<Emphasis Type="Italic">SH</Emphasis>-wave intromission concept

The existence of an SH-wave incidence angle for which the reflected amplitude is zero (SH-wave intromission angle) is established for the case of plane-wave scattering by a planar interface joining two homogeneous, isotropic, and linearly elastic half-spaces. Such an incidence angle is numerically shown to exist for two combinations of bimaterial interface properties. The SH-wave intromission angle is roughly parallel to the electromagnetic Brewster angle and the acoustic P-wave intromission angle, and the concept should find new applications for non-intrusive characterization of interfaces.     

Evaluation of pipe whip impacts on neighboring piping and walls of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant

Stress corrosion cracks have been discovered in Group Distribution Headers (GDH) at the Ignalina and Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plants. This increases the probability that a guillotine pipe break can occur that creates a whipping pipe (GDH) with the potential to damage surrounding structures—i.e. adjacent GDH and its attached piping or adjacent reinforced concrete compartment wall. The GDH is the most important component for reactor safety in case of an accident. Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) piping is connected to the GDH piping such that, during an accident, coolant passes from the ECSS into the GDH.Presented in this paper is the transient analysis of a Group Distribution Header following a guillotine break at the blind end of the header. Using a very conservative force loading function, the transient response of a whipping RBMK-1500 GDH along with neighboring concrete walls and pipelines is obtained using finite element methodology.The results of the study, assuming that the impacted GDH does not suffer stress corrosion cracking, indicate that the structural integrity of the compartment should be maintained and failure should not propagate from GDH to GDH.     

Fishery and Fishculture Challenges in Lithuania

This paper focuses on the development of fishery and fishculture in Lithuania. It provides a brief review of fishery evolution in the Baltic Sea and World Ocean and focuses on Lithuania's inner waters, with a particular emphasis on fishculture in Soviet (1945–90) and post-Soviet (1990–2007) Lithuania. Data for the paper were obtained from statistical yearbooks, state and enterprises' reports, direct contact with institutions and personnel and field survey work. During the Soviet period, more than 20 large state fishculture enterprises were established, each with 500–1000 ha of fishponds. These enterprises also owned 4000–7000 ha of farmland, which were used for rearing ducks and geese, stockbreeding and arable farming. In the Soviet period fishculture was a profitable business because it was partly subsidized by the state and the cost of energy and fish fodder were artificially low, not corresponding to their real value. After Lithuania declared its independence, state support of fishculture ceased, fishponds were privatized and the costs of energy and fodder increased significantly. As a result, fishculture enterprises barely manage to survive in free market economic conditions. Energy costs can be up to 50% of the fishculture enterprises' expenditure. Therefore, it is necessary to look for methods to improve fishculture practices in Lithuania.     

Interaction of Water-Soluble CdTe Quantum Dots with Bovine Serum Albumin

Semiconductor nanoparticles (quantum dots) are promising fluorescent markers, but it is very little known about interaction of quantum dots with biological molecules. In this study, interaction of CdTe quantum dots coated with thioglycolic acid (TGA) with bovine serum albumin was investigated. Steady state spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering methods were used. It was explored how bovine serum albumin affects stability and spectral properties of quantum dots in aqueous media. CdTe–TGA quantum dots in aqueous solution appeared to be not stable and precipitated. Interaction with bovine serum albumin significantly enhanced stability and photoluminescence quantum yield of quantum dots and prevented quantum dots from aggregating.     

Student progress assessment with the help of an intelligent pupil analysis system

Students and lecturers would like to know how well students have learned the study materials being taught. A formal test or exam would cause needless stress for students. To resolve this problem, the authors of this article have developed an Intelligent Pupil Analysis (IPA) System. A sufficient amount of studies worldwide prove an interrelation between pupil size and a person's cognitive load. The obtained research results are comparable with the results from other similar studies. The original contribution of this article, compared to the research results published earlier, is as follows: the IPA System developed by the authors is superior to the traditional pupil analysis research due to the integration of pupil analysis with subsystems of decision support, recommender and intelligent tutoring systems and innovative Models of the Model-base, which permit a more detailed analysis of the knowledge attained by a student. This article ends with a case study to demonstrate the practical operation of the IPA System.     

The Binding of Anionic Dyes by Cross-Linked Cationic Starches

Adsorption of anionic dyes on the cross-linked with epichlorohydrin starches containing quaternary ammonium groups (CCS) was investigated and compared with that of modified starches containing only quaternary ammonium groups (CS). The adsorption of anionic dyes on CS and CCS closely follows the Langmuir model of adsorption. The computed Langmuir saturation capacity Q _o increases with increasing degree of substitution (DS) of CS or CCS and has the value from 0.81 mol/kg to 3.22 mol/kg for CCS and from 0.88 mol/kg to 1.87 mol/kg for CS. The effectiveness of the cationic groups in dye binding was about 1 mol/equiv for CSS with DS from 0.47 to 0.62 and all the cationic groups had attached one anionic groups of the dye. Increasing DS of CS decreases the effectiveness of dye binding due to the increase in solubility of CS, and the soluble part of CS binds the dye as a typical soluble polyelectrolyte. CCS are more suitable than CS for the anionic dye adsorption from a textile dyeing solution. DS of CCS should be about 0.5–0.6. They adsorb the anionic dyes in few minutes and acts in the wide range of pH of the solutions. The Langmuir saturation capacity Q _o and the effectiveness of the cationic groups in dye binding increase with an increase of the adsorption temperature. The positive values of the enthalpy and entropy suggest that the adsorption is endothermic and during the adsorption of the anionic dye on CCS the randomness of the system increases.     

Silver nanostructured catalyst for modification of dielectrics surface

The preparation of nano-size Ag particles and their application for forming nanostructured catalysts on various surfaces are described. Silver colloid solutions were prepared by reduction of Ag(I) salt by tin(II) and characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and light absorption spectra. Depending on the colloid preparation conditions metal particles of 5-100 nm size were obtained. According to XRD data, the colloid particles contain Ag and SnO₂ phases and no metallic Sn. The Ag nanoparticles were found to be efficient electrocatalysts for anodic oxidation of formaldehyde in alkaline solutions. The catalytic activity of a glassy carbon electrode with Ag surface coverage of 0.3-1 μg cm⁻² is similar or even exceeds that of the metallic electrode. The silver particles were used for the initiation of the electroless copper deposition process on dielectrics; for that 1-2 μg cm⁻² Ag is needed.     

Characteristics of Zinc Corrosion and Formation of Conversion Films on the Zinc Surface in Acidic Solutions of Cr(III) Compounds

The influence of the components of an acidic solution: Cr(III) nitrate-malonic acid-Co(II) salt and treatment conditions on zinc dissolution and formation of Chromate films as well as on their decorative and protective properties have been studied using the analytical, XPS, structural and accelerated corrosion test methods. An organic acid is the main component, which has an essential influence on zinc dissolution and formation of Chromate films as well as their decorative and protective properties. The influence of organic acid is directly related with the state of the Cr³⁺ ions in chromating solution. When the Cr³⁺ ions are in the form of hexaaquaions, the organic acid increases the quantities of the zinc dissolved and the Cr(III) deposited on the zinc surface (especially at 60°C). It also predetermines the formation of a thick, porous Chromate film with large cracks at 60°C. Its decorative and protective properties are rather poor. When Cr³⁺ ions are in the form of a complex with organic acid, the quantities of the zinc dissolved and the Cr(III) deposited on the zinc surface significantly decrease and thinner Chromate films with an even surface, good decorative appearance and high corrosion resistance are formed Decorative blue-bright Cr(VI)-free films with a slight iridescent tint, obtained in solution, containing Cr(III) nitrate (0.2), malonic acid (0.3) and Co(II) nitrate (0.02) mol dm^?3, at p H 1.6-2.0 at room temperature over 30–60 s, possess corrosion resistance (192–240 h in a salt spray chamber) similar to that of iridescent Chromate films, obtained in acidic Cr(VI) solution.     

DEM analysis of acoustic wake agglomeration for mono-sized microparticles in the presence of gravitational effects

The application of the discrete element method (DEM) to numerical simulation of the acoustic agglomeration of micron-sized mono-dispersed aerosol particles is demonstrated. The conventional DEM technique used in granular dynamics is modified for the simulation of the acoustically induced attractive motion of particles in incompressible fluid. The relationship between the acoustic wake and the gravity is investigated by simulating the binary interaction of two particles for a wide range of particles’ orientations to the sound direction. The main finding obtained by simulation results shows that agglomeration time is solely predefined by the acoustic wake effect independently of gravity. On the other hand, the gravitational motion is contributed by the sound, and an increase of settling velocity due to the sound of individual particles was found. Additionally, two particles surrounded by a system of other particles are illustrated by numerical results. It was also shown that isolated particles demonstrate an overestimated increase of the agglomeration time, which was essentially reduced by the contribution of other particles in the multi-particle system.     

Nanocomposite films and coatings produced by interaction between graphite oxide and Congo red

Nanocomposite films and coatings were produced from the aqueous solutions containing different proportions of graphite oxide (GO) and Congo red by filtering through a polycarbonate membrane filter into alkaline media. They were examined by electron microscopy, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, contact angle, and electrical conductivity measurements. It was established that the Congo red is able to interact through its amino groups with different functional groups of GO to form larger moieties composed of the nanoplatelets of GO. Raman spectroscopy revealed quinoid-like ring structure for dye adhering to the GO. In the case when the interaction occurs with the terminal functional groups located on the edges of the nanoplateletes of GO, larger crystallites in the nanocomposite are formed. The interaction between the Congo red and functional groups of GO situated in a basal plane leads to more compact structure of the nanocomposite. Pulsed laser treatment was used to reduce GO to graphene. Raman spectra of laser treated areas show positive effect of addition of the Congo red on the graphene yield in nanocomposite coatings after the laser treatment.