Concorde air sampling program : intercalibrations and collaborative measurements /

Mode of access: Internet.

Development of design criteria, cost estimates, and schedules for an MHD high performance demonstration experiment; final report

"Contract no. 14-32-0001-1228."

An assessment of the Federal adult education act program /

Includes bibliographical references.

Social security amendments of 1965. Report on H.R. 6675 to provide a hospital insurance program for the aged under the Social security act, with a supplementary health benefits program and an expanded program of medical assistance, to increase benefits under the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance system, to improve the Federal-state public assistance program, and for other purposes.

Mode of access: Internet.

Application kit : federal surplus property transfer program.

"March 1985."

GPRM: a high performance programming framework for manycore processors

Processors with large numbers of cores are becoming commonplace. In order to utilise the available resources in such systems, the programming paradigm has to move towards increased parallelism. However, increased parallelism does not necessarily lead to better performance. Parallel programming models have to provide not only flexible ways of defining parallel tasks, but also efficient methods to manage the created tasks. Moreover, in a general-purpose system, applications residing in the system compete for the shared resources. Thread and task scheduling in such a multiprogrammed multithreaded environment is a significant challenge. In this thesis, we introduce a new task-based parallel reduction model, called the Glasgow Parallel Reduction Machine (GPRM). Our main objective is to provide high performance while maintaining ease of programming. GPRM supports native parallelism; it provides a modular way of expressing parallel tasks and the communication patterns between them. Compiling a GPRM program results in an Intermediate Representation (IR) containing useful information about tasks, their dependencies, as well as the initial mapping information. This compile-time information helps reduce the overhead of runtime task scheduling and is key to high performance. Generally speaking, the granularity and the number of tasks are major factors in achieving high performance. These factors are even more important in the case of GPRM, as it is highly dependent on tasks, rather than threads. We use three basic benchmarks to provide a detailed comparison of GPRM with Intel OpenMP, Cilk Plus, and Threading Building Blocks (TBB) on the Intel Xeon Phi, and with GNU OpenMP on the Tilera TILEPro64. GPRM shows superior performance in almost all cases, only by controlling the number of tasks. GPRM also provides a low-overhead mechanism, called “Global Sharing”, which improves performance in multiprogramming situations. We use OpenMP, as the most popular model for shared-memory parallel programming as the main GPRM competitor for solving three well-known problems on both platforms: LU factorisation of Sparse Matrices, Image Convolution, and Linked List Processing. We focus on proposing solutions that best fit into the GPRM’s model of execution. GPRM outperforms OpenMP in all cases on the TILEPro64. On the Xeon Phi, our solution for the LU Factorisation results in notable performance improvement for sparse matrices with large numbers of small blocks. We investigate the overhead of GPRM’s task creation and distribution for very short computations using the Image Convolution benchmark. We show that this overhead can be mitigated by combining smaller tasks into larger ones. As a result, GPRM can outperform OpenMP for convolving large 2D matrices on the Xeon Phi. Finally, we demonstrate that our parallel worksharing construct provides an efficient solution for Linked List processing and performs better than OpenMP implementations on the Xeon Phi. The results are very promising, as they verify that our parallel programming framework for manycore processors is flexible and scalable, and can provide high performance without sacrificing productivity.

Easy PRAM-based High-performance Parallel Programming with ICE

A poster of this paper will be presented at the 25th International Conference on Parallel Architecture and Compilation Technology (PACT ’16), September 11-15, 2016, Haifa, Israel.

The Performance and Service Life Prediction of High Performance Concrete in Sulfate and Acidic Environments

Concrete substructures are often subjected to environmental deterioration, such as sulfate and acid attack, which leads to severe damage and causes structure degradation or even failure. In order to improve the durability of concrete, the High Performance Concrete (HPC) has become widely used by partially replacing cement with pozzolanic materials. However, HPC degradation mechanisms in sulfate and acidic environments are not completely understood. It is therefore important to evaluate the performance of the HPC in such conditions and predict concrete service life by establishing degradation models. This study began with a review of available environmental data in the State of Florida. A total of seven bridges have been inspected. Concrete cores were taken from these bridge piles and were subjected for microstructural analysis using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Ettringite is found to be the products of sulfate attack in sulfate and acidic condition. In order to quantitatively analyze concrete deterioration level, an image processing program is designed using Matlab to obtain quantitative data. Crack percentage (Acrack/Asurface) is used to evaluate concrete deterioration. Thereafter, correlation analysis was performed to find the correlation between five related variables and concrete deterioration. Environmental sulfate concentration and bridge age were found to be positively correlated, while environmental pH level was found to be negatively correlated. Besides environmental conditions, concrete property factor was also included in the equation. It was derived from laboratory testing data. Experimental tests were carried out implementing accelerated expansion test under controlled environment. Specimens of eight different mix designs were prepared. The effect of pozzolanic replacement rate was taken into consideration in the empirical equation. And the empirical equation was validated with existing bridges. Results show that the proposed equations compared well with field test results with a maximum deviation of ± 20%. Two examples showing how to use the proposed equations are provided to guide the practical implementation. In conclusion, the proposed approach of relating microcracks to deterioration is a better method than existing diffusion and sorption models since sulfate attack cause cracking in concrete. Imaging technique provided in this study can also be used to quantitatively analyze concrete samples.

Propylthiouracil Quantification In Human Plasma By High-performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled With Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry: Application In A Bioequivalence Study.

A rapid, sensitive and specific method for quantifying propylthiouracil in human plasma using methylthiouracil as the internal standard (IS) is described. The analyte and the IS were extracted from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction using an organic solvent (ethyl acetate). The extracts were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in negative mode (ES-). Chromatography was performed using a Phenomenex Gemini C18 5μm analytical column (4.6mm×150mm i.d.) and a mobile phase consisting of methanol/water/acetonitrile (40/40/20, v/v/v)+0.1% of formic acid. For propylthiouracil and I.S., the optimized parameters of the declustering potential, collision energy and collision exit potential were -60 (V), -26 (eV) and -5 (V), respectively. The method had a chromatographic run time of 2.5min and a linear calibration curve over the range 20-5000ng/mL. The limit of quantification was 20ng/mL. The stability tests indicated no significant degradation. This HPLC-MS/MS procedure was used to assess the bioequivalence of two propylthiouracil 100mg tablet formulations in healthy volunteers of both sexes in fasted and fed state. The geometric mean and 90% confidence interval CI of Test/Reference percent ratios were, without and with food, respectively: 109.28% (103.63-115.25%) and 115.60% (109.03-122.58%) for Cmax, 103.31% (100.74-105.96%) and 103.40% (101.03-105.84) for AUClast. This method offers advantages over those previously reported, in terms of both a simple liquid-liquid extraction without clean-up procedures, as well as a faster run time (2.5min). The LOQ of 20ng/mL is well suited for pharmacokinetic studies. The assay performance results indicate that the method is precise and accurate enough for the routine determination of the propylthiouracil in human plasma. The test formulation with and without food was bioequivalent to reference formulation. Food administration increased the Tmax and decreased the bioavailability (Cmax and AUC).

Testes de desempenho aeróbio relacionados a intensidades de corrida em treinamento e competição para fundistas de alto rendimento = : Aerobic performance tests related to training and competition running intensities for high performance distance runners

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Nanochromics: old materials, new structures and architectures for high performance devices

Due to the development of nanoscience, the interest in electrochromism has increased and new assemblies of electrochromic materials at nanoscale leading to higher efficiencies and chromatic contrasts, low switching times and the possibility of color tuning have been developed. These advantages are reached due to the extensive surface area found in nanomaterials and the large amount of organic electrochromic molecules that can be easily attached onto inorganic nanoparticles, as TiO2 or SiO2. Moreover, the direct contact between electrolyte and nanomaterials produces high ionic transfer rates, leading to fast charge compensation, which is essential for high performance electrochromic electrodes. Recently, the layer-by-layer technique was presented as an interesting way to produce different architectures by the combination of both electrochromic nanoparticles and polymers. The present paper shows some of the newest insights into nanochromic science.

High performance concrete applied to storage system buildings at low temperatures

According to some estimates, world's population growth is expected about 50% over the next 50 years. Thus, one of the greatest challenges faced by Engineering is to find effective options to food storage and conservation. Some researchers have investigated how to design durable buildings for storing and conserving food. Nowadays, developing concrete with mechanical resistance for room temperatures is a parameter that can be achieved easily. On the other hand, associating it to low temperature of approximately 35 °C negative requires less empiricism, being necessary a suitable dosage method and a careful selection of the material constituents. This ongoing study involves these parameters. The presented concrete was analyzed through non-destructive tests that examines the material properties periodically and verifies its physical integrity. Concrete with and without incorporated air were studied. The results demonstrated that both are resistant to freezing.

High performance magnetic separation of gold nanoparticles for catalytic oxidation of alcohols

We present the magnetic separation approach to facilitate the recovery of gold nanoparticle (AuNP) catalysts. The use of magnetically recoverable supports for the immobilization of AuNPs instead of traditional oxides, polymers or carbon based solids guarantees facile, clean, fast and efficient separation of the catalyst at the end of the reaction cycle. Magnetic separation can be considered an environmentally benign separation approach, since it minimizes the use of auxiliary substances and energy for achieving catalyst recovery. The catalyst preparation is based on the immobilization of Au(3+) on the surface of core-shell silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles, followed by metal reduction using two different methods. AuNPs were prepared by thermal reduction in air and by hydrogen reduction at mild temperature. Interestingly, the mean particle size of the supported AuNPs was similar (ca. 5.9 nm), but the polydispersity of the samples is quite different. The catalytic activity of both catalysts in the aerobic oxidation of alcohols was investigated and a distinct selectivity for benzyl alcohol oxidation was observed.

High performance gold nanorods and silver nanocubes in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy of pesticides

The behavior of Au nanorods and Ag nanocubes as analytical sensors was evaluated for three different classes of herbicides. The use of such anisotropic nanoparticles in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) experiments allows the one to obtain the spectrum of crystal violet dye in the single molecule regime, as well as the pesticides dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), trichlorfon and ametryn. Such metallic substrates show high SERS performance at low analyte concentrations making them adequate for use as analytical sensors. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the geometries and vibrational wavenumbers of the adsorbates in the presence of silver or gold atoms were used to elucidate the nature of adsorbate-nanostructure bonding in each case and support the enhancement patterns observed in each SERS spectrum.

Validation of dot blot hybridization and denaturing high performance liquid chromatography as reliable methods for TP53 codon 72 genotyping in molecular epidemiologic studies

Background: Mutations in TP53 are common events during carcinogenesis. In addition to gene mutations, several reports have focused on TP53 polymorphisms as risk factors for malignant disease. Many studies have highlighted that the status of the TP53 codon 72 polymorphism could influence cancer susceptibility. However, the results have been inconsistent and various methodological features can contribute to departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, a condition that may influence the disease risk estimates. The most widely accepted method of detecting genotyping error is to confirm genotypes by sequencing and/or via a separate method. Results: We developed two new genotyping methods for TP53 codon 72 polymorphism detection: Denaturing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (DHPLC) and Dot Blot hybridization. These methods were compared with Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) using two different restriction enzymes. We observed high agreement among all methodologies assayed. Dot-blot hybridization and DHPLC results were more highly concordant with each other than when either of these methods was compared with RFLP. Conclusions: Although variations may occur, our results indicate that DHPLC and Dot Blot hybridization can be used as reliable screening methods for TP53 codon 72 polymorphism detection, especially in molecular epidemiologic studies, where high throughput methodologies are required.