Abstract: A method is provided for screening a compound relative to a target biological component. The method includes determining an estimated half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value for the compound relative to the target biological component from three concentrations of the compound. This includes testing the three concentrations on the target biological component to obtain three response measurements of the compound in inhibiting a biological function of the target. A pseudo concentration-response curve (CRC) is constructed from the three concentrations and three response measurements, and the estimated IC50 value is determined from the pseudo CRC. The method includes determining a plurality of concentrations of the compound from the estimated IC50 value, and testing the plurality of concentrations of the compound on the target biological component to obtain a plurality of response measurements of the compound.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for early detection of wiping contact between a rotating shaft and bearing metal in a flow lubricated bearing. In one form of the invention, a temperature sensor is provided to monitor bearing temperature at a location on the bearing in proximity to the maximum loading position. The sensor signal is sampled periodically by a plurality of sample and hold circuits so that present and immediately past values of the bearing temperature are always on hand. The sampled values are applied to a set of subtracters, each one of which provides a signal representing the difference between two consecutively sampled temperature values. Selected ones of the temperature differences are applied to summers and the largest sum is selected by a high-value selector and compared with a preselected setpoint value representing an excessive temperature change for a given time period.