SoldaduraTIG del Acero AISI-316 en cámara inerte y con diferentes metales de aporte: Cambios en su microestructura y propiedades mecánicas

[EN] This report analyses the influence of the use of an inert gas welding chamber with a totally inert atmosphere on the microstructure and mechanical properties of austenitic AISI 316L stainless steel TIC welds, using AISI ER316L, AISI 308L and Inconel 625 as filler metals. When compared with the typical TIC process, the use of the inert gas chamber induced changes in the microstructure, mainly an increase in the presence of vermicular ferrite and ferrite stringers, what resulted in higher yield strengths and lower values of hardness. Its effect on other characteristics of the joins, such as tensile strength, depended on the filler metal. The best combination of mechanical characteristics was obtained when welding in the inert gas chamber using Inconel 625 as filler metal.[ES] En este estudio se analiza la influencia que el uso de una cámara de soldadura de gas inerte tiene sobre la microestructura y las propiedades mecánicas de las soldaduras TIG en el acero inoxidable austenítico AISI-316L cuando se emplean AISI ER316L, AISI 308L e Inconel 625 como materiales de aporte. Cuando se compara con el típico proceso de TIG, el uso de una cámara de gas inerte induce cambios en la microestructura, incrementando la presencia de ferrita vermicular y de laminillas de ferrita, resultando en un aumento del límite elástico y una pérdida de dureza. Su influencia sobre otras características de las soldaduras como la carga de rotura depende de la composición del material de aporte. La mejor combinación de propiedades mecánicas se obtuvo usando el Inconel 625 como material de aporte y soldando en la cámara de gas inerte.Pascual Guillamón, M.; Salas Vicente, F.; Cárcel Carrasco, FJ.; Perales Villena, M.; Sánchez Bolinches, A. (2010). TIG AISI-316 welds using an inert gas welding chamber and different filler metals: Changes in mechanical properties and microstructure. Revista de Metalurgia. 46(6):493-498. https://doi.org/10.3989/revmetalmadrid.1005S49349846

Dielectric response of charge induced correlated state in the quasi-one-dimensional conductor (TMTTF)2PF6

Conductivity and permittivity of the quasi-one-dimensionsional organic transfer salt (TMTTF)2PF6 have been measured at low frequencies (10^3-10^7 Hz) between room temperature down to below the temperature of transition into the spin-Peierls state. We interpret the huge real part of the dielectric permittivity (up to 10^6) in the localized state as the realization in this compound of a charge ordered state of Wigner crystal type due to long range Coulomb interaction.Comment: 11 pages, 3 .eps figure

Neurodegeneration and Epilepsy in a Zebrafish Model of CLN3 Disease (Batten Disease)

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses are a group of lysosomal storage disorders that comprise the most common, genetically heterogeneous, fatal neurodegenerative disorders of children. They are characterised by childhood onset, visual failure, epileptic seizures, psychomotor retardation and dementia. CLN3 disease, also known as Batten disease, is caused by autosomal recessive mutations in the CLN3 gene, 80–85% of which are a ~1 kb deletion. Currently no treatments exist, and after much suffering, the disease inevitably results in premature death. The aim of this study was to generate a zebrafish model of CLN3 disease using antisense morpholino injection, and characterise the pathological and functional consequences of Cln3 deficiency, thereby providing a tool for future drug discovery. The model was shown to faithfully recapitulate the pathological signs of CLN3 disease, including reduced survival, neuronal loss, retinopathy, axonopathy, loss of motor function, lysosomal storage of subunit c of mitochondrial ATP synthase, and epileptic seizures, albeit with an earlier onset and faster progression than the human disease. Our study provides proof of principle that the advantages of the zebrafish over other model systems can be utilised to further our understanding of the pathogenesis of CLN3 disease and accelerate drug discovery

Results of the BiPo-1 prototype for radiopurity measurements for the SuperNEMO double beta decay source foils

The development of BiPo detectors is dedicated to the measurement of extremely high radiopurity in $^{208}$Tl and $^{214}$Bi for the SuperNEMO double beta decay source foils. A modular prototype, called BiPo-1, with 0.8 $m^2$ of sensitive surface area, has been running in the Modane Underground Laboratory since February, 2008. The goal of BiPo-1 is to measure the different components of the background and in particular the surface radiopurity of the plastic scintillators that make up the detector. The first phase of data collection has been dedicated to the measurement of the radiopurity in $^{208}$Tl. After more than one year of background measurement, a surface activity of the scintillators of $\mathcal{A}$($^{208}$Tl) $=$ 1.5 $\mu$Bq/m$^2$ is reported here. Given this level of background, a larger BiPo detector having 12 m$^2$ of active surface area, is able to qualify the radiopurity of the SuperNEMO selenium double beta decay foils with the required sensitivity of $\mathcal{A}$($^{208}$Tl) $<$ 2 $\mu$Bq/kg (90% C.L.) with a six month measurement.Comment: 24 pages, submitted to N.I.M.

Accurate gamma and MeV-electron track reconstruction with an ultra-low diffusion Xenon/TMA TPC at 10 atm

We report the performance of a 10 atm Xenon/trimethylamine time projection chamber (TPC) for the detection of X-rays (30 keV) and gamma-rays (0.511-1.275 MeV) in conjunction with the accurate tracking of the associated electrons. When operated at such a high pressure and in similar to 1%-admixtures, trimethylamine (TMA) endows Xenon with an extremely low electron diffusion (1.3 +/- 0.13 mm-sigma (longitudinal), 0.95 +/- 0.20 mm-sigma (transverse) along 1 m drift) besides forming a convenient Penning-Fluorescent' mixture. The TPC, that houses 1.1 kg of gas in its fiducial volume, operated continuously for 100 live-days in charge amplification mode. The readout was performed through the recently introduced microbulk Micromegas technology and the AFTER chip, providing a 3D voxelization of 8 mm x 8 mm x 1.2 mm for approximately 10 cm/MeV-long electron tracks. Resolution in energy (epsilon) at full width half maximum (R) inside the fiducial volume ranged from R = 14.6% (30 keV) to R = 4.6% (1.275 MeV). This work was developed as part of the R&D program of the NEXT collaboration for future detector upgrades in the search of the neutrino-less double beta decay (beta beta 0 nu) in Xe-136, specifically those based on novel gas mixtures. Therefore we ultimately focus on the calorimetric and topological properties of the reconstructed MeV-electron tracks. In particular, the obtained energy resolution has been decomposed in its various contributions and improvements towards achieving the R =1.4%root MeV/epsilon levels obtained in small sensors are discussedThe NEXT collaboration acknowledges funding support from the following agencies and institutions: European Research Council under Advanced Grant 339787-NEXT and Starting Grant 240054-TREX, Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad under grants Consolider-Ingenio 2010 CSD2008-0037 (CUP) and CSD2007-00042 (CPAN), contracts FPA2008-03456 and FPA2009-13697; Portuguese Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia; European FEDER under grant PPTDC/FIS/103860/2008; US Department Of Energy under contract DE-AC02-05CH11231.Gonzalez Diaz, D.; Álvarez Puerta, V.; Borges, FIG.; Camargo, M.; Carcel, S.; Cebrian, S.; Cervera, A.... (2015). Accurate gamma and MeV-electron track reconstruction with an ultra-low diffusion Xenon/TMA TPC at 10 atm. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment. 804:8-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2015.08.033S82480

Radiopurity control in the NEXT-100 double beta decay experiment: procedures and initial measurements

We have investigated the possibility of calibrating the PMTs of scintillation detectors, using the primary scintillation produced by X-rays to induce single photoelectron response of the PMT. The high-energy tail of this response, can be approximated to an exponential function, under some conditions. In these cases, it is possible to determine the average gain for each PMT biasing voltage from the inverse of the exponent of the exponential fit to the tail, which can be done even if the background and/or noise cover-up most of the distribution. We have compared our results with those obtained by the commonly used single electron response (SER) method, which uses a LED to induce a single photoelectron response of the PMT and determines the peak position of such response, relative to the pedestal peak (the electronic noise peak, which corresponds to 0 photoelectrons). The results of the exponential fit method agree with those obtained by the SER method when the average number of photoelectrons reaching the first dynode per light/scintillation pulse is around 1.0. The SER method has higher precision, while the exponential fit method has the advantage of being useful in situations where the PMT is already in situ, being difficult or even impossible to apply the SER method, e.g. in sealed scintillator/PMT devices

Protocol for a prospective collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomised controlled trials of vasoactive drugs in acute stroke: the Blood pressure in Acute Stroke Collaboration, stage-3 (BASC-3)

Rationale Despite several large clinical trials assessing blood pressure lowering in acute stroke, equipoise remains, particularly for ischaemic stroke. The ‘Blood pressure in Acute Stroke Collaboration’ (BASC) commenced in the mid 1990s focusing on systematic reviews and meta-analysis of blood pressure lowering in acute stroke. From the start, BASC planned to assess safety and efficacy of blood pressure lowering in acute stroke using individual patient data. Aims To determine the optimal management of blood pressure in patients with acute stroke, encompassing both intracerebral haemorrhage and ischaemic stroke. Secondary aims are to assess which clinical and therapeutic factors may alter the optimal management of high blood pressure in patients with acute stroke and to assess the effect of vasoactive treatments on haemodynamic variables. Methods and design Individual patient data from randomised controlled trials of blood pressure management in participants with ischaemic stroke and/or intracerebral haemorrhage enrolled during the ultra-acute (pre-hospital), hyper-acute (<6 hours), acute (<48 hours) and sub-acute (<168 hours) phases of stroke. Study outcomes The primary effect variable will be functional outcome defined by the ordinal distribution of the modified Rankin Scale; analyses will also be carried out in prespecified subgroups to assess the modifying effects of stroke-related and pre-stroke patient characteristics. Key secondary variables will include clinical, haemodynamic and neuroradiological variables; safety variables will comprise death and serious adverse events. Discussion Study questions will be addressed in stages, according to the protocol, before integrating these into a final overreaching analysis. We invite eligible trials to join the collaboration