Exhaust-Gas Pressure and Temperature Survey of F404-GE-400 Turbofan Engine

An exhaust-gas pressure and temperature survey of the General Electric F404-GE-400 turbofan engine was conducted in the altitude test facility of the NASA Lewis Propulsion System Laboratory. Traversals by a survey rake were made across the exhaust-nozzle exit to measure the pitot pressure and total temperature. Tests were performed at Mach 0.87 and a 24,000-ft altitude and at Mach 0.30 and a 30,000-ft altitude with various power settings from intermediate to maximum afterburning. Data yielded smooth pressure and temperature profiles with maximum jet temperatures approximately 1.4 in. inside the nozzle edge and maximum jet temperatures from 1 to 3 in. inside the edge. A low-pressure region located exactly at engine center was noted. The maximum temperature encountered was 3800 R

Synthesis of Kentucky’s Traveler Information Systems

After the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a dedicated phone number for real-time travel information services, the abbreviated 511 dialing code was founded in July 2000. The FCC reasoned that 511 services could reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, and the inefficient use of fossil fuels. 511 would, in turn, improve traveler safety. In 2010, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) mandated a set of requirements for systems that deliver real-time traffic information to the public. States DOTs were asked to comply with this mandate by November 2014. Many states, in addition to maintaining websites, also have dedicated mobile apps and a social media presence (e.g., one or multiple Twitter accounts) that communicate data on traffic and road conditions. Analysis of 511 usage data indicated that the number of phone calls received has dropped sharply since the mid-2000s. Conversely, the amount of traffic handled by KYTC’s websites and mobile apps has increased. Like the phone system, websites and mobile apps garner the most traffic during the winter months. Discussions with KYTC 511 stakeholders revealed that phone system will be less relevant — although necessary to maintain, particularly in rural areas. There was significant consensus among KYTC stakeholders about the strengths of the state’s current approach to delivering traffic information, and a number of improvements were put forward to enhance it in the future. A survey of Kentucky drivers revealed that a majority get their traffic information through digital content providers. Services such as Google and Waze are popular for retrieving maps and driving directions, while television and radio play an important role still, especially for the provision of information during hazardous weather. Government-provided services (i.e., 511, TRIMARC) are less popular among drivers, and only garner a fraction of the traffic of online services and traditional media. Discussions with other state DOTs revealed that many other states are currently in the process of rethinking their 511 and traveler information systems. Many plan to retool these over the next 2–3 years. While there was agreement among state DOTs that they will continue to provide authoritative traveler information, how they carry out this mandate is somewhat unclear

An investigation of angular stiffness and damping coefficients of an axial spline coupling in high-speed rotating machinery

This paper provided an opportunity to quantify the angular stiffness and equivalent viscous damping coefficients of an axial spline coupling used in high-speed turbomachinery. A unique test methodology and data reduction procedures were developed. The bending moments and angular deflections transmitted across an axial spline coupling were measured while a nonrotating shaft was excited by an external shaker. A rotor dynamics computer program was used to simulate the test conditions and to correlate the angular stiffness and damping coefficients. In addition, sensitivity analyses were performed to show that the accuracy of the dynamic coefficients do not rely on the accuracy of the data reduction procedures

Ce(OH)2Cl and lanthanide-substituted variants as precursors to redox-active CeO2 materials

The cerium(III) hydroxide chloride Ce(OH)2Cl crystallises directly as a polycrystalline powder from a solution of CeCl3·7H2O in poly(ethylene) glycol (Mn = 400) heated at 240 °C and is found to be isostructural with La(OH)2Cl, as determined from high-resolution synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (P21/m, a = 6.2868(2) Å, b = 3.94950(3) Å, c = 6.8740(3) Å, β = 113.5120(5)°). Replacement of a proportion of the cerium chloride in synthesis by a second lanthanide chloride yields a set of materials Ce1−xLnx(OH)2Cl for Ln = La, Pr, Gd, Tb. For La the maximum value of x is 0.2, with an isotropic expansion of the unit cell, but for the other lanthanides a wider composition range is possible, and the lattice parameters show an isotropic contraction with increasing x. Thermal decomposition of the hydroxide chlorides at 700 °C yields mixed-oxides Ce1−xLnxO2−δ that all have cubic fluorite structures with either expanded (Ln = La, Gd) or contracted (Ln = Pr, Tb) unit cells compared to CeO2. Scanning electron microscopy shows a shape memory effect in crystal morphology upon decomposition, with clusters of anisotropic sub-micron crystallites being seen in the precursor and oxide products. The Pr- and Tb-substituted oxides contain the substituent in a mixture of +3 and +4 oxidation states, as seen by X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy at the lanthanide LIII edges. The mixed oxide materials are examined using temperature programmed reduction in 10%H2 in N2, which reveals redox properties suitable for heterogeneous catalysis, with the Pr-substituted materials showing the greatest reducibility at lower temperature

Comparative analysis of lanthanide excited state quenching by electronic energy and electron transfer processes

The relative sensitivities of structurally related Eu(III) complexes to quenching by electron and energy transfer processes have been compared. In two sets of 9-coordinate complexes based on 1,4,7-triazacyclononane, the Eu emission lifetime decreased as the number of conjugated sensitising groups and the number of unbound ligand N atoms increased, consistent with photoinduced electron transfer to the excited Eu(III) ion that is suppressed by N-protonation. Quenching of the Eu 5D0 excited state may also occur by electronic energy transfer, and the quenching of a variety of 9-coordinate complexes by a cyanine dye with optimal spectral overlap occurs by an efficient FRET process, defined by a Förster radius (R0) value of 68 Å and characterised by second rate constants in the order of 109 M−1 s−1; these values were insensitive to changes in the ligand structure and to the overall complex hydrophilicity. Quenching of the Eu and Tb excited states by energy transfer to Mn(II) and Cu(II) aqua ions occurred over much shorter distances, with rate constants of around 106 M−1 s−1, owing to the much lower spectral overlap integral. The calculated R0 values were estimated to be between 2.5 to 4 Å in the former case, suggesting the presence of a Dexter energy transfer mechanism that requires much closer contact, consistent with the enhanced sensitivity of the rate of quenching to the degree of steric shielding of the lanthanide ion provided by the ligand

Adoption and Abandonment of Precision Soil Sampling in Cotton Production

Technology adoption in precision agriculture has received considerable attention, while abandonment has received little. Our objective was to identify factors motivating adoption and abandonment of precision soil sampling in cotton. Results indicate younger producers who farmed more cotton area, owned more of their cropland, planted more non-cotton area, used a computer, or used a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) were more likely to adopt precision soil sampling. Those with more cotton area or who owned livestock were more likely to abandon, while those who used precision soil sampling longer, used a PDA, or used variable-rate fertilizer application were less likely to abandon.Crop Production/Industries,

Examining the possible causal relationship between Lung Function, COPD and Alzheimers Disease. A Mendelian Randomization Study

RATIONALE: Large retrospective case-control studies have reported an association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), reduced lung function and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. However, it remains unclear if these diseases are causally linked, or due to shared risk factors. Conventional observational epidemiology suffers from unmeasured confounding and reverse causation. Additional analyses addressing causality are required. OBJECTIVES: To examine a causal relationship between COPD, lung function and Alzheimer’s disease. METHODS: Using two-sample Mendelian randomisation, we used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in a genome wide association study (GWAS) for lung function as instrumental variables (exposure). Additionally, we used SNPs discovered in a GWAS for COPD in those with moderate to very severe obstruction. The effect of these SNPs on Alzheimer’s disease (outcome) was taken from a GWAS based on a sample of 24 807 patients and 55 058 controls. RESULTS: We found minimal evidence for an effect of either lung function (OR: 1.02 per SD; 95% CI 0.91 to 1.13; p value 0.68) or liability for COPD on Alzheimer’s disease (OR: 0.97 per SD; 95% CI 0.92 to 1.03; p value 0.40). CONCLUSION: Neither reduced lung function nor liability COPD are likely to be causally associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, any observed association is likely due to unmeasured confounding. Scientific attention and health prevention policy may be better focused on overlapping risk factors, rather than attempts to reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease by targeting impaired lung function or COPD directly

Further Examination of the Geographic Range of Eriogonum corymbosum var. nilesii (Polygonaceae, Eriogoneae)

The wild buckwheat Eriogonum corymbosum is widely distributed throughout the southwestern United States, forming a complex of eight varieties. E. corymbosum var. nilesii is a predominantly yellow-flowered variant reported primarily from Clark Co., Nevada. A previous genetic study by our research group found that var. nilesii is genetically distinct from other E. corymbosum varieties, based on a limited number of populations. Here, we assess genetic variation in 14 newly sampled yellow-flowered populations from southern Nevada, southern Utah, and northern Arizona, and compare them to genetic variation in six populations of previously determined E. corymbosum varieties. Of the new populations, we identified four as var. nilesii, four as var. aureum, three as var. glutinosum, two as apparent hybrids involving vars. aureum and nilesii, and one as a more distantly related admixture involving E. thompsoniae. Our results extend the range and area of E. corymbosum var. nilesii considerably from that traditionally stated in the literature. However, this extended range is confined to the Mojave Desert region of southern Nevada, and the number of known populations remains limited

Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells targeted multidimensional switch for selective detection of HSO3− anion

A new ratiometric π-conjugated luminophore with donor-acceptor (D- π- A) network CM {(E)-2-(4-(2-(9-butyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)vinyl)benzylidine)malononitrile} has been synthesized by malononitrile conjugated carbazole dye with an intervening p-styryl spacer. Here, p-styryl conjugated malononitrile is used as a recognition site for the detection of HSO3− with a fast response time (within 50 s). In a mixed aqueous solution, CM reacts with HSO3− to give a new product 1-(9-butyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)-2-(4-(2, 2-dicyanovinyl)phenyl)ethane-1-sulfonic acid. The probe exhibits positive solvatofluorochromism with solid state red fluorescence. The restriction of intermolecular rotation of p-styryl conjugated malononitrile unit enhances the typical solid state fluorescence properties. The probe (CM and its corresponding aldehyde CA) also demonstrates a strong solvent dependence yielding blue to green to pink and even red fluorescence in commonly used organic solvents like n-hexane, toluene, diethyl ether (DEE), THF, DCM, Dioxane, CH3CN and MeOH. The chemodosimetric approach of HSO3− selectively takes place at the olefinic carbon exhibiting a prominent chromogenic as well as ratiometric fluorescence change with a 147 nm blue-shift in the fluorescence spectrum. CM can detect HSO3− as low as 1.21 × 10−8 M. Moreover, the CM can be successfully applied to detect intrinsically generated intracellular HSO3− in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). CM has shown sharp intensities (2628 ± 511.8) when the cells are HSO3− untreated. At green channel (at 486 nm) almost negligible fluorescence intensities are found (423 ± 127.5) for HSO3− untreated samples. However, the green fluorescence (2863 ± 427.5) increases significantly (p < 0.05), and simultaneously the red fluorescence gets significantly (p < 0.05) diminished (515 ± 113.2) after addition of HSO3−. The CM has been effectively utilized for evaluating the bisulfite ions in food samples as well. The concentrations of HSO3− in diluted sugar samples have been determined with the recovery of 97.6–9.12%

Storage of Burley Tobacco in Bales and Bundles

Bales and bundles of burley tobacco were stored for seven months from spring to fall. Leaves darkened during storage at all moisture levels and stalk positions with the exception of the bottom stalk position, which darkened only slightly. There was no difference in color change and dry weight loss between burley tobacco in bales and bundles. Normal and high moisture bales and bundles were often graded as unsound because of a deviant odor caused by bacterial activity. A bale weight loss of about 8% occurred at normal moisture with the loss being divided evenly between moisture and dry weight losse