Dynamics of poly(ethylene oxide) chains in water

Dynamic moduli of dilute aqueous solutions of four poly(ethylene oxide) samples were measured as a function of frequency at four temperatures. From the measurements on two quite monodisperse samples the value of the Peterlin parameter ε was determined using a shifting procedure. A definite decrease in ε was observed when going from 10°C to 40°C. Polydisperse samples were analysed by treating them as consisting of one monodisperse high-molecular mass fraction which does, and a remaining polydisperse lower-molecular mass fraction which does not contribute to the reduced dynamic moduli

Predictive eye movements are driven by goals, not by the mirror neuron system

The importance of a mirror neuron system (MNS) as a mecha-nism for understanding the actions of others has been estab-lished (e.g., Rizzolatti, Fadiga, Gallese, & Fogassi, 1996). Neurons in the primate premotor cortex fire both when a monkey performs an action (e.g., grasping) and when the monkey ob-serves someone else performing the same action. It has also been proposed that theMNS is the starting point for understanding the intentions and goal-directed behavior of others (Fogassi et al., 2005; Gallese & Goldman, 1998). Consistent with this view, Falck-Ytter, Gredebäck, and von Hofsten (2006) argued that the MNS is implicated in proactive goal-directed (predictive) eye movements. In a series of eye-tracking studies, participants observed a toy object moving along a trajectory toward a con-tainer. Adults and 1-year-old infants looked ahead of the toy and toward the goal container only when a hand was observe

FDE-vdW: A van der Waals Inclusive Subsystem Density-Functional Theory

We present a formally exact van der Waals inclusive electronic structure theory, called FDE-vdW, based on the Frozen Density Embedding formulation of subsystem Density-Functional Theory. In subsystem DFT, the energy functional is composed of subsystem additive and non-additive terms. We show that an appropriate definition of the long-range correlation energy is given by the value of the non-additive correlation functional. This functional is evaluated using the Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem aided by a formally exact decomposition of the response functions into subsystem contributions. FDE-vdW is derived in detail and several approximate schemes are proposed, which lead to practical implementations of the method. We show that FDE-vdW is Casimir-Polder consistent, i.e. it reduces to the generalized Casimir-Polder formula for asymptotic inter-subsystems separations. Pilot calculations of binding energies of 13 weakly bound complexes singled out from the S22 set show a dramatic improvement upon semilocal subsystem DFT, provided that an appropriate exchange functional is employed. The convergence of FDE-vdW with basis set size is discussed, as well as its dependence on the choice of associated density functional approximant

Exercise in patients with Tetralogy of Fallot: a tribute to the heart, lungs and muscles:a study in children and adolescents exploring cardiovascular, pulmonary and muscle function in relation to exercise capacity

Exercise capacity is used to evaluate cardiac function in patients with cardiac disease. Patients with Tetralogy of Fallot have a congenital heart defect that includes a ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta, pulmonary outflow tract stenosis and right ventricular hypertrophy. These patients require surgical repair, however, their hearts will not become completely normal after surgery and exercise limitations are previously described in adults. This thesis focusses on whether exercise limitations occur in childhood.Exercise capacity increases during childhood and adolescence and will reach a maximum around the age of 25-30 years before it decreases. The ability to perform exercise depends on muscle mass and strength, oxygen transport by the cardiovascular system, and oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange in the lungs. The exercise capacity of children with Tetralogy of Fallot is 70-80% of healthy references. Results of cardiac adaptation to the abnormal loading conditions of the heart manifest during childhood and adolescence. At the same time, maximal muscle strength is reduced with near-normal motor skills and agility. Also, pulmonary function is reduced and mild pulmonary restriction occurs frequently in children with Tetralogy of Fallot. Pulmonary function and muscle strength might be affected by the abnormal preoperative circulation, and the impact of surgery and hospitalization(s) at young age might induce delayed neurodevelopment. Lack of physical activity possibly caused by a protective lifestyle further affects neuromuscular development, pulmonary function, exercise capacity, and self-reported quality of life.Tailored treatment including lifestyle advice is essential to further enhance the lives of patients with congenital heart disease

Semantics and Verification of UML Activity Diagrams for Workflow Modelling

This thesis defines a formal semantics for UML activity diagrams that is suitable for workflow modelling. The semantics allows verification of functional requirements using model checking. Since a workflow specification prescribes how a workflow system behaves, the semantics is defined and motivated in terms of workflow systems. As workflow systems are reactive and coordinate activities, the defined semantics reflects these aspects. In fact, two formal semantics are defined, which are completely different. Both semantics are defined directly in terms of activity diagrams and not by a mapping of activity diagrams to some existing formal notation. The requirements-level semantics, based on the Statemate semantics of statecharts, assumes that workflow systems are infinitely fast w.r.t. their environment and react immediately to input events (this assumption is called the perfect synchrony hypothesis). The implementation-level semantics, based on the UML semantics of statecharts, does not make this assumption. Due to the perfect synchrony hypothesis, the requirements-level semantics is unrealistic, but easy to use for verification. On the other hand, the implementation-level semantics is realistic, but difficult to use for verification. A class of activity diagrams and a class of functional requirements is identified for which the outcome of the verification does not depend upon the particular semantics being used, i.e., both semantics give the same result. For such activity diagrams and such functional requirements, the requirements-level semantics is as realistic as the implementation-level semantics, even though the requirements-level semantics makes the perfect synchrony hypothesis. The requirements-level semantics has been implemented in a verification tool. The tool interfaces with a model checker by translating an activity diagram into an input for a model checker according to the requirements-level semantics. The model checker checks the desired functional requirement against the input model. If the model checker returns a counterexample, the tool translates this counterexample back into the activity diagram by highlighting a path corresponding to the counterexample. The tool supports verification of workflow models that have event-driven behaviour, data, real time, and loops. Only model checkers supporting strong fairness model checking turn out to be useful. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated by using the tool to verify some real-life workflow models

Exercise in patients with Tetralogy of Fallot: a tribute to the heart, lungs and muscles:a study in children and adolescents exploring cardiovascular, pulmonary and muscle function in relation to exercise capacity

Exercise capacity is used to evaluate cardiac function in patients with cardiac disease. Patients with Tetralogy of Fallot have a congenital heart defect that includes a ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta, pulmonary outflow tract stenosis and right ventricular hypertrophy. These patients require surgical repair, however, their hearts will not become completely normal after surgery and exercise limitations are previously described in adults. This thesis focusses on whether exercise limitations occur in childhood.Exercise capacity increases during childhood and adolescence and will reach a maximum around the age of 25-30 years before it decreases. The ability to perform exercise depends on muscle mass and strength, oxygen transport by the cardiovascular system, and oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange in the lungs. The exercise capacity of children with Tetralogy of Fallot is 70-80% of healthy references. Results of cardiac adaptation to the abnormal loading conditions of the heart manifest during childhood and adolescence. At the same time, maximal muscle strength is reduced with near-normal motor skills and agility. Also, pulmonary function is reduced and mild pulmonary restriction occurs frequently in children with Tetralogy of Fallot. Pulmonary function and muscle strength might be affected by the abnormal preoperative circulation, and the impact of surgery and hospitalization(s) at young age might induce delayed neurodevelopment. Lack of physical activity possibly caused by a protective lifestyle further affects neuromuscular development, pulmonary function, exercise capacity, and self-reported quality of life.Tailored treatment including lifestyle advice is essential to further enhance the lives of patients with congenital heart disease

From Interaction Overview Diagrams to Temporal Logic

In this paper, we use UML Interaction Overview Diagrams as the basis for a user-friendly, intuitive, modeling notation that is well-suited for the design of complex, heterogeneous, embedded systems developed by domain experts with little background on modeling software-based systems. To allow designers to precisely analyze models written with this notation, we provide (part of) it with a formal semantics based on temporal logic, upon which a fully automated, tool supported, verification technique is built. The modeling and verification technique is presented and discussed through the aid of an example system