Scientific integrity resource guide: Efforts by federal agencies,foundations, nonprofit organizations,professional societies,and academia in the United States

Scientific integrity is at the forefront of the scientific research enterprise. This paper provides an overview of key existing efforts on scientific integrity by federal agencies, foundations, nonprofit organizations, professional societies, and academia from 1989 to April 2016. It serves as a resource for the scientific community on scientific integrity work and helps to identify areas in which more action is needed. Overall, there is tremendous activity in this area and there are clear linkages among the efforts of the five sectors. All the same, scientific integrity needs to remain visible in the scientific community and evolve along with new research paradigms. High priority in instilling these values falls upon all stakeholders.     

Reliability analysis for electronic devices using beta‐Weibull distribution

Today, in reliability analysis, the most used distribution to describe the behavior of electronic products under voltage profiles is the Weibull distribution. Nevertheless, the Weibull distribution does not provide a good fit to lifetime datasets that exhibit bathtub‐shaped or upside‐down bathtub–shaped (unimodal) failure rates, which are often encountered in the reliability analysis of electronic devices. In this paper, a reliability model based on the beta‐Weibull distribution and the inverse power law is proposed. This new model provides a better approach to model the performance and fit of the lifetimes of electronic devices. To estimate the parameters of the proposed model, a Bayesian analysis is used. A case study based on the lifetime of a surface mounted electrolytic capacitor is presented, the results showed that the estimation of the proposed model differs from the inverse power law–Weibull and that it affects directly the mean time to failure, the failure rate, the behavior, and the performance of the capacitor under analysis.     

A multiple system governed by a quasi-birth-and-death process

The system we consider comprises n units, of which one has to operate for the system to work. The other units are in repair, in cold standby, or waiting for repair. Only the working unit can fail. The operational and repair times follow phase-type distributions. Upon failure, it is replaced by a standby unit and goes to the repair facility. There is only one repairman. When one unit operates the system is up and when all the units are in repair or waiting for repair, the system is down. This system is governed by a finite quasi-birth-and-death process. The stationary probability vector and useful performance measures in reliability, such as the availability and the rate of occurrence of failures are explicitly calculated. This model extends other previously considered in the literature. The case with an infinite number of units in cold standby is also studied. Computational implementation of the results is performed via a numerical example, and the different systems considered are compared from the reliability measures determined.     

Parallel Programming of Multi-processor SoC: A HW–SW Interface Perspective

For the design of classic computers the parallel programming concept is used to abstract HW/SW interfaces during high level specification of application software. The software is then adapted to existing multiprocessor platforms using a low level software layer that implements the programming model. Unlike classic computers, the design of heterogeneous MPSoC includes also building the processors and other kind of hardware components required to execute the software. In this case, the programming model hides both hardware and software refinements. This paper deals with parallel programming models to abstract both hardware and software interfaces in the case of heterogeneous MPSoC design. Different abstraction levels will be needed. For the long term, the use of higher level programming models will open new vistas for optimization and architecture exploration like CPU/RTOS tradeoffs.     

Characterization and catalytic activity of soft-templated NiO-CeO2 mixed oxides for CO and CO2 co-methanation

Nanosized NiO,CeO₂ and NiO-CeO₂ mixed oxides with different Ni/Ce molar ratios were prepared by the soft template method.All the samples were characterized by different techniques as to their chemical composition,structure,morphology and texture.On the catalysts submitted to the same reduction pretreatment adopted for the activity tests the surface basic properties and specific metal surface area were also determined.NiO and CeO₂ nanocrystals of about 4 nm in size were obtained,regardless of the Ni/Ce molar ratio.The Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results proved the formation of defective sites at the NiO-CeO₂ interface,where Ni species are in strong interaction with the support.The microcalorimetric and Fourier transform infrared analyses of the reduced samples highlighted that,unlike metallic nickel,CeO₂ is able to effectively adsorb CO₂,forming carbonates and hydrogen carbonates.After reduction in H2 at 400°C for 1 h,the catalytic performance was studied in the CO and CO₂ co-methanation reaction.Catalytic tests were performed at atmospheric pressure and 300°C,using CO/CO₂/H₂ molar compositions of 1/1/7 or 1/1/5,and space velocities equal to 72000 or 450000 cm³?h^-1?gcat^-1.Whereas CO was almost completely hydrogenated in any investigated experimental conditions,CO₂ conversion was strongly affected by both the CO/CO₂/H₂ ratio and the space velocity.The faster and definitely preferred CO hydrogenation was explained in the light of the different mechanisms of CO and CO₂ methanation.On a selected sample,the influence of the reaction temperature and of a higher number of space velocity values,as well as the stability,were also studied.Provided that the Ni content is optimized,the NiCe system investigated was very promising,being highly active for the CO_x co-methanation reaction in a wide range of operating conditions and stable(up to 50 h)also when submitted to thermal stress.     

A Note on Denial-of-Service in Operating Systems

A simple and general definition of denial-of-service in operating systems is presented. It is argued that no current protection mechanism nor model resolves this problem in any demonstrable way. The notion of interuser dependency is introduced and identified as the common cause for all problem instances. Decomposition of operating systems into hierarchies of services is assumed for the discovery of denial-of-service instances.     

WOx/ZrO2 catalysts: Part 3. Surface coverage as investigated by low temperature CO adsorption: FT-IR and volumetric studies

The adsorption of CO at 77 K on zirconia-supported tungsten oxide (ZW) samples prepared by equilibrium adsorption or by impregnation and with tungsten content up to 12.4 W atoms nm⁻² was studied with the aim of determining the coverage of ZrO₂ surface by the supported tungsten oxospecies. As an essential background for quantitative volumetric measurements, ZW samples were investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy to identify the surface sites responsible for the CO adsorption. FT-IR showed that CO adsorbed selectively and irreversibly on Zr_cus⁴⁺ centers of the support surface, but not on W_cus⁶⁺ sites. By volumetric determinations, the coverage of the zirconia surface by tungsten oxospecies was about 50% at maximum, irrespective of the preparation procedure and of the support crystallographic modification (monoclinic or tetragonal). Zirconia coverage remained significantly unchanged after leaching with a NH₃ solution that removed tungsten oxospecies not directly interacting with the zirconia surface. This finding indicates that ZrO₂ support coverage depends mainly on the tungsten species strongly anchored to the zirconia surface.     

Chemical and sensory characterization of cakes enriched with dietary fiber and micronutrient for the elderly

This study presents the development of individual cakes enriched with dietary fiber (lupin and oat fiber), vitamins and minerals; as recent research has shown that the average daily dietary fibre intake of the elderly population in Chile is only 12 g. Each cake contains 4.8 g of dietary fibre and a 30% of the RDA of vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, E, nicotinamide and folic acid, 40% of the RDA of vitamin D3, 15% of the RDA of calcium, 12% of the RDA of magnesium and 3% the RDA of zinc. Polydextrose and sorbitol were added to improve flavor and texture. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used for optimization, based on a two-variable composite design. Thirteen experimental runs were carried out, with polydextrose (1 to 40% based on flour content) and sorbitol (1 to 30% based on flour content) as independent variables. The response variable was sensory quality obtained by the Karlsruhe test. Sensory attributes of texture and overall quality showed a good fitting with high determination coefficients and were used for optimization. The optimized cake contained 11.5% polydextrose and 4.4% sorbitol (both based on flour content). Quality of the optimized product was controlled by means of physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses. Overall sensory quality was 8.18 ("very good") and good quality and nutritive value were achieved. In an acceptance test carried out with 150 adults, 100% acceptability was obtained in the hedonic scale categories "like it" and "like it very much". A shelf life study performed with cakes packaged in polypropylene bags of 30 microns thickness indicated a shelf life of 13 days stored at room conditions (25 degrees C and 55-60% R.H.).     

Brønsted Acid‐Catalyzed Nucleophilic Substitution of Alcohols

Simple Brønsted acids such as p‐toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate (PTS) or polymer‐bound p‐toluenesulfonic acid efficiently catalyze the direct nucleophilic substitution of the hydroxy group of allylic and benzylic alcohols with a large variety of carbon‐ and heteroatom‐centered nucleophiles. Reaction conditions are mild, the process is conducted under an atmosphere of air without the need for dried solvents, and water is the only side product of the reaction.     

Highly sensitive alkane odour sensors based on functionalised gold nanoparticles

We deposit dense, ordered, thin films of Au–dodecanethiol core/shell nanoparticles by the Langmuir–Schäfer (LS) printing method, and find that their resistance at ambient temperature responds selectively and sensitively to alkane odours. Response is a rapid resistance increase due to swelling, and is strongest for alkane odours where the alkane chain is similar in length to the dodecane shell. For decane odours, we find a response to concentrations as low as 15 ppm, about 600 times below the lower explosive limit. Response is weaker, but still significant, to aromatic odours (e.g. Toluene, Xylene), while potential interferants such as polar and/or hydrogen-bonding odours (e.g. alcohols, ketones, water vapour) are somewhat rejected. Resistance is weakly dependent on temperature, and recovers rapidly and completely to its original value within the error margin of measurement.