Homogeneous dielectric barrier discharge in CO 2

International audienceAbstract This study investigates dielectric barrier discharges generated in CO 2 at atmospheric pressure. According to the literature, under these conditions, discharges usually work in the filamentary regime. On the contrary, the experimental results reported in the present study demonstrate for the very first time that it is also possible to obtain a diffuse CO 2 discharge under these conditions. The diffuse regime appears to be related to a memory effect mechanism occurring at the dielectric surface. Both the filamentary and diffuse regimes were compared in this work based on electrical measurements coupled with intensified charged coupled device (iCCD) imaging and optical emission spectroscopy. The clear difference between both regimes is discussed

Influence of waves on the three-dimensional distribution of plastic in the ocean

The world's oceans are facing plastic pollution, 80 % of which of terrestrial origin flowing from the mismanaged waste of coastal populations and from river discharge. To study the fate of this pollution, the three-dimensional trajectories of neutral plastic particles continuously released for 24 years according to realistic source scenarios are computed using currents from a global ocean-wave coupled model at resolution and from a reference ocean-only model. These Lagrangian simulations show that neutral particles accumulate at the surface in the subtropical convergence zones from where they penetrate to about 250 m depth and strongly disperse over 40? of latitude. About 5.3 % of the particles remain at the surface with the wave-coupled model currents, whereas only 2 % for the uncoupled model, with some modulation in the location of the convergence zones. Increased surface retention results from upward vertical velocities induced by widespread divergence of waves-induced Stokes transport in the surface layers

European Commission - Green Paper: Copyright in the Knowledge Economy - Comments by the Max Planck Institute for Intellectual Property, Competition and Tax Law

This paper focuses on an important subset of the knowledge economy: the area of scientific research. Wide dissemination and accessibility of scientific information in the online environment are at the core of today's knowledge economy. To a large degree, scientific information is embedded within scholarly works, such as journal articles, which are subject to copyright protection. Limitations most relevant to scientific research provided for in Directive 2001/29/EC on the harmonization of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society (InfoSoc Directive) are important tools to ease access to relevant information for purposes of scientific research on the end-user level. They need to be preserved and, where possible, adequately extended. However, even if widely introduced in all Member States and made immune against technological protection measures, these limitations alone may not guarantee wide dissemination and accessibility. The more publications become available in electronic form only, the greater the risk that libraries and scientific end users will face a single-source situation, forcing them to pay unreasonable prices or accept unreasonable conditions for accessing (for the most part publicly financed) scholarly contents, or to desist from using the relevant contents at all. Contractual arrangements between rightholders and users - as addressed in the Green Paper - are likely to benefit rightholders more than users. Limitations allowed for in the InfoSoc Directive cannot cope with these problems since they only take effect at the user level, i.e. when the content has already been procured. Wide dissemination and accessibility may need to be addressed also on the level of the intermediaries, e.g. by securing the existence of multiple sources and fair competition among publishers and other intermediaries with respect to the individual piece of scholarly work, such as an individual journal article. In this paper, we suggest certain elements that should be considered in the course of a legislative reform on the EU level, following a two-tier approach: (1) At the end-user level, limitations most relevant to scientific research should be mandatory, immune towards contractual agreements and technological protection measures, and should be construed as providing a bottom line, which national legislation should not fall below. In return, original rightholders should receive adequate compensation. (2) At the level of intermediaries, it is strongly recommended to follow up closely the developments in the scientific publication market, in particular concerning the situation of (publicly funded) research institutions vis a vis publishing companies and database producers. If certain negative effects cannot be mitigated otherwise, additional legal measures may have to be considered, which may be based on copyright or competition law, or even combine elements of the two, as will be addressed in part 2 of this paper

The main magnet power supply of the ion rapid cycling medical synchrotron

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Antibacterial activity of Sandoricum koetjape (Santol) leaf ethanolic extract against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli

Sandoricum koetjape, also known as santol, is a tropical fruit belonging to the Meliaceae family. This plant is used to cure diarrhea and fever, and to treat ringworm and armyworm. On the other hand, Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium that lives in skin, hair, nose, throat and mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals. Its infections are common and may be acquired in hospital settings. Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacterium that can be found in the stomach and intestines of humans and warm-blooded animals. Other strains of E. coli can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, and vomiting. In this study, S. koetjape was used to determine its antibacterial property against S. aureus and E. coli. Ethanolic extract of S. koetjape leaves was prepared into three treatment groups with concentration of 25%, 50% and 75% along with the control groups. The groups were subjected with the two bacteria (S. aureus and E. coli) to determine the antibacterial activity of the extract. Answering the statement of the problem number 1, the effect of the extract is the inhibition of growth of S. aureus and E. coli for a certain measure of the zone of inhibition. There is a significant difference between the zone of inhibition which suggests that the inhibitory effect of the various concentrations is different from one another. By comparing the average zone of inhibition for both S. aureus & E. coli, T3 is the most effective treatment among others. This study proved that the Sandoricum koetjape leaf ethanolic extract had an effect against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli