[en] Optical quality Sr_xBa_1-xNb₂O₆ (SBN) thin films doped with Pr³⁺ ions were successfully grown on fused quartz substrates using a pulsed laser deposition technique. Both as-grown and annealed samples were studied at either room temperature or at 10 K. Luminescence measurements show that most 4f²→4f² emissions from Pr³⁺ centers were efficiently quenched in the films. Strong red emission from ¹D₂ to ³H₄ at ∼610 nm accompanied by weak emission to other ³H_j multiplets could be observed only by UV excitation into the SBN conduction band. At 10 K, the main emission peak splits into four components. In addition, a broadband SBN-host luminescence was identified at ∼560 nm in the annealed sample, associated with the charge-transfer vibronic exciton. As an interstitial ion, Pr³⁺ may occupy a 15-, 12-, 9- or 6-fold cage surrounded by oxygen and was found to occupy all four possible sites in SBN thin films. This behavior is different from Eu³⁺- SBN where Eu³⁺ only occupies a 6-fold site

[en] This paper correlates changes in the brain demonstrated on F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomographic (PET) scans and CT or MR images with disease severity in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Data from 30 patients who tested positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who were at various stages of AIDS, and who had undergone FDG PET, CT, and/or MR imaging were reviewed retrospectively. The average CD4 lymphocyte counts, an indicator of disease severity in AIDS, in 25 symptomatic (group I) and five healthy seropositive (group II) subjects were 300 and 694 cells/mm³, respectively. Cortical atrophy was present on CT and/or MR imaging in 92% in group I and only 20% in group II. Of the 17 patients in group I who underwent PET scans 11 demonstrated an elevated basal ganglia to frontal cortex (BG/FC) ratio of FDG uptake; only one of the four in group II had this finding

[en] In this report, we present the energy calibration of the Hall B bremsstrahlung tagging system at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The calibration was performed using a magnetic pair spectrometer. The tagged photon energy spectrum was measured in coincidence with e⁺e^- pairs as a function of the pair spectrometer magnetic field. Taking advantage of the internal linearity of the pair spectrometer, the energy of the tagging system was calibrated at the level of ± 0.1% E_γ. The absolute energy scale was determined using the e⁺e^- rate measurements close to the end-point of the photon spectrum. The energy variations across the full tagging range were found to be <3 MeV

[en] The formation of the Fe-Al inhibition layer in hot-dip galvanizing is a confusing issue for a long time. This study presents a characterization result on the inhibition layer formed on C-Mn-Cr and C-Mn-Si dual-phase steels after a short time galvanizing. The samples were annealed at 800 .deg. C for 60 s in N₂-10% H₂ atmosphere with a dew point of -30 .deg. C, and were then galvanized in a bath containing 0.2%Al. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed for characterization. The TEM electron diffraction shows that only Fe₂Al₅ intermetallic phase was formed. No orientation relationship between the Fe₂Al₅ phase and the steel substrate could be identified. Two peaks of Al 2p photoelectrons, one from metallic aluminum and the other from Al³⁺ ions, were detected in the inhibition layer, indicating that the layer is in fact a mixture of Fe₂Al₅ and Al₂O₃. TEM/EDS analysis verifies the existence of Al₂O₃ in the boundaries of Fe₂Al₅ grains. The nucleation of Fe₂Al₅ and the reduction of the surface oxide probably proceeded concurrently on galvanizing, and the residual oxides prohibited the heteroepitaxial growth of Fe₂Al₅

[en] A numerical code using field line tracing for modeling the three-dimensional magnetic field topology under resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) has been developed and applied in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) 2014 campaign. Currently, the model is simplified by using vacuum paradigm and neglecting the toroidal field ripple. The modeling result predicts that the possible strike point splitting on plasma facing component and the lobes like structure on the boundary are observable in various diagnostics at different locations. lt is shown that the strike point splitting strongly depends on the edge stochasticity, which is a combined effect of both perturbation spectrum and equi librium properties. In a lower single null configuration, it is found that RMP may also change the magnetic structure near the upper x-point and form a similar strike point splitting on the upper divertor. It depends on the distance between the two separatrix, which threshold value depends on both the RMP strength and the equilibrium properties. To examine the RMP system on EAST and its effect on plasmas, some experiments with RMPs were hold in the 2014 campaign. The static and rotational perturbation were both tested and results confirm the RMP efficiency. Particle flux profiles on divertor targets measured by divertor probes had verified the existing strike point splitting induced by RMPs. The results are consistent with the numerical modeling within measurement uncertainties and confirm the edge stochasticity induced by RMPs. (author)

[en] An inflatable endorectal balloon (ERB) is often used during stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for treatment of prostate cancer in order to reduce both intrafraction motion of the target and risk of rectal toxicity. However, the ERB can exert significant force on the prostate, and this work assessed the impact of ERB position errors on deformation of the prostate and treatment dose metrics. Seventy-one cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) image datasets of nine patients with clinical stage T1cN0M0 prostate cancer were studied. An ERB (Flexi-Cuff, EZ-EM, Westbury, NY) inflated with 60 cm"3 of air was used during simulation and treatment, and daily kilovoltage (kV) CBCT imaging was performed to localize the prostate. The shape of the ERB in each CBCT was analyzed to determine errors in position, size, and shape. A deformable registration algorithm was used to track the dose received by (and deformation of) the prostate, and dosimetric values such as D95, PTV coverage, and Dice coefficient for the prostate were calculated. The average balloon position error was 0.5 cm in the inferior direction, with errors ranging from 2 cm inferiorly to 1 cm superiorly. The prostate was deformed primarily in the AP direction, and tilted primarily in the anterior–posterior/superior–inferior plane. A significant correlation was seen between errors in depth of ERB insertion (DOI) and mean voxel-wise deformation, prostate tilt, Dice coefficient, and planning-to-treatment prostate inter-surface distance (p < 0.001). Dosimetrically, DOI is negatively correlated with prostate D95 and PTV coverage (p < 0.001). For the model of ERB studied, error in ERB position can cause deformations in the prostate that negatively affect treatment, and this additional aspect of setup error should be considered when ERBs are used for prostate SBRT. Before treatment, the ERB position should be verified, and the ERB should be adjusted if the error is observed to exceed tolerable values. (paper)

[en] Cooling capacity of a Helium-4 JT cryocooler may be achieved at a temperature higher than liquid helium temperature. The latent cooling capacity, which should be obtained at liquid helium temperature, is defined as a special part of cooling capacity. With the thermodynamic analysis on steady working conditions of a Helium-4 JT cryocooler, its cooling capacity and temperature characteristics are presented systematically. The effects of precooling temperature and high pressure on the cooling capacity and latent cooling capacity are illustrated. Furthermore, the JT cryocoolers using hydrogen and neon as the working fluids are also discussed. It is shown that helium JT cryocooler has a special cooling capacity characteristic which does not exist in JT cryocoolers using other pure working fluids. (paper)

[en] The model R5912-20MOD photomultiplier tube(PMT) is made for cryogenic application by Hamamatsu. In this paper, we report on the measurement of relative quantum efficiency (QE) of this model PMT at liquid argon(LAr) temperature. Furthermore, a specially designed setup and relevant test method are introduced. The relative QE is measured in visible wavelengths with the PMT emerged in high purity nitrogen atmosphere. The results show that the change of QE at LAr temperature is within about 5% compared with room temperature around 420 nm. However, the QE increases about 10% in the shorter wavelength range and decreases significantly after 550 nm. (paper)

[en] In this paper we present analysis and numerical simulations for the natural frequency of pipes conveying fluid in the ADINA system. The slender pipe structures are modelled as shells and the fluid flows are supposed to be three-dimensional (3D) and incompressible. The fluid and structural models are mechanically coupled on their interface through slip and displacement conditions. Several numerical examples for pipes shaped as different configurations show that the natural frequencies obtained based on ADINA codes are generally lower than those predicted by analytical or dynamic stiffness methods. In particular, for curved pipes conveying fluid with relatively high flow velocity, it is found that the evolution trend of natural frequencies with increasing flow velocity is similar as that predicted by the inextensible theory for curved pipes conveying fluid

[en] Shear-flow-driven instability can play an important role in energy transfer processes in coronal plasma. We present for the first time the observation of a kink-like oscillation of a streamer that is probably caused by the streaming kink-mode Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI). The wave-like behavior of the streamer was observed by the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment C2 and C3 on board the SOlar and Heliospheric Observatory. The observed wave had a period of about 70-80 minutes, and its wavelength increased from 2 R_☉ to 3 R_☉ in about 1.5 hr. The phase speeds of its crests and troughs decreased from 406 ± 20 to 356 ± 31 km s^–1 during the event. Within the same heliocentric range, the wave amplitude also appeared to increase with time. We attribute the phenomena to the MHD KHI, which occurs at a neutral sheet in a fluid wake. The free energy driving the instability is supplied by the sheared flow and sheared magnetic field across the streamer plane. The plasma properties of the local environment of the streamer were estimated from the phase speed and instability threshold criteria