A Survey of Languages for Specifying Dynamics: A Knowledge Engineering Perspective

A number of formal specification languages for knowledge-based systems has been developed. Characteristics for knowledge-based systems are a complex knowledge base and an inference engine which uses this knowledge to solve a given problem. Specification languages for knowledge-based systems have to cover both aspects. They have to provide the means to specify a complex and large amount of knowledge and they have to provide the means to specify the dynamic reasoning behavior of a knowledge-based system. We focus on the second aspect. For this purpose, we survey existing approaches for specifying dynamic behavior in related areas of research. In fact, we have taken approaches for the specification of information systems (Language for Conceptual Modeling and TROLL), approaches for the specification of database updates and logic programming (Transaction Logic and Dynamic Database Logic) and the generic specification framework of abstract state machine

Can you enhance exercise-induced fat oxidation with green tea drinking?

Green tea is associated with health benefits. Some studies showed enhanced exercise-induced fat oxidation with intake of capsulated green tea components, primarily with epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, but that effect was never observed with drinking brewed green tea from unpowdered leaves. In 2013, Hodgson et al. published a review article on green tea intake and exercise-induced fat oxidation. This review will cover some of the green tea studies since 2013 with only one study on the effects of drinking green tea. A study in 2018 showed that drinking a few cups with normal amounts of powdered green tea leaves (i.e. Matcha) enhanced fat oxidation during brisk walking in females. Capsulated intake of green tea components but also regular drinking of normal amounts of Matcha have the potential to provide benefits for health and exercise

What Your Heart Doth Know

Combining embryological insight with careful analysis of early stage cardiomyocyte differentiation, Kattman et al. (2011) in this issue of Cell Stem Cell have defined minimal culture conditions to efficiently produce cardiomyocytes from hESCs and hiPSCs. The lessons learned are applicable to the derivation of other organotypic cell types

Sequential monolayer-suspension culture of human airway epithelial cells

AbstractIn this article, we describe a technique for culturing human airway epithelial cells, developed in Leuven, as a new tool for a most reliable diagnosis for ciliary disorders. This technique that allows to keep both structural and functional primary abnormalities of inherited ciliary abnormalities, while avoiding the secondary ones, can also be useful to a number of other studies, namely in cystic fibrosis

Identification of uncertainty sources in distributed hydrological modelling: Case study of the Grote Nete catchment in Belgium

The quest for good practice in modelling merits thorough and sustained attention since good practice increases the credibility and impact of the information, and insight that modelling seeks to generate. This paper presents the findings of an evaluation whose goal was to understand the uncertainty in applying a distributed hydrological model to the Grote Nete catchment in Flanders, Belgium. Uncertainties were selected for investigation depending on how significantly they affected the model’s decision variables. A Fault Tree was used to determine various combinations of inputs, mathematical code, and human error failures that could result in a specified risk. A combination of forward and backward approaches was used in developing the Fault Tree. Eleven events were identified as contributing to the top event. A total of 7 gates were used to describe the Fault Tree. A critical path analysis was carried out for the events and established their rank or order of significance. Three measures of importance were applied, namely the F-Vesely, the Birnbaum, and the B-Proschan importance measures. Model development of distributed models involves considerable uncertainty. Many of these dependencies arise naturally and their correct evaluation is crucial to the accurate analysis of the modelling system reliability.Keywords: distributed hydrological models, Grote Nete, MIKE SHE, uncertaint

Effects Of A Head-Cooling Cap On 5-Km Running Performance In The Heat

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(6): 193-204, 2023. Cooling the head region during exercise can enhance running performance, but this observation is limited to intermittent cooling. This study investigated the effects of continuous head cooling on 5-km running time-trial (TT) performance in hot conditions. Six male and four female triathletes completed two experimental sessions consisting of two 10-minute runs at 50% and 70% O2max followed by a 5-km TT in the heat (32.0±0.3 °C, 50.1±1.2% RH). In a randomized crossover design, either an ice-filled cooling cap or no cooling cap was provided prior to the 10-minute run at 70%O2max. Performance time, rectal, forehead and mean skin temperature, RPE, thermal comfort, fluid loss, blood lactate and heart rate were recorded. Performance time was faster with a cooling cap (1175±80 s) compared to no cooling cap (1189±76 s, P = 0.034; d = 0.18). The cooling cap reduced forehead temperature (P \u3c0.001) and improved thermal comfort (P = 0.004) but had no effect on any other variable (P \u3e 0.05). Continuously cooling the head with an ice-filled cap enhanced 5-km TT performance in the heat. Participants reported an improved thermal comfort with no change in core temperature. Continuously cooling the head may be a practical strategy to enhance running performance in hot conditions

New Zealand blackcurrant extract improves high-intensity intermittent running performance.

New Zealand blackcurrant (BC) intake showed reduced blood lactate during low and moderate intensity cycling and improved 16.1 km cycling time trial performance. We examined the effect of BC on high-intensity intermittent treadmill running and post-running lactate clearance. Thirteen active males (age: 25±4 yrs, stature: 1.82±0.07 m, body mass: 81±14 kg, V̇O2max: 56±4 mL∙kg-1∙min-1, velocity at V̇O2max: 17.6±0.8 km∙h-1, mean±SD) visited the laboratory three times. In the 1st visit, a ramp protocol (0.1 km∙h-1 every 5 sec) was completed to establish V̇O2max and velocity at V̇O2max, and subjects were familiarised with the protocols. In visits 2 and 3, subjects completed an high intensity intermittent running capability test which consisted of six 19 s high-intensity running bouts, each interspersed by 15 s of low-intensity running, followed by 1 minute of rest, this was repeated at increasing speeds, until exhaustion. Prior to visits 2 and 3, subjects consumed either New Zealand BC extract (300 mg∙day-1 CurraNZ™; containing 105 mg anthocyanin) or placebo (P) (300 mg∙day-1 microcrystalline cellulose M102) for 7 days in capsules (double blind, randomised, cross-over design, wash-out at least 14 days). Blood lactate was collected for 30 min post-exhaustion. Two-tailed paired t-tests were used and significance accepted at p< .05. BC increased total running distance by 10.6% (BC: 4282±833 m, P: 3871±622 m, p = .023, 10 out of 13 subjects improved), with the distance during the high-intensity running bouts by 10.8% (p= .024). Heart rate, rating of perceived exertion and oxygen uptake were not different between conditions for each stage. At exhaustion, lactate tended to be higher for BC (BC: 6.01±1.07 mmol∙L-1, P: 5.22±1.52 mmol∙L-1, p = .066, 9 out of 13 subjects). There was a trend towards improved lactate clearance following 15 min (BC: -2.89±0.51 mmol∙L-1, P: -2.46±0.39 mmol∙L-1, p = .07) and 30 minutes of passive recovery (BC: -4.12±0.73 mmol∙L-1, P: -3.66±1.01 mmol∙L-1, p = 0.11). It is concluded that New Zealand blackcurrant extract (CurraNZ™) may enhance performance in team sports characterised by high-intensity intermittent exercise as with BC intake greater distances were covered during high-intensity running, there was higher lactate tolerance, and increased lactate clearance after high-intensity exercise