Implementing CS1 with embedded instructional research design in laboratories

Closed laboratories are becoming an increasingly popular approach to teaching introductory computer science courses. Unlike open laboratories that tend to be an informal environment provided for students to practice their skills with attendance optional, closed laboratories are structured meeting times that support the lecture component of the course, and attendance is required. This paper reports on an integrated approach to designing, implementing, and assessing laboratories with an embedded instructional research design. The activities reported here are parts of a departmentwide effort not only to improve student learning in computer science and computer engineering (CE) but also to improve the agility of the Computer Science and Engineering Department in adapting the curriculum to changing technologies, incorporate research, and validate the instructional strategies used. This paper presents the design and implementation of the laboratories and the results and analysis of student performance. Also described in this paper is cooperative learning in the laboratories and its impact on student learning.     

Self-stabilized nonlinear lateral modes of broad area lasers

The lateral modes of broad area lasers are investigated theoretically. The nonlinear interaction between optical field and effective refractive index leads to a saturable nonlinearity in the governing field equation, so that self-modulated solutions are found to be stable with increased current injection above saturation intensity. We derive approximate analytical solutions for traveling wave fields within the broad area laser. The field amplitude consists of a small ripple superimposed on a large dc value. Matching fields at the boundary determines the modulation depth and imparts an overall phase curvature to the traveling wave mode. There are multiple lateral modes for a given set of operating conditions, and modes with successively more lobes in the ripple have greater overall phase curvature. In contrast to the linear problem, several lateral modes can achieve the same modal gain, for a given injected current density, by saturating the gain to different extent. Thus, these modes would exhibit slightly different optical powers.     

Multitemporal passive microwave mapping in MACHYDRO'90

MACHYDR0'90 was an experiment conducted in Pennsylvania in 1990 to study the synergistic use of remote sensors in multitemporal hydrologic studies. As part of this mission the pushbroom microwave radiometer was flown and used to produce brightness temperature maps. Verification studies and vegetation algorithms for mixed land cover areas are described     

An optimum parallel architecture for high-speed real-time digital signal processing

The authors describe a parallel processing architecture for real-time digital signal processing that has demonstrated virtually 100% data processing efficiency in a number of areas. The Teamed-Architecture Signal Processor (T-ASP) is a field-proven, commercially available optimal system solution to the extremely high computational and I/O rates encountered in modern digital-signal-processing environments. The design of T-ASP involves the consideration and implementation of many architectural concepts used to enhance the performance of a computer, including programmability, parallel processing, vector processing and pipelining, memory interleaving, double cache memories, multiple high-speed I/O interfaces, and segmentation of the processors for elimination of both CPU and data-handling overhead. The authors discuss hardware architecture design and implementation; hardware management; and software architecture design and implementation.<>     

人-车-路虚拟仿真中人机交互模块开发

使用VisualC++6.0作为开发平台,论述了基于VegaAPI的人-车-路系统虚拟仿真中人机交互的实现原理,使用Di-rectX的DirectInput组件,实现了在主线程中转向、制动、加速等人机交互驾驶操作信号的读取,并给出了主要的伪代码实现。     

Effects and properties of poly(arylene ether benzonitrile)s of various molecular weights blended with sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)

Poly(arylene ether benzonitrile) (PAEBN) was synthesized with 2,6‐dichlorobenzonitrile and biphenol. PAEBNs with various molecular weights (MWs), 1,640,000 and 185,000 g/mol, were synthesized by control of the stoichiometry of the monomers and were blended with sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK). The effects of MW on the water uptake, swelling, methanol permeability, and proton conductivity of the SPEEK/PAEBN blend membranes were investigated. The molecular mobility of the SPEEK/PAEBN blends was also examined in this study. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

A Multisite Comparison of Actuarial Risk Instruments for Sex Offenders.

Four actuarial instruments for the prediction of violent and sexual reoffending (the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide [VRAG], Sex Offender Risk Appraisal Guide [SORAG], Rapid Risk Assessment for Sex Offender Recidivism [RRASOR], and Static-99) were evaluated in 4 samples of sex offenders (N = 396). Although all 4 instruments predicted violent (including sexual) recidivism and recidivism known to be sexually motivated, areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) were consistently higher for the VRAG and the SORAG. The instruments performed better when there were fewer missing items and follow-up time was fixed, with an ROC area up to .84 for the VRAG, for example, under such favorable conditions. Predictive accuracy was higher for child molesters than for rapists, especially for the Static-99 and the RRASOR. Consistent with past research, survival analyses revealed that those offenders high in both psychopathy and sexual deviance were an especially high-risk group. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Glucuronidation of N-hydroxy heterocyclic amines by human and rat liver microsomes

The food-borne carcinogenic and mutagenic heterocyclic aromatic amines undergo bioactivation to the corresponding N-hydroxy (OH)-arylamines and the subsequent N-glucuronidation of these metabolites is regarded as an important detoxification reaction. In this study, the rates of glucuronidation for the N-OH derivatives of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]-quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]-pyridine (PhIP), 2-amino-6-methyl-dipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1) and 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx) by liver microsomal glucuronosyltransferase were compared to that of the proximate human urinary bladder carcinogen, N-OH-aminobiphenyl (N-OH-ABP) and the proximate rat colon carcinogen N-OH-3,2'-dimethyl-4-amino-biphenyl (N-OH-DMABP). Human liver microsomes catalyzed the uridine 5'-diphosphoglucuronic acid (UDPGA)-dependent glucuroidation of N-OH-IQ, N-OH-PhIP, N-OH-Glu-P-1 and N-OH-MeIQx at rates of 59%, 42%, 35% and 27%, respectively, of that measured for N-OH-ABP (11.5 nmol/min/mg). Rat liver microsomes also catalyzed the UDPGA-dependent glucuronidation of N-OH-PhIP, N-OH-Glu-P-1 and N-OH-IQ at rates of 30%, 20% and 10%, respectively of that measured for N-OH-DMABP (11.2 nmol/min/mg); activity towards N-OH-MeIQx was not detected. Two glucuronide(s) of N-OH-PhIP, designated I and II, were separated by HPLC. Conjugate II was found to be chromatographically and spectrally identical with a previously reported major biliary metabolite of PhIP in the rat, while conjugate I was identical with a major urinary metabolite of PhIP in the dog. Hepatic microsomes from rat, dog and human were found to catalyze the formation of both conjugates. The rat preferentially formed conjugate II (I to II ratio of 1:15), while the dog and human formed higher relative amounts of conjugate I (I to II ratio of 2.5:1.0 and 1.3:1.0 respectively). Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry of conjugates I and II gave the corresponding molecular ions and showed nearly identical primary spectra. However, collision-induced spectra were distinct and were consistent with the identity of conjugates I and II as structural isomers. Moreover, the UV spectrum of conjugate I exhibited a lambda max at 317 nm and was essentially identical to that of N-OH-PhIP, while conjugate II was markedly different with a lambda max of 331 nm. Both conjugates were stable in 0.1 N HCl and were resistant to hydrolysis by rat, dog and human liver microsomal beta-glucuronidases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

A convenient method to discriminate between cytochrome P450 enzymes and flavin-containing monooxygenases in human liver microsomes

Liver microsomes are a frequently used probe to investigate the phase I metabolism of xenobiotics in vitro. Structures containing nucleophilic hetero-atoms are possible substrates for cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450) and flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMO). Both enzymes are located in the endoplasmatic reticulum of hepatocytes and both need oxygen and NADPH as cofactors. The common method to distinguish between the two enzyme systems is to use the thermal inactivation of FMO and to inhibit P450 completely with carbon monoxide, N-octylamine or N-benzylimidazole. In the literature no indication could be found that the heat inactivation of FMO does not affect any of the human P450 enzymes or that the overall P450 inhibitors inhibit the different human P450 enzymes sufficiently and do not affect the FMO. The effect of N-benzylimidazole and heat inactivation was tested on specific activities of seven P450 enzymes in human liver microsomes, 1A2, 2A6, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 3A4/5, and 2E1, using methoxyresorufin O-demethylation, coumarin 7-hydroxylation, (S)-warfarin 4-hydroxylation, (S)-(+)-mephenytoin 4-hydroxylation, dextrometorphan O-demethylation, oxidation of denitronifedipine, and chlorzoxazone 6-hydroxylation respectively. The sulfoxidation of methimazole (MMI) was used as a specific probe for the determination of FMO activity. Methimazole sulfoxidation was compared with the well known assay for FMO metabolism, the formation of N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA) N-oxide, to be confirmed as an exclusively FMO mediated reaction. The participation of P450 and FMO in the sulfoxidation of four sulfur containing peptides, ametryne; terbutryne, prometryne and methiocarb was investigated using human liver microsomes. All four reactions were demonstrated to be catalysed predominantly by cytochrome P450.     

Noninvasive assessment of the direct action of oral nifedipine and nicardipine on left ventricular contractile state in patients with systemic hypertension: importance of reflex sympathetic responses

BACKGROUND: Alveolar macrophages from patients with sarcoidosis were analyzed for their ability to secrete tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1-beta (IL-1-beta), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). RESULTS: Constitutive release of all three monokines in these patients was concomitantly increased in the active state of disease in comparison with inactive sarcoidosis or healthy control subjects. Alveolar macrophages from patients with inactive sarcoidosis compared with cells from healthy subjects showed increased spontaneous secretion of TNF-alpha and IL-6 only, whereas the constitutive release of IL-1-beta was similar as in healthy volunteers. In vitro stimulation of alveolar macrophages from healthy control subjects with lipopolysaccharide or pokeweed mitogen led to a time- and dose-dependent enhanced secretion of TNF-alpha, IL-1-beta, and IL-6. In a similar manner, with corresponding cells from patients with sarcoidosis the secretion of all three cytokines could be further increased by stimulation with lipopolysaccharide or pokeweed mitogen. CONCLUSIONS: The data presented indicate that an increased release of TNF-alpha, IL-1-beta, and IL-6 correlates to disease activity and may play a critical part in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.