Recent activities in the field of Nuclear Operational Management and Nuclear Safety Engineering

Recent activities in the field of Nuclear Operational Management and Nuclear Safety Engineering, the studies related to risk analysis methodology, design, and operational management, physical phenomena, and emergency preparedness and nuclear security, have been progressed. Especially, ‘risk analysis methodology’ and ‘design and operational management’ are the main categories of the field, in which more than half of published articles on Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology are related to these categories.     

A precise sensor fault detection technique using statistical techniques for wireless body area networks

One of the major challenges in wireless body area networks (WBANs) is sensor fault detection. This paper reports a method for the precise identification of faulty sensors, which should help users identify true medical conditions and reduce the rate of false alarms, thereby improving the quality of services offered by WBANs. The proposed sensor fault detection (SFD) algorithm is based on Pearson correlation coefficients and simple statistical methods. The proposed method identifies strongly correlated parameters using Pearson correlation coefficients, and the proposed SFD algorithm detects faulty sensors. We validated the proposed SFD algorithm using two datasets from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care database and compared the results to those of existing methods. The time complexity of the proposed algorithm was also compared to that of existing methods. The proposed algorithm achieved high detection rates and low false alarm rates with accuracies of 97.23% and 93.99% for Dataset 1 and Dataset 2, respectively.     

Finite element analysis of fracture behavior in ceramics: Competition between artificial notch and internal defects under three-point bending

Evaluation of the nonlinear relationship between the surface defect size and fracture strength of ceramics is important for engineering applications. In this study, we aim to predict the apparent nonlinear relationship between the defect size and fracture strength of single-edge notched beams (SENBs) using the finite element method. Specifically, we applied the methodology for predicting fracture strength from microstructure distribution data (relative density, pore size, aspect ratio, and grain size) to a finite element analysis (FEA) model in which the shape and size of the initial defects are defined at notch locations. By reproducing the apparent nonlinearity caused by the competition between the surface and internal defects within the framework of linear elastic fracture mechanics, the effectiveness of the FEA methodology for the evaluation of strength scatter and allowable crack size in ceramics was demonstrated.     

C反应蛋白和降钙素原指导高危新生儿预防性应用抗生素的效果、安全性和经济性分析

目的:评价应用C反应蛋白（C reaction protein，CRP）和降钙素原（procalcitonin，PCT）指导高危新生儿预防性应用抗生素的效果、安全性和经济性。方法:选取2015年7月至2017年1月慈溪市妇幼保健院收治的高危新生儿124例作为研究对象，随机数表法分为对照组（62例）和实验组（62例），对照组患儿均给予预防性应用抗生素治疗，实验组根据CRP和PCT选择性应用抗生素。比较两组患儿的细菌培养阳性率、脓毒症发生率以及不良反应发生率。结果:两组患儿的CRP和PCT水平和阳性率间均不存在统计学差异（t/χ2=0.299，-0.461，0.292，0.544，0.186，P=0.766，0.646，0.589，0.461，0.666）。两组患儿治疗前后的菌培养阳性率间均不存在统计学差异（χ2=0.040，0.287，P=0.842，0.592）；两组治疗后的菌培养阳性率均明显低于治疗前（χ2=47.825，40.367，P=0.000，0.000）；两组患儿脓毒症的发生率分别为12.90%和14.52%，差异无统计学意义（χ2=0.068，P=0.794）。实验组的NICU治疗和住院时间、机械通气时间以及治疗费用均显著低于对照组（t=2.904，2.729，2.152，5.337，P=0.004，0.007，0.033，0.000），两组的机械通气率间无统计学差异（χ2=0.372，P=0.542）。对照组患儿不良反应发生率为19.35%，明显高于实验组的6.46%（χ2=4.593，P=0.032）。结论:应用CRP和PCT指导高危新生儿预防性应用抗生素的效果与普遍性应用相似，可以明显减少治疗时间和治疗费用，明显降低治疗相关不良反应。     

Damage evolution in polymer due to exposure to high-pressure hydrogen gas

The use of hydrogen as a fuel is increasing exponentially, and the most economical way to store and transport hydrogen for fuel use is as a high-pressure gas. Polymers are widely used for hydrogen distribution and storage systems because they are chemically inert towards hydrogen. However, when exposed to high-pressure hydrogen, some hydrogen diffuses through polymers and occupies the preexisting cavities inside the material. Upon depressurization, the hydrogen trapped inside polymer cavities can cause blistering or cracking by expanding these cavities. A continuum mechanics–based deformation model was deployed to predict the stress distribution and damage propagation while the polymer undergoes depressurization after high-pressure hydrogen exposure. The effects of cavity size, cavity location, and pressure inside the cavity on damage initiation and evolution inside the polymer were studied. The stress and damage evolution in the presence of multiple cavities was also studied, because interaction among cavities alters the damage and stress field. It was found that all these factors significantly change the stress state in the polymer, resulting in different paths for damage propagation. The effect of adding carbon black filler particles and plasticizer on the damage was also studied. It was found that damage tolerance of the polymer increases drastically with the addition of carbon black fillers, but decreases with the addition of the plasticizer.     

Event-triggered distributed receding horizon control for tracking and formation of homogeneous multi-agent systems

This paper proposes an event-triggered distributed receding horizon control (DRHC) approach for the formation and tracking problems of homogeneous multi-agent systems. For each agent, an event-triggering condition, based on assumed predictive information of the neighbours, is derived from stability analysis. Considering the uncertain deviation between the assumed and true predictive information, we design a time-varying compatibility constraint for the individual optimization problem. In the event-triggered DRHC algorithm, each agent solves the optimization problem and communicates with its neighbours only when the event-triggering condition is satisfied, so the communication and computation burden are reduced. Moreover, guarantees for the recursive feasibility and asymptotic stability of the overall system are proved. A simulation example is provided to illustrate effectiveness of the proposed approach.     

Effect of processing on the microbiological quality and safety of chicken carcasses at slaughterhouse

Microbiological contamination of chicken meat depends on the conditions under which the animals are reared, slaughtered and processed. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of farm origin and processing stages at slaughterhouse on the microbial safety and quality of chicken. Samples of chicken carcasses from three different farms were taken from a slaughterhouse. Mesophiles, Escherichia coli, coagulase positive Staphylococcci counts, presence of Listeria monocytogenes,Campylobacter and Salmonella were determined at five sampling points: after defeathering, after evisceration, after washing, after chilling and after cutting. Chilling reduced log numbers of mesophiles, coagulase positive Staphylococci and E. coli by 0.85, 1.52 and 2.2 log units, respectively. Salmonella was not detected after chilling. High prevalence of Campylobacter spp was observed at all the stages ranging between 84% and 100%. L. monocytogenes was not detected in chicken carcasses after defeathering. However, it was detected after evisceration and after washing and chilling. The most critical stage for L. monocytogenes contamination was the portioning operation, the prevalence in breast and legs being 88% and 84%, respectively.     

Sensitization of MCF7 Cells with High Notch1 Activity by Cisplatin and Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors Applied Together

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs) are promising anti-cancer agents that inhibit proliferation of many types of cancer cells including breast carcinoma (BC) cells. In the present study, we investigated the influence of the Notch1 activity level on the pharmacological interaction between cisplatin (CDDP) and two HDIs, valproic acid (VPA) and suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA, vorinostat), in luminal-like BC cells. The type of drug–drug interaction between CDDP and HDIs was determined by isobolographic analysis. MCF7 cells were genetically modified to express differential levels of Notch1 activity. The cytotoxic effect of SAHA or VPA was higher on cells with decreased Notch1 activity and lower for cells with increased Notch1 activity than native BC cells. The isobolographic analysis demonstrated that combinations of CDDP with SAHA or VPA at a fixed ratio of 1:1 exerted additive or additive with tendency toward synergism interactions. Therefore, treatment of CDDP with HDIs could be used to optimize a combined therapy based on CDDP against Notch1-altered luminal BC. In conclusion, the combined therapy of HDIs and CDDP may be a promising therapeutic tool in the treatment of luminal-type BC with altered Notch1 activity.     

仪器仪表产品脉冲耐压试验要求和保护器件的选择

仪器仪表产品的脉冲耐压试验是产品型式试验、例行试验中的基本内容。通过对GB4793.1标准的整理,归纳了仪器仪表产品的脉冲耐压试验要求。通过对试验方法和设备特性的梳理,总结了特性参数,并介绍了应对脉冲耐压试验可采取的保护器件的类别及选用方法。