Base neutron noise in PWRs

Considerable activity has been devoted in recent years to the use of neutron noise for investigation of problems in pressurized-water reactors (PWRs). The investigators have found that neutron noise provides an effective way to monitor reactor internal vibrations such as vertical and lateral core motion; core support barrel and thermal shield shell modes, bending modes of fuel assemblies, and control rod vibrations. However, noise analysts have also concluded that diagnosis of a problem is easier if baseline data for normal plant operation is available. Therefore, the authors have obtained ex-core neutron noise signatures from eight PWRs to determine the similarity of signatures between plants and to build a base of data to determine the sources of neutron noise and thus the potential diagnostic information contained in the data. It is concluded that: (1) ex-core neutron noise contains information about the vibration of components in the pressure vessel; (2) baseline signature acquisition can aid understanding of plant specific vibration frequencies and provide a bases for diagnosis of future problems if they occur; and (3) abnormal core support barrel vibration can most likely be detected over and above the plant-to-plant signature variation observed thus far

The ambivalence of ridesharing

Ridesharing is quite a popular topic of discussion among transport authority personnel. It is perceived to be a viable alternative to classical modes of transportation, and receives a great deal of political support from transport planners. However, not much objective information is available on ridesharing behaviors. We use travel survey data to study the evolution of the ridesharing market in an urban area. Our study is based on data from four large-scale OD surveys conducted in the Greater Montreal Area (1987, 1993, 1998 and 2003). In the latest survey conducted in Montreal, car passengers were asked to identify the driver who gave them the opportunity to travel in this way. Their answers were classified according to the type of driver; for instance, a member of their household, a neighbor or a co-worker. We use this information to calibrate a model matching car passengers and car drivers belonging to the same household. This will be referred to as IHHR (intra-household ridesharing). Preliminary results reveal that approximately 70% of all trips made by car passengers are the result of IHHR. Furthermore, around 15% of those trips are questionable, in that they were exclusively generated for another individual’s purposes, consequently generating an additional trip for the journey back home. Moreover, this percentage increased over time. Objective data regarding ridesharing and its evolution in an urban area will undoubtedly help decision makers gain a clearer profile of this means of travel and help to realign attitudes on the issue. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2007Carsharing, Greater Montreal Area (GMA), Origin–destination surveys, Ridesharing, Sustainable transportation,

Gene expression profiling and heterogeneity of nonspecific orbital inflammation affecting the lacrimal gland

Abstract not available.James T. Rosenbaum, Dongseok Choi, Christina A. Harrington, David J. Wilson, Hans E. Grossniklaus, Cailin H. Sibley, Sherveen S. Salek, John D. Ng, Roger A. Dailey, Eric A. Steele, Brent Hayek, Caroline M. Craven, Deepak P. Edward, Azza M. Y. Maktabi, Hailah Al Hussain, Valerie A. White, Peter J. Dolman, Craig N. Czyz, Jill A. Foster, Gerald J. Harris, Youn-Shen Bee, David T. Tse, Chrisfouad R. Alabiad, Sander R. Dubovy, Michael Kazim, Dinesh Selva, R. Patrick Yeatts, Bobby S. Korn, Don O. Kikkawa, Rona Z. Silkiss, Jennifer A. Sivak-Callcott, Patrick Stauffer, Stephen R. Planc