Mating Disruption of Guatemalan Potato Moth Tecia Solanivora by Attractive and Non-Attractive Pheromone Blends

The behavioral mechanisms of mating disruption in Guatemalan potato moth Tecia solanivora were studied using the sex pheromone components, (E)-3-dodecenyl acetate, (Z)-3-dodecenyl acetate, and dodecyl acetate, formulated in a 100:1:20-ratio mimicking the female-produced blend, and in a 100:56:100 off-blend ratio. The mode of action of these two blends was tested in mating disruption experiments in the field and in a greenhouse, as well as in a laboratory wind tunnel. Field treatments with both blends at 80 g pheromone per ha reduced male attraction to trap lures baited with 100 μg of female sex pheromone. In mesh-house treatments, these two blends were equally effective at reducing male attraction to traps baited with live females and mating of caged females. Subsequent flight tunnel tests corroborated that both blends reduced attraction of naive males to calling females, and pre-exposure of males with either dispenser blend for 24 hr resulted in a strongly reduced response to calling females. The pre-exposure effect was reversible, with males again responsive after 24 hr in clean air. The two dispenser formulations produced a similar effect on male behavior, despite the differences in blend composition. One mating disruption dispenser formulated with either the female-blend or off-blend elicited the same rate of male upwind attraction in a wind-tunnel bioassay. Sensory overload and camouflage, therefore, are contributing mechanisms to mating disruption using either blend. The off-blend, which is more economical to synthesize, is a valuable tool for further development of mating disruption against this major pest of potatoes in Latin America.     

Flow visualization and numerical analysis of a new mixing equipment with vibratory fins

The mixing performance of a new type of mixing equipment which has several fin oscillators on a pair of shafts with a vibrating motor was investigated. This mixing equipment, which is mainly used for industrial plating processes, was usually operated at a vibrating frequency of about 40 Hz with the amplitude 1 mm. The flow visualization in this equipment showed that the flow in the vessel at laminar flow region was vertically divided into two distinct symmetric regions. The numerical simulation of the flow and the mixing patterns agreed well with the visualization result at laminar flow region.     

Characterization of the calcification process modeled in rat embryonic calvarial culture

An organ culture system to model the physiological calcification process was designed using rat embryonic calvaria as a device for analyzing its mechanism. Standardized calvarial explants were dissected from rat embryos aged 18 and 20 days (E18 and E20) and cultured for 1, 3 and 5 days. The calcium content of the cultured explants was quantified by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Equivalent explants were fixed, embedded in paraffin, sectioned and stained with von Kossa stain combined with hematoxylin-eosin or processed for energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to determine the concentrations of calcium, phosphorus and carbon in the tissue. The total calcium content increased significantly in E18 and E20 cultured calvaria (E18cc and E20cc) over 5 days of culture. All cultured calvaria were von Kossa-positive, whereas the staining was intensified, and sound osteoblasts and osteocytes were observed in the bone matrix only in E18cc during the 5-day culture period. Concentrations of calcium and carbon increased significantly in E18cc over 5 days, whereas E20 showed little increase. Physiological calcification proceeded in E18cc, but not in E20cc. These results indicate that the organ culture system using E18 calvaria is useful for modeling the physiological calcification process in vitro.     

Reactive Atmospheric Plasma Spraying of AlN Coatings: Influence of Aluminum Feedstock Particle Size

Feedstock powder characteristics (size distribution, morphology, shape, specific mass, and injection rate) are considered to be one of the key factors in controlling plasma-sprayed coatings microstructure and properties. The influence of feedstock powder characteristics to control the reaction and coatings microstructure in reactive plasma spraying process (RPS) is still unclear. This study, investigated the influence of feedstock particle size in RPS of aluminum nitride (AlN) coatings, through plasma nitriding of aluminum (Al) feedstock powders. It was possible to fabricate AlN-based coatings through plasma nitriding of all kinds of Al powders in atmospheric plasma spray (APS) process. The nitriding ratio was improved with decreasing the particle size of feedstock powder, due to improving the nitriding reaction during flight. However, decreasing the particle size of feedstock powder suppressed the coatings thickness. Due to the loss of the powder during the injection, the excessive vaporization of fine Al particles and the completing nitriding reaction of some fine Al particles during flight. The feedstock particle size directly affects on the nitriding, melting, flowability, and the vaporization behaviors of Al powders during spraying. It concluded that using smaller particle size powders is useful for improving the nitriding ratio and not suitable for fabrication thick AlN coatings in reactive plasma spray process. To fabricate thick AlN coatings through RPS, enhancing the nitriding reaction of Al powders with large particle size during spraying is required.     

SYNTHETIC INORGANIC ION-EXCHANGE MATERIALS XXXIX. SYNTHESIS OF TITANIUM(IV) ANTIMONATES AND THEIR ION EXCHANGE PROPERTIES FOR ALKALI AND ALKALINE EARTH METAL IONS

ABSTRACT

Titanium antimonate (TiSbA) cation exchanger, prepared under different molar ratios of titanium and antimony, has been characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, infrared spectra, and pH-titration. The pH-titration curves showed apparently monobasic acid type. The uptakes of alkali metal ions increased with increasing pH of the solution and with decreasing the molar ratio (Ti/Sb) in the exchanger. An unusual selectivity sequence of the order Na < K < Rb < Cs was found for microamounts of alkali metal ions on TiSbA, while the regular selectivity sequence Mg < Sr < Ba was found for alkaline earth metal ions in nitric acid media. The maximum separation factors, ∝^Li _Na(=55) and ∝(=186) were found on the TiSbA with Ti/Sb molar ratio of 1.56, respectively. The effective separations of Li from Na and K, Mg from Ca and Sr have been achieved by using a relatively small column (2 cm × 0.5 cm i.d. ) containing TiSbA of Ti/Sb ratio 1.56.     

A verification and validation method and its application to digital safety systems in ABWR nuclear power plants

A verification and validation (V&V) method has been developed and applied to newly developed digital safety systems for the first ABWR plant, Kashiwazaki–Kariwa unit No. 6 of the Tokyo Electric Power Company. This paper describes the method and experience gained from its application. The method was developed on the basis of domestic and foreign standards and guidelines, and covers the more concrete procedures required for actual V&V. The application of problem oriented language (POL) helps make the V&V feasible and reliable. A personal-computer-based automatic test tool for the validation test has been developed and utilized. This tool is used to carry out the pre-defined validation test procedure automatically and produce a test report, and it was found to be effective in reducing the time and manpower required for the validation test. The validation test covers dynamic transient tests in which the response of the digital safety system against the simulated design based transients are tested. The tool enables automatic execution of the dynamic test.