Narrow Framing and Long-Term Care Insurance

We propose a model of narrow framing in insurance and test it using data from a new module we designed and fielded in the Health and Retirement Study. We show that respondents subject to narrow framing are substantially less likely to buy long-term care insurance than average. This effect is distinct from, and much larger than, the effects of risk aversion, or adverse selection, and it offers a new explanation for why people underinsure their later-life care needs

Junior Recital, Samuel Roche, oboe and Olivia Taylor, bassoon

Junior RecitalSamuel Roche, oboe and Olivia Taylor, bassoonDaniel Stipe, pianoFriday, April 19, 2019 at 7pmRecital Hall / James W. Black Music Center1015 Grove Avenue / Richmond, Va.The presentation of this Junior Recital will fulfill in part the requirements for the Bachelor of Music degree in Education. Samuel Roche studies oboe with Alyssa McKeithen and Olivia Taylor studies bassoon with Dr. Bruce Hammel

Short-Term Memory in Orthogonal Neural Networks

We study the ability of linear recurrent networks obeying discrete time dynamics to store long temporal sequences that are retrievable from the instantaneous state of the network. We calculate this temporal memory capacity for both distributed shift register and random orthogonal connectivity matrices. We show that the memory capacity of these networks scales with system size.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. Let

Biocomposites Based on Thermoplastic Starch and Granite Sand Quarry Waste

Granite stone is a by-product of the rock crushing manufacturing. An industrial waste in powder form that causes health problems and environmental pollution. Fine particles fraction can be used as a partial replacement of sand in concrete manufacture. In this work, an alternative exploitation of this waste fraction is proposed. Granite sand (GS) with particles mean size of ~1 μm was employed as thermoplastic starch (TPS) filler at different concentrations. Biocomposites were obtained by melt-mixing and thermo-compression, achieving translucent and easy to handle films. A good GS dispersion within the matrix was evidenced by SEM. Mineral presence induced a shift of starch’s melting point to higher values and a better thermal resistance. TPS UV absorption capacity was increased ~90% by GS addition. An increment in TPS Young’s modulus and maximum tensile stress of 5 and 3 times, respectively was observed by adding 5 % w/w GS.Fil: Passaretti, María Gabriela. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Ingeniería Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Ninago, Mario Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Aplicadas a la Industria; ArgentinaFil: Paulo, Cecilia Inés. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Petit, Andres. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Irassar, Edgardo Fabián. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Vega, Daniel Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Física del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Física del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Villar, Marcelo Armando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Lopez, Olivia Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentin

Immobilization of enological pectinase in calcium alginate hydrogels: A potential biocatalyst for winemaking

A biocatalyst was obtained by immobilizing an enological commercial pectinase within calcium alginate hydrogels using an entrapment technique, and its catalytic activity was evaluated during different storage conditions. Hydrogel beads were stored at 4 °C in three different ways: (i) wet, in citrate buffer solution (pH 3.8); (ii) dehydrated by using a vacuum stove; and (iii) freeze-dried. Biocatalyst surface and their internal morphology were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy and a good enzyme distribution throughout alginate matrix was observed. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy results confirmed the presence of absorption bands associated with amino groups present in enzymes. Immobilization procedure did not modify the optimal pH and temperature (pH = 4.0 and 20 °C) for pectinase activity, comparing to free enzyme. Entrapped pectinase showed activity until six reaction cycles with 40% residual activity. Storage stability studies demonstrated that wet entrapped pectinase retained its initial enzymatic activity up to 11 weeks, whereas that lyophilized hydrogels retained its original activity after 8 months of storage. These results suggest that immobilized pectinase may be successfully exploited in various industrial applications, with special concern in grape juice clarification process. Thus, the turbidity of grape must decreased significantly using the immobilized pectinase during 150 min at 20 °C. This biocatalyst could be easily removed after clarification process and it can be reused, minimizing production economic costs in wine industry.Fil: Martín, María Carolina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Aplicadas a la Industria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; ArgentinaFil: Lopez, Olivia Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Ciolino, Andrés Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Morata, Vilma Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Aplicadas a la Industria; ArgentinaFil: Villar, Marcelo Armando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Ninago, Mario Daniel. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Aplicadas a la Industria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentin

Ghost Loci Imply Hox and ParaHox Existence in the Last Common Ancestor of Animals

SummaryHox genes are renowned for patterning animal development, with widespread roles in developmental gene regulation. Despite this importance, their evolutionary origin remains obscure, due to absence of Hox genes (and their evolutionary sisters, the ParaHox genes) from basal lineages and because the phylogenies of these genes are poorly resolved [1–7]. This has led to debate about whether Hox and ParaHox genes originated coincidently with the origin of animals or instead evolved after the divergence of the earliest animal lineages [7, 8]. Here we use genomic synteny and Monte Carlo-based simulations to resolve Hox/ParaHox origins, our approach being independent of poorly resolved homeodomain phylogenies and better able to accommodate gene loss. We show Trox-2 of placozoans occupies a ParaHox locus. In addition, a separate locus sharing synteny and hence homology with human Hox loci exists in the placozoan genome, but without a Hox-like gene in it. We call this second locus a “ghost” Hox locus, because it is homologous to the human Hox loci, but does not itself contain a Hox gene. Extending our approach to sponges, we discover distinct ghost Hox and ParaHox loci. Thus, distinct Hox and ParaHox loci were present in the last common ancestor of all living animal lineages

Medium-Term Results of Balloon Valvuloplasty of Native Pulmonary Valve Stenosis with and without Supravalvular Obstruction in Childhood

Objectives: Factors influencing results of balloon valvuloplasty (BVP) of pulmonary valve stenosis (PS) in children are investigated. Background: BVP has become the standard of care for PS, medium-term results are not uniform and depend on various preconditions. Methods: We analysed the medium-term results of BVP of PS in children in an observational, single centre study. Need for additional procedure was defined as outcome after initial BVP. Results: We included 143 children (83 female) at a median (IQR) age of 2.6 (0.26–9.24) months and body weight of 5 (3.4–8) kg at BVP with a follow–up of 5.04 (1.6–10.2) years. We used balloon size of 10 (9–14) mm and maximal balloon pressure of 4 (3.5–10) atm, resulting in balloon–to–pulmonary annulus ratio of 1.28 (1.2–1.4). Systolic pressure gradient of PS was reduced with BVP (43.5 mmHg vs. 14.0 mmHg, p < 0.001) and confirmed by echocardiography (68.0 mmHg vs. 25.0 mmHg, p < 0.001) day 1 post procedure. Pulmonary BVP with associated supravalvular PS resulted in a relevant reduction of systolic pressure gradient in 23 of 31 patients (74.2%). Early additional procedure was necessary in 14 patients (9.8%) after 0.2 (0.1–0.7) years due to residual PS (n = 13) and infective endocarditis (n = 1). Factors for additional procedures were associated supravalvular PS with a higher residual pressure gradient, but not genetic syndrome. During further follow–up of 5.04 (1.6–10.2) years no further additional procedures were needed. Conclusions: Pulmonary BVP of native pulmonary valve stenosis leads to excellent medium-term results, even in 3 of 4 infants with associated supravalvular obstruction sufficient pressure relief can be obtained. Keywords Pediatric; catheter; congenital; pulmonary balloon valvuloplast