Assessing Technical and Programmatic Viability of Nuclear Waste and Material Stream Disposition Plans

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Environmental Management (EM) has responsibility for cleanup and disposition of nuclear wastes and excess materials that are a legacy of the nuclear arms race. In fulfilling this responsibility, EM applies a systems engineering approach to identify baseline disposition plans for the wastes and materials (storage, stabilization, treatment, and disposal), assess the path viability, and develop integration opportunities to improve the disposition viability or to combine, eliminate, and/or simplify activities, technologies, and facilities across the DOE Complex, evaluate the baseline and alternatives to make informed decisions, and implement and track selected opportunities. This paper focuses on processes used to assess the disposition path viability - the likelihood that current planning for disposition of nuclear waste and materials can be implemented

Seismic Bridge Design Applications - Part Two October 1996 NHI Course No. 13063

DTFH-68-94-C-00005Seismic Bridge Design Applications, Parts One and Two, contains the material used in two one-day national satellite seminars broadcast from the University of Maryland to provide seismic design application instruction. Mr. Robert Mast and Dr. Lee Marsh of BERGER/ABAM Engineers, Inc., were the instructors and developed the course materials. Part One includes seven sessions covering basic seismic principles, one complete seismic analysis and design example, modeling guidelines, multimodal analysis, and column design features. Part Two includes "homework problems" assigned after the first seminar as well as specific topics requested by participants of the first seminar

Preparation of Active Proteins, Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals as Fine Powders using Supercritical or Near-Critical Fluids

Supercritical or near-critical fluid processes for generating microparticles have enjoyed considerable attention in the past decade or so, with good success for substances soluble in supercritical fluids or organic solvents. In this review, we survey their application to the production of protein particles. A recently developed process known as CO2-assisted nebulization with a Bubble Dryer® (CAN-BD) has been demonstrated to have broad applicability to small-molecule as well as macromolecule substances (including therapeutic proteins). The principles of CAN-BD are discussed as well as the stabilization, micronization and drying of a wide variety of materials. More detailed case studies are presented for three proteins, two of which are of therapeutic interest: anti-CD4 antibody (rheumatoid arthritis), α1-antitrypsin (cystic fibrosis and emphysema), and trypsinogen (a model enzyme). Dry powders were formed in which stability and activity are maintained and which are fine enough to be inhaled and reach the deep lung. Enhancement of apparent activity after CAN-BD processing was also observed in some formulation and processing conditions

European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology (EBAC) 2015 CME/CPD Survey Summary

In the spring of 2015, the European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology (EBAC) collaborated with International CME/CPD Consulting to design and administer a survey to approximately 1,171 professionals active in the field of European CME/CPD, with a focus on cardiology. With a nearly 5% response rate, the results herewith are non-representative, but do express current behaviours and attitudes of those active in European accredited CME/CPD

Tuning the fluorescence of Dy3+ via the structure of borophosphate glasses

The optical characteristics of Dy3+-doped phosphate and borophosphate glasses with different divalent network modifiers prepared by melt-quenching are studied. The glass sets (A) with a molar composition of 40MO-60P2O5 and (B) with a molar composition of 40MO-20B2O3-40 P2O5 are investigated, both with M = (Zn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, or Ba2+) and all doped with 0.1 mol% Dy2O3. Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy are used to analyse the structure and optical characteristics of these glasses. Four typical Dy3+ emission bands in the yellow (572 nm), blue (483 nm) and red (633 and 752 nm) regions of the spectrum are observed in both sets. The fluorescence lifetimes in each glass set are correlated to the network modifier's ionic field strength. The Mg2+ and Zn2+ containing glasses have the longest fluorescence lifetimes. The yellow to blue emission intensity ratio of the respective bands can be used to indicate a symmetric environment around Dy3+ ions and varies with the ionic field strength of the modifier cations: a higher ionic field strength leads to a higher yellow to blue ratio, which in turn indicates a higher asymmetrical local coordination environment of Dy3+ ions in the glassy host network.This paper is a part of dissemination activities of the project FunGlass. This project has received funding from the European Union´s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 739566. This work was also supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the contract No. APVV-17-0049 and by grant VEGA 1/0476/22.Peer reviewe

Tuning the fluorescence of Dy3+ via the structure of borophosphate glasses

Abstract The optical characteristics of Dy3+-doped phosphate and borophosphate glasses with different divalent network modifiers prepared by melt-quenching are studied. The glass sets (A) with a molar composition of 40MO–60P2O5 and (B) with a molar composition of 40MO–20B2O3–40 P2O5 are investigated, both with M = (Zn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, or Ba2+) and all doped with 0.1 mol% Dy2O3. Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy are used to analyse the structure and optical characteristics of these glasses. Four typical Dy3+ emission bands in the yellow (572 nm), blue (483 nm) and red (633 and 752 nm) regions of the spectrum are observed in both sets. The fluorescence lifetimes in each glass set are correlated to the network modifier's ionic field strength. The Mg2+ and Zn2+ containing glasses have the longest fluorescence lifetimes. The yellow to blue emission intensity ratio of the respective bands can be used to indicate a symmetric environment around Dy3+ ions and varies with the ionic field strength of the modifier cations: a higher ionic field strength leads to a higher yellow to blue ratio, which in turn indicates a higher asymmetrical local coordination environment of Dy3+ ions in the glassy host network

Seismic Bridge Design Applications - Part One NHI Course No. 13063

DTFH-68-94-C-00005Seismic Bridge Design Applications, Parts One and Two, contains the material used in two one-day national satellite seminars broadcast from the University of Maryland to provide seismic design application instruction. Mr. Robert Mast and Dr. Lee Marsh of BERGER/ABAM Engineers, Inc., were the instructors and developed the course materials. Part One includes seven sessions covering basic seismic principles, one complete seismic analysis and design example, modeling guidelines, multimodal analysis, and column design features. Part Two includes "homework problems" assigned after the first seminar as well as specific topics requested by participants of the first seminar

Effect of COVID-19 on Continuing Education Activities and Learner Interactions: Report from Six Accreditation Systems

The COVID-19 pandemic has had disruptive effects on all parts of the health-care system, including the continuing education (CE) landscape. This report documents, what has happened in six different CE accreditation systems to CE activities as well as learners. Complete lockdown periods in the first part of the COVID-19 pandemic have inevitably led to reductions in numbers of the then predominant format of education, i.e. onsite in-person meetings. However, with impressive speed CE providers have switched to online educational formats. With regard to learner interactions this has compensated, and in some systems even overcompensated, the loss of in-person educational opportunities. Thus, our data convincingly demonstrate the resilience of CPD in times of a global health crisis and offer important insights in how CPD might become more effective in the future

Proposal for a graded approach to disclosure of interests in accredited CME/CPD

Disclosing conflicts of interest (COIs) is an important step in the management of COIs and is considered to be crucial to the trustworthiness of presenters. There are significant variations in disclosure procedures regarding the following:a. How COI is assessed in declaration forms (e.g. type of question, respondent awareness)b. Type of relationshipsc. Detailing of information to program committee membersThese variations in procedures have in effect led toa. Underreporting of COIb. Reducing the informational value of declared COI to participantsThus, it has been the aim of the authors to propose a basic formula for a minimum standard declaration of financial COI, with the potential to be applicable to all types of accredited continuing medical education (CME) as well as to all individuals (e.g. speakers, authors) involved in planning and conduct of CME activities. This approach should also serve as basis for more elaborate disclosures as well as strategies for management of conflict of interests adapted to the risk of bias.Furthermore, we also propose a basic set of items to be declared as nonfinancial interests