Anisotropic carbon nanotube–polyester composites have been realized by polymerization of the nanotube–monomer dispersion in a constant magnetic field (see Figure for method). Magnetic ...susceptibilities, electrical conductivities, and mechanical properties of the composite show clear anisotropy, indicating magnetic field‐induced alignment of carbon nanotubes in the polymer matrix.
Zonal flow appears in toroidal, magnetically confined plasmas as part of the self-regulated interaction of turbulence and transport processes. For toroidal plasmas having a strong toroidal magnetic ...field, the zonal flow is predominately poloidally directed. This Letter reports the first observation of a zonal flow that is toroidally directed. The measurements are made just inside the last closed flux surface of reversed field pinch plasmas that have a dominant poloidal magnetic field. A limit cycle oscillation between the strength of the zonal flow and the amplitude of plasma potential fluctuations is observed, which provides evidence for the self-regulation characteristic of drift-wave-type plasma turbulence. The measurements help advance understanding and gyrokinetic modeling of toroidal plasmas in the pursuit of fusion energy.
Abstract
Understanding pellet ablation physics is crucial to realizing efficient fueling into a high temperature plasma for the steady state operation of ITER and future fusion reactors. Here we ...report the first observation of the formation of fluctuation structures in the pellet plasmoid during the pellet ablation process by a fast camera in a medium-sized fusion device, Heliotron J. The fluctuation has a normalized fluctuation level of ~ 15% and propagates around the moving pellet across the magnetic field. By comparing the fluctuation structures with the shape of magnetic field lines calculated with the field line tracing code, we successfully reconstruct the spatio-temporal structure of the fluctuations during the pellet ablation process. The fluctuations are located at the locations displaced toroidally from the pellet and propagate in the cross-field direction around the pellet axis along the field line, indicating a three-dimensional behavior and structure of fluctuations. The fluctuation would be driven by a strong inhomogeneity formed around the pellet and invoke the relaxation of the gradient through a cross-field transport induced by the fluctuations, which could affect the pellet ablation and pellet fueling processes. Such fluctuations can be ubiquitously present at the inhomogeneity formed around a pellet in the pellet ablation process in fusion devices.
Dog treats might be contaminated with Salmonella. In Canada and the USA, outbreaks of human salmonellosis related to exposure to animal-derived dog treats were reported. Consequently, surveillance ...data on Salmonella contamination of dog treats have been gathered in many countries, but not in Japan. In the current study, we investigated whether dog treats in Japan were contaminated with Salmonella. Overall, 303 dog treats (of which 255 were domestically produced) were randomly collected and the presence of Salmonella investigated. Seven samples were positive for Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica. Among these isolates, three were identified as serovar 4,5,12:i:-; two were serovar Rissen; and two were serovar Thompson. All serovar 4,5,12:i:- and Thompson isolates were resistant to one or more drugs. Two serovar Rissen isolates were fully susceptible to all tested antimicrobial agents. All Salmonella isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid. The gene blaTEM was detected in two serovar 4,5,12:i:- isolates. The blaCTX-M and blaCMY genes were not detected in any isolates. This study demonstrated that dog treats in Japan could constitute a potential source of dog and human Salmonella infections, including multidrug-resistant Salmonella isolates.
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