Use of laser flow visualization techniques in reactor component thermal-hydraulic studies

To properly design reactor components, an understanding of the various thermal hydraulic phenomena, i.e., thermal stratification flow channeling, recirculation regions, shear layers, etc., is necessary. In the liquid metal breeder reactor program, water is commonly used to replace sodium in experimental testing to facilitate the investigations, (i.e., reduce cost and allow fluid velocity measurement or flow pattern study). After water testing, limited sodium tests can be conducted to validate the extrapolation of the water results to sodium. This paper describes a novel laser flow visualization technique being utilized at ANL together with various examples of its use and plans for further development. A 3-watt argon-ion laser, in conjunction with a cylindrical opticallens, has been used to create a thin (approx. 1-mm) intense plane of laser light for the illuminiation of various flow tracers in precisely defined regions of interest within a test article having windows. Both fluorescing dyes tuned to the wavelength of the laser light (to maximize brightness and sharpness of flow image) and small (< 0.038-mm, 0.0015-in. dia.) opaque, nearly neutrally buoyant polystyrene spheres (to ensure that the particles trace out the fluid motion) have been used as flow tracers

Measurement of velocity profiles in a stratified pipe flow recirculatory shear zone using laser flow visualization

Argonne National Laboratory is studying pipe-flow/plenum thermal-plume interactions induced by a pipe-to-plenum temperature difference. Under these conditions a pipe-flow-generated thermal plume is produced in the plenum and a stratified recirculation zone is produced in the pipe resulting in cold fluid being drawn out of the plenum into the bottom of the horizontal pipe conveying hot fluid into the plenum. These phenomena produce plenum wall and pipe nozzle thermal distributions conductive to detrimental structural thermal stresses. In order to study these phenomena studies are being conducted in the ANL Buoyancy Effects Tank (BET), a 3.41-m/sup 3/ plenum containing cold water which is interfaced with a horizontal transparent pipe conveying hot water into the plenum

Lack Evidence Between CTLA-4 Gene Polymorphisms Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that typically affects the small joints in hands and feet. Genes involved in T-cell regulation are potential candidates. Association to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated-4 (CTLA-4) protein, a negative regulator of T-cell activation, has previously been described in Rheumatoid arthritis patients. In this study, our aim was to determine the role of CTLA-4 polymorphism among patients with Rheumatoid arthritis. A total of 120 Rheumatoid arthritis patients (69 males and 51 females) with an age mean ± SD (67.2000± 11.74133), family history (16 positive/ 104 negative), rheumatoid factor test (RF) (43 positive/ 77 negative), Anti-CCP antibody test (120 positive/ 0 negative), and 120 controls (46 males and 74 females) of Iraqis ethnicity with an age mean ± SD (31.6583± 11.51579). There was no significant difference between the groups (Rheumatoid arthritis patients and their control) (P = 0.478). And CTLA-4 gene polymorphism in each group was compared (AA, GG, AG). There is no difference between the CTLA-4 (SNP +49 A/G rs#231775) gene polymorphism among Rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy people. Keywords: CTLA-4, Genotype, Rheumatoid arthritis, Genetic susceptibility, SN

Chemical Effects Head-Loss Research in Support of Generic Safety Issue 191.

This summary report describes studies conducted at Argonne National Laboratory on the potential for chemical effects on head loss across sump screens. Three different buffering solutions were used for these tests: trisodium phosphate (TSP), sodium hydroxide, and sodium tetraborate. These pH control agents used following a LOCA at a nuclear power plant show various degrees of interaction with the insulating materials Cal-Sil and NUKON. Results for Cal-Sil dissolution tests in TSP solutions, settling rate tests of calcium phosphate precipitates, and benchmark tests in chemically inactive environments are also presented. The dissolution tests were intended to identify important environmental variables governing both calcium dissolution and subsequent calcium phosphate formation over a range of simulated sump pool conditions. The results from the dissolution testing were used to inform both the head loss and settling test series. The objective of the head loss tests was to assess the head loss produced by debris beds created by Cal-Sil, fibrous debris, and calcium phosphate precipitates. The effects of both the relative arrival time of the precipitates and insulation debris and the calcium phosphate formation process were specifically evaluated. The debris loadings, test loop flow rates, and test temperature were chosen to be reasonably representative of those expected in plants with updated sump screen configurations, although the approach velocity of 0.1 ft/s used for most of the tests is 3-10 times that expected in plants with large screens . Other variables were selected with the intent to reasonably bound the head loss variability due to arrival time and calcium phosphate formation uncertainty. Settling tests were conducted to measure the settling rates of calcium phosphate precipitates (formed by adding dissolved Ca to boric acid and TSP solutions) in water columns having no bulk directional flow. For PWRs where NaOH and sodium tetraborate are used to control sump pH and fiberglass insulation is prevalent, relatively high concentrations of soluble aluminum can be expected. Tests in which the dissolved aluminum (Al) resulted from aluminum nitrate additions were used to investigate potential chemical effects that may lead to high head loss. Dissolved Al concentrations of 100 ppm were shown to lead to large pressure drops for the screen area to sump volume ratio and fiber debris bed studied. No chemical effects on head loss were observed in sodium tetraborate buffered solutions even for environments with high ratios of submerged Al area to sump volume. However, in tests with much higher concentrations of dissolved Al than expected in plants, large pressure drops did occur. Interaction with NUKON/Cal-Sil debris mixtures produced much lower head losses than observed in corresponding tests with TSP, although tests were not performed over the full range of Cal-Sil that might be of interest

Association between cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of neuronal injury or amyloidosis and cognitive decline after major surgery

BACKGROUND: Postoperative neurocognitive decline is a frequent complication in adult patients undergoing major surgery with increased risk for morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms behind cognitive decline after anaesthesia and surgery are not known. We studied the association between CSF and blood biomarkers of neuronal injury or brain amyloidosis and long-term changes in neurocognitive function. METHODS: In patients undergoing major orthopaedic surgery (knee or hip replacement), blood and CSF samples were obtained before surgery and then at 4, 8, 24, 32, and 48 h after skin incision through an indwelling spinal catheter. CSF and blood concentrations of total tau (T-tau), neurofilament light, neurone-specific enolase and amyloid β (Aβ1-42) were measured. Neurocognitive function was assessed using the International Study of Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction (ISPOCD) test battery 1–2 weeks before surgery, at discharge from the hospital (2–5 days after surgery), and at 3 months after surgery. RESULTS: CSF and blood concentrations of T-tau, neurone-specific enolase, and Aβ1-42 increased after surgery. A similar increase in serum neurofilament light was seen with no overall changes in CSF concentrations. There were no differences between patients having a poor or good late postoperative neurocognitive outcome with respect to these biomarkers of neuronal injury and Aβ1-42. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present explorative study showed that major orthopaedic surgery causes a release of CSF markers of neural injury and brain amyloidosis, suggesting neuronal damage or stress. We were unable to detect an association between the magnitude of biomarker changes and long-term postoperative neurocognitive dysfunction

Pariisin kokouksen jälkeiset näkymät ja suomalaiset ilmastoratkaisut

Pariisin sopimus on oikeudellisesti sitova, globaalisti kattava ja se asettaa kunnianhimoisen tavoitteen hillitä ilmaston lämpenemistä 1,5-2 °C tasolle esiteolliseen aikaan verrattuna. Maailman ilmastotyön kunnianhimoa on parannettava jo ennen vuotta 2020, jotta nämä tavoitteet voidaan saavuttaa. Tapoja parantaa kunnianhimoa on monia. Päästösitoumuksia voivat asettaa maat, joilta ne vielä puuttuvat. Muut maat voivat laajentaa tai kiristää sitoumuksiaan. Päästöjä voidaan vähentää sitoumusten ulkopuolisilla aloilla. Lisäksi voidaan edistää kansainvälisiä yhteishankkeita ja ripeyttää ilmastoratkaisujen käyttöönottoa. YK:n ilmastosopimuksen liepeillä olevia käytännön ilmastoratkaisuja edistäviä, yhteistyötä kannustavia ja lisätoimista keskustelevia foorumeja on mahdollista vahvistaa. Suomi voi olla aktiivinen näissä kaikissa toimissa. Suomi voi myös moninkertaistaa myönteisen ilmastovaikutuksensa tarjoamalla muun maailman käyttöön päästöjä vähentäviä ratkaisuja. Näistä ratkaisuista esitellään sata ratkaisua kattaen laajan kirjon suomalaista osaamista energiantuotannosta maatalouteen, teknologiasta poliittiseen ohjaukseen ja yritysten tuotteista kansalaisjärjestöjen hankkeisiin. Pariisin sopimus on yleisesti otettu positiivisesti niin suurimmissa päästäjämaissa, ilmastoneuvotteluja seuraavissa kansainvälisissä järjestöissä kuin mediassa. 12 suurinta päästäjää ovat hyvin tyytyväisiä sopimuksen tasapuolisuuteen ja vain hieman varauksellisia sopimuksen uskottavuuden suhteen. Järjestöissä ja median reaktioissa suhtautuminen on kuitenkin hajaantuneempaa. Raportissa tarkasteltujen 12 päästöiltään suurimman neuvotteluosapuolen INDC-tavoitteiden kunnianhimon taso, päästökehitys, päästöarvioiden laatu ja politiikkatoimet eroavat toisistaan hyvin paljon. Ilmastopolitiikan kunnianhimon tason vertailua kuitenkin hankaloittavat mm. joiden maiden päästöarvioiden huono luotettavuus sekä ns. yhteisten mutta erilaisten vastuiden periaate. Näihin haasteisiin vastaaminen on yksi merkittäviä kehitystehtäviä Pariisin sopimuksen jatkotyössä

Multidisciplinary investigation of two Egyptian child mummies curated at the University of Tartu Art Museum, Estonia (Late/Graeco-Roman Periods)

Two ancient Egyptian child mummies at the University of Tartu Art Museum (Estonia) were, according to museum records, brought to Estonia by the young Baltic-German scholar Otto Friedrich von Richter, who had travelled in Egypt during the early 19th century. Although some studies of the mummies were conducted, a thorough investigation has never been made. Thus, an interdisciplinary team of experts studied the remains using the most recent analytical methods in order to provide an exhaustive analysis of the remains. The bodies were submitted for osteological and archaeothanatological study, radiological investigation, AMS radiocarbon dating, chemical and textile analyses, 3D modelling, entomological as well as aDNA investigation. Here we synthesize the results of one of the most extensive multidisciplinary analyses of ancient Egyptian child mummies, adding significantly to our knowledge of such examples of ancient funerary practices.© 2020 Oras et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Psychometric Properties of an Arabic Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale-20 (PASS-20) in Healthy Volunteers and Patients Attending a Physiotherapy Clinic.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to cross-culturally adapt the PASS-20 questionnaire for use in Libya. METHODS: Participants were 71 patients (42 women) attending the physiotherapy clinic, Ibn Sina Hospital, Sirt, Libya for management of persistent pain and 137 healthy unpaid undergraduate students (52 women) from the University of Sirt, Libya. The English PASS-20 was translated into Arabic. Patients completed the Arabic PASS-20 and the Arabic Pain Rating Scales on two occasions separated by a 14-day interval. Healthy participants completed the Arabic PASS-20 on one occasion. RESULTS: The internal consistency (ICC) for pain patient and healthy participant samples yielded a good reliability for the total score, cognitive anxiety, fear of pain, and physiological anxiety. The test-retest reliability of the Arabic PASS-20 score showed high reliability for the total score (ICC = 0.93, p < 0.001), escape/avoidance (ICC = 0.93, p < 0.001), fear of pain (ICC = 0.94, p < 0.001), and physiological anxiety subscales (ICC = 0.96, p < 0.001) and good reliability for the cognitive anxiety (ICC = 0.85, p < 0.001). Inspection of the Promax rotation showed that each factor comprised of five items were consistent with the theoretical constructs of the original PASS-20 subscales. CONCLUSION: The Arabic PASS-20 retained internal consistency and reliability with the original English version and can be used to measure pain anxiety symptoms in both pain and healthy individual samples in Libya

PCYT1A Regulates Phosphatidylcholine Homeostasis from the Inner Nuclear Membrane in Response to Membrane Stored Curvature Elastic Stress.

Cell and organelle membranes consist of a complex mixture of phospholipids (PLs) that determine their size, shape, and function. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the most abundant phospholipid in eukaryotic membranes, yet how cells sense and regulate its levels in vivo remains unclear. Here we show that PCYT1A, the rate-limiting enzyme of PC synthesis, is intranuclear and re-locates to the nuclear membrane in response to the need for membrane PL synthesis in yeast, fly, and mammalian cells. By aligning imaging with lipidomic analysis and data-driven modeling, we demonstrate that yeast PCYT1A membrane association correlates with membrane stored curvature elastic stress estimates. Furthermore, this process occurs inside the nucleus, although nuclear localization signal mutants can compensate for the loss of endogenous PCYT1A in yeast and in fly photoreceptors. These data suggest an ancient mechanism by which nucleoplasmic PCYT1A senses surface PL packing defects on the inner nuclear membrane to control PC homeostasis