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Optical interferometers on the ground, like ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) and the Keck Interferometer, and in space, like the InfraRed Space Interferometer (IRSI/Darwin) and the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM), will bring a major breakthrough in optical and near-infrared high angular resolution astronomy at the beginning of the next millennium. These instruments are complex systems with an exceptionally interdisciplinary character involving active/adaptive optics, structural mechanics, control engineering, electronics and various environmental disturbances (e.g. atmospheric turbulence and absorption, wind, seismic noise). For their design and development an approach from two sides is appropriate: laboratory testbeds are used for experimental investigations while numerical modeling tools perform an End-to-End instrument simulation. We have developed a set of numerical modeling tools to simulate the dynamic imaging process of an interferometer. The time-dependent point spread function (PSF) mainly characterizes the imaging performance of the instrument. It is computed by an optomechanical model. Based on the knowledge of the PSF the image of an incoherently radiating extended object is computed using a Fourier optical method. This article describes the modeling approach including an extension to more than two interferometric beams. Some results of simulations on the VLTI as a representative example are shown.

A new large area, high power rf source for negative ion beam systems has been developed. The source operates very reliably and has the potential for long pulse operation. Current densities up to 15 mA/cm2 could be extracted with a cold plasma grid at 0.65 Pa source pressure. By pure volume production 9 mA/cm2 current density at the same pressure level has been achieved with the addition of argon to the source operating gas.

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) are increasingly applied to support patients with advanced cardiac failure. While the benefit of VADs in supporting this patient group is clear, substantial morbidity and mortality occur during the VAD implant period due to thromboembolic and infective complications. Efforts at the University of Pittsburgh aimed at evaluating the blood biocompatibility of VADs in the clinical, animal, and in vitro setting over the past decade are summarized. Emphasis is placed on understanding the mechanisms of thrombosis and thromboembolism associated with these devices.

The use of rf ion sources in neutral beam injection (NBI) systems offers reduced maintenance and cost due to the absence of filaments. For the first time high-power rf positive ion sources have been put in operation recently in a real NBI system on a tokamak. The performance of the new system is equivalent to that of a conventional one with arc discharge sources. Due to the relevance for ITER, rf sources are also being investigated in context with negative ions: 8.5 mA/cm2 H− have been achieved so far in a non-optimised version.

The decay rate of the neutral K meson KL→e+e−γ has been measured with the NA48 detector at the CERN SPS. A total of 6864 events has been observed with an estimated background of 10 events. The branching ratio is Γ(KL→e+e−γ)/Γ(KL→all) = (1.06±0.02stat±0.02sys±0.04calc)×10−5. The parameter α K ∗ describing the relative strength of the two contributing amplitudes to this decay through intermediate pseudoscalar or vector mesons was measured to be α K ∗ =−0.36±0.06stat±0.02sys.

The final success of the ITER project will be determined decisively by the appropriate combination of plasma heating and current drive systems to be chosen in the near future. Motivated by the remarkable progress in the heating area, but also in view of still existing major issues with respect to the requirements of ITER, this paper tries to give a fair assessment of the status and perspectives of the four H&CD systems presently under discussion: electron cyclotron waves (ECW), ion cyclotron waves (ICW), lower hybrid waves (LH) and neutral beam injection (NBI). Following a pertaining analysis of an EU ad hoc group it can be concluded that all systems, in spite of the remarkable achievements at the various fusion experiments, will not meet all ITER requirements and need further development and investigations in all four cases. Particular needs or even severe problems arise from both the more stringent technical constraints (e.g. reduced area available for H&CD installation, larger plasma distance of H&CD components, radiological implications, etc) and the increasing need to also explore steady-state operation eventually in `advanced scenarios' in ITER. Resulting H&CD issues or problems will be addressed, such as not sufficiently qualified RF sources, problems in connection with the plasma-facing RF-coupling structures, or the still unsatisfactory status of negative ion technology in the case of NBI. Stationary current drive (with prescribed radial profile and at acceptable efficiency) and the related various control functions seem the greatest challenge for `advanced' ITER operation and further steps beyond it.

BACKGROUND In a German multicenter questionnaire, answered by 89 departments, we had examined the strategies to prevent or to treat the acute morbidity of the skin and mucosa associated to radiation therapy. In this work, the recommendations from the literature are compared to the results of the questionnaire. METHODS An extensive research on common data information systems (Medline, Cancerlit, DIMDI and others) was performed. The criteria included the organ related morbidity and therapeutic strategies for its reduction. The obtained data were compared to the results from the questionnaire. RESULTS The study data found by the research often demonstrate small patient numbers and little convincing results. However, as in the questionnaire, the joint principle seems to be the reduction of acute inflammatory tissue reaction by evasion of bacterial and mycotic overgrowth and reduction of exo- and endogenous toxins. CONCLUSIONS Further studies with more convincing results are required.

The regulatory framework demands the recording of baseline values to detect GMO effects either prior to the market release of the GMO or in a parallel recording of references. One of the main tasks of General Surveillance is to reveal long-term GMO effects. Variability between varieties, shifts in variety spectra, agricultural practice etc. will cause continuous and long-term changes in ecological characters that are typically influenced by cropping regimes. Moreover, several research data on biodiversity showed that GMO effects were hardly detectable within mid-term periods.

The results of an optical monitoring campaign on the active nucleus in the luminous Seyfert 1 galaxy Fairall 9 are presented. This campaign was undertaken in parallel with ultraviolet spectroscopic moni- toring with the IUE satellite which is described in a separate paper. The primary purpose of this program is to measure the response times (or "" lags II) of the emission lines to continuum variations and thus to extend the range in luminosity of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) for which such measurements have been made. The main conclusions of this work are as follows: 1. Continuum (at 5340 variations of amplitude D12% are detected on timescales as short as D20 Ae ) days. These variations are much larger than the typical uncertainties in the measurements, which are of order D2%. Over D94 days, a factor of 2 change in the nuclear continuum was observed. 2. The optical continuum light curve resembles that of the UV continuum, showing two "" events II of low-amplitude variations with a duration of D70 days and with no measurable lag between the UV and optical continuum light curves. The UV data show a third larger amplitude event that occurred after the optical monitoring had terminated and unfortunately went unobserved in the optical. 3. The Hb emission-line Nux also underwent signi-cant, low-amplitude ("20%) variations. Cross- correlation analysis reveals that Hb lags behind the UV continuum by about 23 days, a value much smaller than what was previously suggested by earlier variability studies. However, this small lag is con- sistent with the lags for the UV lines during this campaign in the sense that the Hb lag is approximately 50% larger than that of Ly aj 1216, as it has been found for lower luminosity AGNs. 4. The Hb di†erence pro-le produced by subtracting the low-state from the high-state data can be described as a two-component structure with blue and red components of similar width (D2500 km s~1) and that appear to vary in phase. Subject headings: galaxies: active E galaxies: individual (Fairall 9) E galaxies: nuclei E galaxies: Seyfert

Customer service has long been recognized as a critical indicator of organizational health. By examining the best practices of organizations that have earned a reputation for outstanding customer service, managers can learn the secrets of customer retention and ensure the long-term success of their firms. This article details the winning techniques used by three leading companies that participated in a study of customer care best practices, thus pointing the way to success in a competitive environment.

Cooling and aeration improve or maintain desired quality of pelleted feed products. Byknowing the resistance to airflow through feed products, fans can be selected to efficiently achieveproper aeration. Extensive data defining the relationship between airflow and pressure drop per unitdepth of material has been published for several types of biological material. There is not muchinformation on the resistance to airflow of pelleted feed products. This study focuses on airresistance through four pelleted product sizes (4.0 mm, 6.7 mm, and 19.4 mm diameters and 33.2 x34.9 mm cubes). Data has been published for sizes similar to the 6.7 mm pellets and the cubes, butno data is available for the other two sizes. Three bin shapes (round, square, rectangular) containingequal airflow areas were tested. A loose and a packed fill were also tested for each product sizeexcept for the cubes, which was tested at a loose fill only. The data obtained was well representedby Shedd's equation. The shape of the bin proved to be insignificant. The pressure drop increasedwith the packed fill over the loose fill, but, graphically. the variation of airflow to pressure dropappeared to be the same for both conditions.

A variable displacement hydraulic pump/motor with high efficiency at all operating conditions, including low displacement, is beneficial to multiple applications. Two major energy loss terms in conventional pumps are the friction and lubrication leakage in the kinematic joints. This paper presents the synthesis, analysis, and experimental validation of a variable displacement sixbar crank-rocker-slider mechanism that uses low friction pin joints instead of planar joints as seen in conventional variable pump/motor architectures. The novel linkage reaches true zero displacement with a constant top dead center position, further minimizing compressibility energy losses. The synthesis technique develops the range of motion for the base fourbar crank-rocker and creates a method of synthesizing the output slider dyad. It is shown that the mechanism can be optimized for minimum footprint and maximum stroke with a minimum base fourbar transmission angle of 30 deg and a resultant slider transmission angle of 52 deg. The synthesized linkage has a dimensionless stroke of 2.1 crank lengths with a variable timing ratio and velocity and acceleration profiles in the same order of magnitude as a comparable crank-slider mechanism. The kinematic and kinetic results from an experimental prototype linkage agree well with the model predictions.

Frailty is a multidimensional phenotype that describes declining physical function and a vulnerability to adverse outcomes in the setting of physical stress such as illness or hospitalization. Phase angle is a composite measure of tissue resistance and reactance measured via bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Whether phase angle is associated with frailty and mortality in the general population is unknown.To evaluate associations among phase angle, frailty and mortality.Population-based survey.Third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (1988-1994).In all, 4,667 persons aged 60 and older.Frailty was defined according to a set of criteria derived from a definition previously described and validated.Narrow phase angle (the lowest quintile) was associated with a four-fold higher odds of frailty among women and a three-fold higher odds of frailty among men, adjusted for age, sex, race-ethnicity and comorbidity. Over a 12-year follow-up period, the adjusted relative hazard for mortality associated with narrow phase angle was 2.4 (95 % confidence interval [95 % CI] 1.8 to 3.1) in women and 2.2 (95 % CI 1.7 to 2.9) in men. Narrow phase angle was significantly associated with mortality even among participants with little or no comorbidity.Analyses of BIA and frailty were cross-sectional; BIA was not measured serially and incident frailty during follow-up was not assessed. Participants examined at home were excluded from analysis because they did not undergo BIA.Narrow phase angle is associated with frailty and mortality independent of age and comorbidity.

Abstract Understanding pore pressure prediction in unconventional plays is important for executing a safe drilling strategy and for accurate production modeling. Experience from several unconventional plays highlights key aspects of pore pressure prediction work that are different from conventional exploration settings. In conventional exploration, the most common source of overpressure is disequilibrium compaction, where porosity is preserved in mudrocks as pore fluids take on additional overburden load. Traditional petrophysical methods use resistivity, sonic and density data to measure porosity and associate it with vertical effective stress (VES), which is overburden minus pore pressure. In unconventional plays, secondary pressure mechanisms and uplift require other methods because of two influences on pore pressure:hydrocarbon generation andvariations in burial and uplift history. Both of these situations mean that the relationships between vertical effective stress (VES), velocity, density and resistivity will follow unloading paths, not compaction trends. The unloading paths vary depending on the amount of hydrocarbon generated and the amount of uplift. In organic-rich sections, an additional complication arises because pore pressure cannot be de-convolved from total organic carbon (TOC) and gas effects on shale compressional velocity and resistivity. In conventional settings, fluid gradients and contacts are used to translate measured pressure data from one location to another. In unconventional tight reservoirs, the fluids are not connected and this method will not work. Pressure data must be inferred from drilling event and diagnostic fracture injection test interpretations, and a different way to translate data between locations is required. The majority of pressure data in unconventional reservoirs shows that often, the way to translate pressure information from one location to another in the same tight rocks is to use a constant VES. This method combined with understanding variations in uplift history and hydrocarbon generation has been used to successfully predict pressure ranges in multiple unconventional plays. Introduction Unconventional resources plays in shale and tight rocks have become a substantial resource in North America. They are now rapidly being explored and developed outside the United States and Canada in a trend that will likely continue to grow. To economically develop these plays, wells must be drilled as cost effective as possible. To produce from these plays and forecast production, the mechanical properties of the rocks and their stress conditions need to be understood to best stimulate and complete the wells. Pore pressure prediction is integral to both of these activities.

A lower limit to the distance of the high-velocity cloud (HVC) complex A of 4 kpc (z > 3 kpc) is derived. The HVC is detected toward the Seyfert galaxy Mrk 106 in Mg n ΛΛ2796, 2803 absorption spectra taken with Hubble Space Telescope (HST) proving that Mg+ is present in the cloud. It is not detected in the Mg ii spectra of two stars, PG 0859 + 593 (distance 4 kpc) and PG 0906 + 597 (distance 0.7 kpc). The distances to the stars are derived by matching Stromgren photometry and intermediate-resolution spectroscopy with model stellar atmospheres; they are estimated to be accurate to within 1 kpc. From a combination of Effelsberg data and Westerbork maps with 2' or 3' resolution, we show that the H i column density and thus the Mg+ abundance in the direction of the two stars is sufficiently high for the nondetections to imply that the HVC is behind the stars. This distance limit can be used to eliminate several recent models for complex A that placed it nearby.We also derive a distance bracket of 1.7 < d < 4 kpc (1.1 < z < 3 kpc) for an intermediate-velocity cloud (IVC) at velocities of about –50 km s–1. This IVC was named the Low-Latitude Intermediate-Velocity Arch by Kuntz & Danly and is seen between l = 120°-160° and b = 30°-45°.

Aqueous geochemical data from unconfined sand aquifers beneath two operating domestic septic systems are used to illustrate and evaluate a conceptual model of septic-system geochemistry. This model emphasizes the changing redox and alkalinity conditions in the septic system and the subsurface. The septic-tank effluents flow as distinct plumes downward through the unsaturated zones and then primarily laterally in the ground-water zones. The composition of the effluent was measured at several points in each system. At each site, the septic-tank effluent underwent aerobic oxidation in the unsaturated zone, which caused conversion of NH4+ to NO3−, organic C to CO2 and organic S to SCh42-. At the first site, calcium carbonate dissolution in the unsaturated zone buffered the acidity released by the redox reactions. In contrast, the second system was poorly buffered and the pH dropped from 6.7 to 4.9 as aerobic oxidation occurred. Below the water table a small amount of aerobic oxidation occurred at each site. Nitrate-N concentrations in the cores of both plumes were above 25 mg/1 as the plumes traveled from the septic systems. At the second site, the ground-water plume discharges to a river at the edge of the property. As the effluent flowed through the organic C-rich sediments of the river bed, NO3− disappeared and alkalinity increased, presumably due to denitrification. Differences in sediment composition at the two sites also led to different behaviors of Fe, Al, and possibly PO43-. The conceptual model offers an organized approach to interpreting the major geochemical trends observed in the two systems, which are determined mostly by the well-aerated unsaturated zones below the drain fields and the amount of buffering material present in the sediments.

A new drying technique for thin films of colloidal slurries and solutions has been proposed and evaluated. A bench-top representation of the proposed drying system was constructed to test feasibility and performance. Preliminary tests showed that a water-vapor permeable drying surface may be an attractive alternative to traditional thin-film drying methods. Four experiments, using modified corn, potato, and rice starch films, were conducted. The advantages of the new drying method were twofold—the process of dehydration is much faster than traditional methods, and the quality of the final product may be improved as a result of lower solids temperatures.

Recent experiments with a radio frequency (rf) driven ion source for the production of negative hydrogen ions have shown that the previously observed improvement in the H− ion current by the admixture of argon is a beam optics effect, rather than an ion production effect. The plasma flow from the driver to the expansion volume causes a pressure gradient in the source. In a caesiated source the efficiency is no longer a function of the source pressure, but low pressure operation is limited by rf coupling. Using an internal coil to provide the filter field required in negative ion sources has no negative effect on source efficiency.

Negative hydrogen ion production by volume process and its transport in a negative hydrogen ion source has been simulated by a combination of three three-dimensional Monte Carlo codes: (1) neutral transport, (2) negative hydrogen ion production, and (3) negative hydrogen ion transport. Neutral transport code has been used to calculate the spatially resolved density spectrum nv of the vibrationally excited H2 molecules. With the negative hydrogen ion production code, the production and distribution of H− ion density n− in the discharge volume has been calculated. And with the negative hydrogen ion transport code, the calculation of the survival probability of H− ions up to the extraction grid has been carried out. In all cases, the experimentally observed plasma parameters, as well as background gas density and temperature profiles, are inputs during trajectory calculation. It has been found that the negative ion density is almost uniform from the ion production zone (driver) to the grid. However, H− ions,...

We thank Dr Nikpour for her comment1 concerning our recent publication ‘Remission in systemic lupus erythematosus: durable remission is rare’.2 We agree …

Background Remission is the ultimate goal in SLE. However, after more than 50 years of research on this topic, no agreement on the definition of remission has been widely accepted. Developing definition(s) of remission was one of the primary research recommendations of the treat-to-target (T2T/SLE) international task force. Definitions of remission were agreed on by an international collaboration from the DORIS working group [1]. Objectives In this study, we applied four DORIS definitions of remission to a large cohort to determine the time to remission, duration of remission and predictors of remission. Methods The four DORIS definitions of remission are Clinical Remission, Complete Remission, Clinical ROT (remission on treatment) and Complete ROT. Any definition requires the clinical Systemic Lupus Disease Activity Index (cSLEDAI), meaning without serology, to be 0 and the Physician Global Assessment (PGA) to be Results The median time to remission is 8.7, 11, 1.8 and 3.1 years for Clinical Remission, Complete Remission, Clinical ROT and Complete ROT, respectively. High baseline treatment is the major predictor of a longer time to remission, followed by high baseline activity (Figure). The median duration of remission is just three months. Surprisingly, this is quite similar for all the definitions. African-American ethnicity, baseline low C3 and baseline hematologic activity are negative predictors for time to remission for all definitions. Baseline anti-dsDNA and baseline low C4 are negative predictors for Complete Remission and for Complete ROT. Baseline low C4 is also a negative predictor for Clinical Remission. In multivariable models, income and education were not significant after controlling for race. Furthermore, we did not find a significant association for sex, age group and the use of hydroxychloroquine. Conclusions Our results provide further insights into the frequency and duration of remission in SLE and call attention to the major role of baseline activity and baseline treatment in predicting remission. References van Vollenhoven RF, Aranow C, Bertsias G, et al., Remission in SLE: consensus findings from a large international panel on definitions of remission in SLE (DORIS). Ann Rheum Dis 2015;73:671 Disclosure of Interest None declared

The feasibility of saving energy by recirculating drying air in batch dehydrators was tested. Peaches and apples received treatments of four constant recirculation rates (0, 25, 50, and 75%). The total energy use for drying was reduced by 53% when drying peaches and 46% when drying apples with 75% recirculated air. Total drying times were almost the same for all recirculation rates. The results also suggested that even higher fixed recirculation rates could further optimize the drying system for greater energy savings.

This paper presents a conceptual model, developed by synthesizing the results of many researchers, which describes the geochemical evolution of domestic waste water in conventional on-site septic systems as the result of the interactions of a few major constituents. As described by the model, the evolution of waste water is driven by the microbially catalyzed redox reactions involving organic C and N in waste water and occurs in as many as three different redox zones. Anaerobic digestion of organic matter and production of CO2, CH4, and NH4+ predominate in the first zone, which consists mainly of the septic tank. In the second zone, gaseous diffusion through the unsaturated sediments of the drain field supplies O2 for aerobic oxidation of organic C and NH4+ and a consequent decrease in waste-water alkalinity. The NO3− formed by NH4+ oxidation in this zone is the primary adverse impact of septic systems at most sites and is generally an unavoidable consequence of the proper functioning of conventional septic systems. If adequate O2 is not available in the drain field, aerobic digestion is incomplete, and the accumulation of organic matter may cause septic-system failure. In the third redox zone, NO3 is reduced to N2 by the anaerobic process of denitrification. However, this setting is rarely found below septic systems due to a lack of labile organic C in the natural setting. Consideration of the changing redox and pH conditions in each zone aids our understanding of the fate of other constituents in septic systems.

Monitoring the septic system at a single family home provides quantitative information on geochemical evolution of septic tank effluent along its travel path In both the unsaturated and saturated (groundwater) zones, microbiological and chemical reactions occur that bring the effluent closer to equilibrium with the subsurface conditions In the unsaturated zone, 90% of the DOC is removed from the effluent, mostly by aerobic oxidation, and NH+4 in the effluent is almost completely ox ldized to NO−3 As these reactions occur in the tile field, the oxygen content of the soil gas is partially depleted Calcite dissolution from the soils in the unsaturated zone buffers the acidity of the oxidation reactions and increases Ca2+ concentrations In the saturated zone, organic carbon oxidation in the effluent plume apparently decreases dissolved oxygen concentrations to

We have generated several transgenic mouse strains carrying a human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) NEF/3' long terminal repeat (LTR) transgene under control of a T cell-specific promoter-enhancer element, showing a depletion of CD4+ T cells in the thymus and periphery. The immunological functions of the line with the most dramatic changes in lymphocyte populations, B6/338L, were analyzed in greater detail. The presence of the transgene in the heterozygous animal is associated with a dominant severe immunodeficiency. Older animals develop lymph-adenopathy and splenomegaly. CD4+CD8+ and CD4+CD8- single positive thymocytes already are depleted in these mice at the earliest stages in ontogeny, and peripheral T cells are reduced in frequency and present cell surface marker expression, which is characteristic for memory and activated T cells. The immunological response of B6/338L mice to several viral infections is also greatly impaired. Thus, the HIV-1 NEF/3' LTR as transgene in T cells can cause immunodeficiency and disease with striking similarities to a known retrovirus-induced immunodeficiency called murine AIDS (H. C. Morse III, S. K. Chattopadhyay, M. Makino, T. N. Frederickson, A. W. Hügin, and J. W. Hartley. 1992. AIDS. 6:607).

The development of a large-area radio frequency (rf) source for the negative-ion beam production has been continued using a prototype source of 37 1 with a rf power up to 160 kW at 0.93 MHz. The design is based on a small rf driven cylindrical driver source on a large magnetically confined expansion volume (60×31×20 cm3) and is in principle scalable to any size. Although the H− yields reported earlier have not been exceeded, progress has been made in several areas. To protect the ceramic insulator of the driver from thermal stress an internal copper Faraday screen has been added. This has resulted in reliable long pulse operation with a duration up to 15 s. Various different grid materials have been investigated as potential options for cesium-free operation. No clear-cut conclusion can yet be drawn from those experiments due to unexpected copper sputtering from the Faraday shield onto the plasma grid. The dependence of the H− yield on gas pressure and filter strength have been studied. The effect of nobl...

Absorption photometers for real time application have been available since the 1980s, but the use of filter-based instruments to derive information on aerosol properties (absorption coefficient and black carbon, BC) is still a matter of debate. Several workshops have been conducted to investigate the performance of individual instruments over the intervening years. Two workshops with large sets of aerosol absorption photometers were conducted in 2005 and 2007. The data from these instruments were corrected using existing methods before further analysis. The inter-comparison shows a large variation between the responses to absorbing aerosol particles for different types of instruments. The unit to unit variability between instruments can be up to 30% for Particle Soot Absorption Photometers (PSAPs) and Aethalometers. Multi Angle Absorption Photometers (MAAPs) showed a variability of less than 5%. Reasons for the high variability were identified to be variations in sample flow and spot size. It was observed that different flow rates influence system performance with respect to response to absorption and instrumental noise. Measurements with non absorbing particles showed that the current corrections of a cross sensitivity to particle scattering are not sufficient. Remaining cross sensitivities were found to be a function of the total particle load on the filter. The large variation between the response to absorbing aerosol particles for different types of instruments indicates that current correction functions for absorption photometers are not adequate., JRC.DDG.H.2-Climate change and air quality

A hydraulic pump/motor with high efficiency at low displacements is required for a compressed air energy storage system that utilizes a liquid piston for near-isothermal compression. To meet this requirement, a variable displacement six-bar crank-rocker-slider mechanism, which goes to zero displacement with a constant top dead center position, has been designed. The synthesis technique presented in the paper develops the range of motion for the base four-bar crank-rocker, creates a method of synthesizing the output slider dyad, and analyzes the mechanisms performance in terms of transmission angles, slider stroke, mechanism footprint, and timing ratio. It is shown that slider transmission angles can be kept above 60 degrees and the base four-bar transmission angles can be controlled in order to improve overall efficiency. This synthesis procedure constructs a crank-rocker-slider mechanism for a variable displacement pump/motor that can be efficient throughout all displacements.Copyright © 2011 by ASME

ASDEX Upgrade is a poloidal divertor experiment very similar to ITER with respect to magnetic field properties and especially to the plasma boundary geometry. A large part of the programme on ASDEX Upgrade is therefore dedicated to investigating and optimizing reactor-relevant plasma boundary issues. This contribution is concerned with H-mode studies and edge physics in general. The L/H-power threshold, H-mode confinement, details of ELM dynamic and 'dithering' L/H-transitions will be discussed. The edge physics investigations are concerned with model calculations and validations, the characteristic 'approach' to the density limit (DL), target plate sputtering and the influence of hydrocarbons, asymmetries and drifts depending on the direction of the toroidal magnetic field, and finally first results of high-Z material experiments.

The author presents examples of high-power RF applications covering a frequency range of a few MHz up to microwave frequencies of several GHz. All examples refer to the RF generation of nonfusion plasmas meanwhile for many important technical processes. Some specific items are: inductively driven RF discharge for ion beam extraction (for space propulsion, ion surface treatment and ion implantation), RF-plate reactor (for etching and thin-film deposition in microelectronics), and newly developed microwave plasma sources (ECH discharges for large-area coatings of up to 200 m2/h, or for internal coating of pipes.

Traditional economic evaluation methods concentrate on maximizing or minimizing a single objective such as net present value and pay back period. In the last decade, there has been an increased awareness of the need to consider multiple attributes in the evaluation of advanced manufacturing systems. Various methods have recently been developed for the evaluation of CIM systems. This paper discusses multiattribute methods for justification of CIM systems and outranking methods including ELECTRE, ORESTE, and PROMETHEE.

The moving‐coil waveguide discharge is described as a technique for inner wall coating of metallic tubes. A magnetized microwave plasma, which can be shifted inside a tube by means of the surrounding magnetic coil, is employed for plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition of hydrogenated carbon films (C:H) from methane. Process parameter studies at varying microwave power, magnetic field, discharge pressure, and gas flow have been performed with a locally fixed magnetic coil. The deposition was found to be more efficient at a magnetic field which is lower than the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) field. The power absorption remains nearly constant while decreasing the maximum magnetic field from ECR condition to half of that. This can be understood in terms of the microwave cutoff in the waveguide filled with a magnetized plasma. A simplified model of the plasma is suggested resulting from the power balance of a steady‐state discharge. Electron temperatures and plasma densities measured in argon plasmas...

The paper discusses various aspects of plasma near surfaces and of the pertaining plasma-wall transition. After a brief introduction into plasma surface sheath and sheath potential formation, the influence of a superimposed magnetic field is outlined. In this connection specific attention is paid to the plasma boundary in fusion devices, where particle and energy exhaust present one of the most serious problems to be solved on the way to a future reactor. A further section deals with the plasma boundary in the presence of strong RF fields. In this case the resulting strong ion acceleration plays an important role in high-power RF fusion heating and also in RF plasma process applications.

Two possible techniques for the measurement of erosion/redeposition in the new JET divertor have been assessed; colour fringe analysis (CFA) and speckle interferometry. CFA is a simple technique in which the target is viewed with a colour camera, and can study optically transparent deposited films up to 1 μm in thickness. Speckle interferometry is a powerful technique for following changes in surface topology, but its sensitivity of >1 μm makes it more ideally suited to the next generation of tokamaks.

Emotional and physical abuse and neglect in childhood and adolescence [childhood maltreatments (CMs)] are considered to play a role in the etiology of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Whether the association between FMS and CMs can be explained by mediators has not been studied.CMs of consecutive FMS patients from three different clinical settings were assessed by the German version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Clinical setting, gender, age, comorbid depression, and health care use were tested for mediators.Of 328 patients (86% women, mean age 50 years), 293 were analyzed; 16% of the patients reported severe emotional, 9% severe physical, and 11% severe sexual abuse and 25% severe emotional and 13% severe physical neglect during childhood. The frequency of CMs was not associated with setting, gender, age, and health care use. FMS patients with a comorbid depression more frequently reported physical abuse (p=0.01) and emotional abuse (p=0.001), as well as emotional neglect (p=0.0008) and physical neglect (p=0.001) compared with FMS patients without a comorbid depression.Comorbid depression is a mediator of the association between CMs and FMS.Prospective population-based studies controlling for depression are necessary to determine the role of CMs in the etiology of FMS.

Salmonella typhimurium strains resistant to most beta-lactams, co-trimoxazole, tobramycin and gentamicin were isolated from patients in two hospitals in Buenos Aires, Argentina, beginning in August 1990. The patients were suffering from meningitis, septicaemia or enteritis. Therapy including ampicillin, ceftriaxone and gentamicin failed. The strains produced a plasmidic (pMVP-4) extended broad-spectrum beta-lactamase which is more active against cefotaxime than against ceftazidime (Vmax for cefotaxime 350 times higher than for ceftazidime). This cefotaximase demonstrates similarity to the previously described CTX-ase-M-1 from Escherichia coli, but it is distinctly different from CTX-ase-M-1 by its isoelectric point (7.9 for CTX-ase-M-2 in comparison with 8.9 for CTX-ase-M-1) as well as in its lower susceptibility to the beta-lactamase inhibitors sulbactam, clavulanic acid, tazobactam and BRL 42715. Thus, the beta-lactamase produced by S. typhimurium strains from Argentina appears to represent a new member (CTX-ase-M-2) of a novel group of plasmidic extended broad-spectrum beta-lactamases designated as cefotaximases.

This paper outlines an application of linguistic variables from the theory of fuzzy sets to support the phased implementation of a computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) strategy. The use of linguistic variables facilitates the consideration of non-quantitative (or intangible) factors which have come to plague attempts to justify CIM systems. A heuristic algorithm is developed and demonstrated in an example.

Strain gauge accelerometers were installed on a lawn and garden ride-on tractor to measure vehicle dynamic response from a shock load. Ballasted with a simulated operator mass of 90 kg (200 lb), the tractor was suspended above a smooth, concrete surface by a cable. Manual release of the cable initiated the test. Thus, the rear tires were simultaneously shock loaded by chassis free-fall impact.

Prostate cancer (PCA) is the most frequent onlocological disease in men. Every year there are ca. 202.000 new cases of prostate cancer in Europe. Curative treatment of this carcinoma via brachytherapy is becoming increasingly significant (20-30% of all curative approaches). Initial staging and thus allocation to risk groups prior to the commencement of therapy is esspecially important for successful brachytherapy treatment.Low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy (i.e. SEED implantation) distinguishes itself both with respect to the procedure as well as the indication from high-dose-rate brachytherapy (afterloading procedure). Both treatment procedures are employed as monotherapy as well as in combination with external radiation.LDR monotherapy is reported to achieve biochemically relapse-free outcome of up to 90% in low-risk tumours during 10-year follow-up periods. Combined HDR tele- and brachytherapy is reported to achieve a biochemically relapse-free outcome of 80-90% with intermediate- and high-risk tumours in long-term follow-up.While randomized studies are as yet missing, it is still possible to derive the following application algorithms from monitoring studies and cohort studies: application of LDR monobrachytherapy must be restricted to low-risk tumorus. Combined HDR tele- and brachytherapy can be sucessfully applied in cases of intermediate- and high-risk tumours. The outcome depends significantly on the initial, pre-therapy PSA value and Gleason score. Posttherapeutically, the nadir value is crucial with respect to predicting the biochemically relapse-free outcome.

We derive new constraints on the mass of the Milky Way's dark matter halo, based on a set of halo stars from SDSS as kinematic tracers. Our sample comprises 2401 rigorously selected Blue Horizontal-Branch (BHB) halo stars drawn from SDSS DR-6. To interpret these distributions, we compare them to matched mock observations drawn from two different cosmological galaxy formation simulations designed to resemble the Milky Way, which we presume to have an appropriate orbital distribution of halo stars. We then determine which value of $\rm V_{cir}(r)$ brings the observed distribution into agreement with the corresponding distributions from the simulations. This procedure results in an estimate of the Milky Way's circular velocity curve to $\sim 60$ kpc, which is found to be slightly falling from the adopted value of $\rm 220 km s^{-1}$ at the Sun's location, and implies M$(, 42 pages, 17 figures and 3 table. Accepted by APJ

We have measured the forward-backward asymmetry in Z 0 → b b decays using hadronic events containing muons and electrons. The data sample corresponds to 118 200 hadronic events at √s≈Mz. From a fit to the single and dilepton p and P⊥ spectra, we determine A b b =0.130 −0.042 +0.044 including the correction for B 0 − B 0 mixing.

We have observed B0-B0 mixing in Z0→bb decays using hadronic events containing dileptons. The data sample corresponds to 118 200 hadron events at √s≈Mz. From a fit to the dilepton p and p⊥ spectra, we determine the mixing parameter to be χB=0.178-0.040 +0.049. © 1990.