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At least 973 records · Page 54

The Effect of Bainite Type on the Evolution of Carbide Constituent During an Accelerated Aging in Cr-Mo-V Steel

This paper aims to understand the effect of the type of bainite (i.e., the lower, the upper and the granular, developed by bainitic hardening at 550, 650 and 750 °C, respectively) on the evolution of carbide constituent due to a subsequent aging (at 700 °C for up to 500 h). The secondary carbides were identified by x-ray diffraction in the configurations of M{sub 3}C, M{sub 7}C{sub 3}, M{sub 23}C{sub 6}, M{sub 2}C, M{sub 6}C and MC (M=Fe, Cr, Mo, Mn and V), which varied with the time of aging. Despite that the three types of bainites shared similar constituent of carbides after the aging for 2-100 h, the constituent of the upper bainite (M{sub 7}C{sub 3} + M{sub 23}C{sub 6} + MC) was different from that of granular bainite and lower bainite (M{sub 7}C{sub 3} + M{sub 23}C{sub 6} + MC + M{sub 6}C) after the aging for 500 h. The concentration of the enrichment of alloying elements in ferrite matrix plays a dominant role in governing the precipitation of carbides in the aged steel.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Evaluation of the toxic effects of celecoxib on Xenopus embryo development

Highlights: • Celecoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that inhibits cyclooxygenase-2. • Celecoxib produced significant toxic and teratogenic effects in Xenopus embryos. • Embryo organ-specific pathology was consistent with gene expression changes. • Celecoxib inhibited pericyte activity and cardiovascular development. • The safety of celecoxib use in pregnant women requires careful analysis. Celecoxib is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that selectively inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 and is prescribed for severe pain and inflammation. The excellent therapeutic effects of celecoxib mean that it is frequently used clinically, including for women of child-bearing age. However, the prenatal effects of this compound have not been studied extensively in vertebrates. The present study examined the developmental toxicity of celecoxib using a frog embryo teratogenic assay-Xenopus (FETAX). In addition, we examined its effects on cell migration using co-cultures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells and 10T1/2 cells. These studies revealed that celecoxib induced concentration-dependent mortality and various malformations of the Xenopus internal organs, including gut miscoiling, haemorrhage, and oedema. Celecoxib also downregulated the expression of vascular wall markers (Msr and alpha smooth muscle actin) and other organ-specific markers (Nkx2.5, Cyl104 and IFABP). In vitro co-culture studies revealed that celecoxib inhibited pericyte migration and differentiation into vascular smooth muscle cells. In conclusion, celecoxib was both toxic and teratogenic in Xenopus embryos, where it produced serious heart and vessel malformation by inhibiting vascular wall maturation and vascular network formation.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Coupled Physics Simulation of Expansive Reactions in Concrete with the Grizzly Code

The Grizzly code is being developed under the US Department of Energy’s Light Water Sustainability program as a tool to model aging mechanisms and their effects on the integrity of critical nuclear power plant components. An important application for Grizzly is the modeling of aging in concrete structures, which can be due to a number of mechanisms. Initial focus in this area has been on modeling expansive reactions due to alkali-silica reactions or radiation-induced volumetric expansion. Grizzly is an inherently multiphysics modeling platform that naturally permits including the effects of multiple coupled physics in a simulation. Models have been developed for transport of heat and moisture in concrete, and these have been coupled and used as inputs to models for expansive reactions. This paper summarizes this capability as well as work currently underway to couple it with mechanical deformation models that account for nonlinear constitutive behavior.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

Radiation Effects on Mortality from Solid Cancers Other than Lung, Liver, and Bone Cancer in the Mayak Worker Cohort: 1948–2008

Radiation effects on mortality from solid cancers other than lung, liver, and bone cancer in the Mayak worker cohort: 1948–2008. The cohort of Mayak Production Association (PA) workers in Russia offers a unique opportunity to study the effects of prolonged low dose rate external gamma exposures and exposure to plutonium in a working age population. We examined radiation effects on the risk of mortality from solid cancers excluding sites of primary plutonium deposition (lung, liver, and bone surface) among 25,757 workers who were first employed in 1948–1982. During the period 1948–2008, there were 1,825 deaths from cancers other than lung, liver and bone. Using colon dose as a representative external dose, a linear dose response model described the data well. The excess relative risk per Gray for external gamma exposure was 0.16 (95% CI: 0.07 – 0.26) when unadjusted for plutonium exposure and 0.12 (95% CI 0.03 – 0.21) when adjusted for plutonium dose and monitoring status. There was no significant effect modification by sex or attained age. Plutonium exposure was not significantly associated with the group of cancers analyzed after adjusting for monitoring status. Site-specific risks were uncertainly estimated but positive for 13 of the 15 sites evaluated with a statistically significant estimate only for esophageal cancer. Comparison with estimates based on the acute exposures in atomic bomb survivors suggests that the excess relative risk per Gray for prolonged external exposure in Mayak workers may be lower than that for acute exposure but, given the uncertainties, the possibility of equal effects cannot be dismissed.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

A New Aging Treatment for Improving Cryogenic Toughness of the Main Structural Alloy of the Super Lightweight Tank

Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed a new technique that can enhance cryogenic fracture toughness and reduce the statistical spread of toughness values in alloy 2195. This aging treatment can control the location and size of strengthening precipitate T1, making improvements possible in cryogenic fracture toughness (CFT) and fracture toughness ratio (FTR). At the start of this program, design of experiments (DOE) ingot No. 10 was used as a baseline for aging process development and optimization. The new aging treatment was found to be very effective, improving CFT by approximately 15 to 20 percent for DOE ingot No. 10. To further evaluate the repeatability and effectiveness of this new treatment, the investigators selected and tested three more lots of alloy 2195, using 1.75-in-thick gauge plates with FTR values ranging from 0.85 to 1.07. The new aging treatment effectively enhanced CFT and FTR values for all three lots. In one instance, the material was considered rejectable because it did not meet the minimum FTR value (1.0) of the super lightweight tank (SLWT). The new aging treatment improved its FTR from 0.85 to 1.01, making this material acceptable for use in the SLWT.

Chen, P. S.↗

Oleanolic acid activates daf-16 to increase lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans

Oleanolic acid (OA) is an active ingredient in natural plants. It has been reported to possess a variety of pharmacological activities, but very little is known about its effects of anti-aging. We investigate here whether OA has an impact on longevity in vivo, and more specifically, we have examined effects of OA on the lifespan and stress tolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Our results showed that OA could extend the lifespan, increase its stress resistance and reduce the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in wild-type worms. Moreover, we have found that OA-induced longevity may not be associated with the calorie restriction (CR) mechanism. Our mechanistic studies using daf-16 loss-of-function mutant strains (GR1307) indicated that the extension of lifespan by OA requires daf-16. In addition, OA treatment could also modulate the nuclear localization, and the quantitative real-time PCR results revealed that up-regulation of daf-16 target genes such as sod-3, hsp-16.2 and ctl-1 could prolong lifespan and increase stress response in C. elegans. This study overall uncovers the longevity effect of OA and its underpinning mechanisms. - Graphical abstract: Oleanolic acid modulates the activity of DAF-16 to promote longevity and increase stress resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans. - Highlights: • OA extends the lifespan of wild-type Caenorhabditis elegans. • OA improves the stress resistance and reduces the intracellular ROS level in C. elegans. • OA induces lifespan extension may not proceed through the CR mechanism. • OA extends the lifespan in C. elegans is modulated by daf-16.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Iodine Loading of NO Aged Silver Exchanged Mordenite

In an off-gas treatment system for used nuclear fuel processing, a solid sorbent will typically be exposed to a gas stream for months at a time. This gas stream may be at elevated temperature and could contain water vapor, gaseous nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}), nitric acid vapors, and a variety of other constituents. For this reason, it is important to evaluate the effects of long-term exposure, or aging, on proposed sorbents. Silver exchanged mordenite (AgZ) is being studied at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to determine its iodine sorption capacity after long term exposure to increasingly more complex chemical environments. Studies previously conducted at ORNL investigated the effects of aging reduced silver exchanged mordenite (Ag{sup 0}Z) in dry air, moist air, and NO2. This study investigated the effects of extended exposure to nitric oxide (NO) gas on the iodine capture performance of Ag{sup 0}Z. A deep bed of Ag{sup 0}Z was aged in a 1% nitric oxide (NO) air stream, and portions of the bed were removed at pre-determined intervals. After being removed from the NO stream, each sample was loaded with iodine in a thin bed configuration. These samples were analyzed by neutron activation analysis (NAA) to quantify the iodine content in the sample. Samples were removed at one week and one month. A 78% decrease in sample capacity was seen after one week of exposure, with no further decrease observed after 1 month of aging. The observed loss in capacity is larger in magnitude than previous studies exposing Ag{sup 0}Z to dry air, moist air, or NO2 gas. The aging study was terminated after one month and repeated; this successfully demonstrated the reproducibility of the results.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

Radiation and Thermal Ageing of Nuclear Waste Glass

The radioactive decay of fission products and actinides incorporated into nuclear waste glass leads to self-heating and self-radiation effects that may affect the stability, structure and performance of the glass in a closed system. Short-lived fission products cause significant self-heating for the first 600 years. Alpha decay of the actinides leads to self-radiation damage that can be significant after a few hundred years, and over the long time periods of geologic disposal, the accumulation of helium and radiation damage from alpha decay may lead to swelling, microstructural evolution and changes in mechanical properties. Four decades of research on the behavior of nuclear waste glass are reviewed.

Nuclear Waste Glass↗

Long-term thermal aging of parylene conformal coating under high humidity and its effects on tin whisker mitigation

Usage of pure tin (Sn) or Sn-rich alloy in electronics industry is growing, which makes them more susceptible to the spontaneous growth of tin whiskers. The risk of having these whiskers can be dramatically mitigated by applying a conformal coating provided that it not only possesses excellent mechanical and adhesion properties but also maintains these properties throughout their service. Parylene C is commonly used as a conformal coating because of its favorable mechanical and physical properties, as well as superior conformal coverage. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the degradation of parylene C coating during the thermal aging in high humidity environment (85°C/85% relative humidity for up to 5000hrs) and its effect on the tin whisker mitigation capacity. It was observed that during aging at high temperature and high humidity (HTHH) environment, the oxidation occurs at early times, followed by bond scission, resulting in the loss of strength of the coating. Thinner parylene coating (12.5-μm-thick) had better coating adhesion on the silane-treated tin surface, so provided the better protection for tin whisker penetration than the thicker counterpart (25-μm-thick). After 2500hrs of aging, due to the degradation of the silane agent at the tin/parylene interface, the adhesion of the parylene coating was significantly weakened on the tin surface, which resulted in extensive corrosion of the tin solderpads. The loss of adhesion of the coating, along with the corrosion of the tin surface facilitated the tin whisker nucleation at the interface while the loss of mechanical strength and the brittleness made the coating easily penetrated by the growing whiskers. Tin whiskers with a smaller diameter were buckled and grew along the delaminated region while those with a larger diameter penetrated and continued to grow through the coating. Hence, the effectiveness of the parylene coatings on tin whisker mitigation is significantly reduced under long exposure to such high temperature and high humidity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

MO-E-17A-10: Evaluation of Body and Head Dimensions of Pediatric Patients as a Function of Age

Purpose: Phantom development in medical physics plays an important role in radiation dose assessment and image quality evaluation, and this is especially true in the pediatric patient population. The purpose of this investigation was to establish the relationship between patient age and patient size, focusing on the abdomen-pelvis and head effective diameters, for patients ranging in age from newborn to 18 years. Methods: A dose reporting tool for computed tomography systems was installed at our institution to achieve compliance with state law commencing on July 1, 2012. The software records a number of patient-specific data, and also reports CT dose metrics (CTDIvol and DLP) into the patients interpretive report. The database generated by the software was mined to determine patient effective diameter as a function of age for pediatric patients aged 0–18 years. CT protocols including abdomen-pelvis and routine head were evaluated, and specific to this study the patients age, gender and equivalent diameter were recorded. Results: Six age ranges were evaluated: A(0–3), B(4–6), C(7–9), D(10–12),E(13–15),F(16–18). For the torso in these groups based upon 694 patients, median effective diameters were 147, 167, 184, 214, 231, 246 mm, respectively. For the head (N=1833), median diameters were 143, 157, 162, 168, 174, and 174, respectively. Conclusion: A solid understanding of the approximate dimensions of pediatric patients as a function of age is useful in the development of age-based imaging protocols and dose assessments. CT dose-reporting tools generate a great deal of data with respect to body dimensions automatically. In this study, median equivalent diameters for the abdomen-pelvis and head of pediatric patients were evaluated. These data may prove useful in the development of both mathematical and physical phantoms for dosimetry and image quality assessment.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Synergistic Effect of High Charge and Energy Particle Radiation and Chronological Age on Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Tissue Degeneration: A Ground-Based Study Using the Vertebrate Laboratory Model Organism Oryzias latipes

High charge and energy (HZE) particles are a main hazard of the space radiation environment. Uncertainty regarding their health effects is a limiting factor in the design of human exploration-class space missions, that is, missions beyond low earth orbit. Previous work has shown that HZE exposure increases cancer risk and elicits other aging-like phenomena in animal models. In this work, we investigate how a single exposure to HZE particle radiation, early in life, influences the subsequent age-dependent evolution of oxidative stress and appearance of degenerative tissue changes. Embryos of the laboratory model organism, Oryzias latipes (Japanese medaka fish), were exposed to HZE particle radiation at doses overlapping the range of anticipated human exposure. A separate cohort was exposed to reference γ-radiation. Survival was monitored for 750 days, well beyond the median lifespan. The population was also sampled at intervals and liver tissue was subjected to histological and molecular analysis. HZE particle radiation dose and aging contributed synergistically to accumulation of lipid peroxidation products, which are a marker of chronic oxidative stress. This was mirrored by a decline in PPARGC1A mRNA, which encodes a transcriptional co-activator required for expression of oxidative stress defense genes and for mitochondrial maintenance. Consistent with chronic oxidative stress, mitochondria had an elongated and enlarged ultrastructure. Livers also had distinctive, cystic lesions. Depending on the endpoint, effects of γ-rays in the same dose range were either lesser or not detected. Results provide a quantitative and qualitative framework for understanding relative contributions of HZE particle radiation exposure and aging to chronic oxidative stress and tissue degeneration.

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTAN↗

System impacts of accelerated transfer of used nuclear fuel to dry storage - 15220

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks, and again after the March 11, 2011, accident at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi station from the Great East Japan Earthquake/tsunami, concern was expressed regarding security of current spent fuel storage practices in the United States. An approach recurrently proposed to reduce the potential for fire and the release of radionuclides in an accident or sabotage scenario is to reduce the loading of the reactor fuel pools, which are frequently maintained near their full capacity at many reactor sites in the U.S. We assess the impact on the waste management system of different scenarios for accelerating the schedule of used nuclear fuel (UNF) transfer from reactor pools to dry storage casks. We consider scenarios where the spent fuel pools are drawn down to 50% or 25% of full capacity over 5- or 10-year schedules. The scenarios include status quo, where UNF continues to remain in dry storage at the reactor sites, as well as scenarios with UNF transfer to interim storage and eventually to a mined geologic repository. The primary purpose is to evaluate how the different scenarios for accelerating the transfer of UNF to at-reactor dry storage would affect the performance of the entire UNF management system. Areas that were considered include an estimate of the additional system costs that could be incurred and where the existing infrastructure at the reactor sites would come under stress from the transfer demands. This study considered only the fuel-handling logistics and rough-order-of-magnitude cost at reactor sites, interim storage facility, and operations to package UNF into disposal canisters. The effects of minimum fuel age that could be transferred and the accelerated transfer starting date are also examined, but found to have relatively little effect. Impacts on safety and worker dose are not evaluated quantitatively, although effects can be inferred from increases in handling operations, etc. from the scenarios considered. (authors)

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE W↗

Role of Hf and Zr in the hydrogen embrittlement of Ta and Cb alloys

The hydrogen embrittlement of aged T-111 and similar Ta and Cb alloys is characterized and the mechanisms believed responsible for the increased sensitivity of T-111 to low temperature hydrogen embrittlement after aging for 1000 hours or longer near 1040 C are described. A total of eight Ta base alloys and two Cb base alloys were investigated. The effects of pre-age annealing temperature, aging time, temperature and environment, and alloy composition on the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement were investigated. The primary method of determining the effects of these variables on the ductility of T-111 was by bend testing at 25 and -196 C. Fractured specimens were examined by the scanning electron microscope, electron microprobe, metallography and X-ray diffration.

Stephens, J. R.↗

Role of HF and Zr in the hydrogen embrittlement of Ta and Cb alloys

An attempt is made to characterize the hydrogen embrittlement of aged T-111 and similar Ta and Cb alloys and to describe the mechanisms believed responsible for the increased sensitivity of T-111 to low temperature hydrogen embrittlement after aging for 1000 hr or longer near 1040 C. A total of eight Ta-base alloys and two Cb-base alloys were investigated. The effects of pre-age annealing temperature, aging time, temperature and environment, and alloy composition on the susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement were investigated. The primary method of determining the effects of these variables on the ductility of T-111 was by bend testing at 25 and -196 C. Fractured specimens were examined by the scanning electron microscope, electron microprobe, metallography, and X-ray diffraction.

Stephens, J. R.↗

Milk and other dietary influences on coronary heart disease

While dietary links to ischemic heart disease (IHD) and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality have been studied for many years, the correlation has not clearly been resolved, especially for older populations. In this paper, a multi-country statistical approach involving 32 countries is used to find dietary links to IHD and CHD for various age groups aged 35+. For IHD, milk carbohydrates were found to have the highest statistical association for males aged 35+ and females aged 65+, while for females aged 35-64, sugar was found to have the highest association. In the case of CHD, non-fat milk was found to have the highest association for males aged 45+ and females aged 75+, while for females 65-74, milk carbohydrates and sugar had the highest associations, and for females aged 45-64, sugar had the highest association. A number of mechanisms have been proposed in the literature that might explain the milk carbohydrate or non-fat milk association. One of the most prominent theories is that animal proteins contribute to homocysteine (Hcy) production; however, milk more than meat lacks adequate B vitamins to convert Hcy to useful products. Lactose and calcium in conjunction with Hcy from consumption of non-fat milk may also contribute to calcification of the arteries.

Coronary Disease/etiology↗

Effect of Solar Radiation on the Optical Properties and Molecular Composition of Laboratory Proxies of Atmospheric Brown Carbon

Sources, optical properties, and chemical composition of atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) aerosol are uncertain, making it challenging to estimate its contribution to radiative forcing. Furthermore, optical properties of BrC may change significantly during its atmospheric aging. We examined the effect of solar photolysis on the molecular composition, mass absorption coefficient, and fluorescence of secondary organic aerosol prepared by high-NO x photooxidation of naphthalene (NAP SOA). The aqueous solutions of NAP SOA was observed to photobleach with an effective half-time of ~15 hours (with sun in its zenith) for the loss of the near-UV (300 -400 nm) absorbance. The molecular composition of NAP SOA was significantly modified by photolysis, with the average SOA formula changing from C 14.1 H 14.5 O 5.1 N 0.08 to C 11.8 H 14.9 O 4.5 N 0.02 after 4 hours of irradiation. The average O/C ratio did not change significantly, however, suggesting that it is not a good metric for assessing the extent of photolysis-driven aging in NAP SOA (and in BrC in general). In contrast to NAP SOA, the photolysis of BrC material produced by aqueous reaction of limonene+O 3 SOA (LIM/O 3 SOA) with ammonium sulfate was much faster, but it did not result in a significant change in the molecular level composition. The characteristic absorbance of the aged LIM/O 3 SOA in the 450-600 nm range decayed with an effective half-time of <0.5 hour. This result emphasizes the highly variable and dynamic nature of different types of atmospheric BrC.

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory↗

Dose-Dependent Cortical Thinning After Partial Brain Irradiation in High-Grade Glioma

Purpose: Radiation-induced cognitive deficits may be mediated by tissue damage to cortical regions. Volumetric changes in cortex can be reliably measured using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We used these methods to study the association between radiation therapy (RT) dose and change in cortical thickness in high-grade glioma (HGG) patients. Methods and Materials: We performed a voxel-wise analysis of MRI from 15 HGG patients who underwent fractionated partial brain RT. Three-dimensional MRI was acquired pre- and 1 year post RT. Cortex was parceled with well-validated segmentation software. Surgical cavities were censored. Each cortical voxel was assigned a change in cortical thickness between time points, RT dose value, and neuroanatomic label by lobe. Effects of dose, neuroanatomic location, age, and chemotherapy on cortical thickness were tested using linear mixed effects (LME) modeling. Results: Cortical atrophy was seen after 1 year post RT with greater effects at higher doses. Estimates from LME modeling showed that cortical thickness decreased by −0.0033 mm (P<.001) for every 1-Gy increase in RT dose. Temporal and limbic cortex exhibited the largest changes in cortical thickness per Gy compared to that in other regions (P<.001). Age and chemotherapy were not significantly associated with change in cortical thickness. Conclusions: We found dose-dependent thinning of the cerebral cortex, with varying neuroanatomical regional sensitivity, 1 year after fractionated partial brain RT. The magnitude of thinning parallels 1-year atrophy rates seen in neurodegenerative diseases and may contribute to cognitive decline following high-dose RT.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Revisit the stress-orienting effect of θ' in Al-Cu single crystal during stress aging

Highlights: • The microstructures observed along two different <001>{sub Al} zone axes were determined. • Three-dimension precipitation distribution of θ'-precipitates was established. • The different rules of the stress-orienting effect on θ'-phase were proposed. • Two opposite views of the stress-orienting effect on θ' are compared in detail. • Increasing in number density of θ' is the other sign of the stress-orienting effect. - Abstract: Three-dimension precipitation distribution of θ'-precipitates was established to revisit the stress-orienting effect of θ'-phase in Al-Cu single crystal during stress aging, via determining the microstructure observed along two different <001>{sub Al} zone axes. The results show that the θ'-precipitates prefer to precipitate on the habit planes parallel to the loading orientation, rather than the habit planes perpendicular to the loading orientation proposed in current views. Two opposite models of the stress-orienting effect on θ'-phase are compared and discussed in detail. They show the same aligned θ'-precipitate structure while observed perpendicular to the loading direction (i.e. [100]{sub Al} or [010]{sub Al}). The crucial difference actually lies in the microstructure observed along the loading orientation (i.e. [001]{sub Al}), which shows an increasing tendency in the number density of θ'-precipitates with increasing applied stress. This result further proves that the θ'-precipitates prefer to precipitate on the habit planes parallel to the loading orientation. In addition to the aligned θ'-precipitate structure, the fact that the number density of θ'-precipitates is increasing can be also treated as the other sign of the stress-orienting effect.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗