Academic literature on the topic 'Late Negative Component'

The aim of this study was the investigation of amplitude and habituation of contingent negative variation (CNV) in migraine and chronic daily headache (CDH) patients in order to describe possible neurophysiological features responsible for the clinical transformation and worsening of the headache. Fifteen females suffering from migraine without aura and 15 females diagnosed with CDH evolved from migraine without aura with interparoxysmal chronic tension-type headache (transformed migraine), underwent CNV recording. Fifteen healthy females matched for age served as controls. CNV was obtained from C3 and C4 using the standard reaction time paradigm and 3 sec ISI. The amplitudes and habituation of total CNV, early and late components, and of post-imperative negative variation (PINV) were calculated. The migraine patients were characterized by significantly more pronounced negativity of the early component and total CNV, compared to CDH sufferers and controls. CDH patients demonstrated significantly reduced negativity of the late component and pronounced PINV compared to the other groups. The early component of CNV did not habituate in migraine or CDH patients. However, the impaired habituation in CDH was related to significantly lower amplitudes. These results support the diagnostic and scientific value of habituation in migraine research and therapy. Late components of CNV and PINV can be considered as predictive variables for transformation of migraine. The results are discussed in terms of the relationship between late CNV, PINV, environment control abilities and susceptibility for development of depression.

Previous electroencephalography studies revealed mixed effects of sustained distraction on early negative and later positive event-related potential components evoked by electrocutaneous stimuli. In our study we further examined the influence of sustained distraction to clarify these discrepancies. Electrocutaneous stimuli of three intensities were delivered in pulse trains to the forearm either while participants attended the stimuli or while they performed a mental-arithmetic or a word-association distraction task. The amplitudes of the N1 and the late P2/P3a components were attenuated during both distraction tasks. These results seem to resolve the debate concerning the attentional modulation of the N1 component. Furthermore, we observed that the amplitude of the late P2/P3a component was strongly affected by stimulus change, in line with the opinion that this component is actually a P3a orienting response. Our study additionally revealed that habituation effects were reflected in lower intensity ratings and reduced amplitudes of the N1 and P3a components. The latter effects were independent of the type of task, which suggests that habituation is unaffected by attention.

BackgroundSeveral reports have documented the presence of motor abnormalities in schizophrenic patients.MethodThirty schizophrenics and 28 healthy controls were included in the study. Scalp-recorded bereitschaftpotentials (BPs) generated prior to voluntary movements were recorded in all subjects.ResultsThe early (NSI) and late components of BP and peak negativity were reduced in all schizophrenic patients. In particular, the NSI was reduced in patients with positive symptoms, and the late component in patients with negative symptoms.ConclusionsThese findings provide further support for the involvement of frontal cortex, subcortical structures and their connections in schizophrenia, and highlight some differences between positive and negative symptom clusters.

It is widely believed that the assumption of homogeneity is a good zeroth order approximation for the expansion of our Universe. We analyze the correction due to subhorizon inhomogeneous gravitational fields. While at early times this contribution (which may act as a negative pressure component) is perturbatively subdominant, we show that the perturbative series is likely to diverge at redshift of order 1, due to the growth of perturbations. So, the homogeneous Friedmann equation cannot be trusted at late times. We suggest that the puzzling observations of a present acceleration of the Universe, may just be due to the unjustified use of the Friedmann equation and not to the presence of a Dark Energy component. This would completely solve the coincidence problem.

The paper presents outcomes of researches on the central component of social cognition — theory of mind in late adulthood. The outcomes show that, in normal aging, in advanced adulthood (55—74 years) as well as in old age (75—90 years) there are several qualitative changes in the affective (understanding and differentiation of emotions) and cognitive (understanding irony and deceit) components of theory of mind. Also, at these ages individuals may develop various forms of theory of mind deficits. They may encounter difficulties with reading facial expressions and recognizing other people’s emotions. It becomes harder for them to recognize negative emotions (such as sorrow, fear, anger) than positive ones (joy). The paper describes features of pragmatic interpretation of events and understanding of deceit and irony in late adulthood.

1. The role of glutamate in slow excitatory synaptic transmission between small-diameter primary afferents and deep dorsal horn neurons was examined in neonatal rat spinal cord in vitro with the use of the whole cell voltage-clamp technique. 2. Single-shock electrical stimulation of large-diameter A beta-fibers evoked a short-latency (< 10 ms) fast (< 500 ms) excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC). Stimulation of small-diameter A delta- and C fibers resulted, in addition, in a slowly rising and decaying EPSC (lasting up to 14 s) following the fast EPSC. The slow EPSC was never observed with stimulation of A beta-fibers. 3. Two patterns of EPSCs were observed, "type 1" and "type 2," which differed in their time course (lasting up to 1 and 14 s, respectively). The type 1 response was biphasic, with a fast monosynaptic component followed by an invariant, presumably monosynaptic, late slow component. The type 2 response was multiphasic, with a fast monosynaptic component followed by a slow component composed of fast polysynaptic currents superimposed on a slow current. 4. The fast monosynaptic component had a linear conductance, whereas the late slower component of the A beta-fiber-evoked response had a negative slope conductance at holding potentials more negative than -23 mV. Both currents reversed at a membrane potential of -1.2 +/- 2.8 (SE) mV. 5. With the use of selective non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (non-NMDA) and NMDA receptor antagonists [6-cyano-7-nitroquinox-aline-2,3-dione (CNQX) or 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulphamoyl-benzo (F) quinoxaline and D(-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D-AP5), respectively] we showed that both the early fast (A beta-fiber evoked) and the late slow (A delta- and C fiber evoked) components were mediated by non-NMDA and NMDA receptors. CNQX suppressed both the early fast and late slow components of the compound EPSC, whereas D-AP5 suppressed the polysynaptic currents of the early fast component and the late slow component without significantly affecting the early fast monosynaptic component. 6. Slow EPSCs summated on low-frequency (1 or 10 Hz), repetitive stimulation and produced long-duration "tail" currents on cessation of the stimulus. The amount of temporal summation was proportional to the duration of the slow EPSC and the frequency of stimulation. 7. Our results suggest that slow ionotropic-glutamate-receptor-mediated EPSCs produced by the stimulation of small-diameter primary afferents play an important role in activity-dependent synaptic plasticity in the dorsal horn.

SUMMARYObjectives: To extend the hypothesis that late auditory EP shifts represent pathophysiologcial markers in schizophrenia. Methods: Early negative (±100 μs) and late positive (>300 ms) auditory oddball and CNV responses are topographically compared in 3 medicated schizophrenic subtypes.Results: Only late cortical responses differentiate between paranoid, residual and disorganised schizophrenia. Core features of the deficit residual state encompass low-voltage N2P3 responses and missing central initial CNV components. Both paranoid and disorganised schizophrenics show a distinctive reactivity of the frontal cortex. Paranoid schizophrenia is characterized by an extensive frontal spread of the task-related P3 response. Disorganised schizophrenia shows a specifically increased frontal CNV component indicating a nonspecific arousal reaction.Conclusion: Combinations of late auditory EP-patterns fairly fit with the cognitive/behavioral status observed in schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Although respiratory-related cortical evoked potentials (CEPs) have been obtained in humans, early-latency responses have been obtained only with direct electrical stimulation of respiratory afferents. We have recorded both early and late cortical activity in response to a relatively novel stimulus consisting of a 300-ms negative pressure pulse applied to the mouth near the start of selected inspirations, when mouth pressure attained a predetermined threshold. This stimulus caused highly reproducible and rapid changes in mouth pressure and was effective in eliciting CEPs to a wide range of applied pressures. Using pulses of approximately -2 to -25 cmH2O, we obtained an early positive component with a mean latency of approximately 20 ms and a subsequent negative component at approximately 30 ms in normal subjects. Peak-to-peak amplitude varied directly, and component latencies inversely, as a function of pulse magnitude. Using -5- to -10-cmH2O stimuli, we also measured a later positive-negative-positive response with mean component latencies of 96.7 +/- 15.1, 147 +/- 14.8, and 237.6 +/- 23.5 ms, respectively. The early-latency activity was resistant to manipulations of stimulus predictability, whereas the later waves were attenuated or disappeared when load presentation was made completely predictable. We validated our method by eliminating the possibility of tactile stimulation of the lips and teeth as the origin of the evoked responses. We propose that early-latency activity derives from precortical structures and may provide a window on the functioning of respiratory afferents in normal subjects and in patients with respiratory disease.

The influence of set on a simple reaction time task was examined by comparing the differences of psychological factors between a group of subjects who expected and experienced a fixed foreperiod (Control condition: 12 subjects) and another group of subjects who were instructed to expect variable foreperiods but experienced the same fixed foreperiod (Instruction condition: 11 subjects), using the index of contingent negative variation (CNV). The foreperiod of simple reaction time cask in each condition was fixed at 3 sec. Subjects were required to respond to 2 blocks of 24 trials, and each instruction was presented between blocks. On the second block CNV amplitudes were higher in the instruction condition as was every CNV component (early, late, and whole components). The set created by anticipating variable foreperiods seems to increase cerebral activity, arousal, and attention during simple reaction time tasks.

This project examined the effects menstruation may have on visual attention in women. A recent study examined electroencephalographic (EEG) gender differences using a visual object recognition task. Results indicated certain EEG amplitudes (specifically, P300 and N400) are greater in women than men. This study extended the previous findings to determine if these increased EEG amplitudes vary across menstrual phases. Eighteen female participants participated in a series of 3 EEG recording sessions using the same visual object recognition task from the previous study; 18 male participants completed this task once. Analyses from 15 of the 18 female and 16 of the 18 male participants support the previous finding of larger P300 amplitudes in response to relevant stimuli for women compared with men. While there was no distinctive N400 component in this study, there was a late negative (LN) component which was found to vary significantly between men and women. In addition, multiple visual evoked potential (VEP) components varied significantly across the menstrual cycle. In particular, the N200 component appeared to provide greater differences between menstrual phases than either the P300 or LN components; however, the results varied greatly by head location. The differentiation found with VEP components in response to the pop-out task used in this study provide support for basic visual processing variation across the menstrual cycle and between genders.

1. Introduction The multidisciplinary approach of using brain signals for directly controlling external devices, like computers or prosthesis, is named brain-computer interface (BCI). Farwell and Donchin (1988) showed that it is possible for humans to communicate using a BCI, by means of their event-related potentials (ERPs; e.g., P300), without the involvement of their voluntary muscle activity. The use of brain-wave-guided BCIs offered new perspectives regarding communication and control of devices for patients suffering from severe motor impairment or for patients who completely paralyzed, such as the patients affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), in the latest stages of the illness. In the last two decades an important scientific and clinical challenge has been the development of efficient BCIs for ALS patients. Most of the progress in the field has been mainly concerned with algorithm improvement for better signal classification. In contrast, only few studies have addressed, to date, the role of cognitive mechanisms underlying the elicitation of brain-signals in BCIs. In the present study we investigated the possibility to modulate the brain signal and, by doing so, the performance of an ERP-guided BCI system, by designing and implementing three new interfaces in which participants were required to perform covert visuospatial attention orienting (Posner, 1980), in order to control the movement of a cursor on a monitor. 2. Experiment 1 The effects of covert visuospatial attention orienting within an ERP-guided BCI were tested on healthy participants. We compared the effectiveness of three visual interfaces, each of whom elicited different modalities of covert visuospatial attention orienting (exogenous vs. endogenous). Twelve adult participants performed 20 sessions, using the abovementioned ERP-guided BCI interfaces to control the movement of a cursor. Brain waves were recorded on each trial and were subsequently classified online, by means of an ad-hoc algorithm. Each time the target ERPs were correctly classified, the cursor moved towards the target position. The “endogenous” interface was associated with significantly higher performance than the other two interfaces during the testing sessions, but not in the follow-up sessions. Endogenous visuospatial attention orienting can be effectively implemented to increase the performance of ERP-guided BCIs. 3. Experiment 2 To investigate whether the findings reported in Experiment 1 depended on the used classification system, we performed an offline reclassification of the data of Experiment 1. The online analysis of the epochs was made via Independent Component Analysis (ICA), which, in turn, was followed by fixed features extraction and support vector machine (SVM) classification. The offline epochs analysis was performed by means of a genetic algorithm (GA), which permitted us to retrieve the relevant features of the signal to be classified, and then to categorise them with a logistic classifier. The offline analysis confirmed the advantages derived from the use of the “endogenous” interface. The performance-related findings were in line with those obtained in the neurophysiological data analysis. Nonetheless, epoch categorization was performed better with the GA algorithm than with the ICA: the higher mean and the smaller standard deviation of the classification performed with the GA seem to promise a possible improvement of the ERP-guided BCI also on online tests. 4. Experiment 3 On the basis of the results of Experiments 1 and 2, we tested the efficacy of two visual interfaces, each of whom elicited different modalities of covert visuospatial attention orienting (exogenous vs. endogenous), in ALS patients. Ten ALS patients performed 16 online sessions with each interface. Although the ALS patients had a performance of about 70% with both the interfaces, the endogenous interface elicited a larger difference on ERP potentials between target and non-target trials. These results supported the hypothesis that the use of the endogenous interface may offer a more efficient channel of communication for ALS patients with respect to the use of the exogenous interface. 5. Conclusions Neurological diseases that affect the motor system may impair communication abilities of patients, as in the case of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This pathology might evolve in the locked-in syndrome (LIS), a condition in which patients remain conscious but cannot move any of their muscles. For instance, they may become unable to express their opinions and decisions on important questions regarding their clinical treatment or their living and biological wills. The BCIs represent a potential solution to the communication problems of ALS-LIS patients. Despite the fact that more than 20 years have passed since the first published article on a P300-guided BCI, the effects of cognitive mechanisms (i.e., executive functions, attention, memory, etc.) involved in brain signal elicitation have not been investigated extensively. In the abovementioned experiments, we tested the effect of covert visuospatial attention orienting on an ERP-guided BCI, by comparing a number of visual interfaces, each of whom elicited a different modality of covert visuospatial attention orienting. Taken together, the results supported our main hypothesis: It is possible to modulate the performance of an ERP-guided BCI, by using endogenous or exogenous visuospatial attention orienting. Of particular relevance is the fact that our ALS patients were able to use endogenous visuospatial attention orienting and, by doing so, they could increase their performance in an ERP-guided BCI. We suggest that the study of covert visuospatial attention orienting is essential for developing efficient visual BCIs for patients who cannot control their eye movements. Implementing principles taken from cognitive psychology, may improve BCIs efficiency. This, in turn, can increase the benefits for patients with severe motor and communication disabilities. Finally, an efficient cognitive-based BCI may have the considerable ethical implication of “giving a voice” to CLIS-ALS patients
1. Introduzione Farwell e Donchin (1988) per primi hanno dimostrato la possibilità che l’uomo ha di comunicare usando i potenziali evento correlati (ERP; e.g., P300), senza bisogno di usare alcun muscolo per tale fine. Questa scoperta ha offerto nuove prospettive per la comunicazione ed il controllo di periferiche in pazienti affetti da gravi disabilità motorie o completamente paralizzati, come nel caso dei pazienti affetti da sclerosi laterale amiotrofica (SLA), negli stadi più avanzati di malattia. L’approccio multidisciplinare che consente di tradurre segnali cerebrali direttamente in comandi per controllare computer o protesi meccaniche è chiamato brain-computer interface (BCI). Negli ultimi vent’anni un’importante sfida scientifica è stata quella di sviluppare una BCI efficace, affinché potesse essere usata nella pratica clinica con i pazienti. I progressi più rilevanti fatti finora riguardano principalmente la registrazione e l’elaborazione dei segnali cerebrali, grazie ad algoritmi sempre più potenti ed efficaci nella categorizzazione dei biosegnali. Minore attenzione è stata posta, invece, nell’investigare il ruolo dei meccanismi cognitivi che sottendono l’uso di una BCI. Nel presente studio è stata indagata la potenzialità dei partecipanti di modulare specifiche onde cerebrali e, di conseguenza, l’efficacia di un sistema BCI guidato dagli ERP, attraverso l’uso di diversi processi di orientamento implicito dell’attenzione visuospaziale (Posner, 1980). A tale scopo sono state progettate e testate tre nuove interfacce visive per controllare il movimento di un cursore su un monitor. 2. Esperimento 1 Nel primo esperimento è stato testato l’effetto dell’orientamento implicito dell’attenzione visuospaziale in partecipanti sani, il cui scopo era di controllare il movimento di un cursore con una BCI guidata da ERP, per raggiungere specifici bersagli. È stato confrontato l’uso di tre interfacce, ciascuna delle quali prevedeva l’utilizzo di una specifica modalità dell’orientamento implicito dell’attenzione visuospaziale (esogeno vs. endogeno). Dodici partecipanti adulti hanno eseguito 20 sessioni, con ciascuna delle tre interfacce. Simultaneamente, gli ERP associati a ciascun trial di ogni interfaccia erano registrati e classificati da un algoritmo ad hoc. Ogni volta che gli ERP associati alla direzione della posizione bersaglio erano correttamente classificati, il cursore era mosso di un passo verso la posizione bersaglio. I partecipanti hanno ottenuto un’accuratezza migliore nel controllo del cursore con l’interfaccia che prevedeva l’orientamento endogeno dell’attenzione visuospaziale rispetto alle due interfacce che prevedevano l’orientamento esogeno. 3. Esperimento 2 Nel secondo studio è stata eseguita una classificazione offline degli ERP registrati nell’Esperimento 1, con lo scopo di verificare se gli effetti ottenuti nell’Esperimento 1 fossero indipendenti dal tipo di algoritmo di classificazione utilizzato. La classificazione online dei segnali cerebrali avveniva attraverso l’analisi delle componenti indipendenti (ICA), un’estrazione di 78 caratteristiche stabilite a priori del segnale, e la loro categorizzazione attraverso un algoritmo matematico di tipo lineare (support vector macchine: SVM). La riclassificazione offline è stata eseguita per mezzo di un algoritmo genetico (genetic algorithm: GA), che rilevava ad personam le caratteristiche significative del segnale, le quali, infine, venivano categorizzate attraverso un classificatore logistico. Il metodo di classificazione offline nell’Esperimento 2 ha confermato l’effetto ottenuto nell’Esperimento 1. Questi risultati sono stati confermati anche dalle analisi statistiche eseguite sui dati neurofisiologici. Inoltre, le medie di accuratezza più alte e la minore variabilità associate al sistema di classificazione offline sembrano offrire potenziali miglioramenti dell’efficacia dell’uso in tempo reale della nostra BCI. 4. Esperimento 3 Alla luce dei risultati riportati negli Esperimenti 1 e 2, è stata testata l’efficacia di un’interfaccia che prevedeva l’uso dell’orientamento esogeno dell’attenzione visuospaziale e di un’altra che prevedeva l’uso dell’orientamento endogeno, con pazienti affetti da SLA. Dieci pazienti con SLA hanno eseguito 16 sessioni con ciascuna delle due interfacce. Anche se i pazienti hanno ottenuto un’accuratezza di circa 70% con entrambe le interfacce, è stata registrata una maggior differenza tra gli ERP target e quelli non-target con l’uso dell’interfaccia “endogena”. Questi risultati supportano l’ipotesi che l’interfaccia che usa l’orientamento endogeno dell’attenzione visuospaziale consenta un miglior controllo del sistema BCI, con conseguenti vantaggi comunicativi per i pazienti affetti da SLA. 5. Conclusioni Le patologie neurologiche che colpiscono il sistema motorio possono intaccare i normali canali di comunicazione, come nel caso di pazienti affetti dal SLA. Questa malattia può sfociare nello stato denominato sindrome locked-in (LIS), una condizione clinica in cui i pazienti sono completamente paralizzati ma mantengono intatta la loro consapevolezza. Nella condizione di LIS, un paziente non può comunicare, non potendo così esprimere la propria opinione riguardo alle scelte etico-giuridiche legate alla sua condizione clinica. Le BCI rappresentano una potenziale soluzione ai problemi comunicativi dei pazienti nella LIS. Negli ultimi vent’anni di ricerca scientifica sulle BCI è stata rivolta grande attenzione alle componenti tecnologiche implicate nella registrazione del segnale cerebrale e nella sua classificazione in comandi per controllare specifiche periferiche. Viceversa, minor attenzione è stata posta alle caratteristiche dell’utente nell’utilizzo delle BCI, in particolar modo riguardo alle componenti cognitive coinvolte. Negli esperimenti riportati nella presente tesi, abbiamo testato l’efficacia di diverse interfacce, ciascuna delle quali utilizzava una specifica modalità dell’orientamento implicito dell’attenzione visuospaziale (endogena o esogena). I risultati di questi esperimenti supportano l’ipotesi che è possibile modulare l’efficacia di una BCI guidata da ERP attraverso l’implementazione di interfacce visive che utilizzano diversi principi dell’orientamento implicito dell’attenzione visuospaziale. Tale risultato è di particolare rilevanza dal punto di vista clinico per i pazienti affetti da SLA, negli stadi terminali di malattia, cioè quando entrano nella condizione clinica di LIS. In particolare nell’Esperimento 3 è riportato come l’ampiezza degli ERP sia diversamente modulata nelle due interfacce testate e questo fatto può giocare un ruolo rilevante nello sviluppo di un efficace sistema BCI che permetta la comunicazione a pazienti affetti da SLA nella condizione di completa LIS. I nostri risultati portano evidenze di come l’implementazione dei principi della psicologia cognitiva nello sviluppo di una BCI ne possano modulare l’efficacia, e questo a vantaggio dei pazienti affetti da gravi disabilità motorie. In conclusione, un’efficace applicazione dei principi cognitivi nello sviluppo delle BCI può avere l’effetto rilevante di “dare una voce” a pazienti in stato di completa LIS

Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in Kinesiology and Health Science.
Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-99). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss &rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR11862

The chapter analyses the fractious relationship between racial diversity and the welfare state in the US—arguably the most influential case in NPD literature. It shows that US Whites are critical of welfare because their attitude rests on negative feelings about African-Americans and Latino immigrants. However, not all parts of the US welfare state are affected by this combination of race coding and low public support: means-tested welfare is badly affected but the social security components are not. These differences are traced back to their origins by comparing a highly race coded and unpopular welfare program (AFDC, and later TANF) with a non-coded, popular program of old age social security (OAI). Originally highly affected by racial considerations, the programs diverged because of their institutional design and their ability to raise and expand their political support bases.

AbstractIn this chapter, I explore and offer critical reflections on the widespread practice of attributing negative value to “vital forces” in debates on health and disease, as the direct result of the extensive dissemination of genetics and its implications since the late 1960s. This historical reconstruction focuses on the most heated debates in popular science periodicals and editions, having the longest-lasting public “echo,” which have shaped an intergenerational continuity in the reproduction of vitalist arguments in discursive practices regarding health, disease, and their genetic factors.Mapping attacks on vital forces as various forms of negation addresses three different debates in the historically interrelated repertoire of potentially rival approaches to health, disease, and their genetic components: (1) the attribution of negative value to primal instinct as an obstacle to the progress of human civilization; (2) the normative vitalism mainly associated with French philosophers George Canguilhem, Michel Foucault, and Gilles Deleuze; and (3) the movement for the deinstitutionalization of health care within the negative theology presented by Ivan Illich.The reproduction of vitalist arguments in the each of the three realms is seen as a historical continuity of the medical vitalism that appeared in the Enlightenment and that produced a less monolithic and more conceptually coherent continuum of the positions regarding health, diseases, and their causes. In line with the Lakatosian division into internalist and externalist histories of science, I focus on the multiple functions of vitalist arguments: as a main force in the contest among rival theories regarding health and disease (as a part of the internalist narrative); as a signifier of the boundary work delineating science and not-science, whether labeled as theology or as “bad” science aimed at legitimizing science (as a part of externalist history); and as an ideological platform for bridging science and its performance in policies concerning reproduction .

This chapter focuses on the experience of living in towns and cities in the late imperial period, when prostitution was a visible component of urban life. It examines the different unsuccessful policies employed by the imperial state to enforce the spatial segregation of registered prostitutes and attempts to render brothels invisible on the urban landscape. Official efforts to push lower-class sexuality to the spatial margins are also addressed, particularly policies of zoning and brothel ranking. Some landlords frequently complained to the police about the negative impact of nearby brothels on their rental prices, whereas others helped women who sold sex to resist some of the residency restrictions placed upon them by the police. Ultimately, officialdom’s attempts to limit the visibility of prostitution were spectacularly unsuccessful, as commercial sex was visible everywhere across the Empire’s towns and cities at the turn of the twentieth century.

This paper investigates features of the realization by the Ukrainian population in Galicia of the right to education in their native language in the primary and secondary education systems at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries, and compares the general imperial and regional legislation in the field of education, in particular, equality of opportunity of the different nations and ethnic groups of Austria-Hungary. Analyzed negative factors, which prevented Ukrainians from implementing the right to education in their native language, include, for example, the position of the imperial government toward the national question, the discriminatory policy of the local Polish administration in Galicia towards the Ukrainian population, total control over the observance of school instructions and regulations, the low education of pedagogical workers, the persecution of nationally conscious teachers, features of the educational process, violation of the principle of equality when studying the primary and secondary regional languages, and the lack of a national component in the curricula of primary and secondary schools. Emphasis is placed on the manifestations of ethnocentrism in the Galician education system. The positive factors that facilitated the expansion of the sphere of Ukrainian language usage in primary and secondary educational institutions are also considered, as is how this stimulated the development of the national school.

The separation of the spin-dependent terms in the Dirac Hamiltonian enables us to make an approximation in which the spin-free terms are included in the orbital optimization and the spin-dependent terms may be treated later as a perturbation. In this process, the parameter space required to treat the large and small components has not changed. Even with the extraction of (σ ·p) from the small component, we still have to calculate integrals involving pfL, which essentially regenerates the original small component space and so the integral work has not really changed. What has been achieved is the ability to use the machinery of spin algebra from nonrelativistic theory, but we are left with a large and a small component. The obvious next step is to separate the large and small components, or the positiveand negative-energy states. The small component can be eliminated from the Dirac equation by algebraic manipulation, but this leaves the energy in the denominator. It would be preferable to obtain an energy-independent Hamiltonian that acted only on positive-energy states and that could therefore be represented as two-component spinors. If, following this separation, it were possible to separate out the spin-free and spin-dependent terms, we would have a spin-free Hamiltonian that would operate on a one-component wave function, and we would then be able to use all the machinery of nonrelativistic quantum chemistry but with modified one- and two-electron integrals. The matrix form of the Dirac Hamiltonian suggests that we should seek a unitary transformation that will make it diagonal with respect to the large- and small-component spinor spaces. Such a transformation is called a Foldy–Wouthuysen transformation (Foldy and Wouthuysen 1950). Although in their original paper only the free-particle transformation was derived, together with an iterative decoupling procedure that will be described later in this chapter, the term Foldy–Wouthuysen transformation has come to mean any unitary transformation that decouples the large and small components, either exactly or approximately, and we will use it in this sense.

1. Always mention presence/absence of signs of endocarditis in any patient with physical signs of valvular heart disease. More than often, they are absent—but this is an important negative finding. 2. Both a low volume and a slow-rising pulse are signs of severe aortic stenosis. If the patient is in atrial fibrillation (AF), then the pulse usually has a variable volume, and some examiners believe that one cannot fully conclusively comment on pulse volume in AF. In patients with aortic stenosis and AF, the pulse exhbits a variable but diminished volume. It would be more appropriate in this setting to say, ‘the pulse is of variable but diminished volume’. 3. A narrow pulse pressure signifies a low cardiac output state, thus a sign of severe aortic stenosis. Other causes of a narrow pulse pressure include severe mitral stenosis or a hypovolaemic state. 4. If venous pressure is elevated, then look for signs of pulmonary hypertension (usually with giant systolic ‘v’ waves of tricuspid regurgitation, parasternal heave and thrill, and a loud pulmonary component to the second heart sound) or pulmonary congestion/cardiac failure (bibasal crepitations). The presence of pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary congestion are markers of severe aortic stenosis. 5. The left ventricle (LV) is hypertrophied, and is minimally displaced with a heaving character. A displaced apex beat indicates a dilated left ventricle, i.e. left ventricular failure. In the late stages of severe aortic stenosis, the left ventricle dilates and heart failure develops. However, the character of the apex beat remains the same. If the apex is displaced, in the absence of signs of severe aortic stenosis, then consider other causes of heart failure. 6. The presystolic impulse is transmission of atrial contraction just before closure of the mitral valve, as a result of forceful atrial contraction against a highly non-compliant and hypertrophied left ventricle. This is often accompanied by a fourth heart sound, and would be a marker of severe aortic stenosis. These signs would not be present in AF. A presystolic impulse is seen in other conditions with marked left ventricular hypertrophy, i.e. hypertensive heart disease or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (giving a double apical impulse).

Of late, text and sentiment analysis have become essential parts of modern marketing. These play a vital role in the division of natural language processing (NLP). It mainly focuses on text classification to examine the intention of the processed text; it can be of positive or negative types. Sentiment analysis dealt with the computational treatment of sentiments, opinions, and subjectivity of text. This chapter tackles a comprehensive approach for the past research solutions that includes various algorithms, enhancements, and applications. This chapter primarily focuses on three aspects. Firstly, the authors present a systematic review of recent works done in the area of text and sentiment analysis; second, they emphasize major concepts, components, functionalities, and classification techniques of text and sentiment analysis. Finally, they provide a comparative study of text and sentiment analysis on the basis of trending research approaches. They conclude the chapter with future directions.

Technological advances have allowed spine surgery to follow the trend toward minimally invasive surgery in general. Specifically, we have seen a corresponding rise in the popularity of cervical arthroplasty. For the treatment of cervical disc disease, arthroplasty is a less invasive option than the gold standard of cervical discectomy and arthrodesis, which by nature is more disruptive to surrounding tissues. Arthroplasty preserves the facets, maintains motion, and reduces the rate of adjacent segment breakdown. These factors counteract the negative impacts of fusion while maintaining the benefits. Arthroplasty implants themselves have become more streamlined to implant as well with less native bone destruction, and biomechanics more compatible with the native disc. While initial implants were ball and socket devices with complex fixation and plane-specific movements, later devices incorporated such motions as translation and compression. Viscoelastic components and materials more closely resembling native tissues afford a more biocompatible implant profile. Until cell-based therapies can successfully reproduce native tissue, we will rely on artificial components that closely resemble and assimilate them.

<em>Abstract.</em>—Black bass <em> Micropterus </em>spp. are important components of river fisheries in the southeastern U.S., but little is known about their basic life history and population characteristics in these systems. Largemouth Bass <em> M. salmoides </em>and Shoal Bass <em> M. cataractae </em>were collected from three areas in the Flint River on multiple occasions from 2005 through 2013. Collections were taken from the undammed section of the Flint River above Lake Blackshear, within Lake Blackshear, and the regulated reach of river below Lake Blackshear. Shoal Bass do not occur in Lake Blackshear, so only Largemouth Bass were collected. Population and life history data such as body condition, growth, mortality, and recruitment variability were examined for these species in all three areas. Shoal Bass and Largemouth Bass appeared to have similar scopes of growth in this system, reaching similar maximum sizes. However, Largemouth Bass grew slower than Shoal Bass in both river sections. Growth of both species was slower in the upper versus lower area of the river; growth of Largemouth Bass was similar between the lower Flint River and Lake Blackshear. Female Largemouth Bass grew faster than males in both sections of the river; whereas, growth of Shoal Bass was similar between sexes. Longevity of Largemouth Bass appeared to be slightly higher than Shoal Bass, with correspondingly lower annual mortality. Age frequencies and annual mortality was similar between the sexes for both species in all areas. Recruitment of Largemouth Bass was negatively affected by high flows in the spring in the upper Flint River and Lake Blackshear; whereas, Shoal Bass recruitment in the upper Flint River was not correlated to any flow measure. The opposite pattern was found in the lower Flint River, with recruitment of Largemouth Bass unaffected by flow but Shoal Bass recruitment negatively affected by high flows. Shoal Bass exhibited numerous differences from Largemouth Bass in the Flint River, including growth, mortality, and recruitment, demonstrating the danger in applying rate function data or basic biology concepts from one species to another closely related one. Results from this study will help biologists better understand the potential and limitations of black bass fisheries in rivers, and thereby enable more effective management.

In this chapter, we review the mechanical behavior of composites considered from a macroscopic perspective, i.e., the microscopic heterogeneity of the material is ignored in this treatment. Our objective is to provide an overview of the basic composite constitutive behavior and to set the notation for the subsequent chapters. To establish this framework, we draw on concepts from continuum mechanics and elasticity, both of which are also covered by specialized books on these topics. The results in this chapter are important for us because they provide the theoretical framework for all the elastic wave phenomena we describe in detail in the subsequent chapters. Stress in a solid body is measured in force per unit area; there are normal stresses, acting along a normal to the infinitesimal element of the area, and shear (tangential) stresses, acting in the plane of the element. Let us assume that an infinitesimal traction force dT acts on an infinitesimal surface element dA = ndA, where n denotes the normal unit vector of the surface element. In index notation, the stress tensor is then defined through . . . dTi = σijdAj. (1.1) . . . The sign convention for the stress tensor in a Cartesian coordinate system is shown in Fig. 1.1. The choice of coordinate system is arbitrary, but for the sake of simplicity and concreteness, let us develop the relationships in a Cartesian system. They can all be generalized at a later time. Only the stress components acting on the surface elements with positive normal vectors are shown for clarity. On the surface elements with negative normal vectors, the stress directions are opposite. Conventionally, the first index indicates the normal of the surface the stress component is acting upon and the second index indicates the direction of the resulting traction force (however, we will show shortly that equilibrium conditions require that the stress tensor be symmetric, therefore the order of the indices is only of academic importance). For example, σ11 is the normal stress acting on the x2, x3 plane in the x1 direction, σ12 is the shear stress acting on the same plane in the x2 direction, and so forth.

Lithium is the paradigmatic mood stabilizer. It is effective in the acute and prophylactic treatment of both mania and, to a lesser magnitude, depression. These characteristics are generally paralleled by the widely accepted anticonvulsant mood stabilizers valproate, carbamazepine (Table 6.2.4.1), and potentially by the less well studied putative mood stabilizers oxcarbazepine, zonisamide, and the dihydropyridine L-type calcium channel blocker nimodipine. In contrast, lamotrigine has a profile of better antidepressant effects acutely and prophylactically than antimanic effects. Having grouped lithium, valproate, and carbamazepine together, it is important to note they have subtle differences in their therapeutic profiles and differential clinical predictors of response (Table 6.2.4.1). Response to one of these agents is not predictive of either a positive or negative response to the others. Thus, clinicians are left with only rough estimates and guesses about which drug may be preferentially effective in which patients. Only sequential clinical trials of agents either alone or in combination can verify responsivity in an individual patient. Individual response trumps FDA-approval. Given this clinical conundrum, it is advisable that patients, family members, clinicians, or others carefully rate patients on a longitudinal scale in order to most carefully assess responses and side effects. These are available from the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), the STEP-BD NIMH Network, or www.bipolarnetworknews.org and are highly recommended. The importance of careful longitudinal documentation of symptoms and side effects is highlighted by the increasing use of multiple drugs in combination. This is often required because patients may delay treatment-seeking until after many episodes, and very different patterns and frequencies of depressions, manias, mixed states, as well as multiple comorbidities may be present. Treating patients to the new accepted goal of remission of their mood and other anxillary symptoms usually requires use of several medications. If each component of the regimen is kept below an individual's side-effects threshold, judicious use of multiple agents can reduce rather than increase the overall side-effect burden. There is increasing evidence of reliable abnormalities of biochemistry, function, and anatomy in the brains of patients with bipolar disorder, and some of these are directly related to either duration of illness or number of episodes. Therefore, as treatment resistance to most therapeutic agents is related to number of prior episodes, and brain abnormalities may also increase as well, it behooves the patient to begin and sustain acute and long-term treatment as early as possible. Despite the above academic, personal, and public health recommendations, bipolar disorder often takes ten years or more to diagnose and, hence, treat properly. In fact, a younger age of onset is highly related to presence of a longer delay from illness onset to first treatment, and as well, to a poorer outcome assessed both retrospectively and prospectively. New data indicate that the brain growth factor BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) which is initially important to synaptogenesis and neural development, and later neuroplasticity and long-term memory in the adult is involved in all phases of bipolar disorder and its treatment. It appears to be: 1) both a genetic (the val-66-val allele of BDNF) and environmental (low BDNF from childhood adversity) risk factor; 2) episode-related (serum BDNF decreasing with each episode of depression or mania in proportion to symptom severity; 3) related to some substance abuse comorbidity (BDNF increases in the VTA with defeat stress and cocaine self-administration); and 4) related to treatment. Lithium, valproate, and carbamazepine increase BDNF and quetiapine and ziprasidone block the decreases in hippocampal BDNF that occur with stress (as do antidepressants). A greater number of prior episodes is related to increased likelihood of: 1) a rapid cycling course; 2) more severe depressive symptoms; 3) more disability; 4) more cognitive dysfunction; and 5) even the incidence of late life dementia. Taken together, the new data suggest a new view not only of bipolar disorder, but its treatment. Adequate effective treatment may not only (a) prevent affective episodes (with their accompanying risk of morbidity, dysfunction, and even death by suicide or the increased medical mortality associated with depression), but may also (b) reverse or prevent some of the biological abnormalities associated with the illness from progressing. Thus, patients should be given timely information pertinent to their stage of illness and recovery that emphasizes not only the risk of treatments, but also their potential, figuratively and literally, life-saving benefits. Long-term treatment and education and targeted psychotherapies are critical to a good outcome. We next highlight several attributes of each mood stabilizer, but recognize that the choice of each agent itself is based on inadequate information from the literature, and sequencing of treatments and their combinations is currently more an art than an evidence-based science. We look forward to these informational and clinical trial deficits being reduced in the near future and the development of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and other neurobiological predictors of individual clinical response to individual drugs. In the meantime, patients and clinicians must struggle with treatment choice based on: 1) the most appropriate targetting of the predominant symptom picture with the most likely effective agent (Table 6.2.4.1 and 6.2.4.2) the best side-effects profile for that patient (Table 6.2.4.2 and 6.2.4.3) using combinations of drugs with different therapeutic targets and mechanisms of action (Table 6.2.4.3 and 6.2.4.4) careful consideration of potential advantageous pharmacodynamic interactions and disadvantageous pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions that need to be avoided or anticipated.

Knowledge of the measurement errors of an in-line inspection tool and field tool are important (i) for determining the corrosion feature severity and the probability of failure of the pipeline due to that corrosion feature, (ii) for verifying the tool vendors claimed accuracy, (iii) as a component of the tools development program, (iv) as a reference for other inspection tools and (v) for probability of corrosion/crack detection assessments. When in-line inspection tool reporting is used in site specific probability of failure analyses or growth modelling applications, the measurement error of the tool plays a significant role in determining the distributions of penetration and rupture pressure at the time of inspection, or any time in the future. Often, the in-line inspection tools are compared with data obtained from a reference (field) tool which is usually assumed to be perfect, but in reality no tool is perfect. In the late 1940’s a procedure was developed that decomposes the total scatter between tools being compared and assigns an appropriate scatter or measurement error to each tool individually. The procedure is based on a suite of assumptions, which sometimes fail. The typical result is an estimate of measurement error that is negative, similar to a sums of squares estimate in an analysis of variance being negative, which is clearly wrong and unacceptable. Late researchers have suggested methods that overcome this difficulty. These estimators also suffer from certain limitations. In this paper a Bayesian methodology that can overcome some of these recognized limitations is presented.

Abstract Engine development is a long and complex process. Errors or unfavorable decisions made in the preliminary design phase have a lasting negative impact on the entire development process. The later a bad design decision has to be corrected, the more costs, time and effort are required for the correction. It would therefore be better to make forward-looking decisions right from the start. Thanks to today’s simulation methods, this is possible to the greatest possible extent. The use of suitable methods supports and significantly shortens the development time. With an additional process automation through the coupling of design programs from different disciplines, promising solutions can be separated from less good ones early on in the development process using a broad multi-disciplinary approach. This paper presents a numerical approach to evaluate overall engine performance while designing the high-pressure compressor (HPC). A parametric component design process is used to generate a model for a 2-D through flow analysis. This is coupled with a performance program via the data model and process management of a gas turbine design framework. Design as well as the off-design information of thermodynamic engine and aerodynamic component simulation are shared with each other. This way, more information can be gained than it would be the case for both disciplines individually. Therefore, different approaches of this form of multi-disciplinary coupling, often referred to as zooming, are compared regarding their usability and their numerical effort for the design of an HPC in an overall engine. The approach that shows the best results in this comparison is used for an example optimization process of a military engine HPC.

The rapid increase in the world population and the tecnological developments' positive contribution to industrialization has increased demand for resources. The excessive use of the factors to meet these needs has confronted mankind with the pronlem of climate change which is the of the most serious problems of the past. Global warming and climate change have changed the structure of gas components in the atmosphere and have allowed countries to take the problem to the global perspective. The national responsibilities are closely related to the foreing trade of the countries. In this context, the study of the relationship between carbon emissions and international trade relations has been the aim of the study. Using the dynamic paned data method, the relationship between carbon emissions and international trade was examined for 33 OECD countries between 2000-2013. As a result of the empirical results, the relationship between import variable and carbon emission is positive and statistically significant, while the relation between export and carbon emissions is negative and statistically significant. Subsequently, it was aimed to determine the long-term existence of carbon emissions and international trade relations for Turkey by using the ARDL approach. The relationship between Turkey's carbon emissions, imports, exports and heavy industrial product varieties has examined by using ARDL approach. The empirical results show that Turkey wont be able to say anything definite about the relationship between the variables of trade and and carbon emissions because protocol obligations are low and accepted late.

Background:It is necessary to point out that ergonomics was late in paying attention to the issue of social factors and their effects on work. Carayon, (2021), urged ergonomists to take into account the influence of the social environment on work. Social environment is very important for the human being in which he practices his humanity and helps others to exercise their humanity.According to Amabile, et al. (1996) social environment includes two types of components: the positive components (autonomy/ freedom, encouragement of creativity, resources, and challenging work), and the negative components (lack of training, and management/ workers inconsistency). In this research, the researchers considered the positive components of social environment. Social ergonomics enhances the positive components of the social environment and at the same time it works to reduce the harmful effects of the negative components of the social environment. Social ergonomics achieves these goals through various methods including volunteerism. In this research, the focus will be on volunteer work. Researchers believe that volunteering strengthens social bonds, and makes individuals more connected to the community (Hsiao, et al. 2020). In addition, volunteering supports the positive elements of the social environment. “Twiza” is a form of volunteerism that is widespread in the Touat region (western area in Algeria). It means the assistance provided by members of a community, to members of another community, who are in dire need of this assistance. Objectives: This research aims to answer the following question: Can freedom /autonomy, encouragement of creativity, resources and challenging work enhance the positive components of the social environment in the Ksar?Methodology: Researchers applied the descriptive method, using a snowball technique sample which consisted of (29) volunteers from whom data were collected through a questionnaire and an Interview.Results and discussion: Individuals’ answers show that volunteer work does not affect individuals’ freedom, nor their sense of independence while working. The vast majority of respondents indicated that those who participate in voluntary work exercise their freedom naturally.Also, the volunteers show that supervisors during the volunteer work encourage them to be creative and innovative. This made them feel safe and secure.Furthermore, respondents agree that the resources required for volunteer work are available to everyone. None of the volunteers complained about the lack of resources or their unavailability. The respondents indicated that the availability of resources is a factor in the success of volunteer work.The respondents also praised the positive challenges that exist in volunteer work, especially in the maintenance of the Foggara. It is the work that made them feel they are achieving a noble patriotic duty. Conclusion: This research studied the topic of voluntary work, especially in the maintenance of Foggara in the Touat region and has found that volunteering enhances the social environment, and from the perspective of social ergonomics, that the environment is fitted to the individuals.References:Amabile, T. M., Conti, R., Coon, H., Lazenby, J., & Herron, M. (1996). Assessing the work environment for creativity. Academy of management journal, 39(5), 1154-1184.Carayon, P. (2021). Social and Organizational Foundation of Ergonomics: Multi‐Level Systems Approaches. Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics, 227-235.Hsiao, H. Y., Hsu, C. T., Chen, L., Wu, J., Chang, P. S., Lin, C. L., Lin M.N & Lin, T. K. (2020). Environmental volunteerism for social good: A longitudinal study of older adults’ health. Research on Social Work Practice, 30(2), 233-245.

Background: Driving is a complex everyday activity that requires the use and integration of different cognitive and psychomotor functions, many of which are known to be affected when under the influence of cannabis (CNB). Given legal implications of drugged-driving and rapidly increasing use of CNB nationwide, there is an urgent need to better understand the effects of CNB on such functions in the context of driving. This longitudinal, double-blind placebo-controlled study investigated the effects of CNB on driving brain-behavior relationships in a controlled simulated environment using functional MRI (fMRI). Methods: N=26 frequent cannabis users were administered 0.5 grams of 13% THC or placebo flower cannabis via a Stortz+Bickel ‘Volcano’ vaporizer using paced inhalation, on separate days at least 1 week apart. On each study day, participants drove a virtual driving simulator (steering wheel, brake, gas pedal) inside an MRI scanner approximately 40 minutes post-dosing. Each fMRI driving session presented a naturalistic simulated environment that unobtrusively engaged drivers with scenarios that tested specific driving skills and response. There were three, approximately 10 min epochs where drivers engaged in task of lane keeping/weaving (LK), lead car following (CF), and safe overtaking (OT). fMRI data were prepared for analyses using the Human Connectome Project pipeline, then subjected to group independent component analysis (ICA) to isolate 50 spatially independent networks. 40 ICA networks were deemed valid and non-noisy. Network regions in these components were identified using 387 parcel locations, incorporating a cortical parcellation atlas (Glasser et al 2016) and detailed subcortical labels. A placebo minus high difference connectivity map was generated for each subject. A similar placebo minus high behavioral score was generated for each subject and then subjected to a principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce it to 8 orthogonal behavioral factors. Of the 8 driving behavior factors, two represented CF events (F1 and F5), three LK (F3, F4, and F8), and three OT (F2, F6, and F7). Driving behavior factors were evaluated for linear association with connectivity maps via FSL’s randomize (p<0.01 FWE-corrected significance). Results:Across all components examined, we found connectivity differences between placebo v high THC within right motion-sensitive visual cortex (parcel FST) (visual) and right superior temporal gyrus (social cognition) to positively correlate with LK driving performance. The strongest brain-behavior relationships were found for OT-related behavioral factors. Connectivity in left dorsolateral parcel a9-46v (cognitive flexibility) and right motor cortex parcel 3b (somatosensory) correlated negatively with F6 (OT). A left superior frontal parcel (higher order cognition/working memory) correlated negatively with F7 (OT) and finally R inferior frontal gyrus (response inhibition and reward deduction) correlated positively with F7 (OT). Conclusion: Our preliminary analyses yield a complex yet informative picture of key brain areas sensitive to acute CNB exposure on different driving behaviors using a simulated environment, further underscoring the impact of substance use on driving as a potential public safety issue.

Waveguide lenses are among the essential components in integrated optic modules or circuits such as spectrum analyzers,(1) correlators,(2, 3) and computers.(4, 5). Various types of waveguide lens have been fabricated in LiNbO3 and glass substrates. These lens types include Luneburg, geodesic, index refraction via TIPE or two layers construction, chirp grating, and Fresnel. The material constraints such as a very high refractive index and high brittleness, and the relatively small reduction in refractive index in Ga1-xAlxAs for a desirable fractional composition x have thus far prevented the first three lens types from being fabricated in GaAs waveguides. Although fabrication of AlGaAs graded-index waveguide lenses using laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition was proposed most recently,(6) to the best of our knowledge, no working lens has been reported. However, the positive or negative index-changes required in both the chirp grating and Fresnel lenses may be produced through either deposition of a higher-index cladding material, or reduction of the waveguide thickness via etching or ion milling. As a high-quality higher-index cladding material for GaAs is yet to be grown, we have chosen the later technique through ion milling to fabricate the negative-index change lenses. Most recently, we have successfully applied this lens fabrication technique to fabricate lenses of high-efficiency and diffraction limited characteristics in LiNbO3.(7) In a continuing effort we have successfully produced single lenses and lens arrays of the types including analog Fresnel, chirp grating, and a hybrid combination of the two in GaAs waveguides, and have obtained equally encouraging results. In this paper, design, fabrication, and measured performances of single microlenses and microlens arrays of the aforementioned types are presented.

<p>Condition ratings of bridge components in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)’s Structural Inventory and Appraisal database are determined by bridge inspectors in the field, often by visual confirmation or direct- contact sounding techniques. However, the determination of bridge condition ratings is generally subjective depending on individual inspectors’ knowledge and experience, as well as varying field conditions. There are also limitations to access, unsafe working conditions, and negative impacts of lane closures to account for. This paper describes an alternative method to obtaining informative and diagnostic inspection data for concrete bridge decks: mobile nondestructive bridge deck evaluation technology. The technology uses high- definition infrared and visual imaging to monitor bridge conditions over long-term (or desired) intervals. This combination of instruments benefits from rapid and large-scale data acquisition capabilities. Through its implementation in Japan over the course of two decades, the technology is opening new possibilities in a field with much untapped potential. Findings and lessons learned from our experience in the states of Virginia and Pennsylvania are described as examples of highway-speed mobile nondestructive evaluation in action. To validate the accuracy of delamination detection by the visual and infrared scanning, findings were proofed by physical sounding of the target deck structures.</p>

The use of higher brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) engines in landfill or alternative gas applications has increased dramatically in the past few years. Operators are using these engines due to their ability to provide lower emissions coupled with improved economics for the end user due to the higher density or power output capability compared to an engine of similar size and displacement. Landfill gas (LFG) quality can vary greatly as well as the contaminant level due to the composition of the landfill. This environment poses unique challenges to both the engine and the engine oil, including shorter oil drain intervals, corrosive attack of engine components, with increased piston and combustion chamber deposits, to name but a few. Maintaining longer oil drain intervals minimizes unscheduled oil drains which can decrease the overall cost of the landfill operation. High BMEP engines provide higher power output but at the cost of increased maintenance in severe fuel applications. Excessive piston crown and combustion chamber deposits from landfill gas impurities can have a deleterious effect on engine emissions, which may lead to the inability to meet local emissions regulations. Engine lubricants must provide adequate oil life as well as minimizing deposit related issues that may negatively impact regular scheduled maintenance cycles, thus reducing engine downtime and increasing revenues. Traditionally, the approach has been that oils formulated for landfill applications used excess base reserve to sufficiently neutralize the acids being formed during the combustion process. Unfortunately, this approach increases the sulfated ash content of the lubricant which lends itself to increased ash deposits and negatively impacts the combustion dynamics of these high BMEP engines, which are sensitive to ash deposition. Based on requests for a longer life lubricant without compromising deposit control characteristics in serve landfill applications, a new product development project was specifically targeted for late model, high BMEP engines, which are prone to detonation and sensitive to ash related deposits. This paper presents the development bench testing, and proof of performance field evaluations of a new generation, low ash landfill gas engine oil.

The construction of dams in rivers negatively affects ecosystems because dams violate the continuity of rivers, transform the biological and physical structure of the river channels, and the most importantly – alter the hydrological regime. The impact on the hydrology of the river can occur through reducing or increasing flows, altering seasonality of flows, changing the frequency, duration and timing of flow events, etc. In order to determine the extent of the mentioned changes, The Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) software was used in this paper. The results showed that after the construction of Angiriai dam, such changes occurred in IHA Parameters group as: the water conditions of April month decreased by 31 %; 1-day, 3-days, 7-days and 30-days maximum flow decreased; the date of minimum flow occurred 21 days later; duration of high and low pulses and the frequency of low pulses decreased, but the frequency of high pulses increased, etc. The analysis of the Environmental Flow Components showed, that the essential differences were recorded in groups of the small and large floods, when, after the establishment of the Šušvė Reservoir, the large floods no longer took place and the probability of frequency of the small floods didn’t exceed 1 time per year.

The vehicle has become an intelligent product by innovative technologies. However, most of the new technologies address human safety, such as lane keeping or emergency brake assistance. The smart optimization of the driver’s well-being through sensitivity of the technology has been neglected so far. Thus, this study investigates the influence of emotion-sensitive lighting on the driver. Individual light interactions are based on detected emotions of the driver to enhance the individual driving experience. IntroductionLight and colors have an archaic effect on humans (Goldstein 2015). They trigger the human diencephalon to release the serotonin as well as cortisol. For example, light blue components in the light suppress melatonin release. This driver feels awake or concentrated. (Sabine Harrasko-Kocmann) Different factors such as traffic jams, aggressive driving behavior of other road users and challenging weather conditions have a negative impact on the driver’s feeling (Bitkina et al. 2019). The consequences are negative emotions such as anger, fear and worry, which in turn lead to inattention and insecurity. Also factors like tiredness and physical exhaustion can impact the human well-beeing. As a result, the driver is unfocused and annoyed after the ride or agitated and restless. Furthermore, stress for example, increases the risk of accidents because people become inattentive (Evers 2011). To counteract this and positively influence the driving experience, specific lighting interactions are intended to enhance the driver's feelings. In this work, lighting is used to influence the driver's mood. The aim of the study is to investigate whether the targeted use of light contributes to increase the well-being and which use-cases are particularly suitable.ApproachFig.1 shows the scientific approach for this work. Firstly, requirements are defined. They are based on a literature review on the psychological effects of light, an investigation of the target groups and a reflection on highly emotional driving situations. For testing, three use cases are defined in detail. The first deals with increasing the driver's concentration, the second with targeted stress reduction and the third with positive reinforcement of emotion. They include the emotional level of the driver, his or her journey start and destination, the target emotion, and the light interaction to achieve this emotion. A vehicle-prototype is modified to test the individual scenarios. Besides LED strips along the windscreen, the door frames and interior ambient lights, screens are installed in the doors and the roof [Fig.2]. In this way, not only individual light colors and intensities can be visualized, but also more complex, dynamic movements. To get a uniform effect the interior lights are synchronized with the visualization of the screens.Fig.2: CAD rendering of the prototype. One screen is placed in each of the doors and one in the roof. LED strips run along the windscreen and door frame. Ambient lights at the whole interior.For the qualitative study, 35 test persons are interviewed by using the prototype [Fig.3]. All test persons passing though the three use-cases. In order to measure the success of the light effect, the pulse and surface moisture of the skin are measured. In addition, there is a discussion before and after each use case. ConclusionThe prototype has been built and the lightning interaction implemented. During the preparation of this abstract, the user testings are conducted. The full paper and also the oral presentation will show more details about the methodology and the evaluation of the testing.

Ruminants provide human society with high quality food from non-human-edible resources, but their emissions negatively impact the environment via greenhouse gas production. The rumen and its resident microorganisms dictate both processes. The overall goal of this project was to determine whether a causal relationship exists between the rumen microbiome and the host animal's physiology, and if so, to isolate and examine the specific determinants that enable this causality. To this end, we divided the project into three specific parts: (1) determining the feed efficiency of 200 milking cows, (2) determining whether the feed- efficiency phenotype can be transferred by transplantation and (3) isolating and examining microbial consortia that can affect the feed-efficiency phenotype by their transplantation into germ-free ruminants. We finally included 1000 dairy cow metadata in our study that revealed a global core microbiome present in the rumen whose composition and abundance predicted many of the cows’ production phenotypes, including methane emission. Certain members of the core microbiome are heritable and have strong associations to cardinal rumen metabolites and fermentation products that govern the efficiency of milk production. These heritable core microbes therefore present primary targets for rumen manipulation towards sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture. We then went beyond examining the metagenomic content, and asked whether microbes behave differently with relation to the host efficiency state. We sampled twelve animals with two extreme efficiency phenotypes, high efficiency and low efficiency where the first represents animals that maximize energy utilization from their feed whilst the later represents animals with very low utilization of the energy from their feed. Our analysis revealed differences in two host efficiency states in terms of the microbial expression profiles both with regards to protein identities and quantities. Another aim of the proposal was the cultivation of undescribed rumen microorganisms is one of the most important tasks in rumen microbiology. Our findings from phylogenetic analysis of cultured OTUs on the lower branches of the phylogenetic tree suggest that multifactorial traits govern cultivability. Interestingly, most of the cultured OTUs belonged to the rare rumen biosphere. These cultured OTUs could not be detected in the rumen microbiome, even when we surveyed it across 38 rumen microbiome samples. These findings add another unique dimension to the complexity of the rumen microbiome and suggest that a large number of different organisms can be cultured in a single cultivation effort. In the context of the grant, the establishment of ruminant germ-free facility was possible and preliminary experiments were successful, which open up the way for direct applications of the new concepts discovered here, prior to the larger scale implementation at the agricultural level.