The use of ghost variables and virtual programming in the documentation and verification of programs

Using ghost variables and virtual programming, a method for documenting programs which exhibit some common characteristics is presented. The annotations required are expressed in a powerful high level assertion language. The usefulness of these annotations is illustrated by the generation of verification conditions for some small example programs written in a dialect of Pascal. Demonstrations of the correctness of these programs are also given.     

Stimulating the anaerobic biodegradation of explosives by the addition of hydrogen or electron donors that produce hydrogen

The anaerobic biodegradation of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX), and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) by a methanogenic mixed culture was investigated. Microcosms containing a basal medium and the mixed culture were amended with ethanol, propylene glycol (PG), butyrate or hydrogen gas as the electron donor and a mixture of TNT (50 microM), RDX (25 microM), and HMX (8 microM). After 29 days TNT and RDX were completely transformed to unidentified endproducts in the bottles amended with ethanol, hydrogen, or PG, while 53%, 40%, and 22% of the HMX was transformed, respectively. There was no loss of RDX or HMX in the electron donor unamended control bottles. The ethanol and PG were transformed to near stoichiometric amounts of acetate and propionate, suggesting the immediate electron donor supporting the transformation of the explosives was the H2 evolved during the metabolism of the parent substrate. Our findings suggest that the addition of H2 or electron donors that produce H2 may be a useful strategy for enhancing the anaerobic biodegradation of explosives in contaminated groundwater and soils.     

Modeling ozone and aerosol formation and transport in the pacific northwest with the community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system

The Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system was used to investigate ozone and aerosol concentrations in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) during hot summertime conditions during July 1-15, 1996. Two emission inventories (El) were developed: emissions for the first El were based upon the National Emission Trend 1996 (NET96) database and the BEIS2 biogenic emission model, and emissions for the second El were developed through a "bottom up" approach that included biogenic emissions obtained from the GLOBEIS model. The two simulations showed that elevated PM2.5 concentrations occurred near and downwind of the Interstate-5 corridor along the foothills of the Cascade Mountains and in forested areas of central Idaho. The relative contributions of organic and inorganic aerosols varied by region, but generally organic aerosols constituted the largest fraction of PM2.5. In wilderness areas near the 1-5 corridor, organic carbon from anthropogenic sources contributed approximately 50% of the total organic carbon with the remainder from biogenic precursors, while in wilderness areas in Idaho, biogenic organic carbon accounted for 80% of the total organic aerosol. Regional analysis of the secondary organic aerosol formation in the Columbia River Gorge, Central Idaho, and the Olympics/Puget Sound showed that the production rate of secondary organic carbon depends on local terpene concentrations and the local oxidizing capacity of the atmosphere, which was strongly influenced by anthropogenic emissions. Comparison with observations from 12 IMPROVE sites and 21 ozone monitoring sites showed that results from the two El simulations generally bracketed the average observed PM parameters and that errors calculated for the model results were within acceptable bounds. Analysis across all statistical parameters indicated that the NW-AIRQUEST El solution performed better at predicting PM2.5, PM1, and beta(ext) even though organic carbon PM was over-predicted, and the NET96 El solution performed better with regard to the inorganic aerosols. For the NW-AIRQUEST El solution, the normalized bias was 30% and the normalized absolute error was 49% for PM2.5 mass. The NW-AIRQUEST solution slightly overestimated peak hourly ozone downwind of urban areas, while the NET96 solution slightly underestimated peak values, and both solutions over-predicted average 03 concentrations across the domain by approximately 6 ppb.     

Identification of Thiols in Yellow Onion (Allium cepa L.) Using Solvent Vented Large Volume Injection GC‐MS

Thiols are often highly odor active molecules and as such can significantly contribute to aroma while being present at extremely low concentrations. This paper details the identification of thiols in yellow onion juice by solvent extraction followed by thiol enrichment using a mercuric agarose gel column. Due to the inherent thermal instability and low concentrations of thiols in onion, chromatographic analysis utilized larger volume solvent elimination injections. New sulfur compounds in onion included 1,1‐propanedithiol, bis‐(1‐sulfanylpropyl)‐sulfide, 1‐methylsulfanyl‐1‐propanethiol, 1‐propylsulfanyl‐1‐propanethiol, and 1‐allylsulfanyl‐1‐propanethiol. A discussion on the potential route of formation for each compound is included along with the orthonasal and retronasal evaluations of the synthesized molecules. This work investigated and identified 5 newly identified compounds present in onions that can impart onion character at low concentrations levels.     

Rapid Heating of Alaska Pollock and Chicken Breast Myofibrillar Proteins as Affecting Gel Rheological Properties

Surimi seafoods (fish/poikilotherm protein) in the U.S.A. are typically cooked rapidly to 90+°C, while comminuted products made from land animals (meat/homeotherm protein) are purposely cooked much more slowly, and to lower endpoint temperatures (near 70 °C). We studied heating rate (0.5, 25, or 90 °C/min) and endpoint temperature (45 to 90 °C) effects on rheological properties (fracture, small strain) of washed myofibril gels derived from fish (Alaska pollock) compared with chicken breast at a common pH (6.75). This was contrasted with published data on gelation kinetics of chicken myosin over the same temperature range. Heating rate had no effect on fracture properties of fish gels but slow heating did yield somewhat stronger, but not more deformable, chicken gels. Maximum gel strength by rapid heating could be achieved within 5 min holding after less than 1 min heating time. Dynamic testing by small strain revealed poor correspondence of the present data to that published for gelling response of chicken breast myosin in the same temperature range. The common practice of reporting small‐strain rheological parameters measured at the endpoint temperature was also shown to be misleading, since upon cooling, there was much less difference in rigidity between rapidly and slowly heated gels for either species.     

FUNGAL-INDUCED REDISTRIBUTION OF KRAFT LIGNIN MOLECULAR WEIGHT BY MULTI-ANGLE LASER LIGHT SCATTERING

Culture broths from Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes cingulata, combined with co-factors such as hydrogen peroxide, dithiothreitol, copper, iron, and manganese ions were examined for the ability to modify lignin structure. High-performance size exclusion chromatography (HP-SEC) coupled to multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS) detection was used to determine the effect of several white rot fungi, pH values, enzymes, and co-factors on the molecular weight distribution of treated kraft lignin. The analytical procedure tracked changes in molecular weight distribution, radius of gyration, and hydrodynamic radius. Results showed changes in the molecular weight distribution of lignin components when treated with combinations of factors. The induced cultures showed more lignin depolymerization for the specific lignin samples in which they were initially grown. The distribution in the radius of gyration became narrower with time, indicating that molecular conformation changed to a more uniform molecular shape. H₂O₂ and DTT showed the most significant changes in lignin molecular weight distribution.     

Maternal Fructose Intake Causes Developmental Reprogramming of Hepatic Mitochondrial Catalytic Activity and Lipid Metabolism in Weanling and Young Adult Offspring

Excess dietary fructose is a major public health concern, yet little is known about its influence on offspring development and later-life disease when consumed in excess during pregnancy. To determine whether increased maternal fructose intake could have long-term consequences on offspring health, we investigated the effects of 10% w/v fructose water intake during preconception and pregnancy in guinea pigs. Female Dunkin Hartley guinea pigs were fed a control diet (CD) or fructose diet (FD; providing 16% of total daily caloric intake) ad libitum 60 days prior to mating and throughout gestation. Dietary interventions ceased at day of delivery. Offspring were culled at day 21 (D21) (weaning) and at 4 months (4 M) (young adult). Fetal exposure to excess maternal fructose intake significantly increased male and female triglycerides at D21 and 4 M and circulating palmitoleic acid and total omega-7 through day 0 (D0) to 4 M. Proteomic and functional analysis of significantly differentially expressed proteins revealed that FD offspring (D21 and 4 M) had significantly increased mitochondrial metabolic activities of β-oxidation, electron transport chain (ETC) and oxidative phosphorylation and reactive oxygen species production compared to the CD offspring. Western blotting analysis of both FD offspring validated the increased protein abundances of mitochondrial ETC complex II and IV, SREBP-1c and FAS, whereas VDAC1 expression was higher at D21 but lower at 4 M. We provide evidence demonstrating offspring programmed hepatic mitochondrial metabolism and de novo lipogenesis following excess maternal fructose exposure. These underlying asymptomatic programmed pathways may lead to a predisposition to metabolic dysfunction later in life.     

A Discontinuous Galerkin Coupled Wave Propagation/Circulation Model

On large geographic scales, ocean waves are represented in a spectral sense via the action balance equation, which propagates action density through both geographic and spectral space. In this paper, a new computational spectral wave model is developed by using discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods in both geographic and spectral space. DG methods allow for the use of unstructured geographic meshes and higher-order approximations for action propagation in both geographic and spectral space, which we show leads to increased accuracy. This DG spectral wave propagation model is verified and validated through comparisons to manufactured and analytic solutions as well as to the Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) model. Coupled wave/circulation models are needed for many applications including for the interaction between waves and currents during daily wind and tide driven flows. We loosely couple the new DG spectral wave model to the DG Shallow Water Equation Model (DG-SWEM), an existing DG circulation model. In addition to formulating the DG method for the coupled wave/circulation model, we derive an a priori error estimate. Preliminary numerical results of the DG coupled wave/circulation model are presented with comparisons to DG-SWEM coupled tightly to SWAN.     

Efficacy of relapse prevention: A meta-analytic review.

Although relapse prevention (RP) has become a widely adopted cognitive-behavioral treatment intervention for alcohol, smoking, and other substance use, outcome studies have yielded an inconsistent picture of the efficacy of this approach or conditions for maximal effectiveness. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the overall effectiveness of RP and the extent to which certain variables may relate to treatment outcome. Twenty-six published and unpublished studies with 70 hypothesis tests representing a sample of 9,504 participants were included in the analysis. Results indicated that RP was generally effective, particularly for alcohol problems. Additionally, outcome was moderated by several variables. Specifically, RP was most effective when applied to alcohol or polysubstance use disorders, combined with the adjunctive use of medication, and when evaluated immediately following treatment using uncontrolled pre–post tests. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)