Consensus formation on a triad scale-free network

Several cases of the Sznajd model of socio-physics, that only a group of people sharing the same opinion can convince their neighbors, have been simulated on a more realistic network with a stronger clustering. In addition, many opinions, instead of usually only two, and a convincing probability have been also considered. Finally, with minor changes we obtain a vote distribution in good agreement with reality.Comment: 11 pages including 7 encapsulated postscript (*.eps) figures; to appear in Physica

THREE-DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE HUMAN MOTION BASED ON IMAGES FROM A SINGLE CAMERA

It is widely accepted that the photograms of two or more cameras are required for the spatial reconstruction of the human motion. Each projection of the spatial coordinates of a given anatomical point of the human body is described by two equations. Consequently, two or more cameras are necessary for at least three independent linear equations required to obtain the original three coordinates of the point from its projected positions. If n cameras are used in the reconstruction process 2n equations are available for that purpose. In this case more equations than unknowns are available, and the solution for the reconstruction must minimize the error in those equations. Regardless of the number of cameras available, no information of the biomechanical model is generally used during the reconstruction process. In this work, a biomechanical model of 16 segments is used to support the motion reconstruction. The kinematic equations that characterize the dependency between the Cartesian coordinates of the points describing each component of the biomechanical model are used together with the two equations describing their projection in each frame. The single triangle describing the lower torso is defined by three points corresponding to nine spatial coordinates. For a given frame of a single camera six independent linear equations are defined. The remaining three equations needed to the spatial reconstruction of the triangle are the kinematic constraint equations ensuring that the distance between each two points remains constant throughout the motion. The system of nonlinear equations defined in this form has multiple solutions. For each subsequent camera frame the same process is followed to obtain the multiple solutions of the triangle reconstruction. The motion of the triangle representing the lower torso is selected as the combination of the solutions of the independent frames that minimizes a given function, defined as a measure of the smoothness of the triangle motion, variation of its angular orientation or increment of its distance between frames. Only the two solutions for the motion corresponding to the lower values of the functional, evaluated during four frames, are kept. Assuming that the motion for both solutions is feasible for the remaining frames, the method proceeds with the reconstruction of the segments adjacent to the lower torso, followed by the segments adjacent to the first set and so forth. A branch of solutions is eliminated if it cannot proceed from one frame to the next, either because no solution is possible or because the reconstructed motion develops behind the camera. Finally the reconstruction of the full motion is obtained in an automatic form. The methodology is applied to a case of complex human body motion demonstrating that it is feasible to reconstruct the three dimensional human motion using the photograms of a single stationary camera and a consistent biomechanical model

Decrease in Bone Mass in Women After Liver Transplantation: Associated Factors

AbstractBackgroundIn the future, an increasing number of female liver transplant recipients will reach the climacteric with osteoporosis as a common complication. We evaluated the factors associated with decreased bone mass among women after liver transplantation.MethodsA prospective, cross-sectional study of 23 outpatient transplant recipients followed from February 2009 to March 2010 included women of age ≥35 years after liver transplantations ≥1 year prior. We recorded patient histories, liver enzyme levels, as well as bone mineral densities measured at the lumbar spine and femur. Statistical analysis used Fisher's exact test, simple odds ratio (OR), and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.ResultsThe mean patient age was 52.5 ± 11 years with 30.4% premenopausal, and 69.6% perimenopausal or postmenopausal. Approximately 21% showed osteoporosis and 35%, a low bone mass. Postmenopausal women: OR 69.0 (95% CI 2.89–1647.18; P < .0001), aged ≥49 years: OR 13.33 (95% CI 1.78–100.15; P = .0123) and receiving a transplant after 44 years of age: OR 49.50 (95% CI 3.84–638.43; P < .0001) were associated with a lower bone mass. Having undergone transplantation for more than 5.8 years lowered the risk of bone mass change: OR 0.11 (95% CI 0.02–0.78; P = .0361). Clinical and laboratory variables, including corticosteroid use, were not associated with decreased bone mass.ConclusionUnderstanding the prevalence and factors associated with osteoporosis among female liver transplant recipients is important to enhance the strategies to diagnose and treat these women, seeking to improve their quality of life

Elderberry Stalks as a Source of High-Value Phytochemical: Essential Minerals and Lipophilic Compounds

Elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) consumption has been growing in the last years, generating a large number of stalks (~10% of the berries bunch) that are still under-valorized. This study focused on the evaluation of elderberry stalks as a source of high-value phytochemicals. In this vein, the essential mineral content and lipophilic composition were analyzed for the first time. In addition, the polar fraction was evaluated regarding its total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity by both 2,2-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) assays. The lipophilic fraction was mainly composed of triterpenic acids (2902.20 mg kg−1 of dry weight (dw)), fatty acids (711.73 mg kg−1 dw) and sterols (288.56 mg kg−1 dw). Minor amounts of long-chain aliphatic alcohols and other components were also detected. Ursolic acid (2265.83 mg kg−1 dw), hexadecanoic acid (219.85 mg kg−1 dw) and β-sitosterol (202.74 mg kg−1 dw) were the major lipophilic components verified. The results of this study also indicated that elderberry stalks might be used as a natural source of essential minerals, particularly calcium, iron and potassium, which are known to play important roles in various body functions. The analysis of the polar fraction also showed that elderberry stalks present TPC as high as elderberry themselves as well as considerable antioxidant activity (1.04 and 0.37 mmol TE g−1 of extract, against respectively ABTS and DPPH radicals). These results highlight the potential of elderberry stalks as a natural source of high-value phytochemicals that may be explored in several fieldspublishe

Exact Diagonalization of Two Quantum Models for the Damped Harmonic Oscillator

The damped harmonic oscillator is a workhorse for the study of dissipation in quantum mechanics. However, despite its simplicity, this system has given rise to some approximations whose validity and relation to more refined descriptions deserve a thorough investigation. In this work, we apply a method that allows us to diagonalize exactly the dissipative Hamiltonians that are frequently adopted in the literature. Using this method we derive the conditions of validity of the rotating-wave approximation (RWA) and show how this approximate description relates to more general ones. We also show that the existence of dissipative coherent states is intimately related to the RWA. Finally, through the evaluation of the dynamics of the damped oscillator, we notice an important property of the dissipative model that has not been properly accounted for in previous works; namely, the necessity of new constraints to the application of the factorizable initial conditions.Comment: 19 pages, 2 figures, ReVTe

Decoherence in trapped ions due to polarization of the residual background gas

We investigate the mechanism of damping and heating of trapped ions associated with the polarization of the residual background gas induced by the oscillating ions themselves. Reasoning by analogy with the physics of surface electrons in liquid helium, we demonstrate that the decay of Rabi oscillations observed in experiments on 9Be+ can be attributed to the polarization phenomena investigated here. The measured sensitivity of the damping of Rabi oscillations with respect to the vibrational quantum number of a trapped ion is also predicted in our polarization model.Comment: 26 pdf pages with 5 figures, http://www.df.ufscar.br/~quantum

Urinary Incontinence Among Climateric Brazilian Women: Household Survey

Objective. To investigate the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence and its associated factors in perimenopause women using a population-based household survey. Methods. A descriptive, exploratory cross-sectional population-based study with secondary analysis of a population-based household survey on perimenopause and menopause was conducted among women living in the city of Campinas, Brazil. Through a sampling process, 456 women between 45 and 60 years old were selected. Complaints of urinary incontinence and related risk factors, such as age, socioeconomic status, education level, race, parity, smoking habits, body mass index, previous gynecological surgeries, menopausal status, and hormonal replacement therapy were explored. Data were collected through home interviews using an adapted version of the structured pre-tested questionnaire elaborated by the International Health Foundation, International Menopause Society and the American Menopause Society. Statistical analysis were performed using prevalence rates (CI 95%). Results. Thirty-five percent of the interviewees referred stress urinary incontinence. None of the sociodemographic factors studied was associated to the risk of urinary incontinence. In addition, parity did not significantly change the risk of urinary incontinence. Other factors, such as previous gynecological surgeries, body mass index, and smoking habits, were not associated with the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence. Also, menopausal status and hormonal replacement therapy did not change the risk of stress urinary incontinence. Conclusion. Though there was a high prevalence of stress urinary incontinence among perimenopause women, there was not found any associations with sociodemographic and reproductive factors.355428435Bortolotti, A., Bernardini, B., Colli, E., Di Benedetto, P., Giocoli Nacci, G., Landoni, M., Prevalence and risk factors for urinary incontinence in Italy (2000) Eur Urol, 37, pp. 30-35Brown, J.S., Grady, D., Ouslander, J.G., Herzog, A.R., Varner, R.E., Posner, S.F., Prevalence of urinary incontinence and associated risk factors in postmenopausal women (1999) Obstet Gynecol, 94, pp. 66-70. , Hert & Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS) Research GroupBurgio, K.L., Mathews, K.A., Engel, B.T., Prevalence, incidence and correlates of urinary incontinence in healthy, middle-aged women (1991) J Urol, 146, pp. 1255-1259Comportamento sexual da população brasileira e percepção sobre o HIV/AIDS: Relatório final de pesquisa (1999), pp. 34-37. , Centro Brasileiro de Análise e Planejamento (CEBRAP), Ministério da Saúde-SPS-CNDST/HIV/AIDS. São PauloChiarelli, P., Brown, W., Mc Elduf, F.P., Leaking urine: Prevalence and associated factors in Australian women (1999) Neurourol Urodyn, 18, pp. 567-577Elving, L.B., Foldspang, A., Lam, G.W., Mommsen, S., Descriptive epidemiology of urinary incontinence in 3100 women age 30-59 (1989) Scand J Urol Nephrol, 125 (SUPPL.), pp. 37-43Fantl, J.A., Cardozo, L., Mc Clish, D.K., Estrogen therapy in the management of urinary incontinence in postmenopausal women: A meta-analisys (1994) Obstet Gynecol, 83, pp. 12-18. , First report of the Hormones and Urogenital Therapy CommiteeFantl, J.A., Bump, R.C., Robinson, D., Efficacy of estrogen supplementation in the treatment of urinary incontinece (1996) Obstet Gynecol, 88, pp. 745-749Guarisi, T., Pinto-Neto, A.M., Costa-Paiva, L.H.S., Pedro, A.O., Faúndes, A., Sintomas urinários e genitais em mulheres climatéricas (1998) J Bras Ginecol, 108, pp. 125-130Jaszmann, L., Epidemiology of climateric and postclimateric complaints (1973), pp. 22-24. , Van Keep PA, Lauritzen C, editors. Ageing and estrogens: front hormone research. Basel: KargerLaurenti, R., Mello-Jorge, M.L.P., Lebrão, M.L., Gotlieb, S.L.D., População: Recenseamento e estimativas (1987) Estatística de saúde., pp. 9-38. , editors. 2a ed. São Paulo: EPUMendonça, M., Reis, R.V., Macedo, C.B.M.S., Barbosa, K.S.R., Prevalência da queixa de incontinência urinária de esforço em pacientes atendidas no serviço de ginecologia do Hospital Júlia Kubitschek (1997) J Bras Ginecol, 107, pp. 153-155Moller, L.A., Lose, G., Jorgensen, T., The prevalence and bothersomeness of lower urinary tract symptons in women 40-60 years of age (2000) Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 79, pp. 298-305Thom, D.H., Brown, J.S., Reproductive and hormonal risk factors for urinary incontinence in later life: A review of the clinical and epidemiologic literature (1998) J Am Geriatr Soc, 46, pp. 1411-1417Van Geelen, J.M., Van de Weijer, P.H., Arnolds, H.T., Urogenital symptons and resulting discomfort in noninstitutionalized Dutch women aged 50-75 years (2000) Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct, 11, pp. 9-14Von Mühlen, D.G., Kritz-Silverstein, D., Barret-Connor, E., A community based study of menopause symptoms and estrogen replacement in older women (1995) Maturitas, 22, pp. 71-78Wilbur, J., Miller, A.M., Montgomery, A., Chandler, P., Sociodemographic characteristics, biological factors, an symptom reporting in midlife women (1998) Menopause, 5, pp. 43-5

End concrete cover separation in RC structures strengthened in flexure with NSM FRP: Analytical design approach

Fiber-reinforced-polymer (FRP) composite materials applied according to the near-surface-mounted (NSM) technique are very effective for the flexural strengthening of reinforced-concrete (RC) structures. However, the flexural strengthening effectiveness of this NSM technique is sometimes compromised by end concrete cover separation (CCS) failure, which is a premature failure before occurring the conventional flexural failure modes. Due to the complexity of this failure mode, no analytical approach, with a design framework for its accurate prediction, was published despite the available experimental results on this premature failure. In the present study, a novel simplified analytical approach is developed based on a closed form solution for an almost accurate prediction of CCS failure in RC structures strengthened in flexure with NSM FRP reinforcement. After demonstrating the good predictive performance of the proposed model, it was used for executing parametric studies in order to evaluate the influence of the material properties and FRP strengthening configuration on the susceptibility of occurring the CCS failure. At the end, regarding to the FRP strengthening configuration, some design recommendations were proposed to maximize the resistance of NSM FRP strengthened structures to the susceptibility of occurring the CCS failure.The authors acknowledge the financial support provided by QREN (through the Operational Program COMPETE) in the scope of the CutInov Project (n. 38780) involving the Clever Reinforcement Company and the Structural Composites Research group of ISISE-Minho University

Prevalence and risk factors for bovine leptospirosis in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Foi investigada a prevalência de anticorpos antileptospira em fêmeas bovinas com idade igual ou superior a 24 meses, provenientes de 178 rebanhos de 22 municípios do estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, bem como identificados fatores de risco associados à infecção. Foram analisadas 2.573 amostras de soro sangüíneo por meio do teste de soroaglutinação microscópica perante 10 sorovares de leptospira. Títulos iguais ou superiores a 100 para um ou mais sorovares foram detectados em 1.801 fêmeas (98,8%) de 161 (96,5%) rebanhos. O sorovar Hardjo (65,6%) foi apontado como o mais provável, seguido do sorovar Wolffi (12,3%). Os resultados demonstram que a leptospirose bovina se encontra presente em todos os municípios estudados, com alta prevalência, tanto em animais como em rebanhos. Os fatores de risco identificados neste estudo e associados à infecção por bactérias do gênero lepstopira foram o tipo de exploração pecuária de corte e a raça Zebu. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe prevalence of anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies was estimated for female cattle aged 24 months or older. The sample comprised 178 herds from 22 counties in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The risk factors associated with the presence of infeccion were investigated. A total of 2,573 blood serum samples were tested against 10 leptospira serovars using the microagglutination test (MAT). Titers of 100 or higher for one or more serovars were detected in 1,801 females (98.8%) from 161 herds (96.5%). Serovar Hardjo (65.6%) was the most frequent, followed by serovar Wolffi (12.3%). These results suggest that bovine leptospirosis is widespread in all the counties under study, with a high prevalence both at the animal and the herd level. Beef farms and the Zebu breed were associated to the higher risk of herd infection by leptospiras