Source Components Research Articles

GGR Handbook of Rock and Mineral Analysis Chapter 5 The Inductively Coupled Plasma

This chapter (The Inductively Coupled Plasma) is a contribution to the Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research Handbook of Rock and Mineral Analysis – an online textbook that is a fully revised and updated edition of A Handbook of Silicate Rock Analysis (P. J. Potts, 1987, Blackie, Glasgow).Chapter 5 (from Section 1 of the handbook dealing with fundamentals of measurement and instrument design) is a comprehensive treatment of the inductively coupled plasma – a significant cornerstone of modern geoanalytical spectrometry. The Chapter includes discussion of plasma formation and key components of the ICP source. This is followed by an examination of the challenges of sample introduction into the plasma, particularly focussed on the introduction of liquid samples. The physical structure of the plasma, its robustness and interference effects are fully examined prior to a section dealing with how the operation of plasma is optimised in practise.

The mid-Cretaceous Hohonu Batholith (South Island, New Zealand): Identifying magmatic sources and processes during onset of crustal extension

The Hohonu Batholith is an aggregation of mostly mid-Cretaceous granitoid plutons on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand emplaced during a transitional period between subduction-related compression and continental lithospheric extension. This study reports an integrated dataset, comprising in-situ UPb, O and Hf isotope compositions and REE, Ti and other trace and major elements (ZrHf, ThU) for zircons extracted from four representative plutons within the batholith. Our results provide detailed insight into the protracted thermal, chronological and geochemical histories. LA-ICPMS UPb zircon ages indicate a primary episode of magma genesis and emplacement from 107 to 113 Ma, confirming published SIMS dating. However, a younger previously unrecognized age population of ~91–96 Ma is identified, primarily (although not exclusively) in zircon rims. This younger age event coincides with the timing of protracted lithospheric extension and crustal thinning of the Zealandia continent. The cryptic younger zircon ages suggest that Hohonu granitoids experienced a partial thermal overprint (accompanied by Pb loss) mostly recorded in rims. Differences in bulk rock geochemistry between plutons are inferred to reflect variable conditions of partial melting controlled by source mineralogy and H2O content. Isotope and trace element compositions, along with Ti-thermometry, measured on the same micro-volume of CL-imaged zircons, are used to test if source characteristics were imparted from melt to minerals in zircon-saturated silicic systems. Similarities are revealed in the zircon record of the selected plutonic rocks, confirming their broadly consanguineous relationship and the fundamental role of open-system behaviour, involving hybridization or assimilation between mantle-derived (or juvenile mafic) and a crustal-derived components, as previously inferred from whole rock NdSr isotope systematics. However, intra-sample decoupling of zircon OHf isotope systematics may also be linked to residual source component unmixing. This possibility, in addition to mafic recharge, may have obscured melt source compositional characteristics, and hence zircon REE appear as unsuitable fingerprints of source(s) and conditions of partial melting in this granitoid system. Simple compositional and thermal magma evolution trends appear punctuated by episodes of mafic recharge, presumably during lithospheric thinning.

E-Brachy: New dosimetry package for electronic brachytherapy sources.

Large reported variability in the material composition and geometrical components of the Xoft electronic high-dose-rate brachytherapy Causes inter-source discrepancy in the source output. This variability is due to the manual manufacturing and assembly of thesources. This study aimed to develop a dosimetry software tool called E-Brachy to characterize the Xoft source and quantify the discrepancies in its photon spectrum and dosimetricproperties. E-Brachy is based on the Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit and consists of two parts. In part one, the geometry and material composition for the source received in the computer-aided design format from the vendor were converted to the geometry description markup language format using the GUIMesh Python tool and integrated into the E-Brachy software. There was a large variation in material composition and thickness for some of the tube components. The simulation started from electrons and resulted in x-ray generations in the anode region. Multithreading, a track length estimation, and the uniform bremsstrahlung splitting variance reduction techniques were used to decrease the simulation time and increase the x-ray production. The photon energy, position, and momentum were saved into a phase space file as the photon exited the source, but before interacting with the external environment. The obtained x-ray energy spectrum was compared with measurements from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). In part two, by sampling from the generated photons, the dose rates and dosimetric parameters according to the TG-43 protocol were calculated for model S7500 and compared to the ones previously calculated for model S700 source, which were deemed identical by themanufacturer. The material composition that resulted in the most similar spectrum as the measured NIST spectrum with Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.99 and a calculated Euclidean difference of keV was chosen for further dosimetric analysis of the model S7500 source. Characteristic peaks showed the presence of tungsten, yttrium, and silver in the source components. Differences in dose rates between the two source models surpassed 20% for polar angles , reaching a peak at cm and . The differences in the radial dose function values were within 5%. The relative difference in percentage between the anisotropy function values of the two models was closer to 0 for smaller values, but at higher polar angles, they increased to 300%. A software package called E-Brachy was successfully developed for the characterization and dosimetry of Xoft electronic brachytherapy sources. E-Brachy can be combined with spectral measurements to investigate the inter- and intra-source variability. The software package was tested by comparing the simulated spectra from the S7500 Xoft source model with NIST measurements and its TG-43 parameters with the S700 model. The TG-43 parameters between the two sources significantly exceed the recommendations ofTG-56.

Neural mechanisms of fear responses to emotional stimuli: a preliminary study combining early posterior negativity and electroencephalogram source network analysis

Fear emotion is a typical negative emotion that is commonly present in daily life and significantly influences human behavior. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying negative emotions contributes to the improvement of diagnosing and treating disorders related to negative emotions. However, the neural mechanisms of the brain when faced with fearful emotional stimuli remain unclear. To this end, this study further combined electroencephalogram (EEG) source analysis and cortical brain network construction based on early posterior negativity (EPN) analysis to explore the differences in brain information processing mechanisms under fearful and neutral emotional picture stimuli from a spatiotemporal perspective. The results revealed that neutral emotional stimuli could elicit higher EPN amplitudes compared to fearful stimuli. Further source analysis of EEG data containing EPN components revealed significant differences in brain cortical activation areas between fearful and neutral emotional stimuli. Subsequently, more functional connections were observed in the brain network in the alpha frequency band for fearful emotions compared to neutral emotions. By quantifying brain network properties, we found that the average node degree and average clustering coefficient under fearful emotional stimuli were significantly larger compared to neutral emotions. These results indicate that combining EPN analysis with EEG source component and brain network analysis helps to explore brain functional modulation in the processing of fearful emotions with higher spatiotemporal resolution, providing a new perspective on the neural mechanisms of negative emotions.

Separation of music signal spectrograms using copula models

The focus of this paper is on utilizing a copula-based technique for separating music signals. In this method, copulas are utilized to model the dependency structure of the source components. The objective is to minimize the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the copula density of the estimated source components and the copula density of the source components, which is assumed to be unknown. We give an application for the separation of stereo music recording using different copula models. We show through this application that by modeling the dependency between music signals, we can gain insights into the underlying structure of music signals and also we can ameliorate the separation performance.

Near-infrared luminescence in Ca3ZnMGe3O12:Cr3+ (M = Zr, Hf, Sn, Ti) garnet family for light-emitting diode applications

Near-infrared (NIR) phosphors as crucial components of NIR light sources have multifunctional and smart spectroscopy applications, prompting an increasing research interest in developing efficient and stable NIR materials. Focusing on this issue, the present study explored the luminescent properties of Cr3+-doped Ca3ZnMGe3O12 (M = Zr, Hf, Sn and Ti) garnet family. These materials exhibit an emission peak falls within the range of 785–805 nm with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) varying from 114 to 123 nm. Among them, the Ca3ZnZrGe3O12:Cr3+ phosphor shows the highest photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY = 60.3 %) and an excellent thermal stability (I423K/I298K = 77.51 %). Moreover, the performance of a prototype Ca3ZnZrGe3O12:Cr3+-containing NIR pc-LED device was estimated, which achieves an NIR output of 23.46 mW and a photonic efficiency of 14.09 % under 100 mA driving current. Non-destructive examination can be realized using this light source, demonstrating the good potential of the material in NIR spectroscopy applications.

Upper mantle scale enrichment of Cenozoic intraplate magmatism in Northeast Asia: He-Sr-Nd-Pb-O isotope geochemistry of the basalts around the Korean peninsula

The Earth’s mantle is considered to be geochemically heterogeneous, which is reflected by the diverse composition of oceanic island basalts (OIB). The mantle enrichment resulting in this is attributed primarily to the influx of recycled crustal materials into the mantle through subduction. Additionally, the sub-continental lithospheric mantle (SCLM) complicates the elucidation of mantle heterogeneity. From this perspective, Northeast Asia, where the Pacific stagnant slab in the mantle transition zone and the SCLM distribution are presented, is the suitable site for examining the upper mantle scale enrichment. Here we report He-Sr-Nd-Pb-O isotope values of basalts that erupted around the Korean Peninsula to illustrate the source lithology and components that led to mantle heterogeneity. Our measured helium isotope ratios ranging from 5.7 to 7.3 Ra (3He/4He ratio of air, Ra = 1.39 x 10-6) are mostly within the SCLM range (6.1 ± 0.9 Ra) but lower than the mid-ocean ridge basalt range (MORB; 8 ± 1 Ra). The Sr-Nd-Pb isotope compositions of the basalts generally display a mixture of depleted MORB mantle (DMM), enriched mantle 1 (EM1), and enriched mantle 2 (EM2) components. In addition, the basalts have δ18Oolivine (vs. V-SMOW) values ranging from 4.7 to 5.7 ‰ that deviate from the DMM range (δ18Oolivine = 5.1 ± 0.2 ‰). Our isotopic analysis results highlight the role of the pyroxenite source in the metasomatized SCLM in the genesis of basalts. The low 3He/4He range of the basalts indicates a significant role in the SCLM. Moreover, the delaminated cratonic SCLM and asthenosphere-lithosphere interaction are candidate scenarios for the low 3He/4He ratios. Therefore, we propose that mixing of DMM (high 3He/4He ratio; 7 to 9 Ra) and the metasomatized SCLM (low 3He/4He ratio; 5 to 7 Ra) allowed enrichment within the upper mantle scale for the Cenozoic intraplate magmatism in Northeast Asia.

Was Oleksandr Dovzhenko a Judophobe (According to the materials of the Soviet special services)

The submitted article is aimed at the revealing and representing previously unknown archival documents from the funds of the Soviet special services, concerning the non-conformist attitudes of Oleksandr Dovzhenko, his resentment towards the Jews in particular. The author’s task is directed at stimulating further studies and discussions in order to find means of depicting a realistic image of Dovzhenko. Methodological principles are based on the fundamentals of historicism and critical analysis of sources with a complex combination of the entire multiplicity of newly discovered historical facts and events in accordance with specific historical circumstances. The scientific novelty consists in the comprehension of the documents of the communist special services as a source component of unprejudiced research strategies of modern Dovzhenko Studies. Conclusions. Newly discovered archival documents prove that Dovzhenko’s critical attitude towards Jews is the result of complex and situationally determined attitudes and life experiences. This is why these cannot be simplistic and straightforward narratives. Communist special services have monitored closely Dovzhenko’s anti-Soviet sentiments, suspected him of «counter-revolutionary activities», and also recorded his statements directed at Jewish cinematographers. However, they haven’t given unequivocal assessments to such statements. Dovzhenko has collaborated and made friends creatively with many Jewish artists, and his critical attitudes have never turned into denunciation and other practical forms of revenge.

Volatile organic compounds in typical coal chemical industrial park in China and their environmental and health impacts

The coal chemical industry produces a large amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and the emission characteristics and associated impact on the environment and health of the residents are still unclear. This study determined the VOC concentrations and compositions in the Jinjie Coal Chemical Industry Park which is located in northern China. The average concentrations of total measured VOCs (TVOCs) in the industrial areas in summer and winter were 231.5 and 103.2 μg/m3, which were higher than those in the residential areas (123.7 and 70.3 μg/m3), respectively. Aromatics, Oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs), and alkanes were the dominant VOC classes in the industrial areas, while halocarbons, OVOCs, and alkenes had higher compositions in the residential areas where were not only affected by industrial emissions and also other anthropogenic sources. OVOCs contributed over 43% of ozone formation potential (OFP), while aromatics contributed over 61% of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation in the Park in both seasons. Using the source apportionment method, biogenic emission and anthropogenic source (gasoline production, coking emission, fuel combustion, solvent coating, and vehicle exhaust) were major contributors to VOCs in residential areas. The industrial-related emissions were the main components of anthropogenic source, accounting for 53.5%–58.7% of the overall VOCs. With reliable estimations of the health aspects, exposures to acrolein (HQ: 7.4–126.6) and formaldehyde (ILCR: 5.5 × 10−3-5.7 × 10−2) posed the highest non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, accounting for 94.3%–98.6% and 55.8%–93.8% of the total HQ and ILCR, respectively. The results demonstrated that substantial environmental and health co-benefits to the residents could be achieved by reducing the industrial emissions from gasoline production, coking process, and diesel-fueled vehicles in the Jinjie Coal Chemical Industry Park. Prioritizing the establishment of efficient air pollution measures and tightening industrial emission standards, especially for hazardous VOCs, are recommended according to the findings of the valuable work.

Internet Addiction and Sleep Quality Among School Children in South India.

Today's internet is an unavoidable component of educational sources, the entertainment field, and telecommunication processes. Internet usage is more likely among adolescents and young adults in the form of surfing, chatting, playing games, and fulfilling their social needs. The present study has been planned to assess the effect of internet addiction (IA) on sleep quality in school children. This cross-sectional school-based study was conducted amongschool students in Pondicherry. A total of 350 school students of both genders studying in grades six to 10 and having access to at least one device with internet for more than one year were recruited from government and private schools located in five randomly selected communes in Pondicherry by convenient sampling method. Assessment of IA was done using Young's Internet Addiction Test (YIAT). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PQSI) questionnaire assessed the participants' sleep quality. All the data was tested for normality using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Chi-square and unpaired t-tests were used for analysis. The average age of the participants is 13 years. 49 (26.1%) are children and 139 (73.9%) are adolescents. The majority of them are females belonging to the adolescent age group(169, 89.4%). Around 17 (19.5%) children and 70 (80.5%)adolescents reported mild IA. Thirteen (59.1%)childrenand nine (40.9%)adolescents reported moderate IA. There is no significant difference in sleep quality between children and adolescents (4±2.33 vs. 3.62±2.61, p=0.37)but there is a considerable difference in their levels of IA(32.98±21.06 vs. 25.6±15.08, p=0.01). Conclusion: This study found a significant relationship between IA and poor sleep quality among adolescents. Thus, adolescents, parents, school authorities, and researchers should understand the importance of regulating internet usage and encouraging sleep hygiene. Thus, appropriate measures should be taken to address the effects of IA on sleep quality.

An Open Information Model-Based Repository for Sustainable Re-Use of Heterogeneous Pandemics Research Data.

The COVID-19 Research Network Lower Saxony (COFONI) is a German state network of experts in Coronavirus research and development of strategies for future pandemics. One of the pillars of the COFONI technology platform is its established research data repository (Available at https://forschungsdb.cofoni.de/), which enables provision of pseudonymised data and cross-location data retrieval for heterogeneous datasets. The platform consistently uses open standards (openEHR) and open source components (EHRbase) for its data repository, taking into account the FAIR criteria. Available data include both clinical and socio-demographic patient information. A comprehensive AQL query builder interface and an integrated research request process enable new research approaches, rapid cohort assembly and customized data export for researchers from participating institutions. Our flexible and scalable platform approach can be regarded as a blueprint. It contributes, to pandemic preparedness by providing easily accessible cross-location research data in a fully standardised and open representation.

The Nature of 500 micron Risers III: a small complete sample

ABSTRACT Herschel surveys have found large numbers of sources with red far-IR colours, and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) rising from 250 to 500 µm: 500 risers. The nature and role of these sources is not fully understood. We here present Submillimeter Array (SMA) interferometric imaging at 200 GHz of a complete sample of five 500 risers with F500 >44 mJy selected within a 4.5 deg2 region of the XMMLSS field. These observations can resolve the separate components of multiple sources and allow cross identification at other wavelengths using the extensive optical-to-IR data in this field. Of our five targets, we find that two are likely gravitationally lensed, two are multiple sources, and one an isolated single source. Photometric redshifts, using optical-to-IR data and far-IR/submm data, suggest they lie at redshifts $z \sim 2.5\!-\!3.5$. Star formation rates and stellar masses estimated from the SEDs show that the majority of our sources lie on the star-formation rate-stellar mass ‘main sequence’, though with outliers both above and below this relation. Of particular interest is our most multiple source, which consists of three submm emitters and one submm-undetected optical companion within a 7 arcsec region, all with photometric redshifts ∼3. One of the submm emitters in this group lies above the ‘main sequence’, while the optical companion lies well below the relation, and has an estimated stellar mass of $3.3 \pm 1.3 \times 10^{11}$ M$_{\odot }$. We suggest this object is a forming brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in the process of accreting actively star forming companions.

Component, design, and prospects of self-consistent energy systems for transport infrastructures

ABSTRACT This paper introduces a Transportation Self-Consistent Energy System (TSCES) to meet the increasing electricity requirements of transport infrastructure in various traffic environments, including highway, railway, and waterway. The TSCES consists of four primary components: power source, load, energy storage, and interconnected microgrid. The power source component can be categorized into natural energy endowment and energy-electricity conversion components. Load components can be classified, quantified, and forecasted based on diverse transportation facilities, traffic volume, and importance levels. Energy storage components necessitate thorough consideration of the technical attributes of various energy storage methods, along with the functional requirements of the traffic environment, power sources, and loads. Interconnected microgrid components establish connections among all components, followed by configuration optimization and choosing appropriate network topological structures based on techno-economic conditions, ensuring that all components adhere to constraints imposed by transportation space, regulations, and policy indicators. Additionally, the design procedure and architectural patterns of TSCES are presented, which indicates that the TSCES has excellent adaptability and research application value in the field of transportation.

Enhancing source separation quality via optimal sensor placement in noisy environments

The paper aims to bridge a part of the gap between source separation and sensor placement studies by addressing a novel problem: “Predicting optimal sensor placement in noisy environments to improve source separation quality”. The structural information required for optimal sensor placement is modeled as the spatial distribution of source signal gains and the spatial correlation of noise. The sensor positions are predicted by optimizing two criteria as measures of separation quality, and a gradient-based global optimization method is developed to efficiently address this optimization problem. Numerical results exhibit superior performance when compared with classical sensor placement methodologies based on mutual information, underscoring the critical role of sensor placement in source separation with noisy sensor measurements. The proposed method is applied to actual electroencephalography (EEG) data to separate the P300 source components in a brain-computer interface (BCI) application. The results show that when the sensor positions are chosen using the proposed method, to reach a certain level of spelling accuracy, fewer sensors are required compared with standard sensor locations.

Comparative Analysis and Regeneration Strategies for Three Types of Cartilage.

Cartilage tissue, encompassing hyaline cartilage, fibrocartilage, and elastic cartilage, plays a pivotal role in the human body because of its unique composition, structure, and biomechanical properties. However, the inherent avascularity and limited regenerative capacity of cartilage present significant challenges to its healing following injury. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of cartilage tissue engineering, focusing on the critical components of cell sources, scaffolds, and growth factors tailored to the regeneration of each cartilage type. We explore the similarities and differences in the composition, structure, and biomechanical properties of the three cartilage types and their implications for tissue engineering. A significant emphasis is placed on innovative strategies for cartilage regeneration, including the potential for in situ transformation of cartilage types through microenvironmental manipulation, which may offer novel avenues for repair and rehabilitation. The review underscores the necessity of a nuanced approach to cartilage tissue engineering, recognizing the distinct requirements of each cartilage type while exploring the potential of transforming one cartilage type into another as a flexible and adaptive repair strategy. Through this detailed examination, we aim to broaden the understanding of cartilage tissue engineering and inspire further research and development in this promising field.

Fabrication of NBI Ion Source Back Plate and its High Heat Flux Experiment

The back plate is an important component of the ion source because of its multiple roles including heat load removal during beam operation. The main components of the back plate are (1) a Type 304L stainless steel (SS304L) magnet positioning plate that holds samarium cobalt permanent magnets required for the confinement of ion source plasma, (2) an oxygen-free electronic copper cooling plate with 35 inner and 8 outer cooling channel grooves (each of which is 4 × 1.8 mm2) that is vacuum brazed with a SS304L magnet positioning plate, and (3) a SS304L magnet cover plate. In this paper, the back plate is successfully fabricated, and a high heat flux experiment is done at the High Heat Flux Test Facility Center with an electron beam power of 200 kW for 458 s. The uniform incident heat flux is 2.5 MW/m2. Demineralized water at 34°C is supplied at the rate of 1 kg/s to the cooling plate at inlet pressure of 8.2 bars to remove the high heat load. The surface temperature of the copper plate is measured by an infrared camera, and three temperature regions are observed. The measured average surface temperature of the cooling plate is ~152°C. The bulk water temperature rise ΔTw is ~39.42°C. The estimated absorbed heat flux is ~2.04 MW/m2, and the heat absorption coefficient is 81.6%. The measured leak rate after the heat flux test is 1.6 × 10−8 mbars∙L/s. These High Heat Flux Test experimental results will be useful to study the thermomechanical performance of the back plate and to understand the effect of increasing the beam pulse length.

Social life cycle hotspot analysis of future hydrogen use in the EU

Abstract Purpose The widespread use of hydrogen in the EU aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions may involve complex value chains (e.g. importation from third countries) with potential effects (positive or negative) on the different sectors of society. Achieving sustainable hydrogen deployment must be motivated not only by environmental and economic aspects but also by social responsibility and the search for human well-being. Given this, and the scarcity of studies currently available on prospective social impacts of hydrogen production, the present purpose of this article is to unveil and assess the main social impacts linked to the future hydrogen value chains. Methods The methodological approach adopted in this article encompasses the following steps: (i) analysis of two potential value chains for hydrogen use in EU: an on-site option, where hydrogen is produced and used in the same European country, and an off-site option, where hydrogen is produced in a European country different from its usage involving more unit processes, in terms of storage and transport activities, and working time to deliver the same quantity of hydrogen. This framework will include (i) scenario analysis and a forward-looking perspective taking into account the critical raw materials employed across the entire value chain, (ii) identification of a list of relevant social impact categories and indicators through a systematic procedure, (iii) social hotspot analysis using Product Social Impact Life Cycle Assessment (PSILCA) to assess the selected representative value chains, and (iv) conducting scenario analysis and subsequently interpreting of results. Results and discussion The off-site value chain shows a relatively worse social performance (6 to 72 times) than the on-site value chain across most selected indicators due to the more complex value chain. Although the identification of social hotspots depends on the specific social indicator under evaluation, the power source components (wind and solar PV) manufacturing processes and the relatively increased complexity of the off-site option highly conditioned the social performance of the hydrogen value chains in most of the indicators considered. A scenario analysis was carried out comparing both value chains with two additional locations for hydrogen production: Northern Africa and Western Asia. The findings indicate that the on-site value chain presents the lowest impact scores. For the off-site option, the production of hydrogen in a European country is the most preferable scenario in terms of the social indicators evaluated. Conclusions According to findings, producing hydrogen in a different location than where it is consumed increases the social impacts of its deployment. Measures at mid and long term should be considered for improving the social impact of hydrogen deployment in Europe. This includes increasing reuse and recycling, responsibly sourcing raw materials, and creating regulatory frameworks ensuring safe working conditions across global value chains. Furthermore, this article highlights the crucial role of the S-LCA methodology in evaluating social aspects as a support for targeted policy interventions, and the need to adapt this to the specific case study. At the same time, it acknowledges that other relevant social aspects that can influence the social sustainability of the hydrogen technology are not captured with this methodology (in particular social acceptance, affordability and energy security). Improvements in selecting indicators and refined geographical and temporal representations of the value chains to better represent hydrogen technologies and future size market are research gaps filled in the present scientific work.

Multi-Organizational Insights Into Radiological Safety Standards in High-Dose Rate Brachytherapy.

The review provides an extensive study of regulations and recommendations set forth by organizations worldwide in the domain of high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy for the prevention and mitigation of radiation hazards. The relevant reports and publications by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), United States (US) Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) were accessed, and necessary information was compiled to clarify and understand concepts, similarities, and differences in safety standards concerning to the topic. The regulations and guidance are categorized under three major components of safety, namely layout, equipment, and source. Layout category accesses structure, design, layout, and survey. The equipment category summarizes the requirements of equipment, installation, commissioning, quality assurance (QA) and performance, safety precautions and preparedness, safety procedures, and instructions. The source category includes requirements for sealed source possession and use, calibration, categorization, certification, licensing, QA tests, and security. IAEA gives inclusive guidance on radiation protection and regulatory requirements, forming the basis of reference for other organizations worldwide. AERB regulates the radiation facilities in India; therefore, most set-ups follow their safety standards and instructions.

Enhancing Concrete Durability: Sustainable Ternary Blends Incorporating Agricultural and Industrial Wastes

<p>The demand for sustainable concrete in civil infrastructure operations grows by the day, resulting in the use of agricultural and industrial byproducts and controlling high-cost nanomaterials. Ternary blended concrete is an excellent alternative to conventional concrete for long-term development by lowering carbon footprint. Ternary blended concrete is a green and sustainable concrete made from three separate source components to make a binder. The fundamental benefit of ternary mixed concrete is its densely packed particles of various shapes and sizes, resulting in superior characteristics. This study discusses experimental studies that were conducted to assess the durability properties of regular ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete and ternary blended concrete containing 1% nano-SiO2 and industrial or agricultural byproducts. Concrete durability is defined as its capacity to sustain a safe degree of serviceability and various environmental exposure circumstances without requiring considerable repair or rehabilitation during its service life. Conventional concrete is prone to cracking because of its low tensile and durability properties. Six potential mixes were investigated in this work: three blends based on industrial byproducts (fly ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag, and metakaolin) and three mixes based on agricultural byproducts (rice husk ash, corncob ash, and sugarcane bagasse ash). This study investigated the durability characteristics such as water permeability, sorptivity, resistance to sulphate, acid attack, and alkaline attack. The experimental test findings were determined to be well within limitations when compared to the requirements specified in the standard/literature. The study also shows that ternary blended concrete with regulated nano-SiO2 enhances durability metrics significantly. Furthermore, energy dispersive spectrophotometry (EDS) measurements show dense phases with high proportions of Si atoms in the substrate's penetration layer. As a result, ternary mixed concrete is strongly advised in structural repair works.</p>

Phosphorus in farm roadway substrates: contrasting spatial and temporal patterns in dairy and beef farms

The mobilisation and impact of roadway runoff on dairy farms has been established as a sub-component of the nutrient transfer continuum. It is acknowledged that fresh nutrient sources deposited on roadways dominate runoff and recent work has shown that available phosphorus (P) in roadway substrates is also an important source component. The objectives of this study were to understand spatial and temporal available P concentrations in roadway substrate (aggregate and soil mix) across dairy and beef farms during the open (February–October, when cows use the roadway network and fields) and closed (November–January, when cows were housed) periods and identify locations which could be considered critical source areas (CSA). For the study, roadway substrate samples were taken at 18 locations on each farm, across eight sampling periods, and were analysed for available P. Results showed that mean available P concentrations (Morgan’s P) in the sampling locations ranged from 15.9 to 101.4 mg L-1 for the Dairy Farm, from 4.1 to 59.4 mg L-1 for Beef Farm 1 and from 6.3 to 23.2 mg L-1 for Beef Farm 2. In open period, the results showed that mean available P concentrations were 75.4 ± 30.9, 14.9 ± 3.2 and 13.4 ± 2.5 mg L-1 for the Dairy Farm, Beef Farm 1 and Beef Farm 2, respectively. In closed period, the mean available P were 40.3 ± 17.2, 10.4 ± 1.0 and 9.8 ± 0.2 mg L-1 for Dairy Farm, Beef Farm 1 and Beef Farm 2, respectively. Overall, P concentrations on the Dairy Farm roadways was up to 4 times greater than that in the Beef Farms’ roadways. Compared to soils in adjacent fields, P concentrations in the Dairy and Beef Farms roadways was up-to 7 and 2 times higher, respectively. Critical roadway sections that required mitigation were two in the Dairy Farm, one in Beef Farm 1 and two in Beef Farm 2. In addition to fresh faeces and urine (i.e., dominant source of nutrients in farm roadways), this study showed that nutrient enriched roadway materials are a labile P source. Thus, future mitigation of roadway runoff must consider all roadway nutrient sources, including livestock fresh excreta as well as used roadway surface materials.