Dual-function photonic integrated circuit for frequency octo-tupling or single-side-band modulation.

PubMed

Hasan, Mehedi; Maldonado-Basilio, Ramón; Hall, Trevor J

2015-06-01

A dual-function photonic integrated circuit for microwave photonic applications is proposed. The circuit consists of four linear electro-optic phase modulators connected optically in parallel within a generalized Mach-Zehnder interferometer architecture. The photonic circuit is arranged to have two separate output ports. A first port provides frequency up-conversion of a microwave signal from the electrical to the optical domain; equivalently single-side-band modulation. A second port provides tunable millimeter wave carriers by frequency octo-tupling of an appropriate amplitude RF carrier. The circuit exploits the intrinsic relative phases between the ports of multi-mode interference couplers to provide substantially all the static optical phases needed. The operation of the proposed dual-function photonic integrated circuit is verified by computer simulations. The performance of the frequency octo-tupling and up-conversion functions is analyzed in terms of the electrical signal to harmonic distortion ratio and the optical single side band to unwanted harmonics ratio, respectively.

Energy efficient engine high-pressure turbine single crystal vane and blade fabrication technology report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giamei, A. F.; Salkeld, R. W.; Hayes, C. W.

1981-01-01

The objective of the High-Pressure Turbine Fabrication Program was to demonstrate the application and feasibility of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft-developed two-piece, single crystal casting and bonding technology on the turbine blade and vane configurations required for the high-pressure turbine in the Energy Efficient Engine. During the first phase of the program, casting feasibility was demonstrated. Several blade and vane halves were made for the bonding trials, plus solid blades and vanes were successfully cast for materials evaluation tests. Specimens exhibited the required microstructure and chemical composition. Bonding feasibility was demonstrated in the second phase of the effort. Bonding yields of 75 percent for the vane and 30 percent for the blade were achieved, and methods for improving these yield percentages were identified. A bond process was established for PWA 1480 single crystal material which incorporated a transient liquid phase interlayer. Bond properties were substantiated and sensitivities determined. Tooling die materials were identified, and an advanced differential thermal expansion tooling concept was incorporated into the bond process.

Plastic behavior of two-phase intermetallic compounds based on L1{sub 2}-type (Al,Cr){sub 3}Ti

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

Park, J.Y.; Wee, D.M.; Oh, M.H.

Plastic behavior of two-phase intermetallic compounds based on L1{sub 2}-type (Al,Cr){sub 3}Ti was investigated using compression test at R.T. and 77K. L1{sub 2} single phase alloys and two-phase alloys consisting of mainly L1{sub 2} phase and a few or 20% (mole percent) second phases were selected from Al-Ti-Cr phase diagram. In general, compared with L1{sub 2} single phase, two-phase alloys consisting of 20% second phase showed relatively high yield strength and poor ductility. Among the alloys, however, Al-21Ti-23Cr alloy consisting of 20% Cr{sub 2}Al phase showed available ductility as well as high yield strength. Plastic behavior of L1{sub 2} singlemore » phase alloys and two-phase alloys consisting of a few Cr{sub 2}Al was also investigated. Homogenization of arc melted ingots substantially reduced the amount of second phases but introduced extensive pore. When Cr content increased in L1{sub 2} single phase alloys after the homogenization, the volume fraction of pores in the alloys decreased, and no residual porosity was observed in two-phase alloys consisting of a few% Cr{sub 2}Al phase. Environmental effect on the ductility of the alloys was investigated using compression test at different strain rates (1.2 {times} 10{sup {minus}4}/s and 1.2 {times} 10{sup {minus}2}/s). Environmental embrittlement was least significant in Al-25Ti-10Cr alloy consisting of L1{sub 2} single phase among the alloys tested in this study. However, based on the combined estimation of the pore formation, environmental embrittlement and ingot cast structure, it could be supposed that Al-21Ti-23Cr alloy consisting of 20% Cr{sub 2}Al as a second phase is expected to show the best tensile elongation behavior among the materials tested.« less

Bayesian adaptive phase II screening design for combination trials.

PubMed

Cai, Chunyan; Yuan, Ying; Johnson, Valen E

2013-01-01

Trials of combination therapies for the treatment of cancer are playing an increasingly important role in the battle against this disease. To more efficiently handle the large number of combination therapies that must be tested, we propose a novel Bayesian phase II adaptive screening design to simultaneously select among possible treatment combinations involving multiple agents. Our design is based on formulating the selection procedure as a Bayesian hypothesis testing problem in which the superiority of each treatment combination is equated to a single hypothesis. During the trial conduct, we use the current values of the posterior probabilities of all hypotheses to adaptively allocate patients to treatment combinations. Simulation studies show that the proposed design substantially outperforms the conventional multiarm balanced factorial trial design. The proposed design yields a significantly higher probability for selecting the best treatment while allocating substantially more patients to efficacious treatments. The proposed design is most appropriate for the trials combining multiple agents and screening out the efficacious combination to be further investigated. The proposed Bayesian adaptive phase II screening design substantially outperformed the conventional complete factorial design. Our design allocates more patients to better treatments while providing higher power to identify the best treatment at the end of the trial.

Noise robustness of a combined phase retrieval and reconstruction method for phase-contrast tomography.

PubMed

Kongskov, Rasmus Dalgas; Jørgensen, Jakob Sauer; Poulsen, Henning Friis; Hansen, Per Christian

2016-04-01

Classical reconstruction methods for phase-contrast tomography consist of two stages: phase retrieval and tomographic reconstruction. A novel algebraic method combining the two was suggested by Kostenko et al. [Opt. Express21, 12185 (2013)OPEXFF1094-408710.1364/OE.21.012185], and preliminary results demonstrated improved reconstruction compared with a given two-stage method. Using simulated free-space propagation experiments with a single sample-detector distance, we thoroughly compare the novel method with the two-stage method to address limitations of the preliminary results. We demonstrate that the novel method is substantially more robust toward noise; our simulations point to a possible reduction in counting times by an order of magnitude.

Shock wave compression of iron-silicate garnet.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graham, E. K.; Ahrens, T. J.

1973-01-01

Shock wave compression data to over 650 kb are presented for single-crystal almandine garnet. The data indicate the initiation of a phase transformation near 200 kb. Total transition to the high-pressure polymorph occurs at approximately 300 kb. The elastic properties of the high-pressure phase are calculated from the metastable Hugoniot data by using the linear shock velocity-particle velocity relationships. The overall results obtained strongly suggest that upper mantle minerals are likely to occur in the ilmenite structure over a substantial part of the lower mantle.

Three-phase heaters with common overburden sections for heating subsurface formations

DOEpatents

Vinegar, Harold J [Bellaire, TX

2012-02-14

A heating system for a subsurface formation is described. The heating system includes three substantially u-shaped heaters with first end portions of the heaters being electrically coupled to a single, three-phase wye transformer and second end portions of the heaters being electrically coupled to each other and/or to ground. The three heaters may enter the formation through a first common wellbore and exit the formation through a second common wellbore so that the magnetic fields of the three heaters at least partially cancel out in the common wellbores.

Bayesian adaptive phase II screening design for combination trials

PubMed Central

Cai, Chunyan; Yuan, Ying; Johnson, Valen E

2013-01-01

Background Trials of combination therapies for the treatment of cancer are playing an increasingly important role in the battle against this disease. To more efficiently handle the large number of combination therapies that must be tested, we propose a novel Bayesian phase II adaptive screening design to simultaneously select among possible treatment combinations involving multiple agents. Methods Our design is based on formulating the selection procedure as a Bayesian hypothesis testing problem in which the superiority of each treatment combination is equated to a single hypothesis. During the trial conduct, we use the current values of the posterior probabilities of all hypotheses to adaptively allocate patients to treatment combinations. Results Simulation studies show that the proposed design substantially outperforms the conventional multiarm balanced factorial trial design. The proposed design yields a significantly higher probability for selecting the best treatment while allocating substantially more patients to efficacious treatments. Limitations The proposed design is most appropriate for the trials combining multiple agents and screening out the efficacious combination to be further investigated. Conclusions The proposed Bayesian adaptive phase II screening design substantially outperformed the conventional complete factorial design. Our design allocates more patients to better treatments while providing higher power to identify the best treatment at the end of the trial. PMID:23359875

Infrared (0.83–5.1 μm) photometry of Phoebe from the Cassini Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buratti, B.J.; Soderlund, K.; Bauer, J.; Mosher, J.A.; Hicks, M.D.; Simonelli, D.P.; Jaumann, R.; Clark, R.N.; Brown, R.H.; Cruikshank, D.P.; Momary, T.

2008-01-01

Three weeks prior to the commencement of Cassini's   4 year tour of the saturnian system, the spacecraft executed a close flyby of the outer satellite Phoebe. The infrared channel of the Visual Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) obtained images of reflected light over the 0.83–5.1 μm spectral range with an average spectral resolution of 16.5 nm, spatial resolution up to 2 km, and over a range of solar phase angles not observed before. These images have been analyzed to derive fundamental photometric parameters including the phase curve and phase integral, spectral geometric albedo, bolometric Bond albedo, and the single scattering albedo. Physical properties of the surface, including macroscopic roughness and the single particle phase function, have also been characterized. Maps of normal reflectance show the existence of two major albedo regimes in the infrared, with gradations between the two regimes and much terrain with substantially higher albedos. The phase integral of Phoebe is 0.29±0.030.29±0.03, with no significant wavelength dependence. The bolometric Bond albedo is 0.023±0070.023±007. We find that the surface of Phoebe is rough, with a mean slope angle of 33°. The satellite's surface has a substantial forward scattering component, suggesting that its surface is dusty, perhaps from a history of outgassing. The spectrum of Phoebe is best matched by a composition including water ice, amorphous carbon, iron-bearing minerals, carbon dioxide, and Triton tholin. The characteristics of Phoebe suggest that it originated outside the saturnian system, perhaps in the Kuiper Belt, and was captured on its journey inward, as suggested by Johnson and Lunine (2005).

Process for fabricating polycrystalline semiconductor thin-film solar cells, and cells produced thereby

DOEpatents

Wu, Xuanzhi; Sheldon, Peter

2000-01-01

A novel, simplified method for fabricating a thin-film semiconductor heterojunction photovoltaic device includes initial steps of depositing a layer of cadmium stannate and a layer of zinc stannate on a transparent substrate, both by radio frequency sputtering at ambient temperature, followed by the depositing of dissimilar layers of semiconductors such as cadmium sulfide and cadmium telluride, and heat treatment to convert the cadmium stannate to a substantially single-phase material of a spinel crystal structure. Preferably, the cadmium sulfide layer is also deposited by radio frequency sputtering at ambient temperature, and the cadmium telluride layer is deposited by close space sublimation at an elevated temperature effective to convert the amorphous cadmium stannate to the polycrystalline cadmium stannate with single-phase spinel structure.

SINGLE AGENT CARBOPLATIN VERSUS CARBOPLATIN PLUS PEGYLATED LIPOSOMAL DOXORUBICIN IN RECURRENT OVARIAN CANCER: FINAL SURVIVAL RESULTS OF A SWOG (S0200) PHASE 3 RANDOMIZED TRIAL

PubMed Central

Markman, Maurie; Moon, James; Wilczynski, Sharon; Lopez, Ana Maria; Rowland, Kendrith M.; Michelin, David P.; Lanzotti, Victor J.; Anderson, Garnet L.; Alberts, David S.

2009-01-01

Objectives Randomized phase 3 trials have demonstrated the utility of a regimen of carboplatin plus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) in recurrent ovarian cancer, and have provided provocative data suggesting a substantially lower risk of carboplatin-associated hypersensitivity if PDL is delivered in combination with the platinum agent. Methods To further examine both of these clinically-relevant issues, the survival outcome (with longer follow-up) and hypersensitivity reaction profile of a previously reported phase 3 trial that compared single agent carboplatin (AUC 5) to carboplatin (AUC 5) plus PLD (30 mg/m2) delivered on an every 4-week schedule in recurrent ovarian cancer (SWOG 0200) were re-analyzed. Results In the limited number of patients (n=61) entered into this phase 3 study before closure by the SWOG Data Safety and Monitoring Committee due to insufficient accrual, there was an initially reported improvement in outcome associated with the combination regimen. With longer follow-up and additional events there is still a statistically-significant improved progression-free survival (median: 12 versus 8 months, p=0.02), but the previously observed impact of the two-drug regimen on overall survival is no longer apparent (median: 31 versus 18 months; p=0.2). While no hypersensitivity reactions were reported in the carboplatin plus PLD arm (0/31), 9 of 30 patients (30%) of women randomized to single agent carboplatin experienced an allergic episode (p=0.0008), with 5 being ≥ grade 3 in severity. Conclusion Despite a favorable impact of carboplatin and PLD on progression-free survival in this trial, the effect on overall survival is not statistically significant. For currently unknown reasons, administering PLD with carboplatin appears to substantially reduce the incidence of platinum-associated hypersensitivity reactions. PMID:20044128

Augmenting Photoinduced Charge Transport in a Single-Component Gel System: Controlled In Situ Gel-Crystal Transformation at Room Temperature.

PubMed

Satapathy, Sitakanta; Prabakaran, Palani; Prasad, Edamana

2018-04-20

Smart single-component materials with versatile functions require pre-programming of a higher order molecular assembly. An electroactive supergelator (c=0.07 wt %) triphenylamine core-appended poly(aryl ether) dendron (TPAPAE) is described, where substantial dendritic effects improve the order and crystallinity by switching the local minima from self-assembled molecular wires to thermodynamically favorable global minima of ordered crystals, ripened within the fibers. Controlled in situ phase change at room temperature ultimately stabilized the mixed valence states in the single-component supramolecular assembly with photoluminescence and photoinduced charge transport amplified by two orders of magnitude. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Combining near-field scanning optical microscopy with spectral interferometry for local characterization of the optical electric field in photonic structures.

PubMed

Trägårdh, Johanna; Gersen, Henkjan

2013-07-15

We show how a combination of near-field scanning optical microscopy with crossed beam spectral interferometry allows a local measurement of the spectral phase and amplitude of light propagating in photonic structures. The method only requires measurement at the single point of interest and at a reference point, to correct for the relative phase of the interferometer branches, to retrieve the dispersion properties of the sample. Furthermore, since the measurement is performed in the spectral domain, the spectral phase and amplitude could be retrieved from a single camera frame, here in 70 ms for a signal power of less than 100 pW limited by the dynamic range of the 8-bit camera. The method is substantially faster than most previous time-resolved NSOM methods that are based on time-domain interferometry, which also reduced problems with drift. We demonstrate how the method can be used to measure the refractive index and group velocity in a waveguide structure.

The dynamics of neuronal redundancy in decision making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniels, Bryan; Flack, Jessica; Krakauer, David

We propose two temporal phases of collective computation in a visual motion direction discrimination task by analyzing recordings from 169 neural channels in the prefrontal cortex of macaque monkeys. Phase I is a distributed phase in which uncertainty is substantially reduced by pooling information from many cells. Phase II is a redundant phase in which numerous single cells contain all the information present at the population level in Phase I. A dynamic distributed model connects low redundancy to a slow timescale of information aggregation, and provides a common explanation for both behaviors that differs only in the degree of recurrent excitation. We attribute the slow timescale of information accumulation to critical slowing down near the transition to a memory-carrying collective state. We suggest that this dynamic of slow distributed accumulation followed by fast collective propagation is a generic feature of robust collective computing systems related to consensus formation.

Optimizing fusion PIC code performance at scale on Cori Phase 2

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

Koskela, T. S.; Deslippe, J.

In this paper we present the results of optimizing the performance of the gyrokinetic full-f fusion PIC code XGC1 on the Cori Phase Two Knights Landing system. The code has undergone substantial development to enable the use of vector instructions in its most expensive kernels within the NERSC Exascale Science Applications Program. We study the single-node performance of the code on an absolute scale using the roofline methodology to guide optimization efforts. We have obtained 2x speedups in single node performance due to enabling vectorization and performing memory layout optimizations. On multiple nodes, the code is shown to scale wellmore » up to 4000 nodes, near half the size of the machine. We discuss some communication bottlenecks that were identified and resolved during the work.« less

Fabrication and Characterization of Single Phase α-Alumina Membranes with Tunable Pore Diameters

PubMed Central

Masuda, Tatsuya; Asoh, Hidetaka; Haraguchi, Satoshi; Ono, Sachiko

2015-01-01

Nanoporous and single phase α-alumina membranes with pore diameters tunable over a wide range of approximately 60–350 nm were successfully fabricated by optimizing the conditions for anodizing, subsequent detachment, and heat treatment. The pore diameter increased and the cell diameter shrunk upon crystallization to α-alumina by approximately 20% and 3%, respectively, in accordance with the 23% volume shrinkage resulting from the change in density associated with the transformation from the amorphous state to α-alumina. Nevertheless, flat α-alumina membranes, each with a diameter of 25 mm and a thickness of 50 μm, were obtained without thermal deformation. The α-alumina membranes exhibited high chemical resistance in various concentrated acidic and alkaline solutions as well as when exposed to high temperature steam under pressure. The Young’s modulus and hardness of the single phase α-alumina membranes formed by heat treatment at 1250 °C were notably decreased compared to the corresponding amorphous membranes, presumably because of the nodular crystallite structure of the cell walls and the substantial increase in porosity. Furthermore, when used for filtration, the α-alumina membrane exhibited a level of flux higher than that of the commercial ceramic membrane. PMID:28788005

Dual Coding Theory Explains Biphasic Collective Computation in Neural Decision-Making.

PubMed

Daniels, Bryan C; Flack, Jessica C; Krakauer, David C

2017-01-01

A central question in cognitive neuroscience is how unitary, coherent decisions at the whole organism level can arise from the distributed behavior of a large population of neurons with only partially overlapping information. We address this issue by studying neural spiking behavior recorded from a multielectrode array with 169 channels during a visual motion direction discrimination task. It is well known that in this task there are two distinct phases in neural spiking behavior. Here we show Phase I is a distributed or incompressible phase in which uncertainty about the decision is substantially reduced by pooling information from many cells. Phase II is a redundant or compressible phase in which numerous single cells contain all the information present at the population level in Phase I, such that the firing behavior of a single cell is enough to predict the subject's decision. Using an empirically grounded dynamical modeling framework, we show that in Phase I large cell populations with low redundancy produce a slow timescale of information aggregation through critical slowing down near a symmetry-breaking transition. Our model indicates that increasing collective amplification in Phase II leads naturally to a faster timescale of information pooling and consensus formation. Based on our results and others in the literature, we propose that a general feature of collective computation is a "coding duality" in which there are accumulation and consensus formation processes distinguished by different timescales.

Dual Coding Theory Explains Biphasic Collective Computation in Neural Decision-Making

PubMed Central

Daniels, Bryan C.; Flack, Jessica C.; Krakauer, David C.

2017-01-01

A central question in cognitive neuroscience is how unitary, coherent decisions at the whole organism level can arise from the distributed behavior of a large population of neurons with only partially overlapping information. We address this issue by studying neural spiking behavior recorded from a multielectrode array with 169 channels during a visual motion direction discrimination task. It is well known that in this task there are two distinct phases in neural spiking behavior. Here we show Phase I is a distributed or incompressible phase in which uncertainty about the decision is substantially reduced by pooling information from many cells. Phase II is a redundant or compressible phase in which numerous single cells contain all the information present at the population level in Phase I, such that the firing behavior of a single cell is enough to predict the subject's decision. Using an empirically grounded dynamical modeling framework, we show that in Phase I large cell populations with low redundancy produce a slow timescale of information aggregation through critical slowing down near a symmetry-breaking transition. Our model indicates that increasing collective amplification in Phase II leads naturally to a faster timescale of information pooling and consensus formation. Based on our results and others in the literature, we propose that a general feature of collective computation is a “coding duality” in which there are accumulation and consensus formation processes distinguished by different timescales. PMID:28634436

B1 transmit phase gradient coil for single-axis TRASE RF encoding.

PubMed

Deng, Qunli; King, Scott B; Volotovskyy, Vyacheslav; Tomanek, Boguslaw; Sharp, Jonathan C

2013-07-01

TRASE (Transmit Array Spatial Encoding) MRI uses RF transmit phase gradients instead of B0 field gradients for k-space traversal and high-resolution MR image formation. Transmit coil performance is a key determinant of TRASE image quality. The purpose of this work is to design an optimized RF transmit phase gradient array for spatial encoding in a transverse direction (x- or y- axis) for a 0.2T vertical B0 field MRI system, using a single transmitter channel. This requires the generation of two transmit B1 RF fields with uniform amplitude and positive and negative linear phase gradients respectively over the imaging volume. A two-element array consisting of a double Maxwell-type coil and a Helmholtz-type coil was designed using 3D field simulations. The phase gradient polarity is set by the relative phase of the RF signals driving the simultaneously energized elements. Field mapping and 1D TRASE imaging experiments confirmed that the constructed coil produced the fields and operated as designed. A substantially larger imaging volume relative to that obtainable from a non-optimized Maxwell-Helmholtz design was achieved. The Maxwell (sine)-Helmholtz (cosine) approach has proven successful for a horizontal phase gradient coil. A similar approach may be useful for other phase-gradient coil designs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Frequency comb generation by a continuous-wave-pumped optical parametric oscillator based on cascading quadratic nonlinearities.

PubMed

Ulvila, Ville; Phillips, C R; Halonen, Lauri; Vainio, Markku

2013-11-01

We report optical frequency comb generation by a continuous-wave pumped optical parametric oscillator (OPO) without any active modulation. The OPO is configured as singly resonant with an additional nonlinear crystal (periodically poled MgO:LiNbO3) placed inside the OPO for phase mismatched second harmonic generation (SHG) of the resonating signal beam. The phase mismatched SHG causes cascading χ(2) nonlinearities, which can substantially increase the effective χ(3) nonlinearity in MgO:LiNbO3, leading to spectral broadening of the OPO signal beam via self-phase modulation. The OPO generates a stable 4 THz wide (-30 dB) frequency comb centered at 1.56 μm.

Identity-by-Descent-Based Phasing and Imputation in Founder Populations Using Graphical Models

PubMed Central

Palin, Kimmo; Campbell, Harry; Wright, Alan F; Wilson, James F; Durbin, Richard

2011-01-01

Accurate knowledge of haplotypes, the combination of alleles co-residing on a single copy of a chromosome, enables powerful gene mapping and sequence imputation methods. Since humans are diploid, haplotypes must be derived from genotypes by a phasing process. In this study, we present a new computational model for haplotype phasing based on pairwise sharing of haplotypes inferred to be Identical-By-Descent (IBD). We apply the Bayesian network based model in a new phasing algorithm, called systematic long-range phasing (SLRP), that can capitalize on the close genetic relationships in isolated founder populations, and show with simulated and real genome-wide genotype data that SLRP substantially reduces the rate of phasing errors compared to previous phasing algorithms. Furthermore, the method accurately identifies regions of IBD, enabling linkage-like studies without pedigrees, and can be used to impute most genotypes with very low error rate. Genet. Epidemiol. 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.35:853-860, 2011 PMID:22006673

Preemptive vortex-loop proliferation in multicomponent interacting Bose-Einstein condensates

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

Dahl, E. K.; Kragset, S.; Sudboe, A.

2008-04-01

We use analytical arguments and large-scale Monte Carlo calculations to investigate the nature of the phase transitions between distinct complex superfluid phases in a two-component Bose-Einstein condensate when a nondissipative drag between the two components is being varied. We focus on understanding the role of topological defects in various phase transitions and develop vortex-matter arguments, allowing an analytical description of the phase diagram. We find the behavior of fluctuation induced vortex matter to be much more complex and substantially different from that of single-component superfluids. We propose and numerically investigate a drag-induced ''preemptive vortex loop proliferation'' scenario. Such a transitionmore » may be a quite generic feature in many multicomponent systems where symmetry is restored by a gas of several kinds of competing vortex loops.« less

Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) fuel cell technology program, phase 1/1A. [design and fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

A solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell was studied for the purpose of improving the characteristics of the technology. Several facets were evaluated, namely: (1) reduced fuel cell costs; (2) reduced fuel cell weight; (3) improved fuel cell efficiency; and (4) increased systems compatibility. Demonstrated advances were incorporated into a full scale hardware design. A single cell unit was fabricated. A substantial degree of success was demonstrated.

Characterizing new compositions of [001]C relaxor ferroelectric single crystals using a work-energy model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallagher, John A.

2016-04-01

The desired operating range of ferroelectric materials with compositions near the morphotropic phase boundary is limited by field induced phase transformations. In [001]C cut and poled relaxor ferroelectric single crystals the mechanically driven ferroelectric rhombohedral to ferroelectric orthorhombic phase transformation is hindered by antagonistic electrical loading. Instability around the phase transformation makes the current experimental technique for characterization of the large field behavior very time consuming. Characterization requires specialized equipment and involves an extensive set of measurements under combined electrical, mechanical, and thermal loads. In this work a mechanism-based model is combined with a more limited set of experiments to obtain the same results. The model utilizes a work-energy criterion that calculates the mechanical work required to induce the transformation and the required electrical work that is removed to reverse the transformation. This is done by defining energy barriers to the transformation. The results of the combined experiment and modeling approach are compared to the fully experimental approach and error is discussed. The model shows excellent predictive capability and is used to substantially reduce the total number of experiments required for characterization. This decreases the time and resources required for characterization of new compositions.

Role of intermediate phase for stable cycling of Na7V4(P2O7)4PO4 in sodium ion battery

PubMed Central

Lim, Soo Yeon; Kim, Heejin; Chung, Jaehoon; Lee, Ji Hoon; Kim, Byung Gon; Choi, Jeon-Jin; Chung, Kyung Yoon; Cho, Woosuk; Kim, Seung-Joo; Goddard, William A.; Jung, Yousung; Choi, Jang Wook

2014-01-01

Sodium ion batteries offer promising opportunities in emerging utility grid applications because of the low cost of raw materials, yet low energy density and limited cycle life remain critical drawbacks in their electrochemical operations. Herein, we report a vanadium-based ortho-diphosphate, Na7V4(P2O7)4PO4, or VODP, that significantly reduces all these drawbacks. Indeed, VODP exhibits single-valued voltage plateaus at 3.88 V vs. Na/Na+ while retaining substantial capacity (>78%) over 1,000 cycles. Electronic structure calculations reveal that the remarkable single plateau and cycle life originate from an intermediate phase (a very shallow voltage step) that is similar both in the energy level and lattice parameters to those of fully intercalated and deintercalated states. We propose a theoretical scheme in which the reaction barrier that arises from lattice mismatches can be evaluated by using a simple energetic consideration, suggesting that the presence of intermediate phases is beneficial for cell kinetics by buffering the differences in lattice parameters between initial and final phases. We expect these insights into the role of intermediate phases found for VODP hold in general and thus provide a helpful guideline in the further understanding and design of battery materials. PMID:24379365

Role of intermediate phase for stable cycling of Na7V4(P2O7)4PO4 in sodium ion battery.

PubMed

Lim, Soo Yeon; Kim, Heejin; Chung, Jaehoon; Lee, Ji Hoon; Kim, Byung Gon; Choi, Jeon-Jin; Chung, Kyung Yoon; Cho, Woosuk; Kim, Seung-Joo; Goddard, William A; Jung, Yousung; Choi, Jang Wook

2014-01-14

Sodium ion batteries offer promising opportunities in emerging utility grid applications because of the low cost of raw materials, yet low energy density and limited cycle life remain critical drawbacks in their electrochemical operations. Herein, we report a vanadium-based ortho-diphosphate, Na7V4(P2O7)4PO4, or VODP, that significantly reduces all these drawbacks. Indeed, VODP exhibits single-valued voltage plateaus at 3.88 V vs. Na/Na(+) while retaining substantial capacity (>78%) over 1,000 cycles. Electronic structure calculations reveal that the remarkable single plateau and cycle life originate from an intermediate phase (a very shallow voltage step) that is similar both in the energy level and lattice parameters to those of fully intercalated and deintercalated states. We propose a theoretical scheme in which the reaction barrier that arises from lattice mismatches can be evaluated by using a simple energetic consideration, suggesting that the presence of intermediate phases is beneficial for cell kinetics by buffering the differences in lattice parameters between initial and final phases. We expect these insights into the role of intermediate phases found for VODP hold in general and thus provide a helpful guideline in the further understanding and design of battery materials.

Tunable top-down fabrication and functional surface coating of single-crystal titanium dioxide nanostructures and nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Seungkyu; Janissen, Richard; Ussembayev, Yera Ye.; van Oene, Maarten M.; Solano, Belen; Dekker, Nynke H.

2016-05-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a key component of diverse optical and electronic applications that exploit its exceptional material properties. In particular, the use of TiO2 in its single-crystalline phase can offer substantial advantages over its amorphous and polycrystalline phases for existing and yet-to-be-developed applications. However, the implementation of single-crystal TiO2 has been hampered by challenges in its fabrication and subsequent surface functionalization. Here, we introduce a novel top-down approach that allows for batch fabrication of uniform high-aspect-ratio single-crystal TiO2 nanostructures with targeted sidewall profiles. We complement our fabrication approach with a functionalization strategy that achieves dense, uniform, and area-selective coating with a variety of biomolecules. This allows us to fabricate single-crystal rutile TiO2 nanocylinders tethered with individual DNA molecules for use as force- and torque-transducers in an optical torque wrench. These developments provide the means for increased exploitation of the superior material properties of single-crystal TiO2 at the nanoscale.Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a key component of diverse optical and electronic applications that exploit its exceptional material properties. In particular, the use of TiO2 in its single-crystalline phase can offer substantial advantages over its amorphous and polycrystalline phases for existing and yet-to-be-developed applications. However, the implementation of single-crystal TiO2 has been hampered by challenges in its fabrication and subsequent surface functionalization. Here, we introduce a novel top-down approach that allows for batch fabrication of uniform high-aspect-ratio single-crystal TiO2 nanostructures with targeted sidewall profiles. We complement our fabrication approach with a functionalization strategy that achieves dense, uniform, and area-selective coating with a variety of biomolecules. This allows us to fabricate single-crystal rutile TiO2 nanocylinders tethered with individual DNA molecules for use as force- and torque-transducers in an optical torque wrench. These developments provide the means for increased exploitation of the superior material properties of single-crystal TiO2 at the nanoscale. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details (ESI Methods) of the optic axis orientation of TiO2 nanocylinders, Cr etch mask fabrication, surface functionalization and its evaluation using fluorescence microscopy, preparation of DNA constructs, assembly of flow cells, bioconjugation of TiO2 nanocylinders, OTW instrumentation and measurements; TiO2 dry etching optimization and the etching parameters employed (Tables S1 and S2); dimensional analysis of TiO2 nanocylinders (Table S3); diverse applications of TiO2 at the nanoscale (Fig. S1); selection of etch mask material (Fig. S2); control of sidewall profiles in TiO2 etching (Fig. S3); size distributions of TiO2 nanocylinders (Fig. S4); quantitative comparisons of different surface linker molecules (Fig. S5); DLS measurements on TiO2 nanocylinders (Fig. S6); optical trap calibration (Fig. S7); and supplementary references. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr00898d

The structural and magnetic phase transitions in Ca 0.73La 0.27FeAs 2 with electron overdoped FeAs layers.

DOE PAGES

Jiang, Shan; Liu, Chang; Cao, H.; ...

2016-02-26

Here we report a study of the Ca 0.73La 0.27FeAs 2 single crystals. We unravel a monoclinic to triclinic phase transition at 58 K, and a paramagnetic to stripe antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transition at 54 K, below which spins order 45° away from the stripe direction. Furthermore, we demonstrate this material is substantially structurally untwinned at ambient pressure with the formation of spin rotation walls (S-walls). Finally, in addition to the central-hole and corner-electron Fermi pockets usually appearing in FPS, angle-resolved photoemission (ARPES) measurements resolve a Fermiology where an extra electron pocket of mainly As chain character exists at themore » Brillouin zone edge.« less

Single Phase Dual-energy CT Angiography: One-stop-shop Tool for Evaluating Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

PubMed

Ni, Qian Qian; Tang, Chun Xiang; Zhao, Yan E; Zhou, Chang Sheng; Chen, Guo Zhong; Lu, Guang Ming; Zhang, Long Jiang

2016-05-25

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages have extremely high case fatality in clinic. Early and rapid identifications of ruptured intracranial aneurysms seem to be especially important. Here we evaluate clinical value of single phase contrast-enhanced dual-energy CT angiograph (DE-CTA) as a one-stop-shop tool in detecting aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. One hundred and five patients who underwent true non-enhanced CT (TNCT), contrast-enhanced DE-CTA and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) were included. Image quality and detectability of intracranial hemorrhage were evaluated and compared between virtual non-enhanced CT (VNCT) images reconstructed from DE-CTA and TNCT. There was no statistical difference in image quality (P > 0.05) between VNCT and TNCT. The agreement of VNCT and TNCT in detecting intracranial hemorrhage reached 98.1% on a per-patient basis. With DSA as reference standard, sensitivity and specificity on a per-patient were 98.3% and 97.9% for DE-CTA in intracranial aneurysm detection. Effective dose of DE-CTA was reduced by 75.0% compared to conventional digital subtraction CTA. Thus, single phase contrast-enhanced DE-CTA is optimal reliable one-stop-shop tool for detecting intracranial hemorrhage with VNCT and intracranial aneurysms with DE-CTA with substantial radiation dose reduction compared with conventional digital subtraction CTA.

Single Phase Dual-energy CT Angiography: One-stop-shop Tool for Evaluating Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

PubMed Central

Ni, Qian Qian; Tang, Chun Xiang; Zhao, Yan E; Zhou, Chang Sheng; Chen, Guo Zhong; Lu, Guang Ming; Zhang, Long Jiang

2016-01-01

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages have extremely high case fatality in clinic. Early and rapid identifications of ruptured intracranial aneurysms seem to be especially important. Here we evaluate clinical value of single phase contrast-enhanced dual-energy CT angiograph (DE-CTA) as a one-stop-shop tool in detecting aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. One hundred and five patients who underwent true non-enhanced CT (TNCT), contrast-enhanced DE-CTA and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) were included. Image quality and detectability of intracranial hemorrhage were evaluated and compared between virtual non-enhanced CT (VNCT) images reconstructed from DE-CTA and TNCT. There was no statistical difference in image quality (P > 0.05) between VNCT and TNCT. The agreement of VNCT and TNCT in detecting intracranial hemorrhage reached 98.1% on a per-patient basis. With DSA as reference standard, sensitivity and specificity on a per-patient were 98.3% and 97.9% for DE-CTA in intracranial aneurysm detection. Effective dose of DE-CTA was reduced by 75.0% compared to conventional digital subtraction CTA. Thus, single phase contrast-enhanced DE-CTA is optimal reliable one-stop-shop tool for detecting intracranial hemorrhage with VNCT and intracranial aneurysms with DE-CTA with substantial radiation dose reduction compared with conventional digital subtraction CTA. PMID:27222163

Gas gun shock experiments with single-pulse x-ray phase contrast imaging and diffraction at the Advanced Photon Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, S. N.; Jensen, B. J.; Hooks, D. E.; Fezzaa, K.; Ramos, K. J.; Yeager, J. D.; Kwiatkowski, K.; Shimada, T.

2012-07-01

The highly transient nature of shock loading and pronounced microstructure effects on dynamic materials response call for in situ, temporally and spatially resolved, x-ray-based diagnostics. Third-generation synchrotron x-ray sources are advantageous for x-ray phase contrast imaging (PCI) and diffraction under dynamic loading, due to their high photon fluxes, high coherency, and high pulse repetition rates. The feasibility of bulk-scale gas gun shock experiments with dynamic x-ray PCI and diffraction measurements was investigated at the beamline 32ID-B of the Advanced Photon Source. The x-ray beam characteristics, experimental setup, x-ray diagnostics, and static and dynamic test results are described. We demonstrate ultrafast, multiframe, single-pulse PCI measurements with unprecedented temporal (<100 ps) and spatial (˜2 μm) resolutions for bulk-scale shock experiments, as well as single-pulse dynamic Laue diffraction. The results not only substantiate the potential of synchrotron-based experiments for addressing a variety of shock physics problems, but also allow us to identify the technical challenges related to image detection, x-ray source, and dynamic loading.

Influence of vane sweep on rotor-stator interaction noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Envia, Edmane; Kerschen, Edward J.

1990-01-01

The influence of vane sweep in rotor-stator interaction noise is investigated. In an analytical approach, the interaction of a convected gust representing the rotor viscous wake, with a cascade of cascade of finite span swept airfoils, representing the stator, is analyzed. The analysis is based on the solution of the exact linearized equations of motion. High frequency convected gusts for which noise generation is concentrated near the leading edge of airfoils is considered. In a preliminary study, the problem of an isolated finite span swept airfoil interacting with a convected gust is analyzed. Results indicate that sweep can substantially reduce the farfield noise levels for a single airfoil. Using the single airfoil model, an approximate solution to the problem of noise radiation from a cascade of finite span swept airfoils interacting with a convected gust is derived. A parametric study of noise generated by gust cascade interaction is carried out to assess the effectiveness of vane sweep in reducing rotor-stator interaction noise. The results show that sweep is beneficial in reducing noise levels. Rotor wake twist or circumferential lean substantially influences the effectiveness of vane sweep. The orientation of vane sweep must be chosen to enhance the natural phase lag caused by wake lean, in which case rather small sweep angles substantially reduce the noise levels.

Influence of vane sweep on rotor-stator interaction noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Envia, Edmane; Kerschen, Edward J.

1990-12-01

The influence of vane sweep in rotor-stator interaction noise is investigated. In an analytical approach, the interaction of a convected gust representing the rotor viscous wake, with a cascade of cascade of finite span swept airfoils, representing the stator, is analyzed. The analysis is based on the solution of the exact linearized equations of motion. High frequency convected gusts for which noise generation is concentrated near the leading edge of airfoils is considered. In a preliminary study, the problem of an isolated finite span swept airfoil interacting with a convected gust is analyzed. Results indicate that sweep can substantially reduce the farfield noise levels for a single airfoil. Using the single airfoil model, an approximate solution to the problem of noise radiation from a cascade of finite span swept airfoils interacting with a convected gust is derived. A parametric study of noise generated by gust cascade interaction is carried out to assess the effectiveness of vane sweep in reducing rotor-stator interaction noise. The results show that sweep is beneficial in reducing noise levels. Rotor wake twist or circumferential lean substantially influences the effectiveness of vane sweep. The orientation of vane sweep must be chosen to enhance the natural phase lag caused by wake lean, in which case rather small sweep angles substantially reduce the noise levels.

Naturally stable Sagnac–Michelson nonlinear interferometer

DOE PAGES

Lukens, Joseph M.; Peters, Nicholas A.; Pooser, Raphael C.

2016-11-16

Interferometers measure a wide variety of dynamic processes by converting a phase change into an intensity change. Nonlinear interferometers, making use of nonlinear media in lieu of beamsplitters, promise substantial improvement in the quest to reach the ultimate sensitivity limits. Here we demonstrate a new nonlinear interferometer utilizing a single parametric amplifier for mode mixing conceptually, a nonlinear version of the conventional Michelson interferometer with its arms collapsed together. We observe up to 99.9% interference visibility and find evidence for noise reduction based on phase-sensitive gain. As a result, our configuration utilizes fewer components than previous demonstrations and requires nomore » active stabilization, offering new capabilities for practical nonlinear interferometric-based sensors.« less

Method and apparatus of wide-angle optical beamsteering from a nanoantenna phased array

DOEpatents

Davids, Paul; DeRose, Christopher; Rakich, Peter Thomas

2015-08-11

An optical beam-steering apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes one or more optical waveguides and at least one row of metallic nanoantenna elements overlying and electromagnetically coupled to a respective waveguide. In each such row, individual nanoantenna elements are spaced apart along an optical propagation axis of the waveguide so that there is an optical propagation phase delay between successive pairs of nanoantenna elements along the row. The apparatus also includes a respective single electric heating element in thermal contact with each of the waveguides. Each heating element is arranged to heat, substantially uniformly, at least that portion of its waveguide that directly underlies the corresponding row of nanoantenna elements.

Method and system of doppler correction for mobile communications systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Georghiades, Costas N. (Inventor); Spasojevic, Predrag (Inventor)

1999-01-01

Doppler correction system and method comprising receiving a Doppler effected signal comprising a preamble signal (32). A delayed preamble signal (48) may be generated based on the preamble signal (32). The preamble signal (32) may be multiplied by the delayed preamble signal (48) to generate an in-phase preamble signal (60). The in-phase preamble signal (60) may be filtered to generate a substantially constant in-phase preamble signal (62). A plurality of samples of the substantially constant in-phase preamble signal (62) may be accumulated. A phase-shifted signal (76) may also be generated based on the preamble signal (32). The phase-shifted signal (76) may be multiplied by the delayed preamble signal (48) to generate an out-of-phase preamble signal (80). The out-of-phase preamble signal (80) may be filtered to generate a substantially constant out-of-phase preamble signal (82). A plurality of samples of the substantially constant out-of-phase signal (82) may be accumulated. A sum of the in-phase preamble samples and a sum of the out-of-phase preamble samples may be normalized relative to each other to generate an in-phase Doppler estimator (92) and an out-of-phase Doppler estimator (94).

Finite-temperature Gutzwiller approximation from the time-dependent variational principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lanatà, Nicola; Deng, Xiaoyu; Kotliar, Gabriel

2015-08-01

We develop an extension of the Gutzwiller approximation to finite temperatures based on the Dirac-Frenkel variational principle. Our method does not rely on any entropy inequality, and is substantially more accurate than the approaches proposed in previous works. We apply our theory to the single-band Hubbard model at different fillings, and show that our results compare quantitatively well with dynamical mean field theory in the metallic phase. We discuss potential applications of our technique within the framework of first-principle calculations.

On the Ising character of the quantum-phase transition in LiHoF4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skomski, R.

2016-05-01

It is investigated how a transverse magnetic field affects the quantum-mechanical character of LiHoF4, a system generally considered as a textbook example for an Ising-like quantum-phase transition. In small magnetic fields, the low-temperature behavior of the ions is Ising-like, involving the nearly degenerate low-lying Jz = ± 8 doublet. However, as the transverse field increases, there is a substantial admixture of states having |Jz| < 8. Near the quantum-phase-transition field, the system is distinctively non-Ising like, and all Jz eigenstates yield ground-state contributions of comparable magnitude. A classical analog to this mechanism is the micromagnetic single point in magnets with uniaxial anisotropy. Since Ho3+ has J = 8, the ion's behavior is reminiscent of the classical limit (J = ∞), but quantum corrections remain clearly visible.

Reinforcement of mono- and bi-layer poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels with a fibrous collagen scaffold

PubMed Central

Kinneberg, K. R. C.; Nelson, A.; Stender, M.; Aziz, A. H.; Mozdzen, L. C.; Harley, B. A. C.; Bryant, S. J.; Ferguson, V. L.

2015-01-01

Biomaterial-based tissue engineering strategies hold great promise for osteochondral tissue repair. Yet significant challenges remain in joining highly dissimilar materials to achieve a biomimetic, mechanically robust design for repairing interfaces between soft tissue and bone. This study sought to improve interfacial properties and function in a bilayer, multi-phase hydrogel interpenetrated with a fibrous collagen scaffold. ‘Soft’ 10% (w/w) and ‘stiff’ 30% (w/w) PEGDM was formed into mono- or bilayer hydrogels possessing a sharp diffusional interface. Hydrogels were evaluated as single- (hydrogel only) or multi-phase (hydrogel+fibrous scaffold penetrating throughout the stiff layer and extending >500μm into the soft layer). Including a fibrous scaffold into both soft and stiff single-phase hydrogels significantly increased tangent modulus and toughness and decreased lateral expansion under compressive loading. In multi-phase hydrogels, finite element simulations predict substantially reduced stress and strain gradients across the soft—stiff hydrogel interface. When combining two low moduli constituent material, composites theory poorly predicts the observed, large modulus increases. These results suggest material structure associated with the fibrous scaffold penetrating within the PEG hydrogel as the major contributor to improved properties and function – the hydrogel bore compressive loads and the 3D fibrous scaffold was loaded in tension thus resisting lateral expansion. PMID:26001970

Sequential replication-coupled destruction at G1/S ensures genome stability

PubMed Central

Coleman, Kate E.; Grant, Gavin D.; Haggerty, Rachel A.; Brantley, Kristen; Shibata, Etsuko; Workman, Benjamin D.; Dutta, Anindya; Varma, Dileep; Purvis, Jeremy E.; Cook, Jeanette Gowen

2015-01-01

Timely ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation is fundamental to cell cycle control, but the precise degradation order at each cell cycle phase transition is still unclear. We investigated the degradation order among substrates of a single human E3 ubiquitin ligase, CRL4Cdt2, which mediates the S-phase degradation of key cell cycle proteins, including Cdt1, PR-Set7, and p21. Our analysis of synchronized cells and asynchronously proliferating live single cells revealed a consistent order of replication-coupled destruction during both S-phase entry and DNA repair; Cdt1 is destroyed first, whereas p21 destruction is always substantially later than that of Cdt1. These differences are attributable to the CRL4Cdt2 targeting motif known as the PIP degron, which binds DNA-loaded proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNADNA) and recruits CRL4Cdt2. Fusing Cdt1's PIP degron to p21 causes p21 to be destroyed nearly concurrently with Cdt1 rather than consecutively. This accelerated degradation conferred by the Cdt1 PIP degron is accompanied by more effective Cdt2 recruitment by Cdt1 even though p21 has higher affinity for PCNADNA. Importantly, cells with artificially accelerated p21 degradation display evidence of stalled replication in mid-S phase and sensitivity to replication arrest. We therefore propose that sequential degradation ensures orderly S-phase progression to avoid replication stress and genome instability. PMID:26272819

Single-Shot X-Ray Phase-Contrast Computed Tomography with Nonmicrofocal Laboratory Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diemoz, P. C.; Hagen, C. K.; Endrizzi, M.; Minuti, M.; Bellazzini, R.; Urbani, L.; De Coppi, P.; Olivo, A.

2017-04-01

We present a method that enables performing x-ray phase-contrast imaging (XPCI) computed tomography with a laboratory setup using a single image per projection angle, eliminating the need to move optical elements during acquisition. Theoretical derivation of the method is presented, and its validity conditions are provided. The object is assumed to be quasihomogeneous, i.e., to feature a ratio between the refractive index and the linear attenuation coefficient that is approximately constant across the field of view. The method is experimentally demonstrated on a plastics phantom and on biological samples using a continuous rotation acquisition scheme achieving scan times of a few minutes. Moreover, we show that such acquisition times can be further reduced with the use of a high-efficiency photon-counting detector. Thanks to its ability to substantially simplify the image-acquisition procedure and greatly reduce collection times, we believe this method represents a very important step towards the application of XPCI to real-world problems.

Molecular organization, localization and orientation of antifungal antibiotic amphotericin B in a single lipid bilayer

PubMed Central

Grudzinski, Wojciech; Sagan, Joanna; Welc, Renata; Luchowski, Rafal; Gruszecki, Wieslaw I.

2016-01-01

Amphotericin B is a popular antifungal antibiotic, a gold standard in treatment of systemic mycotic infections, due to its high effectiveness. On the other hand, applicability of the drug is limited by its considerable toxicity to patients. Biomembranes are a primary target of physiological activity of amphotericin B and both the pharmacologically desired and toxic side effects of the drug relay on its molecular organization in the lipid phase. In the present work, molecular organization, localization and orientation of amphotericin B, in a single lipid bilayer system, was analysed simultaneously, thanks to application of a confocal fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy of giant unilamellar vesicles. The results show that the presence of sterols, in the lipid phase, promotes formation of supramolecular structures of amphotericin B and their penetration into the membrane hydrophobic core. The fact that such an effect is substantially less pronounced in the case of cholesterol than ergosterol, the sterol of fungal membranes, provides molecular insight into the selectivity of the drug. PMID:27620838

75 FR 64683 - Liability for Termination of Single-Employer Plans; Treatment of Substantial Cessation of Operations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-20

... Termination of Single-Employer Plans; Treatment of Substantial Cessation of Operations AGENCY: Pension Benefit... cessations of operations by employers that maintain single-employer plans. DATES: Comments must be submitted... 4062(e), which provides for reporting of and liability for certain substantial cessations of operations...

Self-calibrated multiple-echo acquisition with radial trajectories using the conjugate gradient method (SMART-CG).

PubMed

Jung, Youngkyoo; Samsonov, Alexey A; Bydder, Mark; Block, Walter F

2011-04-01

To remove phase inconsistencies between multiple echoes, an algorithm using a radial acquisition to provide inherent phase and magnitude information for self correction was developed. The information also allows simultaneous support for parallel imaging for multiple coil acquisitions. Without a separate field map acquisition, a phase estimate from each echo in multiple echo train was generated. When using a multiple channel coil, magnitude and phase estimates from each echo provide in vivo coil sensitivities. An algorithm based on the conjugate gradient method uses these estimates to simultaneously remove phase inconsistencies between echoes, and in the case of multiple coil acquisition, simultaneously provides parallel imaging benefits. The algorithm is demonstrated on single channel, multiple channel, and undersampled data. Substantial image quality improvements were demonstrated. Signal dropouts were completely removed and undersampling artifacts were well suppressed. The suggested algorithm is able to remove phase cancellation and undersampling artifacts simultaneously and to improve image quality of multiecho radial imaging, the important technique for fast three-dimensional MRI data acquisition. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Self-calibrated Multiple-echo Acquisition with Radial Trajectories using the Conjugate Gradient Method (SMART-CG)

PubMed Central

Jung, Youngkyoo; Samsonov, Alexey A; Bydder, Mark; Block, Walter F.

2011-01-01

Purpose To remove phase inconsistencies between multiple echoes, an algorithm using a radial acquisition to provide inherent phase and magnitude information for self correction was developed. The information also allows simultaneous support for parallel imaging for multiple coil acquisitions. Materials and Methods Without a separate field map acquisition, a phase estimate from each echo in multiple echo train was generated. When using a multiple channel coil, magnitude and phase estimates from each echo provide in-vivo coil sensitivities. An algorithm based on the conjugate gradient method uses these estimates to simultaneously remove phase inconsistencies between echoes, and in the case of multiple coil acquisition, simultaneously provides parallel imaging benefits. The algorithm is demonstrated on single channel, multiple channel, and undersampled data. Results Substantial image quality improvements were demonstrated. Signal dropouts were completely removed and undersampling artifacts were well suppressed. Conclusion The suggested algorithm is able to remove phase cancellation and undersampling artifacts simultaneously and to improve image quality of multiecho radial imaging, the important technique for fast 3D MRI data acquisition. PMID:21448967

Simulation of alnico coercivity

DOE PAGES

Ke, Liqin; Skomski, Ralph; Hoffmann, Todd D.; ...

2017-07-10

Micromagnetic simulations of alnico show substantial deviations from Stoner-Wohlfarth behavior due to the unique size and spatial distribution of the rod-like Fe-Co phase formed during spinodal decomposition in an external magnetic field. Furthemore, the maximum coercivity is limited by single-rod effects, especially deviations from ellipsoidal shape, and by interactions between the rods. In both the exchange interaction between connected rods and magnetostatic we consider the interaction between rods, and the results of our calculations show good agreement with recent experiments. Unlike systems dominated by magnetocrystalline anisotropy, coercivity in alnico is highly dependent on size, shape, and geometric distribution of themore » Fe-Co phase, all factors that can be tuned with appropriate chemistry and thermal-magnetic annealing.« less

Alternative seating for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: effects on classroom behavior.

PubMed

Schilling, Denise Lynn; Schwartz, Ilene S

2004-08-01

A single subject, withdrawal design was used to investigate the effects of therapy balls as seating on engagement and in-seat behavior of young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In addition, social validity was assessed to evaluate teachers' opinions regarding the intervention. During baseline and withdrawal (A phases) participants used their typical classroom seating device (chair, bench or carpet square). During the intervention (B phases) participants sat on therapy balls. Results indicated substantial improvements in engagement and in-seat behavior when participants were seated on therapy balls. Social validity findings indicated that the teachers' preferred the therapy balls. This study suggests therapy balls as classroom seating may facilitate engagement and in-seat behavior and create opportunities to provide effective instruction.

Is there any impact of new drugs on the outcome of advanced NSCLC? An overview of the Southern Italy Cooperative Oncology Group trials.

PubMed

Frasci, G; Panza, N; Comella, G; Pacilio, G

1999-01-01

Lung cancer represents the major cause of cancer-related death in Europe and North America, accounting for 28% of all cancer deaths. Seventy to 80% of all lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), and approximately 75 % of these patients present with locally advanced or disseminated disease. Even though chemotherapy is now recommended in the majority of cases of unresectable NSCLC, it still fails to substantially modify the fate of these patients. In recent years, several active cytotoxic drugs (paclitaxel, docetaxel, vinorelbine, gemcitabine, and irinotecan) have been developed, showing an overall response rate (ORR) <20% in NSCLC. Phase II/III trials testing these new agents in combination with cisplatin have been carried out in recent years with inconsistent results. Large randomized trials testing cisplatin-paclitaxel, carboplatin-paclitaxel, and cisplatin-gemcitabine regimens have been reported showing no substantial superiority of these combinations over standard treatments. The ORR remained well below 50%, and the median survival times were quite far from one year. These data could suggest that the addition of a single new agent to a platinum compound could be insufficient to substantially improve the prognosis of advanced NSCLC patients. In view of these disappointing data, the Southern Italy Cooperative Oncology Group has tried to improve the fate of patients with advanced NSCLC by testing new triplet combinations, which combined cisplatin with two rather than one of the newest chemotherapy agents. To avoid an unacceptable increase in toxicity and/or a marked decrease in dose intensity, the standard schedules of administration of the three agents used in these studies were changed, and the schedule changes were evaluated in phase I trials aimed at determining the maximum tolerated dosages of the drugs. Subsequently, phase II and III trials were conducted. The present paper summarizes the results of the clinical trials either completed or under way and aims to evaluate whether this strategy will result in a substantial prognostic improvement.

Ensemble methods for stochastic networks with special reference to the biological clock of Neurospora crassa.

PubMed

Caranica, C; Al-Omari, A; Deng, Z; Griffith, J; Nilsen, R; Mao, L; Arnold, J; Schüttler, H-B

2018-01-01

A major challenge in systems biology is to infer the parameters of regulatory networks that operate in a noisy environment, such as in a single cell. In a stochastic regime it is hard to distinguish noise from the real signal and to infer the noise contribution to the dynamical behavior. When the genetic network displays oscillatory dynamics, it is even harder to infer the parameters that produce the oscillations. To address this issue we introduce a new estimation method built on a combination of stochastic simulations, mass action kinetics and ensemble network simulations in which we match the average periodogram and phase of the model to that of the data. The method is relatively fast (compared to Metropolis-Hastings Monte Carlo Methods), easy to parallelize, applicable to large oscillatory networks and large (~2000 cells) single cell expression data sets, and it quantifies the noise impact on the observed dynamics. Standard errors of estimated rate coefficients are typically two orders of magnitude smaller than the mean from single cell experiments with on the order of ~1000 cells. We also provide a method to assess the goodness of fit of the stochastic network using the Hilbert phase of single cells. An analysis of phase departures from the null model with no communication between cells is consistent with a hypothesis of Stochastic Resonance describing single cell oscillators. Stochastic Resonance provides a physical mechanism whereby intracellular noise plays a positive role in establishing oscillatory behavior, but may require model parameters, such as rate coefficients, that differ substantially from those extracted at the macroscopic level from measurements on populations of millions of communicating, synchronized cells.

Mechanical properties, microstructure and thermal stability of a nanocrystalline CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy after severe plastic deformation

DOE PAGES

Schuh, B.; Mendez-Martin, F.; Völker, B.; ...

2015-06-24

An equiatomic CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy (HEA), produced by arc melting and drop casting, was subjected to severe plastic deformation (SPD) using high-pressure torsion. This process induced substantial grain refinement in the coarse-grained casting leading to a grain size of approximately 50 nm. As a result, strength increased significantly to 1950 MPa, and hardness to similar to 520 MV. Analyses using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and 3-dimensional atom probe tomography (3D-APT) showed that, after SPD, the alloy remained a true single-phase solid solution down to the atomic scale. Subsequent investigations characterized the evolution of mechanical properties and microstructure of this nanocrystallinemore » HEA upon annealing. Isochronal (for 1 h) and isothermal heat treatments were performed followed by microhardness and tensile tests. The isochronal anneals led to a marked hardness increase with a maximum hardness of similar to 630 HV at about 450 degrees C before softening set in at higher temperatures. The isothermal anneals, performed at this peak hardness temperature, revealed an additional hardness rise to a maximum of about 910 MV after 100 h. To clarify this unexpected annealing response, comprehensive microstructural analyses were performed using TEM and 3D-APT. New nano-scale phases were observed to form in the originally single-phase HEA. After times as short as 5 min at 450 degrees C, a NiMn phase and Cr-rich phase formed. With increasing annealing time, their volume fractions increased and a third phase, FeCo, also formed. It appears that the surfeit of grain boundaries in the nanocrystalline HEA offer many fast diffusion pathways and nucleation sites to facilitate this phase decomposition. The hardness increase, especially for the longer annealing times, can be attributed to these nano-scaled phases embedded in the HEA matrix. The present results give new valuable insights into the phase stability of single-phase high-entropy alloys as well as the mechanisms controlling the mechanical properties of nanostructured multiphase composites. (C) 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd.« less

Polymerization Behavior of Hydrophilic-Rich Phase of Dentin Adhesive

PubMed Central

Abedin, F.; Parthasarathy, R.; Misra, A.; Spencer, P.

2015-01-01

The 2-fold objectives of this study were 1) to understand whether model hydrophobic- and hydrophilic-rich phase mimics of dentin adhesive polymerize similarly and 2) to determine which factor, the dimethacrylate component, bisphenol A glycerolate dimethacrylate (BisGMA) or photoinitiator concentration, has greater influence on the polymerization of the hydrophilic-rich phase mimic. Current dentin adhesives are sensitive to moisture, as evidenced by nanoleakage in the hybrid layer and phase separation into hydrophobic- and hydrophilic-rich phases. Phase separation leads to limited availability of the cross-linkable dimethacrylate monomer and hydrophobic photoinitiators within the hydrophilic-rich phase. Model hydrophobic-rich phase was prepared as a single-phase solution by adding maximum wt% deuterium oxide (D2O) to HEMA/BisGMA neat resins containing 45 wt% 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). Mimics of the hydrophilic-rich phase were prepared similarly but using HEMA/BisGMA neat resins containing 95, 99, 99.5, and 100 wt% HEMA. The hydrophilic-rich mimics were prepared with standard or reduced photoinitiator content. The photoinitiator systems were camphorquinone (CQ)/ethyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate (EDMAB) with or without [3-(3, 4-dimethyl-9-oxo-9H-thioxanthen-2-yloxy)-2-hydroxypropyl]trimethylammonium chloride (QTX). The polymerization kinetics was monitored using a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer with a time-resolved collection mode. The hydrophobic-rich phase exhibited a significantly higher polymerization rate compared with the hydrophilic-rich phase. Postpolymerization resulting in the secondary rate maxima was observed for the hydrophilic-rich mimic. The hydrophilic-rich mimics with standard photoinitiator concentration but varying cross-linker (BisGMA) content showed postpolymerization and a substantial degree of conversion. In contrast, the corresponding formulations with reduced photoinitiator concentrations exhibited lower polymerization and inhibition/delay of postpolymerization within 2 h. Under conditions relevant to the wet, oral environment, photoinitiator content plays an important role in the polymerization of the hydrophilic-rich phase mimic. Since the hydrophilic-rich phase is primarily water and monomethacrylate monomer (e.g., HEMA as determined previously), substantial polymerization is important to limit the potential toxic response from HEMA leaching into the surrounding tissues. PMID:25576471

Visualization of lithium-ion transport and phase evolution within and between manganese oxide nanorods.

PubMed

Xu, Feng; Wu, Lijun; Meng, Qingping; Kaltak, Merzuk; Huang, Jianping; Durham, Jessica L; Fernandez-Serra, Marivi; Sun, Litao; Marschilok, Amy C; Takeuchi, Esther S; Takeuchi, Kenneth J; Hybertsen, Mark S; Zhu, Yimei

2017-05-24

Multiple lithium-ion transport pathways and local phase changes upon lithiation in silver hollandite are revealed via in situ microscopy including electron diffraction, imaging and spectroscopy, coupled with density functional theory and phase field calculations. We report unexpected inter-nanorod lithium-ion transport, where the reaction fronts and kinetics are maintained within the neighbouring nanorod. Notably, this is the first time-resolved visualization of lithium-ion transport within and between individual nanorods, where the impact of oxygen deficiencies is delineated. Initially, fast lithium-ion transport is observed along the long axis with small net volume change, resulting in two lithiated silver hollandite phases distinguishable by orthorhombic distortion. Subsequently, a slower reaction front is observed, with formation of polyphase lithiated silver hollandite and face-centred-cubic silver metal with substantial volume expansion. These results indicate lithium-ion transport is not confined within a single nanorod and may provide a paradigm shift for one-dimensional tunnelled materials, particularly towards achieving high-rate capability.

Visualization of lithium-ion transport and phase evolution within and between manganese oxide nanorods

DOE PAGES

Xu, Feng; Wu, Lijun; Meng, Qingping; ...

2017-05-24

Multiple lithium-ion transport pathways and local phase changes upon lithiation in silver hollandite are revealed via in situ microscopy including electron diffraction, imaging and spectroscopy, coupled with density functional theory and phase field calculations. Here, we report unexpected inter-nanorod lithium-ion transport, where the reaction fronts and kinetics are maintained within the neighbouring nanorod. Notably, this is the first time-resolved visualization of lithium-ion transport within and between individual nanorods, where the impact of oxygen deficiencies is delineated. Initially, fast lithium-ion transport is observed along the long axis with small net volume change, resulting in two lithiated silver hollandite phases distinguishable bymore » orthorhombic distortion. As a result, a slower reaction front is observed, with formation of polyphase lithiated silver hollandite and face-centred-cubic silver metal with substantial volume expansion. Our results indicate lithium-ion transport is not confined within a single nanorod and may provide a paradigm shift for one-dimensional tunnelled materials, particularly towards achieving high-rate capability.« less

Visualization of lithium-ion transport and phase evolution within and between manganese oxide nanorods

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

Xu, Feng; Wu, Lijun; Meng, Qingping

Multiple lithium-ion transport pathways and local phase changes upon lithiation in silver hollandite are revealed via in situ microscopy including electron diffraction, imaging and spectroscopy, coupled with density functional theory and phase field calculations. Here, we report unexpected inter-nanorod lithium-ion transport, where the reaction fronts and kinetics are maintained within the neighbouring nanorod. Notably, this is the first time-resolved visualization of lithium-ion transport within and between individual nanorods, where the impact of oxygen deficiencies is delineated. Initially, fast lithium-ion transport is observed along the long axis with small net volume change, resulting in two lithiated silver hollandite phases distinguishable bymore » orthorhombic distortion. As a result, a slower reaction front is observed, with formation of polyphase lithiated silver hollandite and face-centred-cubic silver metal with substantial volume expansion. Our results indicate lithium-ion transport is not confined within a single nanorod and may provide a paradigm shift for one-dimensional tunnelled materials, particularly towards achieving high-rate capability.« less

Experimental observation of hysteresis in a coherent metal-hydride phase transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wen; Pálsson, Gunnar K.; Brischetto, Martin; Droulias, Sotirios A.; Hartmann, Ola; Wolff, Max; Hjörvarsson, Björgvin

2017-12-01

We investigate the hysteresis obtained in the hydrogen absorption and desorption cycle for a single crystal Pd/V_28 ≤ft[Fe4 /V_28\\right]11 superlattice. Below the critical temperature, a small but clear hysteresis is observed in the pressure-composition isotherms, while it is absent above. The experimental results thereby prove the relevance of macroscopic energy barriers for obtaining hysteresis in coherent structural transformations. The textured Pd layer exhibits substantially larger hysteresis effects, which can be related to an irreversible energy loss caused by defect generation in Pd.

Science operations management. [with Infrared Astronomy Satellite project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Squibb, G. F.

1984-01-01

The operation teams engaged in the IR Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) project included scientists from the IRAS International Science Team. The detailed involvement of these scientists in the design, testing, validation, and operations phases of the IRAS mission contributed to the success of this project. The Project Management Group spent a substantial amount of time discussing science-related issues, because science team coleaders were members from the outset. A single scientific point-of-contact for the Management Group enhanced the depth and continuity of agreement reached in decision-making.

Walk-Startup of a Two-Legged Walking Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babković, Kalman; Nagy, László; Krklješ, Damir; Borovac, Branislav

There is a growing interest towards humanoid robots. One of their most important characteristic is the two-legged motion - walk. Starting and stopping of humanoid robots introduce substantial delays. In this paper, the goal is to explore the possibility of using a short unbalanced state of the biped robot to quickly gain speed and achieve the steady state velocity during a period shorter than half of the single support phase. The proposed method is verified by simulation. Maintainig a steady state, balanced gait is not considered in this paper.

Conductive ceramic composition and method of preparation

DOEpatents

Smith, J.L.; Kucera, E.H.

1991-04-16

A ceramic anode composition is formed of a multivalent metal oxide or oxygenate such as an alkali metal, transition metal oxygenate. The anode is prepared as a non-stoichiometric crystalline structure by reaction and conditioning in a hydrogen gas cover containing minor proportions of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The structure exhibits a single phase and substantially enhanced electrical conductivity over that of the corresponding stoichiometric structure. Unexpectedly, such oxides and oxygenates are found to be stable in the reducing anode fuel gas of a molten carbonate fuel cell. 4 figures.

Integrated system for the destruction of organics by hydrolysis and oxidation with peroxydisulfate

DOEpatents

Cooper, John F.; Balazs, G. Bryan; Hsu, Peter; Lewis, Patricia R.; Adamson, Martyn G.

2000-01-01

An integrated system for destruction of organic waste comprises a hydrolysis step at moderate temperature and pressure, followed by direct chemical oxidation using peroxydisulfate. This system can be used to quantitatively destroy volatile or water-insoluble halogenated organic solvents, contaminated soils and sludges, and the organic component of mixed waste. The hydrolysis step results in a substantially single phase of less volatile, more water soluble hydrolysis products, thus enabling the oxidation step to proceed rapidly and with minimal loss of organic substrate in the off-gas.

Conductive ceramic composition and method of preparation

DOEpatents

Smith, James L.; Kucera, Eugenia H.

1991-01-01

A ceramic anode composition is formed of a multivalent metal oxide or oxygenate such as an alkali metal, transition metal oxygenate. The anode is prepared as a non-stoichiometric crystalline structure by reaction and conditioning in a hydrogen gas cover containing minor proportions of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The structure exhibits a single phase and substantially enhanced electrical conductivity over that of the corresponding stoichiometric structure. Unexpectedly, such oxides and oxygenates are found to be stable in the reducing anode fuel gas of a molten carbonate fuel cell.

Unique Bond Breaking in Crystalline Phase Change Materials and the Quest for Metavalent Bonding.

PubMed

Zhu, Min; Cojocaru-Mirédin, Oana; Mio, Antonio M; Keutgen, Jens; Küpers, Michael; Yu, Yuan; Cho, Ju-Young; Dronskowski, Richard; Wuttig, Matthias

2018-05-01

Laser-assisted field evaporation is studied in a large number of compounds, including amorphous and crystalline phase change materials employing atom probe tomography. This study reveals significant differences in field evaporation between amorphous and crystalline phase change materials. High probabilities for multiple events with more than a single ion detected per laser pulse are only found for crystalline phase change materials. The specifics of this unusual field evaporation are unlike any other mechanism shown previously to lead to high probabilities of multiple events. On the contrary, amorphous phase change materials as well as other covalently bonded compounds and metals possess much lower probabilities for multiple events. Hence, laser-assisted field evaporation in amorphous and crystalline phase change materials reveals striking differences in bond rupture. This is indicative for pronounced differences in bonding. These findings imply that the bonding mechanism in crystalline phase change materials differs substantially from conventional bonding mechanisms such as metallic, ionic, and covalent bonding. Instead, the data reported here confirm a recently developed conjecture, namely that metavalent bonding is a novel bonding mechanism besides those mentioned previously. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Study of the Effect of Heat Supply on the Hydrodynamics of the Flow and Heat Transfer in Capillary Elements of Mixing Heads Jet Thrusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nigodjuk, V. E.; Sulinov, A. V.

2018-01-01

The article presents the results of experimental studies of hydrodynamics and those of loobman single-phase and two-phase flows in capillary nozzle elements propellant thrusters and the proposed method of their calculation. An experimental study was performed in capillaries with a sharp entrance edge of the internal diameter of 0.16 and 0.33 mm and a relative length 188 and 161, respectively, in pouring distilled water and acetone in the following range of parameters Reynolds number Re = (0,3 ... 10) · 103, Prandtl number Pr = (2 ... 10), pressure p = (0,1 ... 0,3) MPa, the heat flux q = (0...2)×106 W/m2, the difference of temperature under-heating of liquid Δtn = (5 ... 80)K. The dependences for calculation of single phase boundaries, the undeveloped and the developed surface of the bubble and film key singing of subcooled liquid. It is shown theoretically and experimentally confirmed the virtual absence of areas of undeveloped nucleate boiling in laminar flow. The dependence for calculation of hydraulic resistance and heat transfer in the investigated areas of current. It is shown that in the region of nucleate boiling surface in the flow in capillary tubes, influence of the formed vapor phase on the hydrodynamics and heat transfer substantially higher than in larger diameter pipes.

Conformational analysis of cellobiose by electronic structure theories.

PubMed

French, Alfred D; Johnson, Glenn P; Cramer, Christopher J; Csonka, Gábor I

2012-03-01

Adiabatic Φ/ψ maps for cellobiose were prepared with B3LYP density functional theory. A mixed basis set was used for minimization, followed with 6-31+G(d) single-point calculations, with and without SMD continuum solvation. Different arrangements of the exocyclic groups (38 starting geometries) were considered for each Φ/ψ point. The vacuum calculations agreed with earlier computational and experimental results on the preferred gas phase conformation (anti-Φ(H), syn-ψ(H)), and the results from the solvated calculations were consistent with the (syn Φ(H)/ψ(H) conformations from condensed phases (crystals or solutions). Results from related studies were compared, and there is substantial dependence on the solvation model as well as arrangements of exocyclic groups. New stabilizing interactions were revealed by Atoms-In-Molecules theory. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Half the entanglement in critical systems is distillable from a single specimen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orús, R.; Latorre, J. I.; Eisert, J.; Cramer, M.

2006-06-01

We establish a quantitative relationship between the entanglement content of a single quantum chain at a critical point and the corresponding entropy of entanglement. We find that, surprisingly, the leading critical scaling of the single-copy entanglement with respect to any bipartitioning is exactly one-half of the entropy of entanglement, in a general setting of conformal field theory and quasifree systems. Conformal symmetry imposes that the single-copy entanglement scales as E1(ρL)=(c/6)lnL-(c/6)(π2/lnL)+O(1/L) , where L is the number of constituents in a block of an infinite chain and c denotes the central charge. This shows that from a single specimen of a critical chain, already half the entanglement can be distilled compared to the rate that is asymptotically available. The result is substantiated by a quantitative analysis for all translationally invariant quantum spin chains corresponding to all isotropic quasifree fermionic models. An example of the XY spin chain shows that away from criticality the above relation is maintained only near the quantum phase transition.

Phase behavior of fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon double-chain hydroxylated and galactosylated amphiphiles and bolaamphiphiles. Long-term shelf-stability of their liposomes.

PubMed

Clary, L; Gadras, C; Greiner, J; Rolland, J P; Santaella, C; Vierling, P; Gulik, A

1999-06-01

This paper describes the morphological characterization, by freeze-fracture electron microscopy, and the thermotropic phase behavior, by differential scanning calorimetry and/or X-ray scattering, of aqueous dispersions of various hydroxylated and galactosylated double-chain amphiphiles and bolaamphiphiles, several of them containing one or two hydrophobic fluorocarbon chains. Colloidal systems are observed in water with the hydroxylated hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon bolaamphiphiles only when they are dispersed with a co-amphiphile such as rac-1,2-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) or rac-1,2-distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC). Liposomes are formed providing the relative content of bolaamphiphiles does not exceed 20% mol. Most of these liposomes can be thermally sterilized and stored at room temperature for several months without any significant modification of their size and size distribution. The hydrocarbon galactosylated bolaamphiphile HO[C24][C12]Gal forms in water a lamellar phase (the gel to liquid-crystal phase transition is complete at 45 degrees C) and a Im3m cubic phase above 47 degrees C. The fluorocarbon HO[C24][F6C5]Gal analog displays a more complex and metastable phase behavior. The fluorinated non-bolaform galactosylated [F8C7][C16]AEGal and SerGal amphiphiles form lamellar phases in water. Low amounts (10% molar ratio) of the HO[C24][F6C5]Gal or HO[C24][C12]Gal bolaamphiphiles or of the single-headed [F8C7][C16]AEGal improve substantially the shelf-stability of reference phospholipon/cholesterol 2/1 liposomes. These liposomes when co-formulated with a single-headed amphiphile from the SerGal series are by far less stable.

Efficient Covalent Bond Formation in Gas-Phase Peptide-Peptide Ion Complexes with the Photoleucine Stapler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaffer, Christopher J.; Andrikopoulos, Prokopis C.; Řezáč, Jan; Rulíšek, Lubomír; Tureček, František

2016-04-01

Noncovalent complexes of hydrophobic peptides GLLLG and GLLLK with photoleucine (L*) tagged peptides G(L* n L m )K (n = 1,3, m = 2,0) were generated as singly charged ions in the gas phase and probed by photodissociation at 355 nm. Carbene intermediates produced by photodissociative loss of N2 from the L* diazirine rings underwent insertion into X-H bonds of the target peptide moiety, forming covalent adducts with yields reaching 30%. Gas-phase sequencing of the covalent adducts revealed preferred bond formation at the C-terminal residue of the target peptide. Site-selective carbene insertion was achieved by placing the L* residue in different positions along the photopeptide chain, and the residues in the target peptide undergoing carbene insertion were identified by gas-phase ion sequencing that was aided by specific 13C labeling. Density functional theory calculations indicated that noncovalent binding to GL*L*L*K resulted in substantial changes of the (GLLLK + H)+ ground state conformation. The peptide moieties in [GL*L*LK + GLLLK + H]+ ion complexes were held together by hydrogen bonds, whereas dispersion interactions of the nonpolar groups were only secondary in ground-state 0 K structures. Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics for 100 ps trajectories of several different conformers at the 310 K laboratory temperature showed that noncovalent complexes developed multiple, residue-specific contacts between the diazirine carbons and GLLLK residues. The calculations pointed to the substantial fluidity of the nonpolar side chains in the complexes. Diazirine photochemistry in combination with Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics is a promising tool for investigations of peptide-peptide ion interactions in the gas phase.

An Assessment of ECMWF Analyses and Model Forecasts over the North Slope of Alaska Using Observations from the ARM Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment

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

Xie, Shaocheng; Klein, Stephen A.; Yio, J. John

2006-03-11

European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) analysis and model forecast data are evaluated using observations collected during the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) October 2004 Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment (M-PACE) at its North Slope of Alaska (NSA) site. It is shown that the ECMWF analysis reasonably represents the dynamic and thermodynamic structures of the large-scale systems that affected the NSA during M-PACE. The model-analyzed near-surface horizontal winds, temperature, and relative humidity also agree well with the M-PACE surface measurements. Given the well-represented large-scale fields, the model shows overall good skill in predicting various cloud types observed during M-PACE; however, themore » physical properties of single-layer boundary layer clouds are in substantial error. At these times, the model substantially underestimates the liquid water path in these clouds, with the concomitant result that the model largely underpredicts the downwelling longwave radiation at the surface and overpredicts the outgoing longwave radiation at the top of the atmosphere. The model also overestimates the net surface shortwave radiation, mainly because of the underestimation of the surface albedo. The problem in the surface albedo is primarily associated with errors in the surface snow prediction. Principally because of the underestimation of the surface downwelling longwave radiation at the times of single-layer boundary layer clouds, the model shows a much larger energy loss (-20.9 W m-2) than the observation (-9.6 W m-2) at the surface during the M-PACE period.« less

Feasibility of generating an artificial burst in a turbulent boundary layer, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gad-El-hak, Mohamed

1989-01-01

Various drag accounts for about half of the total drag on commercial aircraft at subsonic cruise conditions. Two avenues are available to achieve drag reduction: either laminar flow control or turbulence manipulation. The present research deals with the latter approach. The primary objective of Phase 2 research was to investigate experimentally the feasibility of substantially reducing the skin-friction drag in a turbulent boundary layer. The method combines the beneficial effects of suction and a longitudinally ribbed surface. At a sufficiently large spanwise separation, the streamwise grooves act as a nucleation site causing a focusing of low-speed streaks over the peaks. Suction is then applied intermittently through longitudinal slots located at selected locations along those peaks to obliterate the low-speed regions and to prevent bursting. Phase 2 research was divided into two tasks. In the first, selective suction from a single streamwise slot was used to eliminate either a single burst-like event or a periodic train of artificially generated bursts in laminar and turbulent boundary layers that develop on a flat plate towed in a water channel. The results indicate that equivalent values of the suction coefficient as low as 0.0006 were sufficient to eliminate the artificially generated bursts in a laminar boundary layer.

High-throughput, high-resolution X-ray phase contrast tomographic microscopy for visualisation of soft tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, S. A.; Marone, F.; Hintermüller, C.; Bensadoun, J.-C.; Aebischer, P.; Stampanoni, M.

2009-09-01

The use of conventional absorption based X-ray microtomography can become limited for samples showing only very weak absorption contrast. However, a wide range of samples studied in biology and materials science can produce significant phase shifts of the X-ray beam, and thus the use of the phase signal can provide substantially increased contrast and therefore new and otherwise inaccessible information. The application of two approaches for high-throughput, high-resolution X-ray phase contrast tomography, both available on the TOMCAT beamline of the SLS, is illustrated. Differential Phase Contrast (DPC) imaging uses a grating interferometer and a phase-stepping technique. It has been integrated into the beamline environment on TOMCAT in terms of the fast acquisition and reconstruction of data and the availability to scan samples within an aqueous environment. The second phase contrast approach is a modified transfer of intensity approach that can yield the 3D distribution of the phase (refractive index) of a weakly absorbing object from a single tomographic dataset. These methods are being used for the evaluation of cell integrity in 3D, with the specific aim of following and analyzing progressive cell degeneration to increase knowledge of the mechanistic events of neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease.

Comparison of Interferometric Time-Series Analysis Techniques with Implications for Future Mission Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, C. L.; Wegmuller, U.; Strozzi, T.; Wiesmann, A.

2006-12-01

Principle contributors to the noise in differential SAR interferograms are temporal phase stability of the surface, geometry relating to baseline and surface slope, and propagation path delay variations due to tropospheric water vapor and the ionosphere. Time series analysis of multiple interferograms generated from a stack of SAR SLC images seeks to determine the deformation history of the surface while reducing errors. Only those scatterers within a resolution element that are stable and coherent for each interferometric pair contribute to the desired deformation signal. Interferograms with baselines exceeding 1/3 the critical baseline have substantial geometrical decorrelation for distributed targets. Short baseline pairs with multiple reference scenes can be combined using least-squares estimation to obtain a global deformation solution. Alternately point-like persistent scatterers can be identified in scenes that do not exhibit geometrical decorrelation associated with large baselines. In this approach interferograms are formed from a stack of SAR complex images using a single reference scene. Stable distributed scatter pixels are excluded however due to the presence of large baselines. We apply both point- based and short-baseline methodologies and compare results for a stack of fine-beam Radarsat data acquired in 2002-2004 over a rapidly subsiding oil field near Lost Hills, CA. We also investigate the density of point-like scatters with respect to image resolution. The primary difficulty encountered when applying time series methods is phase unwrapping errors due to spatial and temporal gaps. Phase unwrapping requires sufficient spatial and temporal sampling. Increasing the SAR range bandwidth increases the range resolution as well as increasing the critical interferometric baseline that defines the required satellite orbital tube diameter. Sufficient spatial sampling also permits unwrapping because of the reduced phase/pixel gradient. Short time intervals further reduce the differential phase due to deformation when the deformation is continuous. Lower frequency systems (L- vs. C-Band) substantially improve the ability to unwrap the phase correctly by directly reducing both interferometric phase amplitude and temporal decorrelation.

Crystallization and growth of Ni-Si alloy thin films on inert and on silicon substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grimberg, I.; Weiss, B. Z.

1995-04-01

The crystallization kinetics and thermal stability of NiSi2±0.2 alloy thin films coevaporated on two different substrates were studied. The substrates were: silicon single crystal [Si(100)] and thermally oxidized silicon single crystal. In situ resistance measurements, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy were used. The postdeposition microstructure consisted of a mixture of amorphous and crystalline phases. The amorphous phase, independent of the composition, crystallizes homogeneously to NiSi2 at temperatures lower than 200 °C. The activation energy, determined in the range of 1.4-2.54 eV, depends on the type of the substrate and on the composition of the alloyed films. The activation energy for the alloys deposited on the inert substrate was found to be lower than for the alloys deposited on silicon single crystal. The lowest activation energy was obtained for nonstoichiometric NiSi2.2, the highest for NiSi2—on both substrates. The crystallization mode depends on the structure of the as-deposited films, especially the density of the existing crystalline nuclei. Substantial differences were observed in the thermal stability of the NiSi2 compound on both substrates. With the alloy films deposited on the Si substrate, only the NiSi2 phase was identified after annealing to temperatures up to 800 °C. In the films deposited on the inert substrate, NiSi and NiSi2 phases were identified when the Ni content in the alloy exceeded 33 at. %. The effects of composition and the type of substrate on the crystallization kinetics and thermal stability are discussed.

Conversion of Biowaste Asian Hard Clam (Meretrix lusoria) Shells into White-Emitting Phosphors for Use in Neutral White LEDs.

PubMed

Chang, Tsung-Yuan; Wang, Chih-Min; Lin, Tai-Yuan; Lin, Hsiu-Mei

2016-12-02

The increasing volume and complexity of waste associated with the modern economy poses a serious risk to ecosystems and human health. However, the remanufacturing and recycling of waste into usable products can lead to substantial resource savings. In the present study, clam shell waste was first transformed into pure and well-crystallized single-phase white light-emitting phosphor Ca₉Gd(PO₄)₇:Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ materials. The phosphor Ca₉Gd(PO₄)₇:Eu 2+ ,Mn 2+ materials were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method and the carbothermic reduction process, and then characterized and analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The structural and luminescent properties of the phosphors were investigated as well. The PL and quantum efficiency measurements showed that the luminescence properties of clam shell-based phosphors were comparable to that of the chemically derived phosphors. Moreover, white light-emitting diodes were fabricated through the integration of 380 nm chips and single-phase white light-emitting phosphors (Ca 0.979 Eu 0.006 Mn 0.015 )₉Gd(PO₄)₇ into a single package of a white light emitting diode (WLED) emitting a neutral white light of 5298 K with color coordinates of (0.337, 0.344).

Conversion of Biowaste Asian Hard Clam (Meretrix lusoria) Shells into White-Emitting Phosphors for Use in Neutral White LEDs

PubMed Central

Chang, Tsung-Yuan; Wang, Chih-Min; Lin, Tai-Yuan; Lin, Hsiu-Mei

2016-01-01

The increasing volume and complexity of waste associated with the modern economy poses a serious risk to ecosystems and human health. However, the remanufacturing and recycling of waste into usable products can lead to substantial resource savings. In the present study, clam shell waste was first transformed into pure and well-crystallized single-phase white light-emitting phosphor Ca9Gd(PO4)7:Eu2+,Mn2+ materials. The phosphor Ca9Gd(PO4)7:Eu2+,Mn2+ materials were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method and the carbothermic reduction process, and then characterized and analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The structural and luminescent properties of the phosphors were investigated as well. The PL and quantum efficiency measurements showed that the luminescence properties of clam shell-based phosphors were comparable to that of the chemically derived phosphors. Moreover, white light-emitting diodes were fabricated through the integration of 380 nm chips and single-phase white light-emitting phosphors (Ca0.979Eu0.006Mn0.015)9Gd(PO4)7 into a single package of a white light emitting diode (WLED) emitting a neutral white light of 5298 K with color coordinates of (0.337, 0.344). PMID:28774101

Oriented polyvinylidene fluoride–trifluoroethylene (P(VDF–TrFE)) films by Langmuir–Blodgett deposition: A synchrotron X-ray diffraction study

DOE PAGES

Lindemann, W. R.; Philiph, R. L.; Chan, D. W. W.; ...

2015-10-07

Langmuir–Blodgett films of polyvinylidene fluoride trifluoroethylene – P(VDF–TrFE)-copolymers possess substantially improved electrocaloric and pyroelectric properties, when compared with conventionally spin-cast films. In order to rationalize this, we prepared single-layered films of P(VDF–TrFE) (70:30) using both deposition techniques. Grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS), reveals that Langmuir–Blodgett deposited films have a higher concentration of the ferroelectric β-phase crystals, and that these films are highly oriented with respect to the substrate. Based on these observations, we suggest alternative means of deposition, which may substantially enhance the electrocaloric effect in P(VDF–TrFE) films. As a result, this development has significant implications for the potentialmore » use of P(VDF–TrFE) in solid-state refrigeration.« less

Single Dose of the CXCR4 Antagonist BL-8040 Induces Rapid Mobilization for the Collection of Human CD34+ Cells in Healthy Volunteers.

PubMed

Abraham, Michal; Pereg, Yaron; Bulvik, Baruch; Klein, Shiri; Mishalian, Inbal; Wald, Hana; Eizenberg, Orly; Beider, Katia; Nagler, Arnon; Golan, Rottem; Vainstein, Abi; Aharon, Arnon; Galun, Eithan; Caraco, Yoseph; Or, Reuven; Peled, Amnon

2017-11-15

Purpose: The potential of the high-affinity CXCR4 antagonist BL-8040 as a monotherapy-mobilizing agent and its derived graft composition and quality were evaluated in a phase I clinical study in healthy volunteers (NCT02073019). Experimental Design: The first part of the study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled dose escalation phase. The second part of the study was an open-label phase, in which 8 subjects received a single injection of BL-8040 (1 mg/kg) and approximately 4 hours later underwent a standard leukapheresis procedure. The engraftment potential of the purified mobilized CD34 + cells was further evaluated by transplanting the cells into NSG immunodeficient mice. Results: BL-8040 was found safe and well tolerated at all doses tested (0.5-1 mg/kg). The main treatment-related adverse events were mild to moderate. Transient injection site and systemic reactions were mitigated by methylprednisolone, paracetamol, and promethazine pretreatment. In the first part of the study, BL-8040 triggered rapid and substantial mobilization of WBCs and CD34 + cells in all tested doses. Four hours postdose, the count rose to a mean of 8, 37, 31, and 35 cells/μL (placebo, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mg/kg, respectively). FACS analysis revealed substantial mobilization of immature dendritic, T, B, and NK cells. In the second part, the mean CD34 + cells/kg collected were 11.6 × 10 6 cells/kg. The graft composition was rich in immune cells. Conclusions: The current data demonstrate that BL-8040 is a safe and effective monotherapy strategy for the collection of large amounts of CD34 + cells and immune cells in a one-day procedure for allogeneic HSPC transplantation. Clin Cancer Res; 23(22); 6790-801. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Method for nanoencapsulation of aerogels and nanoencapsulated aerogels produced by such method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, Thomas A. (Inventor)

2007-01-01

A method for increasing the compressive modulus of aerogels comprising: providing aerogel substrate comprising a bubble matrix in a chamber; providing monomer to the chamber, the monomer comprising vapor phase monomer which polymerizes substantially free of polymerization byproducts; depositing monomer from the vapor phase onto the surface of the aerogel substrate under deposition conditions effective to produce a vapor pressure sufficient to cause the vapor phase monomer to penetrate into the bubble matrix and deposit onto the surface of the aerogel substrate, producing a substantially uniform monomer film; and, polymerizing the substantially uniform monomer film under polymerization conditions effective to produce polymer coated aerogel comprising a substantially uniform polymer coating substantially free of polymerization byproducts.Polymer coated aerogel comprising aerogel substrate comprising a substantially uniform polymer coating, said polymer coated aerogel comprising porosity and having a compressive modulus greater than the compressive modulus of the aerogel substrate, as measured by a 100 lb. load cell at 1 mm/minute in the linear range of 20% to 40% compression.

Glass electrolyte composition

DOEpatents

Kucera, Gene H.; Roche, Michael F.

1985-01-01

An ionically conductive glass is disclosed for use as electrolyte in a high temperature electrochemical cell, particularly a cell with sodium anode and sulfur cathode. The glass includes the constituents Na.sub.2 O, ZrO.sub.2, Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and SiO.sub.2 in selected proportions to be a single phase solid solution substantially free of crystalline regions and undissolved constituents. Other advantageous properties are an ionic conductivity in excess of 2.times.10.sup.-3 (ohm-cm).sup.-1 at 300.degree. C. and a glass transition temperature in excess of 500.degree. C.

Glass electrolyte composition

DOEpatents

Kucera, G.H.; Roche, M.F.

1985-01-08

An ionically conductive glass is disclosed for use as electrolyte in a high temperature electrochemical cell, particularly a cell with sodium anode and sulfur cathode. The glass includes the constituents Na/sub 2/O, ZrO/sub 2/, Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and SiO/sub 2/ in selected proportions to be a single phase solid solution substantially free of crystalline regions and undissolved constituents. Other advantageous properties are an ionic conductivity in excess of 2 x 10/sup -3/ (ohm-cm)/sup -1/ at 300/sup 0/C and a glass transition temperature in excess of 500/sup 0/C.

Separating homeologs by phasing in the tetraploid wheat transcriptome.

PubMed

Krasileva, Ksenia V; Buffalo, Vince; Bailey, Paul; Pearce, Stephen; Ayling, Sarah; Tabbita, Facundo; Soria, Marcelo; Wang, Shichen; Akhunov, Eduard; Uauy, Cristobal; Dubcovsky, Jorge

2013-06-25

The high level of identity among duplicated homoeologous genomes in tetraploid pasta wheat presents substantial challenges for de novo transcriptome assembly. To solve this problem, we develop a specialized bioinformatics workflow that optimizes transcriptome assembly and separation of merged homoeologs. To evaluate our strategy, we sequence and assemble the transcriptome of one of the diploid ancestors of pasta wheat, and compare both assemblies with a benchmark set of 13,472 full-length, non-redundant bread wheat cDNAs. A total of 489 million 100 bp paired-end reads from tetraploid wheat assemble in 140,118 contigs, including 96% of the benchmark cDNAs. We used a comparative genomics approach to annotate 66,633 open reading frames. The multiple k-mer assembly strategy increases the proportion of cDNAs assembled full-length in a single contig by 22% relative to the best single k-mer size. Homoeologs are separated using a post-assembly pipeline that includes polymorphism identification, phasing of SNPs, read sorting, and re-assembly of phased reads. Using a reference set of genes, we determine that 98.7% of SNPs analyzed are correctly separated by phasing. Our study shows that de novo transcriptome assembly of tetraploid wheat benefit from multiple k-mer assembly strategies more than diploid wheat. Our results also demonstrate that phasing approaches originally designed for heterozygous diploid organisms can be used to separate the close homoeologous genomes of tetraploid wheat. The predicted tetraploid wheat proteome and gene models provide a valuable tool for the wheat research community and for those interested in comparative genomic studies.

Separating homeologs by phasing in the tetraploid wheat transcriptome

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The high level of identity among duplicated homoeologous genomes in tetraploid pasta wheat presents substantial challenges for de novo transcriptome assembly. To solve this problem, we develop a specialized bioinformatics workflow that optimizes transcriptome assembly and separation of merged homoeologs. To evaluate our strategy, we sequence and assemble the transcriptome of one of the diploid ancestors of pasta wheat, and compare both assemblies with a benchmark set of 13,472 full-length, non-redundant bread wheat cDNAs. Results A total of 489 million 100 bp paired-end reads from tetraploid wheat assemble in 140,118 contigs, including 96% of the benchmark cDNAs. We used a comparative genomics approach to annotate 66,633 open reading frames. The multiple k-mer assembly strategy increases the proportion of cDNAs assembled full-length in a single contig by 22% relative to the best single k-mer size. Homoeologs are separated using a post-assembly pipeline that includes polymorphism identification, phasing of SNPs, read sorting, and re-assembly of phased reads. Using a reference set of genes, we determine that 98.7% of SNPs analyzed are correctly separated by phasing. Conclusions Our study shows that de novo transcriptome assembly of tetraploid wheat benefit from multiple k-mer assembly strategies more than diploid wheat. Our results also demonstrate that phasing approaches originally designed for heterozygous diploid organisms can be used to separate the close homoeologous genomes of tetraploid wheat. The predicted tetraploid wheat proteome and gene models provide a valuable tool for the wheat research community and for those interested in comparative genomic studies. PMID:23800085

Enhanced doping effect on tuning structural phases of monolayer antimony

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jizhang; Yang, Teng; Zhang, Zhidong; Yang, Li

2018-05-01

Doping is capable to control the atomistic structure, electronic structure, and even to dynamically realize a semiconductor-metal transition in two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). However, the high critical doping density (˜1014 electron/cm2), compound nature, and relatively low carrier mobility of TMDs limits broader applications. Using first-principles calculations, we predict that, via a small transition potential, a substantially lower hole doping density (˜6 × 1012 hole/cm2) can switch the ground-state structure of monolayer antimony from the hexagonal β-phase, a 2D semiconductor with excellent transport performance and air stability but an indirect bandgap, to the orthorhombic α phase with a direct bandgap and potentially better carrier mobility. We further show that this structural engineering can be achieved by the established electrostatic doping, surface functional adsorption, or directly using graphene substrate. This gives hope to dynamically tuning and large-scale production of 2D single-element semiconductors that simultaneously exhibit remarkable transport and optical performance.

Ion Dynamics in a Single and Dual Radio Frequency Sheath Measured by Laser-Induced Fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Nathaniel Breckenridge

Ion dynamics are investigated in a single and dual radio frequency sheath as a function of radius above a 30 cm diameter biased silicon wafer for the first time in an industrial inductively coupled (440 kHz, 500 W) plasma etch tool. Ion velocity distribution (IVD) function measurements in the argon plasma are taken using laser induced fluorescence (LIF). Planar sheets of laser light enter the chamber both parallel and perpendicular to the surface of the wafer in order to measure both parallel and perpendicular IVDs at thousands of spatial positions. A fast (30 ns exposure) CCD camera measures the resulting fluorescence with a spatial resolution of 0.4 mm. The dual-frequency bias on the wafer is comprised of a 2 MHz low frequency (LF) bias and a 19 MHz high frequency (HF) bias. The laser is phase locked to the LF bias and IVD measurements are taken at several different LF phases. Ion energy distribution (IED) function measurements and calculated moments are compared for several cases. For the LF case (no HF), the IEDs were found to be highly phase dependent and were varied radially up to 10%. Calculated mean velocity vectors showed large impact angles near the surface of the wafer with the largest angles observed near the wafer edge. The LF experimental results are compared with simulations designed specifically for this particular plasma tool and showed good qualitative agreement. For the dual frequency case, IEDs were measured at two disparate phases of the phase-locked LF bias. IEDs were found to be multi-peaked and were well-approximated by a sum of Maxwellian distributions. The calculated fluxes in the dual frequency case were found to be substantially more radially uniform than the single frequency bias case. For industrial applications, this radially uniform ion flux is evidently a trade off with the undesirable multi-peaked structure in the IEDs.

Effects of Molybdenum and Vanadium Addition on Tensile and Charpy Impact Properties of API X70 Linepipe Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Young Min; Shin, Sang Yong; Lee, Hakcheol; Hwang, Byoungchul; Lee, Sunghak; Kim, Nack J.

2007-08-01

This study is concerned with the effects of V and Mo addition on tensile and Charpy impact properties of API X70 linepipe steels. Twelve kinds of steel specimens were produced by varying V and Mo additions and rolling conditions. The addition of V and Mo promoted the formation of acicular ferrite (AF), banitic ferrite (BF), and martensite-austenite (MA) constituents, while suppressing the formation of polygonal ferrite (PF) or pearlite (P). The tensile test results indicated that the tensile strength of the specimens rolled in the two-phase region increased with the addition of V and Mo, while the yield strength did not vary much in these specimens except the water-cooled specimens, which showed the increased yield strength with addition of Mo. The tensile strength of specimens rolled in the single-phase region followed by water cooling increased with increasing V and Mo contents. The yield strength, however, did not vary much with increasing V content or with addition of Mo to the low-V alloy. In these specimens, a substantial increase in the strengths was achieved only when Mo was added to the high-V alloy. The specimens rolled in the single-phase region had higher upper-shelf energy (USE) and lower ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) than the specimens rolled in the two-phase region, because their microstructures were composed of AF and fine PF. According to the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis data, the effective grain size in AF was determined by crystallographic packets composed of a few fine grains having similar orientations. Thus, the decreased DBTT in the specimens rolled in the single-phase region could be explained by the decrease in the overall effective grain size due to the presence of AF having smaller effective grain size.

Acoustic Anomalies and Phase Transition Behaviors of Lead-Free Piezoelectric (Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO₃-xBaTiO₃ Single Crystals as Revealed by Brillouin Light Scattering.

PubMed

Lee, Byoung Wan; Oh, Soo Han; Ko, Jae-Hyeon; Li, Xiaobing; Luo, Haosu

2018-06-12

The elastic properties of unpoled and prepoled (Na 1/2 Bi 1/2 )TiO₃- x BaTiO₃ (NBT- x BT) single crystals near the morphotropic phase boundary were investigated as a function of temperature using Brillouin light scattering. The acoustic mode frequency and the related acoustic damping of unpoled NBT- x BT showed very broad minimum and maximum, respectively, consistent with typical relaxor behaviors. The frequency softening of the longitudinal acoustic mode together with the increase in acoustic damping was largest along the <100> direction, indicating that polarization fluctuations were most substantial along this crystallographic direction. The difference in acoustic behaviors between the unpoled NBT- x BTs with x = 0.05 and 0.08 were negligible, which means that the NBT- x BT system exhibits typical relaxor properties over a certain composition range of at least 5~8%. The obtained relaxation time of polar nanoregions in the paraelectric phase showed a gradual slowing-down character without any critical divergent behavior. The prepoling of NBT- x BT along the <100> direction induced drastic changes in both mode frequency and damping at ~110 °C when the poling field was larger than 1.4 kV/mm, corresponding to the depoling process from macroscopic/mesoscopic ferroelectric order to ergodic relaxor state upon heating. Phase coexistence of ferroelectric and relaxor states was observed at the intermediate poling field of 1.4 kV/mm.

Plasma Membrane ATPase Activity following Reversible and Irreversible Freezing Injury 1

PubMed Central

Iswari, S.; Palta, Jiwan P.

1989-01-01

Plasma membrane ATPase has been proposed as a site of functional alteration during early stages of freezing injury. To test this, plasma membrane was purified from Solanum leaflets by a single step partitioning of microsomes in a dextran-polyethylene glycol two phase system. Addition of lysolecithin in the ATPase assay produced up to 10-fold increase in ATPase activity. ATPase activity was specific for ATP with a Km around 0.4 millimolar. Presence of the ATPase enzyme was identified by immunoblotting with oat ATPase antibodies. Using the phase partitioning method, plasma membrane was isolated from Solanum commersonii leaflets which had four different degrees of freezing damage, namely, slight (reversible), partial (partially reversible), substantial and total (irreversible). With slight (reversible) damage the plasma membrane ATPase specific activity increased 1.5- to 2-fold and its Km was decreased by about 3-fold, whereas the specific activity of cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome c oxidase in the microsomes were not different from the control. However, with substantial (lethal, irreversible) damage, there was a loss of membrane protein, decrease in plasma membrane ATPase specific activity and decrease in Km, while cytochrome c oxidase and cytochrome c reductase were unaffected. These results support the hypothesis that plasma membrane ATPase is altered by slight freeze-thaw stress. Images Figure 1 Figure 2 PMID:16666856

Raman spectrum of the superconductor Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/

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

Sapriel, J.; Pierre, L.; Morin, D.

1989-01-01

Two Raman setups, one with high resolution, and the other for spatially resolved (1 x 1 ..mu..m/sup 2/) experiments, have been used to investigate the polarized Raman spectra of a superconducting single crystal of the (2:2:1:2) phase Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/, and the unpolarized micro-Raman spectra of three ceramics, two of which have zero resistance below approx.105 K and contain substantial proportions of the (2:2:2:3) phase (approx.15--20%). Our spectra differ in some aspects from those recently published for the (2:2:1:2) phase. The occurence of several low-frequency lines (vless than or equal to65 cm/sup -1/) is confirmed. The width ofmore » the lines and their shape is discussed with regard to the occurence of disorder in the structure and of an electron-phonon coupling. The spectra of the ceramics reveal the presence of four minority phases in addition to the main phases (2:2:1:2) and (2:2:2:3). The ceramics containing the (2:2:2:3) phase display the same lines as the ceramic not containing this phase. This result is discussed in the light of the structural information available and of the grain-growth habit of the (2:2:1:2) phase.« less

Quantum state detection and state preparation based on cavity-enhanced nonlinear interaction of atoms with single photon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Mahdi

Our ability to engineer quantum states of light and matter has significantly advanced over the past two decades, resulting in the production of both Gaussian and non-Gaussian optical states. The resulting tailored quantum states enable quantum technologies such as quantum optical communication, quantum sensing as well as quantum photonic computation. The strong nonlinear light-atom interaction is the key to deterministic quantum state preparation and quantum photonic processing. One route to enhancing the usually weak nonlinear light-atom interactions is to approach the regime of cavity quantum electrodynamics (cQED) interaction by means of high finesse optical resonators. I present results from the MIT experiment of large conditional cross-phase modulation between a signal photon, stored inside an atomic quantum memory, and a control photon that traverses a high-finesse optical cavity containing the atomic memory. I also present a scheme to probabilistically change the amplitude and phase of a signal photon qubit to, in principle, arbitrary values by postselection on a control photon that has interacted with that state. Notably, small changes of the control photon polarization measurement basis by few degrees can substantially change the amplitude and phase of the signal state. Finally, I present our ongoing effort at Purdue to realize similar peculiar quantum phenomena at the single photon level on chip scale photonic systems.

Optimization of multi-color laser waveform for high-order harmonic generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Cheng; Lin, C. D.

2016-09-01

With the development of laser technologies, multi-color light-field synthesis with complete amplitude and phase control would make it possible to generate arbitrary optical waveforms. A practical optimization algorithm is needed to generate such a waveform in order to control strong-field processes. We review some recent theoretical works of the optimization of amplitudes and phases of multi-color lasers to modify the single-atom high-order harmonic generation based on genetic algorithm. By choosing different fitness criteria, we demonstrate that: (i) harmonic yields can be enhanced by 10 to 100 times, (ii) harmonic cutoff energy can be substantially extended, (iii) specific harmonic orders can be selectively enhanced, and (iv) single attosecond pulses can be efficiently generated. The possibility of optimizing macroscopic conditions for the improved phase matching and low divergence of high harmonics is also discussed. The waveform control and optimization are expected to be new drivers for the next wave of breakthrough in the strong-field physics in the coming years. Project supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (Grant No. 30916011207), Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Office of Science, U. S. Department of Energy (Grant No. DE-FG02-86ER13491), and Air Force Office of Scientific Research, USA (Grant No. FA9550-14-1-0255).

Validation of a numerical method for interface-resolving simulation of multicomponent gas-liquid mass transfer and evaluation of multicomponent diffusion models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Mino; Wörner, Martin; Tischer, Steffen; Deutschmann, Olaf

2018-03-01

The multicomponent model and the effective diffusivity model are well established diffusion models for numerical simulation of single-phase flows consisting of several components but are seldom used for two-phase flows so far. In this paper, a specific numerical model for interfacial mass transfer by means of a continuous single-field concentration formulation is combined with the multicomponent model and effective diffusivity model and is validated for multicomponent mass transfer. For this purpose, several test cases for one-dimensional physical or reactive mass transfer of ternary mixtures are considered. The numerical results are compared with analytical or numerical solutions of the Maxell-Stefan equations and/or experimental data. The composition-dependent elements of the diffusivity matrix of the multicomponent and effective diffusivity model are found to substantially differ for non-dilute conditions. The species mole fraction or concentration profiles computed with both diffusion models are, however, for all test cases very similar and in good agreement with the analytical/numerical solutions or measurements. For practical computations, the effective diffusivity model is recommended due to its simplicity and lower computational costs.

Intermolecular shielding contributions studied by modeling the 13C chemical-shift tensors of organic single crystals with plane waves

PubMed Central

Johnston, Jessica C.; Iuliucci, Robbie J.; Facelli, Julio C.; Fitzgerald, George; Mueller, Karl T.

2009-01-01

In order to predict accurately the chemical shift of NMR-active nuclei in solid phase systems, magnetic shielding calculations must be capable of considering the complete lattice structure. Here we assess the accuracy of the density functional theory gauge-including projector augmented wave method, which uses pseudopotentials to approximate the nodal structure of the core electrons, to determine the magnetic properties of crystals by predicting the full chemical-shift tensors of all 13C nuclides in 14 organic single crystals from which experimental tensors have previously been reported. Plane-wave methods use periodic boundary conditions to incorporate the lattice structure, providing a substantial improvement for modeling the chemical shifts in hydrogen-bonded systems. Principal tensor components can now be predicted to an accuracy that approaches the typical experimental uncertainty. Moreover, methods that include the full solid-phase structure enable geometry optimizations to be performed on the input structures prior to calculation of the shielding. Improvement after optimization is noted here even when neutron diffraction data are used for determining the initial structures. After geometry optimization, the isotropic shift can be predicted to within 1 ppm. PMID:19831448

24 CFR 115.201 - The two phases of substantial equivalency certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FAIR HOUSING CERTIFICATION AND FUNDING OF STATE AND LOCAL FAIR HOUSING... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false The two phases of substantial equivalency certification. 115.201 Section 115.201 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to...

24 CFR 115.201 - The two phases of substantial equivalency certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FAIR HOUSING CERTIFICATION AND FUNDING OF STATE AND LOCAL FAIR HOUSING... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false The two phases of substantial equivalency certification. 115.201 Section 115.201 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to...

24 CFR 115.201 - The two phases of substantial equivalency certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FAIR HOUSING CERTIFICATION AND FUNDING OF STATE AND LOCAL FAIR HOUSING... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false The two phases of substantial equivalency certification. 115.201 Section 115.201 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to...

24 CFR 115.201 - The two phases of substantial equivalency certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FAIR HOUSING CERTIFICATION AND FUNDING OF STATE AND LOCAL FAIR HOUSING... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false The two phases of substantial equivalency certification. 115.201 Section 115.201 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to...

24 CFR 115.201 - The two phases of substantial equivalency certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FAIR HOUSING CERTIFICATION AND FUNDING OF STATE AND LOCAL FAIR HOUSING... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false The two phases of substantial equivalency certification. 115.201 Section 115.201 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to...

Research and development for improved lead-salt diode lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Butler, J. F.

1976-01-01

A substantial increase in output power levels for lead-salt diode lasers, through the development of improved fabrication methods, as demonstrated. The goal of 1 mW of CW, single-mode, single-ended power output, was achieved, with exceptional devices exhibiting values greater than 8 mW. It was found that the current tuning rate could be controlled by adjusting the p-n junction depth, allowing the tuning rate to be optimized for particular applications. An unexpected phenomenon was encountered when crystal composition was observed to be significantly altered by annealing at temperatures as low as 600 C; the composition was changed by transport of material through the vapor phase. This effect caused problems in obtaining diode lasers with the desired operating characteristics. It was discovered that the present packaging method introduces gross damaging effects in the laser crystal through pressure applied by the C-bend.

The formation of molecules in interstellar clouds from singly and multiply ionized atoms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, W. D.

1978-01-01

The suggestion is considered that multiply ionized atoms produced by K- and L-shell X-ray ionization and cosmic-ray ionization can undergo ion-molecule reactions and also initiate molecule production. The role of X-rays in molecule production in general is discussed, and the contribution to molecule production of the C(+) radiative association with hydrogen is examined. Such gas-phase reactions of singly and multiply ionized atoms are used to calculate molecular abundances of carbon-, nitrogen-, and oxygen-bearing species. The column densities of the molecules are evaluated on the basis of a modified version of previously developed isobaric cloud models. It is found that reactions of multiply ionized carbon with H2 can contribute a significant fraction of the observed CH in diffuse interstellar clouds in the presence of diffuse X-ray structures or discrete X-ray sources and that substantial amounts of CH(+) can be produced under certain conditions.

Redistribution of oxygen ions in single crystal YBa2Cu3O7-x owing to external hydrostatic pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boiko, Yu. I.; Bogdanov, V. V.; Vovk, R. V.; Khadzhai, G. Ya.; Savich, S. V.

2018-01-01

The effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the temperature dependences of the electrical resistance in the basal plane of single crystal YBa2Cu3O7-x with an oxygen deficit is studied. It is found that an external hydrostatic pressure P ≈ 7 kbar substantially intensifies the diffusive coalescence of oxygen clusters, i.e., causes an increase in their average size. This, in turn, produces an increased number of negative U-centers whose presence leads to the appearance of a phase capable of generating paired carriers of electrical charge and is, therefore, characterized by a higher transition temperature Tc. Changes in the form of the temperature and time dependences of the electrical resistivity under external hydrostatic pressure are discussed in terms of this same hypothesis regarding the mechanism of diffusive coalescence of oxygen clusters.

Insights into the Initiation of Eukaryotic DNA Replication.

PubMed

Bruck, Irina; Perez-Arnaiz, Patricia; Colbert, Max K; Kaplan, Daniel L

2015-01-01

The initiation of DNA replication is a highly regulated event in eukaryotic cells to ensure that the entire genome is copied once and only once during S phase. The primary target of cellular regulation of eukaryotic DNA replication initiation is the assembly and activation of the replication fork helicase, the 11-subunit assembly that unwinds DNA at a replication fork. The replication fork helicase, called CMG for Cdc45-Mcm2-7, and GINS, assembles in S phase from the constituent Cdc45, Mcm2-7, and GINS proteins. The assembly and activation of the CMG replication fork helicase during S phase is governed by 2 S-phase specific kinases, CDK and DDK. CDK stimulates the interaction between Sld2, Sld3, and Dpb11, 3 initiation factors that are each required for the initiation of DNA replication. DDK, on the other hand, phosphorylates the Mcm2, Mcm4, and Mcm6 subunits of the Mcm2-7 complex. Sld3 recruits Cdc45 to Mcm2-7 in a manner that depends on DDK, and recent work suggests that Sld3 binds directly to Mcm2-7 and also to single-stranded DNA. Furthermore, recent work demonstrates that Sld3 and its human homolog Treslin substantially stimulate DDK phosphorylation of Mcm2. These data suggest that the initiation factor Sld3/Treslin coordinates the assembly and activation of the eukaryotic replication fork helicase by recruiting Cdc45 to Mcm2-7, stimulating DDK phosphorylation of Mcm2, and binding directly to single-stranded DNA as the origin is melted.

Push-pull tests for estimating effective porosity: expanded analytical solution and in situ application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paradis, Charles J.; McKay, Larry D.; Perfect, Edmund; Istok, Jonathan D.; Hazen, Terry C.

2018-03-01

The analytical solution describing the one-dimensional displacement of the center of mass of a tracer during an injection, drift, and extraction test (push-pull test) was expanded to account for displacement during the injection phase. The solution was expanded to improve the in situ estimation of effective porosity. The truncated equation assumed displacement during the injection phase was negligible, which may theoretically lead to an underestimation of the true value of effective porosity. To experimentally compare the expanded and truncated equations, single-well push-pull tests were conducted across six test wells located in a shallow, unconfined aquifer comprised of unconsolidated and heterogeneous silty and clayey fill materials. The push-pull tests were conducted by injection of bromide tracer, followed by a non-pumping period, and subsequent extraction of groundwater. The values of effective porosity from the expanded equation (0.6-5.0%) were substantially greater than from the truncated equation (0.1-1.3%). The expanded and truncated equations were compared to data from previous push-pull studies in the literature and demonstrated that displacement during the injection phase may or may not be negligible, depending on the aquifer properties and the push-pull test parameters. The results presented here also demonstrated the spatial variability of effective porosity within a relatively small study site can be substantial, and the error-propagated uncertainty of effective porosity can be mitigated to a reasonable level (< ± 0.5%). The tests presented here are also the first that the authors are aware of that estimate, in situ, the effective porosity of fine-grained fill material.

Unprecedented Al supersaturation in single-phase rock salt structure VAlN films by Al+ subplantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greczynski, G.; Mráz, S.; Hans, M.; Primetzhofer, D.; Lu, J.; Hultman, L.; Schneider, J. M.

2017-05-01

Modern applications of refractory ceramic thin films, predominantly as wear-protective coatings on cutting tools and on components utilized in automotive engines, require a combination of excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability, and oxidation resistance. Conventional design approaches for transition metal nitride coatings with improved thermal and chemical stability are based on alloying with Al. It is well known that the solubility of Al in NaCl-structure transition metal nitrides is limited. Hence, the great challenge is to increase the Al concentration substantially while avoiding precipitation of the thermodynamically favored wurtzite-AlN phase, which is detrimental to mechanical properties. Here, we use VAlN as a model system to illustrate a new concept for the synthesis of metastable single-phase NaCl-structure thin films with the Al content far beyond solubility limits obtained with conventional plasma processes. This supersaturation is achieved by separating the film-forming species in time and energy domains through synchronization of the 70-μs-long pulsed substrate bias with intense periodic fluxes of energetic Al+ metal ions during reactive hybrid high power impulse magnetron sputtering of the Al target and direct current magnetron sputtering of the V target in the Ar/N2 gas mixture. Hereby, Al is subplanted into the cubic VN grains formed by the continuous flux of low-energy V neutrals. We show that Al subplantation enables an unprecedented 42% increase in metastable Al solubility limit in V1-xAlxN, from x = 0.52 obtained with the conventional method to 0.75. The elastic modulus is 325 ± 5 GPa, in excellent agreement with density functional theory calculations, and approximately 50% higher than for corresponding films grown by dc magnetron sputtering. The extension of the presented strategy to other Al-ion-assisted vapor deposition methods or materials systems is straightforward, which opens up the way for producing supersaturated single-phase functional ceramic alloy thin films combining excellent mechanical properties with high oxidation resistance.

Parameterization of single-scattering properties of snow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Räisänen, Petri; Kokhanovsky, Alexander; Guyot, Gwennole; Jourdan, Olivier; Nousiainen, Timo

2015-04-01

Snow consists of non-spherical ice grains of various shapes and sizes, which are surrounded by air and sometimes covered by films of liquid water. Still, in many studies, homogeneous spherical snow grains have been assumed in radiative transfer calculations, due to the convenience of using Mie theory. More recently, second-generation Koch fractals have been employed. While they produce a relatively flat scattering phase function typical of deformed non-spherical particles, this is still a rather ad-hoc choice. Here, angular scattering measurements for blowing snow conducted during the CLimate IMpacts of Short-Lived pollutants In the Polar region (CLIMSLIP) campaign at Ny Ålesund, Svalbard, are used to construct a reference phase function for snow. Based on this phase function, an optimized habit combination (OHC) consisting of severely rough (SR) droxtals, aggregates of SR plates and strongly distorted Koch fractals is selected. The single-scattering properties of snow are then computed for the OHC as a function of wavelength λ and snow grain volume-to-projected area equivalent radius rvp. Parameterization equations are developed for λ=0.199-2.7 μm and rvp = 10-2000 μm, which express the single-scattering co-albedo β, the asymmetry parameter g and the phase function as functions of the size parameter and the real and imaginary parts of the refractive index. Compared to the reference values computed for the OHC, the accuracy of the parameterization is very high for β and g. This is also true for the phase function parameterization, except for strongly absorbing cases (β > 0.3). Finally, we consider snow albedo and reflected radiances for the suggested snow optics parameterization, making comparisons with spheres and distorted Koch fractals. Further evaluation and validation of the proposed approach against (e.g.) bidirectional reflectance and polarization measurements for snow is planned. At any rate, it seems safe to assume that the OHC selected here provides a substantially better basis for representing the single-scattering properties of snow than spheres do. Moreover, the parameterizations developed here are analytic and simple to use, and they can also be applied to the treatment of dirty snow following (e.g.) the approach of Kokhanovsky (The Cryosphere, 7, 1325-1331, doi:10.5194/tc-7-1325-2013, 2013). This should make them an attractive option for use in radiative transfer applications involving snow.

A simple two-stage design for quantitative responses with application to a study in diabetic neuropathic pain.

PubMed

Whitehead, John; Valdés-Márquez, Elsa; Lissmats, Agneta

2009-01-01

Two-stage designs offer substantial advantages for early phase II studies. The interim analysis following the first stage allows the study to be stopped for futility, or more positively, it might lead to early progression to the trials needed for late phase II and phase III. If the study is to continue to its second stage, then there is an opportunity for a revision of the total sample size. Two-stage designs have been implemented widely in oncology studies in which there is a single treatment arm and patient responses are binary. In this paper the case of two-arm comparative studies in which responses are quantitative is considered. This setting is common in therapeutic areas other than oncology. It will be assumed that observations are normally distributed, but that there is some doubt concerning their standard deviation, motivating the need for sample size review. The work reported has been motivated by a study in diabetic neuropathic pain, and the development of the design for that trial is described in detail. Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improved single ion cyclotron resonance mass spectroscopy

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

Boyce, K.R.

1993-01-01

The author has improved the state of the art for precision mass spectroscopy of a mass doublet to below one part in 10[sup 10]. By alternately loading single ions into a Penning trap, the author has determined the mass ratio M(CO[sup +])/M(N[sup +][sub 2]) = 0.999 598 887 74(11), an accuracy of 1 [times] 10[sup [minus]10]. This is a factor of 4 improvement over previous measurements, and a factor of 10 better than the 1985 atomic mass table adjustment [WAA85a]. Much of the author's apparatus has been rebuilt, increasing the signal-to-noise ratio and improving the reliability of the machine. Themore » typical time needed to make and cool a single ion has been reduced from about half an hour to under 5 minutes. This was done by a combination of faster ion-making and a much faster procedure for driving out ions of the wrong species. The improved S/N, in combination with a much better signal processing algorithm to extract the ion phase and frequency from the author's data, has substantially reduced the time required for the actual measurements. This is important now that the measurement time is a substantial fraction of the cycle time (the time to make a new ion and measure it). The improvements allow over 30 comparisons in one night, compared to 2 per night previously. This not only improves the statistics, but eliminates the possibility of large non-Gaussian errors due to sudden magnetic field shifts.« less

Experimental demonstration of a frequency-domain Volterra series nonlinear equalizer in polarization-multiplexed transmission.

PubMed

Guiomar, Fernando P; Reis, Jacklyn D; Carena, Andrea; Bosco, Gabriella; Teixeira, António L; Pinto, Armando N

2013-01-14

Employing 100G polarization-multiplexed quaternary phase-shift keying (PM-QPSK) signals, we experimentally demonstrate a dual-polarization Volterra series nonlinear equalizer (VSNE) applied in frequency-domain, to mitigate intra-channel nonlinearities. The performance of the dual-polarization VSNE is assessed in both single-channel and in wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) scenarios, providing direct comparisons with its single-polarization version and with the widely studied back-propagation split-step Fourier (SSF) approach. In single-channel transmission, the optimum power has been increased by about 1 dB, relatively to the single-polarization equalizers, and up to 3 dB over linear equalization, with a corresponding bit error rate (BER) reduction of up to 63% and 85%, respectively. Despite of the impact of inter-channel nonlinearities, we show that intra-channel nonlinear equalization is still able to provide approximately 1 dB improvement in the optimum power and a BER reduction of ~33%, considering a 66 GHz WDM grid. By means of simulation, we demonstrate that the performance of nonlinear equalization can be substantially enhanced if both optical and electrical filtering are optimized, enabling the VSNE technique to outperform its SSF counterpart at high input powers.

WE-AB-303-01: FEATURED PRESENTATION: A Dual-Detector Phase-Matched Digital Tomosynthesis (DTS) Imaging Scheme Using Aggregated KV and MV Projections for Intra-Treatment Lung Tumor Tracking

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

Zhang, Y; Yin, F; Mao, R

2015-06-15

Purpose: To develop a dual-detector phase-matched DTS technique for continuous and fast intra-treatment lung tumor localization. Methods: Tumor localization accuracy of limited-angle DTS imaging is affected by low inter-slice resolution. The dual-detector DTS technique aims to overcome this limitation through combining orthogonally acquired beam’s eye view MV projections and kV projections for intra-treatment DTS reconstruction and localization. To aggregate the kV and MV projections for reconstruction, the MV projections were linearly converted to synthesize corresponding kV projections. To further address the lung motion induced localization errors, this technique uses respiratory phase-matching to match the motion information between on-board DTS andmore » reference DTS to offset the adverse effects of motion blurriness in tumor localization.A study was performed using the CIRS008A lung phantom to simulate different on-board target variation scenarios for localization. The intra-treatment kV and MV acquisition was achieved through the Varian TrueBeam Developer Mode. Four methods were compared for their localization accuracy: 1. the proposed dual-detector phase-matched DTS technique; 2. the single-detector phase-matched DTS technique; 3. the dual-detector 3D-DTS technique without phase-matching; and 4. the single-detector 3D-DTS technique without phase-matching. Results: For scan angles of 2.5°, 5°, 10°, 20° and 30°, the dual-detector phase-matched DTS technique localized the tumor with average(±standard deviations) errors of 0.4±0.3 mm, 0.5±0.3 mm, 0.6±0.2 mm, 0.9±0.4 mm and 1.0±0.3 mm, respectively. The corresponding values of single-detector phase-matched DTS technique were 4.0±2.5 mm, 2.7±1.1 mm, 1.7±1.2 mm, 2.2±0.9 mm and 1.5±0.8 mm, respectively. The values of dual-detector 3D-DTS technique were 6.2±1.7 mm, 6.3±1.2 mm, 5.3±1.3 mm, 2.0±2.2 mm and 1.5±0.5 mm, respectively. And the values of single-detector 3D-DTS technique were 9.7±8.9 mm, 9.8±8.8 mm, 10.0±9.7 mm, 3.9±2.7 mm and 2.2±1.3 mm, respectively. Conclusion: The dual-detector phase-matched DTS technique substantially improves the tumor localization accuracy, which can be applied to real-time intra-treatment lung tumor localization. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health Grant No. R01-CA184173 and a grant from Varian Medical Systems.« less

A Unified Approach to Genotype Imputation and Haplotype-Phase Inference for Large Data Sets of Trios and Unrelated Individuals

PubMed Central

Browning, Brian L.; Browning, Sharon R.

2009-01-01

We present methods for imputing data for ungenotyped markers and for inferring haplotype phase in large data sets of unrelated individuals and parent-offspring trios. Our methods make use of known haplotype phase when it is available, and our methods are computationally efficient so that the full information in large reference panels with thousands of individuals is utilized. We demonstrate that substantial gains in imputation accuracy accrue with increasingly large reference panel sizes, particularly when imputing low-frequency variants, and that unphased reference panels can provide highly accurate genotype imputation. We place our methodology in a unified framework that enables the simultaneous use of unphased and phased data from trios and unrelated individuals in a single analysis. For unrelated individuals, our imputation methods produce well-calibrated posterior genotype probabilities and highly accurate allele-frequency estimates. For trios, our haplotype-inference method is four orders of magnitude faster than the gold-standard PHASE program and has excellent accuracy. Our methods enable genotype imputation to be performed with unphased trio or unrelated reference panels, thus accounting for haplotype-phase uncertainty in the reference panel. We present a useful measure of imputation accuracy, allelic R2, and show that this measure can be estimated accurately from posterior genotype probabilities. Our methods are implemented in version 3.0 of the BEAGLE software package. PMID:19200528

Self-Nulling Beam Combiner Using No External Phase Inverter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloemhof, Eric E.

2010-01-01

A self-nulling beam combiner is proposed that completely eliminates the phase inversion subsystem from the nulling interferometer, and instead uses the intrinsic phase shifts in the beam splitters. Simplifying the flight instrument in this way will be a valuable enhancement of mission reliability. The tighter tolerances on R = T (R being reflection and T being transmission coefficients) required by the self-nulling configuration actually impose no new constraints on the architecture, as two adaptive nullers must be situated between beam splitters to correct small errors in the coatings. The new feature is exploiting the natural phase shifts in beam combiners to achieve the 180 phase inversion necessary for nulling. The advantage over prior art is that an entire subsystem, the field-flipping optics, can be eliminated. For ultimate simplicity in the flight instrument, one might fabricate coatings to very high tolerances and dispense with the adaptive nullers altogether, with all their moving parts, along with the field flipper subsystem. A single adaptive nuller upstream of the beam combiner may be required to correct beam train errors (systematic noise), but in some circumstances phase chopping reduces these errors substantially, and there may be ways to further reduce the chop residuals. Though such coatings are beyond the current state of the art, the mechanical simplicity and robustness of a flight system without field flipper or adaptive nullers would perhaps justify considerable effort on coating fabrication.

Effect of Structural Relaxation on the In-Plane Electrical Resistance of Oxygen-Underdoped ReBaCuO (Re = Y, Ho) Single Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vovk, Ruslan V.; Vovk, Nikolaj R.; Dobrovolskiy, Oleksandr V.

2014-05-01

The effect of jumpwise temperature variation and room-temperature storing on the basal-plane electrical resistivity of underdoped ReBaCuO (Re = Y, Ho) single crystals is investigated. Reducing the oxygen content has been revealed to lead to the phase segregation accompanied by both, labile component diffusion and structural relaxation in the sample volume. Room-temperature storing of single crystals with different oxygen hypostoichiometries leads to a substantial widening of the rectilinear segment in in conjunction with a narrowing of the temperature range of existence of the pseudogap state. It is established that the excess conductivity obeys an exponential law in a broad temperature range, while the pseudogap's temperature dependence is described satisfactory in the framework of the BCS-BEC crossover theory. Substituting yttrium with holmium essentially effects the charge distribution and the effective interaction in CuO planes, thereby stimulating disordering processes in the oxygen subsystem. This is accompanied by a notable shift of the temperature zones corresponding to transitions of the metal-insulator type and to the regime of manifestation of the pseudogap anomaly.

Observing Optical Plasmons on a Single Nanometer Scale

PubMed Central

Cohen, Moshik; Shavit, Reuven; Zalevsky, Zeev

2014-01-01

The exceptional capability of plasmonic structures to confine light into deep subwavelength volumes has fashioned rapid expansion of interest from both fundamental and applicative perspectives. Surface plasmon nanophotonics enables to investigate light - matter interaction in deep nanoscale and harness electromagnetic and quantum properties of materials, thus opening pathways for tremendous potential applications. However, imaging optical plasmonic waves on a single nanometer scale is yet a substantial challenge mainly due to size and energy considerations. Here, for the first time, we use Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM) under optical illumination to image and characterize plasmonic modes. We experimentally demonstrate unprecedented spatial resolution and measurement sensitivity both on the order of a single nanometer. By comparing experimentally obtained images with theoretical calculation results, we show that KPFM maps may provide valuable information on the phase of the optical near field. Additionally, we propose a theoretical model for the relation between surface plasmons and the material workfunction measured by KPFM. Our findings provide the path for using KPFM for high resolution measurements of optical plasmons, prompting the scientific frontier towards quantum plasmonic imaging on submolecular scales. PMID:24556874

Strain doping: Reversible single-axis control of a complex oxide lattice via helium implantation

DOE PAGES

Guo, Hangwen; Dong, Shuai; Rack, Philip D.; ...

2015-06-25

We report on the use of helium ion implantation to independently control the out-of-plane lattice constant in epitaxial La 0.7Sr 0.3MnO 3 thin films without changing the in-plane lattice constants. The process is reversible by a vacuum anneal. Resistance and magnetization measurements show that even a small increase in the out-of-plane lattice constant of less than 1% can shift the metal-insulator transition and Curie temperatures by more than 100 °C. Unlike conventional epitaxy-based strain tuning methods which are constrained not only by the Poisson effect but by the limited set of available substrates, the present study shows that strain canmore » be independently and continuously controlled along a single axis. This permits novel control over orbital populations through Jahn-Teller effects, as shown by Monte Carlo simulations on a double-exchange model. As a result, the ability to reversibly control a single lattice parameter substantially broadens the phase space for experimental exploration of predictive models and leads to new possibilities for control over materials’ functional properties.« less

Critical behavior of the order-disorder phase transition in β -brass investigated by x-ray scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madsen, A.; Als-Nielsen, J.; Hallmann, J.; Roth, T.; Lu, W.

2016-07-01

β -brass exhibits an archetypical example of an order-disorder transition with a critical behavior that was previously investigated by neutron scattering. The data were well described by the three-dimensional (3d) Ising model but the relatively crude experimental resolution prevented an in-depth examination of the single-length scaling hypothesis, a cornerstone in the theory of critical phenomena. With the development of synchrotron x-ray experiments, high-resolution data could be recorded and surprisingly it was found that the single-length scaling did not hold in most critical systems, possibly due to strain originating from surface defects and/or impurities. In this paper we demonstrate single-length critical behavior using high-resolution x-ray scattering in β -brass. The investigations confirm that β -brass behaves like a 3d Ising system over a wide range of length scales comprising correlated clusters of millions of atoms. To vary the surface sensitivity, experiments have been performed both in Bragg reflection and Laue transmission geometries but without any substantial differences observed in the scaling and critical behavior.

Maturational effect on Functional Movement Screen™ score in adolescent soccer players.

PubMed

Portas, Matthew David; Parkin, Guy; Roberts, James; Batterham, Alan Mark

2016-10-01

The effect of maturity on Functional Movement Screen (FMS) scores in elite, adolescent soccer players was examined. A cross-sectional observational study was completed. Participants were 1163 male English Football League soccer players (age 8-18 years). Players were mid-foundation phase (MF) (U9); late foundation phase (LF) (U10 and U11); early youth development phase (EYD) (U12 and U13); mid-youth development (MYD) phase (U14-U15); Late Youth Development Phase (LYD) (U16) and early professional development phase (EPD) (U18). Age from peak height velocity was estimated and players were categorized as pre- or post-peak height velocity (PHV). To analyse where differences in FMStotal score existed we separated the screen into FMSmove (3 movement tests); FMSflex (2 mobility tests) and FMSstab (2 stability tests). FMStotal median score ranged from 11 at MF to 14 for EPD. There was a substantial increase (10%) in those able to achieve a score of ≥14 on FMStotal in those who were post-PHV compared to pre-PHV. This was explained by a substantial increase in those achieving a score of ≥4 on FMSstab (21%). There was a substantial increase in the proportion of players who achieved the FMStotal threshold of ≥14 with an increase of 47.5 (41.4-53.6)% from the MF phase to the EPD phase due to improvements in FMSmove and FMSstab. PHV and maturity have substantial effects on FMS performance. FMS assessment appears to be invalid for very young players. Findings are relevant to those analyzing movement in soccer players. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method and apparatus for reducing spacecraft instrument induced jitter via multifrequency cancellation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Ketao (Inventor); Uetrecht, David S. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

A method, apparatus, article of manufacture, and a memory structure for compensating for instrument induced spacecraft jitter is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a spacecraft control processor for producing an actuator command signal, a signal generator, for producing a cancellation signal having at least one harmonic having a frequency and an amplitude substantially equal to that of a disturbance harmonic interacting with a spacecraft structural resonance and a phase substantially out of phase with the disturbance harmonic interacting with the spacecraft structural resonance, and at least one spacecraft control actuator, communicatively coupled to the spacecraft control processor and the signal generator for inducing satellite motion according to the actuator command signal and the cancellation signal. The method comprises the steps of generating a cancellation signal having at least one harmonic having a frequency and an amplitude substantially equal to that of a disturbance harmonic interacting with a spacecraft structural resonance and a phase substantially out of phase with the disturbance harmonic interacting with the spacecraft structural resonance, and providing the cancellation signal to a spacecraft control actuator. The apparatus comprises a storage device tangibly embodying the method steps described above.

Effect of heat-treatment conditions on the structure and physicomechanical and chemical properties of a Ni-Cr-Cu-Ti maraging steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bannykh, O. A.; Berezovskaya, V. V.

2007-06-01

The effects of quenching (from 950°C or from 950 and 850°C) and the aging conditions on the structure, properties, and delayed fracture (DF) of 03Kh11N10M2DT maraging steel has been studied by dilatometry, X-ray diffraction, and fracture tests. The DF-crack growth rate is maximal after aging at 400°C irrespective of the quenching conditions, and the corrosion rate is maximal after aging at 350 400°C in the case of single quenching and at 350°C after double quenching. The kinetics and mechanism of the early stages of the decomposition of a supersaturated α solid solution are investigated by electrical-resistance measurements and transmission electron microscopy. In the state after single quenching, aging occurs in two stages at all isothermal heat treatments; in the state after double quenching, aging occurs in one stage at a time exponent n = 0.2 in the Johnson-Mehl equation. Upon aging at 400°C, the intermediate ordered Fe3(Ni,Ti) phase with a complex cubic lattice precipitates, and the intermetallic compound Ni3Ti precipitates upon subsequent aging. Moreover, copper-rich ɛ-phase precipitates form only in the case of single quenching. The substantial increase in the crack growth rate during DF with n < 0.2 is likely to be caused by the formation of Guinier-Preston zones enriched in nickel and titanium.

30 CFR 77.905 - Connection of single-phase loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... COAL MINES Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 77.905 Connection of single-phase loads. Single-phase loads shall be connected phase-to-phase in resistance grounded systems. ...

30 CFR 77.905 - Connection of single-phase loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... COAL MINES Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 77.905 Connection of single-phase loads. Single-phase loads shall be connected phase-to-phase in resistance grounded systems. ...

30 CFR 77.905 - Connection of single-phase loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... COAL MINES Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 77.905 Connection of single-phase loads. Single-phase loads shall be connected phase-to-phase in resistance grounded systems. ...

Adhesive phase separation at the dentin interface under wet bonding conditions.

PubMed

Spencer, Paulette; Wang, Yong

2002-12-05

Under in vivo conditions, there is little control over the amount of water left on the tooth and, thus, there is the danger of leaving the dentin surface so wet that the bonding resin undergoes physical separation into hydrophobic and hydrophilic-rich phases. The purpose of this study was to investigate phase separation in 2,2-bis[4(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloyloxy-propyloxy)-phenyl] propane (BisGMA)-based adhesive using molecular microanalysis and to examine the effect of phase separation on the structural characteristics of the hybrid layer. Model BisGMA/HEMA (hydroxyethl methacrylate) mixtures with/without ethanol and commercial BisGMA-based adhesive (Single Bond) were combined with water at concentrations from 0 to 50 vol%. Macrophase separation in the BisGMA/HEMA/water mixtures was detected using cloud point measurements. In parallel with these measurements, the BisGMA/HEMA and adhesive/water mixtures were cast as films and polymerized. Molecular structure was recorded from the distinct features in the phase-separated adhesive using confocal Raman microspectroscopy (CRM). Human dentin specimens treated with Single Bond were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and CRM mapping across the dentin/adhesive interface. The model BisGMA/HEMA mixtures with ethanol and the commercial BisGMA-based adhesive experienced phase separation at approximately 25 vol% water. Raman spectra collected from the phase-separated adhesive indicated that the composition of the particles and surrounding matrix material was primarily BisGMA and HEMA, respectively. Based on SEM analysis, there was substantial porosity at the adhesive interface with dentin. Micro-Raman spectral analysis of the dentin/adhesive interface indicates that the contribution from the BisGMA component decreases by nearly 50% within the first micrometer. The morphologic results in corroboration with the spectroscopic data suggest that as a result of adhesive phase separation the hybrid layer is not an impervious 3-dimensional collagen/polymer network but a porous web characterized by hydrophobic BisGMA-rich particles distributed in a hydrophilic HEMA-rich matrix. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

30 CFR 77.806 - Connection of single-phase loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... COAL MINES Surface High-Voltage Distribution § 77.806 Connection of single-phase loads. Single-phase loads, such as transformer primaries, shall be connected phase to phase in resistance grounded systems. ...

Early Stages of Oxidative Stress-Induced Membrane Permeabilization: A Neutron Reflectometry Study

PubMed Central

Smith, Hillary L.; Howland, Michael C.; Szmodis, Alan W.; Li, Qijuan; Daemen, Luke L.; Parikh, Atul N.; Majewski, Jaroslaw

2009-01-01

Neutron reflectometry was used to probe in situ the structure of supported lipid bilayers at the solid–liquid interface during the early stages of UV-induced oxidative degradation. Single-component supported lipid bilayers composed of gel phase, dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), and fluid phase, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), phospholipids were exposed to low-dose oxidative stress generated by UV light and their structures were examined by neutron reflectometry. An interrupted illumination mode, involving exposures in 15 min increments with 2 h intervals between subsequent exposures, and a continuous mode involving a single 60 (or 90) min exposure period were employed. In both cases, pronounced differences in the structure of the lipid bilayer after exposure were observed. Interrupted exposure led to a substantial decrease in membrane coverage but preserved its total thickness at reduced scattering length densities. These results indicate that the initial phase during UV-induced membrane degradation involves the formation of hydrophilic channels within the membrane. This is consistent with the loss of some lipid molecules we observe and attendant reorganization of residual lipids forming hemimicellar edges of the hydrophilic channels. In contrast, continuous illumination produced a graded interface of continuously varied scattering length density (and hence hydrocarbon density) extending 100–150 Å into the liquid phase. Exposure of a DPPC bilayer to UV light in the presence of a reservoir of unfused vesicles showed low net membrane disintegration during oxidative stress, presumably because of surface back-filling from the bulk reservoir. Chemical evidence for membrane degradation was obtained by mass spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Further evidence for the formation of hydrophilic channels was furnished by fluorescence microscopy and imaging ellipsometry data. PMID:19275260

Probing the regional distribution of pulmonary gas exchange through single-breath gas- and dissolved-phase 129Xe MR imaging.

PubMed

Kaushik, S Sivaram; Freeman, Matthew S; Cleveland, Zackary I; Davies, John; Stiles, Jane; Virgincar, Rohan S; Robertson, Scott H; He, Mu; Kelly, Kevin T; Foster, W Michael; McAdams, H Page; Driehuys, Bastiaan

2013-09-01

Although some central aspects of pulmonary function (ventilation and perfusion) are known to be heterogeneous, the distribution of diffusive gas exchange remains poorly characterized. A solution is offered by hyperpolarized 129Xe magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, because this gas can be separately detected in the lung's air spaces and dissolved in its tissues. Early dissolved-phase 129Xe images exhibited intensity gradients that favored the dependent lung. To quantitatively corroborate this finding, we developed an interleaved, three-dimensional radial sequence to image the gaseous and dissolved 129Xe distributions in the same breath. These images were normalized and divided to calculate "129Xe gas-transfer" maps. We hypothesized that, for healthy volunteers, 129Xe gas-transfer maps would retain the previously observed posture-dependent gradients. This was tested in nine subjects: when the subjects were supine, 129Xe gas transfer exhibited a posterior-anterior gradient of -2.00 ± 0.74%/cm; when the subjects were prone, the gradient reversed to 1.94 ± 1.14%/cm (P < 0.001). The 129Xe gas-transfer maps also exhibited significant heterogeneity, as measured by the coefficient of variation, that correlated with subject total lung capacity (r = 0.77, P = 0.015). Gas-transfer intensity varied nonmonotonically with slice position and increased in slices proximal to the main pulmonary arteries. Despite substantial heterogeneity, the mean gas transfer for all subjects was 1.00 ± 0.01 while supine and 1.01 ± 0.01 while prone (P = 0.25), indicating good "matching" between gas- and dissolved-phase distributions. This study demonstrates that single-breath gas- and dissolved-phase 129Xe MR imaging yields 129Xe gas-transfer maps that are sensitive to altered gas exchange caused by differences in lung inflation and posture.

Effect of hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of a single dose of cilostazol.

PubMed

Bramer, S L; Forbes, W P

1999-01-01

The pharmacokinetic profiles of cilostazol and its metabolites following a single oral dose of cilostazol 100 mg were compared between individuals with impaired and normal liver function. The study was conducted as a single-centre, open-label, single dose pharmacokinetic and tolerability trial. 12 patients with impaired and compensated liver function were compared with 12 volunteers with normal liver function. Participants in each group were matched for gender, age and weight. Of the 12 patients with hepatic impairment examined in this study, 10 had mild impairment (Child-Pugh class A) and 2 had moderate impairment (Child-Pugh class B). Blood and urine were collected up to 144 hours after drug administration. Pharmacokinetics were determined by noncompartmental methods. Protein binding did not differ between the groups (95.2% healthy volunteers, 94.6% hepatically impaired patients). Mean +/- SD unbound oral clearance of cilostazol decreased by 8.6% because of hepatic impairment (3380 +/- 1400 ml/min in healthy volunteers, 3260 +/- 2030 ml/min in hepatically impaired patients). Total urinary excretion of metabolites was significantly higher in healthy volunteers (26 vs 17% of dose). Overall, the pharmacokinetics of cilostazol and its metabolites, OPC-13213 and OPC-13015, were not substantially different in those with mild and moderate hepatic disease compared with values in healthy volunteers. Except for terminal-phase disposition half-life and apparent terminal-phase volume of distribution for cilostazol, the ratios of geometric means of pharmacokinetic parameters for plasma cilostazol, OPC-13213 and OPC-13015 in those with hepatic impairment versus healthy volunteers were close to 100%. Based on the results of the pharmacokinetic analysis, dose adjustment in patients with mild hepatic impairment is not necessary. However, caution should be exercised when cilostazol is administered to patients with moderate or severe hepatic impairment.

Safety and efficacy of oral DMSA therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders: Part A - Medical results

PubMed Central

Adams, James B; Baral, Matthew; Geis, Elizabeth; Mitchell, Jessica; Ingram, Julie; Hensley, Andrea; Zappia, Irene; Newmark, Sanford; Gehn, Eva; Rubin, Robert A; Mitchell, Ken; Bradstreet, Jeff; El-Dahr, Jane

2009-01-01

Background This study investigated the effect of oral dimercapto succinic acid (DMSA) therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders ages 3-8 years. Methods Phase 1 involved 65 children who received one round of DMSA (3 days). Participants who had high urinary excretion of toxic metals were selected to continue on to phase 2. In phase 2, 49 participants were randomly assigned in a double-blind design to receive an additional 6 rounds of either DMSA or placebo. Results DMSA greatly increased the excretion of lead, substantially increased excretion of tin and bismuth, and somewhat increased the excretion of thallium, mercury, antimony, and tungsten. There was some increase in urinary excretion of essential minerals, especially potassium and chromium. The Phase 1 single round of DMSA led to a dramatic normalization of RBC glutathione in almost all cases, and greatly improved abnormal platelet counts, suggesting a significant decrease in inflammation. Conclusion Overall, DMSA therapy seems to be reasonably safe, effective in removing several toxic metals (especially lead), dramatically effective in normalizing RBC glutathione, and effective in normalizing platelet counts. Only 1 round (3 days) was sufficient to improve glutathione and platelets. Additional rounds increased excretion of toxic metals. PMID:19852789

Improvement of oxygen storage properties of hexagonal YMnO3+δ by microstructural modifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klimkowicz, Alicja; Świerczek, Konrad; Kobayashi, Shuntaro; Takasaki, Akito; Allahyani, Wadiah; Dabrowski, Bogdan

2018-02-01

Hexagonal YMnO3+δ is shown to be an effective temperature-swing oxygen storage material working at low temperatures (150-300 °C) in pure oxygen if adequately processed or obtained having sub-micrometer primary particles with limited number of big agglomerates. A substantial increase of a practical oxygen storage capacity is observed for a sample synthesized by a solid-state method, which was subjected to a high impact mechanical milling. However, even better properties can be achieved for the sol-gel technique-produced YMnO3+δ. The reversible incorporation and release of the oxygen is associated with a structural transformation between stoichiometric YMnO3 (Hex0) phase and a mixture of oxygen-loaded Hex1 with δ ≈ 0.28 and Hex2 with δ ≈ 0.41 phases, as documented by in situ structural X-ray diffraction studies, supported by thermogravimetric experiments. Contrary to HoMnO3+δ, it was not possible to obtain single phase Hex1 material in oxygen, as well as to oxidize YMnO3 in air. Results confirm crucial role of the ionic size of rare earth element Ln on the oxygen storage-related properties and stability of the oxygen-loaded LnMnO3+δ phases.

Role of passive deformation on propulsion through a lumped torsional flexibility model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arora, Nipun; Gupta, Amit

2016-11-01

Scientists and biologists have been affianced in a deeper examination of insect flight to develop an improved understanding of the role of flexibility on aerodynamic performance. Here, we mimic a flapping wing through a fluid-structure interaction framework based upon a lumped torsional flexibility model. The developed fluid and structural solvers together determine the aerodynamic forces and wing deformation, respectively. An analytical solution to the simplified single-spring structural dynamics equation is established to substantiate simulations. It is revealed that the dynamics of structural deformation is governed by the balance between inertia, stiffness and aerodynamics, where the former two oscillate at the plunging frequency and the latter oscillates at twice the plunging frequency. We demonstrate that an induced phase difference between plunging and passive pitching is responsible for a higher thrust coefficient. This phase difference is also shown to be dependent on aerodynamics to inertia and natural to plunging frequency ratios. For inertia dominated flows, pitching and plunging always remain in phase. As the aerodynamics dominates, a large phase difference is induced which is accountable for a large passive deformation and higher thrust. Authors acknowledge the financial support received from the Aeronautics Research and Development Board (ARDB) under SIGMA Project No. 1705 and thank the IIT Delhi HPC facility for computational resources.

Preparation and Thermoelectric Properties of the Skutterudite-Related Phase Ru(0.5)Pd(0.5)Sb3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caillat, T.; Kulleck, J.; Borshchevsky, A.; Fleurial, J.-P.

1996-01-01

A new skutterudite phase Ru(0.5)Pd(0.5)Sb3 was prepared. This new phase adds to a large number of already known materials with the skutterudite structure which have shown good potential for thermoelectric applications. Single phase, polycrystalline samples were prepared and characterized by x-ray analysis, electron probe microanalysis, density, sound velocity, thermal-expansion coefficient, and differential thermal analysis measurements. Ru(0.5)Pd(0.5)Sb3 has a cubic lattice, space group Im3 (T(sup 5, sub h)), with a = 9.298 A and decomposes at about 920 K. The Seebeck coefficient, the electrical resistivity, the Hall effect, and the thermal conductivity were measured on hot-pressed samples over a wide range of temperatures. Preliminary results show that Ru(0.5)Pd(0.5)Sb3 behaves as a heavily doped semiconductor with an estimated band gap of about 0.6 eV. The lattice thermal conductivity of Ru(0.5)Pd(0.5)Sb3 is substantially lower than that of the binary isostructural compounds CoSb3 and IrSb3. The unusually low thermal conductivity might be explained by additional hole and charge transfer phonon scattering in this material. The potential of this material for thermoelectric applications is discussed.

Phase-resolved analysis of the susceptibility of pinned spiral waves to far-field pacing in a two-dimensional model of excitable media

PubMed Central

Bittihn, Philip; Squires, Amgad; Luther, Gisa; Bodenschatz, Eberhard; Krinsky, Valentin; Parlitz, Ulrich; Luther, Stefan

2010-01-01

Life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias are associated with the existence of stable and unstable spiral waves. Termination of such complex spatio-temporal patterns by local control is substantially limited by anchoring of spiral waves at natural heterogeneities. Far-field pacing (FFP) is a new local control strategy that has been shown to be capable of unpinning waves from obstacles. In this article, we investigate in detail the FFP unpinning mechanism for a single rotating wave pinned to a heterogeneity. We identify qualitatively different phase regimes of the rotating wave showing that the concept of vulnerability is important but not sufficient to explain the failure of unpinning in all cases. Specifically, we find that a reduced excitation threshold can lead to the failure of unpinning, even inside the vulnerable window. The critical value of the excitation threshold (below which no unpinning is possible) decreases for higher electric field strengths and larger obstacles. In contrast, for a high excitation threshold, the success of unpinning is determined solely by vulnerability, allowing for a convenient estimation of the unpinning success rate. In some cases, we also observe phase resetting in discontinuous phase intervals of the spiral wave. This effect is important for the application of multiple stimuli in experiments. PMID:20368243

Single-stage plasma-based correlated energy spread compensation for ultrahigh 6D brightness electron beams

PubMed Central

Manahan, G. G.; Habib, A. F.; Scherkl, P.; Delinikolas, P.; Beaton, A.; Knetsch, A.; Karger, O.; Wittig, G.; Heinemann, T.; Sheng, Z. M.; Cary, J. R.; Bruhwiler, D. L.; Rosenzweig, J. B.; Hidding, B.

2017-01-01

Plasma photocathode wakefield acceleration combines energy gains of tens of GeV m−1 with generation of ultralow emittance electron bunches, and opens a path towards 5D-brightness orders of magnitude larger than state-of-the-art. This holds great promise for compact accelerator building blocks and advanced light sources. However, an intrinsic by-product of the enormous electric field gradients inherent to plasma accelerators is substantial correlated energy spread—an obstacle for key applications such as free-electron-lasers. Here we show that by releasing an additional tailored escort electron beam at a later phase of the acceleration, when the witness bunch is relativistically stable, the plasma wave can be locally overloaded without compromising the witness bunch normalized emittance. This reverses the effective accelerating gradient, and counter-rotates the accumulated negative longitudinal phase space chirp of the witness bunch. Thereby, the energy spread is reduced by an order of magnitude, thus enabling the production of ultrahigh 6D-brightness beams. PMID:28580954

Multicomponent homogeneous alloys and method for making same

DOEpatents

Dutta, Partha S.; Miller, Thomas R.

2003-09-02

The present application discloses a method for preparing a homogeneous ternary or quaternary alloy from a quaternary melt. The method includes providing a family of phase diagrams for the quaternary melt which shows (i) composition/temperature data, (ii) tie lines connecting equilibrium liquid and solid compositions, and (iii) isotherms representing boundaries of a miscibility gap. Based on the family of phase diagrams, a quaternary melt composition and an alloy growth temperature is selected. A quaternary melt having the selected quaternary melt composition is provided and a ternary or quaternary alloy is grown from the quaternary melt at the selected alloy growth temperature. A method for making homogeneous ternary or quaternary alloy from a ternary or quaternary melt is also disclosed, as are homogeneous quaternary single-crystal alloys which are substantially free from crystal defects and which have the formula A.sub.x B.sub.1-x C.sub.y D.sub.1-y, x and y being the same or different and in the range of 0.001 to 0.999.

High Temperature Multilayer Environmental Barrier Coatings Deposited Via Plasma Spray-Physical Vapor Deposition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harder, Bryan James; Zhu, Dongming; Schmitt, Michael P.; Wolfe, Douglas E.

2014-01-01

Si-based ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) require environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) in combustion environments to avoid rapid material loss. Candidate EBC materials have use temperatures only marginally above current technology, but the addition of a columnar oxide topcoat can substantially increase the durability. Plasma Spray-Physical Vapor Deposition (PS-PVD) allows application of these multilayer EBCs in a single process. The PS-PVD technique is a unique method that combines conventional thermal spray and vapor phase methods, allowing for tailoring of thin, dense layers or columnar microstructures by varying deposition conditions. Multilayer coatings were deposited on CMC specimens and assessed for durability under high heat flux and load. Coated samples with surface temperatures ranging from 2400-2700F and 10 ksi loads using the high heat flux laser rigs at NASA Glenn. Coating morphology was characterized in the as-sprayed condition and after thermomechanical loading using electron microscopy and the phase structure was tracked using X-ray diffraction.

Differential detection in quadrature-quadrature phase shift keying (Q2PSK) systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Ghandour, Osama M.; Saha, Debabrata

1991-05-01

A generalized quadrature-quadrature phase shift keying (Q2PSK) signaling format is considered for differential encoding and differential detection. Performance in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) is analyzed. Symbol error rate is found to be approximately twice the symbol error rate in a quaternary DPSK system operating at the same Eb/N0. However, the bandwidth efficiency of differential Q2PSK is substantially higher than that of quaternary DPSK. When the error is due to AWGN, the ratio of double error rate to single error rate can be very high, and the ratio may approach zero at high SNR. To improve error rate, differential detection through maximum-likelihood decoding based on multiple or N symbol observations is considered. If N and SNR are large this decoding gives a 3-dB advantage in error rate over conventional N = 2 differential detection, fully recovering the energy loss (as compared to coherent detection) if the observation is extended to a large number of symbol durations.

Single-stage plasma-based correlated energy spread compensation for ultrahigh 6D brightness electron beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manahan, G. G.; Habib, A. F.; Scherkl, P.; Delinikolas, P.; Beaton, A.; Knetsch, A.; Karger, O.; Wittig, G.; Heinemann, T.; Sheng, Z. M.; Cary, J. R.; Bruhwiler, D. L.; Rosenzweig, J. B.; Hidding, B.

2017-06-01

Plasma photocathode wakefield acceleration combines energy gains of tens of GeV m-1 with generation of ultralow emittance electron bunches, and opens a path towards 5D-brightness orders of magnitude larger than state-of-the-art. This holds great promise for compact accelerator building blocks and advanced light sources. However, an intrinsic by-product of the enormous electric field gradients inherent to plasma accelerators is substantial correlated energy spread--an obstacle for key applications such as free-electron-lasers. Here we show that by releasing an additional tailored escort electron beam at a later phase of the acceleration, when the witness bunch is relativistically stable, the plasma wave can be locally overloaded without compromising the witness bunch normalized emittance. This reverses the effective accelerating gradient, and counter-rotates the accumulated negative longitudinal phase space chirp of the witness bunch. Thereby, the energy spread is reduced by an order of magnitude, thus enabling the production of ultrahigh 6D-brightness beams.

Synthesis, Structure and bonding Analysis of the Polar Intermetallic Phase Ca2Pt2Cd

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

Samal, Saroj L.; Corbett, John D.

The polar intermetallic phase Ca2Pt2Cd was discovered during explorations of the Ca-Pt-Cd system. The compound was synthesized by high temperature reactions, and its structure refined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction as orthorhombic, Immm, a = 4.4514(5), b = 5.8415(6), c = 8.5976(9) Å, Z = 2. The structure formally contains infinite, planar networks of [Pt2Cd]4– along the ab plane, which can be described as tessellation of six and four-member rings of the anions, with cations stuffed between the anion layers. The infinite condensed platinum chains show a substantial long–short distortion of 0.52 Å, an appreciable difference between Ca2Pt2Cd (26 valence electrons)more » and the isotypic but regular Ca2Cu2Ga (29 VE). The relatively large cation proportion diminishes the usual dominance of polar (Pt–Cd) and 5d–5d (Pt–Pt) contributions to the total Hamilton populations.« less

Mechanochemical Synthesis and Thermoelectric Properties of Magnesium Silicide and Related Alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bux, Sabah K. (Inventor); Fleurial, Jean-Pierre (Inventor); Kaner, Richard B. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

The present invention provides a method of making a substantially phase pure compound including a cation and an anion. The compound is made by mixing in a ball-milling device a first amount of the anion with a first amount of the cation that is less than the stoichiometric amount of the cation, so that substantially all of the first amount of the cation is consumed. The compound is further made by mixing in a ball-milling device a second amount of the cation that is less than the stoichiometric amount of the cation with the mixture remaining in the device. The mixing is continued until substantially all of the second amount of the cation and any unreacted portion of anion X are consumed to afford the substantially phase pure compound.

30 CFR 75.905 - Connection of single-phase loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Alternating Current Circuits § 75.905 Connection of single-phase loads. [Statutory Provisions] Single-phase... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Connection of single-phase loads. 75.905 Section 75.905 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE...

30 CFR 75.905 - Connection of single-phase loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Alternating Current Circuits § 75.905 Connection of single-phase loads. [Statutory Provisions] Single-phase... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Connection of single-phase loads. 75.905 Section 75.905 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE...

Single phase computed tomography is equivalent to dual phase method for localizing hyperfunctioning parathyroid glands in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism: a retrospective review

PubMed Central

Morón, Fanny; Delumpa, Alfred; Guffey, Danielle; Dunaway, David

2017-01-01

Objective This study aims to compare the sensitivity of dual phase (non-contrast and arterial) versus single phase (arterial) CT for detection of hyper-functioning parathyroid glands in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. Methods The CT scans of thirty-two patients who have biochemical evidence of primary hyperparathyroidism, pathologically proven parathyroid adenomas, and pre-operative multiphase parathyroid imaging were evaluated retrospectively in order to compare the adequacy of single phase vs. dual phase CT scans for the detection of parathyroid adenomas. Results The parathyroid adenomas were localized in 83% of cases on single arterial phase CT and 80% of cases on dual phase CT. The specificity for localization of parathyroid tumor was 96% for single phase CT and 97% for dual phase CT. The results were not significantly different (p = 0.695). These results are similar to those found in the literature for multiphase CT of 55–94%. Conclusions Our study supports the use of a single arterial phase CT for the detection of hyperfunctioning parathyroid adenomas. Advances in knowledge: a single arterial phase CT has similar sensitivity for localizing parathyroid adenomas as dual phase CT and significantly reduces radiation dose to the patient. PMID:28828238

Precluding nonlinear ISI in direct detection long-haul fiber optic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swenson, Norman L.; Shoop, Barry L.; Cioffi, John M.

1991-01-01

Long-distance, high-rate fiber optic systems employing directly modulated 1.55-micron single-mode lasers and conventional single-mode fiber suffer severe intersymbol interference (ISI) with a large nonlinear component. A method of reducing the nonlinearity of the ISI, thereby making linear equalization more viable, is investigated. It is shown that the degree of nonlinearity is highly dependent on the choice of laser bias current, and that in some cases the ISI nonlinearity can be significantly reduced by biasing the laser substantially above threshold. Simulation results predict that an increase in signal-to-nonlinear-distortion ratio as high as 25 dB can be achieved for synchronously spaced samples at an optimal sampling phase by increasing the bias current from 1.2 times threshold to 3.5 times threshold. The high SDR indicates that a linear tapped delay line equalizer could be used to mitigate ISI. Furthermore, the shape of the pulse response suggests that partial response precoding and digital feedback equalization would be particularly effective for this channel.

Pressure-induced nano-crystallization of silicate garnets from glass

PubMed Central

Irifune, T.; Kawakami, K.; Arimoto, T.; Ohfuji, H.; Kunimoto, T.; Shinmei, T.

2016-01-01

Transparent ceramics are important for scientific and industrial applications because of the superior optical and mechanical properties. It has been suggested that optical transparency and mechanical strength are substantially enhanced if transparent ceramics with nano-crystals are available. However, synthesis of the highly transparent nano-crystalline ceramics has been difficult using conventional sintering techniques at relatively low pressures. Here we show direct conversion from bulk glass starting material in mutianvil high-pressure apparatus leads to pore-free nano-polycrystalline silicate garnet at pressures above ∼10 GPa in a limited temperature range around 1,400 °C. The synthesized nano-polycrystalline garnet is optically as transparent as the single crystal for almost the entire visible light range and harder than the single crystal by ∼30%. The ultrahigh-pressure conversion technique should provide novel functional ceramics having various crystal structures, including those of high-pressure phases, as well as ideal specimens for some mineral physics applications. PMID:27924866

Benefits of rotational ground motions for planetary seismology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donner, S.; Joshi, R.; Hadziioannou, C.; Nunn, C.; van Driel, M.; Schmelzbach, C.; Wassermann, J. M.; Igel, H.

2017-12-01

Exploring the internal structure of planetary objects is fundamental to understand the evolution of our solar system. In contrast to Earth, planetary seismology is hampered by the limited number of stations available, often just a single one. Classic seismology is based on the measurement of three components of translational ground motion. Its methods are mainly developed for a larger number of available stations. Therefore, the application of classical seismological methods to other planets is very limited. Here, we show that the additional measurement of three components of rotational ground motion could substantially improve the situation. From sparse or single station networks measuring translational and rotational ground motions it is possible to obtain additional information on structure and source. This includes direct information on local subsurface seismic velocities, separation of seismic phases, propagation direction of seismic energy, crustal scattering properties, as well as moment tensor source parameters for regional sources. The potential of this methodology will be highlighted through synthetic forward and inverse modeling experiments.

Magnetic properties of co-precipitated hexaferrite powders with Sm-Co substitutions optimized with the molten flux method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serletis, C.; Litsardakis, G.; Pavlidou, E.; Efthimiadis, K. G.

2017-11-01

In this work, using the chemical coprecipitation method, Sr1-xSmxFe12-xCoxO19 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2) hexaferrite powders were prepared. Major magnetization loops were recorded at room temperature in order to determine the correct calcination temperature for optimum hard magnetic properties. It is found that a small degree of substitution increases substantially the coercive field. Also, the use of the molten flux calcination method increases the remanent magnetization. SEM/EDXS and XRD measurements were performed at the calcined powders: the results show that a single hexaferrite phase is formed and that the substituted powders consist of an assembly of grains with a mean diameter of 40 nm. Measurements of minor magnetization loops and of the temperature and time dependence of the magnetization confirm that the powders consist of a non-oriented single domain magnetic particles assembly. The results indicate that Sm could be a viable replacement for La in the manufacturing of hexaferrites with a high-energy product.

The RecF protein antagonizes RecX function via direct interaction

PubMed Central

Lusetti, Shelley L.; Hobbs, Michael D.; Stohl, Elizabeth A.; Chitteni-Pattu, Sindhu; Inman, Ross B.; Seifert, H. Steven; Cox, Michael M.

2014-01-01

Summary The RecX protein inhibits RecA filament extension leading to net filament disassembly. The RecF protein physically interacts with the RecX protein and protects RecA from the inhibitory effects of RecX. In vitro, efficient RecA filament formation onto SSB-coated circular single-stranded DNA in the presence of RecX occurs only when all of the RecFOR proteins are present. The RecOR proteins contribute only to RecA filament nucleation onto SSB-coated single-stranded DNA and are unable to counter the inhibitory effects of RecX on RecA filaments. RecF protein uniquely supports substantial RecA filament extension in the presence of RecX. In vivo, RecF protein counters a RecX-mediated inhibition of plasmid recombination. Thus, a significant positive contribution of RecF to RecA filament assembly is to antagonize the effects of the negative modulator, RecX, specifically during the extension phase. PMID:16387652

Precursor dynamics in the ferroelectric phase transition of barium titanate single crystals studied by Brillouin light scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Jae-Hyeon; Kim, Tae Hyun; Roleder, K.; Rytz, D.; Kojima, Seiji

2011-09-01

The acoustic anomalies and precursor dynamics of high-quality barium titanate single crystals were investigated by Brillouin light scattering and the birefringence measurements in the paraelectric phase above the cubic-to-tetragonal ferroelectric phase transition temperature (Tc). Two elastic stiffness coefficients C11 and C44, the related sound velocities, and their absorption coefficients were determined from Tc to 400∘C for the first time. The longitudinal acoustic (LA) mode showed a substantial softening over a wide temperature range above Tc which was accompanied by a remarkable increase in the acoustic damping as well as growth of central peaks. The broad central peak (CP) exhibited a two-mode and one-mode behavior in the paraelectric and ferroelectric phase, respectively, which was consistent with recent far-infrared reflectivity measurements and first-principle-based calculations [Ponomareva , Phys. Rev. BPRBMDO1098-012110.1103/PhysRevB.77.012102 77, 012102 (2008)]. The acoustic anomalies and CP behavior were correlated with the anomalous birefringence, piezoelectric effect, and the deviation of the Curie-Weiss law observed from the same crystal. This strongly indicates similarity between the dynamics of polar clusters in typical ferroelectrics and the dynamics of polar nanoregions in relaxors, consistent with recent acoustic emission measurements [Dul’kin , Appl. Phys. Lett.APPLAB0003-695110.1063/1.3464968 97, 032903 (2010)]. The relaxation times estimated from the central peak and the LA mode anomalies exhibited similar temperature dependences with comparable orders of magnitude, indicating that the polarization fluctuations due to the precursor polar clusters couples to the LA mode through density fluctuations. All these anomalies share common microscopic origin, correlated Ti off-centered motions forming polar clusters having local symmetry breaking in the paraelectric phase. The existence of the polar clusters were directly evidenced by the temperature evolution of the precise birefringence map. The narrow central peak within ±5 GHz proposed before was not confirmed to exist in the present study.

Multi-point laser ignition device

DOEpatents

McIntyre, Dustin L.; Woodruff, Steven D.

2017-01-17

A multi-point laser device comprising a plurality of optical pumping sources. Each optical pumping source is configured to create pumping excitation energy along a corresponding optical path directed through a high-reflectivity mirror and into substantially different locations within the laser media thereby producing atomic optical emissions at substantially different locations within the laser media and directed along a corresponding optical path of the optical pumping source. An output coupler and one or more output lenses are configured to produce a plurality of lasing events at substantially different times, locations or a combination thereof from the multiple atomic optical emissions produced at substantially different locations within the laser media. The laser media is a single continuous media, preferably grown on a single substrate.

Structural, dielectric and impedance characteristics of lanthanum-modified BiFeO3-PbTiO3 electronic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, S. K.; Das, S. N.; Bhuyan, S.; Behera, C.; Padhee, R.; Choudhary, R. N. P.

2016-06-01

A lanthanum-modified BiFeO3-PbTiO3 binary electronic system has been fabricated by a high-temperature solid-state reaction technique. The structural, dielectric and electrical properties of a single phase of multicomponent system are investigated to understand its ferroelectrics as well as relaxation behavior. The X-ray diffraction structural analysis substantiates the formation of a new stable phase of tetragonal system (with a large c/a ratio 1.23) without any trace of impurity phase. The electrical behavior of the processed material is characterized through impedance spectroscopy in a wide frequency range (1 kHz-1 MHz) over a temperature range of 25-500 °C. It is observed that the substitution of lanthanum-modified PbTiO3 (PT) into BiFeO3 (BFO) reveals enviable multiferroic property which is evident from the ME coefficient measurement and ferroelectric loop. It also reduces the electrical leakage current or tangent loss. The ac conductivity of the solid solution increases with increase in frequency in the low-temperature region. The impedance spectroscopy of the synthesized material reflects the dielectric relaxation of non-Debye type.

Method for producing microcomposite powders using a soap solution

DOEpatents

Maginnis, Michael A.; Robinson, David A.

1996-01-01

A method for producing microcomposite powders for use in superconducting and non-superconducting applications. A particular method to produce microcomposite powders for use in superconducting applications includes the steps of: (a) preparing a solution including ammonium soap; (b) dissolving a preselected amount of a soluble metallic such as silver nitrate in the solution including ammonium soap to form a first solution; (c) adding a primary phase material such as a single phase YBC superconducting material in particle form to the first solution; (d) preparing a second solution formed from a mixture of a weak acid and an alkyl-mono-ether; (e) adding the second solution to the first solution to form a resultant mixture; (f) allowing the resultant mixture to set until the resultant mixture begins to cloud and thicken into a gel precipitating around individual particles of the primary phase material; (g) thereafter drying the resultant mixture to form a YBC superconducting material/silver nitrate precursor powder; and (h) calcining the YBC superconducting material/silver nitrate precursor powder to convert the silver nitrate to silver and thereby form a YBC/silver microcomposite powder wherein the silver is substantially uniformly dispersed in the matrix of the YBC material.

Mixing of secondary organic aerosols versus relative humidity

PubMed Central

Ye, Qing; Robinson, Ellis Shipley; Ding, Xiang; Ye, Penglin

2016-01-01

Atmospheric aerosols exert a substantial influence on climate, ecosystems, visibility, and human health. Although secondary organic aerosols (SOA) dominate fine-particle mass, they comprise myriad compounds with uncertain sources, chemistry, and interactions. SOA formation involves absorption of vapors into particles, either because gas-phase chemistry produces low-volatility or semivolatile products that partition into particles or because more-volatile organics enter particles and react to form lower-volatility products. Thus, SOA formation involves both production of low-volatility compounds and their diffusion into particles. Most chemical transport models assume a single well-mixed phase of condensing organics and an instantaneous equilibrium between bulk gas and particle phases; however, direct observations constraining diffusion of semivolatile organics into particles containing SOA are scarce. Here we perform unique mixing experiments between SOA populations including semivolatile constituents using quantitative, single-particle mass spectrometry to probe any mass-transfer limitations in particles containing SOA. We show that, for several hours, particles containing SOA from toluene oxidation resist exchange of semivolatile constituents at low relative humidity (RH) but start to lose that resistance above 20% RH. Above 40% RH, the exchange of material remains constant up to 90% RH. We also show that dry particles containing SOA from α-pinene ozonolysis do not appear to resist exchange of semivolatile compounds. Our interpretation is that in-particle diffusion is not rate-limiting to mass transfer in these systems above 40% RH. To the extent that these systems are representative of ambient SOA, we conclude that diffusion limitations are likely not common under typical ambient boundary layer conditions. PMID:27791066

Mixing of secondary organic aerosols versus relative humidity.

PubMed

Ye, Qing; Robinson, Ellis Shipley; Ding, Xiang; Ye, Penglin; Sullivan, Ryan C; Donahue, Neil M

2016-10-24

Atmospheric aerosols exert a substantial influence on climate, ecosystems, visibility, and human health. Although secondary organic aerosols (SOA) dominate fine-particle mass, they comprise myriad compounds with uncertain sources, chemistry, and interactions. SOA formation involves absorption of vapors into particles, either because gas-phase chemistry produces low-volatility or semivolatile products that partition into particles or because more-volatile organics enter particles and react to form lower-volatility products. Thus, SOA formation involves both production of low-volatility compounds and their diffusion into particles. Most chemical transport models assume a single well-mixed phase of condensing organics and an instantaneous equilibrium between bulk gas and particle phases; however, direct observations constraining diffusion of semivolatile organics into particles containing SOA are scarce. Here we perform unique mixing experiments between SOA populations including semivolatile constituents using quantitative, single-particle mass spectrometry to probe any mass-transfer limitations in particles containing SOA. We show that, for several hours, particles containing SOA from toluene oxidation resist exchange of semivolatile constituents at low relative humidity (RH) but start to lose that resistance above 20% RH. Above 40% RH, the exchange of material remains constant up to 90% RH. We also show that dry particles containing SOA from α-pinene ozonolysis do not appear to resist exchange of semivolatile compounds. Our interpretation is that in-particle diffusion is not rate-limiting to mass transfer in these systems above 40% RH. To the extent that these systems are representative of ambient SOA, we conclude that diffusion limitations are likely not common under typical ambient boundary layer conditions.

Plant-water relationships in the Great Basin Desert of North America derived from Pinus monophylla hourly dendrometer records.

PubMed

Biondi, Franco; Rossi, Sergio

2015-08-01

Water is the main limiting resource for natural and human systems, but the effect of hydroclimatic variability on woody species in water-limited environments at sub-monthly time scales is not fully understood. Plant-water relationships of single-leaf pinyon pine (Pinus monophylla) were investigated using hourly dendrometer and environmental data from May 2006 to October 2011 in the Great Basin Desert, one of the driest regions of North America. Average radial stem increments showed an annual range of variation below 1.0 mm, with a monotonic steep increase from May to July that yielded a stem enlargement of about 0.5 mm. Stem shrinkage up to 0.2 mm occurred in late summer, followed by an abrupt expansion of up to 0.5 mm in the fall, at the arrival of the new water year precipitation. Subsequent winter shrinkage and enlargement were less than 0.3 mm each. Based on 4 years with continuous data, diel cycles varied in both timing and amplitude between months and years. Phase shifts in circadian stem changes were observed between the growing season and the dormant one, with stem size being linked to precipitation more than to other water-related indices, such as relative humidity or soil moisture. During May-October, the amplitude of the phases of stem contraction, expansion, and increment was positively related to their duration in a nonlinear fashion. Changes in precipitation regime, which affected the diel phases especially when lasting more than 5-6 h, could substantially influence the dynamics of water depletion and replenishment in single-leaf pinyon pine.

Plant-water relationships in the Great Basin Desert of North America derived from Pinus monophylla hourly dendrometer records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biondi, Franco; Rossi, Sergio

2015-08-01

Water is the main limiting resource for natural and human systems, but the effect of hydroclimatic variability on woody species in water-limited environments at sub-monthly time scales is not fully understood. Plant-water relationships of single-leaf pinyon pine ( Pinus monophylla) were investigated using hourly dendrometer and environmental data from May 2006 to October 2011 in the Great Basin Desert, one of the driest regions of North America. Average radial stem increments showed an annual range of variation below 1.0 mm, with a monotonic steep increase from May to July that yielded a stem enlargement of about 0.5 mm. Stem shrinkage up to 0.2 mm occurred in late summer, followed by an abrupt expansion of up to 0.5 mm in the fall, at the arrival of the new water year precipitation. Subsequent winter shrinkage and enlargement were less than 0.3 mm each. Based on 4 years with continuous data, diel cycles varied in both timing and amplitude between months and years. Phase shifts in circadian stem changes were observed between the growing season and the dormant one, with stem size being linked to precipitation more than to other water-related indices, such as relative humidity or soil moisture. During May-October, the amplitude of the phases of stem contraction, expansion, and increment was positively related to their duration in a nonlinear fashion. Changes in precipitation regime, which affected the diel phases especially when lasting more than 5-6 h, could substantially influence the dynamics of water depletion and replenishment in single-leaf pinyon pine.

Versatile module for experiments with focussing neutron guides

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

Adams, T.; Pfleiderer, C.; Böni, P.

2014-09-22

We report the development of a versatile module that permits fast and reliable use of focussing neutron guides under varying scattering angles. A simple procedure for setting up the module and neutron guides is illustrated by typical intensity patterns to highlight operational aspects as well as typical parasitic artefacts. Combining a high-precision alignment table with separate housings for the neutron guides on kinematic mounts, the change-over between neutron guides with different focussing characteristics requires no readjustments of the experimental setup. Exploiting substantial gain factors, we demonstrate the performance of this versatile neutron scattering module in a study of the effectsmore » of uniaxial stress on the domain populations in the transverse spin density wave phase of single crystal Cr.« less

Low Reynolds number numerical solutions of chaotic flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pulliam, Thomas H.

1989-01-01

Numerical computations of two-dimensional flow past an airfoil at low Mach number, large angle of attack, and low Reynolds number are reported which show a sequence of flow states leading from single-period vortex shedding to chaos via the period-doubling mechanism. Analysis of the flow in terms of phase diagrams, Poincare sections, and flowfield variables are used to substantiate these results. The critical Reynolds number for the period-doubling bifurcations is shown to be sensitive to mesh refinement and the influence of large amounts of numerical dissipation. In extreme cases, large amounts of added dissipation can delay or completely eliminate the chaotic response. The effect of artificial dissipation at these low Reynolds numbers is to produce a new effective Reynolds number for the computations.

Broad Wavelength Tunable Robust Lasing from Single-Crystal Nanowires of Cesium Lead Halide Perovskites (CsPbX3, X = Cl, Br, I).

PubMed

Fu, Yongping; Zhu, Haiming; Stoumpos, Constantinos C; Ding, Qi; Wang, Jue; Kanatzidis, Mercouri G; Zhu, Xiaoyang; Jin, Song

2016-08-23

Lead halide perovskite nanowires (NWs) are emerging as a class of inexpensive semiconductors with broad bandgap tunability for optoelectronics, such as tunable NW lasers. Despite exciting progress, the current organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite NW lasers suffer from limited tunable wavelength range and poor material stability. Herein, we report facile solution growth of single-crystal NWs of inorganic perovskite CsPbX3 (X = Br, Cl) and their alloys [CsPb(Br,Cl)3] and a low-temperature vapor-phase halide exchange method to convert CsPbBr3 NWs into perovskite phase CsPb(Br,I)3 alloys and metastable CsPbI3 with well-preserved perovskite crystal lattice and NW morphology. These single crystalline NWs with smooth end facets and subwavelength dimensions are ideal Fabry-Perot cavities for NW lasers. Optically pumped tunable lasing across the entire visible spectrum (420-710 nm) is demonstrated at room temperature from these NWs with low lasing thresholds and high-quality factors. Such highly efficient lasing similar to what can be achieved with organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites indicates that organic cation is not essential for light emission application from these lead halide perovskite materials. Furthermore, the CsPbBr3 NW lasers show stable lasing emission with no measurable degradation after at least 8 h or 7.2 × 10(9) laser shots under continuous illumination, which are substantially more robust than their organic-inorganic counterparts. The Cs-based perovskites offer a stable material platform for tunable NW lasers and other nanoscale optoelectronic devices.

Inherent and Apparent Scattering Properties of Coated or Uncoated Spheres Embedded in an Absorbing Host Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, P.; Gao, B.-C.; Wiscombe, W. J.; Mishchenko, M. I.; Platnick, S.; Huang, H.-L.; Baum, B. A.; Hu, Y. X.; Winkler, D,; Tsay, S.-C.;

Single phase inverter for a three phase power generation and distribution system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindena, S. J.

1976-01-01

A breadboard design of a single-phase inverter with sinusoidal output voltage for a three-phase power generation and distribution system was developed. The three-phase system consists of three single-phase inverters, whose output voltages are connected in a delta configuration. Upon failure of one inverter the two remaining inverters will continue to deliver three-phase power. Parallel redundancy as offered by two three-phase inverters is substituted by one three-phase inverter assembly with high savings in volume, weight, components count and complexity, and a considerable increase in reliability. The following requirements must be met: (1) Each single-phase, current-fed inverter must be capable of being synchronized to a three-phase reference system such that its output voltage remains phaselocked to its respective reference voltage. (2) Each single-phase, current-fed inverter must be capable of accepting leading and lagging power factors over a range from -0.7 through 1 to +0.7.

A complementary mobile phase approach based on the peak count concept oriented to the full resolution of complex mixtures.

PubMed

Ortín, A; Torres-Lapasió, J R; García-Álvarez-Coque, M C

2011-08-26

Situations of minimal resolution are often found in liquid chromatography, when samples that contain a large number of compounds, or highly similar in terms of structure and/or polarity, are analysed. This makes full resolution with a single separation condition (e.g., mobile phase, gradient or column) unfeasible. In this work, the optimisation of the resolution of such samples in reversed-phase liquid chromatography is approached using two or more isocratic mobile phases with a complementary resolution behaviour (complementary mobile phases, CMPs). Each mobile phase is dedicated to the separation of a group of compounds. The CMPs are selected in such a way that, when the separation is considered globally, all the compounds in the sample are satisfactorily resolved. The search of optimal CMPs can be carried out through a comprehensive examination of the mobile phases in a selected domain. The computation time of this search has been reported to be substantially reduced by application of a genetic algorithm with local search (LOGA). A much simpler approach is here described, which is accessible to non-experts in programming, and offers solutions of the same quality as LOGA, with a similar computation time. The approach makes a sequential search of CMPs based on the peak count concept, which is the number of peaks exceeding a pre-established resolution threshold. The new approach is described using as test sample a mixture of 30 probe compounds, 23 of them with an ionisable character, and the pH and organic solvent contents as experimental factors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A quantum-dot spin qubit with coherence limited by charge noise and fidelity higher than 99.9%

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoneda, Jun; Takeda, Kenta; Otsuka, Tomohiro; Nakajima, Takashi; Delbecq, Matthieu R.; Allison, Giles; Honda, Takumu; Kodera, Tetsuo; Oda, Shunri; Hoshi, Yusuke; Usami, Noritaka; Itoh, Kohei M.; Tarucha, Seigo

2018-02-01

The isolation of qubits from noise sources, such as surrounding nuclear spins and spin-electric susceptibility1-4, has enabled extensions of quantum coherence times in recent pivotal advances towards the concrete implementation of spin-based quantum computation. In fact, the possibility of achieving enhanced quantum coherence has been substantially doubted for nanostructures due to the characteristic high degree of background charge fluctuations5-7. Still, a sizeable spin-electric coupling will be needed in realistic multiple-qubit systems to address single-spin and spin-spin manipulations8-10. Here, we realize a single-electron spin qubit with an isotopically enriched phase coherence time (20 μs)11,12 and fast electrical control speed (up to 30 MHz) mediated by extrinsic spin-electric coupling. Using rapid spin rotations, we reveal that the free-evolution dephasing is caused by charge noise—rather than conventional magnetic noise—as highlighted by a 1/f spectrum extended over seven decades of frequency. The qubit exhibits superior performance with single-qubit gate fidelities exceeding 99.9% on average, offering a promising route to large-scale spin-qubit systems with fault-tolerant controllability.

Process for improving soluble coal yield in a coal deashing process

DOEpatents

Rhodes, Donald E.

1980-01-01

Coal liquefaction products are contacted with a deashing solvent and introduced into a first separation zone. The first separation zone is maintained at an elevated temperature and pressure, determined to maximize the recovery of soluble coal products, to cause said coal liquefaction products to separate into a first light phase and a first heavy phase. Under these conditions the heavy phase while still fluid-like in character is substantially non-flowable. Flowability is returned to the fluid-like heavy phase by the introduction of an additional quantity of deashing solvent into the first separation zone at a location below the interface between the first light and heavy phases or into the heavy phase withdrawal conduit during withdrawal of the first heavy phase and prior to any substantial pressure reduction. The first heavy phase then is withdrawn from the first separation zone for additional downstream processing without plugging either the withdrawal conduit or the downstream apparatus. The first light phase comprising the soluble coal products is withdrawn and recovered in an increased yield to provide a more economical coal deashing process.

Mueller-matrix mapping of optically anisotropic fluorophores of molecular biological tissues in the diagnosis of death causes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ushenko, A. G.; Dubolazov, A. V.; Ushenko, V. A.; Ushenko, Yu. A.; Pidkamin, L. Y.; Soltys, I. V.; Zhytaryuk, V. G.; Pavlyukovich, N.

2016-09-01

A model of generalized optical anisotropy of polycrystalline networks of albumin and globulin of human brain liquor has been suggested. The polarization-phase method of spatial and frequency differentiation of linear and circular birefringence coordinate distributions have been analytically substantiated. A set of criteria of the dynamics of necrotic changes of polarization-phase images of liquor polycrystalline films for determination of death coming prescription has been detected and substantiated.

Device for limiting single phase ground fault of mining machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fediuk, R. S.; Stoyushko, N. Yu; Yevdokimova, Yu G.; Smoliakov, A. K.; Batarshin, V. O.; Timokhin, R. A.

2017-10-01

The paper shows the reasons and consequences of the single-phase ground fault. With all the variety of devices for limiting the current single-phase ground fault, it was found that the most effective are Peterson coils having different switching circuits. Measuring of the capacity of the network is of great importance in this case, a number of options capacitance measurement are presented. A closer look is taken at the device for limiting the current of single-phase short circuit, developed in the Far Eastern Federal University under the direction of Dr. G.E. Kuvshinov. The calculation of single-phase short-circuit currents in the electrical network, without compensation and with compensation of capacitive current is carried out. Simulation of a single-phase circuit in a network with the proposed device is conducted.

Coordinated single-phase control scheme for voltage unbalance reduction in low voltage network.

PubMed

Pullaguram, Deepak; Mishra, Sukumar; Senroy, Nilanjan

2017-08-13

Low voltage (LV) distribution systems are typically unbalanced in nature due to unbalanced loading and unsymmetrical line configuration. This situation is further aggravated by single-phase power injections. A coordinated control scheme is proposed for single-phase sources, to reduce voltage unbalance. A consensus-based coordination is achieved using a multi-agent system, where each agent estimates the averaged global voltage and current magnitudes of individual phases in the LV network. These estimated values are used to modify the reference power of individual single-phase sources, to ensure system-wide balanced voltages and proper power sharing among sources connected to the same phase. Further, the high X / R ratio of the filter, used in the inverter of the single-phase source, enables control of reactive power, to minimize voltage unbalance locally. The proposed scheme is validated by simulating a LV distribution network with multiple single-phase sources subjected to various perturbations.This article is part of the themed issue 'Energy management: flexibility, risk and optimization'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Electron attachment to DNA single strands: gas phase and aqueous solution.

PubMed

Gu, Jiande; Xie, Yaoming; Schaefer, Henry F

2007-01-01

The 2'-deoxyguanosine-3',5'-diphosphate, 2'-deoxyadenosine-3',5'-diphosphate, 2'-deoxycytidine-3',5'-diphosphate and 2'-deoxythymidine-3',5'-diphosphate systems are the smallest units of a DNA single strand. Exploring these comprehensive subunits with reliable density functional methods enables one to approach reasonable predictions of the properties of DNA single strands. With these models, DNA single strands are found to have a strong tendency to capture low-energy electrons. The vertical attachment energies (VEAs) predicted for 3',5'-dTDP (0.17 eV) and 3',5'-dGDP (0.14 eV) indicate that both the thymine-rich and the guanine-rich DNA single strands have the ability to capture electrons. The adiabatic electron affinities (AEAs) of the nucleotides considered here range from 0.22 to 0.52 eV and follow the order 3',5'-dTDP > 3',5'-dCDP > 3',5'-dGDP > 3',5'-dADP. A substantial increase in the AEA is observed compared to that of the corresponding nucleic acid bases and the corresponding nucleosides. Furthermore, aqueous solution simulations dramatically increase the electron attracting properties of the DNA single strands. The present investigation illustrates that in the gas phase, the excess electron is situated both on the nucleobase and on the phosphate moiety for DNA single strands. However, the distribution of the extra negative charge is uneven. The attached electron favors the base moiety for the pyrimidine, while it prefers the 3'-phosphate subunit for the purine DNA single strands. In contrast, the attached electron is tightly bound to the base fragment for the cytidine, thymidine and adenosine nucleotides, while it almost exclusively resides in the vicinity of the 3'-phosphate group for the guanosine nucleotides due to the solvent effects. The comparatively low vertical detachment energies (VDEs) predicted for 3',5'-dADP(-) (0.26 eV) and 3',5'-dGDP(-) (0.32 eV) indicate that electron detachment might compete with reactions having high activation barriers such as glycosidic bond breakage. However, the radical anions of the pyrimidine nucleotides with high VDE are expected to be electronically stable. Thus the base-centered radical anions of the pyrimidine nucleotides might be the possible intermediates for DNA single-strand breakage.

APT: what it has enabled us to do

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blacker, Brett S.; Golombek, Daniel

2004-09-01

With the development and operations deployment of the Astronomer's Proposal Tool (APT), Hubble Space Telescope (HST) proposers have been provided with an integrated toolset for Phase I and Phase II. This toolset consists of editors for filling out proposal information, an Orbit Planner for determining observation feasibility, a Visit Planner for determining schedulability, diagnostic and reporting tools and an integrated Visual Target Tuner (VTT) for viewing exposure specifications. The VTT can also overlay HST"s field of view on user-selected Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) images, perform bright object checks and query the HST archive. In addition to these direct benefits for the HST user, STScI"s internal Phase I process has been able to take advantage of the APT products. APT has enabled a substantial streamlining of the process and software processing tools, which enabled a compression by three months of the Phase I to Phase II schedule, allowing to schedule observations earlier and thus further benefiting HST observers. Some of the improvements to our process include: creating a compact disk (CD) of Phase I products; being able to print all proposals on the day of the deadline; link the proposal in Portable Document Format (PDF) with a database, and being able to run all Phase I software on a single platform. In this paper we will discuss the operational results of using APT for HST's Cycles 12 and 13 Phase I process and will show the improvements for the users and the overall process that is allowing STScI to obtain scientific results with HST three months earlier than in previous years. We will also show how APT can be and is being used for multiple missions.

The Influence of Training Phase on Error of Measurement in Jump Performance.

PubMed

Taylor, Kristie-Lee; Hopkins, Will G; Chapman, Dale W; Cronin, John B

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study was to calculate the coefficients of variation in jump performance for individual participants in multiple trials over time to determine the extent to which there are real differences in the error of measurement between participants. The effect of training phase on measurement error was also investigated. Six subjects participated in a resistance-training intervention for 12 wk with mean power from a countermovement jump measured 6 d/wk. Using a mixed-model meta-analysis, differences between subjects, within-subject changes between training phases, and the mean error values during different phases of training were examined. Small, substantial factor differences of 1.11 were observed between subjects; however, the finding was unclear based on the width of the confidence limits. The mean error was clearly higher during overload training than baseline training, by a factor of ×/÷ 1.3 (confidence limits 1.0-1.6). The random factor representing the interaction between subjects and training phases revealed further substantial differences of ×/÷ 1.2 (1.1-1.3), indicating that on average, the error of measurement in some subjects changes more than in others when overload training is introduced. The results from this study provide the first indication that within-subject variability in performance is substantially different between training phases and, possibly, different between individuals. The implications of these findings for monitoring individuals and estimating sample size are discussed.

Dynamics and Structure of Dusty Reacting Flows: Inert Particles in Strained, Laminar, Premixed Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Egolfopoulos, Fokion N.; Campbell, Charles S.

1999-01-01

A detailed numerical study was conducted on the dynamics and thermal response of inert, spherical particles in strained, laminar, premixed hydrogen/air flames. The modeling included the solution of the steady conservation equations for both the gas and particle phases along and around the stagnation streamline of an opposed-jet configuration, and the use of detailed descriptions of chemical kinetics and molecular transport, For the gas phase, the equations of mass, momentum, energy, and species are considered, while for the particle phase, the model is based on conservation equations of the particle momentum balance in the axial and radial direction, the particle number density, and the particle thermal energy equation. The particle momentum equation includes the forces as induced by drag, thermophoresis, and gravity. The particle thermal energy equation includes the convective/conductive heat exchange between the two phases, as well as radiation emission and absorption by the particle. A one-point continuation method is also included in the code that allows for the description of turning points, typical of ignition and extinction behavior. As expected, results showed that the particle velocity can be substantially different than the gas phase velocity, especially in the presence of large temperature gradients and large strain rates. Large particles were also found to cross the gas stagnation plane, stagnate, and eventually reverse as a result of the opposing gas phase velocity. It was also shown that the particle number density varies substantially throughout the flowfield, as a result of the straining of the flow and the thermal expansion. Finally, for increased values of the particle number density, substantial flame cooling to extinction states and modification of the gas phase fluid mechanics were observed. As also expected, the effect of gravity was shown to be important for low convective velocities and heavy particles. Under such conditions, simulations indicate that the magnitude and direction of the gravitational force can substantially affect the profiles of the particle velocity, number density, mass flux, and temperature.

Dynamics and Structure of Dusty Reacting Flows: Inert Particles in Strained, Laminar, Premixed Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Egolfopoulos, Fokion N.; Campbell, Charles S.; Wu, Ming-Shin (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

A detailed numerical study was conducted on the dynamics and thermal response of inert spherical particles in strained, laminar, premixed hydrogen/air flames. The modeling included the solution of the steady conservation equations for both the gas and particle phases along and around the stagnation streamline of an opposed-jet configuration, and the use of detailed descriptions of chemical kinetics and molecular transport. For the gas phase, the equations of mass, momentum, energy, and species are considered, while for the particle phase, the model is based on conservation equations of the particle momentum balance in the axial and radial direction, the particle number density, and the particle thermal energy equation. The particle momentum equation includes the forces as induced by drag, thermophoresis, and gravity. The particle thermal energy equation includes the convective/conductive heat exchange between the two phases, as well as radiation emission and absorption by the particle. A one-point continuation method is also included in the code that allows for the description of turning points, typical of ignition and extinction behavior. As expected, results showed that the particle velocity can be substantially different than the gas phase velocity, especially in the presence of large temperature gradients and large strain rates. Large particles were also found to cross the gas stagnation plane, stagnate, and eventually reverse as a result of the opposing gas phase velocity. It was also shown that the particle number density varies substantially throughout the flowfield, as a result of the straining of the flow and the thermal expansion. Finally, for increased values of the particle number density, substantial flame cooling to extinction states and modification of the gas phase fluid mechanics were observed. As also expected, the effect of gravity was shown to be important for low convective velocities and heavy particles. Under such conditions, simulations indicate that the magnitude and direction of the gravitational force can substantially affect the profiles of the particle velocity, number density, mass flux, and temperature.

Development of Levofloxacin inhalation solution to treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with cystic fibrosis

PubMed Central

Stockmann, Chris; Sherwin, Catherine M.T.; Ampofo, Krow; Spigarelli, Michael G.

2017-01-01

Inhaled therapies allow for the targeted delivery of antimicrobials directly into the lungs and have been widely used in the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) acute pulmonary exacerbations. Nebulized levofloxacin solution (MP-376) is a novel therapy that is currently being evaluated in phase I, II, and III clinical trials among patients with stable CF and recent isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from sputum. Phase I studies have investigated the single and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of MP-376 and shown that it is rapidly absorbed from the lungs and results in low systemic concentrations. A subsequent phase IB study found that MP-376 pharmacokinetics were comparable among adults and children 6–16 years of age. Further phase II studies reported that sputum P. aeruginosa density decreased in a dose-dependent manner among patients who were randomized to MP-376 when compared with patients who received placebo. Improvements in pulmonary function and a decrease in the need for other antipseudomonal antibiotics were also reported for patients who received inhaled levofloxacin. The most common adverse event was dysgeusia (abnormal taste sensation), which was reported by nearly half of the participants who received MP-376. No serious drug-related adverse events were reported. These findings are encouraging; however, data from the two ongoing phase III trials are needed to determine whether MP-376 demonstrates substantial evidence of safety and efficacy as a chronic CF maintenance therapy and therefore may be useful in routine clinical practice. PMID:24334337

Large improvement of the electrical impedance of imaging and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) phased arrays using multilayer piezoelectric ceramics coupled in lateral mode.

PubMed

Song, Junho; Lucht, Benjamin; Hynynen, Kullervo

2012-07-01

With a change in phased-array configuration from one dimension to two, the electrical impedance of the array elements is substantially increased because of their decreased width (w)-to-thickness (t) ratio. The most common way to compensate for this impedance increase is to employ electrical matching circuits at a high cost of fabrication complexity and effort. In this paper, we introduce a multilayer lateral-mode coupling method for phased-array construction. The direct comparison showed that the electrical impedance of a single-layer transducer driven in thickness mode is 1/(n²(1/(w/t))²) times that of an n-layer lateral mode transducer. A large reduction of the electrical impedance showed the impact and benefit of the lateral-mode coupling method. A one-dimensional linear 32-element 770-kHz imaging array and a 42-element 1.45-MHz high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) phased array were fabricated. The averaged electrical impedances of each element were measured to be 58 Ω at the maximum phase angle of -1.2° for the imaging array and 105 Ω at 0° for the HIFU array. The imaging array had a center frequency of 770 kHz with an averaged -6-dB bandwidth of approximately 52%. For the HIFU array, the averaged maximum surface acoustic intensity was measured to be 32.8 W/cm² before failure.

Microstructural and Phase Composition Differences Across the Interfaces in Al/Ti/Al Explosively Welded Clads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fronczek, Dagmara Malgorzata; Chulist, Robert; Litynska-Dobrzynska, Lidia; Lopez, Gabriel Alejandro; Wierzbicka-Miernik, Anna; Schell, Norbert; Szulc, Zygmunt; Wojewoda-Budka, Joanna

2017-09-01

The microstructure and phase composition of Al/Ti/Al interfaces with respect to their localization were investigated. An aluminum-flyer plate exhibited finer grains located close to the upper interface than those present within the aluminum-base plate. The same tendency, but with a higher number of twins, was observed for titanium. Good quality bonding with a wavy shape and four intermetallic phases, namely, TiAl3, TiAl, TiAl2, and Ti3Al, was only obtained at the interface closer to the explosive material. The other interface was planar with three intermetallic compounds, excluding the metastable TiAl2 phase. As a result of a 100-hour annealing at 903 K (630 °C), an Al/TiAl3/Ti/TiAl3/Al sandwich was manufactured, formed with single crystalline Al layers. A substantial difference between the intermetallic layer thicknesses was measured, with 235.3 and 167.4 µm obtained for the layers corresponding to the upper and lower interfaces, respectively. An examination by transmission electron microscopy of a thin foil taken from the interface area after a 1-hour annealing at 825 K (552 °C) showed a mixture of randomly located TiAl3 grains within the aluminum. Finally, the hardness results were correlated with the microstructural changes across the samples.

Publisher's Note: High-temperature superconductivity stabilized by electron-hole interband coupling in collapsed tetragonal phase of KFe 2 As 2 under high pressure [Phys. Rev. B 91 , 060508(R) (2015)

DOE PAGES

Nakajima, Yasuyuki; Wang, Renxiong; Metz, Tristin; ...

2015-03-09

Here, we report a high-pressure study of simultaneous low-temperature electrical resistivity and Hall effect measurements on high quality single-crystalline KFe 2As 2 using designer diamond anvil cell techniques with applied pressures up to 33 GPa. In the low pressure regime, we show that the superconducting transition temperature T c finds a maximum onset value of 7 K near 2 GPa, in contrast to previous reports that find a minimum T c and reversal of pressure dependence at this pressure. Upon applying higher pressures, this T c is diminished until a sudden drastic enhancement occurs coincident with a first-order structural phasemore » transition into a collapsed tetragonal phase. The appearance of a distinct superconducting phase above 13 GPa is also accompanied by a sudden reversal of dominant charge carrier sign, from hole- to electron-like, which agrees with our band calculations predicting the emergence of an electron pocket and diminishment of hole pockets upon Fermi surface reconstruction. Our results suggest the high-temperature superconducting phase in KFe 2As 2 is substantially enhanced by the presence of nested electron and hole pockets, providing the key ingredient of high-T c superconductivity in iron pnictide superconductors.« less

Can high pressure I-II transitions in semiconductors be affected by plastic flow and nanocrystal precipitation in phase I?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weinstein, B. A.; Lindberg, G. P.

Pressure-Raman spectroscopy in ZnSe and ZnTe single crystals reveals that Se and Te nano-crystals (NCs) precipitate in these II-VI hosts for pressures far below their I-II phase transitions. The inclusions are evident from the appearance and negative pressure-shift of the A1 Raman peaks of Se and Te (trigonal phase). The Se and Te NCs nucleate at dislocations and grain boundaries that arise from pressure-induced plastic flow. This produces chemical and structural inhomogeneities in the zincblende phase of the host. At substantially higher pressures, the I-II transition proceeds in the presence of these inhomogenities. This can affect the transition's onset pressure Pt and width ΔPt, and the occurrence of metastable phases along the transition path. Precipitation models in metals show that nucleation of inclusions depends on the Peierls stress τp and a parameter α related to the net free energy gained on nucleation. For favorable values of τp and α, NC precipitation at pressures below the I-II transition could occur in other compounds. We propose criteria to judge whether this is likely based on the observed ranges of τp in the hosts, and estimates of α derived from the cohesive energy densities of the NC materials. One finds trends that can serve as a useful guide, both to test the proposed criteria, and to decide when closer scrutiny of phase transition experiments is warranted, e.g., in powders where high dislocation densities are initially created

Haplotype estimation using sequencing reads.

PubMed

Delaneau, Olivier; Howie, Bryan; Cox, Anthony J; Zagury, Jean-François; Marchini, Jonathan

2013-10-03

High-throughput sequencing technologies produce short sequence reads that can contain phase information if they span two or more heterozygote genotypes. This information is not routinely used by current methods that infer haplotypes from genotype data. We have extended the SHAPEIT2 method to use phase-informative sequencing reads to improve phasing accuracy. Our model incorporates the read information in a probabilistic model through base quality scores within each read. The method is primarily designed for high-coverage sequence data or data sets that already have genotypes called. One important application is phasing of single samples sequenced at high coverage for use in medical sequencing and studies of rare diseases. Our method can also use existing panels of reference haplotypes. We tested the method by using a mother-father-child trio sequenced at high-coverage by Illumina together with the low-coverage sequence data from the 1000 Genomes Project (1000GP). We found that use of phase-informative reads increases the mean distance between switch errors by 22% from 274.4 kb to 328.6 kb. We also used male chromosome X haplotypes from the 1000GP samples to simulate sequencing reads with varying insert size, read length, and base error rate. When using short 100 bp paired-end reads, we found that using mixtures of insert sizes produced the best results. When using longer reads with high error rates (5-20 kb read with 4%-15% error per base), phasing performance was substantially improved. Copyright © 2013 The American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of a New Phase and Its Effect on the Work Characteristics of a Near-Stoichiometric Ni30Pt20Ti50 High-Temperature Shape Memory Alloy (HTSMA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garg, A.; Gaydosh, D.; Noebe, R.D.; Padula II, Santo; Bigelow, G.S.; Kaufman, M.; Kovarik, L.; Mills, M.J.; Diercks, D.; McMurray, S.

2008-01-01

A new phase observed in a nominal Ni30Pt20Ti50 (at.%) high temperature shape memory alloy has been characterized using transmission electron microscopy and 3-D atom probe tomography. This phase forms homogeneously in the B2 austenite matrix by a nucleation and growth mechanism and results in a concomitant increase in the martensitic transformation temperature of the base alloy. Although the structure of this phase typically contains a high density of faults making characterization difficult, it appears to be trigonal (-3m point group) with a(sub o) approx. 1.28 nm and c(sub o) approx. 1.4 nm. Precipitation of this phase increases the microhardness of the alloy substantially over that of the solution treated and quenched single-phase material. The effect of precipitation strengthening on the work characteristics of the alloy has been explored through load-biased strain-temperature testing in the solution-treated condition and after aging at 500 C for times ranging from 1 to 256 hours. Work output was found to increase in the aged alloy as a result of an increase in transformation strain, but was not very sensitive to aging time. The amount of permanent deformation that occurred during thermal cycling under load was small but increased with increasing aging time and stress. Nevertheless, the dimensional stability of the alloy at short aging times (1-4 hours) was still very good making it a potentially useful material for high-temperature actuator applications.

Cheaper Synthesis Of Multipole-Brushless-dc-Motor Current

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alhorn, Dean C.; Howard, David E.

1994-01-01

Circuit converts output of single two-phase shaft-angle resolver to that of multi-speed three-phase shaft-angle resolver. Converter circuit applicable to generation of multispeed, multiphase shaft-angle-resolver signals from single two-phase shaft-angle resolver. Combination of converter circuit and single two-phase shaft-angle resolver offer advantages in cost, weight, size, and complexity. Design readily adaptable to two-phase motor.

Study on forced convective heat transfer of non-newtonian nanofluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yurong; Men, Yubin; Liu, Xing; Lu, Huilin; Chen, Haisheng; Ding, Yulong

2009-03-01

This paper is concerned with the forced convective heat transfer of dilute liquid suspensions of nanoparticles (nanofluids) flowing through a straight pipe under laminar conditions. Stable nanofluids are formulated by using the high shear mixing and ultrasonication methods. They are then characterised for their size, surface charge, thermal and rheological properties and tested for their convective heat transfer behaviour. Mathematical modelling is performed to simulate the convective heat transfer of nanofluids using a single phase flow model and considering nanofluids as both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid. Both experiments and mathematical modelling show that nanofluids can substantially enhance the convective heat transfer. Analyses of the results suggest that the non-Newtonian character of nanofluids influences the overall enhancement, especially for nanofluids with an obvious non-Newtonian character.

Thermodynamic theory of intrinsic finite size effects in PbTiO3 nanocrystals. II. Dielectric and piezoelectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akdogan, E. K.; Safari, A.

2007-03-01

We compute the intrinsic dielectric and piezoelectric properties of single domain, mechanically free, and surface charge compensated PbTiO3 nanocrystals (n-Pt) with no depolarization fields, undergoing a finite size induced first order tetragonal→cubic ferrodistortive phase transition. By using a Landau-Devonshire type free energy functional, in which Landau coefficients are a function of nanoparticle size, we demonstrate substantial deviations from bulk properties in the range <150 nm. We find a decrease in dielectric susceptibility at the transition temperature with decreasing particle size, which we verify to be in conformity with predictions of lattice dynamics considerations. We also find an anomalous increase in piezocharge coefficients near ˜15 nm , the critical size for n-Pt.

Tailored Codes for Small Quantum Memories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Alan; Granade, Christopher; Bartlett, Stephen D.; Flammia, Steven T.

2017-12-01

We demonstrate that small quantum memories, realized via quantum error correction in multiqubit devices, can benefit substantially by choosing a quantum code that is tailored to the relevant error model of the system. For a biased noise model, with independent bit and phase flips occurring at different rates, we show that a single code greatly outperforms the well-studied Steane code across the full range of parameters of the noise model, including for unbiased noise. In fact, this tailored code performs almost optimally when compared with 10 000 randomly selected stabilizer codes of comparable experimental complexity. Tailored codes can even outperform the Steane code with realistic experimental noise, and without any increase in the experimental complexity, as we demonstrate by comparison in the observed error model in a recent seven-qubit trapped ion experiment.

Reactions of singly-reduced ethylene carbonate in lithium battery electrolytes: a molecular dynamics simulation study using the ReaxFF.

PubMed

Bedrov, Dmitry; Smith, Grant D; van Duin, Adri C T

2012-03-22

We have conducted quantum chemistry calculations and gas- and solution-phase reactive molecular dynamics simulation studies of reactions involving the ethylene carbonate (EC) radical anion EC(-) using the reactive force field ReaxFF. Our studies reveal that the substantial barrier for transition from the closed (cyclic) form, denoted c-EC(-), of the radical anion to the linear (open) form, denoted o-EC(-), results in a relatively long lifetime of the c-EC(-) allowing this compound to react with other singly reduced alkyl carbonates. Using ReaxFF, we systematically investigate the fate of both c-EC(-) and o-EC(-) in the gas phase and EC solution. In the gas phase and EC solutions with a relatively low concentration of Li(+)/x-EC(-) (where x = o or c), radical termination reactions between radical pairs to form either dilithium butylene dicarbonate (CH(2)CH(2)OCO(2)Li)(2) (by reacting two Li(+)/o-EC(-)) or ester-carbonate compound (by reacting Li(+)/o-EC(-) with Li(+)/c-EC(-)) are observed. At higher concentrations of Li(+)/x-EC(-) in solution, we observe the formation of diradicals which subsequently lead to formation of longer alkyl carbonates oligomers through reaction with other radicals or, in some cases, formation of (CH(2)OCO(2)Li)(2) through elimination of C(2)H(4). We conclude that the local ionic concentration is important in determining the fate of x-EC(-) and that the reaction of c-EC(-) with o-EC(-) may compete with the formation of various alkyl carbonates from o-EC(-)/o-EC(-) reactions. © 2012 American Chemical Society

An R-peak detection method that uses an SVD filter and a search back system.

PubMed

Jung, Woo-Hyuk; Lee, Sang-Goog

2012-12-01

In this paper, we present a method for detecting the R-peak of an ECG signal by using an singular value decomposition (SVD) filter and a search back system. The ECG signal was detected in two phases: the pre-processing phase and the decision phase. The pre-processing phase consisted of the stages for the SVD filter, Butterworth High Pass Filter (HPF), moving average (MA), and squaring, whereas the decision phase consisted of a single stage that detected the R-peak. In the pre-processing phase, the SVD filter removed noise while the Butterworth HPF eliminated baseline wander. The MA removed the remaining noise of the signal that had gone through the SVD filter to make the signal smooth, and squaring played a role in strengthening the signal. In the decision phase, the threshold was used to set the interval before detecting the R-peak. When the latest R-R interval (RRI), suggested by Hamilton et al., was greater than 150% of the previous RRI, the method of detecting the R-peak in such an interval was modified to be 150% or greater than the smallest interval of the two most latest RRIs. When the modified search back system was used, the error rate of the peak detection decreased to 0.29%, compared to 1.34% when the modified search back system was not used. Consequently, the sensitivity was 99.47%, the positive predictivity was 99.47%, and the detection error was 1.05%. Furthermore, the quality of the signal in data with a substantial amount of noise was improved, and thus, the R-peak was detected effectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanical seal having a single-piece, perforated mating ring

DOEpatents

Khonsari, Michael M [Baton Rouge, LA; Somanchi, Anoop K [Fremont, CA

2007-08-07

A mechanical seal (e.g., single mechanical seals, double mechanical seals, tandem mechanical seals, bellows, pusher mechanical seals, and all types of rotating and reciprocating machines) with reduced contact surface temperature, reduced contact surface wear, or increased life span. The mechanical seal comprises a rotating ring and a single-piece, perforated mating ring, which improves heat transfer by controllably channeling coolant flow through the single-piece mating ring such that the coolant is in substantially uniform thermal contact with a substantial portion of the interior surface area of the seal face, while maintaining the structural integrity of the mechanical seal and minimizing the potential for coolant flow interruptions to the seal face caused by debris or contaminants (e.g., small solids and trash) in the coolant.

X-Ray Radiography Measurements of Shear Coaxial Rocket Injectors

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-01

turbofan engine exhaust, air blast furnaces, and liquid rocket engines) shear coaxial jets have been stud- ied for over sixty years [1]. In all applications...fluids as either single or multiple phases. Most of the fundamental coaxial jet research has been done using a single phase (either gas-gas or liquid ... liquid mixing). A brief review of single-phase coaxial jet research can be found in Schumaker and Driscoll [5]. Single-phase cases also include work

Geometric phase coded metasurface: from polarization dependent directive electromagnetic wave scattering to diffusion-like scattering.

PubMed

Chen, Ke; Feng, Yijun; Yang, Zhongjie; Cui, Li; Zhao, Junming; Zhu, Bo; Jiang, Tian

2016-10-24

Ultrathin metasurface compromising various sub-wavelength meta-particles offers promising advantages in controlling electromagnetic wave by spatially manipulating the wavefront characteristics across the interface. The recently proposed digital coding metasurface could even simplify the design and optimization procedures due to the digitalization of the meta-particle geometry. However, current attempts to implement the digital metasurface still utilize several structural meta-particles to obtain certain electromagnetic responses, and requiring time-consuming optimization especially in multi-bits coding designs. In this regard, we present herein utilizing geometric phase based single structured meta-particle with various orientations to achieve either 1-bit or multi-bits digital metasurface. Particular electromagnetic wave scattering patterns dependent on the incident polarizations can be tailored by the encoded metasurfaces with regular sequences. On the contrast, polarization insensitive diffusion-like scattering can also been successfully achieved by digital metasurface encoded with randomly distributed coding sequences leading to substantial suppression of backward scattering in a broadband microwave frequency. The proposed digital metasurfaces provide simple designs and reveal new opportunities for controlling electromagnetic wave scattering with or without polarization dependence.

Geometric phase coded metasurface: from polarization dependent directive electromagnetic wave scattering to diffusion-like scattering

PubMed Central

Chen, Ke; Feng, Yijun; Yang, Zhongjie; Cui, Li; Zhao, Junming; Zhu, Bo; Jiang, Tian

2016-01-01

Ultrathin metasurface compromising various sub-wavelength meta-particles offers promising advantages in controlling electromagnetic wave by spatially manipulating the wavefront characteristics across the interface. The recently proposed digital coding metasurface could even simplify the design and optimization procedures due to the digitalization of the meta-particle geometry. However, current attempts to implement the digital metasurface still utilize several structural meta-particles to obtain certain electromagnetic responses, and requiring time-consuming optimization especially in multi-bits coding designs. In this regard, we present herein utilizing geometric phase based single structured meta-particle with various orientations to achieve either 1-bit or multi-bits digital metasurface. Particular electromagnetic wave scattering patterns dependent on the incident polarizations can be tailored by the encoded metasurfaces with regular sequences. On the contrast, polarization insensitive diffusion-like scattering can also been successfully achieved by digital metasurface encoded with randomly distributed coding sequences leading to substantial suppression of backward scattering in a broadband microwave frequency. The proposed digital metasurfaces provide simple designs and reveal new opportunities for controlling electromagnetic wave scattering with or without polarization dependence. PMID:27775064

Gas phase hydrolysis of formaldehyde to form methanediol: impact of formic acid catalysis.

PubMed

Hazra, Montu K; Francisco, Joseph S; Sinha, Amitabha

2013-11-21

We find that formic acid (FA) is very effective at facilitating diol formation through its ability to reduce the barrier for the formaldehyde (HCHO) hydrolysis reaction. The rate limiting step in the mechanism involves the isomerization of a prereactive collision complex formed through either the HCHO···H2O + FA and/or HCHO + FA···H2O pathways. The present study finds that the effective barrier height, defined as the difference between the zero-point vibrational energy (ZPE) corrected energy of the transition state (TS) and the HCHO···H2O + FA and HCHO + FA···H2O starting reagents, are respectively only ∼1 and ∼4 kcal/mol. These barriers are substantially lower than the ∼17 kcal/mol barrier associated with the corresponding step in the hydrolysis of HCHO catalyzed by a single water molecule (HCHO + H2O + H2O). The significantly lower barrier heights for the formic acid catalyzed pathway reveal a new important role that organic acids play in the gas phase hydrolysis of atmospheric carbonyl compounds.

Anti-cancer effects of curcumin on head and neck cancers.

PubMed

Gao, Wei; Chan, Jimmy Yu-Wai; Wei, William Ignance; Wong, Thian-Sze

2012-11-01

Head and neck cancer is the sixth large type of cancer in the world. The treatment regimens for head and neck cancer encompass surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, all current treatment regimens for head and neck cancer have adverse effects. Therefore, continuing investigations have been undertaken to seek less toxic therapies to reduce treatment morbidity for head and neck cancer. Substantial evidence has demonstrated that curcumin inhibited proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis and induced apoptosis via modulating multiple signaling pathways in head and neck cancer. Curcumin also suppressed the growth of xenograft derived from head and neck cancer in vivo in animal models. This review summarizes the evidence demonstrating potential use of curcumin as a single chemotherapeutic agent or in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents and radiation to minimize their toxicity in head and neck cancer. Although curcumin has been shown to be safe at doses of 8 g/d in both phase I and phase II clinical trials, its bioavailability is poor. Overcoming the poor bioavailability of curcumin in the near future would facilitate its clinical use.

Single-stage plasma-based correlated energy spread compensation for ultrahigh 6D brightness electron beams

DOE PAGES

Manahan, Grace G.; Habib, A. F.; Scherkl, P.; ...

2017-06-05

Plasma photocathode wakefield acceleration combines energy gains of tens of GeV m –1 with generation of ultralow emittance electron bunches, and opens a path towards 5D-brightness orders of magnitude larger than state-of-the-art. This holds great promise for compact accelerator building blocks and advanced light sources. However, an intrinsic by-product of the enormous electric field gradients inherent to plasma accelerators is substantial correlated energy spread—an obstacle for key applications such as free-electron-lasers. Here we show that by releasing an additional tailored escort electron beam at a later phase of the acceleration, when the witness bunch is relativistically stable, the plasma wavemore » can be locally overloaded without compromising the witness bunch normalized emittance. Here, this reverses the effective accelerating gradient, and counter-rotates the accumulated negative longitudinal phase space chirp of the witness bunch. Thereby, the energy spread is reduced by an order of magnitude, thus enabling the production of ultrahigh 6D-brightness beams.« less

FDTD modeling of anisotropic nonlinear optical phenomena in silicon waveguides.

PubMed

Dissanayake, Chethiya M; Premaratne, Malin; Rukhlenko, Ivan D; Agrawal, Govind P

2010-09-27

A deep insight into the inherent anisotropic optical properties of silicon is required to improve the performance of silicon-waveguide-based photonic devices. It may also lead to novel device concepts and substantially extend the capabilities of silicon photonics in the future. In this paper, for the first time to the best of our knowledge, we present a three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for modeling optical phenomena in silicon waveguides, which takes into account fully the anisotropy of the third-order electronic and Raman susceptibilities. We show that, under certain realistic conditions that prevent generation of the longitudinal optical field inside the waveguide, this model is considerably simplified and can be represented by a computationally efficient algorithm, suitable for numerical analysis of complex polarization effects. To demonstrate the versatility of our model, we study polarization dependence for several nonlinear effects, including self-phase modulation, cross-phase modulation, and stimulated Raman scattering. Our FDTD model provides a basis for a full-blown numerical simulator that is restricted neither by the single-mode assumption nor by the slowly varying envelope approximation.

Tomographic flow cytometry assisted by intelligent wavefronts analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merola, F.; Memmolo, P.; Miccio, L.; Mugnano, M.; Ferraro, P.

2017-06-01

High-throughput single-cell analysis is a challenging target for implementing advanced biomedical applications. An excellent candidate for this aim is label-free tomographic phase microscopy. However, in-line tomography is very difficult to be implemented in practice, as it requires complex setup for rotating the sample and/or illuminate the cell along numerous directions [1]. We exploit random rolling of cells while they are flowing along a microfluidic channel demonstrating that it is possible to obtain in-line phase-contrast tomography by adopting strategies for intelligent wavefronts analysis thus obtaining complete retrieval of both 3D-position and orientation of rotating cells [2]. Thus, by numerical wavefront analysis a-priori knowledge of such information is no longer needed. This approach makes continuos-flow cyto-tomography suitable for practical operation in real-world, single-cell analysis and with substantial simplification of the optical system avoiding any mechanical/optical scanning of light source. Demonstration is given for different classes of biosamples, red-blood-cells (RBCs), diatom algae and fibroblast cells [3]. Accurate characterization of each type of cells is reported despite their very different nature and materials content, thus showing the proposed method can be extended, by adopting two alternate strategies of wavefront-analysis, to many classes of cells. In particular, for RBCs we furnish important parameters as 3D morphology, Corpuscular Hemoglobin (CH), Volume (V), and refractive index (RI) for each single cell in the total population [3]. This could open a new route in blood disease diagnosis, for example for the isolation and characterization of "foreign" cells in the blood stream, the so called Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC), early manifestation of metastasis.

Local strain heterogeneity and elastic relaxation dynamics associated with relaxor behavior in the single-crystal perovskite Pb (I n1 /2N b1 /2 ) O3-PbZr O3-Pb (M g1 /3N b2 /3 ) O3-PbTi O3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Wenhui; Carpenter, Michael A.; Lampronti, Giulio I.; Li, Qiang; Yan, Qingfeng

2017-10-01

Recently, Pb (In1/2Nb1/2 ) O3-PbZr O3-Pb (Mg1/3Nb2/3 ) O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PZ-PMN-PT) relaxor single crystals were demonstrated to possess improved temperature-insensitive properties, which would be desirable for high-power device applications. The relaxor character associated with the development of local random fields (RFs) and a high rhombohedral-tetragonal (R-T) ferroelectric transition temperature (TR-T>120°C) would be critical for the excellent properties. A significant effect of the chemical substitution of In3+ and Zr4+ in PMN-PT to give PIN-PZ-PMN-PT is the development of local strain heterogeneity, which acts to suppress the development of macroscopic shear strains without suppressing the development of local ferroelectric moments and contribute substantially to the RFs in PIN-PZ-PMN-PT. Measurements of elastic and anelastic properties by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy show that PIN-PZ-PMN-PT crystal has a quite different form of elastic anomaly due to Vogel-Fulcher freezing, rather than the a discrete cubic-T transition seen in a single crystal of PMN-28PT. It also has high acoustic loss of the relaxor phase down to TR-T. Analysis of piezoresponse force microscopy phase images at different temperatures provides a quantitative insight into the extent to which the RFs influence the microdomain structure and the short-range order correlation length 〈ξ 〉 .

Molecular dynamics simulations of shock compressed heterogeneous materials. II. The graphite/diamond transition case for astrophysics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pineau, N.; Soulard, L.; Colombet, L.; Carrard, T.; Pellé, A.; Gillet, Ph.; Clérouin, J.

2015-03-01

We present a series of molecular dynamics simulations of the shock compression of copper matrices containing a single graphite inclusion: these model systems can be related to some specific carbon-rich rocks which, after a meteoritic impact, are found to contain small fractions of nanodiamonds embedded in graphite in the vicinity of high impedance minerals. We show that the graphite to diamond transformation occurs readily for nanometer-sized graphite inclusions, via a shock accumulation process, provided the pressure threshold of the bulk graphite/diamond transition is overcome, independently of the shape or size of the inclusion. Although high diamond yields (˜80%) are found after a few picoseconds in all cases, the transition is non-isotropic and depends substantially on the relative orientation of the graphite stack with respect to the shock propagation, leading to distinct nucleation processes and size-distributions of the diamond grains. A substantial regraphitization process occurs upon release and only inclusions with favorable orientations likely lead to the preservation of a fraction of this diamond phase. These results agree qualitatively well with the recent experimental observations of meteoritic impact samples.

Multicenter Phase II Trial of Temsirolimus and Bevacizumab in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors

PubMed Central

Hobday, Timothy J.; Qin, Rui; Reidy-Lagunes, Diane; Moore, Malcolm J.; Strosberg, Jonathan; Kaubisch, Andreas; Shah, Manisha; Kindler, Hedy Lee; Lenz, Heinz-Josef; Chen, Helen; Erlichman, Charles

2015-01-01

Purpose There are few effective therapies for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs). Recent placebo-controlled phase III trials of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor everolimus and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/platelet-derived growth factor receptor inhibitor sunitinib have noted improved progression-free survival (PFS). Preclinical studies have suggested enhanced antitumor effects with combined mTOR and VEGF pathway–targeted therapy. We conducted a clinical trial to evaluate combination therapy against these targets in PNETs. Patients and Methods We conducted a two-stage single-arm phase II trial of the mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus 25 mg intravenously (IV) once per week and the VEGF-A monoclonal antibody bevacizumab 10 mg/kg IV once every 2 weeks in patients with well or moderately differentiated PNETs and progressive disease by RECIST within 7 months of study entry. Coprimary end points were tumor response rate and 6-month PFS. Results A total of 58 patients were enrolled, and 56 patients were eligible for response assessment. Confirmed response rate (RR) was 41% (23 of 56 patients). PFS at 6 months was 79% (44 of 56). Median PFS was 13.2 months (95% CI, 11.2 to 16.6). Median overall survival was 34 months (95% CI, 27.1 to not reached). For evaluable patients, the most common grade 3 to 4 adverse events attributed to therapy were hypertension (21%), fatigue (16%), lymphopenia (14%), and hyperglycemia (14%). Conclusion The combination of temsirolimus and bevacizumab had substantial activity and reasonable tolerability in a multicenter phase II trial, with RR of 41%, well in excess of single targeted agents in patients with progressive PNETs. Six-month PFS was a notable 79% in a population of patients with disease progression by RECIST criteria within 7 months of study entry. On the basis of this trial, continued evaluation of combination mTOR and VEGF pathway inhibitors is warranted. PMID:25488966

Mars aerosol studies with the MGS TES emission phase function observations: Optical depths, particle sizes, and ice cloud types versus latitude and solar longitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clancy, R. Todd; Wolff, Michael J.; Christensen, Philip R.

2003-09-01

Emission phase function (EPF) observations taken in 1999-2001 by Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer (MGS TES) support the broadest study of Martian aerosol properties to date. TES solar band and infrared (IR) spectral EPF sequences are analyzed to obtain first-time seasonal/latitudinal distributions of visible optical depths, particle sizes, and single scattering phase functions. This combined angular and wavelength coverage enables identification of two distinct ice cloud types over 45°S-45°N. Type 1 ice clouds exhibit small particle sizes (reff = 1-2 μm) and a distinctive backscattering increase. They are most prevalent in the southern hemisphere during aphelion, but also appear more widely distributed in season and latitude as topographic and high-altitude (>=20 km) ice hazes. Type 2 ice clouds exhibit larger particle sizes (reff = 3-4 μm), a distinct side-scattering minimum at 90-100° phase angles (characteristic of a change in particle shape relative to the type 1), and appear most prominently in the northern subtropical aphelion cloud belt. The majority of retrieved dust visible-to-IR optical depth ratios are indicative of reff = 1.5 +/- 0.1 μm, consistent with Pathfinder and Viking/Mariner 9 reanalyses. However, increased ratios (2.7 versus 1.7) appear frequently in the northern hemisphere over LS = 50-200°, indicating substantially smaller dust particles sizes (reff = 1.0 +/- 0.2 μm) at this time. In addition, larger (reff = 1.8-2.5 μm) dust particles were observed locally in the southern hemisphere during the peak of the 2001 global dust storm. Detailed spectral modeling of the TES visible band pass indicates agreement of EPF-derived dust single scattering albedos (0.92-0.94) with the spectrally resolved results from Pathfinder observations.

Phase retrieval without unwrapping by single-shot dual-wavelength digital holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Junwei; Yao, Baoli; Zhou, Meiling; Guo, Rongli; Lei, Ming; Yang, Yanlong; Dan, Dan; Yan, Shaohui; Peng, Tong

2014-12-01

A phase retrieval method by using single-shot dual-wavelength digital holography is proposed. Each single wavelength hologram is extracted from the color CCD recorded hologram at one exposure, and the unwrapped phase image of object can be reconstructed directly. Different from the traditional multiple wavelength phase unwrapping techniques, any single complex wave-fronts at different wavelengths have no need to be calculated any more. Thus, the phase retrieval is computationally fast and straightforward, and the limitations on the total optical path difference are significantly relaxed. The practicability of the proposed method is demonstrated by both simulated and experimental results.

Single-phase and two-phase anaerobic digestion of fruit and vegetable waste: Comparison of start-up, reactor stability and process performance

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

Ganesh, Rangaraj; Torrijos, Michel, E-mail: michel.torrijos@supagro.inra.fr; Sousbie, Philippe

Highlights: • Single-phase and two-phase systems were compared for fruit and vegetable waste digestion. • Single-phase digestion produced a methane yield of 0.45 m{sup 3} CH{sub 4}/kg VS and 83% VS removal. • Substrate solubilization was high in acidification conditions at 7.0 kg VS/m{sup 3} d and pH 5.5–6.2. • Energy yield was lower by 33% for two-phase system compared to the single-phase system. • Simple and straight-forward operation favored single phase process over two-phase process. - Abstract: Single-phase and two-phase digestion of fruit and vegetable waste were studied to compare reactor start-up, reactor stability and performance (methane yield, volatilemore » solids reduction and energy yield). The single-phase reactor (SPR) was a conventional reactor operated at a low loading rate (maximum of 3.5 kg VS/m{sup 3} d), while the two-phase system consisted of an acidification reactor (TPAR) and a methanogenic reactor (TPMR). The TPAR was inoculated with methanogenic sludge similar to the SPR, but was operated with step-wise increase in the loading rate and with total recirculation of reactor solids to convert it into acidification sludge. Before each feeding, part of the sludge from TPAR was centrifuged, the centrifuge liquid (solubilized products) was fed to the TPMR and centrifuged solids were recycled back to the reactor. Single-phase digestion produced a methane yield of 0.45 m{sup 3} CH{sub 4}/kg VS fed and VS removal of 83%. The TPAR shifted to acidification mode at an OLR of 10.0 kg VS/m{sup 3} d and then achieved stable performance at 7.0 kg VS/m{sup 3} d and pH 5.5–6.2, with very high substrate solubilization rate and a methane yield of 0.30 m{sup 3} CH{sub 4}/kg COD fed. The two-phase process was capable of high VS reduction, but material and energy balance showed that the single-phase process was superior in terms of volumetric methane production and energy yield by 33%. The lower energy yield of the two-phase system was due to the loss of energy during hydrolysis in the TPAR and the deficit in methane production in the TPMR attributed to COD loss due to biomass synthesis and adsorption of hard COD onto the flocs. These results including the complicated operational procedure of the two-phase process and the economic factors suggested that the single-phase process could be the preferred system for FVW.« less

Analysis and design of a high power laser adaptive phased array transmitter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mevers, G. E.; Soohoo, J. F.; Winocur, J.; Massie, N. A.; Southwell, W. H.; Brandewie, R. A.; Hayes, C. L.

1977-01-01

The feasibility of delivering substantial quantities of optical power to a satellite in low earth orbit from a ground based high energy laser (HEL) coupled to an adaptive antenna was investigated. Diffraction effects, atmospheric transmission efficiency, adaptive compensation for atmospheric turbulence effects, including the servo bandwidth requirements for this correction, and the adaptive compensation for thermal blooming were examined. To evaluate possible HEL sources, atmospheric investigations were performed for the CO2, (C-12)(O-18)2 isotope, CO and DF wavelengths using output antenna locations of both sea level and mountain top. Results indicate that both excellent atmospheric and adaption efficiency can be obtained for mountain top operation with a micron isotope laser operating at 9.1 um, or a CO laser operating single line (P10) at about 5.0 (C-12)(O-18)2um, which was a close second in the evaluation. Four adaptive power transmitter system concepts were generated and evaluated, based on overall system efficiency, reliability, size and weight, advanced technology requirements and potential cost. A multiple source phased array was selected for detailed conceptual design. The system uses a unique adaption technique of phase locking independent laser oscillators which allows it to be both relatively inexpensive and most reliable with a predicted overall power transfer efficiency of 53%.

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

Pudasaini, Shiva P.; Miller, Stephen A.

The general two-phase debris flow model proposed by Pudasaini is employed to study subaerial and submarine debris flows, and the tsunami generated by the debris impact at lakes and oceans. The model, which includes three fundamentally new and dominant physical aspects such as enhanced viscous stress, virtual mass, and generalized drag (in addition to buoyancy), constitutes the most generalized two-phase flow model to date. The advantage of this two-phase debris flow model over classical single-phase, or quasi-two-phase models, is that the initial mass can be divided into several parts by appropriately considering the solid volume fraction. These parts include amore » dry (landslide or rock slide), a fluid (water or muddy water; e.g., dams, rivers), and a general debris mixture material as needed in real flow simulations. This innovative formulation provides an opportunity, within a single framework, to simultaneously simulate the sliding debris (or landslide), the water lake or ocean, the debris impact at the lake or ocean, the tsunami generation and propagation, the mixing and separation between the solid and fluid phases, and the sediment transport and deposition process in the bathymetric surface. Applications of this model include (a) sediment transport on hill slopes, river streams, hydraulic channels (e.g., hydropower dams and plants); lakes, fjords, coastal lines, and aquatic ecology; and (b) submarine debris impact and the rupture of fiber optic, submarine cables and pipelines along the ocean floor, and damage to offshore drilling platforms. Numerical simulations reveal that the dynamics of debris impact induced tsunamis in mountain lakes or oceans are fundamentally different than the tsunami generated by pure rock avalanches and landslides. The analysis includes the generation, amplification and propagation of super tsunami waves and run-ups along coastlines, debris slide and deposition at the bottom floor, and debris shock waves. It is observed that the submarine debris speed can be faster than the tsunami speed. This information can be useful for early warning strategies in the coastal regions. These findings substantially increase our understanding of complex multi-phase systems and multi-physics and flows, and allows for the proper modeling of landslide and debris induced tsunami, the dynamics of turbidity currents and sediment transport, and the associated applications to hazard mitigation, geomorphology and sedimentology.« less

Single-molecule-sensitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer in freely-diffusing attoliter droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmanseresht, Sheema; Milas, Peker; Ramos, Kieran P.; Gamari, Ben D.; Goldner, Lori S.

2015-05-01

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from individual, dye-labeled RNA molecules confined in freely-diffusing attoliter-volume aqueous droplets is carefully compared to FRET from unconfined RNA in solution. The use of freely-diffusing droplets is a remarkably simple and high-throughput technique that facilitates a substantial increase in signal-to-noise for single-molecular-pair FRET measurements. We show that there can be dramatic differences between FRET in solution and in droplets, which we attribute primarily to an altered pH in the confining environment. We also demonstrate that a sufficient concentration of a non-ionic surfactant mitigates this effect and restores FRET to its neutral-pH solution value. At low surfactant levels, even accounting for pH, we observe differences between the distribution of FRET values in solution and in droplets which remain unexplained. Our results will facilitate the use of nanoemulsion droplets as attoliter volume reactors for use in biophysical and biochemical assays, and also in applications such as protein crystallization or nanoparticle synthesis, where careful attention to the pH of the confined phase is required.

PROPELLER EPI: An MRI Technique Suitable for Diffusion Tensor Imaging at High Field Strength With Reduced Geometric Distortions

PubMed Central

Wang, Fu-Nien; Huang, Teng-Yi; Lin, Fa-Hsuan; Chuang, Tzu-Chao; Chen, Nan-Kuei; Chung, Hsiao-Wen; Chen, Cheng-Yu; Kwong, Kenneth K.

2013-01-01

A technique suitable for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at high field strengths is presented in this work. The method is based on a periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) k-space trajectory using EPI as the signal readout module, and hence is dubbed PROPELLER EPI. The implementation of PROPELLER EPI included a series of correction schemes to reduce possible errors associated with the intrinsically higher sensitivity of EPI to off-resonance effects. Experimental results on a 3.0 Tesla MR system showed that the PROPELLER EPI images exhibit substantially reduced geometric distortions compared with single-shot EPI, at a much lower RF specific absorption rate (SAR) than the original version of the PROPELLER fast spin-echo (FSE) technique. For DTI, the self-navigated phase-correction capability of the PROPELLER EPI sequence was shown to be effective for in vivo imaging. A higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared to single-shot EPI at an identical total scan time was achieved, which is advantageous for routine DTI applications in clinical practice. PMID:16206142

PROPELLER EPI: an MRI technique suitable for diffusion tensor imaging at high field strength with reduced geometric distortions.

PubMed

Wang, Fu-Nien; Huang, Teng-Yi; Lin, Fa-Hsuan; Chuang, Tzu-Chao; Chen, Nan-Kuei; Chung, Hsiao-Wen; Chen, Cheng-Yu; Kwong, Kenneth K

2005-11-01

A technique suitable for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at high field strengths is presented in this work. The method is based on a periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) k-space trajectory using EPI as the signal readout module, and hence is dubbed PROPELLER EPI. The implementation of PROPELLER EPI included a series of correction schemes to reduce possible errors associated with the intrinsically higher sensitivity of EPI to off-resonance effects. Experimental results on a 3.0 Tesla MR system showed that the PROPELLER EPI images exhibit substantially reduced geometric distortions compared with single-shot EPI, at a much lower RF specific absorption rate (SAR) than the original version of the PROPELLER fast spin-echo (FSE) technique. For DTI, the self-navigated phase-correction capability of the PROPELLER EPI sequence was shown to be effective for in vivo imaging. A higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared to single-shot EPI at an identical total scan time was achieved, which is advantageous for routine DTI applications in clinical practice. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

High Temperature Elastic Properties of Single Crystal Mullite (Approximately 2.5Al2O3.SiO2) by Brillouin Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palko, James W.; Sayir, Ali; Sinogeikin, Stanislav V.; Kriven, Waltraud M.; Bass, Jay D.; Farmer, Serene C. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The complete elastic tensor of mullite has been determined by brillouin spectroscopy at room temperature and elevated temperatures up to 1200C. Equivalent, isotropic moduli (bulk, shear, and Young's) have been calculated. The room temperature values obtained using Voigt-Reuss-Hill averaging are: K(sub VRH) = 173.5 + 6.9 GPa, G(sub VRH) = 88.0 + 3.5 GPa, E(sub VRH) = 225.9 + 9.0 GPa. All moduli show relatively gradual decreases with temperature. The temperature derivatives obtained for the equivalent, isotropic moduli are: dK(sub VRH)/dT = - 17.5 + 2.5 MPa/deg. C, dG(sub VRH)/dT = -8.8 + 1.4 MPa/deg. C, dE(sub VRH)/dT = -22.6 + 2.8 MPa/deg C. Substantial differences between bulk properties calculated from the single crystal measurements in this study and the properties reported in the literature for polycrystalline sintered mullite are identified, indicating the importance of factors such as microstructure, intergranular phases, and composition to the elasticity of mullite ceramics.

Cavity-coupled double-quantum dot at finite bias: Analogy with lasers and beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulkarni, Manas; Cotlet, Ovidiu; Türeci, Hakan E.

2014-09-01

We present a theoretical and experimental study of photonic and electronic transport properties of a voltage biased InAs semiconductor double quantum dot (DQD) that is dipole coupled to a superconducting transmission line resonator. We obtain the master equation for the reduced density matrix of the coupled system of cavity photons and DQD electrons accounting systematically for both the presence of phonons and the effect of leads at finite voltage bias. We subsequently derive analytical expressions for transmission, phase response, photon number, and the nonequilibrium steady-state electron current. We show that the coupled system under finite bias realizes an unconventional version of a single-atom laser and analyze the spectrum and the statistics of the photon flux leaving the cavity. In the transmission mode, the system behaves as a saturable single-atom amplifier for the incoming photon flux. Finally, we show that the back action of the photon emission on the steady-state current can be substantial. Our analytical results are compared to exact master equation results establishing regimes of validity of various analytical models. We compare our findings to available experimental measurements.

Select strengths and biases of models in representing the Arctic winter boundary layer over sea ice: the Larcform 1 single column model intercomparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pithan, Felix; Ackerman, Andrew; Angevine, Wayne M.; Hartung, Kerstin; Ickes, Luisa; Kelley, Maxwell; Medeiros, Brian; Sandu, Irina; Steeneveld, Gert-Jan; Sterk, H. A. M.; Svensson, Gunilla; Vaillancourt, Paul A.; Zadra, Ayrton

2016-09-01

Weather and climate models struggle to represent lower tropospheric temperature and moisture profiles and surface fluxes in Arctic winter, partly because they lack or misrepresent physical processes that are specific to high latitudes. Observations have revealed two preferred states of the Arctic winter boundary layer. In the cloudy state, cloud liquid water limits surface radiative cooling, and temperature inversions are weak and elevated. In the radiatively clear state, strong surface radiative cooling leads to the build-up of surface-based temperature inversions. Many large-scale models lack the cloudy state, and some substantially underestimate inversion strength in the clear state. Here, the transformation from a moist to a cold dry air mass is modeled using an idealized Lagrangian perspective. The trajectory includes both boundary layer states, and the single-column experiment is the first Lagrangian Arctic air formation experiment (Larcform 1) organized within GEWEX GASS (Global atmospheric system studies). The intercomparison reproduces the typical biases of large-scale models: some models lack the cloudy state of the boundary layer due to the representation of mixed-phase microphysics or to the interaction between micro- and macrophysics. In some models, high emissivities of ice clouds or the lack of an insulating snow layer prevent the build-up of surface-based inversions in the radiatively clear state. Models substantially disagree on the amount of cloud liquid water in the cloudy state and on turbulent heat fluxes under clear skies. Observations of air mass transformations including both boundary layer states would allow for a tighter constraint of model behavior.

Phase formation and UV luminescence of Gd3+ doped perovskite-type YScO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimizu, Yuhei; Ueda, Kazushige

2016-10-01

Synthesis of pure and Gd3+doped perovskite-type YScO3 was attempted by a polymerized complex (PC) method and solid state reaction (SSR) method. Crystalline phases and UV luminescence of samples were examined with varying heating temperatures. The perovskite-type single phase was not simply formed in the SSR method, as reported in some literatures, and two cubic C-type phases of starting oxide materials remained forming slightly mixed solid solutions. UV luminescence of Gd3+ doped samples increased with an increase in heating temperatures and volume of the perovskite-type phase. In contrast, a non-crystalline precursor was crystallized to a single C-type phase at 800 °C in the PC method forming a completely mixed solid solution. Then, the phase of perovskite-type YScO3 formed at 1200 °C and its single phase was obtained at 1400 °C. It was revealed that high homogeneousness of cations was essential to generate the single perovskite-phase of YScO3. Because Gd3+ ions were also dissolved into the single C-type phase in Gd3+ doped samples, intense UV luminescence was observed above 800 °C in both C-type phase and perovskite-type phase.

Method for the substantial reduction of quenching effects in luminescence spectrometry

DOEpatents

Demas, James N.; Jones, Wesley M.; Keller, Richard A.

1989-01-01

Method for reducing quenching effects in analytical luminescence measurements. Two embodiments of the present invention are described which relate to a form of time resolution based on the amplitudes and phase shifts of modulated emission signals. In the first embodiment, the measured modulated emission signal is substantially independent of sample quenching at sufficiently high frequenices. In the second embodiment, the modulated amplitude and the phase shift between the emission signal and the excitation source are simultaneously measured. Using either method, the observed modulated amplitude may reduced to tis unquenched value.

Tunable phase transition in single-layer TiSe2 via electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lei; Zhuang, Houlong L.

2018-06-01

Phase transition represents an intriguing physical phenomenon that exists in a number of single-layer transition-metal dichalcogenides. This phenomenon often occurs below a critical temperature and breaks the long-range crystalline order leading to a reconstructed superstructure called the charge-density wave (CDW) structure, which can therefore be recovered by external stimuli such as temperature. Alternatively, we show here that another external stimulation, electric field can also result in the phase transition between the regular and CDW structures of a single-layer transition-metal dichalcogenide. We used single-layer TiSe2 as an example to elucidate the mechanism of the CDW followed by calculations of the electronic structure using a hybrid density functional. We found that applying electric field can tune the phase transition between the 1T and CDW phases of single-layer TiSe2. Our work opens up a route of tuning the phase transition of single-layer materials via electric field.

Apparatus for obtaining silicon from fluosilicic acid

DOEpatents

Sanjurjo, Angel

1986-05-20

Apparatus for producing low cost, high purity solar grade silicon ingots in single crystal or quasi single crystal ingot form in a substantially continuous operation in a two stage reactor starting with sodium fluosilicate and a metal more electropositive than silicon (preferably sodium) in separate compartments having easy vapor transport therebetween and thermally decomposing the sodium fluosilicate to cause formation of substantially pure silicon and a metal fluoride which may be continuously separated in the melt and silicon may be directly and continuously cast from the melt.

Cavity Exciton-Polariton mediated, Single-Shot Quantum Non-Demolition measurement of a Quantum Dot Electron Spin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puri, Shruti; McMahon, Peter; Yamamoto, Yoshihisa

2014-03-01

The quantum non-demolition (QND) measurement of a single electron spin is of great importance in measurement-based quantum computing schemes. The current single-shot readout demonstrations exhibit substantial spin-flip backaction. We propose a QND readout scheme for quantum dot (QD) electron spins in Faraday geometry, which differs from previous proposals and implementations in that it relies on a novel physical mechanism: the spin-dependent Coulomb exchange interaction between a QD spin and optically-excited quantum well (QW) microcavity exciton-polaritons. The Coulomb exchange interaction causes a spin-dependent shift in the resonance energy of the polarized polaritons, thus causing the phase and intensity response of left circularly polarized light to be different to that of the right circularly polarized light. As a result the QD electron's spin can be inferred from the response to a linearly polarized probe. We show that by a careful design of the system, any spin-flip backaction can be eliminated and a QND measurement of the QD electron spin can be performed within a few 10's of nanoseconds with fidelity 99:95%. This improves upon current optical QD spin readout techniques across multiple metrics, including fidelity, speed and scalability. National Institute of Informatics, 2-1-2 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8430, Japan.

Performances of anaerobic co-digestion of fruit & vegetable waste (FVW) and food waste (FW): single-phase vs. two-phase.

PubMed

Shen, Fei; Yuan, Hairong; Pang, Yunzhi; Chen, Shulin; Zhu, Baoning; Zou, Dexun; Liu, Yanping; Ma, Jingwei; Yu, Liang; Li, Xiujin

2013-09-01

The co-digestion of fruit & vegetable waste (FVW) and food waste (FW) was performed at various organic loading ratios (OLRs) in single-phase and two-phase system, respectively. The results showed that the ethanol-type fermentation dominated in both digestion processes when OLR was at low levels (<2.0 g(VS) L(-1) d(-1)). The propionic acid was rapidly accumulated as OLR was increased to higher levels (>2.0 g(VS) L(-1) d(-1)), which could cause unstable anaerobic digestion. Single-phase digestion was better than two-phase digestion in term of 4.1% increase in CH4 production at lower OLRs (<2.0 g(VS) L(-1) d(-1)). However, at higher level of OLR (≥2.0 g(VS) L(-1) d(-1)), two-phase digestion achieved higher CH4 production of 0.351-0.455 L(g VS)(-1) d(-1), which were 7.0-15.8% more than that of single-phase. Additionally, two-phase digestion presented more stable operation, and higher OLR treatment capacity. Furthermore, comparison of these two systems with bioenergy recovery revealed that two-phase system overall presented higher bioenergy yield than single-phase. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linear phase encoding for holographic data storage with a single phase-only spatial light modulator.

PubMed

Nobukawa, Teruyoshi; Nomura, Takanori

2016-04-01

A linear phase encoding is presented for realizing a compact and simple holographic data storage system with a single spatial light modulator (SLM). This encoding method makes it possible to modulate a complex amplitude distribution with a single phase-only SLM in a holographic storage system. In addition, an undesired light due to the imperfection of an SLM can be removed by spatial frequency filtering with a Nyquist aperture. The linear phase encoding is introduced to coaxial holographic data storage. The generation of a signal beam using linear phase encoding is experimentally verified in an interferometer. In a coaxial holographic data storage system, single data recording, shift selectivity, and shift multiplexed recording are experimentally demonstrated.

Ultrafast fluorescence upconversion technique and its applications to proteins.

PubMed

Chosrowjan, Haik; Taniguchi, Seiji; Tanaka, Fumio

2015-08-01

The basic principles and main characteristics of the ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence upconversion technique (conventional and space-resolved), including requirements for nonlinear crystals, mixing spectral bandwidth, acceptance angle, etc., are presented. Applications to flavoproteins [wild-type (WT) FMN-binding protein and its W32Y, W32A, E13R, E13K, E13Q and E13T mutants] and photoresponsive proteins [WT photoactive yellow protein and its R52Q mutant in solution and as single crystals] are demonstrated. For flavoproteins, investigations elucidating the effects of ionic charges on ultrafast electron transfer (ET) dynamics are summarized. It is shown that replacement of the ionic amino acid Glu13 and the resulting modification of the electrostatic charge distribution in the protein chromphore-binding pocket substantially alters the ultrafast fluorescence quenching dynamics and ET rate in FMN-binding protein. It is concluded that, together with donor-acceptor distances, electrostatic interactions between ionic photoproducts and other ionic groups in the proteins are important factors influencing the ET rates. In WT photoactive yellow protein and the R52Q mutant, ultrafast photoisomerization dynamics of the chromophore (deprotonated trans-p-coumaric acid) in liquid and crystal phases are investigated. It is shown that the primary dynamics in solution and single-crystal phases are quite similar; hence, the photocycle dynamics and structural differences observed at longer time scales arise mostly from the structural restraints imposed by the crystal lattice rigidity versus the flexibility in solution. © 2014 FEBS.

Actinium radioisotope products of enhanced purity

DOEpatents

Meikrantz, David Herbert; Todd, Terry Allen; Tranter, Troy Joseph; Horwitz, E. Philip

2010-06-15

A product includes actinium-225 (.sup.225Ac) and less than about 1 microgram (.mu.g) of iron (Fe) per millicurie (mCi) of actinium-225. The product may have a radioisotopic purity of greater than about 99.99 atomic percent (at %) actinium-225 and daughter isotopes of actinium-225, and may be formed by a method that includes providing a radioisotope mixture solution comprising at least one of uranium-233 (.sup.233U) and thorium-229 (.sup.229Th), extracting the at least one of uranium-233 and thorium-229 into an organic phase, substantially continuously contacting the organic phase with an aqueous phase, substantially continuously extracting actinium-225 into the aqueous phase, and purifying the actinium-225 from the aqueous phase. In some embodiments, the product may include less than about 1 nanogram (ng) of iron per millicurie (mCi) of actinium-225, and may include less than about 1 microgram (.mu.g) each of magnesium (Mg), Chromium (Cr), and manganese (Mn) per millicurie (mCi) of actinium-225.

Design of a Modular E-Core Flux Concentrating Axial Flux Machine: Preprint

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

Husain, Tausif; Sozer, Yilmaz; Husain, Iqbal

2015-08-24

In this paper a novel E-Core axial flux machine is proposed. The machine has a double-stator, single-rotor configuration with flux-concentrating ferrite magnets and pole windings across each leg of an E-Core stator. E-Core stators with the proposed flux-concentrating rotor arrangement result in better magnet utilization and higher torque density. The machine also has a modular structure facilitating simpler construction. This paper presents a single-phase and a three-phase version of the E-Core machine. Case studies for a 1.1-kW, 400-rpm machine for both the single-phase and three-phase axial flux machines are presented. The results are verified through 3D finite element analysis. facilitatingmore » simpler construction. This paper presents a single-phase and a three-phase version of the E-Core machine. Case studies for a 1.1-kW, 400-rpm machine for both the single-phase and three-phase axial flux machines are presented. The results are verified through 3D finite element analysis.« less

30 CFR 77.905 - Connection of single-phase loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... COAL MINES Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 77.905 Connection of single-phase... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Connection of single-phase loads. 77.905 Section 77.905 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE...

30 CFR 77.905 - Connection of single-phase loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... COAL MINES Low- and Medium-Voltage Alternating Current Circuits § 77.905 Connection of single-phase... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Connection of single-phase loads. 77.905 Section 77.905 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR COAL MINE...

Electromechanical cryocooler

DOEpatents

Neufeld, Kenneth W.

1996-01-01

An electromechanical cryocooler is disclosed for substantially reducing vibrations caused by the cooler. The direction of the force of the vibrations is measured and a counterforce sufficient to substantially reduce this vibration is calculated and generated. The counterforce is 180.degree. out of phase with the direction of the force of the vibrations.

Attrition resistant, zinc titanate-containing, reduced sulfur sorbents

DOEpatents

Vierheilig, Albert A.; Gupta, Raghubir P.; Turk, Brian S.

2004-11-02

The disclosure is directed to sorbent compositions for removing reduced sulfur species (e.g., H.sub.2 S, COS and CS.sub.2) a feed stream. The sorbent is formed from a multi-phase composition including a zinc titanate phase and a zinc oxide-aluminate phase. The sorbent composition is substantially free of unreacted alumina.

Demonstration of a Variable Phase Turbine Power System for Low Temperature Geothermal Resources

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

Hays, Lance G

2014-07-07

A variable phase turbine assembly will be designed and manufactured having a turbine, operable with transcritical, two-phase or vapor flow, and a generator – on the same shaft supported by process lubricated bearings. The assembly will be hermetically sealed and the generator cooled by the refrigerant. A compact plate-fin heat exchanger or tube and shell heat exchanger will be used to transfer heat from the geothermal fluid to the refrigerant. The demonstration turbine will be operated separately with two-phase flow and with vapor flow to demonstrate performance and applicability to the entire range of low temperature geothermal resources. The vapormore » leaving the turbine is condensed in a plate-fin refrigerant condenser. The heat exchanger, variable phase turbine assembly and condenser are all mounted on single skids to enable factory assembly and checkout and minimize installation costs. The system will be demonstrated using low temperature (237F) well flow from an existing large geothermal field. The net power generated, 1 megawatt, will be fed into the existing power system at the demonstration site. The system will demonstrate reliable generation of inexpensive power from low temperature resources. The system will be designed for mass manufacturing and factory assembly and should cost less than $1,200/kWe installed, when manufactured in large quantities. The estimated cost of power for 300F resources is predicted to be less than 5 cents/kWh. This should enable a substantial increase in power generated from low temperature geothermal resources.« less

Phase Curve Analysis of Super-Earth 55 Cancri e

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angelo, Isabel; Hu, Renyu

2018-01-01

One of the primary questions when characterizing Earth-sized and super-Earth-sized exoplanets is whether they have a substantial atmosphere like Earth and Venus, or a bare-rock surface that may come with a tenuous atmosphere like Mercury. Phase curves of the planets in thermal emission provide clues to this question, because a substantial atmosphere would transport heat more efficiently than a bare-rock surface. Analyzing phase curve photometric data around secondary eclipse has previously been used to study energy transport in the atmospheres of hot Jupiters. Here we use phase curve, Spitzer time-series photometry to study the thermal emission properties of the super-Earth exoplanet 55 Cancri e. We utilize a previously developed semi-analytical framework to fit a physical model to infrared photometric data of host star 55 Cancri from the Spitzer telescope IRAC 2 band at 4.5 μm. The model uses various parameters of planetary properties including Bond albedo, heat redistribution efficiency (i.e., the ratio between the radiative timescale and advective timescale of the photosphere), and atmospheric greenhouse factor. The phase curve of 55 Cancri e is dominated by thermal emission with an eastward-shifted hot spot located on the planet surface. We determine the heat redistribution efficiency to be ≈1.47, which implies that the advective timescale is on the same order as the radiative timescale. This requirement from the phase curve cannot be met by the bare-rock planet scenario, because heat transport by currents of molten lava would be too slow. The phase curve thus favors the scenario with a substantial atmosphere. Our constraints on the heat redistribution efficiency translate to a photosphere pressure of ~1.4 bar. The Spitzer IRAC 2 band is thus a window into the deep atmosphere of the planet 55 Cancri e.

Hazardous waste management programs; Florida: authorization for interim authorization phase I--Environmental Protection Agency. Notice of final determination.

PubMed

1982-05-07

The State of Florida has applied for interim Authorization Phase I. EPA has reviewed Florida's application for Phase I and has determined that Florida's hazardous waste program is substantially equivalent to the Federal program covered by Phase I. The State of Florida is, hereby, granted Interim Authorization for Phase I to operate the State 's hazardous waste program, in lieu of the Federal program.

Cytokinetics of adult rat SVZ after EAE.

PubMed

Sajad, Mir; Chawla, Raman; Zargan, Jamil; Umar, Sadiq; Sadaqat, Mir; Khan, Haider A

2011-01-31

Cytokinetics regulating cell cycle division can be modulated by several endogenous factors. EAE (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis) increases proliferation of progenitor cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ). Using cumulative and single S phase labeling with 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine, we examined cell cycle kinetics of neural progenitor cells in the SVZ after EAE. 20% of the SVZ cell population was proliferating in adjuvant control rats. However, EAE significantly increased them up to 27% and these cells had a cell cycle length (TC) of 15.6h, significantly (P<0.05) shorter than the 19 h TC in non EAE SVZ cells. Few TUNEL (+) cells were detected in the SVZ cells of adjuvant controls. EAE increased (P<0.05) TUNEL (+) nuclei in SVZ suggesting early stage progenitor cell death. Cell cycle phase analysis revealed that EAE substantially shortened the length of the G1 phase (9.6h) compared with the G1 phase of 12.25 h in adjuvant control SVZ cells (P<0.05). This reduction in G1 contributes to EAE-induced reduction of TC because no significant changes were detected on the length of S, G2 and M phases between the two groups. Our results show a surge in proliferating progenitor cells in the SVZ with concomitant increase in apoptotic cell death after EAE. Furthermore, increase in the SVZ proliferation contributes to EAE-induced neurogenesis and this increase is regulated by shortening the G1 phase. Our investigation suggests the activation of quiescent cells in SVZ to generate actively proliferating progenitors. Moreover, the increase in the cell death in proliferating population may contribute towards negative regulation of proliferative cell number and hence diminished regenerative capacity of CNS following EAE. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mice lacking the PACAP type I receptor have impaired photic entrainment and negative masking.

PubMed

Hannibal, Jens; Brabet, Philippe; Fahrenkrug, Jan

2008-12-01

The retinohypothalamic tract (RHT) is a retinofugal neuronal pathway which, in mammals, mediates nonimage-forming vision to various areas in the brain involved in circadian timing, masking behavior, and regulation of the pupillary light reflex. The RHT costores the two neurotransmitters glutamate and pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP), which in a rather complex interplay are mediators of photic adjustment of the circadian system. To further characterize the role of PACAP/PACAP receptor type 1 (PAC1) receptor signaling in light entrainment of the clock and in negative masking behavior, we extended previous studies in mice lacking the PAC1 receptor (PAC1 KO) by examining their phase response to single light pulses using Aschoff type II regime, their ability to entrain to non-24-h light-dark (LD) cycles and large phase shifts of the LD cycle (jet lag), as well as their negative masking response during different light intensities. A prominent finding in PAC1 KO mice was a significantly decreased phase delay of the endogenous rhythm at early night. In accordance, PAC1 KO mice had a reduced ability to entrain to T cycles longer than 26 h and needed more time to reentrain to large phase delays, which was prominent at low light intensities. The data obtained at late night indicated that PACAP/PAC1 receptor signaling is less important during the phase-advancing part of the phase-response curve. Finally, the PAC1 KO mice showed impaired negative masking behavior at low light intensities. Our findings substantiate a role for PACAP/PAC1 receptor signaling in nonimage-forming vision and indicate that the system is particularly important at lower light intensities.

Cavity Self-Stabilization and Enhancement of Laser Gyroscopes by (Coupled) Optical Resonators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, David D.

2006-01-01

We analyze the effect of a highly dispersive element placed inside a modulated optical cavity on the frequency and amplitude of the modulation to determine the conditions for cavity self-stabilization and enhanced gyroscopic sensitivity. Hence, we model cavity rotation or instability by an arbitrary AM/FM modulation, and the dispersive element as a phase and amplitude filter. We find that anomalous dispersion may be used to self-stabilize a laser cavity, provided the magnitude of the group index of refraction is smaller than the phase index of refraction in the cavity. The optimal stabilization is found to occur when the group index is zero. Group indices with magnitudes larger than the phase index (both normal and anomalous dispersion) are found to enhance the sensitivity of a laser gyroscope to rotation. Furthermore, our results indicate that atomic media, even coherent superpositions in multilevel atoms, are not useful for these applications, because the amplitude and phase filters work against one another, i.e., decreasing the modulation frequency increases its amplitude and vice versa, with one exception: negative group indices whose magnitudes are larger than the phase index result in negative, but enhanced, beat frequencies. On the other hand, for optical resonators the dispersion reversal associated with critical coupling enables the amplitude and phase filters to work together under a greater variety of circumstances than for atomic media. We find that for single over-coupled resonators, or in the case of under-coupled coupled-resonator-induced absorption, the absorption and normal dispersion on-resonance increase the contrast and frequency of the beat-note, respectively, resulting in a substantial enhancement of the gyroscopic response. Moreover, for cavity self-stabilization, we propose the use of a variety of coupled-resonator induced transparency that is accompanied by anomalous dispersion.

Conducting multicenter research in healthcare simulation: Lessons learned from the INSPIRE network.

PubMed

Cheng, Adam; Kessler, David; Mackinnon, Ralph; Chang, Todd P; Nadkarni, Vinay M; Hunt, Elizabeth A; Duval-Arnould, Jordan; Lin, Yiqun; Pusic, Martin; Auerbach, Marc

2017-01-01

Simulation-based research has grown substantially over the past two decades; however, relatively few published simulation studies are multicenter in nature. Multicenter research confers many distinct advantages over single-center studies, including larger sample sizes for more generalizable findings, sharing resources amongst collaborative sites, and promoting networking. Well-executed multicenter studies are more likely to improve provider performance and/or have a positive impact on patient outcomes. In this manuscript, we offer a step-by-step guide to conducting multicenter, simulation-based research based upon our collective experience with the International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education (INSPIRE). Like multicenter clinical research, simulation-based multicenter research can be divided into four distinct phases. Each phase has specific differences when applied to simulation research: (1) Planning phase , to define the research question, systematically review the literature, identify outcome measures, and conduct pilot studies to ensure feasibility and estimate power; (2) Project Development phase , when the primary investigator identifies collaborators, develops the protocol and research operations manual, prepares grant applications, obtains ethical approval and executes subsite contracts, registers the study in a clinical trial registry, forms a manuscript oversight committee, and conducts feasibility testing and data validation at each site; (3) Study Execution phase , involving recruitment and enrollment of subjects, clear communication and decision-making, quality assurance measures and data abstraction, validation, and analysis; and (4) Dissemination phase , where the research team shares results via conference presentations, publications, traditional media, social media, and implements strategies for translating results to practice. With this manuscript, we provide a guide to conducting quantitative multicenter research with a focus on simulation-specific issues.

Do the peak and mean force methods of assessing vertical jump force asymmetry agree?

PubMed

Lake, Jason P; Mundy, Peter D; Comfort, Paul; Suchomel, Timothy J

2018-05-21

The aim of this study was to assess agreement between peak and mean force methods of quantifying force asymmetry during the countermovement jump (CMJ). Forty-five men performed four CMJ with each foot on one of two force plates recording at 1,000 Hz. Peak and mean were obtained from both sides during the braking and propulsion phases. The dominant side was obtained for the braking and propulsion phase as the side with the largest peak or mean force and agreement was assessed using percentage agreement and the kappa coefficient. Braking phase peak and mean force methods demonstrated a percentage agreement of 84% and a kappa value of 0.67 (95% confidence limits: 0.45-0.90), indicating substantial agreement. Propulsion phase peak and mean force methods demonstrated a percentage agreement of 87% and a kappa value of 0.72 (95% confidence limits: 0.51-0.93), indicating substantial agreement. While agreement was substantial, side-to-side differences were not reflected equally when peak and mean force methods of assessing CMJ asymmetry were used. These methods should not be used interchangeably, but rather a combined approach should be used where practitioners consider both peak and mean force to obtain the fullest picture of athlete asymmetry.

Electron attachment to DNA single strands: gas phase and aqueous solution

PubMed Central

Gu, Jiande; Xie, Yaoming; Schaefer, Henry F.

2007-01-01

The 2′-deoxyguanosine-3′,5′-diphosphate, 2′-deoxyadenosine-3′,5′-diphosphate, 2′-deoxycytidine-3′,5′-diphosphate and 2′-deoxythymidine-3′,5′-diphosphate systems are the smallest units of a DNA single strand. Exploring these comprehensive subunits with reliable density functional methods enables one to approach reasonable predictions of the properties of DNA single strands. With these models, DNA single strands are found to have a strong tendency to capture low-energy electrons. The vertical attachment energies (VEAs) predicted for 3′,5′-dTDP (0.17 eV) and 3′,5′-dGDP (0.14 eV) indicate that both the thymine-rich and the guanine-rich DNA single strands have the ability to capture electrons. The adiabatic electron affinities (AEAs) of the nucleotides considered here range from 0.22 to 0.52 eV and follow the order 3′,5′-dTDP > 3′,5′-dCDP > 3′,5′-dGDP > 3′,5′-dADP. A substantial increase in the AEA is observed compared to that of the corresponding nucleic acid bases and the corresponding nucleosides. Furthermore, aqueous solution simulations dramatically increase the electron attracting properties of the DNA single strands. The present investigation illustrates that in the gas phase, the excess electron is situated both on the nucleobase and on the phosphate moiety for DNA single strands. However, the distribution of the extra negative charge is uneven. The attached electron favors the base moiety for the pyrimidine, while it prefers the 3′-phosphate subunit for the purine DNA single strands. In contrast, the attached electron is tightly bound to the base fragment for the cytidine, thymidine and adenosine nucleotides, while it almost exclusively resides in the vicinity of the 3′-phosphate group for the guanosine nucleotides due to the solvent effects. The comparatively low vertical detachment energies (VDEs) predicted for 3′,5′-dADP− (0.26 eV) and 3′,5′-dGDP− (0.32 eV) indicate that electron detachment might compete with reactions having high activation barriers such as glycosidic bond breakage. However, the radical anions of the pyrimidine nucleotides with high VDE are expected to be electronically stable. Thus the base-centered radical anions of the pyrimidine nucleotides might be the possible intermediates for DNA single-strand breakage. PMID:17660189

Phase-front measurements of an injection-locked AlGaAs laser-diode array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornwell, Donald M., Jr.; Rall, Jonathan A. R.; Abshire, James B.

1989-01-01

The phase-front quality of the primary spatial lobe emitted from an injection-locked gain-guided AlGaAs laser-diode array is measured by using an equal-path, phase-shifting Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Root-mean-square phase errors of 0.037 + or - 0.003 wave are measured for the single spatial lobe, which contained 240-mW cw output power in a single longitudinal mode. This phase-front quality corresponds to a Strehl ratio of S = 0.947, which results in a 0.23-dB power loss from the single lobe's ideal diffraction-limited power. These values are comparable with those measured for single-stripe index-guided AlGaAs lasers.

Steering attosecond electron wave packets with light.

PubMed

Kienberger, R; Hentschel, M; Uiberacker, M; Spielmann, Ch; Kitzler, M; Scrinzi, A; Wieland, M; Westerwalbesloh, Th; Kleineberg, U; Heinzmann, U; Drescher, M; Krausz, F

2002-08-16

Photoelectrons excited by extreme ultraviolet or x-ray photons in the presence of a strong laser field generally suffer a spread of their energies due to the absorption and emission of laser photons. We demonstrate that if the emitted electron wave packet is temporally confined to a small fraction of the oscillation period of the interacting light wave, its energy spectrum can be up- or downshifted by many times the laser photon energy without substantial broadening. The light wave can accelerate or decelerate the electron's drift velocity, i.e., steer the electron wave packet like a classical particle. This capability strictly relies on a sub-femtosecond duration of the ionizing x-ray pulse and on its timing to the phase of the light wave with a similar accuracy, offering a simple and potentially single-shot diagnostic tool for attosecond pump-probe spectroscopy.

Iron-aluminum alloys having high room-temperature and method for making same

DOEpatents

Sikka, V.K.; McKamey, C.G.

1993-08-24

A wrought and annealed iron-aluminum alloy is described consisting essentially of 8 to 9.5% aluminum, an effective amount of chromium sufficient to promote resistance to aqueous corrosion of the alloy, and an alloying constituent selected from the group of elements consisting of an effective amount of molybdenum sufficient to promote solution hardening of the alloy and resistance of the alloy to pitting when exposed to solutions containing chloride, up to about 0.05% carbon with up to about 0.5% of a carbide former which combines with the carbon to form carbides for controlling grain growth at elevated temperatures, and mixtures thereof, and the balance iron, wherein said alloy has a single disordered [alpha] phase crystal structure, is substantially non-susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement, and has a room-temperature ductility of greater than 20%.

Quantitative investigation of red blood cell three-dimensional geometric and chemical changes in the storage lesion using digital holographic microscopy.

PubMed

Jaferzadeh, Keyvan; Moon, Inkyu

2015-11-01

Quantitative phase information obtained by digital holographic microscopy (DHM) can provide new insight into the functions and morphology of single red blood cells (RBCs). Since the functionality of a RBC is related to its three-dimensional (3-D) shape, quantitative 3-D geometric changes induced by storage time can help hematologists realize its optimal functionality period. We quantitatively investigate RBC 3-D geometric changes in the storage lesion using DHM. Our experimental results show that the substantial geometric transformation of the biconcave-shaped RBCs to the spherocyte occurs due to RBC storage lesion. This transformation leads to progressive loss of cell surface area, surface-to-volume ratio, and functionality of RBCs. Furthermore, our quantitative analysis shows that there are significant correlations between chemical and morphological properties of RBCs.

Moorhead district heating, phase 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundberg, R. E.

1981-01-01

The feasibility of developing a demonstration cogeneration hot water district heating system was studied. The district heating system would use coal and cogenerated heat from the Moorhead power plant to heat the water that would be distributed through underground pipes to customers or their space and domestic water heating needs, serving a substantial portion of the commercial and institutional loads as well as single and multiple family residences near the distribution lines. The technical feasibility effort considered the distribution network, retrofit of the power plant, and conversion of heating systems in customers' buildings to use hot water from the system. The system would be developed over six years. The economic analysis consisted of a market assessment and development of business plans for construction and operation of the system. Rate design methodology, institutional issues, development risk, and the proposal for implementation are discussed.

Tunable transmittance in anisotropic two-dimensional materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nualpijit, Phusit; Sinner, Andreas; Ziegler, Klaus

2018-06-01

A uniaxial strain applied to graphenelike materials moves the Dirac nodes along the boundary of the Brillouin zone. An extreme case is the merging of the Dirac node positions to a single degenerate spectral node, which gives rise to a new topological phase. Then isotropic Dirac nodes are replaced by a node with a linear behavior in one and a parabolic behavior in the other direction. This anisotropy influences substantially the optical properties. We propose a method to determine characteristic spectral and transport properties in black phosphorus layers, which were recently studied by several groups with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, and discuss how the transmittance, the reflectance, and the optical absorption of this material can be tuned. In particular, we demonstrate that the transmittance of linearly polarized incident light varies from nearly 0% to almost 100% in the microwave and far-infrared regime.

Electromechanical cryocooler

DOEpatents

Neufeld, K.W.

1996-12-10

An electromechanical cryocooler is disclosed for substantially reducing vibrations caused by the cooler. The direction of the force of the vibrations is measured and a counterforce sufficient to substantially reduce this vibration is calculated and generated. The counterforce is 180{degree} out of phase with the direction of the force of the vibrations. 3 figs.

Simultaneous fluorescence and quantitative phase microscopy with single-pixel detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yang; Suo, Jinli; Zhang, Yuanlong; Dai, Qionghai

2018-02-01

Multimodal microscopy offers high flexibilities for biomedical observation and diagnosis. Conventional multimodal approaches either use multiple cameras or a single camera spatially multiplexing different modes. The former needs expertise demanding alignment and the latter suffers from limited spatial resolution. Here, we report an alignment-free full-resolution simultaneous fluorescence and quantitative phase imaging approach using single-pixel detectors. By combining reference-free interferometry with single-pixel detection, we encode the phase and fluorescence of the sample in two detection arms at the same time. Then we employ structured illumination and the correlated measurements between the sample and the illuminations for reconstruction. The recovered fluorescence and phase images are inherently aligned thanks to single-pixel detection. To validate the proposed method, we built a proof-of-concept setup for first imaging the phase of etched glass with the depth of a few hundred nanometers and then imaging the fluorescence and phase of the quantum dot drop. This method holds great potential for multispectral fluorescence microscopy with additional single-pixel detectors or a spectrometer. Besides, this cost-efficient multimodal system might find broad applications in biomedical science and neuroscience.

Fabrication of single phase 2D homologous perovskite microplates by mechanical exfoliation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Junze; Wang, Jun; Zhang, Yingjun; Wang, Haizhen; Lin, Gaoming; Xiong, Xuan; Zhou, Weihang; Luo, Hongmei; Li, Dehui

2018-04-01

The two-dimensional (2D) Ruddlesden-Popper type perovskites have attracted intensive interest for their great environmental stability and various potential optoelectronic applications. Fundamental understanding of the photophysical and electronic properties of the 2D perovskites with pure single phase is essential for improving the performance of the optoelectronic devices and designing devices with new architectures. Investigating the optical and electronic properties of these materials with pure single phase is required to obtain pure single phase 2D perovskites. Here, we report on an alternative approach to fabricate (C4H9NH3)2(CH3NH3) n-1Pb n I3n+1 microplates with pure single n-number perovskite phase for n  >  2 by mechanical exfoliation. Micro-photoluminescence and absorption spectroscopy studies reveal that the as-synthesized 2D perovskite plates for n  >  2 are comprised by dominant n-number phase and small inclusions of hybrid perovskite phases with different n values, which is supported by excitation power dependent photoluminescence. By mechanical exfoliation method, 2D perovskite microplates with the thickness of around 20 nm are obtained, which surprisingly have single n-number perovskite phase for n  =  2-5. In addition, we have demonstrated that the exfoliated 2D perovskite microplates can be integrated with other 2D layered materials such as boron nitride, and are able to be transferred to prefabricated electrodes for photodetections. Our studies not only provide a strategy to prepare 2D perovskites with a single n-number perovskite phase allowing us to extract the basic optical and electronic parameters of pure phase perovskites, but also demonstrate the possibility to integrate the 2D perovskites with other 2D layered materials to extend the device’s functionalities.

Method for the substantial reduction of quenching effects in luminescence spectrometry

DOEpatents

Demas, J.N.; Jones, W.M.; Keller, R.A.

1987-06-26

Method for reducing quenching effects in analytical luminescence measurements. Two embodiments of the present invention are described which relate to a form of time resolution based on the amplitudes and phase shifts of modulated emission signals. In the first embodiment, the measured modulated emission signal is substantially independent of sample quenching at sufficiently high frequencies. In the second embodiment, the modulated amplitude and the phase shift between the emission signal and the excitation source are simultaneously measured. Using either method, the observed modulated amplitude may be reduced to its unquenched value. 3 figs.

Development of the self-learning machine for creating models of microprocessor of single-phase earth fault protection devices in networks with isolated neutral voltage above 1000 V

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utegulov, B. B.; Utegulov, A. B.; Meiramova, S.

2018-02-01

The paper proposes the development of a self-learning machine for creating models of microprocessor-based single-phase ground fault protection devices in networks with an isolated neutral voltage higher than 1000 V. Development of a self-learning machine for creating models of microprocessor-based single-phase earth fault protection devices in networks with an isolated neutral voltage higher than 1000 V. allows to effectively implement mathematical models of automatic change of protection settings. Single-phase earth fault protection devices.

Single-shot quantitative phase microscopy with color-multiplexed differential phase contrast (cDPC).

PubMed

Phillips, Zachary F; Chen, Michael; Waller, Laura

2017-01-01

We present a new technique for quantitative phase and amplitude microscopy from a single color image with coded illumination. Our system consists of a commercial brightfield microscope with one hardware modification-an inexpensive 3D printed condenser insert. The method, color-multiplexed Differential Phase Contrast (cDPC), is a single-shot variant of Differential Phase Contrast (DPC), which recovers the phase of a sample from images with asymmetric illumination. We employ partially coherent illumination to achieve resolution corresponding to 2× the objective NA. Quantitative phase can then be used to synthesize DIC and phase contrast images or extract shape and density. We demonstrate amplitude and phase recovery at camera-limited frame rates (50 fps) for various in vitro cell samples and c. elegans in a micro-fluidic channel.

Process and apparatus for obtaining silicon from fluosilicic acid

DOEpatents

Sanjurjo, Angel

1988-06-28

Process and apparatus for producing low cost, high purity solar grade silicon ingots in single crystal or quasi single crystal ingot form in a substantially continuous operation in a two stage reactor starting with sodium fluosilicate and a metal more electropositive than silicon (preferably sodium) in separate compartments having easy vapor transport therebetween and thermally decomposing the sodium fluosilicate to cause formation of substantially pure silicon and a metal fluoride which may be continuously separated in the melt and silicon may be directly and continuously cast from the melt.

Improved battery charger for electric vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rippel, W. E.

1981-01-01

Polyphase version of single-phase "boost chopper" significantly reduces ripple and electromagnetic interference (EMI). Drive circuit of n-phase boost chopper incorporates n-phase duty-cycle generator; inductor, transistor, and diode compose chopper which can run on single-phase or three-phase alternating current or on direct current. Device retains compactness and power factors approaching unity, while improving efficiency.

Active thermal control systems for lunar and Martian exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewert, Michael K.; Petete, Patricia A.; Dzenitis, John

1990-01-01

Several ATCS options including heat pumps, radiator shading devices, and single-phase flow loops were considered. The ATCS chosen for both lunar and Martian habitats consists of a heat pump integral with a nontoxic fluid acquisition and transport loop, and vertically oriented modular reflux-boiler radiators. The heat pump operates only during the lunar day. The lunar and Martian transfer vehicles have an internal single-phase water-acquisition loop and an external two-phase ammonia rejection system with rotating inflatable radiators. The lunar and Martian excursion vehicles incorporate internal single-phase water acquisition, which is connected via heat exchangers to external body-mounted single-phase radiators. A water evaporation system is used for the transfer vehicles during periods of high heating.

Modeling Gas-Particle Partitioning of SOA: Effects of Aerosol Physical State and RH

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuend, A.; Seinfeld, J.

2011-12-01

Aged tropospheric aerosol particles contain mixtures of inorganic salts, acids, water, and a large variety of organic compounds. In liquid aerosol particles non-ideal mixing of all species determines whether the condensed phase undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation or whether it is stable in a single mixed phase, and whether it contains solid salts in equilibrium with their saturated solution. The extended thermodynamic model AIOMFAC is able to predict such phase states by representing the variety of organic components using functional groups within a group-contribution concept. The number and composition of different condensed phases impacts the diversity of reaction media for multiphase chemistry and the gas-particle partitioning of semivolatile species. Recent studies show that under certain conditions biogenic and other organic-rich particles can be present in a highly viscous, semisolid or amorphous solid physical state, with consequences regarding reaction kinetics and mass transfer limitations. We present results of new gas-particle partitioning computations for aerosol chamber data using a model based on AIOMFAC activity coefficients and state-of-the-art vapor pressure estimation methods. Different environmental conditions in terms of temperature, relative humidity (RH), salt content, amount of precursor VOCs, and physical state of the particles are considered. We show how modifications of absorptive and adsorptive gas-particle mass transfer affects the total aerosol mass in the calculations and how the results of these modeling approaches compare to data of aerosol chamber experiments, such as alpha-pinene oxidation SOA. For a condensed phase in a mixed liquid state containing ammonium sulfate, the model predicts liquid-liquid phase separation up to high RH in case of, on average, moderately hydrophilic organic compounds, such as first generation oxidation products of alpha-pinene. The computations also reveal that treating liquid phases as ideal mixtures substantially overestimates the SOA mass, especially at high relative humidity.

Monoolein Lipid Phases as Incorporation and Enrichment Materials for Membrane Protein Crystallization

PubMed Central

Wallace, Ellen; Dranow, David; Laible, Philip D.; Christensen, Jeff; Nollert, Peter

2011-01-01

The crystallization of membrane proteins in amphiphile-rich materials such as lipidic cubic phases is an established methodology in many structural biology laboratories. The standard procedure employed with this methodology requires the generation of a highly viscous lipidic material by mixing lipid, for instance monoolein, with a solution of the detergent solubilized membrane protein. This preparation is often carried out with specialized mixing tools that allow handling of the highly viscous materials while minimizing dead volume to save precious membrane protein sample. The processes that occur during the initial mixing of the lipid with the membrane protein are not well understood. Here we show that the formation of the lipidic phases and the incorporation of the membrane protein into such materials can be separated experimentally. Specifically, we have investigated the effect of different initial monoolein-based lipid phase states on the crystallization behavior of the colored photosynthetic reaction center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides. We find that the detergent solubilized photosynthetic reaction center spontaneously inserts into and concentrates in the lipid matrix without any mixing, and that the initial lipid material phase state is irrelevant for productive crystallization. A substantial in-situ enrichment of the membrane protein to concentration levels that are otherwise unobtainable occurs in a thin layer on the surface of the lipidic material. These results have important practical applications and hence we suggest a simplified protocol for membrane protein crystallization within amphiphile rich materials, eliminating any specialized mixing tools to prepare crystallization experiments within lipidic cubic phases. Furthermore, by virtue of sampling a membrane protein concentration gradient within a single crystallization experiment, this crystallization technique is more robust and increases the efficiency of identifying productive crystallization parameters. Finally, we provide a model that explains the incorporation of the membrane protein from solution into the lipid phase via a portal lamellar phase. PMID:21909395

Heterogeneous Oxidation of Atmospheric Organic Aerosol: Kinetics of Changes to the Amount and Oxidation State of Particle-Phase Organic Carbon.

PubMed

Kroll, Jesse H; Lim, Christopher Y; Kessler, Sean H; Wilson, Kevin R

2015-11-05

Atmospheric oxidation reactions are known to affect the chemical composition of organic aerosol (OA) particles over timescales of several days, but the details of such oxidative aging reactions are poorly understood. In this study we examine the rates and products of a key class of aging reaction, the heterogeneous oxidation of particle-phase organic species by the gas-phase hydroxyl radical (OH). We compile and reanalyze a number of previous studies from our laboratories involving the oxidation of single-component organic particles. All kinetic and product data are described on a common basis, enabling a straightforward comparison among different chemical systems and experimental conditions. Oxidation chemistry is described in terms of changes to key ensemble properties of the OA, rather than to its detailed molecular composition, focusing on two quantities in particular, the amount and the oxidation state of the particle-phase carbon. Heterogeneous oxidation increases the oxidation state of particulate carbon, with the rate of increase determined by the detailed chemical mechanism. At the same time, the amount of particle-phase carbon decreases with oxidation, due to fragmentation (C-C scission) reactions that form small, volatile products that escape to the gas phase. In contrast to the oxidation state increase, the rate of carbon loss is nearly uniform among most systems studied. Extrapolation of these results to atmospheric conditions indicates that heterogeneous oxidation can have a substantial effect on the amount and composition of atmospheric OA over timescales of several days, a prediction that is broadly in line with available measurements of OA evolution over such long timescales. In particular, 3-13% of particle-phase carbon is lost to the gas phase after one week of heterogeneous oxidation. Our results indicate that oxidative aging represents an important sink for particulate organic carbon, and more generally that fragmentation reactions play a major role in the lifecycle of atmospheric OA.

Accurate modelling of single-particle cryo-EM images quantifies the benefits expected from using Zernike phase contrast

PubMed Central

Hall, R. J.; Nogales, E.; Glaeser, R. M.

2011-01-01

The use of a Zernike-type phase plate in biological cryo-electron microscopy allows the imaging, without using defocus, of what are predominantly phase objects. It is thought that such phase-plate implementations might result in higher quality images, free from the problems of CTF correction that occur when images must be recorded at extremely high values of defocus. In single-particle cryo-electron microscopy it is hoped that these improvements in image quality will facilitate work on structures that have proved difficult to study, either because of their relatively small size or because the structures are not completely homogeneous. There is still a need, however, to quantify how much improvement can be gained by using a phase plate for single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. We present a method for quantitatively modelling the images recorded with 200 keV electrons, for single particles embedded in vitreous ice. We then investigate what difference the use of a phase-plate device could have on the processing of single-particle data. We confirm that using a phase plate results in single-particle datasets in which smaller molecules can be detected, particles can be more accurately aligned and problems of heterogeneity can be more easily addressed. PMID:21463690

Multi-phase SPH modelling of violent hydrodynamics on GPUs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokos, Athanasios; Rogers, Benedict D.; Stansby, Peter K.; Domínguez, José M.

2015-11-01

This paper presents the acceleration of multi-phase smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) using a graphics processing unit (GPU) enabling large numbers of particles (10-20 million) to be simulated on just a single GPU card. With novel hardware architectures such as a GPU, the optimum approach to implement a multi-phase scheme presents some new challenges. Many more particles must be included in the calculation and there are very different speeds of sound in each phase with the largest speed of sound determining the time step. This requires efficient computation. To take full advantage of the hardware acceleration provided by a single GPU for a multi-phase simulation, four different algorithms are investigated: conditional statements, binary operators, separate particle lists and an intermediate global function. Runtime results show that the optimum approach needs to employ separate cell and neighbour lists for each phase. The profiler shows that this approach leads to a reduction in both memory transactions and arithmetic operations giving significant runtime gains. The four different algorithms are compared to the efficiency of the optimised single-phase GPU code, DualSPHysics, for 2-D and 3-D simulations which indicate that the multi-phase functionality has a significant computational overhead. A comparison with an optimised CPU code shows a speed up of an order of magnitude over an OpenMP simulation with 8 threads and two orders of magnitude over a single thread simulation. A demonstration of the multi-phase SPH GPU code is provided by a 3-D dam break case impacting an obstacle. This shows better agreement with experimental results than an equivalent single-phase code. The multi-phase GPU code enables a convergence study to be undertaken on a single GPU with a large number of particles that otherwise would have required large high performance computing resources.

Highly dispersed metal catalyst

DOEpatents

Xiao, Xin; West, William L.; Rhodes, William D.

2016-11-08

A supported catalyst having an atomic level single atom structure is provided such that substantially all the catalyst is available for catalytic function. A process of forming a single atom catalyst unto a porous catalyst support is also provided.

Single-shot quantitative phase microscopy with color-multiplexed differential phase contrast (cDPC)

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

We present a new technique for quantitative phase and amplitude microscopy from a single color image with coded illumination. Our system consists of a commercial brightfield microscope with one hardware modification—an inexpensive 3D printed condenser insert. The method, color-multiplexed Differential Phase Contrast (cDPC), is a single-shot variant of Differential Phase Contrast (DPC), which recovers the phase of a sample from images with asymmetric illumination. We employ partially coherent illumination to achieve resolution corresponding to 2× the objective NA. Quantitative phase can then be used to synthesize DIC and phase contrast images or extract shape and density. We demonstrate amplitude and phase recovery at camera-limited frame rates (50 fps) for various in vitro cell samples and c. elegans in a micro-fluidic channel. PMID:28152023

MDCT of acute pancreatitis: Intraindividual comparison of single-phase versus dual-phase MDCT for initial assessment of acute pancreatitis using different CT scoring systems.

PubMed

Avanesov, Maxim; Weinrich, Julius M; Kraus, Thomas; Derlin, Thorsten; Adam, Gerhard; Yamamura, Jin; Karul, Murat

2016-11-01

The purpose of the retrospective study was to evaluate the additional value of dual-phase multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) protocols over a single-phase protocol on initial MDCT in patients with acute pancreatitis using three CT-based pancreatitis severity scores with regard to radiation dose. In this retrospective, IRB approved study MDCT was performed in 102 consecutive patients (73 males; 55years, IQR48-64) with acute pancreatitis. Inclusion criteria were CT findings of interstitial edematous pancreatitis (IP) or necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) and a contrast-enhanced dual-phase (arterial phase and portal-venous phase) abdominal CT performed at ≥72h after onset of symptoms. The severity of pancreatic and extrapancreatic changes was independently assessed by 2 observers using 3 validated CT-based scoring systems (CTSI, mCTSI, EPIC). All scores were applied to arterial phase and portal venous phase scans and compared to score results of portal venous phase scans, assessed ≥14days after initial evaluation. For effective dose estimation, volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP) were recorded in all examinations. In neither of the CT severity scores a significant difference was observed after application of a dual-phase protocol compared with a single-phase protocol (IP: CTSI: 2.7 vs. 2.5, p=0.25; mCTSI: 4.0 vs. 4.0, p=0.10; EPIC: 2.0 vs. 2.0, p=0.41; NP: CTSI: 8.0 vs. 7.0, p=0.64; mCTSI: 8.0 vs. 8.0, p=0.10; EPIC: 3.0 vs. 3.0, p=0.06). The application of a single-phase CT protocol was associated with a median effective dose reduction of 36% (mean dose reduction 31%) compared to a dual-phase CT scan. An initial dual-phase abdominal CT after ≥72h after onset of symptoms of acute pancreatitis was not superior to a single-phase protocol for evaluation of the severity of pancreatic and extrapancreatic changes. However, the effective radiation dose may be reduced by 36% using a single-phase protocol. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Multiple fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine

DOEpatents

Crothers, William T.

1977-01-01

A multiple fuel supply or an internal combustion engine wherein phase separation of components is deliberately induced. The resulting separation permits the use of a single fuel tank to supply components of either or both phases to the engine. Specifically, phase separation of a gasoline/methanol blend is induced by the addition of a minor amount of water sufficient to guarantee separation into an upper gasoline phase and a lower methanol/water phase. A single fuel tank holds the two-phase liquid with separate fuel pickups and separate level indicators for each phase. Either gasoline or methanol, or both, can be supplied to the engine as required by predetermined parameters. A fuel supply system for a phase-separated multiple fuel supply contained in a single fuel tank is described.

Select strengths and biases of models in representing the Arctic winter boundary layer over sea ice: the Larcform 1 single column model intercomparison

DOE PAGES

Pithan, Felix; Ackerman, Andrew; Angevine, Wayne M.; ...

2016-08-27

We struggle to represent lower tropospheric temperature and moisture profiles and surface fluxes in Artic winter using weather and climate models, partly because they lack or misrepresent physical processes that are specific to high latitudes. Observations have revealed two preferred states of the Arctic winter boundary layer. In the cloudy state, cloud liquid water limits surface radiative cooling, and temperature inversions are weak and elevated. In the radiatively clear state, strong surface radiative cooling leads to the build-up of surface-based temperature inversions. Many large-scale models lack the cloudy state, and some substantially underestimate inversion strength in the clear state. Themore » transformation from a moist to a cold dry air mass is modeled using an idealized Lagrangian perspective. The trajectory includes both boundary layer states, and the single-column experiment is the first Lagrangian Arctic air formation experiment (Larcform 1) organized within GEWEX GASS (Global atmospheric system studies). The intercomparison reproduces the typical biases of large-scale models: some models lack the cloudy state of the boundary layer due to the representation of mixed-phase microphysics or to the interaction between micro- and macrophysics. In some models, high emissivities of ice clouds or the lack of an insulating snow layer prevent the build-up of surface-based inversions in the radiatively clear state. Models substantially disagree on the amount of cloud liquid water in the cloudy state and on turbulent heat fluxes under clear skies. Finally, observations of air mass transformations including both boundary layer states would allow for a tighter constraint of model behavior.« less

Select strengths and biases of models in representing the Arctic winter boundary layer over sea ice: the Larcform 1 single column model intercomparison

PubMed Central

Pithan, Felix; Ackerman, Andrew; Angevine, Wayne M.; Hartung, Kerstin; Ickes, Luisa; Kelley, Maxwell; Medeiros, Brian; Sandu, Irina; Steeneveld, Gert-Jan; Sterk, HAM; Svensson, Gunilla; Vaillancourt, Paul A.; Zadra, Ayrton

2017-01-01

Weather and climate models struggle to represent lower tropospheric temperature and moisture profiles and surface fluxes in Arctic winter, partly because they lack or misrepresent physical processes that are specific to high latitudes. Observations have revealed two preferred states of the Arctic winter boundary layer. In the cloudy state, cloud liquid water limits surface radiative cooling, and temperature inversions are weak and elevated. In the radiatively clear state, strong surface radiative cooling leads to the build-up of surface-based temperature inversions. Many large-scale models lack the cloudy state, and some substantially underestimate inversion strength in the clear state. Here, the transformation from a moist to a cold dry air mass is modelled using an idealized Lagrangian perspective. The trajectory includes both boundary layer states, and the single-column experiment is the first Lagrangian Arctic air formation experiment (Larcform 1) organized within GEWEX GASS (Global atmospheric system studies). The intercomparison reproduces the typical biases of large-scale models: Some models lack the cloudy state of the boundary layer due to the representation of mixed-phase micro-physics or to the interaction between micro-and macrophysics. In some models, high emissivities of ice clouds or the lack of an insulating snow layer prevent the build-up of surface-based inversions in the radiatively clear state. Models substantially disagree on the amount of cloud liquid water in the cloudy state and on turbulent heat fluxes under clear skies. Observations of air mass transformations including both boundary layer states would allow for a tighter constraint of model behaviour. PMID:28966718

Gait biomechanics of skipping are substantially different than those of running.

PubMed

McDonnell, Jessica; Willson, John D; Zwetsloot, Kevin A; Houmard, Joseph; DeVita, Paul

2017-11-07

The inherit injury risk associated with high-impact exercises calls for alternative ways to achieve the benefits of aerobic exercise while minimizing excessive stresses to body tissues. Skipping presents such an alternative, incorporating double support, flight, and single support phases. We used ground reaction forces (GRFs), lower extremity joint torques and powers to compare skipping and running in 20 healthy adults. The two consecutive skipping steps on each limb differed significantly from each other, and from running. Running had the longest step length, the highest peak vertical GRF, peak knee extensor torque, and peak knee negative and positive power and negative and positive work. Skipping had the greater cadence, peak horizontal GRF, peak hip and ankle extensor torques, peak ankle negative power and work, and peak ankle positive power. The second vs first skipping step had the shorter step length, higher cadence, peak horizontal GRF, peak ankle extensor torque, and peak ankle negative power, negative work, and positive power and positive work. The first skipping step utilized predominately net negative joint work (eccentric muscle action) while the second utilized predominately net positive joint work (concentric muscle action). The skipping data further highlight the persistence of net negative work performed at the knee and net positive work performed at the ankle across locomotion gaits. Evidence of step segregation was seen in distribution of the braking and propelling impulses and net work produced across the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Skipping was substantially different than running and was temporally and spatially asymmetrical with successive foot falls partitioned into a dominant function, either braking or propelling whereas running had a single, repeated step in which both braking and propelling actions were performed equally. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Select strengths and biases of models in representing the Arctic winter boundary layer over sea ice: the Larcform 1 single column model intercomparison.

PubMed

Pithan, Felix; Ackerman, Andrew; Angevine, Wayne M; Hartung, Kerstin; Ickes, Luisa; Kelley, Maxwell; Medeiros, Brian; Sandu, Irina; Steeneveld, Gert-Jan; Sterk, Ham; Svensson, Gunilla; Vaillancourt, Paul A; Zadra, Ayrton

2016-09-01

Weather and climate models struggle to represent lower tropospheric temperature and moisture profiles and surface fluxes in Arctic winter, partly because they lack or misrepresent physical processes that are specific to high latitudes. Observations have revealed two preferred states of the Arctic winter boundary layer. In the cloudy state, cloud liquid water limits surface radiative cooling, and temperature inversions are weak and elevated. In the radiatively clear state, strong surface radiative cooling leads to the build-up of surface-based temperature inversions. Many large-scale models lack the cloudy state, and some substantially underestimate inversion strength in the clear state. Here, the transformation from a moist to a cold dry air mass is modelled using an idealized Lagrangian perspective. The trajectory includes both boundary layer states, and the single-column experiment is the first L agrangian Arc tic air form ation experiment (Larcform 1) organized within GEWEX GASS (Global atmospheric system studies). The intercomparison reproduces the typical biases of large-scale models: Some models lack the cloudy state of the boundary layer due to the representation of mixed-phase micro-physics or to the interaction between micro-and macrophysics. In some models, high emissivities of ice clouds or the lack of an insulating snow layer prevent the build-up of surface-based inversions in the radiatively clear state. Models substantially disagree on the amount of cloud liquid water in the cloudy state and on turbulent heat fluxes under clear skies. Observations of air mass transformations including both boundary layer states would allow for a tighter constraint of model behaviour.

Coil planet centrifugation as a means for small particle separation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herrmann, F. T.

1983-01-01

The coil planet centrifuge uses a centrifugal force field to provide separation of particles based on differences in sedimentation rates by flow through a rotating coiled tube. Three main separations are considered: (1) single phase fresh sheep and human erythrocytes, (2) single phase fixed heep and human erythrocytes, and (3) electrophoretically enhanced single phase fresh sheep and human erythrocytes.

Single-arm phase II trial design under parametric cure models.

PubMed

Wu, Jianrong

2015-01-01

The current practice of designing single-arm phase II survival trials is limited under the exponential model. Trial design under the exponential model may not be appropriate when a portion of patients are cured. There is no literature available for designing single-arm phase II trials under the parametric cure model. In this paper, a test statistic is proposed, and a sample size formula is derived for designing single-arm phase II trials under a class of parametric cure models. Extensive simulations showed that the proposed test and sample size formula perform very well under different scenarios. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Retrofit implementation of Zernike phase plate imaging for cryo-TEM

PubMed Central

Marko, Michael; Leith, ArDean; Hsieh, Chyongere; Danev, Radostin

2011-01-01

In-focus phase-plate imaging is particularly beneficial for cryo-TEM because it offers a substantial overall increase in image contrast, without an electron dose penalty, and it simplifies image interpretation. We show how phase-plate cryo-TEM can be implemented with an appropriate existing TEM, and provide a basic practical introduction to use of thin-film (carbon) phase plates. We point out potential pitfalls of phase-plate operation, and discuss solutions. We provide information on evaluating a particular TEM for its suitability. PMID:21272647

Catalyst and method for aqueous phase reactions

DOEpatents

Elliott, Douglas C.; Hart, Todd R.

1999-01-01

The present invention is a catalyst in the form of a plurality of porous particles wherein each particle is a support having nickel metal catalytic phase or reduced nickel deposited thereon in a first dispersed phase and an additional metal deposited onto the support in a second dispersed phase. The additional metal is effective in retarding or reducing agglomeration or sintering of the nickel metal catalytic phase without substantially affecting the catalytic activity, thereby increasing the life time of the catalyst.

Recent changes in terrestrial water storage in the Upper Nile Basin: an evaluation of commonly used gridded GRACE products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamsudduha, Mohammad; Taylor, Richard G.; Jones, Darren; Longuevergne, Laurent; Owor, Michael; Tindimugaya, Callist

2017-09-01

GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite data monitor large-scale changes in total terrestrial water storage (ΔTWS), providing an invaluable tool where in situ observations are limited. Substantial uncertainty remains, however, in the amplitude of GRACE gravity signals and the disaggregation of TWS into individual terrestrial water stores (e.g. groundwater storage). Here, we test the phase and amplitude of three GRACE ΔTWS signals from five commonly used gridded products (i.e. NASA's GRCTellus: CSR, JPL, GFZ; JPL-Mascons; GRGS GRACE) using in situ data and modelled soil moisture from the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) in two sub-basins (LVB: Lake Victoria Basin; LKB: Lake Kyoga Basin) of the Upper Nile Basin. The analysis extends from January 2003 to December 2012, but focuses on a large and accurately observed reduction in ΔTWS of 83 km3 from 2003 to 2006 in the Lake Victoria Basin. We reveal substantial variability in current GRACE products to quantify the reduction of ΔTWS in Lake Victoria that ranges from 80 km3 (JPL-Mascons) to 69 and 31 km3 for GRGS and GRCTellus respectively. Representation of the phase in TWS in the Upper Nile Basin by GRACE products varies but is generally robust with GRGS, JPL-Mascons, and GRCTellus (ensemble mean of CSR, JPL, and GFZ time-series data), explaining 90, 84, and 75 % of the variance respectively in "in situ" or "bottom-up" ΔTWS in the LVB. Resolution of changes in groundwater storage (ΔGWS) from GRACE ΔTWS is greatly constrained by both uncertainty in changes in soil-moisture storage (ΔSMS) modelled by GLDAS LSMs (CLM, NOAH, VIC) and the low annual amplitudes in ΔGWS (e.g. 1.8-4.9 cm) observed in deeply weathered crystalline rocks underlying the Upper Nile Basin. Our study highlights the substantial uncertainty in the amplitude of ΔTWS that can result from different data-processing strategies in commonly used, gridded GRACE products; this uncertainty is disregarded in analyses of ΔTWS and individual stores applying a single GRACE product.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of online, radio and print tobacco control advertisements targeting 25-39 year-old males.

PubMed

Clayforth, Cassandra; Pettigrew, Simone; Mooney, Katie; Lansdorp-Vogelaar, Iris; Rosenberg, Michael; Slevin, Terry

2014-06-01

To assess the relative cost-effectiveness of various non-television advertising media in encouraging 25-39 year-old male smokers to respond to a cessation-related call to action. Information about how new electronic media compare in effectiveness is important to inform the implementation of future tobacco control media campaigns. Two testimonial advertisements featuring members of the target group were developed for radio, press and online media. Multiple waves of media activity were scheduled over a period of seven weeks, including an initial integrated period that included all three media and subsequent single media phases that were interspersed with a week of no media activity. The resulting Quit website hits, Quitline telephone calls, and registrations to online and telephone counselling services were compared to advertising costs to determine the relative cost-effectiveness of each media in isolation and the integrated approach. The online-only campaign phase was substantially more cost-effective than the other phases, including the integrated approach. This finding is contrary to the current assumption that the use of a consistent message across multiple media simultaneously is the most cost-effective way of reaching and affecting target audiences. Online advertising may be a highly cost-effective channel for low-budget tobacco control media campaigns. © 2014 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2014 Public Health Association of Australia.

Changes in levels of biomarkers of exposure observed in a controlled study of smokers switched from conventional to reduced toxicant prototype cigarettes.

PubMed

Shepperd, Christopher J; Eldridge, Alison; Camacho, Oscar M; McAdam, Kevin; Proctor, Christopher J; Meyer, Ingo

2013-06-01

Reduced toxicant prototype (RTP) cigarettes with substantially reduced levels of tobacco smoke toxicants have been developed. Evaluation of these prototype cigarettes included measurement of biomarkers of exposure (BoE) to toxicants in smokers switched from conventional cigarettes to the RTPs. A 6-week single-blinded randomised controlled study with occasional clinical confinement was conducted ( ISRCTN7215735). All smoking subjects smoked a conventional cigarette for 2-weeks. Control groups continued to smoke the conventional cigarette while test groups switched to one of three RTP designs. Clinical confinement and additional assessments were performed for all smoking groups after 2 and 4-weeks. A non-smoker group provided background levels of BoE. On average, smokers switched to RTPs with reduced machine yields of toxicants had reduced levels of corresponding BoEs. For vapour phase toxicants such as acrolein and 1,3-butadiene reductions of ⩾70% were observed both in smoke chemistry and BoEs. Reductions in particulate phase toxicants such as tobacco-specific nitrosamines, aromatic amines and polyaromatic hydrocarbons depended upon the technologies used, but were in some cases ⩾80% although some increases in other particulate phase toxicants were observed. However, reductions in BoEs demonstrate that it is possible to produce prototype cigarettes that reduce exposure to toxicants in short-term use. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrated electrokinetically driven microfluidic devices with pH-mediated solid-phase extraction coupled to microchip electrophoresis for preterm birth biomarkers.

PubMed

Sonker, Mukul; Knob, Radim; Sahore, Vishal; Woolley, Adam T

2017-07-01

Integration in microfluidics is important for achieving automation. Sample preconcentration integrated with separation in a microfluidic setup can have a substantial impact on rapid analysis of low-abundance disease biomarkers. Here, we have developed a microfluidic device that uses pH-mediated solid-phase extraction (SPE) for the enrichment and elution of preterm birth (PTB) biomarkers. Furthermore, this SPE module was integrated with microchip electrophoresis for combined enrichment and separation of multiple analytes, including a PTB peptide biomarker (P1). A reversed-phase octyl methacrylate monolith was polymerized as the SPE medium in polyethylene glycol diacrylate modified cyclic olefin copolymer microfluidic channels. Eluent for pH-mediated SPE of PTB biomarkers on the monolith was optimized using different pH values and ionic concentrations. Nearly 50-fold enrichment was observed in single channel SPE devices for a low nanomolar solution of P1, with great elution time reproducibility (<7% RSD). The monolith binding capacity was determined to be 400 pg (0.2 pmol). A mixture of a model peptide (FA) and a PTB biomarker (P1) was extracted, eluted, injected, and then separated by microchip electrophoresis in our integrated device with ∼15-fold enrichment. This device shows important progress towards an integrated electrokinetically operated platform for preconcentration and separation of biomarkers. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparison of the quench and fault current limiting characteristics of the flux-coupling type SFCL with single and three-phase transformer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Byung Ik; Cho, Yong Sun; Park, Hyoung Min; Chung, Dong Chul; Choi, Hyo Sang

2013-01-01

The South Korean power grid has a network structure for the flexible operation of the system. The continuously increasing power demand necessitated the increase of power facilities, which decreased the impedance in the power system. As a result, the size of the fault current in the event of a system fault increased. As this increased fault current size is threatening the breaking capacity of the circuit breaker, the main protective device, a solution to this problem is needed. The superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) has been designed to address this problem. SFCL supports the stable operation of the circuit breaker through its excellent fault-current-limiting operation [1-5]. In this paper, the quench and fault current limiting characteristics of the flux-coupling-type SFCL with one three-phase transformer were compared with those of the same SFCL type but with three single-phase transformers. In the case of the three-phase transformers, both the superconducting elements of the fault and sound phases were quenched, whereas in the case of the single-phase transformer, only that of the fault phase was quenched. For the fault current limiting rate, both cases showed similar rates for the single line-to-ground fault, but for the three-wire earth fault, the fault current limiting rate of the single-phase transformer was over 90% whereas that of the three-phase transformer was about 60%. It appears that when the three-phase transformer was used, the limiting rate decreased because the fluxes by the fault current of each phase were linked in one core. When the power loads of the superconducting elements were compared by fault type, the initial (half-cycle) load was great when the single-phase transformer was applied, whereas for the three-phase transformer, its power load was slightly lower at the initial stage but became greater after the half fault cycle.

Analytical description of the ternary melt and solution crystallization with a non-linear phase diagram

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toropova, L. V.; Alexandrov, D. V.

2018-05-01

The directional solidification of a ternary system with an extended phase transition region is theoretically studied. A mathematical model is developed to describe quasi-stationary solidification, and its analytical solution is constructed with allowance for a nonlinear liquids line equation. We demonstrate that the phase diagram nonlinearity leads to substantial changes of analytical solutions.

29 CFR 4022.25 - Five-year phase-in of benefit guarantee for participants other than substantial owners.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... years a benefit increase has been in effect, each complete 12-month period ending on or before the... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Five-year phase-in of benefit guarantee for participants... PLANS Limitations on Guaranteed Benefits § 4022.25 Five-year phase-in of benefit guarantee for...

Characterisation of different polymorphs of tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminium(III) using solid-state NMR and DFT calculations

PubMed Central

Goswami, Mithun; Nayak, Pabitra K; Periasamy, N; Madhu, PK

2009-01-01

Background Organic light emitting devices (OLED) are becoming important and characterisation of them, in terms of structure, charge distribution, and intermolecular interactions, is important. Tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)-aluminium(III), known as Alq3, an organomettalic complex has become a reference material of great importance in OLED. It is important to elucidate the structural details of Alq3 in its various isomeric and solvated forms. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a useful tool for this which can also complement the information obtained with X-ray diffraction studies. Results We report here 27Al one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) multiple-quantum magic-angle spinning (MQMAS) NMR studies of the meridional (α-phase) and the facial (δ-phase) isomeric forms of Alq3. Quadrupolar parameters are estimated from the 1D spectra under MAS and anisotropic slices of the 2D spectra and also calculated using DFT (density functional theory) quantum-chemical calculations. We have also studied solvated phase of Alq3 containing ethanol in its lattice. We show that both the XRD patterns and the quadrupolar parameters of the solvated phase are different from both the α-phase and the δ-phase, although the fluorescence emission shows no substantial difference between the α-phase and the solvated phase. Moreover, we have shown that after the removal of ethanol from the matrix the solvated Alq3 has similar XRD patterns and quadrupolar parameters to that of the α-phase. Conclusion The 2D MQMAS experiments have shown that all the different modifications of Alq3 have 27Al in single unique crystallographic site. The quadrupolar parameters predicted using the DFT calculation under the isodensity polarisable continuum model resemble closely the experimentally obtained values. The solvated phase of Alq3 containing ethanol has structural difference from the α-phase of Alq3 (containing meridional isomer) from the solid-state NMR studies. Solid-state NMR can hence be used as an effective complementary tool to XRD for characterisation and structural elucidation. PMID:19900275

Characterisation of different polymorphs of tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminium(III) using solid-state NMR and DFT calculations.

PubMed

Goswami, Mithun; Nayak, Pabitra K; Periasamy, N; Madhu, P K

2009-11-09

Organic light emitting devices (OLED) are becoming important and characterisation of them, in terms of structure, charge distribution, and intermolecular interactions, is important. Tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)-aluminium(III), known as Alq3, an organomettalic complex has become a reference material of great importance in OLED. It is important to elucidate the structural details of Alq3 in its various isomeric and solvated forms. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a useful tool for this which can also complement the information obtained with X-ray diffraction studies. We report here 27Al one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) multiple-quantum magic-angle spinning (MQMAS) NMR studies of the meridional (alpha-phase) and the facial (delta-phase) isomeric forms of Alq3. Quadrupolar parameters are estimated from the 1D spectra under MAS and anisotropic slices of the 2D spectra and also calculated using DFT (density functional theory) quantum-chemical calculations. We have also studied solvated phase of Alq3 containing ethanol in its lattice. We show that both the XRD patterns and the quadrupolar parameters of the solvated phase are different from both the alpha-phase and the delta-phase, although the fluorescence emission shows no substantial difference between the alpha-phase and the solvated phase. Moreover, we have shown that after the removal of ethanol from the matrix the solvated Alq3 has similar XRD patterns and quadrupolar parameters to that of the alpha-phase. The 2D MQMAS experiments have shown that all the different modifications of Alq3 have 27Al in single unique crystallographic site. The quadrupolar parameters predicted using the DFT calculation under the isodensity polarisable continuum model resemble closely the experimentally obtained values. The solvated phase of Alq3 containing ethanol has structural difference from the alpha-phase of Alq3 (containing meridional isomer) from the solid-state NMR studies. Solid-state NMR can hence be used as an effective complementary tool to XRD for characterisation and structural elucidation.

Single and two-shot quantitative phase imaging using Hilbert-Huang Transform based fringe pattern analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trusiak, Maciej; Micó, Vicente; Patorski, Krzysztof; García-Monreal, Javier; Sluzewski, Lukasz; Ferreira, Carlos

2016-08-01

In this contribution we propose two Hilbert-Huang Transform based algorithms for fast and accurate single-shot and two-shot quantitative phase imaging applicable in both on-axis and off-axis configurations. In the first scheme a single fringe pattern containing information about biological phase-sample under study is adaptively pre-filtered using empirical mode decomposition based approach. Further it is phase demodulated by the Hilbert Spiral Transform aided by the Principal Component Analysis for the local fringe orientation estimation. Orientation calculation enables closed fringes efficient analysis and can be avoided using arbitrary phase-shifted two-shot Gram-Schmidt Orthonormalization scheme aided by Hilbert-Huang Transform pre-filtering. This two-shot approach is a trade-off between single-frame and temporal phase shifting demodulation. Robustness of the proposed techniques is corroborated using experimental digital holographic microscopy studies of polystyrene micro-beads and red blood cells. Both algorithms compare favorably with the temporal phase shifting scheme which is used as a reference method.

Polymerase III transcription factor B activity is reduced in extracts of growth-restricted cells.

PubMed Central

Tower, J; Sollner-Webb, B

1988-01-01

Extracts of cells that are down-regulated for transcription by RNA polymerase I and RNA polymerase III exhibit a reduced in vitro transcriptional capacity. We have recently demonstrated that the down-regulation of polymerase I transcription in extracts of cycloheximide-treated and stationary-phase cells results from a lack of an activated subform of RNA polymerase I which is essential for rDNA transcription. To examine whether polymerase III transcriptional down-regulation occurs by a similar mechanism, the polymerase III transcription factors were isolated and added singly and in pairs to control cell extracts and to extracts of cells that had reduced polymerase III transcriptional activity due to cycloheximide treatment or growth into stationary phase. These down-regulations result from a specific reduction in TFIIIB; TFIIIC and polymerase III activities remain relatively constant. Thus, although transcription by both polymerase III and polymerase I is substantially decreased in extracts of growth-arrested cells, this regulation is brought about by reduction of different kinds of activities: a component of the polymerase III stable transcription complex in the former case and the activated subform of RNA polymerase I in the latter. Images PMID:3352599

[Arthroscopic double-row reconstruction of high-grade subscapularis tendon tears].

PubMed

Plachel, F; Pauly, S; Moroder, P; Scheibel, M

2018-04-01

Reconstruction of tendon integrity to maintain glenohumeral joint centration and hence to restore shoulder functional range of motion and to reduce pain. Isolated or combined full-thickness subscapularis tendon tears (≥upper two-thirds of the tendon) without both substantial soft tissue degeneration and cranialization of the humeral head. Chronic tears of the subscapularis tendon with higher grade muscle atrophy, fatty infiltration, and static decentration of the humeral head. After arthroscopic three-sided subscapularis tendon release, two double-loaded suture anchors are placed medially to the humeral footprint. Next to the suture passage, the suture limbs are tied and secured laterally with up to two knotless anchors creating a transosseous-equivalent repair. The affected arm is placed in a shoulder brace with 20° of abduction and slight internal rotation for 6 weeks postoperatively. Rehabilitation protocol including progressive physical therapy from a maximum protection phase to a minimum protection phase is required. Overhead activities are permitted after 6 months. While previous studies have demonstrated superior biomechanical properties and clinical results after double-row compared to single-row and transosseous fixation techniques, further mid- to long-term clinical investigations are needed to confirm these findings.

Frequency dispersion of sound propagation in Rouse polymer melts via generalized dynamic random phase approximation.

PubMed

Erukhimovich, I Ya; Kudryavtsev, Ya V

2003-08-01

An extended generalization of the dynamic random phase approximation (DRPA) for L-component polymer systems is presented. Unlike the original version of the DRPA, which relates the (LxL) matrices of the collective density-density time correlation functions and the corresponding susceptibilities of concentrated polymer systems to those of the tracer macromolecules and so-called broken-links system (BLS), our generalized DRPA solves this problem for the (5xL) x (5xL) matrices of the coupled susceptibilities and time correlation functions of the component number, kinetic energy and flux densities. The presented technique is used to study propagation of sound and dynamic form-factor in disentangled (Rouse) monodisperse homopolymer melt. The calculated ultrasonic velocity and absorption coefficient reveal substantial frequency dispersion. The relaxation time tau is proportional to the degree of polymerization N, which is N times less than the Rouse time and evidences strong dynamic screening because of interchain interaction. We discuss also some peculiarities of the Brillouin scattering in polymer melts. Besides, a new convenient expression for the dynamic structure function of the single Rouse chain in (q,p) representation is found.

SAW1 is required for SDSA double-strand break repair in S. cerevisiae.

PubMed

Diamante, Graciel; Phan, Claire; Celis, Angie S; Krueger, Jonas; Kelson, Eric P; Fischhaber, Paula L

2014-03-14

SAW1, coding for Saw1, is required for single-strand annealing (SSA) DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair in Saccharomycescerevisiae. Saw1 physically associates with Rad1 and Rad52 and recruits the Rad1-Rad10 endonuclease. Herein we show by fluorescence microscopy that SAW1 is similarly required for recruitment of Rad10 to sites of Synthesis-Dependent Strand Annealing (SDSA) and associates with sites of SDSA repair in a manner temporally overlapped with Rad10. The magnitude of induction of colocalized Saw1-CFP/Rad10-YFP/DSB-RFP foci in SDSA is more dramatic in S and G2 phase cells than in M phase, consistent with the known mechanism of SDSA. We observed a substantial fraction of foci in which Rad10 was localized to the repair site without Saw1, but few DSB sites that contained Saw1 without Rad10. Together these data are consistent with a model in which Saw1 recruits Rad1-Rad10 to SDSA sites, possibly even binding as a protein-protein complex, but departs the repair site in advance of Rad1-Rad10. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Subsonic flight test evaluation of a performance seeking control algorithm on an F-15 airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilyard, Glenn B.; Orme, John S.

1992-01-01

The subsonic flight test evaluation phase of the NASA F-15 (powered by F 100 engines) performance seeking control program was completed for single-engine operation at part- and military-power settings. The subsonic performance seeking control algorithm optimizes the quasi-steady-state performance of the propulsion system for three modes of operation. The minimum fuel flow mode minimizes fuel consumption. The minimum thrust mode maximizes thrust at military power. Decreases in thrust-specific fuel consumption of 1 to 2 percent were measured in the minimum fuel flow mode; these fuel savings are significant, especially for supersonic cruise aircraft. Decreases of up to approximately 100 degree R in fan turbine inlet temperature were measured in the minimum temperature mode. Temperature reductions of this magnitude would more than double turbine life if inlet temperature was the only life factor. Measured thrust increases of up to approximately 15 percent in the maximum thrust mode cause substantial increases in aircraft acceleration. The system dynamics of the closed-loop algorithm operation were good. The subsonic flight phase has validated the performance seeking control technology, which can significantly benefit the next generation of fighter and transport aircraft.

Brief report on the effect of providing single versus assorted brand name condoms to hospital patients: a descriptive study

PubMed Central

Williams, James L; Christensen, Carol J; Cagle, Henry H; Homan, Chriss E

2001-01-01

Objectives This study examined condom acquisition by persons in a hospital setting when single versus assorted brand name condoms were provided. Methods Condom receptacles were placed in exam rooms of two clinics. During Phase 1, a single brand name was provided; for Phase 2, assorted brand names were added. Number of condoms taken was recorded for each phase. Results For one clinic there was nearly a two-fold increase in number of condoms taken (Phase 1 to Phase 2); for the second clinic there was negligible difference in number of condoms taken. Conclusions The provision of assorted brand name condoms, over a single brand name, can serve to increase condom acquisition. Locations of condoms and target population characteristics are related factors. PMID:11446904

Optimizing single-nanoparticle two-photon microscopy by in situ adaptive control of femtosecond pulses

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

Li, Donghai; Deng, Yongkai; Chu, Saisai

2016-07-11

Single-nanoparticle two-photon microscopy shows great application potential in super-resolution cell imaging. Here, we report in situ adaptive optimization of single-nanoparticle two-photon luminescence signals by phase and polarization modulations of broadband laser pulses. For polarization-independent quantum dots, phase-only optimization was carried out to compensate the phase dispersion at the focus of the objective. Enhancement of the two-photon excitation fluorescence intensity under dispersion-compensated femtosecond pulses was achieved. For polarization-dependent single gold nanorod, in situ polarization optimization resulted in further enhancement of two-photon photoluminescence intensity than phase-only optimization. The application of in situ adaptive control of femtosecond pulse provides a way for object-orientedmore » optimization of single-nanoparticle two-photon microscopy for its future applications.« less

A High Resolution Hydrometer Phase Classifier Based on Analysis of Cloud Radar Doppler Spectra.

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

Luke,E.; Kollias, P.

2007-08-06

The lifecycle and radiative properties of clouds are highly sensitive to the phase of their hydrometeors (i.e., liquid or ice). Knowledge of cloud phase is essential for specifying the optical properties of clouds, or else, large errors can be introduced in the calculation of the cloud radiative fluxes. Current parameterizations of cloud water partition in liquid and ice based on temperature are characterized by large uncertainty (Curry et al., 1996; Hobbs and Rangno, 1998; Intriery et al., 2002). This is particularly important in high geographical latitudes and temperature ranges where both liquid droplets and ice crystal phases can exist (mixed-phasemore » cloud). The mixture of phases has a large effect on cloud radiative properties, and the parameterization of mixed-phase clouds has a large impact on climate simulations (e.g., Gregory and Morris, 1996). Furthermore, the presence of both ice and liquid affects the macroscopic properties of clouds, including their propensity to precipitate. Despite their importance, mixed-phase clouds are severely understudied compared to the arguably simpler single-phase clouds. In-situ measurements in mixed-phase clouds are hindered due to aircraft icing, difficulties distinguishing hydrometeor phase, and discrepancies in methods for deriving physical quantities (Wendisch et al. 1996, Lawson et al. 2001). Satellite-based retrievals of cloud phase in high latitudes are often hindered by the highly reflecting ice-covered ground and persistent temperature inversions. From the ground, the retrieval of mixed-phase cloud properties has been the subject of extensive research over the past 20 years using polarization lidars (e.g., Sassen et al. 1990), dual radar wavelengths (e.g., Gosset and Sauvageot 1992; Sekelsky and McIntosh, 1996), and recently radar Doppler spectra (Shupe et al. 2004). Millimeter-wavelength radars have substantially improved our ability to observe non-precipitating clouds (Kollias et al., 2007) due to their excellent sensitivity that enables the detection of thin cloud layers and their ability to penetrate several non-precipitating cloud layers. However, in mixed-phase clouds conditions, the observed Doppler moments are dominated by the highly reflecting ice crystals and thus can not be used to identify the cloud phase. This limits our ability to identify the spatial distribution of cloud phase and our ability to identify the conditions under which mixed-phase clouds form.« less

Reducing Electromagnetic Interference in a Grid Tied Single Phase Power Inverter

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE IN A GRID TIED SINGLE PHASE POWER INVERTER by Jason Hassan Valiani September 2016 Thesis Advisor: Giovanna Oriti...3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE REDUCING ELECTROMAGNETIC INTERFERENCE IN A GRID TIED SINGLE PHASE POWER...explored. The primary goal is to understand the effects each modulation strategy has on the conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI) and then

The Lower Extremity Biomechanics of Single- and Double-Leg Stop-Jump Tasks

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common occurrence in sports requiring stop-jump tasks. Single- and double-leg stop-jump techniques are frequently executed in sports. The higher risk of ACL injury in single-leg drop landing task compared to a double-leg drop landing task has been identified. However the injury bias between single- and double-leg landing techniques has not been investigated for stop-jump tasks. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences between single- and double-leg stop-jump tasks in knee kinetics that were influenced by the lower extremity kinematics during the landing phase. Ground reaction force, lower extremity kinematics, and knee kinetics data during the landing phase were obtained from 10 subjects performing single- and double-leg stop-jump tasks, using motion-capture system and force palates. Greater peak posterior and vertical ground reaction forces, and peak proximal tibia anterior and lateral shear forces (p < 0.05) during landing phase were observed of single-leg stop-jump. Single-leg stop-jump exhibited smaller hip and knee flexion angle, and knee flexion angular velocity at initial foot contact with the ground (p < 0.05). We found smaller peak hip and knee flexion angles (p < 0.05) during the landing phase of single-leg stop-jump. These results indicate that single-leg landing may have higher ACL injury risk than double-leg landing in stop-jump tasks that may be influenced by the lower extremity kinematics during the landing phase. Key points Non-contact ACL injuries are more likely to occur during the single-leg stop-jump task than during the double-leg stop-jump task. Single-leg stop-jump exhibited greater peak proximal tibia anterior and lateral shear forces, and peak posterior and vertical ground reaction forces during the landing phase than the double-leg stop-jump task. Single-leg stop-jump exhibited smaller hip flexion angle, knee flexion angle, and knee flexion angular velocity at initial foot contact with the ground. Single-leg stop-jump exhibited greater peak knee extension and valgus moment during the landing phase than the double-leg stop-jump task. Single-leg stop-jump extended the hip joint at initial foot contact with the ground. PMID:24149308

Quantum phase gate based on electromagnetically induced transparency in optical cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borges, Halyne S.; Villas-Bôas, Celso J.

2016-11-01

We theoretically investigate the implementation of a quantum controlled-phase gate in a system constituted by a single atom inside an optical cavity, based on the electromagnetically induced transparency effect. First we show that a probe pulse can experience a π phase shift due to the presence or absence of a classical control field. Considering the interplay of the cavity-EIT effect and the quantum memory process, we demonstrated a controlled-phase gate between two single photons. To this end, first one needs to store a (control) photon in the ground atomic states. In the following, a second (target) photon must impinge on the atom-cavity system. Depending on the atomic state, this second photon will be either transmitted or reflected, acquiring different phase shifts. This protocol can then be easily extended to multiphoton systems, i.e., keeping the control photon stored, it may induce phase shifts in several single photons, thus enabling the generation of multipartite entangled states. We explore the relevant parameter space in the atom-cavity system that allows the implementation of quantum controlled-phase gates using the recent technologies. In particular, we have found a lower bound for the cooperativity of the atom-cavity system which enables the implementation of phase shift on single photons. The induced shift on the phase of a photonic qubit and the controlled-phase gate between single photons, combined with optical devices, enable one to perform universal quantum computation.

Cell Cycle-Dependent Expression of Adeno-Associated Virus 2 (AAV2) Rep in Coinfections with Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) Gives Rise to a Mosaic of Cells Replicating either AAV2 or HSV-1

PubMed Central

Franzoso, Francesca D.; Seyffert, Michael; Vogel, Rebecca; Yakimovich, Artur; de Andrade Pereira, Bruna; Meier, Anita F.; Sutter, Sereina O.; Tobler, Kurt; Vogt, Bernd; Greber, Urs F.; Büning, Hildegard; Ackermann, Mathias

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) depends on the simultaneous presence of a helper virus such as herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) for productive replication. At the same time, AAV2 efficiently blocks the replication of HSV-1, which would eventually limit its own replication by diminishing the helper virus reservoir. This discrepancy begs the question of how AAV2 and HSV-1 can coexist in a cell population. Here we show that in coinfected cultures, AAV2 DNA replication takes place almost exclusively in S/G2-phase cells, while HSV-1 DNA replication is restricted to G1 phase. Live microscopy revealed that not only wild-type AAV2 (wtAAV2) replication but also reporter gene expression from both single-stranded and double-stranded (self-complementary) recombinant AAV2 vectors preferentially occurs in S/G2-phase cells, suggesting that the preference for S/G2 phase is independent of the nature of the viral genome. Interestingly, however, a substantial proportion of S/G2-phase cells transduced by the double-stranded but not the single-stranded recombinant AAV2 vectors progressed through mitosis in the absence of the helper virus. We conclude that cell cycle-dependent AAV2 rep expression facilitates cell cycle-dependent AAV2 DNA replication and inhibits HSV-1 DNA replication. This may limit competition for cellular and viral helper factors and, hence, creates a biological niche for either virus to replicate. IMPORTANCE Adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) differs from most other viruses, as it requires not only a host cell for replication but also a helper virus such as an adenovirus or a herpesvirus. This situation inevitably leads to competition for cellular resources. AAV2 has been shown to efficiently inhibit the replication of helper viruses. Here we present a new facet of the interaction between AAV2 and one of its helper viruses, herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). We observed that AAV2 rep gene expression is cell cycle dependent and gives rise to distinct time-controlled windows for HSV-1 replication. High Rep protein levels in S/G2 phase support AAV2 replication and inhibit HSV-1 replication. Conversely, low Rep protein levels in G1 phase permit HSV-1 replication but are insufficient for AAV2 replication. This allows both viruses to productively replicate in distinct sets of dividing cells. PMID:28515305

Reversible amorphous-crystalline phase changes in a wide range of Se1-xTex alloys studied using ultrafast differential scanning calorimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vermeulen, Paul. A.; Momand, Jamo; Kooi, Bart J.

2014-07-01

The reversible amorphous-crystalline phase change in a chalcogenide material, specifically the Se1-xTex alloy, has been investigated for the first time using ultrafast differential scanning calorimetry. Heating rates and cooling rates up to 5000 K/s were used. Repeated reversible amorphous-crystalline phase switching was achieved by consecutively melting, melt-quenching, and recrystallizing upon heating. Using a well-conditioned method, the composition of a single sample was allowed to shift slowly from 15 at. %Te to 60 at. %Te, eliminating sample-to-sample variability from the measurements. Using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy composition analysis, the onset of melting for different Te-concentrations was confirmed to coincide with the literature solidus line, validating the use of the onset of melting Tm as a composition indicator. The glass transition Tg and crystallization temperature Tc could be determined accurately, allowing the construction of extended phase diagrams. It was found that Tm and Tg increase (but Tg/Tm decrease slightly) with increasing Te-concentration. Contrarily, the Tc decreases substantially, indicating that the amorphous phase becomes progressively unfavorable. This coincides well with the observation that the critical quench rate to prevent crystallization increases about three orders of magnitude with increasing Te concentration. Due to the employment of a large range of heating rates, non-Arrhenius behavior was detected, indicating that the undercooled liquid SeTe is a fragile liquid. The activation energy of crystallization was found to increase 0.5-0.6 eV when the Te concentration increases from 15 to 30 at. % Te, but it ceases to increase when approaching 50 at. % Te.

Statistical controversies in clinical research: building the bridge to phase II-efficacy estimation in dose-expansion cohorts.

PubMed

Boonstra, P S; Braun, T M; Taylor, J M G; Kidwell, K M; Bellile, E L; Daignault, S; Zhao, L; Griffith, K A; Lawrence, T S; Kalemkerian, G P; Schipper, M J

2017-07-01

Regulatory agencies and others have expressed concern about the uncritical use of dose expansion cohorts (DECs) in phase I oncology trials. Nonetheless, by several metrics-prevalence, size, and number-their popularity is increasing. Although early efficacy estimation in defined populations is a common primary endpoint of DECs, the types of designs best equipped to identify efficacy signals have not been established. We conducted a simulation study of six phase I design templates with multiple DECs: three dose-assignment/adjustment mechanisms multiplied by two analytic approaches for estimating efficacy after the trial is complete. We also investigated the effect of sample size and interim futility analysis on trial performance. Identifying populations in which the treatment is efficacious (true positives) and weeding out inefficacious treatment/populations (true negatives) are competing goals in these trials. Thus, we estimated true and false positive rates for each design. Adaptively updating the MTD during the DEC improved true positive rates by 8-43% compared with fixing the dose during the DEC phase while maintaining false positive rates. Inclusion of an interim futility analysis decreased the number of patients treated under inefficacious DECs without hurting performance. A substantial gain in efficiency is obtainable using a design template that statistically models toxicity and efficacy against dose level during expansion. Design choices for dose expansion should be motivated by and based upon expected performance. Similar to the common practice in single-arm phase II trials, cohort sample sizes should be justified with respect to their primary aim and include interim analyses to allow for early stopping. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Relating hydrogen-bonding interactions with the phase behavior of naproxen/PVP K 25 solid dispersions: evaluation of solution-cast and quench-cooled films.

PubMed

Paudel, Amrit; Nies, Erik; Van den Mooter, Guy

2012-11-05

In this work, we investigated the relationship between various intermolecular hydrogen-bonding (H-bonding) interactions and the miscibility of the model hydrophobic drug naproxen with the hydrophilic polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) across an entire composition range of solid dispersions prepared by quasi-equilibrium film casting and nonequilibrium melt quench cooling. The binary phase behavior in solid dispersions exhibited substantial processing method dependence. The solid state solubility of crystalline naproxen in PVP to form amorphous solid dispersions was 35% and 70% w/w naproxen in solution-cast films and quench-cooled films, respectively. However, the presence of a single mixed phase glass transition indicated the amorphous miscibility to be 20% w/w naproxen for the films, beyond which amorphous-amorphous and/or crystalline phase separations were apparent. This was further supported by the solution state interactions data such as PVP globular size distribution and solution infrared spectral profiles. The borderline melt composition showed cooling rate dependence of amorphization. The glass transition and melting point depression profiles of the system were treated with the analytical expressions based on Flory-Huggins mixing theory to interpolate the equilibrium solid solubility. FTIR analysis and subsequent spectral deconvolution revealed composition and miscibility dependent variations in the strength of drug-polymer intermolecular H-bonding. Two types of H-bonded populations were evidenced from 25% w/w and 35% w/w naproxen in solution-cast films and quench-cooled films, respectively, with the higher fraction of strongly H-bonded population in the drug rich domains of phase separated amorphous film compositions and highly drug loaded amorphous quench-cooled dispersions.

Synthesis and Characterization of Phase-pure Copper Zinc Tin Sulfide (Cu2ZnSnS4) Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monahan, Bradley Michael

Semiconductor nanoparticles have been an important area of research in many different disciplines. A substantial amount of this work has been put toward advancing the field of photovoltaics. However, current p-type photovoltaic materials can not sustain the large scale production needed for future energy demands due to their low elemental abundance. Therefore, Earth abundant semiconductor materials have become of great interest to the photovoltaic community especially, the material copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS), also known by its mineral name kesterite. CZTS exhibits desirable properties for photovoltaics, such as elemental abundance, high absorption coefficient (~104 cm-1 ), high carrier concentration, and optimum direct band gap (1.5 eV). To date, solution based approaches for making CZTS have yielded the most promising conversion efficiencies in solar cells. To that end, the motivation of nanoparticle based inks that can be used in high throughput production are an attractive route for large scale deployment. This has driven the need to make high quality CZTS nanoparticles that possess the properties of the pure kesterite phase with high monodispersity that can be deposited into dense thin films. The inherent challenge of making a quaternary compound of a single phase has made this a difficult task; however, some of those fundamental problems are addressed in this thesis. This had resulted in the synthesis of phase-pure k-CZTS confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Furthermore, ultra-fast laser spectroscopy was done on CZTS thin films made from phase-pure kesterite nanoparticles synthesized in this work. This thesis provides new data that directly probes the lifetime of photogenerated free carriers in kesterite CZTS (k-CZTS) thin films.

Prediction of successful memory encoding based on single-trial rhinal and hippocampal phase information.

PubMed

Höhne, Marlene; Jahanbekam, Amirhossein; Bauckhage, Christian; Axmacher, Nikolai; Fell, Juergen

2016-10-01

Mediotemporal EEG characteristics are closely related to long-term memory formation. It has been reported that rhinal and hippocampal EEG measures reflecting the stability of phases across trials are better suited to distinguish subsequently remembered from forgotten trials than event-related potentials or amplitude-based measures. Theoretical models suggest that the phase of EEG oscillations reflects neural excitability and influences cellular plasticity. However, while previous studies have shown that the stability of phase values across trials is indeed a relevant predictor of subsequent memory performance, the effect of absolute single-trial phase values has been little explored. Here, we reanalyzed intracranial EEG recordings from the mediotemporal lobe of 27 epilepsy patients performing a continuous word recognition paradigm. Two-class classification using a support vector machine was performed to predict subsequently remembered vs. forgotten trials based on individually selected frequencies and time points. We demonstrate that it is possible to successfully predict single-trial memory formation in the majority of patients (23 out of 27) based on only three single-trial phase values given by a rhinal phase, a hippocampal phase, and a rhinal-hippocampal phase difference. Overall classification accuracy across all subjects was 69.2% choosing frequencies from the range between 0.5 and 50Hz and time points from the interval between -0.5s and 2s. For 19 patients, above chance prediction of subsequent memory was possible even when choosing only time points from the prestimulus interval (overall accuracy: 65.2%). Furthermore, prediction accuracies based on single-trial phase surpassed those based on single-trial power. Our results confirm the functional relevance of mediotemporal EEG phase for long-term memory operations and suggest that phase information may be utilized for memory enhancement applications based on deep brain stimulation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Particle size effect on microwave absorbing of La{sub 0.67}Ba{sub 0.33}Mn{sub 0.94}Ti{sub 0.06}O{sub 3} powders prepared by mechanical alloying with the assistance of ultrasonic irradiation

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

Saptari, Sitti Ahmiatri, E-mail: siti-ahmiatri@yahoo.co.id; Manaf, Azwar; Kurniawan, Budhy

Doped manganites have attracted substantial interest due to their unique chemical and physics properties, which makes it possible to be used for microwave absorbing materials. In this paper we report synthesizes and characterization of La{sub 0.67}Ba{sub 0.33}Mn{sub 0.94}Ti{sub 0.06}O{sub 3} powders prepared by mechanical alloying with the assistance of a high power ultrasonic treatment. After solid state reaction, the presence of single phase was confirmed by X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Refinement results showed that samples are single phase with monoclinic structure. It was found that powder materials derived from mechanical alloying results in large variation in the particle size. A significantmore » improvement was obtained upon subjecting the mechanically milled powder materials to an ultrasonication treatment for a relatively short period of time. As determined by particle size analyzer (PSA), the mean particle size gradually decreased from the original size of 5.02 µm to 0.36 µm. Magnetic properties were characterized by VSM, and hysteresis loops results showed that samples are soft magnetic. It was found that when the mean particle size decreases, saturation was increases and coersitivity was decreases. Microwave absorption properties were investigated in the frequency range of 8-12 GHz using vector network analyzer. An optimal reflection loss of 24.44 dB is reached at 11.4 GHz.« less

A placebo-controlled study of the nasal decongestant effect of phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine in the Vienna Challenge Chamber.

PubMed

Horak, Friedrich; Zieglmayer, Petra; Zieglmayer, René; Lemell, Patrick; Yao, Ruji; Staudinger, Heribert; Danzig, Melvyn

2009-02-01

Studies on the efficacy of phenylephrine in the treatment of nasal congestion have yielded inconsistent results, notwithstanding its approval for this indication. To evaluate and compare the decongestant effect of a single dose of phenylephrine to placebo and pseudoephedrine in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. This randomized, placebo-controlled, 3-way crossover study evaluated patient-scored nasal congestion, peak nasal inspiratory flow, and rhinomanometry at more than 6 hours in 39 grass-sensitive patients exposed to grass pollen in the Vienna Challenge Chamber. Patients were dosed with immediate-release formulations of phenylephrine, 12 mg, pseudoephedrine, 60 mg, as a control, or placebo. Phenylephrine was not significantly different from placebo in the primary end point, mean change in nasal congestion score at more than 6 hours (P = .56), whereas pseudoephedrine was significantly more effective than both placebo (P < .01) and phenylephrine (P = .01). Phase 1 results showed a difference between phenylephrine and placebo that was 64% of the difference between pseudoephedrine and placebo, substantially greater than the 17% difference observed for all phases. Carryover bias due to patient recall of the pseudoephedrine effect may have influenced these results. Rhinomanometry and peak nasal inspiratory flow results were consistent with these data. Neither phenylephrine nor pseudoephedrine had an effect on the nonnasal symptoms. No adverse events were reported in this study. During a 6-hour observation period, a single dose of pseudoephedrine but not phenylephrine resulted in significant improvement in measures of nasal congestion. Neither phenylephrine nor pseudoephedrine had an effect on nonnasal symptoms.

Development of a sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method for high throughput analysis of paralytic shellfish toxins using graphitised carbon solid phase extraction.

PubMed

Boundy, Michael J; Selwood, Andrew I; Harwood, D Tim; McNabb, Paul S; Turner, Andrew D

2015-03-27

Routine regulatory monitoring of paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) commonly employs oxidative derivitisation and complex liquid chromatography fluorescence detection methods (LC-FL). The pre-column oxidation LC-FL method is currently implemented in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. When using this method positive samples are fractionated and two different oxidations are required to confirm the identity and quantity of each PST analogue present. There is a need for alternative methods that are simpler, provide faster turnaround times and have improved detection limits. Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) HPLC-MS/MS analysis of PST has been used for research purposes, but high detection limits and substantial sample matrix issues have prevented it from becoming a viable alternative for routine monitoring purposes. We have developed a HILIC UPLC-MS/MS method for paralytic shellfish toxins with an optimised desalting clean-up procedure on inexpensive carbon solid phase extraction cartridges for reduction of matrix interferences. This represents a major technical breakthrough and allows sensitive, selective and rapid analysis of paralytic shellfish toxins from a variety of sample types, including many commercially produced bivalve molluscan shellfish species. Additionally, this analytical approach avoids the need for complex calculations to determine sample toxicity, as unlike other methods each PST analogue is able to be quantified as a single resolved peak. This article presents the method development and optimisation information. A thorough single laboratory validation study has subsequently been performed and this data will be presented elsewhere. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural deformation of 0.74Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.26PbTiO3 single crystal in 1-3 composites due to interface stresses and poling procedure optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chunying; Sun, Enwei; Liu, Yingchun; Zhang, Rui; Yang, Bin; Cao, Wenwu

2016-09-01

Interface stresses strongly influence the functional property of 1-3 piezoelectric composites. Using the translucent nature of (1 - x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 single crystals, we have studied stress distributions and domain configuration changes during poling inside the crystal rods by polarizing light microscopy and piezoresponse force microscopy. It was found that the interface stresses due to interaction with polymeric filler led a deformed rhombohedral phase and caused incomplete poling near rod-edges. Compared with "hard" epoxy (Epotek301) filler, "soft" epoxy (Stycast) filler showed weaker impact on the crystals rods and less influence on domain configurations. We also show that high temperature poling (70 °C) can substantially improve the piezoelectric coefficient of composites filled with hard epoxy due to creeping above the glass transition Tg. Analytic stress distribution equations based on cylinder rods were modified to explain the physical principle and to predict the stress distribution for square rods case, which was verified by finite element simulation to be accurate within 5%.

Formetanate toxicity and changes in antioxidant enzyme system of Apis mellifera larvae.

PubMed

Staroň, Martin; Sabo, Rastislav; Sobeková, Anna; Sabová, Lucia; Legáth, Jaroslav; Lohajová, Ľuboslava; Javorský, Peter

2017-06-01

Substantial percentage of world food production depends on pollinating service of honeybees that directly depends on their health status. Among other factors, the success of bee colonies depends on health of developed larvae. The crucial phase of larval development is the first 6 days after hatching when a worker larva grows exponentially and larvae are potentially exposed to xenobiotics via diet. In the present study, we determined the lethal concentration LC 50 (72 h) following single dietary exposure of honeybee larvae to formetanate under laboratory conditions, being also the first report available in scientific literature. Activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) were also measured in the homogenates of in vitro reared honeybee larvae after single formetanate exposure. Decreased specific activity of SOD and increased activities of CAT and GST suggest the induction of oxidative stress. Higher levels of thiobarbituric reactive species in all samples supported this fact. Comparing determined larval toxicity (LC 50 of 206.01 mg a.i./kg diet) with adult toxicity data, we can suppose that the larvae may be less sensitive to formetanate than the adult bees.

Electrical, thermal and magnetic studies on 7.5 MeV electron beam irradiated PrCoO3 polycrystalline samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christopher, Benedict; Rao, Ashok; Deka, Utpal; Prasad K, Shyam; Okram, G. S.; Sanjeev, Ganesh; Chandra Petwal, Vikash; Verma, Vijay Pal; Dwivedi, Jishnu

2018-07-01

The study of electronic and magnetic properties of electron beam (EB) irradiated PrCoO3 manganites is presented in this communication. The diffraction data confirms that pristine as well as electron beam irradiated samples are single phased and they crystalize at orthorhombic distorted structure with Pbnm space group. The electrical resistivity of all the samples reveals semiconducting behavior. Small polaron hopping model is appropriately employed to investigate the semiconducting nature of the pristine and EB irradiated samples. The Seebeck coefficient (S) data of the pristine sample exhibits colossally high positive value (about 300 mV/K) and substantial decrease in S value is noticed in the irradiated samples. The high temperature analysis of thermopower data validates the small polaron hopping model. The magnetic measurements display possible existence of super-paramagnetic characteristics in the samples.

Interacting epidemics and coinfection on contact networks.

PubMed

Newman, M E J; Ferrario, Carrie R

2013-01-01

The spread of certain diseases can be promoted, in some cases substantially, by prior infection with another disease. One example is that of HIV, whose immunosuppressant effects significantly increase the chances of infection with other pathogens. Such coinfection processes, when combined with nontrivial structure in the contact networks over which diseases spread, can lead to complex patterns of epidemiological behavior. Here we consider a mathematical model of two diseases spreading through a single population, where infection with one disease is dependent on prior infection with the other. We solve exactly for the sizes of the outbreaks of both diseases in the limit of large population size, along with the complete phase diagram of the system. Among other things, we use our model to demonstrate how diseases can be controlled not only by reducing the rate of their spread, but also by reducing the spread of other infections upon which they depend.

0.87-micron CSP diode lasers for spaceborne communications. [channeled-substrate-planar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlin, D. B.; Pultz, G. N.; Goldstein, B.

1987-01-01

Index-guided channeled-substrate-planar (CSP) AlGaAs diode lasers are being developed for reliable, high-power operation for use as sources in spaceborne optical communications systems. Although most work on this AlGaAs structure has been aimed at optimizing performance at output wavelengths less than 8400 A, emission in the 8700 A regime is also of interest. In particular, such wavelengths are required for use in the direct detection laser transceiver to be incorporated into NASA's advanced communications technology satellite, in order to avoid absorption of the light by the atmosphere when communicating with ground-based terminals. Lowest order spatial mode and substantially single longitudinal mode output has been observed in 0.87-micron CSP devices in excess of 50 mW cw and 100 mW 50 percent duty-cycle, with rms phase-front aberrations measured to be about lambda/40.

Influence of chemical disorder on energy dissipation and defect evolution in concentrated solid solution alloys

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yanwen; Stocks, G. Malcolm; Jin, Ke; Lu, Chenyang; Bei, Hongbin; Sales, Brian C.; Wang, Lumin; Béland, Laurent K.; Stoller, Roger E.; Samolyuk, German D.; Caro, Magdalena; Caro, Alfredo; Weber, William J.

2015-01-01

A grand challenge in materials research is to understand complex electronic correlation and non-equilibrium atomic interactions, and how such intrinsic properties and dynamic processes affect energy transfer and defect evolution in irradiated materials. Here we report that chemical disorder, with an increasing number of principal elements and/or altered concentrations of specific elements, in single-phase concentrated solid solution alloys can lead to substantial reduction in electron mean free path and orders of magnitude decrease in electrical and thermal conductivity. The subsequently slow energy dissipation affects defect dynamics at the early stages, and consequentially may result in less deleterious defects. Suppressed damage accumulation with increasing chemical disorder from pure nickel to binary and to more complex quaternary solid solutions is observed. Understanding and controlling energy dissipation and defect dynamics by altering alloy complexity may pave the way for new design principles of radiation-tolerant structural alloys for energy applications. PMID:26507943

Major coastal impact induced by a 1000-year storm event

PubMed Central

Fruergaard, Mikkel; Andersen, Thorbjørn J.; Johannessen, Peter N.; Nielsen, Lars H.; Pejrup, Morten

2013-01-01

Extreme storms and storm surges may induce major changes along sandy barrier coastlines, potentially causing substantial environmental and economic damage. We show that the most destructive storm (the 1634 AD storm) documented for the northern Wadden Sea within the last thousand years both caused permanent barrier breaching and initiated accumulation of up to several metres of marine sand. An aggradational storm shoal and a prograding shoreface sand unit having thicknesses of up to 8 m and 5 m respectively were deposited as a result of the storm and during the subsequent 30 to 40 years long healing phase, on the eroded shoreface. Our results demonstrate that millennial-scale storms can induce large-scale and long-term changes on barrier coastlines and shorefaces, and that coastal changes assumed to take place over centuries or even millennia may occur in association with and be triggered by a single extreme storm event.

Organic/inorganic nanocomposites, methods of making, and uses as a permeable reactive barrier

DOEpatents

Harrup, Mason K [Idaho Falls, ID; Stewart, Frederick F [Idaho Falls, ID

2007-05-15

Nanocomposite materials having a composition including an inorganic constituent, a preformed organic polymer constituent, and a metal ion sequestration constituent are disclosed. The nanocomposites are characterized by being single phase, substantially homogeneous materials wherein the preformed polymer constituent and the inorganic constituent form an interpenetrating network with each other. The inorganic constituent may be an inorganic oxide, such as silicon dioxide, formed by the in situ catalyzed condensation of an inorganic precursor in the presence of the solvated polymer and metal ion sequestration constituent. The polymer constituent may be any hydrophilic polymer capable of forming a type I nanocomposite such as, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polyethyleneoxide (PEO), polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and combinations thereof. Nanocomposite materials of the present invention may be used as permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) to remediate contaminated groundwater. Methods for making nanocomposite materials, PRB systems, and methods of treating groundwater are also disclosed.

Investigation of dissociative electron attachment to 2'-deoxycytidine-3'-monophosphate using DFT method and time dependent wave packet approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhowmick, Somnath; B, Renjith; Mishra, Manoj K.; Sarma, Manabendra

2012-08-01

Effect of electron correlation on single strand breaks (SSBs) induced by low energy electron (LEE) has been investigated in a fragment excised from a DNA, viz., 2'-deoxycytidine-3'-monophosphate [3'-dCMPH] molecule in gas phase at DFT-B3LYP/6-31+G(d) accuracy level and using local complex potential based time dependent wave packet (LCP-TDWP) approach. The results obtained, in conjunction with our earlier investigation, show the possibility of SSB at very low energy (0.15 eV) where the LEE transfers from π* to σ* resonance state which resembles a SN2 type mechanism. In addition, for the first time, an indication of quantum mechanical tunneling in strand breaking is seen from the highest anionic bound vibrational state (χ5), which may have a substantial role during DNA damage.

Structure and transport in high pressure oxygen sputter-deposited BaSnO{sub 3−δ}

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

Ganguly, Koustav; Ambwani, Palak; Xu, Peng

BaSnO{sub 3} has recently been identified as a high mobility wide gap semiconductor with significant potential for room temperature oxide electronics. Here, a detailed study of the high pressure oxygen sputter-deposition, microstructure, morphology, and stoichiometry of epitaxial BaSnO{sub 3} on SrTiO{sub 3}(001) and MgO(001) is reported, optimized conditions resulting in single-phase, relaxed, close to stoichiometric films. Most significantly, vacuum annealing is established as a facile route to n-doped BaSnO{sub 3−δ}, leading to electron densities above 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3}, 5 mΩ cm resistivities, and room temperature mobility of 20 cm{sup 2} V{sup −1} s{sup −1} in 300-Å-thick films on MgO(001).more » Mobility limiting factors, and the substantial scope for their improvement, are discussed.« less

Kondo destruction in a quantum paramagnet with magnetic frustration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jiahao; Zhao, Hengcan; Lv, Meng; Hu, Sile; Isikawa, Yosikazu; Yang, Yi-feng; Si, Qimiao; Steglich, Frank; Sun, Peijie

2018-06-01

We report results of isothermal magnetotransport and susceptibility measurements at elevated magnetic fields B down to very low temperatures T on single crystals of the frustrated Kondo-lattice system CePdAl. They reveal a B*(T ) line within the paramagnetic part of the phase diagram. This line denotes a thermally broadened "small"-to-"large" Fermi-surface crossover which substantially narrows upon cooling. At B0 *=B*(T =0 ) =(4.6 ±0.1 ) T , this B*(T ) line merges with two other crossover lines, viz. Tp(B ) below and TFL(B ) above B0 *. Tp characterizes a frustration-dominated spin-liquid state, while TFL is the Fermi-liquid temperature associated with the lattice Kondo effect. Non-Fermi-liquid phenomena which are commonly observed near a "Kondo-destruction" quantum-critical point cannot be resolved in CePdAl. Our observations reveal a rare case where Kondo coupling, frustration, and quantum criticality are closely intertwined.

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

Compere, A.L.; Griffith, W.L.; Googin, J.M.

Microemulsions fuels containing fully and partially coconut, palm, and soy fatty acids; varying amounts of C/sub 1/ to C/sub 4/ alcohols; varying amounts of water; and four fuel bases were evaluated between 0 and 60/sup 0/C for stability as a single phase system. In general, ability to form a stable single phase system rose with increasing alcohol chain length, decreasing water, and increasing dispersed phase content. It was possible to form 0 to 60/sup 0/C stable single phase systems in all four fuels tested using 30 to 50% v/v dispersed phase containing 1-butanol and either palm or soy fatty acids.more » 11 refs., 3 tabs.« less

Multiline phase conjugation at 4 microm in germanium.

PubMed

Depatie, D; Haueisen, D

1980-06-01

Phase conjugation by degenerate four-wave mixing in the 4-microm region in germanium has been observed for both single-line and multiline radiation. By using single-line output of a DF laser at 3.8 microm, X3 has been measured to be 4 X 10(-1) esu. Phase conjugation of multiline laser output has been achieved with an efficiency of 0.03%, a level that is consistent with the susceptibility found for single-line phase conjugation and the assumption of independent conjugation of each line of the multiline output.

Phase correction system for automatic focusing of synthetic aperture radar

DOEpatents

Eichel, Paul H.; Ghiglia, Dennis C.; Jakowatz, Jr., Charles V.

1990-01-01

A phase gradient autofocus system for use in synthetic aperture imaging accurately compensates for arbitrary phase errors in each imaged frame by locating highlighted areas and determining the phase disturbance or image spread associated with each of these highlight areas. An estimate of the image spread for each highlighted area in a line in the case of one dimensional processing or in a sector, in the case of two-dimensional processing, is determined. The phase error is determined using phase gradient processing. The phase error is then removed from the uncorrected image and the process is iteratively performed to substantially eliminate phase errors which can degrade the image.

HEAT TREATED U-Nb ALLOYS

DOEpatents

McGeary, R.K.; Justusson, W.M.

1959-11-24

A fuel element for a nuclear reactor is described comprising an alloy containing uranium and from 7 to 20 wt.% niobium, the alloy being substantially in the gamma phase and having been produced by working an ingot of the alloy into the desired shape, homogenizing it by annealing it at a temperature in the gamma phase field, and quenching it to retain the gamma phase structure of the alloy.

Transportation of single cell and microbubbles by phase-shift introduced to standing leaky surface acoustic waves

PubMed Central

Meng, Long; Cai, Feiyan; Zhang, Zidong; Niu, Lili; Jin, Qiaofeng; Yan, Fei; Wu, Junru; Wang, Zhanhui; Zheng, Hairong

2011-01-01

A microfluidic device was developed to precisely transport a single cell or multiple microbubbles by introducing phase-shifts to a standing leaky surface acoustic wave (SLSAW). The device consists of a polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) microchannel and two phase-tunable interdigital transducers (IDTs) for the generation of the relative phase for the pair of surface acoustic waves (SAW) propagating along the opposite directions forming a standing wave. When the SAW contacts the fluid medium inside the microchannel, some of SAW energy is coupled to the fluid and the SAW becomes the leaky surface wave. By modulating the relative phase between two IDTs, the positions of pressure nodes of the SLSAW in the microchannel change linearly resulting in the transportation of a single cell or microbubbles. The results also reveal that there is a good linear relationship between the relative phase and the displacement of a single cell or microbubbles. Furthermore, the single cell and the microbubbles can be transported over a predetermined distance continuously until they reach the targeted locations. This technique has its distinct advantages, such as precise position-manipulation, simple to implement, miniature size, and noninvasive character, which may provide an effective method for the position-manipulation of a single cell and microbubbles in many biological and biomedical applications. PMID:22662056

Comprehensive classification test of scapular dyskinesis: A reliability study.

PubMed

Huang, Tsun-Shun; Huang, Han-Yi; Wang, Tyng-Guey; Tsai, Yung-Shen; Lin, Jiu-Jenq

2015-06-01

Assessment of scapular dyskinesis (SD) is of clinical interest, as SD is believed to be related to shoulder pathology. However, no clinical assessment with sufficient reliability to identify SD and provide treatment strategies is available. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of the comprehensive SD classification method. Cross-sectional reliability study. Sixty subjects with unilateral shoulder pain were evaluated by two independent physiotherapists with a visual-based palpation method. SD was classified as single abnormal scapular pattern [inferior angle (pattern I), medial border (pattern II), superior border of scapula prominence or abnormal scapulohumeral rhythm (pattern III)], a mixture of the above abnormal scapular patterns, or normal pattern (pattern IV). The assessment of SD was evaluated as subjects performed bilateral arm raising/lowering movements with a weighted load in the scapular plane. Percentage of agreement and kappa coefficients were calculated to determine reliability. Agreement between the 2 independent physiotherapists was 83% (50/60, 6 subjects as pattern III and 44 subjects as pattern IV) in the raising phase and 68% (41/60, 5 subjects as pattern I, 12 subjects as pattern II, 12 subjects as pattern IV, 12 subjects as mixed patterns I and II) in the lowering phase. The kappa coefficients were 0.49-0.64. We concluded that the visual-based palpation classification method for SD had moderate to substantial inter-rater reliability. The appearance of different types of SD was more pronounced in the lowering phase than in the raising phase of arm movements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetic properties and microstructure of gas atomized MRE2(Fe, Co)14B powder with ZrC addition (MRE=Nd + Y + Dy)

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

Tang, W.; Wu, Y. Q.; Dennis, K.

2009-05-12

Gas atomization powder with Zr substitutions for the MRE and ZrC additions were systematically studied. The results show that the partial substitutions of Zr and the ZrC additions effectively improved glass formability in the alloys. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the as-atomized powder with a particle size of less than 32 {micro}m is predominately uniform equiaxed grains with an average grain size of 1.5 {micro}m. X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis measurements detected very tiny amounts of amorphous phase. After annealing at 700 C for 15 min, the SEM grain microstructure exhibits a minor change, but magnetic properties aremore » substantially improved. M versus T measurements reveal that the phase composition evolved from 2:14:1 plus a small amount of 2:17 phases to a single 2:14:1 phase during the annealing process. The sieve analysis of the powders showed a particle size distribution with 90 wt % of the powder less than 45 {micro}m. The magnetic properties of the annealed powder varied with particle size. (BH){sub max} first increases with increasing particle size from 5 {micro}m, reaches the peak value in the size range of 20-25 {micro}m, and then decreases with increasing particle size. For the 20-25 {micro}m powder sample annealed at 700 C for 15 min, the (BH){sub max} of 9.6 MG Oe at room temperature and 5.6 MG Oe at 200 C were obtained, respectively.« less

Structure and mechanical properties of as-received and heat-treated stainless steel orthodontic wires.

PubMed

Khier, S E; Brantley, W A; Fournelle, R A

1988-03-01

A combination of x-ray diffraction analysis with mechanical testing in tension and bending has been used to investigate the metallurgical structures and mechanical properties for as-received and heat-treated stainless steel orthodontic wires. Two different proprietary wire types were selected, having a wide range in cross-sectional dimensions: 0.016-, 0.030-, and 0.050- or 0.051-inch diameters, and 0.017 X 0.025-inch rectangular specimens. Heat treatments were performed for 10 minutes in air at temperatures of 700 degrees, 900 degrees, and 1100 degrees F. The x-ray diffraction patterns showed that the as-received 0.016-inch diameter and 0.017 X 0.025-inch wires of both proprietary types consisted of a two-phase structure containing a martensitic phase along with the austenitic phase. This duplex structure was converted entirely to austenite with heat treatment for one wire type, but persisted after heat treatment for the other wire type. The largest diameter, 0.050- or 0.051-inch, wires of both types were single-phase austenitic structure for both the as-received and heat-treated conditions. Evidence of substantial preferred crystallographic orientation or texturing in these orthodontic wires was also found by x-ray diffraction. As in our previous studies, the modulus of elasticity in bending was significantly less than the value obtained in tension for only the smaller cross-sectional wires. The 0.05 radian flexural yield strength correlated more closely with the 0.2% offset yield strength in tension than with the yield strength for 0.05% and 0.1% permanent offsets.

Phase-resolved cyclotron spectroscopy of polars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Ryan

In this thesis we use phase-resolved cyclotron spectroscopy to study polars. Polars are a subset of cataclysmic variables where the primary WD is highly magnetic. In this case, the accretion flow is constrained along the magnetic field lines and eventually deposited on the WD, where the accreting material interacts with the atmosphere, forming a standing hydrodynamic shock at a location termed the accretion region, and emitting cyclotron radiation. Due to its field strength, cyclotron radiation from polars falls at either UV, optical or NIR wavelengths. While a substantial amount of optical cyclotron spectra have been published on polars, the NIR remains relatively unstudied. In this thesis, we present NIR spectroscopy for fifteen polars. Additionally, while a single cyclotron spectrum is needed to constrain the shock parameters, phase- resolved spectroscopy allows for a more in-depth analysis of the shock structure and the geometry of the accretion region. Of the fifteen polars observed, eight yielded spectra of adequate quality to be modeled in this manner: EF Eri, EQ Cet, AN UMa, VV Pup, AM Her, ST LMi, MR Ser, and MQ Dra. Initially, we used the industry standard "Constant Lambda (CL)" code to model each object. The code is fast, but produces only globally averaged values of the salient shock parameters: B - the magnetic field strength, kT - the plasma temperature, logL - the "size parameter" of the accretion column, and TH- the viewing angle between the observer and the magnetic field. For each object we present CL models for our NIR phase-resolved cyclotron spectra. Subsequently, we use a more advanced "Structured-Shock" code built by Fischer & Beuermann (2001)("F&B") to remodel three objects: EQ Cet, MQ Dra, and EF Eri. The F&B code allows for input of more physical parameters and most importantly does ray tracing through a simulated one-dimensional accretion column. To determine the outgoing spectrum, temperature and velocity profiles are needed to reconstruct the characteristics of the plasma at each location. A substantial effort was made to accurately construct these profiles. Finally, we compare the results of the CL and F&B codes to determine when the extra complexity and significantly longer computational times of F&B modeling are necessary to understand these systems.

Fiber-Supported Droplet Combustion Experiment-2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colantonio, Renato O.

1998-01-01

A major portion of the energy produced in the world today comes from the burning of liquid hydrocarbon fuels in the form of droplets. Understanding the fundamental physical processes involved in droplet combustion is not only important in energy production but also in propulsion, in the mitigation of combustion-generated pollution, and in the control of the fire hazards associated with handling liquid combustibles. Microgravity makes spherically symmetric combustion possible, allowing investigators to easily validate their droplet models without the complicating effects of gravity. The Fiber-Supported Droplet Combustion (FSDC-2) investigation was conducted in the Microgravity Glovebox facility of the shuttles' Spacelab during the reflight of the Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL- 1R) on STS-94 in July 1997. FSDC-2 studied fundamental phenomena related to liquid fuel droplet combustion in air. Pure fuels and mixtures of fuels were burned as isolated single and duo droplets with and without forced air convection. FSDC-2 is sponsored by the NASA Lewis Research Center, whose researchers are working in cooperation with several investigators from industry and academia. The rate at which a droplet burns is important in many commercial applications. The classical theory of droplet burning assumes that, for an isolated, spherically symmetric, single-fuel droplet, the gas-phase combustion processes are much faster than the droplet surface regression rate and that the liquid phase is at a uniform temperature equal to the boiling point. Recent, more advanced models predict that both the liquid and gas phases are unsteady during a substantial portion of the droplet's burning history, thus affecting the instantaneous and average burning rates, and that flame radiation is a dominant mechanism that can extinguish flames in a microgravity environment. FSDC-2 has provided well-defined, symmetric droplet burning data including radiative emissions to validate these theoretical models for heptane, decane, ethanol, and methanol fuels. Since most commercial combustion systems burn droplets in a convective environment, data were obtained without and with convective flow over the burning droplet (see the following photos).

Study of temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy and electrical properties in [001]-oriented 0.35Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-0.35Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.30PbTiO3-Mn single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xing; Fang, Bijun; Deng, Ji; Yan, Hong; Deng, Hao; Yue, Qingwen; Ding, Jianning; Zhao, Xiangyong; Luo, Haosu

2016-01-01

In this work, the temperature-dependent Raman spectra and electrical properties of the [001]-oriented 0.5 mol. % Mn-doped 0.35Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-0.35Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.30PbTiO3-Mn (PIMNT-Mn) single crystals were investigated. All the unpoled and poled PIMNT-Mn single crystals experience a ferroelectric tetragonal phase to paraelectric cubic phase transition (FET-PC) around 183 °C (TC), which exhibits a second-order transition behavior. Whereas, the poled PIMNT-Mn single crystals exhibit another two dielectric anomalies around 130 °C (TRM) and 148 °C (TMT), in which the ferroelectric rhombohedral phase to ferroelectric monoclinic phase (FER-FEM) and the ferroelectric monoclinic phase to ferroelectric tetragonal phase (FEM-FET) transitions take place, respectively. Both the two ferroelectric phase transitions exhibit a first-order transition behavior. The discontinuous change of the phase degree (θ) and frequencies (fr and fa) around TRM suggest the occurrence of the FER-FEM phase transition in the poled PIMNT-Mn single crystals. The narrowing of the 510 cm-1 and 582 cm-1 Raman modes around the TRM, TMT, and TC temperatures shown in the temperature-dependent Raman spectra suggests their increased ordering of the local structure. The intensity ratio of I272 cm-1/I801 cm-1 increases obviously around the phase transition temperatures (TRM, TMT, and TC), indicating the reduction of the long-range order. The anomalous broadening of the 272 cm-1 Raman mode around the TRM, TMT, and TC temperatures indicates the occurrence of the successive ferroelectric phase transitions (FER-FEM, FEM-FET, and FET-PC) with increasing temperature in the poled PIMNT-Mn single crystals.

Cumulative Stress and Substantiated Maltreatment: The Importance of Caregiver Vulnerability and Adult Partner Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wekerle, Christine; Wall, Anne-Marie; Leung, Eman; Trocme, Nico

2007-01-01

Objective: Our goal is to assess the effect of caregiver vulnerabilities, singly and in combination, on the substantiation of child abuse (physical, sexual) and neglect, while controlling for relevant background variables. We test the moderator role of adult partner violence in qualifying the relationship between caregiver vulnerabilities and…

Single-Parent Families: Policy Recommendations for Child Support.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haskins, Ron; And Others

Results of a review of problems associated with divorce indicate that not only are very large numbers of children involved, but divorce seems to be associated with serious effects for children and adults. A very substantial number of children of divorced parents live in poverty and nearly all experience substantial reductions in family income. One…

Retrofit implementation of Zernike phase plate imaging for cryo-TEM.

PubMed

Marko, Michael; Leith, Ardean; Hsieh, Chyongere; Danev, Radostin

2011-05-01

In-focus phase-plate imaging is particularly beneficial for cryo-TEM because it offers a substantial overall increase in image contrast, without an electron dose penalty, and it simplifies image interpretation. We show how phase-plate cryo-TEM can be implemented with an appropriate existing TEM, and provide a basic practical introduction to use of thin-film (carbon) phase plates. We point out potential pitfalls of phase-plate operation, and discuss solutions. We provide information on evaluating a particular TEM for its suitability. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phase diagram of URu 2–xFe xSi 2 in high magnetic fields

DOE PAGES

Ran, Sheng; Jeon, Inho; Pouse, Naveen; ...

2017-08-28

Here, electrical transport measurements were performed on URu 2-xFe xSi 2 single-crystal specimens in high magnetic fields up to 45 T (DC fields) and 60 T (pulsed fields). We observed a systematic evolution of the critical fields for both the hidden-order (HO) and large-moment antiferromagnetic (LMAFM) phases and established the 3D phase diagram of T–H–x. In the HO phase, H/H 0 scales with T/T 0 and collapses onto a single curve. However, in the LMAFM phase, this single scaling relation is not satisfied. Within a certain range of x values, the HO phase reenters after the LMAFM phase is suppressedmore » by the magnetic field, similar to the behavior observed for URu 2Si 2 within a certain range of pressures.« less

Phase diagram of URu 2–xFe xSi 2 in high magnetic fields

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

Ran, Sheng; Jeon, Inho; Pouse, Naveen

Here, electrical transport measurements were performed on URu 2-xFe xSi 2 single-crystal specimens in high magnetic fields up to 45 T (DC fields) and 60 T (pulsed fields). We observed a systematic evolution of the critical fields for both the hidden-order (HO) and large-moment antiferromagnetic (LMAFM) phases and established the 3D phase diagram of T–H–x. In the HO phase, H/H 0 scales with T/T 0 and collapses onto a single curve. However, in the LMAFM phase, this single scaling relation is not satisfied. Within a certain range of x values, the HO phase reenters after the LMAFM phase is suppressedmore » by the magnetic field, similar to the behavior observed for URu 2Si 2 within a certain range of pressures.« less

Directed self-assembly of liquid crystalline blue-phases into ideal single-crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-González, Jose A.; Li, Xiao; Sadati, Monirosadat; Zhou, Ye; Zhang, Rui; Nealey, Paul F.; de Pablo, Juan J.

2017-06-01

Chiral nematic liquid crystals are known to form blue phases--liquid states of matter that exhibit ordered cubic arrangements of topological defects. Blue-phase specimens, however, are generally polycrystalline, consisting of randomly oriented domains that limit their performance in applications. A strategy that relies on nano-patterned substrates is presented here for preparation of stable, macroscopic single-crystal blue-phase materials. Different template designs are conceived to exert control over different planes of the blue-phase lattice orientation with respect to the underlying substrate. Experiments are then used to demonstrate that it is indeed possible to create stable single-crystal blue-phase domains with the desired orientation over large regions. These results provide a potential avenue to fully exploit the electro-optical properties of blue phases, which have been hindered by the existence of grain boundaries.

Materials science of the gel to fluid phase transition in a supported phospholipid bilayer.

PubMed

Xie, Anne Feng; Yamada, Ryo; Gewirth, Andrew A; Granick, Steve

2002-12-09

We report the results of in situ AFM measurements examining the phase transition of bilayers formed from the zwitterionic phospholipid, DMPC, 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, supported on mica. The images show that the fluid to gel phase transition process features substantial tearing of the bilayer due to the density change between the two phases. The gel to fluid transition is strongly affected by the resultant stress introduced into the gel phase, which changes the degree of cooperativity, the shape of developing fluid phase regions, and the course of the transition.

Quantum phase transitions in spin-1 X X Z chains with rhombic single-ion anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Jie; Wang, Yimin; You, Wen-Long

2018-04-01

We explore numerically the inverse participation ratios in the ground state of one-dimensional spin-1 X X Z chains with the rhombic single-ion anisotropy. By employing the techniques of density-matrix renormalization group, effects of the rhombic single-ion anisotropy on various information theoretical measures are investigated, such as the fidelity susceptibility, the quantum coherence, and the entanglement entropy. Their relations with the quantum phase transitions are also analyzed. The phase transitions from the Y -Néel phase to the large-Ex or the Haldane phase can be well characterized by the fidelity susceptibility. The second-order derivative of the ground-state energy indicates all the transitions are of second order. We also find that the quantum coherence, the entanglement entropy, the Schmidt gap, and the inverse participation ratios can be used to detect the critical points of quantum phase transitions. Results drawn from these quantum information observables agree well with each other. Finally we provide a ground-state phase diagram as functions of the exchange anisotropy Δ and the rhombic single-ion anisotropy E .

2D and 3D X-ray phase retrieval of multi-material objects using a single defocus distance.

PubMed

Beltran, M A; Paganin, D M; Uesugi, K; Kitchen, M J

2010-03-29

A method of tomographic phase retrieval is developed for multi-material objects whose components each has a distinct complex refractive index. The phase-retrieval algorithm, based on the Transport-of-Intensity equation, utilizes propagation-based X-ray phase contrast images acquired at a single defocus distance for each tomographic projection. The method requires a priori knowledge of the complex refractive index for each material present in the sample, together with the total projected thickness of the object at each orientation. The requirement of only a single defocus distance per projection simplifies the experimental setup and imposes no additional dose compared to conventional tomography. The algorithm was implemented using phase contrast data acquired at the SPring-8 Synchrotron facility in Japan. The three-dimensional (3D) complex refractive index distribution of a multi-material test object was quantitatively reconstructed using a single X-ray phase-contrast image per projection. The technique is robust in the presence of noise, compared to conventional absorption based tomography.

Quantifying full phenological event distributions reveals simultaneous advances, temporal stability and delays in spring and autumn migration timing in long-distance migratory birds.

PubMed

Miles, Will T S; Bolton, Mark; Davis, Peter; Dennis, Roy; Broad, Roger; Robertson, Iain; Riddiford, Nick J; Harvey, Paul V; Riddington, Roger; Shaw, Deryk N; Parnaby, David; Reid, Jane M

2017-04-01

Phenological changes in key seasonally expressed life-history traits occurring across periods of climatic and environmental change can cause temporal mismatches between interacting species, and thereby impact population and community dynamics. However, studies quantifying long-term phenological changes have commonly only measured variation occurring in spring, measured as the first or mean dates on which focal traits or events were observed. Few studies have considered seasonally paired events spanning spring and autumn or tested the key assumption that single convenient metrics accurately capture entire event distributions. We used 60 years (1955-2014) of daily bird migration census data from Fair Isle, Scotland, to comprehensively quantify the degree to which the full distributions of spring and autumn migration timing of 13 species of long-distance migratory bird changed across a period of substantial climatic and environmental change. In most species, mean spring and autumn migration dates changed little. However, the early migration phase (≤10th percentile date) commonly got earlier, while the late migration phase (≥90th percentile date) commonly got later. Consequently, species' total migration durations typically lengthened across years. Spring and autumn migration phenologies were not consistently correlated within or between years within species and hence were not tightly coupled. Furthermore, different metrics quantifying different aspects of migration phenology within seasons were not strongly cross-correlated, meaning that no single metric adequately described the full pattern of phenological change. These analyses therefore reveal complex patterns of simultaneous advancement, temporal stability and delay in spring and autumn migration phenologies, altering species' life-history structures. Additionally, they demonstrate that this complexity is only revealed if multiple metrics encompassing entire seasonal event distributions, rather than single metrics, are used to quantify phenological change. Existing evidence of long-term phenological changes detected using only one or two metrics should consequently be interpreted cautiously because divergent changes occurring simultaneously could potentially have remained undetected. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantum phase transitions driven by rhombic-type single-ion anisotropy in the S =1 Haldane chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzeng, Yu-Chin; Onishi, Hiroaki; Okubo, Tsuyoshi; Kao, Ying-Jer

2017-08-01

The spin-1 Haldane chain is an example of the symmetry-protected-topological (SPT) phase in one dimension. Experimental realization of the spin chain materials usually involves both the uniaxial-type, D (Sz)2 , and the rhombic-type, E [(Sx)2-(Sy)2] , single-ion anisotropies. Here, we provide a precise ground-state phase diagram for a spin-1 Haldane chain with these single-ion anisotropies. Using quantum numbers, we find that the Z2 symmetry breaking phase can be characterized by double degeneracy in the entanglement spectrum. Topological quantum phase transitions take place on particular paths in the phase diagram, from the Haldane phase to the large-Ex, large-Ey, or large-D phases. The topological critical points are determined by the level spectroscopy method with a newly developed parity technique in the density matrix renormalization group [Phys. Rev. B 86, 024403 (2012), 10.1103/PhysRevB.86.024403], and the Haldane-large-D critical point is obtained with an unprecedented precision, (D/J ) c=0.9684713 (1 ) . Close to this critical point, a small rhombic single-ion anisotropy |E |/J ≪1 can destroy the Haldane phase and bring the system into a y -Néel phase. We propose that the compound [Ni (HF2) (3-Clpy ) 4] BF4 is a candidate system to search for the y -Néel phase.

All-periodically poled, high-power, continuous-wave, single-frequency tunable UV source.

PubMed

Aadhi, A; Chaitanya N, Apurv; Jabir, M V; Singh, R P; Samanta, G K

2015-01-01

We report on experimental demonstration of an all-periodically poled, continuous-wave (CW), high-power, single-frequency, ultra-violet (UV) source. Based on internal second-harmonic-generation (SHG) of a CW singly resonant optical parametric oscillator (OPO) pumped in the green, the UV source provides tunable radiation across 398.94-417.08 nm. The compact source comprising of a 25-mm-long MgO-doped periodically poled stoichiometric lithium tantalate (MgO:sPPLT) crystal of period Λ(SLT)=8.5  μm for OPO and a 5-mm-long, multi-grating (Λ(KTP)=3.3, 3.4, 3.6 and 3.8 μm), periodically poled potassium titanium phosphate (PPKTP) for intra-cavity SHG, provides as much as 336 mW of UV power at 398.94 nm, corresponding to a green-to-UV conversion efficiency of ∼6.7%. In addition, the singly resonant OPO (SRO) provides 840 mW of idler at 1541.61 nm and substantial signal power of 108 mW at 812.33 nm transmitted through the high reflective cavity mirrors. UV source provides single-frequency radiation with instantaneous line-width of ∼18.3  MHz and power >100  mW in Gaussian beam profile (ellipticity >92%) across the entire tuning range. Access to lower UV wavelengths requires smaller grating periods to compensate high phase-mismatch resulting from high material dispersion in the UV wavelength range. Additionally, we have measured the normalized temperature and spectral acceptance bandwidth of PPKTP crystal in the UV wavelength range to be ∼2.25°C·cm and ∼0.15  nm·cm, respectively.

Cumulative stress and substantiated maltreatment: the importance of caregiver vulnerability and adult partner violence.

PubMed

Wekerle, Christine; Wall, Anne-Marie; Leung, Eman; Trocmé, Nico

2007-04-01

Our goal is to assess the effect of caregiver vulnerabilities, singly and in combination, on the substantiation of child abuse (physical, sexual) and neglect, while controlling for relevant background variables. We test the moderator role of adult partner violence in qualifying the relationship between caregiver vulnerabilities and maltreatment substantiation. Secondary analyses of the 1998 Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Maltreatment (CIS) are used to predict child protective service investigation substantiation versus non-substantiation from a range of caregiver vulnerability factors. Involvement in partner violence was examined as a moderator in the relation between caregiver vulnerabilities and maltreatment substantiation. The CIS is an epidemiological survey of first-reported cases to child protective services, using a random sample of child welfare agencies across Canada. Child welfare workers completed a research form on the child, primary caregiver, family, perpetrator, severity and type of maltreatment, as well as services and court outcomes. All maltreatment classifications were assigned according to the Canadian legal definition of child abuse and neglect. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were used, with stepped entry of: (1) demographic factors, socioeconomic disadvantage, and caregiver's own history of maltreatment; (2) caregiver vulnerability factors; (3) involvement in partner violence; (4) the interaction between caregiver vulnerability and partner violence. Caregiver substance abuse was found to be the single most potent kind of caregiver vulnerability in predicting maltreatment substantiation. When the total number of vulnerabilities was used as the predictor, prediction across all types of maltreatment increased, especially for substantiated neglect. Analyses also showed that the presence of partner violence in the home exacerbated the effect of caregiver vulnerability on substantiation. The total number of caregiver vulnerabilities was the best predictor of the substantiation of child abuse and neglect. This relationship was moderated by the existence of partner violence: high caregiver vulnerability and high partner violence increased the likelihood of substantiation versus non-substantiation. These results suggest that caregiver issues should be considered in tandem with partner relationships. Among child welfare cases, caregiver vulnerability and partner violence are critical targets for child maltreatment prevention and early child protective services intervention.

Abdominal 4D flow MR imaging in a breath hold: combination of spiral sampling and dynamic compressed sensing for highly accelerated acquisition.

PubMed

Dyvorne, Hadrien; Knight-Greenfield, Ashley; Jajamovich, Guido; Besa, Cecilia; Cui, Yong; Stalder, Aurélien; Markl, Michael; Taouli, Bachir

2015-04-01

To develop a highly accelerated phase-contrast cardiac-gated volume flow measurement (four-dimensional [4D] flow) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technique based on spiral sampling and dynamic compressed sensing and to compare this technique with established phase-contrast imaging techniques for the quantification of blood flow in abdominal vessels. This single-center prospective study was compliant with HIPAA and approved by the institutional review board. Ten subjects (nine men, one woman; mean age, 51 years; age range, 30-70 years) were enrolled. Seven patients had liver disease. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Two 4D flow acquisitions were performed in each subject, one with use of Cartesian sampling with respiratory tracking and the other with use of spiral sampling and a breath hold. Cartesian two-dimensional (2D) cine phase-contrast images were also acquired in the portal vein. Two observers independently assessed vessel conspicuity on phase-contrast three-dimensional angiograms. Quantitative flow parameters were measured by two independent observers in major abdominal vessels. Intertechnique concordance was quantified by using Bland-Altman and logistic regression analyses. There was moderate to substantial agreement in vessel conspicuity between 4D flow acquisitions in arteries and veins (κ = 0.71 and 0.61, respectively, for observer 1; κ = 0.71 and 0.44 for observer 2), whereas more artifacts were observed with spiral 4D flow (κ = 0.30 and 0.20). Quantitative measurements in abdominal vessels showed good equivalence between spiral and Cartesian 4D flow techniques (lower bound of the 95% confidence interval: 63%, 77%, 60%, and 64% for flow, area, average velocity, and peak velocity, respectively). For portal venous flow, spiral 4D flow was in better agreement with 2D cine phase-contrast flow (95% limits of agreement: -8.8 and 9.3 mL/sec, respectively) than was Cartesian 4D flow (95% limits of agreement: -10.6 and 14.6 mL/sec). The combination of highly efficient spiral sampling with dynamic compressed sensing results in major acceleration for 4D flow MR imaging, which allows comprehensive assessment of abdominal vessel hemodynamics in a single breath hold.

Quantitative phase imaging of biological cells and tissues using singleshot white light interference microscopy and phase subtraction method for extended range of measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, Dalip Singh; Sharma, Anuradha; Dubey, Vishesh; Singh, Veena; Ahmad, Azeem

2016-03-01

We present a single-shot white light interference microscopy for the quantitative phase imaging (QPI) of biological cells and tissues. A common path white light interference microscope is developed and colorful white light interferogram is recorded by three-chip color CCD camera. The recorded white light interferogram is decomposed into the red, green and blue color wavelength component interferograms and processed it to find out the RI for different color wavelengths. The decomposed interferograms are analyzed using local model fitting (LMF)" algorithm developed for reconstructing the phase map from single interferogram. LMF is slightly off-axis interferometric QPI method which is a single-shot method that employs only a single image, so it is fast and accurate. The present method is very useful for dynamic process where path-length changes at millisecond level. From the single interferogram a wavelength-dependent quantitative phase imaging of human red blood cells (RBCs) are reconstructed and refractive index is determined. The LMF algorithm is simple to implement and is efficient in computation. The results are compared with the conventional phase shifting interferometry and Hilbert transform techniques.

Highly integrated optical heterodyne phase-locked loop with phase/frequency detection.

PubMed

Lu, Mingzhi; Park, Hyunchul; Bloch, Eli; Sivananthan, Abirami; Bhardwaj, Ashish; Griffith, Zach; Johansson, Leif A; Rodwell, Mark J; Coldren, Larry A

2012-04-23

A highly-integrated optical phase-locked loop with a phase/frequency detector and a single-sideband mixer (SSBM) has been proposed and demonstrated for the first time. A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) has been designed, fabricated and tested, together with an electronic IC (EIC). The PIC integrates a widely-tunable sampled-grating distributed-Bragg-reflector laser, an optical 90 degree hybrid and four high-speed photodetectors on the InGaAsP/InP platform. The EIC adds a single-sideband mixer, and a digital phase/frequency detector, to provide single-sideband heterodyne locking from -9 GHz to 7.5 GHz. The loop bandwith is 400 MHz. © 2012 Optical Society of America

Community characteristics associated with child abuse in Iowa.

PubMed

Weissman, Alicia M; Jogerst, Gerald J; Dawson, Jeffrey D

2003-10-01

Various demographic and community characteristics are associated with child abuse rates in national and urban samples, but similar analyses have not been done within rural areas. This study analyzes the relationships between reported and substantiated rates of child abuse and county demographic, health care resource and social services factors in a predominantly rural state in the US. County-level data from Iowa between 1984-1993 were analyzed for associations between county characteristics and rates of child abuse using univariate correlations and multivariate stagewise regression analysis. Population-adjusted rates of reported and substantiated child abuse were correlated with rates of children in poverty, single-parent families, marriage and divorce, unemployment, high-school dropouts, median family income, elder abuse, birth and death rates, numbers of physicians and other healthcare providers, hospital, social workers, and number of caseworkers in the Department of Human Services. Rates of single-parent families, divorce and elder abuse were significantly associated with reported and substantiated child abuse in multivariate analysis, while economic and most health care factors were not. Reporting and substantiation rates differed across districts after adjustment for multiple factors including caseworker workload. In this rural state, family structure is more significantly associated with child abuse report and substantiation rates than are socioeconomic factors. The level of health care resources in a county does not appear to affect these rates.

Theoretical limits on the stability of single-phase kesterite-Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4}

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

Sarker, Pranab; Huda, Muhammad N., E-mail: huda@uta.edu; Al-Jassim, Mowafak M.

2015-01-21

The single-phase stability of Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS), after an intrinsic defect was incorporated in it, has been examined here for the first time based on ab initio calculations. The stability analysis of such a non-stoichiometric-defect incorporated CZTS shows that the single-phase formation is unlikely at thermodynamic equilibrium conditions. In addition, the effective growth condition of CZTS is determined and quantified for all the elements (Cu-poor, Zn-rich, Sn-poor, and S-rich) to extract maximum photovoltaic efficiency from CZTS. These conditions promote (i) spontaneous formation of Cu vacancy (V{sub Cu}), which might benefit p-type conduction, and (ii) the co-existence of ZnS whilemore » suppressing other harmful defects and secondary phases. Further, the results presented here explain the unavailability of single-phase CZTS to date.« less

Criteria for predicting the formation of single-phase high-entropy alloys

DOE PAGES

Troparevsky, M Claudia; Morris, James R..; Kent, Paul R.; ...

2015-03-15

High entropy alloys constitute a new class of materials whose very existence poses fundamental questions. Originally thought to be stabilized by the large entropy of mixing, these alloys have attracted attention due to their potential applications, yet no model capable of robustly predicting which combinations of elements will form a single-phase currently exists. Here we propose a model that, through the use of high-throughput computation of the enthalpies of formation of binary compounds, is able to confirm all known high-entropy alloys while rejecting similar alloys that are known to form multiple phases. Despite the increasing entropy, our model predicts thatmore » the number of potential single-phase multicomponent alloys decreases with an increasing number of components: out of more than two million possible 7-component alloys considered, fewer than twenty single-phase alloys are likely.« less

Crucibleless crystal growth and Radioluminescence study of calcium tungstate single crystal fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, M. S.; Jesus, L. M.; Barbosa, L. B.; Ardila, D. R.; Andreeta, J. P.; Silva, R. S.

2014-11-01

In this article, single phase and high optical quality scheelite calcium tungstate single crystal fibers were grown by using the crucibleless laser heated pedestal growth technique. The as-synthesized calcium tungstate powders used for shaping seed and feed rods were investigated by X-ray diffraction technique. As-grown crystals were studied by Raman spectroscopy and Radioluminescence measurements. The results indicate that in both two cases, calcined powder and single crystal fiber, only the expected scheelite CaWO4 phase was observed. It was verified large homogeneity in the crystal composition, without the presence of secondary phases. The Radioluminescence spectra of the as-grown single crystal fibers are in agreement with that present in Literature for bulk single crystals, presented a single emission band centered at 420 nm when irradiated with β-rays.

Acoustic anisotropy in uniaxial tungsten bronze ferroelectric single crystals studied by Brillouin light scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Jae-Hyeon; Lushnikov, S. G.; Kim, Do Han; Kojima, Seiji; Jun, Byeong-Eog; Hwang, Yoon Hwae

2008-11-01

Acoustic properties were investigated for four tungsten bronze (TB) uniaxial ferroelectric crystals, i.e., (Sr0.61Ba0.39)5Nb10O30 (SBN61), Cu-doped (K0.5Na0.5)1.0(Sr0.75Ba0.25)4.5Nb10O30 (KNSBN:Cu), K5.80Li3.82Nb10.12O30, and K4.74Li3.07Nb10.44O30 of which the spontaneous polarization is directed along the polar c axis. Large acoustic anisotropy between the two elastic constants C11 and C33 have been observed from all samples. C33 exhibits a significant softening on approaching the diffuse phase transition temperature from high-temperature side while C11 does not show any substantial change in the same temperature range. This softening is accompanied by substantial growth of hypersonic damping, appearance and growth of central peak (CP), and slowing down of the relevant dynamics of CP represented by the reducing half width. All these results indicate that the lattice motions along the c axis couple strongly to the one-component order parameter of the polar nanoregions (PNRs) or precursor polar clusters which form and grow below a certain temperature in the paraelectric phase. The inverse dielectric constant measured along the c axis of SBN61 and KNSBN:Cu can be described by two linear regions divided by a crossover temperature at which the change in the magnitude of dipole moments and the strength of the dipole couplings are expected due to the formation of PNRs. C33 of SBN61 becomes continuously softened upon cooling even when the temperature crosses the Burns temperature TB at which PNRs begin to appear. It may suggest that additional relaxation process other than that of PNRs may exist at high temperatures above TB and couple to the longitudinal acoustic waves propagating along the polar axis. Recent observation of a single-particle relaxation at high temperatures and its transformation into a collective relaxation of PNRs by dielectric spectroscopy [Belous et al., J. Appl. Phys. 102, 014111 (2007)] might be related to the anomalous acoustic behavior of SBN61 observed above TB.

Single-shot three-dimensional reconstruction based on structured light line pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, ZhenZhou; Yang, YongMing

2018-07-01

Reconstruction of the object by single-shot is of great importance in many applications, in which the object is moving or its shape is non-rigid and changes irregularly. In this paper, we propose a single-shot structured light 3D imaging technique that calculates the phase map from the distorted line pattern. This technique makes use of the image processing techniques to segment and cluster the projected structured light line pattern from one single captured image. The coordinates of the clustered lines are extracted to form a low-resolution phase matrix which is then transformed to full-resolution phase map by spline interpolation. The 3D shape of the object is computed from the full-resolution phase map and the 2D camera coordinates. Experimental results show that the proposed method was able to reconstruct the three-dimensional shape of the object robustly from one single image.

Nanocomposites for ultra high density information storage, devices including the same, and methods of making the same

DOEpatents

Goyal, Amit; Shin, Junsoo

2014-04-01

A nanocomposite article that includes a single-crystal or single-crystal-like substrate and heteroepitaxial, phase-separated layer supported by a surface of the substrate and a method of making the same are described. The heteroepitaxial layer can include a continuous, non-magnetic, crystalline, matrix phase, and an ordered, magnetic magnetic phase disposed within the matrix phase. The ordered magnetic phase can include a plurality of self-assembled crystalline nanostructures of a magnetic material. The phase-separated layer and the single crystal substrate can be separated by a buffer layer. An electronic storage device that includes a read-write head and a nanocomposite article with a data storage density of 0.75 Tb/in.sup.2 is also described.

Phase-sensitive flow cytometer

DOEpatents

Steinkamp, John A.

1993-01-01

A phase-sensitive flow cytometer (FCM) provides additional FCM capability to use the fluorescence lifetime of one or more fluorochromes bound to single cells to provide additional information regarding the cells. The resulting fluorescence emission can be resolved into individual fluorescence signals if two fluorochromes are present or can be converted directly to a decay lifetime from a single fluorochrome. The excitation light for the fluorochromes is modulated to produce an amplitude modulated fluorescence pulse as the fluorochrome is excited in the FCM. The modulation signal also forms a reference signal that is phase-shifted a selected amount for subsequent mixing with the output modulated fluorescence intensity signal in phase-sensitive detection circuitry. The output from the phase-sensitive circuitry is then an individual resolved fluorochrome signal or a single fluorochrome decay lifetime, depending on the applied phase shifts.

Analytical results for a conditional phase shift between single-photon pulses in a nonlocal nonlinear medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanathan, Balakrishnan; Gea-Banacloche, Julio

2017-04-01

We analyze a recent scheme proposed by Xia et al. to induce a conditional phase shift between two single-photon pulses by having them propagate at different speeds through a nonlinear medium with a nonlocal response. We have obtained an analytical solution for the case they considered, which supports their claim that a π phase shift with unit fidelity is possible in principle. We discuss the conditions that have to be met and the challenges and opportunities that this might present to the realization of a single-photon conditional phase gate.

Comparative Analysis of Various Single-tone Frequency Estimation Techniques in High-order Instantaneous Moments Based Phase Estimation Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajshekhar, G.; Gorthi, Sai Siva; Rastogi, Pramod

2010-04-01

For phase estimation in digital holographic interferometry, a high-order instantaneous moments (HIM) based method was recently developed which relies on piecewise polynomial approximation of phase and subsequent evaluation of the polynomial coefficients using the HIM operator. A crucial step in the method is mapping the polynomial coefficient estimation to single-tone frequency determination for which various techniques exist. The paper presents a comparative analysis of the performance of the HIM operator based method in using different single-tone frequency estimation techniques for phase estimation. The analysis is supplemented by simulation results.

14 CFR 25.629 - Aeroelastic stability requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... weights are used, their effectiveness and strength, including supporting structure, must be substantiated... of any single element of the structure supporting any engine, independently mounted propeller shaft... dynamic forces, any single failure of the engine structure that would reduce the rigidity of the...

14 CFR 25.629 - Aeroelastic stability requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... weights are used, their effectiveness and strength, including supporting structure, must be substantiated... of any single element of the structure supporting any engine, independently mounted propeller shaft... dynamic forces, any single failure of the engine structure that would reduce the rigidity of the...

14 CFR 25.629 - Aeroelastic stability requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... weights are used, their effectiveness and strength, including supporting structure, must be substantiated... of any single element of the structure supporting any engine, independently mounted propeller shaft... dynamic forces, any single failure of the engine structure that would reduce the rigidity of the...

14 CFR 25.629 - Aeroelastic stability requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... weights are used, their effectiveness and strength, including supporting structure, must be substantiated... of any single element of the structure supporting any engine, independently mounted propeller shaft... dynamic forces, any single failure of the engine structure that would reduce the rigidity of the...

Growth of a decagonal Al 70Ni 15Co 15 single quasicrystal by the Czochralski method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, H. T.; Kim, S. H.; Kim, W. T.; Kim, D. H.; Inkson, B. J.

2000-07-01

Single decagonal quasicrystals of Al 70Ni 15Co 15 were grown by the Czochralski method at Ar atmosphere. The grown crystals were of single decagonal phase without any secondary phases due to the peritectic reaction and contained a large single quasicrystal of cm order size. The high quality and single quasicrystallinity of them were examined by the Laue transmission photography, single crystal X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution electron microscopy investigations.

Optical sectioning for optical scanning holography using phase-space filtering with Wigner distribution functions.

PubMed

Kim, Hwi; Min, Sung-Wook; Lee, Byoungho; Poon, Ting-Chung

2008-07-01

We propose a novel optical sectioning method for optical scanning holography, which is performed in phase space by using Wigner distribution functions together with the fractional Fourier transform. The principle of phase-space optical sectioning for one-dimensional signals, such as slit objects, and two-dimensional signals, such as rectangular objects, is first discussed. Computer simulation results are then presented to substantiate the proposed idea.

The pervasive role of social learning in primate lifetime development.

PubMed

Whiten, Andrew; van de Waal, Erica

2018-01-01

In recent decades, an accelerating research effort has exploited a substantial diversity of methodologies to garner mounting evidence for social learning and culture in many species of primate. As in humans, the evidence suggests that the juvenile phases of non-human primates' lives represent a period of particular intensity in adaptive learning from others, yet the relevant research remains scattered in the literature. Accordingly, we here offer what we believe to be the first substantial collation and review of this body of work and its implications for the lifetime behavioral ecology of primates. We divide our analysis into three main phases: a first phase of learning focused on primary attachment figures, typically the mother; a second phase of selective learning from a widening array of group members, including some with expertise that the primary figures may lack; and a third phase following later dispersal, when a migrant individual encounters new ecological and social circumstances about which the existing residents possess expertise that can be learned from. Collating a diversity of discoveries about this lifetime process leads us to conclude that social learning pervades primate ontogenetic development, importantly shaping locally adaptive knowledge and skills that span multiple aspects of the behavioral repertoire.

Asymptotic Solutions for Optical Properties of Large Particles with Strong Absorption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Ping; Gao, Bo-Cai; Baum, Bryan A.; Hu, Yong X.; Wiscombe, Warren J.; Mishchenko, Michael I.; Winker, Dave M.; Nasiri, Shaima L.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

For scattering calculations involving nonspherical particles such as ice crystals, we show that the transverse wave condition is not applicable to the refracted electromagnetic wave in the context of geometric optics when absorption is involved. Either the TM wave condition (i.e., where the magnetic field of the refracted wave is transverse with respect to the wave direction) or the TE wave condition (i.e., where the electric field is transverse with respect to the propagating direction of the wave) may be assumed for the refracted wave in an absorbing medium to locally satisfy the electromagnetic boundary condition in the ray tracing calculation. The wave mode assumed for the refracted wave affects both the reflection and refraction coefficients. As a result, a nonunique solution for these coefficients is derived from the electromagnetic boundary condition. In this study we have identified the appropriate solution for the Fresnel reflection/refraction coefficients in light scattering calculation based on the ray tracing technique. We present the 3 x 2 refraction or transmission matrix that completely accounts for the inhomogeneity of the refracted wave in an absorbing medium. Using the Fresnel coefficients for an absorbing medium, we derive an asymptotic solution in an analytical format for the scattering properties of a general polyhedral particle. Numerical results are presented for hexagonal plates and columns with both preferred and random orientations. The asymptotic theory can produce reasonable accuracy in the phase function calculations in the infrared window region (wavelengths near 10 micron) if the particle size (in diameter) is on the order of 40 micron or larger. However, since strong absorption is assumed in the computation of the single-scattering albedo in the asymptotic theory, the single scattering albedo does not change with variation of the particle size. As a result, the asymptotic theory can lead to substantial errors in the computation of single-scattering albedo for small and moderate particle sizes. However, from comparison of the asymptotic results with the FDTD solution, it is expected that a convergence between the FDTD results and the asymptotic theory results can be reached when the particle size approaches 200 micron. We show that the phase function at side-scattering and backscattering angles is insensitive to particle shape if the random orientation condition is assumed. However, if preferred orientations are assumed for particles, the phase function has a strong dependence on scattering azimuthal angle. The single-scattering albedo also shows very strong dependence on the inclination angle of incident radiation with respect to the rotating axis for the preferred particle orientations.

Dielectric, magnetic, and lattice dynamics properties of Y-type hexaferrite Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 1.5}Zn{sub 2}Fe{sub 12}O{sub 22}: Comparison of ceramics and single crystals

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

Kamba, S.; Goian, V.; Savinov, M.

2010-05-15

We prepared multiferroic Y-type hexaferrite Ba{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 1.5}Zn{sub 2}Fe{sub 12}O{sub 22} ceramics and compared their magnetic and dielectric properties with single crystal. Magnetic susceptibility and microwave resonance measurement revealed magnetic phase transition at T{sub C}=312 K, similar as in single crystal. Ferroelectric (FE) phase can be induced by external magnetic field in all investigated samples and the phase diagram in ceramics qualitatively resembles that of the single crystal. The range of magnetic fields, where the FE phase is induced, broadens after annealing of single crystal. Ceramics quenched after sintering exhibit several orders of magnitude lower conductivity than the single crystal.more » Heavily damped magnetic resonance was discovered in terahertz spectra at 10 K and its frequency softens below 5 GHz near T{sub C}. Number and symmetry of observed infrared (IR) and Raman active phonons correspond to paraelectric phase with D{sub 3d}{sup 5} hexagonal structure. No evidence for a structural phase transition was found in the IR and Raman spectra on cooling (in zero magnetic field) or in the room-temperature IR spectra with external static magnetic field up to 0.3 T.« less

Phase selection during crystallization of undercooled liquid eutectic lead-tin alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fecht, H. J.

1991-01-01

During rapid solidification substantial amounts of undercooling are in general required for formation of metastable phases. Crystallization at varying levels of undercooling and melting of metastable phases were studied during slow cooling and heating of emulsified PB-Sn alloys. Besides the experimental demonstration of the reversibility of metastable phase equilibra, two different principal solidification paths have been identified and compared with the established metastable phase diagram and predictions from classical nucleation theory. The results suggest that the most probable solidification path is described by the 'step rule' resulting in the formation of metastable phases at low undercooling, whereas the stable eutectic phase mixture crystallizes without metastable phase formation at high undercooling.

A possible four-phase coexistence in a single-component system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akahane, Kenji; Russo, John; Tanaka, Hajime

2016-08-01

For different phases to coexist in equilibrium at constant temperature T and pressure P, the condition of equal chemical potential μ must be satisfied. This condition dictates that, for a single-component system, the maximum number of phases that can coexist is three. Historically this is known as the Gibbs phase rule, and is one of the oldest and venerable rules of thermodynamics. Here we make use of the fact that, by varying model parameters, the Gibbs phase rule can be generalized so that four phases can coexist even in single-component systems. To systematically search for the quadruple point, we use a monoatomic system interacting with a Stillinger-Weber potential with variable tetrahedrality. Our study indicates that the quadruple point provides flexibility in controlling multiple equilibrium phases and may be realized in systems with tunable interactions, which are nowadays feasible in several soft matter systems such as patchy colloids.

A possible four-phase coexistence in a single-component system

PubMed Central

Akahane, Kenji; Russo, John; Tanaka, Hajime

2016-01-01

For different phases to coexist in equilibrium at constant temperature T and pressure P, the condition of equal chemical potential μ must be satisfied. This condition dictates that, for a single-component system, the maximum number of phases that can coexist is three. Historically this is known as the Gibbs phase rule, and is one of the oldest and venerable rules of thermodynamics. Here we make use of the fact that, by varying model parameters, the Gibbs phase rule can be generalized so that four phases can coexist even in single-component systems. To systematically search for the quadruple point, we use a monoatomic system interacting with a Stillinger–Weber potential with variable tetrahedrality. Our study indicates that the quadruple point provides flexibility in controlling multiple equilibrium phases and may be realized in systems with tunable interactions, which are nowadays feasible in several soft matter systems such as patchy colloids. PMID:27558452

A Case for an Atmosphere on Super-Earth 55 Cancri e

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angelo, Isabel; Hu, Renyu

2017-12-01

One of the primary questions when characterizing Earth-sized and super-Earth-sized exoplanets is whether they have a substantial atmosphere like Earth and Venus or a bare-rock surface like Mercury. Phase curves of the planets in thermal emission provide clues to this question, because a substantial atmosphere would transport heat more efficiently than a bare-rock surface. Analyzing phase-curve photometric data around secondary eclipses has previously been used to study energy transport in the atmospheres of hot Jupiters. Here we use phase curve, Spitzer time-series photometry to study the thermal emission properties of the super-Earth exoplanet 55 Cancri e. We utilize a semianalytical framework to fit a physical model to the infrared photometric data at 4.5 μm. The model uses parameters of planetary properties including Bond albedo, heat redistribution efficiency (I.e., ratio between radiative timescale and advective timescale of the atmosphere), and the atmospheric greenhouse factor. The phase curve of 55 Cancri e is dominated by thermal emission with an eastward-shifted hotspot. We determine the heat redistribution efficiency to be {1.47}-0.25+0.30, which implies that the advective timescale is on the same order as the radiative timescale. This requirement cannot be met by the bare-rock planet scenario because heat transport by currents of molten lava would be too slow. The phase curve thus favors the scenario with a substantial atmosphere. Our constraints on the heat redistribution efficiency translate to an atmospheric pressure of ˜1.4 bar. The Spitzer 4.5 μm band is thus a window into the deep atmosphere of the planet 55 Cancri e.

Modelling Assisted Design and Synthesis of Highly Porous Materials for Chemical Adsorbents

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

two phases of crystal, a monoclinic phase within the solution, and after removal from solution a trigonal phase is obtained. The single crystal...days. Single crystal X-ray data showed there existed a monoclinic phase within the solution that, upon removal from solution, rapidly converted to a... monoclinic to trigonal upon desolvation, as the new peak which has emerged matches the simulated PXRD of the trigonal phase. Also, as the sample is

24 CFR 3280.806 - Receptacle outlets.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

..., 125-volt, either single or duplex. (b) All 120 volt single phase, 15 and 20 ampere receptacle outlets... Receptacle outlets. (b) All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacle outlets installed outdoors... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Receptacle outlets. 3280.806...

Growth of large aluminum nitride single crystals with thermal-gradient control

DOEpatents

Bondokov, Robert T; Rao, Shailaja P; Gibb, Shawn Robert; Schowalter, Leo J

2015-05-12

In various embodiments, non-zero thermal gradients are formed within a growth chamber both substantially parallel and substantially perpendicular to the growth direction during formation of semiconductor crystals, where the ratio of the two thermal gradients (parallel to perpendicular) is less than 10, by, e.g., arrangement of thermal shields outside of the growth chamber.

Growth of large aluminum nitride single crystals with thermal-gradient control

DOEpatents

Bondokov, Robert T.; Rao, Shailaja P.; Schowalter, Leo J.

2017-02-28

In various embodiments, non-zero thermal gradients are formed within a growth chamber both substantially parallel and substantially perpendicular to the growth direction during formation of semiconductor crystals, where the ratio of the two thermal gradients (parallel to perpendicular) is less than 10, by, e.g., arrangement of thermal shields outside of the growth chamber.

Manganese oxide nanowires, films, and membranes and methods of making

DOEpatents

Suib, Steven Lawrence [Storrs, CT; Yuan, Jikang [Storrs, CT

2008-10-21

Nanowires, films, and membranes comprising ordered porous manganese oxide-based octahedral molecular sieves, and methods of making, are disclosed. A single crystal ultra-long nanowire includes an ordered porous manganese oxide-based octahedral molecular sieve, and has an average length greater than about 10 micrometers and an average diameter of about 5 nanometers to about 100 nanometers. A film comprises a microporous network comprising a plurality of single crystal nanowires in the form of a layer, wherein a plurality of layers is stacked on a surface of a substrate, wherein the nanowires of each layer are substantially axially aligned. A free standing membrane comprises a microporous network comprising a plurality of single crystal nanowires in the form of a layer, wherein a plurality of layers is aggregately stacked, and wherein the nanowires of each layer are substantially axially aligned.

Rhombohedral cubic semiconductor materials on trigonal substrate with single crystal properties and devices based on such materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Yeonjoon (Inventor); Choi, Sang Hyouk (Inventor); King, Glen C. (Inventor); Elliott, James R. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Growth conditions are developed, based on a temperature-dependent alignment model, to enable formation of cubic group IV, group II-V and group II-VI crystals in the [111] orientation on the basal (0001) plane of trigonal crystal substrates, controlled such that the volume percentage of primary twin crystal is reduced from about 40% to about 0.3%, compared to the majority single crystal. The control of stacking faults in this and other embodiments can yield single crystalline semiconductors based on these materials that are substantially without defects, or improved thermoelectric materials with twinned crystals for phonon scattering while maintaining electrical integrity. These methods can selectively yield a cubic-on-trigonal epitaxial semiconductor material in which the cubic layer is substantially either directly aligned, or 60 degrees-rotated from, the underlying trigonal material.

Scaling by shrinking: empowering single-cell ‘omics’ with microfluidic devices

PubMed Central

Prakadan, Sanjay M.; Shalek, Alex K.; Weitz, David A.

2017-01-01

Recent advances in cellular profiling have demonstrated substantial heterogeneity in the behaviour of cells once deemed ‘identical’, challenging fundamental notions of cell ‘type’ and ‘state’. Not surprisingly, these findings have elicited substantial interest in deeply characterizing the diversity, interrelationships and plasticity among cellular phenotypes. To explore these questions, experimental platforms are needed that can extensively and controllably profile many individual cells. Here, microfluidic structures—whether valve-, droplet- or nanowell-based—have an important role because they can facilitate easy capture and processing of single cells and their components, reducing labour and costs relative to conventional plate-based methods while also improving consistency. In this article, we review the current state-of-the-art methodologies with respect to microfluidics for mammalian single-cell ‘omics’ and discuss challenges and future opportunities. PMID:28392571

Synthetic musk emissions from wastewater aeration basins.

PubMed

Upadhyay, Nabin; Sun, Qinyue; Allen, Jonathan O; Westerhoff, Paul; Herckes, Pierre

2011-01-01

Wastewater aeration basins at publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) can be emission sources for gaseous or aerosolized sewage material. In the present study, particle and gas phase emissions of synthetic musks from covered and uncovered aeration basins were measured. Galaxolide (HHCB), tonalide (AHTN), and celestolide (ADBI) were the most abundant, ranging from 6704 to 344,306 ng m(-3), 45-3816 ng m(-3), and 2-148 ng m(-3) in the gas phase with particle phase concentrations 3 orders of magnitude lower. The musk species were not significantly removed from the exhaust air by an odor control system, yielding substantial daily emission fluxes (∼ 200 g d(-1) for HHCB) into the atmosphere. However, simple dispersion modeling showed that the treatment plants are unlikely to be a major contributor to ambient air concentrations of these species. Emission of synthetic musk species during wastewater treatment is a substantial fate process; more than 14% of the influent HHCB is emitted to the atmosphere in a POTW as opposed to the <1% predicted by an octanol-water partition coefficient and fugacity-based US EPA fate model. The substantial atmospheric emission of these compounds is most likely due to active stripping that occurs in the aeration basins by bubbling air through the sludge. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of skeleton and sign map for phase obtaining from a single ESPI image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xia; Yu, Qifeng; Fu, Sihua

2009-06-01

A robust method of determining the sign map and skeletons for ESPI images is introduced in this paper. ESPI images have high speckle noise which makes it difficult to obtain the fringe information, especially from a single image. To overcome the effects of high speckle noise, local directional computing windows are designed according to the fringe directions. Then by calculating the gradients from the filtered image in directional windows, sign map and good skeletons can be determined robustly. Based on the sign map, single image phase-extracting methods such as quadrature transform can be improved. And based on skeletons, fringe phases can be obtained directly by normalization methods. Experiments show that this new method is robust and effective for extracting phase from a single ESPI fringe image.

High-energy electron emission from metallic nano-tips driven by intense single-cycle terahertz pulses

PubMed Central

Li, Sha; Jones, R. R.

2016-01-01

Electrons ejected from atoms and subsequently driven to high energies in strong laser fields enable techniques from attosecond pulse generation to imaging with rescattered electrons. Analogous processes govern strong-field electron emission from nanostructures, where long wavelength radiation and large local field enhancements hold the promise for producing electrons with substantially higher energies, allowing for higher resolution time-resolved imaging. Here we report on the use of single-cycle terahertz pulses to drive electron emission from unbiased nano-tips. Energies exceeding 5 keV are observed, substantially greater than previously attained at higher drive frequencies. Despite large differences in the magnitude of the respective local fields, we find that the maximum electron energies are only weakly dependent on the tip radius, for 10 nm

Pressure dependence of band-gap and phase transitions in bulk CuX (X = Cl, Br, I)

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

Azhikodan, Dilna; Nautiyal, Tashi; Sharma, S.

2016-05-06

Usually a phase transition, in theoretical studies, is explored or verified by studying the total energy as a function of the volume considering various plausible phases. The intersection point, if any, of the free energy vs. volume curves for the different phases is then the indicator of the phase transition(s). The question is, can the theoretical study of a single phase alone indicate a phase transition? i.e. can we look beyond the phase under consideration through such a study? Using density-functional theory, we report a novel approach to suggest phase transition(s) through theoretical study of a single phase. Copper halidesmore » have been engaged for this study. These are direct band-gap semiconductors, with zinc blende structure at ambient conditions, and are reported to exhibit many phase transitions. We show that the study of volume dependence of energy band-gap in a single phase facilitates looking beyond the phase under consideration. This, when translated to pressures, reflects the phase transition pressures for CuX (X = Cl, Br, I) with an encouraging accuracy. This work thus offers a simple, yet reliable, approach based on electronic structure calculations to investigate new semiconducting materials for phase changes under pressure.« less

Process for preparing superconducting film having substantially uniform phase development

DOEpatents

Bharacharya, Raghuthan; Parilla, Philip A.; Blaugher, Richard D.

1995-01-01

A process for preparing a superconducting film, such as a thallium-barium-calcium-copper oxide superconducting film, having substantially uniform phase development. The process comprises providing an electrodeposition bath having one or more soluble salts of one or more respective potentially superconducting metals in respective amounts adequate to yield a superconducting film upon subsequent appropriate treatment. Should all of the metals required for producing a superconducting film not be made available in the bath, such metals can be a part of the ambient during a subsequent annealing process. A soluble silver salt in an amount between about 0.1% and about 4.0% by weight of the provided other salts is also provided to the bath, and the bath is electrically energized to thereby form a plated film. The film is annealed in ambient conditions suitable to cause formation of a superconductor film. Doping with silver reduces the temperature at which the liquid phase appears during the annealing step, initiates a liquid phase throughout the entire volume of deposited material, and influences the nucleation and growth of the deposited material.

Process for preparing superconducting film having substantially uniform phase development

DOEpatents

Bharacharya, R.; Parilla, P.A.; Blaugher, R.D.

1995-12-19

A process is disclosed for preparing a superconducting film, such as a thallium-barium-calcium-copper oxide superconducting film, having substantially uniform phase development. The process comprises providing an electrodeposition bath having one or more soluble salts of one or more respective potentially superconducting metals in respective amounts adequate to yield a superconducting film upon subsequent appropriate treatment. Should all of the metals required for producing a superconducting film not be made available in the bath, such metals can be a part of the ambient during a subsequent annealing process. A soluble silver salt in an amount between about 0.1% and about 4.0% by weight of the provided other salts is also provided to the bath, and the bath is electrically energized to thereby form a plated film. The film is annealed in ambient conditions suitable to cause formation of a superconductor film. Doping with silver reduces the temperature at which the liquid phase appears during the annealing step, initiates a liquid phase throughout the entire volume of deposited material, and influences the nucleation and growth of the deposited material. 3 figs.

Gas-Liquid Flows and Phase Separation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McQuillen, John

2004-01-01

Common issues for space system designers include:Ability to Verify Performance in Normal Gravity prior to Deployment; System Stability; Phase Accumulation & Shedding; Phase Separation; Flow Distribution through Tees & Manifolds Boiling Crisis; Heat Transfer Coefficient; and Pressure Drop.The report concludes:Guidance similar to "A design that operates in a single phase is less complex than a design that has two-phase flow" is not always true considering the amount of effort spent on pressurizing, subcooling and phase separators to ensure single phase operation. While there is still much to learn about two-phase flow in reduced gravity, we have a good start. Focus now needs to be directed more towards system level problems .

A new self-regulated self-excited single-phase induction generator using a squirrel cage three-phase induction machine

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

Fukami, Tadashi; Imamura, Michinori; Kaburaki, Yuichi

1995-12-31

A new single-phase capacitor self-excited induction generator with self-regulating feature is presented. The new generator consists of a squirrel cage three-phase induction machine and three capacitors connected in series and parallel with a single phase load. The voltage regulation of this generator is very small due to the effect of the three capacitors. Moreover, since a Y-connected stator winding is employed, the waveform of the output voltage becomes sinusoidal. In this paper the system configuration and the operating principle of the new generator are explained, and the basic characteristics are also investigated by means of a simple analysis and experimentsmore » with a laboratory machine.« less

Shuttle unified navigation filter, revision 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muller, E. S., Jr.

1973-01-01

Equations designed to meet the navigation requirements of the separate shuttle mission phases are presented in a series of reports entitled, Space Shuttle GN and C Equation Document. The development of these equations is based on performance studies carried out for each particular mission phase. Although navigation equations have been documented separately for each mission phase, a single unified navigation filter design is embodied in these separate designs. The purpose of this document is to present the shuttle navigation equations in a form in which they would most likely be coded-as the single unified navigation filter used in each mission phase. This document will then serve as a single general reference for the navigation equations replacing each of the individual mission phase navigation documents (which may still be used as a description of a particular navigation phase).

Ashkin-Teller criticality and weak first-order behavior of the phase transition to a fourfold degenerate state in two-dimensional frustrated Ising antiferromagnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, R. M.; Zhuo, W. Z.; Chen, J.; Qin, M. H.; Zeng, M.; Lu, X. B.; Gao, X. S.; Liu, J.-M.

2017-07-01

We study the thermal phase transition of the fourfold degenerate phases (the plaquette and single-stripe states) in the two-dimensional frustrated Ising model on the Shastry-Sutherland lattice using Monte Carlo simulations. The critical Ashkin-Teller-like behavior is identified both in the plaquette phase region and the single-stripe phase region. The four-state Potts critical end points differentiating the continuous transitions from the first-order ones are estimated based on finite-size-scaling analyses. Furthermore, a similar behavior of the transition to the fourfold single-stripe phase is also observed in the anisotropic triangular Ising model. Thus, this work clearly demonstrates that the transitions to the fourfold degenerate states of two-dimensional Ising antiferromagnets exhibit similar transition behavior.

Phase-sensitive flow cytometer

DOEpatents

Steinkamp, J.A.

1993-12-14

A phase-sensitive flow cytometer (FCM) provides additional FCM capability to use the fluorescence lifetime of one or more fluorochromes bound to single cells to provide additional information regarding the cells. The resulting fluorescence emission can be resolved into individual fluorescence signals if two fluorochromes are present or can be converted directly to a decay lifetime from a single fluorochrome. The excitation light for the fluorochromes is modulated to produce an amplitude modulated fluorescence pulse as the fluorochrome is excited in the FCM. The modulation signal also forms a reference signal that is phase-shifted a selected amount for subsequent mixing with the output modulated fluorescence intensity signal in phase-sensitive detection circuitry. The output from the phase-sensitive circuitry is then an individual resolved fluorochrome signal or a single fluorochrome decay lifetime, depending on the applied phase shifts. 15 figures.

Steer-PROP: a GRASE-PROPELLER sequence with interecho steering gradient pulses.

PubMed

Srinivasan, Girish; Rangwala, Novena; Zhou, Xiaohong Joe

2018-05-01

This study demonstrates a novel PROPELLER (periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction) pulse sequence, termed Steer-PROP, based on gradient and spin echo (GRASE), to reduce the imaging times and address phase errors inherent to GRASE. The study also illustrates the feasibility of using Steer-PROP as an alternative to single-shot echo planar imaging (SS-EPI) to produce distortion-free diffusion images in all imaging planes. Steer-PROP uses a series of blip gradient pulses to produce N (N = 3-5) adjacent k-space blades in each repetition time, where N is the number of gradient echoes in a GRASE sequence. This sampling strategy enables a phase correction algorithm to systematically address the GRASE phase errors as well as the motion-induced phase inconsistency. Steer-PROP was evaluated on phantoms and healthy human subjects at both 1.5T and 3.0T for T 2 - and diffusion-weighted imaging. Steer-PROP produced similar image quality as conventional PROPELLER based on fast spin echo (FSE), while taking only a fraction (e.g., 1/3) of the scan time. The robustness against motion in Steer-PROP was comparable to that of FSE-based PROPELLER. Using Steer-PROP, high quality and distortion-free diffusion images were obtained from human subjects in all imaging planes, demonstrating a considerable advantage over SS-EPI. The proposed Steer-PROP sequence can substantially reduce the scan times compared with FSE-based PROPELLER while achieving adequate image quality. The novel k-space sampling strategy in Steer-PROP not only enables an integrated phase correction method that addresses various sources of phase errors, but also minimizes the echo spacing compared with alternative sampling strategies. Steer-PROP can also be a viable alternative to SS-EPI to decrease image distortion in all imaging planes. Magn Reson Med 79:2533-2541, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

CESR Upgrade: Plans and Recent Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, Joseph T.

1996-05-01

We are now in the second phase of a program to substantially upgrade the luminosity of the CESR e^+ e^- collider by increasing the number of stored bunches. In the first phase, completed in 1995, we progressed from collisions of beams of 7 bunches to beams of 9 trains of two bunches each, achieving a record luminosity of 3.2 × 10^32 cm-2s-1. To avoid unwanted collisions at each side of the interaction point, we electrostatically separate the beams on antisymmetric orbits, with a ± 2.1 mrad crossing angle at the interaction point. For the second phase we have altered the interaction region quadrupole magnets to increase the physical aperture and to reduce the maximum horizontal β in this region. We plan to store 9 trains of 3 bunches in the second phase, and anticipate a luminosity of 6 × 10^32 cm-2s-1. In the third phase installation, to begin in late 1997, we will replace the interaction region quadrupoles with a combination of a permanent magnet quadrupole and superconducting quadrupole pair on each side of the interaction point, which will further reduce the β functions throughout the interaction region and at the interaction point. To accomodate the higher currents we will replace each of the four 5-cell copper RF cavities with a single-cell superconducting cavity. In this phase we expect to achieve a luminosity in excess of 10^33 cm-2s-1 with 9 trains of 5 bunches. Recent development work includes the successful test of a superconducting RF cavity in CESR, installation of low-impedance electrostatic separators, upgrades to the vacuum system, a fast digital transverse feedback system, and new beam diagnostics. Recent studies have revealed the effects of collision at a crossing angle, the behavior of the long range beam-beam interaction at parasitic crossings, and the relationship of the dominant multibunch instability to photoemission in the beam chamber.

Reconfigurable Transmission Line for a Series-Fed Ku-Band Phased Array Using a Single Feed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Host, Nicholas K.; Chen, Chi-Chih; Volakis, John L.; Miranda. Felix, A.

2013-01-01

The paper presents a novel approach to realize a lowcost phased array using a simple feeding mechanism. Specifically, a single coplanar stripline (CPS) transmission line is used to feed the antenna array elements. By controlling the CPS's dielectric properties using a movable dielectric plunger, scanning is achieved. Due to its simplicity, single feed, and no phase shifters, this approach leads to a dramatic reduction in cost which does not scale for larger arrays.

Decoupling of a tight-fit transceiver phased array for human brain imaging at 9.4T: Loop overlapping rediscovered.

PubMed

Avdievich, Nikolai I; Giapitzakis, Ioannis-Angelos; Pfrommer, Andreas; Henning, Anke

2018-02-01

To improve the decoupling of a transceiver human head phased array at ultra-high fields (UHF, ≥ 7T) and to optimize its transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) performance, a single-row eight-element (1 × 8) tight-fit transceiver overlapped loop array was developed and constructed. Overlapping the loops increases the RF field penetration depth but can compromise decoupling by generating substantial mutual resistance. Based on analytical modeling, we optimized the loop geometry and relative positioning to simultaneously minimize the resistive and inductive coupling and constructed a 9.4T eight-loop transceiver head phased array decoupled entirely by overlapping loops. We demonstrated that both the magnetic and electric coupling between adjacent loops is compensated at the same time by overlapping and nearly perfect decoupling (below -30 dB) can be obtained without additional decoupling strategies. Tx-efficiency and SNR of the overlapped array outperformed that of a common UHF gapped array of similar dimensions. Parallel Rx-performance was also not compromised due to overlapping the loops. As a proof of concept we developed and constructed a 9.4T (400 MHz) overlapped transceiver head array based on results of the analytical modeling. We demonstrated that at UHF overlapping loops not only provides excellent decoupling but also improves both Tx- and Rx-performance. Magn Reson Med 79:1200-1211, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

The "Kluge-Lüttge Kammer": a preliminary evaluation of an enclosed, Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) Mesocosm that allows separation of synchronized and desynchronized contributions of plants to whole system gas exchange.

PubMed

Rascher, U; Bobich, E G; Osmond, C B

2006-01-01

Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is recognized as a photosynthetic adaptation of plants to arid habitats. This paper presents a proof-of-concept evaluation of partitioning net CO2 exchanges for soil and plants in an arid, exclusively CAM mesocosm, with soil depth and succulent plant biomass approximating that of natural Sonoran Desert ecosystems. We present the first evidence that an enclosed CAM-dominated soil and plant community exposed to a substantial day/night temperature difference (30/20 degrees C), exhibits a diel gas exchange pattern consisting of four consecutive phases with a distinct nocturnal CO2 uptake. These phases were modulated by plant assimilation and soil respiration processes. Day-time stomatal closure of the CAM cycle during phase III was used to eliminate aboveground photosynthetic assimilation and respiration and thereby to estimate belowground plant plus soil respiration. Rapid changes in temperature appeared to synchronize single plant gas exchange but individual plant gas exchange patterns were desynchronized at constant day/night temperatures (25 degrees C), masking the distinct mesocosm pattern. Overall, the mean carbon budget of this CAM model Sonoran Desert system was negative, releasing an average of 22.5 mmol CO2 m-2 d-1. The capacity for nocturnal CO2 assimilation in this exclusively CAM mesocosm was inadequate to recycle CO2 released by plant and soil respiration.

High-resolution gadolinium-enhanced 3D MRA of the infrapopliteal arteries. Lessons for improving bolus-chase peripheral MRA.

PubMed

Hood, Maureen N; Ho, Vincent B; Foo, Thomas K F; Marcos, Hani B; Hess, Sandra L; Choyke, Peter L

2002-09-01

Peripheral magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) is growing in use. However, methods of performing peripheral MRA vary widely and continue to be optimized, especially for improvement in illustration of infrapopliteal arteries. The main purpose of this project was to identify imaging factors that can improve arterial visualization in the lower leg using bolus chase peripheral MRA. Eighteen healthy adults were imaged on a 1.5T MR scanner. The calf was imaged using conventional three-station bolus chase three-dimensional (3D) MRA, two dimensional (2D) time-of-flight (TOF) MRA and single-station Gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced 3D MRA. Observer comparisons of vessel visualization, signal to noise ratios (SNR), contrast to noise ratios (CNR) and spatial resolution comparisons were performed. Arterial SNR and CNR were similar for all three techniques. However, arterial visualization was dramatically improved on dedicated, arterial-phase Gd-enhanced 3D MRA compared with the multi-station bolus chase MRA and 2D TOF MRA. This improvement was related to optimization of Gd-enhanced 3D MRA parameters (fast injection rate of 2 mL/sec, high spatial resolution imaging, the use of dedicated phased array coils, elliptical centric k-space sampling and accurate arterial phase timing for image acquisition). The visualization of the infrapopliteal arteries can be substantially improved in bolus chase peripheral MRA if voxel size, contrast delivery, and central k-space data acquisition for arterial enhancement are optimized. Improvements in peripheral MRA should be directed at these parameters.

Electrical properties of methane hydrate + sediment mixtures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Du Frane, Wyatt L.; Stern, Laura A.; Constable, Steven; Weitemeyer, Karen A.; Smith, Megan M; Roberts, Jeffery J.

2015-01-01

Knowledge of the electrical properties of multicomponent systems with gas hydrate, sediments, and pore water is needed to help relate electromagnetic (EM) measurements to specific gas hydrate concentration and distribution patterns in nature. Toward this goal, we built a pressure cell capable of measuring in situ electrical properties of multicomponent systems such that the effects of individual components and mixing relations can be assessed. We first established the temperature-dependent electrical conductivity (σ) of pure, single-phase methane hydrate to be ~5 orders of magnitude lower than seawater, a substantial contrast that can help differentiate hydrate deposits from significantly more conductive water-saturated sediments in EM field surveys. Here we report σ measurements of two-component systems in which methane hydrate is mixed with variable amounts of quartz sand or glass beads. Sand by itself has low σ but is found to increase the overall σ of mixtures with well-connected methane hydrate. Alternatively, the overall σ decreases when sand concentrations are high enough to cause gas hydrate to be poorly connected, indicating that hydrate grains provide the primary conduction path. Our measurements suggest that impurities from sand induce chemical interactions and/or doping effects that result in higher electrical conductivity with lower temperature dependence. These results can be used in the modeling of massive or two-phase gas-hydrate-bearing systems devoid of conductive pore water. Further experiments that include a free water phase are the necessary next steps toward developing complex models relevant to most natural systems.

Securing quantum key distribution systems using fewer states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, Nurul T.; Lim, Charles Ci Wen; Cahall, Clinton; Kim, Jungsang; Gauthier, Daniel J.

2018-04-01

Quantum key distribution (QKD) allows two remote users to establish a secret key in the presence of an eavesdropper. The users share quantum states prepared in two mutually unbiased bases: one to generate the key while the other monitors the presence of the eavesdropper. Here, we show that a general d -dimension QKD system can be secured by transmitting only a subset of the monitoring states. In particular, we find that there is no loss in the secure key rate when dropping one of the monitoring states. Furthermore, it is possible to use only a single monitoring state if the quantum bit error rates are low enough. We apply our formalism to an experimental d =4 time-phase QKD system, where only one monitoring state is transmitted, and obtain a secret key rate of 17.4 ±2.8 Mbits/s at a 4 dB channel loss and with a quantum bit error rate of 0.045 ±0.001 and 0.037 ±0.001 in time and phase bases, respectively, which is 58.4% of the secret key rate that can be achieved with the full setup. This ratio can be increased, potentially up to 100%, if the error rates in time and phase basis are reduced. Our results demonstrate that it is possible to substantially simplify the design of high-dimensional QKD systems, including those that use the spatial or temporal degrees of freedom of the photon, and still outperform qubit-based (d =2 ) protocols.

Can a double stranded DNA be unzipped by pulling a single strand?: phases of adsorbed DNA.

PubMed

Kapri, Rajeev

2009-04-14

We study the unzipping of a double stranded DNA (dsDNA) by applying an external force on a single strand while leaving the other strand free. We find that the dsDNA can be unzipped to two single strands if the external force exceeds a critical value. We obtain the phase diagram, which is found to be different from the phase diagram of unzipping by pulling both the strands in opposite directions. In the presence of an attractive surface near DNA, the phase diagram gets modified drastically and shows richer surprises including a critical end point and a triple point.

Preliminary experiments on phase conjugation for flow visualization. [barium titanate single crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weimer, D.; Howes, W. L.

1984-01-01

Barium titanate single crystals are discussed in the context of: the procedure for polarizing a crystal; a test for phase conjugation; transients in the production of phase conjugation; real time readout by a separate laser of a hologram induced within the crystal, including conjugation response times to on-off switching of each beam; and a demonstration of a Twyman-Green interferometer utilizing phase conjugation.

Liquid hydrogen mass flow through a multiple orifice Joule-Thomson device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papell, S. Stephen; Nyland, Ted W.; Saiyed, Naseem H.

Liquid hydrogen mass flow rate, pressure drop, and temperature drop data were obtained for a number of multiple orifice Joule-Thomas devices known as visco jets. The present investigation continues a study to develop an equation for predicting two phase flow of cryogens through these devices. The test apparatus design allowed isenthalpic expansion of the cryogen through the visco jets. The data covered a range of inlet and outlet operating conditions. The mass flow rate range single phase or two phase was 0.015 to 0.98 lbm/hr. The manufacturer's equation was found to overpredict the single phase hydrogen data by 10 percent and the two phase data by as much as 27 percent. Two modifications of the equation resulted in a data correlation that predicts both the single and two phase flow across the visco jet. The first modification was of a theoretical nature, and the second strictly empirical. The former reduced the spread in the two phase data. It was a multiplication factor of 1 - X applied to the manufacturer's equation. The parameter X is the flow quality downstream of the visco jet based on isenthalpic expansion across the device. The latter modification was a 10 percent correction term that correlated 90 percent of the single and two phase data to within +/- 10 percent scatter band.

Liquid hydrogen mass flow through a multiple orifice Joule-Thomson device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papell, S. S.; Nyland, Ted W.; Saiyed, Naseem H.

1992-01-01

Liquid hydrogen mass flow rate, pressure drop, and temperature drop data were obtained for a number of multiple orifice Joule-Thomson devices known as visco jets. The present investigation continues a study to develop an equation for predicting two phase flow of cryogens through these devices. The test apparatus design allowed isenthalpic expansion of the cryogen through the visco jets. The data covered a range of inlet and outlet operating conditions. The mass flow rate range single phase or two phase was 0.015 to 0.98 lbm/hr. The manufacturer's equation was found to overpredict the single phase hydrogen data by 10 percent and the two phase data by as much as 27 percent. Two modifications of the equation resulted in a data correlation that predicts both the single and two phase flow across the visco jet. The first modification was of a theoretical nature, and the second strictly empirical. The former reduced the spread in the two phase data. It was a multiplication factor of 1-X applied to the manufacturer's equation. The parameter X is the flow quality downstream of the visco jet based on isenthalpic expansion across the device. The latter modification was a 10 percent correction term that correlated 90 percent of the single and two phase data to within +/- 10 percent scatter band.

Liquid hydrogen mass flow through a multiple orifice Joule-Thomson device

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Papell, S. Stephen; Nyland, Ted W.; Saiyed, Naseem H.

1992-01-01

Liquid hydrogen mass flow rate, pressure drop, and temperature drop data were obtained for a number of multiple orifice Joule-Thomas devices known as visco jets. The present investigation continues a study to develop an equation for predicting two phase flow of cryogens through these devices. The test apparatus design allowed isenthalpic expansion of the cryogen through the visco jets. The data covered a range of inlet and outlet operating conditions. The mass flow rate range single phase or two phase was 0.015 to 0.98 lbm/hr. The manufacturer's equation was found to overpredict the single phase hydrogen data by 10 percent and the two phase data by as much as 27 percent. Two modifications of the equation resulted in a data correlation that predicts both the single and two phase flow across the visco jet. The first modification was of a theoretical nature, and the second strictly empirical. The former reduced the spread in the two phase data. It was a multiplication factor of 1 - X applied to the manufacturer's equation. The parameter X is the flow quality downstream of the visco jet based on isenthalpic expansion across the device. The latter modification was a 10 percent correction term that correlated 90 percent of the single and two phase data to within +/- 10 percent scatter band.

Liquid hydrogen mass flow through a multiple orifice Joule-Thomson device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papell, S. S.; Nyland, Ted W.; Saiyed, Naseem H.

1992-07-01

Liquid hydrogen mass flow rate, pressure drop, and temperature drop data were obtained for a number of multiple orifice Joule-Thomson devices known as visco jets. The present investigation continues a study to develop an equation for predicting two phase flow of cryogens through these devices. The test apparatus design allowed isenthalpic expansion of the cryogen through the visco jets. The data covered a range of inlet and outlet operating conditions. The mass flow rate range single phase or two phase was 0.015 to 0.98 lbm/hr. The manufacturer's equation was found to overpredict the single phase hydrogen data by 10 percent and the two phase data by as much as 27 percent. Two modifications of the equation resulted in a data correlation that predicts both the single and two phase flow across the visco jet. The first modification was of a theoretical nature, and the second strictly empirical. The former reduced the spread in the two phase data. It was a multiplication factor of 1-X applied to the manufacturer's equation. The parameter X is the flow quality downstream of the visco jet based on isenthalpic expansion across the device. The latter modification was a 10 percent correction term that correlated 90 percent of the single and two phase data to within +/- 10 percent scatter band.

Growth and characterization of single phase Cu{sub 2}O by thermal oxidation of thin copper films

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

Choudhary, Sumita; Sarma, J. V. N.; Gangopadhyay, Subhashis, E-mail: subhagan@yahoo.com

2016-04-13

We report a simple and efficient technique to form high quality single phase cuprous oxide films on glass substrate using thermal evaporation of thin copper films followed by controlled thermal oxidation in air ambient. Crystallographic analysis and oxide phase determination, as well as grain size distribution have been studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) method, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been utilized to investigate the surface morphology of the as grown oxide films. The formation of various copper oxide phases is found to be highly sensitive to the oxidation temperature and a crystalline, single phase cuprous oxide film can bemore » achieved for oxidation temperatures between 250°C to 320°C. Cu{sub 2}O film surface appeared in a faceted morphology in SEM imaging and a direct band gap of about 2.1 eV has been observed in UV-visible spectroscopy. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed a single oxide phase formation. Finally, a growth mechanism of the oxide film has also been discussed.« less

Phase coexistence and domain configuration in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.34PbTiO3 single crystal revealed by synchrotron-based X-ray diffractive three-dimensional reciprocal space mapping and piezoresponse force microscopy

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

Wang, Ruixue; Xu, Han; Yang, Bin

The crystalline phases and domain configuration in the morphotropic phase boundary composition Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.34PbTiO3 (PMN-0.34PT) single crystal have been investigated by synchrotronbased X-ray 3D Reciprocal Space Mapping (3D-RSM) and Piezoresponse Force Microscopy. The coexistence of tetragonal (T) and monoclinic MC phases in this PMN-0.34PT single crystal is confirmed. The affiliation of each diffraction spot in the 3D-RSM was identified with the assistance of qualitative simulation. Most importantly, the twinning structure between different domains in such a mixed phase PMN-PT crystal is firmly clarified, and the spatial distribution of different twin domains is demonstrated. In addition, the lattice parameters of T andmore » MC phases in PMN-0.34PT single crystal as well as the tilting angles of crystal lattices caused by the interfacial lattice mismatch are determined.« less

Study of microbial community and biodegradation efficiency for single- and two-phase anaerobic co-digestion of brown water and food waste.

PubMed

Lim, J W; Chen, C-L; Ho, I J R; Wang, J-Y

2013-11-01

The objective of this work was to study the microbial community and reactor performance for the anaerobic co-digestion of brown water and food waste in single- and two-phase continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs). Bacterial and archaeal communities were analyzed after 150 days of reactor operation. As compared to single-phase CSTR, methane production in two-phase CSTR was found to be 23% higher. This was likely due to greater extent of solubilization and acidification observed in the latter. These findings could be attributed to the predominance of Firmicutes and greater bacterial diversity in two-phase CSTR, and the lack of Firmicutes in single-phase CSTR. Methanosaeta was predominant in both CSTRs and this correlated to low levels of acetate in their effluent. Insights gained from this study would enhance the understanding of microorganisms involved in co-digestion of brown water and food waste as well as the complex biochemical interactions promoting digester stability and performance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a 20-MHz wide-bandwidth PMN-PT single crystal phased-array ultrasound transducer.

PubMed

Wong, Chi-Man; Chen, Yan; Luo, Haosu; Dai, Jiyan; Lam, Kwok-Ho; Chan, Helen Lai-Wa

2017-01-01

In this study, a 20-MHz 64-element phased-array ultrasound transducer with a one-wavelength pitch is developed using a PMN-30%PT single crystal and double-matching layer scheme. High piezoelectric (d 33 >1000pC/N) and electromechanical coupling (k 33 >0.8) properties of the single crystal with an optimized fabrication process involving the photolithography technique have been demonstrated to be suitable for wide-bandwidth (⩾70%) and high-sensitivity (insertion loss ⩽30dB) phased-array transducer application. A -6dBbandwidth of 91% and an insertion loss of 29dBfor the 20-MHz 64-element phased-array transducer were achieved. This result shows that the bandwidth is improved comparing with the investigated high-frequency (⩾20MHz) ultrasound transducers using piezoelectric ceramic and single crystal materials. It shows that this phased-array transducer has potential to improve the resolution of biomedical imaging, theoretically. Based on the hypothesis of resolution improvement, this phased-array transducer is capable for small animal (i.e. mouse and zebrafish) studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Proton conducting ceramic membranes for hydrogen separation

DOEpatents

Elangovan, S [South Jordan, UT; Nair, Balakrishnan G [Sandy, UT; Small, Troy [Midvale, UT; Heck, Brian [Salt Lake City, UT

2011-09-06

A multi-phase proton conducting material comprising a proton-conducting ceramic phase and a stabilizing ceramic phase. Under the presence of a partial pressure gradient of hydrogen across the membrane or under the influence of an electrical potential, a membrane fabricated with this material selectively transports hydrogen ions through the proton conducting phase, which results in ultrahigh purity hydrogen permeation through the membrane. The stabilizing ceramic phase may be substantially structurally and chemically identical to at least one product of a reaction between the proton conducting phase and at least one expected gas under operating conditions of a membrane fabricated using the material. In a barium cerate-based proton conducting membrane, one stabilizing phase is ceria.

PKiKP amplitude observations and structure of the inner core boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krasnoshchekov, D.; Adushkin, V.; Ovtchinnikov, V.

2003-04-01

We present PKiKP amplitude observations at distances from 5.6 to 90 degrees that evidence substantial lateral variability of reflecting conditions on the inner core boundary. Unlike other PKiKP studies, that frequently use array data, detection of PKiKP phase in the work was accomplished on single vertical component. We have carefully investigated short-period digital vertical channels of 9 stations in Central Asia that recorded 43 Underground Nuclear Explosions carried out at Nevada, Lop-Nor, Novaya Zemlya and Semipalatinsk Test Sites in 1968 - 1994, and found numerous convincing examples of PKiKP waveforms. The amplitude data set varies in the range from 1 to 62 nm with predominant period of less than 1 s. Using known seismic source parameters we compared the expected PKiKP amplitudes and travel times to the experimental ones. The observed travel times are generally agreed with PREM within 1 s scatter, though amplitudes aren't. In addition, the whole stack of experimental amplitudes may hardly be simultaneously agreed with any regular model of the inner core boundary either sharp or with transition. Thorough analysis of the data set indicates, that detection of PKiKP and its amplitude is basically pre-defined by actual physical conditions at reflection point on the surface of the inner core which may vary substantially due to boundary processes of freezing and chemical (structural) convection.

Optimal visualization of focal nodular hyperplasia: quantitative and qualitative evaluation of single and multiphasic arterial phase acquisition at 1.5 T MR imaging.

PubMed

Rousseau, Caroline; Ronot, Maxime; Vilgrain, Valérie; Zins, Marc

2016-05-01

To evaluate the qualitative and quantitative benefit of multiple arterial phase acquisitions for the depiction of hypervascularity in FNH explored MR imaging using an extracellular contrast agent. Between 2007 and 2014, all patients who underwent MR imaging for the exploration of FNH were included. The protocol included a single or a triple arterial phase ("single" and "triple" group, respectively). Arterial phases were visually divided into four types: (1) angiographic, (2) early, (3) late, and (4) portal. Signal intensity on arterial phase images was visually recorded as intense, moderate, or low for each lesion. Lesion-to-liver contrast (LLC) and relative lesion enhancement (RE) were calculated and compared between the two groups using the Mann-Whitney test. Thirty-five women were included (mean 45-year old, range 20-66), with 50 FNH (mean size 30 mm). Single and triple groups included 20 patients (30 FNH) and 15 patients (20 FNH), respectively. Signal intensity was intense in all lesions in the triple group and in 22/30 (73%) in the single group (p = 0.041). Intense signals were more frequently found in the early arterial phase (p < 0.001). RE was not significantly different (1.78 ± 0.84 vs. 1.98 ± 1.81 p = 0.430, in the single and triple groups, respectively) but LLC was significantly higher in the triple group (0.32 ± 0.10 vs. 0.22 ± 0.10, p = 0.005). LLC was significantly higher in the first two arterial phases in the triple group (p < 0.001). Acquisition of three arterial phases improves the visualization of hypervascularity of FNH, as lesions show high visual signal intensity and contrast. Optimal visualization is obtained in the early arterial phase.

Real-Time Detection Method And System For Identifying Individual Aerosol Particles

DOEpatents

Gard, Eric Evan; Fergenson, David Philip

2005-10-25

A method and system of identifying individual aerosol particles in real time. Sample aerosol particles are compared against and identified with substantially matching known particle types by producing positive and negative test spectra of an individual aerosol particle using a bipolar single particle mass spectrometer. Each test spectrum is compared to spectra of the same respective polarity in a database of predetermined positive and negative spectra for known particle types and a set of substantially matching spectra is obtained. Finally the identity of the individual aerosol particle is determined from the set of substantially matching spectra by determining a best matching one of the known particle types having both a substantially matching positive spectrum and a substantially matching negative spectrum associated with the best matching known particle type.

Beneficial effects of activated macrophages on sulfur mustard-induced cutaneous burns, an in vivo experience.

PubMed

Dachir, Shlomit; Cohen, Maayan; Sahar, Rita; Graham, John; Eisenkraft, Arik; Horwitz, Vered; Kadar, Tamar

2014-12-01

Macrophages are known to have key functions in almost every stage of wound healing and there is evidence for their beneficial effects in treating decubital ulcers and deep sternal wound infections in human. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a treatment with activated macrophages on ameliorating acute and long-term sulfur mustard (SM) induced skin injuries in the hairless guinea pig (HGP) model. HGP were exposed to SM vapor and treated with either a single or multiple intra-dermal injections of human activated macrophages in suspension (hAMS) into the wound bed. Clinical and histological evaluations were conducted up to 4 weeks post-exposure. A single treatment with hAMS early after exposure (15 min and 6 h) resulted in a reduction in the number of damaged cells and vesications in the epidermis at 24 h. A substantial increase in cellular infiltration, mostly polymorphonuclears, was taking place in the hAMS-treated animals starting as early as 1 h after exposure. This flow of inflammatory cells continued, in the treated group, for at least 4 weeks, long after the injected macrophages were not detected. Repeated injections of hAMS (15 min, 48 h and 7 d post-exposure) decreased significantly the area of the wounds and improved the integrity of the barrier function as expressed by measuring trans-epidermal water loss up to 10 d. Our results indicate that the role of macrophages in wound healing is complex; their efficacy may depend on the timing of administration. Further investigation is required to determine whether they are required during the early phase of wound development and/or during the late phase of scar formation and remodeling.

Assessment of Pharmacokinetic Interactions Between Obeticholic Acid and Caffeine, Midazolam, Warfarin, Dextromethorphan, Omeprazole, Rosuvastatin, and Digoxin in Phase 1 Studies in Healthy Subjects.

PubMed

Edwards, Jeffrey E; Eliot, Lise; Parkinson, Andrew; Karan, Sharon; MacConell, Leigh

2017-09-01

Obeticholic acid (OCA), a potent and selective farnesoid X receptor agonist, is indicated for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). We investigated the potential drug-drug interaction effect of OCA on metabolic CYP450 enzymes and drug transporters. Five phase 1 single-center, open-label, fixed-sequence, inpatient studies were conducted in healthy adult subjects to evaluate the effect of oral daily doses of 10 or 25 mg OCA on single-dose plasma pharmacokinetics of specific probe substrates for enzymes CYP1A2 (caffeine, R-warfarin), CYP3A (midazolam, R-warfarin), CYP2C9 (S-warfarin), CYP2D6 (dextromethorphan), CYP2C19 (omeprazole), and drug transporters, BCRP/OATP1B1/OATP1B3 (rosuvastatin), and P-gp (digoxin). OCA showed no substantial suppression/inhibition of S-warfarin, digoxin, and dextromethorphan and weak interactions with caffeine, omeprazole, rosuvastatin, and midazolam. The maximal pharmacodynamic responses (E max ) to warfarin-based INR, PT, and aPTT were reduced by 11%, 11%, and 1%, respectively, for the 10-mg dose group and by 7%, 7% and 0%, respectively, for the 25-mg dose group. Overall, drugs dosed in combination with OCA were well tolerated, and most adverse events were mild in severity. No clinically important trends were noted in laboratory evaluations, vital signs, or 12-lead ECGs. In these studies, OCA showed weak to no suppression/inhibition of metabolic enzymes and drug transporters at the highest recommended therapeutic dose in patients with PBC. On the basis on these analyses, monitoring and maintenance of target INR range are required during coadministration of OCA with drugs that are metabolized by CYP1A2 (R-warfarin). Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Magnetic and superconducting phase diagrams of single-crystal Er0.8R0.2Ni2B2C (R=Tb,Lu) and ErNi1.9Co0.1B2C: Identification of pair-breaking mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeya, H.; El Massalami, M.

2004-01-01

We investigated the magnetism, superconductivity and their interplay in single crystals Er0.8R0.2Ni2B2C (R=Tb,Lu) and ErNi1.9Co0.1B2C. In contrast to Co substitution, R substitutions induce considerable modifications in the magnetism of Er sublattice: e.g., Tb (Lu) substitution enhances (reduces) TN and critical fields. Both R substitutions introduce size effects and pinning centers; the former modifies the magnon specific heat while the latter hinders the formation of a weak ferromagnetism. The superconductivity, on the other hand, is strongly (weakly) influenced by Tb and Co (Lu) substitution. Taking LuNi2B2C as a nonmagnetic superconducting limit, we analyzed their superconductivities, as well as that of ErNi2B2C, in terms of multiple pair breaking theory on dirty superconductors. Based on this analysis, many of their superconducting features can be explained: The breakdown of de Gennes scaling is due to the presence of multiple pair breakers, the anisotropy of Hc2(T) is related to the magnetic anisotropy, the absence of a structure in Hc2(T) at TN of Lu substitution (TN

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of DSTA4637A: A novel THIOMAB™ antibody antibiotic conjugate against Staphylococcus aureus in mice

PubMed Central

Zhou, Chenguang; Lehar, Sophie; Gutierrez, Johnny; Rosenberger, Carrie M.; Ljumanovic, Nina; Dinoso, Jason; Koppada, Neelima; Hong, Kyu; Baruch, Amos; Saad, Ola; Mariathasan, Sanjeev; Kamath, Amrita V.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT DSTA4637A, a novel THIOMAB™ antibody antibiotic conjugate (TAC) against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), is currently being investigated as a potential therapy against S. aureus infections. Structurally, TAC is composed of an anti-S. aureus antibody linked to a potent antibiotic, dmDNA31. The goal of the current study was to characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of TAC in mice, assess the effect of S. aureus infection on its PK, and evaluate its pharmacodynamics (PD) by measuring the bacterial load in various organs at different timepoints following TAC treatment. Plasma concentrations of 3 analytes, total antibody (TAb), antibody-conjugated dmDNA31 (ac-dmDNA31), and unconjugated dmDNA31, were measured in these studies. In non-infected mice (target antigen absent), following intravenous (IV) administration of a single dose of TAC, systemic concentration-time profiles of both TAb and ac-dmDNA31 were bi-exponential and characterized by a short distribution phase and a long elimination phase as expected for a monoclonal antibody-based therapeutic. Systemic exposures of both TAb and ac-dmDNA31 were dose proportional over the dose range tested (5 to 50 mg/kg). In a mouse model of systemic S. aureus infection (target antigen present), a single IV dose of TAC demonstrated PK behavior similar to that in the non-infected mice, and substantially reduced bacterial load in the heart, kidney, and bones on 7 and 14 d post dosing. These findings have increased our understanding of the PK and PK/PD of this novel molecule, and have shown that at efficacious dose levels the presence of S. aureus infection had minimal effect on TAC PK. PMID:27653831

A Phase 2 Trial of Oral Solithromycin 1200 mg or 1000 mg as Single-Dose Oral Therapy for Uncomplicated Gonorrhea.

PubMed

Hook, Edward W; Golden, Matthew; Jamieson, Brian D; Dixon, Paula B; Harbison, Hanne S; Lowens, Sylvan; Fernandes, Prabhavathi

2015-10-01

Progressive resistance to antimicrobial agents has reduced options for gonorrhea therapy worldwide. Solithromycin (CEM-101) is a novel oral fluoroketolide antimicrobial with substantial in vitro activity against Neisseria gonorrhoeae. We conducted a phase 2 trial of 2 oral doses of solithromycin (1200 and 1000 mg) for treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea. A total of 59 participants were enrolled and treated in this trial; 28 participants received 1200 mg of solithromycin and 31 received 1000 mg. Forty-six (78%) participants had positive cultures for N. gonorrhoeae at the time of enrollment: 24 of the 28 persons (86%) who received 1200 mg of oral solithromycin, and 22 of 31 (71%) who received 1000 mg. In addition, 8 participants had positive pharyngeal gonococcal cultures, and 4 had positive rectal cultures. All patients with positive cultures for N. gonorrhoeae were cured at all sites of infection. Chlamydia trachomatis and Mycoplasma genitalium coinfections were evaluated using nucleic acid amplification tests and were negative at 1 week of follow-up in 9 of 11 (82%) participants positive for C. trachomatis and 7 of 10 (70%) participants positive for M. genitalium. Mild dose-related gastrointestinal side effects (nausea, loose stools, vomiting) were common but did not limit therapy. Oral single-dose solithromycin, in doses of 1000 mg and 1200 mg, was 100% effective for treatment of culture-proven gonorrhea at genital, oral, and rectal sites of infection and is a promising new agent for gonorrhea treatment. NCT01591447. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

CdO as the archetypical transparent conducting oxide. Systematics of dopant ionic radius and electronic structure effects on charge transport and band structure.

PubMed

Yang, Yu; Jin, Shu; Medvedeva, Julia E; Ireland, John R; Metz, Andrew W; Ni, Jun; Hersam, Mark C; Freeman, Arthur J; Marks, Tobin J

2005-06-22

A series of yttrium-doped CdO (CYO) thin films have been grown on both amorphous glass and single-crystal MgO(100) substrates at 410 degrees C by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and their phase structure, microstructure, electrical, and optical properties have been investigated. XRD data reveal that all as-deposited CYO thin films are phase-pure and polycrystalline, with features assignable to a cubic CdO-type crystal structure. Epitaxial films grown on single-crystal MgO(100) exhibit biaxial, highly textured microstructures. These as-deposited CYO thin films exhibit excellent optical transparency, with an average transmittance of >80% in the visible range. Y doping widens the optical band gap from 2.86 to 3.27 eV via a Burstein-Moss shift. Room temperature thin film conductivities of 8,540 and 17,800 S/cm on glass and MgO(100), respectively, are obtained at an optimum Y doping level of 1.2-1.3%. Finally, electronic band structure calculations are carried out to systematically compare the structural, electronic, and optical properties of the In-, Sc-, and Y-doped CdO systems. Both experimental and theoretical results reveal that dopant ionic radius and electronic structure have a significant influence on the CdO-based TCO crystal and band structure: (1) lattice parameters contract as a function of dopant ionic radii in the order Y (1.09 A) < In (0.94 A) < Sc (0.89 A); (2) the carrier mobilities and doping efficiencies decrease in the order In > Y > Sc; (3) the dopant d state has substantial influence on the position and width of the s-based conduction band, which ultimately determines the intrinsic charge transport characteristics.

Direct single-shot phase retrieval from the diffraction pattern of separated objects

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

Leshem, Ben; Xu, Rui; Dallal, Yehonatan

The non-crystallographic phase problem arises in numerous scientific and technological fields. An important application is coherent diffractive imaging. Recent advances in X-ray free-electron lasers allow capturing of the diffraction pattern from a single nanoparticle before it disintegrates, in so-called ‘diffraction before destruction’ experiments. Presently, the phase is reconstructed by iterative algorithms, imposing a non-convex computational challenge, or by Fourier holography, requiring a well-characterized reference field. Here we present a convex scheme for single-shot phase retrieval for two (or more) sufficiently separated objects, demonstrated in two dimensions. In our approach, the objects serve as unknown references to one another, reducing themore » phase problem to a solvable set of linear equations. We establish our method numerically and experimentally in the optical domain and demonstrate a proof-of-principle single-shot coherent diffractive imaging using X-ray free-electron lasers pulses. Lastly, our scheme alleviates several limitations of current methods, offering a new pathway towards direct reconstruction of complex objects.« less

Direct single-shot phase retrieval from the diffraction pattern of separated objects

DOE PAGES

Leshem, Ben; Xu, Rui; Dallal, Yehonatan; ...

2016-02-22

The non-crystallographic phase problem arises in numerous scientific and technological fields. An important application is coherent diffractive imaging. Recent advances in X-ray free-electron lasers allow capturing of the diffraction pattern from a single nanoparticle before it disintegrates, in so-called ‘diffraction before destruction’ experiments. Presently, the phase is reconstructed by iterative algorithms, imposing a non-convex computational challenge, or by Fourier holography, requiring a well-characterized reference field. Here we present a convex scheme for single-shot phase retrieval for two (or more) sufficiently separated objects, demonstrated in two dimensions. In our approach, the objects serve as unknown references to one another, reducing themore » phase problem to a solvable set of linear equations. We establish our method numerically and experimentally in the optical domain and demonstrate a proof-of-principle single-shot coherent diffractive imaging using X-ray free-electron lasers pulses. Lastly, our scheme alleviates several limitations of current methods, offering a new pathway towards direct reconstruction of complex objects.« less

The dream of a one-stop-shop: Meta-analysis on myocardial perfusion CT.

PubMed

Pelgrim, Gert Jan; Dorrius, Monique; Xie, Xueqian; den Dekker, Martijn A M; Schoepf, U Joseph; Henzler, Thomas; Oudkerk, Matthijs; Vliegenthart, Rozemarijn

2015-12-01

To determine the diagnostic performance of computed tomography (CT) perfusion techniques for the detection of functionally relevant coronary artery disease (CAD) in comparison to reference standards, including invasive coronary angiography (ICA), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). PubMed, Web of Knowledge and Embase were searched from January 1, 1998 until July 1, 2014. The search yielded 9475 articles. After duplicate removal, 6041 were screened on title and abstract. The resulting 276 articles were independently analyzed in full-text by two reviewers, and included if the inclusion criteria were met. The articles reporting diagnostic parameters including true positive, true negative, false positive and false negative were subsequently evaluated for the meta-analysis. Results were pooled according to CT perfusion technique, namely snapshot techniques: single-phase rest, single-phase stress, single-phase dual-energy stress and combined coronary CT angiography [rest] and single-phase stress, as well the dynamic technique: dynamic stress CT perfusion. Twenty-two articles were included in the meta-analysis (1507 subjects). Pooled per-patient sensitivity and specificity of single-phase rest CT compared to rest SPECT were 89% (95% confidence interval [CI], 82-94%) and 88% (95% CI, 78-94%), respectively. Vessel-based sensitivity and specificity of single-phase stress CT compared to ICA-based >70% stenosis were 82% (95% CI, 64-92%) and 78% (95% CI, 61-89%). Segment-based sensitivity and specificity of single-phase dual-energy stress CT in comparison to stress MRI were 75% (95% CI, 60-85%) and 95% (95% CI, 80-99%). Segment-based sensitivity and specificity of dynamic stress CT perfusion compared to stress SPECT were 77% (95% CI, 67-85) and 89% (95% CI, 78-95%). For combined coronary CT angiography and single-phase stress CT, vessel-based sensitivity and specificity in comparison to ICA-based >50% stenosis were 84% (95% CI, 67-93%) and 93% (95% CI, 89-96%). This meta-analysis shows considerable variation in techniques and reference standards for CT of myocardial blood supply. While CT seems sensitive and specific for evaluation of hemodynamically relevant CAD, studies so far are limited in size. Standardization of myocardial perfusion CT technique is essential. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field-circuit analysis and measurements of a single-phase self-excited induction generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makowski, Krzysztof; Leicht, Aleksander

2017-12-01

The paper deals with a single-phase induction machine operating as a stand-alone self-excited single-phase induction generator for generation of electrical energy from renewable energy sources. By changing number of turns and size of wires in the auxiliary stator winding, an improvement of performance characteristics of the generator were obtained as regards no-load and load voltage of the stator windings as well as stator winding currents of the generator. Field-circuit simulation models of the generator were developed using Flux2D software package for the generator with shunt capacitor in the main stator winding. The obtained results have been validated experimentally at the laboratory setup using the single-phase capacitor induction motor of 1.1 kW rated power and 230 V voltage as a base model of the generator.

Phase-locked laser array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Botez, Dan (Inventor)

1987-01-01

A phase-locked laser array comprises a body of semiconductor material having means for defining a plurality of substantially parallel lasing zones which are spaced an effective distance apart so that the modes of the adjacent lasing zones are phase-locked to one another. One of the array electrodes comprises a plurality of electrical contacts to the body between the lasing zones. These contacts provide an enhanced current density profile and thus an increase in the gain in the regions between the lasing zones so that zero degree phase-shift operation between adjacent lasing zones is achievable.

Method of drying articles

DOEpatents

Janney, Mark A.; Kiggans, Jr., James O.

1999-01-01

A method of drying a green particulate article includes the steps of: a. Providing a green article which includes a particulate material and a pore phase material, the pore phase material including a solvent; and b. contacting the green article with a liquid desiccant for a period of time sufficient to remove at least a portion of the solvent from the green article, the pore phase material acting as a semipermeable barrier to allow the solvent to be sorbed into the liquid desiccant, the pore phase material substantially preventing the liquid desiccant from entering the pores.

Czochralski growth of LaPd2Al2 single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doležal, P.; Rudajevová, A.; Vlášková, K.; Kriegner, D.; Václavová, K.; Prchal, J.; Javorský, P.

2017-10-01

The present study is focused on the preparation of single crystalline LaPd2Al2 by the Czochralski method. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses reveal that LaPd2Al2 is an incongruently melting phase which causes difficulties for the preparation of single crystalline LaPd2Al2 by the Czochralski method. Therefore several non-stoichiometric polycrystalline samples were studied for its preparation. Finally the successful growth of LaPd2Al2 without foreign phases has been achieved by using a non-stoichiometric precursor with atomic composition 22:39:39 (La:Pd:Al). X-ray powder diffraction, EDX analysis and DSC were used for the characterisation. A single crystalline sample was separated from the ingot prepared by the Czochralski method using the non-stoichiometric precursor. The presented procedure for the preparation of pure single phase LaPd2Al2 could be modified for other incongruently melting phases.

The second-order differential phase contrast and its retrieval for imaging with x-ray Talbot interferometry.

PubMed

Yang, Yi; Tang, Xiangyang

2012-12-01

The x-ray differential phase contrast imaging implemented with the Talbot interferometry has recently been reported to be capable of providing tomographic images corresponding to attenuation-contrast, phase-contrast, and dark-field contrast, simultaneously, from a single set of projection data. The authors believe that, along with small-angle x-ray scattering, the second-order phase derivative Φ(") (s)(x) plays a role in the generation of dark-field contrast. In this paper, the authors derive the analytic formulae to characterize the contribution made by the second-order phase derivative to the dark-field contrast (namely, second-order differential phase contrast) and validate them via computer simulation study. By proposing a practical retrieval method, the authors investigate the potential of second-order differential phase contrast imaging for extensive applications. The theoretical derivation starts at assuming that the refractive index decrement of an object can be decomposed into δ = δ(s) + δ(f), where δ(f) corresponds to the object's fine structures and manifests itself in the dark-field contrast via small-angle scattering. Based on the paraxial Fresnel-Kirchhoff theory, the analytic formulae to characterize the contribution made by δ(s), which corresponds to the object's smooth structures, to the dark-field contrast are derived. Through computer simulation with specially designed numerical phantoms, an x-ray differential phase contrast imaging system implemented with the Talbot interferometry is utilized to evaluate and validate the derived formulae. The same imaging system is also utilized to evaluate and verify the capability of the proposed method to retrieve the second-order differential phase contrast for imaging, as well as its robustness over the dimension of detector cell and the number of steps in grating shifting. Both analytic formulae and computer simulations show that, in addition to small-angle scattering, the contrast generated by the second-order derivative is magnified substantially by the ratio of detector cell dimension over grating period, which plays a significant role in dark-field imaging implemented with the Talbot interferometry. The analytic formulae derived in this work to characterize the second-order differential phase contrast in the dark-field imaging implemented with the Talbot interferometry are of significance, which may initiate more activities in the research and development of x-ray differential phase contrast imaging for extensive preclinical and eventually clinical applications.

Phase dependence of transport-aperture coordination variability reveals control strategy of reach-to-grasp movements.

PubMed

Rand, Miya K; Shimansky, Y P; Hossain, Abul B M I; Stelmach, George E

2010-11-01

Based on an assumption of movement control optimality in reach-to-grasp movements, we have recently developed a mathematical model of transport-aperture coordination (TAC), according to which the hand-target distance is a function of hand velocity and acceleration, aperture magnitude, and aperture velocity and acceleration (Rand et al. in Exp Brain Res 188:263-274, 2008). Reach-to-grasp movements were performed by young adults under four different reaching speeds and two different transport distances. The residual error magnitude of fitting the above model to data across different trials and subjects was minimal for the aperture-closure phase, but relatively much greater for the aperture-opening phase, indicating considerable difference in TAC variability between those phases. This study's goal is to identify the main reasons for that difference and obtain insights into the control strategy of reach-to-grasp movements. TAC variability within the aperture-opening phase of a single trial was found minimal, indicating that TAC variability between trials was not due to execution noise, but rather a result of inter-trial and inter-subject variability of motor plan. At the same time, the dependence of the extent of trial-to-trial variability of TAC in that phase on the speed of hand transport was sharply inconsistent with the concept of speed-accuracy trade-off: the lower the speed, the larger the variability. Conversely, the dependence of the extent of TAC variability in the aperture-closure phase on hand transport speed was consistent with that concept. Taking into account recent evidence that the cost of neural information processing is substantial for movement planning, the dependence of TAC variability in the aperture-opening phase on task performance conditions suggests that it is not the movement time that the CNS saves in that phase, but the cost of neuro-computational resources and metabolic energy required for TAC regulation in that phase. Thus, the CNS performs a trade-off between that cost and TAC regulation accuracy. It is further discussed that such trade-off is possible because, due to a special control law that governs optimal switching from aperture opening to aperture closure, the inter-trial variability of the end of aperture opening does not affect the high accuracy of TAC regulation in the subsequent aperture-closure phase.

Analysis of re-replication from deregulated origin licensing by DNA fiber spreading

PubMed Central

Dorn, Elizabeth S.; Chastain, Paul D.; Hall, Jonathan R.; Cook, Jeanette Gowen

2009-01-01

A major challenge each human cell-division cycle is to ensure that DNA replication origins do not initiate more than once, a phenomenon known as re-replication. Acute deregulation of replication control ultimately causes extensive DNA damage, cell-cycle checkpoint activation and cell death whereas moderate deregulation promotes genome instability and tumorigenesis. In the absence of detectable increases in cellular DNA content however, it has been difficult to directly demonstrate re-replication or to determine if the ability to re-replicate is restricted to a particular cell-cycle phase. Using an adaptation of DNA fiber spreading we report the direct detection of re-replication on single DNA molecules from human chromosomes. Using this method we demonstrate substantial re-replication within 1 h of S phase entry in cells overproducing the replication factor, Cdt1. Moreover, a comparison of the HeLa cancer cell line to untransformed fibroblasts suggests that HeLa cells produce replication signals consistent with low-level re-replication in otherwise unperturbed cell cycles. Re-replication after depletion of the Cdt1 inhibitor, geminin, in an untransformed fibroblast cell line is undetectable by standard assays but readily quantifiable by DNA fiber spreading analysis. Direct evaluation of re-replicated DNA molecules will promote increased understanding of events that promote or perturb genome stability. PMID:19010964

Manganese-oxidizing photosynthesis before the rise of cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Johnson, Jena E; Webb, Samuel M; Thomas, Katherine; Ono, Shuhei; Kirschvink, Joseph L; Fischer, Woodward W

2013-07-09

The emergence of oxygen-producing (oxygenic) photosynthesis fundamentally transformed our planet; however, the processes that led to the evolution of biological water splitting have remained largely unknown. To illuminate this history, we examined the behavior of the ancient Mn cycle using newly obtained scientific drill cores through an early Paleoproterozoic succession (2.415 Ga) preserved in South Africa. These strata contain substantial Mn enrichments (up to ∼17 wt %) well before those associated with the rise of oxygen such as the ∼2.2 Ga Kalahari Mn deposit. Using microscale X-ray spectroscopic techniques coupled to optical and electron microscopy and carbon isotope ratios, we demonstrate that the Mn is hosted exclusively in carbonate mineral phases derived from reduction of Mn oxides during diagenesis of primary sediments. Additional observations of independent proxies for O2--multiple S isotopes (measured by isotope-ratio mass spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry) and redox-sensitive detrital grains--reveal that the original Mn-oxide phases were not produced by reactions with O2, which points to a different high-potential oxidant. These results show that the oxidative branch of the Mn cycle predates the rise of oxygen, and provide strong support for the hypothesis that the water-oxidizing complex of photosystem II evolved from a former transitional photosystem capable of single-electron oxidation reactions of Mn.

Validation of Quasi-Invariant Ice Cloud Radiative Quantities with MODIS Satellite-Based Cloud Property Retrievals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ding, Jiachen; Yang, Ping; Kattawar, George W.; King, Michael D.; Platnick, Steven; Meyer, Kerry G.

2017-01-01

Similarity relations applied to ice cloud radiance calculations are theoretically analyzed and numerically validated. If t(1v) and t(1vg) are conserved where t is optical thickness, v the single-scattering albedo, and g the asymmetry factor, it is possible that substantially different phase functions may give rise to similar radiances in both conservative and non-conservative scattering cases, particularly in the case of large optical thicknesses. In addition to theoretical analysis, this study uses operational ice cloud optical thickness retrievals from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Level 2 Collection5 (C5) and Collection 6 (C6) cloud property products to verify radiative similarity relations. It is found that, if the MODIS C5 and C6 ice cloud optical thickness values are multiplied by their respective (1wg)factors, the resultant products referred to as the effective optical thicknesses become similar with their ratio values around unity. Furthermore, the ratios of the C5 and C6 ice cloud effective optical thicknesses display an angular variation pattern similar to that of the corresponding ice cloud phase function ratios. The MODIS C5 and C6 values of ice cloud similarity parameter, defined as [(1w)(1(exp. 1/2)wg)]12, also tend to be similar.

Neural Representations of Natural and Scrambled Movies Progressively Change from Rat Striate to Temporal Cortex

PubMed Central

Vinken, Kasper; Van den Bergh, Gert; Vermaercke, Ben; Op de Beeck, Hans P.

2016-01-01

In recent years, the rodent has come forward as a candidate model for investigating higher level visual abilities such as object vision. This view has been backed up substantially by evidence from behavioral studies that show rats can be trained to express visual object recognition and categorization capabilities. However, almost no studies have investigated the functional properties of rodent extrastriate visual cortex using stimuli that target object vision, leaving a gap compared with the primate literature. Therefore, we recorded single-neuron responses along a proposed ventral pathway in rat visual cortex to investigate hallmarks of primate neural object representations such as preference for intact versus scrambled stimuli and category-selectivity. We presented natural movies containing a rat or no rat as well as their phase-scrambled versions. Population analyses showed increased dissociation in representations of natural versus scrambled stimuli along the targeted stream, but without a clear preference for natural stimuli. Along the measured cortical hierarchy the neural response seemed to be driven increasingly by features that are not V1-like and destroyed by phase-scrambling. However, there was no evidence for category selectivity for the rat versus nonrat distinction. Together, these findings provide insights about differences and commonalities between rodent and primate visual cortex. PMID:27146315

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulators: precision medicine in cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Burgener, Elizabeth B; Moss, Richard B

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to describe the newest development in cystic fibrosis (CF) care, CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapies. Phase II results showing CFTR modulator triple therapies are more effective than current CFTR modulators. CFTR modulator therapy targets the protein defective in CF and boosts its function, but the drug must match mutation pathobiology. Ivacaftor, a CFTR potentiator, was the first modulator approved in 2012, with impressive improvement in lung function and other measures of disease in patients with gating and other residual function mutations (∼10% of CF patients). In 2015, the combination of lumacaftor, a CFTR corrector, and ivacaftor was approved for patients homozygous for the F508del mutation (∼40-50% of the CF population) with positive but less impressive clinical response and 10-20% incidence of intolerance. A next-generation CFTR corrector, tezacaftor, with ivacaftor equally effective and better tolerated than lumacaftor, has also received US Food and Drug Administration approval. Novel CFTR correctors, entering Phase 3 trials in triple modulator combination with tezacaftor-ivacaftor, appear substantially more effective for patients who are homozygous for the F508del mutation and can provide benefit for patients with a single F508del mutation. This offers promise of effective CFTR modulator therapy for nearly 90% of CF patients.

Conformational and Functional Effects Induced by D- and L-Amino Acid Epimerization on a Single Gene Encoded Peptide from the Skin Secretion of Hypsiboas punctatus

PubMed Central

de Magalhães, Mariana T. Q.; Barbosa, Eder A.; Prates, Maura V.; Verly, Rodrigo M.; Munhoz, Victor Hugo O.; de Araújo, Ivan E.; Bloch, Carlos

2013-01-01

Skin secretion of Hypsiboas punctatus is the source of a complex mixture of bioactive compounds where peptides and small proteins prevail, similarly to many other amphibians. Among dozens of molecules isolated from H. punctatus in a proteomic based approach, we report here the structural and functional studies of a novel peptide named Phenylseptin (FFFDTLKNLAGKVIGALT-NH2) that was purified as two naturally occurring D- and L-Phes configurations. The amino acid epimerization and C-terminal amidation for both molecules were confirmed by a combination of techniques including reverse-phase UFLC, ion mobility mass spectrometry, high resolution MS/MS experiments, Edman degradation, cDNA sequencing and solid-phase peptide synthesis. RMSD analysis of the twenty lowest-energy 1H NMR structures of each peptide revealed a major 90° difference between the two backbones at the first four N-terminal residues and substantial orientation changes of their respective side chains. These structural divergences were considered to be the primary cause of the in vitro quantitative differences in antimicrobial activities between the two molecules. Finally, both molecules elicited equally aversive reactions in mice when delivered orally, an effect that depended entirely on peripheral gustatory pathways. PMID:23565145

Comparison of different building shells - life cycle assessment.

PubMed

Rixrath, Doris; Wartha, Christian

2016-07-01

The Renewable Energy and Efficiency Action (REACT) project is a European Union-funded cross-border cooperative venture featuring the participation of companies and researchers from the Austrian state of Burgenland and western Slovakia that is developing zero-energy concepts for newly built single-family homes. A variety of building structures are defined for family houses, and the different impacts they have on the environment are evaluated over the entire life cycle. This paper aims to compare the environmental impacts of different building shells during both the construction and the demolition phases. However, the operation phase of the building is not evaluated. One of the findings of the project thus far is that the demolition and disposal of building materials should be included in any such evaluation. For some environmental impact assessment categories, both demolition and disposal are important. The environmental impacts of various end-of-life scenarios can differ greatly based on the disposal method (e.g., landfill, incineration, recycling) chosen and on the proportion of recycled content. Furthermore, the results show that manufacturing building materials from renewable resources can have strong environmental impacts, particularly when substantial amounts of fossil fuel are required in their production. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:437-444. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Mott metal-insulator transition in the doped Hubbard-Holstein model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurdestany, Jamshid Moradi; Satpathy, S.

2017-08-01

Motivated by the current interest in the understanding of the Mott insulators away from half-filling, observed in many perovskite oxides, we study the Mott metal-insulator transition in the doped Hubbard-Holstein model using the Hartree-Fock mean field theory. The Hubbard-Holstein model is the simplest model containing both the Coulomb and the electron-lattice interactions, which are important ingredients in the physics of the perovskite oxides. In contrast to the half-filled Hubbard model, which always results in a single phase (either metallic or insulating), our results show that away from half-filling, a mixed phase of metallic and insulating regions occurs. As the dopant concentration is increased, the metallic part progressively grows in volume, until it exceeds the percolation threshold, leading to percolative conduction. This happens above a critical dopant concentration δc, which, depending on the strength of the electron-lattice interaction, can be a significant fraction of unity. This means that the material could be insulating even for a substantial amount of doping, in contrast to the expectation that doped holes would destroy the insulating behavior of the half-filled Hubbard model. While effects of fluctuation beyond the mean field remain an open question, our results provide a starting point for the understanding of the density-driven metal-insulator transition observed in many complex oxides.

Phase reconstruction using compressive two-step parallel phase-shifting digital holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramachandran, Prakash; Alex, Zachariah C.; Nelleri, Anith

2018-04-01

The linear relationship between the sample complex object wave and its approximated complex Fresnel field obtained using single shot parallel phase-shifting digital holograms (PPSDH) is used in compressive sensing framework and an accurate phase reconstruction is demonstrated. It is shown that the accuracy of phase reconstruction of this method is better than that of compressive sensing adapted single exposure inline holography (SEOL) method. It is derived that the measurement model of PPSDH method retains both the real and imaginary parts of the Fresnel field but with an approximation noise and the measurement model of SEOL retains only the real part exactly equal to the real part of the complex Fresnel field and its imaginary part is completely not available. Numerical simulation is performed for CS adapted PPSDH and CS adapted SEOL and it is demonstrated that the phase reconstruction is accurate for CS adapted PPSDH and can be used for single shot digital holographic reconstruction.

Directed Self-Assembly of Liquid Crystalline Blue-Phases into Ideal Single-Crystals

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

Martinez-Gonzalez, Jose A.; Li, Xiao; Sadati, Monirosadat

Chiral nematic liquid crystals are known to form blue phases—liquid states of matter that exhibit ordered cubic arrangements of topological defects. Blue-phase specimens, however, are generally polycrystalline, consisting of randomly oriented domains that limit their performance in applications. A strategy that relies on nano-patterned substrates is presented here for preparation of stable, macroscopic single-crystal blue-phase materials. Different template designs are conceived to exert control over different planes of the blue-phase lattice orientation with respect to the underlying substrate. Experiments are then used to demonstrate that it is indeed possible to create stable single-crystal blue-phase domains with the desired orientation overmore » large regions. Lastly, these results provide a potential avenue to fully exploit the electro-optical properties of blue phases, which have been hindered by the existence of grain boundaries.« less

Directed Self-Assembly of Liquid Crystalline Blue-Phases into Ideal Single-Crystals

DOE PAGES

Martinez-Gonzalez, Jose A.; Li, Xiao; Sadati, Monirosadat; ...

2017-06-16

Chiral nematic liquid crystals are known to form blue phases—liquid states of matter that exhibit ordered cubic arrangements of topological defects. Blue-phase specimens, however, are generally polycrystalline, consisting of randomly oriented domains that limit their performance in applications. A strategy that relies on nano-patterned substrates is presented here for preparation of stable, macroscopic single-crystal blue-phase materials. Different template designs are conceived to exert control over different planes of the blue-phase lattice orientation with respect to the underlying substrate. Experiments are then used to demonstrate that it is indeed possible to create stable single-crystal blue-phase domains with the desired orientation overmore » large regions. Lastly, these results provide a potential avenue to fully exploit the electro-optical properties of blue phases, which have been hindered by the existence of grain boundaries.« less

Outcome and predicting factors of single and multiple intra-articular corticosteroid injections in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

PubMed

Lanni, Stefano; Bertamino, Marta; Consolaro, Alessandro; Pistorio, Angela; Magni-Manzoni, Silvia; Galasso, Roberta; Lattanzi, Bianca; Calvo-Aranda, Enrique; Martini, Alberto; Ravelli, Angelo

2011-09-01

To investigate the efficacy of IA CS (IAC) therapy in single and multiple joints in children with JIA and to seek for predictors of synovitis flare. The clinical charts of patients who received their first IAC injection between January 2002 and December 2008 were reviewed. The CS used was triamcinolone hexacetonide for large joints and methylprednisolone acetate for small or difficult to access joints. Patients were stratified as follows: one joint injected; two joints injected; and three or more joints injected. Predictors included sex, age at disease onset, JIA category, age and disease duration, ANA status, iridocyclitis, general anaesthesia, number and type of injected joints, acute-phase reactants and concomitant MTX therapy. The cumulative probability of survival without synovitis flare for patients injected in one, two, or three or more joints was 70, 45 and 44%, respectively, at 1 year; 61, 32 and 30%, respectively, at 2 years; and 37, 22 and 19%, respectively, at 3 years. On Cox regression analysis, positive CRP, negative ANA and injection in the ankle were the strongest predictors for synovitis flare. The only significant side effect was skin hypopigmentation or s.c. atrophy, which occurred in <2% of patients. IAC therapy-induced sustained remission of synovitis in a substantial proportion of patients injected either in single or multiple joints, with a good safety profile. The risk of synovitis flare was higher in patients who had positive CRP, negative ANA and were injected in the ankle.

Phase formation and UV luminescence of Gd{sup 3+} doped perovskite-type YScO{sub 3}

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

Shimizu, Yuhei; Ueda, Kazushige, E-mail: kueda@che.kyutech.ac.jp

Synthesis of pure and Gd{sup 3+}doped perovskite-type YScO{sub 3} was attempted by a polymerized complex (PC) method and solid state reaction (SSR) method. Crystalline phases and UV luminescence of samples were examined with varying heating temperatures. The perovskite-type single phase was not simply formed in the SSR method, as reported in some literatures, and two cubic C-type phases of starting oxide materials remained forming slightly mixed solid solutions. UV luminescence of Gd{sup 3+} doped samples increased with an increase in heating temperatures and volume of the perovskite-type phase. In contrast, a non-crystalline precursor was crystallized to a single C-type phasemore » at 800 °C in the PC method forming a completely mixed solid solution. Then, the phase of perovskite-type YScO{sub 3} formed at 1200 °C and its single phase was obtained at 1400 °C. It was revealed that high homogeneousness of cations was essential to generate the single perovskite-phase of YScO{sub 3}. Because Gd{sup 3+} ions were also dissolved into the single C-type phase in Gd{sup 3+} doped samples, intense UV luminescence was observed above 800 °C in both C-type phase and perovskite-type phase. - Graphical abstract: A pure perovskite-type YScO{sub 3} phase was successfully synthesized by a polymerized complex (PC) method. The perovskite-type YScO{sub 3} was generated through a solid solution of C-type (Y{sub 0.5}Sc{sub 0.5}){sub 2}O{sub 3} with drastic change of morphology. The PC method enabled a preparation of the single phase of the perovskite-type YScO{sub 3} at lower temperature and in shorter heating time. Gd{sup 3+} doped perovskite-type YScO{sub 3} was found to show a strong sharp UV emission at 314 nm. - Highlights: • Pure YScO{sub 3} phase was successfully synthesized by polymerized complex (PC) method. • Pure perovskite-type YScO{sub 3} phase was generated from pure C-type (Y{sub 0.5}Sc{sub 0.5}){sub 2}O{sub 3} one. • YScO{sub 3} was obtained at lower temperature and in shorter heating time by PC method. • Perovskite-type YScO{sub 3}:Gd{sup 3+} was found to show strong sharp UV emission at 314 nm.« less

26 CFR 1.274-5A - Substantiation requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... independent contractor to his client or customer in the regular course of good business practice. (b... nature occurring during the course of a single event shall be considered a single expenditure. To... the portion of such amount which is attributable to each person participating in the event giving rise...

First principles numerical model of avalanche-induced arc discharges in electron-irradiated dielectrics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beers, B. L.; Pine, V. W.; Hwang, H. C.; Bloomberg, H. W.; Lin, D. L.; Schmidt, M. J.; Strickland, D. J.

1979-01-01

The model consists of four phases: single electron dynamics, single electron avalanche, negative streamer development, and tree formation. Numerical algorithms and computer code implementations are presented for the first three phases. An approach to developing a code description of fourth phase is discussed. Numerical results are presented for a crude material model of Teflon.

Phase demodulation from a single fringe pattern based on a correlation technique.

PubMed

Robin, Eric; Valle, Valéry

2004-08-01

We present a method for determining the demodulated phase from a single fringe pattern. This method, based on a correlation technique, searches in a zone of interest for the degree of similarity between a real fringe pattern and a mathematical model. This method, named modulated phase correlation, is tested with different examples.

Ethics of phase 1 oncology studies: reexamining the arguments and data.

PubMed

Agrawal, Manish; Emanuel, Ezekiel J

2003-08-27

Phase 1 oncology trials are critical to improving the treatment of cancer. Critics have raised 2 fundamental ethical challenges about phase 1 cancer research: the paucity of benefits with substantial risks and poor-quality informed consent. Despite 3 decades of controversy about phase 1 oncology research, there is little critical analysis of the arguments or of the data relevant to these questions. Existing but old data reveal that about 5% of patients in phase 1 trials experience shrinkage of their tumor, with a 0.5% mortality rate. In some notable cases, patients in phase 1 trials have been cured or sustained long-term remissions. Limited data suggest that patients in phase 1 trials may have better quality of life than comparable patients receiving supportive care. More important, the risks and benefits of phase 1 trials are not clearly worse than risk-benefit ratios used by the US Food and Drug Administration to approve chemotherapeutic agents for clinical use. The objections based on informed consent are deficiencies of disclosure, understanding, and voluntariness. The available data do not support the claim that disclosure is deficient. Although studies evaluating patient understanding have substantial methodological problems, they demonstrate that more than 70% of patients understand that they may not directly benefit even when they hope they will personally benefit. Finally, a closer look at issues of voluntariness reveals that patients with advanced cancer who participate in phase 1 research may have a different set of values than do critics and are not coerced. Overall, it appears that phase 1 oncology trials satisfy the requirement for a favorable risk-benefit ratio and that patients who enroll provide adequate informed consent.

Confinement-driven electronic and topological phases in corundum-derived 3 d -oxide honeycomb lattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köksal, Okan; Baidya, Santu; Pentcheva, Rossitza

2018-01-01

Using density functional theory calculations including an on-site Coulomb term, we explore electronic and possibly topologically nontrivial phases in 3 d transition-metal oxide honeycomb layers confined in the corundum structure (α -Al2O3 ) along the [0001] direction. In most cases the ground state is a trivial antiferromagnetic Mott insulator, often with distinct orbital or spin states compared to the bulk phases. With imposed symmetry of the two sublattices the ferromagnetic phases of (X2O3)1/(Al2O3)5(0001) with X = Ti, Mn, Co, and Ni exhibit a characteristic set of four bands, two that are relatively flat and two with a Dirac crossing at K , associated with the single-electron occupation of eg' (Ti) or eg (Mn, Co, Ni) orbitals. Our results indicate that the Dirac point can be tuned to the Fermi level using strain. Applying spin-orbit coupling (SOC) leads to a substantial anomalous Hall conductivity with values up to 0.94 e2/h . Moreover, at aAl2O3=4.81 Å we identify a particularly strong effect of SOC with an out-of-plane easy axis for (Ti2O3 )1/(Al2O3 )5(0001) which stabilizes the system dynamically. Due to the unusually high orbital moment of -0.88 μB that nearly compensates the spin moment of 1.01 μB , this system emerges as a candidate for the realization of the topological Haldane model of spinless fermions. Parallels to the perovskite analogs (La X O3 )2/(LaAlO3)4(111) are discussed.

A genome-wide gene–environment interaction analysis for tobacco smoke and lung cancer susceptibility

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ruyang; Chu, Minjie; Zhao, Yang; Wu, Chen; Guo, Huan; Shi, Yongyong; Dai, Juncheng; Wei, Yongyue; Jin, Guangfu; Ma, Hongxia; Dong, Jing; Yi, Honggang; Bai, Jianling; Gong, Jianhang; Sun, Chongqi; Zhu, Meng; Wu, Tangchun; Hu, Zhibin; Lin, Dongxin; Shen, Hongbing; Chen, Feng

2014-01-01

Tobacco smoke is the major environmental risk factor underlying lung carcinogenesis. However, approximately one-tenth smokers develop lung cancer in their lifetime indicating there is significant individual variation in susceptibility to lung cancer. And, the reasons for this are largely unknown. In particular, the genetic variants discovered in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) account for only a small fraction of the phenotypic variations for lung cancer, and gene–environment interactions are thought to explain the missing fraction of disease heritability. The ability to identify smokers at high risk of developing cancer has substantial preventive implications. Thus, we undertook a gene–smoking interaction analysis in a GWAS of lung cancer in Han Chinese population using a two-phase designed case–control study. In the discovery phase, we evaluated all pair-wise (591 370) gene–smoking interactions in 5408 subjects (2331 cases and 3077 controls) using a logistic regression model with covariate adjustment. In the replication phase, promising interactions were validated in an independent population of 3023 subjects (1534 cases and 1489 controls). We identified interactions between two single nucleotide polymorphisms and smoking. The interaction P values are 6.73 × 10− 6 and 3.84 × 10− 6 for rs1316298 and rs4589502, respectively, in the combined dataset from the two phases. An antagonistic interaction (rs1316298–smoking) and a synergetic interaction (rs4589502–smoking) were observed. The two interactions identified in our study may help explain some of the missing heritability in lung cancer susceptibility and present strong evidence for further study of these gene–smoking interactions, which are benefit to intensive screening and smoking cessation interventions. PMID:24658283

Phase 1 trial of neoadjuvant radiation therapy before prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer.

PubMed

Koontz, Bridget F; Quaranta, Brian P; Pura, John A; Lee, W R; Vujaskovic, Zeljko; Gerber, Leah; Haake, Michael; Anscher, Mitchell S; Robertson, Cary N; Polascik, Thomas J; Moul, Judd W

2013-09-01

To evaluate, in a phase 1 study, the safety of neoadjuvant whole-pelvis radiation therapy (RT) administered immediately before radical prostatectomy in men with high-risk prostate cancer. Twelve men enrolled and completed a phase 1 single-institution trial between 2006 and 2010. Eligibility required a previously untreated diagnosis of localized but high-risk prostate cancer. Median follow-up was 46 months (range, 14-74 months). Radiation therapy was dose-escalated in a 3 × 3 design with dose levels of 39.6, 45, 50.4, and 54 Gy. The pelvic lymph nodes were treated up to 45 Gy with any additional dose given to the prostate and seminal vesicles. Radical prostatectomy was performed 4-8 weeks after RT completion. Primary outcome measure was intraoperative and postoperative day-30 morbidity. Secondary measures included late morbidity and oncologic outcomes. No intraoperative morbidity was seen. Chronic urinary grade 2+ toxicity occurred in 42%; 2 patients (17%) developed a symptomatic urethral stricture requiring dilation. Two-year actuarial biochemical recurrence-free survival was 67% (95% confidence interval 34%-86%). Patients with pT3 or positive surgical margin treated with neoadjuvant RT had a trend for improved biochemical recurrence-free survival compared with a historical cohort with similar adverse factors. Neoadjuvant RT is feasible with moderate urinary morbidity. However, oncologic outcomes do not seem to be substantially different from those with selective postoperative RT. If this multimodal approach is further evaluated in a phase 2 setting, 54 Gy should be used in combination with neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy to improve biochemical outcomes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A fresh look at dense hydrogen under pressure. IV. Two structural models on the road from paired to monatomic hydrogen, via a possible non-crystalline phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labet, Vanessa; Hoffmann, Roald; Ashcroft, N. W.

2012-02-01

In this paper, we examine the transition from a molecular to monatomic solid in hydrogen over a wide pressure range. This is achieved by setting up two models in which a single parameter δ allows the evolution from a molecular structure to a monatomic one of high coordination. Both models are based on a cubic Bravais lattice with eight atoms in the unit cell; one belongs to space group Pabar 3, the other to space group Rbar 3m. In Pabar 3 one moves from effective 1-coordination, a molecule, to a simple cubic 6-coordinated structure but through a very special point (the golden mean is involved) of 7-coordination. In Rbar 3m, the evolution is from 1 to 4 and then to 3 to 6-coordinate. If one studies the enthalpy as a function of pressure as these two structures evolve (δ increases), one sees the expected stabilization of minima with increased coordination (moving from 1 to 6 to 7 in the Pabar 3 structure, for instance). Interestingly, at some specific pressures, there are in both structures relatively large regions of phase space where the enthalpy remains roughly the same. Although the structures studied are always higher in enthalpy than the computationally best structures for solid hydrogen - those emerging from the Pickard and Needs or McMahon and Ceperley numerical laboratories - this result is suggestive of the possibility of a microscopically non-crystalline or "soft" phase of hydrogen at elevated pressures, one in which there is a substantial range of roughly equi-enthalpic geometries available to the system. A scaling argument for potential dynamic stabilization of such a phase is presented.

SULFATE PRODUCTION IN CLOUDS IN EASTERN CHINA: OBSERVATIONS FROM MT. TAI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collett, J. L.; Shen, X.; Lee, T.; Wang, X.; Wang, W.; Wang, T.

2009-12-01

The fate of China’s sulfur dioxide emissions depends, in part, on the ability of regional clouds to support rapid aqueous oxidation of these emissions to sulfate. Sulfur dioxide oxidized in regional clouds is more likely to be removed by wet deposition while sulfur dioxide that undergoes slower gas phase oxidation is expected to survive longer in the atmosphere and exert a radiative forcing impact over a broader spatial scale. Two 2008 field campaigns conducted at Mt. Tai, an isolated peak on the NE China plain, provide insight into the importance of various aqueous phase sulfur oxidation pathways in the region. Single and two-stage cloudwater collectors were used to collect bulk and drop size-resolved samples of cloudwater. Collected cloudwater was analyzed for key species that influence in-cloud sulfate production, including pH, S(IV), H2O2, Fe and Mn. Other major cloud solutes, including inorganic ions, total organic carbon, formaldehyde, and organic acids were also analyzed, as were gas phase concentrations of SO2, O3, and H2O2. A wide range of cloud pH was observed, from below 3 to above 6. High concentrations of cloudwater sulfate were consistent with abundant sulfur dioxide emissions in the region. Despite its fast aqueous reaction with sulfur dioxide, high concentrations of residual hydrogen peroxide were measured in some clouds implying a substantial capacity for additional sulfate production. Ozone was found to be an important S(IV) oxidant in some periods when cloud pH was high. This presentation will examine the importance of different oxidants (H2O2, O3, and O2 catalyzed by trace metals) for sulfur oxidation and the overall capacity of regional clouds to support rapid aqueous phase sulfate production.

Thermodynamic optimization of mixed refrigerant Joule- Thomson systems constrained by heat transfer considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinze, J. F.; Klein, S. A.; Nellis, G. F.

2015-12-01

Mixed refrigerant (MR) working fluids can significantly increase the cooling capacity of a Joule-Thomson (JT) cycle. The optimization of MRJT systems has been the subject of substantial research. However, most optimization techniques do not model the recuperator in sufficient detail. For example, the recuperator is usually assumed to have a heat transfer coefficient that does not vary with the mixture. Ongoing work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has shown that the heat transfer coefficients for two-phase flow are approximately three times greater than for a single phase mixture when the mixture quality is between 15% and 85%. As a result, a system that optimizes a MR without also requiring that the flow be in this quality range may require an extremely large recuperator or not achieve the performance predicted by the model. To ensure optimal performance of the JT cycle, the MR should be selected such that it is entirely two-phase within the recuperator. To determine the optimal MR composition, a parametric study was conducted assuming a thermodynamically ideal cycle. The results of the parametric study are graphically presented on a contour plot in the parameter space consisting of the extremes of the qualities that exist within the recuperator. The contours show constant values of the normalized refrigeration power. This ‘map’ shows the effect of MR composition on the cycle performance and it can be used to select the MR that provides a high cooling load while also constraining the recuperator to be two phase. The predicted best MR composition can be used as a starting point for experimentally determining the best MR.

Linear electro-optic properties of relaxor-based ferroelectric 0.24Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-(0.76 − x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 single crystals

PubMed Central

Wu, Fengmin; Yang, Bin; Sun, Enwei; Liu, Gang; Tian, Hao; Cao, Wenwu

2013-01-01

Linear electro-optic properties of 0.24Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-(0.76 − x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 single crystals, with compositions in the rhombohedral, morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) and tetragonal phases, have been investigated. Very large effective electro-optic coefficient γc (204 pm/V) was observed in a crystal with the MPB composition when it is poled along [001]. The rhombohedral phase (x = 0.27 and 0.30) single crystals poled along [111] direction and tetragonal phase (x = 0.39) single crystal poled along [001] direction are in single domain, and their electro-optic coefficients (γc = 76, 94, and 43 pm/V for the crystals with x = 0.27, 0.30, and 0.39, respectively) were found to be much higher than that of traditional electro-optic single crystal LiNbO3 (γc = 19.9 pm/V). The electro-optic coefficients of the single crystal in the rhombohedral phase have excellent temperature stability in the experimental temperature range of 10–40 °C. The half-wave voltage Vπ was calculated to be much lower (less than 1000 V) than that of LiNbO3 single crystal (2800 V). These superior properties make the ternary relaxor-PT single crystals very promising for electro-optic modulation applications. PMID:23922449

Single Sublattice Endotaxial Phase Separation Driven by Charge Frustration in a Complex Oxide

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Complex transition-metal oxides are important functional materials in areas such as energy and information storage. The cubic ABO3 perovskite is an archetypal example of this class, formed by the occupation of small octahedral B-sites within an AO3 network defined by larger A cations. We show that introduction of chemically mismatched octahedral cations into a cubic perovskite oxide parent phase modifies structure and composition beyond the unit cell length scale on the B sublattice alone. This affords an endotaxial nanocomposite of two cubic perovskite phases with distinct properties. These locally B-site cation-ordered and -disordered phases share a single AO3 network and have enhanced stability against the formation of a competing hexagonal structure over the single-phase parent. Synergic integration of the distinct properties of these phases by the coherent interfaces of the composite produces solid oxide fuel cell cathode performance superior to that expected from the component phases in isolation. PMID:23750709

Innovating by developing new uses of already-approved drugs: trends in the marketing approval of supplemental indications.

PubMed

DiMasi, Joseph A

2013-06-01

Much of the literature on trends and factors affecting biopharmaceutical innovation has focused overwhelmingly on the development and approval of never-before approved drugs and biologics. Little attention has been paid to new uses for already-approved compounds, which can be an important form of innovation. This paper aimed to determine and analyze recent trends in the number and type of new or modified US indication approvals for drugs and biologics. We also examine regulatory approval-phase times for new-use efficacy supplements and compare them to approval-phase times for original-use approvals over the same period. We developed a data set of efficacy supplements approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from 1998 to 2011 that includes information on the type, approval-phase time (time from submission to the FDA of an application for marketing approval to approval of the application), and FDA therapeutic-significance rating for the approved application, which we obtained from an FDA Web site. This data set was merged with a Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (CSDD) data set of US new drug and biologics approvals. We developed descriptive statistics on trends in the number and type of new-use efficacy supplements, on US regulatory approval-phase times for the supplements, and on original new drug and biologics approvals over the study period and for the time from original- to new-use approval. The total number of new-use efficacy-supplement approvals did not exhibit a marked trend, but the number of new pediatric-indication approvals increased substantially. Approval-phase times for new-use supplements varied by therapeutic class and FDA therapeutic-significance rating. Mean approval-phase times were highest for central nervous system compounds (13.8 months) and lowest for antineoplastics (8.9 months). The mean time from original to supplement approval was substantially longer for new pediatric indications than for other new uses. Mean approval-phase time during the study period for applications that received a standard review rating from the FDA was substantially shorter for supplements compared to original uses, but the differences for applications that received a priority review rating from the FDA were negligible. Development of and regulatory approval for new uses of already-approved drugs and biologics is an important source of innovation by biopharmaceutical firms. Despite rising development costs, the output of new-use approvals has remained stable in recent years, driven largely by the pursuit of new pediatric indications. FDA approval-phase times have generally declined substantially for all types of applications since the mid-1990s following legislation that provided a new source of income for the agency. However, while the resources needed to review supplemental applications are likely lower in general than for original-use approvals, the approval-phase times for important new uses are no lower than for important original-use applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Complete analysis of ensemble inequivalence in the Blume-Emery-Griffiths model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hovhannisyan, V. V.; Ananikian, N. S.; Campa, A.; Ruffo, S.

2017-12-01

We study inequivalence of canonical and microcanonical ensembles in the mean-field Blume-Emery-Griffiths model. This generalizes previous results obtained for the Blume-Capel model. The phase diagram strongly depends on the value of the biquadratic exchange interaction K , the additional feature present in the Blume-Emery-Griffiths model. At small values of K , as for the Blume-Capel model, lines of first- and second-order phase transitions between a ferromagnetic and a paramagnetic phase are present, separated by a tricritical point whose location is different in the two ensembles. At higher values of K the phase diagram changes substantially, with the appearance of a triple point in the canonical ensemble, which does not find any correspondence in the microcanonical ensemble. Moreover, one of the first-order lines that starts from the triple point ends in a critical point, whose position in the phase diagram is different in the two ensembles. This line separates two paramagnetic phases characterized by a different value of the quadrupole moment. These features were not previously studied for other models and substantially enrich the landscape of ensemble inequivalence, identifying new aspects that had been discussed in a classification of phase transitions based on singularity theory. Finally, we discuss ergodicity breaking, which is highlighted by the presence of gaps in the accessible values of magnetization at low energies: it also displays new interesting patterns that are not present in the Blume-Capel model.

Single particle analysis based on Zernike phase contrast transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Danev, Radostin; Nagayama, Kuniaki

2008-02-01

We present the first application of Zernike phase-contrast transmission electron microscopy to single-particle 3D reconstruction of a protein, using GroEL chaperonin as the test specimen. We evaluated the performance of the technique by comparing 3D models derived from Zernike phase contrast imaging, with models from conventional underfocus phase contrast imaging. The same resolution, about 12A, was achieved by both imaging methods. The reconstruction based on Zernike phase contrast data required about 30% fewer particles. The advantages and prospects of each technique are discussed.

An implanted 8-channel array coil for high-resolution macaque MRI at 3T

PubMed Central

Janssens, T.; Keil, B.; Farivar, R.; McNab, J.A.; Polimeni, J. R.; Gerits, A.; Arsenault, J.T.; Wald, L. L.; Vanduffel, W.

2012-01-01

An 8-channel receive coil array was constructed and implanted adjacent to the skull in a male rhesus monkey in order to improve the sensitivity of (functional) brain imaging. The permanent implant was part of an acrylic headpost assembly and only the coil element loop wires were implanted. The tuning, matching, and preamplifier circuitry was connected via a removable external assembly. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and noise amplification for parallel imaging were compared to a single-, 4-, and 8-channel external receive-only coil routinely used for macaque fMRI. In vivo measurements showed significantly improved SNR within the brain for the implanted versus the external coils. Within a region-of-interest covering the cerebral cortex, we observed a 5.4-, 3.6-fold, and 3.4-fold increase in SNR compared to the external single-, 4-, and 8-channel coil, respectively. In the center of the brain, the implanted array maintained a 2.4×, 2.5×, and 2.1× higher SNR, respectively compared to the external coils. The array performance was evaluated for anatomical, diffusion tensor and functional brain imaging. This study suggests that a stable implanted phased-array coil can be used in macaque MRI to substantially increase the spatial resolution for anatomical, diffusion tensor, and functional imaging. PMID:22609793

Exotic stable cesium polynitrides at high pressure

DOE PAGES

Peng, Feng; Han, Yunxia; Liu, Hanyu; ...

2015-11-19

New polynitrides containing metastable forms of nitrogen are actively investigated as potential high energy-density materials. Using a structure search method based on the CALYPSO methodology, we investigated the stable stoichiometries and structures of cesium polynitrides at high pressures. Along with the CsN 3, we identified five new stoichiometric compounds (Cs 3N, Cs 2N, CsN, CsN 2, and CsN 5) with interesting structures that may be experimentally synthesizable at modest pressures (i.e., less than 50 GPa). Nitrogen species in the predicted structures have various structural forms ranging from single atom (N) to highly endothermic molecules (N 2, N 3 , Nmore » 4, N 5, N 6) and chains (N ∞). Polymeric chains of nitrogen were found in the high-pressure C2/c phase of CsN 2. This structure contains a substantially high content of single N-N bonds that exceeds the previously known nitrogen chains in pure forms, and also exhibit metastability at ambient conditions. We also identified a very interesting CsN crystal that contains novel N 4 4- anion. In conclusion, to our best knowledge, this is the first time a charged N 4 species being reported. Results of the present study suggest that it is possible to obtain energetic polynitrogens in main-group nitrides under high pressure.« less

Phenology of mixed woody-herbaceous ecosystems following extreme events: net and differential responses.

PubMed

Rich, Paul M; Breshears, David D; White, Amanda B

2008-02-01

Ecosystem responses to key climate drivers are reflected in phenological dynamics such as the timing and degree of "green-up" that integrate responses over spatial scales from individual plants to ecosystems. This integration is clearest in ecosystems dominated by a single species or life form, such as seasonally dynamic grasslands or more temporally constant evergreen forests. Yet many ecosystems have substantial contribution of cover from both herbaceous and woody evergreen plants. Responses of mixed woody-herbaceous ecosystems to climate are of increasing concern due to their extensive nature, the potential for such systems to yield more complex responses than those dominated by a single life form, and projections that extreme climate and weather events will increase in frequency and intensity with global warming. We present responses of a mixed woody-herbaceous ecosystem type to an extreme event: regional-scale piñon pine mortality following an extended drought and the subsequent herbaceous green-up following the first wet period after the drought. This example highlights how reductions in greenness of the slower, more stable evergreen woody component can rapidly be offset by increases associated with resources made available to the relatively more responsive herbaceous component. We hypothesize that such two-phase phenological responses to extreme events are characteristic of many mixed woody-herbaceous ecosystems.

High resolution telescope

DOEpatents

Massie, Norbert A.; Oster, Yale

1992-01-01

A large effective-aperture, low-cost optical telescope with diffraction-limited resolution enables ground-based observation of near-earth space objects. The telescope has a non-redundant, thinned-aperture array in a center-mount, single-structure space frame. It employs speckle interferometric imaging to achieve diffraction-limited resolution. The signal-to-noise ratio problem is mitigated by moving the wavelength of operation to the near-IR, and the image is sensed by a Silicon CCD. The steerable, single-structure array presents a constant pupil. The center-mount, radar-like mount enables low-earth orbit space objects to be tracked as well as increases stiffness of the space frame. In the preferred embodiment, the array has elemental telescopes with subaperture of 2.1 m in a circle-of-nine configuration. The telescope array has an effective aperture of 12 m which provides a diffraction-limited resolution of 0.02 arc seconds. Pathlength matching of the telescope array is maintained by an electro-optical system employing laser metrology. Speckle imaging relaxes pathlength matching tolerance by one order of magnitude as compared to phased arrays. Many features of the telescope contribute to substantial reduction in costs. These include eliminating the conventional protective dome and reducing on-site construction activites. The cost of the telescope scales with the first power of the aperture rather than its third power as in conventional telescopes.

Exotic stable cesium polynitrides at high pressure

PubMed Central

Peng, Feng; Han, Yunxia; Liu, Hanyu; Yao, Yansun

2015-01-01

New polynitrides containing metastable forms of nitrogen are actively investigated as potential high-energy-density materials. Using a structure search method based on the CALYPSO methodology, we investigated the stable stoichiometries and structures of cesium polynitrides at high pressures. Along with the CsN3, we identified five new stoichiometric compounds (Cs3N, Cs2N, CsN, CsN2, and CsN5) with interesting structures that may be experimentally synthesizable at modest pressures (i.e., less than 50 GPa). Nitrogen species in the predicted structures have various structural forms ranging from single atom (N) to highly endothermic molecules (N2, N3, N4, N5, N6) and chains (N∞). Polymeric chains of nitrogen were found in the high-pressure C2/c phase of CsN2. This structure contains a substantially high content of single N-N bonds that exceeds the previously known nitrogen chains in pure forms, and also exhibit metastability at ambient conditions. We also identified a very interesting CsN crystal that contains novel N44− anion. To our best knowledge, this is the first time a charged N4 species being reported. Results of the present study suggest that it is possible to obtain energetic polynitrogens in main-group nitrides under high pressure. PMID:26581175

Behavior of sheets from Ti-alloys by rolling and heat treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaenkova, M.; Perlovich, Yu.; Fesenko, V.; Gritskevich, M.; Stolbov, S.; Zaripova, M.

2017-10-01

Sheets from single- and two-phase Ti-alloys (VT1-0, Ti-22Nb-9%Zr and VT-16) were rolled at the room temperature up to various deformation degrees and annealed at temperatures 500-900 °C. The regularities of texture formation in both phases were established. In the technically pure Ti (VT1-0) with the single α-Ti phase the final stable texture component is (0001)±30-40°ND-TD<101 ¯0>. In the two-phase alloy the reorientation of basal axes of α-Ti occurs by the same trajectories as in the single phase alloy. However, in the case of two-phase alloy texture development in α-Ti stops at the intermediate stage, when this texture consists of components with rolling planes (0001)±15-20°ND-RD and (0001)±30-40°ND-TD. The stability of the first components can be provided both by the mutually balanced operation of pyramidal and basal slip systems, activity of which remains at the high deformation degree of two-phase alloy, and by the dynamic α↔β phase transformations, taking place in the distorted structures of α- and β-phases in the course of its cold rolling. At recrystallization of technically pure Ti the basal component disappears in its texture. At the same time, prismatic axes turn by angles 20÷30° depending on the heating rate of the rolled sheet and annealing temperature. At recrystallization of the two-phase Ti-alloy prismatic axes of its α-grains doesn't turn relative to their positions in the rolling texture, as it occurs in the single-phase alloy. This fact indicates to some alternative mode of arising new recrystallized grains in two-phase alloys.

Surface Characteristics of Machined NiTi Shape Memory Alloy: The Effects of Cryogenic Cooling and Preheating Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaynak, Y.; Huang, B.; Karaca, H. E.; Jawahir, I. S.

2017-07-01

This experimental study focuses on the phase state and phase transformation response of the surface and subsurface of machined NiTi alloys. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and differential scanning calorimeter techniques were utilized to measure the phase state and the transformation response of machined specimens, respectively. Specimens were machined under dry machining at ambient temperature, preheated conditions, and cryogenic cooling conditions at various cutting speeds. The findings from this research demonstrate that cryogenic machining substantially alters austenite finish temperature of martensitic NiTi alloy. Austenite finish ( A f) temperature shows more than 25 percent increase resulting from cryogenic machining compared with austenite finish temperature of as-received NiTi. Dry and preheated conditions do not substantially alter austenite finish temperature. XRD analysis shows that distinctive transformation from martensite to austenite occurs during machining process in all three conditions. Complete transformation from martensite to austenite is observed in dry cutting at all selected cutting speeds.

Methods for recovering a solvent from a fluid volume and methods of removing at least one compound from a nonpolar solvent

DOEpatents

Ginosar, Daniel M.; Wendt, Daniel S.; Petkovic, Lucia M.

2014-06-10

A method of removing a nonpolar solvent from a fluid volume that includes at least one nonpolar compound, such as a fat, an oil or a triglyceride, is provided. The method comprises contacting a fluid volume with an expanding gas to expand the nonpolar solvent and form a gas-expanded solvent. The gas-expanded solvent may have a substantially reduced density in comparison to the at least one nonpolar compound and/or a substantially reduced capacity to solubilize the nonpolar compound, causing the nonpolar compounds to separate from the gas-expanded nonpolar solvent into a separate liquid phase. The liquid phase including the at least one nonpolar compound may be separated from the gas-expanded solvent using conventional techniques. After separation of the liquid phase, at least one of the temperature and pressure may be reduced to separate the nonpolar solvent from the expanding gas such that the nonpolar solvent may be recovered and reused.

Novel phase diagram behavior and materials design in heterostructural semiconductor alloys

PubMed Central

Holder, Aaron M.; Siol, Sebastian; Ndione, Paul F.; Peng, Haowei; Deml, Ann M.; Matthews, Bethany E.; Schelhas, Laura T.; Toney, Michael F.; Gordon, Roy G.; Tumas, William; Perkins, John D.; Ginley, David S.; Gorman, Brian P.; Tate, Janet; Zakutayev, Andriy; Lany, Stephan

2017-01-01

Structure and composition control the behavior of materials. Isostructural alloying is historically an extremely successful approach for tuning materials properties, but it is often limited by binodal and spinodal decomposition, which correspond to the thermodynamic solubility limit and the stability against composition fluctuations, respectively. We show that heterostructural alloys can exhibit a markedly increased range of metastable alloy compositions between the binodal and spinodal lines, thereby opening up a vast phase space for novel homogeneous single-phase alloys. We distinguish two types of heterostructural alloys, that is, those between commensurate and incommensurate phases. Because of the structural transition around the critical composition, the properties change in a highly nonlinear or even discontinuous fashion, providing a mechanism for materials design that does not exist in conventional isostructural alloys. The novel phase diagram behavior follows from standard alloy models using mixing enthalpies from first-principles calculations. Thin-film deposition demonstrates the viability of the synthesis of these metastable single-phase domains and validates the computationally predicted phase separation mechanism above the upper temperature bound of the nonequilibrium single-phase region. PMID:28630928

Novel phase diagram behavior and materials design in heterostructural semiconductor alloys.

PubMed

Holder, Aaron M; Siol, Sebastian; Ndione, Paul F; Peng, Haowei; Deml, Ann M; Matthews, Bethany E; Schelhas, Laura T; Toney, Michael F; Gordon, Roy G; Tumas, William; Perkins, John D; Ginley, David S; Gorman, Brian P; Tate, Janet; Zakutayev, Andriy; Lany, Stephan

2017-06-01

Structure and composition control the behavior of materials. Isostructural alloying is historically an extremely successful approach for tuning materials properties, but it is often limited by binodal and spinodal decomposition, which correspond to the thermodynamic solubility limit and the stability against composition fluctuations, respectively. We show that heterostructural alloys can exhibit a markedly increased range of metastable alloy compositions between the binodal and spinodal lines, thereby opening up a vast phase space for novel homogeneous single-phase alloys. We distinguish two types of heterostructural alloys, that is, those between commensurate and incommensurate phases. Because of the structural transition around the critical composition, the properties change in a highly nonlinear or even discontinuous fashion, providing a mechanism for materials design that does not exist in conventional isostructural alloys. The novel phase diagram behavior follows from standard alloy models using mixing enthalpies from first-principles calculations. Thin-film deposition demonstrates the viability of the synthesis of these metastable single-phase domains and validates the computationally predicted phase separation mechanism above the upper temperature bound of the nonequilibrium single-phase region.

Novel phase diagram behavior and materials design in heterostructural semiconductor alloys

DOE PAGES

Holder, Aaron M.; Siol, Sebastian; Ndione, Paul F.; ...

2017-06-07

Structure and composition control the behavior of materials. Isostructural alloying is historically an extremely successful approach for tuning materials properties, but it is often limited by binodal and spinodal decomposition, which correspond to the thermodynamic solubility limit and the stability against composition fluctuations, respectively. We show that heterostructural alloys can exhibit a markedly increased range of metastable alloy compositions between the binodal and spinodal lines, thereby opening up a vast phase space for novel homogeneous single-phase alloys. We distinguish two types of heterostructural alloys, that is, those between commensurate and incommensurate phases. Because of the structural transition around the criticalmore » composition, the properties change in a highly nonlinear or even discontinuous fashion, providing a mechanism for materials design that does not exist in conventional isostructural alloys. The novel phase diagram behavior follows from standard alloy models using mixing enthalpies from first-principles calculations. Furthermore, thin-film deposition demonstrates the viability of the synthesis of these metastable single-phase domains and validates the computationally predicted phase separation mechanism above the upper temperature bound of the nonequilibrium single-phase region.« less

Design and performance analysis of generalised integrator-based controller for grid connected PV system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saxena, Hemant; Singh, Alka; Rai, J. N.

2018-07-01

This article discusses the design and control of a single-phase grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) system. A 5-kW PV system is designed and integrated at the DC link of an H-bridge voltage source converter (VSC). The control of the VSC and switching logic is modelled using a generalised integrator (GI). The use of GI or its variants such as second-order GI have recently evolved for synchronisation and are being used as phase locked loop (PLL) circuits for grid integration. Design of PLL circuits and the use of transformations such as Park's and Clarke's are much easier in three-phase systems. But obtaining in-phase and quadrature components becomes an important and challenging issue in single-phase systems. This article addresses this issue and discusses an altogether different application of GI for the design of compensator based on the extraction of in-phase and quadrature components. GI is frequently used as a PLL; however, in this article, it is not used for synchronisation purposes. A new controller has been designed for a single-phase grid-connected PV system working as a single-phase active compensator. Extensive simulation results are shown for the working of integrated PV system under different atmospheric and operating conditions during daytime as well as night conditions. Experimental results showing the proposed control approach are presented and discussed for the hardware set-up developed in the laboratory.

Model predictive direct power control for active power decoupled single-phase quasi- Z -source inverter

DOE PAGES

Liu, Yushan; Ge, Baoming; Abu-Rub, Haitham; ...

2016-06-14

In this study, the active power filter (APF) that consists of a half-bridge leg and an ac capacitor is integrated in the single-phase quasi-Z-source inverter (qZSI) in this paper to avoid the second harmonic power flowing into the dc side. The capacitor of APF buffers the second harmonic power of the load, and the ac capacitor allows highly pulsating ac voltage, so that the capacitances of both dc and ac sides can be small. A model predictive direct power control (DPC) is further proposed to achieve the purpose of this newtopology through predicting the capacitor voltage of APF at eachmore » sampling period and ensuring the APF power to track the second harmonic power of single-phase qZSI. Simulation and experimental results verify the model predictive DPC for the APF-integrated single-phase qZSI.« less

Model predictive direct power control for active power decoupled single-phase quasi- Z -source inverter

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

Liu, Yushan; Ge, Baoming; Abu-Rub, Haitham

In this study, the active power filter (APF) that consists of a half-bridge leg and an ac capacitor is integrated in the single-phase quasi-Z-source inverter (qZSI) in this paper to avoid the second harmonic power flowing into the dc side. The capacitor of APF buffers the second harmonic power of the load, and the ac capacitor allows highly pulsating ac voltage, so that the capacitances of both dc and ac sides can be small. A model predictive direct power control (DPC) is further proposed to achieve the purpose of this newtopology through predicting the capacitor voltage of APF at eachmore » sampling period and ensuring the APF power to track the second harmonic power of single-phase qZSI. Simulation and experimental results verify the model predictive DPC for the APF-integrated single-phase qZSI.« less

Multifunctional picoliter droplet manipulation platform and its application in single cell analysis.

PubMed

Gu, Shu-Qing; Zhang, Yun-Xia; Zhu, Ying; Du, Wen-Bin; Yao, Bo; Fang, Qun

2011-10-01

We developed an automated and multifunctional microfluidic platform based on DropLab to perform flexible generation and complex manipulations of picoliter-scale droplets. Multiple manipulations including precise droplet generation, sequential reagent merging, and multistep solid-phase extraction for picoliter-scale droplets could be achieved in the present platform. The system precision in generating picoliter-scale droplets was significantly improved by minimizing the thermo-induced fluctuation of flow rate. A novel droplet fusion technique based on the difference of droplet interfacial tensions was developed without the need of special microchannel networks or external devices. It enabled sequential addition of reagents to droplets on demand for multistep reactions. We also developed an effective picoliter-scale droplet splitting technique with magnetic actuation. The difficulty in phase separation of magnetic beads from picoliter-scale droplets due to the high interfacial tension was overcome using ferromagnetic particles to carry the magnetic beads to pass through the phase interface. With this technique, multistep solid-phase extraction was achieved among picoliter-scale droplets. The present platform had the ability to perform complex multistep manipulations to picoliter-scale droplets, which is particularly required for single cell analysis. Its utility and potentials in single cell analysis were preliminarily demonstrated in achieving high-efficiency single-cell encapsulation, enzyme activity assay at the single cell level, and especially, single cell DNA purification based on solid-phase extraction.

FIELD IMPLEMENTATION OF A WINSOR TYPE I SURFACTANT/ALCOHOL MIXTURE FOR IN SITU SOLUBILIZATION OF A COMPLEX LNAPL AS A SINGLE-PHASE MICROEMULSION

EPA Science Inventory

A Winsor Type I surfactant/alcohol mixture was used as an in situ flushing agent to solubilize a muticomponent nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) as a single-phase microemulsion (SPME) in a hydraulically isolated test cell at Hill Air Force Base (AFB), Utah. The surfactant (polyoxye...

Phase coexistence and domain configuration in Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-0.34PbTiO{sub 3} single crystal revealed by synchrotron-based X-ray diffractive three-dimensional reciprocal space mapping and piezoresponse force microscopy

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

Wang, Ruixue; Yang, Bin, E-mail: binyang@hit.edu.cn; Sun, Enwei

The crystalline phases and domain configuration in the morphotropic phase boundary composition Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-0.34PbTiO{sub 3} (PMN-0.34PT) single crystal have been investigated by synchrotron-based X-ray 3D Reciprocal Space Mapping (3D-RSM) and Piezoresponse Force Microscopy. The coexistence of tetragonal (T) and monoclinic M{sub C} phases in this PMN-0.34PT single crystal is confirmed. The affiliation of each diffraction spot in the 3D-RSM was identified with the assistance of qualitative simulation. Most importantly, the twinning structure between different domains in such a mixed phase PMN-PT crystal is firmly clarified, and the spatial distribution of different twin domains is demonstrated. In addition, themore » lattice parameters of T and M{sub C} phases in PMN-0.34PT single crystal as well as the tilting angles of crystal lattices caused by the interfacial lattice mismatch are determined.« less

Heavy ion irradiations on synthetic hollandite-type materials: Ba1.0Cs0.3A2.3Ti5.7O16 (A=Cr, Fe, Al)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Ming; Tumurugoti, Priyatham; Clark, Braeden; Sundaram, S. K.; Amoroso, Jake; Marra, James; Sun, Cheng; Lu, Ping; Wang, Yongqiang; Jiang, Ying.-Bing.

2016-07-01

The hollandite supergroup of minerals has received considerable attention as a nuclear waste form for immobilization of Cs. The radiation stability of synthetic hollandite-type compounds described generally as Ba1.0Cs0.3A2.3Ti5.7O16 (A=Cr, Fe, Al) were evaluated by heavy ion (Kr) irradiations on polycrystalline single phase materials and multiphase materials incorporating the hollandite phases. Ion irradiation damage effects on these samples were examined using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Single phase compounds possess tetragonal structure with space group I4/m. GIXRD and TEM observations revealed that 600 keV Kr irradiation-induced amorphization on single phase hollandites compounds occurred at a fluence between 2.5×1014 Kr/cm2 and 5×1014 Kr/cm2. The critical amorphization fluence of single phase hollandite compounds obtained by in situ 1 MeV Kr ion irradiation was around 3.25×1014 Kr/cm2. The hollandite phase exhibited similar amorphization susceptibility under Kr ion irradiation when incorporated into a multiphase system.

Phase-encoded single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy for suppressing outer volume signals at 7 Tesla.

PubMed

Li, Ningzhi; An, Li; Johnson, Christopher; Shen, Jun

2017-01-01

Due to imperfect slice profiles, unwanted signals from outside the selected voxel may significantly contaminate metabolite signals acquired using in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). The use of outer volume suppression may exceed the SAR threshold, especially at high field. We propose using phase-encoding gradients after radiofrequency (RF) excitation to spatially encode unwanted signals originating from outside of the selected single voxel. Phase-encoding gradients were added to a standard single voxel point-resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) sequence which selects a 2 × 2 × 2 cm 3 voxel. Subsequent spatial Fourier transform was used to encode outer volume signals. Phantom and in vivo experiments were performed using both phase-encoded PRESS and standard PRESS at 7 Tesla. Quantification was performed using fitting software developed in-house. Both phantom and in vivo studies showed that spectra from the phase-encoded PRESS sequence were relatively immune from contamination by oil signals and have more accurate quantification results than spectra from standard PRESS spectra of the same voxel. The proposed phase-encoded single-voxel PRESS method can significantly suppress outer volume signals that may appear in the spectra of standard PRESS without increasing RF power deposition.

Solvent extraction system for plutonium colloids and other oxide nano-particles

DOEpatents

Soderholm, Lynda; Wilson, Richard E; Chiarizia, Renato; Skanthakumar, Suntharalingam

2014-06-03

The invention provides a method for extracting plutonium from spent nuclear fuel, the method comprising supplying plutonium in a first aqueous phase; contacting the plutonium aqueous phase with a mixture of a dielectric and a moiety having a first acidity so as to allow the plutonium to substantially extract into the mixture; and contacting the extracted plutonium with second a aqueous phase, wherein the second aqueous phase has a second acidity higher than the first acidity, so as to allow the extracted plutonium to extract into the second aqueous phase. The invented method facilitates isolation of plutonium polymer without the formation of crud or unwanted emulsions.

Heavy ion irradiations on synthetic hollandite-type materials: Ba{sub 1.0}Cs{sub 0.3}A{sub 2.3}Ti{sub 5.7}O{sub 16} (A=Cr, Fe, Al)

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

Tang, Ming, E-mail: mtang@lanl.gov; Tumurugoti, Priyatham; Clark, Braeden

2016-07-15

The hollandite supergroup of minerals has received considerable attention as a nuclear waste form for immobilization of Cs. The radiation stability of synthetic hollandite-type compounds described generally as Ba{sub 1.0}Cs{sub 0.3}A{sub 2.3}Ti{sub 5.7}O{sub 16} (A=Cr, Fe, Al) were evaluated by heavy ion (Kr) irradiations on polycrystalline single phase materials and multiphase materials incorporating the hollandite phases. Ion irradiation damage effects on these samples were examined using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Single phase compounds possess tetragonal structure with space group I4/m. GIXRD and TEM observations revealed that 600 keV Kr irradiation-induced amorphization on single phasemore » hollandites compounds occurred at a fluence between 2.5×10{sup 14} Kr/cm{sup 2} and 5×10{sup 14} Kr/cm{sup 2}. The critical amorphization fluence of single phase hollandite compounds obtained by in situ 1 MeV Kr ion irradiation was around 3.25×10{sup 14} Kr/cm{sup 2}. The hollandite phase exhibited similar amorphization susceptibility under Kr ion irradiation when incorporated into a multiphase system. - Graphical abstract: 600 keV Kr irradiation-induced amorphization on single phase hollandites compounds occurred at a fluence between 2.5×10{sup 14} Kr/cm{sup 2} and 5×10{sup 14} Kr/cm{sup 2}. The hollandite phase exhibited similar amorphization susceptibility under Kr ion irradiation when incorporated into a multiphase system. This is also the first time that the critical amorphization fluence of single phase hollandite compounds were determined at a fluence of around 3.25×10{sup 14} Kr/cm{sup 2} by in situ 1 MeV Kr ion irradiation. Display Omitted.« less

Tutorial on Quantification of Differences between Single- and Two-Component Two-Phase Flow and Heat Transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delil, A. A. M.

2003-01-01

Single-component two-phase systems are envisaged for aerospace thermal control applications: Mechanically Pumped Loops, Vapour Pressure Driven Loops, Capillary Pumped Loops and Loop Heat Pipes. Thermal control applications are foreseen in different gravity environments: Micro-g, reduced-g for Mars or Moon bases, 1-g during terrestrial testing, and hyper-g in rotating spacecraft, during combat aircraft manoeuvres and in systems for outer planets. In the evaporator, adiabatic line and condenser sections of such single-component two-phase systems, the fluid is a mixture of the working liquid (for example ammonia, carbon dioxide, ethanol, or other refrigerants, etc.) and its saturated vapour. Results of two-phase two-component flow and heat transfer research (pertaining to liquid-gas mixtures, e.g. water/air, or argon or helium) are often applied to support research on flow and heat transfer in two-phase single-component systems. The first part of the tutorial updates the contents of two earlier tutorials, discussing various aerospace-related two-phase flow and heat transfer research. It deals with the different pressure gradient constituents of the total pressure gradient, with flow regime mapping (including evaporating and condensing flow trajectories in the flow pattern maps), with adiabatic flow and flashing, and with thermal-gravitational scaling issues. The remaining part of the tutorial qualitatively and quantitatively determines the differences between single- and two-component systems: Two systems that physically look similar and close, but in essence are fully different. It was already elucidated earlier that, though there is a certain degree of commonality, the differences will be anything but negligible, in many cases. These differences (quantified by some examples) illustrates how careful one shall be in interpreting data resulting from two-phase two-component simulations or experiments, for the development of single-component two-phase thermal control systems for various gravity environments.

Single-phase helium recooling in a Tevatron spool piece

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

Klebaner, A.L.

2000-01-27

Plans call for upgrading existing Tevatron spool pieces by adding a single-phase to two-phase heat exchanger or recooler. This will enhance the single-phase to two-phase heat transfer and, along with other upgrades, allow for higher energy beam in the upcoming run. The performance of the heat exchanger was predicted numerically using a multi-node finite difference model. One Tevatron spool piece was modified to incorporate the recooler. Performance tests were conducted on this modified spool at the Magnet Test Facility within Technical Division in March and April 1999. The present paper reviews the design of the Tevatron spool recooler. The discussionmore » includes: a technical description of a Tevatron spool; the heat exchanger mathematical model; design criteria and constraints; fabrication and assembly procedure; tests and performance analysis.« less

The functional significance of cortical reorganization and the parallel development of CI therapy

PubMed Central

Taub, Edward; Uswatte, Gitendra; Mark, Victor W.

2014-01-01

For the nineteenth and the better part of the twentieth centuries two correlative beliefs were strongly held by almost all neuroscientists and practitioners in the field of neurorehabilitation. The first was that after maturity the adult CNS was hardwired and fixed, and second that in the chronic phase after CNS injury no substantial recovery of function could take place no matter what intervention was employed. However, in the last part of the twentieth century evidence began to accumulate that neither belief was correct. First, in the 1960s and 1970s, in research with primates given a surgical abolition of somatic sensation from a single forelimb, which rendered the extremity useless, it was found that behavioral techniques could convert the limb into an extremity that could be used extensively. Beginning in the late 1980s, the techniques employed with deafferented monkeys were translated into a rehabilitation treatment, termed Constraint Induced Movement therapy or CI therapy, for substantially improving the motor deficit in humans of the upper and lower extremities in the chronic phase after stroke. CI therapy has been applied successfully to other types of damage to the CNS such as traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury, and it has also been used to improve function in focal hand dystonia and for aphasia after stroke. As this work was proceeding, it was being shown during the 1980s and 1990s that sustained modulation of afferent input could alter the structure of the CNS and that this topographic reorganization could have relevance to the function of the individual. The alteration in these once fundamental beliefs has given rise to important recent developments in neuroscience and neurorehabilitation and holds promise for further increasing our understanding of CNS function and extending the boundaries of what is possible in neurorehabilitation. PMID:25018720

Effects of high intensity noise on the vestibular system in rats

PubMed Central

Stewart, Courtney; Yu, Yue; Huang, Jun; Maklad, Adel; Tang, Xuehui; Allison, Jerome; Mustain, William; Zhou, Wu; Zhu, Hong

2016-01-01

Some individuals with noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) also report balance problems. These accompanying vestibular complaints are not well understood. The present study used a rat model to examine the effects of noise exposure on the vestibular system. Rats were exposed to continuous broadband white noise (0–24kHz) at an intensity of 116dB sound pressure level (SPL) via insert ear phones in one ear for three hours under isoflurane anesthesia. Seven days after the exposure, a significant increase in ABR threshold (43.3±1.9dB) was observed in the noise-exposed ears, indicating hearing loss. Effects of noise exposure on vestibular function were assessed by three approaches. First, fluorescein-conjugated phalloidin staining was used to assess vestibular stereocilia following noise exposure. This analysis revealed substantial sensory stereocilia bundle loss in the saccular and utricular maculae as well as in the anterior and horizontal semicircular canal cristae, but not in the posterior semicircular canal cristae. Second, single unit recording of vestibular afferent activity was performed under pentobarbital anesthesia. A total of 548 afferents were recorded from 10 noise-treated rats and 12 control rats. Noise exposure produced a moderate reduction in baseline firing rates of regular otolith afferents and anterior semicircular canal afferents. Also a moderate change was noted in the gain and phase of the horizontal and anterior semicircular canal afferent’s response to sinusoidal head rotation (1 and 2Hz, 45 degrees/s peak velocity). Third, noise exposure did not result in significant changes in gain or phase of the horizontal rotational and translational vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR). These results suggest that noise exposure not only causes hearing loss, but also causes substantial damage in the peripheral vestibular system in the absence of immediate clinically measurable vestibular signs. These peripheral deficits, however, may lead to vestibular disorders over time. PMID:26970474

Preparative crystallization of a single chain antibody using an aqueous two-phase system.

PubMed

Huettmann, Hauke; Berkemeyer, Matthias; Buchinger, Wolfgang; Jungbauer, Alois

2014-11-01

A simultaneous crystallization and aqueous two-phase extraction of a single chain antibody was developed, demonstrating process integration. The process conditions were designed to form an aqueous two-phase system, and to favor crystallization, using sodium sulfate and PEG-2000. At sufficiently high concentrations of PEG, a second phase was generated in which the protein crystallization occurred simultaneously. The single chain antibody crystals were partitioned to the top, polyethylene glycol-rich phase. The crystal nucleation took place in the sodium sulfate-rich phase and at the phase boundary, whereas crystal growth was progressing mainly in the polyethylene glycol-rich phase. The crystals in the polyethylene glycol-rich phase grew to a size of >50 µm. Additionally, polyethylene glycol acted as an anti-solvent, thus, it influenced the crystallization yield. A phase diagram with an undersaturation zone, crystallization area, and amorphous precipitation zone was established. Only small differences in polyethylene glycol concentration caused significant shifts of the crystallization yield. An increase of the polyethylene glycol content from 2% (w/v) to 4% (w/v) increased the yield from approximately 63-87%, respectively. Our results show that crystallization in aqueous two-phase systems is an opportunity to foster process integration. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Elastic excitations in BaTiO3 single crystals and ceramics: Mobile domain boundaries and polar nanoregions observed by resonant ultrasonic spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salje, Ekhard K. H.; Carpenter, Michael A.; Nataf, Guillaume F.; Picht, Gunnar; Webber, Kyle; Weerasinghe, Jeevaka; Lisenkov, S.; Bellaiche, L.

2013-01-01

The dynamic properties of elastic domain walls in BaTiO3 were investigated using resonance ultrasonic spectroscopy (RUS). The sequence of phase transitions is characterized by minima in the temperature dependence of RUS resonance frequencies and changes in Q factors (resonance damping). Damping is related to the friction of mobile twin boundaries (90° ferroelectric walls) and distorted polar nanoregions (PNRs) in the cubic phase. Damping is largest in the tetragonal phase of ceramic materials but very low in single crystals. Damping is also small in the low-temperature phases of the ceramic sample and slightly increases with decreasing temperature in the single crystal. The phase angle between the real and imaginary part of the dynamic response function changes drastically in the cubic and tetragonal phases and remains constant in the orthorhombic phase. Other phases show a moderate dependence of the phase angle on temperature showing systematic changes of twin microstructures. Mobile twin boundaries (or sections of twin boundaries such as kinks inside twin walls) contribute strongly to the energy dissipation of the forced oscillation while the reduction in effective modulus due to relaxing twin domains is weak. Single crystals and ceramics show strong precursor softening in the cubic phase related to polar nanoregions (PNRs). The effective modulus decreases when the transition point of the cubic-tetragonal transformation is approached from above. The precursor softening follows temperature dependence very similar to recent results from Brillouin scattering. Between the Burns temperature (≈586 K) and Tc at 405 K, we found a good fit of the squared RUS frequency [˜Δ (C11-C12)] to a Vogel-Fulcher process with an activation energy of ˜0.2 eV. Finally, some first-principles-based effective Hamiltonian computations were carried out in BaTiO3 single domains to explain some of these observations in terms of the dynamics of the soft mode and central mode.

Phase recovery from a single interferogram with closed fringes by phase unwrapping

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

Munoz-Maciel, Jesus; Casillas-Rodriguez, Francisco J.; Mora-Gonzalez, Miguel

2011-01-01

We describe a new algorithm for phase determination from a single interferogram with closed fringes based on an unwrapping procedure. Here we use bandpass filtering in the Fourier domain, obtaining two wrapped phases with sign changes corresponding to the orientation of the applied filters. An unwrapping scheme that corrects the sign ambiguities by comparing the local derivatives is then proposed. This can be done, assuming that the phase derivatives do not change abruptly among adjacent areas as occurs with smooth continuous phase maps. The proposed algorithm works fast and is robust against noise, as demonstrated in experimental and simulated data.

Physical properties of V 1-xTi xO₂ (0 < x < 0.187) single crystals

DOE PAGES

Kong, Tai; Masters, Morgan W.; Bud’ko, Sergey L.; ...

2015-02-13

Free standing, low strain, single crystals of pure and titanium doped VO₂ were grown out of an excess of V ₂O₅ using high temperature solution growth techniques. At T MI ~ 340 K, pure VO₂ exhibits a clear first-order phase transition from a high-temperature paramagnetic tetragonal phase (R) to a low-temperature non-magnetic monoclinic phase (M1). With Ti doping, another monoclinic phase (M2) emerges between the R and M1 phases. The phase transition temperature between R and M2 increases with increasing Ti doping while the transition temperature between M2 and M1 decreases.

Inner-volume echo volumar imaging (IVEVI) for robust fetal brain imaging.

PubMed

Nunes, Rita G; Ferrazzi, Giulio; Price, Anthony N; Hutter, Jana; Gaspar, Andreia S; Rutherford, Mary A; Hajnal, Joseph V

2018-07-01

Fetal functional MRI studies using conventional 2-dimensional single-shot echo-planar imaging sequences may require discarding a large data fraction as a result of fetal and maternal motion. Increasing the temporal resolution using echo volumar imaging (EVI) could provide an effective alternative strategy. Echo volumar imaging was combined with inner volume (IV) imaging (IVEVI) to locally excite the fetal brain and acquire full 3-dimensional images, fast enough to freeze most fetal head motion. IVEVI was implemented by modifying a standard multi-echo echo-planar imaging sequence. A spin echo with orthogonal excitation and refocusing ensured localized excitation. To introduce T2* weighting and to save time, the k-space center was shifted relative to the spin echo. Both single and multi-shot variants were tested. Acoustic noise was controlled by adjusting the amplitude and switching frequency of the readout gradient. Image-based shimming was used to minimize B 0 inhomogeneities within the fetal brain. The sequence was first validated in an adult. Eight fetuses were scanned using single-shot IVEVI at a 3.5 × 3.5 × 5.0 mm 3 resolution with a readout duration of 383 ms. Multishot IVEVI showed reduced geometric distortions along the second phase-encode direction. Fetal EVI remains challenging. Although effective echo times comparable to the T2* values of fetal cortical gray matter at 3 T could be achieved, controlling acoustic noise required longer readouts, leading to substantial distortions in single-shot images. Although multishot variants enabled us to reduce susceptibility-induced geometric distortions, sensitivity to motion was increased. Future studies should therefore focus on improvements to multishot variants. Magn Reson Med 80:279-285, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Competition between the sperm of a single male can increase the evolutionary rate of haploid expressed genes.

PubMed

Ezawa, Kiyoshi; Innan, Hideki

2013-07-01

The population genetic behavior of mutations in sperm genes is theoretically investigated. We modeled the processes at two levels. One is the standard population genetic process, in which the population allele frequencies change generation by generation, depending on the difference in selective advantages. The other is the sperm competition during each genetic transmission from one generation to the next generation. For the sperm competition process, we formulate the situation where a huge number of sperm with alleles A and B, produced by a single heterozygous male, compete to fertilize a single egg. This "minimal model" demonstrates that a very slight difference in sperm performance amounts to quite a large difference between the alleles' winning probabilities. By incorporating this effect of paternity-sharing sperm competition into the standard population genetic process, we show that fierce sperm competition can enhance the fixation probability of a mutation with a very small phenotypic effect at the single-sperm level, suggesting a contribution of sperm competition to rapid amino acid substitutions in haploid-expressed sperm genes. Considering recent genome-wide demonstrations that a substantial fraction of the mammalian sperm genes are haploid expressed, our model could provide a potential explanation of rapid evolution of sperm genes with a wide variety of functions (as long as they are expressed in the haploid phase). Another advantage of our model is that it is applicable to a wide range of species, irrespective of whether the species is externally fertilizing, polygamous, or monogamous. The theoretical result was applied to mammalian data to estimate the selection intensity on nonsynonymous mutations in sperm genes.

Competition Between the Sperm of a Single Male Can Increase the Evolutionary Rate of Haploid Expressed Genes

PubMed Central

Ezawa, Kiyoshi; Innan, Hideki

2013-01-01

The population genetic behavior of mutations in sperm genes is theoretically investigated. We modeled the processes at two levels. One is the standard population genetic process, in which the population allele frequencies change generation by generation, depending on the difference in selective advantages. The other is the sperm competition during each genetic transmission from one generation to the next generation. For the sperm competition process, we formulate the situation where a huge number of sperm with alleles A and B, produced by a single heterozygous male, compete to fertilize a single egg. This “minimal model” demonstrates that a very slight difference in sperm performance amounts to quite a large difference between the alleles’ winning probabilities. By incorporating this effect of paternity-sharing sperm competition into the standard population genetic process, we show that fierce sperm competition can enhance the fixation probability of a mutation with a very small phenotypic effect at the single-sperm level, suggesting a contribution of sperm competition to rapid amino acid substitutions in haploid-expressed sperm genes. Considering recent genome-wide demonstrations that a substantial fraction of the mammalian sperm genes are haploid expressed, our model could provide a potential explanation of rapid evolution of sperm genes with a wide variety of functions (as long as they are expressed in the haploid phase). Another advantage of our model is that it is applicable to a wide range of species, irrespective of whether the species is externally fertilizing, polygamous, or monogamous. The theoretical result was applied to mammalian data to estimate the selection intensity on nonsynonymous mutations in sperm genes. PMID:23666936

Contribution of LFP dynamics to single-neuron spiking variability in motor cortex during movement execution

PubMed Central

Rule, Michael E.; Vargas-Irwin, Carlos; Donoghue, John P.; Truccolo, Wilson

2015-01-01

Understanding the sources of variability in single-neuron spiking responses is an important open problem for the theory of neural coding. This variability is thought to result primarily from spontaneous collective dynamics in neuronal networks. Here, we investigate how well collective dynamics reflected in motor cortex local field potentials (LFPs) can account for spiking variability during motor behavior. Neural activity was recorded via microelectrode arrays implanted in ventral and dorsal premotor and primary motor cortices of non-human primates performing naturalistic 3-D reaching and grasping actions. Point process models were used to quantify how well LFP features accounted for spiking variability not explained by the measured 3-D reach and grasp kinematics. LFP features included the instantaneous magnitude, phase and analytic-signal components of narrow band-pass filtered (δ,θ,α,β) LFPs, and analytic signal and amplitude envelope features in higher-frequency bands. Multiband LFP features predicted single-neuron spiking (1ms resolution) with substantial accuracy as assessed via ROC analysis. Notably, however, models including both LFP and kinematics features displayed marginal improvement over kinematics-only models. Furthermore, the small predictive information added by LFP features to kinematic models was redundant to information available in fast-timescale (<100 ms) spiking history. Overall, information in multiband LFP features, although predictive of single-neuron spiking during movement execution, was redundant to information available in movement parameters and spiking history. Our findings suggest that, during movement execution, collective dynamics reflected in motor cortex LFPs primarily relate to sensorimotor processes directly controlling movement output, adding little explanatory power to variability not accounted by movement parameters. PMID:26157365

Tuning the functional properties of PMN-PT single crystals via doping and thermoelectrical treatments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Laihui; Dietze, Matthias; Solterbeck, Claus-Henning; Luo, Haosu; Es-Souni, Mohammed

2013-12-01

Single crystals based on solid solutions of lead-magnesium-niobate (PMN) and lead titanate (PT) have emerged as highly promising multifunctional systems combining piezoelectric, pyroelectric, and electro-optic properties that surpass by far those of the best known lead-zirkonium-titanate ceramics. In this paper we present new findings on how the phase transition temperature and the dielectric and ferroelectric properties can be tuned depending on crystal composition, orientation, and thermoelectrical treatment. Mn-doped and pure 0.72PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3-0.28PbTiO3 (0.72PMN-0.28PT) single crystals with ⟨111⟩ and ⟨001⟩ orientations were investigated. A special attention was devoted to field cooling (FC), i.e., cooling under electric field from different temperatures. The results illustrate different findings that were not reported before: the Curie temperature, i.e., ferroelectric-paraelectric transition temperature, is enhanced after field cooling of the Mn-doped, ⟨001⟩-oriented crystal while such a shift is not observed in the ⟨111⟩-oriented and the non-doped crystals. In addition, substantial polarization suppression occurs in the Mn-doped crystals upon FC from high temperature regardless of orientation. Based on piezoforce microscopy of the domain structure that shows suppression of domain growth following field cooling from 200 °C, we propose a mechanism for polarization suppression based on domain pinning by charged defects. The practical importance of our results lies in showing the opportunity offered by a proper choice of crystal composition and poling conditions for tuning the functional properties of PMN-PT single crystals for a specific application. This should contribute to the understanding of their properties towards advanced sensor and transducers devices.

Fabrication of single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors by a new modified TSIG technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, W. M.; Zhi, X.; Chen, S. L.; Wang, M.; Li, J. W.; Ma, J.; Chao, X. X.

2014-01-01

Single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors have been fabricated with new and traditional solid phases by a top seeded infiltration and growth (TSIG) process technique. In the conventional TSIG process, three types of powders, such as Gd2BaCuO5, GdBa2Cu3O7-x and Ba3Cu5O8, must be prepared, but in our new modified TSIG technique, only BaCuO2 powders are required during the fabrication of the single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors. The solid phase used in the conventional process is Gd2BaCuO5 instead of the solid phase (Gd2O3 + BaCuO2) utilized in the new process. The liquid phase used in the conventional process is a mixture of (GdBa2Cu3O7-x + Ba3Cu5O8), and the liquid phase in the new process is a mixture of (Gd2O3 + 10BaCuO2 + 6CuO). Single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors have been fabricated with the new solid and liquid phases. The levitation force of the GdBCO bulk samples fabricated by the new solid phase is 28 N, which is slightly higher than that of the samples fabricated using the conventional solid phases (26 N). The microstructure and the levitation force of the samples indicate that this new method can greatly simplify the fabrication process, introduce nanometer-sized flux centers, improve the levitation force and working efficiency, and greatly reduce the cost of fabrication of single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors by the TSIG process.

Clinical operations management in radiology.

PubMed

Ondategui-Parra, Silvia; Gill, Ileana E; Bhagwat, Jui G; Intrieri, Lisa A; Gogate, Adheet; Zou, Kelly H; Nathanson, Eric; Seltzer, Steven E; Ros, Pablo R

2004-09-01

Providing radiology services is a complex and technically demanding enterprise in which the application of operations management (OM) tools can play a substantial role in process management and improvement. This paper considers the benefits of an OM process in a radiology setting. Available techniques and concepts of OM are addressed, along with gains and benefits that can be derived from these processes. A reference framework for the radiology processes is described, distinguishing two phases in the initial assessment of a unit: the diagnostic phase and the redesign phase.

26 CFR 26.2654-1 - Certain trusts treated as separate trusts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 14 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Certain trusts treated as separate trusts. 26... 1986 § 26.2654-1 Certain trusts treated as separate trusts. (a) Single trust treated as separate trusts—(1) Substantially separate and independent shares—(i) In general. If a single trust consists solely...

Erratum: Retraction Note to: Two-Dimensional Simulation of Percolation Structure in Two-Phase Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Soon-Gi

2018-03-01

This article [1] has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Concerns were raised regarding substantial duplications with previous articles published in other journals. After a thorough analysis, we conclude that the concerns are valid. The article contains sections that substantially overlap with the following published article [2] (amongst others). S.-G. Shin has not responded to correspondence from the Editor about this retraction.

Response of an all digital phase-locked loop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garodnick, J.; Greco, J.; Schilling, D. L.

1974-01-01

An all digital phase-locked loop (DPLL) is designed, analyzed, and tested. Three specific configurations are considered, generating first, second, and third order DPLL's; and it is found, using a computer simulation of a noise spike, and verified experimentally, that of these configurations the second-order system is optimum from the standpoint of threshold extension. This substantiates results obtained for analog PLL's.

47 CFR 90.709 - Special limitations on amendment of applications and on assignment or transfer of authorizations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... as the applicant; (2) Any application to assign or transfer a license for a Phase I, non-nationwide... assign a license for a Phase I nationwide system before the licensee has constructed at least 40 percent... request to amend an application or to transfer or assign a license does not involve a substantial change...

47 CFR 90.709 - Special limitations on amendment of applications and on assignment or transfer of authorizations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... as the applicant; (2) Any application to assign or transfer a license for a Phase I, non-nationwide... assign a license for a Phase I nationwide system before the licensee has constructed at least 40 percent... request to amend an application or to transfer or assign a license does not involve a substantial change...

Thermal battery. [solid metal halide electrolytes with enhanced electrical conductance after a phase transition

DOEpatents

Carlsten, R.W.; Nissen, D.A.

1973-03-06

The patent describes an improved thermal battery whose novel design eliminates various disadvantages of previous such devices. Its major features include a halide cathode, a solid metal halide electrolyte which has a substantially greater electrical conductance after a phase transition at some temperature, and a means for heating its electrochemical cells to activation temperature.

A dark incubation period is important for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of mature internode explants of sweet orange, grapefruit, citron, and a citrange rootstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Citrus has an extended juvenile phase and trees can take 2-20 years to transition to the adult reproductive phase and produce fruit. For citrus variety development this substantially prolongs the time before adult traits, such as fruit yield and quality, can be evaluated. Methods to...

Continuous-Wave Single-Frequency Operation of Fabry-Perot Laser Diodes by Self-Injection Phase Locking Using Feedback from a Fiber Bragg Grating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duerksen, Gary L.; Krainak, Michael A.

1998-01-01

Single-frequency operation of uncoated Fabry-Perot laser diodes is demonstrated by phase- locking the laser oscillations through self-injection seeding with feedback from a fiber Bragg grating. By precisely tuning the laser temperature so that an axial-mode coincides with the short-wavelength band edge of the grating, the phase of the feedback is made conjugate to that of the axial mode, locking the phase of the laser oscillations to that mode.

Enhancement of bronze alloy surface properties by FSP second-phase particle incorporation

DOE PAGES

Ajayi, O. O.; Lorenzo-Martin, Cinta

2017-06-15

This study presents results of an experimental study to evaluate friction stir processing (FSP) with and without hard second-phase particle incorporation as a means to enhance surface properties and wear performance of C86300 manganese bronze alloy. FSP of flat bronze alloy specimens was conducted with hardened H-13 tool steel to create a 3-mm-thick processed surface layer. The process was also used to incorporate B 4C particles, thereby creating a metal-matrix composite layer on the alloy surface. FSP alone was observed to produce substantial reduction in grain size (from an initial value of 350 mu m to 1-5 μm). FSP withoutmore » particle incorporation resulted in modest surface hardening due to grain refinement and dispersion hardening. Under lubricated contact in block-on-ring testing with a hardened steel counter face, FSP produced substantial reduction (about 3X) in bronze wear after polishing of processing surface roughening. FSP with hard B 4C second-phase particle incorporation further reduced wear by up to 20X. The improvement in wear behavior is attributed to grain refinement and load shielding by second-phase particles, as determined by wear mechanism analysis.« less

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

Sundaramurthi, Prakash; Patapoff, Thomas W.; Suryanarayanan, Raj

To study the crystallization of trehalose in frozen solutions and to understand the phase transitions during the entire freeze-drying cycle. Aqueous trehalose solution was cooled to -40 C in a custom-designed sample holder. The frozen solution was warmed to -18 C and annealed, and then dried in the sample chamber of the diffractometer. XRD patterns were continuously collected during cooling, annealing and drying. After cooling, hexagonal ice was the only crystalline phase observed. However, upon annealing, crystallization of trehalose dihydrate was evident. Seeding the frozen solution accelerated the solute crystallization. Thus, phase separation of the lyoprotectant was observed in frozenmore » solutions. During drying, dehydration of trehalose dihydrate yielded a substantially amorphous anhydrous trehalose. Crystallization of trehalose, as trehalose dihydrate, was observed in frozen solutions. The dehydration of the crystalline trehalose dihydrate to substantially amorphous anhydrate occurred during drying. Therefore, analyzing the final lyophile will not reveal crystallization of the lyoprotectant during freeze-drying. The lyoprotectant crystallization can only become evident by continuous monitoring of the system during the entire freeze-drying cycle. In light of the phase separation of trehalose in frozen solutions, its ability to serve as a lyoprotectant warrants further investigation.« less

Modeling Bi-modality Improves Characterization of Cell Cycle on Gene Expression in Single Cells

PubMed Central

Danaher, Patrick; Finak, Greg; Krouse, Michael; Wang, Alice; Webster, Philippa; Beechem, Joseph; Gottardo, Raphael

2014-01-01

Advances in high-throughput, single cell gene expression are allowing interrogation of cell heterogeneity. However, there is concern that the cell cycle phase of a cell might bias characterizations of gene expression at the single-cell level. We assess the effect of cell cycle phase on gene expression in single cells by measuring 333 genes in 930 cells across three phases and three cell lines. We determine each cell's phase non-invasively without chemical arrest and use it as a covariate in tests of differential expression. We observe bi-modal gene expression, a previously-described phenomenon, wherein the expression of otherwise abundant genes is either strongly positive, or undetectable within individual cells. This bi-modality is likely both biologically and technically driven. Irrespective of its source, we show that it should be modeled to draw accurate inferences from single cell expression experiments. To this end, we propose a semi-continuous modeling framework based on the generalized linear model, and use it to characterize genes with consistent cell cycle effects across three cell lines. Our new computational framework improves the detection of previously characterized cell-cycle genes compared to approaches that do not account for the bi-modality of single-cell data. We use our semi-continuous modelling framework to estimate single cell gene co-expression networks. These networks suggest that in addition to having phase-dependent shifts in expression (when averaged over many cells), some, but not all, canonical cell cycle genes tend to be co-expressed in groups in single cells. We estimate the amount of single cell expression variability attributable to the cell cycle. We find that the cell cycle explains only 5%–17% of expression variability, suggesting that the cell cycle will not tend to be a large nuisance factor in analysis of the single cell transcriptome. PMID:25032992

A Comparison between Growth Morphology of "Eutectic" Cells/Dendrites and Single-Phase Cells/Dendrites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tewari, S. N.; Raj, S. V.; Locci, I. E.

2003-01-01

Directionally solidified (DS) intermetallic and ceramic-based eutectic alloys with an in-situ composite microstructure containing finely distributed, long aspect ratio, fiber, or plate reinforcements are being seriously examined for several advanced aero-propulsion applications. In designing these alloys, additional solutes need to be added to the base eutectic composition in order to improve heir high-temperature strength, and provide for adequate toughness and resistance to environmental degradation. Solute addition, however, promotes instability at the planar liquid-solid interface resulting in the formation of two-phase eutectic "colonies." Because morphology of eutectic colonies is very similar to the single-phase cells and dendrites, the stability analysis of Mullins and Sekerka has been extended to describe their formation. Onset of their formation shows a good agreement with this approach; however, unlike the single-phase cells and dendrites, there is limited examination of their growth speed dependence of spacing, morphology, and spatial distribution. The purpose of this study is to compare the growth speed dependence of the morphology, spacing, and spatial distribution of eutectic cells and dendrites with that for the single-phase cells and dendrites.