The Effect of Income on Daily Physical Activity Levels in Americans

I analyze the relationship between income range and exercise level. The data that I have selected for this project was obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey website. The specific question that the respondents were asked was, “In a typical week, how many days do you do any physical activity or exercise of at least moderate intensity, such as brisk walking, bicycling at a regular pace, swimming at a regular pace, and heavy gardening?”. My thoughts when determining my research topic were that individuals who are in the higher income brackets would respond to the survey indicating that they exercised more often than those in the lower income brackets. My thought process was that higher income earners would have more free time due to having more disposable income for things like child care, personal transportation, days off from work, gym memberships, etc. compared to lower income earners. There were also several other questions that were asked of the respondents that I included in my research in order to account for other possible variables. I also felt that this research question was important from a socioeconomic standpoint because if the research showed that there was a correlation between income and exercise level, that could have implications for increasing minimum wage, more paid days off, and other improvements to employer benefits. As a result of my research, I found that there was a positive relationship between the amount of income that the respondents earned and the amount of physical activity that they did each day

Fractures of Memory: Filmic Depth as a Method to Mourn

The living and the dead are currently separated from each other within our American cities. This divide has pushed society to disassociate the living and the dead, making them appear as separate entities. This creates a sense of fear amongst the living. We fear the dead, but cherish the memories and moments we shared when they were alive. This project will serve as a medium between the living and the dead to communicate through memories and moments in time. It will provide and an opportunity for sharing these special moments amongst family , friends, community and more to let your ?voice be heard.? The thesis research will provide a new way to celebrate the dead, through the use of technology. The research will explore how space can influence emotions as well as how it can be a shelter of comfort. The design will serve to bring awareness to the idea of death, and become a example to reproduce this concept, in world of ever expanding technological capabilities

High-Performance Silicon-Based Multiple Wavelength Source

We demonstrate a stable CMOS-compatible on-chip multiple-wavelength source by filtering and modulating individual lines from a frequency comb generated by a microring resonator optical parametric oscillator.. We show comb operation in a low-noise state that is stable and usable for many hours. Bit-error rate measurements demonstrate negligible power penalty from six independent frequencies when compared to a tunable diode laser baseline. Open eye diagrams confirm the fidelity of the 10 Gb/s data transmitted at the comb frequencies and the suitability of this device for use as a fully integrated silicon-based WDM source.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figure

Clustering Phase Transitions and Hysteresis: Pitfalls in Constructing Network Ensembles

Ensembles of networks are used as null models in many applications. However, simple null models often show much less clustering than their real-world counterparts. In this paper, we study a model where clustering is enhanced by means of a fugacity term as in the Strauss (or "triangle") model, but where the degree sequence is strictly preserved -- thus maintaining the quenched heterogeneity of nodes found in the original degree sequence. Similar models had been proposed previously in [R. Milo et al., Science 298, 824 (2002)]. We find that our model exhibits phase transitions as the fugacity is changed. For regular graphs (identical degrees for all nodes) with degree k > 2 we find a single first order transition. For all non-regular networks that we studied (including Erdos - Renyi and scale-free networks) we find multiple jumps resembling first order transitions, together with strong hysteresis. The latter transitions are driven by the sudden emergence of "cluster cores": groups of highly interconnected nodes with higher than average degrees. To study these cluster cores visually, we introduce q-clique adjacency plots. We find that these cluster cores constitute distinct communities which emerge spontaneously from the triangle generating process. Finally, we point out that cluster cores produce pitfalls when using the present (and similar) models as null models for strongly clustered networks, due to the very strong hysteresis which effectively leads to broken ergodicity on realistic time scales.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figure

Host control of the microbiome: mechanisms, evolution, and disease

Many species, including humans, host communities of symbiotic microbes. There is a vast literature on the ways these microbiomes affect hosts, but here we argue for an increased focus on how hosts affect their microbiomes. Hosts exert control over their symbionts through diverse mechanisms, including immunity, barrier function, physiological homeostasis, and transit. These mechanisms enable hosts to shape the ecology and evolution of microbiomes and generate natural selection for microbial traits that benefit the host. Our microbiomes result from a perpetual tension between host control and symbiont evolution, and we can leverage the host's evolved abilities to regulate the microbiota to prevent and treat disease. The study of host control will be central to our ability to both understand and manipulate microbiotas for better health

The clinical pharmacology of intranasal l-methamphetamine.

BackgroundWe studied the pharmacology of l-methamphetamine, the less abused isomer, when used as a nasal decongestant.Methods12 subjects self-administered l-methamphetamine from a nonprescription inhaler at the recommended dose (16 inhalations over 6 hours) then at 2 and 4 (32 and 64 inhalations) times this dose. In a separate session intravenous phenylephrine (200 microg) and l-methamphetamine (5 mg) were given to define alpha agonist pharmacology and bioavailability. Physiological, cardiovascular, pharmacokinetic, and subjective effects were measured.ResultsPlasma l-methamphetamine levels were often below the level of quantification so bioavailability was estimated by comparing urinary excretion of the intravenous and inhaled doses, yielding delivered dose estimates of 74.0 +/- 56.1, 124.7 +/- 106.6, and 268.1 +/- 220.5 microg for ascending exposures (mean 4.2 +/- 3.3 microg/inhalation). Physiological changes were minimal and not dose-dependent. Small decreases in stroke volume and cardiac output suggesting mild cardiodepression were seen.ConclusionInhaled l-methamphetamine delivered from a non-prescription product produced minimal effects but may be a cardiodepressant