Monte carlo efficiency calibration of a neutron generator-based total-body irradiator

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The increasing prevalence of obesity world-wide has focused attention on the need for accurate body composition assessments, especially of large subjects. However, many body composition measurement systems are calibrated against a single-sized phantom, often based on the standard Reference Man mode...

Quantitative measurement of the chemical composition of geological standards with a miniature laser ablation/ionization mass spectrometer designed for in situ application in space research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuland, M. B.; Grimaudo, V.; Mezger, K.; Moreno-García, P.; Riedo, A.; Tulej, M.; Wurz, P.

2016-03-01

A key interest of planetary space missions is the quantitative determination of the chemical composition of the planetary surface material. The chemical composition of surface material (minerals, rocks, soils) yields fundamental information that can be used to answer key scientific questions about the formation and evolution of the planetary body in particular and the Solar System in general. We present a miniature time-of-flight type laser ablation/ionization mass spectrometer (LMS) and demonstrate its capability in measuring the elemental and mineralogical composition of planetary surface samples quantitatively by using a femtosecond laser for ablation/ionization. The small size and weight of the LMS make it a remarkable tool for in situ chemical composition measurements in space research, convenient for operation on a lander or rover exploring a planetary surface. In the laboratory, we measured the chemical composition of four geological standard reference samples USGS AGV-2 Andesite, USGS SCo-l Cody Shale, NIST 97b Flint Clay and USGS QLO-1 Quartz Latite with LMS. These standard samples are used to determine the sensitivity factors of the instrument. One important result is that all sensitivity factors are close to 1. Additionally, it is observed that the sensitivity factor of an element depends on its electron configuration, hence on the electron work function and the elemental group in agreement with existing theory. Furthermore, the conformity of the sensitivity factors is supported by mineralogical analyses of the USGS SCo-l and the NIST 97b samples. With the four different reference samples, the consistency of the calibration factors can be demonstrated, which constitutes the fundamental basis for a standard-less measurement-technique for in situ quantitative chemical composition measurements on planetary surface.

The USDA Table of Cooking Yields for Meat and Poultry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Nutrient Data Laboratory (NDL) at the USDA conducts food composition research to develop accurate, unbiased, and representative food and nutrient composition data which are released as the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR). SR is used as the foundation of most other foo...

DOE research and development report. Progress report, October 1980-September 1981

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

Bingham, Carleton D.

The DOE New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) is the US Government's Nuclear Materials Standards and Measurement Laboratory. NBL is assigned the mission to provide and maintain, as an essential part of federal statutory responsibilities related to national and international safeguards of nuclear materials for USA defense and energy programs, an ongoing capability for: the development, preparation, certification, and distribution of reference materials for the calibration and standardization of nuclear materials measurements; the development, improvement, and evaluation of nuclear materials measurement technology; the assessment and evaluation of the practice and application of nuclear materials measurement technology; expert and reliable specialized nuclear materialsmore » measurement services for the government; and technology exchange and training in nuclear materials measurement and standards. Progress reports for this fiscal year are presented under the following sections: (1) development or evaluation of measurement technology (elemental assay of uranium plutonium; isotope composition); (2) standards and reference materials (NBL standards and reference materials; NBS reference materials); and (3) evaluation programs (safeguards analytical laboratory evaluation; general analytical evaluation program; other evaluation programs).« less

Standard wool fabric as a reference material. [for fire toxicity tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilado, C. J.; Cumming, H. J.

1977-01-01

Standard wool fabric is investigated as a potential reference material. A screening test method for relative toxicity exposes four albino male rats enclosed in a 4.2 liter hemispherical chamber to pyrolysis effluents produced by pyrolyzing a 1.00 g sample under a variety of test conditions (200-800 C with a 40 C/min heating rate). It is found that for fabrics containing 86-100% wool, animal response remains virtually unchanged, although a 100% wool fabric is preferred as it eliminates local composition differences as a source of variation.

Aluminium-gold reference material for the k0-standardisation of neutron activation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingelbrecht, C.; Peetermans, F.; De Corte, F.; De Wispelaere, A.; Vandecasteele, C.; Courtijn, E.; D'Hondt, P.

1991-05-01

Gold is an excellent comparator material for the k0-standardisation of neutron activation analysis because of its convenient and well defined nuclear properties. The most suitable form for a reference material is a dilute aluminium-gold alloy, for which the self-shielding effect for neutrons is small. Castings of composition Al-0.1 wt.% Au were prepared by crucible-less levitation melting, which gives close control of ingot composition with minimal contamination of the melt. The alloy composition was checked using induction-coupled plasma source emission spectrometry. The homogeneity of the alloy was measured by neutron activation analysis and a relative standard deviation of the gold content of 0.30% was found (10 mg samples). Metallography revealed a homogeneous distribution of AuAl 2 particles. The alloy was certified as Reference Material CBNM-530, with certified gold mass fraction 0.100±0.002 wt.%.

Detection of different kidney stone types: an ex vivo comparison of ultrashort echo time MRI to reference standard CT.

PubMed

Ibrahim, El-Sayed H; Cernigliaro, Joseph G; Pooley, Robert A; Bridges, Mellena D; Giesbrandt, Jamie G; Williams, James C; Haley, William E

2016-01-01

With the development of ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequences, it may now be possible to detect kidney stones by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this study, kidney stones of varying composition and sizes were imaged using both UTE MRI as well as the reference standard of computed tomography (CT), with different surrounding materials and scan setups. One hundred and fourteen kidney stones were inserted into agarose and urine phantoms and imaged both on a dual-energy CT (DECT) scanner using a standard renal stone imaging protocol and on an MRI scanner using the UTE sequence with both head and body surface coils. A subset of the stones representing all composition types and sizes was then inserted into the collecting system of porcine kidneys and imaged in vitro with both CT and MRI. All of the stones were visible on both CT and MRI imaging. DECT was capable of differentiating between uric acid and nonuric acid stones. In MRI imaging, the choice of coil and large field of view (FOV) did not affect stone detection or image quality. The MRI images showed good visualization of the stones' shapes, and the stones' dimensions measured from MRI were in good agreement with the actual values (R(2)=0.886, 0.895, and 0.81 in the agarose phantom, urine phantom, and pig kidneys, respectively). The measured T2 relaxation times ranged from 4.2 to 7.5ms, but did not show significant differences among different stone composition types. UTE MRI compared favorably with the reference standard CT for imaging stones of different composition types and sizes using body surface coil and large FOV, which suggests potential usefulness of UTE MRI in imaging kidney stones in vivo. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nutrient database improvement project: Separable components and proximate composition of raw and cooked retail cuts from the beef rib and plate

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Beef nutrition is very important to the worldwide beef industry and its consumers. The objective of this study was to analyze nutrient composition of eight beef rib and plate cuts to update the nutrient data in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR). Seventy-two carcasses ...

Uranium in NIMROC standard igneous rock samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rowe, M. W.; Herndon, J. M.

1976-01-01

Results are reported for analysis of the uranium in multiple samples of each of six igneous-rock standards (dunite, granite, lujavrite, norite, pyroxenite, and syenite) prepared as geochemical reference standards for elemental and isotopic compositions. Powdered rock samples were examined by measuring delayed neutron emission after irradiation with a flux of the order of 10 to the 13th power neutrons/sq cm per sec in a nuclear reactor. The measurements are shown to compare quite favorably with previous uranium determinations for other standard rock samples.

Quantitative determination of mineral composition by powder x-ray diffraction

DOEpatents

Pawloski, G.A.

1984-08-10

An external standard intensity ratio method is used for quantitatively determining mineralogic compositions of samples by x-ray diffraction. The method uses ratios of x-ray intensity peaks from a single run. Constants are previously determined for each mineral which is to be quantitatively measured. Ratios of the highest intensity peak of each mineral to be quantified in the sample and the highest intensity peak of a reference mineral contained in the sample are used to calculate sample composition.

Quantitative determination of mineral composition by powder X-ray diffraction

DOEpatents

Pawloski, Gayle A.

1986-01-01

An external standard intensity ratio method is used for quantitatively determining mineralogic compositions of samples by x-ray diffraction. The method uses ratios of x-ray intensity peaks from a single run. Constants are previously determined for each mineral which is to be quantitatively measured. Ratios of the highest intensity peak of each mineral to be quantified in the sample and the highest intensity peak of a reference mineral contained in the sample are used to calculate sample composition.

Extract-filter-shoot liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry for the analysis of vitamin D2 in a powdered supplement capsule and standard reference material 3280.

PubMed

Byrdwell, William Craig

2014-08-01

An "extract-filter-shoot" method for the analysis of vitamin D2, ergocalciferol, in a dry powdered dietary supplement capsule containing rice flour excipient and in a National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference material 3280 is reported. Quantification of vitamin D2 was done by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry using selected ion monitoring, two transitions of selected reaction monitoring, and extracted ion chromatograms from full scans. UV detection was used for the quantification of Vitamin D2 in the dry powder capsule, whereas interfering species rendered UV detection unreliable for standard reference material 3280. Average values for standard reference material 3280 ranged from 8.27 ± 0.58 to 8.33 ± 0.57 μg/g using internal standard calibration and response factor approaches, compared to the previous National Institute of Standards and Technology internal value for vitamin D2 of 8.78 ± 0.11 μg/g, and the recently updated reference value of 8.6 ± 2.6 μg/g. The powdered supplement capsule was found to contain 28.19 ± 0.35 to 28.67 ± 0.90 μg/capsule for a capsule labeled to contain 25.00 μg. The triacylglycerol composition of the rice flour excipient in the powdered supplement capsule determined by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry is also reported. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enantiomer fractions of polychlorinated biphenyls in three selected Standard Reference Materials.

PubMed

Morrissey, Joshua A; Bleackley, Derek S; Warner, Nicholas A; Wong, Charles S

2007-01-01

The enantiomer composition of six chiral polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in three different certified Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): SRM 1946 (Lake Superior fish tissue), SRM 1939a (PCB Congeners in Hudson River Sediment), and SRM 2978 (organic contaminants in mussel tissue--Raritan Bay, New Jersey) to aid in quality assurance/quality control methodologies in the study of chiral pollutants in sediments and biota. Enantiomer fractions (EFs) of PCBs 91, 95, 136, 149, 174, and 183 were measured using a suite of chiral columns by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Concentrations of target analytes were in agreement with certified values. Target analyte EFs in reference materials were measured precisely (<2% relative standard deviation), indicating the utility of SRM in quality assurance/control methodologies for analyses of chiral compounds in environmental samples. Measured EFs were also in agreement with previously published analyses of similar samples, indicating that similar enantioselective processes were taking place in these environmental matrices.

Strip mine reclamation: criteria and methods for measurement of revegetation success. Progress report, April 1, 1980-March 31, 1981

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

Carrel, J.E.; Kucera, C.L.; Johannsen, C.J.

1980-12-01

During this contract period research was continued at finding suitable methods and criteria for determining the success of revegetation in Midwestern prime ag lands strip mined for coal. Particularly important to the experimental design was the concept of reference areas, which were nearby fields from which the performance standards for reclaimed areas were derived. Direct and remote sensing techniques for measuring plant ground cover, production, and species composition were tested. 15 mine sites were worked in which were permitted under interim permanent surface mine regulations and in 4 adjoining reference sites. Studies at 9 prelaw sites were continued. All sitesmore » were either in Missouri or Illinois. Data gathered in the 1980 growing season showed that 13 unmanaged or young mineland pastures generally had lower average ground cover and production than 2 reference pastures. In contrast, yields at approximately 40% of 11 recently reclaimed mine sites planted with winter wheat, soybeans, or milo were statistically similar to 3 reference values. Digital computer image analysis of color infrared aerial photographs, when compared to ground level measurements, was a fast, accurate, and inexpensive way to determine plant ground cover and areas. But the remote sensing approach was inferior to standard surface methods for detailing plant species abundance and composition.« less

On the traceability of gaseous reference materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Richard J. C.; Brewer, Paul J.; Harris, Peter M.; Davidson, Stuart; van der Veen, Adriaan M. H.; Ent, Hugo

2017-06-01

The complex and multi-parameter nature of chemical composition measurement means that establishing traceability is a challenging task. As a result incorrect interpretations about the origin of the metrological traceability of chemical measurement results can occur. This discussion paper examines why this is the case by scrutinising the peculiarities of the gas metrology area. It considers in particular: primary methods, dissemination of metrological traceability and the role of documentary standards and accreditation bodies in promulgating best practice. There is also a discussion of documentary standards relevant to the NMI and reference material producer community which need clarification, and the impact which key stakeholders in the quality infrastructure can bring to these issues.

Fuel and Fuel System Materials Compatibility Test Program for A JP-8+100 Fuel Additive. Volume 1: Thermal Stability Additive Package BetzDearborn Spec Aid(Registered) 8Q462

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-01

SAE Rings, Sealing, Butadiene-Acrylonitrile ( NBR ), Rubber Fuel and Low Temperature Resistant 60 - 70 MIL-R-83248C Rubber , Fluorocarbon...KAPTON/TEFLON (COMPOSITE) WIRE I.I.10 34 VI. REFERENCE DOCUMENTS Non-Metallics MIL-HDBK-149B Military Standardization Hand Book Rubber ...ASTM D-1414 Standard Test Methods for Rubber O-Rings ASTM D-412 Type II Standard Test Methods for Vulcanized Rubber and Thermoplastic

NBL CRM 112-A: A new certified isotopic composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, R. B.; Essex, R. M.; Mason, P.

2007-12-01

NBL CRM 112-A Uranium Metal Assay Standard is commonly used as a natural uranium isotopic reference material within the earth science mass spectrometry community. The metal is from the same parent material as NBS SRM 960, the uranyl nitrate solution, CRM 145, and the high-purity uranyl nitrate solution CRM 145-B. Because CRM 112-A has not yet been certified for isotopic composition, it has been assumed that this material has a natural 235U/238U (0.0072527), and the δ234U has been determined by measurement (e.g. -37.1‰; Cheng et al., 2000). These values have been widely used to calibrate the concentration of spikes and standards, and to correct measurements for instrument or mass bias. New, preliminary, isotopic measurements on CRM 145 and CRM 112-A performed at New Brunswick Laboratory suggest that these reference materials have a slightly lower 235U/238U and δ234U than have been commonly used. If this is the case, then data using the accepted values may be slightly biased. The significance of this bias will depend on the uncertainty of the measurement, how the CRM 112-A data is used to correct measurement data, the cited values that were used to correct the data, and the final certified values of the CRM. This fall, New Brunswick Laboratory is certifying the isotopic composition of the CRM 112-A metal using high precision thermal ionization mass spectrometry techniques. Upon completion of certification, the new CRM 112- A standard with certified isotopic ratios will provide the earth science community with a well characterized and traceable reference for calibrating and correcting their mass spectrometry measurement systems.

Value assignment of nutrient concentrations in five standard reference materials and six reference materials.

PubMed

Sharpless, K E; Gill, L M

2000-01-01

A number of food-matrix reference materials (RMs) are available from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and from Agriculture Canada through NIST. Most of these materials were originally value-assigned for their elemental composition (major, minor, and trace elements), but no additional nutritional information was provided. Two of the materials were certified for selected organic constituents. Ten of these materials (Standard Reference Material [SRM] 1,563 Cholesterol and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Coconut Oil [Natural and Fortified], SRM 1,566b Oyster Tissue, SRM 1,570a Spinach Leaves, SRM 1,974a Organics in Mussel Tissue (Mytilus edulis), RM 8,415 Whole Egg Powder, RM 8,418 Wheat Gluten, RM 8,432 Corn Starch, RM 8,433 Corn Bran, RM 8,435 Whole Milk Powder, and RM 8,436 Durum Wheat Flour) were recently distributed by NIST to 4 laboratories with expertise in food analysis for the measurement of proximates (solids, fat, protein, etc.), calories, and total dietary fiber, as appropriate. SRM 1846 Infant Formula was distributed as a quality control sample for the proximates and for analysis for individual fatty acids. Two of the materials (Whole Egg Powder and Whole Milk Powder) were distributed in an earlier interlaboratory comparison exercise in which they were analyzed for several vitamins. Value assignment of analyte concentrations in these 11 SRMs and RMs, based on analyses by the collaborating laboratories, is described in this paper. These materials are intended primarily for validation of analytical methods for the measurement of nutrients in foods of similar composition (based on AOAC INTERNATIONAL's fat-protein-carbohydrate triangle). They may also be used as "primary control materials" in the value assignment of in-house control materials of similar composition. The addition of proximate information for 10 existing reference materials means that RMs are now available from NIST with assigned values for proximates in 6 of the 9 sectors of the AOAC triangle. Five of these materials have values assigned for total dietary fiber-the first such information provided for materials available from NIST.

40 CFR 98.364 - Monitoring and QA/QC requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... by Gas Chromatography (incorporated by reference see § 98.7). All gas composition monitors shall be...-90 (Reapproved 2006) Standard Practice for Analysis of Reformed Gas by Gas Chromatography... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Manure Management § 98.364 Monitoring and QA/QC requirements...

40 CFR 98.364 - Monitoring and QA/QC requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... by Gas Chromatography (incorporated by reference see § 98.7). All gas composition monitors shall be...-90 (Reapproved 2006) Standard Practice for Analysis of Reformed Gas by Gas Chromatography... (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Manure Management § 98.364 Monitoring and QA/QC requirements...

National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference - Find Nutrient Value of Common Foods by Nutrient

MedlinePlus

... grams Household * required field ​ USDA Food Composition Databases Software developed by the National Agricultural Library v.3.9.4.1 2018-06-11 NAL Home | USDA.gov | Agricultural Research Service | Plain Language | FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Information Quality | Privacy ...

Ultra-high-precision Nd-isotope measurements of geological materials by MC-ICPMS

PubMed Central

Saji, Nikitha Susan; Wielandt, Daniel; Paton, Chad; Bizzarro, Martin

2016-01-01

We report novel techniques allowing the measurement of Nd-isotope ratios with unprecedented accuracy and precision by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Using the new protocol, we have measured the Nd-isotopic composition of rock and synthetic Nd standards as well as that of the Allende carbonaceous chondrite. Analyses of BCR-2, BHVO-2 and GSP-2 rock standards yield mass-independent compositions identical to the JNdi-1 Nd-reference standard, with an external reproducibility of 2.4, 1.6, 1.6 and 3.5 ppm respectively, on μ142Nd, μ145Nd, μ146Nd and μ150Nd (μ representing the ppm-deviation of the ratios from JNdi-1) using 148Nd/144Nd for internal normalization. This represents an improvement in precision by a factor of 2, 7 and 9 respectively for μ142Nd, μ145Nd and μ150Nd. Near-quantitative recovery from purification chemistry and sample-standard bracketing allow for the determination of mass-dependent Nd-isotopic composition of samples. Synthetic standards, namely La Jolla and AMES, record mass-dependent variability of up to 1.2 ε per atomic mass unit and mass-independent compositions resolvable by up to 3 ppm for μ142Nd and 8 ppm for μ150Nd, relative to JNdi-1. The mass-independent compositions are consistent with equilibrium mass fractionation during purification. The terrestrial rock standards define a uniform stable ε145Nd of −0.24 ± 0.19 (2SD) relative to JNdi-1, indistinguishable from the mean Allende ε145Nd of −0.19 ± 0.09. We consider this value to represent the mass-dependent Nd-isotope composition of Bulk Silicate Earth (BSE). The modest mass-dependent fractionation of JNdi-1 relative to BSE results in potential effects on mass-independent composition that cannot be resolved within the reproducibility of our analyses when correcting for natural and instrumental mass fractionation by kinetic law, making it a suitable reference standard for analysis of unknowns. Analysis of Allende (CV3) carbonaceous chondrite returns an average μ142Nd deficit of −30.1 ± 3.7 ppm in agreement with previous studies. The apparent deficit is, however, lowered to −23.8 ± 4.0 ppm while normalizing to 148Nd/144Nd instead of 146Nd/144Nd. We interpret this as the effect of a possible nucleosynthetic anomaly of −6.3 ± 0.5 ppm in μ146Nd. As 142Nd and 146Nd are both s-process-dominated nuclides, this hints at the possibility that terrestrial μ142Nd excess may not reflect 146Sm decay as widely accepted. PMID:27429505

USDA Branded Food Products Database, Release 2

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The USDA Branded Food Products Database is the ongoing result of a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), whose goal is to enhance public health and the sharing of open data by complementing the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR) with nutrient composition of branded foods and pri...

The density-salinity relation of standard seawater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Hannes; Seitz, Steffen; Hassel, Egon; Wolf, Henning

2018-01-01

The determination of salinity by means of electrical conductivity relies on stable salt proportions in the North Atlantic Ocean, because standard seawater, which is required for salinometer calibration, is produced from water of the North Atlantic. To verify the long-term stability of the standard seawater composition, it was proposed to perform measurements of the standard seawater density. Since the density is sensitive to all salt components, a density measurement can detect any change in the composition. A conversion of the density values to salinity can be performed by means of a density-salinity relation. To use such a relation with a target uncertainty in salinity comparable to that in salinity obtained from conductivity measurements, a density measurement with an uncertainty of 2 g m-3 is mandatory. We present a new density-salinity relation based on such accurate density measurements. The substitution measurement method used is described and density corrections for uniform isotopic and chemical compositions are reported. The comparison of densities calculated using the new relation with those calculated using the present reference equations of state TEOS-10 suggests that the density accuracy of TEOS-10 (as well as that of EOS-80) has been overestimated, as the accuracy of some of its underlying density measurements had been overestimated. The new density-salinity relation may be used to verify the stable composition of standard seawater by means of routine density measurements.

X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy Study of Coating Thickness and Base Metal Composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rolin, T. D.; Leszczuk, Y.

2008-01-01

For electrical, electronic, and electromechanical (EEE) parts to be approved for space use, they must be able to meet safety standards approved by NASA. A fast, reliable, and precise method is needed to make sure these standards are met. Many EEE parts are coated in gold (Au) and nickel (Ni), and the thickness coating is crucial to a part s performance. A nondestructive method that is efficient in measuring coating thickness is x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. The XRF spectrometer is a machine designed to measure layer thickness and composition of single or multilayered samples. By understanding the limitations in the collection of the data by this method, accurate composition and thickness measurements can be obtained for samples with Au and Ni coatings. To understand the limitations of data found, measurements were taken with the XRF spectrometer and compared to true values of standard reference materials (SRM) that were National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) traceable. For every sample, six different parameters were varied to understand measurement error: coating/substrate combination, number of layers, counting interval, collimator size, coating thickness, and test area location. Each measurement was taken in accordance with standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International Standard B 568.

40 CFR 63.750 - Test methods and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 11 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Test methods and procedures. 63.750...) National Emission Standards for Aerospace Manufacturing and Rework Facilities § 63.750 Test methods and... engineering reference texts, or other equivalent methods. (2) The composite vapor pressure of a blended hand...

Update of NDL’s list of key foods based on the 2007-2008 WWEIA-NHANES

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Nutrient Data Laboratory is responsible for developing authoritative nutrient databases that contain a wide range of food composition values of the nation's food supply. This requires updating and revising the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR) and developing various special int...

Quality assurance and quality control in light stable isotope laboratories: A case study of Rio Grande, Texas, water samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coplen, T.B.; Qi, H.

2009-01-01

New isotope laboratories can achieve the goal of reporting the same isotopic composition within analytical uncertainty for the same material analysed decades apart by (1) writing their own acceptance testing procedures and putting them into their mass spectrometric or laser-based isotope-ratio equipment procurement contract, (2) requiring a manufacturer to demonstrate acceptable performance using all sample ports provided with the instrumentation, (3) for each medium to be analysed, prepare two local reference materials substantially different in isotopic composition to encompass the range in isotopic composition expected in the laboratory and calibrated them with isotopic reference materials available from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), (4) using the optimum storage containers (for water samples, sealing in glass ampoules that are sterilised after sealing is satisfactory), (5) interspersing among sample unknowns local laboratory isotopic reference materials daily (internationally distributed isotopic reference materials can be ordered at three-year intervals, and can be used for elemental analyser analyses and other analyses that consume less than 1 mg of material) - this process applies to H, C, N, O, and S isotope ratios, (6) calculating isotopic compositions of unknowns by normalising isotopic data to that of local reference materials, which have been calibrated to internationally distributed isotopic reference materials, (7) reporting results on scales normalised to internationally distributed isotopic reference materials (where they are available) and providing to sample submitters the isotopic compositions of internationally distributed isotopic reference materials of the same substance had they been analysed with unknowns, (8) providing an audit trail in the laboratory for analytical results - this trail commonly will be in electronic format and might include a laboratory information management system, (9) making at regular intervals a complete backup of laboratory analytical data (both of samples logged into the laboratory and of mass spectrometric analyses), being sure to store one copy of this backup offsite, and (10) participating in interlaboratory comparison exercises sponsored by the IAEA and other agencies at regular intervals. ?? Taylor & Francis.

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry reference data for GE Lunar systems.

PubMed

Fan, Bo; Shepherd, John A; Levine, Michael A; Steinberg, Dee; Wacker, Wynn; Barden, Howard S; Ergun, David; Wu, Xin P

2014-01-01

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1999-2004) includes adult and pediatric comparisons for total body bone and body composition results. Because dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measurements from different manufacturers are not standardized, NHANES reference values currently are applicable only to a single make and model of Hologic DXA system. The purpose of this study was to derive body composition reference curves for GE Healthcare Lunar DXA systems. Published values from the NHANES 1999-2004 survey were acquired from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Using previously reported cross-calibration equations between Hologic and GE-Lunar, we converted the total body and regional bone and soft-tissue measurements from NHANES 1999-2004 to GE-Lunar values. The LMS (LmsChartMaker Pro Version 3.5) curve fitting method was used to generate GE-Lunar reference curves. Separate curves were generated for each sex and ethnicity. The reference curves were also divided into pediatric (≤20 years old) and adult (>20 years old) groups. Adult reference curves were derived as a function of age. Additional relationships of pediatric DXA values were derived as a function of height, lean mass, and bone area. Robustness was tested between Hologic and GE-Lunar Z-score values. The NHANES 1999-2004 survey included a sample of 20,672 participants' (9630 female) DXA scans. A total of 8056 participants were younger than 20 yr and were included in the pediatric reference data set. Participants enrolled in the study who weighed more than 136 kg (over scanner table limit) were excluded. The average Z-scores comparing the new GE-Lunar reference curves are close to zero, and the standard deviation of the Z-scores are close to one for all variables. As expected, all measurements on the GE-Lunar reference curves for participants younger than 20 yr increase monotonically with age. In the adult population, most of the curves are constant at younger age and drop moderately as age increases. We have presented NHANES reference curves applicable to DXA whole-body scans acquired on GE Healthcare Lunar systems by age, sex and ethnicity. Users of GE Healthcare GE-Lunar DXA systems can now benefit from the large body composition reference data set collected in the NHANES 1999-2004 study. Copyright © 2014 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Potassium Isotopic Compositions of NIST Potassium Standards and 40Ar/39Ar Mineral Standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgan, Leah; Tappa, Mike; Ellam, Rob; Mark, Darren; Higgins, John; Simon, Justin I.

2013-01-01

Knowledge of the isotopic ratios of standards, spikes, and reference materials is fundamental to the accuracy of many geochronological methods. For example, the 238U/235U ratio relevant to U-Pb geochronology was recently re-determined [1] and shown to differ significantly from the previously accepted value employed during age determinations. These underlying values are fundamental to accurate age calculations in many isotopic systems, and uncertainty in these values can represent a significant (and often unrecognized) portion of the uncertainty budget for determined ages. The potassium isotopic composition of mineral standards, or neutron flux monitors, is a critical, but often overlooked component in the calculation of K-Ar and 40Ar/39Ar ages. It is currently assumed that all terrestrial materials have abundances indistinguishable from that of NIST SRM 985 [2]; this is apparently a reasonable assumption at the 0.25per mille level (1s) [3]. The 40Ar/39Ar method further relies on the assumption that standards and samples (including primary and secondary standards) have indistinguishable 40K/39K values. We will present data establishing the potassium isotopic compositions of NIST isotopic K SRM 985, elemental K SRM 999b, and 40Ar/39Ar biotite mineral standard GA1550 (sample MD-2). Stable isotopic compositions (41K/39K) were measured by the peak shoulder method with high resolution MC-ICP-MS (Thermo Scientific NEPTUNE Plus), using the accepted value of NIST isotopic SRM 985 [2] for fractionation [4] corrections [5]. 40K abundances were measured by TIMS (Thermo Scientific TRITON), using 41K/39K values from ICP-MS measurements (or, for SRM 985, values from [2]) for internal fractionation corrections. Collectively these data represent an important step towards a metrologically traceable calibration of 40K concentrations in primary 40Ar/39Ar mineral standards and improve uncertainties by ca. an order of magnitude in the potassium isotopic compositions of standards.

Spanish food composition tables and databases: need for a gold standard for healthcare professionals (review).

PubMed

Lupiañez-Barbero, Ascension; González Blanco, Cintia; de Leiva Hidalgo, Alberto

2018-05-23

Food composition tables and databases (FCTs or FCDBs) provide the necessary information to estimate intake of nutrients and other food components. In Spain, the lack of a reference database has resulted in use of different FCTs/FCDBs in nutritional surveys and research studies, as well as for development of dietetic for diet analysis. As a result, biased, non-comparable results are obtained, and healthcare professionals are rarely aware of these limitations. AECOSAN and the BEDCA association developed a FCDB following European standards, the Spanish Food Composition Database Network (RedBEDCA).The current database has a limited number of foods and food components and barely contains processed foods, which limits its use in epidemiological studies and in the daily practice of healthcare professionals. Copyright © 2018 SEEN y SED. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Stable isotope dilution analysis of hydrologic samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garbarino, John R.; Taylor, Howard E.

1987-01-01

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is employed in the determination of Ni, Cu, Sr, Cd, Ba, Ti, and Pb in nonsaline, natural water samples by stable isotope dilution analysis. Hydrologic samples were directly analyzed without any unusual pretreatment. Interference effects related to overlapping isobars, formation of metal oxide and multiply charged ions, and matrix composition were identified and suitable methods of correction evaluated. A comparability study snowed that single-element isotope dilution analysis was only marginally better than sequential multielement isotope dilution analysis. Accuracy and precision of the single-element method were determined on the basis of results obtained for standard reference materials. The instrumental technique was shown to be ideally suited for programs associated with certification of standard reference materials.

Vitamin D and sterol composition of ten types of mushrooms from retail suppliers in the United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vitamin D, ergosterol, ergosterol metabolites, and phytosterols were analyzed in ten mushroom types sampled nationwide in the U.S. to update the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Sterols were analyzed by GC-FID with mass spectrometric confirmation of components. Vitamin D was assayed ...

Potential Impact of the Addition of a Writing Assessment on Admissions Decisions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridgeman, Brent; McHale, Frederick

1998-01-01

A study investigated the effect of adding a writing measure to the Graduate Management Admission Test on the gender/ethnic composition of an admissions pool. Standardized differences from the white male reference group were computed for men and women in four ethnic/minority groups: Whites, Asian-Americans, African-Americans, and…

Intake of energy and nutrients; harmonization of Food Composition Databases.

PubMed

Martinez-Victoria, Emilio; Martinez de Victoria, Ignacio; Martinez-Burgos, M Alba

2015-02-26

Food composition databases (FCDBs) provide detailed information about the nutritional composition of foods. The conversion of food consumption into nutrient intake need a Food composition database (FCDB) which lists the mean nutritional values for a given food portion. The limitations of FCDBs are sometimes little known by the users. Multicentre studies have raised several methodology challenges which allow to standardize nutritional assessments in different populations and geographical areas for food composition and nutrient intake. Differences between FCDBs include those attributed to technical matters, such as description of foods, calculation of energy and definition of nutrients, analytical methods, and principles for recipe calculation. Such differences need to be identified and eliminated before comparing data from different studies, especially when dietary data is related to a health outcome. There are ongoing efforts since 1984 to standardize FCDBs over the world (INFOODS, EPIC, EuroFIR, etc.). Food composition data can be gathered from different sources like private company analysis, universities, government laboratories and food industry. They can also be borrowed from scientific literature or even from the food labelling. There are different proposals to evaluate the quality of food composition data. For the development of a FCDB it is fundamental document in the most detailed way, each of the data values of the different components and nutrients of a food. The objective of AECOSAN (Agencia Española de Consumo Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición) and BEDCA (Base de Datos Española de Composición de Alimentos) association was the development and support of a reference FCDB in Spain according to the standards to be defined in Europe. BEDCA is currently the only FCDB developed in Spain with compiled and documented data following EuroFIR standards. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2015. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

[Anthropometric study and evaluation of the nutritional status of a population school children in Granada; comparison of national and international reference standards].

PubMed

González Jiménez, E; Aguilar Cordero, M J; Álvarez Ferre, J; Padilla López, C; Valenza, M C

2012-01-01

Recent studies show an alarming increase in levels of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents. The main objectives of this research were the following: (i) to carry out an anthropometric evaluation of the nutritional status and body composition of school children in the city and province of Granada; (ii) to compare the nutritional status of this population sample with national and international reference standards. The results obtained in this study showed that the general prevalence of overweight in both sexes was 22.03% and that 9.12% of the children were obese. Statistically significant differences were found between the variable, weight for age and sex (p < 0.05) and the variable, height for age and sex (p < 0.05). Regarding the body mass index, no statistically significant differences were found for the variable, sex (p = 0.182). This contrasted with the variable, age, which did show statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). As a conclusion, the results of our study highlighted the fact that these anthropometric values were much higher than national and international reference standards.

Effect of natural weathering conditions on the dynamic behavior of woven aramid composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaya, A. I.; Kısa, M.; Özen, M.

2018-02-01

In this study, aging of woven aramid/epoxy composites under different natural conditions were studied. Composite beams were manufactured by Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion Method (VARIM). Composites were cut into specimen according to ASTM D3039 and vibration tests. Elastic moduli of reference composites were found according to ASTM D3039 standard. Validation of methodology was performed numerically in Ansys software before aging process. An algorithm, which is predicated on FFT (Fast Fourier Transforms), was composed in Matlab to process output of vibration analysis data so as to identify natural frequencies of beams. Composites were aged for 12 months and various natural weathering aging conditions effects on woven aramid composite beams were surveyed through vibration analysis with 3 months interval. Five specimens of woven aramid beams were considered for dynamic tests and effect of aging on first three natural frequencies were determined.

Self-reference and random sampling approach for label-free identification of DNA composition using plasmonic nanomaterials.

PubMed

Freeman, Lindsay M; Pang, Lin; Fainman, Yeshaiahu

2018-05-09

The analysis of DNA has led to revolutionary advancements in the fields of medical diagnostics, genomics, prenatal screening, and forensic science, with the global DNA testing market expected to reach revenues of USD 10.04 billion per year by 2020. However, the current methods for DNA analysis remain dependent on the necessity for fluorophores or conjugated proteins, leading to high costs associated with consumable materials and manual labor. Here, we demonstrate a potential label-free DNA composition detection method using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) in which we identify the composition of cytosine and adenine within single strands of DNA. This approach depends on the fact that there is one phosphate backbone per nucleotide, which we use as a reference to compensate for systematic measurement variations. We utilize plasmonic nanomaterials with random Raman sampling to perform label-free detection of the nucleotide composition within DNA strands, generating a calibration curve from standard samples of DNA and demonstrating the capability of resolving the nucleotide composition. The work represents an innovative way for detection of the DNA composition within DNA strands without the necessity of attached labels, offering a highly sensitive and reproducible method that factors in random sampling to minimize error.

A comparison of the BAX system method to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Bacteriological Analytical Manual and International Organization for Standardization reference methods for the detection of Salmonella in a variety of soy ingredients.

PubMed

Belete, Tamrat; Crowley, Erin; Bird, Patrick; Gensic, Joseph; Wallace, F Morgan

2014-10-01

The performances of two DuPont BAX System PCR assays for detecting Salmonella on a variety of low-moisture soy ingredients were evaluated against the U. S. Food and Drug Administration's Bacteriological Analytical Manual (FDA BAM) method or the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 6579 reference method. These evaluations were conducted as a single laboratory validation at an ISO 17025 accredited third-party laboratory. Validations were conducted on five soy ingredients: isolated soy protein (ISP), soy fiber, fluid soy lecithin, deoiled soy lecithin, and soy nuggets, using a paired-study design. The ISP was analyzed as both 25- and 375-g composite test portions, whereas all other sample matrices were analyzed as 375-g composite test portions. To evaluate 25-g test portions of ISP, the test material was inoculated using Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Mbandaka (Q Laboratories isolate 11031.1). Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Tennessee (Q Laboratories isolate 11031.3) was used for all other trials. For each trial of the method comparison, 25 samples were analyzed for each matrix: 5 uninoculated controls and 20 samples inoculated at low levels (0.2 to 2 CFU per test portion) that were targeted to achieve fractionally positive results (25 to 75%). Using McNemar's chi-square analysis, no significant difference at P ≥ 0.05 (χ(2) ≤ 3.84) was observed between the number of positives obtained by the BAX System and the reference methods for all five test matrices evaluated. These studies indicate that the BAX System PCR assays, in combination with the single buffered peptone water primary enrichment and subsequent brain heart infusion regrowth step, demonstrate equivalent sensitivity and robustness compared with the FDA BAM and ISO reference methods for both 25- and 375-g composite samples. Moreover, there was no observed reduction of sensitivity in the larger 375-g composite samples for all five matrices.

Modeling Non-Linear Material Properties in Composite Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-28

2 Figure 2: Implementation of multiscale enrichment into FEA ...corresponding to the mth degree of freedom, and is the associated degree of freedom. For FEA , the standard shape function, NI, which can be...varies depending on the governing method. In this presentation we will focus in the FEA approach. Reference [4] gives complete details on the

Breast Tissue Characterization with Photon-counting Spectral CT Imaging: A Postmortem Breast Study

PubMed Central

Ding, Huanjun; Klopfer, Michael J.; Ducote, Justin L.; Masaki, Fumitaro

2014-01-01

Purpose To investigate the feasibility of breast tissue characterization in terms of water, lipid, and protein contents with a spectral computed tomographic (CT) system based on a cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) photon-counting detector by using postmortem breasts. Materials and Methods Nineteen pairs of postmortem breasts were imaged with a CZT-based photon-counting spectral CT system with beam energy of 100 kVp. The mean glandular dose was estimated to be in the range of 1.8–2.2 mGy. The images were corrected for pulse pile-up and other artifacts by using spectral distortion corrections. Dual-energy decomposition was then applied to characterize each breast into water, lipid, and protein contents. The precision of the three-compartment characterization was evaluated by comparing the composition of right and left breasts, where the standard error of the estimations was determined. The results of dual-energy decomposition were compared by using averaged root mean square to chemical analysis, which was used as the reference standard. Results The standard errors of the estimations of the right-left correlations obtained from spectral CT were 7.4%, 6.7%, and 3.2% for water, lipid, and protein contents, respectively. Compared with the reference standard, the average root mean square error in breast tissue composition was 2.8%. Conclusion Spectral CT can be used to accurately quantify the water, lipid, and protein contents in breast tissue in a laboratory study by using postmortem specimens. © RSNA, 2014 PMID:24814180

Use of Fat Mass and Fat Free Mass Standard Deviation Scores Obtained Using Simple Measurement Methods in Healthy Children and Patients: Comparison with the Reference 4-Component Model

PubMed Central

Atherton, Rachel R.; Williams, Jane E.; Wells, Jonathan C. K.; Fewtrell, Mary S.

2013-01-01

Background Clinical application of body composition (BC) measurements for individual children has been limited by lack of appropriate reference data. Objectives (1) To compare fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) standard deviation scores (SDS) generated using new body composition reference data and obtained using simple measurement methods in healthy children and patients with those obtained using the reference 4-component (4-C) model; (2) To determine the extent to which scores from simple methods agree with those from the 4-C model in identification of abnormal body composition. Design FM SDS were calculated for 4-C model, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA; GE Lunar Prodigy), BMI and skinfold thicknesses (SFT); and FFM SDS for 4CM, DXA and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA; height2/Z)) in 927 subjects aged 3.8–22.0 y (211 healthy, 716 patients). Results DXA was the most accurate method for both FM and FFM SDS in healthy subjects and patients (mean bias (limits of agreement) FM SDS 0.03 (±0.62); FFM SDS −0.04 (±0.72)), and provided best agreement with the 4-C model in identifying abnormal BC (SDS ≤−2 or ≥2). BMI and SFTs were reasonable predictors of abnormal FM SDS, but poor in providing an absolute value. BIA was comparable to DXA for FFM SDS and in identifying abnormal subjects. Conclusions DXA may be used both for research and clinically to determine FM and FFM SDS. BIA may be used to assess FFM SDS in place of DXA. BMI and SFTs can be used to measure adiposity for groups but not individuals. The performance of simpler techniques in monitoring longitudinal BC changes requires investigation. Ultimately, the most appropriate method should be determined by its predictive value for clinical outcome. PMID:23690932

Use of fat mass and fat free mass standard deviation scores obtained using simple measurement methods in healthy children and patients: comparison with the reference 4-component model.

PubMed

Atherton, Rachel R; Williams, Jane E; Wells, Jonathan C K; Fewtrell, Mary S

2013-01-01

Clinical application of body composition (BC) measurements for individual children has been limited by lack of appropriate reference data. (1) To compare fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) standard deviation scores (SDS) generated using new body composition reference data and obtained using simple measurement methods in healthy children and patients with those obtained using the reference 4-component (4-C) model; (2) To determine the extent to which scores from simple methods agree with those from the 4-C model in identification of abnormal body composition. FM SDS were calculated for 4-C model, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA; GE Lunar Prodigy), BMI and skinfold thicknesses (SFT); and FFM SDS for 4CM, DXA and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA; height(2)/Z)) in 927 subjects aged 3.8-22.0 y (211 healthy, 716 patients). DXA was the most accurate method for both FM and FFM SDS in healthy subjects and patients (mean bias (limits of agreement) FM SDS 0.03 (± 0.62); FFM SDS -0.04 (± 0.72)), and provided best agreement with the 4-C model in identifying abnormal BC (SDS ≤-2 or ≥ 2). BMI and SFTs were reasonable predictors of abnormal FM SDS, but poor in providing an absolute value. BIA was comparable to DXA for FFM SDS and in identifying abnormal subjects. DXA may be used both for research and clinically to determine FM and FFM SDS. BIA may be used to assess FFM SDS in place of DXA. BMI and SFTs can be used to measure adiposity for groups but not individuals. The performance of simpler techniques in monitoring longitudinal BC changes requires investigation. Ultimately, the most appropriate method should be determined by its predictive value for clinical outcome.

Floristic composition, beta diversity, and nestedness of reference sites for restoration of xeroriparian areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beauchamp, Vanessa B.; Shafroth, P.B.

2011-01-01

In restoration ecology, reference sites serve as models for areas to be restored and can provide a standard of comparison for restoration project outcomes. When reference sites are located a relatively long distance from associated restoration projects, differences in climate, disturbance history, and biogeography can increase beta diversity and may decrease the relevance of reference sites. Variation in factors at the scale of individual reference sites such as patch size, microclimate, barriers to dispersal, or soil chemistry can result in reference site species composition that is a nested subset of the regional species pool. In the western United States, restoration of riparian areas, particularly those occupied by Tamarix spp., has become a priority; however, little is known about suitable native replacement vegetation communities for relatively dry and saline riparian terraces that comprise many of the sites where Tamarix is removed prior to restoration activities. We studied plant communities on riparian terraces along five rivers in New Mexico, USA, to (1) determine whether the floristic composition of reference sites can be predicted by easily measured soil variables such as pH, salinity (electric conductivity), and texture; (2) examine the extent of distance decay in the compositional similarity of xeroriparian plant communities in the southwestern United States; and (3) determine the degree of nestedness in xeroriparian plant communities in relationship to soil variables. We found that sites clustered into groups based largely on variation in soil salinity and texture. Vegetation across all sites was highly nested with dominant, salt-tolerant species found on most soil groups and salt-intolerant subordinate species restricted to lowsalinity soils. The identity of subordinate species was largely site dependent, causing all sites to have the same low degree of similarity regardless of the distance between them. We conclude that, when planning restoration projects on dry and saline riparian sites, soil salinity and texture are good predictors of which species will be most suited to the area being restored, but a candidate species pool should be developed from the nearest possible reference sites, particularly for subordinate species. ?? 2011 by the Ecological Society of America.

Effects of Blended-Cement Paste Chemical Composition Changes on Some Strength Gains of Blended-Mortars

PubMed Central

Kirgiz, Mehmet Serkan

2014-01-01

Effects of chemical compositions changes of blended-cement pastes (BCPCCC) on some strength gains of blended cement mortars (BCMSG) were monitored in order to gain a better understanding for developments of hydration and strength of blended cements. Blended cements (BC) were prepared by blending of 5% gypsum and 6%, 20%, 21%, and 35% marble powder (MP) or 6%, 20%, 21%, and 35% brick powder (BP) for CEMI42.5N cement clinker and grinding these portions in ball mill at 30 (min). Pastes and mortars, containing the MP-BC and the BP-BC and the reference cement (RC) and tap water and standard mortar sand, were also mixed and they were cured within water until testing. Experiments included chemical compositions of pastes and compressive strengths (CS) and flexural strengths (FS) of mortars were determined at 7th-day, 28th-day, and 90th-day according to TS EN 196-2 and TS EN 196-1 present standards. Experimental results indicated that ups and downs of silica oxide (SiO2), sodium oxide (Na2O), and alkali at MP-BCPCC and continuously rising movement of silica oxide (SiO2) at BP-BCPCC positively influenced CS and FS of blended cement mortars (BCM) in comparison with reference mortars (RM) at whole cure days as MP up to 6% or BP up to 35% was blended for cement. PMID:24587737

Safety in numbers: the development of Leapfrog's composite patient safety score for U.S. hospitals.

PubMed

Austin, J Matthew; D'Andrea, Guy; Birkmeyer, John D; Leape, Lucian L; Milstein, Arnold; Pronovost, Peter J; Romano, Patrick S; Singer, Sara J; Vogus, Timothy J; Wachter, Robert M

2014-03-01

To develop a composite patient safety score that provides patients, health-care providers, and health-care purchasers with a standardized method to evaluate patient safety in general acute care hospitals in the United States. The Leapfrog Group sought guidance from a panel of national patient safety experts to develop the composite score. Candidate patient safety performance measures for inclusion in the score were identified from publicly reported national sources. Hospital performance on each measure was converted into a "z-score" and then aggregated using measure-specific weights. A reference mean score was set at 3, with scores interpreted in terms of standard deviations above or below the mean, with above reflecting better than average performance. Twenty-six measures were included in the score. The mean composite score for 2652 general acute care hospitals in the United States was 2.97 (range by hospital, 0.46-3.94). Safety scores were slightly lower for hospitals that were publicly owned, rural in location, or had a larger percentage of patients with Medicaid as their primary insurance. The Leapfrog patient safety composite provides a standardized method to evaluate patient safety in general acute care hospitals in the United States. While constrained by available data and publicly reported scores on patient safety measures, the composite score reflects the best available evidence regarding a hospital's efforts and outcomes in patient safety. Additional analyses are needed, but the score did not seem to have a strong bias against hospitals with specific characteristics. The composite score will continue to be refined over time as measures of patient safety evolve.

Thermal and damping behaviour of magnetic shape memory alloy composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glock, Susanne; Michaud, Véronique

2015-06-01

Single crystals of ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (MSMA) exhibit magnetic field and stress induced strains via energy dissipating twinning. Embedding single crystalline MSMA particles into a polymer matrix could thus produce composites with enhanced energy dissipation, suitable for damping applications. Composites of ferromagnetic, martensitic or austenitic Ni-Mn-Ga powders embedded in a standard epoxy matrix were produced by casting. The martensitic powder composites showed a crystal structure dependent damping behaviour that was more dissipative than that of austenitic powder or Cu-Ni reference powder composites and than that of the pure matrix. The loss ratio also increased with increasing strain amplitude and decreasing frequency, respectively. Furthermore, Ni-Mn-Ga powder composites exhibited an increased damping behaviour at the martensite/austenite transformation temperature of the Ni-Mn-Ga particles in addition to that at the glass transition temperature of the epoxy matrix, creating possible synergetic effects.

Growth and body composition in Brazilian female rhythmic gymnastics athletes.

PubMed

Camargo, Cristiane Teixeira Amaral; Gomez-Campos, Rossana Anelice; Cossio-Bolaños, Marco Antonio; Barbeta, Vinicius Justino De Oliveira; Arruda, Miguel; Guerra-Junior, Gil

2014-01-01

The aim was to analyse the physical growth and body composition of rhythmic gymnastics athletes relative to their level of somatic maturation. This was a cross-sectional study of 136 athletes on 23 teams from Brazil. Mass, standing height and sitting height were measured. Fat-free and fat masses, body fat percentages and ages of the predicted peak height velocity (PHV) were calculated. The z scores for mass were negative during all ages according to both WHO and Brazilian references, and that for standing height were also negative for all ages according to WHO reference but only until 12 years old according to Brazilian reference. The mean age of the predicted PHV was 12.1 years. The mean mass, standing and sitting heights, body fat percentage, fat-free mass and fat mass increased significantly until 4 to 5 years after the age of the PHV. Menarche was reached in only 26% of these athletes and mean age was 13.2 years. The mass was below the national reference standards, and the standing height was below only for the international reference, but they also had late recovery of mass and standing height during puberty. In conclusion, these athletes had a potential to gain mass and standing height several years after PHV, indicating late maturation.

Vitamin D3 Content of Fortified Yogurt and Milk as Determined for the USDA National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In response to recent interest in vitamin D composition of foods, USDA-NDL is updating and expanding data in the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. In 2007, the USDA sampled vitamin D3 fortified yogurt and milk from 12 and 24 supermarkets, respectively, selected from a nationwide sta...

Influence of the incubation temperature and the batch components on the sensitivity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect Aujeszky's disease virus glycoprotein E (gE).

PubMed

Cay, A B; Van der Stede, Y

2010-12-01

Although licensed batches of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) were used, and the assays were performed within an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited quality control system, certain routine runs of the ADV ELISA were not validated using the quality system criteria, even when all technical parameters were controlled. Incubation at different temperatures and batch composition were identified as parameters that could result in non-validated assays/runs. Therefore, the effect of incubation temperature and batch composition on the analytical sensitivity of the ELISA was investigated. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) standard reference serum ADV1 was diluted 1:8 and tested in 94 different glycoprotein E ELISA runs performed with different batches and different incubation temperatures. The incubation temperature and batch components had a significant influence on the qualitative result for the OIE standard reference serum. An incubation temperature of at least 22 degrees C was recommended, based on the results of this analysis. Which of the batch components caused these differences in sensitivity was not investigated further.

Diagnostic effectiveness of quantitative [18F]flutemetamol PET imaging for detection of fibrillar amyloid β using cortical biopsy histopathology as the standard of truth in subjects with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction PET imaging of amyloid-β (Aβ) in vivo holds promise for aiding in earlier diagnosis and intervention in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment. AD-like Aβ pathology is a common comorbidity in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). Fifty patients with iNPH needing ventriculo-peritoneal shunting or intracranial pressure monitoring underwent [18F]flutemetamol PET before (N = 28) or after (N = 22) surgery. Cortical uptake of [18F]flutemetamol was assessed visually by blinded reviewers, and also quantitatively via standard uptake value ratio (SUVR) in specific neocortical regions in relation to either cerebellum or pons reference region: the cerebral cortex of (prospective studies) or surrounding (retrospective studies) the biopsy site, the contralateral homolog, and a calculated composite brain measure. Aβ pathology in the biopsy specimen (standard of truth [SoT]) was measured using Bielschowsky silver and thioflavin S plaque scores, percentage area of grey matter positive for monoclonal antibody to Aβ (4G8), and overall pathology impression. We set out to find (1) which pair(s) of PET SUVR and pathology SoT endpoints matched best, (2) whether quantitative measures of [18F]flutemetamol PET were better for predicting the pathology outcome than blinded image examination (BIE), and (3) whether there was a better match between PET image findings in retrospective vs. prospective studies. Results Of the 24 possible endpoint/SoT combinations, the one with composite-cerebellum SUVR and SoT based on overall pathology had the highest Youden index (1.000), receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (1.000), sensitivity (1.000), specificity (1.000), and sum of sensitivity and specificity for the pooled data as well as for the retrospective and prospective studies separately (2.00, for all 3). The BIE sum of sensitivity and specificity, comparable to that for quantitation, was highest using Bielschowsky silver as SoT for all SUVRs (ipsilateral, contralateral, and composite, for both reference regions). The composite SUVR had a 100% positive predictive value (both reference regions) for the overall pathology diagnosis. All SUVRs had a 100% negative predictive value for the Bielschowsky silver result. Conclusion Bielschowsky silver stain and overall pathology judgment showed the strongest associations with imaging results. PMID:24755237

Certification of the Uranium Isotopic Ratios in Nbl Crm 112-A, Uranium Assay Standard (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathew, K. J.; Mason, P.; Narayanan, U.

2010-12-01

Isotopic reference materials are needed to validate measurement procedures and to calibrate multi-collector ion counting detector systems. New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) provides a suite of certified isotopic and assay standards for the US and international nuclear safeguards community. NBL Certified Reference Material (CRM) 112-A Uranium Metal Assay Standard with a consensus value of 137.88 for the 238U/235U ratio [National Bureau of Standards -- NBS, currently named National Institute for Standards and Technology, Standard Reference Material (SRM) 960 had been renamed CRM 112-A] is commonly used as a natural uranium isotopic reference material within the earth science community. We have completed the analytical work for characterizing the isotopic composition of NBL CRM 112-A Uranium Assay Standard and NBL CRM 145 (uranyl nitrate solution prepared from CRM 112-A). The 235U/238U isotopic ratios were characterized using the total evaporation (TE) and the modified total evaporation (MTE) methods. The 234U/238U isotope ratios were characterized using a conventional analysis technique and verified using the ratios measured in the MTE analytical technique. The analysis plan for the characterization work was developed such that isotopic ratios that are traceable to NBL CRM U030-A are obtained. NBL is preparing a certificate of Analysis and will issue a certificate for Uranium Assay and Isotopics. The results of the CRM 112-A certification measurements will be discussed. These results will be compared with the average values from Richter et al (2010). A comparison of the precision and accuracy of the measurement methods (TE, MTE and Conventional) employed in the certification will be presented. The uncertainties in the 235U/238U and 234U/238U ratios, calculated according to the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurements (GUM) and the dominant contributors to the combined standard uncertainty will be discussed.

Nuclear reference materials to meet the changing needs of the global nuclear community

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

Martin, H.R.; Gradle, C.G.; Narayanan, U.I.

New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) serves as the U.S. Government`s certifying authority for nuclear reference materials and measurement calibration standards. In this role, NBL provides nuclear reference materials certified for chemical and/or isotopic compositions traceable to a nationally accepted, internationally compatible reference base. Emphasis is now changing as to the types of traceable nuclear reference materials needed as operations change within the Department of Energy complex and at nuclear facilities around the world. New challenges include: environmental and waste minimization issues, facilities and materials transitioning from processing to storage modes with corresponding changes in the types of measurements being performed, emphasismore » on requirements for characterization of waste materials, and difficulties in transporting nuclear materials and international factors, including IAEA influences. During these changing times, it is critical that traceable reference materials be provided for calibration or validation of the performance of measurement systems. This paper will describe actions taken and planned to meet the changing reference material needs of the global nuclear community.« less

Improving Signal-to-Noise Ratio in Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy Energy-Dispersive X-Ray (STEM-EDX) Spectrum Images Using Single-Atomic-Column Cross-Correlation Averaging.

PubMed

Jeong, Jong Seok; Mkhoyan, K Andre

2016-06-01

Acquiring an atomic-resolution compositional map of crystalline specimens has become routine practice, thus opening possibilities for extracting subatomic information from such maps. A key challenge for achieving subatomic precision is the improvement of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of compositional maps. Here, we report a simple and reliable solution for achieving high-SNR energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy spectrum images for individual atomic columns. The method is based on standard cross-correlation aided by averaging of single-column EDX maps with modifications in the reference image. It produces EDX maps with minimal specimen drift, beam drift, and scan distortions. Step-by-step procedures to determine a self-consistent reference map with a discussion on the reliability, stability, and limitations of the method are presented here.

Long-term variability in sugarcane bagasse feedstock compositional methods: Sources and magnitude of analytical variability

DOE PAGES

Templeton, David W.; Sluiter, Justin B.; Sluiter, Amie; ...

2016-10-18

In an effort to find economical, carbon-neutral transportation fuels, biomass feedstock compositional analysis methods are used to monitor, compare, and improve biofuel conversion processes. These methods are empirical, and the analytical variability seen in the feedstock compositional data propagates into variability in the conversion yields, component balances, mass balances, and ultimately the minimum ethanol selling price (MESP). We report the average composition and standard deviations of 119 individually extracted National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) bagasse [Reference Material (RM) 8491] run by seven analysts over 7 years. Two additional datasets, using bulk-extracted bagasse (containing 58 and 291 replicates each),more » were examined to separate out the effects of batch, analyst, sugar recovery standard calculation method, and extractions from the total analytical variability seen in the individually extracted dataset. We believe this is the world's largest NIST bagasse compositional analysis dataset and it provides unique insight into the long-term analytical variability. Understanding the long-term variability of the feedstock analysis will help determine the minimum difference that can be detected in yield, mass balance, and efficiency calculations. The long-term data show consistent bagasse component values through time and by different analysts. This suggests that the standard compositional analysis methods were performed consistently and that the bagasse RM itself remained unchanged during this time period. The long-term variability seen here is generally higher than short-term variabilities. It is worth noting that the effect of short-term or long-term feedstock compositional variability on MESP is small, about $0.03 per gallon. The long-term analysis variabilities reported here are plausible minimum values for these methods, though not necessarily average or expected variabilities. We must emphasize the importance of training and good analytical procedures needed to generate this data. As a result, when combined with a robust QA/QC oversight protocol, these empirical methods can be relied upon to generate high-quality data over a long period of time.« less

Long-term variability in sugarcane bagasse feedstock compositional methods: Sources and magnitude of analytical variability

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

Templeton, David W.; Sluiter, Justin B.; Sluiter, Amie

In an effort to find economical, carbon-neutral transportation fuels, biomass feedstock compositional analysis methods are used to monitor, compare, and improve biofuel conversion processes. These methods are empirical, and the analytical variability seen in the feedstock compositional data propagates into variability in the conversion yields, component balances, mass balances, and ultimately the minimum ethanol selling price (MESP). We report the average composition and standard deviations of 119 individually extracted National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) bagasse [Reference Material (RM) 8491] run by seven analysts over 7 years. Two additional datasets, using bulk-extracted bagasse (containing 58 and 291 replicates each),more » were examined to separate out the effects of batch, analyst, sugar recovery standard calculation method, and extractions from the total analytical variability seen in the individually extracted dataset. We believe this is the world's largest NIST bagasse compositional analysis dataset and it provides unique insight into the long-term analytical variability. Understanding the long-term variability of the feedstock analysis will help determine the minimum difference that can be detected in yield, mass balance, and efficiency calculations. The long-term data show consistent bagasse component values through time and by different analysts. This suggests that the standard compositional analysis methods were performed consistently and that the bagasse RM itself remained unchanged during this time period. The long-term variability seen here is generally higher than short-term variabilities. It is worth noting that the effect of short-term or long-term feedstock compositional variability on MESP is small, about $0.03 per gallon. The long-term analysis variabilities reported here are plausible minimum values for these methods, though not necessarily average or expected variabilities. We must emphasize the importance of training and good analytical procedures needed to generate this data. As a result, when combined with a robust QA/QC oversight protocol, these empirical methods can be relied upon to generate high-quality data over a long period of time.« less

Reference Curves for Field Tests of Musculoskeletal Fitness in U.S. Children and Adolescents: The 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey.

PubMed

Laurson, Kelly R; Saint-Maurice, Pedro F; Welk, Gregory J; Eisenmann, Joey C

2017-08-01

Laurson, KR, Saint-Maurice, PF, Welk, GJ, and Eisenmann, JC. Reference curves for field tests of musculoskeletal fitness in U.S. children and adolescents: The 2012 NHANES National Youth Fitness Survey. J Strength Cond Res 31(8): 2075-2082, 2017-The purpose of the study was to describe current levels of musculoskeletal fitness (MSF) in U.S. youth by creating nationally representative age-specific and sex-specific growth curves for handgrip strength (including relative and allometrically scaled handgrip), modified pull-ups, and the plank test. Participants in the National Youth Fitness Survey (n = 1,453) were tested on MSF, aerobic capacity (via submaximal treadmill test), and body composition (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference, and skinfolds). Using LMS regression, age-specific and sex-specific smoothed percentile curves of MSF were created and existing percentiles were used to assign age-specific and sex-specific z-scores for aerobic capacity and body composition. Correlation matrices were created to assess the relationships between z-scores on MSF, aerobic capacity, and body composition. At younger ages (3-10 years), boys scored higher than girls for handgrip strength and modified pull-ups, but not for the plank. By ages 13-15, differences between the boys and girls curves were more pronounced, with boys scoring higher on all tests. Correlations between tests of MSF and aerobic capacity were positive and low-to-moderate in strength. Correlations between tests of MSF and body composition were negative, excluding absolute handgrip strength, which was inversely related to other MSF tests and aerobic capacity but positively associated with body composition. The growth curves herein can be used as normative reference values or a starting point for creating health-related criterion reference standards for these tests. Comparisons with prior national surveys of physical fitness indicate that some components of MSF have likely decreased in the United States over time.

Determining the slag fraction, water/binder ratio and degree of hydration in hardened cement pastes

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

Yio, M.H.N., E-mail: marcus.yio11@imperial.ac.uk; Phelan, J.C.; Wong, H.S.

2014-02-15

A method for determining the original mix composition of hardened slag-blended cement-based materials based on analysis of backscattered electron images combined with loss on ignition measurements is presented. The method does not require comparison to reference standards or prior knowledge of the composition of the binders used. Therefore, it is well-suited for application to real structures. The method is also able to calculate the degrees of reaction of slag and cement. Results obtained from an experimental study involving sixty samples with a wide range of water/binder (w/b) ratios (0.30 to 0.50), slag/binder ratios (0 to 0.6) and curing ages (3more » days to 1 year) show that the method is very promising. The mean absolute errors for the estimated slag, water and cement contents (kg/m{sup 3}), w/b and s/b ratios were 9.1%, 1.5%, 2.5%, 4.7% and 8.7%, respectively. 91% of the estimated w/b ratios were within 0.036 of the actual values. -- Highlights: •A new method for estimating w/b ratio and slag content in cement pastes is proposed. •The method is also able to calculate the degrees of reaction of slag and cement. •Reference standards or prior knowledge of the binder composition are not required. •The method was tested on samples with varying w/b ratios and slag content.« less

KEY COMPARISON: Final Report on CCT-K7: Key comparison of water triple point cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stock, M.; Solve, S.; del Campo, D.; Chimenti, V.; Méndez-Lango, E.; Liedberg, H.; Steur, P. P. M.; Marcarino, P.; Dematteis, R.; Filipe, E.; Lobo, I.; Kang, K. H.; Gam, K. S.; Kim, Y.-G.; Renaot, E.; Bonnier, G.; Valin, M.; White, R.; Dransfield, T. D.; Duan, Y.; Xiaoke, Y.; Strouse, G.; Ballico, M.; Sukkar, D.; Arai, M.; Mans, A.; de Groot, M.; Kerkhof, O.; Rusby, R.; Gray, J.; Head, D.; Hill, K.; Tegeler, E.; Noatsch, U.; Duris, S.; Kho, H. Y.; Ugur, S.; Pokhodun, A.; Gerasimov, S. F.

2006-01-01

The triple point of water serves to define the kelvin, the unit of thermodynamic temperature, in the International System of Units (SI). Furthermore, it is the most important fixed point of the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90). Any uncertainty in the realization of the triple point of water contributes directly to the measurement uncertainty over the wide temperature range from 13.8033 K to 1234.93 K. The Consultative Committee for Thermometry (CCT) decided at its 21st meeting in 2001 to carry out a comparison of water triple point cells and charged the BIPM with its organization. Water triple point cells from 20 national metrology institutes were carried to the BIPM and were compared with highest accuracy with two reference cells. The small day-to-day changes of the reference cells were determined by a least-squares technique. Prior to the measurements at the BIPM, the transfer cells were compared with the corresponding national references and therefore also allow comparison of the national references of the water triple point. This report presents the results of this comparison and gives detailed information about the measurements made at the BIPM and in the participating laboratories. It was found that the transfer cells show a standard deviation of 50 µK the difference between the extremes is 160 µK. The same spread is observed between the national references. The most important result of this work is that a correlation between the isotopic composition of the cell water and the triple point temperature was observed. To reduce the spread between different realizations, it is therefore proposed that the definition of the kelvin should refer to water of a specified isotopic composition. The CCT recommended to the International Committee of Weights and Measures (CIPM) to clarify the definition of the kelvin in the SI brochure by explicitly referring to water with the isotopic composition of Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water (VSMOW). The CIPM accepted this recommendation and the next edition of the SI brochure will include this specification. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCT, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

[Evaluation of the total biological activity and allergenic composition of allergenic extracts].

PubMed

Lombardero, M; González, R; Duffort, O; Juan, F; Ayuso, R; Ventas, P; Cortés, C; Carreira, J

1986-01-01

In the present study, a complete procedure is presented in order to standardize allergenic extracts, the meaning of which is the measurement of the total allergenic activity and the determination of the allergenic composition. The measurement of the biological activity comprises 2 steps: Preparation of Reference Extracts and determination of their "in vivo" activity. Evaluation of the total allergenic activity of extracts for clinical use. Reference extracts were prepared from the main allergens and their "in vivo" biological activity was determined by a quantitative skin prick test in a sample of at least 30 allergic patients. By definition, the protein concentration of Reference Extract that produces, in the allergic population, a geometric mean wheal of 75 mm.2 has an activity of 100 biological units (BUs). The determination of the biological activity of a problem extract is made by RAST inhibition. The sample is compared with the corresponding Reference Extract by this technique and, from this comparison, it is possible to quantify the activity of the problem extract in biologic units (BUs) with clinical significance. Likewise, different techniques have been used to determine the allergenic composition of extracts. These techniques comprise 2 steps: Separation of the components of the extract. Identification of the components that bind specific human IgE. The separation of the components of the extract has been carried out by isoelectric focusing (IEF) and electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS-PAGE). In order to identify the allergenic components, an immunoblotting technique has been employed. The separated components in the IEF gel or SDS-PAGE gel are transferred to a nitrocellulose sheet and later on, this membrane is overlaid with a serum pool from allergic patients and a mouse monoclonal anti-human IgE, labelled with 125I. Finally, the autoradiography of the nitrocellulose membrane is obtained. In this way it is possible to compare the allergenic composition of an extract with the corresponding Reference Extract and so to employ for clinical use only those extracts with the right allergenic composition.

A revision in hydrogen isotopic composition of USGS42 and USGS43 human-hair stable isotopic reference materials for forensic science

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coplen, Tyler B.; Qi, Haiping

2016-01-01

The hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2HVSMOW-SLAP) of USGS42 and USGS43 human hair stable isotopic reference materials, normalized to the VSMOW (Vienna-Standard Mean Ocean Water)–SLAP (Standard Light Antarctic Precipitation) scale, was originally determined with a high temperature conversion technique using an elemental analyzer (TC/EA) with a glassy carbon tube and glassy carbon filling and analysis by isotope-ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS). However, the TC/EA IRMS method can produce inaccurate δ2HVSMOW-SLAPresults when analyzing nitrogen-bearing organic substances owing to the formation of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), leading to non-quantitative conversion of a sample into molecular hydrogen (H2) for IRMS analysis. A single-oven, chromium-filled, elemental analyzer (Cr-EA) coupled to an IRMS substantially improves the measurement quality and reliability of hydrogen isotopic analysis of hydrogen- and nitrogen-bearing organic material because hot chromium scavenges all reactive elements except hydrogen. USGS42 and USGS43 human hair isotopic reference materials have been analyzed with the Cr-EA IRMS method, and the δ2HVSMOW-SLAP values of their non-exchangeable hydrogen fractions have been revised:where mUr = 0.001 = ‰. On average, these revised δ2HVSMOW-SLAP values are 5.7 mUr more positive than those previously measured. It is critical that readers pay attention to the δ2HVSMOW-SLAP of isotopic reference materials in publications as they may need to adjust the δ2HVSMOW–SLAP measurement results of human hair in previous publications to ensure all results are on the same isotope-delta scale.

Evaluation of new geological reference materials for uranium-series measurements: Chinese Geological Standard Glasses (CGSG) and macusanite obsidian.

PubMed

Denton, J S; Murrell, M T; Goldstein, S J; Nunn, A J; Amato, R S; Hinrichs, K A

2013-10-15

Recent advances in high-resolution, rapid, in situ microanalytical techniques present numerous opportunities for the analytical community, provided accurately characterized reference materials are available. Here, we present multicollector thermal ionization mass spectrometry (MC-TIMS) and multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) uranium and thorium concentration and isotopic data obtained by isotope dilution for a suite of newly available Chinese Geological Standard Glasses (CGSG) designed for microanalysis. These glasses exhibit a range of compositions including basalt, syenite, andesite, and a soil. Uranium concentrations for these glasses range from ∼2 to 14 μg g(-1), Th/U weight ratios range from ∼4 to 6, (234)U/(238)U activity ratios range from 0.93 to 1.02, and (230)Th/(238)U activity ratios range from 0.98 to 1.12. Uranium and thorium concentration and isotopic data are also presented for a rhyolitic obsidian from Macusani, SE Peru (macusanite). This glass can also be used as a rhyolitic reference material, has a very low Th/U weight ratio (around 0.077), and is approximately in (238)U-(234)U-(230)Th secular equilibrium. The U-Th concentration data agree with but are significantly more precise than those previously measured. U-Th concentration and isotopic data agree within estimated errors for the two measurement techniques, providing validation of the two methods. The large (238)U-(234)U-(230)Th disequilibria for some of the glasses, along with the wide range in their chemical compositions and Th/U ratios should provide useful reference points for the U-series analytical community.

A revision in hydrogen isotopic composition of USGS42 and USGS43 human-hair stable isotopic reference materials for forensic science.

PubMed

Coplen, Tyler B; Qi, Haiping

2016-09-01

The hydrogen isotopic composition (δ(2)HVSMOW-SLAP) of USGS42 and USGS43 human hair stable isotopic reference materials, normalized to the VSMOW (Vienna-Standard Mean Ocean Water)-SLAP (Standard Light Antarctic Precipitation) scale, was originally determined with a high temperature conversion technique using an elemental analyzer (TC/EA) with a glassy carbon tube and glassy carbon filling and analysis by isotope-ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS). However, the TC/EA IRMS method can produce inaccurate δ(2)HVSMOW-SLAP results when analyzing nitrogen-bearing organic substances owing to the formation of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), leading to non-quantitative conversion of a sample into molecular hydrogen (H2) for IRMS analysis. A single-oven, chromium-filled, elemental analyzer (Cr-EA) coupled to an IRMS substantially improves the measurement quality and reliability of hydrogen isotopic analysis of hydrogen- and nitrogen-bearing organic material because hot chromium scavenges all reactive elements except hydrogen. USGS42 and USGS43 human hair isotopic reference materials have been analyzed with the Cr-EA IRMS method, and the δ(2)HVSMOW-SLAP values of their non-exchangeable hydrogen fractions have been revised: [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] where mUr=0.001=‰. On average, these revised δ(2)HVSMOW-SLAP values are 5.7mUr more positive than those previously measured. It is critical that readers pay attention to the δ(2)HVSMOW-SLAP of isotopic reference materials in publications as they may need to adjust the δ(2)HVSMOW-SLAP measurement results of human hair in previous publications to ensure all results are on the same isotope-delta scale. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

New Ca-Tims and La-Icp Analyses of GJ-1, Plesovice, and FC1 Reference Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feldman, J. D.; Möller, A.; Walker, J. D.

2014-12-01

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U-Pb zircon geochronology relies on external reference standards to monitor and correct for different mass fractionation effects and instrument drift. Common zircon reference materials used within the community, including the KU Isotope Geochemistry Laboratory, are GJ-1 (207Pb/206Pb age: 608.53 +/- 0.37Ma; Jackson et al., 2004), Plesovice (337.13 +/- 0.37 Ma; Slama et al., 2008), and FC-1 (1099.0 +/-0.6 Ma; Paces and Miller, 1993). The age distribution of zircon reference material varies slightly from sample fraction to sample fraction, and the published results for GJ-1 are slightly discordant. As a result, using the published data for the distributed standard splits can lead to small systematic variations when comparing datasets from different labs, and more high precision data are needed to evaluate potential inhomogeneity of sample splits used in different laboratories. Here we characterize these reference materials with cathodoluminescence, LA-ICP-MS traverses across grains, and high precision CA-TIMS to better constrain the ages and assess zoning of these standards, and present the data for comparison with other laboratories. Reducing systematic error by dating our own reference material lends confidence to our analyses and allows for inter-laboratory age reproducibility of unknowns. Additionally, the reduction in propagated uncertainties (especially in GJ-1, for which both the red and yellow variety will be analyzed) will be used to improve long-term reproducibility, comparisons between samples of similar age, detrital populations and composite pluton zircons. Jackson, S.E., et al., 2004, Chemical Geology, v. 211, p. 47-69. Paces, J.B. & Miller, J.D., 1993, Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 80, p. 13997-14013. Slama, J., et al., 2008, Chemical Geology, v. 249. p. 1-35.

Production and certification of NIST Standard Reference Material 2372 Human DNA Quantitation Standard.

PubMed

Kline, Margaret C; Duewer, David L; Travis, John C; Smith, Melody V; Redman, Janette W; Vallone, Peter M; Decker, Amy E; Butler, John M

2009-06-01

Modern highly multiplexed short tandem repeat (STR) assays used by the forensic human-identity community require tight control of the initial amount of sample DNA amplified in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) process. This, in turn, requires the ability to reproducibly measure the concentration of human DNA, [DNA], in a sample extract. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) techniques can determine the number of intact stretches of DNA of specified nucleotide sequence in an extremely small sample; however, these assays must be calibrated with DNA extracts of well-characterized and stable composition. By 2004, studies coordinated by or reported to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) indicated that a well-characterized, stable human DNA quantitation certified reference material (CRM) could help the forensic community reduce within- and among-laboratory quantitation variability. To ensure that the stability of such a quantitation standard can be monitored and that, if and when required, equivalent replacement materials can be prepared, a measurement of some stable quantity directly related to [DNA] is required. Using a long-established conventional relationship linking optical density (properly designated as decadic attenuance) at 260 nm with [DNA] in aqueous solution, NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2372 Human DNA Quantitation Standard was issued in October 2007. This SRM consists of three quite different DNA extracts: a single-source male, a multiple-source female, and a mixture of male and female sources. All three SRM components have very similar optical densities, and thus very similar conventional [DNA]. The materials perform very similarly in several widely used gender-neutral assays, demonstrating that the combination of appropriate preparation methods and metrologically sound spectrophotometric measurements enables the preparation and certification of quantitation [DNA] standards that are both maintainable and of practical utility.

Sulfate and sulfide sulfur isotopes (δ34S and δ33S) measured by solution and laser ablation MC-ICP-MS: An enhanced approach using external correction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pribil, Michael; Ridley, William I.; Emsbo, Poul

2015-01-01

Isotope ratio measurements using a multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) commonly use standard-sample bracketing with a single isotope standard for mass bias correction for elements with narrow-range isotope systems measured by MC-ICP-MS, e.g. Cu, Fe, Zn, and Hg. However, sulfur (S) isotopic composition (δ34S) in nature can range from at least − 40 to + 40‰, potentially exceeding the ability of standard-sample bracketing using a single sulfur isotope standard to accurately correct for mass bias. Isotopic fractionation via solution and laser ablation introduction was determined during sulfate sulfur (Ssulfate) isotope measurements. An external isotope calibration curve was constructed using in-house and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Ssulfate isotope reference materials (RM) in an attempt to correct for the difference. The ability of external isotope correction for Ssulfate isotope measurements was evaluated by analyzing NIST and United States Geological Survey (USGS) Ssulfate isotope reference materials as unknowns. Differences in δ34Ssulfate between standard-sample bracketing and standard-sample bracketing with external isotope correction for sulfate samples ranged from 0.72‰ to 2.35‰ over a δ34S range of 1.40‰ to 21.17‰. No isotopic differences were observed when analyzing Ssulfide reference materials over a δ34Ssulfide range of − 32.1‰ to 17.3‰ and a δ33S range of − 16.5‰ to 8.9‰ via laser ablation (LA)-MC-ICP-MS. Here, we identify a possible plasma induced fractionation for Ssulfate and describe a new method using external isotope calibration corrections using solution and LA-MC-ICP-MS.

Nutritional status in sick children and adolescents is not accurately reflected by BMI-SDS.

PubMed

Fusch, Gerhard; Raja, Preeya; Dung, Nguyen Quang; Karaolis-Danckert, Nadina; Barr, Ronald; Fusch, Christoph

2013-01-01

Nutritional status provides helpful information of disease severity and treatment effectiveness. Body mass index standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) provide an approximation of body composition and thus are frequently used to classify nutritional status of sick children and adolescents. However, the accuracy of estimating body composition in this population using BMI-SDS has not been assessed. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the accuracy of nutritional status classification in sick infants and adolescents using BMI-SDS, upon comparison to classification using percentage body fat (%BF) reference charts. BMI-SDS was calculated from anthropometric measurements and %BF was measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for 393 sick children and adolescents (5 months-18 years). Subjects were classified by nutritional status (underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese), using 2 methods: (1) BMI-SDS, based on age- and gender-specific percentiles, and (2) %BF reference charts (standard). Linear regression and a correlation analysis were conducted to compare agreement between both methods of nutritional status classification. %BF reference value comparisons were also made between 3 independent sources based on German, Canadian, and American study populations. Correlation between nutritional status classification by BMI-SDS and %BF agreed moderately (r (2) = 0.75, 0.76 in boys and girls, respectively). The misclassification of nutritional status in sick children and adolescents using BMI-SDS was 27% when using German %BF references. Similar rates observed when using Canadian and American %BF references (24% and 23%, respectively). Using BMI-SDS to determine nutritional status in a sick population is not considered an appropriate clinical tool for identifying individual underweight or overweight children or adolescents. However, BMI-SDS may be appropriate for longitudinal measurements or for screening purposes in large field studies. When accurate nutritional status classification of a sick patient is needed for clinical purposes, nutritional status will be assessed more accurately using methods that accurately measure %BF, such as DXA.

Onboard calibration igneous targets for the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover and the Chemistry Camera laser induced breakdown spectroscopy instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabre, C.; Maurice, S.; Cousin, A.; Wiens, R. C.; Forni, O.; Sautter, V.; Guillaume, D.

2011-03-01

Accurate characterization of the Chemistry Camera (ChemCam) laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) on-board composition targets is of prime importance for the ChemCam instrument. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) science and operations teams expect ChemCam to provide the first compositional results at remote distances (1.5-7 m) during the in situ analyses of the Martian surface starting in 2012. Thus, establishing LIBS reference spectra from appropriate calibration standards must be undertaken diligently. Considering the global mineralogy of the Martian surface, and the possible landing sites, three specific compositions of igneous targets have been determined. Picritic, noritic, and shergottic glasses have been produced, along with a Macusanite natural glass. A sample of each target will fly on the MSL Curiosity rover deck, 1.56 m from the ChemCam instrument, and duplicates are available on the ground. Duplicates are considered to be identical, as the relative standard deviation (RSD) of the composition dispersion is around 8%. Electronic microprobe and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA ICP-MS) analyses give evidence that the chemical composition of the four silicate targets is very homogeneous at microscopic scales larger than the instrument spot size, with RSD < 5% for concentration variations > 0.1 wt.% using electronic microprobe, and < 10% for concentration variations > 0.01 wt.% using LA ICP-MS. The LIBS campaign on the igneous targets performed under flight-like Mars conditions establishes reference spectra for the entire mission. The LIBS spectra between 240 and 900 nm are extremely rich, hundreds of lines with high signal-to-noise, and a dynamical range sufficient to identify unambiguously major, minor and trace elements. For instance, a first LIBS calibration curve has been established for strontium from [Sr] = 284 ppm to [Sr] = 1480 ppm, showing the potential for the future calibrations for other major or minor elements.

IceT users' guide and reference.

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

Moreland, Kenneth D.

2011-01-01

The Image Composition Engine for Tiles (IceT) is a high-performance sort-last parallel rendering library. In addition to providing accelerated rendering for a standard display, IceT provides the unique ability to generate images for tiled displays. The overall resolution of the display may be several times larger than any viewport that may be rendered by a single machine. This document is an overview of the user interface to IceT.

The use of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III with clinical populations: a preliminary exploration.

PubMed

Milne, Susan; McDonald, Jenny; Comino, Elizabeth J

2012-02-01

In response to concerns that the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development III (BSIDIII) underestimate delay in clinical populations, this study explores developmental quotient scores as an alternative to composite scores for these children. One hundred and twenty-two children aged ≤42 months, referred for diagnosis of developmental disability from January 2007 to May 2010, were assessed, and their composite and developmental quotient scores on each scale were compared. Composite scores identified only 22% (cognitive), 27% (motor), and 47.5% (language) of children as having a developmental disability. Developmental quotient scores were significantly lower than composite scores, giving rates of developmental disability of 56.6% (cognitive), 48.4% (motor), and 74.6% (language) and more closely matching both clinical impressions of delay and the proportions of those children who were also delayed on standardized tests of adaptive function.

Composition measurement of epitaxial Sc x Ga1-x N films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsui, H. C. L.; Goff, L. E.; Barradas, N. P.; Alves, E.; Pereira, S.; Palgrave, R. G.; Davies, R. J.; Beere, H. E.; Farrer, I.; Ritchie, D. A.; Moram, M. A.

2016-06-01

Four different methods for measuring the compositions of epitaxial Sc x Ga1-x N films were assessed and compared to determine which was the most reliable and accurate. The compositions of epitaxial Sc x Ga1-x N films with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.26 were measured directly using Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and indirectly using c lattice parameter measurements from x-ray diffraction and c/a ratio measurements from electron diffraction patterns. RBS measurements were taken as a standard reference. XPS was found to underestimate the Sc content, whereas c lattice parameter and c/a ratio were not reliable for composition determination due to the unknown degree of strain relaxation in the film. However, the Sc flux used during growth was found to relate linearly with x and could be used to estimate the Sc content.

Characterization of low concentration uranium glass working materials

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

Eppich, G. R.; Wimpenny, J. B.; Leever, M. E.

A series of uranium-doped silicate glasses were created at (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) LLNL, to be used as working reference material analogs for low uranium concentration research. Specifically, the aim of this effort was the generation of well-characterized glasses spanning a range of concentrations and compositions, and of sufficient homogeneity in uranium concentration and isotopic composition, for instrumentation research and development purposes. While the glasses produced here are not intended to replace or become standard materials for uranium concentration or uranium isotopic composition, it is hoped that they will help fill a current gap, providing low-level uranium glasses sufficient formore » methods development and method comparisons within the limitations of the produced glass suite. Glasses are available for research use by request.« less

Nuclear reference materials to meet the changing needs of the global nuclear community

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

Martin, H.R.; Gradle, C.G.; Narayanan, U.I.

New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL) serves as the US Government`s Certifying Authority for nuclear reference materials and measurement calibration standards. In this role, NBL provides nuclear reference materials certified for chemical and/or isotopic compositions traceable to a nationally accepted, internationally compatible reference base. Emphasis is now changing as to the types of traceable nuclear reference materials needed as operations change within the Department of Energy (DOE) complex and at nuclear facilities around the world. Environmental and waste minimization issues, facilities and materials transitioning from processing to storage modes with corresponding changes in the types of measurements being performed, emphasis on requirementsmore » for characterization of waste materials, difficulties in transporting nuclear materials, and International factors, including International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspection of excess US nuclear materials, are all contributing influences. During these changing times, ft is critical that traceable reference materials be provided for calibration or validation of the performance of measurement systems. This paper will describe actions taken and planned to meet the changing reference material needs of the global nuclear community.« less

Development of Argon Isotope Reference Standards for the U.S. Geological Survey

PubMed Central

Miiller, Archie P.

2006-01-01

The comparison of physical ages of geological materials measured by laboratories engaged in geochronological studies has been limited by the accuracy of mineral standards or monitors for which reported ages have differed by as much as 2 %. In order to address this problem, the U.S. Geological Survey is planning to calibrate the conventional 40Ar/40K age of a new preparation of an international hornblende standard labeled MMhb-2. The 40K concentration in MMhb-2 has already been determined by the Analytical Chemistry Division at NIST with an uncertainty of 0.2 %. The 40Ar concentration will be measured by the USGS using the argon isotope reference standards that were recently developed by NIST and are described in this paper. The isotope standards were constructed in the form of pipette/reservoir systems and calibrated by gas expansion techniques to deliver small high-precision aliquots of high-purity argon. Two of the pipette systems will deliver aliquots of 38Ar having initial molar quantities of 1.567 × 10−10 moles and 2.313 × 10−10 moles with expanded (k = 2) uncertainties of 0.058 % and 0.054 %, respectively. Three other pipette systems will deliver aliquots (nominally 4 × 10−10 moles) of 40Ar:36Ar artificial mixtures with similar accuracy and with molar ratios of 0.9974 ± 0.06 %, 29.69 ± 0.06 %, and 285.7 ± 0.08 % (k = 2). These isotope reference standards will enable the USGS to measure the 40Ar concentration in MMhb-2 with an expanded uncertainty of ≈ 0.1 %. In the process of these measurements, the USGS will re-determine the isotopic composition of atmospheric Ar and calculate a new value for its atomic weight. Upon completion of the USGS calibrations, the MMhb-2 mineral standard will be certified by NIST for its K and Ar concentrations and distributed as a Standard Reference Material (SRM). The new SRM and the NIST-calibrated transportable pipette systems have the potential for dramatically improving the accuracy of interlaboratory calibrations and thereby the measured ages of geological materials, by as much as a factor of ten. PMID:27274937

A synthetic zero air standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearce, Ruth

2016-04-01

A Synthetic Zero Air Standard R. E. Hill-Pearce, K. V. Resner, D. R. Worton, P. J. Brewer The National Physical Laboratory Teddington, Middlesex TW11 0LW UK We present work towards providing traceability for measurements of high impact greenhouse gases identified by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) as critical for global monitoring. Standards for these components are required with challengingly low uncertainties to improve the quality assurance and control processes used for the global networks to better assess climate trends. Currently the WMO compatibility goals require reference standards with uncertainties of < 100 nmolmol-1 for CO2 (northern hemisphere) and < 2 nmolmol-1 for CH4 and CO. High purity zero gas is required for both the balance gas in the preparation of reference standards and for baseline calibrations of instrumentation. Quantification of the amount fraction of the target components in the zero gas is a significant contributor to the uncertainty and is challenging due to limited availability of reference standard at the amount fraction of the measurand and limited analytical techniques with sufficient detection limits. A novel dilutor was used to blend NPL Primary Reference Gas Mixtures containing CO2, CH4 and CO at atmospheric amount fractions with a zero gas under test. Several mixtures were generated with nominal dilution ratios ranging from 2000:1 to 350:1. The baseline of two cavity ring down spectrometers was calibrated using the zero gas under test after purification by oxidative removal of CO and hydrocarbons to < 1 nmolmol-1 (SAES PS15-GC50) followed by the removal of CO2 and water vapour to < 100 pmolmol-1 (SAES MC190). Using the standard addition method.[1] we have quantified the amount fraction of CO, CO2, and CH4 in scrubbed whole air (Scott Marrin) and NPL synthetic zero air. This is the first synthetic zero air standard with a matrix of N2, O2 and Ar closely matching ambient composition with gravimetrically assigned values and with accurate quantification of the CO, CO2, and CH4 impurities. [1] Brown, R.J.C et al.,Analytica Chimica Acta 587, 158-163 (2007)

Are n-3 PUFA dietary recommendations met in in-hospital and school catering?

PubMed

Molendi-Coste, O; Legry, V; Leclercq, I A

2011-06-01

Literature provides compelling evidence for the health benefits of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) consumption and low n-6/n-3 ratio, in particular, on inflammation and metabolic syndrome prevention and treatment. Consequently, recommendations were established for adequate n-3 PUFA supplies in the general population. The aim of our study was to evaluate the fatty acid (FA) profile in collective catering in relation to those recommendations. We obtained composition of lunches provided by the Township of Lille (France) to children and adults, and of "standard", "low-fat" and "for diabetic" menus from the catering service of St Luc university hospital (Brussels, Belgium). The average proportions of fish, meat, oils, and dairy were used to estimate total, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (n-6 and n-3) FA contents. We used official tables of foodstuffs composition provided by the French Agency for Food Safety, the project "Nutritional Composition of Aquatic Products", the French Institute for Nutrition, and the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. French guidelines were taken as reference for daily recommended intakes. n-3 PUFA content in lunches provided by municipal catering and in in-hospital menus were slightly below recommended intakes. In the latter, n-3 PUFA enriched margarine contributed for 50% to daily intakes. Despite, the n-6/n-3 ratio was too high, especially in municipal catering (around 20), related to excessive n-6 PUFA supply. Our results highlight that meeting n-3 PUFA nutritional recommendation remains challenging for collective catering. A detailed analysis of provided menus represents a powerful tool to increase awareness and foster improvement in practice.

Intercomparison of Lab-Based Soil Water Extraction Methods for Stable Water Isotope Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pratt, D.; Orlowski, N.; McDonnell, J.

2016-12-01

The effect of pore water extraction technique on resultant isotopic signature is poorly understood. Here we present results of an intercomparison of five common lab-based soil water extraction techniques: high pressure mechanical squeezing, centrifugation, direct vapor equilibration, microwave extraction, and cryogenic extraction. We applied five extraction methods to two physicochemically different standard soil types (silty sand and clayey loam) that were oven-dried and rewetted with water of known isotopic composition at three different gravimetric water contents (8, 20, and 30%). We tested the null hypothisis that all extraction techniques would provide the same isotopic result independent from soil type and water content. Our results showed that the extraction technique had a significant effect on the soil water isotopic composition. Each method exhibited deviations from spiked reference water, with soil type and water content showing a secondary effect. Cryogenic extraction showed the largest deviations from the reference water, whereas mechanical squeezing and centrifugation provided the closest match to the reference water for both soil types. We also compared results for each extraction technique that produced liquid water on both an OA-ICOS and IRMS; differences between them were negligible.

Performance of mechanical behavior of kenaf fibre reinforced foamed composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahzabin, Mst. Sadia; Hock, Lim Jee; Kang, Lim Siong; Jarghouyeh, Ehsan Nikbakht

2017-10-01

This paper investigates the mechanical properties of lightweight foamed composite (LFC) with the inclusion of kenaf fibres and superplasticizer. NaOH treated kenaf fibre contents of 0.4%, 0.45% and 0.5% (by weight of cement) with 5cm length were used in composite. The density of 1000kg/m3 to 2000kg/m3 foamed concrete was used for all the tested specimens. The ratio of cement, sand and water used was 1:1.5:0.45. All the experiments were set up in accordance with International standard methods of testing. In reference to the results and discussion, the different percentages of fibre used were proven to have a lesser contribution towards compressive strength or might even have reduced the result. The results also showed that water absorption and density of the composite mortar increased as the volume of fiber increased from 0.4% to 0.5% However, a higher percentage of fiber inclusions had been recorded to have a positive contribution towards flexural and tensile splitting properties of composites.

Experimental testing and numerical simulation on natural composite for aerospace applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, G. Raj; Vijayanandh, R.; Kumar, M. Senthil; Kumar, S. Sathish

2018-05-01

Nowadays polymers are commonly used in various applications, which make it difficult to avoid its usage even though it causes environmental problems. Natural fibers are best alternate to overcome the polymer based environmental issues. Natural fibers play an important role in developing high performing fully newline biodegradable green composites which will be a key material to solve environmental problems in future. In this paper deals the properties analysis of banana fiber is combined with epoxy resin in order to create a natural composite, which has special characteristics for aerospace applications. The objective of this paper is to investigate the characteristics of failure modes and strength of natural composite using experimental and numerical methods. The test specimen of natural composite has been fabricated as per ASTM standard, which undergoes tensile and compression tests using Tinius Olsen UTM in order to determine mechanical and physical properties. The reference model has been designed by CATIA, and then numerical simulation has been carried out by Ansys Workbench 16.2 for the given boundary conditions.

Surface properties of thermally treated composite wood panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Croitoru, Catalin; Spirchez, Cosmin; Lunguleasa, Aurel; Cristea, Daniel; Roata, Ionut Claudiu; Pop, Mihai Alin; Bedo, Tibor; Stanciu, Elena Manuela; Pascu, Alexandru

2018-04-01

Composite finger-jointed spruce and oak wood panels have been thermally treated under standard pressure and oxygen content conditions at two different temperatures, 180 °C and respectively 200 °C for short time periods (3 and 5 h). Due to the thermally-aided chemical restructuration of the wood components, a decrease in water uptake and volumetric swelling values with up to 45% for spruce and 35% for oak have been registered, comparing to the reference samples. In relation to water resistance, a 15% increase of the dispersive component of the surface energy has been registered for the thermal-treated spruce panels, which impedes water spreading on the surface. The thermal-treated wood presents superior resistance to accelerated UV exposure and subsequently, with up to 10% higher Brinell hardness values than reference wood. The proposed thermal treatment improves the durability of the finger-jointed wood through a more economically and environmental friendly method than traditional impregnation, with minimal degradative impact on the structural components of wood.

Iterative fitting method for the evaluation and quantification of PAES spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimnik, Samantha; Hackenberg, Mathias; Hugenschmidt, Christoph

2017-01-01

The elemental composition of surfaces is of great importance for the understanding of many surface processes such as catalysis. For a reliable analysis and a comparison of results, the quantification of the measured data is indispensable. Positron annihilation induced Auger Electron Spectroscopy (PAES) is a spectroscopic technique that measures the elemental composition with outstanding surface sensitivity, but up to now, no standardized evaluation procedure for PAES spectra is available. In this paper we present a new approach for the evaluation of PAES spectra of compounds, using the spectra obtained for the pure elements as reference. The measured spectrum is then fitted by a linear combination of the reference spectra by varying their intensities. The comparison of the results of the fitting routine with a calculation of the full parameter range shows an excellent agreement. We present the results of the new analysis method to evaluate the PAES spectra of sub-monolayers of Ni on a Pd substrate.

[High-precision in situ analysis of the lead isotopic composition in copper using femtosecond laser ablation MC-ICP-MS and the application in ancient coins].

PubMed

Chen, Kai-Yun; Fan, Chao; Yuan, Hong-Lin; Bao, Zhi-An; Zong, Chun-Lei; Dai, Meng-Ning; Ling, Xue; Yang, Ying

2013-05-01

In the present study we set up a femtosecond laser ablation MC-ICP-MS method for lead isotopic analysis. Pb isotopic composition of fifteen copper (brass, bronze) standard samples from the National Institute of Standards Material were analyzed using the solution method (MC-ICP-MS) and laser method (fLA-MC-ICPMS) respectively, the results showed that the Pb isotopic composition in CuPb12 (GBW02137) is very homogeneous, and can be used as external reference material for Pb isotopic in situ analysis. On CuPb12 112 fLA-MC-ICPMS Pb isotope analysis, the weighted average values of the Pb isotopic ratio are in good agreement with the results analyzed by bulk solution method within 2sigma error, the internal precision RSEs of the 208 Pb/204 Pb ratio and 207 Pb/206 Pb ratio are less than 90 and 40 ppm respectively, and the external precision RSDs of them are less than 60 and 30 ppm respectively. Pb isotope of thirteen ancient bronze coins was analyzed via fLA-MC-ICPMS, the results showed that the Pb isotopic composition of ancient coins of different dynasties is significantly different, and not all the Pb isotopic compositions in the coins even from the same dynasty are in agreement with each other.

Combustion characteristics of various fuels during research octane number testing on an instrumented CFR F1/F2 engine

DOE PAGES

Kolodziej, Christopher P.; Wallner, Thomas

2017-04-01

The Cooperative Fuels Research (CFR) engine is the long-established standard for characterization of fuel knock resistance in spark-ignition internal combustion engines. Despite its measurements of RON and MON being widely used, there is little understanding of what governs the CFR octane rating for fuels of various chemical compositions compared to primary reference fuels (iso-octane and n-heptane). Some detailed combustion characteristics were measured on a highly instrumented CFR F1/F2 engine during RON testing of fuels with significantly different chemical composition. Our results revealed differences in the cylinder pressure and temperature conditions, as well as knocking characteristics.

Combustion characteristics of various fuels during research octane number testing on an instrumented CFR F1/F2 engine

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

Kolodziej, Christopher P.; Wallner, Thomas

The Cooperative Fuels Research (CFR) engine is the long-established standard for characterization of fuel knock resistance in spark-ignition internal combustion engines. Despite its measurements of RON and MON being widely used, there is little understanding of what governs the CFR octane rating for fuels of various chemical compositions compared to primary reference fuels (iso-octane and n-heptane). Some detailed combustion characteristics were measured on a highly instrumented CFR F1/F2 engine during RON testing of fuels with significantly different chemical composition. Our results revealed differences in the cylinder pressure and temperature conditions, as well as knocking characteristics.

Nuclear and isotopic techniques for addressing nutritional problems, with special reference to current applications in developing countries.

PubMed

Iyengar, Venkatesh

2002-03-01

Nuclear and isotopic techniques are valuable tools in human nutritional research studies. Isotopes, both radioactive and nonradioactive, enable detailed evaluations of nutrient intake, body composition, energy expenditure, status of micronutrients, and nutrient bioavailability. In recent times, isotopic methods have been widely used in a number of coordinated research projects and technical cooperation projects of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Nutrition Programme. The doubly labeled water technique combines the use of the stable isotopes oxygen-18 and hydrogen-2 (deuterium) to measure total energy expenditure in free-living human subjects, and to investigate the magnitude and causes of both undernutrition and the emergence of obesity in developing countries. The deuterium dilution technique is a reliable tool to measure breastmilk intake and thereby infant growth and development. In collaboration with the World Health Organization's Growth Monitoring Program, this technique is being used to generate new data on growth standards for children in developing countries. This technique is also used in the measurement of body composition by the estimation of lean body mass and fat mass in individuals. Stable isotopes of iron and zinc have been successfully used to assess the nutritional impact of several nationwide food supplementation-programs conducted on pregnant and lactating women and children in both industrialized and developing countries. Isotopic techniques are especially suitable for monitoring changes in body composition, energy metabolism, and mineral status (with particular reference to osteoporosis) in the elderly. Nuclear methods have also served to develop models for a physiological reference man in Asia in support of radiological health and safety issues, for establishing elemental composition of foods, and for measurement of pollutants in the environment.

Automated Spatial Brain Normalization and Hindbrain White Matter Reference Tissue Give Improved [(18)F]-Florbetaben PET Quantitation in Alzheimer's Model Mice.

PubMed

Overhoff, Felix; Brendel, Matthias; Jaworska, Anna; Korzhova, Viktoria; Delker, Andreas; Probst, Federico; Focke, Carola; Gildehaus, Franz-Josef; Carlsen, Janette; Baumann, Karlheinz; Haass, Christian; Bartenstein, Peter; Herms, Jochen; Rominger, Axel

2016-01-01

Preclinical PET studies of β-amyloid (Aβ) accumulation are of growing importance, but comparisons between research sites require standardized and optimized methods for quantitation. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate systematically the (1) impact of an automated algorithm for spatial brain normalization, and (2) intensity scaling methods of different reference regions for Aβ-PET in a large dataset of transgenic mice. PS2APP mice in a 6 week longitudinal setting (N = 37) and another set of PS2APP mice at a histologically assessed narrow range of Aβ burden (N = 40) were investigated by [(18)F]-florbetaben PET. Manual spatial normalization by three readers at different training levels was performed prior to application of an automated brain spatial normalization and inter-reader agreement was assessed by Fleiss Kappa (κ). For this method the impact of templates at different pathology stages was investigated. Four different reference regions on brain uptake normalization were used to calculate frontal cortical standardized uptake value ratios (SUVRCTX∕REF), relative to raw SUVCTX. Results were compared on the basis of longitudinal stability (Cohen's d), and in reference to gold standard histopathological quantitation (Pearson's R). Application of an automated brain spatial normalization resulted in nearly perfect agreement (all κ≥0.99) between different readers, with constant or improved correlation with histology. Templates based on inappropriate pathology stage resulted in up to 2.9% systematic bias for SUVRCTX∕REF. All SUVRCTX∕REF methods performed better than SUVCTX both with regard to longitudinal stability (d≥1.21 vs. d = 0.23) and histological gold standard agreement (R≥0.66 vs. R≥0.31). Voxel-wise analysis suggested a physiologically implausible longitudinal decrease by global mean scaling. The hindbrain white matter reference (R mean = 0.75) was slightly superior to the brainstem (R mean = 0.74) and the cerebellum (R mean = 0.73). Automated brain normalization with reference region templates presents an excellent method to avoid the inter-reader variability in preclinical Aβ-PET scans. Intracerebral reference regions lacking Aβ pathology serve for precise longitudinal in vivo quantification of [(18)F]-florbetaben PET. Hindbrain white matter reference performed best when considering the composite of quality criteria.

Compilation of minimum and maximum isotope ratios of selected elements in naturally occurring terrestrial materials and reagents

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coplen, T.B.; Hopple, J.A.; Böhlke, J.K.; Peiser, H.S.; Rieder, S.E.; Krouse, H.R.; Rosman, K.J.R.; Ding, T.; Vocke, R.D.; Revesz, K.M.; Lamberty, A.; Taylor, P.; De Bievre, P.

2002-01-01

Documented variations in the isotopic compositions of some chemical elements are responsible for expanded uncertainties in the standard atomic weights published by the Commission on Atomic Weights and Isotopic Abundances of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. This report summarizes reported variations in the isotopic compositions of 20 elements that are due to physical and chemical fractionation processes (not due to radioactive decay) and their effects on the standard atomic weight uncertainties. For 11 of those elements (hydrogen, lithium, boron, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, sulfur, chlorine, copper, and selenium), standard atomic weight uncertainties have been assigned values that are substantially larger than analytical uncertainties because of common isotope abundance variations in materials of natural terrestrial origin. For 2 elements (chromium and thallium), recently reported isotope abundance variations potentially are large enough to result in future expansion of their atomic weight uncertainties. For 7 elements (magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, molybdenum, palladium, and tellurium), documented isotope-abundance variations in materials of natural terrestrial origin are too small to have a significant effect on their standard atomic weight uncertainties. This compilation indicates the extent to which the atomic weight of an element in a given material may differ from the standard atomic weight of the element. For most elements given above, data are graphically illustrated by a diagram in which the materials are specified in the ordinate and the compositional ranges are plotted along the abscissa in scales of (1) atomic weight, (2) mole fraction of a selected isotope, and (3) delta value of a selected isotope ratio. There are no internationally distributed isotopic reference materials for the elements zinc, selenium, molybdenum, palladium, and tellurium. Preparation of such materials will help to make isotope ratio measurements among laboratories comparable. The minimum and maximum concentrations of a selected isotope in naturally occurring terrestrial materials for selected chemical elements reviewed in this report are given below: Isotope Minimum mole fraction Maximum mole fraction -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2H 0 .000 0255 0 .000 1838 7Li 0 .9227 0 .9278 11B 0 .7961 0 .8107 13C 0 .009 629 0 .011 466 15N 0 .003 462 0 .004 210 18O 0 .001 875 0 .002 218 26Mg 0 .1099 0 .1103 30Si 0 .030 816 0 .031 023 34S 0 .0398 0 .0473 37Cl 0 .240 77 0 .243 56 44Ca 0 .020 82 0 .020 92 53Cr 0 .095 01 0 .095 53 56Fe 0 .917 42 0 .917 60 65Cu 0 .3066 0 .3102 205Tl 0 .704 72 0 .705 06 The numerical values above have uncertainties that depend upon the uncertainties of the determinations of the absolute isotope-abundance variations of reference materials of the elements. Because reference materials used for absolute isotope-abundance measurements have not been included in relative isotope abundance investigations of zinc, selenium, molybdenum, palladium, and tellurium, ranges in isotopic composition are not listed for these elements, although such ranges may be measurable with state-of-the-art mass spectrometry. This report is available at the url: http://pubs.water.usgs.gov/wri014222.

Evaluation of serological diagnostic tests for typhoid fever in Papua New Guinea using a composite reference standard.

PubMed

Siba, Valentine; Horwood, Paul F; Vanuga, Kilagi; Wapling, Johanna; Sehuko, Rebecca; Siba, Peter M; Greenhill, Andrew R

2012-11-01

Typhoid fever remains a major global health problem. A major impediment to improving outcomes is the lack of appropriate diagnostic tools, which have not significantly improved in low-income settings for 100 years. We evaluated two commercially available rapid diagnostic tests (Tubex and TyphiDot), a prototype (TyphiRapid TR-02), and the commonly used single-serum Widal test in a previously reported high-burden area of Papua New Guinea. Samples were collected from 530 outpatients with axillary temperatures of ≥37.5°C, and analysis was conducted on all malaria-negative samples (n = 500). A composite reference standard of blood culture and PCR was used, by which 47 participants (9.4%) were considered typhoid fever positive. The sensitivity and specificity of the Tubex (51.1% and 88.3%, respectively) and TyphiDot (70.0% and 80.1%, respectively) tests were not high enough to warrant their ongoing use in this setting; however, the sensitivity and specificity for the TR-02 prototype were promising (89.4% and 85.0%, respectively). An axillary temperature of ≥38.5°C correlated with typhoid fever (P = 0.014). With an appropriate diagnostic test, conducting typhoid fever diagnosis only on patients with high-grade fever could dramatically decrease the costs associated with diagnosis while having no detrimental impact on the ability to accurately diagnose the illness.

Accuracy and completeness of drug information in Wikipedia medication monographs.

PubMed

Reilly, Timothy; Jackson, William; Berger, Victoria; Candelario, Danielle

The primary objective of this study was to determine the accuracy and completeness of drug information on Wikipedia and Micromedex compared with U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved U.S. product inserts. The top 10 brand and top 10 generic medications from the 2012 Institute for Health Informatics' list of top 200 drugs were selected for evaluation. Wikipedia medication information was evaluated and compared with Micromedex in 7 sections of drug information; the U.S. product inserts were used as the standard comparator. Wikipedia demonstrated significantly lower completeness and accuracy scores compared with Micromedex (mean composite scores 18.55 vs. 38.4, respectively; P <0.01). No difference was found between the mean composite scores for brand versus generic drugs in either reference (17.8 vs. 19.3, respectively [P = 0.62], for Wikipedia; 39.2 vs. 37.6, [P = 0.06] for Micromedex). Limitations to these results include the speed with which information is edited on Wikipedia, that there was no evaluation of off-label information, and the limited number of drugs that were evaluated. Wikipedia lacks the accuracy and completeness of standard clinical references and should not be a routine part of clinical decision making. More research should be conducted to evaluate the rationale for health care providers' use of Wikipedia. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Oil Characteristics of Four Palestinian Olive Varieties.

PubMed

Lodolini, Enrico Maria; Polverigiani, Serena; Ali, Saed; Mutawea, Mohammed; Qutub, Mayyada; Arabasi, Taysir; Pierini, Fabio; Abed, Mohammed; Neri, Davide

2017-05-01

Olive oil represents an important source of income for Palestinian farmers in local, national and international markets. Sometimes, olive oil produced in local climatic conditions, does not achieve the International Olive Council (IOC) trade standards so that international markets are precluded. The oil chemical composition and sensory profile of four Palestinian olive varieties (Nabali Baladi, Nabali Mohassan, Souri and K18) were characterized in 2010 throughout an in situ evaluation. Most of the physicchemical characteristics and the fatty acid composition of the varieties met the International Olive Council trade standards (IOC-TS) for extra virgin olive oils. Values of K 270 for Nabali Baladi and linolenic acid for Souri slightly exceeded the limit. Eicosanoic acid exceeded the IOC-TS limits in the oils of all considered varieties. Among the sterols, the Δ-7-stigmastenol resulted too high for Nabali Baladi and Souri. Sensory profile for the tested varieties showed a reminiscence of tomato or artichoke and light to medium bitter and pungent sensations. Results represent an important baseline reference for further studies about oil composition and quality of the main Palestinian olive germplasm and provide indication of potential critical points to be controlled in order to ensure the full achievement of IOC-TS and access international markets.

Biochemical composition and immunological comparison of select pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] cultivars.

PubMed

Venkatachalam, Mahesh; Kshirsagar, Harshal H; Seeram, Navindra P; Heber, David; Thompson, Tommy E; Roux, Kenneth H; Sathe, Shridhar K

2007-11-28

On an edible portion basis, pecan moisture, protein, lipid, total soluble sugars, and ash contents ranged from 2.1% to 6.4%, 6.0% to 11.3%, 65.9% to 78.0%, 3.3% to 5.3%, and 1.2% to 1.8%, respectively. With the exception of a high tannin (2.7%) Texas seedling, pecan tannin content was in a narrow range (0.6-1.85%). Unsaturated fatty acids (>90%) dominated pecan lipid composition with oleic (52.52-74.09%) and linoleic (17.69-37.52%) acids as the predominant unsaturated fatty acids. Location significantly influenced pecan biochemical composition. Pecan lipid content was negatively correlated with protein (r = -0.663) and total sugar (r = -0.625). Among the samples tested using SDS-PAGE a common pattern, with minor differences, in subunit polypeptide profiles was revealed. Rabbit polyclonal antibody-based immunoblotting experiments (Western blot) also illustrated the similarity in polypeptide profiles with respect to immunoreactivity. All tested cultivars registered similar immunoreactivity when their protein extracts (each at 1 mg/mL) were assessed using inhibition ELISAs (mean +/- standard deviation = 0.89 +/- 0.20; n = 27) with the USDA "Desirable" cultivar as the reference standard (immunoreactivity designated as 1.0).

An approach to an acute emotional stress reference scale.

PubMed

Garzon-Rey, J M; Arza, A; de-la-Camara, C; Lobo, A; Armario, A; Aguilo, J

2017-06-16

The clinical diagnosis aims to identify the degree of affectation of the psycho-physical state of the patient as a guide to therapeutic intervention. In stress, the lack of a measurement tool based on a reference makes it difficult to quantitatively assess this degree of affectation. To define and perform a primary assessment of a standard reference in order to measure acute emotional stress from the markers identified as indicators of the degree. Psychometric tests and biochemical variables are, in general, the most accepted stress measurements by the scientific community. Each one of them probably responds to different and complementary processes related to the reaction to a stress stimulus. The reference that is proposed is a weighted mean of these indicators by assigning them relative weights in accordance with a principal components analysis. An experimental study was conducted on 40 healthy young people subjected to the psychosocial stress stimulus of the Trier Social Stress Test in order to perform a primary assessment and consistency check of the proposed reference. The proposed scale clearly differentiates between the induced relax and stress states. Accepting the subjectivity of the definition and the lack of a subsequent validation with new experimental data, the proposed standard differentiates between a relax state and an emotional stress state triggered by a moderate stress stimulus, as it is the Trier Social Stress Test. The scale is robust. Although the variations in the percentage composition slightly affect the score, but they do not affect the valid differentiation between states.

Standardization of proton-induced x-ray emission technique for analysis of thick samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Shad; Zeb, Johar; Ahad, Abdul; Ahmad, Ishfaq; Haneef, M.; Akbar, Jehan

2015-09-01

This paper describes the standardization of the proton-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) technique for finding the elemental composition of thick samples. For the standardization, three different samples of standard reference materials (SRMs) were analyzed using this technique and the data were compared with the already known data of these certified SRMs. These samples were selected in order to cover the maximum range of elements in the periodic table. Each sample was irradiated for three different values of collected beam charges at three different times. A proton beam of 2.57 MeV obtained using 5UDH-II Pelletron accelerator was used for excitation of x-rays from the sample. The acquired experimental data were analyzed using the GUPIXWIN software. The results show that the SRM data and the data obtained using the PIXE technique are in good agreement.

Nutrient estimation from an FFQ developed for a black Zimbabwean population

PubMed Central

Merchant, Anwar T; Dehghan, Mahshid; Chifamba, Jephat; Terera, Getrude; Yusuf, Salim

2005-01-01

Background There is little information in the literature on methods of food composition database development to calculate nutrient intake from food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) data. The aim of this study is to describe the development of an FFQ and a food composition table to calculate nutrient intake in a Black Zimbabwean population. Methods Trained interviewers collected 24-hour dietary recalls (24 hr DR) from high and low income families in urban and rural Zimbabwe. Based on these data and input from local experts we developed an FFQ, containing a list of frequently consumed foods, standard portion sizes, and categories of consumption frequency. We created a food composition table of the foods found in the FFQ so that we could compute nutrient intake. We used the USDA nutrient database as the main resource because it is relatively complete, updated, and easily accessible. To choose the food item in the USDA nutrient database that most closely matched the nutrient content of the local food we referred to a local food composition table. Results Almost all the participants ate sadza (maize porridge) at least 5 times a week, and about half had matemba (fish) and caterpillar more than once a month. Nutrient estimates obtained from the FFQ data by using the USDA and Zimbabwean food composition tables were similar for total energy intake intra class correlation (ICC) = 0.99, and carbohydrate (ICC = 0.99), but different for vitamin A (ICC = 0.53), and total folate (ICC = 0.68). Conclusion We have described a standardized process of FFQ and food composition database development for a Black Zimbabwean population. PMID:16351722

Predicting fat-free mass in children using bioimpedance analysis.

PubMed

Pietrobelli, A; Andreoli, A; Cervelli, V; Carbonelli, M G; Peroni, D G; De Lorenzo, A

2003-10-01

Body composition assessment is a useful procedure for the study of nutritional status and water distribution. In adults, it is a predictor of morbidity and mortality, since body fatness is associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) is a simple, safe, and inexpensive method for assessment of body composition both in pediatric and adult subjects. The aim of our study was to validate the impedance index, ZI (H(2)/Z, height in cm(2)/impedance), as a predictor factor of fatfree mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) in a sample ( n=75) of normal children. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was chosen as reference method. Despite some minor bias, DXAis considerably less expensive and easier to administer in pediatric subjects than other established gold standard reference methods for assessing body composition. ZI values were highly correlated with FFM measured with DXA. The following equations were obtained from the regression analysis: (a). male subjects, FFM(DXA)=0.6375 (ZI)+5.9913, r(2)=0.897, p<0.0001; (b). female subjects, FFM(DXA)=0.7597 (ZI)+ 3.5853, r(2)=0.903, p<0.0001. These data support the notion that BIA alone can be used as a surrogate to measure FFM in a pediatric sample.

Nutrient database improvement project: Separable components and proximate composition of raw and cooked retail cuts from the beef loin and round.

PubMed

Acheson, R J; Woerner, D R; Martin, J N; Belk, K E; Engle, T E; Brown, T R; Brooks, J C; Luna, A M; Thompson, L D; Grimes, H L; Arnold, A N; Savell, J W; Gehring, K B; Douglass, L W; Howe, J C; Patterson, K Y; Roseland, J M; Williams, J R; Cifelli, A; Leheska, J M; McNeill, S H

2015-12-01

Beef nutrition research has become increasingly important domestically and internationally for the beef industry and its consumers. The objective of this study was to analyze the nutrient composition of ten beef loin and round cuts to update the nutrient data in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Seventy-two carcasses representing a national composite of Yield Grade, Quality Grade, sex classification, and genetic type were identified from six regions across the U.S. Beef short loins, strip loins, tenderloins, inside rounds, and eye of rounds (NAMP # 173, 175, 190A, 169A, and 171C) were collected from the selected carcasses and shipped to three university meat laboratories for storage, retail fabrication, and raw/cooked analysis of nutrients. Sample homogenates from each animal were analyzed for proximate composition. These data provide updated information regarding the nutrient status of beef, in addition, to determining the influence of Quality Grade, Yield Grade, and sex classification on nutrient composition. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Investigation of wear resistance of polyurethanes in abrasive soil mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Napiórkowski, Jerzy; Ligier, Krzysztof

2018-04-01

This paper presents a comparative study of polyurethane wear in different abrasive soil masses. Two types of polyurethanes of various chemical compositions and untreated 38GSA steel were tested, the latter being used as a reference standard. The study was conducted in natural soil mass at a "rotating bowl" stand. Relative wear resistance was determined from measurements of mass wear for the materials under study. The condition of the surface of the materials under wear test was analysed.

Reference Manual on Interference Seals and Connectors for Undersea Electrical Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-07-01

processes. It has a standard line of metal shell connectors, the ER and EB series, which are available with braided and laced harnass work and breakouts, and...Assemblies (RM) 4-10 4.3.2 Molded Plastic Assemblies (PM) 4-11 4.3.3 Metal Shell Assemblies (MS) 4-12 4.3.4 Pressure-balanced Oil-filled Assemblies...connectors according to material composition. The classes of connectors include: Rubber Molded (RM), Plastic Molded (PM), Metal Shell (MS), Pressure-Balanced

Comparison of two high-resolution manometry software systems in evaluating esophageal motor function.

PubMed

Rengarajan, A; Drapekin, J; Patel, A; Gyawali, C P

2016-12-01

High-resolution manometry (HRM) utilizes software tools to diagnose esophageal motor disorders. Performance of these software metrics could be affected by averaging and by software characteristics of different manufacturers. High-resolution manometry studies on 86 patients referred for antireflux surgery (61.6 ± 1.4 year, 70% F) and 20 healthy controls (27.9 ± 0.7 year, 45% F) were first subject to standard analysis (Medtronic, Duluth, GA, USA). Coordinates for each of 10 test swallows were exported and averaged to generate a composite swallow. The swallows and averaged composites were imported as ASCII file format into Manoview (Medtronic) and Medical Measurement Systems database reporter (MMS, Dover, NH, USA), and analyses repeated. Comparisons were made between standard and composite swallow interpretations. Correlation between the two systems was high for mean distal contractile integral (DCI, r 2 ≥ 0.9) but lower for integrated relaxation pressure (IRP, r 2 = 0.7). Excluding achalasia, six patients with outflow obstruction (mean IRP 23.2 ± 2.1 with 10-swallow average) were identified by both systems. An additional nine patients (10.5%) were identified as outflow obstruction (15 mmHg threshold) with MMS 10-swallow and four with MMS composite swallow evaluation; only one was confirmed. Ineffective esophageal motility was diagnosed by 10-swallow evaluation in 19 (22.1%) with Manoview, and 20 (23.3%) with MMS. On Manoview composite, 17 had DCI <450 mmHg/cm/s, and on MMS composite, 21, (p ≥ 0.85 for each comparison) but these did not impact diagnostic conclusions. Comparison of 10 swallow and composite swallows demonstrate variability in software metrics between manometry systems. Our data support use of manufacturer specific software metrics on 10-swallow sequences. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

High-precision isotopic characterization of USGS reference materials by TIMS and MC-ICP-MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weis, Dominique; Kieffer, Bruno; Maerschalk, Claude; Barling, Jane; de Jong, Jeroen; Williams, Gwen A.; Hanano, Diane; Pretorius, Wilma; Mattielli, Nadine; Scoates, James S.; Goolaerts, Arnaud; Friedman, Richard M.; Mahoney, J. Brian

2006-08-01

The Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research (PCIGR) at the University of British Columbia has undertaken a systematic analysis of the isotopic (Sr, Nd, and Pb) compositions and concentrations of a broad compositional range of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reference materials, including basalt (BCR-1, 2; BHVO-1, 2), andesite (AGV-1, 2), rhyolite (RGM-1, 2), syenite (STM-1, 2), granodiorite (GSP-2), and granite (G-2, 3). USGS rock reference materials are geochemically well characterized, but there is neither a systematic methodology nor a database for radiogenic isotopic compositions, even for the widely used BCR-1. This investigation represents the first comprehensive, systematic analysis of the isotopic composition and concentration of USGS reference materials and provides an important database for the isotopic community. In addition, the range of equipment at the PCIGR, including a Nu Instruments Plasma MC-ICP-MS, a Thermo Finnigan Triton TIMS, and a Thermo Finnigan Element2 HR-ICP-MS, permits an assessment and comparison of the precision and accuracy of isotopic analyses determined by both the TIMS and MC-ICP-MS methods (e.g., Nd isotopic compositions). For each of the reference materials, 5 to 10 complete replicate analyses provide coherent isotopic results, all with external precision below 30 ppm (2 SD) for Sr and Nd isotopic compositions (27 and 24 ppm for TIMS and MC-ICP-MS, respectively). Our results also show that the first- and second-generation USGS reference materials have homogeneous Sr and Nd isotopic compositions. Nd isotopic compositions by MC-ICP-MS and TIMS agree to within 15 ppm for all reference materials. Interlaboratory MC-ICP-MS comparisons show excellent agreement for Pb isotopic compositions; however, the reproducibility is not as good as for Sr and Nd. A careful, sequential leaching experiment of three first- and second-generation reference materials (BCR, BHVO, AGV) indicates that the heterogeneity in Pb isotopic compositions, and concentrations, could be directly related to contamination by the steel (mortar/pestle) used to process the materials. Contamination also accounts for the high concentrations of certain other trace elements (e.g., Li, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, W) in various USGS reference materials.

Evaluation of Xpert® MTB/RIF and Ustar EasyNAT™ TB IAD for diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis of children in Tanzania: a prospective descriptive study.

PubMed

Bholla, Maira; Kapalata, Neema; Masika, Edward; Chande, Hassan; Jugheli, Levan; Sasamalo, Mohamed; Glass, Tracy R; Beck, Hans-Peter; Reither, Klaus

2016-06-06

Fine needle aspiration biopsy has become a standard approach for diagnosis of peripheral tuberculous lymphadenitis. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF and Ustar EasyNAT TB IAD nucleic acid amplification assays, against acid-fast bacilli microscopy, cytology and mycobacterial culture for the diagnosis of TB lymphadenitis in children from a TB-endemic setting in Tanzania. Children of 8 weeks to 16 years of age, suspected of having TB lymphadenitis, were recruited at a district hospital in Tanzania. Fine needle aspirates of lymph nodes were analysed using acid-fast bacilli microscopy, liquid TB culture, cytology, Xpert MTB/RIF and EasyNAT. Latent class analysis and comparison against a composite reference standard comprising "culture and/or cytology" was done, to assess the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF and EasyNAT for the diagnosis of TB lymphadenitis. Seventy-nine children were recruited; 4 were excluded from analysis. Against a composite reference standard of culture and/or cytology, Xpert MTB/RIF and EasyNAT had a sensitivity and specificity of 58 % and 93 %; and 19 % and 100 % respectively. Relative to latent class definitions, cytology had a sensitivity of 100 % and specificity of 94.7 %. Combining clinical assessment, cytology and Xpert MTB/RIF may allow for a rapid and accurate diagnosis of childhood TB lymphadenitis. Larger diagnostic evaluation studies are recommended to validate these findings and on Xpert MTB/RIF to assess its use as a solitary initial test for TB lymphadenitis in children.

Ultra-high spatial resolution multi-energy CT using photon counting detector technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leng, S.; Gutjahr, R.; Ferrero, A.; Kappler, S.; Henning, A.; Halaweish, A.; Zhou, W.; Montoya, J.; McCollough, C.

2017-03-01

Two ultra-high-resolution (UHR) imaging modes, each with two energy thresholds, were implemented on a research, whole-body photon-counting-detector (PCD) CT scanner, referred to as sharp and UHR, respectively. The UHR mode has a pixel size of 0.25 mm at iso-center for both energy thresholds, with a collimation of 32 × 0.25 mm. The sharp mode has a 0.25 mm pixel for the low-energy threshold and 0.5 mm for the high-energy threshold, with a collimation of 48 × 0.25 mm. Kidney stones with mixed mineral composition and lung nodules with different shapes were scanned using both modes, and with the standard imaging mode, referred to as macro mode (0.5 mm pixel and 32 × 0.5 mm collimation). Evaluation and comparison of the three modes focused on the ability to accurately delineate anatomic structures using the high-spatial resolution capability and the ability to quantify stone composition using the multi-energy capability. The low-energy threshold images of the sharp and UHR modes showed better shape and texture information due to the achieved higher spatial resolution, although noise was also higher. No noticeable benefit was shown in multi-energy analysis using UHR compared to standard resolution (macro mode) when standard doses were used. This was due to excessive noise in the higher resolution images. However, UHR scans at higher dose showed improvement in multi-energy analysis over macro mode with regular dose. To fully take advantage of the higher spatial resolution in multi-energy analysis, either increased radiation dose, or application of noise reduction techniques, is needed.

Ar+ and CuBr laser-assisted chemical bleaching of teeth: estimation of whiteness degree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitrov, S.; Todorovska, Roumyana; Gizbrecht, Alexander I.; Raychev, L.; Petrov, Lyubomir P.

2003-11-01

In this work the results of adaptation of impartial methods for color determination aimed at developing of techniques for estimation of human teeth whiteness degree, sufficiently handy for common use in clinical practice are presented. For approbation and by the way of illustration of the techniques, standards of teeth colors were used as well as model and naturally discolored human teeth treated by two bleaching chemical compositions activated by three light sources each: Ar+ and CuBr lasers, and a standard halogen photopolymerization lamp. Typical reflection and fluorescence spectra of some samples are presented; the samples colors were estimated by a standard computer processing in RGB and B coordinates. The results of the applied spectral and colorimetric techniques are in a good agreement with those of the standard computer processing of the corresponding digital photographs and complies with the visually estimated degree of the teeth whiteness judged according to the standard reference scale commonly used in the aesthetic dentistry.

Nicotine, acetanilide and urea multi-level2H-,13C- and15N-abundance reference materials for continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schimmelmann, A.; Albertino, A.; Sauer, P.E.; Qi, H.; Molinie, R.; Mesnard, F.

2009-01-01

Accurate determinations of stable isotope ratios require a calibration using at least two reference materials with different isotopic compositions to anchor the isotopic scale and compensate for differences in machine slope. Ideally, the S values of these reference materials should bracket the isotopic range of samples with unknown S values. While the practice of analyzing two isotopically distinct reference materials is common for water (VSMOW-SLAP) and carbonates (NBS 19 and L-SVEC), the lack of widely available organic reference materials with distinct isotopic composition has hindered the practice when analyzing organic materials by elemental analysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS). At present only L-glutamic acids USGS40 and USGS41 satisfy these requirements for ??13C and ??13N, with the limitation that L-glutamic acid is not suitable for analysis by gas chromatography (GC). We describe the development and quality testing of (i) four nicotine laboratory reference materials for on-line (i.e. continuous flow) hydrogen reductive gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-IRMS), (ii) five nicotines for oxidative C, N gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS, or GC-IRMS), and (iii) also three acetanilide and three urea reference materials for on-line oxidative EA-IRMS for C and N. Isotopic off-line calibration against international stable isotope measurement standards at Indiana University adhered to the 'principle of identical treatment'. The new reference materials cover the following isotopic ranges: ??2Hnicotine -162 to -45%o, ??13Cnicotine -30.05 to +7.72%, ?? 15Nnicotine -6.03 to +33.62%; ??15N acetanilide +1-18 to +40.57%; ??13Curea -34.13 to +11.71%, ??15Nurea +0.26 to +40.61% (recommended ?? values refer to calibration with NBS 19, L-SVEC, IAEA-N-1, and IAEA-N-2). Nicotines fill a gap as the first organic nitrogen stable isotope reference materials for GC-IRMS that are available with different ??13N values. Comparative ??13C and ??15N on-line EA-IRMS data from 14 volunteering laboratories document the usefulness and reliability of acetanilides and ureas as EA-IRMS reference materials.

Assessment of fat and lean mass by quantitative magnetic resonance: a future technology of body composition research?

PubMed

Bosy-Westphal, Anja; Müller, Manfred J

2015-09-01

For the assessment of energy balance or monitoring of therapeutic interventions, there is a need for noninvasive and highly precise methods of body composition analysis that are able to accurately measure small changes in fat and fat-free mass (FFM). The use of quantitative magnetic resonance (QMR) for measurement of body composition has long been established in animal studies. There are, however, only a few human studies that examine the validity of this method. These studies have consistently shown a high precision of QMR and only a small underestimation of fat mass by QMR when compared with a 4-compartment model as a reference. An underestimation of fat mass by QMR is also supported by the comparison between measured energy balance (as a difference between energy intake and energy expenditure) and energy balance predicted from changes in fat mass and FFM. Fewer calories were lost and gained as fat mass compared with the value expected from measured energy balance. Current evidence in healthy humans has shown that QMR is a valid and precise method for noninvasive measurement of body composition. Contrary to standard reference methods, such as densitometry and dual X-ray absorptiometry, QMR results are independent of FFM hydration. However, despite a high accuracy and a low minimal detectable change, underestimation of fat mass by QMR is possible and limits the use of this method for quantification of energy balance.

Effect of Transitioning from Standard Reference Material 2806a to Standard Reference Material 2806b for Light Obscuration Particle Countering

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

Reference Material 2806b for Light Obscuration Particle Countering April 2016 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Joel Schmitigal 27809 Standard Form 298 (Rev...Standard Reference Material 2806b for Light Obscuration Particle Countering 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6...Reference Material 2806a to Standard Reference Material 2806b for Light Obscuration Particle Countering Joel Schmitigal Force Projection

State-of-the-art measurements in human body composition: A moving frontier of clinical importance.

PubMed

Gallagher, D; Shaheen, I; Zafar, K

2008-01-01

The measurement of human body composition allows for the estimation of body tissues, organs, and their distributions in living persons without inflicting harm. From a nutritional perspective, the interest in body composition has increased multi-fold with the global increase in the prevalence of obesity and its complications. The latter has driven in part the need for improved measurement methods with greater sensitivity and precision. There is no single gold standard for body-composition measurements in-vivo. All methods incorporate assumptions that do not apply in all individuals and the more accurate models are derived by using a combination of measurements, thereby reducing the importance of each assumption. This review will discuss why the measurement of body composition or human phenotyping is important; discuss new areas where the measurement of body composition (human phenotyping) is recognized as having important application; and will summarize recent advances made in new methodology. Reference will also be made to areas we cannot yet measure due to the lack of appropriate measurement methodologies, most especially measurements methods that provide information on kinetic states (not just static state) and metabolic function.

Nutrient database improvement project: the influence of U.S.D.A. Quality and Yield Grade on the separable components and proximate composition of raw and cooked retail cuts from the beef rib and plate.

PubMed

Martin, J N; Brooks, J C; Thompson, L D; Savell, J W; Harris, K B; May, L L; Haneklaus, A N; Schutz, J L; Belk, K E; Engle, T; Woerner, D R; Legako, J F; Luna, A M; Douglass, L W; Douglass, S E; Howe, J; Duvall, M; Patterson, K Y; Leheska, J L

2013-11-01

Beef nutrition is important to the worldwide beef industry. The objective of this study was to analyze proximate composition of eight beef rib and plate cuts to update the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR). Furthermore, this study aimed to determine the influence of USDA Quality Grade on the separable components and proximate composition of the examined retail cuts. Carcasses (n=72) representing a composite of Yield Grade, Quality Grade, gender and genetic type were identified from six regions across the U.S. Beef plates and ribs (IMPS #109 and 121C and D) were collected from the selected carcasses and shipped to three university meat laboratories for storage, retail fabrication, cooking, and dissection and analysis of proximate composition. These data provide updated information regarding the nutrient content of beef and emphasize the influence of common classification systems (Yield Grade and Quality Grade) on the separable components, cooking yield, and proximate composition of retail beef cuts. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

State-of-the-art measurements in human body composition: A moving frontier of clinical importance

PubMed Central

Gallagher, D.; Shaheen, I.; Zafar, K.

2010-01-01

The measurement of human body composition allows for the estimation of body tissues, organs, and their distributions in living persons without inflicting harm. From a nutritional perspective, the interest in body composition has increased multi-fold with the global increase in the prevalence of obesity and its complications. The latter has driven in part the need for improved measurement methods with greater sensitivity and precision. There is no single gold standard for body-composition measurements in-vivo. All methods incorporate assumptions that do not apply in all individuals and the more accurate models are derived by using a combination of measurements, thereby reducing the importance of each assumption. This review will discuss why the measurement of body composition or human phenotyping is important; discuss new areas where the measurement of body composition (human phenotyping) is recognized as having important application; and will summarize recent advances made in new methodology. Reference will also be made to areas we cannot yet measure due to the lack of appropriate measurement methodologies, most especially measurements methods that provide information on kinetic states (not just static state) and metabolic function. PMID:21234275

Final report on EURAMET.QM-S6/1195: Bilateral comparison of liquefied hydrocarbon mixtures in constant pressure (piston) cylinders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Andrew S.; Downey, Michael L.; Milton, Martin J. T.; van der Veen, Adriaan M. H.; Zalewska, Ewelina T.; Li, Jianrong

2013-01-01

Traceable liquid hydrocarbon mixtures are required in order to underpin measurements of the composition and other physical properties of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and LNG (liquefied natural gas), thus meeting the needs of an increasingly large European industrial market. The development of traceable liquid hydrocarbon standards by National Measurement Institutes (NMIs) was still at a relatively early stage at the time this comparison was proposed in 2011. NPL and VSL, who were the only NMIs active in this area, had developed methods for the preparation and analysis of such standards in constant pressure (piston) cylinders, but neither laboratory had Calibration and Measurement Capabilities (CMCs) for these mixtures. This report presents the results of EURAMET 1195, the first comparison of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures between NMIs, which assessed the preparation and analytical capabilities of NPL and VSL for these mixtures. The comparison operated between August 2011 and January 2012. Each laboratory prepared a liquid hydrocarbon standard with nominally the same composition and these standards were exchanged for analysis. The results of the comparison show a good agreement between the laboratories' results and the comparison reference values for the six components with amount fractions greater than 1.0 cmol/mol (propane, propene, iso-butene, n-butane, iso-butane and 1-butene). Measurement of the three components with lower amount fractions (1,3-butadiene, iso-pentane and n-pentane) proved more challenging. In all but one case, the differences from the comparison reference values for these three components were greater than the expanded measurement uncertainty. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by EURAMET, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Identification, characterization and quantitation of pyrogenic polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons and other organic compounds in tire fire products.

PubMed

Wang, Zhendi; Li, K; Lambert, P; Yang, Chun

2007-01-12

On 15 August 2001, a tire fire took place at the Pneu Lavoie Facility in Gatineau, Quebec, in which 4000 to 6000 new and recycled tires were stored along with other potentially hazardous materials. Comprehensive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses were performed on the tire fire samples to facilitate detailed chemical composition characterization of toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other organic compounds in samples. It is found that significant amounts of PAHs, particularly the high-ring-number PAHs, were generated during the fire. In total, 165 PAH compounds including 13 isomers of molecular weight (MW) 302, 10 isomers of MW 278, 10 isomers of MW 276, 7 isomers of MW 252, 7 isomers of MW 228, and 8 isomers of MW 216 PAHs were positively identified in the tire fire wipe samples for the first time. Numerous S-, O-, and N-containing PAH compounds were also detected. The identification and characterization of the PAH isomers was mainly based on: (1) a positive match of mass spectral data of the PAH isomers with the NIST authentic mass spectra database; (2) a positive match of the GC retention indices (I) of PAHs with authentic standards and with those reported in the literature; (3) agreement of the PAH elution order with the NIST (US National Institute of Standards and Technology) Standard Reference Material 1597 for complex mixture of PAHs from coal tar; (4) a positive match of the distribution patterns of PAH isomers in the SIM mode between the tire fire samples and the NIST Standard Reference Materials and well-characterized reference oils. Quantitation of target PAHs was done on the GC-MS in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode using the internal standard method. The relative response factors (RRF) for target PAHs were obtained from analyses of authentic PAH standard compounds. Alkylated PAH homologues were quantitated using straight baseline integration of each level of alkylation.

The prognostic value of standardized reference values for speckle-tracking global longitudinal strain in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Hartlage, Gregory R; Kim, Jonathan H; Strickland, Patrick T; Cheng, Alan C; Ghasemzadeh, Nima; Pernetz, Maria A; Clements, Stephen D; Williams, B Robinson

2015-03-01

Speckle-tracking left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) assessment may provide substantial prognostic information for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients. Reference values for GLS have been recently published. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of standardized reference values for GLS in HCM patients. An analysis of HCM clinic patients who underwent GLS was performed. GLS was defined as normal (more negative or equal to -16%) and abnormal (less negative than -16%) based on recently published reference values. Patients were followed for a composite of events including heart failure hospitalization, sustained ventricular arrhythmia, and all-cause death. The power of GLS to predict outcomes was assessed relative to traditional clinical and echocardiographic variables present in HCM. 79 HCM patients were followed for a median of 22 months (interquartile range 9-30 months) after imaging. During follow-up, 15 patients (19%) met the primary outcome. Abnormal GLS was the only echocardiographic variable independently predictive of the primary outcome [multivariate Hazard ratio 5.05 (95% confidence interval 1.09-23.4, p = 0.038)]. When combined with traditional clinical variables, abnormal GLS remained independently predictive of the primary outcome [multivariate Hazard ratio 5.31 (95 % confidence interval 1.18-24, p = 0.030)]. In a model including the strongest clinical and echocardiographic predictors of the primary outcome, abnormal GLS demonstrated significant incremental benefit for risk stratification [net reclassification improvement 0.75 (95 % confidence interval 0.21-1.23, p < 0.0001)]. Abnormal GLS is an independent predictor of adverse outcomes in HCM patients. Standardized use of GLS may provide significant incremental value over traditional variables for risk stratification.

Bisphenol A Release: Survey of the Composition of Dental Composite Resins

PubMed Central

Dursun, Elisabeth; Fron-Chabouis, Hélène; Attal, Jean-Pierre; Raskin, Anne

2016-01-01

Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor with potential toxicity. Composite resins may not contain pure BPA, but its derivatives are widely used. Several studies found doses of BPA or its derivatives in saliva or urine of patients after composite resin placement. Objective: The aims of this study were to establish an exhaustive list of composite resins marketed in Europe and their composition, and to assess the extent of BPA derivatives used. Methods: A research on manufacturers' websites was performed to reference all composite resins marketed in Europe, then their composition was determined from both material safety data sheets and a standardized questionnaire sent to manufacturers. Manufacturers had to indicate whether their product contained the monomers listed, add other monomers if necessary, or indicate “not disclosed”. Results: 160 composite resins were identified from 31 manufacturers and 23 manufacturers (74.2%) responded to the survey. From the survey and websites, the composition of 130 composite resins (81.2%) was: 112 (86.2%) based on BPA derivatives, 97 (74.7%) on bis-GMA, 17 (13.1%) without monomer derived from BPA (UDMA, sometimes with TEGDMA) and 6 (4.6%) with UDMA (only); 1 (0.8%) did not contain a BPA derivative or UDMA or TEGDMA. Pure BPA was never reported. Conclusion: This work has established a list of 18 composite resins that contain no BPA derivative. Manufacturers should be required to report the exact composition of their products as it often remains unclear or incomplete. PMID:27708726

Bisphenol A Release: Survey of the Composition of Dental Composite Resins.

PubMed

Dursun, Elisabeth; Fron-Chabouis, Hélène; Attal, Jean-Pierre; Raskin, Anne

2016-01-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor with potential toxicity. Composite resins may not contain pure BPA, but its derivatives are widely used. Several studies found doses of BPA or its derivatives in saliva or urine of patients after composite resin placement. The aims of this study were to establish an exhaustive list of composite resins marketed in Europe and their composition, and to assess the extent of BPA derivatives used. A research on manufacturers' websites was performed to reference all composite resins marketed in Europe, then their composition was determined from both material safety data sheets and a standardized questionnaire sent to manufacturers. Manufacturers had to indicate whether their product contained the monomers listed, add other monomers if necessary, or indicate "not disclosed". 160 composite resins were identified from 31 manufacturers and 23 manufacturers (74.2%) responded to the survey. From the survey and websites, the composition of 130 composite resins (81.2%) was: 112 (86.2%) based on BPA derivatives, 97 (74.7%) on bis-GMA, 17 (13.1%) without monomer derived from BPA (UDMA, sometimes with TEGDMA) and 6 (4.6%) with UDMA (only); 1 (0.8%) did not contain a BPA derivative or UDMA or TEGDMA. Pure BPA was never reported. This work has established a list of 18 composite resins that contain no BPA derivative. Manufacturers should be required to report the exact composition of their products as it often remains unclear or incomplete.

International comparison CCQM-K111.1—propane in nitrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Veen, Adriaan M. H.; Wouter van der Hout, J.; Ziel, Paul R.; Jozela, Mudalo; Tshilongo, James; Ntsasa, Napo G.; Botha, Angelique

2017-01-01

This key comparison aims to assess the core capabilities of the participants in gas analysis. Such competences include, among others, the capability of preparing Primary Standard gas Mixtures (PSMs), performing the necessary purity analysis on the materials used in the gas mixture preparation, the verification of the composition of newly prepared PSMs against existing ones, and the capability of calibrating the composition of a gas mixture. According to the Strategy for Key Comparisons of the Gas Analysis Working Group, this subsequent key comparison is classified as a track B key comparison, which means that the results of this key comparison can be used to underpin calibration and measurement capabilities for propane under the default scheme. The artefact was a binary mixture of propane in nitrogen at a nominal amount-of-substance fraction level of 1000 μmol/mol. The values and uncertainties from the gravimetric gas mixture preparation were used as key comparison reference values (KCRVs). Each transfer standard had its own KCRV. The result of the participating laboratory is consistent with the key comparison reference value within the respective expanded uncertainties and deviates less than 0.1 %. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

MPT64 antigen detection test improves routine diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in a low-resource setting: A study from the tertiary care hospital in Zanzibar.

PubMed

Jørstad, Melissa Davidsen; Marijani, Msafiri; Dyrhol-Riise, Anne Ma; Sviland, Lisbet; Mustafa, Tehmina

2018-01-01

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is a diagnostic challenge. An immunochemistry-based MPT64 antigen detection test (MPT64 test) has reported higher sensitivity in the diagnosis of EPTB compared with conventional methods. The objective of this study was to implement and evaluate the MPT64 test in routine diagnostics in a low-resource setting. Patients with presumptive EPTB were prospectively enrolled at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, Zanzibar, and followed to the end of treatment. Specimens collected were subjected to routine diagnostics, GeneXpert® MTB/RIF assay and the MPT64 test. The performance of the MPT64 test was assessed using a composite reference standard, defining the patients as tuberculosis (TB) cases or non-TB cases. Patients (n = 132) were classified as confirmed TB (n = 12), probable TB (n = 34), possible TB (n = 18), non-TB (n = 62) and uncategorized (n = 6) cases. Overall, in comparison to the composite reference standard for diagnosis, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of the MPT64 test was 69%, 95%, 94%, 75% and 82%, respectively. The MPT64 test performance was best in TB lymphadenitis cases (n = 67, sensitivity 79%, specificity 97%) and in paediatric TB (n = 41, sensitivity 100%, specificity 96%). We show that the MPT64 test can be implemented in routine diagnostics in a low-resource setting and improves the diagnosis of EPTB, especially in TB lymphadenitis and in children.

Impact of a product-specific reference standard for the measurement of a PEGylated rFVIII activity: the Swiss Multicentre Field Study.

PubMed

Bulla, O; Poncet, A; Alberio, L; Asmis, L M; Gähler, A; Graf, L; Nagler, M; Studt, J-D; Tsakiris, D A; Fontana, P

2017-07-01

Measuring factor VIII (FVIII) activity can be challenging when it has been modified, such as when FVIII is pegylated to increase its circulating half-life. Use of a product-specific reference standard may help avoid this issue. Evaluate the impact of using a product-specific reference standard for measuring the FVIII activity of BAX 855 - a pegylated FVIII - in eight of Switzerland's main laboratories. Factor VIII-deficient plasma, spiked with five different concentrations of BAX 855, plus a control FVIII sample, was sent to the participating laboratories. They measured FVIII activity by using either with a one-stage (OSA) or the chromogenic assay (CA) against their local or a product-specific reference standard. When using a local reference standard, there was an overestimation of BAX 855 activity compared to the target concentrations, both with the OSA and CA. The use of a product-specific reference standard reduced this effect: mean recovery ranged from 127.7% to 213.5% using the OSA with local reference standards, compared to 110% to 183.8% with a product-specific reference standard, and from 146.3% to 182.4% using the CA with local reference standards compared to 72.7% to 103.7% with a product-specific reference standard. In this in vitro study, the type of reference standard had a major impact on the measurement of BAX 855 activity. Evaluation was more accurate and precise when using a product-specific reference standard. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Advances in food composition tables in Japan-Standard Tables Of Food Composition in Japan - 2015 - (Seventh Revised Edition).

PubMed

Watanabe, Tomoko; Kawai, Ryoko

2018-01-01

The latest version of the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan-2015- comprises the main food composition table (Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan-2015-[Seventh revised Edition)) and three supplementary books. The supplementary books are Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan - 2015 - (Seventh Revised Edition) - Amino Acids -, Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan - 2015 - (Seventh Revised Edition) - Fatty Acids - and Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan - 2015 - (Seventh Revised Edition) - Available Carbohydrates, Polyols and Organic Acids-. We believe understanding these food composition tables can give greater insight into Japan's gastronomic culture and changes in eating habits. We expect them to play important roles as part of the East Asia food composition tables. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The development of European standard (CEN) methods in support of European Directives for plastics materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuff.

PubMed

Ashby, R

1994-01-01

CEC Directives have been implemented for plastics materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs. These introduce limits upon the overall migration from plastics into food and food simulants. In addition, specific migration limits or composition limits for free monomer in the final article, have been set for some monomers. Agreed test methods are required to allow these Directives to be respected. CEN, the European Committee for Standardization, has created a working group to develop suitable test methods. This is 'Working Group 5, Chemical Methods of Test', of CEN Technical Committee TC 194, Utensils in contact with food. This group has drafted a ten part standard for determining overall migration into aqueous and fatty food simulants by total immersion, by standard cell, by standard pouch and by filling. This draft standard has been approved by CEN TC 194 for circulation for public comment as a provisional standard, i.e. as an ENV. Further parts of this standard are in preparation for determining overall migration at high temperatures, etc. Simultaneously, Working Group 5 is cooperating with the BCR (Community Bureau of Reference) to produce reference materials with certified values of overall migration. CEN TC 194 Working Group 5 is also drafting methods for monomers subject to limitation in Directive 90/128/EEC. Good progress is being made on the monomers of highest priority but it is recognized that developing methods for all the monomers subject to limitation would take many years. Therefore, collaboration with the BCR, the Council of Europe and others is taking place to accelerate method development.

Absolute Isotopic Abundance Ratios and the Accuracy of Δ47 Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daeron, M.; Blamart, D.; Peral, M.; Affek, H. P.

2016-12-01

Conversion from raw IRMS data to clumped isotope anomalies in CO2 (Δ47) relies on four external parameters: the (13C/12C) ratio of VPDB, the (17O/16O) and (18O/16O) ratios of VSMOW (or VPDB-CO2), and the slope of the triple oxygen isotope line (λ). Here we investigate the influence that these isotopic parameters exert on measured Δ47 values, using real-world data corresponding to 7 months of measurements; simulations based on randomly generated data; precise comparisons between water-equilibrated CO2 samples and between carbonate standards believed to share quasi-identical Δ47 values; reprocessing of two carbonate calibration data sets with different slopes of Δ47 versus T. Using different sets of isotopic parameters generally produces systematic offsets as large as 0.04 ‰ in final Δ47 values. What's more, even using a single set of isotopic parameters can produce intra- and inter-laboratory discrepancies in final Δ47 values, if some of these parameters are inaccurate. Depending on the isotopic compositions of the standards used for conversion to "absolute" values, these errors should correlate strongly with either δ13C or δ18O, or more weakly with both. Based on measurements of samples expected to display identical Δ47 values, such as 25°C water-equilibrated CO2 with different carbon and oxygen isotope compositions, or high-temperature standards ETH-1 and ETH-2, we conclude that the isotopic parameters used so far in most clumped isotope studies produces large, systematic errors controlled by the relative bulk isotopic compositions of samples and standards, which should be one of the key factors responsible for current inter-laboratory discrepancies. By contrast, the isotopic parameters of Brand et al. [2010] appear to yield accurate Δ47 values regardless of bulk isotopic composition. References:Brand, Assonov and Coplen [2010] http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/PAC-REP-09-01-05

Direct separation of boron from Na- and Ca-rich matrices by sublimation for stable isotope measurement by MC-ICP-MS.

PubMed

Wang, Bo-Shian; You, Chen-Feng; Huang, Kuo-Fang; Wu, Shein-Fu; Aggarwal, Suresh Kumar; Chung, Chuan-Hsiung; Lin, Pei-Ying

2010-09-15

An improved technique for precise and accurate determination of boron isotopic composition in Na-rich natural waters (groundwater, seawater) and marine biogenic carbonates was developed. This study used a 'micro-sublimation' technique to separate B from natural sample matrices in place of the conventional ion-exchange extraction. By adjusting analyte to appropriate pH, quantitative recovery of boron can be achieved (>98%) and the B procedural blank is limited to <8 pg. An additional mass bias effect in MC-ICP-MS was observed which could not be improved via the standard-sample-standard bracketing or the 'pseudo internal' normalization by Li. Therefore a standard other than NBS SRM 951 was used to monitor plasma condition in order to maintain analytical accuracy. An isotope cross-calibration with results from TIMS shows that the space-charge mass bias on MC-ICP-MS can be successfully corrected using off-line mathematical manipulation. Several reference materials, including the seawater IAPSO and two groundwater standards IAEA-B-2 and IAEA-B-3, were used to validate this approach. We found that the delta(11)B of the reference coral JCp-1 was 24.22+/-0.28 per thousand, corresponding to seawater pH based on the coral delta(11)B-pH function. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Towards absolute laser spectroscopic CO2 isotope ratio measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anyangwe Nwaboh, Javis; Werhahn, Olav; Ebert, Volker

2017-04-01

Knowledge of isotope composition of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is necessary to identify sources and sinks of this key greenhouse gas. In the last years, laser spectroscopic techniques such as cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) and tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) have been shown to perform accurate isotope ratio measurements for CO2 and other gases like water vapour (H2O) [1,2]. Typically, isotope ratios are reported in literature referring to reference materials provided by e.g. the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). However, there could be some benefit if field deployable absolute isotope ratio measurement methods were developed to address issues such as exhausted reference material like the Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB) standard. Absolute isotope ratio measurements would be particularly important for situations where reference materials do not even exist. Here, we present CRDS and TDLAS-based absolute isotope ratios (13C/12C ) in atmospheric CO2. We demonstrate the capabilities of the used methods by measuring CO2 isotope ratios in gas standards. We compare our results to values reported for the isotope certified gas standards. Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement (GUM) compliant uncertainty budgets on the CRDS and TDLAS absolute isotope ratio measurements are presented, and traceability is addressed. We outline the current impediments in realizing high accuracy absolute isotope ratio measurements using laser spectroscopic methods, propose solutions and the way forward. Acknowledgement Parts of this work have been carried out within the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) ENV52 project-HIGHGAS. The EMRP is jointly funded by the EMRP participating countries within EURAMET and the European Union. References [1] B. Kühnreich, S. Wagner, J. C. Habig,·O. Möhler, H. Saathoff, V. Ebert, Appl. Phys. B 119:177-187 (2015). [2] E. Kerstel, L. Gianfrani, Appl. Phys. B 92, 439-449 (2008).

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometric method for the determination of dissolved trace elements in natural water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garbarino, J.R.; Taylor, Howard E.

1996-01-01

An inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry method was developed for the determination of dissolved Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, Tl, U, V, and Zn in natural waters. Detection limits are generally in the 50-100 picogram per milliliter (pg/mL) range, with the exception of As which is in the 1 microgram per liter (ug/L) range. Interferences associated with spectral overlap from concomitant isotopes or molecular ions and sample matrix composition have been identified. Procedures for interference correction and reduction related to isotope selection, instrumental operating conditions, and mathematical data processing techniques are described. Internal standards are used to minimize instrumental drift. The average analytical precision attainable for 5 times the detection limit is about 16 percent. The accuracy of the method was tested using a series of U.S. Geological Survey Standard Reference Water Standards (SWRS), National Research Council Canada Riverine Water Standard, and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Trace Elements in Water Standards. Average accuracies range from 90 to 110 percent of the published mean values.

USGS reference materials

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1995-01-01

Every year in the United States, millions of measurements are made on the chemical composition of items that affect us on a daily basis. Determining the accuracy of these measurements is based on the analysis of appropriate reference materials whose composition was previously determined through rigorous testing. Today, reference materials help us evaluate the composition of the food we eat, medicine we use, soil we grow our crops in, and hundreds of other products that affect our everyday lives.

Phenolic composition of pomegranate peel extracts using an liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry approach with silica hydride columns.

PubMed

Young, Joshua E; Pan, Zhongli; Teh, Hui Ean; Menon, Veena; Modereger, Brent; Pesek, Joseph J; Matyska, Maria T; Dao, Lan; Takeoka, Gary

2017-04-01

The peels of different pomegranate cultivars (Molla Nepes, Parfianka, Purple Heart, Wonderful and Vkunsyi) were compared in terms of phenolic composition and total phenolics. Analyses were performed on two silica hydride based stationary phases: phenyl and undecanoic acid columns. Quantitation was accomplished by developing a liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry approach for separating different phenolic analytes, initially in the form of reference standards and then with pomegranate extracts. The high-performance liquid chromatography columns used in the separations had the ability to retain a wide polarity range of phenolic analytes, as well as offering beneficial secondary selectivity mechanisms for resolving the isobaric compounds, catechin and epicatechin. The Vkunsyi peel extract had the highest concentration of phenolics (as determined by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry) and was the only cultivar to contain the important compound punicalagin. The liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry data were compared to the standard total phenolics content as determined by using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Disbiome database: linking the microbiome to disease.

PubMed

Janssens, Yorick; Nielandt, Joachim; Bronselaer, Antoon; Debunne, Nathan; Verbeke, Frederick; Wynendaele, Evelien; Van Immerseel, Filip; Vandewynckel, Yves-Paul; De Tré, Guy; De Spiegeleer, Bart

2018-06-04

Recent research has provided fascinating indications and evidence that the host health is linked to its microbial inhabitants. Due to the development of high-throughput sequencing technologies, more and more data covering microbial composition changes in different disease types are emerging. However, this information is dispersed over a wide variety of medical and biomedical disciplines. Disbiome is a database which collects and presents published microbiota-disease information in a standardized way. The diseases are classified using the MedDRA classification system and the micro-organisms are linked to their NCBI and SILVA taxonomy. Finally, each study included in the Disbiome database is assessed for its reporting quality using a standardized questionnaire. Disbiome is the first database giving a clear, concise and up-to-date overview of microbial composition differences in diseases, together with the relevant information of the studies published. The strength of this database lies within the combination of the presence of references to other databases, which enables both specific and diverse search strategies within the Disbiome database, and the human annotation which ensures a simple and structured presentation of the available data.

Protein and oil composition predictions of single soybeans by transmission Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Schulmerich, Matthew V; Walsh, Michael J; Gelber, Matthew K; Kong, Rong; Kole, Matthew R; Harrison, Sandra K; McKinney, John; Thompson, Dennis; Kull, Linda S; Bhargava, Rohit

2012-08-22

The soybean industry requires rapid, accurate, and precise technologies for the analyses of seed/grain constituents. While the current gold standard for nondestructive quantification of economically and nutritionally important soybean components is near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), emerging technology may provide viable alternatives and lead to next generation instrumentation for grain compositional analysis. In principle, Raman spectroscopy provides the necessary chemical information to generate models for predicting the concentration of soybean constituents. In this communication, we explore the use of transmission Raman spectroscopy (TRS) for nondestructive soybean measurements. We show that TRS uses the light scattering properties of soybeans to effectively homogenize the heterogeneous bulk of a soybean for representative sampling. Working with over 1000 individual intact soybean seeds, we developed a simple partial least-squares model for predicting oil and protein content nondestructively. We find TRS to have a root-mean-standard error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.89% for oil measurements and 0.92% for protein measurements. In both calibration and validation sets, the predicative capabilities of the model were similar to the error in the reference methods.

Effects of metals and arsenic on riparian communities in southwest Montana.

PubMed

Lejeune, K; Galbraith, H; Lipton, J; Kapustka, L A

1996-10-01

: Concentrations of metals and arsenic in floodplain soils of Silver Bow Creek and the upper Clark Fork River in southwest Montana were related to phytotoxic responses by individual plants in laboratory experiments, vegetative community structure and composition in the field and wildlife habitat. Samples collected from barren or very sparsely vegetated mixed mine tailings and alluvium deposits (slickens) in the floodplains along Silver Bow Creek and the Clark Fork River had concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn that were significantly elevated relative to reference sites. Laboratory phytotoxicity tests demonstrated severe and rapid effects of the elevated concentrations of metals and As on hybrid poplar and standard test species (alfalfa, lettuce and wheat): growth inhibition of hybrid poplars was nearly 100% and of standard test species ≥75%. Vegetation community measurements revealed that slickens have replaced riparian forest, shrub, hay fields and pasture land; in doing so, the slickens have reduced both the compositional and structural heterogeneity of the riparian habitat. This reduction in habitat complexity has reduced the capacity of the area to provide a diversity of suitable wildlife habitat.

Analyses on hydrophobicity and attractiveness of all-atom distance-dependent potentials

PubMed Central

Shirota, Matsuyuki; Ishida, Takashi; Kinoshita, Kengo

2009-01-01

Accurate model evaluation is a crucial step in protein structure prediction. For this purpose, statistical potentials, which evaluate a model structure based on the observed atomic distance frequencies in comparison with those in reference states, have been widely used. The reference state is a virtual state where all of the atomic interactions are turned off, and it provides a standard to measure the observed frequencies. In this study, we examined seven all-atom distance-dependent potentials with different reference states. As results, we observed that the variations of atom pair composition and those of distance distributions in the reference states produced systematic changes in the hydrophobic and attractive characteristics of the potentials. The performance evaluations with the CASP7 structures indicated that the preference of hydrophobic interactions improved the correlation between the energy and the GDT-TS score, but decreased the Z-score of the native structure. The attractiveness of potential improved both the correlation and Z-score for template-based modeling targets, but the benefit was smaller in free modeling targets. These results indicated that the performances of the potentials were more strongly influenced by their characteristics than by the accuracy of the definitions of the reference states. PMID:19588493

[Application of traditional Chinese medicine reference standards in quality control of Chinese herbal pieces].

PubMed

Lu, Tu-Lin; Li, Jin-Ci; Yu, Jiang-Yong; Cai, Bao-Chang; Mao, Chun-Qin; Yin, Fang-Zhou

2014-01-01

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) reference standards plays an important role in the quality control of Chinese herbal pieces. This paper overviewed the development of TCM reference standards. By analyzing the 2010 edition of Chinese pharmacopoeia, the application of TCM reference standards in the quality control of Chinese herbal pieces was summarized, and the problems exiting in the system were put forward. In the process of improving the quality control level of Chinese herbal pieces, various kinds of advanced methods and technology should be used to research the characteristic reference standards of Chinese herbal pieces, more and more reasonable reference standards should be introduced in the quality control system of Chinese herbal pieces. This article discussed the solutions in the aspect of TCM reference standards, and future development of quality control on Chinese herbal pieces is prospected.

Effects of the pH and Concentration on the Stability of Standard Solutions of Proteinogenic Amino Acid Mixtures.

PubMed

Kato, Megumi; Yamazaki, Taichi; Kato, Hisashi; Yamanaka, Noriko; Takatsu, Akiko; Ihara, Toshihide

2017-01-01

To prepare metrologically traceable amino acid mixed standard solutions, it is necessary to determine the stability of each amino acid present in the mixed solutions. In the present study, we prepared amino acid mixed solutions using certified reference standards of 17 proteinogenic amino acids, and examined the stability of each of these amino acids in 0.1 N HCl. We found that the concentration of glutamic acid decreased significantly during storage. LC/MS analysis indicated that the instability of glutamic acid was due to the partial degradation of glutamic acid to pyroglutamic acid in 0.1 N HCl. Using accelerated degradation tests, we investigated several solvent compositions to improve the stability of glutamic acid in amino acid mixed solution, and determined that the change of the pH by diluting the mixed solution improved the stability of glutamic acid.

Implementation of Dietary Reference Intake Standards in Preschool Menus in Poland

PubMed Central

Harton, Anna

2018-01-01

Although the nutritional value of preschool menus largely determines the proper nutrition of attending children, their nutrient composition often does not meet the standards. The purpose of the study was to assess the nutritional value of menus served in preschools throughout Poland. We analyzed a sample of 10 daily menus and inventory reports reflecting foods and beverages served in 270 full-board government-sponsored preschools. Nutrient content was calculated per child per day, and compared with 70% of dietary reference intake (DRI) for children aged 1–3 and 4–6. The content of energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrates generally exceeded 70% of DRI. The amount of vitamins was correct, with the exception of vitamin D (100% of daycare centers (DCCs) were below the recommendations); in ≤3% of preschools vitamin E, folate, and niacin were below DRI. Calcium was too low in 63% of preschools for children aged 1–3 years and in 99% for 4–6-year-olds. A shortage of iodine, iron, and potassium (especially for 4–6-year-olds) was observed in a small number of preschools. Our study highlights the need for uniform legal standards of nutrition in childcare centers, based on the current recommendations for the age group. PMID:29748511

Implementation of Dietary Reference Intake Standards in Preschool Menus in Poland.

PubMed

Myszkowska-Ryciak, Joanna; Harton, Anna

2018-05-10

Although the nutritional value of preschool menus largely determines the proper nutrition of attending children, their nutrient composition often does not meet the standards. The purpose of the study was to assess the nutritional value of menus served in preschools throughout Poland. We analyzed a sample of 10 daily menus and inventory reports reflecting foods and beverages served in 270 full-board government-sponsored preschools. Nutrient content was calculated per child per day, and compared with 70% of dietary reference intake (DRI) for children aged 1⁻3 and 4⁻6. The content of energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrates generally exceeded 70% of DRI. The amount of vitamins was correct, with the exception of vitamin D (100% of daycare centers (DCCs) were below the recommendations); in ≤3% of preschools vitamin E, folate, and niacin were below DRI. Calcium was too low in 63% of preschools for children aged 1⁻3 years and in 99% for 4⁻6-year-olds. A shortage of iodine, iron, and potassium (especially for 4⁻6-year-olds) was observed in a small number of preschools. Our study highlights the need for uniform legal standards of nutrition in childcare centers, based on the current recommendations for the age group.

Dynamic Shock Compression of Copper to Multi-Megabar Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haill, T. A.; Furnish, M. D.; Twyeffort, L. L.; Arrington, C. L.; Lemke, R. W.; Knudson, M. D.; Davis, J.-P.

2015-11-01

Copper is an important material for a variety of shock and high energy density applications and experiments. Copper is used as a standard reference material to determine the EOS properties of other materials. The high conductivity of copper makes it useful as an MHD driver layer in high current dynamic materials experiments on Sandia National Laboratories Z machine. Composite aluminum/copper flyer plates increase the dwell time in plate impact experiments by taking advantage of the slower wave speeds in copper. This presentation reports on recent efforts to reinstate a composite Al/Cu flyer capability on Z and to extend the range of equation-of-state shock compression data through the use of hyper-velocity composite flyers and symmetric planar impact with copper targets. We will present results from multi-dimensional ALEGRA MHD simulations, as well as experimental designs and methods of composite flyer fabrication. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Company, for the U.S. DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Breast tissue decomposition with spectral distortion correction: A postmortem study

PubMed Central

Ding, Huanjun; Zhao, Bo; Baturin, Pavlo; Behroozi, Farnaz; Molloi, Sabee

2014-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of an accurate measurement of water, lipid, and protein composition of breast tissue using a photon-counting spectral computed tomography (CT) with spectral distortion corrections. Methods: Thirty-eight postmortem breasts were imaged with a cadmium-zinc-telluride-based photon-counting spectral CT system at 100 kV. The energy-resolving capability of the photon-counting detector was used to separate photons into low and high energy bins with a splitting energy of 42 keV. The estimated mean glandular dose for each breast ranged from 1.8 to 2.2 mGy. Two spectral distortion correction techniques were implemented, respectively, on the raw images to correct the nonlinear detector response due to pulse pileup and charge-sharing artifacts. Dual energy decomposition was then used to characterize each breast in terms of water, lipid, and protein content. In the meantime, the breasts were chemically decomposed into their respective water, lipid, and protein components to provide a gold standard for comparison with dual energy decomposition results. Results: The accuracy of the tissue compositional measurement with spectral CT was determined by comparing to the reference standard from chemical analysis. The averaged root-mean-square error in percentage composition was reduced from 15.5% to 2.8% after spectral distortion corrections. Conclusions: The results indicate that spectral CT can be used to quantify the water, lipid, and protein content in breast tissue. The accuracy of the compositional analysis depends on the applied spectral distortion correction technique. PMID:25281953

Helioseismic and neutrino data-driven reconstruction of solar properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Ningqiang; Gonzalez-Garcia, M. C.; Villante, Francesco L.; Vinyoles, Nuria; Serenelli, Aldo

2018-06-01

In this work, we use Bayesian inference to quantitatively reconstruct the solar properties most relevant to the solar composition problem using as inputs the information provided by helioseismic and solar neutrino data. In particular, we use a Gaussian process to model the functional shape of the opacity uncertainty to gain flexibility and become as free as possible from prejudice in this regard. With these tools we first readdress the statistical significance of the solar composition problem. Furthermore, starting from a composition unbiased set of standard solar models (SSMs) we are able to statistically select those with solar chemical composition and other solar inputs which better describe the helioseismic and neutrino observations. In particular, we are able to reconstruct the solar opacity profile in a data-driven fashion, independently of any reference opacity tables, obtaining a 4 per cent uncertainty at the base of the convective envelope and 0.8 per cent at the solar core. When systematic uncertainties are included, results are 7.5 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively. In addition, we find that the values of most of the other inputs of the SSMs required to better describe the helioseismic and neutrino data are in good agreement with those adopted as the standard priors, with the exception of the astrophysical factor S11 and the microscopic diffusion rates, for which data suggests a 1 per cent and 30 per cent reduction, respectively. As an output of the study we derive the corresponding data-driven predictions for the solar neutrino fluxes.

Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels, A Primer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McLaughlan, Pat B.; Forth, Scott C.; Grimes-Ledesma, Lorie R.

2011-01-01

Due to the extensive amount of detailed information that has been published on composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), this document has been written to serve as a primer for those who desire an elementary knowledge of COPVs and the factors affecting composite safety. In this application, the word "composite" simply refers to a matrix of continuous fibers contained within a resin and wrapped over a pressure barrier to form a vessel for gas or liquid containment. COPVs are currently used at NASA to contain high pressure fluids in propulsion, science experiments, and life support applications. They have a significant weight advantage over all metal vessels but require unique design, manufacturing, and test requirements. COPVs also involve a much more complex mechanical understanding due to the interplay between the composite overwrap and the inner liner. A metallic liner is typically used in a COPV as a fluid permeation barrier. The liner design concepts and requirements have been borrowed from all-metal vessels. However, application of metallic vessel design standards to a very thin liner is not straightforward. Different failure modes exist for COPVs than for all-metal vessels, and understanding of these failure modes is at a much more rudimentary level than for metal vessels.

Quasispecies in population of compositional assemblies.

PubMed

Gross, Renan; Fouxon, Itzhak; Lancet, Doron; Markovitch, Omer

2014-12-30

The quasispecies model refers to information carriers that undergo self-replication with errors. A quasispecies is a steady-state population of biopolymer sequence variants generated by mutations from a master sequence. A quasispecies error threshold is a minimal replication accuracy below which the population structure breaks down. Theory and experimentation of this model often refer to biopolymers, e.g. RNA molecules or viral genomes, while its prebiotic context is often associated with an RNA world scenario. Here, we study the possibility that compositional entities which code for compositional information, intrinsically different from biopolymers coding for sequential information, could show quasispecies dynamics. We employed a chemistry-based model, graded autocatalysis replication domain (GARD), which simulates the network dynamics within compositional molecular assemblies. In GARD, a compotype represents a population of similar assemblies that constitute a quasi-stationary state in compositional space. A compotype's center-of-mass is found to be analogous to a master sequence for a sequential quasispecies. Using single-cycle GARD dynamics, we measured the quasispecies transition matrix (Q) for the probabilities of transition from one center-of-mass Euclidean distance to another. Similarly, the quasispecies' growth rate vector (A) was obtained. This allowed computing a steady state distribution of distances to the center of mass, as derived from the quasispecies equation. In parallel, a steady state distribution was obtained via the GARD equation kinetics. Rewardingly, a significant correlation was observed between the distributions obtained by these two methods. This was only seen for distances to the compotype center-of-mass, and not to randomly selected compositions. A similar correspondence was found when comparing the quasispecies time dependent dynamics towards steady state. Further, changing the error rate by modifying basal assembly joining rate of GARD kinetics was found to display an error catastrophe, similar to the standard quasispecies model. Additional augmentation of compositional mutations leads to the complete disappearance of the master-like composition. Our results show that compositional assemblies, as simulated by the GARD formalism, portray significant attributes of quasispecies dynamics. This expands the applicability of the quasispecies model beyond sequence-based entities, and potentially enhances validity of GARD as a model for prebiotic evolution.

Fecal-indicator bacteria in the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers and selected tributaries, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 2001-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buckwalter, Theodore F.; Zimmerman, Tammy M.; Fulton, John W.

2006-01-01

Concentrations of fecal-indicator bacteria were determined in 1,027 water-quality samples collected from July 2001 through August 2005 during dry- (72-hour dry antecedent period) and wet-weather (48-hour dry antecedent period and at least 0.3 inch of rain in a 24-hour period) conditions in the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers (locally referred to as the Three Rivers) and selected tributaries in Allegheny County. Samples were collected at five sampling sites on the Three Rivers and at eight sites on four tributaries to the Three Rivers having combined sewer overflows. Water samples were analyzed for three fecal-indicator organisms fecal coliform, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and enterococci bacteria. Left-bank and right-bank surface-water samples were collected in addition to a cross-section composite sample at each site. Concentrations of fecal coliform, E. coli, and enterococci were detected in 98.6, 98.5, and 87.7 percent of all samples, respectively. The maximum fecal-indicator bacteria concentrations were collected from Sawmill Run, a tributary to the Ohio River; Sawmill Run at Duquesne Heights had concentrations of fecal coliform, E. coli, and enterococci of 410,000, 510,000, and 180,000 col/100 mL, respectively, following a large storm. The samples collected in the Three Rivers and selected tributaries frequently exceeded established recreational standards and criteria for bacteria. Concentrations of fecal coliform exceeded the Pennsylvania water-quality standard (200 col/100 mL) in approximately 63 percent of the samples. Sample concentrations of E. coli and enterococci exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) water-quality criteria (235 and 61 col/100 mL, respectively) in about 53 and 47 percent, respectively, of the samples. Fecal-indicator bacteria were most strongly correlated with streamflow, specific conductance, and turbidity. These correlations most frequently were observed in samples collected from tributary sites. Fecal-indicator bacteria concentrations and turbidity were correlated to the location of sample collection in the cross section. Most differences were between bank and composite samples; differences between right-bank and left-bank samples were rarely observed. The Allegheny River sites had more significant correlations than the Monongahela or Ohio River sites. Comparisons were made between fecal-indicator bacteria in composite samples collected during dry-weather, wet-weather day-one, wet-weather day-two (tributary sites only), and wet-weather day-three (Three Rivers sites only) events in the Three Rivers and selected tributary sites. The lowest median bacteria concentrations generally were observed in the dry-weather composite samples. All median bacteria concentrations in dry-weather composite samples in the five Three Rivers sites were below water-quality standards and criteria; bacteria concentrations in the upstream tributary sites rarely met all standards or criteria. Only Turtle Creek, Thompson Run, and Chartiers Creek had at least one median bacteria concentration below water-quality standards or criteria. Median bacteria concentrations in the composite samples generally were higher the day after a wet-weather event compared to dry-weather composite samples and other wet-weather composite samples collected. In the five Three Rivers sites, median bacteria concentrations 3 days after a wet-weather event in composite samples tended to fall below the water-quality standards and criteria; in the eight tributary sites, median bacteria concentrations in the dry-weather and wet-weather composite samples generally were above the water-quality standards or criteria. Composite samples collected at the upstream sites on the Three Rivers and selected tributaries generally had lower median bacteria concentrations than composite samples collected at the downstream sites during dry- and wet-weather events. Higher concentrations downstream may be because o

New Carbonate Standard Reference Materials for Boron Isotope Geochemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, J.; Christopher, S. J.; Day, R. D.

2015-12-01

The isotopic composition of boron (δ11B) in marine carbonates is well established as a proxy for past ocean pH. Yet, before palaeoceanographic interpretation can be made, rigorous assessment of analytical uncertainty of δ11B data is required; particularly in light of recent interlaboratory comparison studies that reported significant measurement disagreement between laboratories [1]. Well characterised boron standard reference materials (SRMs) in a carbonate matrix are needed to assess the accuracy and precision of carbonate δ11B measurements throughout the entire procedural chemistry; from sample cleaning, to ionic separation of boron from the carbonate matrix, and final δ11B measurement by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. To date only two carbonate reference materials exist that have been value-assigned by the boron isotope measurement community [2]; JCp-1 (porites coral) and JCt-1 (Giant Clam) [3]. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will supplement these existing standards with new solution based inorganic carbonate boron SRMs that replicate typical foraminiferal and coral B/Ca ratios and δ11B values. These new SRMs will not only ensure quality control of full procedural chemistry between laboratories, but have the added benefits of being both in abundant supply and free from any restrictions associated with shipment of biogenic samples derived from protected species. Here we present in-house δ11B measurements of these new boron carbonate SRM solutions. These preliminary data will feed into an interlaboratory comparison study to establish certified values for these new NIST SRMs. 1. Foster, G.L., et al., Chemical Geology, 2013. 358(0): p. 1-14. 2. Gutjahr, M., et al., Boron Isotope Intercomparison Project (BIIP): Development of a new carbonate standard for stable isotopic analyses. Geophysical Research Abstracts, EGU General Assembly 2014, 2014. 16(EGU2014-5028-1). 3. Inoue, M., et al., Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, 2004. 28(3): p. 411-416.

78 FR 34795 - Formaldehyde; Third-Party Certification Framework for the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-10

... Formaldehyde; Third-Party Certification Framework for the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products; Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products; Proposed Rules #0;#0;Federal Register / Vol. 78... Certification Framework for the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products AGENCY: Environmental...

Assessing Ecological Impacts of Shrimp and Sewage Effluent: Biological Indicators with Standard Water Quality Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, A. B.; O'Donohue, M. J.; Udy, J.; Dennison, W. C.

2001-01-01

Despite evidence linking shrimp farming to several cases of environmental degradation, there remains a lack of ecologically meaningful information about the impacts of effluent on receiving waters. The aim of this study was to determine the biological impact of shrimp farm effluent, and to compare and distinguish its impacts from treated sewage effluent. Analyses included standard water quality/sediment parameters, as well as biological indicators including tissue nitrogen (N) content, stable isotope ratio of nitrogen (δ 15N), and amino acid composition of inhabitant seagrasses, mangroves and macroalgae. The study area consisted of two tidal creeks, one receiving effluent from a sewage treatment plant and the other from an intensive shrimp farm. The creeks discharged into the western side of Moreton Bay, a sub-tropical coastal embayment on the east coast of Australia. Characterization of water quality revealed significant differences between the creeks, and with unimpacted eastern Moreton Bay. The sewage creek had higher concentrations of dissolved nutrients (predominantly NO-3/NO-2 and PO3-4, compared to NH+4 in the shrimp creek). In contrast, the shrimp creek was more turbid and had higher phytoplankton productivity. Beyond 750 m from the creek mouths, water quality parameters were indistinguishable from eastern Moreton Bay values. Biological indicators detected significant impacts up to 4 km beyond the creek mouths (reference site). Elevated plant δ 15N values ranged from 10·4-19·6‰ at the site of sewage discharge to 2·9-4·5‰ at the reference site. The free amino acid concentration and composition of seagrass and macroalgae was used to distinguish between the uptake of sewage and shrimp derived N. Proline (seagrass) and serine (macroalgae) were high in sewage impacted plants and glutamine (seagrass) and alanine (macroalgae) were high in plants impacted by shrimp effluent. The δ 15N isotopic signatures and free amino acid composition of inhabitant flora indicated that sewage N extended further from the creek mouths than shrimp N. The combination of physical/chemical and biological indicators used in this study was effective in distinguishing the composition and subsequent impacts of aquaculture and sewage effluent on the receiving waters.

Transposon fingerprinting using low coverage whole genome shotgun sequencing in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) and related species.

PubMed

Sveinsson, Saemundur; Gill, Navdeep; Kane, Nolan C; Cronk, Quentin

2013-07-24

Transposable elements (TEs) and other repetitive elements are a large and dynamically evolving part of eukaryotic genomes, especially in plants where they can account for a significant proportion of genome size. Their dynamic nature gives them the potential for use in identifying and characterizing crop germplasm. However, their repetitive nature makes them challenging to study using conventional methods of molecular biology. Next generation sequencing and new computational tools have greatly facilitated the investigation of TE variation within species and among closely related species. (i) We generated low-coverage Illumina whole genome shotgun sequencing reads for multiple individuals of cacao (Theobroma cacao) and related species. These reads were analysed using both an alignment/mapping approach and a de novo (graph based clustering) approach. (ii) A standard set of ultra-conserved orthologous sequences (UCOS) standardized TE data between samples and provided phylogenetic information on the relatedness of samples. (iii) The mapping approach proved highly effective within the reference species but underestimated TE abundance in interspecific comparisons relative to the de novo methods. (iv) Individual T. cacao accessions have unique patterns of TE abundance indicating that the TE composition of the genome is evolving actively within this species. (v) LTR/Gypsy elements are the most abundant, comprising c.10% of the genome. (vi) Within T. cacao the retroelement families show an order of magnitude greater sequence variability than the DNA transposon families. (vii) Theobroma grandiflorum has a similar TE composition to T. cacao, but the related genus Herrania is rather different, with LTRs making up a lower proportion of the genome, perhaps because of a massive presence (c. 20%) of distinctive low complexity satellite-like repeats in this genome. (i) Short read alignment/mapping to reference TE contigs provides a simple and effective method of investigating intraspecific differences in TE composition. It is not appropriate for comparing repetitive elements across the species boundaries, for which de novo methods are more appropriate. (ii) Individual T. cacao accessions have unique spectra of TE composition indicating active evolution of TE abundance within this species. TE patterns could potentially be used as a "fingerprint" to identify and characterize cacao accessions.

Composite transcriptome assembly of RNA-seq data in a sheep model for delayed bone healing.

PubMed

Jäger, Marten; Ott, Claus-Eric; Grünhagen, Johannes; Hecht, Jochen; Schell, Hanna; Mundlos, Stefan; Duda, Georg N; Robinson, Peter N; Lienau, Jasmin

2011-03-24

The sheep is an important model organism for many types of medically relevant research, but molecular genetic experiments in the sheep have been limited by the lack of knowledge about ovine gene sequences. Prior to our study, mRNA sequences for only 1,556 partial or complete ovine genes were publicly available. Therefore, we developed a composite de novo transcriptome assembly method for next-generation sequence data to combine known ovine mRNA and EST sequences, mRNA sequences from mouse and cow, and sequences assembled de novo from short read RNA-Seq data into a composite reference transcriptome, and identified transcripts from over 12 thousand previously undescribed ovine genes. Gene expression analysis based on these data revealed substantially different expression profiles in standard versus delayed bone healing in an ovine tibial osteotomy model. Hundreds of transcripts were differentially expressed between standard and delayed healing and between the time points of the standard and delayed healing groups. We used the sheep sequences to design quantitative RT-PCR assays with which we validated the differential expression of 26 genes that had been identified by RNA-seq analysis. A number of clusters of characteristic expression profiles could be identified, some of which showed striking differences between the standard and delayed healing groups. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were enriched in terms including extracellular matrix, cartilage development, contractile fiber, and chemokine activity. Our results provide a first atlas of gene expression profiles and differentially expressed genes in standard and delayed bone healing in a large-animal model and provide a number of clues as to the shifts in gene expression that underlie delayed bone healing. In the course of our study, we identified transcripts of 13,987 ovine genes, including 12,431 genes for which no sequence information was previously available. This information will provide a basis for future molecular research involving the sheep as a model organism.

Composite transcriptome assembly of RNA-seq data in a sheep model for delayed bone healing

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The sheep is an important model organism for many types of medically relevant research, but molecular genetic experiments in the sheep have been limited by the lack of knowledge about ovine gene sequences. Results Prior to our study, mRNA sequences for only 1,556 partial or complete ovine genes were publicly available. Therefore, we developed a composite de novo transcriptome assembly method for next-generation sequence data to combine known ovine mRNA and EST sequences, mRNA sequences from mouse and cow, and sequences assembled de novo from short read RNA-Seq data into a composite reference transcriptome, and identified transcripts from over 12 thousand previously undescribed ovine genes. Gene expression analysis based on these data revealed substantially different expression profiles in standard versus delayed bone healing in an ovine tibial osteotomy model. Hundreds of transcripts were differentially expressed between standard and delayed healing and between the time points of the standard and delayed healing groups. We used the sheep sequences to design quantitative RT-PCR assays with which we validated the differential expression of 26 genes that had been identified by RNA-seq analysis. A number of clusters of characteristic expression profiles could be identified, some of which showed striking differences between the standard and delayed healing groups. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were enriched in terms including extracellular matrix, cartilage development, contractile fiber, and chemokine activity. Conclusions Our results provide a first atlas of gene expression profiles and differentially expressed genes in standard and delayed bone healing in a large-animal model and provide a number of clues as to the shifts in gene expression that underlie delayed bone healing. In the course of our study, we identified transcripts of 13,987 ovine genes, including 12,431 genes for which no sequence information was previously available. This information will provide a basis for future molecular research involving the sheep as a model organism. PMID:21435219

Dilution and permeation standards for the generation of NO, NO2 and SO2 calibration gas mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haerri, H.-P.; Macé, T.; Waldén, J.; Pascale, C.; Niederhauser, B.; Wirtz, K.; Stovcik, V.; Sutour, C.; Couette, J.; Waldén, T.

2017-03-01

The evaluation results of the metrological performance of a dilution and a permeation standard for generating SI-traceable calibration gas mixtures of NO, SO2 and NO2 for ambient air measurements are presented. The composition of the in situ produced reference gas mixtures is calculated from the instantaneous values of the input quantities of the generating standards. In a measurement comparison, the calibration and measurement capabilities of five laboratories were evaluated for the three analytes at limiting amount of substance fractions in ambient air between 20 and 150 nmol mol-1. For the upper generated reference values the target relative uncertainties of  ⩽2% (for NO and SO2) and  ⩽3% (for NO2) for evaluating the laboratory results were fulfilled in 12 out of 13 cases. For the analytical results seven out of nine laboratories met the criteria for the upper values for NO and NO2, for SO2 it was one out of four. From the negative degrees of equivalence of all NO2 comparison results it was supposed that the permeation rate of NO2 through the FEP polymer membrane of the permeator was different in air and N2. Subsequent precision permeation measurements with various carrier gases revealed that the permeation rate of NO2 was  ≈0.8% lower in synthetic air compared to N2. With the corrected NO2 reference values for air the degrees of equivalence of the laboratory results were improved and closer to be symmetrically distributed.

Supercritical CO₂ extraction of volatile oils from Sardinian Foeniculum vulgare ssp. vulgare (Apiaceae): chemical composition and biological activity.

PubMed

Piras, Alessandra; Falconieri, Danilo; Porcedda, Silvia; Marongiu, Bruno; Gonçalves, Maria José; Cavaleiro, Carlos; Salgueiro, Ligia

2014-01-01

This article reports the results on the composition and antifungal effect of volatile extracts obtained from the aerial parts of Sardinian wild fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and by hydrodistillation (HD). The extracts were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for qualitative composition and gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector to establish the percentage of constituents. The main components were fenchone (7.1% vs. 8.8%), estragole (34.9% vs. 42.6%) and (E)-anethole (24.6% vs. 43.4%) in the SFE and HD extract, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were measured according to the reference Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) broth macrodilution protocols. Minimum lethal concentrations were determined by subsequent subculturing of the same cell suspensions in solid medium. The essential oil was more active against Candida albicans, whereas the supercritical fluid extract possesses higher activity against Candida guillermondii and Cryptococcus neoformans, with MIC values of 0.32 μL/mL.

49 CFR 178.707 - Standards for composite IBCs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standards for composite IBCs. 178.707 Section 178... PACKAGINGS IBC Performance-Oriented Standards § 178.707 Standards for composite IBCs. (a) The provisions in this section apply to composite IBCs intended to contain solids and liquids. To complete the marking...

The Acoustical Properties of the Polyurethane Concrete Made of Oyster Shell Waste Comparing Other Concretes as Architectural Design Components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setyowati, Erni; Hardiman, Gagoek; Purwanto

2018-02-01

This research aims to determine the acoustical properties of concrete material made of polyurethane and oyster shell waste as both fine aggregate and coarse aggregate comparing to other concrete mortar. Architecture needs aesthetics materials, so the innovation in architectural material should be driven through the efforts of research on materials for building designs. The DOE methods was used by mixing cement, oyster shell, sands, and polyurethane by composition of 160 ml:40 ml:100 ml: 120 ml respectively. Refer to the results of previous research, then cement consumption is reduced up to 20% to keep the concept of green material. This study compared three different compositions of mortars, namely portland cement concrete with gravel (PCG), polyurethane concrete of oyster shell (PCO) and concrete with plastics aggregate (PCP). The methods of acoustical tests were conducted refer to the ASTM E413-04 standard. The research results showed that polyurethane concrete with oyster shell waste aggregate has absorption coefficient 0.52 and STL 63 dB and has a more beautiful appearance when it was pressed into moulding. It can be concluded that polyurethane concrete with oyster shell aggregate (PCO) is well implemented in architectural acoustics-components.

Quality-control materials in the USDA National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP).

PubMed

Phillips, Katherine M; Patterson, Kristine Y; Rasor, Amy S; Exler, Jacob; Haytowitz, David B; Holden, Joanne M; Pehrsson, Pamela R

2006-03-01

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrient Data Laboratory (NDL) develops and maintains the USDA National Nutrient Databank System (NDBS). Data are released from the NDBS for scientific and public use through the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference (SR) ( http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl ). In 1997 the NDL initiated the National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (NFNAP) to update and expand its food-composition data. The program included: 1) nationwide probability-based sampling of foods; 2) central processing and archiving of food samples; 3) analysis of food components at commercial, government, and university laboratories; 4) incorporation of new analytical data into the NDBS; and 5) dissemination of these data to the scientific community. A key feature and strength of the NFNAP was a rigorous quality-control program that enabled independent verification of the accuracy and precision of analytical results. Custom-made food-control composites and/or commercially available certified reference materials were sent to the laboratories, blinded, with the samples. Data for these materials were essential to ongoing monitoring of analytical work, to identify and resolve suspected analytical problems, to ensure the accuracy and precision of results for the NFNAP food samples.

A quick, optimized method for routine analysis of essential and trans-octadecenoic acids in edible fats and oils by GLC.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Alcalá, Luis Miguel; Calvo, María Visitación; Fontecha, Javier

2013-01-01

A gas chromatography procedure using a 30-m capillary column (VF-23ms) has been optimized for quick analysis (run time less than 20 min). The method is suitable for routine analysis of the fatty acid composition of edible fat and oil samples (milk, fish, vegetal and synthetic origin). The results were comparable with those obtained with a 100-m-long CP-Sil 88 column (run times between 60 and more than 100 min) in the analysis of geometric and positional isomers of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The achieved resolution of compounds from 4 to 26 carbon atoms with 0-6 double bonds, as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, major trans-octadecenoic isomers and conjugated linoleic acid isomers, was higher than those reported in other proposed and reference methods for similar samples using short-length columns. The response factors obtained from the fatty acid composition of reference milk fat exhibited high feasibility and the inter-assay (VF23ms versus CP-Sil 88) and intra-assays based on relative standard deviation showed good accuracy, because they were lower than 10%.

Urinary calculi composed of uric acid, cystine, and mineral salts: differentiation with dual-energy CT at a radiation dose comparable to that of intravenous pyelography.

PubMed

Thomas, Christoph; Heuschmid, Martin; Schilling, David; Ketelsen, Dominik; Tsiflikas, Ilias; Stenzl, Arnulf; Claussen, Claus D; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter

2010-11-01

To retrospectively evaluate radiation dose, image quality, and the ability to differentiate urinary calculi of differing compositions by using low-dose dual-energy computed tomography (CT). The institutional review board approved this retrospective study; informed consent was waived. A low-dose dual-energy CT protocol (tube voltage and reference effective tube current-time product, 140 kV and 23 mAs and 80 kV and 105 mAs; collimation, 64 × 0.6 mm; pitch, 0.7) for the detection of urinary calculi was implemented into routine clinical care. All patients (n = 112) who were examined with this protocol from July 2008 to August 2009 were included. The composition of urinary calculi was assessed by using commercially available postprocessing software and was compared with results of the reference standard (ex vivo infrared spectroscopy) in 40 patients for whom the reference standard was available. Effective doses were calculated. Image quality was rated subjectively and objectively and was correlated with patient size expressed as body cross-sectional area at the level of acquisition by using Spearman correlation coefficients. One calcified concrement in the distal ureter of an obese patient was mistakenly interpreted as mixed calcified and uric acid. One struvite calculus was falsely interpreted as cystine. All other uric acid, cystine, and calcium-containing calculi were correctly identified by using dual-energy CT. The mean radiation dose was 2.7 mSv. The average image quality was rated as acceptable, with a decrease in image quality in larger patients. Low-dose unenhanced dual-source dual-energy CT can help differentiate between calcified, uric acid, and cystine calculi at a radiation dose comparable to that of conventional intravenous pyelography. Because of decreased image quality in obese patients, only nonobese patients should be examined with this protocol. © RSNA, 2010.

Metrology for stable isotope reference materials: 13C/12C and 18O/16O isotope ratio value assignment of pure carbon dioxide gas samples on the Vienna PeeDee Belemnite-CO2 scale using dual-inlet mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Srivastava, Abneesh; Michael Verkouteren, R

2018-07-01

Isotope ratio measurements have been conducted on a series of isotopically distinct pure CO 2 gas samples using the technique of dual-inlet isotope ratio mass spectrometry (DI-IRMS). The influence of instrumental parameters, data normalization schemes on the metrological traceability and uncertainty of the sample isotope composition have been characterized. Traceability to the Vienna PeeDee Belemnite(VPDB)-CO 2 scale was realized using the pure CO 2 isotope reference materials(IRMs) 8562, 8563, and 8564. The uncertainty analyses include contributions associated with the values of iRMs and the repeatability and reproducibility of our measurements. Our DI-IRMS measurement system is demonstrated to have high long-term stability, approaching a precision of 0.001 parts-per-thousand for the 45/44 and 46/44 ion signal ratios. The single- and two-point normalization bias for the iRMs were found to be within their published standard uncertainty values. The values of 13 C/ 12 C and 18 O/ 16 O isotope ratios are expressed relative to VPDB-CO 2 using the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] notation, respectively, in parts-per-thousand (‰ or per mil). For the samples, value assignments between (-25 to +2) ‰ and (-33 to -1) ‰ with nominal combined standard uncertainties of (0.05, 0.3) ‰ for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively were obtained. These samples are used as laboratory reference to provide anchor points for value assignment of isotope ratios (with VPDB traceability) to pure CO 2 samples. Additionally, they serve as potential parent isotopic source material required for the development of gravimetric based iRMs of CO 2 in CO 2 -free dry air in high pressure gas cylinder packages at desired abundance levels and isotopic composition values. Graphical abstract CO 2 gas isotope ratio metrology.

Nicotine, acetanilide and urea multi-level 2H-, 13C- and 15N-abundance reference materials for continuous-flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Schimmelmann, Arndt; Albertino, Andrea; Sauer, Peter E; Qi, Haiping; Molinie, Roland; Mesnard, François

2009-11-01

Accurate determinations of stable isotope ratios require a calibration using at least two reference materials with different isotopic compositions to anchor the isotopic scale and compensate for differences in machine slope. Ideally, the delta values of these reference materials should bracket the isotopic range of samples with unknown delta values. While the practice of analyzing two isotopically distinct reference materials is common for water (VSMOW-SLAP) and carbonates (NBS 19 and L-SVEC), the lack of widely available organic reference materials with distinct isotopic composition has hindered the practice when analyzing organic materials by elemental analysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA-IRMS). At present only L-glutamic acids USGS40 and USGS41 satisfy these requirements for delta13C and delta15N, with the limitation that L-glutamic acid is not suitable for analysis by gas chromatography (GC). We describe the development and quality testing of (i) four nicotine laboratory reference materials for on-line (i.e. continuous flow) hydrogen reductive gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-IRMS), (ii) five nicotines for oxidative C, N gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass-spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS, or GC-IRMS), and (iii) also three acetanilide and three urea reference materials for on-line oxidative EA-IRMS for C and N. Isotopic off-line calibration against international stable isotope measurement standards at Indiana University adhered to the 'principle of identical treatment'. The new reference materials cover the following isotopic ranges: delta2H(nicotine) -162 to -45 per thousand, delta13C(nicotine) -30.05 to +7.72 per thousand, delta15N(nicotine) -6.03 to +33.62 per thousand; delta15N(acetanilide) +1.18 to +40.57 per thousand; delta13C(urea) -34.13 to +11.71 per thousand, delta15N(urea) +0.26 to +40.61 per thousand (recommended delta values refer to calibration with NBS 19, L-SVEC, IAEA-N-1, and IAEA-N-2). Nicotines fill a gap as the first organic nitrogen stable isotope reference materials for GC-IRMS that are available with different delta15N values. Comparative delta13C and delta15N on-line EA-IRMS data from 14 volunteering laboratories document the usefulness and reliability of acetanilides and ureas as EA-IRMS reference materials. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

49 CFR 178.523 - Standards for composite packagings with inner glass, porcelain, or stoneware receptacles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standards for composite packagings with inner... Packaging Standards § 178.523 Standards for composite packagings with inner glass, porcelain, or stoneware receptacles. (a) The following are identification codes for composite packagings with inner receptacles of...

The role of Xpert MTB/RIF assay in the diagnosis of tubercular spondylodiscitis.

PubMed

Arockiaraj, Justin; Michael, Joy S; Amritanand, Rohit; David, Kenny Samuel; Krishnan, Venkatesh

2017-12-01

This study aims to assess the accuracy of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay in the diagnosis of tubercular spondylodiscitis and to identify its role in detecting Rifampicin resistance in patients with infective spondylodiscitis. A retrospective study including 348 patients suspected to have infective spondylodiscitis was done. Tissue/pus samples obtained were sent for culture, histopathology and Xpert MTB/RIF assay. All patients who were confirmed to have tubercular spondylodiscitis and those patients who were suspected on clinico-radiological basis were also treated with anti-tuberculous chemotherapy for a period of 9 months. The efficacy of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay was assessed in terms of sensitivity and specificity when compared to culture, histopathology, and Composite reference standard (CRS). During this study period of 24 months, a total of 348 patients were treated for infective spondylodiscitis. 254 patients were treated for tuberculosis following a smear positivity, culture positivity, and histopathology report or empirically based on clinico-radiological findings. The sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay when compared to culture were 88.4 and 63.7%, respectively. When compared to both culture and histopathology reports it was 80.9 and 80.6%. The sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay when compared to composite reference standard were 71.2 and 100%, respectively. The sensitivity of the assay to detect Rifampicin resistance was 100%. The prevalence of Rifampicin resistance was 5.1%. This study recommends Xpert MTB/RIF assay for early detection of Mycobacterium tubercular spondylodiscitis and Rifampicin resistance.

Accuracy of line probe assays for the diagnosis of pulmonary and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Cudahy, Patrick G.T; Schumacher, Samuel G.; Steingart, Karen R.; Pai, Madhukar; Denkinger, Claudia M.

2017-01-01

Only 25% of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases are currently diagnosed. Line probe assays (LPAs) enable rapid drug-susceptibility testing for rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) resistance and Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection. Genotype MTBDRplusV1 was WHO-endorsed in 2008 but newer LPAs have since been developed. This systematic review evaluated three LPAs: Hain Genotype MTBDRplusV1, MTBDRplusV2 and Nipro NTM+MDRTB. Study quality was assessed with QUADAS-2. Bivariate random-effects meta-analyses were performed for direct and indirect testing. Results for RIF and INH resistance were compared to phenotypic and composite (incorporating sequencing) reference standards. M. tuberculosis detection results were compared to culture. 74 unique studies were included. For RIF resistance (21 225 samples), pooled sensitivity and specificity (with 95% confidence intervals) were 96.7% (95.6–97.5%) and 98.8% (98.2–99.2%). For INH resistance (20 954 samples), pooled sensitivity and specificity were 90.2% (88.2–91.9%) and 99.2% (98.7–99.5%). Results were similar for direct and indirect testing and across LPAs. Using a composite reference standard, specificity increased marginally. For M. tuberculosis detection (3451 samples), pooled sensitivity was 94% (89.4–99.4%) for smear-positive specimens and 44% (20.2–71.7%) for smear-negative specimens. In patients with pulmonary TB, LPAs have high sensitivity and specificity for RIF resistance and high specificity and good sensitivity for INH resistance. This meta-analysis provides evidence for policy and practice. PMID:28100546

Eddy-Current Reference Standard

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ambrose, H. H., Jr.

1985-01-01

Magnetic properties of metallic reference standards duplicated and stabilized for eddy-current coil measurements over long times. Concept uses precisely machined notched samples of known annealed materials as reference standards.

Rabies vaccine standards: comparison of the 5th and 6th WHO international reference standards to the USDA veterinary reference standard.

PubMed

Hermann, J; Fry, A; Reising, M; Patterson, P; Siev, D; Gatewood, D

2012-11-06

Ensuring rabies vaccines are potent and effective is paramount in preventing transmission of this deadly disease and safeguarding public health. Efficacy of human and veterinary vaccines is ensured by evaluating relative potency estimates of the vaccine compared to a rabies reference standard using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) test. Reference vaccines are based on the International Standard for Rabies Vaccine provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). A comparison study was conducted to determine the relative potency of the 5th WHO, 6th WHO, and United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 08-14 reference standards using the NIH test. Results from the study demonstrate that the 6th WHO reference standard is approximately twice as potent as the 5th WHO reference when reconstituted to contain 1 IU per ml. Based on these results, the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) doubled the reconstitution volume of USDA veterinary reference 08-14 from 13 ml to 26 ml, for an initial use dilution of 0.7 IU per ml for use by veterinary biologics manufacturers in the NIH test. This study emphasizes the importance of reference standard calibration for use in the National Institutes of Health test. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Direct calibration of a reference standard against the air kerma strength primary standard, at 192Ir HDR energy.

PubMed

Rajan, K N Govinda; Selvam, T Palani; Bhatt, B C; Vijayam, M; Patki, V S; Vinatha; Pendse, A M; Kannan, V

2002-04-07

The primary standard of low air kerma rate sources or beams, maintained at the Radiological Standards Laboratory (RSL) of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), is a 60 cm3 spherical graphite ionization chamber. A 192Ir HDR source was standardized at the hospital site in units of air kerma strength (AKS) using this primary standard. A 400 cm3 bakelite chamber, functioning as a reference standard at the RSL for a long period, at low air kerma rates (compared to external beam dose rates), was calibrated against the primary standard. It was seen that the primary standard and the reference standard, both being of low Z, showed roughly the same scatter response and yielded the same calibration factor for the 400 cm3 reference chamber, with or without room scatter. However, any likelihood of change in the reference chamber calibration factor would necessitate the re-transport of the primary standard to the hospital site for re-calibration. Frequent transport of the primary standard can affect the long-term stability of the primary standard, due to its movement or other extraneous causes. The calibration of the reference standard against the primary standard at the RSL, for an industrial type 192Ir source maintained at the laboratory, showed excellent agreement with the hospital calibration, making it possible to check the reference chamber calibration at RSL itself. Further calibration procedures have been developed to offer traceable calibration of the hospital well ionization chambers.

Development and Evaluation of Reference Standards for Image-based Telemedicine Diagnosis and Clinical Research Studies in Ophthalmology

PubMed Central

Ryan, Michael C.; Ostmo, Susan; Jonas, Karyn; Berrocal, Audina; Drenser, Kimberly; Horowitz, Jason; Lee, Thomas C.; Simmons, Charles; Martinez-Castellanos, Maria-Ana; Chan, R.V. Paul; Chiang, Michael F.

2014-01-01

Information systems managing image-based data for telemedicine or clinical research applications require a reference standard representing the correct diagnosis. Accurate reference standards are difficult to establish because of imperfect agreement among physicians, and discrepancies between clinical vs. image-based diagnosis. This study is designed to describe the development and evaluation of reference standards for image-based diagnosis, which combine diagnostic impressions of multiple image readers with the actual clinical diagnoses. We show that agreement between image reading and clinical examinations was imperfect (689 [32%] discrepancies in 2148 image readings), as was inter-reader agreement (kappa 0.490-0.652). This was improved by establishing an image-based reference standard defined as the majority diagnosis given by three readers (13% discrepancies with image readers). It was further improved by establishing an overall reference standard that incorporated the clinical diagnosis (10% discrepancies with image readers). These principles of establishing reference standards may be applied to improve robustness of real-world systems supporting image-based diagnosis. PMID:25954463

Lunar Regolith Characterization for Simulant Design and Evaluation using Figure of Merit Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schrader, Christian M.; Rickman, Douglas L.; Melemore, Carole A.; Fikes, John C.; Stoeser, Douglas B.; Wentworth, Susan J.; McKay, David S.

2009-01-01

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), in conjunction with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and aided by personnel from the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science group at Johnson Space Center (ARES-JSC), is implementing a new data acquisition strategy to support the development and evaluation of lunar regolith simulants. The first analyses of lunar regolith samples by the simulant group were carried out in early 2008 on samples from Apollo 16 core 64001/64002. The results of these analyses are combined with data compiled from the literature to generate a reference composition and particle size distribution (PSD)) for lunar highlands regolith. In this paper we present the specifics of particle type composition and PSD for this reference composition. Furthermore. we use Figure-of-Merit (FoM) routines to measure the characteristics of a number of lunar regolith simulants against this reference composition. The lunar highlands regolith reference composition and the FoM results are presented to guide simulant producers and simulant users in their research and development processes.

Selection of reference standard during method development using the analytical hierarchy process.

PubMed

Sun, Wan-yang; Tong, Ling; Li, Dong-xiang; Huang, Jing-yi; Zhou, Shui-ping; Sun, Henry; Bi, Kai-shun

2015-03-25

Reference standard is critical for ensuring reliable and accurate method performance. One important issue is how to select the ideal one from the alternatives. Unlike the optimization of parameters, the criteria of the reference standard are always immeasurable. The aim of this paper is to recommend a quantitative approach for the selection of reference standard during method development based on the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) as a decision-making tool. Six alternative single reference standards were assessed in quantitative analysis of six phenolic acids from Salvia Miltiorrhiza and its preparations by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography. The AHP model simultaneously considered six criteria related to reference standard characteristics and method performance, containing feasibility to obtain, abundance in samples, chemical stability, accuracy, precision and robustness. The priority of each alternative was calculated using standard AHP analysis method. The results showed that protocatechuic aldehyde is the ideal reference standard, and rosmarinic acid is about 79.8% ability as the second choice. The determination results successfully verified the evaluation ability of this model. The AHP allowed us comprehensive considering the benefits and risks of the alternatives. It was an effective and practical tool for optimization of reference standards during method development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fine-tuning satellite-based rainfall estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harsa, Hastuadi; Buono, Agus; Hidayat, Rahmat; Achyar, Jaumil; Noviati, Sri; Kurniawan, Roni; Praja, Alfan S.

2018-05-01

Rainfall datasets are available from various sources, including satellite estimates and ground observation. The locations of ground observation scatter sparsely. Therefore, the use of satellite estimates is advantageous, because satellite estimates can provide data on places where the ground observations do not present. However, in general, the satellite estimates data contain bias, since they are product of algorithms that transform the sensors response into rainfall values. Another cause may come from the number of ground observations used by the algorithms as the reference in determining the rainfall values. This paper describe the application of bias correction method to modify the satellite-based dataset by adding a number of ground observation locations that have not been used before by the algorithm. The bias correction was performed by utilizing Quantile Mapping procedure between ground observation data and satellite estimates data. Since Quantile Mapping required mean and standard deviation of both the reference and the being-corrected data, thus the Inverse Distance Weighting scheme was applied beforehand to the mean and standard deviation of the observation data in order to provide a spatial composition of them, which were originally scattered. Therefore, it was possible to provide a reference data point at the same location with that of the satellite estimates. The results show that the new dataset have statistically better representation of the rainfall values recorded by the ground observation than the previous dataset.

Full value documentation in the Czech Food Composition Database.

PubMed

Machackova, M; Holasova, M; Maskova, E

2010-11-01

The aim of this project was to launch a new Food Composition Database (FCDB) Programme in the Czech Republic; to implement a methodology for food description and value documentation according to the standards designed by the European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) Network of Excellence; and to start the compilation of a pilot FCDB. Foods for the initial data set were selected from the list of foods included in the Czech Food Consumption Basket. Selection of 24 priority components was based on the range of components used in former Czech tables. The priority list was extended with components for which original Czech analytical data or calculated data were available. Values that were input into the compiled database were documented according to the EuroFIR standards within the entities FOOD, COMPONENT, VALUE and REFERENCE using Excel sheets. Foods were described using the LanguaL Thesaurus. A template for documentation of data according to the EuroFIR standards was designed. The initial data set comprised documented data for 162 foods. Values were based on original Czech analytical data (available for traditional and fast foods, milk and milk products, wheat flour types), data derived from literature (for example, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, eggs) and calculated data. The Czech FCDB programme has been successfully relaunched. Inclusion of the Czech data set into the EuroFIR eSearch facility confirmed compliance of the database format with the EuroFIR standards. Excel spreadsheets are applicable for full value documentation in the FCDB.

Relationships between soil and leaf mineral composition are element-specific, environment-dependent and geographically structured in the emerging model Arabidopsis halleri.

PubMed

Stein, Ricardo J; Höreth, Stephan; de Melo, J Romário F; Syllwasschy, Lara; Lee, Gwonjin; Garbin, Mário L; Clemens, Stephan; Krämer, Ute

2017-02-01

Leaf mineral composition, the leaf ionome, reflects the complex interaction between a plant and its environment including local soil composition, an influential factor that can limit species distribution and plant productivity. Here we addressed within-species variation in plant-soil interactions and edaphic adaptation using Arabidopsis halleri, a well-suited model species as a facultative metallophyte and metal hyperaccumulator. We conducted multi-element analysis of 1972 paired leaf and soil samples from 165 European populations of A. halleri, at individual resolution to accommodate soil heterogeneity. Results were further confirmed under standardized conditions upon cultivation of 105 field-collected genotypes on an artificially metal-contaminated soil in growth chamber experiments. Soil-independent between- and within-population variation set apart leaf accumulation of zinc, cadmium and lead from all other nutrient and nonessential elements, concurring with differential hypothesized ecological roles in either biotic interaction or nutrition. For these metals, soil-leaf relationships were element-specific, differed between metalliferous and nonmetalliferous soils and were geographically structured both in the field and under standardized growth conditions, implicating complex scenarios of recent ecological adaptation. Our study provides an example and a reference for future related work and will serve as a basis for the molecular-genetic dissection and ecological analysis of the observed phenotypic variation. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

15 CFR 200.105 - Standard reference data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., PROCEDURES, AND FEES § 200.105 Standard reference data. Data on the physical and chemical properties of the... application in research, development, engineering design, and commerce. The Office of Standard Reference Data... Physical and Chemical Reference Data, published jointly with the American Chemical Society and the American...

15 CFR 200.105 - Standard reference data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., PROCEDURES, AND FEES § 200.105 Standard reference data. Data on the physical and chemical properties of the... application in research, development, engineering design, and commerce. The Office of Standard Reference Data... Physical and Chemical Reference Data, published jointly with the American Chemical Society and the American...

15 CFR 200.105 - Standard reference data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

..., PROCEDURES, AND FEES § 200.105 Standard reference data. Data on the physical and chemical properties of the... application in research, development, engineering design, and commerce. The Office of Standard Reference Data... Physical and Chemical Reference Data, published jointly with the American Chemical Society and the American...

15 CFR 200.105 - Standard reference data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., PROCEDURES, AND FEES § 200.105 Standard reference data. Data on the physical and chemical properties of the... application in research, development, engineering design, and commerce. The Office of Standard Reference Data... Physical and Chemical Reference Data, published jointly with the American Chemical Society and the American...

Designing image segmentation studies: Statistical power, sample size and reference standard quality.

PubMed

Gibson, Eli; Hu, Yipeng; Huisman, Henkjan J; Barratt, Dean C

2017-12-01

Segmentation algorithms are typically evaluated by comparison to an accepted reference standard. The cost of generating accurate reference standards for medical image segmentation can be substantial. Since the study cost and the likelihood of detecting a clinically meaningful difference in accuracy both depend on the size and on the quality of the study reference standard, balancing these trade-offs supports the efficient use of research resources. In this work, we derive a statistical power calculation that enables researchers to estimate the appropriate sample size to detect clinically meaningful differences in segmentation accuracy (i.e. the proportion of voxels matching the reference standard) between two algorithms. Furthermore, we derive a formula to relate reference standard errors to their effect on the sample sizes of studies using lower-quality (but potentially more affordable and practically available) reference standards. The accuracy of the derived sample size formula was estimated through Monte Carlo simulation, demonstrating, with 95% confidence, a predicted statistical power within 4% of simulated values across a range of model parameters. This corresponds to sample size errors of less than 4 subjects and errors in the detectable accuracy difference less than 0.6%. The applicability of the formula to real-world data was assessed using bootstrap resampling simulations for pairs of algorithms from the PROMISE12 prostate MR segmentation challenge data set. The model predicted the simulated power for the majority of algorithm pairs within 4% for simulated experiments using a high-quality reference standard and within 6% for simulated experiments using a low-quality reference standard. A case study, also based on the PROMISE12 data, illustrates using the formulae to evaluate whether to use a lower-quality reference standard in a prostate segmentation study. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Permeation of gasoline, diesel, bioethanol (E85), and biodiesel (B20) fuels through six glove materials.

PubMed

Chin, Jo-Yu; Batterman, Stuart A

2010-07-01

Biofuels and conventional fuels differ in terms of their evaporation rates, permeation rates, and exhaust emissions, which can alter exposures of workers, especially those in the fuel refining and distribution industries. This study investigated the permeation of biofuels (bioethanol 85%, biodiesel 20%) and conventional petroleum fuels (gasoline and diesel) through gloves used in occupational settings (neoprene, nitrile, and Viton) and laboratories (latex, nitrile, and vinyl), as well as a standard reference material (neoprene sheet). Permeation rates and breakthrough times were measured using the American Society for Testing and Materials F739-99 protocol, and fuel and permeant compositions were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. In addition, we estimated exposures for three occupational scenarios and recommend chemical protective clothing suitable for use with motor fuels. Permeation rates and breakthrough times depended on the fuel-glove combination. Gasoline had the highest permeation rate among the four fuels. Bioethanol (85%) had breakthrough times that were two to three times longer than gasoline through neoprene, nitrile Sol-Vex, and the standard reference materials. Breakthrough times for biodiesel (20%) were slightly shorter than for diesel for the latex, vinyl, nitrile examination, and the standard neoprene materials. The composition of permeants differed from neat fuels, e.g., permeants were significantly enriched in the lighter aromatics including benzene. Viton was the best choice among the tested materials for the four fuels tested. Among the scenarios, fuel truck drivers had the highest uptake via inhalation based on the personal measurements available in the literature, and gasoline station attendants had highest uptake via dermal exposure if gloves were not worn. Appropriate selection and use of gloves can protect workers from dermal exposures; however, current recommendations from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health should be revised to account for contemporary fuel formulations that routinely contain ethanol.

Reference Standard Test and the Diagnostic Ability of Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography in Glaucoma.

PubMed

Rao, Harsha L; Yadav, Ravi K; Addepalli, Uday K; Begum, Viquar U; Senthil, Sirisha; Choudhari, Nikhil S; Garudadri, Chandra S

2015-08-01

To evaluate the relationship between the reference standard used to diagnose glaucoma and the diagnostic ability of spectral domain optical coherence tomograph (SDOCT). In a cross-sectional study, 280 eyes of 175 consecutive subjects, referred to a tertiary eye care center for glaucoma evaluation, underwent optic disc photography, visual field (VF) examination, and SDOCT examination. The cohort was divided into glaucoma and control groups based on 3 reference standards for glaucoma diagnosis: first based on the optic disc classification (179 glaucoma and 101 control eyes), second on VF classification (glaucoma hemifield test outside normal limits and pattern SD with P-value of <5%, 130 glaucoma and 150 control eyes), and third on the presence of both glaucomatous optic disc and glaucomatous VF (125 glaucoma and 155 control eyes). Relationship between the reference standards and the diagnostic parameters of SDOCT were evaluated using areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, and specificity. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve and sensitivities of most of the SDOCT parameters obtained with the 3 reference standards (ranging from 0.74 to 0.88 and 72% to 88%, respectively) were comparable (P>0.05). However, specificities of SDOCT parameters were significantly greater (P<0.05) with optic disc classification as reference standard (74% to 88%) compared with VF classification as reference standard (57% to 74%). Diagnostic parameters of SDOCT that was significantly affected by reference standard was the specificity, which was greater with optic disc classification as the reference standard. This has to be considered when comparing the diagnostic ability of SDOCT across studies.

34 CFR 73.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards... of Education STANDARDS OF CONDUCT § 73.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and... branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and to the Department of Education regulation...

34 CFR 73.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards... of Education STANDARDS OF CONDUCT § 73.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and... branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and to the Department of Education regulation...

34 CFR 73.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards... of Education STANDARDS OF CONDUCT § 73.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and... branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and to the Department of Education regulation...

34 CFR 73.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards... of Education STANDARDS OF CONDUCT § 73.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and... branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and to the Department of Education regulation...

34 CFR 73.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards... of Education STANDARDS OF CONDUCT § 73.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and... branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and to the Department of Education regulation...

Differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from non-tubercular mycobacteria by nested multiplex PCR targeting IS6110, MTP40 and 32kD alpha antigen encoding gene fragments.

PubMed

Sinha, Pallavi; Gupta, Anamika; Prakash, Pradyot; Anupurba, Shampa; Tripathi, Rajneesh; Srivastava, G N

2016-03-12

Control of the global burden of tuberculosis is obstructed due to lack of simple, rapid and cost effective diagnostic techniques that can be used in resource poor-settings. To facilitate the early diagnosis of TB directly from clinical specimens, we have standardized and validated the use of nested multiplex PCR, targeting gene fragments IS6110, MTP40 and 32kD α-antigen encoding genes specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and non-tubercular mycobacteria (NTM), in comparison to smear microscopy, solid culture and single step multiplex PCR. The results were evaluated in comparison to a composite reference standard (CRS) comprising of microbiological results (smear and culture), clinical, radiological and cytopathological findings, clinical treatment and response to anti-tubercular therapy. The nested multiplex PCR (nMPCR) assay was evaluated to test its utility in 600 (535 pulmonary and 65 extra-pulmonary specimens) clinically suspected TB cases. All specimens were processed for smear, culture, single step multiplex PCR and nested multiplex PCR testing. Out of 535 screened pulmonary and 65 extra-pulmonary specimens, 329 (61.5%) and 19 (29.2%) cases were culture positive for M. tuberculosis. Based on CRS, 450 patients had "clinical TB" (definitive-TB, probable-TB and possible-TB). Remaining 150 were confirmed "non-TB" cases. For culture, the sensitivity was low, 79.3% for pulmonary and 54.3% for extra-pulmonary cases. The sensitivity and specificity results for nMPCR test were evaluated taken composite reference standard as a gold standard. The sensitivity of the nMPCR assay was 97.1% for pulmonary and 91.4% for extra-pulmonary TB cases with specificity of 100% and 93.3% respectively. Nested multiplex PCR using three gene primers is a rapid, reliable and highly sensitive and specific diagnostic technique for the detection and differentiation of M. tuberculosis complex from NTM genome and will be useful in diagnosing paucibacillary samples. Nested multiplex PCR assay was found to be better than single step multiplex PCR for assessing the diagnosis of TB.

7 CFR 1728.97 - Incorporation by reference of electric standards and specifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Incorporation by reference of electric standards and...) RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ELECTRIC STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION § 1728.97 Incorporation by reference of electric standards and specifications. The...

7 CFR 1728.97 - Incorporation by reference of electric standards and specifications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Incorporation by reference of electric standards and...) RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ELECTRIC STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION § 1728.97 Incorporation by reference of electric standards and specifications. The...

78 FR 44090 - Formaldehyde; Third-Party Certification Framework for the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-23

... Formaldehyde; Third-Party Certification Framework for the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products..., concerning a third-party certification framework for the formaldehyde standards for composite wood products... Environmental protection, Composite wood products, Formaldehyde, Reporting and recordkeeping, Third-party...

Investigation of Martian Aqueous Processes Using Multiple Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) Datasets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yen, A. S.; Ming, D. W.; Gellert, R.; Vaniman, D.; Clark, B.; Morris, R. V.; Mittlefehldt, D. W.; Arvidson, R. E.

2014-01-01

The APXS instruments flown on the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Spirit and Opportunity and the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity were based on the same fundamental design. The calibration effort of the MSL APXS used the same reference standards analyzed in the MER calibration which ensures that data produced by all three instruments provide the same compositional results for the same sample. This cross-calibration effort is unprecedented and allows direct comparisons and contrasts of samples analyzed at Gusev Crater by Spirit, Meridiani Planum by Opportunity, and Gale Crater by Curiosity.

THE COMPOSITION OF INTERSTELLAR GRAINS TOWARD ζ OPHIUCHI: CONSTRAINING THE ELEMENTAL BUDGET NEAR THE DIFFUSE-DENSE CLOUD TRANSITION

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

Poteet, Charles A.; Whittet, Douglas C. B.; Draine, Bruce T., E-mail: charles.poteet@gmail.com

2015-03-10

We investigate the composition of interstellar grains along the line of sight toward ζ Ophiuchi, a well-studied environment near the diffuse-dense cloud transition. A spectral decomposition analysis of the solid-state absorbers is performed using archival spectroscopic observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope and Infrared Space Observatory. We find strong evidence for the presence of sub-micron-sized amorphous silicate grains, principally comprised of olivine-like composition, with no convincing evidence of H{sub 2}O ice mantles. However, tentative evidence for thick H{sub 2}O ice mantles on large (a ≈ 2.8 μm) grains is presented. Solid-state abundances of elemental Mg, Si, Fe, and O aremore » inferred from our analysis and compared to standard reference abundances. We find that nearly all of the Mg and Si atoms along the line of sight reside in amorphous silicate grains, while a substantial fraction of the elemental Fe resides in compounds other than silicates. Moreover, we find that the total abundance of elemental O is largely inconsistent with the adopted reference abundances, indicating that as much as ∼156 ppm of interstellar O is missing along the line of sight. After taking into account additional limits on the abundance of elemental O in other O-bearing solids, we conclude that any missing reservoir of elemental O must reside on large grains that are nearly opaque to infrared radiation.« less

A review of the compositional variation of amphiboles in alkaline plutonic complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Roger H.

1990-12-01

Compositional data for amphiboles occurring in alkaline plutonic complexes are reviewed and a standard procedure for plotting these data in an isometric prism is proposed. The main compositional trend found in both oversaturated and undersaturated complexes of either miascitic or peralkaline affinity is referred to as the primary magmatic trend. Amphiboles range in composition from magnesian hastingsitic hornblende and ferro-edenitic hornblende through katophorite to ferro-richterite and arfvedsonite. Individual complexes differ with respect to the amphibole {Mg}/{Fe} and {Si}/{Al} ratio and the extent of Na-enrichment. Extensive or limited ranges in the composition of amphiboles may occur in a given complex. A subtrend found only in oversaturated complexes is from ferro-edenitic hornblende to ferro-actinolite. This trend termed the ferro-actinolitic subtrend is found only in low temperature non-peralkaline residua. Some aluminous nepheline syenites and associated alkali gabbros contain amphiboles which range in composition from kaersutite through ferroan pargasitic hornblende to hastingsite. This trend termed the primary miascitic magmatic trend is is one of decreasing {Mg}/{Fe}, at essentially constant {Si}/{Al} and Ca content. Na-enrichment does not occur. Amphiboles formed by reactions of preexisting phases with hydrothermal or deuteric fluids are termed the late stage reaction assemblage. Amphibole compositional trends from calcic through sodic-calcic to sodic amphiboles reflect decreasing temperature and oxygen fugacity at or below the QFM oxygen buffer. The compositional trends are of use in determining petrogenetic relationships between apparently consanguineous syenites.

Telemetry Standards, RCC Standard 106-17. Chapter 3. Frequency Division Multiplexing Telemetry Standards

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

any of the listed reference frequencies may be used provided the requirements for compensation rate of change are satisfied. If the reference...for in present discriminator systems when the nominal response rating of the channels is employed and a reference frequency is recorded with the...Telemetry Standards, RCC Standard 106-17 Chapter 3, July 2017 3-i CHAPTER 3 Frequency Division Multiplexing Telemetry Standards Acronyms

49 CFR 1019.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 8 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Members and employees of the Surface Transportation Board also should refer to the executive branch Standards of Ethical...

49 CFR 1019.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Members and employees of the Surface Transportation Board also should refer to the executive branch Standards of Ethical...

49 CFR 1019.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 8 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Members and employees of the Surface Transportation Board also should refer to the executive branch Standards of Ethical...

49 CFR 1019.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 8 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Members and employees of the Surface Transportation Board also should refer to the executive branch Standards of Ethical...

49 CFR 1019.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 8 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Members and employees of the Surface Transportation Board also should refer to the executive branch Standards of Ethical...

Arsenic and mercury concentrations in marine fish sourced from local fishermen and fish markets in mine-impacted communities in Ratatotok Sub-district, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

PubMed

Bentley, Keith; Soebandrio, Amin

2017-07-15

Mesel gold mine, Ratatotok Sub-district, North Sulawesi, Indonesia deposited about 4.5millionm 3 of detoxified tailings containing arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) via a submarine pipeline into Buyat Bay. As and Hg analysis of 216 fish muscle tissue composites from subsistence fishermen, local markets and a reference market confirmed that mean As levels were comparable between locations (range 1.71 to 2.12mg/kg wet weight (ww)) and <10% of the Australia New Zealand standard. Mean Hg concentrations were highest for the artisanal fishermen group (0.23mg/kg ww), similar between the local markets (0.11-0.14mg/kg ww) and lower at the reference market (0.04mg/kg ww). A 12-month fish availability study identified that the results were due to the different coral and deep ocean species assemblages. All mean values were <50% of the FAO/WHO/Codex standard for Hg. The results confirmed that there was no contamination from the deposited submarine tailings. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A conodont-based standard reference section in central Nevada for the lower Middle Ordovician Whiterockian Series

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sweet, W.C.; Ethington, Raymond L.; Harris, A.G.

2005-01-01

Ranges of conodonts in stratigraphic sections at five localities in the Monitor and Antelope ranges of central Nevada are used graphically to assemble a standard reference section for the lower Middle Ordovician Whiterockian Series. The base of the series is officially 0.3 m above the base of the Antelope Valley Limestone in the stratotype in Whiterock Canyon (Monitor Range). The top is the level at which Baltoniodus gerdae makes a brief appearance in an exposure of the Copenhagen Formation on the flanks of Hill 8308 in the western Antelope Range. Graphic compilation of the sections considered in this report also indicates that a level correlative with the base of the Whiterockian Series in the stratotype section is 66 m above the base of the Antelope Valley Limestone in its de facto type section on Martin Ridge in the eastern part of the Monitor Range. Ranges, diversity, and the composition of the conodont faunas differ markedly in lithofacies adjacent to the basal boundary of the series; hence we are unable to identify a single conodont species, in a credible developmental sequence, to serve as biological marker of that boundary.

Body fat measurement by bioelectrical impedance and air displacement plethysmography: a cross-validation study to design bioelectrical impedance equations in Mexican adults

PubMed Central

Macias, Nayeli; Alemán-Mateo, Heliodoro; Esparza-Romero, Julián; Valencia, Mauro E

2007-01-01

Background The study of body composition in specific populations by techniques such as bio-impedance analysis (BIA) requires validation based on standard reference methods. The aim of this study was to develop and cross-validate a predictive equation for bioelectrical impedance using air displacement plethysmography (ADP) as standard method to measure body composition in Mexican adult men and women. Methods This study included 155 male and female subjects from northern Mexico, 20–50 years of age, from low, middle, and upper income levels. Body composition was measured by ADP. Body weight (BW, kg) and height (Ht, cm) were obtained by standard anthropometric techniques. Resistance, R (ohms) and reactance, Xc (ohms) were also measured. A random-split method was used to obtain two samples: one was used to derive the equation by the "all possible regressions" procedure and was cross-validated in the other sample to test predicted versus measured values of fat-free mass (FFM). Results and Discussion The final model was: FFM (kg) = 0.7374 * (Ht2 /R) + 0.1763 * (BW) - 0.1773 * (Age) + 0.1198 * (Xc) - 2.4658. R2 was 0.97; the square root of the mean square error (SRMSE) was 1.99 kg, and the pure error (PE) was 2.96. There was no difference between FFM predicted by the new equation (48.57 ± 10.9 kg) and that measured by ADP (48.43 ± 11.3 kg). The new equation did not differ from the line of identity, had a high R2 and a low SRMSE, and showed no significant bias (0.87 ± 2.84 kg). Conclusion The new bioelectrical impedance equation based on the two-compartment model (2C) was accurate, precise, and free of bias. This equation can be used to assess body composition and nutritional status in populations similar in anthropometric and physical characteristics to this sample. PMID:17697388

Optimizing total reflection X-ray fluorescence for direct trace element quantification in proteins I: Influence of sample homogeneity and reflector type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wellenreuther, G.; Fittschen, U. E. A.; Achard, M. E. S.; Faust, A.; Kreplin, X.; Meyer-Klaucke, W.

2008-12-01

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) is a very promising method for the direct, quick and reliable multi-elemental quantification of trace elements in protein samples. With the introduction of an internal standard consisting of two reference elements, scandium and gallium, a wide range of proteins can be analyzed, regardless of their salt content, buffer composition, additives and amino acid composition. This strategy also enables quantification of matrix effects. Two potential issues associated with drying have been considered in this study: (1) Formation of heterogeneous residues of varying thickness and/or density; and (2) separation of the internal standard and protein during drying (which has to be prevented to allow accurate quantification). These issues were investigated by microbeam X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) with special emphasis on (I) the influence of sample support and (II) the protein / buffer system used. In the first part, a model protein was studied on well established sample supports used in TXRF, PIXE and XRF (Mylar, siliconized quartz, Plexiglas and silicon). In the second part we imaged proteins of different molecular weight, oligomerization state, bound metals and solubility. A partial separation of protein and internal standard was only observed with untreated silicon, suggesting it may not be an adequate support material. Siliconized quartz proved to be the least prone to heterogeneous drying of the sample and yielded the most reliable results.

49 CFR 178.522 - Standards for composite packagings with inner plastic receptacles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standards for composite packagings with inner... Standards for composite packagings with inner plastic receptacles. (a) The following are the identification codes for composite packagings with inner plastic receptacles: (1) 6HA1 for a plastic receptacle within...

78 FR 51696 - Formaldehyde; Third-Party Certification Framework for the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-21

... Formaldehyde; Third-Party Certification Framework for the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products..., concerning a third-party certification framework for the formaldehyde standards for composite wood products... INFORMATION CONTACT. List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 770 Environmental protection, Composite wood products...

Method validation for chemical composition determination by electron microprobe with wavelength dispersive spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrera-Basurto, R.; Mercader-Trejo, F.; Muñoz-Madrigal, N.; Juárez-García, J. M.; Rodriguez-López, A.; Manzano-Ramírez, A.

2016-07-01

The main goal of method validation is to demonstrate that the method is suitable for its intended purpose. One of the advantages of analytical method validation is translated into a level of confidence about the measurement results reported to satisfy a specific objective. Elemental composition determination by wavelength dispersive spectrometer (WDS) microanalysis has been used over extremely wide areas, mainly in the field of materials science, impurity determinations in geological, biological and food samples. However, little information is reported about the validation of the applied methods. Herein, results of the in-house method validation for elemental composition determination by WDS are shown. SRM 482, a binary alloy Cu-Au of different compositions, was used during the validation protocol following the recommendations for method validation proposed by Eurachem. This paper can be taken as a reference for the evaluation of the validation parameters more frequently requested to get the accreditation under the requirements of the ISO/IEC 17025 standard: selectivity, limit of detection, linear interval, sensitivity, precision, trueness and uncertainty. A model for uncertainty estimation was proposed including systematic and random errors. In addition, parameters evaluated during the validation process were also considered as part of the uncertainty model.

Analysis of grain elements and identification of best genotypes for Fe and P in Afghan wheat landraces

PubMed Central

Kondou, Youichi; Manickavelu, Alagu; Komatsu, Kenji; Arifi, Mujiburahman; Kawashima, Mika; Ishii, Takayoshi; Hattori, Tomohiro; Iwata, Hiroyoshi; Tsujimoto, Hisashi; Ban, Tomohiro; Matsui, Minami

2016-01-01

This study was carried out with the aim of developing the methodology to determine elemental composition in wheat and identify the best germplasm for further research. Orphan and genetically diverse Afghan wheat landraces were chosen and EDXRF was used to measure the content of some of the elements to establish elemental composition in grains of 266 landraces using 10 reference lines. Four elements, K, Mg, P, and Fe, were measured by standardizing sample preparation. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis using elemental composition data sets indicated that the Fe content has an opposite pattern to the other elements, especially that of K. By systematic analysis the best wheat germplasms for P content and Fe content were identified. In order to compare the sensitivity of EDXRF, the ICP method was also used and the similar results obtained confirmed the EDXRF methodology. The sampling method for measurement using EDXRF was optimized resulting in high-throughput profiling of elemental composition in wheat grains at low cost. Using this method, we have characterized the Afghan wheat landraces and isolated the best genotypes that have high-elemental content and have the potential to be used in crop improvement. PMID:28163583

Reference Values for Body Composition and Anthropometric Measurements in Athletes

PubMed Central

Santos, Diana A.; Dawson, John A.; Matias, Catarina N.; Rocha, Paulo M.; Minderico, Cláudia S.; Allison, David B.; Sardinha, Luís B.; Silva, Analiza M.

2014-01-01

Background Despite the importance of body composition in athletes, reference sex- and sport-specific body composition data are lacking. We aim to develop reference values for body composition and anthropometric measurements in athletes. Methods Body weight and height were measured in 898 athletes (264 female, 634 male), anthropometric variables were assessed in 798 athletes (240 female and 558 male), and in 481 athletes (142 female and 339 male) with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). A total of 21 different sports were represented. Reference percentiles (5th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 95th) were calculated for each measured value, stratified by sex and sport. Because sample sizes within a sport were often very low for some outcomes, the percentiles were estimated using a parametric, empirical Bayesian framework that allowed sharing information across sports. Results We derived sex- and sport-specific reference percentiles for the following DXA outcomes: total (whole body scan) and regional (subtotal, trunk, and appendicular) bone mineral content, bone mineral density, absolute and percentage fat mass, fat-free mass, and lean soft tissue. Additionally, we derived reference percentiles for height-normalized indexes by dividing fat mass, fat-free mass, and appendicular lean soft tissue by height squared. We also derived sex- and sport-specific reference percentiles for the following anthropometry outcomes: weight, height, body mass index, sum of skinfold thicknesses (7 skinfolds, appendicular skinfolds, trunk skinfolds, arm skinfolds, and leg skinfolds), circumferences (hip, arm, midthigh, calf, and abdominal circumferences), and muscle circumferences (arm, thigh, and calf muscle circumferences). Conclusions These reference percentiles will be a helpful tool for sports professionals, in both clinical and field settings, for body composition assessment in athletes. PMID:24830292

Upper and lower limbs composition: a comparison between anthropometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in healthy people.

PubMed

Diano, Danila; Ponti, Federico; Guerri, Sara; Mercatelli, Daniele; Amadori, Michele; Aparisi Gómez, Maria Pilar; Battista, Giuseppe; Guglielmi, Giuseppe; Bazzocchi, Alberto

2017-09-18

The detection of changes in lean mass (LM) distribution can help to prevent disability. This study assessed the degree of association between anthropometric measurements and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body composition (BC) parameters of the upper and lower limbs in a healthy general population and collected DXA age- and sex-specific values of BC that can be useful to build a reference standard. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of some widely available anthropometric measurements in the assessment of body composition (BC) at the limbs, especially in terms of muscle mass, in a large sample of healthy subjects of different age bands and sex, using fat mass (FM) and lean mass (LM) parameters derived by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as the gold standard. The secondary aim was to collect DXA age- and sex-specific values of BC of left and right limbs (upper and lower) in a healthy Italian population to be used as reference standards. Two hundred fifty healthy volunteers were enrolled. Arm circumference (AC) and thigh circumference (ThC) were measured, and total and regional BC parameters were obtained by a whole-body DXA scan (Lunar iDXA, Madison, WI, USA; enCORE™ 2011 software version 13.6). FM/LM showed only fair correlation with AC and ThC in females (r = 0.649 and 0.532, respectively); in males and in the total population, the correlation was low (r = 0.360 or lower, and p non-statistically significant). AC and ThC were not well representative of arms LM in both genders (females r = 0.452, males r = 0.530) independently of age. In general, men of all age groups showed higher values of LM and lean mass index (LMI) in both total and segmental upper and lower limbs. In males, the maximum LM and LMI were achieved in the fifth decade in both upper and lower limbs and then started to decrease with aging. In females, no significant modification with aging was identified in LM and LMI. According to our results, anthropometry is not well representative of LM of arms in both genders, independently of age; therefore, a densitometric examination should be considered for a correct assessment of BC at limbs.

Characterization of Lone Pine, California, tremolite asbestos and preparation of research material

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harper, Martin; Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Crankshaw, Owen S; Doorn, Stacy S; Ennis, J. Todd; Harrison, Sara E

2014-01-01

Well-characterized amphibole asbestos mineral samples are required for use as analytical standards and in future research projects. Currently, the National Institute for Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material samples of asbestos are listed as ‘Discontinued’. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a goal under the Asbestos Roadmap of locating and characterizing research materials for future use. Where an initial characterization analysis determines that a collected material is appropriate for use as a research material in terms of composition and asbestiform habit, sufficient amounts of the material will be collected to make it publicly available. An abandoned mine near Lone Pine, California, contains a vein of tremolite asbestos, which was the probable source of a reference material that has been available for the past 17 years from the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) in the UK. Newly collected fibrous vein material from this mine was analyzed at Research Triangle Institute (RTI International) with some additional analysis by the US Geological Survey’s Denver Microbeam Laboratory. The analysis at RTI International included: (i) polarized light microscopy (PLM) with a determination of principal optical properties; (ii) X-ray diffraction; (iii) transmission electron microscopy, including energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and selected-area electron diffraction; and (iv) spindle stage analysis using PLM to determine whether individual fibers and bundles of the samples were polycrystalline or single-crystal cleavage fragments. The overall findings of the study indicated that the material is tremolite asbestos with characteristics substantially similar to the earlier distributed HSL reference material. A larger quantity of material was prepared by sorting, acid-washing and mixing for sub-division into vials of ~10g each. These vials have been transferred from NIOSH to RTI International, from where they can be obtained on request.

Characterization of Lone Pine, California, Tremolite Asbestos and Preparation of Research Material

PubMed Central

Harper, Martin; Van Gosen, Bradley; Crankshaw, Owen S.; Doorn, Stacy S.; Ennis, Todd J.; Harrison, Sara E.

2016-01-01

Well-characterized amphibole asbestos mineral samples are required for use as analytical standards and in future research projects. Currently, the National Institute for Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material samples of asbestos are listed as ‘Discontinued’. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a goal under the Asbestos Roadmap of locating and characterizing research materials for future use. Where an initial characterization analysis determines that a collected material is appropriate for use as a research material in terms of composition and asbestiform habit, sufficient amounts of the material will be collected to make it publicly available. An abandoned mine near Lone Pine, California, contains a vein of tremolite asbestos, which was the probable source of a reference material that has been available for the past 17 years from the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) in the UK. Newly collected fibrous vein material from this mine was analyzed at Research Triangle Institute (RTI International) with some additional analysis by the US Geological Survey’s Denver Microbeam Laboratory. The analysis at RTI International included: (i) polarized light microscopy (PLM) with a determination of principal optical properties; (ii) X-ray diffraction; (iii) transmission electron microscopy, including energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and selected-area electron diffraction; and (iv) spindle stage analysis using PLM to determine whether individual fibers and bundles of the samples were polycrystalline or single-crystal cleavage fragments. The overall findings of the study indicated that the material is tremolite asbestos with characteristics substantially similar to the earlier distributed HSL reference material. A larger quantity of material was prepared by sorting, acid-washing and mixing for sub-division into vials of ~10 g each. These vials have been transferred from NIOSH to RTI International, from where they can be obtained on request. PMID:25268000

From plastic to gold: a unified classification scheme for reference standards in medical image processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehmann, Thomas M.

2002-05-01

Reliable evaluation of medical image processing is of major importance for routine applications. Nonetheless, evaluation is often omitted or methodically defective when novel approaches or algorithms are introduced. Adopted from medical diagnosis, we define the following criteria to classify reference standards: 1. Reliance, if the generation or capturing of test images for evaluation follows an exactly determined and reproducible protocol. 2. Equivalence, if the image material or relationships considered within an algorithmic reference standard equal real-life data with respect to structure, noise, or other parameters of importance. 3. Independence, if any reference standard relies on a different procedure than that to be evaluated, or on other images or image modalities than that used routinely. This criterion bans the simultaneous use of one image for both, training and test phase. 4. Relevance, if the algorithm to be evaluated is self-reproducible. If random parameters or optimization strategies are applied, reliability of the algorithm must be shown before the reference standard is applied for evaluation. 5. Significance, if the number of reference standard images that are used for evaluation is sufficient large to enable statistically founded analysis. We demand that a true gold standard must satisfy the Criteria 1 to 3. Any standard only satisfying two criteria, i.e., Criterion 1 and Criterion 2 or Criterion 1 and Criterion 3, is referred to as silver standard. Other standards are termed to be from plastic. Before exhaustive evaluation based on gold or silver standards is performed, its relevance must be shown (Criterion 4) and sufficient tests must be carried out to found statistical analysis (Criterion 5). In this paper, examples are given for each class of reference standards.

28 CFR 45.1 - Cross-reference to ethical standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Cross-reference to ethical standards and...) EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES § 45.1 Cross-reference to ethical standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Department of Justice are subject to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct...

10 CFR 1010.102 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards... Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations, and other conduct rules. Employees of DOE are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the...

28 CFR 45.1 - Cross-reference to ethical standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Cross-reference to ethical standards and...) EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES § 45.1 Cross-reference to ethical standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Department of Justice are subject to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct...

10 CFR 1010.102 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards... Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations, and other conduct rules. Employees of DOE are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the...

10 CFR 1010.102 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards... Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations, and other conduct rules. Employees of DOE are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the...

28 CFR 45.1 - Cross-reference to ethical standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Cross-reference to ethical standards and...) EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES § 45.1 Cross-reference to ethical standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Department of Justice are subject to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct...

10 CFR 1010.102 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards... Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations, and other conduct rules. Employees of DOE are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the...

28 CFR 45.1 - Cross-reference to ethical standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Cross-reference to ethical standards and...) EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES § 45.1 Cross-reference to ethical standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Department of Justice are subject to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct...

28 CFR 45.1 - Cross-reference to ethical standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Cross-reference to ethical standards and...) EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES § 45.1 Cross-reference to ethical standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Department of Justice are subject to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct...

A comparison of three infant skinfold reference standards: Tanner-Whitehouse, Cambridge Infant Growth Study, and WHO Child Growth Standards.

PubMed

Miller, Elizabeth M

2015-10-01

As researchers increasingly focus on early infancy as a critical period of development, there is a greater need for methodological tools that can address all aspects of infant growth. Infant skinfold measures, in particular, are measurements in need of reliable reference standards that encompass all ages of infants and provide an accurate assessment of the relative fatness of a population. This report evaluates three published reference standards for infant skinfold measurements: Tanner-Whitehouse, Cambridge Infant Growth Study, and the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards. To assess these standards, triceps skinfolds from a population of rural Kenyan infants (n = 250) and triceps skinfolds and subscapular skinfolds from infants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002 (NHANES; n = 1197) were calculated as z-scores from the lambda-mu-sigma curves provided by each reference population. The Tanner-Whitehouse standards represented both the Kenyan and US populations as lean, while the Cambridge standards represented both populations as overfat. The distribution of z-scores based on the WHO standards fell in the middle, but excluded infants from both populations who were below the age of 3 months. Based on these results, the WHO reference standard is the best skinfold reference standard for infants over the age of 3 months. For populations with infants of all ages, the Tanner-Whitehouse standards are recommended, despite representing both study populations as underfat. Ideally, the WHO will extend their reference standard to include infants between the ages of 0 and 3 months. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of UP1304, a botanical composite containing standardized extracts of Curcuma longa and Morus alba.

PubMed

Yimam, Mesfin; Lee, Young-Chul; Moore, Breanna; Jiao, Ping; Hong, Mei; Nam, Jeong-Bum; Kim, Mi-Ran; Hyun, Eu-Jin; Chu, Min; Brownell, Lidia; Jia, Qi

2016-01-01

Though the initial etiologies of arthritis are multifactorial, clinically, patients share the prime complaints of the disease, pain. Here the authors assessed the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of UP1304, a composite that contains a standardized blend of extracts from the rhizome of Curcuma longa and the root bark of Morus alba, on rats with carrageenan-induced paw edema. A plant library was screened for bradykinin receptor antagonists. In vivo, the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of the standardized composite, UP1304, were evaluated in rats with carrageenan-induced paw edema using oral dose ranges of 100-400 mg/kg. Ibuprofen, at a dose of 200 mg/kg, was used as a reference compound. In vitro, cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibition assays were performed to evaluate the degree of inflammation. Statistically significant improvements in pain resistance and paw edema suppression were observed in animals treated with UP1304, when compared to vehicle-treated rats. Results from the highest dose of UP1304 (400 mg/kg) were similar to those achieved by ibuprofen treatment at 200 mg/kg. In vitro, UP1304 showed dose-dependent inhibition of the enzymatic activities of COX and LOX. A half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 9.6 μg/mL for bradykinin B1 inhibition was calculated for the organic extract of C. longa. Curcumin showed Ki values of 2.73 and 58 μg/mL for bradykinin receptors B1 and B2, respectively. Data presented here suggest that UP1304, analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent of botanical origin, acted as a bradykinin receptor B1 and B2 antagonist, and inhibited COX and LOX enzyme activities. This compound should be considered for the management of symptoms associated with arthritis.

Standardization of Shirishavaleha with reference to physico-chemical characteristics.

PubMed

Yadav, Shyamlal Singh; Galib; Patgiri, B J; Shukla, V J; Prajapati, P K

2011-10-01

Ten batches of Shirishavaleha were prepared by using Twak (Bark) and Sara (Heartwood) of Shirisha [Albizzia lebbeck Benth]. The adopted formulation was based on Shirisharishta of Bhaishajya Ratnavali. Though Shirisharishta has significant therapeutic effect in cases of Tamaka swasa, etc.; it has few difficulties during the pharmaceutical procedure like consuming long time, climatic influences etc. Considering these inconveniencies, the formulation composition has been converted in to Shirishavaleha. Avaleha has been prepared by using Twak and Sara of Shirisha. No significant differences were found in pharmaceutical aspects of both the samples of Shirishavaleha and the current method of preparation can be considered as standard. Attempts were also made to develop analytical profile of avaleha, which were almost similar in both the samples, except showing more Rf values in High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography profile of Sara group.

Standardization of Shirishavaleha with reference to physico-chemical characteristics

PubMed Central

Yadav, Shyamlal Singh; Galib; Patgiri, B. J.; Shukla, V. J.; Prajapati, P. K.

2011-01-01

Ten batches of Shirishavaleha were prepared by using Twak (Bark) and Sara (Heartwood) of Shirisha [Albizzia lebbeck Benth]. The adopted formulation was based on Shirisharishta of Bhaishajya Ratnavali. Though Shirisharishta has significant therapeutic effect in cases of Tamaka swasa, etc.; it has few difficulties during the pharmaceutical procedure like consuming long time, climatic influences etc. Considering these inconveniencies, the formulation composition has been converted in to Shirishavaleha. Avaleha has been prepared by using Twak and Sara of Shirisha. No significant differences were found in pharmaceutical aspects of both the samples of Shirishavaleha and the current method of preparation can be considered as standard. Attempts were also made to develop analytical profile of avaleha, which were almost similar in both the samples, except showing more Rf values in High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography profile of Sara group. PMID:22661855

Method for characterization of low molecular weight organic acids in atmospheric aerosols using ion chromatography mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Brent, Lacey C; Reiner, Jessica L; Dickerson, Russell R; Sander, Lane C

2014-08-05

The structural composition of PM2.5 monitored in the atmosphere is usually divided by the analysis of organic carbon, black (also called elemental) carbon, and inorganic salts. The characterization of the chemical composition of aerosols represents a significant challenge to analysts, and studies are frequently limited to determination of aerosol bulk properties. To better understand the potential health effects and combined interactions of components in aerosols, a variety of measurement techniques for individual analytes in PM2.5 need to be implemented. The method developed here for the measurement of organic acids achieves class separation of aliphatic monoacids, aliphatic diacids, aromatic acids, and polyacids. The selective ion monitoring capability of a triple quadropole mass analyzer was frequently capable of overcoming instances of incomplete separations. Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1649b Urban Dust was characterized; 34 organic acids were qualitatively identified, and 6 organic acids were quantified.

Numerical study of the effect of the shape of the phase diagram on the eutectic freezing temperature

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

Ode, M.; Shimono, M.; Sasajima, N.

2013-09-11

To evaluate the reliability of metal-carbon eutectic systems as fixed points for the next generation of high-temperature standards the effect of thermodynamic properties related to the shape of eutectic phase diagram on the freezing temperature is investigated within the context of the numerical multi-phase-field model. The partition coefficient and liquidus slopes of the two solids involved in the eutectic reaction are varied deliberately and independently. The difference between the eutectic temperature and the freezing temperature is determined in dependence of the solid/liquid (s/l) interface shape and concentration. Where appropriate reference is made to the Jackson-Hunt analytical theory. It is shownmore » that there are mainly two typical conditions to decrease the undercooling: 1) a small liquidus slope and 2) the associated difference between the eutectic composition and the liquid composition during solidification.« less

Geologic exploration: The contribution of LANDSAT-4 thematic mapper data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Everett, J. R.; Dykstra, J. D.; Sheffield, C. A.

1983-01-01

The major advantages of the TM data over that of MSS systems are increased spatial resolution and a greater number of narrow, strategically placed spectral bands. The 30 meter pixel size permits finer definition of ground features and improves reliability of the photointerpretation of geologic structure. The value of the spatial data increases relative to the value of the spectral data as soil and vegetation cover increase. In arid areas with good exposure, it is possible with careful digital processing and some inventive color compositing to produce enough spectral differentiation of rock types and thereby produce facsimiles of standard geologic maps with a minimum of field work or reference to existing maps. Hue-saturation value images are compared with geological maps of Death Valley, California, the Big Horn/Wind River Basin of Wyoming, the area around Cement, Oklahoma, and Detroit. False color composites of the Ontario region are also examined.

A miniature laser ablation mass spectrometer for quantitative in situ chemical composition investigation of lunar surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brigitte Neuland, Maike; Grimaudo, Valentine; Mezger, Klaus; Moreno-García, Pavel; Riedo, Andreas; Tulej, Marek; Wurz, Peter

2016-04-01

The chemical composition of planetary bodies, moons, comets and asteroids is a key to understand their origin and evolution [Wurz,2009]. Measurements of the elemental and isotopic composition of rocks yield information about the formation of the planetary body, its evolution and following processes shaping the planetary surface. From the elemental composition, conclusions about modal mineralogy and petrology can be drawn. Isotope ratios are a sensitive indicator for past events on the planetary body and yield information about origin and transformation of the matter, back to events that occurred in the early solar system. Finally, measurements of radiogenic isotopes make it possible to carry out dating analyses. All these topics, particularly in situ dating analyses, quantitative elemental and highly accurate isotopic composition measurements, are top priority scientific questions for future lunar missions. An instrument for precise measurements of chemical composition will be a key element in scientific payloads of future landers or rovers on lunar surface. We present a miniature laser ablation mass spectrometer (LMS) designed for in situ research in planetary and space science and optimised for measurements of the chemical composition of rocks and soils on a planetary surface. By means of measurements of standard reference materials we demonstrate that LMS is a suitable instrument for in situ measurements of elemental and isotopic composition with high precision and accuracy. Measurements of soil standards are used to confirm known sensitivity coefficients of the instrument and to prove the power of LMS for quantitative elemental analyses [Neuland,2016]. For demonstration of the capability of LMS to measure the chemical composition of extraterrestrial material we use a sample of Allende meteorite [Neuland,2014]. Investigations of layered samples confirm the high spatial resolution in vertical direction of LMS [Grimaudo,2015], which allows in situ studying of past surface processes on a planetary surface. Analyses of Pb isotopes show that the statistical uncertainty for the age determination by LMS is about ±100 Myrs, if abundance of 206Pb and 207Pb is 20ppm and 2ppm respectively [Riedo,2013]. These Pb isotopes have abundances of tens to hundreds of ppm in lunar KREEP [Nemchin,2008]. We demonstrate the measurement capabilities of LMS for petrographic and mineralogical analyses, for isotopic studies and dating analyses, which are key topics for future missions to the Moon. Having the LMS instrument installed on a lunar rover would allow measuring the chemical composition of many rock and soil samples, distributed over a certain area, inside the South Pole Aitken Basin for example. LMS measurements would yield valuable conclusions about age and mineralogy. References: [Wurz,2009]Wurz,P. et al. 2009, AIP Conf.Proc., CP1144:70-75. [Grimaudo,2015]Grimaudo, V. et al. 2015, Anal.Chem. 87: 2037-2041. [Neuland,2014]Neuland, M.B. et al. 2014, Planet.Space Sci.101:196-209. [Neuland,2016]Neuland M.B. et al. 2016, Meas. Sci. Technol.,submitted. [Riedo,2013]Riedo A. et al., 2013 Planet. Space Sci. 87: 1-13. [Nemchin,2008]Nemchin et al., 2008 Geochim. Cosmochim.Acta 72:668-689.

Creating NDA working standards through high-fidelity spent fuel modeling

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

Skutnik, Steven E; Gauld, Ian C; Romano, Catherine E

2012-01-01

The Next Generation Safeguards Initiative (NGSI) is developing advanced non-destructive assay (NDA) techniques for spent nuclear fuel assemblies to advance the state-of-the-art in safeguards measurements. These measurements aim beyond the capabilities of existing methods to include the evaluation of plutonium and fissile material inventory, independent of operator declarations. Testing and evaluation of advanced NDA performance will require reference assemblies with well-characterized compositions to serve as working standards against which the NDA methods can be benchmarked and for uncertainty quantification. To support the development of standards for the NGSI spent fuel NDA project, high-fidelity modeling of irradiated fuel assemblies is beingmore » performed to characterize fuel compositions and radiation emission data. The assembly depletion simulations apply detailed operating history information and core simulation data as it is available to perform high fidelity axial and pin-by-pin fuel characterization for more than 1600 nuclides. The resulting pin-by-pin isotopic inventories are used to optimize the NDA measurements and provide information necessary to unfold and interpret the measurement data, e.g., passive gamma emitters, neutron emitters, neutron absorbers, and fissile content. A key requirement of this study is the analysis of uncertainties associated with the calculated compositions and signatures for the standard assemblies; uncertainties introduced by the calculation methods, nuclear data, and operating information. An integral part of this assessment involves the application of experimental data from destructive radiochemical assay to assess the uncertainty and bias in computed inventories, the impact of parameters such as assembly burnup gradients and burnable poisons, and the influence of neighboring assemblies on periphery rods. This paper will present the results of high fidelity assembly depletion modeling and uncertainty analysis from independent calculations performed using SCALE and MCNP. This work is supported by the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative, Office of Nuclear Safeguards and Security, National Nuclear Security Administration.« less

Accounting for both local aquatic community composition and bioavailability in setting site-specific quality standards for zinc.

PubMed

Peters, Adam; Simpson, Peter; Moccia, Alessandra

2014-01-01

Recent years have seen considerable improvement in water quality standards (QS) for metals by taking account of the effect of local water chemistry conditions on their bioavailability. We describe preliminary efforts to further refine water quality standards, by taking account of the composition of the local ecological community (the ultimate protection objective) in addition to bioavailability. Relevance of QS to the local ecological community is critical as it is important to minimise instances where quality classification using QS does not reconcile with a quality classification based on an assessment of the composition of the local ecology (e.g. using benthic macroinvertebrate quality assessment metrics such as River InVertebrate Prediction and Classification System (RIVPACS)), particularly where ecology is assessed to be at good or better status, whilst chemical quality is determined to be failing relevant standards. The alternative approach outlined here describes a method to derive a site-specific species sensitivity distribution (SSD) based on the ecological community which is expected to be present at the site in the absence of anthropogenic pressures (reference conditions). The method combines a conventional laboratory ecotoxicity dataset normalised for bioavailability with field measurements of the response of benthic macroinvertebrate abundance to chemical exposure. Site-specific QSref are then derived from the 5%ile of this SSD. Using this method, site QSref have been derived for zinc in an area impacted by historic mining activities. Application of QSref can result in greater agreement between chemical and ecological metrics of environmental quality compared with the use of either conventional (QScon) or bioavailability-based QS (QSbio). In addition to zinc, the approach is likely to be applicable to other metals and possibly other types of chemical stressors (e.g. pesticides). However, the methodology for deriving site-specific targets requires additional development and validation before they can be robustly applied during surface water classification.

A pilot study of reference vibrotactile perception thresholds on the fingertip obtained with Malaysian healthy people using ISO 13091-1 equipment.

PubMed

Daud, Roshada; Maeda, Setsuo; Kameel, Nur Nazmin Mustafa; Ripin, Muhamad Yunus; Bakrun, Norazman; Md Zein, Raemy; Kido, Masaharu; Higuchi, Kiyotaka

2004-04-01

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the reference vibrotactile perception thresholds (VPT) for healthy people in Malaysia. The measurement equipment standard, ISO 13091-1, of the vibrotactile perception thresholds for the assessment of nerve dysfunction and the analysis and interpretation of measurements at the fingertips standard, ISO 13091-2, were published in ISO/TC108/SC4/WG8 on 2001 and 2003 individually. In the ISO 13091-2 standard, the reference VPT data were obtained from few research papers. Malaysian people's VPT data don't include to this standard. In Malaysia, when the VPT is using to diagnose of the hand-arm vibration syndrome, the reference VPT data need to compare with the worker's ones. But, Malaysia does not have the reference VPT data yet. So, in this paper, the VPT was measured by using ISO 13091-1 standard equipment to obtain the reference data for Malaysian people. And these data were compared with the ISO reference data on the ISO 13091-2 standard. From the comparison of these data, it was clear that the Malaysian healthy people's VPT data were consistent with the reference data of the ISO 13091-2 standard.

The impact of US versus Indian BMD reference standards on the diagnosis of osteoporosis among South Asian Indians living in the United States

PubMed Central

Melamed, Alexander; Vittinghoff, Eric; Sriram, Usha; Schwartz, Ann V.; Kanaya, Alka M.

2010-01-01

The relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk is not well-established for non-white populations. There is no established BMD reference standard for South Asians. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure BMD at total hip and lumbar spine in 150 US-based South Asian Indians. For each subject T-scores were calculated using BMD reference values based on US white, North Indian and South Indian populations, and the resulting WHO BMD category assignments were compared. Reference standards derived from Indian populations classified a larger proportion of US-based Indians as normal than did US white-based standards. The percentage of individuals reclassified when changing between reference standards varied by skeletal site and reference population origin, ranging from 13% (95% CI, 7–18%), when switching from US-white- to North Indian-based standard for total hip, to 40% (95% CI, 32–48%), when switching from US white to South Indian reference values for lumbar spine. These finding illustrate that choice of reference standard has a significant effect on the diagnosis of osteoporosis in South Asians, and underscore the importance of future research to quantify the relationship between BMD and fracture risk in this population. PMID:20663699

76 FR 8989 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Updated Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting References

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-16

... Acquisition Regulation; Updated Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting References AGENCIES... Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to update references to authoritative accounting standards owing to the Financial... Accounting Principles (GAAP) (``Codification of GAAP''). DATES: Interested parties should submit written...

New HLA haplotype frequency reference standards: high-resolution and large sample typing of HLA DR-DQ haplotypes in a sample of European Americans.

PubMed

Klitz, W; Maiers, M; Spellman, S; Baxter-Lowe, L A; Schmeckpeper, B; Williams, T M; Fernandez-Viña, M

2003-10-01

A collaborative study involving a large sample of European Americans was typed for the histocompatibility loci of the HLA DR-DQ region and subjected to intensive typing validation measures in order to accurately determine haplotype composition and frequency. The resulting tables have immediate application to HLA typing and allogeneic transplantation. The loci within the DR-DQ region are especially valuable for such an undertaking because of their tight linkage and high linkage disequilibrium. The 3798 haplotypes, derived from 1899 unrelated individuals, had a total of 75 distinct DRB1-DQA1-DQB1 haplotypes. The frequency distribution of the haplotypes was right skewed with haplotypes occurring at a frequency of less than 1% numbering 59 and yet constituting less than 12% of the total sample. Given DRB1 typing, it was possible to infer the exact DQA1 and DQB1 composition of a haplotype with high confidence (>90% likelihood) in 21 of the 35 high-resolution DRB1 alleles present in the sample. Of the DRB1 alleles without high reliability for DQ haplotype inference, only *0401, *0701 and *1302 were common, the remaining 11 DRB1 alleles constituting less than 5% of the total sample. This approach failed for the 13 serologically equivalent DR alleles in which only 33% of DQ haplotypes could be reliably inferred. The 36 DQA1-DQB1 haplotypes present in the total sample conformed to the known pattern of permissible heterodimers. Four DQA1-DQB1 haplotypes, all rare, are reported here for the first time. The haplotype frequency tables are suitable as a reference standard for HLA typing of the DR and DQ loci in European Americans.

Fully automatic and reference-marker-free image stitching method for full-spine and full-leg imaging with computed radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaohui; Foos, David H.; Doran, James; Rogers, Michael K.

2004-05-01

Full-leg and full-spine imaging with standard computed radiography (CR) systems requires several cassettes/storage phosphor screens to be placed in a staggered arrangement and exposed simultaneously to achieve an increased imaging area. A method has been developed that can automatically and accurately stitch the acquired sub-images without relying on any external reference markers. It can detect and correct the order, orientation, and overlap arrangement of the subimages for stitching. The automatic determination of the order, orientation, and overlap arrangement of the sub-images consists of (1) constructing a hypothesis list that includes all cassette/screen arrangements, (2) refining hypotheses based on a set of rules derived from imaging physics, (3) correlating each consecutive sub-image pair in each hypothesis and establishing an overall figure-of-merit, (4) selecting the hypothesis of maximum figure-of-merit. The stitching process requires the CR reader to over scan each CR screen so that the screen edges are completely visible in the acquired sub-images. The rotational displacement and vertical displacement between two consecutive sub-images are calculated by matching the orientation and location of the screen edge in the front image and its corresponding shadow in the back image. The horizontal displacement is estimated by maximizing the correlation function between the two image sections in the overlap region. Accordingly, the two images are stitched together. This process is repeated for the newly stitched composite image and the next consecutive sub-image until a full-image composite is created. The method has been evaluated in both phantom experiments and clinical studies. The standard deviation of image misregistration is below one image pixel.

Tissue Xpert™ MTB/Rif assay is of limited use in diagnosing peritoneal tuberculosis in patients with exudative ascites.

PubMed

Bera, Chinmay; Michael, Joy Sarojini; Burad, Deepak; Shirly, Suzana B; Gibikote, Sridhar; Ramakrishna, Banumathi; Goel, Ashish; Eapen, C E

2015-09-01

Xpert™ MTB/Rif is a multiplex hemi-nested real-time PCR-based assay to detect presence of M. tuberculosis within 2 hours of sample collection. The present study aimed at assessing efficacy of Xpert™ MTB/Rif assay for diagnosing peritoneal tuberculosis. Patients with exudative ascites, fluid negative for acid-fast bacilli on auramine O fluorescence staining and unyielding fluid cytology for malignant cells, were included. Ultrasound-guided omental biopsy samples were obtained in all. Xpert™ MTB/Rif assay on tissue samples was assessed against a composite "reference" standard for diagnosis of peritoneal tuberculosis, defined as presence of any of the three-culture showing M tuberculosis, granulomatous inflammation on histology or resolution of ascites with 2 months of antitubercular therapy. During January 2012-July 2013, 28 patients (age:43 ± 15 years; mean ± SD; male:20) were recruited. Serum ascitic albumin gradient was <1.1 in all except in four patients with underlying cirrhosis. Twenty-one of the 28 patients had peritoneal TB as diagnosed by composite reference standard (histology:18; culture:4; treatment response:3). Seven patients (25%) had an alternative diagnosis (metastatic carcinoma 2, adenocarcinoma 2, mesothelioma 2, and systemic lupus erythematous 1). Xpert™ MTB/Rif assay was positive in 4/21 patients with peritoneal tuberculosis and in none of the 7 patients with alternative diagnosis. Thus, sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values for tissue Xpert™ MTB/Rif assay in diagnosing peritoneal tuberculosis were 19% (95% C.I: 6% to 42%), 100% (95% C.I: 59% to 100%), 100% (40% to 100%), and 29% (95% C.I: 13% to 51%), respectively. Tissue Xpert™ MTB/Rif assay was of limited use in diagnosing peritoneal tuberculosis.

High-precision measurement of (186)Os/(188)Os and (187)Os/(188)Os: isobaric oxide corrections with in-run measured oxygen isotope ratios.

PubMed

Chu, Zhu-Yin; Li, Chao-Feng; Chen, Zhi; Xu, Jun-Jie; Di, Yan-Kun; Guo, Jing-Hui

2015-09-01

We present a novel method for high precision measurement of (186)Os/(188)Os and (187)Os/(188)Os ratios, applying isobaric oxide interference correction based on in-run measurements of oxygen isotopic ratios. For this purpose, we set up a static data collection routine to measure the main Os(16)O3(-) ion beams with Faraday cups connected to conventional 10(11) amplifiers, and (192)Os(16)O2(17)O(-) and (192)Os(16)O2(18)O(-) ion beams with Faraday cups connected to 10(12) amplifiers. Because of the limited number of Faraday cups, we did not measure (184)Os(16)O3(-) and (189)Os(16)O3(-) simultaneously in-run, but the analytical setup had no significant influence on final (186)Os/(188)Os and (187)Os/(188)Os data. By analyzing UMd, DROsS, an in-house Os solution standard, and several rock reference materials, including WPR-1, WMS-1a, and Gpt-5, the in-run measured oxygen isotopic ratios were proven to present accurate Os isotopic data. However, (186)Os/(188)Os and (187)Os/(188)Os data obtained with in-run O isotopic compositions for the solution standards and rock reference materials show minimal improvement in internal and external precision, compared to the conventional oxygen correction method. We concluded that, the small variations of oxygen isotopes during OsO3(-) analytical sessions are probably not the main source of error for high precision Os isotopic analysis. Nevertheless, use of run-specific O isotopic compositions is still a better choice for Os isotopic data reduction and eliminates the requirement of extra measurements of the oxygen isotopic ratios.

Fluorescence optical imaging and 3T-MRI for detection of synovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in comparison to a composite standard of reference.

PubMed

Thuermel, Klaus; Neumann, Jan; Jungmann, Pia M; Schäffeler, Christoph; Waldt, Simone; Heinze, Alexander; Beckmann, Alexander; Hauser, Christine; Hasenau, Anna-Lena; Wildgruber, Moritz; Clotten, Sigrun; Sievert, Matti; Haller, Bernhard; Woertler, Klaus; Harasser, Norbert; Rummeny, Ernst J; Meier, Reinhard

2017-05-01

To address whether Indocyanine Green (ICG) enhanced fluorescence optical imaging (FOI) is more sensitive than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the detection of synovitis of the wrist and finger joints in rheumatoid arthritis and to analyze the performance of FOI depending on the grade of synovitis. Twenty patients with highly active rheumatoid arthritis (mean DAS28-ESR 5.25±1.0) and thirteen healthy volunteers underwent clinical examination, FOI and contrast-enhanced 3T-MRI. Joints were rated by three independent readers semiquantitatively (grade 0-3: no, low, moderate and high grade synovitis) and compared to a semiquantitative composite standard of reference (cSOR, grade 0-3) that incorporated clinical parameters, FOI and MRI results. 2.868 evaluations in 956 joints were performed. FOI had an overall sensitivity of 57.3% and a specificity of 92.1%, whereas MRI had a sensitivity of 89.2% and a specificity of 92.6%. The sensitivity of FOI increased with the degree of synovitis to 65.0% for moderate and severe synovitis (specificity 88.1%) and 76,3% for severe synovitis (specificity 80.5%). The performance of FOI decreased with the degree of synovitis with false negative results predominantly for mild (156/343, 45.5%) and moderate (160/343, 46.6%) synovitis and false positive FOI evaluations predominantly based on weak (grade 1) signals (133/163, 81,6%). FOI has a lower sensitivity than 3T-MRI in the detection of synovitis of the hand and finger joints. The diagnostic performance of FOI decreases with the degree of synovitis and with the strength of FOI signals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strength Analysis on Ship Ladder Using Finite Element Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budianto; Wahyudi, M. T.; Dinata, U.; Ruddianto; Eko P., M. M.

2018-01-01

In designing the ship’s structure, it should refer to the rules in accordance with applicable classification standards. In this case, designing Ladder (Staircase) on a Ferry Ship which is set up, it must be reviewed based on the loads during ship operations, either during sailing or at port operations. The classification rules in ship design refer to the calculation of the structure components described in Classification calculation method and can be analysed using the Finite Element Method. Classification Regulations used in the design of Ferry Ships used BKI (Bureau of Classification Indonesia). So the rules for the provision of material composition in the mechanical properties of the material should refer to the classification of the used vessel. The analysis in this structure used program structure packages based on Finite Element Method. By using structural analysis on Ladder (Ladder), it obtained strength and simulation structure that can withstand load 140 kg both in static condition, dynamic, and impact. Therefore, the result of the analysis included values of safety factors in the ship is to keep the structure safe but the strength of the structure is not excessive.

In Vitro Investigations of Human Bioaccessibility from Reference Materials Using Simulated Lung Fluids

PubMed Central

Pelfrêne, Aurélie; Cave, Mark R.; Wragg, Joanna; Douay, Francis

2017-01-01

An investigation for assessing pulmonary bioaccessibility of metals from reference materials is presented using simulated lung fluids. The objective of this paper was to contribute to an enhanced understanding of airborne particulate matter and its toxic potential following inhalation. A large set of metallic elements (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn) was investigated using three lung fluids (phosphate-buffered saline, Gamble’s solution and artificial lysosomal fluid) on three standard reference materials representing different types of particle sources. Composition of the leaching solution and four solid-to-liquid (S/L) ratios were tested. The results showed that bioaccessibility was speciation- (i.e., distribution) and element-dependent, with percentages varying from 0.04% for Pb to 86.0% for Cd. The higher extraction of metallic elements was obtained with the artificial lysosomal fluid, in which a relative stability of bioaccessibility was observed in a large range of S/L ratios from 1/1000 to 1/10,000. For further investigations, it is suggested that this method be used to assess lung bioaccessibility of metals from smelter-impacted dusts. PMID:28125027

In vitro vaccine potency testing: a proposal for reducing animal use for requalification testing.

PubMed

Brown, K; Stokes, W

2012-01-01

This paper proposes a program under which the use of animals for requalification of in vitro potency tests could be eliminated. Standard References (USDA/CVB nomenclature) would be developed, characterized, stored and monitored by selected reference laboratories worldwide. These laboratories would employ scientists skilled in protein and glycoprotein chemistry and equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for required analyses. After Standard References are established, the reference laboratories would provide them to the animal health industry as "gold standards". Companies would then establish and validate a correlation between the Standard Reference and the company Master Reference (USDA/CVB nomenclature) using an internal in vitro assay. After this correlation is established, the company could use the Standard References for qualifying, monitoring and requalifying company Master References without the use of animals. Such a program would eliminate the need for animals for requalification of Master References and the need for each company to develop and validate a battery of Master Reference Monitoring assays. It would also provide advantages in terms of reduced costs and reduced time for requalification testing. As such it would provide a strong incentive for companies to develop and use in vitro assays for potency testing.

Toward Body Composition Reference Data for Infants, Children, and Adolescents123

PubMed Central

Wells, Jonathan C. K.

2014-01-01

Growth charts for weight and height have provided the basis for assessment of children’s nutritional status for over half a century, with charts for body mass index (BMI) introduced in the 1990s. However, BMI does not provide information on the proportions of fat and lean mass; and within the past decade, growth charts for children’s body composition have been produced by using techniques such as skinfold thicknesses, body circumferences, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). For public health research, BIA and skinfold thicknesses show negligible average bias but have wider limits of agreement than specialized techniques. For patients, DXA is the best individual method, but multicomponent models remain ideal because they address perturbations in lean mass composition. Data can be expressed in age- and sex-specific SD scores, in some cases adjusting for height. Most such reference data derive from high-income countries, but techniques such as air-displacement plethysmography allow infant body composition growth charts to be developed in low- and middle-income settings, where the data may improve understanding of the effects of low birth weight, wasting, and stunting on body composition. Recent studies suggest that between-population variability in body composition may derive in part from genetic factors, suggesting a universal human body composition reference may not be viable. Body composition growth charts may be extended into adult life to evaluate changes in fat and lean mass through the entire life course. These reference data will improve the understanding of the association between growth, body composition, health, and disease. PMID:24829484

Toward body composition reference data for infants, children, and adolescents.

PubMed

Wells, Jonathan C K

2014-05-01

Growth charts for weight and height have provided the basis for assessment of children's nutritional status for over half a century, with charts for body mass index (BMI) introduced in the 1990s. However, BMI does not provide information on the proportions of fat and lean mass; and within the past decade, growth charts for children's body composition have been produced by using techniques such as skinfold thicknesses, body circumferences, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). For public health research, BIA and skinfold thicknesses show negligible average bias but have wider limits of agreement than specialized techniques. For patients, DXA is the best individual method, but multicomponent models remain ideal because they address perturbations in lean mass composition. Data can be expressed in age- and sex-specific SD scores, in some cases adjusting for height. Most such reference data derive from high-income countries, but techniques such as air-displacement plethysmography allow infant body composition growth charts to be developed in low- and middle-income settings, where the data may improve understanding of the effects of low birth weight, wasting, and stunting on body composition. Recent studies suggest that between-population variability in body composition may derive in part from genetic factors, suggesting a universal human body composition reference may not be viable. Body composition growth charts may be extended into adult life to evaluate changes in fat and lean mass through the entire life course. These reference data will improve the understanding of the association between growth, body composition, health, and disease. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Multi-Component Molecular-Level Body Composition Reference Methods: Evolving Concepts and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Heymsfield, Steven B.; Ebbeling, Cara B.; Zheng, Jolene; Pietrobelli, Angelo; Strauss, Boyd J.; Silva, Analiza M.; Ludwig, David S.

2015-01-01

Excess adiposity is the main phenotypic feature that defines human obesity and that plays a pathophysiological role in most chronic diseases. Measuring the amount of fat mass present is thus a central aspect of studying obesity at the individual and population levels. Nevertheless, a consensus is lacking among investigators on a single accepted “reference” approach for quantifying fat mass in vivo. While the research community generally relies on the multicomponent body-volume class of “reference” models for quantifying fat mass, no definable guide discerns among different applied equations for partitioning the four (fat, water, protein, and mineral mass) or more quantified components, standardizes “adjustment” or measurement system approaches for model-required labeled water dilution volumes and bone mineral mass estimates, or firmly establishes the body temperature at which model physical properties are assumed. The resulting differing reference strategies for quantifying body composition in vivo leads to small but under some circumstances important differences in the amount of measured body fat. Recent technological advances highlight opportunities to expand model applications to new subject groups and measured components such as total body protein. The current report reviews the historical evolution of multicomponent body volume-based methods in the context of prevailing uncertainties and future potential. PMID:25645009

Nutritional composition of minor indigenous fruits: cheapest nutritional source for the rural people of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Tariqul Islam Shajib, Mohammad; Kawser, Mahbuba; Nuruddin Miah, Mohammad; Begum, Parveen; Bhattacharjee, Lalita; Hossain, A; Fomsgaard, Inge S; Islam, Sheikh Nazrul

2013-10-01

In line of the development of a food composition database for Bangladesh, 10 minor indigenous fruits were analysed for their nutrient composition comprising ascorbic acid, carotenoids and mineral values. Nutrient data obtained have been compared with published data reported in different literatures, book and United States Department of Agriculture-National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Ascorbic acid was highest in Wood apple and lowest in Roselle. Monkey jack contained the highest amount of carotenoids, zinc and copper. Content of calcium, magnesium and phosphorous were found highest in Antidesma velutinum. Potassium was the highest in Wood apple followed by in Moneky jack. It was noted that most of the minor fruits have much higher amount of ascorbic acid than the national fruit - Jack fruit ripe, the king fruit - Mango ripe of Bangladesh and exotic fruits - Apple and Grapes. The nutrient values of these minor fruits would make awareness among the people for their mass consumption for healthy life and to grow more minor fruit trees from extinction in order to maintain biodiversity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric aerosols: A literature summary of their physical characteristics and chemical composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, F. S., Jr.

1976-01-01

This report contains a summary of 199 recent references on the characterization of atmospheric aerosols with respect to their composition, sources, size distribution, and time changes, and with particular reference to the chemical elements measured by modern techniques, especially activation analysis.

A Framework for Establishing Standard Reference Scale of Texture by Multivariate Statistical Analysis Based on Instrumental Measurement and Sensory Evaluation.

PubMed

Zhi, Ruicong; Zhao, Lei; Xie, Nan; Wang, Houyin; Shi, Bolin; Shi, Jingye

2016-01-13

A framework of establishing standard reference scale (texture) is proposed by multivariate statistical analysis according to instrumental measurement and sensory evaluation. Multivariate statistical analysis is conducted to rapidly select typical reference samples with characteristics of universality, representativeness, stability, substitutability, and traceability. The reasonableness of the framework method is verified by establishing standard reference scale of texture attribute (hardness) with Chinese well-known food. More than 100 food products in 16 categories were tested using instrumental measurement (TPA test), and the result was analyzed with clustering analysis, principal component analysis, relative standard deviation, and analysis of variance. As a result, nine kinds of foods were determined to construct the hardness standard reference scale. The results indicate that the regression coefficient between the estimated sensory value and the instrumentally measured value is significant (R(2) = 0.9765), which fits well with Stevens's theory. The research provides reliable a theoretical basis and practical guide for quantitative standard reference scale establishment on food texture characteristics.

Prepublication Copy: Voluntary Consensus Standards Update; Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Prepublication copy of the final rule Voluntary Consensus Standards Update; Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products. Updates several voluntary consensus standards listed at 40 CFR § 770.99.

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry body composition reference values of limbs and trunk from NHANES 1999–2004 with additional visualization methods

PubMed Central

Fan, Bo; Ng, Bennett K.; Shepherd, John A.

2017-01-01

Body Mass Index has traditionally been used as a measure of health, but Fat Mass Index (FMI) and Lean Mass Index (LMI) have been shown to be more predictive of mortality and health risk. Total body FMI and LMI reference curves have particularly been useful in quantifying sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity. Research has shown regional composition has significant associations to health outcomes. We derived FMI and LMI reference curves of the regions of the body (leg, arm, and trunk) for 15,908 individuals in the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data for each sex and ethnicity using the Lambda-Mu-Sigma (LMS) method and developed software to visualize this regional composition. These reference curves displayed differentiation between males and females during puberty and sharper limb LMI declines during late adulthood for males. For adults ages 30–50, females had 39%, 83%, and 47% larger arm, leg, and trunk FMI values than males, respectively. Males had 49%, 20%, and 15% higher regional LMI values than females for the arms, legs, and trunk respectively. The leg FMI and LMI of black females were 14% and 15% higher respectively than those of Hispanic and white females. White and Hispanic males had 37% higher trunk FMI values than black males. Hispanic females had 20% higher trunk FMI than white and black females. These data underscore the importance of accounting for sex and ethnicity in studies of regional composition. This study is the first to produce regional LMI and FMI reference tables and curves from the NHANES dataset. These reference curves provide a framework useful in studies and research involving sarcopenia, obesity, sarcopenic obesity, and other studies of compositional phenotypes. Further, the software tool we provide for visualizing regional composition will prove useful in monitoring progress in physical therapy, diets, or other attempts to attain healthier compositions. PMID:28346492

New ASTM Standards for Nondestructive Testing of Aerospace Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waller, Jess M.; Saulsberry, Regor L.

2010-01-01

Problem: Lack of consensus standards containing procedural detail for NDE of polymer matrix composite materials: I. Flat panel composites. II. Composite components with more complex geometries a) Pressure vessels: 1) composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs). 2) composite pressure vessels (CPVs). III. Sandwich core constructions. Metal and brittle matrix composites are a possible subject of future effort.

18 CFR 38.2 - Incorporation by reference of North American Energy Standards Board Wholesale Electric Quadrant...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

....13, 001-1.0, 001-9.7, 001-14.1.3, and 001-15.1.2); (2) Open Access Same-Time Information Systems... reference of North American Energy Standards Board Wholesale Electric Quadrant standards. 38.2 Section 38.2... UTILITIES § 38.2 Incorporation by reference of North American Energy Standards Board Wholesale Electric...

A study of mortality patterns at a tyre factory 1951-1985: a reference statistic dilemma.

PubMed

Veys, C A

2004-08-01

The general and cancer mortalities of rubber workers at a large tyre factory were studied in an area of marked regional variation in death rates. Three quinquennial intakes of male rubber workers engaged between January 1946 and December 1960 formed a composite cohort of 6454 men to be followed up. Over 99% were successfully traced by December 1985. The cohort analysis used both national and local rates as reference statistics for several causes. Between 1951 and 1985, a national standardized mortality ratio (SMRN) of 101 for all causes (based on 2556 deaths) was noted, whereas the local standardized mortality ratio (SMRL) was only 79. For all cancers, the figures were 115 (SMRN) and 93 (SMRL), for stomach cancer they were 137 (SMRN) and 84 (SMRL), and for lung cancer they were 121 (SMRN) and 94 (SMRL). No outright excesses against the national norm were observed for other cancers except for larynx, brain and central nervous system and thyroid cancer and the leukaemias. Excesses were statistically significant for cancer of the gallbladder and the bile ducts, for silicotuberculosis (SMRN = 1000) and for the pneumoconioses (SMRN = 706). Deaths from cerebrovascular diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema showed statistically significant deficits using either norm. These results from a large factory cohort study of rubber workers, followed for over three decades, demonstrate the marked discrepancy that can result from using only one reference statistic in areas of significant variation in mortality patterns.

A rapid and high-precision method for sulfur isotope δ(34)S determination with a multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer: matrix effect correction and applications for water samples without chemical purification.

PubMed

Lin, An-Jun; Yang, Tao; Jiang, Shao-Yong

2014-04-15

Previous studies have indicated that prior chemical purification of samples, although complex and time-consuming, is essential in obtaining precise and accurate results for sulfur isotope ratios using multiple-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). In this study, we introduce a new, rapid and precise MC-ICP-MS method for sulfur isotope determination from water samples without chemical purification. The analytical work was performed on an MC-ICP-MS instrument with medium mass resolution (m/Δm ~ 3000). Standard-sample bracketing (SSB) was used to correct samples throughout the analytical sessions. Reference materials included an Alfa-S (ammonium sulfate) standard solution, ammonium sulfate provided by the lab of the authors and fresh seawater from the South China Sea. A range of matrix-matched Alfa-S standard solutions and ammonium sulfate solutions was used to investigate the matrix (salinity) effect (matrix was added in the form of NaCl). A seawater sample was used to confirm the reliability of the method. Using matrix-matched (salinity-matched) Alfa-S as the working standard, the measured δ(34)S value of AS (-6.73 ± 0.09‰) was consistent with the reference value (-6.78 ± 0.07‰) within the uncertainty, suggesting that this method could be recommended for the measurement of water samples without prior chemical purification. The δ(34)S value determination for the unpurified seawater also yielded excellent results (21.03 ± 0.18‰) that are consistent with the reference value (20.99‰), thus confirming the feasibility of the technique. The data and the results indicate that it is feasible to use MC-ICP-MS and matrix-matched working standards to measure the sulfur isotopic compositions of water samples directly without chemical purification. In comparison with the existing MC-ICP-MS techniques, the new method is better for directly measuring δ(34)S values in water samples with complex matrices; therefore, it can significantly accelerate analytical turnover. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Towards a Framework for Developing Semantic Relatedness Reference Standards

PubMed Central

Pakhomov, Serguei V.S.; Pedersen, Ted; McInnes, Bridget; Melton, Genevieve B.; Ruggieri, Alexander; Chute, Christopher G.

2010-01-01

Our objective is to develop a framework for creating reference standards for functional testing of computerized measures of semantic relatedness. Currently, research on computerized approaches to semantic relatedness between biomedical concepts relies on reference standards created for specific purposes using a variety of methods for their analysis. In most cases, these reference standards are not publicly available and the published information provided in manuscripts that evaluate computerized semantic relatedness measurement approaches is not sufficient to reproduce the results. Our proposed framework is based on the experiences of medical informatics and computational linguistics communities and addresses practical and theoretical issues with creating reference standards for semantic relatedness. We demonstrate the use of the framework on a pilot set of 101 medical term pairs rated for semantic relatedness by 13 medical coding experts. While the reliability of this particular reference standard is in the “moderate” range; we show that using clustering and factor analyses offers a data-driven approach to finding systematic differences among raters and identifying groups of potential outliers. We test two ontology-based measures of relatedness and provide both the reference standard containing individual ratings and the R program used to analyze the ratings as open-source. Currently, these resources are intended to be used to reproduce and compare results of studies involving computerized measures of semantic relatedness. Our framework may be extended to the development of reference standards in other research areas in medical informatics including automatic classification, information retrieval from medical records and vocabulary/ontology development. PMID:21044697

Transposon fingerprinting using low coverage whole genome shotgun sequencing in Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) and related species

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Transposable elements (TEs) and other repetitive elements are a large and dynamically evolving part of eukaryotic genomes, especially in plants where they can account for a significant proportion of genome size. Their dynamic nature gives them the potential for use in identifying and characterizing crop germplasm. However, their repetitive nature makes them challenging to study using conventional methods of molecular biology. Next generation sequencing and new computational tools have greatly facilitated the investigation of TE variation within species and among closely related species. Results (i) We generated low-coverage Illumina whole genome shotgun sequencing reads for multiple individuals of cacao (Theobroma cacao) and related species. These reads were analysed using both an alignment/mapping approach and a de novo (graph based clustering) approach. (ii) A standard set of ultra-conserved orthologous sequences (UCOS) standardized TE data between samples and provided phylogenetic information on the relatedness of samples. (iii) The mapping approach proved highly effective within the reference species but underestimated TE abundance in interspecific comparisons relative to the de novo methods. (iv) Individual T. cacao accessions have unique patterns of TE abundance indicating that the TE composition of the genome is evolving actively within this species. (v) LTR/Gypsy elements are the most abundant, comprising c.10% of the genome. (vi) Within T. cacao the retroelement families show an order of magnitude greater sequence variability than the DNA transposon families. (vii) Theobroma grandiflorum has a similar TE composition to T. cacao, but the related genus Herrania is rather different, with LTRs making up a lower proportion of the genome, perhaps because of a massive presence (c. 20%) of distinctive low complexity satellite-like repeats in this genome. Conclusions (i) Short read alignment/mapping to reference TE contigs provides a simple and effective method of investigating intraspecific differences in TE composition. It is not appropriate for comparing repetitive elements across the species boundaries, for which de novo methods are more appropriate. (ii) Individual T. cacao accessions have unique spectra of TE composition indicating active evolution of TE abundance within this species. TE patterns could potentially be used as a “fingerprint” to identify and characterize cacao accessions. PMID:23883295

Hg0 and HgCl2 Reference Gas Standards: ?NIST Traceability ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA and NIST have collaborated to establish the necessary procedures for establishing the required NIST traceability of commercially-provided Hg0 and HgCl2 reference generators. This presentation will discuss the approach of a joint EPA/NIST study to accurately quantify the true concentrations of Hg0 and HgCl2 reference gases produced from high quality, NIST-traceable, commercial Hg0 and HgCl2 generators. This presentation will also discuss the availability of HCl and Hg0 compressed reference gas standards as a result of EPA's recently approved Alternative Methods 114 and 118. Gaseous elemental mercury (Hg0) and oxidized mercury (HgCl2) reference standards are integral to the use of mercury continuous emissions monitoring systems (Hg CEMS) for regulatory compliance emissions monitoring. However, a quantitative disparity of approximately 7-10% has been observed between commercial Hg0 and HgCl2 reference gases which currently limits the use of (HgCl2) reference gas standards. Resolving this disparity would enable the expanded use of (HgCl2) reference gas standards for regulatory compliance purposes.

Detection of Undocumented Changepoints Using Multiple Test Statistics and Composite Reference Series.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menne, Matthew J.; Williams, Claude N., Jr.

2005-10-01

An evaluation of three hypothesis test statistics that are commonly used in the detection of undocumented changepoints is described. The goal of the evaluation was to determine whether the use of multiple tests could improve undocumented, artificial changepoint detection skill in climate series. The use of successive hypothesis testing is compared to optimal approaches, both of which are designed for situations in which multiple undocumented changepoints may be present. In addition, the importance of the form of the composite climate reference series is evaluated, particularly with regard to the impact of undocumented changepoints in the various component series that are used to calculate the composite.In a comparison of single test changepoint detection skill, the composite reference series formulation is shown to be less important than the choice of the hypothesis test statistic, provided that the composite is calculated from the serially complete and homogeneous component series. However, each of the evaluated composite series is not equally susceptible to the presence of changepoints in its components, which may be erroneously attributed to the target series. Moreover, a reference formulation that is based on the averaging of the first-difference component series is susceptible to random walks when the composition of the component series changes through time (e.g., values are missing), and its use is, therefore, not recommended. When more than one test is required to reject the null hypothesis of no changepoint, the number of detected changepoints is reduced proportionately less than the number of false alarms in a wide variety of Monte Carlo simulations. Consequently, a consensus of hypothesis tests appears to improve undocumented changepoint detection skill, especially when reference series homogeneity is violated. A consensus of successive hypothesis tests using a semihierarchic splitting algorithm also compares favorably to optimal solutions, even when changepoints are not hierarchic.

Compositional analysis of biomass reference materials: Results from an interlaboratory study

DOE PAGES

Templeton, David W.; Wolfrum, Edward J.; Yen, James H.; ...

2015-10-29

Biomass compositional methods are used to compare different lignocellulosic feedstocks, to measure component balances around unit operations and to determine process yields and therefore the economic viability of biomass-to-biofuel processes. Four biomass reference materials (RMs NIST 8491–8494) were prepared and characterized, via an interlaboratory comparison exercise in the early 1990s to evaluate biomass summative compositional methods, analysts, and laboratories. Having common, uniform, and stable biomass reference materials gives the opportunity to assess compositional data compared to other analysts, to other labs, and to a known compositional value. The expiration date for the original characterization of these RMs was reached andmore » an effort to assess their stability and recharacterize the reference values for the remaining material using more current methods of analysis was initiated. We sent samples of the four biomass RMs to 11 academic, industrial, and government laboratories, familiar with sulfuric acid compositional methods, for recharacterization of the component reference values. In this work, we have used an expanded suite of analytical methods that are more appropriate for herbaceous feedstocks, to recharacterize the RMs’ compositions. We report the median values and the expanded uncertainty values for the four RMs on a dry-mass, whole-biomass basis. The original characterization data has been recalculated using median statistics to facilitate comparisons with this data. We found improved total component closures for three out of the four RMs compared to the original characterization, and the total component closures were near 100 %, which suggests that most components were accurately measured and little double counting occurred. Here, the major components were not statistically different in the recharacterization which suggests that the biomass materials are stable during storage and that additional components, not seen in the original characterization, were quantified here.« less

Comparison of analytical and predictive methods for water, protein, fat, sugar, and gross energy in marine mammal milk.

PubMed

Oftedal, O T; Eisert, R; Barrell, G K

2014-01-01

Mammalian milks may differ greatly in composition from cow milk, and these differences may affect the performance of analytical methods. High-fat, high-protein milks with a preponderance of oligosaccharides, such as those produced by many marine mammals, present a particular challenge. We compared the performance of several methods against reference procedures using Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) milk of highly varied composition (by reference methods: 27-63% water, 24-62% fat, 8-12% crude protein, 0.5-1.8% sugar). A microdrying step preparatory to carbon-hydrogen-nitrogen (CHN) gas analysis slightly underestimated water content and had a higher repeatability relative standard deviation (RSDr) than did reference oven drying at 100°C. Compared with a reference macro-Kjeldahl protein procedure, the CHN (or Dumas) combustion method had a somewhat higher RSDr (1.56 vs. 0.60%) but correlation between methods was high (0.992), means were not different (CHN: 17.2±0.46% dry matter basis; Kjeldahl 17.3±0.49% dry matter basis), there were no significant proportional or constant errors, and predictive performance was high. A carbon stoichiometric procedure based on CHN analysis failed to adequately predict fat (reference: Röse-Gottlieb method) or total sugar (reference: phenol-sulfuric acid method). Gross energy content, calculated from energetic factors and results from reference methods for fat, protein, and total sugar, accurately predicted gross energy as measured by bomb calorimetry. We conclude that the CHN (Dumas) combustion method and calculation of gross energy are acceptable analytical approaches for marine mammal milk, but fat and sugar require separate analysis by appropriate analytic methods and cannot be adequately estimated by carbon stoichiometry. Some other alternative methods-low-temperature drying for water determination; Bradford, Lowry, and biuret methods for protein; the Folch and the Bligh and Dyer methods for fat; and enzymatic and reducing sugar methods for total sugar-appear likely to produce substantial error in marine mammal milks. It is important that alternative analytical methods be properly validated against a reference method before being used, especially for mammalian milks that differ greatly from cow milk in analyte characteristics and concentrations. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reevaluation of the NOAA/CMDL carbon monoxide reference scale and comparisons with CO reference gases at NASA-Langley and the Fraunhofer Institut

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Novelli, P. C.; Collins, J. E., Jr.; Myers, R. C.; Sachse, G. W.; Scheel, H. E.

1994-01-01

The carbon monoxide (CO) reference scale created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (NOAA/CMDL) is used to quantify measurements of CO in the atmosphere, calibrate standards of other laboratories and to otherwise provide reference gases to the community measuring atmospheric CO. This reference scale was created based upon a set of primary standards prepared by gravimetric methods at CMDL and has been propagated to a set of working standards. In this paper we compare CO mixing ratios assigned to the working standards by three approaches: (1) calibration against the original gravimetric standards, (2) calibration using only working standards as the reference gas, and (3) calibration against three new gravimetric standards prepared to CMDL. The agreement between these values was typically better than 1%. The calibration histories of CMDL working standards are reviewed with respect to expected rates of CO change in the atmosphere. Using a Monte Carlo approach to simulate the effect of drifting standards on calculated mixing ratios, we conclude that the error solely associated with the maintenance of standards will limit the ability to detect small CO changes in the atmosphere. We also report results of intercalibration experiments conducted between CMDL and the Diode Laser Sensor Group (DACOM) at the NASA Langley Research Center (Hampton, Virginia), and CMDL and the Fraunhofer-Institut (Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany). Each laboratory calibrated several working standards for CO using their reference gases, and these results were compared to calibrations conducted by CMDL. The intercomparison of eight standards (CO concentrations between approximately 100 and approximately 165 ppb) by CMDL and NASA agreed to better than +/- 2%. The calibration of six standards (CO concentrations between approximately 50 and approximately 210 ppb) by CMDL and the Fraunhofer-Institut agreed to within +/- 2% for four standards, and to within +/- 5% for all six standards.

Identification of "ever-cropped" land (1984-2010) using Landsat annual maximum NDVI image composites: Southwestern Kansas case study.

PubMed

Maxwell, Susan K; Sylvester, Kenneth M

2012-06-01

A time series of 230 intra- and inter-annual Landsat Thematic Mapper images was used to identify land that was ever cropped during the years 1984 through 2010 for a five county region in southwestern Kansas. Annual maximum Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) image composites (NDVI(ann-max)) were used to evaluate the inter-annual dynamics of cropped and non-cropped land. Three feature images were derived from the 27-year NDVI(ann-max) image time series and used in the classification: 1) maximum NDVI value that occurred over the entire 27 year time span (NDVI(max)), 2) standard deviation of the annual maximum NDVI values for all years (NDVI(sd)), and 3) standard deviation of the annual maximum NDVI values for years 1984-1986 (NDVI(sd84-86)) to improve Conservation Reserve Program land discrimination.Results of the classification were compared to three reference data sets: County-level USDA Census records (1982-2007) and two digital land cover maps (Kansas 2005 and USGS Trends Program maps (1986-2000)). Area of ever-cropped land for the five counties was on average 11.8 % higher than the area estimated from Census records. Overall agreement between the ever-cropped land map and the 2005 Kansas map was 91.9% and 97.2% for the Trends maps. Converting the intra-annual Landsat data set to a single annual maximum NDVI image composite considerably reduced the data set size, eliminated clouds and cloud-shadow affects, yet maintained information important for discriminating cropped land. Our results suggest that Landsat annual maximum NDVI image composites will be useful for characterizing land use and land cover change for many applications.

22 CFR 705.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2011-04-01 2009-04-01 true Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... INVESTMENT CORPORATION ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS EMPLOYEE ETHICAL CONDUCT STANDARDS AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REGULATIONS § 705.101 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure...

Certification of elements in and use of standard reference material 3280 multivitamin/multielement tablets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Standard Reference Material (SRM) 3280 Multivitamin/Multielement Tablets was issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2009 and has certified and reference mass fraction values for 13 vitamins, 26 elements, and 2 carotenoids. Elements were measured using two or more ana...

22 CFR 705.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... INVESTMENT CORPORATION ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS EMPLOYEE ETHICAL CONDUCT STANDARDS AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REGULATIONS § 705.101 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure...

22 CFR 705.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... INVESTMENT CORPORATION ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS EMPLOYEE ETHICAL CONDUCT STANDARDS AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REGULATIONS § 705.101 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure...

22 CFR 705.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2013-04-01 2009-04-01 true Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... INVESTMENT CORPORATION ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS EMPLOYEE ETHICAL CONDUCT STANDARDS AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REGULATIONS § 705.101 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure...

22 CFR 705.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2012-04-01 2009-04-01 true Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... INVESTMENT CORPORATION ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS EMPLOYEE ETHICAL CONDUCT STANDARDS AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REGULATIONS § 705.101 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure...

Agreement between diagnoses reached by clinical examination and available reference standards: a prospective study of 216 patients with lumbopelvic pain

PubMed Central

Laslett, Mark; McDonald, Barry; Tropp, Hans; Aprill, Charles N; Öberg, Birgitta

2005-01-01

Background The tissue origin of low back pain (LBP) or referred lower extremity symptoms (LES) may be identified in about 70% of cases using advanced imaging, discography and facet or sacroiliac joint blocks. These techniques are invasive and availability varies. A clinical examination is non-invasive and widely available but its validity is questioned. Diagnostic studies usually examine single tests in relation to single reference standards, yet in clinical practice, clinicians use multiple tests and select from a range of possible diagnoses. There is a need for studies that evaluate the diagnostic performance of clinical diagnoses against available reference standards. Methods We compared blinded clinical diagnoses with diagnoses based on available reference standards for known causes of LBP or LES such as discography, facet, sacroiliac or hip joint blocks, epidurals injections, advanced imaging studies or any combination of these tests. A prospective, blinded validity design was employed. Physiotherapists examined consecutive patients with chronic lumbopelvic pain and/or referred LES scheduled to receive the reference standard examinations. When diagnoses were in complete agreement regardless of complexity, "exact" agreement was recorded. When the clinical diagnosis was included within the reference standard diagnoses, "clinical agreement" was recorded. The proportional chance criterion (PCC) statistic was used to estimate agreement on multiple diagnostic possibilities because it accounts for the prevalence of individual categories in the sample. The kappa statistic was used to estimate agreement on six pathoanatomic diagnoses. Results In a sample of chronic LBP patients (n = 216) with high levels of disability and distress, 67% received a patho-anatomic diagnosis based on available reference standards, and 10% had more than one tissue origin of pain identified. For 27 diagnostic categories and combinations, chance clinical agreement (PCC) was estimated at 13%. "Exact" agreement between clinical and reference standard diagnoses was 32% and "clinical agreement" 51%. For six pathoanatomic categories (disc, facet joint, sacroiliac joint, hip joint, nerve root and spinal stenosis), PCC was 33% with actual agreement 56%. There was no overlap of 95% confidence intervals on any comparison. Diagnostic agreement on the six most common patho-anatomic categories produced a kappa of 0.31. Conclusion Clinical diagnoses agree with reference standards diagnoses more often than chance. Using available reference standards, most patients can have a tissue source of pain identified. PMID:15943873

48 CFR 9904.412 - Cost accounting standard for composition and measurement of pension cost.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... accounting standard for composition and measurement of pension cost. ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cost accounting standard for composition and measurement of pension cost. 9904.412 Section 9904.412 Federal Acquisition...

Performance and quality-control standards for composite floor, wall, and truss framing

Treesearch

Gerald A. Koenigshof

1985-01-01

Users must be assured that composite structural members are satisfactory for their intended purposes. Standards are provided for strength, stiffness, durability, and dimensional stability of composite floor, wall, and truss-framing members. Methods for enforcing compliance with the standards are suggested.

Cuspal Deflection of Premolars Restored with Bulk-Fill Composite Resins.

PubMed

Behery, Haytham; El-Mowafy, Omar; El-Badrawy, Wafa; Saleh, Belal; Nabih, Sameh

2016-01-01

This in vitro study compared cuspal deflection of premolars restored with three bulk-fill composite resins to that of incrementally-restored ones with a low-shrinkage silorane-based restorative material. Forty freshly-extracted intact human upper premolars were used. Reference points at buccal and palatal cusp tips were acid-etched and composite rods were horizontally bonded to them (TPH-Spectra-HV, Dentsply). Two acrylic resin guiding paths were made for each premolar to guide beaks of a digital micrometer used for cuspal deflection measurements. Standardized MOD cavities, 3 mm wide bucco-lingually and 3.5 mm deep, were prepared on each premolar. Prepared teeth were then equally divided into four groups (n = 10) and each group was assigned to one of four composite resin (QuiXX, Dentsply; X-tra fil, Voco; Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill, Ivoclar Vivadent; low-shrinkage Filtek LS, 3M/ESPE). Adper Single Bond-Plus, 3M/ESPE was used with all bulk-fill restoratives. LS-System Adhesive, 3M/ESPE was used with Filtek LS. For each prepared premolar, cuspal deflection was measured in microns as the difference between two readings between reference points before and after restoration completion. Means and SDs were calculated and data statistically-analyzed using One-way ANOVA and Tukey's test. Filtek LS showed the lowest mean cuspal deflection value 6.4(0.84)μm followed by Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill 10.1(1.2) μm and X-tra fil 12.4(1.35)μm, while QuiXX showed the highest mean 13(1.05)μm. ANOVA indicated significant difference among mean values of groups (p < 0.001). Tukey's test indicated no significant difference in mean values between QuiXX and X-tra fil (p = 0.637). Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill had significantly lower mean cuspal deflection compared with the two other bulk-fill composite resins tested. Filtek LS had the lowest significant mean cuspal deflection in comparison to all tested bulk-fill restoratives. The use of Tetric EvoCeram Bulk fill composite resin restorative for class II MOD cavities resulted in reduced cuspal deflection in comparison to the two other bulk-fill composite resins tested. The silorane-based Filtek LS restorative resulted in the least cuspal deflection in comparison to all tested bulk-fill composite restoratives. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Alternative mass reference standards for direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Cody, Robert B; Dane, A John

2016-05-30

Mass spectra were acquired with the Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART®) ion source for an amine-terminated polyether used as positive-ion mass reference standards and for several fluorinated materials commonly used as negative-ion reference standards for mass spectrometry. A commercial time-of-flight mass spectrometer equipped with a DART ion source was used for all measurements. Mass reference standards deposited onto the sealed end of a glass melting point tube were suspended in the DART gas stream for analysis. A polyetheramine (Jeffamine® M-600) produced intense peaks corresponding to protonated molecules. Perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA), and perfluorotripentylamine, gave useful reference spectra for different m/z ranges. DART mass spectra of Ultramark 1621® resembled those previously reported for Fast Atom Bombardment (FAB) and Electrospray Ionization (ESI). Fomblin®Y, a fluorinated ether, was the most useful negative-ion reference standard of the materials tested. The material is commercially available, inexpensive, and provides reference peaks covering the m/z range 85 to >3000. Jeffamine-M600 was found to be a convenient alternative to polyethers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) for DART positive-ion mass calibration. Fomblin Y was suitable for use as a negative-ion reference standard. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Updating OSHA standards based on national consensus standards. Direct final rule.

PubMed

2007-12-14

In this direct final rule, the Agency is removing several references to consensus standards that have requirements that duplicate, or are comparable to, other OSHA rules; this action includes correcting a paragraph citation in one of these OSHA rules. The Agency also is removing a reference to American Welding Society standard A3.0-1969 ("Terms and Definitions") in its general-industry welding standards. This rulemaking is a continuation of OSHA's ongoing effort to update references to consensus and industry standards used throughout its rules.

Optical-Fiber Power Meter Comparison between NIST and KRISS.

PubMed

Vayshenker, I; Kim, S K; Hong, K; Lee, D-H; Livigni, D J; Li, X; Lehman, J H

2012-01-01

We describe the results of a comparison of reference standards between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST-USA) and Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS-R.O. Korea) for optical fiber-based power measurements at wavelengths of 1302 nm and 1546 nm. We compare the laboratories' reference standards by means of a temperature-controlled optical trap detector. Measurement results showed the largest difference of less than 2.5 parts in 10(3), which is within the combined standard (k=1) uncertainty for the two laboratories' reference standards.

Border Crossings and Multimodal Composition in the Arts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, Andrew

2005-01-01

Developmental and development-oriented learning with digital media are discussed in relation to the concepts border crossings and multimodal composition. The first concept refers to a transveral of disciplines and recombinations of elements from them. Local-global relations in knowledge building are covered. The second refers to the collaborative…

Reference values for body composition and associations with blood pressure in Kenyan adults aged ≥50 years old.

PubMed

Bastawrous, Madeleine C; Piernas, Carmen; Bastawrous, Andrew; Oke, Jason; Lasserson, Daniel; Mathenge, Wanjiku; Burton, Matthew J; Jebb, Susan A; Kuper, Hannah

2018-05-15

To develop age- and sex-specific centile reference curves for fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) adjusted for height in an adult Kenyan population and to investigate the association between FM, FFM and blood pressure (BP). Measures of body composition from bioimpedance analyses and BP were collected in 1995 participants aged ≥50 years in Nakuru County, Kenya. Reference curves were produced using the LMS method. Multivariable linear regression models were used to test the cross-sectional association between body composition indexes and BP. The age- and sex-specific reference curves for body composition (FMI and FFMI) confirmed that FFMI is lower in both men and women with increasing age. FMI declines with age in women while among men the decline starts after 70 years. FFM was higher in men (47.4 ± 7.2 kg) than in women (38.8 ± 5.5 kg), while FM was lower in men (17.3 ± 8.1 kg) than in women (24.4 ± 10.2 kg). FMI, FFMI and BMI were all positively associated with systolic and diastolic BP, and after adjusting for body weight, FFMI remained positively associated with systolic BP and the FMI remained positively associated with diastolic BP. There was no evidence to suggest that FMI and FFMI were superior to measurement of BMI alone. These body composition reference curves provide normative data on body composition for older adults in Kenya. Further research should consider the prospective associations with health, including frailty-related outcomes.

Method of Fabricating NASA-Standard Macro-Fiber Composite Piezoelectric Actuators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

High, James W.; Wilkie, W. Keats

2003-01-01

The NASA Macro-Fiber Composite actuator is a flexible piezoelectric composite device designed for controlling vibrations and shape deformations in high performance aerospace structures. A complete method for fabricating the standard NASA Macro-Fiber Composite actuator is presented in this document. When followed precisely, these procedures will yield devices with electromechanical properties identical to the standard actuator manufactured by NASA Langley Research Center.

Tags, wireless communication systems, tag communication methods, and wireless communications methods

DOEpatents

Scott,; Jeff W. , Pratt; Richard, M [Richland, WA

2006-09-12

Tags, wireless communication systems, tag communication methods, and wireless communications methods are described. In one aspect, a tag includes a plurality of antennas configured to receive a plurality of first wireless communication signals comprising data from a reader, a plurality of rectifying circuits coupled with. respective individual ones of the antennas and configured to provide rectified signals corresponding to the first wireless communication signals, wherein the rectified signals are combined to produce a composite signal, an adaptive reference circuit configured to vary a reference signal responsive to the composite signal, a comparator coupled with the adaptive reference circuit and the rectifying circuits and configured to compare the composite signal with respect to the reference signal and to output the data responsive to the comparison, and processing circuitry configured to receive the data from the comparator and to process the data.

77 FR 181 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-55; Introduction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-03

... System. VI Updated Financial 2010-005 Chambers. Accounting Standards Board Accounting References. VII... Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting References (FAR Case 2010-005) This final rule amends the... authoritative accounting standards owing to the Financial Accounting Standards Board's Accounting Standards...

10 CFR 50.150 - Aircraft impact assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 13, 2009; (B) Renewal of standard design certifications in effect on July 13, 2009 which have not..., standard design approval, or manufactured reactor; or (B) Reference a standard design certification issued... certification or standard design approval; or (B) Reference a standard design certification issued before July...

10 CFR 50.150 - Aircraft impact assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 13, 2009; (B) Renewal of standard design certifications in effect on July 13, 2009 which have not..., standard design approval, or manufactured reactor; or (B) Reference a standard design certification issued... certification or standard design approval; or (B) Reference a standard design certification issued before July...

10 CFR 50.150 - Aircraft impact assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 13, 2009; (B) Renewal of standard design certifications in effect on July 13, 2009 which have not..., standard design approval, or manufactured reactor; or (B) Reference a standard design certification issued... certification or standard design approval; or (B) Reference a standard design certification issued before July...

10 CFR 50.150 - Aircraft impact assessment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 13, 2009; (B) Renewal of standard design certifications in effect on July 13, 2009 which have not..., standard design approval, or manufactured reactor; or (B) Reference a standard design certification issued... certification or standard design approval; or (B) Reference a standard design certification issued before July...

Optical Fiber Power Meter Comparison Between NIST and NIM.

PubMed

Vayshenker, I; Livigni, D J; Li, X; Lehman, J H; Li, J; Xiong, L M; Zhang, Z X

2010-01-01

We describe the results of a comparison of reference standards between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST-USA) and National Institute of Metrology (NIM-China). We report optical fiber-based power measurements at nominal wavelengths of 1310 nm and 1550 nm. We compare the laboratories' reference standards by means of a commercial optical power meter. Measurement results showed the largest difference of less than 2.6 parts in 10(3), which is within the combined standard (k = 1) uncertainty for the laboratories' reference standards.

Towards a framework for developing semantic relatedness reference standards.

PubMed

Pakhomov, Serguei V S; Pedersen, Ted; McInnes, Bridget; Melton, Genevieve B; Ruggieri, Alexander; Chute, Christopher G

2011-04-01

Our objective is to develop a framework for creating reference standards for functional testing of computerized measures of semantic relatedness. Currently, research on computerized approaches to semantic relatedness between biomedical concepts relies on reference standards created for specific purposes using a variety of methods for their analysis. In most cases, these reference standards are not publicly available and the published information provided in manuscripts that evaluate computerized semantic relatedness measurement approaches is not sufficient to reproduce the results. Our proposed framework is based on the experiences of medical informatics and computational linguistics communities and addresses practical and theoretical issues with creating reference standards for semantic relatedness. We demonstrate the use of the framework on a pilot set of 101 medical term pairs rated for semantic relatedness by 13 medical coding experts. While the reliability of this particular reference standard is in the "moderate" range; we show that using clustering and factor analyses offers a data-driven approach to finding systematic differences among raters and identifying groups of potential outliers. We test two ontology-based measures of relatedness and provide both the reference standard containing individual ratings and the R program used to analyze the ratings as open-source. Currently, these resources are intended to be used to reproduce and compare results of studies involving computerized measures of semantic relatedness. Our framework may be extended to the development of reference standards in other research areas in medical informatics including automatic classification, information retrieval from medical records and vocabulary/ontology development. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resorcarene-based receptor: versatile behavior in its interaction with heavy and soft metal cations.

PubMed

Danil de Namor, Angela F; Chaaban, Jinane K; Piro, Oscar E; Castellano, Eduardo E

2006-02-09

Standard solution Gibbs energies, DeltasG degrees, of the resorcarene-based receptor 5,11,17,23-ethylthiomethylated calix[4]resorcarene, (characterized by 1H NMR and X-ray diffraction studies) in its monomeric state (established through partition experiments) in various solvents are for the first time reported in the area of resorcarene chemistry. Transfer Gibbs energies of from hexane (reference solvent) to other medium are calculated. Agreement between DeltatG degrees (referred to the pure solvents) and standard partition Gibbs energies, DeltapG degrees (solvent mutually saturated) is found. Cation-ligand interactions were investigated through 1H NMR (CD3CN and CD3OD) and conductometric titrations in acetonitrile and methanol. 1H NMR data revealed the sites of interaction of with the metal cation. The composition of the metal-ion complexes (Ag+ and Pb2+ in acetonitrile and Ag+ and Cu2+ in methanol) was established through conductometric titrations. Thus, complexes of 1:1 stoichiometry were formed between and Ag+ and Pb2+ in acetonitrile and Cu2+ in methanol. However, in moving from acetonitrile to methanol, the composition of the silver complex was altered. Thus, two metal cations are hosted by a unit of the ligand. As far as Cu2+ and in acetonitrile is concerned, conductance data suggest that metalates are formed in which up to four units of Cu2+ are taken up per unit of resorcarene. The contrasting behavior of with Cu2+ in acetonitrile relative to methanol is discussed. As far as mercury (II) is concerned, the unusual jump in conductance observed in the titration of Hg2+ with in acetonitrile and methanol after the formation of a multicharged complex (undefined composition) is attributed to the presence of highly charged smaller units (higher mobility) resulting from the departure of pendant arms from the resorcarene backbone. Isolation of these species followed by X-ray diffraction studies corroborated this statement. The thermodynamic characterization of metal-ion complexes of Ag+ and Pb2+ in acetonitrile and Cu2+ and Ag+ in methanol is reported. Final conclusions are given.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique for the determination of the chemical composition of complex inorganic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Łazarek, Łukasz; Antończak, Arkadiusz J.; Wójcik, Michał R.; Kozioł, Paweł E.; Stepak, Bogusz; Abramski, Krzysztof M.

2014-08-01

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a fast, fully optical method, that needs little or no sample preparation. In this technique qualitative and quantitative analysis is based on comparison. The determination of composition is generally based on the construction of a calibration curve namely the LIBS signal versus the concentration of the analyte. Typically, to calibrate the system, certified reference materials with known elemental composition are used. Nevertheless, such samples due to differences in the overall composition with respect to the used complex inorganic materials can influence significantly on the accuracy. There are also some intermediate factors which can cause imprecision in measurements, such as optical absorption, surface structure, thermal conductivity etc. This paper presents the calibration procedure performed with especially prepared pellets from the tested materials, which composition was previously defined. We also proposed methods of post-processing which allowed for mitigation of the matrix effects and for a reliable and accurate analysis. This technique was implemented for determination of trace elements in industrial copper concentrates standardized by conventional atomic absorption spectroscopy with a flame atomizer. A series of copper flotation concentrate samples was analyzed for contents of three elements, that is silver, cobalt and vanadium. It has been shown that the described technique can be used to qualitative and quantitative analyses of complex inorganic materials, such as copper flotation concentrates.

29 CFR 2703.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and...-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Members and employees... of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the Commission's regulations at 5 CFR part 8401, which...

45 CFR 706.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 706.1 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards... States Commission on Civil Rights are subject to the executive branch standards of ethical conduct...

45 CFR 1105.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES § 1105.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and... ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the executive branch employees responsibilities and conduct...

49 CFR 99.735-1 - Cross-reference to ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Cross-reference to ethical conduct standards and... Transportation EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General § 99.735-1 Cross-reference to ethical conduct... the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Department of...

39 CFR 3000.735-101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Postal Regulatory Commission (Commission) are subject and should refer to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical...

45 CFR 706.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 706.1 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards... States Commission on Civil Rights are subject to the executive branch standards of ethical conduct...

45 CFR 1105.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES § 1105.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and... ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the executive branch employees responsibilities and conduct...

49 CFR 99.735-1 - Cross-reference to ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cross-reference to ethical conduct standards and... Transportation EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General § 99.735-1 Cross-reference to ethical conduct... the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Department of...

39 CFR 3000.735-101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Postal Regulatory Commission (Commission) are subject and should refer to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical...

29 CFR 2703.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and...-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Members and employees... of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the Commission's regulations at 5 CFR part 8401, which...

29 CFR 2703.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and...-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Members and employees... of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the Commission's regulations at 5 CFR part 8401, which...

49 CFR 99.735-1 - Cross-reference to ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Cross-reference to ethical conduct standards and... Transportation EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General § 99.735-1 Cross-reference to ethical conduct... the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Department of...

16 CFR § 1030.101 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct...-references to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Consumer Product Safety Commission are subject to the Standards of Ethical Conduct, 5 CFR part 2635, which...

45 CFR 706.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 706.1 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards... States Commission on Civil Rights are subject to the executive branch standards of ethical conduct...

49 CFR 99.735-1 - Cross-reference to ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Cross-reference to ethical conduct standards and... Transportation EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General § 99.735-1 Cross-reference to ethical conduct... the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Department of...

45 CFR 1105.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES § 1105.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and... ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the executive branch employees responsibilities and conduct...

29 CFR 2703.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and...-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Members and employees... of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the Commission's regulations at 5 CFR part 8401, which...

39 CFR 3000.735-101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Postal Regulatory Commission (Commission) are subject and should refer to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical...

39 CFR 3000.735-101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Postal Regulatory Commission (Commission) are subject and should refer to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical...

45 CFR 1105.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES § 1105.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and... ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the executive branch employees responsibilities and conduct...

29 CFR 2703.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and...-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Members and employees... of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the Commission's regulations at 5 CFR part 8401, which...

45 CFR 1105.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEES § 1105.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and... ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635; the executive branch employees responsibilities and conduct...

39 CFR 3000.735-101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees of the Postal Regulatory Commission (Commission) are subject and should refer to the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical...

45 CFR 706.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 706.1 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards... States Commission on Civil Rights are subject to the executive branch standards of ethical conduct...

45 CFR 706.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 706.1 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards... States Commission on Civil Rights are subject to the executive branch standards of ethical conduct...

49 CFR 99.735-1 - Cross-reference to ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Cross-reference to ethical conduct standards and... Transportation EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT General § 99.735-1 Cross-reference to ethical conduct... the executive branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Department of...

SHORT COMMUNICATION: Transportable Zener-diode Voltage Standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karpov, O. V.; Shulga, V. M.; Shakirzyanova, F. R.; Sarandi, A. E.

1994-01-01

Five transportable Zener-diode dc voltage standards have been developed, fabricated and investigated at the NPO VNIIFTRI. The standards were designed to transfer the unit of electromotive force (emf) from Josephson reference standards to measuring instruments. Following the results of these investigations, standard N 02 has been used for intercomparison of the Russian Josephson reference standards.

Impact of Image Noise on Gamma Index Calculation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, M.; Mo, X.; Parnell, D.; Olivera, G.; Galmarini, D.; Lu, W.

2014-03-01

Purpose: The Gamma Index defines an asymmetric metric between the evaluated image and the reference image. It provides a quantitative comparison that can be used to indicate sample-wised pass/fail on the agreement of the two images. The Gamma passing/failing rate has become an important clinical evaluation tool. However, the presence of noise in the evaluated and/or reference images may change the Gamma Index, hence the passing/failing rate, and further, clinical decisions. In this work, we systematically studied the impact of the image noise on the Gamma Index calculation. Methods: We used both analytic formulation and numerical calculations in our study. The numerical calculations included simulations and clinical images. Three different noise scenarios were studied in simulations: noise in reference images only, in evaluated images only, and in both. Both white and spatially correlated noises of various magnitudes were simulated. For clinical images of various noise levels, the Gamma Index of measurement against calculation, calculation against measurement, and measurement against measurement, were evaluated. Results: Numerical calculations for both the simulation and clinical data agreed with the analytic formulations, and the clinical data agreed with the simulations. For the Gamma Index of measurement against calculation, its distribution has an increased mean and an increased standard deviation as the noise increases. On the contrary, for the Gamma index of calculation against measurement, its distribution has a decreased mean and stabilized standard deviation as the noise increases. White noise has greater impact on the Gamma Index than spatially correlated noise. Conclusions: The noise has significant impact on the Gamma Index calculation and the impact is asymmetric. The Gamma Index should be reported along with the noise levels in both reference and evaluated images. Reporting of the Gamma Index with switched roles of the images as reference and evaluated images or some composite metrics would be a good practice.

ASTM international workshop on standards and measurements for tissue engineering scaffolds.

PubMed

Simon, Carl G; Yaszemski, Michael J; Ratcliffe, Anthony; Tomlins, Paul; Luginbuehl, Reto; Tesk, John A

2015-07-01

The "Workshop on Standards & Measurements for Tissue Engineering Scaffolds" was held on May 21, 2013 in Indianapolis, IN, and was sponsored by the ASTM International (ASTM). The purpose of the workshop was to identify the highest priority items for future standards work for scaffolds used in the development and manufacture of tissue engineered medical products (TEMPs). Eighteen speakers and 78 attendees met to assess current scaffold standards and to prioritize needs for future standards. A key finding was that the ASTM TEMPs subcommittees (F04.41-46) have many active "guide" documents for educational purposes, but few standard "test methods" or "practices." Overwhelmingly, the most clearly identified need was standards for measuring the structure of scaffolds, followed by standards for biological characterization, including in vitro testing, animal models and cell-material interactions. The third most pressing need was to develop standards for assessing the mechanical properties of scaffolds. Additional needs included standards for assessing scaffold degradation, clinical outcomes with scaffolds, effects of sterilization on scaffolds, scaffold composition, and drug release from scaffolds. Discussions highlighted the need for additional scaffold reference materials and the need to use them for measurement traceability. Workshop participants emphasized the need to promote the use of standards in scaffold fabrication, characterization, and commercialization. Finally, participants noted that standards would be more broadly accepted if their impact in the TEMPs community could be quantified. Many scaffold standard needs have been identified and focus is turning to generating these standards to support the use of scaffolds in TEMPs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ASTM International Workshop on Standards & Measurements for Tissue Engineering Scaffolds

PubMed Central

Simon, Carl G.; Yaszemski, Michael J.; Ratcliffe, Anthony; Tomlins, Paul; Luginbuehl, Reto; Tesk, John A.

2016-01-01

The “Workshop on Standards & Measurements for Tissue Engineering Scaffolds” was held on May 21, 2013 in Indianapolis, IN and was sponsored by the ASTM International (ASTM). The purpose of the workshop was to identify the highest priority items for future standards work for scaffolds used in the development and manufacture of tissue engineered medical products (TEMPs). Eighteen speakers and 78 attendees met to assess current scaffold standards and to prioritize needs for future standards. A key finding was that the ASTM TEMPs subcommittees (F04.41-46) have many active “guide” documents for educational purposes, but that few standard “test methods” or “practices” have been published. Overwhelmingly, the most clearly identified need was standards for measuring the structure of scaffolds, followed by standards for biological characterization, including in vitro testing, animal models and cell-material interactions. The third most pressing need was to develop standards for assessing the mechanical properties of scaffolds. Additional needs included standards for assessing scaffold degradation, clinical outcomes with scaffolds, effects of sterilization on scaffolds, scaffold composition and drug release from scaffolds. Discussions also highlighted the need for additional scaffold reference materials and the need to use them for measurement traceability. Finally, dialogue emphasized the needs to promote the use of standards in scaffold fabrication, characterization, and commercialization and to assess the use and impact of standards in the TEMPs community. Many scaffold standard needs have been identified and focus should now turn to generating these standards to support the use of scaffolds in TEMPs. PMID:25220952

49 CFR 178.523 - Standards for composite packagings with inner glass, porcelain, or stoneware receptacles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... glass, porcelain, or stoneware receptacles. 178.523 Section 178.523 Transportation Other Regulations... Standards § 178.523 Standards for composite packagings with inner glass, porcelain, or stoneware receptacles. (a) The following are identification codes for composite packagings with inner receptacles of glass...

Identification of Reference Genes for RT-qPCR Data Normalization in Cannabis sativa Stem Tissues.

PubMed

Mangeot-Peter, Lauralie; Legay, Sylvain; Hausman, Jean-Francois; Esposito, Sergio; Guerriero, Gea

2016-09-15

Gene expression profiling via quantitative real-time PCR is a robust technique widely used in the life sciences to compare gene expression patterns in, e.g., different tissues, growth conditions, or after specific treatments. In the field of plant science, real-time PCR is the gold standard to study the dynamics of gene expression and is used to validate the results generated with high throughput techniques, e.g., RNA-Seq. An accurate relative quantification of gene expression relies on the identification of appropriate reference genes, that need to be determined for each experimental set-up used and plant tissue studied. Here, we identify suitable reference genes for expression profiling in stems of textile hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), whose tissues (isolated bast fibres and core) are characterized by remarkable differences in cell wall composition. We additionally validate the reference genes by analysing the expression of putative candidates involved in the non-oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway and in the first step of the shikimate pathway. The goal is to describe the possible regulation pattern of some genes involved in the provision of the precursors needed for lignin biosynthesis in the different hemp stem tissues. The results here shown are useful to design future studies focused on gene expression analyses in hemp.

77 FR 205 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-55; Small Entity Compliance Guide

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-03

... System. VI Updated Financial 2010-005 Chambers. Accounting Standards Board Accounting References. VII... Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting References (FAR Case 2010-005) This final rule amends the... authoritative accounting standards owing to the Financial Accounting Standards Board's Accounting Standards...

Polymerization shrinkage and spherical glass mega fillers: effects on cuspal deflection

PubMed Central

BASSI, M. ANDREASI; SERRA, S.; ANDRISANI, C.; LICO, S.; BAGGI, L.; LAURITANO, D.

2016-01-01

SUMMARY Purpose The Authors analyzed the effect of spherical glass mega fillers (SGMF) on reducing contraction stress in dental composite resins, by means of a cavity model simulating the cuspal deflection which occurs on filled tooth cavity walls in clinical condition. Materials and methods 20 stylized MOD cavities (C-factor = 0.83) were performed in acrylic resin. The inner surface of each cavity was sand blasted and adhesively treated in order to ensure a valid bond with the composite resin. Three different diameter of SGMF were used (i.e. 1, 1,5, 2 mm). The samples were divided in 4 groups of 5 each: Group 1 samples filled with the composite only; Group 2 samples filled with composite added with SGMFs, Ø1mm (16 spheres for each sample); Group 3 samples filled with composite added with SGMFs, Ø1,5 mm (5 spheres for each sample); Group 4 samples filled with composite added with SGMFs, Ø2 mm (2 spheres for each sample). Digital pictures were taken, in standardized settings, before and immediately after the polymerization of the composite material, placed into the cavities. With a digital image analysis software the distances from the coronal reference points of the cavity walls were measured. Then the difference between the first and second measurement was calculated. The data were analyzed by means of the ANOVA test. Results A significative reduction on cavity walls deflection, when the composite resin is used in addiction with the SGMFs was observed. The SGMFs of smallest diameter (1mm) showed the better outcome. Conclusion The SGMFs are reliable in reducing contraction stress in dental composite resins. PMID:28280535

Composite materials and structures: Science, technology and applications. A compendium of books, review papers, and other sources of information

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

Bogdanovich, A.E.; Sierakowski, R.L.

A fast growing volume of literature in various fields of composite materials and structures has inspired the authors to attempt to assemble all major books and review papers in a concise compendium presented here. This could give researchers, engineers, designers, and graduate students a rapid access to the vast volume of references on any specific topic in the field of composites and thereby satisfy their research requirements. The compendium includes encyclopedias, handbooks, design guides, textbooks, reference books, review papers and also a few collections of papers. The topics span theory, modeling and analysis of composite materials, processing and manufacturing, propertiesmore » and characterization, theory and analysis of composite structures, joints and connections, designing with composites, and composites applications. The compendium includes over 400 references, which are arranged in alphabetical order within each topic under consideration. Additionally, the reader can find, in this compendium, the lists of major conferences, journals, and ASTM STP publications on composites. The major objective of this work is not critically reviewing or discussing specific research approaches and results. The authors have rather intended to provide extensive bibliographic information that may help the reader to get familiar with the primary literature and, in necessary, undertake further literature search on any particular problem of interest.« less

Experimental validation of Swy-2 clay standard's PHREEQC model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szabó, Zsuzsanna; Hegyfalvi, Csaba; Freiler, Ágnes; Udvardi, Beatrix; Kónya, Péter; Székely, Edit; Falus, György

2017-04-01

One of the challenges of the present century is to limit the greenhouse gas emissions for the mitigation of climate change which is possible for example by a transitional technology, CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) and, among others, by the increase of nuclear proportion in the energy mix. Clay minerals are considered to be responsible for the low permeability and sealing capacity of caprocks sealing off stored CO2 and they are also the main constituents of bentonite in high level radioactive waste disposal facilities. The understanding of clay behaviour in these deep geological environments is possible through laboratory batch experiments of well-known standards and coupled geochemical models. Such experimentally validated models are scarce even though they allow deriving more precise long-term predictions of mineral reactions and rock and bentonite degradation underground and, therefore, ensuring the safety of the above technologies and increase their public acceptance. This ongoing work aims to create a kinetic geochemical model of Na-montmorillonite standard Swy-2 in the widely used PHREEQC code, supported by solution and mineral composition results from batch experiments. Several four days experiments have been carried out in 1:35 rock:water ratio at atmospheric conditions, and with inert and CO2 supercritical phase at 100 bar and 80 ⁰C relevant for the potential Hungarian CO2 reservoir complex. Solution samples have been taken during and after experiments and their compositions were measured by ICP-OES. The treated solid phase has been analysed by XRD and ATR-FTIR and compared to in-parallel measured references (dried Swy-2). Kinetic geochemical modelling of the experimental conditions has been performed by PHREEQC version 3 using equations and kinetic rate parameters from the USGS report of Palandri and Kharaka (2004). The visualization of experimental and numerous modelling results has been automatized by R. Experiments and models show very fast reactions under the studied conditions and increased reactivity in presence of scCO2. A model sensitivity analysis has pointed out that the continuously changing solution composition results cannot be described by the change of the uncertain reactive surface area of mineral phases in the model and still several orders of magnitude different ion-concentrations are predicted. However, by considering the clay standard's cation exchange capacity divided proportionally among interlayer cations of Na-montmorillonite, the measured variation can be described on an order of magnitude level. It is furthermore indicated that not only the interlayer cations take part in this process but a minor proportion of other, structural ions as well, differently in the reference and scCO2 environments. Experimental methodological aspects of the work, such as solution sampling, solid sample post-experimental treatment, solution and solid sample analysis sensitivity, expected experimental by-products etc. are also to be addressed.

Reference and Standard Atmosphere Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Dale L.; Roberts, Barry C.; Vaughan, William W.; Parker, Nelson C. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This paper describes the development of standard and reference atmosphere models along with the history of their origin and use since the mid 19th century. The first "Standard Atmospheres" were established by international agreement in the 1920's. Later some countries, notably the United States, also developed and published "Standard Atmospheres". The term "Reference Atmospheres" is used to identify atmosphere models for specific geographical locations. Range Reference Atmosphere Models developed first during the 1960's are examples of these descriptions of the atmosphere. This paper discusses the various models, scopes, applications and limitations relative to use in aerospace industry activities.

Chemical Evolution in Silicon–Graphite Composite Anodes Investigated by Vibrational Spectroscopy

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

Ruther, Rose E.; Hays, Kevin A.; An, Seong Jin

Silicon–graphite composites are under development for the next generation of high-capacity lithium-ion anodes, and vibrational spectroscopy is a powerful tool to identify the different mechanisms that contribute to performance loss. With alloy anodes, the underlying causes of cell failure are significantly different in half-cells with lithium metal counter electrodes compared to full cells with standard cathodes. However, most studies which take advantage of vibrational spectroscopy have only examined half-cells. In this work, a combination of FTIR and Raman spectroscopy describes several factors that lead to degradation in full pouch cells with LiNi 0.5Mn 0.3Co 0.2O 2 (NMC532) cathodes. The spectroscopicmore » signatures evolve after longer term cycling compared to the initial formation cycles. Several side-reactions that consume lithium ions have clear FTIR signatures, and comparison to a library of reference compounds facilitates identification. Raman microspectroscopy combined with mapping shows that the composite anodes are not homogeneous but segregate into graphite-rich and silicon-rich phases. Lithiation does not proceed uniformly either. A basis analysis of Raman maps identifies electrochemically inactive regions of the anodes. In conclusion, the spectroscopic results presented here emphasize the importance of improving electrode processing and SEI stability to enable practical composite anodes with high silicon loadings.« less

Chemical Evolution in Silicon–Graphite Composite Anodes Investigated by Vibrational Spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Ruther, Rose E.; Hays, Kevin A.; An, Seong Jin; ...

2018-05-24

Silicon–graphite composites are under development for the next generation of high-capacity lithium-ion anodes, and vibrational spectroscopy is a powerful tool to identify the different mechanisms that contribute to performance loss. With alloy anodes, the underlying causes of cell failure are significantly different in half-cells with lithium metal counter electrodes compared to full cells with standard cathodes. However, most studies which take advantage of vibrational spectroscopy have only examined half-cells. In this work, a combination of FTIR and Raman spectroscopy describes several factors that lead to degradation in full pouch cells with LiNi 0.5Mn 0.3Co 0.2O 2 (NMC532) cathodes. The spectroscopicmore » signatures evolve after longer term cycling compared to the initial formation cycles. Several side-reactions that consume lithium ions have clear FTIR signatures, and comparison to a library of reference compounds facilitates identification. Raman microspectroscopy combined with mapping shows that the composite anodes are not homogeneous but segregate into graphite-rich and silicon-rich phases. Lithiation does not proceed uniformly either. A basis analysis of Raman maps identifies electrochemically inactive regions of the anodes. In conclusion, the spectroscopic results presented here emphasize the importance of improving electrode processing and SEI stability to enable practical composite anodes with high silicon loadings.« less

How we determined the most reliable solid medium for studying treatment of tuberculosis.

PubMed

Heilig, Charles M; Feng, Pei-Jean I; Joloba, Moses L; Johnson, John L; Morgan, Karen; Gitta, Phineas; Boom, W Henry; Mayanja-Kizza, Harriet; Eisenach, Kathleen D; Bozeman, Lorna; Goldberg, Stefan V

2014-05-01

Phase 2 clinical trials for tuberculosis (TB) treatment require reliable culture methods to determine presence or absence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) over the course of therapy, as these trials are based primarily on bacteriological endpoints. We evaluate which of 5 solid media is most reliable: Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) egg-base medium and 4 Middlebrook agar media (nonselective 7H10 and 7H11 and selective 7H10 and 7H11). We analyze 393 specimens from 50 HIV-negative Ugandan adults with newly-diagnosed, pulmonary TB and high acid-fast bacillus smear grade. Specimens were collected every 2-4 weeks during the first 12 weeks of therapy. We compare the results for each culture to 2 composite reference standards--one that was deemed positive if any solid culture was positive for Mtb and another based on latent-class analysis. Both reference standards established that the 2 selective Middlebrook media most reliably determine the presence or absence of Mtb (P < 0.003), largely because of their lower contamination rates. We also showed that results on Middlebrook media were similar to each other, while LJ was most frequently discordant. Contaminated results appeared more likely to be truly negative than to harbor undetected Mtb. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

15 CFR 200.104 - Standard reference materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... the NIST National Measurement Laboratory administers a program to provide many types of well... be readily referred to a common base. NIST SP 260 is a catalog of Standard Reference Materials available from NIST. ...

15 CFR 200.104 - Standard reference materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... the NIST National Measurement Laboratory administers a program to provide many types of well... be readily referred to a common base. NIST SP 260 is a catalog of Standard Reference Materials available from NIST. ...

15 CFR 200.104 - Standard reference materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... the NIST National Measurement Laboratory administers a program to provide many types of well... be readily referred to a common base. NIST SP 260 is a catalog of Standard Reference Materials available from NIST. ...

15 CFR 200.104 - Standard reference materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the NIST National Measurement Laboratory administers a program to provide many types of well... be readily referred to a common base. NIST SP 260 is a catalog of Standard Reference Materials available from NIST. ...

15 CFR 200.104 - Standard reference materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... the NIST National Measurement Laboratory administers a program to provide many types of well... be readily referred to a common base. NIST SP 260 is a catalog of Standard Reference Materials available from NIST. ...

BIOCHEMISTRY OF DINOFLAGELLATE LIPIDS, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE FATTY ACID AND STEROL COMPOSITION OF A KARENIA BREVIS BLOOM

EPA Science Inventory

Leblond, Jeffrey D., Terence J. Evens and Peter J. Chapman. 2003. Biochemistry of Dinoflagellate Lipids, with Particular Reference to the Fatty Acid and Sterol Composition of a Karenia brevis Bloom. Phycologia. 42(4):324-331. (ERL,GB 1160).

The harmful marine dinoflagella...

Reference in Action: Links between Pointing and Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooperrider, Kensy Andrew

2011-01-01

When referring to things in the world, speakers produce utterances that are composites of speech and action. Pointing gestures are a pervasive part of such composite utterances, but many questions remain about exactly how pointing is integrated with speech. In this dissertation I present three strands of research that investigate relations of…

Coherent Frequency Reference System for the NASA Deep Space Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, Blake C.; Lauf, John E.; Hamell, Robert L.; Gonzaler, Jorge, Jr.; Diener, William A.; Tjoelker, Robert L.

2010-01-01

The NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) requires state-of-the-art frequency references that are derived and distributed from very stable atomic frequency standards. A new Frequency Reference System (FRS) and Frequency Reference Distribution System (FRD) have been developed, which together replace the previous Coherent Reference Generator System (CRG). The FRS and FRD each provide new capabilities that significantly improve operability and reliability. The FRS allows for selection and switching between frequency standards, a flywheel capability (to avoid interruptions when switching frequency standards), and a frequency synthesis system (to generate standardized 5-, 10-, and 100-MHz reference signals). The FRS is powered by redundant, specially filtered, and sustainable power systems and includes a monitor and control capability for station operations to interact and control the frequency-standard selection process. The FRD receives the standardized 5-, 10-, and 100-MHz reference signals and distributes signals to distribution amplifiers in a fan out fashion to dozens of DSN users that require the highly stable reference signals. The FRD is also powered by redundant, specially filtered, and sustainable power systems. The new DSN Frequency Distribution System, which consists of the FRS and FRD systems described here, is central to all operational activities of the NASA DSN. The frequency generation and distribution system provides ultra-stable, coherent, and very low phase-noise references at 5, l0, and 100 MHz to between 60 and 100 separate users at each Deep Space Communications Complex.

International comparison Euramet.QM-K111—propane in nitrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wouter van der Hout, J.; van der Veen, Adriaan M. H.; Ziel, Paul R.; Kipphardt, Heinrich; Tuma, Dirk; Maiwald, Michael; Fernández, Teresa E.; Gómez, Concepción; Cieciora, Dariusz; Ochman, Grzegorz; Dias, Florbela; Silvino, Victor; Macé, Tatiana; Sutour, Christophe; Marioni, Fabrice; Ackermann, Andreas; Niederhauser, Bernhard; Fükő, Judit; Büki, Tamás; Nagyné Szilágyi, Zsófia; Tarhan, Tanıl; Engin, Erinç

2017-01-01

This key comparison aims to assess the core capabilities of the participants in gas analysis. Such competences include, among others, the capabilities to prepare Primary Standard gas Mixtures (PSMs), perform the necessary purity analysis on the materials used in the gas mixture preparation, the verification of the composition of newly prepared PSMs against existing ones, and the capability of calibrating the composition of a gas mixture. According to the Strategy for Key Comparisons of the Gas Analysis Working Group, this key comparison is classified as an RMO track A key comparison. The artefacts were binary mixtures of propane in nitrogen at a nominal amount-of-substance fraction level of 1000 μmol/mol. The values and uncertainties from the gravimetric gas mixture preparation were used as key comparison reference values (KCRVs). Each transfer standard had its own KCRV. The results are generally good. All results are within +/- 1 % of the KCRV. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

12 CFR 336.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... and Conduct § 336.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... Branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Corporation regulation at 5 CFR part...

12 CFR 264.101 - Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct... § 264.101 Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations... branch-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and the Board's regulation at 5 CFR part 6801...

10 CFR 1010.102 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards... ENERGY (GENERAL PROVISIONS) CONDUCT OF EMPLOYEES § 1010.102 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR part 2635, the DOE regulation at...

12 CFR 336.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... and Conduct § 336.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... Branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Corporation regulation at 5 CFR part...

12 CFR 264.101 - Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct... § 264.101 Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations... branch-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and the Board's regulation at 5 CFR part 6801...

12 CFR 264.101 - Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct... AND CONDUCT § 264.101 Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and the Board's regulation at 5 CFR...

12 CFR 264.101 - Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct... AND CONDUCT § 264.101 Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and the Board's regulation at 5 CFR...

12 CFR 336.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... and Conduct § 336.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... Branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Corporation regulation at 5 CFR part...

12 CFR 336.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... and Conduct § 336.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... Branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Corporation regulation at 5 CFR part...

12 CFR 336.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct... and Conduct § 336.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... Branch-wide Standards of Ethical Conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Corporation regulation at 5 CFR part...

12 CFR 264.101 - Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 4 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct... AND CONDUCT § 264.101 Cross-reference to employees' ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and the Board's regulation at 5 CFR...

46 CFR 160.050-1 - Incorporation by reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Incorporation by reference. 160.050-1 Section 160.050-1....050-1 Incorporation by reference. (a) Standard. This subpart makes reference to Federal Standard No... Service Center, General Services Administration, Washington, DC 20407. [USCG-1999-6216, 64 FR 53228, Oct...

Optical-Fiber Power Meter Comparison Between NIST and PTB.

PubMed

Vayshenker, I; Haars, H; Li, X; Lehman, J H; Livigni, D J

2003-01-01

We describe the results of a comparison of reference standards between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST-USA) and Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB-Germany) at nominal wavelengths of 1300 nm and 1550 nm using an optical-fiber cable. Both laboratories used thermal detectors as reference standards. A novel temperature-controlled, optical-trap detector was used as a transfer standard to compare two reference standards. Measurement results showed differences of less than 1.5 × 10(-3), which is within the combined uncertainty for both laboratories.

SU-F-BRD-15: Quality Correction Factors in Scanned Or Broad Proton Therapy Beams Are Indistinguishable

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

Sorriaux, J; Lee, J; ICTEAM Institute, Universite catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve

2015-06-15

Purpose: The IAEA TRS-398 code of practice details the reference conditions for reference dosimetry of proton beams using ionization chambers and the required beam quality correction factors (kQ). Pencil beam scanning (PBS) requires multiple spots to reproduce the reference conditions. The objective is to demonstrate, using Monte Carlo (MC) calculations, that kQ factors for broad beams can be used for scanned beams under the same reference conditions with no significant additional uncertainty. We consider hereafter the general Alfonso formalism (Alfonso et al, 2008) for non-standard beam. Methods: To approach the reference conditions and the associated dose distributions, PBS must combinemore » many pencil beams with range modulation and shaping techniques different than those used in passive systems (broad beams). This might lead to a different energy spectrum at the measurement point. In order to evaluate the impact of these differences on kQ factors, ion chamber responses are computed with MC (Geant4 9.6) in a dedicated scanned pencil beam (Q-pcsr) producing a 10×10cm2 composite field with a flat dose distribution from 10 to 16 cm depth. Ion chamber responses are also computed by MC in a broad beam with quality Q-ds (double scattering). The dose distribution of Q -pcsr matches the dose distribution of Q-ds. k-(Q-pcsr,Q-ds) is computed for a 2×2×0.2cm{sup 3} idealized air cavity and a realistic plane-parallel ion chamber (IC). Results: Under reference conditions, quality correction factors for a scanned composite field versus a broad beam are the same for air cavity dose response, k-(Q-pcsr,Q-ds) =1.001±0.001 and for a Roos IC, k-(Q-pcsr,Q-ds) =0.999±0.005. Conclusion: Quality correction factors for ion chamber response in scanned and broad proton therapy beams are identical under reference conditions within the calculation uncertainties. The results indicate that quality correction factors published in IAEA TRS-398 can be used for scanned beams in the SOBP of a high-energy proton beam. Jefferson Sorriaux is financed by the Walloon Region under the convention 1217662. Jefferson Sorriaux is sponsored by a public-private partnership IBA - Walloon Region.« less

Steroid isotopic standards for gas chromatography-combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GCC-IRMS).

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Tobias, Herbert J; Brenna, J Thomas

2009-03-01

Carbon isotope ratio (CIR) analysis of urinary steroids using gas chromatography-combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GCC-IRMS) is a recognized test to detect illicit doping with synthetic testosterone. There are currently no universally used steroid isotopic standards (SIS). We adapted a protocol to prepare isotopically uniform steroids for use as a calibrant in GCC-IRMS that can be analyzed under the same conditions as used for steroids extracted from urine. Two separate SIS containing a mixture of steroids were created and coded CU/USADA 33-1 and CU/USADA 34-1, containing acetates and native steroids, respectively. CU/USADA 33-1 contains 5alpha-androstan-3beta-ol acetate (5alpha-A-AC), 5alpha-androstan-3alpha-ol-17-one acetate (androsterone acetate, A-AC), 5beta-androstan-3alpha-ol-11, 17-dione acetate (11-ketoetiocholanolone acetate, 11k-AC) and 5alpha-cholestane (Cne). CU/USADA 34-1 contains 5beta-androstan-3alpha-ol-17-one (etiocholanolone, E), 5alpha-androstan-3alpha-ol-17-one (androsterone, A), and 5beta-pregnane-3alpha, 20alpha-diol (5betaP). Each mixture was prepared and dispensed into a set of about 100 ampoules using a protocol carefully designed to minimize isotopic fractionation and contamination. A natural gas reference material, NIST RM 8559, traceable to the international standard Vienna PeeDee Belemnite (VPDB) was used to calibrate the SIS. Absolute delta(13)C(VPDB) and Deltadelta(13)C(VPDB) values from randomly selected ampoules from both SIS indicate uniformity of steroid isotopic composition within measurement reproducibility, SD(delta(13)C)<0.2 per thousand. This procedure for creation of isotopic steroid mixtures results in consistent standards with isotope ratios traceable to the relevant international reference material.

Field Demonstration and Validation of a New Device for Measuring Water and Solute Fluxes at CFB Borden

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

All Quality Control Reference Materials are acquired only from authorized vendors or sources commonly used by U.S. EPA Regional Laboratories...Institue of Standards and Testing (NITS) Standard Reference Materials (SRM) or to the U.S. EPA Reference Standards. Working Standards The commercial...contaminants from clothing or equipment by blowing, shaking or any other means that may disperse material into the air is prohibited. 7.1.3. All disposable

A standard satellite control reference model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golden, Constance

1994-01-01

This paper describes a Satellite Control Reference Model that provides the basis for an approach to identify where standards would be beneficial in supporting space operations functions. The background and context for the development of the model and the approach are described. A process for using this reference model to trace top level interoperability directives to specific sets of engineering interface standards that must be implemented to meet these directives is discussed. Issues in developing a 'universal' reference model are also identified.

Lateral Flow Urine Lipoarabinomannan Assay (LF-LAM) for Diagnosis of Active Tuberculosis in HIV-Infected Adults: a Prospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Na Songkhla, Munjit; Tantipong, Hutsaya; Tongsai, Sasima; Angkasekwinai, Nasikarn

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Early diagnosis and treatment of active tuberculosis (TB) in HIV-positive patients is challenging. Tests based on the detection of mycobacterial lipoarabinomannan (LAM) antigen in urine have emerged as potential point-of-care tests for TB. However, limited data exists on their performance among HIV-TB co-infected patients from Southeast Asian countries. Methods We prospectively recruited HIV-positive adult patients with CD4 count less than or equal to 200/mm3 and symptoms suspected of active TB from two tertiary hospitals between December 2015 and March 2017. Freshly collected urine was applied to the Determine®-TB LAM Ag test strip (4 bands of graded intensity), using grade 1 cutoff. Diagnostic accuracy of urine LAM strip test were assessed against microbiological reference standard, defined as positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultured from one or more clinical specimens (definite TB) or composite reference standard including definite TB and probable TB, defined as those have symptoms consistent with TB and response to anti-TB treatment. Results A total of 280 patients were enrolled. Of whom, 72 (25.7%) and 65 (23.2%) had definite and probable TB. Amongst those with definite TB, LF-LAM test gave a sensitivity of 75.0% (95% CI 63.9–83.6), specificity of 86.0% (95% CI 79.4–90.8) and accuracy of 82.3% (95% CI 76.7–86.8). When compared with the composite reference standard, the test yielded a lower sensitivity (61.3%, 95% CI 53.0–69.1) and accuracy (73.9%, 95% CI 68.5–78.7), with equal specificity. The test showed the highest sensitivity (90.5%, 95% CI 77.9–96.2) and accuracy (85.9%, 95% CI 79.2–90.7) but lower specificity (84.0%, 95% CI 75.6–89.9) in HIV-infected patients with CD4 count less than 50/mm3. The sensitivity of the combined LF-LAM or sputum microscopy was higher than that of either test alone (86.1% vs. 75.0%, 61.1%, respectively). Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) was cultured in 7 out of 20 with false positive result. Urine LAM strip test can remain positive for up to 4 weeks even after anti-TB treatment. Conclusion Urine LAM assay gave the best performance for diagnosis of active TB in advanced HIV-infected patients and provide an additional benefit of a greater simplicity, speed, with a more easily obtainable sample. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

The role of standards in the development and implementation of clinical laboratory tests: a domestic and global perspective.

PubMed

Michaud, Ginette Y

2005-01-01

In the field of clinical laboratory medicine, standardization is aimed at increasing the trueness and reliability of measured values. Standardization relies on the use of written standards, reference measurement procedures and reference materials. These are important tools for the design and validation of new tests, and for establishing the metrological traceability of diagnostic assays. Their use supports the translation of research technologies into new diagnostic assays and leads to more rapid advances in science and medicine, as well as improvements in the quality of patient care. The various standardization tools are described, as are the procedures by which written standards, reference procedures and reference materials are developed. Recent efforts to develop standards for use in the field of molecular diagnostics are discussed. The recognition of standardization tools by the FDA and other regulatory authorities is noted as evidence of their important role in ensuring the safety and performance of in vitro diagnostic devices.

Gas adsorption and desorption effects on high pressure small volume cylinders and their relevance to atmospheric trace gas analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satar, Ece; Nyfeler, Peter; Pascale, Céline; Niederhauser, Bernhard; Leuenberger, Markus

2017-04-01

Long term atmospheric monitoring of trace gases requires great attention to precision and accuracy of the measurement setups. For globally integrated and well established greenhouse gas observation networks, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has set recommended compatibility goals within the framework of its Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme [1]. To achieve these challenging limits, the measurement systems are regularly calibrated with standard gases of known composition. Therefore, the stability of the primary and secondary gas standards over time is an essential issue. Past studies have explained the small instabilities in high pressure standard gas cylinders through leakage, diffusion, regulator effects, gravimetric fractionation and surface processes [2, 3]. The latter include adsorption/desorption, which are functions of temperature, pressure and surface properties. For high pressure standard gas mixtures used in atmospheric trace gas analysis, there exists only a limited amount of data and few attempts to quantify the surface processes [4, 5]. Specifically, we have designed a high pressure measurement chamber to investigate trace gases and their affinity for adsorption on different surfaces over various temperature and pressure ranges. Here, we focus on measurements of CO2, CH4 and CO using a cavity ring down spectroscopy analyzer and quantify the concentration changes due to adsorption/desorption. In this study, the first results from these prototype cylinders of steel and aluminum will be presented. References [1] World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Global Atmosphere Watch.(GAW): Report No. 229, 18th WMO/IAEA Meeting on Carbon Dioxide, Other Greenhouse Gases and Related Tracers Measurement Techniques (GGMT-2015), 2016. [2] Keeling, R. F., Manning, A. C., Paplawsky, W. J., and Cox, A. C.: On the long-term stability of reference gases for atmospheric O2 /N2 and CO2 measurements, Tellus B, 59, 10.3402/tellusb.v59i1.16964, 2007. [3] Langenfelds, R. L., van der Schoot, M. V., Francey, R. J., Steele, L. P., Schmidt, M., and Mukai, H.: Modification of air standard composition by diffusive and surface processes, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 110, n/a-n/a, 10.1029/2004JD005482, 2005. [4] Leuenberger, M. C., Schibig, M. F., and Nyfeler, P.: Gas adsorption and desorption effects on cylinders and their importance for long-term gas records, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 5289-5299, 10.5194/amt-8-5289-2015, 2015 [5] Miller, W. R., Rhoderick, G. C., and Guenther, F. R.: Investigating Adsorption/Desorption of Carbon Dioxide in Aluminum Compressed Gas Cylinders, Analytical Chemistry, 87, 1957-1962, 10.1021/ac504351b, 2015.

Comparison of a portable micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry for the ancient ceramics analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadopoulou, D. N.; Zachariadis, G. A.; Anthemidis, A. N.; Tsirliganis, N. C.; Stratis, J. A.

2004-12-01

Two multielement instrumental methods of analysis, micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (micro-XRF) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) were applied for the analysis of 7th and 5th century B.C. ancient ceramic sherds in order to evaluate the above two methods and to assess the potential to use the current compact and portable micro-XRF instrument for the in situ analysis of ancient ceramics. The distinguishing factor of interest is that micro-XRF spectrometry offers the possibility of a nondestructive analysis, an aspect of primary importance in the compositional analysis of cultural objects. Micro-XRF measurements were performed firstly directly on the ceramic sherds with no special pretreatment apart from surface cleaning (micro-XRF on sherds) and secondly on pressed pellet disks which were prepared for each ceramic sherd (micro-XRF on pellet). For the ICP-AES determination of elements, test solutions were prepared by the application of a microwave-assisted decomposition procedure in closed high-pressure PFA vessels. Also, the standard reference material SARM 69 was used for the efficiency calibration of the micro-XRF instrument and was analysed by both methods. In order to verify the calibration, the standard reference materials NCS DC 73332 and SRM620 as well as the reference materials AWI-1 and PRI-1 were analysed by micro-XRF. Elemental concentrations determined by the three analytical procedures (ICP-AES, micro-XRF on sherds and micro-XRF on pellets) were statistically treated by correlation analysis and Student's t-test (at the 95% confidence level).

Systematic chemical profiling of a multicomponent Chinese herbal formula Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupoletime-of-flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wang, Fenrong; Ai, Yu; Wu, Yun; Ma, Wen; Bian, Qiaoxia; Lee, David Y-W; Dai, Ronghua

2015-03-01

Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan, a Chinese herbal formula consisting of 11 different herbs, has been used in folk medicine for the treatment of arthritis and other chronic inflammatory diseases. However, the chemical compositions of Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan are not completely characterized. In the present study, an ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method in positive and negative ion modes was employed to identify biochemical constitutes in Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan. As a result, a total of 76 compounds including alkaloids, monoterpene glycosides, iridoids, phenolic acids, and tanshinones, coumarins, lactones, flavones, and their glycosides, triterpenes, and triterpene saponins were characterized by comparing the retention time and mass spectrometry data with reference standards within 5 ppm error or by reference to the reference literature. These results would provide the basis for a further in vivo study of Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan and information for potential new drug candidates for treating arthritis and other chronic inflammatory diseases. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Annual Status Report (Fiscal Year 2011) Composite Analysis of Low-Level Waste Disposal in the Central Plateau at the Hanford Site

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

Nichols, W. E.

2012-03-12

In accordance with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) requirements in DOE O 435.1 Chg 11, and as implemented by DOE/RL-2000-29, Rev. 22, the DOE Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) has prepared this annual summary of the composite analysis for fiscal year (FY) 2011 as originally reported in PNNL-118003 (henceforth referred to as the Composite Analysis). The main emphasis of DOE/RL-2000-29, Rev. 2 is to identify additional data and information to enhance the Composite Analysis and the subsequent PNNL-11800 Addendum 14 (hereinafter referred to as the Addendum), and to address secondary issues identified during the review of the Composite Analysis.

POTENTIAL RADIOACTIVE POLLUTANTS RESULTING FROM EXPANDED ENERGY PROGRAMS

EPA Science Inventory

An effective environmental monitoring program must have a quality assurance component to assure the production of valid data. Quality assurance has many components: calibration standards, standard reference materials, standard reference methods, interlaboratory comparison studies...

[Preparation of flavonoid reference standards from Scutellariae Radix under the guidance of high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis].

PubMed

Guo, Henan; Yang, Xuedong; Liu, Jun; Zheng, Wenfeng

2012-07-01

Flavonoid reference standards were targeted-prepared from Scutellariae Radix under the guidance of high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis. With HPLC-MS analysis of Scutellariae Radix, 19 flavonoid components were identified by analyzing and comparing their retention times, ultraviolet spectra, and mass spectrometry data with literature. The separation and purification protocols of all targeted flavonoid reference standards were optimally designed according to the results of HPLC-MS analysis and related literature. The ethanol extract of Scutellariae Radix was suspended in water and extracted with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol successively. The ethyl acetate extract and n-butanol extract were separately subjected to primary separation by low pressure reverse phase preparative chromatography. Then the fractions containing targeted compounds were further purified by low pressure reverse and normal phases preparative chromatography. Finally, baicalin and wogonoside reference standards were obtained from n-butanol extract; baicaelin, wogonin, and oroxylin A reference standards were obtained from ethyl acetate extract. The structures of the 5 reference standards were identified by mass spectrometry (MS) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The HPLC analytical results showed that the purities of the 5 reference standards were all above 98%. It is demonstrated that the rapid targeted-preparation method under the guidance of the HPLC-MS analysis is applicable for the isolation and preparation of chemical components in traditional Chinese medicines.

Standard tests for toughened resin composites, revised edition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

Several toughened resin systems are evaluated to achieve commonality for certain kinds of tests used to characterize toughened resin composites. Specifications for five tests were standardized; these test standards are described.

Variation in the terrestrial isotopic composition and atomic weight of argon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Böhlke, John Karl

2014-01-01

The isotopic composition and atomic weight of argon (Ar) are variable in terrestrial materials. Those variations are a source of uncertainty in the assignment of standard properties for Ar, but they provide useful information in many areas of science. Variations in the stable isotopic composition and atomic weight of Ar are caused by several different processes, including (1) isotope production from other elements by radioactive decay (radiogenic isotopes) or other nuclear transformations (e.g., nucleogenic isotopes), and (2) isotopic fractionation by physical-chemical processes such as diffusion or phase equilibria. Physical-chemical processes cause correlated mass-dependent variations in the Ar isotope-amount ratios (40Ar/36Ar, 38Ar/36Ar), whereas nuclear transformation processes cause non-mass-dependent variations. While atmospheric Ar can serve as an abundant and homogeneous isotopic reference, deviations from the atmospheric isotopic ratios in other Ar occurrences limit the precision with which a standard atomic weight can be given for Ar. Published data indicate variation of Ar atomic weights in normal terrestrial materials between about 39.7931 and 39.9624. The upper bound of this interval is given by the atomic mass of 40Ar, as some samples contain almost pure radiogenic 40Ar. The lower bound is derived from analyses of pitchblende (uranium mineral) containing large amounts of nucleogenic 36Ar and 38Ar. Within this interval, measurements of different isotope ratios (40Ar/36Ar or 38Ar/36Ar) at various levels of precision are widely used for studies in geochronology, water–rock interaction, atmospheric evolution, and other fields.

High-EPA Biomass from Nannochloropsis salina Cultivated in a Flat-Panel Photo-Bioreactor on a Process Water-Enriched Growth Medium

PubMed Central

Safafar, Hamed; Hass, Michael Z.; Møller, Per; Holdt, Susan L.; Jacobsen, Charlotte

2016-01-01

Nannochloropsis salina was grown on a mixture of standard growth media and pre-gasified industrial process water representing effluent from a local biogas plant. The study aimed to investigate the effects of enriched growth media and cultivation time on nutritional composition of Nannochloropsis salina biomass, with a focus on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Variations in fatty acid composition, lipids, protein, amino acids, tocopherols and pigments were studied and results compared to algae cultivated on F/2 media as reference. Mixed growth media and process water enhanced the nutritional quality of Nannochloropsis salina in laboratory scale when compared to algae cultivated in standard F/2 medium. Data from laboratory scale translated to the large scale using a 4000 L flat panel photo-bioreactor system. The algae growth rate in winter conditions in Denmark was slow, but results revealed that large-scale cultivation of Nannochloropsis salina at these conditions could improve the nutritional properties such as EPA, tocopherol, protein and carotenoids compared to laboratory-scale cultivated microalgae. EPA reached 44.2% ± 2.30% of total fatty acids, and α-tocopherol reached 431 ± 28 µg/g of biomass dry weight after 21 days of cultivation. Variations in chemical compositions of Nannochloropsis salina were studied during the course of cultivation. Nannochloropsis salina can be presented as a good candidate for winter time cultivation in Denmark. The resulting biomass is a rich source of EPA and also a good source of protein (amino acids), tocopherols and carotenoids for potential use in aquaculture feed industry. PMID:27483291

High-EPA Biomass from Nannochloropsis salina Cultivated in a Flat-Panel Photo-Bioreactor on a Process Water-Enriched Growth Medium.

PubMed

Safafar, Hamed; Hass, Michael Z; Møller, Per; Holdt, Susan L; Jacobsen, Charlotte

2016-07-29

Nannochloropsis salina was grown on a mixture of standard growth media and pre-gasified industrial process water representing effluent from a local biogas plant. The study aimed to investigate the effects of enriched growth media and cultivation time on nutritional composition of Nannochloropsis salina biomass, with a focus on eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Variations in fatty acid composition, lipids, protein, amino acids, tocopherols and pigments were studied and results compared to algae cultivated on F/2 media as reference. Mixed growth media and process water enhanced the nutritional quality of Nannochloropsis salina in laboratory scale when compared to algae cultivated in standard F/2 medium. Data from laboratory scale translated to the large scale using a 4000 L flat panel photo-bioreactor system. The algae growth rate in winter conditions in Denmark was slow, but results revealed that large-scale cultivation of Nannochloropsis salina at these conditions could improve the nutritional properties such as EPA, tocopherol, protein and carotenoids compared to laboratory-scale cultivated microalgae. EPA reached 44.2% ± 2.30% of total fatty acids, and α-tocopherol reached 431 ± 28 µg/g of biomass dry weight after 21 days of cultivation. Variations in chemical compositions of Nannochloropsis salina were studied during the course of cultivation. Nannochloropsis salina can be presented as a good candidate for winter time cultivation in Denmark. The resulting biomass is a rich source of EPA and also a good source of protein (amino acids), tocopherols and carotenoids for potential use in aquaculture feed industry.

Chemical composition, anthelmintic, antibacterial and antioxidant effects of Thymus bovei essential oil.

PubMed

Jaradat, Nidal; Adwan, Lina; K'aibni, Shadi; Shraim, Naser; Zaid, Abdel Naser

2016-10-26

It has been recently recognized that oxidative stress, helminth and microbial infections are the cause of much illness found in the underdeveloped, developing and developed countries. The present study was undertaken to identify the chemical composition, and to assess anthelmintic, antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of Thymus bovei essential oil. The chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Antimicrobial activity was tested against the selected strains from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) and clinical isolates such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans using MIC assay. The anthelmintic assay was carried out on adult earthworm (Pheretima posthuma), while antioxidant activity was analyzed using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method. Trans-geraniol (35.38 %), α-citral (20.37 %) and β-citral (14.76 %) were the major compounds comprising 70.51 % of the essential oil. Our results showed that T. bovei essential oil exhibited strong anthelmintic activity, even higher than piperazine citrate, the used reference standard, with potential antioxidant activity almost equal to the Trolox standard. Furthermore, T. bovei essential oil had powerful antibacterial and antifungal activities against the studied pathogens. Essential oil of T. bovei exerted excellent antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anthelmintic activities. Moreover, this study found that T. bovei volatile oil contains active substances that could potentially be used as natural preservatives in food and pharmaceutical industries, these substances could also be employed for developing new anthelmintic, antimicrobial and antioxidant agents.

Reference standards for lean mass measures using GE dual energy x-ray absorptiometry in Caucasian adults

PubMed Central

Imboden, Mary T.; Swartz, Ann M.; Finch, Holmes W.; Harber, Matthew P.; Kaminsky, Leonard A.

2017-01-01

Body composition assessments commonly focus predominantly on fat mass, however lean mass (LM) measurements also provide useful information regarding clinical and nutritional status. LM measurements help predict health outcomes and diagnose sarcopenia, which has been associated with frailty. Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is an established technique used in clinical and research settings to assess body composition including total and regional LM. Currently, there are no reference values available that were derived from GE-Healthcare DXA systems directly for US adults for LM, LM index (LMI), percent LM (%LM), and appendicular lean mass index (ALMI) and it is known that whole-body and regional LM measures differ by DXA manufacturer. Objective To develop reference values by age and sex for LM measures using GE-Healthcare DXA systems. Methods A de-identified sample was obtained from Ball State University’s Clinical Exercise Physiology Laboratory and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Physical Activity & Health Research Laboratory. DXA scans of 2,076 women and 1,251 men were completed using a GE Lunar Prodigy or iDXA. Percentiles (%ile) were calculated for all variables of interest (LM, LMI, %LM, and ALMI) and a factorial ANOVA was used to assess differences for each variable between 10-year age groups and sex, as well as the interaction between age and sex. Results Men had higher mean total LM, %LM, LMI, and ALMI than women (p<0.01), across all age groups. All LM variables decreased significantly over the 5 decades in men, however in women only total LM, %LM, and ALMI decreased from the youngest to oldest age groups (p<0.01). Conclusion These reference values provide for a more accurate interpretation of GE-Healthcare DXA-derived LM measurements offering clinicians and researchers with an initial resource to aid in the early detection and assessment of LM deficits. PMID:28426779

Reassessment of the NH4 NO3 thermal decomposition technique for calibration of the N2 O isotopic composition.

PubMed

Mohn, Joachim; Gutjahr, Wilhelm; Toyoda, Sakae; Harris, Eliza; Ibraim, Erkan; Geilmann, Heike; Schleppi, Patrick; Kuhn, Thomas; Lehmann, Moritz F; Decock, Charlotte; Werner, Roland A; Yoshida, Naohiro; Brand, Willi A

2016-09-08

In the last few years, the study of N 2 O site-specific nitrogen isotope composition has been established as a powerful technique to disentangle N 2 O emission pathways. This trend has been accelerated by significant analytical progress in the field of isotope-ratio mass-spectrometry (IRMS) and more recently quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy (QCLAS). Methods The ammonium nitrate (NH 4 NO 3 ) decomposition technique provides a strategy to scale the 15 N site-specific (SP ≡ δ 15 N α - δ 15 N β ) and bulk (δ 15 N bulk  = (δ 15 N α  + δ 15 N β )/2) isotopic composition of N 2 O against the international standard for the 15 N/ 14 N isotope ratio (AIR-N 2 ). Within the current project 15 N fractionation effects during thermal decomposition of NH 4 NO 3 on the N 2 O site preference were studied using static and dynamic decomposition techniques. The validity of the NH 4 NO 3 decomposition technique to link NH 4 + and NO 3 - moiety-specific δ 15 N analysis by IRMS to the site-specific nitrogen isotopic composition of N 2 O was confirmed. However, the accuracy of this approach for the calibration of δ 15 N α and δ 15 N β values was found to be limited by non-quantitative NH 4 NO 3 decomposition in combination with substantially different isotope enrichment factors for the conversion of the NO 3 - or NH 4 + nitrogen atom into the α or β position of the N 2 O molecule. The study reveals that the completeness and reproducibility of the NH 4 NO 3 decomposition reaction currently confine the anchoring of N 2 O site-specific isotopic composition to the international isotope ratio scale AIR-N 2 . The authors suggest establishing a set of N 2 O isotope reference materials with appropriate site-specific isotopic composition, as community standards, to improve inter-laboratory compatibility. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

18 CFR 3c.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 3c.1 Section 3c.1 Conservation of... STANDARDS OF CONDUCT § 3c.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... branch-wide financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR part 2634, the Standards of Ethical Conduct for...

13 CFR 105.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 105.101 Section 105.101 Business Credit... RESPONSIBILITIES Standards of Conduct § 105.101 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial... to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR part 2635 and the...

13 CFR 105.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 105.101 Section 105.101 Business Credit... RESPONSIBILITIES Standards of Conduct § 105.101 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial... to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR part 2635 and the...

18 CFR 3c.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 3c.1 Section 3c.1 Conservation of... STANDARDS OF CONDUCT § 3c.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... branch-wide financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR part 2634, the Standards of Ethical Conduct for...

18 CFR 3c.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 3c.1 Section 3c.1 Conservation of... STANDARDS OF CONDUCT § 3c.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... branch-wide financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR part 2634, the Standards of Ethical Conduct for...

18 CFR 3c.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 3c.1 Section 3c.1 Conservation of... STANDARDS OF CONDUCT § 3c.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... branch-wide financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR part 2634, the Standards of Ethical Conduct for...

18 CFR 3c.1 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 3c.1 Section 3c.1 Conservation of... STANDARDS OF CONDUCT § 3c.1 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure... branch-wide financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR part 2634, the Standards of Ethical Conduct for...

13 CFR 105.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 105.101 Section 105.101 Business Credit... RESPONSIBILITIES Standards of Conduct § 105.101 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial... to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR part 2635 and the...

13 CFR 105.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 105.101 Section 105.101 Business Credit... RESPONSIBILITIES Standards of Conduct § 105.101 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial... to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR part 2635 and the...

13 CFR 105.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 105.101 Section 105.101 Business Credit... RESPONSIBILITIES Standards of Conduct § 105.101 Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial... to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR part 2635 and the...

Analysis on composition rules of Chinese patent drugs treating pain-related diseases based on data mining method.

PubMed

Tang, Shi-Huan; Shen, Dan; Yang, Hong-Jun

2017-08-24

To analyze the composition rules of oral prescriptions in the treatment of headache, stomachache and dysmenorrhea recorded in National Standard for Chinese Patent Drugs (NSCPD) enacted by Ministry of Public Health of China and then make comparison between them to better understand pain treatment in different regions of human body. Constructed NSCPD database had been constructed in 2014. Prescriptions treating the three pain-related diseases were searched and screened from the database. Then data mining method such as association rules analysis and complex system entropy method integrated in the data mining software Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System (TCMISS) were applied to process the data. Top 25 drugs with high frequency in the treatment of each disease were selected, and 51, 33 and 22 core combinations treating headache, stomachache and dysmenorrhea respectively were mined out as well. The composition rules of the oral prescriptions for treating headache, stomachache and dysmenorrhea recorded in NSCPD has been summarized. Although there were similarities between them, formula varied according to different locations of pain. It can serve as an evidence and reference for clinical treatment and new drug development.

Effect of processing on proximate composition, anti-nutrient status and amino acid content in three accessions of African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa (jacq.) benth.

PubMed

Urua, Ikootobong Sunday; Uyoh, Edak Aniedi; Ntui, Valentine Otang; Okpako, Elza Cletus

2013-02-01

Proximate composition, amino acid levels and anti-nutrient factors (polyphenols, phytic acid and oxalate) in the seeds of Parkia biglobosa were determined at three stages: raw, boiled and fermented. The highest anti-nutrient factor present in the raw state was oxalate, while phytic acid was the least. The amino acid of the raw seeds matched favourably to the World Health Organization reference standard. After processing, boiling increased fat, crude fibre and protein, while it reduced moisture, ash and the anti-nutrient content in 64% of the cases examined. Fermentation reduced ash, crude fibre and carbohydrate in all the accessions. It increased the moisture, fat and protein, while reducing the anti-nutrient factors in 78% of the cases. The high levels of protein, fat and amino acids coupled with the low levels of the anti-nutrients in the boiled and fermented seeds make Parkia a good source of nutrients for humans and livestock.

Composition and Quantitation of Microalgal Lipids by ERETIC 1H NMR Method

PubMed Central

Nuzzo, Genoveffa; Gallo, Carmela; d’Ippolito, Giuliana; Cutignano, Adele; Sardo, Angela; Fontana, Angelo

2013-01-01

Accurate characterization of biomass constituents is a crucial aspect of research in the biotechnological application of natural products. Here we report an efficient, fast and reproducible method for the identification and quantitation of fatty acids and complex lipids (triacylglycerols, glycolipids, phospholipids) in microalgae under investigation for the development of functional health products (probiotics, food ingredients, drugs, etc.) or third generation biofuels. The procedure consists of extraction of the biological matrix by modified Folch method and direct analysis of the resulting material by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The protocol uses a reference electronic signal as external standard (ERETIC method) and allows assessment of total lipid content, saturation degree and class distribution in both high throughput screening of algal collection and metabolic analysis during genetic or culturing studies. As proof of concept, the methodology was applied to the analysis of three microalgal species (Thalassiosira weissflogii, Cyclotella cryptica and Nannochloropsis salina) which drastically differ for the qualitative and quantitative composition of their fatty acid-based lipids. PMID:24084790

76 FR 14571 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Compensation for Personal Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-16

... Accounting Standards (CAS) Board standards ``Cost Accounting Standard for composition and measurement of pension cost,'' and ``Accounting for the cost of deferred compensation.'' DATES: Effective Date: March 16... 412 ``Cost Accounting Standards for composition and measurement of pension cost,'' and CAS 415...

A Proposal of New Reference System for the Standard Axial, Sagittal, Coronal Planes of Brain Based on the Serially-Sectioned Images

PubMed Central

Park, Jin Seo; Park, Hyo Seok; Shin, Dong Sun; Har, Dong-Hwan; Cho, Zang-Hee; Kim, Young-Bo; Han, Jae-Yong; Chi, Je-Geun

2010-01-01

Sectional anatomy of human brain is useful to examine the diseased brain as well as normal brain. However, intracerebral reference points for the axial, sagittal, and coronal planes of brain have not been standardized in anatomical sections or radiological images. We made 2,343 serially-sectioned images of a cadaver head with 0.1 mm intervals, 0.1 mm pixel size, and 48 bit color and obtained axial, sagittal, and coronal images based on the proposed reference system. This reference system consists of one principal reference point and two ancillary reference points. The two ancillary reference points are the anterior commissure and the posterior commissure. And the principal reference point is the midpoint of two ancillary reference points. It resides in the center of whole brain. From the principal reference point, Cartesian coordinate of x, y, z could be made to be the standard axial, sagittal, and coronal planes. PMID:20052359

12 CFR 400.101 - Cross-reference to employee financial disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations. 400.101 Section 400.101 Banks and Banking EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES EMPLOYEE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE AND ETHICAL CONDUCT STANDARDS REGULATIONS § 400.101 Cross-reference to employee financial disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations...

36 CFR 811.1 - Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial interests regulations and other conduct... EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 811.1 Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards... Council on Historic Preservation are subject to the executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct...

36 CFR 811.1 - Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial interests regulations and other conduct... EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 811.1 Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards... Council on Historic Preservation are subject to the executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct...

12 CFR 400.101 - Cross-reference to employee financial disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations. 400.101 Section 400.101 Banks and Banking EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES EMPLOYEE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE AND ETHICAL CONDUCT STANDARDS REGULATIONS § 400.101 Cross-reference to employee financial disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations...

12 CFR 400.101 - Cross-reference to employee financial disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations. 400.101 Section 400.101 Banks and Banking EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES EMPLOYEE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE AND ETHICAL CONDUCT STANDARDS REGULATIONS § 400.101 Cross-reference to employee financial disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations...

12 CFR 400.101 - Cross-reference to employee financial disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations. 400.101 Section 400.101 Banks and Banking EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES EMPLOYEE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE AND ETHICAL CONDUCT STANDARDS REGULATIONS § 400.101 Cross-reference to employee financial disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations...

36 CFR 811.1 - Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial interests regulations and other conduct... EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 811.1 Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards... Council on Historic Preservation are subject to the executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct...

12 CFR 400.101 - Cross-reference to employee financial disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations. 400.101 Section 400.101 Banks and Banking EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES EMPLOYEE FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE AND ETHICAL CONDUCT STANDARDS REGULATIONS § 400.101 Cross-reference to employee financial disclosure and ethical conduct standards regulations...

36 CFR 811.1 - Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure and financial interests regulations and other conduct... EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 811.1 Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards... Council on Historic Preservation are subject to the executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct...

22 CFR 1001.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2011-04-01 2009-04-01 true Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... FOUNDATION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 1001.1 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... Foundation should refer to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR...

15 CFR 230.7 - Description of services and list of fees, incorporation by reference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... STANDARD REFERENCE MATERIALS STANDARD REFERENCE MATERIALS Description of Services and List of Fees § 230.7 Description of services and list of fees, incorporation by reference. (a) The text of NIST Special Publication... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Description of services and list of...

22 CFR 1001.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... FOUNDATION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 1001.1 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... Foundation should refer to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR...

22 CFR 1001.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... FOUNDATION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 1001.1 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... Foundation should refer to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR...

22 CFR 1001.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2013-04-01 2009-04-01 true Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... FOUNDATION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 1001.1 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... Foundation should refer to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR...

22 CFR 1001.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2012-04-01 2009-04-01 true Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... FOUNDATION EMPLOYEE RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 1001.1 Cross-references to employee ethical conduct... Foundation should refer to the Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch at 5 CFR...

Neodymium Isotopic Compositions of the Titanite Reference Materials Used in U-Pb Geochronology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Q.; Yang, Y.; Zhao, Z.

2017-12-01

Titanite (CaTiSiO5) is a widespread mineral and preferentially incorporates considerable uranium and significant light rare earth elements (LREEs) in its structure. Geochronology based upon U-Pb and Pb-Pb analyses of titanite has proven to be useful for understanding the P-T-t evolution of many igneous, metamorphic and hydrothermally altered rock samples (Scott and St-Onge, 1995). In the meantime, Sm-Nd isotopic composition in single titanite can be used to obtain initial Nd isotope composition at the time of titanite crystallization when combined with its U-Pb age, making titanite the most versatile mineral for dating metamorphism and tracing hydrothermal source (Amelin et al., 2009). The widely utilized in situ analyses by SIMS and LA-(MC)-ICP-MS have emphasized the significance for uniform and homogeneous reference materials for external correction (Liu et al., 2012, Sun et al., 2012, Yang et al., 2014). Here, we present U-Pb ages and Sm-Nd isotope analyses of twelve natural titanite crystals (12YQ82, T004, Ontario, BLR-1, OLT1, Khan, Qinghu, TLS-36, NW-IOA, C253, Pakistan and MKED1) acquired by Agilent 7500a Q-ICP-MS and Neptune MC-ICP-MS, respectively, combined a 193 nm ArF excimer laser ablation system. For U-Pb dating, elemental fractionation and instrumental drift were externally corrected using MKED1 titanite standard, showing results of U-Pb analyses all within error of those recommended values. With respect to Sm-Nd isotopes, we employed the interference-free 147Sm/149Sm to deduct 144Sm isobaric interference on 144Nd, and the fractionation between 147Sm and 144Nd was calibrated using BLR-1 titanite, which is proved homogenous in Sm-Nd isotopic system. The obtained Sm-Nd isotopic compositions for natural titanite samples are all consistent with those values determined by isotope dilution (ID) MC-ICP-MS, demonstrating the precision and accuracy currently available for in situ Sm-Nd analyses. Our results demonstrate that BLR-1, OLT1 and Ontario titanites are relatively uniform and homogeneous in Sm-Nd isotopic system and thus can serve as ideal reference materials for external calibration during in situ Sm-Nd analysis.

Quantitative in vivo CT arthrography of the human osteoarthritic knee to estimate cartilage sulphated glycosaminoglycan content: correlation with ex-vivo reference standards.

PubMed

van Tiel, J; Siebelt, M; Reijman, M; Bos, P K; Waarsing, J H; Zuurmond, A-M; Nasserinejad, K; van Osch, G J V M; Verhaar, J A N; Krestin, G P; Weinans, H; Oei, E H G

2016-06-01

Recently, computed tomography arthrography (CTa) was introduced as quantitative imaging biomarker to estimate cartilage sulphated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) content in human cadaveric knees. Our aim was to assess the correlation between in vivo CTa in human osteoarthritis (OA) knees and ex vivo reference standards for sGAG and collagen content. In this prospective observational study 11 knee OA patients underwent CTa before total knee replacement (TKR). Cartilage X-ray attenuation was determined in six cartilage regions. Femoral and tibial cartilage specimens harvested during TKR were re-scanned using equilibrium partitioning of an ionic contrast agent with micro-CT (EPIC-μCT), which served as reference standard for sGAG. Next, cartilage sGAG and collagen content were determined using dimethylmethylene blue (DMMB) and hydroxyproline assays. The correlation between CTa X-ray attenuation, EPIC-μCT X-ray attenuation, sGAG content and collagen content was assessed. CTa X-ray attenuation correlated well with EPIC-μCT (r = 0.76, 95% credibility interval (95%CI) 0.64 to 0.85). CTa correlated moderately with the DMMB assay (sGAG content) (r = -0.66, 95%CI -0.87 to -0.49) and to lesser extent with the hydroxyproline assay (collagen content) (r = -0.56, 95%CI -0.70 to -0.36). Outcomes of in vivo CTa in human OA knees correlate well with sGAG content. Outcomes of CTa also slightly correlate with cartilage collagen content. Since outcomes of CTa are mainly sGAG dependent and despite the fact that further validation using hyaline cartilage of other joints with different biochemical composition should be conducted, CTa may be suitable as quantitative imaging biomarker to estimate cartilage sGAG content in future clinical OA research. Copyright © 2016 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Accuracy of real-time PCR, Gram stain and culture for Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae meningitis diagnosis.

PubMed

Wu, Henry M; Cordeiro, Soraia M; Harcourt, Brian H; Carvalho, Mariadaglorias; Azevedo, Jailton; Oliveira, Tainara Q; Leite, Mariela C; Salgado, Katia; Reis, Mitermayer G; Plikaytis, Brian D; Clark, Thomas A; Mayer, Leonard W; Ko, Albert I; Martin, Stacey W; Reis, Joice N

2013-01-22

Although cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture is the diagnostic reference standard for bacterial meningitis, its sensitivity is limited, particularly when antibiotics were previously administered. CSF Gram staining and real-time PCR are theoretically less affected by antibiotics; however, it is difficult to evaluate these tests with an imperfect reference standard. CSF from patients with suspected meningitis from Salvador, Brazil were tested with culture, Gram stain, and real-time PCR using S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, and H. influenzae specific primers and probes. An antibiotic detection disk bioassay was used to test for the presence of antibiotic activity in CSF. The diagnostic accuracy of tests were evaluated using multiple methods, including direct evaluation of Gram stain and real-time PCR against CSF culture, evaluation of real-time PCR against a composite reference standard, and latent class analysis modeling to evaluate all three tests simultaneously. Among 451 CSF specimens, 80 (17.7%) had culture isolation of one of the three pathogens (40 S. pneumoniae, 36 N. meningitidis, and 4 H. influenzae), and 113 (25.1%) were real-time PCR positive (51 S. pneumoniae, 57 N. meningitidis, and 5 H. influenzae). Compared to culture, real-time PCR sensitivity and specificity were 95.0% and 90.0%, respectively. In a latent class analysis model, the sensitivity and specificity estimates were: culture, 81.3% and 99.7%; Gram stain, 98.2% and 98.7%; and real-time PCR, 95.7% and 94.3%, respectively. Gram stain and real-time PCR sensitivity did not change significantly when there was antibiotic activity in the CSF. Real-time PCR and Gram stain were highly accurate in diagnosing meningitis caused by S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis, and H. influenzae, though there were few cases of H. influenzae. Furthermore, real-time PCR and Gram staining were less affected by antibiotic presence and might be useful when antibiotics were previously administered. Gram staining, which is inexpensive and commonly available, should be encouraged in all clinical settings.

Metatranscriptomic analysis of diverse microbial communities reveals core metabolic pathways and microbiome-specific functionality.

PubMed

Jiang, Yue; Xiong, Xuejian; Danska, Jayne; Parkinson, John

2016-01-12

Metatranscriptomics is emerging as a powerful technology for the functional characterization of complex microbial communities (microbiomes). Use of unbiased RNA-sequencing can reveal both the taxonomic composition and active biochemical functions of a complex microbial community. However, the lack of established reference genomes, computational tools and pipelines make analysis and interpretation of these datasets challenging. Systematic studies that compare data across microbiomes are needed to demonstrate the ability of such pipelines to deliver biologically meaningful insights on microbiome function. Here, we apply a standardized analytical pipeline to perform a comparative analysis of metatranscriptomic data from diverse microbial communities derived from mouse large intestine, cow rumen, kimchi culture, deep-sea thermal vent and permafrost. Sequence similarity searches allowed annotation of 19 to 76% of putative messenger RNA (mRNA) reads, with the highest frequency in the kimchi dataset due to its relatively low complexity and availability of closely related reference genomes. Metatranscriptomic datasets exhibited distinct taxonomic and functional signatures. From a metabolic perspective, we identified a common core of enzymes involved in amino acid, energy and nucleotide metabolism and also identified microbiome-specific pathways such as phosphonate metabolism (deep sea) and glycan degradation pathways (cow rumen). Integrating taxonomic and functional annotations within a novel visualization framework revealed the contribution of different taxa to metabolic pathways, allowing the identification of taxa that contribute unique functions. The application of a single, standard pipeline confirms that the rich taxonomic and functional diversity observed across microbiomes is not simply an artefact of different analysis pipelines but instead reflects distinct environmental influences. At the same time, our findings show how microbiome complexity and availability of reference genomes can impact comprehensive annotation of metatranscriptomes. Consequently, beyond the application of standardized pipelines, additional caution must be taken when interpreting their output and performing downstream, microbiome-specific, analyses. The pipeline used in these analyses along with a tutorial has been made freely available for download from our project website: http://www.compsysbio.org/microbiome .

Monitoring on-orbit calibration stability of the Terra MODIS and Landsat 7 ETM+ sensors using pseudo-invariant test sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chander, G.; Xiong, X.(J.); Choi, T.(J.); Angal, A.

2010-01-01

The ability to detect and quantify changes in the Earth's environment depends on sensors that can provide calibrated, consistent measurements of the Earth's surface features through time. A critical step in this process is to put image data from different sensors onto a common radiometric scale. This work focuses on monitoring the long-term on-orbit calibration stability of the Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Landsat 7 (L7) Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) sensors using the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) reference standard pseudo-invariant test sites (Libya 4, Mauritania 1/2, Algeria 3, Libya 1, and Algeria 5). These sites have been frequently used as radiometric targets because of their relatively stable surface conditions temporally. This study was performed using all cloud-free calibrated images from the Terra MODIS and the L7 ETM+ sensors, acquired from launch to December 2008. Homogeneous regions of interest (ROI) were selected in the calibrated images and the mean target statistics were derived from sensor measurements in terms of top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance. For each band pair, a set of fitted coefficients (slope and offset) is provided to monitor the long-term stability over very stable pseudo-invariant test sites. The average percent differences in intercept from the long-term trends obtained from the ETM + TOA reflectance estimates relative to the MODIS for all the CEOS reference standard test sites range from 2.5% to 15%. This gives an estimate of the collective differences due to the Relative Spectral Response (RSR) characteristics of each sensor, bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), spectral signature of the ground target, and atmospheric composition. The lifetime TOA reflectance trends from both sensors over 10 years are extremely stable, changing by no more than 0.4% per year in its TOA reflectance over the CEOS reference standard test sites.

A series of strategies for solving the shortage of reference standards for multi-components determination of traditional Chinese medicine, Mahoniae Caulis as a case.

PubMed

Wang, Wenguang; Ma, Xiaoli; Guo, Xiaoyu; Zhao, Mingbo; Tu, Pengfei; Jiang, Yong

2015-09-18

In order to solve the bottleneck of reference standards shortage for comprehensive quality control of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), a series of strategies, including one single reference standard to determine multi-compounds (SSDMC), quantitative analysis by standardized reference extract (QASRE), and quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (qNMR) were proposed, and Mahoniae Caulis was selected as an example to develop and validate these methods for simultaneous determination of four alkaloids, columbamine, jatrorrhizine, palmatine, and berberine. Comprehensive comparisons among these methods and with the conventional external standard method (ESM) were carried out. The relative expanded uncertainty of measurement was firstly used to compare their credibility. The results showed that all these three new developed methods can accurately accomplish the quantification by using only one purified reference standard, but each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages as well as the specific application scope, which were also discussed in detail in this paper. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spectral optimized asymmetric segmented phase-only correlation filter.

PubMed

Leonard, I; Alfalou, A; Brosseau, C

2012-05-10

We suggest a new type of optimized composite filter, i.e., the asymmetric segmented phase-only filter (ASPOF), for improving the effectiveness of a VanderLugt correlator (VLC) when used for face identification. Basically, it consists in merging several reference images after application of a specific spectral optimization method. After segmentation of the spectral filter plane to several areas, each area is assigned to a single winner reference according to a new optimized criterion. The point of the paper is to show that this method offers a significant performance improvement on standard composite filters for face identification. We first briefly revisit composite filters [adapted, phase-only, inverse, compromise optimal, segmented, minimum average correlation energy, optimal trade-off maximum average correlation, and amplitude-modulated phase-only (AMPOF)], which are tools of choice for face recognition based on correlation techniques, and compare their performances with those of the ASPOF. We illustrate some of the drawbacks of current filters for several binary and grayscale image identifications. Next, we describe the optimization steps and introduce the ASPOF that can overcome these technical issues to improve the quality and the reliability of the correlation-based decision. We derive performance measures, i.e., PCE values and receiver operating characteristic curves, to confirm consistency of the results. We numerically find that this filter increases the recognition rate and decreases the false alarm rate. The results show that the discrimination of the ASPOF is comparable to that of the AMPOF, but the ASPOF is more robust than the trade-off maximum average correlation height against rotation and various types of noise sources. Our method has several features that make it amenable to experimental implementation using a VLC.

Headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry for the analysis of aerosol from tobacco heating product.

PubMed

Savareear, Benjamin; Lizak, Radoslaw; Brokl, Michał; Wright, Chris; Liu, Chuan; Focant, Jean-Francois

2017-10-20

A method involving headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOFMS) was developed and optimised to elucidate the volatile composition of the particulate phase fraction of aerosol produced by tobacco heating products (THPs). Three SPME fiber types were studied in terms of extraction capacity and precision measurements. Divinylbenzene polydimethylsiloxane appeared as the most efficient coating for these measurements. A central composite design of experiment was utilised for the optimization of the extraction conditions. Qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis of the headspace above THP aerosol condensate was carried out using optimised extraction conditions. Semi-quantitative analyses of detected constituents were performed by assuming that their relative response factors to the closest internal standard ( i t R ) were equal to 1. Using deconvoluted mass spectral data (library similarity and reverse match >750) and linear retention indices (match window of ±15 index units), 205 peaks were assigned to individual compounds, 82 of which (including 43 substances previously reported to be present in tobacco) have not been reported previously in tobacco aerosol. The major volatile fraction of the headspace contained ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, alicyclic hydrocarbons alkenes, and alkanes. The method was further applied to compare the volatiles from the particulate phase of aerosol composition of THP with that of reference cigarette smoke and showed that the THP produced a less complex chemical mixture. This new method showed good efficiency and precision for the peak areas and peak numbers from the volatile fraction of aerosol particulate phase for both THP and reference cigarettes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Device for measuring oxygen activity in liquid sodium

DOEpatents

Roy, P.; Young, R.S.

1973-12-01

A composite ceramic electrolyte in a configuration (such as a closed end tube or a plate) suitable to separate liquid sodium from a reference electrode with a high impedance voltmeter connected to measure EMF between the sodium and the reference electrode as a measure of oxygen activity in the sodium is described. The composite electrolyte consists of zirconiacalcia with a bonded layer of thoria-yttria. The device is used with a gaseous reference electrode on the zirconia-calcia side and liquid sodium on the thoria-yttria side of the electrolyte. (Official Gazette)

9 CFR 319.1 - Labeling and preparation of standardized products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... standardized products. 319.1 Section 319.1 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE... AND VOLUNTARY INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION DEFINITIONS AND STANDARDS OF IDENTITY OR COMPOSITION... standards of identity or composition are prescribed in this part shall show the appropriate product name, an...

9 CFR 319.1 - Labeling and preparation of standardized products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... standardized products. 319.1 Section 319.1 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE... AND VOLUNTARY INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION DEFINITIONS AND STANDARDS OF IDENTITY OR COMPOSITION... standards of identity or composition are prescribed in this part shall show the appropriate product name, an...

Chapter 10 - Using simulation modeling to assess historical reference conditions for vegetation and fire regimes for the LANDFIRE Prototype Project

Treesearch

Sarah Pratt; Lisa Holsinger; Robert E. Keane

2006-01-01

A critical component of the Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Prototype Project, or LANDFIRE Prototype Project, was the development of a nationally consistent method for estimating historical reference conditions for vegetation composition and structure and wildland fire regimes. These estimates of past vegetation composition and condition are used...

Regional reference variation provides ecologically meaningful protection criteria for northern world heritage site.

PubMed

Bowman, Michelle; Spencer, Paula; Dubé, Monique; West, David

2010-01-01

Unprecedented rates of resource development and climate change at northern latitudes coupled with a lack of baseline information limits our ability to set ecologically meaningful criteria needed to protect these inherently sensitive ecosystems. We surveyed water and sediment chemistry, community composition of benthic algae and invertebrates and fish, and condition of a sentinel fish species, slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus), in 2 rivers adjacent to metal mines and in 20 reference rivers in the headwaters of a World Heritage Site, the South Nahanni River Basin, NWT, Canada. The normal range (i.e., mean ± 2 standard deviations) of biological conditions in regional reference sites (grouped by community type) were used to set ecologically meaningful effect sizes. These effect sizes were used in noncentral hypotheses tests to assess the ecological condition of potentially impaired sites. Significant impairments at sites influenced by current and historical mining activity were indicative of mild enrichment (e.g., increased benthic abundance and sculpin condition) and bioaccumulation of metals (e.g., increased concentrations of Cu and Fe in muscle tissue of sculpin). Comparisons between our regional reference study and a concurrent upstream–downstream study showed that the sensitivity of biological endpoints was typically related to the impairment criteria used and not to the type of study design. Concentrations of metals such as Al, Cu, and Fe in river water at reference sites were above federal and regional guidelines, suggesting that these guidelines are not appropriate for the metal-rich headwaters of the South Nahanni River. The ephemerellid mayflies Drunella spinifera and Ephemerella maculata were present in 4 of our study sites; their occurrence had not previously been documented in the Yukon or Northwest Territories. Our results confirmed that the lack of baseline information on the physiochemical and biological composition of northern rivers is hampering our ability to evaluate changes in these understudied ecosystems. However, the use of noncentral hypotheses tests based on empirically derived effect sizes enabled us to develop ecologically meaningful protection criteria, maintain statistical rigor, and provide probabilities of impairment that can be used directly in risk assessment.

The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) Score Scales. 1980 and World War II

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

TABLE B-3 ASVAB 14 (A, B, & C) MECHANICAL & CRAFTS (MC) COMPOSITE PERCENTILE NORMS BY SEX AND GRADE Females Grade Males Total Standard Grade...COMPOSITE PERCENTILE NORMS BY SEX AND GRADE Females Grade Males Total Standard Grade Grade Standard Score 11th 12th nth 12th nth 12th Score 24 24...Standard Scores. B-8 TABLE B-3 ASVAB 14 (A. B,&C) ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL (EE) COMPOSITE PERCENTILE NORMS BY SEX AND GRADE Females Grade Males

Secondary analysis of anthropometric data from a South African national food consumption survey, using different growth reference standards.

PubMed

Bosman, L; Herselman, M G; Kruger, H S; Labadarios, D

2011-11-01

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) references were used to analyse anthropometric data from the 1999 National Food Consumption Survey (NFCS) of South Africa. Since then, however, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2000 reference and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2006 standards were released. It was anticipated that these reference and standards may lead to differences in the previous estimates of stunting, wasting, underweight and obesity in the study population. The aim was to compare the anthropometric status of children using the 1977 NCHS, the 2000 CDC growth references and the 2006 WHO standards. All children 12-60 months of age with a complete set of anthropometric data were included in the analyses. Data for 1,512 children were analysed with SAS 9.1 for Windows. A Z-score was calculated for each child for weight-for-age (W/A), weight-for-length/height (W/H), length/height-for-age (H/A) and body mass index (BMI)-for-age, using each of the three reference or standards for comparison. The prevalence of stunting, obesity and overweight were significantly higher and the prevalence of underweight and wasting were lower when using the WHO standards compared to the NCHS and the CDC references. The higher than previously established prevalence of stunting at 20.1% and combined overweight/obesity at 30% poses a challenge to South African policy makers to implement nutrition programmes to decrease the prevalence of both stunting and overweight. The 2006 WHO growth standard should be the standard used for assessment of growth of infants and children younger than 5 years in developing countries.

Polishing performance of multiple-use silicone rubber-based polishing instruments with and without disinfection/sterilization.

PubMed

Heintze, Siegward Dietmar; Forjanic, Monika

2008-10-01

To evaluate the effect of the multiple-use of a three-step rubber-based polishing system on the polishing performance with and without a disinfection/sterilization protocol with prolonged disinfection (overnight). The three-step polishing system Astropol was applied under standardized contact pressure of 2 N on 320 grit pre-roughened flat composite specimens of Tetric EvoCeram for 10 seconds (F and P disc) and 30 seconds (HP disc) respectively. After each polishing step, the surface gloss and roughness were measured with a glossmeter and an optical sensor (FRT MicroProf), respectively. Material loss of the composite specimens and polishing instruments were measured after each step with a high precision digital scale. For all four variables (surface gloss, surface roughness, composite loss, loss of rubber material) the mean percentage of change compared to the reference was calculated. Already after the first use, the instruments which were used without disinfection or sterilization demonstrated a statistically significantly reduced polishing performance in all polishing steps compared to the reference (new polishing system) (t-test, P < 0.05). In addition, this loss in performance further increased with the second and third re-use. Especially the third component (Astropol HP) was affected by performance loss. By contrast, the multiple-use of the instruments which were subjected to prolonged disinfection did not result in a reduced polishing performance. For the P disc, a statistically significant improvement of the polishing performance could be observed throughout almost all multiple-use sessions (ANOVA, P < 0.05). The improved polishing performance was, however, accompanied by an increased loss of the silicone rubber material of the P and F polishing discs; the HP discs were not affected by this loss. Furthermore, particles of the rubber material also adhered to the composite. The polishing performance of the discs which were only subjected to the sterilization process was not statistically significantly different to the polishing performance of the control group in terms of surface roughness; but the surface gloss was worse than that of the control group. No loss of rubber material or adherence to the composite was observed in this group.

Body Fat Analysis in Predialysis Chronic Kidney Disease: Multifrequency Bioimpedance Assay and Anthropometry Compared With Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry.

PubMed

Ravindranath, Jayasurya; Pillai, Priyamvada P Sivan; Parameswaran, Sreejith; Kamalanathan, Sadish Kumar; Pal, Gopal Krushna

2016-09-01

Body composition analysis is required for accurate assessment of nutritional status in patients with predialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD). The reference method for assessing body fat is dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), but it is relatively expensive and often not available for widespread clinical use. There is only limited data on the utility of less expensive and easily available alternatives such as multifrequency bioimpedance assay (BIA) and skinfold thickness (SFT) measurements for assessing body fat in predialysis CKD. The study intends to assess the utility of BIA and SFT in measuring body fat compared to the reference method DXA in subjects with predialysis CKD. Body composition analysis was done in 50 subjects with predialysis CKD using multifrequency BIA, SFT, and DXA. The agreement between the body fat percentages measured by reference method DXA and BIA/SFT was assessed by paired t-test, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), regression, and Bland-Altman plots. Percentage of body fat measured by BIA was higher compared to the measurements by DXA, but the difference was not significant (30.44 ± 9.34 vs. 28.62 ± 9.00; P = .071). The ICC between DXA and BIA was 0.822 (confidence interval: 0.688, 0.899; P = .000). The mean values of body fat percentages measured by anthropometry (SFT) was considerably lower when compared to DXA (23.62 ± 8.18 vs. 28.62 ± 9.00; P = .000). The ICC between DXA and SFT was .851 (confidence interval: 0.739, 0.915; P = .000). Bland-Altman plots showed that BIA overestimated body fat by a mean of 1.8% (standard deviation, 6.98), whereas SFT underestimated body fat by 5% (standard deviation, 4.01). Regression plots showed a better agreement between SFT and DXA (R(2) = .79) than BIA (R(2) = .50). Overall, SFT showed better agreement with the DXA. Body mass index (BMI) showed a moderate positive correlation with body fat measured by DXA whereas serum albumin failed to show good correlation. SFT showed relatively better agreement with the reference method DXA, compared to BIA. SFT can be used as a tool for assessing nutritional status in predialysis patients with CKD. Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Determination of the chemical composition of human renal stones with MDCT: influence of the surrounding media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grosjean, Romain; Sauer, Benoît; Guerra, Rui; Kermarrec, Isabelle; Ponvianne, Yannick; Winninger, Daniel; Daudon, Michel; Blum, Alain; Felblinger, Jacques; Hubert, Jacques

2007-03-01

The selection of the optimal treatment method for urinary stones diseases depends on the chemical composition of the stone and its corresponding fragility. MDCT has become the most used modality to determine rapidly and accurately the presence of stones when evaluating urinary lithiasis treatment. That is why several studies have tempted to determine the chemical composition of the stones based on the stone X-ray attenuation in-vitro and invivo. However, in-vitro studies did not reproduce the normal abdominal wall and fat, making uncertain the standardization of the obtained values. The aim of this study is to obtain X-ray attenuation values (in Hounsfield Units) of the six more frequent types of human renal stones (n=217) and to analyze the influence of the surrounding media on these values. The stones were first placed in a jelly, which X-ray attenuation is similar to that of the human kidney (30 HU at 120 kV). They were then stuck on a grid, scanned in a water tank and finally scanned in the air. Significant differences in CT-attenuation values were obtained with the three different surrounding media (jelly, water, air). Furthermore there was an influence of the surrounding media and consequently discrepancies in determination of the chemical composition of the renal stones. Consequently, CT-attenuation values found in in-vitro studies cannot really be considered as a reference for the determination of the chemical composition except if the used phantom is an anthropomorphic one.

Influence of Composition on the Environmental Impact of a Cast Aluminum Alloy

PubMed Central

Gómez, Patricia; Elduque, Daniel; Sarasa, Judith; Pina, Carmelo; Javierre, Carlos

2016-01-01

The influence of alloy composition on the environmental impact of the production of six aluminum casting alloys (Al Si12Cu1(Fe), Al Si5Mg, Al Si9Cu3Zn3Fe, Al Si10Mg(Fe), Al Si9Cu3(Fe)(Zn) and Al Si9) has been analyzed. In order to perform a more precise environmental impact calculation, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with ReCiPe Endpoint methodology has been used, with the EcoInvent v3 AlMg3 aluminum alloy dataset as a reference. This dataset has been updated with the material composition ranges of the mentioned alloys. The balanced, maximum and minimum environmental impact values have been obtained. In general, the overall impact of the studied aluminum alloys varies from 5.98 × 10−1 pts to 1.09 pts per kg, depending on the alloy composition. In the analysis of maximum and minimum environmental impact, the alloy that has the highest uncertainty is AlSi9Cu3(Fe)(Zn), with a range of ±9%. The elements that contribute the most to increase its impact are Copper and Tin. The environmental impact of a specific case, an LED luminaire housing made out of an Al Si12Cu1(Fe) cast alloy, has been studied, showing the importance of considering the composition. Significant differences with the standard datasets that are currently available in EcoInvent v3 have been found. PMID:28773536

Influence of Composition on the Environmental Impact of a Cast Aluminum Alloy.

PubMed

Gómez, Patricia; Elduque, Daniel; Sarasa, Judith; Pina, Carmelo; Javierre, Carlos

2016-05-25

The influence of alloy composition on the environmental impact of the production of six aluminum casting alloys (Al Si12Cu1(Fe), Al Si5Mg, Al Si9Cu3Zn3Fe, Al Si10Mg(Fe), Al Si9Cu3(Fe)(Zn) and Al Si9) has been analyzed. In order to perform a more precise environmental impact calculation, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) with ReCiPe Endpoint methodology has been used, with the EcoInvent v3 AlMg3 aluminum alloy dataset as a reference. This dataset has been updated with the material composition ranges of the mentioned alloys. The balanced, maximum and minimum environmental impact values have been obtained. In general, the overall impact of the studied aluminum alloys varies from 5.98 × 10 -1 pts to 1.09 pts per kg, depending on the alloy composition. In the analysis of maximum and minimum environmental impact, the alloy that has the highest uncertainty is AlSi9Cu3(Fe)(Zn), with a range of ±9%. The elements that contribute the most to increase its impact are Copper and Tin. The environmental impact of a specific case, an LED luminaire housing made out of an Al Si12Cu1(Fe) cast alloy, has been studied, showing the importance of considering the composition. Significant differences with the standard datasets that are currently available in EcoInvent v3 have been found.

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

Eppich, G.; Kips, R.; Lindvall, R.

The CUP-2 uranium ore concentrate (UOC) standard reference material, a powder, was produced at the Blind River uranium refinery of Eldorado Resources Ltd. in Canada in 1986. This material was produced as part of a joint effort by the Canadian Certified Reference Materials Project and the Canadian Uranium Producers Metallurgical Committee to develop a certified reference material for uranium concentration and the concentration of several impurity constituents. This standard was developed to satisfy the requirements of the UOC mining and milling industry, and was characterized with this purpose in mind. To produce CUP-2, approximately 25 kg of UOC derived frommore » the Blind River uranium refinery was blended, homogenized, and assessed for homogeneity by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The homogenized material was then packaged into bottles, containing 50 g of material each, and distributed for analysis to laboratories in 1986. The CUP-2 UOC standard was characterized by an interlaboratory analysis program involving eight member laboratories, six commercial laboratories, and three additional volunteer laboratories. Each laboratory provided five replicate results on up to 17 analytes, including total uranium concentration, and moisture content. The selection of analytical technique was left to each participating laboratory. Uranium was reported on an “as-received” basis; all other analytes (besides moisture content) were reported on a “dry-weight” basis. A bottle of 25g of CUP-2 UOC standard as described above was purchased by LLNL and characterized by the LLNL Nuclear Forensics Group. Non-destructive and destructive analytical techniques were applied to the UOC sample. Information obtained from short-term techniques such as photography, gamma spectrometry, and scanning electron microscopy were used to guide the performance of longer-term techniques such as ICP-MS. Some techniques, such as XRF and ICP-MS, provided complementary types of data. The results indicate that the CUP-2 standard has a natural isotopic ratio, and does not appear to have been isotopically enriched or depleted in any way, and was not contaminated by a source of uranium with a non-natural isotopic composition. Furthermore, the lack of 233U and 236U above the instrumental detection limit indicates that this sample was not exposed to a neutron flux, which would have generated one or both of these isotopes in measurable concentrations.« less

36 CFR 400.1 - Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations and other conduct rules. 400.1 Section 400.1... CONDUCT § 400.1 Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations... executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct and financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR parts 2634...

24 CFR 0.1 - Cross-reference to employees ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 0.1 Section 0.1 Housing and Urban... Cross-reference to employees ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees...-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Department's regulation at 5 CFR part 7501...

24 CFR 0.1 - Cross-reference to employees ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 0.1 Section 0.1 Housing and Urban... Cross-reference to employees ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees...-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Department's regulation at 5 CFR part 7501...

36 CFR 400.1 - Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations and other conduct rules. 400.1 Section 400.1... CONDUCT § 400.1 Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations... executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct and financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR parts 2634...

41 CFR 105-735.1 - Cross-references to employee ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations, and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

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29 CFR 1600.101 - Cross-reference to employee ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

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2014-07-01

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38 CFR 0.735-10 - Cross-reference to employee ethical and other conduct standards and financial disclosure...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

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36 CFR 400.1 - Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations and other conduct rules. 400.1 Section 400.1... CONDUCT § 400.1 Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations... executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct and financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR parts 2634...

36 CFR 400.1 - Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations and other conduct rules. 400.1 Section 400.1... CONDUCT § 400.1 Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations... executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct and financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR parts 2634...

24 CFR 0.1 - Cross-reference to employees ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 0.1 Section 0.1 Housing and Urban... Cross-reference to employees ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees...-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Department's regulation at 5 CFR part 7501...

24 CFR 0.1 - Cross-reference to employees ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 0.1 Section 0.1 Housing and Urban... Cross-reference to employees ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees...-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Department's regulation at 5 CFR part 7501...

24 CFR 0.1 - Cross-reference to employees ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. 0.1 Section 0.1 Housing and Urban... Cross-reference to employees ethical conduct standards and financial disclosure regulations. Employees...-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635, the Department's regulation at 5 CFR part 7501...

Simultaneous measurement of sulfur and lead isotopes in sulfides using nanosecond laser ablation coupled with two multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Honglin; Liu, Xu; Chen, Lu; Bao, Zhian; Chen, Kaiyun; Zong, Chunlei; Li, Xiao-Chun; Qiu, Johnson Wenhong

2018-04-01

We herein report the coupling of a nanosecond laser ablation system with a large-scale multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (Nu1700 MC-ICPMS, NP-1700) and a conventional Nu Plasma II MC-ICPMS (NP-II) for the simultaneous laser ablation and determination of in situ S and Pb isotopic compositions of sulfide minerals. We found that the required aerosol distribution between the two spectrometers depended on the Pb content of the sample. For example, for a sulfide containing 100-3000 ppm Pb, the aerosol was distributed between the NP-1700 and the NP-II spectrometers in a 1:1 ratio, while for lead contents >3000 and <100 ppm, these ratios were 5:1 and 1:3, respectively. In addition, S isotopic analysis showed a pronounced matrix effect, so a matrix-matched external standard was used for standard-sample bracketing correction. The NIST NBS 977 (NBS, National Bureau of Standards; NIST, National Institute of Standards & Technology) Tl (thallium) dry aerosol internal standard and the NIST SRM 610 (SRM, standard reference material) external standard were employed to obtain accurate results for the analysis of Pb isotopes. In tandem experiments where airflow conditions were similar to those employed during stand-alone analyses, small changes in the aerosol carrier gas flow did not significantly influence the accurate determination of S and Pb isotope ratios. In addition, careful optimization of the flow ratio of the aerosol carrier (He) and makeup (Ar) gases to match stand-alone analytical conditions allowed comparable S and Pb isotope ratios to be obtained within an error of 2 s analytical uncertainties. Furthermore, the results of tandem analyses obtained using our method were consistent with those of previously reported stand-alone techniques for the S and Pb isotopes of chalcopyrite, pyrite, galena, and sphalerite, thus indicating that this method is suitable for the simultaneous analysis of S and Pb isotopes of natural sulfide minerals, and provides an effective tool to determine S and Pb isotope compositions of sulfides formed through multi-stage deposition routes.

Polyfluorinated substances in abiotic standard reference materials

EPA Science Inventory

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a wide range of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) which have values assigned for legacy organic pollutants and toxic elements. Existing SRMs serve as homogenous materials that can be used for method development, meth...

Employment references: defamation law in the clinical laboratory.

PubMed

Parks, D G

1993-01-01

The law of defamation and the risks involved in issuing employment references are discussed. A hypothetical scenario is used to illustrate the legal standards governing the tort of defamation and to apply those standards to employment references. Practical suggestions for a "controlled reference" policy are provided, with the objective of allowing for responsible exchange of employment information and avoiding a defamation lawsuit.

Growth References of Preschool Children Based on the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study and Compared to World Health Organization Growth Standards.

PubMed

Li, Yi-Fan; Lin, Shio-Jean; Lin, Kuan-Chia; Chiang, Tung-Liang

2016-02-01

To develop new growth references for height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) for children aged 0-5 years in the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study (TBCS) and to compare these references with both 1997 Taiwan references and World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Data were obtained from the TBCS of a nationally representative sample of 24,200 children. A total of 18,466 children completed the baseline survey at 6 months of age and three follow-up surveys at 18 months, 3 years, and 5.5 years of age. The modified LMS method was used to construct percentile curves by sex, including length/height for age, weight for age, and BMI for age. TBCS children of both sexes were shorter and lighter at birth compared with 1997 Taiwan references and WHO standards. The growth patterns of TBCS children were close to those of the 1997 Taiwan references after 6 months of age. Compared with WHO standards, however, TBCS children were heavier after 6 months of age. This study has developed TBCS references to monitor the growth of children in Taiwan, whose weight growth patterns differed from those "prescribed" by WHO standards. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

78 FR 37696 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Updated Postretirement Benefit (PRB) References

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-21

... that were deleted in the Financial Accounting Standards Board's (FASB's) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The references no longer exist in the..., 2012, to replace the obsolete references to paragraphs 110, 112, and 113 of Financial Accounting...

Predictive Accuracy of Sweep Frequency Impedance Technology in Identifying Conductive Conditions in Newborns.

PubMed

Aithal, Venkatesh; Kei, Joseph; Driscoll, Carlie; Murakoshi, Michio; Wada, Hiroshi

2018-02-01

Diagnosing conductive conditions in newborns is challenging for both audiologists and otolaryngologists. Although high-frequency tympanometry (HFT), acoustic stapedial reflex tests, and wideband absorbance measures are useful diagnostic tools, there is performance measure variability in their detection of middle ear conditions. Additional diagnostic sensitivity and specificity measures gained through new technology such as sweep frequency impedance (SFI) measures may assist in the diagnosis of middle ear dysfunction in newborns. The purpose of this study was to determine the test performance of SFI to predict the status of the outer and middle ear in newborns against commonly used reference standards. Automated auditory brainstem response (AABR), HFT (1000 Hz), transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE), distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE), and SFI tests were administered to the study sample. A total of 188 neonates (98 males and 90 females) with a mean gestational age of 39.4 weeks were included in the sample. Mean age at the time of testing was 44.4 hr. Diagnostic accuracy of SFI was assessed in terms of its ability to identify conductive conditions in neonates when compared with nine different reference standards (including four single tests [AABR, HFT, TEOAE, and DPOAE] and five test batteries [HFT + DPOAE, HFT + TEOAE, DPOAE + TEOAE, DPOAE + AABR, and TEOAE + AABR]), using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and traditional test performance measures such as sensitivity and specificity. The test performance of SFI against the test battery reference standard of HFT + DPOAE and single reference standard of HFT was high with an area under the ROC curve (AROC) of 0.87 and 0.82, respectively. Although the HFT + DPOAE test battery reference standard performed better than the HFT reference standard in predicting middle ear conductive conditions in neonates, the difference in AROC was not significant. Further analysis revealed that the highest sensitivity and specificity for SFI (86% and 88%, respectively) was obtained when compared with the reference standard of HFT + DPOAE. Among the four single reference standards, SFI had the highest sensitivity and specificity (76% and 88%, respectively) when compared against the HFT reference standard. The high test performance of SFI against the HFT and HFT + DPOAE reference standards indicates that the SFI measure has appropriate diagnostic accuracy in detection of conductive conditions in newborns. Hence, the SFI test could be used as adjunct tool to identify conductive conditions in universal newborn hearing screening programs, and can also be used in diagnostic follow-up assessments. American Academy of Audiology

High accuracy Primary Reference gas Mixtures for high-impact greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieuwenkamp, Gerard; Zalewska, Ewelina; Pearce-Hill, Ruth; Brewer, Paul; Resner, Kate; Mace, Tatiana; Tarhan, Tanil; Zellweger, Christophe; Mohn, Joachim

2017-04-01

Climate change, due to increased man-made emissions of greenhouse gases, poses one of the greatest risks to society worldwide. High-impact greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) and indirect drivers for global warming (e.g. CO) are measured by the global monitoring stations for greenhouse gases, operated and organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Reference gases for the calibration of analyzers have to meet very challenging low level of measurement uncertainty to comply with the Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) set by the WMO. Within the framework of the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP), a project to improve the metrology for high-impact greenhouse gases was granted (HIGHGAS, June 2014-May 2017). As a result of the HIGHGAS project, primary reference gas mixtures in cylinders for ambient levels of CO2, CH4, N2O and CO in air have been prepared with unprecedented low uncertainties, typically 3-10 times lower than usually previously achieved by the NMIs. To accomplish these low uncertainties in the reference standards, a number of preparation and analysis steps have been studied and improved. The purity analysis of the parent gases had to be performed with lower detection limits than previously achievable. E.g., to achieve an uncertainty of 2•10-9 mol/mol (absolute) on the amount fraction for N2O, the detection limit for the N2O analysis in the parent gases has to be in the sub nmol/mol domain. Results of an OPO-CRDS analyzer set-up in the 5µm wavelength domain, with a 200•10-12 mol/mol detection limit for N2O, will be presented. The adsorption effects of greenhouse gas components at cylinder surfaces are critical, and have been studied for different cylinder passivation techniques. Results of a two-year stability study will be presented. The fit-for-purpose of the reference materials was studied for possible variation on isotopic composition between the reference material and the sample. Measurement results for a suit of CO2 in air mixtures with varying δ13C values (from -5‰ to -40‰) analyzed with both cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) and isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) will be presented. Round robins were organized to assess the agreement of the new reference gas mixtures developed by different project partners and to compare the new reference gases with the reference standards currently used by the atmospheric monitoring community (NOAA and AGAGE). These results will also be presented.

A Method for Evaluating Outcomes of Restoration When No Reference Sites Exist

Treesearch

J. Stephen Brewer; Timothy Menzel

2009-01-01

Ecological restoration typically seeks to shift species composition toward that of existing reference sites. Yet, comparing the assemblages in restored and reference habitats assumes that similarity to the reference habitat is the optimal outcome of restoration and does not provide a perspective on regionally rare off-site species. When no such reference assemblages of...

A Calibration-Free Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) Quantitative Analysis Method Based on the Auto-Selection of an Internal Reference Line and Optimized Estimation of Plasma Temperature.

PubMed

Yang, Jianhong; Li, Xiaomeng; Xu, Jinwu; Ma, Xianghong

2018-01-01

The quantitative analysis accuracy of calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF-LIBS) is severely affected by the self-absorption effect and estimation of plasma temperature. Herein, a CF-LIBS quantitative analysis method based on the auto-selection of internal reference line and the optimized estimation of plasma temperature is proposed. The internal reference line of each species is automatically selected from analytical lines by a programmable procedure through easily accessible parameters. Furthermore, the self-absorption effect of the internal reference line is considered during the correction procedure. To improve the analysis accuracy of CF-LIBS, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is introduced to estimate the plasma temperature based on the calculation results from the Boltzmann plot. Thereafter, the species concentrations of a sample can be calculated according to the classical CF-LIBS method. A total of 15 certified alloy steel standard samples of known compositions and elemental weight percentages were used in the experiment. Using the proposed method, the average relative errors of Cr, Ni, and Fe calculated concentrations were 4.40%, 6.81%, and 2.29%, respectively. The quantitative results demonstrated an improvement compared with the classical CF-LIBS method and the promising potential of in situ and real-time application.

Mechanical properties of experimental composites with different calcium phosphates fillers.

PubMed

Okulus, Zuzanna; Voelkel, Adam

2017-09-01

Calcium phosphates (CaPs)-containing composites have already shown good properties from the point of view of dental restorative materials. The purpose of this study was to examine the crucial mechanical properties of twelve hydroxyapatite- or tricalcium phosphate-filled composites. The raw and surface-treated forms of both CaP fillers were applied. As a reference materials two experimental glass-containing composites and one commercial dental restorative composite were applied. Nano-hardness, elastic modulus, compressive, flexural and diametral tensile strength of all studied materials were determined. Application of statistical methods (one-way analysis of variance and cluster agglomerative analysis) allowed for assessing the similarities between examined materials according to the values of studied parameters. The obtained results show that in almost all cases the mechanical properties of experimental CaPs-composites are comparable or even better than mechanical properties of examined reference materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of Perfluorinated Alkyl Acid Concentrations in Biological Standard Reference Materials

EPA Science Inventory

Standard reference materials (SRMs) are homogeneous, well-characterized materials used to validate measurements and improve the quality of analytical data. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has a wide range of SRMs that have mass fraction values assigned ...

Standardization of the capillary electrophoresis procedures Capillarys® CDT and Minicap® CDT in comparison to the IFCC reference measurement procedure.

PubMed

Schellenberg, François; Humeau, Camille

2017-06-01

CDT is at present the most relevant routinely available biological marker of alcohol use and is widely used for screening and monitoring of patients. The lack of standardization leads to specific reference intervals for each procedure. The IFCC working group devoted to CDT demonstrated that the standardization is possible using calibrators assigned to the reference measurement procedure. In this study, we compare the capillary electrophoresis (CE) techniques Capillarys® CDT and Minicap® CDT (Sebia, Lisses, France) to the reference procedure before and after standardization in 126 samples covering the range of CDT measurement. Both capillary electrophoresis procedures show a high correlation (r=0,997) with the reference procedure and the concordance correlation coefficient evaluated according to Mc Bride is "almost perfect" (>0.997 for both CE procedures). The number of results with a relative difference higher than the acceptable difference limit is only 1 for Capillarys® CDT and 5 for Minicap® CDT. These results demonstrate the efficiency of the standardization of CDT measurements for both CE techniques from Sebia, achieved using calibrators assigned to the reference measurement procedure.

[The requirements of standard and conditions of interchangeability of medical articles].

PubMed

Men'shikov, V V; Lukicheva, T I

2013-11-01

The article deals with possibility to apply specific approaches under evaluation of interchangeability of medical articles for laboratory analysis. The development of standardized analytical technologies of laboratory medicine and formulation of requirements of standards addressed to manufacturers of medical articles the clinically validated requirements are to be followed. These requirements include sensitivity and specificity of techniques, accuracy and precision of research results, stability of reagents' quality in particular conditions of their transportation and storage. The validity of requirements formulated in standards and addressed to manufacturers of medical articles can be proved using reference system, which includes master forms and standard samples, reference techniques and reference laboratories. This approach is supported by data of evaluation of testing systems for measurement of level of thyrotrophic hormone, thyroid hormones and glycated hemoglobin HB A1c. The versions of testing systems can be considered as interchangeable only in case of results corresponding to the results of reference technique and comparable with them. In case of absence of functioning reference system the possibilities of the Joined committee of traceability in laboratory medicine make it possible for manufacturers of reagent sets to apply the certified reference materials under development of manufacturing of sets for large listing of analytes.

Fast and robust method for the determination of microstructure and composition in butadiene, styrene-butadiene, and isoprene rubber by near-infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Vilmin, Franck; Dussap, Claude; Coste, Nathalie

2006-06-01

In the tire industry, synthetic styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), butadiene rubber (BR), and isoprene rubber (IR) elastomers are essential for conferring to the product its properties of grip and rolling resistance. Their physical properties depend on their chemical composition, i. e., their microstructure and styrene content, which must be accurately controlled. This paper describes a fast, robust, and highly reproducible near-infrared analytical method for the quantitative determination of the microstructure and styrene content. The quantitative models are calculated with the help of pure spectral profiles estimated from a partial least squares (PLS) regression, using (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as the reference method. This versatile approach allows the models to be applied over a large range of compositions, from a single BR to an SBR-IR blend. The resulting quantitative predictions are independent of the sample path length. As a consequence, the sample preparation is solvent free and simplified with a very fast (five minutes) hot filming step of a bulk polymer piece. No precise thickness control is required. Thus, the operator effect becomes negligible and the method is easily transferable. The root mean square error of prediction, depending on the rubber composition, is between 0.7% and 1.3%. The reproducibility standard error is less than 0.2% in every case.

Fondaparinux with UnfracTionated heparin dUring Revascularization in Acute coronary syndromes (FUTURA/OASIS 8): a randomized trial of intravenous unfractionated heparin during percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes initially treated with fondaparinux.

PubMed

Steg, Philippe Gabriel; Mehta, Shamir; Jolly, Sanjit; Xavier, Denis; Rupprecht, Hans-Juergen; Lopez-Sendon, Jose Luis; Chrolavicius, Susan; Rao, Sunil V; Granger, Christopher B; Pogue, Janice; Laing, Shiona; Yusuf, Salim

2010-12-01

There is uncertainty regarding the optimal adjunctive unfractionated heparin (UFH) regimen for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) treated with fondaparinux. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of 2 dose regimens of adjunctive intravenous UFH during PCI in high-risk patients with NSTE-ACS initially treated with fondaparinux and referred for early coronary angiography. This is an international prospective cohort study of approximately 4,000 high-risk patients presenting to hospital with unstable angina or non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, treated with fondaparinux as initial medical therapy, and referred for early coronary angiography with a view to revascularization. Within this cohort, 2,000 patients undergoing PCI will be eligible for enrollment into a double-blind international randomized parallel-group trial evaluating standard activated clotting time (ACT)-guided doses of intravenous UFH versus a non-ACT-guided weight-adjusted low dose. The standard regimen uses an 85-U/kg bolus of UFH if there is no platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GpIIb-IIIa) inhibitor or 60 U/kg if GpIIb-IIIa inhibitor use is planned, with additional bolus guided by blinded ACT measurements. The low-dose regimen uses a 50 U/kg UFH bolus, irrespective of planned GpIIb-IIIa use. The primary outcome is the composite of peri-PCI major bleeding, minor bleeding, or major vascular access site complications. The assessment of net clinical benefit is a key secondary outcome: it addresses the composite of peri-PCI major bleeding with death, myocardial infarction, or target vessel revascularization at day 30. FUTURA/OASIS 8 will help define the optimal UFH regimen as adjunct to PCI in high-risk NSTE-ACS patients treated with fondaparinux. Copyright © 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantiferon-TB Gold Plus is a More Sensitive Screening Tool than Quantiferon-TB Gold In-Tube for Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Older Adults in Long-Term Care Facility.

PubMed

Chien, Jung-Yien; Chiang, Hsiu-Tzy; Lu, Min-Chi; Ko, Wen-Chien; Yu, Chong-Jen; Chen, Yen-Hsu; Hsueh, Po-Ren

2018-05-23

We investigated the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among the residents in seven long-term care facilities (LTCFs) located in different regions of Taiwan and compared the performance of two interferon-gamma release assays, i.e. QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) and QuantiFERON-TB Gold plus (QFT-Plus) for screening LTBI. We also assessed the diagnostic performance against a composite reference standard (subjects with persistent-positive, transient-positive, and negative results of QFTs during reproducibility analysis were classified as definite, possible and not LTBI, respectively). Two hundred and forty-four residents were enrolled and 229 subjects were included into analysis. The median age was 80 years (range, 60-102 years old) and 117 (51.1%) were male. Among them, 66 (28.8%) and 74 (32.3%) subjects had positive results of QFT-GIT and QFT-Plus, respectively, and 215 (93.9%) subjects showed agreement results. Using composite reference standard, 66 (28.8%), 11 (4.8%), and 152 (66.4%) were classified as definite, possible and not LTBI, respectively. For definite LTBI, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of QFT-GIT were 89.4%, 95.7%, 89.4%, and 95.7%, respectively, and those for QFT-Plus were 100.0%, 95.1%, 89.2%, and 100.0%. The sensitivity of QFT-GIT decreased gradually with age. Compared to QFT-GIT, QFT-Plus displayed significantly higher sensitivity (100.0% vs. 89.4%, P =0.013) and similar specificity (95.1% vs. 95.7%). In conclusion, a high prevalence of LTBI was found among elders in LTCFs in Taiwan. The new QFT-Plus test demonstrated a higher sensitivity than QFT-GIT in the older adults in LTCFs. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

18 CFR 1300.101 - Cross references to employee ethical conduct standards and other applicable regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... employee ethical conduct standards and other applicable regulations. 1300.101 Section 1300.101 Conservation... TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY § 1300.101 Cross references to employee ethical conduct standards and other...-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and to the TVA regulations at 5 CFR part 7901...

18 CFR 1300.101 - Cross references to employee ethical conduct standards and other applicable regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... employee ethical conduct standards and other applicable regulations. 1300.101 Section 1300.101 Conservation... TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY § 1300.101 Cross references to employee ethical conduct standards and other...-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and to the TVA regulations at 5 CFR part 7901...

78 FR 13243 - Updates to Standards Incorporated by Reference; Reapproved ASTM Standards; Technical Amendment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-27

... Characteristics of Plastic Film 2009)[egr]1. and Sheeting. Standard Specification for F682-82a F682-82a 46 56.01-2... (Reapproved Standard Test Method for Determining Gas 2009)[egr]1. Permeability Characteristics of Plastic Film..., Fire prevention, Hazardous substances, Incorporation by reference, Oil pollution, Reporting and...

18 CFR 1300.101 - Cross references to employee ethical conduct standards and other applicable regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... employee ethical conduct standards and other applicable regulations. 1300.101 Section 1300.101 Conservation... TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY § 1300.101 Cross references to employee ethical conduct standards and other...-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and to the TVA regulations at 5 CFR part 7901...

18 CFR 1300.101 - Cross references to employee ethical conduct standards and other applicable regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... employee ethical conduct standards and other applicable regulations. 1300.101 Section 1300.101 Conservation... TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY § 1300.101 Cross references to employee ethical conduct standards and other...-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and to the TVA regulations at 5 CFR part 7901...

18 CFR 1300.101 - Cross references to employee ethical conduct standards and other applicable regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... employee ethical conduct standards and other applicable regulations. 1300.101 Section 1300.101 Conservation... TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY § 1300.101 Cross references to employee ethical conduct standards and other...-wide standards of ethical conduct at 5 CFR part 2635 and to the TVA regulations at 5 CFR part 7901...

36 CFR § 400.1 - Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure regulations and other conduct rules. § 400.1 Section Â... RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT § 400.1 Cross-references to employees' ethical conduct standards, financial disclosure... executive branch-wide standards of ethical conduct and financial disclosure regulations at 5 CFR parts 2634...

A proposed procedure for derivation of regulatory values for carcinogenic airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) based on coal tar pitch (CTP) volatiles.

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

Foureman, G.L.; Smith, R.L.

A procedure for estimating upper bound lifetime human cancer risk from air levels of six common carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), termed APAHs of concern, is proposed. These PAHs are benzo(a)pyrene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene, and chrysene. In application, this proposed procedure would regard any given air level obtained for a APAH of concern to originate from a standard mixture of coal tar pitch (CTP). The given air level for the APAHs of concern is then related to a corresponding air level of CTP and thence, to an inhalation unit cancer risk calculated for CTP. Reference values for the proceduremore » are the relative and absolute PAH composition of a CTP standard (SRM-1597) and the inhalation unit cancer risk. Qualitative characterization of the results are a vital part of the procedure especially when more than one APAH of concern{at} is being considered. Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) may be used as an evaluative tool in characterization of the procedure and outcome. Limitations of this proposed procedure include the uneven database for the reference values and the inability to consider air samples inclusive of another common carcinogenic PAH, dibenz(a,h)anthracene, due to its lack of documentation in CTP and high TEF« less

Higgs Discovery: Impact on Composite Dynamics Technicolor & eXtreme Compositeness Thinking Fast and Slow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sannino, Francesco

I discuss the impact of the discovery of a Higgs-like state on composite dynamics starting by critically examining the reasons in favour of either an elementary or composite nature of this state. Accepting the standard model interpretation I re-address the standard model vacuum stability within a Weyl-consistent computation. I will carefully examine the fundamental reasons why what has been discovered might not be the standard model Higgs. Dynamical electroweak breaking naturally addresses a number of the fundamental issues unsolved by the standard model interpretation. However this paradigm has been challenged by the discovery of a not-so-heavy Higgs-like state. I will therefore review the recent discovery1 that the standard model top-induced radiative corrections naturally reduce the intrinsic non-perturbative mass of the composite Higgs state towards the desired experimental value. Not only we have a natural and testable working framework but we have also suggested specic gauge theories that can realise, at the fundamental level, these minimal models of dynamical electroweak symmetry breaking. These strongly coupled gauge theories are now being heavily investigated via first principle lattice simulations with encouraging results. The new findings show that the recent naive claims made about new strong dynamics at the electroweak scale being disfavoured by the discovery of a not-so-heavy composite Higgs are unwarranted. I will then introduce the more speculative idea of extreme compositeness according to which not only the Higgs sector of the standard model is composite but also quarks and leptons, and provide a toy example in the form of gauge-gauge duality.

78 FR 51695 - Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products; Extension of Comment Period

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-21

... Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products; Extension of Comment Period AGENCY: Environmental... composite wood products. After receiving requests for an extension, EPA extended the comment period from... Environmental protection, Formaldehyde, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Toxic substances, Wood. Dated...

1 CFR 21.21 - General requirements: References.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 1 General Provisions 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false General requirements: References. 21.21 Section... to test methods or consensus standards produced by a Federal agency that have replaced or preempted private or voluntary test methods or consensus standards in a subject matter area. (5) The reference is to...

NBS/EPA (NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS/ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY) CERTIFIED REFERENCE MATERIAL PERFORMANCE AUDIT PROGRAM: STATUS REPORT 1

EPA Science Inventory

A traceability procedure has been established which allows specialty gas producers to prepare gaseous pollutant Certified Reference Materials (CRMs). The accuracy, stability and homogeneity of the CRMs approach those of NBS Standard Reference Materials (SRMs). Part of this proced...

NBS/EPA (NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS/ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY) CERTIFIED REFERENCE MATERIAL PERFORMANCE AUDIT PROGRAM: STATUS REPORT 2

EPA Science Inventory

A traceability procedure has been established which allows specialty gas producers to prepare gaseous pollutant Certified Reference Materials (CRM's). The accuracy, stability and homogeneity of the CRM's approach those of NBS Standard Reference Materials (SRM's). As of October 19...

39 CFR 111.1 - Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual; incorporated by...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Service, Domestic Mail Manual; incorporated by reference of regulations governing domestic mail services..., Domestic Mail Manual; incorporated by reference of regulations governing domestic mail services. Section... by reference in this part, the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail...

[Research strategies in standard decoction of medicinal slices].

PubMed

Chen, Shi-Lin; Liu, An; Li, Qi; Toru, Sugita; Zhu, Guang-Wei; Sun, Yi; Dai, Yun-Tao; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Tie-Jun; Takehisa, Tomoda; Liu, Chang-Xiao

2016-04-01

This paper discusses the research situation of the standard decoction of medicinal slices at home and abroad. Combined with the experimental data, the author proposes that the standard decoction of medicinal slices is made of single herb using standard process which should be guided by the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, based on clinical practice and referred to modern extraction method with a standard process. And the author also proposes the principles of establishing the specification of process parameters and quality standards and established the basis of drug efficacy material and biological reference. As a standard material and standard system, the standard decoction of medicinal slices can provide standards for clinical medication, standardize the use of the new type of medicinal slices especially for dispensing granules, which were widely used in clinical. It can ensure the accuracy of drugs and consistency of dose, and to solve current supervision difficulties. Moreover the study of standard decoction of medicinal slices will provide the research on dispensing granules, traditional Chinese medicine prescription standard decoction and couplet medicines standard decoction a useful reference. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Microstructure and Properties of Thermally Sprayed Functionally Graded Coatings for Polymeric Substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ivosevic, M.; Knight, R.; Kalidindi, S. R.; Palmese, G. R.; Sutter, J. K.

2003-01-01

The use of polymer matrix composites (PMCs) in the gas flow path of advanced turbine engines offers significant benefits for aircraft engine performance but their useful lifetime is limited by their poor erosion resistance. High velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) sprayed polymer/cermet functionally graded (FGM) coatings are being investigated as a method to address this technology gap by providing erosion and oxidation protection to polymer matrix composites. The FGM coating structures are based on a polyimide matrix filled with varying volume fractions of WC-Co. The graded coating architecture was produced using a combination of internal and external feedstock injection, via two computer-controlled powder feeders and controlled substrate preheating. Porosity, coating thickness and volume fraction of the WC-Co filler retained in the coatings were determined using standard metallographic techniques and computer image analysis. The pull-off strength (often referred to as the adhesive strength) of the coatings was evaluated according to the ASTM D 4541 standard test method, which measured the greatest normal tensile force that the coating could withstand. Adhesive/cohesive strengths were determined for three different types of coating structures and compared based on the maximum indicated load and the surface area loaded. The nature and locus of the fractures were characterized according to the percent of adhesive and/or cohesive failure, and the tested interfaces and layers involved were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy.

Application of gamma-ray spectrometry in a NORM industry for its radiometrical characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantero, J.; Gázquez, M. J.; Hurtado, S.; Bolívar, J. P.; García-Tenorio, R.

2015-11-01

Industrial activities involving Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) are found among the most important industrial sectors worldwide as oil/gas facilities, metal production, phosphate Industry, zircon treatment, etc. being really significant the radioactive characterization of the materials involved in their production processes in order to assess the potential radiological risk for workers or natural environment. High resolution gamma spectrometry is a versatile non-destructive radiometric technique that makes simultaneous determination of several radionuclides possible with little sample preparation. However NORM samples cover a wide variety of densities and composition, as opposed to the standards used in gamma efficiency calibration, which are either water-based solutions or standard/reference sources of similar composition. For that reason self-absorption correction effects (especially in the low energy range) must be considered individually in every sample. In this work an experimental and a semi-empirical methodology of self-absorption correction were applied to NORM samples, and the obtained results compared critically, in order to establish the best practice in relation to the circumstances of an individual laboratory. This methodology was applied in samples coming from a TiO2 factory (NORM industry) located in the south-west of Spain where activity concentration of several radionuclides from the Uranium and Thorium series through the production process was measured. These results will be shown in this work.

42 CFR 7.2 - Establishment of a user charge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... DISTRIBUTION OF REFERENCE BIOLOGICAL STANDARDS AND BIOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS § 7.2 Establishment of a user charge... producing and distributing reference biological standards and biological preparations. ...

An inversion-based self-calibration for SIMS measurements: Application to H, F, and Cl in apatite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyce, J. W.; Eiler, J. M.

2011-12-01

Measurements of volatile abundances in igneous apatites can provide information regarding the abundances and evolution of volatiles in magmas, with applications to terrestrial volcanism and planetary evolution. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements can produce accurate and precise measurements of H and other volatiles in many materials including apatite. SIMS standardization generally makes use of empirical linear transfer functions that relate measured ion ratios to independently known concentrations. However, this approach is often limited by the lack of compositionally diverse, well-characterized, homogeneous standards. In general, SIMS calibrations are developed for minor and trace elements, and any two are treated as independent of one another. However, in crystalline materials, additional stoichiometric constraints may apply. In the case of apatite, the sum of concentrations of abundant volatile elements (H, Cl, and F) should closely approach 100% occupancy of their collective structural site. Here we propose and document the efficacy of a method for standardizing SIMS analyses of abundant volatiles in apatites that takes advantage of this stoichiometric constraint. The principle advantage of this method is that it is effectively self-standardizing; i.e., it requires no independently known homogeneous reference standards. We define a system of independent linear equations relating measured ion ratios (H/P, Cl/P, F/P) and unknown calibration slopes. Given sufficient range in the concentrations of the different elements among apatites measured in a single analytical session, solving this system of equations allows for the calibration slope for each element to be determined without standards, using only blank-corrected ion ratios. In the case that a data set of this kind lacks sufficient range in measured compositions of one or more of the relevant ion ratios, one can employ measurements of additional apatites of a variety of compositions to increase the statistical range and make the inversion more accurate and precise. These additional non-standard apatites need only be wide-ranging in composition: They need not be homogenous nor have known H, F, or Cl concentrations. Tests utilizing synthetic data and data generated in the laboratory indicate that this method should yield satisfactory results provided apatites meet the criteria of the model. The inversion method is able to reproduce conventional calibrations to within <2.5%, a level of accuracy comparable to or even better than the uncertainty of the conventional calibration, and one that includes both error in the inversion method as well as any true error in the independently determined values of the standards. Uncertainties in the inversion calibrations range from 0.1-1.7% (2σ), typically an order of magnitude smaller than the uncertainties in conventional calibrations (~4-5% for H2O, 1-19% for F and Cl). However, potential systematic errors stem from the model assumption of 100% occupancy of this site by the measured elements. Use of this method simplifies analysis of H, F, and Cl in apatites by SIMS, and may also be amenable to other stoichiometrically limited substitution groups, including P+As+S+Si+C in apatite, and Zr+Hf+U+Th in non-metamict zircon.

Characteristic of leachate at Alor Pongsu Landfill Site, Perak, Malaysia: A comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nor Farhana Zakaria, Siti; Aziz, Hamidi Abdul

2018-04-01

Leachate is a harmful by product generated from the landfill site. Leachate contains a high concentration of pollutant which can cause serious pollution to environmental. In this study, characteristics of leachate in Alor Pongsu Landfill Site (APLS) were monitored and analyzed according to the Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (2005). Composition in leachate at APLS was monitored for one year starting from January 2015 until January 2016. Nine parameters were monitored including color, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD5), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), biodegradability ratio (BOD5/COD), temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solid (TDS) and pH. Based on the analysis, Alor Pongsu Landfill leachate was categorized as stabilized landfill leachate by referring to the BOD5/COD < 0.1. Comparison with allowable discharge limits for leachate shows that most of parameters exceeded the standard discharge limitation. Thus, proper treatment is needed before leachate can be discharged to the environment.

Re-evaluation and extension of the scope of elements in US Geological Survey Standard Reference Water Samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peart, D.B.; Antweiler, Ronald C.; Taylor, Howard E.; Roth, D.A.; Brinton, T.I.

1998-01-01

More than 100 US Geological Survey (USGS) Standard Reference Water Samples (SRWSs) were analyzed for numerous trace constituents, including Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Br, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, I, Fe, Pb, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Sb, Se, Sr, Te, Tl, U, V, Zn and major elements (Ca, Mg, Na, SiO2, SO4, Cl) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. In addition, 15 USGS SRWSs and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard reference material (SRM) 1641b were analyzed for mercury using cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Also USGS SRWS Hg-7 was analyzed using isotope dilution-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results were compared with the reported certified values of the following standard reference materials: NIST SRM 1643a, 1643b, 1643c and 1643d and National Research Council of Canada Riverine Water Reference Materials for Trace Metals SLRS-1, SLRS-2 and SLRS-3. New concentration values for trace and major elements in the SRWSs, traceable to the certified standards, are reported. Additional concentration values are reported for elements that were neither previously published for the SRWSs nor traceable to the certified reference materials. Robust statistical procedures were used that were insensitive to outliers. These data can be used for quality assurance/quality control purposes in analytical laboratories.

Establishment of Traceability of Reference Grade Hydrometers at National Physical Laboratory, India (npli)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Anil; Kumar, Harish; Mandal, Goutam; Das, M. B.; Sharma, D. C.

The present paper discusses the establishment of traceability of reference grade hydrometers at National Physical Laboratory, India (NPLI). The reference grade hydrometers are calibrated and traceable to the primary solid density standard. The calibration has been done according to standard procedure based on Cuckow's Method and the reference grade hydrometers calibrated covers a wide range. The uncertainty of the reference grade hydrometers has been computed and corrections are also calculated for the scale readings, at which observations are taken.

40 CFR 792.105 - Test, control, and reference substance characterization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... or concomitantly according to written standard operating procedures, which provide for periodic...) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (CONTINUED) GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICE STANDARDS Test, Control, and Reference...

40 CFR 792.105 - Test, control, and reference substance characterization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... or concomitantly according to written standard operating procedures, which provide for periodic...) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (CONTINUED) GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICE STANDARDS Test, Control, and Reference...

40 CFR 792.105 - Test, control, and reference substance characterization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... or concomitantly according to written standard operating procedures, which provide for periodic...) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (CONTINUED) GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICE STANDARDS Test, Control, and Reference...

40 CFR 792.105 - Test, control, and reference substance characterization.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... or concomitantly according to written standard operating procedures, which provide for periodic...) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT (CONTINUED) GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICE STANDARDS Test, Control, and Reference...

40 CFR 1066.605 - Mass-based and molar-based exhaust emission calculations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the test interval, corrected to standard temperature and pressure. m PMfil = mass of particulate... = stabilized, ht = hot transient), corrected to standard reference conditions. m PMfil = mass of particulate... stabilized), corrected to standard reference conditions. m PMfil = mass of particulate matter emissions on...

Current Status of Herbal Drug Standards in the Indian Pharmacopoeia.

PubMed

Prakash, Jai; Srivastava, Sushma; Ray, R S; Singh, Neha; Rajpali, Roshni; Singh, Gyanendra Nath

2017-12-01

The benefits of herbal drugs were well understood way back. They have been used for the promotion of health and medical purposes - in disease conditions. It is a conventional belief that herbal drugs have no side effects, are cheaper and locally available. Among Indian systems of medicines, herbs/herbal formulations are used to a larger extent. The quality control of the marketed herbs/herbal formulations is important for acquiring optimum therapeutic benefit as well as for expanding global outreach. Therefore, herbal drug standards are important. Reference standards, the Indian Pharmacopoeia Reference Substances especially the botanical reference substances and the phytochemical reference substances are required for comparison of quality of herbal drugs. The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission has initiated the process of providing Indian Pharmacopoeia Reference Substances to the stakeholders. Therefore, this article provides an overview of the history and the status of herbal drug standards in the current and forthcoming issues of Indian Pharmacopoeia. In Indian Pharmacopeia, efforts have been made for the harmonization of standards with international counterparts wherever possible. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

75 FR 34285 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; FAR Case 2009-026, Compensation for Personal Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-16

... the FAR to align the FAR with the revised Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) Board standards 412, ``Cost Accounting Standard for composition and measurement of pension cost;'' and 415, ``Accounting for the cost of... 23961 on May 1, 2008, to amend CAS 412, ``Cost Accounting Standard for composition and measurement of...

A method of camera calibration in the measurement process with reference mark for approaching observation space target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hua; Zeng, Luan

2017-11-01

Binocular stereoscopic vision can be used for space-based space targets near observation. In order to solve the problem that the traditional binocular vision system cannot work normally after interference, an online calibration method of binocular stereo measuring camera with self-reference is proposed. The method uses an auxiliary optical imaging device to insert the image of the standard reference object into the edge of the main optical path and image with the target on the same focal plane, which is equivalent to a standard reference in the binocular imaging optical system; When the position of the system and the imaging device parameters are disturbed, the image of the standard reference will change accordingly in the imaging plane, and the position of the standard reference object does not change. The camera's external parameters can be re-calibrated by the visual relationship of the standard reference object. The experimental results show that the maximum mean square error of the same object can be reduced from the original 72.88mm to 1.65mm when the right camera is deflected by 0.4 degrees and the left camera is high and low with 0.2° rotation. This method can realize the online calibration of binocular stereoscopic vision measurement system, which can effectively improve the anti - jamming ability of the system.

Emerging importance of geographical indications and designations of origin - authenticating geo-authentic botanicals and implications for phytotherapy.

PubMed

Brinckmann, J A

2013-11-01

Pharmacopoeial monographs providing specifications for composition, identity, purity, quality, and strength of a botanical are developed based on analysis of presumably authenticated botanical reference materials. The specimens should represent the quality traditionally specified for the intended use, which may require different standards for medicinal versus food use. Development of quality standards monographs may occur through collaboration between a sponsor company or industry association and a pharmacopoeial expert committee. The sponsor may base proposed standards and methods on their own preferred botanical supply which may, or may not, be geo-authentic and/or correspond to qualities defined in traditional medicine formularies and pharmacopoeias. Geo-authentic botanicals are those with specific germplasm, cultivated or collected in their traditional production regions, of a specified biological age at maturity, with specific production techniques and processing methods. Consequences of developing new monographs that specify characteristics of an 'introduced' cultivated species or of a material obtained from one unique origin could lead to exclusion of geo-authentic herbs and may have therapeutic implications for clinical practice. In this review, specifications of selected medicinal plants with either a geo-authentic or geographical indication designation are discussed and compared against official pharmacopoeial standards for same genus and species regardless of origin. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Accuracy of endoscopic and videofluoroscopic evaluations of swallowing for oropharyngeal dysphagia.

PubMed

Giraldo-Cadavid, Luis Fernando; Leal-Leaño, Lorena Renata; Leon-Basantes, Guillermo Alfredo; Bastidas, Alirio Rodrigo; Garcia, Rafael; Ovalle, Sergio; Abondano-Garavito, Jorge E

2017-09-01

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was conducted to compare the accuracy with which flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) assessed oropharyngeal dysphagia in adults. PubMed, Embase, and the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) database. A review of published studies was conducted in parallel by two groups of researchers. We evaluated the methodological quality, homogeneity, threshold effect, and publication bias. The results are presented as originally published, then with each test compared against the other as a reference and both compared against a composite reference standard, and then pooled using a random effects model. Software use consisted of Meta-DiSc and SPSS. The search yielded 5,697 articles. Fifty-two articles were reviewed in full text, and six articles were included in the meta-analysis. FEES showed greater sensitivity than VFSS for aspiration (0.88 vs. 0.77; P = .03), penetration (0.97 vs. 0.83; P = .0002), and laryngopharyngeal residues (0.97 vs. 0.80; P < .0001). Sensitivity to detect pharyngeal premature spillage was similar for both tests (VFSS: 0.80; FEES: 0.69; P = .28). The specificities of both tests were similar (range, 0.93-0.98). In the sensitivity analysis there were statistically significant differences between the tests regarding residues but only marginally significant differences regarding aspiration and penetration. FEES had a slight advantage over VFSS to detect aspiration, penetration, and residues. Prospective studies comparing both tests against an appropriate reference standard are needed to define which test has greater accuracy. 2a Laryngoscope, 127:2002-2010, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

ALT-114 and ALT-118 Alternative Approaches to NIST ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In 2016, US EPA approved two separate alternatives (ALT 114 and ALT 118) for the preparation and certification of Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) and Mercury (Hg) cylinder reference gas standards that can serve as EPA Protocol gases where EPA Protocol are required, but unavailable. The alternatives were necessary due to the unavailability of NIST reference materials (SRM, NTRM, CRM or RGM) or VSL reference materials (VSL PRM or VSL CRM), reference materials identified in EPA’s Green Book as necessary to establish the traceability of EPA protocol gases. ALT 114 and ALT 118 provides a pathway for gas vendors to prepare and certify traceable gas cylinder standards for use in certifying Hg and HCl CEMS. In this presentation, EPA will describe the mechanics and requirements of the performance-based approach, provide an update on the availability of these gas standards and also discuss the potential for producing and certifying gas standards for other compounds using this approach. This presentation discusses the importance of NIST-traceable reference gases relative to regulatory source compliance emissions monitoring. Specifically this presentation discusses 2 new approaches for making necessary reference gases available in the absence of NIST reference materials. Moreover, these approaches provide an alternative approach to rapidly make available new reference gases for additional HAPS regulatory compliance emissions measurement and monitoring.

Standardization in laboratory medicine: Adoption of common reference intervals to the Croatian population.

PubMed

Flegar-Meštrić, Zlata; Perkov, Sonja; Radeljak, Andrea

2016-03-26

Considering the fact that the results of laboratory tests provide useful information about the state of health of patients, determination of reference value is considered an intrinsic part in the development of laboratory medicine. There are still huge differences in the analytical methods used as well as in the associated reference intervals which could consequently significantly affect the proper assessment of patient health. In a constant effort to increase the quality of patients' care, there are numerous international initiatives for standardization and/or harmonization of laboratory diagnostics in order to achieve maximum comparability of laboratory test results and improve patient safety. Through the standardization and harmonization processes of analytical methods the ability to create unique reference intervals is achieved. Such reference intervals could be applied globally in all laboratories using methods traceable to the same reference measuring system and analysing the biological samples from the populations with similar socio-demographic and ethnic characteristics. In this review we outlined the results of the harmonization processes in Croatia in the field of population based reference intervals for clinically relevant blood and serum constituents which are in accordance with ongoing activity for worldwide standardization and harmonization based on traceability in laboratory medicine.

Standardization in laboratory medicine: Adoption of common reference intervals to the Croatian population

PubMed Central

Flegar-Meštrić, Zlata; Perkov, Sonja; Radeljak, Andrea

2016-01-01

Considering the fact that the results of laboratory tests provide useful information about the state of health of patients, determination of reference value is considered an intrinsic part in the development of laboratory medicine. There are still huge differences in the analytical methods used as well as in the associated reference intervals which could consequently significantly affect the proper assessment of patient health. In a constant effort to increase the quality of patients’ care, there are numerous international initiatives for standardization and/or harmonization of laboratory diagnostics in order to achieve maximum comparability of laboratory test results and improve patient safety. Through the standardization and harmonization processes of analytical methods the ability to create unique reference intervals is achieved. Such reference intervals could be applied globally in all laboratories using methods traceable to the same reference measuring system and analysing the biological samples from the populations with similar socio-demographic and ethnic characteristics. In this review we outlined the results of the harmonization processes in Croatia in the field of population based reference intervals for clinically relevant blood and serum constituents which are in accordance with ongoing activity for worldwide standardization and harmonization based on traceability in laboratory medicine. PMID:27019800

15 CFR 200.105 - Standard reference data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... for application in energy, environment and health, industrial process design, materials durability... Institute of Physics, in the National Standard Reference Data System reports as the NSRDS-NIST series, and...

Ultrasonic angle beam standard reflector. [ultrasonic nondestructive inspection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, R. F., Jr. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

A method that provides an impression profile in a reference standard material utilized in inspecting critically stressed components with pulsed ultrasound is described. A die stamp having an I letter is used to impress the surface of a reference material. The die stamp is placed against the surface and struck with an inertia imparting member to impress the I in the reference standard material. Upset may appear on the surface as a result of the impression and is removed to form a smooth surface. The stamping and upset removal is repeated until the entire surface area of a depth control platform on the die stamp uniformly contacts the material surface. The I impression profile in the reference standard material is utilized for reflecting pulsed ultrasonic beams for inspection purposes.

Sub-Model Partial Least Squares for Improved Accuracy in Quantitative Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, R. B.; Clegg, S. M.; Frydenvang, J.

2015-12-01

One of the primary challenges faced by the ChemCam instrument on the Curiosity Mars rover is developing a regression model that can accurately predict the composition of the wide range of target types encountered (basalts, calcium sulfate, feldspar, oxides, etc.). The original calibration used 69 rock standards to train a partial least squares (PLS) model for each major element. By expanding the suite of calibration samples to >400 targets spanning a wider range of compositions, the accuracy of the model was improved, but some targets with "extreme" compositions (e.g. pure minerals) were still poorly predicted. We have therefore developed a simple method, referred to as "submodel PLS", to improve the performance of PLS across a wide range of target compositions. In addition to generating a "full" (0-100 wt.%) PLS model for the element of interest, we also generate several overlapping submodels (e.g. for SiO2, we generate "low" (0-50 wt.%), "mid" (30-70 wt.%), and "high" (60-100 wt.%) models). The submodels are generally more accurate than the "full" model for samples within their range because they are able to adjust for matrix effects that are specific to that range. To predict the composition of an unknown target, we first predict the composition with the submodels and the "full" model. Then, based on the predicted composition from the "full" model, the appropriate submodel prediction can be used (e.g. if the full model predicts a low composition, use the "low" model result, which is likely to be more accurate). For samples with "full" predictions that occur in a region of overlap between submodels, the submodel predictions are "blended" using a simple linear weighted sum. The submodel PLS method shows improvements in most of the major elements predicted by ChemCam and reduces the occurrence of negative predictions for low wt.% targets. Submodel PLS is currently being used in conjunction with ICA regression for the major element compositions of ChemCam data.

Determination of 17O-excess of terrestrial silicate/oxide minerals with respect to Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water (VSMOW).

PubMed

Tanaka, Ryoji; Nakamura, Eizo

2013-01-30

Oxygen triple isotope compositions give key information for understanding physical processes during isotopic fractionation between the geo-, hydro-, bio-, and atmosphere. For detailed discussion of these topics, it is necessary to determine precise (17)O-excess values of terrestrial silicate/oxide minerals with respect to Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water (VSMOW). Water was fluorinated in an electrically heated Ni-metal tube into which water and BrF(5) were loaded for the quantitative extraction of oxygen. Silicate/oxide minerals were fluorinated by heating with a CO(2) laser in an atmosphere of BrF(5). The extracted oxygen was purified and isotope ratios of the oxygen triple isotope compositions were determined using a Finnigan MAT253 isotope ratio mass spectrometer. The oxygen triple isotope compositions of meteoric water and terrestrial silicate/oxide minerals fall on statistically distinguishable fractionation lines, defined as [ln(δ(17)O + 1) = λln(δ(18) O + 1) + Δ], where λ and Δ correspond to the slope and intercept, respectively. The fractionation line for meteoric water has λ = 0.5285 ± 0.0005 and Δ = 0.03 ± 0.02‰ and for terrestrial silicate/oxide minerals has λ = 0.5270 ± 0.0005 and Δ = -0.070 ± 0.005‰, at the 95% confidence limit. All the analyzed terrestrial silicate/oxide minerals including internationally accepted reference materials (NBS-28, UWG-2, and San Carlos olivine) have a negative (17)O-excess with respect to VSMOW. We propose that it is necessary to specify if the determined δ(17)O values of terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples are expressed as the difference from VSMOW or the terrestrial silicate mineral-corrected value. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.