bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unraveling the mystery of “tech red” – a volatile technetium oxide
Authors: Lawler K. V. , Childs B. C. , Czerwinski K. R. , Sattelberger A. P. , Poineau F. , Forster P. M.
Published: January 2018

A molecular Tc2O5 species is the likely identity of a volatile oxide which has remained uncharacterized for 50+ years.
The role of HNO3 in the electrochemical deposition of dendritic PbTe microstructures
Authors: Dong Panpan , Wang Xuemei , Li Shifeng , Ni Yonghong
Published: January 2018

HNO3 was found to play a crucial role in the formation of dendritic PbTe microstructures through a simple electrodeposition route.
Formation mechanism of rod-like ZIF-L and fast phase transformation from ZIF-L to ZIF-8 with morphology changes controlled by polyvinylpyrrolidone and ethanol
Authors: Fu Huifen , Wang Zhihua , Wang Xun , Wang Peng , Wang Chong-Chen
Published: January 2018

Rod-like ZIF-L was formed through a self-assembly mechanism, and phase transformation from ZIF-L to ZIF-8 occurred once ethanol was used as the washing solvent.
Rapid growth of ADP crystal in a defined crystallographic direction
Authors: Lian Yafei , Xu Mingxia , Zhang Lisong , Cai Dongting , Sui Tingting , Sun Xun , Chai Xiangxu
Published: January 2018

ADP crystals were grown in defined direction (θ = 90°, Φ = 45°) by the “point-seed” rapid growth method.
Synthesis and self-assembly behavior of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-based triblock copolymers in selective solvents by dissipative particle dynamics simulation
Authors: Jin Yun , Guo Danyi , Li Bo , Xu Shouping , Cheng Jiang , Li Li , Wen Xiufang , Pi Pihui
Published: January 2018

Self-assembly behaviors of POSS-based triblock copolymers were studied by DPD, and the results were in qualitative agreement with the experimental data.
Anomalous fluorescence enhancement and fluorescence quenching of graphene quantum dots by single walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Das Ruma , Rajender Gone , Giri P. K.
Published: January 2018

We explore the mechanism of the fluorescence enhancement and fluorescence quenching effect of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) on highly fluorescent graphene quantum dots (GQDs) over a wide range of concentrations of SWCNTs.
Catalytic effect of a single water molecule on the OH + CH2NH reaction
Authors: Akbar Ali Mohamad , M. Balaganesh , Lin K. C.
Published: January 2018

Effect of water molecule on atmospheric oxidation of imines.
Modulation of the carrier mobility enhancement in Si/Ge core–shell nanowires under different interface confinements
Authors: He Yan , Ouyang Gang
Published: January 2018

Relative shift of carrier mobility vs. self-equilibrium strain in SiNWs.
pH-Dependent cooperativity and existence of a dry molten globule in the folding of a miniprotein BBL
Authors: Yue Zhi , Shen Jana
Published: January 2018

Constant pH molecular dynamics simulations of BBL reveals negligible folding free energy barrier that is pH dependent and a sparsely populated dry molten globule state.
Efficient adsorption, removal and recovery of phosphate and nitrate from water by a novel lanthanum(iii)-Dowex M4195 polymeric ligand exchanger
Authors: Du Hongxia , Lung Christie Y. K. , Lau Tai-Chu
Published: January 2018

A novel polymeric ligand exchanger (PLE) can selectively remove phosphate and nitrate from water down to <0.1 ppm.
The effect of fucoidan on intestinal flora and intestinal barrier function in rats with breast cancer
Authors: Xue Meilan , Ji Xinqiang , Liang Hui , Liu Ying , Wang Bing , Sun Lingling , Li Weiwei
Published: January 2018

Fucoidan could be used as an intestinal flora modulator for potential prevention of breast cancer.
Feasibility of high-resolution continuum source flame molecular absorption spectrometry for silicon determination in organic solutionsviathe SiO molecule
Authors: Kowalewska Zofia
Published: January 2018

Silicon can be determined using HR-CS MASviaSiO molecules generated in air–acetylene flame.
A three-dimensional multilayer graphene web for polymer nanocomposites with exceptional transport properties and fracture resistance
Authors: Shen Xi , Wang Zhenyu , Wu Ying , Liu Xu , He Yan-Bing , Zheng Qingbin , Yang Quan-Hong , Kang Feiyu , Kim Jang-Kyo
Published: January 2018

A CVD-grown high-density 3D multilayer graphene web (MGW) is used as the filler for polymer nanocomposites, delivering exceptional electrical and thermal conductivities with outstanding fracture toughness.
CuCl heterogenized on metformine-modified multi walled carbon nanotubes as a recyclable nanocatalyst for Ullmann-type C–O and C–N coupling reactions
Authors: Akhavan Elham , Hemmati Saba , Hekmati Malak , Veisi Hojat
Published: January 2018

Herein, a novel MWCNTs-Met/CuCl nanocatalyst synthesis method by metformine covalent grafting on the surface of carbon nanotubes and subsequent coordination with a CuCl catalyst is described.
Enhanced mechanical properties of silica nanoparticle-covered cross-linking graphene oxide filled thermoplastic polyurethane composite
Authors: Ren Hui , Zhou Yuming , He Man , Xu Ran , Ding Binbin , Zhong Xi , Tong Yuan , Fan Lidan , Cai Zhilan , Shen Hua , Huang Yuzhong
Published: January 2018

In this work, stacking graphene oxide (GOE) and silica nanoparticle-covered cross-linking graphene oxide (GOES) were successfully synthesized by using EDA simultaneous reduction and functionalization GO.
Syntheses, structures, luminescence and magnetic properties of seven isomorphous metal–organic frameworks based on 2,7-bis(4-benzoic acid)-N-(4-benzoic acid)carbazole
Authors: Chen Dong-Hui , Lin Ling , Sheng Tian-Lu , Wen Yue-Hong , Zhu Xiao-Quan , Zhang Lin-Tao , Hu Sheng-Min , Fu Rui-Biao , Wu Xin-Tao
Published: January 2018

Seven isomorphous lanthanide metal–organic frameworks with special luminescence and magnetic properties are synthesized and characterized.
Hydrophilicity and anti-fouling performance of polyethersulfone membrane modified by grafting block glycosyl copolymers via surface initiated electrochemically mediated atom transfer radical polymerization
Authors: Li Dan , Wu Jiayu , Yang Shiyuan , Zhang Weijie , Niu Xiaoqin , Chen Yuhong , Ran Fen
Published: January 2018

In this study, we synthesize a modified polyethersulfone membrane to construct block copolymer brushes on the membrane surface.
Large-scale preparation of B/N co-doped graphene-like carbon as an efficient metal-free catalyst for the reduction of nitroarenes
Authors: Yang Fan , Cao Yan , Chen Zhuo , He Xing , Hou Liqiang , Li Yongfeng
Published: January 2018

Boron and nitrogen co-doped graphene-like carbon catalysts were fabricated by mechanochemistry and demonstrated outstanding catalytic activity for the reduction of nitroarenes.
Fluorescent protein nanovessels packing DNA into a nucleosome-like gene carrier
Authors: Li Zhenhua , Wang Xiaoliang , Tian Zhuo , Chen Zhijun
Published: January 2018

By forming a nucleosome-like structure, BBNCs can function as DNA carriers.
Conformational stabilization of a β-hairpin through a triazole–tryptophan interaction
Authors: Diana Donatella , Di Salvo Claudia , Celentano Veronica , De Rosa Lucia , Romanelli Alessandra , Fattorusso Roberto , D'Andrea Luca D.
Published: January 2018

Triazole and indole rings stabilize a β-hairpin conformation through an aromatic–aromatic interaction.
Synthesis of aryl α,α-difluoroethyl thioethers a novel structure motif in organic chemistry, and extending to aryl α,α-difluoro oxyethers
Authors: Tomita Ren , Al-Maharik Nawaf , Rodil Andrea , Bühl Michael , O'Hagan David
Published: January 2018

A method for the preparation of aryl α,α-difluoroethyl thioethers (ArSCF2CH3) is reported and the synthesis approach is extended to aryl α,α-difluoroethyl oxygen ethers.
Multiplexed detection of nucleic acids using 19F NMR chemical shift changes based on DNA photo-cross-linking of 3-vinylcarbazole derivatives
Authors: Nakamura Shigetaka , Takashima Yasuharu , Fujimoto Kenzo
Published: January 2018

The 19F NMR identical to trifluorothymidine was large shifted by DNA photo-cross-linking. The shifted signal dispersion was induced by the substituent of 3-vinylcarbazole derivatives.
t-BuONa-mediated direct C–H halogenation of electron-deficient (hetero)arenes
Authors: Liu Xia , Zhao Xin , Liang Fushun , Ren Baoyi
Published: January 2018

An efficient halogenation of electron-deficient (hetero)arenes is described.
Self-stabilized, hydrophobic or PEGylated paclitaxel polymer prodrug nanoparticles for cancer therapy
Authors: Bao Yinyin , Guégain Elise , Mougin Julie , Nicolas Julien
Published: January 2018

Facile derivatization of paclitaxel (Ptx) and subsequent “drug-initiated” synthesis of well-defined Ptx-polymer prodrugs was performed from nitroxide-mediated polymerization or reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization.
Waterborne polyacrylates with thermally activated delayed fluorescence and two-state phosphorescence
Authors: Wang Tao , Tang Zhen , Xu Dong , Sun Wei , Deng Yipeng , Wang Qidong , Zhang Xingyuan , Su Peifeng , Zhang Guoqing
Published: January 2018

Anthraquinone derivatives with N- and O-substitution are incorporated into waterborne polyacrylates as single-component polymers with both thermally activated delayed fluorescence and two-state phosphorescence.
Light-promoted conversion of greenhouse gases over plasmonic metal–carbide nanocomposite catalysts
Authors: Anjaneyulu Oruganti , Takeda Kazu , Ishii Satoshi , Ueda Shigenori , Nagao Tadaaki , Xiaobo Peng , Fujita Takeshi , Miyauchi Masahiro , Abe Hideki
Published: January 2018

Nanocomposite catalysts consisting of metallic cobalt and tantalum carbide were synthesized and they efficiently promoted an uphill conversion of greenhouse gases including CO2 and CH4 into CO and H2 under visible light.
Neuroprotective effect of arctigenin against neuroinflammation and oxidative stress induced by rotenone
Authors: Zhang Na , Dou Deqiang , Ran Xiaoku , Kang Tingguo
Published: January 2018

The present study was to investigate the neuroprotective effect of arctigenin, the major active component of a traditional Chinese medicine “Arctii Fructus”, against PD in a rat model induced by rotenone.
Tuning protein folding in lysosomal storage diseases: the chemistry behind pharmacological chaperones
Authors: Pereira David M. , Valentão Patrícia , Andrade Paula B.
Published: January 2018

We review pharmacological chaperones used in lysosomal storage diseases, emphasizing medicinal chemistry approaches and mechanisms of action.
Stability enhancing ionic liquid hybrid electrolyte for NVP@C cathode based sodium batteries
Authors: Manohar C. V. , Raj K Anish , Kar Mega , Forsyth Maria , MacFarlane Douglas R. , Mitra Sagar
Published: January 2018

Compared to organic electrolytes, C3mpyrTFSI based hybrid electrolytes enhance the electrochemical performance of the NVP@C cathode material by forming a stable SEI layer in sodium batteries.
Electrodeposition of hydrated vanadium pentoxide on nanoporous carbon cloth for hybrid energy storage
Authors: Lee Juhan , Badie Sylvain , Srimuk Pattarachai , Ridder Alexander , Shim Hwirim , Choudhury Soumyadip , Nah Yoon-Chae , Presser Volker
Published: January 2018

Electrodeposition is a simple and effective method for the synthesis of disordered hydrated vanadium pentoxide for energy storage applications.
Well-defined silver conductive pattern fabricated on polyester fabric by screen printing a dopamine surface modifier followed by electroless plating
Authors: Mao Yun , Zhu Meifang , Wang Wei , Yu Dan
Published: January 2018

A novel method is developed to fabricate silver conductive patterns on polyester fabric (PET) by combining screen printing and electroless plating.
Crystallization manipulation and morphology evolution for highly efficient perovskite solar cell fabrication via hydration water induced intermediate phase formation under heat assisted spin-coating
Authors: Zhou Xianyong , Zhang Yong , Kong Weiguang , Hu Manman , Zhang Luozheng , Liu Chang , Li Xiangnan , Pan Chunyue , Yu Guipeng , Cheng Chun , Xu Baomin
Published: January 2018

A delicate control of crystallization and the morphology of perovskite absorbers is critical to obtain high performance hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs).
Mixed (5-AVA)xMA1−xPbI3−y(BF4)y perovskites enhance the photovoltaic performance of hole-conductor-free printable mesoscopic solar cells
Authors: Sheng Yusong , Mei Anyi , Liu Shuang , Duan Miao , Jiang Pei , Tian Chengbo , Xiong Yuli , Rong Yaoguang , Han Hongwei , Hu Yue
Published: January 2018

We report on a simple one-step solution processing strategy to fabricate new stable mixed cation/mixed halide (5-AVA)xMA1−xPbI3−y(BF4)y perovskite solar cells.
Bio-inspired highly flexible dual-mode electronic cilia
Authors: Liu Ya-Feng , Fu Ya-Fei , Li Yuan-Qing , Huang Pei , Xu Chao-He , Hu Ning , Fu Shao-Yun
Published: January 2018

Inspired by biological cilia, a highly flexible dual-mode electronic cilia (EC) sensor is fabricated from graphene-coated magnetic cilia arrays, which possesses excellent pressure and magnetic field sensing capabilities.
Efficient near-infrared organic light-emitting diodes based on a bipolar host
Authors: Hu Yun , Yuan Yi , Shi Ying-Li , Lin Jiu-Dong , Jiang Zuo-Quan , Liao Liang-Sheng
Published: January 2018

A maximum EQE of 2.7% with an emission peak of 735 nm was achieved by employing a donor–acceptor type host 5-(4-(diphenylamino)phenyl)acenaphthylene-1,2-dione (ADO-TPA).
Polypyridyl chromium(iii) complexes for non-volatile memory application: impact of the coordination sphere on memory device performance
Authors: Kandasamy Balamurugan , Ramar Ganesamoorthi , Zhou Li , Han Su-Ting , Venkatesh Shishir , Cheng Shun-Cheung , Xu Zongxiang , Ko Chi-Chiu , Roy V. A. L.
Published: January 2018

To gain insights into the molecular design, the memory devices of various Cr(iii) complexes have been studied.
Synergistic effect of graphene nanosheets and carbonyl iron–nickel alloy hybrid filler on electromagnetic interference shielding and thermal conductivity of cyanate ester composites
Authors: Ren Fang , Song Danping , Li Zhen , Jia Lichuan , Zhao Yuchen , Yan Dingxiang , Ren Penggang
Published: January 2018

Graphene nanosheets and carbonyl iron-nickel alloy powder were used in a synergistic manner to fabricate cyanate ester nanocomposite with an excellent EMI shielding effectiveness and high thermal conductivity.
High‐Q nanocavities in semiconductor‐based three‐dimensional photonic crystals
Authors: Takahashi S. , Tajiri T. , Watanabe K. , Ota Y. , Iwamoto S. , Arakawa Y.
Published: January 2018

The high‐quality factors (Q‐factors) of nanocavities in three‐dimensional photonic crystals were experimentally demonstrated by increasing the in‐plane area of the structure. Entire structures made of GaAs were fabricated by a micro‐manipulation technique, and the nanocavities contained InAs self‐assembled quantum dots that emitted near‐infrared light. The obtained Q‐factor was improved to 93,000, which is 2.4 times larger than that in a previous report of a three‐dimensional photonic crystal nanocavity. Due to this large Q‐factor, a lasing oscillation from this cavity mode was successfully observed.
Nonlinear mapping‐based feedback technique of dynamic surface control for the chaotic PMSM using neural approximation and parameter identification
Authors: Gao Shigen , Dong Hairong , Ning Bin , Tang Tao , Li Yidong
Published: January 2018

This study presents a novel non‐linear mapping‐based feedback technique for controlling chaotic permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) using dynamic surface control (DSC), neural approximation and parameter identification. Neural networks are utilised to online approximating the unknown system dynamics, adaptive parameter identification is designed to estimate the unknown parameter, and DSC technique circumvents the problem of ‘explosion of complexity’ in the traditional backstepping methodology. The major feature of the non‐linear mapping‐based feedback technique lies in that the merits of high‐gain and low‐gain control are synthesised by virtue of a novel non‐linear continuous differentiable mapping feedback function, and a novel non‐quadratic Lyapunov function is used to analyse the closed‐loop system stability caused by the compound function of non‐linear feedback. Finally, unprejudiced comparative results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed control scheme.
Delayed output feedback of discrete‐time time‐delay systems with applications to spacecraft rendezvous
Authors: Xu Chuanchuan , Zhou Bin , Duan Guang‐Ren
Published: January 2018

This work studies the delayed output feedback (DOF) of discrete‐time systems with input and output delays that are arbitrarily large, bounded, and exactly known. The significance of the DOF is that only the present and delayed inputs and outputs are used for feedback. For systems with a single input delay and multiple output delays, the idea of state prediction is utilised to construct the DOF controller. While for systems with multiple input and output delays, the DOF controller is designed by firstly reducing the original system to a delay‐free one. It is shown in both cases that the closed‐loop systems controlled by DOF are asymptotically stable and act like delay‐free systems with the same dimensions as open‐loop systems. Compared with the continuous‐time case, the DOF controllers for discrete‐time systems do not contain distributed delay terms and the implementation problems can be avoided. The DOF is used to stabilise the spacecraft rendezvous system with input and output delays and simulations show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
How to drive passenger airport experience: a decision support system based on user profile
Authors: Rossi Riccardo , Gastaldi Massimiliano , Orsini Federico
Published: January 2018

This work presents a decision support system for providing information and suggestions to airport users. The aim of the study is to design a system both to improve passengers' experience by reducing time‐spent queuing and waiting and to raise airport revenues by increasing the time passengers spend in discretionary activities. Passengers' behaviour is modelled with an activity‐choice model to be calibrated with their mobile phone traces. The model allows predicting activity sequences for passengers with given socio‐demographic characteristics. To predict queue length at check‐in desks and security control and congestion inside commercial areas, passengers' movements are simulated with a microscopic simulation tool. A system to generate suggestion has been designed: passengers are advised to perform mandatory activities when the predicted queue length is reasonable and specific discretionary activities according to time available, user profiles, location distance, location congestion and airport management preferences. A proof‐of‐concept case study has been developed: passengers' behaviour in both cases of receiving and not receiving suggestion has been simulated. In the first case, passengers experienced less queuing and waiting time; the time saved was spent in discretionary activities, improving passengers' airport experience and increasing airport revenues.
FISS: function identification of subway stations based on semantics mining and functional clustering
Authors: Tang Tao , Dong Xin , Wang Jinzhong , Kong Xiangjie , Rahim Azizur , Yu Xuannian , Li Yulin
Published: January 2018

In modern cities, the subway system plays an important role in carrying a large proportion of passenger transport. However, there still remain some issues on how to accurately identify the regional functions of subway stations. In this study, the authors propose an approach named FISS for identifying the functions of subway station regions based on semantics mining and functional clustering. First, they extract the passenger's travel patterns of each subway station based on the smart card transaction data and Shanghai subway network data and calculate the relative point of interest (POI) contents of each subway station by using Shanghai POI data, then feed the two above‐mentioned results into latent Dirichlet allocation model for obtaining the mobile semantics and the location semantics separately. Furthermore, they carry out standardisation after combining the two semantics, then extract the functional characteristic vectors of subway stations by conducting sparse principal components analysis, and cluster these vectors by using the improved k ‐means algorithm. At last, they visualise the result after taking subway station's function identification by the interclass passenger flow transfer, the distribution of geographical function proportion and the similarity of inter‐cluster. The results demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed approach compared with other existing methods.
Coupled‐inductor‐inverse high step‐up converter
Authors: Li Fei , Yao Yu , Wang Zhi , Liu Hongchen
Published: January 2018

This study presents a novel high conversion gain converter with a tightly coupled‐inductor‐inverse for distributed generation system, where high conversion gain is regularly required. The new converter utilises coupled‐inductor‐inverse network for high conversion gain applications that is not presently comparable with the existing coupled inductor‐based high conversion gain converters. The new converter has a unique feature that the voltage gain is lifted by reducing the turns ratio of the coupled inductor. Subsequently, the diode–capacitor circuit is introduced to primarily recycle the leakage energy, and secondly help to boost the output voltage. This study depicts the main waveforms of the proposed converter and the relevant derivation of the operation principle. The theoretical analysis is verified by the experimental waveforms based on a prototype circuit rated 400 W output power.
Lightweight cloned‐node detection algorithm for efficiently handling SSDF attacks and facilitating secure spectrum allocation in CWSNs
Authors: Sankar Chatterjee Pinaki , Roy Monideepa
Published: January 2018

Cognitive Wireless Sensor Networks (CWSNs) provide better bandwidth utilization when compared with normal wireless sensor networks. CWSNs use a technique called opportunistic spectrum access for data transfer. While doing so, however, CWSNs are subject to several security threats. The spectrum sensing data falsification attack comes under the DoS attack. In this attack, a malicious node sends a modified spectrum sensing report so that the resulting collaborative spectrum sensing decision becomes wrong and a good cognitive sensor node receives a wrong decision regarding the vacant spectrum band of other's network. In the presence of the node cloning attack, the solution of the SSDF attack becomes even more difficult. In the node cloning attack, the malicious node creates many clones of the compromised node in the network. In order to confuse the collaborative spectrum sensing system, the clone nodes can send false spectrum sensing reports in a large number. The maximum‐match filtering (MMF) algorithm is used for making a secure spectrum sensing decision in CWSNs. The Cloned‐Node Detection (CND) algorithm is proposed here to detect cloned nodes. This study also explains how the CND algorithm assists the MMF algorithm to make better spectrum sensing decisions by avoiding the node cloning attack.
Re-entrained road dust PM10 emission from selected streets of Krakow and its impact on air quality
Authors: Bogacki Marek , Mazur Marian , Oleniacz Robert , Rzeszutek Mateusz , Szulecka Adriana
Published: January 2018

Scientific research studies conducted in various parts of the world confirm that PM10 concentrations in urban air depend to a great extent on the resuspension processes of the dust deposited on the road surface. The paper presents the results of the study related to the determination of the re-entrained PM10 emissions from four selected streets of Krakow (Southern Poland) together with the assessment of its impact on air quality. Examined streets are characterised by different traffic intensity (from 500 to over 20 000 vehicles per day) and individual vehicle structure. Dust material sampling and estimation of the PM10 emission were conducted according to the U.S. EPA methodology (AP 42 Fifth Edition). Two variants of sample collection were applied: from the road surface including the area at the curb (4 streets) and from the road surface alone (1 street). The estimates of resuspended road dust emission as well as the reference values derived from the U.S. EPA guidelines were used to assess the impact of this emission on the PM10 levels in the air at the location of one of the analysed streets. This assessment was conducted using the CALINE4 mathematical model. The study showed that the PM10 emissions from the re-entrained road dust can be responsible for up to 25 % in the winter and 50 % in the summer of the total PM10 concentrations in the air near the roads.
Application of satellite images analysis to assess the variability of the surface thermal heat island distribution in urban areas
Authors: Fudała Janina , Nádudvari Ádám , Bronder Joachim , Fudała Marta
Published: January 2018

One of the elements of the urban plans for adapting to climate change is to identify the range the urban heat island (UHI). To a relatively rare ground station network air temperature, one of the possible methods to identify this phenomenon in cities is the analysis of satellite images, and in particular the thermal images surface cities in conjunction with the land-use structure. In the publication is presented the application of indirect methods of determining surface characteristics of heat island in the cities of Upper Silesia Agglomeration on the basis of the analysis of the thermal images from the satellite Landsat for the period 1986-2016. It presents ways to interpret these images depending on the needs of determination the areas sensitive to the impact of the (UHI) and define the areas where adaptation actions to the climate change should be undertaken.
Investigation of air pollutants in rural nursery school – a case study
Authors: Mainka Anna , Zajusz-Zubek Elwira , Kozielska Barbara , Brągoszewska Ewa
Published: January 2018

Children’s exposure to air pollutants is an important public health challenge. Indoor air quality (IAQ) in nursery school is believed to be different from elementary school. Moreover, younger children are more vulnerable to air pollution than higher grade children because they spend more time indoors, and their immune systems and bodies are less mature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the indoor air quality (IAQ) at naturally ventilated rural nursery schools located in Upper Silesia, Poland. We investigated the concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter (PM), bacterial and fungal bioaerosols, as well as carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in younger and older children's classrooms during the winter and spring seasons. The concentration of the investigated pollutants in indoor environments was higher than those in outdoor air. The results indicate the problem of elevated concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 inside the examined classrooms, as well as that of high levels of CO2 exceeding 1,000 ppm in relation to outdoor air. The characteristics of PM and CO2 levels were significantly different, both in terms of classroom occupation (younger or older children) and of season (winter or spring).
Application of the Data Mining Methods to Assess the Impact of Meteorological Conditions on the Episodes of High Concentrations of PM10 along the Polish – Czech Border
Authors: Ośródka Leszek , Krajny Ewa , Wojtylak Marek
Published: January 2018

The paper presents an attempt to use selected data mining methods to determine the influence of a complex of meteorological conditions on the concentrations of PM10 (PM2.5) proffering the example of the regions of Silesia and Northern Moravia. The collection of standard meteorological data has been supplemented by increments and derivatives of measurable weather elements such as vertical pseudo-gradient of air temperature. The main objective was to develop a universal methodology for the assessment of these impacts, i.e. one that would be independent of the analysed pollution. The probability of occurrence (at a given location) of the assumed concentration level as exceeding the value of the specified distributional quintile was adopted as the discriminant of the incidence. As a result of the analyses conducted, incidences of elevated concentrations of air pollution particulate matter PM10 have been identified and the types of weather responsible for the emergence of such situations have also been determined.
Locus of first crystals on the evaporative surface of a vertically textured porous medium
Authors: Diouf Babacar , Geoffroy Sandrine , Chakra Ariane Abou , Prat Marc
Published: January 2018

The evaporation of a saline solution from a heterogeneous porous medium formed by the assembly of a coarse medium column and a fine medium column is studied numerically. We concentrate on the locus of the formation of first crystals on the evaporative surface from the computation of the ion mass fraction distribution at the surface prior to the efflorescence development. Two basic situations considered in previous works, namely the evaporation–wicking situation and the drying situation are considered. The study makes clear that each situation leads to a markedly different locus of the efflorescence formation, except, however, for very high initial salt concentrations. The study emphasizes the key-role of the velocity field induced in the porous domain in the case of the evaporation–wicking situation. In the case of the drying situation, a key aspect lies in the local increase in the ion mass fraction due to the local desaturation, i.e. the local shrinking of the liquid volume containing the ions.
Development of Large-Area Charged Particle Detector with Inorganic Scintillator Plates and Wavelength Shifting Fibers
Authors: Mizuno Takahiro , Emoto Yusaku , Fujihara Kento , Ito Hiroshi , Kawai Hideyuki , Kimura Shota , Kobayashi Atsushi
Published: January 2018

A Large-area charged particle detector for highenergy physics experiments has been developed. This detector includes inorganic scintillator plates with thicknesses of 0.5 mm and wavelength-shifting fibers (WLSFs) of 0.2 mm in diameters. The size of effective area is 1 m by 1 m. The WLSFs are connected to both plate surfaces optically, and on the top and the bottom, fibers are attached along to x and y-axis direction, respectively. The best WLSF to obtain large number of photoelectrons is determined, which enables us to detect charged particles with thinner scintillation crystals. This means an improvement of position resolution of this detector. The number of photoelectrons obtained from a new type scintillation crystal, which is more reasonable than the conventional ones are also measured. We also estimated its position resolution. This detector enables us to detect charged particles with higher position resolution and lower cost than conventional scintillation detectors and gas chambers.
Piezoelectric Materials Under Natural and Man-Made Radiation: The Potential for Direct Radiation Detection
Authors: Wart Megan , Simpson Evan , Flaska Marek
Published: January 2018

Radiation detection systems used for monitoring long term waste storage need to be compact, rugged, and have low or no power requirements. By using piezoelectric materials it may be possible to create a reliable self-powered radiation detection system. To determine the feasibility of this approach, the electrical signal response of the piezoelectric materials to radiation must be characterized. To do so, an experimental geometry has been designed and a neutron source has been chosen as described in this paper, which will be used to irradiate a uranium foil for producing fission fragments. These future experiments will be aimed at finding the threshold of exposure of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) plates needed to produce and electrical signal. Based on the proposed experimental geometry the thermal neutron beam-line at the Breazeale Reactor at The Pennsylvania State University will be used as the neutron source. The uranium foil and neutron source will be able to supply a maximum flux of 1.5e5 fission fragments/second*cm2to each of the PZT plates.
Intrinsic Fabry-Perot Sensors for Magnetic Field Detection
Authors: Broadway Christian , Descamps Frédéric , Kinet Damien , Caucheteur Christophe , Mégret Patrice
Published: January 2018

Within the context of ensuring stable nuclear fusion, it is important to monitor and control a number of parametersincluding the magnetic field associated with plasma circulation. Optical fibre sensing techniques have seen a surge in promulgation and research advances in recent years, due to their immunity to electromagnetic radiation and compact dimensions. Prior work has shown that fibre Bragg gratings are one method of recovering the induced magnetic field, with the main point of interest being their use as distributed point sensors. However, Bragg grating inscription leads to the creation of linear birefringence that increases detector noise and could obscure a given signal. We have hypothesised that by using an intrinsic Fabry-Perot cavity comprised of two identical Bragg gratings, we could obtain a more accurate detector with the removal of photo-induced birefringence in the detection region. We present a proof of concept optical fibre sensor based on an intrinsic Fabry-Perot cavity that shows spectrally visible amplitude modulation. Finally, we demonstrate faster data processing that allows real time monitoring of a given scenario.
Characterization of gamma field in the JSI TRIGA reactor
Authors: Ambrožič Klemen , Radulović Vladimir , Snoj Luka , Gruel Adrien , Guillou Mael Le , Blaise Patrick , Destouches Christophe , Barbot Loïc
Published: January 2018

Research reactors such as the “Jožzef Stefan” Institute TRIGA reactor have primarily been designed for experimentation and sample irradiation with neutrons. However recent developments in incorporating additional instrumentation for nuclear power plant support and with novel high flux material testing reactor designs, γ field characterization has become of great interest for the characterization of the changes in operational parameters of electronic devices and for the evaluation of γ heating of MTR’s structural materials in a representative reactor Γ spectrum.

In this paper, we present ongoing work on γ field characterization both experimentally, by performing γ field measurements, and by simulations, using Monte Carlo particle transport codes in conjunction with R2S methodology for delayed γ field characterization.
Measurement station for interim inspections of Lightbridge metallic fuel rods at the Halden Boiling Water Reactor
Authors: Hartmann C. , Totemeier A. , Holcombe S. , Liverud J. , Limi M. , Hansen J.E. , Navestad E.
Published: January 2018

Lightbridge Corporation has developed a new Uranium-Zirconium based metallic fuel. The fuel rods aremanufactured via a co-extrusion process, and are characterized by their multi-lobed (cruciform-shaped) cross section. The fuel rods are also helically-twisted in the axial direction. Two experimental fuel assemblies, each containing four Lightbridge fuel rods, are scheduled to be irradiated in the Halden Boiling Water Reactor (HBWR) starting in 2018. In addition to on-line monitoring of fuel rod elongation and critical assembly conditions (e.g. power, flow rates, coolant temperatures, etc.) during the irradiation, several key parameters of the fuel will be measured out-of-core during interim inspections. An inspection measurement station for use in the irradiated fuel handling compartment at the HBWR has therefore been developed for this purpose. The multi-lobed cladding cross section combined with the spiral shape of the Lightbridge metallic fuel rods requires a high-precision guiding system to ensure good position repeatability combined with low-friction guiding. The measurement station is equipped with a combination of instruments and equipment supplied from third-party vendors and instruments and equipment developed at Institute for Energy Technology (IFE). Two sets of floating linear voltage differential transformer (LVDT) pairs are used to measure swelling and diameter changes between the lobes and the valleys over the length of the fuel rods. Eddy current probes are used to measure the thickness of oxide layers in the valleys and on the lobe tips and also to detect possible surface cracks/pores. The measurement station also accommodates gamma scans. Additionally, an eddy-current probe has been developed at IFE specifically to detect potential gaps or discontinuities in the bonding layer between the metallic fuel and the Zirconium alloy cladding. Potential gaps in the bonding layer will be hidden behind a 0.5-1.0 mm thick cladding wall. It has therefore been necessary to perform a careful design study of the probe geometry. For this, finite element analysis (FEA) has been performed in combination with practical validation tests on representative fuel dummies with machined flaws to find the probe geometry that best detects a hidden flaw. Tests performed thus far show that gaps down to 25 μm thickness can be detected with good repeatability and good discrimination from lift-off signals.
Development of a new bench for puncturing of irradiated fuel rods in STAR hot laboratory
Authors: Petitprez B. , Silvestre P. , Valenza P. , Boulore A. , David T.
Published: January 2018

A new device for puncturing of irradiated fuel rods in commercial power plants has been designed by Fuel Research Department of CEA Cadarache in order to provide experimental data of high precision on fuel pins with various designs. It will replace the current set-up that has been used since 1998 in hot cell 2 of STAR facility with more than 200 rod puncturing experiments. Based on this consistent experimental feedback, the heavy-duty technique of rod perforation by clad punching has been preserved for the new bench. The method of double expansion of rod gases is also retained since it allows upgrading the confidence interval of volumetric results obtained from rod puncturing. Furthermore, many evolutions have been introduced in the new design in order to improve its reliability, to make the maintenance easier by remote handling and to reduce experimental uncertainties.

Tightness components have been studied with Sealing Laboratory Maestral at Pierrelatte so as to make them able to work under mixed pressure conditions (from vacuum at 10-5 mbar up to pressure at 50 bars) and to lengthen their lifetime under permanent gamma irradiation in hot cell. Bench ergonomics has been optimized to make its operating by remote handling easier and to secure the critical phases of a puncturing experiment. A high pressure gas line equipped with high precision pressure sensors out of cell can be connected to the bench in cell for calibration purposes. Uncertainty analyses using Monte Carlo calculations have been performed in order to optimize capacity of the different volumes of the apparatus according to volumetric characteristics of the rod to be punctured. At last this device is composed of independent modules which allow puncturing fuel pins out of different geometries (PWR, BWR, VVER).

After leak tests of the device and remote handling simulation in a mock-up cell, several punctures of calibrated specimens have been performed in 2016. The bench will be implemented soon in hot cell 2 of STAR facility for final qualification tests. PWR rod punctures are already planned for 2018.
Temporal Imaging CeBr3 Compton Camera: A New Concept for Nuclear Decommissioning and Nuclear Waste Management
Authors: Iltis A. , Snoussi H. , Magalhaes L. Rodrigues de , Hmissi M.Z. , Zafiarifety C. Tata , Tadonkeng G. Zeufack , Morel C.
Published: January 2018

During nuclear decommissioning or waste management operations, a camera that could make an image of the contamination field and identify and quantify the contaminants would be a great progress. Compton cameras have been proposed, but their limited efficiency for high energy gamma rays and their cost have severely limited their application. Our objective is to promote a Compton camera for the energy range (200 keV – 2 MeV) that uses fast scintillating crystals and a new concept for locating scintillation event: Temporal Imaging.

Temporal Imaging uses monolithic plates of fast scintillators and measures photons time of arrival distribution in order to locate each gamma ray with a high precision in space (X,Y,Z), time (T) and energy (E). This provides a native estimation of the depth of interaction (Z) of every detected gamma ray. This also allows a time correction for the propagation time of scintillation photons inside the crystal, therefore resulting in excellent time resolution. The high temporal resolution of the system makes it possible to veto quite efficiently background by using narrow time coincidence (< 300 ps). It is also possible to reconstruct the direction of propagation of the photons inside the detector using timing constraints. The sensitivity of our system is better than 1 nSv/h in a 60 s acquisition with a 22Na source.

The project TEMPORAL is funded by the ANDRA/PAI under the grant No. RTSCNADAA160019.
Nuclear Fuel Assay through analysis of Uranium L-shell by Hybrid L-edge/XRF Densitometer using a Surrogate Material
Authors: Park Seunghoon , Joung Sungyeop , Park Jerry
Published: January 2018

Assay of L-series of nuclear material solution is useful for determination of amount of nuclear materials and ratio of minor actinide in the materials. The hybrid system of energy dispersive X-ray absorption edge spectrometry, i.e. L-edge densitometry, and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is one of the analysis methods. The hybrid L-edge/XRF densitometer can be a promising candidate for a portable and compact equipment due to advantage of using low energy X-ray beams without heavy shielding systems and liquid nitrogen cooling compared to hybrid K-edge/XRF densitometer.

A prototype of the equipment was evaluated for feasibility of the nuclear material assay using a surrogate material (lead) to avoid radiation effects from nuclear materials. The uncertainty of L-edge and XRF characteristics of the sample material and volume effects was discussed in the article.
Characterization of New-Generation Silicon Photomultipliers for Nuclear Security Applications
Authors: Wonders Marc A. , Chichester David L. , Flaska Marek
Published: January 2018

Silicon photomultipliers have received a great deal of interest recently for use in applications spanning a wide variety of fields, including nuclear safeguards and nonproliferation. For nuclear-related applications, the ability of silicon photomultipliers to discriminate neutrons from gamma rays using pulse shape discrimination when coupled with certain organic scintillators is a characteristic of utmost importance. This work reports on progress characterizing the performance of twenty different silicon photomultipliers from five manufacturers with an emphasis on pulse shape discrimination performance and timing. Results are presented on pulse shape discrimination performance as a function of overvoltage for 6-mm x 6-mm silicon photomultipliers, and the time response to stilbene is characterized for silicon photomultipliers of three different sizes. Finally, comparison with a photomultiplier tube shows that some new-generation silicon photomultipliers can perform as well as photomultiplier tubes in neutron-gamma ray discrimination.
Analytical measurements of fission products during a severe nuclear accident
Authors: Doizi D. , Reymond la Ruinaz S. , Haykal I. , Manceron L. , Perrin A. , Boudon V. , Vander Auwera J. , tchana F. Kwabia , Faye M.
Published: January 2018

The Fukushima accident emphasized the fact that ways to monitor in real time the evolution of a nuclear reactor during a severe accident remain to be developed. No fission products were monitored during twelve days; only dose rates were measured, which is not sufficient to carry out an online diagnosis of the event. The first measurements were announced with little reliability for low volatile fission products. In order to improve the safety of nuclear plants and minimize the industrial, ecological and health consequences of a severe accident, it is necessary to develop new reliable measurement systems, operating at the earliest and closest to the emission source of fission products. Through the French program ANR « Projet d’Investissement d’Avenir », the aim of the DECA-PF project (diagnosis of core degradation from fission products measurements) is to monitor in real time the release of the major fission products (krypton, xenon, gaseous forms of iodine and ruthenium) outside the nuclear reactor containment. These products are released at different times during a nuclear accident and at different states of the nuclear core degradation. Thus, monitoring these fission products gives information on the situation inside the containment and helps to apply the Severe Accident Management procedures. Analytical techniques have been proposed and evaluated. The results are discussed here.
Comparison of CdZnTe neutron detector models using MCNP6 and Geant4
Authors: Wilson Emma , Anderson Mike , Prendergasty David , Cheneler David
Published: January 2018

The production of accurate detector models is of high importance in the development and use of detectors. Initially, MCNP and Geant were developed to specialise in neutral particle models and accelerator models, respectively; there is now a greater overlap of the capabilities of both, and it is therefore useful to produce comparative models to evaluate detector characteristics. In a collaboration between Lancaster University, UK, and Innovative Physics Ltd., UK, models have been developed in both MCNP6 and Geant4 of Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CdZnTe) detectors developed by Innovative Physics Ltd. Herein, a comparison is made of the relative strengths of MCNP6 and Geant4 for modelling neutron flux and secondary γ-ray emission. Given the increasing overlap of the modelling capabilities of MCNP6 and Geant4, it is worthwhile to comment on differences in results for simulations which have similarities in terms of geometries and source configurations.
Detection limit of a VCO based detection chain dedicated to particles recognition and tracking
Authors: Coulié K. , Rahajandraibe W. , Aziza H. , Micolau G. , Vauché R.
Published: January 2018

A particle detection chain based on CMOS-SOI VCO circuit is presented. The solution is used for the recognition and the tracking of a given particle at circuit level. TCAD simulation of the detector has been performed on a 3×3 matrix of diodes based detector for particles recognition and tracking. The current response of the detector has been used for a case study in order to determine the ability of the chain to recognize an alpha particle crossing a 3×3 detection cell. The detection limit of the proposed solution is investigated and discussed in this paper.