Our Grandparents, Our Parents, Our Future Selves: Optimizing Function in Old Age. Syracuse Seminar Series on Aging.

Most of my research at Yale University School of Medicine over the past several years has focused on identifying older adults at risk of functional decline and disability, identifying events that may precipitate the transition from functional independence to disability, and developing strategies to postpone or reduce frailty and disability. As a result of the Precipitating Events Project (PEP) and other research conducted by the Yale Center on Aging/Pepper Center, we now realize that age is only a proxy for other factors that lead to disability, and that some of these factors can be modified to reduce the risk of disability. In fact, disability rates have been steadily declining among older adults for decades.geriatrics, aging, gerontology, disability, precipitating event, functional decline, vulnerability, compression of morbidity, reserve organ capacity, exercise, physical activity, falls, Yale PREHAB study, lifestyle interventions, independence, elders, FICSIT trial, frailty

Designing and Evaluating Carrot, a Persuasive System for Improving Good-to-Bad Behavior Ratios

This paper details the design process and evolution of a mobile app called Carrot, designed to help people improve their good-to-bad behavior ratios. The app draws on theory on persuasive systems, decision fatigue, gamification, open loops, and reinforcement. The design process is based around the elaborated action design research framework, and comprises cycles for diagnosis, design, implementation, and evolution. We also outline a plan for the future evaluation of the artifact. The contributions of this paper include the novel construct of the good-to-bad behavior ratio, the design of a system to improve good-to-bad behavior ratios, and the implementation of a prototype app which implements said design

Conformations of biopolymers in the gas phase: a new mass spectrometric method

A method is developed for measuring collision cross sections of gas-phase biomolecules using a slightly modified commercial triple quadrupole instrument. The modifications allow accurate stopping potentials to be measured for ions exiting the collision region of the instrument. A simple model allows these curves to be converted to cross sections. In order to account for certain poorly defined experimental parameters (exact ion energy, absolute pressure in the collision cell, etc.) variable parameters are included in the model. These parameters are determined on a case by case basis by normalizing the results to the well known cross section of singly charged bradykinin, Two relatively large systems were studied (cytochrome c and myoglobin) so comparisons could be made to literature values. A number of new peptide systems were then studied in the 9 -14 residue range. These included singly and doubly charged ions of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) substance P, and bombesin in addition to bradykinin. The experimental cross sections were in very good agreement with predictions from extensive molecular dynamics modeling. One interesting result was the experimental observation that the cross section of the doubly charged ions of LHRH, substance P, and bombesin were all smaller than those of the corresponding singly charged ions. Molecular dynamics did not reproduce this result, predicting doubly charged cross sections of the same magnitude or slightly larger than for the singly charged species. The experimental results appear to be correct, however. Possible shortcomings in the modeling procedure for multiply charged ions were suggested that might account for the discrepancy

Design of a Large-Scale Detonation Tube

Multiple vital industries, especially those in the energy sector, are vulnerable to unexpected detonation events. Extremely destructive and difficult to predict, the processes by which they are formed and the limits over which they can propagate have been a significant focus of research for years, but it is often difficult to carry out relevant experiments on any significant scale. This work presents the motivations for such study, the basic theory required to understand what is happening within a detonation, and the designs for a proposed facility which could be used to broaden the scope of current detonation research. It would allow the detonation phenomenon to be studied at a scale which is rarely achievable and with a precision which is rarely accomplished. This would help to either validate or disprove trends which have been established with small-scale rigs but not tested at the proposed size. Most detonation tubes have diameters no larger than a 30 cm; the proposed facility boasts an internal diameter of 70 cm and a length of 100 m, allowing mixtures which are usually outside of the range of detonation to be studied in novel ways. Detonations can be induced through deflagration-to-detonation transition using a small point energy source, or directly initiated via a shock wave or the explosion of a separate, more energetic mixture. Measurement is accomplished with pressure transducers and photodiodes spaced down the length of the tube. End-tube diagnostics include fast-framing Schlieren imaging and Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence, and use elongated windows to view the tube interior, allowing the reaction zone structure to be studied at large scale. Smaller windows spaced down the length of the tube enable additional data-gathering capabilities where necessary. The implementation of this facility would serve to increase the scope of understanding of detonation events and contribute to the improvement of safety standards for vulnerable workplaces

Administrative Law--Judicial Review of Agency Determinations, an Aspect-Procedural Due Process--L\u27Enfant Plaza North, Inc. v. District of Columbia Redev. Land Agency

Judicial Review of agency determinations, an aspect-procedural due process - L\u27Enfant Plaza North, Inc. v. District of Columbia Redev. Land Agency (D.C. Cir. 1970). It is contended here that in at least one area of judicial review, where an agency\u27s actions are found to have violated procedural due process, the court can establish a basis which eliminates much confusion as to whether the court has exceeded its constitutional authority. Thus, the premise herein is: where a judicial finding is that plaintiff has suffered substantial harm due to defective agency procedure, this defect should be so identified and clearly labeled as a violation of procedural due process. When so categorized, whatever ultimate determination the court may make, its taking jurisdiction of the matter is not subject to attack upon the theory of abuse of the doctrine of separation of powers. The justification of this contention may best be seen by 1) articulation of certain given assumptions and 2) illustration through the recent case L\u27Enfant Plaza North, Inc. v. District of Columbia Redevelopment Land Agency

Our Grandparents, Our Parents, Our Future Selves: Optimizing Function in Old Age.

Most of my research at Yale University School of Medicine over the past several years has focused on identifying older adults at risk of functional decline and disability, identifying events that may precipitate the transition from functional independence to disability, and developing strategies to postpone or reduce frailty and disability. As a result of the Precipitating Events Project (PEP) and other research conducted by the Yale Center on Aging/Pepper Center, we now realize that age is only a proxy for other factors that lead to disability, and that some of these factors can be modified to reduce the risk of disability. In fact, disability rates have been steadily declining among older adults for decades

Design of a Large-Scale Detonation Tube

Multiple vital industries, especially those in the energy sector, are vulnerable to unexpected detonation events. Extremely destructive and difficult to predict, the processes by which they are formed and the limits over which they can propagate have been a significant focus of research for years, but it is often difficult to carry out relevant experiments on any significant scale. This work presents the motivations for such study, the basic theory required to understand what is happening within a detonation, and the designs for a proposed facility which could be used to broaden the scope of current detonation research. It would allow the detonation phenomenon to be studied at a scale which is rarely achievable and with a precision which is rarely accomplished. This would help to either validate or disprove trends which have been established with small-scale rigs but not tested at the proposed size. Most detonation tubes have diameters no larger than a 30 cm; the proposed facility boasts an internal diameter of 70 cm and a length of 100 m, allowing mixtures which are usually outside of the range of detonation to be studied in novel ways. Detonations can be induced through deflagration-to-detonation transition using a small point energy source, or directly initiated via a shock wave or the explosion of a separate, more energetic mixture. Measurement is accomplished with pressure transducers and photodiodes spaced down the length of the tube. End-tube diagnostics include fast-framing Schlieren imaging and Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence, and use elongated windows to view the tube interior, allowing the reaction zone structure to be studied at large scale. Smaller windows spaced down the length of the tube enable additional data-gathering capabilities where necessary. The implementation of this facility would serve to increase the scope of understanding of detonation events and contribute to the improvement of safety standards for vulnerable workplaces

The response of diatom central carbon metabolism to nitrogen starvation is different from that of green algae and higher plants

The availability of nitrogen varies greatly in the ocean and limits primary productivity over large areas. Diatoms, a group of phytoplankton that are responsible for about 20% of global carbon fixation, respond rapidly to influxes of nitrate and are highly successful in upwelling regions. Although recent diatom genome projects have highlighted clues to the success of this group, very little is known about their adaptive response to changing environmental conditions. Here, we compare the proteome of the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana (CCMP 1335) at the onset of nitrogen starvation with that of nitrogen-replete cells using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. In total, 3,310 protein spots were distinguishable, and we identified 42 proteins increasing and 23 decreasing in abundance (greater than 1.5-fold change; P < 0.005). Proteins involved in the metabolism of nitrogen, amino acids, proteins, and carbohydrates, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll biosynthesis were represented. Comparison of our proteomics data with the transcriptome response of this species under similar growth conditions showed good correlation and provided insight into different levels of response. The T. pseudonana response to nitrogen starvation was also compared with that of the higher plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and the cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus marinus. We have found that the response of diatom carbon metabolism to nitrogen starvation is different from that of other photosynthetic eukaryotes and bears closer resemblance to the response of cyanobacteria