Fouling and Cleaning of Modified Stainless Steel Plate Heat Exchangers Processing Milk Products

Fouling of heat exchangers in dairy industries is still quite a severe problem both technically and economically. Altering the surface properties of the heating surfaces would be a way of solving this issue. Modified steel surfaces were tested in an Alfa Laval V2 plate heat exchanger throughout dairy product sterilization. The behavior was analyzed for 8 different surface treatments, such as coatings (Diamond Like Carbon [DLC], Silica, SiOX, Ni-P-PTFE, Excalibur®, Xylan®) and ion implantation (SiF+, MoS2). All fouling and cleaning experiments were carried out in standard and well-controlled operating conditions. After fouling, no significant difference could be seen between all the modified steels and the reference by statistical variance analysis. Cleaning efficiency of Ni-PPTFE appeared significantly the best. It could be suggested that the free surface energy plays a predominant role and the roughness a minor role in the level of fouling and cleaning efficiency

Size constancy is preserved but afterimages are prolonged in typical individuals with higher degrees of self-reported autistic traits

Deficits in perceptual constancies from early infancy have been proposed to contribute to autism and exacerbate its symptoms (Hellendoorn et al., Frontiers in Psychology 6:1–16, 2015). Here, we examined size constancy in adults from the general population (N = 106) with different levels of self-reported autistic traits using an approach based on negative afterimages. The afterimage strength, as indexed by duration and vividness, was also quantified. In opposition to the Hellendoorn and colleagues’ model, we were unable to demonstrate any kind of relationship between abilities in size constancy and autistic traits. However, our results demonstrated that individuals with higher degrees of autistic traits experienced more persistent afterimages. We discuss possible retinal and post-retinal explanations for prolonged afterimages in people with higher levels of autistic traits

Integrin-Alpha IIb Identifies Murine Lymph Node Lymphatic Endothelial Cells Responsive to RANKL

Microenvironment and activation signals likely imprint heterogeneity in the lymphatic endothelial cell (LEC) population. Particularly LECs of secondary lymphoid organs are exposed to different cell types and immune stimuli. However, our understanding of the nature of LEC activation signals and their cell source within the secondary lymphoid organ in the steady state remains incomplete. Here we show that integrin alpha 2b (ITGA2b), known to be carried by platelets, megakaryocytes and hematopoietic progenitors, is expressed by a lymph node subset of LECs, residing in medullary, cortical and subcapsular sinuses. In the subcapsular sinus, the floor but not the ceiling layer expresses the integrin, being excluded from ACKR4+LECs but overlapping with MAdCAM-1 expression. ITGA2b expression increases in response to immunization, raising the possibility that heterogeneous ITGA2b levels reflect variation in exposure to activation signals. We show that alterations of the level of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), by overexpression, neutralization or deletion from stromal marginal reticular cells, affected the proportion of ITGA2b+LECs. Lymph node LECs but not peripheral LECs express RANK. In addition, we found that lymphotoxin-β receptor signaling likewise regulated the proportion of ITGA2b+LECs. These findings demonstrate that stromal reticular cells activate LECs via RANKL and support the action of hematopoietic cell-derived lymphotoxin

Caractérisation structurale et thermique d'amorphes à base d'alumine et d'oxydes de lanthanides (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb)

Spat cooling under air of binary Al2O3-Ln2O 3 mixtures allowed us to obtained amorphous phases. Thermal behaviour of these materials and the coordination of the rare-earth ion are studied.L'hypertrempe à l'air des binaires Al2O3-Ln 2O3 permet d'obtenir des matériaux amorphes. Leur comportement thermique, ainsi que l'environnement local de l'ion lanthanidique sont précisés

Evaluation of the performance of coated and uncoated carbide tools in drilling thick CFRP/aluminium alloy stacks

This paper aims to establish the wear mechanisms of coated and uncoated tungsten carbide drills when drilling carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP)/aluminium alloy (Al) stacks. During the drilling experiments, thrust forces were measured. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a numerical microscope, provided with a scanning device, were periodically used to analyse tool wear mechanisms and to measure wear progression of the tool cutting edges. For both coated and uncoated drills, abrasion was the dominant tool wear mechanism, affecting the entire cutting edges. Higher wear was observed on uncoated tools which caused a significant increase in thrust force during drilling both Al and CFRP materials. The influence of these phenomena on the quality of the holes and on the generated roughness was also discussed.FUI-Usinage de Multi-Matériaux et Innovation (U2MI

A methodology for evaluating the performance of software, using gamma spectrometry, for determining the isotopic composition of plutonium

International audienceThis paper presents the progress of an ongoing study within Working Group N°27 of the CETAMA[1] regarding the performances of software used for determining the isotopic composition of plutonium and uranium, by means of γ spectrometry, in the presence of “disturbing” radioactive emitters and of various matrices. The “disturbing” radio-emitters are some minor actinides (242Am, 243Am, 237Np, 243Cm etc.), fission products (137Cs, 125Sb, 154Eu etc.) and/or activation products (60Co etc.). All these radionuclides can be found in waste from the nuclear industry. Matrices can also vary (metal, vinyl…). In some instances, these radionuclides and matrices are in high enough quantities to disturb the analysis by the software for determining the isotopic composition. This paper presents the outline and first achievements of this. [1] The CETAMA (Commission d'Etablissement des Méthodes d'Analyse), part of the CEA, has served laboratories for analysis and monitoring facilities throughout the French nuclear sector. Working group N°27 brings together experts in neutron and gamma spectrometry measurements to identify suitable non destructive assay methods for waste packages of all shapes, all backgrounds and all levels of alpha or beta-gamma emitters

A methodology for evaluating the performance of software, using gamma spectrometry, for determining the isotopic composition of plutonium

International audienceThis paper presents the progress of an ongoing study within Working Group N°27 of the CETAMA[1] regarding the performances of software used for determining the isotopic composition of plutonium and uranium, by means of γ spectrometry, in the presence of “disturbing” radioactive emitters and of various matrices. The “disturbing” radio-emitters are some minor actinides (242Am, 243Am, 237Np, 243Cm etc.), fission products (137Cs, 125Sb, 154Eu etc.) and/or activation products (60Co etc.). All these radionuclides can be found in waste from the nuclear industry. Matrices can also vary (metal, vinyl…). In some instances, these radionuclides and matrices are in high enough quantities to disturb the analysis by the software for determining the isotopic composition. This paper presents the outline and first achievements of this. [1] The CETAMA (Commission d'Etablissement des Méthodes d'Analyse), part of the CEA, has served laboratories for analysis and monitoring facilities throughout the French nuclear sector. Working group N°27 brings together experts in neutron and gamma spectrometry measurements to identify suitable non destructive assay methods for waste packages of all shapes, all backgrounds and all levels of alpha or beta-gamma emitters