Thermochemical ablation of rocket nozzle insert materials Final report

Resistance of rocket nozzle throat insert materials to corrosion and meltin

The potential therapeutic effects of creatine supplementation on body composition and muscle function in cancer

Low muscle mass in individuals with cancer has a profound impact on quality of life and independence and is associated with greater treatment toxicity and poorer prognosis. Exercise interventions are regularly being investigated as a means to ameliorate treatment-related adverse effects, and nutritional/supplementation strategies to augment adaptations to exercise are highly valuable. Creatine (Cr) is a naturally-occurring substance in the human body that plays a critical role in energy provision during muscle contraction. Given the beneficial effects of Cr supplementation on lean body mass, strength, and physical function in a variety of clinical populations, there is therapeutic potential in individuals with cancer at heightened risk for muscle loss. Here, we provide an overview of Cr physiology, summarize the evidence on the use of Cr supplementation in various aging/clinical populations, explore mechanisms of action, and provide perspectives on the potential therapeutic role of Cr in the exercise oncology setting

Update: Accurate Determinations of alpha_s from Realistic Lattice QCD

We use lattice QCD simulations, with MILC configurations (including vacuum polarization from u, d, and s quarks), to update our previous determinations of the QCD coupling constant. Our new analysis uses results from 6 different lattice spacings and 12 different combinations of sea-quark masses to significantly reduce our previous errors. We also correct for finite-lattice-spacing errors in the scale setting, and for nonperturbative chiral corrections to the 22 short-distance quantities from which we extract the coupling. Our final result is alpha_V(7.5GeV,nf=3) = 0.2120(28), which is equivalent to alpha_msbar(M_Z,n_f=5)= 0.1183(8). We compare this with our previous result, which differs by one standard deviation.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, 4 table

Effects of Prior Fasting on Fat Oxidation during Resistance Exercise

International Journal of Exercise Science 11(2): 827-833, 2018. Prior research has demonstrated that the percentage of fuel utilization contributed by CHO compared to fat rises with an increase in exercise intensity. The role of food intake prior to exercise has been well studied and fasting prior to exercise generally increases reliance on fat as fuel. However, data on the role of fasting prior to resistance exercise is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of one bout of resistance training in a fasted state compared to ingestion of standardized meal on fat and carbohydrate utilization. Twelve female (n = 12, age = 20.1 ± 0.79 yrs, height = 67.0 ± 2.63 in, weight = 143 ± 21.8 lbs) NCAA Division 1 athletes participated in the study. Each participant completed one 10 hour fasted resistance training session and one postprandial resistance training session. The respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and METs were measured using a Cosmed K4b2portable metabolic cart (Cosmed, Rome, Italy) and heart rate was measured by a Polar H1 heart rate monitor. Participants consumed the prescribed food, waited 15 minutes, and then completed three sets of five repetitions of bench press, back squat, and military press at 60% of their 1-repetition maximum. The mean fasted RER was significantly lower than postprandial for back squat (p=0.01) and military press (p=0.02), but not bench press (p=0.19). There was no difference in METs, RPE, or HR between fasted and postprandial trials for any exercise. Results suggest that fasted resistance exercise relies more heavily on fat metabolism than carbohydrate

Performance and Inbreeding Depression between a Synthetic and Three Improved Populations of Maize

Effective recurrent selection for a quantitative trait will increase the frequency of favorable alleles in the maize population. As a result, fewer deleterious alleles are expressed for the quantitative trait when inbreeding. This study was conducted to compare performance and inbreeding depression in the original Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic (BSSSC0) maize (Zea mays L.) population, two improved Iowa Stiff Stalk populations [BSSS(R)C9 and BS13(S)C3], and the cross between the improved populations (C3 ✕ C9). The improved populations of BS13(S)C3 and BSSS(R)C9 yielded similarly to BSSSC0, whereas the S1 generation of BS13(S)C3 and BSSS(R)C9 yielded significantly greater than the S1 of BSSSC0. The C3 ✕ C9 population showed high-parent heterosis at the S0 and S1 generation levels. Only the BS13(S)C3 population showed significantly less inbreeding depression than did BSSS. Differences among the three improved populations for inbreeding depression of grain yield were not significant

Liberal arts student learning outcomes: An integrated approach

Researchers completing a study of liberal arts education sought to identify learning outcomes associated with both wisdom and citizenship. They have synthesized these themes into seven outcomes that facilitate effective student learning and development.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/57388/1/222_ftp.pd