The regional and sectoral mobility of high-tech workers:insights from Finland

In this paper we employ data on 156,000 workers working within the Finnish high-tech industries in order to identify the extent to which labour mobility between sectors and regions is influenced by the characteristics of the locality in which the worker works. With these data we are able to estimate different types of binary, multinomial and ordered logit models to capture different types of inter- or intra-sector or region employment mobility. As we will see the different categories of employment mobility are influenced by different factors such that we cannot simply talk about 'labour mobility', but rather need to be specific regarding each particular form of employment mobility. Our results show that urbanisation and industrial diversity are not just associated with greater intra-regional mobility, as is emphasised by the agglomeration literature, but also greater inter-regional mobility

From DNA sequence to application: possibilities and complications

The development of sophisticated genetic tools during the past 15 years have facilitated a tremendous increase of fundamental and application-oriented knowledge of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and their bacteriophages. This knowledge relates both to the assignments of open reading frames (ORF’s) and the function of non-coding DNA sequences. Comparison of the complete nucleotide sequences of several LAB bacteriophages has revealed that their chromosomes have a fixed, modular structure, each module having a set of genes involved in a specific phase of the bacteriophage life cycle. LAB bacteriophage genes and DNA sequences have been used for the construction of temperature-inducible gene expression systems, gene-integration systems, and bacteriophage defence systems. The function of several LAB open reading frames and transcriptional units have been identified and characterized in detail. Many of these could find practical applications, such as induced lysis of LAB to enhance cheese ripening and re-routing of carbon fluxes for the production of a specific amino acid enantiomer. More knowledge has also become available concerning the function and structure of non-coding DNA positioned at or in the vicinity of promoters. In several cases the mRNA produced from this DNA contains a transcriptional terminator-antiterminator pair, in which the antiterminator can be stabilized either by uncharged tRNA or by interaction with a regulatory protein, thus preventing formation of the terminator so that mRNA elongation can proceed. Evidence has accumulated showing that also in LAB carbon catabolite repression in LAB is mediated by specific DNA elements in the vicinity of promoters governing the transcription of catabolic operons. Although some biological barriers have yet to be solved, the vast body of scientific information presently available allows the construction of tailor-made genetically modified LAB. Today, it appears that societal constraints rather than biological hurdles impede the use of genetically modified LAB.

Hydrogen recycling in tandem mirror machines

This paper describes hydrogen recycling in tandem mirror machines. In TMX, hydrogen (or deuterium) is introduced by the neutral beam injection system and by the solenoid gas feed system. Pumping is achieved by titanium gettering on liquid nitrogen panels. Mirror machine recycling differs from that in a tokamak. In mirrors, plasma losses are mainly to the large volume at the ends of the machine, remote from the hot plasma region. Similar techniques have been employed on 2XIIB. The design of the TMX vacuum system was described by Atkinson. MFTF also employs an integral beam line vacuum system. However, since in MFTF the pulse length is 0.5 sec, helium cryopanels are used to extend the pumping duration. Also special neutral beam and beam-ion dumps are employed

Mechanistic issues for modeling radiation-induced segregation

Model calculations of radiation-induced chromium depletion and radiation-induced nickel enrichment at grain boundaries are compared to measured depletions and enrichments. The model is calibrated to fit chromium depletion in commercial purity 304 stainless steel irradiated in boiling water reactor (BWR) environments. Predicted chromium depletion profiles and the dose dependence of chromium concentration at grain boundaries are in accord with measured trends. Evaluation of chromium and nickel profiles in three neutron, and two ion, irradiation environments reveal significant inconsistencies between measurements and predictions

Crack-tip chemistry modeling of stage I stress corrosion cracking

Stage I stress corrosion cracking usually exhibits a very strong K dependence with Paris law exponents of up to 30. 2 Model calculations indicate that the crack velocity in this regime is controlled by transport through a salt film and that the K dependence results from crack opening controlled salt film dissolution. An ionic transport model that accounts for both electromigration through the resistive salt film and Fickian diffusion through the aqueous solution was used for these predictions. Predicted crack growth rates are in excellent agreement with measured values for Ni with P segregated to the grain boundaries and tested in IN H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} at +900 mV. This salt film dissolution may be applicable to stage I cracking of other materials

Radiation hardening and radiation-induced chromium depletion effects on intergranular stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steels

Available data on neutron-irradiated materials have been analyzed and correlations developed between fluence, yield strength, grain boundary chromium concentration and cracking susceptibility in high-temperature water environments. Large heat-to-heat differences in critical fluence (0.2 to 2.5 n/cm{sup 2}) for IGSCC are documented.In many cases, this variability is consistent with yield strength differences among irradiated materials. IGSCC correlated better to yield strength than to fluence for most heats suggesting a possible role of the radiation-induced hardening (and microstructure) on cracking. However, isolatedheats reveal a wide range of yield strengths from 450 to 800 MPa necessary to promote IGSCC which cannot be understood by strength effects alone. Grain boundary Cr depletion explain differences in IGSCC susceptibility for irradiated stainless steels. Cr contents versus SCC shows that all materials showing IG cracking have some grain boundary depletion ({ge}2%). Grain boundary Cr concentrations for cracking (below {approximately}16 wt %) are in good agreement with similar SCC tests on unirradiated 304 SS with controlled depletion profiles. Heats that prompt variability in the yield strength correlation, are accounted for bydifferences in their interfacial Cr contents. Certain stainless steels are more resistant to cracking even though they have significant radiation-induced Cr depletion. It is proposed that Cr depletion is required for IASCC, but observed susceptibility is modified by other microchemical and microstructural components

Radiation hardening and radiation-induced chromium depletion effects on intergranular stress corrosion cracking of austenitic stainless steels

Available data on neutron-irradiated materials have been analyzed and correlations developed between fluence, yield strength, grain boundary chromium concentration and cracking susceptibility in high-temperature water environments. Large heat-to-heat differences in critical fluence (0.2 to 2.5 n/cm[sup 2]) for IGSCC are documented.In many cases, this variability is consistent with yield strength differences among irradiated materials. IGSCC correlated better to yield strength than to fluence for most heats suggesting a possible role of the radiation-induced hardening (and microstructure) on cracking. However, isolatedheats reveal a wide range of yield strengths from 450 to 800 MPa necessary to promote IGSCC which cannot be understood by strength effects alone. Grain boundary Cr depletion explain differences in IGSCC susceptibility for irradiated stainless steels. Cr contents versus SCC shows that all materials showing IG cracking have some grain boundary depletion ([ge]2%). Grain boundary Cr concentrations for cracking (below [approximately]16 wt %) are in good agreement with similar SCC tests on unirradiated 304 SS with controlled depletion profiles. Heats that prompt variability in the yield strength correlation, are accounted for bydifferences in their interfacial Cr contents. Certain stainless steels are more resistant to cracking even though they have significant radiation-induced Cr depletion. It is proposed that Cr depletion is required for IASCC, but observed susceptibility is modified by other microchemical and microstructural components

Irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking considerations at temperatures below 288{degree}C

Irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) occurs above a critical neutron fluence in light-water reactor (LWR) water environments at 288 C, but very little information exists to indicate susceptibility as temperatures are reduced. Potential low-temperature behavior is assessed based on the temperature dependencies of intergranular (IG) SCC in the absence of irradiation, radiation-induced segregation (RIS) at grain boundaries and micromechanical deformation mechanisms. IGSCC of sensitized SS in the absence of irradiation exhibits high growth rates at temperatures down to 200 C under conditions of anodic dissolution control, while analysis of hydrogen-induced cracking suggests a peak crack growth rate near 100 C. Hence from environmental considerations, IASCC susceptibility appears to remain likely as water temperatures are decreased. Irradiation experiments and model predictions indicate that RIS also persists to low temperatures. Chromium depletion may be significant at temperatures below 100C for irradiation doses greater than 10 displacements per atom (dpa). Macromechanical effects of irradiation on strength and ductility are not strongly dependent on temperature below 288 C. However, temperature does significantly affect radiation effects on SS microstructure and micromechanical deformation mechanisms. The critical conditions for material susceptibility to IASCC at low temperatures may be controlled by radiation-induced grain boundary microchemistry, strain localization due to irradiation microstructure and irradiation creep processes. 39 refs

Tandem mirror thermal barrier experimental program plan

This report describes an experimental plan for the development of the Tandem Mirror Thermal Barrier. Included is: (1) a description of thermal barrier related physics experiments; (2) thermal barrier related experiments in the existing TMX and Phaedrus experiments; (3) a thermal barrier TMX upgrade; and (4) initiation of investigations of axisymmetric magnetic geometry. Experimental studies of the first two items are presently underway. Results are expected from the TMX upgrade by the close of 1981 and from axisymmetric tandem mirror experiments at the end of 1983. Plans for Phaedrus upgrades are developing for the same period