Using tobacco mosaic virus to probe enhanced surface diffusion of molecular glasses.

PubMed

Zhang, Yue; Potter, Richard; Zhang, William; Fakhraai, Zahra

2016-11-09

Recent studies have shown that diffusion on the surface of organic glasses can be many orders of magnitude faster than bulk diffusion. Developing new probes that can readily measure surface diffusion can help study the effect of parameters such as chemical structure, intermolecular interaction, molecules' shape and size on the enhanced surface diffusion. In this study, we develop a novel probe that significantly simplifies these types of studies. Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is used as probe particle to measure surface diffusion coefficient of molecular glass N,N'-bis(3-methylphenyl)-N,N'-diphenylbenzidine (TPD). The evolution of the meniscus formed around TMV is probed as a function of time at various temperatures. TMV has a well-defined, mono-dispersed, cylindrical shape, with a large aspect-ratio (average diameter of 16.6 nm, length of 300 nm). As such, the shape of the meniscus around the center of TMV is semi-two dimensional, which compared to using a nanosphere as probe, increases the driving force for meniscus formation and simplifies the analysis of surface diffusion. We show that under these conditions, after a short transient time the shape of the meniscus is self-similar, allowing accurate determination of the surface diffusion coefficient. Measurements at various temperatures are then performed to investigate the temperature dependence of the surface diffusion coefficient. It is found that surface diffusion is greatly enhanced in TPD and has a lower activation barrier compared to the bulk counterpart. These observations are consistent with previous studies of surface diffusion on molecular glasses, demonstrating the accuracy of this method.

Permeability, storage and hydraulic diffusivity controlled by earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodsky, E. E.; Fulton, P. M.; Xue, L.

2016-12-01

Earthquakes can increase permeability in fractured rocks. In the farfield, such permeability increases are attributed to seismic waves and can last for months after the initial earthquake. Laboratory studies suggest that unclogging of fractures by the transient flow driven by seismic waves is a viable mechanism. These dynamic permeability increases may contribute to permeability enhancement in the seismic clouds accompanying hydraulic fracking. Permeability enhancement by seismic waves could potentially be engineered and the experiments suggest the process will be most effective at a preferred frequency. We have recently observed similar processes inside active fault zones after major earthquakes. A borehole observatory in the fault that generated the M9.0 2011 Tohoku earthquake reveals a sequence of temperature pulses during the secondary aftershock sequence of an M7.3 aftershock. The pulses are attributed to fluid advection by a flow through a zone of transiently increased permeability. Directly after the M7.3 earthquake, the newly damaged fault zone is highly susceptible to further permeability enhancement, but ultimately heals within a month and becomes no longer as sensitive. The observation suggests that the newly damaged fault zone is more prone to fluid pulsing than would be expected based on the long-term permeability structure. Even longer term healing is seen inside the fault zone of the 2008 M7.9 Wenchuan earthquake. The competition between damage and healing (or clogging and unclogging) results in dynamically controlled permeability, storage and hydraulic diffusivity. Recent measurements of in situ fault zone architecture at the 1-10 meter scale suggest that active fault zones often have hydraulic diffusivities near 10-2 m2/s. This uniformity is true even within the damage zone of the San Andreas fault where permeability and storage increases balance each other to achieve this value of diffusivity over a 400 m wide region. We speculate that fault zones may evolve to a preferred diffusivity in a dynamic equilibrium.

Peclet number as affected by molecular diffusion controls transient anomalous transport in alluvial aquifer-aquitard complexes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yong; Green, Christopher T; Tick, Geoffrey R

2015-01-01

This study evaluates the role of the Peclet number as affected by molecular diffusion in transient anomalous transport, which is one of the major knowledge gaps in anomalous transport, by combining Monte Carlo simulations and stochastic model analysis. Two alluvial settings containing either short- or long-connected hydrofacies are generated and used as media for flow and transport modeling. Numerical experiments show that 1) the Peclet number affects both the duration of the power-law segment of tracer breakthrough curves (BTCs) and the transition rate from anomalous to Fickian transport by determining the solute residence time for a given low-permeability layer, 2) mechanical dispersion has a limited contribution to the anomalous characteristics of late-time transport as compared to molecular diffusion due to an almost negligible velocity in floodplain deposits, and 3) the initial source dimensions only enhance the power-law tail of the BTCs at short travel distances. A tempered stable stochastic (TSS) model is then applied to analyze the modeled transport. Applications show that the time-nonlocal parameters in the TSS model relate to the Peclet number, Pe. In particular, the truncation parameter in the TSS model increases nonlinearly with a decrease in Pe due to the decrease of the mean residence time, and the capacity coefficient increases with an increase in molecular diffusion which is probably due to the increase in the number of immobile particles. The above numerical experiments and stochastic analysis therefore reveal that the Peclet number as affected by molecular diffusion controls transient anomalous transport in alluvial aquifer-aquitard complexes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multispecies diffusion models: A study of uranyl species diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chongxuan; Shang, Jianying; Zachara, John M.

2011-12-01

Rigorous numerical description of multispecies diffusion requires coupling of species, charge, and aqueous and surface complexation reactions that collectively affect diffusive fluxes. The applicability of a fully coupled diffusion model is, however, often constrained by the availability of species self-diffusion coefficients, as well as by computational complication in imposing charge conservation. In this study, several diffusion models with variable complexity in charge and species coupling were formulated and compared to describe reactive multispecies diffusion in groundwater. Diffusion of uranyl [U(VI)] species was used as an example in demonstrating the effectiveness of the models in describing multispecies diffusion. Numerical simulations found that a diffusion model with a single, common diffusion coefficient for all species was sufficient to describe multispecies U(VI) diffusion under a steady state condition of major chemical composition, but not under transient chemical conditions. Simulations revealed that for multispecies U(VI) diffusion under transient chemical conditions, a fully coupled diffusion model could be well approximated by a component-based diffusion model when the diffusion coefficient for each chemical component was properly selected. The component-based diffusion model considers the difference in diffusion coefficients between chemical components, but not between the species within each chemical component. This treatment significantly enhanced computational efficiency at the expense of minor charge conservation. The charge balance in the component-based diffusion model can be enforced, if necessary, by adding a secondary migration term resulting from model simplification. The effect of ion activity coefficient gradients on multispecies diffusion is also discussed. The diffusion models were applied to describe U(VI) diffusive mass transfer in intragranular domains in two sediments collected from U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford 300A, where intragranular diffusion is a rate-limiting process controlling U(VI) adsorption and desorption. The grain-scale reactive diffusion model was able to describe U(VI) adsorption/desorption kinetics that had been previously described using a semiempirical, multirate model. Compared with the multirate model, the diffusion models have the advantage to provide spatiotemporal speciation evolution within the diffusion domains.

Stability Test for Transient-Temperature Calculations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, W.

1984-01-01

Graphical test helps assure numerical stability of calculations of transient temperature or diffusion in composite medium. Rectangular grid forms basis of two-dimensional finite-difference model for heat conduction or other diffusion like phenomena. Model enables calculation of transient heat transfer among up to four different materials that meet at grid point.

Deep-level transient spectroscopy studies of Ni- and Zn-diffused vapor-phase-epitaxy n-GaAs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Partin, D. L.; Chen, J. W.; Milnes, A. G.; Vassamillet, L. F.

1979-01-01

The paper presents deep-level transient spectroscopy studies of Ni- and Zn-diffused vapor-phase epitaxy n-GaAs. Nickel diffused into VPE n-GaAs reduces the hole diffusion length L sub p from 4.3 to 1.1 microns. Deep-level transient spectroscopy was used to identify energy levels in Ni-diffused GaAs; the as-grown VPE GaAs contains traces of these levels and an electron trap. Ni diffusion reduces the concentration of this level by an amount that matches the increase in concentration of each of the two Ni-related levels. A technique for measuring minority-carrier capture cross sections was developed, which indicates that L sub p in Ni-diffused VPE n-GaAs is controlled by the E sub c - 0.39 eV defect level.

Critical temperature determination of detectable Cr diffusion enhancement by nanostructure through structural evolution analysis of the oxide films at 25-450 °C on 304 stainless steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gui, Y.; Meng, X. B.; Zheng, Z. J.; Gao, Y.

2017-10-01

The structural evolution of the oxide films at 25-450 °C on nanocrystalline (NC) and coarse crystalline (CC) 304 stainless steels (SS) was investigated. The structure of the oxide film on both NC and CC SSs was observed to undergo transient processes from a bi-layer to a single-layer and then back to a bi-layer when the temperature changed from the low range (25-150 °C) to the medium range (150-300 °C) and subsequently to the high range (300-450 °C), respectively. These formation mechanisms of the oxide films on SS were attributed to the different diffusion properties of Cr and Fe in the three temperature ranges. The thickness of the oxide films was similar between the NC and CC SSs below 300 °C due to their similar Crox/Feox concentration ratios in their oxide films at this temperature. Above 300 °C, Cr diffusion enhancement in the NC matrix led to a higher Crox/Feox ratio and better compactness of the oxide film, which resulted in a slower atomic diffusion rate in the oxide film and a thinner oxide film. Therefore, the temperature of 300 °C was concluded to be the critical temperature of the detectable Cr diffusion enhancement in the NC SS compared to the CC SS.

Linear response theory and transient fluctuation relations for diffusion processes: a backward point of view

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Fei; Tong, Huan; Ma, Rui; Ou-Yang, Zhong-can

2010-12-01

A formal apparatus is developed to unify derivations of the linear response theory and a variety of transient fluctuation relations for continuous diffusion processes from a backward point of view. The basis is a perturbed Kolmogorov backward equation and the path integral representation of its solution. We find that these exact transient relations could be interpreted as a consequence of a generalized Chapman-Kolmogorov equation, which intrinsically arises from the Markovian characteristic of diffusion processes.

Characterization of iron in silicon by low-temperature photoluminescence and deep-level transient spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Minoru; Murakami, Susumu; Udono, Haruhiko

2018-03-01

We investigate the relationship between the intensity of band-edge (BDE) photoluminescence (PL) from 10 to 70 K and the concentration of iron diffused in boron-doped p-type silicon. Because of the nonradiative recombination activity of the interstitial iron-boron complex (FeiB center), the BDE-PL intensity at each temperature varies distinctively and systematically with the iron concentration, which means that this method has the potential to make the accurate measurements of a wide range of interstitial iron concentrations in silicon. The iron precipitates formed in the bulk and/or at the surface are found to exert much weaker recombination activity for excess carriers than FeiB center by exploiting both PL and deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements. The unexpected enhancement in BDE-PL intensity from iron-diffused silicon between 20 and 50 K is attributed to the passivation of the Si-oxide/Si interface by iron. For the samples diffused with trace amounts of iron, the iron concentration within 20 μm of the surface is significantly greater than that in the bulk, as measured by DLTS. This result is tentatively attributed to the affinity of iron with the Si-oxide.

Thermal annealing and transient electronic excitations induced interfacial and magnetic effects on Pt/Co/Pt trilayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sehdev, Neeru; Medwal, Rohit; Malik, Rakesh; Kandasami, Asokan; Kanjilal, Dinakar; Annapoorni, S.

2018-04-01

Present study investigates the importance of thermal annealing and transient electronic excitations (using 100 MeV oxygen ions) in assisting the interfacial atomic diffusion, alloy composition, and magnetic switching field distributions in Pt/Co/Pt stacked trilayer. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that thermal annealing results in the formation of the face centered tetragonal L1°CoPt phase. The Rutherford back scattering spectra shows a trilayer structure for as-deposited and as-irradiated films. Interlayer mixing on the thermally annealed films further improves by electronic excitations produced by high energy ion irradiation. Magnetically hard face centered tetragonal CoPt alloy retains its hard phase after ion irradiation and reveals an enhancement in the structural ordering and magnetic stability. Enhancement in the homogeneity of alloy composition and its correlation with the magnetic switching field is evident from this study. A detailed investigation of the contributing parameters shows that the magnetic switching behaviour varies with the type of thermal annealing, transient electronic excitations of ion beams and combination of these processes.

Slow-Down in Diffusion in Crowded Protein Solutions Correlates with Transient Cluster Formation.

PubMed

Nawrocki, Grzegorz; Wang, Po-Hung; Yu, Isseki; Sugita, Yuji; Feig, Michael

2017-12-14

For a long time, the effect of a crowded cellular environment on protein dynamics has been largely ignored. Recent experiments indicate that proteins diffuse more slowly in a living cell than in a diluted solution, and further studies suggest that the diffusion depends on the local surroundings. Here, detailed insight into how diffusion depends on protein-protein contacts is presented based on extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of concentrated villin headpiece solutions. After force field adjustments in the form of increased protein-water interactions to reproduce experimental data, translational and rotational diffusion was analyzed in detail. Although internal protein dynamics remained largely unaltered, rotational diffusion was found to slow down more significantly than translational diffusion as the protein concentration increased. The decrease in diffusion is interpreted in terms of a transient formation of protein clusters. These clusters persist on sub-microsecond time scales and follow distributions that increasingly shift toward larger cluster size with increasing protein concentrations. Weighting diffusion coefficients estimated for different clusters extracted from the simulations with the distribution of clusters largely reproduces the overall observed diffusion rates, suggesting that transient cluster formation is a primary cause for a slow-down in diffusion upon crowding with other proteins.

Tracer counterpermeation analysis of diffusivity in finite-length nanopores with and without single-file dynamics

DOE PAGES

Ackerman, David M.; Evans, James W.

2017-01-19

Here, we perform a tracer counterpermeation (TCP) analysis for a stochastic model of diffusive transport through a narrow linear pore where passing of species within the pore is inhibited or even excluded (single-file diffusion). TCP involves differently labeled but otherwise identical particles from two decoupled infinite reservoirs adsorbing into opposite ends of the pore, and desorbing from either end. In addition to transient behavior, we assess steady-state concentration profiles, spatial correlations, particle number fluctuations, and diffusion fluxes through the pore. From the profiles and fluxes, we determine a generalized tracer diffusion coefficient D tr(x), at various positions x within themore » pore. D tr(x) has a plateau value in the pore center scaling inversely with the pore length, but it is enhanced near the pore openings. The latter feature reflects the effect of fluctuations in adsorption and desorption, and it is also associated with a nontrivial scaling of the concentration profiles near the pore openings.« less

Tracer counterpermeation analysis of diffusivity in finite-length nanopores with and without single-file dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ackerman, David M.; Evans, James W.

2017-01-01

We perform a tracer counterpermeation (TCP) analysis for a stochastic model of diffusive transport through a narrow linear pore where passing of species within the pore is inhibited or even excluded (single-file diffusion). TCP involves differently labeled but otherwise identical particles from two decoupled infinite reservoirs adsorbing into opposite ends of the pore, and desorbing from either end. In addition to transient behavior, we assess steady-state concentration profiles, spatial correlations, particle number fluctuations, and diffusion fluxes through the pore. From the profiles and fluxes, we determine a generalized tracer diffusion coefficient Dtr(x ) , at various positions x within the pore. Dtr(x ) has a plateau value in the pore center scaling inversely with the pore length, but it is enhanced near the pore openings. The latter feature reflects the effect of fluctuations in adsorption and desorption, and it is also associated with a nontrivial scaling of the concentration profiles near the pore openings.

Investigation of starting transients in the thermally choked ram accelerator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burnham, E. A.; Hinkey, J. B.; Bruckner, A. P.

1992-01-01

An experimental investigation of the starting transients of the thermally choked ram accelerator is presented in this paper. Construction of a highly instrumented tube section and instrumentation inserts provide high resolution experimental pressure, luminosity, and electromagnetic data of the starting transients. Data obtained prior to and following the entrance diaphragm show detailed development of shock systems in both combustible and inert mixtures. With an evacuated launch tube, starting the diffuser is possible at any Mach number above the Kantrowitz Mach number. The detrimental effects and possible solutions of higher launch tube pressures and excessive obturator leakage (blow-by) are discussed. Ignition of a combustible mixture is demonstrated with both perforated and solid obturators. The relative advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed. Data obtained from these starting experiments enhance the understanding of the ram accelerator, as well as assist in the validation of unsteady, chemically reacting CFD codes.

Impact on the deuterium retention of simultaneous exposure of tungsten to a steady state plasma and transient heat cycling loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huber, A.; Sergienko, G.; Wirtz, M.; Steudel, I.; Arakcheev, A.; Brezinsek, S.; Burdakov, A.; Dittmar, T.; Esser, H. G.; Kreter, A.; Linke, J.; Linsmeier, Ch; Mertens, Ph; Möller, S.; Philipps, V.; Pintsuk, G.; Reinhart, M.; Schweer, B.; Shoshin, A.; Terra, A.; Unterberg, B.

2016-02-01

The impact on the deuterium retention of simultaneous exposure of tungsten to a steady-state plasma and transient cyclic heat loads has been studied in the linear PSI-2 facility with the main objective of qualifying tungsten (W) as plasma-facing material. The transient heat loads were applied by a high-energy laser, a Nd:YAG laser (λ = 1064 nm) with an energy per pulse of up to 32 J and a duration of 1 ms. A pronounced increase in the D retention by a factor of 13 has been observed during the simultaneous transient heat loads and plasma exposure. These data indicate that the hydrogen clustering is enhanced by the thermal shock exposures, as seen on the increased blister size due to mobilization and thermal production of defects during transients. In addition, the significant increase of the D retention during the simultaneous loads could be explained by an increased diffusion of D atoms into the W material due to strong temperature gradients during the laser pulse exposure and to an increased mobility of D atoms along the shock-induced cracks. Only 24% of the retained deuterium is located inside the near-surface layer (d<4 μm). Enhanced blister formation has been observed under combined loading conditions at power densities close to the threshold for damaging. Blisters are not mainly responsible for the pronounced increase of the D retention.

Investigations of an Environmentally Induced Long Duration Hall Thruster Start Transient (PREPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-02-06

Hall thruster start transient is produced by exposure of the thruster to ambient laboratory atmosphere. This behavior was first observed during operation of a cluster of four 200 W BHT-200 Hall effect thrusters where large anode discharge fluctuations, visible as increased anode current and a diffuse plume structure, occurred in an apparently random manner. During operation of a single thruster, the start transient appears as a quickly rising and later smoothly decaying elevated anode current with a diffuse plume that persists for less than 500 seconds. The start transient

Chemotherapeutic drug-specific alteration of microvascular blood flow in murine breast cancer as measured by diffuse correlation spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Ramirez, Gabriel; Proctor, Ashley R.; Jung, Ki Won; Wu, Tong Tong; Han, Songfeng; Adams, Russell R.; Ren, Jingxuan; Byun, Daniel K.; Madden, Kelley S.; Brown, Edward B.; Foster, Thomas H.; Farzam, Parisa; Durduran, Turgut; Choe, Regine

2016-01-01

The non-invasive, in vivo measurement of microvascular blood flow has the potential to enhance breast cancer therapy monitoring. Here, longitudinal blood flow of 4T1 murine breast cancer (N=125) under chemotherapy was quantified with diffuse correlation spectroscopy based on layer models. Six different treatment regimens involving doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and paclitaxel at clinically relevant doses were investigated. Treatments with cyclophosphamide increased blood flow as early as 3 days after administration, whereas paclitaxel induced a transient blood flow decrease at 1 day after administration. Early blood flow changes correlated strongly with the treatment outcome and distinguished treated from untreated mice individually for effective treatments. PMID:27699124

Analysis of the phosphorescent dye concentration dependence of triplet-triplet annihilation in organic host-guest systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; van Eersel, H.; Bobbert, P. A.; Coehoorn, R.

2016-10-01

Using a novel method for analyzing transient photoluminescence (PL) experiments, a microscopic description is obtained for the dye concentration dependence of triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) in phosphorescent host-guest systems. It is demonstrated that the TTA-mechanism, which could be a single-step dominated process or a diffusion-mediated multi-step process, can be deduced for any given dye concentration from a recently proposed PL intensity analysis. A comparison with the results of kinetic Monte Carlo simulations provides the TTA-Förster radius and shows that the TTA enhancement due to triplet diffusion can be well described in a microscopic manner assuming Förster- or Dexter-type energy transfer.

Use of interfacial layers to prolong hole lifetimes in hematite probed by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paradzah, Alexander T.; Diale, Mmantsae; Maabong, Kelebogile; Krüger, Tjaart P. J.

2018-04-01

Hematite is a widely investigated material for applications in solar water oxidation due primarily to its small bandgap. However, full realization of the material continues to be hampered by fast electron-hole recombination rates among other weaknesses such as low hole mobility, short hole diffusion length and low conductivity. To address the problem of fast electron-hole recombination, researchers have resorted to growth of nano-structured hematite, doping and use of under-layers. Under-layer materials enhance the photo-current by minimising electron-hole recombination through suppressing of back electron flow from the substrate, such as fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), to hematite. We have carried out ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy on hematite in which Nb2O5 and SnO2 materials were used as interfacial layers to enhance hole lifetimes. The transient absorption data was fit with four different lifetimes ranging from a few hundred femtoseconds to a few nanoseconds. We show that the electron-hole recombination is slower in samples where interfacial layers are used than in pristine hematite. We also develop a model through target analysis to illustrate the effect of under-layers on electron-hole recombination rates in hematite thin films.

SPECIAL ISSUE DEVOTED TO THE 80TH BIRTHDAY OF S.A. AKHMANOV: Transient coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering spectroscopy as a tool for measuring the diffusion coefficient and size of gas molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikitin, Sergei Yu

2009-07-01

Formulas are derived for evaluating the diffusion coefficient and size of gas molecules from transient coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering measurements. Numerical estimates are presented for hydrogen.

Ligand diffusion in proteins via enhanced sampling in molecular dynamics.

PubMed

Rydzewski, J; Nowak, W

2017-12-01

Computational simulations in biophysics describe the dynamics and functions of biological macromolecules at the atomic level. Among motions particularly important for life are the transport processes in heterogeneous media. The process of ligand diffusion inside proteins is an example of a complex rare event that can be modeled using molecular dynamics simulations. The study of physical interactions between a ligand and its biological target is of paramount importance for the design of novel drugs and enzymes. Unfortunately, the process of ligand diffusion is difficult to study experimentally. The need for identifying the ligand egress pathways and understanding how ligands migrate through protein tunnels has spurred the development of several methodological approaches to this problem. The complex topology of protein channels and the transient nature of the ligand passage pose difficulties in the modeling of the ligand entry/escape pathways by canonical molecular dynamics simulations. In this review, we report a methodology involving a reconstruction of the ligand diffusion reaction coordinates and the free-energy profiles along these reaction coordinates using enhanced sampling of conformational space. We illustrate the above methods on several ligand-protein systems, including cytochromes and G-protein-coupled receptors. The methods are general and may be adopted to other transport processes in living matter. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic characterization of hydrophobic and hydrophilic solutes in oleic-acid enhanced transdermal delivery using two-photon fluorescence microscopy

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

Tseng, Te-Yu; Yang, Chiu-Sheng; Chen, Yang-Fang

In this letter, we propose an efficient methodology of investigating dynamic properties of sulforhodamine B and rhodamine B hexyl ester molecules transporting across ex-vivo human stratum corneum with and without oleic acid enhancement. Three-dimensional, time-lapse fluorescence images of the stratum corneum can be obtained using two-photon fluorescence microscopy. Furthermore, temporal quantifications of transport enhancements in diffusion parameters can be achieved with the use of Fick's second law. Dynamic characterization of solutes transporting across the stratum corneum is an effective method for understanding transient phenomena in transdermal delivery of probe molecules, leading to improved delivery strategies of molecular species for therapeuticmore » purposes.« less

Robust stochastic Turing patterns in the development of a one-dimensional cyanobacterial organism.

PubMed

Di Patti, Francesca; Lavacchi, Laura; Arbel-Goren, Rinat; Schein-Lubomirsky, Leora; Fanelli, Duccio; Stavans, Joel

2018-05-01

Under nitrogen deprivation, the one-dimensional cyanobacterial organism Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 develops patterns of single, nitrogen-fixing cells separated by nearly regular intervals of photosynthetic vegetative cells. We study a minimal, stochastic model of developmental patterns in Anabaena that includes a nondiffusing activator, two diffusing inhibitor morphogens, demographic fluctuations in the number of morphogen molecules, and filament growth. By tracking developing filaments, we provide experimental evidence for different spatiotemporal roles of the two inhibitors during pattern maintenance and for small molecular copy numbers, justifying a stochastic approach. In the deterministic limit, the model yields Turing patterns within a region of parameter space that shrinks markedly as the inhibitor diffusivities become equal. Transient, noise-driven, stochastic Turing patterns are produced outside this region, which can then be fixed by downstream genetic commitment pathways, dramatically enhancing the robustness of pattern formation, also in the biologically relevant situation in which the inhibitors' diffusivities may be comparable.

Simultaneous Determination of Thermal Conductivity and Thermal Diffusivity of Food and Agricultural Materials Using a Transient Plane-Source Method

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity are two important physical properties essential for designing any food engineering processes. Recently a new transient plane-source method was developed to measure a variety of materials, but its application in foods has not been documented. Therefore, ...

Water secretion associated with exocytosis in endocrine cells revealed by micro forcemetry and evanescent wave microscopy.

PubMed Central

Tsuboi, Takashi; Kikuta, Toshiteru; Sakurai, Takashi; Terakawa, Susumu

2002-01-01

It has been a long belief that release of substances from the cell to the extracellular milieu by exocytosis is completed by diffusion of the substances from secretory vesicles through the fusion pore. Involvement of any mechanical force that may be superposed on the diffusion to enhance the releasing process has not been elucidated to date. We tackled this problem in cultured bovine chromaffin cells using direct and sensitive methods: the laser-trap forcemetry and the evanescent-wave fluorescence microscopy. With a laser beam, we trapped a micro bead in the vicinity of a cell (with 1 microm of separation) and observed movements of the bead optically. Electrical stimulation of the cell induced many of rapid and transient movements of the bead in a direction away from the cell surface. Upon the same stimulation, secretory vesicles stained with a fluorescent probe, acridine orange, and excited under the evanescent field illumination, showed a flash-like response: a transient increase in fluorescence intensity associated with a diffuse cloud of brightness, followed by a complete disappearance. These mechanical and fluorescence transients indicate a directional flow of substances. Blockers of the Cl(-) channel suppressed the rates of both responses in a characteristic way but not exocytotic fusion itself. Immunocytochemical studies revealed the presence of Cl(-) and K(+) channels on the vesicle membranes. These results suggest that the externalization of hormones or transmitters upon exocytosis of vesicles is augmented by secretion of water from the vesicle membrane through the widened fusion pore, possibly modulating the rate and reach of the hormone or transmitter release and facilitating transport of the signal molecules in intercellular spaces. PMID:12080110

Enhanced hot-carrier cooling and ultrafast spectral diffusion in strongly coupled PbSe quantum-dot solids.

PubMed

Gao, Yunan; Talgorn, Elise; Aerts, Michiel; Trinh, M Tuan; Schins, Juleon M; Houtepen, Arjan J; Siebbeles, Laurens D A

2011-12-14

PbSe quantum-dot solids are of great interest for low cost and efficient photodetectors and solar cells. We have prepared PbSe quantum-dot solids with high charge carrier mobilities using layer-by-layer dip-coating with 1,2-ethanediamine as substitute capping ligands. Here we present a time and energy resolved transient absorption spectroscopy study on the kinetics of photogenerated charge carriers, focusing on 0-5 ps after photoexcitation. We compare the observed carrier kinetics to those for quantum dots in dispersion and show that the intraband carrier cooling is significantly faster in quantum-dot solids. In addition we find that carriers diffuse from higher to lower energy sites in the quantum-dot solid within several picoseconds.

Enhancement of Combustion and Flame Stabilization Using Transient Non-Equilibrium Plasma

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-31

cathode spot D = diameter of MGA device D= diffusivity of i’h species d = diameter of arc dcoected= diametrically corrected diameter of arc d.rwwd... cathode and anode, stabilization (4) respectively (Fig. 1). A wire was attached to the cathode , which was separated from the outer anode by 2 mm at the...smallest gap (point (1) in Fig. 1). The wire spiraled progressively closer to the cathode , where it was attached at the largest gap between the two

Finite Volume Scheme for Double Convection-Diffusion Exchange of Solutes in Bicarbonate High-Flux Hollow-Fiber Dialyzer Therapy

PubMed Central

Annan, Kodwo

2012-01-01

The efficiency of a high-flux dialyzer in terms of buffering and toxic solute removal largely depends on the ability to use convection-diffusion mechanism inside the membrane. A two-dimensional transient convection-diffusion model coupled with acid-base correction term was developed. A finite volume technique was used to discretize the model and to numerically simulate it using MATLAB software tool. We observed that small solute concentration gradients peaked and were large enough to activate solute diffusion process in the membrane. While CO2 concentration gradients diminished from their maxima and shifted toward the end of the membrane, HCO3 − concentration gradients peaked at the same position. Also, CO2 concentration decreased rapidly within the first 47 minutes while optimal HCO3 − concentration was achieved within 30 minutes of the therapy. Abnormally high diffusion fluxes were observed near the blood-membrane interface that increased diffusion driving force and enhanced the overall diffusive process. While convective flux dominated total flux during the dialysis session, there was a continuous interference between convection and diffusion fluxes that call for the need to seek minimal interference between these two mechanisms. This is critical for the effective design and operation of high-flux dialyzers. PMID:23197994

Thermal Diffusivity Measurements in Edible Oils using Transient Thermal Lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valdez, R. Carbajal.; Pérez, J. L. Jiménez.; Cruz-Orea, A.; Martín-Martínez, E. San.

2006-11-01

Time resolved thermal lens (TL) spectrometry is applied to the study of the thermal diffusivity of edible oils such as olive, and refined and thermally treated avocado oils. A two laser mismatched-mode experimental configuration was used, with a He Ne laser as a probe beam and an Ar+ laser as the excitation one. The characteristic time constant of the transient thermal lens was obtained by fitting the experimental data to the theoretical expression for a transient thermal lens. The results showed that virgin olive oil has a higher thermal diffusivity than for refined and thermally treated avocado oils. This measured thermal property may contribute to a better understanding of the quality of edible oils, which is very important in the food industry. The thermal diffusivity results for virgin olive oil, obtained from this technique, agree with those reported in the literature.

Determination of the diffusion coefficient and phase-transfer rate parameter in LaNi{sub 5} and MmNi{sub 3.6}Co{sub 0.8}Mn{sub 0.4}Al{sub 0.3} using microelectrodes

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

Lundqvist, A.; Lindbergh, G.

1998-11-01

A potential-step method for determining the diffusion coefficient and phase-transfer parameter in metal hydrides by using microelectrodes was investigated. It was shown that a large potential step is not enough to ensure a completely diffusion-limited mass transfer if a surface-phase transfer reaction takes place at a finite rate. It was shown, using a kinetic expression for the surface phase-transfer reaction, that the slope of the logarithm of the current vs. time curve will be constant both in the case of the mass-transfer limited by diffusion or by diffusion and a surface-phase transfer. The diffusion coefficient and phase-transfer rate parameter weremore » accurately determined for MmNi{sub 3.6}Co{sub 0.8}Mn{sub 0.4}Al{sub 0.3} using a fit to the whole transient. The diffusion coefficient was found to be (1.3 {+-} 0.3) {times} 10{sup {minus}13} m{sup 2}/s. The fit was good and showed that a pure diffusion model was not enough to explain the observed transient. The diffusion coefficient and phase-transfer rate parameter were also estimated for pure LaNi{sub 5}. A fit of the whole curve showed that neither a pure diffusion model nor a model including phase transfer could explain the whole transient.« less

Anomalous Extracellular Diffusion in Rat Cerebellum

PubMed Central

Xiao, Fanrong; Hrabe, Jan; Hrabetova, Sabina

2015-01-01

Extracellular space (ECS) is a major channel transporting biologically active molecules and drugs in the brain. Diffusion-mediated transport of these substances is hindered by the ECS structure but the microscopic basis of this hindrance is not fully understood. One hypothesis proposes that the hindrance originates in large part from the presence of dead-space (DS) microdomains that can transiently retain diffusing molecules. Because previous theoretical and modeling work reported an initial period of anomalous diffusion in similar environments, we expected that brain regions densely populated by DS microdomains would exhibit anomalous extracellular diffusion. Specifically, we targeted granular layers (GL) of rat and turtle cerebella that are populated with large and geometrically complex glomeruli. The integrative optical imaging (IOI) method was employed to evaluate diffusion of fluorophore-labeled dextran (MW 3000) in GL, and the IOI data analysis was adapted to quantify the anomalous diffusion exponent dw from the IOI records. Diffusion was significantly anomalous in rat GL, where dw reached 4.8. In the geometrically simpler turtle GL, dw was elevated but not robustly anomalous (dw = 2.6). The experimental work was complemented by numerical Monte Carlo simulations of anomalous ECS diffusion in several three-dimensional tissue models containing glomeruli-like structures. It demonstrated that both the duration of transiently anomalous diffusion and the anomalous exponent depend on the size of model glomeruli and the degree of their wrapping. In conclusion, we have found anomalous extracellular diffusion in the GL of rat cerebellum. This finding lends support to the DS microdomain hypothesis. Transiently anomalous diffusion also has a profound effect on the spatiotemporal distribution of molecules released into the ECS, especially at diffusion distances on the order of a few cell diameters, speeding up short-range diffusion-mediated signals in less permeable structures. PMID:25954895

The Reduction of TED in Ion Implanted Silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Amitabh

2008-11-01

The leading challenge in the continued scaling of junctions made by ion implantation and annealing is the control of the undesired transient enhanced diffusion (TED) effect. Spike annealing has been used as a means to reduce this effect and has proven successful in previous nodes. The peak temperature in this process is typically 1050 °C and the time spent within 50 °C of the peak is of the order of 1.5 seconds. As technology advances along the future scaling roadmap, further reduction or elimination of the enhanced diffusion effect is necessary. We have shown that raising the peak temperature to 1175 °C or more and reduction of the anneal time at peak temperature to less than a millisecond is effective in eliminating enhanced diffusion. We show that it is possible to employ a sequence of millisecond anneal followed by spike anneal to obtain profiles that do not exhibit gradient degradation at the junction and have junction depth and sheet resistance appropriate to the needs of future technology nodes. We have implemented millisecond annealing using a carbon dioxide laser to support high-volume manufacturing of 65 nm microprocessors and system-on-chip products. We further show how the use of molecular ion implantation to produce amorphousness followed by laser annealing to produce solid phase epitaxial regrowth results in junctions that meet the shallow depth and abruptness requirements of the 32 nm node.

Dynamics of two-dimensional monolayer water confined in hydrophobic and charged environments.

PubMed

Kumar, Pradeep; Han, Sungho

2012-09-21

We perform molecular dynamics simulations to study the effect of charged surfaces on the intermediate and long time dynamics of water in nanoconfinements. Here, we use the transferable interaction potential with five points (TIP5P) model of a water molecule confined in both hydrophobic and charged surfaces. For a single molecular layer of water between the surfaces, we find that the temperature dependence of the lateral diffusion constant of water up to very high temperatures remains Arrhenius with a high activation energy. In case of charged surfaces, however, the dynamics of water in the intermediate time regime is drastically modified presumably due to the transient coupling of dipoles of water molecules with electric field fluctuations induced by charges on the confining surfaces. Specifically, the lateral mean square displacements display a distinct super-diffusive behavior at intermediate time scale, defined as the time scale between ballistic and diffusive regimes. This change in the intermediate time-scale dynamics in the charged confinement leads to the enhancement of long-time dynamics as reflected in increasing diffusion constant. We introduce a simple model for a possible explanation of the super-diffusive behavior and find it to be in good agreement with our simulation results. Furthermore, we find that confinement and the surface polarity enhance the low frequency vibration in confinement compared to bulk water. By introducing a new effective length scale of coupling between translational and orientational motions, we find that the length scale increases with the increasing strength of the surface polarity. Further, we calculate the correlation between the diffusion constant and the excess entropy and find a disordering effect of polar surfaces on the structure of water. Finally, we find that the empirical relation between the diffusion constant and the excess entropy holds for a monolayer of water in nanoconfinement.

Sustained diffusion reversal with in-bore reperfusion in monkey stroke models: Confirmed by prospective magnetic resonance imaging

PubMed Central

Yi, Kyung Sik; Choi, Chi-Hoon; Lee, Sang-Rae; Lee, Hong Jun; Lee, Youngjeon; Jeong, Kang-Jin; Hwang, Jinwoo; Chang, Kyu-Tae

2016-01-01

Although early diffusion lesion reversal after recanalization treatment of acute ischaemic stroke has been observed in clinical settings, the reversibility of lesions observed by diffusion-weighted imaging remains controversial. Here, we present consistent observations of sustained diffusion lesion reversal after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in a monkey stroke model. Seven rhesus macaques were subjected to endovascular transient middle cerebral artery occlusion with in-bore reperfusion confirmed by repeated prospective diffusion-weighted imaging. Early diffusion lesion reversal was defined as lesion reversal at 3 h after reperfusion. Sustained diffusion lesion reversal was defined as the difference between the ADC-derived pre-reperfusion maximal ischemic lesion volume (ADCD-P Match) and the lesion on 4-week follow-up FLAIR magnetic resonance imaging. Diffusion lesions were spatiotemporally assessed using a 3-D voxel-based quantitative technique. The ADCD-P Match was 9.7 ± 6.0% (mean ± SD) and the final infarct was 1.2–6.0% of the volume of the ipsilateral hemisphere. Early diffusion lesion reversal and sustained diffusion lesion reversal were observed in all seven animals, and the calculated percentages compared with their ADCD-P Match ranged from 8.3 to 51.9% (mean ± SD, 26.9 ± 15.3%) and 41.7–77.8% (mean ± SD, 65.4 ± 12.2%), respectively. Substantial sustained diffusion lesion reversal and early reversal were observed in all animals in this monkey model of transient focal cerebral ischaemia. PMID:27401804

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

Riedel, Clement; Gabizon, Ronen; Wilson, Christian A. M.

Recent studies have shown that the diffusivity of enzymes increases in a substrate-dependent manner during catalysis. Although this observation has been reported and characterized for several different systems, the precise origin of this phenomenon is unknown. Calorimetric methods are often used to determine enthalpies from enzyme-catalysed reactions and can therefore provide important insight into their reaction mechanisms. The ensemble averages involved in traditional bulk calorimetry cannot probe the transient effects that the energy exchanged in a reaction may have on the catalyst. Here we obtain single-molecule fluorescence correlation spectroscopy data and analyse them within the framework of a stochastic theorymore » to demonstrate a mechanistic link between the enhanced diffusion of a single enzyme molecule and the heat released in the reaction. We propose that the heat released during catalysis generates an asymmetric pressure wave that results in a differential stress at the protein-solvent interface that transiently displaces the centre-of-mass of the enzyme (chemoacoustic effect). We find this novel perspective on how enzymes respond to the energy released during catalysis suggests a possible effect of the heat of reaction on the structural integrity and internal degrees of freedom of the enzyme.« less

Time-independent hybrid enrichment for finite element solution of transient conduction–radiation in diffusive grey media

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

Mohamed, M. Shadi, E-mail: m.s.mohamed@durham.ac.uk; Seaid, Mohammed; Trevelyan, Jon

2013-10-15

We investigate the effectiveness of the partition-of-unity finite element method for transient conduction–radiation problems in diffusive grey media. The governing equations consist of a semi-linear transient heat equation for the temperature field and a stationary diffusion approximation to the radiation in grey media. The coupled equations are integrated in time using a semi-implicit method in the finite element framework. We show that for the considered problems, a combination of hyperbolic and exponential enrichment functions based on an approximation of the boundary layer leads to improved accuracy compared to the conventional finite element method. It is illustrated that this approach canmore » be more efficient than using h adaptivity to increase the accuracy of the finite element method near the boundary walls. The performance of the proposed partition-of-unity method is analyzed on several test examples for transient conduction–radiation problems in two space dimensions.« less

Distribution of late gadolinium enhancement in various types of cardiomyopathies: Significance in differential diagnosis, clinical features and prognosis.

PubMed

Satoh, Hiroshi; Sano, Makoto; Suwa, Kenichiro; Saitoh, Takeji; Nobuhara, Mamoru; Saotome, Masao; Urushida, Tsuyoshi; Katoh, Hideki; Hayashi, Hideharu

2014-07-26

The recent development of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) techniques has allowed detailed analyses of cardiac function and tissue characterization with high spatial resolution. We review characteristic CMR features in ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies (ICM and NICM), especially in terms of the location and distribution of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). CMR in ICM shows segmental wall motion abnormalities or wall thinning in a particular coronary arterial territory, and the subendocardial or transmural LGE. LGE in NICM generally does not correspond to any particular coronary artery distribution and is located mostly in the mid-wall to subepicardial layer. The analysis of LGE distribution is valuable to differentiate NICM with diffusely impaired systolic function, including dilated cardiomyopathy, end-stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), cardiac sarcoidosis, and myocarditis, and those with diffuse left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy including HCM, cardiac amyloidosis and Anderson-Fabry disease. A transient low signal intensity LGE in regions of severe LV dysfunction is a particular feature of stress cardiomyopathy. In arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia, an enhancement of right ventricular (RV) wall with functional and morphological changes of RV becomes apparent. Finally, the analyses of LGE distribution have potentials to predict cardiac outcomes and response to treatments.

Direct Imaging of Long-Range Exciton Transport in Quantum Dot Superlattices by Ultrafast Microscopy.

PubMed

Yoon, Seog Joon; Guo, Zhi; Dos Santos Claro, Paula C; Shevchenko, Elena V; Huang, Libai

2016-07-26

Long-range charge and exciton transport in quantum dot (QD) solids is a crucial challenge in utilizing QDs for optoelectronic applications. Here, we present a direct visualization of exciton diffusion in highly ordered CdSe QDs superlattices by mapping exciton population using ultrafast transient absorption microscopy. A temporal resolution of ∼200 fs and a spatial precision of ∼50 nm of this technique provide a direct assessment of the upper limit for exciton transport in QD solids. An exciton diffusion length of ∼125 nm has been visualized in the 3 ns experimental time window and an exciton diffusion coefficient of (2.5 ± 0.2) × 10(-2) cm(2) s(-1) has been measured for superlattices constructed from 3.6 nm CdSe QDs with center-to-center distance of 6.7 nm. The measured exciton diffusion constant is in good agreement with Förster resonance energy transfer theory. We have found that exciton diffusion is greatly enhanced in the superlattices over the disordered films with an order of magnitude higher diffusion coefficient, pointing toward the role of disorder in limiting transport. This study provides important understandings on energy transport mechanisms in both the spatial and temporal domains in QD solids.

Gradual Diffusion and Punctuated Phase Space Density Enhancements of Highly Relativistic Electrons: Van Allen Probes Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, D. N.; Jaynes, A. N.; Li, X.; Henderson, M. G.; Kanekal, S. G.; Reeves, G. D.; Spence, H. E.; Claudepierre, S. G.; Fennell, J. F.; Hudson, M. K.

2014-01-01

The dual-spacecraft Van Allen Probes mission has provided a new window into mega electron volt (MeV) particle dynamics in the Earth's radiation belts. Observations (up to E (is) approximately 10MeV) show clearly the behavior of the outer electron radiation belt at different timescales: months-long periods of gradual inward radial diffusive transport and weak loss being punctuated by dramatic flux changes driven by strong solar wind transient events. We present analysis of multi-MeV electron flux and phase space density (PSD) changes during March 2013 in the context of the first year of Van Allen Probes operation. This March period demonstrates the classic signatures both of inward radial diffusive energization and abrupt localized acceleration deep within the outer Van Allen zone (L (is) approximately 4.0 +/- 0.5). This reveals graphically that both 'competing' mechanisms of multi-MeV electron energization are at play in the radiation belts, often acting almost concurrently or at least in rapid succession.

Equivalent isotropic scattering formulation for transient short-pulse radiative transfer in anisotropic scattering planar media.

PubMed

Guo, Z; Kumar, S

2000-08-20

An isotropic scaling formulation is evaluated for transient radiative transfer in a one-dimensional planar slab subject to collimated and/or diffuse irradiation. The Monte Carlo method is used to implement the equivalent scattering and exact simulations of the transient short-pulse radiation transport through forward and backward anisotropic scattering planar media. The scaled equivalent isotropic scattering results are compared with predictions of anisotropic scattering in various problems. It is found that the equivalent isotropic scaling law is not appropriate for backward-scattering media in transient radiative transfer. Even for an optically diffuse medium, the differences in temporal transmittance and reflectance profiles between predictions of backward anisotropic scattering and equivalent isotropic scattering are large. Additionally, for both forward and backward anisotropic scattering media, the transient equivalent isotropic results are strongly affected by the change of photon flight time, owing to the change of flight direction associated with the isotropic scaling technique.

Frequency-resolved Raman for transient thermal probing and thermal diffusivity measurement

DOE PAGES

Wang, Tianyu; Xu, Shen; Hurley, David H.; ...

2015-12-18

Steady state Raman has been widely used for temperature probing and thermal conductivity/conductance measurement in combination with temperature coefficient calibration. In this work, a new transient Raman thermal probing technique: frequency-resolved Raman (FR-Raman) is developed for probing the transient thermal response of materials and measuring their thermal diffusivity. The FR-Raman uses an amplitude modulated square-wave laser for simultaneous material heating and Raman excitation. The evolution profile of Raman properties: intensity, Raman wavenumber, and emission, against frequency are measured experimentally and reconstructed theoretically. They are used for fitting to determine the thermal diffusivity of the material under test. A Si cantilevermore » is used to investigate the capacity of this new technique. The cantilever’s thermal diffusivity is determined as 9.57 × 10 -5 m 2/s, 11.00 × 10 -5 m 2/s and 9.02 × 10 -5 m 2/s by fitting the Raman intensity, wavenumber and emission. The deviation from the reference value is largely attributed to thermal stress-induced material deflection and Raman drift, which could be significantly suppressed by using a higher sensitivity Raman spectrometer with lower laser energy. As a result, the FR-Raman provides a novel way for transient thermal characterization of materials with a ?m spatial resolution.« less

Anomalous extracellular diffusion in rat cerebellum.

PubMed

Xiao, Fanrong; Hrabe, Jan; Hrabetova, Sabina

2015-05-05

Extracellular space (ECS) is a major channel transporting biologically active molecules and drugs in the brain. Diffusion-mediated transport of these substances is hindered by the ECS structure but the microscopic basis of this hindrance is not fully understood. One hypothesis proposes that the hindrance originates in large part from the presence of dead-space (DS) microdomains that can transiently retain diffusing molecules. Because previous theoretical and modeling work reported an initial period of anomalous diffusion in similar environments, we expected that brain regions densely populated by DS microdomains would exhibit anomalous extracellular diffusion. Specifically, we targeted granular layers (GL) of rat and turtle cerebella that are populated with large and geometrically complex glomeruli. The integrative optical imaging (IOI) method was employed to evaluate diffusion of fluorophore-labeled dextran (MW 3000) in GL, and the IOI data analysis was adapted to quantify the anomalous diffusion exponent dw from the IOI records. Diffusion was significantly anomalous in rat GL, where dw reached 4.8. In the geometrically simpler turtle GL, dw was elevated but not robustly anomalous (dw = 2.6). The experimental work was complemented by numerical Monte Carlo simulations of anomalous ECS diffusion in several three-dimensional tissue models containing glomeruli-like structures. It demonstrated that both the duration of transiently anomalous diffusion and the anomalous exponent depend on the size of model glomeruli and the degree of their wrapping. In conclusion, we have found anomalous extracellular diffusion in the GL of rat cerebellum. This finding lends support to the DS microdomain hypothesis. Transiently anomalous diffusion also has a profound effect on the spatiotemporal distribution of molecules released into the ECS, especially at diffusion distances on the order of a few cell diameters, speeding up short-range diffusion-mediated signals in less permeable structures. Copyright © 2015 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid Measurement of Room Temperature Ionic Liquid Electrochemical Gas Sensor using Transient Double Potential Amperometry

PubMed Central

Wan, Hao; Yin, Heyu; Mason, Andrew J.

2016-01-01

Intense study on gas sensors has been conducted to implement fast gas sensing with high sensitivity, reliability and long lifetime. This paper presents a rapid amperometric method for gas sensing based on a room temperature ionic liquid electrochemical gas sensor. To implement a miniaturized sensor with a fast response time, a three electrode system with gold interdigitated electrodes was fabricated by photolithography on a porous polytetrafluoroethylene substrate that greatly enhances gas diffusion. Furthermore, based on the reversible reaction of oxygen, a new transient double potential amperometry (DPA) was explored for electrochemical analysis to decrease the measurement time and reverse reaction by-products that could cause current drift. Parameters in transient DPA including oxidation potential, oxidation period, reduction period and sample point were investigated to study their influence on the performance of the sensor. Oxygen measurement could be accomplished in 4 s, and the sensor presented a sensitivity of 0.2863 μA/[%O2] and a linearity of 0.9943 when tested in air samples with different oxygen concentrations. Repeatability and long-term stability were also investigated, and the sensor was shown to exhibit good reliability. In comparison to conventional constant potential amperometry, transient DPA was shown to reduce relative standard deviation by 63.2%. With transient DPA, the sensitivity, linearity, repeatability, measurement time and current drift characteristics demonstrated by the presented gas sensor are promising for acute exposure applications. PMID:28603384

Rapid Measurement of Room Temperature Ionic Liquid Electrochemical Gas Sensor using Transient Double Potential Amperometry.

PubMed

Wan, Hao; Yin, Heyu; Mason, Andrew J

2017-04-01

Intense study on gas sensors has been conducted to implement fast gas sensing with high sensitivity, reliability and long lifetime. This paper presents a rapid amperometric method for gas sensing based on a room temperature ionic liquid electrochemical gas sensor. To implement a miniaturized sensor with a fast response time, a three electrode system with gold interdigitated electrodes was fabricated by photolithography on a porous polytetrafluoroethylene substrate that greatly enhances gas diffusion. Furthermore, based on the reversible reaction of oxygen, a new transient double potential amperometry (DPA) was explored for electrochemical analysis to decrease the measurement time and reverse reaction by-products that could cause current drift. Parameters in transient DPA including oxidation potential, oxidation period, reduction period and sample point were investigated to study their influence on the performance of the sensor. Oxygen measurement could be accomplished in 4 s, and the sensor presented a sensitivity of 0.2863 μA/[%O 2 ] and a linearity of 0.9943 when tested in air samples with different oxygen concentrations. Repeatability and long-term stability were also investigated, and the sensor was shown to exhibit good reliability. In comparison to conventional constant potential amperometry, transient DPA was shown to reduce relative standard deviation by 63.2%. With transient DPA, the sensitivity, linearity, repeatability, measurement time and current drift characteristics demonstrated by the presented gas sensor are promising for acute exposure applications.

Swelling and gas release in oxide fuels during fast temperature transients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dollins, C. C.; Jursich, M.

1982-05-01

A previously reported intergranular swelling and gas release model for oxide fuels has been modified to predict fission gas behavior during fast temperature transients. Under steady state or slowly varying conditions it has been assumed in the previous model that the pressure caused by the fission gas within the gas bubbles is in equilibrium with the surface tension of the bubbles. During a fast transient, however, net vacancy migration to the bubbles may be insufficient to maintain this equilibrium. In order to ascertain the net vacancy flow, it is necessary to model the point defect behavior in the fuel. Knowing the net flow of vacancies to the bubble and the bubble size, the bubble diffusivity can be determined and the long range migration of the gas out of the fuel can be calculated. The model has also been modified to allow release of all the gas on the grain boundaries during a fast temperature transient. The gas release predicted by the revised model shows good agreement to fast transient gas release data from an EBR-II TREAT H-3 (Transient Reactor Test Facility) test. Agreement has also been obtained between predictions using the model and gas release data obtained by Argonne National Laboratory from out-of-reactor transient heating experiments on irradiated UO 2. It was found necessary to increase the gas bubble diffusivity used in the model by a factor of thirty during the transient to provide agreement between calculations and measurements. Other workers have also found that such an increase is necessary for agreement and attribute the increased diffusivity to yielding at the bubble surface due to the increased pressure.

Weaving colloidal webs around droplets: spontaneous assembly of extended colloidal networks encasing microfluidic droplet ensembles.

PubMed

Zheng, Lu; Ho, Leon Yoon; Khan, Saif A

2016-10-26

The ability to form transient, self-assembling solid networks that 'cocoon' emulsion droplets on-demand allows new possibilities in the rapidly expanding area of microfluidic droplet-based materials science. In this communication, we demonstrate the spontaneous formation of extended colloidal networks that encase large microfluidic droplet ensembles, thus completely arresting droplet motion and effectively isolating each droplet from others in the ensemble. To do this, we employ molecular inclusion complexes of β-cyclodextrin, which spontaneously form and assemble into colloidal solids at the droplet interface and beyond, via the outward diffusion of a guest molecule (dichloromethane) from the droplets. We illustrate the advantage of such transient network-based droplet stabilization in the area of pharmaceutical crystallization, where we are able to fabricate monodisperse spherical crystalline microgranules of 5-methyl-2-[(2-nitrophenyl)amino]-3-thiophenecarbonitrile (ROY), a model hydrophobic drug, with a dramatic enhancement of particle properties compared to conventional methods.

DIFFUSION MEASUREMENTS DURING PERVAPORATION THROUGH A ZEOLITE MEMBRANE

EPA Science Inventory

An isotopic-transient technique was used to directly measure diffusion times of H2O, methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, and acetone in pure and binary mixture feeds transporting through a zeolite membrane under steady-state pervaporation conditions. Diffusivities can be determ...

Anomalous versus Slowed-Down Brownian Diffusion in the Ligand-Binding Equilibrium

PubMed Central

Soula, Hédi; Caré, Bertrand; Beslon, Guillaume; Berry, Hugues

2013-01-01

Measurements of protein motion in living cells and membranes consistently report transient anomalous diffusion (subdiffusion) that converges back to a Brownian motion with reduced diffusion coefficient at long times after the anomalous diffusion regime. Therefore, slowed-down Brownian motion could be considered the macroscopic limit of transient anomalous diffusion. On the other hand, membranes are also heterogeneous media in which Brownian motion may be locally slowed down due to variations in lipid composition. Here, we investigate whether both situations lead to a similar behavior for the reversible ligand-binding reaction in two dimensions. We compare the (long-time) equilibrium properties obtained with transient anomalous diffusion due to obstacle hindrance or power-law-distributed residence times (continuous-time random walks) to those obtained with space-dependent slowed-down Brownian motion. Using theoretical arguments and Monte Carlo simulations, we show that these three scenarios have distinctive effects on the apparent affinity of the reaction. Whereas continuous-time random walks decrease the apparent affinity of the reaction, locally slowed-down Brownian motion and local hindrance by obstacles both improve it. However, only in the case of slowed-down Brownian motion is the affinity maximal when the slowdown is restricted to a subregion of the available space. Hence, even at long times (equilibrium), these processes are different and exhibit irreconcilable behaviors when the area fraction of reduced mobility changes. PMID:24209851

Diffusive exchange of trace elements between alkaline melts: Implications for element fractionation and timescale estimations during magma mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Garcia, Diego; Petrelli, Maurizio; Behrens, Harald; Vetere, Francesco; Fischer, Lennart A.; Morgavi, Daniele; Perugini, Diego

2018-07-01

The diffusive exchange of 30 trace elements (Cs, Rb, Ba, Sr, Co, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ta, V, Cr, Pb, Th, U, Zr, Hf, Sn and Nb) during the interaction of natural mafic and silicic alkaline melts was experimentally studied at conditions relevant to shallow magmatic systems. In detail, a set of 12 diffusion couple experiments have been performed between natural shoshonitic and rhyolitic melts from the Vulcano Island (Aeolian archipelago, Italy) at a temperature of 1200 °C, pressures from 50 to 500 MPa, and water contents ranging from nominally dry to ca. 2 wt.%. Concentration-distance profiles, measured by Laser Ablation ICP-MS, highlight different behaviours, and trace elements were divided into two groups: (1) elements with normal diffusion profiles (13 elements, mainly low field strength and transition elements), and (2) elements showing uphill diffusion (17 elements including Y, Zr, Nb, Pb and rare earth elements, except Eu). For the elements showing normal diffusion profiles, chemical diffusion coefficients were estimated using a concentration-dependent evaluation method, and values are given at four intermediate compositions (SiO2 equal to 58, 62, 66 and 70 wt.%, respectively). A general coupling of diffusion coefficients to silica diffusivity is observed, and variations in systematics are observed between mafic and silicic compositions. Results show that water plays a decisive role on diffusive rates in the studied conditions, producing an enhancement between 0.4 and 0.7 log units per 1 wt.% of added H2O. Particularly notable is the behaviour of the trivalent-only REEs (La to Nd and Gd to Lu), with strong uphill diffusion minima, diminishing from light to heavy REEs. Modelling of REE profiles by a modified effective binary diffusion model indicates that activity gradients induced by the SiO2 concentration contrast are responsible for their development, inducing a transient partitioning of REEs towards the shoshonitic melt. These results indicate that diffusive fractionation of trace elements is possible during magma mixing events, especially in the more silicic melts, and that the presence of water in such events can lead to enhanced chemical diffusive mixing efficiency, affecting also the estimation of mixing to eruption timescales.

Super-diffusion of excited carriers in semiconductors

PubMed Central

Najafi, Ebrahim; Ivanov, Vsevolod; Zewail, Ahmed; Bernardi, Marco

2017-01-01

The ultrafast spatial and temporal dynamics of excited carriers are important to understanding the response of materials to laser pulses. Here we use scanning ultrafast electron microscopy to image the dynamics of electrons and holes in silicon after excitation with a short laser pulse. We find that the carriers exhibit a diffusive dynamics at times shorter than 200 ps, with a transient diffusivity up to 1,000 times higher than the room temperature value, D0≈30 cm2s−1. The diffusivity then decreases rapidly, reaching a value of D0 roughly 500 ps after the excitation pulse. We attribute the transient super-diffusive behaviour to the rapid expansion of the excited carrier gas, which equilibrates with the environment in 100−150 ps. Numerical solution of the diffusion equation, as well as ab initio calculations, support our interpretation. Our findings provide new insight into the ultrafast spatial dynamics of excited carriers in materials. PMID:28492283

Macroscopic modeling for heat and water vapor transfer in dry snow by homogenization.

PubMed

Calonne, Neige; Geindreau, Christian; Flin, Frédéric

2014-11-26

Dry snow metamorphism, involved in several topics related to cryospheric sciences, is mainly linked to heat and water vapor transfers through snow including sublimation and deposition at the ice-pore interface. In this paper, the macroscopic equivalent modeling of heat and water vapor transfers through a snow layer was derived from the physics at the pore scale using the homogenization of multiple scale expansions. The microscopic phenomena under consideration are heat conduction, vapor diffusion, sublimation, and deposition. The obtained macroscopic equivalent model is described by two coupled transient diffusion equations including a source term arising from phase change at the pore scale. By dimensional analysis, it was shown that the influence of such source terms on the overall transfers can generally not be neglected, except typically under small temperature gradients. The precision and the robustness of the proposed macroscopic modeling were illustrated through 2D numerical simulations. Finally, the effective vapor diffusion tensor arising in the macroscopic modeling was computed on 3D images of snow. The self-consistent formula offers a good estimate of the effective diffusion coefficient with respect to the snow density, within an average relative error of 10%. Our results confirm recent work that the effective vapor diffusion is not enhanced in snow.

Effects of polymer graft properties on protein adsorption and transport in ion exchange chromatography: a multiscale modeling study.

PubMed

Basconi, Joseph E; Carta, Giorgio; Shirts, Michael R

2015-04-14

Multiscale simulation is used to study the adsorption of lysozyme onto ion exchangers obtained by grafting charged polymers into a porous matrix, in systems with various polymer properties and strengths of electrostatic interaction. Molecular dynamics simulations show that protein partitioning into the polymer-filled pore space increases with the overall charge content of the polymers, while the diffusivity in the pore space decreases. However, the combination of greatly increased partitioning and modestly decreased diffusion results in macroscopic transport rates that increase as a function of charge content, as the large concentration driving force due to enhanced pore space partitioning outweighs the reduction in the pore space diffusivity. Matrices having greater charge associated with the grafted polymers also exhibit more diffuse intraparticle concentration profiles during transient adsorption. In systems with a high charge content per polymer and a low protein loading, the polymers preferentially partition toward the surface due to favorable interactions with the surface-bound protein. These results demonstrate the potential of multiscale modeling to illuminate qualitative trends between molecular properties and the adsorption equilibria and kinetic properties observable on macroscopic scales.

Time-dependent expression of hypertonic effects on bullfrog taste nerve responses to salts and bitter substances.

PubMed

Mashiyama, Kazunori; Nozawa, Yuhei; Ohtubo, Yoshitaka; Kumazawa, Takashi; Yoshii, Kiyonori

2014-03-27

We previously showed that the hypertonicity of taste stimulating solutions modified tonic responses, the quasi-steady state component following the transient (phasic) component of each integrated taste nerve response. Here we show that the hypertonicity opens tight junctions surrounding taste receptor cells in a time-dependent manner and modifies whole taste nerve responses in bullfrogs. We increased the tonicity of stimulating solutions with non-taste substances such as urea or ethylene glycol. The hypertonicity enhanced phasic responses to NaCl>0.2M, and suppressed those to NaCl<0.1M, 1mM CaCl2, and 1mM bitter substances (quinine, denatonium and strychnine). The hypertonicity also enhanced the phasic responses to a variety of 0.5M salts such as LiCl and KCl. The enhancing effect was increased by increasing the difference between the ionic mobilities of the cations and anions in the salt. A preincubation time >20s in the presence of 1M non-taste substances was needed to elicit both the enhancing and suppressing effects. Lucifer Yellow CH, a paracellular marker dye, diffused into bullfrog taste receptor organs in 30s in the presence of hypertonicity. These results agreed with our proposed mechanism of hypertonic effects that considered the diffusion potential across open tight junctions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ex vivo and in vivo diffusion of ropivacaine through spinal meninges: influence of absorption enhancers.

PubMed

Brandhonneur, Nolwenn; Dollo, Gilles; Ratajczak-Enselme, Maja; Deniau, Anne Laure; Chevanne, François; Estèbe, Jean Pierre; Legrand, Alain; Le Corre, Pascal

2011-02-14

Following epidural administration, cerebrospinal fluid bioavailability of local anesthetics is low, one major limiting factor being diffusion across the arachnoid mater barrier. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of absorption enhancers on the meningeal permeability of epidurally administered ropivacaine. Five enhancers known for their ability to increase drug permeability via transcellular and/or paracellular pathways, i.e. palmitoyl carnitine, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, sodium caprate, dodecylphosphocholine and pentylglycerol, were tested ex vivo on fresh specimen of meninges removed from cervical to lumbar level of rabbit spine following laminectomy and placed in diffusion chambers. Among them, sodium caprate lead to the best permeability improvement for both marker and drug (440% and 112% for mannitol and ropivacaine, respectively) and was therefore selected for in vivo study in a sheep model using microdialysis technique to evaluate epidural and intrathecal ropivacaine concentrations following epidural administration. Resulting dialysate and plasma concentrations were used to calculate pharmacokinetic parameters. Following sodium caprate pre-treatment, ropivacaine intrathecal maximal concentration (Cmax) was 1.6 times higher (78 ± 16 μg ml(-1) vs 129 ± 26 μg ml(-1), p<0.05) but the influence of the absorption enhancer was only effective the first 30 min following ropivacaine injection, as seen with the significantly increase of intrathecal AUC(0-30 min) (1629 ± 437 μg min ml(-1) vs 2477 ± 559 μg min ml(-1), p<0.05) resulting in a bioavailable fraction 130% higher 30 min after ropivavaine administration. Co-administration of local anesthetics with sodium caprate seems to allow a transient and reversible improvement of transmeningeal passage into intrathecal space. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Distribution of late gadolinium enhancement in various types of cardiomyopathies: Significance in differential diagnosis, clinical features and prognosis

PubMed Central

Satoh, Hiroshi; Sano, Makoto; Suwa, Kenichiro; Saitoh, Takeji; Nobuhara, Mamoru; Saotome, Masao; Urushida, Tsuyoshi; Katoh, Hideki; Hayashi, Hideharu

2014-01-01

The recent development of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) techniques has allowed detailed analyses of cardiac function and tissue characterization with high spatial resolution. We review characteristic CMR features in ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathies (ICM and NICM), especially in terms of the location and distribution of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). CMR in ICM shows segmental wall motion abnormalities or wall thinning in a particular coronary arterial territory, and the subendocardial or transmural LGE. LGE in NICM generally does not correspond to any particular coronary artery distribution and is located mostly in the mid-wall to subepicardial layer. The analysis of LGE distribution is valuable to differentiate NICM with diffusely impaired systolic function, including dilated cardiomyopathy, end-stage hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), cardiac sarcoidosis, and myocarditis, and those with diffuse left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy including HCM, cardiac amyloidosis and Anderson-Fabry disease. A transient low signal intensity LGE in regions of severe LV dysfunction is a particular feature of stress cardiomyopathy. In arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia, an enhancement of right ventricular (RV) wall with functional and morphological changes of RV becomes apparent. Finally, the analyses of LGE distribution have potentials to predict cardiac outcomes and response to treatments. PMID:25068019

Structural imaging of nanoscale phonon transport in ferroelectrics excited by metamaterial-enhanced terahertz fields

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

Zhu, Yi; Chen, Frank; Park, Joonkyu

Nanoscale phonon transport is a key process that governs thermal conduction in a wide range of materials and devices. Creating controlled phonon populations by resonant excitation at terahertz (THz) frequencies can drastically change the characteristics of nanoscale thermal transport and allow a direct real-space characterization of phonon mean-free paths. Using metamaterial-enhanced terahertz excitation, we tailored a phononic excitation by selectively populating low-frequency phonons within a nanoscale volume in a ferroelectric BaTiO3 thin film. Real-space time-resolved x-ray diffraction microscopy following THz excitation reveals ballistic phonon transport over a distance of hundreds of nm, two orders of magnitude longer than the averagedmore » phonon mean-free path in BaTiO3. On longer length scales, diffusive phonon transport dominates the recovery of the transient strain response, largely due to heat conduction into the substrate. The measured real-space phonon transport can be directly compared with the phonon mean-free path as predicted by molecular dynamics modeling. This time-resolved real-space visualization of THz-matter interactions opens up opportunities to engineer and image nanoscale transient structural states with new functionalities.« less

Structural imaging of nanoscale phonon transport in ferroelectrics excited by metamaterial-enhanced terahertz fields

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

Zhu, Yi; Chen, Frank; Park, Joonkyu

Nanoscale phonon transport is a key process that governs thermal conduction in a wide range of materials and devices. Creating controlled phonon populations by resonant excitation at terahertz (THz) frequencies can drastically change the characteristics of nanoscale thermal transport and allow a direct real-space characterization of phonon mean-free paths. Using metamaterial-enhanced terahertz excitation, we tailored a phononic excitation by selectively populating low-frequency phonons within a nanoscale volume in a ferroelectric BaTiO 3 thin film. Real-space time-resolved x-ray diffraction microscopy following THz excitation reveals ballistic phonon transport over a distance of hundreds of nm, two orders of magnitude longer than themore » averaged phonon mean-free path in BaTiO 3. On longer length scales, diffusive phonon transport dominates the recovery of the transient strain response, largely due to heat conduction into the substrate. The measured real-space phonon transport can be directly compared with the phonon mean-free path as predicted by molecular dynamics modeling. In conclusion, this time-resolved real-space visualization of THz-matter interactions opens up opportunities to engineer and image nanoscale transient structural states with new functionalities.« less

Structural imaging of nanoscale phonon transport in ferroelectrics excited by metamaterial-enhanced terahertz fields

DOE PAGES

Zhu, Yi; Chen, Frank; Park, Joonkyu; ...

2017-11-16

Nanoscale phonon transport is a key process that governs thermal conduction in a wide range of materials and devices. Creating controlled phonon populations by resonant excitation at terahertz (THz) frequencies can drastically change the characteristics of nanoscale thermal transport and allow a direct real-space characterization of phonon mean-free paths. Using metamaterial-enhanced terahertz excitation, we tailored a phononic excitation by selectively populating low-frequency phonons within a nanoscale volume in a ferroelectric BaTiO 3 thin film. Real-space time-resolved x-ray diffraction microscopy following THz excitation reveals ballistic phonon transport over a distance of hundreds of nm, two orders of magnitude longer than themore » averaged phonon mean-free path in BaTiO 3. On longer length scales, diffusive phonon transport dominates the recovery of the transient strain response, largely due to heat conduction into the substrate. The measured real-space phonon transport can be directly compared with the phonon mean-free path as predicted by molecular dynamics modeling. In conclusion, this time-resolved real-space visualization of THz-matter interactions opens up opportunities to engineer and image nanoscale transient structural states with new functionalities.« less

Fixation, transient landscape, and diffusion dilemma in stochastic evolutionary game dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Da; Qian, Hong

2011-09-01

Agent-based stochastic models for finite populations have recently received much attention in the game theory of evolutionary dynamics. Both the ultimate fixation and the pre-fixation transient behavior are important to a full understanding of the dynamics. In this paper, we study the transient dynamics of the well-mixed Moran process through constructing a landscape function. It is shown that the landscape playing a central theoretical “device” that integrates several lines of inquiries: the stable behavior of the replicator dynamics, the long-time fixation, and continuous diffusion approximation associated with asymptotically large population. Several issues relating to the transient dynamics are discussed: (i) multiple time scales phenomenon associated with intra- and inter-attractoral dynamics; (ii) discontinuous transition in stochastically stationary process akin to Maxwell construction in equilibrium statistical physics; and (iii) the dilemma diffusion approximation facing as a continuous approximation of the discrete evolutionary dynamics. It is found that rare events with exponentially small probabilities, corresponding to the uphill movements and barrier crossing in the landscape with multiple wells that are made possible by strong nonlinear dynamics, plays an important role in understanding the origin of the complexity in evolutionary, nonlinear biological systems.

Initial Transient in Zn-doped InSb Grown in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ostrogorsky, A G.; Marin, C.; Volz, M.; Duffar, T.

2009-01-01

Three Zn-doped InSb crystals were directionally solidified under microgravity conditions at the International Space Station (ISS) Alpha. The distribution of the Zn was measured using SIMS. A short diffusion-controlled transient, typical for systems with k greater than 1 was demonstrated. Static pressure of approximately 4000 N/m2 was imposed on the melt, to prevent bubble formation and dewetting. Still, partial de-wetting has occurred in one experiment, and apparently has disturbed the diffusive transport of Zn in the melt.

Direct evidence of the recombination of silicon interstitial atoms at the silicon surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamrani, Y.; Cristiano, F.; Colombeau, B.; Scheid, E.; Calvo, P.; Schäfer, H.; Claverie, Alain

2004-02-01

In this experiment, a Si wafer containing four lightly doped B marker layers epitaxially grown by CVD has been implanted with 100 keV Si + ions to a dose of 2 × 10 14 ions/cm 2 and annealed at 850 °C for several times in an RTA system in flowing N 2. TEM and SIMS analysis, in conjunction with a transient enhanced diffusion (TED) evaluation method based on the kick-out diffusion mechanism, have allowed us to accurately study the boron TED evolution in presence of extended defects. We show that the silicon surface plays a key role in the recombination of Si interstitial atoms by providing the first experimental evidence of the resulting Si ints supersaturation gradient between the defect region and the surface. Our results indicate an upper limit of about 200 nm for the surface recombination length of Si interstitials at 850 °C in a N 2 ambient.

A New Solution for Confined-Unconfined Flow Toward a Fully Penetrating Well in a Confined Aquifer.

PubMed

Xiao, Liang; Ye, Ming; Xu, Yongxin

2018-02-08

Transient confined-unconfined flow conversion caused by pumping in a confined aquifer (i.e., piezometric head drops below the top confined layer) is complicated, partly due to different hydraulic properties between confined and unconfined regions. For understanding mechanism of the transient confined-unconfined conversion, this paper develops a new analytical solution for the transient confined-unconfined flow toward a fully penetrating well in a confined aquifer. The analytical solution is used to investigate the impacts on drawdown simulation by differences of hydraulic properties, including transmissivity, storativity, and diffusivity defined as a ratio of transmissivity and storativity, between the confined and unconfined regions. It is found that neglecting the transmissivity difference may give an overestimation of drawdown. Instead, neglecting the diffusivity difference may lead to an underestimation of drawdown. The shape of drawdown-time curve is sensitive to the change of storativity ratio, S/S y , between the confined and unconfined regions. With a series of drawdown data from pumping tests, the analytical solution can also be used to inversely estimate following parameters related to the transient confined-unconfined conversion: radial distance of conversion interface, diffusivity, and specific yield of the unconfined region. It is concluded that using constant transmissivity and diffusivity in theory can result in biased estimates of radial distance of the conversion interface and specific yield of the unconfined region in practice. The analytical solution is useful to gain insight about various factors related to the transient confined-unconfined conversion and can be used for the design of mine drainage and groundwater management in the mining area. © 2018, National Ground Water Association.

Effect of Thermal Diffusivity on the Detectability of TNDE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhao, Junduo; Chu, Tsuchin; Russell, Samuel S.

2000-01-01

The effect of thermal diffusively on the defect detectability in Carbon/Epoxy composite panels by transient thermography is presented in this paper. A series of Finite Element Models were constructed and analyzed to simulate the transient heat transfer phenomenon during Thermographic Non-destructive Evaluation (TNDE) of composite panels with square defects. Six common carbon fibers were considered. The models were built for composites with various combinations of fibers and volumetric ratios. Finite Element Analysis of these models showed the trends of the detectable range and the maximum thermal contrast versus the thermal diffusivity of various composites. Additionally, the trends of defect size to depth ratio and the thermal contrast has been investigated.

Intrinsic electric fields and proton diffusion in immobilized protein membranes. Effects of electrolytes and buffers.

PubMed Central

Zabusky, N J; Deem, G S

1979-01-01

We present a theory for proton diffusion through an immobilized protein membrane perfused with an electrolyte and a buffer. Using a Nernst-Planck equation for each species and assuming local charge neutrality, we obtain two coupled nonlinear diffusion equations with new diffusion coefficients dependent on the concentration of all species, the diffusion constants or mobilities of the buffers and salts, the pH-derivative of the titration curves of the mobile buffer and the immobilized protein, and the derivative with respect to ionic strength of the protein titration curve. Transient time scales are locally pH-dependent because of protonation-deprotonation reactions with the fixed protein and are ionic strength-dependent because salts provide charge carriers to shield internal electric fields. Intrinsic electric fields arise proportional to the gradient of an "effective" charge concentration. The field may reverse locally if buffer concentrations are large (greater to or equal to 0.1 M) and if the diffusivity of the electrolyte species is sufficiently small. The "ideal" electrolyte case (where each species has the same diffusivity) reduces to a simple form. We apply these theoretical considerations to membranes composed of papain and bovine serum albumin (BSA) and show that intrinsic electric fields greatly enhance the mobility of protons when the ionic strength of the salts is smaller than 0.1 M. These results are consistent with experiments where pH changes are observed to depend strongly on buffer, salt, and proton concentrations in baths adjacent to the membranes. PMID:233570

Effective transient behaviour of inclusions in diffusion problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brassart, Laurence; Stainier, Laurent

2018-06-01

This paper is concerned with the effective transport properties of heterogeneous media in which there is a high contrast between the phase diffusivities. In this case the transient response of the slow phase induces a memory effect at the macroscopic scale, which needs to be included in a macroscopic continuum description. This paper focuses on the slow phase, which we take as a dispersion of inclusions of arbitrary shape. We revisit the linear diffusion problem in such inclusions in order to identify the structure of the effective (average) inclusion response to a chemical load applied on the inclusion boundary. We identify a chemical creep function (similar to the creep function of viscoelasticity), from which we construct estimates with a reduced number of relaxation modes. The proposed estimates admit an equivalent representation based on a finite number of internal variables. These estimates allow us to predict the average inclusion response under arbitrary time-varying boundary conditions at very low computational cost. A heuristic generalisation to concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient is also presented. The proposed estimates for the effective transient response of an inclusion can serve as a building block for the formulation of multi-inclusion homogenisation schemes.

Fractional Brownian motion run with a multi-scaling clock mimics diffusion of spherical colloids in microstructural fluids.

PubMed

Park, Moongyu; Cushman, John Howard; O'Malley, Dan

2014-09-30

The collective molecular reorientations within a nematic liquid crystal fluid bathing a spherical colloid cause the colloid to diffuse anomalously on a short time scale (i.e., as a non-Brownian particle). The deformations and fluctuations of long-range orientational order in the liquid crystal profoundly influence the transient diffusive regimes. Here we show that an anisotropic fractional Brownian process run with a nonlinear multiscaling clock effectively mimics this collective and transient phenomenon. This novel process has memory, Gaussian increments, and a multiscale mean square displacement that can be chosen independently from the fractal dimension of a particle trajectory. The process is capable of modeling multiscale sub-, super-, or classical diffusion. The finite-size Lyapunov exponents for this multiscaling process are defined for future analysis of related mixing processes.

Anomalous versus slowed-down Brownian diffusion in the ligand-binding equilibrium.

PubMed

Soula, Hédi; Caré, Bertrand; Beslon, Guillaume; Berry, Hugues

2013-11-05

Measurements of protein motion in living cells and membranes consistently report transient anomalous diffusion (subdiffusion) that converges back to a Brownian motion with reduced diffusion coefficient at long times after the anomalous diffusion regime. Therefore, slowed-down Brownian motion could be considered the macroscopic limit of transient anomalous diffusion. On the other hand, membranes are also heterogeneous media in which Brownian motion may be locally slowed down due to variations in lipid composition. Here, we investigate whether both situations lead to a similar behavior for the reversible ligand-binding reaction in two dimensions. We compare the (long-time) equilibrium properties obtained with transient anomalous diffusion due to obstacle hindrance or power-law-distributed residence times (continuous-time random walks) to those obtained with space-dependent slowed-down Brownian motion. Using theoretical arguments and Monte Carlo simulations, we show that these three scenarios have distinctive effects on the apparent affinity of the reaction. Whereas continuous-time random walks decrease the apparent affinity of the reaction, locally slowed-down Brownian motion and local hindrance by obstacles both improve it. However, only in the case of slowed-down Brownian motion is the affinity maximal when the slowdown is restricted to a subregion of the available space. Hence, even at long times (equilibrium), these processes are different and exhibit irreconcilable behaviors when the area fraction of reduced mobility changes. Copyright © 2013 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical deposition of silver in room-temperature ionic liquids and its surface-enhanced Raman scattering effect.

PubMed

He, Ping; Liu, Hongtao; Li, Zhiying; Liu, Yang; Xu, Xiudong; Li, Jinghong

2004-11-09

The use of room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as media for electrochemical application is very attractive. In this work, the electrochemical deposition of silver was investigated at a glassy carbon electrode in hydrophobic 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF6) and hydrophilic 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIMBF4) RTILs and in KNO3 aqueous solution by cyclic voltammetric and potentiostatic transient techniques. The voltammograms showed the presence of reduction and oxidation peaks associated with the deposition and dissolution of silver from AgBF4 in both BMIMPF6 and BMIMBF(4), resembling the redox behavior of AgNO3 in KNO3 aqueous solution. A crossover loop was observed in all the cyclic voltammograms of these electrochemical systems, indicating a nucleation process. From the analysis of the experimental current transients, it was shown that the electrochemical deposition process of silver in these media was characteristic of 3D nucleation with diffusion-controlled hemispherical growth, and the silver nucleation closely followed the response predicted for progressive nucleation in BMIMPF6 and instantaneous nucleation in KNO3 aqueous solution, respectively. Compared with these two cases, the electrochemical deposition of silver in BMIMBF4 deviated from both the instantaneous and progressive nucleation models, which could be controlled by mixed kinetics and diffusion. On the basis of the experimental results, it was shown that parameters such as viscosity and water miscibility of RTILs would affect the electrodeposition behavior of silver. Atom force microscopy was employed to probe the surface morphology of the silver deposit, and it showed that the shining electrodeposit of silver was fairly dense and separate nanoclusters of <100 nm were in evidence, corresponding to an island growth model. The strongly enhanced Raman scattering from the monolayer film of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid demonstrated that as-prepared silver nanoparticular film was surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active. The enhancement factor was calculated to be up to 9.0 x 10(5) and 1.0 x 10(6) for the silver film obtained in BMIMPF6 and BMIMBF4 RTILs, respectively.

Transient anomalous diffusion in periodic systems: ergodicity, symmetry breaking and velocity relaxation

PubMed Central

Spiechowicz, Jakub; Łuczka, Jerzy; Hänggi, Peter

2016-01-01

We study far from equilibrium transport of a periodically driven inertial Brownian particle moving in a periodic potential. As detected for a SQUID ratchet dynamics, the mean square deviation of the particle position from its average may involve three distinct intermediate, although extended diffusive regimes: initially as superdiffusion, followed by subdiffusion and finally, normal diffusion in the asymptotic long time limit. Even though these anomalies are transient effects, their lifetime can be many, many orders of magnitude longer than the characteristic time scale of the setup and turns out to be extraordinarily sensitive to the system parameters like temperature or the potential asymmetry. In the paper we reveal mechanisms of diffusion anomalies related to ergodicity of the system, symmetry breaking of the periodic potential and ultraslow relaxation of the particle velocity towards its steady state. Similar sequences of the diffusive behaviours could be detected in various systems including, among others, colloidal particles in random potentials, glass forming liquids and granular gases. PMID:27492219

Step - wise transient method - Influence of heat source inertia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinarič, Svetozár; Dieška, Peter

2016-07-01

Step-wise transient (SWT) method is an experimental technique for measuring the thermal diffusivity and conductivity of materials. Theoretical models and experimental apparatus are presented and the influence of the heat source capacity are investigated using the experiment simulation. The specimens from low density polyethylene (LDPE) were measured yielding the thermal diffusivity 0.165 mm2/s and thermal conductivity 0.351 W/mK with the coefficient of variation less than 1.4 %. The heat source capacity caused the systematic error of the results smaller than 1 %.

Hole diffusivity in GaAsBi alloys measured by a picosecond transient grating technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nargelas, S.; Jarašiunas, K.; Bertulis, K.; Pačebutas, V.

2011-02-01

We applied a time-resolved transient grating technique for investigation of nonequilibrium carrier dynamics in GaAs1-xBix alloys with x =0.025-0.063. The observed decrease in carrier bipolar diffusivity with lowering temperature and its saturation below 80 K revealed a strong localization of nonequilibrium holes. Thermal activation energy ΔEa=46 meV of diffusivity and low hole mobility value μh=10-20 cm2/V s at room temperature confirmed the hybridization model of the localized Bi states with the valence band of GaAs. Nonlinear increase in carrier recombination rate with the Bi content, 1/τR∝Bi(x )3.2 indicated an increasing structural disorder in the alloy.

Catalytic conversion reactions mediated by single-file diffusion in linear nanopores: hydrodynamic versus stochastic behavior.

PubMed

Ackerman, David M; Wang, Jing; Wendel, Joseph H; Liu, Da-Jiang; Pruski, Marek; Evans, James W

2011-03-21

We analyze the spatiotemporal behavior of species concentrations in a diffusion-mediated conversion reaction which occurs at catalytic sites within linear pores of nanometer diameter. Diffusion within the pores is subject to a strict single-file (no passing) constraint. Both transient and steady-state behavior is precisely characterized by kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of a spatially discrete lattice-gas model for this reaction-diffusion process considering various distributions of catalytic sites. Exact hierarchical master equations can also be developed for this model. Their analysis, after application of mean-field type truncation approximations, produces discrete reaction-diffusion type equations (mf-RDE). For slowly varying concentrations, we further develop coarse-grained continuum hydrodynamic reaction-diffusion equations (h-RDE) incorporating a precise treatment of single-file diffusion in this multispecies system. The h-RDE successfully describe nontrivial aspects of transient behavior, in contrast to the mf-RDE, and also correctly capture unreactive steady-state behavior in the pore interior. However, steady-state reactivity, which is localized near the pore ends when those regions are catalytic, is controlled by fluctuations not incorporated into the hydrodynamic treatment. The mf-RDE partly capture these fluctuation effects, but cannot describe scaling behavior of the reactivity.

Interdye Hole Transport Accelerates Recombination in Dye Sensitized Mesoporous Films.

PubMed

Moia, Davide; Szumska, Anna; Vaissier, Valérie; Planells, Miquel; Robertson, Neil; O'Regan, Brian C; Nelson, Jenny; Barnes, Piers R F

2016-10-12

Charge recombination between oxidized dyes attached to mesoporous TiO 2 and electrons in the TiO 2 was studied in inert electrolytes using transient absorption spectroscopy. Simultaneously, hole transport within the dye monolayers was monitored by transient absorption anisotropy. The rate of recombination decreased when hole transport was inhibited selectively, either by decreasing the dye surface coverage or by changing the electrolyte environment. From Monte Carlo simulations of electron and hole diffusion in a particle, modeled as a cubic structure, we identify the conditions under which hole lifetime depends on the hole diffusion coefficient for the case of normal (disorder free) diffusion. From simulations of transient absorption and transient absorption anisotropy, we find that the rate and the dispersive character of hole transport in the dye monolayer observed spectroscopically can be explained by incomplete coverage and disorder in the monolayer. We show that dispersive transport in the dye monolayer combined with inhomogeneity in the TiO 2 surface reactivity can contribute to the observed stretched electron-hole recombination dynamics and electron density dependence of hole lifetimes. Our experimental and computational analysis of lateral processes at interfaces can be applied to investigate and optimize charge transport and recombination in solar energy conversion devices using electrodes functionalized with molecular light absorbers and catalysts.

Photocharge accumulation and recombination in perovskite solar cells regarding device performance and stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yusheng; Li, Yiming; Shi, Jiangjian; Li, Hongshi; Zhang, Huiyin; Wu, Jionghua; Li, Dongmei; Luo, Yanhong; Wu, Huijue; Meng, Qingbo

2018-01-01

Photocharge accumulation and recombination in perovskite solar cells have been systematically investigated in this paper by electrochemical spectroscopy and transient photocurrent/photovoltage methods. It is found that the non-equilibrium photocharges stored in the selective charge transport layers follow a backward recombination mechanism. That is, the photocharges are first captured by the interface defects corresponding to the fast photovoltage decay, while the bulk charge recombination instead of the diffusion process dominates the slow photovoltage decay process. Further investigation reveals that the device degradation preferentially takes place at the interface under working conditions, which thus can confirm the importance of interface engineering to enhance the device stability.

Unilateral or bilateral punctate hippocampal hyperintensities on DW-MRI: seizures, amnesia, or both?

PubMed

Bocos-Portillo, Jone; Escalza-Cortina, Inés; Gómez-Beldarrain, Marian; Rodriguez-Sainz, Aida; Garcia-Monco, Juan Carlos

2018-06-02

The presence of small hippocampal hyperintense lesions on diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI can respond to different etiologies and represents a challenge where clinical judgment is imperative, since therapeutic approach may be quite different.We here report three patients with similar neuroradiological findings, i.e., hyperintense punctate hippocampal lesions on diffusion-weighted MRI sequences, yet of different origin. The first one presented with isolated amnesia (transient global amnesia), the second one with amnesia and seizures, and the third one with seizures.Thus, hippocampal punctate lesions appear after transient global amnesia, but the same pattern may be present after seizures, either focal-onset or generalized seizures. This peculiar radiological MRI pattern could indicate a pathogenic link between transient global amnesia (TGA) and seizures which should be further studied.

Superresolution microscopy with transient binding.

PubMed

Molle, Julia; Raab, Mario; Holzmeister, Susanne; Schmitt-Monreal, Daniel; Grohmann, Dina; He, Zhike; Tinnefeld, Philip

2016-06-01

For single-molecule localization based superresolution, the concentration of fluorescent labels has to be thinned out. This is commonly achieved by photophysically or photochemically deactivating subsets of molecules. Alternatively, apparent switching of molecules can be achieved by transient binding of fluorescent labels. Here, a diffusing dye yields bright fluorescent spots when binding to the structure of interest. As the binding interaction is weak, the labeling is reversible and the dye ligand construct diffuses back into solution. This approach of achieving superresolution by transient binding (STB) is reviewed in this manuscript. Different realizations of STB are discussed and compared to other localization-based superresolution modalities. We propose the development of labeling strategies that will make STB a highly versatile tool for superresolution microscopy at highest resolution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical- and imaging-based prediction of stroke risk after transient ischemic attack: the CIP model.

PubMed

Ay, Hakan; Arsava, E Murat; Johnston, S Claiborne; Vangel, Mark; Schwamm, Lee H; Furie, Karen L; Koroshetz, Walter J; Sorensen, A Gregory

2009-01-01

Predictive instruments based on clinical features for early stroke risk after transient ischemic attack suffer from limited specificity. We sought to combine imaging and clinical features to improve predictions for 7-day stroke risk after transient ischemic attack. We studied 601 consecutive patients with transient ischemic attack who had MRI within 24 hours of symptom onset. A logistic regression model was developed using stroke within 7 days as the response criterion and diffusion-weighted imaging findings and dichotomized ABCD(2) score (ABCD(2) >/=4) as covariates. Subsequent stroke occurred in 25 patients (5.2%). Dichotomized ABCD(2) score and acute infarct on diffusion-weighted imaging were each independent predictors of stroke risk. The 7-day risk was 0.0% with no predictor, 2.0% with ABCD(2) score >/=4 alone, 4.9% with acute infarct on diffusion-weighted imaging alone, and 14.9% with both predictors (an automated calculator is available at http://cip.martinos.org). Adding imaging increased the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve from 0.66 (95% CI, 0.57 to 0.76) using the ABCD(2) score to 0.81 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.88; P=0.003). The sensitivity of 80% on the receiver operating characteristic curve corresponded to a specificity of 73% for the CIP model and 47% for the ABCD(2) score. Combining acute imaging findings with clinical transient ischemic attack features causes a dramatic boost in the accuracy of predictions with clinical features alone for early risk of stroke after transient ischemic attack. If validated in relevant clinical settings, risk stratification by the CIP model may assist in early implementation of therapeutic measures and effective use of hospital resources.

Room temperature spin diffusion in (110) GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Transient spin grating experiments are used to investigate the electron spin diffusion in intrinsic (110) GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum well at room temperature. The measured spin diffusion length of optically excited electrons is about 4 μm at low spin density. Increasing the carrier density yields both a decrease of the spin relaxation time and the spin diffusion coefficient Ds. PMID:21711662

A potential risk of overestimating apparent diffusion coefficient in parotid glands.

PubMed

Liu, Yi-Jui; Lee, Yi-Hsiung; Chang, Hing-Chiu; Huang, Teng-Yi; Chiu, Hui-Chu; Wang, Chih-Wei; Chiou, Ta-Wei; Hsu, Kang; Juan, Chun-Jung; Huang, Guo-Shu; Hsu, Hsian-He

2015-01-01

To investigate transient signal loss on diffusion weighted images (DWI) and overestimation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in parotid glands using single shot echoplanar DWI (EPDWI). This study enrolled 6 healthy subjects and 7 patients receiving radiotherapy. All participants received dynamic EPDWI with a total of 8 repetitions. Imaging quality of DWI was evaluated. Probability of severe overestimation of ADC (soADC), defined by an ADC ratio more than 1.2, was calculated. Error on T2WI, DWI, and ADC was computed. Statistical analysis included paired Student t testing and Mann-Whitney U test. A P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Transient signal loss was visually detected on some excitations of DWI but not on T2WI or mean DWI. soADC occurred randomly among 8 excitations and 3 directions of diffusion encoding gradients. Probability of soADC was significantly higher in radiotherapy group (42.86%) than in healthy group (24.39%). The mean error percentage decreased as the number of excitations increased on all images, and, it was smallest on T2WI, followed by DWI and ADC in an increasing order. Transient signal loss on DWI was successfully detected by dynamic EPDWI. The signal loss on DWI and overestimation of ADC could be partially remedied by increasing the number of excitations.

Boundary-layer exchange by bubble: A novel method for generating transient nanofluidic layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jennissen, Herbert P.

2005-10-01

Unstirred layers (i.e., Nernst boundary layers) occur on every dynamic solid-liquid interface, constituting a diffusion barrier, since the velocity of a moving liquid approaches zero at the surface (no slip). If a macromolecule-surface reaction rate is higher than the diffusion rate, the Nernst layer is solute depleted and the reaction rate becomes mass-transport limited. The thickness of a Nernst boundary layer (δN) generally lies between 5 and 50μm. In an evanescent wave rheometer, measuring fibrinogen adsorption to fused silica, we made the fundamental observation that an air bubble preceding the sample through the flow cell abolishes the mass-transport limitation of the Nernst diffusion layer. Instead exponential kinetics are found. Experimental and simulation studies strongly indicate that these results are due to the elimination of the Nernst diffusion layer and its replacement by a dynamic nanofluidic layer (δν) maximally 200-300nm thick. It is suggested that the air bubble leads to a transient boundary-layer separation into a novel nanoboundary layer on the surface and the bulk fluid velocity profile separated by a vortex sheet with an estimated lifetime of 30-60s. A bubble-induced boundary-layer exchange from the Nernst to the nanoboundary layer and back is obtained, giving sufficient time for the measurement of unbiased exponential surface kinetics. Noteworthy is that the nanolayer can exist at all and displays properties such as (i) a long persistence and resistance to dissipation by the bulk liquid (boundary-layer-exchange-hysteresis) and (ii) a lack of solute depletion in spite of boundary-layer separation. The boundary-layer-exchange by bubble (BLEB) method therefore appears ideal for enhancing the rates of all types of diffusion-limited macromolecular reactions on surfaces with contact angles between 0° and 90° and only appears limited by slippage due to nanobubbles or an air gap beneath the nanofluidic layer on very hydrophobic surfaces. The possibility of producing nanoboundary layers without any nanostructuring or nanomachining should also be useful for fundamental physical studies in nanofluidics.

Reproducible Crystal Growth Experiments in Microgravity Science Glovebox at the International Space Station (SUBSA Investigation)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ostrogorsky, A.; Marin, C.; Volz, M. P.; Bonner, W. A.

2005-01-01

Solidification Using a Baffle in Sealed Ampoules (SUBSA) is the first investigation conducted in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Facility at the International Space Station (ISS) Alpha. 8 single crystals of InSb, doped with Te and Zn, were directionally solidified in microgravity. The experiments were conducted in a furnace with a transparent gradient section, and a video camera, sending images to the earth. The real time images (i) helped seeding, (ii) allowed a direct measurement of the solidification rate. The post-flight characterization of the crystals includes: computed x-ray tomography, Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS), Hall measurements, Atomic Absorption (AA), and 4 point probe analysis. For the first time in microgravity, several crystals having nearly identical initial transients were grown. Reproducible initial transients were obtained with Te-doped InSb. Furthermore, the diffusion controlled end-transient was demonstrated experimentally (SUBSA 02). From the initial transients, the diffusivity of Te and Zn in InSb was determined.

Theory of finite disturbances in a centrifugal compression system with a vaneless radial diffuser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, F. K.

1990-01-01

A previous small perturbation analysis of circumferential waves in circumferential compression systems, assuming inviscid flow, is shown to be consistent with observations that narrow diffusers are more stable than wide ones, when boundary layer displacement effect is included. The Moore-Greitzer analysis for finite strength transients containing both surge and rotating stall in axial machines is adapted for a centrifugal compression system. Under certain assumptions, and except for a new second order swirl, the diffuser velocity field, including resonant singularities, can be carried over from the previous inviscid linear analysis. Nonlinear transient equations are derived and applied in a simple example to show that throttling through a resonant value of flow coefficient must occur in a sudden surge-like drop, accompanied by a transient rotating wave. This inner solution is superseded by an outer surge response on a longer time scale. Surge may occur purely as result of circumferential wave resonance. Numerical results are shown for various parametric choices relating to throttle schedule and the characteristic slope. A number of circumferential modes considered simultaneously is briefly discussed.

Non-universal tracer diffusion in crowded media of non-inert obstacles.

PubMed

Ghosh, Surya K; Cherstvy, Andrey G; Metzler, Ralf

2015-01-21

We study the diffusion of a tracer particle, which moves in continuum space between a lattice of excluded volume, immobile non-inert obstacles. In particular, we analyse how the strength of the tracer-obstacle interactions and the volume occupancy of the crowders alter the diffusive motion of the tracer. From the details of partitioning of the tracer diffusion modes between trapping states when bound to obstacles and bulk diffusion, we examine the degree of localisation of the tracer in the lattice of crowders. We study the properties of the tracer diffusion in terms of the ensemble and time averaged mean squared displacements, the trapping time distributions, the amplitude variation of the time averaged mean squared displacements, and the non-Gaussianity parameter of the diffusing tracer. We conclude that tracer-obstacle adsorption and binding triggers a transient anomalous diffusion. From a very narrow spread of recorded individual time averaged trajectories we exclude continuous type random walk processes as the underlying physical model of the tracer diffusion in our system. For moderate tracer-crowder attraction the motion is found to be fully ergodic, while at stronger attraction strength a transient disparity between ensemble and time averaged mean squared displacements occurs. We also put our results into perspective with findings from experimental single-particle tracking and simulations of the diffusion of tagged tracers in dense crowded suspensions. Our results have implications for the diffusion, transport, and spreading of chemical components in highly crowded environments inside living cells and other structured liquids.

Development of time-domain differential Raman for transient thermal probing of materials

DOE PAGES

Xu, Shen; Wang, Tianyu; Hurley, David; ...

2015-01-01

A novel transient thermal characterization technology is developed based on the principles of transient optical heating and Raman probing: time-domain differential Raman. It employs a square-wave modulated laser of varying duty cycle to realize controlled heating and transient thermal probing. Very well defined extension of the heating time in each measurement changes the temperature evolution profile and the probed temperature field at μs resolution. Using this new technique, the transient thermal response of a tipless Si cantilever is investigated along the length direction. A physical model is developed to reconstruct the Raman spectrum considering the temperature evolution, while taking intomore » account the temperature dependence of the Raman emission. By fitting the variation of the normalized Raman peak intensity, wavenumber, and peak area against the heating time, the thermal diffusivity is determined as 9.17 × 10⁻⁵, 8.14 × 10⁻⁵, and 9.51 × 10⁻⁵ m²/s. These results agree well with the reference value of 8.66 × 10⁻⁵ m²/s considering the 10% fitting uncertainty. The time-domain differential Raman provides a novel way to introduce transient thermal excitation of materials, probe the thermal response, and measure the thermal diffusivity, all with high accuracy.« less

A 3-D SPH model for simulating water flooding of a damaged floating structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Kai; Sun, Peng-nan; Cao, Xue-yan; Huang, Xiao

2017-10-01

With the quasi-static analysis method, the terminal floating state of a damaged ship is usually evaluated for the risk assessment. But this is not enough since the ship has the possibility to lose its stability during the transient flooding process. Therefore, an enhanced smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) model is applied in this paper to investigate the response of a simplified cabin model under the condition of the transient water flooding. The enhanced SPH model is presented firstly including the governing equations, the diffusive terms, the boundary implementations and then an algorithm regarding the coupling motions of six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) between the structure and the fluid is described. In the numerical results, a non-damaged cabin floating under the rest condition is simulated. It is shown that a stable floating state can be reached and maintained by using the present SPH scheme. After that, three-dimensional (3-D) test cases of the damaged cabin with a hole at different locations are simulated. A series of model tests are also carried out for the validation. Fairly good agreements are achieved between the numerical results and the experimental data. Relevant conclusions are drawn with respect to the mechanism of the responses of the damaged cabin model under water flooding conditions.

Approximate Analytical Time-Dependent Solutions to Describe Large-Amplitude Local Calcium Transients in the Presence of Buffers

PubMed Central

Mironova, Lidia A.; Mironov, Sergej L.

2008-01-01

Local Ca2+ signaling controls many neuronal functions, which is often achieved through spatial localization of Ca2+ signals. These nanodomains are formed due to combined effects of Ca2+ diffusion and binding to the cytoplasmic buffers. In this article we derived simple analytical expressions to describe Ca2+ diffusion in the presence of mobile and immobile buffers. A nonlinear character of the reaction-diffusion problem was circumvented by introducing a logarithmic approximation of the concentration term. The obtained formulas reproduce free Ca2+ levels up to 50 μM and their changes in the millisecond range. Derived equations can be useful to predict spatiotemporal profiles of large-amplitude [Ca2+] transients, which participate in various physiological processes. PMID:17872951

Numerical Simulation of Transient Liquid Phase Bonding under Temperature Gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghobadi Bigvand, Arian

Transient Liquid Phase bonding under Temperature Gradient (TG-TLP bonding) is a relatively new process of TLP diffusion bonding family for joining difficult-to-weld aerospace materials. Earlier studies have suggested that in contrast to the conventional TLP bonding process, liquid state diffusion drives joint solidification in TG-TLP bonding process. In the present work, a mass conservative numerical model that considers asymmetry in joint solidification is developed using finite element method to properly study the TG-TLP bonding process. The numerical results, which are experimentally verified, show that unlike what has been previously reported, solid state diffusion plays a major role in controlling the solidification behavior during TG-TLP bonding process. The newly developed model provides a vital tool for further elucidation of the TG-TLP bonding process.

Role of Heterogeneous Macromolecular Crowding and Geometrical Irregularity at Central Excitatory Synapses in Shaping Synaptic Transmission

PubMed Central

Gupta, Rahul; Reneaux, Melissa; Karmeshu

2016-01-01

Besides the geometrical tortousity due to the extrasynaptic structures, macromolecular crowding and geometrical irregularities constituting the cleft composition at central excitatory synapses has a major and direct role in retarding the glutamate diffusion within the cleft space. However, the cleft composition may not only coarsely reduce the overall diffusivity of the glutamate but may also lead to substantial spatial variation in the diffusivity across the cleft space. Decrease in the overall diffusivity of the glutamate may have straightforward consequences to the glutamate transients in the cleft. However, how spatial variation in the diffusivity may further affect glutamate transients is an intriguing aspect. Therefore, to understand the role of cleft heterogeneity, the present study adopts a novel approach of glutamate diffusion which considers a gamma statistical distribution of the diffusion coefficient of glutamate (Dglut) across the cleft space, such that its moments discernibly capture the dual impacts of the cleft composition, and further applies the framework of superstatistics. The findings reveal a power law behavior in the glutamate transients, akin to the long-range anomalous subdiffusion, which leads to slower decay profile of cleft glutamate at higher intensity of cleft heterogeneity. Moreover, increase in the cleft heterogeneity is seen to eventually cause slower-rising excitatory postsynaptic currents with higher amplitudes, lesser noise, and prolonged duration of charge transfer across the postsynaptic membrane. Further, with regard to the conventional standard diffusion approach, the study suggests that the effective Dglut essentially derives from the median of the Dglut distribution and does not necessarily need to be the mean Dglut. Together, the findings indicate a strong implication of cleft heterogeneity to the metabolically cost-effective tuning of synaptic response during the phenomenon of plasticity at individual synapses and also provide an additional factor of variability in transmission across identical synapses. PMID:27907112

Transient liquid phase diffusion bonding of Udimet 720 for Stirling power converter applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittendorf, Donald L.; Baggenstoss, William G.

1992-01-01

Udimet 720 has been selected for use on Stirling power converters for space applications. Because Udimet 720 is generally considered susceptible to strain age cracking if traditional fusion welding is used, other joining methods are being considered. A process for transient liquid phase diffusion bonding of Udimet 720 has been theoretically developed in an effort to eliminate the strain age crack concern. This development has taken into account such variables as final grain size, joint homogenization, joint efficiency related to bonding aid material, bonding aid material application method, and thermal cycle.

A control-volume method for analysis of unsteady thrust augmenting ejector flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drummond, Colin K.

1988-01-01

A method for predicting transient thrust augmenting ejector characteristics is presented. The analysis blends classic self-similar turbulent jet descriptions with a control volume mixing region discretization to solicit transient effects in a new way. Division of the ejector into an inlet, diffuser, and mixing region corresponds with the assumption of viscous-dominated phenomenon in the latter. Inlet and diffuser analyses are simplified by a quasi-steady analysis, justified by the assumptions that pressure is the forcing function in those regions. Details of the theoretical foundation, the solution algorithm, and sample calculations are given.

Diffusion pseudotime robustly reconstructs lineage branching.

PubMed

Haghverdi, Laleh; Büttner, Maren; Wolf, F Alexander; Buettner, Florian; Theis, Fabian J

2016-10-01

The temporal order of differentiating cells is intrinsically encoded in their single-cell expression profiles. We describe an efficient way to robustly estimate this order according to diffusion pseudotime (DPT), which measures transitions between cells using diffusion-like random walks. Our DPT software implementations make it possible to reconstruct the developmental progression of cells and identify transient or metastable states, branching decisions and differentiation endpoints.

Dynamic phase coexistence in glass-forming liquids.

PubMed

Pastore, Raffaele; Coniglio, Antonio; Ciamarra, Massimo Pica

2015-07-09

One of the most controversial hypotheses for explaining the heterogeneous dynamics of glasses postulates the temporary coexistence of two phases characterized by a high and by a low diffusivity. In this scenario, two phases with different diffusivities coexist for a time of the order of the relaxation time and mix afterwards. Unfortunately, it is difficult to measure the single-particle diffusivities to test this hypothesis. Indeed, although the non-Gaussian shape of the van-Hove distribution suggests the transient existence of a diffusivity distribution, it is not possible to infer from this quantity whether two or more dynamical phases coexist. Here we provide the first direct observation of the dynamical coexistence of two phases with different diffusivities, by showing that in the deeply supercooled regime the distribution of the single-particle diffusivities acquires a transient bimodal shape. We relate this distribution to the heterogeneity of the dynamics and to the breakdown of the Stokes-Einstein relation, and we show that the coexistence of two dynamical phases occurs up to a timescale growing faster than the relaxation time on cooling, for some of the considered models. Our work offers a basis for rationalizing the dynamics of supercooled liquids and for relating their structural and dynamical properties.

Transient in-plane thermal transport in nanofilms with internal heating

PubMed Central

Cao, Bing-Yang

2016-01-01

Wide applications of nanofilms in electronics necessitate an in-depth understanding of nanoscale thermal transport, which significantly deviates from Fourier's law. Great efforts have focused on the effective thermal conductivity under temperature difference, while it is still ambiguous whether the diffusion equation with an effective thermal conductivity can accurately characterize the nanoscale thermal transport with internal heating. In this work, transient in-plane thermal transport in nanofilms with internal heating is studied via Monte Carlo (MC) simulations in comparison to the heat diffusion model and mechanism analyses using Fourier transform. Phonon-boundary scattering leads to larger temperature rise and slower thermal response rate when compared with the heat diffusion model based on Fourier's law. The MC simulations are also compared with the diffusion model with effective thermal conductivity. In the first case of continuous internal heating, the diffusion model with effective thermal conductivity under-predicts the temperature rise by the MC simulations at the initial heating stage, while the deviation between them gradually decreases and vanishes with time. By contrast, for the one-pulse internal heating case, the diffusion model with effective thermal conductivity under-predicts both the peak temperature rise and the cooling rate, so the deviation can always exist. PMID:27118903

Transient in-plane thermal transport in nanofilms with internal heating.

PubMed

Hua, Yu-Chao; Cao, Bing-Yang

2016-02-01

Wide applications of nanofilms in electronics necessitate an in-depth understanding of nanoscale thermal transport, which significantly deviates from Fourier's law. Great efforts have focused on the effective thermal conductivity under temperature difference, while it is still ambiguous whether the diffusion equation with an effective thermal conductivity can accurately characterize the nanoscale thermal transport with internal heating. In this work, transient in-plane thermal transport in nanofilms with internal heating is studied via Monte Carlo (MC) simulations in comparison to the heat diffusion model and mechanism analyses using Fourier transform. Phonon-boundary scattering leads to larger temperature rise and slower thermal response rate when compared with the heat diffusion model based on Fourier's law. The MC simulations are also compared with the diffusion model with effective thermal conductivity. In the first case of continuous internal heating, the diffusion model with effective thermal conductivity under-predicts the temperature rise by the MC simulations at the initial heating stage, while the deviation between them gradually decreases and vanishes with time. By contrast, for the one-pulse internal heating case, the diffusion model with effective thermal conductivity under-predicts both the peak temperature rise and the cooling rate, so the deviation can always exist.

Simulation of the transient indiffusion-segregation process of triply negatively charged Ga vacancies in GaAs and AlAs/GaAs superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

You, Horng-Ming; Gösele, Ulrich M.; Tan, Teh Y.

1993-08-01

In GaAs and AlAs/GaAs superlattice crystals containing n-type regions, several sets of recent experimental results obtained from diffusion studies require the interpretation that the responsible point defect species, the triply negatively charged Ga vacancy (VGa3-), has attained its thermal equilibrium concentration (CVGa3-eq) at the onset of an experiment. This could be due to either the fact that under heavy n-doping conditions CVGa3-eq is fairly temperature independent, or the fact that the transient process of populating VGa3- from an undersaturated to the appropriate CVGa3-eq value via indiffusion from the surfaces to the interior of the crystals is extremely rapid. We have simulated the transient process of populating VGa3- to the crystal interior. The experiments use crystals consisting of adjacent intrinsic and n-type regions for which CVGa3-eq values are different, leading to the simultaneous occurrence of VGa3- diffusion and segregation phenomena. A diffusion-segregation equation has been derived and subsequently used in the simulation calculations. The simulation results showed that, as long as n-type regions are involved, such transient processes are ineffective and therefore cannot explain the experimental requirement that VGa3- is already present in the appropriate CVGa3-eq(n) value at the onset of an experiment. On the other hand, the transient process is sufficiently rapid for the purely intrinsic crystal cases. These simulation results support our recent finding that the CVGa3-eq(n) values are essentially temperature independent, obtained via a thermodynamic treatment.

Diffusion of lipids and GPI-anchored proteins in actin-free plasma membrane vesicles measured by STED-FCS

PubMed Central

Schneider, Falk; Waithe, Dominic; Clausen, Mathias P.; Galiani, Silvia; Koller, Thomas; Ozhan, Gunes; Eggeling, Christian; Sezgin, Erdinc

2017-01-01

Diffusion and interaction dynamics of molecules at the plasma membrane play an important role in cellular signaling and are suggested to be strongly associated with the actin cytoskeleton. Here we use superresolution STED microscopy combined with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (STED-FCS) to access and compare the diffusion characteristics of fluorescent lipid analogues and GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) in the live-cell plasma membrane and in actin cytoskeleton–free, cell-derived giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs). Hindered diffusion of phospholipids and sphingolipids is abolished in the GPMVs, whereas transient nanodomain incorporation of ganglioside lipid GM1 is apparent in both the live-cell membrane and GPMVs. For GPI-APs, we detect two molecular pools in living cells; one pool shows high mobility with transient incorporation into nanodomains, and the other pool forms immobile clusters, both of which disappear in GPMVs. Our data underline the crucial role of the actin cortex in maintaining hindered diffusion modes of many but not all of the membrane molecules and highlight a powerful experimental approach to decipher specific influences on molecular plasma membrane dynamics. PMID:28404749

Imaging of optically diffusive media by use of opto-elastography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bossy, Emmanuel; Funke, Arik R.; Daoudi, Khalid; Tanter, Mickael; Fink, Mathias; Boccara, Claude

2007-02-01

We present a camera-based optical detection scheme designed to detect the transient motion created by the acoustic radiation force in elastic media. An optically diffusive tissue mimicking phantom was illuminated with coherent laser light, and a high speed camera (2 kHz frame rate) was used to acquire and cross-correlate consecutive speckle patterns. Time-resolved transient decorrelations of the optical speckle were measured as the results of localised motion induced in the medium by the radiation force and subsequent propagating shear waves. As opposed to classical acousto-optic techniques which are sensitive to vibrations induced by compressional waves at ultrasonic frequencies, the proposed technique is sensitive only to the low frequency transient motion induced in the medium by the radiation force. It therefore provides a way to assess both optical and shear mechanical properties.

Numerical simulation of electrophoresis separation processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganjoo, D. K.; Tezduyar, T. E.

1986-01-01

A new Petrov-Galerkin finite element formulation has been proposed for transient convection-diffusion problems. Most Petrov-Galerkin formulations take into account the spatial discretization, and the weighting functions so developed give satisfactory solutions for steady state problems. Though these schemes can be used for transient problems, there is scope for improvement. The schemes proposed here, which consider temporal as well as spatial discretization, provide improved solutions. Electrophoresis, which involves the motion of charged entities under the influence of an applied electric field, is governed by equations similiar to those encountered in fluid flow problems, i.e., transient convection-diffusion equations. Test problems are solved in electrophoresis and fluid flow. The results obtained are satisfactory. It is also expected that these schemes, suitably adapted, will improve the numerical solutions of the compressible Euler and the Navier-Stokes equations.

Langevin equation with fluctuating diffusivity: A two-state model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyaguchi, Tomoshige; Akimoto, Takuma; Yamamoto, Eiji

2016-07-01

Recently, anomalous subdiffusion, aging, and scatter of the diffusion coefficient have been reported in many single-particle-tracking experiments, though the origins of these behaviors are still elusive. Here, as a model to describe such phenomena, we investigate a Langevin equation with diffusivity fluctuating between a fast and a slow state. Namely, the diffusivity follows a dichotomous stochastic process. We assume that the sojourn time distributions of these two states are given by power laws. It is shown that, for a nonequilibrium ensemble, the ensemble-averaged mean-square displacement (MSD) shows transient subdiffusion. In contrast, the time-averaged MSD shows normal diffusion, but an effective diffusion coefficient transiently shows aging behavior. The propagator is non-Gaussian for short time and converges to a Gaussian distribution in a long-time limit; this convergence to Gaussian is extremely slow for some parameter values. For equilibrium ensembles, both ensemble-averaged and time-averaged MSDs show only normal diffusion and thus we cannot detect any traces of the fluctuating diffusivity with these MSDs. Therefore, as an alternative approach to characterizing the fluctuating diffusivity, the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the time-averaged MSD is utilized and it is shown that the RSD exhibits slow relaxation as a signature of the long-time correlation in the fluctuating diffusivity. Furthermore, it is shown that the RSD is related to a non-Gaussian parameter of the propagator. To obtain these theoretical results, we develop a two-state renewal theory as an analytical tool.

Diffuse dispersive delay and the time convolution/attenuation of transients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bittner, Burt J.

1991-01-01

Test data and analytic evaluations are presented to show that relatively poor 100 KHz shielding of 12 Db can effectively provide an electromagnetic pulse transient reduction of 100 Db. More importantly, several techniques are shown for lightning surge attenuation as an alternative to crowbar, spark gap, or power zener type clipping which simply reflects the surge. A time delay test method is shown which allows CW testing, along with a convolution program to define transient shielding effectivity where the Fourier phase characteristics of the transient are known or can be broadly estimated.

Diffusion at the boundary between the film and substrate upon the electrocrystallization of zinc on a copper substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shtapenko, E. Ph.; Zabludovsky, V. A.; Dudkina, V. V.

2015-03-01

In this paper, we present the results of experimental investigations of the diffusion layer formed at the film-substrate interface upon the electrodeposition of zinc films on a copper substrate. The investigations have shown that, in the transient layer, the deposited metal is diffused into the material of the substrate. The depth of the diffusion layer and, consequently, the concentrations of the incorporated zinc atoms depend strongly on the conditions of electrocrystallization, which vary from 1.5 μm when using direct current to 4 μm when using direct current in combination with laser-stimulated deposition (LSD). The X-ray diffraction investigations of the transient layer at the film-substrate interface have shown that, upon electrocrystallization using pulsed current in rigid regimes with the application of the LSD, a CuZn2 phase is formed in the diffusion layer. This indicates that the diffusion of zinc into copper occurs via two mechanisms, i.e., grainboundary and bulk. The obtained values of the coefficient of diffusion of zinc adatoms in polycrystalline copper are equal to 1.75 × 10-15 m2/s when using direct current and 1.74 × 10-13 m2/s when using LSD.

Compact Models for Defect Diffusivity in Semiconductor Alloys.

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

Wright, Alan F.; Modine, Normand A.; Lee, Stephen R.

Predicting transient effects caused by short - pulse neutron irradiation of electronic devices is an important part of Sandia's mission. For example , predicting the diffusion of radiation - induced point defects is needed with in Sandia's Qualification Alternative to the Sandia Pulsed Reactor (QASPR) pro gram since defect diffusion mediates transient gain recovery in QASPR electronic devices. Recently, the semiconductors used to fabricate radiation - hard electronic devices have begun to shift from silicon to III - V compounds such as GaAs, InAs , GaP and InP . An advantage of this shift is that it allows engineers tomore » optimize the radiation hardness of electronic devices by using alloy s such as InGaAs and InGaP . However, the computer codes currently being used to simulate transient radiation effects in QASP R devices will need to be modified since they presume that defect properties (charge states, energy levels, and diffusivities) in these alloys do not change with time. This is not realistic since the energy and properties of a defect depend on the types of atoms near it and , therefore, on its location in the alloy. In particular, radiation - induced defects are created at nearly random locations in an alloy and the distribution of their local environments - and thus their energies and properties - evolves with time as the defects diffuse through the alloy . To incorporate these consequential effects into computer codes used to simulate transient radiation effects, we have developed procedures to accurately compute the time dependence of defect energies and properties and then formulate them within compact models that can be employed in these computer codes. In this document, we demonstrate these procedures for the case of the highly mobile P interstitial (I P ) in an InGaP alloy. Further dissemination only as authorized to U.S. Government agencies and their contractors; other requests shall be approved by the originating facility or higher DOE programmatic authority.« less

Cooperative Singlet and Triplet Exciton Transport in Tetracene Crystals Visualized by Ultrafast Microscopys

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

Wan, Yan; Guo, Zhi; Zhu, Tong

2015-09-14

Singlet fission presents an attractive solution to overcome the Shockley–Queisser limit by generating two triplet excitons from one singlet exciton. Although triplet excitons are long-lived, their transport occurs through a Dexter transfer, making them slower than singlet excitons, which travel by means of a Förster mechanism. A thorough understanding of the interplay between singlet fission and exciton transport is therefore necessary to assess the potential and challenges of singlet-fission utilization. We report a direct visualization of exciton transport in single tetracene crystals using transient absorption microscopy with 200 fs time resolution and 50 nm spatial precision. Moreover, these measurements revealmore » a new singlet-mediated transport mechanism for triplets, which leads to an enhancement in effective triplet exciton diffusion of more than one order of magnitude on picosecond to nanosecond timescales. These results establish that there are optimal energetics of singlet and triplet excitons that benefit both singlet fission and exciton diffusion.« less

Anomalous Dynamics of a Lipid Recognition Protein on a Membrane Surface

PubMed Central

Yamamoto, Eiji; Kalli, Antreas C.; Akimoto, Takuma; Yasuoka, Kenji; Sansom, Mark S. P.

2015-01-01

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domains are lipid-binding modules present in peripheral membrane proteins which interact with phosphatidyl-inositol phosphates (PIPs) in cell membranes. We use multiscale molecular dynamics simulations to characterize the localization and anomalous dynamics of the DAPP1 PH domain on the surface of a PIP-containing lipid bilayer. Both translational and rotational diffusion of the PH domain on the lipid membrane surface exhibit transient subdiffusion, with an exponent α ≈ 0.5 for times of less than 10 ns. In addition to a PIP3 molecule at the canonical binding site of the PH domain, we observe additional PIP molecules in contact with the protein. Fluctuations in the number of PIPs associated with the PH domain exhibit 1/f noise. We suggest that the anomalous diffusion and long-term correlated interaction of the PH domain with the membrane may contribute to an enhanced probability of encounter with target complexes on cell membrane surfaces. PMID:26657413

Cooperative singlet and triplet exciton transport in tetracene crystals visualized by ultrafast microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Yan; Guo, Zhi; Zhu, Tong; Yan, Suxia; Johnson, Justin; Huang, Libai

2015-10-01

Singlet fission presents an attractive solution to overcome the Shockley-Queisser limit by generating two triplet excitons from one singlet exciton. However, although triplet excitons are long-lived, their transport occurs through a Dexter transfer, making them slower than singlet excitons, which travel by means of a Förster mechanism. A thorough understanding of the interplay between singlet fission and exciton transport is therefore necessary to assess the potential and challenges of singlet-fission utilization. Here, we report a direct visualization of exciton transport in single tetracene crystals using transient absorption microscopy with 200 fs time resolution and 50 nm spatial precision. These measurements reveal a new singlet-mediated transport mechanism for triplets, which leads to an enhancement in effective triplet exciton diffusion of more than one order of magnitude on picosecond to nanosecond timescales. These results establish that there are optimal energetics of singlet and triplet excitons that benefit both singlet fission and exciton diffusion.

Thermal Property Measurement of Semiconductor Melt using Modified Laser Flash Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Bochuan; Zhu, Shen; Ban, Heng; Li, Chao; Scripa, Rosalla N.; Su, Ching-Hua; Lehoczky, Sandor L.

2003-01-01

This study further developed standard laser flash method to measure multiple thermal properties of semiconductor melts. The modified method can determine thermal diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and specific heat capacity of the melt simultaneously. The transient heat transfer process in the melt and its quartz container was numerically studied in detail. A fitting procedure based on numerical simulation results and the least root-mean-square error fitting to the experimental data was used to extract the values of specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity. This modified method is a step forward from the standard laser flash method, which is usually used to measure thermal diffusivity of solids. The result for tellurium (Te) at 873 K: specific heat capacity 300.2 Joules per kilogram K, thermal conductivity 3.50 Watts per meter K, thermal diffusivity 2.04 x 10(exp -6) square meters per second, are within the range reported in literature. The uncertainty analysis showed the quantitative effect of sample geometry, transient temperature measured, and the energy of the laser pulse.

Numerical Analysis of Transient Temperature Response of Soap Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Seiichi; Tatesaku, Akihiro; Dantsuka, Yuki; Fujiwara, Seiji; Kunimine, Kanji

2015-11-01

Measurements of thermophysical properties of thin liquid films are important to understand interfacial phenomena due to film structures composed of amphiphilic molecules in soap film, phospholipid bilayer of biological cell and emulsion. A transient hot-wire technique for liquid films less than 1 \\upmu m thick such as soap film has been proposed to measure the thermal conductivity and diffusivity simultaneously. Two-dimensional heat conduction equations for a solid cylinder with a liquid film have been solved numerically. The temperature of a thin wire with liquid film increases steeply with its own heat generation. The feasibility of this technique is verified through numerical experiments for various thermal conductivities, diffusivities, and film thicknesses. Calculated results indicate that the increase in the volumetric average temperature of the thin wire sufficiently varies with the change of thermal conductivity and diffusivity of the soap film. Therefore, the temperature characteristics could be utilized to evaluate both the thermal conductivity and diffusivity using the Gauss-Newton method.

Analysis of redox additive-based overcharge protection for rechargeable lithium batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narayanan, S. R.; Surampudi, S.; Attia, A. I.; Bankston, C. P.

1991-01-01

The overcharge condition in secondary lithium batteries employing redox additives for overcharge protection, has been theoretically analyzed in terms of a finite linear diffusion model. The analysis leads to expressions relating the steady-state overcharge current density and cell voltage to the concentration, diffusion coefficient, standard reduction potential of the redox couple, and interelectrode distance. The model permits the estimation of the maximum permissible overcharge rate for any chosen set of system conditions. Digital simulation of the overcharge experiment leads to numerical representation of the potential transients, and estimate of the influence of diffusion coefficient and interelectrode distance on the transient attainment of the steady state during overcharge. The model has been experimentally verified using 1,1-prime-dimethyl ferrocene as a redox additive. The analysis of the experimental results in terms of the theory allows the calculation of the diffusion coefficient and the formal potential of the redox couple. The model and the theoretical results may be exploited in the design and optimization of overcharge protection by the redox additive approach.

Inner Structure of CME Shock Fronts Revealed by the Electromotive Force and Turbulent Transport Coefficients in Helios-2 Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourdin, Philippe-A.; Hofer, Bernhard; Narita, Yasuhito

2018-03-01

Electromotive force is an essential quantity in dynamo theory. During a coronal mass ejection (CME), magnetic helicity gets decoupled from the Sun and advected into the heliosphere with the solar wind. Eventually, a heliospheric magnetic transient event might pass by a spacecraft, such as the Helios space observatories. Our aim is to investigate the electromotive force, the kinetic helicity effect (α term), the turbulent diffusion (β term), and the cross-helicity effect (γ term) in the inner heliosphere below 1 au. We set up a one-dimensional model of the solar wind velocity and magnetic field for a hypothetic interplanetary CME. Because turbulent structures within the solar wind evolve much slower than this structure needs to pass by the spacecraft, we use a reduced curl operator to compute the current density and vorticity. We test our CME shock-front model against an observed magnetic transient that passes by the Helios-2 spacecraft. At the peak of the fluctuations in this event we find strongly enhanced α, β, and γ terms, as well as a strong peak in the total electromotive force. Our method allows us to automatically identify magnetic transient events from any in situ spacecraft observations that contain magnetic field and plasma velocity data of the solar wind.

Three dimensional transient multifield analysis of a piezoelectric micropump for drug delivery system for treatment of hemodynamic dysfunctions.

PubMed

Nisar, Asim; Afzulpurkar, Nitin; Tuantranont, Adisorn; Mahaisavariya, Banchong

2008-12-01

In this paper, we present design of a transdermal drug delivery system for treatment of cardiovascular or hemodynamic disorders such as hypertension. The system comprises of integrated control electronics and microelectromechanical system devices such as micropump, micro blood pressure sensor and microneedle array. The objective is to overcome the limitations of oral therapy such as variable absorption profile and the need for frequent dosing, by fabricating a safe, reliable and cost effective transdermal drug delivery system to dispense various pharmacological agents through the skin for treatment of hemodynamic dysfunction such as hypertension. Moreover, design optimization of a piezoelectrically actuated valveless micropump is presented for the drug delivery system. Because of the complexity in analysis of piezoelectric micropump, which involves structural and fluid field couplings in a complicated geometrical arrangement, finite element (FE) numerical simulation rather than an analytical system has been used. The behavior of the piezoelectric actuator with biocompatible polydimethylsiloxane membrane is first studied by conducting piezoelectric analysis. Then the performance of the valveless micropump is analyzed by building a three dimensional electric-solid-fluid model of the micropump. The effect of geometrical dimensions on micropump characteristics and efficiency of nozzle/diffuser elements of a valveless micropump is investigated in the transient analysis using multiple code coupling method. The deformation results of the membrane using multifield code coupling analysis are in good agreement with analytical as well as results of single code coupling analysis of a piezoelectric micropump. The analysis predicts that to enhance the performance of the micropump, diffuser geometrical dimensions such as diffuser length, diffuser neck width and diffuser angle need to be optimized. Micropump flow rate is not strongly affected at low excitation frequencies from 10 to 200 Hz. The excitation voltage is the more dominant factor that affects the flow rate of the micropump as compared with the excitation frequency. However, at extremely high excitation frequencies beyond 8,000 Hz, the flow rate drops as the membrane exhibits multiple bending peaks which is not desirable for fluid flow. Following the extensive numerical analysis, actual fabrication and performance characterization of the micropump is presented. The performance of the micropump is characterized in terms of piezoelectric actuator deflection and micropump flow rate at different operational parameters. The set of multifield simulations and experimental measurement of deflection and flow rate at varying voltage and excitation frequency is a significant advance in the study of the electric-solid-fluid coupled field effects as it allows transient, three dimensional piezoelectric and fluid analysis of the micropump thereby facilitating a more realistic multifield analysis. The results of the present study will also help to conduct relevant strength duration tests of integrated drug delivery device with micropump and microneedle array in future.

Syndrome of transient headache and neurological deficits with cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis (HaNDL) in a patient with confusional symptoms, diffuse EEG abnormalities, and bilateral vasospasm in transcranial Doppler ultrasound: A case report and literature review.

PubMed

Hidalgo de la Cruz, M; Domínguez Rubio, R; Luque Buzo, E; Díaz Otero, F; Vázquez Alén, P; Orcajo Rincón, J; Prieto Montalvo, J; Contreras Chicote, A; Grandas Pérez, F

2017-04-17

HaNDL syndrome (transient headache and neurological deficits with cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis) is characterised by one or more episodes of headache and transient neurological deficits associated with cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytosis. To date, few cases of HaNDL manifesting with confusional symptoms have been described. Likewise, very few patients with HaNDL and confusional symptoms have been evaluated with transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD). TCD data from patients with focal involvement reveal changes consistent with vasomotor alterations. We present the case of a 42-year-old man who experienced headache and confusional symptoms and displayed pleocytosis, diffuse slow activity on EEG, increased blood flow velocity in both middle cerebral arteries on TCD, and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) findings suggestive of diffuse involvement, especially in the left hemisphere. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a patient with HaNDL, confusional symptoms, diffuse slow activity on EEG, and increased blood flow velocity in TCD. Our findings suggest a relationship between cerebral vasomotor changes and the pathophysiology of HaNDL. TCD may be a useful tool for early diagnosis of HaNDL. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Modeling the reversible, diffusive sink effect in response to transient contaminant sources.

PubMed

Zhao, D; Little, J C; Hodgson, A T

2002-09-01

A physically based diffusion model is used to evaluate the sink effect of diffusion-controlled indoor materials and to predict the transient contaminant concentration in indoor air in response to several time-varying contaminant sources. For simplicity, it is assumed the predominant indoor material is a homogeneous slab, initially free of contaminant, and the air within the room is well mixed. The model enables transient volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations to be predicted based on the material/air partition coefficient (K) and the material-phase diffusion coefficient (D) of the sink. Model predictions are made for three scenarios, each mimicking a realistic situation in a building. Styrene, phenol, and naphthalene are used as representative VOCs. A styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) backed carpet, vinyl flooring (VF), and a polyurethane foam (PUF) carpet cushion are considered as typical indoor sinks. In scenarios involving a sinusoidal VOC input and a double exponential decaying input, the model predicts the sink has a modest impact for SBR/styrene, but the effect increases for VF/phenol and PUF/naphthalene. In contrast, for an episodic chemical spill, SBR is predicted to reduce the peak styrene concentration considerably. A parametric study reveals for systems involving a large equilibrium constant (K), the kinetic constant (D) will govern the shape of the resulting gasphase concentration profile. On the other hand, for systems with a relaxed mass transfer resistance, K will dominate the profile.

Transport properties of interacting magnetic islands in tokamak plasmas

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

Gianakon, T.A.; Callen, J.D.; Hegna, C.C.

1993-10-01

This paper explores the equilibrium and transient transport properties of a mixed magnetic topology model for tokamak equilibria. The magnetic topology is composed of a discrete set of mostly non-overlapping magnetic islands centered on the low-order rational surfaces. Transport across the island regions is fast due to parallel transport along the stochastic magnetic field lines about the separatrix of each island. Transport between island regions is assumed to be slow due to a low residual cross-field transport. In equilibrium, such a model leads to: a nonlinear dependence of the heat flux on the pressure gradient; a power balance diffusion coefficientmore » which increases from core to edge; and profile resiliency. Transiently, such a model also exhibits a heat pulse diffusion coefficient larger than the power balance diffusion coefficient.« less

Evidence from simultaneous intracellular- and surface-pH transients that carbonic anhydrase IV enhances CO2 fluxes across Xenopus oocyte plasma membranes

PubMed Central

Occhipinti, Rossana; Boron, Walter F.

2014-01-01

Human carbonic anhydrase IV (CA IV) is GPI-anchored to the outer membrane surface, catalyzing CO2/HCO3− hydration-dehydration. We examined effects of heterologously expressed CA IV on intracellular-pH (pHi) and surface-pH (pHS) transients caused by exposing oocytes to CO2/HCO3−/pH 7.50. CO2 influx causes a sustained pHi fall and a transient pHS rise; CO2 efflux does the opposite. Both during CO2 addition and removal, CA IV increases magnitudes of maximal rate of pHi change (dpHi/dt)max, and maximal pHS change (ΔpHS) and decreases time constants for pHi changes (τpHi) and pHS relaxations (τpHS). Decreases in time constants indicate that CA IV enhances CO2 fluxes. Extracellular acetazolamide blocks all CA IV effects, but not those of injected CA II. Injected acetazolamide partially reduces CA IV effects. Thus, extracellular CA is required for, and the equivalent of cytosol-accessible CA augments, the effects of CA IV. Increasing the concentration of the extracellular non-CO2/HCO3− buffer (i.e., HEPES), in the presence of extracellular CA or at high [CO2], accelerates CO2 influx. Simultaneous measurements with two pHS electrodes, one on the oocyte meridian perpendicular to the axis of flow and one downstream from the direction of extracellular-solution flow, reveal that the downstream electrode has a larger (i.e., slower) τpHS, indicating [CO2] asymmetry over the oocyte surface. A reaction-diffusion mathematical model (third paper in series) accounts for the above general features, and supports the conclusion that extracellular CA, which replenishes entering CO2 or consumes exiting CO2 at the extracellular surface, enhances the gradient driving CO2 influx across the cell membrane. PMID:24965590

Profiling of Current Transients in Capacitor Type Diamond Sensors.

PubMed

Gaubas, Eugenijus; Ceponis, Tomas; Meskauskaite, Dovile; Kazuchits, Nikolai

2015-06-08

The operational characteristics of capacitor-type detectors based on HPHT and CVD diamond have been investigated using perpendicular and parallel injection of carrier domain regimes. Simulations of the drift-diffusion current transients have been implemented by using dynamic models based on Shockley-Ramo's theorem, under injection of localized surface domains and of bulk charge carriers. The bipolar drift-diffusion regimes have been analyzed for the photo-induced bulk domain (packet) of excess carriers. The surface charge formation and polarization effects dependent on detector biasing voltage have been revealed. The screening effects ascribed to surface charge and to dynamics of extraction of the injected bulk excess carrier domain have been separated and explained. The parameters of drift mobility of the electrons μ(e) = 4000 cm2/Vs and holes μ(h) = 3800 cm2/Vs have been evaluated for CVD diamond using the perpendicular profiling of currents. The coefficient of carrier ambipolar diffusion D(a) = 97 cm2/s and the carrier recombination lifetime τ(R,CVD) ≌ 110 ns in CVD diamond were extracted by combining analysis of the transients of the sensor current and the microwave probed photoconductivity. The carrier trapping with inherent lifetime τR,HPHT ≌ 2 ns prevails in HPHT diamond.

Diffusion Coefficients of Endogenous Cytosolic Proteins from Rabbit Skinned Muscle Fibers

PubMed Central

Carlson, Brian E.; Vigoreaux, Jim O.; Maughan, David W.

2014-01-01

Efflux time courses of endogenous cytosolic proteins were obtained from rabbit psoas muscle fibers skinned in oil and transferred to physiological salt solution. Proteins were separated by gel electrophoresis and compared to load-matched standards for quantitative analysis. A radial diffusion model incorporating the dissociation and dissipation of supramolecular complexes accounts for an initial lag and subsequent efflux of glycolytic and glycogenolytic enzymes. The model includes terms representing protein crowding, myofilament lattice hindrance, and binding to the cytomatrix. Optimization algorithms returned estimates of the apparent diffusion coefficients, D(r,t), that were very low at the onset of diffusion (∼10−10 cm2 s−1) but increased with time as cytosolic protein density, which was initially high, decreased. D(r,t) at later times ranged from 2.11 × 10−7 cm2 s−1 (parvalbumin) to 0.20 × 10−7 cm2 s−1 (phosphofructose kinase), values that are 3.6- to 12.3-fold lower than those predicted in bulk water. The low initial values are consistent with the presence of complexes in situ; the higher later values are consistent with molecular sieving and transient binding of dissociated proteins. Channeling of metabolic intermediates via enzyme complexes may enhance production of adenosine triphosphate at rates beyond that possible with randomly and/or sparsely distributed enzymes, thereby matching supply with demand. PMID:24559981

Uphill diffusion in multicomponent mixtures.

PubMed

Krishna, Rajamani

2015-05-21

Molecular diffusion is an omnipresent phenomena that is important in a wide variety of contexts in chemical, physical, and biological processes. In the majority of cases, the diffusion process can be adequately described by Fick's law that postulates a linear relationship between the flux of any species and its own concentration gradient. Most commonly, a component diffuses down the concentration gradient. The major objective of this review is to highlight a very wide variety of situations that cause the uphill transport of one constituent in the mixture. Uphill diffusion may occur in multicomponent mixtures in which the diffusion flux of any species is strongly coupled to that of its partner species. Such coupling effects often arise from strong thermodynamic non-idealities. For a quantitative description we need to use chemical potential gradients as driving forces. The transport of ionic species in aqueous solutions is coupled with its partner ions because of the electro-neutrality constraints; such constraints may accelerate or decelerate a specific ion. When uphill diffusion occurs, we observe transient overshoots during equilibration; the equilibration process follows serpentine trajectories in composition space. For mixtures of liquids, alloys, ceramics and glasses the serpentine trajectories could cause entry into meta-stable composition zones; such entry could result in phenomena such as spinodal decomposition, spontaneous emulsification, and the Ouzo effect. For distillation of multicomponent mixtures that form azeotropes, uphill diffusion may allow crossing of distillation boundaries that are normally forbidden. For mixture separations with microporous adsorbents, uphill diffusion can cause supra-equilibrium loadings to be achieved during transient uptake within crystals; this allows the possibility of over-riding adsorption equilibrium for achieving difficult separations.

Segregating gas from melt: an experimental study of the Ostwald ripening of vapor bubbles in magmas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lautze, Nicole C.; Sisson, Thomas W.; Mangan, Margaret T.; Grove, Timothy L.

2011-01-01

Diffusive coarsening (Ostwald ripening) of H2O and H2O-CO2 bubbles in rhyolite and basaltic andesite melts was studied with elevated temperature–pressure experiments to investigate the rates and time spans over which vapor bubbles may enlarge and attain sufficient buoyancy to segregate in magmatic systems. Bubble growth and segregation are also considered in terms of classical steady-state and transient (non-steady-state) ripening theory. Experimental results are consistent with diffusive coarsening as the dominant mechanism of bubble growth. Ripening is faster in experiments saturated with pure H2O than in those with a CO2-rich mixed vapor probably due to faster diffusion of H2O than CO2 through the melt. None of the experimental series followed the time1/3 increase in mean bubble radius and time-1 decrease in bubble number density predicted by classical steady-state ripening theory. Instead, products are interpreted as resulting from transient regime ripening. Application of transient regime theory suggests that bubbly magmas may require from days to 100 years to reach steady-state ripening conditions. Experimental results, as well as theory for steady-state ripening of bubbles that are immobile or undergoing buoyant ascent, indicate that diffusive coarsening efficiently eliminates micron-sized bubbles and would produce mm-sized bubbles in 102–104 years in crustal magma bodies. Once bubbles attain mm-sizes, their calculated ascent rates are sufficient that they could transit multiple kilometers over hundreds to thousands of years through mafic and silicic melt, respectively. These results show that diffusive coarsening can facilitate transfer of volatiles through, and from, magmatic systems by creating bubbles sufficiently large for rapid ascent.

Mechanism for transient migration of xenon in UO{sub 2}

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

Liu, X.-Y.; Uberuaga, B. P.; Andersson, D. A.

2011-04-11

In this letter, we report recent work on atomistic modeling of diffusion migration events of the fission gas product xenon in UO{sub 2} nuclear fuel. Under nonequilibrium conditions, Xe atoms can occupy the octahedral interstitial site, in contrast to the thermodynamically most stable uranium substitutional site. A transient migration mechanism involving Xe and two oxygen atoms is identified using basin constrained molecular dynamics employing a Buckingham type interatomic potential. This mechanism is then validated using density functional theory calculations using the nudged elastic band method. An overall reduction in the migration barrier of 1.6-2.7 eV is obtained compared to vacancy-mediatedmore » diffusion on the uranium sublattice.« less

Profiling of Current Transients in Capacitor Type Diamond Sensors

PubMed Central

Gaubas, Eugenijus; Ceponis, Tomas; Meskauskaite, Dovile; Kazuchits, Nikolai

2015-01-01

The operational characteristics of capacitor-type detectors based on HPHT and CVD diamond have been investigated using perpendicular and parallel injection of carrier domain regimes. Simulations of the drift-diffusion current transients have been implemented by using dynamic models based on Shockley-Ramo’s theorem, under injection of localized surface domains and of bulk charge carriers. The bipolar drift-diffusion regimes have been analyzed for the photo-induced bulk domain (packet) of excess carriers. The surface charge formation and polarization effects dependent on detector biasing voltage have been revealed. The screening effects ascribed to surface charge and to dynamics of extraction of the injected bulk excess carrier domain have been separated and explained. The parameters of drift mobility of the electrons μe = 4000 cm2/Vs and holes μh = 3800 cm2/Vs have been evaluated for CVD diamond using the perpendicular profiling of currents. The coefficient of carrier ambipolar diffusion Da = 97 cm2/s and the carrier recombination lifetime τR,CVD ≌ 110 ns in CVD diamond were extracted by combining analysis of the transients of the sensor current and the microwave probed photoconductivity. The carrier trapping with inherent lifetime τR,HPHT ≌ 2 ns prevails in HPHT diamond. PMID:26061200

Non-dispersive carrier transport in molecularly doped polymers and the convection-diffusion equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyutnev, A. P.; Parris, P. E.; Saenko, V. S.

2015-08-01

We reinvestigate the applicability of the concept of trap-free carrier transport in molecularly doped polymers and the possibility of realistically describing time-of-flight (TOF) current transients in these materials using the classical convection-diffusion equation (CDE). The problem is treated as rigorously as possible using boundary conditions appropriate to conventional time of flight experiments. Two types of pulsed carrier generation are considered. In addition to the traditional case of surface excitation, we also consider the case where carrier generation is spatially uniform. In our analysis, the front electrode is treated as a reflecting boundary, while the counter electrode is assumed to act either as a neutral contact (not disturbing the current flow) or as an absorbing boundary at which the carrier concentration vanishes. As expected, at low fields transient currents exhibit unusual behavior, as diffusion currents overwhelm drift currents to such an extent that it becomes impossible to determine transit times (and hence, carrier mobilities). At high fields, computed transients are more like those typically observed, with well-defined plateaus and sharp transit times. Careful analysis, however, reveals that the non-dispersive picture, and predictions of the CDE contradict both experiment and existing disorder-based theories in important ways, and that the CDE should be applied rather cautiously, and even then only for engineering purposes.

Real Time Quantification of Ultrafast Photoinduced Bimolecular Electron Transfer Rate: Direct Probing of the Transient Intermediate.

PubMed

Mukherjee, Puspal; Biswas, Somnath; Sen, Pratik

2015-08-27

Fluorescence quenching studies through steady-state and time-resolved measurements are inadequate to quantify the bimolecular electron transfer rate in bulk homogeneous solution due to constraints from diffusion. To nullify the effect of diffusion, direct evaluation of the rate of formation of a transient intermediate produced upon the electron transfer is essential. Methyl viologen, a well-known electron acceptor, produces a radical cation after accepting an electron, which has a characteristic strong and broad absorption band centered at 600 nm. Hence it is a good choice to evaluate the rate of photoinduced electron transfer reaction employing femtosecond broadband transient absorption spectroscopy. The time constant of the aforementioned process between pyrene and methyl viologen in methanol has been estimated to be 2.5 ± 0.4 ps using the same technique. The time constant for the backward reaction was found to be 14 ± 1 ps. These values did not change with variation of concentration of quencher, i.e., methyl viologen. Hence, we can infer that diffusion has no contribution in the estimation of rate constants. However, on changing the solvent from methanol to ethanol, the time constant of the electron transfer reaction has been found to increase and has accounted for the change in solvent reorganization energy.

Passive Diffusion as a Mechanism Underlying Ribbon Synapse Vesicle Release and Resupply

PubMed Central

Graydon, Cole W.; Zhang, Jun; Oesch, Nicholas W.; Sousa, Alioscka A.; Leapman, Richard D.

2014-01-01

Synaptic ribbons are presynaptic protein structures found at many synapses that convey graded, “analog” sensory signals in the visual, auditory, and vestibular pathways. Ribbons, typically anchored to the presynaptic membrane and surrounded by tethered synaptic vesicles, are thought to regulate or facilitate vesicle delivery to the presynaptic membrane. No direct evidence exists, however, to indicate how vesicles interact with the ribbon or, once attached, move along the ribbon's surface to reach the presynaptic release sites at its base. To address these questions, we have created, validated, and tested a passive vesicle diffusion model of retinal rod bipolar cell ribbon synapses. We used axial (bright-field) electron tomography in the scanning transmission electron microscopy to obtain 3D structures of rat rod bipolar cell terminals in 1-μm-thick sections of retinal tissue at an isotropic spatial resolution of ∼3 nm. The resulting structures were then incorporated with previously published estimates of vesicle diffusion dynamics into numerical simulations that accurately reproduced electrophysiologically measured vesicle release/replenishment rates and vesicle pool sizes. The simulations suggest that, under physiologically realistic conditions, diffusion of vesicles crowded on the ribbon surface gives rise to a flow field that enhances delivery of vesicles to the presynaptic membrane without requiring an active transport mechanism. Numerical simulations of ribbon–vesicle interactions predict that transient binding and unbinding of multiple tethers to each synaptic vesicle may achieve sufficiently tight association of vesicles to the ribbon while permitting the fast diffusion along the ribbon that is required to sustain high release rates. PMID:24990916

Passive diffusion as a mechanism underlying ribbon synapse vesicle release and resupply.

PubMed

Graydon, Cole W; Zhang, Jun; Oesch, Nicholas W; Sousa, Alioscka A; Leapman, Richard D; Diamond, Jeffrey S

2014-07-02

Synaptic ribbons are presynaptic protein structures found at many synapses that convey graded, "analog" sensory signals in the visual, auditory, and vestibular pathways. Ribbons, typically anchored to the presynaptic membrane and surrounded by tethered synaptic vesicles, are thought to regulate or facilitate vesicle delivery to the presynaptic membrane. No direct evidence exists, however, to indicate how vesicles interact with the ribbon or, once attached, move along the ribbon's surface to reach the presynaptic release sites at its base. To address these questions, we have created, validated, and tested a passive vesicle diffusion model of retinal rod bipolar cell ribbon synapses. We used axial (bright-field) electron tomography in the scanning transmission electron microscopy to obtain 3D structures of rat rod bipolar cell terminals in 1-μm-thick sections of retinal tissue at an isotropic spatial resolution of ∼3 nm. The resulting structures were then incorporated with previously published estimates of vesicle diffusion dynamics into numerical simulations that accurately reproduced electrophysiologically measured vesicle release/replenishment rates and vesicle pool sizes. The simulations suggest that, under physiologically realistic conditions, diffusion of vesicles crowded on the ribbon surface gives rise to a flow field that enhances delivery of vesicles to the presynaptic membrane without requiring an active transport mechanism. Numerical simulations of ribbon-vesicle interactions predict that transient binding and unbinding of multiple tethers to each synaptic vesicle may achieve sufficiently tight association of vesicles to the ribbon while permitting the fast diffusion along the ribbon that is required to sustain high release rates. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/348948-15$15.00/0.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IMPROVED QUASI-STATIC METHOD IN RATTLESNAKE/MOOSE FOR TIME-DEPENDENT RADIATION TRANSPORT MODELLING

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

Zachary M. Prince; Jean C. Ragusa; Yaqi Wang

Because of the recent interest in reactor transient modeling and the restart of the Transient Reactor (TREAT) Facility, there has been a need for more efficient, robust methods in computation frameworks. This is the impetus of implementing the Improved Quasi-Static method (IQS) in the RATTLESNAKE/MOOSE framework. IQS has implemented with CFEM diffusion by factorizing flux into time-dependent amplitude and spacial- and weakly time-dependent shape. The shape evaluation is very similar to a flux diffusion solve and is computed at large (macro) time steps. While the amplitude evaluation is a PRKE solve where the parameters are dependent on the shape andmore » is computed at small (micro) time steps. IQS has been tested with a custom one-dimensional example and the TWIGL ramp benchmark. These examples prove it to be a viable and effective method for highly transient cases. More complex cases are intended to be applied to further test the method and its implementation.« less

Magnetic resonance imaging of blood-brain barrier permeability in ischemic stroke using diffusion-weighted arterial spin labeling in rats.

PubMed

Tiwari, Yash V; Lu, Jianfei; Shen, Qiang; Cerqueira, Bianca; Duong, Timothy Q

2017-08-01

Diffusion-weighted arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging has recently been proposed to quantify the rate of water exchange (K w ) across the blood-brain barrier in humans. This study aimed to evaluate the blood-brain barrier disruption in transient (60 min) ischemic stroke using K w magnetic resonance imaging with cross-validation by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and Evans blue histology in the same rats. The major findings were: (i) at 90 min after stroke (30 min after reperfusion), group K w magnetic resonance imaging data showed no significant blood-brain barrier permeability changes, although a few animals showed slightly abnormal K w . Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging confirmed this finding in the same animals. (ii) At two days after stroke, K w magnetic resonance imaging revealed significant blood-brain barrier disruption. Regions with abnormal K w showed substantial overlap with regions of hyperintense T 2 (vasogenic edema) and hyperperfusion. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and Evans blue histology confirmed these findings in the same animals. The K w values in the normal contralesional hemisphere and the ipsilesional ischemic core two days after stroke were: 363 ± 17 and 261 ± 18 min -1 , respectively (P < 0.05, n = 9). K w magnetic resonance imaging is sensitive to blood-brain barrier permeability changes in stroke, consistent with dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and Evans blue extravasation. K w magnetic resonance imaging offers advantages over existing techniques because contrast agent is not needed and repeated measurements can be made for longitudinal monitoring or averaging.

A simplified model for tritium permeation transient predictions when trapping is active*1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longhurst, G. R.

1994-09-01

This report describes a simplified one-dimensional tritium permeation and retention model. The model makes use of the same physical mechanisms as more sophisticated, time-transient codes such as implantation, recombination, diffusion, trapping and thermal gradient effects. It takes advantage of a number of simplifications and approximations to solve the steady-state problem and then provides interpolating functions to make estimates of intermediate states based on the steady-state solution. Comparison calculations with the verified and validated TMAP4 transient code show good agreement.

Nucleation and growth kinetics of electrodeposited sulfate-doped polypyrrole: determination of the diffusion coefficient of SO(4)(2-) in the polymeric membrane.

PubMed

Licona-Sánchez, T de J; Alvarez-Romero, G A; Mendoza-Huizar, L H; Galán-Vidal, C A; Palomar-Pardavé, M; Romero-Romo, M; Herrera-Hernández, H; Uruchurtu, J; Juárez-García, J M

2010-08-05

A kinetic study for the electrosynthesis of polypyrrole (Ppy) doped with SO(4)(2-) ions is presented. Ppy films were electrochemically polymerized onto a graphite-epoxy resin electrode. Experimental current density transients (j-t) were obtained for three different potentiometric behaviors: anionic, cationic, and a combination. Theoretical models were used to fit the experimental j-t data to determine the nucleation and growth processes controlling the polymer synthesis. It was encountered that, in all cases, pyrrole electropolimerization involves two concomitant processes, namely, a Ppy diffusion limited multiple 3D nucleation and growth and pyrrole electro-oxidation on the growing surface of the Ppy nuclei. SEM analysis of the electrodes surfaces reveals that Ppy deposition occurred over most of the electrode surface by multiple nucleation of hemispheres, as the theoretical model used for the analysis of the current transients required. Hemispherical particles formed the polymeric film displaying different sizes. The order for the particle size was as follows: anionic > anionic-cationic > cationic. These results are congruent with those obtained by theoretical analysis of the corresponding current transients. Analysis of the impedance measurements recorded on the anionic Ppy film, immersed in an aqueous solution with different sulfate ion concentrations evidenced that SO(4)(2-) ions diffuse through the Ppy film provoking a decrease of its electrical resistance and an increase of its dielectric constant. From the Warburg impedance coefficient, the sulfate coefficient of diffusion in the Ppy film was 1.38 x 10(-9) cm(2) s(-1).

Diffuse-flow conceptualization and simulation of the Edwards aquifer, San Antonio region, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lindgren, R.J.

2006-01-01

A numerical ground-water-flow model (hereinafter, the conduit-flow Edwards aquifer model) of the karstic Edwards aquifer in south-central Texas was developed for a previous study on the basis of a conceptualization emphasizing conduit development and conduit flow, and included simulating conduits as one-cell-wide, continuously connected features. Uncertainties regarding the degree to which conduits pervade the Edwards aquifer and influence ground-water flow, as well as other uncertainties inherent in simulating conduits, raised the question of whether a model based on the conduit-flow conceptualization was the optimum model for the Edwards aquifer. Accordingly, a model with an alternative hydraulic conductivity distribution without conduits was developed in a study conducted during 2004-05 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the San Antonio Water System. The hydraulic conductivity distribution for the modified Edwards aquifer model (hereinafter, the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model), based primarily on a conceptualization in which flow in the aquifer predominantly is through a network of numerous small fractures and openings, includes 38 zones, with hydraulic conductivities ranging from 3 to 50,000 feet per day. Revision of model input data for the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model was limited to changes in the simulated hydraulic conductivity distribution. The root-mean-square error for 144 target wells for the calibrated steady-state simulation for the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model is 20.9 feet. This error represents about 3 percent of the total head difference across the model area. The simulated springflows for Comal and San Marcos Springs for the calibrated steady-state simulation were within 2.4 and 15 percent of the median springflows for the two springs, respectively. The transient calibration period for the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model was 1947-2000, with 648 monthly stress periods, the same as for the conduit-flow Edwards aquifer model. The root-mean-square error for a period of drought (May-November 1956) for the calibrated transient simulation for 171 target wells is 33.4 feet, which represents about 5 percent of the total head difference across the model area. The root-mean-square error for a period of above-normal rainfall (November 1974-July 1975) for the calibrated transient simulation for 169 target wells is 25.8 feet, which represents about 4 percent of the total head difference across the model area. The root-mean-square error ranged from 6.3 to 30.4 feet in 12 target wells with long-term water-level measurements for varying periods during 1947-2000 for the calibrated transient simulation for the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model, and these errors represent 5.0 to 31.3 percent of the range in water-level fluctuations of each of those wells. The root-mean-square errors for the five major springs in the San Antonio segment of the aquifer for the calibrated transient simulation, as a percentage of the range of discharge fluctuations measured at the springs, varied from 7.2 percent for San Marcos Springs and 8.1 percent for Comal Springs to 28.8 percent for Leona Springs. The root-mean-square errors for hydraulic heads for the conduit-flow Edwards aquifer model are 27, 76, and 30 percent greater than those for the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model for the steady-state, drought, and above-normal rainfall synoptic time periods, respectively. The goodness-of-fit between measured and simulated springflows is similar for Comal, San Marcos, and Leona Springs for the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model and the conduit-flow Edwards aquifer model. The root-mean-square errors for Comal and Leona Springs were 15.6 and 21.3 percent less, respectively, whereas the root-mean-square error for San Marcos Springs was 3.3 percent greater for the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model compared to the conduit-flow Edwards aquifer model. The root-mean-square errors for San Antonio and San Pedro Springs were appreciably greater, 80.2 and 51.0 percent, respectively, for the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model. The simulated water budgets for the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model are similar to those for the conduit-flow Edwards aquifer model. Differences in percentage of total sources or discharges for a budget component are 2.0 percent or less for all budget components for the steady-state and transient simulations. The largest difference in terms of the magnitude of water budget components for the transient simulation for 1956 was a decrease of about 10,730 acre-feet per year (about 2 per-cent) in springflow for the diffuse-flow Edwards aquifer model compared to the conduit-flow Edwards aquifer model. This decrease in springflow (a water budget discharge) was largely offset by the decreased net loss of water from storage (a water budget source) of about 10,500 acre-feet per year.

Erosion and Modifications of Tungsten-Coated Carbon and Copper Under High Heat Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiang; S, Tamura; K, Tokunaga; N, Yoshida; Zhang, Fu; Xu, Zeng-yu; Ge, Chang-chun; N, Noda

2003-08-01

Tungsten-coated carbon and copper was prepared by vacuum plasma spraying (VPS) and inert gas plasma spraying (IPS), respectively. W/CFC (Tungsten/Carbon Fiber-Enhanced material) coating has a diffusion barrier that consists of W and Re multi-layers pre-deposited by physical vapor deposition on carbon fiber-enhanced materials, while W/Cu coating has a graded transition interface. Different grain growth processes of tungsten coatings under stable and transient heat loads were observed, their experimental results indicated that the recrystallizing temperature of VPS-W coating was about 1400 °C and a recrystallized columnar layer of about 30 μm thickness was formed by cyclic heat loads of 4 ms pulse duration. Erosion and modifications of W/CFC and W/Cu coatings under high heat load, such as microstructure changes of interface, surface plastic deformations and cracks, were investigated, and the erosion mechanism (erosion products) of these two kinds of tungsten coatings under high heat flux was also studied.

Application of Monte Carlo techniques to transient thermal modeling of cavity radiometers having diffuse-specular surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahan, J. R.; Eskin, L. D.

1981-01-01

A viable alternative to the net exchange method of radiative analysis which is equally applicable to diffuse and diffuse-specular enclosures is presented. It is particularly more advantageous to use than the net exchange method in the case of a transient thermal analysis involving conduction and storage of energy as well as radiative exchange. A new quantity, called the distribution factor is defined which replaces the angle factor and the configuration factor. Once obtained, the array of distribution factors for an ensemble of surface elements which define an enclosure permits the instantaneous net radiative heat fluxes to all of the surfaces to be computed directly in terms of the known surface temperatures at that instant. The formulation of the thermal model is described, as is the determination of distribution factors by application of a Monte Carlo analysis. The results show that when fewer than 10,000 packets are emitted, an unsatisfactory approximation for the distribution factors is obtained, but that 10,000 packets is sufficient.

Diffusion-driven fluid dynamics in ideal gases and plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vold, E. L.; Yin, L.; Taitano, W.; Molvig, K.; Albright, B. J.

2018-06-01

The classical transport theory based on Chapman-Enskog methods provides self-consistent approximations for the kinetic flux of mass, heat, and momentum in a fluid limit characterized with a small Knudsen number. The species mass fluxes relative to the center of mass, or "diffusive fluxes," are expressed as functions of known gradient quantities with kinetic coefficients evaluated using similar analyses for mixtures of gases or plasma components. The sum over species of the diffusive mass fluxes is constrained to be zero in the Lagrange frame, and thus results in a non-zero molar flux leading to a pressure perturbation. At an interface between two species initially in pressure equilibrium, the pressure perturbation driven by the diffusive molar flux induces a center of mass velocity directed from the species of greater atomic mass towards the lighter atomic mass species. As the ratio of the species particle masses increases, this center of mass velocity carries an increasingly greater portion of the mass across the interface and for a particle mass ratio greater than about two, the center of mass velocity carries more mass than the gradient driven diffusion flux. Early time transients across an interface between two species in a 1D plasma regime and initially in equilibrium are compared using three methods; a fluid code with closure in a classical transport approximation, a particle in cell simulation, and an implicit Fokker-Planck solver for the particle distribution functions. The early time transient phenomenology is shown to be similar in each of the computational simulation methods, including a pressure perturbation associated with the stationary "induced" component of the center of mass velocity which decays to pressure equilibrium during diffusion. At early times, the diffusive process generates pressure and velocity waves which propagate outward from the interface and are required to maintain momentum conservation. The energy in the outgoing waves dissipates as heat in viscous regions, and it is hypothesized that these diffusion driven waves may sustain fluctuations in less viscid finite domains after reflections from the boundaries. These fluid dynamic phenomena are similar in gases or plasmas and occur in flow transients with a moderate Knudsen number. The analysis and simulation results show how the kinetic flux, represented in the fluid transport closure, directly modifies the mass averaged flow described with the Euler equations.

Portable vapor diffusion coefficient meter

DOEpatents

Ho, Clifford K [Albuquerque, NM

2007-06-12

An apparatus for measuring the effective vapor diffusion coefficient of a test vapor diffusing through a sample of porous media contained within a test chamber. A chemical sensor measures the time-varying concentration of vapor that has diffused a known distance through the porous media. A data processor contained within the apparatus compares the measured sensor data with analytical predictions of the response curve based on the transient diffusion equation using Fick's Law, iterating on the choice of an effective vapor diffusion coefficient until the difference between the predicted and measured curves is minimized. Optionally, a purge fluid can forced through the porous media, permitting the apparatus to also measure a gas-phase permeability. The apparatus can be made lightweight, self-powered, and portable for use in the field.

Diffusion of Mg dopant in metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy grown GaN and AlxGa1-xN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köhler, K.; Gutt, R.; Wiegert, J.; Kirste, L.

2013-02-01

Diffusion of the p-type dopant Mg in GaN and AlxGa1-xN which is accompanied by segregation and affected by transient effects in metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy reactors is investigated. We have grown 110 nm thick Mg doped GaN and Al0.1Ga0.9N layers on top of undoped GaN and Al0.1Ga0.9N layers, respectively, in a temperature range between 925 °C and 1050 °C where we placed special emphasis on the lower temperature limit without diffusion to allow separation of Mg transients, diffusion, and segregation. Hereby, AlxGa1-xN layers enable monitoring of the resolution limit by secondary ion mass spectrometry analyses for the respective samples; therefore, thin AlxGa1-xN marker layers are incorporated in the thick GaN layers. We found an upper limit of 1.25 × 1019 cm-3 for diffusing Mg atoms in both sample types. Owing to the marked influence of Mg segregation in Al0.1Ga0.9N, diffusion is only seen by using a GaN cap on top of the Al0.1Ga0.9N layer sequence. Diffusion in Al0.1Ga0.9N is shown to be increased by about 25%-30% compared to GaN. Post growth annealing experiments under conditions equivalent to those used for growth of the Mg doped samples showed negligible diffusion. Comparing the results to well established findings on other doped III-V compounds, diffusion is explained by an interstitial-substitutional mechanism with a diffusion coefficient, which is concentration dependent. Analysis of the temperature dependent diffusivity revealed an activation energy of 5.0 eV for GaN:Mg and 5.2 eV for Al0.1Ga0.9N:Mg.

Diffusive-light invisibility cloak for transient illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orazbayev, B.; Beruete, M.; Martínez, A.; García-Meca, C.

2016-12-01

Invisibility in a diffusive-light-scattering medium has been recently demonstrated by employing a scattering-cancellation core-shell cloak. Unlike nondiffusive cloaks, such a device can be simultaneously macroscopic, broadband, passive, polarization independent, and omnidirectional. Unfortunately, it has been verified that this cloak, as well as more sophisticated ones based on transformation optics, fail under pulsed illumination, invalidating their use for a variety of applications. Here, we introduce a different approach based on unimodular transformations that enables the construction of unidirectional diffusive-light cloaks exhibiting a perfect invisibility effect, even under transient conditions. Moreover, we demonstrate that a polygonal cloak can extend this functionality to multiple directions with a nearly ideal behavior, while preserving all other features. We propose and numerically verify a simple cloak realization based on a layered stack of two isotropic materials. The studied devices have several applications not addressable by any of the other cloaks proposed to date, including shielding from pulse-based detection techniques, cloaking undesired scattering elements in time-of-flight imaging or high-speed communication systems for diffusive environments, and building extreme optical security features. The discussed cloaking strategy could also be applied to simplify the implementation of thermal cloaks.

Enhanced diffusion on oscillating surfaces through synchronization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jin; Cao, Wei; Ma, Ming; Zheng, Quanshui

2018-02-01

The diffusion of molecules and clusters under nanoscale confinement or absorbed on surfaces is the key controlling factor in dynamical processes such as transport, chemical reaction, or filtration. Enhancing diffusion could benefit these processes by increasing their transport efficiency. Using a nonlinear Langevin equation with an extensive number of simulations, we find a large enhancement in diffusion through surface oscillation. For helium confined in a narrow carbon nanotube, the diffusion enhancement is estimated to be over three orders of magnitude. A synchronization mechanism between the kinetics of the particles and the oscillating surface is revealed. Interestingly, a highly nonlinear negative correlation between diffusion coefficient and temperature is predicted based on this mechanism, and further validated by simulations. Our results provide a general and efficient method for enhancing diffusion, especially at low temperatures.

Analytical Assessment for Transient Stability Under Stochastic Continuous Disturbances

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

Ju, Ping; Li, Hongyu; Gan, Chun

Here, with the growing integration of renewable power generation, plug-in electric vehicles, and other sources of uncertainty, increasing stochastic continuous disturbances are brought to power systems. The impact of stochastic continuous disturbances on power system transient stability attracts significant attention. To address this problem, this paper proposes an analytical assessment method for transient stability of multi-machine power systems under stochastic continuous disturbances. In the proposed method, a probability measure of transient stability is presented and analytically solved by stochastic averaging. Compared with the conventional method (Monte Carlo simulation), the proposed method is many orders of magnitude faster, which makes itmore » very attractive in practice when many plans for transient stability must be compared or when transient stability must be analyzed quickly. Also, it is found that the evolution of system energy over time is almost a simple diffusion process by the proposed method, which explains the impact mechanism of stochastic continuous disturbances on transient stability in theory.« less

Electrical passivation of nonselective bio molecules in carbon nanotubes: Effect of pulse train in serum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Seok Hyang; Woo, Jun-Myung; Choi, Seongwook; Park, Young June

2015-06-01

We present an experimental and simulation study about a desorption of albumin, a representative nonselective molecules in serum, on carbon nanotube (CNT) surface as an electrical bio sensing channel under the pulse train condition. The motivation of the study on binding kinetics between CNT surface and albumin is to suppress the adsorption of nonselective proteins in blood such as albumin, thereby enhancing the selectivity of the electrical biosensor. To theoretically model the behavior of molecules and ions under the step pulse bias, the physics on the reaction rate, mass transport, and the resulting surface pH-value are considered using the Poisson and drift-diffusion equations. For the simulation model, the phosphate buffered saline is considered as the electrolyte solution and albumin is considered as a representative charged molecule for nonspecific binding in serum. Both the transient simulation and experimental result indicate that the suppression of the nonspecific binding under the pulse train is due to the unsymmetrical field force experienced by the protein during the pulse transitions (high to low and low to high) and the non-symmetry is caused by the different transient times between the electric field and the charge/discharge of the protein according to the surface pH modulation in serum. The experimental and simulation results clearly indicate that the pulse bias suppresses the nonselective bio molecules adsorption at the CNT surface so that the selectivity of the electrical biosensor for detecting the target molecules can be enhanced.

A coupled theory for chemically active and deformable solids with mass diffusion and heat conduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaolong; Zhong, Zheng

2017-10-01

To analyse the frequently encountered thermo-chemo-mechanical problems in chemically active material applications, we develop a thermodynamically-consistent continuum theory of coupled deformation, mass diffusion, heat conduction and chemical reaction. Basic balance equations of force, mass and energy are presented at first, and then fully coupled constitutive laws interpreting multi-field interactions and evolving equations governing irreversible fluxes are constructed according to the energy dissipation inequality and the chemical kinetics. To consider the essential distinction between mass diffusion and chemical reactions in affecting free energy and dissipations of a highly coupled system, we regard both the concentrations of diffusive species and the extent of reaction as independent state variables. This new formulation then distinguishes between the energy contribution from the diffusive species entering the solid and that from the subsequent chemical reactions occurring among these species and the host solid, which not only interact with stresses or strains in different manners and on different time scales, but also induce different variations of solid microstructures and material properties. Taking advantage of this new description, we further establish a specialized isothermal model to predict precisely the transient chemo-mechanical response of a swelling solid with a proposed volumetric constraint that accounts for material incompressibility. Coupled kinetics is incorporated to capture the volumetric swelling of the solid caused by imbibition of external species and the simultaneous dilation arised from chemical reactions between the diffusing species and the solid. The model is then exemplified with two numerical examples of transient swelling accompanied by chemical reaction. Various ratios of characteristic times of diffusion and chemical reaction are taken into account to shed light on the dependency on kinetic time scales of evolution patterns for a diffusion-reaction controlled deformable solid.

Interface- and discontinuity-aware numerical schemes for plasma 3-T radiation diffusion in two and three dimensions

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

Dai, William W., E-mail: dai@lanl.gov; Scannapieco, Anthony J.

2015-11-01

A set of numerical schemes is developed for two- and three-dimensional time-dependent 3-T radiation diffusion equations in systems involving multi-materials. To resolve sub-cell structure, interface reconstruction is implemented within any cell that has more than one material. Therefore, the system of 3-T radiation diffusion equations is solved on two- and three-dimensional polyhedral meshes. The focus of the development is on the fully coupling between radiation and material, the treatment of nonlinearity in the equations, i.e., in the diffusion terms and source terms, treatment of the discontinuity across cell interfaces in material properties, the formulations for both transient and steady states,more » the property for large time steps, and second order accuracy in both space and time. The discontinuity of material properties between different materials is correctly treated based on the governing physics principle for general polyhedral meshes and full nonlinearity. The treatment is exact for arbitrarily strong discontinuity. The scheme is fully nonlinear for the full nonlinearity in the 3-T diffusion equations. Three temperatures are fully coupled and are updated simultaneously. The scheme is general in two and three dimensions on general polyhedral meshes. The features of the scheme are demonstrated through numerical examples for transient problems and steady states. The effects of some simplifications of numerical schemes are also shown through numerical examples, such as linearization, simple average of diffusion coefficient, and approximate treatment for the coupling between radiation and material.« less

Transient Infrared Emission Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Roger W.; McClelland, John F.

1989-12-01

Transient Infrared Emission Spectroscopy (TIRES) is a new technique that reduces the occurrence of self-absorption in optically thick solid samples so that analytically useful emission spectra may be observed. Conventional emission spectroscopy, in which the sample is held at an elevated, uniform temperature, is practical only for optically thin samples. In thick samples the emission from deep layers of the material is partially absorbed by overlying layers.1 This self-absorption results in emission spectra from most optically thick samples that closely resemble black-body spectra. The characteristic discrete emission bands are severely truncated and altered in shape. TIRES bypasses this difficulty by using a laser to heat only an optically thin surface layer. The increased temperature of the layer is transient since the layer will rapidly cool and thicken by thermal diffusion; hence the emission collection must be correlated with the laser heating. TIRES may be done with both pulsed and cw lasers.2,3 When a pulsed laser is used, the spectrometer sampling must be synchronized with the laser pulsing so that only emission during and immediately after each laser pulse is observed.3 If a cw laser is used, the sample must move rapidly through the beam. The hot, transient layer is then in the beam track on the sample at and immediately behind the beam position, so the spectrometer field of view must be limited to this region near the beam position.2 How much self-absorption the observed emission suffers depends on how thick the heated layer has grown by thermal diffusion when the spectrometer samples the emission. Use of a pulsed laser synchronized with the spectrometer sampling readily permits reduction of the time available for heat diffusion to about 100 acs .3 When a cw laser is used, the heat-diffusion time is controlled by how small the spectrometer field of view is and by how rapidly the sample moves past within this field. Both a very small field of view and a very high sample speed would be required to attain a diffusion time of 100 μs. Accordingly, pulsed-laser TIRES generally produces spectra suffering from less self-absorption than cw-laser TIRES does, but the cw-laser technique is technically much simpler since no synchronization is required.

Diffusion of Small Solute Particles in Viscous Liquids: Cage Diffusion, a Result of Decoupling of Solute-Solvent Dynamics, Leads to Amplification of Solute Diffusion.

PubMed

Acharya, Sayantan; Nandi, Manoj K; Mandal, Arkajit; Sarkar, Sucharita; Bhattacharyya, Sarika Maitra

2015-08-27

We study the diffusion of small solute particles through solvent by keeping the solute-solvent interaction repulsive and varying the solvent properties. The study involves computer simulations, development of a new model to describe diffusion of small solutes in a solvent, and also mode coupling theory (MCT) calculations. In a viscous solvent, a small solute diffuses via coupling to the solvent hydrodynamic modes and also through the transient cages formed by the solvent. The model developed can estimate the independent contributions from these two different channels of diffusion. Although the solute diffusion in all the systems shows an amplification, the degree of it increases with solvent viscosity. The model correctly predicts that when the solvent viscosity is high, the solute primarily diffuses by exploiting the solvent cages. In such a scenario the MCT diffusion performed for a static solvent provides a correct estimation of the cage diffusion.

Transient spatiotemporal chaos in the Morris-Lecar neuronal ring network.

PubMed

Keplinger, Keegan; Wackerbauer, Renate

2014-03-01

Transient behavior is thought to play an integral role in brain functionality. Numerical simulations of the firing activity of diffusively coupled, excitable Morris-Lecar neurons reveal transient spatiotemporal chaos in the parameter regime below the saddle-node on invariant circle bifurcation point. The neighborhood of the chaotic saddle is reached through perturbations of the rest state, in which few initially active neurons at an effective spatial distance can initiate spatiotemporal chaos. The system escapes from the neighborhood of the chaotic saddle to either the rest state or to a state of pulse propagation. The lifetime of the chaotic transients is manipulated in a statistical sense through a singular application of a synchronous perturbation to a group of neurons.

Clinical Implication of Temporary Hypointense Lesion on Diffusion-Weighted Imaging After Extracranial-Intracranial Bypass Surgery.

PubMed

Kimura, Hidehito; Taniguchi, Masaaki; Mori, Tatsuya; Hosoda, Kohkichi; Kohmura, Eiji

2017-01-01

Postoperative hyperperfusion syndrome after extracranial-to-intracranial bypass causing temporary neurologic deterioration has been reported rarely as isosignal intensity on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with hyperintense lesion on T2-weighted image and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging as an expression of vasogenic edema. We present a rare case of a patient suffering from temporary aphasia after an extracranial-to-intracranial bypass surgery, which was shown as a transient hypointense lesion on DWI with increased apparent diffusion coefficient value, evidence of postoperative hyperperfusion. By the preoperative single-photon emission computed tomography study analyzed retrospectively, preoperative cerebral blood flow (CBF) was compared between the lesions in which the hypointensity emerged and the lesions in which its signal remained unchanged in the hyperperfusion area. We found CBF after an acetazolamide challenge was much smaller and the percentage increase of CBF after an acetazolamide challenge was much less than zero in the temporal hypointense lesion on DWI. An abrupt increase of CBF after bypass installation to the brain with no vascular response and complete disruption of the blood-brain barrier would cause a remarkable increase of extracellular fluid and excessive water molecule diffusion, resulting in excessive vasogenic edema. This was a plausible mechanism for the transient hypointense lesion on DWI with increased apparent diffusion coefficient value. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thermal Diffusivity and Thermal Conductivity of Dispersed Glass Sphere Composites Over a Range of Volume Fractions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carson, James K.

2018-06-01

Glass spheres are often used as filler materials for composites. Comparatively few articles in the literature have been devoted to the measurement or modelling of thermal properties of composites containing glass spheres, and there does not appear to be any reported data on the measurement of thermal diffusivities over a range of filler volume fractions. In this study, the thermal diffusivities of guar-gel/glass sphere composites were measured using a transient comparative method. The addition of the glass beads to the gel increased the thermal diffusivity of the composite, more than doubling the thermal diffusivity of the composite relative to the diffusivity of the gel at the maximum glass volume fraction of approximately 0.57. Thermal conductivities of the composites were derived from the thermal diffusivity measurements, measured densities and estimated specific heat capacities of the composites. Two approaches to modelling the effective thermal diffusivity were considered.

Effect of horizontal molecular orientation on triplet-exciton diffusion in amorphous organic films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawabe, T.; Takasu, I.; Yonehara, T.; Ono, T.; Yoshida, J.; Enomoto, S.; Amemiya, I.; Adachi, C.

2012-09-01

Triplet harvesting is a candidate technology for highly efficient and long-life white OLEDs, where green or red phosphorescent emitters are activated by the triplet-excitons diffused from blue fluorescent emitters. We examined two oxadiazole-based electron transport materials with different horizontal molecular orientation as a triplet-exciton diffusion layer (TDL) in triplet-harvesting OLEDs. The device characteristics and the transient electroluminescent analyses of the red phosphorescent emitter showed that the triplet-exciton diffusion was more effective in the highly oriented TDL. The results are ascribed to the strong orbital overlap between the oriented molecules, which provides rapid electron exchange (Dexter energy transfer) in the TDL.

Experimental correlations for transient soot measurement in diesel exhaust aerosol with light extinction, electrical mobility and diffusion charger sensor techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bermúdez, Vicente; Pastor, José V.; López, J. Javier; Campos, Daniel

2014-06-01

A study of soot measurement deviation using a diffusion charger sensor with three dilution ratios was conducted in order to obtain an optimum setting that can be used to obtain accurate measurements in terms of soot mass emitted by a light-duty diesel engine under transient operating conditions. The paper includes three experimental phases: an experimental validation of the measurement settings in steady-state operating conditions; evaluation of the proposed setting under the New European Driving Cycle; and a study of correlations for different measurement techniques. These correlations provide a reliable tool for estimating soot emission from light extinction measurement or from accumulation particle mode concentration. There are several methods and correlations to estimate soot concentration in the literature but most of them were assessed for steady-state operating points. In this case, the correlations are obtained by more than 4000 points measured in transient conditions. The results of the new two correlations, with less than 4% deviation from the reference measurement, are presented in this paper.

Analyzing Intracellular Binding and Diffusion with Continuous Fluorescence Photobleaching

PubMed Central

Wachsmuth, Malte; Weidemann, Thomas; Müller, Gabriele; Hoffmann-Rohrer, Urs W.; Knoch, Tobias A.; Waldeck, Waldemar; Langowski, Jörg

2003-01-01

Transport and binding of molecules to specific sites are necessary for the assembly and function of ordered supramolecular structures in cells. For analyzing these processes in vivo, we have developed a confocal fluorescence fluctuation microscope that allows both imaging of the spatial distribution of fluorescent molecules with confocal laser scanning microscopy and probing their mobility at specific positions in the cell with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and continuous fluorescence photobleaching (CP). Because fluorescence correlation spectroscopy is restricted to rapidly diffusing particles and CP to slower processes, these two methods complement each other. For the analysis of binding-related contributions to mobility we have derived analytical expressions for the temporal behavior of CP curves from which the bound fraction and/or the dissociation rate or residence time at binding sites, respectively, can be obtained. In experiments, we investigated HeLa cells expressing different fluorescent proteins: Although enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) shows high mobility, fusions of histone H2B with the yellow fluorescent protein are incorporated into chromatin, and these nuclei exhibit the presence of a stably bound and a freely diffusing species. Nonpermanent binding was found for mTTF-I, a transcription termination factor for RNA polymerase I, fused with EGFP. The cells show fluorescent nucleoli, and binding is transient. CP yields residence times for mTTF-I-EGFP of ∼13 s. PMID:12719264

Analyzing intracellular binding and diffusion with continuous fluorescence photobleaching.

PubMed

Wachsmuth, Malte; Weidemann, Thomas; Müller, Gabriele; Hoffmann-Rohrer, Urs W; Knoch, Tobias A; Waldeck, Waldemar; Langowski, Jörg

2003-05-01

Transport and binding of molecules to specific sites are necessary for the assembly and function of ordered supramolecular structures in cells. For analyzing these processes in vivo, we have developed a confocal fluorescence fluctuation microscope that allows both imaging of the spatial distribution of fluorescent molecules with confocal laser scanning microscopy and probing their mobility at specific positions in the cell with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and continuous fluorescence photobleaching (CP). Because fluorescence correlation spectroscopy is restricted to rapidly diffusing particles and CP to slower processes, these two methods complement each other. For the analysis of binding-related contributions to mobility we have derived analytical expressions for the temporal behavior of CP curves from which the bound fraction and/or the dissociation rate or residence time at binding sites, respectively, can be obtained. In experiments, we investigated HeLa cells expressing different fluorescent proteins: Although enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) shows high mobility, fusions of histone H2B with the yellow fluorescent protein are incorporated into chromatin, and these nuclei exhibit the presence of a stably bound and a freely diffusing species. Nonpermanent binding was found for mTTF-I, a transcription termination factor for RNA polymerase I, fused with EGFP. The cells show fluorescent nucleoli, and binding is transient. CP yields residence times for mTTF-I-EGFP of approximately 13 s.

Exciton-Delocalizing Ligands Can Speed Up Energy Migration in Nanocrystal Solids.

PubMed

Azzaro, Michael S; Dodin, Amro; Zhang, Diana Y; Willard, Adam P; Roberts, Sean T

2018-05-09

Researchers have long sought to use surface ligands to enhance energy migration in nanocrystal solids by decreasing the physical separation between nanocrystals and strengthening their electronic coupling. Exciton-delocalizing ligands, which possess frontier molecular orbitals that strongly mix with nanocrystal band-edge states, are well-suited for this role because they can facilitate carrier-wave function extension beyond the nanocrystal core, reducing barriers for energy transfer. This report details the use of the exciton-delocalizing ligand phenyldithiocarbamate (PDTC) to tune the transport rate and diffusion length of excitons in CdSe nanocrystal solids. A film composed of oleate-terminated CdSe nanocrystals is subjected to a solid-state ligand exchange to replace oleate with PDTC. Exciton migration in the films is subsequently investigated by femtosecond transient absorption. Our experiments indicate that the treatment of nanocrystal films with PDTC leads to rapid (∼400 fs) downhill energy migration (∼80 meV), while no such migration occurs in oleate-capped films. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations allow us to extract both rates and length scales for exciton diffusion in PDTC-treated films. These simulations reproduce dynamics observed in transient absorption measurements over a range of temperatures and confirm excitons hop via a Miller-Abrahams mechanism. Importantly, our experiments and simulations show PDTC treatment increases the exciton hopping rate to 200 fs, an improvement of 5 orders of magnitude relative to oleate-capped films. This exciton hopping rate stands as one of the fastest determined for CdSe solids. The facile, room-temperature processing and improved transport properties offered by the solid-state exchange of exciton-delocalizing ligands show they offer promise for the construction of strongly coupled nanocrystal arrays.

Lateral diffusion contributes to FRET from lanthanide-tagged membrane proteins

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

Lan, Tien-Hung; Wu, Guangyu; Lambert, Nevin A., E-mail: nelambert@gru.edu

2015-08-14

Diffusion can enhance Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) when donors or acceptors diffuse distances that are similar to the distances separating them during the donor's excited state lifetime. Lanthanide donors remain in the excited state for milliseconds, which makes them useful for time-resolved FRET applications but also allows time for diffusion to enhance energy transfer. Here we show that diffusion dramatically enhances FRET between membrane proteins labeled with lanthanide donors. This phenomenon complicates interpretation of experiments that use long-lived donors to infer association or proximity of mobile membrane proteins, but also offers a method of monitoring diffusion in membrane domainsmore » in real time in living cells. - Highlights: • Diffusion enhances TR-FRET from membrane proteins labeled with lanthanide donors. • Diffusion-dependent FRET can overshadow FRET due to oligomerization or clustering. • FRET studies using lanthanide-tagged membrane proteins should consider diffusion. • FRET from lanthanide donors can be used to monitor membrane protein diffusion.« less

Endothelial thermotolerance impairs nanoparticle transport in tumors

PubMed Central

Bagley, Alexander F.; Scherz-Shouval, Ruth; Galie, Peter A.; Zhang, Angela Q.; Wyckoff, Jeffrey; Whitesell, Luke; Chen, Christopher S.; Lindquist, Susan; Bhatia, Sangeeta N.

2016-01-01

The delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents to solid tumors is limited by physical transport barriers within tumors, and such restrictions directly contribute to decreased therapeutic efficacy and the emergence of drug resistance. Nanomaterials designed to perturb the local tumor environment with precise spatiotemporal control have demonstrated potential to enhance drug delivery in preclinical models. Here, we investigated the ability of one class of heat-generating nanomaterials called plasmonic nanoantennae to enhance tumor transport in a xenograft model of ovarian cancer. We observed a temperature-dependent increase in the transport of diagnostic nanoparticles into tumors. However, a transient, reversible reduction in this enhanced transport was seen upon re-exposure to heating, consistent with the development of vascular thermotolerance. Harnessing these observations, we designed an improved treatment protocol combining plasmonic nanoantennae with diffusion-limited chemotherapies. Using a microfluidic endothelial model and genetic tools to inhibit the heat-shock response (HSR), we found that the ability of thermal preconditioning to limit heat-induced cytoskeletal disruption is an important component of vascular thermotolerance. This work therefore highlights the clinical relevance of cellular adaptations to nanomaterials and identifies molecular pathways whose modulation could improve the exposure of tumors to therapeutic agents. PMID:26122846

Endothelial Thermotolerance Impairs Nanoparticle Transport in Tumors.

PubMed

Bagley, Alexander F; Scherz-Shouval, Ruth; Galie, Peter A; Zhang, Angela Q; Wyckoff, Jeffrey; Whitesell, Luke; Chen, Christopher S; Lindquist, Susan; Bhatia, Sangeeta N

2015-08-15

The delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents to solid tumors is limited by physical transport barriers within tumors, and such restrictions directly contribute to decreased therapeutic efficacy and the emergence of drug resistance. Nanomaterials designed to perturb the local tumor environment with precise spatiotemporal control have demonstrated potential to enhance drug delivery in preclinical models. Here, we investigated the ability of one class of heat-generating nanomaterials called plasmonic nanoantennae to enhance tumor transport in a xenograft model of ovarian cancer. We observed a temperature-dependent increase in the transport of diagnostic nanoparticles into tumors. However, a transient, reversible reduction in this enhanced transport was seen upon reexposure to heating, consistent with the development of vascular thermotolerance. Harnessing these observations, we designed an improved treatment protocol combining plasmonic nanoantennae with diffusion-limited chemotherapies. Using a microfluidic endothelial model and genetic tools to inhibit the heat-shock response, we found that the ability of thermal preconditioning to limit heat-induced cytoskeletal disruption is an important component of vascular thermotolerance. This work, therefore, highlights the clinical relevance of cellular adaptations to nanomaterials and identifies molecular pathways whose modulation could improve the exposure of tumors to therapeutic agents. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Extended defects and hydrogen interactions in ion implanted silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rangan, Sanjay

The structural and electrical properties of extended defects generated because of ion implantation and the interaction of hydrogen with these defects have been studied in this work. Two distinct themes have been studied, the first where defects are a detrimental and the second where they are useful. In the first scenario, transient enhanced diffusion of boron has been studied and correlated with defect evolution studies due to silicon and argon ion implants. Spreading resistance profiles (SRP) correlated with deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements, reveal that a low anneal temperatures (<650°C) defect dissolution and defect injection dominates, resulting in increased junction depths. At higher anneal temperatures, however, repair dominates over defect injection resulting in shallower junctions. Hydrogenation experiments shows that hydrogen enhances dopant activation and reduces TED at low anneal temperatures (<550°C). At anneal temperatures >550°C, the effect of hydrogen is lost, due to its out-diffusion. Moreover, due to catastrophic out-diffusion of hydrogen, additional damage is created resulting in deeper junctions in hydrogenated samples, compared to the non-hydrogenated ones. Comparing defect evolution due to Si and Ar ion implants at different anneal temperatures, while the type of defects is the same in the two cases, their (defect) dissolution occurs at lower anneal temperatures (˜850°C) for Si implants. Dissolution for Ar implants seems to occur at higher anneal temperatures. The difference has been attributed to the increased number of vacancies created by Ar to that of silicon implant. In second aspect, nano-cavity formation due to vacancy agglomeration has been studied by helium ion implantation and furnace anneal, where the effect of He dose, implant energy and anneal time have been processing parameters that have been varied. Cavities are formed only when the localized concentration of He is greater than 3 x 1020 cm-3. While at high implant doses, a continuous cavity layer is formed, at low implant doses a discontinuous layer is observed. The formation of cavities at low doses has been observed for the first time. Variation of anneal times reveal that cavities are initially facetted (for short anneal times) and tend to become spherical when annealed for along time (300min). Also presented is the recipe for formation of multiple cavity layers and the electrical and optical properties of these cavities. Electrically, these cavities are metastable, with two strong minority carrier peaks formed by multiple defect levels. Photoluminescence measurements reveal a strong 0.8eV photon peak.

Relaxation near Supermassive Black Holes Driven by Nuclear Spiral Arms: Anisotropic Hypervelocity Stars, S-stars, and Tidal Disruption Events

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

Hamers, Adrian S.; Perets, Hagai B., E-mail: hamers@ias.edu

Nuclear spiral arms are small-scale transient spiral structures found in the centers of galaxies. Similarly to their galactic-scale counterparts, nuclear spiral arms can perturb the orbits of stars. In the case of the Galactic center (GC), these perturbations can affect the orbits of stars and binaries in a region extending to several hundred parsecs around the supermassive black hole (SMBH), causing diffusion in orbital energy and angular momentum. This diffusion process can drive stars and binaries to close approaches with the SMBH, disrupting single stars in tidal disruption events (TDEs), or disrupting binaries, leaving a star tightly bound to themore » SMBH and an unbound star escaping the galaxy, i.e., a hypervelocity star (HVS). Here, we consider diffusion by nuclear spiral arms in galactic nuclei, specifically the Milky Way GC. We determine nuclear-spiral-arm-driven diffusion rates using test-particle integrations and compute disruption rates. Our TDE rates are up to 20% higher compared to relaxation by single stars. For binaries, the enhancement is up to a factor of ∼100, and our rates are comparable to the observed numbers of HVSs and S-stars. Our scenario is complementary to relaxation driven by massive perturbers. In addition, our rates depend on the inclination of the binary with respect to the Galactic plane. Therefore, our scenario provides a novel potential source for the observed anisotropic distribution of HVSs. Nuclear spiral arms may also be important for accelerating the coalescence of binary SMBHs and for supplying nuclear star clusters with stars and gas.« less

What can be learned from optical two-color diffusion and thermodiffusion experiments on ternary fluid mixtures?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebhardt, M.; Köhler, W.

2015-02-01

A number of optical techniques have been developed during the recent years for the investigation of diffusion and thermodiffusion in ternary fluid mixtures, both on ground and on-board the International Space Station. All these methods are based on the simultaneous measurement of refractive index changes at two different wavelengths. Here, we discuss and compare different techniques with the emphasis on optical beam deflection (OBD), optical digital interferometry, and thermal diffusion forced Rayleigh scattering (TDFRS). We suggest to formally split the data evaluation into a phenomenological parameterization of the measured transients and a subsequent transformation from the refractive index into the concentration space. In all experiments, the transients measured at two different detection wavelengths can be described by four amplitudes and two eigenvalues of the diffusion coefficient matrix. It turns out that these six parameters are subjected to large errors and cannot be determined reliably. Five good quantities, which can be determined with a high accuracy, are the stationary amplitudes, the initial slopes as defined in TDFRS experiments and by application of a heuristic criterion for similar curves, a certain mean diffusion coefficient. These amplitudes and slopes are directly linked to the Soret and thermodiffusion coefficients after transformation with the inverse contrast factor matrix, which is frequently ill-conditioned. Since only five out of six free parameters are reliably determined, including the single mean diffusion coefficient, the determination of the four entries of the diffusion matrix is not possible. We apply our results to new OBD measurements of the symmetric (mass fractions 0.33/0.33/0.33) ternary benchmark mixture n-dodecane/isobutylbenzene/1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene and existing literature data for the same system.

Enhancing Continuous Online Microdialysis Using Dexamethasone: Measurement of Dynamic Neurometabolic Changes during Spreading Depolarization.

PubMed

Varner, Erika L; Leong, Chi Leng; Jaquins-Gerstl, Andrea; Nesbitt, Kathryn M; Boutelle, Martyn G; Michael, Adrian C

2017-08-16

Microdialysis is well established in chemical neuroscience as a mainstay technology for real time intracranial chemical monitoring in both animal models and human patients. Evidence shows that microdialysis can be enhanced by mitigating the penetration injury caused during the insertion of microdialysis probes into brain tissue. Herein, we show that retrodialysis of dexamethasone in the rat cortex enhances the microdialysis detection of K + and glucose transients induced by spreading depolarization. Without dexamethasone, quantification of glucose transients was unreliable by 5 days after probe insertion. With dexamethasone, robust K + and glucose transients were readily quantified at 2 h, 5 days, and 10 days after probe insertion. The amplitudes of the K + transients declined day-to-day following probe insertion, and the amplitudes of the glucose transients exhibited a decreasing trend that did not reach statistical significance. Immunohistochemistry and fluorescence microscopy confirm that dexamethasone is highly effective at preserving a healthy probe-brain interface for at least 10 days even though retrodialysis of dexamethasone ceased after 5 days.

Two dimensional, transient catalytic combustion of CO-air on platinum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sinha, N.; Bruno, C.; Bracco, F. V.

1985-01-01

The light off transient of catalytic combustion of lean CO-air mixtures in a platinum coated channel of a honeycomb monolith is studied with a model that resolves transient radial and axial gradients in both the gas and the solid. For the conditions studied it is concluded that: the initial heat release occurs near the entrance at the gas-solid interface and is controlled by heterogeneous reactions; large spatial and temporal temperature gradients occur in the solid near the entrance controlled mostly by the availability of fuel; the temperature of the solid near the entrance achieves almost its steady state value before significant heating of the back; heterogeneous reactions and the gas heated up front and flowing downstream heat the back of the solid; the overall transient time is controlled by the thermal inertia of the solid and by forced convection; radiation significantly influences both transient and steady state particularly near the entrance; the oxidation of CO occurs mostly on the catalyst and becomes diffusion controlled soon into the transient.

Transient chaos - a resolution of breakdown of quantum-classical correspondence in optomechanics.

PubMed

Wang, Guanglei; Lai, Ying-Cheng; Grebogi, Celso

2016-10-17

Recently, the phenomenon of quantum-classical correspondence breakdown was uncovered in optomechanics, where in the classical regime the system exhibits chaos but in the corresponding quantum regime the motion is regular - there appears to be no signature of classical chaos whatsoever in the corresponding quantum system, generating a paradox. We find that transient chaos, besides being a physically meaningful phenomenon by itself, provides a resolution. Using the method of quantum state diffusion to simulate the system dynamics subject to continuous homodyne detection, we uncover transient chaos associated with quantum trajectories. The transient behavior is consistent with chaos in the classical limit, while the long term evolution of the quantum system is regular. Transient chaos thus serves as a bridge for the quantum-classical transition (QCT). Strikingly, as the system transitions from the quantum to the classical regime, the average chaotic transient lifetime increases dramatically (faster than the Ehrenfest time characterizing the QCT for isolated quantum systems). We develop a physical theory to explain the scaling law.

Transient chaos - a resolution of breakdown of quantum-classical correspondence in optomechanics

PubMed Central

Wang, Guanglei; Lai, Ying-Cheng; Grebogi, Celso

2016-01-01

Recently, the phenomenon of quantum-classical correspondence breakdown was uncovered in optomechanics, where in the classical regime the system exhibits chaos but in the corresponding quantum regime the motion is regular - there appears to be no signature of classical chaos whatsoever in the corresponding quantum system, generating a paradox. We find that transient chaos, besides being a physically meaningful phenomenon by itself, provides a resolution. Using the method of quantum state diffusion to simulate the system dynamics subject to continuous homodyne detection, we uncover transient chaos associated with quantum trajectories. The transient behavior is consistent with chaos in the classical limit, while the long term evolution of the quantum system is regular. Transient chaos thus serves as a bridge for the quantum-classical transition (QCT). Strikingly, as the system transitions from the quantum to the classical regime, the average chaotic transient lifetime increases dramatically (faster than the Ehrenfest time characterizing the QCT for isolated quantum systems). We develop a physical theory to explain the scaling law. PMID:27748418

Thermal diffusivity determination using heterodyne phase insensitive transient grating spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennett, Cody A.; Short, Michael P.

2018-06-01

The elastic and thermal transport properties of opaque materials may be measured using transient grating spectroscopy (TGS) by inducing and monitoring periodic excitations in both reflectivity and surface displacement. The "phase grating" response encodes both properties of interest, but complicates quantitative analysis by convolving temperature dynamics with surface displacement dynamics. Thus, thermal transport characteristics are typically determined using the "amplitude grating" response to isolate the surface temperature dynamics. However, this signal character requires absolute heterodyne phase calibration and contains no elastic property information. Here, a method is developed by which phase grating TGS measurements may be consistently analyzed to determine thermal diffusivity with no prior knowledge of the expected properties. To demonstrate this ability, the wavelength-dependent 1D effective thermal diffusivity of pure germanium is measured using this type of response and found to be consistent with theoretical predictions made by solving the Boltzmann transport equation. This ability to determine the elastic and thermal properties from a single set of TGS measurements will be particularly advantageous for new in situ implementations of the technique being used to study dynamic materials systems.

Stepwise and Pulse Transient Methods of Thermophysical Parameters Measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinarič, Svetozár; Dieška, Peter

2016-12-01

Stepwise transient and pulse transient methods are experimental techniques for measuring the thermal diffusivity and conductivity of solid materials. Theoretical models and experimental apparatus are presented, and the influence of the heat source capacity and the heat transfer coefficient is investigated using the experiment simulation. The specimens from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) were measured by both methods. Coefficients of variation were better than 0.9 % for LDPE and 2.8 % for PMMA measurements. The time dependence of the temperature response to the input heat flux showed a small drop, which was caused by thermoelastic wave generated by thermal expansions of the heat source.

Transient thermal camouflage and heat signature control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tian-Zhi; Su, Yishu; Xu, Weikai; Yang, Xiao-Dong

2016-09-01

Thermal metamaterials have been proposed to manipulate heat flux as a new way to cloak or camouflage objects in the infrared world. To date, however, thermal metamaterials only operate in the steady-state and exhibit detectable, transient heat signatures. In this letter, the theoretical basis for a thermal camouflaging technique with controlled transient diffusion is presented. This technique renders an object invisible in real time. More importantly, the thermal camouflaging device instantaneously generates a pre-designed heat signature and behaves as a perfect thermal illusion device. A metamaterial coating with homogeneous and isotropic thermal conductivity, density, and volumetric heat capacity was fabricated and very good camouflaging performance was achieved.

Dimensionless figure of merit and its efficiency estimation for transient response of thermoelectric module based on impedance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otsuka, Mioko; Hasegawa, Yasuhiro; Arisaka, Taichi; Shinozaki, Ryo; Morita, Hiroyuki

2017-11-01

The dimensionless figure of merit and its efficiency for the transient response of a Π-shaped thermoelectric module are estimated according to the theory of impedance spectroscopy. The effective dimensionless figure of merit is described as a function of the product of the characteristic time to reduce the temperature and the representative angular frequency of the module, which is expressed by the thermal diffusivity and the length of the elements used. The characteristic time required for achieving a higher dimensionless figure of merit and efficiency is derived quantitatively for the transient response using the properties of a commercial thermoelectric module.

Thermal transport in suspended silicon membranes measured by laser-induced transient gratings

DOE PAGES

Vega-Flick, A.; Duncan, R. A.; Eliason, J. K.; ...

2016-12-05

Studying thermal transport at the nanoscale poses formidable experimental challenges due both to the physics of the measurement process and to the issues of accuracy and reproducibility. The laser-induced transient thermal grating (TTG) technique permits non-contact measurements on nanostructured samples without a need for metal heaters or any other extraneous structures, offering the advantage of inherently high absolute accuracy. We present a review of recent studies of thermal transport in nanoscale silicon membranes using the TTG technique. An overview of the methodology, including an analysis of measurements errors, is followed by a discussion of new findings obtained from measurements onmore » both “solid” and nanopatterned membranes. The most important results have been a direct observation of non-diffusive phonon-mediated transport at room temperature and measurements of thickness-dependent thermal conductivity of suspended membranes across a wide thickness range, showing good agreement with first-principles-based theory assuming diffuse scattering at the boundaries. Measurements on a membrane with a periodic pattern of nanosized holes (135nm) indicated fully diffusive transport and yielded thermal diffusivity values in agreement with Monte Carlo simulations. Based on the results obtained to-date, we conclude that room-temperature thermal transport in membrane-based silicon nanostructures is now reasonably well understood.« less

Evidence for Enhanced Matrix Diffusion in Geological Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Kiminori; Fujimoto, Koichiro; Nakata, Masataka; Shikazono, Naotatsu

2013-01-01

Molecular diffusion in rock matrix, called as matrix diffusion, has been appreciated as a static process for elemental migration in geological environment that has been acknowledged in the context of geological disposal of radioactive waste. However, incomprehensible enhancement of matrix diffusion has been reported at a number of field test sites. Here, the matrix diffusion of saline water at Horonobe, Hokkaido, Japan is highlighted directly probing angstrom-scale pores on a field scale up to 1 km by positron--positronium annihilation spectroscopy. The first application of positron--positronium annihilation spectroscopy to field-scale geophysical research reveals the slight variation of angstrom-scale pores influenced by saline water diffusion with complete accuracy. We found widely interconnected 3 Å pores, which offer the pathway of saline water diffusion with the highly enhanced effective matrix diffusion coefficient of 4× 10-6 cm2 s-1. The present findings provide unambiguous evidence that the angstrom-scale pores enhance effective matrix diffusion on a field scale in geological environment.

Radiative Extinction of Gaseous Spherical Diffusion Flames in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santa, K. J.; Chao, B. H.; Sunderland, P. B.; Urban, D. L.; Stocker, D. P.; Axelbaum, R. L.

2007-01-01

Radiative extinction of spherical diffusion flames was investigated experimentally and numerically. The experiments involved microgravity spherical diffusion flames burning ethylene and propane at 0.98 bar. Both normal (fuel flowing into oxidizer) and inverse (oxidizer flowing into fuel) flames were studied, with nitrogen supplied to either the fuel or the oxygen. Flame conditions were chosen to ensure that the flames extinguished within the 2.2 s of available test time; thus extinction occurred during unsteady flame conditions. Diagnostics included color video and thin-filament pyrometry. The computations, which simulated flow from a porous sphere into a quiescent environment, included detailed chemistry, transport and radiation, and yielded transient results. Radiative extinction was observed experimentally and simulated numerically. Extinction time, peak temperature, and radiative loss fraction were found to be independent of flow rate except at very low flow rates. Radiative heat loss was dominated by the combustion products downstream of the flame and was found to scale with flame surface area, not volume. For large transient flames the heat release rate also scaled with surface area and thus the radiative loss fraction was largely independent of flow rate. Peak temperatures at extinction onset were about 1100 K, which is significantly lower than for kinetic extinction. One observation of this work is that while radiative heat losses can drive transient extinction, this is not because radiative losses are increasing with time (flame size) but rather because the heat release rate is falling off as the temperature drops.

Control of extracellular dopamine at dendrite and axon terminals

PubMed Central

Ford, Christopher P.; Gantz, Stephanie C.; Phillips, Paul E. M.; Williams, John T.

2010-01-01

Midbrain dopamine neurons release dopamine from both axons and dendrites. The mechanism underlying release at these different sites has been proposed to differ. This study used electrochemical and electrophysiological methods to compare the time course and calcium-dependence of somatodendritc dopamine release in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) to that of axonal dopamine release in the dorsal striatum. The amount of dopamine released in the striatum was ~20 fold greater than in cell body regions of the VTA or SNc. However the calcium dependence and time to peak of the dopamine transients were similar. These results illustrate an unexpected overall similarity in the mechanisms of dopamine release in the striatum and cell body regions. To examine how diffusion regulates the time course of dopamine following release, dextran was added to the extracellular solution to slow diffusion. In the VTA, dextran slowed the rate of rise and fall of the extracellular dopamine transient as measured by fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) yet did not alter the kinetics of the dopamine dependent inhibitory post-synaptic current (IPSC). Dextran failed to significantly alter the time course of the rise and fall of the dopamine transient in the striatum suggesting a more influential role for reuptake in the striatum. The conclusion is that the time course of dopamine within the extracellular space of the VTA is dependent on both diffusion and reuptake, whereas the activation of D2-receptors on dopamine neurons is primarily limited by reuptake. PMID:20484639

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

Reeve, Kathlene N.; Holaday, John R.; Choquette, Stephanie M.

New electronics applications demanding enhanced performance and higher operating temperatures have led to continued research in the field of Pb-free solder designs and interconnect solutions. In this paper, recent advances in the microstructural design of Pb-free solders and interconnect systems were discussed by highlighting two topics: increasing β-Sn nucleation in Sn-based solders, and isothermally solidified interconnects using transient liquid phases. Issues in β-Sn nucleation in Sn-based solders were summarized in the context of Swenson’s 2007 review of the topic. Recent advancements in the areas of alloy composition manipulation, nucleating heterogeneities, and rapid solidification were discussed, and a proposal based onmore » a multi-faceted solidification approach involving the promotion of constitutional undercooling and nucleating heterogeneities was outlined for future research. The second half of the paper analyzed two different approaches to liquid phase diffusion bonding as a replacement for high-Pb solders, one based on the application of the pseudo-binary Cu-Ni-Sn ternary system, and the other on a proposed thermodynamic framework for identifying potential ternary alloys for liquid phase diffusion bonding. Furthermore, all of the concepts reviewed relied upon the fundamentals of thermodynamics, kinetics, and solidification, to which Jack Smith substantially contributed during his scientific career.« less

Gamma-ray emission from globular clusters. Shock high energy emission from the Be-Star/Pulsar System PSR 1259-63. Echoes in x-ray novae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaaret, Philip

1995-01-01

This grant covers work on the Compton phase 3 investigation, 'Shock High Energy Emission from the Be- Star/Pulsar System PSR 1259-63' and cycle 4 investigations 'Diffuse Gamma-Ray Emission at High Latitudes' and 'Echoes in X-Ray Novae'. Work under the investigation 'Diffuse Gamma-Ray Emission at High Latitudes' has lead to the publication of a paper (attached), describing gamma-ray emissivity variations in the northern galactic hemisphere. Using archival EGRET data, we have found a large irregular region of enhanced gamma-ray emissivity at energies greater 100 MeV. This is the first observation of local structure in the gamma-ray emissivity. Work under the investigation 'Echoes in X-Ray Novae' is proceeding with analysis of data from OSSE from the transient source GRO J1655-40. The outburst of this source last fall triggered this Target of Opportunity investigation. Preliminary spectral analysis shows emission out to 600 keV and a pure power low spectrum with no evidence of an exponential cutoff. Work is complete on the analysis of BATSE data from the Be-Star/Pulsar Sustem PSR 1259-63.

Comparison of simulations to experiment for a detailed analysis of space-charge-limited transient current measurements in organic semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szymanski, Marek Z.; Kulszewicz-Bajer, Irena; Faure-Vincent, Jérôme; Djurado, David

2012-05-01

Space-charge-limited current transients (also referred as time resolved dark injection) is an attractive technique for mobility measurements in low mobility materials, particularly the organic semiconductors. Transients are generally analyzed in terms of the Many-Rakavy theory, which is an approximate analytical solution of the time-dependent drift-diffusion problem after application of a voltage step. In this contribution, we perform full time-dependent drift-diffusion simulation and compare simulated and experimental transients measured on a sample of triaryl-amine based electroactive dendrimer (experimental conditions: μ≈10-5 cm2/(Vs), L=300 nm, E<105 V/cm). We have found that the Many-Rakavy theory is indeed valid for estimating the mobility value, but it fails to predict quantitatively the time-dependent current response. In order to obtain a good agreement in between simulation and experiment, trapping and quasi-ohmic contact models were needed to be taken into account. In the case of the studied electroactive dendrimer, the experimental results were apparently consistent with the constant mobility Many-Rakavy theory, but with this model, a large uncertainty of 20% was found for the mobility value. We show that this uncertainty can be significantly reduced to 10% if a field-dependent mobility is taken into account in the framework of the extended Gaussian disorder model. Finally, we demonstrate that this fitting procedure between simulated and experimental transient responses also permits to unambiguously provide the values of the contact barrier, the trap concentration, the trap depth in addition to that of the mobility of carriers.

Parareal in time 3D numerical solver for the LWR Benchmark neutron diffusion transient model

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

Baudron, Anne-Marie, E-mail: anne-marie.baudron@cea.fr; CEA-DRN/DMT/SERMA, CEN-Saclay, 91191 Gif sur Yvette Cedex; Lautard, Jean-Jacques, E-mail: jean-jacques.lautard@cea.fr

2014-12-15

In this paper we present a time-parallel algorithm for the 3D neutrons calculation of a transient model in a nuclear reactor core. The neutrons calculation consists in numerically solving the time dependent diffusion approximation equation, which is a simplified transport equation. The numerical resolution is done with finite elements method based on a tetrahedral meshing of the computational domain, representing the reactor core, and time discretization is achieved using a θ-scheme. The transient model presents moving control rods during the time of the reaction. Therefore, cross-sections (piecewise constants) are taken into account by interpolations with respect to the velocity ofmore » the control rods. The parallelism across the time is achieved by an adequate use of the parareal in time algorithm to the handled problem. This parallel method is a predictor corrector scheme that iteratively combines the use of two kinds of numerical propagators, one coarse and one fine. Our method is made efficient by means of a coarse solver defined with large time step and fixed position control rods model, while the fine propagator is assumed to be a high order numerical approximation of the full model. The parallel implementation of our method provides a good scalability of the algorithm. Numerical results show the efficiency of the parareal method on large light water reactor transient model corresponding to the Langenbuch–Maurer–Werner benchmark.« less

Computational Analyses in Support of Sub-scale Diffuser Testing for the A-3 Facility. Part 2; Unsteady Analyses and Risk Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, Vineet; Hosangadi, Ashvin; Allgood, Daniel

2008-01-01

Simulation technology can play an important role in rocket engine test facility design and development by assessing risks, providing analysis of dynamic pressure and thermal loads, identifying failure modes and predicting anomalous behavior of critical systems. This is especially true for facilities such as the proposed A-3 facility at NASA SSC because of a challenging operating envelope linked to variable throttle conditions at relatively low chamber pressures. Design Support of the feasibility of operating conditions and procedures is critical in such cases due to the possibility of startup/shutdown transients, moving shock structures, unsteady shock-boundary layer interactions and engine and diffuser unstart modes that can result in catastrophic failure. Analyses of such systems is difficult due to resolution requirements needed to accurately capture moving shock structures, shock-boundary layer interactions, two-phase flow regimes and engine unstart modes. In a companion paper, we will demonstrate with the use of CFD, steady analyses advanced capability to evaluate supersonic diffuser and steam ejector performance in the sub-scale A-3 facility. In this paper we will address transient issues with the operation of the facility especially at startup and shutdown, and assess risks related to afterburning due to the interaction of a fuel rich plume with oxygen that is a by-product of the steam ejectors. The primary areas that will be addressed in this paper are: (1) analyses of unstart modes due to flow transients especially during startup/ignition, (2) engine safety during the shutdown process (3) interaction of steam ejectors with the primary plume i.e. flow transients as well as probability of afterburning. In this abstract we discuss unsteady analyses of the engine shutdown process. However, the final paper will include analyses of a staged startup, drawdown of the engine test cell pressure, and risk assessment of potential afterburning in the facility. Unsteady simulations have been carried out to study the engine shutdown process in the facility and understand the physics behind the interactions between the steam ejectors, the test cell and the supersonic diffuser. As a first approximation, to understand the dominant unsteady mechanisms in the engine test cell and the supersonic diffuser, the turning duct in the facility was removed. As the engine loses power a rarefaction wave travels downstream that disrupts the shock cell structure in the supersonic diffuser. Flow from the test cell is seen to expand into the supersonic diffuser section and re-pressurizes the area around the nozzle along with a upstream traveling compression wave that emanates from near the first stage ejectors. Flow from the first stage ejector expands to the center of the duct and a new shock train is formed between the first and second stage ejectors. Both stage ejectors keep the facility pressurized and prevent any large amplitude pressure fluctuations from affecting the engine nozzle. The resultant pressure loads the nozzle experiences in the shutdown process are small.

Ti diffusion in ion prebombarded MgO(100). I. A model for quantitative analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, M.; Lupu, C.; Styve, V. J.; Lee, S. M.; Rabalais, J. W.

2002-01-01

Enhancement of Ti diffusion in MgO(100) prebombarded with 7 keV Ar+ has been observed. Diffusion was induced by annealing to 1000 °C following the prebombardment and Ti evaporation. Such a sample geometry and experimental procedure alleviates the continuous provision of freely mobile defects introduced by ion irradiation during annealing for diffusion, making diffusion proceed in a non-steady-state condition. Diffusion penetration profiles were obtained by using secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling techniques. A model that includes a depth-dependent diffusion coefficient was proposed, which successfully explains the observed non-steady-state radiation enhanced diffusion. The diffusion coefficients are of the order of 10-20 m2/s and are enhanced due to the defect structure inflected by the Ar+ prebombardment.

Triplet diffusion leads to triplet-triplet annihilation in organic phosphorescent emitters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yifan; Forrest, Stephen R.

2013-12-01

In organic materials, triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) can be dominated by triplet diffusion or triplet-to-triplet energy transfer. Here, we discuss the diffusion and transfer dominated mechanisms in the context of photoluminescence (PL) transient measurements from thin films of archetype phosphorescent organic light emitters based on Ir and Pt complexes. We find that TTA in these emitters is controlled by diffusion due to a Dexter-type exchange interaction, suggesting triplet radiative decay and TTA are independent processes. Minimizing the PL and absorption spectral overlap in phosphorescent emitters can lead to a significantly decreased TTA rate, and thus suppressed efficiency roll-off in phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes at high brightness.

Transient NOE enhancement in solid-state MAS NMR of mobile systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Jiangyu; Li, Jun; Peng, Xinhua; Fu, Riqiang

2017-11-01

It has been known that the heteronuclear cross-relaxation affects the dilute S spin magnetization along the longitudinal direction, causing an overshoot phenomenon for those mobile systems in spin-lattice relaxation rate measurements. Here, we analyze the Solomon equations for an I-S system and derive the transient cross relaxation effect as to when an overshoot phenomenon would take place and what the maximum enhancement could be at the time of the overshoot. In order to utilize such a transient nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE), we first time apply it to dynamic solid samples by inverting the 1H magnetization prior to the excitation of the S spin. It is found that the overshoot depends on the ratio of the I and S spin-lattice relaxation rates, i.e. RSS /RII . When RSS /RII ≫ 1 , the maximum enhancement factor for transient NOE could be larger than that obtained in steady-state NOE experiments. Furthermore, transient NOE appears to be more efficient in terms of sensitivity enhancement of dilute spins in solid-state NMR of mobile systems than the traditional cross polarization scheme whose efficiency is greatly compromised by molecular mobility. A sample of natural abundance L-isoleucine amino acid, in which the spin-lattice relaxation rates for the four methyl carbons are different, has been used to demonstrate sensitivity enhancement factors under various experimental schemes.

Diffusion of lipids and GPI-anchored proteins in actin-free plasma membrane vesicles measured by STED-FCS.

PubMed

Schneider, Falk; Waithe, Dominic; Clausen, Mathias P; Galiani, Silvia; Koller, Thomas; Ozhan, Gunes; Eggeling, Christian; Sezgin, Erdinc

2017-06-01

Diffusion and interaction dynamics of molecules at the plasma membrane play an important role in cellular signaling and are suggested to be strongly associated with the actin cytoskeleton. Here we use superresolution STED microscopy combined with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (STED-FCS) to access and compare the diffusion characteristics of fluorescent lipid analogues and GPI-anchored proteins (GPI-APs) in the live-cell plasma membrane and in actin cytoskeleton-free, cell-derived giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs). Hindered diffusion of phospholipids and sphingolipids is abolished in the GPMVs, whereas transient nanodomain incorporation of ganglioside lipid GM1 is apparent in both the live-cell membrane and GPMVs. For GPI-APs, we detect two molecular pools in living cells; one pool shows high mobility with transient incorporation into nanodomains, and the other pool forms immobile clusters, both of which disappear in GPMVs. Our data underline the crucial role of the actin cortex in maintaining hindered diffusion modes of many but not all of the membrane molecules and highlight a powerful experimental approach to decipher specific influences on molecular plasma membrane dynamics. © 2017 Schneider et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Scale-free network provides an optimal pattern for knowledge transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Min; Li, Nan

2010-02-01

We study numerically the knowledge innovation and diffusion process on four representative network models, such as regular networks, small-world networks, random networks and scale-free networks. The average knowledge stock level as a function of time is measured and the corresponding growth diffusion time, τ is defined and computed. On the four types of networks, the growth diffusion times all depend linearly on the network size N as τ∼N, while the slope for scale-free network is minimal indicating the fastest growth and diffusion of knowledge. The calculated variance and spatial distribution of knowledge stock illustrate that optimal knowledge transfer performance is obtained on scale-free networks. We also investigate the transient pattern of knowledge diffusion on the four networks, and a qualitative explanation of this finding is proposed.

Effect of Soret diffusion on lean hydrogen/air flames at normal and elevated pressure and temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zhen; Hernández-Pérez, Francisco E.; Shoshin, Yuriy; van Oijen, Jeroen A.; de Goey, Laurentius P. H.

2017-09-01

The influence of Soret diffusion on lean premixed flames propagating in hydrogen/air mixtures is numerically investigated with a detailed chemical and transport models at normal and elevated pressure and temperature. The Soret diffusion influence on the one-dimensional (1D) flame mass burning rate and two-dimensional (2D) flame propagating characteristics is analysed, revealing a strong dependency on flame stretch rate, pressure and temperature. For 1D flames, at normal pressure and temperature, with an increase of Karlovitz number from 0 to 0.4, the mass burning rate is first reduced and then enhanced by Soret diffusion of H2 while it is reduced by Soret diffusion of H. The influence of Soret diffusion of H2 is enhanced by pressure and reduced by temperature. On the contrary, the influence of Soret diffusion of H is reduced by pressure and enhanced by temperature. For 2D flames, at normal pressure and temperature, during the early phase of flame evolution, flames with Soret diffusion display more curved flame cells. Pressure enhances this effect, while temperature reduces it. The influence of Soret diffusion of H2 on the global consumption speed is enhanced at elevated pressure. The influence of Soret diffusion of H on the global consumption speed is enhanced at elevated temperature. The flame evolution is more affected by Soret diffusion in the early phase of propagation than in the long run due to the local enrichment of H2 caused by flame curvature effects. The present study provides new insights into the Soret diffusion effect on the characteristics of lean hydrogen/air flames at conditions that are relevant to practical applications, e.g. gas engines and turbines.

Mechanisms of boron diffusion in silicon and germanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirabella, S.; De Salvador, D.; Napolitani, E.; Bruno, E.; Priolo, F.

2013-01-01

B migration in Si and Ge matrices raised a vast attention because of its influence on the production of confined, highly p-doped regions, as required by the miniaturization trend. In this scenario, the diffusion of B atoms can take place under severe conditions, often concomitant, such as very large concentration gradients, non-equilibrium point defect density, amorphous-crystalline transition, extrinsic doping level, co-doping, B clusters formation and dissolution, ultra-short high-temperature annealing. In this paper, we review a large amount of experimental work and present our current understanding of the B diffusion mechanism, disentangling concomitant effects and describing the underlying physics. Whatever the matrix, B migration in amorphous (α-) or crystalline (c-) Si, or c-Ge is revealed to be an indirect process, activated by point defects of the hosting medium. In α-Si in the 450-650 °C range, B diffusivity is 5 orders of magnitude higher than in c-Si, with a transient longer than the typical amorphous relaxation time. A quick B precipitation is also evidenced for concentrations larger than 2 × 1020 B/cm3. B migration in α-Si occurs with the creation of a metastable mobile B, jumping between adjacent sites, stimulated by dangling bonds of α-Si whose density is enhanced by B itself (larger B density causes higher B diffusivity). Similar activation energies for migration of B atoms (3.0 eV) and of dangling bonds (2.6 eV) have been extracted. In c-Si, B diffusion is largely affected by the Fermi level position, occurring through the interaction between the negatively charged substitutional B and a self-interstitial (I) in the neutral or doubly positively charged state, if under intrinsic or extrinsic (p-type doping) conditions, respectively. After charge exchanges, the migrating, uncharged BI pair is formed. Under high n-type doping conditions, B diffusion occurs also through the negatively charged BI pair, even if the migration is depressed by Coulomb pairing with n-type dopants. The interplay between B clustering and migration is also modeled, since B diffusion is greatly affected by precipitation. Small (below 1 nm) and relatively large (5-10 nm in size) BI clusters have been identified with different energy barriers for thermal dissolution (3.6 or 4.8 eV, respectively). In c-Ge, B motion is by far less evident than in c-Si, even if the migration mechanism is revealed to be similarly assisted by Is. If Is density is increased well above the equilibrium (as during ion irradiation), B diffusion occurs up to quite large extents and also at relatively low temperatures, disclosing the underlying mechanism. The lower B diffusivity and the larger activation barrier (4.65 eV, rather than 3.45 eV in c-Si) can be explained by the intrinsic shortage of Is in Ge and by their large formation energy. B diffusion can be strongly enhanced with a proper point defect engineering, as achieved with embedded GeO2 nanoclusters, causing at 650 °C a large Is supersaturation. These aspects of B diffusion are presented and discussed, modeling the key role of point defects in the two different matrices.

Photovoltaic properties of high efficiency plastic dye-sensitized solar cells employing interparticle binding agent "nanoglue".

PubMed

Li, Yuelong; Yoo, Kicheon; Lee, Doh-Kwon; Kim, Jin Young; Kim, Honggon; Kim, Bongsoo; Ko, Min Jae

2013-06-07

An interparticle binding agent, or nanoglue, was synthesized by a sol-gel process, which facilitated the preparation of well-interconnected TiO2 electrodes at low-temperatures for plastic dye-sensitized solar cells. The viscosity of the nanoglue-based pastes was seven times higher than that obtained in pastes without any nanoglue. The increased viscosity was sufficiently high enough for coating thick films to fabricate TiO2 electrodes. The structural and photovoltaic properties of the films were extensively investigated by varying the amounts of nanoglue. A reduced pore size and greatly enhanced surface area were observed in the nanoglue-based films. Improved interparticle connectivity, resulting in faster electron transport, was confirmed by photocurrent transient spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance measurements of the nanoglue-based films. The electron diffusion length and charge collection efficiency were also enhanced in these nanoglue-based films. A maximum conversion efficiency of 5.43% was achieved in films containing 20 wt% nanoglue fabricated on a plastic substrate under one-sun illumination, even without any additional treatment.

Enhancing the ABAQUS Thermomechanics Code to Simulate Steady and Transient Fuel Rod Behavior

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

R. L. Williamson; D. A. Knoll

2009-09-01

A powerful multidimensional fuels performance capability, applicable to both steady and transient fuel behavior, is developed based on enhancements to the commercially available ABAQUS general-purpose thermomechanics code. Enhanced capabilities are described, including: UO2 temperature and burnup dependent thermal properties, solid and gaseous fission product swelling, fuel densification, fission gas release, cladding thermal and irradiation creep, cladding irradiation growth , gap heat transfer, and gap/plenum gas behavior during irradiation. The various modeling capabilities are demonstrated using a 2D axisymmetric analysis of the upper section of a simplified multi-pellet fuel rod, during both steady and transient operation. Computational results demonstrate the importancemore » of a multidimensional fully-coupled thermomechanics treatment. Interestingly, many of the inherent deficiencies in existing fuel performance codes (e.g., 1D thermomechanics, loose thermo-mechanical coupling, separate steady and transient analysis, cumbersome pre- and post-processing) are, in fact, ABAQUS strengths.« less

Simulation and Experimental Study on Thermal Conductivity of [EMIM][DEP] + H_2 O + SWCNTs Nanofluids as a New Working Pairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chang; Zhao, Zongchang; Zhang, Xiaodong; Li, Tianyu

2018-03-01

In this paper, the single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were dispersed into ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium diethylphosphate ([EMIM][DEP]), and its aqueous solution [EMIM][DEP](1) + H2O(2) to enhance the thermal conductivity of base liquids, which will be the promising working pairs for absorption heat pumps and refrigerators. The enhancement effects on thermal conductivity were studied by experiment and molecular dynamic simulation (MD) methods. The thermal conductivities of [EMIM][DEP] + SWCNTs (INF) and [EMIM][DEP](1) + H2O(2) + SWCNT(SNF) both with SWCNT mass fraction of 0.5, 1, and 2 (wt%) were measured by transient hot-wire method. The results indicate that the enhancement ratio of thermal conductivity of INF, and SNF can approach 1.30 when SWCNT is 2 (wt%). Moreover, SWCNTs has a higher enhancement ratio than multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Density and thermal conductivity of [EMIM][DEP], [EMIM][DEP](1) + H2O(2), INF and SNF systems, together with self-diffusion coefficients of [EMIM]+, [DEP]-, [EMIM][DEP] and water in solution [EMIM][DEP](1) + H2O(2), were investigated by MD simulations. The results indicate that the maximum relative error between the simulated and experimental densities is about 2 %, and the simulated self-diffusion coefficient of [EMIM][DEP] is in the order of magnitude of 10^{-11} m2\\cdot s^{-1}. The average relative deviation for the simulated thermal conductivity of [EMIM][DEP](1) + H2O(2), INF and SNF from experimental ones are 23.57 %, 5 %, and 5 %, respectively. In addition, the contributions of kinetic energy, potential energy, and virial and partial enthalpy terms to thermal conductivity were also calculated. The results indicate that virial term's contribution to thermal conductivity is the maximum, which accounts for 75 % to 80 % of total thermal conductivity.

A new approach to the stability analysis of transient natural convection in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tilton, Nils

2016-11-01

Onset of natural convection due to transient diffusion in porous media has attracted considerable attention for its applications to CO2 sequestration. Stability analyses typically investigate onset of convection using an initial value problem approach in which a perturbation is introduced to the concentration field at an initial time t =tp . This leads to debate concerning physically appropriate perturbations, the critical time tc for linear instability, and to the counter-intuitive notion of an optimal initial time tp that maximizes perturbation growth. We propose a new approach in which transient diffusion is continuously perturbed by small variations in the porosity. With this approach, instability occurs immediately (tc = 0) without violating any physical constraints, such that the concepts of initial time tp and critical time tc have less relevance. We argue that the onset time for nonlinear convection is a more physically relevant parameter, and show that it can be predicted using a simple asymptotic expansion. Using the expansion, we consider porosity perturbations that vary sinusoidally in the horizontal and vertical directions, and show there are optimal combinations of wavelengths that minimize the onset time of nonlinear convection.

Mechanisms underlying anomalous diffusion in the plasma membrane.

PubMed

Krapf, Diego

2015-01-01

The plasma membrane is a complex fluid where lipids and proteins undergo diffusive motion critical to biochemical reactions. Through quantitative imaging analyses such as single-particle tracking, it is observed that diffusion in the cell membrane is usually anomalous in the sense that the mean squared displacement is not linear with time. This chapter describes the different models that are employed to describe anomalous diffusion, paying special attention to the experimental evidence that supports these models in the plasma membrane. We review models based on anticorrelated displacements, such as fractional Brownian motion and obstructed diffusion, and nonstationary models such as continuous time random walks. We also emphasize evidence for the formation of distinct compartments that transiently form on the cell surface. Finally, we overview heterogeneous diffusion processes in the plasma membrane, which have recently attracted considerable interest. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Enhancement of Attentional Performance by Selective Stimulation of α4β2* nAChRs: Underlying Cholinergic Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Howe, William M; Ji, Jinzhao; Parikh, Vinay; Williams, Sarah; Mocaër, Elisabeth; Trocmé-Thibierge, Caryn; Sarter, Martin

2010-01-01

Impairments in attention are a major component of the cognitive symptoms of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Using an operant sustained attention task (SAT), including a distractor condition (dSAT), we assessed the putative pro-attentional effects of the selective α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist S 38232 in comparison with the non-selective agonist nicotine. Neither drug benefited SAT performance. However, in interaction with the increased task demands implemented by distractor presentation, the selective agonist, but not nicotine, enhanced the detection of signals during the post-distractor recovery period. This effect is consistent with the hypothesis that second-long increases in cholinergic activity (‘transients') mediate the detection of cues and that nAChR agonists augment such transients. Electrochemical recordings of prefrontal cholinergic transients evoked by S 38232 and nicotine indicated that the α4β2* nAChR agonist evoked cholinergic transients that were characterized by a faster rise time and more rapid decay than those evoked by nicotine. Blockade of the α7 nAChR ‘sharpens' nicotine-evoked transients; therefore, we determined the effects of co-administration of nicotine and the α7 nAChR antagonist methyllycaconitine on dSAT performance. Compared with vehicle and nicotine alone, this combined treatment significantly enhanced the detection of signals. These results indicate that compared with nicotine, α4β2* nAChR agonists significantly enhance attentional performance and that the dSAT represents a useful behavioral screening tool. The combined behavioral and electrochemical evidence supports the hypothesis that nAChR agonist-evoked cholinergic transients, which are characterized by rapid rise time and fast decay, predict robust drug-induced enhancement of attentional performance. PMID:20147893

Dynamics of diffusive bubble growth and pressure recovery in a bubbly rhyolitic melt embedded in an elastic solid

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chouet, Bernard A.; Dawson, Phillip B.; Nakano, Masaru

2006-01-01

We present a model of gas exsolution and bubble expansion in a melt supersaturated in response to a sudden pressure drop. In our model, the melt contains a suspension of gas bubbles of identical sizes and is encased in a penny-shaped crack embedded in an elastic solid. The suspension is modeled as a three-dimensional lattice of spherical cells with slight overlap, where each elementary cell consists of a gas bubble surrounded by a shell of volatile-rich melt. The melt is then subjected to a step drop in pressure, which induces gas exsolution and bubble expansion, resulting in the compression of the melt and volumetric expansion of the crack. The dynamics of diffusion-driven bubble growth and volumetric crack expansion span 9 decades in time. The model demonstrates that the speed of the crack response depends strongly on volatile diffusivity in the melt and bubble number density and is markedly sensitive to the ratio of crack thickness to crack radius and initial bubble radius but is relatively insensitive to melt viscosity. The net drop in gas concentration in the melt after pressure recovery represents only a small fraction of the initial concentration prior to the drop, suggesting the melt may undergo numerous pressure transients before becoming significantly depleted of gases. The magnitude of pressure and volume recovery in the crack depends sensitively on the size of the input-pressure transient, becoming relatively larger for smaller-size transients in a melt containing bubbles with initial radii less than 10-5 m. Amplification of the input transient may be large enough to disrupt the crack wall and induce brittle failure in the rock matrix surrounding the crack. Our results provide additional basis for the interpretation of volume changes in the magma conduit under Popocatépetl Volcano during Vulcanian degassing bursts in its eruptive activity in April–May 2000.

Estimating the impact of oyster restoration scenarios on transient fish production

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCoy, Elizabeth; Borrett, Stuart R.; LaPeyre, Megan K.; Peterson, Bradley J.

2017-01-01

Oyster reef restoration projects are increasing in number both to enhance oyster density and to retain valuable ecosystem services provided by oyster reefs. Although some oyster restoration projects have demonstrated success by increasing density and biomass of transient fish, it still remains a challenge to quantify the effects of oyster restoration on transient fish communities. We developed a bioenergetics model to assess the impact of selected oyster reef restoration scenarios on associated transient fish species. We used the model to analyze the impact of changes in (1) oyster population carrying capacity; (2) oyster population growth rate; and (3) diet preference of transient fish on oyster reef development and associated transient fish species. Our model results indicate that resident fish biomass is directly affected by oyster restoration and oyster biomass, and oyster restoration can have cascading impacts on transient fish biomass. Furthermore, the results highlight the importance of a favorable oyster population growth rate during early restoration years, as it can lead to rapid increases in mean oyster biomass and biomass of transient fish species. The model also revealed that a transient fish's diet solely dependent on oyster reef-derived prey could limit the biomass of transient fish species, emphasizing the importance of habitat connectivity in estuarine areas to enhance transient fish species biomass. Simple bioenergetics models can be developed to understand the dynamics of a system and make qualitative predictions of management and restoration scenarios.

Mobilization and transport of metal-rich colloidal particles from mine tailings into soil under transient chemical and physical conditions.

PubMed

Lu, Cong; Wu, Yaoguo; Hu, Sihai; Raza, Muhammad Ali; Fu, Yilin

2016-04-01

Exposed mine tailing wastes with considerable heavy metals can release hazardous colloidal particles into soil under transient chemical and physical conditions. Two-layered packed columns with tailings above and soils below were established to investigate mobilization and transport of colloidal particles from metal-rich mine tailings into soil under transient infiltration ionic strength (IS: 100, 20, 2 mM) and flow rate (FR: 20.7, 41, and 62.3 mm h(-1)), with Cu and Pb as representatives of the heavy metals. Results show that the tailing particles within the colloidal size (below 2 μm) were released from the columns. A step-decrease in infiltration IS and FR enhanced, whereas a step-increase in the IS and FR restrained the release of tailing particles from the column. The effects of step-changing FR were unexpected due to the small size of the released tailing particles (220-342 nm, being not sensitive to hydrodynamic shear force), the diffusion-controlled particle release process and the relatively compact pore structure. The tailing particles present in the solution with tested IS were found negatively charged and more stable than soil particles, which provides favorable conditions for tailing particles to be transported over a long distance in the soil. The mobilization and transport of Cu and Pb from the tailings into soil were mediated by the tailing particles. Therefore, the inherent toxic tailing particles could be considerably introduced into soil under certain conditions (IS reduction or FR decrease), which may result in serious environmental pollution.

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

Gebhardt, M.; Köhler, W., E-mail: werner.koehler@uni-bayreuth.de

A number of optical techniques have been developed during the recent years for the investigation of diffusion and thermodiffusion in ternary fluid mixtures, both on ground and on-board the International Space Station. All these methods are based on the simultaneous measurement of refractive index changes at two different wavelengths. Here, we discuss and compare different techniques with the emphasis on optical beam deflection (OBD), optical digital interferometry, and thermal diffusion forced Rayleigh scattering (TDFRS). We suggest to formally split the data evaluation into a phenomenological parameterization of the measured transients and a subsequent transformation from the refractive index into themore » concentration space. In all experiments, the transients measured at two different detection wavelengths can be described by four amplitudes and two eigenvalues of the diffusion coefficient matrix. It turns out that these six parameters are subjected to large errors and cannot be determined reliably. Five good quantities, which can be determined with a high accuracy, are the stationary amplitudes, the initial slopes as defined in TDFRS experiments and by application of a heuristic criterion for similar curves, a certain mean diffusion coefficient. These amplitudes and slopes are directly linked to the Soret and thermodiffusion coefficients after transformation with the inverse contrast factor matrix, which is frequently ill-conditioned. Since only five out of six free parameters are reliably determined, including the single mean diffusion coefficient, the determination of the four entries of the diffusion matrix is not possible. We apply our results to new OBD measurements of the symmetric (mass fractions 0.33/0.33/0.33) ternary benchmark mixture n-dodecane/isobutylbenzene/1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene and existing literature data for the same system.« less

Probing the type of anomalous diffusion with single-particle tracking.

PubMed

Ernst, Dominique; Köhler, Jürgen; Weiss, Matthias

2014-05-07

Many reactions in complex fluids, e.g. signaling cascades in the cytoplasm of living cells, are governed by a diffusion-driven encounter of reactants. Yet, diffusion in complex fluids often exhibits an anomalous characteristic ('subdiffusion'). Since different types of subdiffusion have distinct effects on timing and equilibria of chemical reactions, a thorough determination of the reactants' type of random walk is key to a quantitative understanding of reactions in complex fluids. Here we introduce a straightforward and simple approach for determining the type of subdiffusion from single-particle tracking data. Unlike previous approaches, our method also is sensitive to transient subdiffusion phenomena, e.g. obstructed diffusion below the percolation threshold. We validate our strategy with data from experiment and simulation.

Thermal and solutal conditions at the tips of a directional dendritic growth front

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccay, T. D.; Mccay, Mary H.; Hopkins, John A.

1991-01-01

The line-of-sight averaged, time-dependent dendrite tip concentrations for the diffusion dominated vertical directional solidification of a metal model (ammonium chloride and water) were obtained by extrapolating exponentially fit diffusion layer profiles measured using a laser interferometer. The tip concentrations were shown to increase linearly with time throughout the diffusion dominated growth process for an initially stagnant dendritic array. The process was terminated for the cases chosen by convective breakdown suffered when the conditionally stable diffusion layer exceeded the critical Rayleigh criteria. The transient tip concentrations were determined to significantly exceed the values predicted for steady state, thus producing much larger constitutional undercoolings. This has ramifications for growth speeds, arm spacings and the dendritic structure itself.

Effect of nitrogen segregation on TED and loss of phosphorus in CZ-Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujiwara, N.; Saito, K.; Nakabayashi, Y.; Osuman, H. I.; Toyonaga, K.; Matsumoto, S.; Sato, Y.

2002-01-01

Transient enhanced diffusion (TED) and dose loss (pile-up) are investigated for phosphorus-implanted samples covered with both oxide and nitride films. P ions were implanted into p-type (1 0 0) CZ-Si (dose 5×10 13 cm-3, 100 keV) through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) Si 3N 4 film. For a half of samples, Si 3N 4 was etched off and SiO 2 films were grown by CVD. Both samples were annealed for 20-360 min at 700 °C. Diffusivity of P and the dose loss were estimated based on the secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) P profiles. Both Si/Si 3N 4 and Si/SiO 2 interfaces were investigated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). There is no significant difference in P diffusivity between the SiO 2 and Si 3N 4 films for the present annealing condition of 700 °C for 20-360 min. Regarding dose loss, a distinct different behavior was observed. In case of the SiO 2 cover film, amount of dose decreases with the annealing time. On the other hand, amount of dose decrease with annealing time up to 180 min, but is recovered for more than 180 min in case of the Si 3N 4 cover film. From TEM and EELS analyses, it is found that nitrogen segregates at the Si/Si 3N 4 interface, resulting in recovery of dose loss.

POWER AND THERMAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR AIR AND SPACE-SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PROGRAM Delivery Order 0018: Single Ion Conducting Solid-State Lithium Electrochemical Technologies (Task 4)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

a mathematical equation relates the cathode reaction reversible electric potential to the lithium content of the cathode electrode. Based on the...Transport of Lithium in the Cell Cathode Active Material The Nernst -Einstein relation linking the lithium-ion mass diffusivity and its ionic...transient, isothermal and isobaric conditions. The differential model equation describing the lithium diffusion and accumulation in a spherical, active

Self-trapping limited exciton diffusion in a monomeric perylene crystal as revealed by femtosecond transient absorption microscopy.

PubMed

Yago, Tomoaki; Tamaki, Yoshiaki; Furube, Akihiro; Katoh, Ryuzi

2008-08-14

Self-trapping and singlet-singlet annihilation of the free excitons in a monomeric (beta) perylene crystal were studied by using femtosecond transient absorption microscopy. The free exciton generated by the photo-excitation of the beta-perylene crystal relaxed to the self-trapped exciton with a rate constant of 7 x 10(10) s(-1). The singlet-singlet annihilation of the free exciton observed under the high excitation density conditions was competed with the self-trapping of the free exciton; we estimated the annihilation rate constant for the free exciton to be 1 x 10(-8) cm(3) s(-1) from the excitation density dependence of the free exciton decay. After self-trapping of the free exciton, no annihilation was observed in the 100 ps time range, suggesting that the diffusion coefficient was reduced drastically by self-trapping. The results show that the major factor limiting the exciton diffusion in the beta-perylene crystal is a relaxation of the free exciton to the self-trapped exciton, and not the lifetime of the exciton. Though the singlet-singlet annihilation rate constants and fluorescence lifetime of the beta-perylene crystal are similar to those of the anthracene crystal, the estimated exciton diffusion length (2 nm) in the beta-perylene crystal is much smaller than that (100 nm) in the anthracene crystal as a result of the exciton self-trapping.

Analysis of transient fission gas behaviour in oxide fuel using BISON and TRANSURANUS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barani, T.; Bruschi, E.; Pizzocri, D.; Pastore, G.; Van Uffelen, P.; Williamson, R. L.; Luzzi, L.

2017-04-01

The modelling of fission gas behaviour is a crucial aspect of nuclear fuel performance analysis in view of the related effects on the thermo-mechanical performance of the fuel rod, which can be particularly significant during transients. In particular, experimental observations indicate that substantial fission gas release (FGR) can occur on a small time scale during transients (burst release). To accurately reproduce the rapid kinetics of the burst release process in fuel performance calculations, a model that accounts for non-diffusional mechanisms such as fuel micro-cracking is needed. In this work, we present and assess a model for transient fission gas behaviour in oxide fuel, which is applied as an extension of conventional diffusion-based models to introduce the burst release effect. The concept and governing equations of the model are presented, and the sensitivity of results to the newly introduced parameters is evaluated through an analytic sensitivity analysis. The model is assessed for application to integral fuel rod analysis by implementation in two structurally different fuel performance codes: BISON (multi-dimensional finite element code) and TRANSURANUS (1.5D code). Model assessment is based on the analysis of 19 light water reactor fuel rod irradiation experiments from the OECD/NEA IFPE (International Fuel Performance Experiments) database, all of which are simulated with both codes. The results point out an improvement in both the quantitative predictions of integral fuel rod FGR and the qualitative representation of the FGR kinetics with the transient model relative to the canonical, purely diffusion-based models of the codes. The overall quantitative improvement of the integral FGR predictions in the two codes is comparable. Moreover, calculated radial profiles of xenon concentration after irradiation are investigated and compared to experimental data, illustrating the underlying representation of the physical mechanisms of burst release.

Transient electroosmotic flow induced by DC or AC electric fields in a curved microtube.

PubMed

Luo, W-J

2004-10-15

This study investigates transient electroosmotic flow in a rectangular curved microtube in which the fluid is driven by the application of an external DC or AC electric field. The resultant flow-field evolutions within the microtube are simulated using the backwards-Euler time-stepping numerical method to clarify the relationship between the changes in the axial-flow velocity and the intensity of the applied electric field. When the electric field is initially applied or varies, the fluid within the double layer responds virtually immediately, and the axial velocity within the double layer tends to follow the varying intensity of the applied electric field. The greatest net charge density exists at the corners of the microtube as a result of the overlapping electrical double layers of the two walls. It results in local maximum or minimum axial velocities in the corners during increasing or decreasing applied electric field intensity in either the positive or negative direction. As the fluid within the double layer starts to move, the bulk fluid is gradually dragged into motion through the diffusion of momentum from the double layer. A finite time is required for the full momentum of the double layer to diffuse to the bulk fluid; hence, a certain phase shift between the applied electric field and the flow response is inevitable. The patterns of the axial velocity contours during the transient evolution are investigated in this study. It is found that these patterns are determined by the efficiency of momentum diffusion from the double layer to the central region of the microtube.

Subcontinental-scale crustal velocity changes along the Pacific-North America plate boundary.

PubMed

Davis, J L; Wernicke, B P; Bisnath, S; Niemi, N A; Elósegui, P

2006-06-29

Transient tectonic deformation has long been noted within approximately 100 km of plate boundary fault zones and within active volcanic regions, but it is unknown whether transient motions also occur at larger scales within plates. Relatively localized transients are known to occur as both seismic and episodic aseismic events, and are generally ascribed to motions of magma bodies, aseismic creep on faults, or elastic or viscoelastic effects associated with earthquakes. However, triggering phenomena and systematic patterns of seismic strain release at subcontinental (approximately 1,000 km) scale along diffuse plate boundaries have long suggested that energy transfer occurs at larger scale. Such transfer appears to occur by the interaction of stresses induced by surface wave propagation and magma or groundwater in the crust, or from large-scale stress diffusion within the oceanic mantle in the decades following clusters of great earthquakes. Here we report geodetic evidence for a coherent, subcontinental-scale change in tectonic velocity along a diffuse approximately 1,000-km-wide deformation zone. Our observations are derived from continuous GPS (Global Positioning System) data collected over the past decade across the Basin and Range province, which absorbs approximately 25 per cent of Pacific-North America relative plate motion. The observed changes in site velocity define a sharp boundary near the centre of the province oriented roughly parallel to the north-northwest relative plate motion vector. We show that sites to the west of this boundary slowed relative to sites east of it by approximately 1 mm yr(-1) starting in late 1999.

Transient diffraction grating measurements of molecular diffusion in the undergraduate laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiegel, Daniel R.; Tuli, Santona

2011-07-01

Diffusion is a central process in many biological, chemical, and physical systems. We describe an experiment that employs the interference of laser beams to allow the measurement of molecular diffusion on submillimeter length scales. The interference fringes of two intersecting pump beams within a dye solution create a sinusoidal distribution of long-lived molecular excited states. A third probe beam is incident at a wavelength at which the indices of refraction of the ground and excited states are different, so the probe beam diffracts from the spatially periodic excited-state pattern. After the pump beams are switched off, the excited-state periodicity washes out as the system diffuses back to equilibrium. The molecular diffusion constant is obtained from the rate constant of the exponential decay of the diffracted beam. It is also possible to measure the excited-state lifetime.

Optothermal in vitro diffusion measurements through silicone membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowen, J. A.; Liu, H.; Xiao, P.; Imhof, R. E.

2003-01-01

We report the development of a new method for measuring diffusion rates of surface-applied chemicals through polymer membranes such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). An important feature of the approach is the use of optothermal transient emission radiometry to sense diffusant concentration in a noncontacting, noninvasive way. This allows the method to be adapted to perform similar measurements on human skin in vivo, thus providing a way of cross-verifying in vivo and in vitro measurements. The correlation between in vitro and in vivo diffusion measurements is also important for developing credible alternatives to in vivo testing, for use with toxic chemicals or animal substitution. We present the results of experiments with several polyols diffusing through PDMS membranes of thickness 125 or 250 μm, describing the experimental details, the measurement protocol, the data analysis methods, and a study of measurement errors.

Transformed Fourier and Fick equations for the control of heat and mass diffusion

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

Guenneau, S.; Petiteau, D.; Zerrad, M.

We review recent advances in the control of diffusion processes in thermodynamics and life sciences through geometric transforms in the Fourier and Fick equations, which govern heat and mass diffusion, respectively. We propose to further encompass transport properties in the transformed equations, whereby the temperature is governed by a three-dimensional, time-dependent, anisotropic heterogeneous convection-diffusion equation, which is a parabolic partial differential equation combining the diffusion equation and the advection equation. We perform two dimensional finite element computations for cloaks, concentrators and rotators of a complex shape in the transient regime. We precise that in contrast to invisibility cloaks for waves,more » the temperature (or mass concentration) inside a diffusion cloak crucially depends upon time, its distance from the source, and the diffusivity of the invisibility region. However, heat (or mass) diffusion outside cloaks, concentrators and rotators is unaffected by their presence, whatever their shape or position. Finally, we propose simplified designs of layered cylindrical and spherical diffusion cloaks that might foster experimental efforts in thermal and biochemical metamaterials.« less

Analysis of diffusion and binding in cells using the RICS approach.

PubMed

Digman, Michelle A; Gratton, Enrico

2009-04-01

The movement of macromolecules in cells is assumed to occur either through active transport or by diffusion. However, the determination of the diffusion coefficients in cells using fluctuation methods or FRAP frequently give diffusion coefficient that are orders of magnitude smaller than the diffusion coefficients measured for the same macromolecule in solution. It is assumed that the cell internal viscosity is partially responsible for this decrease in the apparent diffusion. When the apparent diffusion is too slow to be due to cytoplasm viscosity, it is assumed that weak binding of the macromolecules to immobile or quasi immobile structures is taking place. In this article, we derive equations for fitting of the RICS (Raster-scan Image Correlations Spectroscopy) data in cells to a model that includes transient binding to immobile structures, and we show that under some conditions, the spatio-temporal correlation provided by the RICS approach can distinguish the process of diffusion and weak binding. We apply the method to determine the diffusion in the cytoplasm and binding of Focal Adhesion Kinase-EGFP to adhesions in MEF cells.

Differential Microscopic Mobility of Components within a Deep Eutectic Solvent

DOE PAGES

Wagle, Durgesh V.; Baker, Gary A.; Mamontov, Eugene

2015-07-13

From macroscopic measurements of deep eutectic solvents such as glyceline (1:2 molar ratio of choline chloride to glycerol), the long-range translational diffusion of the larger cation (choline) is known to be slower compared to that of the smaller hydrogen bond donor (glycerol). However, when the diffusion dynamics are analyzed on the subnanometer length scale, we discover that the displacements associated with the localized diffusive motions are actually larger for choline. This counterintuitive diffusive behavior can be understood as follows. The localized diffusive motions confined in the transient cage of neighbor particles, which precede the cage-breaking long-range diffusion jumps, are moremore » spatially constrained for glycerol than for choline because of the stronger hydrogen bonds the former makes with chloride anions. The implications of differential localized mobility of the constituents should be especially important for applications where deep eutectic solvents are confined on the nanometer length scale and their long-range translational diffusion is strongly inhibited (e.g., within microporous media).« less

Microimaging of transient guest profiles to monitor mass transfer in nanoporous materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kärger, Jörg; Binder, Tomas; Chmelik, Christian; Hibbe, Florian; Krautscheid, Harald; Krishna, Rajamani; Weitkamp, Jens

2014-04-01

The intense interactions of guest molecules with the pore walls of nanoporous materials is the subject of continued fundamental research. Stimulated by their thermal energy, the guest molecules in these materials are subject to a continuous, irregular motion, referred to as diffusion. Diffusion, which is omnipresent in nature, influences the efficacy of nanoporous materials in reaction and separation processes. The recently introduced techniques of microimaging by interference and infrared microscopy provide us with a wealth of information on diffusion, hitherto inaccessible from commonly used techniques. Examples include the determination of surface barriers and the sticking coefficient's analogue, namely the probability that, on colliding with the particle surface, a molecule may continue its diffusion path into the interior. Microimaging is further seen to open new vistas in multicomponent guest diffusion (including the detection of a reversal in the preferred diffusion pathways), in guest-induced phase transitions in nanoporous materials and in matching the results of diffusion studies under equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions.

Modeling of tritium transport in a fusion reactor pin-type solid breeder blanket using the diffuse code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Rodger; Ghoniem, Nasr M.

1986-11-01

A pin-type fusion reactor blanket is designed using γ-LiAlO 2 solid tritium breeder. Tritium transport and diffusive inventory are modeled using the DIFFUSE code. Two approaches are used to obtain characteristic LiAlO 2 grain temperatures. DIFFUSE provides intragranular diffusive inventories which scale up to blanket size. These results compare well with a numerical analysis, giving a steady-state blanket tritium inventory of 13 g. Start-up transient inventories are modeled using DIFFUSE for both full and restricted coolant flow. Full flow gives rapid inventory buildup while restricted flow prevents this buildup. Inventories after shutdown are modeled: reduced cooling is found to have little effect on removing tritium, but preheating rapidly purges inventory. DIFFUSE provides parametric modeling of solid breeder density, radiation, and surface effects. 100% dense pins are found to give massive inventory and marginal tritium release. Only large trapping energies and concentrations significantly increase inventory. Diatomic surface recombination is only significant at high temperatures.

Determination of diffusion coefficients of biocides on their passage through organic resin-based renders.

PubMed

Styszko, Katarzyna; Kupiec, Krzysztof

2016-10-01

In this study the diffusion coefficients of isoproturon, diuron and cybutryn in acrylate and silicone resin-based renders were determined. The diffusion coefficients were determined using measuring concentrations of biocides in the liquid phase after being in contact with renders for specific time intervals. The mathematical solution of the transient diffusion equation for an infinite plate contacted on one side with a limited volume of water was used to calculate the diffusion coefficient. The diffusion coefficients through the acrylate render were 8.10·10(-9) m(2) s(-1) for isoproturon, 1.96·10(-9) m(2) s(-1) for diuron and 1.53·10(-9) m(2) s(-1) for cybutryn. The results for the silicone render were lower by one order of magnitude. The compounds with a high diffusion coefficient for one polymer had likewise high values for the other polymer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel CFS-PML boundary condition for transient electromagnetic simulation using a fictitious wave domain method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yanpu; Egbert, Gary; Ji, Yanju; Fang, Guangyou

2017-01-01

In this study, we apply fictitious wave domain (FWD) methods, based on the correspondence principle for the wave and diffusion fields, to finite difference (FD) modeling of transient electromagnetic (TEM) diffusion problems for geophysical applications. A novel complex frequency shifted perfectly matched layer (PML) boundary condition is adapted to the FWD to truncate the computational domain, with the maximum electromagnetic wave propagation velocity in the FWD used to set the absorbing parameters for the boundary layers. Using domains of varying spatial extent we demonstrate that these boundary conditions offer significant improvements over simpler PML approaches, which can result in spurious reflections and large errors in the FWD solutions, especially for low frequencies and late times. In our development, resistive air layers are directly included in the FWD, allowing simulation of TEM responses in the presence of topography, as is commonly encountered in geophysical applications. We compare responses obtained by our new FD-FWD approach and with the spectral Lanczos decomposition method on 3-D resistivity models of varying complexity. The comparisons demonstrate that our absorbing boundary condition in FWD for the TEM diffusion problems works well even in complex high-contrast conductivity models.

Imaging hydraulic fractures using temperature transients in the Belridge Diatomite

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

Shahin, G.T.; Johnston, R.M.

1995-12-31

Results of a temperature transient analysis of Shell`s Phase 1 and Phase 2 Diatomite Steamdrive Pilots are used to image hydraulic injection fracture lengths, angles, and heat injectivities into the low-permeability formation. The Phase 1 Pilot is a limited-interval injection test. In Phase 2, steam is injected into two 350 ft upper and lower zones through separate hydraulic fractures. Temperature response of both pilots is monitored with sixteen logging observation wells. A perturbation analysis of the non-linear pressure diffusion and heat transport equations indicates that at a permeability of about 0.1 md or less, heat transport in the Diatomite tendsmore » to be dominated by thermal diffusivity, and pressure diffusion is dominated by the ratio of thermal expansion to fluid compressibility. Under these conditions, the temperature observed at a logging observation well is governed by a dimensionless quantity that depends on the perpendicular distance between the observation well and the hydraulic fracture, divided by the square root of time. Using this dependence, a novel method is developed for imaging hydraulic fracture geometry and relative heat injectivity from the temperature history of the pilot.« less

Laser-induced pressure-wave and barocaloric effect during flash diffusivity measurements

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

Wang, Hsin; Porter, Wallace D.; Dinwiddie, Ralph Barton

We report laser-induced pressure-wave and barocaloric effect captured by an infrared detector during thermal diffusivity measurements. Very fast (< 1 ms) and negative transients during laser flash measurements were captured by the infrared detector on thin, high thermal conductivity samples. Standard thermal diffusivity analysis only focuses the longer time scale thermal transient measured from the back surface due to thermal conduction. These negative spikes are filtered out and ignored as noise or anomaly from instrument. This study confirmed that the initial negative signal was indeed a temperature drop induced by the laser pulse. The laser pulse induced instantaneous volume expansionmore » and the associated cooling in the specimen can be explained by the barocaloric effect. The initial cooling (< 100 microsecond) is also known as thermoelastic effect in which a negative temperature change is generated when the material is elastically deformed by volume expansion. A subsequent temperature oscillation in the sample was observed and only lasted about one millisecond. The pressure-wave induced thermal signal was systematically studied and analyzed. In conclusion, the underlying physics of photon-mechanical-thermal energy conversions and the potential of using this signal to study barocaloric effects in solids are discussed.« less

Laser-induced pressure-wave and barocaloric effect during flash diffusivity measurements

DOE PAGES

Wang, Hsin; Porter, Wallace D.; Dinwiddie, Ralph Barton

2017-08-01

We report laser-induced pressure-wave and barocaloric effect captured by an infrared detector during thermal diffusivity measurements. Very fast (< 1 ms) and negative transients during laser flash measurements were captured by the infrared detector on thin, high thermal conductivity samples. Standard thermal diffusivity analysis only focuses the longer time scale thermal transient measured from the back surface due to thermal conduction. These negative spikes are filtered out and ignored as noise or anomaly from instrument. This study confirmed that the initial negative signal was indeed a temperature drop induced by the laser pulse. The laser pulse induced instantaneous volume expansionmore » and the associated cooling in the specimen can be explained by the barocaloric effect. The initial cooling (< 100 microsecond) is also known as thermoelastic effect in which a negative temperature change is generated when the material is elastically deformed by volume expansion. A subsequent temperature oscillation in the sample was observed and only lasted about one millisecond. The pressure-wave induced thermal signal was systematically studied and analyzed. In conclusion, the underlying physics of photon-mechanical-thermal energy conversions and the potential of using this signal to study barocaloric effects in solids are discussed.« less

Multiscale diffusion in the mitotic Drosophila melanogaster syncytial blastoderm

PubMed Central

Daniels, Brian R.; Rikhy, Richa; Renz, Malte; Dobrowsky, Terrence M.; Lippincott-Schwartz, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Despite the fundamental importance of diffusion for embryonic morphogen gradient formation in the early Drosophila melanogaster embryo, there remains controversy regarding both the extent and the rate of diffusion of well-characterized morphogens. Furthermore, the recent observation of diffusional “compartmentalization” has suggested that diffusion may in fact be nonideal and mediated by an as-yet-unidentified mechanism. Here, we characterize the effects of the geometry of the early syncytial Drosophila embryo on the effective diffusivity of cytoplasmic proteins. Our results demonstrate that the presence of transient mitotic membrane furrows results in a multiscale diffusion effect that has a significant impact on effective diffusion rates across the embryo. Using a combination of live-cell experiments and computational modeling, we characterize these effects and relate effective bulk diffusion rates to instantaneous diffusion coefficients throughout the syncytial blastoderm nuclear cycle phase of the early embryo. This multiscale effect may be related to the effect of interphase nuclei on effective diffusion, and thus we propose that an as-yet-unidentified role of syncytial membrane furrows is to temporally regulate bulk embryonic diffusion rates to balance the multiscale effect of interphase nuclei, which ultimately stabilizes the shapes of various morphogen gradients. PMID:22592793

Temperature gradient effects on vapor diffusion in partially-saturated porous media

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

Webb, S.W.

1999-07-01

Vapor diffusion in porous media in the presence of its own liquid may be enhanced due to pore-scale processes, such as condensation and evaporation across isolated liquid islands. Webb and Ho (1997) developed one-and two-dimensional mechanistic pore-scale models of these processes in an ideal porous medium. For isothermal and isobaric boundary conditions with a concentration gradient, the vapor diffusion rate was significantly enhanced by these liquid island processes compared to a dry porous media. The influence of a temperature gradient on the enhanced vapor diffusion rate is considered in this paper. The two-dimensional pore network model which is used inmore » the present study is shown. For partially-saturated conditions, a liquid island is introduced into the top center pore. Boundary conditions on the left and right sides of the model are specified to give the desired concentration and temperature gradients. Vapor condenses on one side of the liquid island and evaporates off the other side due to local vapor pressure lowering caused by the interface curvature, even without a temperature gradient. Rather than acting as an impediment to vapor diffusion, the liquid island actually enhances the vapor diffusion rate. The enhancement of the vapor diffusion rate can be significant depending on the liquid saturation. Vapor diffusion is enhanced by up to 40% for this single liquid island compared to a dry porous medium; enhancement factors of up to an order of magnitude have been calculated for other conditions by Webb and Ho (1997). The dominant effect on the enhancement factor is the concentration gradient; the influence of the temperature gradient is smaller. The significance of these results, which need to be confirmed by experiments, is that the dominant model of enhanced vapor diffusion (EVD) by Philip and deVries (1957) predicts that temperature gradients must exist for EVD to occur. If there is no temperature gradient, there is no enhancement. The present results indicate that EVD is predominantly driven by concentration gradients; temperature gradients are less important. Therefore, the EVD model of Philip and deVries may need to be modified to reflect these results.« less

Realization of transient memory-loss with NiO-based resistive switching device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, S. G.; Liu, Y.; Chen, T. P.; Liu, Z.; Yu, Q.; Deng, L. J.; Yin, Y.; Hosaka, Sumio

2012-11-01

A resistive switching device based on a nickel-rich nickel oxide thin film, which exhibits inherent learning and memory-loss abilities, is reported in this work. The conductance of the device gradually increases and finally saturates with the number of voltage pulses (or voltage sweepings), which is analogous to the behavior of the short-term and long-term memory in the human brain. Furthermore, the number of the voltage pulses (or sweeping cycles) required to achieve a given conductance state increases with the interval between two consecutive voltage pulses (or sweeping cycles), which is attributed to the heat diffusion in the material of the conductive filaments formed in the nickel oxide thin film. The phenomenon resembles the behavior of the human brain, i.e., forgetting starts immediately after an impression, a larger interval of the impressions leads to more memory loss, thus the memorization needs more impressions to enhance.

Depth dependence of defect evolution and TED during annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colombeau, B.; Cowern, N. E. B.; Cristiano, F.; Calvo, P.; Lamrani, Y.; Cherkashin, N.; Lampin, E.; Claverie, A.

2004-02-01

A quantitative transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study on the depth profile of extended defects, formed after Si implantation, has been carried out. Two different Si + implant conditions have been considered. TEM analysis for the highest energy/dose shows that {1 1 3} defects evolve into dislocation loops whilst the defect depth distribution remains unchanged as a function of annealing time. For the lowest energy/dose, {1 1 3} defects grow and dissolve while the defect band shrinks preferentially on the surface side. At the same time, extraction of boron transient enhanced diffusion (TED) as a function of depth shows a decrease of the supersaturation towards the surface, starting at the location of the defect band. The study clearly shows that in these systems the silicon surface is the principal sink for interstitials. The results provide a critical test of the ability of physical models to simulate defect evolution and TED.

SAW based micro- and acousto-fluidics in biomedicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramasamy, Mouli; Varadan, Vijay K.

2017-04-01

Protein association starts with random collisions of individual proteins. Multiple collisions and rotational diffusion brings the molecules to a state of orientation. Majority of the protein associations are influenced by electrostatic interactions. To introduce: electrostatic rate enhancement, Brownian dynamics and transient complex theory has been traditionally used. Due to the recent advances in interdisciplinary sciences, an array of molecular assembly methods is being studied. Protein nanostructural assembly and macromolecular crowding are derived from the subsets of biochemistry to study protein-protein interactions and protein self-assembly. This paper tries to investigate the issue of enhancing the protein self-association rate, and bridging the gap between the simulations and experimental results. The methods proposed here include: electrostatic rate enhancement, macromolecular crowing, nanostructural protein assembly, microfluidics based approaches and magnetic force based approaches. Despite the suggestions of several methods, microfluidic and magnetic force based approaches seem to serve the need of protein assembly in a wider scale. Congruence of these approaches may also yield better results. Even though, these methods prove to be conceptually strong, to prevent the disagreement of theory and practice, a wide range of experiments is required. This proposal intends to study theoretical and experimental methods to successfully implement the aforementioned assembly strategies, and conclude with an extensive analysis of experimental data to address practical feasibility.

Transient response in granular bounded heap flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Hongyi; Ottino, Julio M.; Lueptow, Richard M.; Umbanhowar, Paul B.

2017-11-01

Heap formation, a canonical granular flow, is common in industry and is also found in nature. Here, we study the transition between steady flow states in quasi-2D bounded heaps by suddenly changing the feed rate from one fixed value to another. During the transition, in both experiments and discrete element method simulations, an additional wedge of flowing particles propagates over the rising free surface. The downstream edge of the wedge - the wedge front - moves downstream with velocity inversely proportional to the square root of time. An additional longer duration transient process continues after the wedge front reaches the downstream wall. The transient flux profile during the entire transition is well modeled by a diffusion-like equation derived from local mass balance and a local linear relation between the flux and the surface slope. Scalings for the transient kinematics during the flow transitions are developed based on the flux profiles. Funded by NSF Grant CBET-1511450.

On the enhancement of Er{sup 3+} diffusion in LiNbO{sub 3} crystals by Er{sup 3+}/Ti{sup 4+} co-diffusion

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

Almeida, José Manuel Marques Martins de, E-mail: jmmma@utad.pt; Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, PO. Box 1013, 5001-801 Vila Real; Sada, Cinzia

2016-02-15

Highlights: • Enhancement of the diffusion of erbium ions (Er{sup 3+}) in lithium niobate crystals. • Incoherence on published results lead to need for systematic revision of literature. • Further insight into the topic of co-diffusion of Er{sup 3+}/Ti{sup 4+} ions into LiNbO{sub 3}. - Abstract: After carrying out a revision of the literature on the enhancement of Er{sup 3+} diffusion in LiNbO{sub 3} crystals by Er{sup 3+}/Ti{sup 4+} co-diffusion and analyzing our own experimental results, we conclude that no reproducible results were reported, meaning that further research on this subject is necessary.

Enhancing the ABAQUS thermomechanics code to simulate multipellet steady and transient LWR fuel rod behavior

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

R. L. Williamson

A powerful multidimensional fuels performance analysis capability, applicable to both steady and transient fuel behavior, is developed based on enhancements to the commercially available ABAQUS general-purpose thermomechanics code. Enhanced capabilities are described, including: UO2 temperature and burnup dependent thermal properties, solid and gaseous fission product swelling, fuel densification, fission gas release, cladding thermal and irradiation creep, cladding irradiation growth, gap heat transfer, and gap/plenum gas behavior during irradiation. This new capability is demonstrated using a 2D axisymmetric analysis of the upper section of a simplified multipellet fuel rod, during both steady and transient operation. Comparisons are made between discrete andmore » smeared-pellet simulations. Computational results demonstrate the importance of a multidimensional, multipellet, fully-coupled thermomechanical approach. Interestingly, many of the inherent deficiencies in existing fuel performance codes (e.g., 1D thermomechanics, loose thermomechanical coupling, separate steady and transient analysis, cumbersome pre- and post-processing) are, in fact, ABAQUS strengths.« less

TRANSIENT BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLING AND SEDIMENT OXYGEN DEMAND

EPA Science Inventory

Through this research, the effects of variable sediment accumulation and oxygen concentration on SOD and soluble chemical fluxes will be quantified. This study will enable correct estimates of “diffuser-induced” SOD to be made that will facilitate appropriate desig...

Evaluation of AAFE apparatus to measure residual and transient convection in zero-gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruff, R. C.; Facemire, B. R.; Witherow, W. K.

1978-01-01

An evaluation apparatus which photographs convective and diffusive flows in crystal growth experiments is presented. Results in the following catagories are reported: (1) Human factors; (2) Electrical and mechanical; (3) Optical performance; and (4) Thermal performance.

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

Emin, David, E-mail: emin@unm.edu; Akhtari, Massoud; Ellingson, B. M.

We analyze the transient-dc and frequency-dependent electrical conductivities between blocking electrodes. We extend this analysis to measurements of ions’ transport in freshly excised bulk samples of human brain tissue whose complex cellular structure produces blockages. The associated ionic charge-carrier density and diffusivity are consistent with local values for sodium cations determined non-invasively in brain tissue by MRI (NMR) and diffusion-MRI (spin-echo NMR). The characteristic separation between blockages, about 450 microns, is very much shorter than that found for sodium-doped gel proxies for brain tissue, >1 cm.

Computation of the unsteady facilitated transport of oxygen in hemoglobin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Sanford

1990-01-01

The transport of a reacting permeant diffusing through a thin membrane is extended to more realistic dissociation models. A new nonlinear analysis of the reaction-diffusion equations, using implicit finite-difference methods and direct block solvers, is used to study the limits of linearized and equilibrium theories. Computed curves of molecular oxygen permeating through hemoglobin solution are used to illustrate higher-order reaction models, the effect of concentration boundary layers at the membrane interfaces, and the transient buildup of oxygen flux.

[Transient expression and characterization of intracellular single chain Fv against the nucleocapsid protein of Hantavirus].

PubMed

Bai, Wen-tao; Xu, Zhi-kai; Zhang, Fang-lin; Luo, Wen; Liu, Yong; Wu, Xing-an; Yan, Yan

2004-11-01

To transiently express an intracellular single chain Fv of monoclonal antibody 1A8 against nucleocapsid protein of Hantavirus and characterize the immunological activities of the expressed products. COS-7 cells were transfected with mammalian expression vector 1A8-scFv-Ckappa/pCI-neo via lipofectin. The expressed product was identified by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation. A diffuse pattern fluorescence was observed in less than 1% cytoplasm of transfected COS-7 cells. The binding of intracellular antibody fragments to NP antigen was confirmed by immunoprecipitation analysis. Transiently expressed single chain intrabodies can effectively target NP antigen in the cytoplasm. The present study may provide a new approach for treatment of Hantavirus.

Interplay between inhibited transport and reaction in nanoporous materials

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

Ackerman, David Michael

2013-01-01

This work presents a detailed formulation of reaction and diffusion dynamics of molecules in confined pores such as mesoporous silica and zeolites. A general reaction-diffusion model and discrete Monte Carlo simulations are presented. Both transient and steady state behavior is covered. Failure of previous mean-field models for these systems is explained and discussed. A coarse-grained, generalized hydrodynamic model is developed that accurately captures the interplay between reaction and restricted transport in these systems. This method incorporates the non-uniform chemical diffusion behavior present in finite pores with multi-component diffusion. Two methods of calculating these diffusion values are developed: a random walkmore » based approach and a driven diffusion model based on an extension of Fick's law. The effects of reaction, diffusion, pore length, and catalytic site distribution are investigated. In addition to strictly single file motion, quasi-single file diffusion is incorporated into the model to match a range of experimental systems. The connection between these experimental systems and model parameters is made through Langevin dynamics modeling of particles in confined pores.« less

The effects of bound state motion on macromolecular diffusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hough, Loren; Stefferson, Michael; Norris, Samantha; Maguire, Laura; Vernerey, Franck; Betterton, Meredith

The diffusion of macromolecules is modified in crowded environments by both inert obstacles and interaction sites. Molecules are generally slowed in their movement inducing transient anomalous subdiffusion. Obstacles also modify the kinetics and equilibrium behavior of interaction between mobile proteins. In some biophysical contexts, bound molecules can still experience mobility, for example transcription factors sliding along DNA, membrane proteins with some entry and diffusion within lipid domains, or proteins that can enter into non-membrane bound compartments such as the nucleolus. We used lattice and continuum models to study the diffusive behavior of tracer particles which bind to obstacles and can diffuse within them. We show that binding significantly alters the motion of tracers. The type and degree of motion while bound is a key determinant of the tracer mobility. Our work has implications for protein-protein movement and interactions within living cells, including those involving intrinsically disordered proteins.

Axi-symmetric generalized thermoelastic diffusion problem with two-temperature and initial stress under fractional order heat conduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deswal, Sunita; Kalkal, Kapil Kumar; Sheoran, Sandeep Singh

2016-09-01

A mathematical model of fractional order two-temperature generalized thermoelasticity with diffusion and initial stress is proposed to analyze the transient wave phenomenon in an infinite thermoelastic half-space. The governing equations are derived in cylindrical coordinates for a two dimensional axi-symmetric problem. The analytical solution is procured by employing the Laplace and Hankel transforms for time and space variables respectively. The solutions are investigated in detail for a time dependent heat source. By using numerical inversion method of integral transforms, we obtain the solutions for displacement, stress, temperature and diffusion fields in physical domain. Computations are carried out for copper material and displayed graphically. The effect of fractional order parameter, two-temperature parameter, diffusion, initial stress and time on the different thermoelastic and diffusion fields is analyzed on the basis of analytical and numerical results. Some special cases have also been deduced from the present investigation.

Porosity Measurement in Laminated Composites by Thermography and FEA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, Tsuchin Philip; Russell, Samuel S.; Walker, James L.; Munafo, Paul M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This paper presents the correlation between the through-thickness thermal diffusivity and the porosity of composites. Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to determine the transient thermal response of composites that were subjected to laser heating. A series of finite element models were built and thermal responses for isotropic and orthographic materials with various thermal diffusivities subjected to different heating conditions were investigated. Experiments were conducted to verify the models and to estimate the unknown parameters such as the amount of heat flux. The analysis and experimental results show good correlation between thermal diffusivity and porosity in the composite materials. They also show that both laser and flash heating can be used effectively to obtain thermal diffusivity. The current infrared thermography system is developed for use with flash heating. The laser heating models and the FEA results can provide useful tools to develop practical thermal diffusivity measurement scheme using laser heat.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: a case of unusual diffusion-weighted MR images.

PubMed

Benziada-Boudour, A; Schmitt, E; Kremer, S; Foscolo, S; Rivière, A-S; Tisserand, M; Boudour, A; Bracard, S

2009-05-01

Posterior reversible encephalopathy (PRES) represents an uncommon entity related to multiple pathologies, the most common of which is hypertensive crisis. PRES is classically characterized as symmetrical parieto-occipital edema, but may affect other areas of the brain. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) is important for differentiating between vasogenic and cytotoxic edema. We present here the case of a 43-year-old woman, known to suffer from arterial hypertension and severe renal failure, who developed PRES with restricted apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) in various cerebral areas, suggesting irreversible tissue damage. Nevertheless, follow-up cranial MRI revealed complete remission, indicating that restricted diffusion does not always lead to cell death in this pathology. The underlying pathophysiological mechanism is not well understood. Such reversibility of diffusion anomalies has already been reported with transient ischemia, vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage and epilepsy but, to our knowledge, never before in PRES.

Prospective comparison of magnetic resonance imaging to transient elastography and serum markers for liver fibrosis detection.

PubMed

Dyvorne, Hadrien A; Jajamovich, Guido H; Bane, Octavia; Fiel, M Isabel; Chou, Hsin; Schiano, Thomas D; Dieterich, Douglas; Babb, James S; Friedman, Scott L; Taouli, Bachir

2016-05-01

Establishing accurate non-invasive methods of liver fibrosis quantification remains a major unmet need. Here, we assessed the diagnostic value of a multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI and magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) in comparison with transient elastography (TE) and blood tests [including ELF (Enhanced Liver Fibrosis) and APRI] for liver fibrosis detection. In this single centre cross-sectional study, we prospectively enrolled 60 subjects with liver disease who underwent multiparametric MRI (DWI, DCE-MRI and MRE), TE and blood tests. Correlation was assessed between non-invasive modalities and histopathologic findings including stage, grade and collagen content, while accounting for covariates such as age, sex, BMI, HCV status and MRI-derived fat and iron content. ROC curve analysis evaluated the performance of each technique for detection of moderate-to-advanced liver fibrosis (F2-F4) and advanced fibrosis (F3-F4). Magnetic resonance elastography provided the strongest correlation with fibrosis stage (r = 0.66, P < 0.001), inflammation grade (r = 0.52, P < 0.001) and collagen content (r = 0.53, P = 0.036). For detection of moderate-to-advanced fibrosis (F2-F4), AUCs were 0.78, 0.82, 0.72, 0.79, 0.71 for MRE, TE, DCE-MRI, DWI and APRI, respectively. For detection of advanced fibrosis (F3-F4), AUCs were 0.94, 0.77, 0.79, 0.79 and 0.70, respectively. Magnetic resonance elastography provides the highest correlation with histopathologic markers and yields high diagnostic performance for detection of advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, compared to DWI, DCE-MRI, TE and serum markers. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A composite viscoelastic model for incorporating grain boundary sliding and transient diffusion creep; correlating creep and attenuation responses for materials with a fine grain size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundberg, Marshall; Cooper, Reid F.

2010-07-01

A new viscoelastic creep function that incorporates both the effects of elastically-accommodated grain boundary sliding (GBS) and transient diffusion creep is proposed. It is demonstrated that this model can simultaneously describe both the transient microcreep curves and the shear attenuation/modulus dispersion in a fine-grained (d ∼ 5 µm) peridotite (olivine + 39 vol. % orthopyroxene) specimen. Low-frequency shear attenuation, ? , and modulus dispersion, G(ω), spectra were measured in a one-atmosphere reciprocating torsion apparatus at temperatures of 1200 ≤ T ≤ 1300°C and frequencies of 10-2.25 ≤ f ≤ 100 Hz. Reciprocating tests were complemented by a series of small stress (τ ∼ 90 kPa) microcreep experiments at the same temperatures. In contrast to previous models where the parameters of viscoelastic models are derived by fitting the Laplace transform of the creep function to measured attenuation spectra, the parameters are derived solely from the fit of the creep function to the experimental microcreep curves using different published expressions for the relaxation strength of elastically-accommodated GBS. This approach may allow future studies to better link the large dataset of steady-state creep response to the dynamic attenuation behavior.

Size and Shape of Solid Fuel Diffusion Flames in Very Low Speed Flows. M.S. Thesis. Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foutch, David W.

1987-01-01

The effect of very low speed forced flows on the size and shape of a solid fuel diffusion flame are investigated experimentally. Flows due to natural convection are eliminated by performing the experiment in low gravity. The range of velocities tested is 1.5 cm/s to 6.3 cm/s and the mole fraction of oxygen in the O2/N2 atmosphere ranges from 0.15 to 0.19. The flames did not reach steady state in the 5.2 sec to which the experiment was limited. Despite limited data, trends in the transient flame temperature and, by means of extrapolation, the steady state flame size are deduced. As the flow velocity is reduced, the flames move farther from the fuel surface, and the transient flame temperature is lowered. As the oxygen concentration is reduced the flames move closer to the fuel sample and the transient flame temperature is reduced. With stand off distances up to 8.5 + or - 0.7 mm and thicknesses around 1 or 2 mm, these flames are much weaker than flames observed at normal gravity. Based on the performance of the equipment and several qualitative observations, suggestions for future work are made.

Analytical resolution of the reactive diffusion equation for transient electronics including materials whose porosity value changes in terms of their thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargas Toro, Agustín.

2014-05-01

Transient electronic devices are a new technology development whose main characteristic is that its components can disappear in a programmed and controlled way, which means such devices have a pre-engineered service life. Nowadays, transient electronics have a large application field, involving from the reduction of e-waste in the planet until the development of medical instruments and implants that can be discarded when the patients do not need it anymore, avoiding the trouble of having an extra procedure for them. These devices must be made from biocompatible materials avoiding long-term adverse effects in the environment and patients. It is fundamental to develop an analytical model that allows describing the behavior of these materials considering cases which its porosity may be constant or not, in presence of water or any other biofluid. In order to accomplish this analysis was solve the reactive diffusion equation based on Bromwich's integral and the Residue theorem for two material cases, those whose porosity is constant, and those whose porosity increases linearly in terms of its thickness, where was found a general expression. This allows to the analysis of the relation of the electric resistance (per unit length) and the rate of dissolution of the material.

Advances in Pb-free solder microstructure control and interconnect design

DOE PAGES

Reeve, Kathlene N.; Holaday, John R.; Choquette, Stephanie M.; ...

2016-06-09

New electronics applications demanding enhanced performance and higher operating temperatures have led to continued research in the field of Pb-free solder designs and interconnect solutions. In this paper, recent advances in the microstructural design of Pb-free solders and interconnect systems were discussed by highlighting two topics: increasing β-Sn nucleation in Sn-based solders, and isothermally solidified interconnects using transient liquid phases. Issues in β-Sn nucleation in Sn-based solders were summarized in the context of Swenson’s 2007 review of the topic. Recent advancements in the areas of alloy composition manipulation, nucleating heterogeneities, and rapid solidification were discussed, and a proposal based onmore » a multi-faceted solidification approach involving the promotion of constitutional undercooling and nucleating heterogeneities was outlined for future research. The second half of the paper analyzed two different approaches to liquid phase diffusion bonding as a replacement for high-Pb solders, one based on the application of the pseudo-binary Cu-Ni-Sn ternary system, and the other on a proposed thermodynamic framework for identifying potential ternary alloys for liquid phase diffusion bonding. Furthermore, all of the concepts reviewed relied upon the fundamentals of thermodynamics, kinetics, and solidification, to which Jack Smith substantially contributed during his scientific career.« less

A transient-enhanced NMOS low dropout voltage regulator with parallel feedback compensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Wang; Lin, Tan

2016-02-01

This paper presents a transient-enhanced NMOS low-dropout regulator (LDO) for portable applications with parallel feedback compensation. The parallel feedback structure adds a dynamic zero to get an adequate phase margin with a load current variation from 0 to 1 A. A class-AB error amplifier and a fast charging/discharging unit are adopted to enhance the transient performance. The proposed LDO has been implemented in a 0.35 μm BCD process. From experimental results, the regulator can operate with a minimum dropout voltage of 150 mV at a maximum 1 A load and IQ of 165 μA. Under the full range load current step, the voltage undershoot and overshoot of the proposed LDO are reduced to 38 mV and 27 mV respectively.

Exact Markov chain and approximate diffusion solution for haploid genetic drift with one-way mutation.

PubMed

Hössjer, Ola; Tyvand, Peder A; Miloh, Touvia

2016-02-01

The classical Kimura solution of the diffusion equation is investigated for a haploid random mating (Wright-Fisher) model, with one-way mutations and initial-value specified by the founder population. The validity of the transient diffusion solution is checked by exact Markov chain computations, using a Jordan decomposition of the transition matrix. The conclusion is that the one-way diffusion model mostly works well, although the rate of convergence depends on the initial allele frequency and the mutation rate. The diffusion approximation is poor for mutation rates so low that the non-fixation boundary is regular. When this happens we perturb the diffusion solution around the non-fixation boundary and obtain a more accurate approximation that takes quasi-fixation of the mutant allele into account. The main application is to quantify how fast a specific genetic variant of the infinite alleles model is lost. We also discuss extensions of the quasi-fixation approach to other models with small mutation rates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical ageing and transformation of diffusivity in semi-solid multi-component organic aerosol particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfrang, C.; Shiraiwa, M.; Pöschl, U.

2011-04-01

Recent experimental evidence underlines the importance of reduced diffusivity in amorphous semi-solid or glassy atmospheric aerosols. This paper investigates the impact of diffusivity on the ageing of multi-component reactive organic particles representative of atmospheric cooking aerosols. We apply and extend the recently developed KM-SUB model in a study of a 12-component mixture containing oleic and palmitoleic acids. We demonstrate that changes in the diffusivity may explain the evolution of chemical loss rates in ageing semi-solid particles, and we resolve surface and bulk processes under transient reaction conditions considering diffusivities altered by oligomerisation. This new model treatment allows prediction of the ageing of mixed organic multi-component aerosols over atmospherically relevant time scales and conditions. We illustrate the impact of changing diffusivity on the chemical half-life of reactive components in semi-solid particles, and we demonstrate how solidification and crust formation at the particle surface can affect the chemical transformation of organic aerosols.

Chemical ageing and transformation of diffusivity in semi-solid multi-component organic aerosol particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfrang, C.; Shiraiwa, M.; Pöschl, U.

2011-07-01

Recent experimental evidence underlines the importance of reduced diffusivity in amorphous semi-solid or glassy atmospheric aerosols. This paper investigates the impact of diffusivity on the ageing of multi-component reactive organic particles approximating atmospheric cooking aerosols. We apply and extend the recently developed KM-SUB model in a study of a 12-component mixture containing oleic and palmitoleic acids. We demonstrate that changes in the diffusivity may explain the evolution of chemical loss rates in ageing semi-solid particles, and we resolve surface and bulk processes under transient reaction conditions considering diffusivities altered by oligomerisation. This new model treatment allows prediction of the ageing of mixed organic multi-component aerosols over atmospherically relevant timescales and conditions. We illustrate the impact of changing diffusivity on the chemical half-life of reactive components in semi-solid particles, and we demonstrate how solidification and crust formation at the particle surface can affect the chemical transformation of organic aerosols.

Using Global Invariant Manifolds to Understand Metastability in the Burgers Equation With Small Viscosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Margaret; Wayne, C. Eugene

2009-01-01

The large-time behavior of solutions to the Burgers equation with small viscosity is described using invariant manifolds. In particular, a geometric explanation is provided for a phenomenon known as metastability, which in the present context means that solutions spend a very long time near the family of solutions known as diffusive N-waves before finally converging to a stable self-similar diffusion wave. More precisely, it is shown that in terms of similarity, or scaling, variables in an algebraically weighted L^2 space, the self-similar diffusion waves correspond to a one-dimensional global center manifold of stationary solutions. Through each of these fixed points there exists a one-dimensional, global, attractive, invariant manifold corresponding to the diffusive N-waves. Thus, metastability corresponds to a fast transient in which solutions approach this metastable manifold of diffusive N-waves, followed by a slow decay along this manifold, and, finally, convergence to the self-similar diffusion wave.

Cortical cholinergic signaling controls the detection of cues

PubMed Central

Gritton, Howard J.; Howe, William M.; Mallory, Caitlin S.; Hetrick, Vaughn L.; Berke, Joshua D.; Sarter, Martin

2016-01-01

The cortical cholinergic input system has been described as a neuromodulator system that influences broadly defined behavioral and brain states. The discovery of phasic, trial-based increases in extracellular choline (transients), resulting from the hydrolysis of newly released acetylcholine (ACh), in the cortex of animals reporting the presence of cues suggests that ACh may have a more specialized role in cognitive processes. Here we expressed channelrhodopsin or halorhodopsin in basal forebrain cholinergic neurons of mice with optic fibers directed into this region and prefrontal cortex. Cholinergic transients, evoked in accordance with photostimulation parameters determined in vivo, were generated in mice performing a task necessitating the reporting of cue and noncue events. Generating cholinergic transients in conjunction with cues enhanced cue detection rates. Moreover, generating transients in noncued trials, where cholinergic transients normally are not observed, increased the number of invalid claims for cues. Enhancing hits and generating false alarms both scaled with stimulation intensity. Suppression of endogenous cholinergic activity during cued trials reduced hit rates. Cholinergic transients may be essential for synchronizing cortical neuronal output driven by salient cues and executing cue-guided responses. PMID:26787867

Evaluation of treatment-induced cerebral white matter injury by using diffusion-tensor MR imaging: initial experience.

PubMed

Kitahara, Sawako; Nakasu, Satoshi; Murata, Kiyoshi; Sho, Keizen; Ito, Ryuta

2005-10-01

Treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy for brain tumors can cause white matter (WM) injury. Conventional MR imaging, however, cannot always depict treatment-induced transient WM abnormalities. We investigated the ability of diffusion-tensor (DT) MR imaging and proton MR spectroscopy to detect the treatment-induced transient changes within normal-appearing WM. DT MR imaging and proton MR spectroscopy were performed in 8 patients treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy for brain tumors (17 examinations) and 11 age-matched controls. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, fractional anisotropy (FA) value, and N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) ratio were obtained from 27 hemispheres with normal-appearing WM in the patients. We divided the datasets of isotropic ADC, FA, and NAA/Cr, on the basis of the time period after completion of radiation therapy, into 4 groups: group 1 (0-2 months; n = 10), group 2 (3-5 months; n = 5), group 3 (6-9 months; n = 7), and group 4 (10-12 months; n = 5). We compared averages of mean isotropic ADC, mean FA, and NAA/Cr of each patient group with those of the control group by using a t test. In the group 2, averages of mean FA and NAA/Cr decreased and average of mean isotopic ADC increased in comparison with those of the control group (P = .004, .04, and .0085, respectively). There were no significant differences in the averages between the control group and patient groups 1, 3, and 4. DT MR imaging and proton MR spectroscopy can provide quantitative indices that may reflect treatment-induced transient derangement of normal-appearing WM.

Facilitation of cytosolic calcium wave propagation by local calcium uptake into the sarcoplasmic reticulum in cardiac myocytes.

PubMed

Maxwell, Joshua T; Blatter, Lothar A

2012-12-01

The widely accepted paradigm for cytosolic Ca(2+) wave propagation postulates a 'fire-diffuse-fire' mechanism where local Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release (CICR) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) via ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca(2+) release channels diffuses towards and activates neighbouring release sites, resulting in a propagating Ca(2+) wave. A recent challenge to this paradigm proposed the requirement for an intra-SR 'sensitization' Ca(2+) wave that precedes the cytosolic Ca(2+) wave and primes RyRs from the luminal side to CICR. Here, we tested this hypothesis experimentally with direct simultaneous measurements of cytosolic ([Ca(2+)](i); rhod-2) and intra-SR ([Ca(2+)](SR); fluo-5N) calcium signals during wave propagation in rabbit ventricular myocytes, using high resolution fluorescence confocal imaging. The increase in [Ca(2+)](i) at the wave front preceded depletion of the SR at each point along the calcium wave front, while during this latency period a transient increase of [Ca(2+)](SR) was observed. This transient elevation of [Ca(2+)](SR) could be identified at individual release junctions and depended on the activity of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA). Increased SERCA activity (β-adrenergic stimulation with 1 μM isoproterenol (isoprenaline)) decreased the latency period and increased the amplitude of the transient elevation of [Ca(2+)](SR), whereas inhibition of SERCA (3 μM cyclopiazonic acid) had the opposite effect. In conclusion, the data provide experimental evidence that local Ca(2+) uptake by SERCA into the SR facilitates the propagation of cytosolic Ca(2+) waves via luminal sensitization of the RyR, and supports a novel paradigm of a 'fire-diffuse-uptake-fire' mechanism for Ca(2+) wave propagation in cardiac myocytes.

Facilitation of cytosolic calcium wave propagation by local calcium uptake into the sarcoplasmic reticulum in cardiac myocytes

PubMed Central

Maxwell, Joshua T; Blatter, Lothar A

2012-01-01

The widely accepted paradigm for cytosolic Ca2+ wave propagation postulates a ‘fire-diffuse-fire’ mechanism where local Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release (CICR) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) via ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca2+ release channels diffuses towards and activates neighbouring release sites, resulting in a propagating Ca2+ wave. A recent challenge to this paradigm proposed the requirement for an intra-SR ‘sensitization’ Ca2+ wave that precedes the cytosolic Ca2+ wave and primes RyRs from the luminal side to CICR. Here, we tested this hypothesis experimentally with direct simultaneous measurements of cytosolic ([Ca2+]i; rhod-2) and intra-SR ([Ca2+]SR; fluo-5N) calcium signals during wave propagation in rabbit ventricular myocytes, using high resolution fluorescence confocal imaging. The increase in [Ca2+]i at the wave front preceded depletion of the SR at each point along the calcium wave front, while during this latency period a transient increase of [Ca2+]SR was observed. This transient elevation of [Ca2+]SR could be identified at individual release junctions and depended on the activity of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA). Increased SERCA activity (β-adrenergic stimulation with 1 μm isoproterenol (isoprenaline)) decreased the latency period and increased the amplitude of the transient elevation of [Ca2+]SR, whereas inhibition of SERCA (3 μm cyclopiazonic acid) had the opposite effect. In conclusion, the data provide experimental evidence that local Ca2+ uptake by SERCA into the SR facilitates the propagation of cytosolic Ca2+ waves via luminal sensitization of the RyR, and supports a novel paradigm of a ‘fire-diffuse-uptake-fire’ mechanism for Ca2+ wave propagation in cardiac myocytes. PMID:22988145

Crowding and hopping in a protein’s diffusive transport on DNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koslover, Elena F.; Díaz de la Rosa, Mario; Spakowitz, Andrew J.

2017-02-01

Diffusion is a ubiquitous phenomenon that impacts virtually all processes that involve random fluctuations, and as such, the foundational work of Smoluchowski has proven to be instrumental in addressing innumerable problems. Here, we focus on a critical biological problem that relies on diffusive transport and is analyzed using a probabilistic treatment originally developed by Smoluchowski. The search of a DNA binding protein for its specific target site is believed to rely on non-specific binding to DNA with transient hops along the chain. In this work, we address the impact of protein crowding along the DNA on the transport of a DNA-binding protein. The crowders dramatically alter the dynamics of the protein while bound to the DNA, resulting in single-file transport that is subdiffusive in nature. However, transient unbinding and hopping results in a long-time behavior (shown to be superdiffusive) that is qualitatively unaffected by the crowding on the DNA. Thus, hopping along the chain mitigates the role that protein crowding has in restricting the translocation dynamics along the chain. The superdiffusion coefficient is influenced by the quantitative values of the effective binding rate, which is influenced by protein crowding. We show that vacancy fraction and superdiffusion coefficient exhibits a non-monotonic relationship under many circumstances. We leverage analytical theory and dynamic Monte Carlo simulations to address this problem. With several additional contributions, the core of our modeling work adopts a reaction-diffusion framework that is based on Smoluchowski’s original work.

Transient plane source (tps) sensors for simultaneous measurements of thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of insulators, fluids and conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maqsood, Asghari; Anis-ur-Rehman, M.

2013-12-01

Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity are two important physical properties for designing any food engineering processes1. The knowledge of thermal properties of the elements, compounds and different materials in many industrial applications is a requirement for their final functionality. Transient plane source (tps) sensors are reported2 to be useful for the simultaneous measurement of thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and volumetric heat capacity of insulators, conductor liquids3 and high-TC superconductors4. The tps-sensor consists of a resistive element in the shape of double spiral made of 10 micrometer thick Ni-foils covered on both sides with 25 micrometer thick Kapton. This sensor acts both as a heat source and a resistance thermometer for recording the time dependent temperature increase. From the knowledge of the temperature co-efficient of the metal spiral, the temperature increase of the sensor can be determined precisely by placing the sensor in between two surfaces of the same material under test. This temperature increase is then related to the thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and volumetric heat capacity by simple relations2,5. The tps-sensor has been used to measure thermal conductivities from 0.001 Wm-1K-1to 600 Wm-1K-1 and temperature ranges covered from 77K- 1000K. This talk gives the design, advantages and limitations of the tpl-sensor along with its applications to the measurementof thermal properties in a variety of materials.

Permeation of halide anions through phospholipid bilayers occurs by the solubility-diffusion mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paula, S.; Volkov, A. G.; Deamer, D. W.

1998-01-01

Two alternative mechanisms are frequently used to describe ionic permeation of lipid bilayers. In the first, ions partition into the hydrophobic phase and then diffuse across (the solubility-diffusion mechanism). The second mechanism assumes that ions traverse the bilayer through transient hydrophilic defects caused by thermal fluctuations (the pore mechanism). The theoretical predictions made by both models were tested for halide anions by measuring the permeability coefficients for chloride, bromide, and iodide as a function of bilayer thickness, ionic radius, and sign of charge. To vary the bilayer thickness systematically, liposomes were prepared from monounsaturated phosphatidylcholines (PC) with chain lengths between 16 and 24 carbon atoms. The fluorescent dye MQAE (N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxyquinolinium bromide) served as an indicator for halide concentration inside the liposomes and was used to follow the kinetics of halide flux across the bilayer membranes. The observed permeability coefficients ranged from 10(-9) to 10(-7) cm/s and increased as the bilayer thickness was reduced. Bromide was found to permeate approximately six times faster than chloride through bilayers of identical thickness, and iodide permeated three to four times faster than bromide. The dependence of the halide permeability coefficients on bilayer thickness and on ionic size were consistent with permeation of hydrated ions by a solubility-diffusion mechanism rather than through transient pores. Halide permeation therefore differs from that of a monovalent cation such as potassium, which has been accounted for by a combination of the two mechanisms depending on bilayer thickness.

Solute source depletion control of forward and back diffusion through low-permeability zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Minjune; Annable, Michael D.; Jawitz, James W.

2016-10-01

Solute diffusive exchange between low-permeability aquitards and high-permeability aquifers acts as a significant mediator of long-term contaminant fate. Aquifer contaminants diffuse into aquitards, but as contaminant sources are depleted, aquifer concentrations decline, triggering back diffusion from aquitards. The dynamics of the contaminant source depletion, or the source strength function, controls the timing of the transition of aquitards from sinks to sources. Here, we experimentally evaluate three archetypical transient source depletion models (step-change, linear, and exponential), and we use novel analytical solutions to accurately account for dynamic aquitard-aquifer diffusive transfer. Laboratory diffusion experiments were conducted using a well-controlled flow chamber to assess solute exchange between sand aquifer and kaolinite aquitard layers. Solute concentration profiles in the aquitard were measured in situ using electrical conductivity. Back diffusion was shown to begin earlier and produce larger mass flux for rapidly depleting sources. The analytical models showed very good correspondence with measured aquifer breakthrough curves and aquitard concentration profiles. The modeling approach links source dissolution and back diffusion, enabling assessment of human exposure risk and calculation of the back diffusion initiation time, as well as the resulting plume persistence.

Solute source depletion control of forward and back diffusion through low-permeability zones.

PubMed

Yang, Minjune; Annable, Michael D; Jawitz, James W

2016-10-01

Solute diffusive exchange between low-permeability aquitards and high-permeability aquifers acts as a significant mediator of long-term contaminant fate. Aquifer contaminants diffuse into aquitards, but as contaminant sources are depleted, aquifer concentrations decline, triggering back diffusion from aquitards. The dynamics of the contaminant source depletion, or the source strength function, controls the timing of the transition of aquitards from sinks to sources. Here, we experimentally evaluate three archetypical transient source depletion models (step-change, linear, and exponential), and we use novel analytical solutions to accurately account for dynamic aquitard-aquifer diffusive transfer. Laboratory diffusion experiments were conducted using a well-controlled flow chamber to assess solute exchange between sand aquifer and kaolinite aquitard layers. Solute concentration profiles in the aquitard were measured in situ using electrical conductivity. Back diffusion was shown to begin earlier and produce larger mass flux for rapidly depleting sources. The analytical models showed very good correspondence with measured aquifer breakthrough curves and aquitard concentration profiles. The modeling approach links source dissolution and back diffusion, enabling assessment of human exposure risk and calculation of the back diffusion initiation time, as well as the resulting plume persistence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasma Membrane is Compartmentalized by a Self-Similar Cortical Actin Meshwork

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadegh, Sanaz; Higgins, Jenny L.; Mannion, Patrick C.; Tamkun, Michael M.; Krapf, Diego

2017-01-01

A broad range of membrane proteins display anomalous diffusion on the cell surface. Different methods provide evidence for obstructed subdiffusion and diffusion on a fractal space, but the underlying structure inducing anomalous diffusion has never been visualized because of experimental challenges. We addressed this problem by imaging the cortical actin at high resolution while simultaneously tracking individual membrane proteins in live mammalian cells. Our data confirm that actin introduces barriers leading to compartmentalization of the plasma membrane and that membrane proteins are transiently confined within actin fences. Furthermore, superresolution imaging shows that the cortical actin is organized into a self-similar meshwork. These results present a hierarchical nanoscale picture of the plasma membrane.

Analytical Study of Gravity Effects on Laminar Diffusion Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edelman, R. B.; Fortune, O.; Weilerstein, G.

1972-01-01

A mathematical model is presented for the description of axisymmetric laminar-jet diffusion flames. The analysis includes the effects of inertia, viscosity, diffusion, gravity and combustion. These mechanisms are coupled in a boundary layer type formulation and solutions are obtained by an explicit finite difference technique. A dimensional analysis shows that the maximum flame width radius, velocity and thermodynamic state characterize the flame structure. Comparisons with experimental data showed excellent agreement for normal gravity flames and fair agreement for steady state low Reynolds number zero gravity flames. Kinetics effects and radiation are shown to be the primary mechanisms responsible for this discrepancy. Additional factors are discussed including elipticity and transient effects.

Transient decrease in nociceptor GRK2 expression produces long–term enhancement in inflammatory pain

PubMed Central

Ferrari, Luiz F.; Bogen, Oliver; Alessandri–Haber, Nicole; Levine, Emma; Gear, Robert W.; Levine, Jon D.

2012-01-01

In heterozygous mice, attenuation of G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) level in nociceptors is associated with enhanced and prolonged inflammatory hyperalgesia. To further elucidate the role of GRK2 in nociceptor function we reversibly decreased GRK2 expression using intrathecal antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS-ODN). GRK2 AS-ODN administration led to an enhanced and prolonged hyperalgesia induced by prostaglandin E 2, epinephrine and carrageenan. Morover, this effect persisted unattenuated 2 weeks after the last dose of antisense, well after GRK2 protein recovered, suggesting that transient attenuation of GRK2 produced neuroplastic changes in nociceptor function. Unlike hyperalgesic priming induced by transient attenuation of GRK2 produced neuroplastic changes in nociceptor function. Unlike hyperalgesic priming induced by transient activation of protein kinase C epsilon (PKCε), (Aley et al., 2000, Parada et al., 2003b), the enhanced and prolonged hyperalgesia following attenuation of GRK2 is PKCε- and cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein (CPEB)-independent and is protein kinase A (PKA)- and Src tyrosine kinase (Src)-dependent. Finally, rats treated with GRK2 AS-ODN exhibited enhanced and prolonged hyperalgesia induced by direct activation of second messengers, adenyl cyclase, Epac or PKA, suggesting changes downstream of G-protein-coupled receptors. Because inflammation can produce a decrease in GRK2, such a mechanism could help explain a predilection to develop chronic pain, after resolution of acute inflammation. PMID:22796071

Profiling of the injected charge drift current transients by cross-sectional scanning technique

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

Gaubas, E., E-mail: eugenijus.gaubas@ff.vu.lt; Ceponis, T.; Pavlov, J.

2014-02-07

The electric field distribution and charge drift currents in Si particle detectors are analyzed. Profiling of the injected charge drift current transients has been implemented by varying charge injection position within a cross-sectional boundary of the particle detector. The obtained profiles of the induction current density and duration of the injected charge drift pulses fit well the simulated current variations. Induction current transients have been interpreted by different stages of the bipolar and monopolar drift of the injected carriers. Profiles of the injected charge current transients registered in the non-irradiated and neutron irradiated Si diodes are compared. It has beenmore » shown that the mixed regime of the competing processes of drift, recombination, and diffusion appears in the measured current profiles on the irradiated samples. The impact of the avalanche effects can be ignored based on the investigations presented. It has been shown that even a simplified dynamic model enabled us to reproduce the main features of the profiled transients of induced charge drift current.« less

Numberical Solution to Transient Heat Flow Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobiske, Ronald A.; Hock, Jeffrey L.

1973-01-01

Discusses the reduction of the one- and three-dimensional diffusion equation to the difference equation and its stability, convergence, and heat-flow applications under different boundary conditions. Indicates the usefulness of this presentation for beginning students of physics and engineering as well as college teachers. (CC)

Response of GaAs charge storage devices to transient ionizing radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hetherington, D. L.; Klem, J. F.; Hughes, R. C.; Weaver, H. T.

Charge storage devices in which non-equilibrium depletion regions represent stored charge are sensitive to ionizing radiation. This results since the radiation generates electron-hole pairs that neutralize excess ionized dopant charge. Silicon structures, such as dynamic RAM or CCD cells are particularly sensitive to radiation since carrier diffusion lengths in this material are often much longer than the depletion width, allowing collection of significant quantities of charge from quasi-neutral sections of the device. For GaAs the situation is somewhat different in that minority carrier diffusion lengths are shorter than in silicon, and although mobilities are higher, we expect a reduction of radiation sensitivity as suggested by observations of reduced quantum efficiency in GaAs solar cells. Dynamic memory cells in GaAs have potential increased retention times. In this paper, we report the response of a novel GaAs dynamic memory element to transient ionizing radiation. The charge readout technique is nondestructive over a reasonable applied voltage range and is more sensitive to stored charge than a simple capacitor.

Climate warming due to increasing atmospheric CO2 - Simulations with a multilayer coupled atmosphere-ocean seasonal energy balance model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Peng; Chou, Ming-Dah; Arking, Albert

1987-01-01

The transient response of the climate to increasing CO2 is studied using a modified version of the multilayer energy balance model of Peng et al. (1982). The main characteristics of the model are described. Latitudinal and seasonal distributions of planetary albedo, latitude-time distributions of zonal mean temperatures, and latitudinal distributions of evaporation, water vapor transport, and snow cover generated from the model and derived from actual observations are analyzed and compared. It is observed that in response to an atmospheric doubling of CO2, the model reaches within 1/e of the equilibrium response of global mean surface temperature in 9-35 years for the probable range of vertical heat diffusivity in the ocean. For CO2 increases projected by the National Research Council (1983), the model's transient response in annually and globally averaged surface temperatures is 60-75 percent of the corresponding equilibrium response, and the disequilibrium increases with increasing heat diffusivity of the ocean.

Measurements of exciton diffusion by degenerate four-wave mixing in CdS1-xSex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, H.; Pantke, K.-H.; Hvam, J. M.; Klingshirn, C.

1992-09-01

We performed transient-grating experiments to study the diffusion of excitons in CdS1-xSex mixed crystals. The decay of the initially created exciton density grating is well described for t<=1 ns by a stretched-exponential function. For later times this decay changes over to a behavior that is well fitted by a simple exponential function. During resonant excitation of the localized states, we find the diffusion coefficient (D) to be considerably smaller than in the binary compounds CdSe and CdS. At 4.2 K, D is below our experimental resolution which is about 0.025 cm2/s. With increasing lattice temperature (Tlattice) the diffusion coefficient increases. It was therefore possible to prove, in a diffusion experiment, that at Tlattice<=5 K the excitons are localized, while the exciton-phonon interaction leads to a delocalization and thus to the onset of diffusion. It was possible to deduce the diffusion coefficient of the extended excitons as well as the energetic position of the mobility edge.

Formation of copper precipitates in silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flink, Christoph; Feick, Henning; McHugo, Scott A.; Mohammed, Amna; Seifert, Winfried; Hieslmair, Henry; Heiser, Thomas; Istratov, Andrei A.; Weber, Eicke R.

1999-12-01

The formation of copper precipitates in silicon was studied after high-temperature intentional contamination of p- and n-type FZ and Cz-grown silicon and quench to room temperature. With the Transient Ion Drift (TID) technique on p-type silicon a critical Fermi level position at EC-0.2 eV was found. Only if the Fermi level position, which is determined by the concentrations of the acceptors and the copper donors, surpasses this critical value precipitation takes place. If the Fermi level is below this level the supersaturated interstitial copper diffuses out. An electrostatic precipitation model is introduced that correlates the observed precipitation behavior with the electrical activity of the copper precipitates as detected with Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) on n-type and with Minority Carrier Transient Spectroscopy (MCTS) on p-type silicon.

Full Core TREAT Kinetics Demonstration Using Rattlesnake/BISON Coupling Within MAMMOTH

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

Ortensi, Javier; DeHart, Mark D.; Gleicher, Frederick N.

2015-08-01

This report summarizes key aspects of research in evaluation of modeling needs for TREAT transient simulation. Using a measured TREAT critical measurement and a transient for a small, experimentally simplified core, Rattlesnake and MAMMOTH simulations are performed building from simple infinite media to a full core model. Cross sections processing methods are evaluated, various homogenization approaches are assessed and the neutronic behavior of the core studied to determine key modeling aspects. The simulation of the minimum critical core with the diffusion solver shows very good agreement with the reference Monte Carlo simulation and the experiment. The full core transient simulationmore » with thermal feedback shows a significantly lower power peak compared to the documented experimental measurement, which is not unexpected in the early stages of model development.« less

Poppet valve control of throat stability bypass to increase stable airflow range of a Mach 2.5. inlet with 60 percent internal contraction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, G. A.; Sanders, B. W.

1975-01-01

The throat of a Mach 2.5 inlet with a coldpipe termination was fitted with a stability-bypass system. System variations included several stability bypass entrance configurations. Poppet valves controlled the bypass airflow. The inlet stable airflow range achieved with each configuration was determined for both steady state conditions and internal pulse transients. Results are compared with those obtained without a stability bypass system. Transient results were also obtained for the inlet with a choke point at the diffuser exit and for the inlet with large and small stability bypass plenum volumes. Poppet valves at the stability bypass exit provided the inlet with a stable airflow range of 20 percent or greater at all static and transient conditions.

Pressure activated stability-bypass-control valves to increase the stable airflow range of a Mach 2.5 inlet with 40 percent internal contraction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, G. A.; Sanders, B. W.

1974-01-01

The throat of a Mach 2.5 inlet with a coldpipe termination was fitted with a stability-bypass system. The inlet stable airflow range provided by various stability-bypass entrance configurations in alternate combination with several stability-bypass exit controls was determined for both steady-state conditions and internal transient pulses. Transient results were also obtained for the inlet with a choke point at the diffuser exit. Instart angles of attack were determined for the various stability-bypass entrance configurations. The response of the inlet-coldpipe system to internal and external oscillating disturbances was determined. Poppet valves at the stability-bypass exit provided an inlet stable airflow range of 28 percent or greater at all static and transient conditions.

Inhomogeneous Forcing and Transient Climate Sensitivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shindell, Drew T.

2014-01-01

Understanding climate sensitivity is critical to projecting climate change in response to a given forcing scenario. Recent analyses have suggested that transient climate sensitivity is at the low end of the present model range taking into account the reduced warming rates during the past 10-15 years during which forcing has increased markedly. In contrast, comparisons of modelled feedback processes with observations indicate that the most realistic models have higher sensitivities. Here I analyse results from recent climate modelling intercomparison projects to demonstrate that transient climate sensitivity to historical aerosols and ozone is substantially greater than the transient climate sensitivity to CO2. This enhanced sensitivity is primarily caused by more of the forcing being located at Northern Hemisphere middle to high latitudes where it triggers more rapid land responses and stronger feedbacks. I find that accounting for this enhancement largely reconciles the two sets of results, and I conclude that the lowest end of the range of transient climate response to CO2 in present models and assessments (less than 1.3 C) is very unlikely.

Investigation of Thermal Interface Materials Using Phase-Sensitive Transient Thermoreflectance Technique: Preprint

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

Feng, X.; King, C.; DeVoto, D.

2014-08-01

With increasing power density in electronics packages/modules, thermal resistances at multiple interfaces are a bottleneck to efficient heat removal from the package. In this work, the performance of thermal interface materials such as grease, thermoplastic adhesives and diffusion-bonded interfaces are characterized using the phase-sensitive transient thermoreflectance technique. A multi-layer heat conduction model was constructed and theoretical solutions were derived to obtain the relation between phase lag and the thermal/physical properties. This technique enables simultaneous extraction of the contact resistance and bulk thermal conductivity of the TIMs. With the measurements, the bulk thermal conductivity of Dow TC-5022 thermal grease (70 tomore » 75 um bondline thickness) was 3 to 5 W/(m-K) and the contact resistance was 5 to 10 mm2-K/W. For the Btech thermoplastic material (45 to 80 μm bondline thickness), the bulk thermal conductivity was 20 to 50 W/(m-K) and the contact resistance was 2 to 5 mm2-K/W. Measurements were also conducted to quantify the thermal performance of diffusion-bonded interface for power electronics applications. Results with the diffusion-bonded sample showed that the interfacial thermal resistance is more than one order of magnitude lower than those of traditional TIMs, suggesting potential pathways to efficient thermal management.« less

Development of a Novel Ni-Fe-Cr-B-Si Interlayer Material for Transient Liquid Phase Bonding of Inconel 718

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarai, U. K.; Robi, P. S.; Pal, Sukhomay

2018-04-01

A Ni-Cr-Fe-Si-B based interlayer material was developed by mechanical alloying (MA) process in a high-energy planetary ball mill. Equiaxed alloy powders of size 12 µm was obtained after milling for 50 hours. X-ray diffraction analysis of the milled powder revealed that milling of elemental powders initially resulted in microcrystalline alloy powder having face centered cubic structure, which on subsequent milling resulted in nano-crystallice alloy powder with a crystallite size of 3.2 nm. XRD analysis also reveals formation of metastable eutectic alloys resulting in lowering of the melting point of the interlayer material to 1025 °C. IN 718 superalloy samples were joined at 1050°C using the developed interlayer. A homogeneous joint was formed by the newly developed interlayer material. Three different zones were observed at the bond (i) isothermally solidified zone, (ii) diffusion affected zone and (iii) unaffected base metal. In the diffusion-affected zone, boron was present at the grain boundaries of Ni γ matrix in bulky metal borides form. The diffusion of boron from interlayer material into the base material was mechanism of isothermal solidification and bond formation in transient liquid phase bonding of IN 718.

Transient Liquid-Phase Diffusion Bonding of Aluminum Metal Matrix Composite Using a Mixed Cu-Ni Powder Interlayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maity, Joydeep; Pal, Tapan Kumar

2012-07-01

In the present study, the transient liquid-phase diffusion bonding of an aluminum metal matrix composite (6061-15 wt.% SiCp) has been investigated for the first time using a mixed Cu-Ni powder interlayer at 560 °C, 0.2 MPa, for different holding times up to 6 h. The microstructure of the isothermally solidified zone contains equilibrium precipitate CuAl2, metastable precipitate Al9Ni2 in the matrix of α-solid solution along with the reinforcement particles (SiC). On the other hand, the microstructure of the central bond zone consists of equilibrium phases such as NiAl3, Al7Cu4Ni and α-solid solution along with SiC particles (without any segregation) and the presence of microporosities. During shear test, the crack originates from microporosities and propagates along the interphase interfaces resulting in poor bond strength for lower holding times. As the bonding time increases, with continual diffusion, the structural heterogeneity is diminished, and the microporosities are eliminated at the central bond zone. Accordingly, after 6-h holding, the microstructure of the central bond zone mainly consists of NiAl3 without any visible microporosity. This provides a joint efficiency of 84% with failure primarily occurring through decohesion at the SiC particle/matrix interface.

A Simplified Model of Moisture Transport in Hydrophilic Porous Media With Applications to Pharmaceutical Tablets.

PubMed

Klinzing, Gerard R; Zavaliangos, Antonios

2016-08-01

This work establishes a predictive model that explicitly recognizes microstructural parameters in the description of the overall mass uptake and local gradients of moisture into tablets. Model equations were formulated based on local tablet geometry to describe the transient uptake of moisture. An analytical solution to a simplified set of model equations was solved to predict the overall mass uptake and moisture gradients with the tablets. The analytical solution takes into account individual diffusion mechanisms in different scales of porosity and diffusion into the solid phase. The time constant of mass uptake was found to be a function of several key material properties, such as tablet relative density, pore tortuosity, and equilibrium moisture content of the material. The predictions of the model are in excellent agreement with experimental results for microcrystalline cellulose tablets without the need for parameter fitting. The model presented provides a new method to analyze the transient uptake of moisture into hydrophilic materials with the knowledge of only a few fundamental material and microstructural parameters. In addition, the model allows for quick and insightful predictions of moisture diffusion for a variety of practical applications including pharmaceutical tablets, porous polymer systems, or cementitious materials. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Room-temperature detection of mobile impurities in compound semiconductors by transient ion drift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyubomirsky, Igor; Rabinal, M. K.; Cahen, David

1997-05-01

We show that the transient ion drift (TID) method, which is based on recording junction capacitance under constant reverse bias [A. Zamouche, T. Heiser, and A. Mesli, Appl. Phys. Lett. 66, 631 (1995)], can be used not only for measurements of the diffusion coefficient of mobile impurities, but also to estimate the concentration of mobile species as part of the total dopant density. This is illustrated for CdTe, contaminated by Cu, and intentionally doped by Li or Ag and for CuInSe2. We show also that, with some restrictions, the TID method can be used if the mobile ions are major dopants. This is demonstrated using Schottky barriers on CdTe, and p-n junction devices in (Hg,Cd)Te, and CuInSe2. The values that we obtain for the diffusion coefficients (for Li, Ag, and Cu in CdTe and for Cu in CuInSe2) agree well with measured or extrapolated values, obtained by other methods, as reported in the literature. Furthermore, we could distinguish between diffusion and chemical reactions of dopants, as demonstrated for the case of Cu in CdTe and Ag-doped (Hg,Cd)Te. In the former case this allows us to separate copper-free from contaminated CdTe samples.

Enhancement of crop photosynthesis by diffuse light: quantifying the contributing factors

PubMed Central

Li, T.; Heuvelink, E.; Dueck, T. A.; Janse, J.; Gort, G.; Marcelis, L. F. M.

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Plants use diffuse light more efficiently than direct light. However, experimental comparisons between diffuse and direct light have been obscured by co-occurring differences in environmental conditions (e.g. light intensity). This study aims to analyse the factors that contribute to an increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light and to quantify their relative contribution under different levels of diffuseness at similar light intensities. The hypothesis is that the enhancement of crop photosynthesis in diffuse light results not only from the direct effects of more uniform vertical and horizontal light distribution in the crop canopy, but also from crop physiological and morphological acclimation. Methods Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crops were grown in three greenhouse compartments that were covered by glass with different degrees of light diffuseness (0, 45 and 71 % of the direct light being converted into diffuse light) while maintaining similar light transmission. Measurements of horizontal and vertical photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) distribution in the crop, leaf photosynthesis light response curves and leaf area index (LAI) were used to quantify each factor's contribution to an increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light. In addition, leaf temperature, photoinhibition, and leaf biochemical and anatomical properties were studied. Key Results The highest degree of light diffuseness (71 %) increased the calculated crop photosynthesis by 7·2 %. This effect was mainly attributed to a more uniform horizontal (33 % of the total effect) and vertical PPFD distribution (21 %) in the crop. In addition, plants acclimated to the high level of diffuseness by gaining a higher photosynthetic capacity of leaves in the middle of the crop and a higher LAI, which contributed 23 and 13 %, respectively, to the total increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light. Moreover, diffuse light resulted in lower leaf temperatures and less photoinhibition at the top of the canopy when global irradiance was high. Conclusions Diffuse light enhanced crop photosynthesis. A more uniform horizontal PPFD distribution played the most important role in this enhancement, and a more uniform vertical PPFD distribution and higher leaf photosynthetic capacity contributed more to the enhancement of crop photosynthesis than did higher values of LAI. PMID:24782436

Response to a small external force and fluctuations of a passive particle in a one-dimensional diffusive environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huveneers, François

2018-04-01

We investigate the long-time behavior of a passive particle evolving in a one-dimensional diffusive random environment, with diffusion constant D . We consider two cases: (a) The particle is pulled forward by a small external constant force and (b) there is no systematic bias. Theoretical arguments and numerical simulations provide evidence that the particle is eventually trapped by the environment. This is diagnosed in two ways: The asymptotic speed of the particle scales quadratically with the external force as it goes to zero, and the fluctuations scale diffusively in the unbiased environment, up to possible logarithmic corrections in both cases. Moreover, in the large D limit (homogenized regime), we find an important transient region giving rise to other, finite-size scalings, and we describe the crossover to the true asymptotic behavior.

Measuring nanoparticle diffusion in an ABELtrap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dienerowitz, M.; Dienerowitz, F.; Börsch, M.

2018-03-01

Monitoring the Brownian motion of individual nanoscopic objects is key to investigate their transport properties and interactions with their close environment. Most techniques rely on transient diffusion through a detection volume or immobilisation, which restrict observation times or motility. We measure the diffusion coefficient and surface charge of individual nanoparticles and DNA molecules in an anti-Brownian electrokinetic trap (ABELtrap). This instrument is an active feedback trap confining the Brownian motion of a nanoparticle to the detection site by applying an electric field based on the particle’s current position. We simulate the Brownian motion of nanospheres in our sample geometry, including wall effects, due to partial confinement in the third dimension. The theoretically predicted values are in excellent agreement with our diffusion measurements in the ABELtrap. We also demonstrate the ABELtrap’s ability to measure varying sizes of DNA origami structures during denaturation.

Simulation and measurement of complete dye sensitised solar cells: including the influence of trapping, electrolyte, oxidised dyes and light intensity on steady state and transient device behaviour.

PubMed

Barnes, Piers R F; Anderson, Assaf Y; Durrant, James R; O'Regan, Brian C

2011-04-07

A numerical model of the dye sensitised solar cell (DSSC) is used to assess the importance of different loss pathways under various operational conditions. Based on our current understanding, the simulation describes the processes of injection, regeneration, recombination and transport of electrons, oxidised dye molecules and electrolyte within complete devices to give both time dependent and independent descriptions of performance. The results indicate that the flux of electrons lost from the nanocrystalline TiO(2) film is typically at least twice as large under conditions equivalent to 1 sun relative to dark conditions at matched TiO(2) charge concentration. This is in agreement with experimental observations (Barnes et al. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. [DOI: 10.1039/c0cp01855d]). The simulated difference in recombination flux is shown to be due to variation in the concentration profile of electron accepting species in the TiO(2) pores between light and dark conditions and to recombination to oxidised dyes in the light. The model is able to easily incorporate non-ideal behaviour of a cell such as the variation of open circuit potential with light intensity and non-first order recombination of conduction band electrons. The time dependent simulations, described by the multiple trapping model of electron transport and recombination, show good agreement with both small and large transient photocurrent and photovoltage measurements at open circuit, including photovoltage rise measurements. The simulation of photovoltage rise also suggests the possibility of assessing the interfacial resistance between the TiO(2) and substrate. When cells with a short diffusion length relative to film thickness were modelled, the simulated small perturbation photocurrent transients at short circuit (but not open circuit) yielded significantly higher effective diffusion coefficients than expected from the mean concentration of electrons and the electrolyte in the cell. This implies that transient measurements can overestimate the electron diffusion length in cells which have a low collection efficiency. The model should provide a useful general framework for exploring new cell descriptions, architectures and other factors influencing device performance.

Modeling diffusion in foamed polymer nanocomposites.

PubMed

Ippalapalli, Sandeep; Ranaprathapan, A Dileep; Singh, Sachchida N; Harikrishnan, G

2013-04-15

Two-way multicomponent diffusion processes in polymeric nanocomposite foams, where the condensed phase is nanoscopically reinforced with impermeable fillers, are investigated. The diffusion process involves simultaneous outward permeation of the components of the dispersed gas phase and inward diffusion of atmospheric air. The transient variation in thermal conductivity of foam is used as the macroscopic property to track the compositional variations of the dispersed gases due to the diffusion process. In the continuum approach adopted, the unsteady-state diffusion process is combined with tortuosity theory. The simulations conducted at ambient temperature reveal distinct regimes of diffusion processes in the nanocomposite foams owing to the reduction in the gas-transport rate induced by nanofillers. Simulations at a higher temperature are also conducted and the predictions are compared with experimentally determined thermal conductivities under accelerated diffusion conditions for polyurethane foams reinforced with clay nanoplatelets of varying individual lamellar dimensions. Intermittent measurements of foam thermal conductivity are performed while the accelerated diffusion proceeded. The predictions under accelerated diffusion conditions show good agreement with experimentally measured thermal conductivities for nanocomposite foams reinforced with low and medium aspect-ratios fillers. The model shows higher deviations for foams with fillers that have a high aspect ratio. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Profiling of barrier capacitance and spreading resistance using a transient linearly increasing voltage technique.

PubMed

Gaubas, E; Ceponis, T; Kusakovskij, J

2011-08-01

A technique for the combined measurement of barrier capacitance and spreading resistance profiles using a linearly increasing voltage pulse is presented. The technique is based on the measurement and analysis of current transients, due to the barrier and diffusion capacitance, and the spreading resistance, between a needle probe and sample. To control the impact of deep traps in the barrier capacitance, a steady state bias illumination with infrared light was employed. Measurements of the spreading resistance and barrier capacitance profiles using a stepwise positioned probe on cross sectioned silicon pin diodes and pnp structures are presented.

Mechanisms of Transient Signaling via Short and Long Prolactin Receptor Isoforms in Female and Male Sensory Neurons*

PubMed Central

Belugin, Sergei; Diogenes, Anibal R.; Patil, Mayur J.; Ginsburg, Erika; Henry, Michael A.; Akopian, Armen N.

2013-01-01

Prolactin (PRL) regulates activity of nociceptors and causes hyperalgesia in pain conditions. PRL enhances nociceptive responses by rapidly modulating channels in nociceptors. The molecular mechanisms underlying PRL-induced transient signaling in neurons are not well understood. Here we use a variety of cell biology and pharmacological approaches to show that PRL transiently enhanced capsaicin-evoked responses involve protein kinase C ϵ (PKCϵ) or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathways in female rat trigeminal (TG) neurons. We next reconstituted PRL-induced signaling in a heterologous expression system and TG neurons from PRL receptor (PRLR)-null mutant mice by expressing rat PRLR-long isoform (PRLR-L), PRLR-short isoform (PRLR-S), or a mix of both. Results show that PRLR-S, but not PRLR-L, is capable of mediating PRL-induced transient enhancement of capsaicin responses in both male and female TG neurons. However, co-expression of PRLR-L with PRLR-S (1:1 ratio) leads to the inhibition of the transient PRL actions. Co-expression of PRLR-L deletion mutants with PRLR-S indicated that the cytoplasmic site adjacent to the trans-membrane domain of PRLR-L was responsible for inhibitory effects of PRLR-L. Furthermore, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry data indicate that in normal conditions, PRLR-L is expressed mainly in glia with little expression in rat sensory neurons (3–5%) and human nerves. The predominant PRLR form in TG neurons/nerves from rats and humans is PRLR-S. Altogether, PRL-induced transient signaling in sensory neurons is governed by PI3K or PKCϵ, mediated via the PRLR-S isoform, and transient effects mediated by PRLR-S are inhibited by presence of PRLR-L in these cells. PMID:24142695

Reduction of adenovirus E1A mRNA by RNAi results in enhanced recombinant protein expression in transiently transfected HEK293 cells.

PubMed

Hacker, David L; Bertschinger, Martin; Baldi, Lucia; Wurm, Florian M

2004-10-27

Human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells, a widely used host for large-scale transient expression of recombinant proteins, are transformed with the adenovirus E1A and E1B genes. Because the E1A proteins function as transcriptional activators or repressors, they may have a positive or negative effect on transient transgene expression in this cell line. Suspension cultures of HEK293 EBNA (HEK293E) cells were co-transfected with a reporter plasmid expressing the GFP gene and a plasmid expressing a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting the E1A mRNAs for degradation by RNA interference (RNAi). The presence of the shRNA in HEK293E cells reduced the steady state level of E1A mRNA up to 75% and increased transient GFP expression from either the elongation factor-1alpha (EF-1alpha) promoter or the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) immediate early promoter up to twofold. E1A mRNA depletion also resulted in a twofold increase in transient expression of a recombinant IgG in both small- and large-scale suspension cultures when the IgG light and heavy chain genes were controlled by the EF-1alpha promoter. Finally, transient IgG expression was enhanced 2.5-fold when the anti-E1A shRNA was expressed from the same vector as the IgG light chain gene. These results demonstrated that E1A has a negative effect on transient gene expression in HEK293E cells, and they established that RNAi can be used to enhance recombinant protein expression in mammalian cells.

Mechanisms of transient signaling via short and long prolactin receptor isoforms in female and male sensory neurons.

PubMed

Belugin, Sergei; Diogenes, Anibal R; Patil, Mayur J; Ginsburg, Erika; Henry, Michael A; Akopian, Armen N

2013-11-29

Prolactin (PRL) regulates activity of nociceptors and causes hyperalgesia in pain conditions. PRL enhances nociceptive responses by rapidly modulating channels in nociceptors. The molecular mechanisms underlying PRL-induced transient signaling in neurons are not well understood. Here we use a variety of cell biology and pharmacological approaches to show that PRL transiently enhanced capsaicin-evoked responses involve protein kinase C ε (PKCε) or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathways in female rat trigeminal (TG) neurons. We next reconstituted PRL-induced signaling in a heterologous expression system and TG neurons from PRL receptor (PRLR)-null mutant mice by expressing rat PRLR-long isoform (PRLR-L), PRLR-short isoform (PRLR-S), or a mix of both. Results show that PRLR-S, but not PRLR-L, is capable of mediating PRL-induced transient enhancement of capsaicin responses in both male and female TG neurons. However, co-expression of PRLR-L with PRLR-S (1:1 ratio) leads to the inhibition of the transient PRL actions. Co-expression of PRLR-L deletion mutants with PRLR-S indicated that the cytoplasmic site adjacent to the trans-membrane domain of PRLR-L was responsible for inhibitory effects of PRLR-L. Furthermore, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry data indicate that in normal conditions, PRLR-L is expressed mainly in glia with little expression in rat sensory neurons (3-5%) and human nerves. The predominant PRLR form in TG neurons/nerves from rats and humans is PRLR-S. Altogether, PRL-induced transient signaling in sensory neurons is governed by PI3K or PKCε, mediated via the PRLR-S isoform, and transient effects mediated by PRLR-S are inhibited by presence of PRLR-L in these cells.

Transient Numerical Modeling of Catalytic Channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Struk, Peter M.; Dietrich, Daniel L.; Miller, Fletcher J.; T'ien, James S.

2007-01-01

This paper presents a transient model of catalytic combustion suitable for isolated channels and monolith reactors. The model is a lumped two-phase (gas and solid) model where the gas phase is quasi-steady relative to the transient solid. Axial diffusion is neglected in the gas phase; lateral diffusion, however, is accounted for using transfer coefficients. The solid phase includes axial heat conduction and external heat loss due to convection and radiation. The combustion process utilizes detailed gas and surface reaction models. The gas-phase model becomes a system of stiff ordinary differential equations while the solid phase reduces, after discretization, into a system of stiff ordinary differential-algebraic equations. The time evolution of the system came from alternating integrations of the quasi-steady gas and transient solid. This work outlines the numerical model and presents some sensitivity studies on important parameters including internal transfer coefficients, catalytic surface site density, and external heat-loss (if applicable). The model is compared to two experiments using CO fuel: (1) steady-state conversion through an isothermal platinum (Pt) tube and (2) transient propagation of a catalytic reaction inside a small Pt tube. The model requires internal mass-transfer resistance to match the experiments at lower residence times. Under mass-transport limited conditions, the model reasonably predicted exit conversion using global mass-transfer coefficients. Near light-off, the model results did not match the experiment precisely even after adjustment of mass-transfer coefficients. Agreement improved for the first case after adjusting the surface kinetics such that the net rate of CO adsorption increased compared to O2. The CO / O2 surface mechanism came from a sub-set of reactions in a popular CH4 / O2 mechanism. For the second case, predictions improved for lean conditions with increased external heat loss or adjustment of the kinetics as in the first case. Finally, the results show that different initial surface-species distribution leads to different steady-states under certain conditions. These results demonstrate the utility of a lumped two-phase model of a transient catalytic combustor with detailed chemistry.

Nonequilibrium transport of charge carriers and transient electroluminescence in organic light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikitenko, V. R.; von Seggern, H.

2007-11-01

An analytic theory of nonequilibrium hopping charge transport in disordered organic materials includes quasiequilibrium (normal) and extremely nonequilibrium (dispersive) regimes as limiting cases at long and short times, respectively. In the intermediate interval of time quasiequilibrium value of mobility is nearly established while the coefficient of field-assisted diffusion continues to increase (quasidispersive regime). Therefore, normalized time dependencies of transient current in time-of-flight (TOF) conditions are practically independent of field strength and sample thickness, in good agreement both with data of TOF experiments for molecularly doped polymers and results of numerical simulations of Gaussian disorder model. An analytic model of transient electroluminescence (TEL) is developed on the base of the mentioned theory. Strong asymmetry of mobilities is presumed. In analogy with TOF transients, dispersion parameter of normalized TEL intensity is anomalously large and almost field independent in the quasidispersive regime of transport. The method for determination of mobility from TEL data is proposed.

Two-Flux Green's Function Analysis for Transient Spectral Radiation in a Composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, Robert

1996-01-01

An analysis is developed for obtaining transient temperatures in a two-layer semitransparent composite with spectrally dependent properties. Each external boundary of the composite is subjected to radiation and convection. The two-flux radiative transfer equations are solved by deriving a Green's function. This yields the local radiative heat source needed to numerically solve the transient energy equation. An advantage of the two-flux method is that isotropic scattering is included without added complexity. The layer refractive indices are larger than one. This produces internal reflections at the boundaries and the internal interface; the reflections are assumed diffuse. Spectral results using the Green's function method are verified by comparing with numerical solutions using the exact radiative transfer equations. Transient temperature distributions are given to illustrate the effect of radiative heating on one side of a composite with external convective cooling. The protection of a material from incident radiation is illustrated by adding scattering to the layer adjacent to the radiative source.

Somnolence after prophylactic cranial irradiation in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

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

Freeman, J.E.; Johnston, P.G.B.; Voke, J.M.

1973-12-01

A transient cerebral disturbance characterized by somnolence of varying degree is described in children after cranial irradiation given as part of central nervous system (C.N.S.) prophylaxis for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission. Out of 28 such children receiving cranial irradiation from a telecobalt unit as part of the Medical Research Council protocol for C.N.S. prophylaxis 11 (39%) developed pronounced symptoms of somnolence, anorexia, and lethargy some six weeks after the completion of cranial irradiation, and a further 11 (39%) developed these features in mild form. In all cases the symptoms were transient, no focal neurological abnormality was detected, and allmore » children made a spontansous and complete recovery. E.E.G. studies on five somnolent children showed similar abnormal activity of diffuse and patchy distribution over both hemispheres. Indirect evidence is presented to support the concept that this syndrome represents a transient radiation encephalopathy, analogous to acute transient radiation myelopathy, caused by temporary disturbance of myelin synthesis. (auth)« less

Oxygen and Fuel Jet Diffusion Flame Studies in Microgravity Motivated by Spacecraft Oxygen Storage Fire Safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sunderland, P. B.; Yuan, Z.-G.; Krishnan, S. S.; Abshire, J. M.; Gore, J. P.

2003-01-01

Owing to the absence of past work involving flames similar to the Mir fire namely oxygen-enhanced, inverse gas-jet diffusion flames in microgravity the objectives of this work are as follows: 1. Observe the effects of enhanced oxygen conditions on laminar jet diffusion flames with ethane fuel. 2. Consider both earth gravity and microgravity. 3. Examine both normal and inverse flames. 4. Compare the measured flame lengths and widths with calibrated predictions of several flame shape models. This study expands on the work of Hwang and Gore which emphasized radiative emissions from oxygen-enhanced inverse flames in earth gravity, and Sunderland et al. which emphasized the shapes of normal and inverse oxygen-enhanced gas-jet diffusion flames in microgravity.

Nonmonotonic diffusion in crowded environments

PubMed Central

Putzel, Gregory Garbès; Tagliazucchi, Mario; Szleifer, Igal

2015-01-01

We study the diffusive motion of particles among fixed spherical crowders. The diffusers interact with the crowders through a combination of a hard-core repulsion and a short-range attraction. The long-time effective diffusion coefficient of the diffusers is found to depend non-monotonically on the strength of their attraction to the crowders. That is, for a given concentration of crowders, a weak attraction to the crowders enhances diffusion. We show that this counterintuitive fact can be understood in terms of the mesoscopic excess chemical potential landscape experienced by the diffuser. The roughness of this excess chemical potential landscape quantitatively captures the nonmonotonic dependence of the diffusion rate on the strength of crowder-diffuser attraction; thus it is a purely static predictor of dynamic behavior. The mesoscopic view given here provides a unified explanation for enhanced diffusion effects that have been found in various systems of technological and biological interest. PMID:25302920

Multifunctional Materials: Transparent Reactive Armor Utilizing Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Frameworks

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-02

Applied Surface Science 253, 6305-6309 (2007). 22. Komarov, P. L., Burzo, M. G., Kaytaz, G. & Raad , P. E. Transient thermo- reflectance...1118 (2003). 23. Kulish, V. V., Lage, J. L., Komarov, P. L. & Raad , P. E. A fractional-diffusion theory for calculating thermal properties of thin

Mesh and Time-Step Independent Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nijdam, Justin J.

2013-01-01

A homework assignment is outlined in which students learn Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) concepts of discretization, numerical stability and accuracy, and verification in a hands-on manner by solving physically realistic problems of practical interest to engineers. The students solve a transient-diffusion problem numerically using the common…

Diffusive molecular dynamics simulations of lithiation of silicon nanopillars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendez, J. P.; Ponga, M.; Ortiz, M.

2018-06-01

We report diffusive molecular dynamics simulations concerned with the lithiation of Si nano-pillars, i.e., nano-sized Si rods held at both ends by rigid supports. The duration of the lithiation process is of the order of milliseconds, well outside the range of molecular dynamics but readily accessible to diffusive molecular dynamics. The simulations predict an alloy Li15Si4 at the fully lithiated phase, exceedingly large and transient volume increments up to 300% due to the weakening of Sisbnd Si iterations, a crystalline-to-amorphous-to-lithiation phase transition governed by interface kinetics, high misfit strains and residual stresses resulting in surface cracks and severe structural degradation in the form of extensive porosity, among other effects.

Planar Optical Nanoantennas Resolve Cholesterol-Dependent Nanoscale Heterogeneities in the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells.

PubMed

Regmi, Raju; Winkler, Pamina M; Flauraud, Valentin; Borgman, Kyra J E; Manzo, Carlo; Brugger, Jürgen; Rigneault, Hervé; Wenger, Jérôme; García-Parajo, María F

2017-10-11

Optical nanoantennas can efficiently confine light into nanoscopic hotspots, enabling single-molecule detection sensitivity at biological relevant conditions. This innovative approach to breach the diffraction limit offers a versatile platform to investigate the dynamics of individual biomolecules in living cell membranes and their partitioning into cholesterol-dependent lipid nanodomains. Here, we present optical nanoantenna arrays with accessible surface hotspots to study the characteristic diffusion dynamics of phosphoethanolamine (PE) and sphingomyelin (SM) in the plasma membrane of living cells at the nanoscale. Fluorescence burst analysis and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy performed on nanoantennas of different gap sizes show that, unlike PE, SM is transiently trapped in cholesterol-enriched nanodomains of 10 nm diameter with short characteristic times around 100 μs. The removal of cholesterol led to the free diffusion of SM, consistent with the dispersion of nanodomains. Our results are consistent with the existence of highly transient and fluctuating nanoscale assemblies enriched by cholesterol and sphingolipids in living cell membranes, also known as lipid rafts. Quantitative data on sphingolipids partitioning into lipid rafts is crucial to understand the spatiotemporal heterogeneous organization of transient molecular complexes on the membrane of living cells at the nanoscale. The proposed technique is fully biocompatible and thus provides various opportunities for biophysics and live cell research to reveal details that remain hidden in confocal diffraction-limited measurements.

Planar Optical Nanoantennas Resolve Cholesterol-Dependent Nanoscale Heterogeneities in the Plasma Membrane of Living Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regmi, Raju; Winkler, Pamina M.; Flauraud, Valentin; Borgman, Kyra J. E.; Manzo, Carlo; Brugger, Jürgen; Rigneault, Hervé; Wenger, Jérôme; García-Parajo, María F.

2017-10-01

Optical nanoantennas can efficiently confine light into nanoscopic hotspots, enabling single-molecule detection sensitivity at biological relevant conditions. This innovative approach to breach the diffraction limit offers a versatile platform to investigate the dynamics of individual biomolecules in living cell membranes and their partitioning into cholesterol-dependent lipid nanodomains. Here, we present optical nanoantenna arrays with accessible surface hotspots to study the characteristic diffusion dynamics of phosphoethanolamine (PE) and sphingomyelin (SM) in the plasma membrane of living cells at the nanoscale. Fluorescence burst analysis and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy performed on nanoantennas of different gap sizes show that, unlike PE, SM is transiently trapped in cholesterol-enriched nanodomains of 10 nm diameter with short characteristic times around 100 {\\mu}s. The removal of cholesterol led to the free diffusion of SM, consistent with the dispersion of nanodomains. Our results are consistent with the existence of highly transient and fluctuating nanoscale assemblies enriched by cholesterol and sphingolipids in living cell membranes, also known as lipid rafts. Quantitative data on sphingolipids partitioning into lipid rafts is crucial to understand the spatiotemporal heterogeneous organization of transient molecular complexes on the membrane of living cells at the nanoscale. The proposed technique is fully biocompatible and thus provides various opportunities for biophysics and live cell research to reveal details that remain hidden in confocal diffraction-limited measurements.

Tidal volume single-breath washin of SF6 and CH4 in transient microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dutrieue, Brigitte; Paiva, Manuel; Verbanck, Sylvia; Le Gouic, Marine; Darquenne, Chantal; Prisk, G. Kim

2003-01-01

We performed tidal volume single-breath washins (SBW) by using tracers of different diffusivity and varied the time spent in microgravity (microG) before the start of the tests to look for time-dependent effects. SF(6) and CH(4) phase III slopes decreased by 35 and 26%, respectively, in microG compared with 1 G (P < 0.05), and the slope difference between gases disappeared. There was no effect of time in microG, suggesting that neither the hypergravity period preceding microG nor the time spent in microG affected gas mixing at volumes near functional residual capacity. In previous studies using SF(6) and He (Lauzon A-M, Prisk GK, Elliott AR, Verbanck S, Paiva M, and West JB. J Appl Physiol 82: 859-865, 1997), the vital capacity SBW showed an increase in slope difference between gases in transient microG, the opposite of the decrease in sustained microG. In contrast, tidal volume SBW showed a decrease in slope difference in both microG conditions. Because it is only the behavior of the more diffusive gas that differed between maneuvers and microG conditions, we speculate that, in the previous vital capacity SBW, the hypergravity period preceding the test in transient microG provoked conformational changes at low lung volumes near the acinar entrance.

Transient stability enhancement of electric power generating systems by 120-degree phase rotation

DOEpatents

Cresap, Richard L.; Taylor, Carson W.; Kreipe, Michael J.

1982-01-01

A method and system for enhancing the transient stability of an intertied three-phase electric power generating system. A set of power exporting generators (10) is connected to a set of power importing generators (20). When a transient cannot be controlled by conventional stability controls, and imminent loss of synchronism is detected (such as when the equivalent rotor angle difference between the two generator sets exceeds a predetermined value, such as 150 degrees), the intertie is disconnected by circuit breakers. Then a switch (30) having a 120-degree phase rotation, or a circuit breaker having a 120-degree phase rotation is placed in the intertie. The intertie is then reconnected. This results in a 120-degree reduction in the equivalent rotor angle difference between the two generator sets, making the system more stable and allowing more time for the conventional controls to stabilize the transient.

Simulations of normal and inverse laminar diffusion flames under oxygen enhancement and gravity variation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatia, P.; Katta, V. R.; Krishnan, S. S.; Zheng, Y.; Sunderland, P. B.; Gore, J. P.

2012-10-01

Steady-state global chemistry calculations for 20 different flames were carried out using an axisymmetric Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code. Computational results for 16 flames were compared with flame images obtained at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The experimental flame data for these 16 flames were taken from Sunderland et al. [4] which included normal and inverse diffusion flames of ethane with varying oxidiser compositions (21, 30, 50, 100% O2 mole fraction in N2) stabilised on a 5.5 mm diameter burner. The test conditions of this reference resulted in highly convective inverse diffusion flames (Froude numbers of the order of 10) and buoyant normal diffusion flames (Froude numbers ∼0.1). Additionally, six flames were simulated to study the effect of oxygen enhancement on normal diffusion flames. The enhancement in oxygen resulted in increased flame temperatures and the presence of gravity led to increased gas velocities. The effect of gravity-variation and oxygen enhancement on flame shape and size of normal diffusion flames was far more pronounced than for inverse diffusion flames. For normal-diffusion flames, their flame-lengths decreased (1 to 2 times) and flames-widths increased (2 to 3 times) when going from earth-gravity to microgravity, and flame height decreased by five times when going from air to a pure oxygen environment.

A novel grating-imaging method to measure carrier diffusion coefficient in graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ke; Wang, Yaguo; Akinwande, Deji; Bank, Seth; Lin, Jung-Fu

Similar to carrier mobility, carrier diffusion coefficient in graphene determines the response rate of future graphene-based electronics. Here we present a simple, sensitive and non-destructive technique integrated with ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy to measure carrier diffusion in CVD-grown graphene. In the method, the pump and the probe beams pass through the same area of a photomask with metal strips i.e. a transmission amplitude grating, and get diffracted. The diffracted light is collected by an objective lens and focused onto the sample to generate carrier density grating. Relaxation of this carrier density grating is governed by both carrier recombination and carrier diffusion in the sample. Transient transmission change of the probe beams, which reflects this relaxation process, is recorded. The measured diffusion coefficients of multilayer and monolayer CVD-grown graphene are 2000cm2/s and 10000cm2/s, respectively, comparable with the reported values of epitaxial graphene and reduced graphene. This transmission grating technique can be used to measure carrier dynamics in versatile 2D materials.

Local diffusion and diffusion-T2 distribution measurements in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vashaee, S.; Newling, B.; MacMillan, B.; Marica, F.; Li, M.; Balcom, B. J.

2017-05-01

Slice-selective pulsed field gradient (PFG) and PFG-T2 measurements are developed to measure spatially-resolved molecular diffusion and diffusion-T2 distributions. A spatially selective adiabatic inversion pulse was employed for slice-selection. The slice-selective pulse is able to select a coarse slice, on the order of 1 cm, at an arbitrary position in the sample. The new method can be employed to characterize oil-water mixtures in porous media. The new technique has an inherent sensitivity advantage over phase encoding imaging based methods due to signal being localized from a thick slice. The method will be advantageous for magnetic resonance of porous media at low field where sensitivity is problematic. Experimental CPMG data, following PFG diffusion measurement, were compromised by a transient ΔB0(t) field offset. The off resonance effects of ΔB0(t) were examined by simulation. The ΔB0 offset artifact in D-T2 distribution measurements may be avoided by employing real data, instead of magnitude data.

Permeation of protons, potassium ions, and small polar molecules through phospholipid bilayers as a function of membrane thickness.

PubMed Central

Paula, S; Volkov, A G; Van Hoek, A N; Haines, T H; Deamer, D W

1996-01-01

Two mechanisms have been proposed to account for solute permeation of lipid bilayers. Partitioning into the hydrophobic phase of the bilayer, followed by diffusion, is accepted by many for the permeation of water and other small neutral solutes, but transient pores have also been proposed to account for both water and ionic solute permeation. These two mechanisms make distinctively different predictions about the permeability coefficient as a function of bilayer thickness. Whereas the solubility-diffusion mechanism predicts only a modest variation related to bilayer thickness, the pore model predicts an exponential relationship. To test these models, we measured the permeability of phospholipid bilayers to protons, potassium ions, water, urea, and glycerol. Bilayers were prepared as liposomes, and thickness was varied systematically by using unsaturated lipids with chain lengths ranging from 14 to 24 carbon atoms. The permeability coefficient of water and neutral polar solutes displayed a modest dependence on bilayer thickness, with an approximately linear fivefold decrease as the carbon number varied from 14 to 24 atoms. In contrast, the permeability to protons and potassium ions decreased sharply by two orders of magnitude between 14 and 18 carbon atoms, and leveled off, when the chain length was further extended to 24 carbon atoms. The results for water and the neutral permeating solutes are best explained by the solubility-diffusion mechanism. The results for protons and potassium ions in shorter-chain lipids are consistent with the transient pore model, but better fit the theoretical line predicted by the solubility-diffusion model at longer chain lengths. PMID:8770210

Permeation of protons, potassium ions, and small polar molecules through phospholipid bilayers as a function of membrane thickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paula, S.; Volkov, A. G.; Van Hoek, A. N.; Haines, T. H.; Deamer, D. W.

1996-01-01

Two mechanisms have been proposed to account for solute permeation of lipid bilayers. Partitioning into the hydrophobic phase of the bilayer, followed by diffusion, is accepted by many for the permeation of water and other small neutral solutes, but transient pores have also been proposed to account for both water and ionic solute permeation. These two mechanisms make distinctively different predictions about the permeability coefficient as a function of bilayer thickness. Whereas the solubility-diffusion mechanism predicts only a modest variation related to bilayer thickness, the pore model predicts an exponential relationship. To test these models, we measured the permeability of phospholipid bilayers to protons, potassium ions, water, urea, and glycerol. Bilayers were prepared as liposomes, and thickness was varied systematically by using unsaturated lipids with chain lengths ranging from 14 to 24 carbon atoms. The permeability coefficient of water and neutral polar solutes displayed a modest dependence on bilayer thickness, with an approximately linear fivefold decrease as the carbon number varied from 14 to 24 atoms. In contrast, the permeability to protons and potassium ions decreased sharply by two orders of magnitude between 14 and 18 carbon atoms, and leveled off, when the chain length was further extended to 24 carbon atoms. The results for water and the neutral permeating solutes are best explained by the solubility-diffusion mechanism. The results for protons and potassium ions in shorter-chain lipids are consistent with the transient pore model, but better fit the theoretical line predicted by the solubility-diffusion model at longer chain lengths.

Cerebral Metastases of Lung Cancer Mimicking Multiple Ischaemic Lesions - A Case Report and Review of Literature.

PubMed

Zacharzewska-Gondek, Anna; Maksymowicz, Hanna; Szymczyk, Małgorzata; Sąsiadek, Marek; Bladowska, Joanna

2017-01-01

Restricted diffusion that is found on magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) typically indicates acute ischaemic stroke. However, restricted diffusion can also occur in other diseases, like metastatic brain tumours, which we describe in this case report. A 57-year-old male, with a diagnosis of small-cell cancer of the right lung (microcellular anaplastic carcinoma), was admitted with focal neurological symptoms. Initial brain MRI revealed multiple, disseminated lesions that were hyperintense on T2-weighted images and did not enhance after contrast administration; notably, some lesions manifested restricted diffusion on DWI images. Based on these findings, disseminated ischaemic lesions were diagnosed. On follow-up MRI that was performed after 2 weeks, we observed enlargement of the lesions; there were multiple, disseminated, sharply outlined, contrast-enhancing, oval foci with persistent restriction of diffusion. We diagnosed the lesions as disseminated brain metastases due to lung cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first description of a patient with brain metastases that were characterised by restricted diffusion and no contrast enhancement. Multiple, disseminated brain lesions, that are characterised by restricted diffusion on DWI, typically indicate acute or hyperacute ischemic infarcts; however, they can also be due to hypercellular metastases, even if no contrast enhancement is observed. This latter possibility should be considered particularly in patients with cancer.

Definition and evaluation of transient ischemic attack: a scientific statement for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Stroke Council; Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia; Council on Cardiovascular Radiology and Intervention; Council on Cardiovascular Nursing; and the Interdisciplinary Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease. The American Academy of Neurology affirms the value of this statement as an educational tool for neurologists.

PubMed

Easton, J Donald; Saver, Jeffrey L; Albers, Gregory W; Alberts, Mark J; Chaturvedi, Seemant; Feldmann, Edward; Hatsukami, Thomas S; Higashida, Randall T; Johnston, S Claiborne; Kidwell, Chelsea S; Lutsep, Helmi L; Miller, Elaine; Sacco, Ralph L

2009-06-01

This scientific statement is intended for use by physicians and allied health personnel caring for patients with transient ischemic attacks. Formal evidence review included a structured literature search of Medline from 1990 to June 2007 and data synthesis employing evidence tables, meta-analyses, and pooled analysis of individual patient-level data. The review supported endorsement of the following, tissue-based definition of transient ischemic attack (TIA): a transient episode of neurological dysfunction caused by focal brain, spinal cord, or retinal ischemia, without acute infarction. Patients with TIAs are at high risk of early stroke, and their risk may be stratified by clinical scale, vessel imaging, and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. Diagnostic recommendations include: TIA patients should undergo neuroimaging evaluation within 24 hours of symptom onset, preferably with magnetic resonance imaging, including diffusion sequences; noninvasive imaging of the cervical vessels should be performed and noninvasive imaging of intracranial vessels is reasonable; electrocardiography should occur as soon as possible after TIA and prolonged cardiac monitoring and echocardiography are reasonable in patients in whom the vascular etiology is not yet identified; routine blood tests are reasonable; and it is reasonable to hospitalize patients with TIA if they present within 72 hours and have an ABCD(2) score >or=3, indicating high risk of early recurrence, or the evaluation cannot be rapidly completed on an outpatient basis.

The effects of transient attention on spatial resolution and the size of the attentional cue.

PubMed

Yeshurun, Yaffa; Carrasco, Marisa

2008-01-01

It has been shown that transient attention enhances spatial resolution, but is the effect of transient attention on spatial resolution modulated by the size of the attentional cue? Would a gradual increase in the size of the cue lead to a gradual decrement in spatial resolution? To test these hypotheses, we used a texture segmentation task in which performance depends on spatial resolution, and systematically manipulated the size of the attentional cue: A bar of different lengths (Experiment 1) or a frame of different sizes (Experiments 2-3) indicated the target region in a texture segmentation display. Observers indicated whether a target patch region (oriented line elements in a background of an orthogonal orientation), appearing at a range of eccentricities, was present in the first or the second interval. We replicated the attentional enhancement of spatial resolution found with small cues; attention improved performance at peripheral locations but impaired performance at central locations. However, there was no evidence of gradual resolution decrement with large cues. Transient attention enhanced spatial resolution at the attended location when it was attracted to that location by a small cue but did not affect resolution when it was attracted by a large cue. These results indicate that transient attention cannot adapt its operation on spatial resolution on the basis of the size of the attentional cue.

One-Dimensional Singlet Exciton Diffusion in Poly(3-hexylthiophene) Crystalline Domains.

PubMed

Tamai, Yasunari; Matsuura, Yuu; Ohkita, Hideo; Benten, Hiroaki; Ito, Shinzaburo

2014-01-16

Singlet exciton dynamics in crystalline domains of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) films was studied by transient absorption spectroscopy. Upon the selective excitation of crystalline P3HT at the absorption edge, no red shift of the singlet exciton band was observed with an elapse of time, suggesting singlet exciton dynamics in relatively homogeneous P3HT crystalline domains without downhill relaxation in the energetic disorder. Even under such selective excitation conditions, the annihilation rate coefficient γ(t) was still dependent on time, γ(t) ∝ t(-1/2), which is attributed to anisotropic exciton diffusion in P3HT crystalline domains. From the annihilation rate coefficient, the singlet exciton diffusion coefficient D and exciton diffusion length LD in the crystalline domains were evaluated to be 7.9 × 10(-3) cm(2) s(-1) and 20 nm, respectively. The origin of the time-dependent exciton dynamics is discussed in terms of dimensionality.

Validation and comparison of imaging-based scores for prediction of early stroke risk after transient ischaemic attack: a pooled analysis of individual-patient data from cohort studies.

PubMed

Kelly, Peter J; Albers, Gregory W; Chatzikonstantinou, Anastasios; De Marchis, Gian Marco; Ferrari, Julia; George, Paul; Katan, Mira; Knoflach, Michael; Kim, Jong S; Li, Linxin; Lee, Eun-Jae; Olivot, Jean-Marc; Purroy, Francisco; Raposo, Nicolas; Rothwell, Peter M; Sharma, Vijay K; Song, Bo; Tsivgoulis, Georgios; Walsh, Cathal; Xu, Yuming; Merwick, Aine

2016-11-01

Identification of patients at highest risk of early stroke after transient ischaemic attack has been improved with imaging based scores. We aimed to compare the validity and prognostic utility of imaging-based stroke risk scores in patients after transient ischaemic attack. We did a pooled analysis of published and unpublished individual-patient data from 16 cohort studies of transient ischaemic attack done in Asia, Europe, and the USA, with early brain and vascular imaging and follow up. All patients were assessed by stroke specialists in hospital settings as inpatients, in emergency departments, or in transient ischaemic attack clinics. Inclusion criteria were stroke-specialist confirmed transient ischaemic attack, age of 18 years or older, and MRI done within 7 days of index transient ischaemic attack and before stroke recurrence. Multivariable logistic regression was done to analyse the predictive utility of abnormal diffusion-weighted MRI, carotid stenosis, and transient ischaemic attack within 1 week of index transient ischaemic attack (dual transient ischaemic attack) after adjusting for ABCD2 score. We compared the prognostic utility of the ABCD2, ABCD2-I, and ABCD3-I scores using discrimination, calibration, and risk reclassification. In 2176 patients from 16 cohort studies done between 2005 and 2015, after adjusting for ABCD2 score, positive diffusion-weighted imaging (odds ratio [OR] 3·8, 95% CI 2·1-7·0), dual transient ischaemic attack (OR 3·3, 95% CI 1·8-5·8), and ipsilateral carotid stenosis (OR 4·7, 95% CI 2·6-8·6) were associated with 7 day stroke after index transient ischaemic attack (p<0·001 for all). 7 day stroke risk increased with increasing ABCD2-I and ABCD3-I scores (both p<0·001). Discrimination to identify early stroke risk was improved for ABCD2-I versus ABCD2 (2 day c statistic 0·74 vs 0·64; p=0·006). However, discrimination was further improved by ABCD3-I compared with ABCD2 (2 day c statistic 0·84 vs 0·64; p<0·001) and ABCD2-I (c statistic 0·84 vs 0·74; p<0·001). Early stroke risk reclassification was improved by ABCD3-I compared with ABCD2-I score (clinical net reclassification improvement 33% at 2 days). Although ABCD2-I and ABCD3-I showed validity, the ABCD3-I score reliably identified highest-risk patients at highest risk of a stroke after transient ischaemic attack with improved risk prediction compared with ABCD2-I. Transient ischaemic attack management guided by ABCD3-I with immediate stroke-specialist assessment, urgent MRI, and vascular imaging should now be considered, with monitoring of safety and cost-effectiveness. Health Research Board of Ireland, Irish Heart Foundation, Irish Health Service Executive, Irish National Lottery, National Medical Research Council of Singapore, Swiss National Science Foundation, Bangerter-Rhyner Foundation, Swiss National Science Foundation, Swisslife Jubiläumsstiftung for Medical Research, Swiss Neurological Society, Fondazione Dr Ettore Balli (Switzerland), Clinical Trial Unit of University of Bern, South Korea's Ministry for Health, Welfare, and Family Affairs, UK Wellcome Trust, Wolfson Foundation, UK Stroke Association, British Heart Foundation, Dunhill Medical Trust, National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), Medical Research Council, and the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of crop photosynthesis by diffuse light: quantifying the contributing factors.

PubMed

Li, T; Heuvelink, E; Dueck, T A; Janse, J; Gort, G; Marcelis, L F M

2014-07-01

Plants use diffuse light more efficiently than direct light. However, experimental comparisons between diffuse and direct light have been obscured by co-occurring differences in environmental conditions (e.g. light intensity). This study aims to analyse the factors that contribute to an increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light and to quantify their relative contribution under different levels of diffuseness at similar light intensities. The hypothesis is that the enhancement of crop photosynthesis in diffuse light results not only from the direct effects of more uniform vertical and horizontal light distribution in the crop canopy, but also from crop physiological and morphological acclimation. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) crops were grown in three greenhouse compartments that were covered by glass with different degrees of light diffuseness (0, 45 and 71 % of the direct light being converted into diffuse light) while maintaining similar light transmission. Measurements of horizontal and vertical photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) distribution in the crop, leaf photosynthesis light response curves and leaf area index (LAI) were used to quantify each factor's contribution to an increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light. In addition, leaf temperature, photoinhibition, and leaf biochemical and anatomical properties were studied. The highest degree of light diffuseness (71 %) increased the calculated crop photosynthesis by 7·2 %. This effect was mainly attributed to a more uniform horizontal (33 % of the total effect) and vertical PPFD distribution (21 %) in the crop. In addition, plants acclimated to the high level of diffuseness by gaining a higher photosynthetic capacity of leaves in the middle of the crop and a higher LAI, which contributed 23 and 13 %, respectively, to the total increase in crop photosynthesis in diffuse light. Moreover, diffuse light resulted in lower leaf temperatures and less photoinhibition at the top of the canopy when global irradiance was high. Diffuse light enhanced crop photosynthesis. A more uniform horizontal PPFD distribution played the most important role in this enhancement, and a more uniform vertical PPFD distribution and higher leaf photosynthetic capacity contributed more to the enhancement of crop photosynthesis than did higher values of LAI. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Integral imaging based light field display with enhanced viewing resolution using holographic diffuser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Zhiqiang; Yan, Xingpeng; Jiang, Xiaoyu; Gao, Hui; Wen, Jun

2017-11-01

An integral imaging based light field display method is proposed by use of holographic diffuser, and enhanced viewing resolution is gained over conventional integral imaging systems. The holographic diffuser is fabricated with controlled diffusion characteristics, which interpolates the discrete light field of the reconstructed points to approximate the original light field. The viewing resolution can thus be improved and independent of the limitation imposed by Nyquist sampling frequency. An integral imaging system with low Nyquist sampling frequency is constructed, and reconstructed scenes of high viewing resolution using holographic diffuser are demonstrated, verifying the feasibility of the method.

Optimal energy growth in a stably stratified shear flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jose, Sharath; Roy, Anubhab; Bale, Rahul; Iyer, Krithika; Govindarajan, Rama

2018-02-01

Transient growth of perturbations by a linear non-modal evolution is studied here in a stably stratified bounded Couette flow. The density stratification is linear. Classical inviscid stability theory states that a parallel shear flow is stable to exponentially growing disturbances if the Richardson number (Ri) is greater than 1/4 everywhere in the flow. Experiments and numerical simulations at higher Ri show however that algebraically growing disturbances can lead to transient amplification. The complexity of a stably stratified shear flow stems from its ability to combine this transient amplification with propagating internal gravity waves (IGWs). The optimal perturbations associated with maximum energy amplification are numerically obtained at intermediate Reynolds numbers. It is shown that in this wall-bounded flow, the three-dimensional optimal perturbations are oblique, unlike in unstratified flow. A partitioning of energy into kinetic and potential helps in understanding the exchange of energies and how it modifies the transient growth. We show that the apportionment between potential and kinetic energy depends, in an interesting manner, on the Richardson number, and on time, as the transient growth proceeds from an optimal perturbation. The oft-quoted stabilizing role of stratification is also probed in the non-diffusive limit in the context of disturbance energy amplification.

Detection of non-absorbing charge dynamics via refractive index change in dye-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Kuwahara, Shota; Hata, Hiroaki; Taya, Soichiro; Maeda, Naotaka; Shen, Qing; Toyoda, Taro; Katayama, Kenji

2013-04-28

The carrier dynamics in dye-sensitized solar cells was investigated by using the transient grating, in addition to the transient absorption method and transient photocurrent method on the order of microseconds to seconds. The signals for the same sample were obtained under a short-circuit condition to compare the carrier dynamics via refractive index change with the transient photocurrent measurement. Optically silent carrier dynamics by transient absorption have been successfully observed via a refractive index change. The corresponding signal components were originated from the charge dynamics at the solid/liquid interface, especially on the liquid side; rearrangement or diffusion motion of charged redox species occurred when the injected electrons were trapped at the TiO2 surface and when the electron-electrolyte recombination occurred at the interface. The assignments were confirmed from the dependence on the viscosity of the solvent and the presence of 4-tert-butyl pyridine. As the viscosity of the solvent increased, the rearrangement and the motion of the charged redox species were delayed. Since the rearrangement dynamics was changed by the presence of 4-tert-butyl pyridine, it affected not only the TiO2 surface but also the redox species close to the interface.

Calcium Domains around Single and Clustered IP3 Receptors and Their Modulation by Buffers

PubMed Central

Rüdiger, S.; Nagaiah, Ch.; Warnecke, G.; Shuai, J.W.

2010-01-01

Abstract We study Ca2+ release through single and clustered IP3 receptor channels on the ER membrane under presence of buffer proteins. Our computational scheme couples reaction-diffusion equations and a Markovian channel model and allows our investigating the effects of buffer proteins on local calcium concentrations and channel gating. We find transient and stationary elevations of calcium concentrations around active channels and show how they determine release amplitude. Transient calcium domains occur after closing of isolated channels and constitute an important part of the channel's feedback. They cause repeated openings (bursts) and mediate increased release due to Ca2+ buffering by immobile proteins. Stationary domains occur during prolonged activity of clustered channels, where the spatial proximity of IP3Rs produces a distinct [Ca2+] scale (0.5–10 μM), which is smaller than channel pore concentrations (>100 μM) but larger than transient levels. While immobile buffer affects transient levels only, mobile buffers in general reduce both transient and stationary domains, giving rise to Ca2+ evacuation and biphasic modulation of release amplitude. Our findings explain recent experiments in oocytes and provide a general framework for the understanding of calcium signals. PMID:20655827

Developing semi-analytical solution for multiple-zone transient storage model with spatially non-uniform storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Baoqing; Si, Yinbing; Wang, Jia

2017-12-01

Transient storages may vary along the stream due to stream hydraulic conditions and the characteristics of storage. Analytical solutions of transient storage models in literature didn't cover the spatially non-uniform storage. A novel integral transform strategy is presented that simultaneously performs integral transforms to the concentrations in the stream and in storage zones by using the single set of eigenfunctions derived from the advection-diffusion equation of the stream. The semi-analytical solution of the multiple-zone transient storage model with the spatially non-uniform storage is obtained by applying the generalized integral transform technique to all partial differential equations in the multiple-zone transient storage model. The derived semi-analytical solution is validated against the field data in literature. Good agreement between the computed data and the field data is obtained. Some illustrative examples are formulated to demonstrate the applications of the present solution. It is shown that solute transport can be greatly affected by the variation of mass exchange coefficient and the ratio of cross-sectional areas. When the ratio of cross-sectional areas is big or the mass exchange coefficient is small, more reaches are recommended to calibrate the parameter.

An Investigation of Surge in a High-Speed Centrifugal Compressor Using Digital PIV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wernet, Mark P.; Bright, Michelle M.; Skoch, Gary J.

2001-01-01

Compressor stall is a catastrophic breakdown of the flow in a compressor, which con lead to a loss of engine power, large pressure transients in the inlet/nacelle, and engine flameout. The implementation of active or passive strategies for controlling rotating stall and surge can significantly extend the stable operating range of a compressor without substantially sacrificing performance. It is crucial to identify the dynamic changes occurring in the flow field prior to rotating stall and surge in order to control these events successfully. Generally, pressure transducer measurements are made to capture the transient response of a compressor prior to rotating stall. In this investigation, Digital Particle Imaging Velocimetry (DPIV) is used in conjunction with dynamic pressure transducers to capture transient velocity and pressure measurements simultaneously in the nonstationary flow field during compressor surge. DPIV is an instantaneous, planar measurement technique that is ideally suited for studying transient flow phenomena in highspeed turbomachinery and has been used previously to map the stable operating point flow field in the diffuser of a high-speed centrifugal compressor. Through the acquisition of both DPIV images and transient pressure data, the time evolution of the unsteady flow during surge is revealed.

An Investigation of Surge in a High-Speed Centrifugal Compressor Using Digital PIV

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wernet, Mark P.; Bright, Michelle M.; Skoch, Gary J.

2002-01-01

Compressor stall is a catastrophic breakdown of the flow in a compressor, which can lead to a loss of engine power, large pressure transients in the inlet/nacelle and engine flameout. The implementation of active or passive strategies for controlling rotating stall and surge can significantly extend the stable operating range of a compressor without substantially sacrificing performance. It is crucial to identify the dynamic changes occurring in the flow field prior to rotating stall and surge in order to successfully control these events. Generally, pressure transducer measurements are made to capture the transient response of a compressor prior to rotating stall. In this investigation, Digital Particle Imaging Velocimetry (DPIV) is used in conjunction with dynamic pressure transducers to simultaneously capture transient velocity and pressure measurements in the non-stationary flow field during compressor surge. DPIV is an instantaneous, planar measurement technique which is ideally suited for studying transient flow phenomena in high speed turbomachinery and has been used previously to successfully map the stable operating point flow field in the diffuser of a high speed centrifugal compressor. Through the acquisition of both DPIV images and transient pressure data, the time evolution of the unsteady flow during surge is revealed.

Two-Flux and Green's Function Method for Transient Radiative Transfer in a Semi-Transparent Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, Robert

1995-01-01

A method using a Green's function is developed for computing transient temperatures in a semitransparent layer by using the two-flux method coupled with the transient energy equation. Each boundary of the layer is exposed to a hot or cold radiative environment, and is heated or cooled by convection. The layer refractive index is larger than one, and the effect of internal reflections is included with the boundaries assumed diffuse. The analysis accounts for internal emission, absorption, heat conduction, and isotropic scattering. Spectrally dependent radiative properties are included, and transient results are given to illustrate two-band spectral behavior with optically thin and thick bands. Transient results using the present Green's function method are verified for a gray layer by comparison with a finite difference solution of the exact radiative transfer equations; excellent agreement is obtained. The present method requires only moderate computing times and incorporates isotropic scattering without additional complexity. Typical temperature distributions are given to illustrate application of the method by examining the effect of strong radiative heating on one side of a layer with convective cooling on the other side, and the interaction of strong convective heating with radiative cooling from the layer interior.

Glioblastoma Presenting with Pure Alexia and Palinopsia Involving the Left Inferior Occipital Gyrus and Visual Word Form Area Evaluated with Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Diffusion Tensor Imaging Tractography.

PubMed

Huang, Meng; Baskin, David S; Fung, Steve

2016-05-01

Rapid word recognition and reading fluency is a specialized cortical process governed by the visual word form area (VWFA), which is localized to the dominant posterior lateral occipitotemporal sulcus/fusiform gyrus. A lesion of the VWFA results in pure alexia without agraphia characterized by letter-by-letter reading. Palinopsia is a visual processing distortion characterized by persistent afterimages and has been reported in lesions involving the nondominant occipitotemporal cortex. A 67-year-old right-handed woman with no neurologic history presented to our emergency department with acute cortical ischemic symptoms that began with a transient episode of receptive aphasia. She also reported inability to read, albeit with retained writing ability. She also saw afterimages of objects. During her stroke workup, an intra-axial circumscribed enhancing mass lesion was discovered involving her dominant posterolateral occipitotemporal lobe. Given the eloquent brain involvement, she underwent preoperative functional magnetic resonance imaging with diffusion tensor imaging tractography and awake craniotomy to maximize resection and preserve function. Many organic lesions involving these regions have been reported in the literature, but to the best of our knowledge, glioblastoma involving the VWFA resulting in both clinical syndromes of pure alexia and palinopsia with superimposed functional magnetic resonance imaging and fiber tract mapping has never been reported before. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elimination of carbon vacancies in 4H-SiC employing thermodynamic equilibrium conditions at moderate temperatures

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

Ayedh, H. M.; Svensson, B. G.; Nipoti, R.

The carbon vacancy (V{sub C}) is a major point defect in high-purity 4H-SiC epitaxial layers limiting the minority charge carrier lifetime. In layers grown by chemical vapor deposition techniques, the V{sub C} concentration is typically in the range of 10{sup 12 }cm{sup −3}, and after device processing at temperatures approaching 2000 °C, it can be enhanced by several orders of magnitude. In the present study, both as-grown layers and a high-temperature processed one have been annealed at 1500 °C and the V{sub C} concentration is demonstrated to be strongly reduced, exhibiting a value of only a few times 10{sup 11 }cm{sup −3} as determinedmore » by deep-level transient spectroscopy measurements. The value is reached already after annealing times on the order of 1 h and is evidenced to reflect thermodynamic equilibrium under C-rich ambient conditions. The physical processes controlling the kinetics for establishment of the V{sub C} equilibrium are estimated to have an activation energy below ∼3 eV and both in-diffusion of carbon interstitials and out-diffusion of V{sub C}'s are discussed as candidates. This concept of V{sub C} elimination is flexible and readily integrated in a materials and device processing sequence.« less

Structural Fluctuation and Thermophysical Properties of Molten II-VI Compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The objectives of the project is to conduct ground-based experimental and theoretical research on the structural fluctuations and thermophysical properties of molten II-VI compounds to enhance the basic understanding of the existing flight experiments in microgravity materials science programs and to study the fundamental heterophase fluctuations phenomena in these melts by: 1) Conducting neutron scattering analysis and measuring quantitatively the relevant thermophysical properties of the II-VI melts such as viscosity, electrical conductivity, thermal diffusivity and density as well as the relaxation characteristics of these properties to advance the understanding of the structural properties and the relaxation phenomena in these melts and 2) Performing theoretical analyses on the melt systems to interpret the experimental results. All the facilities required for the experimental measurements have been procured, installed and tested. A relaxation phenomenon, which shows a slow drift of the measured thermal conductivity toward the equilibrium value after cooling of the sample, was observed for the first time. An apparatus based on the transient torque induced by a rotating magnetic field has been developed to determine the viscosity and electrical conductivity of semiconducting liquids. Viscosity measurements on molten tellurium showed similar relaxation behavior as the measured diffusivity. Neutron scattering experiments were performed on the HgTe and HgZnTe melts and the results on pair distribution showed better resolution than previous reported.

Structural Fluctuations and Thermophysical Properties of Molten II-VI Compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Su, Ching-Hua; Zhu, S.; Li, C.; Scripa, R.; Lehoczky, S. L.; Kim, Y. M.; Baird, J. K.; Lin, B.; Ban, H.; Benmore, Chris;

How does low-molecular-weight polystyrene dissolve: osmotic swelling vs. surface dissolution.

PubMed

Marcon, Valentina; van der Vegt, Nico F A

2014-12-07

By means of multiscale hierarchical modeling we study the real time evolution of low-molecular-weight polystyrene, below the glass transition temperature, in contact with its solvent, toluene. We observe two concurrent phenomena taking place: (1) the solvent diffuses into the polymer by a Case II mechanism, leading to osmotic driven swelling and progressive chain dilution (inside-out mechanism); (2) polymer chains are solvated, detach from the interface and move into the solvent before the film is completely swollen (outside-in mechanism). From our simulations we conclude that, below the entanglement length, a thin swollen layer, also observed in previous experiments, forms almost instantaneously, which allows for the outside-in mechanism to start a few tens of nanoseconds after the polymer-solvent initial contact. After this initial transient time the two mechanisms are concurrent. We furthermore observe that the presence of the solvent significantly enhances the mobility of the polymer chains of the surface layer, but only in the direction parallel to the interface.

Induction of lyme arthritis in LSH hamsters

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

Schmitz, J.L.; Schell, R.F.; Hejka, A.

1988-09-01

In studies of experimental Lyme disease, a major obstacle has been the unavailability of a suitable animal model. We found that irradiated LSH/Ss Lak hamsters developed arthritis after injection of Borrelia burgdorferi in the hind paws. When nonirradiated hamsters were injected in the hind paws with B. burgdorferi, acute transient synovitis was present. A diffuse neutrophilic infiltrate involved the synovia and periarticular structures. The inflammation was associated with edema, hyperemia, and granulation tissue. Numerous spirochetes were seen in the synovial and subsynovial tissues. The histopathologic changes were enhanced in irradiated hamsters. The onset and duration of the induced swelling weremore » dependent on the dose of radiation and the inoculum of spirochetes. Inoculation of irradiated hamsters with Formalin-killed spirochetes or medium in which B. burgdorferi had grown for 7 days failed to induce swelling. This animal model should prove useful for studies of the immune response to B. burgdorferi and the pathogenesis of Lyme arthritis.« less

Comparison of numerical simulation and experimental data for steam-in-place sterilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Jack H.; Lasher, William C.

1993-01-01

A complex problem involving convective flow of a binary mixture containing a condensable vapor and noncondensable gas in a partially enclosed chamber was modelled and results compared to transient experimental values. The finite element model successfully predicted transport processes in dead-ended tubes with inside diameters of 0.4 to 1.0 cm. When buoyancy driven convective flow was dominant, temperature and mixture compositions agreed with experimental data. Data from 0.4 cm tubes indicate diffusion to be the primary air removal method in small diameter tubes and the diffusivity value in the model to be too large.

Short-term increases in transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 mediate stress-induced enhancement of neuronal excitation.

PubMed

Weitlauf, Carl; Ward, Nicholas J; Lambert, Wendi S; Sidorova, Tatiana N; Ho, Karen W; Sappington, Rebecca M; Calkins, David J

2014-11-12

Progression of neurodegeneration in disease and injury is influenced by the response of individual neurons to stressful stimuli and whether this response includes mechanisms to counter declining function. Transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels transduce a variety of disease-relevant stimuli and can mediate diverse stress-dependent changes in physiology, both presynaptic and postsynaptic. Recently, we demonstrated that knock-out or pharmacological inhibition of the TRP vanilloid-1 (TRPV1) capsaicin-sensitive subunit accelerates degeneration of retinal ganglion cell neurons and their axons with elevated ocular pressure, the critical stressor in the most common optic neuropathy, glaucoma. Here we probed the mechanism of the influence of TRPV1 on ganglion cell survival in mouse models of glaucoma. We found that induced elevations of ocular pressure increased TRPV1 in ganglion cells and its colocalization at excitatory synapses to their dendrites, whereas chronic elevation progressively increased ganglion cell Trpv1 mRNA. Enhanced TRPV1 expression in ganglion cells was transient and supported a reversal of the effect of TRPV1 on ganglion cells from hyperpolarizing to depolarizing, which was also transient. Short-term enhancement of TRPV1-mediated activity led to a delayed increase in axonal spontaneous excitation that was absent in ganglion cells from Trpv1(-/-) retina. In isolated ganglion cells, pharmacologically activated TRPV1 mobilized to discrete nodes along ganglion cell dendrites that corresponded to sites of elevated Ca(2+). These results suggest that TRPV1 may promote retinal ganglion cell survival through transient enhancement of local excitation and axonal activity in response to ocular stress. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/3415369-13$15.00/0.

Effects of an acute therapeutic or rewarding dose of amphetamine on acquisition of Pavlovian autoshaping and ventral striatal dopamine signaling.

PubMed

Schuweiler, D R; Athens, J M; Thompson, J M; Vazhayil, S T; Garris, P A

2018-01-15

Rewarding doses of amphetamine increase the amplitude, duration, and frequency of dopamine transients in the ventral striatum. Debate continues at the behavioral level about which component of reward, learning or incentive salience, is signaled by these dopamine transients and thus altered in addiction. The learning hypothesis proposes that rewarding drugs result in pathological overlearning of drug-predictive cues, while the incentive sensitization hypothesis suggests that rewarding drugs result in sensitized attribution of incentive salience to drug-predictive cues. Therapeutic doses of amphetamine, such as those used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, are hypothesized to enhance the ventral striatal dopamine transients that are critical for reward-related learning and to enhance Pavlovian learning. However, the effects of therapeutic doses of amphetamine on Pavlovian learning are poorly understood, and the effects on dopamine transients are completely unknown. We determined the effects of an acute pre-training therapeutic or rewarding amphetamine injection on the acquisition of Pavlovian autoshaping in the intact rat. We also determined the effects of these doses on electrically evoked transient-like dopamine signals using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry in the anesthetized rat. The rewarding dose enhanced the amplitude and duration of DA signals, caused acute task disengagement, impaired learning for several days, and triggered incentive sensitization. The therapeutic dose produced smaller enhancements in DA signals but did not have similar behavioral effects. These results underscore the necessity of more studies using therapeutic doses, and suggest a hybrid learning/incentive sensitization model may be required to explain the development of addiction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mössbauer characterization of joints of steel pieces in transient liquid phase bonding experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

di Luozzo, N.; Martínez Stenger, P. F.; Canal, J. P.; Fontana, M. R.; Arcondo, B.

2011-11-01

Joining of seamless, low carbon, steel tubes were performed by means of Transient Liquid Phase Bonding process employing a foil of Fe-Si-B metallic glass as filler material. The influence of the main parameters of the process was evaluated: temperature, holding time, pressure and post weld heat treatment. Powder samples were obtained from the joint of tubes and characterized employing Mössbauer Spectroscopy in transmission geometry. The sampling was performed both in tubes successfully welded and in those which show joint defects. The results obtained are correlated with the obtained microstructure and the diffusion of Si and B during the process.

Development of an Advanced Flameless Combustion Heat Source Utilizing Heavy Fuels

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

Flow Uniformity Test Cell .............................................................................51 Figure 37. Relationship Between Thermal...equations that influence both transient and steady state thermal behavior. Equation 1 describes the relationship between thermal diffusivity and the...intrinsic properties of any material. Equation 2 describes the Wiedemann-Franz law. P. Grootenhuis, et al reported on the relationship between

Multiple micronutrient supplementation transiently ameliorates environmental enteropathy in Malawian children aged 12-35 months in a randomized controlled clinical trial

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Environmental enteropathy (EE) is subclinical, diffuse villous atrophy characterized by T cell infiltration of the small intestinal mucosa associated with nutrient malabsorption and stunting. EE is assessed by the lactulose:mannitol (L:M) test, whereby nonmetabolized sugars are ingested and quantifi...

Mathematical model of water transport in Bacon and alkaline matrix-type hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prokopius, P. R.; Easter, R. W.

1972-01-01

Based on general mass continuity and diffusive transport equations, a mathematical model was developed that simulates the transport of water in Bacon and alkaline-matrix fuel cells. The derived model was validated by using it to analytically reproduce various Bacon and matrix-cell experimental water transport transients.

Rapid ultrasound-induced transient-liquid-phase bonding of Al-50Si alloys with Zn interlayer in air for electrical packaging application.

PubMed

Wang, Qian; Chen, Xiaoguang; Zhu, Lin; Yan, Jiuchun; Lai, Zhiwei; Zhao, Pizhi; Bao, Juncheng; Lv, Guicai; You, Chen; Zhou, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Jian; Li, Yuntao

2017-01-01

Al-50Si alloys were joined by rapid ultrasound-induced transient-liquid-phase bonding method using Zn foil as interlayer at 390°C in air, below the melt point of interlayer. The fracture of oxide films along the edge of Si particles led to contact and inter-diffusion between aluminum substrate and Zn interlayer, and liquefied Zn-Al alloys were developed. The width of Zn-Al alloys gradually decreased with increasing the ultrasonic vibration time due to liquid squeezing out and accelerated diffusion. A stage of isothermal solidification existed, and the completion time was significantly shortened. In the liquid metal, the acoustic streaming and ultrasonic cavitations were induced. As the process developed, much more Si particles, which were particulate-reinforced phases of Al-50Si, gradually migrated to the center of soldering seam. The highest average shear strength of joints reached to 94.2MPa, and the fracture mainly occurred at the base metal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Si-H bond dynamics in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scharff, R. Jason; McGrane, Shawn D.

2007-08-01

The ultrafast structural dynamics of the Si-H bond in the rigid solvent environment of an amorphous silicon thin film is investigated using two-dimensional infrared four-wave mixing techniques. The two-dimensional infrared (2DIR) vibrational correlation spectrum resolves the homogeneous line shapes ( <2.5cm-1 linewidth) of the 0→1 and 1→2 vibrational transitions within the extensively inhomogeneously broadened ( 78cm-1 linewidth) Si-H vibrational band. There is no spectral diffusion evident in correlation spectra obtained at 0.2, 1, and 4ps waiting times. The Si-H stretching mode anharmonic shift is determined to be 84cm-1 and decreases slightly with vibrational frequency. The 1→2 linewidth increases with vibrational frequency. Frequency dependent vibrational population times measured by transient grating spectroscopy are also reported. The narrow homogeneous line shape, large inhomogeneous broadening, and lack of spectral diffusion reported here present the ideal backdrop for using a 2DIR probe following electronic pumping to measure the transient structural dynamics implicated in the Staebler-Wronski degradation [Appl. Phys. Lett. 31, 292 (1977)] in a-Si:H based solar cells.

Quantification of ionic transport within thermally-activated batteries using electron probe micro-analysis

DOE PAGES

Humplik, Thomas; Stirrup, Emily K.; Grillet, Anne M.; ...

2016-04-30

The transient transport of electrolytes in thermally-activated batteries is studied in this paper using electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA), demonstrating the robust capability of EPMA as a useful tool for studying and quantifying mass transport within porous materials, particularly in difficult environments where classical flow measurements are challenging. By tracking the mobility of bromine and potassium ions from the electrolyte stored within the separator into the lithium silicon anode and iron disulfide cathode, we are able to quantify the transport mechanisms and physical properties of the electrodes including permeability and tortuosity. Due to the micron to submicron scale porous structure ofmore » the initially dry anode, a fast capillary pressure driven flow is observed into the anode from which we are able to set a lower bound on the permeability of 10 -1 mDarcy. The transport into the cathode is diffusion-limited because the cathode originally contained some electrolyte before activation. Finally, using a transient one-dimensional diffusion model, we estimate the tortuosity of the cathode electrode to be 2.8 ± 0.8.« less

An experimental study of the distribution of retained xenon in transient-tested UO 2 fuel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mogensen, M.; Bagger, C.; Walker, C. T.

1993-01-01

XRF and EPMA results for the distribution of retained xenon in twenty fuel pins are surveyed. The aim is to show the progress that has been achieved by combining these methods. One of the main concerns of the paper is the reliability of the XRF and EPMA measurements and the identification, of the principal sources of uncertainty. Another, is the wealth of new mechanistic information that has been acquired by systematically combining XRF and EPMA with quantitative image analysis (QIA) of the local size distribution of the gas bubbles in the fuel. It is shown that by correlating the three data sets it is possible to establish the distribution of retained gas on the grain boundaries and to estimate the pressure of the gas contained in grain boundary bubbles. It is concluded that often gas release during a reactor power transient cannot be predicted on the basis of simple gas diffusion considerations and that it is not possible to derive a gas diffusion coefficent of general relevance from puncturing data.

Computational Analysis of End-of-Injection Transients and Combustion Recession

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarrahbashi, Dorrin; Kim, Sayop; Knox, Benjamin W.; Genzale, Caroline L.; Georgia Institute of Technology Team

2016-11-01

Mixing and combustion of ECN Spray A after end of injection are modeled with different chemical kinetics models to evaluate the impact of mechanism formulation and low-temperature chemistry on predictions of combustion recession. Simulations qualitatively agreed with the past experimental observations of combustion recession. Simulations with the Cai mechanism show second-stage ignition in distinct regions near the nozzle, initially spatially separated from the lifted diffusion flame, but then rapidly merge with flame. By contrast, the Yao mechanism fails to predict sufficient low-temperature chemistry in mixtures upstream of the diffusion flame and combustion recession. The effects of the shape and duration of the EOI transient on the entrainment wave near the nozzle, the likelihood of combustion recession, and the spatiotemporal development of mixing and chemistry in near-nozzle mixtures are also investigated. With a more rapid ramp-down injection profile, a weaker combustion recession occurs. For extremely fast ramp-down, the entrainment flux varies rapidly near the nozzle and over-leaning of the mixture completely suppresses combustion recession. For a slower ramp-down profile complete combustion recession back toward the nozzle is observed.

An Experimental and Theoretical Study of Radiative Extinction of Diffusion Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atreya, Arvind

1995-01-01

The objective of this research was to experimentally and theoretically investigate the radiation-induced extinction of gaseous diffusion flames in microgravity. The microgravity conditions were required because radiation-induced extinction is generally not possible in 1-g but is highly likely in microgravity. In 1-g, the flame-generated particulates (e.g. soot) and gaseous combustion products that are responsible for flame radiation, are swept away from the high temperature reaction zone by the buoyancy-induced flow and a steady state is developed. In microgravity, however, the absence of buoyancy-induced flow which transports the fuel and the oxidizer to the combustion zone and removes the hot combustion products from it enhances the flame radiation due to: (1) transient build-up of the combustion products in the flame zone which increases the gas radiation, and (2) longer residence time makes conditions appropriate for substantial amounts of soot to form which is usually responsible for most of the radiative heat loss. Numerical calculations conducted during the course of this work show that even non-radiative flames continue to become "weaker" (diminished burning rate per unit flame area) due to reduced rates of convective and diffusive transport. Thus, it was anticipated that radiative heat loss may eventually extinguish the already "weak" microgravity diffusion flame. While this hypothesis appears convincing and our numerical calculations support it, experiments for a long enough microgravity time could not be conducted during the course of this research to provide an experimental proof. Space shuttle experiments on candle flames show that in an infinite ambient atmosphere, the hemispherical candle flame in microgravity will burn indefinitely. It was hoped that radiative extinction can be experimentally shown by the aerodynamically stabilized gaseous diffusion flames where the fuel supply rate was externally controlled. While substantial progress toward this goal was made during this project, identifying the experimental conditions for which radiative extinction occurs for various fuels requires further study. Details concerning this research which are discussed in published articles are included in the appendices.

Use of fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to assess phasic dopamine release in rat models of early postpartum maternal behavior and neglect.

PubMed

Shnitko, Tatiana A; Mace, Kyla D; Sullivan, Kaitlin M; Martin, W Kyle; Andersen, Elizabeth H; Williams Avram, Sarah K; Johns, Josephine M; Robinson, Donita L

2017-12-01

Maternal behavior (MB) is a complex response to infant cues, orchestrated by postpartum neurophysiology. Although mesolimbic dopamine contributes toward MB, little is known about real-time dopamine fluctuations during the postpartum period. Thus, we used fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to measure individual dopamine transients in the nucleus accumbens of early postpartum rats and compared them with dopamine transients in virgins and in postpartum females exposed to cocaine during pregnancy, which is known to disrupt MB. We hypothesized that dopamine transients are normally enhanced postpartum and support MB. In anesthetized rats, electrically evoked dopamine release was larger and clearance was faster in postpartum females than in virgins and gestational cocaine exposure blocked the change in clearance. In awake rats, control mothers showed more dopamine transients than cocaine-exposed mothers during MB. Salient pup-produced stimuli may contribute toward differences in maternal phasic dopamine by evoking dopamine transients; supporting the feasibility of this hypothesis, urine composition (glucose, ketones, and leukocytes) differed between unexposed and cocaine-exposed infants. These data, resulting from the novel application of fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to models of MB, support the hypothesis that phasic dopamine signaling is enhanced postpartum. Future studies with additional controls can delineate which aspects of gestational cocaine reduce dopamine clearance and transient frequency.

Time-dependent simulation of oblique MHD cosmic-ray shocks using the two-fluid model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, Adam; Jones, T. W.; Ryu, Dongsu

1995-01-01

Using a new, second-order accurate numerical method we present dynamical simulations of oblique MHD cosmic-ray (CR)-modified plane shock evolution. Most of the calculations are done with a two-fluid model for diffusive shock acceleration, but we provide also comparisons between a typical shock computed that way against calculations carried out using the more complete, momentum-dependent, diffusion-advection equation. We also illustrate a test showing that these simulations evolve to dynamical equilibria consistent with previously published steady state analytic calculations for such shocks. In order to improve understanding of the dynamical role of magnetic fields in shocks modified by CR pressure we have explored for time asymptotic states the parameter space of upstream fast mode Mach number, M(sub f), and plasma beta. We compile the results into maps of dynamical steady state CR acceleration efficiency, epsilon(sub c). We have run simulations using constant, and nonisotropic, obliquity (and hence spatially) dependent forms of the diffusion coefficient kappa. Comparison of the results shows that while the final steady states achieved are the same in each case, the history of CR-MHD shocks can be strongly modified by variations in kappa and, therefore, in the acceleration timescale. Also, the coupling of CR and MHD in low beta, oblique shocks substantially influences the transient density spike that forms in strongly CR-modified shocks. We find that inside the density spike a MHD slow mode wave can be generated that eventually steepens into a shock. A strong layer develops within the density spike, driven by MHD stresses. We conjecture that currents in the shear layer could, in nonplanar flows, results in enhanced particle accretion through drift acceleration.

The Plasma Membrane is Compartmentalized by a Self-Similar Cortical Actin Fractal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadegh, Sanaz; Higgin, Jenny; Mannion, Patrick; Tamkun, Michael; Krapf, Diego

A broad range of membrane proteins display anomalous diffusion on the cell surface. Different methods provide evidence for obstructed subdiffusion and diffusion on a fractal space, but the underlying structure inducing anomalous diffusion has never been visualized due to experimental challenges. We addressed this problem by imaging the cortical actin at high resolution while simultaneously tracking individual membrane proteins in live mammalian cells. Our data show that actin introduces barriers leading to compartmentalization of the plasma membrane and that membrane proteins are transiently confined within actin fences. Furthermore, superresolution imaging shows that the cortical actin is organized into a self-similar fractal. These results present a hierarchical nanoscale picture of the plasma membrane and demonstrate direct interactions between the actin cortex and the cell surface.

Transient enhancement and spectral narrowing of the photothermal effect of plasmonic nanoparticles under pulsed excitation.

PubMed

Lukianova-Hleb, Ekaterina Y; Volkov, Alexey N; Wu, Xiangwei; Lapotko, Dmitri O

2013-02-06

The transient 100-fold enhancement and spectral narrowing to 2 nm of the photothermal conversion by solid gold nanospheres under near-infrared excitation with a short laser pulse is reported. This non-stationary effect was observed for a wide range of optical fluences starting from 10 mJ cm(-2) for single nanospheres, their ensembles and aggregated clusters in water, in vitro and in vivo. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Minoxidil Skin Delivery from Nanoemulsion Formulations Containing Eucalyptol or Oleic Acid: Enhanced Diffusivity and Follicular Targeting

PubMed Central

Abd, Eman; Benson, Heather A. E.; Roberts, Michael S.; Grice, Jeffrey E.

2018-01-01

In this work, we examined enhanced skin delivery of minoxidil applied in nanoemulsions incorporating skin penetration enhancers. Aliquots of fully characterized oil-in-water nanoemulsions (1 mL), containing minoxidil (2%) and the skin penetration enhancer oleic acid or eucalyptol as oil phases, were applied to full-thickness excised human skin in Franz diffusion cells, while aqueous solutions (1 mL) containing minoxidil were used as controls. Minoxidil in the stratum corneum (SC), hair follicles, deeper skin layers, and flux through the skin over 24 h was determined, as well as minoxidil solubility in the formulations and in the SC. The nanoemulsions significantly enhanced the permeation of minoxidil through skin compared with control solutions. The eucalyptol formulations (NE) promoted minoxidil retention in the SC and deeper skin layers more than did the oleic acid formulations, while the oleic acid formulations (NO) gave the greatest hair follicle penetration. Minoxidil maximum flux enhancement was associated with increases in both minoxidil SC solubility and skin diffusivity in both nanoemulsion systems. The mechanism of enhancement appeared to be driven largely by increased diffusivity, rather than increased partitioning into the stratum corneum, supporting the concept of enhanced fluidity and disruption of stratum corneum lipids. PMID:29370122

Apparent diffusion coefficient histogram metrics correlate with survival in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma: a report from the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium

PubMed Central

Poussaint, Tina Young; Vajapeyam, Sridhar; Ricci, Kelsey I.; Panigrahy, Ashok; Kocak, Mehmet; Kun, Larry E.; Boyett, James M.; Pollack, Ian F.; Fouladi, Maryam

2016-01-01

Background Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is associated with poor survival regardless of therapy. We used volumetric apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram metrics to determine associations with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) at baseline and after radiation therapy (RT). Methods Baseline and post-RT quantitative ADC histograms were generated from fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images and enhancement regions of interest. Metrics assessed included number of peaks (ie, unimodal or bimodal), mean and median ADC, standard deviation, mode, skewness, and kurtosis. Results Based on FLAIR images, the majority of tumors had unimodal peaks with significantly shorter average survival. Pre-RT FLAIR mean, mode, and median values were significantly associated with decreased risk of progression; higher pre-RT ADC values had longer PFS on average. Pre-RT FLAIR skewness and standard deviation were significantly associated with increased risk of progression; higher pre-RT FLAIR skewness and standard deviation had shorter PFS. Nonenhancing tumors at baseline showed higher ADC FLAIR mean values, lower kurtosis, and higher PFS. For enhancing tumors at baseline, bimodal enhancement histograms had much worse PFS and OS than unimodal cases and significantly lower mean peak values. Enhancement in tumors only after RT led to significantly shorter PFS and OS than in patients with baseline or no baseline enhancement. Conclusions ADC histogram metrics in DIPG demonstrate significant correlations between diffusion metrics and survival, with lower diffusion values (increased cellularity), increased skewness, and enhancement associated with shorter survival, requiring future investigations in large DIPG clinical trials. PMID:26487690

Transient thermal stress problem for a circumferentially cracked hollow cylinder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nied, H. F.; Erdogan, F.

1982-01-01

The transient thermal stress problem for a hollow elasticity cylinder containing an internal circumferential edge crack is considered. It is assumed that the problem is axisymmetric with regard to the crack geometry and the loading, and that the inertia effects are negligible. The problem is solved for a cylinder which is suddenly cooled from inside. First the transient temperature and stress distributions in an uncracked cylinder are calculated. By using the equal and opposite of this thermal stress as the crack surface traction in the isothermal cylinder the crack problem is then solved and the stress intensity factor is calculated. The numerical results are obtained as a function of the Fourier number tD/b(2) representing the time for various inner-to-outer radius ratios and relative crack depths, where D and b are respectively the coefficient of diffusivity and the outer radius of the cylinder.

Boomerang sign: Clinical significance of transient lesion in splenium of corpus callosum.

PubMed

Malhotra, Hardeep Singh; Garg, Ravindra Kumar; Vidhate, Mukund R; Sharma, Pawan Kumar

2012-04-01

Transient signal abnormality in the splenium of corpus callosum on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is occasionally encountered in clinical practice. It has been reported in various clinical conditions apart from patients with epilepsy. We describe 4 patients with different etiologies presenting with signal changes in the splenium of corpus callosum. They were diagnosed as having progressive myoclonic epilepsy (case 1), localization-related epilepsy (case 2), hemicrania continua (case 3), and postinfectious parkinsonism (case 4). While three patients had complete involvement of the splenium on diffusion-weighted image ("boomerang sign"), the patient having hemicrania continua showed semilunar involvement ("mini-boomerang") on T2-weighted and FLAIR image. All the cases had noncontiguous involvement of the splenium. We herein, discuss these cases with transient splenial involvement and stress that such patients do not need aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. An attempt has been made to review the literature regarding the pathophysiology, etiology, and outcome of such lesions.

Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis: magnetic resonance imaging findings with diffusion MRI.

PubMed

Aslan, Hulya; Pourbagher, Aysin; Colakoglu, Tamer

2016-07-01

Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a rare benign breast disease with unknown etiology which can mimic breast carcinoma, both clinically and radiologically. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of IGM have been previously described; however there is no study evaluating diffusion-weighted MRI findings of IGM. To analyze conventional, dynamic contrast-enhanced, and diffusion-weighted MRI signal characteristics of IGM by comparing it with the contralateral normal breast parenchyma. A total of 39 patients were included in the study. On dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, the distribution and enhancement patterns of the lesions were evaluated. We also detected the frequencies of involving quadrants, retroareolar involvement, accompanying abscess, and skin edema. T2-weighted (T2W) and STIR signal intensities and both mean and minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were compared with the contralateral normal parenchyma. IGM showed significantly lower mean and minimum ADC values when compared with the normal parenchyma. Signal intensities on T2W and STIR sequences of the lesion were significantly higher than the normal parenchyma. On dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, 7.7% of the patients had mass-like contrast enhancement, 92.3% of the patients had non-mass-like contrast enhancement. Abscess was positive in 33.3% of the patients. As a result, IGM showed commonly non-mass-like lesions with restricted diffusion. Although it is a benign pathology, it may show clustered ring-like enhancement like malignant lesions. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2015.

Enhanced nitrogen diffusion induced by atomic attrition

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

Ochoa, E.A.; Figueroa, C.A.; Czerwiec, T.

2006-06-19

The nitrogen diffusion in steel is enhanced by previous atomic attrition with low energy xenon ions. The noble gas bombardment generates nanoscale texture surfaces and stress in the material. The atomic attrition increases nitrogen diffusion at lower temperatures than the ones normally used in standard processes. The stress causes binding energy shifts of the Xe 3d{sub 5/2} electron core level. The heavy ion bombardment control of the texture and stress of the material surfaces may be applied to several plasma processes where diffusing species are involved.

Ultrasonic enhancement of battery diffusion.

PubMed

Hilton, R; Dornbusch, D; Branson, K; Tekeei, A; Suppes, G J

2014-03-01

It has been demonstrated that sonic energy can be harnessed to enhance convection in Galvanic cells during cyclic voltammetry; however, the practical value of this approach is limited due to the lack of open volumes for convection patterns to develop in most batteries. This study evaluates the ability of ultrasonic waves to enhance diffusion in membrane separators commonly used in sandwich-architecture batteries. Studies include the measuring of open-circuit performance curves to interpret performances in terms of reductions in concentration overpotentials. The use of a 40 kHz sonicator bath can consistently increase the voltage of the battery and reduce overpotential losses up to 30%. This work demonstrates and quantifies battery enhancement due to enhanced diffusion made possible with ultrasonic energy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water diffusion-exchange effect on the paramagnetic relaxation enhancement in off-resonance rotating frame

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Huiming; Xie, Yang; Ji, Tongyu

2007-06-01

The off-resonance rotating frame technique based on the spin relaxation properties of off-resonance T1 ρ can significantly increase the sensitivity of detecting paramagnetic labeling at high magnetic fields by MRI. However, the in vivo detectable dimension for labeled cell clusters/tissues in T1 ρ-weighted images is limited by the water diffusion-exchange between mesoscopic scale compartments. An experimental investigation of the effect of water diffusion-exchange between compartments on the paramagnetic relaxation enhancement of paramagnetic agent compartment is presented for in vitro/ in vivo models. In these models, the size of paramagnetic agent compartment is comparable to the mean diffusion displacement of water molecules during the long RF pulses that are used to generate the off-resonance rotating frame. The three main objectives of this study were: (1) to qualitatively correlate the effect of water diffusion-exchange with the RF parameters of the long pulse and the rates of water diffusion, (2) to explore the effect of water diffusion-exchange on the paramagnetic relaxation enhancement in vitro, and (3) to demonstrate the paramagnetic relaxation enhancement in vivo. The in vitro models include the water permeable dialysis tubes or water permeable hollow fibers embedded in cross-linked proteins gels. The MWCO of the dialysis tubes was chosen from 0.1 to 15 kDa to control the water diffusion rate. Thin hollow fibers were chosen to provide sub-millimeter scale compartments for the paramagnetic agents. The in vivo model utilized the rat cerebral vasculatures as a paramagnetic agent compartment, and intravascular agents (Gd-DTPA) 30-BSA were administrated into the compartment via bolus injections. Both in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that the paramagnetic relaxation enhancement is predominant in the T1 ρ-weighted image in the presence of water diffusion-exchange. The T1 ρ contrast has substantially higher sensitivity than the conventional T1 contrast in detecting paramagnetic agents, especially at low paramagnetic agent volumetric fractions, low paramagnetic agent concentrations, and low RF amplitudes. Short pulse duration, short pulse recycle delay and efficient paramagnetic relaxation can reduce the influence of water diffusion-exchange on the paramagnetic enhancement. This study paves the way for the design of off-resonance rotating experiments to detect labeled cell clusters/tissue compartments in vivo at a sub-millimeter scale.

Lightning induced currents in aircraft wiring using low level injection techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, E. G.; Jordan, D. T.

1991-01-01

Various techniques were studied to predict the transient current induced into aircraft wiring bundles as a result of an aircraft lightning strike. A series of aircraft measurements were carried out together with a theoretical analysis using computer modeling. These tests were applied to various aircraft and also to specially constructed cylinders installed within coaxial return conductor systems. Low level swept frequency CW (carrier waves), low level transient and high level transient injection tests were applied to the aircraft and cylinders. Measurements were made to determine the transfer function between the aircraft drive current and the resulting skin currents and currents induced on the internal wiring. The full threat lightning induced transient currents were extrapolated from the low level data using Fourier transform techniques. The aircraft and cylinders used were constructed from both metallic and CFC (carbon fiber composite) materials. The results show the pulse stretching phenomenon which occurs for CFC materials due to the diffusion of the lightning current through carbon fiber materials. Transmission Line Matrix modeling techniques were used to compare theoretical and measured currents.

Influence of hydration and starch digestion on the transient rheology of an aqueous suspension of comminuted potato snack food.

PubMed

Boehm, Michael W; Warren, Frederick J; Moore, Jackson E; Baier, Stefan K; Gidley, Michael J; Stokes, Jason R

2014-11-01

Oral processing of most foods is inherently destructive: solids are broken into particles before reassembly into a hydrated bolus while salivary enzymes degrade food components. In order to investigate the underlying physics driving changes during oral processing, we capture the transient rheological behaviour of a simulated potato chip bolus during hydration by a buffer with or without α-amylase. In the absence of amylase and for all oil contents and solids weight fractions tested, we find a collapse of the transient data when graphed according to simple Fickian diffusion. In the presence of amylase, we find effects on the transient and pseudo steady state bolus rheology. Within the first minute of mixing, the amylase degrades only ≈6% of the starch but that leads to an order of magnitude reduction in the bolus elasticity, as compared to the case without amylase. Thus, for an in vitro bolus, only a small amount of starch needs to be digested to have a large impact on the bolus rheology very soon after mixing.

The central nervous system phenotype of X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: a transient disorder of children and young adults.

PubMed

Al-Mateen, Majeed; Craig, Alexa Kanwit; Chance, Phillip F

2014-03-01

We describe 2 patients with X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 1 (CMTX1) disease and central nervous system manifestations and review 19 cases from the literature. Our first case had not been previously diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and the second case, although known to have Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, was suspected of having CMTX1 after presentation with central nervous system manifestations. The most common central nervous system manifestations were transient and included dysarthria, ataxia, hemiparesis, and tetraparesis resembling periodic paralysis. Of the 21 patients, 19 presented at 21 years of age or younger, implicating CMTX1 with transient central nervous system manifestations as a disorder that predominantly affects children and adolescents. CMTX1 should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients who present with transient central nervous system phenomena, including stroke-like episodes, tetraparesis suggestive of periodic paralysis, dysarthria, ataxia, or combinations of these deficits. Reversible, bilateral, nonenhancing white matter lesions and restricted diffusion on magnetic resonance imaging are characteristic features of the central nervous system phenotype of CMTX1.

Modes of Diffusion of Cholera Toxin Bound to GM1 on Live Cell Membrane by Image Mean Square Displacement Analysis

PubMed Central

Moens, Pierre D.J.; Digman, Michelle A.; Gratton, Enrico

2015-01-01

The image-mean square displacement technique applies the calculation of the mean square displacement commonly used in single-molecule tracking to images without resolving single particles. The image-mean square displacement plot obtained is similar to the mean square displacement plot obtained using the single-particle tracking technique. This plot is then used to reconstruct the protein diffusion law and to identify whether the labeled molecules are undergoing pure isotropic, restricted, corralled, transiently confined, or directed diffusion. In our study total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy images were taken of Cholera toxin subunit B (CtxB) membrane-labeled NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts and MDA 231 MB cells. We found a population of CTxB undergoing purely isotropic diffusion and one displaying restricted diffusion with corral sizes ranging from 150 to ∼1800 nm. We show that the diffusion rate of CTxB bound to GM1 is independent of the size of the confinement, suggesting that the mechanism of confinement is different from the mechanism controlling the diffusion rate of CtxB. We highlight the potential effect of continuous illumination on the diffusion mode of CTxB. We also show that aggregation of CTxB/GM1 in large complexes occurs and that these aggregates tend to have slower diffusion rates. PMID:25809257

Modes of diffusion of cholera toxin bound to GM1 on live cell membrane by image mean square displacement analysis.

PubMed

Moens, Pierre D J; Digman, Michelle A; Gratton, Enrico

2015-03-24

The image-mean square displacement technique applies the calculation of the mean square displacement commonly used in single-molecule tracking to images without resolving single particles. The image-mean square displacement plot obtained is similar to the mean square displacement plot obtained using the single-particle tracking technique. This plot is then used to reconstruct the protein diffusion law and to identify whether the labeled molecules are undergoing pure isotropic, restricted, corralled, transiently confined, or directed diffusion. In our study total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy images were taken of Cholera toxin subunit B (CtxB) membrane-labeled NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts and MDA 231 MB cells. We found a population of CTxB undergoing purely isotropic diffusion and one displaying restricted diffusion with corral sizes ranging from 150 to ∼1800 nm. We show that the diffusion rate of CTxB bound to GM1 is independent of the size of the confinement, suggesting that the mechanism of confinement is different from the mechanism controlling the diffusion rate of CtxB. We highlight the potential effect of continuous illumination on the diffusion mode of CTxB. We also show that aggregation of CTxB/GM1 in large complexes occurs and that these aggregates tend to have slower diffusion rates. Copyright © 2015 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transient acidosis while retrieving a fear-related memory enhances its lability

PubMed Central

Du, Jianyang; Price, Margaret P; Taugher, Rebecca J; Grigsby, Daniel; Ash, Jamison J; Stark, Austin C; Hossain Saad, Md Zubayer; Singh, Kritika; Mandal, Juthika; Wemmie, John A; Welsh, Michael J

2017-01-01

Attenuating the strength of fearful memories could benefit people disabled by memories of past trauma. Pavlovian conditioning experiments indicate that a retrieval cue can return a conditioned aversive memory to a labile state. However, means to enhance retrieval and render a memory more labile are unknown. We hypothesized that augmenting synaptic signaling during retrieval would increase memory lability. To enhance synaptic transmission, mice inhaled CO2 to induce an acidosis and activate acid sensing ion channels. Transient acidification increased the retrieval-induced lability of an aversive memory. The labile memory could then be weakened by an extinction protocol or strengthened by reconditioning. Coupling CO2 inhalation to retrieval increased activation of amygdala neurons bearing the memory trace and increased the synaptic exchange from Ca2+-impermeable to Ca2+-permeable AMPA receptors. The results suggest that transient acidosis during retrieval renders the memory of an aversive event more labile and suggest a strategy to modify debilitating memories. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.22564.001 PMID:28650315

The Effects of Space Radiation on Linear Integrated Circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, A.

2000-01-01

Permanent and transient effects are discussed that are induced in linear integrated circuits by space radiation. Recent developments include enhanced damage at low dose rate, increased damage from protons due to displacement effects, and transients in digital comparators that can cause circuit malfunctions.

Extrusion versus diffusion: mechanisms for recovery from sodium loads in mouse CA1 pyramidal neurons.

PubMed

Mondragão, Miguel A; Schmidt, Hartmut; Kleinhans, Christian; Langer, Julia; Kafitz, Karl W; Rose, Christine R

2016-10-01

Neuronal activity causes local or global sodium signalling in neurons, depending on the pattern of synaptic activity. Recovery from global sodium loads critically relies on Na(+) /K(+) -ATPase and an intact energy metabolism in both somata and dendrites. For recovery from local sodium loads in dendrites, Na(+) /K(+) -ATPase activity is not required per se. Instead, recovery is predominately mediated by lateral diffusion, exhibiting rates that are 10-fold higher than for global sodium signals. Recovery from local dendritic sodium increases is still efficient during short periods of energy deprivation, indicating that fast diffusion of sodium to non-stimulated regions strongly reduces local energy requirements. Excitatory activity is accompanied by sodium influx into neurones as a result of the opening of voltage- and ligand-activated channels. Recovery from resulting sodium transients has mainly been attributed to Na(+) /K(+) -ATPase (NKA). Because sodium ions are highly mobile, diffusion could provide an additional pathway. We tested this in hippocampal neurones using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and sodium imaging. Somatic sodium transients induced by local glutamate application recovered at a maximum rate of 8 mm min(-1) (∼0.03 mm min(-1 ) μm(-2) ). Somatic sodium extrusion was accelerated at higher temperature and blocked by ouabain, emphasizing its dependence on NKA. Moreover, it was slowed down during inhibition of glycolysis by sodium fluoride (NaF). Local glutamate application to dendrites revealed a 10-fold higher apparent dendritic sodium extrusion rate compared to somata. Recovery was almost unaltered by increased temperature, ouabain or NaF. We found that sodium diffused along primary dendrites with a diffusion coefficient of ∼330 μm²/s. During global glutamate application, impeding substantial net diffusion, apparent dendritic extrusion rates were reduced to somatic rates and also affected by NaF. Numerical simulations confirmed the essential role of NKA for the recovery of somatic, but not dendritic sodium loads. Our data show that sodium export upon global sodium increases is largely mediated by NKA and depends on an intact energy metabolism. For recovery from local dendritic sodium increases, diffusion dominates over extrusion, operating efficiently even during short periods of energy deprivation. Although sodium will eventually be extruded by the NKA, its diffusion-based fast dissemination to non-stimulated regions might reduce local energy requirements. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

Persistent order due to transiently enhanced nesting in an electronically excited charge density wave

DOE PAGES

Rettig, L.; Cortés, R.; Chu, J. -H.; ...

2016-01-25

Non-equilibrium conditions may lead to novel properties of materials with broken symmetry ground states not accessible in equilibrium as vividly demonstrated by non-linearly driven mid-infrared active phonon excitation. Potential energy surfaces of electronically excited states also allow to direct nuclear motion, but relaxation of the excess energy typically excites fluctuations leading to a reduced or even vanishing order parameter as characterized by an electronic energy gap. Here, using femtosecond time-and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we demonstrate a tendency towards transient stabilization of a charge density wave after near-infrared excitation, counteracting the suppression of order in the non-equilibrium state. Analysis of themore » dynamic electronic structure reveals a remaining energy gap in a highly excited transient state. In conclusion, our observation can be explained by a competition between fluctuations in the electronically excited state, which tend to reduce order, and transiently enhanced Fermi surface nesting stabilizing the order.« less

The transient divided bar method for laboratory measurements of thermal properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bording, Thue S.; Nielsen, Søren B.; Balling, Niels

2016-12-01

Accurate information on thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of materials is of central importance in relation to geoscience and engineering problems involving the transfer of heat. Several methods, including the classical divided bar technique, are available for laboratory measurements of thermal conductivity, but much fewer for thermal diffusivity. We have generalized the divided bar technique to the transient case in which thermal conductivity, volumetric heat capacity and thereby also thermal diffusivity are measured simultaneously. As the density of samples is easily determined independently, specific heat capacity can also be determined. The finite element formulation provides a flexible forward solution for heat transfer across the bar, and thermal properties are estimated by inverse Monte Carlo modelling. This methodology enables a proper quantification of experimental uncertainties on measured thermal properties and information on their origin. The developed methodology was applied to various materials, including a standard ceramic material and different rock samples, and measuring results were compared with results applying traditional steady-state divided bar and an independent line-source method. All measurements show highly consistent results and with excellent reproducibility and high accuracy. For conductivity the obtained uncertainty is typically 1-3 per cent, and for diffusivity uncertainty may be reduced to about 3-5 per cent. The main uncertainty originates from the presence of thermal contact resistance associated with the internal interfaces in the bar. These are not resolved during inversion and it is imperative that they are minimized. The proposed procedure is simple and may quite easily be implemented to the many steady-state divided bar systems in operation. A thermally controlled bath, as applied here, may not be needed. Simpler systems, such as applying temperature-controlled water directly from a tap, may also be applied.

A Study to Analyze the Permeation of High Density Gases and Propellant Vapors Through Single Layer Teflon or Teflon Structure Materials and Laminations. Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, R. L.; Young, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

1967-01-01

This report contains the results of a fifteen month analytical and experimental study of the leakage rate of the pressurant gases (N2, He) and the propellant vapors (N2O4,N2H4) through bladder structures consisting of two layers of Teflon separated by a metallic foil diffusion barrier containing microscopic or larger holes. Results were obtained for the steady state leakage rate through circular holes and long rectangular openings in the barrier for arbitrary thicknesses of the two Teflon layers. The effect of hole shape and relative hole position on the leakage rate were studied. The transient problem was analyzed and it was shown that steady state calculations are adequate for estimating the leakage rate. A computer program entitled "Diffusion Analyzer Program" was developed to calculate the leakage rate, both transient and steady state. Finally, the analytical results were compared to experimentally determined values of the leakage rate through a model laminated bladder structure. The results of the analysis are in good agreement with experiment. The experimental effort (Part II of the Bladder Permeation Program) measured the solubility, diffusion coefficient and permeability of helium, nitrogen and nitrogen tetroxide vapor through Teflon TFE and FEP membranes. Data were obtained in the temperature range of 25 to 100 C at pressures ranging from near vacuum to about 20 atmospheres. Results of the experimental effort were compared with the limited data previously reported. As a verification to the applicability of results to actual bladder systems, counter diffusion tests were performed with a laminated sample containing aluminum foil with a selected group of holes.

Murt user`s guide: A hybrid Lagrangian-Eulerian finite element model of multiple-pore-region solute transport through subsurface media

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

Gwo, J.P.; Jardine, P.M.; Yeh, G.T.

Matrix diffusion, a diffusive mass transfer process,in the structured soils and geologic units at ORNL, is believe to be an important subsurface mass transfer mechanism; it may affect off-site movement of radioactive wastes and remediation of waste disposal sites by locally exchanging wastes between soil/rock matrix and macropores/fractures. Advective mass transfer also contributes to waste movement but is largely neglected by researchers. This report presents the first documented 2-D multiregion solute transport code (MURT) that incorporates not only diffusive but also advective mass transfer and can be applied to heterogeneous porous media under transient flow conditions. In this report, theoreticalmore » background is reviewed and the derivation of multiregion solute transport equations is presented. Similar to MURF (Gwo et al. 1994), a multiregion subsurface flow code, multiplepore domains as suggested by previous investigators (eg, Wilson and Luxmoore 1988) can be implemented in MURT. Transient or steady-state flow fields of the pore domains can be either calculated by MURF or by modelers. The mass transfer process is briefly discussed through a three-pore-region multiregion solute transport mechanism. Mass transfer equations that describe mass flux across pore region interfaces are also presented and parameters needed to calculate mass transfer coefficients detailed. Three applications of MURT (tracer injection problem, sensitivity analysis of advective and diffusive mass transfer, hillslope ponding infiltration and secondary source problem) were simulated and results discussed. Program structure of MURT and functions of MURT subroutiness are discussed so that users can adapt the code; guides for input data preparation are provided in appendices.« less

A reaction-diffusion model of CO2 influx into an oocyte

PubMed Central

Somersalo, Erkki; Occhipinti, Rossana; Boron, Walter F.; Calvetti, Daniela

2012-01-01

We have developed and implemented a novel mathematical model for simulating transients in surface pH (pHS) and intracellular pH (pHi) caused by the influx of carbon dioxide (CO2) into a Xenopus oocyte. These transients are important tools for studying gas channels. We assume that the oocyte is a sphere surrounded by a thin layer of unstirred fluid, the extracellular unconvected fluid (EUF), which is in turn surrounded by the well-stirred bulk extracellular fluid (BECF) that represents an infinite reservoir for all solutes. Here, we assume that the oocyte plasma membrane is permeable only to CO2. In both the EUF and intracellular space, solute concentrations can change because of diffusion and reactions. The reactions are the slow equilibration of the CO2 hydration-dehydration reactions and competing equilibria among carbonic acid (H2CO3)/bicarbonate ( HCO3-) and a multitude of non-CO2/HCO3- buffers. Mathematically, the model is described by a coupled system of reaction-diffusion equations that—assuming spherical radial symmetry—we solved using the method of lines with appropriate stiff solvers. In agreement with experimental data (Musa-Aziz et al, PNAS 2009, 106:5406–5411), the model predicts that exposing the cell to extracellular 1.5% CO2/10 mM HCO3- (pH 7.50) causes pHi to fall and pHS to rise rapidly to a peak and then decay. Moreover, the model provides insights into the competition between diffusion and reaction processes when we change the width of the EUF, membrane permeability to CO2, native extra-and intracellular carbonic anhydrase-like activities, the non-CO2/HCO3- (intrinsic) intracellular buffering power, or mobility of intrinsic intracellular buffers. PMID:22728674

Diagnostic Accuracy of Centrally Restricted Diffusion in the Differentiation of Treatment-Related Necrosis from Tumor Recurrence in High-Grade Gliomas.

PubMed

Zakhari, N; Taccone, M S; Torres, C; Chakraborty, S; Sinclair, J; Woulfe, J; Jansen, G H; Nguyen, T B

2018-02-01

Centrally restricted diffusion has been demonstrated in recurrent high-grade gliomas treated with bevacizumab. Our purpose was to assess the accuracy of centrally restricted diffusion in the diagnosis of radiation necrosis in high-grade gliomas not treated with bevacizumab. In this prospective study, we enrolled patients with high-grade gliomas who developed a new ring-enhancing necrotic lesion and who underwent re-resection. The presence of a centrally restricted diffusion within the ring-enhancing lesion was assessed visually on diffusion trace images and by ADC measurements on 3T preoperative diffusion tensor examination. The percentage of tumor recurrence and radiation necrosis in each surgical specimen was defined histopathologically. The association between centrally restricted diffusion and radiation necrosis was assessed using the Fisher exact test. Differences in ADC and the ADC ratio between the groups were assessed via the Mann-Whitney U test, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed. Seventeen patients had re-resected ring-enhancing lesions: 8 cases of radiation necrosis and 9 cases of tumor recurrence. There was significant association between centrally restricted diffusion by visual assessment and radiation necrosis ( P = .015) with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 88.9%, a positive predictive value 85.7%, and a negative predictive value of 80% for the diagnosis of radiation necrosis. There was a statistically significant difference in the ADC and ADC ratio between radiation necrosis and tumor recurrence ( P = .027). The presence of centrally restricted diffusion in a new ring-enhancing lesion might indicate radiation necrosis rather than tumor recurrence in high-grade gliomas previously treated with standard chemoradiation without bevacizumab. © 2018 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

How animals move along? Exactly solvable model of superdiffusive spread resulting from animal's decision making.

PubMed

Tilles, Paulo F C; Petrovskii, Sergei V

2016-07-01

Patterns of individual animal movement have been a focus of considerable attention recently. Of particular interest is a question how different macroscopic properties of animal dispersal result from the stochastic processes occurring on the microscale of the individual behavior. In this paper, we perform a comprehensive analytical study of a model where the animal changes the movement velocity as a result of its behavioral response to environmental stochasticity. The stochasticity is assumed to manifest itself through certain signals, and the animal modifies its velocity as a response to the signals. We consider two different cases, i.e. where the change in the velocity is or is not correlated to its current value. We show that in both cases the early, transient stage of the animal movement is super-diffusive, i.e. ballistic. The large-time asymptotic behavior appears to be diffusive in the uncorrelated case but super-ballistic in the correlated case. We also calculate analytically the dispersal kernel of the movement and show that, whilst it converge to a normal distribution in the large-time limit, it possesses a fatter tail during the transient stage, i.e. at early and intermediate time. Since the transients are known to be highly relevant in ecology, our findings may indicate that the fat tails and superdiffusive spread that are sometimes observed in the movement data may be a feature of the transitional dynamics rather than an inherent property of the animal movement.

Numerical study of transient evolution of lifted jet flames: partially premixed flame propagation and influence of physical dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhi; Ruan, Shaohong; Swaminathan, Nedunchezhian

2016-07-01

Three-dimensional (3D) unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes simulations of a spark-ignited turbulent methane/air jet flame evolving from ignition to stabilisation are conducted for different jet velocities. A partially premixed combustion model is used involving a correlated joint probability density function and both premixed and non-premixed combustion mode contributions. The 3D simulation results for the temporal evolution of the flame's leading edge are compared with previous two-dimensional (2D) results and experimental data. The comparison shows that the final stabilised flame lift-off height is well predicted by both 2D and 3D computations. However, the transient evolution of the flame's leading edge computed from 3D simulation agrees reasonably well with experiment, whereas evident discrepancies were found in the previous 2D study. This difference suggests that the third physical dimension plays an important role during the flame transient evolution process. The flame brush's leading edge displacement speed resulting from reaction, normal and tangential diffusion processes are studied at different typical stages after ignition in order to understand the effect of the third physical dimension further. Substantial differences are found for the reaction and normal diffusion components between 2D and 3D simulations especially in the initial propagation stage. The evolution of reaction progress variable scalar gradients and its interaction with the flow and mixing field in the 3D physical space have an important effect on the flame's leading edge propagation.

Evidence of Hierarchy in the Complex Fractured System of Geropotamos (Crete, Greece), as Extracted from Transient Electromagnetic Responses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallianatos, Filippos; Kouli, Maria; Kalisperi, Despina

2018-03-01

The essential goals of this paper are to test the transient electromagnetic (TEM) response in a fractured geological complex medium and to better understand the physics introduced by associating a roughness parameter β to the geological formation. An anomalous fractional diffusion approach is incorporated to describe the electromagnetic induction in rough multi-scaled geological structures. The multi-scaling characteristics of Geropotamos basin in Crete are revealed through the analysis of transient step-off response of an EM loop antenna. The semi-empirical parameters derived from late-time TEM measurements are correlated with the multi-scale heterogeneities of the medium. Certain interesting properties of the late-time slope γ(β) and the power law of near surface resistivity distribution, as extracted from TEM inversion for different depth, are presented. The analysis of the parameter γ(β) which scales the induced voltage in the loop in the late stage of the electromagnetic response leads to a different view of the EM geophysical data interpretation. We show that it is strongly correlated with areas of high fracture density within the geological formations of the Geropotamos area. For that reason, it is proposed as a local multi-scaling empirical index. The results of this paper suggest that anomalous diffusion could be a viable physical mechanism for the fractal transport of charge carriers, explaining observed late-time TEM responses across a variety of natural geological settings.

Film cooling performance of a row of dual-fanned holes at various injection angles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guangchao; Wang, Haofeng; Zhang, Wei; Kou, Zhihai; Xu, Rangshu

2017-10-01

Film cooling performance about a row of dual-fanned holes with injection angles of 30°, 60 ° and 90° were experimentally investigated at blowing ratios of 1.0 and 2.0. Dual-fanned hole is a novel shaped hole which has both inlet expansion and outlet expansion. A transient thermochromic liquid crystal technique was used to reveal the local values of film cooling effectiveness and heat transfer coefficient. The results show that injection angles have strong influence on the two dimensional distributions of film cooling effectiveness and heat transfer coefficient. For the small injection angle of 30 degree and small blowing ratio of 1.0, there is only a narrow spanwise region covered with film. The increase of injection angle and blowing ratio both leads to the enhanced spanwise film diffusion, but reduced local cooling ability far away from the hole. Injection angles have comprehensive influence on the averaged film cooling effectiveness for various x/d locations. As injection angles are 30 and 60 degree, two bands of high heat transfer coefficients are found in mixing region of the gas and coolant. As injection angle increases to 90 degree, the mixing leads to the enhanced heat transfer region near the film hole. The averaged heat transfer coefficient increases with the increase of injection angle.

Radiation-enhanced self- and boron diffusion in germanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, S.; Bracht, H.; Klug, J. N.; Hansen, J. Lundsgaard; Larsen, A. Nylandsted; Bougeard, D.; Haller, E. E.

2013-03-01

We report experiments on proton radiation-enhanced self- and boron (B) diffusion in germanium (Ge) for temperatures between 515 ∘C and 720 ∘C. Modeling of the experimental diffusion profiles measured by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry is achieved on the basis of the Frenkel pair reaction and the interstitialcy and dissociative diffusion mechanisms. The numerical simulations ascertain concentrations of Ge interstitials and B-interstitial pairs that deviate by several orders of magnitude from their thermal equilibrium values. The dominance of self-interstitial related defects under irradiation leads to an enhanced self- and B diffusion in Ge. Analysis of the experimental profiles yields data for the diffusion of self-interstitials (I) and the thermal equilibrium concentration of BI pairs in Ge. The temperature dependence of these quantities provides the migration enthalpy of I and formation enthalpy of BI that are compared with recent results of atomistic calculations. The behavior of self- and B diffusion in Ge under concurrent annealing and irradiation is strongly affected by the property of the Ge surface to hinder the annihilation of self-interstitials. The limited annihilation efficiency of the Ge surface can be caused by donor-type surface states favored under vacuum annealing, but the physical origin remains unsolved.

A finite volume method for trace element diffusion and partitioning during crystal growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hesse, Marc A.

2012-09-01

A finite volume method on a uniform grid is presented to compute the polythermal diffusion and partitioning of a trace element during the growth of a porphyroblast crystal in a uniform matrix and in linear, cylindrical and spherical geometry. The motion of the crystal-matrix interface and the thermal evolution are prescribed functions of time. The motion of the interface is discretized and it advances from one cell boundary to next as the prescribed interface position passes the cell center. The appropriate conditions for the flux across the crystal-matrix interface are derived from discrete mass conservation. Numerical results are benchmarked against steady and transient analytic solutions for isothermal diffusion with partitioning and growth. Two applications illustrate the ability of the model to reproduce observed rare-earth element patterns in garnets (Skora et al., 2006) and water concentration profiles around spherulites in obsidian (Watkins et al., 2009). Simulations with diffusion inside the growing crystal show complex concentration evolutions for trace elements with high diffusion coefficients, such as argon or hydrogen, but demonstrate that rare-earth element concentrations in typical metamorphic garnets are not affected by intracrystalline diffusion.

Solution Phase Exciton Diffusion Dynamics of a Charge-Transfer Copolymer PTB7 and a Homopolymer P3HT

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

Cho, Sung; Rolczynski, Brian S.; Xu, Tao

2015-06-18

Using ultrafast polarization-controlled transient absorption (TA) measurements, dynamics of the initial exciton states were investigated on the time scale of tens of femtoseconds to about 80 ps in two different types of conjugated polymers extensively used in active layers of organic photovoltaic devices. These polymers are poly(3-fluorothienothiophenebenzodithiophene) (PTB7) and poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT), which are charge-transfer polymers and homopolymers, respectively. In PTB7, the initial excitons with excess vibrational energy display two observable ultrafast time constants, corresponding to coherent exciton diffusion before the vibrational relaxation, and followed by incoherent exciton diffusion processes to a neighboring local state after the vibrational relaxation. In contrast,more » P3HT shows only one exciton diffusion or conformational motion time constant of 34 ps, even though its exciton decay kinetics are multiexponential. Based on the experimental results, an exciton dynamics mechanism is conceived taking into account the excitation energy and structural dependence in coherent and incoherent exciton diffusion processes, as well as other possible deactivation processes including the formation of the pseudo-charge-transfer and charge separate states, as well as interchain exciton hopping or coherent diffusion.« less

Solution Phase Exciton Diffusion Dynamics of a Charge-Transfer Copolymer PTB7 and a Homopolymer P3HT.

PubMed

Cho, Sung; Rolczynski, Brian S; Xu, Tao; Yu, Luping; Chen, Lin X

2015-06-18

Using ultrafast polarization-controlled transient absorption (TA) measurements, dynamics of the initial exciton states were investigated on the time scale of tens of femtoseconds to about 80 ps in two different types of conjugated polymers extensively used in active layers of organic photovoltaic devices. These polymers are poly(3-fluorothienothiophenebenzodithiophene) (PTB7) and poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT), which are charge-transfer polymers and homopolymers, respectively. In PTB7, the initial excitons with excess vibrational energy display two observable ultrafast time constants, corresponding to coherent exciton diffusion before the vibrational relaxation, and followed by incoherent exciton diffusion processes to a neighboring local state after the vibrational relaxation. In contrast, P3HT shows only one exciton diffusion or conformational motion time constant of 34 ps, even though its exciton decay kinetics are multiexponential. Based on the experimental results, an exciton dynamics mechanism is conceived taking into account the excitation energy and structural dependence in coherent and incoherent exciton diffusion processes, as well as other possible deactivation processes including the formation of the pseudo-charge-transfer and charge separate states, as well as interchain exciton hopping or coherent diffusion.

Investigation of a combined platinum and electron lifetime control treatment for silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Yunpeng; Cui, Zhihang; Yang, Fei; Zhao, Bao; Zou, Shikai; Liang, Yongsheng

2017-02-01

In silicon, the effect of Combined Lifetime Treatment (CLT) involving platinum diffusion and subsequent electron irradiation is different from the separate treatments of platinum diffusion and electron irradiation, even the treatment of electron irradiation followed by platinum diffusion. In this paper, we investigated the experimental behavior of different kinds of lifetime treated samples. We found that the reverse leakage current (Irr) increases with the increasing platinum diffusion temperature or electron irradiation dose in the separate treatments. Conversely, Irr of the CLT samples decreased with rising platinum diffusion temperature at the same dose of subsequent electron irradiation. By deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS), a new energy level E7 (Ec -0.376 eV) was found in our CLT samples. The new level E7 suppresses the dominance of the deeper level E8 (Ec -0.476 eV), which is caused by electron irradiation directly and results in Irr's increase. The formation of the level E7 comes from the complex defect-combined effect between platinum atoms and silicon vacancies, and it affects device's characteristics finally. These research will be helpful to the development of platinum-diffused devices used in intense electron irradiation environments.

Transient dichroism in photoreceptor membranes indicates that stable oligomers of rhodopsin do not form during excitation.

PubMed Central

Downer, N W; Cone, R A

1985-01-01

If a photoexcited rhodopsin molecule initiates the formation of rhodopsin oligomers during the process of visual excitation, the rate of rotational diffusion of the rhodopsin molecules involved should change markedly. Using microsecond-flash photometry, we have observed the rotational diffusion of rhodopsin throughout the time period of visual excitation and found that no detectable change occurs in its rotational diffusion rate. Partial chemical cross-linking of the retina yields oligomers of rhodopsin and causes a significant decrease in the rotational diffusion rate of rhodopsin even when as little as 20% of rhodopsin is dimeric. Moreover, the pattern of oligomers formed by cross-linking, taken together with the magnitude of decreases in rotational diffusion rate accompanying the cross-linking reaction, suggests that rhodopsin is a monomer in the dark-adapted state. The experiments reported here show that photoexcited rhodopsin molecules do not irreversibly associate with unbleached neighbors during the time course of the receptor response. Hence, it is not likely that stable oligomers of rhodopsin trigger the excitation of the photoreceptor cell. Images FIGURE 1 PMID:3919778

Numerical Solution of Moving Phase Boundary and Diffusion-Induced Stress of Sn Anode in the Lithium-Ion Battery

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

Chen, Chun-Hao; Chason, Eric; Guduru, Pradeep R.

Here, we have previously observed a large transient stress in Sn film anodes at the beginning of the Sn-Li 2Sn 5 phase transformation. To understand this behavior, we use numerical modeling to simulate the kinetics of the 1-D moving boundary and Li diffusion in the Sn anodes. A mixture of diffusion-controlled and interface-controlled kinetics is found. The Li concentration in the Li 2Sn 5 phase remains near a steady-state profile as the phase boundary propagates, whereas the Li diffusion in Sn is more complicated. Li continuously diffuses into the Sn layer and produces a supersaturation; the Li can then diffusemore » toward the Sn/Li 2Sn 5 interface and contribute to further phase transformation. Finally, the evolution of Li concentration in the Sn induces strain which involves rate-dependent plasticity and elastic unloading, resulting in the complex stress evolution that is observed. In the long term, the measured stress is dominated by the stress in the growing Li 2Sn 5 phase.« less

Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of methane hydrate formed from compacted granular ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jie; Sun, Shicai; Liu, Changling; Meng, Qingguo

2018-05-01

Thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity of pure methane hydrate samples, formed from compacted granular ice (0-75 μm), and were measured simultaneously by the transient plane source (TPS) technique. The temperature dependence was measured between 263.15 and 283.05 K, and the gas-phase pressure dependence was measured between 2 and 10 MPa. It is revealed that the thermal conductivity of pure methane hydrate exhibits a positive trend with temperature and increases from 0.4877 to 0.5467 W·m-1·K-1. The thermal diffusivity of methane hydrate has inverse dependence on temperature and the values in the temperature range from 0.2940 to 0.3754 mm2·s-1, which is more than twice that of water. The experimental results show that the effects of gas-phase pressure on the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity are very small. Thermal conductivity of methane hydrate is found to have weakly positive gas-phase pressure dependence, whereas the thermal diffusivity has slightly negative trend with gas-phase pressure.

Numerical Solution of Moving Phase Boundary and Diffusion-Induced Stress of Sn Anode in the Lithium-Ion Battery

DOE PAGES

Chen, Chun-Hao; Chason, Eric; Guduru, Pradeep R.

2017-08-02

Here, we have previously observed a large transient stress in Sn film anodes at the beginning of the Sn-Li 2Sn 5 phase transformation. To understand this behavior, we use numerical modeling to simulate the kinetics of the 1-D moving boundary and Li diffusion in the Sn anodes. A mixture of diffusion-controlled and interface-controlled kinetics is found. The Li concentration in the Li 2Sn 5 phase remains near a steady-state profile as the phase boundary propagates, whereas the Li diffusion in Sn is more complicated. Li continuously diffuses into the Sn layer and produces a supersaturation; the Li can then diffusemore » toward the Sn/Li 2Sn 5 interface and contribute to further phase transformation. Finally, the evolution of Li concentration in the Sn induces strain which involves rate-dependent plasticity and elastic unloading, resulting in the complex stress evolution that is observed. In the long term, the measured stress is dominated by the stress in the growing Li 2Sn 5 phase.« less

Moisture Content and Migration Dynamics in Unsaturated Porous Media

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Homsy, G. M.

1993-01-01

Fundamental studies of fluid mechanics and transport in partially saturated soils are presented. Solution of transient diffusion problems in support of the development of probes for the in-situ measurement of moisture content is given. Numerical and analytical methods are used to study the fundamental problem of meniscus and saturation front propagation in geometric models of porous media.

Astrocytes and extracellular matrix in extrasynaptic volume transmission.

PubMed

Vargová, Lýdia; Syková, Eva

2014-10-19

Volume transmission is a form of intercellular communication that does not require synapses; it is based on the diffusion of neuroactive substances across the brain extracellular space (ECS) and their binding to extrasynaptic high-affinity receptors on neurons or glia. Extracellular diffusion is restricted by the limited volume of the ECS, which is described by the ECS volume fraction α, and the presence of diffusion barriers, reflected by tortuosity λ, that are created, for example, by fine astrocytic processes or extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules. Organized astrocytic processes, ECM scaffolds or myelin sheets channel the extracellular diffusion so that it is facilitated in a certain direction, i.e. anisotropic. The diffusion properties of the ECS are profoundly influenced by various processes such as the swelling and morphological rebuilding of astrocytes during either transient or persisting physiological or pathological states, or the remodelling of the ECM in tumorous or epileptogenic tissue, during Alzheimer's disease, after enzymatic treatment or in transgenic animals. The changing diffusion properties of the ECM influence neuron-glia interaction, learning abilities, the extent of neuronal damage and even cell migration. From a clinical point of view, diffusion parameter changes occurring during pathological states could be important for diagnosis, drug delivery and treatment. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Dynamic scaling for the growth of non-equilibrium fluctuations during thermophoretic diffusion in microgravity

DOE PAGES

Cerbino, Roberto; Sun, Yifei; Donev, Aleksandar; ...

2015-09-30

Diffusion processes are widespread in biological and chemical systems, where they play a fundamental role in the exchange of substances at the cellular level and in determining the rate of chemical reactions. Recently, the classical picture that portrays diffusion as random uncorrelated motion of molecules has been revised, when it was shown that giant non-equilibrium fluctuations develop during diffusion processes. Under microgravity conditions and at steady-state, non-equilibrium fluctuations exhibit scale invariance and their size is only limited by the boundaries of the system. Here in this work, we investigate the onset of non-equilibrium concentration fluctuations induced by thermophoretic diffusion inmore » microgravity, a regime not accessible to analytical calculations but of great relevance for the understanding of several natural and technological processes. A combination of state of the art simulations and experiments allows us to attain a fully quantitative description of the development of fluctuations during transient diffusion in microgravity. Both experiments and simulations show that during the onset the fluctuations exhibit scale invariance at large wave vectors. In a broader range of wave vectors simulations predict a spinodal-like growth of fluctuations, where the amplitude and length-scale of the dominant mode are determined by the thickness of the diffuse layer.« less

Lifetime of Major Histocompatibility Complex Class-I Membrane Clusters Is Controlled by the Actin Cytoskeleton

PubMed Central

Lavi, Yael; Gov, Nir; Edidin, Michael; Gheber, Levi A.

2012-01-01

Lateral heterogeneity of cell membranes has been demonstrated in numerous studies showing anomalous diffusion of membrane proteins; it has been explained by models and experiments suggesting dynamic barriers to free diffusion, that temporarily confine membrane proteins into microscopic patches. This picture, however, comes short of explaining a steady-state patchy distribution of proteins, in face of the transient opening of the barriers. In our previous work we directly imaged persistent clusters of MHC-I, a type I transmembrane protein, and proposed a model of a dynamic equilibrium between proteins newly delivered to the cell surface by vesicle traffic, temporary confinement by dynamic barriers to lateral diffusion, and dispersion of the clusters by diffusion over the dynamic barriers. Our model predicted that the clusters are dynamic, appearing when an exocytic vesicle fuses with the plasma membrane and dispersing with a typical lifetime that depends on lateral diffusion and the dynamics of barriers. In a subsequent work, we showed this to be the case. Here we test another prediction of the model, and show that changing the stability of actin barriers to lateral diffusion changes cluster lifetimes. We also develop a model for the distribution of cluster lifetimes, consistent with the function of barriers to lateral diffusion in maintaining MHC-I clusters. PMID:22500754

Dynamic scaling for the growth of non-equilibrium fluctuations during thermophoretic diffusion in microgravity

PubMed Central

Cerbino, Roberto; Sun, Yifei; Donev, Aleksandar; Vailati, Alberto

2015-01-01

Diffusion processes are widespread in biological and chemical systems, where they play a fundamental role in the exchange of substances at the cellular level and in determining the rate of chemical reactions. Recently, the classical picture that portrays diffusion as random uncorrelated motion of molecules has been revised, when it was shown that giant non-equilibrium fluctuations develop during diffusion processes. Under microgravity conditions and at steady-state, non-equilibrium fluctuations exhibit scale invariance and their size is only limited by the boundaries of the system. In this work, we investigate the onset of non-equilibrium concentration fluctuations induced by thermophoretic diffusion in microgravity, a regime not accessible to analytical calculations but of great relevance for the understanding of several natural and technological processes. A combination of state of the art simulations and experiments allows us to attain a fully quantitative description of the development of fluctuations during transient diffusion in microgravity. Both experiments and simulations show that during the onset the fluctuations exhibit scale invariance at large wave vectors. In a broader range of wave vectors simulations predict a spinodal-like growth of fluctuations, where the amplitude and length-scale of the dominant mode are determined by the thickness of the diffuse layer. PMID:26419420

Dynamic scaling for the growth of non-equilibrium fluctuations during thermophoretic diffusion in microgravity.

PubMed

Cerbino, Roberto; Sun, Yifei; Donev, Aleksandar; Vailati, Alberto

2015-09-30

Diffusion processes are widespread in biological and chemical systems, where they play a fundamental role in the exchange of substances at the cellular level and in determining the rate of chemical reactions. Recently, the classical picture that portrays diffusion as random uncorrelated motion of molecules has been revised, when it was shown that giant non-equilibrium fluctuations develop during diffusion processes. Under microgravity conditions and at steady-state, non-equilibrium fluctuations exhibit scale invariance and their size is only limited by the boundaries of the system. In this work, we investigate the onset of non-equilibrium concentration fluctuations induced by thermophoretic diffusion in microgravity, a regime not accessible to analytical calculations but of great relevance for the understanding of several natural and technological processes. A combination of state of the art simulations and experiments allows us to attain a fully quantitative description of the development of fluctuations during transient diffusion in microgravity. Both experiments and simulations show that during the onset the fluctuations exhibit scale invariance at large wave vectors. In a broader range of wave vectors simulations predict a spinodal-like growth of fluctuations, where the amplitude and length-scale of the dominant mode are determined by the thickness of the diffuse layer.

Measurement of Thermal Properties of Rocks at Temperature up to 1,000°C with Transient Plane Source Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S. K.; Lee, Y.

2017-12-01

A set of devices that can measure thermal properties of rocks over a temperature range from room temperature up to 1,000°C with transient plane source techniques (also known as a Hot Disk method) is introduced. It consists of a main control system (e.g., TPS 2500 S from Hot Disk), mica-insulated sensor, tubular furnace, N2 gas supplier, and pressure regulator. The TPS 2500 S is the core instrument designed for precise analysis of thermal transport properties including thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and volumetric heat capacity. The mica-insulated sensor is composed of an insulated nickel double spiral, which is utilized for both transient heating and precise temperature reading; a mica insulator protects the sensor against mechanical and thermal damage at high temperatures. The tubular furnace can hold two rock core samples of 50-mm-diameter and 25-mm-height with increasing temperatures up to 1,000°C. N2 gas supplier and pressure regulator are used to keep the inside the furnace away from oxygen. Thermal properties of most rocks and minerals vary with increasing temperatures. Experimental measurements of thermal properties at high temperatures have been made mostly using laser flash, needle probe, and divided bar methods in the previous researches, and no previous measurements with the Hot Disk method have been reported yet. We report thermal conductivities, thermal diffusivities, and volumetric heat capacities determined by a transient plane heat source method for fused silica and mafic rock samples using the introduced transient plane source apparatus. The thermal properties of fused silica have been measured mainly over the temperature range from ambient temperature to 500°C. The results seem to agree moderately with the previously reported values by Birch and Clark (Am. J. Sci., 1940). We now check the possible causes of measurement errors in our measurements and prepare to measure thermal properties of the mafic rock samples at temperatures up to 1,000°C using the hot disk method.

Three-dimensional hollow graphene efficiently promotes electron transfer of Ag3PO4 for photocatalytically eliminating phenol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Shaoqing; Meng, Aiyun; Jiang, Shujuan; Cheng, Bei

2018-06-01

The effective transport of photo-induced carriers over semiconductor photocatalyst is critical for enhancing the photocatalytic performance under light excitation. Although oxidized graphene (GO) and/or reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has been used as cocatalyst to promote the transfer and utilization of electrons, however, random diffusion and transfer of photo-induced charges are inevitable from all sides over these actual graphene owing to the limitation of the preparation process and theory. Herein, we utilized three-dimensional hollow carbon graphene (HCG) to promote the efficient electron transfer of Ag3PO4 in the photocatalytic process. Owing to the confinement-induced electron field of HCG, the constructed HCG-Ag3PO4 photocatalytic system demonstrated the enhanced visible-light adsorption, improved transfer of photo-induced charges, and suitable redox potentials as revealed by transient photo-current spectroscopic, surface photovoltage spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). EPR spectra of oxygen species and gas chromatography-mass spectra exhibited high efficiency activity over HCG-Ag3PO4 with Z-scheme photocatalytic mechanism for phenol decomposition by reaction between hexanoic acid and radOH and radO2-. It is noteworthy that photocatalytic performance over optimal HCG-Ag3PO4 is 6, 3.43, 1.92 times of pristine Ag3PO4, GO-Ag3PO4, and rGO-Ag3PO4, respectively. The results may supply a novel perspective to enhance transfer of photo-induced charges for the promotion of photocatalytic technology.

Self-diffusion in compressively strained Ge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamura, Yoko; Uematsu, Masashi; Hoshi, Yusuke; Sawano, Kentarou; Myronov, Maksym; Shiraki, Yasuhiro; Haller, Eugene E.; Itoh, Kohei M.

2011-08-01

Under a compressive biaxial strain of ˜ 0.71%, Ge self-diffusion has been measured using an isotopically controlled Ge single-crystal layer grown on a relaxed Si0.2Ge0.8 virtual substrate. The self-diffusivity is enhanced by the compressive strain and its behavior is fully consistent with a theoretical prediction of a generalized activation volume model of a simple vacancy mediated diffusion, reported by Aziz et al. [Phys. Rev. B 73, 054101 (2006)]. The activation volume of (-0.65±0.21) times the Ge atomic volume quantitatively describes the observed enhancement due to the compressive biaxial strain very well.

Expression of Terminal Effector Genes in Mammalian Neurons Is Maintained by a Dynamic Relay of Transient Enhancers.

PubMed

Rhee, Ho Sung; Closser, Michael; Guo, Yuchun; Bashkirova, Elizaveta V; Tan, G Christopher; Gifford, David K; Wichterle, Hynek

2016-12-21

Generic spinal motor neuron identity is established by cooperative binding of programming transcription factors (TFs), Isl1 and Lhx3, to motor-neuron-specific enhancers. How expression of effector genes is maintained following downregulation of programming TFs in maturing neurons remains unknown. High-resolution exonuclease (ChIP-exo) mapping revealed that the majority of enhancers established by programming TFs are rapidly deactivated following Lhx3 downregulation in stem-cell-derived hypaxial motor neurons. Isl1 is released from nascent motor neuron enhancers and recruited to new enhancers bound by clusters of Onecut1 in maturing neurons. Synthetic enhancer reporter assays revealed that Isl1 operates as an integrator factor, translating the density of Lhx3 or Onecut1 binding sites into transient enhancer activity. Importantly, independent Isl1/Lhx3- and Isl1/Onecut1-bound enhancers contribute to sustained expression of motor neuron effector genes, demonstrating that outwardly stable expression of terminal effector genes in postmitotic neurons is controlled by a dynamic relay of stage-specific enhancers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamics of Functionalized Surface Molecular Monolayers Studied with Ultrafast Infrared Vibrational Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Rosenfeld, Daniel E.; Nishida, Jun; Yan, Chang; Gengeliczki, Zsolt; Smith, Brian J.; Fayer, Michael D.

2012-01-01

The structural dynamics of thin films consisting of tricarbonyl (1,10-phenanthroline)rhenium chloride (RePhen(CO)3Cl) linked to an alkyl silane monolayer through a triazole linker synthesized on silica-on-calcium-fluoride substrates are investigated using ultrafast infrared (IR) techniques. Ultrafast 2D IR vibrational echo experiments and polarization selective heterodyne detected transient grating (HDTG) measurements, as well as polarization dependent FT-IR and AFM experiments are employed to study the samples. The vibrational echo experiments measure spectral diffusion, while the HDTG experiments measure the vibrational excited state population relaxation and investigate the vibrational transition dipole orientational anisotropy decay. To investigate the anticipated impact of vibrational excitation transfer, which can be caused by the high concentration of RePhen(CO)3Cl in the monolayer, a concentration dependence of the spectral diffusion is measured. To generate a range of concentrations, mixed monolayers consisting of both hydrogen terminated and triazole/RePhen(CO)3Cl terminated alkyl silanes are synthesized. It is found that the measured rate of spectral diffusion is independent of concentration, with all samples showing spectral diffusion of 37 ± 6 ps. To definitively test for vibrational excitation transfer, polarization selective HDTG experiments are conducted. Excitation transfer will cause anisotropy decay. Polarization resolved heterodyne detected transient grating spectroscopy is sensitive to anisotropy decay (depolarization) caused by excitation transfer and molecular reorientation. The HDTG experiments show no evidence of anisotropy decay on the appropriate time scale, demonstrating the absence of excitation transfer the RePhen(CO)3Cl. Therefore the influence of excitation transfer on spectral diffusion is inconsequential in these samples, and the vibrational echo measurements of spectral diffusion report solely on structural dynamics. A small amount of very fast (~2 ps time scale) anisotropy decay is observed. The decay is concentration independent, and is assigned to wobbling-in-a-cone orientational motions of the RePhen(CO)3Cl. Theoretical calculations reported previously for experiments on a single concentration of the same type of sample suggested the presence of some vibrational excitation transfer and excitation transfer induced spectral diffusion. Possible reasons for the experimentally observed lack of excitation transfer in these high concentration samples are discussed. PMID:23259027

Clinical characteristics and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame counts in women with transient left ventricular apical ballooning syndrome.

PubMed

Bybee, Kevin A; Prasad, Abhiram; Barsness, Greg W; Lerman, Amir; Jaffe, Allan S; Murphy, Joseph G; Wright, R Scott; Rihal, Charanjit S

2004-08-01

The characteristics of 16 women with transient left ventricular (LV) apical ballooning syndrome in a United States population are presented. Additionally, Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) frame counts were evaluated during the acute period. Patients generally presented with anterior ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome in the absence of obstructive coronary disease. All patients had LV apical wall motion abnormalities. An acute emotional or physiologic stressor preceded most cases. TIMI frame counts were abnormal in all patients and often abnormal in all 3 major coronary vessels, suggesting that the diffuse impairment of coronary microcirculatory function may play a role in the pathogenesis of the syndrome.

Generalization of Wilemski-Fixman-Weiss decoupling approximation to the case involving multiple sinks of different sizes, shapes, and reactivities.

PubMed

Uhm, Jesik; Lee, Jinuk; Eun, Changsun; Lee, Sangyoub

2006-08-07

We generalize the Wilemski-Fixman-Weiss decoupling approximation to calculate the transient rate of absorption of point particles into multiple sinks of different sizes, shapes, and reactivities. As an application we consider the case involving two spherical sinks. We obtain a Laplace-transform expression for the transient rate that is in excellent agreement with computer simulations. The long-time steady-state rate has a relatively simple expression, which clearly shows the dependence on the diffusion constant of the particles and on the sizes and reactivities of sinks, and its numerical result is in good agreement with the known exact result that is given in terms of recursion relations.

Tritium permeation model for plasma facing components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longhurst, G. R.

1992-12-01

This report documents the development of a simplified one-dimensional tritium permeation and retention model. The model makes use of the same physical mechanisms as more sophisticated, time-transient codes such as implantation, recombination, diffusion, trapping and thermal gradient effects. It takes advantage of a number of simplifications and approximations to solve the steady-state problem and then provides interpolating functions to make estimates of intermediate states based on the steady-state solution. The model is developed for solution using commercial spread-sheet software such as Lotus 123. Comparison calculations are provided with the verified and validated TMAP4 transient code with good agreement. Results of calculations for the ITER CDA diverter are also included.

Transient Mass and Thermal Transport during Methane Adsorption into the Metal-Organic Framework HKUST-1.

PubMed

Babaei, Hasan; McGaughey, Alan J H; Wilmer, Christopher E

2018-01-24

Methane adsorption into the metal-organic framework (MOF) HKUST-1 and the resulting heat generation and dissipation are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Transient simulations reveal that thermal transport in the MOF occurs two orders of magnitude faster than gas diffusion. A large thermal resistance at the MOF-gas interface (equivalent to 127 nm of bulk HKUST-1), however, prevents fast release of the generated heat. The mass transport resistance at the MOF-gas interface is equivalent to 1 nm of bulk HKUST-1 and does not present a bottleneck in the adsorption process. These results provide important insights into the application of MOFs for gas storage applications.

Does transbilayer diffusion have a role in membrane transport of drugs?

PubMed Central

Balaz, Stefan

2012-01-01

The existing consensus on coexistence of transbilayer diffusion and carrier-mediated transport as two main mechanisms for drugs crossing biological membranes was recently challenged by a systems biology group. Their transporters-only hypothesis is examined in this article using published experimental evidence. The main focus is on the key claim of their hypothesis, stating that ‘the drug molecules cross pure phospholipid bilayers through transient pores that cannot form in the bilayers of cell membranes, and thus transbilayer drug transport does not exist in cells’. The analysis shows that the prior consensus remains a valid scientific view of the membrane transport of drugs. PMID:22705388

Marangoni effect on small-amplitude capillary waves in viscous fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Li; Denner, Fabian; Morgan, Neal; van Wachem, Berend; Dini, Daniele

2017-11-01

We derive a general integro-differential equation for the transient behavior of small-amplitude capillary waves on the planar surface of a viscous fluid in the presence of the Marangoni effect. The equation is solved for an insoluble surfactant solution in concentration below the critical micelle concentration undergoing convective-diffusive surface transport. The special case of a diffusion-driven surfactant is considered near the the critical damping wavelength. The Marangoni effect is shown to contribute to the overall damping mechanism, and a first-order term correction to the critical wavelength with respect to the surfactant concentration difference and the Schmidt number is proposed.

Pattern formation in the iodate-sulfite-thiosulfate reaction-diffusion system.

PubMed

Liu, Haimiao; Pojman, John A; Zhao, Yuemin; Pan, Changwei; Zheng, Juhua; Yuan, Ling; Horváth, Attila K; Gao, Qingyu

2012-01-07

Sodium polyacrylate-induced pH pattern formation and starch-induced iodine pattern formation were investigated in the iodate-sulfite-thiosulfate (IST) reaction in a one-side fed disc gel reactor (OSFR). As binding agents of the autocatalyst of hydrogen ions or iodide ions, different content of sodium polyacrylate or starch has induced various types of pattern formation. We observed pH pulses, striped patterns, mixed spots and stripes, and hexagonal spots upon increasing the content of sodium polyacrylate and observed iodine pulses, branched patterns, and labyrinthine patterns upon increasing the starch content in the system. Coexistence of a pH front and an iodine front was also studied in a batch IST reaction-diffusion system. Both pH and iodine front instabilities were observed in the presence of sodium polyacrylate, i.e., cellular fronts and transient Turing structures resulting from the decrease in diffusion coefficients of activators. The mechanism of multiple feedback may explain the different patterns in the IST reaction-diffusion system.

Vortex/Flame Interactions in Microgravity Pulsed Jet Diffusion Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahadori, M. Y.; Hegde, U.; Stocker, D. P.

1999-01-01

The problem of vortex/flame interaction is of fundamental importance to turbulent combustion. These interactions have been studied in normal gravity. It was found that due to the interactions between the imposed disturbances and buoyancy induced instabilities, several overall length scales dominated the flame. The problem of multiple scales does not exist in microgravity for a pulsed laminar flame, since there are no buoyancy induced instabilities. The absence of buoyant convection therefore provides an environment to study the role of vortices interacting with flames in a controlled manner. There are strong similarities between imposed and naturally occurring perturbations, since both can be described by the same spatial instability theory. Hence, imposing a harmonic disturbance on a microgravity laminar flame creates effects similar to those occurring naturally in transitional/turbulent diffusion flames observed in microgravity. In this study, controlled, large-scale, axisymmetric vortices are imposed on a microgravity laminar diffusion flame. The experimental results and predictions from a numerical model of transient jet diffusion flames are presented and the characteristics of pulsed flame are described.

Composition, structure and chemistry of interstellar dust

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tielens, Alexander G. G. M.; Allamandola, Louis J.

1986-01-01

The observational constraints on the composition of the interstellar dust are analyzed. The dust in the diffuse interstellar medium consists of a mixture of stardust (amorphous silicates, amorphous carbon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and graphite) and interstellar medium dust (organic refractory material). Stardust seems to dominate in the local diffuse interstellar medium. Inside molecular clouds, however, icy grain mantles are also important. The structural differences between crystalline and amorphous materials, which lead to differences in the optical properties, are discussed. The astrophysical consequences are briefly examined. The physical principles of grain surface chemistry are discussed and applied to the formation of molecular hydrogen and icy grain mantles inside dense molecular clouds. Transformation of these icy grain mantles into the organic refractory dust component observed in the diffuse interstellar medium requires ultraviolet sources inside molecular clouds as well as radical diffusion promoted by transient heating of the mantle. The latter process also returns a considerable fraction of the molecules in the grain mantle to the gas phase.

Modeling cell-cycle synchronization during embryogenesis in Xenopus laevis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McIsaac, R. Scott; Huang, K. C.; Sengupta, Anirvan; Wingreen, Ned

2010-03-01

A widely conserved aspect of embryogenesis is the ability to synchronize nuclear divisions post-fertilization. How is synchronization achieved? Given a typical protein diffusion constant of 10 μm^2sec, and an embryo length of 1mm, it would take diffusion many hours to propagate a signal across the embryo. Therefore, synchrony cannot be attained by diffusion alone. We hypothesize that known autocatalytic reactions of cell-cycle components make the embryo an ``active medium'' in which waves propagate much faster than diffusion, enforcing synchrony. We report on robust spatial synchronization of components of the core cell cycle circuit based on a mathematical model previously determined by in vitro experiments. In vivo, synchronized divisions are preceded by a rapid calcium wave that sweeps across the embryo. Experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that increases in transient calcium levels lead to derepression of a negative feedback loop, allowing cell divisions to start. Preliminary results indicate a novel relationship between the speed of the initial calcium wave and the ability to achieve synchronous cell divisions.

The Electron Diffusion Region: Forces and Currents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hesse, Michael

2008-01-01

The dissipation mechanism of magnetic reconnection remains a subject of intense scientific interest. On one hand, one set of recent studies have shown that particle inertia-based processes, which include thermal and bulk inertial effects, provide the reconnection electric field in the diffusion region. On the other hand, a second set of studies emphasizes the role of wave-particle interactions in providing anomalous resistivity in the diffusion region. In this presentation, we present analytical theory results, as well as PIC simulations of guide-field magnetic reconnection. We will show that the thermal electron inertia-based dissipation mechanism, expressed through nongyrotropic electron pressure tensors, remains viable in three dimensions. We will demonstrate the thermal inertia effect through studies of electron distribution functions. Furthermore, we will show that the reconnection electric field provides a transient acceleration on particles traversing the inner reconnection region. This inertia1 effect can be described as a diffusion-like term of the current density, which matches key features of electron distribution functions.

The Electron Diffusion Region: Forces and Currents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hesse, Michael

2009-01-01

The dissipation mechanism of magnetic reconnection remains a subject of intense scientific interest. On one hand, one set of recent studies have shown that particle inertia-based processes, which include thermal and bulk inertial effects, provide the reconnection electric field in the diffusion region. On the other hand, a second set of studies emphasizes the role of wave-particle interactions in providing anomalous resistivity in the diffusion region. In this presentation, we present analytical theory results, as well as PIC simulations of guide-field magnetic reconnection. We will show that the thermal electron inertia-based dissipation mechanism, expressed through nongyrotropic electron pressure tensors, remains viable in three dimensions. We will demonstrate the thermal inertia effect through studies of electron distribution functions. Furthermore, we will show that the reconnection electric field provides a transient acceleration on particles traversing the inner reconnection region. This inertial effect can be described as a diffusion-like term of the current density, which matches key features of electron distribution functions.

Monitoring of caffeine consumption effect on skin blood properties by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milanic, Matija; Marin, Ana; Stergar, Jost; Verdel, Nina; Majaron, Boris

2017-07-01

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. It affects many tissues and organs, in particular central nervous system, heart, and blood vessels. The effect of caffeine on vascular smooth muscle cells is an initial transient contraction followed by significant vasodilatation. In this study we investigate the use of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) for monitoring of vascular changes in human skin induced by caffeine consumption. DRS spectra were recorded on volar sides of the forearms of ten healthy volunteers at time delays of 0, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after consumption of caffeine, while one subject served as a negative control. Analytical diffusion approximation solutions for diffuse reflectance from three-layer structures were used to assess skin composition (e.g., dermal blood volume fraction and oxygen saturation) by fitting to experimental data. The results demonstrate that cutaneous vasodynamics induced by caffeine consumption can be monitored by DRS, while changes in the control subject not consuming caffeine were insignificant.

The influence of gravity on the precise measurement of solute diffusion coefficients in dilute liquid metals and metalloids.

PubMed

Smith, Reginald W; Zhu, Xiaohe; Tunnicliffe, Mark C; Smith, Timothy J N; Misener, Lowell; Adamson, Josee

2002-10-01

It is now well known that the diffusion coefficient (D) measured in a laboratory in low earth orbit (LEO) is less than the corresponding value measured in a terrestrial laboratory. However, all LEO laboratories are subject to transient accelerations (g-jitter) superimposed on the steady reduced gravity environment of the space platform. In measurements of the diffusion coefficients for dilute binary alloys of Pb-(Ag, Au,Sb), Sb-(Ga,In), Bi-(Ag,Au,Sb), Sn-(Au,Sb), Al-(Fe, Ni,Si), and In-Sb in which g-jitter was suppressed, it was found that D proportional to T (temperature) if g-jitter was suppressed, rather than D proportional to T(2) as observed by earlier workers with g-jitter present. Furthermore, when a forced g-jitter was applied to a diffusion couple, the value measured for D increased. The significance of these results is reviewed in the light of recent work in which ab initio molecular dynamics simulations predicted a D proportional to T relationship.

Excitation-dependent carrier lifetime and diffusion length in bulk CdTe determined by time-resolved optical pump-probe techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ščajev, Patrik; Miasojedovas, Saulius; Mekys, Algirdas; Kuciauskas, Darius; Lynn, Kelvin G.; Swain, Santosh K.; JarašiÅ«nas, Kestutis

2018-01-01

We applied time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy based on free carrier absorption and light diffraction on a transient grating for direct measurements of the carrier lifetime and diffusion coefficient D in high-resistivity single crystal CdTe (codoped with In and Er). The bulk carrier lifetime τ decreased from 670 ± 50 ns to 60 ± 10 ns with increase of excess carrier density N from 1016 to 5 × 1018 cm-3 due to the excitation-dependent radiative recombination rate. In this N range, the carrier diffusion length dropped from 14 μm to 6 μm due to lifetime decrease. Modeling of in-depth (axial) and in-plane (lateral) carrier diffusion provided the value of surface recombination velocity S = 6 × 105 cm/s for the untreated surface. At even higher excitations, in the 1019-3 × 1020 cm-3 density range, D increase from 5 to 20 cm2/s due to carrier degeneracy was observed.

On the Maxwell-Stefan approach to diffusion: a general resolution in the transient regime for one-dimensional systems.

PubMed

Leonardi, Erminia; Angeli, Celestino

2010-01-14

The diffusion process in a multicomponent system can be formulated in a general form by the generalized Maxwell-Stefan equations. This formulation is able to describe the diffusion process in different systems, such as, for instance, bulk diffusion (in the gas, liquid, and solid phase) and diffusion in microporous materials (membranes, zeolites, nanotubes, etc.). The Maxwell-Stefan equations can be solved analytically (only in special cases) or by numerical approaches. Different numerical strategies have been previously presented, but the number of diffusing species is normally restricted, with only few exceptions, to three in bulk diffusion and to two in microporous systems, unless simplifications of the Maxwell-Stefan equations are considered. In the literature, a large effort has been devoted to the derivation of the analytic expression of the elements of the Fick-like diffusion matrix and therefore to the symbolic inversion of a square matrix with dimensions n x n (n being the number of independent components). This step, which can be easily performed for n = 2 and remains reasonable for n = 3, becomes rapidly very complex in problems with a large number of components. This paper addresses the problem of the numerical resolution of the Maxwell-Stefan equations in the transient regime for a one-dimensional system with a generic number of components, avoiding the definition of the analytic expression of the elements of the Fick-like diffusion matrix. To this aim, two approaches have been implemented in a computational code; the first is the simple finite difference second-order accurate in time Crank-Nicolson scheme for which the full mathematical derivation and the relevant final equations are reported. The second is based on the more accurate backward differentiation formulas, BDF, or Gear's method (Shampine, L. F. ; Gear, C. W. SIAM Rev. 1979, 21, 1.), as implemented in the Livermore solver for ordinary differential equations, LSODE (Hindmarsh, A. C. Serial Fortran Solvers for ODE Initial Value Problems, Technical Report; https://computation.llnl.gov/casc/odepack/odepack_ home.html (2006).). Both methods have been applied to a series of specific problems, such as bulk diffusion of acetone and methanol through stagnant air, uptake of two components on a microporous material in a model system, and permeation across a microporous membrane in model systems, both with the aim to validate the method and to add new information to the comprehension of the peculiar behavior of these systems. The approach is validated by comparison with different published results and with analytic expressions for the steady-state concentration profiles or fluxes in particular systems. The possibility to treat a generic number of components (the limitation being essentially the computational power) is also tested, and results are reported on the permeation of a five component mixture through a membrane in a model system. It is worth noticing that the algorithm here reported can be applied also to the Fick formulation of the diffusion problem with concentration-dependent diffusion coefficients.

Acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion associated with staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome caused by burns.

PubMed

Yokochi, Takaoki; Sakanishi, Shinpei; Ishidou, Yuuki; Kawano, Go; Matsuishi, Toyojiro; Akita, Yukihiro; Obu, Keizo

2016-10-01

We report a case of acute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (AESD) associated with toxic shock syndrome caused by burns. A one-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital for treatment of severe burns. On day 3, she exhibited a fever, generalized rash and multiple organ failure. She was diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome after burns. She had seizures with fever twice on the same day, followed by secondary seizures on day 8 and transient deterioration of the gross motor functions involved in sitting alone and rolling over. On day 9, MRI diffusion-weighted images showed bright tree appearance (BTA). We conclude that she developed AESD. Copyright © 2016 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of NO interaction on Rh/doped TiO2-based automotive catalyst using combined transient diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared and mass spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chafik, T.; Ouassini, A.; Verykios, X. E.

1998-07-01

The interaction of NO with Rh supported on W+6 doped TiO2 has been investigated by coupling transient diffuse reflectance Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The experiments were carried out in dynamic conditions (under reactant flow and at temperature reaction) at atmospheric pressure. By comparing the results obtained with undoped Rh/TiO2 and Rh/TiO2(W6+) catalysts, the analytical approach used permitted to emphasis the effect of carrier doping, with respect to the elementary steps and surface intermediates involved in NO interaction process. It was found that W6+-doping of TiO2 promotes significantly the formation of Rh-NO- species and enhances the thermal stability of Rh-NO+ on Rh/TiO2 (W6+) surfaces. This leads to a drastic increase in the selectivity of NO decomposition reaction towards N2 formation, whereas the N2O yield decreases significantly. L'intéraction de NO sur un catalyseur à base de rhodium supporté sur TiO2 dopé par le tungstène W6+ a été étudiée en régime transitoire par couplage de la spectroscopie Infrarouge Diffuse à Transformée de Fourier (DRIFT) et la spectrométrie de masse. Ces études ont été effectuées dans des conditions dynamiques (sous flux de réactifs gazeux et à la température de la réaction) à la pression atmosphérique. La comparaison des études menées avec des catalyseurs non dopé (Rh/TiO2) et dopé (Rh/TiO2(W6+)) a permis de mettre en évidence l'influence du dopage du support catalytique sur la nature des intermédiaires superficiels et les étapes élémentaires intervenant dans le processus d'interaction de NO avec ces solides. Il a été montré que le dopage de TiO2 par W6+ accroît la formation des espèces Rh-NO- et la stabilité thermique des espèces Rh-NO+ sur Rh/TiO2(W6+). Ceci est à l'origine de l'augmentation de la sélectivité de la conversion de NO en N2 suite à la diminution considérable de la quantité N2O formée.

Neuroprotective effect of agmatine in rats with transient cerebral ischemia using MR imaging and histopathologic evaluation.

PubMed

Huang, Y C; Tzeng, W S; Wang, C C; Cheng, B C; Chang, Y K; Chen, H H; Lin, P C; Huang, T Y; Chuang, T J; Lin, J W; Chang, C P

2013-09-01

This study aimed to further investigate the effects of agmatine on brain edema in the rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) injury using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) monitoring and biochemical and histopathologic evaluation. Following surgical induction of MCAO for 90min, agmatine was injected 5min after beginning of reperfusion and again once daily for the next 3 post-operative days. The events during ischemia and reperfusion were investigated by T2-weighted images (T2WI), serial diffusion-weighted images (DWI), calculated apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images (CE-T1WI) during 3h-72h in a 1.5T Siemens MAGNETON Avanto Scanner. Lesion volumes were analyzed in a blinded and randomized manner. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), Nissl, and Evans Blue stainings were performed at the corresponding sections. Increased lesion volumes derived from T2WI, DWI, ADC, CE-T1WI, and TTC all were noted at 3h and peaked at 24h-48h after MCAO injury. TTC-derived infarct volumes were not significantly different from the T2WI, DWI-, and CE-T1WI-derived lesion volumes at the last imaging time (72h) point except for significantly smaller ADC lesions in the MCAO model (P<0.05). Volumetric calculation based on TTC-derived infarct also correlated significantly stronger to volumetric calculation based on last imaging time point derived on T2WI, DWI or CE-T1WI than ADC (P<0.05). At the last imaging time point, a significant increase in Evans Blue extravasation and a significant decrease in Nissl-positive cells numbers were noted in the vehicle-treated MCAO injured animals. The lesion volumes derived from T2WI, DWI, CE-T1WI, and Evans blue extravasation as well as the reduced numbers of Nissl-positive cells were all significantly attenuated in the agmatine-treated rats compared with the control ischemia rats (P<0.05). Our results suggest that agmatine has neuroprotective effects against brain edema on a reperfusion model after transient cerebral ischemia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Moments of action provide insight into critical times for advection-diffusion-reaction processes.

PubMed

Ellery, Adam J; Simpson, Matthew J; McCue, Scott W; Baker, Ruth E

2012-09-01

Berezhkovskii and co-workers introduced the concept of local accumulation time as a finite measure of the time required for the transient solution of a reaction-diffusion equation to effectively reach steady state [Biophys J. 99, L59 (2010); Phys. Rev. E 83, 051906 (2011)]. Berezhkovskii's approach is a particular application of the concept of mean action time (MAT) that was introduced previously by McNabb [IMA J. Appl. Math. 47, 193 (1991)]. Here, we generalize these previous results by presenting a framework to calculate the MAT, as well as the higher moments, which we call the moments of action. The second moment is the variance of action time, the third moment is related to the skew of action time, and so on. We consider a general transition from some initial condition to an associated steady state for a one-dimensional linear advection-diffusion-reaction partial differential equation (PDE). Our results indicate that it is possible to solve for the moments of action exactly without requiring the transient solution of the PDE. We present specific examples that highlight potential weaknesses of previous studies that have considered the MAT alone without considering higher moments. Finally, we also provide a meaningful interpretation of the moments of action by presenting simulation results from a discrete random-walk model together with some analysis of the particle lifetime distribution. This work shows that the moments of action are identical to the moments of the particle lifetime distribution for certain transitions.

New core-reflector boundary conditions for transient nodal reactor calculations

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

Lee, E.K.; Kim, C.H.; Joo, H.K.

1995-09-01

New core-reflector boundary conditions designed for the exclusion of the reflector region in transient nodal reactor calculations are formulated. Spatially flat frequency approximations for the temporal neutron behavior and two types of transverse leakage approximations in the reflector region are introduced to solve the transverse-integrated time-dependent one-dimensional diffusion equation and then to obtain relationships between net current and flux at the core-reflector interfaces. To examine the effectiveness of new core-reflector boundary conditions in transient nodal reactor computations, nodal expansion method (NEM) computations with and without explicit representation of the reflector are performed for Laboratorium fuer Reaktorregelung und Anlagen (LRA) boilingmore » water reactor (BWR) and Nuclear Energy Agency Committee on Reactor Physics (NEACRP) pressurized water reactor (PWR) rod ejection kinetics benchmark problems. Good agreement between two NEM computations is demonstrated in all the important transient parameters of two benchmark problems. A significant amount of CPU time saving is also demonstrated with the boundary condition model with transverse leakage (BCMTL) approximations in the reflector region. In the three-dimensional LRA BWR, the BCMTL and the explicit reflector model computations differ by {approximately}4% in transient peak power density while the BCMTL results in >40% of CPU time saving by excluding both the axial and the radial reflector regions from explicit computational nodes. In the NEACRP PWR problem, which includes six different transient cases, the largest difference is 24.4% in the transient maximum power in the one-node-per-assembly B1 transient results. This difference in the transient maximum power of the B1 case is shown to reduce to 11.7% in the four-node-per-assembly computations. As for the computing time, BCMTL is shown to reduce the CPU time >20% in all six transient cases of the NEACRP PWR.« less

Numerical analysis of multicomponent responses of surface-hole transient electromagnetic method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Qing-Xin; Hu, Xiang-Yun; Pan, He-Ping; Zhou, Feng

2017-03-01

We calculate the multicomponent responses of surface-hole transient electromagnetic method. The methods and models are unsuitable as geoelectric models of conductive surrounding rocks because they are based on regular local targets. We also propose a calculation and analysis scheme based on numerical simulations of the subsurface transient electromagnetic fields. In the modeling of the electromagnetic fields, the forward modeling simulations are performed by using the finite-difference time-domain method and the discrete image method, which combines the Gaver-Stehfest inverse Laplace transform with the Prony method to solve the initial electromagnetic fields. The precision in the iterative computations is ensured by using the transmission boundary conditions. For the response analysis, we customize geoelectric models consisting of near-borehole targets and conductive wall rocks and implement forward modeling simulations. The observed electric fields are converted into induced electromotive force responses using multicomponent observation devices. By comparing the transient electric fields and multicomponent responses under different conditions, we suggest that the multicomponent-induced electromotive force responses are related to the horizontal and vertical gradient variations of the transient electric field at different times. The characteristics of the response are determined by the varying the subsurface transient electromagnetic fields, i.e., diffusion, attenuation and distortion, under different conditions as well as the electromagnetic fields at the observation positions. The calculation and analysis scheme of the response consider the surrounding rocks and the anomalous field of the local targets. It therefore can account for the geological data better than conventional transient field response analysis of local targets.

Enhancement of tunneling magnetoresistance by inserting a diffusion barrier in L10-FePd perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, De-Lin; Schliep, Karl B.; Wu, Ryan J.; Quarterman, P.; Reifsnyder Hickey, Danielle; Lv, Yang; Chao, Xiaohui; Li, Hongshi; Chen, Jun-Yang; Zhao, Zhengyang; Jamali, Mahdi; Mkhoyan, K. Andre; Wang, Jian-Ping

2018-04-01

We studied the tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) of L10-FePd perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (p-MTJs) with an FePd free layer and an inserted diffusion barrier. The diffusion barriers studied here (Ta and W) were shown to enhance the TMR ratio of the p-MTJs formed using high-temperature annealing, which are necessary for the formation of high quality L10-FePd films and MgO barriers. The L10-FePd p-MTJ stack was developed with an FePd free layer with a stack of FePd/X/Co20Fe60B20, where X is the diffusion barrier, and patterned into micron-sized MTJ pillars. The addition of the diffusion barrier was found to greatly enhance the magneto-transport behavior of the L10-FePd p-MTJ pillars such that those without a diffusion barrier exhibited negligible TMR ratios (<1.0%), whereas those with a Ta (W) diffusion barrier exhibited TMR ratios of 8.0% (7.0%) at room temperature and 35.0% (46.0%) at 10 K after post-annealing at 350 °C. These results indicate that diffusion barriers could play a crucial role in realizing high TMR ratios in bulk p-MTJs such as those based on FePd and Mn-based perpendicular magnetic anisotropy materials for spintronic applications.

Vessel Enhancement and Segmentation of 4D CT Lung Image Using Stick Tensor Voting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cong, Tan; Hao, Yang; Jingli, Shi; Xuan, Yang

2016-12-01

Vessel enhancement and segmentation plays a significant role in medical image analysis. This paper proposes a novel vessel enhancement and segmentation method for 4D CT lung image using stick tensor voting algorithm, which focuses on addressing the vessel distortion issue of vessel enhancement diffusion (VED) method. Furthermore, the enhanced results are easily segmented using level-set segmentation. In our method, firstly, vessels are filtered using Frangi's filter to reduce intrapulmonary noises and extract rough blood vessels. Secondly, stick tensor voting algorithm is employed to estimate the correct direction along the vessel. Then the estimated direction along the vessel is used as the anisotropic diffusion direction of vessel in VED algorithm, which makes the intensity diffusion of points locating at the vessel wall be consistent with the directions of vessels and enhance the tubular features of vessels. Finally, vessels can be extracted from the enhanced image by applying level-set segmentation method. A number of experiments results show that our method outperforms traditional VED method in vessel enhancement and results in satisfied segmented vessels.

Extrusion versus diffusion: mechanisms for recovery from sodium loads in mouse CA1 pyramidal neurons

PubMed Central

Mondragão, Miguel A.; Schmidt, Hartmut; Kleinhans, Christian; Langer, Julia; Kafitz, Karl W.

2016-01-01

Key points Neuronal activity causes local or global sodium signalling in neurons, depending on the pattern of synaptic activity.Recovery from global sodium loads critically relies on Na+/K+‐ATPase and an intact energy metabolism in both somata and dendrites.For recovery from local sodium loads in dendrites, Na+/K+‐ATPase activity is not required per se. Instead, recovery is predominately mediated by lateral diffusion, exhibiting rates that are 10‐fold higher than for global sodium signals.Recovery from local dendritic sodium increases is still efficient during short periods of energy deprivation, indicating that fast diffusion of sodium to non‐stimulated regions strongly reduces local energy requirements. Abstract Excitatory activity is accompanied by sodium influx into neurones as a result of the opening of voltage‐ and ligand‐activated channels. Recovery from resulting sodium transients has mainly been attributed to Na+/K+‐ATPase (NKA). Because sodium ions are highly mobile, diffusion could provide an additional pathway. We tested this in hippocampal neurones using whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings and sodium imaging. Somatic sodium transients induced by local glutamate application recovered at a maximum rate of 8 mm min−1 (∼0.03 mm min−1 μm−2). Somatic sodium extrusion was accelerated at higher temperature and blocked by ouabain, emphasizing its dependence on NKA. Moreover, it was slowed down during inhibition of glycolysis by sodium fluoride (NaF). Local glutamate application to dendrites revealed a 10‐fold higher apparent dendritic sodium extrusion rate compared to somata. Recovery was almost unaltered by increased temperature, ouabain or NaF. We found that sodium diffused along primary dendrites with a diffusion coefficient of ∼330 μm²/s. During global glutamate application, impeding substantial net diffusion, apparent dendritic extrusion rates were reduced to somatic rates and also affected by NaF. Numerical simulations confirmed the essential role of NKA for the recovery of somatic, but not dendritic sodium loads. Our data show that sodium export upon global sodium increases is largely mediated by NKA and depends on an intact energy metabolism. For recovery from local dendritic sodium increases, diffusion dominates over extrusion, operating efficiently even during short periods of energy deprivation. Although sodium will eventually be extruded by the NKA, its diffusion‐based fast dissemination to non‐stimulated regions might reduce local energy requirements. PMID:27080107

Bone marrow with diffuse tumor infiltration in patients with lymphoproliferative diseases: dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging.

PubMed

Rahmouni, Alain; Montazel, Jean-Luc; Divine, Marine; Lepage, Eric; Belhadj, Karim; Gaulard, Philippe; Bouanane, Mohamed; Golli, Mondher; Kobeiter, Hicham

2003-12-01

To evaluate gadolinium enhancement of bone marrow in patients with lymphoproliferative diseases and diffuse bone marrow involvement. Dynamic contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the thoracolumbar spine was performed in 42 patients with histologically proved diffuse bone marrow involvement and newly diagnosed myeloma (n = 31), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 8), or Hodgkin disease (n = 3). The maximum percentage of enhancement (Emax), enhancement slope, and enhancement washout were determined from enhancement time curves (ETCs). A three-grade system for scoring bone marrow involvement was based on the percentage of neoplastic cells in bone marrow samples. Quantitative ETC values for the 42 patients were compared with ETC values for healthy subjects and with grades of bone marrow involvement by using mean t test comparisons. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted by comparing Emax values between patients with and those without bone marrow involvement. Baseline and follow-up MR imaging findings were compared in nine patients. Significant differences in Emax (P <.001), slope (P <.001), and washout (P =.005) were found between subjects with normal bone marrow and patients with diffuse bone marrow involvement. ROC analysis results showed Emax values to have a diagnostic accuracy of 99%. Emax, slope, and washout values increased with increasing bone marrow involvement grade. The mean Emax increased from 339% to 737%. Contrast enhancement decreased after treatment in all six patients who responded to treatment but not in two of three patients who did not respond to treatment. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR images can demonstrate increased bone marrow enhancement in patients with lymphoproliferative diseases and marrow involvement.

Pyruvate induces transient tumor hypoxia by enhancing mitochondrial oxygen consumption and potentiates the anti-tumor effect of a hypoxia-activated prodrug TH-302.

PubMed

Takakusagi, Yoichi; Matsumoto, Shingo; Saito, Keita; Matsuo, Masayuki; Kishimoto, Shun; Wojtkowiak, Jonathan W; DeGraff, William; Kesarwala, Aparna H; Choudhuri, Rajani; Devasahayam, Nallathamby; Subramanian, Sankaran; Munasinghe, Jeeva P; Gillies, Robert J; Mitchell, James B; Hart, Charles P; Krishna, Murali C

2014-01-01

TH-302 is a hypoxia-activated prodrug (HAP) of bromo isophosphoramide mustard that is selectively activated within hypoxic regions in solid tumors. Our recent study showed that intravenously administered bolus pyruvate can transiently induce hypoxia in tumors. We investigated the mechanism underlying the induction of transient hypoxia and the combination use of pyruvate to potentiate the anti-tumor effect of TH-302. The hypoxia-dependent cytotoxicity of TH-302 was evaluated by a viability assay in murine SCCVII and human HT29 cells. Modulation in cellular oxygen consumption and in vivo tumor oxygenation by the pyruvate treatment was monitored by extracellular flux analysis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oxygen imaging, respectively. The enhancement of the anti-tumor effect of TH-302 by pyruvate treatment was evaluated by monitoring the growth suppression of the tumor xenografts inoculated subcutaneously in mice. TH-302 preferentially inhibited the growth of both SCCVII and HT29 cells under hypoxic conditions (0.1% O2), with minimal effect under aerobic conditions (21% O2). Basal oxygen consumption rates increased after the pyruvate treatment in SCCVII cells in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting that pyruvate enhances the mitochondrial respiration to consume excess cellular oxygen. In vivo EPR oxygen imaging showed that the intravenous administration of pyruvate globally induced the transient hypoxia 30 min after the injection in SCCVII and HT29 tumors at the size of 500-1500 mm(3). Pretreatment of SCCVII tumor bearing mice with pyruvate 30 min prior to TH-302 administration, initiated with small tumors (∼ 550 mm(3)), significantly delayed tumor growth. Our in vitro and in vivo studies showed that pyruvate induces transient hypoxia by enhancing mitochondrial oxygen consumption in tumor cells. TH-302 therapy can be potentiated by pyruvate pretreatment if started at the appropriate tumor size and oxygen concentration.

Risk Factors and Cognitive Relevance of Cortical Cerebral Microinfarcts in Patients With Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack.

PubMed

Wang, Zhaolu; van Veluw, Susanne J; Wong, Adrian; Liu, Wenyan; Shi, Lin; Yang, Jie; Xiong, Yunyun; Lau, Alexander; Biessels, Geert Jan; Mok, Vincent C T

2016-10-01

It was recently demonstrated that cerebral microinfarcts (CMIs) can be detected in vivo using 3.0 tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging. We investigated the prevalence, risk factors, and the longitudinal cognitive consequence of cortical CMIs on 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging, in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack. A total of 231 patients undergoing 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging were included. Montreal Cognitive Assessment was used to evaluate global cognitive functions and cognitive domains (memory, language, and attention visuospatial and executive functions). Cognitive changes were represented by the difference in Montreal Cognitive Assessment score between baseline and 28-month after stroke/transient ischemic attack. The cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between cortical CMIs and cognitive functions were explored using ANCOVA and regression models. Cortical CMIs were observed in 34 patients (14.7%), including 13 patients with acute (hyperintense on diffusion-weighted imaging) and 21 with chronic CMIs (isointense on diffusion-weighted imaging). Atrial fibrillation was a risk factor for all cortical CMIs (odds ratio, 4.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-14.9; P=0.007). Confluent white matter hyperintensities was associated with chronic CMIs (odds ratio, 2.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-7.8; P=0.047). The presence of cortical CMIs at baseline was associated with worse visuospatial functions at baseline and decline over 28-month follow-up (β=0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-1.0; P=0.008, adjusting for brain atrophy, white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, and microbleeds). Cortical CMIs are a common finding in patients with stroke/transient ischemic attack. Associations between CMI with atrial fibrillation and white matter hyperintensities suggest that these lesions have a heterogeneous cause, involving microembolism and cerebral small vessel disease. CMI seemed to preferentially impact visuospatial functions as assessed by a cognitive screening test. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

A quasi steady state method for solving transient Darcy flow in complex 3D fractured networks accounting for matrix to fracture flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nœtinger, B.

2015-02-01

Modeling natural Discrete Fracture Networks (DFN) receives more and more attention in applied geosciences, from oil and gas industry, to geothermal recovery and aquifer management. The fractures may be either natural, or artificial in case of well stimulation. Accounting for the flow inside the fracture network, and accounting for the transfers between the matrix and the fractures, with the same level of accuracy is an important issue for calibrating the well architecture and for setting up optimal resources recovery strategies. Recently, we proposed an original method allowing to model transient pressure diffusion in the fracture network only [1]. The matrix was assumed to be impervious. A systematic approximation scheme was built, allowing to model the initial DFN by a set of N unknowns located at each identified intersection between fractures. The higher N, the higher the accuracy of the model. The main assumption was using a quasi steady state hypothesis, that states that the characteristic diffusion time over one single fracture is negligible compared with the characteristic time of the macroscopic problem, e.g. change of boundary conditions. In that context, the lowest order approximation N = 1 has the form of solving a transient problem in a resistor/capacitor network, a so-called pipe network. Its topology is the same as the network of geometrical intersections between fractures. In this paper, we generalize this approach in order to account for fluxes from matrix to fractures. The quasi steady state hypothesis at the fracture level is still kept. Then, we show that in the case of well separated time scales between matrix and fractures, the preceding model needs only to be slightly modified in order to incorporate these fluxes. The additional knowledge of the so-called matrix to fracture transfer function allows to modify the mass matrix that becomes a time convolution operator. This is reminiscent of existing space averaged transient dual porosity models.

Osmosis in Cortical Collecting Tubules

PubMed Central

Schafer, James A.; Patlak, Clifford S.; Andreoli, Thomas E.

1974-01-01

This paper reports a theoretical analysis of osmotic transients and an experimental evaluation both of rapid time resolution of lumen to bath osmosis and of bidirectional steady-state osmosis in isolated rabbit cortical collecting tubules exposed to antidiuretic hormone (ADH). For the case of a membrane in series with unstirred layers, there may be considerable differences between initial and steady-state osmotic flows (i.e., the osmotic transient phenomenon), because the solute concentrations at the interfaces between membrane and unstirred layers may vary with time. A numerical solution of the equation of continuity provided a means for computing these time-dependent values, and, accordingly, the variation of osmotic flow with time for a given set of parameters including: Pf (cm s–1), the osmotic water permeability coefficient, the bulk phase solute concentrations, the unstirred layer thickness on either side of the membrane, and the fractional areas available for volume flow in the unstirred layers. The analyses provide a quantitative frame of reference for evaluating osmotic transients observed in epithelia in series with asymmetrical unstirred layers and indicate that, for such epithelia, Pf determinations from steady-state osmotic flows may result in gross underestimates of osmotic water permeability. In earlier studies, we suggested that the discrepancy between the ADH-dependent values of Pf and PDDw (cm s–1, diffusional water permeability coefficient) was the consequence of cellular constraints to diffusion. In the present experiments, no transients were detectable 20–30 s after initiating ADH-dependent lumen to bath osmosis; and steady-state ADH-dependent osmotic flows from bath to lumen and lumen to bath were linear and symmetrical. An evaluation of these data in terms of the analytical model indicates: First, cellular constraints to diffusion in cortical collecting tubules could be rationalized in terms of a 25-fold reduction in the area of the cell layer available for water transport, possibly due in part to transcellular shunting of osmotic flow; and second, such cellular constraints resulted in relatively small, approximately 15%, underestimates of Pf. PMID:4846767

Analysis of transient fission gas behaviour in oxide fuel using BISON and TRANSURANUS

DOE PAGES

Barani, T.; Bruschi, E.; Pizzocri, D.; ...

2017-01-03

The modelling of fission gas behaviour is a crucial aspect of nuclear fuel analysis in view of the related effects on the thermo-mechanical performance of the fuel rod, which can be particularly significant during transients. Experimental observations indicate that substantial fission gas release (FGR) can occur on a small time scale during transients (burst release). To accurately reproduce the rapid kinetics of burst release in fuel performance calculations, a model that accounts for non-diffusional mechanisms such as fuel micro-cracking is needed. In this work, we present and assess a model for transient fission gas behaviour in oxide fuel, which ismore » applied as an extension of diffusion-based models to allow for the burst release effect. The concept and governing equations of the model are presented, and the effect of the newly introduced parameters is evaluated through an analytic sensitivity analysis. Then, the model is assessed for application to integral fuel rod analysis. The approach that we take for model assessment involves implementation in two structurally different fuel performance codes, namely, BISON (multi-dimensional finite element code) and TRANSURANUS (1.5D semi-analytic code). The model is validated against 19 Light Water Reactor fuel rod irradiation experiments from the OECD/NEA IFPE (International Fuel Performance Experiments) database, all of which are simulated with both codes. The results point out an improvement in both the qualitative representation of the FGR kinetics and the quantitative predictions of integral fuel rod FGR, relative to the canonical, purely diffusion-based models, with both codes. The overall quantitative improvement of the FGR predictions in the two codes is comparable. Furthermore, calculated radial profiles of xenon concentration are investigated and compared to experimental data, demonstrating the representation of the underlying mechanisms of burst release by the new model.« less

Analytical and computational studies on the vacuum performance of a chevron ejector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, F. S.; Jin, Y. Z.; Kim, H. D.

2016-11-01

The effects of chevrons on the performance of a supersonic vacuum ejector-diffuser system are investigated numerically and evaluated theoretically in this work. A three-dimensional geometrical domain is numerically solved using a fully implicit finite volume scheme based on the unsteady Reynolds stress model. A one-dimensional mathematical model provides a useful tool to reveal the steady flow physics inside the vacuum ejector-diffuser system. The effects of the chevron nozzle on the generation of recirculation regions and Reynolds stress behaviors are studied and compared with those of a conventional convergent nozzle. The present performance parameters obtained from the simulated results and the mathematical results are validated with existing experimental data and show good agreement. Primary results show that the duration of the transient period and the secondary chamber pressure at a dynamic equilibrium state depend strongly on the primary jet conditions, such as inlet pressure and primary nozzle shape. Complicated oscillatory flow, generated by the unsteady movement of recirculation, finally settles into a dynamic equilibrium state. As a vortex generator, the chevron demonstrated its strong entrainment capacity to accelerate the starting transient flows to a certain extent and reduce the dynamic equilibrium pressure of the secondary chamber significantly.

Verification and Validation of a Coordinate Transformation Method in Axisymmetric Transient Magnetics.

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

Ashcraft, C. Chace; Niederhaus, John Henry; Robinson, Allen C.

We present a verification and validation analysis of a coordinate-transformation-based numerical solution method for the two-dimensional axisymmetric magnetic diffusion equation, implemented in the finite-element simulation code ALEGRA. The transformation, suggested by Melissen and Simkin, yields an equation set perfectly suited for linear finite elements and for problems with large jumps in material conductivity near the axis. The verification analysis examines transient magnetic diffusion in a rod or wire in a very low conductivity background by first deriving an approximate analytic solution using perturbation theory. This approach for generating a reference solution is shown to be not fully satisfactory. A specializedmore » approach for manufacturing an exact solution is then used to demonstrate second-order convergence under spatial refinement and tem- poral refinement. For this new implementation, a significant improvement relative to previously available formulations is observed. Benefits in accuracy for computed current density and Joule heating are also demonstrated. The validation analysis examines the circuit-driven explosion of a copper wire using resistive magnetohydrodynamics modeling, in comparison to experimental tests. The new implementation matches the accuracy of the existing formulation, with both formulations capturing the experimental burst time and action to within approximately 2%.« less

Membrane-Based Characterization of a Gas Component — A Transient Sensor Theory

PubMed Central

Lazik, Detlef

2014-01-01

Based on a multi-gas solution-diffusion problem for a dense symmetrical membrane this paper presents a transient theory of a planar, membrane-based sensor cell for measuring gas from both initial conditions: dynamic and thermodynamic equilibrium. Using this theory, the ranges for which previously developed, simpler approaches are valid will be discussed; these approaches are of vital interest for membrane-based gas sensor applications. Finally, a new theoretical approach is introduced to identify varying gas components by arranging sensor cell pairs resulting in a concentration independent gas-specific critical time. Literature data for the N2, O2, Ar, CH4, CO2, H2 and C4H10 diffusion coefficients and solubilities for a polydimethylsiloxane membrane were used to simulate gas specific sensor responses. The results demonstrate the influence of (i) the operational mode; (ii) sensor geometry and (iii) gas matrices (air, Ar) on that critical time. Based on the developed theory the case-specific suitable membrane materials can be determined and both operation and design options for these sensors can be optimized for individual applications. The results of mixing experiments for different gases (O2, CO2) in a gas matrix of air confirmed the theoretical predictions. PMID:24608004

Radial Coherence of Diffusion Tractography in the Cerebral White Matter of the Human Fetus: Neuroanatomic Insights

PubMed Central

Xu, Gang; Takahashi, Emi; Folkerth, Rebecca D.; Haynes, Robin L.; Volpe, Joseph J.; Grant, P. Ellen; Kinney, Hannah C.

2014-01-01

High angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) demonstrates transient radial coherence of telencephalic white matter in the human fetus. Our objective was to define the neuroanatomic basis of this radial coherence through correlative HARDI- and postmortem tissue analyses. Applying immunomarkers to radial glial fibers (RGFs), axons, and blood vessels in 18 cases (19 gestational weeks to 3 postnatal years), we compared their developmental profiles to HARDI tractography in brains of comparable ages (n = 11). At midgestation, radial coherence corresponded with the presence of RGFs. At 30–31 weeks, the transition from HARDI-defined radial coherence to corticocortical coherence began simultaneously with the transformation of RGFs to astrocytes. By term, both radial coherence and RGFs had disappeared. White matter axons were radial, tangential, and oblique over the second half of gestation, whereas penetrating blood vessels were consistently radial. Thus, radial coherence in the fetal white matter likely reflects a composite of RGFs, penetrating blood vessels, and radial axons of which its transient expression most closely matches that of RGFs. This study provides baseline information for interpreting radial coherence in tractography studies of the preterm brain in the assessment of the encephalopathy of prematurity. PMID:23131806

Model of transient drug diffusion across cornea.

PubMed

Zhang, Wensheng; Prausnitz, Mark R; Edwards, Aurélie

2004-09-30

A mathematical model of solute transient diffusion across the cornea to the anterior chamber of the eye was developed for topical drug delivery. Solute bioavailability was predicted given solute molecular radius and octanol-to-water distribution coefficient (Phi), ocular membrane ultrastructural parameters, tear fluid hydrodynamics, as well as solute distribution volume (Vd) and clearance rate (Cla) in the anterior chamber. The results suggest that drug bioavailability is primarily determined by solute lipophilicity. In human eyes, bioavailability is predicted to range between 1% and 5% for lipophilic molecules (Phi>1), and to be less than 0.5% for hydrophilic molecules (Phi<0.01). The simulations indicate that the distribution coefficient that maximizes bioavailability is on the order of 10. It was also found that the maximum solute concentration in the anterior chamber (Cmax) and the time needed to reach Cmax significantly depend on Phi, Vd, and Cla. Consistent with experimental findings, model predictions suggest that drug bioavailability can be increased by lowering the conjunctival-to-corneal permeability ratio and reducing precorneal solute drainage. Because of its mechanistic basis, this model will be useful to predict drug transport kinetics and bioavailability for new compounds and in diseased eyes.

Transient swelling behavior and drug delivery from a dissolving film deploying anti-HIV microbicide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasoglu, Savas; Katz, David F.; Szeri, Andrew J.

2010-11-01

Despite more than two decades of HIV vaccine research, there is still no efficacious HIV vaccine. Very recently, a research group has shown that a microbicide gel formulation of antiretroviral drug Tenofovir, significantly inhibits HIV transmission to women [1]. However, there is a widespread agreement that more effective and diverse drug delivery vehicles must be developed. In this setting, there is now great interest in developing different delivery vehicles such as vaginal rings, gels, and films. Here, we develop a model for transient fluid uptake and swelling behavior, and subsequent dissolution and drug deployment from a film containing anti-HIV microbicide. In the model, the polymer structural relaxation via water uptake is assumed to follow first order kinetics. In the case of a film loaded with an osmotically active solute, the kinetic equation is modified to account for the osmotic effect. The transport rate of solvent and solute within the matrix is characterized by a diffusion equation. After the matrix is relaxed to a specified concentration of solvent, lubrication theory and convective-diffusive transport are employed for flow of the liquefied matrix and drug dispersion respectively. [1] Karim, et al., Science, 2010.

Mass Transfer in a Nanoscale Material Enhanced by an Opposing Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chmelik, Christian; Bux, Helge; Caro, Jürgen; Heinke, Lars; Hibbe, Florian; Titze, Tobias; Kärger, Jörg

2010-02-01

Diffusion is known to be quantified by measuring the rate of molecular fluxes in the direction of falling concentration. In contrast with intuition, considering methanol diffusion in a novel type of nanoporous material (MOF ZIF-8), this rate has now been found to be enhanced rather than slowed down by an opposing flux of labeled molecules. In terms of the key quantities of random particle movement, this result means that the self-diffusivity exceeds the transport diffusivity. It is rationalized by considering the strong intermolecular interaction and the dominating role of intercage hopping in mass transfer in the systems under study.

Translational diffusion of cumene and 3-methylpentane on free surfaces and pore walls studied by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

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

Souda, Ryutaro

2010-12-07

Mobility of molecules in confined geometry has been studied extensively, but the origins of finite size effects on reduction of the glass transition temperature, T{sub g}, are controversial especially for supported thin films. We investigate uptake of probe molecules in vapor-deposited thin films of cumene, 3-methylpentane, and heavy water using secondary ion mass spectrometry and discuss roles of individual molecular motion during structural relaxation and glass-liquid transition. The surface mobility is found to be enhanced for low-density glasses in the sub-T{sub g} region because of the diffusion of molecules on pore walls, resulting in densification of a film via poremore » collapse. Even for high-density glasses without pores, self-diffusion commences prior to the film morphology change at T{sub g}, which is thought to be related to decoupling between translational diffusivity and viscosity. The diffusivity of deeply supercooled liquid tends to be enhanced when it is confined in pores of amorphous solid water. The diffusivity of molecules is further enhanced at temperatures higher than 1.2-1.3 T{sub g} irrespective of the confinement.« less

The Role of Triplet Exciton Diffusion in Light-Upconverting Polymer Glasses.

PubMed

Raišys, Steponas; Kazlauskas, Karolis; Juršėnas, Saulius; Simon, Yoan C

2016-06-22

Light upconversion (UC) via triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) by using noncoherent photoexcitation at subsolar irradiance power densities is extremely attractive, particularly for enhanced solar energy harvesting. Unfortunately, practical TTA-UC application is hampered by low UC efficiency of upconverting polymer glasses, which is commonly attributed to poor exciton diffusion of the triplet excitons across emitter molecules. The present study addresses this issue by systematically evaluating triplet exciton diffusion coefficients and diffusion lengths (LD) in a UC model system based on platinum-octaethylporphyrin-sensitized poly(methyl methacrylate)/diphenylanthracene (emitter) films as a function of emitter concentration (15-40 wt %). For this evaluation time-resolved photoluminescence bulk-quenching technique followed by Stern-Volmer-type quenching analysis of experimental data was employed. The key finding is that although increasing emitter concentration in the disordered PMMA/DPA/PtOEP films improves triplet exciton diffusion, and thus LD, this does not result in enhanced UC quantum yield. Conversely, improved LD accompanied by the accelerated decay of UC intensity on millisecond time scale degrades TTA-UC performance at high emitter loadings (>25 wt %) and suggests that diffusion-enhanced nonradiative decay of triplet excitons is the major limiting factor.

Enhancement of diffusive transport in oscillatory flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knobloch, E.; Merryfield, W. J.

1992-01-01

The theory of transport of passive scalars in oscillatory flows is reexamined. The differences between transport in standing and traveling waves are emphasized. Both Lagrangian and Eulerian diffusivities are calculated, and the conditions for their applicability are discussed. Numerical simulations are conducted to understand the expulsion of gradients from time-dependent eddies and the resulting transport. The results indicate that it is the Eulerian diffusivity that is of primary relevance for describing enhanced transport on spatial scales larger than that of the eddies.

SMALL DRINKING WATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE ENHANCED SURFACE WATER TREATMENT RULES

EPA Science Inventory

According to FY2003 statistics compiled by the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, the U.S. regulates about 160,000 small drinking water systems that impact close to 70 million people. Small systems (serving transient and non-transient populations of 10,000 people or less...

Categorically Defined Targets Trigger Spatiotemporal Visual Attention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyble, Brad; Bowman, Howard; Potter, Mary C.

2009-01-01

Transient attention to a visually salient cue enhances processing of a subsequent target in the same spatial location between 50 to 150 ms after cue onset (K. Nakayama & M. Mackeben, 1989). Do stimuli from a categorically defined target set, such as letters or digits, also generate transient attention? Participants reported digit targets among…

Outer heliospheric radio emissions. II - Foreshock source models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cairns, Iver H.; Kurth, William S.; Gurnett, Donald A.

1992-01-01

Observations of LF radio emissions in the range 2-3 kHz by the Voyager spacecraft during the intervals 1983-1987 and 1989 to the present while at heliocentric distances greater than 11 AU are reported. New analyses of the wave data are presented, and the characteristics of the radiation are reviewed and discussed. Two classes of events are distinguished: transient events with varying starting frequencies that drift upward in frequency and a relatively continuous component that remains near 2 kHz. Evidence for multiple transient sources and for extension of the 2-kHz component above the 2.4-kHz interference signal is presented. The transient emissions are interpreted in terms of radiation generated at multiples of the plasma frequency when solar wind density enhancements enter one or more regions of a foreshock sunward of the inner heliospheric shock. Solar wind density enhancements by factors of 4-10 are observed. Propagation effects, the number of radiation sources, and the time variability, frequency drift, and varying starting frequencies of the transient events are discussed in terms of foreshock sources.

A white-light /Fe X/H-alpha coronal transient observation to 10 solar radii

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagner, W. J.; Illing, R. M. E.; Sawyer, C. B.; House, L. L.; Sheeley, N. R., Jr.; Howard, R. A.; Koomen, M. J.; Michels, D. J.; Smartt, R. N.; Dryer, M.

1983-01-01

Multitelescope observations of the coronal transient of April 15-16, 1980 provide simultaneous data from the Solar Maximum Mission Coronagraph/Polarimeter, the Solwind Coronagraph, and the new Emission line Coronagraph of the Sacramento Peak Observatory. An eruptive prominence-associated white light transient is for the first time seen as an unusual wave or brightening in Fe X 6374 A (but not in Fe XIV 5303 A). Several interpretations of this fleeting enhancement are offered. The prominence shows a slowly increasing acceleration which peaks at the time of the Fe event. The white light loop transient surrounding the prominence expands at a well-documented constant speed to solar radii, with an extrapolated start time at zero height coincident with the surface activity. This loop transient exemplifies those seen above 1.7 solar radii, in that leading the disturbance is a bright N(e)-enhanced) loop rather than a dark one. This is consistent with a report of the behavior of another eruptive event observed by Fisher and Poland (1981) which began as a density depletion in the lower corona, with a bright loop forming at greater altitudes. The top of the bright loop ultimately fades in the outer corona while slow radial growth continues in the legs.

A novel control strategy for enhancing the LVRT and voltage support capabilities of DFIG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yangwu; Zhang, Bin; Liang, Liqing; Cui, Ting

2018-02-01

A novel integrated control strategy is proposed in this paper to enhance the low voltage ride through capacity for the double-fed induction generator by equipping an energy storage system. The energy storage system is installed into the DC-link capacitor of the DFIG and used to control the DC-link voltage during normal or transient operations. The energy storage device will absorb or compensate the power difference between the captured wind power and the power injected to the grid during the normal and transient period, and the grid side converter can be free from maintaining the voltage stability of the DC-link capacitor. Thus, the grid-side converter is changed to reactive power support while the rotor-side converter is used to control the maximum power production during normal operation. The grid-side converter and rotor-side converter will act as reactive power sources to further enhance the voltage support capability of double-fed induction generator during the transient period. Numerical Simulation are performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control designs.

Impact of implanted phosphorus on the diffusivity of boron and its applicability to silicon solar cells

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

Schrof, Julian; Müller, Ralph; Reedy, Robert C.

2015-07-28

Boron diffusivity reduction in extrinsically doped silicon was investigated in the context of a process combination consisting of BBr3 furnace diffusion and preceding Phosphorus ion implantation. The implantation of Phosphorus leads to a substantial blocking of Boron during the subsequent Boron diffusion. First, the influences of ion implantation induced point defects as well as the initial P doping on B diffusivity were studied independently. Here, it was found that not the defects created during ion implantation but the P doping itself results in the observed B diffusion retardation. The influence of the initial P concentration was investigated in more detailmore » by varying the P implantation dose. A secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis of the BSG layer after the B diffusion revealed that the B diffusion retardation is not due to potential P content in the BSG layer but rather caused by the n-type doping of the crystalline silicon itself. Based on the observations the B diffusion retardation was classified into three groups: (i) no reduction of B diffusivity, (ii) reduced B diffusivity, and (iii) blocking of the B diffusion. The retardation of B diffusion can well be explained by the phosphorus doping level resulting in a Fermi level shift and pairing of B and P ions, both reducing the B diffusivity. Besides these main influences, there are probably additional transient phenomena responsible for the blocking of boron. Those might be an interstitial transport mechanism caused by P diffusion that reduces interstitial concentration at the surface or the silicon/BSG interface shift due to oxidation during the BBr3 diffusion process. Lifetime measurements revealed that the residual (non-blocked) B leads to an increased dark saturation current density in the P doped region. Nevertheless, electrical quality is on a high level and was further increased by reducing the B dose as well as by removing the first few nanometers of the silicon surface after the BBr3 diffusion« less

A Diffusible Signal from Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Elicits a Transient Cytosolic Calcium Elevation in Host Plant Cells1[W

PubMed Central

Navazio, Lorella; Moscatiello, Roberto; Genre, Andrea; Novero, Mara; Baldan, Barbara; Bonfante, Paola; Mariani, Paola

2007-01-01

The implication of calcium as intracellular messenger in the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis has not yet been directly demonstrated, although often envisaged. We used soybean (Glycine max) cell cultures stably expressing the bioluminescent Ca2+ indicator aequorin to detect intracellular Ca2+ changes in response to the culture medium of spores of Gigaspora margarita germinating in the absence of the plant partner. Rapid and transient elevations in cytosolic free Ca2+ were recorded, indicating that diffusible molecules released by the mycorrhizal fungus are perceived by host plant cells through a Ca2+-mediated signaling. Similar responses were also triggered by two Glomus isolates. The fungal molecules active in generating the Ca2+ transient were constitutively released in the medium, and the induced Ca2+ signature was not modified by the coculture of germinating spores with plant cells. Even ungerminated spores were able to generate the signaling molecules, as proven when the germination was blocked by a low temperature. The fungal molecules were found to be stable to heat treatment, of small molecular mass (<3 kD), and, on the basis of extraction with an organic solvent, partially lipophilic. Evidence for the specificity of such an early fungal signal to the AM symbiosis is suggested by the lack of a Ca2+ response in cultured cells of the nonhost plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and by the up-regulation in soybean cells of genes related to Medicago truncatula DMI1, DMI2, and DMI3 and considered essential for the establishment of the AM symbiosis. PMID:17142489

Direct simulation of groundwater age

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goode, Daniel J.

1996-01-01

A new method is proposed to simulate groundwater age directly, by use of an advection-dispersion transport equation with a distributed zero-order source of unit (1) strength, corresponding to the rate of aging. The dependent variable in the governing equation is the mean age, a mass-weighted average age. The governing equation is derived from residence-time-distribution concepts for the case of steady flow. For the more general case of transient flow, a transient governing equation for age is derived from mass-conservation principles applied to conceptual “age mass.” The age mass is the product of the water mass and its age, and age mass is assumed to be conserved during mixing. Boundary conditions include zero age mass flux across all noflow and inflow boundaries and no age mass dispersive flux across outflow boundaries. For transient-flow conditions, the initial distribution of age must be known. The solution of the governing transport equation yields the spatial distribution of the mean groundwater age and includes diffusion, dispersion, mixing, and exchange processes that typically are considered only through tracer-specific solute transport simulation. Traditional methods have relied on advective transport to predict point values of groundwater travel time and age. The proposed method retains the simplicity and tracer-independence of advection-only models, but incorporates the effects of dispersion and mixing on volume-averaged age. Example simulations of age in two idealized regional aquifer systems, one homogeneous and the other layered, demonstrate the agreement between the proposed method and traditional particle-tracking approaches and illustrate use of the proposed method to determine the effects of diffusion, dispersion, and mixing on groundwater age.

Transient stress-coupling between the 1992 Landers and 1999 Hector Mine, California, earthquakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Masterlark, Timothy; Wang, H.F.

2002-01-01

A three-dimensional finite-element model (FEM) of the Mojave block region in southern California is constructed to investigate transient stress-coupling between the 1992 Landers and 1999 Hector Mine earthquakes. The FEM simulates a poroelastic upper-crust layer coupled to a viscoelastic lower-crust layer, which is decoupled from the upper mantle. FEM predictions of the transient mechanical behavior of the crust are constrained by global positioning system (GPS) data, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) images, fluid-pressure data from water wells, and the dislocation source of the 1999 Hector Mine earthquake. Two time-dependent parameters, hydraulic diffusivity of the upper crust and viscosity of the lower crust, are calibrated to 10–2 m2·sec–1 and 5 × 1018 Pa·sec respectively. The hydraulic diffusivity is relatively insensitive to heterogeneous fault-zone permeability specifications and fluid-flow boundary conditions along the elastic free-surface at the top of the problem domain. The calibrated FEM is used to predict the evolution of Coulomb stress during the interval separating the 1992 Landers and 1999 Hector Mine earthquakes. The predicted change in Coulomb stress near the hypocenter of the Hector Mine earthquake increases from 0.02 to 0.05 MPa during the 7-yr interval separating the two events. This increase is primarily attributed to the recovery of decreased excess fluid pressure from the 1992 Landers coseismic (undrained) strain field. Coulomb stress predictions are insensitive to small variations of fault-plane dip and hypocentral depth estimations of the Hector Mine rupture.

Experimental investigation of the impact of compound-specific dispersion and electrostatic interactions on transient transport and solute breakthrough

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muniruzzaman, Muhammad; Rolle, Massimo

2017-02-01

This study investigates the effects of compound-specific diffusion/dispersion and electrochemical migration on transient solute transport in saturated porous media. We conducted laboratory bench-scale experiments, under advection-dominated regimes (seepage velocity: 0.5, 5, 25 m/d), in a quasi two-dimensional flow-through setup using pulse injection of multiple tracers (both uncharged and ionic species). Extensive sampling and measurement of solutes' concentrations (˜1500 samples; >3000 measurements) were performed at the outlet of the flow-through setup, at high spatial and temporal resolution. The experimental results show that compound-specific effects and charge-induced Coulombic interactions are important not only at low velocities and/or for steady state plumes but also for transient transport under high flow velocities. Such effects can lead to a remarkably different behavior of measured breakthrough curves also at very high Péclet numbers. To quantitatively interpret the experimental results, we used four modeling approaches: classical advection-dispersion equation (ADE), continuous time random walk (CTRW), dual-domain mass transfer model (DDMT), and a multicomponent ionic dispersion model. The latter is based on the multicomponent formulation of coupled diffusive/dispersive fluxes and was used to describe and explain the electrostatic effects of charged species. Furthermore, we determined experimentally the temporal profiles of the flux-related dilution index. This metric of mixing, used in connection with the traditional solute breakthrough curves, proved to be useful to correctly distinguish between plume spreading and mixing, particularly for the cases in which the sole analysis of integrated concentration breakthrough curves may lead to erroneous interpretation of plume dilution.

Effect of the RC time on photocurrent transients and determination of charge carrier mobilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kniepert, Juliane; Neher, Dieter

2017-11-01

We present a closed analytical model to describe time dependent photocurrents upon pulsed illumination in the presence of an external RC circuit. In combination with numerical drift diffusion simulations, it is shown that the RC time has a severe influence on the shape of the transients. In particular, the maximum of the photocurrent is delayed due to a delayed recharging of the electrodes. This delay increases with the increasing RC constant. As a consequence, charge carrier mobilities determined from simple extrapolation of the initial photocurrent decay will be in general too small and feature a false dependence on the electric field. Here, we present a recipe to correct charge carrier mobilities determined from measured photocurrent transients by taking into account the RC time of the experimental set-up. We also demonstrate how the model can be used to more reliably determine the charge carrier mobility from experimental data of a typical polymer/fullerene organic solar cell. It is shown that further aspects like a finite rising time of the pulse generator and the current contribution of the slower charger carriers influence the shape of the transients and may lead to an additional underestimation of the transit time.

Assessment of numerical methods for the solution of fluid dynamics equations for nonlinear resonance systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Przekwas, A. J.; Yang, H. Q.

1989-01-01

The capability of accurate nonlinear flow analysis of resonance systems is essential in many problems, including combustion instability. Classical numerical schemes are either too diffusive or too dispersive especially for transient problems. In the last few years, significant progress has been made in the numerical methods for flows with shocks. The objective was to assess advanced shock capturing schemes on transient flows. Several numerical schemes were tested including TVD, MUSCL, ENO, FCT, and Riemann Solver Godunov type schemes. A systematic assessment was performed on scalar transport, Burgers' and gas dynamic problems. Several shock capturing schemes are compared on fast transient resonant pipe flow problems. A system of 1-D nonlinear hyperbolic gas dynamics equations is solved to predict propagation of finite amplitude waves, the wave steepening, formation, propagation, and reflection of shocks for several hundred wave cycles. It is shown that high accuracy schemes can be used for direct, exact nonlinear analysis of combustion instability problems, preserving high harmonic energy content for long periods of time.

Boomerang sign: Clinical significance of transient lesion in splenium of corpus callosum

PubMed Central

Malhotra, Hardeep Singh; Garg, Ravindra Kumar; Vidhate, Mukund R.; Sharma, Pawan Kumar

2012-01-01

Transient signal abnormality in the splenium of corpus callosum on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is occasionally encountered in clinical practice. It has been reported in various clinical conditions apart from patients with epilepsy. We describe 4 patients with different etiologies presenting with signal changes in the splenium of corpus callosum. They were diagnosed as having progressive myoclonic epilepsy (case 1), localization-related epilepsy (case 2), hemicrania continua (case 3), and postinfectious parkinsonism (case 4). While three patients had complete involvement of the splenium on diffusion-weighted image (“boomerang sign”), the patient having hemicrania continua showed semilunar involvement (“mini-boomerang”) on T2-weighted and FLAIR image. All the cases had noncontiguous involvement of the splenium. We herein, discuss these cases with transient splenial involvement and stress that such patients do not need aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. An attempt has been made to review the literature regarding the pathophysiology, etiology, and outcome of such lesions. PMID:22566735

Bilateral femoral neck fractures resulting from pregnancy-associated osteoporosis showed bone marrow edema on magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Kasahara, Kyoko; Kita, Nobuyuki; Kawasaki, Taku; Morisaki, Shinsuke; Yomo, Hiroko; Murakami, Takashi

2017-06-01

Femoral neck fractures resulting from pregnancy-associated osteoporosis is a rare condition. Herein, we report an undoubted case of pregnancy-associated osteoporosis in a 38-year-old primiparous patient with pre-existing anorexia nervosa who suffered bilateral femoral neck fractures in the third trimester and early post-partum period. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed femoral neck fractures as well as diffuse marrow edema involving both femoral heads, which are considered under ordinary circumstances as characteristic imaging findings of transient osteoporosis of the hip. Based on our experience, we propose that pregnancy-associated osteoporosis might be present in femoral neck fractures attributed to transient osteoporosis of the hip in pregnancy. Conversely, bone status should be carefully and accurately estimated in cases of potential transient osteoporosis of the hip in pregnancy to reduce future fracture risk. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Hydrogen motion in Zircaloy-4 cladding during a LOCA transient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elodie, T.; Jean, D.; Séverine, G.; M-Christine, B.; Michel, C.; Berger, P.; Martine, B.; Antoine, A.

2016-04-01

Hydrogen and oxygen are key elements influencing the embrittlement of zirconium-based nuclear fuel cladding during the quench phase following a Loss Of Coolant Accident (LOCA). The understanding of the mechanisms influencing the motion of these two chemical elements in the metal is required to fully describe the material embrittlement. High temperature steam oxidation tests were performed on pre-hydrided Zircaloy-4 samples with hydrogen contents ranging between 11 and 400 wppm prior to LOCA transient. Thanks to the use of both Electron Probe Micro-Analysis (EPMA) and Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (μ-ERDA), the chemical elements partitioning has been systematically quantified inside the prior-β phase. Image analysis and metallographic examinations were combined to provide an average oxygen profile as well as hydrogen profile within the cladding thickness after LOCA transient. The measured hydrogen profile is far from homogeneous. Experimental distributions are compared to those predicted numerically using calculations derived from a finite difference thermo-diffusion code (DIFFOX) developed at IRSN.

Study of the propagation of a plane turbulent jet in flow-through chamber workings

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

Laigna, K.Yu.; Potter, E.A.

1988-05-01

The purpose of this study was to determine experimentally the parameters of microstructures of confined planar jets and to investigate the specific features of turbulent diffusion of impurities in such flows for problems of mine ventilation and pollution abatement in underground workings. A confined planar jet flowing from a slot coaxially into the model of a chamber working of rectangular transverse cross section was studied. The averaged and pulsating characteristics of the jet were measured by a thermoanemometer. Transient and channel zones were identified and the movement of the jet within them was described. Results demonstrated that the turbulent diffusionmore » coefficient in the jet-affected zone was greater by two or three orders of magnitude than in the remainder of the flow and that it is therefore incorrect to use turbulent diffusion coefficients of confined flows for evaluations of the jet diffusion of impurities.« less

Effects of Refractive Index and Diffuse or Specular Boundaries on a Radiating Isothermal Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, R.; Spuckler, C. M.

1994-01-01

Equilibrium temperatures of an absorbing-emitting layer were obtained for exposure to incident radiation and with the layer boundaries either specular or diffuse. For high refractive indices the surface condition can influence the radiative heat balance if the layer optical thickness is small. Hence for a spectrally varying absorption coefficient the layer temperature is affected if there is significant radiative energy in the spectral range with a small absorption coefficient. Similar behavior was obtained for transient radiative cooling of a layer where the results are affected by the initial temperature and hence the fraction of energy radiated in the short wavelength region where the absorption coefficient is small. The results are a layer without internal scattering. If internal scattering is significant, the radiation reaching the internal surface of a boundary is diffused and the effect of the two different surface conditions would become small.

An application of polymer-enhanced capillary transient isotachophoresis with an emissive boronic acid functionalized squarylium dye as an on-capillary labeling agent for gram-positive bacteria.

PubMed

Saito, Shingo; Maeda, Takeshi; Nakazumi, Hiroyuki; Colyer, Christa L

2013-01-01

In this paper, the characterization and application of the "PectI" (polymer-enhanced capillary transient isotachophoresis) technique for the separation and detection of same genus, gram-positive bacteria, Bacillus globigii (Bg) and Bacillus subtilis, is demonstrated by employing a boronic acid-functionalized squarylium dye (SQ-BA) as an on-capillary labeling agent, including the quantitative performance and applicability to crude samples. The effect of borate in the separation buffer was also investigated, which revealed that borate strongly affects the separation behavior of bacteria.

Analysis and experimental study on formation conditions of large-scale barrier-free diffuse atmospheric pressure air plasmas in repetitive pulse mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lee; Liu, Lun; Liu, Yun-Long; Bin, Yu; Ge, Ya-Feng; Lin, Fo-Chang

2014-01-01

Atmospheric air diffuse plasmas have enormous application potential in various fields of science and technology. Without dielectric barrier, generating large-scale air diffuse plasmas is always a challenging issue. This paper discusses and analyses the formation mechanism of cold homogenous plasma. It is proposed that generating stable diffuse atmospheric plasmas in open air should meet the three conditions: high transient power with low average power, excitation in low average E-field with locally high E-field region, and multiple overlapping electron avalanches. Accordingly, an experimental configuration of generating large-scale barrier-free diffuse air plasmas is designed. Based on runaway electron theory, a low duty-ratio, high voltage repetitive nanosecond pulse generator is chosen as a discharge excitation source. Using the wire-electrodes with small curvature radius, the gaps with highly non-uniform E-field are structured. Experimental results show that the volume-scaleable, barrier-free, homogeneous air non-thermal plasmas have been obtained between the gap spacing with the copper-wire electrodes. The area of air cold plasmas has been up to hundreds of square centimeters. The proposed formation conditions of large-scale barrier-free diffuse air plasmas are proved to be reasonable and feasible.

Optimizing diffusion in multiplexes by maximizing layer dissimilarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serrano, Alfredo B.; Gómez-Gardeñes, Jesús; Andrade, Roberto F. S.

2017-05-01

Diffusion in a multiplex depends on the specific link distribution between the nodes in each layer, but also on the set of the intralayer and interlayer diffusion coefficients. In this work we investigate, in a quantitative way, the efficiency of multiplex diffusion as a function of the topological similarity among multiplex layers. This similarity is measured by the distance between layers, taken among the pairs of layers. Results are presented for a simple two-layer multiplex, where one of the layers is held fixed, while the other one can be rewired in a controlled way in order to increase or decrease the interlayer distance. The results indicate that, for fixed values of all intra- and interlayer diffusion coefficients, a large interlayer distance generally enhances the global multiplex diffusion, providing a topological mechanism to control the global diffusive process. For some sets of networks, we develop an algorithm to identify the most sensitive nodes in the rewirable layer, so that changes in a small set of connections produce a drastic enhancement of the global diffusion of the whole multiplex system.

Strange kinetics of bulk-mediated diffusion on lipid bilayers

PubMed Central

Campagnola, Grace; Nepal, Kanti; Peersen, Olve B.

2016-01-01

Diffusion at solid-liquid interfaces is crucial in many technological and biophysical processes. Although its behavior seems deceivingly simple, recent studies showing passive superdiffusive transport suggest diffusion on surfaces may hide rich complexities. In particular, bulk-mediated diffusion occurs when molecules are transiently released from the surface to perform three-dimensional excursions into the liquid bulk. This phenomenon bears the dichotomy where a molecule always return to the surface but the mean jump length is infinite. Such behavior is associated with a breakdown of the central limit theorem and weak ergodicity breaking. Here, we use single-particle tracking to study the statistics of bulk-mediated diffusion on a supported lipid bilayer. We find that the time-averaged mean square displacement (MSD) of individual trajectories, the archetypal measure in diffusion processes, does not converge to the ensemble MSD but it remains a random variable, even in the long observation-time limit. The distribution of time averages is shown to agree with a Lévy flight model. Our results also unravel intriguing anomalies in the statistics of displacements. The time averaged MSD is shown to depend on experimental time and investigations of fractional moments show a scaling 〈|r(t)|q〉 ∼ tqv(q) with non-linear exponents, i.e. v(q) ≠ const. This type of behavior is termed strong anomalous diffusion and is rare among experimental observations. PMID:27095275

Effects of soft interactions and bound mobility on diffusion in crowded environments: a model of sticky and slippery obstacles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefferson, Michael W.; Norris, Samantha L.; Vernerey, Franck J.; Betterton, Meredith D.; E Hough, Loren

2017-08-01

Crowded environments modify the diffusion of macromolecules, generally slowing their movement and inducing transient anomalous subdiffusion. The presence of obstacles also modifies the kinetics and equilibrium behavior of tracers. While previous theoretical studies of particle diffusion have typically assumed either impenetrable obstacles or binding interactions that immobilize the particle, in many cellular contexts bound particles remain mobile. Examples include membrane proteins or lipids with some entry and diffusion within lipid domains and proteins that can enter into membraneless organelles or compartments such as the nucleolus. Using a lattice model, we studied the diffusive movement of tracer particles which bind to soft obstacles, allowing tracers and obstacles to occupy the same lattice site. For sticky obstacles, bound tracer particles are immobile, while for slippery obstacles, bound tracers can hop without penalty to adjacent obstacles. In both models, binding significantly alters tracer motion. The type and degree of motion while bound is a key determinant of the tracer mobility: slippery obstacles can allow nearly unhindered diffusion, even at high obstacle filling fraction. To mimic compartmentalization in a cell, we examined how obstacle size and a range of bound diffusion coefficients affect tracer dynamics. The behavior of the model is similar in two and three spatial dimensions. Our work has implications for protein movement and interactions within cells.

Lateral diffusion of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 1 in Purkinje cells is regulated by calcium and actin filaments.

PubMed

Fukatsu, Kazumi; Bannai, Hiroko; Inoue, Takafumi; Mikoshiba, Katsuhiko

2010-09-01

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor type 1 (IP(3) R1) is an intracellular Ca(2+) release channel that plays crucial roles in the functions of Purkinje cells. The dynamics of IP(3) R1 on the endoplasmic reticulum membrane and the distribution of IP(3) R1 in neurons are thought to be important for the spatial regulation of Ca(2+) release. In this study, we analyzed the lateral diffusion of IP(3) R1 in Purkinje cells in cerebellar slice cultures using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. In the dendrites of Purkinje cells, IP(3) R1 showed lateral diffusion with an effective diffusion constant of approximately 0.30 μm(2) /s, and the diffusion of IP(3) R1 was negatively regulated by actin filaments. We found that actin filaments were also involved in the regulation of IP(3) R1 diffusion in the spine of Purkinje cells. Glutamate or quisqualic acid stimulation, which activates glutamate receptors and leads to a Ca(2+) transient in Purkinje cells, decreased the diffusion of IP(3) R1 and increased the density of actin in spines. These findings indicate that the neuronal activity-dependent augmentation of actin contributes to the stabilization of IP(3) R1 in spines. © 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2010 International Society for Neurochemistry.

A Experimental Study of the Growth of Laser Spark and Electric Spark Ignited Flame Kernels.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, Chi Ming

1995-01-01

Better ignition sources are constantly in demand for enhancing the spark ignition in practical applications such as automotive and liquid rocket engines. In response to this practical challenge, the present experimental study was conducted with the major objective to obtain a better understanding on how spark formation and hence spark characteristics affect the flame kernel growth. Two laser sparks and one electric spark were studied in air, propane-air, propane -air-nitrogen, methane-air, and methane-oxygen mixtures that were initially at ambient pressure and temperature. The growth of the kernels was monitored by imaging the kernels with shadowgraph systems, and by imaging the planar laser -induced fluorescence of the hydroxyl radicals inside the kernels. Characteristic dimensions and kernel structures were obtained from these images. Since different energy transfer mechanisms are involved in the formation of a laser spark as compared to that of an electric spark; a laser spark is insensitive to changes in mixture ratio and mixture type, while an electric spark is sensitive to changes in both. The detailed structures of the kernels in air and propane-air mixtures primarily depend on the spark characteristics. But the combustion heat released rapidly in methane-oxygen mixtures significantly modifies the kernel structure. Uneven spark energy distribution causes remarkably asymmetric kernel structure. The breakdown energy of a spark creates a blast wave that shows good agreement with the numerical point blast solution, and a succeeding complex spark-induced flow that agrees reasonably well with a simple puff model. The transient growth rates of the propane-air, propane-air -nitrogen, and methane-air flame kernels can be interpreted in terms of spark effects, flame stretch, and preferential diffusion. For a given mixture, a spark with higher breakdown energy produces a greater and longer-lasting enhancing effect on the kernel growth rate. By comparing the growth rates of the appropriate mixtures, the positive and negative effects of preferential diffusion and flame stretch on the developing flame are clearly demonstrated.

Electronic structure and dynamics of thin Ge/GaAs(110) heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haight, R.; Silberman, J. A.

1990-10-01

Using angle-resolved picosecond laser photoemission we have investigated both occupied and transiently excited empty states at the surface of Ge grown epitaxially on GaAs(110). We observe a normally unoccupied, Ge layer derived state whose separation from the valence-band maximum of the system is 700±50 meV at six monolayers Ge coverage. The evolution of the electronic structure is followed as a function of coverage and correlated with low-energy electron diffraction. The time dependence of the transiently occupied Ge signal is compared with that of the clean GaAs(110) surface and shows that electrons are prevented from diffusing into the GaAs bulk by the conduction-band offset of 330±40 meV.

Verification of a neutronic code for transient analysis in reactors with Hex-z geometry

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

Gonzalez-Pintor, S.; Verdu, G.; Ginestar, D.

Due to the geometry of the fuel bundles, to simulate reactors such as VVER reactors it is necessary to develop methods that can deal with hexagonal prisms as basic elements of the spatial discretization. The main features of a code based on a high order finite element method for the spatial discretization of the neutron diffusion equation and an implicit difference method for the time discretization of this equation are presented and the performance of the code is tested solving the first exercise of the AER transient benchmark. The obtained results are compared with the reference results of the benchmarkmore » and with the results provided by PARCS code. (authors)« less

Experimental study of the transient hydrogen jet - Using a fast response probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanabe, H.; Ohnishi, M.; Sato, G. T.; Fujimoto, H.

Mixing processes of a transient hydrogen jet, such as those of a hydrogen-injection internal combustion engine, are studied by means of a concentration probe having a response time of less than 200 microsec. Hydrogen was injected into quiescent air by means of (1) a single-shot device, in order to study the air interactions of the jet with schlieren photography and smoke wire methods, and (2) a hydrogen diesel engine injection nozzle to determine jet shape with high speed schlieren photography. The concentration probe's response time was found to be adequate for the very short injection period, and it was determined that air-hydrogen mixing in the case of high jet momentum is governed by eddy diffusion.

Numerical studies of the thermal design sensitivity calculation for a reaction-diffusion system with discontinuous derivatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hou, Jean W.; Sheen, Jeen S.

1987-01-01

The aim of this study is to find a reliable numerical algorithm to calculate thermal design sensitivities of a transient problem with discontinuous derivatives. The thermal system of interest is a transient heat conduction problem related to the curing process of a composite laminate. A logical function which can smoothly approximate the discontinuity is introduced to modify the system equation. Two commonly used methods, the adjoint variable method and the direct differentiation method, are then applied to find the design derivatives of the modified system. The comparisons of numerical results obtained by these two methods demonstrate that the direct differentiation method is a better choice to be used in calculating thermal design sensitivity.

Effective diffusion coefficient including the Marangoni effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitahata, Hiroyuki; Yoshinaga, Natsuhiko

2018-04-01

Surface-active molecules supplied from a particle fixed at the water surface create a spatial gradient of the molecule concentration, resulting in Marangoni convection. Convective flow transports the molecules far from the particle, enhancing diffusion. We analytically derive the effective diffusion coefficient associated with the Marangoni convection rolls. The resulting estimated effective diffusion coefficient is consistent with our numerical results and the apparent diffusion coefficient measured in experiments.

A thermodynamic framework for thermo-chemo-elastic interactions in chemically active materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, XiaoLong; Zhong, Zheng

2017-08-01

In this paper, a general thermodynamic framework is developed to describe the thermo-chemo-mechanical interactions in elastic solids undergoing mechanical deformation, imbibition of diffusive chemical species, chemical reactions and heat exchanges. Fully coupled constitutive relations and evolving laws for irreversible fluxes are provided based on entropy imbalance and stoichiometry that governs reactions. The framework manifests itself with a special feature that the change of Helmholtz free energy is attributed to separate contributions of the diffusion-swelling process and chemical reaction-dilation process. Both the extent of reaction and the concentrations of diffusive species are taken as independent state variables, which describe the reaction-activated responses with underlying variation of microstructures and properties of a material in an explicit way. A specialized isothermal formulation for isotropic materials is proposed that can properly account for volumetric constraints from material incompressibility under chemo-mechanical loadings, in which inhomogeneous deformation is associated with reaction and diffusion under various kinetic time scales. This framework can be easily applied to model the transient volumetric swelling of a solid caused by imbibition of external chemical species and simultaneous chemical dilation arising from reactions between the diffusing species and the solid.

Subdiffusion in Membrane Permeation of Small Molecules.

PubMed

Chipot, Christophe; Comer, Jeffrey

2016-11-02

Within the solubility-diffusion model of passive membrane permeation of small molecules, translocation of the permeant across the biological membrane is traditionally assumed to obey the Smoluchowski diffusion equation, which is germane for classical diffusion on an inhomogeneous free-energy and diffusivity landscape. This equation, however, cannot accommodate subdiffusive regimes, which have long been recognized in lipid bilayer dynamics, notably in the lateral diffusion of individual lipids. Through extensive biased and unbiased molecular dynamics simulations, we show that one-dimensional translocation of methanol across a pure lipid membrane remains subdiffusive on timescales approaching typical permeation times. Analysis of permeant motion within the lipid bilayer reveals that, in the absence of a net force, the mean squared displacement depends on time as t 0.7 , in stark contrast with the conventional model, which assumes a strictly linear dependence. We further show that an alternate model using a fractional-derivative generalization of the Smoluchowski equation provides a rigorous framework for describing the motion of the permeant molecule on the pico- to nanosecond timescale. The observed subdiffusive behavior appears to emerge from a crossover between small-scale rattling of the permeant around its present position in the membrane and larger-scale displacements precipitated by the formation of transient voids.

Large-scale optimization-based non-negative computational framework for diffusion equations: Parallel implementation and performance studies

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

Chang, Justin; Karra, Satish; Nakshatrala, Kalyana B.

It is well-known that the standard Galerkin formulation, which is often the formulation of choice under the finite element method for solving self-adjoint diffusion equations, does not meet maximum principles and the non-negative constraint for anisotropic diffusion equations. Recently, optimization-based methodologies that satisfy maximum principles and the non-negative constraint for steady-state and transient diffusion-type equations have been proposed. To date, these methodologies have been tested only on small-scale academic problems. The purpose of this paper is to systematically study the performance of the non-negative methodology in the context of high performance computing (HPC). PETSc and TAO libraries are, respectively, usedmore » for the parallel environment and optimization solvers. For large-scale problems, it is important for computational scientists to understand the computational performance of current algorithms available in these scientific libraries. The numerical experiments are conducted on the state-of-the-art HPC systems, and a single-core performance model is used to better characterize the efficiency of the solvers. Furthermore, our studies indicate that the proposed non-negative computational framework for diffusion-type equations exhibits excellent strong scaling for real-world large-scale problems.« less

Large-scale optimization-based non-negative computational framework for diffusion equations: Parallel implementation and performance studies

DOE PAGES

Chang, Justin; Karra, Satish; Nakshatrala, Kalyana B.

2016-07-26

It is well-known that the standard Galerkin formulation, which is often the formulation of choice under the finite element method for solving self-adjoint diffusion equations, does not meet maximum principles and the non-negative constraint for anisotropic diffusion equations. Recently, optimization-based methodologies that satisfy maximum principles and the non-negative constraint for steady-state and transient diffusion-type equations have been proposed. To date, these methodologies have been tested only on small-scale academic problems. The purpose of this paper is to systematically study the performance of the non-negative methodology in the context of high performance computing (HPC). PETSc and TAO libraries are, respectively, usedmore » for the parallel environment and optimization solvers. For large-scale problems, it is important for computational scientists to understand the computational performance of current algorithms available in these scientific libraries. The numerical experiments are conducted on the state-of-the-art HPC systems, and a single-core performance model is used to better characterize the efficiency of the solvers. Furthermore, our studies indicate that the proposed non-negative computational framework for diffusion-type equations exhibits excellent strong scaling for real-world large-scale problems.« less

Simultaneous measurement for thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and specific heat of methane hydrate bearing sediments recovered from Nankai-Trough wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muraoka, M.; Ohtake, M.; Susuki, N.; Yamamoto, Y.; Suzuki, K.; Tsuji, T.

2014-12-01

This study presents the results of the measurements of the thermal constants of natural methane-hydrate-bearing sediments samples recovered from the Tokai-oki test wells (Nankai-Trough, Japan) in 2004. The thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and specific heat of the samples were simultaneously determined using the hot-disk transient method. The thermal conductivity of natural hydrate-bearing sediments decreases slightly with increasing porosity. In addition, the thermal diffusivity of hydrate-bearing sediment decrease as porosity increases. We also used simple models to calculate the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity. The results of the distribution model (geometric-mean model) are relatively consistent with the measurement results. In addition, the measurement results are consistent with the thermal diffusivity, which is estimated by dividing the thermal conductivity obtained from the distribution model by the specific heat obtained from the arithmetic mean. In addition, we discuss the relation between the thermal conductivity and mineral composition of core samples in conference. Acknowledgments. This work was financially supported by MH21 Research Consortium for Methane Hydrate Resources in Japan on the National Methane Hydrate Exploitation Program planned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

HIF-1-driven skeletal muscle adaptations to chronic hypoxia: molecular insights into muscle physiology.

PubMed

Favier, F B; Britto, F A; Freyssenet, D G; Bigard, X A; Benoit, H

2015-12-01

Skeletal muscle is a metabolically active tissue and the major body protein reservoir. Drop in ambient oxygen pressure likely results in a decrease in muscle cells oxygenation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction and stabilization of the oxygen-sensitive hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α. However, skeletal muscle seems to be quite resistant to hypoxia compared to other organs, probably because it is accustomed to hypoxic episodes during physical exercise. Few studies have observed HIF-1α accumulation in skeletal muscle during ambient hypoxia probably because of its transient stabilization. Nevertheless, skeletal muscle presents adaptations to hypoxia that fit with HIF-1 activation, although the exact contribution of HIF-2, I kappa B kinase and activating transcription factors, all potentially activated by hypoxia, needs to be determined. Metabolic alterations result in the inhibition of fatty acid oxidation, while activation of anaerobic glycolysis is less evident. Hypoxia causes mitochondrial remodeling and enhanced mitophagy that ultimately lead to a decrease in ROS production, and this acclimatization in turn contributes to HIF-1α destabilization. Likewise, hypoxia has structural consequences with muscle fiber atrophy due to mTOR-dependent inhibition of protein synthesis and transient activation of proteolysis. The decrease in muscle fiber area improves oxygen diffusion into muscle cells, while inhibition of protein synthesis, an ATP-consuming process, and reduction in muscle mass decreases energy demand. Amino acids released from muscle cells may also have protective and metabolic effects. Collectively, these results demonstrate that skeletal muscle copes with the energetic challenge imposed by O2 rarefaction via metabolic optimization.

A Novel Methodology for Applying Multivoxel MR Spectroscopy to Evaluate Convection-Enhanced Drug Delivery in Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Gliomas.

PubMed

Guisado, D I; Singh, R; Minkowitz, S; Zhou, Z; Haque, S; Peck, K K; Young, R J; Tsiouris, A J; Souweidane, M M; Thakur, S B

2016-07-01

Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas are inoperable high-grade gliomas with a median survival of less than 1 year. Convection-enhanced delivery is a promising local drug-delivery technique that can bypass the BBB in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma treatment. Evaluating tumor response is critical in the assessment of convection-enhanced delivery of treatment. We proposed to determine the potential of 3D multivoxel (1)H-MR spectroscopy to evaluate convection-enhanced delivery treatment effect in these tumors. We prospectively analyzed 3D multivoxel (1)H-MR spectroscopy data for 6 patients with nonprogressive diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas who received convection-enhanced delivery treatment of a therapeutic antibody (Phase I clinical trial NCT01502917). To compare changes in the metabolite ratios with time, we tracked the metabolite ratios Cho/Cr and Cho/NAA at several ROIs: normal white matter, tumor within the convection-enhanced delivery infusion site, tumor outside of the infused area, and the tumor average. There was a comparative decrease in both Cho/Cr and Cho/NAA metabolite ratios at the tumor convection-enhanced delivery site versus tumor outside the infused area. We used MR spectroscopy voxels with dominant white matter as a reference. The difference between changes in metabolite ratios became more prominent with increasing time after convection-enhanced delivery treatment. The comparative change in metabolite ratios between the convection-enhanced delivery site and the tumor site outside the infused area suggests that multivoxel (1)H-MR spectroscopy, in combination with other imaging modalities, may provide a clinical tool to accurately evaluate local tumor response after convection-enhanced delivery treatment. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Comparison of diffusion length measurements from the Flying Spot Technique and the photocarrier grating method in amorphous thin films

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

Vieira, M.; Fantoni, A.; Martins, R.

1994-12-31

Using the Flying Spot Technique (FST) the authors have studied minority carrier transport parallel and perpendicular to the surface of amorphous silicon films (a-Si:H). To reduce slow transients due to charge redistribution in low resistivity regions during the measurement they have applied a strong homogeneously absorbed bias light. The defect density was estimated from Constant Photocurrent Method (CPM) measurements. The steady-state photocarrier grating technique (SSPG) is a 1-dimensional approach. However, the modulation depth of the carrier profile is also dependent on film surface properties, like surface recombination velocity. Both methods yield comparable diffusion lengths when applied to a-Si:H.

The Transport Equation in Optically Thick Media: Discussion of IMC and its Diffusion Limit

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

Szoke, A.; Brooks, E. D.

2016-07-12

We discuss the limits of validity of the Implicit Monte Carlo (IMC) method for the transport of thermally emitted radiation. The weakened coupling between the radiation and material energy of the IMC method causes defects in handling problems with strong transients. We introduce an approach to asymptotic analysis for the transport equation that emphasizes the fact that the radiation and material temperatures are always different in time-dependent problems, and we use it to show that IMC does not produce the correct diffusion limit. As this is a defect of IMC in the continuous equations, no improvement to its discretization canmore » remedy it.« less

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

Dahal, Arjun; Dohnálek, Zdenek

Anatase TiO2 is indispensable material for energy-harvesting applications and catalysis. In this study, we employ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and study water adsorption on most stable TiO2(101) surface of anatase. We demonstrate that at very low temperatures (80 K), water has the transient mobility that allows it to move on the surface and form extended chains. In contrast with many other oxides, these water chains are only metastable in nature. Adsorption at higher temperatures, where sustained diffusion is observed (190 K) leads to isolated water monomers in accord with prior literature. We speculate that the observed low-temperature mobility is amore » result of adsorption in a long-lived precursor state with a low diffusion barrier.« less

Catalytic ignition model in a monolithic reactor with in-depth reaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tien, Ta-Ching; Tien, James S.

1990-01-01

Two transient models have been developed to study the catalytic ignition in a monolithic catalytic reactor. The special feature in these models is the inclusion of thermal and species structures in the porous catalytic layer. There are many time scales involved in the catalytic ignition problem, and these two models are developed with different time scales. In the full transient model, the equations are non-dimensionalized by the shortest time scale (mass diffusion across the catalytic layer). It is therefore accurate but is computationally costly. In the energy-integral model, only the slowest process (solid heat-up) is taken as nonsteady. It is approximate but computationally efficient. In the computations performed, the catalyst is platinum and the reactants are rich mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen. One-step global chemical reaction rates are used for both gas-phase homogeneous reaction and catalytic heterogeneous reaction. The computed results reveal the transient ignition processes in detail, including the structure variation with time in the reactive catalytic layer. An ignition map using reactor length and catalyst loading is constructed. The comparison of computed results between the two transient models verifies the applicability of the energy-integral model when the time is greater than the second largest time scale of the system. It also suggests that a proper combined use of the two models can catch all the transient phenomena while minimizing the computational cost.

Application of 17% EDTA Enhances Diffusion of (45)Ca-labeled OH(-) and Ca(2+) in Primary Tooth Root Canal.

PubMed

Ximenes, Marcos; Cavalcanti Taguchi, Carolina Mayumi; Triches, Thaisa Cezaria; Sartori, Neimar; Pereira Dias, Luis Alberto; de Araujo, Elaine Bortoleti; Cardoso, Mariane

2016-01-01

Proper cleaning of the root canal is key to the success of endodontic treatment as it allows more effective diffusion of medication throughout the dentinal tubules. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the efficacy of 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in enhancing diffusion of hydroxyl (OH(-)) and calcium ions (Ca(2+)) throughout the root canal in primary teeth. The canals of 25 primary tooth roots were cleaned with endodontic files and 1% sodium hypochlorite. Three groups (G) were then established: GI, in which final irrigation was performed with 1% sodium hypochlorite; GII, in which 17% EDTA was used; and GIII, in which no irrigation was performed. The roots canals in GI and GII were filled with a calcium hydroxide-based paste labeled with the radioisotope calcium-45. Diffusion of OH(-) was detected with pH strips and Ca(2+) analyzed by measuring radioactivity in counts per min. Group II differed statistically from the other groups in diffusion of OH(-) at 24 hr (p<0.05), but no significant difference among groups was found at the day 7 evaluation; GII also differed statistically from the other groups in diffusion of Ca(2+) at 24 hr (p<0.05). These results suggest that application of 17% EDTA in primary tooth enhances diffusion of OH(-) and Ca(2+).

Influence of extrinsic operational parameters on salt diffusion during ultrasound assisted meat curing.

PubMed

Inguglia, Elena S; Zhang, Zhihang; Burgess, Catherine; Kerry, Joseph P; Tiwari, Brijesh K

2018-02-01

The present study investigated the effect of geometric parameters of the ultrasound instrument during meat salting in order to enhance salt diffusion and salt distribution in pork meat on a lab scale. The effects of probe size (∅2.5 and 1.3cm) and of different distances between the transducer and the meat sample (0.3, 0.5, and 0.8cm) on NaCl diffusion were investigated. Changes in the moisture content and NaCl gain were used to evaluate salt distribution and diffusion in the samples, parallel and perpendicular to ultrasound propagation direction. Results showed that 0.3cm was the most efficient distance between the probe and the sample to ensure a higher salt diffusion rate. A distance of 0.5cm was however considered as a trade-off distance to ensure salt diffusion and maintenance of meat quality parameters. The enhancement of salt diffusion by ultrasound was observed to decrease with increased horizontal distance from the probe. This study is of valuable importance for meat processing industries willing to apply new technologies on a larger scale and with defined operational standards. The data suggest that the geometric parameters of ultrasound systems can have strong influence on the efficiency of ultrasonic enhancement of NaCl uptake in meat and can be a crucial element in determining salt uptake during meat processing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

MRI as a Translational Tool for the Study of Neonatal Stroke

PubMed Central

Dzietko, Mark; Wendland, Michael; Derugin, Nikita; Ferriero, Donna M.; Vexler, Zinaida S.

2013-01-01

More than half of neonatal stroke survivors have long-term sequelae, including seizures and neurological deficits. Although the immature brain has tremendous potential for recovery, mechanisms governing repair are essentially unexplored. We explored whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) early or late after transient middle cerebral arterial occlusion in 10-day-old (P10) rats can serve as an intermediate endpoint for long-term studies. Injured animals selected by diffusion-weighted MRI during middle cerebral arterial occlusion were scanned using T2-weighted MRI at P18 and P25 (injury volumes on MRI and histology were compared), or were subjected to contrast-enhanced MRI at P13 to characterize cerebral microcirculatory disturbances and blood-brain barrier leakage. Injury volume did not predict histological outcome at 2 weeks. Major reductions occurred by P18, with no further changes by P25. Cerebral perfusion was significantly reduced in the injured caudate but blood-brain barrier leakage was small. Therefore, conventional T2-weighted MRI performed during a subchronic injury phase predicts long-term histological outcome after experimental neonatal focal stroke. PMID:21670390

Inherent rhythm of smooth muscle cells in rat mesenteric arterioles: An eigensystem formulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, I. Lin; Moshkforoush, Arash; Hong, Kwangseok; Meininger, Gerald A.; Hill, Michael A.; Tsoukias, Nikolaos M.; Kuo, Watson

2016-04-01

On the basis of experimental data and mathematical equations in the literature, we remodel the ionic dynamics of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) as an eigensystem formulation, which is valid for investigating finite variations of variables from the equilibrium such as in common experimental operations. This algorithm provides an alternate viewpoint from frequency-domain analysis and enables one to probe functionalities of SMCs' rhythm by means of a resonance-related mechanism. Numerical results show three types of calcium oscillations of SMCs in mesenteric arterioles: spontaneous calcium oscillation, agonist-dependent calcium oscillation, and agonist-dependent calcium spike. For simple single and double SMCs, we demonstrate properties of synchronization among complex signals related to calcium oscillations, and show different correlation relations between calcium and voltage signals for various synchronization and resonance conditions. For practical cell clusters, our analyses indicate that the rhythm of SMCs could (1) benefit enhancements of signal communications among remote cells, (2) respond to a significant calcium peaking against transient stimulations for triggering globally oscillating modes, and (3) characterize the globally oscillating modes via frog-leap (non-molecular-diffusion) calcium waves across inhomogeneous SMCs.

Use of osmotic dehydration to improve fruits and vegetables quality during processing.

PubMed

Maftoonazad, Neda

2010-11-01

Osmotic treatment describes a preparation step to further processing of foods involving simultaneous transient moisture loss and solids gain when immersing in osmotic solutions, resulting in partial drying and improving the overall quality of food products. The different aspects of the osmotic dehydration (OD) technology namely the solutes employed, solutions characteristics used, process variables influence, as well as, the quality characteristics of the osmodehydrated products will be discussed in this review. As the process is carried out at mild temperatures and the moisture is removed by a liquid diffusion process, phase change that would be present in the other drying processes will be avoided, resulting in high quality products and may also lead to substantial energy savings. To optimize this process, modeling of the mass transfer phenomenon can improve high product quality. Several techniques such as microwave heating, vacuum, high pressure, pulsed electric field, etc. may be employed during or after osmotic treatment to enhance performance of the osmotic dehydration. Moreover new technologies used in osmotic dehydration will be discussed. Patents on osmotic dehydration of fruits and vegetables are also discussed in this article.

Fermi: The Gamma-Ray Large Area Telescope Mission Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McEnery, Julie

2014-01-01

Following its launch in June 2008, high-energy gamma-ray observations by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have unveiled over 1000 new sources and opened an important and previously unexplored window on a wide variety of phenomena. These have included the discovery of an population of pulsars pulsing only in gamma rays; the detection of photons up to 10s of GeV from gamma-ray bursts, enhancing our understanding of the astrophysics of these powerful explosions; the detection of hundreds of active galaxies; a measurement of the high energy cosmic-ray electron spectrum which may imply the presence of nearby astrophysical particle accelerators; the determination of the diffuse gamma-ray emission with unprecedented accuracy and the constraints on phenomena such as supersymmetric dark-matter annihilations and exotic relics from the Big Bang. Continuous monitoring of the high-energy gamma-ray sky has uncovered numerous outbursts from active galaxies and the discovery of transient sources in our galaxy. In this talk I will describe the current status of the Fermi observatory and review the science highlights from Fermi.

Fermi: The Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope Mission Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McEnery, Julie E

2014-01-01

Following its launch in June 2008, high-energy gamma-ray observations by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have unveiled over 1000 new sources and opened an important and previously unexplored window on a wide variety of phenomena. These have included the discovery of a population of pulsars pulsing only in gamma rays; the detection of photons up to 10s of gigaelectronvolts from gamma-ray bursts, enhancing our understanding of the astrophysics of these powerful explosions; the detection of hundreds of active galaxies; a measurement of the high energy cosmic-ray electron spectrum which may imply the presence of nearby astrophysical particle accelerators; the determination of the diffuse gamma-ray emission with unprecedented accuracy and the constraints on phenomena such as super-symmetric dark-matter annihilations and exotic relics from the Big Bang. Continuous monitoring of the high-energy gamma-ray sky has uncovered numerous outbursts from active galaxies and the discovery of transient sources in our galaxy. In this talk I will describe the current status of the Fermi observatory and review the science highlights from Fermi.

Fermi: The Gamma-Ray Large Area Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McEnery, Julie

2015-01-01

Following its launch in June 2008, high-energy gamma-ray observations by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have unveiled over 1000 new sources and opened an important and previously unexplored window on a wide variety of phenomena. These have included the discovery of an population of pulsars pulsing only in gamma rays; the detection of photons up to 10s of GeV from gamma-ray bursts, enhancing our understanding of the astrophysics of these powerful explosions; the detection of hundreds of active galaxies; a measurement of the high energy cosmic-ray electron spectrum which may imply the presence of nearby astrophysical particle accelerators; the determination of the diffuse gamma-ray emission with unprecedented accuracy and the constraints on phenomena such as supersymmetric dark-matter annihilations and exotic relics from the Big Bang. Continuous monitoring of the high-energy gamma-ray sky has uncovered numerous outbursts from active galaxies and the discovery of transient sources in our galaxy. In this talk I will describe the current status of the Fermi observatory and review the science highlights from Fermi.

Fermi: The Gamma-Ray Large Area Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McEnery, Julie

2014-01-01

Following its launch in June 2008, high-energy gamma-ray observations by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have unveiled over 1000 new sources and opened an important and previously unexplored window on a wide variety of phenomena. These have included the discovery of an population of pulsars pulsing only in gamma rays; the detection of photons up to 10 seconds of gigaelectronvolts from gamma-ray bursts, enhancing our understanding of the astrophysics of these powerful explosions; the detection of hundreds of active galaxies; a measurement of the high energy cosmic-ray electron spectrum which may imply the presence of nearby astrophysical particle accelerators; the determination of the diffuse gamma-ray emission with unprecedented accuracy and the constraints on phenomena such as super-symmetric dark-matter annihilations and exotic relics from the Big Bang. Continuous monitoring of the high-energy gamma-ray sky has uncovered numerous outbursts from active galaxies and the discovery of transient sources in our galaxy. In this talk I will describe the current status of the Fermi observatory and review the science highlights from Fermi.

Fermi: The Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McEnery, Julie

2014-01-01

Following its launch in June 2008, high-energy gamma-ray observations by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have unveiled over 1000 new sources and opened an important and previously unexplored window on a wide variety of phenomena. These have included the discovery of an population of pulsars pulsing only in gamma rays; the detection of photons up to 10s of GeV from gamma-ray bursts, enhancing our understanding of the astrophysics of these powerful explosions; the detection of hundreds of active galaxies; a measurement of the high energy cosmic-ray electron spectrum which may imply the presence of nearby astrophysical particle accelerators; the determination of the diffuse gamma-ray emission with unprecedented accuracy and the constraints on phenomena such as supersymmetric dark-matter annihilations and exotic relics from the Big Bang. Continuous monitoring of the high-energy gamma-ray sky has uncovered numerous outbursts from active galaxies and the discovery of transient sources in our galaxy. In this talk I will describe the current status of the Fermi observatory and review the science highlights from Fermi.

A comparison of implantation-driven permeation characteristics of fusion reactor structural materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longhurst, G. R.; Anderl, R. A.; Struttmann, D. A.

1986-11-01

Implantation-driven permeation experiments have been conducted on samples of the ferritic steel HT-9, the austenitic Primary Candidate Alloy (PCA) and the vanadium alloy V-15Cr-5Ti using D 3+ ions under conditions that simulate charge-exchange neutral loading on a fusion reactor first wall. The steels all exhibited an initially intense permeation "spike" followed by an exponential decrease to low steady-state values. That spike was not evident in the V-15Cr-5Ti experiments. Steady-state permeation was highest in the vanadium alloy and lowest in the austenitic steel. Though permeation rates in the HT-9 were lower than those in V-15Cr-5Ti, permeation transients were much faster in HT-9 than in other materials tested. Sputtering of the steel surface resulted in enhanced reemission, whereas in the vanadium tests, recombination and diffusivity both appeared to diminish as the deuterium concentration rose. We conclude that for conditions comparable to those of these experiments, tritium retention and permeation loss in first wall structures made of steels will be less than in structures made of V-15Cr-5Ti.

Synergistic Skin Penetration Enhancer and Nanoemulsion Formulations Promote the Human Epidermal Permeation of Caffeine and Naproxen.

PubMed

Abd, Eman; Namjoshi, Sarika; Mohammed, Yousuf H; Roberts, Michael S; Grice, Jeffrey E

2016-01-01

We examined the extent of skin permeation enhancement of the hydrophilic drug caffeine and lipophilic drug naproxen applied in nanoemulsions incorporating skin penetration enhancers. Infinite doses of fully characterized oil-in-water nanoemulsions containing the skin penetration enhancers oleic acid or eucalyptol as oil phases and caffeine (3%) or naproxen (2%) were applied to human epidermal membranes in Franz diffusion cells, along with aqueous control solutions. Caffeine and naproxen fluxes were determined over 8 h. Solute solubility in the formulations and in the stratum corneum (SC), as well as the uptake of product components into the SC were measured. The nanoemulsions significantly enhanced the skin penetration of caffeine and naproxen, compared to aqueous control solutions. Caffeine maximum flux enhancement was associated with a synergistic increase in both caffeine SC solubility and skin diffusivity, whereas a formulation-increased solubility in the SC was the dominant determinant for increased naproxen fluxes. Enhancements in SC solubility were related to the uptake of the formulation excipients containing the active compounds into the SC. Enhanced skin penetration in these systems is largely driven by uptake of formulation excipients containing the active compounds into the SC with impacts on SC solubility and diffusivity.

Self-diffusion in dense granular shear flows.

PubMed

Utter, Brian; Behringer, R P

2004-03-01

Diffusivity is a key quantity in describing velocity fluctuations in granular materials. These fluctuations are the basis of many thermodynamic and hydrodynamic models which aim to provide a statistical description of granular systems. We present experimental results on diffusivity in dense, granular shear flows in a two-dimensional Couette geometry. We find that self-diffusivities D are proportional to the local shear rate gamma; with diffusivities along the direction of the mean flow approximately twice as large as those in the perpendicular direction. The magnitude of the diffusivity is D approximately gamma;a(2), where a is the particle radius. However, the gradient in shear rate, coupling to the mean flow, and strong drag at the moving boundary lead to particle displacements that can appear subdiffusive or superdiffusive. In particular, diffusion appears to be superdiffusive along the mean flow direction due to Taylor dispersion effects and subdiffusive along the perpendicular direction due to the gradient in shear rate. The anisotropic force network leads to an additional anisotropy in the diffusivity that is a property of dense systems and has no obvious analog in rapid flows. Specifically, the diffusivity is suppressed along the direction of the strong force network. A simple random walk simulation reproduces the key features of the data, such as the apparent superdiffusive and subdiffusive behavior arising from the mean velocity field, confirming the underlying diffusive motion. The additional anisotropy is not observed in the simulation since the strong force network is not included. Examples of correlated motion, such as transient vortices, and Lévy flights are also observed. Although correlated motion creates velocity fields which are qualitatively different from collisional Brownian motion and can introduce nondiffusive effects, on average the system appears simply diffusive.

A hydraulic tomography approach coupling travel time inversion with steady shape analysis based on aquifer analogue study in coarsely clastic fluvial glacial deposit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, R.; Brauchler, R.; Herold, M.; Bayer, P.; Sauter, M.

2009-04-01

Rarely is it possible to draw a significant conclusion about the geometry and the properties of geological structures of the underground using the information which is typically obtained from boreholes, since soil exploration is only representative of the position where the soil sample is taken from. Conventional aquifer investigation methods like pumping tests can provide hydraulic properties of a larger area; however, they lead to integral information. This information is insufficient to develop groundwater models, especially contaminant transport models, which require information about the spatial distribution of the hydraulic properties of the subsurface. Hydraulic tomography is an innovative method which has the potential to spatially resolve three dimensional structures of natural aquifer bodies. The method employs hydraulic short term tests performed between two or more wells, whereby the pumped intervals (sources) and the observation points (receivers) are separated by double packer systems. In order to optimize the computationally intensive tomographic inversion of transient hydraulic data we have decided to couple two inversion approaches (a) hydraulic travel time inversion and (b) steady shape inversion. (a) Hydraulic travel time inversion is based on the solution of the travel time integral, which describes the relationship between travel time of maximum signal variation of a transient hydraulic signal and the diffusivity between source and receiver. The travel time inversion is computationally extremely effective and robust, however, it is limited to the determination of diffusivity. In order to overcome this shortcoming we use the estimated diffusivity distribution as starting model for the steady shape inversion with the goal to separate the estimated diffusivity distribution into its components, hydraulic conductivity and specific storage. (b) The steady shape inversion utilizes the fact that at steady shape conditions, drawdown varies with time but the hydraulic gradient does not. By this trick, transient data can be analyzed with the computational efficiency of a steady state model, which proceeds hundreds of times faster than transient models. Finally, a specific storage distribution can be calculated from the diffusivity and hydraulic conductivity reconstructions derived from travel time and steady shape inversion. The groundwork of this study is the aquifer-analogue study from BAYER (1999), in which six parallel profiles of a natural sedimentary body with a size of 16m x 10m x 7m were mapped in high resolution with respect to structural and hydraulic parameters. Based on these results and using geostatistical interpolation methods, MAJI (2005) designed a three dimensional hydraulic model with a resolution of 5cm x 5cm x 5cm. This hydraulic model was used to simulate a large number of short term pumping tests in a tomographical array. The high resolution parameter reconstructions gained from the inversion of simulated pumping test data demonstrate that the proposed inversion scheme allows reconstructing the individual architectural elements and their hydraulic properties with a higher resolution compared to conventional hydraulic and geological investigation methods. Bayer P (1999) Aquifer-Analog-Studium in grobklastischen braided river Ablagerungen: Sedimentäre/hydrogeologische Wandkartierung und Kalibrierung von Georadarmessungen, Diplomkartierung am Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Geologie, Universität Tübingen, 25 pp. Maji, R. (2005) Conditional Stochastic Modelling of DNAPL Migration and Dissolution in a High-resolution Aquifer Analog, Ph.D. thesis at the University of Waterloo, 187 pp.

REAL-TIME EMISSION CHARACTERIZATION OF ORGANIC AIR TOXIC POLLUTANTS DURING STEADY STATE AND TRANSIENT OPERATION OF A MEDIUM DUTY DIESEL ENGINE

EPA Science Inventory

An on-line monitoring method, jet resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization (REMPI) with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) was used to measure emissions of organic air toxics from a medium-duty (60 kW)diesel generator during transient and steady state operations. Emission...

Performance Enhancement of the NPS Transient Electromagnetic Scattering Laboratory

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING MASTER OF SCIENCE IN SYSTEMS ENGINEERING (ELECTRONIC WARFARE) from NAVAL POSTGRADUATE S OOL Author: JvAlo...Bresani Approved by: Michael A. Morgan, Thesis Advisor Jeffrey B. Knorr, Second Reader Michael A. Morgan, Chairman, Department of Electrical & Computer...SYSTEM REPRESENTATION ... .......... 13 B. MATHEMATICAL MODEL ......... ..... 15 C. TRANSIENT RESPONSE EVALUATION .. ......... . 17 IV. MEASUREMENT

Diffusion of water-soluble sorptive drugs in HEMA/MAA hydrogels.

PubMed

Liu, D E; Dursch, T J; Taylor, N O; Chan, S Y; Bregante, D T; Radke, C J

2016-10-10

We measure and, for the first time, theoretically predict four prototypical aqueous-drug diffusion coefficients in five soft-contact-lens material hydrogels where solute-specific adsorption is pronounced. Two-photon fluorescence confocal microscopy and UV/Vis-absorption spectrophotometry assess transient solute concentration profiles and concentration histories, respectively. Diffusion coefficients are obtained for acetazolamide, riboflavin, sodium fluorescein, and theophylline in 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate/methacrylic acid (HEMA/MAA) copolymer hydrogels as functions of composition, equilibrium water content (30-90%), and aqueous pH (2 and 7.4). At pH2, MAA chains are nonionic, whereas at pH7.4, MAA chains are anionic (pKa≈5.2). All studied prototypical drugs specifically interact with HEMA and nonionic MAA (at pH2) moieties. Conversely, none of the prototypical drugs adsorb specifically to anionic MAA (at pH7.4) chains. As expected, diffusivities of adsorbing solutes are significantly diminished by specific interactions with hydrogel strands. Despite similar solute size, relative diffusion coefficients in the hydrogels span several orders of magnitude because of varying degrees of solute interactions with hydrogel-polymer chains. To provide a theoretical framework for the new diffusion data, we apply an effective-medium model extended for solute-specific interactions with hydrogel copolymer strands. Sorptive-diffusion kinetics is successfully described by local equilibrium and Henry's law. All necessary parameters are determined independently. Predicted diffusivities are in good agreement with experiment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diffusion of Sticky Nanoparticles in a Polymer Melt: Crossover from Suppressed to Enhanced Transport

DOE PAGES

Carroll, Bobby; Bocharova, Vera; Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y.; ...

2018-03-09

The self-diffusion of a single large particle in a fluid is usually described by the classic Stokes–Einstein (SE) hydrodynamic relation. However, there are many fluids where the SE prediction for nanoparticles diffusion fails. These systems include diffusion of nanoparticles in porous media, in entangled and unentangled polymer melts and solutions, and protein diffusion in biological environments. A fundamental understanding of the microscopic parameters that govern nanoparticle diffusion is relevant to a wide range of applications. Here in this work, we present experimental measurements of the tracer diffusion coefficient of small and large nanoparticles that experience strong attractions with unentangled andmore » entangled polymer melt matrices. For the small nanoparticle system, a crossover from suppressed to enhanced diffusion is observed with increasing polymer molecular weight. We interpret these observations based on our theoretical and simulation insights of the preceding article (paper 1) as a result of a crossover from an effective hydrodynamic core–shell to a nonhydrodynamic vehicle mechanism of transport, with the latter strongly dependent on polymer–nanoparticle desorption time. In conclusion, a general zeroth-order qualitative picture for small sticky nanoparticle diffusion in polymer melts is proposed.« less

Diffusion of Sticky Nanoparticles in a Polymer Melt: Crossover from Suppressed to Enhanced Transport

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

Carroll, Bobby; Bocharova, Vera; Carrillo, Jan-Michael Y.

The self-diffusion of a single large particle in a fluid is usually described by the classic Stokes–Einstein (SE) hydrodynamic relation. However, there are many fluids where the SE prediction for nanoparticles diffusion fails. These systems include diffusion of nanoparticles in porous media, in entangled and unentangled polymer melts and solutions, and protein diffusion in biological environments. A fundamental understanding of the microscopic parameters that govern nanoparticle diffusion is relevant to a wide range of applications. Here in this work, we present experimental measurements of the tracer diffusion coefficient of small and large nanoparticles that experience strong attractions with unentangled andmore » entangled polymer melt matrices. For the small nanoparticle system, a crossover from suppressed to enhanced diffusion is observed with increasing polymer molecular weight. We interpret these observations based on our theoretical and simulation insights of the preceding article (paper 1) as a result of a crossover from an effective hydrodynamic core–shell to a nonhydrodynamic vehicle mechanism of transport, with the latter strongly dependent on polymer–nanoparticle desorption time. In conclusion, a general zeroth-order qualitative picture for small sticky nanoparticle diffusion in polymer melts is proposed.« less

Induced-Charge Enhancement of the Diffusion Potential in Membranes with Polarizable Nanopores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryzhkov, I. I.; Lebedev, D. V.; Solodovnichenko, V. S.; Shiverskiy, A. V.; Simunin, M. M.

2017-12-01

When a charged membrane separates two salt solutions of different concentrations, a potential difference appears due to interfacial Donnan equilibrium and the diffusion junction. Here, we report a new mechanism for the generation of a membrane potential in polarizable conductive membranes via an induced surface charge. It results from an electric field generated by the diffusion of ions with different mobilities. For uncharged membranes, this effect strongly enhances the diffusion potential and makes it highly sensitive to the ion mobilities ratio, electrolyte concentration, and pore size. Theoretical predictions on the basis of the space-charge model extended to polarizable nanopores fully agree with experimental measurements in KCl and NaCl aqueous solutions.

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

Sueyoshi, Eijun, E-mail: EijunSueyoshi@aol.com; Sakamoto, Ichiro; Okimoto, Tomoaki

Amyloidosis is a rare systemic disease. However, involvement of the heart is a common finding and is the most frequent cause of death in amyloidosis. We report the sonographic, scintigraphic, and MRI features of a pathologically proven case of cardiac amyloidosis. Delayed contrast-enhanced MR images, using an inversion recovery prepped gradient-echo sequence, revealed diffuse enhancement in the wall of both left and right ventricles. This enhancement suggested expansion of the extracellular space of the myocardium caused by diffuse myocardial necrosis secondary to deposition of amyloid.

Thermophysical Property Testing Using Transient Techniques.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-29

WORDS (Continue on reverse side if necessary and identify by block number) Specific heat HMX carbon/carbon Diffusivity RDX solid propellants Conductivity...energetic materials (AP, " HMX , RDX and HTPB) used in solid rocket fuel to carbon/carbon materials used as rocket nozzles. Studies on AP included single...32 4.1b HMX and RDX ............................35 a 4.2 Carbon/Carbon Materials ...................... 36 5.0 SUMMARY

Response of corrugated fiberboard to moisture flow : a 3-D finite element transient nonlinear analysis

Treesearch

Adeeb A. Rahman; Thomas J. Urbanik; Mustafa Mahamid

2003-01-01

Collapse of fiberboard packaging boxes, in the shipping industry, due to rise in humidity conditions is common and very costly. A 3D FE nonlinear model is developed to predict the moisture flow throughout a corrugated packaging fiberboard sandwich structure. The model predicts how the moisture diffusion will permeate through the layers of a fiberboard (medium and...

Significance of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) as an improving factor in contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enterography in evaluation of patients with Crohn's disease.

PubMed

Imširović, Bilal; Zerem, Enver; Efendić, Alma; Mekić Abazović, Alma; Zerem, Omar; Djedović, Muhamed

2018-08-01

Aim To determine capabilities and potential of contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enterography in order to establish the diagnosis and to evaluate severity and activity of intestinal inflammation. Methods Fifty-five patients with suspicion for presence of Crohn's disease were evaluated. All patients underwent contrast enhanced MRI enterography and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and subsequently endoscopic examination or surgical treatment. Four parameters were analysed: thickening of the bowel wall, and presence of abscess, fistula and lymphadenopathy. Results Comparing results of DWI and contrast enhanced MRI enterography a significant difference between results given through diffusion and histopathological test was found, e.g. a significant difference between results obtained through diffusion and MRI enterography was found. MRI enterography sensitiveness for bowel wall thickening was 97.7% and specificity 70%, whilst DWI sensitivity for bowel wall thickening was 84% and specificity 100%. The diagnostics of abscess and fistula showed no significant difference between DWI and MRI, while in lymphadenopathy significant difference between contrast enhanced MRI enterography and DWI was found. Conclusion Contrast enhanced MRI enterography in combination with DWI allows for excellent evaluation of disease activity, but also problems or complications following it. The examination can be repeated, controlled, and it can contribute to monitoring of patients with this disease. Copyright© by the Medical Assotiation of Zenica-Doboj Canton.