Comparative Study of Micro and Nano Size WO3/E44 Epoxy Composite as Gamma Radiation Shielding Using MCNP and Experiment

The radiation shielding characteristics of 50wt% WO3/E44 epoxy composite in various gamma energies from 80 keV to 1.33 MeV are investigated via the MCNP code. Thus two scales are considered for WOa filler particles： micro and nano with sizes of i #m and 5Onto, respectively. The simulation results show that W03 nano particles exhibit a larger increase in linear attenuation coefficient in comparison with micro size particles. Finally, validation of simulation results with the published experimental data shows a good agreement.

Structural Phase Transitions of ZnTe under High Pressure Using Experiments and Calculations

The pressure-induced structural transitions of ZnTe are investigated at pressures up to 59.2 GPa in a diamond anvil cell by using synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction method. A phase transition from the initial zinc blende （ZB, ZnTe-Ⅰ） structure to a cinnabar phase （ZnTe-Ⅱ） is observed at 9.6 GPa, followed by a high pressure orthorhombic phase （ZnTe-Ⅲ） with Cmcm symmetry at 12.1 GPa. The ZB, cinnabar （space group P3121）, Cmcm, P31 and rock salt structures of ZnTe are investigated by using density functional theory calculations. Based on the experiments and calculations, the ZnTe-Ⅱ phase is determined to have a cinnabar structure rather than a P3 1 symmetry.

Analysis-Prediction Experiments over Indian Region Using Primitive Equation Barotropic Model

The impact of initial guess and grid resolutions on the analysis and prediction has been investigated over the Indian region. For this purpose, an univariate objective analysis scheme and a primitive equation barotropic model have been used. The impact of initial guess and the resolutions on analysis and prediction is discussed.

Problem-Based Learning of Drug Use and Abuse during COVID-19 Contingency

Introduction: Nursing students’ experiences during the pandemic provoked social isolation, the way to learn and every context increasing their stress and anxiety leading to drug use and abuse, among others. Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogic strategy to strengthen significant learning;then the objective was to establish PBL influence in nursing students’ experiences on drug use and abuse during COVID-19 contingency. Methods: Qualitative, phenomenological and descriptive paradigm, 12 female and male nursing students aged 20 - 24 years old from the 5th and 6th semesters participated. Information collection was through semi-structured interview and a deep one in four cases. A guide of questions about: How the pandemic impacted your life? How did you face it? And what did you learn during this process? Those questions were used. Qualitative data analysis was based on De Souza Minayo, and signed informed consent was obtained from participants. Results: Students’ experiences allowed four categories to emerge, with six sub-categories. Category I. Students’ experiences on drug use and abuse facing the sanitary contingency;Category II. Students’ skills development to identify a problem and design of appropriate solutions;Category III. Developing skills to favor interpersonal relationships;Category IV. Influence of PBL in nursing students’ experiences on drug use and abuse during the COVID-19 contingency. Conclusion: PBL favored analysis and thoughts in nursing students’ experiences on drug use and abuse during the COVID-19 contingency, they worked collaboratively, developed resilience to daily life situations, and implemented stress coping strategies with their significant learning, which diminished their risk behavior.

An experiment for obtaining DOP ellipsoid using particle swarm optimization algorithm

The degree of polarization (DOP) ellipsoid can be used as either feedback or feedforward signal for automatic polarization mode dispersion compensation. We have realized the experiment for obtaining DOP ellipsoid from 100 sampling data of output states of polarization using particle swarm optimization (PSO) as ellipsoid data fitting algorithm. It was shown that the PSO algorithm was powerful for ellipsoid data fitting with high precision within 250 ms.

Experimental Investigation of the Natural and Forced Convection on Solidification of Sn-3wt.%Pb Alloy Using a Benchmark Experiment

We deal with the development of a solidification benchmark experiment in order to investigate the structure formation as well as solute macro-mesosegregation,by means of a well-controlled solidification experiment.The experiment consists in solidifying a rectangular ingot of Sn-3wt.%Pb alloy,by using two lateral heat exchangers which allow extraction of the heat flux from one or two vertical sides of the sample.The domain is a quasi two dimensional parallepipedic ingot(100×60×10)mm.The temperature difference AT between the two lateral sides is 40 K and the cooling rate CR=0.03 K/s.The instrumentation consists in recording the instantaneous temperature maps by means of an array of 50 thermocouples in order to provide the time evolution of the isotherms.After each experiment the patterns of the segregations have been obtained by X-ray radiograph and confirmed by eutectic fraction measurements.The local solute distribution determined by means of induction coupled plasma analysis is provided.The originality of the present study is to examine the effect of the forced convection driven by a travelling magnetic field(TMF)induced by a linear inductor located on the bottom part of the sample.A periodically reversed stirring with a modulation frequency equal to 0.5 Hz stirring have been investigated.This study allows us to evaluate the evolution due to the forced convection induced by a TMF field,as well as its influence on the initial conditions,the solidification macrostructure and the segregation behavior.Measurements of the velocity field by ultrasonic Doppler velocimetry(UDV)method in a Ga-In-Sn pool were performed and transposed to the tin-lead alloy case before solidification.Post-mortem patterns of the macromesosegregations have been obtained by X-ray radiography.The results show the transport effects of the flow on both the maerosegregations and the channel formation.The reversal of the TMF produces a decrease of the level of mesosegregations,namely channel formation.