Angular and dose dependence of CR-39 neutron response for shape-selected tracks

A shape selection method corresponding to an energy discrimination was used to eliminate unwanted events disturbing evaluation of CR-39 detectors in detecting tracks induced by particles both of perpendicular and oblique incidence. The angular dependence of the response was examined, detecting fast neutrons from ²⁵²Cf with shape selection technique at various angles and distances. Also, the CR-39 track detectors with the ²⁵²Cf source were exposed to high γ-intensity of a ⁶⁰Co irradiation facility in the range 0.1 to 4.5 kGy, similar to the exposures inside spent fuel assemblies. Using the two functions the lower limit of burnup could be determined by the method.     

Monitoring neutrons from spent reactor fuel by bubble detectors

In order to eliminate the strong temperature-dependence of bubble detectors used for spent fuel assay, a simple way could be to keep them in the water pond but far from fuel assemblies before exposure for about 20 min, until the detectors warm up. Fast neutrons from fuel assemblies in the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Hungary, were detected by BD-100R type detectors at 28°C (in winter) and at 35°C in summer). Calibration was performed by a standard ²⁵²Cf source in borated water. Burnup monitoring inside fuel assemblies can be provided by smaller diameter detectors prepared from BD-100R type ones.     

A mean ergodic theorem on vector spaces

A mean ergodic theorem for a matrix is first proved from which a mean ergodic theorem for affine operators on a vector space without any topological structure is obtained.     

Basis- and partition identification for quadratic programming and linear complementarity problems

Optimal solutions of interior point algorithms for linear and quadratic programming and linear complementarity problems provide maximally complementary solutions. Maximally complementary solutions can be characterized by optimal partitions. On the other hand, the solutions provided by simplex–based pivot algorithms are given in terms of complementary bases. A basis identification algorithm is an algorithm which generates a complementary basis, starting from any complementary solution. A partition identification algorithm is an algorithm which generates a maximally complementary solution (and its corresponding partition), starting from any complementary solution. In linear programming such algorithms were respectively proposed by Megiddo in 1991 and Balinski and Tucker in 1969. In this paper we will present identification algorithms for quadratic programming and linear complementarity problems with sufficient matrices. The presented algorithms are based on the principal pivot transform and the orthogonality property of basis tableaus. Received April 9, 1996 / Revised version received April 27, 1998? Published online May 12, 1999     

Heat transfer for diode side-pumped YAG slabs

Thermal heating is a major limiting factor in scaling the average power of a solid-state laser. The heat transfer coefficient is affected by the coolant flow rate, the physical properties of the laser slab and the coolant, and the pumping cavity geometry. The relationship between the heating effects and the heat transfer coefficient has been studied by considering the variations of thermal conductivity and expansion coefficient of the laser slab with temperature. It is concluded that different heat transfer coefficients should be adopted according to different heat intensities inside the laser slabs in order to obtain better pumping input as well as to optimize the cooling effects.     

Thermal lensing of diode side-pumped solid-state lasers

The pump energy distribution in a diode side-pumped solid-state laser, is an overlap of propagating Gaussian beams. A simple model has been developed to calculate the thermal focal length of a diode side-pumped solid-state laser, which is based on a thermal model with a Gaussian heat density in any cross section of a laser rod. It can be seen that as the waists of pump beams increase, the energy distribution tends to be uniform and the thermal focal length tends to be long, which means a smaller thermal focusing.     

Transmembrane Transport of Adenosine 5′-Triphosphate Using a Lipophilic Cholesteryl Derivative

The uptake of ATP in liposomes was achieved by using the lipophilic derivative cholesteryloxycarbonyl-ATP ( 1 ). Its hydrolysis leading to the release of ATP inside the vesicules (see scheme) was observed with the help of a pH gradient and monitored by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. This is the first successful transfer of a nucleoside 5′-triphosphate across a membrane.     

Electrostatic forces in micromanipulation: Experimental characterization and simulation including roughness

Manipulation by contact of objects between 1 m and 1 mm are often disturbed by adhesion between the manipulated object and the gripper. Electrostatic forces are among the phenomena responsible for this adhesive effect. Analytical models have been developed in the literature to predict electrostatic forces. Most models have been developed within the framework of scanning probe microscopy, i.e. for a contact between a conducting tip and a metallic surface. In our study, we developed a simulation tool based on finite elements modeling. The strength of this model lies in the fact that it integrates roughness parameters. Measurements of electrostatic forces in function of roughness were conducted by atomic force microscopy. The experimental results were compared with the simulation results showing very good correlation. This demonstrates the influence of surface topography on electrostatic forces, especially for very small separation distances and proves the utility of the simulation tool in designing surfaces with controlled adhesion. Some application fields to which these results can be applied are drug delivery devices and micromanipulation tools.