A study of liquid propellant autoignition

Data and theory pertinent to the autoignition of liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants were reviewed. Physical models of the processes supporting or contributing to autoignition were developed. Emphasis was placed on the description of the physical environment and its relationship to the autoignition phenomenon

The Geoscale computer model for geothermal plant scaling and corrosion analyses

It is generally recognized that corrosion and scaling problems could seriously affect the operation and electric power production from a geothermal power plant. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has sponsored a study at Battelle-Northwest (BNW) to develop a brine chemistry data base and analytical tools to analyze how corrosion and scaling affect the degradation of the power output of a geothermal plant. The GEOSCALE computer model is a steady-state thermal hydraulics code that describes the process parameters of the power plant. At present the multistage flash and binary cycle plants are being analyzed. Initially the code computes the power output from a given geothermal brine flow and provides flow rates, temperature, velocities at points from the bottom of the production wells through the plant to the waste injection system. Based on the starting brine chemistry and these process parameters, corrosion and scaling rates will be estimated at points throughout the system. The amount of scale formation in a time interval will be calculated and the impact on brine flows and heat transfer calculated, resulting in a new set of plant process parameters for the next iteration. The iterations continue until some portion of the plant is degraded to a process limit or a plant life of 20 to 30 years is reached. Obviously the most difficult part of this analysis is the lack of valid analytical expressions and supporting rate data to calculate scaling. The general approach to the scaling rate equations is that the rate of buildup is proportional to the degree of insolubility of a mineral minus the rate of mechanical removal. They are very interested in all current scaling work that could help in providing scaling kinetics data related to process parameters so they can test these analytical expressions. The program includes a computer subroutine for calculating mineral insolubilities as brines cool, a chemical and structural analysis of several actual scale samples and a laboratory experimental program to examine scaling kinetics

IVF for premature ovarian failure: first reported births using oocytes donated from a twin sister

BACKGROUND: Premature ovarian failure (POF) remains a clinically challenging entity because in vitro fertilisation (IVF) with donor oocytes is currently the only treatment known to be effective. METHODS: A 33 year-old nulligravid patient with a normal karyotype was diagnosed with POF; she had a history of failed fertility treatments and had an elevated serum FSH (42 mIU/ml). Oocytes donated by her dizygotic twin sister were used for IVF. The donor had already completed a successful pregnancy herself and subsequently produced a total of 10 oocytes after a combined FSH/LH superovulation regime. These eggs were fertilised with sperm from the recipient\u27s husband via intracytoplasmic injection and two fresh embryos were transferred to the recipient on day three. RESULTS: A healthy twin pregnancy resulted from IVF; two boys were delivered by caesarean section at 39 weeks\u27 gestation. Additionally, four embryos were cryopreserved for the recipient\u27s future use. The sister-donor achieved another natural pregnancy six months after oocyte retrieval, resulting in a healthy singleton delivery. CONCLUSION: POF is believed to affect approximately 1% of reproductive age females, and POF patients with a sister who can be an oocyte donor for IVF are rare. Most such IVF patients will conceive from treatment using oocytes from an anonymous oocyte donor. This is the first report of births following sister-donor oocyte IVF in Ireland. Indeed, while sister-donor IVF has been successfully undertaken by IVF units elsewhere, this is the only known case where oocyte donation involved twin sisters. As with all types of donor gamete therapy, pre-treatment counselling is important in the circumstance of sister oocyte donation

Phosphorylation of the ErbB3 binding protein Ebp1 by p21-activated kinase 1 in breast cancer cells

The ErbB3 binding protein (Ebp1) is a transcriptional corepressor that inhibits the activity of proliferation-associated genes and the growth of human breast cancer cell lines. Treatment of breast cancer cells with the ErbB3 ligand heregulin (HRG) results in increased phosphorylation of Ebp1 and transcriptional repression. The p21-activated serine/threonine kinase 1 (PAK1), which plays an important role in breast cancer progression and resistance to the anti-oestrogen tamoxifen, is also activated by HRG. We therefore examined the ability of PAK1 to phosphorylate and regulate the function of Ebp1. We found that PAK1 phosphorylated Ebp1 in vitro and mapped the phosphorylation site to threonine 261. Both HRG treatment and expression of a constitutively activated PAK1 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells enhanced threonine phosphorylation of Ebp1. In MCF-7 cells, ectopically expressed Ebp1 bound endogenous PAK1 and this association was enhanced by treatment with HRG. Mutation of the PAK1 phosphorylation site to glutamic acid, mimicking a phosphorylated state, completely abrogated the ability of Ebp1 to repress transcription, inhibit growth of breast cancer cell lines and contribute to tamoxifen sensitivity. These studies demonstrate for the first time that Ebp1 is a substrate of PAK1 and the importance of the PAK1 phosphorylation site for the functional activity of Ebp1 in breast cancer cells

Low energy positron diffraction from Cu(111): Importance of surface loss processes at large angles of incidence

Intensities of positrons specularly diffracted from Cu(111) were measured at the Brandeis positron beam facility and analyzed in the energy range 8eV40{degree}. 30 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

Compilation of information on modeling of inductively heated cold crucible melters

The objective of this communication, Phase B of a two-part report, is to present information on modeling capabilities for inductively heated cold crucible melters, a concept applicable to waste immobilization. Inductively heated melters are those in which heat is generated using coils around, rather than electrodes within, the material to be heated. Cold crucible or skull melters are those in which the melted material is confined within unmelted material of the same composition. This phase of the report complements and supplements Phase A by Loren Eyler, specifically by giving additional information on modeling capabilities for the inductively heated melter concept. Eyler discussed electrically heated melter modeling capabilities, emphasizing heating by electrodes within the melt or on crucible walls. Eyler also discussed requirements and resources for the computational fluid dynamics, heat flow, radiation effects, and boundary conditions in melter modeling; the reader is referred to Eyler`s discussion of these. This report is intended for use in the High Level Waste (HLW) melter program at Hanford. We sought any modeling capabilities useful to the HLW program, whether through contracted research, code license for operation by Department of Energy laboratories, or existing codes and modeling expertise within DOE

Computer Simulation of Scale Formation

This paper summarizes results of recent analyses performed by Battelle-Northwest in EPRI project RP 653-3: Computer Simulation of Scaling in Geothermal Systems. The results reported here are drawn primarily from case evaluations performed over the 12 months since the preceding EPRI Geothermal Symposium held in Monterey in June 1979. The present project is a continuation of a previous project designated RP 653-1. The ultimate objective of research performed in this project is to develop analytical tools (computer codes) and the supporting thermophysical and chemical data base that can be used to predict scaling and corrosion in geothermal power generating systems

PERMANENT MAGNET AND PITOT-STATIC PROBE FLOMETERS FOR LIQUID SODIUM

A permanent magnet probe flowmeter and a Pitot-static bubbler flowmeter are considered for coolant flow measurement in the Fast Test Reactor. The permanent magnet probe offers a sensitivity on the order of tenths of a millivolt per foot/second flow velocity, appropriate linearity of response, simplicity of operation, and no contact between liquid metal and electrical insulation. Its applicability is contingent on magnetic material having sufficient magnetization retention in high temperature and high neutron flux environments. The Pitot-static bubbler offers low sensitivity to nuclear radiation, use of off-the-shelf materials, and high, though non-linear, sensitivity. Positive displacement flow in the bubbler may eliminate plugging of the probe tubing by sodium oxide

PERMANENT MAGNET AND PITOT-STATIC PROBE FLOMETERS FOR LIQUID SODIUM

A permanent magnet probe flowmeter and a Pitot-static bubbler flowmeter are considered for coolant flow measurement in the Fast Test Reactor. The permanent magnet probe offers a sensitivity on the order of tenths of a millivolt per foot/second flow velocity, appropriate linearity of response, simplicity of operation, and no contact between liquid metal and electrical insulation. Its applicability is contingent on magnetic material having sufficient magnetization retention in high temperature and high neutron flux environments. The Pitot-static bubbler offers low sensitivity to nuclear radiation, use of off-the-shelf materials, and high, though non-linear, sensitivity. Positive displacement flow in the bubbler may eliminate plugging of the probe tubing by sodium oxide