Cross-system effects of dysphagia treatment on dysphonia: a case report

Traditionally, treatment of dysphagia and dysphonia has followed a specificity approach whereby treatment plans have focused on each dysfunction individually. Recently however, a therapeutic cross-system effect has been proposed between these two dysfunctions. At least one study has demonstrated swallowing improvement in subjects who completed a dysphonia treatment program. However, we are unaware of any evidence demonstrating the converse effect. In this paper, we present a case-report of a 74 year old male who demonstrated improvement in selected vocal parameters after completion of a dysphagia therapy program

Quarantine generated phase transition in epidemic spreading

We study the critical effect of quarantine on the propagation of epidemics on an adaptive network of social contacts. For this purpose, we analyze the susceptible-infected-recovered (SIR) model in the presence of quarantine, where susceptible individuals protect themselves by disconnecting their links to infected neighbors with probability w, and reconnecting them to other susceptible individuals chosen at random. Starting from a single infected individual, we show by an analytical approach and simulations that there is a phase transition at a critical rewiring (quarantine) threshold w_c separating a phase (w<w_c) where the disease reaches a large fraction of the population, from a phase (w >= w_c) where the disease does not spread out. We find that in our model the topology of the network strongly affects the size of the propagation, and that w_c increases with the mean degree and heterogeneity of the network. We also find that w_c is reduced if we perform a preferential rewiring, in which the rewiring probability is proportional to the degree of infected nodes.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure

Numerical evaluation of the upper critical dimension of percolation in scale-free networks

We propose a numerical method to evaluate the upper critical dimension $d_c$ of random percolation clusters in Erd\H{o}s-R\'{e}nyi networks and in scale-free networks with degree distribution ${\cal P}(k) \sim k^{-\lambda}$, where $k$ is the degree of a node and $\lambda$ is the broadness of the degree distribution. Our results report the theoretical prediction, $d_c = 2(\lambda - 1)/(\lambda - 3)$ for scale-free networks with $3 < \lambda < 4$ and $d_c = 6$ for Erd\H{o}s-R\'{e}nyi networks and scale-free networks with $\lambda > 4$. When the removal of nodes is not random but targeted on removing the highest degree nodes we obtain $d_c = 6$ for all $\lambda > 2$. Our method also yields a better numerical evaluation of the critical percolation threshold, $p_c$, for scale-free networks. Our results suggest that the finite size effects increases when $\lambda$ approaches 3 from above.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Coinductive subtyping for abstract compilation of object-oriented languages into Horn formulas

In recent work we have shown how it is possible to define very precise type systems for object-oriented languages by abstractly compiling a program into a Horn formula f. Then type inference amounts to resolving a certain goal w.r.t. the coinductive (that is, the greatest) Herbrand model of f. Type systems defined in this way are idealized, since in the most interesting instantiations both the terms of the coinductive Herbrand universe and goal derivations cannot be finitely represented. However, sound and quite expressive approximations can be implemented by considering only regular terms and derivations. In doing so, it is essential to introduce a proper subtyping relation formalizing the notion of approximation between types. In this paper we study a subtyping relation on coinductive terms built on union and object type constructors. We define an interpretation of types as set of values induced by a quite intuitive relation of membership of values to types, and prove that the definition of subtyping is sound w.r.t. subset inclusion between type interpretations. The proof of soundness has allowed us to simplify the notion of contractive derivation and to discover that the previously given definition of subtyping did not cover all possible representations of the empty type

Epidemics in partially overlapped multiplex networks

Many real networks exhibit a layered structure in which links in each layer reflect the function of nodes on different environments. These multiple types of links are usually represented by a multiplex network in which each layer has a different topology. In real-world networks, however, not all nodes are present on every layer. To generate a more realistic scenario, we use a generalized multiplex network and assume that only a fraction $q$ of the nodes are shared by the layers. We develop a theoretical framework for a branching process to describe the spread of an epidemic on these partially overlapped multiplex networks. This allows us to obtain the fraction of infected individuals as a function of the effective probability that the disease will be transmitted $T$. We also theoretically determine the dependence of the epidemic threshold on the fraction $q > 0$ of shared nodes in a system composed of two layers. We find that in the limit of $q \to 0$ the threshold is dominated by the layer with the smaller isolated threshold. Although a system of two completely isolated networks is nearly indistinguishable from a system of two networks that share just a few nodes, we find that the presence of these few shared nodes causes the epidemic threshold of the isolated network with the lower propagating capacity to change discontinuously and to acquire the threshold of the other network.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Coevolution of Glauber-like Ising dynamics on typical networks

We consider coevolution of site status and link structures from two different initial networks: a one dimensional Ising chain and a scale free network. The dynamics is governed by a preassigned stability parameter $S$, and a rewiring factor $\phi$, that determines whether the Ising spin at the chosen site flips or whether the node gets rewired to another node in the system. This dynamics has also been studied with Ising spins distributed randomly among nodes which lie on a network with preferential attachment. We have observed the steady state average stability and magnetisation for both kinds of systems to have an idea about the effect of initial network topology. Although the average stability shows almost similar behaviour, the magnetisation depends on the initial condition we start from. Apart from the local dynamics, the global effect on the dynamics has also been studied. These parameters show interesting variations for different values of $S$ and $\phi$, which helps in determining the steady-state condition for a given substrate.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figure

Laboratorio de Geoquímica Isotópica y Geocronología (SEGECRON): Aspectos Generales de la Metodología U/Pb en Circones con LA-ICP-MS

Fil: González, Liliana. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Tecnología Minera; Argentina.Fil: Iannizzotto, Noelia. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Lagorio, Silvia. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: López, Faustino A. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Tecnología Minera; Argentina.Fil: Pagnanini, Feliciano. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.Fil: Tedesco, Ana María. Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino. Instituto de Geología y Recursos Minerales; Argentina.La presente contribución tiene por objetivo difundir las nuevas capacidades analíticas del SEGEMAR, vinculadas a la adquisición de equipamiento y construcción del laboratorio de geoquímica isotópica y geocronología (SEGECRON). También, constituirá una guía para comprender los conceptos básicos en el funcionamiento del equipamiento y los fundamentos de la técnica, los alcances del método U/Pb en circones y formar criterios en las acciones de toma de muestras, separación de circones, selección de especímenes y montaje final para su posterior análisis. El SEGECRON representa una capacidad hasta ahora inexistente en la República Argentina, consistente en un laboratorio de geoquímica isotópica y geocronológica de alta resolución que permitirá satisfacer necesidades en las investigaciones geológico-mineras y petroleras, mejorando la calidad de la información y reduciendo los gastos en exploración. Además, asegura la autonomía de Argentina en esta materia, con el fin de generar conocimiento aplicado en los campos de la exploración geológica, minera y petrolera y evaluación de la calidad del recurso hídrico. Contribuirá a la mejora e incremento de la capacidad operativa del SEGEMAR para cumplir, de manera autónoma y competitiva, con la misión asignada como Organismo Científico Tecnológico del Estado Nacional, responsable de la producción de conocimientos e información geológica, tecnológica, minera y ambiental necesaria para promover el desarrollo sostenible de los recursos naturales no renovables y su aprovechamiento racional (Ley 24224). Contribuirá, a partir de la disponibilidad de una nueva capacidad tecnológica en el país, para que otras instituciones y la actividad privada, involucradas directa o indirectamente en los estudios geológico-mineros, dispongan de esta capacidad tecnológica en el país y no dependan de laboratorios del exterior

Art therapy, arts-based research and transitional stories of domestic violence and abuse

Visual imagery within qualitative research is an established method of gathering data that has parallels to the way in which images are used within art therapy. This paper explores how visual imagery was used to investigate women’s responses to domestic violence and abuse and examines how art therapy principles shaped the development and conducting of that research. Through the use of collage, participants created visual representations of their responses to experiences of domestic violence and abuse. The visual representations were, when combined with spoken words, created stories that reference the past, present and future. The stories created have been termed transitional stories of domestic violence. These stories show that the home has special significance for women as they transition away from domestic violence and plan for their future. The home becomes both a metaphorical and physical manifestation and container of hopes for a harmonious future that often incorporates the desire for the return to the idea of a complete family. This paper will present the findings of the arts-based research conducted, and consider the implications upon art therapy practice of those findings.N

Surface Photochemistry: 3,3′-Dialkylthia and Selenocarbocyanine Dyes Adsorbed onto Microcrystalline Cellulose

In this work, thia and selenocarbocyanines with n-alkyl chains of different length, namely with methyl, ethyl, propyl, hexyl and decyl substituents, were studied in homogeneous and heterogeneous media for comparison purposes. For both carbocyanine dyes adsorbed onto microcrystalline cellulose, a remarkable increase in the fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes were detected, when compared with solution. Contrary to the solution behaviour, where the increase in the n-alkyl chains length increases to a certain extent the fluorescence emission ΦF and τF, on powdered solid samples a decrease of ΦF and τF was observed. The use of an integrating sphere enabled us to obtain absolute ΦF’s for all the powdered samples. The main difference for liquid homogeneous samples is that the increase of the alkyl chain strongly decreases the ΦF values, both for thiacarbocyanines and selenocarbocyanines. A lifetime distribution analysis for the fluorescence of these dyes adsorbed onto microcrystalline cellulose, evidenced location on the ordered and crystalline part of the substrate, as well as on the more disordered region where the lifetime is smaller. The increase of the n-alkyl chains length decreases the photoisomer emission for the dyes adsorbed onto microcrystalline cellulose, as detected for high fluences of the laser excitation, for most samples