Lighting as a Circadian Rhythm-Entraining and Alertness-Enhancing Stimulus in the Submarine Environment

The human brain can only accommodate a circadian rhythm that closely follows 24 hours. Thus, for a work schedule to meet the brain’s hard-wired requirement, it must employ a 24 hour-based program. However, the 6 hours on, 12 hours off (6/12) submarine watchstanding schedule creates an 18-hour “day” that Submariners must follow. Clearly, the 6/12 schedule categorically fails to meet the brain’s operational design, and no schedule other than one tuned to the brain’s 24 hour rhythm can optimize performance. Providing Submariners with a 24 hour-based watchstanding schedule—combined with effective circadian entrainment techniques using carefully-timed exposure to light—would allow crewmembers to work at the peak of their daily performance cycle and acquire more restorative sleep. In the submarine environment, where access to natural light is absent, electric lighting can play an important role in actively entraining—and closely maintaining—circadian regulation. Another area that is likely to have particular importance in the submarine environment is the potential effect of light to help restore or maintain alertness

Oblivious transfer using quantum entanglement

Based on quantum entanglement, an all-or-nothing oblivious transfer protocol is proposed and is proven to be secure. The distinct merit of the present protocol lies in that it is not based on quantum bit commitment. More intriguingly, this OT protocol does not belong to a class of protocols denied by the Lo's no-go theorem of one-sided two-party secure computation, and thus its security can be achieved.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figur

Effect of intensive melt shearing on the formation of Fe-containing intermetallics in LM24 Al-alloy

Fe is one of the inevitable and detrimental impurities in aluminium alloys that degrade the mechanical performance of castings. In the present work, intensive melt shearing has been demonstrated to modify the morphology of Fe-containing intermetallic compounds by promoting the formation of compact α-Al(Fe,Mn)Si at the expense of needle-shaped β-AlFeSi, leading to an improved mechanical properties of LM24 alloy processed by MC-HPDC process. The promotion of the formation of α -Al(Fe, Mn)Si phase is resulted from the enhanced nucleation on the well dispersed MgAl 2O 4 particles in the melt. The Fe tolerance of LM24 alloy can be effectively improved by combining Mn alloying and intensive melt shearing

The M\u3csub\u3er\u3c/sub\u3e-value of chloroplast coupling factor 1

The Mr of spinach chloroplast coupling factor 1 has been determined by sedimentation equilibrium and by light scattering to be 400 000 ± 24 600 and 407 000 ± 20 000, respectively. These values differ substantially from that obtained previously (325 000) and are consistent with an α3β3γδε{lunate} subunit stoichiometry. © 1983

Viability of Pushrod Dilatometry Techniques for High Temperature In-Pile Measurements

To evaluate the performance of new fuel, cladding, and structural materials for use in advanced and existing nuclear reactors, robust instrumentation is needed. Changes in material deformation are typically evaluated out-of-pile, where properties of materials are measured after samples were irradiated for a specified length of time. To address this problem, a series of tests were performed to examine the viability of using pushrod dilatometer techniques for in-pile instrumentation to measure deformation. The tests were performed in three phases. First, familiarity was gained in the use and accuracy of this system by testing samples with well defined thermal elongation characteristics. Second, high temperature data for steels, specifically SA533 Grade B, Class 1 (SA533B1) Low Alloy Steel and Stainless Steel 304 (SS304), found in Light Water Reactor (LWR) vessels, were aquired. Finally, data were obtained from a short pushrod in a horizontal geometry to data obtained from a longer pushrod in a vertical geometry, the configuration likely to be used for in-situ measurements. Results of testing show that previously accepted data for the structural steels tested, SA533B1 and SS304, are inaccurate at high temperatures (above 500 oC) due to extrpolation of high temperature data. This is especially true for SA533B1, as previous data do not account for the phase transformation of the material between 730 oC and 830 oC. Also, comparison of results for horizontal and vertical configurations show a maximum percent difference of 2.02% for high temperature data

INITIAL RESULTS FROM INVESTIGATIONS TO ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE OF HIGH TEMPERATURE IRRADIATION-RESISTANT THERMOCOUPLES

New fuel, cladding, and structural materials offer the potential for safer and more economic energy from existing reactor and advanced nuclear reactor designs. However, insufficient data are available to characterize these materials in high temperature, radiation conditions. To evaluate candidate material performance, robust instrumentation is needed that can survive these conditions. However, traditional thermocouples either drift due to degradation at high temperatures (above 1100 °C) or due to transmutation of thermocouple components. Thermocouples are needed which can withstand both high temperature and high radiation environments. To address this instrumentation need, the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) recently developed the design and evaluated the performance of a high temperature radiation-resistant thermocouple that contains commercially-available alloys of molybdenum and niobium (Rempe, 2006). Candidate thermocouple component materials were first identified based on their ability to withstand high temperature and radiation. Then, components were selected based on data obtained from materials interaction tests, ductility investigations, and resolution evaluations. Results from long duration (over 4000 hours) tests at high temperatures (up to 1400 °C) and thermal cycling tests demonstrate the stability and reliability of the INL-developed design. Tests in INL’s Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) are underway to demonstrate the in-pile performance of these thermocouples. However, several options have been identified that could further enhance the lifetime and reliability of the INL-developed thermocouples, allowing their use in higher temperature applications (up to at least 1700 °C). A joint University of Idaho (UI) and INL University Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (UNERI) is underway to investigate these options and ultimately, provide recommendations for an enhanced thermocouple design. This paper presents preliminary results from this UI/INL effort. Results are reported from tests completed to evaluate the ductility, resolution, transient response, and stability of thermocouples made from non-commercially available alloys of molybdenum and niobium. In addition, this paper reports preliminary insights gained by comparing the performance of thermocouples fabricated with alternate techniques and geometries

Enhancements to High Temperature In-Pile Thermocouple Performance

A joint University of Idaho (UI) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) University Nuclear Research Initiative (UNERI) was to initiated to extend initial INL efforts to develop doped molybdenum/niobium alloy High Temperature Irradiation Resistant Thermocouples (HTIR-TCs). The overall objective of this UNERI was to develop recommendations for an optimized thermocouple design for high temperature, long duration, in-pile testing by expanding upon results from initial INL efforts. Tasks to quantify the impact of candidate enhancements, such as alternate alloys, alternate geometries, and alternate thermocouple fabrication techniques, on thermocouple performance were completed at INL's High Temperature Test Laboratory (HTTL), a state of the art facility equipped with specialized equipment and trained staff in the area of high temperature instrumentation development and evaluation. Key results of these evaluations, which are documented in this report, are as follows. The doped molybdenum and Nb-1%Zr, which were proposed in the initial INL HTIR-TC design, were found to retain ductility better than the developmental molybdenum-low niobium alloys and the niobium-low molybdenum alloys evaluated. Hence, the performance and lower cost of the commercially available KW-Mo makes a thermocouple containing KW-Mo and Nb-1%Zr the best option at this time. HTIR-TCs containing larger diameter wires offer the potential to increase HTIR-TC stability and reliability at higher temperatures. HTIR-TC heat treatment temperatures and times should be limited to not more than 100 C above the proposed operating temperatures and to durations of at least 4 to 5 hours. Preliminary investigations suggest that the performance of swaged and loose assembly HTIR-TC designs is similar. However, the swaged designs are less expensive and easier to construct. In addition to optimizing HTIR-TC performance, This UNERI project provided unique opportunities to several University of Idaho students, allowing them to become familiar with the techniques and equipment used for specialized high temperature instrumentation fabrication and evaluation and to author/coauthor several key conference papers and journal articles

Source Reduction Behavior as an Independent Measurement of the Impact of a Public Health Education Campaign in an Integrated Vector Management Program for the Asian Tiger Mosquito

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a public health educational campaign to reduce backyard mosquito-larval habitats. Three communities each, within two New Jersey counties, were randomly selected to receive: (1) both education and mosquito control, (2) education only, and (3) no education or mosquito control. Four separate educational events included a 5-day elementary school curriculum in the spring, and three door to door distributions of educational brochures. Before and after each educational event, the numbers of mosquito-larval container habitats were counted in 50 randomly selected homes per study area. Container surveys allowed us to measure source reduction behavior. Although we saw reductions in container habitats in sites receiving education, they were not significantly different from the control. Our results suggest that traditional passive means of public education, which were often considered the gold standard for mosquito control programs, are not sufficient to motivate residents to reduce backyard mosquito-larval habitats

Options to Extend the Applicability of High Temperature Irradiation Resistant Thermocouples

Several options have been identified that could further enhance the reliability and increase the applicability of recently developed Idaho National Laboratory (INL) High Temperature Irradiation Resistant thermocouples (HTIR-TCs) for in-pile testing, allowing their use in higher temperature applications (up to at least 1700 °C). INL and the University of Idaho (UI) are investigating these options with the ultimate objective of providing recommendations for alternate thermocouple designs that are optimized for various applications. This paper reports the status of INL/UI investigations. Results are reported from tests completed to evaluate the ductility, resolution, transient response, and stability of thermocouples made from specially formulated alloys of molybdenum and niobium. In addition, this paper reports preliminary insights gained by comparing the performance of thermocouples fabricated with various heat treatments and alternate geometries

Physical activity to improve cognition in older adults: can physical activity programs enriched with cognitive challenges enhance the effects? A systematic review and meta-analysis

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