Beach season

Badgers' Carimi reiterates: He's draft's best OT

2012-03-15T06:53:00.000-07:00

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin offensive lineman Gabe Carimi didn't back down from his recent boast that he's the best tackle prospect in the NFL draft.

Carimi raised a few eyebrows last month when he said at the NFL scouting combine that he considers himself the best tackle available in the upcoming draft.

Asked about his comments at Wednesday's pro day workouts in Madison, Carimi explained that he wouldn't have said it if he didn't believe it — and said he told the same thing to the handful of teams who asked him about it.

"They asked me why I thought that," Carimi said. "They asked me why, and I repeated myself. And most of them said they agreed."

Carimi doesn't …

Union says talks with are Goodyear progressing

2012-03-15T04:27:00.000-07:00

The Steelworkers union reported progress in contract talks with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. as both sides negotiated into the evening with a midnight Saturday deadline looming.

Wayne Ranick, a spokesman for the United Steelworkers of America, said Saturday the talks are progressing in Cincinnati, where negotiations have been under way since June.

The contract was to expire at midnight for about 10,300 employees at seven plants in Ohio, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Kansas and Tennessee. The expiration deadline has been extended twice.

Goodyear, the biggest U.S.-based tiremaker and third largest globally, operates more than 60 …

Carson's, Younkers In Retail Stand-off

2012-03-15T02:06:00.000-07:00

It is not exactly a battle of titans.

But the hostile takeover fight between Carson Pirie Scott & Co.and Younkers Inc. is shaping into one of the longest sieges in recentcorporate history. And neither side seems willing to retreat.

On the one side is Carson's, the Milwaukee-based retailerformerly known as P.A. Bergner & Co., which acquired Carson's, wentinto bankruptcy and has emerged as a stronger player with 51 stores.

On the other is a 53-store Des Moines-based institution thatalso took on an acquisition it couldn't handle, saw its profits slumpand recently has been reinvigorated.

In theory, the combination would be solid because the two …

Players asked to sign anti-corruption declaration

2012-03-14T23:43:00.000-07:00

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The International Cricket Council has requested all players sign an anti-corruption declaration as part of its attempt to ensure integrity in the game.

Chief executive Haroon Lorgat said Saturday the ICC has sent an advisory to all members "about the need to root out corruption," which requests players sign a one-off declaration before their next international match.

"Such a declaration is intended to serve as an important reminder of the spirit in which the game is meant to be played, the importance of its integrity and their roles and responsibilities in this regard," Lorgat said.

The ICC's Pakistan Task Team has also reminded the Pakistan Cricket …

Nowitzki scores 21, Mavs beat Wolves for first win

2012-03-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

Dirk Nowitzki had 21 points, Jason Terry added 19, and the Dallas Mavericks picked up their first victory of the season, 95-85 over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.

Josh Howard had 14 points for the Mavericks, who have won nine straight over the Timberwolves.

As in their season-opening loss to Houston, Nowitzki, Howard and Terry provided the bulk of the Mavericks' offense for the first three quarters. The three were again mostly silent in the fourth, but reserves Brandon Bass and Gerald Green provided key baskets down the stretch to help Dallas pull away.

Green scored seven of his nine points in the final quarter and Bass added six.

…

Doh! Buck really female deer with huge rack

2012-03-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

DES MOINES, Iowa -- A hunter thought he might have bagged a trophybuck when he shot a 14-point deer in northeast Iowa earlier thismonth.

Eric Weymiller, 25, of rural Harpers Ferry, started to field dressthe animal when to his surprise he noticed it wasn't a buck at all. …

Find the optimum flash dryer to remove surface moisture

2012-03-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

Fluids/Solids Handling

With short residence times and various design options, these dryers are an efficient and economical choice for a wide range of solids.

Flash dryers can be the most economical choice for drying solids that have been dewatered or inherently have a low moisture content. Also known as "pneumatic dryers," they are the simplest gas suspension dryers with the smallest footprint. A single operation combines the necessary mixing, and heat and mass transfer for drying a solid. Residence time is short, usually less than 3 s, producing almost immediate surface drying.

These dryers are useful for moist, powdery, granular and crystallized materials, …

German students stage protest at university

2012-03-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

Police say 1,000 high-school students broke away from a demonstration in Berlin demanding better training and occupied a building of the capital's Humboldt University.

The students threw toilet paper and newspaper from the windows during the short-lived …

Street team makes sure party-goers remain safe

2012-03-14T12:01:00.000-07:00

THE Carmarthen NightLight street support scheme has been sendingvolunteers from local churches and chapels onto the streets ofCarmarthen every Saturday night for the past year. The scheme waslaunched in last January with the aim of helping late-nightrevellers stay safe.

To celebrate its first anniversary, Carmarthen mayor, the Rev TomDefis, went out on the streets with the team.

The project is run by the Carmarthen branch of CYTUN (ChurchesTogether in Wales) and currently has 23 volunteers from ninechurches and chapels of different denominations. There are sixvolunteers -- three on the streets and three back at the base -- whowork every Saturday night …

SC Teacher Gets 10 Years for Student Sex

2012-03-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

LAURENS, S.C. - A former elementary school teacher pleaded guilty Friday to having sex with an 11-year-old student and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, a prosecutor said.

Wendie Ann Schweikert, 37, was arrested in May 2006 and charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor and committing a lewd act on a minor. The case inflamed racial tensions because the student is black, and some black residents had argued that the teacher was getting lenient treatment by the courts.

She pleaded guilty and read a three-page apology to the victim, his family, E.B. Morse Elementary School and the community, Laurens County prosecutor Jerry Peace said.

Peace said that he …

Bahrain GP Starting Grid

2012-03-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

The starting grid for Sunday's Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the 5.412 kilometer (3.362-mile) Sakhir circuit:

1. Jarno Trulli, Italy, Toyota.

2. Timo Glock, Germany, Toyota.

3. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Red Bull.

4. Jenson Button, Britain, Brawn GP.

5. Lewis Hamilton, Britain, McLaren.

6. Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Brawn GP.

7. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault.

8. Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari.

9. Nico Rosberg, Germany, Williams.

10. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Ferrari.

…

Moreno adds zest to old song, dance

2012-03-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

"Four Seasons Hotel."

"Rita Moreno, please."

"One moment."

I am prepared, as I always am, for an interminable wait. I willbe transferred at least three times and told, finally, that "MissMoreno may need to reschedule the interview." This is the way it iswith the "big" stars. They have earned the right to keep youwaiting.

"Hi! This is Rita."

Add one more attribute to the list for the perky, diminutivesing-er/actress: accessibility.

Moreno will appear at Centre East, 7701 N. Lincoln in Skokie,for one show only tomorrow at 8 p.m.

It's a long way from Puerto Rico to the stage of sold-out showsin Las Vegas, Atlantic City and …

Singapore firm eyes profit in cheap toilet market

2012-03-14T02:20:00.000-07:00

Christopher Ng has a dream: Help alleviate a major global health problem by bringing toilets to the world's poor _ at a tidy profit.

Ng, managing director at Singapore-based Rigel Technology, hopes to sell his state-of-the-art portable, fertilizer-making, toilets for as low as $30 beginning next year, tapping into a multibillion dollar market for proper sanitation in developing countries.

It is among the exhibits at the annual World Toilet Summit in Singapore, which brings together industry players to generate awareness of the world's sanitation problems.

Experts estimate about 2.5 billion people lack functioning, hygienic toilets and instead excrete in the open, a habit that can contaminate water supplies and spread diseases such as E. coli bacteria and other viruses.

Ng said his company's toilets separate liquid and solid waste, a feature that should reduce unpleasant smells and create fertilizer.

"A farmer could sell this recycled fertilizer," Ng said while pulling out a compartment on the bottom of a prototype. "It's good to sell something that's useful and make a minimum profit."

Jack Sim, who founded in 2001 the nonprofit World Toilet Organization, one of the organizers of the three-day conference, estimated the market for sanitation in developing countries is worth $1 trillion.

Health advocates have sought to entice companies like Rigel to invest in affordable, portable toilets after efforts by international aid organizations and donations by rich countries fell short, he said.

Donated portable toilets would sometimes end up in storage, as the units were poorly distributed and villagers were not taught how to use and maintain them, Sim said.

"We've seen that the donor model doesn't work," Sim said. "Now people are taking the marketplace as the solution, because it works fastest when you have a profit motive."

"Selling to the poor need not be exploitative," he said.

Sim said the World Toilet Organization will help advertise Rigel's toilets through its contacts with non-governmental organizations and humanitarian groups.

K.E. Seetharam, director of the Institute of Water Policy at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore, estimated that just 22 percent of India's rural population and 29 percent of China's have access to working toilets.

"People aren't aware of the cost of open defecation in terms of lost work and school days from disease," Seetharam said.

He said many children in poor areas are malnourished "not because of a lack of food but because of worms in their intestines that they got from unsanitary conditions."

Rigel's Ng, who estimates poor countries need 500 million toilets, said he expects to sell 10,000 units per month beginning in February in countries such as China, India and Sri Lanka.

"The market for this is very big," Ng said. "I hope other companies will follow our lead."

Mumbai, Ahmadabad to host tests against Sri Lanka

2012-03-13T23:28:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka is to play two test matches against India in Mumbai and Ahmadabad in November, a year after England pulled out of playing in the two western cities following the terror attacks in Mumbai.

More than 170 people were killed in the attacks in November 2008, which led to England pulling out of the last two matches of a limited-overs series. The team later returned to play test matches in the southern city of Chennai and the northern town of Mohali.

Kanpur will also host a test match against Sri Lanka, the Indian cricket board said, adding that details of the tour would be finalized later. Five one-day games will be played in Cuttack, Rajkot, Vishakhapatnam, Calcutta and New Delhi, while Mohali and Nagpur will each host a Twenty20 match.

England vs. Sri Lanka Scoreboard

2012-03-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — Scoreboard Saturday at tea on day three of the third and final test between England and Sri Lanka at the Rose Bowl:

Sri Lanka 1st Innings
(Overnight: 177-9)

Tharanga Paranavitana lbw b Tremlett 11

Lahiru Thirimanne c Strauss b Anderson 10

Kumar Sangakkara c Prior b Anderson 2

Mahela Jayawardene c Prior b Tremlett 4

Thilan Samaraweera c Pietersen b Tremlett 31

Prasanna Jayawardene c Morgan b Swann 43

Thisara Perera c Prior b Tremlett 2

Rangana Herath c Anderson b Tremlett 12

Dilhara Fernando not out 39

Suranga Lakmal c Prior b Tremlett 0

Chanaka Welegedara c Morgan b Broad 7

Extras: (2b, 15lb, 4w, 2nb) 23

TOTAL: (all out) 184

Overs: 64.2

Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-23, 3-29, 4-39, 5-89, 6-91, 7-117, 8-158, 9-166, 10-184

Bowling: James Anderson 23-7-56-2, Stuart Broad 19.2-3-51-1, Chris Tremlett 20-5-48-6, Graeme Swann 2-0-12-1.

England 1st Innings

Andrew Strauss c Paranavitana b Welegedara 3

Alastair Cook not out 32

Jonathan Trott c Prasanna Jayawardene b Lakmal 4

Kevin Pietersen not out 27

Extras: (3nb) 3

TOTAL: (for two wickets) 69

Overs: 20.4

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-14

Bowling: Chanaka Welegedara 7.4-1-17-1, Suranga Lakmal 8-1-30-1, Dilhara Fernando 3-0-13-0, Thisara Perera 1-0-4-0, Rangana Herath 1-0-5-0.

Still to bat: Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Chris Tremlett, James Anderson.

Toss: England.

Series: England leads 1-0.

Umpires: Rod Tucker, Australia, and Aleem Dar, Pakistan.

Third umpire: Billy Doctrove, West Indies. Match referee: Alan Hurst, Australia.

Our views: ; Volunteer firefighters are important to W.Va.; But legislators would have to craft carefully any measure to aid them

2012-03-13T17:44:00.000-07:00

IN a state as rural as West Virginia, volunteer fire departmentsare a must. But with the most elderly population in the nation, theMountain State has a smaller pool of young people from which torecruit volunteer firemen, and it shows.

Doug Mongold, president of the state Fireman's Association, saidWest Virginia had 12,000 volunteer firefighters in 2000, a numberthat has since dwindled to 10,000.

They serve in 424 volunteer fire departments across the state.

Keeping volunteer fire departments in good working order isimportant to West Virginians. Their safety and property depends onit. The state does have a stake in helping VFDs solve theirproblems.

But the state would have to find the right balance betweenfirefighters' interests and taxpayers' interests.

State Fire Marshal Sterling Lewis suggests the state addressrecruitment problems by providing pensions to volunteers when theyretire.

He wants legislators to raise the current 1.55 percent surchargeon homeowners' insurance policies to 2 percent to fund pensions forvolunteer firefighters. Those who support this idea think therevenue source would support $222-a-month pensions for volunteerfirefighters at age 60.

The timing could not be worse. West Virginia legislatorsperfected the unfunded pension liability game, and the state'sliabilities stood at nearly $5 billion as of July 1 - before thestock market nosedived.

The state's taxpayers simply cannot take on any more open-endedobligations.

How much money do the departments get from the current surcharge?How much money would the proposed tax increase cost insurancepolicyholders?

West Virginians do value volunteer firefighters, but the days ofguessing about pension costs are long gone in West Virginia.

Implementing 21 CFR Part 11 in analytical laboratories: Part 5, the importance of instrument control and data acquisition

2012-03-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

The time for compliance with

21 CFR Part 11 is now. Bringing different laboratory instruments into compliance takes planning. The key strengths and weaknesses of different levels of control and feedback for analytical instruments and data transfer systems are highlighted in this fifth installment of our series.

he first four parts of this series gave an overview of the requirements of the FDA rule (21 CFR Part 11) on electronic signatures and records (1). We focused on data security, data integrity, long-term archiving, and ready retrieval of data (2-5). We demonstrated how access to the system and critical functions could be limited to authorized personnel. We also demonstrated how the integrity of data can be assured at the time of data analysis and evaluation and how creation, modification, and deletion of records are logged in a computer-generated audit trail. And we showed the best method for archiving data and accurately retrieving it after several years. In those first four articles, we focused on compliance of data generated by the system. Frequently, the question comes up whether computers that just control analytical instruments - those that do not acquire data - must comply with Part 11. The answer is simply, "Yes, if FDA has ever looked at or asked for paper printouts of the parameters." Without proper documentation of the instrument control parameters, it is difficult to prove that a given result was generated according to the appropriate procedure or protocol. If a computer was used in the procedure, and if the control parameters are stored on a durable storage device (typically the computer's hard disk or a storage card for the instrument itself), then Part 11 applies. Levels of Instrument Control Analytical laboratories typically operate with a diverse base of instruments, often from a variety of manufacturers for historical or strategic reasons. Because most modern instruments are computer controlled, the instrument control parameters have to be treated as the rest of the metadata are treated. (See the "Learning 21 CFR Part 11 Language" box for words in italics.)

Level 1. Instrument control can be implemented at differing levels of sophistication and complexity (Table 1). Often, instrument parameters are set manually using the instrument's own panel and keyboard, with the signal recorded by an analog-digital converter (level 1). This is frequently the approach chosen to integrate an instrument into a system from a different manufacturer. In such cases, it is often impossible to obtain a printout of the instrument set points used during an analysis. Analysts are forced to document instrument parameters manually. Furthermore, analog-digital converters do not always support binary coded decimal (BCD) or bar code input from an autosampler, which could be used to positively correlate an injection with a given sample using the sample name or vial number. In agreement with other authors, we view BCD communication with an autosampler as essential to ensuring sample continuity (6).

Level 2. Many systems implement a rudimentary level of instrument control obtained through reverse engineering: recreating the design of the communication protocols for another manufacturer's instrument by analyzing the final product (level 2). This method supports the basic parameters of an instrument (such as solvent composition, flow, oven temperature, or detector wavelength). If the control codes are not officially disclosed by the particular instrument manufacturer, it may be more difficult to obtain an officially supported solution. Also, additional effort should be planned for performing qualification and other validation tasks on such a system. Because the manufacturer of the original instrument may neither be aware of nor responsible for the implementation of the communication, instrument firmware updates may result in nonfunctional communication with the data system. Error handling and logging are typically weak at this level. When selecting a system that will control instruments from other manufacturers, it is therefore important to verify that the control codes are officially obtained from the manufacturer of the instrument and not from reverseengineering.

Level 3. In most cases, manufacturers achieve full instrument control for their own systems (level 3). That makes it easier to create a complete set of raw and metadata and the proper documentation. At this level, the error reporting and handling are quite sophisticated, which makes it easier to verify that analyses were completed without technical failures and to diagnose errors when they occur.

Going on better. Some manufacturers have implemented an additional level of instrument capability that can be controlled from within the data system. A data system controls those functions that execute detailed and sophisticated instrument diagnostics and other service functions. Also under this instrument control are provisions for preventive maintenance and early maintenance feedback (EMF), a technique first used in the aeronautics industry (to alert technical personnel to perform maintenance jobs proactively) and subsequently implemented by companies such as Agilent Technologies (Palo Alto, CA).

Systems implemented at this level provide sophisticated support for tracking instrument or module serial numbers and for firmware revisions. Such information is handy for inventory tracking, and it also performs some of the function checks required by Part 11.

Level 4. In level 4 instrument control, all communications (including commands and data transfer) are performed using a handshake. A handshake requires the recipient of a data record to actively acknowledge to the sender that the record has been received. For example, the controller sends a command like "sTART" to the device, the device interprets the command and acknowledges "oK, START." If the device is unable to execute the command, it sends a negative receipt like "NOT OK, NO START." This approach prevents situations in which the controller thinks it sent the instructions to the device, but the device never executes them. Protocols for Data Integrity Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of some widely used instrument communication protocols will help ensure the data integrity and traceability required by 21 CFR Part 11. One example can be drawn from the legacy world: a generalpurpose interface bus (GPIB), the well known and widely spread "IEEE 488" standard.

Contrast the GPIB to state-of-the-art networking protocols like the well known and ubiquitous TCP/IP protocol used for intra- or Internet communication. (Tables 2 and 3 provide a detailed list of the strengths and weaknesses of these two communication systems and recommendations for avoiding some weaknesses.) We are not providing a detailed technical description of the technology itself. Many publications cover those aspects accurately and in technical detail (7-9).

Instrument commication vfW9 GPIB. GPIB is a parallel communication interface that can connect up to 15 devices on a common bus. All communications using GPIB, including commands and data, use a hardware handshake for every byte. All devices connected to the bus participate in that handshake. As a consequence, every device on the bus can influence the ongoing communication or cause severe communication problems like bus "hangups" or data corruption. The reason for that can be a firmware error or a hardware failure in one of the participating devices (such as the printer). But powering a seemingly "idle" GPIB device on or off during ongoing communication also can cause such problems. Even though the electrical specifications of GPIB do not prohibit the actions that lead to those scenarios, the combination of chip-set implementation, firmware, and application software often leads to that failure.

LAN Communication Using TCP/IP Local area network (LAN) communication using the transmission control protocol/ Internet protocol (TCP/IP), often somewhat casually described as the "language of the Internet," enables devices to exchange information over a network. The central idea of TCP/IP is the breaking of information into pieces or packets. The packets are specifically structured to allow error detection and correction by using redundancy mechanisms like checksums. Redundancy mechanisms are the major difference between more advanced systems and the majority of GPIB implementations.

Checksums are, in principle, a running total of all transmitted bytes attached to the packet and are used by the recipient to backcalculate and compare with the original checksum provided by the sender. If a mismatch is detected, a retransmission is requested. This technique guarantees error-free data transport and is excellent for implementing the "device checks" and "system checks" mandated by 21 CFR Part 11. Communication in a TCP/IP environment is, by definition, highly dynamic. Ongoing communication between other participants is unaffected by the addition or removal of "idle" devices in the network. In contrast to most GPIB implementations, TCP/IP supports (without risking data loss) the safety procedures of analytical laboratories that require turning off instruments not currently in use. Selecting a Good System

When selecting and setting up instrument control and data acquisition systems, the following recommendations should help.

1. Assess the level of instrument used currently in your laboratory (level 1, 2, 3, or 4). 2. Find out what levels of control are available from the different manufacturers of that hardware.

3. Write a protocol documenting the instrument parameters for instruments not directly controlled by the data system (level 1). 4. Determine whether the communication protocols were obtained with the approval and support of the instrument manufacturer for instruments that claim to be controlled.

5. Plan additional qualification and acceptance tests to obtain a high degree of certainty that the control and communications are accurate and reliable for instruments for which communication protocols were apparently developed by reverse engineering.

6. Adapt your company's internal procedures to take advantage of additional diagnostics, maintenance, and tracking functions that validate, maintain, and document the system and the measurements obtained from those functions.

7. Define test cases for boundary conditions: Does the system reliably synchronize all the devices required for an analysis? Could a contact closure problem allow it to go unnoticed that a device, such as a detector, did not start? If the instrument has a local user interface, does it track parameter changes from the local interface while data are being acquired from the computer? Alternatively, is the local interface "locked" while data is acquired? Does the system quickly detect power failures of a connected device, or are data lost until a "time out" occurs? These are the kinds of questions to ask when bringing your laboratory instrument control and data acquisition systems into compliance with 21 CFR Part 11. Looking Ahead

In the next article, we will discuss biometrics devices for system access and electronic signatures. In computer security, biometrics are authentication techniques that rely on measurable physical characteristics that can be automatically checked, such as fingerprints, retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns, and hand measurements for system access and electronic signature.

[Sidebar]

Learning 21 CFR Part 11 Language Bus is a collection of wires through which data travel within a computer. In this context, bus means an interface and communication system for peripheral devices (such as connections, cables, and the communication protocol).

Byte is an abbreviation for binary term. It is a storage unit capable of holding eight bits or the space required for a single letter or number, a single character. Checksums are a running total of all transmitted bytes that are attached to a packet and are used by the message recipient to back-calculate and compare with the original checksum provided by the message sender. If a mismatch is detected, a retransmission is requested. This technique facilitates detection of data transport errors.

Chip-sets are a number of integrated circuits designed to perform one or more related functions. For instance, the integrated circuit components of a specific GPIB interface card.

Device is any machine or component that attaches to a computer, such as disk drives, printers, mice, and modems. Those particular devices fall into the category of peripheral devices because they are separate from the main computer. Display monitors and keyboards are also devices, but because they are integral parts of the computer they are not considered peripheral. Most devices, whether peripheral or not, require a program called a device driver that acts as a translator, converting general commands from an application into specific commands that the device understands.

Durable storage device is typically the computers hard disk or a storage card for a particular instrument.

Early maintenance feedback (EMF) is a technique that automatically alerts technical personnel to perform maintenance jobs proactively.

Firmware is a combination of hardware and software written in read-only memory.

Handshake requires the recipient of a data record to actively acknowledge to the sender that the record has been received.

IEEE is the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers that develops standards for computers and the electronics industry.

Legacy systems are hardware and software applications in which a company has already invested considerable time and money. Legacy systems typically perform critical operations in companies for many years even though they may no longer use state-of-the-art technology. Replacing legacy systems can be disruptive and therefore requires careful planning and appropriate migration support from the manufacturer.

Local-area netwoks (LANs) are networks with computers geographically close together (that is, in the same building), and wide-area networks (WANs) have computers farther apart and connected by telephone lines or radio waves.

Metadata is complete data with processing parameters and audit trail logs.

Networking: A group of two or more computer systems linked together.

Pocket:. A piece of a transmitted message that contains both the data and the destination address. In TCP/IP networking, packets are called datagrams. When you send an email message, the message can be broken into several packets, each packet can be transmitted separately, each packet may travel different routes, and all the packets can be put back together at the recipient's site.

Reverse engineering: Recreating the design of hardware or software by analyzing the final product and working backward.

TCP/tP:. Transmission control protocol/Internet protocol, enables devices to exchange information over a network.

[Reference]

References

[Reference]

(1) Office of Regulatory Compliance, Code of Federal Regulations, Food and Drugs: Electronic Records; Electronic Signatures, Title 21, Part 11 (U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC), issued March 2000. Available at www.fda.gov/ora/compliance_ref/ part 11.

[Reference]

(2) L. Huber, "Implementing 21 CFR Part 11 in Analytical Laboratories: Part 1, Overview and Requirements," BioPharm 12(11), 28-34 (1999).

[Reference]

(3) W. Winter and L. Huber, "Implementing 21 CFR Part 11 in Analytical Laboratories: Part 2, Security Aspects for Systems and Applications," BioPharm 13(1), 44-50 (2000).

(4) W. Winter and L Huber, "Implementing 21 CFR Part 11 in Analytical Laboratories: Part 3, Ensuring Data Integrity in Electronic Records," BioPharm 13(3), 45-49 (2000).

(5) L. Huber and W. Winter, "Implementing 21 CFR Part 11 in Analytical Laboratories: Part 4, Data Migration and Long-Term Archiving for

[Reference]

Ready Retrieval," BioPharm 13(6), 584 (2000).

[Reference]

(6) R. D. McDowall, "Chromatography Data Systems: Part 1, The Fundamentals," LCGC North America 180), 56-67 (2000).

(7) W. Winter, "Dynamic Interprocess Communication between a Spectrophotometer and a Spreadsheet," diploma thesis and presentation for faculty for physical electronics, University of Karlsruhe (31 July 1989).

[Reference]

(8) M. F. Arnett et al., "Understanding Basic Network Concepts," Inside TCP/IP (New Riders Publishing, Indianapolis, 1994) pp. 51-54.

(9) ANSMEEE Std. 488.1-1987: Standard Digital Interface for Programmable Instrumentation (The Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers, New York, 1987). BP

[Author Affiliation]

Wolfgang Winter is worldwide product manager for networked data systems and corresponding author Ludwig Huber is worldwide product marketing manager, HPLC, at Agilent Technologies GmbH, PO Box 1280 D-76337, Waldbronn, Germany, +49 7243 602 209, fax +497243 602 501, ludwig_huber@agilent.com, www.agilent.com.

Six new caps in first All Blacks squad of the season

2012-03-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

Six new caps have been included in a 26-man All Blacks rugby squad, named Sunday for tests against Ireland and England and for next month's Tri-Nations series.

Auckland Blues center Anthony Tuitavake, winger Rudi Wulf, Waikato Chiefs flyhalf Stephen Donald and center Richard Kahui are uncapped players included among the backs while Otago Highlanders loose-forward Adam Thomson and Blues lock Anthony Boric have been named among the forwards.

The squad, which will immediately begin preparation for Saturday's one-off test against Ireland in Wellington, features the recall of center Ma'a Nonu, flanker Jerome Kaino, lock Brad Thorn and prop John Afoa.

Kaino and Afoa last played for New Zealand in 2006 and Thorn, who has switched repeatedly between league and rugby union, played the last of his 12 tests in 2003. Nonu played for the All Blacks against France last year but did not make its World Cup squad.

The notable omissions from the squad, named Sunday, are Canterbury Crusaders flanker Kieran Read, who was seen as a leading candidate to replace the retiring Jerry Collins in the No.6 jersey, and Crusaders midfielder Stephen Brett, whose form wavered in the latter part of the Super 14 season.

Seven members of the Crusaders team that beat the New South Wales Waratahs 20-12 in Saturday's Super 14 final have been named in the first New Zealand squad of the year.

Thomson is the surprise selection, winning a place among a new look loose-forward contingent with captain Richie McCaw, veteran No.8 Rodney So'oialo, selected despite a rib injury, Sione Lauaki and Kaino.

The former New Zealand sevens representative had an outstanding season for the Otago Highlanders, who finished the Super 14 season in 11th place, and has been picked up in the selectors' search for robust and mobile loose forwards.

Coach Graham Henry cited lock as one of the more difficult positions for the selectors, an area lacking depth, and has called up Auckland's Boric along with the established Canterbury pair of Thorn and Ali Williams.

"The new players impressed in the Super 14 and played their way into the squad," Henry said.

"A few of them were not in the frame at the beginning of the year but they proved they were some of the form players in New Zealand rugby."

Prop Tony Woodcock will miss Saturday's test against Ireland with a toe injury and halfback Brendon Leonard is sidelined with a bruised knee. Prop John Schwalger and halfback Jimmy Cowan have been temporarily added to the squad to cover their unavailability. Winger Joe Rokocoko was not considered for selection because of injury.

"The Irish were strong when they came to New Zealand in 2006 and may be stronger this time," Henry said.

"They've already been in camp for a couple of weeks. We need to be very aware of the challenge and focused on the task at hand."

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New Zealand squad: Backs, Leon MacDonald, Mils Muliaina, Rudi Wulf, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Anthony Tuitavake, Conrad Smith, Richard Kahui, Ma'a Nonu, Stephen Donald, Daniel Carter, Andy Ellis, Brendon Leonard. Forwards, Rodney So'oialo, Sione Lauaki, Richie McCaw, captain, Jerome Kaino, Adam Thomson, Ali Williams, Brad Thorn, Anthony Boric, John Afoa, Greg Somerville, Neemia Tialata, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Andrew Hore.

Obama to have news conference Tuesday

2012-03-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

President Barack Obama has scheduled his first Rose Garden news conference.

The White House on Monday said Obama would take questions from reporters at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Obama has previously engaged in formal news conferences during prime-time television hours and on international trips. This would be his first extended questioning in the White House's Rose Garden.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama would open the session with remarks on health care reform, energy legislation and Iran's disputed elections.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) _ President Barack Obama has scheduled his first Rose Garden news conference.

The White House on Monday said Obama would take questions from reporters at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Obama has previously taken formal questions from reporters in the East Room and during international trips. This would be his first formal questioning in the White House's Rose Garden.

Middle Tennessee beats Florida International 79-70

2012-03-13T04:52:00.000-07:00

MIAMI (AP) — James Washington scored 22 points to lead Middle Tennessee past Florida International 79-70 on Saturday night.

The Blue Raiders (10-12, 5-4 Sun Belt Conference) took the lead for good with a 10-1 run late in the second half. J.T. Sulton's hook shot with 3:15 remaining gave Middle Tennessee a 70-65 lead. Sulton finished with 11 points.

Marvin Roberts' 3-pointer with 2:42 remaining cut Middle Tennessee's lead to 70-68. The Panthers (8-13, 3-6) had a chance to tie it but DeJuan Wright missed two free throws with 1:46 left.

Washington's five free throws and baskets from Sulton and Jason Jones in the final 1:29 secured the victory for the Blue Raiders.

Middle Tennessee's Trevor Ottley had his first career double-double with 10 points and 12 points. He also blocked three shots.

Roberts scored 17 points to lead Florida International, which has lost six straight.

Attorney Smith elected NFLPA executive director

2012-03-13T01:37:00.000-07:00

With other candidates flaunting a wealth of NFL experience and strong union ties, the players unanimously decided to go in a new direction, choosing an unheralded outsider who they believe is best qualified and ready to lead.

DeMaurice Smith's ties to presidential power and business experts trumped football experience, leading the Washington-based attorney to become the NFL Players Association's new executive director.

The 45-year-old Smith was chosen Sunday over two former union presidents and a high-profile sports attorney. He succeeds the late Gene Upshaw and guides the players into a critical era that includes negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement in the shadow of an economic meltdown.

"Guys, let's get to work," Smith told the membership that had been marred by internal squabbles during the long and sometimes chaotic selection process.

Smith was elected on the first ballot by the 32 representatives _ one for each NFL team _ and was introduced to a standing ovation.

"I think it'll be the start of a very good time for the union," Rams offensive lineman Adam Goldberg said.

Smith becomes the fourth leader in the union's 41-year history. He has the opportunity to chart a new direction for a union that proved both successful and divisive _ particularly involving the needs of retired players _ under Upshaw, who died in August after a 25-year tenure.

"The men here today made a decision to be unified to take a strong step forward to build upon the leadership of Mr. Upshaw and stand together as a family," Smith said.

Many players said they were sold on Smith's no-nonsense style of leadership, ability to unite, and enthusiasm to move the union forward. It turns out his lack of NFL experience actually worked in Smith's favor.

"We're behind our new leader and we're ready to forge forward with a united front," Goldberg said. "We believe Mr. Smith is our best option of leading us into the future, and we're proud to be a part of it."

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten called Smith an "outstanding leader."

"He's confident, he's very straightforward with what his goals are, and what he wants to do," Witten said. "He showed what he wants to do to make us the best we can be."

Smith declined to discuss his immediate plans or whether he'll retain the union's legal team for the collective bargaining talks in a brief interview after the vote. He kept pointing to the solidarity of the vote.

"The men in this room came into this with tough choices and they emerged unanimous and unified," he said.

Smith was elected by a vote behind closed doors at the posh Fairmont Kea Lani resort on the island of Maui where the union has been meeting. The player reps heard from the four candidates Saturday and once again Sunday, with the finalists providing their closing arguments before the voting began by secret ballot collected in a Reebok shoe box.

The reps emerged with their selection 90 minutes later.

Smith has no labor law or NFL experience, but has ties to President Barack Obama and worked with new U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. He's a trial lawyer and partner at the influential Washington-based Patton Boggs, and chair of the firm's government investigations and white collar practice group. He has represented Fortune 500 companies in numerous cases. A native of Washington, Smith earned his law degree at Virginia in 1989, and has been a frequent guest commentator on many cable television news programs.

Despite his lack of familiarity to NFL players, he beat out three strong contenders: former NFLPA presidents Troy Vincent and Trace Armstrong, and sports attorney David Cornwell, who re-emerged as a candidate after receiving the necessary written support of three player reps.

Cornwell endorsed Smith following the vote.

"I am proud of the player representatives and the executive committee," Cornwell said in an e-mail sent to The Associated Press. "They handled a very difficult process with class, determination and view toward the best interests of all NFL players. Congratulations to DeMaurice Smith. He deserves all of our support. He will certainly have mine."

Cornwell previously called the sometimes politicized and often divisive seven-month search process as "corrosive."

Vincent was particularly the target of numerous attacks _ many of them anonymous _ questioning his character and business background.

According to a biography released by Smith's assistant, the lawyer presented the union with a comprehensive plan, assembling roughly a dozen advisers _ Wall Street financiers, labor lawyers and sports licensing experts _ in making his presentation to players. His goals include increasing health care and opportunities for former and current players, and he believes "the union has both a moral and business obligation to retired players."

Goldberg was impressed by Smith's ability to get across his message.

"He has a very, very infectious energy about him. When he's excited about something, everybody in the room is excited," Goldberg said. "He's going to be a great leader for us. I'm proud to be a part of it. I can't wait to facilitate our agenda with him for the rest of our term."

In a statement, the NFL said: "We congratulate DeMaurice Smith and look forward to working with him and the NFLPA board to ensure the continued health and growth of our game."

Now comes the hard part for Smith, who is challenged with establishing an immediate plan to secure the union's future.

In the coming months, the new director will enter talks with the NFL after owners opted out of the current collective bargaining agreement last year. If a new deal is not struck within two years, there is a chance for a work stoppage affecting the 2011 season, threatening the NFL's long history of labor peace, which has allowed it to flourish for much of the past two decades.

Compounding the importance of the negotiations is an economic meltdown that could damage the NFL's revenue-generating ability and entrench owners to hold their ground in seeking givebacks from players. Owners argue that the current agreement is too favorable for players, who get about 60 percent of applicable revenues.

The NFLPA has countered, citing a union-commissioned study that showed the average value of the teams has grown from $288 million to $1.04 billion over 10 years, an increase of about 14 percent a year.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has already raised the possibility of a rookie salary cap, a move that would significantly pare the multi-million-dollar deals going to unproven first-round draft picks.

Another unresolved issue is the rift that's grown between the union and its retired players, some of whom feel disenfranchised. A host of former stars, including Pro Football Hall of Fame members Mike Ditka, Herb Adderley and Joe DeLamielleure, have been increasingly critical of the union over its health benefits and pension plan, which pays some retired players only hundreds of dollars a month.

NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, the center for the Tennessee Titans, called the vote a "legacy decision for the organization to move forward."

Any past problems, he said, "it doesn't matter now."

The vote was tabulated and verified by accounting firm KMH LLP of Honolulu.

___

AP Sports Writer John Wawrow in Buffalo, N.Y., contributed to this report.

Davis Love III picked as US Ryder Cup captain

2012-03-12T22:39:00.000-07:00

MEDINAH, Illinois (AP) — An emotional Davis Love III was introduced Thursday as the next American captain of the Ryder Cup, pledging not to get in the way of the 12 players who will be responsible for winning the cup back from Europe.

"I'm a players' captain," Love said at Medinah Country Club, where the 2012 matches will be held. "I'll try to get them what they need to be successful. I'm not going to tell the best players in the world how to play golf. I'm not going to read their putts. A good leader knows he's got a great team."

The announcement wraps up a week that put the Ryder Cup in the news about 18 months before the next shot is struck. Europe, which won the gold trophy in Wales last October, appointed two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal as the captain this week.

It was the second time Love has been showcased by the PGA of America, and both times he fought tears. The other occasion was in 1997 at Winged Foot, when he won the PGA Championship and broke down thinking about his father, Davis Love Jr., a longtime PGA professional who died in a plane crash early in Love's career.

"Now to be named Ryder Cup captain is a thrill I never thought I would have," said Love, his voice choking and eyes filling with tears. "I'd love to share that with my father. I know somehow I am. ... There's not a tour player out there that plays one tour event or six Ryder Cups that doesn't have a PGA professional that led them to that position."

Love, a 20-time winner on the PGA Tour, played on six Ryder Cup teams. His first three matches, with Tom Kite as his partner, were against Olazabal and Seve Ballesteros, the "Spanish Armada" that formed one of the most daunting teams in Ryder Cup history. Love won that first match, but never beat Olazabal again. They never played each other in singles.

Olazabal won his second green jacket in 1999, and while his duel that day was with Greg Norman, the Spaniard held off a late charge by Love, who was the runner-up.

Love recalled that Olazabal brought a special Spanish wine to serve at the Masters' Champions Dinner that next year, and he gave Love the leftover bottles.

"I'll always remember his generosity," Love said. "He's always been a good friend. It'll be a tough competition. On Thursday we'll be friends, and Sunday night we'll still be friends."

Love said he would consider playing if he earned his way on the team, although a U.S. captain has never qualified for the team in recent decades. Love last qualified for the team in 2004, when Europe routed the Americans at Oakland Hills.

Fans, hits scarce in frigid Comiskey // Only 746 see 23 strikeouts as Jays blank Sox

2012-03-12T19:47:00.000-07:00

Jays 5 Sox 0

There were 23 strikeouts at Comiskey Park on Wednesday, or onefor every 32.4 frozen fans. Those fans should have been given Ks totake home and warm up for dinner.

Wilson Alvarez tied a career high with 12 strikeouts, and thatwas good for the White Sox.But the Blue Jays allowed only three hits, and that was bad.The Jays won 5-0 when Roger Clemens fanned seven in 5 2/3innings before suffering a right-groin muscle cramp.Three relievers wrapped it up for him, including Luis Andujar, amember of last season's beleaguered Sox bullpen.Alvarez had no idea he had that many strikeouts in seven inningsuntil reporters told him"It was too cold to throw much more than a fastball andchangeup," he said, having used all his pitches to strike out eightin 6 1/3 innings a week earlier while pitching indoors at Toronto.Clemens, who blew the Sox and Alvarez away 6-1 with ninestrikeouts in that game, hated to come out Wednesday."It was disappointing because the hitters really came throughtoday and scratched a lot of runs across," he said. "In a situationlike that, I can really take advantage of it."Clemens felt the cramp while striking out Dave Martinez with oneout in the sixth."I got up there against Frank (Thomas) and knew I'd have to fallon it again," he said. "I don't know what the count was to him(2-and-2), but I ended it with a forkball because you don't have touse your leg as much."I tried to stall for time to see if the pain would go away, butit didn't."Toronto manager Cito Gaston saw Clemens signal for catcherBenito Santiago to come out, and almost beat Santiago to the mound."We were just hoping it wasn't his arm" he said. "Roger's smartenough to take himself out. We're hoping he's not going to miss astart."Only 746 fans took advantage of a $5 fee and open seatingoffered because Tuesday's night game was postponed because of extremecold.The Sox would not use the 34-degree temperature - a record lowfor a game at new Comiskey Park - and winds of 5 m.p.h. as excuses."Everybody in the major leagues has played in cold weather,"manager Terry Bevington said. "It's to be expected at this time ofyear. It's the same for everyone."The game basically was over after 2 1/2 innings. The Blue Jaysscored in the first inning on Joe Carter's opposite-field bloopsingle and added four runs in the third inning, when Ed Sprague'stwo-run double was the big blow.The Sox pushed only two runners as far as second base. AlbertBelle ended a two-on threat in the first inning by hitting into adouble play, and Ron Karkovice popped up with two aboard in theseventh.Alvarez created his own mess in the Blue Jays' scoring innings.He walked leadoff hitter Otis Nixon in the first to set upCarter's single.He set up the big third inning when he hopelessly lost a race tofirst base on Nixon's bunt after a single by Alex Gonzalez.Alvarez walked Carlos Garcia to load the bases for OrlandoMerced, who hit a sacrifice fly. An RBI single by Carter wasfollowed by Sprague's well-hit double."The pitch to Sprague was right where we wanted it," Alvarezsaid. "Karko (catcher Karkovice) gave me the target and I hit it,but he hit it out there."The day, though belonged to Clemens.The Sox had him on their free-agent check list, but generalmanager Ron Schueler had doubts."I never said I thought Clemens was through," Schueler said. "Ijust didn't want to commit three years to an arm that has thrown alot of pitches through the years."NOTEBOOK, BOX SCORE, PAGE 90

Student's Dum Dum Dress Wins Art Award

2012-03-12T15:49:00.000-07:00

LAPEER, Mich. - A high school student who made a dress out of candy wrappers has claimed a top award in an art competition. Caroline Bodell, a junior from Lapeer West High School east of Flint, won a Gold Key design award in a regional scholastic art competition with a dress made from Dum Dum Pop lollipop wrappers.

Dum Dums are made by the Spangler Candy Co. in Bryan, Ohio.

Bodell, an artist with an interest in various areas of design, said she completed the independent study assignment during winter break.

"I looked at maps, old sheet music and then I found the Dum Dum wrappers," Bodell said. "I had seen a dress could be made out of duct tape and I thought, why couldn't you make one out of candy wrappers? So, I experimented with the materials and the Dum Dum dress was made."

Later this year, the Dum Dum dress will move on to New York, where it will be judged again. When the competition is over, Spangler Candy will add the dress to its museum.

Brazil sports minister says airports a concern

2012-03-12T12:08:00.000-07:00

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil's sports minister says officials must speed up work to upgrade the nation's airports to avoid an "embarrassment" during the 2014 World Cup.

Orlando Silva blames Brazil's airport authority for the delays and says the lack of airport infrastructure poses the greatest threat to a successful World Cup in the Latin American nation.

Silva's comments on Monday came three days after the head of the International Air Transport Association, Giovanni Bisignani, said Brazil's "air transport infrastructure is a growing disaster."

Brazil will also host the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.