pH and Acid Anion Time Trends in Different Elevation Ranges in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Quarterly base flow water quality data collected from October, 1993 to November, 2002 at 90 stream sites in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park were used in step-wise multiple linear regression models to analyze pH, acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), and sulfate and nitrate long-term time trends. The potential predictor variables included cumulative Julian day, seasonality, elevation, basin slope, stream order, precipitation, surrogate streamflows, geology, and acid depositional fluxes. Modeling revealed statistically significant decreasing trends in pH and sulfate with time at lower elevations, but generally no long-term time trends in stream nitrate or ANC. The best forecasting models were chosen based on maximizing the r2 of a holdout data set. If conditions remain the same and past trends continue, the forecasting models suggest that 30.0% of the sampling sites will reach pH values less than 6.0 in less than 10?years, 63.3% in less than 25?years, and 96.7% in less than 50?years. The pH forecasting models explain 65% of the variability in the holdout data.     

In situ observations on the austenite stability in TRIP‐steel during tensile testing

In‐situ deformation tests have been performed on a steel displaying the transformation‐induced plasticity (TRIP) effect, while monitoring the phase transformation by means of X‐ray diffraction. A tensile stress is applied to 0.4 mm thick samples of this steel with mass contents of 0.26 % Si, 1.5 % Mn, and 1.8 % Al in a transmission geometry for a synchrotron‐radiation beam of 25 μm · 25 μm. On the diffraction patterns every grain appears as a discrete spot. The austenite {200} reflections are analysed during this investigation. The diffraction patterns are treated like a powder pattern for five different η‐angles, with η representing the angle between the tensile direction and the normal direction of the diffracting {200} planes. The results of the analysis show that η = 0° and η = 90° are the preferential orientations for the transformation to martensite. The Ludwigson and Burger model [9] is used to gain more information about the stress dependence of the deformation induced martensite formation. The microdiffraction patterns also reveal the changes in carbon concentration in austenite at each retained austenite fraction.     

Variable Length Optical Packet Synchronizer

Synchronization of asynchronously arriving variable length Internet Protocol packets to a local clock is demonstrated using a fiber-based optical synchronizer. The synchronizer is a four-stage feed-forward design with a resolution of 853 ps and a dynamic tuning range of 12.8 ns. The arrival time of packets is determined on a per packet basis using a payload envelope detection technique. The synchronizer state is dynamically configured on a per packet basis determined from the arrival time. Layer-1 (bit-error-rate) measurements are presented with power penalties 0.5 dB and an input power dynamic range 15 dB. Layer-2 (packet recovery) measurements are presented with power penalties 1.5 dB.     

先进栅叠层的在线光谱分析法

量测平台的复杂性和光学原理上的局限性制约着测量系统的应用，直到真空紫外光谱反射仪的出现，这种状况才得到改变。     

Effects of experience and motivation on symmetrical-maze performance in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster).

Sex differences in spatial skills are sometimes attributed to sex differences in spatial experience. This hypothesis rests on two assumptions: Spatial experience typically differs with sex, and spatial experience has lasting effects on spatial cognition. We tested the latter assumption in a controlled experiment with wild-caught prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) and their spatially deprived, laboratory-reared, first-generation offspring; we found the assumption to be unjustified. Although major differences in spatial experience had no effect on maze performance, relatively small differences in motivation produced a significant difference in error rates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A pathway for net-zero energy buildings: creating a case for zero cost increase

To have market relevance and gain widespread market adoption, zero energy buildings (ZEBs) will need to be designed and constructed cost-effectively, and preferably without additional costs. An approach was developed to create low-energy buildings without additional construction costs such that it yielded innovation in building technology and integration by the market. A case study of the implementation of this method is presented to provide a data point that ZEBs can be built with zero cost increase. Documenting cost-control best practices and packaging those strategies for adoption by the commercial building sector will help make the business case for ZEBs for mainstream construction and promote market uptake of the innovative technologies and design approaches needed. The holistic implementation of cost-control strategies will enable ZEBs to be designed and constructed on a typical budget. The current state of ZEB economics is evaluated and a path forward is proposed for greater market penetration of ZEBs. By demonstrating how to combine ZEB technologies and design approaches into an overall efficiency package that can be implemented at minimal (zero, in certain cases) incremental capital cost, the domain of ZEB design and construction can be expanded from a niche market to the commercial construction mainstream.     

用于电源、继电器和螺线管的协同式线路保护

在各种新型先进设备上实施协同式电路保护可有助于提高设备可靠性、减少元器件数量,并使其符合严格的安规要求。协同式方法能够帮助保护电源、继电器和螺线管,避免因线路故障或过载造成电流增大以及尖峰电压或暴露在稳态过压状态带来的危害。     

Building-related symptoms and inflammatory potency of dust from office buildings

The aim was to investigate the association between building-related symptoms (BRS) in office buildings and the inflammatory potency of dust (PD). Furthermore, the association between dust potency and various building characteristics was investigated. Occupants of 22 office buildings received a retrospective questionnaire about BRS (2301 respondents). Dust was collected from groups of offices and building characteristics were recorded. The potency of a dust sample to induce interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion from the lung epithelial cell line A549 was measured as the slope of the initial linear part of the concentration-response curve. Symptoms of the central nervous system (CNS) were associated with the potency of surface dust (OR = 1.4). This association may be due to an association between an index of CNS symptoms and dust potency in offices of 1-6 occupants (OR = 1.5). No single symptoms correlated with the potency of surface dust. The PD was not related to single building factors. The inflammatory PD may be used as an integrated proxy measure of biologically active compounds in dust, reflecting health relevant properties of the dust. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The potency of surface dust may be used as a crude measurement of the chemical and biological exposures present in the building, and being associated with the development of central nervous system symptoms. However, additional research is needed to establish the predictive value of the potency of surface dust.     

Critical review of methods for risk ranking of food-related hazards,based on risks for human health

This study aimed to critically review methods for ranking risks related to food safety and dietary hazards on the basis of their anticipated human health impacts. A literature review was performed to identify and characterize methods for risk ranking from the fields of food, environmental science and socio-economic sciences. The review used a predefined search protocol, and covered the bibliographic databases Scopus, CAB Abstracts, Web of Sciences, and PubMed over the period 1993–2013.

All references deemed relevant, on the basis of predefined evaluation criteria, were included in the review, and the risk ranking method characterized. The methods were then clustered—based on their characteristics—into eleven method categories. These categories included: risk assessment, comparative risk assessment, risk ratio method, scoring method, cost of illness, health adjusted life years (HALY), multi-criteria decision analysis, risk matrix, flow charts/decision trees, stated preference techniques and expert synthesis. Method categories were described by their characteristics, weaknesses and strengths, data resources, and fields of applications.

It was concluded there is no single best method for risk ranking. The method to be used should be selected on the basis of risk manager/assessor requirements, data availability, and the characteristics of the method. Recommendations for future use and application are provided.