Evaluation of density separation and other treatment methods for plastic media blasting (PMB) waste

The United States Air Force has developed plastic media blasting (PMB) to replace solvent paint stripping of its aircraft. This paint blasting operation generates a waste stream of mainly pulverized plastic, but the stream also contains enough paint pigments to make the PMB waste RCRA hazardous. A Phase I study identified density separation as the preferred treatment alternative to land disposal of the entire PMB waste stream in a hazardous landfill. This study found density separation to be a less attractive alternative to self-encapsulation, solidification/stabilization (S/S), and low-temperature ashing. Self-encapsulation resulted in a volume decrease but only moderate improvement in Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) performance Solidification/Stabilization (S/S) into cementiaous waste for resulted in excellent TCLP performances, but volume increases. Low-temperature ashing resulted in dramatic volume decreases, but off-gas control is required to contain all the RCRA metals. The resulting ash must be stabilized (e.g., S/S) to meet TCLP limits

Parameter uncertainty of a dynamic multispecies size spectrum model

Dynamic size spectrum models have been recognized as an effective way of describing how size-based interactions can give rise to the size structure of aquatic communities. They are intermediate-complexity ecological models that are solutions to partial differential equations driven by the size-dependent processes of predation, growth, mortality, and reproduction in a community of interacting species and sizes. To be useful for quantitative fisheries management these models need to be developed further in a formal statistical framework. Previous work has used time-averaged data to “calibrate” the model using optimization methods with the disadvantage of losing detailed time-series information. Using a published multispecies size spectrum model parameterized for the North Sea comprising 12 interacting fish species and a background resource, we fit the model to time-series data using a Bayesian framework for the first time. We capture the 1967–2010 period using annual estimates of fishing mortality rates as input to the model and time series of fisheries landings data to fit the model to output. We estimate 38 key parameters representing the carrying capacity of each species and background resource, as well as initial inputs of the dynamical system and errors on the model output. We then forecast the model forward to evaluate how uncertainty propagates through to population- and community-level indicators under alternative management strategies

A controlled crossover trial of fendluramine in autism

Introduction: Against a background of variable results achieved by the treatment of childhood autism with dopaminergic agonists or antagonists, and opiate antagonists and mild behavioural improvements achieved following treatment with fenfluramine (Geller et al., 1982; Ritvo et al., 1984 among others) a 12 month double-blind crossover trial of fenfluramine was undertaken. [the d-isomer releases serotonin, the l-isomer modestly blocks dopamine receptors.] Methods: Six female and 14 male children and adolescents with autism were enrolled (median 9y; range 5-17 years of age) in a trial run over a 1 month baseline, 5 months of treatment, 2 months placebo, and 5 months of treatment. Parent diaries were kept. Various tests and rating scales for development, verbal and noverbal abilities along with measures of blood serotonin, urinary catecholamines and auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured at 6-month intervals. Results: a) With fenfluramine treatment children lost weight, blood serotonin decreased by 60% and urinary catecholamine levels fell (25-45%, but dopamine utilization (HVA/DA) increased 2-4-fold. b) Under fenfluramine some autistic subjects improved on measures of cognitive and language function. Two mute subjects began to speak, but for the group overall the improvements did not prove significant. [British Ability Scale, Reynell developmental language and Vineland social maturity scale improvements were significant.] c) Treatment improved early stages of information processing, but impaired later stages as measured in the ERP (i.e. early negative going excitatory vs. later positive going inhibitory response, respectively in 7 patients). The early negativity changes (especially over the right hemisphere) correlated inversely with HVA/DA actvivity. d) Side effects reported included lethargy and irritability.. Conclusions: While individuals showed marked reductions of stereotypies, hyperactivity, and improvements on develepmental and cognitive measures, the absence of clear group-wide effects suggests that fenfluramine would have but a limited place in the management of some patients with autism

Magnetic and quantum entanglement properties of the distorted diamond chain model for azurite

We present the results of magnetic properties and entanglement of the distorted diamond chain model for azurite using pure quantum exchange interactions. The magnetic properties and concurrence as a measure of pairwise thermal entanglement have been studied by means of variational mean-field like treatment based on Gibbs-Bogoliubov inequality. Such a system can be considered as an approximation of the natural material azurite, Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2. For values of exchange parameters, which are taken from experimental results, we study the thermodynamic properties, such as azurite specific heat and magnetic susceptibility. We also have studied the thermal entanglement properties and magnetization plateau of the distorted diamond chain model for azurite

A Historiometric Examination of Machiavellianism and a New Taxonomy of Leadership

Although researchers have extensively examined the relationship between charismatic leadership and Machiavellianism (Deluga, 2001; Gardner & Avolio, 1995; House & Howell, 1992), there has been a lack of investigation of Machiavellianism in relation to alternative forms of outstanding leadership. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship between Machiavellianism and a new taxonomy of outstanding leadership comprised of charismatic, ideological, and pragmatic leaders. Using an historiometric approach, raters assessed Machiavellianism via the communications of 120 outstanding leaders in organizations across the domains of business, political, military, and religious institutions. Academic biographies were used to assess twelve general performance measures as well as twelve general controls and five communication specific controls. The results indicated that differing levels of Machiavellianism is evidenced across the differing leader types as well as differing leader orientation. Additionally, Machiavellianism appears negatively related to performance, though less so when type and orientation are taken into account.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

The Earth: Plasma Sources, Losses, and Transport Processes

This paper reviews the state of knowledge concerning the source of magnetospheric plasma at Earth. Source of plasma, its acceleration and transport throughout the system, its consequences on system dynamics, and its loss are all discussed. Both observational and modeling advances since the last time this subject was covered in detail (Hultqvist et al., Magnetospheric Plasma Sources and Losses, 1999) are addressed

Velocity-space sensitivity of the time-of-flight neutron spectrometer at JET

The velocity-space sensitivities of fast-ion diagnostics are often described by so-called weight functions. Recently, we formulated weight functions showing the velocity-space sensitivity of the often dominant beam-target part of neutron energy spectra. These weight functions for neutron emission spectrometry (NES) are independent of the particular NES diagnostic. Here we apply these NES weight functions to the time-of-flight spectrometer TOFOR at JET. By taking the instrumental response function of TOFOR into account, we calculate time-of-flight NES weight functions that enable us to directly determine the velocity-space sensitivity of a given part of a measured time-of-flight spectrum from TOFOR

Relationship of edge localized mode burst times with divertor flux loop signal phase in JET

A phase relationship is identified between sequential edge localized modes (ELMs) occurrence times in a set of H-mode tokamak plasmas to the voltage measured in full flux azimuthal loops in the divertor region. We focus on plasmas in the Joint European Torus where a steady H-mode is sustained over several seconds, during which ELMs are observed in the Be II emission at the divertor. The ELMs analysed arise from intrinsic ELMing, in that there is no deliberate intent to control the ELMing process by external means. We use ELM timings derived from the Be II signal to perform direct time domain analysis of the full flux loop VLD2 and VLD3 signals, which provide a high cadence global measurement proportional to the voltage induced by changes in poloidal magnetic flux. Specifically, we examine how the time interval between pairs of successive ELMs is linked to the time-evolving phase of the full flux loop signals. Each ELM produces a clear early pulse in the full flux loop signals, whose peak time is used to condition our analysis. The arrival time of the following ELM, relative to this pulse, is found to fall into one of two categories: (i) prompt ELMs, which are directly paced by the initial response seen in the flux loop signals; and (ii) all other ELMs, which occur after the initial response of the full flux loop signals has decayed in amplitude. The times at which ELMs in category (ii) occur, relative to the first ELM of the pair, are clustered at times when the instantaneous phase of the full flux loop signal is close to its value at the time of the first ELM