Critical Issues: Defining and Debunking Misconceptions in Health, Education, Criminal Justice, and Social Work/Social Services

The University of Houston Downtown Committee for the Journal of Family Strengths introduces Volume 18, Issue 1: Critical Issues: Defining and Debunking Misconceptions in Health, Education, Criminal Justice, and Social Work/Social Services

Two Algebraic Process Semantics for Contextual Nets

We show that the so-called 'Petri nets are monoids' approach initiated by Meseguer and Montanari can be extended from ordinary place/transition Petri nets to contextual nets by considering suitable non-free monoids of places. The algebraic characterizations of net concurrent computations we provide cover both the collective and the individual token philosophy, uniformly along the two interpretations, and coincide with the classical proposals for place/transition Petri nets in the absence of read-arcs

Modeling with history-dependent Petri nets

Most information systems that are driven by process models (e.g., workflow management systems) record events in event logs, also known as transaction logs or audit trails. We consider processes that not only keep track of their history in a log, but also make decisions based on this log. Extending our previous work on history-dependent Petri nets we propose and evaluate a methodology for modelling processes by such nets and show how history-dependent nets can combine modelling comfort with analysability

Gravitational intraction on quantum level and consequences thereof

The notion of gravitational emission as an emission of the same level with electromagnetic emission is based on the proven fact of existence of electrons stationary states in its own gravitational field, characterized by gravitational constantComment: 22 pages, 9 figure

A Comparison of Petri Net Semantics under the Collective Token Philosophy

In recent years, several semantics for place/transition Petri nets have been proposed that adopt the collective token philosophy. We investigate distinctions and similarities between three such models, namely configuration structures, concurrent transition systems, and (strictly) symmetric (strict) monoidal categories. We use the notion of adjunction to express each connection. We also present a purely logical description of the collective token interpretation of net behaviours in terms of theories and theory morphisms in partial membership equational logic

Perchlorate and nitrate in situ bioremediation of ground water

Nitrate and perchlorate are growing worldwide problems as mobile anionic groundwater contaminants. Biological rduction of nitrate and perchlorate in groundwater is under development as a technology to address these problems

Assessment of suitable observation conditions for a monthly operational remote sensing based crop monitoring system.

Abstract: Cloud cover is the main issue to consider when remote sensing images are used to identify, map and monitor croplands, especially over the summer season (October to March in Brazi). This paper aims at evaluating clear sky conditions over four Brazilian states (Sa?o Paulo, Parana?, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul) to assess suitable observation conditions for a monthly basis operational crop monitoring system. Cloudiness was analyzed using MODIS Cloud Mask product (MOD35), which presents four labels for cloud cover status: cloudy, uncertainty, probably clear and confident clear. R software was used to compute average values of clear sky with a confidence interval of 95% for each month between July 1st, 2000 and June 30th, 2013. Results showed significant differences within and between the four tested states. Moreover, the period from November to March presented 50% less clear sky areas when compared to April to October

Exploration of associations between the FTO rs9939609 genotype, fasting and postprandial appetite-related hormones and perceived appetite in healthy men and women

Background: The fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) rs9939609 A-allele has been associated with obesity risk. Although the exact mechanisms involved remain unknown, the FTO rs9939609 A-allele has been associated with an impaired postprandial suppression of appetite. Objectives: To explore the influence of FTO rs9939609 genotype on fasting and postprandial appetite-related hormones and perceived appetite in a heterogeneous sample of men and women. Design: 112 healthy men and women aged 18-50-years-old completed three laboratory visits for the assessment of FTO rs9939609 genotype, body composition, aerobic fitness, resting metabolic rate, visceral adipose tissue, liver fat, fasting leptin, and fasting and postprandial acylated ghrelin, total PYY, insulin, glucose and perceived appetite. Participants wore accelerometers for seven consecutive days for the assessment of physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Multivariable general linear models quantified differences between FTO rs9939609 groups for fasting and postprandial appetite outcomes, with and without the addition of a priori selected physiological and behavioural covariates. Sex-specific univariable Pearson's correlation coefficients were quantified between the appetite-related outcomes and individual characteristics. Results: 95% confidence intervals for mean differences between FTO rs9939609 groups overlapped zero in unadjusted and adjusted general linear models for all fasting (P ≥ 0.28) and postprandial (P ≥ 0.19) appetite-related outcomes. Eta2 values for explained variance attributable to FTO rs9939609 were <5% for all outcomes. An exploratory correlation matrix indicated that associations between fasting and postprandial acylated ghrelin, total PYY and general or abdominal adiposity were also small (r = −0.23 to 0.15, P ≥ 0.09). Fasting leptin, glucose and insulin and postprandial insulin concentrations were associated with adiposity outcomes (r = 0.29 to 0.81, P ≤ 0.033). Conclusions: Associations between the FTO rs9939609 genotype and fasting or postprandial appetite-related outcomes were weak in healthy men and women

Encoding Synchronous Interactions Using Labelled Petri Nets

International audienceWe present an encoding of (bound) CSP processes with replication into Petri nets with labelled transitions. Through the encoding, the firing semantics of Petri nets models the standard operational semantics of CSP processes, which is both preserved and reflected. This correspondence allows for describing by net semantics the standard CSP observational equivalences. Since the encoding is modular with respect to process syntax, the paper puts on a firm ground the technology transfer between the two formalisms, e.g. recasting into the CSP framework well-established results like decidability of coverability for nets. This work complements previous results concerning the encoding of asynchronous interactions, thus witnessing the expressiveness of (open) labelled nets in modelling process calculi with alternative communication patterns