Abstract: Revising the Revision: Some Thoughts on \u27La forza del destino\u27

Abstract for a paper given at a joint meeting of the American Institute for Verdi Studies and the Greater New York Chapter of the American Musicological Society, Feb. 2, 1991

Human Behavior Modeling: The Necessity of Narrative

As progress is made in the development of artificial intelligent mechanisms to assist human research into aspects of industrial, biomechanical and biomedical engineering, the conceptualization of mental behavior of human entities become more vital and more central to the success of any interaction between machine and humans. This discussion explores one of the most important features of human behavior, the fundamental and irreversible concept of narrative. The narrative is the essential construct for the theoretical understanding and presentation of human communication, including formal and informal logic, emotional wonder and desperation, noble and selfish biases, nationalism and globalist politics, and any form of spiritualism. This presentation offers a working definition of human narrative and proposes its basic structure that must be represented by any computer system which is required to deal with human behavior

Some bis(dialkylphosphinyl) methanes as solvent extractants

An extensive review of some of the more important neutral organophosphorus compounds as solvent extractants was given. The compounds included were tri-n-butyl phosphate, TBP, tri-n-octylphosphine oxide, TOPO, tris (2 -ethylhexyl)phosphine oxide, TEHPO, and bis (di-n-hexylphosphinyl) methane, HDPM. A review was also given on the effects of structure on the extracting power of neutral organophosphorus compounds

Physical and Chemical Properties of Planetary Nebulae with WR-type Nuclei

We have carried out optical spectroscopic measurements of emission lines for a sample of Galactic planetary nebulae with Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars and weak emission-line stars (wels). The plasma diagnostics and elemental abundance analysis have been done using both collisionally excited lines (CELs) and optical recombination lines (ORLs). It is found that the abundance discrepancy factors (ADF=ORL/CEL) are closely correlated with the dichotomy between temperatures derived from forbidden lines and those from He I recombination lines, implying the existence of H-deficient materials embedded in the nebula. The H$\beta$ surface brightness correlations suggest that they might be also related to the nebular evolution.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, presented at the 12th Asia-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting (APRIM 2014), Daejeon, Korea, August 201

A comparison of the kinetics of in vitro starch digestion in smooth and wrinkled peas by porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase

This study describes the impact of crop genetics and processing in two pea lines (Pisum sativum L.) on starch digestion kinetics. Mutation at the rugosus (r) locus leads to wrinkled pea seeds, a reduction in starch content and a lower extent of in vitro starch digestibility. The Logarithm of Slope (LOS) kinetic model was used to analyse digestion curves obtained using porcine pancreatic α-amylase for a range of particle size fractions. Changes in starch structure induced by the r mutation led to clear differences in starch digestion kinetics for purified starches and pea flours. Larger particle size fractions showed slowed starch digestion relative to the purified starch, but significant differences still existed between r and wild type pea lines. It is expected that this work will help inform the design of future studies where both starch structure and food structure are important determinants of digestion behavior

Diurnal Intraocular Pressure and the Relationship With Swept-Source OCT–Derived Anterior Chamber Dimensions in Angle Closure: The IMPACT Study

Purpose: To evaluate diurnal intraocular pressure (DIOP) among individuals with Primary Angle Closure (PAC) or Primary Angle Closure Suspect (PACS). Additionally the hypothesis that greater DIOP fluctuation is related to smaller angle parameters was investigated. Methods: 40 Caucasian newly referred untreated patients with bilateral PAC or PACS were recruited. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured hourly between 09.00 and 16.00 with Goldmann applanation tonometry. DIOP fluctuation was defined as difference between maximum and minimum IOP. Angle Opening Distance, AOD; Trabecular-Iris Angle (TIA); Angle Recess Area (ARA); Trabecular Iris Space Area (TISA) were measured with AS-OCT (CASIA) in dark (0.3-0.5 lux) and light (170-200 lux) on the same day as DIOP measurements in eight angle sections. Results: IOP declined as the day progressed (p<0.001), unrelated to presence of PAS. At each timepoint, eyes with PAS (n=31) had significantly higher IOPs than eyes without PAS (n=49; p=0.043). DIOP fluctuation varied from 1.50 mmHg to 14.50 mmHg (mean 5.99 mmHg, SD 2.70 mmHg). DIOP fluctuation was unrelated to PAS. Multiple-predictor models investigating association of angle dimensions and greater DIOP fluctuation were statistically significant for AOD 750 (light), ARA 750 (light and dark), TISA 500 (light), TISA 750 (light), TIA 500 (light) and TIA 750 (light and dark). Conclusions: DIOP variation has clinical implications given that IOP level is used to distinguish between diagnostic categories of PACS and PAC. OCT angle parameter measurements may predict for magnitude of IOP diurnal fluctuations in at-risk patients, which may be clinical useful when considering a clinical intervention