University of Hartford

About: University of Hartford is a education organization based out in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 1244 authors who have published 2481 publications receiving 48973 citations. The organization is also known as: UHart.

Effect of marathon run and air travel on pre- and post-run soluble d-dimer, microparticle procoagulant activity, and p-selectin levels.

Abstract: D-dimer, microparticles, and p-selectin are venous thrombotic risk markers. Elevated p-selectin is associated with increased cardiovascular events. We examined the effects of exercise and air travel on the markers of vascular risk in marathon runners. Forty-one persons participating in the 114th Boston Marathon (April 19, 2010) were divided into travel (n = 23) and nontravel "control" (n = 18) groups according to whether they lived more than a 4-hour plane flight or less than a 2-hour car trip from Boston. The subjects provided venous blood samples the day before, immediately after, and after returning home the day after the marathon. The blood was analyzed for soluble d-dimer, microparticle procoagulant activity, and p-selectin. D-dimer levels increased more before to immediately after (142 ± 83 to 387 ± 196 ng/mL) in the travel group than in the controls (85 ± 26 to 233 ± 95 ng/mL; p = 0.02). Moreover, 6 travel subjects versus 0 controls had d-dimer values >500 ng/mL after returning home the day after the marathon, the clinical threshold for excluding venous thrombosis (p = 0.03). P-selectin increased with exercise (p <0.01) regardless of travel (p = 0.09) but age was related to p-selectin (p = 0.01) such that older subjects exhibited greater p-selectin values before (r(2) = 0.14; p = 0.02) and after returning home the day after the marathon (r(2) = 0.16, p = 0.01). In conclusion, the combination of exercise and travel increases venous and arterial thrombotic risk. Moreover, the p-selectin levels at rest and after exercise were greater with age. These results might explain the reports of venous thrombosis with air travel after athletic events and the reports of cardiac events in older participants running marathons.

Games and machine learning: a powerful combination in an artificial intelligence course

Abstract: Project MLeXAI (Machine Learning eXperiences in Artificial Intelligence (AI)) seeks to build a set of reusable course curriculum and hands on laboratory projects for the artificial intelligence classroom. In this article, we describe two game-based projects from the second phase of project MLeXAI: Robot Defense – a simple real-time strategy game and Checkers – a classic turn-based board game. From the instructors' prospective, we examine aspects of design and implementation as well as the challenges and rewards of using the curricula. We explore students' responses to the projects via the results of a common survey. Finally, we compare the student perceptions from the game-based projects to non-game based projects from the first phase of Project MLeXAI.

The Evolution of Quality in Consumer Goods

Abstract: This article examines changes in the quality of consumer products over time. It begins with a historical overview of the evolution of product quality since the beginning of the twentieth century. Next, evidence that substantive quality has increased and variability has decreased is summarized. An examination of Consumer Reports data supports the hypotheses that substantive quality has increased and variability has decreased significantly in recent years. Implications for consumer behavior and marketers are discussed.

Newton’s method on the complex exponential function

Abstract: We show that when Newton's method is applied to the product of a polynomial and the exponential function in the complex plane, the basins of attraction of roots have finite area.