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AbstractObjectiveChocolate is a popular food that may affect the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a single dose of dark or milk chocolate on ANS cardiac control during rest and mental stress induced by the Stroop test (ST).MethodsHealthy participants, divided into DARK or MILK chocolate groups, ingested corresponding type of chocolate (1 g/kg body weight). They underwent measurement of ANS during relaxation and ST before and 2 h after chocolate consumption. ANS control was assessed by determination of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability using parameters related to complex autonomic modulation (TP, SDNN) or primary vagal modulation (HFnu, RMSSD).ResultsHR was always increased during ST in both groups. Relaxation HR values after chocolate ingestion were higher only in the DARK chocolate group. During ST, values of TP, SDNN and HFnu decreased before and after chocolate ingestion in the DARK group, but only before chocolate ingestion in the MILK group. RMSSD values decreased during ST before and after chocolate ingestion in both groups. Relaxation TP, RMSSD and HFnu values after chocolate ingestion were lower in the DARK but not in the MILK group.ConclusionThe results suggest that even a single dose of milk chocolate attenuates changes in ANS cardiac control induced by mental stress, whereas a single dose of dark chocolate has an activating effect on the heart viamodification of ANS cardiac control at rest. Different levels of sugars and cocoa biologically active compounds in the two types of chocolate could explain the observed effects.

Study Design Systematic review of the literature and subsequent meta-analysis for the development of a new guideline.Objectives This manuscript summarizes the recommendations from a new clinical guideline published by the German Spine Society. It covers the current evidence on recommendations regarding the indication, test blocks and use of radiofrequency denervation. The guidelines aim is to improve patient care and efficiency of the procedure.Methods A multidisciplinary working group formulated recommendations based on the Grades of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach and the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument.Results 20 clinical questions were defined for guideline development, with 87.5% consensus achieved by committee members for one recommendation and 100% consensus for all other topics. Specific questions that were addressed included clinical history, examination and imaging, conservative treatment before injections, diagnostic blocks, the injected medications, the cut-off value in pain-reduction for a diagnostic block as well as the number of blocks, image guidance, the cannula trajectories, the lesion size, stimulation, repeat radiofrequency denervation, sedation, cessation or continuation of anticoagulants, the influence of metal hardware, and ways to mitigate complications.Conclusion Radiofrequency (RF) denervation of the spine and the SI joint may provide benefit to well-selected individuals. The recommendations of this guideline are based on very low to moderate quality of evidence as well as professional consensus. The guideline working groups recommend that research efforts in relation to all aspects of management of facet joint pain and SI joint pain should be intensified.

With the advent of AR/VR technologies, microdisplay performance requirements are more demanding. Although OLED microdisplays are well suited to satisfy most of these stringent requirements, luminance still needs to be improved.

IoT systems are an integral part of every modern industrial enterprise Industry 4.0. IoT is the term for modern remote devices controlled via the Internet. Internet of Things is the name of technologies that allow cheap wireless connection and communication of various sensors and devices to automate, accelerate and streamline processes. In the interconnected world of Industry 4.0, there are many potential resources existing for infiltration. Cybercriminals could take control of manufacturing industries, manipulate machines, or could do an industrial espionage. This type of attack is called Denial of Service. In the second case, the attack preserves the attacker’s anonymity through an IP address by using a potentially innocent third party (a reflector) that is indirectly involved in the attack. Through this attack, the attacker forwards the flow of attacking data to the target victim. The attacker sends the packets with a fake spoof source IP address set to the victim’s IP address to the reflector, thus indirectly overloading the target with the packets, or it will intrude into a network device through a faulty WPS implementation. The simulation model of the production line and the IoT security system Fibaro were used to investigate these attacks. The article demonstrates the possibility of attacks on network devices and the misuse of IoT devices in order to compromise production machines which use DRDoS and Brute-force attacks.

Objectives. The deformability of erythrocytes is their ability to change shape in order to pass through the capillaries. Th is is necessary for quality of microcirculation and sufficient delivery of oxygen to the tissues. Th e aim of our study was to investigate the possible spontaneous changes in the erythrocyte deformability during day and evaluation of the possible direct effects of melatonin (hormone involved in regulation of biorhythms) on the erythrocyte deformability. Methods. Samples of capillary blood were taken from 12 healthy volunteers in the morning (8:00) and early in the evening (16:30). Determination of erythrocyte deformability was done based on the measurement of their filtrability. It was measured immediately aft er the sample collection and 2-hour lasting incubation without or with melatonin (2000 μmol/L). Results. Erythrocyte deformability was significantly lower in the morning (filtrability index: 0.68±0.01 morning vs. 0.71±0.01 early evening, p<0.05). Th e incubation of blood samples with melatonin did not have impact on deformability. Conclusions. We suggest the presence of diurnal changes in erythrocyte deformability with worse values in the morning that may contribute to higher risk of ischemic attacks in the morning hours. Direct in vitro effect of melatonin on deformability was not observed, but possible in vivo effects cannot be excluded.

The Industry 4.0 concept assumes that modern manufacturing systems generate huge amounts of data that must be collected, stored, managed and analysed. The case study is focused on predicting the manufacturing process behaviour according to production data. The paper presents the way of gaining knowledge about the future behaviour of manufacturing system by data mining predictive tasks. The proposed simulation model of the real manufacturing process was designed to obtain the data necessary for the control process. The predictions of the manufacturing process behaviour were implemented varying the input parameters using selected methods and techniques of data mining. The predicted process behaviour was verified using the simulation model.

The performance details of a full-color 2K x 2K resolution OLED microdisplay with a brightness of 5,000 cd/m2will be presented. The microdisplay was built on a CMOS-based silicon backplane using direct patterning of the primary-color OLED emitters. Additionally, the color gamut of the microdisplays were increased to meet sRGB requirements. Such microdisplays will be ideally suited for wearable VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) applications.

Many veterans face various mental health challenges after separation. This study examines change over 14 months in mental health and related factors among 242 veterans returning to low-income predominantly minority sections of New York City. Mental health treatment provided more than reductions in symptoms of PTSD and depression; it also resulted in reductions in substance use disorders and daily stresses. However, many veterans not in treatment are experiencing combat-related concerns at subsyndromal levels. The findings highlight the need for low-threshold, community-based outreach programs for this population.

The paper deals with the problem of simulation optimization and presents its usage for input control in a production system. The paper gives an overview of typical concepts of input control. Authors propose different approaches. The basic principles of simulation optimization are explained. A general procedure with each step is defined and this procedure is explained by an example. The solution is focused on the minimization of the production costs, which is included in the objective function. Realization of the simulation optimization is based on the combination of three different algorithms: Adaptive Thermostatistical Simulated Annealing, Random Solution and All Combination algorithm. The proposed procedure definitely leads to exact determination of input interval for given production system and short time period.

This paper presents design of portal that improves controlling of sales channel at initial conditions. The customer needed to display key performance indicators on the portal and thus significantly improve the efficiency of business processes after the deployment of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. The aim of this paper is to choose appropriate technology to create a portal and design possible architecture of solution. Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 with Web Application Microsoft SharePoint platform provide a solution for process control of business processes in company that is primarily offered like as the best solution. On the other hand, we found the possibility of open source content management system DotNetNuke, which meets customer's requirements and therefore, there is a possibility to reduce financial costs when selecting this system. Finally, we evaluated considered technologies, prepared more price variations of architecture and compared advantages and disadvantages of these variations.

In this paper, we develop a new method for determining the residual power of used nuclear fuel (UNF). The method is based on the heat transfer analysis of UNF in a C-30 transport container with a KZ-48 compact storage cask. We compare the results achieved by the currently used SCALE 6 software packages based on nuclear physics calculations and the results from our method.

Many veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq experience serious mental health (MH) concerns including substance use disorders (SUD), post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, depression, or serious psychological distress (SPD). This article uses data from the 2004 to 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to examine the prevalence of unmet MH needs among veterans aged 21 to 34 in the general population. The prevalence of untreated SUD among veterans (16%) was twice as high as untreated SPD (8%), a nonspecific diagnosis of serious MH concerns. Surprisingly, similar rates of untreated SUD and SPD were found among a nonveteran comparison sample matched on gender and age. These findings suggest that reducing unmet need for MH treatment for veterans in the general population may require improving outreach to all Americans and creating greater acceptance for MH treatment. The need for further analyses of reasons for not obtaining treatment is discussed.

The paper presents the simulation optimization as a good tool for solving many problems not only in research, but also in real praxis. It gives basic overview of the methods in simulation optimization. The authors also characterise their own experiences and they mention advantages and problems of simulation optimization. The paper is a contribution to more effective using of simulation optimization. The main goal was to give the general procedure for effective usage of simulation optimization. The authors present the alternative method for determination of lot size. The method uses the simulation optimization as a base procedure. The authors demonstrate the important stages of the method. The final procedure involves the process of selection of algorithm, input variables, their set up of range and step selection. The solution is compared with classic mathematic methods. The authors point out that the realization of simulation optimization is a compromise between acceptable time and accuracy of found solution.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of being investigated because the CONAF (Corporación Nacional Forestal) suspected that his photos were made for financial gain and others.

Abstract:The authors explore the possibility that the activity known as ‘conceptual art’, when evidenced in certain ways, may provide a link to the underlying structure of art. Projects of Vazan are analyzed with reference to this thesis. Art is looked at as an activity of signification (sign making) in which particular forms of conceptual art may represent ‘signifiers’ reduced to their most basic expression. The theoretical sustenance for this perspective is derived from the contemporary school known as structuralism. The premises of structuralism are briefly noted, with particular attention being paid to the observations of the French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss. The sign function of the art point of view, propounded by Lévi-Strauss, is used for analyzing Vazan’s artistic transformations of natural and cultural environments. The former are described in terms of how they might be transformed into culturally meaningful arrangements and the latter are described as attempts to make complex man-made environments more comprehensible.

OLED Micro‐displays with single crystal silicon (CMOS) backplane for VR and AR applications will be discussed. An overview of the OLED micro‐display market size and requirements followed by the fabrication process, as it exists today, will be first discussed. The requirement of high brightness micro‐displays for both VR and AR applications will be discussed. Recent development of a high brightness (greater than 7,000 cd/m2) full color 1920x1200 and 2Kx2K resolution OLED micro‐displays at eMagin Corporation will be discussed. The performance details of this high resolution high brightness OLED micro‐display will be presented.

Primary cardiac lymphoma is defined as a lymphoma of the heart and pericardium with little or no extracardiac or local involvement such as mediastinal lymph nodes or pleural effusion. Most cases are diagnosed only post mortem1. If this disease could be diagnosed earlier, therapy with chlorpropamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) could bring about a remission2,3,4.Transoesophageal echocardiography with three-dimensional acquisition is a new technique which can allow earlier diagnosis, and facilitate guided transvenous biopsy5,6.We here report an example of the pre-mortem diagnosis of cardiac lymphoma by these techniques

Brucellosis, a zoonotic disease, occurs most frequently in areas of the Middle East and Mediterranean-bordering countries. Endocarditis, which occurs in less than 2% of all cases of brucellosis, accounts for most brucellosis-related deaths. The patient described here had Brucella endocarditis in a bicuspid aortic valve complicated by acute glomerulonephritis, which was successfully treated with urgent aortic valve replacement and intensive medical therapy.The diagnosis was made initially by a high agglutination titer and later confirmed with positive blood culture.