Sharp Decrease In Temperature Research Articles

Fluid inclusions from the Jinchang Cu–Au deposit, Heilongjiang Province, NE China: Genetic style and magmatic-hydrothermal evolution

The Jinchang Cu–Au deposit is located in the easternmost part of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). The mineralization here is associated with Cretaceous porphyritic intrusions of ca. 120–110Ma and is mainly hosted within intensely altered Mesozoic granites, breccia pipes, ringed and radial faults. The gold ores are disseminated in the wall rock, and also occur as massive auriferous quartz-sulfide veins in fractures and breccias. Fluid inclusion data from breccias, chalcopyrite–quartz vein, and pyrite–quartz vein display homogenization temperatures in the range of 200 to >550°C and the fluids show variable salinity in the range of 0–58wt.% (NaCl equiv.). The halite absent fluid inclusions shows a slight increase in salinity with a sharp decrease in temperature. We interpret that the high-salinity brine and low salinity vapor- or aqueous-rich fluids from ores represent fluid unmixing from magma. The fluid inclusion data from Jinchang demonstrate that the main mineralization took place at temperatures from 480°C to 200°C, and evolved from high to low salinities. Geology and fluid inclusion data suggest that the Jinchang deposit is an oxidized intrusion-related Cu–Au deposit. The voluminous hydrothermal magnetite formed during high temperature potassic alteration of wall rocks in this ore deposit can be used as a potential prospecting tool.

Influence of freezing on physicochemical forms of natural and technogenic radionuclides in Chernozem soil

AbstractSharp variations of different climatic parameters influence the transport, transfer, and deposition of contaminants in nature. Investigations of the impact of environmental temperature on the fractionation of radionuclides in soil are necessary for adequate assessment of their distribution and bioavailability in case of a nuclear accident. The impact of a sharp decrease of environmental temperature shortly after radioactive contamination on the physicochemical fractionation of natural and technogenic radionuclides in Chernozem soil and its influence on their potential migration ability and bioavailability in case of subsequent warming were evaluated. The soil was contaminated in a laboratory with 241Am, 60Co, 137Cs, 228Ra, 234Th, and U and two temperature regimes were used for storage. Changes of the radionuclides association with various soil phases in the first weeks after contamination were studied. Physicochemical forms of 241Am, 60Co, 228Ra, 234Th, and U were determined using two sequential extraction procedures. The ion-exchangeable forms of 137Cs were evaluated by single extraction with 1 M NH4NO3. The data showed that the freezing, following the radioisotope contamination of the soil, causes an increase of the amount of potentially mobile forms of radiocobalt, radiocesium, radium, and thorium and has an insignificant impact on the fractionation of americium and uranium.

Critical Temperature Programs for Surface Carbonization of Si(111) and Their Effects on 3C-SiC Film Growth

We have studies of the changes in the surface states of carbonized Si(111) substrates treated under various temperature programs prior to high-temperature 3C-SiC film growth in a low pressure chemical vapor deposition system using SiH4, C2H2, and H2 as reactant gases. The carbonized Si surface underwent a change in bonding from SiC to disordered graphite, together with the formation of etch pits, when heated directly from the carbonization temperature of 1343 K to the growth temperature of 1523 K under a H2 flow over a period of 5 min; this transformation deteriorated the quality of the subsequent 3C-SiC growth. In contrast, a void-free stoichiometric SiC surface was preserved when we inserted a rapid cooling step, to near room temperature, under a H2 flow of 352 sccm within a period of 15 min after shutting off the C2H2 gas flow at the end of the surface carbonization process. The sharp temperature decrease in this program sealed off the carbonized substrate surface and, thus, led to a high film quality for subsequent 3C-SiC(111) growth.

Magnetic disorder in diluted FexM100−x granular thin films (M=Au, Ag, Cu; x < 10 at.%)

Nanogranular thin films of Fe7Au93, Fe7Ag93 and Fe9Cu91 have been sputtered onto Si(100) substrates with the aim of studying the magnetic interactions. X-ray diffraction shows a major noble metal matrix with broad peaks stemming from (111) textured fcc-Au, Ag and Cu. The noble metal forms a nanogranular environment, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, with mean particle sizes below 10 nm. The high magnetoresistance (>6%) reveals the existence of Fe nanoparticles. X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy confirms the presence of a bcc-Fe atom arrangement and some dissolved Fe atoms in the matrix, and XMCD shows the polarization of Au by the Fe nanoparticles. DC-magnetization displays a field-dependent irreversibility produced by the freezing of magnetic nanoparticles into a superspin-glass state. The hysteresis loops remain unsaturated at 5 K and 45 kOe. The coercivity displays a sharp temperature decrease towards a minimum below 50 K, levelling off at higher values, reaching Hc = 200 Oe at 300 K. Annealing of FeAu results in a double-peak zero field cooled magnetization and a slight decrease of the coercivity. The interpretation of the results supports the presence of Fe nanoparticles embedded in the major noble matrix, with some diluted Fe atoms/clusters.

Study of dust haze in arid zone

Regularities in the effect of dust haze on the thermal regime of the air surface layer are revealed by examining air-temperature measurement data obtained at the Dushanbe, Termez, Bairam-Ali, Repetek, and Kurgan-Tyube meteorological stations. We find that the sharp decrease in daily air temperature and the slight increase in night temperature until the 1990s under strong dust storms leads to decreased temperatures in the air surface layer. Later, dust hazes of 3 to 8 days are more frequently observed with a pulsating change in the horizontal range of visibility. Depending on their power, these hazes lead to either heating or cooling of the atmospheric surface layer.

Effects of freezing and soil drought on the geochemical fractionation of americium in Fluvisol and Cambisol soils from Bulgaria

Extreme changes of environmental conditions can alter the soil properties and influence the migration ability and bioavailability of pollutants. Elucidation of the effects of the extreme weather conditions, such as sharp temperature change, drought and floods, on the fractionation of radionuclides in different soil types is especially important for adequate risk assessment after radioactive contamination. The effects of short-term and prolonged freezing and soil drought on the geochemical fractionation of americium in two soil types (Fluvisol and Cambisol, classified according to the World Reference Base for Soil Resources/FAO) from Bulgaria were studied. The changes of the physico-chemical forms of 241Am after storage under different conditions were determined by the sequential extraction procedure and gamma-spectrometric measurements. The impact of the sharp temperature decrease and drought on the association of the radionuclide with the various soil phases was considered in terms of the soil characteristics. The results showed that the risk of increased mobility and bioavailability of americium in the loamy-sand soil with acidic pH and very low cation exchange capacity (CEC) exists under the examined extreme environmental conditions. The soil with sand-loam texture tended to immobilize americium after freeze and drought storage.

Study on Condensation of the Moisture in Current Transformers with Current Flow Considering Sharp Temperature Decrease

On-site experience suggests the possibility of condensation of the moisture in Current transformers (CTs) with initial moisture content lower than the Chinese National Standard. In order to verify such possibility, the relationship between moisture content and ambient temperature in a typical 110 kV CT is studied. The positive correlation of ambient temperature and moisture content without current flow is clarified, and the relationship of moisture content and current RMS value is studied. Increase in current results in increase of moisture content, and the longer the duration of operation, the larger the moisture content. The possibility of frost condensation of the moisture with sharp ambient temperature decrease has been confirmed with initial moisture content lower than the Chinese National Standard.

Methacrylic acid-triggered phase transition behavior of thermosensitive hydroxypropylcellulose

Methacrylic acid (MAA)-triggered phase transition of thermosensitive hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) was studied. The phase transition temperature of 0.1wt.% HPC aqueous solutions was dramatically reduced from 41°C to 8°C as the MAA concentration increased from 0wt.% to 4wt.%. The sharp decrease of HPC phase transition temperature triggered by MAA may be attributed to strong hydrogen bonding between MAA and HPC. It may be proposed that the hydrogen bonding of MAA with HPC restricts the interaction of water with HPC and so reduces the solubility of HPC in water and improves the hydrophobic association of HPC. Furthermore, MAA attaching on HPC polymer chains was polymerized to form surfactant-free PMAA nanogels around ambient temperature when HPC collapsed forming PMAA nanogels. Effect of MAA concentration and polymerization temperature on the size and size distribution of PMAA nanogels was investigated.

Effective Oral Favipiravir (T-705) Therapy Initiated after the Onset of Clinical Disease in a Model of Arenavirus Hemorrhagic Fever

BackgroundLassa and Junín viruses are the most prominent members of the Arenaviridae family of viruses that cause viral hemorrhagic fever syndromes Lassa fever and Argentine hemorrhagic fever, respectively. At present, ribavirin is the only antiviral drug indicated for use in treatment of these diseases, but because of its limited efficacy in advanced cases of disease and its toxicity, safer and more effective antivirals are needed.Methodology/Principal FindingsHere, we used a model of acute arenaviral infection in outbred guinea pigs based on challenge with an adapted strain of Pichindé virus (PICV) to further preclinical development of T-705 (Favipiravir), a promising broad-spectrum inhibitor of RNA virus infections. The guinea pig-adapted passage 19 PICV was uniformly lethal with an LD50 of ∼5 plaque-forming units and disease was associated with fever, weight loss, thrombocytopenia, coagulation defects, increases in serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) concentrations, and pantropic viral infection. Favipiravir (300 mg/kg/day, twice daily orally for 14 days) was highly effective, as all animals recovered fully from PICV-induced disease even when therapy was initiated one week after virus challenge when animals were already significantly ill with marked fevers and thrombocytopenia. Antiviral activity and reduced disease severity was evidenced by dramatic reductions in peak serum virus titers and AST concentrations in favipiravir-treated animals. Moreover, a sharp decrease in body temperature was observed shortly after the start of treatment. Oral ribavirin was also evaluated, and although effective, the slower rate of recovery may be a sign of the drug's known toxicity.Conclusions/SignificanceOur findings support further development of favipiravir for the treatment of severe arenaviral infections. The optimization of the experimental favipiravir treatment regimen in the PICV guinea pig model will inform critical future studies in the same species based on challenge with highly pathogenic arenaviruses such as Lassa and Junín.

Defrosting method adopting dual hot gas bypass for an air-to-air heat pump

A novel dual hot gas bypass defrosting (DHBD) method is developed to remove frost from the outside heat exchanger (HEX) of an air-to-air heat pump. The proposed method adopts two bypass lines of hot gas from the compressor: one is connected to the inlet of the outdoor HEX, and the other is connected to the outlet of the exchanger. We compare the dynamic performance and defrosting time of the conventional reverse cycle defrosting (RCD), hot gas bypass cycle defrosting (HGBD), and DHBD methods using a medium air-to-air 16 kW heat pump. The salient feature of the DHBD method is its ability to prevent a sharp decrease in the compressor outlet temperature at the melting frost stage after the HGBD process begins. Due to the additional bypass, the DHBD method sustained a higher compressor outlet pressure and reduced the defrosting time by 36% compared to the HGBD method. Compared to RCD, the defrosting time was comparable (126%); however, the amenity characteristics of the DHBD method were superior than those of the RCD method. The proposed DHBD method can overcome the main disadvantages of the RCD and HGBD methods, and showed excellent performance for an air-to-air heat pump in a defrosting operation.

Blunted IgE-mediated activation of mast cells in mice lacking the serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase SGK3

Previous studies have shown that pharmacological inhibition of the phosphoinositol-3 (PI3) kinase disrupts the activation of mast cells. Through phosphoinositide-dependent kinase PDK1, PI3 kinase activates the serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 3 (SGK3). The present study explored the role of SGK3 in mast cell function. Mast cells were isolated and cultured from bone marrow (BMMCs) of gene-targeted mice lacking SGK3 (sgk3(-/-)) and their wild-type littermates (sgk3(+/+)). BMMC numbers in the ear conch were similar in both genotypes. Stimulation with IgE and cognate antigen triggered the release of intracellular Ca(2+) and entry of extracellular Ca(2+). Influx of extracellular Ca(2+) but not Ca(2+) release from intracellular stores was significantly blunted in sgk3(-/-) BMMCs compared with sgk3(+/+) BMMCs. Antigen stimulation further led to a rapid increase of a K(+)-selective conductance in sgk3(+/+) BMMCs, an effect again blunted in sgk3(-/-) BMMCs. In contrast, the Ca(2+) ionophore ionomycin activated K(+) currents to a similar extent in sgk3(-/-) and in sgk3(+/+) BMMCs. β-Hexosaminidase release, triggered by antigen stimulation, was also significantly decreased in sgk3(-/-) BMMCs. IgE-dependent anaphylaxis measured as a sharp decrease in body temperature upon injection of DNP-HSA antigen was again significantly blunted in sgk3(-/-) compared with sgk3(+/+) mice. Serum histamine levels measured 30 min after induction of an anaphylactic reaction were significantly lower in sgk3(-/-) than in sgk3(+/+) mice. In conclusion, both in vitro and in vivo function of BMMCs are impaired in gene targeted mice lacking SGK3. Thus SGK3 is critical for proper mast cell function.

LWR Severe Accident Simulation Fission Product Behavior in FPT2 Experiment

The Phebus Fission Product (FP) program studies key phenomena and phenomenology of severe accidents in water-cooled nuclear reactors. In the framework of the Phebus program, five in-pile experiments were performed that cover fuel rod degradation and behavior of FPs released via the coolant circuit into the containment vessel. Analyses of FP behavior were performed using standard stand-alone versions of codes with input data mainly taken from measured boundary conditions.The FPT2 test used 33 GWd/t uranium dioxide fuel enriched to 4.5%, reirradiated in situ for 7 days to a burnup of 130 MWd/t. This test was designed to study low-pressure FP release and transport through a primary cooling system that included a noncondensing steam generator, with release into the containment vessel in steam-poor conditions. This test also investigated how diluted boric acid in the injected steam influenced FP speciation. In the containment vessel, the objective was to study iodine chemistry in an alkaline sump under evaporating conditions.The analytical approach consisted of progressive studies to explore and explain the main disagreements between base-case calculations and experimental results. Regarding releases in slightly degraded fuel zones, the fission gas behavior and characteristics are shown to be satisfactorily reproduced by the calculations. Electron microprobe analyses also validate the mechanisms for Mo and Ba releases, while the Cs mechanism requires further investigation.Concerning the transport of FPs, a strong connection is shown to exist between Cs, I, Mo, and Cd that substantially impacts vapor-phase chemistry in equilibrium and iodine volatility. Most of the cesium released from fuel is shown to rapidly convert into cesium borates and then into cesium molybdates when the molybdenum release becomes significant at the end of the hydrogen production phase. The main predicted iodine vapor species is cesium iodide. A low fraction of gaseous hydrogen iodide is also calculated at low temperature, but this fraction was found to be strongly dependent on the Cd release kinetics. Hydrogen iodide is the main candidate predicted by equilibrium chemistry calculations to explain the persistence at low temperatures of volatile iodine. Nevertheless, potential limitations on chemical kinetics in the primary circuit zones, characterized by a sharp decrease in temperature, could also be an explanation and are currently under investigation.In the containment, gas-phase reactions were found to predominate in governing iodine chemistry. As for the previous Phebus tests, the gaseous iodine fraction measured in the containment early in the test is thought to come from the primary circuit. However, this low gaseous iodine was hardly tractable by the few dedicated samplings mounted in the primary circuit cold leg upstream from the containment entrance. By favoring hydrolysis reactions of volatile iodine species, the alkaline sump is shown to act as an iodine trap despite the evaporating conditions that prevail during the long-term chemistry phase. However, during this latter phase, a persistent, low-level concentration of gaseous iodine was reached in the long term, as during the previous FPT0/1 tests, indicative of a competition in the containment between iodine traps and sources. Aside from the aerosol particles injected by the primary circuit, in situ iodine oxide particles were found to be continuously forming from the decomposition of I2 and ICH3 by air radiolysis products. These particles are suspected to be fine, implying that they predominantly deposit by diffusion on all the containment surfaces. Therefore, in the long term, both the persistence of gaseous iodine and the survival of iodine oxide particles are shown to exist in the containment.

Order–disorder transition for corrugated Au layers

Atomic-scale structure of the growth of a gold film on (1 1 2) plane of Mo single crystal was investigated by means of low energy electron diffraction (LEED) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) up to two monolayers (ML) of gold coverage. Both LEED and STM results establish that Au grows on Mo(1 1 2) in a layer-by-layer mode, for at least the first two monolayers. A number of ordered structures are formed and both the first and second layers adopt the Mo(1 1 2) 1 × 1 surface structure upon completion. For some gold layers on Mo(1 1 2), notably the 1.66 monolayer 3 × 1 and 1.75 monolayer 4 × 1 gold overlayers, we find evidence of a phase transition associated with increasing disorder in gold layers with structural corrugation and anisotropic band structure. The signature of this phase transition, at temperatures in the range of 400–500 K, is a sharp decrease in the overlayer effective Debye temperature.

Analysis of heptane autothermal reformer to generate hydrogen for fuel cell applications

In this paper, reaction engineering principles are utilized to analyze process conditions for producing sufficient hydrogen in a heptane autothermal reformer for generating 1 kW of power in a fuel cell. It is shown that operating the reformer adiabatically results in a sharp decrease in temperature due to endothermic reactions, which results in low conversion of heptane. For this reason, a heating jacket is added to the reformer where heptane is combusted to provide heat for the endothermic reactions. It is observed that when the reactor is operated non-isothermally, it is possible to get complete conversion of heptane and produce sufficient hydrogen to generate 1 kW of power via a fuel cell.

Analysis of ammonia decomposition reactor to generate hydrogen for fuel cell applications

In this paper, reaction engineering principles are utilized to analyze process conditions for producing sufficient hydrogen in an ammonia decomposition reactor for generating net power of 100 W in a fuel cell. It is shown that operating the reactor adiabatically results in a sharp decrease in temperature due to endothermic reaction, which results in low conversion of ammonia. For this reason, the reactor is heated electrically to provide heat for the endothermic reactions. It is observed that when the reactor is operated non-adiabatically, it is possible to get over 99.5% conversion of ammonia. The weight of absorbent to reduce ammonia to p p b levels is calculated. An energy balance on the reactor exit gas indicates that there is sufficient heat available to vaporize enough water to achieve 100% relative humidity in the fuel cell. A suitable fuel cell stack is designed and it is shown that this stack is able to provide the necessary power to electrically heat the reactor and produce net power of 100 W.

A low-temperature combustion synthesis process for production of Ti from TiO2

Calciothermic reduction of titanium dioxide is suggested as an alternative to the conventional Kroll process for production of metallic titanium. In this study, a simple reactor was used to carry out the reaction of TiO2 with 20 wt % excess Ca at 1000°C to obtain titanium product with a mean size of Ti particles around 20 μm. A sharp decrease in reaction temperature can be achieved by using KClO4 as an additive. In this case, sub-micron agglomerated titanium particles were obtained.

Water vapor and surface observations in northwestern Mexico during the 2004 NAME Enhanced Observing Period

We report on precipitable water vapor (PWV) from a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and surface meteorological network during the 2004 North American Monsoon Experiment (NAME) in northwestern Mexico. The monsoon onset is evident as a large PWV increase over several days beginning July 1. Data in the Sierra Madre Occidental (SMO) foothills reveal a dynamical transition in mid‐August from smaller, sub‐synoptic scale to larger, synoptic scale moisture structure. During the Sub‐synoptic phase in the SMO foothills, a positive feedback operates where near‐daily precipitation supplied moisture maintains 15% higher surface mixing ratios that lower the lifting condensation level facilitating initiation of moist convection. Along the western edge of the SMO, precipitation typically occurs hours after the local temperature maximum, triggered by westward propagating convective disturbances. Precipitation is typically preceded by a rapid rise in PWV and sharp decrease in surface temperature, implying models must include moist convective downdrafts in the NAM area.

Effect of Cold‐Temperature Shock on Nitrification

Nitrification is known as the most temperature-sensitive step among the biological processes in wastewater treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of temperature on nitrification, in the case of a sharp decrease of temperature, and to compare this effect with that of a gradual temperature decrease. It was found that a sudden temperature decrease affected nitrification much more than predicted. The immediate decrease of temperature by 10 degrees C led to a 20% larger decrease of specific nitrification rate than predicted by the temperature correction factor of 1.072. The change of nitrification rate resulting from a gradual temperature decrease was modeled correctly with the current default temperature correction factor of 1.072. It was concluded that the correction factor actually can be applied to a gradual temperature-change situation; however, in the case of a sudden temperature decrease, measures need to be taken to avoid nitrifier washout.

Degradation behaviour of microspheres prepared by spray-drying poly( d, l-lactide) and poly( d, l-lactide- co-glycolide) polymers

Polymeric microsphere degradation must be taken into account in the design of drug delivery systems to be injected in in vivo systems, thus a prior analysis of in vitro degradation behaviour of microspheres appears to be necessary. In this study degradation characteristics of poly(lactide- co-glycolide) (PLGA) and poly( d, l-lactide) (PLA) microspheres prepared by the spray-drying technique have been examined. It was found that a slow decrease in molecular weight took place during the first stage of degradation, and the value of the rate constant decreased with the increase of the percentage of lactic acid of the polymer in a linear way. Thus, the period of time of this first stage decreased with the increase of content of glycolidyl units of the polymer, and it was the unique stage observed in PLA microspheres after 5 months of study. During this period of time, significant mass loss was not observed in the microspheres. The second stage of degradation of PLGA microspheres showed a larger rate constant, whose value increased with the content of glycolidyl units of the polymer. Mass loss was observed from number-average molecular weight about 6000. A sharp decrease of glass transition temperature ( T g) was observed coinciding with the start of mass loss. This fact was accompanied by a physical change of the samples, fusion of microspheres to form large particles, which also fusion to form a unique mass of polymer; moment from that the degradation process was quicker.

Cosignaling of adenosine and adenosine triphosphate in hypobaric hypoxia-induced hypothermia

Purines, that is, adenosine and ATP, are not only products of metabolism but are also neurotransmitters. Indeed, purinergic neurotransmission is involved in thermoregulatory processes that occur during normoxia. Exposure to severe hypoxia elicits a sharp decrease in body core temperature (T(CO)), and adenosinergic mechanisms have been suspected to be responsible for this hypothermia. Because ATP per se and its metabolite adenosine could have complex interactions in some neural networks, we hypothesize that both adenosine and ATP are involved in the central mechanism of hypoxia-induced hypothermia. Their role in the thermoregulatory process was therefore investigated in a 24-h hypobaric hypoxia (Fi(O2) = 10%), using CGS-15943, a nonselective antagonist of adenosine receptors, and suramin, an ATP receptor antagonist. T(CO) and spontaneous activity (A(S)) were monitored by telemetry in conscious rats, receiving CGS-15943 (10 mg/kg ip), suramin (7 nmol icv), or both. The same treatments were done in normoxia to evaluate the specificity of their thermoregulatory action observed in hypoxia. Suramin/CGS-15943 treatment blunted the profound hypothermia observed in control rats throughout the hypoxia exposure, whereas CGS-15943 treatment blunted hypothermia during only 3 h, and suramin treatment had no effect. These results suggest that suramin potentiates the CGS-15943 effects and consequently that adenosine and ATP signaling act in synergy. In normoxia, suramin/CGS-15943 induced an increase in T(CO) but to a far lesser extent than observed in hypoxia. Thus it might be suggested that the suramin/CGS-15943 blunting of hypoxia-induced hypothermia would be specific to hypoxia-induced mechanisms.