Measurement of helium metastable atom densities in a plasma-based ambient ionization source

We describe direct imaging of the densities of helium metastable atoms in the afterglow of a helium dielectric-barrier discharge (He-DBD) using collisionally assisted laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). For the conditions tested, comparison of fluorescence images of a He-DBD with analogous maps of emission from highly excited helium atoms revealed that helium metastable atom densities did not correlate well with emission from the plasma. Fluorescence images also showed that helium metastable atom densities increased substantially when a glass slide was placed 10.0 mm from the discharge capillary in a geometry typical for desorption-ionization experiments. We also studied the effect hydrogen has on the helium metastable atom densities. The hydrogen severely quenched the metastable state leaving it virtually undetectable. Emission was quenched as well, but to a lesser extent. The addition of 1% H(2) to the helium in the source provided nearly a factor of 2 improvement in the sensitivity of the signal for coumarin 47 when the plasma was used to ionize the dye under ambient conditions, despite the quenching of the helium metastable atom population.     

Training genetic programming on half a million patterns: an example from anomaly detection

The hierarchical RSS-DSS algorithm is introduced for dynamically filtering large datasets based on the concepts of training pattern age and difficulty, while utilizing a data structure to facilitate the efficient use of memory hierarchies. Such a scheme provides the basis for training genetic programming (GP) on a data set of half a million patterns in 15 min. The method is generic, thus, not specific to a particular GP structure, computing platform, or application context. The method is demonstrated on the real-world KDD-99 intrusion detection data set, resulting in solutions competitive with those identified in the original KDD-99 competition, while only using a fraction of the original features. Parameters of the RSS-DSS algorithm are demonstrated to be effective over a wide range of values. An analysis of different cost functions indicates that hierarchical fitness functions provide the most effective solutions.     

Purification of myosin translational control RNA and its interaction with myosin messenger RNA

Myosin messenger ribonucleoprotein-translational control ribonucleic acid (mRNP-tcNA) from myosin mRNPs found in embryonic chick muscle has been further purified by Dowex chromatography and, from a number of controls, it is suggested that this small RNA is not an artifact produced through the degradation of RNA during its isolation. This highly purified myosin mRNP-tcRNA is shown to have a molecular weight of 10 000 on formamide-acrylamide gels, and reacts stoichometrically (on a 1:1 mole ratio) with myosin mRNA. The stoichiometric interaction between myosin mRNA and myosin mRNP-tcRNP is demonstrated by ists ability to increase the nuclease resistance of the messenger, as well as inhibit its translation in a cell-free amino acid incorporating system.     

The Winchester Graphics System: A Technical Overview

This paper gives a technical overview of the Winchester Graphics System. It concentrates on the software system, and in particular, the use of a relational database (PRTV). The main use of the system is in scientific research and it has been used a great deal in Chemistry, Biophysics and related sciences. However, the facilities are general and the same system is used for quite different applications. such as engineering and archaeology. This database has been found to provide researchers with a powerful flexible tool and has helped the UKSC to provide an environment where new ideas can be proposed and evaluated quickly and easily.     

Measuring and understanding the ageing of kraft insulating paper inpower transformers

In this paper we discuss the application of a number of techniques that are currently being developed for use in life assessment/condition monitoring of transformer insulation, and we illustrate possible applications with some recent data. These include: high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the oil to measure the product concentrations; size exclusion chromatography (SEC) of the paper to measure changes in molecular weight distribution (related to the degree of polymerization, DP) and computer modeling of the degradation process to relate chemical degradation rates to changes in physical properties, such as tensile strength, which is of critical importance in assessing the probability of damage to the paper under fault conditions. We also revisit the use of DP measurement as a means of assessing insulation life and present results that illustrate problems that we have identified in obtaining consistent data. We describe a method, developed from the British and American standards, which enables us to obtain reproducible results with a known variance. The aims of this paper are to present a limited review of techniques that are relatively new to the transformer monitoring field, to provide some recent results from this laboratory to demonstrate their potential application, and to show the need for a range of new tools, if we are to improve our ability to assess the condition of transformers and the remanent life of their insulation     

User identification via neural network based language models

Identifying compromised accounts on online social networks that are used for phishing attacks or sending spam messages is still one of the most challenging problems of cyber security. In this research, the authors explore an artificial neural network‐based language model to differentiate the writing styles of different users on short text messages. In doing so, the aim is to be able to identify compromised user accounts. The results obtained indicate that one can learn the language model on one dataset and can generalize it to different datasets to identify users with high accuracy and low false alarm rates without any modification to the language model.     

A preliminary experimental investigation into the air-lift pumping of shear-thinning suspensions

In a recent article⁽¹⁾, it has been postulated that the air-lift principle may be applied to the raising of liquids or suspensions possessing shear-thinning rheological behaviour, in order that significant reductions in power requirement may be made compared with conventional mechanical pumping. Using a 41 mm i.d. riser, an experimental study of the raising of highly flocculated kaolin suspensions, at volumetric concentrations ranging from 8.1 to 18.4%, has confirmed that power savings are possible, provided that the isothermal efficiency of the compressor for air injection is substantially greater than mechanical pump efficiencies. Such power savings appear limited to a range of superficial air velocity in the air-lift riser of 0.25 to 1.25 m.s.^?1, and to suspensions containing a relatively high volumetric fraction of flocculated solids.     

A preliminary experimental investigation into the air-lift pumping of shear-thinning suspensions

In a recent article⁽¹⁾, it has been postulated that the air-lift principle may be applied to the raising of liquids or suspensions possessing shear-thinning Theological behaviour, in order that significant reductions in power requirement may be made compared with conventional mechanical pumping. Using a 41 mm i.d. riser, an experimental study of the raising of highly flocculated kaolin suspensions, at volumetric concentrations ranging from 8.1 to 18.4%, has confirmed that power savings are possible, provided that the isothermal efficiency of the compressor for air injection is substantially greater than mechanical pump efficiencies. Such power savings appear limited to a range of superficial air velocity in the air-lift riser of 0.25 to 1.25 m.s.^?1, and to suspensions containing a relatively high volumetric fraction of flocculated solids.