Joint transmutation of stable Cs and Sr isotopes in microbiological systems and prospects for accelerated deactivation of liquid radioactive waste

It was found during the research that in the experimental and control bioreactors, which at the beginning of the experiments contained only cesium and strontium, by the end of the experiments, yttrium and barium were found. These isotopes are formed as a result of low-energy nuclear reactions involving protons. In addition, in experimental bioreactors with an optimal composition, a two to threefold increase in the concentration of yttrium was recorded in comparison with the control non-optimal experiments. Accumulation of strontium and cesium in biomass was registered, which is explained by the process of biosorption. It is known that biosorption is the first step towards nuclear transformation (biotransmutation). At the same time, one of the main conditions for the nuclear transformation of biomass elements is its maximum efficient growth. An unexpected fact discovered during the experiment is that yttrium and barium were also found in the control bioreactor, where no biomass was added before the experiment, but only deionized water, glucose, and the initial stable cesium and strontium salts. It is important to note that these elements were not detected in the analysis of the initial salts, substrates, and deionized water. Most likely, the presence of yttrium and barium is due to inoculation of the control fluid of the bioreactor (where no biomass pellets were added) with microorganisms from the experimental bioreactors during their periodic opening for taking current pH samples and adding glucose. Also, the work recorded a decrease in the content of cesium and strontium in the liquid by 20% and 55%, respectively, which goes beyond the statistical error.

The Fluid Management Experience in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Undergoing Hemodialysis in Indonesia: A Qualitative Study

Background: Fluid management can reduce mortality, severe comorbidities, and debilitating symptoms in patients on hemodialysis. Therefore, a restricted fluid intake plan is crucial for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Little evidence has been found to date on exploring the experience in fluid management of CKD patients in Indonesia.Purpose: This study aimed to explore the fluid management experience of adults with chronic kidney disease participating in hemodialysis treatment in Indonesia.Methods: A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach was conducted. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 14 adults patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis in a tertiary hospital in Padang between July and September 2020. Manual content analysis using the Colaizzi approach was used to identify themes.Results: Data analysis revealed four themes with 12 sub-themes. The four major themes include the challenge of thirst control, fluid/diet restriction management, inadequate information, and the support system.Conclusions: The result showed the severe suffering and sadness experienced by CKD patients who conform to fluid restrictions. It is important to provide clear information on the fluid prescription or the exact consumable amount per day. Structured education with a personal approach is recommended to ensure detailed information regarding "fluid prescribing". The support obtained from family, friends, and dialysis staff is a significant factor in promoting acceptance and adherence.

Plasma Gas Temperature Control Performance of Metal 3D-Printed Multi-Gas Temperature-Controllable Plasma Jet

The aim of the study was to design and build a multi-gas temperature-controllable plasma jet that can control the gas temperature of plasmas with various gas species, and evaluated its temperature control performance. In this device, a fluid at an arbitrary controlled temperature is circulated through the plasma jet body. The gas exchanges heat with the plasma jet body to control the plasma temperature. Based on this concept, a complex-shaped plasma jet with two channels in the plasma jet body, a temperature control fluid (TCF) channel, and a gas channel was designed. The temperature control performance of nitrogen gas was evaluated using computational fluid dynamics analysis, which found that the gas temperature changed proportionally to the TCF temperature. The designed plasma jet body was fabricated using metal 3D-printer technology. Using the fabricated plasma jet body, stable plasmas of argon, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen were generated. By varying the plasma jet body temperature from −30 °C to 90 °C, the gas temperature was successfully controlled linearly in the range of 29–85 °C for all plasma gas species. This is expected to further expand the range of applications of atmospheric low temperature plasma and to improve the plasma treatment effect.

Modelling of Electrode Size Influence on Electrochemical MHD Processes

The presented article describes a simulation of an electrochemical reaction in a presence of a magnetic field using a custom model implemented into Ansys Fluent. The influence of electrode size and the effect of scan rate is investigated further. The results show that the magnetic field can significantly increase mixing and transport of species towards the electrode, which results in higher obtained current densities. Additionally, this method can be used to control fluid flow in microfluidic devices.

Hydrocarbon Retention and the Case for Vertical Migration

Complex hydrocarbon charging and distribution in which reservoirs are filled by oil and gas phases with different densities and genetic types inter-fingering within the basin, are common phenomena, and often attributed to vertical migration. This paper discusses the factors that control vertical hydrocarbon migration and presents modelling of the hydrocarbon charging and entrapment history in a tertiary basin in Southeast Asia as a case study. According to the Young-Laplace flow theory of the secondary hydrocarbon migration mechanics, migration occurs in a state of capillary equilibrium in a flow regime dominated by buoyancy and capillary forces. In this study, the invasion percolation simulation algorithm, based on the Young-Laplace flow, was used. During the simulation, three-dimensional (3D) seismic data were used as the high-resolution base grid for migration to capture the effect of both structure and facies heterogeneities on fluid flow. A model of an unfaulted system was presented to make the case. In the study area there is inter-fingering between oil and gas across different formations; most oils are trapped in the deeper formation, oil and gas inter-fingering occurs in the middle formation, and the upper formation contains mostly gas. This arrangement is possible because of the interplay between the expelled fluid buoyancy and relatively weak intra-formational seals within the basin. The modeling results were then calibrated to known accumulations or fluid presence in wells. In a basin dominated by a vertical migration regime, hydrocarbons are prevented from travelling far from the kitchen, thus decreasing prospectivity away from the kitchen. Through a case study, this paper helps to understand the factors that influence hydrocarbon retention and migration that control fluid distribution within a basin. Eventually the study helps geologists to understand prospectivity risking related to hydrocarbon charging, which is one of the main risks in exploration especially in mature basins.

Encapsulation of Lutein via Microfluidic Technology: Evaluation of Stability and In Vitro Bioaccessibility

Inadequate intake of lutein is relevant to a higher risk of age-related eye diseases. However, lutein has been barely incorporated into foods efficiently because it is prone to degradation and is poorly bioaccessible in the gastrointestinal tract. Microfluidics, a novel food processing technology that can control fluid flows at the microscale, can enable the efficient encapsulation of bioactive compounds by fabricating suitable delivery structures. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the stability and the bioaccessibility of lutein that is encapsulated in a new noodle-like product made via microfluidic technology. Two types of oils (safflower oil (SO) and olive oil (OL)) were selected as a delivery vehicle for lutein, and two customized microfluidic devices (co-flow and combination-flow) were used. Lutein encapsulation was created by the following: (i) co-flow + SO, (ii) co-flow + OL, (iii) combination-flow + SO, and (iv) combination-flow + OL. The initial encapsulation of lutein in the noodle-like product was achieved at 86.0 ± 2.7%. Although lutein’s stability experienced a decreasing trend, the retention of lutein was maintained above 60% for up to seven days of storage. The two types of device did not result in a difference in lutein bioaccessibility (co-flow: 3.1 ± 0.5%; combination-flow: 3.6 ± 0.6%) and SO and OL also showed no difference in lutein bioaccessibility (SO: 3.4 ± 0.8%; OL: 3.3 ± 0.4%). These results suggest that the types of oil and device do not affect the lutein bioaccessibility. Findings from this study may provide scientific insights into emulsion-based delivery systems that employ microfluidics for the encapsulation of bioactive compounds into foods.

Design of Microwave Antenna Array for Imaging of Multiphase Flows in Polypropylene Pipes

The oil and gas industry requires accurate sensors to control fluid flow in pipelines during the production process from horizontal and near horizontal wells. The extracted crude oil is usually a multiphase mixture of oil, water, and gas, and the accurate measurement of the ratio of each multiphase within the pipeline is an important parameter to manage wells efficiently by maximizing the hydrocarbons that can be extracted. Various methods have been developed for determining the phase ratio including mechanical, optical, X-ray or gamma ray, ultrasound, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and rarely microwave techniques. However, these methods do not permit the knowledge of the real-time evolution of the phase ratio and are less precise. Here, we propose and develop by simulation two microwave systems, in horizontal and vertical polarizations, to choose the optimal configuration for crude pipeline imaging applications. First, the pipeline containing crude oil was modeled and its thermal and dielectric properties are proposed. Then, the antennas array performances were optimized and assembled to the pipeline. Different numbers of antenna elements were successfully investigated using CST simulation in both vertical and horizontal polarizations to find the optimal number of antenna elements for the pipeline applications.

Hydrogeologic Property Estimation in Plate Boundary Observatory Boreholes Using Tidal Response Analysis

Because of the influence pore pressures have on effective stress, understanding hydrogeologic properties that control fluid flow and pressure distribution is important in characterizing earthquake and deformation processes. Here, we utilize borehole pressure changes in response to earth tides to determine hydrogeologic properties and their time variations for 17 boreholes within the NSF Earthscope’s Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) network along the San Andreas fault and Cascadia subduction zone. Our analysis considers solutions for both confined and unconfined aquiares. Resulting permeability and hydraulic diffusivity values range from 6.4 × 10 − 16 – 8.4 × 10 − 14 m2 and 1 × 10 − 4 – 9 × 10 − 1 m 2 s − 1 , respectively, whereas specific storage values are generally ~ 1 × 10 − 6 m − 1 . The values are fairly consistent through time, reasonable given lithology, and are comparable to other regional studies. For one borehole, values are also comparable to those determined with traditional aquifer test data. In contrast with previous determinations of the high-frequency poroelastic response to seismic waves, no obvious spatial trends in hydrogeologic properties determined from long-wavelength tidal perturbations are observed. Within the recurring time-series estimates, only one borehole exhibits clear permeability enhancement by earthquakes, whereas nearby boreholes with similar lithology and hydrogeologic property values do not. This highlights the variable susceptibility of rocks to permeability enhancement. Together, these results provide quantitative constraints useful for models of large-scale groundwater flow around large fault systems and the potential hydrologic influence on deformation and fault slip behavior.

Individual differences in working memory capacity, attention control, fluid intelligence, and pupillary measures of arousal

The present study examined individual differences in three cognitive abilities: attention control (AC), working memory capacity (WMC), and fluid intelligence (gF) as they relate the tendency to experience task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs) and the regulation of arousal. Cognitive abilities were measured with a battery of nine laboratory tasks, TUTs were measured via thought probes inserted into two tasks, and arousal regulation was measured via pupillometry. Recent theorizing (Robison & Unsworth, 2017a) suggests that one reason why some people experience relatively frequent TUTs and relatively poor cognitive performance - especially AC and WMC - is that they exhibit dysregulated arousal. Here, we examined how arousal regulation might predict both AC and WMC, but also higher-order cognitive abilities like gF. Further, we examine direct and indirect associations with these abilities via a mediating influence of TUT. Participants who reported more TUTs also tended to exhibit poorer AC, lower WMC, and lower gF. Arousal dysregulation correlated with more TUTs and lower AC. However there was no direct correlation between arousal regulation and WMC, nor between arousal regulation and gF. Rather, the associations between arousal regulation, WMC, and gF were indirect via TUT. We discuss the implications of the results in light of the arousal regulation theory of individual differences and directions for future research.

Simulation of aquifer remediation from low-permeable lenses by back-diffusion phenomenon

Fluid flow in a dual permeable medium (DPM) is essential in solute transport in mining and aquifer studies. In this paper, water flushing into a contaminated DPM containing fine-grained lenses with different geometries was investigated with the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). The LBM model used in this study was D2Q9 with a relaxation time of 1, a cohesion value of 3 for a fluid density of 1 (mu.Lu-3). The saturated fluid in the DPM was a contaminant that usually stays in low permeable lenses and after flushing, it is leaked into the porous medium by a second fluid (water). This phenomenon is predominant when the displacing fluid has a lower concentration than the contaminated fluid. Diffusion and advection are the main mechanisms that control fluid flow in the porous medium. The results of the simulations showed: (1) advection controlled solute transport through the flushing phase, and back-diffusion occurred after the change in phase; (2) the lenses’ geometry influenced the fluid flow pattern and the remediation process. As a result, aquifer remediation strategies based on the lenses’ geometry and their permeability can help us select the appropriate environmental protection.