A Controllable Membrane-Type Humidifier for Fuel Cell Applications-Part I: Operation, Modeling and Experimental Validation

For temperature and humidity control of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) reactants, a membrane based external humidification system was designed and constructed. Here we develop and validate a physics based, low-order, control-oriented model of the external humidification system dynamics based on first principles. This model structure enables the application of feedback control for thermal and humidity management of the fuel cell reactants. The humidification strategy posed here deviates from standard internal humidifiers that are relatively compact and cheap but prohibit active humidity regulation and couple reactant humidity requirements to the PEMFC cooling demands. Additionally, in developing our model, we reduced the number of sensors required for feedback control by employing a dynamic physics based estimation of the air-vapor mixture relative humidity leaving the humidification system (supplied to the PEMFC) using temperature and pressure measurements. A simple and reproducible methodology is then employed for parameterizing the humidification system model using experimental data

The Implementation of edTPA in Special Education Teacher Training Programs: Putting Teacher Development Over Passing Scores

Since edTPA\u27s nationwide availability in 2013, it has been adopted by almost 900 education preparation programs in over 40 states. A few states, including the authors\u27, have required a passing score for teacher licensure. While the edTPA has been heralded as a means to improve teacher education programs and the teachers those programs produce, it has also faced criticism for detracting from programs’ ability to train its students, as well as the student teachers’ experiences during their preparation in general, and student teaching in particular. The field of special education shares the implementation challenges faced by other areas of teacher licensure, but the unique nature of IEP delivery across various points on the continuum of placements, the frequent mismatch between student teaching placements and environments conducive to high edTPA scores, and the requirement for passing scores in this era of special education teacher shortages have all placed additional stresses on training programs. When the authors\u27 state was an early adopter of a cutoff score for licensure, its training program focused overtly and extensively on helping its students achieve passing scores, arguably at the expense of career preparation. More recently, it found ways to return teacher development to the fore while still maintaining a high edTPA pass rate for its students, thereby helping them get past the hurdle of licensure while being properly prepared for their careers

The Parotid Salivary Glands. I. Potential Role of a Parotid Factor Modulating Pancreatic β-Cell Function. II. An Immunohistological Study to Identify Parotid Hormone Secreting Cell(s)

The physiologic role of the parotid glands is more complex than its recognized salivary function. Various investigators have suggested an intriguing relationship between the parotids and the pancreas, both endocrine and exocrine in nature. We studied in rats the contribution of salivary glands in the regulation of β-cell function in response to an acute intra-arterial glucose challenge in parotidectomized, submandibulariectomized and totally sialoadenectomized animals. Fifteen days post-parotidectomy or total sialoadenectomy, the β-cell response, at 2 minutes post-glucose infusion, diminishes and stabilizes at about 40% of the preoperative value. Concurrent with the depressed insulin secretion a correspondingly higher glucose titer was observed at 6 and 10 minutes post-glucose infusion. In addition, the role of age on the effect of long-term sialoadenectomy and the effect of different concentrations of glucose on the β-cell response were examined in rats. The decreased sensitivity of the β-cells following parotidectomy is not dependent on the age at which the animals are operated. Even though there was less insulin available in the parotidectomized young rats, their growth was not affected. β-cell function and glucose clearance in parotidectomized animals show a progressive incompetence in the ability to cope with an increasing glucose challenge. Results indicate a rise in fasting plasma immunoreactive insulin (IRI) and glucose values in both parotidectomized and sham-operated animals over time. Animals which have been parotidectomized for 80 days have higher fasting plasma IRI and glucose levels than sham-operated controls. Immunohistological techniques were employed in an attempt to identify the particular cell(s) in the parotid gland responsible for production of parotid hormone. Even though our data were not conclusive, they suggest that cells associated with connective tissue may be the source of parotid hormone

REALISTIC DETECTABILITY OF CLOSE INTERSTELLAR COMETS

During the planet formation process, billions of comets are created and ejected into interstellar space. The detection and characterization of such interstellar comets (ICs) (also known as extra-solar planetesimals or extra-solar comets) would give us in situ information about the efficiency and properties of planet formation throughout the galaxy. However, no ICs have ever been detected, despite the fact that their hyperbolic orbits would make them readily identifiable as unrelated to the solar system. Moro-Martin et al. have made a detailed and reasonable estimate of the properties of the IC population. We extend their estimates of detectability with a numerical model that allows us to consider "close" ICs, e.g., those that come within the orbit of Jupiter. We include several constraints on a "detectable" object that allow for realistic estimates of the frequency of detections expected from the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and other surveys. The influence of several of the assumed model parameters on the frequency of detections is explored in detail. Based on the expectation from Moro-Martin et al., we expect that LSST will detect 0.001-10 ICs during its nominal 10 year lifetime, with most of the uncertainty from the unknown number density of small (nuclei of similar to 0.1-1 km) ICs. Both asteroid and comet cases are considered, where the latter includes various empirical prescriptions of brightening. Using simulated LSST-like astrometric data, we study the problem of orbit determination for these bodies, finding that LSST could identify their orbits as hyperbolic and determine an ephemeris sufficiently accurate for follow-up in about 4-7 days. We give the hyperbolic orbital parameters of the most detectable ICs. Taking the results into consideration, we give recommendations to future searches for ICs.Peer reviewe

Applying the theoretical domains framework and behavior change wheel to inform interventions for food and food-related waste audits in hospital foodservices

BackgroundCompleting aggregate food and food-related waste audits in hospital foodservices is an intense practice, however they can demonstrate problem areas that require attention to reduce waste. Identifying interventions to facilitate and improve the implementation of these audits can be guided by behavior change science. The aims of this study were to use behavior change theories and frameworks to (1) describe the drivers of behavior to complete food and food-related waste audits and (2) identify possible interventions that support the implementation and uptake of these audits.MethodsPurposive sampling was used to recruit participants from hospitals in Victoria, Australia who worked in their foodservice system. Semi-structured interviews sought knowledge of participant’s perceived barriers and enablers to completing food and food-related waste audits. Deductive analysis using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and Capability Opportunity Motivation Behavior theory (COM-B) identified dominant drivers of behavior. TDF domains were then matched to their corresponding intervention functions according to the Behavior Change Wheel framework (BCW) to identify relevant strategies that may support audit implementation.ResultsData from 20 interviews found the dominant COM-B constructs (TDF domains) were psychological capability (knowledge, skills), physical opportunity (environmental context and resources), and reflective motivation (social/professional role and identity, beliefs about capabilities). These dominant domains come from narratives that participants shared about foodservice staffs’ lack of knowledge, labor, time, and the hospital avoiding responsibility for audit completion. Corresponding intervention functions that could have the most potential for implementing waste audits were education, training, environmental restructuring, modeling, and enablement. Participants’ shared perspectives of audit enablers resembled these: for example, obtaining staff buy-in, reinforcing behavior through incentives and installing an audit champion.ConclusionTo transition toward regular food and food-related waste auditing practices in hospital foodservices these findings may help identify practice and policy change that delivers standardized auditing activities to encourage long term behavior change. Interventions to support audit completion should address each behavioral construct and relevant domain, as individual hospital sites will experience unique contextual factors and expectations influencing audit outcomes. A co-design process that includes staff and stakeholders of hospital foodservices is recommended to enable engagement and practical solutions to audit implementation

Adenine-induced hyperphosphatemia in a murine model of renal insufficiency

Hyperphosphatemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients is a risk factor for cardiovascular events, progressive kidney failure, and mortality. Improved therapeutic interventions to control hyperphosphatemia depend greatly on robust animal models that recapitulate the CKD disease process. Murine-based models of CKD as compared to rat models present significant advantages due to available genetic knockout lines that permit mechanistic dissection of CKD etiologies. The rat adenine model of renal failure has been extensively studied, and studies are now emerging describing adenine-induced renal failure in murine models. However, these newly developed murine models have not fully described the responses to calcitriol and phosphate binders, and the reported effects of adenine on serum phosphate is often lacking in murine models. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: 1) To induce hyperphosphatemia in mice using adenine with minimal mortality, and 2) Report the influence of calcitriol and phosphate binders on the disease process through measurement of serum phosphate and histology. In one approach, C57BL/6 male mice gavaged with 4 or 6 mg adenine/day, as compared to 0 mg adenine/day developed hyperphosphatemia, with low mortality. In a second approach, calcitriol exacerbated adenine-induced increases in serum phosphate at day 7 of adenine administration (p\u3c0.05). Notably, adenine treated mice had 4-fold increased stomach weights vs. non-adenine treated mice (p\u3c0.0001). The addition of a phosphate binder (experiment 3, sevelamer hydrochloride) was ineffective at preventing an adenine-induced increase in blood phosphate, a finding that likely resulted from adenine’s inhibition of gastric emptying. We report the successful use of adenine to induce hyperphosphatemia, that the hyperphosphatemic status is exacerbated by calcitriol, and a limitation of the model for studying oral therapies for hyperphosphatemia

Soybean-derived Bowman-Birk inhibitor inhibits neurotoxicity of LPS-activated macrophages

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the major component of the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria, can activate immune cells including macrophages. Activation of macrophages in the central nervous system (CNS) contributes to neuronal injury. Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI), a soybean-derived protease inhibitor, has anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we examined whether BBI has the ability to inhibit LPS-mediated macrophage activation, reducing the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and subsequent neurotoxicity in primary cortical neural cultures.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Mixed cortical neural cultures from rat were used as target cells for testing neurotoxicity induced by LPS-treated macrophage supernatant. Neuronal survival was measured using a cell-based ELISA method for expression of the neuronal marker MAP-2. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in macrophages was measured via 2', 7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCFH₂DA) oxidation. Cytokine expression was determined by quantitative real-time PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>LPS treatment of macrophages induced expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) and of ROS. In contrast, BBI pretreatment (1-100 μg/ml) of macrophages significantly inhibited LPS-mediated induction of these cytokines and ROS. Further, supernatant from BBI-pretreated and LPS-activated macrophage cultures was found to be less cytotoxic to neurons than that from non-BBI-pretreated and LPS-activated macrophage cultures. BBI, when directly added to the neuronal cultures (1-100 μg/ml), had no protective effect on neurons with or without LPS-activated macrophage supernatant treatment. In addition, BBI (100 μg/ml) had no effect on N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA)-mediated neurotoxicity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings demonstrate that BBI, through its anti-inflammatory properties, protects neurons from neurotoxicity mediated by activated macrophages.</p

Advocacy Plan: Sexual Victimization in Juvenile Justice Facilities

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/102590/5/cook_et_al_advocacy-plan_sexual_victimization_vol1_spring2010.pd

Parents, but not their children, demonstrate greater delay discounting with resource scarcity

BACKGROUND: Individuals with obesity tend to discount the future (delay discounting), focusing on immediate gratification. Delay discounting is reliably related to indicators of economic scarcity (i.e., insufficient resources), including lower income and decreased educational attainment in adults. It is unclear whether the impact of these factors experienced by parents also influence child delay discounting between the ages of 8 and 12-years in families with obesity. METHODS: The relationship between indices of family income and delay discounting was studied in 452 families with parents and 6-12-year-old children with obesity. Differences in the relationships between parent economic, educational and Medicaid status, and parent and child delay discounting were tested. RESULTS: Results showed lower parent income (p = 0.019) and Medicaid status (p = 0.021) were differentially related to greater parent but not child delay discounting among systematic responders. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest differences in how indicators of scarcity influence delay discounting for parents and children, indicating that adults with scarce resources may be shaped to focus on immediate needs instead of long-term goals. It is possible that parents can reduce the impact of economic scarcity on their children during preadolescent years. These findings suggest a need for policy change to alleviate the burden of scarce conditions and intervention to modify delay discounting rate and to improve health-related choices and to address weight disparities