A bijection between the set of nesting-similarity classes and L & P matchings

Matchings are frequently used to model RNA secondary structures; however, not all matchings can be realized as RNA motifs. One class of matchings, called the L $\&$ P matchings, is the most restrictive model for RNA secondary structures in the Largest Hairpin Family (LHF). The L $\&$ P matchings were enumerated in $2015$ by Jefferson, and they are equinumerous with the set of nesting-similarity classes of matchings, enumerated by Klazar. We provide a bijection between these two sets. This bijection preserves noncrossing matchings, and preserves the sequence obtained reading left to right of whether an edge begins or ends at that vertex.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Joint disease mapping using six cancers in the Yorkshire region of England

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to model jointly the incidence rates of six smoking related cancers in the Yorkshire region of England, to explore the patterns of spatial correlation amongst them, and to estimate the relative weight of smoking and other shared risk factors for the relevant disease sites, both before and after adjustment for socioeconomic background (SEB). METHODS: Data on the incidence of oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, lung, kidney, and bladder cancers between 1983 and 2003 were extracted from the Northern & Yorkshire Cancer Registry database for the 532 electoral wards in the Yorkshire region. Using postcode of residence, each case was assigned an area-based measure of SEB using the Townsend index. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for each cancer site and their correlations investigated. The joint analysis of the spatial variation in incidence used a Bayesian shared-component model. Three components were included to represent differences in smoking (for all six sites), bodyweight/obesity (for oesophagus, pancreas and kidney cancers) and diet/alcohol consumption (for oesophagus and stomach cancers). RESULTS: The incidence of cancers of the oesophagus, pancreas, kidney, and bladder was relatively evenly distributed across the region. The incidence of stomach and lung cancers was more clustered around the urban areas in the south of the region, and these two cancers were significantly associated with higher levels of area deprivation. The incidence of lung cancer was most impacted by adjustment for SEB, with the rural/urban split becoming less apparent. The component representing smoking had a larger effect on cancer incidence in the eastern part of the region. The effects of the other two components were small and disappeared after adjustment for SEB. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the feasibility of joint disease modelling using data from six cancer sites. Incidence estimates are more precise than those obtained without smoothing. This methodology may be an important tool to help authorities evaluate healthcare system performance and the impact of policies

Economics of Variety Selection for Cotton Cultivars in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas

The study reported here compared the net income of cotton cultivars grown in the Lower Rio Grande Valley using simulation techniques to incorporate yield and price risk. The data comes from field plots north of Weslaco, Texas from 2003 to 2005. Four cotton cultivars were used, two Delta and Pine (DP 444 BG/RR, and DP 555 BG/RR) and two Fibermax (FM 832, and FM 989 RR). DP 555 BG/RR had the highest average net income, $386 per acre, followed by DP 444 BG/RR, FM 832, and FM 989 RR, with$334.95, $284.31, and$278.21 per acre, respectively

Internet Access and Use in Political Discourse by the Members of Parliament in Tanzania

This paper is based on the research which examined access and use of internet resources and services by the Tanzanian Members of Parliament (MPs) and its impact on the political discourse. The study was conducted in June 2009 among selected parliamentarians. It employed qualitative and quantitative research design. The sample size was 18 parliamentarians and these were selected purposively. The methods of data collection included a questionnaire, interviews and focus group discussion. Analysis of data was mainly descriptive. The key findings of this study are: First, the Parliament Library in Tanzania has made modest investment in ICT infrastructure to support internet access and use. Second, the Library has a good mix of professional and para- professional staff though the level of staffing is not optimum. Third, the Library has a number of important documents and publications available online including the Hansards and reports by various parliamentary committees. Fourth, the MPs have diverse needs although a few of these are central to all the MPs and these include information for debates, information on bills, policies, speeches and constituencies. The demand and need to access the internet resources and services by parliamentarians is on the rise and the parliament, including the parliament library, has to address a number of challenges in connection to this development. The reported challenges include: slow internet connectivity that discourages use; inadequate number of available PCs in the library (only 12 were available); lack of training programme to use the internet and e-resources in general; lack of effective marketing strategies to create awareness of the value of internet resources; low skills and capacities to use the internet resources among the MPs and the library staff; severe time constraint for the MPs to use the library regularly and finally, inadequate library physical space. Detailed suggestions made by the MPs on how these challenges could be addressed are also documented. Generally, the study observes a positive relationship between the use of the internet and increased/improved political discourse and the democratization process. However, one negative impact of the adoption of this new technology by the MPs is an increased knowledge and information gap between those with higher levels of education and the ones with lower levels of education. MPs with higher levels of education are the core group of internet users, while those with lower levels of education are the laggards. The knowledge and information gap is explained by the fact that the MPs with higher levels of education are likely to be better and more informed of significant issues of interest before the adoption of the internet. Thus, the use of the internet will increase and exacerbate this gap even further, unless strategies for intervention (such as training) are implemented. The paper makes a number of recommendations to address these emerging challenges and measures to mitigate negative impacts

Stressor-Induced Increase in Muscle Fatigability of Young Men and Women is Predicted by Strength but Not Voluntary Activation

This study investigated mechanisms for the stressor-induced changes in muscle fatigability in men and women. Participants performed an isometric-fatiguing contraction at 20% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) until failure with the elbow flexor muscles. Study one (n = 55; 29 women) involved two experimental sessions: 1) a high-stressor session that required a difficult mental-math task before and during a fatiguing contraction and 2) a control session with no mental math. For some participants (n = 28; 14 women), cortical stimulation was used to examine mechanisms that contributed to muscle fatigability during the high-stressor and control sessions. Study two (n = 23; nine women) determined the influence of a low stressor, i.e., a simple mental-math task, on muscle fatigability. In study one, the time-to-task failure was less for the high-stressor session than control (P \u3c 0.05) for women (19.4%) and men (9.5%): the sex difference response disappeared when covaried for initial strength (MVC). MVC force, voluntary activation, and peak-twitch amplitude decreased similarly for the control and high-stressor sessions (P \u3c 0.05). In study two, the time-to-task failure of men or women was not influenced by the low stressor (P \u3e 0.05). The greater fatigability, when exposed to a high stressor during a low-force task, was not exclusive to women but involved a strength-related mechanism in both weaker men and women that accelerated declines in voluntary activation and slowing of contractile properties

Stressor-Induced Increase in Muscle Fatigability of Young Men and Women is Predicted by Strength but Not Voluntary Activation

This study investigated mechanisms for the stressor-induced changes in muscle fatigability in men and women. Participants performed an isometric-fatiguing contraction at 20% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) until failure with the elbow flexor muscles. Study one (n = 55; 29 women) involved two experimental sessions: 1) a high-stressor session that required a difficult mental-math task before and during a fatiguing contraction and 2) a control session with no mental math. For some participants (n = 28; 14 women), cortical stimulation was used to examine mechanisms that contributed to muscle fatigability during the high-stressor and control sessions. Study two (n = 23; nine women) determined the influence of a low stressor, i.e., a simple mental-math task, on muscle fatigability. In study one, the time-to-task failure was less for the high-stressor session than control (P \u3c 0.05) for women (19.4%) and men (9.5%): the sex difference response disappeared when covaried for initial strength (MVC). MVC force, voluntary activation, and peak-twitch amplitude decreased similarly for the control and high-stressor sessions (P \u3c 0.05). In study two, the time-to-task failure of men or women was not influenced by the low stressor (P \u3e 0.05). The greater fatigability, when exposed to a high stressor during a low-force task, was not exclusive to women but involved a strength-related mechanism in both weaker men and women that accelerated declines in voluntary activation and slowing of contractile properties

An open randomized study to compare effect of metformin versus acarbose monotherapy on glycemic control and lipid profile in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Background: Type 2 DM is one global health problem and a main cause of morbidity and mortality. It is epidemic in many industrialized and developing areas and is considered to be one of the most challenging health problems of the 21st century. Metformin and acarbose both are used as monotherapy and in combination with other anti-diabetes drugs for treatment of type 2 DM. There are very sparse evidences regarding comparative efficacy and safety of metformin versus acarbose, especially in Asian region. In addition to glycemic control, improvement in lipid profile, weight loss and post-prandial sugar level are important therapeutic objectives for better management of type 2 DM patients.Methods: In this study, 60 newly diagnosed type 2 DM were randomly assigned (1:1) to oral acarbose (titrated doses upto 300 mg daily) or oral metformin (titrated doses up to 2500 mg daily) monotherapy and were followed-up for 12 weeks for effects on glycaemic control [serum HbA1C, fasting blood sugar and post prandial sugar and serum LDL, HDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol.Results: Reduction in FBS, HbA1C and body weight was found significantly greater with metformin while acarbose yielded greater improvement in PPS, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Both metformin and acarbose yielded significant improvement in FBS, PPS, HbA1C, lipid profile and body weight after 12 weeks of therapy and yielded similar improvement in LDL and HDL levels.Conclusions: Acarbose can be considered as an alternative initial therapy in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients, particularly those with isolated post-prandial hyperglycemia and those who are intolerant to metformin therapy.

Discriminatory land use planning and flood risk management in Karonga Town, Malawi

This study examines how discriminatory land use planning predisposes the low income residents to flood disaster risks in Karonga town, Malawi. Using a qualitative research design, in-depth interviews were conducted with ten government and non government institutions engaged in land use planning and disaster risk management and traditional leaders. The study showed that theoretical aims of land use planning to improve the living environment remain partial and in certain cases exacerbate risks posed by floods because the planning tool divides the urban landscape into formal and informal spaces. Such separation which coincided with incomes levels forced the marginalised and urban poor to occupy flood-prone areas While literature on flood control promotes an integrated approach to flood risk management, land use planning practice is singled out as a regulatory measure which ironically not only fails to meet the needs, but also increases vulnerability to flood risks, of the urban poor residents. The study further revealed that land use planning has failed to reduce flood disaster risks in informal spaces because it is not compatible with the needs of the urban poor

On Morphological Analysis of Spatial Deixis in Mǝriaq-mǝriqu Dialect of Sasak Language

This paper concentrates on the spatial deixis and its morphological structures in Mǝriaq-mǝriqu dialect of Sasak language. It includes in a typological study with qualitative method. This research employs two forms of data; primary data and secondary data. The primary data include the information obtained from the informants from every dialect. Secondary data are the data obtained from any documents of Sasak language such as folklore. There are two methods of data collection; field linguistic method and library method. Of the two methods, there are two techniques used in collecting data: Observation and interview. The results of this study accommodated all types of demonstratives by Diessel (1999) and Dixon (1988) and discover some new types contributing to the theory. The types of spatial deixis in this dialect are pronominal, adnominal, quantifier, intensifier, identificational, adverbial, verbal, and referential. In term of morphological structure, the demonstrative in this dialect is constructed of some affixes and the combination of two or more spatial deixis. Nominal demonstrative usually becomes stem of other demonstratives. Quantifier is constructed of prefix ‘se-‘plus manner demonstrative adverb(MDA). Intensifier is constructed of prefix ‘s-‘ plus pronominal, LDA is constructed of prefix ‘n-‘ plus pronominal for proximal, MDA is constructed of prefix ‘mer-‘ and ‘m-‘ plus pronominals, verbal demonstrative is constructed of confix ‘pe-q’ plus MDA, Referential demonstrative is constructed of MDA plus suffix ‘-q’

Rancang Bangun Sistem Informasi Simpan Pinjam sebagai Monitoring Unit Kerja untuk Mengukur Kinerja Angsuran Pembayaran

Koperasi merupakan badan usaha dengan jenis usaha simpan pinjam yang anggotanya pegawai pemerintah dari beberapa unit kerja. Proses yang dilakukan mulai dari pengajuan sampai laporan pinjaman masih  menggunakan sistem semi komputerisasi, dimana dilakukan dengan  menggunakan microsoft excel dan word yang tentunya tidak efektif dan efisien. Sistem  tersebut belum memberikan informasi yang cepat dan akurat . Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui  cara pelayanan dan pengolahan data simpan pinjam, menciptakan sistem penanganan dan pengolahan data simpan pinjam yang ektif dan efisien, menciptakan sistem yang mampu memberi laporan dengan  cepat dan akurat. Adapun permasalahan dalam penelitian ini yaitu sistem belum berjalan secara efektif dan efisien karena proses dilakukan secara semi komputerisasi menggunakan microsoft excel dan word. Dari permasahan tersebut, maka perlu adanya sistem informasi yang  mempermudah proses pengolahan data serta laporan pinjaman yang dapat memberi informasi yang akurat, efektif dan efisien. Metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan yaitu: observasi, wawancara dan studi pustaka. Metode Analisis  menggunakan PIECES diantanranya : kinerja, informasi, ekonomi, efisiensi, dan pelayanan. Metode Perancangan menggunakan UML meliputi: Use Case Diagram, Sequence Diagram, Activity Diagram dan Class Diagram, bahasa pemrograman PHP, Framework Bootstrap, database MySQL dan konektivitas  Xampp . Pada Metode Testing menggunakan Blackbox Testing.   Kata Kunci      Simpan Pinjam, Monitoring, Peminjaman