Sun, Hao; Guo, Jianbin; Wu, Shubiao; Liu, Fang; Dong, Renjie
2017-09-01
The volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentration has been considered as one of the most sensitive process performance indicators in anaerobic digestion (AD) process. However, the accurate determination of VFAs concentration in AD processes normally requires advanced equipment and complex pretreatment procedures. A simplified method with fewer sample pretreatment procedures and improved accuracy is greatly needed, particularly for on-site application. This report outlines improvements to the Nordmann method, one of the most popular titrations used for VFA monitoring. The influence of ion and solid interfering subsystems in titrated samples on results accuracy was discussed. The total solid content in titrated samples was the main factor affecting accuracy in VFA monitoring. Moreover, a high linear correlation was established between the total solids contents and VFA measurement differences between the traditional Nordmann equation and gas chromatography (GC). Accordingly, a simplified titration method was developed and validated using a semi-continuous experiment of chicken manure anaerobic digestion with various organic loading rates. The good fitting of the results obtained by this method in comparison with GC results strongly supported the potential application of this method to VFA monitoring. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Giovenzana, Valentina; Civelli, Raffaele; Beghi, Roberto; Oberti, Roberto; Guidetti, Riccardo
2015-11-01
The aim of this work was to test a simplified optical prototype for a rapid estimation of the ripening parameters of white grape for Franciacorta wine directly in field. Spectral acquisition based on reflectance at four wavelengths (630, 690, 750 and 850 nm) was proposed. The integration of a simple processing algorithm in the microcontroller software would allow to visualize real time values of spectral reflectance. Non-destructive analyses were carried out on 95 grape bunches for a total of 475 berries. Samplings were performed weekly during the last ripening stages. Optical measurements were carried out both using the simplified system and a portable commercial vis/NIR spectrophotometer, as reference instrument for performance comparison. Chemometric analyses were performed in order to extract the maximum useful information from optical data. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed for a preliminary evaluation of the data. Correlations between the optical data matrix and ripening parameters (total soluble solids content, SSC; titratable acidity, TA) were carried out using partial least square (PLS) regression for spectra and using multiple linear regression (MLR) for data from the simplified device. Classification analysis were also performed with the aim of discriminate ripe and unripe samples. PCA, MLR and classification analyses show the effectiveness of the simplified system in separating samples among different sampling dates and in discriminating ripe from unripe samples. Finally, simple equations for SSC and TA prediction were calculated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Using Language Sample Analysis to Assess Spoken Language Production in Adolescents
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Miller, Jon F.; Andriacchi, Karen; Nockerts, Ann
2016-01-01
Purpose: This tutorial discusses the importance of language sample analysis and how Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT) software can be used to simplify the process and effectively assess the spoken language production of adolescents. Method: Over the past 30 years, thousands of language samples have been collected from typical…
Color and Vector Flow Imaging in Parallel Ultrasound With Sub-Nyquist Sampling.
Madiena, Craig; Faurie, Julia; Poree, Jonathan; Garcia, Damien; Garcia, Damien; Madiena, Craig; Faurie, Julia; Poree, Jonathan
2018-05-01
RF acquisition with a high-performance multichannel ultrasound system generates massive data sets in short periods of time, especially in "ultrafast" ultrasound when digital receive beamforming is required. Sampling at a rate four times the carrier frequency is the standard procedure since this rule complies with the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem and simplifies quadrature sampling. Bandpass sampling (or undersampling) outputs a bandpass signal at a rate lower than the maximal frequency without harmful aliasing. Advantages over Nyquist sampling are reduced storage volumes and data workflow, and simplified digital signal processing tasks. We used RF undersampling in color flow imaging (CFI) and vector flow imaging (VFI) to decrease data volume significantly (factor of 3 to 13 in our configurations). CFI and VFI with Nyquist and sub-Nyquist samplings were compared in vitro and in vivo. The estimate errors due to undersampling were small or marginal, which illustrates that Doppler and vector Doppler images can be correctly computed with a drastically reduced amount of RF samples. Undersampling can be a method of choice in CFI and VFI to avoid information overload and reduce data transfer and storage.
Three Microstructural Exercises for Students.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Means, Winthrop D.
1986-01-01
Describes laboratory exercises which demonstrate a new simplified technique for deforming thin samples of crystalline materials on the stage of a petrographic microscope. Discusses how this process allows students to see the development of microstructures resulting from cracking, slipping, thinning, and recrystallization. References and sources of…
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fan, Y. R.; Huang, G. H.; Baetz, B. W.; Li, Y. P.; Huang, K.
2017-06-01
In this study, a copula-based particle filter (CopPF) approach was developed for sequential hydrological data assimilation by considering parameter correlation structures. In CopPF, multivariate copulas are proposed to reflect parameter interdependence before the resampling procedure with new particles then being sampled from the obtained copulas. Such a process can overcome both particle degeneration and sample impoverishment. The applicability of CopPF is illustrated with three case studies using a two-parameter simplified model and two conceptual hydrologic models. The results for the simplified model indicate that model parameters are highly correlated in the data assimilation process, suggesting a demand for full description of their dependence structure. Synthetic experiments on hydrologic data assimilation indicate that CopPF can rejuvenate particle evolution in large spaces and thus achieve good performances with low sample size scenarios. The applicability of CopPF is further illustrated through two real-case studies. It is shown that, compared with traditional particle filter (PF) and particle Markov chain Monte Carlo (PMCMC) approaches, the proposed method can provide more accurate results for both deterministic and probabilistic prediction with a sample size of 100. Furthermore, the sample size would not significantly influence the performance of CopPF. Also, the copula resampling approach dominates parameter evolution in CopPF, with more than 50% of particles sampled by copulas in most sample size scenarios.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kubota, H.
1976-01-01
A simplified analytical method for calculation of thermal response within a transpiration-cooled porous heat shield material in an intense radiative-convective heating environment is presented. The essential assumptions of the radiative and convective transfer processes in the heat shield matrix are the two-temperature approximation and the specified radiative-convective heatings of the front surface. Sample calculations for porous silica with CO2 injection are presented for some typical parameters of mass injection rate, porosity, and material thickness. The effect of these parameters on the cooling system is discussed.
Masood, Athar; Stark, Ken D; Salem, Norman
2005-10-01
Conventional sample preparation for fatty acid analysis is a complicated, multiple-step process, and gas chromatography (GC) analysis alone can require >1 h per sample to resolve fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). Fast GC analysis was adapted to human plasma FAME analysis using a modified polyethylene glycol column with smaller internal diameters, thinner stationary phase films, increased carrier gas linear velocity, and faster temperature ramping. Our results indicated that fast GC analyses were comparable to conventional GC in peak resolution. A conventional transesterification method based on Lepage and Roy was simplified to a one-step method with the elimination of the neutralization and centrifugation steps. A robotics-amenable method was also developed, with lower methylation temperatures and in an open-tube format using multiple reagent additions. The simplified methods produced results that were quantitatively similar and with similar coefficients of variation as compared with the original Lepage and Roy method. The present streamlined methodology is suitable for the direct fatty acid analysis of human plasma, is appropriate for research studies, and will facilitate large clinical trials and make possible population studies.
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-11-23
...-02] RIN 0694-AE98 Simplified Network Application Processing System, On-Line Registration and Account...'') electronically via BIS's Simplified Network Application Processing (SNAP-R) system. Currently, parties must... Network Applications Processing System (SNAP-R) in October 2006. The SNAP-R system provides a Web based...
A New Strategy in Observer Modeling for Greenhouse Cucumber Seedling Growth
Qiu, Quan; Zheng, Chenfei; Wang, Wenping; Qiao, Xiaojun; Bai, He; Yu, Jingquan; Shi, Kai
2017-01-01
State observer is an essential component in computerized control loops for greenhouse-crop systems. However, the current accomplishments of observer modeling for greenhouse-crop systems mainly focus on mass/energy balance, ignoring physiological responses of crops. As a result, state observers for crop physiological responses are rarely developed, and control operations are typically made based on experience rather than actual crop requirements. In addition, existing observer models require a large number of parameters, leading to heavy computational load and poor application feasibility. To address these problems, we present a new state observer modeling strategy that takes both environmental information and crop physiological responses into consideration during the observer modeling process. Using greenhouse cucumber seedlings as an instance, we sample 10 physiological parameters of cucumber seedlings at different time point during the exponential growth stage, and employ them to build growth state observers together with 8 environmental parameters. Support vector machine (SVM) acts as the mathematical tool for observer modeling. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) is used to select the dominant environmental and physiological parameters in the modeling process. With the dominant parameters, simplified observer models are built and tested. We conduct contrast experiments with different input parameter combinations on simplified and un-simplified observers. Experimental results indicate that physiological information can improve the prediction accuracies of the growth state observers. Furthermore, the simplified observer models can give equivalent or even better performance than the un-simplified ones, which verifies the feasibility of CCA. The current study can enable state observers to reflect crop requirements and make them feasible for applications with simplified shapes, which is significant for developing intelligent greenhouse control systems for modern greenhouse production. PMID:28848565
A New Strategy in Observer Modeling for Greenhouse Cucumber Seedling Growth.
Qiu, Quan; Zheng, Chenfei; Wang, Wenping; Qiao, Xiaojun; Bai, He; Yu, Jingquan; Shi, Kai
2017-01-01
State observer is an essential component in computerized control loops for greenhouse-crop systems. However, the current accomplishments of observer modeling for greenhouse-crop systems mainly focus on mass/energy balance, ignoring physiological responses of crops. As a result, state observers for crop physiological responses are rarely developed, and control operations are typically made based on experience rather than actual crop requirements. In addition, existing observer models require a large number of parameters, leading to heavy computational load and poor application feasibility. To address these problems, we present a new state observer modeling strategy that takes both environmental information and crop physiological responses into consideration during the observer modeling process. Using greenhouse cucumber seedlings as an instance, we sample 10 physiological parameters of cucumber seedlings at different time point during the exponential growth stage, and employ them to build growth state observers together with 8 environmental parameters. Support vector machine (SVM) acts as the mathematical tool for observer modeling. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) is used to select the dominant environmental and physiological parameters in the modeling process. With the dominant parameters, simplified observer models are built and tested. We conduct contrast experiments with different input parameter combinations on simplified and un-simplified observers. Experimental results indicate that physiological information can improve the prediction accuracies of the growth state observers. Furthermore, the simplified observer models can give equivalent or even better performance than the un-simplified ones, which verifies the feasibility of CCA. The current study can enable state observers to reflect crop requirements and make them feasible for applications with simplified shapes, which is significant for developing intelligent greenhouse control systems for modern greenhouse production.
Utilizing broadband X-rays in a Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging experiment.
Cha, Wonsuk; Liu, Wenjun; Harder, Ross; Xu, Ruqing; Fuoss, Paul H; Hruszkewycz, Stephan O
2016-09-01
A method is presented to simplify Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging studies of complex heterogeneous crystalline materials with a two-stage screening/imaging process that utilizes polychromatic and monochromatic coherent X-rays and is compatible with in situ sample environments. Coherent white-beam diffraction is used to identify an individual crystal particle or grain that displays desired properties within a larger population. A three-dimensional reciprocal-space map suitable for diffraction imaging is then measured for the Bragg peak of interest using a monochromatic beam energy scan that requires no sample motion, thus simplifying in situ chamber design. This approach was demonstrated with Au nanoparticles and will enable, for example, individual grains in a polycrystalline material of specific orientation to be selected, then imaged in three dimensions while under load.
CMOS Bit-Stream Band-Pass Beamforming
2016-03-31
unlimited. with direct IF sampling, most of the signal processing, including digital down-conversion ( DDC ), is carried out in the digital domain, and I/Q...level digitized signals are directly processed without decimation filtering for I/Q DDC and phase shifting. This novel BSP approach replaces bulky...positive feedback. The resonator center frequency of fs/4 (260MHz) simplifies the design of DDC . 4b tunable capacitors adjust the center frequency
Simplified model of mean double step (MDS) in human body movement
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dusza, Jacek J.; Wawrzyniak, Zbigniew M.; Mugarra González, C. Fernando
In this paper we present a simplified and useful model of the human body movement based on the full gait cycle description, called the Mean Double Step (MDS). It enables the parameterization and simplification of the human movement. Furthermore it allows a description of the gait cycle by providing standardized estimators to transform the gait cycle into a periodical movement process. Moreover the method of simplifying the MDS model and its compression are demonstrated. The simplification is achieved by reducing the number of bars of the spectrum and I or by reducing the number of samples describing the MDS both in terms of reducing their computational burden and their resources for the data storage. Our MDS model, which is applicable to the gait cycle method for examining patients, is non-invasive and provides the additional advantage of featuring a functional characterization of the relative or absolute movement of any part of the body.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 636.602-5 Section 636.602-5 Federal... not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The short selection process described in FAR 36.602-5 is authorized for use for contracts not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1336.602-5 Section 1336.602-5... for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. (a) In contracts not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, either or both of the short selection processes set out at...
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Introduction: Campylobacter is natural member of the gut microflora in many commercial broilers and as such can become a contaminant on edible surfaces during processing. Culturing gut contents or feces can be a means to determine flock status prior to live-haul. However, the wide variety of non...
Note: A simple sample transfer alignment for ultra-high vacuum systems.
Tamtögl, A; Carter, E A; Ward, D J; Avidor, N; Kole, P R; Jardine, A P; Allison, W
2016-06-01
The alignment of ultra-high-vacuum sample transfer systems can be problematic when there is no direct line of sight to assist the user. We present the design of a simple and cheap system which greatly simplifies the alignment of sample transfer devices. Our method is based on the adaptation of a commercial digital camera which provides live views from within the vacuum chamber. The images of the camera are further processed using an image recognition and processing code which determines any misalignments and reports them to the user. Installation has proven to be extremely useful in order to align the sample with respect to the transfer mechanism. Furthermore, the alignment software can be easily adapted for other systems.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Oh, Jaewon; Dahal, Som; Dauksher, Bill
2016-11-21
Various characterization techniques have historically been developed in order to screen potential induced degradation (PID)-susceptible cells, but those techniques require final solar cells. We present a new characterization technique for screening PID-susceptible cells during the cell fabrication process. Illuminated Lock-In Thermography (ILIT) was used to image PID shunting of the cell without metallization and clearly showed PID-affected areas. PID-susceptible cells can be screened by ILIT, and the sample structure can advantageously be simplified as long as the sample has the silicon nitride antireflection coating and an aluminum back surface field.
Gong, Xianmin; Xiao, Hongrui; Wang, Dahua
2016-11-01
False recognition results from the interplay of multiple cognitive processes, including verbatim memory, gist memory, phantom recollection, and response bias. In the current study, we modified the simplified Conjoint Recognition (CR) paradigm to investigate the way in which the valence of emotional stimuli affects the cognitive process and behavioral outcome of false recognition. In Study 1, we examined the applicability of the modification to the simplified CR paradigm and model. Twenty-six undergraduate students (13 females, aged 21.00±2.30years) learned and recognized both the large and small categories of photo objects. The applicability of the paradigm and model was confirmed by a fair goodness-of-fit of the model to the observational data and by their competence in detecting the memory differences between the large- and small-category conditions. In Study 2, we recruited another sample of 29 undergraduate students (14 females, aged 22.60±2.74years) to learn and recognize the categories of photo objects that were emotionally provocative. The results showed that negative valence increased false recognition, particularly the rate of false "remember" responses, by facilitating phantom recollection; positive valence did not influence false recognition significantly though enhanced gist processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The Coalescent Process in Models with Selection
Kaplan, N. L.; Darden, T.; Hudson, R. R.
1988-01-01
Statistical properties of the process describing the genealogical history of a random sample of genes are obtained for a class of population genetics models with selection. For models with selection, in contrast to models without selection, the distribution of this process, the coalescent process, depends on the distribution of the frequencies of alleles in the ancestral generations. If the ancestral frequency process can be approximated by a diffusion, then the mean and the variance of the number of segregating sites due to selectively neutral mutations in random samples can be numerically calculated. The calculations are greatly simplified if the frequencies of the alleles are tightly regulated. If the mutation rates between alleles maintained by balancing selection are low, then the number of selectively neutral segregating sites in a random sample of genes is expected to substantially exceed the number predicted under a neutral model. PMID:3066685
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Short selection process for procurements not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 736.602-5 Section 736.602-5... selection process for procurements not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. References to FAR 36...
Automated Sensitivity Analysis of Interplanetary Trajectories
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Knittel, Jeremy; Hughes, Kyle; Englander, Jacob; Sarli, Bruno
2017-01-01
This work describes a suite of Python tools known as the Python EMTG Automated Trade Study Application (PEATSA). PEATSA was written to automate the operation of trajectory optimization software, simplify the process of performing sensitivity analysis, and was ultimately found to out-perform a human trajectory designer in unexpected ways. These benefits will be discussed and demonstrated on sample mission designs.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rizzo, Margaret; Brown, Joyce
2006-01-01
Developing a community service project for middle school students can be a daunting task. The sheer number of contacts necessary for the project to be successful can be overwhelming. This manual will provide materials and guidance to simplify this process and ensure its success. Included in this workbook are sample letters, worksheets, lesson…
AutoDrug: fully automated macromolecular crystallography workflows for fragment-based drug discovery
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Tsai, Yingssu; Stanford University, 333 Campus Drive, Mudd Building, Stanford, CA 94305-5080; McPhillips, Scott E.
New software has been developed for automating the experimental and data-processing stages of fragment-based drug discovery at a macromolecular crystallography beamline. A new workflow-automation framework orchestrates beamline-control and data-analysis software while organizing results from multiple samples. AutoDrug is software based upon the scientific workflow paradigm that integrates the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource macromolecular crystallography beamlines and third-party processing software to automate the crystallography steps of the fragment-based drug-discovery process. AutoDrug screens a cassette of fragment-soaked crystals, selects crystals for data collection based on screening results and user-specified criteria and determines optimal data-collection strategies. It then collects and processes diffraction data,more » performs molecular replacement using provided models and detects electron density that is likely to arise from bound fragments. All processes are fully automated, i.e. are performed without user interaction or supervision. Samples can be screened in groups corresponding to particular proteins, crystal forms and/or soaking conditions. A single AutoDrug run is only limited by the capacity of the sample-storage dewar at the beamline: currently 288 samples. AutoDrug was developed in conjunction with RestFlow, a new scientific workflow-automation framework. RestFlow simplifies the design of AutoDrug by managing the flow of data and the organization of results and by orchestrating the execution of computational pipeline steps. It also simplifies the execution and interaction of third-party programs and the beamline-control system. Modeling AutoDrug as a scientific workflow enables multiple variants that meet the requirements of different user groups to be developed and supported. A workflow tailored to mimic the crystallography stages comprising the drug-discovery pipeline of CoCrystal Discovery Inc. has been deployed and successfully demonstrated. This workflow was run once on the same 96 samples that the group had examined manually and the workflow cycled successfully through all of the samples, collected data from the same samples that were selected manually and located the same peaks of unmodeled density in the resulting difference Fourier maps.« less
Lu, Hongzhi; Xu, Shoufang
2017-06-15
Construction of ratiometric fluorescent probe often involved in tedious multistep preparation or complicated coupling or chemical modification process. The emergence of dual emission fluorescent nanoparticles would simplify the construction process and avoids the tedious chemical coupling. Herein, we reported a facile strategy to prepare ratiometric fluorescence molecularly imprinted sensor based on dual emission nanoparticles (d-NPs) which comprised of carbon dots and gold nanoclusters for detection of Bisphenol A (BPA). D-NPs emission at 460nm and 580nm were first prepared by seed growth co-microwave method using gold nanoparticles as seeds and glucose as precursor for carbon dots. When they were applied to propose ratiometric fluorescence molecularly imprinted sensor, the preparation process was simplified, and the sensitivity of sensor was improved with detection limit of 29nM, and visualizing BPA was feasible based on the distinguish fluorescence color change. The feasibility of the developed method in real samples was successfully evaluated through the analysis of BPA in water samples with satisfactory recoveries of 95.9-98.9% and recoveries ranging from 92.6% to 98.6% in canned food samples. When detection BPA in positive feeding bottles, the results agree well with those obtained by accredited method. The developed method proposed in this work to prepare ratiometric fluorescence molecularly imprinted sensor based on dual emission nanoparticles proved to be a convenient, reliable and practical way to prepared high sensitive and selective fluorescence sensors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Networks for image acquisition, processing and display
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ahumada, Albert J., Jr.
1990-01-01
The human visual system comprises layers of networks which sample, process, and code images. Understanding these networks is a valuable means of understanding human vision and of designing autonomous vision systems based on network processing. Ames Research Center has an ongoing program to develop computational models of such networks. The models predict human performance in detection of targets and in discrimination of displayed information. In addition, the models are artificial vision systems sharing properties with biological vision that has been tuned by evolution for high performance. Properties include variable density sampling, noise immunity, multi-resolution coding, and fault-tolerance. The research stresses analysis of noise in visual networks, including sampling, photon, and processing unit noises. Specific accomplishments include: models of sampling array growth with variable density and irregularity comparable to that of the retinal cone mosaic; noise models of networks with signal-dependent and independent noise; models of network connection development for preserving spatial registration and interpolation; multi-resolution encoding models based on hexagonal arrays (HOP transform); and mathematical procedures for simplifying analysis of large networks.
Kushalnagar, Poorna; Smith, Scott; Hopper, Melinda; Ryan, Claire; Rinkevich, Micah; Kushalnagar, Raja
2018-02-01
People with relatively limited English language proficiency find the Internet's cancer and health information difficult to access and understand. The presence of unfamiliar words and complex grammar make this particularly difficult for Deaf people. Unfortunately, current technology does not support low-cost, accurate translations of online materials into American Sign Language. However, current technology is relatively more advanced in allowing text simplification, while retaining content. This research team developed a two-step approach for simplifying cancer and other health text. They then tested the approach, using a crossover design with a sample of 36 deaf and 38 hearing college students. Results indicated that hearing college students did well on both the original and simplified text versions. Deaf college students' comprehension, in contrast, significantly benefitted from the simplified text. This two-step translation process offers a strategy that may improve the accessibility of Internet information for Deaf, as well as other low-literacy individuals.
Automated Sensitivity Analysis of Interplanetary Trajectories for Optimal Mission Design
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Knittel, Jeremy; Hughes, Kyle; Englander, Jacob; Sarli, Bruno
2017-01-01
This work describes a suite of Python tools known as the Python EMTG Automated Trade Study Application (PEATSA). PEATSA was written to automate the operation of trajectory optimization software, simplify the process of performing sensitivity analysis, and was ultimately found to out-perform a human trajectory designer in unexpected ways. These benefits will be discussed and demonstrated on sample mission designs.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Liu, Tianyin; Chuk, Tin Yim; Yeh, Su-Ling; Hsiao, Janet H.
2016-01-01
Expertise in Chinese character recognition is marked by reduced holistic processing (HP), which depends mainly on writing rather than reading experience. Here we show that, while simplified and traditional Chinese readers demonstrated a similar level of HP when processing characters shared between the simplified and traditional scripts, simplified…
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ohmichi, Eiji; Miki, Toshihiro; Horie, Hidekazu; Okamoto, Tsubasa; Takahashi, Hideyuki; Higashi, Yoshinori; Itoh, Shoichi; Ohta, Hitoshi
2018-02-01
We developed piezoresistive microcantilevers for mechanically detected electron spin resonance (ESR) in the millimeter-wave region. In this article, fabrication process and device characterization of our self-sensing microcantilevers are presented. High-frequency ESR measurements of a microcrystal of paramagnetic sample is also demonstrated at multiple frequencies up to 160 GHz at liquid helium temperature. Our fabrication is based on relatively simplified processes with silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers and spin-on diffusion doping, thus enabling cost-effective and time-saving cantilever fabrication.
Space station ECLSS simplified integrated test
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Schunk, Richard G.; Bagdigian, Robert M.; Carrasquillo, Robyn L.; Ogle, Kathyrn Y.; Wieland, Paul O.
1989-01-01
A discussion of the Space Station Simplified Integrated Test (SIT) was conducted. The first in a series of three integrated Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLS) system tests, the primary objectives of the SIT were to verify proper operation of ECLS subsystems functioning in an integrated fashion as well as to gather preliminary performance data for the partial ECLS system used in the test. A description of the SIT configuration, a summary of events, a discussion of anomalies that occurred during the test, and detailed results and analysis from individual measurements and water and gas samples taken during the test are included. The preprototype ECLS hardware used in the test is reported providing an overall process description and theory of operation for each hardware item.
Advances in bioanalytical techniques to measure steroid hormones in serum.
French, Deborah
2016-06-01
Steroid hormones are measured clinically to determine if a patient has a pathological process occurring in the adrenal gland, or other hormone responsive organs. They are very similar in structure making them analytically challenging to measure. Additionally, these hormones have vast concentration differences in human serum adding to the measurement complexity. GC-MS was the gold standard methodology used to measure steroid hormones clinically, followed by radioimmunoassay, but that was replaced by immunoassay due to ease of use. LC-MS/MS has now become a popular alternative owing to simplified sample preparation than for GC-MS and increased specificity and sensitivity over immunoassay. This review will discuss these methodologies and some new developments that could simplify and improve steroid hormone analysis in serum.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 836.602-5 Section 836.602-5 Federal... contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. Either of the procedures provided in FAR 36... simplified acquisition threshold. ...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 436.602-5 Section 436.602-5 Federal... to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. The HCA may include either or both procedures in FAR...
Luo, Yong; Wu, Wenqi; Babu, Ravindra; Tang, Kanghua; Luo, Bing
2012-01-01
COMPASS is an indigenously developed Chinese global navigation satellite system and will share many features in common with GPS (Global Positioning System). Since the ultra-tight GPS/INS (Inertial Navigation System) integration shows its advantage over independent GPS receivers in many scenarios, the federated ultra-tight COMPASS/INS integration has been investigated in this paper, particularly, by proposing a simplified prefilter model. Compared with a traditional prefilter model, the state space of this simplified system contains only carrier phase, carrier frequency and carrier frequency rate tracking errors. A two-quadrant arctangent discriminator output is used as a measurement. Since the code tracking error related parameters were excluded from the state space of traditional prefilter models, the code/carrier divergence would destroy the carrier tracking process, and therefore an adaptive Kalman filter algorithm tuning process noise covariance matrix based on state correction sequence was incorporated to compensate for the divergence. The federated ultra-tight COMPASS/INS integration was implemented with a hardware COMPASS intermediate frequency (IF), and INS's accelerometers and gyroscopes signal sampling system. Field and simulation test results showed almost similar tracking and navigation performances for both the traditional prefilter model and the proposed system; however, the latter largely decreased the computational load. PMID:23012564
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Capozzoli, Amedeo; Curcio, Claudio; Liseno, Angelo; Savarese, Salvatore; Schipani, Pietro
2016-07-01
The communication presents an innovative method for the diagnosis of reflector antennas in radio astronomical applications. The approach is based on the optimization of the number and the distribution of the far field sampling points exploited to retrieve the antenna status in terms of feed misalignments, this to drastically reduce the time length of the measurement process and minimize the effects of variable environmental conditions and simplifying the tracking process of the source. The feed misplacement is modeled in terms of an aberration function of the aperture field. The relationship between the unknowns and the far field pattern samples is linearized thanks to a Principal Component Analysis. The number and the position of the field samples are then determined by optimizing the Singular Values behaviour of the relevant operator.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1436.602-5 Section 1436.602-5... for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. At each occurrence, CO approval...-engineer contracts not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. ...
Verkest, K R; Fleeman, L M; Rand, J S; Morton, J M
2010-10-01
There is need for simple, inexpensive measures of glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion in dogs. The aim of this study was to estimate the closeness of correlation between fasting and dynamic measures of insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion, the precision of fasting measures, and the agreement between results of standard and simplified glucose tolerance tests in dogs. A retrospective descriptive study using 6 naturally occurring obese and 6 lean dogs was conducted. Data from frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests (FSIGTTs) in 6 obese and 6 lean client-owned dogs were used to calculate HOMA, QUICKI, fasting glucose and insulin concentrations. Fasting measures of insulin sensitivity and secretion were compared with MINMOD analysis of FSIGTTs using Pearson correlation coefficients, and they were evaluated for precision by the discriminant ratio. Simplified sampling protocols were compared with standard FSIGTTs using Lin's concordance correlation coefficients, limits of agreement, and Pearson correlation coefficients. All fasting measures except fasting plasma glucose concentration were moderately correlated with MINMOD-estimated insulin sensitivity (|r| = 0.62-0.80; P < 0.03), and those that combined fasting insulin and glucose were moderately closely correlated with MINMOD-estimated insulin secretion (r = 0.60-0.79; P < 0.04). HOMA calculated using the nonlinear formulae had the closest estimated correlation (r = 0.77 and 0.74) and the best discrimination for insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion (discriminant ratio 4.4 and 3.4, respectively). Simplified sampling protocols with half as many samples collected over 3 h had close agreement with the full sampling protocol. Fasting measures and simplified intravenous glucose tolerance tests reflect insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion derived from frequently sampled glucose tolerance tests with MINMOD analysis in dogs. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Highly simplified lateral flow-based nucleic acid sample preparation and passive fluid flow control
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Cary, Robert E.
2015-12-08
Highly simplified lateral flow chromatographic nucleic acid sample preparation methods, devices, and integrated systems are provided for the efficient concentration of trace samples and the removal of nucleic acid amplification inhibitors. Methods for capturing and reducing inhibitors of nucleic acid amplification reactions, such as humic acid, using polyvinylpyrrolidone treated elements of the lateral flow device are also provided. Further provided are passive fluid control methods and systems for use in lateral flow assays.
Highly simplified lateral flow-based nucleic acid sample preparation and passive fluid flow control
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Cary, Robert B.
Highly simplified lateral flow chromatographic nucleic acid sample preparation methods, devices, and integrated systems are provided for the efficient concentration of trace samples and the removal of nucleic acid amplification inhibitors. Methods for capturing and reducing inhibitors of nucleic acid amplification reactions, such as humic acid, using polyvinylpyrrolidone treated elements of the lateral flow device are also provided. Further provided are passive fluid control methods and systems for use in lateral flow assays.
Study on a pattern classification method of soil quality based on simplified learning sample dataset
Zhang, Jiahua; Liu, S.; Hu, Y.; Tian, Y.
2011-01-01
Based on the massive soil information in current soil quality grade evaluation, this paper constructed an intelligent classification approach of soil quality grade depending on classical sampling techniques and disordered multiclassification Logistic regression model. As a case study to determine the learning sample capacity under certain confidence level and estimation accuracy, and use c-means algorithm to automatically extract the simplified learning sample dataset from the cultivated soil quality grade evaluation database for the study area, Long chuan county in Guangdong province, a disordered Logistic classifier model was then built and the calculation analysis steps of soil quality grade intelligent classification were given. The result indicated that the soil quality grade can be effectively learned and predicted by the extracted simplified dataset through this method, which changed the traditional method for soil quality grade evaluation. ?? 2011 IEEE.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hohimer, Cameron J.; Petrossian, Gayaneh; Ameli, Amir; Mo, Changki; Pötschke, Petra
2018-03-01
Additive manufacturing (AM) is an emerging field experiencing rapid growth. This paper presents a feasibility study of using fused-deposition modeling (FDM) techniques with smart materials to fabricate objects with sensing and actuating capabilities. The fabrication of objects with sensing typically requires the integration and assembly of multiple components. Incorporating sensing elements into a single FDM process has the potential to significantly simplify manufacturing. The integration of multiple materials, especially smart materials and those with multi-functional properties, into the FDM process is challenging and still requires further development. Previous works by the authors have demonstrated a good printability of thermoplastic polyurethane/multiwall carbon nanotubes (TPU/MWCNT) while maintaining conductivity and piezoresistive response. This research explores the effects of layer height, nozzle temperature, and bed temperature on the electrical conductivity and piezoresistive response of printed TPU/MWCNT nanocomposites. An impedance analyzer was used to determine the conductivity of printed samples under different printing conditions from 5Hz-13MHz. The samples were then tested under compression loads to measure the piezoresistive response. Results show the conductivity and piezoresistive response are only slightly affected by the print parameters and they can be largely considered independent of the print conditions within the examined ranges of print parameters. This behavior simplifies the printing process design for TPU/MWCNT complex structures. This work demonstrates the possibility of manufacturing embedded and multidirectional flexible strain sensors using an inexpensive and versatile method, with potential applications in soft robotics, flexible electronics, and health monitoring.
A Simplified Finite Element Simulation for Straightening Process of Thin-Walled Tube
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhang, Ziqian; Yang, Huilin
2017-12-01
The finite element simulation is an effective way for the study of thin-walled tube in the two cross rolls straightening process. To determine the accurate radius of curvature of the roll profile more efficiently, a simplified finite element model based on the technical parameters of an actual two cross roll straightening machine, was developed to simulate the complex straightening process. Then a dynamic simulation was carried out using ANSYS LS-DYNA program. The result implied that the simplified finite element model was reasonable for simulate the two cross rolls straightening process, and can be obtained the radius of curvature of the roll profile with the tube’s straightness 2 mm/m.
Simplified power processing for ion-thruster subsystems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wessel, F. J.; Hancock, D. J.
1983-01-01
A design for a greatly simplified power-processing unit (SPPU) for the 8-cm diameter mercury-ion-thruster subsystem is discussed. This SPPU design will provide a tenfold reduction in parts count, a decrease in system mass and cost, and an increase in system reliability compared to the existing power-processing unit (PPU) used in the Hughes/NASA Lewis Research Center Ion Auxiliary Propulsion Subsystem. The simplifications achieved in this design will greatly increase the attractiveness of ion propulsion in near-term and future spacecraft propulsion applications. A description of a typical ion-thruster subsystem is given. An overview of the thruster/power-processor interface requirements is given. Simplified thruster power processing is discussed.
Determination of the performance of the Kaplan hydraulic turbines through simplified procedure
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pădureanu, I.; Jurcu, M.; Campian, C. V.; Haţiegan, C.
2018-01-01
A simplified procedure has been developed, compared to the complex one recommended by IEC 60041 (i.e. index samples), for measurement of the performance of the hydraulic turbines. The simplified procedure determines the minimum and maximum powers, the efficiency at maximum power, the evolution of powers by head and flow and to determine the correct relationship between runner/impeller blade angle and guide vane opening for most efficient operation of double-regulated machines. The simplified procedure can be used for a rapid and partial estimation of the performance of hydraulic turbines for repair and maintenance work.
Organic thin film transistor with a simplified planar structure
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhang, Lei; Yu, Jungsheng; Zhong, Jian; Jiang, Yadong
2009-05-01
Organic thin film transistor (OTFT) with a simplified planar structure is described. The gate electrode and the source/drain electrodes of OTFT are processed in one planar structure. And these three electrodes are deposited on the glass substrate by DC sputtering technology using Cr/Ni target. Then the electrode layouts of different width length ratio are made by photolithography technology at the same time. Only one step of deposition and one step of photolithography is needed while conventional process takes at least two steps of deposition and two steps of photolithography. Metal is first prepared on the other side of glass substrate and electrode is formed by photolithography. Then source/drain electrode is prepared by deposition and photolithography on the side with the insulation layer. Compared to conventional process of OTFTs, the process in this work is simplified. After three electrodes prepared, the insulation layer is made by spin coating method. The organic material of polyimide is used as the insulation layer. A small molecular material of pentacene is evaporated on the insulation layer using vacuum deposition as the active layer. The process of OTFTs needs only three steps totally. A semi-auto probe stage is used to connect the three electrodes and the probe of the test instrument. A charge carrier mobility of 0.3 cm2 /V s, is obtained from OTFTs on glass substrates with and on/off current ratio of 105. The OTFTs with the planar structure using simplified process can simplify the device process and reduce the fabrication cost.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kuo, B. C.; Singh, G.
1974-01-01
The dynamics of the Large Space Telescope (LST) control system were studied in order to arrive at a simplified model for computer simulation without loss of accuracy. The frictional nonlinearity of the Control Moment Gyroscope (CMG) Control Loop was analyzed in a model to obtain data for the following: (1) a continuous describing function for the gimbal friction nonlinearity; (2) a describing function of the CMG nonlinearity using an analytical torque equation; and (3) the discrete describing function and function plots for CMG functional linearity. Preliminary computer simulations are shown for the simplified LST system, first without, and then with analytical torque expressions. Transfer functions of the sampled-data LST system are also described. A final computer simulation is presented which uses elements of the simplified sampled-data LST system with analytical CMG frictional torque expressions.
Contamination concerns in the modular containerless processing facility
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Seshan, P. K.; Trinh, E. H.
1989-01-01
This paper describes the problems of the control and management of contamination in the Modular Containerless Processing Facility (MCPF), that is being currently developed at the JPL for the Space Station, and in the MCPF's precursor version, called the Drop Physics Module (DPM), which will be carried aboard one or more Space Shuttle missions. Attention is given to the identification of contamination sources, their mode of transport to the sample positioned within the chamber, and the protection of the sample, as well as to the mathematical simulatiom of the contaminant transport. It is emphasized that, in order to choose and implement the most appropriate contamination control strategy for each investigator, a number of simplified mathematical simulations will have to be developed, and ground-based contamination experiments will have to be carried out with identical materials.
Fang, Cheng; Butler, David Lee
2013-05-01
In this paper, an innovative method for CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine) self-calibration is proposed. In contrast to conventional CMM calibration that relies heavily on a high precision reference standard such as a laser interferometer, the proposed calibration method is based on a low-cost artefact which is fabricated with commercially available precision ball bearings. By optimizing the mathematical model and rearranging the data sampling positions, the experimental process and data analysis can be simplified. In mathematical expression, the samples can be minimized by eliminating the redundant equations among those configured by the experimental data array. The section lengths of the artefact are measured at arranged positions, with which an equation set can be configured to determine the measurement errors at the corresponding positions. With the proposed method, the equation set is short of one equation, which can be supplemented by either measuring the total length of the artefact with a higher-precision CMM or calibrating the single point error at the extreme position with a laser interferometer. In this paper, the latter is selected. With spline interpolation, the error compensation curve can be determined. To verify the proposed method, a simple calibration system was set up on a commercial CMM. Experimental results showed that with the error compensation curve uncertainty of the measurement can be reduced to 50%.
Use of Structure as a Basis for Abstraction in Air Traffic Control
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Davison, Hayley J.; Hansman, R. John
2004-01-01
The safety and efficiency of the air traffic control domain is highly dependent on the capabilities and limitations of its human controllers. Past research has indicated that structure provided by the airspace and procedures could aid in simplifying the controllers cognitive tasks. In this paper, observations, interviews, voice command data analyses, and radar analyses were conducted at the Boston Terminal Route Control (TRACON) facility to determine if there was evidence of controllers using structure to simplify their cognitive processes. The data suggest that controllers do use structure-based abstractions to simplify their cognitive processes, particularly the projection task. How structure simplifies the projection task and the implications of understanding the benefits structure provides to the projection task was discussed.
Yao, Min; Zhu, Sen; Tian, Zi-Rui; Song, Yong-Jia; Yang, Long; Wang, Yong-Jun; Cui, Xue-Jun
2018-03-26
To assess the cross cultural-adaptations of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). English and Chinese databases were searched through December 2017. Cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties were evaluated using the Guidelines for the Process of Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measures and the Quality Criteria for Psychometric Properties of Health Status Questionnaire. Among 34 studies, there were 31 RMDQ adaptations for 26 different languages/cultures. In the cross-cultural adaptation process, few studies reported expert committees completely constituted (3/31), and only ten studies complete the test of the pre-final version (10/31) due to insufficient sample sizes. As for the measurement properties, content validity (31/31) and construct validity (24/31) were assessed in most of the adaptations, whereas internal consistency (0/31), agreement (5/31), responsiveness (3/31), interpretability (6/31), and floor and ceiling effects (6/31) were not. The Hungarian and Moon's Korean adaptations were the highest quality translations. Where there were multiple adaptations for a language/culture, the Moon's Korean and Fan's simplified Chinese-Chinese Mainland adaptations are recommended over the other Korean or simplified Chinese-Chinese Mainland adaptations. Further studies are required to fully assess the measurement properties of the Arabic-Moroccan, Arabic-Tunisian, German- Austrian, Greek, Guajarati, Kim's Korean, Persian-Iranian, Polish, He's simplified Chinese-Chinese Mainland, Spanish, Spanish-Chilean, Thai, traditional Chinese-Taiwan, and Turkish adaptations of the RMDQ. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Pore water sampling in acid sulfate soils: a new peeper method.
Johnston, Scott G; Burton, Edward D; Keene, Annabelle F; Bush, Richard T; Sullivan, Leigh A; Isaacson, Lloyd
2009-01-01
This study describes the design, deployment, and application of a modified equilibration dialysis device (peeper) optimized for sampling pore waters in acid sulfate soils (ASS). The modified design overcomes the limitations of traditional-style peepers, when sampling firm ASS materials over relatively large depth intervals. The new peeper device uses removable, individual cells of 25 mL volume housed in a 1.5 m long rigid, high-density polyethylene rod. The rigid housing structure allows the device to be inserted directly into relatively firm soils without requiring a supporting frame. The use of removable cells eliminates the need for a large glove-box after peeper retrieval, thus simplifying physical handling. Removable cells are easily maintained in an inert atmosphere during sample processing and the 25-mL sample volume is sufficient for undertaking multiple analyses. A field evaluation of equilibration times indicates that 32 to 38 d of deployment was necessary. Overall, the modified method is simple and effective and well suited to acquisition and processing of redox-sensitive pore water profiles>1 m deep in acid sulfate soil or any other firm wetland soils.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Gabrielle N. Pecora; Francine C. Reid; Lauren M. Tom
2016-05-01
Collecting field samples from remote or geographically distant areas can be a financially and logistically challenging. With participation of a local organization where the samples are originated from, gDNA samples can be extracted from the field and shipped to a research institution for further processing and analysis. The ability to set up gDNA extraction capabilities in the field can drastically reduce cost and time when running long-term microbial studies with a large sample set. The method outlined here has developed a compact and affordable method for setting up a “laboratory” and extracting and shipping gDNA samples from anywhere in themore » world. This white paper explains the process of setting up the “laboratory”, choosing and training individuals with no prior scientific experience how to perform gDNA extractions and safe methods for shipping extracts to any research institution. All methods have been validated by the Andersen group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory using the Berkeley Lab PhyloChip.« less
Eigenvalue Tests and Distributions for Small Sample Order Determination for Complex Wishart Matrices
1994-08-13
theoretic order determination criteria for ARMA(p, q) models can be expressed in the form of equation 4.2. The word ARIMA should not be a distractor...subjectivity is not necessarily bad. It enables us to build tractable models and efficiently achieve reasonable results. The charge of "subjectivity" lodged...signal processing studies because it simplifies the mathematics involved and it is not a bad model for a wide range of situations. Wooding [293] is
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sydoff, Marie; Stenström, Kristina
2010-04-01
The Department of Physics at Lund University is participating in a European Union project called EUMAPP (European Union Microdose AMS Partnership Programme), in which sample preparation and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements of biological samples from microdosing studies have been made. This paper describes a simplified method of converting biological samples to solid graphite for 14C analysis with AMS. The method is based on online combustion of the samples, and reduction of CO 2 in septa-sealed vials. The septa-sealed vials and disposable materials are used to eliminate sample cross-contamination. Measurements of ANU and Ox I standards show deviations of 2% and 3%, respectively, relative to reference values. This level of accuracy is sufficient for biological samples from microdosing studies. Since the method has very few handling steps from sample to graphite, the risk of failure during the sample preparation process is minimized, making the method easy to use in routine preparation of samples.
Simplified Pan-species Real-time PCR-based Detection of Plasmodium Spp. in Blood Smear.
Hassanpour, Gholamreza; Mirhendi, Hossein; Mohebali, Mehdi; Raeisi, Ahmad; Zeraati, Hojjat; Keshavarz, Hossein
2016-01-01
We aimed to quicken and simplify the detection of Plasmodium in blood samples by developing and testing a pan- Plasmodium real-time PCR for accurate screening of individuals suspected of malaria. A single primer/probe set for pan-species Plasmodium -specific real time PCR targeting a conserved region of the small subunit 18S ribosomal DNA was designed and evaluated for rapid diagnosis and screening of malaria infections using dried blood smears. FTA cards were used for rapid and simple DNA extraction. The primers and probes showed a positive response with the DNA extracted from bloods infected with P. falciparum and P. vivax but not with DNA extracted from various smears from uninfected blood samples. Seven positive cases positive by both microscopy and nested PCR were found among 280 blood samples taken from in South and Southeast Iran. Five samples were identified as positive for P. vivax and two as positive for P. falciparum . All positive samples were positive by real-time PCR. Furthermore, all 38-blood samples positive by microscopy were positive by real-time PCR. No microscopy-negative samples were positive by real-time PCR. By using a simple FTA card for DNA extraction and by application of the real-time PCR developed in this study, sensitivity similar to nested-PCR and microscopy was achieved. This format simplifies the detection of Plasmodium in large numbers of samples.
Shaukat, Shahzad; Angez, Mehar; Alam, Muhammad Masroor; Jebbink, Maarten F; Deijs, Martin; Canuti, Marta; Sharif, Salmaan; de Vries, Michel; Khurshid, Adnan; Mahmood, Tariq; van der Hoek, Lia; Zaidi, Syed Sohail Zahoor
2014-08-12
The use of sequence independent methods combined with next generation sequencing for identification purposes in clinical samples appears promising and exciting results have been achieved to understand unexplained infections. One sequence independent method, Virus Discovery based on cDNA Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (VIDISCA) is capable of identifying viruses that would have remained unidentified in standard diagnostics or cell cultures. VIDISCA is normally combined with next generation sequencing, however, we set up a simplified VIDISCA which can be used in case next generation sequencing is not possible. Stool samples of 10 patients with unexplained acute flaccid paralysis showing cytopathic effect in rhabdomyosarcoma cells and/or mouse cells were used to test the efficiency of this method. To further characterize the viruses, VIDISCA-positive samples were amplified and sequenced with gene specific primers. Simplified VIDISCA detected seven viruses (70%) and the proportion of eukaryotic viral sequences from each sample ranged from 8.3 to 45.8%. Human enterovirus EV-B97, EV-B100, echovirus-9 and echovirus-21, human parechovirus type-3, human astrovirus probably a type-3/5 recombinant, and tetnovirus-1 were identified. Phylogenetic analysis based on the VP1 region demonstrated that the human enteroviruses are more divergent isolates circulating in the community. Our data support that a simplified VIDISCA protocol can efficiently identify unrecognized viruses grown in cell culture with low cost, limited time without need of advanced technical expertise. Also complex data interpretation is avoided thus the method can be used as a powerful diagnostic tool in limited resources. Redesigning the routine diagnostics might lead to additional detection of previously undiagnosed viruses in clinical samples of patients.
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2011-02-09
... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Bureau of Industry and Security 15 CFR Part 748 [Docket No. 100826397-1059-02] RIN 0694-AE98 Simplified Network Application Processing System, On-line Registration and Account Maintenance AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and Security, Commerce. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Bureau of...
Scalable problems and memory bounded speedup
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sun, Xian-He; Ni, Lionel M.
1992-01-01
In this paper three models of parallel speedup are studied. They are fixed-size speedup, fixed-time speedup and memory-bounded speedup. The latter two consider the relationship between speedup and problem scalability. Two sets of speedup formulations are derived for these three models. One set considers uneven workload allocation and communication overhead and gives more accurate estimation. Another set considers a simplified case and provides a clear picture on the impact of the sequential portion of an application on the possible performance gain from parallel processing. The simplified fixed-size speedup is Amdahl's law. The simplified fixed-time speedup is Gustafson's scaled speedup. The simplified memory-bounded speedup contains both Amdahl's law and Gustafson's scaled speedup as special cases. This study leads to a better understanding of parallel processing.
Zhou, Yanting; Gao, Jing; Zhu, Hongwen; Xu, Jingjing; He, Han; Gu, Lei; Wang, Hui; Chen, Jie; Ma, Danjun; Zhou, Hu; Zheng, Jing
2018-02-20
Membrane proteins may act as transporters, receptors, enzymes, and adhesion-anchors, accounting for nearly 70% of pharmaceutical drug targets. Difficulties in efficient enrichment, extraction, and solubilization still exist because of their relatively low abundance and poor solubility. A simplified membrane protein extraction approach with advantages of user-friendly sample processing procedures, good repeatability and significant effectiveness was developed in the current research for enhancing enrichment and identification of membrane proteins. This approach combining centrifugation and detergent along with LC-MS/MS successfully identified higher proportion of membrane proteins, integral proteins and transmembrane proteins in membrane fraction (76.6%, 48.1%, and 40.6%) than in total cell lysate (41.6%, 16.4%, and 13.5%), respectively. Moreover, our method tended to capture membrane proteins with high degree of hydrophobicity and number of transmembrane domains as 486 out of 2106 (23.0%) had GRAVY > 0 in membrane fraction, 488 out of 2106 (23.1%) had TMs ≥ 2. It also provided for improved identification of membrane proteins as more than 60.6% of the commonly identified membrane proteins in two cell samples were better identified in membrane fraction with higher sequence coverage. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD008456.
A simplified digital lock-in amplifier for the scanning grating spectrometer.
Wang, Jingru; Wang, Zhihong; Ji, Xufei; Liu, Jie; Liu, Guangda
2017-02-01
For the common measurement and control system of a scanning grating spectrometer, the use of an analog lock-in amplifier requires complex circuitry and sophisticated debugging, whereas the use of a digital lock-in amplifier places a high demand on the calculation capability and storage space. In this paper, a simplified digital lock-in amplifier based on averaging the absolute values within a complete period is presented and applied to a scanning grating spectrometer. The simplified digital lock-in amplifier was implemented on a low-cost microcontroller without multipliers, and got rid of the reference signal and specific configuration of the sampling frequency. Two positive zero-crossing detections were used to lock the phase of the measured signal. However, measurement method errors were introduced by the following factors: frequency fluctuation, sampling interval, and integer restriction of the sampling number. The theoretical calculation and experimental results of the signal-to-noise ratio of the proposed measurement method were 2055 and 2403, respectively.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wang, Xinwei; Chen, Zhe; Sun, Fangyuan; Zhang, Hang; Jiang, Yuyan; Tang, Dawei
2018-03-01
Heat transfer in nanostructures is of critical importance for a wide range of applications such as functional materials and thermal management of electronics. Time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) has been proved to be a reliable measurement technique for the thermal property determinations of nanoscale structures. However, it is difficult to determine more than three thermal properties at the same time. Heat transfer model simplifications can reduce the fitting variables and provide an alternative way for thermal property determination. In this paper, two simplified models are investigated and analyzed by the transform matrix method and simulations. TDTR measurements are performed on Al-SiO2-Si samples with different SiO2 thickness. Both theoretical and experimental results show that the simplified tri-layer model (STM) is reliable and suitable for thin film samples with a wide range of thickness. Furthermore, the STM can also extract the intrinsic thermal conductivity and interfacial thermal resistance from serial samples with different thickness.
Simplified dichromated gelatin hologram recording process
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Georgekutty, Tharayil G.; Liu, Hua-Kuang
1987-01-01
A simplified method for making dichromated gelatin (DCG) holographic optical elements (HOE) has been discovered. The method is much less tedious and it requires a period of processing time comparable with that for processing a silver halide hologram. HOE characteristics including diffraction efficiency (DE), linearity, and spectral sensitivity have been quantitatively investigated. The quality of the holographic grating is very high. Ninety percent or higher diffraction efficiency has been achieved in simple plane gratings made by this process.
Micro Machining of Injection Mold Inserts for Fluidic Channel of Polymeric Biochips
Jung, Woo-Chul; Heo, Young-Moo; Yoon, Gil-Sang; Shin, Kwang-Ho; Chang, Sung-Ho; Kim, Gun-Hee; Cho, Myeong-Woo
2007-01-01
Recently, the polymeric micro-fluidic biochip, often called LOC (lab-on-a-chip), has been focused as a cheap, rapid and simplified method to replace the existing biochemical laboratory works. It becomes possible to form miniaturized lab functionalities on a chip with the development of MEMS technologies. The micro-fluidic chips contain many micro-channels for the flow of sample and reagents, mixing, and detection tasks. Typical substrate materials for the chip are glass and polymers. Typical techniques for microfluidic chip fabrication are utilizing various micro pattern forming methods, such as wet-etching, micro-contact printing, and hot-embossing, micro injection molding, LIGA, and micro powder blasting processes, etc. In this study, to establish the basis of the micro pattern fabrication and mass production of polymeric micro-fluidic chips using injection molding process, micro machining method was applied to form micro-channels on the LOC molds. In the research, a series of machining experiments using micro end-mills were performed to determine optimum machining conditions to improve surface roughness and shape accuracy of designed simplified micro-channels. Obtained conditions were used to machine required mold inserts for micro-channels using micro end-mills. Test injection processes using machined molds and COC polymer were performed, and then the results were investigated.
Quantitative Real-Time PCR using the Thermo Scientific Solaris qPCR Assay
Ogrean, Christy; Jackson, Ben; Covino, James
2010-01-01
The Solaris qPCR Gene Expression Assay is a novel type of primer/probe set, designed to simplify the qPCR process while maintaining the sensitivity and accuracy of the assay. These primer/probe sets are pre-designed to >98% of the human and mouse genomes and feature significant improvements from previously available technologies. These improvements were made possible by virtue of a novel design algorithm, developed by Thermo Scientific bioinformatics experts. Several convenient features have been incorporated into the Solaris qPCR Assay to streamline the process of performing quantitative real-time PCR. First, the protocol is similar to commonly employed alternatives, so the methods used during qPCR are likely to be familiar. Second, the master mix is blue, which makes setting the qPCR reactions easier to track. Third, the thermal cycling conditions are the same for all assays (genes), making it possible to run many samples at a time and reducing the potential for error. Finally, the probe and primer sequence information are provided, simplifying the publication process. Here, we demonstrate how to obtain the appropriate Solaris reagents using the GENEius product search feature found on the ordering web site (www.thermo.com/solaris) and how to use the Solaris reagents for performing qPCR using the standard curve method. PMID:20567213
Computer generated hologram from point cloud using graphics processor.
Chen, Rick H-Y; Wilkinson, Timothy D
2009-12-20
Computer generated holography is an extremely demanding and complex task when it comes to providing realistic reconstructions with full parallax, occlusion, and shadowing. We present an algorithm designed for data-parallel computing on modern graphics processing units to alleviate the computational burden. We apply Gaussian interpolation to create a continuous surface representation from discrete input object points. The algorithm maintains a potential occluder list for each individual hologram plane sample to keep the number of visibility tests to a minimum. We experimented with two approximations that simplify and accelerate occlusion computation. It is observed that letting several neighboring hologram plane samples share visibility information on object points leads to significantly faster computation without causing noticeable artifacts in the reconstructed images. Computing a reduced sample set via nonuniform sampling is also found to be an effective acceleration technique.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liu, Lei; Liu, Zhuang; Zhang, Xin; Feng, Yanping; Wang, Chunxiao; Sun, Yingli; Lee, Don; Yan, Aru; Wu, Qiong
2017-05-01
Magnetization reversal mechanism is found to vary with cellular structures by a comparative study of the magnetization processes of three (Sm, Dy, Gd) (Co, Fe, Cu, Zr)z magnets with different cellular structures. Analysis of domain walls, initial magnetization curves and recoil loops indicates that the morphology of cellular structure has a significant effect on the magnetization process, besides the obvious connection to the difference of domain energy density between cell boundary phase (CBP) and main phase. The magnetization of Sample 2 (with a moderate cell size and uniformly continuous CBPs) behaves as a strong coherence domain-wall pinning effect to the domain wall and lead to a highest coercivity in the magnet. The magnetization of Sample 1 (with thin and discontinuous CBPs) shows an inconsistent pinning effect to the domain wall while that of Sample 3 (with thick and aggregate CBPs) exhibits a two-phase separation magnetization. Both the two cases lead to lower coercivities. A simplified model is given as well to describe the relationships among cellular structure and magnetization behavior.
The counting of native blood cells by digital microscopy
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Torbin, S. O.; Doubrovski, V. A.; Zabenkov, I. V.; Tsareva, O. E.
2017-03-01
An algorithm for photographic images processing of blood samples in its native state was developed to determine the concentration of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets without individual separate preparation of cells' samples. Special "photo templates" were suggested to use in order to identify red blood cells. The effect of "highlighting" of leukocytes, which was found by authors, was used to increase the accuracy of this type of cells counting. Finally to raise the resolution of platelets from leukocytes the areas of their photo images were used, but not their sizes. It is shown that the accuracy of cells counting for native blood samples may be comparable with the accuracy of similar studies for smears. At the same time the proposed native blood analysis simplifies greatly the procedure of sample preparation in comparison to smear, permits to move from the detection of blood cells ratio to the determination of their concentrations in the sample.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 36.602-5 Section 36.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 36.602-5 Section 36.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1336.602-5 Section 1336.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 836.602-5 Section 836.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Short selection processes for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 636.602-5 Section 636.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF STATE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 436.602-5 Section 436.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Short selection processes for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1436.602-5 Section 1436.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Short selection process for procurements not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 736.602-5 Section 736.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACT...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1336.602-5 Section 1336.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Short selection processes for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 636.602-5 Section 636.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF STATE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1036.602-5 Section 1036.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 436.602-5 Section 436.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 436.602-5 Section 436.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Short selection processes for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1436.602-5 Section 1436.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Short selection process for procurements not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 736.602-5 Section 736.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACT...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 436.602-5 Section 436.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 836.602-5 Section 836.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1336.602-5 Section 1336.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 36.602-5 Section 36.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 836.602-5 Section 836.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1336.602-5 Section 1336.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Short selection processes for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1436.602-5 Section 1436.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Short selection processes for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 636.602-5 Section 636.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF STATE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 36.602-5 Section 36.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Short selection process for procurements not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 736.602-5 Section 736.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACT...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1036.602-5 Section 1036.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 36.602-5 Section 36.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1036.602-5 Section 1036.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Short selection process for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1036.602-5 Section 1036.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Short selection processes for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 1436.602-5 Section 1436.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-10-01
... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Short selection processes for contracts not to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. 636.602-5 Section 636.602-5 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF STATE SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECT-ENGINEER CONTRACTS...
Road to Grid Parity through Deployment of Low-Cost 21.5% N-Type Si Solar Cells
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Velundur, Vijay
This project seeks to develop and deploy differentiated 21.5% efficient n-type Si solar cells while reaching the SunShot module cost goal of ≤ $0.50/W. This objective hinges on development of enabling low cost technologies that simplify the manufacturing process and reduce overall processing costs. These comprise of (1) Boron emitter formation and passivation; (2) Simplified processing process for emitter and BSF layers; and (3) Advanced metallization for the front and back contacts.
Rapid separation and purification of uranium and plutonium from dilute-matrix samples
Armstrong, Christopher R.; Ticknor, Brian W.; Hall, Gregory; ...
2014-03-11
This work presents a streamlined separation and purification approach for trace uranium and plutonium from dilute (carrier-free) matrices. The method, effective for nanogram quantities of U and femtogram to picogram quantities of Pu, is ideally suited for environmental swipe samples that contain a small amount of collected bulk material. As such, it may be applicable for processing swipe samples such as those collected in IAEA inspection activities as well as swipes that are loaded with unknown analytes, such as those implemented in interlaboratory round-robin or proficiency tests. Additionally, the simplified actinide separation could find use in internal laboratory monitoring ofmore » clean room conditions prior to or following more extensive chemical processing. We describe key modifications to conventional techniques that result in a relatively rapid, cost-effective, and efficient U and Pu separation process. We demonstrate the efficacy of implementing anion exchange chromatography in a single column approach. We also show that hydrobromic acid is an effective substitute in lieu of hydroiodoic acid for eluting Pu. Lastly, we show that nitric acid is an effective digestion agent in lieu of perchloric acid and/or hydrofluoric acid. A step by step procedure of this process is detailed.« less
Advanced platform for the in-plane ZT measurement of thin films
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Linseis, V.; Völklein, F.; Reith, H.; Nielsch, K.; Woias, P.
2018-01-01
The characterization of nanostructured samples with at least one restricted dimension like thin films or nanowires is challenging, but important to understand their structure and transport mechanism, and to improve current industrial products and production processes. We report on the 2nd generation of a measurement chip, which allows for a simplified sample preparation process, and the measurement of samples deposited from the liquid phase using techniques like spin coating and drop casting. The new design enables us to apply much higher temperature gradients for the Seebeck coefficient measurement in a shorter time, without influencing the sample holder's temperature distribution. Furthermore, a two membrane correction method for the 3ω thermal conductivity measurement will be presented, which takes the heat loss due to radiation into account and increases the accuracy of the measurement results significantly. Errors caused by different sample compositions, varying sample geometries, and different heat profiles are avoided with the presented measurement method. As a showcase study displaying the validity and accuracy of our platform, we present temperature-dependent measurements of the thermoelectric properties of an 84 nm Bi87Sb13 thin film and a 15 μm PEDOT:PSS thin film.
Hilliard, Mark; Alley, William R; McManus, Ciara A; Yu, Ying Qing; Hallinan, Sinead; Gebler, John; Rudd, Pauline M
Glycosylation is an important attribute of biopharmaceutical products to monitor from development through production. However, glycosylation analysis has traditionally been a time-consuming process with long sample preparation protocols and manual interpretation of the data. To address the challenges associated with glycan analysis, we developed a streamlined analytical solution that covers the entire process from sample preparation to data analysis. In this communication, we describe the complete analytical solution that begins with a simplified and fast N-linked glycan sample preparation protocol that can be completed in less than 1 hr. The sample preparation includes labelling with RapiFluor-MS tag to improve both fluorescence (FLR) and mass spectral (MS) sensitivities. Following HILIC-UPLC/FLR/MS analyses, the data are processed and a library search based on glucose units has been included to expedite the task of structural assignment. We then applied this total analytical solution to characterize the glycosylation of the NIST Reference Material mAb 8761. For this glycoprotein, we confidently identified 35 N-linked glycans and all three major classes, high mannose, complex, and hybrid, were present. The majority of the glycans were neutral and fucosylated; glycans featuring N-glycolylneuraminic acid and those with two galactoses connected via an α1,3-linkage were also identified.
Giro, Gabriela; Tovar, Nick; Marin, Charles; Bonfante, Estevam A.; Jimbo, Ryo; Suzuki, Marcelo; Janal, Malvin N.; Coelho, Paulo G.
2013-01-01
Objectives. To test the hypothesis that there would be no differences in osseointegration by reducing the number of drills for site preparation relative to conventional drilling sequence. Methods. Seventy-two implants were bilaterally placed in the tibia of 18 beagle dogs and remained for 1, 3, and 5 weeks. Thirty-six implants were 3.75 mm in diameter and the other 36 were 4.2 mm. Half of the implants of each diameter were placed under a simplified technique (pilot drill + final diameter drill) and the other half were placed under conventional drilling where multiple drills of increasing diameter were utilized. After euthanisation, the bone-implant samples were processed and referred to histological analysis. Bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and bone-area-fraction occupancy (BAFO) were assessed. Statistical analyses were performed by GLM ANOVA at 95% level of significance considering implant diameter, time in vivo, and drilling procedure as independent variables and BIC and BAFO as the dependent variables. Results. Both techniques led to implant integration. No differences in BIC and BAFO were observed between drilling procedures as time elapsed in vivo. Conclusions. The simplified drilling protocol presented comparable osseointegration outcomes to the conventional protocol, which proved the initial hypothesis. PMID:23431303
Simplified Pan-species Real-time PCR-based Detection of Plasmodium Spp. in Blood Smear
HASSANPOUR, Gholamreza; MIRHENDI, Hossein; MOHEBALI, Mehdi; RAEISI, Ahmad; ZERAATI, Hojjat; KESHAVARZ, Hossein
2016-01-01
Background: We aimed to quicken and simplify the detection of Plasmodium in blood samples by developing and testing a pan-Plasmodium real-time PCR for accurate screening of individuals suspected of malaria. Methods: A single primer/probe set for pan-species Plasmodium-specific real time PCR targeting a conserved region of the small subunit 18S ribosomal DNA was designed and evaluated for rapid diagnosis and screening of malaria infections using dried blood smears. FTA cards were used for rapid and simple DNA extraction. Results: The primers and probes showed a positive response with the DNA extracted from bloods infected with P. falciparum and P. vivax but not with DNA extracted from various smears from uninfected blood samples. Seven positive cases positive by both microscopy and nested PCR were found among 280 blood samples taken from in South and Southeast Iran. Five samples were identified as positive for P. vivax and two as positive for P. falciparum. All positive samples were positive by real-time PCR. Furthermore, all 38-blood samples positive by microscopy were positive by real-time PCR. No microscopy-negative samples were positive by real-time PCR. Conclusion: By using a simple FTA card for DNA extraction and by application of the real-time PCR developed in this study, sensitivity similar to nested-PCR and microscopy was achieved. This format simplifies the detection of Plasmodium in large numbers of samples. PMID:28127357
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Crossley, Scott A.; Yang, Hae Sung; McNamara, Danielle S.
2014-01-01
This study uses a moving windows self-paced reading task to assess both text comprehension and processing time of authentic texts and these same texts simplified to beginning and intermediate levels. Forty-eight second language learners each read 9 texts (3 different authentic, beginning, and intermediate level texts). Repeated measures ANOVAs…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Schmidt, Matthew M.; Lin, Meng-Fen Grace; Paek, Seungoh; MacSuga-Gage, Ashley; Gage, Nicholas A.
2017-01-01
The worldwide explosion in popularity of mobile devices has created a dramatic increase in mobile software (apps) that are quick and easy to find and install, cheap, disposable, and usually single purpose. Hence, teachers need an equally streamlined and simplified decision-making process to help them identify educational apps--an approach that…
Artificial testing targets with controllable blur for adaptive optics microscopes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Hattori, Masayuki; Tamada, Yosuke; Murata, Takashi; Oya, Shin; Hasebe, Mitsuyasu; Hayano, Yutaka; Kamei, Yasuhiro
2017-08-01
This letter proposes a method of configuring a testing target to evaluate the performance of adaptive optics microscopes. In this method, a testing slide with fluorescent beads is used to simultaneously determine the point spread function and the field of view. The point spread function is reproduced to simulate actual biological samples by etching a microstructure on the cover glass. The fabrication process is simplified to facilitate an onsite preparation. The artificial tissue consists of solid materials and silicone oil and is stable for use in repetitive experiments.
Study on Collision of Ship Side Structure by Simplified Plastic Analysis Method
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sun, C. J.; Zhou, J. H.; Wu, W.
2017-10-01
During its lifetime, a ship may encounter collision or grounding and sustain permanent damage after these types of accidents. Crashworthiness has been based on two kinds of main methods: simplified plastic analysis and numerical simulation. A simplified plastic analysis method is presented in this paper. Numerical methods using the non-linear finite-element software LS-DYNA are conducted to validate the method. The results show that, as for the accuracy of calculation results, the simplified plasticity analysis are in good agreement with the finite element simulation, which reveals that the simplified plasticity analysis method can quickly and accurately estimate the crashworthiness of the side structure during the collision process and can be used as a reliable risk assessment method.
Reinehr, Christian Oliveira; Treichel, Helen; Tres, Marcus Vinicius; Steffens, Juliana; Brião, Vandré Barbosa; Colla, Luciane Maria
2017-06-01
In this study, we developed a simplified method for producing, separating, and concentrating lipases derived from solid-state fermentation of agro-industrial residues by filamentous fungi. First, we used Aspergillus niger to produce lipases with hydrolytic activity. We analyzed the separation and concentration of enzymes using membrane separation processes. The sequential use of microfiltration and ultrafiltration processes made it possible to obtain concentrates with enzymatic activities much higher than those in the initial extract. The permeate flux was higher than 60 L/m 2 h during microfiltration using 20- and 0.45-µm membranes and during ultrafiltration using 100- and 50-kDa membranes, where fouling was reversible during the filtration steps, thereby indicating that the fouling may be removed by cleaning processes. These results demonstrate the feasibility of lipase production using A. niger by solid-state fermentation of agro-industrial residues, followed by successive tangential filtration with membranes, which simplify the separation and concentration steps that are typically required in downstream processes.
A simplified Forest Inventory and Analysis database: FIADB-Lite
Patrick D. Miles
2008-01-01
This publication is a simplified version of the Forest Inventory and Analysis Data Base (FIADB) for users who do not need to compute sampling errors and may find the FIADB unnecessarily complex. Possible users include GIS specialists who may be interested only in identifying and retrieving geographic information and per acre values for the set of plots used in...
A simplified method for determining heat of combustion of natural gas
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Singh, Jag J.; Chegini, Hoshang; Mall, Gerald H.
1987-01-01
A simplified technique for determination of the heat of combustion of natural gas has been developed. It is a variation of the previously developed technique wherein the carrier air, in which the test sample was burnt, was oxygen enriched to adjust the mole fraction of oxygen in the combustion product gases up to that in the carrier air. The new technique eliminates the need for oxygen enrichment of the experimental mixtures and natural gas samples and has been found to predict their heats of combustion to an uncertainty of the order of 1 percent.
Development of the ICD-10 simplified version and field test.
Paoin, Wansa; Yuenyongsuwan, Maliwan; Yokobori, Yukiko; Endo, Hiroyoshi; Kim, Sukil
2018-05-01
The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10) has been used in various Asia-Pacific countries for more than 20 years. Although ICD-10 is a powerful tool, clinical coding processes are complex; therefore, many developing countries have not been able to implement ICD-10-based health statistics (WHO-FIC APN, 2007). This study aimed to simplify ICD-10 clinical coding processes, to modify index terms to facilitate computer searching and to provide a simplified version of ICD-10 for use in developing countries. The World Health Organization Family of International Classifications Asia-Pacific Network (APN) developed a simplified version of the ICD-10 and conducted field testing in Cambodia during February and March 2016. Ten hospitals were selected to participate. Each hospital sent a team to join a training workshop before using the ICD-10 simplified version to code 100 cases. All hospitals subsequently sent their coded records to the researchers. Overall, there were 1038 coded records with a total of 1099 ICD clinical codes assigned. The average accuracy rate was calculated as 80.71% (66.67-93.41%). Three types of clinical coding errors were found. These related to errors relating to the coder (14.56%), those resulting from the physician documentation (1.27%) and those considered system errors (3.46%). The field trial results demonstrated that the APN ICD-10 simplified version is feasible for implementation as an effective tool to implement ICD-10 clinical coding for hospitals. Developing countries may consider adopting the APN ICD-10 simplified version for ICD-10 code assignment in hospitals and health care centres. The simplified version can be viewed as an introductory tool which leads to the implementation of the full ICD-10 and may support subsequent ICD-11 adoption.
A novel method of genomic DNA extraction for Cactaceae1
Fehlberg, Shannon D.; Allen, Jessica M.; Church, Kathleen
2013-01-01
• Premise of the study: Genetic studies of Cactaceae can at times be impeded by difficult sampling logistics and/or high mucilage content in tissues. Simplifying sampling and DNA isolation through the use of cactus spines has not previously been investigated. • Methods and Results: Several protocols for extracting DNA from spines were tested and modified to maximize yield, amplification, and sequencing. Sampling of and extraction from spines resulted in a simplified protocol overall and complete avoidance of mucilage as compared to typical tissue extractions. Sequences from one nuclear and three plastid regions were obtained across eight genera and 20 species of cacti using DNA extracted from spines. • Conclusions: Genomic DNA useful for amplification and sequencing can be obtained from cactus spines. The protocols described here are valuable for any cactus species, but are particularly useful for investigators interested in sampling living collections, extensive field sampling, and/or conservation genetic studies. PMID:25202521
Garrett, Sarah B; Murphy, Marie; Wiley, James; Dohan, Daniel
2017-12-01
Replacing standard consent materials with simplified materials is a promising intervention to improve patient comprehension, but there is little evidence on its real-world implementation. We employed a sequential two-arm design to compare the effect of standard versus simplified consent materials on potential donors' understanding of biobank processes and their accrual to an active biobanking program. Participants were female patients of a California breast health clinic. Subjects from the simplified arm answered more items correctly ( p = .064), reported "don't know" for fewer items ( p = .077), and consented to donate to the biobank at higher rates ( p = .025) than those from the standard arm. Replacing an extant consent form with a simplified version is feasible and may benefit patient comprehension and study accrual.
Low-level 14C methane oxidation rate measurements modified for remote field settings
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pack, M. A.; Pohlman, J.; Ruppel, C. D.; Xu, X.
2012-12-01
Aerobic methane oxidation limits atmospheric methane emissions from degraded subsea permafrost and dissociated methane hydrates in high latitude oceans. Methane oxidation rate measurements are a crucial tool for investigating the efficacy of this process, but are logistically challenging when working on small research vessels in remote settings. We modified a low-level 14C-CH4 oxidation rate measurement for use in the Beaufort Sea above hydrate bearing sediments during August 2012. Application of the more common 3H-CH4 rate measurement that uses 106 times more radioactivity was not practical because the R/V Ukpik cannot accommodate a radiation van. The low-level 14C measurement does not require a radiation van, but careful isolation of the 14C-label is essential to avoid contaminating natural abundance 14C measurements. We used 14C-CH4 with a total activity of 1.1 μCi, which is far below the 100 μCi permitting level. In addition, we modified field procedures to simplify and shorten sample processing. The original low-level 14C-CH4 method requires 6 steps in the field: (1) collect water samples in glass serum bottles, (2) inject 14C-CH4 into bottles, (3) incubate for 24 hours, (4) filter to separate the methanotrophic bacterial cells from the aqueous sample, (5) kill the filtrate with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and (6) purge with nitrogen to remove unused 14C-CH4. Onshore, the 14C-CH4 respired to carbon dioxide or incorporated into cell material by methanotrophic bacteria during incubation is quantified by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). We conducted an experiment to test the possibility of storing samples for purging and filtering back onshore (steps 4 and 6). We subjected a series of water samples to steps 1-3 & 5, and preserved with mercuric chloride (HgCl2) instead of NaOH because HgCl2 is less likely to break down cell material during storage. The 14C-content of the carbon dioxide in samples preserved with HgCl2 and stored for up to 2 weeks was stable, showing that oxidation of 14C-CH4 did not occur during storage. On the other hand, the 14C-content of the cell material decreased during storage, and the total carbon content of the filtered biomass decreased by 20% in the first 3 days. These results show that: [1] step 6 can be performed onshore because HgCl2 is an effective preservative even when unused 14C-CH4 is not removed, and [2] cell material is not stable in HgCl2 preserved samples, so filtering (step 4) must take place in the field. Next, we attempted to simplify the field filtering procedure by incubating samples in plastic syringes, and then filtering through a luer lock filter holder connected to the syringe. However, syringe incubated samples yielded oxidation rates up to 27 times slower than those in glass bottles, and demonstrated that plastic syringes are not suitable for incubating samples. Thus, we devised a technique to filter directly from sample bottles, through a syringe filter holder, and into an evacuated glass serum bottle in one step. Overall, we were able to simplify the field protocol to work on small vessels in remote field settings without compromising data quality.
Morishita, Y
2001-05-01
The subject matters concerned with use of so-called simplified analytical systems for the purpose of useful utilizing are mentioned from the perspective of a laboratory technician. 1. The data from simplified analytical systems should to be agreed with those of particular reference methods not to occur the discrepancy of the data from different laboratories. 2. Accuracy of the measured results using simplified analytical systems is hard to be scrutinized thoroughly and correctly with the quality control surveillance procedure on the stored pooled serum or partly-processed blood. 3. It is necessary to present the guide line to follow about the contents of evaluation to guarantee on quality of simplified analytical systems. 4. Maintenance and manual performance of simplified analytical systems have to be standardized by a laboratory technician and a selling agent technician. 5. It calls attention, further that the cost of simplified analytical systems is much expensive compared to that of routine method with liquid reagents. 6. Various substances in human serum, like cytokine, hormone, tumor marker, and vitamin, etc. are also hoped to be measured by simplified analytical systems.
The Effect of Salts on Electrospray Ionization of Amino Acids in the Negative Mode
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kim, H. I.; Johnson, P. V.; Beegle, L. W.; Kanik, I.
2004-01-01
The continued search for organics on Mars will require the development of simplified procedures for handling and processing of soil or rock core samples prior to analysis by onboard instrumentation. Extraction of certain organic molecules such as amino acids from rock and soil samples using a liquid solvent (H2O) has been shown to be more efficient (by approximately an order of magnitude) than heat extraction methods. As such, liquid extraction (using H2O) of amino acid molecules from rock cores or regolith material is a prime candidate for the required processing. In this scenario, electrospray ionization (ESI) of the liquid extract would be a natural choice for ionization of the analyte prior to interrogation by one of a variety of potential analytical separation techniques (mass spectroscopy, ion mobility spectroscopy, etc.). Aside from the obvious compatibility of ESI and liquid samples, ESI offers simplicity and a soft ionization capability. In order to demonstrate that liquid extraction and ESI can work as part of an in situ instrument on Mars, we must better understand and quantify the effect salts have on the ESI process. In the current work, we have endeavored to investigate the feasibility and limitations of negative mode ESI of Martian surface samples in the context of sample salt content using ion mobility spectroscopy (IMS).
Validation of an In-Water, Tower-Shading Correction Scheme
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hooker, Stanford B. (Editor); Firestone, Elaine R. (Editor); Doyle, John P.; Zibordi, Giuseppe; vanderLinde, Dirk
2003-01-01
Large offshore structures used for the deployment of optical instruments can significantly perturb the intensity of the light field surrounding the optical measurement point, where different portions of the visible spectrum are subject to different shadowing effects. These effects degrade the quality of the acquired optical data and can reduce the accuracy of several derived quantities, such as those obtained by applying bio-optical algorithms directly to the shadow-perturbed data. As a result, optical remote sensing calibration and validation studies can be impaired if shadowing artifacts are not fully accounted for. In this work, the general in-water shadowing problem is examined for a particular case study. Backward Monte Carlo (MC) radiative transfer computations- performed in a vertically stratified, horizontally inhomogeneous, and realistic ocean-atmosphere system are shown to accurately simulate the shadow-induced relative percent errors affecting the radiance and irradiance data profiles acquired close to an oceanographic tower. Multiparameter optical data processing has provided adequate representation of experimental uncertainties allowing consistent comparison with simulations. The more detailed simulations at the subsurface depth appear to be essentially equivalent to those obtained assuming a simplified ocean-atmosphere system, except in highly stratified waters. MC computations performed in the simplified system can be assumed, therefore, to accurately simulate the optical measurements conducted under more complex sampling conditions (i.e., within waters presenting moderate stratification at most). A previously reported correction scheme, based on the simplified MC simulations, and developed for subsurface shadow-removal processing of in-water optical data taken close to the investigated oceanographic tower, is then validated adequately under most experimental conditions. It appears feasible to generalize the present tower-specific approach to solve other optical sensor shadowing problems pertaining to differently shaped deployment platforms, and also including surrounding structures and instrument casings.
Gotanda, Tatsuhiro; Katsuda, Toshizo; Gotanda, Rumi; Kuwano, Tadao; Akagawa, Takuya; Tanki, Nobuyoshi; Tabuchi, Akihiko; Shimono, Tetsunori; Kawaji, Yasuyuki
2016-01-01
Radiochromic film dosimeters have a disadvantage in comparison with an ionization chamber in that the dosimetry process is time-consuming for creating a density-absorbed dose calibration curve. The purpose of this study was the development of a simplified method of creating a density-absorbed dose calibration curve from radiochromic film within a short time. This simplified method was performed using Gafchromic EBT3 film with a low energy dependence and step-shaped Al filter. The simplified method was compared with the standard method. The density-absorbed dose calibration curves created using the simplified and standard methods exhibited approximately similar straight lines, and the gradients of the density-absorbed dose calibration curves were -32.336 and -33.746, respectively. The simplified method can obtain calibration curves within a much shorter time compared to the standard method. It is considered that the simplified method for EBT3 film offers a more time-efficient means of determining the density-absorbed dose calibration curve within a low absorbed dose range such as the diagnostic range.
Gotanda, Tatsuhiro; Katsuda, Toshizo; Gotanda, Rumi; Kuwano, Tadao; Akagawa, Takuya; Tanki, Nobuyoshi; Tabuchi, Akihiko; Shimono, Tetsunori; Kawaji, Yasuyuki
2016-01-01
Radiochromic film dosimeters have a disadvantage in comparison with an ionization chamber in that the dosimetry process is time-consuming for creating a density-absorbed dose calibration curve. The purpose of this study was the development of a simplified method of creating a density-absorbed dose calibration curve from radiochromic film within a short time. This simplified method was performed using Gafchromic EBT3 film with a low energy dependence and step-shaped Al filter. The simplified method was compared with the standard method. The density-absorbed dose calibration curves created using the simplified and standard methods exhibited approximately similar straight lines, and the gradients of the density-absorbed dose calibration curves were −32.336 and −33.746, respectively. The simplified method can obtain calibration curves within a much shorter time compared to the standard method. It is considered that the simplified method for EBT3 film offers a more time-efficient means of determining the density-absorbed dose calibration curve within a low absorbed dose range such as the diagnostic range. PMID:28144120
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Powell, W. B.
1973-01-01
Thrust chamber performance is evaluated in terms of an analytical model incorporating all the loss processes that occur in a real rocket motor. The important loss processes in the real thrust chamber were identified, and a methodology and recommended procedure for predicting real thrust chamber vacuum specific impulse were developed. Simplified equations for the calculation of vacuum specific impulse are developed to relate the delivered performance (both vacuum specific impulse and characteristic velocity) to the ideal performance as degraded by the losses corresponding to a specified list of loss processes. These simplified equations enable the various performance loss components, and the corresponding efficiencies, to be quantified separately (except that interaction effects are arbitrarily assigned in the process). The loss and efficiency expressions presented can be used to evaluate experimentally measured thrust chamber performance, to direct development effort into the areas most likely to yield improvements in performance, and as a basis to predict performance of related thrust chamber configurations.
Richardson, G
2009-09-01
By application of matched asymptotic expansions, a simplified partial differential equation (PDE) model for the dynamic electrochemical processes occurring in the vicinity of a membrane, as ions selectively permeate across it, is formally derived from the Poisson-Nernst-Planck equations of electrochemistry. It is demonstrated that this simplified model reduces itself, in the limit of a long thin axon, to the cable equation used by Hodgkin and Huxley to describe the propagation of action potentials in the unmyelinated squid giant axon. The asymptotic reduction from the simplified PDE model to the cable equation leads to insights that are not otherwise apparent; these include an explanation of why the squid giant axon attains a diameter in the region of 1 mm. The simplified PDE model has more general application than the Hodgkin-Huxley cable equation and can, e.g. be used to describe action potential propagation in myelinated axons and neuronal cell bodies.
Simplifying the writing process for the novice writer.
Redmond, Mary Connie
2002-10-01
Nurses take responsibility for reading information to update their professional knowledge and to meet relicensure requirements. However, nurses are less enthusiastic about writing for professional publication. This article explores the reluctance of nurses to write, the reasons why writing for publication is important to the nursing profession, the importance of mentoring to potential writers, and basic information about simplifying the writing process for novice writers. Copyright 2002 by American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses.
Blood oxygen saturation determined by transmission spectrophotometry of hemolyzed blood samples
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Malik, W. M.
1967-01-01
Use of the Lambert-Beer Transmission Law determines blood oxygen saturation of hemolyzed blood samples. This simplified method is based on the difference in optical absorption properties of hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin.
Coveney, John; Herbert, Danielle L; Hill, Kathy; Mow, Karen E; Graves, Nicholas; Barnett, Adrian
2017-01-01
In Australia, the peer review process for competitive funding is usually conducted by a peer review group in conjunction with prior assessment from external assessors. This process is quite mysterious to those outside it. The purpose of this research was to throw light on grant review panels (sometimes called the 'black box') through an examination of the impact of panel procedures, panel composition and panel dynamics on the decision-making in the grant review process. A further purpose was to compare experience of a simplified review process with more conventional processes used in assessing grant proposals in Australia. This project was one aspect of a larger study into the costs and benefits of a simplified peer review process. The Queensland University of Technology (QUT)-simplified process was compared with the National Health and Medical Research Council's (NHMRC) more complex process. Grant review panellists involved in both processes were interviewed about their experience of the decision-making process that assesses the excellence of an application. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Each transcription was de-identified and returned to the respondent for review. Final transcripts were read repeatedly and coded, and similar codes were amalgamated into categories that were used to build themes. Final themes were shared with the research team for feedback. Two major themes arose from the research: (1) assessing grant proposals and (2) factors influencing the fairness, integrity and objectivity of review. Issues such as the quality of writing in a grant proposal, comparison of the two review methods, the purpose and use of the rebuttal, assessing the financial value of funded projects, the importance of the experience of the panel membership and the role of track record and the impact of group dynamics on the review process were all discussed. The research also examined the influence of research culture on decision-making in grant review panels. One of the aims of this study was to compare a simplified review process with more conventional processes. Generally, participants were supportive of the simplified process. Transparency in the grant review process will result in better appreciation of the outcome. Despite the provision of clear guidelines for peer review, reviewing processes are likely to be subjective to the extent that different reviewers apply different rules. The peer review process will come under more scrutiny as funding for research becomes even more competitive. There is justification for further research on the process, especially of a kind that taps more deeply into the 'black box' of peer review.
Automated Array Assembly, Phase 2
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Carbajal, B. G.
1979-01-01
The solar cell module process development activities in the areas of surface preparation are presented. The process step development was carried out on texture etching including the evolution of a conceptual process model for the texturing process; plasma etching; and diffusion studies that focused on doped polymer diffusion sources. Cell processing was carried out to test process steps and a simplified diode solar cell process was developed. Cell processing was also run to fabricate square cells to populate sample minimodules. Module fabrication featured the demonstration of a porcelainized steel glass structure that should exceed the 20 year life goal of the low cost silicon array program. High efficiency cell development was carried out in the development of the tandem junction cell and a modification of the TJC called the front surface field cell. Cell efficiencies in excess of 16 percent at AM1 have been attained with only modest fill factors. The transistor-like model was proposed that fits the cell performance and provides a guideline for future improvements in cell performance.
Simplified power processing for ion-thruster subsystems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wessel, F. J.; Hancock, D. J.
1983-01-01
Compared to chemical propulsion, ion propulsion offers distinct payload-mass increases for many future low-thrust earth-orbital and deep-space missions. Despite this advantage, the high initial cost and complexity of ion-propulsion subsystems reduce their attractiveness for most present and near-term spacecraft missions. Investigations have, therefore, been conducted with the objective to attempt to simplify the power-processing unit (PPU), which is the single most complex and expensive component in the thruster subsystem. The present investigation is concerned with a program to simplify the design of the PPU employed in a 8-cm mercury-ion-thruster subsystem. In this program a dramatic simplification in the design of the PPU could be achieved, while retaining essential thruster control and subsystem operational flexibility.
Thinning of Large Biological Cells for Cryo-TEM Characterization by Cryo-FIB Milling
Strunk, Korrinn M.; Ke, Danxia; Gray, Jennifer L.; Zhang, Peijun
2013-01-01
SUMMARY Focused ion beam milling at cryogenic temperatures (cryo-FIB) is a valuable tool that can be used to thin vitreous biological specimens for subsequent imaging and analysis in a cryo-transmission electron microscope (cryo-TEM) in their frozen-hydrated state. This technique offers the potential benefit of eliminating the mechanical artifacts that are typically found with cryo-ultramicrotomy. However, due to the additional complexity in transferring samples in and out of the FIB, contamination and devitrification of the amorphous ice is commonly encountered. In order to address these problems, we have designed a new sample cryo-shuttle that specifically accepts Polara TEM cartridges directly in order to simplify the transfer process between the FIB and TEM. We used the quality of the ice in the sample as an indicator to test various parameters used the process, and demonstrated with successful milling of large mammalian cells. By comparing the results from larger HeLa cells to those from E. coli cells, we discuss some of the artifacts and challenges we have encountered using this technique. PMID:22906009
Unimolecular decomposition reactions at low-pressure: A comparison of competitive methods
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Adams, G. F.
1980-01-01
The lack of a simple rate coefficient expression to describe the pressure and temperature dependence hampers chemical modeling of flame systems. Recently developed simplified models to describe unimolecular processes include the calculation of rate constants for thermal unimolecular reactions and recombinations at the low pressure limit, at the high pressure limit and in the intermediate fall-off region. Comparison between two different applications of Troe's simplified model and a comparison between the simplified model and the classic RRKM theory are described.
Hua, Yujuan; Hawryluk, Myron; Gras, Ronda; Shearer, Randall; Luong, Jim
2018-01-01
A fast and reliable analytical technique for the determination of total sulfur levels in complex hydrocarbon matrices is introduced. The method employed flow injection technique using a gas chromatograph as a sample introduction device and a gas phase dual-plasma sulfur chemiluminescence detector for sulfur quantification. Using the technique described, total sulfur measurement in challenging hydrocarbon matrices can be achieved in less than 10 s with sample-to-sample time <2 min. The high degree of selectivity and sensitivity toward sulfur compounds of the detector offers the ability to measure low sulfur levels with a detection limit in the range of 20 ppb w/w S. The equimolar response characteristic of the detector allows the quantitation of unknown sulfur compounds and simplifies the calibration process. Response is linear over a concentration range of five orders of magnitude, with a high degree of repeatability. The detector's lack of response to hydrocarbons enables direct analysis without the need for time-consuming sample preparation and chromatographic separation processes. This flow injection-based sulfur chemiluminescence detection technique is ideal for fast analysis or trace sulfur analysis. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
[Determination of benzo(alpha)pyrene in food with microwave-assisted extraction].
Zhou, Na; Luo, He-Dong; Li, Na; Li, Yao-Qun
2014-03-01
Coupling derivative technique and constant-energy synchronous fluorescence scanning technique, a method of determining benzo[alpha] pyrene in foods by second derivative constant-energy synchronous spectrofluorimetry after microwave-assisted treatment of samples was established using domestic microwave oven. The main factors of influencing the efficiency of microwave extraction were discussed, including the extraction solvent types and amounts, the microwave extraction time, microwave radiation power and cooling time. And the comparison with ultrasonic extraction was made. Low-fat food samples, which were just microwave-extracted with mixed-solvents, could be analyzed immediately by the spectrofluorimetric technique. For high-fat food samples, microwave-assisted saponification and extraction were made at the same time, thus simplifying operation steps and reducing sample analysis time. So the whole sample analysis process could be completed within one hour. This method was simple, rapid and inexpensive. In consequence, it was applied to determine benzo(a)pyrene in food with good reproducibility and the recoveries of benzo(alpha) pyrene ranged from 90.0% to 105.0% for the low fat samples and 83.3% to 94.6% for high-fat samples.
Müller, David; Cattaneo, Stefano; Meier, Florian; Welz, Roland; de Vries, Tjerk; Portugal-Cohen, Meital; Antonio, Diana C; Cascio, Claudia; Calzolai, Luigi; Gilliland, Douglas; de Mello, Andrew
2016-04-01
We demonstrate the use of inverse supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) extraction as a novel method of sample preparation for the analysis of complex nanoparticle-containing samples, in our case a model sunscreen agent with titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The sample was prepared for analysis in a simplified process using a lab scale supercritical fluid extraction system. The residual material was easily dispersed in an aqueous solution and analyzed by Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) hyphenated with UV- and Multi-Angle Light Scattering detection. The obtained results allowed an unambiguous determination of the presence of nanoparticles within the sample, with almost no background from the matrix itself, and showed that the size distribution of the nanoparticles is essentially maintained. These results are especially relevant in view of recently introduced regulatory requirements concerning the labeling of nanoparticle-containing products. The novel sample preparation method is potentially applicable to commercial sunscreens or other emulsion-based cosmetic products and has important ecological advantages over currently used sample preparation techniques involving organic solvents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Simplified methods for computing total sediment discharge with the modified Einstein procedure
Colby, Bruce R.; Hubbell, David Wellington
1961-01-01
A procedure was presented in 1950 by H. A. Einstein for computing the total discharge of sediment particles of sizes that are in appreciable quantities in the stream bed. This procedure was modified by the U.S. Geological Survey and adapted to computing the total sediment discharge of a stream on the basis of samples of bed sediment, depth-integrated samples of suspended sediment, streamflow measurements, and water temperature. This paper gives simplified methods for computing total sediment discharge by the modified Einstein procedure. Each of four homographs appreciably simplifies a major step in the computations. Within the stated limitations, use of the homographs introduces much less error than is present in either the basic data or the theories on which the computations of total sediment discharge are based. The results are nearly as accurate mathematically as those that could be obtained from the longer and more complex arithmetic and algebraic computations of the Einstein procedure.
Paraffin wax removal from metal injection moulded cocrmo alloy compact by solvent debinding process
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dandang, N. A. N.; Harun, W. S. W.; Khalil, N. Z.; Ahmad, A. H.; Romlay, F. R. M.; Johari, N. A.
2017-10-01
One of the most crucial and time consuming phase in metal injection moulding (MIM) process is “debinding”. These days, in metal injection moulding process, they had recounted that first debinding practice was depend on thermal binder degradation, which demanding more than 200 hours for complete removal of binder. Fortunately, these days world had introduced multi-stage debinding techniques to simplified the debinding time process. This research study variables for solvent debinding which are temperature and soaking time for samples made by MIM CoCrMo powder. Since wax as the key principal in the binder origination, paraffin wax will be removed together with stearic acid from the green bodies. Then, debinding process is conducted at 50, 60 and 70°C for 30-240 minutes. It is carried out in n-heptane solution. Percentage weight loss of the binder were measured. Lastly, scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis and visual inspection were observed for the surface of brown compact. From the results, samples debound at 70°C exhibited a significant amount of binder loss; nevertheless, sample collapse, brittle surface and cracks were detected. But, at 60°C temperature and time of 4 hours proven finest results as it shows sufficient binder loss, nonappearance of surface cracks and easy to handle. Overall, binder loss is directly related to solvent debinding temperature and time.
A merged pipe organ binary-analog correlator
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Miller, R. S.; Berry, M. B.
1982-02-01
The design of a 96-stage, programmable binary-analog correlator is described. An array of charge coupled device (CCD) delay lines of differing lengths perform the delay and sum functions. Merging of several CCD channels is employed to reduce the active area. This device architecture allows simplified output detection while maintaining good device performance at higher speeds (5-10 MHz). Experimental results indicate a 50 dB broadband dynamic range and excellent agreement with the theoretical processing gain (19.8 dB) when operated at a 6 MHz sampling frequency as a p-n sequence matched filter.
CONNJUR Workflow Builder: A software integration environment for spectral reconstruction
Fenwick, Matthew; Weatherby, Gerard; Vyas, Jay; Sesanker, Colbert; Martyn, Timothy O.; Ellis, Heidi J.C.; Gryk, Michael R.
2015-01-01
CONNJUR Workflow Builder (WB) is an open-source software integration environment that leverages existing spectral reconstruction tools to create a synergistic, coherent platform for converting biomolecular NMR data from the time domain to the frequency domain. WB provides data integration of primary data and metadata using a relational database, and includes a library of pre-built workflows for processing time domain data. WB simplifies maximum entropy reconstruction, facilitating the processing of non-uniformly sampled time domain data. As will be shown in the paper, the unique features of WB provide it with novel abilities to enhance the quality, accuracy, and fidelity of the spectral reconstruction process. WB also provides features which promote collaboration, education, parameterization, and non-uniform data sets along with processing integrated with the Rowland NMR Toolkit (RNMRTK) and NMRPipe software packages. WB is available free of charge in perpetuity, dual-licensed under the MIT and GPL open source licenses. PMID:26066803
CONNJUR Workflow Builder: a software integration environment for spectral reconstruction.
Fenwick, Matthew; Weatherby, Gerard; Vyas, Jay; Sesanker, Colbert; Martyn, Timothy O; Ellis, Heidi J C; Gryk, Michael R
2015-07-01
CONNJUR Workflow Builder (WB) is an open-source software integration environment that leverages existing spectral reconstruction tools to create a synergistic, coherent platform for converting biomolecular NMR data from the time domain to the frequency domain. WB provides data integration of primary data and metadata using a relational database, and includes a library of pre-built workflows for processing time domain data. WB simplifies maximum entropy reconstruction, facilitating the processing of non-uniformly sampled time domain data. As will be shown in the paper, the unique features of WB provide it with novel abilities to enhance the quality, accuracy, and fidelity of the spectral reconstruction process. WB also provides features which promote collaboration, education, parameterization, and non-uniform data sets along with processing integrated with the Rowland NMR Toolkit (RNMRTK) and NMRPipe software packages. WB is available free of charge in perpetuity, dual-licensed under the MIT and GPL open source licenses.
Measuring Phantom Recollection in the Simplified Conjoint Recognition Paradigm
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stahl, Christoph; Klauer, Karl Christoph
2009-01-01
False memories are sometimes strong enough to elicit recollective experiences. This phenomenon has been termed Phantom Recollection (PR). The Conjoint Recognition (CR) paradigm has been used to empirically separate PR from other memory processes. Recently, a simplification of the CR procedure has been proposed. We herein extend the simplified CR…
Simplify Web Development for Faculty and Promote Instructional Design.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Pedersen, David C.
Faculty members are often overwhelmed with the prospect of implementing Web-based instruction. In an effort to simplify the process and incorporate some basic instructional design elements, the Educational Technology Team at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University created a course template for WebCT. Utilizing rapid prototyping, the template…
Simplified PCR for detection of Haemophilus ducreyi and diagnosis of chancroid.
West, B; Wilson, S M; Changalucha, J; Patel, S; Mayaud, P; Ballard, R C; Mabey, D
1995-01-01
A simplified PCR was developed for detection of Haemophilus ducreyi in samples from chancroid patients. The strategy included a straightforward chloroform extraction sample preparation method, a one-tube nested PCR to minimize contamination risks, and a colorimetric method for detection of products. Primers were designed from published nucleotide sequences of the 16S rRNA gene of H. ducreyi, with longer outer primers for annealing at a higher temperature and shorter inner primers labelled with biotin and digoxigenin for binding with avidin and colorimetric detection. The PCR technique detected all 35 strains of H. ducreyi tested, from four different geographical regions, and was negative for other, related strains of bacteria and for the common contaminating bacteria tested. Of 25 samples from H. ducreyi culture-positive chancroid patients, 24 were PCR positive and 1 produced a weak reaction. Of 83 samples from clinical cases of chancroid in the Republic of South Africa, 69 were PCR positive. The sensitivity of PCR compared with that of clinical diagnosis was 83%. All 50 negative control samples were negative. Encouraging results were also obtained with a consecutive series of 25 genital ulcer patients in Tanzania, of whom 9 were PCR positive. The adaptations of this simplified PCR strategy, at the sensitivity and specificity levels obtained, mean it will be useful for detection of H. ducreyi in areas where the organism is endemic, particularly where testing by culture is difficult or impossible. PMID:7540625
Chew, Robert F; Amer, Safaa; Jones, Kasey; Unangst, Jennifer; Cajka, James; Allpress, Justine; Bruhn, Mark
2018-05-09
Conducting surveys in low- and middle-income countries is often challenging because many areas lack a complete sampling frame, have outdated census information, or have limited data available for designing and selecting a representative sample. Geosampling is a probability-based, gridded population sampling method that addresses some of these issues by using geographic information system (GIS) tools to create logistically manageable area units for sampling. GIS grid cells are overlaid to partition a country's existing administrative boundaries into area units that vary in size from 50 m × 50 m to 150 m × 150 m. To avoid sending interviewers to unoccupied areas, researchers manually classify grid cells as "residential" or "nonresidential" through visual inspection of aerial images. "Nonresidential" units are then excluded from sampling and data collection. This process of manually classifying sampling units has drawbacks since it is labor intensive, prone to human error, and creates the need for simplifying assumptions during calculation of design-based sampling weights. In this paper, we discuss the development of a deep learning classification model to predict whether aerial images are residential or nonresidential, thus reducing manual labor and eliminating the need for simplifying assumptions. On our test sets, the model performs comparable to a human-level baseline in both Nigeria (94.5% accuracy) and Guatemala (96.4% accuracy), and outperforms baseline machine learning models trained on crowdsourced or remote-sensed geospatial features. Additionally, our findings suggest that this approach can work well in new areas with relatively modest amounts of training data. Gridded population sampling methods like geosampling are becoming increasingly popular in countries with outdated or inaccurate census data because of their timeliness, flexibility, and cost. Using deep learning models directly on satellite images, we provide a novel method for sample frame construction that identifies residential gridded aerial units. In cases where manual classification of satellite images is used to (1) correct for errors in gridded population data sets or (2) classify grids where population estimates are unavailable, this methodology can help reduce annotation burden with comparable quality to human analysts.
Simplified aerosol modeling for variational data assimilation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Huneeus, N.; Boucher, O.; Chevallier, F.
2009-11-01
We have developed a simplified aerosol model together with its tangent linear and adjoint versions for the ultimate aim of optimizing global aerosol and aerosol precursor emission using variational data assimilation. The model was derived from the general circulation model LMDz; it groups together the 24 aerosol species simulated in LMDz into 4 species, namely gaseous precursors, fine mode aerosols, coarse mode desert dust and coarse mode sea salt. The emissions have been kept as in the original model. Modifications, however, were introduced in the computation of aerosol optical depth and in the processes of sedimentation, dry and wet deposition and sulphur chemistry to ensure consistency with the new set of species and their composition. The simplified model successfully manages to reproduce the main features of the aerosol distribution in LMDz. The largest differences in aerosol load are observed for fine mode aerosols and gaseous precursors. Differences between the original and simplified models are mainly associated to the new deposition and sedimentation velocities consistent with the definition of species in the simplified model and the simplification of the sulphur chemistry. Furthermore, simulated aerosol optical depth remains within the variability of monthly AERONET observations for all aerosol types and all sites throughout most of the year. Largest differences are observed over sites with strong desert dust influence. In terms of the daily aerosol variability, the model is less able to reproduce the observed variability from the AERONET data with larger discrepancies in stations affected by industrial aerosols. The simplified model however, closely follows the daily simulation from LMDz. Sensitivity analyses with the tangent linear version show that the simplified sulphur chemistry is the dominant process responsible for the strong non-linearity of the model.
Simplified predictive models for CO 2 sequestration performance assessment
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Mishra, Srikanta; Ganesh, Priya; Schuetter, Jared
CO2 sequestration in deep saline formations is increasingly being considered as a viable strategy for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from anthropogenic sources. In this context, detailed numerical simulation based models are routinely used to understand key processes and parameters affecting pressure propagation and buoyant plume migration following CO2 injection into the subsurface. As these models are data and computation intensive, the development of computationally-efficient alternatives to conventional numerical simulators has become an active area of research. Such simplified models can be valuable assets during preliminary CO2 injection project screening, serve as a key element of probabilistic system assessmentmore » modeling tools, and assist regulators in quickly evaluating geological storage projects. We present three strategies for the development and validation of simplified modeling approaches for CO2 sequestration in deep saline formations: (1) simplified physics-based modeling, (2) statisticallearning based modeling, and (3) reduced-order method based modeling. In the first category, a set of full-physics compositional simulations is used to develop correlations for dimensionless injectivity as a function of the slope of the CO2 fractional-flow curve, variance of layer permeability values, and the nature of vertical permeability arrangement. The same variables, along with a modified gravity number, can be used to develop a correlation for the total storage efficiency within the CO2 plume footprint. Furthermore, the dimensionless average pressure buildup after the onset of boundary effects can be correlated to dimensionless time, CO2 plume footprint, and storativity contrast between the reservoir and caprock. In the second category, statistical “proxy models” are developed using the simulation domain described previously with two approaches: (a) classical Box-Behnken experimental design with a quadratic response surface, and (b) maximin Latin Hypercube sampling (LHS) based design with a multidimensional kriging metamodel fit. For roughly the same number of simulations, the LHS-based metamodel yields a more robust predictive model, as verified by a k-fold cross-validation approach (with data split into training and test sets) as well by validation with an independent dataset. In the third category, a reduced-order modeling procedure is utilized that combines proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) for reducing problem dimensionality with trajectory-piecewise linearization (TPWL) in order to represent system response at new control settings from a limited number of training runs. Significant savings in computational time are observed with reasonable accuracy from the PODTPWL reduced-order model for both vertical and horizontal well problems – which could be important in the context of history matching, uncertainty quantification and optimization problems. The simplified physics and statistical learning based models are also validated using an uncertainty analysis framework. Reference cumulative distribution functions of key model outcomes (i.e., plume radius and reservoir pressure buildup) generated using a 97-run full-physics simulation are successfully validated against the CDF from 10,000 sample probabilistic simulations using the simplified models. The main contribution of this research project is the development and validation of a portfolio of simplified modeling approaches that will enable rapid feasibility and risk assessment for CO2 sequestration in deep saline formations.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Schweigkofler, M.; Niessner, R.
1999-10-15
Biogases such as landfill gas and sewage gas undergo a combustion process which is generating electric energy. Since several trace compounds such as siloxanes (also halogenated and sulfur compounds) are known to cause severe problems to these gas combustion engines, they are of particular interest. In this work, a new technique for sampling, identification, and quantification of siloxanes and volatile organic carbon (VOC) in landfill gas and sewage gas is presented. After sample collection using evacuated stainless steel canisters biogas was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/atomic emission spectroscopy (GC-MS/AES). Using gas canisters, the sampling process was simplified (no vacuum pumpmore » needed), and multiple analysis was possible. The simultaneous application of MSD and AED allowed a rapid screening of silicon compounds in the complex biogases. Individual substances were identified independently both by MSD analysis and by determination of their elemental constitution. Quantification of trace compounds was achieved using a 30 component external standard containing siloxanes, organochlorine and organosulfur compounds, alkanes, terpenes, and aromatic compounds. Precision, linearity, and detection limits have been studied. In real samples, concentrations of silicon containing compounds (trimethylsilanol, hexamethyldisiloxane, octamethyltrisiloxane, decamethyltetrasiloxane, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, octamethylcyclotetrasilioxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane) in the mg/m{sub 3} range have been observed.« less
Mesoporous structured MIPs@CDs fluorescence sensor for highly sensitive detection of TNT.
Xu, Shoufang; Lu, Hongzhi
2016-11-15
A facile strategy was developed to prepare mesoporous structured molecularly imprinted polymers capped carbon dots (M-MIPs@CDs) fluorescence sensor for highly sensitive and selective determination of TNT. The strategy using amino-CDs directly as "functional monomer" for imprinting simplify the imprinting process and provide well recognition sites accessibility. The as-prepared M-MIPs@CDs sensor, using periodic mesoporous silica as imprinting matrix, and amino-CDs directly as "functional monomer", exhibited excellent selectivity and sensitivity toward TNT with detection limit of 17nM. The recycling process was sustainable for 10 times without obvious efficiency decrease. The feasibility of the developed method in real samples was successfully evaluated through the analysis of TNT in soil and water samples with satisfactory recoveries of 88.6-95.7%. The method proposed in this work was proved to be a convenient and practical way to prepare high sensitive and selective fluorescence MIPs@CDs sensors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rim, Jung H.
Accurate and fast determination of the activity of radionuclides in a sample is critical for nuclear forensics and emergency response. Radioanalytical techniques are well established for radionuclides measurement, however, they are slow and labor intensive, requiring extensive radiochemical separations and purification prior to analysis. With these limitations of current methods, there is great interest for a new technique to rapidly process samples. This dissertation describes a new analyte extraction medium called Polymer Ligand Film (PLF) developed to rapidly extract radionuclides. Polymer Ligand Film is a polymer medium with ligands incorporated in its matrix that selectively and rapidly extract analytes from a solution. The main focus of the new technique is to shorten and simplify the procedure necessary to chemically isolate radionuclides for determination by alpha spectrometry or beta counting. Five different ligands were tested for plutonium extraction: bis(2-ethylhexyl) methanediphosphonic acid (H2DEH[MDP]), di(2-ethyl hexyl) phosphoric acid (HDEHP), trialkyl methylammonium chloride (Aliquat-336), 4,4'(5')-di-t-butylcyclohexano 18-crown-6 (DtBuCH18C6), and 2-ethylhexyl 2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid (HEH[EHP]). The ligands that were effective for plutonium extraction further studied for uranium extraction. The plutonium recovery by PLFs has shown dependency on nitric acid concentration and ligand to total mass ratio. H2DEH[MDP] PLFs performed best with 1:10 and 1:20 ratio PLFs. 50.44% and 47.61% of plutonium were extracted on the surface of PLFs with 1M nitric acid for 1:10 and 1:20 PLF, respectively. HDEHP PLF provided the best combination of alpha spectroscopy resolution and plutonium recovery with 1:5 PLF when used with 0.1M nitric acid. The overall analyte recovery was lower than electrodeposited samples, which typically has recovery above 80%. However, PLF is designed to be a rapid field deployable screening technique and consistency is more important than recovery. PLFs were also tested using blind quality control samples and the activities were accurately measured. It is important to point out that PLFs were consistently susceptible to analytes penetrating and depositing below the surface. The internal radiation within the body of PLF is mostly contained and did not cause excessive self-attenuation and peak broadening in alpha spectroscopy. The analyte penetration issue was beneficial in the destructive analysis. H2DEH[MDP] PLF was tested with environmental samples to fully understand the capabilities and limitations of the PLF in relevant environments. The extraction system was very effective in extracting plutonium from environmental water collected from Mortandad Canyon at Los Alamos National Laboratory with minimal sample processing. Soil samples were tougher to process than the water samples. Analytes were first leached from the soil matrixes using nitric acid before processing with PLF. This approach had a limitation in extracting plutonium using PLF. The soil samples from Mortandad Canyon, which are about 1% iron by weight, were effectively processed with the PLF system. Even with certain limitations of the PLF extraction system, this technique was able to considerably decrease the sample analysis time. The entire environmental sample was analyzed within one to two days. The decrease in time can be attributed to the fact that PLF is replacing column chromatography and electrodeposition with a single step for preparing alpha spectrometry samples. The two-step process of column chromatography and electrodeposition takes a couple days to a week to complete depending on the sample. The decrease in time and the simplified procedure make this technique a unique solution for application to nuclear forensics and emergency response. A large number of samples can be quickly analyzed and selective samples can be further analyzed with more sensitive techniques based on the initial data. The deployment of a PLF system as a screening method will greatly reduce a total analysis time required to gain meaningful isotopic data for the nuclear forensics application. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Simplified filtered Smith predictor for MIMO processes with multiple time delays.
Santos, Tito L M; Torrico, Bismark C; Normey-Rico, Julio E
2016-11-01
This paper proposes a simplified tuning strategy for the multivariable filtered Smith predictor. It is shown that offset-free control can be achieved with step references and disturbances regardless of the poles of the primary controller, i.e., integral action is not explicitly required. This strategy reduces the number of design parameters and simplifies tuning procedure because the implicit integrative poles are not considered for design purposes. The simplified approach can be used to design continuous-time or discrete-time controllers. Three case studies are used to illustrate the advantages of the proposed strategy if compared with the standard approach, which is based on the explicit integrative action. Copyright © 2016 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Hypersonic Vehicle Propulsion System Simplified Model Development
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Stueber, Thomas J.; Raitano, Paul; Le, Dzu K.; Ouzts, Peter
2007-01-01
This document addresses the modeling task plan for the hypersonic GN&C GRC team members. The overall propulsion system modeling task plan is a multi-step process and the task plan identified in this document addresses the first steps (short term modeling goals). The procedures and tools produced from this effort will be useful for creating simplified dynamic models applicable to a hypersonic vehicle propulsion system. The document continues with the GRC short term modeling goal. Next, a general description of the desired simplified model is presented along with simulations that are available to varying degrees. The simulations may be available in electronic form (FORTRAN, CFD, MatLab,...) or in paper form in published documents. Finally, roadmaps outlining possible avenues towards realizing simplified model are presented.
A Novel, Simplified Scheme for Plastics Identification: "JCE" Classroom Activity 104
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Harris, Mary E.; Walker, Barbara
2010-01-01
In this Activity, students identify samples of seven types of recyclable plastic by using a flowchart scheme. The flowchart procedure includes making density comparisons of the plastic samples in water and alcohol and observing physical changes of plastic samples subjected to boiling water temperatures and exposure to acetone. This scheme is…
Romero, Ana Carla Leite; Alfaya, Lívia Marangoni; Gonçales, Alina Sanches; Frizzo, Ana Claudia Figueiredo; Isaac, Myriam de Lima
2016-01-01
Introduction The auditory system of HIV-positive children may have deficits at various levels, such as the high incidence of problems in the middle ear that can cause hearing loss. Objective The objective of this study is to characterize the development of children infected by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the Simplified Auditory Processing Test (SAPT) and the Staggered Spondaic Word Test. Methods We performed behavioral tests composed of the Simplified Auditory Processing Test and the Portuguese version of the Staggered Spondaic Word Test (SSW). The participants were 15 children infected by HIV, all using antiretroviral medication. Results The children had abnormal auditory processing verified by Simplified Auditory Processing Test and the Portuguese version of SSW. In the Simplified Auditory Processing Test, 60% of the children presented hearing impairment. In the SAPT, the memory test for verbal sounds showed more errors (53.33%); whereas in SSW, 86.67% of the children showed deficiencies indicating deficit in figure-ground, attention, and memory auditory skills. Furthermore, there are more errors in conditions of background noise in both age groups, where most errors were in the left ear in the Group of 8-year-olds, with similar results for the group aged 9 years. Conclusion The high incidence of hearing loss in children with HIV and comorbidity with several biological and environmental factors indicate the need for: 1) familiar and professional awareness of the impact on auditory alteration on the developing and learning of the children with HIV, and 2) access to educational plans and follow-up with multidisciplinary teams as early as possible to minimize the damage caused by auditory deficits. PMID:28050213
On simplified application of multidimensional Savitzky-Golay filters and differentiators
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shekhar, Chandra
2016-02-01
I propose a simplified approach for multidimensional Savitzky-Golay filtering, to enable its fast and easy implementation in scientific and engineering applications. The proposed method, which is derived from a generalized framework laid out by Thornley (D. J. Thornley, "Novel anisotropic multidimensional convolution filters for derivative estimation and reconstruction" in Proceedings of International Conference on Signal Processing and Communications, November 2007), first transforms any given multidimensional problem into a unique one, by transforming coordinates of the sampled data nodes to unity-spaced, uniform data nodes, and then performs filtering and calculates partial derivatives on the unity-spaced nodes. It is followed by transporting the calculated derivatives back onto the original data nodes by using the chain rule of differentiation. The burden to performing the most cumbersome task, which is to carry out the filtering and to obtain derivatives on the unity-spaced nodes, is almost eliminated by providing convolution coefficients for a number of convolution kernel sizes and polynomial orders, up to four spatial dimensions. With the availability of the convolution coefficients, the task of filtering at a data node reduces merely to multiplication of two known matrices. Simplified strategies to adequately address near-boundary data nodes and to calculate partial derivatives there are also proposed. Finally, the proposed methodologies are applied to a three-dimensional experimentally obtained data set, which shows that multidimensional Savitzky-Golay filters and differentiators perform well in both the internal and the near-boundary regions of the domain.
A simplified solar cell array modelling program
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hughes, R. D.
1982-01-01
As part of the energy conversion/self sufficiency efforts of DSN engineering, it was necessary to have a simplified computer model of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system. This article describes the analysis and simplifications employed in the development of a PV cell array computer model. The analysis of the incident solar radiation, steady state cell temperature and the current-voltage characteristics of a cell array are discussed. A sample cell array was modelled and the results are presented.
Dhurjad, Pooja Sukhdev; Marothu, Vamsi Krishna; Rathod, Rajeshwari
2017-08-01
Metabolite identification is a crucial part of the drug discovery process. LC-MS/MS-based metabolite identification has gained widespread use, but the data acquired by the LC-MS/MS instrument is complex, and thus the interpretation of data becomes troublesome. Fortunately, advancements in data mining techniques have simplified the process of data interpretation with improved mass accuracy and provide a potentially selective, sensitive, accurate and comprehensive way for metabolite identification. In this review, we have discussed the targeted (extracted ion chromatogram, mass defect filter, product ion filter, neutral loss filter and isotope pattern filter) and untargeted (control sample comparison, background subtraction and metabolomic approaches) post-acquisition data mining techniques, which facilitate the drug metabolite identification. We have also discussed the importance of integrated data mining strategy.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Repins, I. L.; Egaas, B.; Mansfield, L. M.
2015-01-15
Fiber-fed time-resolved photoluminescence is demonstrated as a tool for immediate process feedback after deposition of the absorber layer for CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1-x}Se{sub 2} and Cu{sub 2}ZnSnSe{sub 4} photovoltaic devices. The technique uses a simplified configuration compared to typical laboratory time-resolved photoluminescence in the delivery of the exciting beam, signal collection, and electronic components. Correlation of instrument output with completed device efficiency is demonstrated over a large sample set. The extraction of the instrument figure of merit, depending on both the initial luminescence intensity and its time decay, is explained and justified. Limitations in the prediction of device efficiency by thismore » method, including surface effect, are demonstrated and discussed.« less
2011-01-01
Background To simplify the methodology for the isolation of Campylobacter spp. from retail broiler meat, we evaluated 108 samples (breasts and thighs) using an unpaired sample design. The enrichment broths were incubated under aerobic conditions (subsamples A) and for comparison under microaerobic conditions (subsamples M) as recommended by current reference protocols. Sensors were used to measure the dissolved oxygen (DO) in the broth and the percentage of oxygen (O2) in the head space of the bags used for enrichment. Campylobacter isolates were identified with multiplex PCR assays and typed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Ribosomal intergenic spacer analyses (RISA) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) were used to study the bacterial communities of subsamples M and A after 48 h enrichment. Results The number of Campylobacter positive subsamples were similar for A and M when all samples were combined (P = 0.81) and when samples were analyzed by product (breast: P = 0.75; thigh: P = 1.00). Oxygen sensors showed that DO values in the broth were around 6 ppm and O2 values in the head space were 14-16% throughout incubation. PFGE demonstrated high genomic similarity of isolates in the majority of the samples in which isolates were obtained from subsamples A and M. RISA and DGGE results showed a large variability in the bacterial populations that could be attributed to sample-to-sample variations and not enrichment conditions (aerobic or microaerobic). These data also suggested that current sampling protocols are not optimized to determine the true number of Campylobacter positive samples in retail boiler meat. Conclusions Decreased DO in enrichment broths is naturally achieved. This simplified, cost-effective enrichment protocol with aerobic incubation could be incorporated into reference methods for the isolation of Campylobacter spp. from retail broiler meat. PMID:21812946
Decomposing ADHD-Related Effects in Response Speed and Variability
Karalunas, Sarah L.; Huang-Pollock, Cynthia L.; Nigg, Joel T.
2012-01-01
Objective Slow and variable reaction times (RTs) on fast tasks are such a prominent feature of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that any theory must account for them. However, this has proven difficult because the cognitive mechanisms responsible for this effect remain unexplained. Although speed and variability are typically correlated, it is unclear whether single or multiple mechanisms are responsible for group differences in each. RTs are a result of several semi-independent processes, including stimulus encoding, rate of information processing, speed-accuracy trade-offs, and motor response, which have not been previously well characterized. Method A diffusion model was applied to RTs from a forced-choice RT paradigm in two large, independent case-control samples (NCohort 1= 214 and N Cohort 2=172). The decomposition measured three validated parameters that account for the full RT distribution, and assessed reproducibility of ADHD effects. Results In both samples, group differences in traditional RT variables were explained by slow information processing speed, and unrelated to speed-accuracy trade-offs or non-decisional processes (e.g. encoding, motor response). Conclusions RT speed and variability in ADHD may be explained by a single information processing parameter, potentially simplifying explanations that assume different mechanisms are required to account for group differences in the mean and variability of RTs. PMID:23106115
Simplified signal processing for impedance spectroscopy with spectrally sparse sequences
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Annus, P.; Land, R.; Reidla, M.; Ojarand, J.; Mughal, Y.; Min, M.
2013-04-01
Classical method for measurement of the electrical bio-impedance involves excitation with sinusoidal waveform. Sinusoidal excitation at fixed frequency points enables wide variety of signal processing options, most general of them being Fourier transform. Multiplication with two quadrature waveforms at desired frequency could be easily accomplished both in analogue and in digital domains, even simplest quadrature square waves can be considered, which reduces signal processing task in analogue domain to synchronous switching followed by low pass filter, and in digital domain requires only additions. So called spectrally sparse excitation sequences (SSS), which have been recently introduced into bio-impedance measurement domain, are very reasonable choice when simultaneous multifrequency excitation is required. They have many good properties, such as ease of generation and good crest factor compared to similar multisinusoids. Typically, the usage of discrete or fast Fourier transform in signal processing step is considered so far. Usage of simplified methods nevertheless would reduce computational burden, and enable simpler, less costly and less energy hungry signal processing platforms. Accuracy of the measurement with SSS excitation when using different waveforms for quadrature demodulation will be compared in order to evaluate the feasibility of the simplified signal processing. Sigma delta modulated sinusoid (binary signal) is considered to be a good alternative for a synchronous demodulation.
Baby Talk as a Simplified Register. Papers and Reports on Child Language Development, No. 9.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Ferguson, Charles A.
Every speech community has a baby talk register (BT) of phonological, grammatical, and lexical features regarded as primarily appropriate for addressing young children and also for other displaced or extended uses. Much BT is analyzable as derived from normal adult speech (AS) by such simplifying processes as reduction, substitution, assimilation,…
Simplifier: a web tool to eliminate redundant NGS contigs.
Ramos, Rommel Thiago Jucá; Carneiro, Adriana Ribeiro; Azevedo, Vasco; Schneider, Maria Paula; Barh, Debmalya; Silva, Artur
2012-01-01
Modern genomic sequencing technologies produce a large amount of data with reduced cost per base; however, this data consists of short reads. This reduction in the size of the reads, compared to those obtained with previous methodologies, presents new challenges, including a need for efficient algorithms for the assembly of genomes from short reads and for resolving repetitions. Additionally after abinitio assembly, curation of the hundreds or thousands of contigs generated by assemblers demands considerable time and computational resources. We developed Simplifier, a stand-alone software that selectively eliminates redundant sequences from the collection of contigs generated by ab initio assembly of genomes. Application of Simplifier to data generated by assembly of the genome of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis strain 258 reduced the number of contigs generated by ab initio methods from 8,004 to 5,272, a reduction of 34.14%; in addition, N50 increased from 1 kb to 1.5 kb. Processing the contigs of Escherichia coli DH10B with Simplifier reduced the mate-paired library 17.47% and the fragment library 23.91%. Simplifier removed redundant sequences from datasets produced by assemblers, thereby reducing the effort required for finalization of genome assembly in tests with data from Prokaryotic organisms. Simplifier is available at http://www.genoma.ufpa.br/rramos/softwares/simplifier.xhtmlIt requires Sun jdk 6 or higher.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tang, Xiaolin; Yang, Wei; Hu, Xiaosong; Zhang, Dejiu
2017-02-01
In this study, based on our previous work, a novel simplified torsional vibration dynamic model is established to study the torsional vibration characteristics of a compound planetary hybrid propulsion system. The main frequencies of the hybrid driveline are determined. In contrast to vibration characteristics of the previous 16-degree of freedom model, the simplified model can be used to accurately describe the low-frequency vibration property of this hybrid powertrain. This study provides a basis for further vibration control of the hybrid powertrain during the process of engine start/stop.
Utilizing broadband X-rays in a Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging experiment
Cha, Wonsuk; Liu, Wenjun; Harder, Ross; ...
2016-07-26
A method is presented to simplify Bragg coherent X-ray diffraction imaging studies of complex heterogeneous crystalline materials with a two-stage screening/imaging process that utilizes polychromatic and monochromatic coherent X-rays and is compatible with in situ sample environments. Coherent white-beam diffraction is used to identify an individual crystal particle or grain that displays desired properties within a larger population. A three-dimensional reciprocal-space map suitable for diffraction imaging is then measured for the Bragg peak of interest using a monochromatic beam energy scan that requires no sample motion, thus simplifyingin situchamber design. This approach was demonstrated with Au nanoparticles and will enable,more » for example, individual grains in a polycrystalline material of specific orientation to be selected, then imaged in three dimensions while under load.« less
Chatrchyan, Serguei
2014-02-19
A search for new physics is performed in multijet events with large missing transverse momentum produced in proton-proton collisions atmore » $$\\sqrt{s}$$ = 8 TeV using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 fb⁻¹collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The data sample is divided into three jet multiplicity categories (3-5, 6-7, and ≥8 jets), and studied further in bins of two variables: the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta and the missing transverse momentum. The observed numbers of events in various categories are consistent with backgrounds expected from standard model processes. Exclusion limits are presented for several simplified supersymmetric models of squark or gluino pair production.« less
On the use of video projectors for three-dimensional scanning
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Juarez-Salazar, Rigoberto; Diaz-Ramirez, Victor H.; Robledo-Sanchez, Carlos; Diaz-Gonzalez, Gerardo
2017-08-01
Structured light projection is one of the most useful methods for accurate three-dimensional scanning. Video projectors are typically used as the illumination source. However, because video projectors are not designed for structured light systems, some considerations such as gamma calibration must be taken into account. In this work, we present a simple method for gamma calibration of video projectors. First, the experimental fringe patterns are normalized. Then, the samples of the fringe patterns are sorted in ascending order. The sample sorting leads to a simple three-parameter sine curve that is fitted using the Gauss-Newton algorithm. The novelty of this method is that the sorting process removes the effect of the unknown phase. Thus, the resulting gamma calibration algorithm is significantly simplified. The feasibility of the proposed method is illustrated in a three-dimensional scanning experiment.
Observation uncertainty in reversible Markov chains.
Metzner, Philipp; Weber, Marcus; Schütte, Christof
2010-09-01
In many applications one is interested in finding a simplified model which captures the essential dynamical behavior of a real life process. If the essential dynamics can be assumed to be (approximately) memoryless then a reasonable choice for a model is a Markov model whose parameters are estimated by means of Bayesian inference from an observed time series. We propose an efficient Monte Carlo Markov chain framework to assess the uncertainty of the Markov model and related observables. The derived Gibbs sampler allows for sampling distributions of transition matrices subject to reversibility and/or sparsity constraints. The performance of the suggested sampling scheme is demonstrated and discussed for a variety of model examples. The uncertainty analysis of functions of the Markov model under investigation is discussed in application to the identification of conformations of the trialanine molecule via Robust Perron Cluster Analysis (PCCA+) .
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Khondok, Piyoros; Sakulkalavek, Aparporn; Suwansukho, Kajpanya
2018-03-01
A simplified and powerful image processing procedures to separate the paddy of KHAW DOK MALI 105 or Thai jasmine rice and the paddy of sticky rice RD6 varieties were proposed. The procedures consist of image thresholding, image chain coding and curve fitting using polynomial function. From the fitting, three parameters of each variety, perimeters, area, and eccentricity, were calculated. Finally, the overall parameters were determined by using principal component analysis. The result shown that these procedures can be significantly separate both varieties.
Kabler, A W
1980-01-01
The National Library of Medicine's Resource Improvement Grant for Consortia is available to assist with developing hospital library consortia, and to support the development of basic healthy information collections. In an effort to simplify the grant application process, this paper presents suggestions for writing the narrative section of the first budget-period application, using the outline in NLM's Application Instructions for Consortium Applicants. Suggestions for writing the narratives of the second budget-period application and the collection development application are also included.
A state observer for using a slow camera as a sensor for fast control applications
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gahleitner, Reinhard; Schagerl, Martin
2013-03-01
This contribution concerns about a problem that often arises in vision based control, when a camera is used as a sensor for fast control applications, or more precisely, when the sample rate of the control loop is higher than the frame rate of the camera. In control applications for mechanical axes, e.g. in robotics or automated production, a camera and some image processing can be used as a sensor to detect positions or angles. The sample time in these applications is typically in the range of a few milliseconds or less and this demands the use of a camera with a high frame rate up to 1000 fps. The presented solution is a special state observer that can work with a slower and therefore cheaper camera to estimate the state variables at the higher sample rate of the control loop. To simplify the image processing for the determination of positions or angles and make it more robust, some LED markers are applied to the plant. Simulation and experimental results show that the concept can be used even if the plant is unstable like the inverted pendulum.
An inexpensive autosampler for a DART/TOFMS provides mass spectra from analytes absorbed on 76 cotton swab, wipe samples in 7.5 min. A field sample carrier simplifies sample collection and provides swabs nearly ready for analysis to the lab. Applications of the high throughput pr...
Evaluation of two-test serodiagnostic method for early Lyme disease in clinical practice.
Trevejo, R T; Krause, P J; Sikand, V K; Schriefer, M E; Ryan, R; Lepore, T; Porter, W; Dennis, D T
1999-04-01
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend a two-test approach for the serodiagnosis of Lyme disease (LD), with EIA testing followed by Western immunoblotting (WB) of EIA-equivocal and -positive specimens. This approach was compared with a simplified two-test approach (WB of EIA equivocals only) and WB alone for early LD. Case-patients with erythema migrans (EM) rash >/=5 cm were recruited from three primary-care practices in LD-endemic areas to provide acute- (S1) and convalescent-phase serum specimens (S2). The simplified approach had the highest sensitivity when either S1 or S2 samples were tested, nearly doubling when S2 were tested, while decreasing slightly for the other two approaches. Accordingly, the simplified approach had the lowest negative likelihood ratio for either S1 or S2. For early LD with EM, the simplified approach performed well and was less costly than the other testing approaches since less WB is required.
Failure mode and effects analysis: a comparison of two common risk prioritisation methods.
McElroy, Lisa M; Khorzad, Rebeca; Nannicelli, Anna P; Brown, Alexandra R; Ladner, Daniela P; Holl, Jane L
2016-05-01
Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a method of risk assessment increasingly used in healthcare over the past decade. The traditional method, however, can require substantial time and training resources. The goal of this study is to compare a simplified scoring method with the traditional scoring method to determine the degree of congruence in identifying high-risk failures. An FMEA of the operating room (OR) to intensive care unit (ICU) handoff was conducted. Failures were scored and ranked using both the traditional risk priority number (RPN) and criticality-based method, and a simplified method, which designates failures as 'high', 'medium' or 'low' risk. The degree of congruence was determined by first identifying those failures determined to be critical by the traditional method (RPN≥300), and then calculating the per cent congruence with those failures designated critical by the simplified methods (high risk). In total, 79 process failures among 37 individual steps in the OR to ICU handoff process were identified. The traditional method yielded Criticality Indices (CIs) ranging from 18 to 72 and RPNs ranging from 80 to 504. The simplified method ranked 11 failures as 'low risk', 30 as medium risk and 22 as high risk. The traditional method yielded 24 failures with an RPN ≥300, of which 22 were identified as high risk by the simplified method (92% agreement). The top 20% of CI (≥60) included 12 failures, of which six were designated as high risk by the simplified method (50% agreement). These results suggest that the simplified method of scoring and ranking failures identified by an FMEA can be a useful tool for healthcare organisations with limited access to FMEA expertise. However, the simplified method does not result in the same degree of discrimination in the ranking of failures offered by the traditional method. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/
Adhapure, N.N.; Dhakephalkar, P.K.; Dhakephalkar, A.P.; Tembhurkar, V.R.; Rajgure, A.V.; Deshmukh, A.M.
2014-01-01
Very recently bioleaching has been used for removing metals from electronic waste. Most of the research has been targeted to using pulverized PCBs for bioleaching where precipitate formed during bioleaching contaminates the pulverized PCB sample and making the overall metal recovery process more complicated. In addition to that, such mixing of pulverized sample with precipitate also creates problems for the final separation of non metallic fraction of PCB sample. In the present investigation we attempted the use of large pieces of printed circuit boards instead of pulverized sample for removal of metals. Use of large pieces of PCBs for bioleaching was restricted due to the chemical coating present on PCBs, the problem has been solved by chemical treatment of PCBs prior to bioleaching. In short,•Large pieces of PCB can be used for bioleaching instead of pulverized PCB sample.•Metallic portion on PCBs can be made accessible to bacteria with prior chemical treatment of PCBs.•Complete metal removal obtained on PCB pieces of size 4 cm × 2.5 cm with the exception of solder traces. The final metal free PCBs (non metallic) can be easily recycled and in this way the overall recycling process (metallic and non metallic part) of PCBs becomes simple. PMID:26150951
Adhapure, N N; Dhakephalkar, P K; Dhakephalkar, A P; Tembhurkar, V R; Rajgure, A V; Deshmukh, A M
2014-01-01
Very recently bioleaching has been used for removing metals from electronic waste. Most of the research has been targeted to using pulverized PCBs for bioleaching where precipitate formed during bioleaching contaminates the pulverized PCB sample and making the overall metal recovery process more complicated. In addition to that, such mixing of pulverized sample with precipitate also creates problems for the final separation of non metallic fraction of PCB sample. In the present investigation we attempted the use of large pieces of printed circuit boards instead of pulverized sample for removal of metals. Use of large pieces of PCBs for bioleaching was restricted due to the chemical coating present on PCBs, the problem has been solved by chemical treatment of PCBs prior to bioleaching. In short,•Large pieces of PCB can be used for bioleaching instead of pulverized PCB sample.•Metallic portion on PCBs can be made accessible to bacteria with prior chemical treatment of PCBs.•Complete metal removal obtained on PCB pieces of size 4 cm × 2.5 cm with the exception of solder traces. The final metal free PCBs (non metallic) can be easily recycled and in this way the overall recycling process (metallic and non metallic part) of PCBs becomes simple.
Simplified process model discovery based on role-oriented genetic mining.
Zhao, Weidong; Liu, Xi; Dai, Weihui
2014-01-01
Process mining is automated acquisition of process models from event logs. Although many process mining techniques have been developed, most of them are based on control flow. Meanwhile, the existing role-oriented process mining methods focus on correctness and integrity of roles while ignoring role complexity of the process model, which directly impacts understandability and quality of the model. To address these problems, we propose a genetic programming approach to mine the simplified process model. Using a new metric of process complexity in terms of roles as the fitness function, we can find simpler process models. The new role complexity metric of process models is designed from role cohesion and coupling, and applied to discover roles in process models. Moreover, the higher fitness derived from role complexity metric also provides a guideline for redesigning process models. Finally, we conduct case study and experiments to show that the proposed method is more effective for streamlining the process by comparing with related studies.
Jinghao Li; John F. Hunt; Shaoqin Gong; Zhiyong Cai
2016-01-01
This paper presents a simplified analytical model and balanced design approach for modeling lightweight wood-based structural panels in bending. Because many design parameters are required to input for the model of finite element analysis (FEA) during the preliminary design process and optimization, the equivalent method was developed to analyze the mechanical...
Simplified Interval Observer Scheme: A New Approach for Fault Diagnosis in Instruments
Martínez-Sibaja, Albino; Astorga-Zaragoza, Carlos M.; Alvarado-Lassman, Alejandro; Posada-Gómez, Rubén; Aguila-Rodríguez, Gerardo; Rodríguez-Jarquin, José P.; Adam-Medina, Manuel
2011-01-01
There are different schemes based on observers to detect and isolate faults in dynamic processes. In the case of fault diagnosis in instruments (FDI) there are different diagnosis schemes based on the number of observers: the Simplified Observer Scheme (SOS) only requires one observer, uses all the inputs and only one output, detecting faults in one detector; the Dedicated Observer Scheme (DOS), which again uses all the inputs and just one output, but this time there is a bank of observers capable of locating multiple faults in sensors, and the Generalized Observer Scheme (GOS) which involves a reduced bank of observers, where each observer uses all the inputs and m-1 outputs, and allows the localization of unique faults. This work proposes a new scheme named Simplified Interval Observer SIOS-FDI, which does not requires the measurement of any input and just with just one output allows the detection of unique faults in sensors and because it does not require any input, it simplifies in an important way the diagnosis of faults in processes in which it is difficult to measure all the inputs, as in the case of biologic reactors. PMID:22346593
A Fast Proceduere for Optimizing Thermal Protection Systems of Re-Entry Vehicles
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ferraiuolo, M.; Riccio, A.; Tescione, D.; Gigliotti, M.
The aim of the present work is to introduce a fast procedure to optimize thermal protection systems for re-entry vehicles subjected to high thermal loads. A simplified one-dimensional optimization process, performed in order to find the optimum design variables (lengths, sections etc.), is the first step of the proposed design procedure. Simultaneously, the most suitable materials able to sustain high temperatures and meeting the weight requirements are selected and positioned within the design layout. In this stage of the design procedure, simplified (generalized plane strain) FEM models are used when boundary and geometrical conditions allow the reduction of the degrees of freedom. Those simplified local FEM models can be useful because they are time-saving and very simple to build; they are essentially one dimensional and can be used for optimization processes in order to determine the optimum configuration with regard to weight, temperature and stresses. A triple-layer and a double-layer body, subjected to the same aero-thermal loads, have been optimized to minimize the overall weight. Full two and three-dimensional analyses are performed in order to validate those simplified models. Thermal-structural analyses and optimizations are executed by adopting the Ansys FEM code.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-10-01
... automatic data processing equipment, word processing, and similar types of commercially available equipment... CONTRACT TYPES SIMPLIFIED ACQUISITION PROCEDURES Purchase Orders 1513.507 Clauses. (a) It is the general...
A simple and rapid microplate assay for glycoprotein-processing glycosidases
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Kang, M.S.; Zwolshen, J.H.; Harry, B.S.
1989-08-15
A simple and convenient microplate assay for glycosidases involved in the glycoprotein-processing reactions is described. The assay is based on specific binding of high-mannose-type oligosaccharide substrates to concanavalin A-Sepharose, while monosaccharides liberated by enzymatic hydrolysis do not bind to concanavalin A-Sepharose. By the use of radiolabeled substrates (( 3H)glucose for glucosidases and (3H)mannose for mannosidases), the radioactivity in the liberated monosaccharides can be determined as a measure of the enzymatic activity. This principle was employed earlier for developing assays for glycosidases previously reported. These authors have reported the separation of substrate from the product by concanavalin A-Sepharose column chromatography. Thismore » procedure is handicapped by the fact that it cannot be used for a large number of samples and is time consuming. We have simplified this procedure and adapted it to the use of a microplate (96-well plate). This would help in processing a large number of samples in a short time. In this report we show that the assay is comparable to the column assay previously reported. It is linear with time and enzyme concentration and shows expected kinetics with castanospermine, a known inhibitor of alpha-glucosidase I.« less
Lean six sigma methodologies improve clinical laboratory efficiency and reduce turnaround times.
Inal, Tamer C; Goruroglu Ozturk, Ozlem; Kibar, Filiz; Cetiner, Salih; Matyar, Selcuk; Daglioglu, Gulcin; Yaman, Akgun
2018-01-01
Organizing work flow is a major task of laboratory management. Recently, clinical laboratories have started to adopt methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma and some successful implementations have been reported. This study used Lean Six Sigma to simplify the laboratory work process and decrease the turnaround time by eliminating non-value-adding steps. The five-stage Six Sigma system known as define, measure, analyze, improve, and control (DMAIC) is used to identify and solve problems. The laboratory turnaround time for individual tests, total delay time in the sample reception area, and percentage of steps involving risks of medical errors and biological hazards in the overall process are measured. The pre-analytical process in the reception area was improved by eliminating 3 h and 22.5 min of non-value-adding work. Turnaround time also improved for stat samples from 68 to 59 min after applying Lean. Steps prone to medical errors and posing potential biological hazards to receptionists were reduced from 30% to 3%. Successful implementation of Lean Six Sigma significantly improved all of the selected performance metrics. This quality-improvement methodology has the potential to significantly improve clinical laboratories. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fabrication of single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors by a new modified TSIG technique
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yang, W. M.; Zhi, X.; Chen, S. L.; Wang, M.; Li, J. W.; Ma, J.; Chao, X. X.
2014-01-01
Single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors have been fabricated with new and traditional solid phases by a top seeded infiltration and growth (TSIG) process technique. In the conventional TSIG process, three types of powders, such as Gd2BaCuO5, GdBa2Cu3O7-x and Ba3Cu5O8, must be prepared, but in our new modified TSIG technique, only BaCuO2 powders are required during the fabrication of the single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors. The solid phase used in the conventional process is Gd2BaCuO5 instead of the solid phase (Gd2O3 + BaCuO2) utilized in the new process. The liquid phase used in the conventional process is a mixture of (GdBa2Cu3O7-x + Ba3Cu5O8), and the liquid phase in the new process is a mixture of (Gd2O3 + 10BaCuO2 + 6CuO). Single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors have been fabricated with the new solid and liquid phases. The levitation force of the GdBCO bulk samples fabricated by the new solid phase is 28 N, which is slightly higher than that of the samples fabricated using the conventional solid phases (26 N). The microstructure and the levitation force of the samples indicate that this new method can greatly simplify the fabrication process, introduce nanometer-sized flux centers, improve the levitation force and working efficiency, and greatly reduce the cost of fabrication of single domain GdBCO bulk superconductors by the TSIG process.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Naumann, R. J.
1982-01-01
A relatively simple one-dimensional thermal model of the Bridgman growth process has been developed which is applicable to the growth of small diameter samples with conductivities similar to those of metallic alloys. The heat flow in a translating rod is analyzed in a way that is applicable to Biot numbers less than unity. The model accommodates an adiabatic zone, different heat transfer coefficients in the hot and cold zones, and changes in sample material properties associated with phase change. The analysis is applied to several simplified cases. The effect of the rod's motion is studied in a three-zone furnace for a rod sufficiently long that end effects can be neglected; end effects are then investigated for a motionless rod. Finally, the addition of a fourth zone, an independently controlled booster heater between the main heater and the adiabatic zone, is evaluated for its ability to increase the gradient in the sample at the melt interface and to control the position of the interface.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shiota, Koki; Kai, Kazuho; Nagaoka, Shiro; Tsuji, Takuto; Wakahara, Akihiro; Rusop, Mohamad
2016-07-01
The educational method which is including designing, making, and evaluating actual semiconductor devices with learning the theory is one of the best way to obtain the fundamental understanding of the device physics and to cultivate the ability to make unique ideas using the knowledge in the semiconductor device. In this paper, the simplified Boron thermal diffusion process using Sol-Gel material under normal air environment was proposed based on simple hypothesis and the feasibility of the reproducibility and reliability were investigated to simplify the diffusion process for making the educational devices, such as p-n junction, bipolar and pMOS devices. As the result, this method was successfully achieved making p+ region on the surface of the n-type silicon substrates with good reproducibility. And good rectification property of the p-n junctions was obtained successfully. This result indicates that there is a possibility to apply on the process making pMOS or bipolar transistors. It suggests that there is a variety of the possibility of the applications in the educational field to foster an imagination of new devices.
A simplified conjoint recognition paradigm for the measurement of gist and verbatim memory.
Stahl, Christoph; Klauer, Karl Christoph
2008-05-01
The distinction between verbatim and gist memory traces has furthered the understanding of numerous phenomena in various fields, such as false memory research, research on reasoning and decision making, and cognitive development. To measure verbatim and gist memory empirically, an experimental paradigm and multinomial measurement model has been proposed but rarely applied. In the present article, a simplified conjoint recognition paradigm and multinomial model is introduced and validated as a measurement tool for the separate assessment of verbatim and gist memory processes. A Bayesian metacognitive framework is applied to validate guessing processes. Extensions of the model toward incorporating the processes of phantom recollection and erroneous recollection rejection are discussed.
Karapanagioti, Hrissi K.; Childs, Jeffrey; Sabatini, David A.
2001-01-01
Organic petrography has been proposed as a tool for characterizing the heterogeneous organic matter present in soil and sediment samples. A new simplified method is proposed as a quantitative means of interpreting observed sorption behavior for phenanthrene and different soils and sediments based on their organic petrographical characterization. This method is tested under singe solute conditions and at phenanthrene concentration of 1 μg/L. Since the opaque organic matter fraction dominates the sorption process, we propose that by quantifying this fraction one can interpret organic content normalized sorption distribution coefficient (Koc) values for a sample. While this method was developed and tested for various samples within the same aquifer, in the current study the method is validated for soil and sediment samples from different sites that cover a wide range of organic matter origin, age, and organic content. All 10 soil and sediment samples studied had log Koc values for the opaque particles between 5.6 and 6.8. This range of Koc values illustrates the heterogeneity of opaque particles between sites and geological formations and thus the need to characterize the opaque fraction of materials on a site-by-site basis.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Edmunson, J.; Gaskin, J. A.; Jerman, G. A.; Harvey, R. P.; Doloboff, I. J.; Neidholdt, E. L.
2016-01-01
The Miniaturized Variable Pressure Scanning Electron Microscope (MVP-SEM) project, funded by the NASA Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES), will build upon previous miniaturized SEM designs and recent advancements in variable pressure SEM's to design and build a SEM to complete analyses of samples on the surface of Mars using the atmosphere as an imaging medium. This project is a collaboration between NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), electron gun and optics manufacturer Applied Physics Technologies, and small vacuum system manufacturer Creare. Dr. Ralph Harvery and environmental SEM (ESEM) inventor Dr. Gerry Danilatos serve as advisors to the team. Variable pressure SEMs allow for fine (nm-scale) resolution imaging and micron-scale chemical study of materials without sample preparation (e.g., carbon or gold coating). Charging of a sample is reduced or eliminated by the gas surrounding the sample. It is this property of ESEMs that make them ideal for locations where sample preparation is not yet feasible, such as the surface of Mars. In addition, the lack of sample preparation needed here will simplify the sample acquisition process and allow caching of the samples for future complementary payload use.
3D Model Generation From the Engineering Drawing
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vaský, Jozef; Eliáš, Michal; Bezák, Pavol; Červeňanská, Zuzana; Izakovič, Ladislav
2010-01-01
The contribution deals with the transformation of engineering drawings in a paper form into a 3D computer representation. A 3D computer model can be further processed in CAD/CAM system, it can be modified, archived, and a technical drawing can be then generated from it as well. The transformation process from paper form to the data one is a complex and difficult one, particularly owing to the different types of drawings, forms of displayed objects and encountered errors and deviations from technical standards. The algorithm for 3D model generating from an orthogonal vector input representing a simplified technical drawing of the rotational part is described in this contribution. The algorithm was experimentally implemented as ObjectARX application in the AutoCAD system and the test sample as the representation of the rotational part was used for verificaton.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Khachatryan, Vardan
Our search for supersymmetry involving events with at least one photon, one electron or muon, and large missing transverse momentum has been performed by the CMS experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb -1 of pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV, produced at the CERN LHC. No excess of events is observed beyond expectations from standard model processes. The result of the search is interpreted in the context of a general model of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking, where the charged and neutral winos are the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particles. Within this model, winos with amore » mass up to 360 GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level. Also, two simplified models inspired by gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking are also examined, and used to derive upper limits on the production cross sections of specific supersymmetric processes.« less
Sengul, Mustafa; Ergin, Cağrı; Kartal, Tuğba
2014-04-01
Cryptococcus neofomans is an encapsulated yeast-like fungus that causes life-threatening infections, especially in immunosuppresive patients. C.neoformans infection is believed to be acquired via inhalation of aerosolized particles from the environment. Avian guano, decaying tree hollows and soil are the related known environmental niches. Brown pigmented yeast growth from the precursors in growth media is an important step for the identification and isolation of C.neoformans. Seeds of plants in nature are preferred owing to easy accessibility and low costs for the preparation of such media. Guizotia abysinicca (Niger seed) as Staib agar, Helianthus annus (Sunflower) as Pal's medium, Brassica nigra (Mustard) agar, tobacco agar, Mucuna pruriens (Velvet bean) seed agar, Perilla frutescens (Beefsteak plant) seed agar, Rubus fruticosus (Blackberry) agar and ground red hot pepper agar are pigment-based selective media for the differentiation of C.neoformans. The aim of this study was to observe the pigment production of C.neoformans in a new medium based on eggplant (Solanum melongena) and also to compare its performance with the simplified Staib, Pal's and tobacco agar for isolation from the environment. Three different eggplant-based medium (S.melongena Melanzaza viserba, S.melongena Pinstripe F1 and S.ovigerum Ivory F1) were included in the study. Pigment-forming eggplant medium, simplified Staib agar, Pal's agar and tobacco agar were used for the cultivation of the environmental swabbed samples from 19 Eucalyptus camaldulensis trunk hollows in continuous colonization region. While pigment formation were observed with S.melongena Melanzaza viserba and S.melongena Pinstripe F1 containing media, S.ovigerum Ivory F1 medium was found to be non-reactive. In colonization area (Gökova-Akyaka, Turkey), 11 (57.9%) out of 19 E.camaldulensis samples were positive with simplified Staib agar, Pal's agar and eggplant agar while 10 (52.6%) of them are positive with tobacco agar. C.neoformans colony forming unit (cfu) per plate were found as 51, 57 and 48 (median values) on simplified Staib agar, Pal's agar and eggplant agar, respectively, while tobacco agar has lower performance with 33 cfu/petri. No statistically significant difference were found between simplified Staib agar, Pal's agar and eggplant agar's performances for C.neoformans isolations from the nature (p=0.71). In conclusion, easily prepared eggplant agar is as functional as widely used media such as simplified Staib agar and Pal's agar for the isolation of C.neoformans from the natural environment.
Modeling and Analysis of the Reverse Water Gas Shift Process for In-Situ Propellant Production
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Whitlow, Jonathan E.
2000-01-01
This report focuses on the development of mathematical models and simulation tools developed for the Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) process. This process is a candidate technology for oxygen production on Mars under the In-Situ Propellant Production (ISPP) project. An analysis of the RWGS process was performed using a material balance for the system. The material balance is very complex due to the downstream separations and subsequent recycle inherent with the process. A numerical simulation was developed for the RWGS process to provide a tool for analysis and optimization of experimental hardware, which will be constructed later this year at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Attempts to solve the material balance for the system, which can be defined by 27 nonlinear equations, initially failed. A convergence scheme was developed which led to successful solution of the material balance, however the simplified equations used for the gas separation membrane were found insufficient. Additional more rigorous models were successfully developed and solved for the membrane separation. Sample results from these models are included in this report, with recommendations for experimental work needed for model validation.
Liu, Chang; Gómez-Ríos, Germán Augusto; Schneider, Bradley B; Le Blanc, J C Yves; Reyes-Garcés, Nathaly; Arnold, Don W; Covey, Thomas R; Pawliszyn, Janusz
2017-10-23
Mass spectrometry (MS) based quantitative approaches typically require a thorough sample clean-up and a decent chromatographic step in order to achieve needed figures of merit. However, in most cases, such processes are not optimal for urgent assessments and high-throughput determinations. The direct coupling of solid phase microextraction (SPME) to MS has shown great potential to shorten the total sample analysis time of complex matrices, as well as to diminish potential matrix effects and instrument contamination. In this study, we demonstrate the use of the open-port probe (OPP) as a direct and robust sampling interface to couple biocompatible-SPME (Bio-SPME) fibres to MS for the rapid quantitation of opioid isomers (i.e. codeine and hydrocodone) in human plasma. In place of chromatography, a differential mobility spectrometry (DMS) device was implemented to provide the essential selectivity required to quantify these constitutional isomers. Taking advantage of the simplified sample preparation process based on Bio-SPME and the fast separation with DMS-MS coupling via OPP, a high-throughput assay (10-15 s per sample) with limits of detection in the sub-ng/mL range was developed. Succinctly, we demonstrated that by tuning adequate ion mobility separation conditions, SPME-OPP-MS can be employed to quantify non-resolved compounds or those otherwise hindered by co-extracted isobaric interferences without further need of coupling to other separation platforms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A simplified computational memory model from information processing.
Zhang, Lanhua; Zhang, Dongsheng; Deng, Yuqin; Ding, Xiaoqian; Wang, Yan; Tang, Yiyuan; Sun, Baoliang
2016-11-23
This paper is intended to propose a computational model for memory from the view of information processing. The model, called simplified memory information retrieval network (SMIRN), is a bi-modular hierarchical functional memory network by abstracting memory function and simulating memory information processing. At first meta-memory is defined to express the neuron or brain cortices based on the biology and graph theories, and we develop an intra-modular network with the modeling algorithm by mapping the node and edge, and then the bi-modular network is delineated with intra-modular and inter-modular. At last a polynomial retrieval algorithm is introduced. In this paper we simulate the memory phenomena and functions of memorization and strengthening by information processing algorithms. The theoretical analysis and the simulation results show that the model is in accordance with the memory phenomena from information processing view.
Wojtas-Niziurski, Wojciech; Meng, Yilin; Roux, Benoit; Bernèche, Simon
2013-01-01
The potential of mean force describing conformational changes of biomolecules is a central quantity that determines the function of biomolecular systems. Calculating an energy landscape of a process that depends on three or more reaction coordinates might require a lot of computational power, making some of multidimensional calculations practically impossible. Here, we present an efficient automatized umbrella sampling strategy for calculating multidimensional potential of mean force. The method progressively learns by itself, through a feedback mechanism, which regions of a multidimensional space are worth exploring and automatically generates a set of umbrella sampling windows that is adapted to the system. The self-learning adaptive umbrella sampling method is first explained with illustrative examples based on simplified reduced model systems, and then applied to two non-trivial situations: the conformational equilibrium of the pentapeptide Met-enkephalin in solution and ion permeation in the KcsA potassium channel. With this method, it is demonstrated that a significant smaller number of umbrella windows needs to be employed to characterize the free energy landscape over the most relevant regions without any loss in accuracy. PMID:23814508
Fabrication of porous silicon nitride ceramics using binder jetting technology
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rabinskiy, L.; Ripetsky, A.; Sitnikov, S.; Solyaev, Y.; Kahramanov, R.
2016-07-01
This paper presents the results of the binder jetting technology application for the processing of the Si3N4-based ceramics. The difference of the developed technology from analogues used for additive manufacturing of silicon nitride ceramics is a method of the separate deposition of the mineral powder and binder without direct injection of suspensions/slurries. It is assumed that such approach allows reducing the technology complexity and simplifying the process of the feedstock preparation, including the simplification of the composite materials production. The binders based on methyl ester of acrylic acid with polyurethane and modified starch were studied. At this stage of the investigations, the technology of green body's fabrication is implemented using a standard HP cartridge mounted on the robotic arm. For the coordinated operation of the cartridge and robot the specially developed software was used. Obtained green bodies of silicon powder were used to produce the ceramic samples via reaction sintering. The results of study of ceramics samples microstructure and composition are presented. Sintered ceramics are characterized by fibrous α-Si3N4 structure and porosity up to 70%.
Wu, Lijie; Song, Ying; Hu, Mingzhu; Xu, Xu; Zhang, Hanqi; Yu, Aimin; Ma, Qiang; Wang, Ziming
2015-03-01
A simple and efficient integrated microwave processing system (IMPS) was firstly assembled and validated for the extraction of organophosphorus pesticides in fresh vegetables. Two processes under microwave irradiation, dynamic microwave-assisted extraction (DMAE) and microwave-accelerated solvent elution (MASE), were integrated for simplifying the pretreatment of the sample. Extraction, separation, enrichment and elution were finished in a simple step. The organophosphorus pesticides were extracted from the fresh vegetables into hexane with DMAE, and then the extract was directly introduced into the enrichment column packed with active carbon fiber (ACF). Subsequently, the organophosphorus pesticides trapped on the ACF were eluted with ethyl acetate under microwave irradiation. No further filtration or cleanup was required before analysis of the eluate by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Some experimental parameters affecting extraction efficiency were investigated and optimized, such as microwave output power, kind and volume of extraction solvent, extraction time, amount of sorbent, elution microwave power, kind and volume of elution solvent, elution solvent flow rate. Under the optimized conditions, the recoveries were in the range of 71.5-105.2%, and the relative standard deviations were lower than 11.6%. The experiment results prove that the present method is a simple and effective sample preparation method for the determination of pesticides in solid samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Barth, Timothy; Saini, Subhash (Technical Monitor)
1999-01-01
This talk considers simplified finite element discretization techniques for first-order systems of conservation laws equipped with a convex (entropy) extension. Using newly developed techniques in entropy symmetrization theory, simplified forms of the Galerkin least-squares (GLS) and the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite element method have been developed and analyzed. The use of symmetrization variables yields numerical schemes which inherit global entropy stability properties of the POE system. Central to the development of the simplified GLS and DG methods is the Degenerative Scaling Theorem which characterizes right symmetrizes of an arbitrary first-order hyperbolic system in terms of scaled eigenvectors of the corresponding flux Jacobean matrices. A constructive proof is provided for the Eigenvalue Scaling Theorem with detailed consideration given to the Euler, Navier-Stokes, and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. Linear and nonlinear energy stability is proven for the simplified GLS and DG methods. Spatial convergence properties of the simplified GLS and DO methods are numerical evaluated via the computation of Ringleb flow on a sequence of successively refined triangulations. Finally, we consider a posteriori error estimates for the GLS and DG demoralization assuming error functionals related to the integrated lift and drag of a body. Sample calculations in 20 are shown to validate the theory and implementation.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pirani, F.; Cappelletti, D.; Vecchiocattivi, F.; Vattuone, L.; Gerbi, A.; Rocca, M.; Valbusa, U.
2004-02-01
A light and compact mechanical velocity selector, of novel design, for applications in supersonic molecular-beam studies has been developed. It represents a simplified version of the traditional, 50 year old, slotted disks velocity selector. Taking advantage of new materials and improved machining techniques, the new version has been realized with only two rotating slotted disks, driven by an electrical motor with adjustable frequency of rotation, and thus has a much smaller weight and size with respect to the original design, which may allow easier implementation in most of the available molecular-beam apparatuses. This new type of selector, which maintains a sufficiently high velocity resolution, has been developed for sampling molecules with different degrees of rotational alignment, like those emerging from a seeded supersonic expansion. This sampling is the crucial step to realize new molecular-beam experiments to study the effect of molecular alignment in collisional processes.
Detection of toxoplasmosis in experimentally infected goats by PCR.
Sreekumar, C; Rao, J R; Mishra, A K; Ray, D; Joshi, P; Singh, R K
2004-05-15
PCR was used to diagnose toxoplasmosis in two pairs of Barbari goats infected by oral administration of doses of either 10(4) or 10(5) oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii. Blood and lymph node aspirates were collected from the infected goats and control goat at intervals, and tissues were also collected from a fetus that was aborted and a doe that died during the trial. Both processed and unprocessed samples were used for the PCR, using primers directed to the multicopy B1 gene. None of the blood samples was positive, but a specific signal was obtained from the lymph node aspirates after partial DNA extraction. Direct PCR of the lung, muscle and mesenteric lymph node of the doe and lung tissue of the aborted fetus yielded the target fragment. The simplified PCR protocols, including partial DNA extraction and direct assay of lung tissue, were effective for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis.
Wang, Rui; Zhang, Fang; Wang, Liu; Qian, Wenjuan; Qian, Cheng; Wu, Jian; Ying, Yibin
2017-04-18
On-site monitoring the plantation of genetically modified (GM) crops is of critical importance in agriculture industry throughout the world. In this paper, a simple, visual and instrument-free method for instant on-site detection of GTS 40-3-2 soybean has been developed. It is based on body-heat recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and followed with naked-eye detection via fluorescent DNA dye. Combining with extremely simplified sample preparation, the whole detection process can be accomplished within 10 min and the fluorescent results can be photographed by an accompanied smart phone. Results demonstrated a 100% detection rate for screening of practical GTS 40-3-2 soybean samples by 20 volunteers under different ambient temperatures. This method is not only suitable for on-site detection of GM crops but also demonstrates great potential to be applied in other fields.
An efficient method for purifying high quality RNA from wheat pistils.
Manickavelu, A; Kambara, Kumiko; Mishina, Kohei; Koba, Takato
2007-02-15
Many methods are available for total RNA extraction from plants, except the floral organs like wheat pistils containing high levels of polysaccharides that bind/or co-precipitate with RNA. In this protocol, a simple and effective method for extracting total RNA from small and feathery wheat pistils has been developed. Lithium chloride (LiCl) and phenol:chloroform:isoamylalcohol (PCI) were employed and the samples were ground in microcentrifuge tube using plastic pestle. A jacket of liquid nitrogen and simplified procedures were applied to ensure thorough grinding of the pistils and to minimize the samples loss. These measures substantially increased the recovery of total RNA (approximately 50%) in the extraction process. Reliable differential display by cDNA-AFLP was successfully achieved with the total RNA after DNase treatment and reverse transcription. This method is also practicable for gene expression and gene regulation studies in floral parts of other plants.
Buried structure for increasing fabrication performance of micromaterial by electromigration
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kimura, Yasuhiro; Saka, Masumi
2016-06-01
The electromigration (EM) technique is a physical synthetic growth method for micro/nanomaterials. EM causes atomic diffusion in a metal line by high-density electron flows. The intentional control of accumulation and relaxation of atoms by EM can lead to the fabrication of a micro/nanomaterial. TiN passivation has been utilized as a component of sample in the EM technique. Although TiN passivation can simplify the cumbersome processes for preparing the sample, the leakage of current naturally occurs because of the conductivity of TiN as a side effect and decreases the performance of micro/nanomaterial fabrication. In the present work, we propose a buried structure, which contributes to significantly decreasing the current for fabricating an Al micromaterial by confining the current flow in the EM technique. The fabrication performance was evaluated based on the threshold current for fabricating an Al micromaterial using the buried structure and the previous structure with the leakage of current.
Superresolved digital in-line holographic microscopy for high-resolution lensless biological imaging
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Micó, Vicente; Zalevsky, Zeev
2010-07-01
Digital in-line holographic microscopy (DIHM) is a modern approach capable of achieving micron-range lateral and depth resolutions in three-dimensional imaging. DIHM in combination with numerical imaging reconstruction uses an extremely simplified setup while retaining the advantages provided by holography with enhanced capabilities derived from algorithmic digital processing. We introduce superresolved DIHM incoming from time and angular multiplexing of the sample spatial frequency information and yielding in the generation of a synthetic aperture (SA). The SA expands the cutoff frequency of the imaging system, allowing submicron resolutions in both transversal and axial directions. The proposed approach can be applied when imaging essentially transparent (low-concentration dilutions) and static (slow dynamics) samples. Validation of the method for both a synthetic object (U.S. Air Force resolution test) to quantify the resolution improvement and a biological specimen (sperm cells biosample) are reported showing the generation of high synthetic numerical aperture values working without lenses.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Şahin, Rıdvan; Liu, Peide
2017-07-01
Simplified neutrosophic set (SNS) is an appropriate tool used to express the incompleteness, indeterminacy and uncertainty of the evaluation objects in decision-making process. In this study, we define the concept of possibility SNS including two types of information such as the neutrosophic performance provided from the evaluation objects and its possibility degree using a value ranging from zero to one. Then by extending the existing neutrosophic information, aggregation models for SNSs that cannot be used effectively to fusion the two different information described above, we propose two novel neutrosophic aggregation operators considering possibility, which are named as a possibility-induced simplified neutrosophic weighted arithmetic averaging operator and possibility-induced simplified neutrosophic weighted geometric averaging operator, and discuss their properties. Moreover, we develop a useful method based on the proposed aggregation operators for solving a multi-criteria group decision-making problem with the possibility simplified neutrosophic information, in which the weights of decision-makers and decision criteria are calculated based on entropy measure. Finally, a practical example is utilised to show the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Barbour, P S; Stone, M H; Fisher, J
1999-01-01
In some designs of hip joint simulator the cost of building a highly complex machine has been offset with the requirement for a large number of test stations. The application of the wear results generated by these machines depends on their ability to reproduce physiological wear rates and processes. In this study a hip joint simulator has been shown to reproduce physiological wear using only one load vector and two degrees of motion with simplified input cycles. The actual path of points on the femoral head relative to the acetabular cup were calculated and compared for physiological and simplified input cycles. The in vitro wear rates were found to be highly dependent on the shape of these paths and similarities could be drawn between the shape of the physiological paths and the simplified elliptical paths.
Cao, Zhen; Ren, Kangning; Wu, Hongkai; Yobas, Levent
2012-01-01
We demonstrate monolithic integration of fine cylindrical glass microcapillaries (diameter ∼1 μm) on silicon and evaluate their performance for electrophoretic separation of biomolecules. Such microcapillaries are achieved through thermal reflow of a glass layer on microstructured silicon whereby slender voids are moulded into cylindrical tubes. The process allows self-enclosed microcapillaries with a uniform profile. A simplified method is also described to integrate the microcapillaries with a sample-injection cross without the requirement of glass etching. The 10-mm-long microcapillaries sustain field intensities up to 90 kV/m and limit the temperature excursions due to Joule heating to a few degrees Celsius only. PMID:23874369
Creating Matched Samples Using Exact Matching. Statistical Report 2016-3
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Godfrey, Kelly E.
2016-01-01
By creating and analyzing matched samples, researchers can simplify their analyses to include fewer covariate variables, relying less on model assumptions, and thus generating results that may be easier to report and interpret. When two groups essentially "look" the same, it is easier to explore their differences and make comparisons…
Renoux, Lance P; Dolan, Maureen C; Cook, Courtney A; Smit, Nico J; Sikkel, Paul C
2017-08-01
Apicomplexan parasites are obligate parasites of many species of vertebrates. To date, there is very limited understanding of these parasites in the most-diverse group of vertebrates, actinopterygian fishes. While DNA barcoding targeting the eukaryotic 18S small subunit rRNA gene sequence has been useful in identifying apicomplexans in tetrapods, identification of apicomplexans infecting fishes has relied solely on morphological identification by microscopy. In this study, a DNA barcoding method was developed that targets the 18S rRNA gene primers for identifying apicomplexans parasitizing certain actinopterygian fishes. A lead primer set was selected showing no cross-reactivity to the overwhelming abundant host DNA and successfully confirmed 37 of the 41 (90.2%) microscopically verified parasitized fish blood samples analyzed in this study. Furthermore, this DNA barcoding method identified 4 additional samples that screened negative for parasitemia, suggesting this molecular method may provide improved sensitivity over morphological characterization by microscopy. In addition, this PCR screening method for fish apicomplexans, using Whatman FTA preserved DNA, was tested in efforts leading to a more simplified field collection, transport, and sample storage method as well as a streamlining sample processing important for DNA barcoding of large sample sets.
Carmona-Jiménez, Yolanda; García-Moreno, M Valme; Igartuburu, Jose M; Garcia Barroso, Carmelo
2014-12-15
The DPPH assay is one of the most commonly employed methods for measuring antioxidant activity. Even though this method is considered very simple and efficient, it does present various limitations which make it complicated to perform. The range of linearity between the DPPH inhibition percentage and sample concentration has been studied with a view to simplifying the method for characterising samples of wine origin. It has been concluded that all the samples are linear in a range of inhibition below 40%, which allows the analysis to be simplified. A new parameter more appropriate for the simplification, the EC20, has been proposed to express the assay results. Additionally, the reaction time was analysed with the object of avoiding the need for kinetic studies in the method. The simplifications considered offer a more functional method, without significant errors, which could be used for routine analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Probing dimensionality using a simplified 4-probe method.
Kjeldby, Snorre B; Evenstad, Otto M; Cooil, Simon P; Wells, Justin W
2017-10-04
4-probe electrical measurements have been in existence for many decades. One of the most useful aspects of the 4-probe method is that it is not only possible to find the resistivity of a sample (independently of the contact resistances), but that it is also possible to probe the dimensionality of the sample. In theory, this is straightforward to achieve by measuring the 4-probe resistance as a function of probe separation. In practice, it is challenging to move all four probes with sufficient precision over the necessary range. Here, we present an alternative approach. We demonstrate that the dimensionality of the conductive path within a sample can be directly probed using a modified 4-probe method in which an unconventional geometry is exploited; three of the probes are rigidly fixed, and the position of only one probe is changed. This allows 2D and 3D (and other) contributions the to resistivity to be readily disentangled. The required experimental instrumentation can be vastly simplified relative to traditional variable spacing 4-probe instruments.
Goldstein, S J; Hensley, C A; Armenta, C E; Peters, R J
1997-03-01
Recent developments in extraction chromatography have simplified the separation of americium from complex matrices in preparation for alpha-spectroscopy relative to traditional methods. Here we present results of procedures developed/adapted for water, air, and bioassay samples with less than 1 g of inorganic residue. Prior analytical methods required the use of a complex, multistage procedure for separation of americium from these matrices. The newer, simplified procedure requires only a single 2 mL extraction chromatographic separation for isolation of Am and lanthanides from other components of the sample. This method has been implemented on an extensive variety of "real" environmental and bioassay samples from the Los Alamos area, and consistently reliable and accurate results with appropriate detection limits have been obtained. The new method increases analytical throughput by a factor of approximately 2 and decreases environmental hazards from acid and mixed-waste generation relative to the prior technique. Analytical accuracy, reproducibility, and reliability are also significantly improved over the more complex and laborious method used previously.
Xue, Jian; Wu, Riga; Pan, Yajiao; Wang, Shunxia; Qu, Baowang; Qin, Ying; Shi, Yuequn; Zhang, Chuchu; Li, Ran; Zhang, Liyan; Zhou, Cheng; Sun, Hongyu
2018-04-02
Massively parallel sequencing (MPS) technologies, also termed as next-generation sequencing (NGS), are becoming increasingly popular in study of short tandem repeats (STR). However, current library preparation methods are usually based on ligation or two-round PCR that requires more steps, making it time-consuming (about 2 days), laborious and expensive. In this study, a 16-plex STR typing system was designed with fusion primer strategy based on the Ion Torrent S5 XL platform which could effectively resolve the above challenges for forensic DNA database-type samples (bloodstains, saliva stains, etc.). The efficiency of this system was tested in 253 Han Chinese participants. The libraries were prepared without DNA isolation and adapter ligation, and the whole process only required approximately 5 h. The proportion of thoroughly genotyped samples in which all the 16 loci were successfully genotyped was 86% (220/256). Of the samples, 99.7% showed 100% concordance between NGS-based STR typing and capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based STR typing. The inconsistency might have been caused by off-ladder alleles and mutations in primer binding sites. Overall, this panel enabled the large-scale genotyping of the DNA samples with controlled quality and quantity because it is a simple, operation-friendly process flow that saves labor, time and costs. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
The influence of a wind tunnel on helicopter rotational noise: Formulation of analysis
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Mosher, M.
1984-01-01
An analytical model is discussed that can be used to examine the effects of wind tunnel walls on helicopter rotational noise. A complete physical model of an acoustic source in a wind tunnel is described and a simplified version is then developed. This simplified model retains the important physical processes involved, yet it is more amenable to analysis. The simplified physical model is then modeled as a mathematical problem. An inhomogeneous partial differential equation with mixed boundary conditions is set up and then transformed into an integral equation. Details of generating a suitable Green's function and integral equation are included and the equation is discussed and also given for a two-dimensional case.
Gallucci, Armen; Deutsch, Thomas; Youngquist, Jaymie
2013-01-01
The authors attempt to simplify the key elements to the process of negotiating successfully with private physicians. From their experience, the business elements that have resulted in the most discussion center on the compensation including the incentive plan. Secondarily, how the issue of malpractice is handled will also consume a fair amount of time. What the authors have also learned is that the intangible issues can often be the reason for an unexpectedly large amount of discussion and therefore add time to the negotiation process. To assist with this process, they have derived a negotiation checklist, which seeks to help hospital leaders and administrators set the proper framework to ensure successful negotiation conversations. More importantly, being organized and recognizing these broad issues upfront and remaining transparent throughout the process will help to ensure a successful negotiation.
A simplified computational memory model from information processing
Zhang, Lanhua; Zhang, Dongsheng; Deng, Yuqin; Ding, Xiaoqian; Wang, Yan; Tang, Yiyuan; Sun, Baoliang
2016-01-01
This paper is intended to propose a computational model for memory from the view of information processing. The model, called simplified memory information retrieval network (SMIRN), is a bi-modular hierarchical functional memory network by abstracting memory function and simulating memory information processing. At first meta-memory is defined to express the neuron or brain cortices based on the biology and graph theories, and we develop an intra-modular network with the modeling algorithm by mapping the node and edge, and then the bi-modular network is delineated with intra-modular and inter-modular. At last a polynomial retrieval algorithm is introduced. In this paper we simulate the memory phenomena and functions of memorization and strengthening by information processing algorithms. The theoretical analysis and the simulation results show that the model is in accordance with the memory phenomena from information processing view. PMID:27876847
Simplified Physics Based Models Research Topical Report on Task #2
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Mishra, Srikanta; Ganesh, Priya
We present a simplified-physics based approach, where only the most important physical processes are modeled, to develop and validate simplified predictive models of CO2 sequestration in deep saline formation. The system of interest is a single vertical well injecting supercritical CO2 into a 2-D layered reservoir-caprock system with variable layer permeabilities. We use a set of well-designed full-physics compositional simulations to understand key processes and parameters affecting pressure propagation and buoyant plume migration. Based on these simulations, we have developed correlations for dimensionless injectivity as a function of the slope of fractional-flow curve, variance of layer permeability values, and themore » nature of vertical permeability arrangement. The same variables, along with a modified gravity number, can be used to develop a correlation for the total storage efficiency within the CO2 plume footprint. Similar correlations are also developed to predict the average pressure within the injection reservoir, and the pressure buildup within the caprock.« less
Simplified Perovskite Solar Cell with 4.1% Efficiency Employing Inorganic CsPbBr3 as Light Absorber.
Duan, Jialong; Zhao, Yuanyuan; He, Benlin; Tang, Qunwei
2018-05-01
Perovskite solar cells with cost-effectiveness, high power conversion efficiency, and improved stability are promising solutions to the energy crisis and environmental pollution. However, a wide-bandgap inorganic-semiconductor electron-transporting layer such as TiO 2 can harvest ultraviolet light to photodegrade perovskite halides, and the high cost of a state-of-the-art hole-transporting layer is an economic burden for commercialization. Here, the building of a simplified cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr 3 ) perovskite solar cell with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/CsPbBr 3 /carbon architecture by a multistep solution-processed deposition technology is demonstrated, achieving an efficiency as high as 4.1% and improved stability upon interfacial modification by graphene quantum dots and CsPbBrI 2 quantum dots. This work provides new opportunities of building next-generation solar cells with significantly simplified processes and reduced production costs. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
An RF-Powered Micro-Reactor for Efficient Extraction and Hydrolysis
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Scott, V.
2014-12-01
An RF sample-processing micro-reactor that was developed as part of potential in situ Exploration Missions to inner- and outer-planetary bodies was designed to utilize aqueous solutions subjected to 60 GHz radiation at 730 mW of input power to extract target organic compounds and molecular and inorganic ions as well as to hydrolyze complex polymeric materials. Successful identification and characterization of these molecules relies on the sample-processing techniques utilized alongside state-of-the-art detection and analysis. For mass and power restrictions put on space exploration missions, smaller and more efficient instruments are highly desirable. The RF micro-reactor potentially offers a simplified alternative to the typical gold-standard extractions that often use solvents, chemicals, and conditions that can vary wildly and depend on the targeted molecules. Instead, this instrument uses a single solvent — water — that can be "tuned" under the different experimental conditions, leveraging the operating principles of the Sub-Critical Water Extractor. Proof-of-concept experiments examining the hydrolysis of glycosidic and peptide bonds were successful in demonstrating the RF micro-reactor's capabilities. Progress toward coupling the reactor with a micro-scale sample-handling system enabling slurry delivery has been made and preliminary results on heterogeneous reactions and extractions will be presented.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bitner, Rex M.; Koller, Susan C.
2004-06-01
Three different methods of automated high throughput purification of genomic DNA from plant materials processed in 96 well plates are described. One method uses MagneSil paramagnetic particles to purify DNA present in single leaf punch samples or small seed samples, using 320ul capacity 96 well plates which minimizes reagent and plate costs. A second method uses 2.2 ml and 1.2 ml capacity plates and allows the purification of larger amounts of DNA from 5-6 punches of materials or larger amounts of seeds. The third method uses the MagneSil ONE purification system to purify a fixed amount of DNA, thus simplifying the processing of downstream applications by normalizing the amounts of DNA so they do not require quantitation. Protocols for the purification of a fixed yield of DNA, e.g. 1 ug, from plant leaf or seed samples using MagneSil paramagnetic particles and a Beckman-Coulter BioMek FX robot are described. DNA from all three methods is suitable for applications such as PCR, RAPD, STR, READIT SNP analysis, and multiplexed PCR systems. The MagneSil ONE system is also suitable for use with SNP detection systems such as Third Wave Technology"s Invader methods.
Pérez, Rosa Ana; Albero, Beatriz; Tadeo, José Luis; Sánchez-Brunete, Consuelo
2016-11-01
A rapid extraction procedure is presented for the determination of five endocrine-disrupting compounds, estrone, ethinylestradiol, bisphenol A, triclosan, and 2-ethylhexylsalicylate, in water samples. The analysis involves a two-step extraction procedure that combines dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) with dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-μ-SPE), using magnetic nanoparticles, followed by in situ derivatization in the injection port of a gas chromatograph coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The use of uncoated or oleate-coated Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles as sorbent in the extraction process was evaluated and compared. The main parameters involved in the extraction process were optimized applying experimental designs. Uncoated Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were selected in order to simplify and make more cost-effective the procedure. DLLME was carried out at pH 3, during 2 min, followed by the addition of the nanoparticles for D-μ-SPE employing 1 min in the extraction. Analysis of spiked water samples of different sources gave satisfactory recovery results for all the compounds with detection limits ranging from 7 to 180 ng l -1 . Finally, the procedure was applied in tap, well, and river water. Graphical abstract Diagram of the extraction method using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs).
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Belyaev, Andrey K.; Yakovleva, Svetlana A.
2017-10-01
Aims: We derive a simplified model for estimating atomic data on inelastic processes in low-energy collisions of heavy-particles with hydrogen, in particular for the inelastic processes with high and moderate rate coefficients. It is known that these processes are important for non-LTE modeling of cool stellar atmospheres. Methods: Rate coefficients are evaluated using a derived method, which is a simplified version of a recently proposed approach based on the asymptotic method for electronic structure calculations and the Landau-Zener model for nonadiabatic transition probability determination. Results: The rate coefficients are found to be expressed via statistical probabilities and reduced rate coefficients. It turns out that the reduced rate coefficients for mutual neutralization and ion-pair formation processes depend on single electronic bound energies of an atom, while the reduced rate coefficients for excitation and de-excitation processes depend on two electronic bound energies. The reduced rate coefficients are calculated and tabulated as functions of electronic bound energies. The derived model is applied to potassium-hydrogen collisions. For the first time, rate coefficients are evaluated for inelastic processes in K+H and K++H- collisions for all transitions from ground states up to and including ionic states. Tables with calculated data are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/606/A147
Simultaneous inference of phylogenetic and transmission trees in infectious disease outbreaks
2017-01-01
Whole-genome sequencing of pathogens from host samples becomes more and more routine during infectious disease outbreaks. These data provide information on possible transmission events which can be used for further epidemiologic analyses, such as identification of risk factors for infectivity and transmission. However, the relationship between transmission events and sequence data is obscured by uncertainty arising from four largely unobserved processes: transmission, case observation, within-host pathogen dynamics and mutation. To properly resolve transmission events, these processes need to be taken into account. Recent years have seen much progress in theory and method development, but existing applications make simplifying assumptions that often break up the dependency between the four processes, or are tailored to specific datasets with matching model assumptions and code. To obtain a method with wider applicability, we have developed a novel approach to reconstruct transmission trees with sequence data. Our approach combines elementary models for transmission, case observation, within-host pathogen dynamics, and mutation, under the assumption that the outbreak is over and all cases have been observed. We use Bayesian inference with MCMC for which we have designed novel proposal steps to efficiently traverse the posterior distribution, taking account of all unobserved processes at once. This allows for efficient sampling of transmission trees from the posterior distribution, and robust estimation of consensus transmission trees. We implemented the proposed method in a new R package phybreak. The method performs well in tests of both new and published simulated data. We apply the model to five datasets on densely sampled infectious disease outbreaks, covering a wide range of epidemiological settings. Using only sampling times and sequences as data, our analyses confirmed the original results or improved on them: the more realistic infection times place more confidence in the inferred transmission trees. PMID:28545083
Simultaneous inference of phylogenetic and transmission trees in infectious disease outbreaks.
Klinkenberg, Don; Backer, Jantien A; Didelot, Xavier; Colijn, Caroline; Wallinga, Jacco
2017-05-01
Whole-genome sequencing of pathogens from host samples becomes more and more routine during infectious disease outbreaks. These data provide information on possible transmission events which can be used for further epidemiologic analyses, such as identification of risk factors for infectivity and transmission. However, the relationship between transmission events and sequence data is obscured by uncertainty arising from four largely unobserved processes: transmission, case observation, within-host pathogen dynamics and mutation. To properly resolve transmission events, these processes need to be taken into account. Recent years have seen much progress in theory and method development, but existing applications make simplifying assumptions that often break up the dependency between the four processes, or are tailored to specific datasets with matching model assumptions and code. To obtain a method with wider applicability, we have developed a novel approach to reconstruct transmission trees with sequence data. Our approach combines elementary models for transmission, case observation, within-host pathogen dynamics, and mutation, under the assumption that the outbreak is over and all cases have been observed. We use Bayesian inference with MCMC for which we have designed novel proposal steps to efficiently traverse the posterior distribution, taking account of all unobserved processes at once. This allows for efficient sampling of transmission trees from the posterior distribution, and robust estimation of consensus transmission trees. We implemented the proposed method in a new R package phybreak. The method performs well in tests of both new and published simulated data. We apply the model to five datasets on densely sampled infectious disease outbreaks, covering a wide range of epidemiological settings. Using only sampling times and sequences as data, our analyses confirmed the original results or improved on them: the more realistic infection times place more confidence in the inferred transmission trees.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Smith, J. L.
1983-01-01
Existing techniques were surveyed, an experimental procedure was developed, a laboratory test model was fabricated, limited data were recovered for proof of principle, and the relationship between particle size distribution and amplitude measurements was illustrated in an effort to develop a low cost, simplified optical technique for measuring particle size distributions and velocities in fluidized bed combustors and gasifiers. A He-Ne laser illuminated Rochi Rulings (range 10 to 500 lines per inch). Various samples of known particle size distributions were passed through the fringe pattern produced by the rulings. A photomultiplier tube converted light from the fringe volume to an electrical signal which was recorded using an oscilloscope and camera. The signal amplitudes were correlated against the known particle size distributions. The correlation holds true for various samples.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Shiota, Koki, E-mail: a14510@sr.kagawa-nct.ac.jp; Kai, Kazuho; Nagaoka, Shiro, E-mail: nagaoka@es.kagawa-nct.ac.jp
The educational method which is including designing, making, and evaluating actual semiconductor devices with learning the theory is one of the best way to obtain the fundamental understanding of the device physics and to cultivate the ability to make unique ideas using the knowledge in the semiconductor device. In this paper, the simplified Boron thermal diffusion process using Sol-Gel material under normal air environment was proposed based on simple hypothesis and the feasibility of the reproducibility and reliability were investigated to simplify the diffusion process for making the educational devices, such as p-n junction, bipolar and pMOS devices. As themore » result, this method was successfully achieved making p+ region on the surface of the n-type silicon substrates with good reproducibility. And good rectification property of the p-n junctions was obtained successfully. This result indicates that there is a possibility to apply on the process making pMOS or bipolar transistors. It suggests that there is a variety of the possibility of the applications in the educational field to foster an imagination of new devices.« less
Automated Derivation of Complex System Constraints from User Requirements
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Foshee, Mark; Murey, Kim; Marsh, Angela
2010-01-01
The Payload Operations Integration Center (POIC) located at the Marshall Space Flight Center has the responsibility of integrating US payload science requirements for the International Space Station (ISS). All payload operations must request ISS system resources so that the resource usage will be included in the ISS on-board execution timelines. The scheduling of resources and building of the timeline is performed using the Consolidated Planning System (CPS). The ISS resources are quite complex due to the large number of components that must be accounted for. The planners at the POIC simplify the process for Payload Developers (PD) by providing the PDs with a application that has the basic functionality PDs need as well as list of simplified resources in the User Requirements Collection (URC) application. The planners maintained a mapping of the URC resources to the CPS resources. The process of manually converting PD's science requirements from a simplified representation to a more complex CPS representation is a time-consuming and tedious process. The goal is to provide a software solution to allow the planners to build a mapping of the complex CPS constraints to the basic URC constraints and automatically convert the PD's requirements into systems requirements during export to CPS.
Single-Scale Fusion: An Effective Approach to Merging Images.
Ancuti, Codruta O; Ancuti, Cosmin; De Vleeschouwer, Christophe; Bovik, Alan C
2017-01-01
Due to its robustness and effectiveness, multi-scale fusion (MSF) based on the Laplacian pyramid decomposition has emerged as a popular technique that has shown utility in many applications. Guided by several intuitive measures (weight maps) the MSF process is versatile and straightforward to be implemented. However, the number of pyramid levels increases with the image size, which implies sophisticated data management and memory accesses, as well as additional computations. Here, we introduce a simplified formulation that reduces MSF to only a single level process. Starting from the MSF decomposition, we explain both mathematically and intuitively (visually) a way to simplify the classical MSF approach with minimal loss of information. The resulting single-scale fusion (SSF) solution is a close approximation of the MSF process that eliminates important redundant computations. It also provides insights regarding why MSF is so effective. While our simplified expression is derived in the context of high dynamic range imaging, we show its generality on several well-known fusion-based applications, such as image compositing, extended depth of field, medical imaging, and blending thermal (infrared) images with visible light. Besides visual validation, quantitative evaluations demonstrate that our SSF strategy is able to yield results that are highly competitive with traditional MSF approaches.
Hydrometallurgical Recovery of Metals from Large Printed Circuit Board Pieces.
Jadhav, U; Hocheng, H
2015-09-29
The recovery of precious metals from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) is an effective recycling process. This paper presents a promising hydrometallurgical process to recover precious metals from waste PCBs. To simplify the metal leaching process, large pieces of PCBs were used instead of a pulverized sample. The chemical coating present on the PCBs was removed by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment prior to the hydrometallurgical treatment. Among the leaching reagents examined, hydrochloric acid (HCl) showed great potential for the recovery of metals. The HCl-mediated leaching of waste PCBs was investigated over a range of conditions. Increasing the acid concentration decreased the time required for complete metal recovery. The shaking speed showed a pronounced positive effect on metal recovery, but the temperature showed an insignificant effect. The results showed that 1 M HCl recovered all of the metals from 4 cm × 4 cm PCBs at room temperature and 150 rpm shaking speed in 22 h.
Hydrometallurgical Recovery of Metals from Large Printed Circuit Board Pieces
Jadhav, U.; Hocheng, H.
2015-01-01
The recovery of precious metals from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) is an effective recycling process. This paper presents a promising hydrometallurgical process to recover precious metals from waste PCBs. To simplify the metal leaching process, large pieces of PCBs were used instead of a pulverized sample. The chemical coating present on the PCBs was removed by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment prior to the hydrometallurgical treatment. Among the leaching reagents examined, hydrochloric acid (HCl) showed great potential for the recovery of metals. The HCl-mediated leaching of waste PCBs was investigated over a range of conditions. Increasing the acid concentration decreased the time required for complete metal recovery. The shaking speed showed a pronounced positive effect on metal recovery, but the temperature showed an insignificant effect. The results showed that 1 M HCl recovered all of the metals from 4 cm × 4 cm PCBs at room temperature and 150 rpm shaking speed in 22 h. PMID:26415827
An advanced software suite for the processing and analysis of silicon luminescence images
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Payne, D. N. R.; Vargas, C.; Hameiri, Z.; Wenham, S. R.; Bagnall, D. M.
2017-06-01
Luminescence imaging is a versatile characterisation technique used for a broad range of research and industrial applications, particularly for the field of photovoltaics where photoluminescence and electroluminescence imaging is routinely carried out for materials analysis and quality control. Luminescence imaging can reveal a wealth of material information, as detailed in extensive literature, yet these techniques are often only used qualitatively instead of being utilised to their full potential. Part of the reason for this is the time and effort required for image processing and analysis in order to convert image data to more meaningful results. In this work, a custom built, Matlab based software suite is presented which aims to dramatically simplify luminescence image processing and analysis. The suite includes four individual programs which can be used in isolation or in conjunction to achieve a broad array of functionality, including but not limited to, point spread function determination and deconvolution, automated sample extraction, image alignment and comparison, minority carrier lifetime calibration and iron impurity concentration mapping.
Studying light-harvesting models with superconducting circuits.
Potočnik, Anton; Bargerbos, Arno; Schröder, Florian A Y N; Khan, Saeed A; Collodo, Michele C; Gasparinetti, Simone; Salathé, Yves; Creatore, Celestino; Eichler, Christopher; Türeci, Hakan E; Chin, Alex W; Wallraff, Andreas
2018-03-02
The process of photosynthesis, the main source of energy in the living world, converts sunlight into chemical energy. The high efficiency of this process is believed to be enabled by an interplay between the quantum nature of molecular structures in photosynthetic complexes and their interaction with the environment. Investigating these effects in biological samples is challenging due to their complex and disordered structure. Here we experimentally demonstrate a technique for studying photosynthetic models based on superconducting quantum circuits, which complements existing experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches. We demonstrate a high degree of freedom in design and experimental control of our approach based on a simplified three-site model of a pigment protein complex with realistic parameters scaled down in energy by a factor of 10 5 . We show that the excitation transport between quantum-coherent sites disordered in energy can be enabled through the interaction with environmental noise. We also show that the efficiency of the process is maximized for structured noise resembling intramolecular phononic environments found in photosynthetic complexes.
Datta, S.; Do, L.V.; Young, T.M.
2004-01-01
A simple compressed-gas driven system for field processing and extracting water for subsequent analyses of hydrophobic organic compounds is presented. The pumping device is a pneumatically driven pump and filtration system that can easily clarify at 4L/min. The extraction device uses compressed gas to drive filtered water through two parallel XAD-2 resin columns, at about 200 mL/min. No batteries or inverters are required for water collection or processing. Solvent extractions were performed directly in the XAD-2 glass columns. Final extracts are cleaned-up on Florisil cartridges without fractionation and contaminants analyzed by GC-MS. Method detection limits (MDLs) and recoveries for dissolved organic contaminants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides are reported along with results of surface water analysis for the San Francisco Bay, CA.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Khachatryan, V.; Sirunyan, A. M.; Tumasyan, A.; Adam, W.; Asilar, E.; Bergauer, T.; Brandstetter, J.; Brondolin, E.; Dragicevic, M.; Erö, J.; Flechl, M.; Friedl, M.; Frühwirth, R.; Ghete, V. M.; Hartl, C.; Hörmann, N.; Hrubec, J.; Jeitler, M.; Knünz, V.; König, A.; Krammer, M.; Krätschmer, I.; Liko, D.; Matsushita, T.; Mikulec, I.; Rabady, D.; Rahbaran, B.; Rohringer, H.; Schieck, J.; Schöfbeck, R.; Strauss, J.; Treberer-Treberspurg, W.; Waltenberger, W.; Wulz, C.-E.; Mossolov, V.; Shumeiko, N.; Suarez Gonzalez, J.; Alderweireldt, S.; Cornelis, T.; de Wolf, E. A.; Janssen, X.; Knutsson, A.; Lauwers, J.; Luyckx, S.; Ochesanu, S.; Rougny, R.; van de Klundert, M.; van Haevermaet, H.; van Mechelen, P.; van Remortel, N.; van Spilbeeck, A.; Abu Zeid, S.; Blekman, F.; D'Hondt, J.; Daci, N.; de Bruyn, I.; Deroover, K.; Heracleous, N.; Keaveney, J.; Lowette, S.; Moreels, L.; Olbrechts, A.; Python, Q.; Strom, D.; Tavernier, S.; van Doninck, W.; van Mulders, P.; van Onsem, G. P.; van Parijs, I.; Barria, P.; Caillol, C.; Clerbaux, B.; de Lentdecker, G.; Delannoy, H.; Dobur, D.; Fasanella, G.; Favart, L.; Gay, A. P. R.; Grebenyuk, A.; Lenzi, T.; Léonard, A.; Maerschalk, T.; Marinov, A.; Perniè, L.; Randle-Conde, A.; Reis, T.; Seva, T.; Vander Velde, C.; Vanlaer, P.; Yonamine, R.; Zenoni, F.; Zhang, F.; Beernaert, K.; Benucci, L.; Cimmino, A.; Crucy, S.; Fagot, A.; Garcia, G.; Gul, M.; McCartin, J.; Ocampo Rios, A. A.; Poyraz, D.; Ryckbosch, D.; Salva, S.; Sigamani, M.; Strobbe, N.; Tytgat, M.; van Driessche, W.; Yazgan, E.; Zaganidis, N.; Basegmez, S.; Beluffi, C.; Bondu, O.; Brochet, S.; Bruno, G.; Castello, R.; Caudron, A.; Ceard, L.; da Silveira, G. G.; Delaere, C.; Favart, D.; Forthomme, L.; Giammanco, A.; Hollar, J.; Jafari, A.; Jez, P.; Komm, M.; Lemaitre, V.; Mertens, A.; Nuttens, C.; Perrini, L.; Pin, A.; Piotrzkowski, K.; Popov, A.; Quertenmont, L.; Selvaggi, M.; Vidal Marono, M.; Beliy, N.; Hammad, G. H.; Aldá Júnior, W. L.; Alves, G. A.; Brito, L.; Correa Martins Junior, M.; Dos Reis Martins, T.; Hensel, C.; Mora Herrera, C.; Moraes, A.; Pol, M. E.; Rebello Teles, P.; Belchior Batista Das Chagas, E.; Carvalho, W.; Chinellato, J.; Custódio, A.; da Costa, E. M.; de Jesus Damiao, D.; de Oliveira Martins, C.; Fonseca de Souza, S.; Huertas Guativa, L. M.; Malbouisson, H.; Matos Figueiredo, D.; Mundim, L.; Nogima, H.; Prado da Silva, W. L.; Santoro, A.; Sznajder, A.; Tonelli Manganote, E. J.; Vilela Pereira, A.; Ahuja, S.; Bernardes, C. A.; de Souza Santos, A.; Dogra, S.; Fernandez Perez Tomei, T. R.; Gregores, E. M.; Mercadante, P. G.; Moon, C. S.; Novaes, S. F.; Padula, Sandra S.; Romero Abad, D.; Ruiz Vargas, J. C.; Aleksandrov, A.; Genchev, V.; Hadjiiska, R.; Iaydjiev, P.; Piperov, S.; Rodozov, M.; Stoykova, S.; Sultanov, G.; Vutova, M.; Dimitrov, A.; Glushkov, I.; Litov, L.; Pavlov, B.; Petkov, P.; Ahmad, M.; Bian, J. G.; Chen, G. M.; Chen, H. S.; Chen, M.; Cheng, T.; Du, R.; Jiang, C. H.; Plestina, R.; Romeo, F.; Shaheen, S. M.; Tao, J.; Wang, C.; Wang, Z.; Zhang, H.; Asawatangtrakuldee, C.; Ban, Y.; Li, Q.; Liu, S.; Mao, Y.; Qian, S. J.; Wang, D.; Xu, Z.; Zou, W.; Avila, C.; Cabrera, A.; Chaparro Sierra, L. F.; Florez, C.; Gomez, J. P.; Gomez Moreno, B.; Sanabria, J. C.; Godinovic, N.; Lelas, D.; Polic, D.; Puljak, I.; Antunovic, Z.; Kovac, M.; Brigljevic, V.; Kadija, K.; Luetic, J.; Sudic, L.; Attikis, A.; Mavromanolakis, G.; Mousa, J.; Nicolaou, C.; Ptochos, F.; Razis, P. 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M.; Lanza, G.; Lista, L.; Meola, S.; Merola, M.; Paolucci, P.; Sciacca, C.; Thyssen, F.; Azzi, P.; Bacchetta, N.; Bisello, D.; Carlin, R.; Carvalho Antunes de Oliveira, A.; Checchia, P.; Dall'Osso, M.; Dorigo, T.; Dosselli, U.; Gasparini, F.; Gasparini, U.; Gozzelino, A.; Lacaprara, S.; Margoni, M.; Meneguzzo, A. T.; Pazzini, J.; Pegoraro, M.; Pozzobon, N.; Ronchese, P.; Simonetto, F.; Torassa, E.; Tosi, M.; Vanini, S.; Ventura, S.; Zanetti, M.; Zotto, P.; Zucchetta, A.; Zumerle, G.; Braghieri, A.; Magnani, A.; Montagna, P.; Ratti, S. P.; Re, V.; Riccardi, C.; Salvini, P.; Vai, I.; Vitulo, P.; Alunni Solestizi, L.; Biasini, M.; Bilei, G. M.; Ciangottini, D.; Fanò, L.; Lariccia, P.; Mantovani, G.; Menichelli, M.; Saha, A.; Santocchia, A.; Spiezia, A.; Androsov, K.; Azzurri, P.; Bagliesi, G.; Bernardini, J.; Boccali, T.; Broccolo, G.; Castaldi, R.; Ciocci, M. A.; Dell'Orso, R.; Donato, S.; Fedi, G.; Foà, L.; Giassi, A.; Grippo, M. T.; Ligabue, F.; Lomtadze, T.; Martini, L.; Messineo, A.; Palla, F.; Rizzi, A.; Savoy-Navarro, A.; Serban, A. T.; Spagnolo, P.; Squillacioti, P.; Tenchini, R.; Tonelli, G.; Venturi, A.; Verdini, P. G.; Barone, L.; Cavallari, F.; D'Imperio, G.; Del Re, D.; Diemoz, M.; Gelli, S.; Jorda, C.; Longo, E.; Margaroli, F.; Meridiani, P.; Micheli, F.; Organtini, G.; Paramatti, R.; Preiato, F.; Rahatlou, S.; Rovelli, C.; Santanastasio, F.; Traczyk, P.; Amapane, N.; Arcidiacono, R.; Argiro, S.; Arneodo, M.; Bellan, R.; Biino, C.; Cartiglia, N.; Costa, M.; Covarelli, R.; Dattola, D.; Degano, A.; Demaria, N.; Finco, L.; Kiani, B.; Mariotti, C.; Maselli, S.; Migliore, E.; Monaco, V.; Monteil, E.; Musich, M.; Obertino, M. M.; Pacher, L.; Pastrone, N.; Pelliccioni, M.; Pinna Angioni, G. 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V.; Neugebauer, H.; Orfanelli, S.; Orsini, L.; Pape, L.; Perez, E.; Petrilli, A.; Petrucciani, G.; Pfeiffer, A.; Piparo, D.; Racz, A.; Rolandi, G.; Rovere, M.; Ruan, M.; Sakulin, H.; Schäfer, C.; Schwick, C.; Sharma, A.; Silva, P.; Simon, M.; Sphicas, P.; Spiga, D.; Steggemann, J.; Stieger, B.; Stoye, M.; Takahashi, Y.; Treille, D.; Tsirou, A.; Veres, G. I.; Wardle, N.; Wöhri, H. K.; Zagozdzinska, A.; Zeuner, W. D.; Bertl, W.; Deiters, K.; Erdmann, W.; Horisberger, R.; Ingram, Q.; Kaestli, H. C.; Kotlinski, D.; Langenegger, U.; Renker, D.; Rohe, T.; Bachmair, F.; Bäni, L.; Bianchini, L.; Buchmann, M. A.; Casal, B.; Dissertori, G.; Dittmar, M.; Donegà, M.; Dünser, M.; Eller, P.; Grab, C.; Heidegger, C.; Hits, D.; Hoss, J.; Kasieczka, G.; Lustermann, W.; Mangano, B.; Marini, A. C.; Marionneau, M.; Martinez Ruiz Del Arbol, P.; Masciovecchio, M.; Meister, D.; Musella, P.; Nessi-Tedaldi, F.; Pandolfi, F.; Pata, J.; Pauss, F.; Perrozzi, L.; Peruzzi, M.; Quittnat, M.; Rossini, M.; Starodumov, A.; Takahashi, M.; Tavolaro, V. R.; Theofilatos, K.; Wallny, R.; Weber, H. A.; Aarrestad, T. K.; Amsler, C.; Caminada, L.; Canelli, M. F.; Chiochia, V.; de Cosa, A.; Galloni, C.; Hinzmann, A.; Hreus, T.; Kilminster, B.; Lange, C.; Ngadiuba, J.; Pinna, D.; Robmann, P.; Ronga, F. J.; Salerno, D.; Taroni, S.; Yang, Y.; Cardaci, M.; Chen, K. H.; Doan, T. H.; Ferro, C.; Konyushikhin, M.; Kuo, C. M.; Lin, W.; Lu, Y. J.; Volpe, R.; Yu, S. S.; Bartek, R.; Chang, P.; Chang, Y. H.; Chang, Y. W.; Chao, Y.; Chen, K. F.; Chen, P. H.; Dietz, C.; Fiori, F.; Grundler, U.; Hou, W.-S.; Hsiung, Y.; Liu, Y. F.; Lu, R.-S.; Miñano Moya, M.; Petrakou, E.; Tsai, J. F.; Tzeng, Y. M.; Asavapibhop, B.; Kovitanggoon, K.; Singh, G.; Srimanobhas, N.; Suwonjandee, N.; Adiguzel, A.; Cerci, S.; Dozen, C.; Girgis, S.; Gokbulut, G.; Guler, Y.; Gurpinar, E.; Hos, I.; Kangal, E. E.; Kayis Topaksu, A.; Onengut, G.; Ozdemir, K.; Ozturk, S.; Tali, B.; Topakli, H.; Vergili, M.; Zorbilmez, C.; Akin, I. V.; Bilin, B.; Bilmis, S.; Isildak, B.; Karapinar, G.; Surat, U. E.; Yalvac, M.; Zeyrek, M.; Albayrak, E. A.; Gülmez, E.; Kaya, M.; Kaya, O.; Yetkin, T.; Cankocak, K.; Sen, S.; Vardarlı, F. I.; Grynyov, B.; Levchuk, L.; Sorokin, P.; Aggleton, R.; Ball, F.; Beck, L.; Brooke, J. J.; Clement, E.; Cussans, D.; Flacher, H.; Goldstein, J.; Grimes, M.; Heath, G. P.; Heath, H. F.; Jacob, J.; Kreczko, L.; Lucas, C.; Meng, Z.; Newbold, D. M.; Paramesvaran, S.; Poll, A.; Sakuma, T.; Seif El Nasr-Storey, S.; Senkin, S.; Smith, D.; Smith, V. J.; Bell, K. W.; Belyaev, A.; Brew, C.; Brown, R. M.; Cockerill, D. J. A.; Coughlan, J. A.; Harder, K.; Harper, S.; Olaiya, E.; Petyt, D.; Shepherd-Themistocleous, C. H.; Thea, A.; Thomas, L.; Tomalin, I. R.; Williams, T.; Womersley, W. J.; Worm, S. D.; Baber, M.; Bainbridge, R.; Buchmuller, O.; Bundock, A.; Burton, D.; Casasso, S.; Citron, M.; Colling, D.; Corpe, L.; Cripps, N.; Dauncey, P.; Davies, G.; de Wit, A.; Della Negra, M.; Dunne, P.; Elwood, A.; Ferguson, W.; Fulcher, J.; Futyan, D.; Hall, G.; Iles, G.; Karapostoli, G.; Kenzie, M.; Lane, R.; Lucas, R.; Lyons, L.; Magnan, A.-M.; Malik, S.; Nash, J.; Nikitenko, A.; Pela, J.; Pesaresi, M.; Petridis, K.; Raymond, D. M.; Richards, A.; Rose, A.; Seez, C.; Tapper, A.; Uchida, K.; Vazquez Acosta, M.; Virdee, T.; Zenz, S. C.; Cole, J. E.; Hobson, P. R.; Khan, A.; Kyberd, P.; Leggat, D.; Leslie, D.; Reid, I. D.; Symonds, P.; Teodorescu, L.; Turner, M.; Borzou, A.; Dittmann, J.; Hatakeyama, K.; Kasmi, A.; Liu, H.; Pastika, N.; Charaf, O.; Cooper, S. I.; Henderson, C.; Rumerio, P.; Avetisyan, A.; Bose, T.; Fantasia, C.; Gastler, D.; Lawson, P.; Rankin, D.; Richardson, C.; Rohlf, J.; St. John, J.; Sulak, L.; Zou, D.; Alimena, J.; Berry, E.; Bhattacharya, S.; Cutts, D.; Dhingra, N.; Ferapontov, A.; Garabedian, A.; Heintz, U.; Laird, E.; Landsberg, G.; Mao, Z.; Narain, M.; Sagir, S.; Sinthuprasith, T.; Breedon, R.; Breto, G.; Calderon de La Barca Sanchez, M.; Chauhan, S.; Chertok, M.; Conway, J.; Conway, R.; Cox, P. T.; Erbacher, R.; Gardner, M.; Ko, W.; Lander, R.; Mulhearn, M.; Pellett, D.; Pilot, J.; Ricci-Tam, F.; Shalhout, S.; Smith, J.; Squires, M.; Stolp, D.; Tripathi, M.; Wilbur, S.; Yohay, R.; Cousins, R.; Everaerts, P.; Farrell, C.; Hauser, J.; Ignatenko, M.; Rakness, G.; Saltzberg, D.; Takasugi, E.; Valuev, V.; Weber, M.; Burt, K.; Clare, R.; Ellison, J.; Gary, J. W.; Hanson, G.; Heilman, J.; Ivova Paneva, M.; Jandir, P.; Kennedy, E.; Lacroix, F.; Long, O. R.; Luthra, A.; Malberti, M.; Olmedo Negrete, M.; Shrinivas, A.; Wei, H.; Wimpenny, S.; Branson, J. G.; Cerati, G. B.; Cittolin, S.; D'Agnolo, R. T.; Holzner, A.; Kelley, R.; Klein, D.; Letts, J.; MacNeill, I.; Olivito, D.; Padhi, S.; Pieri, M.; Sani, M.; Sharma, V.; Simon, S.; Tadel, M.; Tu, Y.; Vartak, A.; Wasserbaech, S.; Welke, C.; Würthwein, F.; Yagil, A.; Zevi Della Porta, G.; Barge, D.; Bradmiller-Feld, J.; Campagnari, C.; Dishaw, A.; Dutta, V.; Flowers, K.; Franco Sevilla, M.; Geffert, P.; George, C.; Golf, F.; Gouskos, L.; Gran, J.; Incandela, J.; Justus, C.; McColl, N.; Mullin, S. D.; Richman, J.; Stuart, D.; Suarez, I.; To, W.; West, C.; Yoo, J.; Anderson, D.; Apresyan, A.; Bornheim, A.; Bunn, J.; Chen, Y.; Duarte, J.; Mott, A.; Newman, H. B.; Pena, C.; Pierini, M.; Spiropulu, M.; Vlimant, J. R.; Xie, S.; Zhu, R. Y.; Azzolini, V.; Calamba, A.; Carlson, B.; Ferguson, T.; Iiyama, Y.; Paulini, M.; Russ, J.; Sun, M.; Vogel, H.; Vorobiev, I.; Cumalat, J. P.; Ford, W. T.; Gaz, A.; Jensen, F.; Johnson, A.; Krohn, M.; Mulholland, T.; Nauenberg, U.; Smith, J. G.; Stenson, K.; Wagner, S. R.; Alexander, J.; Chatterjee, A.; Chaves, J.; Chu, J.; Dittmer, S.; Eggert, N.; Mirman, N.; Nicolas Kaufman, G.; Patterson, J. R.; Rinkevicius, A.; Ryd, A.; Skinnari, L.; Soffi, L.; Sun, W.; Tan, S. M.; Teo, W. D.; Thom, J.; Thompson, J.; Tucker, J.; Weng, Y.; Wittich, P.; Abdullin, S.; Albrow, M.; Anderson, J.; Apollinari, G.; Bauerdick, L. A. T.; Beretvas, A.; Berryhill, J.; Bhat, P. C.; Bolla, G.; Burkett, K.; Butler, J. N.; Cheung, H. W. K.; Chlebana, F.; Cihangir, S.; Elvira, V. D.; Fisk, I.; Freeman, J.; Gottschalk, E.; Gray, L.; Green, D.; Grünendahl, S.; Gutsche, O.; Hanlon, J.; Hare, D.; Harris, R. M.; Hirschauer, J.; Hooberman, B.; Hu, Z.; Jindariani, S.; Johnson, M.; Joshi, U.; Jung, A. W.; Klima, B.; Kreis, B.; Kwan, S.; Lammel, S.; Linacre, J.; Lincoln, D.; Lipton, R.; Liu, T.; Lopes de Sá, R.; Lykken, J.; Maeshima, K.; Marraffino, J. M.; Martinez Outschoorn, V. I.; Maruyama, S.; Mason, D.; McBride, P.; Merkel, P.; Mishra, K.; Mrenna, S.; Nahn, S.; Newman-Holmes, C.; O'Dell, V.; Prokofyev, O.; Sexton-Kennedy, E.; Soha, A.; Spalding, W. J.; Spiegel, L.; Taylor, L.; Tkaczyk, S.; Tran, N. V.; Uplegger, L.; Vaandering, E. W.; Vernieri, C.; Verzocchi, M.; Vidal, R.; Whitbeck, A.; Yang, F.; Yin, H.; Acosta, D.; Avery, P.; Bortignon, P.; Bourilkov, D.; Carnes, A.; Carver, M.; Curry, D.; Das, S.; di Giovanni, G. P.; Field, R. D.; Fisher, M.; Furic, I. K.; Hugon, J.; Konigsberg, J.; Korytov, A.; Low, J. F.; Ma, P.; Matchev, K.; Mei, H.; Milenovic, P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Muniz, L.; Rank, D.; Rossin, R.; Shchutska, L.; Snowball, M.; Sperka, D.; Wang, J.; Wang, S.; Yelton, J.; Hewamanage, S.; Linn, S.; Markowitz, P.; Martinez, G.; Rodriguez, J. L.; Ackert, A.; Adams, J. R.; Adams, T.; Askew, A.; Bochenek, J.; Diamond, B.; Haas, J.; Hagopian, S.; Hagopian, V.; Johnson, K. F.; Khatiwada, A.; Prosper, H.; Veeraraghavan, V.; Weinberg, M.; Bhopatkar, V.; Hohlmann, M.; Kalakhety, H.; Mareskas-Palcek, D.; Roy, T.; Yumiceva, F.; Adams, M. R.; Apanasevich, L.; Berry, D.; Betts, R. R.; Bucinskaite, I.; Cavanaugh, R.; Evdokimov, O.; Gauthier, L.; Gerber, C. E.; Hofman, D. J.; Kurt, P.; O'Brien, C.; Sandoval Gonzalez, I. D.; Silkworth, C.; Turner, P.; Varelas, N.; Wu, Z.; Zakaria, M.; Bilki, B.; Clarida, W.; Dilsiz, K.; Durgut, S.; Gandrajula, R. P.; Haytmyradov, M.; Khristenko, V.; Merlo, J.-P.; Mermerkaya, H.; Mestvirishvili, A.; Moeller, A.; Nachtman, J.; Ogul, H.; Onel, Y.; Ozok, F.; Penzo, A.; Snyder, C.; Tan, P.; Tiras, E.; Wetzel, J.; Yi, K.; Anderson, I.; Barnett, B. A.; Blumenfeld, B.; Fehling, D.; Feng, L.; Gritsan, A. V.; Maksimovic, P.; Martin, C.; Nash, K.; Osherson, M.; Swartz, M.; Xiao, M.; Xin, Y.; Baringer, P.; Bean, A.; Benelli, G.; Bruner, C.; Gray, J.; Kenny, R. P., III; Majumder, D.; Malek, M.; Murray, M.; Noonan, D.; Sanders, S.; Stringer, R.; Wang, Q.; Wood, J. S.; Chakaberia, I.; Ivanov, A.; Kaadze, K.; Khalil, S.; Makouski, M.; Maravin, Y.; Mohammadi, A.; Saini, L. K.; Skhirtladze, N.; Svintradze, I.; Toda, S.; Lange, D.; Rebassoo, F.; Wright, D.; Anelli, C.; Baden, A.; Baron, O.; Belloni, A.; Calvert, B.; Eno, S. C.; Ferraioli, C.; Gomez, J. A.; Hadley, N. J.; Jabeen, S.; Kellogg, R. G.; Kolberg, T.; Kunkle, J.; Lu, Y.; Mignerey, A. C.; Pedro, K.; Shin, Y. H.; Skuja, A.; Tonjes, M. B.; Tonwar, S. C.; Apyan, A.; Barbieri, R.; Baty, A.; Bierwagen, K.; Brandt, S.; Busza, W.; Cali, I. A.; Demiragli, Z.; Di Matteo, L.; Gomez Ceballos, G.; Goncharov, M.; Gulhan, D.; Innocenti, G. M.; Klute, M.; Kovalskyi, D.; Lai, Y. S.; Lee, Y.-J.; Levin, A.; Luckey, P. D.; McGinn, C.; Mironov, C.; Niu, X.; Paus, C.; Ralph, D.; Roland, C.; Roland, G.; Salfeld-Nebgen, J.; Stephans, G. S. F.; Sumorok, K.; Varma, M.; Velicanu, D.; Veverka, J.; Wang, J.; Wang, T. W.; Wyslouch, B.; Yang, M.; Zhukova, V.; Dahmes, B.; Finkel, A.; Gude, A.; Hansen, P.; Kalafut, S.; Kao, S. C.; Klapoetke, K.; Kubota, Y.; Lesko, Z.; Mans, J.; Nourbakhsh, S.; Ruckstuhl, N.; Rusack, R.; Tambe, N.; Turkewitz, J.; Acosta, J. G.; Oliveros, S.; Avdeeva, E.; Bloom, K.; Bose, S.; Claes, D. R.; Dominguez, A.; Fangmeier, C.; Gonzalez Suarez, R.; Kamalieddin, R.; Keller, J.; Knowlton, D.; Kravchenko, I.; Lazo-Flores, J.; Meier, F.; Monroy, J.; Ratnikov, F.; Siado, J. E.; Snow, G. R.; Alyari, M.; Dolen, J.; George, J.; Godshalk, A.; Iashvili, I.; Kaisen, J.; Kharchilava, A.; Kumar, A.; Rappoccio, S.; Alverson, G.; Barberis, E.; Baumgartel, D.; Chasco, M.; Hortiangtham, A.; Massironi, A.; Morse, D. M.; Nash, D.; Orimoto, T.; Teixeira de Lima, R.; Trocino, D.; Wang, R.-J.; Wood, D.; Zhang, J.; Hahn, K. A.; Kubik, A.; Mucia, N.; Odell, N.; Pollack, B.; Pozdnyakov, A.; Schmitt, M.; Stoynev, S.; Sung, K.; Trovato, M.; Velasco, M.; Won, S.; Brinkerhoff, A.; Dev, N.; Hildreth, M.; Jessop, C.; Karmgard, D. J.; Kellams, N.; Lannon, K.; Lynch, S.; Marinelli, N.; Meng, F.; Mueller, C.; Musienko, Y.; Pearson, T.; Planer, M.; Ruchti, R.; Smith, G.; Valls, N.; Wayne, M.; Wolf, M.; Woodard, A.; Antonelli, L.; Brinson, J.; Bylsma, B.; Durkin, L. S.; Flowers, S.; Hart, A.; Hill, C.; Hughes, R.; Kotov, K.; Ling, T. Y.; Liu, B.; Luo, W.; Puigh, D.; Rodenburg, M.; Winer, B. L.; Wulsin, H. W.; Driga, O.; Elmer, P.; Hardenbrook, J.; Hebda, P.; Koay, S. A.; Lujan, P.; Marlow, D.; Medvedeva, T.; Mooney, M.; Olsen, J.; Palmer, C.; Piroué, P.; Quan, X.; Saka, H.; Stickland, D.; Tully, C.; Werner, J. S.; Zuranski, A.; Malik, S.; Barnes, V. E.; Benedetti, D.; Bortoletto, D.; Gutay, L.; Jha, M. K.; Jones, M.; Jung, K.; Kress, M.; Leonardo, N.; Miller, D. H.; Neumeister, N.; Primavera, F.; Radburn-Smith, B. C.; Shi, X.; Shipsey, I.; Silvers, D.; Sun, J.; Svyatkovskiy, A.; Wang, F.; Xie, W.; Xu, L.; Zablocki, J.; Parashar, N.; Stupak, J.; Adair, A.; Akgun, B.; Chen, Z.; Ecklund, K. M.; Geurts, F. J. M.; Guilbaud, M.; Li, W.; Michlin, B.; Northup, M.; Padley, B. P.; Redjimi, R.; Roberts, J.; Rorie, J.; Tu, Z.; Zabel, J.; Betchart, B.; Bodek, A.; de Barbaro, P.; Demina, R.; Eshaq, Y.; Ferbel, T.; Galanti, M.; Garcia-Bellido, A.; Goldenzweig, P.; Han, J.; Harel, A.; Hindrichs, O.; Khukhunaishvili, A.; Petrillo, G.; Verzetti, M.; Demortier, L.; Arora, S.; Barker, A.; Chou, J. P.; Contreras-Campana, C.; Contreras-Campana, E.; Duggan, D.; Ferencek, D.; Gershtein, Y.; Gray, R.; Halkiadakis, E.; Hidas, D.; Hughes, E.; Kaplan, S.; Kunnawalkam Elayavalli, R.; Lath, A.; Panwalkar, S.; Park, M.; Salur, S.; Schnetzer, S.; Sheffield, D.; Somalwar, S.; Stone, R.; Thomas, S.; Thomassen, P.; Walker, M.; Foerster, M.; Riley, G.; Rose, K.; Spanier, S.; York, A.; Bouhali, O.; Castaneda Hernandez, A.; Dalchenko, M.; de Mattia, M.; Delgado, A.; Dildick, S.; Eusebi, R.; Flanagan, W.; Gilmore, J.; Kamon, T.; Krutelyov, V.; Montalvo, R.; Mueller, R.; Osipenkov, I.; Pakhotin, Y.; Patel, R.; Perloff, A.; Roe, J.; Rose, A.; Safonov, A.; Tatarinov, A.; Ulmer, K. A.; Akchurin, N.; Cowden, C.; Damgov, J.; Dragoiu, C.; Dudero, P. R.; Faulkner, J.; Kunori, S.; Lamichhane, K.; Lee, S. W.; Libeiro, T.; Undleeb, S.; Volobouev, I.; Appelt, E.; Delannoy, A. G.; Greene, S.; Gurrola, A.; Janjam, R.; Johns, W.; Maguire, C.; Mao, Y.; Melo, A.; Sheldon, P.; Snook, B.; Tuo, S.; Velkovska, J.; Xu, Q.; Arenton, M. W.; Boutle, S.; Cox, B.; Francis, B.; Goodell, J.; Hirosky, R.; Ledovskoy, A.; Li, H.; Lin, C.; Neu, C.; Wolfe, E.; Wood, J.; Xia, F.; Clarke, C.; Harr, R.; Karchin, P. E.; Kottachchi Kankanamge Don, C.; Lamichhane, P.; Sturdy, J.; Belknap, D. A.; Carlsmith, D.; Cepeda, M.; Christian, A.; Dasu, S.; Dodd, L.; Duric, S.; Friis, E.; Gomber, B.; Hall-Wilton, R.; Herndon, M.; Hervé, A.; Klabbers, P.; Lanaro, A.; Levine, A.; Long, K.; Loveless, R.; Mohapatra, A.; Ojalvo, I.; Perry, T.; Pierro, G. A.; Polese, G.; Ross, I.; Ruggles, T.; Sarangi, T.; Savin, A.; Sharma, A.; Smith, N.; Smith, W. H.; Taylor, D.; Woods, N.
2016-06-01
A search for supersymmetry involving events with at least one photon, one electron or muon, and large missing transverse momentum has been performed by the CMS experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb-1 of pp collisions at √{ s} = 8 TeV, produced at the CERN LHC. No excess of events is observed beyond expectations from standard model processes. The result of the search is interpreted in the context of a general model of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking, where the charged and neutral winos are the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particles. Within this model, winos with a mass up to 360 GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level. Two simplified models inspired by gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking are also examined, and used to derive upper limits on the production cross sections of specific supersymmetric processes.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Blatz, P. S.
1978-01-01
Adhesive based polyimide solutions which are more easily processed than conventional aromatic polyimide systems and show potential for use for extended times at 589K are discussed. The adhesive system is based on a solution containing diglyme as the solvent and 2,2 bis(3',4'-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane, paraphenylenediamine, and oxydianiline. The replacement of N-methylpyrrolidone with diglyme as the solvent was found to improve the adhesive strengths of lap shear samples and simplify the processing conditions for bonding both titanium and graphite fiber/polyimide matrix resin composites. Information was obtained on the effects of various environments including high humidity, immersion in jet fuel and methylethylketone on aluminum filled adhesive bonds. The adhesive was also evaluated in wide area bonds and flatwise tensile specimens using titanium honeycomb and composite face sheets. It was indicated that the developed adhesive system has the potential for use in applications requiring long term exposure to at least 589K (600 F).
The Architecture Design of Detection and Calibration System for High-voltage Electrical Equipment
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ma, Y.; Lin, Y.; Yang, Y.; Gu, Ch; Yang, F.; Zou, L. D.
2018-01-01
With the construction of Material Quality Inspection Center of Shandong electric power company, Electric Power Research Institute takes on more jobs on quality analysis and laboratory calibration for high-voltage electrical equipment, and informationization construction becomes urgent. In the paper we design a consolidated system, which implements the electronic management and online automation process for material sampling, test apparatus detection and field test. In the three jobs we use QR code scanning, online Word editing and electronic signature. These techniques simplify the complex process of warehouse management and testing report transferring, and largely reduce the manual procedure. The construction of the standardized detection information platform realizes the integrated management of high-voltage electrical equipment from their networking, running to periodic detection. According to system operation evaluation, the speed of transferring report is doubled, and querying data is also easier and faster.
Perazzolli, Michele; Herrero, Noemí; Sterck, Lieven; Lenzi, Luisa; Pellegrini, Alberto; Puopolo, Gerardo; Van de Peer, Yves; Pertot, Ilaria
2016-10-27
Soil microorganisms are key determinants of soil fertility and plant health. Soil phytopathogenic fungi are one of the most important causes of crop losses worldwide. Microbial biocontrol agents have been extensively studied as alternatives for controlling phytopathogenic soil microorganisms, but molecular interactions between them have mainly been characterised in dual cultures, without taking into account the soil microbial community. We used an RNA sequencing approach to elucidate the molecular interplay of a soil microbial community in response to a plant pathogen and its biocontrol agent, in order to examine the molecular patterns activated by the microorganisms. A simplified soil microcosm containing 11 soil microorganisms was incubated with a plant root pathogen (Armillaria mellea) and its biocontrol agent (Trichoderma atroviride) for 24 h under controlled conditions. More than 46 million paired-end reads were obtained for each replicate and 28,309 differentially expressed genes were identified in total. Pathway analysis revealed complex adaptations of soil microorganisms to the harsh conditions of the soil matrix and to reciprocal microbial competition/cooperation relationships. Both the phytopathogen and its biocontrol agent were specifically recognised by the simplified soil microcosm: defence reaction mechanisms and neutral adaptation processes were activated in response to competitive (T. atroviride) or non-competitive (A. mellea) microorganisms, respectively. Moreover, activation of resistance mechanisms dominated in the simplified soil microcosm in the presence of both A. mellea and T. atroviride. Biocontrol processes of T. atroviride were already activated during incubation in the simplified soil microcosm, possibly to occupy niches in a competitive ecosystem, and they were not further enhanced by the introduction of A. mellea. This work represents an additional step towards understanding molecular interactions between plant pathogens and biocontrol agents within a soil ecosystem. Global transcriptional analysis of the simplified soil microcosm revealed complex metabolic adaptation in the soil environment and specific responses to antagonistic or neutral intruders.
Can Financial Need Analysis be Simplified?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Orwig, M. D.; Jones, Paul K.
This paper examines the problem of collecting financial data on aid applicants. A 10% sample (12,383) of student records was taken from the 1968-69 alphabetic history file for the ACT Student Need Analysis Service. Random sub-samples were taken in certain phases of the study. A relatively small number of financial variables were found to predict…
Martinelli, Tommaso; Whittaker, Anne; Benedettelli, Stefano; Carboni, Andrea; Andrzejewska, Jadwiga
2017-12-01
Silymarin is the phytochemical with medicinal properties extracted from Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. fruits. Yet, little information is available about silymarin biosynthesis. Moreover, the generally accepted pathway, formulated thus far, is not in agreement with actual experimental measurements on flavonolignan contents. The present work analyses flavonolignan and taxifolin content in 201 S. marianum samples taking into consideration a wide phenotypic variability. Two stable chemotypes were identified: one characterized by both high silychristin and silybin content (chemotype A) and another by a high silydianin content (chemotype B). Through the correlation analysis of samples divided according to chemotype, it was possible to construct a simplified silymarin biosynthetic pathway that is sufficiently versatile in explaining experimental results responding to the actually unresolved questions about this process. The proposed pathway highlights that three separate and equally sized metabolite pools exist, namely: diastereoisomers A (silybin A plus isosilybin A), diastereoisomers B (silybin B plus isosilybin B) and silychristin. In both A and B diastereoisomers pools, isosilybin A and isosilybin B always represent a given amount of the metabolite flux through the specific metabolite pool suggesting the possible involvement of dirigent protein-like enzymes. We suggest that chemotype B possesses a complete silymarin biosynthetic pathway in which silydianin biosynthesis is enzymatically controlled. On the contrary, chemotype A is probably a natural mutant unable to biosynthesize silydianin. The present simplified pathway for silymarin biosynthesis will constitute an important tool for the further understanding of the reactions that drive flavonolignan biosynthesis in S. marianum. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Şahin, Rıdvan; Zhang, Hong-yu
2018-03-01
Induced Choquet integral is a powerful tool to deal with imprecise or uncertain nature. This study proposes a combination process of the induced Choquet integral and neutrosophic information. We first give the operational properties of simplified neutrosophic numbers (SNNs). Then, we develop some new information aggregation operators, including an induced simplified neutrosophic correlated averaging (I-SNCA) operator and an induced simplified neutrosophic correlated geometric (I-SNCG) operator. These operators not only consider the importance of elements or their ordered positions, but also take into account the interactions phenomena among decision criteria or their ordered positions under multiple decision-makers. Moreover, we present a detailed analysis of I-SNCA and I-SNCG operators, including the properties of idempotency, commutativity and monotonicity, and study the relationships among the proposed operators and existing simplified neutrosophic aggregation operators. In order to handle the multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) situations where the weights of criteria and decision-makers usually correlative and the criterion values are considered as SNNs, an approach is established based on I-SNCA operator. Finally, a numerical example is presented to demonstrate the proposed approach and to verify its effectiveness and practicality.
Detection of illicit drugs with the technique of spectral fluorescence signatures (SFS)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Poryvkina, Larisa; Babichenko, Sergey
2010-10-01
The SFS technology has already proved its analytical capabilities in a variety of industrial and environmental tasks. Recently it has been introduced for forensic applications. The key features of the SFS method - measuring a 3-dimensional spectrum of fluorescence of the sample (intensity versus excitation and emission wavelengths) with following recognition of specific spectral patterns of SFS responsible for individual drugs - provide an effective tool for the analysis of untreated seized samples, without any separation of the substance of interest from its mixture with accompanying cutting agents and diluents as a preparatory step. In such approach the chemical analysis of the sample is substituted by the analysis of SFS matrix visualized as an optical image. The SFS technology of drug detection is realized by NarTest® NTX2000 analyzer, compact device intended to measure suspicious samples in liquid, solid and powder forms. It simplifies the detection process due to fully automated procedures of SFS measuring and integrated expert system for recognition of spectral patterns. Presently the expert system of NTX2000 is able to detect marijuana, cocaine, heroin, MDMA, amphetamine and methamphetamine with the detection limit down to 5% of the drug concentration in various mixtures. The numerous tests with street samples confirmed that the use of SFS method provides reliable results with high sensitivity and selectivity for identification of drugs of abuse. More than 3000 street samples of the aforesaid drugs were analyzed with NTX2000 during validation process, and the correspondence of SFS results and conclusions of standard forensic analyses with GC/MS techniques was in 99.4% cases.
Simplified Method for Preparing Methylene-Blue-Sensitized Dichromated Gelatin
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kurokawa, Kazumasa; Koike, Satoshi; Namba, Sinji; Mizuno, Toru; Kubota, Toshihiro
1998-05-01
Methylene-blue-sensitized dichromated gelatin (MBDCG) is a suitable material for recording full-color holograms in a single layer. However, a drying process in an ammonia atmosphere is necessary to prepare the MBDCG plate. This process is time-consuming and unstable. A simplified method for preparing the MBDCG plate is presented in which the MBDCG can be dried without ammonia. Elimination of the drying process is possible when the methylene blue in MBDCG does not separate. This is achieved by a decrease in the concentration of dichromate in the photosensitized solution and the addition of an ammonia solution to the photosensitized solution. Last, the gelatin is allowed to gel. A Lippmann color hologram grating with a diffraction efficiency of more than 80% is obtained by use of this MBDCG.
Low energy production processes in manufacturing of silicon solar cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kirkpatrick, A. R.
1976-01-01
Ion implantation and pulsed energy techniques are being combined for fabrication of silicon solar cells totally under vacuum and at room temperature. Simplified sequences allow very short processing times with small process energy consumption. Economic projections for fully automated production are excellent.
Rodgers, John C.; McFarland, Andrew R.; Ortiz, Carlos A.
1995-01-01
A quick-change filter cartridge. In sampling systems for measurement of airborne materials, a filter element is introduced into the sampled airstream such that the aerosol constituents are removed and deposited on the filter. Fragile sampling media often require support in order to prevent rupture during sampling, and careful mounting and sealing to prevent misalignment, tearing, or creasing which would allow the sampled air to bypass the filter. Additionally, handling of filter elements may introduce cross-contamination or exposure of operators to toxic materials. Moreover, it is desirable to enable the preloading of filter media into quick-change cartridges in clean laboratory environments, thereby simplifying and expediting the filter-changing process in the field. The quick-change filter cartridge of the present invention permits the application of a variety of filter media in many types of instruments and may also be used in automated systems. The cartridge includes a base through which a vacuum can be applied to draw air through the filter medium which is located on a porous filter support and held there by means of a cap which forms an airtight seal with the base. The base is also adapted for receiving absorbing media so that both particulates and gas-phase samples may be trapped for investigation, the latter downstream of the aerosol filter.
Whitney, G. A.; Mansour, J. M.; Dennis, J. E.
2015-01-01
The mechanical loading environment encountered by articular cartilage in situ makes frictional-shear testing an invaluable technique for assessing engineered cartilage. Despite the important information that is gained from this testing, it remains under-utilized, especially for determining damage behavior. Currently, extensive visual inspection is required to assess damage; this is cumbersome and subjective. Tools to simplify, automate, and remove subjectivity from the analysis may increase the accessibility and usefulness of frictional-shear testing as an evaluation method. The objective of this study was to determine if the friction signal could be used to detect damage that occurred during the testing. This study proceeded in two phases: first, a simplified model of biphasic lubrication that does not require knowledge of interstitial fluid pressure was developed. In the second phase, frictional-shear tests were performed on 74 cartilage samples, and the simplified model was used to extract characteristic features from the friction signals. Using support vector machine classifiers, the extracted features were able to detect damage with a median accuracy of approximately 90%. The accuracy remained high even in samples with minimal damage. In conclusion, the friction signal acquired during frictional-shear testing can be used to detect resultant damage to a high level of accuracy. PMID:25691395
The influence of wind-tunnel walls on discrete frequency noise
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Mosher, M.
1984-01-01
This paper describes an analytical model that can be used to examine the effects of wind-tunnel walls on discrete frequency noise. First, a complete physical model of an acoustic source in a wind tunnel is described, and a simplified version is then developed. This simplified model retains the important physical processes involved, yet it is more amenable to analysis. Second, the simplified physical model is formulated as a mathematical problem. An inhomogeneous partial differential equation with mixed boundary conditions is set up and then transformed into an integral equation. The integral equation has been solved with a panel program on a computer. Preliminary results from a simple model problem will be shown and compared with the approximate analytic solution.
Multidisciplinary Optimization Methods for Aircraft Preliminary Design
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kroo, Ilan; Altus, Steve; Braun, Robert; Gage, Peter; Sobieski, Ian
1994-01-01
This paper describes a research program aimed at improved methods for multidisciplinary design and optimization of large-scale aeronautical systems. The research involves new approaches to system decomposition, interdisciplinary communication, and methods of exploiting coarse-grained parallelism for analysis and optimization. A new architecture, that involves a tight coupling between optimization and analysis, is intended to improve efficiency while simplifying the structure of multidisciplinary, computation-intensive design problems involving many analysis disciplines and perhaps hundreds of design variables. Work in two areas is described here: system decomposition using compatibility constraints to simplify the analysis structure and take advantage of coarse-grained parallelism; and collaborative optimization, a decomposition of the optimization process to permit parallel design and to simplify interdisciplinary communication requirements.
A programmable computational image sensor for high-speed vision
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yang, Jie; Shi, Cong; Long, Xitian; Wu, Nanjian
2013-08-01
In this paper we present a programmable computational image sensor for high-speed vision. This computational image sensor contains four main blocks: an image pixel array, a massively parallel processing element (PE) array, a row processor (RP) array and a RISC core. The pixel-parallel PE is responsible for transferring, storing and processing image raw data in a SIMD fashion with its own programming language. The RPs are one dimensional array of simplified RISC cores, it can carry out complex arithmetic and logic operations. The PE array and RP array can finish great amount of computation with few instruction cycles and therefore satisfy the low- and middle-level high-speed image processing requirement. The RISC core controls the whole system operation and finishes some high-level image processing algorithms. We utilize a simplified AHB bus as the system bus to connect our major components. Programming language and corresponding tool chain for this computational image sensor are also developed.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Watters, Arianna L.; Palmese, Giuseppe R.
2014-09-01
Uniform dispersion of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in an epoxy was achieved by a streamlined mechano-chemical processing method. SWNT-epoxy composites were synthesized using a room temperature ionic liquid (IL) with an imidazolium cation and dicyanamide anion. The novel approach of using ionic liquid that behaves as a dispersant for SWNTs and initiator for epoxy polymerization greatly simplifies nanocomposite synthesis. The material was processed using simple and scalable three roll milling. The SWNT dispersion of the resultant composite was evaluated by electron microscopy and electrical conductivity measurements in conjunction with percolation theory. Processing conditions were optimized to achieve the lowest possible percolation threshold, 4.29 × 10-5 volume fraction SWNTs. This percolation threshold is among the best reported in literature yet it was obtained using a streamlined method that greatly simplifies processing.
Dose Deposition Profiles in Untreated Brick Material
O'Mara, Ryan; Hayes, Robert
2018-04-01
In nuclear forensics or accident dosimetry, building materials such as bricks can be used to retrospectively determine radiation fields using thermoluminescence and/or optically stimu-lated luminescence. A major problem with brick material is that significant chemical processing is generally necessary to isolate the quartz from the brick. In this study, a simplified treatment process has been tested in an effort to lessen the processing burden for retrospective dosimetry studies. It was found that by using thermoluminescence responses, the dose deposition profile of a brick sample could be reconstructed without any chemical treat-ment. This method was tested by estimating the gamma-ray ener-giesmore » of an 241Am source from the dose deposition in a brick. The results demonstrated the ability to retrospectively measure the source energy with an overall energy resolution of approximately 6 keV. This technique has the potential to greatly expedite dose re-constructions in the wake of nuclear accidents or for any related application where doses of interest are large compared to overall process system noise.« less
Dose Deposition Profiles in Untreated Brick Material
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
O'Mara, Ryan; Hayes, Robert
In nuclear forensics or accident dosimetry, building materials such as bricks can be used to retrospectively determine radiation fields using thermoluminescence and/or optically stimu-lated luminescence. A major problem with brick material is that significant chemical processing is generally necessary to isolate the quartz from the brick. In this study, a simplified treatment process has been tested in an effort to lessen the processing burden for retrospective dosimetry studies. It was found that by using thermoluminescence responses, the dose deposition profile of a brick sample could be reconstructed without any chemical treat-ment. This method was tested by estimating the gamma-ray ener-giesmore » of an 241Am source from the dose deposition in a brick. The results demonstrated the ability to retrospectively measure the source energy with an overall energy resolution of approximately 6 keV. This technique has the potential to greatly expedite dose re-constructions in the wake of nuclear accidents or for any related application where doses of interest are large compared to overall process system noise.« less
Hageman, Philip L.; Seal, Robert R.; Diehl, Sharon F.; Piatak, Nadine M.; Lowers, Heather
2015-01-01
A comparison study of selected static leaching and acid–base accounting (ABA) methods using a mineralogically diverse set of 12 modern-style, metal mine waste samples was undertaken to understand the relative performance of the various tests. To complement this study, in-depth mineralogical studies were conducted in order to elucidate the relationships between sample mineralogy, weathering features, and leachate and ABA characteristics. In part one of the study, splits of the samples were leached using six commonly used leaching tests including paste pH, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Field Leach Test (FLT) (both 5-min and 18-h agitation), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Method 1312 SPLP (both leachate pH 4.2 and leachate pH 5.0), and the USEPA Method 1311 TCLP (leachate pH 4.9). Leachate geochemical trends were compared in order to assess differences, if any, produced by the various leaching procedures. Results showed that the FLT (5-min agitation) was just as effective as the 18-h leaching tests in revealing the leachate geochemical characteristics of the samples. Leaching results also showed that the TCLP leaching test produces inconsistent results when compared to results produced from the other leaching tests. In part two of the study, the ABA was determined on splits of the samples using both well-established traditional static testing methods and a relatively quick, simplified net acid–base accounting (NABA) procedure. Results showed that the traditional methods, while time consuming, provide the most in-depth data on both the acid generating, and acid neutralizing tendencies of the samples. However, the simplified NABA method provided a relatively fast, effective estimation of the net acid–base account of the samples. Overall, this study showed that while most of the well-established methods are useful and effective, the use of a simplified leaching test and the NABA acid–base accounting method provide investigators fast, quantitative tools that can be used to provide rapid, reliable information about the leachability of metals and other constituents of concern, and the acid-generating potential of metal mining waste.
International Conference on the Methods of Aerophysical Research 98 "ICMAR 98". Proceedings, Part 1
1998-01-01
pumping air through device and airdrying due to vapour condensation on cooled surfaces. Fig. 1 In this report, approximate estimates are presented...picture is used for flow field between disks and for water vapor condensation on cooled moving surfaces. Shown in Fig. 1 is a simplified flow...frequency of disks rotation), thus, breaking away from channel walls. Regarding condensation process, a number of usual simplifying assumptions is made
1992-05-01
relatively independent of the 29 30 Basic Objects Support Objects GUI Access Objects Displays Display Mapping Menues Pixel Snapshot Gizmos /Widgets...a user interactively or set from some gizmo /widget, or that a particular browser field is to be updated when some state occurs or a process completes...also want to distinguish tree graph browsers.] 4.3.2 Simplified access to GUI objects "* Gizmos and Widgets: The IUE should provide simplified
Advanced wastewater treatment simplified through research
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Souther, R.H.
A waste water treatment plant was built based on results of a small-scale pilot plant study, conducted largely in a search for efficiency as well as economy. Results were that 98 percent carbonaceous BOD (BOD/sub C/) and nitrogenous BOD (BOD/sub N/) were removed in a simplified, low-cost, single-stage advanced treatment process surpassing even some of the most sophisticated advanced complex waste treatment methods. The single-stage process treats domestic waste alone or combined with very high amounts of textile, electroplating, chemical, food, and other processing industrial wastewater. The process removed 100 percent of the sulfides above 98 percent of NH/sub 3/-N,more » over 90 percent of COD and phenols; chromium was converted from highly toxic hexavalent CrVI to nearly nontoxic trivalent chrome (CrIII). A pH up to 12 may be tolerated if no free hydroxyl (OH) ions are present. Equalization ponds, primary settling tanks, trickling filters, extra nitrogen removal tanks, carbon columns, and chemical treatment are not required. Color removal is excellent with clear effluent suitable for recycling after chlorination to water supply lakes. The construction cost of the single-stage advanced treatment plant is surprisingly low, about /sup 1///sub 2/ to /sup 1///sub 6/ as much as most conventional ineffective complex plants. This simplified, innovative process developed in independent research at Guilford College is considered by some a breakthrough in waste treatment efficiency and economy. (MU)« less
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jiang, Homin; Yu, Chen-Yu; Kubo, Derek; Chen, Ming-Tang; Guzzino, Kim
2016-11-01
In this study, a 4 bit, 10 giga-samples-per-second analog-to-digital converter (ADC) printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) was designed, manufactured, and characterized for digitizing radio telescopes. For this purpose, an Adsantec ANST7120A-KMA flash ADC chip was used. Together with the field-programmable gate array platform, developed by the Collaboration for Astronomy Signal Processing and Electronics Research community, the PCBA enables data acquisition with a wide bandwidth and simplifies the intermediate frequency section. In the current version, the PCBA and the chip exhibit an analog bandwidth of 10 GHz (3 dB loss) and 20 GHz, respectively, which facilitates second, third, and even fourth Nyquist sampling. The following average performance parameters were obtained from the first and second Nyquist zones of the three boards: a spurious-free dynamic range of 31.35/30.45 dB, a signal-to-noise and distortion ratio of 22.95/21.83 dB, and an effective number of bits of 3.65/3.43, respectively.
Transforming reflectance spectra into Munsell color space by using prime colors.
Romney, A Kimball; Fulton, James T
2006-10-17
Independent researchers have proved mathematically that, given a set of color-matching functions, there exists a unique set of three monochromatic spectral lights that optimizes luminous efficiency and color gamut. These lights are called prime colors. We present a method for transforming reflectance spectra into Munsell color space by using hypothetical absorbance curves based on Gaussian approximations of the prime colors and a simplified version of opponent process theory. The derived color appearance system is represented as a 3D color system that is qualitatively similar to a conceptual representation of the Munsell color system. We illustrate the application of the model and compare it with existing models by using reflectance spectra obtained from 1,269 Munsell color samples.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fu, Qiang; Xiong, Yucheng; Zhang, Wenhua; Xu, Dongyan
2017-09-01
This paper presents a setup for measuring the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical resistivity of bulk thermoelectric materials. The sample holder was designed to have a compact structure and can be directly mounted in a standard cryostat system for temperature-dependent measurements. For the Seebeck coefficient measurement, a thin bar-shaped sample is mounted bridging two copper bases; and two ceramic heaters are used to generate a temperature gradient along the sample. Two type T thermocouples are used to determine both temperature and voltage differences between two widely separated points on the sample. The thermocouple junction is flattened into a disk and pressed onto the sample surface by using a spring load. The flexible fixation method we adopted not only simplifies the sample mounting process but also prevents thermal contact deterioration due to the mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients between the sample and other parts. With certain modifications, the sample holder can also be used for four-probe electrical resistivity measurements. High temperature measurements are essential for thermoelectric power generation. The experimental system we developed is capable of measuring the Seebeck coefficient and the electrical resistivity of bulk thermoelectric materials in a wide temperature range from 80 to 500 K, which can be further extended to even higher temperatures. Measurements on two standard materials, constantan and nickel, confirmed the accuracy and the reliability of the system.
Compact energy dispersive X-ray microdiffractometer for diagnosis of neoplastic tissues
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sosa, C.; Malezan, A.; Poletti, M. E.; Perez, R. D.
2017-08-01
An energy dispersive X-ray microdiffractometer with capillary optics has been developed for characterizing breast cancer. The employment of low divergence capillary optics helps to reduce the setup size to a few centimeters, while providing a lateral spatial resolution of 100 μm. The system angular calibration and momentum transfer resolution were assessed by a detailed study of a polycrystalline reference material. The performance of the system was tested by means of the analysis of tissue-equivalent samples previously characterized by conventional X-ray diffraction. In addition, a simplified correction model for an appropriate comparison of the diffraction spectra was developed and validated. Finally, the system was employed to evaluate normal and neoplastic human breast samples, in order to determine their X-ray scatter signatures. The initial results indicate that the use of this compact energy dispersive X-ray microdiffractometer combined with a simplified correction procedure is able to provide additional information to breast cancer diagnosis.
Visual difference metric for realistic image synthesis
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bolin, Mark R.; Meyer, Gary W.
1999-05-01
An accurate and efficient model of human perception has been developed to control the placement of sample in a realistic image synthesis algorithm. Previous sampling techniques have sought to spread the error equally across the image plane. However, this approach neglects the fact that the renderings are intended to be displayed for a human observer. The human visual system has a varying sensitivity to error that is based upon the viewing context. This means that equivalent optical discrepancies can be very obvious in one situation and imperceptible in another. It is ultimately the perceptibility of this error that governs image quality and should be used as the basis of a sampling algorithm. This paper focuses on a simplified version of the Lubin Visual Discrimination Metric (VDM) that was developed for insertion into an image synthesis algorithm. The sampling VDM makes use of a Haar wavelet basis for the cortical transform and a less severe spatial pooling operation. The model was extended for color including the effects of chromatic aberration. Comparisons are made between the execution time and visual difference map for the original Lubin and simplified visual difference metrics. Results for the realistic image synthesis algorithm are also presented.
Verma, Radhika; Singh, Udai Pratap; Tyagi, Shashi Prabha; Nagpal, Rajni; Manuja, Naveen
2013-01-01
Objective: To evaluate the effect of 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) and 30% proanthocyanidin (PA) application on the immediate and long-term bond strength of simplified etch-and-rinse adhesives to dentin. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty extracted human molar teeth were ground to expose the flat dentin surface. The teeth were equally divided into six groups according to the adhesives used, either Tetric N Bond or Solobond M and pretreatments given either none, CHX, or PA. Composite cylinder was bonded to each specimen using the respective adhesive technique. Half the samples from each group (n = 10) were then tested immediately. The remaining samples were tested after 6 month storage in distilled water. Results: The mean bond strength of samples was not significantly different upon immediate testing being in the range of 8.4(±0.7) MPa. The bond strength fell dramatically in the control specimens after 6 month storage to around 4.7(±0.33) MPa, while the bond strength was maintained in the samples treated with both CHX and PA. Conclusion: Thirty percent PA was comparable to 2% CHX with respect to preservation of the resin dentin bond over 6 months. PMID:23956543
Kim, Chang Kyu; Lee, Chi Ho; Lee, Seung-Bae; Oh, Jae-Wook
2013-01-01
Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a pleiotropic cytokine that stimulates the development of committed hematopoietic progenitor cells and enhances the functional activity of mature cells. Here, we report a simplified method for fed-batch culture as well as the purification of recombinant human (rh) G-CSF. The new system for rhG-CSF purification was performed using not only temperature shift strategy without isopropyl-l-thio-β-d-galactoside (IPTG) induction but also the purification method by a single step of prep-HPLC after the pH precipitation of the refolded samples. Through these processes, the final cell density and overall yield of homogenous rhG-CSF were obtained 42.8 g as dry cell weights, 1.75 g as purified active proteins, from 1 L culture broth, respectively. The purity of rhG-CSF was finally 99% since the isoforms of rhG-CSF could be separated through the prep-HPLC step. The result of biological activity indicated that purified rhG-CSF has a similar profile to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2nd International Standard for G-CSF. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the simple purification through a single step of prep-HPLC may be valuable for the industrial-scale production of biologically active proteins. PMID:24224041
Ulca, P; Evcimen, M K; Senyuva, H Z
2010-01-01
Surveys were carried out between 2007 and 2009 to determine the aflatoxin B1 content of 3345 commercial Turkish foodstuffs supplied by producers for testing for their own purposes or for export certification. To simplify the reporting of data, foods were categorized as: 1, high sugar products with nuts; 2, nuts and seeds; 3, spices; 4, grain; 5, cocoa products; 6, dried fruit and vegetables; 7, processed cereal products; 8, tea; and 9, baby food and infant formula. Aflatoxin analysis was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection after immunoaffinity column clean-up, with a recoveries ranging from 91% to 99%, depending on the matrix. Of the 3345 samples analysed, 94% contained aflatoxin B1 below the European Union limit of 2 µg kg(-1), which applies to nuts, dried fruit, and cereals products. The 6% of the 206 contaminated samples were mainly nuts and spices. For pistachios, 24%, 38%, and 42% of the totals of 207, 182, and 24 samples tested for 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively, were above 2 µg kg(-1), with 50 samples containing aflatoxin B1 at levels ranging from 10 to 477 µg kg(-1).
Development of a global aerosol model using a two-dimensional sectional method: 1. Model design
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Matsui, H.
2017-08-01
This study develops an aerosol module, the Aerosol Two-dimensional bin module for foRmation and Aging Simulation version 2 (ATRAS2), and implements the module into a global climate model, Community Atmosphere Model. The ATRAS2 module uses a two-dimensional (2-D) sectional representation with 12 size bins for particles from 1 nm to 10 μm in dry diameter and 8 black carbon (BC) mixing state bins. The module can explicitly calculate the enhancement of absorption and cloud condensation nuclei activity of BC-containing particles by aging processes. The ATRAS2 module is an extension of a 2-D sectional aerosol module ATRAS used in our previous studies within a framework of a regional three-dimensional model. Compared with ATRAS, the computational cost of the aerosol module is reduced by more than a factor of 10 by simplifying the treatment of aerosol processes and 2-D sectional representation, while maintaining good accuracy of aerosol parameters in the simulations. Aerosol processes are simplified for condensation of sulfate, ammonium, and nitrate, organic aerosol formation, coagulation, and new particle formation processes, and box model simulations show that these simplifications do not substantially change the predicted aerosol number and mass concentrations and their mixing states. The 2-D sectional representation is simplified (the number of advected species is reduced) primarily by the treatment of chemical compositions using two interactive bin representations. The simplifications do not change the accuracy of global aerosol simulations. In part 2, comparisons with measurements and the results focused on aerosol processes such as BC aging processes are shown.
Michelland, Sylvie; Bourgoin-Voillard, Sandrine; Cunin, Valérie; Tollance, Axel; Bertolino, Pascal; Slais, Karel; Seve, Michel
2017-08-01
High-throughput mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis requires peptide fractionation to simplify complex biological samples and increase proteome coverage. OFFGEL fractionation technology became a common method to separate peptides or proteins using isoelectric focusing in an immobilized pH gradient. However, the OFFGEL focusing process may be further optimized and controlled in terms of separation time and pI resolution. Here we evaluated OFFGEL technology to separate peptides from different samples in the presence of low-molecular-weight (LMW) color pI markers to visualize the focusing process. LMW color pI markers covering a large pH range were added to the peptide mixture before OFFGEL fractionation using a 24-wells device encompassing the pH range 3-10. We also explored the impact of LMW color pI markers on peptide fractionation labeled previously for iTRAQ. Then, fractionated peptides were separated by RP_HPLC prior to MS analysis using MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry in MS and MS/MS modes. Here we report the performance of the peptide focusing process in the presence of LMW color pI markers as on-line trackers during the OFFGEL process and the possibility to use them as pI controls for peptide focusing. This method improves the workflow for peptide fractionation in a bottom-up proteomic approach with or without iTRAQ labeling. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Krentz, H B; Campbell, S; Gill, V C; Gill, M J
2018-04-01
The incremental costs of expanding antiretroviral (ARV) drug treatment to all HIV-infected patients are substantial, so cost-saving initiatives are important. Our objectives were to determine the acceptability and financial impact of de-simplifying (i.e. switching) more expensive single-tablet formulations (STFs) to less expensive generic-based multi-tablet components. We determined physician and patient perceptions and acceptance of STF de-simplification within the context of a publicly funded ARV budget. Programme costs were calculated for patients on ARVs followed at the Southern Alberta Clinic, Canada during 2016 (Cdn$). We focused on patients receiving Triumeq® and determined the savings if patients de-simplified to eligible generic co-formulations. We surveyed all prescribing physicians and a convenience sample of patients taking Triumeq® to see if, for budgetary purposes, they felt that de-simplification would be acceptable. Of 1780 patients receiving ARVs, 62% (n = 1038) were on STF; 58% (n = 607) of patients on STF were on Triumeq®. The total annual cost of ARVs was $26 222 760. The cost for Triumeq® was $8 292 600. If every patient on Triumeq® switched to generic abacavir/lamivudine and Tivicay® (dolutegravir), total costs would decrease by $4 325 040. All physicians (n = 13) felt that de-simplifying could be safely achieved. Forty-eight per cent of 221 patients surveyed were agreeable to de-simplifying for altruistic reasons, 27% said no, and 25% said maybe. De-simplifying Triumeq® generates large cost savings. Additional savings could be achieved by de-simplifying other STFs. Both physicians and patients agreed that selective de-simplification was acceptable; however, it may not be acceptable to every patient. Monitoring the medical and cost impacts of de-simplification strategies seems warranted. © 2018 British HIV Association.
Modeling Complex Workflow in Molecular Diagnostics
Gomah, Mohamed E.; Turley, James P.; Lu, Huimin; Jones, Dan
2010-01-01
One of the hurdles to achieving personalized medicine has been implementing the laboratory processes for performing and reporting complex molecular tests. The rapidly changing test rosters and complex analysis platforms in molecular diagnostics have meant that many clinical laboratories still use labor-intensive manual processing and testing without the level of automation seen in high-volume chemistry and hematology testing. We provide here a discussion of design requirements and the results of implementation of a suite of lab management tools that incorporate the many elements required for use of molecular diagnostics in personalized medicine, particularly in cancer. These applications provide the functionality required for sample accessioning and tracking, material generation, and testing that are particular to the evolving needs of individualized molecular diagnostics. On implementation, the applications described here resulted in improvements in the turn-around time for reporting of more complex molecular test sets, and significant changes in the workflow. Therefore, careful mapping of workflow can permit design of software applications that simplify even the complex demands of specialized molecular testing. By incorporating design features for order review, software tools can permit a more personalized approach to sample handling and test selection without compromising efficiency. PMID:20007844
Molecular dynamics of conformational substates for a simplified protein model
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Grubmüller, Helmut; Tavan, Paul
1994-09-01
Extended molecular dynamics simulations covering a total of 0.232 μs have been carried out on a simplified protein model. Despite its simplified structure, that model exhibits properties similar to those of more realistic protein models. In particular, the model was found to undergo transitions between conformational substates at a time scale of several hundred picoseconds. The computed trajectories turned out to be sufficiently long as to permit a statistical analysis of that conformational dynamics. To check whether effective descriptions neglecting memory effects can reproduce the observed conformational dynamics, two stochastic models were studied. A one-dimensional Langevin effective potential model derived by elimination of subpicosecond dynamical processes could not describe the observed conformational transition rates. In contrast, a simple Markov model describing the transitions between but neglecting dynamical processes within conformational substates reproduced the observed distribution of first passage times. These findings suggest, that protein dynamics generally does not exhibit memory effects at time scales above a few hundred picoseconds, but confirms the existence of memory effects at a picosecond time scale.
A Simplified Program Needs Assessment Process.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Clark, Larry
A rationale, background information, and a discussion of methodology are presented for a needs assessment process intended for pilot implementation at Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC). This process was designed to assess the local need for paraprofessional programs in the Human Services area, i.e., Early Childhood Associate, Mental Health…
The Complexity of Developmental Predictions from Dual Process Models
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stanovich, Keith E.; West, Richard F.; Toplak, Maggie E.
2011-01-01
Drawing developmental predictions from dual-process theories is more complex than is commonly realized. Overly simplified predictions drawn from such models may lead to premature rejection of the dual process approach as one of many tools for understanding cognitive development. Misleading predictions can be avoided by paying attention to several…
Applying the Theory of Constraints to a Base Civil Engineering Operations Branch
1991-09-01
Figure Page 1. Typical Work Order Processing . .......... 7 2. Typical Job Order Processing . .......... 8 3. Typical Simplified In-Service Work Plan for...Customers’ Customer Request Service Planning Unit Production] Control Center Material Control Scheduling CE Shops Figure 1.. Typical Work Order Processing 7
Simulation of Simple Controlled Processes with Dead-Time.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Watson, Keith R.; And Others
1985-01-01
The determination of closed-loop response of processes containing dead-time is typically not covered in undergraduate process control, possibly because the solution by Laplace transforms requires the use of Pade approximation for dead-time, which makes the procedure lengthy and tedious. A computer-aided method is described which simplifies the…
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Goldstein, S.J.; Hensley, C.A.; Armenta, C.E.
1997-03-01
Recent developments in extraction chromatography have simplified the separation of americium from complex matrices in preparation for {alpha}-spectroscopy relative to traditional methods. Here we present results of procedures developed/adapted for water, air, and bioassay samples with less than 1 g of inorganic residue. Prior analytical methods required the use of a complex, multistage procedure for separation of americium from these matrices. The newer, simplified procedure requires only a single 2 mL extraction chromatographic separation for isolation of Am and lanthanides from other components of the sample. This method has been implemented on an extensive variety of `real` environmental and bioassaymore » samples from the Los Alamos area, and consistently reliable and accurate results with appropriate detection limits have been obtained. The new method increases analytical throughput by a factor of {approx}2 and decreases environmental hazards from acid and mixed-waste generation relative to the prior technique. Analytical accuracy, reproducibility, and reliability are also significantly improved over the more complex and laborious method used previously. 24 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs.« less
A novel storage system for cryoEM samples.
Scapin, Giovanna; Prosise, Winifred W; Wismer, Michael K; Strickland, Corey
2017-07-01
We present here a new CryoEM grid boxes storage system designed to simplify sample labeling, tracking and retrieval. The system is based on the crystal pucks widely used by the X-ray crystallographic community for storage and shipping of crystals. This system is suitable for any cryoEM laboratory, but especially for large facilities that will need accurate tracking of large numbers of samples coming from different sources. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Munir, Samina K; Kay, Stephen
2005-08-01
A multi-site study, conducted in two English and two Danish intensive care units, investigates the complexity of work processes in intensive care, and the implications of this complexity for information management with regards to clinical information systems. Data were collected via observations, shadowing of clinical staff, interviews and questionnaires. The construction of role activity diagrams enabled the capture of critical care work processes. Upon analysing these diagrams, it was found that intensive care work processes consist of 'simplified-complexity', these processes are changed with the introduction of information systems for the everyday use and management of all clinical information. The prevailing notion of complexity surrounding critical care clinical work processes was refuted and found to be misleading; in reality, it is not the work processes that cause the complexity, the complexity is rooted in the way in which clinical information is used and managed. This study emphasises that the potential for clinical information systems that consider integrating all clinical information requirements is not only immense but also very plausible.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Sasmal, G. P.; Hochstein, J. I.; Wendl, M. C.; Hardy, T. L.
1991-01-01
A multidimensional computational model of the pressurization process in a slush hydrogen propellant storage tank was developed and its accuracy evaluated by comparison to experimental data measured for a 5 ft diameter spherical tank. The fluid mechanic, thermodynamic, and heat transfer processes within the ullage are represented by a finite-volume model. The model was shown to be in reasonable agreement with the experiment data. A parameter study was undertaken to examine the dependence of the pressurization process on initial ullage temperature distribution and pressurant mass flow rate. It is shown that for a given heat flux rate at the ullage boundary, the pressurization process is nearly independent of initial temperature distribution. Significant differences were identified between the ullage temperature and velocity fields predicted for pressurization of slush and those predicted for pressurization of liquid hydrogen. A simplified model of the pressurization process was constructed in search of a dimensionless characterization of the pressurization process. It is shown that the relationship derived from this simplified model collapses all of the pressure history data generated during this study into a single curve.
Practical modeling approaches for geological storage of carbon dioxide.
Celia, Michael A; Nordbotten, Jan M
2009-01-01
The relentless increase of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions and the associated concerns about climate change have motivated new ideas about carbon-constrained energy production. One technological approach to control carbon dioxide emissions is carbon capture and storage, or CCS. The underlying idea of CCS is to capture the carbon before it emitted to the atmosphere and store it somewhere other than the atmosphere. Currently, the most attractive option for large-scale storage is in deep geological formations, including deep saline aquifers. Many physical and chemical processes can affect the fate of the injected CO2, with the overall mathematical description of the complete system becoming very complex. Our approach to the problem has been to reduce complexity as much as possible, so that we can focus on the few truly important questions about the injected CO2, most of which involve leakage out of the injection formation. Toward this end, we have established a set of simplifying assumptions that allow us to derive simplified models, which can be solved numerically or, for the most simplified cases, analytically. These simplified models allow calculation of solutions to large-scale injection and leakage problems in ways that traditional multicomponent multiphase simulators cannot. Such simplified models provide important tools for system analysis, screening calculations, and overall risk-assessment calculations. We believe this is a practical and important approach to model geological storage of carbon dioxide. It also serves as an example of how complex systems can be simplified while retaining the essential physics of the problem.
Hope, Ryan M; Schoelles, Michael J; Gray, Wayne D
2014-12-01
Process models of cognition, written in architectures such as ACT-R and EPIC, should be able to interact with the same software with which human subjects interact. By eliminating the need to simulate the experiment, this approach would simplify the modeler's effort, while ensuring that all steps required of the human are also required by the model. In practice, the difficulties of allowing one software system to interact with another present a significant barrier to any modeler who is not also skilled at this type of programming. The barrier increases if the programming language used by the modeling software differs from that used by the experimental software. The JSON Network Interface simplifies this problem for ACT-R modelers, and potentially, modelers using other systems.
Simplified analysis and optimization of space base and space shuttle heat rejection systems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Wulff, W.
1972-01-01
A simplified radiator system analysis was performed to predict steady state radiator system performance. The system performance was found to be describable in terms of five non-dimensional system parameters. The governing differential equations are integrated numerically to yield the enthalpy rejection for the coolant fluid. The simplified analysis was extended to produce the derivatives of the coolant exit temperature with respect to the governing system parameters. A procedure was developed to find the optimum set of system parameters which yields the lowest possible coolant exit temperature for either a given projected area or a given total mass. The process can be inverted to yield either the minimum area or the minimum mass, together with the optimum geometry, for a specified heat rejection rate.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-01-01
... Improvements Program § 4280.102 General. (a) Sections 4280.103 through 4280.106 discuss definitions, exception... evaluation process, and post-grant Federal requirements for both the simplified and full application processes. Sections 4280.115 through 4280.117 address project planning, development, and completion as...
On the joint inversion of geophysical data for models of the coupled core-mantle system
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Voorhies, Coerte V.
1991-01-01
Joint inversion of magnetic, earth rotation, geoid, and seismic data for a unified model of the coupled core-mantle system is proposed and shown to be possible. A sample objective function is offered and simplified by targeting results from independent inversions and summary travel time residuals instead of original observations. These data are parameterized in terms of a very simple, closed model of the topographically coupled core-mantle system. Minimization of the simplified objective function leads to a nonlinear inverse problem; an iterative method for solution is presented. Parameterization and method are emphasized; numerical results are not presented.
[Epidemiological study of oral health in a young adult Mapuche population].
de la Maza, F J; Cueto, M V
1989-04-01
An epidemiological study on oral health was conducted on 200 mapuche natives, aged from 14 to 30 years in order to correlate their oral health level with their oral health habits, scholar level, age and sex. DMFT index and the simplified Oral Hygiene Index were evaluated in the sample of studied patients. It was found a 18.15 DMFT score, higher than the national level in our country, and the simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S) was 1.7, showing deficient oral hygiene habits. A direct relationship between a low scholar level and a high caries index and a high OHI-S index was found.
Effects of thalamic deep brain stimulation on spontaneous language production.
Ehlen, Felicitas; Vonberg, Isabelle; Kühn, Andrea A; Klostermann, Fabian
2016-08-01
The thalamus is thought to contribute to language-related processing, but specifications of this notion remain vague. An assessment of potential effects of thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) on spontaneous language may help to delineate respective functions. For this purpose, we analyzed spontaneous language samples from thirteen (six female / seven male) patients with essential tremor treated with DBS of the thalamic ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) in their respective ON vs. OFF conditions. Samples were obtained from semi-structured interviews and examined on multidimensional linguistic levels. In the VIM-DBS ON condition, participants used a significantly higher proportion of paratactic as opposed to hypotactic sentence structures. This increase correlated negatively with the change in the more global cognitive score, which in itself did not change significantly. In conclusion, VIM-DBS appears to induce the use of a simplified syntactic structure. The findings are discussed in relation to concepts of thalamic roles in language-related cognitive behavior. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Daley, P F
The overall objective of this project is the continued development, installation, and testing of continuous water sampling and analysis technologies for application to on-site monitoring of groundwater treatment systems and remediation sites. In a previous project, an on-line analytical system (OLAS) for multistream water sampling was installed at the Fort Ord Operable Unit 2 Groundwater Treatment System, with the objective of developing a simplified analytical method for detection of Compounds of Concern at that plant, and continuous sampling of up to twelve locations in the treatment system, from raw influent waters to treated effluent. Earlier implementations of the water samplingmore » and processing system (Analytical Sampling and Analysis Platform, A A+RT, Milpitas, CA) depended on off-line integrators that produced paper plots of chromatograms, and sent summary tables to a host computer for archiving. We developed a basic LabVIEW (National Instruments, Inc., Austin, TX) based gas chromatography control and data acquisition system that was the foundation for further development and integration with the ASAP system. Advantages of this integration include electronic archiving of all raw chromatographic data, and a flexible programming environment to support development of improved ASAP operation and automated reporting. The initial goals of integrating the preexisting LabVIEW chromatography control system with the ASAP, and demonstration of a simplified, site-specific analytical method were successfully achieved. However, although the principal objective of this system was assembly of an analytical system that would allow plant operators an up-to-the-minute view of the plant's performance, several obstacles remained. Data reduction with the base LabVIEW system was limited to peak detection and simple tabular output, patterned after commercial chromatography integrators, with compound retention times and peak areas. Preparation of calibration curves, method detection limit estimates and trend plotting were performed with spreadsheets and statistics software. Moreover, the analytical method developed was very limited in compound coverage, and unable to closely mirror the standard analytical methods promulgated by the EPA. To address these deficiencies, during this award the original equipment was operated at the OU 2-GTS to further evaluate the use of columns, commercial standard blends and other components to broaden the compound coverage of the chromatography system. A second-generation ASAP was designed and built to replace the original system at the OU 2-GTS, and include provision for introduction of internal standard compounds and surrogates into each sample analyzed. An enhanced, LabVIEW based chromatogram analysis application was written, that manages and archives chemical standards information, and provides a basis for NIST traceability for all analyses. Within this same package, all compound calibration response curves are managed, and different report formats were incorporated, that simplify trend analysis. Test results focus on operation of the original system at the OU 1 Integrated Chemical and Flow Monitoring System, at the OU 1 Fire Drill Area remediation site.« less
Quantitative Method for Simultaneous Analysis of Acetaminophen and 6 Metabolites.
Lammers, Laureen A; Achterbergh, Roos; Pistorius, Marcel C M; Romijn, Johannes A; Mathôt, Ron A A
2017-04-01
Hepatotoxicity after ingestion of high-dose acetaminophen [N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (APAP)] is caused by the metabolites of the drug. To gain more insight into factors influencing susceptibility to APAP hepatotoxicity, quantification of APAP and metabolites is important. A few methods have been developed to simultaneously quantify APAP and its most important metabolites. However, these methods require a comprehensive sample preparation and long run times. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a simplified, but sensitive method for the simultaneous quantification of acetaminophen, the main metabolites acetaminophen glucuronide and acetaminophen sulfate, and 4 Cytochrome P450-mediated metabolites by using liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric (LC-MS) detection. The method was developed and validated for the human plasma, and it entailed a single method for sample preparation, enabling quick processing of the samples followed by an LC-MS method with a chromatographic run time of 9 minutes. The method was validated for selectivity, linearity, accuracy, imprecision, dilution integrity, recovery, process efficiency, ionization efficiency, and carryover effect. The method showed good selectivity without matrix interferences. For all analytes, the mean process efficiency was >86%, and the mean ionization efficiency was >94%. Furthermore, the accuracy was between 90.3% and 112% for all analytes, and the within- and between-run imprecision were <20% for the lower limit of quantification and <14.3% for the middle level and upper limit of quantification. The method presented here enables the simultaneous quantification of APAP and 6 of its metabolites. It is less time consuming than previously reported methods because it requires only a single and simple method for the sample preparation followed by an LC-MS method with a short run time. Therefore, this analytical method provides a useful method for both clinical and research purposes.
Sauvageot, Delphine; Saussier, Christel; Gobeze, Abebe; Chipeta, Sikhona; Mhango, Innocent; Kawalazira, Gift; Mengel, Martin A; Legros, Dominique; Cavailler, Philippe; M'bang'ombe, Maurice
2017-09-12
From December 2015 to August 2016, a large epidemic of cholera affected the fishermen of Lake Chilwa in Malawi. A first reactive Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) campaign was organized, in February, in a 2km radius of the lake followed by a preemptive one, conducted in November, in a 25km radius. We present the vaccine coverage reached in hard-to-reach population using simplified delivery strategies. We conducted two-stage random-sampling cross-sectional surveys among individuals living in a 2km and 25km radius of Lake Chilwa (islands and floating homes included). Individuals aged 12months and older from Machinga and Zomba districts were sampled: 43 clusters of 14 households were surveyed. Simplified strategies were used for those living in islands and floating homes: self- delivery and community-supervised delivery of the second dose. Vaccine coverage (VC) for at-least-two-doses was estimated taking into account sampling weights and design effects. A total of 1176 households were surveyed (2.7% of non-response). Among the 2833 individuals living in the 2km radius of Lake and the 2915 in the 25km radius: 457 (16.1%) and 239 (8.2%) lived in floating homes or on islands at some point in the year, respectively. For the overall population, VC was 75.6% and 54.2%, respectively. In the 2km radius, VC was 92.2% for those living on the lake at some point of the year: 271 (64.8%) used the simplified strategies. The main reasons for non-vaccination were absence during the campaign and vaccine shortage. Few adverse events occurring in the 24h following vaccination was reported. We reached a high two-dose coverage of the most at-risk population using simplified delivery strategies. Because of the high fishermen mobility, regular catch-up campaigns or another strategy specifically targeting fishermen need to be assessed for more efficient vaccines use. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Simplified ozone detection by chemiluminescence
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Conway, E. J.; Rogowski, R. S.; Richards, R. R.
1977-01-01
Ozone is detected by film coated with solid, such as rubrene, that reacts with ozone to degree proportional to concentration in sample gas. Gas flow is stopped, and film is heated to produce light (chemiluminescence) in proportion to amount of reacted material on sensor.
Binary phase lock loops for simplified OMEGA receivers
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Burhans, R. W.
1974-01-01
A sampled binary phase lock loop is proposed for periodically correcting OMEGA receiver internal clocks. The circuit is particularly simple to implement and provides a means of generating long range 3.4 KHz difference frequency lanes from simultaneous pair measurements.
COMPUTING SI AND CCPP USING SPREADSHEET PROGRAMS
Lotus 1-2-3 worksheets for calculating the calcite saturation index (SI) and calcium carbonate precipitation potential of a water sample are described. A simplified worksheet illustrates the principles of the method, and a more complex worksheet suitable for modeling most potabl...
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jones, Nick
1983-01-01
Discusses the form and function of anthologies by distinguishing three "orders" of anthology, together with a fourth, or preliminary category, within a broadly simplified model of the anthological process. (HOD)
Managing the construction bidding process : a move to simpler construction plan sets
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2001-01-31
This project was conducted to determine whether construction plan sets could be significantly simplified to speed the process of moving projects to construction. The work steps included a literature review, a telephone survey of highway agencies in s...
From LCAs to simplified models: a generic methodology applied to wind power electricity.
Padey, Pierryves; Girard, Robin; le Boulch, Denis; Blanc, Isabelle
2013-02-05
This study presents a generic methodology to produce simplified models able to provide a comprehensive life cycle impact assessment of energy pathways. The methodology relies on the application of global sensitivity analysis to identify key parameters explaining the impact variability of systems over their life cycle. Simplified models are built upon the identification of such key parameters. The methodology is applied to one energy pathway: onshore wind turbines of medium size considering a large sample of possible configurations representative of European conditions. Among several technological, geographical, and methodological parameters, we identified the turbine load factor and the wind turbine lifetime as the most influent parameters. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) performances have been plotted as a function of these key parameters identified. Using these curves, GHG performances of a specific wind turbine can be estimated, thus avoiding the undertaking of an extensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This methodology should be useful for decisions makers, providing them a robust but simple support tool for assessing the environmental performance of energy systems.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wu, Longtao; Wong, Sun; Wang, Tao; Huffman, George J.
2018-01-01
Simulation of moist convective processes is critical for accurately representing the interaction among tropical wave activities, atmospheric water vapor transport, and clouds associated with the Indian monsoon Intraseasonal Oscillation (ISO). In this study, we apply the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to simulate Indian monsoon ISO with three different treatments of moist convective processes: (1) the Betts-Miller-Janjić (BMJ) adjustment cumulus scheme without explicit simulation of moist convective processes; (2) the New Simplified Arakawa-Schubert (NSAS) mass-flux scheme with simplified moist convective processes; and (3) explicit simulation of moist convective processes at convection permitting scale (Nest). Results show that the BMJ experiment is unable to properly reproduce the equatorial Rossby wave activities and the corresponding phase relationship between moisture advection and dynamical convergence during the ISO. These features associated with the ISO are approximately captured in the NSAS experiment. The simulation with resolved moist convective processes significantly improves the representation of the ISO evolution, and has good agreements with the observations. This study features the first attempt to investigate the Indian monsoon at convection permitting scale.
Gebremikael, Mesfin Tsegaye; Steel, Hanne; Bert, Wim; Maenhout, Peter; Sleutel, Steven; De Neve, Stefaan
2015-01-01
To understand the roles of nematodes in organic matter (OM) decomposition, experimental setups should include the entire nematode community, the native soil microflora, and their food sources. Yet, published studies are often based on either simplified experimental setups, using only a few selected species of nematode and their respective prey, despite the multitude of species present in natural soil, or on indirect estimation of the mineralization process using O2 consumption and the fresh weight of nematodes. We set up a six-month incubation experiment to quantify the contribution of the entire free living nematode community to carbon (C) mineralization under realistic conditions. The following treatments were compared with and without grass-clover amendment: defaunated soil reinoculated with the entire free living nematode communities (+Nem) and defaunated soil that was not reinoculated (-Nem). We also included untreated fresh soil as a control (CTR). Nematode abundances and diversity in +Nem was comparable to the CTR showing the success of the reinoculation. No significant differences in C mineralization were found between +Nem and -Nem treatments of the amended and unamended samples at the end of incubation. Other related parameters such as microbial biomass C and enzymatic activities did not show significant differences between +Nem and -Nem treatments in both amended and unamended samples. These findings show that the collective contribution of the entire nematode community to C mineralization is small. Previous reports in literature based on simplified experimental setups and indirect estimations are contrasting with the findings of the current study and further investigations are needed to elucidate the extent and the mechanisms of nematode involvement in C mineralization. PMID:26393517
Influence of mass transfer resistance on overall nitrate removal rate in upflow sludge bed reactors.
Ting, Wen-Huei; Huang, Ju-Sheng
2006-09-01
A kinetic model with intrinsic reaction kinetics and a simplified model with apparent reaction kinetics for denitrification in upflow sludge bed (USB) reactors were proposed. USB-reactor performance data with and without sludge wasting were also obtained for model verification. An independent batch study showed that the apparent kinetic constants k' did not differ from the intrinsic k but the apparent Ks' was significantly larger than the intrinsic Ks suggesting that the intra-granule mass transfer resistance can be modeled by changes in Ks. Calculations of the overall effectiveness factor, Thiele modulus, and Biot number combined with parametric sensitivity analysis showed that the influence of internal mass transfer resistance on the overall nitrate removal rate in USB reactors is more significant than the external mass transfer resistance. The simulated residual nitrate concentrations using the simplified model were in good agreement with the experimental data; the simulated results using the simplified model were also close to those using the kinetic model. Accordingly, the simplified model adequately described the overall nitrate removal rate and can be used for process design.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Behn, Robert D.; Vaupel, James W.
1976-01-01
Description of the philosophy and general nature of a course at Drake University that emphasizes basic concepts of analytical thinking, including think, decompose, simplify, specify, and rethink problems. Some sample homework exercises are included. The journal is available from University of California Press, Berkeley, California 94720.…
A Simple Explanation of Complexation
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Elliott, J. Richard
2010-01-01
The topics of solution thermodynamics, activity coefficients, and complex formation are introduced through computational exercises and sample applications. The presentation is designed to be accessible to freshmen in a chemical engineering computations course. The MOSCED model is simplified to explain complex formation in terms of hydrogen…
Process for making carbon foam
Klett, James W.
2000-01-01
The process obviates the need for conventional oxidative stabilization. The process employs mesophase or isotropic pitch and a simplified process using a single mold. The foam has a relatively uniform distribution of pore sizes and a highly aligned graphic structure in the struts. The foam material can be made into a composite which is useful in high temperature sandwich panels for both thermal and structural applications.
PSI:Biology-Materials Repository: A Biologist’s Resource for Protein Expression Plasmids
Cormier, Catherine Y.; Park, Jin G.; Fiacco, Michael; Steel, Jason; Hunter, Preston; Kramer, Jason; Singla, Rajeev; LaBaer, Joshua
2011-01-01
The Protein Structure Initiative:Biology-Materials Repository (PSI:Biology-MR; MR; http://psimr.asu.edu) sequence-verifies, annotates, stores, and distributes the protein expression plasmids and vectors created by the Protein Structure Initiative (PSI). The MR has developed an informatics and sample processing pipeline that manages this process for thousands of samples per month from nearly a dozen PSI centers. DNASU (http://dnasu.asu.edu), a freely searchable database, stores the plasmid annotations, which include the full-length sequence, vector information, and associated publications for over 130,000 plasmids created by our laboratory, by the PSI and other consortia, and by individual laboratories for distribution to researchers worldwide. Each plasmid links to external resources, including the PSI Structural Biology Knowledgebase (http://sbkb.org), which facilitates cross-referencing of a particular plasmid to additional protein annotations and experimental data. To expedite and simplify plasmid requests, the MR uses an expedited material transfer agreement (EP-MTA) network, where researchers from network institutions can order and receive PSI plasmids without institutional delays. Currently over 39,000 protein expression plasmids and 78 empty vectors from the PSI are available upon request from DNASU. Overall, the MR’s repository of expression-ready plasmids, its automated pipeline, and the rapid process for receiving and distributing these plasmids more effectively allows the research community to dissect the biological function of proteins whose structures have been studied by the PSI. PMID:21360289
Liu, Guixian; Qiao, Xingdu; Gondal, M A; Liu, Yun; Shen, Kai; Xu, Qingyu
2018-06-01
Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and sulfur-doped g-C3N4 were prepared by pyrolysis of melamine and thiourea respectively. Their comparative performance was investigated for photo-degradation of a Rhodamine B (RhB) an organic toxic pollutant. The crystal structure, morphology, microscopic components and properties of the synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, TEM, FT-IR, photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy and zeta potential. TG-DTA is a record of the process for pyrolysis of thiourea. Two simplified kinetic models, pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order were applied to predict the adsorption rate constants. Thermodynamic parameters, such as the change in free energy, enthalpy and entropy were also calculated to analyze the process of adsorption. Adsorption isotherms and equilibrium adsorption capacities were established by three well-known isotherm models including Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R). Both samples were investigated for underlining the reaction mechanism during the photodegradation RhB process and then can be assigned to the overall reaction. The photosensitive hole is regarded as main oxidation species for the degradation by sulfur-doped g-C3N4, but not the exclusive way for g-C3N4. It is worth mentioning that the optimum operating condition can be obtained by orthogonal experiments.
A study of an alignment-less lithography method as an educational resource
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kai, Kazuho; Shiota, Koki; Nagaoka, Shiro; Mahmood, Mohamad Rusop Bin Haji; Kawai, Akira
2016-07-01
A simplification of the lithography process was studied. The simplification method of photolithography, named "alignment-less lithography" was proposed by omitting the photomask alignment process in photolithography process using mechanically aligned photomasks and substrate by using a simple jig on which countersinks were formed. Photomasks made of glass and the photomasks made of transparent plastic sheets were prepared for the process. As the result, approximately 5µm in the case of the glass mask, and 20µm in the case of the OHP mask were obtained with repetitive accuracies, respectively. It was confirmed that the alignment-less lithography method was successful. The possibility of the application to an educational program, such as a heuristic for solving problems was suggested using the method with the OHP mask. The nMOS FET fabrication process was successfully demonstrated using this method. The feasibility of this process was confirmed. It is expected that a totally simplified device fabrication process can be achievable when combined with other simplifications, such ass the simplified impurity diffusion processes using PSG and BSG thin film as diffusion source prepared by the Sol-Gel material under normal air environment.
Jonnalagadda, Siddhartha; Gonzalez, Graciela
2010-11-13
BioSimplify is an open source tool written in Java that introduces and facilitates the use of a novel model for sentence simplification tuned for automatic discourse analysis and information extraction (as opposed to sentence simplification for improving human readability). The model is based on a "shot-gun" approach that produces many different (simpler) versions of the original sentence by combining variants of its constituent elements. This tool is optimized for processing biomedical scientific literature such as the abstracts indexed in PubMed. We tested our tool on its impact to the task of PPI extraction and it improved the f-score of the PPI tool by around 7%, with an improvement in recall of around 20%. The BioSimplify tool and test corpus can be downloaded from https://biosimplify.sourceforge.net.
Simplified Processing Method for Meter Data Analysis
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Fowler, Kimberly M.; Colotelo, Alison H. A.; Downs, Janelle L.
2015-11-01
Simple/Quick metered data processing method that can be used for Army Metered Data Management System (MDMS) and Logistics Innovation Agency data, but may also be useful for other large data sets. Intended for large data sets when analyst has little information about the buildings.
Visualization of nucleic acids with synthetic exciton-controlled fluorescent oligonucleotide probes.
Wang, Dan Ohtan; Okamoto, Akimitsu
2015-01-01
Engineered probes to adapt new photochemical properties upon recognition of target nucleic acids offer powerful tools to DNA and RNA visualization technologies. Herein, we describe a rapid and effective visualization method of nucleic acids in both fixed and living cells with hybridization-sensitive fluorescent oligonucleotide probes. These probes are efficiently quenched in an aqueous environment due to the homodimeric, excitonic interactions between fluorophores but become highly fluorescent upon hybridization to DNA or RNA with complementary sequences. The fast hybridization kinetics and quick fluorescence activation of the new probes allow applications to simplify the conventional fluorescent in situ hybridization protocols and reduce the amount of time to process the samples. Furthermore, hybridization-sensitive fluorescence emission of the probes allows monitoring dynamic behaviors of RNA in living cells.
Search for third generation squarks in pp collisions at 13 TeV with CMS
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Strobbe, Nadja C.
2016-11-14
Three searches for third generation squarks using proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC are presented. The data corre- spond to an integrated luminosity of 12.9 fb -1. The analyses define exclusive search regions and estimate contributions from standard model processes to these regions by using control samples in the data. No significant deviation from the standard model expectation is observed in the data. The results are interpreted in simplified SUSY models of direct and gluino-mediated top squark production. Depending on the model, top squark masses up to 910more » GeV and gluino masses up to 1780 GeV are excluded.« less
16S rRNA beacons for bacterial monitoring during human space missions.
Larios-Sanz, Maia; Kourentzi, Katerina D; Warmflash, David; Jones, Jeffrey; Pierson, Duane L; Willson, Richard C; Fox, George E
2007-04-01
Microorganisms are unavoidable in space environments and their presence has, at times, been a source of problems. Concerns about disease during human space missions are particularly important considering the significant changes the immune system incurs during spaceflight and the history of microbial contamination aboard the Mir space station. Additionally, these contaminants may have adverse effects on instrumentation and life-support systems. A sensitive, highly specific system to detect, characterize, and monitor these microbial populations is essential. Herein we describe a monitoring approach that uses 16S rRNA targeted molecular beacons to successfully detect several specific bacterial groupings. This methodology will greatly simplify in-flight monitoring by minimizing sample handling and processing. We also address and provide solutions to target accessibility problems encountered in hybridizations that target 16S rRNA.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kirby, Evan N.
2018-06-01
Dwarf galaxies are excellent laboratories of chemical evolution. Many dwarf galaxies have simple star formation histories with very low average star formation rates. These conditions simplify models of chemical evolution and facilitate the identification of sites of nucleosynthesis. Dwarf galaxies also host extremely metal-poor stars, which sample the ejecta of the first generations of supernovae in the universe. This meeting-in-a-meeting, "Stellar Abundances in Dwarf Galasxies," will recognize the importance of dwarf galaxies in learning about the creation and evolution of the elements. Topics include: * the most metal-poor stars * the connection between dwarf galaxies and the Milky Way halo * dwarf galaxies as the paragons of r-process nucleosynthesis * modern techniques in stellar abundance measurements * recent advances in chemical evolution modelingI will give a very brief introduction to set the stage for the meeting.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Sakudo, N.; Ikenaga, N.; Ikeda, F.
2011-01-07
Dry sterilization of polymeric material is developed. The technique utilizes the plasma-based ion implantation which is same as for surface modification of polymers. Experimental data for sterilization are obtained by using spores of Bacillus subtilis as samples. On the other hand we previously showed that the surface modification enhanced the gas barrier characteristics of plastic bottles. Comparing the implantation conditions for the sterilization experiment with those for the surface modification, we find that both sterilization and surface modification are simultaneously performed in a certain range of implantation conditions. This implies that the present bottling system for plastic vessels will bemore » simplified and streamlined by excluding the toxic peroxide water that has been used in the traditional sterilization processes.« less
An, Ke; Yuan, Lang; Dial, Laura; ...
2017-09-11
Severe residual stresses in metal parts made by laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing processes (LPBFAM) can cause both distortion and cracking during the fabrication processes. Limited data is currently available for both iterating through process conditions and design, and in particular, for validating numerical models to accelerate process certification. In this work, residual stresses of a curved thin-walled structure, made of Ni-based superalloy Inconel 625™ and fabricated by LPBFAM, were resolved by neutron diffraction without measuring the stress-free lattices along both the build and the transverse directions. The stresses of the entire part during fabrication and after cooling downmore » were predicted by a simplified layer-by-layer finite element based numerical model. The simulated and measured stresses were found in good quantitative agreement. The validated simplified simulation methodology will allow to assess residual stresses in more complex structures and to significantly reduce manufacturing cycle time.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
An, Ke; Yuan, Lang; Dial, Laura
Severe residual stresses in metal parts made by laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing processes (LPBFAM) can cause both distortion and cracking during the fabrication processes. Limited data is currently available for both iterating through process conditions and design, and in particular, for validating numerical models to accelerate process certification. In this work, residual stresses of a curved thin-walled structure, made of Ni-based superalloy Inconel 625™ and fabricated by LPBFAM, were resolved by neutron diffraction without measuring the stress-free lattices along both the build and the transverse directions. The stresses of the entire part during fabrication and after cooling downmore » were predicted by a simplified layer-by-layer finite element based numerical model. The simulated and measured stresses were found in good quantitative agreement. The validated simplified simulation methodology will allow to assess residual stresses in more complex structures and to significantly reduce manufacturing cycle time.« less
Kressirer, Sabine; Kralisch, Dana; Stark, Annegret; Krtschil, Ulrich; Hessel, Volker
2013-05-21
In order to investigate the potential for process intensification, various reaction conditions were applied to the Kolbe-Schmitt synthesis starting from resorcinol. Different CO₂ precursors such as aqueous potassium hydrogencarbonate, hydrogencarbonate-based ionic liquids, DIMCARB, or sc-CO₂, the application of microwave irradiation for fast volumetric heating of the reaction mixture, and the effect of harsh reaction conditions were investigated. The experiments, carried out in conventional batch-wise as well as in continuously operated microstructured reactors, aimed at the development of an environmentally benign process for the preparation of 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid. To provide decision support toward a green process design, a research-accompanying simplified life cycle assessment (SLCA) was performed throughout the whole investigation. Following this approach, it was found that convective heating methods such as oil bath or electrical heating were more beneficial than the application of microwave irradiation. Furthermore, the consideration of workup procedures was crucial for a holistic view on the environmental burdens.
XFEL diffraction: Developing processing methods to optimize data quality
Sauter, Nicholas K.
2015-01-29
Serial crystallography, using either femtosecond X-ray pulses from free-electron laser sources or short synchrotron-radiation exposures, has the potential to reveal metalloprotein structural details while minimizing damage processes. However, deriving a self-consistent set of Bragg intensities from numerous still-crystal exposures remains a difficult problem, with optimal protocols likely to be quite different from those well established for rotation photography. Here several data processing issues unique to serial crystallography are examined. It is found that the limiting resolution differs for each shot, an effect that is likely to be due to both the sample heterogeneity and pulse-to-pulse variation in experimental conditions. Shotsmore » with lower resolution limits produce lower-quality models for predicting Bragg spot positions during the integration step. Also, still shots by their nature record only partial measurements of the Bragg intensity. An approximate model that corrects to the full-spot equivalent (with the simplifying assumption that the X-rays are monochromatic) brings the distribution of intensities closer to that expected from an ideal crystal, and improves the sharpness of anomalous difference Fourier peaks indicating metal positions.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Spitz, A.H.; Boynton, W.V.
Six ureilites (ALHA77257, ALHA81101, ALH82130, PCA82506, Kanna, and Novo Urei) were analyzed using neutron activation analysis for Ca, Sc, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Ga, REE, W, Re, Os, Ir, and Au. The authors examined bulk samples as well as acid-treated samples. In bulk samples the refractory siderophiles' concentrations range from approximately 0.1 to 1.0 times CI chondrites while the volatile siderophiles' concentrations range from approximately 0.1 to 1.0 times CI chondrites while the volatile siderophiles range from about 0.07 to 0.3 times CI chondrites. Rare earth elements (REEs) in ureilites are quite depleted and display light and heavymore » rare earth enrichments. The Antarctic meteorites display either much less pronounced v-shaped patterns or no enrichment in the light rare earths at all. In terms of the new trace-element results, ureilites do not fall into the coherent groups that other workers have defined by chemical or petrographic characteristics. Trace elements do provide additional constraints on the models for the petrogenesis of ureilites. In particular, the siderophile element abundances call for simplified models of chemical processing rather than the complex, multistage processing called for in silicate fractionation models. REE concentrations, on the other hand, imply multistage processing to produce the ureilites. None of the ureilite petrogenesis models extant account for the trace element data. These new data and the considerations of them with respect to the proposed ureilite petrogenesis models indicate that the direction of modeling should be toward contemplation of mixtures and how the components the authors observe in ureilites behave under such conditions.« less
Research study on stabilization and control: Modern sampled data control theory
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kuo, B. C.; Singh, G.; Yackel, R. A.
1973-01-01
A numerical analysis of spacecraft stability parameters was conducted. The analysis is based on a digital approximation by point by point state comparison. The technique used is that of approximating a continuous data system by a sampled data model by comparison of the states of the two systems. Application of the method to the digital redesign of the simplified one axis dynamics of the Skylab is presented.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wojs, J.
2016-09-01
The paper proves that simplified, shorter examination of an object, feasible in laboratory classes, can produce results similar to those reached in scientific investigation of the device using extensive equipment. A thorough investigation of an object, an automatic clutch device in this case, enabled identifying the magnitudes that most significantly affect its operation. The knowledge of these most sensitive magnitudes allows focusing in the teaching process on simplified measurement of only selected magnitudes and verifying the given object in the positive or negative.
Lermen, Dominik; Schmitt, Daniel; Bartel-Steinbach, Martina; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; von Briesen, Hagen; Zimmermann, Heiko
2014-01-01
Technical progress has simplified tasks in lab diagnosis and improved quality of test results. Errors occurring during the pre-analytical phase have more negative impact on the quality of test results than errors encountered during the total analytical process. Different infrastructures of sampling sites can highly influence the quality of samples and therewith of analytical results. Annually the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) collects, characterizes, and stores blood, plasma, and urine samples of 120–150 volunteers each on four different sampling sites in Germany. Overarching goal is to investigate the exposure to environmental pollutants of non-occupational exposed young adults combining human biomonitoring with questionnaire data. We investigated the requirements of the study and the possibility to realize a highly standardized sampling procedure on a mobile platform in order to increase the required quality of the pre-analytical phase. The results lead to the development of a mobile epidemiologic laboratory (epiLab) in the project “Labor der Zukunft” (future’s lab technology). This laboratory includes a 14.7 m2 reception area to record medical history and exposure-relevant behavior, a 21.1 m2 examination room to record dental fillings and for blood withdrawal, a 15.5 m2 biological safety level 2 laboratory to process and analyze samples on site including a 2.8 m2 personnel lock and a 3.6 m2 cryofacility to immediately freeze samples. Frozen samples can be transferred to their final destination within the vehicle without breaking the cold chain. To our knowledge, we herewith describe for the first time the implementation of a biological safety laboratory (BSL) 2 lab and an epidemiologic unit on a single mobile platform. Since 2013 we have been collecting up to 15.000 individual human samples annually under highly standardized conditions using the mobile laboratory. Characterized and free of alterations they are kept ready for retrospective analyses in their final archive, the German ESB. PMID:25141120
Lermen, Dominik; Schmitt, Daniel; Bartel-Steinbach, Martina; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; von Briesen, Hagen; Zimmermann, Heiko
2014-01-01
Technical progress has simplified tasks in lab diagnosis and improved quality of test results. Errors occurring during the pre-analytical phase have more negative impact on the quality of test results than errors encountered during the total analytical process. Different infrastructures of sampling sites can highly influence the quality of samples and therewith of analytical results. Annually the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) collects, characterizes, and stores blood, plasma, and urine samples of 120-150 volunteers each on four different sampling sites in Germany. Overarching goal is to investigate the exposure to environmental pollutants of non-occupational exposed young adults combining human biomonitoring with questionnaire data. We investigated the requirements of the study and the possibility to realize a highly standardized sampling procedure on a mobile platform in order to increase the required quality of the pre-analytical phase. The results lead to the development of a mobile epidemiologic laboratory (epiLab) in the project "Labor der Zukunft" (future's lab technology). This laboratory includes a 14.7 m(2) reception area to record medical history and exposure-relevant behavior, a 21.1 m(2) examination room to record dental fillings and for blood withdrawal, a 15.5 m(2) biological safety level 2 laboratory to process and analyze samples on site including a 2.8 m(2) personnel lock and a 3.6 m2 cryofacility to immediately freeze samples. Frozen samples can be transferred to their final destination within the vehicle without breaking the cold chain. To our knowledge, we herewith describe for the first time the implementation of a biological safety laboratory (BSL) 2 lab and an epidemiologic unit on a single mobile platform. Since 2013 we have been collecting up to 15.000 individual human samples annually under highly standardized conditions using the mobile laboratory. Characterized and free of alterations they are kept ready for retrospective analyses in their final archive, the German ESB.
Kim, Sung-Jin; Wang, Fang; Burns, Mark A; Kurabayashi, Katsuo
2009-06-01
Micromixing is a crucial step for biochemical reactions in microfluidic networks. A critical challenge is that the system containing micromixers needs numerous pumps, chambers, and channels not only for the micromixing but also for the biochemical reactions and detections. Thus, a simple and compatible design of the micromixer element for the system is essential. Here, we propose a simple, yet effective, scheme that enables micromixing and a biochemical reaction in a single microfluidic chamber without using any pumps. We accomplish this process by using natural convection in conjunction with alternating heating of two heaters for efficient micromixing, and by regulating capillarity for sample transport. As a model application, we demonstrate micromixing and subsequent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for an influenza viral DNA fragment. This process is achieved in a platform of a microfluidic cartridge and a microfabricated heating-instrument with a fast thermal response. Our results will significantly simplify micromixing and a subsequent biochemical reaction that involves reagent heating in microfluidic networks.
Khachatryan, Vardan
2016-03-19
Our search for supersymmetry involving events with at least one photon, one electron or muon, and large missing transverse momentum has been performed by the CMS experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb -1 of pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV, produced at the CERN LHC. No excess of events is observed beyond expectations from standard model processes. The result of the search is interpreted in the context of a general model of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking, where the charged and neutral winos are the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particles. Within this model, winos with amore » mass up to 360 GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level. Also, two simplified models inspired by gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking are also examined, and used to derive upper limits on the production cross sections of specific supersymmetric processes.« less
Z Boson Decay into Light and Darkness.
Fabbrichesi, M; Gabrielli, E; Mele, B
2018-04-27
We study the Z→γγ[over ¯] process in which the Z boson decays into a photon γ and a massless dark photon γ[over ¯], when the latter couples to standard-model fermions via dipole moments. This is a simple yet nontrivial example of how the Landau-Yang theorem-ruling out the decay of a massive spin-1 particle into two photons-is evaded if the final particles can be distinguished. The striking signature of this process is a resonant monochromatic single photon in the Z-boson center of mass together with missing momentum. LEP experimental bounds allow a branching ratio up to about 10^{-6} for such a decay. In a simplified model of the dark sector, the dark-photon dipole moments arise from one-loop exchange of heavy dark fermions and scalar messengers. The corresponding prediction for the rare Z→γγ[over ¯] decay width can be explored with the large samples of Z bosons foreseen at future colliders.
Z Boson Decay into Light and Darkness
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fabbrichesi, M.; Gabrielli, E.; Mele, B.
2018-04-01
We study the Z →γ γ ¯ process in which the Z boson decays into a photon γ and a massless dark photon γ ¯, when the latter couples to standard-model fermions via dipole moments. This is a simple yet nontrivial example of how the Landau-Yang theorem—ruling out the decay of a massive spin-1 particle into two photons—is evaded if the final particles can be distinguished. The striking signature of this process is a resonant monochromatic single photon in the Z -boson center of mass together with missing momentum. LEP experimental bounds allow a branching ratio up to about 10-6 for such a decay. In a simplified model of the dark sector, the dark-photon dipole moments arise from one-loop exchange of heavy dark fermions and scalar messengers. The corresponding prediction for the rare Z →γ γ ¯ decay width can be explored with the large samples of Z bosons foreseen at future colliders.
AMS Measurement of 36Cl with a Q3D Magnetic Spectrometer at CIAE
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Li, Chaoli; He, Ming; Zhang, Wei; Wu, Shaoyong; Li, Zhenyu; He, Xianwen; Liu, Jiancheng; Dong, Kejun; Jiang, Shan
2012-06-01
The ratio of 36Cl/Cl can determine the exposure age of surface rocks and monitor the secular equilibrium of 36Cl of sedimentary and igneous rock in groundwater. Due to the uncertainty effects of different chemical separation processes for removing 36S, there is a high degree of uncertainty in 36Cl accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) measurements if the ratio of 36Cl/Cl is lower than 10-14. A 36Cl AMS higher sensitivity measurement has been set up by using a ΔE-Q3D method at the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE). The performances of ΔE-Q3D method for 36Cl-AMS measurement had been systemically studied. The experimental results show that the ΔE-Q3D method has a higher isobar suppression factor. Taking advantage of direct removing 36S, the sample preparation can be simplified and the uncertainty effects of different chemical separation processes can be reduced in 36Cl AMS measurements.
Application of densification process in organic waste management.
Zafari, Abedin; Kianmehr, Mohammad Hossein
2013-07-01
Densification of biomass material that usually has a low density is good way of increasing density, reducing the cost of transportation, and simplifying the storage and distribution of this material. The current study was conducted to investigate the influence of raw material parameters (moisture content and particle size), and densification process parameters (piston speed and die length) on the density and durability of pellets from compost manure. A hydraulic press and a single pelleter were used to produce pellets in controlled conditions. Ground biomass samples were compressed with three levels of moisture content [35%, 40% and 45% (wet basis)], piston speed (2, 6 and 10 mm/s), die length (8, 10 and 12 mm) and particle size (0.3., 0.9 and 1.5 mm) to establish density and durability of pellets. A response surface methodology based on the Box Behnken design was used to study the responses pattern and to understand the influence of parameters. The results revealed that all independent variables have significant (P < 0.01) effects on studied responses in this research.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Chatrchyan, S.; Khachatryan, V.; Sirunyan, A. M.
A search for physics beyond the standard model involving events with one or more photons, jets, and missing transverse energy has been performed by the CMS experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.93 fb -1 of proton-proton collisions at TeV, produced at the Large Hadron Collider. No excess of events with large missing transverse energy is observed beyond expectations from standard model processes, and upper limits on the signal production cross sections for new physics processes are set at the 95% confidence level. The results of this search are interpreted in the context of three modelsmore » of new physics: a general model of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking, Simplified Models, and a theory involving universal extra dimensions. In the absence of evidence for new physics, exclusion regions are derived in the parameter spaces of the respective models.« less
specification was achieved by simplifying and improving the basic Bendix dosimeter design, using plastics for component parts, minimizing direct labor, and making the instrument suitable for automated processing and assembly. (Author)
Development of Generation System of Simplified Digital Maps
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Uchimura, Keiichi; Kawano, Masato; Tokitsu, Hiroki; Hu, Zhencheng
In recent years, digital maps have been used in a variety of scenarios, including car navigation systems and map information services over the Internet. These digital maps are formed by multiple layers of maps of different scales; the map data most suitable for the specific situation are used. Currently, the production of map data of different scales is done by hand due to constraints related to processing time and accuracy. We conducted research concerning technologies for automatic generation of simplified map data from detailed map data. In the present paper, the authors propose the following: (1) a method to transform data related to streets, rivers, etc. containing widths into line data, (2) a method to eliminate the component points of the data, and (3) a method to eliminate data that lie below a certain threshold. In addition, in order to evaluate the proposed method, a user survey was conducted; in this survey we compared maps generated using the proposed method with the commercially available maps. From the viewpoint of the amount of data reduction and processing time, and on the basis of the results of the survey, we confirmed the effectiveness of the automatic generation of simplified maps using the proposed methods.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Abildinova, Gulmira M.; Alzhanov, Aitugan K.; Ospanova, Nazira N.; Taybaldieva, Zhymatay; Baigojanova, Dametken S.; Pashovkin, Nikita O.
2016-01-01
Nowadays, when there is a need to introduce various innovations into the educational process, most efforts are aimed at simplifying the learning process. To that end, electronic textbooks, testing systems and other software is being developed. Most of them are intended to run on personal computers with limited mobility. Smart education is…
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bates, H. E.; Hill, D. M.; Jewett, D. N.
1983-01-01
Drop length necessary to convert molten silicon to shot reduced by proposed new process. Conversion of silicon from powder or chunks to shot often simplifies processing. Shot is more easily handled in most processing equipment. Drops of liquid silicon fall through protective cloud of argon, then through rapidly cooling bath of methanol, where they quickly turn into solid shot.
A simplified method for extracting microplastics in laboratory-cultured coral and water samples
The deleterious effects of microplastic ingestion by marine organisms and the impacts across trophic levels are widely unknown. Due to the extensive ecological and socioeconomic benefits provided by coral reefs, investigating the impacts of microplastics on reef ecosystems is of ...
Simplified spatiotemporal electromagnetic induction - salinity multi-field calibration
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Salinity-affected farmlands are common in arid and semi-arid regions. To assure long-term sustainability of farming practices in these areas, soil salinity (ECe) should be routinely mapped and monitored. Salinity can be measured through soil sampling directed by geospatial measurements of apparent s...
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Stoddard, Beryl
2005-01-01
Have humans been cloned? Is it possible? Immediate interest is sparked when students are asked these questions. In response to their curiosity, the clone factory activity was developed to help them understand the process of cloning. In this activity, students reenact the cloning process, in a very simplified simulation. After completing the…
Simplified Computation for Nonparametric Windows Method of Probability Density Function Estimation.
Joshi, Niranjan; Kadir, Timor; Brady, Michael
2011-08-01
Recently, Kadir and Brady proposed a method for estimating probability density functions (PDFs) for digital signals which they call the Nonparametric (NP) Windows method. The method involves constructing a continuous space representation of the discrete space and sampled signal by using a suitable interpolation method. NP Windows requires only a small number of observed signal samples to estimate the PDF and is completely data driven. In this short paper, we first develop analytical formulae to obtain the NP Windows PDF estimates for 1D, 2D, and 3D signals, for different interpolation methods. We then show that the original procedure to calculate the PDF estimate can be significantly simplified and made computationally more efficient by a judicious choice of the frame of reference. We have also outlined specific algorithmic details of the procedures enabling quick implementation. Our reformulation of the original concept has directly demonstrated a close link between the NP Windows method and the Kernel Density Estimator.
Simplified multi-element analysis of ground and instant coffees by ICP-OES and FAAS.
Szymczycha-Madeja, Anna; Welna, Maja; Pohl, Pawel
2015-01-01
A simplified alternative to the wet digestion sample preparation procedure for roasted ground and instant coffees has been developed and validated for the determination of different elements by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) (Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na). The proposed procedure, i.e. the ultrasound-assisted solubilisation in aqua regia, is quite fast and simple, requires minimal use of reagents, and demonstrated good analytical performance, i.e. accuracy from -4.7% to 1.9%, precision within 0.5-8.6% and recovery in the range 93.5-103%. Detection limits of elements were from 0.086 ng ml(-1) (Sr) to 40 ng ml(-1) (Fe). A preliminary classification of 18 samples of ground and instant coffees was successfully made based on concentrations of selected elements and using principal component analysis and hierarchic cluster analysis.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yuan, Shifei; Jiang, Lei; Yin, Chengliang; Wu, Hongjie; Zhang, Xi
2017-06-01
To guarantee the safety, high efficiency and long lifetime for lithium-ion battery, an advanced battery management system requires a physics-meaningful yet computationally efficient battery model. The pseudo-two dimensional (P2D) electrochemical model can provide physical information about the lithium concentration and potential distributions across the cell dimension. However, the extensive computation burden caused by the temporal and spatial discretization limits its real-time application. In this research, we propose a new simplified electrochemical model (SEM) by modifying the boundary conditions for electrolyte diffusion equations, which significantly facilitates the analytical solving process. Then to obtain a reduced order transfer function, the Padé approximation method is adopted to simplify the derived transcendental impedance solution. The proposed model with the reduced order transfer function can be briefly computable and preserve physical meanings through the presence of parameters such as the solid/electrolyte diffusion coefficients (Ds&De) and particle radius. The simulation illustrates that the proposed simplified model maintains high accuracy for electrolyte phase concentration (Ce) predictions, saying 0.8% and 0.24% modeling error respectively, when compared to the rigorous model under 1C-rate pulse charge/discharge and urban dynamometer driving schedule (UDDS) profiles. Meanwhile, this simplified model yields significantly reduced computational burden, which benefits its real-time application.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Thomas, R.; Connell, D.; Spears, T.; Leadbetter, A.; Burger, E. F.
2016-12-01
The scientific literature heavily features small-scale studies with the impact of the results extrapolated to regional/global importance. There are on-going initiatives (e.g. OA-ICC, GOA-ON, GEOTRACES, EMODNet Chemistry) aiming to assemble regional to global-scale datasets that are available for trend or meta-analyses. Assessing the quality and comparability of these data requires information about the processing chain from "sampling to spreadsheet". This provenance information needs to be captured and readily available to assess data fitness for purpose. The NOAA Ocean Acidification metadata template was designed in consultation with domain experts for this reason; the core carbonate chemistry variables have 23-37 metadata fields each and for scientists generating these datasets there could appear to be an ever increasing amount of metadata expected to accompany a dataset. While this provenance metadata should be considered essential by those generating or using the data, for those discovering data there is a sliding scale between what is considered discovery metadata (title, abstract, contacts, etc.) versus usage metadata (methodology, environmental setup, lineage, etc.), the split depending on the intended use of data. As part of the OA-ICC's activities, the metadata fields from the NOAA template relevant to the sample processing chain and QA criteria have been factored to develop profiles for, and extensions to, the OM-JSON encoding supported by the PROV ontology. While this work started focused on carbonate chemistry variable specific metadata, the factorization could be applied within the O&M model across other disciplines such as trace metals or contaminants. In a linked data world with a suitable high level model for sample processing and QA available, tools and support can be provided to link reproducible units of metadata (e.g. the standard protocol for a variable as adopted by a community) and simplify the provision of metadata and subsequent discovery.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
James, W. P.
1971-01-01
A simplified procedure is presented for determining water current velocities and diffusion coefficients. Dye drops which form dye patches in the receiving water are made from an aircraft. The changes in position and size of the patches are recorded from two flights over the area. The simplified data processing procedure requires only that the ground coordinates about the dye patches be determined at the time of each flight. With an automatic recording coordinatograph for measuring coordinates and a computer for processing the data, this technique provides a practical method of determining circulation patterns and mixing characteristics of large aquatic systems. This information is useful in assessing the environmental impact of waste water discharges and for industrial plant siting.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Taylor, R. E.; Sennott, J. W. (Inventor)
1984-01-01
In a global positioning system (GPS), such as the NAVSTAR/GPS system, wherein the position coordinates of user terminals are obtained by processing multiple signals transmitted by a constellation of orbiting satellites, an acquisition-aiding signal generated by an earth-based control station is relayed to user terminals via a geostationary satellite to simplify user equipment. The aiding signal is FSK modulated on a reference channel slightly offset from the standard GPS channel. The aiding signal identifies satellites in view having best geometry and includes Doppler prediction data as well as GPS satellite coordinates and identification data associated with user terminals within an area being served by the control station and relay satellite. The aiding signal significantly reduces user equipment by simplifying spread spectrum signal demodulation and reducing data processing functions previously carried out at the user terminals.
DNA in a bottle-Rapid metabarcoding survey for early alerts of invasive species in ports.
Borrell, Yaisel J; Miralles, Laura; Do Huu, Hoang; Mohammed-Geba, Khaled; Garcia-Vazquez, Eva
2017-01-01
Biota monitoring in ports is increasingly needed for biosecurity reasons and safeguarding marine biodiversity from biological invasion. Present and future international biosecurity directives can be accomplished only if the biota acquired by maritime traffic in ports is controlled. Methodologies for biota inventory are diverse and now rely principally on extensive and labor-intensive sampling along with taxonomic identification by experts. In this study, we employed an extremely simplified environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling methodology from only three 1-L bottles of water per port, followed by metabarcoding (high-throughput sequencing and DNA-based species identification) using 18S rDNA and Cytochrome oxidase I as genetic barcodes. Eight Bay of Biscay ports with available inventory of fouling invertebrates were employed as a case study. Despite minimal sampling efforts, three invasive invertebrates were detected: the barnacle Austrominius modestus, the tubeworm Ficopomatus enigmaticus and the polychaete Polydora triglanda. The same species have been previously found from visual and DNA barcoding (genetic identification of individuals) surveys in the same ports. The current costs of visual surveys, conventional DNA barcoding and this simplified metabarcoding protocol were compared. The results encourage the use of metabarcoding for early biosecurity alerts.
DNA in a bottle—Rapid metabarcoding survey for early alerts of invasive species in ports
Miralles, Laura; Do Huu, Hoang; Mohammed-Geba, Khaled; Garcia-Vazquez, Eva
2017-01-01
Biota monitoring in ports is increasingly needed for biosecurity reasons and safeguarding marine biodiversity from biological invasion. Present and future international biosecurity directives can be accomplished only if the biota acquired by maritime traffic in ports is controlled. Methodologies for biota inventory are diverse and now rely principally on extensive and labor-intensive sampling along with taxonomic identification by experts. In this study, we employed an extremely simplified environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling methodology from only three 1-L bottles of water per port, followed by metabarcoding (high-throughput sequencing and DNA-based species identification) using 18S rDNA and Cytochrome oxidase I as genetic barcodes. Eight Bay of Biscay ports with available inventory of fouling invertebrates were employed as a case study. Despite minimal sampling efforts, three invasive invertebrates were detected: the barnacle Austrominius modestus, the tubeworm Ficopomatus enigmaticus and the polychaete Polydora triglanda. The same species have been previously found from visual and DNA barcoding (genetic identification of individuals) surveys in the same ports. The current costs of visual surveys, conventional DNA barcoding and this simplified metabarcoding protocol were compared. The results encourage the use of metabarcoding for early biosecurity alerts. PMID:28873426
Jodra, Adrián; López, Miguel Ángel; Escarpa, Alberto
2015-02-15
An electrochemical magnetoimmunosensor involving magnetic beads and disposable carbon screen-printed electrode (CSPE) for Fumonosins (FB1, FB2 and FB3) has been developed and evaluated through a certified reference material (CRM) and beer samples. Once the immunochemical reactions took place on the magnetic beads solution, they were confined on the surface of CSPE, where electrochemical detection is achieved through the addition of suitable substrate and mediator for enzymatic tracer (Horseradish peroxidase--HRP). A remarkable detection limit of 0.33 μg L(-1), outstanding repeatability and reproducibility (RSD(intraday) of 5.6% and 2.9%; RSD(interday) of 6.9% and 6.0%; both for 0 and 5 μg L(-1) FB1 respectively), and excellent accuracy with recovery rate of 85-96% showed the suggested approach to be a very suitable screening tool for the analysis of Fumonisin B1 and B2 in food samples. A simultaneous simplified calibration and analysis protocol allows a fast and reliable determination of Fumonisin in beer samples with recovery rate of 87-105%. This strategy enhanced the analytical merits of immunosensor approach towards truly disposable tools for food-safety monitoring. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Liu, Huihui; Han, Dianfeng; Huang, Hui; Xu, Yingjiang; Gong, Xianghong
2018-01-01
This study developed an ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the detection of three major metabolites of mequindox, including 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic acid, 1-desoxymequindox, and 1,4-bisdesoxymequindox (MQCA, 1-DMEQ, and BDMEQ), in holothurian. Target analytes were simplified with ultrasound-assisted acidolysis extracted without complicated enzymolysis steps. After that, each sample was centrifuged and purified by an Oasis MAX cartridge. Then, the processed samples were separated and monitored by UPLC-MS/MS. This developed method has been validated according to FDA criteria. At fortified levels of 2, 10, and 20 μg/kg, recoveries ranged from 82.5% to 93.5% with the intraday RSD less than 7.27% and interday RSD less than 11.8%. The limit of detection (LOD) of all the three metabolites ranged from 0.21 to 0.48 μg/kg, while the limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.79 to 1.59 μg/kg. On application to commercial samples, 14 of 20 samples were detected positive for the three target analytes, with positive rate at 70 percentage. The result indicated that this method was specific, sensitive, and suitable for the quantification and conformation of the three major metabolites of MEQ in holothurian. PMID:29805832
Liu, Huihui; Ren, Chuanbo; Han, Dianfeng; Huang, Hui; Zou, Rongjie; Zhang, Huawei; Xu, Yingjiang; Gong, Xianghong; Zhang, Xiuzhen; Li, Yanshen
2018-01-01
This study developed an ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the detection of three major metabolites of mequindox, including 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic acid, 1-desoxymequindox, and 1,4-bisdesoxymequindox (MQCA, 1-DMEQ, and BDMEQ), in holothurian. Target analytes were simplified with ultrasound-assisted acidolysis extracted without complicated enzymolysis steps. After that, each sample was centrifuged and purified by an Oasis MAX cartridge. Then, the processed samples were separated and monitored by UPLC-MS/MS. This developed method has been validated according to FDA criteria. At fortified levels of 2, 10, and 20 μ g/kg, recoveries ranged from 82.5% to 93.5% with the intraday RSD less than 7.27% and interday RSD less than 11.8%. The limit of detection (LOD) of all the three metabolites ranged from 0.21 to 0.48 μ g/kg, while the limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.79 to 1.59 μ g/kg. On application to commercial samples, 14 of 20 samples were detected positive for the three target analytes, with positive rate at 70 percentage. The result indicated that this method was specific, sensitive, and suitable for the quantification and conformation of the three major metabolites of MEQ in holothurian.
PLYMAP : a computer simulation model of the rotary peeled softwood plywood manufacturing process
Henry Spelter
1990-01-01
This report documents a simulation model of the plywood manufacturing process. Its purpose is to enable a user to make quick estimates of the economic impact of a particular process change within a mill. The program was designed to simulate the processing of plywood within a relatively simplified mill design. Within that limitation, however, it allows a wide range of...
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lee, Jonghyun; Matson, Douglas M.; Binder, Sven; Kolbe, Matthias; Herlach, Dieter; Hyers, Robert W.
2014-06-01
A magnetohydrodynamic model of internal convection of a molten Co-Cu droplet processed by the ground-based electromagnetic levitation (EML) was developed. For the calculation of the electromagnetic field generated by the copper coils, the simplified Maxwell's equations were solved. The calculated Lorentz force per volume was used as a momentum source in the Navier-Stokes equations, which were solved by using a commercial computational fluid dynamics package. The RNG k- ɛ model was adopted for the prediction of turbulent flow. For the validation of the developed model, a Co16Cu84 sample was tested using the EML facility in the German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany. The sample was subjected to a full melt cycle, during which the surface of the sample was captured by a high-speed camera. With a sufficient undercooling, the liquid phase separation occurred and the Co-rich liquid phase particles could be observed as they were floating on the surface along streamlines. The convection velocity was estimated by the combination of the displacement of the Co-rich particles and the temporal resolution of the high-speed camera. Both the numerical and experimental results showed an excellent agreement in the convection velocity on the surface.
Direct Ink Writing of Three-Dimensional (K, Na)NbO3-Based Piezoelectric Ceramics
Li, Yayun; Li, Longtu; Li, Bo
2015-01-01
A kind of piezoelectric ink was prepared with Li, Ta, Sb co-doped (K, Na)NbO3 (KNN) powders. Piezoelectric scaffolds with diameters at micrometer scale were constructed from this ink by using direct ink writing method. According to the micro-morphology and density test, the samples sintered at 1100 °C for 2 h have formed ceramics completely with a high relative density of 98%. X-ray diffraction (XRD) test shows that the main phase of sintered samples is orthogonal (Na0.52K0.4425Li0.0375)(Nb0.87Sb0.07Ta0.06)O3. The piezoelectric constant d33 of 280 pC/N, dielectric constant ε of 1775, remanent polarization Pr of 18.8 μC/cm2 and coercive field Ec of 8.5 kV/cm prove that the sintered samples exhibit good electrical properties. The direct ink writing method allows one to design and rapidly fabricate piezoelectric structures in complex three-dimensional (3D) shapes without the need for any dies or lithographic masks, which will simplify the process of material preparation and offer new ideas for the design and application of piezoelectric devices. PMID:28788028
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Not Available
1986-01-01
Representatives of US Gypsum Co., Pfizer Inc., and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) testified on the Asbestos Information Clearinghouse Act of 1986 (H.R. 5078), which calls for an information center with samples of materials containing asbestos to simplify the task of identifying their characteristics. The goal of the bill is to make judiciary processes more efficient. EPA opposes the bill on the grounds that the rulemaking and collection of samples from building owners and asbestos manufacturers and processors for analysis would shift the inefficiency from the judiciary arena to EPA. EPA argued that the identification of defendants is a private-sectormore » issue, and that the activities that would be assigned to EPA would be outside its mission. Pfizer supported the legislation, while the spokesman for US Gypsum pointed out that if the purpose is to remove those defendants from litigation who are not involved, extensive sampling would be a waste of time. Additional material submitted for the record follows the text of H.R. 5078 and the testimony of four witnesses.« less
Sand effects on thermal barrier coatings for gas turbine engines
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Walock, Michael; Barnett, Blake; Ghoshal, Anindya; Murugan, Muthuvel; Swab, Jeffrey; Pepi, Marc; Hopkins, David; Gazonas, George; Kerner, Kevin
Accumulation and infiltration of molten/ semi-molten sand and subsequent formation of calcia-magnesia-alumina-silicate (CMAS) deposits in gas turbine engines continues to be a significant problem for aviation assets. This complex problem is compounded by the large variations in the composition, size, and topology of natural sands, gas generator turbine temperatures, thermal barrier coating properties, and the incoming particulate's momentum. In order to simplify the materials testing process, significant time and resources have been spent in the development of synthetic sand mixtures. However, there is debate whether these mixtures accurately mimic the damage observed in field-returned engines. With this study, we provide a direct comparison of CMAS deposits from both natural and synthetic sands. Using spray deposition techniques, 7% yttria-stabilized zirconia coatings are deposited onto bond-coated, Ni-superalloy discs. Each sample is coated with a sand slurry, either natural or synthetic, and exposed to a high temperature flame for 1 hour. Test samples are characterized before and after flame exposure. In addition, the test samples will be compared to field-returned equipment. This research was sponsored by the US Army Research Laboratory, and was accomplished under Cooperative Agreement # W911NF-12-2-0019.
A simple homogeneous model for regular and irregular metallic wire media samples
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kosulnikov, S. Y.; Mirmoosa, M. S.; Simovski, C. R.
2018-02-01
To simplify the solution of electromagnetic problems with wire media samples, it is reasonable to treat them as the samples of a homogeneous material without spatial dispersion. The account of spatial dispersion implies additional boundary conditions and makes the solution of boundary problems difficult especially if the sample is not an infinitely extended layer. Moreover, for a novel type of wire media - arrays of randomly tilted wires - a spatially dispersive model has not been developed. Here, we introduce a simplistic heuristic model of wire media samples shaped as bricks. Our model covers WM of both regularly and irregularly stretched wires.
Simplified Predictive Models for CO2 Sequestration Performance Assessment
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mishra, Srikanta; RaviGanesh, Priya; Schuetter, Jared; Mooney, Douglas; He, Jincong; Durlofsky, Louis
2014-05-01
We present results from an ongoing research project that seeks to develop and validate a portfolio of simplified modeling approaches that will enable rapid feasibility and risk assessment for CO2 sequestration in deep saline formation. The overall research goal is to provide tools for predicting: (a) injection well and formation pressure buildup, and (b) lateral and vertical CO2 plume migration. Simplified modeling approaches that are being developed in this research fall under three categories: (1) Simplified physics-based modeling (SPM), where only the most relevant physical processes are modeled, (2) Statistical-learning based modeling (SLM), where the simulator is replaced with a "response surface", and (3) Reduced-order method based modeling (RMM), where mathematical approximations reduce the computational burden. The system of interest is a single vertical well injecting supercritical CO2 into a 2-D layered reservoir-caprock system with variable layer permeabilities. In the first category (SPM), we use a set of well-designed full-physics compositional simulations to understand key processes and parameters affecting pressure propagation and buoyant plume migration. Based on these simulations, we have developed correlations for dimensionless injectivity as a function of the slope of fractional-flow curve, variance of layer permeability values, and the nature of vertical permeability arrangement. The same variables, along with a modified gravity number, can be used to develop a correlation for the total storage efficiency within the CO2 plume footprint. In the second category (SLM), we develop statistical "proxy models" using the simulation domain described previously with two different approaches: (a) classical Box-Behnken experimental design with a quadratic response surface fit, and (b) maximin Latin Hypercube sampling (LHS) based design with a Kriging metamodel fit using a quadratic trend and Gaussian correlation structure. For roughly the same number of simulations, the LHS-based meta-model yields a more robust predictive model, as verified by a k-fold cross-validation approach. In the third category (RMM), we use a reduced-order modeling procedure that combines proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) for reducing problem dimensionality with trajectory-piecewise linearization (TPWL) for extrapolating system response at new control points from a limited number of trial runs ("snapshots"). We observe significant savings in computational time with very good accuracy from the POD-TPWL reduced order model - which could be important in the context of history matching, uncertainty quantification and optimization problems. The paper will present results from our ongoing investigations, and also discuss future research directions and likely outcomes. This work was supported by U.S. Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory award DE-FE0009051 and Ohio Department of Development grant D-13-02.
Kuyper, Brett; Labuschagne, Casper; Philibert, Raïssa; Moyo, Nicholas; Waldron, Howard; Reason, Chris; Palmer, Carl
2012-01-01
Wherever measurements have been made bromoform was found to be ubiquitous in the surface ocean in pmolar-nmolar concentrations. These measurements show concentrations in coastal regions orders of magnitude higher than in the pelagic oceans. Its atmospheric presence is primarily due to its release from algae and rapid transport to the marine boundary troposphere where it is known to participate in ozone chemistry via photochemical and catalytic pathways. Until quite recently, a limited number of studies existed (compared to other marine volatile organic compounds (VOCs)), mainly due to the analytical challenge(s) presented by the low environmental mixing ratios. In this work we detail the development of a simplified, cost effective method to detect and quantify bromoform in environmental air samples. Air samples (1.5 L) were preconcentrated onto a precooled adsorbent (Carbopack X/Carboxen 1016) trap. These samples were injected by means of rapid thermal desorption for separation and detection by GC-ECD. The system was calibrated by means of a custom-built permeation oven. A linear system response was achieved, having a detection limit of 0.73 ± 0.09 ppt. A range of environmental samples was analysed to demonstrate the ability of the technique to separate and identify bromoform from air samples. The results showed that bromoform concentrations typically averaged 24.7 ± 17.3 ppt in marine air samples, 68.5 ± 26.3 ppt in Cape Town urban air samples and 33.9 ± 40.5 ppt in simulated biomass burning plumes (SBBP). PMID:23202011
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sammartano, G.; Spanò, A.
2017-09-01
Delineating accurate surface water quality levels (SWQLs) always presents a great challenge to researchers. Existing methods of assessing surface water quality only provide individual concentrations of monitoring stations without providing the overall SWQLs. Therefore, the results of existing methods are usually difficult to be understood by decision-makers. Conversely, the water quality index (WQI) can simplify surface water quality assessment process to be accessible to decision-makers. However, in most cases, the WQI reflects inaccurate SWQLs due to the lack of representative water samples. It is very challenging to provide representative water samples because this process is costly and time consuming. To solve this problem, we introduce a cost-effective method which combines the Landsat-8 imagery and artificial intelligence to develop models to derive representative water samples by correlating concentrations of ground truth water samples to satellite spectral information. Our method was validated and the correlation between concentrations of ground truth water samples and predicted concentrations from the developed models reached a high level of coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.80, which is trustworthy. Afterwards, the predicted concentrations over each pixel of the study area were used as an input to the WQI developed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment to extract accurate SWQLs, for drinking purposes, in the Saint John River. The results indicated that SWQL was observed as 67 (Fair) and 59 (Marginal) for the lower and middle basins of the river, respectively. These findings demonstrate the potential of using our approach in surface water quality management.
Shirazi, Mohammadali; Reddy Geedipally, Srinivas; Lord, Dominique
2017-01-01
Severity distribution functions (SDFs) are used in highway safety to estimate the severity of crashes and conduct different types of safety evaluations and analyses. Developing a new SDF is a difficult task and demands significant time and resources. To simplify the process, the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) has started to document SDF models for different types of facilities. As such, SDF models have recently been introduced for freeway and ramps in HSM addendum. However, since these functions or models are fitted and validated using data from a few selected number of states, they are required to be calibrated to the local conditions when applied to a new jurisdiction. The HSM provides a methodology to calibrate the models through a scalar calibration factor. However, the proposed methodology to calibrate SDFs was never validated through research. Furthermore, there are no concrete guidelines to select a reliable sample size. Using extensive simulation, this paper documents an analysis that examined the bias between the 'true' and 'estimated' calibration factors. It was indicated that as the value of the true calibration factor deviates further away from '1', more bias is observed between the 'true' and 'estimated' calibration factors. In addition, simulation studies were performed to determine the calibration sample size for various conditions. It was found that, as the average of the coefficient of variation (CV) of the 'KAB' and 'C' crashes increases, the analyst needs to collect a larger sample size to calibrate SDF models. Taking this observation into account, sample-size guidelines are proposed based on the average CV of crash severities that are used for the calibration process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
RILS: What are they, what are they good for, and do we have any?
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
RILs, or recombinant inbred lines, are a set of genetically related individuals that can simplify the gene discovery process. They are constructed using regular breeding processes rather than using tissue culture or other advanced biotechnology. Operationally, a hybrid is made, and this hybrid is se...
75 FR 77649 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-12-13
... Division of Independent Review Grant Reviewer Recruitment Form (OMB No. 0915-0295)--[Extension] HRSA's... of all eligible applications submitted to HRSA. DIR ensures that the independent review process is... experience; and allows maximum use of drop-down menus to simplify the data collection process. The Web-based...
Operational Control Procedures for the Activated Sludge Process, Part III-A: Calculation Procedures.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
West, Alfred W.
This is the second in a series of documents developed by the National Training and Operational Technology Center describing operational control procedures for the activated sludge process used in wastewater treatment. This document deals exclusively with the calculation procedures, including simplified mixing formulas, aeration tank…
Evaluation of Models of the Reading Process.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Balajthy, Ernest
A variety of reading process models have been proposed and evaluated in reading research. Traditional approaches to model evaluation specify the workings of a system in a simplified fashion to enable organized, systematic study of the system's components. Following are several statistical methods of model evaluation: (1) empirical research on…
Initial Crisis Reaction and Poliheuristic Theory
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
DeRouen, Karl, Jr.; Sprecher, Christopher
2004-01-01
Poliheuristic (PH) theory models foreign policy decisions using a two-stage process. The first step eliminates alternatives on the basis of a simplifying heuristic. The second step involves a selection from among the remaining alternatives and can employ a more rational and compensatory means of processing information. The PH model posits that…
A Guide to Program Planning Vol. II.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Allen, Earl, Sr.
This booklet is a simplified guide for program planning and is intended to complement a somewhat lengthier companion booklet on program evaluation. It spells out in outline fashion the basic elements and steps involved in the planning process. Brief sections focus in turn on different phases of the planning process, including problem…
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2005-05-01
This report provides an overview of polymer flammability from a material science perspective and describes currently accepted test methods to quantify burning behavior. Simplifying assumptions about the gas and condensed phase processes of flaming co...
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Karpoukhin, Mikhii G.; Kogan, Boris Y.; Karplus, Walter J.
1995-01-01
The simulation of heart arrhythmia and fibrillation are very important and challenging tasks. The solution of these problems using sophisticated mathematical models is beyond the capabilities of modern super computers. To overcome these difficulties it is proposed to break the whole simulation problem into two tightly coupled stages: generation of the action potential using sophisticated models. and propagation of the action potential using simplified models. The well known simplified models are compared and modified to bring the rate of depolarization and action potential duration restitution closer to reality. The modified method of lines is used to parallelize the computational process. The conditions for the appearance of 2D spiral waves after the application of a premature beat and the subsequent traveling of the spiral wave inside the simulated tissue are studied.
Examination of simplified travel demand model. [Internal volume forecasting model
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Smith, R.L. Jr.; McFarlane, W.J.
1978-01-01
A simplified travel demand model, the Internal Volume Forecasting (IVF) model, proposed by Low in 1972 is evaluated as an alternative to the conventional urban travel demand modeling process. The calibration of the IVF model for a county-level study area in Central Wisconsin results in what appears to be a reasonable model; however, analysis of the structure of the model reveals two primary mis-specifications. Correction of the mis-specifications leads to a simplified gravity model version of the conventional urban travel demand models. Application of the original IVF model to ''forecast'' 1960 traffic volumes based on the model calibrated for 1970more » produces accurate estimates. Shortcut and ad hoc models may appear to provide reasonable results in both the base and horizon years; however, as shown by the IVF mode, such models will not always provide a reliable basis for transportation planning and investment decisions.« less
Simplified Model and Response Analysis for Crankshaft of Air Compressor
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chao-bo, Li; Jing-jun, Lou; Zhen-hai, Zhang
2017-11-01
The original model of crankshaft is simplified to the appropriateness to balance the calculation precision and calculation speed, and then the finite element method is used to analyse the vibration response of the structure. In order to study the simplification and stress concentration for crankshaft of air compressor, this paper compares calculative mode frequency and experimental mode frequency of the air compressor crankshaft before and after the simplification, the vibration response of reference point constraint conditions is calculated by using the simplified model, and the stress distribution of the original model is calculated. The results show that the error between calculative mode frequency and experimental mode frequency is controlled in less than 7%, the constraint will change the model density of the system, the position between the crank arm and the shaft appeared stress concentration, so the part of the crankshaft should be treated in the process of manufacture.
Graphics and composite material computer program enhancements for SPAR
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Farley, G. L.; Baker, D. J.
1980-01-01
User documentation is provided for additional computer programs developed for use in conjunction with SPAR. These programs plot digital data, simplify input for composite material section properties, and compute lamina stresses and strains. Sample problems are presented including execution procedures, program input, and graphical output.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Directed soil sampling based on geospatial measurements of apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) is a potential means of characterizing the spatial variability of any soil property that influences ECa including soil salinity, water content, texture, bulk density, organic matter, and cation exc...
Simplifying field-scale assessment of spatiotemporal changes of soil salinity
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Monitoring soil salinity (ECe) is important to properly plan agronomic and irrigation practices. Salinity can be readily measured through soil sampling directed by geospatial measurements of apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa). Using data from a long-term (1999-2012) monitoring study at a 32...
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Current technologies with next generation sequencing have revolutionized metagenomics analysis of clinical samples. To achieve the non-selective amplification and recovery of low abundance genetic sequences, a simplified Sequence-Independent, Single-Primer Amplification (SISPA) technique in combinat...
Pohl, Fabian; Hartmann, Werner; Holzmann, Thomas; Gensicke, Sandra; Kölbl, Oliver; Hautmann, Matthias G
2014-01-25
Many cancer patients receive a central venous catheter or port system prior to therapy to assure correct drug administration. Even appropriate hygienic intervention maintenance carries the risk of contaminating the middle port (C-port) of a three-way cock (TWC), a risk that increases with the number of medical interventions. Because of the complexity of the cleaning procedure with disconnection and reconnection of the standard luer lock cap (referred as "intervention"), we compared luer lock caps with a "closed access system" consisting of a luer access split septum system with regard to process optimization (work simplification, process time), efficiency (costs) and hygiene (patient safety). For determination of process optimization the workflow of an intervention according to the usual practice and risks was depicted in a process diagram. For determining the actual process costs, we analyzed use of material and time parameters per intervention and used the process parameters for programming the process into a simulation run (n = 1000) to determine the process costs as well as their differences (ACTUAL vs. NOMINAL) within the framework of a discrete event simulation.Additionally cultures were carried out at the TWC C-ports to evaluate possible contamination. With the closed access system, the mean working time of 5.5 minutes could be reduced to 2.97 minutes. The results for average process costs (labour and material costs per use) were 3.92 € for luer lock caps and 2.55 € for the closed access system. The hypothesis test (2-sample t-test, CI 0.95, p-value<0.05) confirmed the significance of the result.In 50 reviewed samples (TWC's), the contamination rate for the luer lock cap was 8% (4 out of 50 samples were positive), the contamination rate of the 50 samples with the closed access system was 0%.Possible hygienic risks (related to material, surroundings, staff handling) could be reduced by 65.38%. In the present research, the closed access system with a divided split septum was superior to conventional luer lock caps. The advantage of the closed access system lies in the simplified handling for staff, which results in a reduced risk of patient infection due to improved clinical hygiene.
SkySat-1: very high-resolution imagery from a small satellite
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Murthy, Kiran; Shearn, Michael; Smiley, Byron D.; Chau, Alexandra H.; Levine, Josh; Robinson, M. Dirk
2014-10-01
This paper presents details of the SkySat-1 mission, which is the first microsatellite-class commercial earth- observation system to generate sub-meter resolution panchromatic imagery, in addition to sub-meter resolution 4-band pan-sharpened imagery. SkySat-1 was built and launched for an order of magnitude lower cost than similarly performing missions. The low-cost design enables the deployment of a large imaging constellation that can provide imagery with both high temporal resolution and high spatial resolution. One key enabler of the SkySat-1 mission was simplifying the spacecraft design and instead relying on ground- based image processing to achieve high-performance at the system level. The imaging instrument consists of a custom-designed high-quality optical telescope and commercially-available high frame rate CMOS image sen- sors. While each individually captured raw image frame shows moderate quality, ground-based image processing algorithms improve the raw data by combining data from multiple frames to boost image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and decrease the ground sample distance (GSD) in a process Skybox calls "digital TDI". Careful qual-ity assessment and tuning of the spacecraft, payload, and algorithms was necessary to generate high-quality panchromatic, multispectral, and pan-sharpened imagery. Furthermore, the framing sensor configuration en- abled the first commercial High-Definition full-frame rate panchromatic video to be captured from space, with approximately 1 meter ground sample distance. Details of the SkySat-1 imaging instrument and ground-based image processing system are presented, as well as an overview of the work involved with calibrating and validating the system. Examples of raw and processed imagery are shown, and the raw imagery is compared to pre-launch simulated imagery used to tune the image processing algorithms.
Kang, Dong Young; Kim, Won-Suk; Heo, In Sook; Park, Young Hun; Lee, Seungho
2010-11-01
Hyaluronic acid (HA) was extracted in a relatively large scale from rooster comb using a method similar to that reported previously. The extraction method was modified to simplify and to reduce time and cost in order to accommodate a large-scale extraction. Five hundred grams of frozen rooster combs yielded about 500 mg of dried HA. Extracted HA was characterized using asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF) coupled online to a multiangle light scattering detector and a refractive index detector to determine the molecular size, molecular weight (MW) distribution, and molecular conformation of HA. For characterization of HA, AsFlFFF was operated by a simplified two-step procedure, instead of the conventional three-step procedure, where the first two steps (sample loading and focusing) were combined into one to avoid the adsorption of viscous HA onto the channel membrane. The simplified two-step AsFlFFF yielded reasonably good separations of HA molecules based on their MWs. The weight average MW (M(w) ) and the average root-mean-square (RMS) radius of HA extracted from rooster comb were 1.20×10(6) and 94.7 nm, respectively. When the sample solution was filtered through a 0.45 μm disposable syringe filter, they were reduced down to 3.8×10(5) and 50.1 nm, respectively. Copyright © 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Rodríguez-Sánchez, Belén; Marín, Mercedes; Sánchez-Carrillo, Carlos; Cercenado, Emilia; Ruiz, Adrián; Rodríguez-Créixems, Marta; Bouza, Emilio
2014-05-01
This study evaluates matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) capability for the identification of difficult-to-identify microorganisms. A total of 150 bacterial isolates inconclusively identified with conventional phenotypic tests were further assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing and by MALDI-TOF MS following 2 methods: a) a simplified formic acid-based, on-plate extraction and b) performing a tube-based extraction step. Using the simplified method, 29 isolates could not be identified. For the remaining 121 isolates (80.7%), we obtained a reliable identification by MALDI-TOF: in 103 isolates, the identification by 16S rRNA sequencing and MALDI TOF coincided at the species level (68.7% from the total 150 analyzed isolates and 85.1% from the samples with MALDI-TOF result), and in 18 isolates, the identification by both methods coincided at the genus level (12% from the total and 14.9% from the samples with MALDI-TOF results). No discordant results were observed. The performance of the tube-based extraction step allowed the identification at the species level of 6 of the 29 unidentified isolates by the simplified method. In summary, MALDI-TOF can be used for the rapid identification of many bacterial isolates inconclusively identified by conventional methods. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Hewlett, Sarah; Nicklin, Joanna; Bode, Chistina; Carmona, Loreto; Dures, Emma; Engelbrecht, Matthias; Hagel, Sofia; Kirwan, John; Molto, Anna; Redondo, Marta; Gossec, Laure
2016-06-01
Cross-cultural translation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) is a lengthy process, often performed professionally. Cognitive interviewing assesses patient comprehension of PROMs. The objective was to evaluate the usefulness of cognitive interviewing to assess translations and compare professional (full) with non-professional (simplified) translation processes. A full protocol used for the Bristol RA Fatigue Multi-dimensional Questionnaire and Numerical Rating Scale (BRAF-MDQ, BRAF-NRS) was compared with a simplified protocol used for the RA Impact of Disease scale (RAID). RA patients in the UK, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Sweden completed the PROMs during cognitive interviewing (BRAFs in the UK were omitted as these were performed during development). Transcripts were deductively analysed for understanding, information retrieval, judgement and response options. Usefulness of cognitive interviewing was assessed by the nature of problems identified, and translation processes by percentage of consistently problematic items (⩾40% patients per country with similar concerns). Sixty patients participated (72% women). For the BRAFs (full protocol) one problematic item was identified (of 23 items × 5 languages, 1/115 = 0.9%). For the RAID (simplified protocol) two problematic items were identified (of 7 items × 6 languages, 2/42 = 4.8%), of which one was revised (Dutch). Coping questions were problematic in both PROMs. Conceptual and cultural challenges though rare were important, as identified by formal evaluation, demonstrating that cognitive interviewing is crucial in PROM translations. Proportionately fewer problematic items were found for the full than for the simplified translation procedure, suggesting that while both are acceptable, professional PROM translation might be preferable. Coping may be a particularly challenging notion cross-culturally. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Behroozi-Toosi, A. B.; Booker, H. G.
1980-12-01
The simplified theory of ELF wave propagation in the earth-ionosphere transmission lines developed by Booker (1980) is applied to a simplified worldwide model of the ionosphere. The theory, which involves the comparison of the local vertical refractive index gradient with the local wavelength in order to classify the altitude into regions of low and high gradient, is used for a model of electron and negative ion profiles in the D and E regions below 150 km. Attention is given to the frequency dependence of ELF propagation at a middle latitude under daytime conditions, the daytime latitude dependence of ELF propagation at the equinox, the effects of sunspot, seasonal and diurnal variations on propagation, nighttime propagation neglecting and including propagation above 100 km, and the effect on daytime ELF propagation of a sudden ionospheric disturbance. The numerical values obtained by the method for the propagation velocity and attenuation rate are shown to be in general agreement with the analytic Naval Ocean Systems Center computer program. It is concluded that the method employed gives more physical insights into propagation processes than any other method, while requiring less effort and providing maximal accuracy.
Zhang, Chu; Feng, Xuping; Wang, Jian; Liu, Fei; He, Yong; Zhou, Weijun
2017-01-01
Detection of plant diseases in a fast and simple way is crucial for timely disease control. Conventionally, plant diseases are accurately identified by DNA, RNA or serology based methods which are time consuming, complex and expensive. Mid-infrared spectroscopy is a promising technique that simplifies the detection procedure for the disease. Mid-infrared spectroscopy was used to identify the spectral differences between healthy and infected oilseed rape leaves. Two different sample sets from two experiments were used to explore and validate the feasibility of using mid-infrared spectroscopy in detecting Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) on oilseed rape leaves. The average mid-infrared spectra showed differences between healthy and infected leaves, and the differences varied among different sample sets. Optimal wavenumbers for the 2 sample sets selected by the second derivative spectra were similar, indicating the efficacy of selecting optimal wavenumbers. Chemometric methods were further used to quantitatively detect the oilseed rape leaves infected by SSR, including the partial least squares-discriminant analysis, support vector machine and extreme learning machine. The discriminant models using the full spectra and the optimal wavenumbers of the 2 sample sets were effective for classification accuracies over 80%. The discriminant results for the 2 sample sets varied due to variations in the samples. The use of two sample sets proved and validated the feasibility of using mid-infrared spectroscopy and chemometric methods for detecting SSR on oilseed rape leaves. The similarities among the selected optimal wavenumbers in different sample sets made it feasible to simplify the models and build practical models. Mid-infrared spectroscopy is a reliable and promising technique for SSR control. This study helps in developing practical application of using mid-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics to detect plant disease.
Multiplex screening of persistent organic pollutants in fish using spectrally encoded microspheres
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are food contaminants of global public health concern and known to be carcinogenic and endocrine disruptors. Their monitoring is essential and an easy-to-use, rapid and affordable multi-analyte screening method with simplified sample preparation can be a valuable...
A Web-Hosted R Workflow to Simplify and Automate the Analysis of 16S NGS Data
Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) produces large data sets that include tens-of-thousands of sequence reads per sample. For analysis of bacterial diversity, 16S NGS sequences are typically analyzed in a workflow that containing best-of-breed bioinformatics packages that may levera...
The drift diffusion model as the choice rule in reinforcement learning.
Pedersen, Mads Lund; Frank, Michael J; Biele, Guido
2017-08-01
Current reinforcement-learning models often assume simplified decision processes that do not fully reflect the dynamic complexities of choice processes. Conversely, sequential-sampling models of decision making account for both choice accuracy and response time, but assume that decisions are based on static decision values. To combine these two computational models of decision making and learning, we implemented reinforcement-learning models in which the drift diffusion model describes the choice process, thereby capturing both within- and across-trial dynamics. To exemplify the utility of this approach, we quantitatively fit data from a common reinforcement-learning paradigm using hierarchical Bayesian parameter estimation, and compared model variants to determine whether they could capture the effects of stimulant medication in adult patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The model with the best relative fit provided a good description of the learning process, choices, and response times. A parameter recovery experiment showed that the hierarchical Bayesian modeling approach enabled accurate estimation of the model parameters. The model approach described here, using simultaneous estimation of reinforcement-learning and drift diffusion model parameters, shows promise for revealing new insights into the cognitive and neural mechanisms of learning and decision making, as well as the alteration of such processes in clinical groups.
The drift diffusion model as the choice rule in reinforcement learning
Frank, Michael J.
2017-01-01
Current reinforcement-learning models often assume simplified decision processes that do not fully reflect the dynamic complexities of choice processes. Conversely, sequential-sampling models of decision making account for both choice accuracy and response time, but assume that decisions are based on static decision values. To combine these two computational models of decision making and learning, we implemented reinforcement-learning models in which the drift diffusion model describes the choice process, thereby capturing both within- and across-trial dynamics. To exemplify the utility of this approach, we quantitatively fit data from a common reinforcement-learning paradigm using hierarchical Bayesian parameter estimation, and compared model variants to determine whether they could capture the effects of stimulant medication in adult patients with attention-deficit hyper-activity disorder (ADHD). The model with the best relative fit provided a good description of the learning process, choices, and response times. A parameter recovery experiment showed that the hierarchical Bayesian modeling approach enabled accurate estimation of the model parameters. The model approach described here, using simultaneous estimation of reinforcement-learning and drift diffusion model parameters, shows promise for revealing new insights into the cognitive and neural mechanisms of learning and decision making, as well as the alteration of such processes in clinical groups. PMID:27966103
Curves showing column strength of steel and duralumin tubing
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Ross, Orrin E
1929-01-01
Given here are a set of column strength curves that are intended to simplify the method of determining the size of struts in an airplane structure when the load in the member is known. The curves will also simplify the checking of the strength of a strut if the size and length are known. With these curves, no computations are necessary, as in the case of the old-fashioned method of strut design. The process is so simple that draftsmen or others who are not entirely familiar with mechanics can check the strength of a strut without much danger of error.
Spacecraft transformer and inductor design
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Mclyman, W. T.
1977-01-01
The conversion process in spacecraft power electronics requires the use of magnetic components which frequently are the heaviest and bulkiest items in the conversion circuit. This handbook pertains to magnetic material selection, transformer and inductor design tradeoffs, transformer design, iron core dc inductor design, toroidal power core inductor design, window utilization factors, regulation, and temperature rise. Relationships are given which simplify and standardize the design of transformers and the analysis of the circuits in which they are used. The interactions of the various design parameters are also presented in simplified form so that tradeoffs and optimizations may easily be made.
The EIPeptiDi tool: enhancing peptide discovery in ICAT-based LC MS/MS experiments.
Cannataro, Mario; Cuda, Giovanni; Gaspari, Marco; Greco, Sergio; Tradigo, Giuseppe; Veltri, Pierangelo
2007-07-15
Isotope-coded affinity tags (ICAT) is a method for quantitative proteomics based on differential isotopic labeling, sample digestion and mass spectrometry (MS). The method allows the identification and relative quantification of proteins present in two samples and consists of the following phases. First, cysteine residues are either labeled using the ICAT Light or ICAT Heavy reagent (having identical chemical properties but different masses). Then, after whole sample digestion, the labeled peptides are captured selectively using the biotin tag contained in both ICAT reagents. Finally, the simplified peptide mixture is analyzed by nanoscale liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Nevertheless, the ICAT LC-MS/MS method still suffers from insufficient sample-to-sample reproducibility on peptide identification. In particular, the number and the type of peptides identified in different experiments can vary considerably and, thus, the statistical (comparative) analysis of sample sets is very challenging. Low information overlap at the peptide and, consequently, at the protein level, is very detrimental in situations where the number of samples to be analyzed is high. We designed a method for improving the data processing and peptide identification in sample sets subjected to ICAT labeling and LC-MS/MS analysis, based on cross validating MS/MS results. Such a method has been implemented in a tool, called EIPeptiDi, which boosts the ICAT data analysis software improving peptide identification throughout the input data set. Heavy/Light (H/L) pairs quantified but not identified by the MS/MS routine, are assigned to peptide sequences identified in other samples, by using similarity criteria based on chromatographic retention time and Heavy/Light mass attributes. EIPeptiDi significantly improves the number of identified peptides per sample, proving that the proposed method has a considerable impact on the protein identification process and, consequently, on the amount of potentially critical information in clinical studies. The EIPeptiDi tool is available at http://bioingegneria.unicz.it/~veltri/projects/eipeptidi/ with a demo data set. EIPeptiDi significantly increases the number of peptides identified and quantified in analyzed samples, thus reducing the number of unassigned H/L pairs and allowing a better comparative analysis of sample data sets.
Recent developments in microfluidic large scale integration.
Araci, Ismail Emre; Brisk, Philip
2014-02-01
In 2002, Thorsen et al. integrated thousands of micromechanical valves on a single microfluidic chip and demonstrated that the control of the fluidic networks can be simplified through multiplexors [1]. This enabled realization of highly parallel and automated fluidic processes with substantial sample economy advantage. Moreover, the fabrication of these devices by multilayer soft lithography was easy and reliable hence contributed to the power of the technology; microfluidic large scale integration (mLSI). Since then, mLSI has found use in wide variety of applications in biology and chemistry. In the meantime, efforts to improve the technology have been ongoing. These efforts mostly focus on; novel materials, components, micromechanical valve actuation methods, and chip architectures for mLSI. In this review, these technological advances are discussed and, recent examples of the mLSI applications are summarized. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Applications of chemiluminescence to bacterial analysis
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Searle, N. D.
1975-01-01
Luminol chemiluminescence method for detecting bacteria was based on microbial activation of the oxidation of the luminol monoanion by hydrogen peroxide. Elimination of the prior lysing step, previously used in the chemiluminescence technique, was shown to improve considerably the reproducibility and accuracy of the method in addition to simplifying it. An inexpensive, portable photomultiplier detector was used to measure the maximum light intensity produced when the sample is added to the reagent. Studies of cooling tower water show that the luminol chemiluminescence technique can be used to monitor changes in viable cell population both under normal conditions and during chlorine treatment. Good correlation between chemiluminescence and plate counts was also obtained in the analysis of process water used in paper mills. This method showed good potential for monitoring the viable bacteria populations in activated sludge used in waste treatment plants to digest organic matter.
Young, Chao-Wang; Hsieh, Jia-Ling; Ay, Chyung
2012-01-01
This study adopted a microelectromechanical fabrication process to design a chip integrated with electroosmotic flow and dielectrophoresis force for single cell lysis. Human histiocytic lymphoma U937 cells were driven rapidly by electroosmotic flow and precisely moved to a specific area for cell lysis. By varying the frequency of AC power, 15 V AC at 1 MHz of frequency configuration achieved 100% cell lysing at the specific area. The integrated chip could successfully manipulate single cells to a specific position and lysis. The overall successful rate of cell tracking, positioning, and cell lysis is 80%. The average speed of cell driving was 17.74 μm/s. This technique will be developed for DNA extraction in biomolecular detection. It can simplify pre-treatment procedures for biotechnological analysis of samples. PMID:22736957
Young, Chao-Wang; Hsieh, Jia-Ling; Ay, Chyung
2012-01-01
This study adopted a microelectromechanical fabrication process to design a chip integrated with electroosmotic flow and dielectrophoresis force for single cell lysis. Human histiocytic lymphoma U937 cells were driven rapidly by electroosmotic flow and precisely moved to a specific area for cell lysis. By varying the frequency of AC power, 15 V AC at 1 MHz of frequency configuration achieved 100% cell lysing at the specific area. The integrated chip could successfully manipulate single cells to a specific position and lysis. The overall successful rate of cell tracking, positioning, and cell lysis is 80%. The average speed of cell driving was 17.74 μm/s. This technique will be developed for DNA extraction in biomolecular detection. It can simplify pre-treatment procedures for biotechnological analysis of samples.
Direct digestion of proteins in living cells into peptides for proteomic analysis.
Chen, Qi; Yan, Guoquan; Gao, Mingxia; Zhang, Xiangmin
2015-01-01
To analyze the proteome of an extremely low number of cells or even a single cell, we established a new method of digesting whole cells into mass-spectrometry-identifiable peptides in a single step within 2 h. Our sampling method greatly simplified the processes of cell lysis, protein extraction, protein purification, and overnight digestion, without compromising efficiency. We used our method to digest hundred-scale cells. As far as we know, there is no report of proteome analysis starting directly with as few as 100 cells. We identified an average of 109 proteins from 100 cells, and with three replicates, the number of proteins rose to 204. Good reproducibility was achieved, showing stability and reliability of the method. Gene Ontology analysis revealed that proteins in different cellular compartments were well represented.
Information systems as a quality management tool in clinical laboratories
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Schmitz, Vanessa; Rosecler Bez el Boukhari, Marta
2007-11-01
This article describes information systems as a quality management tool in clinical laboratories. The quality of laboratory analyses is of fundamental importance for health professionals in aiding appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Information systems allow the automation of internal quality management processes, using standard sample tests, Levey-Jennings charts and Westgard multirule analysis. This simplifies evaluation and interpretation of quality tests and reduces the possibility of human error. This study proposes the development of an information system with appropriate functions and costs for the automation of internal quality control in small and medium-sized clinical laboratories. To this end, it evaluates the functions and usability of two commercial software products designed for this purpose, identifying the positive features of each, so that these can be taken into account during the development of the proposed system.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Khachatryan, Vardan
A search for new physics is performed based on all-hadronic events with large missing transverse momentum produced in proton-proton collisions atmore » $$\\sqrt{s}$$ =13 TeV. The data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.3 fb -1, was collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC in 2015. The data are examined in search regions of jet multiplicity, tagged bottom quark jet multiplicity, missing transverse momentum, and the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta. The observed numbers of events in all search regions are found to be consistent with the expectations from standard model processes. Exclusion limits are presented for simplified supersymmetric models of gluino pair production. Depending on the assumed gluino decay mechanism, and for a massless, weakly interacting, lightest neutralino, lower limits on the gluino mass from 1440 to 1600 GeV are obtained, significantly extending previous limits.« less
Surface stress-based biosensors.
Sang, Shengbo; Zhao, Yuan; Zhang, Wendong; Li, Pengwei; Hu, Jie; Li, Gang
2014-01-15
Surface stress-based biosensors, as one kind of label-free biosensors, have attracted lots of attention in the process of information gathering and measurement for the biological, chemical and medical application with the development of technology and society. This kind of biosensors offers many advantages such as short response time (less than milliseconds) and a typical sensitivity at nanogram, picoliter, femtojoule and attomolar level. Furthermore, it simplifies sample preparation and testing procedures. In this work, progress made towards the use of surface stress-based biosensors for achieving better performance is critically reviewed, including our recent achievement, the optimally circular membrane-based biosensors and biosensor array. The further scientific and technological challenges in this field are also summarized. Critical remark and future steps towards the ultimate surface stress-based biosensors are addressed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
An adaptive grid scheme using the boundary element method
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Munipalli, R.; Anderson, D.A.
1996-09-01
A technique to solve the Poisson grid generation equations by Green`s function related methods has been proposed, with the source terms being purely position dependent. The use of distributed singularities in the flow domain coupled with the boundary element method (BEM) formulation is presented in this paper as a natural extension of the Green`s function method. This scheme greatly simplifies the adaption process. The BEM reduces the dimensionality of the given problem by one. Internal grid-point placement can be achieved for a given boundary distribution by adding continuous and discrete source terms in the BEM formulation. A distribution of vortexmore » doublets is suggested as a means of controlling grid-point placement and grid-line orientation. Examples for sample adaption problems are presented and discussed. 15 refs., 20 figs.« less
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Roberts, B. C.; Carrasquillo, R. L.; Dubiel, M. Y.; Ogle, K. Y.; Perry, J. L.; Whitley, K. M.
1990-01-01
A description of the phase 3 simplified integrated test (SIT) conducted at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Core Module Integration Facility (CMIF) in 1989 is presented. This was the first test in the phase 3 series integrated environmental control and life support systems (ECLSS) tests. The basic goal of the SIT was to achieve full integration of the baseline air revitalization (AR) subsystems for Space Station Freedom. Included is a description of the SIT configuration, a performance analysis of each subsystem, results from air and water sampling, and a discussion of lessons learned from the test. Also included is a full description of the preprototype ECLSS hardware used in the test.
Effects of Simplifying Choice Tasks on Estimates of Taste Heterogeneity in Stated-Choice Surveys
Johnson, F. Reed; Ozdemir, Semra; Phillips, Kathryn A
2011-01-01
Researchers usually employ orthogonal arrays or D-optimal designs with little or no attribute overlap in stated-choice surveys. The challenge is to balance statistical efficiency and respondent burden to minimize the overall error in the survey responses. This study examined whether simplifying the choice task, by using a design with more overlap, provides advantages over standard minimum-overlap methods. We administered two designs for eliciting HIV test preferences to split samples. Surveys were undertaken at four HIV testing locations in San Francisco, California. Personal characteristics had different effects on willingness to pay for the two treatments, and gains in statistical efficiency in the minimal-overlap version more than compensated for possible imprecision from increased measurement error. PMID:19880234
Direct Synthesis of Microwave Waveforms for Quantum Computing
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Raftery, James; Vrajitoarea, Andrei; Zhang, Gengyan; Leng, Zhaoqi; Srinivasan, Srikanth; Houck, Andrew
Current state of the art quantum computing experiments in the microwave regime use control pulses generated by modulating microwave tones with baseband signals generated by an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG). Recent advances in digital analog conversion technology have made it possible to directly synthesize arbitrary microwave pulses with sampling rates of 65 gigasamples per second (GSa/s) or higher. These new ultra-wide bandwidth AWG's could dramatically simplify the classical control chain for quantum computing experiments, presenting potential cost savings and reducing the number of components that need to be carefully calibrated. Here we use a Keysight M8195A AWG to study the viability of such a simplified scheme, demonstrating randomized benchmarking of a superconducting qubit with high fidelity.
Modeling of Radiative Heat Transfer in an Electric Arc Furnace
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Opitz, Florian; Treffinger, Peter; Wöllenstein, Jürgen
2017-12-01
Radiation is an important means of heat transfer inside an electric arc furnace (EAF). To gain insight into the complex processes of heat transfer inside the EAF vessel, not only radiation from the surfaces but also emission and absorption of the gas phase and the dust cloud need to be considered. Furthermore, the radiative heat exchange depends on the geometrical configuration which is continuously changing throughout the process. The present paper introduces a system model of the EAF which takes into account the radiative heat transfer between the surfaces and the participating medium. This is attained by the development of a simplified geometrical model, the use of a weighted-sum-of-gray-gases model, and a simplified consideration of dust radiation. The simulation results were compared with the data of real EAF plants available in literature.
Climate Change, Nutrition, and Bottom-Up and Top-Down Food Web Processes.
Rosenblatt, Adam E; Schmitz, Oswald J
2016-12-01
Climate change ecology has focused on climate effects on trophic interactions through the lenses of temperature effects on organismal physiology and phenological asynchronies. Trophic interactions are also affected by the nutrient content of resources, but this topic has received less attention. Using concepts from nutritional ecology, we propose a conceptual framework for understanding how climate affects food webs through top-down and bottom-up processes impacted by co-occurring environmental drivers. The framework integrates climate effects on consumer physiology and feeding behavior with effects on resource nutrient content. It illustrates how studying responses of simplified food webs to simplified climate change might produce erroneous predictions. We encourage greater integrative complexity of climate change research on trophic interactions to resolve patterns and enhance predictive capacities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Doughty, Benjamin; Simpson, Mary Jane; Yang, Bin
Our work aims to simplify multi-dimensional femtosecond transient absorption microscopy (TAM) data into decay associated amplitude maps that describe the spatial distributions of dynamical processes occurring on various characteristic timescales. Application of this method to TAM data obtained from a model methyl-ammonium lead iodide (CH 3NH 3PbI 3) perovskite thin film allows us to simplify the dataset consisting of a 68 time-resolved images into 4 decay associated amplitude maps. Furthermore, these maps provide a simple means to visualize the complex electronic excited-state dynamics in this system by separating distinct dynamical processes evolving on characteristic timescales into individual spatial images. Thismore » approach provides new insight into subtle aspects of ultrafast relaxation dynamics associated with excitons and charge carriers in the perovskite thin film, which have recently been found to coexist at spatially distinct locations.« less
Predictions of GPS X-Set Performance during the Places Experiment
1979-07-01
previously existing GPS X-set receiver simulation was modified to include the received signal spectrum and the receiver code correlation operation... CORRELATION OPERATION The X-set receiver simulation documented in Reference 3-1 is a direct sampled -data digital implementation of the GPS X-set...ul(t) -sin w2t From Carrier and Code Loops (wit +0 1 (t)) Figure 3-6. Simplified block diagram of code correlator operation and I-Q sampling . 6 I
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Oliver, Astrid; Dahlquist, Janet; Tankersley, Jan; Emrich, Beth
2010-01-01
This article discusses the processes that occurred when the Library, Controller's Office, and Information Technology Department agreed to create an interface between the Library's Innovative Interfaces patron database and campus administrative software, Banner, using file transfer protocol, in an effort to streamline the Library's accounts…
Seven Ways to Streamline Student Services
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Fredette, Michelle
2011-01-01
To meet the expectations of today's tech-savvy students, colleges and universities are looking for ways to speed up their processes and provide better services for their No. 1 customer. They have turned to technology to simplify processes, reduce costs, and meet the high expectations of a technically literate student body. In this article, the…
Strategies of Clarification in Judges' Use of Language: From the Written to the Spoken.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Philips, Susan U.
1985-01-01
Reports on a study of judges' strategies in clarifying their verbal explanations of constitutional rights to criminal defendants. Identifies six clarification processes and compares them with other studies of clarification processes and with the properties of simplified registers, particularly speech addressed to first- and second-language…
U/Th dating by SHRIMP RG ion-microprobe mass spectrometry using single ion-exchange beads
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bischoff, James L.; Wooden, Joe; Murphy, Fred; Williams, Ross W.
2005-04-01
We present a new analytical method for U-series isotopes using the SHRIMP RG (Sensitive High mass Resolution Ion MicroProbe) mass spectrometer that utilizes the preconcentration of the U-series isotopes from a sample onto a single ion-exchange bead. Ion-microprobe mass spectrometry is capable of producing Th ionization efficiencies in excess of 2%. Analytical precision is typically better than alpha spectroscopy, but not as good as thermal ionization mass spectroscopy (TIMS) and inductively coupled plasma multicollector mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Like TIMS and ICP-MS the method allows analysis of small samples sizes, but also adds the advantage of rapidity of analysis. A major advantage of ion-microprobe analysis is that U and Th isotopes are analyzed in the same bead, simplifying the process of chemical separation. Analytical time on the instrument is ˜60 min per sample, and a single instrument-loading can accommodate 15-20 samples to be analyzed in a 24-h day. An additional advantage is that the method allows multiple reanalyses of the same bead and that samples can be archived for reanalysis at a later time. Because the ion beam excavates a pit only a few μm deep, the mount can later be repolished and reanalyzed numerous times. The method described of preconcentrating a low concentration sample onto a small conductive substrate to allow ion-microprobe mass spectrometry is potentially applicable to many other systems.
U/Th dating by SHRIMP RG ion-microprobe mass spectrometry using single ion-exchange beads
Bischoff, J.L.; Wooden, J.; Murphy, F.; Williams, Ross W.
2005-01-01
We present a new analytical method for U-series isotopes using the SHRIMP RG (Sensitive High mass Resolution Ion MicroProbe) mass spectrometer that utilizes the preconcentration of the U-series isotopes from a sample onto a single ion-exchange bead. Ion-microprobe mass spectrometry is capable of producing Th ionization efficiencies in excess of 2%. Analytical precision is typically better than alpha spectroscopy, but not as good as thermal ionization mass spectroscopy (TIMS) and inductively coupled plasma multicollector mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Like TIMS and ICP-MS the method allows analysis of small samples sizes, but also adds the advantage of rapidity of analysis. A major advantage of ion-microprobe analysis is that U and Th isotopes are analyzed in the same bead, simplifying the process of chemical separation. Analytical time on the instrument is ???60 min per sample, and a single instrument-loading can accommodate 15-20 samples to be analyzed in a 24-h day. An additional advantage is that the method allows multiple reanalyses of the same bead and that samples can be archived for reanalysis at a later time. Because the ion beam excavates a pit only a few ??m deep, the mount can later be repolished and reanalyzed numerous times. The method described of preconcentrating a low concentration sample onto a small conductive substrate to allow ion-microprobe mass spectrometry is potentially applicable to many other systems. Copyright ?? 2005 Elsevier Ltd.
Cappione, Amedeo; Mabuchi, Masaharu; Briggs, David; Nadler, Timothy
2015-04-01
Protein immuno-detection encompasses a broad range of analytical methodologies, including western blotting, flow cytometry, and microscope-based applications. These assays which detect, quantify, and/or localize expression for one or more proteins in complex biological samples, are reliant upon fluorescent or enzyme-tagged target-specific antibodies. While small molecule labeling kits are available with a range of detection moieties, the workflow is hampered by a requirement for multiple dialysis-based buffer exchange steps that are both time-consuming and subject to sample loss. In a previous study, we briefly described an alternative method for small-scale protein labeling with small molecule dyes whereby all phases of the conjugation workflow could be performed in a single centrifugal diafiltration device. Here, we expand on this foundational work addressing functionality of the device at each step in the workflow (sample cleanup, labeling, unbound dye removal, and buffer exchange/concentration) and the implications for optimizing labeling efficiency. When compared to other common buffer exchange methodologies, centrifugal diafiltration offered superior performance as measured by four key parameters (process time, desalting capacity, protein recovery, retain functional integrity). Originally designed for resin-based affinity purification, the device also provides a platform for up-front antibody purification or albumin carrier removal. Most significantly, by exploiting the rapid kinetics of NHS-based labeling reactions, the process of continuous diafiltration minimizes reaction time and long exposure to excess dye, guaranteeing maximal target labeling while limiting the risks associated with over-labeling. Overall, the device offers a simplified workflow with reduced processing time and hands-on requirements, without sacrificing labeling efficiency, final yield, or conjugate performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Pin, Christian; Gannoun, Abdelmouhcine
2017-02-21
A fast and efficient sample preparation method in view of isotope ratio measurements is described, allowing the separation of 11 elements involved, either as "parent" or as "daughter" isotopes, in six radiogenic isotope systems used as chronometers and tracers in earth, planetary, and environmental sciences. The protocol is based on small extraction chromatographic columns, used either alone or in tandem, through which a single nitric acid solution is passed, without any intervening evaporation step. The columns use commercially available extraction resins (Sr resin, TRU resin, Ln resin, RE resin, and again Ln resin for isolating Sr and Pb, LREE then La-Ce-Nd-Sm, Lu(Yb), and Hf, Th, and U, respectively) along with an additional, in-house prepared resin for separating Rb. A simplified scheme is proposed for samples requiring the separation of Sr, Pb, Nd, and Hf only. Adverse effects of troublesome major elements (Fe 3+ , Ti) are circumvented by masking with ascorbic acid and hydrofluoric acid, respectively. Typical recoveries in the 85-95% range are achieved, with procedural blanks of 10-100 pg, negligible with regard to the amounts of analytes processed. The fractions separated are suitable for high precision isotope ratio measurements by TIMS or MC-ICP-MS, as demonstrated by the repeat analyses of several international reference materials of basaltic composition for 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, 208,207,206 Pb/ 204 Pb, 143 Nd/ 144 Nd, 176 Hf/ 177 Hf, and 230 Th/ 232 Th. Concentration data could be obtained by spiking and equilibrating the sample with appropriate isotopic tracers before the onset of the separation process and, finally, measuring the isotope ratios modified by the isotope dilution process.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Romero, A. C. (Principal Investigator)
1976-01-01
The author has identified the following significant results. Based upon the results obtained by both interpretations, radar and satellite, highly fractured zones were outlined and checked against geologic rock samples. Most of the rock samples were collected along the Ventuari River that crosses most of the project area from NE to SE. The structural orientation and fracture patterns were taken into consideration during the planning of flight lines, also the magnetic declination of the area. Most of the flight lines were oriented N 30 deg W across known structural trends; the altitude above ground was 450 feet, and the distance between lines was 3000 feet. The ERTS image permits the obtention of a panoramic vision of the area, and facilitates the exact delineation of major drainages. Topographic changes are easily observed. Rocky outcrops are easily distinguishable on band 5 and 7. Shrub vegetation zones are distinguishable on both bands, without possible separation of forest types, this is possible only when the physiographic conditions of small textural differences are taken into account.
Xu, Chao; Li, Liang; Jin, Wujun; Wan, Yusong
2014-01-01
Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a novel isothermal DNA amplification and detection technology that enables the amplification of DNA within 30 min at a constant temperature of 37–42 °C by simulating in vivo DNA recombination. In this study, based on the regulatory sequence of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV-35S) promoter and the Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase gene (nos) terminator, which are widely incorporated in genetically modified (GM) crops, we designed two sets of RPA primers and established a real-time RPA detection method for GM crop screening and detection. This method could reliably detect as few as 100 copies of the target molecule in a sample within 15–25 min. Furthermore, the real-time RPA detection method was successfully used to amplify and detect DNA from samples of four major GM crops (maize, rice, cotton, and soybean). With this novel amplification method, the test time was significantly shortened and the reaction process was simplified; thus, this method represents an effective approach to the rapid detection of GM crops. PMID:25310647
BCM: toolkit for Bayesian analysis of Computational Models using samplers.
Thijssen, Bram; Dijkstra, Tjeerd M H; Heskes, Tom; Wessels, Lodewyk F A
2016-10-21
Computational models in biology are characterized by a large degree of uncertainty. This uncertainty can be analyzed with Bayesian statistics, however, the sampling algorithms that are frequently used for calculating Bayesian statistical estimates are computationally demanding, and each algorithm has unique advantages and disadvantages. It is typically unclear, before starting an analysis, which algorithm will perform well on a given computational model. We present BCM, a toolkit for the Bayesian analysis of Computational Models using samplers. It provides efficient, multithreaded implementations of eleven algorithms for sampling from posterior probability distributions and for calculating marginal likelihoods. BCM includes tools to simplify the process of model specification and scripts for visualizing the results. The flexible architecture allows it to be used on diverse types of biological computational models. In an example inference task using a model of the cell cycle based on ordinary differential equations, BCM is significantly more efficient than existing software packages, allowing more challenging inference problems to be solved. BCM represents an efficient one-stop-shop for computational modelers wishing to use sampler-based Bayesian statistics.
Liu, Dayu; Ou, Ziyou; Xu, Mingfei; Wang, Lihui
2008-12-19
We present a sensitive, simple and robust on-chip transient isotachophoresis/capillary gel electrophoresis (tITP/CGE) method for the analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) samples. Using chloride ions in the PCR buffer and N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) in the background electrolyte, respectively, as the leading and terminating electrolytes, the tITP preconcentration was coupled with CGE separation with double-T shaped channel network. The tITP/CGE separation was carried out with a single running buffer. The separation process involved only two steps that were performed continuously with the sequential switching of four voltage outputs. The tITP/CGE method showed an analysis time and a separation efficiency comparable to those of standard CGE, while the signal intensity was enhanced by factors of over 20. The limit of detection of the chip-based tITP/CGE method was estimated to be 1.1 ng/mL of DNA in 1x PCR buffer using confocal fluorescence detection following 473 nm laser excitation.
Fan, Pei-Hong; Zang, Mei-Tong; Xing, Jie
2015-08-30
As probiotics, soy oligosaccharides have become popular as healthy foods to reduce disease risk. However, comprehensive information about oligosaccharides in different food legumes is limited. In this study, eight oligosaccharides were well detected and quantified in different varieties of eight legume species using high-resolution mass spectrometry. It was determined that species could be distinguished by total content of oligosaccharides and their distribution modes. Among the studied species, Vigna unguiculata is a better resource of non-digestible oligosaccharides, while Vicia faba and black soybean (Glycine max) are at a disadvantage. Normally, stachyose predominates in non-digestible oligosaccharides, except in mung bean and broad bean, where verbascose predominates. For mung bean and green soybean, the seed coat should be taken into account for oligosaccharide consumption. The developed high-resolution mass spectrometry method greatly simplified the sample preparation process and permitted the identification of oligosaccharides without reference compounds. This work involved extensive sample collecting and provided useful information for consumers. The developed method may be useful for rapid quantification of oligosaccharides in related foods. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Chatrchyan, S.; Khachatryan, V.; Sirunyan, A. M.
Results are reported from a search for new physics processes in events containing a single isolated high-transverse-momentum lepton (electron or muon), energetic jets, and large missing transverse momentum. The analysis is based on a 4.98 fb -1 sample of proton–proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, obtained with the CMS detector at the LHC. Three separate background estimation methods, each relying primarily on control samples in the data, are applied to a range of signal regions, providing complementary approaches for estimating the background yields. The observed yields are consistent with the predicted standard model backgrounds. The results are interpreted inmore » terms of limits on the parameter space for the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model, as well as on cross sections for simplified models, which provide a generic description of the production and decay of new particles in specific, topology based final states.« less
Xu, Chao; Li, Liang; Jin, Wujun; Wan, Yusong
2014-10-10
Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a novel isothermal DNA amplification and detection technology that enables the amplification of DNA within 30 min at a constant temperature of 37-42 °C by simulating in vivo DNA recombination. In this study, based on the regulatory sequence of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV-35S) promoter and the Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase gene (nos) terminator, which are widely incorporated in genetically modified (GM) crops, we designed two sets of RPA primers and established a real-time RPA detection method for GM crop screening and detection. This method could reliably detect as few as 100 copies of the target molecule in a sample within 15-25 min. Furthermore, the real-time RPA detection method was successfully used to amplify and detect DNA from samples of four major GM crops (maize, rice, cotton, and soybean). With this novel amplification method, the test time was significantly shortened and the reaction process was simplified; thus, this method represents an effective approach to the rapid detection of GM crops.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Oelmann, J.; Gierse, N.; Li, C.; Brezinsek, S.; Zlobinski, M.; Turan, B.; Haas, S.; Linsmeier, Ch.
2018-06-01
Monitoring a sample's material composition became more and more important over the last years for both - industrial process control as well as for post mortem analysis in research and industrial development. Although material composition identification as well as a comparison with standard samples works fine, there is a lack of diagnostics which can provide quantitative information with depth resolution without any standard samples. We present a novel method utilizing a residual gas analysis with quadrupole mass spectrometry after picosecond laser-induced ablation and release of volatile species. In the present experiment, well characterized multilayer thin film solar cells (μc-Si:H and a-Si:D as p-i-n-junctions on ZnO:Al electrodes) are used as a set of well characterized material samples to demonstrate the capabilities of the new method. The linearity of the spectrometer signal to gas pressure simplifies its calibration and reduces its uncertainties in comparison with other analysis techniques, although high vacuum conditions (10-6 hPa to 10-7 hPa) are required to reach high sensitivity better than the percent-range. Moreover, the laser-ablation based sample analysis requires no preparation of the sample and is flexible regarding ablation rates. The application of a picosecond laser pulse ensures that the thermal penetration depth of the laser is in the same order of magnitude as the ablation rate, which enables to achieve depth resolutions in the order of 100 nm and avoids matrix mixing effects at the edge of the laser-induced crater in the sample.
1991-09-01
putting all tasks directed towsrds achieving an outcome in aequence. The tasks can be viewed as steps in the process (39:2.3). Using this...improvement opportunity is investigated. A plan is developed, root causes are identified, and solutions are tested and implemented. The process is... solutions , check for actual improvement, and integrate the successful improvements into the process. ?UP 7. Check Improvement Performance. Finally, the
Enzyme catalysis with small ionic liquid quantities.
Fischer, Fabian; Mutschler, Julien; Zufferey, Daniel
2011-04-01
Enzyme catalysis with minimal ionic liquid quantities improves reaction rates, stereoselectivity and enables solvent-free processing. In particular the widely used lipases combine well with many ionic liquids. Demonstrated applications are racemate separation, esterification and glycerolysis. Minimal solvent processing is also an alternative to sluggish solvent-free catalysis. The method allows simplified down-stream processing, as only traces of ionic liquids have to be removed.
Development of integrated control system for smart factory in the injection molding process
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chung, M. J.; Kim, C. Y.
2018-03-01
In this study, we proposed integrated control system for automation of injection molding process required for construction of smart factory. The injection molding process consists of heating, tool close, injection, cooling, tool open, and take-out. Take-out robot controller, image processing module, and process data acquisition interface module are developed and assembled to integrated control system. By adoption of integrated control system, the injection molding process can be simplified and the cost for construction of smart factory can be inexpensive.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ezzedine, S. M.; McNab, W. W.
2007-12-01
Long-term monitoring (LTM) is particularly important for contaminants which are mitigated by natural processes of dilution, dispersion, and degradation. At many sites, LTM can require decades of expensive sampling at tens or even hundreds of existing monitoring wells, resulting in hundreds of thousands, or millions of dollars per year for sampling and data management. Therefore, contaminant sampling tools, methods and frequencies are chosen to minimize waste and data management costs while ensuring a reliable and informative time-history of contaminant measurement for regulatory compliance. The interplay play between cause (i.e. subsurface heterogeneities, sampling techniques, measurement frequencies) and effect (unreliable data and measurements gap) has been overlooked in many field applications which can lead to inconsistencies in time- histories of contaminant samples. In this study we address the relationship between cause and effect for different hydrogeological sampling settings: porous and fractured media. A numerical model has been developed using AMR-FEM to solve the physicochemical processes that take place in the aquifer and the monitoring well. In the latter, the flow is governed by the Navier-Stokes equations while in the former the flow is governed by the diffusivity equation; both are fully coupled to mimic stressed conditions and to assess the effect of dynamic sampling tool on the formation surrounding the monitoring well. First of all, different sampling tools (i.e., Easy Pump, Snapper Grab Sampler) were simulated in a monitoring well screened in different homogeneous layered aquifers to assess their effect on the sampling measurements. Secondly, in order to make the computer runs more CPU efficient the flow in the monitoring well was replaced by its counterpart flow in porous media with infinite permeability and the new model was used to simulate the effect of heterogeneities, sampling depth, sampling tool and sampling frequencies on the uncertainties in the concentration measurements. Finally, the models and results were abstracted using a simple mixed-tank approach to further simplify the models and make them more accessible to field hydrogeologists. During the abstraction process a novel method was developed for mapping streamlines in the fractures as well within the monitoring well to illustrate mixing and mixing zones. Applications will be demonstrated for both sampling in porous and fractured media. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-Eng-48.
6 Source Categories - Boilers (Proposed Action)
EPA is proposing options to simplify the Clean Air Act permitting process for certain smaller sources of air pollution commonly found in Indian country. This action would ensure that air quality in Indian country is protected.
How much expert knowledge is it worth to put in conceptual hydrological models?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Antonetti, Manuel; Zappa, Massimiliano
2017-04-01
Both modellers and experimentalists agree on using expert knowledge to improve our conceptual hydrological simulations on ungauged basins. However, they use expert knowledge differently for both hydrologically mapping the landscape and parameterising a given hydrological model. Modellers use generally very simplified (e.g. topography-based) mapping approaches and put most of the knowledge for constraining the model by defining parameter and process relational rules. In contrast, experimentalists tend to invest all their detailed and qualitative knowledge about processes to obtain a spatial distribution of areas with different dominant runoff generation processes (DRPs) as realistic as possible, and for defining plausible narrow value ranges for each model parameter. Since, most of the times, the modelling goal is exclusively to simulate runoff at a specific site, even strongly simplified hydrological classifications can lead to satisfying results due to equifinality of hydrological models, overfitting problems and the numerous uncertainty sources affecting runoff simulations. Therefore, to test to which extent expert knowledge can improve simulation results under uncertainty, we applied a typical modellers' modelling framework relying on parameter and process constraints defined based on expert knowledge to several catchments on the Swiss Plateau. To map the spatial distribution of the DRPs, mapping approaches with increasing involvement of expert knowledge were used. Simulation results highlighted the potential added value of using all the expert knowledge available on a catchment. Also, combinations of event types and landscapes, where even a simplified mapping approach can lead to satisfying results, were identified. Finally, the uncertainty originated by the different mapping approaches was compared with the one linked to meteorological input data and catchment initial conditions.
Long-term strategy for the statistical design of a forest health monitoring system
Hans T. Schreuder; Raymond L. Czaplewski
1993-01-01
A conceptual framework is given for a broad-scale survey of forest health that accomplishes three objectives: generate descriptive statistics; detect changes in such statistics; and simplify analytical inferences that identify, and possibly establish cause-effect relationships. Our paper discusses the development of sampling schemes to satisfy these three objectives,...
Periodontal Disease and Oral Hygiene Among Children. United States.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
National Center for Health Statistics (DHEW/PHS), Hyattsville, MD.
Statistical data presented on periodontal disease and oral hygiene among noninstitutionalized children, aged 6-11, in the United States are based on a probability sample of approximately 7,400 children involved in a national health survey during 1963-65. The report contains estimates of the Periodontal Index (PI) and the Simplified Oral Hygiene…
Response surface models of subsoil K concentration for loess over till soils in Missouri
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Crop uptake of potassium (K) has demonstrated sensitivity to subsoil variation in K content. This fact has not been sufficiently considered in K management strategies in part due to logistical difficulties in sampling spatially variable subsoil K. We propose a simplified soil factorial model, a resp...
SIMPLIFIED METHOD FOR EXTRACTING BOUND PESTICIDES FROM AVIAN SERUM
A simple solid-phase extraction (SPE) method was developed to extract organochlorine pesticides (OCs) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from avian serum. In this method, a 1-mL serum sample fortified with two levels of OCs or POPs was treated with 8M urea or 4M urea and 4...
Zubair, Faizan; Laibinis, Paul E.; Swisher, William G.; Yang, Junhai; Spraggins, Jeffrey M.; Norris, Jeremy L.; Caprioli, Richard M.
2017-01-01
Prefabricated surfaces containing α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid and trypsin have been developed to facilitate enzymatic digestion of endogenous tissue proteins prior to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS). Tissue sections are placed onto slides that were previously coated with α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid and trypsin. After incubation to promote enzymatic digestion, the tissue is analyzed by MALDI IMS to determine the spatial distribution of the tryptic fragments. The peptides detected in the MALDI IMS dataset were identified by Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. Protein identification was further confirmed by correlating the localization of unique tryptic fragments originating from common parent proteins. Using this procedure, proteins with molecular weights as large as 300 kDa were identified and their distributions were imaged in sections of rat brain. In particular, large proteins such as myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (29.8 kDa) and spectrin alpha chain, non-erythrocytic 1 (284 kDa) were detected that are not observed without trypsin. The pre-coated targets simplify workflow and increase sample throughput by decreasing the sample preparation time. Further, the approach allows imaging at higher spatial resolution compared with robotic spotters that apply one drop at a time. PMID:27676701
He, Hongbin; Argiro, Laurent; Dessein, Helia; Chevillard, Christophe
2007-01-01
FTA technology is a novel method designed to simplify the collection, shipment, archiving and purification of nucleic acids from a wide variety of biological sources. The number of punches that can normally be obtained from a single specimen card are often however, insufficient for the testing of the large numbers of loci required to identify genetic factors that control human susceptibility or resistance to multifactorial diseases. In this study, we propose an improved technique to perform large-scale SNP genotyping. We applied a whole genome amplification method to amplify DNA from buccal cell samples stabilized using FTA technology. The results show that using the improved technique it is possible to perform up to 15,000 genotypes from one buccal cell sample. Furthermore, the procedure is simple. We consider this improved technique to be a promising methods for performing large-scale SNP genotyping because the FTA technology simplifies the collection, shipment, archiving and purification of DNA, while whole genome amplification of FTA card bound DNA produces sufficient material for the determination of thousands of SNP genotypes.
Howard, Karen L; Boyer, Gregory L
2007-01-01
A novel method for simplifying adduct patterns to improve the detection and identification of peptide toxins using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry is presented. Addition of 200 microM zinc sulfate heptahydrate (ZnSO(4) . 7H(2)O) to samples prior to spotting on the target enhances detection of the protonated molecule while suppressing competing adducts. This produces a highly simplified spectrum with the potential to enhance quantitative analysis, particularly for complex samples. The resulting improvement in total signal strength and reduction in the coefficient of variation (from 31.1% to 5.2% for microcystin-LR) further enhance the potential for sensitive and accurate quantitation. Other potential additives tested, including 18-crown-6 ether, alkali metal salts (lithium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride), and other transition metal salts (silver chloride, silver nitrate, copper(II) nitrate, copper(II) sulfate, zinc acetate), were unable to achieve comparable results. Application of this technique to the analysis of several microcystins, potent peptide hepatotoxins from cyanobacteria, is illustrated. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Galmozzi, E; Facchetti, F; Degasperi, E; Aghemo, A; Lampertico, P
2013-02-01
Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have identified two functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) gene, that are associated strongly and independently with hemolytic anemia in patients exposed to pegylated-interferon (Peg-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) combined therapy. Here has been developed a simplified allele discrimination polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay named allelic inhibition of displacement activity (AIDA) for evaluation of ITPA polymorphisms. AIDA system relies on three unlabeled primers only, two outer common primers and one inner primer with allele-specific 3' terminus mismatch. DNA samples from 192 patients with chronic HCV infection were used to validate the AIDA system and results were compared with the gold standard TaqMan(®) SNP genotyping assay. Concordant data were obtained for all samples, granting for high specificity of the method. In conclusion, AIDA is a practical one-tube method to reproducibly and to assess accurately rs7270101 and rs1127354 ITPA SNPs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Global preamplification simplifies targeted mRNA quantification
Kroneis, Thomas; Jonasson, Emma; Andersson, Daniel; Dolatabadi, Soheila; Ståhlberg, Anders
2017-01-01
The need to perform gene expression profiling using next generation sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) on small sample sizes and single cells is rapidly expanding. However, to analyse few molecules, preamplification is required. Here, we studied global and target-specific preamplification using 96 optimised qPCR assays. To evaluate the preamplification strategies, we monitored the reactions in real-time using SYBR Green I detection chemistry followed by melting curve analysis. Next, we compared yield and reproducibility of global preamplification to that of target-specific preamplification by qPCR using the same amount of total RNA. Global preamplification generated 9.3-fold lower yield and 1.6-fold lower reproducibility than target-specific preamplification. However, the performance of global preamplification is sufficient for most downstream applications and offers several advantages over target-specific preamplification. To demonstrate the potential of global preamplification we analysed the expression of 15 genes in 60 single cells. In conclusion, we show that global preamplification simplifies targeted gene expression profiling of small sample sizes by a flexible workflow. We outline the pros and cons for global preamplification compared to target-specific preamplification. PMID:28332609
Huber, Rainer; Bisitz, Thomas; Gerkmann, Timo; Kiessling, Jürgen; Meister, Hartmut; Kollmeier, Birger
2018-06-01
The perceived qualities of nine different single-microphone noise reduction (SMNR) algorithms were to be evaluated and compared in subjective listening tests with normal hearing and hearing impaired (HI) listeners. Speech samples added with traffic noise or with party noise were processed by the SMNR algorithms. Subjects rated the amount of speech distortions, intrusiveness of background noise, listening effort and overall quality, using a simplified MUSHRA (ITU-R, 2003 ) assessment method. 18 normal hearing and 18 moderately HI subjects participated in the study. Significant differences between the rating behaviours of the two subject groups were observed: While normal hearing subjects clearly differentiated between different SMNR algorithms, HI subjects rated all processed signals very similarly. Moreover, HI subjects rated speech distortions of the unprocessed, noisier signals as being more severe than the distortions of the processed signals, in contrast to normal hearing subjects. It seems harder for HI listeners to distinguish between additive noise and speech distortions or/and they might have a different understanding of the term "speech distortion" than normal hearing listeners have. The findings confirm that the evaluation of SMNR schemes for hearing aids should always involve HI listeners.
FPGA-Based Front-End Electronics for Positron Emission Tomography
Haselman, Michael; DeWitt, Don; McDougald, Wendy; Lewellen, Thomas K.; Miyaoka, Robert; Hauck, Scott
2010-01-01
Modern Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are capable of performing complex discrete signal processing algorithms with clock rates above 100MHz. This combined with FPGA’s low expense, ease of use, and selected dedicated hardware make them an ideal technology for a data acquisition system for positron emission tomography (PET) scanners. Our laboratory is producing a high-resolution, small-animal PET scanner that utilizes FPGAs as the core of the front-end electronics. For this next generation scanner, functions that are typically performed in dedicated circuits, or offline, are being migrated to the FPGA. This will not only simplify the electronics, but the features of modern FPGAs can be utilizes to add significant signal processing power to produce higher resolution images. In this paper two such processes, sub-clock rate pulse timing and event localization, will be discussed in detail. We show that timing performed in the FPGA can achieve a resolution that is suitable for small-animal scanners, and will outperform the analog version given a low enough sampling period for the ADC. We will also show that the position of events in the scanner can be determined in real time using a statistical positioning based algorithm. PMID:21961085
Software for Better Documentation of Other Software
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Pinedo, John
2003-01-01
The Literate Programming Extraction Engine is a Practical Extraction and Reporting Language- (PERL-)based computer program that facilitates and simplifies the implementation of a concept of self-documented literate programming in a fashion tailored to the typical needs of scientists. The advantage for the programmer is that documentation and source code are written side-by-side in the same file, reducing the likelihood that the documentation will be inconsistent with the code and improving the verification that the code performs its intended functions. The advantage for the user is the knowledge that the documentation matches the software because they come from the same file. This program unifies the documentation process for a variety of programming languages, including C, C++, and several versions of FORTRAN. This program can process the documentation in any markup language, and incorporates the LaTeX typesetting software. The program includes sample Makefile scripts for automating both the code-compilation (when appropriate) and documentation-generation processes into a single command-line statement. Also included are macro instructions for the Emacs display-editor software, making it easy for a programmer to toggle between editing in a code or a documentation mode.
Thurman, E.M.; Willoughby, T.; Barber, L.B.; Thorn, K.A.
1987-01-01
Alkylbenzenesulfonate surfactants were determined in groundwater at concentrations as low as 0.3 mg/L. The method uses XAD-8 resin for concentration, followed by elution with methanol, separation of anionic and nonionic surfactants by anion exchange, quantitation by titration, and identification by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. Laboratory standards and field samples containing straight-chain and branched-chain alkylbenzenesulfonates, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and alkylbenzene ethoxylates were studied. The XAD-8 extraction of surfactants from groundwater was completed in the field, which simplified sample preservation and reduced the cost of transporting samples.
An analysis of the massless planet approximation in transit light curve models
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Millholland, Sarah; Ruch, Gerry
2015-08-01
Many extrasolar planet transit light curve models use the approximation of a massless planet. They approximate the planet as orbiting elliptically with the host star at the orbit’s focus instead of depicting the planet and star as both orbiting around a common center of mass. This approximation should generally be very good because the transit is a small fraction of the full-phase curve and the planet to stellar mass ratio is typically very small. However, to fully examine the legitimacy of this approximation, it is useful to perform a robust, all-parameter space-encompassing statistical comparison between the massless planet model and the more accurate model.Towards this goal, we establish two questions: (1) In what parameter domain is the approximation invalid? (2) If characterizing an exoplanetary system in this domain, what is the error of the parameter estimates when using the simplified model? We first address question (1). Given each parameter vector in a finite space, we can generate the simplified and more complete model curves. Associated with these model curves is a measure of the deviation between them, such as the root mean square (RMS). We use Gibbs sampling to generate a sample that is distributed according to the RMS surface. The high-density regions in the sample correspond to a large deviation between the models. To determine the domains of these high-density areas, we first employ the Ordering Points to Identify the Clustering Structure (OPTICS) algorithm. We then characterize the subclusters by performing the Patient Rule Induction Method (PRIM) on the transformed Principal Component spaces of each cluster. This process yields descriptors of the parameter domains with large discrepancies between the models.To consider question (2), we start by generating synthetic transit curve observations in the domains specified by the above analysis. We then derive the best-fit parameters of these synthetic light curves according to each model and examine the quality of agreement between the estimated parameters. Taken as a whole, these steps allow for a thorough analysis of the validity of the massless planet approximation.
A Process for the Critical Analysis of Instructional Theory
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Bostwick, Jay A.; Calvert, Isaac Wade; Francis, Jenifer; Hawkley, Melissa; Henrie, Curtis R.; Hyatt, Frederick R.; Juncker, Janeel; Gibbons, Andrew S.
2014-01-01
Some have argued for a common language in the field of instructional design in an effort to reduce misunderstandings and simplify a multitude of synonymous terms and concepts. Others feel that this goal is undesirable in that it precludes development and flexibility. In this article we propose an ontology-building process as a way for readers to…
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Seabaugh, A. C.; Mattauch, R., J.
1983-01-01
In-place process for etching and growth of gallium arsenide calls for presaturation of etch and growth melts by arsenic source crystal. Procedure allows precise control of thickness of etch and newly grown layer on substrate. Etching and deposition setup is expected to simplify processing and improve characteristics of gallium arsenide lasers, high-frequency amplifiers, and advanced integrated circuits.
A Rotating Plug Model of Friction Stir Welding Heat Transfer
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Raghulapadu J. K.; Peddieson, J.; Buchanan, G. R.; Nunes, A. C.
2006-01-01
A simplified rotating plug model is employed to study the heat transfer phenomena associated with the fiction stir welding process. An approximate analytical solution is obtained based on this idealized model and used both to demonstrate the qualitative influence of process parameters on predictions and to estimate temperatures produced in typical fiction stir welding situations.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
BW Associates, Berkeley, CA.
Intended to provide background information and preliminary options for the California Community Colleges' Commission on Innovation, this document proposes that approval processes for new facilities be simplified and that restrictions on the lease or purchase of off-campus facilities be eased. Following introductory materials detailing the…
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vargas, E.; Cifuentes, A.; Alvarado, S.; Cabrera, H.; Delgado, O.; Calderón, A.; Marín, E.
2018-02-01
Photothermal beam deflection is a well-established technique for measuring thermal diffusivity. In this technique, a pump laser beam generates temperature variations on the surface of the sample to be studied. These variations transfer heat to the surrounding medium, which may be air or any other fluid. The medium in turn experiences a change in the refractive index, which will be proportional to the temperature field on the sample surface when the distance to this surface is small. A probe laser beam will suffer a deflection due to the refractive index periodical changes, which is usually monitored by means of a quadrant photodetector or a similar device aided by lock-in amplification. A linear relationship that arises in this technique is that given by the phase lag of the thermal wave as a function of the distance to a punctual heat source when unidimensional heat diffusion can be guaranteed. This relationship is useful in the calculation of the sample's thermal diffusivity, which can be obtained straightforwardly by the so-called slope method, if the pump beam modulation frequency is well-known. The measurement procedure requires the experimenter to displace the probe beam at a given distance from the heat source, measure the phase lag at that offset, and repeat this for as many points as desired. This process can be quite lengthy in dependence of the number points. In this paper, we propose a detection scheme, which overcomes this limitation and simplifies the experimental setup using a digital camera that substitutes all detection hardware utilizing motion detection techniques and software digital signal lock-in post-processing. In this work, the method is demonstrated using thin metallic filaments as samples.
Vargas, E; Cifuentes, A; Alvarado, S; Cabrera, H; Delgado, O; Calderón, A; Marín, E
2018-02-01
Photothermal beam deflection is a well-established technique for measuring thermal diffusivity. In this technique, a pump laser beam generates temperature variations on the surface of the sample to be studied. These variations transfer heat to the surrounding medium, which may be air or any other fluid. The medium in turn experiences a change in the refractive index, which will be proportional to the temperature field on the sample surface when the distance to this surface is small. A probe laser beam will suffer a deflection due to the refractive index periodical changes, which is usually monitored by means of a quadrant photodetector or a similar device aided by lock-in amplification. A linear relationship that arises in this technique is that given by the phase lag of the thermal wave as a function of the distance to a punctual heat source when unidimensional heat diffusion can be guaranteed. This relationship is useful in the calculation of the sample's thermal diffusivity, which can be obtained straightforwardly by the so-called slope method, if the pump beam modulation frequency is well-known. The measurement procedure requires the experimenter to displace the probe beam at a given distance from the heat source, measure the phase lag at that offset, and repeat this for as many points as desired. This process can be quite lengthy in dependence of the number points. In this paper, we propose a detection scheme, which overcomes this limitation and simplifies the experimental setup using a digital camera that substitutes all detection hardware utilizing motion detection techniques and software digital signal lock-in post-processing. In this work, the method is demonstrated using thin metallic filaments as samples.
PIMS sequencing extension: a laboratory information management system for DNA sequencing facilities.
Troshin, Peter V; Postis, Vincent Lg; Ashworth, Denise; Baldwin, Stephen A; McPherson, Michael J; Barton, Geoffrey J
2011-03-07
Facilities that provide a service for DNA sequencing typically support large numbers of users and experiment types. The cost of services is often reduced by the use of liquid handling robots but the efficiency of such facilities is hampered because the software for such robots does not usually integrate well with the systems that run the sequencing machines. Accordingly, there is a need for software systems capable of integrating different robotic systems and managing sample information for DNA sequencing services. In this paper, we describe an extension to the Protein Information Management System (PIMS) that is designed for DNA sequencing facilities. The new version of PIMS has a user-friendly web interface and integrates all aspects of the sequencing process, including sample submission, handling and tracking, together with capture and management of the data. The PIMS sequencing extension has been in production since July 2009 at the University of Leeds DNA Sequencing Facility. It has completely replaced manual data handling and simplified the tasks of data management and user communication. Samples from 45 groups have been processed with an average throughput of 10000 samples per month. The current version of the PIMS sequencing extension works with Applied Biosystems 3130XL 96-well plate sequencer and MWG 4204 or Aviso Theonyx liquid handling robots, but is readily adaptable for use with other combinations of robots. PIMS has been extended to provide a user-friendly and integrated data management solution for DNA sequencing facilities that is accessed through a normal web browser and allows simultaneous access by multiple users as well as facility managers. The system integrates sequencing and liquid handling robots, manages the data flow, and provides remote access to the sequencing results. The software is freely available, for academic users, from http://www.pims-lims.org/.
A Debugger for Computational Grid Applications
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hood, Robert; Jost, Gabriele
2000-01-01
The p2d2 project at NAS has built a debugger for applications running on heterogeneous computational grids. It employs a client-server architecture to simplify the implementation. Its user interface has been designed to provide process control and state examination functions on a computation containing a large number of processes. It can find processes participating in distributed computations even when those processes were not created under debugger control. These process identification techniques work both on conventional distributed executions as well as those on a computational grid.
Guidance on including ITS elements in transportation projects
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2001-01-01
The purpose of this document is to provide guidance for including ITS equipment and technologies as part of traditional transportation construction or maintenance projects. This document is not intended to simplify the planning process, rather it is ...
Real-time loudness normalisation with combined cochlear implant and hearing aid stimulation
Van Eeckhoutte, Maaike; Van Deun, Lieselot; Francart, Tom
2018-01-01
Background People who use a cochlear implant together with a contralateral hearing aid—so-called bimodal listeners—have poor localisation abilities and sounds are often not balanced in loudness across ears. In order to address the latter, a loudness balancing algorithm was created, which equalises the loudness growth functions for the two ears. The algorithm uses loudness models in order to continuously adjust the two signals to loudness targets. Previous tests demonstrated improved binaural balance, improved localisation, and better speech intelligibility in quiet for soft phonemes. In those studies, however, all stimuli were preprocessed so spontaneous head movements and individual head-related transfer functions were not taken into account. Furthermore, the hearing aid processing was linear. Study design In the present study, we simplified the acoustical loudness model and implemented the algorithm in a real-time system. We tested bimodal listeners on speech perception and on sound localisation, both in normal loudness growth configuration and in a configuration with a modified loudness growth function. We also used linear and compressive hearing aids. Results The comparison between the original acoustical loudness model and the new simplified model showed loudness differences below 3% for almost all tested speech-like stimuli and levels. We found no effect of balancing the loudness growth across ears for speech perception ability in quiet and in noise. We found some small improvements in localisation performance. Further investigation with a larger sample size is required. PMID:29617421
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rahy, Abdelaziz
The primary goal of this project was to develop a flexible transparent conductor with 100 O/sq with 90% transmittance in the wavelength range of 400-700nm on a flexible substrate. A second objective was to simplify the coating process to be commercially viable. The best result achieved so far was 110 O/sq at 88% transmittance using purified single walled nanotubes (SWNTs) coated on a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrate on both sides. The SWNT sample used was purchased from Carbon Nanotechnologies Inc (CNI). Proper sonication of the single walled nanotubes (SWNTs) with a proper solvent selection with no use of surfactant simplified the overall coating procedure from five steps (prior art method) to three steps utilizing a dip coating method. We also found that the use of metallic SWNTs can significantly improve the conductivity and transmittance compared with the use of mixed SWNTs, i.e., unseparated SWNTs We also studied a possible adhesion mechanism between SWNTs and the surface of PEN; we concluded that pi - pi stacking effect and hydrophobic-to-hydrophobic interaction are the major contributing factors to have CNTs adhere on the surface of the PEN substrate. Working devices of polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs) and solar cell were successfully fabricated using SWNT coated substrates. A no optimized PLEDs device exhibited low turn-on voltage (˜5V), and the fabricated solar cell functioned. The devices have demonstrated the coated film can be used for potential electronic devices.
Approximations to galaxy star formation rate histories: properties and uses of two examples
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cohn, J. D.
2018-05-01
Galaxies evolve via a complex interaction of numerous different physical processes, scales and components. In spite of this, overall trends often appear. Simplified models for galaxy histories can be used to search for and capture such emergent trends, and thus to interpret and compare results of galaxy formation models to each other and to nature. Here, two approximations are applied to galaxy integrated star formation rate histories, drawn from a semi-analytic model grafted onto a dark matter simulation. Both a lognormal functional form and principal component analysis (PCA) approximate the integrated star formation rate histories fairly well. Machine learning, based upon simplified galaxy halo histories, is somewhat successful at recovering both fits. The fits to the histories give fixed time star formation rates which have notable scatter from their true final time rates, especially for quiescent and "green valley" galaxies, and more so for the PCA fit. For classifying galaxies into subfamilies sharing similar integrated histories, both approximations are better than using final stellar mass or specific star formation rate. Several subsamples from the simulation illustrate how these simple parameterizations provide points of contact for comparisons between different galaxy formation samples, or more generally, models. As a side result, the halo masses of simulated galaxies with early peak star formation rate (according to the lognormal fit) are bimodal. The galaxies with a lower halo mass at peak star formation rate appear to stall in their halo growth, even though they are central in their host halos.
A simplified technique for delivering total body irradiation (TBI) with improved dose homogeneity
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Yao Rui; Bernard, Damian; Turian, Julius
2012-04-15
Purpose: Total body irradiation (TBI) with megavoltage photon beams has been accepted as an important component of management for a number of hematologic malignancies, generally as part of bone marrow conditioning regimens. The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss the authors' TBI technique, which both simplifies the treatment process and improves the treatment quality. Methods: An AP/PA TBI treatment technique to produce uniform dose distributions using sequential collimator reductions during each fraction was implemented, and a sample calculation worksheet is presented. Using this methodology, the dosimetric characteristics of both 6 and 18 MV photon beams, including lungmore » dose under cerrobend blocks was investigated. A method of estimating midplane lung doses based on measured entrance and exit doses was proposed, and the estimated results were compared with measurements. Results: Whole body midplane dose uniformity of {+-}10% was achieved with no more than two collimator-based beam modulations. The proposed model predicted midplane lung doses 5% to 10% higher than the measured doses for 6 and 18 MV beams. The estimated total midplane doses were within {+-}5% of the prescribed midplane dose on average except for the lungs where the doses were 6% to 10% lower than the prescribed dose on average. Conclusions: The proposed TBI technique can achieve dose uniformity within {+-}10%. This technique is easy to implement and does not require complicated dosimetry and/or compensators.« less
Charting a path forward: policy analysis of China's evolved DRG-based hospital payment system
Liu, Rui; Shi, Jianwei; Yang, Beilei; Jin, Chunlin; Sun, Pengfei; Wu, Lingfang; Yu, Dehua; Xiong, Linping; Wang, Zhaoxin
2017-01-01
Abstract Background At present, the diagnosis-related groups-based prospective payment system (DRG-PPS) that has been implemented in China is merely a prototype called the simplified DRG-PPS, which is known as the ‘ceiling price for a single disease’. Given that studies on the effects of a simplified DRG-PPS in China have usually been controversial, we aim to synthesize evidence examining whether DRGs can reduce medical costs and length of stay (LOS) in China. Methods Data were searched from both Chinese [Wan Fang and China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI)] and international databases (Web of Science and PubMed), as well as the official websites of Chinese health departments in the 2004–2016 period. Only studies with a design that included both experimental (with DRG-PPS implementation) and control groups (without DRG-PPS implementation) were included in the review. Results The studies were based on inpatient samples from public hospitals distributed in 12 provinces of mainland China. Among them, 80.95% (17/21) revealed that hospitalization costs could be reduced significantly, and 50.00% (8/16) indicated that length of stay could be decreased significantly. In addition, the government reports showed the enormous differences in pricing standards and LOS in various provinces, even for the same disease. Conclusions We conclude that the simplified DRGs are useful in controlling hospitalization costs, but they fail to reduce LOS. Much work remains to be done in China to improve the simplified DRG-PPS. PMID:28911128
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Allen, Bradley P.; Holtzman, Peter L.
1987-01-01
An overview is presented of the Automated Software Development Workstation Project, an effort to explore knowledge-based approaches to increasing software productivity. The project focuses on applying the concept of domain specific automatic programming systems (D-SAPSs) to application domains at NASA's Johnson Space Center. A version of a D-SAPS developed in Phase 1 of the project for the domain of space station momentum management is described. How problems encountered during its implementation led researchers to concentrate on simplifying the process of building and extending such systems is discussed. Researchers propose to do this by attacking three observed bottlenecks in the D-SAPS development process through the increased automation of the acquisition of programming knowledge and the use of an object oriented development methodology at all stages of the program design. How these ideas are being implemented in the Bauhaus, a prototype workstation for D-SAPS development is discussed.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Allen, Bradley P.; Holtzman, Peter L.
1988-01-01
An overview is presented of the Automated Software Development Workstation Project, an effort to explore knowledge-based approaches to increasing software productivity. The project focuses on applying the concept of domain specific automatic programming systems (D-SAPSs) to application domains at NASA's Johnson Space Flight Center. A version of a D-SAPS developed in Phase 1 of the project for the domain of space station momentum management is described. How problems encountered during its implementation led researchers to concentrate on simplifying the process of building and extending such systems is discussed. Researchers propose to do this by attacking three observed bottlenecks in the D-SAPS development process through the increased automation of the acquisition of programming knowledge and the use of an object oriented development methodology at all stages of the program design. How these ideas are being implemented in the Bauhaus, a prototype workstation for D-SAPS development is discussed.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fonseca Dos Santos, Samantha; Douguet, Nicolas; Kokoouline, Viatcheslav; Orel, Ann
2013-05-01
We will present theoretical results on the dissociative recombination (DR) of the linear polyatomic ions HCNH+, HCO+ and N2H+. Besides their astrophysical importance, they also share the characteristic that at low electronic impact energies their DR process happens via the indirect DR mechanism. We apply a general simplified model successfully implemented to treat the DR process of the highly symmetric non-linear molecules H3+, CH3+, H3O+ and NH4+ to calculated cross sections and DR rates for these ions. The model is based on multichannel quantum defect theory and accounts for all the main ingredients of indirect DR. New perspectives on dissociative recombination of HCO+ will also be discussed, including the possible role of HOC+ in storage ring experimental results. This work is supported by the DOE Office of Basic Energy Science and the National Science Foundation, Grant No's PHY-11-60611 and PHY-10-68785.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Doughty, Benjamin; Simpson, Mary Jane; Yang, Bin; Xiao, Kai; Ma, Ying-Zhong
2016-03-01
This work aims to simplify multi-dimensional femtosecond transient absorption microscopy (TAM) data into decay associated amplitude maps (DAAMs) that describe the spatial distributions of dynamical processes occurring on various characteristic timescales. Application of this method to TAM data obtained from a model methyl-ammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3) perovskite thin film allows us to simplify the data set comprising 68 time-resolved images into four DAAMs. These maps offer a simple means to visualize the complex electronic excited-state dynamics in this system by separating distinct dynamical processes evolving on characteristic timescales into individual spatial images. This approach provides new insight into subtle aspects of ultrafast relaxation dynamics associated with excitons and charge carriers in the perovskite thin film, which have recently been found to coexist at spatially distinct locations.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Niedermeier, Dennis; Ervens, Barbara; Clauss, Tina; Voigtländer, Jens; Wex, Heike; Hartmann, Susan; Stratmann, Frank
2014-01-01
In a recent study, the Soccer ball model (SBM) was introduced for modeling and/or parameterizing heterogeneous ice nucleation processes. The model applies classical nucleation theory. It allows for a consistent description of both apparently singular and stochastic ice nucleation behavior, by distributing contact angles over the nucleation sites of a particle population assuming a Gaussian probability density function. The original SBM utilizes the Monte Carlo technique, which hampers its usage in atmospheric models, as fairly time-consuming calculations must be performed to obtain statistically significant results. Thus, we have developed a simplified and computationally more efficient version of the SBM. We successfully used the new SBM to parameterize experimental nucleation data of, e.g., bacterial ice nucleation. Both SBMs give identical results; however, the new model is computationally less expensive as confirmed by cloud parcel simulations. Therefore, it is a suitable tool for describing heterogeneous ice nucleation processes in atmospheric models.
Natural-Annotation-based Unsupervised Construction of Korean-Chinese Domain Dictionary
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liu, Wuying; Wang, Lin
2018-03-01
The large-scale bilingual parallel resource is significant to statistical learning and deep learning in natural language processing. This paper addresses the automatic construction issue of the Korean-Chinese domain dictionary, and presents a novel unsupervised construction method based on the natural annotation in the raw corpus. We firstly extract all Korean-Chinese word pairs from Korean texts according to natural annotations, secondly transform the traditional Chinese characters into the simplified ones, and finally distill out a bilingual domain dictionary after retrieving the simplified Chinese words in an extra Chinese domain dictionary. The experimental results show that our method can automatically build multiple Korean-Chinese domain dictionaries efficiently.
Adams, Bradley J; Aschheim, Kenneth W
2016-01-01
Comparison of antemortem and postmortem dental records is a leading method of victim identification, especially for incidents involving a large number of decedents. This process may be expedited with computer software that provides a ranked list of best possible matches. This study provides a comparison of the most commonly used conventional coding and sorting algorithms used in the United States (WinID3) with a simplified coding format that utilizes an optimized sorting algorithm. The simplified system consists of seven basic codes and utilizes an optimized algorithm based largely on the percentage of matches. To perform this research, a large reference database of approximately 50,000 antemortem and postmortem records was created. For most disaster scenarios, the proposed simplified codes, paired with the optimized algorithm, performed better than WinID3 which uses more complex codes. The detailed coding system does show better performance with extremely large numbers of records and/or significant body fragmentation. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.
Aw, Wen C; Ballard, J William O
2013-10-01
The age structure of natural population is of interest in physiological, life history and ecological studies but it is often difficult to determine. One methodological problem is that samples may need to be invasively sampled preventing subsequent taxonomic curation. A second problem is that it can be very expensive to accurately determine the age structure of given population because large sample sizes are often necessary. In this study, we test the effects of temperature (17 °C, 23 °C and 26 °C) and diet (standard cornmeal and low calorie diet) on the accuracy of the non-invasive, inexpensive and high throughput near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique to determine the age of Drosophila flies. Composite and simplified calibration models were developed for each sex. Independent sets for each temperature and diet treatments with flies not involved in calibration model were then used to validate the accuracy of the calibration models. The composite NIRS calibration model was generated by including flies reared under all temperatures and diets. This approach permits rapid age measurement and age structure determination in large population of flies as less than or equal to 9 days, or more than 9 days old with 85-97% and 64-99% accuracy, respectively. The simplified calibration models were generated by including flies reared at 23 °C on standard diet. Low accuracy rates were observed when simplified calibration models were used to identify (a) Drosophila reared at 17 °C and 26 °C and (b) 23 °C with low calorie diet. These results strongly suggest that appropriate calibration models need to be developed in the laboratory before this technique can be reliably used in field. These calibration models should include the major environmental variables that change across space and time in the particular natural population to be studied. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Liu, Rong; Yin, Zhibin; Leng, Yixin; Hang, Wei; Huang, Benli
2018-01-01
Laser desorption laser postionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDPI-TOFMS) was employed for direct analysis and determination of typical basic dyes. It was also used for the analysis and comprehensive understanding of complex materials such as blue ballpoint pen inks. Simultaneous emergences of fragmental and molecular information largely simplify and facilitate unambiguous identification of dyes via variable energy of 266nm postionization laser. More specifically, by optimizing postionization laser energy with the same energy of desorption laser, the structurally significant results show definite differences in the fragmentation patterns, which offer opportunities for discrimination of isomeric species with identical molecular weight. Moreover, relatively high spectra resolution can be acquired without the expense of sensitivity. In contrast to laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS), LDPI-MS simultaneously offers valuable molecular information about dyes in traces, solvents and additives about inks, thereby offering direct determination and comprehensive understanding of blue ballpoint inks and giving a high level of confidence to discriminate the complicated evidentiary samples. In addition, direct analysis of the inks not only allows the avoidance of the tedious sample preparation processes, significantly shortening the overall analysis time and improving throughput, but allows minimized sample consumption which is important for rare and precious samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Embedded real-time image processing hardware for feature extraction and clustering
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chiu, Lihu; Chang, Grant
2003-08-01
Printronix, Inc. uses scanner-based image systems to perform print quality measurements for line-matrix printers. The size of the image samples and image definition required make commercial scanners convenient to use. The image processing is relatively well defined, and we are able to simplify many of the calculations into hardware equations and "c" code. The process of rapidly prototyping the system using DSP based "c" code gets the algorithms well defined early in the development cycle. Once a working system is defined, the rest of the process involves splitting the task up for the FPGA and the DSP implementation. Deciding which of the two to use, the DSP or the FPGA, is a simple matter of trial benchmarking. There are two kinds of benchmarking: One for speed, and the other for memory. The more memory intensive algorithms should run in the DSP, and the simple real time tasks can use the FPGA most effectively. Once the task is split, we can decide which platform the algorithm should be executed. This involves prototyping all the code in the DSP, then timing various blocks of the algorithm. Slow routines can be optimized using the compiler tools, and if further reduction in time is needed, into tasks that the FPGA can perform.
Speech and language disorders in children from public schools in Belo Horizonte
Rabelo, Alessandra Terra Vasconcelos; Campos, Fernanda Rodrigues; Friche, Clarice Passos; da Silva, Bárbara Suelen Vasconcelos; Friche, Amélia Augusta de Lima; Alves, Claudia Regina Lindgren; Goulart, Lúcia Maria Horta de Figueiredo
2015-01-01
Objective: To investigate the prevalence of oral language, orofacial motor skill and auditory processing disorders in children aged 4-10 years and verify their association with age and gender. Methods: Cross-sectional study with stratified, random sample consisting of 539 students. The evaluation consisted of three protocols: orofacial motor skill protocol, adapted from the Myofunctional Evaluation Guidelines; the Child Language Test ABFW - Phonology; and a simplified auditory processing evaluation. Descriptive and associative statistical analyses were performed using Epi Info software, release 6.04. Chi-square test was applied to compare proportion of events and analysis of variance was used to compare mean values. Significance was set at p≤0.05. Results: Of the studied subjects, 50.1% had at least one of the assessed disorders; of those, 33.6% had oral language disorder, 17.1% had orofacial motor skill impairment, and 27.3% had auditory processing disorder. There were significant associations between auditory processing skills’ impairment, oral language impairment and age, suggesting a decrease in the number of disorders with increasing age. Similarly, the variable "one or more speech, language and hearing disorders" was also associated with age. Conclusions: The prevalence of speech, language and hearing disorders in children was high, indicating the need for research and public health efforts to cope with this problem. PMID:26300524
Probabilistic Structures Analysis Methods (PSAM) for select space propulsion system components
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
1991-01-01
The basic formulation for probabilistic finite element analysis is described and demonstrated on a few sample problems. This formulation is based on iterative perturbation that uses the factorized stiffness on the unperturbed system as the iteration preconditioner for obtaining the solution to the perturbed problem. This approach eliminates the need to compute, store and manipulate explicit partial derivatives of the element matrices and force vector, which not only reduces memory usage considerably, but also greatly simplifies the coding and validation tasks. All aspects for the proposed formulation were combined in a demonstration problem using a simplified model of a curved turbine blade discretized with 48 shell elements, and having random pressure and temperature fields with partial correlation, random uniform thickness, and random stiffness at the root.
Effect of spine motion on mobility in quadruped running
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Chen, Dongliang; Liu, Qi; Dong, Litao; Wang, Hong; Zhang, Qun
2014-11-01
Most of current running quadruped robots have similar construction: a stiff body and four compliant legs. Many researches have indicated that the stiff body without spine motion is a main factor in limitation of robots' mobility. Therefore, investigating spine motion is very important to build robots with better mobility. A planar quadruped robot is designed based on cheetahs' morphology. There is a spinal driving joint in the body of the robot. When the spinal driving joint acts, the robot has spine motion; otherwise, the robot has not spine motion. Six group prototype experiments with the robot are carried out to study the effect of spine motion on mobility. In each group, there are two comparative experiments: the spinal driving joint acts in one experiment but does not in the other experiment. The results of the prototype experiments indicate that the average speeds of the robot with spine motion are 8.7%-15.9% larger than those of the robot without spine motion. Furthermore, a simplified sagittal plane model of quadruped mammals is introduced. The simplified model also has a spinal driving joint. Using a similar process as the prototype experiments, six group simulation experiments with the simplified model are conducted. The results of the simulation experiments show that the maximum rear leg horizontal thrusts of the simplified mode with spine motion are 68.2%-71.3% larger than those of the simplified mode without spine motion. Hence, it is found that spine motion can increase the average running speed and the intrinsic reason of speed increase is the improvement of the maximum rear leg horizontal thrust.
Performance analysis of a GPS equipment by general linear models approach
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Teodoro, M. Filomena; Gonçalves, Fernando M.; Correia, Anacleto
2017-06-01
One of the major challenges in processing high-accurate long baselines is the presence of un-modelled ionospheric and tropospheric delays. There are effective mitigation strategies for ionospheric biases, such as the ionosphere-free linear combination of L1 and L2 carrier-phase, which can remove about 98% of the first-order ionospheric biases. With few exceptions this was the solution found by LGO for the 11760 baselines processed in this research. Therefore, for successful results, the appropriated approach to the mitigation of biases due to tropospheric delays is vital. The main aim of the investigations presented in this work was to evaluate the improvements, or not, of the rate of baselines successfully produced by adopting an advanced tropospheric bias mitigation strategy as opposed to a sample tropospheric bias mitigation approach. In both cases LGO uses as a priori tropospheric model the simplified Hopfield model, improved in the first case with a zenith tropospheric scale factor per station. Being aware that 1D and 2D present different behaviors, both cases are analyzed individually with each strategy.
Optics-Integrated Microfluidic Platforms for Biomolecular Analyses
Bates, Kathleen E.; Lu, Hang
2016-01-01
Compared with conventional optical methods, optics implemented on microfluidic chips provide small, and often much cheaper ways to interrogate biological systems from the level of single molecules up to small model organisms. The optical probing of single molecules has been used to investigate the mechanical properties of individual biological molecules; however, multiplexing of these measurements through microfluidics and nanofluidics confers many analytical advantages. Optics-integrated microfluidic systems can significantly simplify sample processing and allow a more user-friendly experience; alignments of on-chip optical components are predetermined during fabrication and many purely optical techniques are passively controlled. Furthermore, sample loss from complicated preparation and fluid transfer steps can be virtually eliminated, a particularly important attribute for biological molecules at very low concentrations. Excellent fluid handling and high surface area/volume ratios also contribute to faster detection times for low abundance molecules in small sample volumes. Although integration of optical systems with classical microfluidic analysis techniques has been limited, microfluidics offers a ready platform for interrogation of biophysical properties. By exploiting the ease with which fluids and particles can be precisely and dynamically controlled in microfluidic devices, optical sensors capable of unique imaging modes, single molecule manipulation, and detection of minute changes in concentration of an analyte are possible. PMID:27119629
A simplified method to recover urinary vesicles for clinical applications, and sample banking.
Musante, Luca; Tataruch, Dorota; Gu, Dongfeng; Benito-Martin, Alberto; Calzaferri, Giulio; Aherne, Sinead; Holthofer, Harry
2014-12-23
Urinary extracellular vesicles provide a novel source for valuable biomarkers for kidney and urogenital diseases: Current isolation protocols include laborious, sequential centrifugation steps which hampers their widespread research and clinical use. Furthermore, large individual urine sample volumes or sizable target cohorts are to be processed (e.g. for biobanking), the storage capacity is an additional problem. Thus, alternative methods are necessary to overcome such limitations. We have developed a practical vesicle isolation technique to yield easily manageable sample volumes in an exceptionally cost efficient way to facilitate their full utilization in less privileged environments and maximize the benefit of biobanking. Urinary vesicles were isolated by hydrostatic dialysis with minimal interference of soluble proteins or vesicle loss. Large volumes of urine were concentrated up to 1/100 of original volume and the dialysis step allowed equalization of urine physico-chemical characteristics. Vesicle fractions were found suitable to any applications, including RNA analysis. In the yield, our hydrostatic filtration dialysis system outperforms the conventional ultracentrifugation-based methods and the labour intensive and potentially hazardous step of ultracentrifugations are eliminated. Likewise, the need for trained laboratory personnel and heavy initial investment is avoided. Thus, our method qualifies as a method for laboratories working with urinary vesicles and biobanking.
A Simplified Method to Recover Urinary Vesicles for Clinical Applications, and Sample Banking
Musante, Luca; Tataruch, Dorota; Gu, Dongfeng; Benito-Martin, Alberto; Calzaferri, Giulio; Aherne, Sinead; Holthofer, Harry
2014-01-01
Urinary extracellular vesicles provide a novel source for valuable biomarkers for kidney and urogenital diseases: Current isolation protocols include laborious, sequential centrifugation steps which hampers their widespread research and clinical use. Furthermore, large individual urine sample volumes or sizable target cohorts are to be processed (e.g. for biobanking), the storage capacity is an additional problem. Thus, alternative methods are necessary to overcome such limitations. We have developed a practical vesicle isolation technique to yield easily manageable sample volumes in an exceptionally cost efficient way to facilitate their full utilization in less privileged environments and maximize the benefit of biobanking. Urinary vesicles were isolated by hydrostatic dialysis with minimal interference of soluble proteins or vesicle loss. Large volumes of urine were concentrated up to 1/100 of original volume and the dialysis step allowed equalization of urine physico-chemical characteristics. Vesicle fractions were found suitable to any applications, including RNA analysis. In the yield, our hydrostatic filtration dialysis system outperforms the conventional ultracentrifugation-based methods and the labour intensive and potentially hazardous step of ultracentrifugations are eliminated. Likewise, the need for trained laboratory personnel and heavy initial investment is avoided. Thus, our method qualifies as a method for laboratories working with urinary vesicles and biobanking. PMID:25532487
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tasciotti, Ennio (Inventor); Hu, Ye (Inventor); Ferrari, Mauro (Inventor); Bouamrani, Ali (Inventor); Liu, Xuewu (Inventor)
2014-01-01
A new fractionation device shows desirable features for exploratory screening and biomarker discovery. The constituent MSCs may be tailored for desired pore sizes and surface properties and for the sequestration and enrichment of extremely low abundant protein and peptides in desired ranges of the mass/charge spectrum. The MSCs are effective in yielding reproducible extracts from complex biological samples as small as 10 microliter in a time as short as 30 minutes. They are inexpensive to manufacture, and allow for scaled up production to attain the simultaneous processing of a large number of samples. The MSCs are multiplexed, label-free diagnostic tools with the potential of biological recognition moiety modification for enhanced specificity. The MSCs may store, protect and stabilize biological fluids, enabling the simplified and cost-effective collection and transportation of clinical samples. The MSC-based device may serve as a diagnostic tool to complement histopathology, imaging, and other conventional clinical techniques. The MSCs mediated identification of disease-specific protein signatures may help in the selection of personalized therapeutic combinations, in the real-time assessment of therapeutic efficacy and toxicity, and in the rational modulation of therapy based on the changes in the protein networks associated with the prognosis and the drug resistance of the disease.
Tsai, Jason Sheng-Hong; Du, Yan-Yi; Huang, Pei-Hsiang; Guo, Shu-Mei; Shieh, Leang-San; Chen, Yuhua
2011-07-01
In this paper, a digital redesign methodology of the iterative learning-based decentralized adaptive tracker is proposed to improve the dynamic performance of sampled-data linear large-scale control systems consisting of N interconnected multi-input multi-output subsystems, so that the system output will follow any trajectory which may not be presented by the analytic reference model initially. To overcome the interference of each sub-system and simplify the controller design, the proposed model reference decentralized adaptive control scheme constructs a decoupled well-designed reference model first. Then, according to the well-designed model, this paper develops a digital decentralized adaptive tracker based on the optimal analog control and prediction-based digital redesign technique for the sampled-data large-scale coupling system. In order to enhance the tracking performance of the digital tracker at specified sampling instants, we apply the iterative learning control (ILC) to train the control input via continual learning. As a result, the proposed iterative learning-based decentralized adaptive tracker not only has robust closed-loop decoupled property but also possesses good tracking performance at both transient and steady state. Besides, evolutionary programming is applied to search for a good learning gain to speed up the learning process of ILC. Copyright © 2011 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A new method for fast extraction and determination of chlorophylls in natural water.
Qiu, Nianwei; Wang, Xiushun; Zhou, Feng
2018-01-26
Algae collection and chlorophyll extraction are two troublesome steps in the traditional methods used for the determination of chlorophyll concentration in natural water. A new method was established in this study for fast collection and extraction of chlorophyll. Based on our results, the optimum centrifugation condition for collecting algae was determined as: 5000 g for 15 min at 4 °C, and the optimum dilution ratio of dimethyl sulfoxide: 90% acetone was 1:4. The specific steps were as follows: the algae in water samples were collected by centrifugation at 5000 g at 4 °C for 15 min. The precipitated algae were suspended with 2 mL DMSO. Then the sample was transferred to a 15 mL centrifuge tube, and the tube was incubated at 65 °C for 1-2 h in the dark until the sample turned white. After cooling, the chlorophyll extract was diluted with 8 mL 90% acetone, before centrifugation at 5000 g for 5 min. The absorbance values of the supernatants at 750, 664, 647 and 630 nm were used for the calculation of chlorophyll concentrations by the trichromatic equations. This new method saved the filter cost, simplified the extraction process, improved the algae acquisition efficiency, and accelerated the chlorophyll extraction rate.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liu, Robin H.; Longiaru, Mathew
2009-05-01
DNA microarrays are becoming a widespread tool used in life science and drug screening due to its many benefits of miniaturization and integration. Microarrays permit a highly multiplexed DNA analysis. Recently, the development of new detection methods and simplified methodologies has rapidly expanded the use of microarray technologies from predominantly gene expression analysis into the arena of diagnostics. Osmetech's eSensor® is an electrochemical detection platform based on a low-to- medium density DNA hybridization array on a cost-effective printed circuit board substrate. eSensor® has been cleared by FDA for Warfarin sensitivity test and Cystic Fibrosis Carrier Detection. Other genetic-based diagnostic and infectious disease detection tests are under development. The eSensor® platform eliminates the need for an expensive laser-based optical system and fluorescent reagents. It allows one to perform hybridization and detection in a single and small instrument without any fluidic processing and handling. Furthermore, the eSensor® platform is readily adaptable to on-chip sample-to-answer genetic analyses using microfluidics technology. The eSensor® platform provides a cost-effective solution to direct sample-to-answer genetic analysis, and thus have a potential impact in the fields of point-of-care genetic analysis, environmental testing, and biological warfare agent detection.
Shahaf, Goded; Pratt, Hillel
2013-01-01
In this work we demonstrate the principles of a systematic modeling approach of the neurophysiologic processes underlying a behavioral function. The modeling is based upon a flexible simulation tool, which enables parametric specification of the underlying neurophysiologic characteristics. While the impact of selecting specific parameters is of interest, in this work we focus on the insights, which emerge from rather accepted assumptions regarding neuronal representation. We show that harnessing of even such simple assumptions enables the derivation of significant insights regarding the nature of the neurophysiologic processes underlying behavior. We demonstrate our approach in some detail by modeling the behavioral go/no-go task. We further demonstrate the practical significance of this simplified modeling approach in interpreting experimental data - the manifestation of these processes in the EEG and ERP literature of normal and abnormal (ADHD) function, as well as with comprehensive relevant ERP data analysis. In-fact we show that from the model-based spatiotemporal segregation of the processes, it is possible to derive simple and yet effective and theory-based EEG markers differentiating normal and ADHD subjects. We summarize by claiming that the neurophysiologic processes modeled for the go/no-go task are part of a limited set of neurophysiologic processes which underlie, in a variety of combinations, any behavioral function with measurable operational definition. Such neurophysiologic processes could be sampled directly from EEG on the basis of model-based spatiotemporal segregation.
Dried haematic microsamples and LC-MS/MS for the analysis of natural and synthetic cannabinoids.
Protti, Michele; Rudge, James; Sberna, Angelo Eliseo; Gerra, Gilberto; Mercolini, Laura
2017-02-15
Synthetic cannabinoids are new psychoactive substances (NPS) with similar effects when compared to natural ones found in Cannabis derivatives. They have rapidly integrated into the illicit market, often sold as alternatives under international control. The need to identify and quantify an unprecedented and growing number of new compounds represents a unique challenge for toxicological, forensic and anti-doping analysis. Dried blood spots have been used within the bioanalytical framework in place of plasma or serum, in order to reduce invasiveness, lower sample size, simplify handling, storage and shipping of samples and to facilitate home-based and on-field applications. However, DBS implementation has been limited mainly by concerns related to haematocrit effect on method accuracy. Volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS™), a second generation dried miniaturized sampling technology, has been developed just in order to eliminate haematocrit effect, thus providing accurate sampling but still granting feasible sample processing. An original LC-MS/MS method was herein developed and validated for the analysis of THC and its 2 main metabolites, together with 10 representative synthetic cannabinoids in both DBS and VAMS dried microsamples. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide highly innovative DBS and VAMS analytical protocols, whose performances were extensively optimized and compared, in order to provide effective and alternative tools that can be applied for natural and synthetic cannabinoid determination, in place of classical analytical strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
González García, M M; Sánchez Rojas, F; Bosch Ojeda, C; García de Torres, A; Cano Pavón, J M
2003-04-01
A method to determine trace amounts of platinum in different samples based on electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry is described. The preconcentration step is performed on a chelating resin microcolumn [1,5-bis(2-pyridyl)-3-sulfophenyl methylene thiocarbonohydrazide (PSTH) immobilized on an anion-exchange resin (Dowex 1x8-200)] placed in the autosampler arm. The combination of a peristaltic pump for sample loading and the atomic absorption spectrometer pumps for elution through a selection valve simplifies the hardware. The peristaltic pump and the selection valve are easily controlled electronically with two switches placed in the autosampler, which are activated when the autosampler arm is down. Thus, the process is fully automated without any modification of the software of the atomic absorption spectrometer. Under the optimum conditions with a 60-s preconcentration time, a sample flow rate of 2.4 mL min(-1), and an injection volume of eluent of 40 microL, a linear calibration graph was obtained in the range 0-100 ng mL(-1). The enrichment factor was 14. The detection limit under these conditions is 1 ng mL(-1), and the relative standard deviation (RSD) is 1.6% for 10 ng mL(-1) of Pt. The method has been applied to the determination of platinum in catalyst, vegetation, soil, and natural water samples. The results showed good agreement with the certified value and the recoveries of Pt added to samples were 98-105%.
Metal wastage design guidelines for bubbling fluidized-bed combustors. Final report
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Lyczkowski, R.W.; Podolski, W.F.; Bouillard, J.X.
These metal wastage design guidelines identify relationships between metal wastage and (1) design parameters (such as tube size, tube spacing and pitch, tube bundle and fluidized-bed height to distributor, and heat exchanger tube material properties) and (2) operating parameters (such as fluidizing velocity, particle size, particle hardness, and angularity). The guidelines are of both a quantitative and qualitative nature. Simplified mechanistic models are described, which account for the essential hydrodynamics and metal wastage processes occurring in bubbling fluidized beds. The empirical correlational approach complements the use of these models in the development of these design guidelines. Data used for modelmore » and guideline validation are summarized and referenced. Sample calculations and recommended design procedures are included. The influences of dependent variables on metal wastage, such as solids velocity, bubble size, and in-bed pressure fluctuations, are discussed.« less
Fast "hyperlayer" separation development in sedimentation field flow fractionation.
Kassab, James R; Cardot, Philippe J P; Zahoransky, Richard A; Battu, Serge
2005-11-05
Specific prototypes of sedimentation field flow fractionation devices (SdFFF) have been developed with relative success for cell sorting. However, no data are available to compare these apparatus with commercial ones. In order to compare with other devices mainly used for non-biological species, biocompatible systems were used for standard particle (latex: 3-10 microm of different size dispersities) separation development. In order to enhance size dependent separations, channels of reduced thickness were used (80 and 100 microm) and channel/carrier-phase equilibration procedures were necessary. For sample injection, the use of inlet tubing linked to the FFF accumulation wall, common for cell sorting, can be extended to latex species when they are eluted in the Steric Hyperlayer elution mode. It avoids any primary relaxation steps (stop flow injection procedure) simplifying series of elution processing. Mixtures composed of four different monodispersed latex beads can be eluted in 6 min with 100 microm channel thickness.
Towards a Radiation Hardened Fluxgate Magnetometer for Space Physics Applications
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Miles, David M.
Space-based measurements of the Earth's magnetic field are required to understand the plasma processes of the solar-terrestrial connection which energize the Van Allen radiation belts and cause space weather. This thesis describes a fluxgate magnetometer payload developed for the proposed Canadian Space Agencys Outer Radiation Belt Injection, Transport, Acceleration and Loss Satellite (ORBITALS) mission. The instrument can resolve 8 pT on a 65,000 nT field at 900 samples per second with a magnetic noise of less than 10 pT per square-root Hertz at 1 Hertz. The design can be manufactured from radiation tolerant (100 krad) space grade parts. A novel combination of analog temperature compensation and digital feedback simplifies and miniaturises the instrument while improving the measurement bandwidth and resolution. The prototype instrument was successfully validated at the Natural Resources Canada Geomagnetics Laboratory, and is being considered for future ground, satellite and sounding rocket applications.
TRO-2D - A code for rational transonic aerodynamic optimization
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Davis, W. H., Jr.
1985-01-01
Features and sample applications of the transonic rational optimization (TRO-2D) code are outlined. TRO-2D includes the airfoil analysis code FLO-36, the CONMIN optimization code and a rational approach to defining aero-function shapes for geometry modification. The program is part of an effort to develop an aerodynamically smart optimizer that will simplify and shorten the design process. The user has a selection of drag minimization and associated minimum lift, moment, and the pressure distribution, a choice among 14 resident aero-function shapes, and options on aerodynamic and geometric constraints. Design variables such as the angle of attack, leading edge radius and camber, shock strength and movement, supersonic pressure plateau control, etc., are discussed. The results of calculations of a reduced leading edge camber transonic airfoil and an airfoil with a natural laminar flow are provided, showing that only four design variables need be specified to obtain satisfactory results.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Khachatryan, V.; Sirunyan, A. M.; Tumasyan, A.; Adam, W.; Asilar, E.; Bergauer, T.; Brandstetter, J.; Brondolin, E.; Dragicevic, M.; Erö, J.; Flechl, M.; Friedl, M.; Frühwirth, R.; Ghete, V. M.; Hartl, C.; Hörmann, N.; Hrubec, J.; Jeitler, M.; König, A.; Krätschmer, I.; Liko, D.; Matsushita, T.; Mikulec, I.; Rabady, D.; Rad, N.; Rahbaran, B.; Rohringer, H.; Schieck, J.; Strauss, J.; Treberer-Treberspurg, W.; Waltenberger, W.; Wulz, C.-E.; Mossolov, V.; Shumeiko, N.; Suarez Gonzalez, J.; Alderweireldt, S.; Cornelis, T.; De Wolf, E. A.; Janssen, X.; Knutsson, A.; Lauwers, J.; Luyckx, S.; Van De Klundert, M.; Van Haevermaet, H.; Van Mechelen, P.; Van Remortel, N.; Van Spilbeeck, A.; Abu Zeid, S.; Blekman, F.; D'Hondt, J.; Daci, N.; De Bruyn, I.; Deroover, K.; Heracleous, N.; Lowette, S.; Moortgat, S.; Moreels, L.; Olbrechts, A.; Python, Q.; Tavernier, S.; Van Doninck, W.; Van Mulders, P.; Van Parijs, I.; Brun, H.; Caillol, C.; Clerbaux, B.; De Lentdecker, G.; Delannoy, H.; Fasanella, G.; Favart, L.; Goldouzian, R.; Grebenyuk, A.; Karapostoli, G.; Lenzi, T.; Léonard, A.; Maerschalk, T.; Marinov, A.; Randle-conde, A.; Seva, T.; Vander Velde, C.; Vanlaer, P.; Yonamine, R.; Zenoni, F.; Zhang, F.; Cimmino, A.; Dobur, D.; Fagot, A.; Garcia, G.; Gul, M.; Mccartin, J.; Poyraz, D.; Salva, S.; Schöfbeck, R.; Tytgat, M.; Van Driessche, W.; Yazgan, E.; Zaganidis, N.; Beluffi, C.; Bondu, O.; Brochet, S.; Bruno, G.; Caudron, A.; Ceard, L.; De Visscher, S.; Delaere, C.; Delcourt, M.; Forthomme, L.; Francois, B.; Giammanco, A.; Jafari, A.; Jez, P.; Komm, M.; Lemaitre, V.; Magitteri, A.; Mertens, A.; Musich, M.; Nuttens, C.; Piotrzkowski, K.; Quertenmont, L.; Selvaggi, M.; Vidal Marono, M.; Wertz, S.; Beliy, N.; Aldá Júnior, W. L.; Alves, F. L.; Alves, G. A.; Brito, L.; Correa Martins Junior, M.; Hensel, C.; Moraes, A.; Pol, M. E.; Rebello Teles, P.; Belchior Batista Das Chagas, E.; Carvalho, W.; Chinellato, J.; Custódio, A.; Da Costa, E. M.; Da Silveira, G. G.; De Jesus Damiao, D.; De Oliveira Martins, C.; Fonseca De Souza, S.; Huertas Guativa, L. M.; Malbouisson, H.; Matos Figueiredo, D.; Mora Herrera, C.; Mundim, L.; Nogima, H.; Prado Da Silva, W. L.; Santoro, A.; Sznajder, A.; Tonelli Manganote, E. J.; Vilela Pereira, A.; Ahuja, S.; Bernardes, C. A.; Dogra, S.; Fernandez Perez Tomei, T. R.; Gregores, E. M.; Mercadante, P. G.; Moon, C. S.; Novaes, S. F.; Padula, Sandra S.; Romero Abad, D.; Ruiz Vargas, J. C.; Aleksandrov, A.; Hadjiiska, R.; Iaydjiev, P.; Rodozov, M.; Stoykova, S.; Sultanov, G.; Vutova, M.; Dimitrov, A.; Glushkov, I.; Litov, L.; Pavlov, B.; Petkov, P.; Fang, W.; Ahmad, M.; Bian, J. G.; Chen, G. M.; Chen, H. S.; Chen, M.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, T.; Du, R.; Jiang, C. H.; Leggat, D.; Liu, Z.; Romeo, F.; Shaheen, S. M.; Spiezia, A.; Tao, J.; Wang, C.; Wang, Z.; Zhang, H.; Zhao, J.; Asawatangtrakuldee, C.; Ban, Y.; Li, Q.; Liu, S.; Mao, Y.; Qian, S. J.; Wang, D.; Xu, Z.; Avila, C.; Cabrera, A.; Chaparro Sierra, L. F.; Florez, C.; Gomez, J. P.; Ruiz Alvarez, J. D.; Sanabria, J. C.; Godinovic, N.; Lelas, D.; Puljak, I.; Ribeiro Cipriano, P. M.; Antunovic, Z.; Kovac, M.; Brigljevic, V.; Ferencek, D.; Kadija, K.; Luetic, J.; Micanovic, S.; Sudic, L.; Attikis, A.; Mavromanolakis, G.; Mousa, J.; Nicolaou, C.; Ptochos, F.; Razis, P. A.; Rykaczewski, H.; Finger, M.; Finger, M.; Carrera Jarrin, E.; Abdelalim, A. A.; El-khateeb, E.; Mahmoud, M. A.; Radi, A.; Calpas, B.; Kadastik, M.; Murumaa, M.; Perrini, L.; Raidal, M.; Tiko, A.; Veelken, C.; Eerola, P.; Pekkanen, J.; Voutilainen, M.; Härkönen, J.; Karimäki, V.; Kinnunen, R.; Lampén, T.; Lassila-Perini, K.; Lehti, S.; Lindén, T.; Luukka, P.; Peltola, T.; Tuominiemi, J.; Tuovinen, E.; Wendland, L.; Talvitie, J.; Tuuva, T.; Besancon, M.; Couderc, F.; Dejardin, M.; Denegri, D.; Fabbro, B.; Faure, J. L.; Favaro, C.; Ferri, F.; Ganjour, S.; Ghosh, S.; Givernaud, A.; Gras, P.; Hamel de Monchenault, G.; Jarry, P.; Locci, E.; Machet, M.; Malcles, J.; Rander, J.; Rosowsky, A.; Titov, M.; Zghiche, A.; Abdulsalam, A.; Antropov, I.; Baffioni, S.; Beaudette, F.; Busson, P.; Cadamuro, L.; Chapon, E.; Charlot, C.; Davignon, O.; Granier de Cassagnac, R.; Jo, M.; Lisniak, S.; Miné, P.; Naranjo, I. N.; Nguyen, M.; Ochando, C.; Ortona, G.; Paganini, P.; Pigard, P.; Regnard, S.; Salerno, R.; Sirois, Y.; Strebler, T.; Yilmaz, Y.; Zabi, A.; Agram, J.-L.; Andrea, J.; Aubin, A.; Bloch, D.; Brom, J.-M.; Buttignol, M.; Chabert, E. C.; Chanon, N.; Collard, C.; Conte, E.; Coubez, X.; Fontaine, J.-C.; Gelé, D.; Goerlach, U.; Le Bihan, A.-C.; Merlin, J. A.; Skovpen, K.; Van Hove, P.; Gadrat, S.; Beauceron, S.; Bernet, C.; Boudoul, G.; Bouvier, E.; Carrillo Montoya, C. A.; Chierici, R.; Contardo, D.; Courbon, B.; Depasse, P.; El Mamouni, H.; Fan, J.; Fay, J.; Gascon, S.; Gouzevitch, M.; Grenier, G.; Ille, B.; Lagarde, F.; Laktineh, I. B.; Lethuillier, M.; Mirabito, L.; Pequegnot, A. L.; Perries, S.; Popov, A.; Sabes, D.; Sordini, V.; Vander Donckt, M.; Verdier, P.; Viret, S.; Khvedelidze, A.; Tsamalaidze, Z.; Autermann, C.; Beranek, S.; Feld, L.; Heister, A.; Kiesel, M. K.; Klein, K.; Lipinski, M.; Ostapchuk, A.; Preuten, M.; Raupach, F.; Schael, S.; Schomakers, C.; Schulte, J. F.; Schulz, J.; Verlage, T.; Weber, H.; Zhukov, V.; Ata, M.; Brodski, M.; Dietz-Laursonn, E.; Duchardt, D.; Endres, M.; Erdmann, M.; Erdweg, S.; Esch, T.; Fischer, R.; Güth, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heidemann, C.; Hoepfner, K.; Knutzen, S.; Merschmeyer, M.; Meyer, A.; Millet, P.; Mukherjee, S.; Olschewski, M.; Padeken, K.; Papacz, P.; Pook, T.; Radziej, M.; Reithler, H.; Rieger, M.; Scheuch, F.; Sonnenschein, L.; Teyssier, D.; Thüer, S.; Cherepanov, V.; Erdogan, Y.; Flügge, G.; Geenen, H.; Geisler, M.; Hoehle, F.; Kargoll, B.; Kress, T.; Künsken, A.; Lingemann, J.; Nehrkorn, A.; Nowack, A.; Nugent, I. M.; Pistone, C.; Pooth, O.; Stahl, A.; Aldaya Martin, M.; Asin, I.; Beernaert, K.; Behnke, O.; Behrens, U.; Bin Anuar, A. A.; Borras, K.; Campbell, A.; Connor, P.; Contreras-Campana, C.; Costanza, F.; Diez Pardos, C.; Dolinska, G.; Eckerlin, G.; Eckstein, D.; Eichhorn, T.; Gallo, E.; Garay Garcia, J.; Geiser, A.; Gizhko, A.; Grados Luyando, J. M.; Gunnellini, P.; Harb, A.; Hauk, J.; Hempel, M.; Jung, H.; Kalogeropoulos, A.; Karacheban, O.; Kasemann, M.; Kieseler, J.; Kleinwort, C.; Korol, I.; Lange, W.; Lelek, A.; Leonard, J.; Lipka, K.; Lobanov, A.; Lohmann, W.; Mankel, R.; Melzer-Pellmann, I.-A.; Meyer, A. B.; Mittag, G.; Mnich, J.; Mussgiller, A.; Ntomari, E.; Pitzl, D.; Placakyte, R.; Raspereza, A.; Roland, B.; Sahin, M. Ö.; Saxena, P.; Schoerner-Sadenius, T.; Seitz, C.; Spannagel, S.; Stefaniuk, N.; Trippkewitz, K. D.; Van Onsem, G. P.; Walsh, R.; Wissing, C.; Blobel, V.; Centis Vignali, M.; Draeger, A. R.; Dreyer, T.; Erfle, J.; Garutti, E.; Goebel, K.; Gonzalez, D.; Görner, M.; Haller, J.; Hoffmann, M.; Höing, R. S.; Junkes, A.; Klanner, R.; Kogler, R.; Kovalchuk, N.; Kurz, S.; Lapsien, T.; Lenz, T.; Marchesini, I.; Marconi, D.; Meyer, M.; Niedziela, M.; Nowatschin, D.; Ott, J.; Pantaleo, F.; Peiffer, T.; Perieanu, A.; Pietsch, N.; Poehlsen, J.; Sander, C.; Scharf, C.; Schleper, P.; Schlieckau, E.; Schmidt, A.; Schumann, S.; Schwandt, J.; Stadie, H.; Steinbrück, G.; Stober, F. M.; Stöver, M.; Tholen, H.; Troendle, D.; Usai, E.; Vanelderen, L.; Vanhoefer, A.; Vormwald, B.; Barth, C.; Baus, C.; Berger, J.; Butz, E.; Chwalek, T.; Colombo, F.; De Boer, W.; Dierlamm, A.; Fink, S.; Friese, R.; Giffels, M.; Gilbert, A.; Haitz, D.; Hartmann, F.; Heindl, S. M.; Husemann, U.; Katkov, I.; Kornmayer, A.; Lobelle Pardo, P.; Maier, B.; Mildner, H.; Mozer, M. U.; Müller, T.; Müller, Th.; Plagge, M.; Quast, G.; Rabbertz, K.; Röcker, S.; Roscher, F.; Schröder, M.; Sieber, G.; Simonis, H. J.; Ulrich, R.; Wagner-Kuhr, J.; Wayand, S.; Weber, M.; Weiler, T.; Williamson, S.; Wöhrmann, C.; Wolf, R.; Anagnostou, G.; Daskalakis, G.; Geralis, T.; Giakoumopoulou, V. A.; Kyriakis, A.; Loukas, D.; Topsis-Giotis, I.; Agapitos, A.; Kesisoglou, S.; Panagiotou, A.; Saoulidou, N.; Tziaferi, E.; Evangelou, I.; Flouris, G.; Foudas, C.; Kokkas, P.; Loukas, N.; Manthos, N.; Papadopoulos, I.; Paradas, E.; Filipovic, N.; Bencze, G.; Hajdu, C.; Hidas, P.; Horvath, D.; Sikler, F.; Veszpremi, V.; Vesztergombi, G.; Zsigmond, A. J.; Beni, N.; Czellar, S.; Karancsi, J.; Molnar, J.; Szillasi, Z.; Bartók, M.; Makovec, A.; Raics, P.; Trocsanyi, Z. L.; Ujvari, B.; Bahinipati, S.; Choudhury, S.; Mal, P.; Mandal, K.; Nayak, A.; Sahoo, D. K.; Sahoo, N.; Swain, S. K.; Bansal, S.; Beri, S. B.; Bhatnagar, V.; Chawla, R.; Gupta, R.; Bhawandeep, U.; Kalsi, A. K.; Kaur, A.; Kaur, M.; Kumar, R.; Mehta, A.; Mittal, M.; Singh, J. B.; Walia, G.; Kumar, Ashok; Bhardwaj, A.; Choudhary, B. C.; Garg, R. B.; Keshri, S.; Kumar, A.; Malhotra, S.; Naimuddin, M.; Nishu, N.; Ranjan, K.; Sharma, R.; Sharma, V.; Bhattacharya, R.; Bhattacharya, S.; Chatterjee, K.; Dey, S.; Dutt, S.; Dutta, S.; Ghosh, S.; Majumdar, N.; Modak, A.; Mondal, K.; Mukhopadhyay, S.; Nandan, S.; Purohit, A.; Roy, A.; Roy, D.; Roy Chowdhury, S.; Sarkar, S.; Sharan, M.; Thakur, S.; Behera, P. K.; Chudasama, R.; Dutta, D.; Jha, V.; Kumar, V.; Mohanty, A. K.; Netrakanti, P. K.; Pant, L. M.; Shukla, P.; Topkar, A.; Aziz, T.; Banerjee, S.; Bhowmik, S.; Chatterjee, R. M.; Dewanjee, R. K.; Dugad, S.; Ganguly, S.; Guchait, M.; Gurtu, A.; Jain, Sa.; Kole, G.; Kumar, S.; Mahakud, B.; Maity, M.; Majumder, G.; Mazumdar, K.; Mitra, S.; Mohanty, G. B.; Parida, B.; Sarkar, T.; Sur, N.; Sutar, B.; Wickramage, N.; Chauhan, S.; Dube, S.; Kapoor, A.; Kothekar, K.; Rane, A.; Sharma, S.; Bakhshiansohi, H.; Behnamian, H.; Chenarani, S.; Eskandari Tadavani, E.; Etesami, S. M.; Fahim, A.; Khakzad, M.; Mohammadi Najafabadi, M.; Naseri, M.; Paktinat Mehdiabadi, S.; Rezaei Hosseinabadi, F.; Safarzadeh, B.; Zeinali, M.; Grunewald, M.; Abbrescia, M.; Calabria, C.; Caputo, C.; Colaleo, A.; Creanza, D.; Cristella, L.; De Filippis, N.; De Palma, M.; Fiore, L.; Iaselli, G.; Maggi, G.; Maggi, M.; Miniello, G.; My, S.; Nuzzo, S.; Pompili, A.; Pugliese, G.; Radogna, R.; Ranieri, A.; Selvaggi, G.; Silvestris, L.; Venditti, R.; Abbiendi, G.; Battilana, C.; Bonacorsi, D.; Braibant-Giacomelli, S.; Brigliadori, L.; Campanini, R.; Capiluppi, P.; Castro, A.; Cavallo, F. R.; Chhibra, S. S.; Codispoti, G.; Cuffiani, M.; Dallavalle, G. M.; Fabbri, F.; Fanfani, A.; Fasanella, D.; Giacomelli, P.; Grandi, C.; Guiducci, L.; Marcellini, S.; Masetti, G.; Montanari, A.; Navarria, F. L.; Perrotta, A.; Rossi, A. M.; Rovelli, T.; Siroli, G. P.; Tosi, N.; Albergo, S.; Chiorboli, M.; Costa, S.; Di Mattia, A.; Giordano, F.; Potenza, R.; Tricomi, A.; Tuve, C.; Barbagli, G.; Ciulli, V.; Civinini, C.; D'Alessandro, R.; Focardi, E.; Gori, V.; Lenzi, P.; Meschini, M.; Paoletti, S.; Sguazzoni, G.; Viliani, L.; Benussi, L.; Bianco, S.; Fabbri, F.; Piccolo, D.; Primavera, F.; Calvelli, V.; Ferro, F.; Lo Vetere, M.; Monge, M. R.; Robutti, E.; Tosi, S.; Brianza, L.; Brivio, F.; Dinardo, M. E.; Fiorendi, S.; Gennai, S.; Ghezzi, A.; Govoni, P.; Malvezzi, S.; Manzoni, R. A.; Marzocchi, B.; Menasce, D.; Moroni, L.; Paganoni, M.; Pedrini, D.; Pigazzini, S.; Ragazzi, S.; Tabarelli de Fatis, T.; Buontempo, S.; Cavallo, N.; De Nardo, G.; Di Guida, S.; Esposito, M.; Fabozzi, F.; Iorio, A. O. M.; Lanza, G.; Lista, L.; Meola, S.; Merola, M.; Paolucci, P.; Sciacca, C.; Thyssen, F.; Azzi, P.; Bacchetta, N.; Benato, L.; Bisello, D.; Boletti, A.; Carlin, R.; Carvalho Antunes De Oliveira, A.; Checchia, P.; Dall'Osso, M.; De Castro Manzano, P.; Dorigo, T.; Dosselli, U.; Gasparini, F.; Gasparini, U.; Gozzelino, A.; Lacaprara, S.; Margoni, M.; Meneguzzo, A. T.; Pazzini, J.; Pozzobon, N.; Ronchese, P.; Simonetto, F.; Torassa, E.; Tosi, M.; Zanetti, M.; Zotto, P.; Zucchetta, A.; Zumerle, G.; Braghieri, A.; Magnani, A.; Montagna, P.; Ratti, S. P.; Re, V.; Riccardi, C.; Salvini, P.; Vai, I.; Vitulo, P.; Alunni Solestizi, L.; Bilei, G. M.; Ciangottini, D.; Fanò, L.; Lariccia, P.; Leonardi, R.; Mantovani, G.; Menichelli, M.; Saha, A.; Santocchia, A.; Androsov, K.; Azzurri, P.; Bagliesi, G.; Bernardini, J.; Boccali, T.; Castaldi, R.; Ciocci, M. A.; Dell'Orso, R.; Donato, S.; Fedi, G.; Giassi, A.; Grippo, M. T.; Ligabue, F.; Lomtadze, T.; Martini, L.; Messineo, A.; Palla, F.; Rizzi, A.; Savoy-Navarro, A.; Spagnolo, P.; Tenchini, R.; Tonelli, G.; Venturi, A.; Verdini, P. G.; Barone, L.; Cavallari, F.; Cipriani, M.; D'imperio, G.; Del Re, D.; Diemoz, M.; Gelli, S.; Jorda, C.; Longo, E.; Margaroli, F.; Meridiani, P.; Organtini, G.; Paramatti, R.; Preiato, F.; Rahatlou, S.; Rovelli, C.; Santanastasio, F.; Amapane, N.; Arcidiacono, R.; Argiro, S.; Arneodo, M.; Bartosik, N.; Bellan, R.; Biino, C.; Cartiglia, N.; Costa, M.; Covarelli, R.; Degano, A.; Demaria, N.; Finco, L.; Kiani, B.; Mariotti, C.; Maselli, S.; Migliore, E.; Monaco, V.; Monteil, E.; Obertino, M. M.; Pacher, L.; Pastrone, N.; Pelliccioni, M.; Pinna Angioni, G. L.; Ravera, F.; Romero, A.; Ruspa, M.; Sacchi, R.; Sola, V.; Solano, A.; Staiano, A.; Traczyk, P.; Belforte, S.; Candelise, V.; Casarsa, M.; Cossutti, F.; Della Ricca, G.; La Licata, C.; Schizzi, A.; Zanetti, A.; Kim, D. H.; Kim, G. N.; Kim, M. S.; Lee, S.; Lee, S. W.; Oh, Y. D.; Sekmen, S.; Son, D. C.; Yang, Y. C.; Kim, H.; Brochero Cifuentes, J. A.; Kim, T. J.; Cho, S.; Choi, S.; Go, Y.; Gyun, D.; Ha, S.; Hong, B.; Jo, Y.; Kim, Y.; Lee, B.; Lee, K.; Lee, K. S.; Lee, S.; Lim, J.; Park, S. K.; Roh, Y.; Almond, J.; Kim, J.; Seo, S. H.; Yang, U.; Yoo, H. D.; Yu, G. B.; Choi, M.; Kim, H.; Kim, H.; Kim, J. H.; Lee, J. S. H.; Park, I. C.; Ryu, G.; Ryu, M. S.; Choi, Y.; Goh, J.; Kim, D.; Kwon, E.; Lee, J.; Yu, I.; Dudenas, V.; Juodagalvis, A.; Vaitkus, J.; Ahmed, I.; Ibrahim, Z. A.; Komaragiri, J. R.; Md Ali, M. A. B.; Mohamad Idris, F.; Wan Abdullah, W. A. T.; Yusli, M. N.; Zolkapli, Z.; Casimiro Linares, E.; Castilla-Valdez, H.; De La Cruz-Burelo, E.; Heredia-De La Cruz, I.; Hernandez-Almada, A.; Lopez-Fernandez, R.; Mejia Guisao, J.; Sanchez-Hernandez, A.; Carrillo Moreno, S.; Vazquez Valencia, F.; Pedraza, I.; Salazar Ibarguen, H. A.; Uribe Estrada, C.; Morelos Pineda, A.; Krofcheck, D.; Butler, P. H.; Ahmad, A.; Ahmad, M.; Hassan, Q.; Hoorani, H. R.; Khan, W. A.; Khurshid, T.; Shoaib, M.; Waqas, M.; Bialkowska, H.; Bluj, M.; Boimska, B.; Frueboes, T.; Górski, M.; Kazana, M.; Nawrocki, K.; Romanowska-Rybinska, K.; Szleper, M.; Zalewski, P.; Bunkowski, K.; Byszuk, A.; Doroba, K.; Kalinowski, A.; Konecki, M.; Krolikowski, J.; Misiura, M.; Olszewski, M.; Walczak, M.; Bargassa, P.; Beirão Da Cruz E Silva, C.; Di Francesco, A.; Faccioli, P.; Ferreira Parracho, P. G.; Gallinaro, M.; Hollar, J.; Leonardo, N.; Lloret Iglesias, L.; Nemallapudi, M. V.; Nguyen, F.; Rodrigues Antunes, J.; Seixas, J.; Toldaiev, O.; Vadruccio, D.; Varela, J.; Vischia, P.; Afanasiev, S.; Bunin, P.; Gavrilenko, M.; Golutvin, I.; Gorbunov, I.; Kamenev, A.; Karjavin, V.; Lanev, A.; Malakhov, A.; Matveev, V.; Moisenz, P.; Palichik, V.; Perelygin, V.; Shmatov, S.; Shulha, S.; Skatchkov, N.; Smirnov, V.; Voytishin, N.; Zarubin, A.; Chtchipounov, L.; Golovtsov, V.; Ivanov, Y.; Kim, V.; Kuznetsova, E.; Murzin, V.; Oreshkin, V.; Sulimov, V.; Vorobyev, A.; Andreev, Yu.; Dermenev, A.; Gninenko, S.; Golubev, N.; Karneyeu, A.; Kirsanov, M.; Krasnikov, N.; Pashenkov, A.; Tlisov, D.; Toropin, A.; Epshteyn, V.; Gavrilov, V.; Lychkovskaya, N.; Popov, V.; Pozdnyakov, I.; Safronov, G.; Spiridonov, A.; Toms, M.; Vlasov, E.; Zhokin, A.; Chadeeva, M.; Markin, O.; Tarkovskii, E.; Andreev, V.; Azarkin, M.; Dremin, I.; Kirakosyan, M.; Leonidov, A.; Rusakov, S. V.; Terkulov, A.; Baskakov, A.; Belyaev, A.; Boos, E.; Dubinin, M.; Dudko, L.; Ershov, A.; Gribushin, A.; Klyukhin, V.; Kodolova, O.; Lokhtin, I.; Miagkov, I.; Obraztsov, S.; Petrushanko, S.; Savrin, V.; Snigirev, A.; Azhgirey, I.; Bayshev, I.; Bitioukov, S.; Elumakhov, D.; Kachanov, V.; Kalinin, A.; Konstantinov, D.; Krychkine, V.; Petrov, V.; Ryutin, R.; Sobol, A.; Troshin, S.; Tyurin, N.; Uzunian, A.; Volkov, A.; Adzic, P.; Cirkovic, P.; Devetak, D.; Milosevic, J.; Rekovic, V.; Alcaraz Maestre, J.; Calvo, E.; Cerrada, M.; Chamizo Llatas, M.; Colino, N.; De La Cruz, B.; Delgado Peris, A.; Escalante Del Valle, A.; Fernandez Bedoya, C.; Fernández Ramos, J. P.; Flix, J.; Fouz, M. C.; Garcia-Abia, P.; Gonzalez Lopez, O.; Goy Lopez, S.; Hernandez, J. M.; Josa, M. I.; Navarro De Martino, E.; Pérez-Calero Yzquierdo, A.; Puerta Pelayo, J.; Quintario Olmeda, A.; Redondo, I.; Romero, L.; Soares, M. S.; de Trocóniz, J. F.; Missiroli, M.; Moran, D.; Cuevas, J.; Fernandez Menendez, J.; Gonzalez Caballero, I.; Palencia Cortezon, E.; Sanchez Cruz, S.; Vizan Garcia, J. M.; Cabrillo, I. J.; Calderon, A.; Castiñeiras De Saa, J. R.; Curras, E.; Fernandez, M.; Garcia-Ferrero, J.; Gomez, G.; Lopez Virto, A.; Marco, J.; Martinez Rivero, C.; Matorras, F.; Piedra Gomez, J.; Rodrigo, T.; Ruiz-Jimeno, A.; Scodellaro, L.; Trevisani, N.; Vila, I.; Vilar Cortabitarte, R.; Abbaneo, D.; Auffray, E.; Auzinger, G.; Bachtis, M.; Baillon, P.; Ball, A. H.; Barney, D.; Bloch, P.; Bocci, A.; Bonato, A.; Botta, C.; Camporesi, T.; Castello, R.; Cepeda, M.; Cerminara, G.; D'Alfonso, M.; d'Enterria, D.; Dabrowski, A.; Daponte, V.; David, A.; De Gruttola, M.; De Guio, F.; De Roeck, A.; Di Marco, E.; Dobson, M.; Dordevic, M.; Dorney, B.; du Pree, T.; Duggan, D.; Dünser, M.; Dupont, N.; Elliott-Peisert, A.; Fartoukh, S.; Franzoni, G.; Fulcher, J.; Funk, W.; Gigi, D.; Gill, K.; Girone, M.; Glege, F.; Gundacker, S.; Guthoff, M.; Hammer, J.; Harris, P.; Hegeman, J.; Innocente, V.; Janot, P.; Kirschenmann, H.; Knünz, V.; Kortelainen, M. J.; Kousouris, K.; Krammer, M.; Lecoq, P.; Lourenço, C.; Lucchini, M. T.; Magini, N.; Malgeri, L.; Mannelli, M.; Martelli, A.; Meijers, F.; Mersi, S.; Meschi, E.; Moortgat, F.; Morovic, S.; Mulders, M.; Neugebauer, H.; Orfanelli, S.; Orsini, L.; Pape, L.; Perez, E.; Peruzzi, M.; Petrilli, A.; Petrucciani, G.; Pfeiffer, A.; Pierini, M.; Racz, A.; Reis, T.; Rolandi, G.; Rovere, M.; Ruan, M.; Sakulin, H.; Sauvan, J. B.; Schäfer, C.; Schwick, C.; Seidel, M.; Sharma, A.; Silva, P.; Simon, M.; Sphicas, P.; Steggemann, J.; Stoye, M.; Takahashi, Y.; Treille, D.; Triossi, A.; Tsirou, A.; Veckalns, V.; Veres, G. I.; Wardle, N.; Zagozdzinska, A.; Zeuner, W. D.; Bertl, W.; Deiters, K.; Erdmann, W.; Horisberger, R.; Ingram, Q.; Kaestli, H. C.; Kotlinski, D.; Langenegger, U.; Rohe, T.; Bachmair, F.; Bäni, L.; Bianchini, L.; Casal, B.; Dissertori, G.; Dittmar, M.; Donegà, M.; Eller, P.; Grab, C.; Heidegger, C.; Hits, D.; Hoss, J.; Kasieczka, G.; Lecomte, P.; Lustermann, W.; Mangano, B.; Marionneau, M.; Martinez Ruiz del Arbol, P.; Masciovecchio, M.; Meinhard, M. T.; Meister, D.; Micheli, F.; Musella, P.; Nessi-Tedaldi, F.; Pandolfi, F.; Pata, J.; Pauss, F.; Perrin, G.; Perrozzi, L.; Quittnat, M.; Rossini, M.; Schönenberger, M.; Starodumov, A.; Takahashi, M.; Tavolaro, V. R.; Theofilatos, K.; Wallny, R.; Aarrestad, T. K.; Amsler, C.; Caminada, L.; Canelli, M. F.; Chiochia, V.; De Cosa, A.; Galloni, C.; Hinzmann, A.; Hreus, T.; Kilminster, B.; Lange, C.; Ngadiuba, J.; Pinna, D.; Rauco, G.; Robmann, P.; Salerno, D.; Yang, Y.; Chen, K. H.; Doan, T. H.; Jain, Sh.; Khurana, R.; Konyushikhin, M.; Kuo, C. M.; Lin, W.; Lu, Y. J.; Pozdnyakov, A.; Yu, S. S.; Kumar, Arun; Chang, P.; Chang, Y. H.; Chang, Y. W.; Chao, Y.; Chen, K. F.; Chen, P. H.; Dietz, C.; Fiori, F.; Hou, W.-S.; Hsiung, Y.; Liu, Y. F.; Lu, R.-S.; Miñano Moya, M.; Paganis, E.; Tsai, J. f.; Tzeng, Y. M.; Asavapibhop, B.; Singh, G.; Srimanobhas, N.; Suwonjandee, N.; Adiguzel, A.; Cerci, S.; Damarseckin, S.; Demiroglu, Z. S.; Dozen, C.; Dumanoglu, I.; Girgis, S.; Gokbulut, G.; Guler, Y.; Gurpinar, E.; Hos, I.; Kangal, E. E.; Kayis Topaksu, A.; Onengut, G.; Ozdemir, K.; Sunar Cerci, D.; Tali, B.; Zorbilmez, C.; Bilin, B.; Bilmis, S.; Isildak, B.; Karapinar, G.; Yalvac, M.; Zeyrek, M.; Gülmez, E.; Kaya, M.; Kaya, O.; Yetkin, E. A.; Yetkin, T.; Cakir, A.; Cankocak, K.; Sen, S.; Vardarlı, F. I.; Grynyov, B.; Levchuk, L.; Sorokin, P.; Aggleton, R.; Ball, F.; Beck, L.; Brooke, J. J.; Burns, D.; Clement, E.; Cussans, D.; Flacher, H.; Goldstein, J.; Grimes, M.; Heath, G. P.; Heath, H. F.; Jacob, J.; Kreczko, L.; Lucas, C.; Meng, Z.; Newbold, D. M.; Paramesvaran, S.; Poll, A.; Sakuma, T.; Seif El Nasr-storey, S.; Senkin, S.; Smith, D.; Smith, V. J.; Bell, K. W.; Belyaev, A.; Brew, C.; Brown, R. M.; Calligaris, L.; Cieri, D.; Cockerill, D. J. A.; Coughlan, J. A.; Harder, K.; Harper, S.; Olaiya, E.; Petyt, D.; Shepherd-Themistocleous, C. H.; Thea, A.; Tomalin, I. R.; Williams, T.; Baber, M.; Bainbridge, R.; Buchmuller, O.; Bundock, A.; Burton, D.; Casasso, S.; Citron, M.; Colling, D.; Corpe, L.; Dauncey, P.; Davies, G.; De Wit, A.; Della Negra, M.; Dunne, P.; Elwood, A.; Futyan, D.; Haddad, Y.; Hall, G.; Iles, G.; Lane, R.; Laner, C.; Lucas, R.; Lyons, L.; Magnan, A.-M.; Malik, S.; Mastrolorenzo, L.; Nash, J.; Nikitenko, A.; Pela, J.; Penning, B.; Pesaresi, M.; Raymond, D. M.; Richards, A.; Rose, A.; Seez, C.; Tapper, A.; Uchida, K.; Vazquez Acosta, M.; Virdee, T.; Zenz, S. C.; Cole, J. E.; Hobson, P. R.; Khan, A.; Kyberd, P.; Leslie, D.; Reid, I. D.; Symonds, P.; Teodorescu, L.; Turner, M.; Borzou, A.; Call, K.; Dittmann, J.; Hatakeyama, K.; Liu, H.; Pastika, N.; Charaf, O.; Cooper, S. I.; Henderson, C.; Rumerio, P.; Arcaro, D.; Avetisyan, A.; Bose, T.; Gastler, D.; Rankin, D.; Richardson, C.; Rohlf, J.; Sulak, L.; Zou, D.; Benelli, G.; Berry, E.; Cutts, D.; Ferapontov, A.; Garabedian, A.; Hakala, J.; Heintz, U.; Jesus, O.; Laird, E.; Landsberg, G.; Mao, Z.; Narain, M.; Piperov, S.; Sagir, S.; Spencer, E.; Syarif, R.; Breedon, R.; Breto, G.; Burns, D.; Calderon De La Barca Sanchez, M.; Chauhan, S.; Chertok, M.; Conway, J.; Conway, R.; Cox, P. T.; Erbacher, R.; Flores, C.; Funk, G.; Gardner, M.; Ko, W.; Lander, R.; Mclean, C.; Mulhearn, M.; Pellett, D.; Pilot, J.; Ricci-Tam, F.; Shalhout, S.; Smith, J.; Squires, M.; Stolp, D.; Tripathi, M.; Wilbur, S.; Yohay, R.; Cousins, R.; Everaerts, P.; Florent, A.; Hauser, J.; Ignatenko, M.; Saltzberg, D.; Takasugi, E.; Valuev, V.; Weber, M.; Burt, K.; Clare, R.; Ellison, J.; Gary, J. W.; Hanson, G.; Heilman, J.; Jandir, P.; Kennedy, E.; Lacroix, F.; Long, O. R.; Malberti, M.; Olmedo Negrete, M.; Paneva, M. I.; Shrinivas, A.; Wei, H.; Wimpenny, S.; Yates, B. R.; Branson, J. G.; Cerati, G. B.; Cittolin, S.; D'Agnolo, R. T.; Derdzinski, M.; Gerosa, R.; Holzner, A.; Kelley, R.; Klein, D.; Letts, J.; Macneill, I.; Olivito, D.; Padhi, S.; Pieri, M.; Sani, M.; Sharma, V.; Simon, S.; Tadel, M.; Vartak, A.; Wasserbaech, S.; Welke, C.; Wood, J.; Würthwein, F.; Yagil, A.; Zevi Della Porta, G.; Bhandari, R.; Bradmiller-Feld, J.; Campagnari, C.; Dishaw, A.; Dutta, V.; Flowers, K.; Franco Sevilla, M.; Geffert, P.; George, C.; Golf, F.; Gouskos, L.; Gran, J.; Heller, R.; Incandela, J.; Mccoll, N.; Mullin, S. D.; Ovcharova, A.; Richman, J.; Stuart, D.; Suarez, I.; West, C.; Yoo, J.; Anderson, D.; Apresyan, A.; Bendavid, J.; Bornheim, A.; Bunn, J.; Chen, Y.; Duarte, J.; Mott, A.; Newman, H. B.; Pena, C.; Spiropulu, M.; Vlimant, J. R.; Xie, S.; Zhu, R. Y.; Andrews, M. B.; Azzolini, V.; Calamba, A.; Carlson, B.; Ferguson, T.; Paulini, M.; Russ, J.; Sun, M.; Vogel, H.; Vorobiev, I.; Cumalat, J. P.; Ford, W. T.; Jensen, F.; Johnson, A.; Krohn, M.; Mulholland, T.; Stenson, K.; Wagner, S. R.; Alexander, J.; Chatterjee, A.; Chaves, J.; Chu, J.; Dittmer, S.; Eggert, N.; Mirman, N.; Nicolas Kaufman, G.; Patterson, J. R.; Rinkevicius, A.; Ryd, A.; Skinnari, L.; Sun, W.; Tan, S. M.; Tao, Z.; Teo, W. D.; Thom, J.; Thompson, J.; Tucker, J.; Weng, Y.; Wittich, P.; Winn, D.; Abdullin, S.; Albrow, M.; Apollinari, G.; Banerjee, S.; Bauerdick, L. A. T.; Beretvas, A.; Berryhill, J.; Bhat, P. C.; Bolla, G.; Burkett, K.; Butler, J. N.; Cheung, H. W. K.; Chlebana, F.; Cihangir, S.; Cremonesi, M.; Elvira, V. D.; Fisk, I.; Freeman, J.; Gottschalk, E.; Gray, L.; Green, D.; Grünendahl, S.; Gutsche, O.; Hare, D.; Harris, R. M.; Hasegawa, S.; Hirschauer, J.; Hu, Z.; Jayatilaka, B.; Jindariani, S.; Johnson, M.; Joshi, U.; Klima, B.; Kreis, B.; Lammel, S.; Linacre, J.; Lincoln, D.; Lipton, R.; Liu, T.; Lopes De Sá, R.; Lykken, J.; Maeshima, K.; Marraffino, J. M.; Maruyama, S.; Mason, D.; McBride, P.; Merkel, P.; Mrenna, S.; Nahn, S.; Newman-Holmes, C.; O'Dell, V.; Pedro, K.; Prokofyev, O.; Rakness, G.; Ristori, L.; Sexton-Kennedy, E.; Soha, A.; Spalding, W. J.; Spiegel, L.; Stoynev, S.; Strobbe, N.; Taylor, L.; Tkaczyk, S.; Tran, N. V.; Uplegger, L.; Vaandering, E. W.; Vernieri, C.; Verzocchi, M.; Vidal, R.; Wang, M.; Weber, H. A.; Whitbeck, A.; Acosta, D.; Avery, P.; Bortignon, P.; Bourilkov, D.; Brinkerhoff, A.; Carnes, A.; Carver, M.; Curry, D.; Das, S.; Field, R. D.; Furic, I. K.; Konigsberg, J.; Korytov, A.; Ma, P.; Matchev, K.; Mei, H.; Milenovic, P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Rank, D.; Shchutska, L.; Sperka, D.; Thomas, L.; Wang, J.; Wang, S.; Yelton, J.; Linn, S.; Markowitz, P.; Martinez, G.; Rodriguez, J. L.; Ackert, A.; Adams, J. R.; Adams, T.; Askew, A.; Bein, S.; Diamond, B.; Hagopian, S.; Hagopian, V.; Johnson, K. F.; Khatiwada, A.; Prosper, H.; Santra, A.; Weinberg, M.; Baarmand, M. M.; Bhopatkar, V.; Colafranceschi, S.; Hohlmann, M.; Kalakhety, H.; Noonan, D.; Roy, T.; Yumiceva, F.; Adams, M. R.; Apanasevich, L.; Berry, D.; Betts, R. R.; Bucinskaite, I.; Cavanaugh, R.; Evdokimov, O.; Gauthier, L.; Gerber, C. E.; Hofman, D. J.; Kurt, P.; O'Brien, C.; Sandoval Gonzalez, I. D.; Turner, P.; Varelas, N.; Wu, Z.; Zakaria, M.; Zhang, J.; Bilki, B.; Clarida, W.; Dilsiz, K.; Durgut, S.; Gandrajula, R. P.; Haytmyradov, M.; Khristenko, V.; Merlo, J.-P.; Mermerkaya, H.; Mestvirishvili, A.; Moeller, A.; Nachtman, J.; Ogul, H.; Onel, Y.; Ozok, F.; Penzo, A.; Snyder, C.; Tiras, E.; Wetzel, J.; Yi, K.; Anderson, I.; Blumenfeld, B.; Cocoros, A.; Eminizer, N.; Fehling, D.; Feng, L.; Gritsan, A. V.; Maksimovic, P.; Osherson, M.; Roskes, J.; Sarica, U.; Swartz, M.; Xiao, M.; Xin, Y.; You, C.; Al-bataineh, A.; Baringer, P.; Bean, A.; Bruner, C.; Castle, J.; Kenny, R. P., III; Kropivnitskaya, A.; Majumder, D.; Malek, M.; Mcbrayer, W.; Murray, M.; Sanders, S.; Stringer, R.; Wang, Q.; Ivanov, A.; Kaadze, K.; Khalil, S.; Makouski, M.; Maravin, Y.; Mohammadi, A.; Saini, L. K.; Skhirtladze, N.; Toda, S.; Lange, D.; Rebassoo, F.; Wright, D.; Anelli, C.; Baden, A.; Baron, O.; Belloni, A.; Calvert, B.; Eno, S. C.; Ferraioli, C.; Gomez, J. A.; Hadley, N. J.; Jabeen, S.; Kellogg, R. G.; Kolberg, T.; Kunkle, J.; Lu, Y.; Mignerey, A. C.; Shin, Y. H.; Skuja, A.; Tonjes, M. B.; Tonwar, S. C.; Apyan, A.; Barbieri, R.; Baty, A.; Bi, R.; Bierwagen, K.; Brandt, S.; Busza, W.; Cali, I. A.; Demiragli, Z.; Di Matteo, L.; Gomez Ceballos, G.; Goncharov, M.; Gulhan, D.; Hsu, D.; Iiyama, Y.; Innocenti, G. M.; Klute, M.; Kovalskyi, D.; Krajczar, K.; Lai, Y. S.; Lee, Y.-J.; Levin, A.; Luckey, P. D.; Marini, A. C.; Mcginn, C.; Mironov, C.; Narayanan, S.; Niu, X.; Paus, C.; Roland, C.; Roland, G.; Salfeld-Nebgen, J.; Stephans, G. S. F.; Sumorok, K.; Tatar, K.; Varma, M.; Velicanu, D.; Veverka, J.; Wang, J.; Wang, T. W.; Wyslouch, B.; Yang, M.; Zhukova, V.; Benvenuti, A. C.; Dahmes, B.; Evans, A.; Finkel, A.; Gude, A.; Hansen, P.; Kalafut, S.; Kao, S. C.; Klapoetke, K.; Kubota, Y.; Lesko, Z.; Mans, J.; Nourbakhsh, S.; Ruckstuhl, N.; Rusack, R.; Tambe, N.; Turkewitz, J.; Acosta, J. G.; Oliveros, S.; Avdeeva, E.; Bartek, R.; Bloom, K.; Bose, S.; Claes, D. R.; Dominguez, A.; Fangmeier, C.; Gonzalez Suarez, R.; Kamalieddin, R.; Knowlton, D.; Kravchenko, I.; Meier, F.; Monroy, J.; Siado, J. E.; Snow, G. R.; Stieger, B.; Alyari, M.; Dolen, J.; George, J.; Godshalk, A.; Harrington, C.; Iashvili, I.; Kaisen, J.; Kharchilava, A.; Kumar, A.; Parker, A.; Rappoccio, S.; Roozbahani, B.; Alverson, G.; Barberis, E.; Baumgartel, D.; Chasco, M.; Hortiangtham, A.; Massironi, A.; Morse, D. M.; Nash, D.; Orimoto, T.; Teixeira De Lima, R.; Trocino, D.; Wang, R.-J.; Wood, D.; Bhattacharya, S.; Hahn, K. A.; Kubik, A.; Low, J. F.; Mucia, N.; Odell, N.; Pollack, B.; Schmitt, M. H.; Sung, K.; Trovato, M.; Velasco, M.; Dev, N.; Hildreth, M.; Hurtado Anampa, K.; Jessop, C.; Karmgard, D. J.; Kellams, N.; Lannon, K.; Marinelli, N.; Meng, F.; Mueller, C.; Musienko, Y.; Planer, M.; Reinsvold, A.; Ruchti, R.; Rupprecht, N.; Smith, G.; Taroni, S.; Valls, N.; Wayne, M.; Wolf, M.; Woodard, A.; Alimena, J.; Antonelli, L.; Brinson, J.; Bylsma, B.; Durkin, L. S.; Flowers, S.; Francis, B.; Hart, A.; Hill, C.; Hughes, R.; Ji, W.; Liu, B.; Luo, W.; Puigh, D.; Rodenburg, M.; Winer, B. L.; Wulsin, H. W.; Driga, O.; Elmer, P.; Hardenbrook, J.; Hebda, P.; Marlow, D.; Medvedeva, T.; Mooney, M.; Olsen, J.; Palmer, C.; Piroué, P.; Stickland, D.; Tully, C.; Zuranski, A.; Malik, S.; Barker, A.; Barnes, V. E.; Benedetti, D.; Folgueras, S.; Gutay, L.; Jha, M. K.; Jones, M.; Jung, A. W.; Jung, K.; Miller, D. H.; Neumeister, N.; Radburn-Smith, B. C.; Shi, X.; Sun, J.; Svyatkovskiy, A.; Wang, F.; Xie, W.; Xu, L.; Parashar, N.; Stupak, J.; Adair, A.; Akgun, B.; Chen, Z.; Ecklund, K. M.; Geurts, F. J. M.; Guilbaud, M.; Li, W.; Michlin, B.; Northup, M.; Padley, B. P.; Redjimi, R.; Roberts, J.; Rorie, J.; Tu, Z.; Zabel, J.; Betchart, B.; Bodek, A.; de Barbaro, P.; Demina, R.; Duh, Y. t.; Eshaq, Y.; Ferbel, T.; Galanti, M.; Garcia-Bellido, A.; Han, J.; Hindrichs, O.; Khukhunaishvili, A.; Lo, K. H.; Tan, P.; Verzetti, M.; Chou, J. P.; Contreras-Campana, E.; Gershtein, Y.; Gómez Espinosa, T. A.; Halkiadakis, E.; Heindl, M.; Hidas, D.; Hughes, E.; Kaplan, S.; Kunnawalkam Elayavalli, R.; Kyriacou, S.; Lath, A.; Nash, K.; Saka, H.; Salur, S.; Schnetzer, S.; Sheffield, D.; Somalwar, S.; Stone, R.; Thomas, S.; Thomassen, P.; Walker, M.; Foerster, M.; Heideman, J.; Riley, G.; Rose, K.; Spanier, S.; Thapa, K.; Bouhali, O.; Castaneda Hernandez, A.; Celik, A.; Dalchenko, M.; De Mattia, M.; Delgado, A.; Dildick, S.; Eusebi, R.; Gilmore, J.; Huang, T.; Juska, E.; Kamon, T.; Krutelyov, V.; Mueller, R.; Pakhotin, Y.; Patel, R.; Perloff, A.; Perniè, L.; Rathjens, D.; Rose, A.; Safonov, A.; Tatarinov, A.; Ulmer, K. A.; Akchurin, N.; Cowden, C.; Damgov, J.; Dragoiu, C.; Dudero, P. R.; Faulkner, J.; Kunori, S.; Lamichhane, K.; Lee, S. W.; Libeiro, T.; Undleeb, S.; Volobouev, I.; Wang, Z.; Delannoy, A. G.; Greene, S.; Gurrola, A.; Janjam, R.; Johns, W.; Maguire, C.; Melo, A.; Ni, H.; Sheldon, P.; Tuo, S.; Velkovska, J.; Xu, Q.; Arenton, M. W.; Barria, P.; Cox, B.; Goodell, J.; Hirosky, R.; Ledovskoy, A.; Li, H.; Neu, C.; Sinthuprasith, T.; Sun, X.; Wang, Y.; Wolfe, E.; Xia, F.; Clarke, C.; Harr, R.; Karchin, P. E.; Kottachchi Kankanamge Don, C.; Lamichhane, P.; Sturdy, J.; Belknap, D. A.; Dasu, S.; Dodd, L.; Duric, S.; Gomber, B.; Grothe, M.; Herndon, M.; Hervé, A.; Klabbers, P.; Lanaro, A.; Levine, A.; Long, K.; Loveless, R.; Ojalvo, I.; Perry, T.; Pierro, G. A.; Polese, G.; Ruggles, T.; Savin, A.; Sharma, A.; Smith, N.; Smith, W. H.; Taylor, D.; Verwilligen, P.; Woods, N.; CMS Collaboration
2016-07-01
A search for new physics is performed based on all-hadronic events with large missing transverse momentum produced in proton-proton collisions at √{ s} = 13 TeV. The data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.3 fb-1, was collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC in 2015. The data are examined in search regions of jet multiplicity, tagged bottom quark jet multiplicity, missing transverse momentum, and the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta. The observed numbers of events in all search regions are found to be consistent with the expectations from standard model processes. Exclusion limits are presented for simplified supersymmetric models of gluino pair production. Depending on the assumed gluino decay mechanism, and for a massless, weakly interacting, lightest neutralino, lower limits on the gluino mass from 1440 to 1600 GeV are obtained, significantly extending previous limits.
The spatial structure of a nonlinear receptive field.
Schwartz, Gregory W; Okawa, Haruhisa; Dunn, Felice A; Morgan, Josh L; Kerschensteiner, Daniel; Wong, Rachel O; Rieke, Fred
2012-11-01
Understanding a sensory system implies the ability to predict responses to a variety of inputs from a common model. In the retina, this includes predicting how the integration of signals across visual space shapes the outputs of retinal ganglion cells. Existing models of this process generalize poorly to predict responses to new stimuli. This failure arises in part from properties of the ganglion cell response that are not well captured by standard receptive-field mapping techniques: nonlinear spatial integration and fine-scale heterogeneities in spatial sampling. Here we characterize a ganglion cell's spatial receptive field using a mechanistic model based on measurements of the physiological properties and connectivity of only the primary excitatory circuitry of the retina. The resulting simplified circuit model successfully predicts ganglion-cell responses to a variety of spatial patterns and thus provides a direct correspondence between circuit connectivity and retinal output.
The feature extraction of "cat-eye" targets based on bi-spectrum
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhang, Tinghua; Fan, Guihua; Sun, Huayan
2016-10-01
In order to resolve the difficult problem of detection and identification of optical targets in complex background or in long-distance transmission, this paper mainly study the range profiles of "cat-eye" targets using bi-spectrum. For the problems of laser echo signal attenuation serious and low Signal-Noise Ratio (SNR), the multi-pulse laser signal echo signal detection algorithm which is based on high-order cumulant, filter processing and the accumulation of multi-pulse is proposed. This could improve the detection range effectively. In order to extract the stable characteristics of the one-dimensional range profile coming from the cat-eye targets, a method is proposed which extracts the bi-spectrum feature, and uses the singular value decomposition to simplify the calculation. Then, by extracting data samples of different distance, type and incidence angle, verify the stability of the eigenvector and effectiveness extracted by bi-spectrum.
3D imaging of optically cleared tissue using a simplified CLARITY method and on-chip microscopy
Zhang, Yibo; Shin, Yoonjung; Sung, Kevin; Yang, Sam; Chen, Harrison; Wang, Hongda; Teng, Da; Rivenson, Yair; Kulkarni, Rajan P.; Ozcan, Aydogan
2017-01-01
High-throughput sectioning and optical imaging of tissue samples using traditional immunohistochemical techniques can be costly and inaccessible in resource-limited areas. We demonstrate three-dimensional (3D) imaging and phenotyping in optically transparent tissue using lens-free holographic on-chip microscopy as a low-cost, simple, and high-throughput alternative to conventional approaches. The tissue sample is passively cleared using a simplified CLARITY method and stained using 3,3′-diaminobenzidine to target cells of interest, enabling bright-field optical imaging and 3D sectioning of thick samples. The lens-free computational microscope uses pixel super-resolution and multi-height phase recovery algorithms to digitally refocus throughout the cleared tissue and obtain a 3D stack of complex-valued images of the sample, containing both phase and amplitude information. We optimized the tissue-clearing and imaging system by finding the optimal illumination wavelength, tissue thickness, sample preparation parameters, and the number of heights of the lens-free image acquisition and implemented a sparsity-based denoising algorithm to maximize the imaging volume and minimize the amount of the acquired data while also preserving the contrast-to-noise ratio of the reconstructed images. As a proof of concept, we achieved 3D imaging of neurons in a 200-μm-thick cleared mouse brain tissue over a wide field of view of 20.5 mm2. The lens-free microscope also achieved more than an order-of-magnitude reduction in raw data compared to a conventional scanning optical microscope imaging the same sample volume. Being low cost, simple, high-throughput, and data-efficient, we believe that this CLARITY-enabled computational tissue imaging technique could find numerous applications in biomedical diagnosis and research in low-resource settings. PMID:28819645
Sketchcode: A Documentation Technique for Computer Hobbyists and Programmers
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Voros, Todd, L.
1978-01-01
Sketchcode is a metaprograming pseudo-language documentation technique intended to simplify the process of program writing and debugging for both high and low-level users. Helpful hints and examples for the use of the technique are included. (CMV)
2015-04-01
DDC ) results in more complicated digital (FPGA) processing, yet simplifies the analog design significantly while improving the quality of the...Interleaved CP Cyclic Prefix DAC Digital to Analog Converter DDC Digital Down Converter DDR Double Data Rate DUC Digital Up Converter ENOB Effective
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hochstadt, John Webster
1994-01-01
Gift planning is increasing in Canada's colleges and universities to offset effects of retrenchment. New annuity vehicles and the emergence of university Crown Foundations offer tax breaks that support private giving to institutions. In addition, a simplified process for gifts is anticipated. (MSE)
Simplified process for preparation of schizophyllan solutions for biomaterial applications
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Schizophyllan is a biopolymer commercially produced for pharmaceutical and cosmetics uses. However, schizophyllan also has potential biomaterial applications. Schizophyllan is conventionally produced from glucose and recovered by diafiltration and ultrafiltration to produce a highly purified product...
Midura, Ronald J; Cali, Valbona; Lauer, Mark E; Calabro, Anthony; Hascall, Vincent C
2018-01-01
Hyaluronan (HA) exhibits numerous important roles in physiology and pathologies, and these facts necessitate an ability to accurately and reproducibly measure its quantities in tissues and cell cultures. Our group previously reported a rigorous and analytical procedure to quantify HA (and chondroitin sulfate, CS) using a reductive amination chemistry and separation of the fluorophore-conjugated, unsaturated disaccharides unique to HA and CS on high concentration acrylamide gels. This procedure is known as fluorophore-assisted carbohydrate electrophoresis (FACE) and has been adapted for the detection and quantification of all glycosaminoglycan types. While this previous FACE procedure is relatively straightforward to implement by carbohydrate research investigators, many nonglycoscience laboratories now studying HA biology might have difficulties establishing this prior FACE procedure as a routine assay for HA. To address this need, we have greatly simplified our prior FACE procedure for accurate and reproducible assessment of HA in tissues and cell cultures. This chapter describes in detail this simplified FACE procedure and, because it uses an enzyme that degrades both HA and CS, investigators will also gain additional insight into the quantities of CS in the same samples dedicated for HA analysis. © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Feasibility of using of a simplified question in assessing diet quality of adolescents.
Rodrigues, Paulo Rogério Melo; Gonçalves-Silva, Regina Maria Veras; Ferreira, Márcia Gonçalves; Pereira, Rosangela Alves
2017-05-01
This study aims to analyze the applicability of a simplified question in assessing diet quality of adolescents in a cross-sectional school-based study carried out in a sample of high school students. Diet quality self-perception was obtained when the participant was inquired about own diet considering "excellent", "good", "fair" or "poor" responses. We evaluated meals habits and food intake through food frequency questionnaire. The revised version of the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index (BHEI-R) was estimated and we identified three dietary patterns using factor analysis. "Good" self-perceived diet quality was reported by 56% of adolescents and was associated with regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, meal profile and high healthy eating index scores. However, consumption of foods harmful to health was not perceived as characteristic that affects diet quality. The evaluated question showed sensitivity of 28% to detect good quality diets and specificity of 79% to identify low nutritional value diets. The use of a simplified question to assess dietary habits of adolescents is limited, since the consumption of high-fat, high-sugar and high-sodium food was not recognized as an indicator of low quality diet.
Chemical mimicking of bio-assisted aluminium extraction by Aspergillus niger's exometabolites.
Boriová, Katarína; Urík, Martin; Bujdoš, Marek; Pifková, Ivana; Matúš, Peter
2016-11-01
Presence of microorganisms in soils strongly affects mobility of metals. This fact is often excluded when mobile metal fraction in soil is studied using extraction procedures. Thus, the first objective of this paper was to evaluate strain Aspergillus niger's exometabolites contribution on aluminium mobilization. Fungal exudates collected in various time intervals during cultivation were analyzed and used for two-step bio-assisted extraction of alumina and gibbsite. Oxalic, citric and gluconic acids were identified in collected culture media with concentrations up to 68.4, 2.0 and 16.5 mmol L -1 , respectively. These exometabolites proved to be the most efficient agents in mobile aluminium fraction extraction with aluminium extraction efficiency reaching almost 2.2%. However, fungal cultivation is time demanding process. Therefore, the second objective was to simplify acquisition of equally efficient extracting agent by chemically mimicking composition of main organic acid components of fungal exudates. This was successfully achieved with organic acids mixture prepared according to medium composition collected on the 12th day of Aspergillus niger cultivation. This mixture extracted similar amounts of aluminium from alumina compared to culture medium. The aluminium extraction efficiency from gibbsite by organic acids mixture was lesser than 0.09% which is most likely because of more rigid mineral structure of gibbsite compared to alumina. The prepared organic acid mixture was then successfully applied for aluminium extraction from soil samples and compared to standard single step extraction techniques. This showed there is at least 2.9 times higher content of mobile aluminium fraction in soils than it was previously considered, if contribution of microbial metabolites is considered in extraction procedures. Thus, our contribution highlights the significance of fungal metabolites in aluminium extraction from environmental samples, but it also simplifies the extraction procedure inspired by bio-assisted extraction of aluminium by common soil fungus A. niger. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Granular support vector machines with association rules mining for protein homology prediction.
Tang, Yuchun; Jin, Bo; Zhang, Yan-Qing
2005-01-01
Protein homology prediction between protein sequences is one of critical problems in computational biology. Such a complex classification problem is common in medical or biological information processing applications. How to build a model with superior generalization capability from training samples is an essential issue for mining knowledge to accurately predict/classify unseen new samples and to effectively support human experts to make correct decisions. A new learning model called granular support vector machines (GSVM) is proposed based on our previous work. GSVM systematically and formally combines the principles from statistical learning theory and granular computing theory and thus provides an interesting new mechanism to address complex classification problems. It works by building a sequence of information granules and then building support vector machines (SVM) in some of these information granules on demand. A good granulation method to find suitable granules is crucial for modeling a GSVM with good performance. In this paper, we also propose an association rules-based granulation method. For the granules induced by association rules with high enough confidence and significant support, we leave them as they are because of their high "purity" and significant effect on simplifying the classification task. For every other granule, a SVM is modeled to discriminate the corresponding data. In this way, a complex classification problem is divided into multiple smaller problems so that the learning task is simplified. The proposed algorithm, here named GSVM-AR, is compared with SVM by KDDCUP04 protein homology prediction data. The experimental results show that finding the splitting hyperplane is not a trivial task (we should be careful to select the association rules to avoid overfitting) and GSVM-AR does show significant improvement compared to building one single SVM in the whole feature space. Another advantage is that the utility of GSVM-AR is very good because it is easy to be implemented. More importantly and more interestingly, GSVM provides a new mechanism to address complex classification problems.
Ha, Ji Won; Hahn, Jong Hoon
2017-02-01
Acupuncture sample injection is a simple method to deliver well-defined nanoliter-scale sample plugs in PDMS microfluidic channels. This acupuncture injection method in microchip CE has several advantages, including minimization of sample consumption, the capability of serial injections of different sample solutions into the same microchannel, and the capability of injecting sample plugs into any desired position of a microchannel. Herein, we demonstrate that the simple and cost-effective acupuncture sample injection method can be used for PDMS microchip-based field amplified sample stacking in the most simplified straight channel by applying a single potential. We achieved the increase in electropherogram signals for the case of sample stacking. Furthermore, we present that microchip CGE of ΦX174 DNA-HaeⅢ digest can be performed with the acupuncture injection method on a glass microchip while minimizing sample loss and voltage control hardware. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
LUNSORT list of lunar orbiter data by LAC area
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hixon, S.
1976-01-01
Lunar orbiter (missions 1-5) photographic data are listed sequentially according to the number (1 to 147) LAC (Lunar Aeronautical Chart) areas by use of a computer program called LUNSORT. This listing, as well as a similar one from Apollo would simplify the task of identifying images of a given Lunar area. Instructions and sample case are included.
A Simplified Technique for Scoring DSM-IV Personality Disorders with the Five-Factor Model
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Miller, Joshua D.; Bagby, R. Michael; Pilkonis, Paul A.; Reynolds, Sarah K.; Lynam, Donald R.
2005-01-01
The current study compares the use of two alternative methodologies for using the Five-Factor Model (FFM) to assess personality disorders (PDs). Across two clinical samples, a technique using the simple sum of selected FFM facets is compared with a previously used prototype matching technique. The results demonstrate that the more easily…
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Pike, J.; Reboul, S.
2015-06-01
SRS High Level Waste Tank Farm personnel rely on conductivity probes for detection of incipient overflow conditions in waste tanks. Minimal information is available concerning the sensitivity that must be achieved such that that liquid detection is assured. Overly sensitive electronics results in numerous nuisance alarms for these safety-related instruments. In order to determine the minimum sensitivity required of the probe, Tank Farm Engineering personnel need adequate conductivity data to improve the existing designs. Little or no measurements of liquid waste conductivity exist; however, the liquid phase of the waste consists of inorganic electrolytes for which the conductivity may bemore » calculated. Savannah River Remediation (SRR) Tank Farm Facility Engineering requested SRNL to determine the conductivity of the supernate resident in SRS waste Tank 40 experimentally as well as computationally. In addition, SRNL was requested to develop a correlation, if possible, that would be generally applicable to liquid waste resident in SRS waste tanks. A waste sample from Tank 40 was analyzed for composition and electrical conductivity as shown in Table 4-6, Table 4-7, and Table 4-9. The conductivity for undiluted Tank 40 sample was 0.087 S/cm. The accuracy of OLI Analyzer™ was determined using available literature data. Overall, 95% of computed estimates of electrical conductivity are within ±15% of literature values for component concentrations from 0 to 15 M and temperatures from 0 to 125 °C. Though the computational results are generally in good agreement with the measured data, a small portion of literature data deviates as much as ±76%. A simplified model was created that can be used readily to estimate electrical conductivity of waste solution in computer spreadsheets. The variability of this simplified approach deviates up to 140% from measured values. Generally, this model can be applied to estimate the conductivity within a factor of two. The comparison of the simplified model to pure component literature data suggests that the simplified model will tend to under estimate the electrical conductivity. Comparison of the computed Tank 40 conductivity with the measured conductivity shows good agreement within the range of deviation identified based on pure component literature data.« less
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NJ1), 2008
2008-01-01
Despite a decade of simplification efforts, students and families are often still baffled by the student aid process and cringe at the sight of financial aid application forms. Contrary to its purpose of helping students to access college, the student aid application process causes families frustration and confusion that has been cited as an…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Parlar, Mahmut
2004-01-01
Brownian motion is an important stochastic process used in modelling the random evolution of stock prices. In their 1973 seminal paper--which led to the awarding of the 1997 Nobel prize in Economic Sciences--Fischer Black and Myron Scholes assumed that the random stock price process is described (i.e., generated) by Brownian motion. Despite its…
Enhancement of the Computer Lumber Grading Program to Support Polygonal Defects
Powsiri Klinkhachorn; R. Kathari; D. Yost; Philip A. Araman
1993-01-01
Computer grading of hardwood lumber promises to avoid regrading of the same lumber because of disagreements between the buyer and the seller. However, the first generation of computer programs for hardwood lumber grading simplify the process by modeling defects on the board as rectangles. This speeds up the grading process buy can inadvertently put a board into a lower...
Droplet Combustion and Soot Formation in Microgravity
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Avedisian, C. Thomas
1994-01-01
One of the most complex processes involved in the combustion ot liquid fuels is the formation of soot. A well characterized flow field and simplified flame structure can improve considerably the understanding of soot formation processes. The simplest flame shape to analyze for a droplet is spherical with its associated one-dimensional flow field. It is a fundamental limit and the oldest and most often analyzed configuration of droplet combustion. Spherical symmetry in the droplet burning process will arise when there is no relative motion between the droplet and ambience or uneven heating around the droplet periphery, and buoyancy effects are negligible. The flame and droplet are then concentric with each other and there is no liquid circulation within the droplet. An understanding of the effect of soot on droplet combustion should therefore benefit from this simplified configuration. Soot formed during spherically symmetric droplet combustion, however, has only recently drawn attention and it appears to be one of the few aspects associated with droplet combustion which have not yet been thoroughly investigated. For this review, the broad subject of droplet combustion is narrowed considerably by restricting attention specifically to soot combined with spherically symmetric droplet burning processes that are promoted.
Simplify to survive: prescriptive layouts ensure profitable scaling to 32nm and beyond
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liebmann, Lars; Pileggi, Larry; Hibbeler, Jason; Rovner, Vyacheslav; Jhaveri, Tejas; Northrop, Greg
2009-03-01
The time-to-market driven need to maintain concurrent process-design co-development, even in spite of discontinuous patterning, process, and device innovation is reiterated. The escalating design rule complexity resulting from increasing layout sensitivities in physical and electrical yield and the resulting risk to profitable technology scaling is reviewed. Shortcomings in traditional Design for Manufacturability (DfM) solutions are identified and contrasted to the highly successful integrated design-technology co-optimization used for SRAM and other memory arrays. The feasibility of extending memory-style design-technology co-optimization, based on a highly simplified layout environment, to logic chips is demonstrated. Layout density benefits, modeled patterning and electrical yield improvements, as well as substantially improved layout simplicity are quantified in a conventional versus template-based design comparison on a 65nm IBM PowerPC 405 microprocessor core. The adaptability of this highly regularized template-based design solution to different yield concerns and design styles is shown in the extension of this work to 32nm with an increased focus on interconnect redundancy. In closing, the work not covered in this paper, focused on the process side of the integrated process-design co-optimization, is introduced.
75 FR 4227 - Phytosanitary Treatments; Location of and Process for Updating Treatment Schedules
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2010-01-26
...We are amending the phytosanitary treatment regulations in 7 CFR part 305 by removing the lists of approved treatments and treatment schedules from the regulations, while retaining the general requirements for performing treatments and certifying or approving treatment facilities. We are removing treatment schedules from other places where they are currently found in 7 CFR chapter III as well. Approved treatment schedules will instead be found in the Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual, which is available on the Internet. We are also establishing a new process to provide the public with notice and the opportunity to comment on changes to treatment schedules. Finally, we are harmonizing and combining the requirements for performing irradiation treatment for imported articles, articles moved interstate from Hawaii and U.S. territories, and articles moved interstate from an area quarantined for fruit flies. These changes will simplify and expedite our processes for adding, changing, and removing treatment schedules while continuing to provide for public participation in the process. These changes will also simplify our presentation of treatments to the public by consolidating all treatments into one document and eliminating redundant text from the regulations.
Simplified formulations with high drug loads for continuous twin-screw granulation.
Meier, R; Thommes, M; Rasenack, N; Krumme, M; Moll, K-P; Kleinebudde, P
2015-12-30
As different batches of the same excipients will be intermixed during continuous processes, the traceability of batches is complicated. Simplified formulations may help to reduce problems related to batch intermixing and traceability. Twin-screw granulation with subsequent tableting was used to produce granules and tablets, containing drug, disintegrant and binder (binary and ternary mixtures), only. Drug loads up to 90% were achieved and five different disintegrants were screened for keeping their disintegration suitability after wetting. Granule size distributions were consistently mono-modal and narrow. Granule strength reached higher values, using ternary mixtures. Tablets containing croscarmellose-Na as disintegrant displayed tensile strengths up to 3.1MPa and disintegration times from 400 to 466s, resulting in the most robust disintegrant. Dissolution was overall complete and above 96% within 30 min. Na-starch glycolate offers tensile strengths up to 2.8MPa at disintegration times from 25s to 1031s, providing the broadest application window, as it corresponds in some parts to different definitions of orodispersible tablets. Tablets containing micronized crospovidone are not suitable for immediate release, but showed possibilities to produce highly drug loaded, prolonged release tablets. Tablets and granules from simplified formulations offer great opportunities to improve continuous processes, present performances comparable to more complicated formulations and are able to correspond to requirements of the authorities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Liu, Jian; Bearden, Mark D.; Fernandez, Carlos A.
Magnesium (Mg) has many useful applications especially in various Mg alloys which can decrease weight while increasing strength. To increase the affordability and minimize environment consequence, a novel catalyzed organo-metathetical (COMET) process was proposed to extract Mg from seawater aiming to achieve significant reduction in total energy and production cost comparing with the melting salt electrolysis method currently adopted by US Mg LLC. A process flowsheet for a reference COMET process was set-up using Aspen Plus which included five key steps, anhydrous MgCl2 production, transmetallation, dibutyl Mg decomposition, n-BuLi regeneration, and LiCL electrolysis. The energy and production cost and CO2more » emission were estimated based on the Aspen modeling using Aspen economic analyzer. Our results showed that it is possible to produce Mg from seawater with a production cost of $2.0/kg-Mg while consuming about 35.3 kWh/kg-Mg and releasing 7.0 kg CO2/kg-Mg. A simplified US Mg manufacturing process was also generated using Aspen and the cost and emission results were estimated for comparison purpose. Under our simulation conditions, the reference COMET process maintain a comparable CO2 emission rate and can save about 40% in production cost and save about 15% energy compared to the simplified US Mg process.« less
Pitch-based carbon foam and composites
Klett, James W.
2001-01-01
A process for producing carbon foam or a composite is disclosed which obviates the need for conventional oxidative stabilization. The process employs mesophase or isotropic pitch and a simplified process using a single mold. The foam has a relatively uniform distribution of pore sizes and a highly aligned graphic structure in the struts. The foam material can be made into a composite which is useful in high temperature sandwich panels for both thermal and structural applications.
Pitch-based carbon foam and composites
Klett, James W.
2003-12-16
A process for producing carbon foam or a composite is disclosed which obviates the need for conventional oxidative stabilization. The process employs mesophase or isotropic pitch and a simplified process using a single mold. The foam has a relatively uniform distribution of pore sizes and a highly aligned graphic structure in the struts. The foam material can be made into a composite which is useful in high temperature sandwich panels for both thermal and structural applications.
Pitch-based carbon foam and composites
Klett, James W.
2003-12-02
A process for producing carbon foam or a composite is disclosed which obviates the need for conventional oxidative stabilization. The process employs mesophase or isotropic pitch and a simplified process using a single mold. The foam has a relatively uniform distribution of pore sizes and a highly aligned graphic structure in the struts. The foam material can be made into a composite which is useful in high temperature sandwich panels for both thermal and structural applications.
Pitch-based carbon foam and composites
Klett, James W.
2002-01-01
A process for producing carbon foam or a composite is disclosed which obviates the need for conventional oxidative stabilization. The process employs mesophase or isotropic pitch and a simplified process using a single mold. The foam has a relatively uniform distribution of pore sizes and a highly aligned graphic structure in the struts. The foam material can be made into a composite which is useful in high temperature sandwich panels for both thermal and structural applications.