4,119 research outputs found
High-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage systems for solar applications
Alkali and alkaline earth carbonate latent-heat storage salts, metallic containment materials, and thermal conductivity enhancement materials were investigated to satisfy the high temperature (704 to 871 C) thermal energy storage requirements of advanced solar-thermal power generation concepts are described. Properties of the following six salts selected for compatibility studies are given: three pure carbonates, K2CO3, Li2CO3 and Na2CO3; two eutectic mixtures, BaCO3/Na2CO3 and K2CO3/NaCO3, and one off-eutectic mixture of Na2CO3/K2CO3
Estimation of scots pine defoliation by the common pine sawfly (\u3ci\u3eDiprion pini\u3c/i\u3e L.) using multi-temporal radar data
In 1998-2001 Finland suffered the most severe insect outbreak ever recorded, over 500,000 hectares. The outbreak was caused by the common pine sawfly (Diprion pini L.). The outbreak has continued in the study area, Palokangas, ever since. To find a good method to monitor this type of outbreaks, the purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of multi-temporal ERS-2 and ENVISAT SAR imagery for estimating Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) defoliation. Three methods were tested: unsupervised k-means clustering, supervised linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and logistic regression. In addition, I assessed if harvested areas could be differentiated from the defoliated forest using the same methods. Two different speckle filters were used to determine the effect of filtering on the SAR imagery and subsequent results. The logistic regression performed best, producing a classification accuracy of 81.6% (kappa 0.62) with two classes (no defoliation, \u3e20% defoliation). LDA accuracy was with two classes at best 77.7% (kappa 0.54) and k-means 72.8 (0.46). In general, the largest speckle filter, 5 x 5 image window, performed best. When additional classes were added the accuracy was usually degraded on a step-by-step basis. The results were good, but because of the restrictions in the study they should be confirmed with independent data, before full conclusions can be made that results are reliable. The restrictions include the small size field data and, thus, the problems with accuracy assessment (no separate testing data) as well as the lack of meteorological data from the imaging dates
Long term ordering kinetics of the two dimensional q-state Potts model
We studied the non-equilibrium dynamics of the q-state Potts model in the
square lattice, after a quench to sub-critical temperatures. By means of a
continuous time Monte Carlo algorithm (non-conserved order parameter dynamics)
we analyzed the long term behavior of the energy and relaxation time for a wide
range of quench temperatures and system sizes. For q>4 we found the existence
of different dynamical regimes, according to quench temperature range. At low
(but finite) temperatures and very long times the Lifshitz-Allen-Cahn domain
growth behavior is interrupted with finite probability when the system stuck in
highly symmetric non-equilibrium metastable states, which induce activation in
the domain growth, in agreement with early predictions of Lifshitz [JETP 42,
1354 (1962)]. Moreover, if the temperature is very low, the system always gets
stuck at short times in a highly disordered metastable states with finite life
time, which have been recently identified as glassy states. The finite size
scaling properties of the different relaxation times involved, as well as their
temperature dependency are analyzed in detail.Comment: 10 pages, 17 figure
Prevention of endothelial dysfunction and thrombotic events in COVID-19 patients with familial hypercholesterolemia
Non peer reviewe
Mucormycosis and glucose-regulated protein 78 in COVID-19 : Amenable to statin treatment?
Non peer reviewe
Statins as Adjuvant Therapy for COVID-19 to Calm the Stormy Immunothrombosis and Beyond
Non peer reviewe
A thermodynamical fiber bundle model for the fracture of disordered materials
We investigate a disordered version of a thermodynamic fiber bundle model
proposed by Selinger, Wang, Gelbart, and Ben-Shaul a few years ago. For simple
forms of disorder, the model is analytically tractable and displays some new
features. At either constant stress or constant strain, there is a non
monotonic increase of the fraction of broken fibers as a function of
temperature. Moreover, the same values of some macroscopic quantities as stress
and strain may correspond to different microscopic cofigurations, which can be
essential for determining the thermal activation time of the fracture. We argue
that different microscopic states may be characterized by an experimentally
accessible analog of the Edwards-Anderson parameter. At zero temperature, we
recover the behavior of the irreversible fiber bundle model.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figure
Low 25-OH vitamin D levels at time of diagnosis and recurrence of ovarian cancer.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the correlation between 25-OH vitamin D and ovarian cancer as a diagnostic marker or recurrence disease marker. We studied the following: (1) 61 women without gynecologic diseases, (2) 45 women affected by benign ovarian disease, (3) 46 women with recent diagnosis of ovarian cancer, (4) 26 follow-up women with recurrent ovarian cancer, and (5) 32 follow-up women with stable ovarian cancer. The 25-OH vitamin D was quantified with LUMIPULSE® G 25-OH vitamin D on LUMIPULSE® G 1200 (Fujirebio, Japan). As a threshold value, identified by ROC curve analysis, 20.2 ng/mL (sensitivity 73.3 %, specificity 84 %) was chosen corresponding to the limit between sufficient and insufficient 25-OH vitamin D according to the WHO. Low 25-OH vitamin D levels were observed in 26 % of women without gynecologic diseases, in 80 % of women with recent diagnosis of ovarian cancer and in 24 % women affected by benign ovarian diseases (p < 0.001). The follow-up study showed an insufficient level of 25-OH vitamin D in 73 % women with recurrent ovarian cancer and in 47 % women with stable ovarian cancer (p < 0.0003). This study showed that patients with ovarian cancer are often insufficient in 25-OH vitamin D compared to women with benign ovarian diseases. The women with recurrent ovarian cancer presented more often low levels compared to women with stable ovarian cancer. This study suggests that 25-OH vitamin D, due to its antiproliferative properties, can be a good marker for ovarian cancer also
High-temperature molten salt thermal energy storage systems
The results of comparative screening studies of candidate molten carbonate salts as phase change materials (PCM) for advanced solar thermal energy storage applications at 540 to 870 C (1004 to 1600 F) and steam Rankine electric generation at 400 to 540 C (752 to 1004 F) are presented. Alkali carbonates are attractive as latent heat storage materials because of their relatively high storage capacity and thermal conductivity, low corrosivity, moderate cost, and safe and simple handling requirements. Salts were tested in 0.1 kWhr lab scale modules and evaluated on the basis of discharge heat flux, solidification temperature range, thermal cycling stability, and compatibility with containment materials. The feasibility of using a distributed network of high conductivity material to increase the heat flux through the layer of solidified salt was evaluated. The thermal performance of an 8 kWhr thermal energy storage (TES) module containing LiKCO3 remained very stable throughout 5650 hours and 130 charge/discharge cycles at 480 to 535 C (896 to 995 F). A TES utilization concept of an electrical generation peaking subsystem composed of a multistage condensing steam turbine and a TES subsystem with a separate power conversion loop was defined. Conceptual designs for a 100 MW sub e TES peaking system providing steam at 316 C, 427 C, and 454 C (600 F, 800 F, and 850 F) at 3.79 million Pa (550 psia) were developed and evaluated. Areas requiring further investigation have also been identified
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