65 research outputs found
Non destructive testing of medium and high voltage cables with a transportable radiography system
A power cable is the most important part in a power transmission system. The cables must be total quality dedicated andcertified for development, manufacturing and installation, however are exposed to a corrosive environment. The purpose ofthis paper is to show that the fast neutron radiography with a transportable system is a solution to find defects in the cablesand reduce the cost of inspection. The design, regarding the materials considered, was compatible with the European UnionDirective on “Restriction of Hazardous Substances” (RoHS) 2002/95/EC, hence excluding the use of cadmium and lead.Wide width values for the collimator ratio were calculated. With suitable collimator design it was possibly to optimize theneutron radiography parameters. Finally the shielding design was examined closely. The proposed system has been simulatedusing the MCNPX code
Study of a Wind/PV/Battery hybrid system – Case study at Plaka in Greece
The primary objective of this study is to determine the optimum hybrid system able to supply the necessary electrical
load of a typical community in a remote location in Greece. The renewable energy systems were comprised of different
combinations of PV modules and wind turbines supplemented with battery storage. A software tool, HOMER is used for
the analysis. The hybrid system analysis has showed that the minimum cost of energy is 0.268 $/kWh with 10% annual
capacity of shortage. The optimum hybrid system is comprised of 1.5 kW PV array, 1 wind generator, 3 kW power
converter and 14 storage batteries
On 3D Reconstruction of Porous Media by Using Spatial Correlation Functions
The challenging process of 3D porous media reconstruction from a single 2D image is investigated in this paper. The
reconstruction of the 3D model is based on the statistical information derived from a 2D thin image of the material, by
applying a spatial correlation function. For the first time, this paper reviews the commonly used auto-correlation
functions for material characterization and discusses their properties making them useful for 3D porous media
reconstruction. A set of experiments is conducted in order to analyze the reconstruction capabilities of the studied
correlation functions, while some useful conclusions are drawn. Finally, by taking into account the reconstruction
performance of the existed correlation functions, some desirable properties that need to be satisfied by an ideal
correlation function towards the improvement of the reconstruction accuracy are determined
Tumor Heterogeneity of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 3 (FGFR3) Mutations in Invasive Bladder Cancer: Implications for Peri-Operative anti-FGFR3 Treatment
Background: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) is an actionable target in bladder cancer. Preclinical studies show that anti-FGFR3 treatment slows down tumor growth, suggesting that this tyrosine kinase receptor is a candidate for personalized bladder cancer treatment, particularly in patients with mutated FGFR3. We addressed tumor heterogeneity in a large multicenter, multi-laboratory study, as this may have significant impact on therapeutic response. Patients: and methods We evaluated possible FGFR3 heterogeneity by the PCR-SNaPshot method in the superficial and deep compartments of tumors obtained by transurethral resection (TUR, n = 61) and in radical cystectomy (RC, n = 614) specimens and corresponding cancer-positive lymph nodes (LN+, n = 201).Results: We found FGFR3 mutations in 13/34 (38%) T1 and 8/27 (30%) ≥T2-TUR samples, with 100% concordance between superficial and deeper parts in T1-TUR samples. Of eight FGFR3 mutant ≥T2-TUR samples, only 4 (50%) displayed the mutation in the deeper part. We found 67/614 (11%) FGFR3 mutations in RC specimens. FGFR3 mutation was associated with pN0 (P < 0.001) at RC. In 10/201 (5%) LN+, an FGFR3 mutation was found, all concordant with the corresponding RC specimen. In the remaining 191 cases, RC and LN+ were both wild type.Conclusions: FGFR3 mutation status seems promising to guide decision-making on adjuvant anti-FGFR3 therapy as it appeared homogeneous in RC and LN+. Based on the results of TUR, the deep part of the tumor needs to be assessed if neoadjuvant anti-FGFR3 treatment is considered. We conclude that studies on the heterogeneity of actionable molecular targets should precede clinical trials with these drugs in the perioperative setting
Administration of zoledronic acid enhances the effects of docetaxel on growth of prostate cancer in the bone environment
BACKGROUND: After development of hormone-refractory metastatic disease, prostate cancer is incurable. The recent history of chemotherapy has shown that with difficult disease targets, combinatorial therapy frequently offers the best chance of a cure. In this study we have examined the effects of a combination of zoledronic acid (ZOL), a new-generation bisphosphonate, and docetaxel on LuCaP 23.1, a prostate cancer xenograft that stimulates the osteoblastic reaction when grown in the bone environment. METHODS: Intra-tibial injections of LuCaP 23.1 cells were used to generate tumors in the bone environment, and animals were treated with ZOL, docetaxel, or a combination of these. Effects on bone and tumor were evaluated by measurements of bone mineral density and histomorphometrical analysis. RESULTS: ZOL decreased proliferation of LuCaP 23.1 in the bone environment, while docetaxel at a dose that effectively inhibited growth of subcutaneous tumors did not show any effects in the bone environment. The combination of the drugs significantly inhibited the growth of LuCaP 23.1 tumors in the bone. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the use of the osteolysis-inhibitory agent ZOL in combination with docetaxel inhibits growth of prostate tumors in bone and represents a potential treatment option
The comparison of four neutron sources for Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) in vivo detections of boron
AN EVALUATION OF THE FACTORS INFLUENCE THE ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION FROM BIOMASS IN THE CERTAIN AREA OF KAVALA-GREECE
ABSTRACT This paper deals with the issue of whether then are benefits in establishing an electric power production plant (EPPP) using biomass as fuel in a certain geographical area (prefecture of Kavala/ Greece) taking into account nine certain factors that strongly influence and determine the final decision about the capacity/size and viability/feasibility of the EPPP unit proposed. Using the M. Falia Model we concluded that a certain capacity's EPPP can be established in prefecture of Kavala being viable and profitable. The nine factors used in the model are: 1. The extent of area capable to produce the biomass required for the EPPP operation; 2. The quantity of biomass required; 3. The plant mix of biomass; 4. The quality of biomass defined international standards; 5. The net thermal value 6. The ex-factory total unit cost of biomass used as «fuel»; 7. The environmental benefits quantified by us; 8. The total investment cost for the EPPP; 9. The real discount rate or International Rate of Return (IRR). The model uses the EPPP capacity as dependent variable and the nine factors as independent ones, resulted in an optimal solution about the feasibility of establishing an EPPP unit in the certain area of Kavala prefecture
On the Archiving and Visualisation of Scientific Data
Porous materials are important in gas separations and catalysis. Processes involving the use of porous materials have
significant potential for replacement of traditional and expensive industrial processes. This publication details the
development of a comprehensive database for organising information related to porous materials. The data includes
structural information on the material, its properties and the experimental data obtained for the material in the laboratory,
using a wide variety of characterisation techniques. The rational behind the development, the database structure, and a
technique for visualisation of the data are presented, as are examples of using the database
823Risk of non significant prostate cancer in prostate cancer patients diagnosed by an extended prostate needle biopsy procedure and treated by radical prostatectomy
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