Thermophysical and elastic properties of Cu50Zr50 and (Cu50Zr50)95Al5 bulk-metallic-glass-forming alloys

By employing a containerless high-temperature high-vacuum electrostatic levitation technique, the thermophysical properties, including the ratio between the specific heat capacity and the hemispherical total emissivity, the specific volume, and the viscosity, of Cu50Zr50 and (Cu50Zr50)95Al5 bulk-metallic-glass (BMG)-forming liquids have been measured. Compared with Cu50Zr50, the improved glass-forming ability of (Cu50Zr50)95Al5 can be attributed to its dense liquid structure and its high value of viscosity. Additionally, the relationship between the viscosity of various BMG forming liquids at the melting temperature and the elastic properties of the corresponding glasses at room temperature will be compared

Elastic Properties and Internal Friction of Two Magnesium Alloys at Elevated Temperatures

The elastic properties and internal friction of two magnesium alloys were studied from 25 C to 450 C using Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy (RUS). The Young's moduli decrease with increasing temperature. At 200 C, a change in the temperature dependence of the elastic constants is observed. The internal friction increases significantly with increasing temperature above 200 C. The observed changes in the temperature dependence of the elastic constants and the internal friction are the result of anelastic relaxation by grain boundary sliding at elevated temperatures. Elastic properties govern the behavior of a materials subjected to stress over a region of strain where the material behaves elastically. The elastic properties, including the Young's modulus (E), shear modulus (G), bulk modulus (B), and Poisson's ratio (?), are of significant interest to many design and engineering applications. The choice of the most appropriate material for a particular application at elevated temperatures therefore requires knowledge of its elastic properties as a function of temperature. In addition, mechanical vibration can cause significant damage in the automotive, aerospace, and architectural industries and thus, the ability of a material to dissipate elastic strain energy in materials, known as damping or internal friction, is also important property. Internal friction can be the result of a wide range of physical mechanisms, and depends on the material, temperature, and frequency of the loading. When utilized effectively in engineering applications, the damping capacity of a material can remove undesirable noise and vibration as heat to the surroundings. The elastic properties of materials can be determined by static or dynamic methods. Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy (RUS), used in this study, is a unique and sophisticated non-destructive dynamic technique for determining the complete elastic tensor of a solid by measuring the resonant spectrum of mechanical resonance for a sample of known geometry, dimensions, and mass. In addition, RUS allows determination of internal friction, or damping, at different frequencies and temperatures. Polycrystalline pure magnesium (Mg) exhibits excellent high damping properties. However, the poor mechanical properties limit the applications of pure Mg. Although alloying can improve the mechanical properties of Mg, the damping properties are reduced with additions of alloying elements. Therefore, it becomes necessary to study and develop Mg-alloys with simultaneous high damping capacity and improved mechanical properties. Moreover, studies involving the high temperature dynamic elastic properties of Mg alloys are limited. In this study, the elastic properties and internal friction of two magnesium alloys were studied at elevated temperatures using RUS. The effect of alloy composition and grain size was investigated. The wrought magnesium alloys AZ31 and ZK60 were employed. Table 1 gives the nominal chemical compositions of these two alloys. The ZK60 alloy is a commercial extruded plate with a T5 temper, i.e. solution-treated at 535 C for two hours, quenched in hot water, and aged at 185 C for 24 hours. The AZ31 alloy is a commercial rolled plate with a H24 temper, i.e. strain hardened and partially annealed

Right hemithoracic pseudocyst with splenic artery aneurysm: two rare complications of an uncommon disease

Pleural involvement is an uncommon but well recognized complication of chronic pancreatitis, mainly in the form of pleural effusion affecting the left hemithorax. Pancreatic pseudocyst extending to the posterior mediastinum with or without communication with the pleural space is another rare form of this involvement.The treatment of chronic pancreatic pleural effusions and pancreatic pseudocysts generally starts with a conservative approach including bowel rest, drainage of the pleural effusion by repeated thoracentesis or a chest tube, and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) for a period of time determined by the clinical course. Other treatment modalities including percutaneous drainage, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram (ERCP) with stenting of the pancreatic duct and surgical drainage are used if conservative approaches fail.We report a patient with a complicated pancreatic pseudocyst who showed an involvement of the posterior mediastinum and right pleural space, with conspectus sparing of the left hemithorax. The patient had a prolonged and complicated course that included recurrence of the pseudocyst with oral feedings and the development of a splenic artery aneurysm. Some of the above findings have been reported separately as uncommon complications of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic pseudcyst, but to our knowledge a single case with all these complications was not published in the English literature

Final Report of the AFIT Quality Initiative External Discovery Committee

This report summarizes the findings of the Air Force Institute of Technology’s (AFIT’s) Quality Initiative - External Discovery Team. The overarching purpose of the Quality Initiative is to create a detailed, executable investment strategy for modernizing AFIT’s instructional capabilities across five thrust areas. These activities were completed over the course of one year, beginning in June of 2016 and concluding in June of 2017. The data gathered were evaluated and several recommendations for further review were decided upon by the External Discovery Team. The following report briefly covers those recommendations and provides sources from which the recommendations were gleaned. These recommendations are meant to serve as a baseline for ways in which AFIT could begin to program resources to help improve teaching and instruction across the institution as a whole. The data presented here are meant to serve as a compliment to the Internal Discovery Team’s report that focuses on data and feedback gathered from institutions internal to AFIT

Systemic and tumor level iron regulation in men with colorectal cancer: a case control study

BACKGROUND: Increased cellular iron exposure is associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. Hepcidin, a liver peptide hormone, acts as the primary regulator of systemic iron status by blocking iron release from enterocytes into plasma. Concentrations are decreased during low iron status and increased during inflammation. The role of hepcidin and the factors influencing its regulation in CRC remains largely unknown. This study explored systemic and tumor level iron regulation in men with CRC. METHODS: The participants were 20 CRC cases and 20 healthy control subjects. Colonic tissue (adenocarcinoma [cases] healthy mucosa [controls]) was subjected to quantitative PCR (hepcidin, iron transporters and IL-6) and Perls’ iron staining. Serum was analyzed using ELISA for hepcidin, iron status (sTfR) and inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6, TNF-α). Anthropometrics, dietary iron intake and medical history were obtained. RESULTS: Cases and controls were similar in demographics, medication use and dietary iron intake. Systemically, cases compared to controls had lower iron status (sTfR: 21.6 vs 11.8 nmol/L, p < 0.05) and higher marker of inflammation (CRP: 8.3 vs 3.4 μg/mL, p < 0.05). Serum hepcidin was mildly decreased in cases compared to controls; however, it was within the normal range for both groups. Within colonic tissue, 30% of cases (6/20) presented iron accumulation compared to 5% of controls (1/20) (χ(2) = 5.0; p < 0.05) and higher marker of inflammation (IL-6: 9.4-fold higher compared to controls, p < 0.05). Presence of adenocarcinoma iron accumulation was associated with higher serum hepcidin (iron accumulation group 80.8 vs iron absence group 22.0 ng/mL, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: While CRC subjects had serum hepcidin concentrations in the normal range, it was higher given their degree of iron restriction. Inappropriately elevated serum hepcidin may reduce duodenal iron absorption and further increase colonic adenocarcinoma iron exposure. Future clinical studies need to assess the appropriateness of dietary iron intake or iron supplementation in patients with CRC

The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) cold source project at ORNL

Following the decision to cancel the Advanced Neutron Source (ANS) Project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), it was determined that a hydrogen cold source should be retrofitted into an existing beam tube of the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at ORNL> The preliminary design of this system has been completed and an approval in principal of the design has been obtained from the internal ORNL safety review committees and the US Department of Energy (DOE) safety review committee. The cold source concept is basically a closed loop forced flow supercritical hydrogen system. The supercritical approach was chosen because of its enhanced stability in the proposed high heat flux regions. Neutron and gamma physics of the moderator have been analyzed using the 3D Monte Carlo code MCNP. A 3D structural analysis model of the moderator vessel, vacuum tube, and beam tube was completed to evaluate stress loadings and to examine the impact of hydrogen detonations in the beam tube. A detailed ATHENA system model of the hydrogen system has been developed to simulate loop performance under normal and off-normal transient conditions. Semi-prototypic hydrogen loop tests of the system have been performed at the Arnold Engineering Design Center (AEDC) located in Tullahoma, Tennessee to verify the design and benchmark the analytical system model. A 3.5 kW refrigerator system has been ordered and is expected to be delivered to ORNL by the end of this calendar year. The present schedule shows the assembling of the cold source loop on side during the fall of 1999 for final testing before insertion of the moderator plug assembly into the reactor beam tube during the end of the year 2000

Elastic Properties and Internal Friction of Two Magnesium Alloys at Elevated Temperatures

The elastic properties and internal friction of two magnesium alloys were studied from 25 C to 450 C using Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy (RUS). The Young&#x27;s moduli decrease with increasing temperature. At 200 C, a change in the temperature dependence of the elastic constants is observed. The internal friction increases significantly with increasing temperature above 200 C. The observed changes in the temperature dependence of the elastic constants and the internal friction are the result of anelastic relaxation by grain boundary sliding at elevated temperatures. Elastic properties govern the behavior of a materials subjected to stress over a region of strain where the material behaves elastically. The elastic properties, including the Young&#x27;s modulus (E), shear modulus (G), bulk modulus (B), and Poisson&#x27;s ratio (?), are of significant interest to many design and engineering applications. The choice of the most appropriate material for a particular application at elevated temperatures therefore requires knowledge of its elastic properties as a function of temperature. In addition, mechanical vibration can cause significant damage in the automotive, aerospace, and architectural industries and thus, the ability of a material to dissipate elastic strain energy in materials, known as damping or internal friction, is also important property. Internal friction can be the result of a wide range of physical mechanisms, and depends on the material, temperature, and frequency of the loading. When utilized effectively in engineering applications, the damping capacity of a material can remove undesirable noise and vibration as heat to the surroundings. The elastic properties of materials can be determined by static or dynamic methods. Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy (RUS), used in this study, is a unique and sophisticated non-destructive dynamic technique for determining the complete elastic tensor of a solid by measuring the resonant spectrum of mechanical resonance for a sample of known geometry, dimensions, and mass. In addition, RUS allows determination of internal friction, or damping, at different frequencies and temperatures. Polycrystalline pure magnesium (Mg) exhibits excellent high damping properties. However, the poor mechanical properties limit the applications of pure Mg. Although alloying can improve the mechanical properties of Mg, the damping properties are reduced with additions of alloying elements. Therefore, it becomes necessary to study and develop Mg-alloys with simultaneous high damping capacity and improved mechanical properties. Moreover, studies involving the high temperature dynamic elastic properties of Mg alloys are limited. In this study, the elastic properties and internal friction of two magnesium alloys were studied at elevated temperatures using RUS. The effect of alloy composition and grain size was investigated. The wrought magnesium alloys AZ31 and ZK60 were employed. Table 1 gives the nominal chemical compositions of these two alloys. The ZK60 alloy is a commercial extruded plate with a T5 temper, i.e. solution-treated at 535 C for two hours, quenched in hot water, and aged at 185 C for 24 hours. The AZ31 alloy is a commercial rolled plate with a H24 temper, i.e. strain hardened and partially annealed

Corrosion monitoring in the UF{sub 6} cylinder yards at the Oak Ridge K-25 Site: FY 1994 report

Depleted uranium hexafluoride (UF{sub 6}) at the U.S. Department of Energy`s K-25 Site at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, has been stored in large steel cylinders that have undergone significant atmospheric corrosion damage over the last 35 years. A detailed experimental program to characterize the corrosion damage was initiated in 1992. Large amounts of corrosion scale and deep pits are found to cover UF{sub 6} cylinder surfaces. Ultrasonic wall thickness measurements have shown uniform corrosion losses up to 20 mils (0.5 mm) and pits up to 100 mils (2.5 mm) deep. Electrical resistance corrosion probes, TOW sensors, and thermocouples have been attached to cylinder bodies. Atmospheric conditions are monitored using rain gauges, relative humidity sensors, and thermocouples. Long-term (16-year) data are being obtained from mild steel corrosion coupons on test racks as well as attached directly to cylinder surfaces. Corrosion rates have been found to be intimately related to the times-of-wetness, both tending to be higher on cylinder tops due to apparent sheltering effects. Data from the various tests are compared, discrepancies are discussed, and a pattern of cylinder corrosion as a function of cylinder position and location is described