171 research outputs found
Récolte et traitement des données statistiques de la pêche des palangriers asiatiques dans l'Atlantique
The authors report on the computer programmes developed in the Oceanographic Research Centre of Abidjan for the collection and treatment of statistical data on the fisheries of the asiatic trawlers in the Atlantic. They provide yield by boat, by fishing sector (5 degrees x 5 degrees) and by 15 days fishing in the Atlantic
Studies of concentration and temperature dependencies of precipitation kinetics in iron-copper alloys using kinetic monte carlo and stochastic statistical simulations
The earlier-developed ab initio model and the kinetic Monte Carlo method
(KMCM) are used to simulate precipitation in a number of iron-copper alloys
with different copper concentrations x and temperatures T. The same simulations
are also made using the improved version of the earlier-suggested stochastic
statistical method (SSM). The results obtained enable us to make a number of
general conclusions about the dependencies of the decomposition kinetics in
Fe-Cu alloys on x and T. We also show that the SSM describes the precipitation
kinetics in a fair agreement with the KMCM, and employing the SSM in
conjunction with the KMCM enables us to extend the KMC simulations to the
longer evolution times. The results of simulations seem to agree with available
experimental data for Fe-Cu alloys within statistical errors of simulations and
the scatter of experimental results. Comparison of results of simulations to
experiments for some multicomponent Fe-Cu-based alloys enables us to make
certain conclusions about the influence of alloying elements in these alloys on
the precipitation kinetics at different stages of evolution.Comment: 18 pages, 17 postscript figures, LaTe
Simulations of decomposition kinetics of Fe-Cr solid solutions during thermal aging
The decomposition of Fe-Cr solid solutions during thermal aging is modeled by
Atomistic Kinetic Monte Carlo (AKMC) simulations, using a rigid lattice
approximation with composition dependant pair interactions that can reproduce
the change of sign of the mixing energy with the alloy composition. The
interactions are fitted on ab initio mixing energies and on the experimental
phase diagram, as well as on the migration barriers in iron and chromium rich
phases. Simulated kinetics is compared with 3D atom probe and neutron
scattering experiments.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, PTM 201
Neutron to proton ratios of quasiprojectile and midrapidity emission in the Zn + Zn reaction at 45 MeV/nucleon
Simultaneous measurement of both neutrons and charged particles emitted in
the reaction Zn + Zn at 45 MeV/nucleon allows comparison of the
neutron to proton ratio at midrapidity with that at projectile rapidity. The
evolution of N/Z in both rapidity regimes with increasing centrality is
examined. For the completely re-constructed midrapidity material one finds that
the neutron-to-proton ratio is above that of the overall Zn + Zn
system. In contrast, the re-constructed ratio for the quasiprojectile is below
that of the overall system. This difference provides the most complete evidence
to date of neutron enrichment of midrapidity nuclear matter at the expense of
the quasiprojectile
Nucleation of Al3Zr and Al3Sc in aluminum alloys: from kinetic Monte Carlo simulations to classical theory
Zr and Sc precipitate in aluminum alloys to form the compounds Al3Zr and
Al3Sc which for low supersaturations of the solid solution have the L12
structure. The aim of the present study is to model at an atomic scale this
kinetics of precipitation and to build a mesoscopic model based on classical
nucleation theory so as to extend the field of supersaturations and annealing
times that can be simulated. We use some ab-initio calculations and
experimental data to fit an Ising model describing thermodynamics of the Al-Zr
and Al-Sc systems. Kinetic behavior is described by means of an atom-vacancy
exchange mechanism. This allows us to simulate with a kinetic Monte Carlo
algorithm kinetics of precipitation of Al3Zr and Al3Sc. These kinetics are then
used to test the classical nucleation theory. In this purpose, we deduce from
our atomic model an isotropic interface free energy which is consistent with
the one deduced from experimental kinetics and a nucleation free energy. We
test di erent mean-field approximations (Bragg-Williams approximation as well
as Cluster Variation Method) for these parameters. The classical nucleation
theory is coherent with the kinetic Monte Carlo simulations only when CVM is
used: it manages to reproduce the cluster size distribution in the metastable
solid solution and its evolution as well as the steady-state nucleation rate.
We also find that the capillary approximation used in the classical nucleation
theory works surprisingly well when compared to a direct calculation of the
free energy of formation for small L12 clusters.Comment: submitted to Physical Review B (2004
Statistical Derivation of Basic Equations of Diffusional Kinetics in Alloys with Application to the Description of Diffusion of Carbon in Austenite
Basic equations of diffusional kinetics in alloys are statistically derived
using the master equation approach. To describe diffusional transformations in
substitution alloys, we derive the "quasi-equilibrium" kinetic equation which
generalizes its earlier versions by taking into account possible "interaction
renormalization" effects. For the interstitial alloys Me-X, we derive the
explicit expression for the diffusivity D of an interstitial atom X which
notably differs from those used in previous phenomenological treatments. This
microscopic expression for D is applied to describe the diffusion of carbon in
austenite basing on some simple models of carbon-carbon interaction. The
results obtained enable us to make certain conclusions about the real form of
these interactions, and about the scale of the "transition state entropy" for
diffusion of carbon in austenite.Comment: 26 pages, 5 postscript figures, LaTe
Cellular and humoral immune responses and protection against schistosomes induced by a radiation-attenuated vaccine in chimpanzees
The radiation-attenuated Schistosoma mansoni vaccine is highly effective in rodents and primates but has never been tested in humans, primarily for safety reasons. To strengthen its status as a paradigm for a human recombinant antigen vaccine, we have undertaken a small-scale vaccination and challenge experiment in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Immunological, clinical, and parasitological parameters were measured in three animals after multiple vaccinations, together with three controls, during the acute and chronic stages of challenge infection up to chemotherapeutic cure. Vaccination induced a strong in vitro proliferative response and early gamma interferon production, but type 2 cytokines were dominant by the time of challenge. The controls showed little response to challenge infection before the acute stage of the disease, initiated by egg deposition. In contrast, the responses of vaccinated animals were muted throughout the challenge period. Vaccination also induced parasite-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG, which reached high levels at the time of challenge, while in control animals levels did not rise markedly before egg deposition. The protective effects of vaccination were manifested as an amelioration of acute disease and overall morbidity, revealed by differences in gamma-glutamyl transferase level, leukocytosis, eosinophilia, and hematocrit. Moreover, vaccinated chimpanzees had a 46% lower level of circulating cathodic antigen and a 38% reduction in fecal egg output, compared to controls, during the chronic phase of infection
Phase 1/2a Study of the Malaria Vaccine Candidate Apical Membrane Antigen-1 (AMA-1) Administered in Adjuvant System AS01B or AS02A
Contains fulltext :
79496.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: This Phase 1/2a study evaluated the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of an experimental malaria vaccine comprised of the recombinant Plasmodium falciparum protein apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) representing the 3D7 allele formulated with either the AS01B or AS02A Adjuvant Systems. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: After a preliminary safety evaluation of low dose AMA-1/AS01B (10 microg/0.5 mL) in 5 adults, 30 malaria-naive adults were randomly allocated to receive full dose (50 microg/0.5 mL) of AMA-1/AS01B (n = 15) or AMA-1/AS02A (n = 15), followed by a malaria challenge. All vaccinations were administered intramuscularly on a 0-, 1-, 2-month schedule. All volunteers experienced transient injection site erythema, swelling and pain. Two weeks post-third vaccination, anti-AMA-1 Geometric Mean Antibody Concentrations (GMCs) with 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) were high: low dose AMA-1/AS01B 196 microg/mL (103-371 microg/mL), full dose AMA-1/AS01B 279 microg/mL (210-369 microg/mL) and full dose AMA-1/AS02A 216 microg/mL (169-276 microg/mL) with no significant difference among the 3 groups. The three vaccine formulations elicited equivalent functional antibody responses, as measured by growth inhibition assay (GIA), against homologous but not against heterologous (FVO) parasites as well as demonstrable interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) responses. To assess efficacy, volunteers were challenged with P. falciparum-infected mosquitoes, and all became parasitemic, with no significant difference in the prepatent period by either light microscopy or quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). However, a small but significant reduction of parasitemia in the AMA-1/AS02A group was seen with a statistical model employing qPCR measurements. SIGNIFICANCE: All three vaccine formulations were found to be safe and highly immunogenic. These immune responses did not translate into significant vaccine efficacy in malaria-naive adults employing a primary sporozoite challenge model, but encouragingly, estimation of parasite growth rates from qPCR data may suggest a partial biological effect of the vaccine. Further evaluation of the immunogenicity and efficacy of the AMA-1/AS02A formulation is ongoing in a malaria-experienced pediatric population in Mali. TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00385047
- …