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At least 1,045 records · Page 58

Computerized classification of auditory trauma: Results of an investigation on screening employees exposed to noise

An automatic, computerized method was developed to classify results from a screening of employees exposed to noise, resulting in a fast and effective method of identifying and taking measures against auditory trauma. This technique also satisfies the urgent need for quick discovery of cases which deserve compensation in accordance with the Law on Industrial Accident Insurance. Unfortunately, use of this method increases the burden on the already overloaded investigatory resources of the auditory health care system.

Klockhoff, I.↗

Analysis of population mortality kinetics with application to the longevity followup of the Navy's '1,000 aviators'

A simple physiological model of mortality kinetics is used to assess the intuitive concept that the aging rates of populations are proportional to their mortality rates. It is assumed that the vitality of an individual can be expressed as a simple summation of the weighted functional capacities of its organs and homeostatic systems that are indispensable for survival. It is shown that the mortality kinetics of a population can be derived by a linear transformation of the frequency distribution of vitality, assuming a uniform constant rate of decline of the physiological functions. A simple comparison of two populations is not possible when they have different vitality frequency distributions. Analysis of the data using the model suggests that the differences in decline of survivorship with age between the military pilot population, a medically insured population, and the control population can be accounted for by the effect of physical selection on the vitality frequency distribution of the screened populations.

Economos, A. C.↗

Review of performance, medical, and operational data on pilot aging issues

An extensive review of the literature and studies relating to performance, medical, operational, and legal data regarding pilot aging issues was performed in order to determine what evidence there is, if any, to support mandatory pilot retirement. Popular misconceptions about aging, including the failure to distinguish between the normal aging process and disease processes that occur more frequently in older individuals, continue to contribute to much of the misunderstanding and controversy that surround this issue. Results: Review of medical data related to the pilot aging issue indicate that recent improvement in medical diagnostics and treatment technology have made it possible to identify to a high degree individuals who are at risk for developing sudden incapacitating illness and for treating those with disqualifying medical conditions. Performance studies revealed that after controlling for the presence of disease states, older pilots are able to perform as well as younger pilots on many performance tasks. Review of accident data showed that older, healthy pilots do not have higher accident rates than younger pilots, and indeeed, evidence suggests that older pilots have an advantage in the cockpit due to higher experience levels. The Man-Machine-Mission-Environment interface of factors can be managed through structured, supervised, and enhanced operations, maintenance, flight reviews, and safety procedures in order to ensure safe and productive operations by reducing the margin of error and by increasing the margin of safety. Conclusions: There is no evidence indicating any specific age as an arbitrary cut-off point for pilots to perform their fight duties. A combination of regular medical screening, performance evaluation, enhanced operational maintenance, and safety procedures can most effectively ensure a safe pilot population than can a mandatory retirement policy based on arbitrary age restrictions.

Stoklosa, J. H.↗

The 100-C-7 Remediation Project. An Overview of One of DOE's Largest Remediation Projects - 13260

The U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office (RL), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Washington Closure Hanford LLC (WCH) completed remediation of one of the largest waste sites in the U.S. Department of Energy complex. The waste site, 100-C-7, covers approximately 15 football fields and was excavated to a depth of 85 feet (groundwater). The project team removed a total of 2.3 million tons of clean and contaminated soil, concrete debris, and scrap metal. 100-C-7 lies in Hanford's 100 B/C Area, home to historic B and C Reactors. The waste site was excavated in two parts as 100-C-7 and 100-C-7:1. The pair of excavations appear like pit mines. Mining engineers were hired to design their tiered sides, with safety benches every 17 feet and service ramps which allowed equipment access to the bottom of the excavations. The overall cleanup project was conducted over a span of almost 10 years. A variety of site characterization, excavation, load-out and sampling methodologies were employed at various stages of remediation. Alternative technologies were screened and evaluated during the project. A new method for cost effectively treating soils was implemented - resulting in significant cost savings. Additional opportunities for minimizing waste streams and recycling were identified and effectively implemented by the project team. During the final phase of cleanup the project team applied lessons learned throughout the entire project to address the final, remaining source of chromium contamination. The C-7 cleanup now serves as a model for remediating extensive deep zone contamination sites at Hanford. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Increased prevalence of essential hypertension in areas previously exposed to fallout due to nuclear weapons testing at the Semipalatinsk Test Site, Kazakhstan

Highlights: • Large territories of Kazakhstan were exposed to radiation due to nuclear tests. • Nuclear tests lead to long-term exposure of the population in the low dose range. • There is an association between environmental radiation exposure and hypertension. • Screening allows us to diagnose CVD in the irradiated people in the early stages. • Radiation health effects should be considered in health services planning. This study examines the association between environmental radiation exposure and essential hypertension in a series of investigated geographical districts adjacent to the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in Kazakhstan. The sample consists of 2000 volunteers participants in screening examinations in three administrative districts close to the nuclear test site, which was carried out as part of the Government Programs on Environmental Health Hazard. The cross-sectional study compares prevalence ratios in a population sample with long-term exposure in the low and intermediate dose range. Age-adjusted odds ratios for hypertension were found significantly increased with higher exposure groups. After accounting for main cardiovascular risk factors into the model and stratifying by gender, the prevalence odds ratios for radiation remained significantly increased, with a significant dose-response effect observed for some but not all subgroups. The results support existing evidence of cardiovascular health effects of radiation exposure and of persisting environmental health issues that require attention in both epidemiological surveys and healthcare provision.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Anaerobic Storage and Conversion of Microalgal Biomass to Manage Seasonal Variation in Cultivation

Seasonal variation in microalgal biomass production is a well-known challenge when optimizing economics for algal fuel conversion, especially given the fluctuation in biomass production between winter and summer. Wet storage offers significant potential for cost and energy savings compared to dewatering and dry storage. This study demonstrates the feasibility of preserving harvested Scenedesmus acutus biomass through wet anaerobic storage for use in biochemical conversion. Anaerobic storage effectively preserved biomass with minimal degradation of carbohydrates and preservation of lipids and proteins. Screening experiments identified optimal pretreatment conditions for stored biomass. Scale-up of pretreatment enabled fermentation of the hydrolysate to butyric acid and indicated no observable difference in conversion between unstored and stored biomass. Lipid extraction improved by a relative 12% for stored biomass. These results suggest that wet anaerobic storage can effectively manage seasonal variation in biomass production and is compatible with biochemical approaches for biofuel production.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

A systematic approach to the analysis of double faults within design basic accident methodology - 14501

Within the UK there is a general trend towards adopting Design Basis Accident (DBA) methodology for the assessment of radiological hazards, including criticality. DBA is a single fault methodology and comprises identifying the initiating event, its frequency and consequence. A fault with a very low initiating event frequency will not require further analysis. A fault sequence that terminates in a sub-critical configuration would also not require further analysis; although the identified passive features ensuring sub-criticality are subjected to engineering substantiation. Where faults do not pass this initial screening, two safety measures are generally required to ensure the fault does not progress to a criticality incident. This methodology provides a robust approach to single faults ensuring that an appropriate level and range of plant measures are identified and subjected to appropriate substantiation. However, a criticality is a cliff-edge effect and is dependent on multiple parameters. It is entirely possible under DBA to evaluate several single fault sequences and conclude that no measures are required because the single faults terminate in a sub-critical configuration. Importantly, for criticality safety, under DBA, there is no requirement to prevent important parameters from deviating from normal or upper bound 'safe' levels leaving the plant at greater risk in the event that further faults initiate. The combination of two faults could lead to a criticality incident but there is no current driver within DBA methodology to analyze these coincident or double faults. There is, therefore, potential to significantly under estimate the risk of criticality. This understanding is embodied within other methodologies such as the Double Contingency Principle. However, within the UK the DBA methodology has so significantly improved the analysis of single faults that, in some instances, consideration of double faults has taken a back seat. This is despite the UK regulator stating that 'criticality safety cases should employ the double contingency approach'. This paper presents a systematic approach to ensure that the potential for double faults or multiple parameter deviations to result in a criticality is effectively evaluated within the wider DBA methodology. The methodology determines which faults may be screened out from double fault analysis on the grounds of being 'unlikely' to initiate and being present for a 'short' duration. For those faults screened into double fault analysis, this guidance sets out the potential means of determining acceptable risk. These means include the specific evaluation of the risk of two criticality control parameters deviating simultaneously, the definition of additional safety measures and the definition of the boundary of safety for multiple parameters and the risk of exceeding this boundary. (authors)

42 ENGINEERING↗

Factors linked to participant attrition in a longitudinal occupational health surveillance program

For occupational medical screening programs focused on long-term health surveillance, participant attrition is a significant barrier to success. Here we investigate demographic, medical history, and clinical data from National Supplemental Screening Program (NSSP) examinees for association with likelihood of return for a second exam (rescreening). A total of 15,733 individuals completed at least one NSSP exam before December 31, 2016; of those, 4832 also completed a second exam on or before December 31, 2019. Stepwise logistic regression models were used to identify variables associated with whether a participant was rescreened in the NSSP. Individuals were less likely to return for rescreening if they had a history of any cancer; cardiovascular problems; diabetes or kidney disease; or if they used insulin. Age at time of first exam and job site category significantly influenced likelihood of return. Workers categorized as “guests” were more likely to return. Participants were less likely to return if they had an abnormal urinalysis, abnormal pulmonary function, pneumoconiosis, aortic atherosclerosis, or hearing loss at their initial exam. Participants who received a chest X-ray at their initial screening were more likely to return. The presence of health problems is strongly linked to screening program attrition. Participants who are older at the time of their initial screening exam are less likely to return. The discovery of several strong demographic, medical, and job associations reveals the importance for medical screening programs to understand and address factors that influence participant retention and, consequently, the effectiveness of long-term health surveillance activities.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Linear mixing rule in screened binary ionic mixtures

The validity of the linear mixing rule is examined for the following two cases (1) when the response of the electron gas is taken into account in the effective ionic interaction and (2) when finite-temperature effects are included in the dielectric response of the electrons, i.e., when the ions interact with both temperature- and density-dependent screened Coulomb potentials. It is found that the linear mixing rule remains valid when the electron response is taken into account in the interionic potential at any density, even though the departure from linearity can reach a few percent for the asymmetric mixtures in the region of weak degeneracy for the electron gas. A physical explanation of this behavior is proposed which is based on a simple additional length scale.

Chabrier, G.↗

Analysis of Screen Channel LAD Bubble Point Tests in Liquid Oxygen at Elevated Temperature

The purpose of this paper is to examine the key parameters that affect the bubble point pressure for screen channel Liquid Acquisition Devices in cryogenic liquid oxygen at elevated pressures and temperatures. An in depth analysis of the effect of varying temperature, pressure, and pressurization gas on bubble point is presented. Testing of a 200 x 1400 and 325 x 2300 Dutch Twill screen sample was conducted in the Cryogenics Components Lab 7 facility at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Test conditions ranged from 92 to 130K and 0.138 - 1.79 MPa. Bubble point is shown to be a strong function of temperature with a secondary dependence on pressure. The pressure dependence is believed to be a function of the amount of evaporation and condensation occurring at the screen. Good agreement exists between data and theory for normally saturated liquid but the model generally under predicts the bubble point in subcooled liquid. Better correlation with the data is obtained by using the liquid temperature at the screen to determine surface tension of the fluid, as opposed to the bulk liquid temperature.

Hartwig, Jason↗

Comparing Transcriptomic Points of Departure to Apical Effect Concentrations For Larval Fathead Minnow Exposed to Chemicals with Four Different Modes Of Action

It is postulated that below a transcriptomic-based point of departure, adverse effects are unlikely to occur, thereby providing a chemical concentration to use in screening level hazard assessment. The present study extends previous work describing a high-throughput fathead minnow assay that can provide full transcriptomic data after exposure to a test chemical. One-day post-hatch fathead minnows were exposed to ten concentrations of three representatives of four chemical modes of action: organophosphates, ecdysone receptor agonists, plant photosystem II inhibitors, and estrogen receptor agonists for 24 h. Concentration response modeling was performed on whole body gene expression data from each exposure, using measured chemical concentrations when available. Transcriptomic points of departure in larval fathead minnow were lower than apical effect concentrations across fish species but not always lower than toxic effect concentrations in other aquatic taxa like crustaceans and insects. The point of departure was highly dependent on measured chemical concentration which were often lower than the nominal concentration. Differentially expressed genes between chemicals within modes of action were compared and often showed statistically significant overlap. In addition, reproducibility between identical exposures using a positive control chemical (CuSO 4 ) and variability associated with the transcriptomic point of departure using in silico sampling were considered. Results extend a transcriptomic-compatible fathead minnow high-throughput assay for possible use in ecological hazard screening.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Simple and Effective Squash-PCR for Rapid Genotyping of Industrial Microalgae

Microalgae are recognized for their versatility in providing renewable energy, biopharmaceuticals, and nutraceuticals, attributed to their sustainable, renewable, and cost-effective nature. Genetic engineering has proven highly effective in enhancing microalgae production. PCR-based genotyping is the primary method for screening genetically transformed microalgae cells. Recently, we developed a novel PCR method, namely Squash-PCR, and employed it for the molecular analysis of industrially important fungi and yeasts. In this study, we successfully implemented the Squash-PCR technique in 12 industrially significant algae species. This approach offers a quick and reliable means of obtaining DNA templates directly from squashed algal cells, eliminating the need for time-consuming and labor-intensive cultivation and genomic DNA extraction steps. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of Squash-PCR in detecting and characterizing target genes of interest in 12 different algae species. Overall, this study establishes the Squash-PCR method as a valuable tool for molecular studies in algae, enabling researchers to rapidly screen and manipulate genetic traits in diverse algal species.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Impact of solvation on the GW quasiparticle spectra of molecules

First-principles calculations for electrochemistry require accurate treatment of both electronic structure and solvation. The perturbative GW approximation starting from density functional theory (DFT) calculations accurately models materials systems with varying dimensionality. Continuum solvation models enable efficient treatment of solvation effects in DFT calculations, but their applications with beyond-DFT electronic structure methods such as GW have been limited. Here, we introduce the frequency-dependent liquid polarizability from a nonlocal continuum solvation model in the screened Coulomb interaction of full-frequency GW calculations with a solvated DFT starting point. In this study, we show that the liquid screening contributions substantially reduce the HOMO–LUMO gap of molecules by 3–5 eV, while solvent effects on the DFT starting point negligibly impact the GW gap. The resulting framework facilitates the simultaneous electronic and solvation accuracy needed for first-principles electrochemistry.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Advancements in Manufacturing of High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells and Modules Using Printing Technologies

Perovskite photovoltaic technology carries immense opportunity for the solar industries because of its remarkable efficiency and prospect for cost-effective production. However, the successful deployment of perovskite solar modules (PSMs) in the solar market necessitates tackling stability-based obstacles, scalability, and environmental considerations. This paper unveils a comprehensive examination of the cutting-edge advancements in the manufacturing of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and modules, with an emphasis on high-speed, large-area printing. The paper underscores the substantial progress achieved in printed PSCs and PSMs, demonstrating promising electrical performance and long-term device durability. This review paper categorizes printing techniques compatible with large-area high-speed manufacturing into three distinct families: blade coating, slot die coating, and screen printing, as these common printing practices offer precise control, scalability, cost-effectiveness, high resolution, and efficient material usage. Additionally, this paper presents an in-depth investigation and comparison of superior PSCs and PSMs fabricated by printing on power conversion efficiency (PCE), stability, and scalability.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Optical control of polarization in ferroelectric heterostructures

In the ferroelectric devices, polarization control is usually accomplished by application of an electric field. In this paper, we demonstrate optically induced polarization switching in BaTiO 3 -based ferroelectric heterostructures utilizing a two-dimensional narrow-gap semiconductor MoS 2 as a top electrode. This effect is attributed to the redistribution of the photo-generated carriers and screening charges at the MoS 2 /BaTiO 3 interface. Specifically, a two-step process, which involves formation of intra-layer excitons during light absorption followed by their decay into inter-layer excitons, results in the positive charge accumulation at the interface forcing the polarization reversal from the upward to the downward direction. Theoretical modeling of the MoS 2 optical absorption spectra with and without the applied electric field provides quantitative support for the proposed mechanism. It is suggested that the discovered effect is of general nature and should be observable in any heterostructure comprising a ferroelectric and a narrow gap semiconductor.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Depth-viewing-volume increase by collimation of stereo 3-D displays

Typical stereo 3-D displays are produced using a single-image-source, which is time-multiplexed, to present disparate, directly-viewed views (stereo pairs) of the visual scene to each eye. However, current stereoscopic viewing techniques impose severe restrictions in the effective viewing-volume of the stereo 3-D display. Recent experiments at Langley Research Center determined that the effective region of stereopsis cuing, the depth-viewing volume, increased with increasing viewer-to-screen distances. This increase was also accompanied by a decrease in the field-of-view of the system. It was postulated that collimation of the display source would dramatically increase the depth-viewing volume, as the effective accommodation distance would be near infinity, while maintaining the field-of-view at required levels. The goal of this proof-of-concept effort was to investigate whether or not a dramatic increase in depth-viewing volume for stereo 3-D displays would be provided by the application of collimated optics to the stereo display source.

Busquets, Anthony M.↗

Effect of 3D magnetic perturbations on divertor conditions and detachment in tokamak and stellarator

Enhanced perpendicular heat and momentum transport induces parallel pressure loss leading to divertor detachment, which can be produced by the increase of density in 2D tokamaks. However, in the 3D configurations such as tokamaks with 3D fields and stellarators, the fraction of perpendicular transport can be higher even in a lower density regime, which could lead to the early transition to detachment without passing through the high-recycling regime. 3D fields applied to the limiter tokamak plasmas produce edge stochastic layers close to the last closed flux surface (LCFS), which can allow for enhanced perpendicular transport and indeed the absence of high recycling regime and early detachment have been observed in TEXTOR and Tore Supra. However, in the X-point divertor tokamaks with the applied 3D fields, the parallel transport is still dominant and the detachment facilitation has not been observed yet. Rather, 3D fields affected detachment adversely under certain conditions, either by preventing detachment onset as seen in DIII-D or by re-attaching the existing detached plasma as shown in NSTX. The possible way for strong 3D effects to induce access to the early detachment in divertor tokamaks appears to be via significant perpendicular loss of parallel momentum by frictional force for the counter-streaming flows between neighboring flow channels in the divertor. In principle, the adjacent lobes in the 3D divertor tokamak may generate the counter-streaming flow channels. However, an EMC3-EIRENE simulation for ITER H-mode plasmas demonstrated that screened RMP leads to significantly reduced counter-flows near the divertor target, therefore the momentum loss effect leading to detachment facilitation is expected to be small. This is consistent with the observation in LHD, which showed screening (amplification) of RMP fields in the attachment (stable detachment) case. In conclusion, work for optimal parameter window for best divertor operation scenario is needed particularly for the 3D divertor tokamak configuration.

3D effects on divertor↗