1,893 research outputs found
Overview of Actual Methods for Characterization of Ash Depostion
Utility operation with frequent fuel switching is a common practice, forced by cheaper coal availability in the international market. Additionally, a substitution of coal by cheaper local secondary fuels, ranging from forest wood to sewage sludge and industrial or domestic residues, is gaining importance. Switching between different fuels, even if these do not differ much from the design coal, enhances operational problems arising from ash deposition. In order to prevent operational problems, through comprehension of the phenomena taking place within the furnace, appropriate sampling and characterization of the deposits are necessary. Methods commonly used for analysis of ash deposits and their characterization are summarized in this paper. The goals of the experimental work at the Institute of Process Engineering and Power Plant Technology (IVD) are then summarized. Finally, work on modeling the slagging and fouling phenomena or their characterization is presented
Systemic inflammatory mediators in post-traumatic Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS I) - longitudinal investigations and differences to control groups
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objectives</p> <p>The Complex Regional Pain Syndrome I (CRPS I) is a disease that might affect an extremity after trauma or operation. The pathogenesis remains yet unclear. It has clinical signs of severe local inflammation as a result of an exaggerated inflammatory response but neurogenic dysregulation also contributes to it. Some studies investigated the role inflammatory mediators and cytokines; however, few longitudinal studies exist and control groups except healthy controls were not investigated yet.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To get further insights into the role of systemic inflammatory mediators in CRPS I, we investigated a variety of pro-, anti-, or neuro-inflammatory mediators such as C-Reactive Protein (CRP), White Blood Cell Count (WBC), Interleukins 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12 (p70), Interferon gamma, Tumor-Necrosis-Factor alpha (TNF-α) and its soluble Receptors I/II, soluble Selectins (E, L, P), Substance-P (SP), and Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) at different time points in venous blood from patients with acute (AC) and chronic (CC) CRPS I, patients with forearm fractures (FR), with neuralgia (NE), and from healthy volunteers (C).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No significant changes for serum parameters investigated in CRPS compared to control groups were found except for CC/C (CGRP p = 0.007), FR/C (CGRP p = 0.048) and AC/CC (IL-12 p = 0.02; TNFRI/II p = 0.01; SP p = 0.049). High interindividual variations were observed. No intra-or interindividual correlation of parameters with clinical course (e.g. chronification) or outcome was detectable.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although clinically appearing as inflammation in acute stages, local rather than systemic inflammatory responses seem to be relevant in CRPS. Variable results from different studies might be explained by unpredictable intermittent release of mediators from local inflammatory processes into the blood combined with high interindividual variabilities. A clinically relevant difference to various control groups was not notable in this pilot study. Determination of systemic inflammatory parameters is not yet helpful in diagnostic and follow-up of CRPS I</p
Gauss sum factorization with cold atoms
We report the first implementation of a Gauss sum factorization algorithm by
an internal state Ramsey interferometer using cold atoms. A sequence of
appropriately designed light pulses interacts with an ensemble of cold rubidium
atoms. The final population in the involved atomic levels determines a Gauss
sum. With this technique we factor the number N=263193.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
First identification of large electric monopole strength in well-deformed rare earth nuclei
Excited states in the well-deformed rare earth isotopes Sm and
Er were populated via ``safe'' Coulomb excitation at the Munich MLL
Tandem accelerator. Conversion electrons were registered in a cooled Si(Li)
detector in conjunction with a magnetic transport and filter system, the
Mini-Orange spectrometer. For the first excited state in Sm at
1099 keV a large value of the monopole strength for the transition to the
ground state of could be extracted. This confirms the interpretation of the lowest
excited state in Sm as the collective -vibrational
excitation of the ground state. In Er the measured large electric
monopole strength of clearly identifies the state at 1934 keV to be the
-vibrational excitation of the ground state.Comment: submitted to Physics Letters
Drift chamber with a c-shaped frame
We present the construction of a planar drift chamber with wires stretched
between two arms of a c-shaped aluminium frame. The special shape of the frame
allows to extendthe momentum acceptance of the COSY-11 detection system towards
lower momenta without suppressing the high momentum particles. The proposed
design allows for construction of tracking detectors covering small angles with
respect to the beam, which can be installed and removed without dismounting the
beam-pipe. For a three-dimensional track reconstruction a computer code was
developed using a simple algorithm of hit preselection.Comment: submitted to Nucl. Instr. & Meth
Towards Quantum Repeaters with Solid-State Qubits: Spin-Photon Entanglement Generation using Self-Assembled Quantum Dots
In this chapter we review the use of spins in optically-active InAs quantum
dots as the key physical building block for constructing a quantum repeater,
with a particular focus on recent results demonstrating entanglement between a
quantum memory (electron spin qubit) and a flying qubit (polarization- or
frequency-encoded photonic qubit). This is a first step towards demonstrating
entanglement between distant quantum memories (realized with quantum dots),
which in turn is a milestone in the roadmap for building a functional quantum
repeater. We also place this experimental work in context by providing an
overview of quantum repeaters, their potential uses, and the challenges in
implementing them.Comment: 51 pages. Expanded version of a chapter to appear in "Engineering the
Atom-Photon Interaction" (Springer-Verlag, 2015; eds. A. Predojevic and M. W.
Mitchell
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