Neutron Path Length Correction of a 3He Spin Filter

Abstract3He neutron spin filters (NSF) have been widely used for polarized neutron instrumentation for worldwide neutron facilities. Here we report characterization of the two-dimensional neutron path variation of a 3He NSF when a large divergent, scattered neutron beam passes through the end windows of a cylindrical 3He cell. Path length variations of the transmission of the unpolarized neutrons through a 3He NSF and neutron polarization produced from a 3He NSF are characterized. We present a ray-tracing model to explain the path length variation and corresponding neutron transmission and neutron polarization variations, and compare the measured variations to those calculated from the model. Although the path length effect is not large, it should be corrected in the polarization efficiency correction software when a 3He NSF is used for SANS polarization analysis. The path length variation effect can be adopted to other types of neutron scattering spectrometers when using 3He NSFs

Dynamic Analysis of a Rotating Shaft Subject to the Double Cutting Force and Time-varying Mass Effects of the Rod

AbstractThis paper investigates the dynamic behaviors of a rotating shaft subjected to the double cutting force and time-varying mass effects. The Timoshenko beam theory is used to model the rotating shaft, and the general boundary condition is assumed as the clamped-hinged supports. This system is used to simulate the manufacture process of the double turret CNC lathes, and the mass of the rod which is reduced gradually in cutting process. The system equations of motion are derived based on the global assumed mode method, and the dynamic responses of the system are obtained by Runge-Kutta numerical method. The transformation matrix is derived to make the equation of motion completing the boundary geometric constraints. The numerical results compare the dynamic response in different moving speeds and skew angles of the cutting forces with/without the time-varying mass effects. Additionally, this paper compares the response with single cutting force and double force. The results show that the double moving force system can reduce not only the machining time but also the amplitude of shaft vibration

A review on prognostics and health monitoring of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Fuel cell technology can be traced back to 1839 when British scientist Sir William Grove discovered that it was possible to generate electricity by the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen gases. However, fuel cell still cannot compete with internal combustion engines although they have many advantages including zero carbon emissions. Fossil fuels are cheaper and present very high volumetric energy densities compared with the hydrogen gas. Furthermore, hydrogen storage as a liquid is still a huge challenge. Another important disadvantage is the lifespan of the fuel cell because of their durability, reliability and maintainability. Prognostics is an emerging technology in sustainability of engineering systems through failure prevention, reliability assessment and remaining useful lifetime estimation. Prognostics and health monitoring can play a critical role in enhancing the durability, reliability and maintainability of the fuel cell system. This paper presents a review on the current state-of-the-art in prognostics and health monitoring of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), aiming at identifying research and development opportunities in these fields. This paper also highlights the importance of incorporating prognostics and failure modes, mechanisms and effects analysis (FMMEA) in PEMFC to give them sustainable competitive advantage when compared with other non-clean energy solutions

Arguments for a "U.S. Kamioka": SNOLab and its Implications for North American Underground Science Planning

We argue for a cost-effective, long-term North American underground science strategy based on partnership with Canada and initial construction of a modest U.S. Stage I laboratory designed to complement SNOLab. We show, by reviewing the requirements of detectors now in the R&D phase, that SNOLab and a properly designed U.S. Stage I facility would be capable of meeting the needs of North America's next wave of underground experiments. We discuss one opportunity for creating a Stage I laboratory, the Pioneer tunnel in Washington State, a site that could be developed to provide dedicated, clean, horizontal access. This unused tunnel, part of the deepest (1040 m) tunnel system in the U.S., would allow the U.S. to establish, at low risk and low cost, a laboratory at a depth (2.12 km.w.e., or kilometers of water equivalent) quite similar to that of the Japanese laboratory Kamioka (2.04 km.w.e.). We describe studies of cosmic ray attenuation important to properly locating such a laboratory, and the tunnel improvements that would be required to produce an optimal Stage I facility. We also discuss possibilities for far-future Stage II (3.62 km.w.e.) and Stage III (5.00 km.w.e.) developments at the Pioneer tunnel, should future North American needs for deep space exceed that available at SNOLab.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures; revised version includes discusion about neutrino-factory magic baseline

Analysis and Development of Emergency Management Information System for Railway Systems in Taiwan

Railway is one of the most efficient, convenient, and comfortable ways with maximum mobility to meet people. Railway accidents or disasters often cause delays and service interruptions, resulting in operational and other loss. Despite many railway systems in Taiwan having a variety of monitoring systems for natural disasters, they still need an efficient platform for the emergency management of disasters and accidents since time and efficiency are the keys to emergency management. This study aims to fill in this gap by developing an emergency management information system for Railway Systems in Taiwan, i.e. “Railway Emergency Management Information System”, to support railway emergency management center and its sub-divisions in resource management, communication, messaging, and information sharing among different groups. The system includes many features that will improve communications between emergency management center and the mobile emergency management center to facilitate the progress of the disaster control units and dispatching at the disaster site. The study’s information system has been designated by local railway administration as the core system and starts trial since February 2012. Information requirement analysis, framework and design of the aforementioned information system will be discussed in this paper. It is hoped that the present study's information system research will help improve the emergency response of railway administration and provide safer rail transport service for the passengers

Evolution of genomes, host shifts and the geographic spread of SARS-CoV and related coronaviruses

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a novel human illness caused by a previously unrecognized coronavirus (CoV) termed SARS-CoV. There are conflicting reports on the animal reservoir of SARS-CoV. Many of the groups that argue carnivores are the original reservoir of SARS-CoV use a phylogeny to support their argument. However, the phylogenies in these studies often lack outgroup and rooting criteria necessary to determine the origins of SARS-CoV. Recently, SARS-CoV has been isolated from various species of Chiroptera from China (e.g., Rhinolophus sinicus) thus leading to reconsideration of the original reservoir of SARS-CoV. We evaluated the hypothesis that SARS-CoV isolated from Chiroptera are the original zoonotic source for SARS-CoV by sampling SARS-CoV and non-SARS-CoV from diverse hosts including Chiroptera, carnivores, artiodactyls and humans. Regardless of alignment parameters, optimality criteria, or isolate sampling, the resulting phylogenies clearly show that the SARS-CoV was transmitted to small carnivores well after the epidemic of SARS in humans that began in late 2002. The SARS-CoV isolates from small carnivores in Shenzhen markets form a terminal clade that emerged recently from within the radiation of human SARS-CoV. There is evidence of subsequent exchange of SARS-CoV between humans and carnivores. In addition SARS-CoV was transmitted independently from humans to farmed pigs (Sus scrofa). The position of SARS-CoV isolates from Chiroptera are basal to the SARS-CoV clade isolated from humans and carnivores. Although sequence data indicate that Chiroptera are a good candidate for the original reservoir of SARS-CoV, the structural biology of the spike protein of SARS-CoV isolated from Chiroptera suggests that these viruses are not able to interact with the human variant of the receptor of SARS-CoV, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). In SARS-CoV study, both visually and statistically, labile genomic fragments and, putative key mutations of the spike protein that may be associated with host shifts. We display host shifts and candidate mutations on trees projected in virtual globes depicting the spread of SARS-CoV. These results suggest that more sampling of coronaviruses from diverse hosts, especially Chiroptera, carnivores and primates, will be required to understand the genomic and biochemical evolution of coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV.Fil: Janies, Daniel. Ohio State University; Estados UnidosFil: Habib, Farhat. Ohio State University; Estados UnidosFil: Alexandrov, Boyan. Ohio State University; Estados UnidosFil: Hill, Andrew. University of Colorado; Estados UnidosFil: Pol, Diego. Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio; Argentina. Ohio State University; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Palladacycles bearing tridentate CNS-type benzamidinate ligands as catalysts for cross-coupling reactions

Three pendant benzamidines, [Ph-C(=NC6H5)-{NH(E)}] [E = -(CH2)(2)SMe (1); -(CH2)(2)(SBu)-Bu-t (2); -o-C6H4SMe (3)], are described. Reactions of 1, 2 or 3 with one molar equivalent of Pd(OAc)(2) in CH2Cl2 give the palladacyclic complexes, [Ph-C{-NH(eta(1)-C6H4)} {=N(E)}]Pd(OAc) [E = -(CH2)(2)SMe (4); -(CH2)(2)(SBu)-Bu-t (5); -o-C6H4SMe (6)], as mononuclear palladium complexes respectively. A minor product described as 5', {[Ph-C{-N(C6H5)} {-N(CH2)(2)(SBu)-Bu-t}]Pd(OAc)}(2), was isolated as benzamidinate-bridged dinuclear palladium complex upon recrystallizing from Et2O/hexane solution. Treatment of 1, 2 or 3 with one molar equivalent of PdCl2 in the presence of NEt3 in CH2Cl2 gives the palladacyclic complexes, [Ph-C{-NH(eta(1)-C6H4)}{=N(E)}]PdCl [E = -(CH2)(2)SMe (7); -(CH2)(2)(SBu)-Bu-t (8); -o-C6H4SMe (9)], as mononuclear palladium complexes respectively. The crystal and molecular structures are reported for compounds 5, 5' and 6-8. The application of these palladacyclic complexes to the Suzuki and Heck coupling reactions was examined