Students' Thinking and Alternative Conceptions of Transport Systems in Plants: A Follow-Up Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jing-Ru

2007-01-01

The purpose of the study was to explore students' alternative conceptions and their associative thinking regarding internal transport in plants through administration of a refined diagnostic test. Questions of associative thinking and explanation were added to form a third tier of the previous two-tier test. The study found three terms related to…

Accuracy of a Classical Test Theory-Based Procedure for Estimating the Reliability of a Multistage Test. Research Report. ETS RR-17-02

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Sooyeon; Livingston, Samuel A.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this simulation study was to assess the accuracy of a classical test theory (CTT)-based procedure for estimating the alternate-forms reliability of scores on a multistage test (MST) having 3 stages. We generated item difficulty and discrimination parameters for 10 parallel, nonoverlapping forms of the complete 3-stage test and…

Examining an Alternative to Score Equating: A Randomly Equivalent Forms Approach. Research Report. ETS RR-08-14

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liao, Chi-Wen; Livingston, Samuel A.

2008-01-01

Randomly equivalent forms (REF) of tests in listening and reading for nonnative speakers of English were created by stratified random assignment of items to forms, stratifying on item content and predicted difficulty. The study included 50 replications of the procedure for each test. Each replication generated 2 REFs. The equivalence of those 2…

Does the Position of Response Options in Multiple-Choice Tests Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hohensinn, Christine; Baghaei, Purya

2017-01-01

In large scale multiple-choice (MC) tests alternate forms of a test may be developed to prevent cheating by changing the order of items or by changing the position of the response options. The assumption is that since the content of the test forms are the same the order of items or the positions of the response options do not have any effect on…

Cadmium Alternatives for High-Strength Steel JTP. Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-24

Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 U.S. AIR FORCE Project Overview Objective Assess DoD- selected cadmium alternatives in...focused) – Phase III (fatigue testing focused) • Down- selection of candidates for further testing after each phase of testing is complete (Phases I...Laboratories – Mr. John Marshall U.S. AIR FORCE Phase I Overview and Selection Process – Traditional plating (primary coatings): • Sputtered Aluminum

Processes and Procedures for Estimating Score Reliability and Precision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bardhoshi, Gerta; Erford, Bradley T.

2017-01-01

Precision is a key facet of test development, with score reliability determined primarily according to the types of error one wants to approximate and demonstrate. This article identifies and discusses several primary forms of reliability estimation: internal consistency (i.e., split-half, KR-20, a), test-retest, alternate forms, interscorer, and…

Sources of Score Scale Inconsistency. Research Report. ETS RR-11-10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haberman, Shelby J.; Dorans, Neil J.

2011-01-01

For testing programs that administer multiple forms within a year and across years, score equating is used to ensure that scores can be used interchangeably. In an ideal world, samples sizes are large and representative of populations that hardly change over time, and very reliable alternate test forms are built with nearly identical psychometric…

Plain Talk about Alternative Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheek, Dennis W.

1993-01-01

Testing is a technology, a socially mediated, value-laden endeavor. Technologies embody trade-offs between what is desired and real-world constraints of cost, time, thought, and energy. Although alternative assessments offer exciting prospects for middle schools, these new forms must not be misused or naively accepted as defensible, consummate…

Tissue-specific alternative splicing of TCF7L2

PubMed Central

Prokunina-Olsson, Ludmila; Welch, Cullan; Hansson, Ola; Adhikari, Neeta; Scott, Laura J.; Usher, Nicolle; Tong, Maurine; Sprau, Andrew; Swift, Amy; Bonnycastle, Lori L.; Erdos, Michael R.; He, Zhi; Saxena, Richa; Harmon, Brennan; Kotova, Olga; Hoffman, Eric P.; Altshuler, David; Groop, Leif; Boehnke, Michael; Collins, Francis S.; Hall, Jennifer L.

2009-01-01

Common variants in the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene have been identified as the strongest genetic risk factors for type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the mechanisms by which these non-coding variants increase risk for T2D are not well-established. We used 13 expression assays to survey mRNA expression of multiple TCF7L2 splicing forms in up to 380 samples from eight types of human tissue (pancreas, pancreatic islets, colon, liver, monocytes, skeletal muscle, subcutaneous adipose tissue and lymphoblastoid cell lines) and observed a tissue-specific pattern of alternative splicing. We tested whether the expression of TCF7L2 splicing forms was associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs7903146 and rs12255372, located within introns 3 and 4 of the gene and most strongly associated with T2D. Expression of two splicing forms was lower in pancreatic islets with increasing counts of T2D-associated alleles of the SNPs: a ubiquitous splicing form (P = 0.018 for rs7903146 and P = 0.020 for rs12255372) and a splicing form found in pancreatic islets, pancreas and colon but not in other tissues tested here (P = 0.009 for rs12255372 and P = 0.053 for rs7903146). Expression of this form in glucose-stimulated pancreatic islets correlated with expression of proinsulin (r2 = 0.84–0.90, P < 0.00063). In summary, we identified a tissue-specific pattern of alternative splicing of TCF7L2. After adjustment for multiple tests, no association between expression of TCF7L2 in eight types of human tissue samples and T2D-associated genetic variants remained significant. Alternative splicing of TCF7L2 in pancreatic islets warrants future studies. GenBank Accession Numbers: FJ010164–FJ010174. PMID:19602480

The Social Attribution Task-Multiple Choice (SAT-MC): A Psychometric and Equivalence Study of an Alternate Form.

PubMed

Johannesen, Jason K; Lurie, Jessica B; Fiszdon, Joanna M; Bell, Morris D

2013-01-01

The Social Attribution Task-Multiple Choice (SAT-MC) uses a 64-second video of geometric shapes set in motion to portray themes of social relatedness and intentions. Considered a test of "Theory of Mind," the SAT-MC assesses implicit social attribution formation while reducing verbal and basic cognitive demands required of other common measures. We present a comparability analysis of the SAT-MC and the new SAT-MC-II, an alternate form created for repeat testing, in a university sample (n = 92). Score distributions and patterns of association with external validation measures were nearly identical between the two forms, with convergent and discriminant validity supported by association with affect recognition ability and lack of association with basic visual reasoning. Internal consistency of the SAT-MC-II was superior (alpha = .81) to the SAT-MC (alpha = .56). Results support the use of SAT-MC and new SAT-MC-II as equivalent test forms. Demonstrating relatively higher association to social cognitive than basic cognitive abilities, the SAT-MC may provide enhanced sensitivity as an outcome measure of social cognitive intervention trials.

Quantitative Differences in Retest Effects across Different Methods Used to Construct Alternate Test Forms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arendasy, Martin E.; Sommer, Markus

2013-01-01

Allowing respondents to retake a cognitive ability test has shown to increase their test scores. Several theoretical models have been proposed to explain this effect, which make distinct assumptions regarding the measurement invariance of psychometric tests across test administration sessions with regard to narrower cognitive abilities and general…

A Guided Summary Completion Test for Long Academic Texts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bensoussan, Marsha

Because testing comprehension of long (5- to 10-page) second-language texts is more complex than testing shorter texts, an alternative form of second language reading comprehension test is needed. In a guided summary completion test, students are presented with a greatly shortened version of the text (e.g., one-paragraph summary), containing…

Stress corrosion evaluation of HP 9Ni-4Co-0.20C steel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torres, Pablo D.

1993-01-01

A stress corrosion cracking (SCC) evaluation was undertaken on HP 9Ni-4Co-0.20C steel in support of the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) program. This alloy was tested in plate, bar, and ring forging forms. Several heat treating procedures yielded ultimate tensile strengths ranging from 1,407 to 1,489 MPa (204 to 216 ksi). The test environments were high humidity, alternate immersion in 3.5-percent NaCl, and 5-percent salt spray. Stress levels ranged from 25 to 90 percent of the yield strengths. The majority of the tests were conducted for 90 days. Even though the specimens rusted significantly in salt spray and alternate immersion, no failures occurred. Therefore, it can be concluded that this alloy, in the forms and at the strength levels tested, is highly resistant to SCC in salt and high humidity environments.

Cross-Validation of a Short Form of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zook, Avery, II; Sipps, Gary J.

1985-01-01

Presents a cross-validation of Reynolds' short form of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (N=233). Researchers administered 13 items as a separate entity, calculated Cronbach's Alpha for each sex, and computed test-retest correlation for one group. Concluded that the short form is a viable alternative. (Author/NRB)

Evaluation of a Short-Form of the Berg Card Sorting Test

PubMed Central

Fox, Christopher J.; Mueller, Shane T.; Gray, Hilary M.; Raber, Jacob; Piper, Brian J.

2013-01-01

The Psychology Experimental Building Language http://pebl.sourceforge.net/ Berg Card Sorting Test is an open-source neurobehavioral test. Participants (N = 207, ages 6 to 74) completed the Berg Card Sorting Test. Performance on the first 64 trials were isolated and compared to that on the full-length (128 trials) test. Strong correlations between the short and long forms (total errors: r = .87, perseverative response: r = .83, perseverative errors r = .77, categories completed r = .86) support the Berg Card Sorting Test-64 as an abbreviated alternative for the full-length executive function test. PMID:23691107

Modeling Item-Position Effects within an IRT Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debeer, Dries; Janssen, Rianne

2013-01-01

Changing the order of items between alternate test forms to prevent copying and to enhance test security is a common practice in achievement testing. However, these changes in item order may affect item and test characteristics. Several procedures have been proposed for studying these item-order effects. The present study explores the use of…

Progressive Achievement Tests in Reading: Comprehension & Vocabulary. Teacher's Handbook. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Australian Council for Educational Research, Hawthorn.

The teacher handbook for Progressive Achievement Tests (PATs) in Reading presents an overall description of these survey tests in reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge for school years 3 to 9. There are two alternative forms of each test: (1) the Reading Comprehension tests are designed to measure two major aspects of reading skills…

Assessment in Immersive Virtual Environments: Cases for Learning, of Learning, and as Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Code, Jillianne; Zap, Nick

2017-01-01

The key to education reform lies in exploring alternative forms of assessment. Alternative performance assessments provide a more valid measure than multiple-choice tests of students' conceptual understanding and higher-level skills such as problem solving and inquiry. Advances in game-based and virtual environment technologies are creating new…

Straight-chain halocarbon forming fluids for TRISO fuel kernel production - Tests with yttria-stabilized zirconia microspheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, M. P.; King, J. C.; Gorman, B. P.; Braley, J. C.

2015-03-01

Current methods of TRISO fuel kernel production in the United States use a sol-gel process with trichloroethylene (TCE) as the forming fluid. After contact with radioactive materials, the spent TCE becomes a mixed hazardous waste, and high costs are associated with its recycling or disposal. Reducing or eliminating this mixed waste stream would not only benefit the environment, but would also enhance the economics of kernel production. Previous research yielded three candidates for testing as alternatives to TCE: 1-bromotetradecane, 1-chlorooctadecane, and 1-iodododecane. This study considers the production of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) kernels in silicone oil and the three chosen alternative formation fluids, with subsequent characterization of the produced kernels and used forming fluid. Kernels formed in silicone oil and bromotetradecane were comparable to those produced by previous kernel production efforts, while those produced in chlorooctadecane and iodododecane experienced gelation issues leading to poor kernel formation and geometry.

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bayroff, Abram G.; Fuchs, Edmund F.

This study identified Army, Navy, and Air Force classification tests which were interchangeable in terms of abilities and aptitudes measured; and sought to develop shortened forms as an alternative interservice test battery which would not require over 2 1/2 hours. Comparability was determined from test intercorrelations in a consolidated sample…

Bioconvective Assay As Alternative To Draize Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noever, David A.; Matsos, Helen C.

1993-01-01

Protocol to determine toxicities of chemicals implemented relatively cheaply by use of equipment and materials packaged in convenient kit form. Tests involve observation of macroscopic patterns formed at high concentrations of free-swimming protozoan species Tetrahymena pyriformis in liquid media. Provides more-sensitive indication of toxicity and costs less. Given that there are no data on toxicities of 70 to 80 percent of commercial chemicals, high cost of, and current opposition to, testing on higher animals, new protocol helps meet pressing need.

Robust Approach to Verifying the Weak Form of the Efficient Market Hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Střelec, Luboš

2011-09-01

The weak form of the efficient markets hypothesis states that prices incorporate only past information about the asset. An implication of this form of the efficient markets hypothesis is that one cannot detect mispriced assets and consistently outperform the market through technical analysis of past prices. One of possible formulations of the efficient market hypothesis used for weak form tests is that share prices follow a random walk. It means that returns are realizations of IID sequence of random variables. Consequently, for verifying the weak form of the efficient market hypothesis, we can use distribution tests, among others, i.e. some tests of normality and/or some graphical methods. Many procedures for testing the normality of univariate samples have been proposed in the literature [7]. Today the most popular omnibus test of normality for a general use is the Shapiro-Wilk test. The Jarque-Bera test is the most widely adopted omnibus test of normality in econometrics and related fields. In particular, the Jarque-Bera test (i.e. test based on the classical measures of skewness and kurtosis) is frequently used when one is more concerned about heavy-tailed alternatives. As these measures are based on moments of the data, this test has a zero breakdown value [2]. In other words, a single outlier can make the test worthless. The reason so many classical procedures are nonrobust to outliers is that the parameters of the model are expressed in terms of moments, and their classical estimators are expressed in terms of sample moments, which are very sensitive to outliers. Another approach to robustness is to concentrate on the parameters of interest suggested by the problem under this study. Consequently, novel robust testing procedures of testing normality are presented in this paper to overcome shortcomings of classical normality tests in the field of financial data, which are typical with occurrence of remote data points and additional types of deviations from normality. This study also discusses some results of simulation power studies of these tests for normality against selected alternatives. Based on outcome of the power simulation study, selected normality tests were consequently used to verify weak form of efficiency in Central Europe stock markets.

Probing Aircraft Flight Test Hazard Mitigation for the Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails & Cruise Emissions (ACCESS) Research Team

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Michael J.

2013-01-01

The Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails & Cruise Emissions (ACCESS) Project Integration Manager requested in July 2012 that the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) form a team to independently assess aircraft structural failure hazards associated with the ACCESS experiment and to identify potential flight test hazard mitigations to ensure flight safety. The ACCESS Project Integration Manager subsequently requested that the assessment scope be focused predominantly on structural failure risks to the aircraft empennage raft empennage.

The Social Attribution Task-Multiple Choice (SAT-MC): A Psychometric and Equivalence Study of an Alternate Form

PubMed Central

Johannesen, Jason K.; Lurie, Jessica B.; Fiszdon, Joanna M.; Bell, Morris D.

2013-01-01

The Social Attribution Task-Multiple Choice (SAT-MC) uses a 64-second video of geometric shapes set in motion to portray themes of social relatedness and intentions. Considered a test of “Theory of Mind,” the SAT-MC assesses implicit social attribution formation while reducing verbal and basic cognitive demands required of other common measures. We present a comparability analysis of the SAT-MC and the new SAT-MC-II, an alternate form created for repeat testing, in a university sample (n = 92). Score distributions and patterns of association with external validation measures were nearly identical between the two forms, with convergent and discriminant validity supported by association with affect recognition ability and lack of association with basic visual reasoning. Internal consistency of the SAT-MC-II was superior (alpha = .81) to the SAT-MC (alpha = .56). Results support the use of SAT-MC and new SAT-MC-II as equivalent test forms. Demonstrating relatively higher association to social cognitive than basic cognitive abilities, the SAT-MC may provide enhanced sensitivity as an outcome measure of social cognitive intervention trials. PMID:23864984

Assessment for Equity and Inclusion. Embracing All Our Children. Transforming Teaching Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin, A. Lin, Ed.

The chapters in this collection explore alternative assessment and give specific examples of successful efforts by teachers to develop their own systems of assessment. Taken together, these chapters are a rejection of the ranking and separating of students according to test scores, and an argument for richer forms of mixed alternative assessments.…

The Economics and Politics of Structure: The Multidivisional Form and the Large U.S. Corporation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Donald; And Others

1987-01-01

Develops and tests alternative political and ecological life-cycle explanations of the multidivisional form (MDF) now typical of large corporations. Unlike the functional or unitary form, MDF organizes tasks into units based on products or geographical markets. Banking firms are less diverse and less likely to use MDF. Includes 5 tables, 72…

Readability and Content Assessment of Informed Consent Forms for Medical Procedures in Croatia

PubMed Central

Vučemilo, Luka; Borovečki, Ana

2015-01-01

Background High quality of informed consent form is essential for adequate information transfer between physicians and patients. Current status of medical procedure consent forms in clinical practice in Croatia specifically in terms of the readability and the content is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the readability and the content of informed consent forms for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used with patients in Croatia. Methods 52 informed consent forms from six Croatian hospitals on the secondary and tertiary health-care level were tested for reading difficulty using Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) formula adjusted for Croatian language and for qualitative analysis of the content. Results The averaged SMOG grade of analyzed informed consent forms was 13.25 (SD 1.59, range 10–19). Content analysis revealed that informed consent forms included description of risks in 96% of the cases, benefits in 81%, description of procedures in 78%, alternatives in 52%, risks and benefits of alternatives in 17% and risks and benefits of not receiving treatment or undergoing procedures in 13%. Conclusions Readability of evaluated informed consent forms is not appropriate for the general population in Croatia. The content of the forms failed to include in high proportion of the cases description of alternatives, risks and benefits of alternatives, as well as risks and benefits of not receiving treatments or undergoing procedures. Data obtained from this research could help in development and improvement of informed consent forms in Croatia especially now when Croatian hospitals are undergoing the process of accreditation. PMID:26376183

The Effect of Test Presentation on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Neurotypical Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alt, Mary; Humphrey Moreno, Melanie

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this experiment was to determine if there is alternate forms reliability for paper- and computer-administered standardized vocabulary tests. Another purpose was to determine whether the behavioral ratings of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) would improve during the computer-administered testing sessions…

Development of Conceptually Focused Early Numeracy Skill Indicators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Methe, Scott A.; Begeny, John C.; Leary, Lemontrel L.

2011-01-01

This research was conducted to evaluate the technical properties of a set of early numeracy CBM tests that were designed to operationalize early numeric concepts. Data were collected over the course of a school year from 113 kindergarten and first-grade children using nine separate tests with three alternative forms. In addition, test-retest…

Power Enhancement in High Dimensional Cross-Sectional Tests

PubMed Central

Fan, Jianqing; Liao, Yuan; Yao, Jiawei

2016-01-01

We propose a novel technique to boost the power of testing a high-dimensional vector H : θ = 0 against sparse alternatives where the null hypothesis is violated only by a couple of components. Existing tests based on quadratic forms such as the Wald statistic often suffer from low powers due to the accumulation of errors in estimating high-dimensional parameters. More powerful tests for sparse alternatives such as thresholding and extreme-value tests, on the other hand, require either stringent conditions or bootstrap to derive the null distribution and often suffer from size distortions due to the slow convergence. Based on a screening technique, we introduce a “power enhancement component”, which is zero under the null hypothesis with high probability, but diverges quickly under sparse alternatives. The proposed test statistic combines the power enhancement component with an asymptotically pivotal statistic, and strengthens the power under sparse alternatives. The null distribution does not require stringent regularity conditions, and is completely determined by that of the pivotal statistic. As specific applications, the proposed methods are applied to testing the factor pricing models and validating the cross-sectional independence in panel data models. PMID:26778846

Test-Retest Analyses of the Test of English as a Foreign Language. TOEFL Research Reports Report 45.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henning, Grant

This study provides information about the total and component scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). First, the study provides comparative global and component estimates of test-retest, alternate-form, and internal-consistency reliability, controlling for sources of measurement error inherent in the examinees and the testing…

Religiosity and Utilization of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Foreign-Born Hispanics in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heathcote, John D.; West, Joshua H.; Hall, P. Cougar; Trinidad, Dennis R.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the association between religiosity and utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a sample of foreign-born Hispanic adults, even when excluding prayer as a form of CAM. Data were collected using a self-report Spanish-language survey. Study participants consisted of 306 respondents between…

A Roadmap for the Development of Alternative (Non-Animal) Methods for Systemic Toxicity Testing

EPA Science Inventory

Systemic toxicity testing forms the cornerstone for the safety evaluation of substances. Pressures to move from traditional animal models to novel technologies arise from various concerns, including: the need to evaluate large numbers of previously untested chemicals and new prod...

Automated Simultaneous Assembly for Multistage Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breithaupt, Krista; Ariel, Adelaide; Veldkamp, Bernard P.

2005-01-01

This article offers some solutions used in the assembly of the computerized Uniform Certified Public Accountancy (CPA) licensing examination as practical alternatives for operational programs producing large numbers of forms. The Uniform CPA examination was offered as an adaptive multistage test (MST) beginning in April of 2004. Examples of…

Simulated Service and Stress Corrosion Cracking Testing for Friction Stir Welded Spun Formed Domes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Thomas J.; Torres, Pablo D.; Caratus, Andrei A.; Curreri, Peter A.

2010-01-01

Simulated service testing (SST) development was required to help qualify a new 2195 aluminum lithium (Al-Li) alloy spin forming dome fabrication process for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Exploration Development Technology Program. The application for the technology is to produce high strength low weight tank components for NASA s next generation launch vehicles. Since plate material is not currently manufactured large enough to fabricate these domes, two plates are joined by means of friction stir welding. The plates are then pre-contour machined to near final thicknesses allowing for a thicker weld land and anticipating the level of stretch induced by the spin forming process. The welded plates are then placed in a spin forming tool and hot stretched using a trace method producing incremental contours. Finally the dome receives a room temperature contour stretch to final dimensions, heat treatment, quenching, and artificial aging to emulate a T-8 condition of temper. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) tests were also performed by alternate immersion in a sodium chloride (NaCl) solution using the typical double beam assembly and with 4-point loaded specimens and use of bent-beam stress-corrosion test specimens under alternate immersion conditions. In addition, experiments were conducted to determine the threshold stress intensity factor for SCC (K(sub ISCC)) which to our knowledge has not been determined previously for Al-Li 2195 alloy. The successful simulated service and stress corrosion testing helped to provide confidence to continue to Ares 1 scale dome fabrication

Robust Confidence Interval for a Ratio of Standard Deviations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonett, Douglas G.

2006-01-01

Comparing variability of test scores across alternate forms, test conditions, or subpopulations is a fundamental problem in psychometrics. A confidence interval for a ratio of standard deviations is proposed that performs as well as the classic method with normal distributions and performs dramatically better with nonnormal distributions. A simple…

An Evaluation of the Single-Group Growth Model as an Alternative to Common-Item Equating. Research Report. ETS RR-16-01

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Youhua; Morgan, Rick

2016-01-01

As an alternative to common-item equating when common items do not function as expected, the single-group growth model (SGGM) scaling uses common examinees or repeaters to link test scores on different forms. The SGGM scaling assumes that, for repeaters taking adjacent administrations, the conditional distribution of scale scores in later…

Nominalization and Alternations in Biomedical Language

PubMed Central

Cohen, K. Bretonnel; Palmer, Martha; Hunter, Lawrence

2008-01-01

Background This paper presents data on alternations in the argument structure of common domain-specific verbs and their associated verbal nominalizations in the PennBioIE corpus. Alternation is the term in theoretical linguistics for variations in the surface syntactic form of verbs, e.g. the different forms of stimulate in FSH stimulates follicular development and follicular development is stimulated by FSH. The data is used to assess the implications of alternations for biomedical text mining systems and to test the fit of the sublanguage model to biomedical texts. Methodology/Principal Findings We examined 1,872 tokens of the ten most common domain-specific verbs or their zero-related nouns in the PennBioIE corpus and labelled them for the presence or absence of three alternations. We then annotated the arguments of 746 tokens of the nominalizations related to these verbs and counted alternations related to the presence or absence of arguments and to the syntactic position of non-absent arguments. We found that alternations are quite common both for verbs and for nominalizations. We also found a previously undescribed alternation involving an adjectival present participle. Conclusions/Significance We found that even in this semantically restricted domain, alternations are quite common, and alternations involving nominalizations are exceptionally diverse. Nonetheless, the sublanguage model applies to biomedical language. We also report on a previously undescribed alternation involving an adjectival present participle. PMID:18779866

77 FR 8277 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-14

... approved collection. (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Methodological research to support the redesign of... to take 15-30 minutes, while a cognitive interview for testing alternative methods for measuring...

A Multiple Choice Version of the Sentence Completion Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shouval, Ron; And Others

1975-01-01

It was concluded that a multiple choice form corresponding to a sentence completion measure, test clearly defined personality areas (such as autonomy) could be a reasonable alternative for many purposes. (Author/DEP)

Proceedings: Nozzle Initiative Industry Advisory Committee on Standardization of Carbon-Phenolic Test Methods and Specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The proceedings of the meeting is presented in conversational form. Some areas of discussion are as follow: resin advancement at NASA Marshall new technologies studies; NMR studies; SPIP/PAN development summary; computer modeling support; composite testing; carbon assay testing; activity and aerospace computer database; alternate rayon yarn sizing; fiber morphology; and carbon microballoons specifications.

A roadmap for the development of alternative (non-animal) methods for systemic toxicity testing - t4 report*.

PubMed

Basketter, David A; Clewell, Harvey; Kimber, Ian; Rossi, Annamaria; Blaauboer, Bas; Burrier, Robert; Daneshian, Mardas; Eskes, Chantra; Goldberg, Alan; Hasiwa, Nina; Hoffmann, Sebastian; Jaworska, Joanna; Knudsen, Thomas B; Landsiedel, Robert; Leist, Marcel; Locke, Paul; Maxwell, Gavin; McKim, James; McVey, Emily A; Ouédraogo, Gladys; Patlewicz, Grace; Pelkonen, Olavi; Roggen, Erwin; Rovida, Costanza; Ruhdel, Irmela; Schwarz, Michael; Schepky, Andreas; Schoeters, Greet; Skinner, Nigel; Trentz, Kerstin; Turner, Marian; Vanparys, Philippe; Yager, James; Zurlo, Joanne; Hartung, Thomas

2012-01-01

Systemic toxicity testing forms the cornerstone for the safety evaluation of substances. Pressures to move from traditional animal models to novel technologies arise from various concerns, including: the need to evaluate large numbers of previously untested chemicals and new products (such as nanoparticles or cell therapies), the limited predictivity of traditional tests for human health effects, duration and costs of current approaches, and animal welfare considerations. The latter holds especially true in the context of the scheduled 2013 marketing ban on cosmetic ingredients tested for systemic toxicity. Based on a major analysis of the status of alternative methods (Adler et al., 2011) and its independent review (Hartung et al., 2011), the present report proposes a roadmap for how to overcome the acknowledged scientific gaps for the full replacement of systemic toxicity testing using animals. Five whitepapers were commissioned addressing toxicokinetics, skin sensitization, repeated-dose toxicity, carcinogenicity, and reproductive toxicity testing. An expert workshop of 35 participants from Europe and the US discussed and refined these whitepapers, which were subsequently compiled to form the present report. By prioritizing the many options to move the field forward, the expert group hopes to advance regulatory science.

Development of Internet-Based Tasks for the Executive Function Performance Test.

PubMed

Rand, Debbie; Lee Ben-Haim, Keren; Malka, Rachel; Portnoy, Sigal

The Executive Function Performance Test (EFPT) is a reliable and valid performance-based tool to assess executive functions (EFs). This study's objective was to develop and verify two Internet-based tasks for the EFPT. A cross-sectional study assessed the alternate-form reliability of the Internet-based bill-paying and telephone-use tasks in healthy adults and people with subacute stroke (Study 1). It also sought to establish the tasks' criterion reliability for assessing EF deficits by correlating performance with that on the Trail Making Test in five groups: healthy young adults, healthy older adults, people with subacute stroke, people with chronic stroke, and young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Study 2). The alternative-form reliability and initial construct validity for the Internet-based bill-paying task were verified. Criterion validity was established for both tasks. The Internet-based tasks are comparable to the original EFPT tasks and can be used for assessment of EF deficits. Copyright © 2018 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

The impact of teacher preparation on student achievement in rural secondary schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Shontier Prescott

The primary purpose of this study was to examine significant differences, if any, in student achievement in the area of math and science of students taught by traditionally certified teachers and alternatively certified teachers. This study examined alternatively certified teachers, as identified from through the Georgia TAPP (Teacher Alternative Preparation Program), and traditionally certified teachers in rural high schools in the Central Savannah River Area of Georgia. Student achievement was measured by student scores on the Algebra I and Physical Science End-Of-Course Test, a criterion-referenced test aligned with state adopted curriculum standards. The study utilized frequency distributions, correlations, descriptive statistics, and univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine the data. Univariate tests were done to find individual differences for each dependent variable. The ANOVA was used for the single dependent (student achievement) and formed comparisons and tracked the effect of the independent variable (teacher preparation), each of which (traditional and alternative) may have a number of levels and may interact to affect the dependent variable. The covariates, the independent variables not manipulated, but still affecting the response, are students' ethnicity, gender, and school socioeconomic status were also analyzed to predict student achievement. KEY WORDS. Teacher Preparation, Student Achievement, Math, Science, Traditionally certified teachers, Alternatively certified teachers, Georgia TAPP (Teacher Alternative Preparation Program), End-Of-Course Test (EOCT), Performance standard.

Assessment for American Indian and Alaska Native Learners. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bordeaux, Roger

This digest examines the use of standardized, nationally normed testing in assessing the progress of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students and describes alternative forms of assessment. For years, researchers have criticized the overuse of standardized, nationally normed tests to assess learner and school success. Problems with such…

Integrated Testing and Maintenance Technologies.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-12-01

provides pilot cueing for mode failures of LRU’s. Equipment fail and status indicators are lighted displays that indicate specific failures within an...provided with appropriate display cueing only when a reversion results in some loss of capability or performance. Three forms of degraded mode advisories...are- a. Reversion to an alternative data source of equivalent accuracy with no pilot cueing . b. Reversion to an alternative data source of lesser

Probing Aircraft Flight Test Hazard Mitigation for the Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails and Cruise Emissions (ACCESS) Research Team . Volume 2; Appendices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Michael J.

2013-01-01

The Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails and Cruise Emissions (ACCESS) Project Integration Manager requested in July 2012 that the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) form a team to independently assess aircraft structural failure hazards associated with the ACCESS experiment and to identify potential flight test hazard mitigations to ensure flight safety. The ACCESS Project Integration Manager subsequently requested that the assessment scope be focused predominantly on structural failure risks to the aircraft empennage (horizontal and vertical tail). This report contains the Appendices to Volume I.

Engines of alternative objectivity: Re-articulating the nature and value of participatory mental health organisations with the Hearing Voices Movement and Stepping Out Theatre Company.

PubMed

Blencowe, Claire; Brigstocke, Julian; Noorani, Tehseen

2018-05-01

Through two case studies, the Hearing Voices Movement and Stepping Out Theatre Company, we demonstrate how successful participatory organisations can be seen as 'engines of alternative objectivity' rather than as the subjective other to objective, biomedical science. With the term 'alternative objectivity', we point to collectivisations of experience that are different to biomedical science but are nonetheless forms of objectivity. Taking inspiration from feminist theory, science studies and sociology of culture, we argue that participatory mental health organisations generate their own forms of objectivity through novel modes of collectivising experience. The Hearing Voices Movement cultivates an 'activist science' that generates an alternative objective knowledge through a commitment to experimentation, controlling, testing, recording and sharing experience. Stepping Out distinguishes itself from drama therapy by cultivating an alternative objective culture through its embrace of high production values, material culture, aesthetic standards. A crucial aspect of participatory practice is overcoming alienation, enabling people to get outside of themselves, encounter material worlds and join forces with others.

Engines of alternative objectivity: Re-articulating the nature and value of participatory mental health organisations with the Hearing Voices Movement and Stepping Out Theatre Company

PubMed Central

Blencowe, Claire; Brigstocke, Julian; Noorani, Tehseen

2015-01-01

Through two case studies, the Hearing Voices Movement and Stepping Out Theatre Company, we demonstrate how successful participatory organisations can be seen as ‘engines of alternative objectivity’ rather than as the subjective other to objective, biomedical science. With the term ‘alternative objectivity’, we point to collectivisations of experience that are different to biomedical science but are nonetheless forms of objectivity. Taking inspiration from feminist theory, science studies and sociology of culture, we argue that participatory mental health organisations generate their own forms of objectivity through novel modes of collectivising experience. The Hearing Voices Movement cultivates an ‘activist science’ that generates an alternative objective knowledge through a commitment to experimentation, controlling, testing, recording and sharing experience. Stepping Out distinguishes itself from drama therapy by cultivating an alternative objective culture through its embrace of high production values, material culture, aesthetic standards. A crucial aspect of participatory practice is overcoming alienation, enabling people to get outside of themselves, encounter material worlds and join forces with others. PMID:26112801

Experimental investigation of alternative transmission functions: Quantitative evidence for the importance of nonlinear transmission dynamics in host-parasite systems.

PubMed

Orlofske, Sarah A; Flaxman, Samuel M; Joseph, Maxwell B; Fenton, Andy; Melbourne, Brett A; Johnson, Pieter T J

2018-05-01

Understanding pathogen transmission is crucial for predicting and managing disease. Nonetheless, experimental comparisons of alternative functional forms of transmission remain rare, and those experiments that are conducted are often not designed to test the full range of possible forms. To differentiate among 10 candidate transmission functions, we used a novel experimental design in which we independently varied four factors-duration of exposure, numbers of parasites, numbers of hosts and parasite density-in laboratory infection experiments. We used interactions between amphibian hosts and trematode parasites as a model system and all candidate models incorporated parasite depletion. An additional manipulation involving anaesthesia addressed the effects of host behaviour on transmission form. Across all experiments, nonlinear transmission forms involving either a power law or a negative binomial function were the best-fitting models and consistently outperformed the linear density-dependent and density-independent functions. By testing previously published data for two other host-macroparasite systems, we also found support for the same nonlinear transmission forms. Although manipulations of parasite density are common in transmission studies, the comprehensive set of variables tested in our experiments revealed that variation in density alone was least likely to differentiate among competing transmission functions. Across host-pathogen systems, nonlinear functions may often more accurately represent transmission dynamics and thus provide more realistic predictions for infection. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society.

Studies on Rheomelanins. VI. The Apparent Lipofuscin Characteristics of Rheomelanins,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-01

of aldchydes formed by the action of periodic acid on non carbohydrate conit-tining unsaturated phosphatides . At present we know only that in the o...A ’mV -5 1. Periodic Acid -Schiff Test 2. Long Ziehl-Neelsen Test for Acid Fast lilpofuscii 3. Alternative Nile Blue Method 4. Schmorl Test 5. Sudan...Black B in Alcohol 6. Chrome Alum Hematoxylin Test 7. Protein Determination 8. Specific Miucoprotein Test 9. Phosphoric Acid -Vanillin Lipid

Mutation in an alternative transcript of CDKL5 in a boy with early-onset seizures.

PubMed

Bodian, Dale L; Schreiber, John M; Vilboux, Thierry; Khromykh, Alina; Hauser, Natalie S

2018-06-01

Infantile-onset epilepsies are a set of severe, heterogeneous disorders for which clinical genetic testing yields causative mutations in ∼20%-50% of affected individuals. We report the case of a boy presenting with intractable seizures at 2 wk of age, for whom gene panel testing was unrevealing. Research-based whole-genome sequencing of the proband and four unaffected family members identified a de novo mutation, NM_001323289.1:c.2828_2829delGA in CDKL5, a gene associated with X-linked early infantile epileptic encephalopathy 2. CDKL5 has multiple alternative transcripts, and the mutation lies in an exon in the brain-expressed forms. The mutation was undetected by gene panel sequencing because of its intronic location in the CDKL5 transcript typically used to define the exons of this gene for clinical exon-based tests (NM_003159). This is the first report of a patient with a mutation in an alternative transcript of CDKL5 This finding suggests that incorporating alternative transcripts into the design and variant interpretation of exon-based tests, including gene panel and exome sequencing, could improve the diagnostic yield. © 2018 Bodian et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Mutation in an alternative transcript of CDKL5 in a boy with early-onset seizures

PubMed Central

Bodian, Dale L.; Schreiber, John M.; Vilboux, Thierry; Khromykh, Alina; Hauser, Natalie S.

2018-01-01

Infantile-onset epilepsies are a set of severe, heterogeneous disorders for which clinical genetic testing yields causative mutations in ∼20%–50% of affected individuals. We report the case of a boy presenting with intractable seizures at 2 wk of age, for whom gene panel testing was unrevealing. Research-based whole-genome sequencing of the proband and four unaffected family members identified a de novo mutation, NM_001323289.1:c.2828_2829delGA in CDKL5, a gene associated with X-linked early infantile epileptic encephalopathy 2. CDKL5 has multiple alternative transcripts, and the mutation lies in an exon in the brain-expressed forms. The mutation was undetected by gene panel sequencing because of its intronic location in the CDKL5 transcript typically used to define the exons of this gene for clinical exon-based tests (NM_003159). This is the first report of a patient with a mutation in an alternative transcript of CDKL5. This finding suggests that incorporating alternative transcripts into the design and variant interpretation of exon-based tests, including gene panel and exome sequencing, could improve the diagnostic yield. PMID:29444904

Using a Linear Regression Method to Detect Outliers in IRT Common Item Equating

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Yong; Cui, Zhongmin; Fang, Yu; Chen, Hanwei

2013-01-01

Common test items play an important role in equating alternate test forms under the common item nonequivalent groups design. When the item response theory (IRT) method is applied in equating, inconsistent item parameter estimates among common items can lead to large bias in equated scores. It is prudent to evaluate inconsistency in parameter…

Prediction of the Forming Limit Band for Steel Sheets using a new Formulation of Hora's Criterion (MMFC)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sorin Comsa, Dan; Dragos, George; Paraianu, Liana

2011-01-17

The paper analyzes the dispersion of the mechanical parameters and its influence on the forming limit curves of sheet metals. The tests have been made for the case of the DC01 steel sheets. The dispersion of the mechanical parameters has been observed during the experimental research. On the basis of this dispersion, a forming limit band has been calculated using an alternate formulation of Hora's model (MMFC).

Harmonisation of animal testing alternatives in China.

PubMed

Cheng, Shujun; Qu, Xiaoting; Qin, Yao

2017-12-01

More and more countries are lining up to follow the EU's approach and implement a full ban on the sale of cosmetics that have been tested on animals, which has been the case in the EU since 2013. Besides animal welfare considerations, the need for mutual acceptance of data (MAD) and harmonisation of the global market have made the move toward non-animal testing a desirable general trend for countries worldwide. Over the last 10 years, the concept of alternative methods has been gradually developing in China. This has seen the harmonisation of relevant legislation, the organisation of various theoretical and hands-on training sessions, the exploration of method validation, the adoption of internationally recognised methods, the propagation of alternative testing standards, and an in-depth investigation into the potential use of in vitro methods in the biosciences. There are barriers to this progress, including the demand for a completely new infrastructure, the need to build technology capability, the requirement for a national standardisation system formed through international co-operation, and the lack of technical assistance to facilitate self-innovation. China is now increasing speed in harmonising its approach to the use of non-animal alternatives, accelerating technological development and attempting to incorporate non-animal, in vitro, testing methods into the national regulatory system.

Test Of A Microwave Amplifier With Superconductive Filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhasin, K. B.; Toncich, S. S.; Chorey, C. M.; Bonetti, R. R.; Williams, A. E.

1995-01-01

Report describes design and low-temperature tests of low-noise GaAs microwave amplifier combined with microstrip band-pass filter. Two versions of microstrip filter used in alternate tests; in one version, microstrips formed as films of high-transition-temperature superconductor Y/Ba/Cu/O on lanthanum aluminate substrate with gold film as ground plane. Other version identical except microstrips as well as ground plane made of gold, normally conductive.

Evolutionary transitions towards eusociality in snapping shrimps.

PubMed

Chak, Solomon Tin Chi; Duffy, J Emmett; Hultgren, Kristin M; Rubenstein, Dustin R

2017-03-20

Animal social organization varies from complex societies where reproduction is dominated by a single individual (eusociality) to those where reproduction is more evenly distributed among group members (communal breeding). Yet, how simple groups transition evolutionarily to more complex societies remains unclear. Competing hypotheses suggest that eusociality and communal breeding are alternative evolutionary endpoints, or that communal breeding is an intermediate stage in the transition towards eusociality. We tested these alternative hypotheses in sponge-dwelling shrimps, Synalpheus spp. Although species varied continuously in reproductive skew, they clustered into pair-forming, communal and eusocial categories based on several demographic traits. Evolutionary transition models suggested that eusocial and communal species are discrete evolutionary endpoints that evolved independently from pair-forming ancestors along alternative paths. This 'family-centred' origin of eusociality parallels observations in insects and vertebrates, reinforcing the role of kin selection in the evolution of eusociality and suggesting a general model of animal social evolution.

5 CFR 842.705 - Alternative forms of annuities available.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Alternative forms of annuities available... SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-BASIC ANNUITY Alternative Forms of Annuities § 842.705 Alternative forms of annuities available. (a) An employee or Member who is eligible to...

Large strain cruciform biaxial testing for FLC detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Güler, Baran; Efe, Mert

2017-10-01

Selection of proper test method, specimen design and analysis method are key issues for studying formability of sheet metals and detection of their forming limit curves (FLC). Materials with complex microstructures may need an additional micro-mechanical investigation and accurate modelling. Cruciform biaxial test stands as an alternative to standard tests as it achieves frictionless, in-plane, multi-axial stress states with a single sample geometry. In this study, we introduce a small-scale (less than 10 cm) cruciform sample allowing micro-mechanical investigation at stress states ranging from plane strain to equibiaxial. With successful specimen design and surface finish, large forming limit strains are obtained at the test region of the sample. The large forming limit strains obtained by experiments are compared to the values obtained from Marciniak-Kuczynski (M-K) local necking model and Cockroft-Latham damage model. This comparison shows that the experimental limiting strains are beyond the theoretical values, approaching to the fracture strain of the two test materials: Al-6061-T6 aluminum alloy and DC-04 high formability steel.

The development and evaluation of an alternative powder prepregging technique for use with LaRC-TPI/graphite composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ogden, Andrea L.; Hyer, Michael W.; Wilkes, Garth L.; Loos, Alfred C.; St.clair, Terry L.

1991-01-01

An alternative powder prepregging method for use with LaRC-TPI (a thermoplastic polyimide)/graphite composites is investigated. The alternative method incorporates the idea of moistening the fiber prior to powder coating. Details of the processing parameters are given and discussed. The material was subsequently laminated into small coupons which were evaluated for processing defects using electron microscopy. After the initial evaluation of the material, no major processing defects were encountered but there appeared to be an interfacial adhesion problem. As a result, prepregging efforts were extended to include an additional fiber system, XAS, and a semicrystalline form of the matrix. The semicrystalline form of the matrix was the result of a complex heat treating cycle. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the fiber/matrix adhesion was evaluated in these systems relative to the amorphous/XAS coupons. Based on these results, amorphous and semicrystalline/AS-4 and XAS materials were prepregged and laminated for transverse tensile testing. The results of these tests are presented, and in an effort to obtain more information on the effect of the matrix, remaining semicrystalline transverse tensile coupons were transformed back to the amorphous state and tested. The mechanical properties of the transformed coupons returned to the values observed for the original amorphous coupons, and the interfacial adhesion, as observed by SEM, was better than in any previous sample.

48 CFR 452.228-70 - Alternative Forms of Security.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Alternative Forms of Security. 452.228-70 Section 452.228-70 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE... Alternative Forms of Security. As prescribed in 428.204-2, insert the following provision: Alternative Forms...

5 CFR 831.2204 - Alternative forms of annuities available.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Alternative forms of annuities available... SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) RETIREMENT Alternative Forms of Annuities § 831.2204 Alternative forms of annuities available. (a) An employee or Member who is eligible to make an election under § 831.2203 may...

A comparison of interteaching and lecture in the college classroom.

PubMed

Saville, Bryan K; Zinn, Tracy E; Neef, Nancy A; Van Norman, Renee; Ferreri, Summer J

2006-01-01

Interteaching is a new method of classroom instruction that is based on behavioral principles but offers more flexibility than other behaviorally based methods. We examined the effectiveness of interteaching relative to a traditional form of classroom instruction-the lecture. In Study 1, participants in a graduate course in special education took short quizzes after alternating conditions of interteaching and lecture. Quiz scores following interteaching were higher than quiz scores following lecture, although both methods improved performance relative to pretest measures. In Study 2, we also alternated interteaching and lecture but counterbalanced the conditions across two sections of an undergraduate research methods class. After each unit of information, participants from both sections took the same test. Again, test scores following interteaching were higher than test scores following lecture. In addition, students correctly answered more interteaching-based questions than lecture-based questions on a cumulative final test. In both studies, the majority of students reported a preference for interteaching relative to traditional lecture. In sum, the results suggest that interteaching may be an effective alternative to traditional lecture-based methods of instruction.

On the Reliability and Validity of a Numerical Reasoning Speed Dimension Derived from Response Times Collected in Computerized Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davison, Mark L.; Semmes, Robert; Huang, Lan; Close, Catherine N.

2012-01-01

Data from 181 college students were used to assess whether math reasoning item response times in computerized testing can provide valid and reliable measures of a speed dimension. The alternate forms reliability of the speed dimension was .85. A two-dimensional structural equation model suggests that the speed dimension is related to the accuracy…

Internal Consistency of General Outcome Measures in Grades 1-8. Technical Report # 0915

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Daniel; Tindal, Gerald; Alonzo, Julie

2009-01-01

We developed alternate forms of a math test for use in both screening students at risk of failure and monitoring their progress over time. In this technical report, we present results of the screener, used in the fall of 2009. The 48-item test was aligned to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Curriculum Focal Point Standards…

Regulatory perspectives on acceptability testing of dosage forms in children.

PubMed

Kozarewicz, Piotr

2014-08-05

Current knowledge about the age-appropriateness of different dosage forms is still fragmented or limited. Applicants are asked to demonstrate that the target age group(s) can manage the dosage form or propose an alternative strategy. However, questions remain about how far the applicant must go and what percentage of patients must find the strategy 'acceptable'. The aim of this overview is to provide an update on current thinking and understanding of the problem, and discuss issues relating to the acceptability testing. This overview should be considered as means to start a wider discussion which hopefully will result in a harmonised, globally acceptable approach for confirmation of the acceptability in the future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Test-based age-of-acquisition norms for 44 thousand English word meanings.

PubMed

Brysbaert, Marc; Biemiller, Andrew

2017-08-01

Age of acquisition (AoA) is an important variable in word recognition research. Up to now, nearly all psychology researchers examining the AoA effect have used ratings obtained from adult participants. An alternative basis for determining AoA is directly testing children's knowledge of word meanings at various ages. In educational research, scholars and teachers have tried to establish the grade at which particular words should be taught by examining the ages at which children know various word meanings. Such a list is available from Dale and O'Rourke's (1981) Living Word Vocabulary for nearly 44 thousand meanings coming from over 31 thousand unique word forms and multiword expressions. The present article relates these test-based AoA estimates to lexical decision times as well as to AoA adult ratings, and reports strong correlations between all of the measures. Therefore, test-based estimates of AoA can be used as an alternative measure.

Evaluation of final waste forms and recommendations for baseline alternatives to group and glass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bleier, A.

1997-09-01

An assessment of final waste forms was made as part of the Federal Facilities Compliance Agreement/Development, Demonstration, Testing, and Evaluation (FFCA/DDT&E) Program because supplemental waste-form technologies are needed for the hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes of concern to the Department of Energy and the problematic wastes on the Oak Ridge Reservation. The principal objective was to identify a primary waste-form candidate as an alternative to grout (cement) and glass. The effort principally comprised a literature search, the goal of which was to establish a knowledge base regarding four areas: (1) the waste-form technologies based on grout and glass, (2) candidatemore » alternatives, (3) the wastes that need to be immobilized, and (4) the technical and regulatory constraints on the waste-from technologies. This report serves, in part, to meet this goal. Six families of materials emerged as relevant; inorganic, organic, vitrified, devitrified, ceramic, and metallic matrices. Multiple members of each family were assessed, emphasizing the materials-oriented factors and accounting for the fact that the two most prevalent types of wastes for the FFCA/DDT&E Program are aqueous liquids and inorganic sludges and solids. Presently, no individual matrix is sufficiently developed to permit its immediate implementation as a baseline alternative. Three thermoplastic materials, sulfur-polymer cement (inorganic), bitumen (organic), and polyethylene (organic), are the most technologically developed candidates. Each warrants further study, emphasizing the engineering and economic factors, but each also has limitations that regulate it to a status of short-term alternative. The crystallinity and flexible processing of sulfur provide sulfur-polymer cement with the highest potential for short-term success via encapsulation. Long-term immobilization demands chemical stabilization, which the thermoplastic matrices do not offer. Among the properties of the remaining candidates, those of glass-ceramics (devitrified matrices) represent the best compromise for meeting the probable stricter disposal requirements in the future.« less

What happened (and what didn’t): Discourse constraints on encoding of plausible alternatives

PubMed Central

Fraundorf, Scott H.; Benjamin, Aaron S.; Watson, Duane G.

2013-01-01

Three experiments investigated how font emphasis influences reading and remembering discourse. Although past work suggests that contrastive pitch contours benefit memory by promoting encoding of salient alternatives, it is unclear both whether this effect generalizes to other forms of linguistic prominence and how the set of alternatives is constrained. Participants read discourses in which some true propositions had salient alternatives (e.g., British scientists found the endangered monkey when the discourse also mentioned French scientists) and completed a recognition memory test. In Experiments 1 and 2, font emphasis in the initial presentation increased participants’ ability to later reject false statements about salient alternatives but not about unmentioned items (e.g., Portuguese scientists). In Experiment 3, font emphasis helped reject false statements about plausible alternatives, but not about less plausible alternatives that were nevertheless established in the discourse. These results suggest readers encode a narrow set of only those alternatives plausible in the particular discourse. They also indicate that multiple manipulations of linguistic prominence, not just prosody, can lead to consideration of alternatives. PMID:24014934

Reference compounds for alternative test methods to indicate developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) potential of chemicals: example lists and criteria for their selection and use.

PubMed

Aschner, Michael; Ceccatelli, Sandra; Daneshian, Mardas; Fritsche, Ellen; Hasiwa, Nina; Hartung, Thomas; Hogberg, Helena T; Leist, Marcel; Li, Abby; Mundi, William R; Padilla, Stephanie; Piersma, Aldert H; Bal-Price, Anna; Seiler, Andrea; Westerink, Remco H; Zimmer, Bastian; Lein, Pamela J

2017-01-01

There is a paucity of information concerning the developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) hazard posed by industrial and environmental chemicals. New testing approaches will most likely be based on batteries of alternative and complementary (non-animal) tests. As DNT is assumed to result from the modulation of fundamental neurodevelopmental processes (such as neuronal differentiation, precursor cell migration or neuronal network formation) by chemicals, the first generation of alternative DNT tests target these processes. The advantage of such types of assays is that they capture toxicants with multiple targets and modes-of-action. Moreover, the processes modelled by the assays can be linked to toxicity endophenotypes, i.e., alterations in neural connectivity that form the basis for neurofunctional deficits in man. The authors of this review convened in a workshop to define criteria for the selection of positive/negative controls, to prepare recommendations on their use, and to initiate the setup of a directory of reference chemicals. For initial technical optimization of tests, a set of > 50 endpoint-specific control compounds was identified. For further test development, an additional "test" set of 33 chemicals considered to act directly as bona fide DNT toxicants is proposed, and each chemical is annotated to the extent it fulfills these criteria. A tabular compilation of the original literature used to select the test set chemicals provides information on statistical procedures, and toxic/non-toxic doses (both for pups and dams). Suggestions are provided on how to use the > 100 compounds (including negative controls) compiled here to address specificity, adversity and use of alternative test systems.

Technical analysis of the Slosson Written Expression Test.

PubMed

Erford, Bradley T; Hofler, Donald B

2004-06-01

The Slosson Written Expression Test was designed to assess students ages 8-17 years at risk for difficulties in written expression. Scores from three independent samples were used to evaluate the test's reliability and validity for measuring students' written expression. Test-retest reliability of the SWET subscales ranged from .80 to .94 (n = 151), and .95 for the Written Expression Total Standard Scores. The median alternate-form reliability for students' Written Expression Total Standard Scores was .81 across the three forms. Scores on the Slosson test yielded concurrent validity coefficients (n = 143) of .60 with scores from the Woodcock-Johnson: Tests of Achievement-Third Edition Broad Written Language Domain and .49 with scores on the Test of Written Language-Third Edition Spontaneous Writing Quotient. Exploratory factor analytic procedures suggested the Slosson test is comprised of two dimensions, Writing Mechanics and Writing Maturity (47.1% and 20.1% variance accounted for, respectively). In general, the Slosson Written Expression Test presents with sufficient technical characteristics to be considered a useful written expression screening test.

Fires, Earthquakes and Floods: How to Prepare Your Library and Staff.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn, Miriam

1994-01-01

Discusses emergency plans for dealing with disasters in information centers and describes four information centers' responses to various disasters. Topics addressed include authority and leadership; money and insurance; information resources, including computers and software; alternate locations and forms of communication; and testing. A list of…

The Interpretation of Student Performance on Evaluative Tests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aikenhead, Glen S.

Reported is a study on the use of quantitative data in evaluating a science course for the purpose of introducing an alternative form of information presentation capable of supplying qualitative feedback valuable to students, teachers, and curriculum developers. Fifty-five teachers, randomly selected during the 1967-68 Project Physics (PP)…

A Comparative Neuropsychological Test Battery Differentiates Cognitive Signatures of Fragile X and Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kogan, C. S.; Boutet, I.; Cornish, K.; Graham, G. E.; Berry-Kravis, E.; Drouin, A.; Milgram, N. W.

2009-01-01

Background: Standardised neuropsychological and cognitive measures present some limitations in their applicability and generalisability to individuals with intellectual disability (ID). Alternative approaches to defining the cognitive signatures of various forms of ID are needed to advance our understanding of the profiles of strengths and…

Parental attitudes toward pediatric use of complementary/alternative medicine in Turkey.

PubMed

Ustuner Top, Fadime; Konuk Sener, Dilek; Cangur, Sengul

2017-07-01

This study was conducted to determine the pediatric usage of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) by parents in Turkey, the incidence of using these methods, and the factors affecting their use. The sectional and relational design of the study included a sample of 497 parents who took children for treatment at the Maternity and Children's Hospital in Giresun, Turkey. Data for the study were collected via the Personal Information Form and the Evaluation Form for Complementary/Alternative Treatment Use. The data collection tools were filled out by the researchers during the face-to-face interviews. Data obtained from the study were analyzed by Pearson chi-square, Fisher-Freeman-Halton and Fisher's exact (posthoc Bonferroni) tests and Z-test. It was determined that 97.7% of the parents had used at least one CAM method. Moreover, the parents had used CAM methods mostly for respiratory complaints. The CAM methods were most commonly used for the symptoms of fever, diarrhea, and cough. It was observed that the most commonly used alternative methods in the past were vitamin/mineral remedies, cold treatments, and hodja (Islamic teacher) consultations, while the most common alternative methods currently used are massage, music, and cold treatment. In addition, the differences found between CAM users in terms of sociodemographic characteristics were not statistically significant. It is crucial for nurses to learn the characteristics of the health/disease treatments used by those with whom they work in order to increase the efficiency of the service they provide. Thus, it was recommended that nurses should be knowledgeable and aware of the benefits/side effects, treatment methods, and contraindications of CAM. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Alternate Forms of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devito, Anthony J.; Kubis, Joseph F.

1983-01-01

Alternate forms of the state anxiety (A-State) and trait anxiety (A-Trait) scales of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were constructed by dividing the 20 items of each scale into two briefer forms having 10 items each. The alternate forms and item statistics are presented. (Author/BW)

Reference compounds for alternative test methods to indicate developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) potential of chemicals: example lists and criteria for their selection and use

PubMed Central

Aschner, Michael; Ceccatelli, Sandra; Daneshian, Mardas; Fritsche, Ellen; Hasiwa, Nina; Hartung, Thomas; Hogberg, Helena T.; Leist, Marcel; Li, Abby; Mundy, William R.; Padilla, Stephanie; Piersma, Aldert H.; Bal-Price, Anna; Seiler, Andrea; Westerink, Remco H.; Zimmer, Bastian; Lein, Pamela J.

2016-01-01

Summary There is a paucity of information concerning the developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) hazard posed by industrial and environmental chemicals. New testing approaches will most likely be based on batteries of alternative and complementary (non-animal) tests. As DNT is assumed to result from the modulation of fundamental neurodevelopmental processes (such as neuronal differentiation, precursor cell migration or neuronal network formation) by chemicals, the first generation of alternative DNT tests target these processes. The advantage of such types of assays is that they capture toxicants with multiple targets and modes-of-action. Moreover, the processes modelled by the assays can be linked to toxicity endophenotypes, i.e. alterations in neural connectivity that form the basis for neurofunctional deficits in man. The authors of this review convened in a workshop to define criteria for the selection of positive/negative controls, to prepare recommendations on their use, and to initiate the setup of a directory of reference chemicals. For initial technical optimization of tests, a set of >50 endpoint-specific control compounds was identified. For further test development, an additional “test” set of 33 chemicals considered to act directly as bona fide DNT toxicants is proposed, and each chemical is annotated to the extent it fulfills these criteria. A tabular compilation of the original literature used to select the test set chemicals provides information on statistical procedures, and toxic/non-toxic doses (both for pups and dams). Suggestions are provided on how to use the >100 compounds (including negative controls) compiled here to address specificity, adversity and use of alternative test systems. PMID:27452664

Phototoxicity assessment of drugs and cosmetic products using E. coli.

PubMed

Verma, K; Agrawal, N; Misra, R B; Farooq, M; Hans, R K

2008-02-01

A gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli (Dh5alpha strain) was developed as an alternate test system of phototoxicity. Eight drugs (antibiotics) and cosmetic products (eight face creams) were examined for their phototoxicity using this test system. Five known phototoxic compounds were used to validate the test system. UVA-radiation induced phototoxicity of these compounds was tested by agar gel diffusion assay. Decrease in colony forming units (CFU) was taken as an end point of phototoxicity. The phototoxic compounds and antibiotics produced significant reduction in CFU (p<0.001) at 80 microg/ml concentrations under exposure to UVA-radiation (5.4-10.8 J/cm(2)). One face cream was found phototoxic and produced significant decrease in CFU of E. coli at 1.0mg/ml concentration under UVA exposure (10.8 J/cm(2)). The minimum effective concentration of tetracycline and dose of UVA-radiation were also determined by observing growth inhibition of E. coli through disc diffusion assay. The observations suggested that E. coli can be used as an alternative test system for phototoxicity evaluation of chemicals. A battery of test systems is required to conclude the toxic/phototoxic potential of a chemical agent. In view of the speed, easiness, sensitivity and low cost, E. coli is introduced as one of the alternate test system for phototoxicity studies in safety evaluation of various chemical ingredients or formulations used in cosmetics and drugs.

The design organization test: further demonstration of reliability and validity as a brief measure of visuospatial ability.

PubMed

Killgore, William D S; Gogel, Hannah

2014-01-01

Neuropsychological assessments are frequently time-consuming and fatiguing for patients. Brief screening evaluations may reduce test duration and allow more efficient use of time by permitting greater attention toward neuropsychological domains showing probable deficits. The Design Organization Test (DOT) was initially developed as a 2-min paper-and-pencil alternative for the Block Design (BD) subtest of the Wechsler scales. Although initially validated for clinical neurologic patients, we sought to further establish the reliability and validity of this test in a healthy, more diverse population. Two alternate versions of the DOT and the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI) were administered to 61 healthy adult participants. The DOT showed high alternate forms reliability (r = .90-.92), and the two versions yielded equivalent levels of performance. The DOT was highly correlated with BD (r = .76-.79) and was significantly correlated with all subscales of the WASI. The DOT proved useful when used in lieu of BD in the calculation of WASI IQ scores. Findings support the reliability and validity of the DOT as a measure of visuospatial ability and suggest its potential worth as an efficient estimate of intellectual functioning in situations where lengthier tests may be inappropriate or unfeasible.

Comparative analysis of methods and optical-electronic equipment to control the form parameters of spherical mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikitin, Alexander N.; Baryshnikov, Nikolay; Denisov, Dmitrii; Karasik, Valerii; Sakharov, Alexey; Romanov, Pavel; Sheldakova, Julia; Kudryashov, Alexis

2018-02-01

In this paper we consider two approaches widely used in testing of spherical optical surfaces: Fizeau interferometer and Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor. Fizeau interferometer that is widely used in optical testing can be transformed to a device using Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor, the alternative technique to check spherical optical components. We call this device Hartmannometer, and compare its features to those of Fizeau interferometer.

Testing an alternate informed consent process.

PubMed

Yates, Bernice C; Dodendorf, Diane; Lane, Judy; LaFramboise, Louise; Pozehl, Bunny; Duncan, Kathleen; Knodel, Kendra

2009-01-01

One of the main problems in conducting clinical trials is low participation rate due to potential participants' misunderstanding of the rationale for the clinical trial or perceptions of loss of control over treatment decisions. The objective of this study was to test an alternate informed consent process in cardiac rehabilitation participants that involved the use of a multimedia flip chart to describe a future randomized clinical trial and then asked, hypothetically, if they would participate in the future trial. An attractive and inviting visual presentation of the study was created in the form of a 23-page flip chart that included 24 color photographs displaying information about the purpose of the study, similarities and differences between the two treatment groups, and the data collection process. We tested the flip chart in 35 cardiac rehabilitation participants. Participants were asked if they would participate in this future study on two occasions: immediately after the description of the flip chart and 24 hours later, after reading through the informed consent document. Participants were also asked their perceptions of the flip chart and consent process. Of the 35 participants surveyed, 19 (54%) indicated that they would participate in the future study. No participant changed his or her decision 24 hours later after reading the full consent form. The participation rate improved 145% over that of an earlier feasibility study where the recruitment rate was 22%. Most participants stated that the flip chart was helpful and informative and that the photographs were effective in communicating the purpose of the study. Participation rates could be enhanced in future clinical trials by using a visual presentation to explain and describe the study as part of the informed consent process. More research is needed to test alternate methods of obtaining informed consent.

Effluent Management Facility Evaporator Bottom-Waste Streams Formulation and Waste Form Qualification Testing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saslow, Sarah A.; Um, Wooyong; Russell, Renee L.

This report describes the results from grout formulation and cementitious waste form qualification testing performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) for Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS). These results are part of a screening test that investigates three grout formulations proposed for wide-range treatment of different waste stream compositions expected for the Hanford Effluent Management Facility (EMF) evaporator bottom waste. This work supports the technical development need for alternative disposition paths for the EMF evaporator bottom wastes and future direct feed low-activity waste (DFLAW) operations at the Hanford Site. High-priority activities included simulant production, grout formulation, and cementitious wastemore » form qualification testing. The work contained within this report relates to waste form development and testing, and does not directly support the 2017 Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) performance assessment (PA). However, this work contains valuable information for use in PA maintenance past FY 2017 and future waste form development efforts. The provided results and data should be used by (1) cementitious waste form scientists to further the understanding of cementitious leach behavior of contaminants of concern (COCs), (2) decision makers interested in off-site waste form disposal, and (3) the U.S. Department of Energy, their Hanford Site contractors and stakeholders as they assess the IDF PA program at the Hanford Site. The results reported help fill existing data gaps, support final selection of a cementitious waste form for the EMF evaporator bottom waste, and improve the technical defensibility of long-term waste form risk estimates.« less

Calibrating/testing meters in hot water test bench VM7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kling, E.; Stolt, K.; Lau, P.; Mattiasson, K.

A Hot Water Test Bench, VM7, has been developed and constructed for the calibration and testing of volume and flowmeters, in a project at the National Volume Measurement Laboratory at the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute. The intended area of use includes use as a reference at audit measurements, e.g. for accredited laboratories, calibration of meters for the industry and for the testing of hot water meters. The objective of the project, which was initiated in 1989, was to design equipment with stable flow and with a minimal temperature drop even at very low flow rates. The principle of the design is a closed system with two pressure tanks at different pressures. The water is led from the high pressure tank through the test object and the volume standard, in the form of master meters or a piston prover alternatively, to the low pressure tank. Calibrations/tests are made comparing the indication of the test object to that of master meters covering the current flow rate. These are, in the same test cycle, calibrated to the piston prover. Alternatively, the test object can be calibrated directly to the piston prover.

A Meta-Analysis of Massage Therapy Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moyer, Christopher A.; Rounds, James; Hannum, James W.

2004-01-01

Massage therapy (MT) is an ancient form of treatment that is now gaining popularity as part of the complementary and alternative medical therapy movement. A meta-analysis was conducted of studies that used random assignment to test the effectiveness of MT. Mean effect sizes were calculated from 37 studies for 9 dependent variables. Single…

49 CFR 173.469 - Tests for special form Class 7 (radioactive) materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... be determined by— (i) A method no less sensitive than the leaching assessment prescribed in paragraph... volume greater than 0.1 milliliter, an alternative to the leaching assessment is a demonstration of... contained in a sealed capsule need not be subjected to the leaching assessment specified in paragraph (c) of...

49 CFR 173.469 - Tests for special form Class 7 (radioactive) materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... be determined by— (i) A method no less sensitive than the leaching assessment prescribed in paragraph... volume greater than 0.1 milliliter, an alternative to the leaching assessment is a demonstration of... contained in a sealed capsule need not be subjected to the leaching assessment specified in paragraph (c) of...

49 CFR 173.469 - Tests for special form Class 7 (radioactive) materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... be determined by— (i) A method no less sensitive than the leaching assessment prescribed in paragraph... volume greater than 0.1 milliliter, an alternative to the leaching assessment is a demonstration of... contained in a sealed capsule need not be subjected to the leaching assessment specified in paragraph (c) of...

Curriculum-Based Measurement of Oral Reading: Passage Equivalence and Probe-Set Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christ, Theodore J.; Ardoin, Scott P.

2009-01-01

Curriculum-based measurement of reading (CBM-R) is used to estimate oral reading fluency. Unlike many traditional published tests, CBM-R materials are often comprised of 20 to 30 alternate forms/passages. Historically, CBM-R assessment materials were sampled from curricular materials. Recent research has documented the potentially deleterious…

Phonological Bases for L2 Morphological Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Chieh-Fang

2010-01-01

Two experiments examined the hypothesis that L1 phonological awareness plays a role in children's ability to extract morphological patterns of English as L2 from the auditory input. In Experiment 1, 84 Chinese-speaking third graders were tested on whether they extracted the alternation pattern between the base and the derived form (e.g.,…

75 FR 37483 - Request for Comments on the Draft Policy Statement on the Protection of Cesium-137 Chloride...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-29

... instruments for end users. This network of facilities ensures that every radiation detection instrument that... associated test-and-evaluation protocols for radiation detection, instrumentation, and personal dosimetry... intrusion. The NRC supports efforts to develop alternate forms of Cs-137 that would reduce the security...

49 CFR 173.469 - Tests for special form Class 7 (radioactive) materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... be determined by— (i) A method no less sensitive than the leaching assessment prescribed in paragraph... volume greater than 0.1 milliliter, an alternative to the leaching assessment is a demonstration of... contained in a sealed capsule need not be subjected to the leaching assessment specified in paragraph (c) of...

An Independent Evaluation of the Technical Features of the Basic Reading Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bieber, Gregg; Hulac, David M.; Schweinle, William

2015-01-01

The present study investigated some psychometric properties of the Basic Reading Inventory (BRI), a widely used informal reading inventory. The BRI and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) probes were administered to 149 third, fourth, and fifth graders. Test--retest and alternate forms reliability analyses indicated adequate…

Endogenous Task Shift Processes in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stablum, F.; Meligrana, L.; Sgaramella, T.; Bortolon, F.; Toso, V.

2004-01-01

This paper reports a study that was aimed to evaluate executive functions in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. The groups tested comprised 22 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients, and 22 non-brain damaged controls. When one is engaged in two speeded tasks, not simultaneously but with some form of alternation, it is slower…

BLISTERING AND DEGRADATION OF POLYURETHANE COATINGS UNDER DIFFERENT ACCELERATED WEATHERING TESTS. (R828081E01)

EPA Science Inventory

An epoxy primer with a high gloss polyurethane topcoat coating system was exposed either only in a QUV chamber or exposed in a QUV chamber and a Prohesion chamber, alternatively, in this study. AFM studies found that micro blisters formed on the coating surface after both expo...

29 CFR 4044.73 - Lump sums and other alternative forms of distribution in lieu of annuities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... distribution is the present value of the normal form of benefit provided by the plan payable at normal... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Lump sums and other alternative forms of distribution in... Benefits and Assets Non-Trusteed Plans § 4044.73 Lump sums and other alternative forms of distribution in...

Selecting Single Model in Combination Forecasting Based on Cointegration Test and Encompassing Test

PubMed Central

Jiang, Chuanjin; Zhang, Jing; Song, Fugen

2014-01-01

Combination forecasting takes all characters of each single forecasting method into consideration, and combines them to form a composite, which increases forecasting accuracy. The existing researches on combination forecasting select single model randomly, neglecting the internal characters of the forecasting object. After discussing the function of cointegration test and encompassing test in the selection of single model, supplemented by empirical analysis, the paper gives the single model selection guidance: no more than five suitable single models can be selected from many alternative single models for a certain forecasting target, which increases accuracy and stability. PMID:24892061

Selecting single model in combination forecasting based on cointegration test and encompassing test.

PubMed

Jiang, Chuanjin; Zhang, Jing; Song, Fugen

2014-01-01

Combination forecasting takes all characters of each single forecasting method into consideration, and combines them to form a composite, which increases forecasting accuracy. The existing researches on combination forecasting select single model randomly, neglecting the internal characters of the forecasting object. After discussing the function of cointegration test and encompassing test in the selection of single model, supplemented by empirical analysis, the paper gives the single model selection guidance: no more than five suitable single models can be selected from many alternative single models for a certain forecasting target, which increases accuracy and stability.

Evidence for alternative trapping strategies in two forms of the pitcher plant, Nepenthes rafflesiana

PubMed Central

Bauer, Ulrike; Grafe, T. Ulmar; Federle, Walter

2011-01-01

Nepenthes pitchers are specialized leaves that function as insect traps. Several pitcher components may contribute to trapping, including the pitcher fluid, slippery wax crystals and downward-pointing epidermal cells on the inner pitcher wall, and the wetness-dependent pitcher rim (peristome), but the relative importance of these traits is unclear. Mechanisms of prey capture and retention in the field were investigated by quantifying the effect of ‘knock-out’ manipulations of individual pitcher structures, and by testing the ability of pitcher fluids and water to retain insects. Two forms of Nepenthes rafflesiana Jack (‘elongate’ and ‘typical’) with contrasting combinations of pitcher traits were compared. Wax crystals on the inner pitcher wall were found to be the most important trapping structure in the elongate form, whereas the typical form relied primarily on the peristome. The pitcher fluids of both forms, differing markedly in the degree of viscoelasticity, retained significantly more ants than water. The present results show that pitcher plants utilize several mechanisms for prey capture and retention, varying in efficiency and relative importance between forms. It is proposed that these differences represent alternative prey capture strategies that may provide a mechanism to reduce competition and facilitate species co-existence in nutrient-limited habitats. PMID:21459766

Evidence for alternative trapping strategies in two forms of the pitcher plant, Nepenthes rafflesiana.

PubMed

Bauer, Ulrike; Grafe, T Ulmar; Federle, Walter

2011-06-01

Nepenthes pitchers are specialized leaves that function as insect traps. Several pitcher components may contribute to trapping, including the pitcher fluid, slippery wax crystals and downward-pointing epidermal cells on the inner pitcher wall, and the wetness-dependent pitcher rim (peristome), but the relative importance of these traits is unclear. Mechanisms of prey capture and retention in the field were investigated by quantifying the effect of 'knock-out' manipulations of individual pitcher structures, and by testing the ability of pitcher fluids and water to retain insects. Two forms of Nepenthes rafflesiana Jack ('elongate' and 'typical') with contrasting combinations of pitcher traits were compared. Wax crystals on the inner pitcher wall were found to be the most important trapping structure in the elongate form, whereas the typical form relied primarily on the peristome. The pitcher fluids of both forms, differing markedly in the degree of viscoelasticity, retained significantly more ants than water. The present results show that pitcher plants utilize several mechanisms for prey capture and retention, varying in efficiency and relative importance between forms. It is proposed that these differences represent alternative prey capture strategies that may provide a mechanism to reduce competition and facilitate species co-existence in nutrient-limited habitats.

The fish embryo test (FET): origin, applications, and future.

PubMed

Braunbeck, Thomas; Kais, Britta; Lammer, Eva; Otte, Jens; Schneider, Katharina; Stengel, Daniel; Strecker, Ruben

2015-11-01

Originally designed as an alternative for the acute fish toxicity test according to, e.g., OECD TG 203, the fish embryo test (FET) with the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been optimized, standardized, and validated during an OECD validation study and adopted as OECD TG 236 as a test to assess toxicity of embryonic forms of fish. Given its excellent correlation with the acute fish toxicity test and the fact that non-feeding developmental stages of fish are not categorized as protected stages according to the new European Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, the FET is ready for use not only for range-finding but also as a true alternative for the acute fish toxicity test, as required for a multitude of national and international regulations. If-for ethical reasons-not accepted as a full alternative, the FET represents at least a refinement in the sense of the 3Rs principle. Objections to the use of the FET have mainly been based on the putative lack of biotransformation capacity and the assumption that highly lipophilic and/or high molecular weight substances might not have access to the embryo due to the protective role of the chorion. With respect to bioactivation, the only substance identified so far as not being activated in the zebrafish embryo is allyl alcohol; all other biotransformation processes that have been studied in more detail so far were found to be present, albeit, in some cases, at lower levels than in adult fish. With respect to larger molecules, the extension of the test duration to 96 h (i.e., beyond hatch) has-at least for the substances tested so far-compensated for the reduced access to the embryo; however, more research is necessary to fully explore the applicability of the FET to substances with a molecular weight >3 kDa as well as substances with a neurotoxic mode of action. An extension of the endpoints to also cover sublethal endpoints makes the FET a powerful tool for the detection of teratogenicity, dioxin-like activity, genotoxicity and mutagenicity, neurotoxicity, as well as various forms of endocrine disruption.

Pressure activated interconnection of micro transfer printed components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prevatte, Carl; Guven, Ibrahim; Ghosal, Kanchan; Gomez, David; Moore, Tanya; Bonafede, Salvatore; Raymond, Brook; Trindade, António Jose; Fecioru, Alin; Kneeburg, David; Meitl, Matthew A.; Bower, Christopher A.

2016-05-01

Micro transfer printing and other forms of micro assembly deterministically produce heterogeneously integrated systems of miniaturized components on non-native substrates. Most micro assembled systems include electrical interconnections to the miniaturized components, typically accomplished by metal wires formed on the non-native substrate after the assembly operation. An alternative scheme establishing interconnections during the assembly operation is a cost-effective manufacturing method for producing heterogeneous microsystems, and facilitates the repair of integrated microsystems, such as displays, by ex post facto addition of components to correct defects after system-level tests. This letter describes pressure-concentrating conductor structures formed on silicon (1 0 0) wafers to establish connections to preexisting conductive traces on glass and plastic substrates during micro transfer printing with an elastomer stamp. The pressure concentrators penetrate a polymer layer to form the connection, and reflow of the polymer layer bonds the components securely to the target substrate. The experimental yield of series-connected test systems with >1000 electrical connections demonstrates the suitability of the process for manufacturing, and robustness of the test systems against exposure to thermal shock, damp heat, and mechanical flexure shows reliability of the resulting bonds.

Loop-driven conformational transition between the alternative and collapsed form of prethrombin-2: targeted molecular dynamics study.

PubMed

Wu, Sangwook

2017-01-01

Two distinct crystal structures of prethrombin-2, the alternative and collapsed forms, are elucidated by X-ray crystallogrphy. We analyzed the conformational transition from the alternative to the collapsed form employing targeted molecular dynamics (TMD) simulation. Despite small RMSD difference in the two X-ray crystal structures, some hydrophobic residues (W60d, W148, W215, and F227) show a significant difference between the two conformations. TMD simulation shows that the four hydrophobic residues undergo concerted movement from dimer to trimer transition via tetramer state in the conformational change from the alternative to the collapsed form. We reveal that the concerted movement of the four hydrophobic residues is controlled by movement of specific loop regions behind. In this paper, we propose a sequential scenario for the conformational transition from the alternative form to the collapsed form, which is partially supported by the mutant W148A simulation.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Test Your Alternative Fuel IQ

Science.gov Websites

Test Your Alternative Fuel IQ to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Test Your Alternative Fuel IQ on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: Test Your Alternative Fuel IQ on Twitter Bookmark Alternative Fuels Data Center: Test Your Alternative Fuel IQ on Google Bookmark

Specificities of the enzymes of N-alkyltropane biosynthesis in Brugmansia and Datura.

PubMed

Boswell, H D; Dräger, B; McLauchlan, W R; Portsteffen, A; Robins, D J; Robins, R J; Walton, N J

1999-11-01

The enzymes N-methylputrescine oxidase (MPO), the tropine-forming tropinone reductase (TRI), the pseudotropine-forming tropinone reductase (TRII), the tropine:acyl-CoA transferase (TAT) and the pseudotropine:acyl-CoA transferase (PAT) extracted from transformed root cultures of Datura stramonium and a Brugmansia candida x aurea hybrid were tested for their ability to accept a range of alternative substrates. MPO activity was tested with N-alkylputrescines and N-alkylcadaverines as substrates. TRI and TRII reduction was tested against a series of N-alkylnortropinones, N-alkylnorpelletierines and structurally related ketones as substrates. TAT and PAT esterification tests used a series of N-substituted tropines, pseudotropines, pelletierinols and pseudopelletierinols as substrates to assess the formation of their respective acetyl and tigloyl esters. The results generally show that these enzymes will accept alien substrates to varying degrees. Such studies may shed some light on the overall topology of the active sites of the enzymes concerned.

Sensitization of Laser-beam Welded Martensitic Stainless Steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahmen, Martin; Rajendran, Kousika Dhasanur; Lindner, Stefan

Ferritic and martensitic stainless steels are an attractive alternative in vehicle production due to their inherent corrosion resistance. By the opportunity of press hardening, their strength can be increased to up to 2000 MPa, making them competitors for unalloyed ultra-high strength steels. Welding, nevertheless, requires special care, especially when it comes to joining of high strength heat treated materials. With an adopted in-line heat treatment of the welds in as-rolled as well as press hardened condition, materials with sufficient fatigue strength and acceptable structural behavior can be produced. Because of microstructural transformations in the base material such as grain coarsening and forced carbide precipitation, the corrosion resistance of the weld zone may be locally impaired. Typically the material in the heat-affected zone becomes sensitive to intergranular cracking in the form of knife-edge corrosion besides the fusion line. The current study comprises of two text scenarios. By an alternating climate test, general response in a corroding environment is screened. In order to understand the corrosion mechanisms and to localize the sensitive zones, sensitisation tests were undertaken. Furthermore, the applicability of a standard test according to ASTM 763-83 was examined. It was found that the alternative climate test does not reveal any corrosion effects. Testing by the oxalic acid test revealed clearly the effect of welding, weld heat treatment and state of thermal processing. Also application of the standard which originally suited for testing ferritic stainless steels could have been justified.

Trypanocidal activity of the essential oils in their conventional and nanoemulsion forms: in vitro tests.

PubMed

Baldissera, Matheus D; Da Silva, Aleksandro S; Oliveira, Camila B; Zimmermann, Carine E P; Vaucher, Rodrigo A; Santos, Roberto C V; Rech, Virginia C; Tonin, Alexandre A; Giongo, Janice L; Mattos, Cristiane B; Koester, Letícia; Santurio, Janio M; Monteiro, Silvia G

2013-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the susceptibility in vitro of Trypanosoma evansi to the essential oils of andiroba (Carapa guaianensis) and aroeira (Schinus molle), in their conventional and nanostructured forms. For that, pure oils at concentrations of 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0% were used. A negative control (untreated) and a positive control (diminazene aceturate 0.5%) were used as comparative parameters. Later, the same tests were performed, using nanoemulsions oils at concentrations of 0.5% and 1.0%. The tests were carried out in triplicates and the numbers of parasites were quantified on 1, 3 and 6 h from onset of the study. A dose-dependent reduction in the number of parasites to the forms of two oils tested was observed after 1 h. The concentration of parasites was significantly reduced at low concentrations after 3 h, as well as at 6 h no alive parasites were observed for the essential oils tested. Ours findings indicate, for the first time, that oils of andiroba and aroeira (in their conventional and nanoemulsion forms) have high activity against T. evansi in vitro, leading to the suggestion that these oils may be applied as an alternative treatment for this disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Alternative Time for Telling: When Conceptual Instruction Prior to Exploration Improves Mathematical Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fyfe, Emily R.; DeCaro, Marci S.; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany

2013-01-01

An emerging consensus suggests that guided discovery, which combines discovery and instruction, is a more effective educational approach than either one in isolation. The goal of this study was to examine two specific forms of guided discovery, testing whether conceptual instruction should precede or follow exploratory problem solving. In both…

Scene and Position Specificity in Visual Memory for Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollingworth, Andrew

2006-01-01

This study investigated whether and how visual representations of individual objects are bound in memory to scene context. Participants viewed a series of naturalistic scenes, and memory for the visual form of a target object in each scene was examined in a 2-alternative forced-choice test, with the distractor object either a different object…

Vegetarianism. New Horizons in Nutrition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Justine; Grogan, Jane, Ed.

This instructional handbook is one of a series of ten packets designed to form a comprehensive course in nutrition for secondary students. This unit examines the vegetarian diet as a viable alternative, and at the same time, it introduces the topics of protein and vitamin B12. It contains a page of teaching suggestions, a pre-test for the…

Sensitivity of Equated Aggregate Scores to the Treatment of Misbehaving Common Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaelides, Michalis P.

2010-01-01

The delta-plot method (Angoff, 1972) is a graphical technique used in the context of test equating for identifying common items with aberrant changes in their item difficulties across administrations or alternate forms. This brief research report explores the effects on equated aggregate scores when delta-plot outliers are either retained in or…

Selection and properties of alternative forming fluids for TRISO fuel kernel production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker, M. P.; King, J. C.; Gorman, B. P.

2013-01-01

Current Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) designs incorporate TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel, which consists of a spherical fissile fuel kernel surrounded by layers of pyrolytic carbon and silicon carbide. An internal sol-gel process forms the fuel kernel using wet chemistry to produce uranium oxyhydroxide gel spheres by dropping a cold precursor solution into a hot column of trichloroethylene (TCE). Over time, gelation byproducts inhibit complete gelation, and the TCE must be purified or discarded. The resulting TCE waste stream contains both radioactive and hazardous materials and is thus considered a mixed hazardous waste. Changing the forming fluid to a non-hazardousmore » alternative could greatly improve the economics of TRISO fuel kernel production. Selection criteria for a replacement forming fluid narrowed a list of ~10,800 chemicals to yield ten potential replacement forming fluids: 1-bromododecane, 1- bromotetradecane, 1-bromoundecane, 1-chlorooctadecane, 1-chlorotetradecane, 1-iododecane, 1-iodododecane, 1-iodohexadecane, 1-iodooctadecane, and squalane. The density, viscosity, and surface tension for each potential replacement forming fluid were measured as a function of temperature between 25 °C and 80 °C. Calculated settling velocities and heat transfer rates give an overall column height approximation. 1-bromotetradecane, 1-chlorooctadecane, and 1-iodododecane show the greatest promise as replacements, and future tests will verify their ability to form satisfactory fuel kernels.« less

Selection and properties of alternative forming fluids for TRISO fuel kernel production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, M. P.; King, J. C.; Gorman, B. P.; Marshall, D. W.

2013-01-01

Current Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) designs incorporate TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) fuel, which consists of a spherical fissile fuel kernel surrounded by layers of pyrolytic carbon and silicon carbide. An internal sol-gel process forms the fuel kernel using wet chemistry to produce uranium oxyhydroxide gel spheres by dropping a cold precursor solution into a hot column of trichloroethylene (TCE). Over time, gelation byproducts inhibit complete gelation, and the TCE must be purified or discarded. The resulting TCE waste stream contains both radioactive and hazardous materials and is thus considered a mixed hazardous waste. Changing the forming fluid to a non-hazardous alternative could greatly improve the economics of TRISO fuel kernel production. Selection criteria for a replacement forming fluid narrowed a list of ˜10,800 chemicals to yield ten potential replacement forming fluids: 1-bromododecane, 1-bromotetradecane, 1-bromoundecane, 1-chlorooctadecane, 1-chlorotetradecane, 1-iododecane, 1-iodododecane, 1-iodohexadecane, 1-iodooctadecane, and squalane. The density, viscosity, and surface tension for each potential replacement forming fluid were measured as a function of temperature between 25 °C and 80 °C. Calculated settling velocities and heat transfer rates give an overall column height approximation. 1-bromotetradecane, 1-chlorooctadecane, and 1-iodododecane show the greatest promise as replacements, and future tests will verify their ability to form satisfactory fuel kernels.

Alternative High-Performance Ceramic Waste Forms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sundaram, S. K.

This final report (M5NU-12-NY-AU # 0202-0410) summarizes the results of the project titled “Alternative High-Performance Ceramic Waste Forms,” funded in FY12 by the Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP Project # 12-3809) being led by Alfred University in collaboration with Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL). The overall focus of the project is to advance fundamental understanding of crystalline ceramic waste forms and to demonstrate their viability as alternative waste forms to borosilicate glasses. We processed single- and multiphase hollandite waste forms based on simulated waste streams compositions provided by SRNL based on the advanced fuel cycle initiative (AFCI) aqueous separation process developed in the Fuel Cycle Research and Development (FCR&D). For multiphase simulated waste forms, oxide and carbonate precursors were mixed together via ball milling with deionized water using zirconia media in a polyethylene jar for 2 h. The slurry was dried overnight and then separated from the media. The blended powders were then subjected to melting or spark plasma sintering (SPS) processes. Microstructural evolution and phase assemblages of these samples were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion analysis of x-rays (EDAX), wavelength dispersive spectrometry (WDS), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM), selective area x-ray diffraction (SAXD), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). These results showed that the processing methods have significant effect on the microstructure and thus the performance of these waste forms. The Ce substitution into zirconolite and pyrochlore materials was investigated using a combination of experimental (in situ XRD and x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES)) and modeling techniques to study these single phases independently. In zirconolite materials, a transition from the 2M to the 4M polymorph was observed with increasing Ce content. The resulting powders were consolidated via SPS. Ce was reduced to the trivalent oxidation state and the zirconolite was converted into undesirable perovskite. The zirconolite polymorphs found in the synthesized powders were recovered after a post-SPS heat treatment in air. These results demonstrated the potential of processing in controlling the phase assemblage in these waste forms. Hollandites with Cr 3+ trivalent cations were identified as potential hosts for Cs immobilization and are being investigated for Cs retention properties. Series of compositions Ba 1.15-xCs 2xCr 2.3Ti 5.7O 16, with increasing Cs loadings, were prepared by sol-gel process and characterized for structural parameters. Structural characterization was performed by a combination of powder XRD and neutron powder diffraction. Phase pure hollandite adapting monoclinic symmetry (I2/m) was observed for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.55. These results were used to develop a new structural model to interpret Cs immobilization in these hollandites. Performance of these waste forms were evaluated for chemical durability and radiation resistance. Product consistency testing (PCT) and vapor hydration testing (VHT) were used for testing of chemical durability. Radiation resistance was tested using He + ions to simulatemore » $$\\alpha$$ particles and heavy ions such as Au 3+ to simulate a recoil. These results showed that these waste forms were chemically durable. The waste forms also amorphized to various degrees on exposure to simulated radiation.« less

Principles of Work Sample Testing. 3. Construction and Evaluation of Work Sample Tests

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-04-01

with an enphasis on examining alternative explanations for scores), and in some cases evidence of predictive or other criterion-related corre- lations...34 Generalizability in this case is a function of the number of behavioral elements (task elements) in one component task that are also included in one or...evaluation of the results of task per- formance. In either case measurement depends on some form of observa- tion or an observational aid. It is Lnlikely

Un estudio de evaluacion educativa manipulativos en el aprendizaje de las matematicas con estudiantes hispanos adquiriendo ingles academico como segunda lengua (A Study of the Use of Manipulatives in the Assessment of Mathematics Instruction with ESL Hispanic Students).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lara-Alecio, Rafael; Parker, Richard; Aviles, Claudia; Mason, Samantha; Irby, Beverly J.

1998-01-01

As an alternative form of mathematics assessment for use with limited-English-proficient students, 14 mathematics tasks using manipulatives were administered to 45 Hispanic students in grades 1-3 and readministered 2-3 weeks later. Test reliability and validity, task difficulty, and the relationship among test subscales across grades were…

5 CFR 2634.905 - Use of alternative procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... may use an alternative procedure in lieu of filing the OGE Form 450 or OGE Optional Form 450-A. The alternative procedure may be an agency-specific form to be filed in place thereof. An agency must submit for... that there is no such relationship, she signs and dates a certification which verifies that she has...

5 CFR 2634.905 - Use of alternative procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... may use an alternative procedure in lieu of filing the OGE Form 450 or OGE Optional Form 450-A. The alternative procedure may be an agency-specific form to be filed in place thereof. An agency must submit for... that there is no such relationship, she signs and dates a certification which verifies that she has...

5 CFR 2634.905 - Use of alternative procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... may use an alternative procedure in lieu of filing the OGE Form 450 or OGE Optional Form 450-A. The alternative procedure may be an agency-specific form to be filed in place thereof. An agency must submit for... that there is no such relationship, she signs and dates a certification which verifies that she has...

5 CFR 2634.905 - Use of alternative procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... may use an alternative procedure in lieu of filing the OGE Form 450 or OGE Optional Form 450-A. The alternative procedure may be an agency-specific form to be filed in place thereof. An agency must submit for... that there is no such relationship, she signs and dates a certification which verifies that she has...

Alternative Electrochemical Salt Waste Forms, Summary of FY11-FY12 Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Riley, Brian J.; Mccloy, John S.; Crum, Jarrod V.

2014-01-17

The Fuel Cycle Research and Development Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, is currently investigating alternative waste forms for wastes generated from nuclear fuel processing. One such waste results from an electrochemical separations process, called the “Echem” process. The Echem process utilizes a molten KCl-LiCl salt to dissolve the fuel. This process results in a spent salt containing alkali, alkaline earth, lanthanide halides and small quantities of actinide halides, where the primary halide is chloride with a minor iodide fraction. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is concurrently investigating two candidate waste forms for themore » Echem spent-salt: high-halide minerals (i.e., sodalite and cancrinite) and tellurite (TeO2)-based glasses. Both of these candidates showed promise in fiscal year (FY) 2009 and FY2010 with a simplified nonradioactive simulant of the Echem waste. Further testing was performed on these waste forms in FY2011 and FY2012 to assess the possibility of their use in a sustainable fuel cycle. This report summarizes the combined results from FY2011 and FY2012 efforts.« less

Fuel Economy and Emissions of a Vehicle Equipped with an Aftermarket Flexible-Fuel Conversion Kit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thomas, John F; Huff, Shean P; West, Brian H

2012-04-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grants Certificates of Conformity for alternative fuel conversion systems and also offers other forms of premarket registration of conversion kits for use in vehicles more than two model years old. Use of alternative fuels such as ethanol, natural gas, and propane are encouraged by the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) produce emissions-certified vehicles capable of using alternative fuels, and several alternative fuel conversion system manufacturers produce EPA-approved conversion systems for a variety of alternative fuels and vehicle types. To date, only one manufacturer (Flex Fuel U.S.) has received EPAmore » certifications for ethanol fuel (E85) conversion kits. This report details an independent evaluation of a vehicle with a legal installation of a Flex Fuel U.S. conversion kit. A 2006 Dodge Charger was baseline tested with ethanol-free certification gasoline (E0) and E20 (gasoline with 20 vol % ethanol), converted to flex-fuel operation via installation of a Flex Box Smart Kit from Flex Fuel U.S., and retested with E0, E20, E50, and E81. Test cycles included the Federal Test Procedure (FTP or city cycle), the highway fuel economy test (HFET), and the US06 test (aggressive driving test). Averaged test results show that the vehicle was emissions compliant on E0 in the OEM condition (before conversion) and compliant on all test fuels after conversion. Average nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions exceeded the Tier 2/Bin 5 intermediate life NO{sub X} standard with E20 fuel in the OEM condition due to two of three test results exceeding this standard [note that E20 is not a legal fuel for non-flexible-fuel vehicles (non-FFVs)]. In addition, one E0 test result before conversion and one E20 test result after conversion exceeded the NOX standard, although the average result in these two cases was below the standard. Emissions of ethanol and acetaldehyde increased with increasing ethanol, while nonmethane organic gas and CO emissions remained relatively unchanged for all fuels and cycles. Higher fraction ethanol blends appeared to decrease NO{sub X} emissions on the FTP and HFET (after conversion). As expected, fuel economy (miles per gallon) decreased with increasing ethanol content in all cases.« less

Transgene vaccination using Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-1) for targeted mucosal immunization against HIV-1 envelope.

PubMed

Wang, Xinhai; Kochetkova, Irina; Haddad, Asmahan; Hoyt, Teri; Hone, David M; Pascual, David W

2005-05-31

Receptor-mediated gene transfer using an M cell ligand has been shown to be an efficient method for mucosal DNA immunization. To investigate further into alternative M cell ligands, the plant lectin, Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-1), was tested. UEA-1 binds to human intestinal Caco-2 cells, and these cells can be transfected with poly-l-lysine (PL)-conjugated UEA-1 for expression of reporter cDNAs. When tested in vivo, mice nasally immunized with UEA-1-PL complexed to plasmid encoding HIV-1 envelope showed elevated systemic and mucosal antibody responses, and these were supported by tissue antibody-forming cells. Likewise, elevated envelope-specific CTLs were induced. Thus, UEA-1 mediated DNA delivery represents an alternative mucosal formulation for inducing humoral and cellular immunity against HIV-1.

Alternative Bio-Derived JP-8 Class Fuel and JP-8 Fuel: Flame Tube Combustor Test Results Compared using a GE TAPS Injector Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hicks, Yolanda R.; Tedder, Sarah A.; Anderson, Robert C.

2016-01-01

This paper presents results from tests in a flame tube facility, where a bio-derived alternate fuel was compared with JP-8 for emissions and general combustion performance. A research version of General Electric Aviation (GE) TAPS injector was used for the tests. Results include combustion efficiency from gaseous emission measurements, 2D planar laser-based imaging as well as basic flow visualization of the flame. Four inlet test conditions were selected that simulate various engine power conditions relevant to NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Supersonics Project and Environmentally Responsible Aviation Program. One inlet condition was a pilot-only test point. The other three inlet conditions incorporated fuel staging via a split between the pilot and main circuits of either 10%/90% or 20%/80%. For each engine power condition, three fuel mixes were used: 100% JP-8; 100% alternative; and a blend of the two, containing 75% alternative. Results for the inlet cases that have fuel split between pilot and main, indicate that fuel from the pilot appears to be evaporated by the time it reaches the dome exit. Main circuit liquid evaporates within a downstream distance equal to annulus height, no matter the fuel. Some fuel fluorescence images for a 10%/90% fuel staging case show a distinct difference between JP-8 and bio-derived fuel. OH PLIF results indicate that OH forms in a region more centrally-located for the JP-8 case downstream of the pilot, in its central recirculation region (CRZ). For the bio-derived Hydrotreated Renewable Jet (HRJ) fuel, however, we do not see much OH in the CRZ. The OH image structure near the dome exit is similar for the two fuels, but farther downstream the OH in the CRZ is much more apparent for the JP-8 than for the alternate fuel. For all conditions, there was no discernable difference between fuel types in combustion efficiency or emissions.

Higher rate alternative non-drug reinforcement produces faster suppression of cocaine seeking but more resurgence when removed.

PubMed

Craig, Andrew R; Nall, Rusty W; Madden, Gregory J; Shahan, Timothy A

2016-06-01

Relapse following removal of an alternative source of reinforcement introduced during extinction of a target behavior is called resurgence. This form of relapse may be related to relapse of drug taking following loss of alternative non-drug reinforcement in human populations. Laboratory investigations of factors mediating resurgence with food-maintained behavior suggest higher rates of alternative reinforcement produce faster suppression of target behavior but paradoxically generate more relapse when alternative reinforcement is discontinued. At present, it is unknown if a similar effect occurs when target behavior is maintained by drug reinforcement and the alternative is a non-drug reinforcer. In the present experiment three groups of rats were trained to lever press for infusions of cocaine during baseline. Next, during treatment, cocaine reinforcement was suspended and an alternative response was reinforced with either high-rate, low-rate, or no alternative food reinforcement. Finally, all reinforcement was suspended to test for relapse of cocaine seeking. Higher rate alternative reinforcement produced faster elimination of cocaine seeking than lower rates or extinction alone, but when treatment was suspended resurgence of cocaine seeking occurred following only high-rate alternative reinforcement. Thus, although higher rate alternative reinforcement appears to more effectively suppress drug seeking, should it become unavailable, it can have the unfortunate effect of increasing relapse. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Consumption of a high-fat meal containing cheese compared with a vegan alternative lowers postprandial C-reactive protein in overweight and obese individuals with metabolic abnormalities: a randomised controlled cross-over study.

PubMed

Demmer, Elieke; Van Loan, Marta D; Rivera, Nancy; Rogers, Tara S; Gertz, Erik R; German, J Bruce; Zivkovic, Angela M; Smilowitz, Jennifer T

2016-01-01

Dietary recommendations suggest decreased consumption of SFA to minimise CVD risk; however, not all foods rich in SFA are equivalent. To evaluate the effects of SFA in a dairy food matrix, as Cheddar cheese, v. SFA from a vegan-alternative test meal on postprandial inflammatory markers, a randomised controlled cross-over trial was conducted in twenty overweight or obese adults with metabolic abnormalities. Individuals consumed two isoenergetic high-fat mixed meals separated by a 1- to 2-week washout period. Serum was collected at baseline, and at 1, 3 and 6 h postprandially and analysed for inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, IL-18, TNFα, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)), acute-phase proteins C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid-A (SAA), cellular adhesion molecules and blood lipids, glucose and insulin. Following both high-fat test meals, postprandial TAG concentrations rose steadily (P < 0·05) without a decrease by 6 h. The incremental AUC (iAUC) for CRP was significantly lower (P < 0·05) in response to the cheese compared with the vegan-alternative test meal. A treatment effect was not observed for any other inflammatory markers; however, for both test meals, multiple markers significantly changed from baseline over the 6 h postprandial period (IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, TNFα, MCP-1, SAA). Saturated fat in the form of a cheese matrix reduced the iAUC for CRP compared with a vegan-alternative test meal during the postprandial 6 h period. The study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov under NCT01803633.

Developing a Portfolio Assessment Model for the Teaching and Learning of English in Malaysian L2 Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Charanjit Kaur a/p Swaran; Samad, Arshad Abdul; Hussin, Habsah; Sulaiman, Tajularipin

2015-01-01

Standardized testing is viewed as particularly incompatible to the process of learning due to its summative nature as it measures what students are able to recall and produce. Because of the discrepancy between the process of learning and products of learning, educators today have come to recognize that an alternative form of assessment is…

78 FR 13695 - Information Collection: Renewable Energy and Alternate Uses of Existing Facilities on the Outer...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-28

... activities, facilities, safety equipment, inspections and tests, and natural and manmade hazards near the... one line on BOEM-0005 to match language on a similar form for the oil and gas program; this does not.... 111 Within 30 days of .5 4 fee submissions. 2 receiving bill, submit processing fee payments for BOEM...

The Effectiveness of a Virtual Field Trip (VFT) Module in Learning Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haris, Norbaizura; Osman, Kamisah

2015-01-01

Virtual Field Trip is a computer aided module of science developed to study the Colonisation and Succession in Mangrove Swamps, as an alternative to the real field trip in Form for Biology. This study is to identify the effectiveness of the Virtual Field Trip (VFT) module towards the level of achievement in the formative test for this topic. This…

Prediction of Forming Limit Diagram for Seamed Tube Hydroforming Based on Thickness Gradient Criterion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xianfeng; Lin, Zhongqin; Yu, Zhongqi; Chen, Xinping; Li, Shuhui

2011-08-01

This study establishes the forming limit diagram (FLD) for QSTE340 seamed tube hydroforming by finite element method (FEM) simulation. FLD is commonly obtained from experiment, theoretical calculation and FEM simulation. But for tube hydroforming, both of the experimental and theoretical means are restricted in the application due to the equipment costs and the lack of authoritative theoretical knowledge. In this paper, a novel approach of predicting forming limit using thickness gradient criterion (TGC) is presented for seamed tube hydroforming. Firstly, tube bulge tests and uniaxial tensile tests are performed to obtain the stress-strain curve for tube three parts. Then one FE model for a classical tube free hydroforming and another FE model for a novel experimental apparatus by applying the lateral compression force and the internal pressure are constructed. After that, the forming limit strain is calculated based on TGC in the FEM simulation. Good agreement between the simulation and experimental results is indicated. By combining the TGC and FEM, an alternative way of predicting forming limit with enough accuracy and convenience is provided.

Periodic alternating nystagmus during caloric stimulation.

PubMed

Taki, Masakatsu; Hasegawa, Tatsuhisa; Adachi, Naoko; Fujita, Tomoki; Sakaguchi, Hirofumi; Hisa, Yasuo

2014-04-01

Periodic alternating nystagmus (PAN) is a form of horizontal jerk nystagmus characterized by periodic reversals in direction. We report a case who exhibited transient PAN induced by caloric stimulation. The patient was a 75-year-old male. He had experienced floating sensation in January 2010. Eight months later, he was referred to our university hospital. Gaze nystagmus and positional tests revealed no nystagmus. Only weak right-beating horizontal nystagmus was observed during left Dix-Hallpike maneuver. Electronystagmography showed normal saccadic and smooth pursuit eye movements. The optokinetic nystagmus pattern test was also bilaterally normal. However, during the caloric stimulation to the right ear, at 166 s from the start of irrigation, the direction of nystagmus alternated from leftward to rightward, and thereafter this reversal of direction repeated 15 times. Magnetic resonance imaging showed no significant lesion except for chronic ischemia in the brain. The patient probably had some kind of latent lesion of impaired velocity storage and exhibited transient PAN induced by caloric stimulation. Caloric stimulation is useful and simple examination to disclose latent eye movement disorders of which velocity storage mechanism is impaired. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hover performance tests of baseline metal and Advanced Technology Blade (ATB) rotor systems for the XV-15 tilt rotor aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartie, K.; Alexander, H.; Mcveigh, M.; Lamon, S.; Bishop, H.

1986-01-01

Rotor hover performance data were obtained for two full-scale rotor systems designed for the XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft. One rotor employed the rectangular planform metal blades (rotor solidity = 0.089) which were used on the initial flight configuration of the XV-15. The second rotor configuration examined the nonlinear taper, composite-construction, Advanced Technology Blade (ATB), (rotor solidity = 0.10) designed to replace the metal blades on the XV-15. Variations of the baseline ATB tip and cuff shapes were also tested. A new six-component rotor force and moment balance designed to obtain highly accurate data over a broad range of thrust and torque conditions is described. The test data are presented in nondimensional coefficient form for the performance results, and in dimensional form for the steady and alternating loads. Some wake and acoustic data are also shown.

77 FR 71481 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Form 8911

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-30

... 8911, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit. DATES: Written comments should be received [email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit. OMB... vehicle refueling property. Form 8911, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit, will be used by...

75 FR 58417 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Application-Alternative Inspection Services (SENTRI...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-24

... Activities: Application-- Alternative Inspection Services (SENTRI Application and FAST Commercial Driver... including the SENTRI Application (CBP Form 823S) and the FAST Commercial Driver Application (CBP Form 823F.... Title: Application--Alternative Inspection Services including the SENTRI application and the FAST...

The picture superiority effect: support for the distinctiveness model.

PubMed

Mintzer, M Z; Snodgrass, J G

1999-01-01

The form change paradigm was used to explore the basis for the picture superiority effect. Recognition memory for studied pictures and words was tested in their study form or the alternate form. Form change cost was defined as the difference between recognition performance for same and different form items. Based on the results of Experiment 1 and previous studies, it was difficult to determine the relative cost for studied pictures and words due to a reversal of the mirror effect. We hypothesized that the reversed mirror effect results from subjects' basing their recognition decisions on their assumptions about the study form. Experiments 2 and 3 confirmed this hypothesis and generated a method for evaluating the relative cost for pictures and words despite the reversed mirror effect. More cost was observed for pictures than words, supporting the distinctiveness model of the picture superiority effect.

Wavelet filtered shifted phase-encoded joint transform correlation for face recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moniruzzaman, Md.; Alam, Mohammad S.

2017-05-01

A new wavelet-filtered-based Shifted- phase-encoded Joint Transform Correlation (WPJTC) technique has been proposed for efficient face recognition. The proposed technique uses discrete wavelet decomposition for preprocessing and can effectively accommodate various 3D facial distortions, effects of noise, and illumination variations. After analyzing different forms of wavelet basis functions, an optimal method has been proposed by considering the discrimination capability and processing speed as performance trade-offs. The proposed technique yields better correlation discrimination compared to alternate pattern recognition techniques such as phase-shifted phase-encoded fringe-adjusted joint transform correlator. The performance of the proposed WPJTC has been tested using the Yale facial database and extended Yale facial database under different environments such as illumination variation, noise, and 3D changes in facial expressions. Test results show that the proposed WPJTC yields better performance compared to alternate JTC based face recognition techniques.

Alternative Techniques for Testing A Highway Information Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mast, Truman; Mast, Truman

1974-01-01

The highway transport system as contrasted with other modes of transportation is quite unique in that the users of the system are responsible for the guidance and control functions of the vehicle. Research has shown that improved forms of motorist information, such as highway signs and markings, can enhance the predictability and reliability of the driving task. Test and evaluation of promising new concepts in motorist information must preceed widespread endorsement and implementation on our highway system. This paper reviews the merits and limitations of presently available human factor research techniques--laboratory, instrumented vehicle and traffic performance studies on operational facilities--for evaluating the efficacy of motorist information concepts. Specific examples are given to demonstrate the utility and the interrelationships of the alternative research techniques and there is a discussion of the most pressing immediate and future needs for improved highway signing and road marking research methodology.

75 FR 38821 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Application-Alternative Inspection Services (SENTRI...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-06

... Activities: Application-- Alternative Inspection Services (SENTRI Application and FAST Commercial Driver... Form 823S) and the FAST Commercial Driver Application (CBP Form 823F). This request for comment is...: Application--Alternative Inspection Services including the SENTRI Application and the FAST Commercial Driver...

77 FR 36423 - Labeling Requirements for Alternative Fuels and Alternative Fueled Vehicles

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-19

...: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments electronically or in paper form by following the instructions in section V of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. Comments in electronic form should be... following the instructions on the web-based form). Comments filed in paper form should be mailed or...

Alternative Forms of Mentoring in Changing Organizational Environments: A Conceptual Extension of the Mentoring Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eby, Lillian T.

1997-01-01

This typology of alternative forms of mentoring has two dimensions: (1) form of relationship (lateral/hierarchical) and (2) type of skill development (job or career related). Mentoring forms discussed include intra- and interteam, coworker, survivor, peer, internal and external collegial, internal and external sponsor, manager-subordinate, and…

Evaluating the sensitization potential of surfactants: integrating data from the local lymph node assay, guinea pig maximization test, and in vitro methods in a weight-of-evidence approach.

PubMed

Ball, Nicholas; Cagen, Stuart; Carrillo, Juan-Carlos; Certa, Hans; Eigler, Dorothea; Emter, Roger; Faulhammer, Frank; Garcia, Christine; Graham, Cynthia; Haux, Carl; Kolle, Susanne N; Kreiling, Reinhard; Natsch, Andreas; Mehling, Annette

2011-08-01

An integral part of hazard and safety assessments is the estimation of a chemical's potential to cause skin sensitization. Currently, only animal tests (OECD 406 and 429) are accepted in a regulatory context. Nonanimal test methods are being developed and formally validated. In order to gain more insight into the responses induced by eight exemplary surfactants, a battery of in vivo and in vitro tests were conducted using the same batch of chemicals. In general, the surfactants were negative in the GPMT, KeratinoSens and hCLAT assays and none formed covalent adducts with test peptides. In contrast, all but one was positive in the LLNA. Most were rated as being irritants by the EpiSkin assay with the additional endpoint, IL1-alpha. The weight of evidence based on this comprehensive testing indicates that, with one exception, they are non-sensitizing skin irritants, confirming that the LLNA tends to overestimate the sensitization potential of surfactants. As results obtained from LLNAs are considered as the gold standard for the development of new nonanimal alternative test methods, results such as these highlight the necessity to carefully evaluate the applicability domains of test methods in order to develop reliable nonanimal alternative testing strategies for sensitization testing. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Readability and Content Assessment of Informed Consent Forms for Phase II-IV Clinical Trials in China

PubMed Central

Wen, Gaiyan; Liu, Xinchun; Huang, Lihua; Shu, Jingxian; Xu, Nana; Chen, Ruifang; Huang, Zhijun; Yang, Guoping; Wang, Xiaomin; Xiang, Yuxia; Lu, Yao; Yuan, Hong

2016-01-01

Purpose To explore the readability and content integrity of informed consent forms (ICFs) used in China and to compare the quality of Chinese local ICFs with that of international ICFs. Methods The length, readability and content of 155 consent documents from phase II-IV drug clinical trials from the Third Xiangya Hospital Ethics Committee from November 2009 to January 2015 were evaluated. Reading difficulty was tested using a readability formula adapted for the Chinese language. An ICF checklist containing 27 required elements was successfully constructed to evaluate content integrity. The description of alternatives to participation was assessed. The quality of ICFs from different sponsorships were also compared. Results Among the 155 evaluable trials, the ICFs had a median length of 5286 words, corresponding to 7 pages. The median readability score was 4.31 (4.02–4.41), with 63.9% at the 2nd level and 36.1% at the 3rd level. Five of the 27 elements were frequently neglected. The average score for the description of alternatives to participation was 1.06, and 27.7% of the ICFs did not mention any alternatives. Compared with Chinese local ICFs, international ICFs were longer, more readable and contained more of the required elements (P < 0.05). Conclusion The ICFs used in China were difficult to read for most participants. These forms had poor description of alternatives to participation, and failed to provide a high degree of information disclosure, including an explanation of informed consent, follow-up processing of the data/sample, inclusion/exclusion criteria, double blinding, and unpredictable risks. International ICFs had better readability and content integrity than Chinese local ICFs. More efforts should thus be made to improve the quality of consent documents in China. PMID:27701471

Readability and Content Assessment of Informed Consent Forms for Phase II-IV Clinical Trials in China.

PubMed

Wen, Gaiyan; Liu, Xinchun; Huang, Lihua; Shu, Jingxian; Xu, Nana; Chen, Ruifang; Huang, Zhijun; Yang, Guoping; Wang, Xiaomin; Xiang, Yuxia; Lu, Yao; Yuan, Hong

2016-01-01

To explore the readability and content integrity of informed consent forms (ICFs) used in China and to compare the quality of Chinese local ICFs with that of international ICFs. The length, readability and content of 155 consent documents from phase II-IV drug clinical trials from the Third Xiangya Hospital Ethics Committee from November 2009 to January 2015 were evaluated. Reading difficulty was tested using a readability formula adapted for the Chinese language. An ICF checklist containing 27 required elements was successfully constructed to evaluate content integrity. The description of alternatives to participation was assessed. The quality of ICFs from different sponsorships were also compared. Among the 155 evaluable trials, the ICFs had a median length of 5286 words, corresponding to 7 pages. The median readability score was 4.31 (4.02-4.41), with 63.9% at the 2nd level and 36.1% at the 3rd level. Five of the 27 elements were frequently neglected. The average score for the description of alternatives to participation was 1.06, and 27.7% of the ICFs did not mention any alternatives. Compared with Chinese local ICFs, international ICFs were longer, more readable and contained more of the required elements (P < 0.05). The ICFs used in China were difficult to read for most participants. These forms had poor description of alternatives to participation, and failed to provide a high degree of information disclosure, including an explanation of informed consent, follow-up processing of the data/sample, inclusion/exclusion criteria, double blinding, and unpredictable risks. International ICFs had better readability and content integrity than Chinese local ICFs. More efforts should thus be made to improve the quality of consent documents in China.

TEST-HOLE CONSTRUCTION FOR A NEUTRONIC REACTOR

DOEpatents

Ohlinger, L.A.; Seitz, F.; Young, G.J.

1959-02-17

Test-hole construction is described for a reactor which provides safe and ready access to the neutron flux region for specimen materials which are to be irradiated therein. An elongated tubular thimble adapted to be inserted in the access hole through the wall of the reactor is constructed of aluminum and is provided with a plurality of holes parallel to the axis of the thimble for conveying the test specimens into position for irradiation, and a conduit for the circulation of coolant. A laminated shield formed of alternate layers of steel and pressed wood fiber is disposed lengthwise of the thimble near the outer end thereof.

Rasch Analysis for Instrument Development: Why, When, and How?

PubMed Central

Boone, William J.

2016-01-01

This essay describes Rasch analysis psychometric techniques and how such techniques can be used by life sciences education researchers to guide the development and use of surveys and tests. Specifically, Rasch techniques can be used to document and evaluate the measurement functioning of such instruments. Rasch techniques also allow researchers to construct “Wright maps” to explain the meaning of a test score or survey score and develop alternative forms of tests and surveys. Rasch techniques provide a mechanism by which the quality of life sciences–related tests and surveys can be optimized and the techniques can be used to provide a context (e.g., what topics a student has mastered) when explaining test and survey results. PMID:27856555

Adoption of alternative financing strategies to increase the diffusion of picture archiving and communication systems into the radiology marketplace.

PubMed

Reiner, B; Siegel, E; McKay, P

2000-05-01

The objective of the study was to evaluate current marketplace conditions and strategies employed by major picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) vendors in the creation of alternative financing strategies, to enhance the diffusion of filmless imaging. Data were collected from the major PACS vendors in the forms of survey questionnaires and review of existing leases. Topics evaluated in the survey included current financing options available, foreseeable changes in PACS financing, role of third-party financiers, and creation of risk-sharing arrangements. Generic leases were also reviewed evaluating the presence or absence of several key variables including technology obsolescence protection, hardware/software upgrades, end-of-term options, determination of fair market value, functionality/acceptance testing, uptime guarantees, and workflow management consulting. Eight of the 10 PACS vendors surveyed participated in the data collection. The vast majority of current PACS implementations (60% to 90%) occur through direct purchase, with conventional leasing (operating or capital) accounting for only 5% to 30% of PACS installations. The majority of respondents view fee-for-lease arrangements and other forms of risk sharing as increasing importance for future PACS financing. The specific targets for such risk-sharing arrangements consist of small hospital and privately owned imaging centers. Leases currently offered range in duration from 3 to 5 years and frequently offer technology obsolescence protection with upgrades, multiple end-of-term options, and some form of acceptance testing. A number of important variables frequently omitted from leases include uptime guarantees, flexibility in changing financing or vendors, and incorporation of expected productivity/operational efficiency gains. As vendors strive to increase the penetration of PACS into the radiology marketplace, there will be a shift from conventional financing (loan or purchase) to leasing. Fee-for-use leasing and other forms of risk sharing have the greatest potential in smaller hospitals, which do not have the financial resources to pursue conventional financing options. Potential PACS customers must be cautious when entering into these alternative financing strategies, to ensure that appropriate safeguards are incorporated, in order to minimize downside risk.

Production of Bacterial Cellulose by Gluconacetobacter hansenii Using Corn Steep Liquor As Nutrient Sources

PubMed Central

Costa, Andrea F. S.; Almeida, Fabíola C. G.; Vinhas, Glória M.; Sarubbo, Leonie A.

2017-01-01

Cellulose is mainly produced by plants, although many bacteria, especially those belonging to the genus Gluconacetobacter, produce a very peculiar form of cellulose with mechanical and structural properties that can be exploited in numerous applications. However, the production cost of bacterial cellulose (BC) is very high to the use of expensive culture media, poor yields, downstream processing, and operating costs. Thus, the purpose of this work was to evaluate the use of industrial residues as nutrients for the production of BC by Gluconacetobacter hansenii UCP1619. BC pellicles were synthesized using the Hestrin–Schramm (HS) medium and alternative media formulated with different carbon (sugarcane molasses and acetylated glucose) and nitrogen sources [yeast extract, peptone, and corn steep liquor (CSL)]. A jeans laundry was also tested. None of the tested sources (beside CSL) worked as carbon and nutrient substitute. The alternative medium formulated with 1.5% glucose and 2.5% CSL led to the highest yield in terms of dry and hydrated mass. The BC mass produced in the alternative culture medium corresponded to 73% of that achieved with the HS culture medium. The BC pellicles demonstrated a high concentration of microfibrils and nanofibrils forming a homogenous, compact, and three-dimensional structure. The biopolymer produced in the alternative medium had greater thermal stability, as degradation began at 240°C, while degradation of the biopolymer produced in the HS medium began at 195°C. Both biopolymers exhibited high crystallinity. The mechanical tensile test revealed the maximum breaking strength and the elongation of the break of hydrated and dry pellicles. The dry BC film supported up to 48 MPa of the breaking strength and exhibited greater than 96.98% stiffness in comparison with the hydrated film. The dry film supported up to 48 MPa of the breaking strength and exhibited greater than 96.98% stiffness in comparison with the hydrated film. The values obtained for the Young’s modulus in the mechanical tests in the hydrated samples indicated low values for the variable rigidity. The presence of water in the interior and between the nanofibers of the hydrated BC only favored the results for the elasticity, which was 56.37% higher when compared to the dry biomaterial. PMID:29089941

Batch Tests with IONSIV IE-911 and a Simulant of the Savannah River Site ''Average'' Supernatant: Distribution Ratios vs Time

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anderson, K.K.; Collins, J.L.; Hunt, R.D.

1999-02-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) is required by law to treat and safely dispose of the radioactive wastes from its nuclear weapon production activities. The primary radionuclide in the DOE liquid wastes or supernatants is {sup 137}Cs. At the Savannah River Site (SRS), the In-Tank Precipitation (ITP) process was selected as the baseline technology to remove {sup 137}Cs from the supernatants, which are stored in underground storage tanks. In the ITP process, tetraphenylborate reacts with the water-soluble cesium to form a precipitant. The treated supernatant can then be immobilized in grout or saltstone and stored in vaults at the SRS.more » However, problems were encountered during the full-scale ITP processing. These difficulties have led to the evaluation of alternative technologies and/or concepts to the currently configured ITP process. The High-Level Waste Salt Disposition Team at the SRS is currently performing this assessment. After an initial screening of all potential alternatives, the Salt Disposition Team selected four primary options to evaluate further before the final down-selection. Crystalline silicotitanate (CST), an inorganic ion exchanger, was chosen as one of the leading alternatives. Since nearly all of the CST tests have been performed on supernatants from Hanford and Oak Ridge, the Salt Disposition Team has requested that personnel at the SRS and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) determine the performance of the engineered form of CST, IONSIV{reg_sign} IE-911, with actual and simulated SRS supernatants.« less

Using rock art as an alternative science pedagogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Casey D.

College-level and seventh-grade science students were studied to understand the power of a field index, the Rock Art Stability Index (RASI), for student learning about complex biophysical environmental processes. In order to determine if the studied population was representative, 584 college and seventh-grade students undertook a concept mapping exercise after they had learned basic weathering science via in-class lecture. Of this large group, a subset of 322 college students and 13 seventh-grade students also learned RASI through a field experience involving the analysis of rock weathering associated with petroglyphs. After learning weathering through RASI, students completed another concept map. This was a college population where roughly 46% had never taken a "lab science" course and nearly 22% were from minority (non-white) populations. Analysis of student learning through the lens of actor-network theory revealed that when landscape is viewed as process (i.e. many practices), science education embodies both an alternative science philosophy and an alternative materialistic worldview. When RASI components were analyzed after only lecture, student understanding of weathering displayed little connection between weathering form and weathering process. After using RASI in the field however, nearly all students made illustrative concept maps rich in connections between weathering form and weathering process for all subcomponents of RASI. When taken as an aggregate, and measured by an average concept map score, learning increased by almost 14%, Among college minority students, the average score increase approached 23%. Among female students, the average score increase was 16%. For seventh-grade students, scores increased by nearly 36%. After testing for normalcy with Kolmogorov-Smirnov, t-tests reveal that all of these increases were highly statistically significant at p<0.001. The growth in learning weathering science by minority students, as compared to non-minority students, was also statistically significant at p<0.01. These findings reveal the power of field work through RASI to strengthen cognitive linkages between complex biophysical processes and the corresponding rock weathering forms.

Phonological bases for L2 morphological learning.

PubMed

Hu, Chieh-Fang

2010-08-01

Two experiments examined the hypothesis that L1 phonological awareness plays a role in children's ability to extract morphological patterns of English as L2 from the auditory input. In Experiment 1, 84 Chinese-speaking third graders were tested on whether they extracted the alternation pattern between the base and the derived form (e.g., inflate - inflation) from multiple exposures. Experiment 2 further assessed children's ability to use morphological cues for syntactic categorization through exposures to novel morphologically varying forms (e.g., lutate vs. lutant) presented in the corresponding sentential positions (noun vs. verb). The third-grade EFL learners revealed emergent sensitivity to the morphological cues in the input but failed in fully processing intraword variations. The learners with poorer L1 PA were likely to encounter difficulties in identifying morphological alternation rules and in discovering the syntactic properties of L2 morphology. In addition to L1 PA, L2 vocabulary knowledge also contributed significantly to L2 morphological learning.

Solid and liquid heat capacities of n-alkyl para-aminobenzoates near the melting point.

PubMed

Neau, S H; Flynn, G L

1990-11-01

The expression that relates the ideal mole fraction solubility of a crystalline compound to physicochemical properties of the compound includes a term involving the difference in the heat capacities of the solid and liquid forms of the solute, delta Cp. There are two alternate conventions which are employed to eliminate this term. The first assumes that the term involving delta Cp, or delta Cp itself, is zero. The alternate assumption assigns the value of the entropy of fusion to the differential heat capacity. The relative validity of these two assumptions was evaluated using the straight-chain alkyl para-aminobenzoates as test compounds. The heat capacities of the solid and liquid forms of each of the para-aminobenzoates, near the respective melting point, were determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The data lead one to conclude that the assumption that the differential heat capacity is not usually negligible and is better approximated by the entropy of fusion.

Training Effectiveness Assessment. Volume II. Problems, Concepts, and Evaluation Alternatives.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-12-01

i nforma ti on abou t areas where course impr ov emer t might be indicated . Percentiles , pretest and posttest scores , or other measures of amount...statistical sophisti- cation. Interpretation of gain scores derived from pretests - posttests of trainees and other forms of trend analysis requires...CPM ), computer - managed testing (CMI). time-series analysi s, pretest / posttest design , and secondary anal ysis. Criterion -referenced measurement is

Alternative Internal Standard Calibration of an Indirect Enzymatic Analytical Method for 2-MCPD Fatty Acid Esters.

PubMed

Koyama, Kazuo; Miyazaki, Kinuko; Abe, Kousuke; Egawa, Yoshitsugu; Fukazawa, Toru; Kitta, Tadashi; Miyashita, Takashi; Nezu, Toru; Nohara, Hidenori; Sano, Takashi; Takahashi, Yukinari; Taniguchi, Hideji; Yada, Hiroshi; Yamazaki, Kumiko; Watanabe, Yomi

2017-06-01

An indirect enzymatic analysis method for the quantification of fatty acid esters of 2-/3-monochloro-1,2-propanediol (2/3-MCPD) and glycidol was developed, using the deuterated internal standard of each free-form component. A statistical method for calibration and quantification of 2-MCPD-d 5 , which is difficult to obtain, is substituted by 3-MCPD-d 5 used for calculation of 3-MCPD. Using data from a previous collaborative study, the current method for the determination of 2-MCPD content using 2-MCPD-d 5 was compared to three alternative new methods using 3-MCPD-d 5 . The regression analysis showed that the alternative methods were unbiased compared to the current method. The relative standard deviation (RSD R ) among the testing laboratories was ≤ 15% and the Horwitz ratio was ≤ 1.0, a satisfactory value.

Age-Neutrality of a Brief Assessment of the Section III Alternative Model for Personality Disorders in Older Adults.

PubMed

Debast, Inge; Rossi, Gina; van Alphen, S P J

2018-04-01

The alternative model for personality disorders in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-5) is considered an important step toward a possibly better conceptualization of personality pathology in older adulthood, by the introduction of levels of personality functioning (Criterion A) and trait dimensions (Criterion B). Our main aim was to examine age-neutrality of the Short Form of the Severity Indices of Personality Problems (SIPP-SF; Criterion A) and Personality Inventory for DSM-5-Brief Form (PID-5-BF; Criterion B). Differential item functioning (DIF) analyses and more specifically the impact on scale level through differential test functioning (DTF) analyses made clear that the SIPP-SF was more age-neutral (6% DIF, only one of four domains showed DTF) than the PID-5-BF (25% DIF, all four tested domains had DTF) in a community sample of older and younger adults. Age differences in convergent validity also point in the direction of differences in underlying constructs. Concurrent and criterion validity in geriatric psychiatry inpatients suggest that both the SIPP-SF scales measuring levels of personality functioning (especially self-functioning) and the PID-5-BF might be useful screening measures in older adults despite age-neutrality not being confirmed.

Post-event information presented in a question form eliminates the misinformation effect.

PubMed

Lee, Yuh-shiow; Chen, Kuan-Nan

2013-02-01

This study investigated the influences of sentence surface forms on the misinformation effect. After viewing a film clip, participants received a post-event narrative describing the events in the film. Critical sentences in the post-event narrative, presented in either a statement or a question form, contained misinformation instead of questions with embedded false presuppositions; thus participants did not have to answer questions about the original event. During the final cued-recall test, participants were informed that any relevant information presented in the post-event narrative was not in the original event and that they should not report it. Consistent with previous findings, Experiment 1 demonstrated that post-event information presented as an affirmative statement produced the misinformation effect. More importantly, post-event information presented in a question form, regardless of whether it contained a misleading or studied item, increased the recall of correct information and reduced false recall. Experiment 2 replicated the main finding and ruled out an alternative explanation based on the salience of misleading items. Post-event information presented in a question form created a condition similar to that which produces the testing effect. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

78 FR 57218 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Form 8910

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-17

... 8910, Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit. DATES: Written comments should be received on or before... Motor Vehicle Credit. OMB Number: 1545-1998. Form Number: 8910. Abstract: Taxpayers will file Form 8910 to claim the credit for certain alternative motor vehicles placed in service after 2005. Current...

The Norwegian Computerized Adaptive Test of Personality Disorder-Static Form (CAT-PD-SF): Reliability, Factor Structure, and Relationships With Personality Functioning.

PubMed

Thimm, Jens C

2017-12-01

The Computerized Adaptive Test of Personality Disorder-Static Form (CAT-PD-SF) is a self-report inventory developed to assess pathological personality traits. The current study explored the reliability and higher order factor structure of the Norwegian version of the CAT-PD-SF and the relationships between the CAT-PD traits and domains of personality functioning in an undergraduate student sample ( N = 375). In addition to the CAT-PD-SF, the short form of the Severity Indices of Personality Problems and the Brief Symptom Inventory were administered. The results showed that the Norwegian CAT-PD-SF has good score reliability. Factor analysis of the CAT-PD-SF scales indicated five superordinate factors that correspond to the trait domains of the alternative DSM-5 model for personality disorders. The CAT-PD traits were highly predictive of impaired personality functioning after controlling for psychological distress. It is concluded that the CAT-PD-SF is a promising tool for the assessment of personality disorder traits.

A simple approach for the modeling of an ODS steel mechanical behavior in pilgering conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vanegas-Márquez, E.; Mocellin, K.; Toualbi, L.; de Carlan, Y.; Logé, R. E.

2012-01-01

The optimization of the forming of ODS tubes is linked to the choice of an appropriated constitutive model for modeling the metal forming process. In the framework of a unified plastic constitutive theory, the strain-controlled cyclic characteristics of a ferritic ODS steel were analyzed and modeled with two different tests. The first test is a classical tension-compression test, and leads to cyclic softening at low to intermediate strain amplitudes. The second test consists in alternated uniaxial compressions along two perpendicular axes, and is selected based on the similarities with the loading path induced by the Fe-14Cr-1W-Ti ODS cladding tube pilgering process. This second test exhibits cyclic hardening at all tested strain amplitudes. Since variable strain amplitudes prevail in pilgering conditions, the parameters of the considered constitutive law were identified based on a loading sequence including strain amplitude changes. A proposed semi automated inverse analysis methodology is shown to efficiently provide optimal sets of parameters for the considered loading sequences. When compared to classical approaches, the model involves a reduced number of parameters, while keeping a good ability to capture stress changes induced by strain amplitude changes. Furthermore, the methodology only requires one test, which is an advantage when the amount of available material is limited. As two distinct sets of parameters were identified for the two considered tests, it is recommended to consider the loading path when modeling cold forming of the ODS steel.

76 FR 9777 - Recent Postings of Broadly Applicable Alternative Test Methods

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-22

... Applicable Alternative Test Methods AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: This notice announces the broadly applicable alternative test method approval decisions... technical questions about individual alternative test method decisions, refer to the contact person...

Formulation of colchicine ointment for the treatment of acute gout.

PubMed

Maduri, Sairam; Atla, Venkateshwar Reddy

2012-11-01

In spite of being the fastest acting drug available for the control of an acute gout attack, colchicine is generally considered a last alternative in gout therapy. This is mainly due to the severe adverse effects associated with its administration through the enteral and parenteral routes, as well as its high risk/benefit ratio. The preparation of dosage forms of colchicine that can be administered by alternative routes is therefore a beneficial exercise. Among the formulable substitute dosage forms of colchicine, its ointment seems to be the best option available due to its ability to deliver the drug transdermally as well as its ease of preparation and evaluation. In this study, we prepared and tested 0.2% and 0.5% colchicine ointments for their effectiveness in delivering colchicine transdermally. Colchicine ointment was prepared using a self-formulated water-in-oil type of emulsion ointment base, with the colchicine dissolved in the water portion of the ointment base. In vitro drug release studies were carried out using the Franz diffusion test apparatus and an ultraviolet (UV)-visible spectrophotometer was used to quantify the drug in the samples. Rabbits were used as test animals for in vivo studies and the blood samples were analysed using the UV-visible spectrophotometer. Colchicine was found to be well-absorbed transdermally, although absorption was not 100%. No side effects were associated with its 0.2% formulation. Ointments containing colchicine in low concentrations may be a feasible and effective treatment option for the prevention and treatment of acute gout attacks.

A Comparison of Alternate-Choice and True-False Item Forms Used in Classroom Examinations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maihoff, N. A.; Mehrens, Wm. A.

A comparison is presented of alternate-choice and true-false item forms used in an undergraduate natural science course. The alternate-choice item is a modified two-choice multiple-choice item in which the two responses are included within the question stem. This study (1) compared the difficulty level, discrimination level, reliability, and…

Green Toxicology-Know Early About and Avoid Toxic Product Liabilities.

PubMed

Maertens, Alexandra; Hartung, Thomas

2018-02-01

Toxicology uniquely among the life sciences relies largely on methods which are more than 40-years old. Over the last 3 decades with more or less success some additions to and few replacements in this toolbox took place, mainly as alternatives to animal testing. The acceptance of such new approaches faces the needs of formal validation and the conservative attitude toward change in safety assessments. Only recently, there is growing awareness that the same alternative methods, especially in silico and in vitro tools can also much earlier and before validation inform decision-taking in the product life cycle. As similar thoughts developed in the context of Green Chemistry, the term of Green Toxicology was coined to describe this change in approach. Here, the current developments in the alternative field, especially computational and more organo-typic cell cultures are reviewed, as they lend themselves to front-loaded chemical safety assessments. The initiatives of the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing Green Toxicology Collaboration are presented. They aim first of all for forming a community to promote this concept and then for a cultural change in companies with the necessary training of chemists, product stewards and later regulators. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Alternative approaches to predicting methane emissions from dairy cows.

PubMed

Mills, J A N; Kebreab, E; Yates, C M; Crompton, L A; Cammell, S B; Dhanoa, M S; Agnew, R E; France, J

2003-12-01

Previous attempts to apply statistical models, which correlate nutrient intake with methane production, have been of limited value where predictions are obtained for nutrient intakes and diet types outside those used in model construction. Dynamic mechanistic models have proved more suitable for extrapolation, but they remain computationally expensive and are not applied easily in practical situations. The first objective of this research focused on employing conventional techniques to generate statistical models of methane production appropriate to United Kingdom dairy systems. The second objective was to evaluate these models and a model published previously using both United Kingdom and North American data sets. Thirdly, nonlinear models were considered as alternatives to the conventional linear regressions. The United Kingdom calorimetry data used to construct the linear models also were used to develop the three nonlinear alternatives that were all of modified Mitscherlich (monomolecular) form. Of the linear models tested, an equation from the literature proved most reliable across the full range of evaluation data (root mean square prediction error = 21.3%). However, the Mitscherlich models demonstrated the greatest degree of adaptability across diet types and intake level. The most successful model for simulating the independent data was a modified Mitscherlich equation with the steepness parameter set to represent dietary starch-to-ADF ratio (root mean square prediction error = 20.6%). However, when such data were unavailable, simpler Mitscherlich forms relating dry matter or metabolizable energy intake to methane production remained better alternatives relative to their linear counterparts.

Persons with allergy symptoms use alternative medicine more often.

PubMed

Kłak, Anna; Raciborski, Filip; Krzych-Fałta, Edyta; Opoczyńska-Świeżewska, Dagmara; Szymański, Jakub; Lipiec, Agnieszka; Piekarska, Barbara; Sybilski, Adam; Tomaszewska, Aneta; Samoliński, Bolesław

2016-01-01

The aim of the study is to indicate the relation between the use of alternative medicine and the occurrence of allergic diseases in the Polish population of adults in the age of 20-44 years. Moreover the additional aim of the study is to define the relation between the sex, age and place of living and the use of alternative medicine. The data from the project Epidemiology of Allergic Diseases in Poland (ECAP) has been used for analysis. This project was a continuation of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II. The questions on alternative medicine were asked to the group of 4671 respondents in the age of 20-44 years. Additionally outpatient tests were performed in order to confirm the diagnosis of allergic diseases. The total of 22.2% of respondents that participated in the study have ever used alternative medicine (n = 4621). A statistically significant relation between the use of alternative medicine and declaration of allergic diseases and asthma symptoms has been demonstrated (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). No statistically significant relation between the use of alternative medicine by persons diagnosed by a doctor with any form of asthma or seasonal allergic rhinitis (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; 0.05) has been demonstrated. The occurrence of allergic diseases and asthma influences the frequency of alternative medicine use. However the frequency of alternative medicine use does not depend on allergic disease or asthma being confirmed by a doctor.

77 FR 8865 - Recent Postings of Broadly Applicable Alternative Test Methods

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-15

... Applicable Alternative Test Methods AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: This notice announces the broadly applicable alternative test method approval decisions... INFORMATION CONTACT: An electronic copy of each alternative test method approval document is available on the...

75 FR 7593 - Recent Postings of Broadly Applicable Alternative Test Methods

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-22

... Applicable Alternative Test Methods AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: This notice announces the broadly applicable alternative test method approval decisions... electronic copy of each alternative test method approval document is available on EPA's Web site at http...

78 FR 11174 - Recent Postings of Broadly Applicable Alternative Test Methods

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-15

... Applicable Alternative Test Methods AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of availability. SUMMARY: This notice announces the broadly applicable alternative test method approval decisions... INFORMATION CONTACT: An electronic copy of each alternative test method approval document is available on the...

40 CFR 136.5 - Approval of alternate test procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... and to the Alternate Test Procedure Program Coordinator, Office of Science and Technology (4303... to the Alternate Test Procedure Program Coordinator, Office of Science and Technology (4303), Office... will be forwarded to the Alternate Test Procedure Program Coordinator, Office of Science and Technology...

40 CFR 136.5 - Approval of alternate test procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... and to the Alternate Test Procedure Program Coordinator, Office of Science and Technology (4303... to the Alternate Test Procedure Program Coordinator, Office of Science and Technology (4303), Office... will be forwarded to the Alternate Test Procedure Program Coordinator, Office of Science and Technology...

Epoxy resin monomers with reduced skin sensitizing potency.

PubMed

O'Boyle, Niamh M; Niklasson, Ida B; Tehrani-Bagha, Ali R; Delaine, Tamara; Holmberg, Krister; Luthman, Kristina; Karlberg, Ann-Therese

2014-06-16

Epoxy resin monomers (ERMs), especially diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol A and F (DGEBA and DGEBF), are extensively used as building blocks for thermosetting polymers. However, they are known to commonly cause skin allergy. This research describes a number of alternative ERMs, designed with the aim of reducing the skin sensitizing potency while maintaining the ability to form thermosetting polymers. The compounds were designed, synthesized, and assessed for sensitizing potency using the in vivo murine local lymph node assay (LLNA). All six epoxy resin monomers had decreased sensitizing potencies compared to those of DGEBA and DGEBF. With respect to the LLNA EC3 value, the best of the alternative monomers had a value approximately 2.5 times higher than those of DGEBA and DGEBF. The diepoxides were reacted with triethylenetetramine, and the polymers formed were tested for technical applicability using thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Four out of the six alternative ERMs gave polymers with a thermal stability comparable to that obtained with DGEBA and DGEBF. The use of improved epoxy resin monomers with less skin sensitizing effects is a direct way to tackle the problem of contact allergy to epoxy resin systems, particularly in occupational settings, resulting in a reduction in the incidence of allergic contact dermatitis.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies Used by Turkish Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

PubMed Central

Can, Gulbeyaz; Demir, Melike; Aydiner, Adnan

2012-01-01

Summary Background Most breast cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), usually in parallel with their conventional treatments. This study was planned to determine the prevalence and determining factors for use of CAM by breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Patients and Methods This descriptive study was carried out between October 2010 and May 2011, and included 96 patients at the Istanbul University Institute of Oncology. The Patient Characteristics form and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Scale were used for data collection. Descriptive and non-parametric tests were performed, and logistic regression analysis was used to predict factors affecting CAM use. Results Praying was the most frequently used form of CAM, and most of the herbal supplements used by patients were harmless. Herbal use was higher among patients who had local disease (relative risk (RR) 4.48%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12–17.95), and worship was more common among those who had not undergone surgery (RR 4.66%, 95% CI 1.64–13.20). Conclusion The CAM approaches used by patients were found to be safe. However, sage and flax seed usage for estrogen-and progesterone-positive patients and exercise for patients with spinal metastasis can be inappropriate approaches. It is important to question and inform patients about CAM use during treatment. PMID:24715829

Rapid screening of guar gum using portable Raman spectral identification methods.

PubMed

Srivastava, Hirsch K; Wolfgang, Steven; Rodriguez, Jason D

2016-01-25

Guar gum is a well-known inactive ingredient (excipient) used in a variety of oral pharmaceutical dosage forms as a thickener and stabilizer of suspensions and as a binder of powders. It is also widely used as a food ingredient in which case alternatives with similar properties, including chemically similar gums, are readily available. Recent supply shortages and price fluctuations have caused guar gum to come under increasing scrutiny for possible adulteration by substitution of cheaper alternatives. One way that the U.S. FDA is attempting to screen pharmaceutical ingredients at risk for adulteration or substitution is through field-deployable spectroscopic screening. Here we report a comprehensive approach to evaluate two field-deployable Raman methods--spectral correlation and principal component analysis--to differentiate guar gum from other gums. We report a comparison of the sensitivity of the spectroscopic screening methods with current compendial identification tests. The ability of the spectroscopic methods to perform unambiguous identification of guar gum compared to other gums makes them an enhanced surveillance alternative to the current compendial identification tests, which are largely subjective in nature. Our findings indicate that Raman spectral identification methods perform better than compendial identification methods and are able to distinguish guar gum from other gums with 100% accuracy for samples tested by spectral correlation and principal component analysis. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effect of TiO2-Crystal Forms on the Photo-Degradation of EVA/PLA Blend Under Accelerated Weather Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Cong, Do; Trang, Nguyen Thi Thu; Giang, Nguyen Vu; Lam, Tran Dai; Hoang, Thai

2016-05-01

Photo-degradation of poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA)/poly (lactic acid) (PLA) blend and EVA/PLA/TiO2 nanocomposites was carried out under accelerated weather testing conditions by alternating cycles of ultraviolet (UV) light and moisture at controlled and elevated temperatures. The characters, properties, and morphology of these materials before and after accelerated weather testing were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, colour changes, viscosity, tensile test, thermogravimetric analysis, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The increases in the content of oxygen-containing groups, colour changes; the decreases in viscosity, tensile properties, and thermal stability of these materials after accelerated weather testing are the evidence for the photo-degradation of the blend and nanocomposites. After accelerated weather testing, the appearance of many micro-holes and micro-pores on the surface of the collected samples was observed. The photo-degradation degree of the nanocomposites depended on the TiO2-crystal form. Rutile TiO2 do not enhance the degradation, but anatase and mixed crystals TiO2 nanoparticles promoted the degradation of the nanocomposites. Particularly, the mixed crystals TiO2 nanoparticles showed the highest photo-catalytic activity of the nanocomposites.

Selfie@ssessment as an Alternative Form of Self-Assessment at Undergraduate Level in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tulgar, Aysegül Takkaç

2017-01-01

This study aimed to get ideas formed by undergraduate foreign language students about the applicability, advantages and disadvantages of "selfie@ssessment", which can be regarded as an alternative form of self-assessment utilizing modern mobile phone technologies and the available Internet facilities. Underpinning this study of…

Skiving stacked sheets of paper into test paper for rapid and multiplexed assay

PubMed Central

Yang, Mingzhu; Zhang, Wei; Yang, Junchuan; Hu, Binfeng; Cao, Fengjing; Zheng, Wenshu; Chen, Yiping; Jiang, Xingyu

2017-01-01

This paper shows that stacked sheets of paper preincubated with different biological reagents and skiving them into uniform test paper sheets allow mass manufacturing of multiplexed immunoassay devices and simultaneous detection of multiplex targets that can be read out by a barcode scanner. The thickness of one sheet of paper can form the width of a module for the barcode; when stacked, these sheets of paper can form a series of barcodes representing the targets, depending on the color contrast provided by a colored precipitate of an immunoassay. The uniform thickness of sheets of paper allows high-quality signal readout. The manufacturing method allows highly efficient fabrication of the materials and substrates for a straightforward assay of targets that range from drugs of abuse to biomarkers of blood-transmitted infections. In addition, as a novel alternative to the conventional point-of-care testing method, the paper-based barcode assay system can provide highly efficient, accurate, and objective diagnoses. PMID:29214218

Homeschooling as an Alternative Form of Educational Provision in South Africa and the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Waal, Esther; Theron, Tinie

2003-01-01

This paper studies homeschooling as an alternative form of educational provision in South Africa and USA to determine what knowledge and experiences from research on homeschooling in the USA may be relevant to the South Africa situation. Homeschooling in the USA has a sound legal foundation and has become an acceptable educational alternative.…

Alternator insulation evaluation tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penn, W. B.; Schaefer, R. F.; Balke, R. L.

1972-01-01

Tests were conducted to predict the remaining electrical insulation life of a 60 KW homopolar inductor alternator following completion of NASA turbo-alternator endurance tests for SNAP-8 space electrical power systems application. The insulation quality was established for two alternators following completion of these tests. A step-temperature aging test procedure was developed for insulation life prediction and applied to one of the two alternators. Armature winding insulation life of over 80,000 hours for an average winding temperature of 248 degrees C was predicted using the developed procedure.

Antimicrobial activity of root canal irrigants against biofilm forming pathogens- An in vitro study

PubMed Central

Ghivari, Sheetal Basavraj; Bhattacharya, Haimanti; Bhat, Kishore G.; Pujar, Madhu A.

2017-01-01

Aims: The aim of the study was to check the antimicrobial activity of the 5% Sodium hypochlorite, 2% Chlorhexidine, 0.10% Octenidine (OCT), and 2% Silver Zeolite (SZ) at different time intervals against a single species biofilm of Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans model prepared on a nitrocellulose membrane. Settings and Design: In vitro nitrocellulose biofilm model was used to check antibacterial efficacy of root canal irrigants. Materials and Methods: The in vitro nitrocellulose biofilm model was used to check the antibacterial activity of root canal irrigants. Single species biofilms were suspended into 96-well microtiter plate and treated with root canal irrigants for 1, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 s, respectively. The remaining microbial load in the form of colony-forming unit/ml after antimicrobial treatment was tabulated and data were statistically analyzed. Statistical Analysis: SPSS version 17, Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA, Mann–Whitney U-test, and Wilcoxon matched pair test (P < 0.05) were used. Results: All tested microorganisms were eliminated within 30 s by all the antimicrobial substances tested except normal saline. 2% chlorhexidine and 0.10% OCT were equally effective against C. albicans at 30 s. Conclusion: The newly tested irrigants have shown considerable antibacterial activity against selected single species biofilm. OCT (0.10%) can be used as an alternative endodontic irrigant. PMID:29279615

Assessment of a self-deferral form for screening blood donors, Chiang Mai University Hospital, Thailand.

PubMed

Thaikruea, Lakkana; Nantachit, Niwes; Leetrakool, Nipapan; Fongsatitkul, Ladda; Sompan, Prakai; Heaton, Andrew; Nelson, Kenrad E

2008-09-01

A self-deferral form has been used to screen Chiang Mai University Hospital blood donors and was improved in 2005. It has never been evaluated. The study aimed to assess the self-deferral form procedures in detecting infected donors. Sera from 5,083 donors, who passed the self-deferral screening form, were tested with the routine immuno-assays (serology) for HIV 1 and 2 antibodies, P24 antigen, HCV antibodies, HBV surface antigen, and syphilis. Antibody negative sera were also tested individually with the the Procleix Ultrio Assay for HIV-1 DNA, HCV RNA, and HBV DNA. The donors who had discrepant results between serology and NAT were evaluated with additional tests, including a more sensitive Alternative Nucleic Acid Test, AntiBcore IgM, AntiBcore IgG, HBsAg and Anti HBs. Among 5,083 donors, 331 (6.5%) had at least one positive marker. In multiple logistic regression analysis, the statistically significant factors (adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI) for infection were age 30 years or below [1.45 (1.03, 2.03)], male gender [2.73 (1.64, 4.56)], primary school or lower education [1.56 (1.09, 2.23)], first-time donation [1.82 (1.25, 2.67)], and frequent donation [0.80 (0.70, 0.92)]. The safest donors were females, older than 30 years, with an education more than primary school, and frequent donation. Because of missing responses to some sensitive questions, there remains a need for further improvement of the self-deferral form.

Secondary Waste Form Screening Test Results—THOR® Fluidized Bed Steam Reforming Product in a Geopolymer Matrix

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pires, Richard P.; Westsik, Joseph H.; Serne, R. Jeffrey

2011-07-14

Screening tests are being conducted to evaluate waste forms for immobilizing secondary liquid wastes from the Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). Plans are underway to add a stabilization treatment unit to the Effluent Treatment Facility to provide the needed capacity for treating these wastes from WTP. The current baseline is to use a Cast Stone cementitious waste form to solidify the wastes. Through a literature survey, DuraLith alkali-aluminosilicate geopolymer, fluidized-bed steam reformation (FBSR) granular product encapsulated in a geopolymer matrix, and a Ceramicrete phosphate-bonded ceramic were identified both as candidate waste forms and alternatives to the baseline.more » These waste forms have been shown to meet waste disposal acceptance criteria, including compressive strength and universal treatment standards for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals (as measured by the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure [TCLP]). Thus, these non-cementitious waste forms should also be acceptable for land disposal. Information is needed on all four waste forms with respect to their capability to minimize the release of technetium. Technetium is a radionuclide predicted to be in the secondary liquid wastes in small quantities, but the Integrated Disposal Facility (IDF) risk assessment analyses show that technetium, even at low mass, produces the largest contribution to the estimated IDF disposal impacts to groundwater.« less

Testing ocular irritancy in vitro with the silicon microphysiometer.

PubMed

Bruner, L H; Miller, K R; Owicki, J C; Parce, J W; Muir, V C

1991-01-01

The silicon microphysiometer, an instrument based on the light-addressable potentiometric sensor, was evaluated as an in vitro alternative for assessing ocular irritancy potential. It indirectly and non-invasively measures cell metabolism by determining the rate of acid metabolite production from cells, in this case human epidermal keratinocytes, placed inside the microphysiometer chamber. The 17 materials used for the evaluation included bar soaps, a liquid hand soap, shampoos, dishwashing liquids, laundry detergents, a fabric softener and several single chemicals. All materials tested were in liquid form. The in vivo irritancy potential of the materials was obtained from historical data using the rabbit low-volume eye test. There was a positive correlation between the in vivo irritancy potential of the test materials and the concentration of test material that decreased the acidification rate of cells by 50% (MRD(50); r = 0.86, P < 0.0001). Preliminary studies suggest other endpoints obtainable from the system may also provide useful information for making ocular safety assessments. Because the method is non-invasive, it is possible to determine whether cells recover from a treatment with the test material. The metabolic rate of the cells also increases at sub-inhibitory concentrations of some of the test materials. Because of the good correlation between the in vivo and in vitro data, the ease with which test materials can be applied to the system, and the multiple endpoints available from the system, it holds great potential as a useful in vitro alternative for ocular safety testing.

Optimizing multiple-choice tests as tools for learning.

PubMed

Little, Jeri L; Bjork, Elizabeth Ligon

2015-01-01

Answering multiple-choice questions with competitive alternatives can enhance performance on a later test, not only on questions about the information previously tested, but also on questions about related information not previously tested-in particular, on questions about information pertaining to the previously incorrect alternatives. In the present research, we assessed a possible explanation for this pattern: When multiple-choice questions contain competitive incorrect alternatives, test-takers are led to retrieve previously studied information pertaining to all of the alternatives in order to discriminate among them and select an answer, with such processing strengthening later access to information associated with both the correct and incorrect alternatives. Supporting this hypothesis, we found enhanced performance on a later cued-recall test for previously nontested questions when their answers had previously appeared as competitive incorrect alternatives in the initial multiple-choice test, but not when they had previously appeared as noncompetitive alternatives. Importantly, however, competitive alternatives were not more likely than noncompetitive alternatives to be intruded as incorrect responses, indicating that a general increased accessibility for previously presented incorrect alternatives could not be the explanation for these results. The present findings, replicated across two experiments (one in which corrective feedback was provided during the initial multiple-choice testing, and one in which it was not), thus strongly suggest that competitive multiple-choice questions can trigger beneficial retrieval processes for both tested and related information, and the results have implications for the effective use of multiple-choice tests as tools for learning.

30 CFR 256.58 - Termination of the period of liability and cancellation of a bond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... provide an alternative form of security, and the Regional Director determines that the alternative form of... cancellation of a bond. 256.58 Section 256.58 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, REGULATION... retain other forms of security as shown in the following table: For the following type of bond The period...

30 CFR 556.58 - Termination of the period of liability and cancellation of a bond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... alternative form of security, and the Regional Director determines that the alternative form of security... cancellation of a bond. 556.58 Section 556.58 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT... retain other forms of security as shown in the following table: For the following type of bond The period...

30 CFR 556.58 - Termination of the period of liability and cancellation of a bond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... alternative form of security, and the Regional Director determines that the alternative form of security... cancellation of a bond. 556.58 Section 556.58 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT... retain other forms of security as shown in the following table: For the following type of bond The period...

30 CFR 556.58 - Termination of the period of liability and cancellation of a bond.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... alternative form of security, and the Regional Director determines that the alternative form of security... cancellation of a bond. 556.58 Section 556.58 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT... retain other forms of security as shown in the following table: For the following type of bond The period...

Low Voltage Electrolytic Capacitor Pulse Forming Inductive Network for Electric Weapons

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

reliable high- current, high-energy pulses of many megawatts. Pulsed alternators potentially have the same maintenance issues as other motor ...high-energy pulses of many megawatts. Pulsed alternators potentially have the same maintenance issues as other motor -generator sets, so a solid...Rotating Flywheel) Pulse Forming Network Compensated Pulsed Alternators, or Compulsators as they are called, are essentially large motor -generator

Developing Item Response Theory-Based Short Forms to Measure the Social Impact of Burn Injuries.

PubMed

Marino, Molly E; Dore, Emily C; Ni, Pengsheng; Ryan, Colleen M; Schneider, Jeffrey C; Acton, Amy; Jette, Alan M; Kazis, Lewis E

2018-03-01

To develop self-reported short forms for the Life Impact Burn Recovery Evaluation (LIBRE) Profile. Short forms based on the item parameters of discrimination and average difficulty. A support network for burn survivors, peer support networks, social media, and mailings. Burn survivors (N=601) older than 18 years. Not applicable. The LIBRE Profile. Ten-item short forms were developed to cover the 6 LIBRE Profile scales: Relationships with Family & Friends, Social Interactions, Social Activities, Work & Employment, Romantic Relationships, and Sexual Relationships. Ceiling effects were ≤15% for all scales; floor effects were <1% for all scales. The marginal reliability of the short forms ranged from .85 to .89. The LIBRE Profile-Short Forms demonstrated credible psychometric properties. The short form version provides a viable alternative to administering the LIBRE Profile when resources do not allow computer or Internet access. The full item bank, computerized adaptive test, and short forms are all scored along the same metric, and therefore scores are comparable regardless of the mode of administration. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Immunohistochemistry and alternative FISH testing in breast cancer with HER2 equivocal amplification.

PubMed

Agersborg, Sally; Mixon, Christopher; Nguyen, Thanh; Aithal, Sramila; Sudarsanam, Sucha; Blocker, Forrest; Weiss, Lawrence; Gasparini, Robert; Jiang, Shiping; Chen, Wayne; Hess, Gregory; Albitar, Maher

2018-03-22

While HER2 testing is well established in directing appropriate treatment for breast cancer, a small percentage of cases show equivocal results by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Alternative probes may be used in equivocal cases. We present a single community-based institution's experience in further evaluating these cases. Between 2014 and 2016, 4255 samples were submitted for HER2 amplification testing by alternative probes, TP53, RAI1, and RARA. Of the patients tested by FISH, 505/3908 (12.9%) also had IHC data. Most (73.9%) FISH equivocal cases remained equivocal after IHC testing. However, 50.5% of equivocal cases were classified as HER2 amplified by alternative probes. Most cases were positive by more than one probe: 78% of positive cases by RAI1 and 73.9% by TP53. There was a significant difference between IHC and FISH alternative testing (p < 0.0001) among the equivocal cases by conventional FISH testing, 44% of IHC negative cases became positive while 36% of the positive IHC cases became negative by alternative FISH testing. Available data showed that 41% of patients were treated with palbociclib and were positive by alternative FISH. The prevalence of double HER2 equivocal cases and the discrepancy between IHC and alternative FISH testing suggest that FISH alternative testing using both RAI1 and TP53 probes is necessary for conclusive classification. Because almost half of FISH equivocal cases converted to HER2 amplified upon alternative testing, clinical studies to determine the benefit of anti-HER2 therapy in these patients are urgently needed.

Oromucosal film preparations: classification and characterization methods.

PubMed

Preis, Maren; Woertz, Christina; Kleinebudde, Peter; Breitkreutz, Jörg

2013-09-01

Recently, the regulatory authorities have enlarged the variety of 'oromucosal preparations' by buccal films and orodispersible films. Various film preparations have entered the market and pharmacopoeias. Due to the novelty of the official monographs, no standardized characterization methods and quality specifications are included. This review reports the methods of choice to characterize oromucosal film preparations with respect to biorelevant characterization and quality control. Commonly used dissolution tests for other dosage forms are not transferable for films in all cases. Alternatives and guidance on decision, which methods are favorable for film preparations are discussed. Furthermore, issues about requirements for film dosage forms are reflected. Oromucosal film preparations offer a wide spectrum of opportunities. There are a lot of suggestions in the literature on how to control the quality of these innovative products, but no standardized tests are available. Regulatory authorities need to define the standards and quality requirements more precisely.

Alternative medicine - pain relief

MedlinePlus

Acupuncture - pain relief; Hypnosis - pain relief; Guided imagery - pain relief ... forms of alternative medicine. Alternatives to medicines include acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, hypnosis, biofeedback, meditation, yoga, and tai- ...

Beta structures of alternating polypeptides and their possible prebiotic significance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brack, A.; Orgel, L. E.

1975-01-01

A survey of the commonest amino acids formed in prebiotic conditions suggests that the earliest form of genetic coding may have specified polypeptides with a strong tendency to form stable beta-sheet structures. Poly(Val-Lys), like other polypeptides in which hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues alternate, tends to form beta structures. It is shown that bilayers with a hydrophobic interior and a hydrophilic exterior may be present in aqueous solution.

Color-binding errors during rivalrous suppression of form.

PubMed

Hong, Sang Wook; Shevell, Steven K

2009-09-01

How does a physical stimulus determine a conscious percept? Binocular rivalry provides useful insights into this question because constant physical stimulation during rivalry causes different visual experiences. For example, presentation of vertical stripes to one eye and horizontal stripes to the other eye results in a percept that alternates between horizontal and vertical stripes. Presentation of a different color to each eye (color rivalry) produces alternating percepts of the two colors or, in some cases, a color mixture. The experiments reported here reveal a novel and instructive resolution of rivalry for stimuli that differ in both form and color: perceptual alternation between the rivalrous forms (e.g., horizontal or vertical stripes), with both eyes' colors seen simultaneously in separate parts of the currently perceived form. Thus, the colors presented to the two eyes (a) maintain their distinct neural representations despite resolution of form rivalry and (b) can bind separately to distinct parts of the perceived form.

Implementation of the 3Rs (refinement, reduction, and replacement): validation and regulatory acceptance considerations for alternative toxicological test methods.

PubMed

Schechtman, Leonard M

2002-01-01

Toxicological testing in the current regulatory environment is steeped in a history of using animals to answer questions about the safety of products to which humans are exposed. That history forms the basis for the testing strategies that have evolved to satisfy the needs of the regulatory bodies that render decisions that affect, for the most part, virtually all phases of premarket product development and evaluation and, to a lesser extent, postmarketing surveillance. Only relatively recently have the levels of awareness of, and responsiveness to, animal welfare issues reached current proportions. That paradigm shift, although sluggish, has nevertheless been progressive. New and alternative toxicological methods for hazard evaluation and risk assessment have now been adopted and are being viewed as a means to address those issues in a manner that considers humane treatment of animals yet maintains scientific credibility and preserves the goal of ensuring human safety. To facilitate this transition, regulatory agencies and regulated industry must work together toward improved approaches. They will need assurance that the methods will be reliable and the results comparable with, or better than, those derived from the current classical methods. That confidence will be a function of the scientific validation and resultant acceptance of any given method. In the United States, to fulfill this need, the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) and its operational center, the National Toxicology Program Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM), have been constituted as prescribed in federal law. Under this mandate, ICCVAM has developed a process and established criteria for the scientific validation and regulatory acceptance of new and alternative methods. The role of ICCVAM in the validation and acceptance process and the criteria instituted toward that end are described. Also discussed are the participation of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the ICCVAM process and that agency's approach to the application and implementation of ICCVAM-recommended methods.

Proceedings of the Annual Conference (28th) of the Military Testing Association Held in New London, Connecticut on 3-7 November 1986

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-11-07

performance. Second, an environmental model, which contained the five work environment constructs was used to predict the separate performance measures to...Sc.D., D.E. Roberts, Ph.D., and A. Cymerman, Ph.D. US Army Research Institute Environmental Medicine Natick, MA 01 760-5007 Stressful environments ... environments , and 6) available in alternate forms for repeated assessment. This paper summarizes six cognitive performance studies with environmental

Informed consent for clinical trials: a comparative study of standard versus simplified forms.

PubMed

Davis, T C; Holcombe, R F; Berkel, H J; Pramanik, S; Divers, S G

1998-05-06

A high level of reading skill and comprehension is necessary to understand and complete most consent forms that are required for participation in clinical research studies. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that a simplified consent form would be less intimidating and more easily understood by individuals with low-to-marginal reading skills. During July 1996, 183 adults (53 patients with cancer or another medical condition and 130 apparently healthy participants) were tested for reading ability and then asked to read either the standard Southwestern Oncology Group (SWOG) consent form (16th grade level) or a simplified form (7th grade level) developed at Louisiana State University Medical Center-Shreveport (LSU). Participants were interviewed to assess their attitudes toward and comprehension of the form read. Then they were given the alternate consent form and asked which one they preferred and why. Overall, participants preferred the LSU form (62%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 54.8%-69.2%) over the SWOG form (38%; 95% CI = 30.8%-45.2%) (P = .0033). Nearly all participants thought that the LSU form was easier to read (97%; 95% CI = 93.1%-99.9%) than the SWOG form (75%; 95% CI = 65.1%-85.7%) (P<.0001). However, the degree to which the participants understood the forms was essentially the same for the LSU form (58%; 95% CI = 48.6%-67.0%) and the SWOG form (56%; 95% CI = 43.8%-66.8%). These findings raise serious questions regarding the adequacy of the design of written informed consent documents for the substantial proportion of Americans with low-to-marginal literacy skills.

How to Support and Engage Students in Alternative Forms of Education and Training? A Qualitative Study of School Staff Members in Flanders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Praag, Lore; Van Caudenberg, Rut; Nouwen, Ward; Clycq, Noel; Timmerman, Christiane

2017-01-01

This study focuses on how students, who for a variety of reasons struggle in mainstream secondary schools, can be supported and engaged by alternative forms of education and training to attain a (formal) qualification. Interviews and focus groups are carried out with school staff members of distinct types of alternative learning arenas in Flanders…

Paradise lost: A study of the decline of institutions and the restructuring of organizational fields in the United States power industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sine, Wesley David

Institutional theorists have a long tradition of examining the persistence organizational forms and practices. Most institutional analysis, however, fails to discuss change in organizational forms and practices that at one time were highly taken for granted. This dissertation presents three papers that explore questions of institutional change in the context of the evolving power industry. The first paper, Dimensions of Institutional Resistance to Change, examines the qualities that make institutions more or less resistant to change. This paper surveys the literature on institutional change and suggests four institutional qualities for indexing institutional change: taken for grantedness, diffuseness, symbolic value, and integrativeness. I argue that these qualities can be used to measure the extent to which an institution is resistant to change, thus providing a means for studying and predicting the life spans of institutions. The second paper, From Hierarchies to Markets: The Deregulation of the Electric Generating Industry, uses the dimensions proposed in the first paper to understand the structural changes in the electric utility industry between 1935 and 1978. It theorizes that crisis catalyzes both organizational scrutiny, which erodes institutional symbolic value and taken-for-grantedness, and search processes for solutions, which redefine fringe alternatives within an institutional field as possible solutions. The net result is the delegitimation of incumbent institutions and the recognition of alternative solutions, creating a solution bazaar, where solutions compete to solve organizational inefficiencies made relevant by the crisis. The third paper, The Institutional Context of Founding Variation in the Emerging Independent Power Industry, presents and tests a theory of the effects of institutional structures on the genesis, development, and variation of organizational forms in a newborn industry created by radical regulatory change. Nascent industries formed by punctuated change are particularly susceptible to institutional influences. Normative, regulative, and cognitive structures form the context that shape entrepreneurial decisions about organizational foundings. Institutional structures can either increase or decrease barriers to entry into nascent industries, thus influencing the heterogeneity of organizational forms founded within the niche. These propositions are examined and tested in the context of the independent power industry.

Alternatives to animal testing: information resources via the Internet and World Wide Web.

PubMed

Hakkinen, P J Bert; Green, Dianne K

2002-04-25

Many countries, including the United States, Canada, European Union member states, and others, require that a comprehensive search for possible alternatives be completed before beginning some or all research involving animals. Completing comprehensive alternatives searches and keeping current with information associated with alternatives to animal testing is a challenge that will be made easier as people throughout the world gain access to the Internet and World Wide Web. Numerous Internet and World Wide Web resources are available to provide guidance and other information on in vitro and other alternatives to animal testing. A comprehensive Web site is Alternatives to Animal Testing on the Web (Altweb), which serves as an online clearinghouse for resources, information, and news about alternatives to animal testing. Examples of other important Web sites include the joint one for the (US) Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM) and the Norwegian Reference Centre for Laboratory Animal Science and Alternatives (The NORINA database). Internet mailing lists and online access to bulletin boards, discussion areas, newsletters, and journals are other ways to access and share information to stay current with alternatives to animal testing.

Cost-Benefit Analysis For Alternative Low-Emission Surface Preparation/ Depainting Technologies for Structural Steel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Pattie

2007-01-01

Stennis Space Center (SSC), Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) identified particulate emissions and waste generated from the depainting process of steel structures as hazardous materials to be eliminated or reduced. A Potential Alternatives Report, Potential Alternatives Report for Validation of Alternative Low Emission Surface Preparation/Depainting Technologies for Structural Steel, provided a technical analyses of identified alternatives to the current coating removal processes, criteria used to select alternatives for further analysis, and a list of those alternatives recommended for testing. The initial coating removal alternatives list was compiled using literature searches and stakeholder recommendations. The involved project participants initially considered approximately 13 alternatives. In late 2003, core project members selected the following depainting processes to be further evaluated: (1) Plastic Blast Media-Quickstrip(R)-A. (2) Hard Abrasive-Steel-Magic(R). (3) Sponge Blasting-Sponge-Jet(R). (4) Liquid Nitrogen-NItroJet(R). (5) Mechanical Removal with Vacuum Attachment-DESCO and OCM Clean-Air (6) Laser Coating Removal Alternatives were tested in accordance with the Joint Test Protocol for Validation of Alternative Low-Emission Surface Preparation/Depainting Technologies for Structural Steel, and the Field Evaluation Test Plan for Validation of Alternative Low-Emission Surface Preparation/Depainting Technologies for Structural Steel. Results of the testing are documented in the Joint Test Report. This Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) focuses on the three alternatives (Quickstrip(R)-A, SteelMagic (R), and Sponge-Jet(R)) that were considered viable alternatives for large area operations based on the results of the field demonstration and lab testing. This CBA was created to help participants determine if implementation of the candidate alternatives is economically justified. Each of the alternatives examined reduced Environmental Activity (EA) Costs-those costs associated with complying with environmental regulations. One alternative, Steel-Magic(R), also showed reduced Direct Costs and reduced total costs.

Kilowatt Isotope Power System: component test report for the ground demonstration system alternator stator. 78-KIPS-17

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1977-12-14

The purpose of this test was to demonstrate that the alternator stator has satisfactorily completed sufficient testing to safisfy the requirements set forth within the Kilowatt Isotope Power System (KIPS) Component Test Specification for the GDS Alternator Stator (TS 2538). The results of the acceptance tests conducted on the alternator stator, S/N 003, are presented, and show that the stator did meet specified requirements.

Implementation-intention encoding in a prospective memory task enhances spontaneous retrieval of intentions.

PubMed

Rummel, Jan; Einstein, Gilles O; Rampey, Hilary

2012-01-01

Although forming implementation intentions (Gollwitzer, 1999) has been demonstrated to generally improve prospective memory, the underlying cognitive mechanisms are not completely understood. It has been proposed that implementation-intention encoding encourages spontaneous retrieval (McDaniel & Scullin, 2010). Alternatively one could assume the positive effect of implementation-intention encoding is caused by increased or more efficient monitoring for target cues. To test these alternative explanations and to further investigate the cognitive mechanisms underlying implementation-intention benefits, in two experiments participants formed the intention to respond to specific target cues in a lexical decision task with a special key, but then had to suspend this intention during an intervening word-categorisation task. Response times on trials directly following the occurrence of target cues in the intervening task were significantly slower with implementation-intention encoding than with standard encoding, indicating that spontaneous retrieval was increased (Experiment 1). However, when activation of the target cues was controlled for, similar slowing was found with both standard and implementation-intention encoding (Experiment 2). The results imply that implementation-intention encoding as well as increased target-cue activation foster spontaneous retrieval processes.

Alternatives Analysis for the Resumption of Transient Testing Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee Nelson

2013-11-01

An alternatives analysis was performed for resumption of transient testing. The analysis considered eleven alternatives – including both US international facilities. A screening process was used to identify two viable alternatives from the original eleven. In addition, the alternatives analysis includes a no action alternative as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The alternatives considered in this analysis included: 1. Restart the Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) 2. Modify the Annular Core Research Reactor (ACRR) which includes construction of a new hot cell and installation of a new hodoscope. 3. No Action

New developments in CVD diamond for detector applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, W.; Berdermann, E.; Bergonzo, P.; de Boer, W.; Bogani, F.; Borchi, E.; Brambilla, A.; Bruzzi, M.; Colledani, C.; Conway, J.; D'Angelo, P.; Dabrowski, W.; Delpierre, P.; Dulinski, W.; Doroshenko, J.; van Eijk, B.; Fallou, A.; Fischer, P.; Fizzotti, F.; Furetta, C.; Gan, K. K.; Ghodbane, N.; Grigoriev, E.; Hallewell, G.; Han, S.; Hartjes, F.; Hrubec, J.; Husson, D.; Kagan, H.; Kaplon, J.; Kass, R.; Keil, M.; Knoepfle, K. T.; Koeth, T.; Krammer, M.; Logiudice, A.; Lu, R.; Mac Lynne, L.; Manfredotti, C.; Meier, D.; Menichelli, D.; Meuser, S.; Mishina, M.; Moroni, L.; Noomen, J.; Oh, A.; Pernicka, M.; Perera, L.; Potenza, R.; Riester, J. L.; Roe, S.; Rudge, A.; Sala, S.; Sampietro, M.; Schnetzer, S.; Sciortino, S.; Stelzer, H.; Stone, R.; Sutera, C.; Trischuk, W.; Tromson, D.; Tuve, C.; Vincenzo, B.; Weilhammer, P.; Wermes, N.; Wetstein, M.; Zeuner, W.; Zoeller, M.

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamond has been discussed extensively as an alternative sensor material for use very close to the interaction region of the LHC and other machines where extreme radiation conditions exist. During the last seven years the RD42 collaboration has developed diamond detectors and tested them with LHC electronics towards the end of creating a device usable by experiments. The most recent results of this work are presented. Recently, a new form of CVD diamond has been developed: single crystal CVD diamond which resolves many of the issues associated with poly-crystalline CVD material. The first tests of this material are also presented.

Alternative analytical forms to model diatomic systems based on the deformed exponential function.

PubMed

da Fonsêca, José Erinaldo; de Oliveira, Heibbe Cristhian B; da Cunha, Wiliam Ferreira; Gargano, Ricardo

2014-07-01

Using a deformed exponential function and the molecular-orbital theory for the simplest molecular ion, two new analytical functions are proposed to represent the potential energy of ground-state diatomic systems. The quality of these new forms was tested by fitting the ab initio electronic energies of the system LiH, LiNa, NaH, RbH, KH, H2, Li2, K2, H 2 (+) , BeH(+) and Li 2 (+) . From these fits, it was verified that these new proposals are able to adequately describe homonuclear, heteronuclear and cationic diatomic systems with good accuracy. Vibrational spectroscopic constant results obtained from these two proposals are in good agreement with experimental data.

Forming conjectures within a spreadsheet environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calder, Nigel; Brown, Tony; Hanley, Una; Darby, Susan

2006-12-01

This paper is concerned with the use of spreadsheets within mathematical investigational tasks. Considering the learning of both children and pre-service teaching students, it examines how mathematical phenomena can be seen as a function of the pedagogical media through which they are encountered. In particular, it shows how pedagogical apparatus influence patterns of social interaction, and how this interaction shapes the mathematical ideas that are engaged with. Notions of conjecture, along with the particular faculty of the spreadsheet setting, are considered with regard to the facilitation of mathematical thinking. Employing an interpretive perspective, a key focus is on how alternative pedagogical media and associated discursive networks influence the way that students form and test informal conjectures.

Depression and helplessness-induced cognitive deficits in the aged.

PubMed

Kennelly, K J; Hayslip, B; Richardson, S K

1985-01-01

Sixty-six community-residing elderly (mean age = 72.5) were categorized as depressed (mean = 11.3) or nondepressed (mean = 3.9) based on Beck Depression Inventory scores. After a pre-test battery measuring short-term memory and crystallized/fluid intelligence, the subjects responded to a word association task, disguised as a test of interpersonal empathy, under response dependent or response independent reinforcement conditions, or were assigned to a no treatment control. A post-test battery of alternate forms followed. Four of seven measures showed significant pre- to post-test declines in performance. For two of these four, response dependent reinforcement prevented otherwise significant declines. With pre-test differences statistically controlled, depression produced significant post-test deficits in three measures. Response dependent reinforcement eliminated this depression deficit in one measure. The results indicate that depression may exacerbate fatigue effects for the elderly and response dependent reinforcement may prevent fatigue-caused deficits in short-term memory.

Pilot-testing an adverse drug event reporting form prior to its implementation in an electronic health record.

PubMed

Chruscicki, Adam; Badke, Katherin; Peddie, David; Small, Serena; Balka, Ellen; Hohl, Corinne M

2016-01-01

Adverse drug events (ADEs), harmful unintended consequences of medication use, are a leading cause of hospital admissions, yet are rarely documented in a structured format between care providers. We describe pilot-testing structured ADE documentation fields prior to integration into an electronic medical record (EMR). We completed a qualitative study at two Canadian hospitals. Using data derived from a systematic review of the literature, we developed screen mock-ups for an ADE reporting platform, iteratively revised in participatory workshops with diverse end-user groups. We designed a paper-based form reflecting the data elements contained in the mock-ups. We distributed them to a convenience sample of clinical pharmacists, and completed ethnographic workplace observations while the forms were used. We reviewed completed forms, collected feedback from pharmacists using semi-structured interviews, and coded the data in NVivo for themes related to the ADE form. We completed 25 h of clinical observations, and 24 ADEs were documented. Pharmacists perceived the form as simple and clear, with sufficient detail to capture ADEs. They identified fields for omission, and others requiring more detail. Pharmacists encountered barriers to documenting ADEs including uncertainty about what constituted a reportable ADE, inability to complete patient follow-up, the need for inter-professional communication to rule out alternative diagnoses, and concern about creating a permanent record. Paper-based pilot-testing allowed planning for important modifications in an ADE documentation form prior to implementation in an EMR. While paper-based piloting is rarely reported prior to EMR implementations, it can inform design and enhance functionality. Piloting with other groups of care providers and in different healthcare settings will likely lead to further revisions prior to broader implementations.

77 FR 41370 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2013 Alternative Contact Strategy Test

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-13

... Alternative Contact Strategy Test AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The...-response. This research will be conducted through a series of projects and tests throughout the decade... 2013 Alternative Contact Strategy Test is the first test to support this research. The Census Bureau...

Effects of para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) form and administration mode on PABA recovery in 24-hour urine collections.

PubMed

Sharma, Rashmi S; Joy, Raechel C; Boushey, Carol J; Ferruzzi, Mario G; Leonov, Alexei P; McCrory, Megan A

2014-03-01

Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) has long been used as an objective measure to assess completeness of 24-hour urine collections. However, pharmaceutical-grade PABA for human ingestion is not available in the United States. An alternative, the potassium salt of PABA, aminobenzoate potassium, can be obtained for clinical use, although it has not yet been validated in this role. Both PABA and aminobenzoate potassium can be directly ingested in their tablet or capsule forms or added to food before consumption. Our aim was to investigate the effect of form (PABA vs aminobenzoate potassium) and administration mode (directly ingested as a tablet/capsule vs added to food) on urinary PABA recovery levels. Twenty healthy participants underwent 3 test days separated by two 24-hour wash-out periods. Three test conditions, one on each test day, were investigated in randomized order: PABA tablet, aminobenzoate potassium capsule, and PABA or aminobenzoate potassium in food. Ingestion of each dose was supervised and participants performed the 24-hour urine collections while free-living. The 24-hour urine collections were analyzed for PABA recovery (%R) levels using a colorimetric assay. Recoveries 85% to 110% were deemed complete and those >110% were reanalyzed by high pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Only complete collections (>85%R) were included in analyses. The recovery for the PABA tablet, aminobenzoate potassium capsule, and PABA/aminobenzoate potassium in food were similar at 98.8%R±2.0%R, 95.1%R±2.3%R, and 93.2%R±2.1%R, respectively, and did not differ significantly. These results suggest that aminobenzoate potassium may be used as an alternative to PABA for assessing the completeness of 24-hour urine collections and to track compliance with consuming provided diets in community-dwelling studies. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The composition, leaching, and sorption behavior of some alternative sources of phosphorus for soils.

PubMed

Stutter, Marc I

2015-03-01

Concerns about the sustainability of inorganic fertilizers necessitate the characterization of alternative P source materials for agronomic P-efficiencies and P losses via leaching. Firstly, this study examined nutrient compositions including P speciation of seven soil amendments: sewage sludge (SS), anaerobic digestate (AD), green compost (GC), food waste compost (FWC), chicken manure (CM), biochar, and seaweed. Secondly, soil P leaching and availability was studied on a subset of four materials (SS, AD, GC, and CM). Sorption of extracts onto columns of a test soil showed strong P retention for SS and compost, but weak P sorption for CM and especially AD, suggesting short-term leaching risks for soil applied AD. Limited P desorption with water or citrate indicated sorbed P was strongly fixed, potentially limiting crop availability. These data indicate that variation in P forms and environmental behavior should be understood to maximize P usage, but minimize leaching and soil P accumulation. Hence, different alternative P source materials need differing recommendations for their agronomic management.

Identification of Alternative Splice Variants Using Unique Tryptic Peptide Sequences for Database Searches.

PubMed

Tran, Trung T; Bollineni, Ravi C; Strozynski, Margarita; Koehler, Christian J; Thiede, Bernd

2017-07-07

Alternative splicing is a mechanism in eukaryotes by which different forms of mRNAs are generated from the same gene. Identification of alternative splice variants requires the identification of peptides specific for alternative splice forms. For this purpose, we generated a human database that contains only unique tryptic peptides specific for alternative splice forms from Swiss-Prot entries. Using this database allows an easy access to splice variant-specific peptide sequences that match to MS data. Furthermore, we combined this database without alternative splice variant-1-specific peptides with human Swiss-Prot. This combined database can be used as a general database for searching of LC-MS data. LC-MS data derived from in-solution digests of two different cell lines (LNCaP, HeLa) and phosphoproteomics studies were analyzed using these two databases. Several nonalternative splice variant-1-specific peptides were found in both cell lines, and some of them seemed to be cell-line-specific. Control and apoptotic phosphoproteomes from Jurkat T cells revealed several nonalternative splice variant-1-specific peptides, and some of them showed clear quantitative differences between the two states.

Hexavalent Chrome Free Coatings for Electronics Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Shielding Effectiveness (SE) Interim Test Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kessel, Kurt R.

2015-01-01

Test specimen configuration was provided by Parker Chomerics. The EMI gasket used in this project was Cho-Seal 6503E. Black oxide alloy steel socket head bolts were used to hold the plates together. Non-conductive spacers were used to control the amount of compression on the gaskets. The following test fixture specifications were provided by Parker Chomerics. The CHO-TP09 test plate sets selected for this project consist of two aluminum plates manufactured to the specifications detailed in CHO­-TP09. The first plate, referred to as the test frame, is illustrated in Figure 1. The test frame is designed with a cutout in the center and two alternating bolt patterns. One pattern is used to bolt the test frame to the corresponding test cover plate (Figure 2), forming a test plate set. The second pattern accepts the hardware used to mount the fully assembled test plate set to the main adapter plate (Figure 3).

Chromatic interocular-switch rivalry.

PubMed

Christiansen, Jens H; D'Antona, Anthony D; Shevell, Steven K

2017-05-01

Interocular-switch rivalry (also known as stimulus rivalry) is a kind of binocular rivalry in which two rivalrous images are swapped between the eyes several times a second. The result is stable periods of one image and then the other, with stable intervals that span many eye swaps (Logothetis, Leopold, & Sheinberg, 1996). Previous work used this close kin of binocular rivalry with rivalrous forms. Experiments here test whether chromatic interocular-switch rivalry, in which the swapped stimuli differ in only chromaticity, results in slow alternation between two colors. Swapping equiluminant rivalrous chromaticities at 3.75 Hz resulted in slow perceptual color alternation, with one or the other color often continuously visible for two seconds or longer (during which there were 15+ eye swaps). A well-known theory for sustained percepts from interocular-switch rivalry with form is inhibitory competition between binocular neurons driven by monocular neurons with matched orientation tuning in each eye; such binocular neurons would produce a stable response when a given orientation is swapped between the eyes. A similar model can account for the percepts here from chromatic interocular-switch rivalry and is underpinned by the neurophysiological finding that color-preferring binocular neurons are driven by monocular neurons from each eye with well-matched chromatic selectivity (Peirce, Solomon, Forte, & Lennie, 2008). In contrast to chromatic interocular-switch rivalry, luminance interocular-switch rivalry with swapped stimuli that differ in only luminance did not result in slowly alternating percepts of different brightnesses.

Reconstruction of extended Petri nets from time series data and its application to signal transduction and to gene regulatory networks

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Network inference methods reconstruct mathematical models of molecular or genetic networks directly from experimental data sets. We have previously reported a mathematical method which is exclusively data-driven, does not involve any heuristic decisions within the reconstruction process, and deliveres all possible alternative minimal networks in terms of simple place/transition Petri nets that are consistent with a given discrete time series data set. Results We fundamentally extended the previously published algorithm to consider catalysis and inhibition of the reactions that occur in the underlying network. The results of the reconstruction algorithm are encoded in the form of an extended Petri net involving control arcs. This allows the consideration of processes involving mass flow and/or regulatory interactions. As a non-trivial test case, the phosphate regulatory network of enterobacteria was reconstructed using in silico-generated time-series data sets on wild-type and in silico mutants. Conclusions The new exact algorithm reconstructs extended Petri nets from time series data sets by finding all alternative minimal networks that are consistent with the data. It suggested alternative molecular mechanisms for certain reactions in the network. The algorithm is useful to combine data from wild-type and mutant cells and may potentially integrate physiological, biochemical, pharmacological, and genetic data in the form of a single model. PMID:21762503

An Alternate Method to Springback Compensation for Sheet Metal Forming

PubMed Central

Omar, Badrul; Jusoff, Kamaruzaman

2014-01-01

The aim of this work is to improve the accuracy of cold stamping product by accommodating springback. This is a numerical approach to improve the accuracy of springback analysis and die compensation process combining the displacement adjustment (DA) method and the spring forward (SF) algorithm. This alternate hybrid method (HM) is conducted by firstly employing DA method followed by the SF method instead of either DA or SF method individually. The springback shape and the target part are used to optimize the die surfaces compensating springback. The hybrid method (HM) algorithm has been coded in Fortran and tested in two- and three-dimensional models. By implementing the HM, the springback error can be decreased and the dimensional deviation falls in the predefined tolerance range. PMID:25165738

When combinatorial processing results in reconceptualization: toward a new approach of compositionality

PubMed Central

Schumacher, Petra B.

2013-01-01

Propositional content is often incomplete but comprehenders appear to adjust meaning and add unarticulated meaning constituents effortlessly. This happens at the propositional level (The baby drank the bottle) but also at the phrasal level (the wooden turtle). In two ERP experiments, combinatorial processing was investigated in container/content alternations and adjective-noun combination transforming an animate entity into a physical object. Experiment 1 revealed that container-for-content alternations (The baby drank the bottle) engendered a Late Positivity on the critical expression and on the subsequent segment, while content-for-container alternations (Chris put the beer on the table) did not exert extra costs. In Experiment 2, adjective-noun combinations (the wooden turtle) also evoked a Late Positivity on the critical noun. First, the Late Positivities are taken to reflect discourse updating demands resulting from reference shift from the original denotation to the contextually appropriate interpretation (e.g., the reconceptualization form animal to physical object). This shift is supported by the linguistic unavailability of the original meaning, exemplified by copredication tests. Second, the data reveal that meaning alternations differ qualitatively. Some alternations involve (cost-free) meaning selection, while others engender processing demands associated with reconceptualization. This dissociation thus calls for a new typology of metonymic shifts that centers around the status of the involved discourse referents. PMID:24098293

Field test of an alternative longwall gate road design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cox, R.M.; Vandergrift, T.L.; McDonnell, J.P.

1994-01-01

The US Bureau of Mines (USBM) MULSIM/ML modeling technique has been used to analyze anticipated stress distributions for a proposed alternative longwall gate road design for a western Colorado coal mine. The model analyses indicated that the alternative gate road design would reduce stresses in the headgate entry. To test the validity of the alternative gate road design under actual mining conditions, a test section of the alternative system was incorporated into a subsequent set of gate roads developed at the mine. The alternative gate road test section was instrumented with borehole pressure cells, as part of an ongoing USBMmore » research project to monitor ground pressure changes as longwall mining progressed. During the excavation of the adjacent longwall panels, the behavior of the alternative gate road system was monitored continuously using the USBM computer-assisted Ground Control Management System. During these field tests, the alternative gate road system was first monitored and evaluated as a headgate, and later monitored and evaluated as a tailgate. The results of the field tests confirmed the validity of using the MULSIM/NL modeling technique to evaluate mine designs.« less

Cost-Benefit Analysis for Alternatives to Aliphatic Isocyanate Polyurethanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Pattie

2007-01-01

NASA and Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) have similar missions and therefore similar facilities and structures in similar environments. The standard practice for protecting metallic substrates in atmospheric environments is the application of an applied coating system. The most common topcoats used in coating systems are polyurethanes that contain isocyanates. Isocyanates are classified as potential human carcinogens and are known to cause cancer in animals. The primary objective of this effort was to demonstrate and validate alternatives to aliphatic isocyanate polyurethanes resulting in one or more isocyanate-free coatings qualified for use at AFSPC and NASA installations participating in this project. This Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) quantifies the estimated capital and process costs of coating alternatives and cost savings relative to the current coatings. The estimates in this CBA are to be used for assessing the relative merits of the selected alternatives. The actual economic effects at any specific facility will depend on the alternative material or technology implemented, the number of actual applications converted, future workloads, and other factors . The participants initially considered eighteen (18) alternative coatings as described in the Potential Alternatives Report entitled Potential Alternatives Report for Validation of Alternatives to Aliphatic Isocyanate Polyurethanes, prepared by ITB. Of those, 8 alternatives were selected for testing in accordance with the Joint Test Protocol entitled Joint Test Protocol for Validation of Alternatives to Aliphatic Isocyanate Polyurethanes, and the Field Test Plan entitled Field Evaluations Test Plan for Validation of Alternatives 10 Aliphatic Isocyanate Polyurethanes, both of which were prepared by ITB. A joint Test Report entitled Joint Test Report for Validation of Alternatives to Aliphatic Isocyanate Polyurethanes, prepared by ITB, documents the results of the laboratory and field testing, as well as any test modifications made during the execution of the testing. The coatings selected for evaluation in this CBA are shown in the table below. Only one control coating system is considered in this analysis. These coatings were either downselected for Phase II or performed well enough to be included in the Qualified Products List in the NASA technical standard NASA-STD-5008, Protective Coating of Carbon Steel, Stainless Steel, and Aluminum on Launch Structures, Facilities, and Ground Support Equipment.

F-Test Alternatives to Fisher's Exact Test and to the Chi-Square Test of Homogeneity in 2x2 Tables.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Overall, John E.; Starbuck, Robert R.

1983-01-01

An alternative to Fisher's exact test and the chi-square test for homogeneity in two-by-two tables is developed. The method provides for Type I error rates which are closer to the stated alpha level than either of the alternatives. (JKS)

Preformulation considerations for controlled release dosage forms. Part III. Candidate form selection using numerical weighting and scoring.

PubMed

Chrzanowski, Frank

2008-01-01

Two numerical methods, Decision Analysis (DA) and Potential Problem Analysis (PPA) are presented as alternative selection methods to the logical method presented in Part I. In DA properties are weighted and outcomes are scored. The weighted scores for each candidate are totaled and final selection is based on the totals. Higher scores indicate better candidates. In PPA potential problems are assigned a seriousness factor and test outcomes are used to define the probability of occurrence. The seriousness-probability products are totaled and forms with minimal scores are preferred. DA and PPA have never been compared to the logical-elimination method. Additional data were available for two forms of McN-5707 to provide complete preformulation data for five candidate forms. Weight and seriousness factors (independent variables) were obtained from a survey of experienced formulators. Scores and probabilities (dependent variables) were provided independently by Preformulation. The rankings of the five candidate forms, best to worst, were similar for all three methods. These results validate the applicability of DA and PPA for candidate form selection. DA and PPA are particularly applicable in cases where there are many candidate forms and where each form has some degree of unfavorable properties.

Alternative Test Method for Olefins in Gasoline

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This action proposes to allow for an additional alternative test method for olefins in gasoline, ASTM D6550-05. The allowance of this additional alternative test method will provide more flexibility to the regulated industry.

Just the FAQs: An Alternative to Teaching the Research Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strickland, James

2004-01-01

Changing the form of the traditional research paper often results in a greater emphasis on inquiry or FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions). An alternative form of presentation that capitalizes on available technology and requires students to develop their thinking, reading, writing and presentation skills is presented.

Predictive Software Cost Model Study. Volume II. Software Package Detailed Data.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-01

will not be limited to: a. ASN-91 NWDS Computer b. Armament System Control Unit ( ASCU ) c. AN/ASN-90 IMS 6. CONFIGURATION CONTROL. OFP/OTP...planned approach. 3. Detailed analysis and study; impacts on hardware, manuals, data, AGE , etc; alternatives with pros and cons; cost estimates; ECP...WAIT UNTIL RESOURCE REQUEST FOR * : HAG TAPE HAS BEEN FULFILLED )MTS 0 RI * Ae* NESDIIRCE MAG TAPE (SHORT FORM)I:TST IN I" . TEST " AG TAPE RESOURCE

The Role of Alternative Programming in College Radio.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sauls, Samuel J.

College radio is quite often viewed as the true alternative to commercial radio. However, what is alternative radio and how does college radio factor into the ideal? To further understand this concept, this paper focuses on the role of alternative programming in college radio. Areas discussed include alternative radio as a non-mainstream form of…

19 CFR 101.9 - Test programs or procedures; alternate requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... test and the basis for selecting participants; and, (2) Post publication requirement. Within a... 19 Customs Duties 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Test programs or procedures; alternate... SECURITY; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY GENERAL PROVISIONS § 101.9 Test programs or procedures; alternate...

Fish Alternatives in Environmental Risk Assessment: Overview of the Current Landscape

EPA Science Inventory

The need for alternative testing strategies has recently expanded into the realm of environmental risk assessment leading to the development of new alternatives to standard aquatic vertebrate testing such as the OECD 203 acute fish toxicity test. The fish embryo test (FET) is one...

Ex-vivoand in-vitro assessment of mucoadhesive patches containing the gel-forming polysaccharide psyllium for buccal delivery of chlorhexidine base.

PubMed

Cavallari, Cristina; Brigidi, Patrizia; Fini, Adamo

2015-12-30

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the gel-forming polysaccharide psyllium in the preparation of mucoadhesive patches for the controlled release of chlorhexidine (CHX) to treat pathologies in the oral cavity, using the casting-solvent evaporation technique. A number of different film-forming semi-synthetic polymers, such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC) and hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC) were evaluated for comparison. The patch formulations were characterized in terms of drug content, morphology surface, swelling and mucoadhesive properties, microbiology inhibition assay and in vitro release tests. Three ex-vivo testswere carried out using porcine mucosa: an alternative dissolution test using artificial saliva that allows contemporary measurement of dissolution and mucoadhesion, a permeation test through the mucosa and the measurement of mucoadhesion using a Nouy tensile tester, as the maximum force required for the separation of the patch from the mucosa surface. The patches were also examined for determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration in cultures of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. All the patches incorporating psyllium were found suitable in terms of external morphology, mucoadhesion and controlled release of the drug: in the presence of psyllium the drug displays prolonged zero-order release related to slower swelling rate of the system. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Sensing parts per million levels of gaseous NO2 by a optical fiber transducer based on calix[4]arenes.

PubMed

Ohira, Shin-Ichi; Wanigasekara, Eranda; Rudkevich, Dmitry M; Dasgupta, Purnendu K

2009-03-15

Calixarenes are interesting building blocks in supramolecular receptor design. They can be easily functionalized to give the desired guest binding and sequestration properties. We demonstrate here the use of simple alkylated calixarenes as novel NO(2) sensors. Upon reacting with gaseous NO(2), alkylated calixarenes form stable calixarene-NO(+) (nitrosonium) complexes that have a deep purple color. This specific and selective formation of the colored complex was used to develop a fiber optic based colorimetric NO(2) sensor. Several alkylated calixarenes are used and tested as sensing materials. The calixarene compound was immobilized on a fine mesh silica-gel coated thin layer chromatography plate. The sensing plate was coupled with a fiber optic based photodetector. Gas samples were sampled in a manner where they impinged on the surface of sensing plate. The light transmission through the plate was continuously monitored. For a 5 min sample, the limit of detection was 0.54 ppmv with 1,3-alternate O-hexyl calix[4]arene (1a). There were no significant response differences between different conformations of calixarenes such as 1,3-alternate or cone. This chemistry can form the basis of a colorimetric sensor that relies on extant filter tape technology. With calixarenes however, such a reaction is potentially reversible - color formed upon reaction with NO(2) can be reversed by flushing the sensing plate by purified air. While we found that the removal of the developed color can be accelerated by simultaneous heating and suction, permitting the reuse of the same sensing area multiple times, we also observed that the sensitivity gradually decreased. The nitrosonium calixarene derivative tends to transform to the nitrated form; this process is catalyzed by light. Several methylated calixarenes were synthesized and tested but a fully satisfactory solution has proven elusive.

Demagnetization Tests Performed on a Linear Alternator for a Stirling Power Convertor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geng, Steven M.; Niedra, Janis M.; Schwarze, Gene E.

2012-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is conducting in-house research on rare-earth permanent magnets and linear alternators to assist in developing free-piston Stirling convertors for radioisotope space power systems and for developing advanced linear alternator technology. This research continues at GRC, but, with the exception of Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator references, the work presented in this paper was conducted in 2005. A special arc-magnet characterization fixture was designed and built to measure the M-H characteristics of the magnets used in Technology Demonstration Convertors developed under the 110-W Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG110) project. This fixture was used to measure these characteristics of the arc magnets and to predict alternator demagnetization temperatures in the SRG110 application. Demagnetization tests using the TDC alternator on the Alternator Test Rig were conducted for two different magnet grades: Sumitomo Neomax 44AH and 42AH. The purpose of these tests was to determine the demagnetization temperatures of the magnets for the alternator under nominal loads. Measurements made during the tests included the linear alternator terminal voltage, current, average power, magnet temperatures, and stator temperatures. The results of these tests were found to be in good agreement with predictions. Alternator demagnetization temperatures in the Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC-developed under the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator project) were predicted as well because the prediction method had been validated through the SRG110 alternator tests. These predictions led to a specification for maximum temperatures of the ASC pressure vessel.

40 CFR 1502.14 - Alternatives including the proposed action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... impacts of the proposal and the alternatives in comparative form, thus sharply defining the issues and... action so that reviewers may evaluate their comparative merits. (c) Include reasonable alternatives not...

40 CFR 1502.14 - Alternatives including the proposed action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... impacts of the proposal and the alternatives in comparative form, thus sharply defining the issues and... action so that reviewers may evaluate their comparative merits. (c) Include reasonable alternatives not...

40 CFR 1502.14 - Alternatives including the proposed action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... impacts of the proposal and the alternatives in comparative form, thus sharply defining the issues and... action so that reviewers may evaluate their comparative merits. (c) Include reasonable alternatives not...

40 CFR 1502.14 - Alternatives including the proposed action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... impacts of the proposal and the alternatives in comparative form, thus sharply defining the issues and... action so that reviewers may evaluate their comparative merits. (c) Include reasonable alternatives not...

40 CFR 1502.14 - Alternatives including the proposed action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... impacts of the proposal and the alternatives in comparative form, thus sharply defining the issues and... action so that reviewers may evaluate their comparative merits. (c) Include reasonable alternatives not...

33 CFR 154.2180 - Alternative testing program-Generally.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Control Systems Alternative Analyzer and Pressure Sensor Reliability Testing § 154.2180 Alternative... and pressure sensor safety testing requirements provided by 33 CFR 154.2150(c) and 33 CFR 154.2250(c... 33 CFR 154.2181. (d) All pressure sensors/switches used in a VCS must be tested for safety system...

40 CFR 372.95 - Alternate threshold certification and instructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Alternate threshold certification and...: COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW Forms and Instructions § 372.95 Alternate threshold certification and instructions. (a) Availability of the alternate threshold certification statement and instructions. Availability of...

Significance tests for functional data with complex dependence structure.

PubMed

Staicu, Ana-Maria; Lahiri, Soumen N; Carroll, Raymond J

2015-01-01

We propose an L 2 -norm based global testing procedure for the null hypothesis that multiple group mean functions are equal, for functional data with complex dependence structure. Specifically, we consider the setting of functional data with a multilevel structure of the form groups-clusters or subjects-units, where the unit-level profiles are spatially correlated within the cluster, and the cluster-level data are independent. Orthogonal series expansions are used to approximate the group mean functions and the test statistic is estimated using the basis coefficients. The asymptotic null distribution of the test statistic is developed, under mild regularity conditions. To our knowledge this is the first work that studies hypothesis testing, when data have such complex multilevel functional and spatial structure. Two small-sample alternatives, including a novel block bootstrap for functional data, are proposed, and their performance is examined in simulation studies. The paper concludes with an illustration of a motivating experiment.

Description and evaluation of an interference assessment for a slotted-wall wind tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kemp, William B., Jr.

1991-01-01

A wind-tunnel interference assessment method applicable to test sections with discrete finite-length wall slots is described. The method is based on high order panel method technology and uses mixed boundary conditions to satisfy both the tunnel geometry and wall pressure distributions measured in the slotted-wall region. Both the test model and its sting support system are represented by distributed singularities. The method yields interference corrections to the model test data as well as surveys through the interference field at arbitrary locations. These results include the equivalent of tunnel Mach calibration, longitudinal pressure gradient, tunnel flow angularity, wall interference, and an inviscid form of sting interference. Alternative results which omit the direct contribution of the sting are also produced. The method was applied to the National Transonic Facility at NASA Langley Research Center for both tunnel calibration tests and tests of two models of subsonic transport configurations.

Virtual experiments, physical validation: dental morphology at the intersection of experiment and theory

PubMed Central

Anderson, P. S. L.; Rayfield, E. J.

2012-01-01

Computational models such as finite-element analysis offer biologists a means of exploring the structural mechanics of biological systems that cannot be directly observed. Validated against experimental data, a model can be manipulated to perform virtual experiments, testing variables that are hard to control in physical experiments. The relationship between tooth form and the ability to break down prey is key to understanding the evolution of dentition. Recent experimental work has quantified how tooth shape promotes fracture in biological materials. We present a validated finite-element model derived from physical compression experiments. The model shows close agreement with strain patterns observed in photoelastic test materials and reaction forces measured during these experiments. We use the model to measure strain energy within the test material when different tooth shapes are used. Results show that notched blades deform materials for less strain energy cost than straight blades, giving insights into the energetic relationship between tooth form and prey materials. We identify a hypothetical ‘optimal’ blade angle that minimizes strain energy costs and test alternative prey materials via virtual experiments. Using experimental data and computational models offers an integrative approach to understand the mechanics of tooth morphology. PMID:22399789

How to Desire Differently: Home Education as a Heterotopia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pattison, Harriet

2015-01-01

This article explores the co-existence of, and relationship between, alternative education in the form of home education and mainstream schooling. Home education is conceptually subordinate to schooling, relying on schooling for its status as alternative, but also being tied to schooling through the dominant discourse that forms our understandings…

Barriers to College Students Learning How Rocks Form

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kortz, Karen M.; Murray, Daniel P.

2009-01-01

Students do not have a good understanding of how rocks form. Instead, they have many non-scientific alternative conceptions to explain different aspects of rock formation. Using 10 interviews and nearly 200 questionnaires filled out by students at four different colleges, we identified many alternative conceptions students have about rock…

The search for alternative aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) with a low environmental impact: physiological and transcriptomic effects of two Forafac(®) fluorosurfactants in turbot.

PubMed

Hagenaars, A; Meyer, I J; Herzke, D; Pardo, B G; Martinez, P; Pabon, M; De Coen, W; Knapen, D

2011-08-01

Fluorosurfactants are the key components in aqueous film forming foams (AFFF). They provide these fire fighting agents with the required low surface tension and they enable film formation on top of lighter fuels to prevent burn back. Development of effective and environmentally acceptable PFOS alternatives is one of the most important priorities in the fire fighting foam industry. DuPont™ offers the fluorosurfactant mixtures Forafac(®)1157 and Forafac(®)1157N for the formulation of AFFFs which are alternatives to the persistent and toxic perfluorooctane sulphonate (PFOS). Ecotoxicological testing of these inadequately documented mixtures is necessary to include them in AFFF hazard and risk assessment. Juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) were exposed for 14 days to 0.1; 0.5 and 1.5mg/L of the fluorosurfactant mixtures used in Forafac(®)1157 and Forafac(®)1157N. In an initial transcriptomics experiment, microarray analysis revealed differentially expressed transcripts of genes which were mainly involved in digestion and in the immune system. This discovery-driven screening approach offered the basis for new hypotheses that were tested in two subsequent experiments in which food intake, energy reserves, growth and a set of haematological parameters were examined. Additionally, effects of the two mixtures were compared to those of PFOS. Based on the results of this study, the mode of action of Forafac(®)1157N was the activation of the acute phase reaction resulting in increased leukocyte concentrations and the inhibition of growth due to the high energetic cost of toxicant exposure. For Forafac(®)1157, evidences of immunosuppression were found on the transcriptional level and the altered differential leukocyte profiles indicated that stress was induced in these fish. However, food intake, energy reserves and growth were not compromised, even at high exposure concentrations, which was in contrast to the effects seen after PFOS exposure. Taking into account that Forafac(®)1157 appeared to be less toxic than PFOS, this mixture could be considered as a more environmentally acceptable PFOS alternative for the use in AFFFs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potential Alternatives Report for Validation of Alternatives to Aliphatic Isocyanate Polyurethanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, pattie

2011-01-01

Identifying and selecting alternative materials and technologies that have the potential to reduce the identified HazMats and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), while incorporating sound corrosion prevention and control technologies, is a complicated task due to the fast pace at which new technologies emerge and rules change. The alternatives are identified through literature searches, electronic database and Internet searches, surveys, and/or personal and professional contacts. Available test data was then compiled on the proposed alternatives to determine if the materials meet the test objectives or if further)laboratory or field-testing will be required. After reviewing technical information documented in the PAR, government representatives, technical representatives from the affected facilities, and other stakeholders involved in the process will select the list of viable alternative coatings for consideration and testing under the project's Joint Test Protocol entitled Joint Test Protocol for Validation of Alternatives to Aliphatic Isocyanate Polyurethanes and Field Test Plan entitled Field Evaluations Test Plan for Validation of Alternatives to Aliphatic Isocyanate Polyurethanes, both prepared by ITB. Test results will be reported in a Joint Test Report upon completion oftesting. The selection rationale and conclusions are documented in this PAR. A cost benefit analysis will be prepared to quantify the estimated capital and process costs of coating alternatives and cost savings relative to the current coating processes, however, some initial cost data has been included in this PAR. For this coatings project, isocyanates, as found in aliphatic isocyanate polyurethanes, were identified as the target HazMat to be eliminated. Table 1-1 lists the target HazMats, the related process and application, current specifications, and affected programs.

A capillary zone electrophoresis method to detect conformers and dimers of antithrombin in therapeutic preparations.

PubMed

Marie, Anne-Lise; Tran, Nguyet Thuy; Saller, François; Abdou, Youmna Mohamed; Zeau, Pascal; Plantier, Jean-Luc; Urbain, Rémi; Borgel, Delphine; Taverna, Myriam

2016-07-01

Antithrombin (AT) is a human plasma glycoprotein that possesses anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the native (active) form of AT is unstable and undergoes conformational changes, leading to latent, cleaved, and heterodimeric forms. The presence of these alternative forms mostly inactive can highly impact the quality and therapeutic activity of pharmaceutical AT preparations. We developed a capillary zone electrophoresis method, based on a neutral polyethylene oxide-coated capillary and a buffer close to physiological conditions, enabling the separation of more than eight forms of AT. Several peaks were identified as native, latent, and heterodimeric forms. The CZE method was reproducible with intraday relative standard deviations less than 0.5 and 2% for migration times and peak areas, respectively. The method was applied to the comparison of AT preparations produced by five competitive pharmaceutical companies, and statistical tests were performed. Important differences in the proportion of each form were highlighted. In particular, one AT preparation was shown to contain a high quantity of heterodimer, and two preparations contained high quantities of latent form. In addition, one AT preparation exhibited additional forms, not yet identified. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

46 CFR 160.027-7 - Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs. 160... § 160.027-7 Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs. (a) The tests in this section are for... deformation as a result of this test. (c) The float body must be supported so that the platform is suspended...

46 CFR 160.027-7 - Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs. 160... § 160.027-7 Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs. (a) The tests in this section are for... deformation as a result of this test. (c) The float body must be supported so that the platform is suspended...

46 CFR 160.027-7 - Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs. 160... § 160.027-7 Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs. (a) The tests in this section are for... deformation as a result of this test. (c) The float body must be supported so that the platform is suspended...

46 CFR 160.027-7 - Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs. 160... § 160.027-7 Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs. (a) The tests in this section are for... deformation as a result of this test. (c) The float body must be supported so that the platform is suspended...

46 CFR 160.027-7 - Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs. 160... § 160.027-7 Pre-approval tests for alternate platform designs. (a) The tests in this section are for... deformation as a result of this test. (c) The float body must be supported so that the platform is suspended...

49 CFR Appendix B to Part 178 - Alternative Leakproofness Test Methods

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Alternative Leakproofness Test Methods B Appendix... FOR PACKAGINGS Pt. 178, App. B Appendix B to Part 178—Alternative Leakproofness Test Methods In addition to the method prescribed in § 178.604 of this subchapter, the following leakproofness test methods...

76 FR 5319 - Regulation of Fuel and Fuel Additives: Alternative Test Method for Olefins in Gasoline

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-31

... Regulation of Fuel and Fuel Additives: Alternative Test Method for Olefins in Gasoline AGENCY: Environmental... proposing to allow refiners and laboratories to use an alternative test method for olefin content in... test method for compliance measurement while maintaining environmental benefits achieved from our fuels...

26 CFR 53.4942(b)-2 - Alternative tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 17 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Alternative tests. 53.4942(b)-2 Section 53.4942....4942(b)-2 Alternative tests. (a) Assets test—(1) In general. A private foundation will satisfy the assets test under the provisions of this paragraph if substantially more than half of the foundation's...

Simultaneous Quantification of Multiple Alternatively Spliced mRNA Transcripts Using Droplet Digital PCR.

PubMed

Sun, Bing; Zheng, Yun-Ling

2018-01-01

Currently there is no sensitive, precise, and reproducible method to quantitate alternative splicing of mRNA transcripts. Droplet digital™ PCR (ddPCR™) analysis allows for accurate digital counting for quantification of gene expression. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is one of the essential components required for telomerase activity and for the maintenance of telomeres. Several alternatively spliced forms of hTERT mRNA in human primary and tumor cells have been reported in the literature. Using one pair of primers and two probes for hTERT, four alternatively spliced forms of hTERT (α-/β+, α+/β- single deletions, α-/β- double deletion, and nondeletion α+/β+) were accurately quantified through a novel analysis method via data collected from a single ddPCR reaction. In this chapter, we describe this ddPCR method that enables direct quantitative comparison of four alternatively spliced forms of the hTERT messenger RNA without the need for internal standards or multiple pairs of primers specific for each variant, eliminating the technical variation due to differential PCR amplification efficiency for different amplicons and the challenges of quantification using standard curves. This simple and straightforward method should have general utility for quantifying alternatively spliced gene transcripts.

AUTOMOTIVE DIESEL MAINTENANCE 2. UNIT XVII, LEARNING ABOUT AC GENERATOR (ALTERNATOR) PRINCIPLES (PART II).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota State Dept. of Education, St. Paul. Div. of Vocational and Technical Education.

THIS MODULE OF A 25-MODULE COURSE IS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE OPERATING PRINCIPLES AND THE SERVICING AND TESTING PROCEDURES FOR ALTERNATING CURRENT (AC) GENERATORS AND REGULATORS USED ON DIESEL POWERED EQUIPMENT. TOPICS ARE REVIEW OF ALTERNATOR PRINCIPLES, ALTERNATOR SERVICING AND TESTING, ALTERNATOR REGULATOR OPERATING…

The European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA): promoting alternative methods in Europe and beyond.

PubMed

Cozigou, Gwenole; Crozier, Jonathan; Hendriksen, Coenraad; Manou, Irene; Ramirez-Hernandez, Tzutzuy; Weissenhorn, Renate

2015-03-01

Here in we introduce the European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA) and its activities, which are focused on international cooperation toward alternative methods. The EPAA is one of the leading organizations in Europe for the promotion of alternative approaches to animal testing. Its innovative public-private partnership structure enables a consensus-driven dialogue across 7 industry sectors to facilitate interaction between regulators and regulated stakeholders. Through a brief description of EPAA's activities and organizational structure, we first articulate the value of this collaboration; we then focus on 2 key projects driven by EPAA. The first project aims to address research gaps on stem cells for safety testing, whereas the second project strives for an approach toward demonstration of consistency in vaccine batch release testing. We highlight the growing need for harmonization of international acceptance and implementation of alternative approaches and for increased international collaboration to foster progress on nonanimal alternatives.

26 CFR 1.41-8T - Alternative incremental credit (temporary).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Alternative incremental credit (temporary). 1.41... INCOME TAXES Credits Against Tax § 1.41-8T Alternative incremental credit (temporary). (a) [Reserved] For... alternative simplified credit (ASC) and attaches the completed form to the taxpayer's timely filed (including...

On automating domain connectivity for overset grids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chiu, Ing-Tsau; Meakin, Robert L.

1995-01-01

An alternative method for domain connectivity among systems of overset grids is presented. Reference uniform Cartesian systems of points are used to achieve highly efficient domain connectivity, and form the basis for a future fully automated system. The Cartesian systems are used to approximate body surfaces and to map the computational space of component grids. By exploiting the characteristics of Cartesian systems, Chimera type hole-cutting and identification of donor elements for intergrid boundary points can be carried out very efficiently. The method is tested for a range of geometrically complex multiple-body overset grid systems. A dynamic hole expansion/contraction algorithm is also implemented to obtain optimum domain connectivity; however, it is tested only for geometry of generic shapes.

Capture approximations beyond a statistical quantum mechanical method for atom-diatom reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrios, Lizandra; Rubayo-Soneira, Jesús; González-Lezana, Tomás

2016-03-01

Statistical techniques constitute useful approaches to investigate atom-diatom reactions mediated by insertion dynamics which involves complex-forming mechanisms. Different capture schemes based on energy considerations regarding the specific diatom rovibrational states are suggested to evaluate the corresponding probabilities of formation of such collision species between reactants and products in an attempt to test reliable alternatives for computationally demanding processes. These approximations are tested in combination with a statistical quantum mechanical method for the S + H2(v = 0 ,j = 1) → SH + H and Si + O2(v = 0 ,j = 1) → SiO + O reactions, where this dynamical mechanism plays a significant role, in order to probe their validity.

Selective fertilization with phosphite allows unhindered growth of cotton plants expressing the ptxD gene while suppressing weeds.

PubMed

Pandeya, Devendra; López-Arredondo, Damar L; Janga, Madhusudhana R; Campbell, LeAnne M; Estrella-Hernández, Priscila; Bagavathiannan, Muthukumar V; Herrera-Estrella, Luis; Rathore, Keerti S

2018-06-04

Weeds, which have been the bane of agriculture since the beginning of civilization, are managed manually, mechanically, and, more recently, by chemicals. However, chemical control options are rapidly shrinking due to the recent rise in the number of herbicide-resistant weeds in crop fields, with few alternatives on the horizon. Therefore, there is an urgent need for alternative weed suppression systems to sustain crop productivity while reducing our dependence on herbicides and tillage. Such a development will also allay some of the negative perceptions associated with the use of herbicide-resistance genes and heavy dependence on herbicides. Transgenic plants expressing the bacterial phosphite dehydrogenase ( ptxD ) gene gain an ability to convert phosphite (Phi) into orthophosphate [Pi, the metabolizable form of phosphorus (P)]. Such plants allow for a selective fertilization scheme, based on Phi as the sole source of P for the crop, while offering an effective alternative for suppressing weed growth. Here, we show that, when P is supplied in the form of Phi, ptxD -expressing cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants outcompete, in both artificial substrates and natural soils from agricultural fields, three different monocot and dicot weed species intentionally introduced in the experiments, as well as weeds naturally present in the tested soils. Importantly, the ptxD /Phi system proved highly efficacious in inhibiting the growth of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth. With over 250 weed species resistant to currently available herbicides, ptxD -transgenic plants fertilized with Phi could provide an effective alternative to suppressing the growth of these weeds while providing adequate nutrition to the crop. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Chinese Graduate Students' Perspectives on Home Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romanowski, Michael H.

2007-01-01

Although an established alternative form of American education, the concept of home schooling is just beginning to surface in China. Few Chinese have knowledge of home schooling yet alone consider this form of education. However, graduate students studying in the field of education are aware of this unusual alternative to traditional schooling,…

19 CFR 141.33 - Alternative form for noncommercial shipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...; DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY (CONTINUED) ENTRY OF MERCHANDISE Powers of Attorney § 141.33 Alternative form for... importer may appoint another individual as his unpaid agent for Customs purposes by executing a power of... authorized to execute, as an unpaid agent who has knowledge of the facts, pursuant to the provisions of...

12 CFR 12.5 - Notification by agreement; alternative forms and times of notification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Notification by agreement; alternative forms and times of notification. 12.5 Section 12.5 Banks and Banking COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY RECORDKEEPING AND CONFIRMATION REQUIREMENTS FOR SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS § 12.5...

Evaluating Alternatives to Exclusive "He."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Todd-Mancillas, William R.

A study was conducted to determine the effects on reading comprehension of the use of the exclusive pronoun "he" and more or less contrived alternatives. Subjects, 358 students enrolled in an introduction to human communication at a large northeastern university, read three different forms of the same essay. One essay form exclusively used "he,"…

Alternate Forms Reliability of the Behavioral Relaxation Scale: Preliminary Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundervold, Duane A.; Dunlap, Angel L.

2006-01-01

Alternate forms reliability of the Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS; Poppen,1998), a direct observation measure of relaxed behavior, was examined. A single BRS score, based on long duration observation (5-minute), has been found to be a valid measure of relaxation and is correlated with self-report and some physiological measures. Recently,…

Sociocognitive Factors and Perceived Consequences Associated with Alternative Forms of Alcohol Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braitman, Abby L.; Linden-Carmichael, Ashley N.; Stamates, Amy L.; Lau-Barraco, Cathy

2017-01-01

Objective: Popular media have highly publicized alternative forms of alcohol use (e.g., eyeballing, inhaling alcohol vapor) among college students as a growing concern, possibly associated with severe health risks. Formative research indicates rarity of use. Participants and Methods: College students (Study 1: n = 411; Study 2: n = 687) completed…

To Love, Honor, and Obey? Traditional Legal Marriage and Alternative Family Forms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weitzman, Lenore J.

1975-01-01

Legal obligations of spouses are examined in the first half of this article. The second half of the article examines explicit legal restrictions on alternative family forms--homosexual unions, communes, and egalitarian-partnership marriages. The final section reviews developments in the law which may provide increased legal protection for…

30 CFR 556.52 - Bond requirements for an oil and gas or sulphur lease.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... or alternative form of security maintained under this section, the surety's remaining liability under the bond or alternative form of security is reduced by the amount of that payment. See paragraph (e... lease. 556.52 Section 556.52 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE...

30 CFR 556.52 - Bond requirements for an oil and gas or sulphur lease.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... or alternative form of security maintained under this section, the surety's remaining liability under the bond or alternative form of security is reduced by the amount of that payment. See paragraph (e... lease. 556.52 Section 556.52 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE...

Homeschool in Malaysia: A Foresight Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim-Soon, Ng; Rahman Bin Ahmad, Abd; Bin Sulaiman, Muhammad Ibrahim; Sirisa, Ng Mei Xin

2015-01-01

Homeschooling in Malaysia is a form of alternative education that emphasizes quality education based on moral values and beliefs while strengthening family bonds. This alternative form of education is being practiced by a growing number of families in Malaysia. As such, the Ministry of Education has given the green light for intending parents who…

Out of sight but not out of mind: alternative means of communication in plants.

PubMed

Gagliano, Monica; Renton, Michael; Duvdevani, Nili; Timmins, Matthew; Mancuso, Stefano

2012-01-01

Current knowledge suggests that the mechanisms by which plants communicate information take numerous forms. Previous studies have focussed their attention on communication via chemicals, contact and light; other methods of interaction between plants have remained speculative. In this study we tested the ability of young chilli plants to sense their neighbours and identify their relatives using alternative mechanism(s) to recognised plant communication pathways. We found that the presence of a neighbouring plant had a significant influence on seed germination even when all known sources of communication signals were blocked. Furthermore, despite the signalling restriction, seedlings allocated energy to their stem and root systems differently depending on the identity of the neighbour. These results provide clear experimental evidence for the existence of communication channels between plants beyond those that have been recognized and studied thus far.

Kilowatt Isotope Power System: component test report for the Ground Demonstration System Alternator Stator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brainard, E.L.

1978-04-25

Results are presented of acceptance tests conducted on the Alternator Stator, S/N 002, for the Kilowatt Isotope Power System. These results show that the Alternator Stator, S/N 002 for the Kilowatt Isotope Power System has satisfactorily completed the testing set forth within Sundstrand Test Specification 2538. Test requirements of TS 2538 were extracted from the Kilowatt Isotope Power System, and Phase I Test Plan.

Intra- and interpattern relations in letter recognition.

PubMed

Sanocki, T

1991-11-01

Strings of 4 unrelated letters were backward masked at varying durations to examine 3 major issues. (a) One issue concerned relational features. Letters with abnormal relations but normal elements were created by interchanging elements between large and small normal letters. Overall accuracy was higher for letters with normal relations, consistent with the idea that relational features are important in recognition. (b) Interpattern relations were examined by mixing large and small letters within strings. Relative to pure strings, accuracy was reduced, but only for small letters and only when in mixed strings. This effect can be attributed to attentional priority for larger forms over smaller forms, which also explains global precedence with hierarchical forms. (c) Forced-choice alternatives were manipulated in Experiments 2 and 3 to test feature integration theory. Relational information was found to be processed at least as early as feature presence or absence.

49 CFR 195.303 - Risk-based alternative to pressure testing older hazardous liquid and carbon dioxide pipelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Pressure Testing § 195.303 Risk-based alternative to pressure testing older hazardous liquid and carbon... 49 Transportation 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Risk-based alternative to pressure testing older hazardous liquid and carbon dioxide pipelines. 195.303 Section 195.303 Transportation Other Regulations...

49 CFR 195.303 - Risk-based alternative to pressure testing older hazardous liquid and carbon dioxide pipelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Pressure Testing § 195.303 Risk-based alternative to pressure testing older hazardous liquid and carbon... 49 Transportation 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Risk-based alternative to pressure testing older hazardous liquid and carbon dioxide pipelines. 195.303 Section 195.303 Transportation Other Regulations...

49 CFR 195.303 - Risk-based alternative to pressure testing older hazardous liquid and carbon dioxide pipelines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Pressure Testing § 195.303 Risk-based alternative to pressure testing older hazardous liquid and carbon... 49 Transportation 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Risk-based alternative to pressure testing older hazardous liquid and carbon dioxide pipelines. 195.303 Section 195.303 Transportation Other Regulations...

Workshop on Animal free Detection of Pertussis Toxin in Vaccines--Alternatives to the Histamine Sensitisation Test.

PubMed

Bache, Christina; Hoonakker, Marieke; Hendriksen, Coenraad; Buchheit, Karl-Heinz; Spreitzer, Ingo; Montag, Thomas

2012-07-01

The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI), the Nederlands Vaccin Instituut (NVI) and the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) organised the international scientific workshop "Animal free Detection of Pertussis Toxin in Vaccines--Alternatives to the Histamine Sensitisation Test" at the PEI in Langen (Germany) on 09-10 June 2011. Twenty-seven experts (regulators, representatives from national control laboratories, vaccine manufacturers and academia) from 7 countries participated in this workshop. The meeting was triggered by the lack of satisfaction with the current safety testing for acellular pertussis vaccines, the "Histamine Sensitisation Test" (HIST) in mice, and the growing attention for the alternatives under development. The workshop objectives were: a) to review the current status of available alternative methods, b) to discuss the sensitivity that an alternative test needs, c) to plan experiments that allow for comparison of the alternative tests. The results of the workshop are summarised in this meeting report. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The cost of refusing treatment and equality of outcome.

PubMed Central

Savulescu, J

1998-01-01

Patients have a right to refuse medical treatment. But what should happen after a patient has refused recommended treatment? In many cases, patients receive alternative forms of treatment. These forms of care may be less cost-effective. Does respect for autonomy extend to providing these alternatives? How for does justice constrain autonomy? I begin by providing three arguments that such alternatives should not be offered to those who refuse treatment. I argue that the best argument which refusers can appeal to is based on the egalitarian principle of equality of outcome. However, this principle does not ultimately support a right to less cost-effective alternatives. I focus on Jehovah's Witnesses refusing blood and requesting alternative treatments. However, the point applies to many patients who refuse cost-effective medical care. PMID:9752624

Pyrvinium pamoate changes alternative splicing of the serotonin receptor 2C by influencing its RNA structure

PubMed Central

Shen, Manli; Bellaousov, Stanislav; Hiller, Michael; de La Grange, Pierre; Creamer, Trevor P.; Malina, Orit; Sperling, Ruth; Mathews, David H.; Stoilov, Peter; Stamm, Stefan

2013-01-01

The serotonin receptor 2C plays a central role in mood and appetite control. It undergoes pre-mRNA editing as well as alternative splicing. The RNA editing suggests that the pre-mRNA forms a stable secondary structure in vivo. To identify substances that promote alternative exons inclusion, we set up a high-throughput screen and identified pyrvinium pamoate as a drug-promoting exon inclusion without editing. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicates that pyrvinium pamoate binds directly to the pre-mRNA and changes its structure. SHAPE (selective 2′-hydroxyl acylation analysed by primer extension) assays show that part of the regulated 5′-splice site forms intramolecular base pairs that are removed by this structural change, which likely allows splice site recognition and exon inclusion. Genome-wide analyses show that pyrvinium pamoate regulates >300 alternative exons that form secondary structures enriched in A–U base pairs. Our data demonstrate that alternative splicing of structured pre-mRNAs can be regulated by small molecules that directly bind to the RNA, which is reminiscent to an RNA riboswitch. PMID:23393189

VRX-03011, a novel 5-HT4 agonist, enhances memory and hippocampal acetylcholine efflux.

PubMed

Mohler, Eric G; Shacham, Sharon; Noiman, Silvia; Lezoualc'h, Frank; Robert, Sylvain; Gastineau, Monique; Rutkowski, Joseph; Marantz, Yael; Dumuis, Aline; Bockaert, Joel; Gold, Paul E; Ragozzino, Michael E

2007-09-01

Recent evidence suggests that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)(4) receptor activity enhances cognition and provides neuroprotection. Here we report the effects of VRX-03011, a novel partial 5-HT(4) agonist, that is both potent (K(i) approximately 30 nM) and highly selective (K(i) > 5 microM for all other 5-HT receptors tested). In separate experiments, rats received VRX-03011 (0.1-10 mg/kg i.p.) 30 min prior to spontaneous alternation testing in a no-delay or a 30-s delay condition. VRX-03011 (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg, but not 0.1 mg/kg) significantly enhanced delayed spontaneous alternation performance while none of the doses enhanced performance in the no-delay test. VRX-03011 (1 and 5 mg/kg) concomitantly enhanced hippocampal acetylcholine output and delayed spontaneous alternation scores compared to that of vehicle controls, but had no effect on hippocampal acetylcholine release under a resting condition. Moreover, suboptimal doses of VRX-03011 and the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor galanthamine combined to enhance memory. VRX-03011 also regulated amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism by inducing a concentration-dependent increase in the non-amyloidogenic soluble form of APP (sAPPalpha) with an EC(50) approximately 1--10 nM. VRX-03011 had no effect on contractile properties in guinea pig ileum or colon preparations with an EC(50) > 10 microM and did not alter rat intestinal transit at doses up to 10 mg/kg. These findings suggest that VRX-03011 may represent a novel treatment for Alzheimer's disease that reduces cognitive impairments and provides neuroprotection without gastrointestinal side effects.

Validation of alternative methods for toxicity testing.

PubMed Central

Bruner, L H; Carr, G J; Curren, R D; Chamberlain, M

1998-01-01

Before nonanimal toxicity tests may be officially accepted by regulatory agencies, it is generally agreed that the validity of the new methods must be demonstrated in an independent, scientifically sound validation program. Validation has been defined as the demonstration of the reliability and relevance of a test method for a particular purpose. This paper provides a brief review of the development of the theoretical aspects of the validation process and updates current thinking about objectively testing the performance of an alternative method in a validation study. Validation of alternative methods for eye irritation testing is a specific example illustrating important concepts. Although discussion focuses on the validation of alternative methods intended to replace current in vivo toxicity tests, the procedures can be used to assess the performance of alternative methods intended for other uses. Images Figure 1 PMID:9599695

Genetic Forms of Epilepsies and other Paroxysmal Disorders

PubMed Central

Olson, Heather E.; Poduri, Annapurna; Pearl, Phillip L.

2016-01-01

Genetic mechanisms explain the pathophysiology of many forms of epilepsy and other paroxysmal disorders such as alternating hemiplegia of childhood, familial hemiplegic migraine, and paroxysmal dyskinesias. Epilepsy is a key feature of well-defined genetic syndromes including Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Rett syndrome, Angelman syndrome, and others. There is an increasing number of singe gene causes or susceptibility factors associated with several epilepsy syndromes, including the early onset epileptic encephalopathies, benign neonatal/infantile seizures, progressive myoclonus epilepsies, genetic generalized and benign focal epilepsies, epileptic aphasias, and familial focal epilepsies. Molecular mechanisms are diverse, and a single gene can be associated with a broad range of phenotypes. Additional features, such as dysmorphisms, head size, movement disorders, and family history may provide clues to a genetic diagnosis. Genetic testing can impact medical care and counseling. We discuss genetic mechanisms of epilepsy and other paroxysmal disorders, tools and indications for genetic testing, known genotype-phenotype associations, the importance of genetic counseling, and a look towards the future of epilepsy genetics. PMID:25192505

40 CFR 211.206-3-211.206-10 - Alternative test methods. [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Alternative test methods. [Reserved] 211.206-3-211.206-10 Section 211.206-3-211.206-10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION...-3—211.206-10 Alternative test methods. [Reserved] ...

40 CFR 211.206-3-211.206-10 - Alternative test methods. [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Alternative test methods. [Reserved] 211.206-3-211.206-10 Section 211.206-3-211.206-10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION...-3—211.206-10 Alternative test methods. [Reserved] ...

Niche complementarity due to plasticity in resource use: plant partitioning of chemical N forms.

PubMed

Ashton, Isabel W; Miller, Amy E; Bowman, William D; Suding, Katharine N

2010-11-01

Niche complementarity, in which coexisting species use different forms of a resource, has been widely invoked to explain some of the most debated patterns in ecology, including maintenance of diversity and relationships between diversity and ecosystem function. However, classical models assume resource specialization in the form of distinct niches, which does not obviously apply to the broadly overlapping resource use in plant communities. Here we utilize an experimental framework based on competition theory to test whether plants partition resources via classical niche differentiation or via plasticity in resource use. We explore two alternatives: niche preemption, in which individuals respond to a superior competitor by switching to an alternative, less-used resource, and dominant plasticity, in which superior competitors exhibit high resource use plasticity and shift resource use depending on the competitive environment. We determined competitive ability by measuring growth responses with and without neighbors over a growing season and then used 15N tracer techniques to measure uptake of different nitrogen (N) forms in a field setting. We show that four alpine plant species of differing competitive abilities have statistically indistinguishable uptake patterns (nitrate > ammonium > glycine) in their fundamental niche (without competitors) but differ in whether they shift these uptake patterns in their realized niche (with competitors). Competitively superior species increased their uptake of the most available N form, ammonium, when in competition with the rarer, competitively inferior species. In contrast, the competitively inferior species did not alter its N uptake pattern in competition. The existence of plasticity in resource use among the dominant species provides a mechanism that helps to explain the manner by which plant species with broadly overlapping resource use might coexist.

Special Section: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM): Time to Talk

MedlinePlus

... with your health care providers any complementary and alternative medicines you take or are thinking about starting. Photo: ... and older use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). But less than one-third who use ...

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Format for Presentation of Material in Environmental Impact Statements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... alternatives in comparative form. Where important to the comparative evaluation of alternatives, appropriate... eliminated from detailed study will be identified and a discussion of those alternatives will be confined to...

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Format for Presentation of Material in Environmental Impact Statements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... alternatives in comparative form. Where important to the comparative evaluation of alternatives, appropriate... eliminated from detailed study will be identified and a discussion of those alternatives will be confined to...

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Format for Presentation of Material in Environmental Impact Statements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... alternatives in comparative form. Where important to the comparative evaluation of alternatives, appropriate... eliminated from detailed study will be identified and a discussion of those alternatives will be confined to...

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Format for Presentation of Material in Environmental Impact Statements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... alternatives in comparative form. Where important to the comparative evaluation of alternatives, appropriate... eliminated from detailed study will be identified and a discussion of those alternatives will be confined to...

10 CFR Appendix A to Subpart A of... - Format for Presentation of Material in Environmental Impact Statements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... alternatives in comparative form. Where important to the comparative evaluation of alternatives, appropriate... eliminated from detailed study will be identified and a discussion of those alternatives will be confined to...

Chromatic interocular-switch rivalry

PubMed Central

Christiansen, Jens H.; D'Antona, Anthony D.; Shevell, Steven K.

2017-01-01

Interocular-switch rivalry (also known as stimulus rivalry) is a kind of binocular rivalry in which two rivalrous images are swapped between the eyes several times a second. The result is stable periods of one image and then the other, with stable intervals that span many eye swaps (Logothetis, Leopold, & Sheinberg, 1996). Previous work used this close kin of binocular rivalry with rivalrous forms. Experiments here test whether chromatic interocular-switch rivalry, in which the swapped stimuli differ in only chromaticity, results in slow alternation between two colors. Swapping equiluminant rivalrous chromaticities at 3.75 Hz resulted in slow perceptual color alternation, with one or the other color often continuously visible for two seconds or longer (during which there were 15+ eye swaps). A well-known theory for sustained percepts from interocular-switch rivalry with form is inhibitory competition between binocular neurons driven by monocular neurons with matched orientation tuning in each eye; such binocular neurons would produce a stable response when a given orientation is swapped between the eyes. A similar model can account for the percepts here from chromatic interocular-switch rivalry and is underpinned by the neurophysiological finding that color-preferring binocular neurons are driven by monocular neurons from each eye with well-matched chromatic selectivity (Peirce, Solomon, Forte, & Lennie, 2008). In contrast to chromatic interocular-switch rivalry, luminance interocular-switch rivalry with swapped stimuli that differ in only luminance did not result in slowly alternating percepts of different brightnesses. PMID:28510624

Eider females form non-kin brood-rearing coalitions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ost, M.; Vitikainen, E.; Waldeck, P.; Sundstrom, L.; Lindstrom, K.; Hollmen, Tuula E.; Franson, J.C.; Kilpi, Mikael

2005-01-01

Kin selection is a powerful tool for understanding cooperation among individuals, yet its role as the sole explanation of cooperative societies has recently been challenged on empirical grounds. These studies suggest that direct benefits of cooperation are often overlooked, and that partner choice may be a widespread mechanism of cooperation. Female eider ducks (Somateria mollissima) may rear broods alone, or they may pool their broods and share brood-rearing. Females are philopatric, and it has been suggested that colonies may largely consist of related females, which could promote interactions among relatives. Alternatively, shared brood care could be random with respect to relatedness, either because brood amalgamations are accidental and nonadaptive, or through group augmentation, assuming that the fitness of all group members increases with group size. We tested these alternatives by measuring the relatedness of co-tending eider females in enduring coalitions with microsatellite markers. Females formed enduring brood-rearing coalitions with each other at random with respect to relatedness. However, based on previous data, partner choice is nonrandom and dependent on female body condition. We discuss potential mechanisms underlying eider communal brood-rearing decisions, which may be driven by the specific ecological conditions under which sociality has evolved in this species.

48 CFR 952.227-14 - Rights in data-general. (DOE coverage-alternates VI and VII)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

.... (DOE coverage-alternates VI and VII) 952.227-14 Section 952.227-14 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CLAUSES AND FORMS SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 952.227-14 Rights in data-general. (DOE coverage—alternates VI and VII) Alternate VI...

48 CFR 952.227-14 - Rights in data-general. (DOE coverage-alternates VI and VII)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

.... (DOE coverage-alternates VI and VII) 952.227-14 Section 952.227-14 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CLAUSES AND FORMS SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 952.227-14 Rights in data-general. (DOE coverage—alternates VI and VII) Alternate VI...

48 CFR 952.227-14 - Rights in data-general. (DOE coverage-alternates VI and VII)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

.... (DOE coverage-alternates VI and VII) 952.227-14 Section 952.227-14 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CLAUSES AND FORMS SOLICITATION PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 952.227-14 Rights in data-general. (DOE coverage—alternates VI and VII) Alternate VI...

46 CFR 502.411 - Mediation and other alternative means of dispute resolution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Mediation and other alternative means of dispute... PROVISIONS RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Alternative Dispute Resolution § 502.411 Mediation and other alternative means of dispute resolution. (a) Parties are encouraged to utilize mediation or other forms of...

Reductions in aircraft particulate emissions due to the use of Fischer-Tropsch fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyersdorf, A. J.; Timko, M. T.; Ziemba, L. D.; Bulzan, D.; Corporan, E.; Herndon, S. C.; Howard, R.; Miake-Lye, R.; Thornhill, K. L.; Winstead, E.; Wey, C.; Yu, Z.; Anderson, B. E.

2013-06-01

The use of alternative fuels for aviation is likely to increase due to concerns over fuel security, price stability and the sustainability of fuel sources. Concurrent reductions in particulate emissions from these alternative fuels are expected because of changes in fuel composition including reduced sulfur and aromatic content. The NASA Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment (AAFEX) was conducted in January-February 2009 to investigate the effects of synthetic fuels on gas-phase and particulate emissions. Standard petroleum JP-8 fuel, pure synthetic fuels produced from natural gas and coal feedstocks using the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, and 50% blends of both fuels were tested in the CFM-56 engines on a DC-8 aircraft. To examine plume chemistry and particle evolution with time, samples were drawn from inlet probes positioned 1, 30, and 145 m downstream of the aircraft engines. No significant alteration to engine performance was measured when burning the alternative fuels. However, leaks in the aircraft fuel system were detected when operated with the pure FT fuels as a result of the absence of aromatic compounds in the fuel. Dramatic reductions in soot emissions were measured for both the pure FT fuels (reductions of 84% averaged over all powers) and blended fuels (64%) relative to the JP-8 baseline with the largest reductions at idle conditions. The alternative fuels also produced smaller soot (e.g. at 85% power, volume mean diameters were reduced from 78 nm for JP-8 to 51 nm for the FT fuel), which may reduce their ability to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The reductions in particulate emissions are expected for all alternative fuels with similar reductions in fuel sulfur and aromatic content regardless of the feedstock. As the plume cools downwind of the engine, nucleation-mode aerosols form. For the pure FT fuels, reductions (94% averaged over all powers) in downwind particle number emissions were similar to those measured at the exhaust plane (84%). However, the blended fuels had less of a reduction (reductions of 30-44%) than initially measured (64%). The likely explanation is that the reduced soot emissions in the blended fuel exhaust plume results in promotion of new particle formation microphysics, rather than coating on pre-existing soot particles, which is dominant in the JP-8 exhaust plume. Downwind particle volume emissions were reduced for both the pure (79 and 86% reductions) and blended FT fuels (36 and 46%) due to the large reductions in soot emissions. In addition, the alternative fuels had reduced particulate sulfate production (near-zero for FT fuels) due to decreased fuel sulfur content. To study the formation of volatile aerosols (defined as any aerosol formed as the plume ages) in more detail, tests were performed at varying ambient temperatures (-4 to 20 °C). At idle, particle number and volume emissions were reduced linearly with increasing ambient temperature, with best fit slopes corresponding to -1.2 × 106 # (kg fuel)-1 °C-1 for particle number emissions and -9.7 mm3 (kg fuel)-1 °C-1 for particle volume emissions. The temperature dependence of aerosol formation can have large effects on local air quality surrounding airports in cold regions. Aircraft produced aerosols in these regions will be much larger than levels expected based solely on measurements made directly at the engine exit plane. The majority (90% at idle) of the volatile aerosol mass formed as nucleation-mode aerosols with a smaller fraction as a soot coating. Conversion efficiencies of up to 3.8% were measured for the partitioning of gas-phase precursors (unburned hydrocarbons and SO2) to form volatile aerosols. Highest conversion efficiencies were measured at 45% power.

The Impact of Escape Alternative Position Change in Multiple-Choice Test on the Psychometric Properties of a Test and Its Items Parameters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamadneh, Iyad Mohammed

2015-01-01

This study aimed at investigating the impact changing of escape alternative position in multiple-choice test on the psychometric properties of a test and it's items parameters (difficulty, discrimination & guessing), and estimation of examinee ability. To achieve the study objectives, a 4-alternative multiple choice type achievement test…

Design of a radiator shade for testing in a simulated lunar environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huff, Jaimi; Remington, Randy; Tang, Toan

1992-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) have chosen the parabolic/catenary concept from their sponsored Fall 1991 lunar radiation shade project for further testing and development. NASA asked the design team to build a shading device and support structure for testing in a vacuum chamber. Besides the support structure for the catenary shading device, the design team was asked to develop a system for varying the shade shape so that the device can be tested at different focal lengths. The design team developed concept variants and combined the concept variants to form overall designs. Using a decision matrix, an overall design was selected by the team from several overall design alternatives. Concept variants were developed for three primary functions. The three functions were structural support, shape adjustments, and end shielding. The shade adjustment function was divided into two sub-functions, arc length adjustment, and width adjustment.

Critical Evaluation of Animal Alternative Tests for the Identification of Endocrine Active Substances

EPA Science Inventory

A significant amount of research is currently targeted to evaluate alternative test methods that may reduce, refine, or replace the use of animals, while ensuring human and environmental health and safety. It is important that the information gained from the alternative tests pr...

40 CFR 35.2211 - Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Treatment Works § 35.2211 Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report. The grantee shall... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report. 35.2211 Section 35.2211 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION...

40 CFR 35.2211 - Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Treatment Works § 35.2211 Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report. The grantee shall... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report. 35.2211 Section 35.2211 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION...

40 CFR 35.2211 - Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Treatment Works § 35.2211 Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report. The grantee shall... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report. 35.2211 Section 35.2211 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION...

40 CFR 35.2211 - Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Treatment Works § 35.2211 Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report. The grantee shall... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report. 35.2211 Section 35.2211 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION...

40 CFR 35.2211 - Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Treatment Works § 35.2211 Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report. The grantee shall... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Field testing for Innovative and Alternative Technology Report. 35.2211 Section 35.2211 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION...

Optical apparatus for forming correlation spectrometers and optical processors

DOEpatents

Butler, Michael A.; Ricco, Antonio J.; Sinclair, Michael B.; Senturia, Stephen D.

1999-01-01

Optical apparatus for forming correlation spectrometers and optical processors. The optical apparatus comprises one or more diffractive optical elements formed on a substrate for receiving light from a source and processing the incident light. The optical apparatus includes an addressing element for alternately addressing each diffractive optical element thereof to produce for one unit of time a first correlation with the incident light, and to produce for a different unit of time a second correlation with the incident light that is different from the first correlation. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the optical apparatus is in the form of a correlation spectrometer; and in other embodiments, the apparatus is in the form of an optical processor. In some embodiments, the optical apparatus comprises a plurality of diffractive optical elements on a common substrate for forming first and second gratings that alternately intercept the incident light for different units of time. In other embodiments, the optical apparatus includes an electrically-programmable diffraction grating that may be alternately switched between a plurality of grating states thereof for processing the incident light. The optical apparatus may be formed, at least in part, by a micromachining process.

Optical apparatus for forming correlation spectrometers and optical processors

DOEpatents

Butler, M.A.; Ricco, A.J.; Sinclair, M.B.; Senturia, S.D.

1999-05-18

Optical apparatus is disclosed for forming correlation spectrometers and optical processors. The optical apparatus comprises one or more diffractive optical elements formed on a substrate for receiving light from a source and processing the incident light. The optical apparatus includes an addressing element for alternately addressing each diffractive optical element thereof to produce for one unit of time a first correlation with the incident light, and to produce for a different unit of time a second correlation with the incident light that is different from the first correlation. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the optical apparatus is in the form of a correlation spectrometer; and in other embodiments, the apparatus is in the form of an optical processor. In some embodiments, the optical apparatus comprises a plurality of diffractive optical elements on a common substrate for forming first and second gratings that alternately intercept the incident light for different units of time. In other embodiments, the optical apparatus includes an electrically-programmable diffraction grating that may be alternately switched between a plurality of grating states thereof for processing the incident light. The optical apparatus may be formed, at least in part, by a micromachining process. 24 figs.

Knowledge, attitude and use of alternative medical therapy amongst urban residents of Osun State, southwestern Nigeria.

PubMed

Bamidele, James Olusegun; Adebimpe, Wasiu Olalekan; Oladele, Edward Adekola

2009-05-07

Alternate medicine which has a long history has been relegated to the background by the evolution of modern medicine. In recent times, however, alternative medical therapy has been growing in popularity and getting increasing attention and interest. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude and use by urban dwellers of alternative medical therapies. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study which used a semi-structured questionnaire to gather information from 812 randomly selected urban respondents. Majority 734 (90.4%) of the respondents were aware of an alternative way of getting treatment for their ailments apart from the orthodox medicine. The forms of alternative medical therapy (AMT) respondents were aware of include: concoction (herbal preparations) 683 (94.2%); herbalists/traditionalists 616 (85.0%); traditional bone setters therapy 434 (59.9%); among others. The main source of information was through radio 439 (70.9%). About half 403 (54.9%) of the respondents were aware of side effects from AMT and these include diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting which accounts for 69.7%; 42.2% and 40.2% respectively. About 347 (47.3%) think AMT could be injurious to health. About a third 262 (35.7%) of the respondents who were aware of AMT prefers it to orthodox medicine. Reasons given for the preference were that: AMT is cheap 56 (21.4%); accessible 43 (16.4%) and acceptable 35 (13.4%) to them. About half 367 (50.0%) also believed AMT alone could cure their illness without resort to orthodox medical therapy (OMT). Over half 401 (54.6%) of the 734 respondents that were aware of AMT had patronized or taken one form of alternative medical therapy or the other in the last 12 months prior to the study. Of these number, 323 (80.5%) had taken concoction (herbal preparations). However, there was no relationship between respondents' age, sex, educational level or religion and the patronage of AMT as all test of associations were not statistically significant p>0.05. This study has revealed that the use of alternative medical therapies is quite popular among the studied population and a high proportion of the respondents use AMT notwithstanding that they live in the urban communities where they have better access to orthodox medical care and medical practitioners. Regulations should be made concerning the advertisement of alternative medicine and practices as orthodox medicine and practices are usually not advertised.

Costs, Substitution, and Material Use: The Case of Rare Earth Magnets.

PubMed

Smith, Braeton J; Eggert, Roderick G

2018-03-20

Environmental technologies depend on raw materials, some of which are subject to volatile costs and availability concerns. One way to address these concerns is through substitution, of which there are many types. An important form of substitution in the short term is adopting an alternative production process, yielding a material with the same functional properties with less material input. In effect, technology substitutes for material. This study elucidates the role increased and uncertain material costs play in inducing different substitution types in the short to medium term. Specifically, this paper uses an expert survey to determine the relative importance of eight specific industry responses taken by magnet and wind turbine manufacturers in response to the 2010/2011 rare-earth price spike through 2016. Statistical tests show adopting an existing production process for magnets was the most important response, followed by cost passthrough, using an alternate magnet grade in a redesigned generator system, and using alternate systems altogether. The paper also provides specific findings for the magnet and wind turbine industries with respect to each substitution type.

Performance Testing of a High Temperature Linear Alternator for Stirling Convertors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Metscher, Jonathan; Geng, Steven

2016-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center has conducted performance testing of a high temperature linear alternator (HTLA) in support of Stirling power convertor development for potential future Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS). The high temperature linear alternator is a modified version of that used in Sunpowers Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC), and is capable of operation at temperatures up to 200 C. Increasing the temperature capability of the linear alternator could expand the mission space of future Stirling RPS designs. High temperature Neodymium-Iron-Boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnets were selected for the HTLA application, and were fully characterized and tested prior to uses. Higher temperature epoxy for alternator assembly was also selected and tested for thermal stability and strength. A characterization test was performed on the HTLA to measure its performance at various amplitudes, loads, and temperatures. HTLA endurance testing at 200 C is currently underway.

Performance Testing of a High Temperature Linear Alternator for Stirling Convertors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Metscher, Jonathan F.; Geng, Steven M.

2016-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center has conducted performance testing of a high temperature linear alternator (HTLA) in support of Stirling power convertor development for potential future Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS). The high temperature linear alternator is a modified version of that used in Sunpower's Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC), and is capable of operation at temperatures up to 200 deg. Increasing the temperature capability of the linear alternator could expand the mission set of future Stirling RPS designs. High temperature Neodymium-Iron-Boron (Nd-Fe-B) magnets were selected for the HTLA application, and were fully characterized and tested prior to use. Higher temperature epoxy for alternator assembly was also selected and tested for thermal stability and strength. A characterization test was performed on the HTLA to measure its performance at various amplitudes, loads, and temperatures. HTLA endurance testing at 200 deg is currently underway.

39 CFR 775.11 - Environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... approaches or generally accepted research methods. For purposes of this subsection, “reasonably foreseeable...)), the environmental impacts and the alternatives are presented in comparative form, thus sharply... comparative merits. (iii) Identify the preferred alternative or alternatives in the draft and final statements...

39 CFR 775.11 - Environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... approaches or generally accepted research methods. For purposes of this subsection, “reasonably foreseeable...)), the environmental impacts and the alternatives are presented in comparative form, thus sharply... comparative merits. (iii) Identify the preferred alternative or alternatives in the draft and final statements...

39 CFR 775.11 - Environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... approaches or generally accepted research methods. For purposes of this subsection, “reasonably foreseeable...)), the environmental impacts and the alternatives are presented in comparative form, thus sharply... comparative merits. (iii) Identify the preferred alternative or alternatives in the draft and final statements...

39 CFR 775.11 - Environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... approaches or generally accepted research methods. For purposes of this subsection, “reasonably foreseeable...)), the environmental impacts and the alternatives are presented in comparative form, thus sharply... comparative merits. (iii) Identify the preferred alternative or alternatives in the draft and final statements...

39 CFR 775.11 - Environmental impact statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... approaches or generally accepted research methods. For purposes of this subsection, “reasonably foreseeable...)), the environmental impacts and the alternatives are presented in comparative form, thus sharply... comparative merits. (iii) Identify the preferred alternative or alternatives in the draft and final statements...

Alternative acceptance procedures for asphalt mixes.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-01-01

By the year 2005, the use of chlorinated solvents is to be eliminated. Faced with this eventuality, VDOT formed a task force to look at alternatives for the acceptance of asphalt mixes. One alternative is to use biodegradable solvents in the extracti...

Using the Landlab toolkit to evaluate and compare alternative geomorphic and hydrologic model formulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tucker, G. E.; Adams, J. M.; Doty, S. G.; Gasparini, N. M.; Hill, M. C.; Hobley, D. E. J.; Hutton, E.; Istanbulluoglu, E.; Nudurupati, S. S.

2016-12-01

Developing a better understanding of catchment hydrology and geomorphology ideally involves quantitative hypothesis testing. Often one seeks to identify the simplest mathematical and/or computational model that accounts for the essential dynamics in the system of interest. Development of alternative hypotheses involves testing and comparing alternative formulations, but the process of comparison and evaluation is made challenging by the rigid nature of many computational models, which are often built around a single assumed set of equations. Here we review a software framework for two-dimensional computational modeling that facilitates the creation, testing, and comparison of surface-dynamics models. Landlab is essentially a Python-language software library. Its gridding module allows for easy generation of a structured (raster, hex) or unstructured (Voronoi-Delaunay) mesh, with the capability to attach data arrays to particular types of element. Landlab includes functions that implement common numerical operations, such as gradient calculation and summation of fluxes within grid cells. Landlab also includes a collection of process components, which are encapsulated pieces of software that implement a numerical calculation of a particular process. Examples include downslope flow routing over topography, shallow-water hydrodynamics, stream erosion, and sediment transport on hillslopes. Individual components share a common grid and data arrays, and they can be coupled through the use of a simple Python script. We illustrate Landlab's capabilities with a case study of Holocene landscape development in the northeastern US, in which we seek to identify a collection of model components that can account for the formation of a series of incised canyons that have that developed since the Laurentide ice sheet last retreated. We compare sets of model ingredients related to (1) catchment hydrologic response, (2) hillslope evolution, and (3) stream channel and gully incision. The case-study example demonstrates the value of exploring multiple working hypotheses, in the form of multiple alternative model components.

On automating domain connectivity for overset grids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chiu, Ing-Tsau

1994-01-01

An alternative method for domain connectivity among systems of overset grids is presented. Reference uniform Cartesian systems of points are used to achieve highly efficient domain connectivity, and form the basis for a future fully automated system. The Cartesian systems are used to approximated body surfaces and to map the computational space of component grids. By exploiting the characteristics of Cartesian Systems, Chimera type hole-cutting and identification of donor elements for intergrid boundary points can be carried out very efficiently. The method is tested for a range of geometrically complex multiple-body overset grid systems.

Application of guar gum biopolymer in the prescription of tablets with sodium ibuprofen--quality tests and pharmaceutical availability in vitro.

PubMed

Berner-Strzelczyk, Aneta; Kołodziejska, Justyna; Zgoda, Marian Mikołaj

2006-01-01

The increasing interest of the technology of drug form in natural biopolymers has become the reason for undertaking investigations on the possibility of guar gum application in the prescription of oral solid form of a drug. Alternative compositions and technology of the production of tablets of regulated in time sodium ibuprofen release were worked out for children. Two series of tablets were prepared with guar gum (5 and 10% content) and a series without the biopolymer. The tablet mass in each case contained keryostatic sorbitol and bioadhesive polyvinylpyrrolidone. All tablets were tested as regards the quality of production, compliance with the requirements of Polish Pharmacopoeia VI and potential therapeutic usefulness, manifestation of which is pharmaceutical availability of the therapeutic agent (sodium ibuprofen). The tests demonstrated that the produced tablets with sodium ibuprofen have proper physicochemical properties, in compliance with Polish Pharmacopoeia VI requirements. Application of biopolymer of guar gum type as adjuvant substance contributes to the improvement of the tablet hardness parameters and prevents technological problems (lining mixture of powders to tableting machine punch). The designed tablets demonstrate proper pharmaceutical availability of over 80%. Introduction of guar gum into their prescription prolonged their disintegration time and the rate of sodium ibuprofen release, which predisposes the produced form of a drug to have the function of a tablet with slowed-down release.

40 CFR 75.66 - Petitions to the Administrator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... for alternative method of accounting for emissions prior to completion of certification tests. The... for an alternative to the stabilization criteria for the cycle time test in section 6.4 of appendix A... Administrator to use an alternative stabilization criteria for the cycle time test in section 6.4 of appendix A...

16 CFR 1610.40 - Use of alternate apparatus, procedures, or criteria for tests for guaranty purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Use of alternate apparatus, procedures, or... Rules and Regulations § 1610.40 Use of alternate apparatus, procedures, or criteria for tests for... 1610 prescribes apparatus and procedures for testing fabrics and garments subject to its provisions...

16 CFR 1610.40 - Use of alternate apparatus, procedures, or criteria for tests for guaranty purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Use of alternate apparatus, procedures, or... Rules and Regulations § 1610.40 Use of alternate apparatus, procedures, or criteria for tests for... 1610 prescribes apparatus and procedures for testing fabrics and garments subject to its provisions...

Integrated testing strategies can be optimal for chemical risk classification.

PubMed

Raseta, Marko; Pitchford, Jon; Cussens, James; Doe, John

2017-08-01

There is an urgent need to refine strategies for testing the safety of chemical compounds. This need arises both from the financial and ethical costs of animal tests, but also from the opportunities presented by new in-vitro and in-silico alternatives. Here we explore the mathematical theory underpinning the formulation of optimal testing strategies in toxicology. We show how the costs and imprecisions of the various tests, and the variability in exposures and responses of individuals, can be assembled rationally to form a Markov Decision Problem. We compute the corresponding optimal policies using well developed theory based on Dynamic Programming, thereby identifying and overcoming some methodological and logical inconsistencies which may exist in the current toxicological testing. By illustrating our methods for two simple but readily generalisable examples we show how so-called integrated testing strategies, where information of different precisions from different sources is combined and where different initial test outcomes lead to different sets of future tests, can arise naturally as optimal policies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alternative methods for the median lethal dose (LD(50)) test: the up-and-down procedure for acute oral toxicity.

PubMed

Rispin, Amy; Farrar, David; Margosches, Elizabeth; Gupta, Kailash; Stitzel, Katherine; Carr, Gregory; Greene, Michael; Meyer, William; McCall, Deborah

2002-01-01

The authors have developed an improved version of the up-and-down procedure (UDP) as one of the replacements for the traditional acute oral toxicity test formerly used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member nations to characterize industrial chemicals, pesticides, and their mixtures. This method improves the performance of acute testing for applications that use the median lethal dose (classic LD50) test while achieving significant reductions in animal use. It uses sequential dosing, together with sophisticated computer-assisted computational methods during the execution and calculation phases of the test. Staircase design, a form of sequential test design, can be applied to acute toxicity testing with its binary experimental endpoints (yes/no outcomes). The improved UDP provides a point estimate of the LD50 and approximate confidence intervals in addition to observed toxic signs for the substance tested. It does not provide information about the dose-response curve. Computer simulation was used to test performance of the UDP without the need for additional laboratory validation.

Evaluation of new technologies for the LISA gravitational reference sensor using the UF torsion pendulum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conklin, John; Chilton, Andrew; Olatunde, Taiwo; Apple, Stephen; Aitken, Michael; Ciani, Giacomo; Mueller, Guido

2016-01-01

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is the most mature concept for detecting gravitational waves from space. The LISA design has been studied for more than 20 years as a joint effort between NASA and the European Space Agency. LISA consists of three Sun-orbiting spacecraft that form an equilateral triangle, with each side measuring 1-5 million kilometers in length. Each spacecraft houses two free-floating test masses, which are protected from all disturbing forces so that they follow pure geodesics. A single test mass together with its protective housing and associated components is referred to as a gravitational reference sensor. A drag-free control system is supplied with measurements of the test mass position from these sensors and commands external micronewton thrusters to force the spacecraft to fly in formation with the test masses. Laser interferometry is used to measure the minute variations in the distance, or light travel time, between these purely free-falling TMs, caused by gravitational waves. We have constructed a new torsion pendulum facility with a force sensitivity in the range of pN/Hz1/2 around 1 mHz for testing new gravitational reference sensor technologies. This experimental facility consists of a vacuum enclosed torsion pendulum that suspends mock-ups of the LISA test masses, surrounded by their electrode housings. With the aid of this facility, we are (a) developing a novel test mass charge control scheme based on ultraviolet LEDs, (b) examining alternate test mass and electrode housing coatings, and (c) evaluating alternate operational modes of the LISA gravitational reference sensor. This presentation will describe this facility and the development status of these new technologies.

Acquisition of Nominal Morphophonological Alternations in Russian

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomas, Ekaterina; van de Vijver, Ruben; Demuth, Katherine; Petocz, Peter

2017-01-01

Morphophonological alternations can make target-like production of grammatical morphemes challenging due to changes in form depending on the phonological environment. This article explores the acquisition of morphophonological alternations involving the interacting patterns of vowel deletion and stress shift in Russian-speaking children (aged…

A program to form a multidisciplinary data base and analysis for dynamic systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, L. W.; Suit, W. T.; Mayo, M. H.

1984-01-01

Diverse sets of experimental data and analysis programs have been assembled for the purpose of facilitating research in systems identification, parameter estimation and state estimation techniques. The data base analysis programs are organized to make it easy to compare alternative approaches. Additional data and alternative forms of analysis will be included as they become available.

College Women's Willingness to Participate in Alternative Marital and Family Forms: 1986 and 2003

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billingham, Robert E., Sr.

2008-01-01

In 1986 (n = 359) and in 2003 (n = 111), single never married women enrolled at a large university in the mid-west completed questionnaires designed to investigate their willingness to participate in 13 different alternative marital and family forms. "Egalitarian" marriage was ranked first by women in both time periods with 93.5 and 95.6 percent…

Biological Control of Mosquito Vectors: Past, Present, and Future

PubMed Central

Benelli, Giovanni; Jeffries, Claire L.; Walker, Thomas

2016-01-01

Mosquitoes represent the major arthropod vectors of human disease worldwide transmitting malaria, lymphatic filariasis, and arboviruses such as dengue virus and Zika virus. Unfortunately, no treatment (in the form of vaccines or drugs) is available for most of these diseases and vector control is still the main form of prevention. The limitations of traditional insecticide-based strategies, particularly the development of insecticide resistance, have resulted in significant efforts to develop alternative eco-friendly methods. Biocontrol strategies aim to be sustainable and target a range of different mosquito species to reduce the current reliance on insecticide-based mosquito control. In this review, we outline non-insecticide based strategies that have been implemented or are currently being tested. We also highlight the use of mosquito behavioural knowledge that can be exploited for control strategies. PMID:27706105

Influence of ethanol content in the precipitation medium on the composition, structure and reactivity of magnesium-calcium phosphate.

PubMed

Babaie, Elham; Zhou, Huan; Lin, Boren; Bhaduri, Sarit B

2015-08-01

Biocompatible amorphous magnesium calcium phosphate (AMCP) particles were synthesized using ethanol in precipitation medium from moderately supersaturated solution at pH10. Some synthesis parameters such as, (Mg+Ca):P, Mg:Ca ratio and different drying methods on the structure and stability of as-produced powder was studied and characterized using SEM, XRD and cell cytocompatibility. The results showed that depending on the Mg(2+) concentration, nano crystalline Struvite (MgNH4PO4·6H2O) can also be alternatively formed. However, the as-formed AMCP preserved its amorphous structure after 7 days of incubation in SBF for tested phosphate concentration, and equally ionic concentration of magnesium and calcium. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energy expenditure in rock/pop drumming.

PubMed

De La Rue, S E; Draper, S B; Potter, C R; Smith, M S

2013-10-01

Despite the vigorous nature of rock/pop drumming, there are no precise data on the energy expenditure of this activity. The aim of this study was to quantify the energy cost of rock/pop drumming. Fourteen male drummers (mean±SD; age 27±8 yrs.) completed an incremental drumming test to establish the relationship between energy expenditure and heart rate for this activity and a ramped cycle ergometer test to exhaustion as a criterion measure for peak values (oxygen uptake and heart rate). During live concert performance heart rate was continuously measured and used to estimate energy expenditure (from the energy expenditure vs. heart rate data derived from the drumming test). During concert performance, estimated energy expenditure (mean±SD) was 623±168 kcal.h⁻¹ (8.1±2.2 METs) during performances of 38.6±15.6 min, and drummers achieved a peak heart rate of 186±16 b.min⁻¹. During the drumming test participants attained 78.7±8.3% of the cycle ergometer peak oxygen uptake. Rock/pop drumming represents a relatively high-intensity form of physical activity and as such involves significant energy expenditure. Rock/pop drumming should be considered as a viable alternative to more traditional forms of physical activity. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

A European perspective on alternatives to animal testing for environmental hazard identification and risk assessment.

PubMed

Scholz, Stefan; Sela, Erika; Blaha, Ludek; Braunbeck, Thomas; Galay-Burgos, Malyka; García-Franco, Mauricio; Guinea, Joaquin; Klüver, Nils; Schirmer, Kristin; Tanneberger, Katrin; Tobor-Kapłon, Marysia; Witters, Hilda; Belanger, Scott; Benfenati, Emilio; Creton, Stuart; Cronin, Mark T D; Eggen, Rik I L; Embry, Michelle; Ekman, Drew; Gourmelon, Anne; Halder, Marlies; Hardy, Barry; Hartung, Thomas; Hubesch, Bruno; Jungmann, Dirk; Lampi, Mark A; Lee, Lucy; Léonard, Marc; Küster, Eberhard; Lillicrap, Adam; Luckenbach, Till; Murk, Albertinka J; Navas, José M; Peijnenburg, Willie; Repetto, Guillermo; Salinas, Edward; Schüürmann, Gerrit; Spielmann, Horst; Tollefsen, Knut Erik; Walter-Rohde, Susanne; Whale, Graham; Wheeler, James R; Winter, Matthew J

2013-12-01

Tests with vertebrates are an integral part of environmental hazard identification and risk assessment of chemicals, plant protection products, pharmaceuticals, biocides, feed additives and effluents. These tests raise ethical and economic concerns and are considered as inappropriate for assessing all of the substances and effluents that require regulatory testing. Hence, there is a strong demand for replacement, reduction and refinement strategies and methods. However, until now alternative approaches have only rarely been used in regulatory settings. This review provides an overview on current regulations of chemicals and the requirements for animal tests in environmental hazard and risk assessment. It aims to highlight the potential areas for alternative approaches in environmental hazard identification and risk assessment. Perspectives and limitations of alternative approaches to animal tests using vertebrates in environmental toxicology, i.e. mainly fish and amphibians, are discussed. Free access to existing (proprietary) animal test data, availability of validated alternative methods and a practical implementation of conceptual approaches such as the Adverse Outcome Pathways and Integrated Testing Strategies were identified as major requirements towards the successful development and implementation of alternative approaches. Although this article focusses on European regulations, its considerations and conclusions are of global relevance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavioral momentum and resurgence: Effects of time in extinction and repeated resurgence tests

PubMed Central

Shahan, Timothy A.

2014-01-01

Resurgence is an increase in a previously extinguished operant response that occurs if an alternative reinforcement introduced during extinction is removed. Shahan and Sweeney (2011) developed a quantitative model of resurgence based on behavioral momentum theory that captures existing data well and predicts that resurgence should decrease as time in extinction and exposure to the alternative reinforcement increases. Two experiments tested this prediction. The data from Experiment 1 suggested that without a return to baseline, resurgence decreases with increased exposure to alternative reinforcement and to extinction of the target response. Experiment 2 tested the predictions of the model across two conditions, one with constant alternative reinforcement for five sessions, and the other with alternative reinforcement removed three times. In both conditions, the alternative reinforcement was removed for the final test session. Experiment 2 again demonstrated a decrease in relapse across repeated resurgence tests. Furthermore, comparably little resurgence was observed at the same time point in extinction in the final test, despite dissimilar previous exposures to alternative reinforcement removal. The quantitative model provided a good description of the observed data in both experiments. More broadly, these data suggest that increased exposure to extinction may be a successful strategy to reduce resurgence. The relationship between these data and existing tests of the effect of time in extinction on resurgence is discussed. PMID:23982985

Further investigations of the W-test for pairwise epistasis testing.

PubMed

Howey, Richard; Cordell, Heather J

2017-01-01

Background: In a recent paper, a novel W-test for pairwise epistasis testing was proposed that appeared, in computer simulations, to have higher power than competing alternatives. Application to genome-wide bipolar data detected significant epistasis between SNPs in genes of relevant biological function. Network analysis indicated that the implicated genes formed two separate interaction networks, each containing genes highly related to autism and neurodegenerative disorders. Methods: Here we investigate further the properties and performance of the W-test via theoretical evaluation, computer simulations and application to real data. Results: We demonstrate that, for common variants, the W-test is closely related to several existing tests of association allowing for interaction, including logistic regression on 8 degrees of freedom, although logistic regression can show inflated type I error for low minor allele frequencies,  whereas the W-test shows good/conservative type I error control. Although in some situations the W-test can show higher power, logistic regression is not limited to tests on 8 degrees of freedom but can instead be tailored to impose greater structure on the assumed alternative hypothesis, offering a power advantage when the imposed structure matches the true structure. Conclusions: The W-test is a potentially useful method for testing for association - without necessarily implying interaction - between genetic variants disease, particularly when one or more of the genetic variants are rare. For common variants, the advantages of the W-test are less clear, and, indeed, there are situations where existing methods perform better. In our investigations, we further uncover a number of problems with the practical implementation and application of the W-test (to bipolar disorder) previously described, apparently due to inadequate use of standard data quality-control procedures. This observation leads us to urge caution in interpretation of the previously-presented results, most of which we consider are highly likely to be artefacts.

Neutronic reactor construction

DOEpatents

Huston, Norman E.

1976-07-06

1. A neutronic reactor comprising a moderator including horizontal layers formed of horizontal rows of graphite blocks, alternate layers of blocks having the rows extending in one direction, the remaining alternate layers having the rows extending transversely to the said one direction, alternate rows of blocks in one set of alternate layers having longitudinal ducts, the moderator further including slotted graphite tubes positioned in the ducts, the reactor further comprising an aluminum coolant tube positioned within the slotted tube in spaced relation thereto, bodies of thermal-neutron-fissionable material, and jackets enclosing the bodies and being formed of a corrosion-resistant material having a low neutron-capture cross section, the bodies and jackets being positioned within the coolant tube so that the jackets are spaced from the coolant tube.

Method to control residual stress in a film structure and a system thereof

DOEpatents

Parthum, Sr., Michael J.

2008-12-30

A method for controlling residual stress in a structure in a MEMS device and a structure thereof includes selecting a total thickness and an overall equivalent stress for the structure. A thickness for each of at least one set of alternating first and second layers is determined to control an internal stress with respect to a neutral axis for each of the at least alternating first and second layers and to form the structure based on the selected total thickness and the selected overall equivalent stress. Each of the at least alternating first and second layers is deposited to the determined thickness for each of the at least alternating first and second layers to form the structure.

Environmental evaluation of alternatives for long-term management of Defense high-level radioactive wastes at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1982-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is considering the selection of a strategy for the long-term management of the defense high-level wastes at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP). This report describes the environmental impacts of alternative strategies. These alternative strategies include leaving the calcine in its present form at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), or retrieving and modifying the calcine to a more durable waste form and disposing of it either at the INEL or in an offsite repository. This report addresses only the alternatives for a program to manage the high-level waste generated at the ICPP. 24more » figures, 60 tables.« less

40 CFR 211.206-2 - Alternative test data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROGRAMS PRODUCT NOISE LABELING Hearing Protective Devices § 211.206-2 Alternative test data. (a) In lieu of testing according to § 211.206-1, manufacturers may use the latest available test data obtained...

Multistability in auditory stream segregation: a predictive coding view

PubMed Central

Winkler, István; Denham, Susan; Mill, Robert; Bőhm, Tamás M.; Bendixen, Alexandra

2012-01-01

Auditory stream segregation involves linking temporally separate acoustic events into one or more coherent sequences. For any non-trivial sequence of sounds, many alternative descriptions can be formed, only one or very few of which emerge in awareness at any time. Evidence from studies showing bi-/multistability in auditory streaming suggest that some, perhaps many of the alternative descriptions are represented in the brain in parallel and that they continuously vie for conscious perception. Here, based on a predictive coding view, we consider the nature of these sound representations and how they compete with each other. Predictive processing helps to maintain perceptual stability by signalling the continuation of previously established patterns as well as the emergence of new sound sources. It also provides a measure of how well each of the competing representations describes the current acoustic scene. This account of auditory stream segregation has been tested on perceptual data obtained in the auditory streaming paradigm. PMID:22371621

Fluid Dynamics Assessment of the VPCAR Water Recovery System in Partial and Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niederhaus, Charles; Nahra, Henry; Flynn, Michael

2006-01-01

The Vapor Phase Catalytic Ammonia Removal (VPCAR) system is being developed to recycle water for future NASA Exploration Missions. Testing was recently conducted on NASA s C-9B Reduced Gravity Aircraft to determine the microgravity performance of a key component of the VPCAR water recovery system. Six flights were conducted to evaluate the fluid dynamics of the Wiped-Film Rotating Disk (WFRD) distillation component of the VPCAR system in microgravity, focusing on the water delivery method. The experiments utilized a simplified system to study the process of forming a thin film on a disk similar to that in the evaporator section of VPCAR. Fluid issues are present with the current configuration, and the initial alternative configurations were only partial successful in microgravity operation. The underlying causes of these issues are understood, and new alternatives are being designed to rectify the problems.

Destructive testings: dry drilling operations with TruPro system to collect samples in a powder form, from two hulls containing immobilized wastes in a hydraulic binder

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pombet, Denis; Desnoyers, Yvon; Charters, Grant

2013-07-01

The TruPro{sup R} process enables to collect a significant number of samples to characterize radiological materials. This innovative and alternative technique is experimented for the ANDRA quality-control inspection of cemented packages. It proves to be quicker and more prolific than the current methodology. Using classical statistics and geo-statistics approaches, the physical and radiological characteristics of two hulls containing immobilized wastes (sludges or concentrates) in a hydraulic binder are assessed in this paper. The waste homogeneity is also evaluated in comparison to ANDRA criterion. Sensibility to sample size (support effect), presence of extreme values, acceptable deviation rate and minimum number ofmore » data are discussed. The final objectives are to check the homogeneity of the two characterized radwaste packages and also to validate and reinforce this alternative characterization methodology. (authors)« less

Preparation and Characterization of Silanes Films to Protect Electrogalvanized Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seré, Pablo R.; Egli, Walter; Di Sarli, Alejandro R.; Deyá, Cecilia

2018-03-01

Silanes are an interesting alternative to chromate-based surface treatments for temporary protection of electrogalvanized steel. In this work, the protective behavior of 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MTMO), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (AMEO), or 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GLYMO) films applied on electrogalvanized automotive quality steel sheets has been studied. The silane coating morphology, composition, and porosity were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray fluorescence, immersion in copper sulfate, and cyclic voltammetry. The corrosion protection was evaluated by polarization curves, electrochemical noise measurements, electrochemical impedance spectrometry, and accelerated humidity chamber tests. The results showed that the silanes protect temporarily electrogalvanized steel from corrosion. MTMO forms a relatively thick and cracked film. AMEO and GLYMO films were so thin that they could not be observed by SEM but silicon was detected by EDS. MTMO provided good temporary protection, being an alternative to replace Cr(VI) as protector of electrogalvanized steel.

Out of Sight but Not out of Mind: Alternative Means of Communication in Plants

PubMed Central

Gagliano, Monica; Renton, Michael; Duvdevani, Nili; Timmins, Matthew; Mancuso, Stefano

2012-01-01

Current knowledge suggests that the mechanisms by which plants communicate information take numerous forms. Previous studies have focussed their attention on communication via chemicals, contact and light; other methods of interaction between plants have remained speculative. In this study we tested the ability of young chilli plants to sense their neighbours and identify their relatives using alternative mechanism(s) to recognised plant communication pathways. We found that the presence of a neighbouring plant had a significant influence on seed germination even when all known sources of communication signals were blocked. Furthermore, despite the signalling restriction, seedlings allocated energy to their stem and root systems differently depending on the identity of the neighbour. These results provide clear experimental evidence for the existence of communication channels between plants beyond those that have been recognized and studied thus far. PMID:22629387

Alternative Work Schedules: The State of the Art.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newstrom, John W.; Pierce, Jon L.

1979-01-01

Presents a typology of modifications to the standard work week, reviews the current state of research-based knowledge regarding the effectiveness of each major type of alternative, and presents implementation suggestions for personnel interested in adopting one or more of the alternative forms. (Author/IRT)

10 CFR 51.45 - Environmental report.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... the proposal and the alternatives should be presented in comparative form; (4) The relationship... 10 Energy 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Environmental report. 51.45 Section 51.45 Energy NUCLEAR...; (3) Alternatives to the proposed action. The discussion of alternatives shall be sufficiently...

9 CFR 430.4 - Control of Listeria monocytogenes in post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... testing than if it uses a post-lethality treatment. (3) Alternative 3. Use of sanitation measures only. (i) If an establishment chooses this alternative, its sanitation program must: (A) Provide for testing of... chooses Alternative 3 is likely to be subject to more frequent verification testing by FSIS than an...

9 CFR 430.4 - Control of Listeria monocytogenes in post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... testing than if it uses a post-lethality treatment. (3) Alternative 3. Use of sanitation measures only. (i) If an establishment chooses this alternative, its sanitation program must: (A) Provide for testing of... chooses Alternative 3 is likely to be subject to more frequent verification testing by FSIS than an...

9 CFR 430.4 - Control of Listeria monocytogenes in post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... testing than if it uses a post-lethality treatment. (3) Alternative 3. Use of sanitation measures only. (i) If an establishment chooses this alternative, its sanitation program must: (A) Provide for testing of... chooses Alternative 3 is likely to be subject to more frequent verification testing by FSIS than an...

Model-based phase-shifting interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Dong; Zhang, Lei; Shi, Tu; Yang, Yongying; Chong, Shiyao; Miao, Liang; Huang, Wei; Shen, Yibing; Bai, Jian

2015-10-01

A model-based phase-shifting interferometer (MPI) is developed, in which a novel calculation technique is proposed instead of the traditional complicated system structure, to achieve versatile, high precision and quantitative surface tests. In the MPI, the partial null lens (PNL) is employed to implement the non-null test. With some alternative PNLs, similar as the transmission spheres in ZYGO interferometers, the MPI provides a flexible test for general spherical and aspherical surfaces. Based on modern computer modeling technique, a reverse iterative optimizing construction (ROR) method is employed for the retrace error correction of non-null test, as well as figure error reconstruction. A self-compiled ray-tracing program is set up for the accurate system modeling and reverse ray tracing. The surface figure error then can be easily extracted from the wavefront data in forms of Zernike polynomials by the ROR method. Experiments of the spherical and aspherical tests are presented to validate the flexibility and accuracy. The test results are compared with those of Zygo interferometer (null tests), which demonstrates the high accuracy of the MPI. With such accuracy and flexibility, the MPI would possess large potential in modern optical shop testing.

Measuring intellectual ability in children with cerebral palsy: can we do better?

PubMed

Sherwell, Sarah; Reid, Susan M; Reddihough, Dinah S; Wrennall, Jacquie; Ong, Ben; Stargatt, Robyn

2014-10-01

Standard intelligence tests such as the WPPSI-III have limitations when testing children with motor impairment. This study aimed to determine the proportion of children with cerebral palsy with sufficient verbal and motor skills to complete the WPPSI-III, to determine their comparative ability to complete tasks with and without a significant motor component, and to investigate short forms of the WPPSI-III as alternatives. Participants were 78 of 235 eligible 4-5 year old children with cerebral palsy resident in the Australian state of Victoria. Verbal IQ (VIQ), Performance IQ (PIQ), and Full-scale IQ (FSIQ) were determined using the WPPSI-III. Initial screening for pointing and verbal abilities determined which tests were attempted. The impact of speed was investigated by comparing scores on the Block Design subtest with and without an imposed time limit. FSIQ scores were calculated from two short forms of the WPPSI-III and compared to the full form. On screening, 16 children had inadequate pointing (14) and verbal abilities (2). FSIQ was obtained in 62 (82%) children. Strong associations were seen between completion of the entire test battery and topographical pattern, level of manual ability and level of gross motor function. Scores on subtests requiring manual ability were depressed relative to other scores. Children performed better using short forms of the WPPSI-III and, for a minority, when time limits were disregarded. In summary, children with cerebral palsy often lack the fine and gross motor skills necessary to complete the WPPSI-III, scoring relatively poorly on tasks requiring a fine motor response. Using short-form estimations of FSIQ comprised of subtests without a significant fine motor component has the potential to increase a child's FSIQ by approximately 5 points. These findings have important clinical implications when assessing a child with both motor and cognitive limitations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overview of NASA Magnet and Linear Alternator Research Efforts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Geng, Steven M.; Schwarze, Gene E.; Nieda, Janis M.

2005-01-01

The Department of Energy, Lockheed Martin, Stirling Technology Company, and NASA Glenn Research Center are developing a high-efficiency, 110 watt Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG110) for NASA Space Science missions. NASA Glenn is conducting in-house research on rare earth permanent magnets and on linear alternators to assist in developing a free-piston Stirling convertor for the SRG110 and for developing advanced technology. The permanent magnet research efforts include magnet characterization, short-term magnet aging tests, and long-term magnet aging tests. Linear alternator research efforts have begun just recently at GRC with the characterization of a moving iron type linear alternator using GRC's alternator test rig. This paper reports on the progress and future plans of GRC's magnet and linear alternator research efforts.

Overview of NASA Magnet and Linear Alternator Research Efforts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geng, Steven M.; Niedra, Janis M.; Schwarze, Gene E.

2005-02-01

The Department of Energy, Lockheed Martin, Stirling Technology Company, and NASA Glenn Research Center are developing a high-efficiency, 110 watt Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG110) for NASA Space Science missions. NASA Glenn is conducting in-house research on rare earth permanent magnets and on linear alternators to assist in developing a free-piston Stirling convertor for the SRG110 and for developing advanced technology. The permanent magnet research efforts include magnet characterization, short-term magnet aging tests, and long-term magnet aging tests. Linear alternator research efforts have begun just recently at GRC with the characterization of a moving iron type linear alternator using GRC's alternator test rig. This paper reports on the progress and future plans of GRC's magnet and linear alternator research efforts.

Obtention of injectable platelets rich-fibrin (i-PRF) and its polymerization with bone graft: technical note.

PubMed

Mourão, Carlos Fernando de Almeida Barros; Valiense, Helder; Melo, Elias Rodrigues; Mourão, Natália Belmock Mascarenhas Freitas; Maia, Mônica Diuana-Calasans

2015-01-01

The use of autologous platelet concentrates, represent a promising and innovator tools in the medicine and dentistry today. The goal is to accelerate hard and soft tissue healing. Among them, the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is the main alternative for use in liquid form (injectable). These injectable form of platelet concentrates are often used in regenerative procedures and demonstrate good results. The aim of this study is to present an alternative to these platelet concentrates using the platelet-rich fibrin in liquid form (injectable) and its use with particulated bone graft materials in the polymerized form.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study in Pediatric Inpatients

PubMed Central

Dhankar, Mukesh

2018-01-01

The aim was to study the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine use in acutely sick hospitalized children and factors associated with it. This is a cross-sectional, hospital-based study in a tertiary care center of Delhi, India. Children admitted to a pediatric unit during the study period were assessed using a specially designed questionnaire. Out of the total 887 admitted children, 161 (18.1%) were using complementary and alternate medicine in one form or another. Of these, 113 (70.2%) were using complementary and alternate medicine for the current illness directly leading to admission and the remaining 48 (29.8%) had used complementary and alternate medicine in past. The common complementary and alternate medicine use observed in our study was combined ayurveda and spiritual approach (25.5%), ayurveda (24.8%), spiritual (21.7%), homeopathic (13%), and 47.2% of children were using spiritual approach in form of Jhada (tying piece of cloth on arm or leg or keeping a knife by the side of child). The significant factors associated with complementary and alternate medicine use were younger age, female gender, and father being employed. Complementary and alternate medicine is commonly used even in acutely sick children. PMID:29616560

Consideration of Alternative Educational Systems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFann, Howard H.; And Others

A discussion of factors associated with evaluation of proposed alternative educational systems is presented in brief form. Emphasis is given to enumeration of critical characteristics serving as the basis of comparison, examination of alternative systems in terms of each characteristic, and determination based on the comparison as to whether the…

Impact of alternative energy forms on public utilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keith, F. W., Jr.

1977-01-01

The investigation of alternative energy sources by the electric utility industry is discussed. Research projects are reviewed in each of the following areas; solar energy, wind energy conversion, photosynthesis of biomass, ocean thermal energy conversion, geothermal energy, fusion, and the environmental impact of alternative energy sources.

77 FR 47361 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2013 Alternative Contact Strategy Test

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-08

... research will be conducted through a series of projects and tests throughout the decade. Contact involving... 2020 Research and Testing Project tests and design options for the 2020 Census. II. Method of... Alternative Contact Strategy Test is the first test to support this research. The Census Bureau will test...

Alternative forms of the Spencer-Fano equation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Inokuti, M.; Kowari, K.

We point out a relation between the electron degradation spectra determined by two differing cross-section sets but subject to the same source. The relation takes a form of the Fredholm integral equation of the second kind and may be viewed as an alternative form of the Spencer-Fano equation. The relation leads to a precise definition of the partial degradation spectra of electrons of successive generations. It also provides a basis for the perturbation theory by which one calculates effects of small changes of cross-section data upon the electron degradation spectrum.

Alternative RNA Splicing of CSF3R in Promoting Myelodysplastic Syndromes

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-01

Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Bone Marrow Failure, Granulopoiesis, RNA splicing 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER OF PAGES...major distinguishing feature of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), the most common form of acquired bone marrow failure, is the presence of recurrent...model by expressing alternative splice form in the context of Csf3r-/- mice. KEYWORDS: Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Bone Marrow Failure

32 CFR Appendix D to Part 623 - Certificate for Signature by an Alternate (DA Form 4881-1-R)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Certificate for Signature by an Alternate (DA Form 4881-1-R) D Appendix D to Part 623 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT LOAN OF ARMY MATERIEL Pt. 623, App. D Appendix D to Part 623...

Development of Alternative Technetium Waste Forms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Czerwinski, Kenneth

2013-09-13

The UREX+1 process is under consideration for the separation of transuranic elements from spent nuclear fuel. The first steps of this process extract the fission product technicium-99 ({sup 99}Tc) into an organic phase containing tributylphosphate together with uranium. Treatment of this stream requires the separation of Tc from U and placement into a suitable waste storage form. A potential candidate waste form involves immobilizing the Tc as an alloy with either excess metallic zirconium or stainless steel. Although Tc-Zr alloys seem to be promising waste forms, alternative materials must be investigated. Innovative studies related to the synthesis and behavior ofmore » a different class of Tc materials will increase the scientific knowledge related to development of Tc waste forms. These studies will also provide a better understanding of the behavior of {sup 99}Tc in repository conditions. A literature survey has selected promising alternative waste forms for further study: technetium metallic alloys, nitrides, oxides, sulfides, and pertechnetate salts. The goals of this project are to 1) synthesize and structurally characterize relevant technetium materials that may be considered as waste forms, 2) investigate material behavior in solution under different conditions of temperature, electrochemical potential, and radiation, and 3) predict the long-term behavior of these materials.« less

Diverse Forms of RPS9 Splicing Are Part of an Evolving Autoregulatory Circuit

PubMed Central

Plocik, Alex M.; Guthrie, Christine

2012-01-01

Ribosomal proteins are essential to life. While the functions of ribosomal protein-encoding genes (RPGs) are highly conserved, the evolution of their regulatory mechanisms is remarkably dynamic. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, RPGs are unusual in that they are commonly present as two highly similar gene copies and in that they are over-represented among intron-containing genes. To investigate the role of introns in the regulation of RPG expression, we constructed 16 S. cerevisiae strains with precise deletions of RPG introns. We found that several yeast introns function to repress rather than to increase steady-state mRNA levels. Among these, the RPS9A and RPS9B introns were required for cross-regulation of the two paralogous gene copies, which is consistent with the duplication of an autoregulatory circuit. To test for similar intron function in animals, we performed an experimental test and comparative analyses for autoregulation among distantly related animal RPS9 orthologs. Overexpression of an exogenous RpS9 copy in Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells induced alternative splicing and degradation of the endogenous copy by nonsense-mediated decay (NMD). Also, analysis of expressed sequence tag data from distantly related animals, including Homo sapiens and Ciona intestinalis, revealed diverse alternatively-spliced RPS9 isoforms predicted to elicit NMD. We propose that multiple forms of splicing regulation among RPS9 orthologs from various eukaryotes operate analogously to translational repression of the alpha operon by S4, the distant prokaryotic ortholog. Thus, RPS9 orthologs appear to have independently evolved variations on a fundamental autoregulatory circuit. PMID:22479208

Verbal Memory Impairment in Patients with Subsyndromal Bipolar Disorder.

PubMed

Sumiyoshi, Tomiki; Toyomaki, Atsuhito; Kawano, Naoko; Kitajima, Tomoko; Kusumi, Ichiro; Ozaki, Norio; Iwata, Nakao; Sueyoshi, Kazuki; Nakagome, Kazuyuki

2017-01-01

Several domains of cognitive function, including learning memory and executive function, are impaired in mood disorders. Also, the relationship between disturbances of these two cognitive domains has been suggested. In line with the recent initiative to establish a standard measure of cognitive decline in bipolar disorder, the present study was conducted to (1) test the criterion-related validity and test-retest reliability of the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT)-II Japanese version, and (2) determine if type of word learning tasks (i.e., with or without a category structure) affects severity of verbal memory deficits in patients with subsyndromal bipolar disorder. Thirty-six patients with bipolar disorder with mild symptoms and 42 healthy volunteers participated in the study. We first compared effect sizes for memory deficits in patients among the CVLT-II, Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS), and Hopkins Verbal Memory Tests-Revised (HVLT-R). We next evaluated the correlations between scores of the CVLT-II vs. those of the BACS and HVLT-R. Bipolar patients were re-assessed with the same (standard) or alternate forms of the CVLT-II and HVLT-R 1 month later. Scores on the CVLT-II 1-5 Free Recall and Long-delay Free Recall, as well as the HVLT-R Immediate Recall, but not the BACS List Learning were significantly lower for patients compared to control subjects. The effect sizes for cognitive decline due to the illness were comparable when measured by the CVLT-II and HVLT-R, ranging from 0.5 to 0.6. CVLT-II scores were significantly correlated with those of the HVLT-R and BACS. Test-retest reliability of the CVLT-II was acceptable, and no significant practice effect was observed when the alternate form was used. There was no consistent relationship between mood symptoms and performance on the CVLT-II. These results suggest the CVLT-II Japanese version is able to discriminate between bipolar disorder patients and healthy controls with good sensitivity and validity. Data in this study also indicate that the degree of verbal memory deficits in bipolar disorder may be influenced by memory organizational strategy.

The Retention of Geologic Misconceptions: Alternative Ideas That Persist After Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wandersee, J. H.; Clary, R. M.; Anderson, S. W.; Libarkin, J.

2003-12-01

We used a 30 item multiple-choice instrument called the geoscience concept test (GCT) to study learning in introductory college-level science courses. The GCT uses common misconceptions as wrong answers, and allows us to pre- and post-test individual courses to gauge the effectiveness of instruction. The GCT was given at the beginning of the semester to 2215 college students in 42 classes at 32 different institutions in 19 different states (21 public and 6 private four-year institutions, 4 community colleges, and one tribal college). The pilot was also given to 1907 students as a semester-end post-test in 30 different classes. We were able to match pre- and post-test results for 967 students through an analysis of volunteered personal and demographic data. Although statistical analysis shows that learning occurred in all classes, closer inspection of the data show that the student population retained a number of misconceptions. Students retained several incorrect ideas relating to geologic time despite instruction. For example, 71% of post-tested students believe that the study of fossils, rock layers, or carbon is the most accurate means for calculating the age of the Earth. Nearly 25% of students believed that dinosaurs only existed on Earth for 500,000 years, and 40% believe dinosaurs came into existence about halfway through the geologic time scale. Many alternative ideas about plate tectonics and the formation of rocks also existed after instruction. Nearly half of the post-tested students (47%) believed that tectonic plates do not extend all way to the surface of the Earth, and 65% did not believe that animals could form oceanic rocks. Identification of strongly held misconceptions in a post-tested student population provides instructors with information that could impact the way they present material to their introductory classes.

Small Radioisotope Power System at NASA Glenn Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dugala, Gina M.; Fraeman, Martin; Frankford, David P.; Duven, Dennis; Shamkovich, Andrei; Ambrose, Hollis; Meer, David W.

2012-01-01

In April 2009, NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) formed an integrated product team (IPT) to develop a Small Radioisotope Power System (SRPS) utilizing a single Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC) with passive balancer for possible use by the International Lunar Network (ILN) program. The ILN program is studying the feasibility of implementing a multiple node seismometer network to investigate the internal lunar structure. A single ASC produces approximately 80 W(sub e) and could potentially supply sufficient power for that application. The IPT consists of Sunpower, Inc., to provide the single ASC with balancer, The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) to design an engineering model Single Convertor Controller (SCC) for an ASC with balancer, and NASA GRC to provide technical support to these tasks and to develop a simulated lunar lander test stand. A controller maintains stable operation of an ASC. It regulates the alternating current produced by the linear alternator of the convertor, provides a specified output voltage, and maintains operation at a steady piston amplitude and hot end temperature. JHU/APL also designed an ASC dynamic engine/alternator simulator to aid in the testing and troubleshooting of the SCC. This paper describes the requirements, design, and development of the SCC, including some of the key challenges and the solutions chosen to overcome those issues. In addition, it describes the plans to analyze the effectiveness of a passive balancer to minimize vibration from the ASC, characterize the effect of ASC vibration on a lunar lander, characterize the performance of the SCC, and integrate the single ASC, SCC, and lunar lander test stand to characterize performance of the overall system.

Recommendations for Developing Alternative Test Methods for Developmental Neurotoxicity

EPA Science Inventory

There is great interest in developing alternative methods for developmental neurotoxicity testing (DNT) that are cost-efficient, use fewer animals and are based on current scientific knowledge of the developing nervous system. Alternative methods will require demonstration of the...

Navy ManTech 2010 Project Book

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

31 S2253 Ultrasonic Testing as an Alternative to Radiography for the Inspection of Naval Piping, Pressure Vessel and Machinery Welds...for Inspection S2253 — Ultrasonic Testing as an Alternative to Radiography for the Inspection of Naval Piping, Pressure Vessel and Machinery Welds...Ultrasonic Testing as an Alternative to Radiography for the Inspection of Naval Piping, Pressure Vessel and Machinery Welds

16 CFR 1616.36 - Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for tests for guaranty purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for... THROUGH 14 (FF 5-74) Rules and Regulations § 1616.36 Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for tests... Commission has set forth conditions under which the Commission will approve the use of test apparatus or...

16 CFR 1615.36 - Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for tests for guaranty purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for... THROUGH 6X (FF 3-71) Rules and Regulations § 1615.36 Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for tests... Commission has set forth conditions under which the Commission will approve the use of test apparatus or...

16 CFR 1615.36 - Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for tests for guaranty purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for... THROUGH 6X (FF 3-71) Rules and Regulations § 1615.36 Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for tests... Commission has set forth conditions under which the Commission will approve the use of test apparatus or...

16 CFR 1616.36 - Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for tests for guaranty purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for... THROUGH 14 (FF 5-74) Rules and Regulations § 1616.36 Use of alternate apparatus or procedures for tests... Commission has set forth conditions under which the Commission will approve the use of test apparatus or...

Cloning and characterization of an alternative splicing transcript of the gene coding for human cytidine deaminase.

PubMed

Lisboa, Bianca Cristina Garcia; Machado, Tamara da Rocha; Pimenta, Daniel Carvalho; Han, Sang Won

2007-02-01

Human cytidine deaminase (HCD) catalyzes the deamination of cytidine or deoxycytidine to uridine or deoxyuridine, respectively. The genomic sequence of HCD is formed by 31 kb with 4 exons and several alternative splicing signals, but an alternative form of HCD has yet to be reported. Here we describe the cloning and characterization of a small form of HCD, HSCD, and it is likely to be a product of alternative splicing of HCD. The alignment of DNA sequences shows that the HSCD matches HCD in 2 parts, except for a deletion of 170 bp. Based on the HCD genome organization, exons 1 and 4 should be joined and all sequences of introns and exons 2 and 3 should be deleted by splicing. This alternative splicing shifted the translation of the reading frame from the point of splicing. The estimated molecular mass is 9.8 kDa, and this value was confirmed by Western blot and mass spectroscopy after expressing the gene fused with glutathionine-S-transferase in the pGEX vector. The deletion and shift of the reading frame caused a loss of HCD activity, which was confirmed by enzyme assay and also with NIH3T3 cells modified to express HSCD and challenged against cytosine arabinoside. In this work we describe the identification and characterization of HSCD, which is the product of alternative splicing of the HCD gene.

Alternative approaches for identifying acute systemic toxicity: Moving from research to regulatory testing.

PubMed

Hamm, Jon; Sullivan, Kristie; Clippinger, Amy J; Strickland, Judy; Bell, Shannon; Bhhatarai, Barun; Blaauboer, Bas; Casey, Warren; Dorman, David; Forsby, Anna; Garcia-Reyero, Natàlia; Gehen, Sean; Graepel, Rabea; Hotchkiss, Jon; Lowit, Anna; Matheson, Joanna; Reaves, Elissa; Scarano, Louis; Sprankle, Catherine; Tunkel, Jay; Wilson, Dan; Xia, Menghang; Zhu, Hao; Allen, David

2017-06-01

Acute systemic toxicity testing provides the basis for hazard labeling and risk management of chemicals. A number of international efforts have been directed at identifying non-animal alternatives for in vivo acute systemic toxicity tests. A September 2015 workshop, Alternative Approaches for Identifying Acute Systemic Toxicity: Moving from Research to Regulatory Testing, reviewed the state-of-the-science of non-animal alternatives for this testing and explored ways to facilitate implementation of alternatives. Workshop attendees included representatives from international regulatory agencies, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and industry. Resources identified as necessary for meaningful progress in implementing alternatives included compiling and making available high-quality reference data, training on use and interpretation of in vitro and in silico approaches, and global harmonization of testing requirements. Attendees particularly noted the need to characterize variability in reference data to evaluate new approaches. They also noted the importance of understanding the mechanisms of acute toxicity, which could be facilitated by the development of adverse outcome pathways. Workshop breakout groups explored different approaches to reducing or replacing animal use for acute toxicity testing, with each group crafting a roadmap and strategy to accomplish near-term progress. The workshop steering committee has organized efforts to implement the recommendations of the workshop participants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alternative Approaches for Identifying Acute Systemic Toxicity: Moving from Research to Regulatory Testing

PubMed Central

Hamm, Jon; Sullivan, Kristie; Clippinger, Amy J.; Strickland, Judy; Bell, Shannon; Bhhatarai, Barun; Blaauboer, Bas; Casey, Warren; Dorman, David; Forsby, Anna; Garcia-Reyero, Natàlia; Gehen, Sean; Graepel, Rabea; Hotchkiss, Jon; Lowit, Anna; Matheson, Joanna; Reaves, Elissa; Scarano, Louis; Sprankle, Catherine; Tunkel, Jay; Wilson, Dan; Xia, Menghang; Zhu, Hao; Allen, David

2017-01-01

Acute systemic toxicity testing provides the basis for hazard labeling and risk management of chemicals. A number of international efforts have been directed at identifying non-animal alternatives for in vivo acute systemic toxicity tests. A September 2015 workshop, Alternative Approaches for Identifying Acute Systemic Toxicity: Moving from Research to Regulatory Testing, reviewed the state-of-the-science of non-animal alternatives for this testing and explored ways to facilitate implementation of alternatives. Workshop attendees included representatives from international regulatory agencies, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and industry. Resources identified as necessary for meaningful progress in implementing alternatives included compiling and making available high-quality reference data, training on use and interpretation of in vitro and in silico approaches, and global harmonization of testing requirements. Attendees particularly noted the need to characterize variability in reference data to evaluate new approaches. They also noted the importance of understanding the mechanisms of acute toxicity, which could be facilitated by the development of adverse outcome pathways. Workshop breakout groups explored different approaches to reducing or replacing animal use for acute toxicity testing, with each group crafting a roadmap and strategy to accomplish near-term progress. The workshop steering committee has organized efforts to implement the recommendations of the workshop participants. PMID:28069485

Self-directed learning can outperform direct instruction in the course of a modern German medical curriculum - results of a mixed methods trial.

PubMed

Peine, Arne; Kabino, Klaus; Spreckelsen, Cord

2016-06-03

Modernised medical curricula in Germany (so called "reformed study programs") rely increasingly on alternative self-instructed learning forms such as e-learning and curriculum-guided self-study. However, there is a lack of evidence that these methods can outperform conventional teaching methods such as lectures and seminars. This study was conducted in order to compare extant traditional teaching methods with new instruction forms in terms of learning effect and student satisfaction. In a randomised trial, 244 students of medicine in their third academic year were assigned to one of four study branches representing self-instructed learning forms (e-learning and curriculum-based self-study) and instructed learning forms (lectures and seminars). All groups participated in their respective learning module with standardised materials and instructions. Learning effect was measured with pre-test and post-test multiple-choice questionnaires. Student satisfaction and learning style were examined via self-assessment. Of 244 initial participants, 223 completed the respective module and were included in the study. In the pre-test, the groups showed relatively homogenous scores. All students showed notable improvements compared with the pre-test results. Participants in the non-self-instructed learning groups reached scores of 14.71 (seminar) and 14.37 (lecture), while the groups of self-instructed learners reached higher scores with 17.23 (e-learning) and 15.81 (self-study). All groups improved significantly (p < .001) in the post-test regarding their self-assessment, led by the e-learning group, whose self-assessment improved by 2.36. The study shows that students in modern study curricula learn better through modern self-instructed methods than through conventional methods. These methods should be used more, as they also show good levels of student acceptance and higher scores in personal self-assessment of knowledge.

Special report. Drug testing in the workplace: an update.

PubMed

1994-10-01

Workplace drug testing has become widespread in the U.S. and is a major component of the nation's "war on drugs." A recent annual survey by the American Management Association shows that the number of workplace drug-testing programs in surveyed companies grew almost 300% between 1987 and 1993. Nearly 85% of the 630 firms responding to the 1993 survey conduct some form of drug testing. Among activities sparking interest in drug testing are some highly publicized catastrophes in which drugs or alcohol played a major role--for example, the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska which raised concern over threats to public safety. While the popularity of drug testing has increased, programs have been criticized at the same time for being inaccurate, costly, invasive of privacy, and even illegal in certain cases. As alternatives to urinalysis and other tests, companies have introduced impairment tests--also called performance tests and "fitness-for-duty" tests--which are computer-based and measure employees' eye-hand coordination or cognitive skills. Tests also have been introduced to detect drug residues on surfaces. In this report, we'll review some recent studies on drug testing and some of the programs currently being conducted.

32 CFR Appendix E to Part 651 - Content of the Environmental Impact Statement

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... environmental objectives. This section is designed specifically to call attention to the benefits of the... environmental impacts of the alternatives should be presented in comparative form, thus sharply defining the... alternative. (ii) A comparative presentation of the environmental consequences of all reasonable alternative...

32 CFR Appendix E to Part 651 - Content of the Environmental Impact Statement

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... environmental objectives. This section is designed specifically to call attention to the benefits of the... environmental impacts of the alternatives should be presented in comparative form, thus sharply defining the... alternative. (ii) A comparative presentation of the environmental consequences of all reasonable alternative...

32 CFR Appendix E to Part 651 - Content of the Environmental Impact Statement

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... environmental objectives. This section is designed specifically to call attention to the benefits of the... environmental impacts of the alternatives should be presented in comparative form, thus sharply defining the... alternative. (ii) A comparative presentation of the environmental consequences of all reasonable alternative...

32 CFR Appendix E to Part 651 - Content of the Environmental Impact Statement

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... environmental objectives. This section is designed specifically to call attention to the benefits of the... environmental impacts of the alternatives should be presented in comparative form, thus sharply defining the... alternative. (ii) A comparative presentation of the environmental consequences of all reasonable alternative...

32 CFR Appendix E to Part 651 - Content of the Environmental Impact Statement

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... environmental objectives. This section is designed specifically to call attention to the benefits of the... environmental impacts of the alternatives should be presented in comparative form, thus sharply defining the... alternative. (ii) A comparative presentation of the environmental consequences of all reasonable alternative...

46 CFR 177.340 - Alternate design considerations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Alternate design considerations. 177.340 Section 177.340... TONS) CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT Hull Structure § 177.340 Alternate design considerations. When the structure of vessel is of novel design, unusual form, or special materials, which cannot be reviewed or...

10 CFR 435.305 - Alternative compliance procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Alternative compliance procedure. 435.305 Section 435.305... Alternative compliance procedure. (a) If a proposed building design includes unusual or innovative energy... estimated unit energy cost on the compliance forms, on the basis of selecting the optimum levels on the...

10 CFR 435.305 - Alternative compliance procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Alternative compliance procedure. 435.305 Section 435.305... Alternative compliance procedure. (a) If a proposed building design includes unusual or innovative energy... estimated unit energy cost on the compliance forms, on the basis of selecting the optimum levels on the...

10 CFR 435.305 - Alternative compliance procedure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Alternative compliance procedure. 435.305 Section 435.305... Alternative compliance procedure. (a) If a proposed building design includes unusual or innovative energy... estimated unit energy cost on the compliance forms, on the basis of selecting the optimum levels on the...

In search of acceptable alternatives to the murine histamine sensitisation test (HIST): what is possible and practical?

PubMed

Wagner, L; Isbrucker, R; Locht, C; Arciniega, J; Costanzo, A; McFarland, R; Oh, H; Hoonakker, M; Descamps, J; Andersen, S R; Gupta, R K; Markey, K; Chapsal, J M; Lidster, K; Casey, W; Allen, D

2016-01-01

The 'International Workshop on Alternatives to the Murine Histamine Sensitization Test for Acellular Pertussis Vaccines: In Search of Acceptable Alternatives to the Murine Histamine Sensitization Test (HIST): What is Possible and Practical?' was held on 4 and 5 March 2015 in London, United Kingdom. Participants discussed the results of the data generated from an international collaborative study (BSP114 Phase 2) sponsored by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Health Care (EDQM) to determine if a modified Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell-based clustering assay is a suitable alternative to replace HIST. Workshop participants agreed that protocol transferability demonstrated in the collaborative study indicates that a standardised CHO cell assay is adequate for measuring pure PTx in reference preparations. However, vaccine manufacturers would still need to demonstrate that the method is valid to detect or measure residual PTx in their specific adjuvanted products. The 2 modified CHO cell protocols included in the study (the Direct and the Indirect Methods) deserve further consideration as alternatives to HIST. Using the CHO cell assay, an in vitro alternative, for acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine batch release testing would reduce the number of animals used for aP vaccine safety testing. A strategic, stepwise adoption plan was proposed, in which the alternative test would be used for release purposes first, and then, once sufficient confidence in its suitable performance has been gained, its use would be extended to stability testing.

Tissue-specific expression and regulation of the alternatively-spliced forms of lysyl hydroxylase 2 (LH2) in human kidney cells and skin fibroblasts.

PubMed

Walker, Linda C; Overstreet, Mayra A; Yeowell, Heather N

2005-01-01

Lysyl hydroxylases 1, 2, and 3 catalyse the hydroxylation of specific lysines in collagen. A small percentage of these hydroxylysine residues are precursors for the cross-link formation essential for the tensile strength of collagen. Lysyl hydroxylase 2 (LH2) exists as two alternatively-spliced forms; the long transcript (the major ubiquitously-expressed form) includes a 63 bp exon (13A) that is spliced out in the short form (expressed, together with the long form, in human kidney, spleen, liver, and placenta). This study shows that this alternative splicing event can be regulated by both cell density and cycloheximide (CHX). Although only the long form of LH2 is detected in untreated confluent human skin fibroblasts, after 24 h treatment with CHX the short LH2 transcript is also expressed. In kidney cells, in which both LH2 transcripts are equally expressed, the long LH2 transcript is significantly decreased after 24 h CHX treatment, whereas expression of the short transcript is slightly increased. This suggests that, in kidney cells, the splicing mechanism for the inclusion of exon 13A in LH2 requires a newly-synthesized protein factor that is suppressed by CHX, whereas, in skin fibroblasts in which levels of LH2 (long) are unaffected, CHX appears to suppress a factor that inhibits exclusion of exon 13A, thereby promoting expression of LH2 (short). As these alternate transcripts of LH2 may have specificity for hydroxylation of lysines in either telopeptide or helical collagen domains, their relative expression determines the type of cross-links formed, thereby affecting collagen strength. Therefore, any perturbation of the regulation of LH2 splicing could influence the stability of the extracellular matrix and contribute to specific connective tissue disorders.

A Least-Squares Transport Equation Compatible with Voids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansen, Jon; Peterson, Jacob; Morel, Jim

Standard second-order self-adjoint forms of the transport equation, such as the even-parity, odd-parity, and self-adjoint angular flux equation, cannot be used in voids. Perhaps more important, they experience numerical convergence difficulties in near-voids. Here we present a new form of a second-order self-adjoint transport equation that has an advantage relative to standard forms in that it can be used in voids or near-voids. Our equation is closely related to the standard least-squares form of the transport equation with both equations being applicable in a void and having a nonconservative analytic form. However, unlike the standard least-squares form of the transportmore » equation, our least-squares equation is compatible with source iteration. It has been found that the standard least-squares form of the transport equation with a linear-continuous finite-element spatial discretization has difficulty in the thick diffusion limit. Here we extensively test the 1D slab-geometry version of our scheme with respect to void solutions, spatial convergence rate, and the intermediate and thick diffusion limits. We also define an effective diffusion synthetic acceleration scheme for our discretization. Our conclusion is that our least-squares S n formulation represents an excellent alternative to existing second-order S n transport formulations« less

Single-Case Research Methods: History and Suitability for a Psychological Science in Need of Alternatives.

PubMed

Hurtado-Parrado, Camilo; López-López, Wilson

2015-09-01

This paper presents a historical and conceptual analysis of a group of research strategies known as the Single-Case Methods (SCMs). First, we present an overview of the SCMs, their history, and their major proponents. We will argue that the philosophical roots of SCMs can be found in the ideas of authors who recognized the importance of understanding both the generality and individuality of psychological functioning. Second, we will discuss the influence that the natural sciences' attitude toward measurement and experimentation has had on SCMs. Although this influence can be traced back to the early days of experimental psychology, during which incipient forms of SCMs appeared, SCMs reached full development during the subsequent advent of Behavior Analysis (BA). Third, we will show that despite the success of SCMs in BA and other (mainly applied) disciplines, these designs are currently not prominent in psychology. More importantly, they have been neglected as a possible alternative to one of the mainstream approaches in psychology, the Null Hypothesis Significance Testing (NHST), despite serious controversies about the limitations of this prevailing method. Our thesis throughout this section will be that SCMs should be considered as an alternative to NHST because many of the recommendations for improving the use of significance testing (Wilkinson & the TFSI, 1999) are main characteristics of SCMs. The paper finishes with a discussion of a number of the possible reasons why SCMs have been neglected.

Learning with sublexical information from emerging reading vocabularies in exceptionally early and normal reading development.

PubMed

Thompson, G Brian; Fletcher-Flinn, Claire M; Wilson, Kathryn J; McKay, Michael F; Margrain, Valerie G

2015-03-01

Predictions from theories of the processes of word reading acquisition have rarely been tested against evidence from exceptionally early readers. The theories of Ehri, Share, and Byrne, and an alternative, Knowledge Sources theory, were so tested. The former three theories postulate that full development of context-free letter sounds and awareness of phonemes are required for normal acquisition, while the claim of the alternative is that with or without such, children can use sublexical information from their emerging reading vocabularies to acquire word reading. Results from two independent samples of children aged 3-5, and 5 years, with mean word reading levels of 7 and 9 years respectively, showed underdevelopment of their context-free letter sounds and phoneme awareness, relative to their word reading levels and normal comparison samples. Despite such underdevelopment, these exceptional readers engaged in a form of phonological recoding that enabled pseudoword reading, at the level of older-age normal controls matched on word reading level. Moreover, in the 5-year-old sample further experiments showed that, relative to normal controls, they had a bias toward use of sublexical information from their reading vocabularies for phonological recoding of heterophonic pseudowords with irregular consistent spelling, and were superior in accessing word meanings independently of phonology, although only if the readers were without exposure to explicit phonics. The three theories were less satisfactory than the alternative theory in accounting for the learning of the exceptionally early readers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SkinEthic Laboratories, a company devoted to develop and produce in vitro alternative methods to animal use.

PubMed

de Brugerolle, Anne

2007-01-01

SkinEthic Laboratories is a France-based biotechnology company recognised as the world leader in tissue engineering. SkinEthic is devoted to develop and produce reliable and robust in vitro alternative methods to animal use in cosmetic, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. SkinEthic models provide relevant tools for efficacy and safety screening tests in order to support an integrated decision-making during research and development phases. Some screening tests are referenced and validated as alternatives to animal use (Episkin), others are in the process of validation under ECVAM and OECD guidelines. SkinEthic laboratories provide a unique and joined experience of more than 20 years from Episkin SNC and SkinEthic SA. Their unique cell culture process allows in vitro reconstructed human tissues with well characterized histology, functionality and ultrastructure features to be mass produced. Our product line includes skin models: a reconstructed human epidermis with a collagen layer, Episkin, reconstructed human epidermis without or with melanocytes (with a tanning degree from phototype II to VI) and a reconstructed human epithelium, i.e. cornea, and other mucosa, i.e. oral, gingival, oesophageal and vaginal. Our philosophy is based on 3 main commitments: to support our customers by providing robust and reliable models, to ensure training and education in using validated protocols, allowing a large array of raw materials, active ingredients and finished products in solid, liquid, powder, cream or gel form to be screened, and, to provide a dedicated service to our partners.

Stereotypic behaviour in standard non-enriched cages is an alternative to depression-like responses in C57BL/6 mice.

PubMed

Fureix, Carole; Walker, Michael; Harper, Laura; Reynolds, Kathryn; Saldivia-Woo, Amanda; Mason, Georgia

2016-05-15

Depressive-like forms of waking inactivity have been recently observed in laboratory primates and horses. We tested the hypotheses that being awake but motionless within the home-cage is a depression-like symptom in mice, and that in impoverished housing, it represents an alternative response to stereotypic behaviour. We raised C57BL/6 ('C57') and DBA/2 ('DBA') females to adulthood in non-enriched (n=62 mice) or enriched (n=60 mice) cages, observing home-cage behaviour during the active (dark) phases. We predicted that being still but awake would be reduced by environmental enrichment; more pronounced in C57s, as the strain most prone to learned helplessness; negatively related to stereotypic behaviour; and positively related to immobility in Forced Swim Tests (FST). Compared to enriched mice, non-enriched subjects did spend more time spent being inactive but awake, especially if they displayed relatively little stereotypic behaviour. C57 mice also spent more time awake but motionless than DBAs. Furthermore, even after statistically controlling for housing type and strain, this behaviour very strongly tended to predict increased immobility in the FST, while high levels of stereotypic behaviours in contrast predicted low immobility in the FST. Being awake but motionless is thus a reaction to non-enriched housing that seems to be an alternative to stereotypic behaviour, and could reflect depression-like states. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Alternate Supply of Shielding Gases of Tungsten Inert Gas Welding on Mechanical Properties of Austenitic Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinde, Neelam Vilas; Telsang, Martand Tamanacharya

2016-07-01

In the present study, an attempt is made to study the effect of alternate supply of the shielding gas in comparison with the conventional method of TIG welding with pure argon gas. The two sets of combination are used as 10-10 and 40-20 s for alternate supply of the Argon and Helium shielding gas respectively. The effect of alternate supply of shielding gas is studied on the mechanical properties like bend test, tensile test and impact test. The full factorial experimental design is applied for three set of combinations. The ANOVA is used to find significant parameters for the process and regression analysis used to develop the mathematical model. The result shows that the alternate supply of the shielding gas for 10-10 s provides better result for the bend, tensile and impact test as compared with the conventional argon gas and the alternate supply of 40-20 s argon and helium gas respectively. Welding speed can be increased for alternate supply of the shielding gas that can reduce the total welding cost.

Methane - fuel for the future

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGeer, P.; Durbin, E.

1982-01-01

The 20 invited papers presented at the world conference on alternative fuel entitled 'Methane - fuel for the future' form the basis of this book. Papers discuss: the availability of alternative fuels (natural gas, biomass conversion to methane, methane from coal conversion); technological adaptions for alternative fuels (e.g. natural gas fueled engines, methane and diesel engines); commercial experience with alternative fuel programs. (e.g. retailing of methane); and some national programs for alternative fuels. One paper has been abstracted separately.

[Involvement of hydrogen peroxide in the regulation of coexpression of alternative oxidase and rotenone-insensitive NADH dehydrogenase in tomato leaves and calluses].

PubMed

Eprintsev, A T; Mal'tseva, E V; Shatskikh, A S; Popov, V N

2011-01-01

The involvement of active oxygen forms in the regulation of the expression of mitochondrial respiratory chain components, which are not related to energy storing, has been in vitro and in vivo studied in Lycopersicum esculentum L. The highest level of transcription of genes encoding alternative oxidase and NADH dehydrogenase has been observed in green tomato leaves. It has been shown that even low H2O2 concentrations activate both aoxlalpha and ndb1 genes, encoding alternative oxidase and external mitochondrial rotenone-insensitive NADH dehydrogenase, respectively. According to our results, in the case of an oxidative stress, alternative oxidase and NADH dehydrogenase are coexpressed in tomato plant tissues, and active oxygen forms serve as the secondary messengers of their coexpression.

"None of the above" as a correct and incorrect alternative on a multiple-choice test: implications for the testing effect.

PubMed

Odegard, Timothy N; Koen, Joshua D

2007-11-01

Both positive and negative testing effects have been demonstrated with a variety of materials and paradigms (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006b). The present series of experiments replicate and extend the research of Roediger and Marsh (2005) with the addition of a "none-of-the-above" response option. Participants (n=32 in both experiments) read a set of passages, took an initial multiple-choice test, completed a filler task, and then completed a final cued-recall test (Experiment 1) or multiple-choice test (Experiment 2). Questions were manipulated on the initial multiple-choice test by adding a "none-of-the-above" response alternative (choice "E") that was incorrect ("E" Incorrect) or correct ("E" Correct). The results from both experiments demonstrated that the positive testing effect was negated when the "none-of-the-above" alternative was the correct response on the initial multiple-choice test, but was still present when the "none-of-the-above" alternative was an incorrect response.

On the Early In Situ Formation of Pluto’s Small Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Jason Man Yin; Lee, Man Hoi

2018-04-01

The formation of Pluto’s small satellites—Styx, Nix, Keberos, and Hydra—remains a mystery. Their orbits are nearly circular and are near mean-motion resonances and nearly coplanar with Charon’s orbit. One scenario suggests that they all formed close to their current locations from a disk of debris that was ejected from the Charon-forming impact before the tidal evolution of Charon. The validity of this scenario is tested by performing N-body simulations with the small satellites treated as test particles and Pluto–Charon evolving tidally from an initial orbit at a few Pluto radii with initial eccentricity e C = 0 or 0.2. After tidal evolution, the free eccentricities e free of the test particles are extracted by applying fast Fourier transformation to the distance between the test particles and the center of mass of the system and compared with the current eccentricities of the four small satellites. The only surviving test particles with e free matching the eccentricities of the current satellites are those not affected by mean-motion resonances during the tidal evolution in a model with Pluto’s effective tidal dissipation function Q = 100 and an initial e C = 0.2 that is damped down rapidly. However, these test particles do not have any preference to be in or near 4:1, 5:1, and 6:1 resonances with Charon. An alternative scenario may be needed to explain the formation of Pluto’s small satellites.

Alternative splicing originates different domain structure organization of Lutzomyia longipalpis chitinases.

PubMed

Ortigão-Farias, João Ramalho; Di-Blasi, Tatiana; Telleria, Erich Loza; Andorinho, Ana Carolina; Lemos-Silva, Thais; Ramalho-Ortigão, Marcelo; Tempone, Antônio Jorge; Traub-Csekö, Yara Maria

2018-02-01

BACKGROUND The insect chitinase gene family is composed by more than 10 paralogs, which can codify proteins with different domain structures. In Lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil, a chitinase cDNA from adult female insects was previously characterized. The predicted protein contains one catalytic domain and one chitin-binding domain (CBD). The expression of this gene coincided with the end of blood digestion indicating a putative role in peritrophic matrix degradation. OBJECTIVES To determine the occurrence of alternative splicing in chitinases of L. longipalpis. METHODS We sequenced the LlChit1 gene from a genomic clone and the three spliced forms obtained by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using larvae cDNA. FINDINGS We showed that LlChit1 from L. longipalpis immature forms undergoes alternative splicing. The spliced form corresponding to the adult cDNA was named LlChit1A and the two larvae specific transcripts were named LlChit1B and LlChit1C. The B and C forms possess stop codons interrupting the translation of the CBD. The A form is present in adult females post blood meal, L4 larvae and pre-pupae, while the other two forms are present only in L4 larvae and disappear just before pupation. Two bands of the expected size were identified by Western blot only in L4 larvae. MAIN CONCLUSIONS We show for the first time alternative splicing generating chitinases with different domain structures increasing our understanding on the finely regulated digestion physiology and shedding light on a potential target for controlling L. longipalpis larval development.

Visual search for motion-form conjunctions: is form discriminated within the motion system?

PubMed

von Mühlenen, A; Müller, H J

2001-06-01

Motion-form conjunction search can be more efficient when the target is moving (a moving 45 degrees tilted line among moving vertical and stationary 45 degrees tilted lines) rather than stationary. This asymmetry may be due to aspects of form being discriminated within a motion system representing only moving items, whereas discrimination of stationary items relies on a static form system (J. Driver & P. McLeod, 1992). Alternatively, it may be due to search exploiting differential motion velocity and direction signals generated by the moving-target and distractor lines. To decide between these alternatives, 4 experiments systematically varied the motion-signal information conveyed by the moving target and distractors while keeping their form difference salient. Moving-target search was found to be facilitated only when differential motion-signal information was available. Thus, there is no need to assume that form is discriminated within the motion system.

Meeting Report: Alternatives for Developmental Neurotoxicity Testing

PubMed Central

Lein, Pamela; Locke, Paul; Goldberg, Alan

2007-01-01

Developmental neurotoxicity testing (DNT) is perceived by many stakeholders to be an area in critical need of alternatives to current animal testing protocols and guidelines. To address this need, the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Toxicology Program are collaborating in a program called TestSmart DNT, the goals of which are to: (a) develop alternative methodologies for identifying and prioritizing chemicals and exposures that may cause developmental neurotoxicity in humans; (b) develop the policies for incorporating DNT alternatives into regulatory decision making; and (c) identify opportunities for reducing, refining, or replacing the use of animals in DNT. The first TestSmart DNT workshop was an open registration meeting held 13–15 March 2006 in Reston, Virginia. The primary objective was to bring together stakeholders (test developers, test users, regulators, and advocates for children’s health, animal welfare, and environmental health) and individuals representing diverse disciplines (developmental neurobiology, toxicology, policy, and regulatory science) from around the world to share information and concerns relating to the science and policy of DNT. Individual presentations are available at the CAAT TestSmart website. This report provides a synthesis of workgroup discussions and recommendations for future directions and priorities, which include initiating a systematic evaluation of alternative models and technologies, developing a framework for the creation of an open database to catalog DNT data, and devising a strategy for harmonizing the validation process across international jurisdictional borders. PMID:17520065

Meeting report: alternatives for developmental neurotoxicity testing.

PubMed

Lein, Pamela; Locke, Paul; Goldberg, Alan

2007-05-01

Developmental neurotoxicity testing (DNT) is perceived by many stakeholders to be an area in critical need of alternatives to current animal testing protocols and guidelines. To address this need, the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Toxicology Program are collaborating in a program called TestSmart DNT, the goals of which are to: (a) develop alternative methodologies for identifying and prioritizing chemicals and exposures that may cause developmental neurotoxicity in humans; (b) develop the policies for incorporating DNT alternatives into regulatory decision making; and (c) identify opportunities for reducing, refining, or replacing the use of animals in DNT. The first TestSmart DNT workshop was an open registration meeting held 13-15 March 2006 in Reston, Virginia. The primary objective was to bring together stakeholders (test developers, test users, regulators, and advocates for children's health, animal welfare, and environmental health) and individuals representing diverse disciplines (developmental neurobiology, toxicology, policy, and regulatory science) from around the world to share information and concerns relating to the science and policy of DNT. Individual presentations are available at the CAAT TestSmart website. This report provides a synthesis of workgroup discussions and recommendations for future directions and priorities, which include initiating a systematic evaluation of alternative models and technologies, developing a framework for the creation of an open database to catalog DNT data, and devising a strategy for harmonizing the validation process across international jurisdictional borders.

19 CFR 101.9 - Test programs or procedures; alternate requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... requirements. (a) General testing. For purposes of conducting a test program or procedure designed to evaluate... test and the basis for selecting participants; and, (2) Post publication requirement. Within a... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Test programs or procedures; alternate...

19 CFR 101.9 - Test programs or procedures; alternate requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... requirements. (a) General testing. For purposes of conducting a test program or procedure designed to evaluate... test and the basis for selecting participants; and, (2) Post publication requirement. Within a... 19 Customs Duties 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Test programs or procedures; alternate...

19 CFR 101.9 - Test programs or procedures; alternate requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... requirements. (a) General testing. For purposes of conducting a test program or procedure designed to evaluate... test and the basis for selecting participants; and, (2) Post publication requirement. Within a... 19 Customs Duties 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Test programs or procedures; alternate...

19 CFR 101.9 - Test programs or procedures; alternate requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... requirements. (a) General testing. For purposes of conducting a test program or procedure designed to evaluate... test and the basis for selecting participants; and, (2) Post publication requirement. Within a... 19 Customs Duties 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Test programs or procedures; alternate...

Computational investigation of intense short-wavelength laser interaction with rare gas clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bigaouette, Nicolas

Current Very High Temperature Reactor designs incorporate TRi-structural ISOtropic (TRISO) particle fuel, which consists of a spherical fissile fuel kernel surrounded by layers of pyrolytic carbon and silicon carbide. An internal sol-gel process forms the fuel kernel by dropping a cold precursor solution into a column of hot trichloroethylene (TCE). The temperature difference drives the liquid precursor solution to precipitate the metal solution into gel spheres before reaching the bottom of a production column. Over time, gelation byproducts inhibit complete gelation and the TCE must be purified or discarded. The resulting mixed-waste stream is expensive to dispose of or recycle, and changing the forming fluid to a non-hazardous alternative could greatly improve the economics of kernel production. Selection criteria for a replacement forming fluid narrowed a list of ~10,800 chemicals to yield ten potential replacements. The physical properties of the alternatives were measured as a function of temperature between 25 °C and 80 °C. Calculated terminal velocities and heat transfer rates provided an overall column height approximation. 1-bromotetradecane, 1-chlorooctadecane, and 1-iodododecane were selected for further testing, and surrogate yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) kernels were produced using these selected fluids. The kernels were characterized for density, geometry, composition, and crystallinity and compared to a control group of kernels produced in silicone oil. Production in 1-bromotetradecane showed positive results, producing dense (93.8 %TD) and spherical (1.03 aspect ratio) kernels, but proper gelation did not occur in the other alternative forming fluids. With many of the YSZ kernels not properly gelling within the length of the column, this project further investigated the heat transfer properties of the forming fluids and precursor solution. A sensitivity study revealed that the heat transfer properties of the precursor solution have the strongest impact on gelation time. A COMSOL heat transfer model estimated an effective thermal diffusivity range for the YSZ precursor solution as 1.13x10 -8 m2/s to 3.35x10-8 m 2/s, which is an order of magnitude smaller than the value used in previous studies. 1-bromotetradecane is recommended for further investigation with the production of uranium-based kernels.

A comparative evaluation of Morinda citrifolia, green tea polyphenols, and Triphala with 5% sodium hypochlorite as an endodontic irrigant against Enterococcus faecalis: An in vitro study.

PubMed

Divia, A R; Nair, Mali G; Varughese, Jolly Mary; Kurien, Shobha

2018-01-01

Endodontic infections require effective removal of microorganisms from the root canal system for long-term prognosis. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is the most effective irrigant currently, but potential complications due to its toxicity warrant search for newer alternatives. In this study, the antimicrobial efficacy of Morinda citrifolia (MC), green tea polyphenols and Triphala was compared with 5% NaOCl against Enterococcus faecalis . In this in vitro study sixty extracted human premolar teeth were infected with E. faecalis , a Group D Streptococci for 48 h. At the end of 48 h, the vital bacterial population was assessed by counting the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) on blood agar plate. Samples were divided into five groups; Group I (distilled water), Group II (NaOCl), Group III (MC), Group IV (Triphala), and Group V (green tea polyphenols). The samples were irrigated with individual test agents and CFUs were recorded. Kruskal-Wallis test was performed as the parametric test to compare different groups. Student's t -test was used to compare mean values between groups before and after treatment with test agents ( P < 0.001). NaOCl was the most effective irrigant the elimination of E. faecalis reinforcing its role as the best irrigant available currently and a gold standard for comparison of the experimental groups. Its antibacterial effect was comparable to Triphala. Among the experimental groups, MC showed the minimum antibacterial effect. The use of herbal alternatives as a root canal irrigant might prove to be advantageous considering the several undesirable characteristics of NaOCl.

25 CFR 162.561 - What is the release process for a performance bond or alternative form of security under a WSR...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false What is the release process for a performance bond or alternative form of security under a WSR lease? 162.561 Section 162.561 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAND AND WATER LEASES AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Wsr Lease Bonding...

25 CFR 162.561 - What is the release process for a performance bond or alternative form of security under a WSR...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false What is the release process for a performance bond or alternative form of security under a WSR lease? 162.561 Section 162.561 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAND AND WATER LEASES AND PERMITS Wind and Solar Resource Leases Wsr Lease Bonding...

40 CFR 85.1414 - Alternative test procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Alternative test procedures. 85.1414 Section 85.1414 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM MOBILE SOURCES Urban Bus Rebuild Requirements § 85.1414 Alternative...

Reaction Time and Attention: Toward a New Standard in the Assessment of ADHD? A Pilot Study.

PubMed

De la Torre, Gabriel G; Barroso, Juan M; León-Carrión, José; Mestre, Jose M; Bozal, Rocío Guil

2015-12-01

This pilot study shows results of an experiment comparing reaction times (RTs) and attentional performance between an ADHD group of 30 children and 30 controls, both Spanish speaking. The experiment was carried out using the Seville computerized neuropsychological battery (SNB). This study had two goals: One was to test sensitivity of SNB for attention deficits in ADHD and the second was to detect differences in RTs between ADHD and controls. Possible explanations and implications of such differences are also discussed. SNB computerized system was used to assess RTs and accuracy, and alternate forms of continuous performance task were used. Results showed high sensitivity of some of the SNB tests, especially cancellation tests. RTs were significantly different between groups. SNB represents a helpful tool for detection of attention deficits, and RT indices represent the most significant variable in differentiation of both groups studied. © The Author(s) 2012.

Static and fatigue testing of full-scale fuselage panels fabricated using a Therm-X(R) process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dinicola, Albert J.; Kassapoglou, Christos; Chou, Jack C.

1992-01-01

Large, curved, integrally stiffened composite panels representative of an aircraft fuselage structure were fabricated using a Therm-X process, an alternative concept to conventional two-sided hard tooling and contour vacuum bagging. Panels subsequently were tested under pure shear loading in both static and fatigue regimes to assess the adequacy of the manufacturing process, the effectiveness of damage tolerant design features co-cured with the structure, and the accuracy of finite element and closed-form predictions of postbuckling capability and failure load. Test results indicated the process yielded panels of high quality and increased damage tolerance through suppression of common failure modes such as skin-stiffener separation and frame-stiffener corner failure. Finite element analyses generally produced good predictions of postbuckled shape, and a global-local modelling technique yielded failure load predictions that were within 7% of the experimental mean.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Ophthalmic Medications: Relevant Allergens and Alternative Testing Methods.

PubMed

Grey, Katherine R; Warshaw, Erin M

Allergic contact dermatitis is an important cause of periorbital dermatitis. Topical ophthalmic agents are relevant sensitizers. Contact dermatitis to ophthalmic medications can be challenging to diagnose and manage given the numerous possible offending agents, including both active and inactive ingredients. Furthermore, a substantial body of literature reports false-negative patch test results to ophthalmic agents. Subsequently, numerous alternative testing methods have been described. This review outlines the periorbital manifestations, causative agents, and alternative testing methods of allergic contact dermatitis to ophthalmic medications.

Influence of multiple categories on the prediction of unknown properties

PubMed Central

Verde, Michael F.; Murphy, Gregory L.; Ross, Brian H.

2006-01-01

Knowing an item's category helps us predict its unknown properties. Previous studies suggest that when asked to evaluate the probability of an unknown property, people tend to consider only an item's most likely category, ignoring alternative categories. In the present study, property prediction took the form of either a probability rating or a speeded, binary-choice judgment. Consistent with past findings, subjects ignored alternative categories in their probability ratings. However, their binary-choice judgments were influenced by alternative categories. This novel finding suggests that the way category knowledge is used in prediction depends critically on the form of the prediction. PMID:16156183

Medical tourism in the backcountry: alternative health and healing in the Arkansas Ozarks.

PubMed

Nolan, Justin M; Schneider, Mary Jo

2011-01-01

Tourists travel to Arkansas' mountain regions to experience, appreciate, and consume multiple aspects of otherness, including sacred sites and pristine and authentic peoples and environments. A largely unexplored aspect of this consumption of authenticity is alternative medicine, provided to tourists and day travelers in search of physical and emotional restoration. Traditional forms of medicine are deeply rooted in women's social roles as community healers in the region and are perpetuated in part because of the lack of readily accessible forms of so-called modern medicine. Contemporary medical tourism in Arkansas has promoted access to folk health systems, preserving them by incorporating them into tourists' health care services, and also has attracted new and dynamic alternative medical practices while encouraging the transformation of existing forms of traditional medicine. Ultimately, the blend of alternative, folk, and conventional medicine in the Arkansas highlands is evidence of globalizing forces at work in a regional culture. It also serves to highlight a renewed appreciation for the historic continuity and the efficacy of traditional knowledge in the upper South.

Microbial strengthening of loose sand.

PubMed

Banagan, B L; Wertheim, B M; Roth, M J S; Caslake, L F

2010-08-01

To test whether the addition of Flavobacterium johnsoniae could increase the strength of saturated Ottawa 30 sand. A box model was built that simulates groundwater-like flow through a main sand compartment. Strength tests were performed at seven locations and at two depths, 10.8 and 20.3 cm below the top of the tank, using a vane shear device before and after the addition of bacteria. After the addition of Fl. johnsoniae, sand samples were obtained from multiple sampling ports on the vertical sides of the box model. The presence of a bacterial biofilm was confirmed by staining these sand samples with SYTO-9 and Alexa Fluor 633 and viewing with a confocal microscope. The average shear strength increases after the addition of Fl. johnsoniae were 15.2-87.5%, depending on the experimental conditions. Flavobacterium johnsoniae caused a statistically significant increase in the strength of saturated Ottawa 30 sand. Biofilm-forming bacteria can increase the shear strength of saturated sand. The addition of biofilm-forming bacteria to a building site may be an alternate method to mitigate the effects of liquefaction.

Test Results from a High Power Linear Alternator Test Rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birchenough, Arthur G.; Hervol, David S.; Gardner, Brent G.

2010-01-01

Stirling cycle power conversion is an enabling technology that provides high thermodynamic efficiency but also presents unique challenges with regard to electrical power generation, management, and distribution. The High Power Linear Alternator Test Rig (HPLATR) located at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, OH is a demonstration test bed that simulates electrical power generation from a Stirling engine driven alternator. It implements the high power electronics necessary to provide a well regulated DC user load bus. These power electronics use a novel design solution that includes active rectification and power factor control, active ripple suppression, along with a unique building block approach that permits the use of high voltage or high current alternator designs. This presentation describes the HPLATR, the test program, and the operational results.

Test Results From a High Power Linear Alternator Test Rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birchenough, Arthur G.; Hervol, David S.; Gardner, Brent G.

2010-01-01

Stirling cycle power conversion is an enabling technology that provides high thermodynamic efficiency but also presents unique challenges with regard to electrical power generation, management, and distribution. The High Power Linear Alternator Test Rig (HPLATR) located at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in Cleveland, Ohio is a demonstration test bed that simulates electrical power generation from a Stirling engine driven alternator. It implements the high power electronics necessary to provide a well regulated DC user load bus. These power electronics use a novel design solution that includes active rectification and power factor control, active ripple suppression, along with a unique building block approach that permits the use of high voltage or high current alternator designs. This report describes the HPLATR, the test program, and the operational results.

75 FR 57027 - National Toxicology Program (NTP); NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-17

... for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM); Availability of Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM) Test Method Evaluation Reports: In Vitro Ocular Safety Testing Methods and Strategies, and Routine Use of Topical Anesthetics, Systemic...

40 CFR 80.177 - Certification test fuels for use with the alternative test procedures and standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Certification test fuels for use with... Detergent Gasoline § 80.177 Certification test fuels for use with the alternative test procedures and standards. (a) General requirements. This section provides specifications for the test fuels required in...

Statistical framework for evaluation of climate model simulations by use of climate proxy data from the last millennium - Part 1: Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundberg, R.; Moberg, A.; Hind, A.

2012-08-01

A statistical framework for comparing the output of ensemble simulations from global climate models with networks of climate proxy and instrumental records has been developed, focusing on near-surface temperatures for the last millennium. This framework includes the formulation of a joint statistical model for proxy data, instrumental data and simulation data, which is used to optimize a quadratic distance measure for ranking climate model simulations. An essential underlying assumption is that the simulations and the proxy/instrumental series have a shared component of variability that is due to temporal changes in external forcing, such as volcanic aerosol load, solar irradiance or greenhouse gas concentrations. Two statistical tests have been formulated. Firstly, a preliminary test establishes whether a significant temporal correlation exists between instrumental/proxy and simulation data. Secondly, the distance measure is expressed in the form of a test statistic of whether a forced simulation is closer to the instrumental/proxy series than unforced simulations. The proposed framework allows any number of proxy locations to be used jointly, with different seasons, record lengths and statistical precision. The goal is to objectively rank several competing climate model simulations (e.g. with alternative model parameterizations or alternative forcing histories) by means of their goodness of fit to the unobservable true past climate variations, as estimated from noisy proxy data and instrumental observations.

Surface-enhanced Raman medical probes and system for disease diagnosis and drug testing

DOEpatents

Vo-Dinh, T.

1999-01-26

A probe for a surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectrometer includes a member of optically transmissive material for receiving the excitation radiation from a laser and for carrying the radiation emitted from a specimen to a detector. An end of the member for placing against the specimen has a coating that produces surface enhancement of the specimen during Raman scattering spectroscopic analysis. Specifically the coating is formed by a first layer of microparticles on the member and a metal layer over the first layer. The first layer may form a microstructure surface over which a metal layer is applied. Alternatively the coating may be a material containing microparticles of a metal. An optional layer of a material may be applied to the metal layer to concentrate onto the probe compounds of analytical interest onto the probe. 39 figs.

Surface-enhanced raman medical probes and system for disease diagnosis and drug testing

DOEpatents

Vo-Dinh, Tuan

1999-01-01

A probe for a surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectrometer includes a member of optically transmissive material for receiving the excitation radiation from a laser and for carrying the radiation emitted from a specimen to a detector. An end of the member for placing against the specimen has a coating that produces surface enhancement of the specimen during Raman scattering spectroscopic analysis. Specifically the coating is formed by a first layer of microparticles on the member and a metal layer over the first layer. The first layer may form a microstructure surface over which a metal layer is applied. Alternatively the coating may be a material containing microparticles of a metal. An optional layer of a material may be applied to the metal layer to concentrate onto the probe compounds of analytical interest onto the probe.

On the Concept of "Respiration": Biology Student Teachers' Cognitive Structures and Alternative Conceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurt, Hakan; Ekici, Gulay; Aktas, Murat; Aksu, Ozlem

2013-01-01

In researches, the subject of respiration has been determined to be among subjects about whom participants from all educational levels struggle to form their cognitive structures and have many alternative conceptions. This research was carried out in order to determine biology student teachers' cognitive structures and alternative conceptions…

From the Lab Bench: Know your alternative feed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A column was written to discuss the need to know the nutritive value of the alternative feed (by- or co-product feeds) that you are feeding to your cattle. Alternative feeds can come in different physical forms: being either wet or dry, finely ground, crumbly or pelleted. Distiller’s and brewer’s ...

Categorization of Alternative Conceptions in Electricity and Magnetism: The Case of Ethiopian Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dega, Bekele Gashe; Kriek, Jeanne; Mogese, Temesgen Fereja

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to categorize 35 Ethiopian undergraduate physics students' alternative conceptions in the concepts of electric potential and energy. A descriptive qualitative research design was used to categorize the students' alternative conceptions. Four independently homogeneous ability focus groups were formed to elicit the…

Adaptive Memory: Evaluating Alternative Forms of Fitness-Relevant Processing in the Survival Processing Paradigm

PubMed Central

Sandry, Joshua; Trafimow, David; Marks, Michael J.; Rice, Stephen

2013-01-01

Memory may have evolved to preserve information processed in terms of its fitness-relevance. Based on the assumption that the human mind comprises different fitness-relevant adaptive mechanisms contributing to survival and reproductive success, we compared alternative fitness-relevant processing scenarios with survival processing. Participants rated words for relevancy to fitness-relevant and control conditions followed by a delay and surprise recall test (Experiment 1a). Participants recalled more words processed for their relevance to a survival situation. We replicated these findings in an online study (Experiment 2) and a study using revised fitness-relevant scenarios (Experiment 3). Across all experiments, we did not find a mnemonic benefit for alternative fitness-relevant processing scenarios, questioning assumptions associated with an evolutionary account of remembering. Based on these results, fitness-relevance seems to be too wide-ranging of a construct to account for the memory findings associated with survival processing. We propose that memory may be hierarchically sensitive to fitness-relevant processing instructions. We encourage future researchers to investigate the underlying mechanisms responsible for survival processing effects and work toward developing a taxonomy of adaptive memory. PMID:23585858

Materials engineering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bramley, A.N.

1985-01-01

This book presents the Proceedings of the Second Materials Engineering Conference. This valuable collection of papers deal with the awareness, creative use, economics, reliability, selection, design, testing and warranty of materials. The papers address topics of both immediate and lasting industrial importance at a readily assimilated level and contain information which will lead speedily to improvements in industrial practice. Topics considered include recent developments in the science and technology of high modulus polymers; computer aided design of advanced composites; a systematic approach to materials testing in metal forming; new cold working tool steels; friction surfacing and its applications; fatigue lifemore » assessment and materials engineering; alternative materials for internal combustion engines; adhesives and the engineer; thermoplastic bearings; engineering applications of ZA alloys; and utility and complexity in the selection of polymeric materials.« less

Generation of Alternative Assessment Scores using TEST and online data sources

EPA Science Inventory

Alternatives assessment frameworks such as DfE (Design for the Environment) evaluate chemical alternatives in terms of human health effects, ecotoxicity, and fate. T.E.S.T. (Toxicity Estimation Software Tool) can be utilized to evaluate human health in terms of acute oral rat tox...

Critical Evaluation of Animal Alternative Tests for the Identification of Endocrine Active Substances, oral presentation

EPA Science Inventory

In the past 20 years, considerable progress in animal alternatives accompanied by advances in the toxicological sciences and new emphases on aquatic vertebrates has appeared. A significant amount of current research is targeted to evaluate alternative test methods that may reduce...

Development of alternate paragraphs for the Logical Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-IV.

PubMed

Morris, Jeri; Swier-Vosnos, Amy; Woodworth, Craig; Umfleet, Laura Glass; Czipri, Sheena; Kopald, Brandon

2014-01-01

The purpose of the two studies included in this article was to validate an alternate form, the Morris Revision-Fourth Edition (MR-IV), to the Logical Memory paragraphs of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (LM-IV) for use when retesting of individuals is desired. Study I demonstrated high correlation with the LM-IV paragraphs. Study II was a replication that again demonstrated high correlation between the original LM-IV and the new MR-IV paragraphs. High interrater reliability also was demonstrated. Consequently, the MR-IV paragraphs can be considered an alternate form to the LM-IV paragraphs. Although other attempts have been made to develop alternate stories, these new paragraphs are the only ones that are equivalent in structure, affective tone, and number of scorable units. They have considerable clinical utility and research potential.

Breadboard CO2 and humidity control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boehm, A. M.

1976-01-01

A regenerable CO2 and humidity control system is being developed for potential use on shuttle as an alternate to the baseline lithium hydroxide (LiOH)/condensing heat exchanger system. The system utilizes a sorbent material, designated HS-C, to adsorb CO2 and water vapor from the cabin atmosphere. The material is regenerated by exposing it to space vacuum. A half-size breadboard system, utilizing a flight representative HS-C canister, was designed, built, and performance tested to shuttle requirements for total CO2 and total humidity removal. The use of a new chemical matrix material allowed significant optimization of the system design by packing the HS-C chemical into the core of a heat exchanger which is manifolded to form two separate and distinct beds. Breadboard system performance was proven by parametric testing and simulated mission testing over the full range of shuttle crew sizes and metabolic loadings. Vacuum desorption testing demonstrated considerable savings in previously projected shuttle vacuum duct sizing.

APPLICATION OF NONINVASIVE PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS IN BACTRIAN CAMELS (CAMELUS BACTRIANUS) USING CUBONI REACTION AND BARIUM CHLORIDE TEST.

PubMed

Fedorova, Tamara; Brandlová, Karolína; Lukešová, Daniela

2015-06-01

Pregnancy diagnoses in half-tamed animals are often very complicated. This study aimed to examine the alternative noninvasive and cheap methods of pregnancy diagnosis from urine in domestic Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus). Urine from 14 female camels kept in four European zoologic gardens was collected and tested by two chemical tests--Cuboni reaction and barium chloride test. The Cuboni reaction was significantly (P<0.01) affected by the pregnancy status of female camels. The total accuracy of the Cuboni reaction was 70.5% but it increased significantly (P<0.05) in the time leading up to parturition. The accuracy was 100% in the 3rd third of pregnancy. Urine of nonpregnant females did not react with a solution of barium chloride while, contrary to other studies, white precipitates formed mostly (80 to 100%) in urine of pregnant females. This study concluded that the Cuboni reaction is applicable for pregnancy diagnosis in camels.

Alternative Radioisotopes for Heat and Power Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinsley, T.; Sarsfield, M.; Rice, T.

Production of 238Pu requires considerable facilities including a nuclear reactor and reprocessing plants that are very expensive to build and operate. Thus, a more economical alternative is very attractive to the industry. There are many alternative radioisotopes that exist but few that satisfy the criteria of performance, availability and cost to produce. Any alternative to 238Pu must exist in a chemical form that is compatible with the materials required to safely encapsulate the heat source at the high temperatures of operation and potential launch failure scenarios. The chemical form must also have suitable thermal properties to ensure maximum energy conversion efficiencies when integrated into radioisotope thermoelectric generators over the required mission durations. In addition, the radiation dose must be low enough for operators during production and not so prohibitive that excessive shielding mass is required on the space craft. This paper will focus on the preferred European alternative of 241Am, and the issues that will need to be addressed.

Mineralization of gellan gum hydrogels with calcium and magnesium carbonates by alternate soaking in solutions of calcium/magnesium and carbonate ion solutions.

PubMed

Lopez-Heredia, Marco A; Łapa, Agata; Reczyńska, Katarzyna; Pietryga, Krzysztof; Balcaen, Lieve; Mendes, Ana C; Schaubroeck, David; Van Der Voort, Pascal; Dokupil, Agnieszka; Plis, Agnieszka; Stevens, Chris V; Parakhonskiy, Bogdan V; Samal, Sangram Keshari; Vanhaecke, Frank; Chai, Feng; Chronakis, Ioannis S; Blanchemain, Nicolas; Pamuła, Elżbieta; Skirtach, Andre G; Douglas, Timothy E L

2018-04-27

Mineralization of hydrogels is desirable prior to applications in bone regeneration. CaCO 3 is a widely used bone regeneration material and Mg, when used as a component of calcium phosphate biomaterials, has promoted bone-forming cell adhesion and proliferation and bone regeneration. In this study, gellan gum (GG) hydrogels were mineralized with carbonates containing different amounts of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) by alternate soaking in, firstly, a calcium and/or magnesium ion solution and, secondly, a carbonate ion solution. This alternate soaking cycle was repeated five times. Five different calcium and/or magnesium ion solutions, containing different molar ratios of Ca to Mg ranging from Mg-free to Ca-free were compared. Carbonate mineral formed in all sample groups subjected to the Ca:Mg elemental ratio in the carbonate mineral formed was higher than in the respective mineralizing solution. Mineral formed in the absence of Mg was predominantly CaCO 3 in the form of a mixture of calcite and vaterite. Increasing the Mg content in the mineral formed led to the formation of magnesian calcite, decreased the total amount of the mineral formed and its crystallinity. Hydrogel mineralization and increasing Mg content in mineral formed did not obviously improve proliferation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells or differentiation after 7 days. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

State of the art on alternative methods to animal testing from an industrial point of view: ready for regulation?

PubMed

Ashton, Rachel; De Wever, Bart; Fuchs, Horst W; Gaca, Marianna; Hill, Erin; Krul, Cyrille; Poth, Albrecht; Roggen, Erwin L

2014-01-01

Despite changing attitudes towards animal testing and current legislation to protect experimental animals, the rate of animal experiments seems to have changed little in recent years. On May 15-16, 2013, the In Vitro Testing Industrial Platform (IVTIP) held an open meeting to discuss the state of the art in alternative methods, how companies have, can, and will need to adapt and what drives and hinders regulatory acceptance and use. Several key messages arose from the meeting. First, industry and regulatory bodies should not wait for complete suites of alternative tests to become available, but should begin working with methods available right now (e.g., mining of existing animal data to direct future studies, implementation of alternative tests wherever scientifically valid rather than continuing to rely on animal tests) in non-animal and animal integrated strategies to reduce the numbers of animals tested. Sharing of information (communication), harmonization and standardization (coordination), commitment and collaboration are all required to improve the quality and speed of validation, acceptance, and implementation of tests. Finally, we consider how alternative methods can be used in research and development before formal implementation in regulations. Here we present the conclusions on what can be done already and suggest some solutions and strategies for the future.

Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Antifungal efficacy of Chitosan as endodontic irrigant against Enterococcus Faecalis and Candida Albicans Biofilm formed on tooth substrate.

PubMed

Yadav, Pankaj; Chaudhary, Sarika; Saxena, Rajendra K; Talwar, Sangeeta; Yadav, Sudha

2017-03-01

Bacterial biofilms formed on the root canal wall are often difficult to remove. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effect and antibacterial efficacy of chitosan when used as root canal irrigant against E. Faecalis and Candida albicans biofilm formed on tooth substrate. The present study evaluated antibacterial effect of 0.25% Chitosan, 0.5% Chitosan, 2% chlorhexidine and 3% sodium hypochlorite against Enterococcus faecalis and Candida Albicans . Agar-well diffusion methods, minimal inhibitory concentration tests and biofilm susceptibility assays were used to determine antibacterial activity. Teeth specimens were sectioned to obtain a standardized tooth length of 12mm. Specimens were inoculated with 10 mL of the freshly prepared E. Faecalis suspension and Candida albicans for 4 weeks. The specimens were then instrumented with ProTaper rotary files F3 size. After irrigation with test solution, three sterile paper points were placed into one canal, left for 60 s and transferred to a test tube containing 1 mL of reduced transport fluid. The number of CFU in 1 mL was determined. 3-week biofilm qualitative assay showed complete inhibition of bacterial growth with 3% Sodium hypochlorite, 2% Chlorhexidine and Chitosan except saline, which showed presence of bacterial growth. Significant reduction of colony forming units (CFU)/mL was observed for the chitosan groups and the antibacterial activity of the chitosan groups was at par with 3% NaOCl and 2% Chlorhexidine. It was observed that the chitosan showed no cytotoxicity at 3mg/ml and 10% cytotoxicity at 6mg/ml. The use of chitosan as a root canal irrigant might be an alternative considering the various undesirable properties of NaOCl and chlorhexidine. Key words: Biofilm, Candida albicans, Chitosan, Cytotoxicity, Enterococcus faecalis.

Numerical Method for Darcy Flow Derived Using Discrete Exterior Calculus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirani, A. N.; Nakshatrala, K. B.; Chaudhry, J. H.

2015-05-01

We derive a numerical method for Darcy flow, and also for Poisson's equation in mixed (first order) form, based on discrete exterior calculus (DEC). Exterior calculus is a generalization of vector calculus to smooth manifolds and DEC is one of its discretizations on simplicial complexes such as triangle and tetrahedral meshes. DEC is a coordinate invariant discretization, in that it does not depend on the embedding of the simplices or the whole mesh. We start by rewriting the governing equations of Darcy flow using the language of exterior calculus. This yields a formulation in terms of flux differential form and pressure. The numerical method is then derived by using the framework provided by DEC for discretizing differential forms and operators that act on forms. We also develop a discretization for a spatially dependent Hodge star that varies with the permeability of the medium. This also allows us to address discontinuous permeability. The matrix representation for our discrete non-homogeneous Hodge star is diagonal, with positive diagonal entries. The resulting linear system of equations for flux and pressure are saddle type, with a diagonal matrix as the top left block. The performance of the proposed numerical method is illustrated on many standard test problems. These include patch tests in two and three dimensions, comparison with analytically known solutions in two dimensions, layered medium with alternating permeability values, and a test with a change in permeability along the flow direction. We also show numerical evidence of convergence of the flux and the pressure. A convergence experiment is included for Darcy flow on a surface. A short introduction to the relevant parts of smooth and discrete exterior calculus is included in this article. We also include a discussion of the boundary condition in terms of exterior calculus.

40 CFR 86.162-03 - Approval of alternative air conditioning test simulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... conditioning test simulations. 86.162-03 Section 86.162-03 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... alternative air conditioning test simulations. (a) Upon petition from a manufacturer or upon the Agency's own initiative, the Administrator will approve a simulation of the environmental cell for air conditioning test...

40 CFR 86.162-03 - Approval of alternative air conditioning test simulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... conditioning test simulations. 86.162-03 Section 86.162-03 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... alternative air conditioning test simulations. (a) Upon petition from a manufacturer or upon the Agency's own initiative, the Administrator will approve a simulation of the environmental cell for air conditioning test...

40 CFR 86.162-03 - Approval of alternative air conditioning test simulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... conditioning test simulations. 86.162-03 Section 86.162-03 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... alternative air conditioning test simulations. (a) Upon petition from a manufacturer or upon the Agency's own initiative, the Administrator will approve a simulation of the environmental cell for air conditioning test...

40 CFR 86.162-03 - Approval of alternative air conditioning test simulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... conditioning test simulations. 86.162-03 Section 86.162-03 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... alternative air conditioning test simulations. (a) Upon petition from a manufacturer or upon the Agency's own initiative, the Administrator will approve a simulation of the environmental cell for air conditioning test...

77 FR 17457 - Work Group on Alternative Test Methods for Commercial Measuring Devices

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-26

... Test Methods for Commercial Measuring Devices AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology... Work Group (WG) to examine alternative methods for testing the accuracy of commercial measuring devices... participates to promote uniformity among the states in laws, regulations, methods, and testing equipment that...

Identify and Translate Learnings from On-Going Assay ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Presentation for FDA-CFSAN ILSI workshop on State of the Science on Alternatives to Animal Testing and Integration of Testing Strategies for Food Safety Assessments Presentation for FDA-CFSAN ILSI workshop on State of the Science on Alternatives to Animal Testing and Integration of Testing Strategies for Food Safety Assessments

20170228 - Identify and Translate Learnings from On-Going ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Presentation for FDA-CFSAN ILSI workshop on State of the Science on Alternatives to Animal Testing and Integration of Testing Strategies for Food Safety Assessments Presentation for FDA-CFSAN ILSI workshop on State of the Science on Alternatives to Animal Testing and Integration of Testing Strategies for Food Safety Assessments

Recommendations for Developing Alternative Test Methods for Screening and Prioritization of Chemicals for Developmental Neurotoxicity

EPA Science Inventory

Developmental neurotoxicity testing (DNT) is perceived by many stakeholders to be an area in critical need of alternative methods to current animal testing protocols and gUidelines. An immediate goal is to develop test methods that are capable of screening large numbers of chemic...

The Prevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Dermatology Outpatients in Shiraz, Iran

PubMed Central

Dastgheib, Ladan; Farahangiz, Saman; Adelpour, Zeinab; Salehi, Alireza

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess complementary and alternative medicine use and its related factors among Iranian dermatology outpatients. In this cross-sectional study, a self-structured questionnaire was administered to 600 dermatology outpatients. Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression test were used. A total of 188 (31.3%) patients had used one of complementary and alternative medicine methods. The most frequent method used was herbal medicine (89.9%). The mean years of duration of the skin condition were significantly higher in complementary and alternative medicine users compared with nonusers (P = .037). Patients with acne and alopecia significantly used more complementary and alternative medicine (odds ratio: 2.48 and 3.19, respectively). There was a significant relationship between education and using complementary and alternative medicine (P < .001). Complementary and alternative medicine use is prevalent among our patients and we should think of ways of educating general population about complementary and alternative medicine methods and their potential risks and benefits and encourage our health care workers to communicate these materials with their patients. PMID:28446027

The Prevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Dermatology Outpatients in Shiraz, Iran.

PubMed

Dastgheib, Ladan; Farahangiz, Saman; Adelpour, Zeinab; Salehi, Alireza

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to assess complementary and alternative medicine use and its related factors among Iranian dermatology outpatients. In this cross-sectional study, a self-structured questionnaire was administered to 600 dermatology outpatients. Mann-Whitney U test, chi-square test, and binary logistic regression test were used. A total of 188 (31.3%) patients had used one of complementary and alternative medicine methods. The most frequent method used was herbal medicine (89.9%). The mean years of duration of the skin condition were significantly higher in complementary and alternative medicine users compared with nonusers ( P = .037). Patients with acne and alopecia significantly used more complementary and alternative medicine (odds ratio: 2.48 and 3.19, respectively). There was a significant relationship between education and using complementary and alternative medicine ( P < .001). Complementary and alternative medicine use is prevalent among our patients and we should think of ways of educating general population about complementary and alternative medicine methods and their potential risks and benefits and encourage our health care workers to communicate these materials with their patients.

Bridging the Synaptic Gap: Neuroligins and Neurexin I in Apis mellifera

PubMed Central

Biswas, Sunita; Russell, Robyn J.; Jackson, Colin J.; Vidovic, Maria; Ganeshina, Olga; Oakeshott, John G.; Claudianos, Charles

2008-01-01

Vertebrate studies show neuroligins and neurexins are binding partners in a trans-synaptic cell adhesion complex, implicated in human autism and mental retardation disorders. Here we report a genetic analysis of homologous proteins in the honey bee. As in humans, the honeybee has five large (31–246 kb, up to 12 exons each) neuroligin genes, three of which are tightly clustered. RNA analysis of the neuroligin-3 gene reveals five alternatively spliced transcripts, generated through alternative use of exons encoding the cholinesterase-like domain. Whereas vertebrates have three neurexins the bee has just one gene named neurexin I (400 kb, 28 exons). However alternative isoforms of bee neurexin I are generated by differential use of 12 splice sites, mostly located in regions encoding LNS subdomains. Some of the splice variants of bee neurexin I resemble the vertebrate α- and β-neurexins, albeit in vertebrates these forms are generated by alternative promoters. Novel splicing variations in the 3′ region generate transcripts encoding alternative trans-membrane and PDZ domains. Another 3′ splicing variation predicts soluble neurexin I isoforms. Neurexin I and neuroligin expression was found in brain tissue, with expression present throughout development, and in most cases significantly up-regulated in adults. Transcripts of neurexin I and one neuroligin tested were abundant in mushroom bodies, a higher order processing centre in the bee brain. We show neuroligins and neurexins comprise a highly conserved molecular system with likely similar functional roles in insects as vertebrates, and with scope in the honeybee to generate substantial functional diversity through alternative splicing. Our study provides important prerequisite data for using the bee as a model for vertebrate synaptic development. PMID:18974885

Patient Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines in an Outpatient Pediatric Neurology Clinic.

PubMed

Kenney, Daniel; Jenkins, Sarah; Youssef, Paul; Kotagal, Suresh

2016-05-01

This article describes the use of complementary and alternative medicines in an outpatient pediatric neurology clinic, and assesses family attitudes toward the efficacy of complementary and alternative medicines versus prescription medications. Complementary and alternative medicine is an important element of the modern health care landscape. There is limited information about whether, and to what extent, families perceive its utility in childhood neurological disorders. Surveys were distributed to 500 consecutive patients at a child neurology clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Questions pertained to the child's diagnoses, use of complementary and alternative medicines, and the specific complementary and alternative medicine modalities that were used. Opinions were also gathered on the perceived efficacy of complementary and alternative medicines and prescription medications. Data were compared using χ(2) or Fisher exact tests as indicated. A total of 484 surveys were returned, of which 327 were usable. Only 17.4% admitted to use of complementary and alternative medicine to treat neurological problems. However, in follow-up questioning, actually 41.6% of patients recognized that they were using one or more types of complementary and alternative medicines. Disorders associated with a statistically significant increased prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine use were headache (50.8% with headache used complementary and alternative medicine versus 35.7% without headache; P = 0.008, Fisher exact test), chronic fatigue (63.2% vs 38.8%; P = 0.005, Fisher exact test), and sleep disorders (77.1% vs 37.3%; P < 0.0001, Fisher exact test). A large proportion of pediatric neurology patients in our clinic are also using complementary and alternative medicine. Only 38.5% of these recognize themselves as using complementary and alternative medicine, underlining the need to inquire in-depth about its use. Patients who are less satisfied with their prescription medications are more likely to use complementary and alternative medicine, perhaps reflecting the less tractable nature of their disorders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alternative splicing originates different domain structure organization of Lutzomyia longipalpis chitinases

PubMed Central

Ortigão-Farias, João Ramalho; Di-Blasi, Tatiana; Telleria, Erich Loza; Andorinho, Ana Carolina; Lemos-Silva, Thais; Ramalho-Ortigão, Marcelo; Tempone, Antônio Jorge; Traub-Csekö, Yara Maria

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND The insect chitinase gene family is composed by more than 10 paralogs, which can codify proteins with different domain structures. In Lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil, a chitinase cDNA from adult female insects was previously characterized. The predicted protein contains one catalytic domain and one chitin-binding domain (CBD). The expression of this gene coincided with the end of blood digestion indicating a putative role in peritrophic matrix degradation. OBJECTIVES To determine the occurrence of alternative splicing in chitinases of L. longipalpis. METHODS We sequenced the LlChit1 gene from a genomic clone and the three spliced forms obtained by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using larvae cDNA. FINDINGS We showed that LlChit1 from L. longipalpis immature forms undergoes alternative splicing. The spliced form corresponding to the adult cDNA was named LlChit1A and the two larvae specific transcripts were named LlChit1B and LlChit1C. The B and C forms possess stop codons interrupting the translation of the CBD. The A form is present in adult females post blood meal, L4 larvae and pre-pupae, while the other two forms are present only in L4 larvae and disappear just before pupation. Two bands of the expected size were identified by Western blot only in L4 larvae. MAIN CONCLUSIONS We show for the first time alternative splicing generating chitinases with different domain structures increasing our understanding on the finely regulated digestion physiology and shedding light on a potential target for controlling L. longipalpis larval development. PMID:29236932

A new modified wetting test and an alternative disintegration test for orally disintegrating tablets.

PubMed

Hooper, Patrick; Lasher, Jason; Alexander, Kenneth S; Baki, Gabriella

2016-02-20

Industrial manufacturing of solid oral dosage forms require quality tests, such as friability, hardness, and disintegration. The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) disintegration test uses 900mL of water. However, recent studies of orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) have shown that this volume does not accurately portray the oral environment. In our study, various tests were conducted with a more moderate amount of water that accurately resembles the oral environment. A simulated wetting test was performed to calculate the water absorption ratio. Results showed that wetting was comparable to disintegration. Although the wetting test worked for most types of ODTs, it had limitations that produced inaccurate results. This led to the use of a modified shaking water bath test. This test was found to work for all types of ODT products and was not subject to the limitations of the wetting test. The shake test could provide disintegration times rather than water permeation times; however, it could not be used to calculate the water absorption ratio. A strong correlation was observed between the standardized shake test and the USP disintegration times for the tablets. This shake test could be used during the development stages and quality tests for ODTs with relative ease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alternate Reality Games as Learning Environments for Student Induction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitton, Nicola; Jones, Rosie; Wilson, Scott; Whitton, Peter

2014-01-01

Alternate reality games (ARGs) are a relatively new form of collaborative game that make use of both the virtual and real worlds to engage players in a series of challenges within a compelling narrative. The Alternate Reality Games for Orientation, Socialisation and Induction (ARGOSI) project aimed to use this game format to provide an alternative…

Toward a Concept of Facilitative Theorizing: An Alternative to Prescriptive and Descriptive Theory in Educational Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yanchar, Stephen C.; Faulconer, James E.

2011-01-01

This article presents the concept of facilitative theorizing as an alternative to prescriptive and descriptive theory in educational technology. The authors contend that these traditional forms of theory do not offer sufficient assistance to practitioners as they go about everyday design work. Facilitative theorizing, as an alternative, is…

30 CFR 47.43 - Label alternatives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... COMMUNICATION (HazCom) Container Labels and Other Forms of Warning § 47.43 Label alternatives. The operator may... container to which it applies, (b) Communicates the same information as required on the label, and (c) Is...

Alternative Action Organizations: Social Solidarity or Political Advocacy?

PubMed Central

Grasso, Maria

2018-01-01

This article investigates the involvement of alternative action organizations in three forms of political advocacy in an attempt to gauge their degree of politicization. These forms can be understood as representing three different ways of making political claims: by raising public awareness with respect to a given cause or issue, by trying to influence the policy maker through “insider” lobbying activities, and by protesting in the streets as “outsiders.” Our findings show strong cross-national variations in all three forms of political activities, although not always following a consistent pattern. They also suggest that there is a relationship between the severity of the economic crisis and the form of advocacy. Most important, our analysis suggests that the politicization of alternative action organizations depends both on certain internal characteristics such as their degree of formalization and professionalization, as well as their thematic focus, and the scope of their activities, and on the broader context in terms of economic crisis, austerity policies, and political opportunities. As regards the latter, we find an impact especially on lobbying and protesting. PMID:29899575

76 FR 2388 - National Toxicology Program (NTP); NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-13

... Nonradioactive Versions of the Murine Local Lymph Node Assay (LLNA) for Assessing Allergic Contact Dermatitis... Assay: BrdU-ELISA, A Nonradioactive Alternative Test Method to Assess the Allergic Contact Dermatitis... Lymph Node Assay: DA, A Nonradioactive Alternative Test Method to Assess the Allergic Contact Dermatitis...

Understanding Test-Type Assignment: Why Do Special Educators Make Unexpected Test-Type Assignments?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Hyun-Jeong; Kingston, Neal

2014-01-01

We interviewed special educators (a) whose students with disabilities (SWDs) were proficient on the 2008 general education assessment but were assigned to the 2009 alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS), and (b) whose students with mild disabilities took the 2008 alternate assessment based on alternate achievement…

Update on alternative occupant volume testing

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-04-27

This paper describes the conduct of the first of a series of quasi-static compression tests of rail passenger equipment being done to examine occupant volume strength. Budd Pioneer car 244 has been chosen as the test article for examination of altern...

The rationale, development, and standardization of a basic word vocabulary test.

PubMed

Dupuy, H J

1974-04-01

The results of the studies to date indicate that the Basic Word Vocabulary Test provides a range of items in terms of item difficulty levels useful in printed form from about the third grade to the highest educational levels. Since pictorial and orally given vocabulary tests are used from about ages 2 to 8 years, further work should be done to extend the scale downward so that a single comprehensive vocabulary scale ranging from age 2 years to the highest level of verbal development is available for general use. Validation studies should also be conducted with other well-known intelligence tests so that scores can be compared. Alternate forms need to be developed to allow for longitudinal studies of growth and development. The use of a single standard of measurement of vocabulary development, suitable over a wide range of age and ability levels, by different investigators should materially aid in comparing results across studies and samples and lead to more consistent findings, advances in knowledge, and wider application of findings in practical circumstances, The findings presented in this report indicate that the Basic Word Vocabulary Test adequately measures basic word knowledge acquisition and development. The BWVT is suitable for evaluation of individuals and for use in making group comparisons in levels of basic word knowledge attainment, growth, and development. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Phycoerythrin evolution and diversification of spectral phenotype in marine Synechococcus and related picocyanobacteria.

PubMed

Everroad, R Craig; Wood, A Michelle

2012-09-01

In marine Synechococcus there is evidence for the adaptive evolution of spectrally distinct forms of the major light harvesting pigment phycoerythrin (PE). Recent research has suggested that these spectral forms of PE have a different evolutionary history than the core genome. However, a lack of explicit statistical testing of alternative hypotheses or for selection on these genes has made it difficult to evaluate the evolutionary relationships between spectral forms of PE or the role horizontal gene transfer (HGT) may have had in the adaptive phenotypic evolution of the pigment system in marine Synechococcus. In this work, PE phylogenies of picocyanobacteria with known spectral phenotypes, including newly co-isolated strains of marine Synechococcus from the Gulf of Mexico, were constructed to explore the diversification of spectral phenotype and PE evolution in this group more completely. For the first time, statistical evaluation of competing evolutionary hypotheses and tests for positive selection on the PE locus in picocyanobacteria were performed. Genes for PEs associated with specific PE spectral phenotypes formed strongly supported monophyletic clades within the PE tree with positive directional selection driving evolution towards higher phycourobilin (PUB) content. The presence of the PUB-lacking phenotype in PE-containing marine picocyanobacteria from cyanobacterial lineages identified as Cyanobium is best explained by HGT into this group from marine Synechococcus. Taken together, these data provide strong examples of adaptive evolution of a single phenotypic trait in bacteria via mutation, positive directional selection and horizontal gene transfer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Beliefs about chlamydia testing amongst young people living in relatively deprived areas.

PubMed

Booth, A R; Harris, P R; Goyder, E; Norman, P

2013-06-01

This study uses the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as a framework to investigate salient beliefs about chlamydia testing, amongst young people living in relatively deprived areas. These beliefs may form targets for intervention to increase testing in this high-risk population. Participants recruited from colleges in deprived areas of a UK city, completed open-ended questions designed to elicit salient beliefs. Responses were content analysed and categorized as describing behavioural, normative or control beliefs. Beliefs were elicited from 128 respondents (51% male; median age = 17). The commonest behavioural belief, which could have a positive or negative impact on screening intentions, was that testing provides information about health status. Partners were referred to most commonly amongst the normative beliefs. Practical aspects and concerns about social implications of testing were common control beliefs. References to several negative emotions emerged throughout. This study indicates that raising awareness of chlamydia as a serious sexual health problem may not be the best way to increase the uptake of testing in a high-risk population. Promoting chlamydia testing as potentially providing reassurance may be an alternative. It may also be important to reduce perceptions of social disapproval as well as negative emotion regarding chlamydia testing.

Development, Reliability, and Equivalence of an Alternate Form for the CQ Duty Performance-Based Measure

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

distinguishes between known- groups of healthy control soldiers and those with traumatic brain injury. As such, the CQDT shows promise in helping to inform...be reliably administered and distinguishes between known- groups of healthy control soldiers and those with traumatic brain injury. As such, the CQDT...healthy controls and SM with mild TBI. If we succeed in developing an equivalent alternate form, the CQD may be used to both identify executive

Comparison of muscle force production using the Smith machine and free weights for bench press and squat exercises.

PubMed

Cotterman, Michael L; Darby, Lynn A; Skelly, William A

2005-02-01

The Smith machine (SM) (vertical motion of bar on fixed path; fixed-form exercise) and free weights (FWs) (free-form path) are commonly used strength training modes. Exercisers may need to alternate between types of equipment, depending on testing, training, rehabilitation, and/or the exercisers' goals. The purposes of this study were to compare muscle force production for SM and FWs using a 1 repetition maximum (1RM) for the parallel back squat and supine bench press exercises and to predict the 1RM for one mode from 1RM on the other mode. Men (n = 16) and women (n = 16) alternately completed 1RM testing for squat and bench press using SM and FWs. Analyses of variance (type of equipment x sex) and linear regression models were calculated. A significant difference was found between bench press and squat 1RMs for each mode of equipment for all participants. The squat 1RM was greater for the SM than the FWs; conversely, the bench 1RM was greater for FWs than the SM. When sex was considered, bench 1RM for FWs was greater than SM for men and women. The squat 1RM was greater for SM than FWs for women only. The 1RM on one mode of equipment was the best predictor of 1RM for the other mode. For both sexes, the equation SM bench 1RM (in kilograms) = -6.76 + 0.95 (FW bench 1RM) can be used. For women only, SM squat 1RM (in kilograms) = 28.3 + 0.73 (FW squat 1RM). These findings provide equations for converting between SM and FW equipment for training.

Wave-induced hydraulic forces on submerged aquatic plants in shallow lakes.

PubMed

Schutten, J; Dainty, J; Davy, A J

2004-03-01

Hydraulic pulling forces arising from wave action are likely to limit the presence of freshwater macrophytes in shallow lakes, particularly those with soft sediments. The aim of this study was to develop and test experimentally simple models, based on linear wave theory for deep water, to predict such forces on individual shoots. Models were derived theoretically from the action of the vertical component of the orbital velocity of the waves on shoot size. Alternative shoot-size descriptors (plan-form area or dry mass) and alternative distributions of the shoot material along its length (cylinder or inverted cone) were examined. Models were tested experimentally in a flume that generated sinusoidal waves which lasted 1 s and were up to 0.2 m high. Hydraulic pulling forces were measured on plastic replicas of Elodea sp. and on six species of real plants with varying morphology (Ceratophyllum demersum, Chara intermedia, Elodea canadensis, Myriophyllum spicatum, Potamogeton natans and Potamogeton obtusifolius). Measurements on the plastic replicas confirmed predicted relationships between force and wave phase, wave height and plant submergence depth. Predicted and measured forces were linearly related over all combinations of wave height and submergence depth. Measured forces on real plants were linearly related to theoretically derived predictors of the hydraulic forces (integrals of the products of the vertical orbital velocity raised to the power 1.5 and shoot size). The general applicability of the simplified wave equations used was confirmed. Overall, dry mass and plan-form area performed similarly well as shoot-size descriptors, as did the conical or cylindrical models of shoot distribution. The utility of the modelling approach in predicting hydraulic pulling forces from relatively simple plant and environmental measurements was validated over a wide range of forces, plant sizes and species.

Promoting functional foods as acceptable alternatives to doping: potential for information-based social marketing approach.

PubMed

James, Ricky; Naughton, Declan P; Petróczi, Andrea

2010-11-10

Substances with performance enhancing properties appear on a continuum, ranging from prohibited performance enhancing drugs (PED) through dietary supplements to functional foods (FF). Anti-doping messages designed to dissuade athletes from using PEDs have been typically based on moralising sport competition and/or employing scare campaigns with focus on the negative consequences. Campaigns offering comparable and acceptable alternatives are nonexistent, nor are athletes helped in finding these for themselves. It is timely that social marketing strategies for anti-doping prevention and intervention incorporate media messages that complement the existing approaches by promoting comparable and acceptable alternatives to doping. To facilitate this process, the aim of this study was to ascertain whether a single exposure knowledge-based information intervention led to increased knowledge and subsequently result in changes in beliefs and automatic associations regarding performance enhancements. In a repeated measure design, 115 male recreational gym users were recruited and provided with a brief information pamphlet on nitrite/nitrate and erythropoietin as a comparison. Measures of knowledge, beliefs and automatic associations were taken before and after the intervention with at least 24 hours between the two assessments. The psychological tests included explicit measures of beliefs and cognitive attitudes toward FF and PED using a self-reported questionnaire and computerised assessments of automatic associations using the modified and shortened version of the Implicit Association Test. The information based intervention significantly increased knowledge (p < 0.001), changed explicit beliefs in specific FF (p < 0.001) and shifted the automatic association of FF with health to performance (p < 0.001). Explicitly expressed beliefs and automatic associations appear to be independent. Evidence was found that even a single exposure to a persuasive positive message can lead to belief change and can create new or alter existing associations - but only in the specific domain. Interventions to change outcome expectations in a positive way could be a rewarding avenue for anti-doping. Effective social marketing campaigns for drug free sport should follow appropriate market segmentation and use targeted messages via promoting the natural form as opposed to the purified form of the main active ingredient.

Promoting functional foods as acceptable alternatives to doping: potential for information-based social marketing approach

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Substances with performance enhancing properties appear on a continuum, ranging from prohibited performance enhancing drugs (PED) through dietary supplements to functional foods (FF). Anti-doping messages designed to dissuade athletes from using PEDs have been typically based on moralising sport competition and/or employing scare campaigns with focus on the negative consequences. Campaigns offering comparable and acceptable alternatives are nonexistent, nor are athletes helped in finding these for themselves. It is timely that social marketing strategies for anti-doping prevention and intervention incorporate media messages that complement the existing approaches by promoting comparable and acceptable alternatives to doping. To facilitate this process, the aim of this study was to ascertain whether a single exposure knowledge-based information intervention led to increased knowledge and subsequently result in changes in beliefs and automatic associations regarding performance enhancements. Methods In a repeated measure design, 115 male recreational gym users were recruited and provided with a brief information pamphlet on nitrite/nitrate and erythropoietin as a comparison. Measures of knowledge, beliefs and automatic associations were taken before and after the intervention with at least 24 hours between the two assessments. The psychological tests included explicit measures of beliefs and cognitive attitudes toward FF and PED using a self-reported questionnaire and computerised assessments of automatic associations using the modified and shortened version of the Implicit Association Test. Results The information based intervention significantly increased knowledge (p < 0.001), changed explicit beliefs in specific FF (p < 0.001) and shifted the automatic association of FF with health to performance (p < 0.001). Explicitly expressed beliefs and automatic associations appear to be independent. Conclusion Evidence was found that even a single exposure to a persuasive positive message can lead to belief change and can create new or alter existing associations - but only in the specific domain. Interventions to change outcome expectations in a positive way could be a rewarding avenue for anti-doping. Effective social marketing campaigns for drug free sport should follow appropriate market segmentation and use targeted messages via promoting the natural form as opposed to the purified form of the main active ingredient. PMID:21067611

Determination of life for a polyimide-epoxy alternator insulation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penn, W. B.; Schaefer, R. F.; Balke, R. L.

1974-01-01

Tests were conducted to predict remaining electrical insulation life of a polyimide epoxy insulated 60 KW, 208 volt homopolar inductor alternator, following completion of 23,130 hours of turbo-alternator endurance tests. The sectioned armature winding of this alternator stator was used as means to evaluate and measure end-life at several aging temperatures for development of an Arrhenius plot. A one-half life rate of 11.3 C was established from these data with a predicted remaining life of 60,000 hours at an armature winding temperature of 248 C and a total life, including endurance test time, of 61,645 hours.

SPDE/SPRE final summary report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dochat, George

1993-01-01

Mechanical Technology Incorporated (MTI) performed acceptance testing on the Space Power Research Engine (SPRE), which demonstrated satisfactory operation and sufficient reliability for delivery to NASA Lewis Research Center. The unit produced 13.5 kW PV power with an efficiency of 22 percent versus design goals of 28.8 kW PV power and efficiency of 28 percent. Maximum electric power was only 8 kWe due to lower alternator efficiency. One of the major shortcomings of the SPRE was linear alternator efficiency, which was only 70 percent compared to a design value of 90 percent. It was determined from static tests that the major cause for the efficiency shortfall was the location of the magnetic structure surrounding the linear alternator. Testing of an alternator configuration without a surrounding magnetic structure on a linear dynamometer confirmed earlier static test results. Linear alternator efficiency improved from 70 percent to over 90 percent. Testing of the MTI SPRE was also performed with hydrodynamic bearings and achieved full-stroke, stable operation. This testing indicated that hydrodynamic bearings may be useful in free piston Stirling engines. An important factor in achieving stable operation at design stroke was isolating a portion of the bearing length from the engine pressure variations. In addition, the heat pipe heater head design indicates that integration of a Stirling engine with a heat source can be performed via heat pipes. This design provides a baseline against which alternative designs can be measured.

The Application of a Trade Study Methodology to Determine Which Capabilities to Implement in a Test Facility Data Acquisition System Upgrade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McDougal, Kristopher J.

2008-01-01

More and more test programs are requiring high frequency measurements. Marshall Space Flight Center s Cold Flow Test Facility has an interest in acquiring such data. The acquisition of this data requires special hardware and capabilities. This document provides a structured trade study approach for determining which additional capabilities of a VXI-based data acquisition system should be utilized to meet the test facility objectives. The paper is focused on the trade study approach detailing and demonstrating the methodology. A case is presented in which a trade study was initially performed to provide a recommendation for the data system capabilities. Implementation details of the recommended alternative are briefly provided as well as the system s performance during a subsequent test program. The paper then addresses revisiting the trade study with modified alternatives and attributes to address issues that arose during the subsequent test program. Although the model does not identify a single best alternative for all sensitivities, the trade study process does provide a much better understanding. This better understanding makes it possible to confidently recommend Alternative 3 as the preferred alternative.

Reductions in aircraft particulate emissions due to the use of Fischer-Tropsch fuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyersdorf, A. J.; Timko, M. T.; Ziemba, L. D.; Bulzan, D.; Corporan, E.; Herndon, S. C.; Howard, R.; Miake-Lye, R.; Thornhill, K. L.; Winstead, E.; Wey, C.; Yu, Z.; Anderson, B. E.

2014-01-01

The use of alternative fuels for aviation is likely to increase due to concerns over fuel security, price stability, and the sustainability of fuel sources. Concurrent reductions in particulate emissions from these alternative fuels are expected because of changes in fuel composition including reduced sulfur and aromatic content. The NASA Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment (AAFEX) was conducted in January-February 2009 to investigate the effects of synthetic fuels on gas-phase and particulate emissions. Standard petroleum JP-8 fuel, pure synthetic fuels produced from natural gas and coal feedstocks using the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, and 50% blends of both fuels were tested in the CFM-56 engines on a DC-8 aircraft. To examine plume chemistry and particle evolution with time, samples were drawn from inlet probes positioned 1, 30, and 145 m downstream of the aircraft engines. No significant alteration to engine performance was measured when burning the alternative fuels. However, leaks in the aircraft fuel system were detected when operated with the pure FT fuels as a result of the absence of aromatic compounds in the fuel. Dramatic reductions in soot emissions were measured for both the pure FT fuels (reductions in mass of 86% averaged over all powers) and blended fuels (66%) relative to the JP-8 baseline with the largest reductions at idle conditions. At 7% power, this corresponds to a reduction from 7.6 mg kg-1 for JP-8 to 1.2 mg kg-1 for the natural gas FT fuel. At full power, soot emissions were reduced from 103 to 24 mg kg-1 (JP-8 and natural gas FT, respectively). The alternative fuels also produced smaller soot (e.g., at 85% power, volume mean diameters were reduced from 78 nm for JP-8 to 51 nm for the natural gas FT fuel), which may reduce their ability to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). The reductions in particulate emissions are expected for all alternative fuels with similar reductions in fuel sulfur and aromatic content regardless of the feedstock. As the plume cools downwind of the engine, nucleation-mode aerosols form. For the pure FT fuels, reductions (94% averaged over all powers) in downwind particle number emissions were similar to those measured at the exhaust plane (84%). However, the blended fuels had less of a reduction (reductions of 30-44%) than initially measured (64%). The likely explanation is that the reduced soot emissions in the blended fuel exhaust plume results in promotion of new particle formation microphysics, rather than coating on pre-existing soot particles, which is dominant in the JP-8 exhaust plume. Downwind particle volume emissions were reduced for both the pure (79 and 86% reductions) and blended FT fuels (36 and 46%) due to the large reductions in soot emissions. In addition, the alternative fuels had reduced particulate sulfate production (near zero for FT fuels) due to decreased fuel sulfur content. To study the formation of volatile aerosols (defined as any aerosol formed as the plume ages) in more detail, tests were performed at varying ambient temperatures (-4 to 20 °C). At idle, particle number and volume emissions were reduced linearly with increasing ambient temperature, with best fit slopes corresponding to -8 × 1014 particles (kg fuel)-1 °C-1 for particle number emissions and -10 mm3 (kg fuel)-1 °C-1 for particle volume emissions. The temperature dependency of aerosol formation can have large effects on local air quality surrounding airports in cold regions. Aircraft-produced aerosols in these regions will be much larger than levels expected based solely on measurements made directly at the engine exit plane. The majority (90% at idle) of the volatile aerosol mass formed as nucleation-mode aerosols, with a smaller fraction as a soot coating. Conversion efficiencies of up to 2.8% were measured for the partitioning of gas-phase precursors (unburned hydrocarbons and SO2) to form volatile aerosols. Highest conversion efficiencies were measured at 45% power.

Effects of Alternate Test Formats in Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Alan

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare differences in methods of testing for two undergraduate online courses to determine the effect of alternate test formats in relation to participant grades. Specific purposes of this study were to determine whether a difference existed in student test scores between the control and treatment groups and…

Read Across Approaches: Chemical Structure and Bioactivity ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Presentation for FDA-CFSAN and ILSI workshop on Workshop on State of the Science on Alternatives to Animal Testing and Integration of Testing Strategies for Food Safety Assessments Presentation for FDA-CFSAN and ILSI workshop on Workshop: State of the Science on Alternatives to Animal Testing and Integration of Testing Strategies for Food Safety Assessments

40 CFR 86.162-03 - Approval of alternative air conditioning test simulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... conditioning test simulations. 86.162-03 Section 86.162-03 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... Trucks and New Otto-Cycle Complete Heavy-Duty Vehicles; Test Procedures § 86.162-03 Approval of alternative air conditioning test simulations. (a) Upon petition from a manufacturer or upon the Agency's own...

A Simple Alternative to the IMViC Test in Microbiology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benathen, Isaiah A.

1992-01-01

Presents a singular alternative to the Indole Methyl-red Voges-Proskauer Citrate (IMViC) test that uses bile-esculin agar to distinguish between the Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenes bacteria. Includes materials and methods, results, and conclusions for the test. (MDH)

Florida alternative NTCIP testing software (ANTS) for actuated signal controllers.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

The scope of this research project did include the development of a software tool to test devices for NTCIP compliance. Development of the Florida Alternative NTCIP Testing Software (ANTS) was developed by the research team due to limitations found w...

Nicotinamide Inhibits Vasculogenic Mimicry, an Alternative Vascularization Pathway Observed in Highly Aggressive Melanoma

PubMed Central

Shalmon, Bruria; Kubi, Adva; Treves, Avraham J.; Shapira-Frommer, Ronnie; Avivi, Camilla; Ortenberg, Rona; Ben-Ami, Eytan; Schachter, Jacob; Besser, Michal J.; Markel, Gal

2013-01-01

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) describes functional vascular channels composed only of tumor cells and its presence predicts poor prognosis in melanoma patients. Inhibition of this alternative vascularization pathway might be of clinical importance, especially as several anti-angiogenic therapies targeting endothelial cells are largely ineffective in melanoma. We show the presence of VM structures histologically in a series of human melanoma lesions and demonstrate that cell cultures derived from these lesions form tubes in 3D cultures ex vivo. We tested the ability of nicotinamide, the amide form of vitamin B3 (niacin), which acts as an epigenetic gene regulator through unique cellular pathways, to modify VM. Nicotinamide effectively inhibited the formation of VM structures and destroyed already formed ones, in a dose-dependent manner. Remarkably, VM formation capacity remained suppressed even one month after the complete withdrawal of Nicotimamid. The inhibitory effect of nicotinamide on VM formation could be at least partially explained by a nicotinamide-driven downregulation of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-Cadherin), which is known to have a central role in VM. Further major changes in the expression profile of hundreds of genes, most of them clustered in biologically-relevant clusters, were observed. In addition, nicotinamide significantly inhibited melanoma cell proliferation, but had an opposite effect on their invasion capacity. Cell cycle analysis indicated moderate changes in apoptotic indices. Therefore, nicotinamide could be further used to unravel new biological mechanisms that drive VM and tumor progression. Targeting VM, especially in combination with anti-angiogenic strategies, is expected to be synergistic and might yield substantial anti neoplastic effects in a variety of malignancies. PMID:23451174

13th Meeting of the Scientific Group on Methodologies for the Safety Evaluation of Chemicals (SGOMSEC): alternative testing methodologies for ecotoxicity.

PubMed Central

Walker, C; Kaiser, K; Klein, W; Lagadic, L; Peakall, D; Sheffield, S; Soldan, T; Yasuno, M

1998-01-01

There is growing public pressure to minimize the use of vertebrates in ecotoxicity testing; therefore, effective alternatives to toxicity tests causing suffering are being sought. This report discusses alternatives and differs in some respects from the reports of the other three groups because the primary concern is with harmful effects of chemicals at the level of population and above rather than with harmful effects upon individuals. It is concluded that progress toward the objective of minimizing testing that causes suffering would be served by the following initiatives--a clearer definition of goals and strategies when undertaking testing procedures; development of alternative assays, including in vitro test systems, that are based on new technology; development of nondestructive assays for vertebrates (e.g., biomarkers) that do not cause suffering; selection of most appropriate species, strains, and developmental stages for testing procedures (but no additional species for basic testing); better integrated and more flexible testing procedures incorporating biomarker responses, ecophysiological concepts, and ecological end points (progress in this direction depends upon expert judgment). In general, testing procedures could be made more realistic, taking into account problems with mixtures, and with volatile or insoluble chemicals. PMID:9599690