Steam Turbine Risk Assessment - A Tool To Assist In Optimizing Inspection And Overhauls Of Industrial Steam Turbines.

LecturePg. 87-94There are currently no-or at best, very limited-industry guidelines or requirements on which to quantify the risk associated with turbine inspection intervals. Insurance industry data indicate that steam turbines are a major machinery loss item with underwriters. Thus, there are clear incentives to develop better tools within the industry to optimize the overhaul and inspection requirements for steam turbines. A steam turbine risk assessment project was initiated to develop a methodology to address the issue of optimization of overhauls by identifying and quantifying the risk associated with maintenance, operation, and engineering. Furthermore, this risk is related to the economic impact of the decision. The methodology followed is an adaptation of ASME RiskBased Inspection Guidelines. This process, in principle, has been previously applied in the petroleum industry for pressure vessel inspection. The process consists of five steps: • System definition • Qualitative risk assessment • Quantitative risk analysis, which includes failure modes, effects, and criticality analysis (FMECA) • Inspection program identification • Economic optimization. The result is incorporated into a computer model that will permit scenarios for individual turbines to be evaluated on a cost-riskbenefit basis. Beta testing is scheduled to begin in third quarter 1997

Cancer-Associated noncoding mutations affect RNA G-quadruplex-mediated regulation of gene expression

© 2017 The Author(s). Cancer is a multifactorial disease driven by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Many cancer driver mutations have been characterised in protein-coding regions of the genome. However, mutations in noncoding regions associated with cancer have been less investigated. G-quadruplex (G4) nucleic acids are four-stranded secondary structures formed in guanine-rich sequences and prevalent in the regulatory regions. In this study, we used published whole cancer genome sequence data to find mutations in cancer patients that overlap potential RNA G4-forming sequences in 5ⲠUTRs. Using RNAfold, we assessed the effect of these mutations on the thermodynamic stability of predicted RNA G4s in the context of full-length 5ⲠUTRs. Of the 217 identified mutations, we found that 33 are predicted to destabilise and 21 predicted to stabilise potential RNA G4s. We experimentally validated the effect of destabilising mutations in the 5ⲠUTRs of BCL2 and CXCL14 and one stabilising mutation in the 5ⲠUTR of TAOK2. These mutations resulted in an increase or a decrease in translation of these mRNAs, respectively. These findings suggest that mutations that modulate the G4 stability in the noncoding regions could act as cancer driver mutations, which present an opportunity for early cancer diagnosis using individual sequencing information.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

The Gemini NICI Planet-Finding Campaign

Our team is carrying out a multi-year observing program to directly image and characterize young extrasolar planets using the Near-Infrared Coronagraphic Imager (NICI) on the Gemini-South 8.1-meter telescope. NICI is the first instrument on a large telescope designed from the outset for high-contrast imaging, comprising a high-performance curvature adaptive optics system with a simultaneous dual-channel coronagraphic imager. Combined with state-of-the-art observing methods and data processing, NICI typically achieves ~2 magnitudes better contrast compared to previous ground-based or space-based programs, at separations inside of ~2 arcsec. In preparation for the Campaign, we carried out efforts to identify previously unrecognized young stars, to rigorously construct our observing strategy, and to optimize the combination of angular and spectral differential imaging. The Planet-Finding Campaign is in its second year, with first-epoch imaging of 174 stars already obtained out of a total sample of 300 stars. We describe the Campaign's goals, design, implementation, performance, and preliminary results. The NICI Campaign represents the largest and most sensitive imaging survey to date for massive (~1 Mjup) planets around other stars. Upon completion, the Campaign will establish the best measurements to date on the properties of young gas-giant planets at ~5-10 AU separations. Finally, Campaign discoveries will be well-suited to long-term orbital monitoring and detailed spectrophotometric followup with next-generation planet-finding instruments.Comment: Proceedings of the SPIE, vol 7736 (Advances in Adaptive Optics, San Diego, CA, June 2010 meeting), in pres

MP755: Eastern Regional Potato Trials 2003: Summary of NE1014 Regional Project Field Testing of New Potato Clones

The objectives of this regional potato trial are (1) to develop pest-resistant, early-maturing, long-dormant potato varieties that will process from cold storage; (2) to evaluate new and specialty variet­ies developed in the Northeast; (3) to determine climatic effects on performance to develop pre­dictive models for potato improvement; and (4) determine heritability/linkage relationships and improve the genetic base of tetraploid cultivated varieties. The results presented in this report reflect a portion of the activity directed toward objectives 1, 2 and 3.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_miscpubs/1020/thumbnail.jp

MP756: Eastern Regional Potato Trials 2004: Summary of NE1014 Regional Project Field Testing of New Potato Clones

The objectives of this regional potato trial are (1) to develop pest-resistant, early-maturing, long-dormant potato varieties that will process from cold storage; (2) to evaluate new and specialty variet­ies developed in the Northeast; (3) to determine climatic effects on performance to develop pre­dictive models for potato improvement; and (4) determine heritability/linkage relationships and improve the genetic base of tetraploid cultivated varieties. The results presented in this report reflect a portion of the activity directed toward objectives 1, 2 and 3.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_miscpubs/1019/thumbnail.jp

MP757: Eastern Regional Potato Trials 2005: Summary of NE1014 Regional Project Field Testing of New Potato Clones

The objectives of this regional potato trial are (1) to develop pest-resistant, early-maturing, long-dormant potato varieties that will process from cold storage; (2) to evaluate new and specialty variet­ies developed in the Northeast; (3) to determine climatic effects on performance to develop pre­dictive models for potato improvement; and (4) determine heritability/linkage relationships and improve the genetic base of tetraploid cultivated varieties. The results presented in this report reflect a portion of the activity directed toward objectives 1, 2 and 3.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_miscpubs/1018/thumbnail.jp

MP758: East Regional Potato Trials 2006: Summary of NE1014 Regional Project Field Testing of New Potato Clones

The objectives of this regional potato trial are (1) to develop pest-resistant, early-maturing, long-dormant potato varieties that will process from cold storage; (2) to evaluate new and specialty variet­ies developed in the Northeast; (3) to determine climatic effects on performance to develop pre­dictive models for potato improvement; and (4) determine heritability/linkage relationships and improve the genetic base of tetraploid cultivated varieties. The results presented in this report reflect a portion of the activity directed toward objectives 1, 2 and 3.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_miscpubs/1017/thumbnail.jp

MP760: East Regional Potato Trials 2007: Summary of NE1014 Regional Project Field Testing of New Potato Clones

The objectives of this regional potato trial are (1) to develop pest-resistant, early-maturing, long-dormant potato varieties that will process from cold storage; (2) to evaluate new and specialty variet­ies developed in the Northeast; (3) to determine climatic effects on performance to develop pre­dictive models for potato improvement; and (4) determine heritability/linkage relationships and improve the genetic base of tetraploid cultivated varieties. The results presented in this report reflect a portion of the activity directed toward objectives 1, 2 and 3.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_miscpubs/1016/thumbnail.jp