In recent years, it has been demonstrated that collisions can be systematically constructed for some popular cryptographic hash algorithms, such as MD5 and SHA-1. Various ways of enhancing these hash functions via message pre-processing or external message expansion have been proposed to make them resistant to known collision attacks. Message preprocessing/expansion is a way of creating a new h...

In this article, we present a strategy to decouple the relative influences of colony, domain and lamella boundary strengthening in fully lamellar titanium aluminide alloys, using a physics-based crystal plasticity modeling strategy. While lamella and domain boundary strengthening can be isolated in experiments using polysynthetically twinned crystals or mircomechanical testing, colony boundary ...

There is increasing recognition that efforts to improve global health cannot be achieved without stronger health systems. Interpretation of health system strengthening (HSS) has varied widely however, with much of the focus to-date on alleviating input constraints, whereas less attention has been given to other performance drivers. It is important to distinguish activities that support the heal...

Long-term memory (LTM) formation has been linked with functional strengthening of existing synapses and other processes including de novo synaptogenesis. However, it is unclear whether synaptogenesis can contribute to LTM formation. Here, using α-calcium/calmodulin kinase II autophosphorylation-deficient (T286A) mutants, we demonstrate that when functional strengthening is severely impaired, co...

This paper presents the study of strengthening R/C beams with large circular and square opening located at flexure zone by Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminates. A total of five beams were tested to failure under four point loading to investigate the structural behavior including crack patterns, failure mode, ultimate load and load deflection behaviour. Test results show that large o...

This paper presents an experimental investigation of bond-strengthening hooks as a new method to increase bond strength along flexural reinforcing bars in reinforced concrete (RC) beams. The proposed method attempts to increase confining stiffness around the flexural bars by placing U-shaped hooks and to prevent premature bond splitting failure. Ten specimens with different numbers and sizes of...

Few studies have examined whether engagement in muscular strengthening activities is associated with sleep duration, which was the purpose of this study. Data from the population-based 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used, which included an analytic sample of 4386 adults (20-85 yrs). Sleep duration and engagement in muscle strengthening activities was self-report...

This paper presents experimental research on reinforced concrete (RC) beams with external flexural and flexural–shear strengthening by fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets consisting of carbon FRP (CFRP) and glass FRP (GFRP). The work carried out has examined both the flexural and flexural–shear strengthening capacities of retrofitted RC beams and has indicated how different strengthening arra...

objectives: to check and compare the effectiveness of modified agility and perturbation training over conventional physical therapy in patients with knee osteoarthritis. methods: subjects were screened on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria and a total of 50 subjects were recruited for the study. they were randomly divided into group a and group b with n=25 each. results: group receiv...

BACKGROUND Despite increasing investment in health research capacity strengthening efforts in low and middle income countries, published evidence to guide the systematic design and monitoring of such interventions is very limited. Systematic processes are important to underpin capacity strengthening interventions because they provide stepwise guidance and allow for continual improvement. Our ob...