The investigation of spices by use of instrumental neutron activation analysis

The spices consumed in the U.S. diet contain many elements other than the pure spice that many assume they eat. In particular, most of these spices contain radionuclides that are absorbed from the ground soil and water that contains trace contaminants. For this research, instrumental neutron-activation analysis (INAA) was used to determine the activities of U-235 fission products in common spices. Using this information, the concentrations of natural uranium in these spices and the doses to individuals consuming the spices were calculated. Nine spices and two standard reference materials were selected for analysis. The spices chosen were cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, oregano, thyme, cayenne, ginger, chili powder, and paprika. For comparison, NIST-certified "orchard leaves" and "spinach leaves" were used. The spices and standards were placed in polyethylene vials and heat-sealed. The samples were divided into irradiation groups of 30 seconds, 12 hours, and long irradiations of 10 to 12.8 hours. After irradiation, all samples were counted on an HPGe detector for time periods ranging between 10 minutes to 65 hours. After counting, the results were analyzed using Genie 2000 software. The Genie 2000 analysis revealed no detectable fission products for samples irradiated for 30 seconds or counted for short times. However, long counts revealed the high-yield U-235 fission products molybdenum-99 and what appeared to be cerium-144. However, after comparing the experimental values with the calculated values, it was determined that the experimental values of Ce-144 were not credible and the focus shifted solely toward Mo-99. From Mo-99 activities, uranium content could be calculated. Using this information, the committed dose equivalent (CDE) and the committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE) for ingestion of uranium was calculated. The CEDE values were based on an assumed ingestion of 6.5 grams of each spice per year. The doses from ingesting these spices ranged from CDE and CEDE doses of 4.31E-05 mSv and 3.08E-06 mSv, respectively. Based on these measurements consumption of these spices, even when combined, would not result in annual CDE or CEDE doses approaching the limits for the public of 50 mSv and 1 mSv, respectively, for a year of chronic ingestion

Intellectual capital reporting : an examination of local government in Victoria

The objective of this research is to examine how Victorian local government annual reports disclose information on intellectual capital. The idea of intellectual capital has become part of the working organisational vocabulary, and is widely held in management literature to be the pre-eminent economic resource and a key driver of efficiency, effectiveness and continual improvement in the private and public sectors. Under the recent Best Value Victoria policy, local governments are under increasing pressure to acquire and apply intellectual capital to improve responsiveness to community needs and meet cost and quality criteria. Annual reports exist as vehicles for communication, accountability and decision making. This study examines how the internal, external and human categories of intellectual capital are represented in the annual reports for the 2000 year for 77 of the 78 Victorian localgovernments. Using a matrix approach derived from Petty and Guthrie\u27s (2000) framework, content analysis is employed to examine the incidence and intensity with which specific elements of intellectual capital are reported. This research indicates that generally the content of annual reports have not provided clear and coherent representations of how local government in Victoria are developing, applying and measuring intellectual capital. The nature and extent of intellectual capital reporting varies considerably between councils, and the disclosure of the human elements of intellectual capital is particularly underdeveloped. The findings suggest that more research in this area is needed to determine the extent to which intellectual capital should be disclosed and whether the current paucity of disclosure stems from disinterest or technical problems. There is also the need for further research into the need to identify and describe elements of intellectual capital, and into effectivereporting strategies and techniques. This may lead to the development of a \u27best practice\u27 reporting model for intellectual capital. Furthermore, the preliminary investigations indicate a perceived need to raise the consciousness of public sectormanagers as to the existence of intellectual capital within their organisations, and ultimately lead to more informed and effective management of this asset. <br /

The investigation of spices by use of instrumental neutron activation analysis

The spices consumed in the U.S. diet contain many elements other than the pure spice that many assume they eat. In particular, most of these spices contain radionuclides that are absorbed from the ground soil and water that contains trace contaminants. For this research, instrumental neutron-activation analysis (INAA) was used to determine the activities of U-235 fission products in common spices. Using this information, the concentrations of natural uranium in these spices and the doses to individuals consuming the spices were calculated. Nine spices and two standard reference materials were selected for analysis. The spices chosen were cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, oregano, thyme, cayenne, ginger, chili powder, and paprika. For comparison, NIST-certified "orchard leaves" and "spinach leaves" were used. The spices and standards were placed in polyethylene vials and heat-sealed. The samples were divided into irradiation groups of 30 seconds, 12 hours, and long irradiations of 10 to 12.8 hours. After irradiation, all samples were counted on an HPGe detector for time periods ranging between 10 minutes to 65 hours. After counting, the results were analyzed using Genie 2000 software. The Genie 2000 analysis revealed no detectable fission products for samples irradiated for 30 seconds or counted for short times. However, long counts revealed the high-yield U-235 fission products molybdenum-99 and what appeared to be cerium-144. However, after comparing the experimental values with the calculated values, it was determined that the experimental values of Ce-144 were not credible and the focus shifted solely toward Mo-99. From Mo-99 activities, uranium content could be calculated. Using this information, the committed dose equivalent (CDE) and the committed effective dose equivalent (CEDE) for ingestion of uranium was calculated. The CEDE values were based on an assumed ingestion of 6.5 grams of each spice per year. The doses from ingesting these spices ranged from CDE and CEDE doses of 4.31E-05 mSv and 3.08E-06 mSv, respectively. Based on these measurements consumption of these spices, even when combined, would not result in annual CDE or CEDE doses approaching the limits for the public of 50 mSv and 1 mSv, respectively, for a year of chronic ingestion

Mineral Nutrient Recovery from Pyrolysis Co-Products

Pyrolysis is the thermo-chemical degradation of biomass in an oxygen-free environment to product liquid, gaseous, and solid co-products. The liquid co-product, known as bio-oil, can be used as a transportation fuel. The gaseous co-product, known as synthesis gas, can be used to power the pyrolysis reactor or other machinery. The solid co-product, known as bio-char, has been studied as an amendment to enhance soil physical and chemical properties and nutrient status. Although previous publications have described the beneficial effects of pyrolysis bio-char on soil physical and chemical properties, relatively little has been published on the recovery of mineral nutrients from pyrolysis co-products. This work quantified the recovery of feedstock nutrients (P, K, Ca, and Mg) and micronutrients (Na, Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn) from pyrolysis co-products from various feedstocks using three distinct pyrolysis reactor designs. The reactors comprised a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor and two fluidized-bed reactors located in College Station, TX and Wyndmoor, PA. Nutrient recoveries, on a feedstock basis, were calculated for a comparison of reactor efficiencies. In addition to nutrient recoveries, physical and chemical properties of input biomass and of bio-char generated by each reactor were characterized through ultimate and proximate analyses. For the fixed-bed reactor, results revealed variation among feedstocks for the recoveries of feedstock sources of macronutrients and Na, Fe, and Cu in pyrolysis co-products. Variation among species was also detected for the recoveries of feedstock sources of P, K, Ca, Mg, and Fe in pyrolysis co-products for samples pyrolyzed using the Wyndmoor reactor. For the College Station reactor, recoveries of feedstock sources of P, K, Ca, and Mg in pyrolysis co-products did not vary among species, but Zn did vary. Ultimate and proximate analyses of biomass and bio-chars generated by the three reactors revealed variation among species. Additionally, the results showed that the recovery of feedstock nutrients varied by reactor design. Statistical analysis revealed high correlations and linear relationships between the recovery of nutrients and reactor mass and energy efficiency and feedstock fiber properties

Mineral Nutrient Recovery from Pyrolysis Co-Products

Pyrolysis is the thermo-chemical degradation of biomass in an oxygen-free environment to product liquid, gaseous, and solid co-products. The liquid co-product, known as bio-oil, can be used as a transportation fuel. The gaseous co-product, known as synthesis gas, can be used to power the pyrolysis reactor or other machinery. The solid co-product, known as bio-char, has been studied as an amendment to enhance soil physical and chemical properties and nutrient status. Although previous publications have described the beneficial effects of pyrolysis bio-char on soil physical and chemical properties, relatively little has been published on the recovery of mineral nutrients from pyrolysis co-products. This work quantified the recovery of feedstock nutrients (P, K, Ca, and Mg) and micronutrients (Na, Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn) from pyrolysis co-products from various feedstocks using three distinct pyrolysis reactor designs. The reactors comprised a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor and two fluidized-bed reactors located in College Station, TX and Wyndmoor, PA. Nutrient recoveries, on a feedstock basis, were calculated for a comparison of reactor efficiencies. In addition to nutrient recoveries, physical and chemical properties of input biomass and of bio-char generated by each reactor were characterized through ultimate and proximate analyses. For the fixed-bed reactor, results revealed variation among feedstocks for the recoveries of feedstock sources of macronutrients and Na, Fe, and Cu in pyrolysis co-products. Variation among species was also detected for the recoveries of feedstock sources of P, K, Ca, Mg, and Fe in pyrolysis co-products for samples pyrolyzed using the Wyndmoor reactor. For the College Station reactor, recoveries of feedstock sources of P, K, Ca, and Mg in pyrolysis co-products did not vary among species, but Zn did vary. Ultimate and proximate analyses of biomass and bio-chars generated by the three reactors revealed variation among species. Additionally, the results showed that the recovery of feedstock nutrients varied by reactor design. Statistical analysis revealed high correlations and linear relationships between the recovery of nutrients and reactor mass and energy efficiency and feedstock fiber properties

The LOFAR Transients Pipeline

Current and future astronomical survey facilities provide a remarkably rich opportunity for transient astronomy, combining unprecedented fields of view with high sensitivity and the ability to access previously unexplored wavelength regimes. This is particularly true of LOFAR, a recently-commissioned, low-frequency radio interferometer, based in the Netherlands and with stations across Europe. The identification of and response to transients is one of LOFAR's key science goals. However, the large data volumes which LOFAR produces, combined with the scientific requirement for rapid response, make automation essential. To support this, we have developed the LOFAR Transients Pipeline, or TraP. The TraP ingests multi-frequency image data from LOFAR or other instruments and searches it for transients and variables, providing automatic alerts of significant detections and populating a lightcurve database for further analysis by astronomers. Here, we discuss the scientific goals of the TraP and how it has been designed to meet them. We describe its implementation, including both the algorithms adopted to maximize performance as well as the development methodology used to ensure it is robust and reliable, particularly in the presence of artefacts typical of radio astronomy imaging. Finally, we report on a series of tests of the pipeline carried out using simulated LOFAR observations with a known population of transients.Comment: 30 pages, 11 figures; Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Computing; Code at https://github.com/transientskp/tk

Integrated policy assessment and optimisation over multiple sustainable development goals in Eastern Africa

Heavy reliance on traditional biomass for household energy in eastern Africa has significant negative health and environmental impacts. The African context for energy access is rather different from historical experiences elsewhere as challenges in achieving energy access have coincided with major climate ambitions. Policies focusing on household energy needs in eastern Africa contribute to at least three sustainable development goals (SDGs): climate action, good health, and improved energy access. This study uses an integrated assessment model to simulate the impact of land policies and technology subsidies, as well as the interaction of both, on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, exposure to air pollution and energy access in eastern Africa under a range of socioeconomic pathways. We find that land policies focusing on increasing the sustainable output of biomass resources can reduce GHG emissions in the region by about 10%, but also slightly delay progress in health and energy access goals. An optimised portfolio of energy technology subsidies consistent with a global Green Climate Funds budget of 30-35 billion dollar, can yield another 10% savings in GHG emissions, while decreasing mortality related to air pollution by 20%, and improving energy access by up to 15%. After 2030, both land and technology policies become less effective, and more dependent on the overall development path of the region. The analysis shows that support for biogas technology should be prioritised in both the short and long term, while financing liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol technologies also has synergetic climate, health and energy access benefits. Instead, financing PV technologies is mostly relevant for improving energy access, while charcoal and to a lesser extend fuelwood technologies are relevant for curbing GHG emissions if their finance is linked to land policies. We suggest that integrated policy analysis is needed in the African context for simultaneously reaching progress in multiple SDGs.The authors thank Francesco Dalla Longa for his comments, and Brennan Bowman and Sebastien Huclin for their help with regard to data and methodology. This research is supported by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreements No. 642260 (TRANSrisk project) and No. 820846 (Paris Reinforce), and by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness MINECO through BC3 Maria de Maeztu excellence accreditation MDM-2017-0714. Dirk-Jan van de Ven and Jon Sampedro acknowledge financial support from the Ministry of the Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (ECO2015-68023). Jon Sampedro also acknowledges financial support from the Basque Government (PRE_2018_2_0076). Sha Yu was supported by the Global Technology Strategy Project (GTSP). The views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors alone

The Grizzly, November 14, 2002

Did you Miss the Election 2002? • Young Voters Ignore their Political Power • Ursinus Students Writing Kids Program Grant • History, Reminder Found in Veteran\u27s Day • Tartuffe Simply Delicious • Opinions: Are Dateds Worth It?; Homecoming: A Different Opinion; More Problems with Registration; Everclear Rocks Ursinus • Get Ready to Jazz: Ursinus Concert Band Style • Dateds: Worth the Dollar? • Everclear: Clearer than Ever • Exhibit Cases Return to Myrin Library • Men\u27s, Women\u27s Basketball Get Ready to Open Seasons • Roller Hockey Records First • Swim Team Opens Winter Season with a Win • Hot Dates for Collegeville Love Birds • Louie and his Band Rock U.C. • Meet the Ladies of Suites 106 and 204https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1525/thumbnail.jp

Particle-Hole Symmetry Breaking in the Pseudogap State of Bi2201

In conventional superconductors, a gap exists in the energy absorption spectrum only below the transition temperature (Tc), corresponding to the energy price to pay for breaking a Cooper pair of electrons. In high-Tc cuprate superconductors above Tc, an energy gap called the pseudogap exists, and is controversially attributed either to pre-formed superconducting pairs, which would exhibit particle-hole symmetry, or to competing phases which would typically break it. Scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) studies suggest that the pseudogap stems from lattice translational symmetry breaking and is associated with a different characteristic spectrum for adding or removing electrons (particle-hole asymmetry). However, no signature of either spatial or energy symmetry breaking of the pseudogap has previously been observed by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). Here we report ARPES data from Bi2201 which reveals both particle-hole symmetry breaking and dramatic spectral broadening indicative of spatial symmetry breaking without long range order, upon crossing through T* into the pseudogap state. This symmetry breaking is found in the dominant region of the momentum space for the pseudogap, around the so-called anti-node near the Brillouin zone boundary. Our finding supports the STM conclusion that the pseudogap state is a broken-symmetry state that is distinct from homogeneous superconductivity.Comment: Nature Physics advance online publication, 04/04/2010 (doi:10.1038/nphys1632) Author's version of the paper