Sintered Iron-Rich Glass-Ceramics and Foams Obtained in Air and Argon

The subsequent synthesis of sintered self-glazed glass-ceramics and/or glass-ceramic foams using metallurgical slag is the topic under discussion. The observed intensive sample expansion can be considered as an autocatalytic process related to the oxygen release due to thermal reduction of Fe2O3 and MnO2 present in the slag. The sintering of the samples is studied by optical dilatometry and the foaming process by hot-stage microscopy, while the structure of the final materials is revealed by 3-D computed tomography and SEM. The phase composition of the glass-ceramic foams is analyzed by XRD. The species are characterized by moderate crystallinity, 80–85 vol.% porosity and fire resistance above 1000°C. The innovative point of this study is the synthesis in argon of sintered glass-ceramic materials where reduction is inhibited, together with a double-stage foam formation in air and argon, leading to lower working temperatures and better material characteristics

Comprehensive Characterization of Multiferroic BiFeO3 Powder Fabricated by the Hydrothermal Procedure

Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) has recently drawn attention due to its outstanding multifunctional properties, as well as for being a lead-free ceramic material. In the current study, BiFeO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by strictly controlled hydrothermal process. High geometric molded particles of a small size and with high degree of purity (99.74 %) were obtained. We used nitrates of bismuth and iron as well as 8M potassium hydroxide as a basis for synthesis. The results of the X-ray diffraction study of the obtained polycrystalline material show single-phase bismuth ferrite that crystallizes with a rhombohedral lattice. Using the Rietveld method it has been determined that the particles of the synthesized powder are in a nanometric range with a particle size of about 30 nm. It was found that all reflec-tions of the obtained bismuth ferrite belong to the rhombohedral α-BiFeO3 phase which crystallizes in the space group R3c (No. 161). In addition, electronic and magnetic properties of BiFeO3 were investigated using combination of experimental and theoretical methods. HRTEM analysis confirmed existence of twin stacking faults, which are responsible for enhanced magnetic properties. EPR measurements suggested existence of electrons trapped by vacancies or defects. It has been pro-posed that Fe3+−OV defect complex could be created at elevated temperatures fol-lowed by formation of trivalent Fe ions, which intensely provide local 3d moments. The magnetic behavior of the synthesized material was studied by means of SQUID device and using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The temperature dependence of the magnetization shows the antiferomagnetic-paramagnetic phase transition at the temperature of TN = 220K, while below this temperature weak ferro-magnetic behavior has been detected. Theoretical studies were performed using a full potential linearized augmented plane-waves plus local orbital (FP(L)APW+lo) method, based on the density functional theory (DFT). In addition, a structure prediction has been performed and 11 additional BiFeO3 modifications have been pro-posed. In the next stage, an ab initio optimization of predicted structures has been performed and the structure of the γ-phase has been elucidated

Pulse-Shape discrimination with the Counting Test Facility

Pulse shape discrimination (PSD) is one of the most distinctive features of liquid scintillators. Since the introduction of the scintillation techniques in the field of particle detection, many studies have been carried out to characterize intrinsic properties of the most common liquid scintillator mixtures in this respect. Several application methods and algorithms able to achieve optimum discrimination performances have been developed. However, the vast majority of these studies have been performed on samples of small dimensions. The Counting Test Facility, prototype of the solar neutrino experiment Borexino, as a 4 ton spherical scintillation detector immersed in 1000 tons of shielding water, represents a unique opportunity to extend the small-sample PSD studies to a large-volume setup. Specifically, in this work we consider two different liquid scintillation mixtures employed in CTF, illustrating for both the PSD characterization results obtained either with the processing of the scintillation waveform through the optimum Gatti's method, or via a more conventional approach based on the charge content of the scintillation tail. The outcomes of this study, while interesting per se, are also of paramount importance in view of the expected Borexino detector performances, where PSD will be an essential tool in the framework of the background rejection strategy needed to achieve the required sensitivity to the solar neutrino signals.Comment: 39 pages, 17 figures, submitted to Nucl. Instr. Meth.

Computer-aided DSM-IV-diagnostics – acceptance, use and perceived usefulness in relation to users' learning styles

BACKGROUND: CDSS (computerized decision support system) for medical diagnostics have been studied for long. This study was undertaken to investigate how different preferences of Learning Styles (LS) of psychiatrists might affect acceptance, use and perceived usefulness of a CDSS for diagnostics in psychiatry. METHODS: 49 psychiatrists (specialists and non-specialists) from 3 different clinics volunteered to participate in this study and to use the CDSS to diagnose a paper-based case (based on a real patient). LS, attitudes to CDSS and complementary data were obtained via questionnaires and interviews. To facilitate the study, a special version of the CDSS was created, which automatically could log interaction details. RESULTS: The LS preferences (according to Kolb) of the 49 physicians turned out as follows: 37% were Assimilating, 31% Converging, 27% Accommodating and 6% Diverging. The CDSS under study seemed to favor psychiatrists with abstract conceptualization information perceiving mode (Assimilating and Converging learning styles). A correlation between learning styles preferences and computer skill was found. Positive attitude to computer-aided diagnostics and learning styles preferences was also found to correlate. Using the CDSS, the specialists produced only 1 correct diagnosis and the non-specialists 2 correct diagnoses (median values) as compared to the three predetermined correct diagnoses of the actual case. Only 10% had all three diagnoses correct, 41 % two correct, 47 % one correct and 2 % had no correct diagnose at all. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the use of CDSS does not guarantee correct diagnosis and that LS might influence the results. Future research should focus on the possibility to create systems open to individuals with different LS preferences and possibility to create CDSS adapted to the level of expertise of the user

Medio-Frontal and Anterior Temporal abnormalities in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) during an acoustic antisaccade task as revealed by electro-cortical source reconstruction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent disorders in children and adolescence. Impulsivity is one of three core symptoms and likely associated with inhibition difficulties. To date the neural correlate of the antisaccade task, a test of response inhibition, has not been studied in children with (or without) ADHD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Antisaccade responses to visual and acoustic cues were examined in nine unmedicated boys with ADHD (mean age 122.44 ± 20.81 months) and 14 healthy control children (mean age 115.64 ± 22.87 months, three girls) while an electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded. Brain activity before saccade onset was reconstructed using a 23-source-montage.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>When cues were acoustic, children with ADHD had a higher source activity than control children in Medio-Frontal Cortex (MFC) between -230 and -120 ms and in the left-hemispheric Temporal Anterior Cortex (TAC) between -112 and 0 ms before saccade onset, despite both groups performing similarly behaviourally (antisaccades errors and saccade latency). When visual cues were used EEG-activity preceding antisaccades did not differ between groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Children with ADHD exhibit altered functioning of the TAC and MFC during an antisaccade task elicited by acoustic cues. Children with ADHD need more source activation to reach the same behavioural level as control children.</p

Fine structure in the α decay of 223U

Fine structure in the α decay of 223U was observed in the fusion-evaporation reaction 187Re(40Ar, p3n) by using fast digital pulse processing technique. Two α-decay branches of 223U feeding the ground state and 244 keV excited state of 219Th were identified by establishing the decay chain 223U →α1 219Th →α2 215Ra →α3 211Rn. The α-particle energy for the ground-state to ground-state transition of 223U was determined to be 8993(17) keV, 213 keV higher than the previous value, the half-life was updated to be 62−10+14 μs. Evolution of nuclear structure for N = 131 even-Z isotones from Po to U was discussed in the frameworks of nuclear mass and reduced α-decay width, a weakening octupole deformation in the ground state of 223U relative to its lighter isotones 219Ra and 221Th was suggested

V392 Persei: a γ-ray bright nova eruption from a known dwarf nova

V392 Persei is a known dwarf nova (DN) that underwent a classical nova eruption in 2018. Here we report ground-based optical, Swift UV and X-ray, and Fermi-LAT γ-ray observations following the eruption for almost three years. V392 Per is one of the fastest evolving novae yet observed, with a t2 decline time of 2 days. Early spectra present evidence for multiple and interacting mass ejections, with the associated shocks driving both the γ-ray and early optical luminosity. V392 Per entered Sun-constraint within days of eruption. Upon exit, the nova had evolved to the nebular phase, and we saw the tail of the super-soft X-ray phase. Subsequent optical emission captured the fading ejecta alongside a persistent narrow line emission spectrum from the accretion disk. Ongoing hard X-ray emission is characteristic of a standing accretion shock in an intermediate polar. Analysis of the optical data reveals an orbital period of 3.230 ± 0.003 days, but we see no evidence for a white dwarf (WD) spin period. The optical and X-ray data suggest a high mass WD, the pre-nova spectral energy distribution (SED) indicates an evolved donor, and the post-nova SED points to a high mass accretion rate. Following eruption, the system has remained in a nova-like high mass transfer state, rather than returning to the pre-nova DN low mass transfer configuration. We suggest that this high state is driven by irradiation of the donor by the nova eruption. In many ways, V392 Per shows similarity to the well-studied nova and DN GK Persei

Probability Density Function Transformation Using Seeded Localized Averaging

IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, January 2012The article of record as published may be located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TNS.2011.2177861Seeded Localized Averaging (SLA) is a spectrum acquisition method that averages pulse-heights in dynamic windows. SLA sharpens peaks in the acquired spectra. This work investigates the transformation of the original probability density function (PDF) in the process of applying the SLA procedure. We derive an analytical expression for the resulting probability density function after an application of SLA. In addition, we prove the following properties: 1) for symmetric distributions, SLA preserves both the mean and symmetry. 2) for unimodal symmetric distributions, SLA reduces variance, sharpening the distributions peak. Our results are the first to prove these properties, reinforcing past experimental observations. Specifically, our results imply that in the typical case of a spectral peak with Gaussian PDF the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the transformed peak becomes narrower even with averaging of only two pulse-heights. While the Gaussian shape is no longer preserved, our results include an analytical expression for the resulting distribution. Examples of the transformation of other PDFs are presented