Search

The freight sector in Australia has been growing at an ever-increasing rate due to domestic and international demand for goods, commodities, and resources. Increased volume of traffic comes with increased greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gas impacts climate change and air pollution, increasing the risk of public health and safety. The European Union used Marco Polo to shift transit freight from road to sea, rail, and inland waterways to reduce the number of trucks on the road to lessen congestion, less pollution, and more reliable and efficient transport of goods. Fuel Tax Credit was similarly introduced in Australia to address some of these issues. It is now time to analyse the impact of these schemes. This paper is a systematic literature review using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. Findings include using alternative modes of transport for long distances reduces carbon dioxide and the likelihood of using renewable fuels like electric and hydrogen fuel for trucks. However, research was limited on renewable fuels.

A novel transmit lens array is proposed to provide broadband quasi-optical power distribution and beam-steering capabilities for array architectures in future submillimeter-wave heterodyne instruments. The transmit array is composed of a double array layer of lens antenna elements with high aperture efficiency. To enable broadband and low loss quasi-optical (QO) power distribution, the transmit lens array is coupled with a high aperture efficiency single lens antenna. The high aperture efficiency is achieved by using a recently introduced multi-mode leaky wave feed. The top lens array can be used to achieve beam-steering capabilities when fed coherently and mechanically translated using a piezo-motor. In this contribution, we present the development of a prototype based on a transmit lens array of 7 elements at 450-650 GHz with measurements showing a good agreement with simulations. This prototype demonstrates a quasi-optical power coupling efficiency of nearly 60%. Moreover it also shows beam-steering of a 36dBi directivity beam to few discrete angles up to +/-25 degrees with less than 2dB scan loss

Resume Introduction L’hemorragie tardive, quoique rare, reste une source importante de morbidite et mortalite apres duodeno-pancreatectomie cephalique (DPC). Une importante cause en est l’erosion ou le pseudo-anevrysme de l’artere gastro-duodenale (AGD) par les secretions pancreatiques ou les collections septiques. La protection de l’AGD pourrait eviter ces complications severes. Patients et methode Il s’agit d’une etude observationnelle retrospective. Tous les patients ayant eu une DPC entre aout 2007 et decembre 2014 etaient inclus. Un lambeau de ligament rond etait utilise pour proteger largement l’artere hepatique et le moignon de l’AGD et fixe aux tissus retroperitoneaux. Cette technique permettait une separation complete de l’AGD de la tranche pancreatique. Resultats Nous avons realise 182 DPC pendant la periode de l’etude. Alors que 27 patients (15 %) ont presente une fistule pancreatique et 6 un abces intraperitoneal, aucun n’a presente une hemorragie par erosion ou pseudo-anevrysme de l’AGD. Conclusion Cette option chirurgicale apparait comme une mesure efficace pour prevenir les hemorragies tardives par erosion ou pseudo-anevrysme de l’AGD apres DPC.

The application of polymer and composites in building and modern transport interiors raises concerns of potential health hazards during combustion. Cytotoxicity and morphological assessment of smoke from polymer combustion in human lung derived cells (A549) has been investigated. A laboratory scale vertical tube furnace was used for the generation of combustion products. A range of materials used in the building and transport industry including high density-polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), fiberglass reinforced polymers (FRPs), and melamine faced plywood (MFP) were studied. The exposure of combustion toxicants to human lung cells (A549) at the air/liquid interface was acquired using a Harvard Navicyte Chamber. Cytotoxic effects on human cells were assessed based on cell viability using a selected in vitro cytotoxicity assays, including NRU (neutral red uptake) and ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Morphological assessment on the effects of combustion products in human lung cells from selected materials including PVC, FRP and MFP was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The volatile organic compounds from thermal decomposition products were identified using ATD-GCMS (Automatic Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry). NOAEC (No Observable Adverse Effect Concentration), IC 10 (10% inhibitory concentration), IC 50 (50% inhibitory concentration), and TLC (Total Lethal Concentration) values (mg/l) were generated. The following toxicity ranking was observed from the most toxic material to the least toxic using the NRU assay: PVC > PP > HDPE > PC >FRP-10 > MFP > FRP-16; and the ATP assay: PVC > HDPE > PP > FRP-10 > FRP-16 > MFP > PC. The method described here could potentially be an alternative to current fire toxicity standards.

An alternative method for in vitro fire smoke toxicity assessment of polymers and composites using human lung cells has been investigated. A range of building and train interiors including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methachrylate (PMMA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), fiberglass-reinforced polymer (FRP), and melamine-faced plywood (MFP) were studied. The exposure of combustion toxicants to human lung cells (A549) at the air/liquid interface was acquired using a Harvard Navicyte Chamber. Cytotoxic effects on human cells were assessed based on cell viability using the MTS assay (Promega). Cytotoxicity results were expressed as no observable adverse effect concentration (NOAEC), 10% inhibitory concentration (IC10), 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50), and total lethal concentration (TLC) values (mg/l). Mass loss data and toxic product yield were also determined. Results suggested that PVC (IC50 1.99 mg/l) was the most toxic materials followed by PP, FRP-16, PC, PMMA, FRP-10, PE, and melamine plywood. Some materials revealed to be more toxic under flaming combustion (PP, PC, FRP-16, and FRP-10), while others (PVC, PMMA, PE, and melamine plywood) appeared more toxic under non-flaming combustion. The method developed can be used to screen the toxicity of materials which would be important information in building and mass transport material selection. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Summary Aim of the study Delayed hemorrhage, though rare, remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). An important cause of this delayed hemorrhage is erosion or pseudoaneurysm formation of the gastroduodenal artery (GDA) by pancreatic enzymes and adjacent intra-abdominal sepsis. So protection of the GDA stump may avoid this devastating complication. Patients and methods This is a retrospective observational study. All patients, who underwent a PD between August 2007 and December 2014, were included in the study. We used pedicled falciform ligament flap to protect the GDA stump. After PD, pedicled falciform ligament flap was spread widely over the skeletonized hepatic artery including the GDA stump and was fixed to the surrounding retroperitoneal connective tissue. This procedure allowed complete separation of the GDA stump from the pancreatic stump. Results We performed 182 cases of PD during the study period. Although, 27 (15%) patients developed pancreatic fistula and six patients developed intra-abdominal abscess, no one experienced hemorrhage due to erosion or pseudoaneurysm formation of the GDA. Conclusion The present surgical option seems to be an effective measure for the prevention of erosion and pseudoaneurysm formation of the GDA after PD.

A continuous photo-Fenton process has been used for the degradation of gaseous dichloromethane (DCM). By absorbing gaseous DCM into a reactive Fenton mixture, the scrubbing and degradation processes could be completed in the one reactor. Operating with a Dark Fenton solution did not result in removal of DCM any better than simply using MilliQ water. This was because the Fe(II) quickly converted to Fe(III) but was unable to regenerate. After a short time, the Fenton process was no longer operating and the DCM quickly accumulated in the reaction solution, preventing further accumulation due to a decreasing concentration gradient in the reactive solution. However, by using UV light and increasing the retention time from 20 to 50 s, there was sufficient time for the reactive solution to regenerate and continuous operation could achieve at least 65% removal of DCM from the gaseous phase at ambient temperature.

Twelve species of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were measured in the suspended particulate matter during winter (January and February) in Calcutta for 3 years from 1992 to 1994 both years inclusive. Samples were collected at 5 busy road intersections within the city. Air particulate samples were collected using high volume samplers and glass fibre filters(GFFs). PAH analysis was carried out on an HPLC system. Individual species were identified by retention times and the corresponding response ratios from the fluorescence and UV detectors. The benzene soluble organic matter (BSOM) content of the air particulate samples collected was 10.09 ± 1.92%. The lowest ΣPAH observed was 22.91 ng m−3 at Jadavpur in 1993 and the highest was 190.96 ng m−3 at Maulali in 1994. The global average ΣPAH of all samples was found to be 77.40± 27.16 ng m−3. The compositional pattern of the 12 PAH species monitored were very similar in all the samples. The average BAP concentration was 10.40 ± 4.76 ng m−3. BAP concentration w...

The phase diagram of the pseudobinary Ag-TeO2system was determined by DTA, analysis of quenched samples, XRD, and microscopy. The system exhibits two monotectics at 930 and 538 °C and compositions of 8 and 52.5 mole % TeO2,respectively, one eutectic at 523 °C and 42 mol% TeO2,and two miscibility gaps with critical temperatures of 965 °C at 20 mol% TeO2and 555 °C at 47.5 mol% TeO2

This is a study of 5595 head and neck cancer patients treated during 1987-89 at TMH, Mumbai. The study included 1970 oral cancers (ICD 140-145), 1495 oropharyngeal cancers (ICD 1410, 1453, 146), 1255 hypopharyngeal cancers (ICD 148), 125 nasopharyngeal cancers (ICD 147) and 750 laryngeal cancers (ICD 161). The clinical extent of disease at presentation was based on TNM group staging (UICC 1978). For the majority of sites, patients attended the hospital during stage III and stage IV of the disease; the only exception was for cancers of the lower lip, anterior tongue and vocal cord when between 46.2% and 56.5% of patients with localized cancer (stage I and II) were seen. Generally, surgery either alone or with radiation has been administered for oral cancer patients whereas radiation either alone or in combination with chemotherapy was administered for other head and neck sites. The overall 5-year survival rate was in the range of 20-43% for oral cancer, 8-25% for pharyngeal cancers and 25-62% for laryngeal cancer. The 5-year relative survival rates were more or less in agreement with the results published by the Eurocare study for head and neck cancers. The importance of primary prevention in head and neck cancer is stressed.

Calcutta is known to have serious air pollution problems. Benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) in the ambient air were monitored during the winter from 1992 to 1994 inclusive. Activated carbon traps were used for sampling and a simple packed column gas chromatography methodology was used for analyses in this study. Samples were collected in 5 locations in Calcutta. Concentrations were found to be much higher than that found in similar studies performed elsewhere. The average benzene concentrations during the winter in 1992, 1993 and 1994 were 1004 µg m−3, 7082 µg m−3 and 491 µg m−3 respectively. The average compositional ratios of benzene:toluene:xylene (B:T:X) in winter were 1:0.39:0.05, 1:0.16:0.04 and 1:0.26:0.13 for 1992, 1993 and 1994 respectively. The toluene/benzene concentration ratio in the samples varied from 1.033 at the end of summer to 0.092 at the end of winter. This variation has been determined to be the result of variation in atmospheric persistence of the released compounds due to thermal i...

Derailment is a business risk for rail operators. However, most of the derailments are due to a combination of several causes. This paper presents a derailment study, focusing on Australia, that categorizes a comprehensive set of factors causing derailment and current mitigation techniques. Finally, a risk gap is analysed and integrated model is proposed. Further, the opportunities to incorporate remote monitoring and data analysis technologies to ensure an eMaintenance management of derailment are discussed. A case study on eMaintenance of rail lubrication, which is highly related to derailment, is also demonstrated in this paper.

The sub-solidus phase equilibria in the NdF{sub 3}-Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} system was investigated over the whole composition range by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) between room temperature and 1573K. The intermediate compound neodymium oxyfluoride was found to exhibit tetragonal, rhombohedral and cubic modifications. The tetragonal phase exists over 20 to 40 m% Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} and rhombohedral phase has a fixed composition of 50m% Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The rhombohedral phase transforms to cubic at around 826K.

SuperSpec is an innovative, fully planar, compact spectrograph for mm/sub-mm astronomy. SuperSpec is based on a superconducting filter-bank consisting of a series of planar half-wavelength filters to divide up the incoming, broadband radiation. The power in each filter is then coupled into titanium nitride lumped element kinetic inductance detectors, facilitating the read out of a large number of filter elements. We will present electromagnetic simulations of the different components that will make up an R = 700 prototype instrument. Based on these simulations, we discuss optimisation of the coupling between the antenna, transmission line, filters and detectors.

The present assessment relied heavily on the experiments of [83Ips], which are of high quality with the quoted uncertainty in composition being ± 0.25 in at.% Te. The starting point is the phase diagram shown in Fig. 2 to which other experimentally observed thermal effects [79Gun] can be fitted. This diagram has two anomalies, namely, 1) a gap between the supposed solidus and the liquidus, and 2) a narrow two-phase region within a broad homogeneous field. To assimilate these anoma-lies, the existence of a highly disordered phase, redesignated as Cr1-xTe, is imagined at high temperature. This has led to the prediction of a eutectoid decomposition of Cr3Te4-h at 60.2 at.% Te at a temperature very close to 455 ‡. Further, in Fig.

A prospective randomized trial compared post-anal repair (n = 12), anterior levatorplasty (n = 12) and total pelvic floor repair (TPFR) (n = 12) for women with post-obstetric neuropathic faecal incont

A thermodynamic database for tellurium-bearing condensed phases and gaseous species which are relevant to nuclear technology is presented. It contains phase diagrams of the binary systems, PdTe, RhTe, PuTe, SmTe, CsTe, ZrTe, of the ternary systems, ZrTeO, MoTeO, AgTeO, UTeO, CsTeO, BaTeO as well as thermodynamic data for crystalline and liquid Te, for the solid phases Cs2Te, Ag2Te, SnTe, BaTe, CeTe, SmTe, RuTe2, ZrTe2, Fe0.53Te0.47, Mo0.43Te0.57, Cr0.43Te0.57, Ni0.5Te0.4, Cs2TeO3 and for the gaseous species, Te, Te2, TeO, TeO2, TeO(OH)2, H2Te, TeI, TeI2, TeI4, TeOI2, SnTe, Sn2Te2, SnTe2.

The presence of neuroendocrine cells (NEC) in the anorectum is well documented. However, the density of the endocrine cells in different regions of the anal canal has not been determined. Our aim was

This paper reports on attempts which have been made to initiate the Fleischmann-Pons phenomenon through selective perturbations during experimental studies in divided electrolytic cells. Despite wide variations in the operating parameters and the attainment of high loading (sometimes up to D/Pd [approx] 2), the phenomenon was not observed either during the unperturbed electrolysis or on physical perturbation. However, instances of its occurrence were observed when the state of equilibrium of the deuterated cathode (having a scale free portion) was chemically perturbed by oxygen. This observation, viewed in light of available information, is indicative of oxygen playing a vital role in the phenomenon.

Intensive livestock operations are often the source of odour complaints from neighbouring residential or commercial facilities. In Australia, the expansion of the population has resulted in the blending of suburban and rural areas, increasing the potential for odour related complaints to local authorities. The varied Australian climate almost exclusively dictates the use of mechanically ventilated poultry houses in order to sustain profitable agricultural practices, and these sheds produce a significant VOC and dust emissions, impacting upon the surrounding environment.

The ternary phase diagram for the system RuTeO is established at 900 K. The phase diagram was calculated using a free energy minimization method and was confirmed by establishing the isothermal section of the ternary system RuTeO at 900 K using DTA and XRD techniques.

A comparative assessment of three approaches for the use of human cells in vitro to investigate combustion toxicity was conducted. These included one indirect and two direct (passive and dynamic) exposure methods. The indirect method used an impinger system in which culture medium was used to trap the toxicants, whilst the direct exposure involved the use of a Horizontal Harvard Navicyte Chamber at the air/liquid interface. The cytotoxic effects of thermal decomposition products were assessed using the MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium) assay (Promega) on a selection of human cells including: HepG2, A549 and skin fibroblasts. A small scale laboratory fire test using a vertical tube furnace was designed for the generation of combustion products. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) was selected as a model polymer to study the cytotoxic effects of combustion products. NOAEC (no observable adverse effect concentration), IC10 (10% inhibitory concentration), IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) and TLC (total lethal concentration) values were determined from dose response curves. Assessment using the NRU (neutral red uptake) and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) assays on human lung derived cells (A549) was also undertaken. Comparison between in vitro cytotoxicity results against published toxicity data for PMMA combustion and predicted LC50 (50% lethal concentration) values calculated from identified compounds using GCMS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) was determined. The results suggested that the indirect exposure method did not appear to simulate closely exposure via inhalation, whilst exposure at the air/liquid interface by using the dynamic method proved to be a more representative method of human inhalation. This exposure method may be a potential system for in vitro cytotoxicity testing in combustion toxicity.

Household dust was collected from 82 residential homes within the Sydney metropolitan area. The geometric mean concentrations of metals in the household dust were Cd, 1.9 microg/g; Cr, 64.3 microg/g; Cu, 103 microg/g; Fe, 2740 microg/g; Mn, 54 microg/g; Ni, 15.6 microg/g; Pb, 85.2 microg/g; and Zn, 437 microg/g. Differences in household income level, dwelling type, or the number of occupants were not statistically significant for the majority of metals. The exceptions were higher amounts of Zn (P=0.033) and Fe (P=0.047) found in households with only 1-2 residents compared to those with 3-4 or4 residents, and slightly higher Mn levels (P=0.033) were found in low-income households (AUD 0-30,000 dollars/year). Region was highly significant for Pb levels in Sydney but not significant for other metals. Large variations in Pb levels were found in household dust (16-16,600 microg/g), with the inner-west region associated with significantly higher Pb levels (P0.001). Comparisons with a study from a decade earlier have revealed that the household dust Pb levels have remained constant despite substantial improvements in air quality in the inner-west area of Sydney. New epidemiological studies are required to determine whether Pb blood levels have also remained unchanged and whether accumulated Pb in household dust represents a significant health risk to children in this region.

The interaction of conducting magnetic and elastic or viscoelastic and thermal or thermoelastic fields in an infinite random medium has been under study for some time. Knopoff [1] and Wilson [2] undertook the study of the effect of the presence of magnetic fields in elastic wave propagation. However, the evaluation and application of Green’s functions are essential to the study of wave propagation in interacting magnetic and viscoelastic or elastic fields in random media following J.B. Keller’s perturbation procedure. This is illustrated by the study of wave propagation in random elastic medium by Karal and Keller [3], in random thermoelastic media by Chow [4]. Van Kampen [5] has shwon that the study of the exact solution of wave propagation in a medium with randon refractive index depends on the knowledge of the relevant Green’s function. A knowledge of Green’s function is also essential for the one body scattering problem and the problem of multiple scattering by randomly distributed scatterers (Frisch [6]). In this paper, the components of the Green’s tensor for interacting conducting magnetic and elastic fields in an infinite homogeneous medium is expressed in the form of Fourier integrals by the use of Fourier transforms. It has been possible to evaluate the appropriate integrals approximately for the case of a conducting medium. Two sets of Green’s functions, depending upon high and low frequencies have been presented.

Cholelithiasis produces diverse histopathological changes in gallbladder mucosa namely acute inflammation, chronic inflammation, glandular hyperplasia, granulomatous inflammation, cholesterosis, dysplasia, and carcinoma. Gallstones have different chemical composition. They may be cholesterol, pigment or mixed stones. The aim of this prospective study was to see if any correlation existed between the chemistry of gallstones and any particular histopathologic picture.Between May 1997 and December 1997 we diagnosed and operated on 40 patients with cholelithiasis. Diagnosis was established by ultrasound. After operation gallstones were sent for chemical analysis to detect presence of calcium bilirubinate and cholesterol. Serial sections of gallbladder from fundus to neck were stained by haematoxylin and eosin, and studied.Out of 40 patients (n = 40) 29 were females and 11 were males. The mean age of our patients was 38 +/- 21 years with a median of 40 years. Median age of males was 48 years compared to 38 years for females. Twenty-eight patients had mixed stones, 8 had pigment stones and 4 had cholesterol stones. Out of 28 patients with mixed stones 14 had histological picture of chronic cholecystitis, 8 had granulomatous cholecystitis, 4 had adenomatous hyperplasia, 1 had dysplasia and 1 had carcinoma. All 8 patients having pigment gallstones had chronic cholecystitis. Out of 4 patients with cholesterol gallstones, 2 had chronic cholecystitis, 1 had adenomatous hyperplasia and 1 had cholesterosis. Gallbladder having pigment stones were devoid of Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses.Adenomatous hyperplasia and Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses were not seen in gallbladder containing pigment stones but seen in gallbladders containing mixed and cholesterol stones in our study. Cholesterol may be a more potent stimulus for glandular hyperplasia or glandular hyperplasia may responsible for formation of cholesterol rich stones.

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of endoscopic and histological gastroduodenitis as well as helicobacter-like organisms in patients with peptic ulcer. After diagnostic endoscopy, gastroduodenal biopsy specimens were taken from thirty patients (n = 30) with clinical and endoscopic diagnosis of peptic ulcer (duodenal ulcer = 25, gastric ulcer = 5). Endoscopic gastroduodenitis occurred in 18 patients (60%). Histological gastritis was detected in the gastric body or antrum in 25 (83%) and duodenitis in 17 (57%) patients. There was significant correlation between endoscopic and histological gastritis (p0.05). Helicobacter-like organisms occurred in 73% of the patients with peptic ulcer and in 88% of the antral biopsy specimens showing antral gastritis. Presence of helicobacter-like organisms was in particular associated with acute on chronic gastritis compared to chronic gastritis (p0.01). Moreover the patients with gastritis were found to belong to the older age group and 81.8% had blood group O +ve (p0.01 and p0.05 respectively). We conclude that presence of helicobacter-like organisms in patients with peptic ulcer is significantly associated with acute on chronic gastritis.

The phase diagram of the system U-Mo-O in the region UO2-MoO2-O was investigated by X-ray phase analysis and electromotive force measurements. The isothermal section at 1000 K is presented. The free energy of formation of UMoO5was determined from the oxygen potential measurement by a ZrO2.CaO solid electrolyte galvanic cell. This gave at 1000 K A redetermination of the free energy of formation of MoO2 yielded (ΔG in kJ.mol−1) for 1040 to 1290 K. The free energies of formation of three other phases were calculated using the key values from the literature, and the phase diagram obtained in the present investigation. The values at 1000 K are From the present investigation it was concluded that ternary phases of the system U-Mo-O will not play any role in the fission product-fuel interaction, while in the nuclear waste calcine, only UMoO6 could be of importance. A vaporization study of the latter phase has been suggested.

Mg-Mn amphibole (tirodite), with or without pyroxmangite in the total absence of pyroxenes and high-calcic pyroxenoids, occurs in the Mn silicate rocks of the Sausar Group, India. The rocks were metamorphosed to amphibolite facies condition (T ∼ 650°C, P ∼ 6 kbar). Tirodite-pyroxmangite pairs developed in both carbonate-free and rhodochrosite-bearing assemblages. Also tirodite coexists with either kutnahorite or manganoan calcite in the absence of pyroxmangite. Mineral reactions inferred from modal abundances and compositions of the phases indicate stabilization of the amphibole alone from a bivalent cation-bearing residual unbuffered XCO2 system with XMn < 0.3. On the other hand, tirodite-pyroxmangite pairs appeared in unbuffered low to intermediate XCO2 assemblages with XMn > 0.35. Pyroxenes and high-calcic pyroxenoids did not appear in the present situation, though they occur elsewhere in rocks with broadly similar contents of immobile components. Closely associated assemblages of diverse mineralogy suggest that the XMn and XCO2, rather than the physical conditions of metamorphism, are the decisive factors in promoting the observed phase assemblages.

The phase diagram of the PdTe system has been investigated by differential thermal analysis, spot technique, X-ray diffraction and electron probe microanalysis in the composition range 0–50 at.% Te. The resultant phase diagram shows nine crystalline phases and eleven invariant reactions in this composition range. These phases are α (terminal solid solution of tellurium in palladium), β (Pd9Te2), γ (Pd3Te), δ, ϵ (Pd3Te2), PdTe, γ′, δ′ and δ″. The last three are high temperature phases reported for the first time in this work. The α phase shows retrograde solid solubility, the maximum being at 12.5 at.% Te. The δ″ phase melts congruently at 905 °C and 27.2 at.% Te. The phases β, γ and δ decompose peritectoidally at 770, 754 and 500 °C; γ′, δ″ and δ′ decompose eutectoidally at 727, 563 and 474 °C and γ′, δ′ and ϵ decompose peritectically at 785, 610 and 507 °C respectively. Thus γ′ and δ′ phases have an upper as well as a lower temperature limit of stability. Two eutectic reactions at 780 and 505 °C occur at 22.5 and 37 at.% Te respectively.

Calcium fluoride solid electrolyte galvanic cells were utilized to determine the thermodynamic properties of nonstoichiometric β-CoTe phase. The phase boundaries of the single phase region were deduced from the emf data. No evidence for a miscibility gap in the cobalt-tellurium system was observed. The variation of the activity with composition for cobalt was interpreted in terms of cobalt vacancy model where vacancies are considered to be occupying 001/2 layers of the B8-type structure.

The equilibrium vaporization of UMoO6(s) in dry air was studied by the transpiration method in the temperature interval 1110°≤ T (K) ≤ 1250°. Apparent pressure of the trimer measured over the two-phase mixture UMoO6+ U3O8, with dry air as the carrier gas, was used to calculate the partial pressure of the trimer, (MoO3)3(g). In accordance with the vaporization reaction (UMoO6) = 1/3(U3O8) + 1/6(MoO3)3(g)+ 1/6O2 (g), the free energy of formation of UMoO6)(s) is given by (δ G° in kJ-mol−1) δ G° (UMoO6) = (−1962 ± 10) + (0.463 ± 0.008) T

The partial molar free enthalpy of cobalt,\(\Delta \bar G_{Co}\), and the molar free enthalpy of formation of CoxSe alloy phase, ΔGf0(CoxSe) at 873K, were determined by the solid CaF2 electrolyte galvanic cell method forx=0.725 to 0.956.\(\Delta \bar G_{Co}\) was observed to be a monotonic function of the mole fractionXCo in the composition region of the investigation with an inflexion point atXCo=0.455. The measurements were extended down to a temperature of 710 K and a partial Co−Se phase diagram was evaluated from the resultant data.

Silver tellurite (Ag2TeO3) was prepared from an aqueous solution and also by oxidation of Ag2Te in air at 973 K. Pure, stoichiometric Ag2TeO3 was obtained by recrystallization from an ammoniacal solution. The phase crystallized from aqueous media (α) is orthorhombic, while the high-temperature preparation is monoclinic (β). The α-phase is metastable and transforms irreversibly to the β-phase above 573 K. DTA studies showed that Ag2TeO3 melts congruently at 857 K. The phase diagram in the composition region of Ag2TeO3TeO2 was determined. It showed a eutectic at 710 K and 70 mole% TeO2 of the Ag2OTeO2 system. The isothermal section at 700 K of the ternary phase diagram of AgTeO system was constructed from the results of this study. The free energy of formation of Ag2TeO3 is >−65 kcal/mole. This upper limit of stability indicates that it cannot form in a nuclear reactor. Freezing behavior of Ag2OTeO2 melt showed a tendency to glass formation in the composition range of 61–72 mole% TeO2. Freezing of the melt also appears to produce “tellurite,” the naturally occurring mineral form of TeO2.

Crystallographic intergrowths of jacobsite and hausmannite (“vredenburgite”) occur in association with braunite in the Precambrian Sausar Group of rocks, India, that were metamorphosed under 600-700°C and P ∼ 6 kb. Quartz, hematite, rhodochrosite and a later hausmannite may occasionally occur as minor associates. Detailed characterization of the intergrown phases reveals that hausmannite lamellae, oriented in 4 or 5 crystallographic directions in the jacobsite host, show a wide variation in thickness and tapered intersections at low angles. The lamellae may be locally deformed. Analytical data reveal that the composition of natural hausmannite and jacobsite in the intergrowths cannot be approximated within the system Fe3O4 -Mn3O4, as has been conventionally done. These really belong to the Fe2O3-Mn3O4 subsystem. In the two phase intergrowths, hausmannite is depleted and the jacobsite is enriched in Fe in higher grade rocks. Mineral associations and petrographic considerations suggest that the jacobsite-hausmannite intergrowth originated through prograde decarbonation-oxidation reactions of a carbonatic precursor in an unbuffered X CO2 situation, but f O2 was held between hematite-magnetite and bixbyite-hausmannite buffers at the ambient physical conditions of metamorphism. Subsequent oxidation yielded a strong oxygenbuffering assemblage jacobsite, hausmannite, braunite, hematite and quartz. This study negates the commonly held idea that hausmannite jacobsite crystallographic intergrowth (“vredenburgite”) originates through unmixing of a high ([ldvredenburgite”) originates through unmixing of a high temperature spinelss temperature spinelss during cooling.