication feasibility, a modified DNH system with an anti-reflection coating and back silver reflector is examined by simulating both optical absorption and carrier transport in a coupled way in frequency and three-dimensional spatial domains, achieving a light-conversion efficiency of 13.72%. PACS 85.60.-q; Optoelectronic device; 84.60.Jt; Photovoltaic conversion PMID:25258605

Saturn Apollo Program

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-05-25

Artist’s concept of the Local Scientific Survey Module (LSSM), one of two designs for a Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV), depicted on the lunar surface A Bendix Corporation concept, this configuration weighs more than 8,000 pounds, is 21-feet long, 15-feet wide and has 6 wheels with 5-foot diameters. The LRV was developed under the direction of the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to give Apollo astronauts a wider range of mobility on the lunar surface.

Fire safety design of a mobile quarantine facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bass, R. S.; Hirasaki, J. K.

1971-01-01

During the design phase of the Mobile Quarantine Facility (MQF), a primary consideration was fire safety. Therefore, appropriate criteria and ground rules were used in the design and construction of the facility. The fire codes and fire-requirement listings that are used by commerical airlines were supplied to the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) by the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA). After these codes were reviewed, a basic ground rule was adopted that flame protection for all combustible materials should be at least equivalent to or better than the standards for commercial aircraft. Because the MQF was designed to operate with an interior atmosphere of air rather than with an oxygen-enriched atmosphere such as that of the Apollo spacecraft cabin, the requirements for MQF material were not as stringent as those for the spacecraft.

Market survey of fuel cells in Mexico: Niche for low power portable systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramírez-Salgado, Joel; Domínguez-Aguilar, Marco A.

This work provides an overview of the potential market in Mexico for portable electronic devices to be potentially powered by direct methanol fuel cells. An extrapolation method based on data published in Mexico and abroad served to complete this market survey. A review of electronics consumption set the basis for the future forecast and technology assimilation. The potential market for fuel cells for mobile phones in Mexico will be around 5.5 billion USD by 2013, considering a cost of 41 USD per cell in a market of 135 million mobile phones. Likewise, the market for notebook computers, PDAs and other electronic devices will likely grow in the future, with a combined consumption of fuel cell technology equivalent to 1.6 billion USD by 2014.

Statistical variability study of random dopant fluctuation on gate-all-around inversion-mode silicon nanowire field-effect transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Jun-Sik; Rim, Taiuk; Kim, Jungsik; Kim, Kihyun; Baek, Chang-Ki; Jeong, Yoon-Ha

2015-03-01

Random dopant fluctuation effects of gate-all-around inversion-mode silicon nanowire field-effect transistors (FETs) with different diameters and extension lengths are investigated. The nanowire FETs with smaller diameter and longer extension length reduce average values and variations of subthreshold swing and drain-induced barrier lowering, thus improving short channel immunity. Relative variations of the drain currents increase as the diameter decreases because of decreased current drivability from narrower channel cross-sections. Absolute variations of the drain currents decrease critically as the extension length increases due to decreasing the number of arsenic dopants penetrating into the channel region. To understand variability origins of the drain currents, variations of source/drain series resistance and low-field mobility are investigated. All these two parameters affect the variations of the drain currents concurrently. The nanowire FETs having extension lengths sufficient to prevent dopant penetration into the channel regions and maintaining relatively large cross-sections are suggested to achieve suitable short channel immunity and small variations of the drain currents.

KSC-04PD-2561

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. In a Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) high bay, workers monitor the movement of a Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) aft center segment as it is lowered toward an aft segment already secured to a Mobile Launch Platform. These segments are part of the right SRB for the Space Shuttle Return to Flight mission, STS-114. Two SRBs are stacked on a Mobile Launch Platform for each Shuttle flight and later joined by an External Tank. The twin 149-foot tall, 12-foot diameter SRBs provide the main propulsion system during launch. They operate in parallel with the Space Shuttle main engines for the first two minutes of flight and jettison away from the orbiter with help from the Booster Separation Motors, about 26.3 nautical miles above the Earths surface.

KSC-04PD-2562

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. In a Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) high bay, workers check the alignment of a Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) aft center segment as it is lowered toward an aft segment already secured to a Mobile Launch Platform. These segments are part of the right SRB for the Space Shuttle Return to Flight mission, STS-114. Two SRBs are stacked on a Mobile Launch Platform for each Shuttle flight and later joined by an External Tank. The twin 149-foot tall, 12-foot diameter SRBs provide the main propulsion system during launch. They operate in parallel with the Space Shuttle main engines for the first two minutes of flight and jettison away from the orbiter with help from the Booster Separation Motors, about 26.3 nautical miles above the Earths surface.

KSC-04PD-2565

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. In a Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) high bay, workers check the alignment of a Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) aft center segment which has been lowered onto an aft segment already secured to a Mobile Launch Platform. These segments are part of the right SRB for the Space Shuttle Return to Flight mission, STS-114. Two SRBs are stacked on a Mobile Launch Platform for each Shuttle flight and later joined by an External Tank. The twin 149-foot tall, 12-foot diameter SRBs provide the main propulsion system during launch. They operate in parallel with the Space Shuttle main engines for the first two minutes of flight and jettison away from the orbiter with help from the Booster Separation Motors, about 26.3 nautical miles above the Earths surface.

Simultaneous sizing and electrophoretic mobility measurement of sub-micron particles using Brownian motion

PubMed Central

Palanisami, Akilan; Miller, John H.

2011-01-01

The size and surface chemistry of micron scale particles are of fundamental importance in studies of biology and air particulate pollution. However, typical electrophoretic measurements of these and other sub-micron scale particles (300 nm – 1 μm) cannot resolve size information within heterogeneous mixtures unambiguously. Using optical microscopy, we monitor electrophoretic motion together with the Brownian velocity fluctuations—using the latter to measure size by either the Green-Kubo relation or by calibration from known size standards. Particle diameters are resolved to ±12% with 95% confidence. Strikingly, the size resolution improves as particle size decreases due to the increased Brownian motion. The sizing ability of the Brownian assessed electrophoresis method described here complements the electrophoretic mobility resolution of traditional capillary electrophoresis. PMID:20882556

High Ice Water Content at Low Radar Reflectivity near Deep Convection: Part II. Evaluation of Microphysical Pathways in Updraft Parcel Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ackerman, A. S.; Fridlind, A. M.; Grandin, A.; Dezitter, F.; Weber, M.; Strapp, J. W.; Korolev, A. V.

2015-01-01

The aeronautics industry has established that a threat to aircraft is posed by atmospheric conditions of substantial ice water content (IWC) where equivalent radar reflectivity (Ze) does not exceed 20-30 dBZ and supercooled water is not present; these conditions are encountered almost exclusively in the vicinity of deep convection. Part 1 (Fridlind et al., 2015) of this two-part study presents in situ measurements of such conditions sampled by Airbus in three tropical regions, commonly near 11 km and -43 C, and concludes that the measured ice particle size distributions are broadly consistent with past literature with profiling radar measurements of Z(sub e) and mean Doppler velocity obtained within monsoonal deep convection in one of the regions sampled. In all three regions, the Airbus measurements generally indicate variable IWC that often exceeds 2 gm (exp -3) with relatively uniform mass median area-equivalent diameter (MMD(sub eq) of 200-300 micrometers. Here we use a parcel model with size-resolved microphysics to investigate microphysical pathways that could lead to such conditions. Our simulations indicate that homogeneous freezing of water drops produces a much smaller ice MMD(sub eq) than observed, and occurs only in the absence of hydrometeor gravitational collection for the conditions considered. Development of a mass mode of ice aloft that overlaps with the measurements requires a substantial source of small ice particles at temperatures of about -10 C or warmer, which subsequently grow from water vapor. One conceivable source in our simulation framework is Hallett-Mossop ice production; another is abundant concentrations of heterogeneous ice freezing nuclei acting together with copious shattering of water drops upon freezing. Regardless of the production mechanism, the dominant mass modal diameter of vapor-grown ice is reduced as the ice-multiplication source strength increases and as competition for water vapor increases. Both mass and modal diameter are reduced by entrainment and by increasing aerosol concentrations. Weaker updrafts lead to greater mass and larger modal diameters of vapor-grown ice, the opposite of expectations regarding lofting of larger ice particles in stronger updrafts. While stronger updrafts do loft more dense ice particles produced primarily by raindrop freezing, we find that weaker updrafts allow the warm rain process to reduce competition for diffusional growth of the less dense ice expected to persist in convective outflow.

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.

Transport characteristics of nanoscale zero-valent iron carried by three different "vehicles" in porous media.

PubMed

Su, Yan; Zhao, Yong S; Li, Lu L; Qin, Chuan Y; Wu, Fan; Geng, Nan N; Lei, Jian S

2014-01-01

This study investigated the transport properties of nanoscale zero-valent iron (Fe(0)) (nZVI) carried by three vehicles: water, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution, and SDS foam. Batch experiments were conducted to assess the sedimentation capability of nZVI particles in these three vehicles. Column experiments were conducted to investigate the transport properties of nZVI in porous media formed with different sizes of sand (0.25 mm to 0.5 mm, 0.5 mm to 0.9 mm, and 0.9 mm to 1.4 mm). Three main results were obtained. First, the batch experiments revealed that the stabilities of nZVI particles in SDS solution and SDS foam were improved, compared with that of nZVI particles in water. Moreover, the sedimentation of nZVI in foam was closely associated with the foam drainage volume. The nZVI content in foam was similar to that in the original foaming suspension, and the nZVI particle distribution in foam became significantly more uniform at a stirring speed of 3000 r/min. Second, the transport of nZVI was enhanced by foam compared with water and SDS solution for 0.25 mm to 0.5 mm diameter sand. For sand with diameters of 0.5 mm to 0.9 mm and 0.9 mm to 1.4 mm, the mobility of nZVI carried by SDS solution was optimal, followed by that of nZVI carried by foam and water. Thus, the mobility of nZVI in finer sand was significantly enhanced by foam, compared with that in coarse sand. In contrast, compared with the bare nZVI suspension and nZVI-laden foam, the spatial distribution of nZVI particles carried by SDS solution was significantly uniform along the column length. Third, the SDS concentration significantly influenced the migration of nZVI in porous media. The enhancement in the migration of nZVI carried by SDS solution was greater at an SDS dose of 0.25% compared with that at the other three doses (0.2%, 0.5%, and 1%) for sand with a 0.25 mm to 0.5 mm diameter. Increased SDS concentrations positively affected the transport of nZVI by foam for sand with a 0.25 mm to 0.5 mm diameter, and the SDS concentrations for enhancing the mobility of nZVI carried by SDS foam satisfied the following order: 1% > 0.5% > 0.25% > 0.2%. Thus, SDS solution and SDS foam were better vehicles than water for delivering nZVI particles to porous media for contamination remediation.

Experimental considerations in metal mobilization from soil by chelating ligands: The influence of soil-solution ratio and pre-equilibration - A case study on Fe acquisition by phytosiderophores.

PubMed

Schenkeveld, W D C; Kimber, R L; Walter, M; Oburger, E; Puschenreiter, M; Kraemer, S M

2017-02-01

The efficiency of chelating ligands in mobilizing metals from soils and sediments is generally examined under conditions remote from those under which they are exuded or applied in the field. This may lead to incorrect estimations of the mobilizing efficiency. The aim of this study was to establish the influence of the soil solution ratio (SSR) and pre-equilibration with electrolyte solution on metal mobilization and metal displacement. For this purpose a series of interaction experiments with a calcareous clay soil and a biogenic chelating agent, the phytosiderophore 2'-deoxymugineic acid (DMA) were carried out. For a fixed ligand concentration, the SSR had a strong influence on metal mobilization and displacement. Metal complexation was faster at higher SSR. Reactive pools of metals that were predominantly mobilized at SSR 6 (in this case Cu), became depleted at SSR 0.1, whereas metals that were marginally mobilized at SSR 6, were dominantly mobilized at SSR 0.1 (in this case Fe), because of large soil reactive pools. For a fixed "amount of ligand"-to-"amount of soil"-ratio, metal complexation scaled linearly with the SSR. The efficiency of ligands in mobilizing metals under field conditions can be predicted with batch experiments, as long as the ligand-to-soil-ratio is matched. In most previously reported studies this criterion was not met. Equivalent metal-complex concentrations under field conditions can be back-calculated using adsorption isotherms for the respective metal-complexes. Drying and dry storage created labile pools of Fe, Cu and Zn, which were rapidly mobilized upon addition of DMA solution to dry soil. Pre-equilibration decreased these labile pools, leading to smaller concentrations of these metals during initial mobilization, but did not reduce the lag time between ligand addition and onset of microbial degradation of the metal-complexes. Hence SSR and pre-equilibration should be carefully considered when testing the metal mobilizing efficiency of chelating ligands. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of mobile phone distraction on pedestrians' crossing behavior and visual attention allocation at a signalized intersection: An outdoor experimental study.

PubMed

Jiang, Kang; Ling, Feiyang; Feng, Zhongxiang; Ma, Changxi; Kumfer, Wesley; Shao, Chen; Wang, Kun

2018-06-01

With the rapid growth in mobile phone use worldwide, traffic safety experts have begun to consider the impact of mobile phone distractions on pedestrian crossing safety. This study sought to investigate how mobile phone distractions (music distraction, phone conversation distraction and text distraction) affect the behavior of pedestrians while they are crossing the street. An outdoor-environment experiment was conducted among 28 college student pedestrians. Two HD videos and an eye tracker were employed to record and analyze crossing behavior and visual attention allocation. The results of the research showed that the three mobile phone distractions cause different levels of impairment to pedestrians' crossing performance, with the greatest effect from text distraction, followed by phone conversation distraction and music distraction. Pedestrians distracted by music initiate crossing later, have increased pupil diameter, and reduce their scanning frequency, fixation points and fixation times toward traffic signal area priorities. In addition to the above effects, pedestrians distracted by phone conversation cross the street more slowly, direct fewer fixation points to the right traffic area, and spend less fixation time and lower average fixation duration on the left traffic area. Moreover, pedestrians distracted by texting look left and right less often and switch, distribute and maintain less visual attention on the traffic environment. These findings may inform researchers, policy makers, and pedestrians. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual Mobility Cemented Cups Have Low Dislocation Rates in THA Revisions

PubMed Central

Langlais, Frantz L.; Gaucher, François; Musset, Thierry; Chaix, Olivier

2008-01-01

THA revisions using standard cups are at risk of dislocation (5.1% to 14.4% incidence), especially in patients over 70 years of age. Constrained tripolar cups have reduced this risk (6% incidence) but are associated with substantial loosening rates (9%). The nonconstrained dual mobility cup was designed to improve prosthetic stability (polyethylene head ≥ 40 mm diameter) without increasing loosening rates by reducing wear and limiting impingement (rotation range of 108°). We implanted 88 cemented dual mobility cups for THA revisions in 82 patients at high risk of dislocation. Average patient age was 72 years (range, 65–86 years). Eighty-five of the 88 hips were reviewed at 2 to 5 years followup. One patient (1.1%) had a traumatic dislocation at 2 years postoperatively. Two patients (2.3%) had asymptomatic early loosening and three patients (3.5%) had localized radiographic lucencies. These results confirm those with press-fit dual mobility cups suggesting a low dislocation rate at 5 years and a cup survival of 94.6%. At middle term followup, cemented dual mobility cup achieved better results than constrained cups in cases at risk of dislocation and recurrent loosening. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. PMID:18196422

A fast integrated mobility spectrometer for rapid measurement of sub-micrometer aerosol size distribution, Part I: Design and model evaluation

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

Wang, Jian; Pikridas, Michael; Spielman, Steven R.

This study discusses, a fast integrated mobility spectrometer (FIMS) was previously developed to characterize submicron aerosol size distributions at a frequency of 1 Hz and with high size resolution and counting statistics. However, the dynamic size range of the FIMS was limited to one decade in particle electrical mobility. It was proposed that the FIMS dynamic size range can be greatly increased by using a spatially varying electric field. This electric field creates regions with drastically different field strengths in the separator, such that particles of a wide diameter range can be simultaneously classified and subsequently measured. A FIMS incorporatingmore » this spatially varying electric field is developed. This paper describes the theoretical frame work and numerical simulations of the FIMS with extended dynamic size range, including the spatially varying electric field, particle trajectories, activation of separated particles in the condenser, and the transfer function, transmission efficiency, and mobility resolution. The influences of the particle Brownian motion on FIMS transfer function and mobility resolution are examined. The simulation results indicate that the FIMS incorporating the spatially varying electric field is capable of measuring aerosol size distribution from 8 to 600 nm with high time resolution. As a result, the experimental characterization of the FIMS is presented in an accompanying paper.« less

Investigating the Impact of Maternal Residential Mobility on Identifying Critical Windows of Susceptibility to Ambient Air Pollution During Pregnancy.

PubMed

Warren, Joshua L; Son, Ji-Young; Pereira, Gavin; Leaderer, Brian P; Bell, Michelle L

2018-05-01

Identifying periods of increased vulnerability to air pollution during pregnancy with respect to the development of adverse birth outcomes can improve understanding of possible mechanisms of disease development and provide guidelines for protection of the child. Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy is typically based on the mother's residence at delivery, potentially resulting in exposure misclassification and biasing the estimation of critical windows of pregnancy. In this study, we determined the impact of maternal residential mobility during pregnancy on defining weekly exposure to particulate matter less than or equal to 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and estimating windows of susceptibility to term low birth weight. We utilized data sets from 4 Connecticut birth cohorts (1988-2008) that included information on all residential addresses between conception and delivery for each woman. We designed a simulation study to investigate the impact of increasing levels of mobility on identification of critical windows. Increased PM10 exposure during pregnancy weeks 16-18 was associated with an increased probability of term low birth weight. Ignoring residential mobility when defining weekly exposure had only a minor impact on the identification of critical windows for PM10 and term low birth weight in the data application and simulation study. Identification of critical pregnancy windows was robust to exposure misclassification caused by ignoring residential mobility in these Connecticut birth cohorts.

A fast integrated mobility spectrometer for rapid measurement of sub-micrometer aerosol size distribution, Part I: Design and model evaluation

DOE PAGES

Wang, Jian; Pikridas, Michael; Spielman, Steven R.; ...

2017-06-01

This study discusses, a fast integrated mobility spectrometer (FIMS) was previously developed to characterize submicron aerosol size distributions at a frequency of 1 Hz and with high size resolution and counting statistics. However, the dynamic size range of the FIMS was limited to one decade in particle electrical mobility. It was proposed that the FIMS dynamic size range can be greatly increased by using a spatially varying electric field. This electric field creates regions with drastically different field strengths in the separator, such that particles of a wide diameter range can be simultaneously classified and subsequently measured. A FIMS incorporatingmore » this spatially varying electric field is developed. This paper describes the theoretical frame work and numerical simulations of the FIMS with extended dynamic size range, including the spatially varying electric field, particle trajectories, activation of separated particles in the condenser, and the transfer function, transmission efficiency, and mobility resolution. The influences of the particle Brownian motion on FIMS transfer function and mobility resolution are examined. The simulation results indicate that the FIMS incorporating the spatially varying electric field is capable of measuring aerosol size distribution from 8 to 600 nm with high time resolution. As a result, the experimental characterization of the FIMS is presented in an accompanying paper.« less

In-depth analysis and modelling of self-heating effects in nanometric DGMOSFETs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roldán, J. B.; González, B.; Iñiguez, B.; Roldán, A. M.; Lázaro, A.; Cerdeira, A.

2013-01-01

Self-heating effects (SHEs) in nanometric symmetrical double-gate MOSFETs (DGMOSFETs) have been analysed. An equivalent thermal circuit for the transistors has been developed to characterise thermal effects, where the temperature and thickness dependency of the thermal conductivity of the silicon and oxide layers within the devices has been included. The equivalent thermal circuit is consistent with simulations using a commercial technology computer-aided design (TCAD) tool (Sentaurus by Synopsys). In addition, a model for DGMOSFETs has been developed where SHEs have been considered in detail, taking into account the temperature dependence of the low-field mobility, saturation velocity, and inversion charge. The model correctly reproduces Sentaurus simulation data for the typical bias range used in integrated circuits. Lattice temperatures predicted by simulation are coherently reproduced by the model for varying silicon layer geometry.

Experimental investigation of aerosol composition and growth rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wimmer, Daniela; Winkler, Paul; Kulmala, Markku; Petäjä, Tuukka

2017-04-01

Atmospheric aerosol particles have relevant influence on human lives. Human health is affected, as by breathing in the aerosol particles, they deposit in the lungs causing various health problems. Also they interfere indirectly and directly with sunlight, which affects the climate on Earth. Primary aerosol particles originate for example from anthropogenic sources, such as Diesel cars or natural sources such as dessert dust. Secondary aerosol particles are formed via condensation of low volatile gas phase compounds. First, small clusters consisting of a few gas molecules only are formed, which can then grow to bigger aerosol particles. These then form seeds for cloud droplets. The chemical composition of the cloud particles determines whether the cloud absorbs or scatters sunlight more. Intensive experimental and theoretical work has been put into understanding the details of the initial processes leading to the natural formation of these secondary aerosol particles. According to modelling studies, aerosol particles formed via the nucleation process are responsible for about 50% of the global cloud condensation nuclei concentration. With currently used methods, the chemical composition of small molecular clusters (up to 2nm in diameter) can be resolved. Also standard methods to determine aerosol particle composition at sizes >10 nm are available. Within this project, the aerosol particle composition in the 2-4 nm size range will be investigated experimentally. The setup will consist of a combination of an electrical method that allows determine the electrical mobility of the particles which then can be converted to a diameter. By letting the charged particles travel through a changing electrical field, they travel at different speeds according to their mobility. That allows to particles with certain mobilities, which then can be converted to a diameter. After the size selection, the particles are counted by means of optical detection. Condensation particle counters (CPCs) grow the particles internally, after which they are detected optically. By changing the condensing liquid, depending on the aerosol particle composition, they are activated differently. By combining the electrical size selection with CPCs with different liquids, information about particle composition can be determined. The project includes laboratory studies and field measurements in different locations (one rural site and two urban sites). I wish to acknowledge the Austrian Science Fund (FWF; Grant No J3951 - N36).

Demonstrations of Gravity-Independent Mobility and Drilling on Natural Rock using Microspines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parness, Aaron; Frost, Matthew; King, Jonathan P.; Thatte, Nitish

2012-01-01

The video presents microspine-based anchors be ing developed for gripping rocks on the surfaces of comets and asteroids, or for use on cliff faces and lava tubes on Mars. Two types of anchor prototypes are shown on supporting forces in all directions away from the rock; >160 N tangent, >150 N at 45?, and >180 N normal to the surface of the rock. A compliant robotic ankle with two active degrees of freedom interfaces these anchors to the Lemur IIB robot for future climbing trials. Finally, a rotary percussive drill is shown coring into rock regardless of gravitational orientation. As a harder- than-zero-g proof of concept, inverted drilling was performed creating 20mm diameter boreholes 83 mm deep in vesicular basalt samples while retaining 12 mm diameter rock cores in 3-6 pieces.

Contact of dual mobility implants: effects of cup wear and inclination.

PubMed

Uddin, M S

2015-01-01

Cup wear and inclination on the pelvic bone are significant factors, which change the contact of the articulating surfaces, thus, impacting the long-term performance of hip implants. This paper presents a finite element (FE) analysis of the contact of the dual mobility implants under the influence of cup wear and inclination. A 3D FE model of the implant was developed with the application of equivalent physiological loading and boundary conditions. Effects of cup inclination angle ranging from 45° to 60° and the wear depth ranging from 0 to 2.46 mm equivalent to up to 30 years of the implant's life on the contact pressure and von Mises stress were investigated. Simulation results show that the contact pressure and von Mises stress decrease significantly with a modest wear depth and remains quite in-sensitive to the cup inclination angle and wear depth up to 1.64 mm. With wear depth further up to 2.46 mm, the cup thickness (i.e. cup thinning on worn region) may be more predominant than increasing of contact area between the cup and the head. The wear on the inner surface of the cup is found to rule out the overall contact pressure and stress in the implant. Furthermore, individual and combined effects of both important parameters are analysed and discussed with respect to available clinical/laboratory studies.

Rotor Dynamic Inflow Derivatives and Time Constants from Various Inflow Models.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

fore-and-aft rotor diameter for the case of horizontal flight. It i- possible to determine from the blade twist both the geometric and equivalent...17, the flat-wake theory represents a limiting case where all the vortices transferred to the slipstream of a rotor, moving horizontally at a...L44,4) 66- p E 40- R CE T~ 26* E R R 0 0 R -a,- ’ I 1 P I . . . I . . 6.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 INTERGRATION INCREMENT Figure 9. Effects of the

Internal magnetic structure of magnetite nanoparticles at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krycka, K. L.; Borchers, J. A.; Booth, R. A.; Hogg, C. R.; Ijiri, Y.; Chen, W. C.; Watson, S. M.; Laver, M.; Gentile, T. R.; Harris, S.; Dedon, L. R.; Rhyne, J. J.; Majetich, S. A.

2010-05-01

Small-angle neutron scattering with polarization analysis reveals that Fe3O4 nanoparticles with 90 Å diameters have ferrimagnetic moments significantly reduced from that of bulk Fe3O4 at 10 K, nominal saturation. Combined with previous results for an equivalent applied field at 200 K, a core-disordered shell picture of a spatially reduced ferrimagnetic core emerges, even well below the bulk blocking temperature. Zero-field cooling suggests that this magnetic morphology may be intrinsic to the nanoparticle, rather than field induced, at 10 K.

System and technology considerations for space-based air traffic surveillance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaisnys, A.

1986-01-01

This paper describes the system trade-offs examined in a recent study of space-based air traffic surveillance. Three system options, each satisfying a set of different constraints, were considered. The main difference in the technology needed to implement the three systems was determined to be the size of the spacecraft antenna aperture. It was found that essentially equivalent position location accuracy could be achieved with apertures from 50 meters down to less than a meter in diameter, depending on the choice of signal structure and on the desired user update rate.

Results of operating LIA-2 in radiograph mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Starostenko, D. A.; Logachev, P. V.; Akimov, A. V.; Korepanov, A. A.; Bak, P. A.; Panov, A. N.; Pachkov, A. A.; Eliseev, A. A.; Ottmar, A. V.; Kulenko, Ya. V.; Bolkhovityanov, D. Yu.; Fatkin, G. A.; Pavlov, O. A.; Kuznetsov, G. I.; Nikolaev, I. V.; Batazova, M. A.; Batrakov, A. M.; Boimelshtein, Yu. M.; Pavlenko, A. V.

2014-09-01

The LIA-2 linear induction accelerator was developed at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics as an electron beam injector for a building induction accelerator at energy of 20 MeV, on the basis of which a complex for flash radiography will be developed. The LIA-2, which was started up in 2010, is currently used as an independent X-ray unit for raying objects with an optic thickness up to 70 mm in the lead equivalent. The effective diameter of the X-ray source is 0.6-0.7 mm.

Infrared spectrometer for Voyager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanel, R.; Crosby, D.; Herath, L.; Vanous, D.; Collins, D.; Creswick, H.; Harris, C.; Rhodes, M.

1980-01-01

The Voyager IR investigation is described, which uses a Michelson interferometer in the 180-2500/cm range, and a single-channel radiometer for the visible and near-IR, sharing a 50-cm diameter telescope. Emphasis is placed on the differences between the Voyager and the previous designs, including reductions in the field of view and in the noise equivalent spectral radiance of the instrument. Attention is given to the optical layout, the electronics module, power supply placement, thermal control heaters and flash heaters, data reduction, and calibration. A sample spectrum of Jupiter is also discussed.

Laser-Induced Damage to Thin Film Dielectric Coatings.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

magnify and reimage the laser spot in the diagnostic Path B. Location [5] (see Figure (9)) is the equi- valent focal plane in Path B to that in Path A at...the thin film sample, (3] . The object distance is between the focal plane and the lens at [6) and the image distance is betv en the lens [6] and the...the equivalent focal plane in the diagnostic path and positioned so that the peak of the beam spatial profile falls on the pinhole. The diameter of the

Condition Survey of Lock Number 2, Monongahela River

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

locks structure. The condition survey of the much older dam was not part of this effort. The dam is submerged at all times and did not lend itself to a...TAmEN MBR WES L-2-86 I& TOTAL PUMER come BoxesL MARC OF ORILLEi’ Gene Warhurst IS. L.[LVATION GROUNo WATEN N. DIRECTION OP ,OLE Feb 86 "OLE Feb 86 SES...Equivalent Spherical Diameter ** See References at the end of the main text. D3 It remained intact when submerged in water. The rock had some iron

Effect of treatment temperature on the microstructure of asphalt binders: insights on the development of dispersed domains.

PubMed

Menapace, I; Masad, E; Bhasin, A

2016-04-01

This paper offers important insights on the development of the microstructure in asphalt binders as a function of the treatment temperature. Different treatment temperatures are useful to understand how dispersed domains form when different driving energies for the mobility of molecular species are provided. Small and flat dispersed domains, with average diameter between 0.02 and 0.70 μm, were detected on the surface of two binders at room temperature, and these domains were observed to grow with an increase in treatment temperature (up to over 2 μm). Bee-like structures started to appear after treatment at or above 100°C. Moreover, the effect of the binder thickness on its microstructure at room temperature and at higher treatment temperatures was investigated and is discussed in this paper. At room temperature, the average size of the dispersed domains increased as the binder thickness decreased. A hypothesis that conciliates current theories on the origin and development of dispersed domains is proposed. Small dispersed domains (average diameter around 0.02 μm) are present in the bulk of the binder, whereas larger domains and bee-like structures develop on the surface, following heat treatment or mechanical disturbance that reduces the film thickness. Molecular mobility and association are the key factors in the development of binder microstructure. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a solid rocket booster (SRB) is lifted into the mobile service tower, joining two others. They are three of nine 46-inch-diameter, stretched SRBs that are being attached to the Delta II Heavy rocket that will launch the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). Consisting of three cryogenically cooled science instruments and an 0.85-meter telescope, SIRTF is one of NASA's largest infrared telescopes to be launched. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Most of this infrared radiation is blocked by the Earth's atmosphere and cannot be observed from the ground.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-07-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - On Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, a solid rocket booster (SRB) is lifted into the mobile service tower, joining two others. They are three of nine 46-inch-diameter, stretched SRBs that are being attached to the Delta II Heavy rocket that will launch the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). Consisting of three cryogenically cooled science instruments and an 0.85-meter telescope, SIRTF is one of NASA's largest infrared telescopes to be launched. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Most of this infrared radiation is blocked by the Earth's atmosphere and cannot be observed from the ground.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers on Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, help steady a solid rocket booster (SRB) being lifted into the mobile service tower. It is one of nine 46-inch-diameter, stretched SRBs that are being attached to the Delta II Heavy rocket that will launch the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). Consisting of three cryogenically cooled science instruments and an 0.85-meter telescope, SIRTF is one of NASA's largest infrared telescopes to be launched. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Most of this infrared radiation is blocked by the Earth's atmosphere and cannot be observed from the ground.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-07-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers on Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, help steady a solid rocket booster (SRB) being lifted into the mobile service tower. It is one of nine 46-inch-diameter, stretched SRBs that are being attached to the Delta II Heavy rocket that will launch the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF). Consisting of three cryogenically cooled science instruments and an 0.85-meter telescope, SIRTF is one of NASA's largest infrared telescopes to be launched. SIRTF will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space. Most of this infrared radiation is blocked by the Earth's atmosphere and cannot be observed from the ground.

Aerosol Physics Considerations for Using Cerium Oxide CeO 2 as a Surrogate for Plutonium Oxide PuO 2 in Airborne Release Fraction Measurements for Storage Container Investigations

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

Moore, Murray E.; Tao, Yong

Cerium oxide (CeO2) dust is recommended as a surrogate for plutonium oxide (PuO2) in airborne release fraction experiments. The total range of applicable particle sizes for PuO2 extends from 0.0032 μm (the diameter of a single PuO2 molecule) to 10 μm (the defined upper boundary for respirable particles). For particulates with a physical particle diameter of 1.0 μm, the corresponding aerodynamic diameters for CeO2 and PuO2 are 2.7 μm and 3.4 μm, respectively. Cascade impactor air samplers are capable of measuring the size distributions of CeO2 or PuO2 particulates. In this document, the aerodynamic diameters for CeO2 and PuO2 weremore » calculated for seven different physical diameters (0.0032, 0.02, 0.11, 0.27, 1.0, 3.2, and 10 μm). For cascade impactor measurements, CeO2 and PuO2 particulates with the same physical diameter would be collected onto the same or adjacent collection substrates. The difference between the aerodynamic diameter of CeO2 and PuO2 particles (that have the same physical diameter) is 39% of the resolution of a twelve-stage MSP Inc. 125 cascade impactor, and 34% for an eight-stage Andersen impactor. An approach is given to calculate the committed effective dose (CED) coefficient for PuO2 aerosol particles, compared to a corresponding aerodynamic diameter of CeO2 particles. With this approach, use of CeO2 as a surrogate for PuO2 material would follow a direct conversion based on a molar equivalent. In addition to the analytical information developed for this document, several US national labs have published articles about the use of CeO2 as a PuO2 surrogate. Different physical and chemical aspects were considered by these investigators, including thermal properties, ceramic formulations, cold pressing, sintering, molecular reactions, and mass loss in high temperature gas flows. All of those US national lab studies recommended the use of CeO2 as a surrogate material for PuO2.« less

Depth dependence of absorbed dose, dose equivalent and linear energy transfer spectra of galactic and trapped particles in polyethylene and comparison with calculations of models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Badhwar, G. D.; Cucinotta, F. A.; Wilson, J. W. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

A matched set of five tissue-equivalent proportional counters (TEPCs), embedded at the centers of 0 (bare), 3, 5, 8 and 12-inch-diameter polyethylene spheres, were flown on the Shuttle flight STS-81 (inclination 51.65 degrees, altitude approximately 400 km). The data obtained were separated into contributions from trapped protons and galactic cosmic radiation (GCR). From the measured linear energy transfer (LET) spectra, the absorbed dose and dose-equivalent rates were calculated. The results were compared to calculations made with the radiation transport model HZETRN/NUCFRG2, using the GCR free-space spectra, orbit-averaged geomagnetic transmission function and Shuttle shielding distributions. The comparison shows that the model fits the dose rates to a root mean square (rms) error of 5%, and dose-equivalent rates to an rms error of 10%. Fairly good agreement between the LET spectra was found; however, differences are seen at both low and high LET. These differences can be understood as due to the combined effects of chord-length variation and detector response function. These results rule out a number of radiation transport/nuclear fragmentation models. Similar comparisons of trapped-proton dose rates were made between calculations made with the proton transport model BRYNTRN using the AP-8 MIN trapped-proton model and Shuttle shielding distributions. The predictions of absorbed dose and dose-equivalent rates are fairly good. However, the prediction of the LET spectra below approximately 30 keV/microm shows the need to improve the AP-8 model. These results have strong implications for shielding requirements for an interplanetary manned mission.

Mobility Peak Tailing Reduction in a Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA) Coupled with a Mass Spectrometer and Several Ionization Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amo-Gonzalez, Mario; Fernandez de la Mora, Juan

2017-08-01

The differential mobility analyzer (DMA) is a narrow-band linear ion mobility filter operating at atmospheric pressure. It combines in series with a quadrupole mass spectrometer (Q-MS) for mobility/mass analysis, greatly reducing chemical noise in selected ion monitoring. However, the large flow rate of drift gas ( 1000 L/min) required by DMAs complicates the achievement of high gas purity. Additionally, the symmetry of the drying counterflow gas at the interface of many commercial MS instruments, is degraded by the lateral motion of the drift gas at the DMA entrance slit. As a result, DMA mobility peaks often exhibit tails due to the attachment of impurity vapors, either (1) to the reagent ion within the separation cell, or (2) to the analyte of interest in the ionization region. In order to greatly increase the noise-suppression capacity of the DMA, we describe various vapor-removal schemes and measure the resulting increase in the tailing ratio, ( TR = signal at the peak maximum over signal two half-widths away from this maximum). Here we develop a low-outgassing DMA circuit connected to a mass spectrometer, and test it with three ionization sources (APCI, Desolvating-nano ESI, and Desolvating low flow SESI). While prior TR values were in the range 100-1000, the three new sources achieve TR 105. The SESI source has been optimized for maximum sensitivity, delivering an unprecedented gain for TNT of 190 counts/fg, equivalent to an ionization efficiency of one out of 140 neutral molecules.

Exploring the Usability of Mobile Apps Supporting Radiologists' Training in Diagnostic Decision Making.

PubMed

Kim, Min Soon; Aro, Michael R; Lage, Kraig J; Ingalls, Kevin L; Sindhwani, Vivek; Markey, Mia K

2016-03-01

The objective of this study was to conduct a usability evaluation of mobile apps for supporting education and training in radiologic diagnostic decision-making processes. Of 381 mobile apps available at two major stores (Google Play and iTunes), eight iOS apps were selected for laboratory-based usability tests. Six staff radiologists completed eight app-specific task sets, using a think-aloud strategy. The triangular methods approach included quantitative performance measures, System Usability Scale (SUS), and qualitative thematic analysis using heuristic usability principles of usability issues. Overall, radiologists achieved higher than 70% success, with favorable SUS scores, in completing the tasks for seven of the eight apps. However, task success rate and SUS score had a weak relation (r = 0.23), indicating that the perceived usability may not reflect the holistic usability of the app. Task analysis and self-report revealed 108 usability issues, which were condensed to 55 unique issues and categorized by nine usability themes and mapped to ten usability heuristics. Nonintuitive functionality (eg, nonintuitive or misleading labels) was the most frequent theme observed, leading to inefficient navigation. These usability findings were consistent with the 13 improvements the radiologists suggested. This study demonstrates the feasibility of usability evaluation of radiology mobile apps and suggests potential improvements in the development of radiology mobile apps. This study also suggests that proficiency with mobile devices may not be equivalent to being an expert user, proficient in using the apps. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In-field Access to Geoscientific Metadata through GPS-enabled Mobile Phones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobona, Gobe; Jackson, Mike; Jordan, Colm; Butchart, Ben

2010-05-01

Fieldwork is an integral part of much geosciences research. But whilst geoscientists have physical or online access to data collections whilst in the laboratory or at base stations, equivalent in-field access is not standard or straightforward. The increasing availability of mobile internet and GPS-supported mobile phones, however, now provides the basis for addressing this issue. The SPACER project was commissioned by the Rapid Innovation initiative of the UK Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) to explore the potential for GPS-enabled mobile phones to access geoscientific metadata collections. Metadata collections within the geosciences and the wider geospatial domain can be disseminated through web services based on the Catalogue Service for Web(CSW) standard of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) - a global grouping of over 380 private, public and academic organisations aiming to improve interoperability between geospatial technologies. CSW offers an XML-over-HTTP interface for querying and retrieval of geospatial metadata. By default, the metadata returned by CSW is based on the ISO19115 standard and encoded in XML conformant to ISO19139. The SPACER project has created a prototype application that enables mobile phones to send queries to CSW containing user-defined keywords and coordinates acquired from GPS devices built-into the phones. The prototype has been developed using the free and open source Google Android platform. The mobile application offers views for listing titles, presenting multiple metadata elements and a Google Map with an overlay of bounding coordinates of datasets. The presentation will describe the architecture and approach applied in the development of the prototype.

Radiography on wheels arrives to nursing homes - an economic assessment of a new health care technology in southern Sweden.

PubMed

Dozet, Alexander; Ivarsson, Bodil; Eklund, Karin; Klefsgård, Rosemarie; Geijer, Mats

2016-12-01

The process of transferring older, vulnerable adults from an elder care facility to the hospital for medical care can be an emotionally and physically stressful experience. The recent development of modern mobile radiography may help to ease this anxiety by allowing for evaluation in the nursing home itself. Up until this point, no health economic evaluation of the technology has been attempted in a Swedish setting. The objective of this study was to determine whether examinations of patients in elder care facilities with mobile radiography were cost-effective from a societal perspective compared with hospital-based radiological examinations. This prospective study included two groups of nursing home residents in two different areas in southern Sweden. All residents in the nursing homes were targeted for the study. Seventy-one patients were examined with hospital-based radiography at two hospitals, and 312 patients were examined using mobile radiography in nursing homes. Given that the diagnostic effects are regarded as equivalent, a cost minimization method was applied. Direct costs were estimated using prices from the county council, Region Skåne, Sweden. From a societal perspective, mobile radiography was shown to have significantly lower costs per examination compared with hospital-based radiography. The difference in health care-related costs was also significant in favour of mobile radiography. Mobile radiography can be used to examine patients in nursing homes at a lower cost than hospital-based radiography. Patients benefit from not having to transfer to a hospital for radiography, resulting in reduced anxiety for patients. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ignition of lean fuel-air mixtures in a premixing-prevaporizing duct at temperatures up to 1000 K

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tacina, R. R.

1980-01-01

Conditions were determined in a premixing prevaporizing fuel preparation duct at which ignition occurred. An air blast type fuel injector with nineteen fuel injection points was used to provide a uniform spatial fuel air mixture. The range of inlet conditions where ignition occurred were: inlet air temperatures of 600 to 1000 K air pressures of 180 to 660 kPa, equivalence ratios (fuel air ratio divided by stoichiometric fuel air ratio) from 0.12 to 1.05, and velocities from 3.5 to 30 m/s. The duct was insulated and the diameter was 12 cm. Mixing lengths were varied from 16.5 to 47.6 and residence times ranged from 4.6 to 107 ms. The fuel was no. 2 diesel. Results show a strong effect of equivalence ratio, pressure and temperature on the conditions where ignition occurred. The data did not fit the most commonly used model of auto-ignition. A correlation of the conditions where ignition would occur which apply to this test apparatus over the conditions tested is (p/V) phi to the 1.3 power = 0.62 e to the 2804/T power where p is the pressure in kPa, V is the velocity in m/e, phi is the equivalence ratio, and T is the temperature in K. The data scatter was considerable, varying by a maximum value of 5 at a given temperature and equivalence ratio. There was wide spread in the autoignition data contained in the references.

Symbiotic Sensing for Energy-Intensive Tasks in Large-Scale Mobile Sensing Applications.

PubMed

Le, Duc V; Nguyen, Thuong; Scholten, Hans; Havinga, Paul J M

2017-11-29

Energy consumption is a critical performance and user experience metric when developing mobile sensing applications, especially with the significantly growing number of sensing applications in recent years. As proposed a decade ago when mobile applications were still not popular and most mobile operating systems were single-tasking, conventional sensing paradigms such as opportunistic sensing and participatory sensing do not explore the relationship among concurrent applications for energy-intensive tasks. In this paper, inspired by social relationships among living creatures in nature, we propose a symbiotic sensing paradigm that can conserve energy, while maintaining equivalent performance to existing paradigms. The key idea is that sensing applications should cooperatively perform common tasks to avoid acquiring the same resources multiple times. By doing so, this sensing paradigm executes sensing tasks with very little extra resource consumption and, consequently, extends battery life. To evaluate and compare the symbiotic sensing paradigm with the existing ones, we develop mathematical models in terms of the completion probability and estimated energy consumption. The quantitative evaluation results using various parameters obtained from real datasets indicate that symbiotic sensing performs better than opportunistic sensing and participatory sensing in large-scale sensing applications, such as road condition monitoring, air pollution monitoring, and city noise monitoring.

Symbiotic Sensing for Energy-Intensive Tasks in Large-Scale Mobile Sensing Applications

PubMed Central

Scholten, Hans; Havinga, Paul J. M.

2017-01-01

Energy consumption is a critical performance and user experience metric when developing mobile sensing applications, especially with the significantly growing number of sensing applications in recent years. As proposed a decade ago when mobile applications were still not popular and most mobile operating systems were single-tasking, conventional sensing paradigms such as opportunistic sensing and participatory sensing do not explore the relationship among concurrent applications for energy-intensive tasks. In this paper, inspired by social relationships among living creatures in nature, we propose a symbiotic sensing paradigm that can conserve energy, while maintaining equivalent performance to existing paradigms. The key idea is that sensing applications should cooperatively perform common tasks to avoid acquiring the same resources multiple times. By doing so, this sensing paradigm executes sensing tasks with very little extra resource consumption and, consequently, extends battery life. To evaluate and compare the symbiotic sensing paradigm with the existing ones, we develop mathematical models in terms of the completion probability and estimated energy consumption. The quantitative evaluation results using various parameters obtained from real datasets indicate that symbiotic sensing performs better than opportunistic sensing and participatory sensing in large-scale sensing applications, such as road condition monitoring, air pollution monitoring, and city noise monitoring. PMID:29186037

Ankle Plantarflexor Spasticity Does Not Restrict the Recovery of Ankle Plantarflexor Strength or Ankle Power Generation for Push-Off During Walking Following Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Williams, Gavin; Banky, Megan; Olver, John

2016-01-01

The main aim of this project was to determine the impact of plantarflexor spasticity on muscle performance for ambulant people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). A large metropolitan rehabilitation hospital. Seventy-two ambulant people with TBI who were attending physiotherapy for mobility limitations. Twenty-four participants returned for a 6-month follow-up reassessment. Cross-sectional cohort study. Self-selected walking speed, Tardieu scale, ankle plantarflexor strength, and ankle power generation (APG). Participants with ankle plantarflexor spasticity had significantly lower self-selected walking speed; however, there was no significant difference in ankle plantarflexor strength or APG. Participants with ankle plantarflexor spasticity were not restricted in the recovery of self-selected walking speed, ankle plantarflexor strength, or APG, indicating equivalent ability to improve their mobility over time despite the presence of spasticity. Following TBI, people with ankle plantarflexor spasticity have significantly greater mobility limitations than those without spasticity, yet retain the capacity for recovery of self-selected walking speed, ankle plantarflexor strength, and APG.

Impact of metal gates on remote phonon scattering in titanium nitride/hafnium dioxide n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors-low temperature electron mobility study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maitra, Kingsuk; Frank, Martin M.; Narayanan, Vijay; Misra, Veena; Cartier, Eduard A.

2007-12-01

We report low temperature (40-300 K) electron mobility measurements on aggressively scaled [equivalent oxide thickness (EOT)=1 nm] n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (nMOSFETs) with HfO2 gate dielectrics and metal gate electrodes (TiN). A comparison is made with conventional nMOSFETs containing HfO2 with polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) gate electrodes. No substantial change in the temperature acceleration factor is observed when poly-Si is replaced with a metal gate, showing that soft optical phonons are not significantly screened by metal gates. A qualitative argument based on an analogy between remote phonon scattering and high-resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (HREELS) is provided to explain the underlying physics of the observed phenomenon. It is also shown that soft optical phonon scattering is strongly damped by thin SiO2 interface layers, such that room temperature electron mobility values at EOT=1 nm become competitive with values measured in nMOSFETs with SiON gate dielectrics used in current high performance processors.

FPGA implementation cost and performance evaluation of IEEE 802.11 protocol encryption security schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sklavos, N.; Selimis, G.; Koufopavlou, O.

2005-01-01

The explosive growth of internet and consumer demand for mobility has fuelled the exponential growth of wireless communications and networks. Mobile users want access to services and information, from both internet and personal devices, from a range of locations without the use of a cable medium. IEEE 802.11 is one of the most widely used wireless standards of our days. The amount of access and mobility into wireless networks requires a security infrastructure that protects communication within that network. The security of this protocol is based on the wired equivalent privacy (WEP) scheme. Currently, all the IEEE 802.11 market products support WEP. But recently, the 802.11i working group introduced the advanced encryption standard (AES), as the security scheme for the future IEEE 802.11 applications. In this paper, the hardware integrations of WEP and AES are studied. A field programmable gate array (FPGA) device has been used as the hardware implementation platform, for a fair comparison between the two security schemes. Measurements for the FPGA implementation cost, operating frequency, power consumption and performance are given.

Crosstalk between vertical and horizontal gene transfer: plasmid replication control by a conjugative relaxase

PubMed Central

Lorenzo-Díaz, Fabián; Fernández-López, Cris; Lurz, Rudi

2017-01-01

Abstract Horizontal gene transfer is a key process in the evolution of bacteria and also represents a source of genetic variation in eukaryotes. Among elements participating in gene transfer, thousands of small (<10 kb) mobile bacterial plasmids that replicate by the rolling circle mechanism represent a driving force in the spread of antibiotic resistances. In general, these plasmids are built as genetic modules that encode a replicase, an antibiotic-resistance determinant, and a relaxase that participates in their conjugative mobilization. Further, they control their relatively high copy number (∼30 copies per genome equivalent) by antisense RNAs alone or combined with a repressor protein. We report here that the MobM conjugative relaxase encoded by the promiscuous plasmid pMV158 participates in regulation of the plasmid copy number by transcriptional repression of the antisense RNA, thus increasing the number of plasmid molecules ready to be horizontally transferred (mobilization) and/or vertically inherited (replication). This type of crosstalk between genetic modules involved in vertical and horizontal gene flow has not been reported before. PMID:28525572

Apollo 16 time and motion study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kubis, J. F.; Elrod, J. T.; Rusnak, R.; Barnes, J. E.; Saxon, S. C.

1972-01-01

A time and motion study is presented of astronaut lunar surface activity on Apollo 16 which consists of five distinct analyses: an evaluation of lunar mobility, a comparison of task performance in 1-g training and lunar EVA, a study of metabolic costs and adaptation, a discussion of falls, and retrieval of fallen objects. Two basic mobility patterns, the hop or canter and the traditional walking gait, were consistently utilized in longer traverses. The metabolic rates associated with these two mobility types, each used by a different astronaut, were relatively equivalent. The time to perform tasks on the lunar surface was significantly longer (on the order of 70%) than the time to perform the same tasks during the last 1-g training session. These results corroborated the findings on Apollo 15 and were not significantly different from them. There was general improvement in lunar EVA performance upon repetition of tasks. Metabolic rate (BTU/hr.) and metabolic cost (BTU) decreased over successive EVAs. Specifically, the metabolic rate associated with riding the lunar roving vehicle (LRV) decreased by approximately 18% from EVA 1 to EVA 2 and by 15% from EVA 2 to EVA 3.

AlGaAs/InGaAs/AlGaAs double pulse doped pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor structures on InGaAs substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoke, W. E.; Lyman, P. S.; Mosca, J. J.; McTaggart, R. A.; Lemonias, P. J.; Beaudoin, R. M.; Torabi, A.; Bonner, W. A.; Lent, B.; Chou, L.-J.; Hsieh, K. C.

1997-10-01

Double pulse doped AlGaAs/InGaAs/AlGaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (PHEMT) structures have been grown on InxGa1-xAs (x=0.025-0.07) substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. A strain compensated, AlGaInAs/GaAs superlattice was used for improved resistivity and breakdown. Excellent electrical and optical properties were obtained for 110-Å-thick InGaAs channel layers with indium concentrations up to 31%. A room temperature mobility of 6860 cm2/V s with 77 K sheet density of 4.0×1012cm-2 was achieved. The InGaAs channel photoluminescence intensity was equivalent to an analogous structure on a GaAs substrate. To reduce strain PHEMT structures with a composite InGaP/AlGaAs Schottky layer were also grown. The structures also exhibited excellent electrical and optical properties. Transmission electron micrographs showed planar channel interfaces for highly strained In0.30Ga0.70As channel layers.

Thermodynamics Of Common Atmospheric Particles On The Nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onasch, T.; Han, J.; Oatis, S.; Brechtel, F.; Imre, D. G.

2002-12-01

A significant fraction of atmospheric particles are hygroscopic by nature and exhibit the properties of deliquescence and efflorescence. Recent field studies have observed large nucleation events of hygroscopic particles and note discrepancies between predicted and observed particle growth rates after nucleation. These growth rates are governed, in part, by the thermodynamic properties of particles only a few nanometers in diameter. However, little thermodynamic information is currently available for nanometer?sized particles. The Kelvin relation indicates that the surface tension of a particle less than 100nm in diameter can dramatically affect the thermodynamics, and surface states may begin to influence the bulk physical properties in these small particles with high surface to volume ratios. In this context, we are investigating the thermodynamic properties, including pre-deliquescence water adsorption, deliquescence, efflorescence, and supersaturated particle compositions of nanoparticles with mobility diameters in the range of 5 to 50 nm. We have developed a temperature and humidity-controlled laboratory-based Nano Differential Mobility Analyzer (NDMA) system to characterize the hygroscopic properties of the common atmospheric salt particles as a function of size. Two different aerosol generation systems have been used to cover the full size range. The first system (less than 20nm diameter) relies on an Atomizer (TSI 3076) to produce particles which are size?selected using an initial DMA. For particle sizes smaller than 20 nm, the Electrospray Aerosol Generator (EAG, TSI 3480) has been employed as a particle source. The EAG characteristically provides narrow size distributions, comparable to the monodisperse size distribution from a DMA, but with higher number concentrations. Once generated, the monodisperse aerosol flow is then conditioned with respect to humidity at a constant temperature and subsequently analyzed using a TSI Ultrafine CPC (Model 3010) modified for Pulse-Height Analysis. The dry particle sizes are also continually monitored by an external SMPS system (TSI 3936) to rectify errors in the calculated growth factor resulting from any drift in the dry particle size. The size changes of the humidified particles are directly correlated with the relative humidity and temperature. Our results of ammonium sulfate particles from 5 - 50 nm in diameter are consistent with those predicted from the Kelvin relation. The particle size affects both deliquescence and efflorescence of the homogeneous salt particles: the deliquescence relative humidity increases and the efflorescence decreases as particles become smaller. In addition, although the smaller the particle size the more significant water adsorption, the sharp deliquescence phase transition was obvious regardless of the particle sizes. The implications with respect to these observations will be further discussed at the presentation.

Quantitative characterization of colloidal assembly of graphene oxide-silver nanoparticle hybrids using aerosol differential mobility-coupled mass analyses.

PubMed

Nguyen, Thai Phuong; Chang, Wei-Chang; Lai, Yen-Chih; Hsiao, Ta-Chih; Tsai, De-Hao

2017-10-01

In this work, we develop an aerosol-based, time-resolved ion mobility-coupled mass characterization method to investigate colloidal assembly of graphene oxide (GO)-silver nanoparticle (AgNP) hybrid nanostructure on a quantitative basis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and zeta potential (ZP) analysis were used to provide visual information and elemental-based particle size distributions, respectively. Results clearly show a successful controlled assembly of GO-AgNP by electrostatic-directed heterogeneous aggregation between GO and bovine serum albumin (BSA)-functionalized AgNP under an acidic environment. Additionally, physical size, mass, and conformation (i.e., number of AgNP per nanohybrid) of GO-AgNP were shown to be proportional to the number concentration ratio of AgNP to GO (R) and the selected electrical mobility diameter. An analysis of colloidal stability of GO-AgNP indicates that the stability increased with its absolute ZP, which was dependent on R and environmental pH. The work presented here provides a proof of concept for systematically synthesizing hybrid colloidal nanomaterials through the tuning of surface chemistry in aqueous phase with the ability in quantitative characterization. Graphical Abstract Colloidal assembly of graphene oxide-silver nanoparticle hybrids characterized by aerosol differential mobility-coupled mass analyses.

Relationship between the mobility of phosphocholine headgroups of liposomes and the hydrophobicity at the membrane interface: a characterization with spectrophotometric measurements.

PubMed

Shimanouchi, Toshinori; Sasaki, Masashi; Hiroiwa, Azusa; Yoshimoto, Noriko; Miyagawa, Kazuya; Umakoshi, Hiroshi; Kuboi, Ryoichi

2011-11-01

In this study, we investigated the dynamics of a membrane interface of liposomes prepared by eight zwitterionic phosphatidylcholines in terms of their headgroup mobility, with spectroscopic methods such as dielectric dispersion analysis (DDA), fluorescence spectroscopy. The DDA measurement is based on the response of the permanent dipole moment to a driving electric field and could give the information on the axial rotational Brownian motion of a headgroup with the permanent dipole moment. This motion depended on kinds of phospholipids, the diameter of the liposomes, and the temperature. The activation energy required to overcome the intermolecular force between headgroups of phospholipids depended on the strength of the interaction between headgroups such as hydrogen bonds and/or dipole-dipole interaction. Hydration at the phosphorous group of phospholipid and the molecular order of lipid membrane impaired the interaction between headgroups. Furthermore, the hydrophobicity of membrane surface increased parallel to the increase in headgroup mobility. It is, therefore, concluded that hydration of headgroup promoted its mobility to make the membrane surface hydrophobic. The lipid membrane in liquid crystalline phase or the lipid membrane with the larger curvature was more hydrophobic. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Space charge limited current measurements on conjugated polymer films using conductive atomic force microscopy.

PubMed

Reid, Obadiah G; Munechika, Keiko; Ginger, David S

2008-06-01

We describe local (~150 nm resolution), quantitative measurements of charge carrier mobility in conjugated polymer films that are commonly used in thin-film transistors and nanostructured solar cells. We measure space charge limited currents (SCLC) through these films using conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM) and in macroscopic diodes. The current densities we measure with c-AFM are substantially higher than those observed in planar devices at the same bias. This leads to an overestimation of carrier mobility by up to 3 orders of magnitude when using the standard Mott-Gurney law to fit the c-AFM data. We reconcile this apparent discrepancy between c-AFM and planar device measurements by accounting for the proper tip-sample geometry using finite element simulations of tip-sample currents. We show that a semiempirical scaling factor based on the ratio of the tip contact area diameter to the sample thickness can be used to correct c-AFM current-voltage curves and thus extract mobilities that are in good agreement with values measured in the conventional planar device geometry.

Electron mobility of self-assembled and dislocation free InN nanorods grown on GaN nano wall network template

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

Tangi, Malleswararao; De, Arpan; Ghatak, Jay

2016-05-28

A kinetically controlled two-step growth process for the formation of an array of dislocation free high mobility InN nanorods (NRs) on GaN nanowall network (NWN) by Molecular Beam Epitaxy is demonstrated here. The epitaxial GaN NWN is formed on c-sapphire under nitrogen rich conditions, and then changing the source from Ga to In at appropriate substrate temperature yields the nucleation of a self assembled spontaneous m-plane side faceted-InN NR. By HRTEM, the NRs are shown to be dislocation-free and have a low band gap value of 0.65 eV. Hall measurements are carried out on a single InN NR along with J-Vmore » measurements that yield mobility values as high as ≈4453 cm{sup 2}/V s and the carrier concentration of ≈1.1 × 10{sup 17} cm{sup −3}, which are unprecedented in the literature for comparable InN NR diameters.« less

Pressurized planar electrochromatography, high-performance thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography--comparison of performance.

PubMed

Płocharz, Paweł; Klimek-Turek, Anna; Dzido, Tadeusz H

2010-07-16

Kinetic performance, measured by plate height, of High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Pressurized Planar Electrochromatography (PPEC) was compared for the systems with adsorbent of the HPTLC RP18W plate from Merck as the stationary phase and the mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and buffer solution. The HPLC column was packed with the adsorbent, which was scrapped from the chromatographic plate mentioned. An additional HPLC column was also packed with adsorbent of 5 microm particle diameter, C18 type silica based (LiChrosorb RP-18 from Merck). The dependence of plate height of both HPLC and PPEC separating systems on flow velocity of the mobile phase and on migration distance of the mobile phase in TLC system was presented applying test solute (prednisolone succinate). The highest performance, amongst systems investigated, was obtained for the PPEC system. The separation efficiency of the systems investigated in the paper was additionally confirmed by the separation of test component mixture composed of six hormones. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Food waste impact on municipal solid waste angle of internal friction.

PubMed

Cho, Young Min; Ko, Jae Hac; Chi, Liqun; Townsend, Timothy G

2011-01-01

The impact of food waste content on the municipal solid waste (MSW) friction angle was studied. Using reconstituted fresh MSW specimens with different food waste content (0%, 40%, 58%, and 80%), 48 small-scale (100-mm-diameter) direct shear tests and 12 large-scale (430 mm × 430 mm) direct shear tests were performed. A stress-controlled large-scale direct shear test device allowing approximately 170-mm sample horizontal displacement was designed and used. At both testing scales, the mobilized internal friction angle of MSW decreased considerably as food waste content increased. As food waste content increased from 0% to 40% and from 40% to 80%, the mobilized internal friction angles (estimated using the mobilized peak (ultimate) shear strengths of the small-scale direct shear tests) decreased from 39° to 31° and from 31° to 7°, respectively, while those of large-scale tests decreased from 36° to 26° and from 26° to 15°, respectively. Most friction angle measurements produced in this study fell within the range of those previously reported for MSW. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SU-G-BRA-15: Dosimetric Evaluation of Dynamic Tumor Tracking Radiation Therapy Using Digital Phantom: A Study On Margin and Desired Accuracy of Tracking

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

Uchida, T; Osanai, M; Homma, N

2016-06-15

Purpose: Dynamic tumor tracking radiation therapy can potentially reduce internal margin without prolongation of irradiation time. However, dynamic tumor tracking technique requires an extra margin (tracking margin, TM) for the uncertainty of tumor localization, prediction, and beam repositioning. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a dosimetric impact caused by TM. Methods: We used 4D XCAT to create 9 digital phantom datasets of different tumor size and motion range: tumor diameter TD=(1, 3, 5) cm and motion range MR=(1, 2, 3) cm. For each dataset, respiratory gating (30%–70% phase) and tumor tracking treatment plans were created using 8-field 3D-CRTmore » by 4D dose calculation implemented in RayStation. The dose constraint was based on RTOG0618. For the tracking plan, TMs of (0, 2.5, 5) mm were considered by surrounding a normal setup margin: SM=5 mm. We calculated V20 of normal lung to evaluate the dosimetric impact for each case, and estimated an equivalent TM that affects the same impact on V20 obtained by the gated plan. Results: The equivalent TMs for (TD=1 cm, MR=2 cm), (TD=1 cm, MR=3 cm), (TD=5 cm, MR=2 cm), and (TD=5 cm, MR=3 cm) were estimated as 1.47 mm, 3.95 mm, 1.04 mm, and 2.13 mm, respectively. The larger the tumor size, the equivalent TM became smaller. On the other hand, the larger the motion range, the equivalent TM was found to be increased. Conclusion: Our results showed the equivalent TM changes depending on tumor size and motion range. The tracking plan with TM less than the equivalent TM achieves a dosimetric impact better than the gated plan in less treatment time. This study was partially supported by JSPS Kakenhi and Varian Medical Systems.« less

Ultrawide electrical tuning of light matter interaction in a high electron mobility transistor structure

PubMed Central

Pal, Shovon; Nong, Hanond; Markmann, Sergej; Kukharchyk, Nadezhda; Valentin, Sascha R.; Scholz, Sven; Ludwig, Arne; Bock, Claudia; Kunze, Ulrich; Wieck, Andreas D.; Jukam, Nathan

2015-01-01

The interaction between intersubband resonances (ISRs) and metamaterial microcavities constitutes a strongly coupled system where new resonances form that depend on the coupling strength. Here we present experimental evidence of strong coupling between the cavity resonance of a terahertz metamaterial and the ISR in a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structure. The device is electrically switched from an uncoupled to a strongly coupled regime by tuning the ISR with epitaxially grown transparent gate. The asymmetric potential in the HEMT structure enables ultrawide electrical tuning of ISR, which is an order of magnitude higher as compared to an equivalent square well. For a single heterojunction with a triangular confinement, we achieve an avoided splitting of 0.52 THz, which is a significant fraction of the bare intersubband resonance at 2 THz. PMID:26578287

Angular and linear fields of view of Galilean telescopes and telemicroscopes.

PubMed

Katz, Milton

2007-06-01

The calculation of the angular fields of view (FOVs) of Galilean telescopes generally necessitates the calculation of the pupils and ports. This, in turn, requires knowledge of the optical design of the telescope, in particular, the focal lengths or powers of the objective and ocular lenses. Equations for finding the FOV that obviate the need to calculate pupils and ports, or even to know the lens powers of the telescope, are presented in this article. The equations can be used to find the FOVs in image space of real Galilean telescopes of known magnification, merely by measuring the distance between the objective and ocular lenses and the diameter of the objective lens. The equations include the effects of eye pupil diameter and eye relief. Linear FOVs (LFOVs) of Galilean telemicroscopes are similarly determined. Two image space angular FOV equations were derived: (1) an equation to determine the angular FOVs of a telescope with various amounts of vignetting and eye relief; and (2) an equivalent equation for the LFOVs of telescopes fitted with lens caps for near vision. The FOV increases linearly with increasing vignetting. Increasing the eye relief results in a nonlinear decrease in the FOV, shown as a fraction of the normalized value for zero eye relief. Decrements in the FOVs with increasing eye relief as a fraction of the normalized field angle when the eye relief = 0 are shown to be constant regardless of the vignetting level. A transition of the objective lens from field stop to aperture stop occurs when the eye pupil diameter exceeds the diameter of the objective lens divided by the magnification. Equations have been derived for Galilean telescopes and telemicroscopes that make it unnecessary to find pupils and ports, or to know the powers of the lenses. They provide a direct and simple evaluation of angular and LFOVs as functions of magnification, objective lens diameter, eye pupil diameter, eye relief, and vignetting, and enable comparisons of actual telescopes.

Understanding and Minimising Occupational Radiation in the Catheterisation Laboratory with PISAX and the ACIST CVi® Contrast Delivery System

PubMed Central

Bar, Olivier

2013-01-01

This paper provides an overview of radiation exposure and its associated risks in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory (cath lab), as well as strategies to minimise radiation exposure for operators, cath lab staff and patients. The benefits of using a mobile 2 mm lead equivalent radiation shield (PISAX) and adoption of an automated contrast injection system (the ACIST CVi® Contrast Delivery System) are discussed, and the potential advantages of their combination are reviewed. PMID:29588748