Existence and Uniqueness of Solutions for Partial Differential-Functional Equations of the First Order with Deviating Argument of the Derivative of Unknown Function

We consider the existence and uniqueness problem for partial differential-functional equations of the first order with the initial condition for which the right-hand side depends on the derivative of unknown function with deviating argument

Anorexia and the City : special Significance of the Urban Environment in Eating Disorder Memoirs

The article examines a book of memoirs belonging to a larger group of textual representations of individual struggle with anorexia in order to sched light on the city as a crucial character in the account of the disease. Kid Rex: The Inspiring True Account of a Life Salvaged from Anorexia, Despair and Dark Days in New York City (2008) by Laura Moisin is one of many recent publications touching upon the subject of eating disorders penned by and depicting the life of young upper middle class big city women. First notable books of this kind appeared around 1980, while since the beginning of this century we have been observing a steady increase in this respect, resulting in the proliferation of these personal narratives in popular culture. In accordance with the research suggesting that the incidence of eating disorders is higher in urban areas, publications of this kind all seem to refer to such environments; however, the aforementioned book could be considered special here as it portrays the deep-reaching relations between witnessing the events of September 11 attacks and the development of the disease. Even though it remains unclear which elements of cityscapes are responsible for the higher incidence of the anorexia, the acute experiences offered by NYC around the time of the attack highlight the probable causes. Employing the interdisciplinary perspectives offered by psychogeography, food studies and sociology of medicine, the article analyses how the influence of the city on female victims of anorexia is presented in the memoir to show that urban spaces may function both as a symptom of and as a factor contributing to the disease

Russian economic stability in the nearest future

Russian economy was often under the influence of crises. The last one in 1998 has not been time-consuming, and after the phase of stagnation Russia is taking benefits of stabile growth till now. However, the sources of this growth are off the country and the prices of Russian export goods could change at any moment. Russia is not prepared for this changes. Moreover, the most fragile part of Russian economy – the banking system – has some problems with stability. If Russian officials do not change their policy, it is possible that in 2006-2008 this country will face another systemic crisis.Gospodarka Rosji; stabilność gospodarcza; wzrost gospodarczy; kryzys

The Good, the healthy and the natural : Charlotte Bronte and the 19th-century health reformers

Artykuł bada wskazania żywieniowe obecne w powieściach Charlotte Brontë w kontekście poglądów XIX-wiecznych reformatorów zdrowia. Autorka poddaje analizie dzieła kilku brytyjskich i amerykańskich przedstawicieli ruchu promującego dietę opartą na warzywach, produktach mącznych i wodzie, a następnie interpretuje zawarte w owych poradnikach „idee” jako swoistą werbalizację ducha czasu. Istotne jest tutaj omówienie sposobu, w jaki pojęcia „zdrowy”, „naturalny” i „dobry” bywają w tych pracach zrównane, ze szczególnym podkreśleniem wpływu bezmięsnej diety na zmniejszenie apetytu seksualnego. Jako że jedzenie raz po raz pojawia się w powieściach Charlotte Brontë jako ważny symbol, można dostrzec pewne istotne paralele między jej twórczością, w szczególności Villette i Jane Eyre, a poradami żywieniowymi proponowanymi przez jej współczesnych, co prowadzi do pytania o możliwość wpływu. Autorka artykułu analizuje postacie Brontë, zarówno te, które jedzą zgodnie z zasadami reformatorów, jak i te, które rozsmakowywują się w produktach surowo zakazanych (mięso, alkohol, słodycze), i ostatecznie dochodzi do wniosku, że idee reformatorskie znajdują swoje odbicie w powieściach Brontë, gdzie funkcjonują jako metoda postrzegania i kategoryzacji tak świata zewnętrznego, jak stanów wewnętrznych bohaterów

Scalable method of searching for full-period Nonlinear Feedback Shift Registers with GPGPU. New List of Maximum Period NLFSRs.

This paper addresses the problem of efficient searching for Nonlinear Feedback Shift Registers (NLFSRs) with a guaranteed full period. The maximum possible period for an $n$-bit NLFSR is $2^n-1$ (all-zero state is omitted). %but omitting all-0 state makes the period $2^n-1$ in their longest cycle of states. A multi-stages hybrid algorithm which utilizes Graphics Processor Units (GPU) power was developed for processing data-parallel throughput computation.Usage of abovementioned algorithm allows to give an extended list of n-bit NLFSR with maximum period for 7 cryptographically applicable types of feedback functions

Asymptotic expansions for the solution of a linear PDE with a multifrequency highly oscillatory potential

Highly oscillatory differential equations present significant challenges in numerical treatments. The Modulated Fourier Expansion (MFE), used as an ansatz, is a commonly employed tool as a numerical approximation method. In this article, the Modulated Fourier Expansion is analytically derived for a linear partial differential equation with a multifrequency highly oscillatory potential. The solution of the equation is expressed as a convergent Neumann series within the appropriate Sobolev space. The proposed approach enables, firstly, to derive a general formula for the error associated with the approximation of the solution by MFE, and secondly, to determine the coefficients for this expansion -- without the need to solve numerically the system of differential equations to find the coefficients of MFE. Numerical experiments illustrate the theoretical investigations

The incidence of tuberculosis transmission among family members and outside households

INTRODUCTION: The risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) infection is correlated with the concentration of infectious particles and exposure time. In closed populations, healthy people staying in very frequent, close and prolonged contact with a smear-positive person, become infected and represent another link in the chain of transmission of the disease. Therefore, in the fight against tuberculosis, an important element is quick identification of the patient and potentially infected people from his environment. In epidemiological investigation of tuberculosis (TB), family members are brought under special control as they are particularly exposed to transmission of infectious diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 150 patients with bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis who were members of 59 families. In the years 2003−2013 this population represented all TB cases detected in Poland in a family environment.Three PCR-based genotyping methods: spoligotyping, IS6110-Mtb1-Mtb2 PCR and MIRU-VNTR typing were used. RESULTS: Of 150 patients, 138 could be assigned to intra-household transmission on the basis of identical DNA fingerprints upon a combined typing approach. For 12 patients in 6 households, the M. tuberculosis isolates were clearly distinct in individual analysis — IS6110-Mtb1-Mtb2 PCR, spoligotyping or MIRU-VNTR typing or in three genotyping methods, suggesting that these patients were infected by the sources in the community. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis confirmed the transmission of tuberculosis among members of 53 families. In the remaining 6 families the source of infection were people outside the households. In all families with young children, strains isolated from them have identical DNA patterns as strains obtained from their adult caregivers. To confirm the transmission of TB in the study population of patients, epidemiological analysis required the addition of a genotyping methods characterised by high discriminatory power.INTRODUCTION: The risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) infection is correlated with the concentration of infectious particles and exposure time. In closed populations, healthy people staying in very frequent, close and prolonged contact with a smear-positive person, become infected and represent another link in the chain of transmission of the disease. Therefore, in the fight against tuberculosis, an important element is quick identification of the patient and potentially infected people from his environment. In epidemiological investigation of tuberculosis (TB), family members are brought under special control as they are particularly exposed to transmission of infectious diseases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 150 patients with bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis who were members of 59 families. In the years 2003−2013 this population represented all TB cases detected in Poland in a family environment.Three PCR-based genotyping methods: spoligotyping, IS6110-Mtb1-Mtb2 PCR and MIRU-VNTR typing were used. RESULTS: Of 150 patients, 138 could be assigned to intra-household transmission on the basis of identical DNA fingerprints upon a combined typing approach. For 12 patients in 6 households, the M. tuberculosis isolates were clearly distinct in individual analysis — IS6110-Mtb1-Mtb2 PCR, spoligotyping or MIRU-VNTR typing or in three genotyping methods, suggesting that these patients were infected by the sources in the community. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis confirmed the transmission of tuberculosis among members of 53 families. In the remaining 6 families the source of infection were people outside the households. In all families with young children, strains isolated from them have identical DNA patterns as strains obtained from their adult caregivers. To confirm the transmission of TB in the study population of patients, epidemiological analysis required the addition of a genotyping methods characterised by high discriminatory power

THERMAL INSULATION SYSTEMS

Thermal insulation systems and with methods of their production. The thermal insulation systems incorporate at least one reflection layer and at least one spacer layer in an alternating pattern. Each spacer layer includes a fill layer and a carrier layer. The fill layer may be separate from the carrier layer, or it may be a part of the carrier layer, i.e., mechanically injected into the carrier layer or chemically formed in the carrier layer. Fill layers contain a powder having a high surface area and low bulk density. Movement of powder within a fill layer is restricted by electrostatic effects with the reflection layer combined with the presence of a carrier layer, or by containing the powder in the carrier layer. The powder in the spacer layer may be compressed from its bulk density. The thermal insulation systems may further contain an outer casing. Thermal insulation systems may further include strips and seams to form a matrix of sections. Such sections serve to limit loss of powder from a fill layer to a single section and reduce heat losses along the reflection layer

Thermal insulation testing method and apparatus

A test apparatus and method of its use for evaluating various performance aspects of a test specimen is disclosed. A chamber within a housing contains a cold mass tank with a contact surface in contact with a first surface of a test specimen. The first surface of the test specimen is spaced from the second surface of the test specimen by a thickness. The second surface of the test specimen is maintained at a desired warm temperature. The first surface is maintained at a constant temperature by a liquid disposed within the cold mass tank. A boil-off flow rate of the gas is monitored and provided to a processor along with the temperature of the first and second surfaces of the test specimen. The processor calculates thermal insulation values of the test specimen including comparative values for heat flux and apparent thermal conductivity (k-value). The test specimen may be placed in any vacuum pressure level ranging from about 0.01 millitorr to 1,000,000 millitorr with different residual gases as desired. The test specimen may be placed under a mechanical load with the cold mass tank and another factors may be imposed upon the test specimen so as to simulate the actual use conditions