Design and Test of a Nb3Sn Subscale Dipole Magnet for Training Studies

As part of a collaboration between CEA/Saclay and the Superconducting Magnet Group at LBNL, a subscale dipole structure has been developed to study training in Nb3Sn coils under variable pre-stress conditions. This design is derived from the LBNL Subscale Magnet and relies on the use of identical Nb{sub 3}Sn racetrack coils. Whereas the original LBNL subscale magnet was in a dual bore 'common-coil' configuration, the new subscale dipole magnet (SD) is assembled as a single bore dipole made of two superposed racetrack coils. The dipole is supported by a new mechanical structure developed to withstand the horizontal and axial Lorentz forces and capable of applying variable vertical, horizontal and axial preload. The magnet was tested at LBNL as part of a series of training studies aiming at understanding of the relation between pre-stress and magnet performance. Particular attention is given to the coil ends where the magnetic field peaks and stress conditions are the least understood. After a description of SD design, assembly, cool-down and tests results are reported and compared with the computations of the OPERA3D and ANSYS magnetic and mechanical models

Mechanical Analysis of the Nb3Sn Dipole Magnet HD1

The Superconducting Magnet Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) has recently fabricated and tested HD1, a Nb3Sn dipole magnet. The magnet reached a 16 T field, and exhibited training quenches in the end regions and in the straight section. After the test, HD1 was disassembled and inspected, and a detailed 3D finite element mechanical analysis was done to investigate for possible quench triggers. The study led to minor modifications to mechanical structure and assembly procedure, which were verified in a second test (HD1b). This paper presents the results of the mechanical analysis, including strain gauge measurements and coil visual inspection. The adjustments implemented in the magnet structure are reported and their effect on magnet training discussed

Insulin signalling and the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism

The epidemic of type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In both disorders, tissues such as muscle, fat and liver become less responsive or resistant to insulin. This state is also linked to other common health problems, such as obesity, polycystic ovarian disease, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension and atherosclerosis. The pathophysiology of insulin resistance involves a complex network of signalling pathways, activated by the insulin receptor, which regulates intermediary metabolism and its organization in cells. But recent studies have shown that numerous other hormones and signalling events attenuate insulin action, and are important in type 2 diabetes.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/62568/1/414799a.pd

Development of a large aperture Nb3Sn racetrack quadrupole magnet

The U.S. LHC Accelerator Research Program (LARP), a collaboration between BNL, FNAL, LBNL, and SLAC, has among its major objectives the development of advanced magnet technology for an LHC luminosity upgrade. The LBNL Superconducting Magnet Group supports this program with a broad effort involving design studies, Nb{sub 3}Sn conductor development, mechanical models, and basic prototypes. This paper describes the development of a large aperture Nb{sub 3}Sn racetrack quadrupole magnet using four racetrack coils from the LBNL Subscale Magnet (SM) Program. The magnet provides a gradient of 95 T/m in a 110 mm bore, with a peak field in the conductor of 11.2 T. The coils are prestressed by a mechanical structure based on a pre-tensioned aluminum shell, and axially supported with aluminum rods. The mechanical behavior has been monitored with strain gauges and the magnetic field has been measured. Results of the test are reported and analyzed

Correlation between Strand Stability and Magnet Performance

Magnet programs at BNL, LBNL and FNAL have observed instabilities in high J{sub c} Nb{sub 3}Sn strands and magnets made from these strands. This paper correlates the strand stability determined from a short sample-strand test to the observed magnet performance. It has been observed that strands that carry high currents at high fields (greater than 10T) cannot sustain these same currents at low fields (1-3T) when the sample current is fixed and the magnetic field is ramped. This suggests that the present generation of strand is susceptible to flux jumps (FJ). To prevent flux jumps from limiting stand performance, one must accommodate the energy released during a flux jump. To better understand FJ this work has focused on wire with a given sub-element diameter and shows that one can significantly improve stability by increasing the copper conductivity (higher residual resistivity ratio, RRR, of the Cu). This increased stability significantly improves the conductor performance and permits it to carry more current

Kinetic, inhibition and structural studies on 3-oxoacyl-ACP reductase from Plasmodium falciparum, a key enzyme in fatty acid biosynthesis

Type II fatty acid biosynthesis represents an attractive target for the discovery of new antimalarial drugs. Previous studies have identified malarial ENR (enoyl acyl-carrier-protein reductase, or FabI) as the target for the antiseptic triclosan. In the present paper, we report the biochemical properties and 1.5 Å (1 Å=0.1 nm) crystal structure of OAR (3-oxoacyl acyl-carrier-protein reductase, or FabG), the second reductive step in fatty acid biosynthesis and its inhibition by hexachlorophene. Under optimal conditions of pH and ionic strength, Plasmodium falciparum OAR displays kinetic properties similar to those of OAR from bacteria or plants. Activity with NADH is <3% of that with NADPH. Fluorescence enhancement studies indicate that NADPH can bind to the free enzyme, consistent with kinetic and product inhibition studies suggesting a steady-state ordered mechanism. The crystal structure reveals a tetramer with a sulphate ion bound in the cofactor-binding site such that the side chains of the catalytic triad of serine, tyrosine and lysine are aligned in an active conformation, as previously observed in the Escherichia coli OAR–NADP(+) complex. A cluster of positively charged residues is positioned at the entrance to the active site, consistent with the proposed recognition site for the physiological substrate (3-oxoacyl-acyl-carrier protein) in E. coli OAR. The antibacterial and anthelminthic agent hexachlorophene is a potent inhibitor of OAR (IC(50) 2.05 μM) displaying non-linear competitive inhibition with respect to NADPH. Hexachlorophene (EC(50) 6.2 μM) and analogues such as bithionol also have antimalarial activity in vitro, suggesting they might be useful leads for further development