An Object-Oriented Modeling and Simulation Environment for Reactive Systems Development

An environment to support the modeling, analysis, simulation, and development of state transition models, SMOOCHES (State Machines for Object-Oriented Concurrent Hierarchical Engineering Specifications), is presented. SMOOCHES allows the hierarchical construction, analysis, and simulation of state transition models in an object-oriented distributed environment. Statecharts (see Harel 1987b), a powerful mechanism for state transition specification, are fundamental to the development of SMOOCHES. To assist in the specification of hierarchical state transition models for distributed and reactive systems, statecharts are extended by introducing the concept of exit-safe states. SMOOCHES allows the specification of objects in the system with hierarchical state transition models and the derivation of new classes of objects through inheritance. A graphical monitoring system has been developed to represent and simulate the object state life cycles and monitor event generations. The example presented illustrates the modeling and simulation of different state life cycles of an assembly robot.     

H. M. revisits the Tower of Hanoi Puzzle.

To address the controversy of whether an intact procedural memory system alone can support the teaming of the recursive strategy for solving the Tower of Hanoi Puzzle, the authors tested 2 amnesic patients, H.M. and P.N. Contrary to the report of N. J. Cohen, H. Eichenbaum, B. S. Deacedo, and S. Corkin (1985), both patients failed to master the recursive strategy under the active-interaction condition. In contrast, normal control participants were able to master the strategy under identical testing conditions. The failure of H.M. and P.N. could not be attributed to the differences between the original and current testing conditions. In addition, neither patient showed frontal lobe dysfunction or impairment in procedural memory. Together with evidence provided by theoretical analyses of this puzzle as well as studies on normal participants, the authors conclude that declarative memory plays a vital role in the acquisition of the recursive strategy for solving the Tower of Hanoi Puzzle. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Monoamine synaptic structure and localization in the central nervous system

The monoamines dopamine, noradrenaline, adrenaline, and serotonin as well as the diamine histamine have a widespread distribution in the central nervous system within synaptic terminals and nonsynaptic varicosities. In certain regions of the central nervous system the monoamines are contained in varicosities that have no synaptic specialization associated with them, suggesting a possible neuromodulatory role for some of the monoamines. The majority of monoamine labelled structures are synaptic terminals which are characterized by the presence of small, clear vesicles (40–60 nm) and large, granular vesicles (70–120 nm) within the terminal. A third population of vesicles—small, granular vesicles—which are visible only after histochemical staining, are probably the equivalent of the small, clear vesicles present after either autoradiographic or immunohistochemical labelling. Most monoamine containing terminals contact dendrites and dendritic spines and, less frequently, neuronal somata and other axons. Both asymmetrical and symmetrical membrane specializations are associated with monoaminergic terminals; however, asymmetrical contacts are the most frequent type found. These ultrastructural results indicate that monoamine containing terminals and varicosities in general share many common morphological features, but still have diverse functions.     

Multiple discrepancies and pay satisfaction.

In this study, a mail survey was used to measure pay satisfaction, current salary, 4 personal standards of comparison, and basic demographics for 169 mental health professionals. As predicted, pay satisfaction was determined by the simultaneous appraisal of current salary against several personal standards of comparison. Explained variance in pay satisfaction rose from 26.1% when only salary and demographics were used as predictors to 46.7% when discrepancy-related variables associated with 4 standards of comparison also were used. Furthermore, R–2 for the combined discrepancy-related variables associated with all 4 standards of comparison was significantly greater than R–2 for the discrepancy-related variables associated with any single standard. These discrepancy effects took both additive and nonadditive forms. Discrepancy effects were stronger when deserved salary or minimum salary was the standard of comparison than when other's salary or average salary was. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of signaling retention interval length on delayed matching-to-sample in pigeons.

Pigeons were trained initially on a delayed matching task in which colors served as sample and comparison stimuli. During subsequent training, additional stimuli compounded with the sample signaled whether that trial involved a short (1 s) or a long (5 s) delay. In Experiment 1, miscuing reduced accuracy at the short delay markedly and tended to increase accuracy at the long delay slightly. Experiments 2 and 3 revealed a robust effect of cuing when the cues followed sample termination, thereby refuting the view that such cues evoke differential attention to the sample stimulus. Experiment 4 revealed that the cues did not influence rate of forgetting, and Experiment 5 revealed no effect of point of cue placement within the retention interval. It was concluded that cues correlated with retention interval length modulated matching accuracy independently of memory, perhaps by signaling different rates of reinforcement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Potassium Lactate and Fresh-Pork-Sausage Formulation Effects on Shelf Life in Lighted and Unlighted Display

ABSTRACT:  The objective was to examine the effects of potassium lactate (KL) and raw-meat blend on the shelf-life of fresh-pork-sausage patties in lighted and unlighted display. Four fresh-pork-sausage blends (70% prerigor meat, 30% fresh-pork trim; 80%/20%; 90%/10%; and 100%/0%) were formulated ( n = 3) with 0% and 3% KL, and patties were displayed for 10 d at 4 °C in lighted display or for 7 d in unlighted display followed by 3 d in lighted display. Patties with KL had lower aerobic plate counts (APC), more stable color (greater a* and chroma, less visual discoloration), and less lipid oxidation ( P < 0.05) during display than did patties without KL. Patties in the light for 10 d were more discolored and had more lipid oxidation ( P < 0.05) than those in the dark for 7 d followed by the light for 3 d. Patties with KL in the light for 10 d had similar color ( P > 0.05) to patties without KL that were in the dark for the first 7 d. Adding KL resulted in similar color stability ( P > 0.05) among patties made from 80, 90, and 100% prerigor meat and greater color stability ( P < 0.05) than similarly formulated patties without KL. By using 3% KL, fresh-pork-sausage patty color stability was maximized, APC and lipid oxidation were minimized, and formulation costs can be decreased by using less-expensive fresh-pork trim for up to 20% of the blend. Adding KL also minimized the effects of display lighting on myoglobin and lipid oxidation.     

Flocculation,cell surface hydrophobicity and 3‐OH oxylipins in the SMA strain of Saccharomyces pastorianus

Three‐hydroxy‐oxylipins (3‐OH oxylipins) have been previously detected in brewing yeast production strains at flocculation onset. In this work, the SMA strain of Saccharomyces pastorianus was characterized during growth in a miniature fermentation assay by measuring flocculation and cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH). Proportions of 3‐OH oxylipin were also measured concurrently during growth in the miniature fermentation assay and a defined 3‐OH oxylipin extraction protocol using ethyl acetate is presented along with a novel derivatization and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) detection approach. When the SMA strain was grown in the assay, near maximal CSH and flocculation levels were achieved by a 36 h fermentation time. Under the same culture conditions, the oxylipin 3‐OH decanoic acid (3‐OH 10:0) was identified. This oxylipin could not be detected early in the fermentation, but elevated relative levels of 3‐OH 10:0 were reached by 36 h, coinciding with increased CSH levels. It was previously presumed that the formation of 3‐OH oxylipins at flocculation onset might increase the CSH. However, results from this study suggest that 3‐OH 10:0 may not contribute to cell wall hydrophobicity. The flocculation behaviour of the SMA strain was also monitored in the presence of 3‐OH 10:0, but exposure to this oxylipin did not impact the sedimentation of this yeast, suggesting that 3‐OH oxylipins may not act as mediators of quorum sensing in this strain. Copyright © 2015 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling     

The chemistry and physiology of sour taste--a review

ABSTRACT:  Sour taste is the key element in the flavor profile of food acidulants. Understanding the chemistry and physiology of sour taste is critical for efficient control of flavor in the formulation of acid and acidified foods. After a brief introduction to the main applications of food acidulants, several chemical parameters associated with sour taste are discussed. Special emphasis is given to hydrogen ions, protonated (undissociated) acid species, titratable acidity, anions, molar concentration, and physical and chemical properties of organic acids. This article also presents an overview of the physiology of sour taste and proposed theories for the transduction mechanisms for sour taste. The physiology of sour taste perception remains controversial and significant diversity exists among species with regard to cellular schemes used for detection of stimuli. The variety of mechanisms proposed, even within individual species, highlights the complexity of elucidating sour taste transduction. However, recent evidence suggests that at least one specific sour taste receptor protein has been identified.     

Genetic Algorithm Inversion of Dual Polarization Polar Nephelometer Data to Determine Aerosol Refractive Index

A polar nephelometer that measures the light scattered into a two dimensional plane by a stream of aerosols that intersect a 350 milliwatt diode laser beam with a wavelength of 670 nm is described. A half wave plate is used to orient the laser light both parallel and perpendicular to the measurement plane. This scattering information combined with simultaneously measured size distribution information is used to determine the real (m_r) refractive index of the aerosols using a Genetic Algorithm search method. Errors in the retrieved m_r based on noise in the scattering measurement as well as uncertainties in the size distribution measurement are examined. The m_r of polystyrene latex spheres and ammonium sulfate droplets are determined and match expectations within experimental uncertainties using Mie-Lorenz theory. The angular scattering properties of spherical secondary organic aerosols generated by oxidizing α -pinene do not follow this theory and calls into question the inferred m_r.