Medical applications of nasa-developed science and technology quarterly progress report no. 2, 30 apr. - 31 jul. 1965

Medical applications of aerospace science and technolog

APPLICATION OF A BIO-ECONOMIC-ENGINEERING MODEL FOR SHRIMP MARICULTURE SYSTEMS

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Radiotherapy Optimal Design: An Academic Radiotherapy Treatment Design System

Optimally designing radiotherapy and radiosurgery treatments to increase the likelihood of a successful recovery from cancer is an important application of operations research. Researchers have been hindered by the lack of academic software that supports head-to-head comparisons of different techniques, and this article addresses the inherent difficulties of designing and implementing an academic treatment planning system. In particular, this article details the algorithms and the software design of Radiotherapy optimAl Design (RAD)

Metabolomic and Functional Genomic Analyses Reveal Varietal Differences in Bioactive Compounds of Cooked Rice

Emerging evidence supports that cooked rice (Oryza sativa L.) contains metabolites with biomedical activities, yet little is known about the genetic diversity that is responsible for metabolite variation and differences in health traits. Metabolites from ten diverse varieties of cooked rice were detected using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. A total of 3,097 compounds were detected, of which 25% differed among the ten varieties. Multivariate analyses of the metabolite profiles showed that the chemical diversity among the varieties cluster according to their defined subspecies classifications: indica, japonica, and aus. Metabolite-specific genetic diversity in rice was investigated by analyzing a collection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes from biochemical pathways of nutritional importance. Two classes of bioactive compounds, phenolics and vitamin E, contained nonsynonymous SNPs and SNPs in the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions for genes in their biosynthesis pathways. Total phenolics and tocopherol concentrations were determined to examine the effect of the genetic diversity among the ten varieties. Per gram of cooked rice, total phenolics ranged from 113.7 to 392.6 µg (gallic acid equivalents), and total tocopherols ranged between 7.2 and 20.9 µg. The variation in the cooked rice metabolome and quantities of bioactive components supports that the SNP-based genetic diversity influenced nutritional components in rice, and that this approach may guide rice improvement strategies for plant and human health

Self-regulatory processes in goal striving during excellent distance-running performances: A qualitative study

Objective: Goal setting can improve endurance performance, yet how endurance performers maintain goal striving and bring it to a successful close has received limited attention. In this study, we investigated the self-regulatory processes employed by long-distance runners during goal striving in excellent competitive performances. Method: Through in-depth, event-focused interviews, we explored 21 long-distance runners’ experiences of goal striving in excellent competitive performances (M = 77.43 hours post-race). Furthermore, we recruited 10 additional participants with relevant experiences (runner n = 7, coach n = 2; sport psychologist n = 1) for external member-reflection interviews. Findings: Through our matrix analysis, we interpreted that by contrasting their current and future goal status periodically throughout their excellent performances, using a process called mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII), this helped the runners to make decisions about whether to persist with a goal, or disengage from a goal and reengage with an alternative. Furthermore, our findings depict how these goal decisions unfolded when runners perceived they were behind, equalling, or exceeding their goal(s). We also illustrate how goal revision was used as an adaptive process to maximise performance, and to avert or manage action crises. Conclusions: Our findings extend theoretical understandings of goal striving and the self- regulatory processes endurance performers employ to attain and/or adapt their goals. Psychological support provided for athletes should go beyond simply setting goals, but also include training on mental frameworks such as MCII to manage goal-striving challenges and decisional conflict encountered during performances

Pinto Bean Cultivars Blackfoot, Nez Perce, and Twin Falls

Pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars ‘Blackfoot’ (Reg. No. CV-316, PI 680632), ‘Nez Perce’ (Reg. No. CV-317, PI 680633), and ‘Twin Falls’ (Reg. No. CV-318, PI 680634) were developed at the University of Idaho, Kimberly Research and Extension Center in collaboration with researchers in Colorado, Nebraska, and Washington. Blackfoot and Nez Perce are sister cultivars derived from the same bulk population, UIP35 (USPT-CBB-1/3/‘Othello’/‘UI 906’//‘Topaz’/‘Buster’). Twin Falls was selected from the bulk population UIP40 (USPT-CBB-1/3/CO12650/USPT-ANT-1//Othello/ABL15). The F8 of both population bulks and checks were yield tested in the Western Regional Bean Trial in 2014 and 2015 and in the Cooperative Dry Bean Nursery in 2015. The three cultivars were yield tested in Idaho in 2015. They were also yield tested across nine production environments in Colorado, Idaho, Nebraska, and Washington in 2016. Blackfoot, Nez Perce, and Twin Falls are the first indeterminate erect Type II growth habit pinto bean cultivars resistant to Bean common mosaic virus (an aphid-vectored potyvirus) and bean rust developed at University of Idaho. Blackfoot has a compact Type IIA growth habit and produces little or no vine (i.e., elongated terminal axis with intertwined internodes that help the plant climb when provided support). In contrast, Nez Perce is tall and produces medium to long vines, with a Type IIB growth habit. Blackfoot has a mean maturity of 85 d and Nez Perce 95 d in southern Idaho. Twin Falls is a full-season cultivar (≥100 d) and relatively tall, with very small or no vines for climbing. The three cultivars have relatively smaller seed (100−1 seeds) than early-maturity pinto ‘Othello’ (≥35 g 100−1 seeds) in the Pacific Northwest

Fluctuations in Hadronic and Nuclear Collisions

We investigate several fluctuation effects in high-energy hadronic and nuclear collisions through the analysis of different observables. To introduce fluctuations in the initial stage of collisions, we use the Interacting Gluon Model (IGM) modified by the inclusion of the impact parameter. The inelasticity and leading-particle distributions follow directly from this model. The fluctuation effects on rapidity distributions are then studied by using Landau's Hydrodynamic Model in one dimension. To investigate further the effects of the multiplicity fluctuation, we use the Longitudinal Phase-Space Model, with the multiplicity distribution calculated within the hydrodynamic model, and the initial conditions given by the IGM. Forward-backward correlation is obtained in this way.Comment: 22 pages, RevTex, 8 figures (included); Invited paper to the special issue of Foundation of Physics dedicated to Mikio Namiki's 70th. birthda

Quark-Gluon String Model Description of Baryon Production in K^{\pm}N Interactions

The process of baryon production in K p collisions at high energies is considered in the framework of the Quark-Gluon String Model. The contribution of the string-junction mechanism to the strange baryon production is analysed. The results of numerical calculations are in reasonable agreement with the data on inclusive spectra of p, Lambda, bar{Lambda}, and on the bar{Lambda}/Lambda asymmetry. The predictions for Xi and Omega baryons are presented.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figure

An examination of the relationship of governance structure and performance: Evidence from banking companies in Bangladesh

Corporate governance has become increasingly important in developed and developing countries just after a series of corporate scandals and failures in a number of countries. Corporate governance structure is often viewed as a means of corporate success despite prior studies reveal mixed, somewhere conflicting and ambiguous, and somewhere no relationship between governance structure and performance. This study empirically investigates the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and financial performance of listed banking companies in Bangladesh by using two multiple regression models. The study reveals that a good number of companies do not comply with the regulatory requirements indicating remarkable shortfall in corporate governance practice. The companies are run by the professional managers having no duality and no ownership interest for which they are compensated by high remuneration to curb agency conflict. Apart from some inconsistent relationship between some corporate variables, the corporate governance mechanisms do not appear to have significant relationship with financial performances. The findings reveal an insignificant negative impact or somewhere no impact of independent directors and non-independent non-executive directors on the level of performance that strongly support the concept that the managers are essentially worthy of trust and earn returns for the owners as claimed by stewardship theory. The study provides support for the view that while much emphasis on corporate governance mechanisms is necessary to safeguard the interest of stakeholders; corporate governance on its own, as a set of codes or standards for corporate conformance, cannot make a company successful. Companies need to balance corporate governance mechanisms with performance by adopting strategic decision and risk management with the efficient utilization of the organization’s resources