Sleep enhances a spatially mediated generalization of learned values

Sleep is thought to play an important role in memory consolidation. Here we tested whether sleep alters the subjective value associated with objects located in spatial clusters that were navigated to in a large-scale virtual town. We found that sleep enhances a generalization of the value of high-value objects to the value of locally clustered objects, resulting in an impaired memory for the value of high-valued objects. Our results are consistent with (a) spatial context helping to bind items together in long-term memory and serve as a basis for generalizing across memories and (b) sleep mediating memory effects on salient/reward-related items

Value Chain Development With The Extremely Poor: Evidence And Lessons From CARE, Save The Children, And World Vision

CARE, Save the Children, and World Vision are combining value chain development (VCD) with gender and nutrition programming to alleviate poverty and food insecurity among the extremely poor. We explore what is unique about VCD with the extremely poor and how specific levers enhance productivity and profitability, equity, and empowerment. We offer evidence to date and lessons learned

Progressive systemic sclerosis in childhood: A report of three cases

Systemic sclerosis is unusual in childhood. We describe three children who presented with diffuse hidebound skin associated with gastrointestinal and pulmonary abnormalities. Cardiac and renal dysfunctions, which are often encountered in these patients, were notably absent in our cases

The rheumatoid hand: A predictable disease with unpredictable surgical practice patterns

Objectives To evaluate variation in fusion, arthroplasty, and tenosynovectomy rates among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients across states; to evaluate associations between surgery rates and the density of hand surgeons; and to evaluate differences in treatment by sex of the patient. Methods Data were obtained from the 1996 and 1997 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project database. The procedure codes for fusion, arthroplasty, and tenosynovectomy were matched to patients with the diagnostic code of RA, which provided the total number of procedures performed in each state. The smoothed estimates of the RA population for each state were derived from age/sex strata in the 1995 US census using age/sex-adjusted RA prevalence data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The number of hand surgeons was from the 1996 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Results Procedure rates across states varied from 9-fold to 12-fold for all 3 procedures. The rates of the reconstructive procedures—fusion and arthroplasty—were highly correlated in each state, but these 2 procedures were only moderately correlated with tenosynovectomy. Surgeon density and procedure rates were minimally correlated. Procedure rates differed by patient sex, with significantly more arthroplasty and fusion procedures performed in women. More tenosynovectomy procedures were performed in men, and they were also performed at a younger age in men. Conclusions Significant large area variations are present in the surgical management of the rheumatoid hand, but the correlations between reconstructive and early intervention procedures are modest. These rate differences are not explained by the number of hand surgeons, disease prevalence, or demographic composition of the states. However, men are more likely to receive more aggressive early surgical interventions, and women are more likely to receive end-stage reconstructive surgery.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/34304/1/10662_ftp.pd

CFD Analysis of Windcatchers

Windcatchers are architectural elements that cool and ventilate interiors of dwellings by "catching" oncoming wind and redirecting it into a dwelling. Despite the ongoing prospect of low energy HVAC, windcatchers haven't been used much in western architecture. This is potentially due to the lack of concrete understanding behind how they achieve their cooling effect. This research hopes to gain an understanding of the principles of windcatcher fluid mechanics and what design elements are critical in achieving their desired effects. From an initial (simplistic) design, independent modifications show which features yield superior airflow and thermal convection results. The ultimate hope is to improve traditional designs which may lead to wider use in tomorrow's infrastructure.Mechanical Engineering, Department ofHonors Colleg

Finite element analysis of controlled laser coagulation experiments

Due to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to [email protected], referencing the URI of the item.Includes bibliographical references: p. 60-66.Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.A mathematical model to predict the effect of laser and tissue parameters on the zone of thermal injury by laser interaction on beef liver is presented. The heat transfer and coagulation process was modeled using a non-linear finite-element model. The light distfibutionwasmodeledusinganapproximationofthelightdiffusion theory. Thermal feedback allowed for constant surface temperature conditions using a modulated laser source term. A two-layered set-up of gel and tissue allowed for comparing our results with previous experiments carried out under similar conditions. Variations of the damage coefficients and absorption coefficient about their reported and calculated values indicate their sensitivity on coagulation effects based on the Arrhenius rate model. The constant surface temperature provided a control over the coagulation procedure, allowing a slow, steady damage front progression. The parametric study of variations in the damage rate coefficients, laser spot-size and absorption coefficient in this study indicate a significant variation in predicting the coagulation behavior of the tissue. Accurate knowledge of the optical properties and kinetic rate constants is essential for mathematical models to predict reliable outcomes

A Software Architecture for Realtime Data Acquisition, Instrument Control and Command Processing

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1992 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, CaliforniaIn this paper we describe the flight software for the SETS (Shuttle Electrodynamic Tethered System) experiment. The SETS experiment will fly as part of the TSS-1 (Tethered Satellite System) experiment on STS-46 currently scheduled for July 1992. The software consists of two major components: the SETSOS (SETS Operating System) and the SETS Application. The SETSOS is a UNIX-like operating system developed especially for realtime data acquisition, instrument control and command processing. The SETSOS, like all operating systems, provides resource management for application programs. It is UNIX-like in that access to resources is provided through a standard set of UNIX system calls. The SETSOS also implements the standard UNIX I/O model and a hierarchical file system. In addition to providing access to physical devices, the SETSOS provides support for two virtual devices: a packet-based data device and a command device. The packet-based data device is used by applications to place data into the telemetry stream. The command device is used to manage commands from the command uplink as well as other sources including other applications and other processors. The SETS Application is the primary program which runs under the SETSOS to handle data acquisition, instrument control and command processing. It executes as 5 separate processes, each performing a special task. The tasks include housekeeping data acquisition, limit checking, timeline management, and command processing. The processes communicate via shared memory. Time critical processing is coordinated by using signals and interrupts. In addition to a description of the software, we will discuss the relative merits and tradeoffs of using such a system design for command processing and data acquisition.International Foundation for TelemeteringProceedings from the International Telemetering Conference are made available by the International Foundation for Telemetering and the University of Arizona Libraries. Visit http://www.telemetry.org/index.php/contact-us if you have questions about items in this collection