Transmission of X-rays through curved waveguides

The transmission of x-rays through curved cylindrical waveguides is investigated as a function of the guide diameter and the radius of curvature. Measurements were made atlambda = 1.54Å using lead glass capillaries with bore diameters ranging from 150 to 250 μ. It was observed, for example, that for a 150 μm diameter capillary 51.5 cm long, the transmission was reduced by a factor e^-1for a radius of curvature equal to 20 m. A model based on meridian ray analysis is presented and compared with the results of the experiment.     

Linkage analysis of infantile pyloric stenosis and markers from chromosome 9q11-q33: no evidence for a major gene in this candidate region

In order to investigate useful indicators of lead contamination, 108 Japanese Black calves from a lead-contaminated farm were used. The lead concentrations in blood (Ph-B), delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) activities, and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) concentrations were examined. A significant negative correlation was obtained between Pb-B concentrations and ALA-D activities (r = -0.621, p < 0.01). A significant positive correlation was obtained between Ph-B concentrations and FEP concentrations (r = 0.850, p < 0.01). The calves were divided by Pb-B concentrations (micrograms/100 ml) into 5 groups (A = < or = 30, B = 31 approximately 90, C = 91 approximately 150, D = 151 approximately 210, E = > or = 211) to observe the relation of ALA-D activities, FEP concentrations and ALA-D activities in group B (r = -0.706, p < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was obtained between Pb-B concentrations and FEP concentrations in groups A, B and D (A = r = 0.496, p < 0.01; B = r = 0.686, p < 0.01; D = r = 0.529, p < 0.05). These results indicate that FEP concentrations were good indicators of lead contamination.     

In situ X-ray diffraction study of melting in gold contacts to gallium arsenide

By in situ X-ray diffraction, we have obtained direct evidence for the distinction in melting temperature between the first and subsequent heating in ～ 1000 Å gold contacts to GaAs. During the first heating, melting occurred at 456–500°C and is attributed to the melting of a reaction product tentively identified as the orthorhombic AuGa compound (50 at.% Ga), which formed in the solid state. The minimum temperature required for the solid-state reaction and the melting temperature decreased with decreasing hydrostatic pressure. During second and subsequent heating, melting occurred at 410–415°C and is attributed to the melting of β AuGa (or Au₇Ga₂), which formed after the first melting-solidification cycle. At high cooling rates (e.g. 40°C/min) during the first solidification, β was observed together with a phase (tentative Au₂Ga) which increased in proportion with increasing cooling rate.     

Effect of frusemide on cough responses to chloride-deficient solution in normal and mild asthmatic subjects

We studied the tussive effects of a chloride-deficient solution (1.26% sodium bicarbonate). Nine normal volunteers and 10 mild asthmatic subjects were studied. In two double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over studies, we assessed the profile of any inhibitory effects that inhaled frusemide had over these responses. Baseline cough challenge was followed by inhalation of either frusemide (40 mg), or 0.15 M NaCl control. Cough was then induced at 0.5, 2, 4 and 6 h after treatment. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was measured before and after each challenge. Changes from the baseline cough response due to drug or control were compared nonparametrically at each time point. There was no difference in the sensitivity of normal and asthmatic subjects to the cough challenge (median cough response 15 and 14.5 on control day, 12 and 15 on frusemide day). Frusemide caused sustained inhibition of the cough response in normal subjects (p < 0.05 at 2 h, p < 0.01 at 4 h), but had only a small, nonsignificant effect in asthmatic subjects at 30 min. Falls in FEV1 of asthmatic subjects due to the chloride-deficient solution were not significant, and did not correlate with number of coughs. We conclude that mild asthmatic subjects are less sensitive than normal subjects to the influence of frusemide against low chloride challenge. This observation is not explained by bronchoconstrictor effects of the cough challenge in asthmatic subjects.     

Continuous variable structure controller for BLDDSM positioncontrol with prescribed tracking performance

The continuous, accurate, and robust sliding mode tracking controller based on a disturbance observer for a brushless direct drive servo motor (BLDDSM) is presented. Although the conventional sliding mode control (SMC) or variable structure control (VSC) can give the desired tracking performance, there exists an inevitable chattering problem in control which is undesirable for a direct drive system. With the proposed algorithm, not only are the chattering problems removed, but also the prescribed tracking performance can be obtained by using the efficient compensation of the disturbance observer. The design of the sliding mode tracking controller for the prescribed, accurate, and robust tracking performance without the chattering problem is given based on the results of the detailed stability analysis. The usefulness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated through the computer simulations for a BLDDSM under load variations     

Four-equation turbulence model for prediction of the turbulent boundary layer affected by buoyancy force over a flat plate

Turbulent convective heat transfer with appreciable buoyancy effect over a heated or cooled horizontal flat plate is numerically analyzed by solving four equations for mean square temperature variance , its rate of destruction _θ, turbulent kinetic energy κ and the rate of kinetic energy dissipation . Turbulent time-scale ratio R of temperature fluctuations relative to velocity fluctuations defined by is found to vary widely across the boundary layer. For both highly stable and highly unstable conditions, the ‘four-equation’ model yields better results for mean temperature profile and surface heat flux than the two-equation model. It is also found that the magnitude of thermal von Karman constant κ_θ is not a universal constant but it depends on the thermal stratification of the boundary layer.     

A k-out-of-N:G redundant system with dependent failure rates and common-cause failures

This paper presents a k-out-of-N: G redundant system with dependent failure rates, common-cause failures and r repair facilities. The failure rates of the components increase as the number of components failed increases, while the repair rates are constant. Common-cause failure is not considered in Model I. In Model II the common-cause failures are involved. Steady-state probabilities and steady-state availability are derived.