Accelerator-driven sub-critical reactor system (ADS) for nuclear energy generation

In this talk we present an overview of accelerator-driven sub-critical reactor systems (ADS), and bring out their attractive features for the elimination of troublesome long-lived components of the spent fuel, as well as for nuclear energy generation utilizing thorium as fuel. In India, there is an interest in the programmes of development of high-energy and high-current accelerators due to the potential of ADS in utilizing the vast resources of thorium in the country for nuclear power generation. The accelerator related activities planned in this direction will be outlined.     

Use of metallic and dielectric films for hollow fibers

The problem of transmission of CO₂ laser radiation through hollow fibers and waveguides was studied theoretically and confirmed experimentally. The transmission of the laser radiation through metal and metal-dielectric tubes was measured and compared with the theoretical data based on a ray model solution. This makes possible the investigation of the transmission of the CO₂ radiation through waveguides when the internal wall is covered with a metal or a metal- dielectric film. It was shown theoretically and proved experimentally that the transmission of the CO₂ radiation is possible even through bent waveguides.     

LIGA technology for the synthesis of diffractive refractive intraocular lenses

The manufacturing of test diffractive refractive intraocular lenses is illustrated by means of LIGA (deep X-ray LIthography and GAlvanoplastics and polymer forming). Dynamic X-ray lithography used while rotating the substrate versus an X-ray mask fixed in a beam of synchrotron radiation (SR) yields smooth optical 3D surfaces with roughnesses of 10–30 nm rms in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) layers. The axisymmetric diffractive refractive profile of a lens is predetermined by the radial angular function of the X-ray mask topology. The quality of the optical surface is reproduced for the nickel master form, which is electroplated onto a gold layer atop the PMMA relief. The optical quality also remains high for replicated lenses synthesized in this manner during silicon polymerization.     

Pellet freezing of in vitro produced bovine embryos using dry ice

In vitro produced bovine embryos were frozen by pellet freezing or vitrification method. In the pellet freezing method, the embryos were cooled on the dry ice and then frozen as pellets. At warming, the pellets were immersed directly into 0.5 M sucrose. The survival rates of blastocysts frozen by the pellet freezing method were higher (P<0.01) in 40% ethylene glycol (EG) than those in the lower concentrations (20 and 30% EG). Higher survival rates of blastocysts frozen by the pellet freezing method were obtained but the development rates did not differ, as compared with those by the vitrification method. There were no significant differences between the pellet freezing and vitrification method in the frequencies of post-thaw survival of hatched blastocysts. These results demonstrate that the pellet freezing method using dry ice can be used successfully for the cryopreservation of blastocysts.     

Experiments on transport of hydrophobic particles and gas bubbles in porous media

Adhesion of hydrophobic colloids (clay minerals) on the surface of bubbles of air and the transport of the composite units formed by bubbles and mineral particles were observed in a glass micro model.When a clay mineral suspension flowed in a porous medium that contained bubbles of air trapped in small pores, particles accumulated preferentially on the upstream portion of the bubbles, and quasi-stable bubble-mineral particle units were formed. With an increase in the flow velocity, the particles moved along the interface between the bubble and the liquid and accumulated on the downstream portion of the bubbles. A large stress could mobilize the units which, occasionally, accumulated in larger voids.The mechanism suggested is adhesion of the particles on the surface of the bubble due to compression of their diffuse electrical double layer. The adsorbed particles can be moved by shear stresses which act in the region of water molecules between the well-organized layers of water on the surfaces of the bubble and the clay particles. A large enough shear stress causes the bubbles to become more streamlined, allowing them to move in the channel system. If in contact, the common lamina of the bubbles can withdraw and rupture.Bubbles transport from 20 to 50 times more particles than can be transported by average suspension.     

Proteomic analysis of metacyclic trypomastigotes undergoing Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis

Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of the Chagas disease, has a complex life cycle alternating between replicative and noninfective forms with nonreplicative and infective forms of the parasite. Metacyclogenesis is a process that takes place in the invertebrate host, comprising morphogenetic transformation from a noninfective form to an infective form, such that parasites acquire the ability to invade human cells. We analyze here the metacyclogenesis process by 2D electrophoresis coupled to MALDI-TOF MS. A large proportion of unique proteins expressed during metacyclogenesis were observed. Interestingly, 50% of the spots were found to differ between epimastigotes and trypomastigotes. We provide a 2D map of the infective metacyclic trypomastigotes. Sixty six protein spots were successfully identified corresponding to 43 different proteins. We analyzed the expression profiles for the identified proteins along metacyclogenesis and classified them into three groups according to their maximal level of expression. We detected several isoforms for a number of proteins, some displaying differential expression during metacyclogenesis. These results suggest that posttranslational modifications may be a fundamental part of the parasite's strategy for regulating gene expression during differentiation. This study contributes to the identification of relevant proteins involved in the metacyclogenesis process. The identification and molecular characterization of these proteins will render vital information about the steps of the parasite differentiation into the infective form.     

Processing-induced chromism in thin films of polythiophene derivatives

Langmuir-Blodgett films of amphiphilic poly[3-oligo(oxyethylene)-4-methylthiophene] have been obtained. The resulting thin films are poorly conjugated, with a maximum of absorption at 405 nm which remains almost constant upon heating or cooling. In contrast, cast thin films of this polymer exhibit a maximum of absorption at 550 nm and show interesting thermochromic effects. These results to indicate that the method of preparation of thin films can have a significant influence on the conformational structure of the polymer at room temperature and, consequently, on its thermochromic behaviour.     

Effect of polarization on population transfer in H2 by stimulated Raman transition with partially overlapping laser pulses

Polarization effects on population transfer by stimulated Raman transition using overlapping time dependent pump and Stokes laser pulses from the ground X ¹Σ _g ^/+ (v _g=0, J _g=1) level of H₂ to the final X ¹Σ _g ^/+ (v _f=1, J _f=1) level via the intermediate B ¹Σ _u ^/+ (v _i=14, J _i=0,2), C ¹Π _u ^/+ (v _i=3, J _i=2) and C ¹Π _u ^/− (v _i=3, J _i=1) levels have been theoretically investigated by applying the density matrix formalism. We have studied in detail the dependence of the population transfer on time delay between two pulses for the cases of on-resonance excitations considering linear parallel and same-sense circular polarizations of the fields. The pump and Stokes fields are taken as having Gaussian pulse shapes with peak intensities I _P ^/0 (I _S ^/0 )=2 × 10⁶ and 1 × 10⁷ W/cm². Density matrix equations have been solved for each value of the magnetic quantum number M _g(0, ±1) of the initial ground level taking into account the M _g dependence of the Rabi frequencies. M _g — averaged population transfer to the final level has also been calculated. For resonance excitations to the B(14, 0) or C(3, 1) levels, appreciable population transfer is achieved for intuitive pulse order for some particular values of M _g and M _i (magnetic quantum number of the resonant intermediate level) depending on the nature of polarizations. The calculated values of M _g — averaged population transfer for the two cases of polarizations show that for on-resonance excitation to the B(14, 0) or the C(3, 1) level, linear parallel polarization of the laser fields yield more transfer efficiency whereas for resonance excitation to the B(14, 2) level, larger population transfer results from the same-sense circular polarizations. For resonance excitation to the C(3, 2) level, M _g — averaged population is found to be almost polarization independent. The calculations for the six-level H₂ system reveal some interesting features of polarization effects on the population transfer efficiency.     

The energy spectrum of an electron beam after interaction with an RF field in a gyrotron

The electron distribution over residual energy after electron interaction with an rf field was determined using the method of decelerating electric field. It is demonstrated that, under the maximum efficiency conditions, electrons with an energy lower than 30% of their initial energy are absent in the spectrum. Hence, the efficiency of energy-recuperation gyrotrons can substantially be increased.     

The spread of the initial energy of electrons in a gyrotron due to the negative-mass instability developing in a magnetron-injector gun

The formation of an electron beam in a magnetron-injector gun of a gyrotron is investigated in the case when it is affected by the negative-mass instability due to the Coulomb repulsion and nonisochronous cyclotron rotation of particles. A technique is proposed for calculating the spread of the initial energy of electrons caused by the instability, which develops as the electron beam moves in the presence of a nonuniform magnetostatic field of the magnetron-injector gun. It is demonstrated that this instability can be one of the main factors providing the energy spread in electron guns of gyrotrons.