International Competition for Satellite-Based Navigation System Services

The goal of this work is to review the current state of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) development and its potential impact on the social, economic, and political dynamics of the various states fielding the systems. The most recognizable GNSS is the US GPS. It is the only operational system functioning at the time of this writing and has become part of the global commons. GPS, by virtue of its uniqueness, is considered the \u27gold standard\u27 of satellite based positioning, navigation, and timing systems. This uniqueness has also enabled the US to fully capitalize on the sizable economic dividends gained by the US technology sector from the development and sales of GPS user equipment and services. This work argues that the emergence of three global peer competitors to GPS is going to usher in a changed international relations environment for those new players. The economic implications go beyond a simple return on investment and could represent the continued space science and technical competitiveness of these states or not. The international political ramifications of the success or failure of the particular GNSSs could have a greater impact on the current international order than has been previously considered. The European Union, Russia, and China have become inexorably locked in a contest of domestic political will to field the next generation of GNSS in order to free themselves from US GPS domination and at the same time gain economic advantage over the other in space system technologies. Concurrently, the US is endeavoring to field the next generation of GPS and maintain its dominance in the associated technologies linked to GPS

Unit shapes and a wealth of calculus problems

For a given family of similar shapes, what we call a \unit shape strongly analogizes the role of the unit circle within the family of all circles. Within many such families of similar shapes, we present what we believe is naturally and intrinsically unital about their unit shapes. We present a number of calculus problems related to extremal questions about collections of unit shapes, and we recapitulate some isoperimetric problems in terms of unit shapes. We close by presenting some problems (some of which are open) and by proffering perhaps a new perspective on the pi vs. t debate

Development and validation of a solid phase extraction sample cleanup procedure for the recovery of trace levels of nitro-organic explosives in soil

An improved cleanup method has been developed for the recovery of trace levels of 12 nitro-organic explosives in soil, which is important not only for the forensic community, but also has environmental implications. A wide variety of explosives or explosive-related compounds were evaluated, including nitramines, nitrate esters, nitroaromatics, and a nitroalkane. Fortified soil samples were extracted with acetone, processed via solid phase extraction (SPE), and then analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The following three SPE sorbents in cartridge format were compared: EmporeTM SDB-XC, Oasis HLB, and Bond Elut NEXUS cartridges. The NEXUS cartridges provided the best overall recoveries for the 12 explosives in potting soil (average 48%) and the fastest processing times (\u3c30 min). It also rejected matrix components from spent motor oil on potting soil. The SPE method was validated by assessing limit of detection (LOD), processed sample stability, and interferences. All 12 compounds were detectable at 0.02 mg explosive/gram of soil or lower in the three matrices tested (potting soil, sand, and loam) over three days. Seven explosives were stable up to seven days at 2 mg/g and three were stable at 0.2 mg/g, both in processed loam, which was the most challenging matrix. In the interference study, five interferences above the determined LOD for soil were detected in matrices collected across the United States and in purchased all-purpose sand, potting soil, and loam. This represented a 3.2% false positive rate for the 13 matrices processed by the screening method for interferences. The reported SPE cleanup method provides a fast and simple extraction process for separating organic explosives from matrix components, facilitating sample throughput and reducing instrument maintenance. In addition, a comparison study of the validated SPE method versus conventional syringe filtration was completed and highlighted the benefits of sample cleanup for removing matrix interferences, while also providing lower supply cost, order of magnitude lower LODs for most explosives, higher percent recoveries for complex matrices, and fewer instrument maintenance issues

Development and validation of a solid phase extraction sample cleanup procedure for the recovery of trace levels of nitro-organic explosives in soil

An improved cleanup method has been developed for the recovery of trace levels of 12 nitro-organic explosives in soil, which is important not only for the forensic community, but also has environmental implications. A wide variety of explosives or explosive-related compounds were evaluated, including nitramines, nitrate esters, nitroaromatics, and a nitroalkane. Fortified soil samples were extracted with acetone, processed via solid phase extraction (SPE), and then analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The following three SPE sorbents in cartridge format were compared: EmporeTM SDB-XC, Oasis HLB, and Bond Elut NEXUS cartridges. The NEXUS cartridges provided the best overall recoveries for the 12 explosives in potting soil (average 48%) and the fastest processing times (\u3c30 min). It also rejected matrix components from spent motor oil on potting soil. The SPE method was validated by assessing limit of detection (LOD), processed sample stability, and interferences. All 12 compounds were detectable at 0.02 mg explosive/gram of soil or lower in the three matrices tested (potting soil, sand, and loam) over three days. Seven explosives were stable up to seven days at 2 mg/g and three were stable at 0.2 mg/g, both in processed loam, which was the most challenging matrix. In the interference study, five interferences above the determined LOD for soil were detected in matrices collected across the United States and in purchased all-purpose sand, potting soil, and loam. This represented a 3.2% false positive rate for the 13 matrices processed by the screening method for interferences. The reported SPE cleanup method provides a fast and simple extraction process for separating organic explosives from matrix components, facilitating sample throughput and reducing instrument maintenance. In addition, a comparison study of the validated SPE method versus conventional syringe filtration was completed and highlighted the benefits of sample cleanup for removing matrix interferences, while also providing lower supply cost, order of magnitude lower LODs for most explosives, higher percent recoveries for complex matrices, and fewer instrument maintenance issues

Ariel - Volume 10 Number 3

Executive Editors Madalyn Schaefgen David Reich Business Manager David Reich News Editors Medical College Edward Zurad CAHS John Guardiani World Mark Zwanger Features Editors Meg Trexler Jim O\u27Brien Editorials Editor Jeffrey Banyas Photography and Sports Editor Stuart Singer Commons Editor Brenda Peterso

Evaluation of commercially available RNA amplification kits for RNA sequencing using very low input amounts of total RNA

This article includes supplemental data. Please visit http://www.fasebj.org to obtain this information.Multiple recent publications on RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) have demonstrated the power of next-generation sequencing technologies in whole-transcriptome analysis. Vendor-specific protocols used for RNA library construction often require at least 100 ng total RNA. However, under certain conditions, much less RNA is available for library construction. In these cases, effective transcriptome profiling requires amplification of subnanogram amounts of RNA. Several commercial RNA amplification kits are available for amplification prior to library construction for next-generation sequencing, but these kits have not been comprehensively field evaluated for accuracy and performance of RNA-seq for picogram amounts of RNA. To address this, 4 types of amplification kits were tested with 3 different concentrations, from 5 ng to 50 pg, of a commercially available RNA. Kits were tested at multiple sites to assess reproducibility and ease of use. The human total reference RNA used was spiked with a control pool of RNA molecules in order to further evaluate quantitative recovery of input material. Additional control data sets were generated from libraries constructed following polyA selection or ribosomal depletion using established kits and protocols. cDNA was collected from the different sites, and libraries were synthesized at a single site using established protocols. Sequencing runs were carried out on the Illumina platform. Numerous metrics were compared among the kits and dilutions used. Overall, no single kit appeared to meet all the challenges of small input material. However, it is encouraging that excellent data can be recovered with even the 50 pg input total RNA

Role of China in the Quest to Define and Control Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

China holds the key to solving many questions crucial to global control of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The disease appears to have originated in Guangdong Province, and the causative agent, SARS coronavirus, is likely to have originated from an animal host, perhaps sold in public markets. Epidemiologic findings, integral to defining an animal-human linkage, may then be confirmed by laboratory studies; once animal host(s) are confirmed, interventions may be needed to prevent further animal-to-human transmission. Community seroprevalence studies may help determine the basis for the decline in disease incidence in Guangdong Province after February 2002. China will also be able to contribute key data about how the causative agent is transmitted and how it is evolving, as well as identifying pivotal factors influencing disease outcome. There must be support for systematically addressing these fundamental questions in China and rapidly disseminating results

Self-concept Orientation and Organizational Identification: A Mediated Relationship

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to test a mediated model of the relationship between self-concept orientation (individualist and collectivist) and organizational identification (OrgID, Cooper and Thatcher, 2010), with proposed mediators including the need for organizational identification (nOID, Glynn, 1998) as well as self-presentation concerns of social adjustment (SA) and value expression (VE, Highhouse et al., 2007). Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 509 participants in seven countries. Direct and mediation effects were tested using structural equation modeling (AMOS 25.0). Findings: Individualist self-concept orientation was positively related to VE and collectivist self-concept orientation was positively related to nOID, VE and SA. VE mediated the relationship between both self-concept orientations and OrgID. In addition, nOID mediated the relationship for collectivist self-concept orientation. Practical implications: This study identifies underlying psychological needs as mediators of the relationship of self-concept orientation to OrgID. Understanding these linkages enables employers to develop practices that resonate with the self-concept orientations and associated psychological needs of their employees, thereby enhancing OrgID. Originality/value: This study provides a significant contribution to the OrgID literature by proposing and testing for relationships between self-concept orientations and OrgID as mediated by underlying psychological needs. The results provide support for the mediated model as well as many of Cooper and Thatcher’s (2010) theoretical propositions, with notable exceptions

Development of the HT&Me intervention to support women with breast cancer to adhere to adjuvant endocrine therapy and improve quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Approximately 80% of breast cancers are oestrogen receptor positive (ER+). Patients treated surgically are usually recommended adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) for 5-10 years. AET significantly reduces recurrence, but up to 50% of women do not take it as prescribed. OBJECTIVE: To co-design and develop an intervention to support AET adherence and improve health-related quality-of-life (QoL) in women with breast cancer. METHODS: Design and development of the HT&Me intervention took a person-based approach and was guided by the Medical Research Council framework for complex interventions, based on evidence and underpinned by theory. Literature reviews, behavioural analysis, and extensive key stakeholder involvement informed 'guiding principles' and the intervention logic model. Using co-design principles, a prototype intervention was developed and refined. RESULTS: The blended tailored HT&Me intervention supports women to self-manage their AET. It comprises initial and follow-up consultations with a trained nurse, supported with an animation video, a web-app and ongoing motivational 'nudge' messages. It addresses perceptual (e.g. doubts about necessity, treatment concerns) and practical (e.g. forgetting) barriers to adherence and provides information, support and behaviour change techniques to improve QoL. Iterative patient feedback maximised feasibility, acceptability, and likelihood of maintaining adherence; health professional feedback maximised likelihood of scalability. CONCLUSIONS: HT&Me has been systematically and rigorously developed to promote AET adherence and improve QoL, and is complemented with a logic model documenting hypothesized mechanisms of action. An ongoing feasibility trial will inform a future randomised control trial of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness