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Seit Einzug der AfD ist der Ton der Landtagsdebatten rauer geworden. Die Abgeordneten dieser Fraktion machen kaum einen Hehl daraus, dass sie das parlamentarische System, seine Institutionen und Repräsentanten wenig bis nicht achten. Mit dieser Einstellung bringen sie das parlamentarische Ordnungsrecht an seine Grenzen. Der Beitrag leuchtet die Dogmatik der bayerischen parlamentsinternen Ordnungsmaßnahmen aus und stellt Überlegungen an, ob und wie sich ein Ordnungsgeld in den Kanon der bayerischen Ordnungsmittel integrieren lässt und was es dabei zu beachten gilt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma gondii has at least 318 genotypes distributed worldwide, and tropical regions usually have greater genetic diversity. Campeche is a state located in the southeastern region of México and has favourable climate conditions for the replication and dissemination of this protozoan, similar to those in South American countries where broad genetic diversity has been described. Thus, in this study, 4 T. gondii isolates were obtained from tissues of stray dogs and free-range chickens in Campeche, México, and were genotyped by Mn-PCR-RFLP with 10 typing markers (SAG1 , altSAG2 , SAG3 , BTUB , GRA6 , c22-8 , c29-2 , L358 , PK1 and Apico) and 5 virulence markers (CS3 , ROP16 , ROP17 , ROP18 and ROP5) to provide new information about the distribution and virulence prediction of T. gondii genotypes. Two isolates of T. gondii genotype #116 and 2 of genotype #38 were obtained from stray dogs and chickens, respectively. The parasite load found in these species was between <50 and more than 35 000 tachyzoites per mg of tissue. Virulence marker genotyping revealed a recombinant 1&3 ROP5 RFLP pattern in 2 ToxoDB #116 isolates with no prediction of virulence in a murine model, while in the 2 ToxoDB #38 isolates, the ROP18 / ROP5 combination predicted high virulence. Considering all the typed markers, there is a predominance of type I and III alleles, as constantly reported for the isolates characterized in various regions of México. It is crucial to determine their phenotype to corroborate the genetic virulence profile of the T. gondii isolates obtained in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the renowned Stradivari violin known as the 'Boissier, Sarasate,' examining its historical significance and preservation. Topics include the violin's features, Sarasate's ownership, and efforts to document and analyze the instrument through measurements, tests, and acoustic analysis. The article also delves into Sarasate's life, his unique approach to repertoire, and his contributions as both a violinist and composer.

The article discusses the increasing number of asylum seekers arriving in Canada and the need for more humane reception centers. The author, Loly Rico, shares her personal experience as a refugee from El Salvador and highlights the differences in treatment between government-assisted refugees and those who arrive at ports of entry. The article argues that Canada is facing a resource crisis rather than just a refugee crisis, due to underfunding of social housing and lack of preparation. The author suggests the establishment of reception centers with warm beds, food, and wraparound supports to help refugees begin building their lives. These centers would provide immediate assistance, including legal aid, employment counseling, education, and housing support. The article emphasizes the importance of creating a welcoming environment for refugees and acknowledges Canada's responsibility to care for them. [Extracted from the article]

Das Bayerische Lobbyregistergesetz reiht sich in die Liste der Transparenzbemühungen in Bezug auf Interesseneinwirkungen auf Parlament und Regierung ein. Es übernimmt damit - zumindest der Zielrichtung nach - ein Instrument der Bundesebene, welches sich mehr oder weniger zeitgleich entwickelte. Der bayerische Gesetzgeber geht im Einzelnen aber einen von der Bundesregelung abweichenden Weg. Das Gesetz enthält zahlreiche unbestimmte Rechtsbegriffe, die es auszufüllen gilt. Der Beitrag stellt das Gesetz vor und nimmt sich der näheren Bestimmung an. Die dabei erfolgte Analyse zeigt, dass das Bayerische Lobbyregistergesetz nicht nur an einigen Stellen sprachlich inkonsistent ist und manche Fragen offenlässt, sondern auch weit über den intendierten Regelungszweck hinausgeht. Das weckt verfassungsrechtliche Bedenken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The fact that objects of interval-valued data could be noticed as interval-valued fuzzy sets (IVFS) is emphasized. • New similarity measures for IVFS based on average embedding functions are proposed. • Hierarchical clustering algorithm is applied to real intervalar data using new similarity measures for IVFS. • The similarity measures proposed are applied to clustering real data of the Spanish weather in 2021. Clustering algorithms create groups of objects based on their similarity. As objects are usually defined by data points, this similarity is commonly measured by a distance function. When the objects are defined by variables that are intervals, it is more difficult to determine how to measure the similarity between the objects of the dataset. In this work, we propose some similarity measures between intervals based on average embedding functions. Using these, new similarity measures between interval-based objects are proposed. All the proposed similarities are based on measuring the similarity between the objects variable by variable and then averaging the obtained results to get a single value. By its definition, the objects can be considered as interval-valued fuzzy sets (IVFS), so the similarities introduced are proved to be valid similarities for IVFS. The measures proposed are used in a hierarchical clustering algorithm with the aim of grouping the objects of the dataset into different clusters based on their similarity to interval-valued data. The described process is applied to real data regarding the Spanish weather in order to cluster the provinces of Spain based on the interval temperature of each month in 2021, showing different results that the ones obtained using non-interval-valued data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many applications in fields as diverse as chemistry, mechanics, medicine, economics, robotics, environment, ecology, meteorology, etc. are based on the notion of system modeling. A system is a real process associating in a deterministic way an output value to one or more input values. A model is a mathematical object that allows the analysis of real phenomena and the prediction of results at a given level of approximation. One of the difficulties of modeling is the choice of the model and how to measure, predict or control the level of approximation. The linear model, where the output is obtained by a weighted sum of the inputs, is a simple model, based on a reduced number of parameters, but describing the functioning of a system in a very approximate way, without the level of approximation being known. Non-linear models are much more specific but much more difficult to use, the level of approximation being even more difficult to measure. What we propose in this article is an imprecise linear model, so the simplicity of representation and use is quite comparable to that of a linear model. This model is imprecise in the sense that the output is imprecise, although the inputs are precise, thus potentially reflecting the inadequacy of a linear model to represent the behavior of the system: the more imprecise the output, the less likely a single linear model is to correctly describe the system. This imprecise linear model can be seen as a convex set of conventional linear models, the imprecise output of this model being the convex set of outputs that would have been obtained by each linear model individually. This modeling is based on non-monotonic real-valued concave set measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zur Eindämmung der COVID-19-Pandemie wurden auch im Parlamentsbetrieb organisatorisch-technische Maßnahmen erlassen. Der Bayerische Landtag reduzierte in diesem Zusammenhang zwischenzeitlich seine Beschlussfähigkeit auf ein Fünftel und setzte sich damit zumindest dem Wortlaut nach in ein Spannungsverhältnis zu Art. 23 Abs. 2 BV. Angestoßen durch eine Popularklage gegen das Bayerische Infektionsschutzgesetz hatte der Bayerische Verfassungsgerichtshof Gelegenheit, die Reduzierung des Beschlussfähigkeitsquorums auf seine Verfassungsmäßigkeit hin zu überprüfen. Der vorliegende Beitrag analysiert die verfassungsrechtliche Ausgangslage zur Beschlussfähigkeit des Landtags sowie seine geschäftsordnungsrechtliche Ausgestaltung und ordnet die Entscheidung des Bayerischen Verfassungsgerichtshofs ein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magneto-active hydrogels (MAHs) consist of a polymeric network doped with magnetic particles that enable the material to mechanically respond to magnetic stimuli. This multifunctionality allows for modulation of mechanical properties in a remote and dynamic manner. These characteristics combined with the biocompatibility of hydrogels, make MAHs excellent for drug delivery and biological scaffolds. In this work, ultra-soft biological MAHs with strong magnetostriction are fabricated from human blood plasma (∼ 20 Pa). The material is experimentally tested using a novel in-house device that allows for a precise control of magnetic actuation conditions, enabling the hydrogel modulation in terms of mechanical deformation and stiffness. We study the impact of magnetic actuation on the solvent expulsion and diffusion dynamics within the polymeric network. To further elucidate the mechanisms driving solvent diffusion processes, a computational framework for modeling the diffusion process of two different species within a magneto-responsive material is proposed. These experimental and computational outcomes open exciting new opportunities for the use of ultra-soft MAHs in bioengineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "Tomato & Lettuce," explores the cultural and societal expectations placed on women, particularly in relation to domestic duties. The author reflects on their mother's role as a homemaker and the labor involved in maintaining a household. The poem also touches on the complex relationship between mother and daughter, emphasizing the importance of memory and the impact of societal norms on women's lives. The author, Monica Rico, is known for her poetry collection Pinion. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents the discussion on complex line between voyeurism and the authentic gaze including global rise of African-American music culture and the evolution of Black cinema.

The poem "American Crow" by Monica Rico is presented. First Line: If I say my father, Last Line: to call me home.

After nearly 30 years in power, Nursultan Nazarbayev's decision to stand down on the 19th March 2019 as president of Kazakhstan took many observers by surprise. The former prime minister and speaker of the Kazakh Senate, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, took up the post of acting president as constitutionally designated, and then won an extraordinary presidential election in June 2019, which was marred by opposition protest demanding fairer elections and political reform. But the transition is one in which little has changed in the short to medium-term. Nazarbayev still holds power through a series of extra-constitutional and constitutional positions and his informal power and influence is all encompassing. Moreover, Tokayev is committed to maintaining Nazarbayev's policies, especially as they pertain to Kazakh-Russian relations and the broader foreign policy agenda of 'multi-vectorism'. Within that agenda, however, there remain significant tensions in Kazakh-Russian relations, especially as they relate to questions of security and Russian soft-power. One important legacy of the Kazakh model of presidential transition is the extent to which it represents an exemplar for other post-Soviet authoritarian leaders to follow whereby they give up the office of president, but not power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modeling and control problem for a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) power electronic system, which includes a dc/dc boost converter, an inverter and a filter are considered. A linear complementarity (LC) dynamic model of the PV system allows the design of a model predictive controller (MPC). Dynamic models of the subsystems are obtained and merged in order to represent the whole PV system in a compact and comprehensive LC model, which is valid for all operating modes of power converters and PV cells involved in the energy conversion process. A finite-control-set MPC problem is formulated as a mixed-integer quadratic program subject to the dynamic LC model and pulse width modulators. The minimization of an objective function aimed at tracking dc voltage and grid current references provides directly the commands for the switches of the boost converter and inverter. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed strategy for maximum power point tracking and synchronization to the grid under dynamic scenarios characterized by variations of the solar irradiance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Have you seen Montezuma's aviaries - still green, full of breath? Cortés Burning the Aviaries Have you seen Montezuma's aviaries - still green, full of breath?. [Extracted from the article]

The purpose of this essay is to place communication and journalism in the historical development of modern society up to the current broad context of interrelations between technological development and the vertigo of the interconnections that shape contemporary social organization in the framework of neoliberalism. To identify and rethink consequences related to the schedules imposed by information and communication technologies. The betting is to move (or return) the thought from technological optimism or technical ideology towards the centrality of the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reviews the Solvency II regulations and their impact on capital consumption in insurance companies that maintain investments in venture capital vehicles. Its main conclusions are: The neutrality of the regulation has advanced considerably in relation to investment typologies, issuers, sectors and similars in the absence of maximum limits. The impact is equal to similar investments. There are certain types of investments that are especially favored by the regulations and that are reviewed in the article. The regulation has a certain complexity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The roadways comprised in the network of Valencia Provincial Council have traditionally been heavily used by sports cyclists, both amateur enthusiasts and federated groups, owing to their typology, low traffic density and the good climate of Valencia province. In recent years we have detected an increase in the flow of cyclists on these roads and consequently in mobility, this occasionally entailing an increase in the accident rate involving bicycles. Valencia Provincial Council, as the manager of a road network, has reassessed solutions for improving road safety on its network, taking into account that motor traffic and cycling traffic are sharing the same road platform. This article shows the results o f an in-depth study of the cycling accident rate on the Provincial Council’s network, comparing it with the situation on Spanish roadways. We also describe all the actions already undertaken in regard to sports cyclists and the new proposals about to be implemented on the roads of Valencia Provincial Council, seeking as a matter of priority to guarantee the safety of roadways where they share the road with motor vehicle traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poem "'Soundscape" by Rico Craig is presented. First Line: A century scribbling auditory signatures, Last Line: play it again, play it again so we remember to laugh this time.

A new version of the DAMQT package incorporating topological analysis of the molecular electron density and electrostatic potential is reported. Evaluation of electron density, electrostatic potential and their first and second derivatives within DAM partition–expansion is discussed, and the pertaining equations are reported. An efficient algorithm for the search of critical points, gradient paths, atomic basins and Hessian analysis is implemented using these equations. 3D viewer built in DAMQT incorporates new facilities for visualization of these properties, as well as for distance and angle measurements. Full control of projection mode is also added to the viewer in DAMQT. Some examples are provided showing the excellent performance for large molecular systems. Program summary Program Title: DAMQT_2.1 Program Files doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/2rxvgbsnhx.1 Licensing provisions: GPLv3 Programming language: Fortran90 and C++ Supplementary material: Quick-start guide and User’s manual in PDF format included in the package. User’s manual is also accessible from the GUI. Nature of problem: Analysis and visualization of the molecular electron density, electrostatic potential, critical points, gradient paths, atomic basins, electric field and Hellmann–Feynman forces on nuclei. Solution method: The method of Deformed Atoms in Molecules, reported elsewhere[1], is used for partitioning the molecular electron density into atomic fragments, which are further expanded in spherical harmonics times radial factors. The partition is used for defining molecular density deformations and for the fast calculation of several properties associated with density, including topological analysis of electron density and electrostatic potential. Restrictions: Density must come from a LCAO calculation (any computational level) with spherical (not Cartesian) Slater or Gaussian functions. Unusual features: The program contains an OPEN statement to binary files (stream) in several files. This statement does not have a standard syntax in Fortran 90. Two possibilities are considered in conditional compilation: Intel’s ifort and Fortran2003 standard. This latter is applied to compilers other than ifort (gfortran uses this one, for instance). External routines/libraries: Qt (4.8 or higher), OpenGL (3.x or higher), freeGLUT 2.8.x References: [1] J. Fernández Rico, R. López, I. Ema and G. Ramírez, J. Mol. Struct. Theochem 727 (2005) 115. [2] [3] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses, When it comes to consumption and safety, what most consumers don't know is that molds in cannabis can do harm. As with any agricultural product, there are points within the supply chain from seed to shelf that can present risk. The impact extends to the brand reputation of the cannabis farmer, cultivator, and product manufacturer.

El artículo discurre sobre Claudia Baquerie, empresaria de Avon en México. El autor comenta sobre el estilo de liderazgo utilizado por Baquerie y describe su enfoque en las ventas. También se considera la influencia de su gestión en el éxito de la compañía.

The Kapitza-Dirac effect, which refers to electron scattering at standing light waves, is studied in the Bragg regime with counterpropagating elliptically polarized electromagnetic waves with the same intensity, wavelength, and degree of polarization for two different setups. In the first setup, where the electric-field components of the counterpropagating waves have the same sense of rotation, we find distinct spin effects. The spins of the scattered electrons and of the nonscattered electrons, respectively, precess with a frequency that is of the order of the Bragg-reflection Rabi frequency. When the electric-field components of the counterpropagating waves have an opposite sense of rotation, which is the second considered setup, the standing wave has linear polarization, and no spin effects can be observed. Our results are based on numerical solutions of the time-dependent Dirac equation and the analytical solution of a relativistic Pauli equation, which accounts for the leading relativistic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DAMQT 2.0 is a new version of the DAMQT package for the analysis of electron density in molecules and the fast computation of the density, density deformations, electrostatic potential and field, and Hellmann–Feynman forces. Algorithms for the partition of the electron density and the computation of related properties like density deformations, electrostatic potential and field and Hellmann–Feynman forces have been improved and their codes, fully rewritten. MPI versions of the most computational demanding modules are now included in the package for parallel computation. The Graphical User Interface has been also enhanced, with new features including a 2D plotter and significant improvements in the 3D viewer. Program summary Program title: DAMQT 2.0 Catalogue identifier: AEDL_v2_0 Program summary URL: http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEDL_v2_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: GPLv3 No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 317,270 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 40,193,220 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Fortran90 and C++. Computer: Any. Operating system: Linux, Windows (7, 8). RAM: 200 Mbytes Classification: 16.1. Catalogue identifier of previous version: AEDL_v1_0 Journal reference of previous version: Comput. Phys. Comm. 180(2009)1654 External routines: Qt (4.8 or higher), OpenGL (3.x or higher), freeGLUT 2.8.x Nature of problem: Analysis of the molecular electron density and density deformations, including fast evaluation of electrostatic potential, electric field and Hellmann–Feynman forces on nuclei. Solution method: The method of Deformed Atoms in Molecules, reported elsewhere [1], is used for partitioning the molecular electron density into atomic fragments, which are further expanded in spherical harmonics times radial factors. The partition is used for defining molecular density deformations and for the fast calculation of several properties associated to density. Restrictions: Density must come from an LCAO calculation (any level) with spherical (not Cartesian) Slater or Gaussian functions. Unusual features: The program contains an OPEN statement to binary files (stream) in several files. This statement has not a standard syntax in Fortran 90. Two possibilities are considered in conditional compilation: Intel’s ifort and Fortran2003 standard. The latter is applied to compilers other than ifort (gfortran uses this one, for instance). Additional comments: Quick-start guide and User’s manual in PDF format included in the package. User’s manual is also accessible from the Graphical User Interface. The distribution file for this program is over 40 Mbytes and therefore is not delivered directly when downloaded or Email is requested. Instead an html file giving details of how the program can be obtained is sent. Running time: Largely dependent on the system size and the module run (from fractions of a second to hours). References: [1] J. Fernández Rico, R. López, I. Ema and G. Ramírez, J. Mol. Struct. Theochem 727 (2005) 115. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement of precipitation estimation with the use of radar-rain gauge rainfall merging techniques is influenced by several factors, such as topography, storm types, rain gauge network density for adjustment, data quality and the rainfall accumulation time. However, the influence of the rain gauge network configuration on the performance of radar-rain gauge merging methods is often ignored. The aim of this study is to compare and evaluate the performance of different radarra in gauge merging methods on various densities of rain gauge network and rain gauge network configurations. The analysis of the effect of the rain gauge network density shows that the performance of Kriging merging methods increases with the increase of rain gauge network density. The results also showed that the influence of rain gauge network configuration on the spatial distribution of precipitation of the merged products is relatively smaller for the Kriging with radar based error correction (KRE) and Kriging with external drift (KED) methods than for the ordinary Kriging method. This indicates that the inclusion of radar data in the KRE and KED methods helps to maintain the spatial distribution of precipitation on an hourly timescale. According to the statistical performance indicators and visual inspection of the merged rainfall fields, the KED outperforms the other radar-raingauge merging techniques, regardless of raingauge network density and configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We ask and answer a basic question about the length scales involved in quantum decoherence: how far apart in space do two parts of a quantum system have to be before a common quantum environment decoheres them as if they were entirely separate? We frame this question specifically in a cold atom context. How far apart do two populations of bosons have to be before an environment of thermal atoms of a different species ("buffer gas") responds to their two particle numbers separately? An initial guess for this length scale is the thermal coherence length of the buffer gas; we show that a standard Born-Markov treatment partially supports this guess, but predicts only inverse-square saturation of decoherence rates with distance, and not the much more abrupt Gaussian behavior of the buffer gas's first-order coherence. We confirm this Born-Markov result with a more rigorous theory, based on an exact solution of a two-scatterer scattering problem, which also extends the result beyond weak scattering. Finally, however, we show that when interactions within the buffer-gas reservoir are taken into account, an abrupt saturation of the decoherence rate does occur, exponentially on the length scale of the buffer gas's mean free path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detection of gravitational waves from compact binary coalescence by Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo provides an opportunity to study the strong-field, highly relativistic regime of gravity. Gravitational-wave tests of general relativity (GR) typically assume Gaussian and stationary detector noise and, thus, do not account for non-Gaussian, transient noise features (glitches). We present the results obtained by performing parametrized gravitational-wave tests on simulated signals from binary-black-hole coalescence overlapped with three classes of frequently occurring instrumental glitches with distinctly different morphologies. We then review and apply three glitch mitigation methods and evaluate their effects on reducing false deviations from GR. By considering nine cases of glitches overlapping with simulated signals, we show that the short-duration, broadband blip and tomte glitches under consideration introduce false violations of GR, and using an inpainting filter and glitch model subtraction can consistently eliminate such false violations without introducing additional effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the imposition of the Net Investment Income Tax, a new 3.8% tax on the net unearned investment income of trusts, estates and individuals which income is beyond the allowable threshold levels, by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the U.S. The IRS issued the new tax rule under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) #167 and would take effect after December 31, 2013. Moreover, the effects of the Net Investment Income Tax on Medicare and Social Security are also mentioned.

An essay is presented on the Chicago Teachers' Union (CTU). Particular focus is given to a 2012 strike by members of the CTU and to its possible role in a larger counterhegemonic education movement within the city. According to the authors, the CTU strike demonstrated the power of social movement unionism and inspired further efforts to resist neoliberal education policies. Details on the policies of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are presented.

Abstract: This paper shows that a large class of nonlinear systems can be recasted into polynomial ones via state variable embedding an idea used by Carleman many decades ago. Then, by representing the original nonlinear system as a polynomial system, one could apply powerful control techniques. In particular, in this work, an infinite-time state-feedback optimal regulator has been synthesized by solving the Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation for the recasted polynomial system, achieving asymptotic stability and minimizing a cost functional. The prowess of the proposal is validated via simulations in the recasting and optimal control of two applications: a pendulum and a synchronous generator connected to an infinite bus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the estate planning with portability in states with revenue concerns and tax systems decoupled from the federal estate tax. It explores the state estate tax based on the state death tax, inheritance tax, and estate plans for married couples at modified pick up states and decoupled states. It explains the portability effect on significant tax-related provisions and exclusions for estate and gift-tax purposes.

The article reports on liquidity planning for businesses through the use of conventional borrowing, Graegin loans and loans from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under 6161 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in the U.S. It offers information on the guidelines for determining what qualifies as an interest in closely held business for IRS and on an estate's obtaining liquidity by borrowing funds from the IRS under IRC section. It reports on the process of withdrawal of funds from business.

The article states that the executor must find a way to fund the payment of estate administration expenses and the estate tax if illiquid assets are the prime composition in an estate. It is mentioned that funds need to be borrowed by an estate encountering a lack of cash to pay its estate tax. It is explained that interest on a borrowing by an estate to pay estate taxes is actually incurred in the administration of an estate and is deductible.

Abstract: In most sensor measure based applications, the raw sensor signal has to be processed by an appropriate filter to increase the signal-to-noise ratio or simply to recover the signal to be measured. In both cases, the filter output is obtained by convoluting the sensor signal with a supposedly known appropriate impulse response. However, in many real life situations, this impulse response cannot be precisely specified. The filtered value can thus be considered as biased by this arbitrary choice of one impulse response among all possible impulse responses considered in this specific context. In this paper, we propose a new approach to perform filtering that aims at computing an interval valued signal containing all outputs of filtering processes involving a coherent family of conventional linear filters. This approach is based on a very straightforward extension of the expectation operator involving appropriate concave capacities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We present Fortunata, a wiki-based framework designed to simplify the creation of semantically-enabled web applications. This framework facilitates the management and publication of semantic data in web-based applications, to the extent that application developers do not need to be skilled in client-side technologies, and promotes application reuse by fostering collaboration among developers by means of wiki plugins. We illustrate the use of this framework with two Fortunata-based applications named OMEMO and VPOET, and we evaluate it with two experiments performed with usability evaluators and application developers respectively. These experiments show a good balance between the usability of the applications created with this framework and the effort and skills required by developers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, we introduce a scientific format for text-based data files, which facilitates storing and communicating tabular data sets. The so-called Full-Metadata Format builds on the widely used INI-standard and is based on four principles: readable self-documentation, flexible structure, fail-safe compatibility, and searchability. As a consequence, all metadata required to interpret the tabular data are stored in the same file, allowing for the automated generation of publication-ready tables and graphs and the semantic searchability of data file collections. The Full-Metadata Format is introduced on the basis of three comprehensive examples. The complete format and syntax are given in the appendix. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

OBJECTIVE: To estimate potential excess mortality attributable to influenza viruses A and B and human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) during peak seasons of influenza virus circulation in Colombia from 1997 to 2005. METHODS: A comparison of monthly, general mortality rates from pneumonia in children under 5 years of age and from pneumonia and cardiovascular disease in those more than 60 years of age in Bogota, Colombia, were compared to the city's peak seasons of influenza virus circulation. Mortality data were obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics of Colombia; peak seasons of virus circulation were defined as contiguous months in which the number of isolates was equal to or greater than half the total number of isolates for the year. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were determined. RESULTS: Influenza A demonstrated a pattern of seasonal circulation, but influenza B and HRSV did not. The increased circulation of influenza virus was associated with an average annual increase of 5% in overall mortality during the study period (IRR = 1.05; 95%CI: 1.046-1.064). During seasons of increased circulation of influenza viruses, the combined mortality from pneumonia and influenza for all ages was 11% higher than it was at other times (IRR = 1.11; 95%CI: 1.051-1.178). CONCLUSIONS: During peak seasons of influenza virus circulation in Colombia, there can be increased mortality, particularly from pneumonia and cardiovascular disease among those more than 60 years of age. Preventive actions specific to protecting against influenza should be taken, especially in these two age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To estimate potential excess mortality attributable to influenza viruses A and B and human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) during peak seasons of influenza virus circulation in Colombia from 1997 to 2005. Methods. A comparison of monthly, general mortality rates from pneumonia in children under 5 years of age and from pneumonia and cardiovascular disease in those more than 60 years of age in Bogota, Colombia, were compared to the city's peak seasons of influenza virus circulation. Mortality data were obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics of Colombia; peak seasons of virus circulation were defined as contiguous months in which the number of isolates was equal to or greater than half the total number of isolates for the year. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were determined. Results. Influenza A demonstrated a pattern of seasonal circulation, but influenza B and HRSV did not. The increased circulation of influenza virus was associated with an average annual increase of 5% in overall mortality during the study period (IRR = 1.05; 95%CI: 1.046-1.064). During seasons of increased circulation of influenza viruses, the combined mortality from pneumonia and influenza for all ages was 11% higher than it was at other times (IRR = 1.11; 95%CI: 1.051-1.178). Conclusions. During peak seasons of influenza virus circulation in Colombia, there can be increased mortality, particularly from pneumonia and cardiovascular disease among those more than 60 years of age. Preventive actions specific to protecting against influenza should be taken, especially in these two age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: DAMQT is a package for the analysis of the electron density in molecules and the fast computation of the density, density deformations, electrostatic potential and field, and Hellmann–Feynman forces. The method is based on the partition of the electron density into atomic fragments by means of a least deformation criterion. Each atomic fragment of the density is expanded in regular spherical harmonics times radial factors, which are piecewise represented in terms of analytical functions. This representation is used for the fast evaluation of the electrostatic potential and field generated by the electron density and nuclei, as well as for the computation of the Hellmann–Feynman forces on the nuclei. An analysis of the atomic and molecular deformations of the density can be also carried out, yielding a picture that connects with several concepts of the empirical structural chemistry. Program summary: Program title: DAMQT1.0 Catalogue identifier: AEDL_v1_0 Program summary URL: http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEDL_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen''s University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: GPLv3 No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 278 356 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 31 065 317 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Fortran90 and C++ Computer: Any Operating system: Linux, Windows (Xp, Vista) RAM: 190 Mbytes Classification: 16.1 External routines: Trolltech''s Qt (4.3 or higher) (http://www.qtsoftware.com/products), OpenGL (1.1 or higher) (http://www.opengl.org/), GLUT 3.7 (http://www.opengl.org/resources/libraries/glut/). Nature of problem: Analysis of the molecular electron density and density deformations, including fast evaluation of electrostatic potential, electric field and Hellmann–Feynman forces on nuclei. Solution method: The method of Deformed Atoms in Molecules, reported elsewhere [1], is used for partitioning the molecular electron density into atomic fragments, which are further expanded in spherical harmonics times radial factors. The partition is used for defining molecular density deformations and for the fast calculation of several properties associated to density. Restrictions: The current version is limited to 120 atoms, 2000 contracted functions, and in basis functions. Density must come from a LCAO calculation (any level) with spherical (not Cartesian) Gaussian functions. Unusual features: The program contains an OPEN statement to binary files (stream) in file GOPENMOL.F90. This statement has not a standard syntax in Fortran 90. Two possibilities are considered in conditional compilation: Intel''s ifort and Fortran2003 standard. This latter is applied to compilers other than ifort (gfortran uses this one, for instance). Additional comments: The distribution file for this program is over 30 Mbytes and therefore is not delivered directly when download or e-mail is requested. Instead a html file giving details of how the program can be obtained is sent. Running time: Largely dependent on the system size and the module run (from fractions of a second to hours). References: [1] J. Fernández Rico, R. López, I. Ema, G. Ramírez, J. Mol. Struct. (Theochem) 727 (2005) 115. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In a visual simple reaction time paradigm with attention divided between the left and right visual fields, redundancy gain refers to the finding of faster responses to stimuli presented in both fields than to single stimuli. The present study investigated whether the effects of low-level perceptual processing affect the redundancy gain by comparing the detection of onsets versus offsets. In different blocks, participants responded to left and right visual field stimuli that either appeared (onset) or disappeared (offset), with a single stimulus change in some trials and two redundant stimulus changes in others. With onset stimuli, the results replicated previous redundancy gain effects. In contrast, there was much less redundancy gain when participants responded to stimulus offsets. This finding suggests that redundancy gain is sensitive to low-level perceptual characteristics, such as onset versus offset presentation of stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Approximate and generalized confidence bands for the mean and mode functions of the univariate lognormal diffusion process are obtained. To this end, the already existing methods for building confidence intervals for the mean of the lognormal distribution have been suitably adapted. Moreover, a new method has been proposed. The bands obtained from the above procedures are compared through a simulation study and the comparisons are made both in terms of coverage errors and average widths. This comparative study allows to choose the most appropriate confidence band for each particular case in practical situations. This is shown in an application to a real data set. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In a recent study, it was shown that subliminal priming (SP) effects are affected by the temporal predictability of a stimulus onset. If predictability is not given, SP effects are eliminated (Naccache, Blandin, & Dehaene, 2002). In two experiments, we investigated how different levels of preparation for target processing affect SP effects. For this purpose, an accessory tone stimulus was presented at different times prior to a subliminal priming task. The results demonstrate a clear modulation of the SP effects at different foreperiod intervals. Relative to conditions without an accessory stimulus, SP effects were smaller for short foreperiod intervals of the accessory stimulus, and larger for long foreperiod intervals. The results suggest that the presentation of an accessory stimulus facilitates response activation processes because of the participants' enhanced level of preparation for stimulus processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The following multiple integral is involved in the neutron star theory:whereand is a normalization function. The aim is to get a table for for some values of in and then to interpolate for the others. We present a new strategy, using the Gauss–Legendre quadrature formula, which allows to have one code available whatever the values of and are. We guarantee the accuracy of the final result including both the truncation error and the round-off error using Discrete Stochastic Arithmetic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents a unified robust dead-time compensator for stable and integrative plants. Tuning rules for the compensator; Comparative analysis on the structures of dead-time compensators; Assessment on the performance of the compensator.

In this paper, we investigate the use of Model Predictive Control (MPC) applications for quasi-Linear Parameter Varying (qLPV) systems subject to faults along the input channels. We propose a Fault Tolerant Control (FTC) mechanism based on a robust state-feedback MPC synthesis, considering polytopic inclusions. In order to alleviate the numerical burden of the robust min-max procedure, we use small prediction horizons, in such a way that the solution becomes viable for real-time systems. The FTC system is able to tolerate time-varying saturation of the actuator, which may happen due to malfunctions. Recursive feasibility and poly-quadratic stability guarantees are ensured through the synthesis of adequate terminal ingredients. Accordingly, we present a catalogue of three different LMI remedies, considering: (a) parameter-independent ingredients, (b) a parameter-dependent terms and (c) a parameter-dependent maps that take into account bounded rates of parameter variation. An autonomous driving car example is used to illustrate the performances of the proposed technique, which is compared to other MPCs from the literature. The proposed FTC method is able to ensure good performances, obtained with reduced computational demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]