Calculation of neutron importance function in fissionable assemblies using Monte Carlo method

The purpose of the present work is to develop an efficient solution method for the calculation of neutron importance function in fissionable assemblies for all criticality conditions, based on Monte Carlo calculations.     

Assessing terrestrial wildlife populations in the Toronto and Region Area of Concern

Beneficial use impairments (BUIs) under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement identify environmental issues requiring remedial action within the Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs). We conducted this study to support the assessment of the wildlife component of BUI 3: degradation of fish and wildlife populations. We compared bird and amphibian (frogs and toads) data from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s Terrestrial Long-term Monitoring Program in the Toronto and Region AOC to an adjacent, but otherwise similar, reference watershed, Duffins Creek. Twelve of 13 targets were met within the AOC for forest bird, wetland bird, meadow bird and amphibian populations based on averages of mean annual values at sites within the AOC that were within two standard deviations of averages at sites in the Duffins Creek reference watershed between 2008 and 2017. Even though wildlife populations within the AOC were within the normal range of variability expected from a reference watershed, they were often at lower levels than within the Duffins Creek reference watershed. In addition, forest bird and amphibian populations were negatively affected by urbanization within the AOC and meadow bird indices declined. We conclude that while wildlife populations within the AOC currently meet targets for BUI 3, they continue to be negatively impacted by numerous stressors that are primarily related to past and ongoing urbanization. Thus, continued restoration of wildlife habitat and protection of existing habitat within the AOC is highly recommended.     

Overaluminizing of a CoNiCrAlY Coating by Inward and Outward Diffusion Treatments

Overaluminizing is a commercially accepted treatment to enhance high temperature oxidation resistance of MCrAlY overlay coatings. In the current investigation, a low pressure plasma-sprayed CoNiCrAlY coating was aluminized by two different growth modes: outward growth and inward growth. The resultant microstructures were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The results showed that the final microstructure of both types of overaluminized coatings was similar and included Al-rich NiAl and Ni-rich NiAl zones from the top to the bottom. The details of the microstructures are discussed and compared with the results of simple aluminizing of the nickel-based substrate.     

An examination of exposure control and content balancing restrictions on item selection in CATs using the partial credit model

The purpose of the present investigation was to systematically examine the effectiveness of the Sympson-Hetter technique and rotated content balancing relative to no exposure control and no content rotation conditions in a computerized adaptive testing system (CAT) based on the partial credit model. A series of simulated fixed and variable length CATs were run using two data sets generated to multiple content areas for three sizes of item pools. The 2 (exposure control) X 2 (content rotation) X 2 (test length) X 3 (item pool size) X 2 (data sets) yielded a total of 48 conditions. Results show that while both procedures can be used with no deleterious effect on measurement precision, the gains in exposure control, pool utilization, and item overlap appear quite modest. Difficulties involved with setting the exposure control parameters in small item pools make questionable the utility of the Sympson-Hetter technique with similar item pools.     

An Integrated Approach for Enhancing the Quality of the Product by Combining Robust Design and Customer Requirements

Enhancing the quality of the product has always been one considerable concern of production process management, and this subject gave way to implementing so many methods including robust design. In this paper, robust design utilizes response surface methodology (RSM) considering the mean and variance of the response variable regarding system design, parameter design, and tolerance design. In this paper, customer requirements and robust design are regarded simultaneously to achieve enriched quality. Subsequently, with a non‐linear programming, a novel method for integrating RSM and quality function deployment has been proposed to achieve robustness in design. The customer requirements are regarded in every stage of product development process meaning system design, parameter design and tolerance design. To validate the applicability of the proposed approach, it has been implemented in a real case of chemical industry. Research findings show that the proposed method is much better than other existing methods including MSE and dual response methods. According to this method, the resulted mean is better than MSE method, and more importantly, the variance of the process is approximately 14% and 10% lesser than dual response and MSE method. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling of a clinker rotary kiln using operating functions concept

Modelling and parameter identification of complex dynamic systems/processes is one of the main challenging problems in control engineering. An example of such a process is clinker rotary kiln (CRK) in cement industry. In the prevailing models independently of which structure is used to describe the kiln's dynamics and the identification algorithm, parameters are assumed to be centralised and constant while the CRK is well known as a distributed parameter system with a strongly varying dynamic through time. In this work, the kiln's dynamic is described in the form of a state‐space representation with three state variables using a system of partial differential equations (PDE). The structure is chosen so that it can easily be embedded in classical state‐space control algorithms. The parameters of the PDE system are called operating functions since their numerical values vary with respect to different operating conditions of the kiln, to their position in the kiln, and through time. A phenomenological approach is also proposed in this paper to identify the operating functions for a given steady‐state operation of the kiln. The model is then used to perform a semi‐dynamic simulation of the process through manipulating main process variables.     

Contrasting cognitive deficits in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder versus reading disability.

Compared 2 common and sometimes comorbid developmental disorders, reading disability (RD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in 2 cognitive domains, phonological processes (PPs) and executive functions (EFs). Ss were 70 boys of early school age, studied by means of a 2 (RD vs no RD)?×?2 (ADHD vs no ADHD)?×?2 (domain type) mixed-model design. The 2 RD groups (RD-only and RD plus ADHD) were significantly impaired compared with both the control and ADHD-only groups on a PP composite score but performed normally on the EF composite score. The ADHD-only group had an opposite profile and was significantly different from both RD groups and from controls on the EF composite score. Thus, there was a double-dissociation between the RD-only and ADHD-only groups. The comorbid group resembled the RD-only group, consistent with the hypothesis that their ADHD symptoms are secondary to RD. These results provide evidence for the separability of PPs from EFs, as well as 1 explanation for the comorbidity between RD and ADHD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Responsive Liquid‐Crystal‐Clad Fibers for Advanced Textiles and Wearable Sensors

A simple process to clad conventional monofilament fibers with low‐molecular‐weight liquid crystals (LCs) stabilized by an outer polymer sheath is demonstrated. The fibers retain the responsive properties of the LCs but in a highly flexible/drapable format. The monofilament core makes these fibers much more rugged with a magnified response to external stimuli when compared to previously reported LC‐core fibers produced by electrospinning or airbrushing. The microscopic structure and the optical properties of round and flattened fibers are reported. The sensitivity of the response of individual fibers can be tuned over a broad range by varying the composition of the LCs. Complex fabrics can be easily woven from fibers that respond to different external stimuli, such as temperature variation, chemical concentrations, and pressure. The fabrics can be fashioned into garments that can sense and report the state of health of the wearer or the status of their environment.     

海洋红球菌分离鉴定及其产油脂和色素的研究

该研究从海洋环境中分离到一株橙黄色细菌,编号TH-22,经形态观察、生理生化特征和16S rRNA基因序列分析鉴定,该菌归属于赤红球菌（Rhodococcus ruber）。通过单因素实验确定菌株TH-22的培养条件,并初步研究其利用多种糖类物质产油脂和色素的潜力。结果表明,在10 g/L葡萄糖作为碳源、培养温度35 ℃、摇床转速150 r/min、初始pH为7.5和NaCl含量为1%的条件下发酵5 d,油脂和色素的产量最高,分别为（2.87±0.15） g/L和（3.89±0.28） mg/L。菌株TH-22能够利用多种糖类物质产油脂和色素,为进一步开发研究红球菌利用木质纤维素等生物质资源提供科学依据。