A study to improve the mechanical properties of silicon carbide ribbon fibers

Preliminary deposition studies of SiC ribbon on a carbon ribbon substrate showed that the dominant strength limiting flaws were at the substrate surface. Procedures for making the carbon ribbon substrate from polyimide film were improved, providing lengths up to 450 meters (1,500 ft.) of flat carbon ribbon substrate 1,900 microns (75 mils) wide by 25 microns (1 mil) thick. The flaws on the carbon ribbon were smaller and less frequent than on carbon ribbon used earlier. SiC ribbon made using the improved substrate, including a layer of pyrolytic graphite to reduce further the severity of substrate surface flaws, showed strength levels up to the 2,068 MPa (300 Ksi) target of the program, with average strength levels over 1,700 MPa (250 Ksi) with coefficient of variation as low as 10% for some runs

Development of a process for producing ribbon shaped filaments

Silicon carbide (SiC) ribbon filaments were produced on a carbon ribbon substrate, about 1500 microns (60 mils) wide and 100 microns (4 mils) thick in lengths up to 2 meters (6 ft), and with tensile strengths up to 142 KN/cm sq (206 Ksi). During the course of the study, ribbon filaments of boron were also produced on the carbon ribbon substrate; the boron ribbon produced was extremely fragile. The tensile strength of the SiC ribbon was limited by large growths or flaws caused by anomalies at the substrate surface; these anomalies were either foreign dirt or substrate imperfections or both. Related work carried out on round 100 micron (4 mils) diameter SiC filaments on a 33 micron (1.3 mil) diameter, very smooth carbon monofilament substrate has shown that tensile strengths as high as 551 KN/cm sq (800 Ksi) are obtainable with the SiC-carbon round substrate combination, and indicates that if the ribbon substrate surface and ribbon deposition process can be improved similar strengths can be realizable. Cost analysis shows that 100 micron x 5-10 micron SiC ribbon can be very low cost reinforcement material

Benefits of Incorporating Health Promotion Courses for College Music Majors

Our purpose for this project was to explore correlations between music study and health and wellness. Music study involves auditory, mental, physical, and emotional health. It can also cause performance injury. In an effort to reduce performance injuries and encourage good auditory, physical and emotional health in their students, the Music Teacher National Association advocates for wellness, stating that, “music teachers need to become substantially involved in injury prevention by teaching health-conscious music-related practices to students.

Current challenges in plant cell walls: editorial overview

Fil: DeBolt, Seth. University Of Kentucky; Estados UnidosFil: Estevez, Jose Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias; Argentin

Improved Draft Genome Sequence of Microbacterium sp. Strain LKL04, a Bacterial Endophyte Associated with Switchgrass Plants.

We report here the genome assembly and analysis of Microbacterium strain sp. LKL04, a Gram-positive bacterial endophyte isolated from switchgrass plants (Panicum virgatum) grown on a reclaimed coal-mining site. The 2.9-Mbp genome of this bacterium was assembled into a single contig encoding 2,806 protein coding genes

Mutations in UDP-Glucose:Sterol Glucosyltransferase in Arabidopsis Cause Transparent Testa Phenotype and Suberization Defect in Seeds

In higher plants, the most abundant sterol derivatives are steryl glycosides (SGs) and acyl SGs. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) contains two genes, UGT80A2 and UGT80B1, that encode UDP-Glc:sterol glycosyltransferases, enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of SGs. Lines having mutations in UGT80A2, UGT80B1, or both UGT80A2 and UGT8B1 were identified and characterized. The ugt80A2 lines were viable and exhibited relatively minor effects on plant growth. Conversely, ugt80B1 mutants displayed an array of phenotypes that were pronounced in the embryo and seed. Most notable was the finding that ugt80B1 was allelic to transparent testa15 and displayed a transparent testa phenotype and a reduction in seed size. In addition to the role of UGT80B1 in the deposition of flavanoids, a loss of suberization of the seed was apparent in ugt80B1 by the lack of autofluorescence at the hilum region. Moreover, in ugt80B1, scanning and transmission electron microscopy reveals that the outer integument of the seed coat lost the electron-dense cuticle layer at its surface and displayed altered cell morphology. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry of lipid polyester monomers confirmed a drastic decrease in aliphatic suberin and cutin-like polymers that was associated with an inability to limit tetrazolium salt uptake. The findings suggest a membrane function for SGs and acyl SGs in trafficking of lipid polyester precursors. An ancillary observation was that cellulose biosynthesis was unaffected in the double mutant, inconsistent with a predicted role for SGs in priming cellulose synthesis

Patient-generated subjective global assessment:innovation from paper to digital app

Purpose: The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), including the PG-SGA Short Form (SF, aka ‘abridged’), was originally developed in the mid 1990’s as a scored, patient self-report, paperbased instrument and has been widely validated. The PG-SGA (SF) has been used for screening, assessment and monitoring, triageing for multimodal intervention and for evaluation of clinical and health economic outcomes. There have been ad hoc translations, often with permission of the originator (FDO) but broad international use requires consistent, medically accurate, and certified translations. Although the PG-SGA (or SF) is known to be quick and easy, current advances in technology could further improve and facilitate quick and easy use of global patient screening and assessment, standardized scoring algorithms, limiting inter-observer variability, and global collaboration and communication. We aimed to develop a user friendly, cross-culturally validated, multilingual digital app and resources to support the clinical and research applications of the PG-SGA (SF) and Pt-Global app in the context of a global centralized database and research consortium. Methods: After completion of a Dutch PG-SGA cross-cultural adaptation project, a digital app based on the English and Dutch PG-SGA was developed. Steps included: 1) development and testing of standardized scoring and decision-making algorithms based on the validated PG-SGA scoring system; 2) compatibility with iOS, Android and WindowsPhone platforms; 3) development and pilot testing of prototype by an international test panel (n=35; professionals testing the app on patients as part of routine care process, researchers, and lay persons) from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands and USA, evaluating the app on lay-out, user friendliness, relevance and time of completion; 4) improvement based on input; 5) launch of app and supportive website at www.pt-global.org on 12 Jun 2014, including complimentary introductory use; 5) international education activities; 6) digital presence through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube; 7) launch of web-based version on 15 September 2014. Results: 15 professionals (Pros; 11 dietitians, 1 doctor, 1 physiotherapist) and 2 lay persons participated in the pilot testing. Included settings were: 9 hospitals, 4 cancer centers, 2 nursing homes, 3 research. 8/15 had experience with the PG-SGA, 7/15 PG-SGA were naïve. 5 Pros tested on 1-5 patients, and 9 on 6-10 patients. 88% rated layout (very) good with feedback: calm, professional, clear, intuitive, easy; 88% rated good for user friendliness. 75% rated flow/user interface (very) good. In 88% Patient screens were completed by Pros. Reported time to complete Patient screens was: 65% in 0-5 minutes, 29% in 5-10 min; 6% (n=1) >10 minutes. Interestingly, patients started completing the app spontaneously. Some issues with concerns about touch screen were expressed. 87% completed the professional section in

An Examination of Sex-Differences in Emotion Identification as Influenced by BDSM Negotiations

Abstinence-only sexual education curriculums are dominant in the USA, which leads the younger generation to seek sexual health knowledge from the next most readily available source—the media (Leistner & Mark, 2016); mass media portrayal of bondage-discipline/dominant-submissive/sadist-masochist (BDSM) relationships borders on the pathological. The present study sought to destigmatize BDSM practitioners through the use of empirical data. Participants of this study read a half page vignette of a conversation (to be imagined between them and a sexual partner) pertaining to either a sexual history overview, an adrenaline producing activity, or a BDSM-scene negotiation. Immediately following, participants viewed a self-progressed slide show of the seven culturally universal emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, disgust, fear, contempt and surprise) at a rate of .1 seconds each, and judged which emotion they saw in which face. It was predicted that participants having read and imagined the BDSM-scene negotiation would have better emotion detection scores than participants in either the sexual history or adrenaline activity discussion and that women would be better able to accurately identify emotions, as compared to men. Predictions failed to receive support from the data analysis

A Phenomenological Study of the Perinatal Experiences Shaping a Woman’s Identity in Academia

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the meaning women faculty in academia in the United States ascribe to their perinatal experiences and how these experiences affect the integration of their academic and maternal identities and outlook on continuing in the academy. The theories guiding this study were Mercer\u27s theory on becoming a mother and Bronfenbrenner\u27s bioecological model. The study was comprised of 10 women who became a mother with their first child within the last seven years of the study\u27s initiation while holding a faculty position in academia that included teaching, scholarship, and service responsibilities while pregnant and during the first nine months postpartum. Data collection methods included questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and a letter-writing exercise. Data analysis was founded upon van Manen\u27s hermeneutic approach and supplemented by Saldaña\u27s data analysis and coding methods. Through cyclical coding and condensing, the data was organized into five major themes and sub-themes to capture the essence of the participants’ perinatal experiences in application to the study’s central and sub-research questions. Among the findings, two crucial implications included the need participants had for supportive relationships and institutional policies during the perinatal period, along with a recognition of the dynamic changes that occur in one’s identity of becoming a mother