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Selected AbstractsWaste minimization techniques and options for the wet and pretreatment sections of coil coating plantsENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 3 2004Nicola J. Brown Abstract Waste minimization has proven successful in recent years for many companies in reducing their raw material and utility consumption and costs as well as their waste-treatment and disposal costs. Although waste minimization opportunities can be identified through observation of plant operation practices and through application of generalized heuristic principles, many opportunities are determined only through analysis of plant data. In this study, two preassessment techniques (scoping audit and true cost of waste assessment) and two techniques for a more detailed assessment (mass balances and monitoring and targeting) were evaluated to determine whether they identified similar waste minimization opportunities on two coil coating lines. All techniques identified similar waste minimization opportunities, although the true cost of waste assessment and the monitoring and targeting analysis were found to be the most accurate in prioritizing the waste minimization opportunities. The raw material "scope to save" percentage in the scoping audit requires modification for application to South African industry. General waste minimization options for the wet and pretreatment sections of the coil coating industry are also presented. © 2004 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 23: 185,193, 2004 [source] Numerical and analytical calculations of the temperature and flow field in the upwind power plantINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 6 2004Henry Pastohr Abstract The upwind power plant is an interesting system to generate electrical power from free solar energy. The authors have carried out an analysis to improve the description of the operation mode and efficiency. The pressure drop at the turbine and the mass flow rate have a decisive influence on the efficiency. This can be determined only by coupling of all parts of an upwind power plant. In this study the parts ground, collector, chimney and turbine are modelled together numerically. The basis for all sections is the numerical CFD programme FLUENT. This programme solves the basic equations of the thermal fluid dynamics. Model development and parameter studies particularly arise with this tool. Additional to the calculations using FLUENT a simple model is developed for comparison purposes and parameter studies. The numerical results with FLUENT compare well with the results given by the simple model, therefore, we can use the simple model for parameter studies. The basis for the geometry is the prototype Manzanares. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The continuous cooling transformation (CCT) as a flexible tool to investigate polymer crystallization under processing conditionsADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2009V. Brucato Abstract An experimental route for investigating polymer crystallization over a wide range of cooling rates (from 0.01 to 1000°C/s) and pressures (from 0.1 to 40 MPa) is illustrated, using a method that recalls the approach adopted in metallurgy for studying structure development in metals. Two types of experimental setup were used, namely an apparatus for fast cooling of thin films (100,200 ,m thick) at various cooling rates under atmospheric pressure and a device (based on a on-purpose modified injection molding machine) for quenching massive samples (about 1,2 cm3) under hydrostatic pressure fields. In both cases, ex situ characterization experiments were carried out to probe the resulting structure, using techniques such as density measurements and wide-angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD) patterns. The cooling mechanism and temperature distribution across the sample thickness were analyzed. Results show that the final structure is determined only by the imposed thermal history and pressure. Experimental results for isotactic polypropylene (iPP), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polyamide 6 (PA6), and syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) are reported, showing the reliability of this experimental approach to assess not only quantitative information but also a qualitative description of the crystallization behavior of different classes of semicrystalline polymers. The present study gives an opportunity to evaluate how the combined effect of the cooling rate and pressure influences the crystallization kinetics for various classes of polymer of commercial interest. An increase in the cooling rate translates into a decrease in crystallinity and density, which both experience a sudden drop around the specific "crystallizability" (or "critical cooling rate") of the material examined. The exception is sPS where competition among the various crystalline modifications determines a minimum in the plot of density vs. cooling rate. As for the effect of pressure, iPP exhibits a "negative dependence" of crystallization kinetics upon pressure, with a decrease of density and degree of crystallinity with increasing pressure, owing to kinetic constraints. PA6 and PET, on the other hand, due to thermodynamic factors resulting in an increase in Tm with pressure, exhibits a "positive dependence" of crystallization kinetics upon pressure. Finally, recent original results concerning sPS have shown that the minimum in the density vs. cooling rate curve shifts toward larger cooling rates upon increasing pressure. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 28:86,119, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20151 [source] Molecular mechanisms of mild and moderate hemophilia AJOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 3 2003M. Jacquemin Summary., Mutations responsible for mild/moderate hemophilia A were extensively characterized over the last 15 years and more than 200 mutations have been identified. However, most of the molecular mechanisms responsible for the reduced factor (F)VIII levels in patients' plasma were determined only recently. Recent progresses in the study of the FVIII molecule three-dimensional structure provided a major insight for understanding molecular events leading to mild/moderate hemophilia A. This allowed prediction of mutations impairing FVIII folding and intracellular processing, which result in reduced FVIII secretion. Mutations potentially slowing down FVIII activation by thrombin were also identified. A number of mutations were also predicted to result in altered stability of activated FVIII. Biochemical analyses allowed identification of mutations reducing FVIII production. Mutations impairing FVIII stability in plasma, by reducing FVIII binding to von Willebrand factor (VWF) were also characterized. Defects in FVIII activity, notably slow activation by thrombin, or abnormal interaction with FIXa, were also recently demonstrated. Biochemical analysis of FVIII variants provided information regarding the structure/function relationship of the FVIII molecule and validated predictions of the three-dimensional structure of the molecule. These observations also contributed to explain the discrepant activities recorded for some FVIII variants using different types of FVIII assays. Altogether, the study of the biochemical properties of FVIII variants and the evaluation of the effects of mutations in three-dimensional models of FVIII identified molecular mechanisms potentially explaining reduced FVIII levels for a majority of patients with mild/moderate hemophilia A. It is expected that these studies will improve diagnosis and treatment of this disease. [source] Quasi-brittle to ductile transition in impact-modified PVCJOURNAL OF VINYL & ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2004J. Yu The toughness of impact-modified poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) compounds was examined by using a modified Charpy test. Increasing impact speed resulted in a quasi-brittle to ductile transition in all PVC compounds. In the quasi-brittle region, a PVC of 56,000 Mw fractured through a craze-like damage zone that could be described by a modified Dugdale model. Furthermore, the same molecular-weight PVC modified with either 10 pph (parts per hundred parts by weight) of chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) or 10 pph of methylmethacrylate-butadiene-styrene (MBS) impact modifier also conformed to the Dugdale model with the craze-like damage zone. The CPE effectively improved the impact performance of PVC by shifting the quasi-brittle to ductile transition to a higher loading rate. Compared to CPE, MBS was a better impact modifier, and its use resulted in a higher quasi-brittle to ductile transition loading rate in the same PVC matrix. Fracture initiation toughness of all the materials was described by the Hayes-Williams modification of the Dugdale model. The intrinsic brittle fracture energy obtained by extrapolation to zero craze length was determined only by the PVC matrix and was independent of the impact modifier. However, the kinetics of craze growth, and hence the response to rapid loading, depended on the impact modifier. Increasing the molecular weight of the PVC resin resulted in a more complex damage zone that was not amendable to the Dugdale analysis. J. Vinyl Addit. Technol. 10:11,16, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers. [source] Natural linewidth chemical shift imaging (NL-CSI)MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE, Issue 1 2006Adil Bashir Abstract The discrete Fourier transform (FT) is a conventional method for spatial reconstruction of chemical shifting imaging (CSI) data. Due to point spread function (PSF) effects, FT reconstruction leads to intervoxel signal leakage (Gibbs ringing). Spectral localization by imaging (SLIM) reconstruction was previously proposed to overcome this intervoxel signal contamination. However, the existence of magnetic field inhomogeneities creates an additional source of intervoxel signal leakage. It is demonstrated herein that even small field inhomogeneities substantially amplify intervoxel signal leakage in both FT and SLIM reconstruction approaches. A new CSI data acquisition strategy and reconstruction algorithm (natural linewidth (NL) CSI) is presented that eliminates effects of magnetic field inhomogeneity-induced intervoxel signal leakage and intravoxel phase dispersion on acquired data. The approach is based on acquired CSI data, high-resolution images, and magnetic field maps. The data are reconstructed based on the imaged object structure (as in the SLIM approach) and a reconstruction matrix that takes into account the inhomogeneous field distribution inside anatomically homogeneous compartments. Phantom and in vivo results show that the new method allows field inhomogeneity effects from the acquired MR signal to be removed so that the signal decay is determined only by the "natural" R2 relaxation rate constant (hence the term "natural linewidth" CSI). Magn Reson Med, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Kinematics of hypervelocity stars in the triaxial halo of the Milky WayMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2007Qingjuan Yu ABSTRACT Hypervelocity stars (HVSs) ejected by the massive black hole at the Galactic Centre have unique kinematic properties compared to other halo stars. Their trajectories will deviate from being exactly radial because of the asymmetry of the Milky Way potential produced by the flattened disc and the triaxial dark matter halo, causing a change of angular momentum that can be much larger than the initial small value at injection. We study the kinematics of HVSs and propose an estimator of dark halo triaxiality that is determined only by instantaneous position and velocity vectors of HVSs at large Galactocentric distances (r, 50 kpc). We show that, in the case of a substantially triaxial halo, the distribution of deflection angles (the angle between the stellar position and velocity vector) for HVSs on bound orbits is spread uniformly over the range 10°,180°. Future astrometric and deep wide-field surveys should measure the positions and velocities of a significant number of HVSs, and provide useful constraints on the shape of the Galactic dark matter halo. [source] Extragalactic MeV ,-ray emission from cocoons of young radio galaxiesMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2007M. Kino ABSTRACT Strong ,-ray emission from cocoons of young radio galaxies is predicted for the first time. Considering the process of adiabatic injection of the shock dissipation energy and mass of the relativistic jet in active nuclei into the cocoon, while assuming thermalizing electron plasma interactions, we find that the thermal electron temperature of the cocoon is typically predicted to be of the order of , MeV, and is determined only by the bulk Lorentz factor of the relativistic jet. Together with the time-dependent dynamics of the cocoon expansion, we find that young cocoons can yield thermal bremsstrahlung emissions at energies ,MeV. [source] Kinetics of PME/Pi in pig kidneys during cold ischemiaNMR IN BIOMEDICINE, Issue 7 2007Dominik von Elverfeldt Abstract Quality assessment of renal grafts via 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been investigated since 1986. As ATP concentrations decay rapidly during cold ischemia, the ratio of phosphomonoesters (PME) to inorganic phosphate (PiO) within the organ (PME/PiO) is commonly used as a quality marker and is considered to be the most reliable parameter. MRS did not lead to any delay in the transplantation procedure since it was performed during the time necessary for immunological matching (cross-match). Differences in the time period until transplantation call for extrapolation of the measured ratio to the end of cold ischemia before correlating with graft performance after transplantation. Therefore, quantitative determination of PME/PiO kinetics is essential. As a model for metabolite decay in human renal grafts, pig kidneys obtained from a slaughterhouse were monitored for up to 80,h via 31P MRS at 2,T. By employing chemical shift imaging (CSI) with a spatial resolution of approximately 1,×,1,×,4,cm3, it was possible to reduce partial volume effects significantly. The improved spectral resolution gained through CSI enabled reliable PME/PiO ratios to be determined only from those voxels containing renal tissue. Spectra were fitted automatically using the magnetic resonance user interface (MRUI), with prior knowledge obtained from unlocalized spectra when necessary. A monoexponential time dependence of PME/PiO for histidine,tryptophane,alpha-ketoglutarate (HTK)-perfused kidneys during cold ischemia was observed, and the determined value of the decay constant , was 0.0099,±,0.0012,h,1. In University of Wisconsin solution (UW)-perfused kidneys, an , of 0.0183,±,0.0053,h,1 was determined. Determination of the decay constant enables a usable extrapolation of PME/PiO for quality assessment of UW perfusion and a reliable extrapolation for HTK-perfused human renal grafts. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Necessary and sufficient local convergence condition of one class of iterative aggregation,disaggregation methodsNUMERICAL LINEAR ALGEBRA WITH APPLICATIONS, Issue 4 2008Ivana Pultarová Abstract This paper concludes one part of the local convergence analysis of a certain class of iterative aggregation,disaggregation methods for computing a stationary probability distribution vector of an irreducible stochastic matrix B. We show that the local convergence of the algorithm is determined only by the sparsity pattern of the matrix and by the choice of the aggregation groups. We introduce the asymptotic convergence rates of the normalized components of approximations corresponding to particular aggregation groups and we also specify an upper bound on the rates. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] On evaluation of product dropping damagePACKAGING TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, Issue 3 2002Zhi-Wei Wang Abstract As an extension of the classical damage boundary curve in the case of product dropping shock, the concept of a dropping damage boundary curve for linear and non-linear packaging system to evaluate the dropping damage of product is developed in this paper. The dropping damage boundary curves are given for linear and hyperbolic tangent packaging systems with different damping. For a linear packaging system the dropping damage of a product is determined only by the natural frequency of the corresponding packaging system without damping and the dropping shock velocity of package except the system damping, and they compose the basic evaluation quantities of product dropping damage. For a non-linear hyperbolic tangent packaging system, the system parameter and the dimensionless dropping shock velocity are two basic quantities in the evaluation of product dropping damage. It should be emphasized that the dimensionless dropping shock velocity is related not only to the dropping height of package box but also to the system parameter integration. This is the important feature differentiating a non-linear packaging system from a linear one. The influence of system damping on the dropping damage boundary curves is also discussed. This concept and the results have important value in the design of cushioning packaging. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Surface and interface investigations using radioactive atomsPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 12 2004K. Potzger Abstract The magnetic behavior of isolated nonmagnetic probe atoms (Cd) at ferromagnetic Ni surfaces and interfaces have been studied using perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy. Atomic resolution is achieved making it possible to distinguish between probe atoms at various surface sites, i.e., in/at terraces, atomic steps, kinks. These different atomic surface sites have differing Ni coordination numbers, (i.e., the number of Ni nearest neighbours). With decreasing coordination number, a continuous nonlinear dependent correlation was found with increasing magnetic hyperfine fields (Bhf). Furthermore, experimental evidence is presented, that the induced s-moments on the Cd isolated impurity is independent of the details of the surface symmetry but essentially determined only by the coordination number. Finally, it has been observed that monolayers of Pd on Ni form large unit cells, which offer selected sites to the Cd impurity. We discuss this finding as basic research towards future applications with self-organizing patterned structures. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Directly measured cabin pressure conditions during Boeing 747,400 commercial aircraft flightsRESPIROLOGY, Issue 4 2007Paul T. KELLY Background and objectives: In the low pressure environment of commercial aircraft, hypoxaemia may be common and accentuated in patients with lung or heart disease. Regulations specify a cabin pressure not lower than 750 hPa but it is not known whether this standard is met. This knowledge is important in determining the hazards of commercial flight for patients and the validity of current flight simulation tests. Methods: Using a wrist-watch recording altimeter, cabin pressure was recorded at 60 s intervals on 45 flights in Boeing 747,400 aircraft with three airlines. A log was kept of aircraft altitude using the in-flight display. Change in cabin pressure during flight, relationship between aircraft altitude and cabin pressure and proportion of flight time with cabin pressure approaching the minimum specified by regulation were determined. Results: Flight duration averaged 10 h. Average cabin pressure during flight was 846 hPa. There was a linear fall in cabin pressure as the aircraft cruising altitude increased. At 10 300 m (34 000 ft) cabin pressure was 843 hPa and changed 8 hPa for every 300 m (1000 ft) change in aircraft altitude (r2 = 0.993; P < 0.001). Lowest cabin pressure was 792 hPa at 12 200 m (40 000 ft) but during only 2% of flight time was cabin pressure less than 800 hPa. Conclusions Cabin pressure is determined only by the engineering of the aircraft and its altitude and in the present study was always higher than required by regulation. Current fitness-to-fly evaluations simulate cabin conditions that passengers will not experience on these aircraft. There may be increased risks to patients should new or older aircraft operate nearer to the present minimum standard. [source] EARLY EXPERIENCE WITH CLINICAL INDICATORS IN SURGERYANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 6 2000B. T. Collopy Background: In 1997 a set of 53 clinical indicators developed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) and the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) Care Evaluation Programme (CEP), was introduced into the ACHS Evaluation and Quality Improvement Programme (EQuIP). The clinical indicators covered 20 different conditions or procedures for eight specialty groups and were designed to act as flags to possible problems in surgical care. Methods: The development process took several years and included a literature review, field testing, and revision of the indicators prior to approval by the College council. In their first year 155 health-care organizations (HCO) addressed the indicators and this rose to 210 in 1998. Data were received from all states and both public and private facilities. Results: The collected data for 1997 and 1998 for some of the indicators revealed rates which were comparable with those reported in the international literature. For example, the rates of bile duct injury in laparoscopic cholecystectomy were 0.7 and 0.53%, respectively; the mortality rates for coronary artery graft surgery were 2.5 and 2.1%, respectively; the mortality rates after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair were 2.5 and 3.7%, respectively; and the post-tonsillectomy reactionary haemorrhage rates were 0.9 and 1.3%, respectively. Results for some indicators differed appreciably from other reports, flagging the need for further investigation; for example, the negative histology rates for appendectomy in children were 18.6 and 21.2%, respectively, and the rates for completeness of excision of malignant skin tumours were 90.7 and 90%, respectively. The significance of these figures, however, depends upon validation of the data and their reliability and reproducibility. Because reliability can be finally determined only at the hospital level they are of limited value for broader comparison. Conclusion: The process of review established for the indicator set has led to refinement of some indicators through improvement of definitions, and to a considerable reduction in the number of indicators to 29 (covering 18 procedures), for the second version of the indicators (which was introduced for use from January 1999). The clinical indicator programme, as it has with other disciplines, hopefully will provide a stimulus to the modification and improvement of surgical practice. Clinician ownership should enhance the collection of reliable data and hence their usefulness. [source] High energy emission from AGN cocoons in clusters of galaxiesASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 2-3 2009M. Kino Abstract Gamma-ray emission from cocoons of young radio galaxies is predicted. Considering the process of adiabatic injection of the shock dissipation energy and mass of the relativistic jet into the cocoon, we find that the thermal electron temperature of the cocoon is typically predicted to be of the order of ,MeV, and is determined only by the bulk Lorentz factor of the jet. Together with the time-dependent dynamics of the cocoon expansion, we find that young cocoons can yield thermal bremsstrahlung emissions at energies ,MeV. Hotter cocoons (i.e., GeV) for younger sources are also discussed (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] The Gaia project: Technique, performance and statusASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 9-10 2008S. Jordan Abstract Gaia is a satellite mission of the ESA, aiming at absolute astrometric measurements of about one billion stars (all stars down to 20th magnitude, with unprecedented accuracy. Additionally, magnitudes and colors will be obtained for all these stars, while radial-velocities and spectral properties will be determined only for bright objects (V < 17.5). At 15th magnitude Gaia aims at an angular accuracy of 20 microarcseconds (, as). This goal can only be reached if the geometry of the telescopes, the detectors, and the pointing of Gaia at each moment ("attitude") can be inferred from the Gaia measurements itself with , as accuracy. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] | ||||||||||||||||