Structural assessment — the use of full scale and large scale testing

ABSTRACTFEBEX (Full-scale Engineered Barrier EXperiment) is a demonstration and research project dealing with the bentonite engineered barrier designed for sealing and containment of waste in a high level radioactive waste repository (HLWR). It includes two main experiments: an situ full-scale test performed at Grimsel (GTS) and a mock-up test operating since February 1997 at CIEMAT facilities in Madrid (Spain) [1,2,3]. One of the objectives of FEBEX is the development and testing of conceptual and numerical models for the thermal, hydrodynamic, and geochemical (THG) processes expected to take place in engineered clay barriers. A significant improvement in coupled THG modeling of the clay barrier has been achieved both in terms of a better understanding of THG processes and more sophisticated THG computer codes. The ability of these models to reproduce the observed THG patterns in a wide range of THG conditions enhances the confidence in their prediction capabilities. Numerical THG models of heating and hydration experiments performed on small-scale lab cells provide excellent results for temperatures, water inflow and final water content in the cells [3]. Calculated concentrations at the end of the experiments reproduce most of the patterns of measured data. In general, the fit of concentrations of dissolved species is better than that of exchanged cations. These models were later used to simulate the evolution of the large-scale experiments (in situ and mock-up). Some thermo-hydrodynamic hypotheses and bentonite parameters were slightly revised during TH calibration of the mock-up test. The results of the reference model reproduce simultaneously the observed water inflows and bentonite temperatures and relative humidities. Although the model is highly sensitive to one-at-a-time variations in model parameters, the possibility of parameter combinations leading to similar fits cannot be precluded. The TH model of the “in situ” test is based on the same bentonite TH parameters and assumptions as for the “mock-up” test. Granite parameters were slightly modified during the calibration process in order to reproduce the observed thermal and hydrodynamic evolution. The reference model captures properly relative humidities and temperatures in the bentonite [3]. It also reproduces the observed spatial distribution of water pressures and temperatures in the granite. Once calibrated the TH aspects of the model, predictions of the THG evolution of both tests were performed. Data from the dismantling of the in situ test, which is planned for the summer of 2001, will provide a unique opportunity to test and validate current THG models of the EBS.

Download Full-text

So what's new? A survey of the education policies of orchestras and opera companies

British Journal of Music Education ◽

10.1017/s0265051700003284 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 259-270 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Julia Winterson

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Full Scale ◽

School Teachers ◽

Education Policies ◽

Art Galleries ◽

High Profile ◽

Creative Music ◽

Direct Support

Originally, the creative music workshop involving professional players was intended to give direct support to school teachers and to enhance music in the classroom, but today's large-scale, high-profile projects mounted by orchestras and opera companies appear to be developing into a full-scale industry on their own. Their role in partnership with schools and colleges now requires clarification: a survey of education policies has revealed some confusion of aims with few bodies looking closely at objectives, outcomes and effects. Music companies could profit from the experience of museums and art galleries.

Download Full-text

Direct detection of SARS-CoV-2 using non-commercial RT-LAMP reagents on heat-inactivated samples

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-80352-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Alisa Alekseenko ◽

Donal Barrett ◽

Yerma Pareja-Sanchez ◽

Rebecca J. Howard ◽

Emilia Strandback ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Direct Detection ◽

Dna Polymerases ◽

Scale Up ◽

Lamp Assay ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Reaction Conditions ◽

Clinical Patient ◽

Reverse Transcriptases ◽

Large Scale Testing

AbstractRT-LAMP detection of SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to be a valuable approach to scale up COVID-19 diagnostics and thus contribute to limiting the spread of the disease. Here we present the optimization of highly cost-effective in-house produced enzymes, and we benchmark their performance against commercial alternatives. We explore the compatibility between multiple DNA polymerases with high strand-displacement activity and thermostable reverse transcriptases required for RT-LAMP. We optimize reaction conditions and demonstrate their applicability using both synthetic RNA and clinical patient samples. Finally, we validate the optimized RT-LAMP assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in unextracted heat-inactivated nasopharyngeal samples from 184 patients. We anticipate that optimized and affordable reagents for RT-LAMP will facilitate the expansion of SARS-CoV-2 testing globally, especially in sites and settings where the need for large scale testing cannot be met by commercial alternatives.

Download Full-text

Selection and Substantiation of Methods for Evaluating Cosmetic Products for Deodorant and Antiperspirant Action

Biotekhnologiya ◽

10.21519/0234-2758-2021-37-2-54-64 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

pp. 54-64

Author(s):

D.V. Barabash ◽

I.A. Butorova

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Gravimetric Method ◽

Population Data ◽

Diffusion Method ◽

Disc Diffusion ◽

Disc Diffusion Method ◽

Large Scale Testing ◽

Sweat Secretion ◽

Microbiological Methods ◽

Number Of Microorganisms

The possibility of using simple and available methods for analyzing deodorants/antiperspirants has been studied. The gravimetric method was shown to have acceptable metrological characteristics under repeatability conditions when evaluating antiperspirant activity. A decrease in the number of microorganisms (CFU) on the axilla skin was observed in a rinse test experiment 4 h and 8 h after the application of deodorants/antiperspirants. The microbial population data were inversely proportional to the antiperspirant activity values of the tested compositions. The sweat secretion reducing decreases the amount of nutrients required for microbial development, which makes it possible to use the rinse test to indirectly evaluate deodorant activity in research and development of personal care products. However, due to its laboriousness and the need for volunteers, the method cannot be recommended for large-scale testing. It was shown that the disc diffusion method (DDM) used to detect Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis cannot be applied to the assessment of the intrinsic antimicrobial activity of the tested cosmetic compositions. This indicates the necessity of additional studies to select test microorganisms typical for the armpit area. In addition, DDM is useful if the deodorant effect of the composition is created by the addition of low-volatile antibacterial compounds. Therefore, microbiological methods have limited applications and are not suitable for widespread use. deodorant action; antiperspirant action, gravimetry, disc diffusion method, rinse test; deodorant; antiperspirant; cosmetic; efficiency; consumer properties, functional properties This work was supported by MUCTR (project no. K-2020-007).

Download Full-text

Trust, efficacy and ethicacy when testing prisoners for COVID-19

International Journal of Prisoner Health ◽

10.1108/ijph-10-2020-0084 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Steve Lambert ◽

Dean Wilkinson

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Current System ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Careful Consideration ◽

Power Relationships ◽

England And Wales ◽

Content Type ◽

Large Scale Testing ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

Purpose The outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 virus and subsequent COVID-19 illness has had a major impact on all levels of society internationally. The extent of the impact of COVID-19 on prison staff and prisoners in England and Wales is unknown. Testing for COVID-19 both asymptomatic and symptomatic, as well as for antibodies, to date, has been minimal. The purpose of this paper is to explore the widespread testing of COVID-19 in prisons poses philosophical and ethical questions around trust, efficacy and ethicacy. Design/methodology/approach This paper is both descriptive, providing an overview of the widespread testing of COVID-19 in prisoners in England and Wales, and conceptual in that it discusses and argues the issues associated with large-scale testing. This paper provides a discussion, using comparative studies, of the issues associated with large-scale testing of prisoners across the prison estate in England and Wales (120 prisons). The issues identified in this paper are contextualised through the lens of COVID-19, but they are equally transferrable to epidemiological studies of any pandemic. Given the prevalence of COVID-19 globally and the lack of information about its spread in prisons, at the time of writing this paper, there is a programme of asymptomatic testing of prisoners. However, there remains a paucity of data on the spread of COVID-19 in prisons because of the progress with the ongoing testing programme. Findings The authors argue that the widespread testing of prisoners requires careful consideration of the details regarding who is included in testing, how consent is gained and how tests are administered. This paper outlines and argues the importance of considering the complex nuance of power relationships within the prison system, among prisoner officers, medical staff and prisoners and the detrimental consequences. Practical implications The widespread testing of COVID-19 presents ethical and practical challenges. Careful planning is required when considering the ethics of who should be included in COVID-19 testing, how consent will be gained, who and how tests will be administered and very practical challenges around the recording and assigning of COVID-19 test kits inside the prison. The current system for the general population requires scanning of barcodes and registration using a mobile number; these facilities are not permitted inside a prison. Originality/value This paper looks at the issues associated with mass testing of prisoners for COVID-19. According to the authors’ knowledge, there has not been any research that looks at the issues of testing either in the UK or internationally. The literature available details countries’ responses to the pandemic rather and scientific papers on the development of vaccines. Therefore, this paper is an original review of some of the practicalities that need to be addressed to ensure that testing can be as successful as possible.

Download Full-text

Application of Wide-Band Ultrasound for the Detection of Angled Crack Features in Oil and Gas Pipelines

Volume 1: Pipeline and Facilities Integrity ◽

10.1115/ipc2018-78521 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Willem Vos ◽

Petter Norli ◽

Emilie Vallee

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Crack Detection ◽

Oil And Gas ◽

Wide Band ◽

Theoretical Background ◽

Proof Of Concept ◽

Offshore Pipelines ◽

Large Scale Testing ◽

Theoretical Predictions ◽

Set Up

This paper describes a novel technique for the detection of cracks in pipelines. The proposed in-line inspection technique has the ability to detect crack features at random angles in the pipeline, such as axial, circumferential, and any angle in between. This ability is novel to the current ILI technology offering and will also add value by detecting cracks in deformed pipes (i.e. in dents), and cracks associated with the girth weld (mid weld cracks, rapid cooling cracks and cracks parallel to the weld). Furthermore, the technology is suitable for detection of cracks in spiral welded pipes, both parallel to the spiral weld as well as perpendicular to the weld. Integrity issues around most features described above are not addressed with ILI tools, often forcing operators to perform hydrostatic tests to ensure pipeline safety. The technology described here is based on the use of wideband ultrasound inline inspection tools that are already in operation. They are designed for the inspection of structures operating in challenging environments such as offshore pipelines. Adjustments to the front-end analog system and data collection from a grid of transducers allow the tools to detect cracks in any orientation in the line. Description of changes to the test set-up are presented as well as the theoretical background behind crack detection. Historical development of the technology will be presented, such as early laboratory testing and proof of concept. The proof of concept data will be compared to the theoretical predictions. A detailed set of results are presented. These are from tests that were performed on samples sourced from North America and Europe which contain SCC features. Results from ongoing testing will be presented, which involved large-scale testing on SCC features in gas-filled pipe spools.

Download Full-text