Derivative-Free Global Minimization in One Dimension: Relaxation, Monte Carlo, and Sampling

We introduce a derivative-free global optimization algorithm that efficiently computes minima for various classes of one-dimensional functions, including non-convex, and non-smooth functions.This algorithm numerically approximates the gradient flow of a relaxed functional, integrating strategies such as Monte Carlos methods, rejection sampling, and adaptive techniques. These strategies enhance performance in solving a diverse range of optimization problems while significantly reducing the number of required function evaluations compared to established methods. We present a proof of the convergence of the algorithm and illustrate its performance by comprehensive benchmarking. The proposed algorithm offers a substantial potential for real-world models. It is particularly advantageous in situations requiring computationally intensive objective function evaluations

A theoretical approach of adaptation to stress and implications for evaluation and research

[Excerpt] The study of adaptation to occupational stress is a major topic of research on psychology, and other social sciences. In fact, data suggests that employees face significant levels of tension at work, and that there is an increasing of sources of stress, both in terms of intensity and diversity [1]. In this chapter, we analyze adaptation to stress by focusing at the individual level, discussing how professionals evaluate and cope with stressors that impose significant efforts of adjusting. However, this does not mean that occupational stress is strictly an individual phenomenon; by the contrary, a better understanding of stress at work should assume a multifactor perspective, where the employee, the employer, the work organization, the public policies and laws of work, and the cultural values and norms that influence professional relations between all these agents, play together and determine if the working activity will be a pleasant or dysfunctional experience for professionals. Despite the importance of considering all these factors when studying the working activity, it is also obvious that the way each worker adapt to their working conditions is a pivotal factor to understand how this activity can represent a source of personal gratification or, by the contrary, can ended represent a negative, or even indifferent, experience. [...]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Occupational stress, cognitive appraisal, burnout and work engagement in civil aviation

Este estudo foi realizado com profissionais de tripulação de voo e teve como objetivos: (a) analisar a experiência de stresse ocupacional, de burnout e de comprometimento face ao trabalho; (b) analisar a importância dos processos de avaliação cognitiva na atividade laboral; e (c) analisar as variáveis preditoras do burnout e do comprometimento face ao trabalho. Participaram no estudo 184 profissionais (121 do sexo masculino; 65,8%) que responderam a um protocolo de avaliação sobre stresse ocupacional, avaliação cognitiva, burnout e comprometimento face ao trabalho. Nos resultados, quatro aspetos devem ser salientados: (a) 27,8% dos participantes percecionaram índices significativos de stresse ocupacional, tendo sido assinalados dois casos de burnout pleno; (b) a tripulação de cabine evidenciou uma experiência profissional mais negativa do que os pilotos; (c) os profissionais com processos de avaliação cognitiva menos positivos face ao trabalho evidenciaram maior stresse ocupacional e burnout e menor comprometimento face ao trabalho; e (d) o stresse ocupacional e a avaliação cognitiva foram variáveis importantes na predição do burnout e do comprometimento face ao trabalho. Em conclusão, os resultados evidenciaram o caráter stressante desta atividade e a importância da avaliação cognitiva na adaptação humana em contextos laborais.This study was done with flight crew workers, having the following goals: (a) analyze the experience of occupational stress, burnout and work engagement; (b) analyze the importance of the cognitive appraisal processes in the way participants adapt to work conditions; and (c) analyze the predictors of burnout and work engagement. The study included 184 professionals (121 males; 65,8%), that responded to an evaluation protocol with measures of occupational stress, cognitive appraisal, burnout, and work engagement. The results revealed four main aspects: (a) the participants assumed significant levels of occupational stress (27,8%), having been reported two cases of burnout; (b) the cabin crew assumed a more negative professional experience than pilots; (c) cognitive appraisal processes assumed a central role in how professionals respond to job demands, exerting an influence in the experience of occupational stress, burnout and work engagement; and (d) occupational stress and cognitive appraisal were important variables in the prediction of burnout and work engagement. In sum, the results of this study indicated the stressful nature of this activity and the importance of cognitive appraisal in human adaptation in work contexts

Os indicadores para a tomada de decisão do guarda-redes de andebol

O presente estudo teve como objectivos verificar quais os indicadores utilizados pelos guarda-redes experts de andebol na antecipação de remates de 1ª linha e analisar em que indicadores se verificam diferenças entre guarda-redes experts e principiantes. Foram colocados dezasseis guarda-redes (oito experts e oito principiantes) perante quarenta e oito sequências de remates de 1ª linha, com paragens de imagem em quatro momentos prévios à saída da bola da mão do rematador. No momento em que o guarda-redes antecipasse o remate era recolhida informação relativamente aos indicadores que o levavam à tomada de decisão na antecipação. Os resultados sugerem que os guarda-redes utilizam preferencialmente para antecipação de remates de 1ª linha indicadores corporais, de colaboração com os defensores e relacionados com as trajectórias e impulsão dos rematadores. Os guarda-redes experts utilizam com maior frequência que os principiantes indicadores centrados em aspectos que lhe permitem antecipar mais cedo a trajectória da bola, como informações prévias ao remate (lateralidade e estatura do rematador e local de onde recebeu a bola) e indícios relacionados com a trajectória e impulsão do rematador. Também a utilização de indicadores relacionados com a acção dos defensores é mais acentuada nos guarda-redes experts que nos principiantes.El presente estudio tuvo como objetivos identificar los indicadores utilizados por los porteros expertos de balonmano en la anticipación de los lanzamientos de primera línea y también analizar que indicadores diferencian los comportamientos entre porteros expertos y novatos. Han sido analizados 16 porteros (ocho expertos y ocho novatos) de 48 secuencias de lanzamientos de primera línea. Las imágenes del análisis son paradas en cuatro momentos previos a la salida del balón de la mano del lanzador. Siempre que el portero anticipa el lanzamiento, fue recogida la información referente a los indicadores que llevan a la toma de decisión de la anticipación. Los resultados siguieren que los porteros utilizan preferiblemente para anticiparse a los lanzamientos de primera línea indicadores corporales, la colaboración con los defensores relacionándolo con las trayectorias y, además, el salto del lanzador. Los porteros expertos utilizan con mayo

Exposure to e-cigarette advertising and young people's use of e-cigarettes: A four-country study

INTRODUCTION: The World Health Organization recommends banning all forms of e-cigarette advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. The aims of the present study were to: 1) examine young people's exposure to e-cigarette advertising across a wide range of media in four diverse countries; and 2) identify any association between the number of different types of media exposures and e-cigarette use. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was administered to approximately 1000 people aged 15-30 years in Australia, China, India, and the United Kingdom (n=4107). The survey assessed demographic characteristics, e-cigarette and tobacco use, numbers of friends and family members who vape, and exposure to multiple forms of e-cigarette advertising (e.g. television, radio, print, and various types of social media). Descriptive analyses were conducted on those who had heard of e-cigarettes (n=3095, significance threshold p<0.001) and a logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with e-cigarette ever use (significance threshold p<0.05). RESULTS: The majority (85%) of respondents who had heard of e-cigarettes reported being exposed to e-cigarette advertising on at least one type of media, and the average number of types of media to which respondents were exposed was 5 (range: 0-17). The number of media types was significantly associated with ever use of e-cigarettes (OR=1.05; 95% CI: 1.02-1.08, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Despite advertising restrictions in place in all four countries, large majorities of young people reported being exposed to e-cigarette advertising. Social media and advertising on/around vape shops and other retailers appear to be key exposure locations. Urgent attention is needed to address these forms of exposure given their apparent association with e-cigarette use

E-cigarette attitudes and behaviours amongst 15-30-year-olds in the UK

BACKGROUND: The use of e-cigarettes has been rising in the UK, particularly by young people. This study investigated behaviours, attitudes and beliefs about e-cigarettes amongst 15-30-year-olds in the UK. METHODS: An online survey was administered to a sample of 1009 15-30-year-olds in the UK. RESULTS: About one in five participants currently used e-cigarettes at least monthly, with 1 in 10 using them daily. Amongst those using e-cigarettes at least monthly, 90% had used e-cigarettes containing nicotine. E-cigarettes were mainly obtained from vape shops and used at home. Having friends who used e-cigarettes and using them to help quit/reduce smoking were the most common reasons for vaping. About half of participants had been exposed to e-cigarette advertising, especially online, and warning labels on e-cigarettes. Most participants agreed that e-cigarettes are addictive (75%), help people quitting smoking (64%) and are bad for health (63%). Previous or current tobacco smokers were 9 and 22 times more likely to use e-cigarettes than never smokers, respectively. Perceiving e-cigarettes as harmful was associated with a 40% lower likelihood of use. CONCLUSION: Raising awareness on the uncertain long-term consequences of vaping and regulation of marketing and sales are crucial to protect young people in the UK

Team Spirit: How Three Libraries Are Working to Support Health Sciences Libraries in Liberia

This poster presentation is a collaborative effort of librarians from Lamar Soutter Library, University of Massachusetts Medical School; Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library, The George Washington University; and Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library, Howard University. International medicine initiatives often occur through institution specific efforts. Yet information needs extend across borders and institutions. Three American health sciences libraries have united to support the development of health sciences libraries in Liberia. While separate schools will support undergraduate and graduate medical education initiatives, the libraries are working together to bring current information resources to all health care professionals

Probable Person-to-Person Transmission of Legionnaires’ Disease

Correspondence to the Editor.Legionnaires’ disease is an often severe form of pneumonia that is typically acquired by susceptible persons (e.g., elderly persons and smokers) through inhalation of aerosols that contain legionella species.1-4 A cluster of cases of this disease occurred in Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal, in 2014

Production of heterologous cutinases by E. coli and improved enzyme formulation for application on plastic degradation

Background: The hydrolytic action of cutinases has been applied to the degradation of plastics. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) have long half-life which constitutes a major problem for their treatment as urban solid residues. The aim of this work was to characterize and to improve stable the enzyme to optimize the process of degradation using enzymatic hydrolysis of PET by recombinant cutinases. Results: The wild type form of cutinase from Fusarium solani pisi and its C-terminal fusion to cellulose binding domain N1 from Cellulomonas fimi were produced by genetically modified Escherichia coli. The maximum activity of cutinases produced in Lactose Broth in the presence of ampicillin and isopropyl β- D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) was 1.4 IU/mL. Both cutinases had an optimum pH around 7.0 and they were stable between 30 and 50ºC during 90 min. The addition of glycerol, PEG-200 and (NH4)2SO4 to the metabolic liquid, concentrated by ultra filtration, stabilized the activity during 60 days at 28ºC. The treatment of PET with cutinases during 48 hrs led to maxima weight loss of 0.90%. Conclusions: Recombinant microbial cutinases may present advantages in the treatment of poly(ethylene terephthalate) PET through enzymatic treatments.This research study was financially supported by CAPES (Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior), FACEPE (Fundacao de Amparo a Ciencia e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco) and CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico)

SQI – Indice d’évaluation des talus rocheux

In this work, an empirical system was developed to obtain a quality index for rock slopes in road infrastructures, named Slope Quality Index (SQI), and it was applied to a set of real slopes. The SQI is supported in nine factors affecting slope stability that contemplate the evaluation of different parameters. Consequently, each factor is classified by degree of importance and influence by assigned weights. These weights were established through a statistical analysis of replies to a survey that was distributed to several experienced professionals in the field. The proposed SQI varies between 1 and 5, corresponding to slopes in very good and very bad condition state, respectively. Besides the advantage linked to a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of slopes, the SQI also allows identifying the most critical factors on the slope stability, which is a fundamental issue for an efficient management of the slope network in the road infrastructure, namely in the planning of conservation and maintenance operations.Dans ce travail, un système empirique a été développé pour obtenir un indice de qualité pour des talus rocheux dans les infrastructures routières, nommée Indice de la qualité de talus (SQI), et il a été appliqué à un talus réel. L'SQI est pris en charge par neuf facteurs qui influent la stabilité des talus qui envisagent l'évaluation des paramètres différents. Par conséquent, chaque facteur est classé par degré d'importance et d'influence au travers des poids. Ces pondérations ont été établies par une analyse statistique des réponses à un sondage qui a été distribué à plusieurs professionnels du domaine scientifique. L'SQI varie entre 1 et 5, correspondant à talus en très bon et très mauvais état de condition, respectivement. Plus de l'avantage lié à une évaluation quantitative et qualitative des talus, l'SQI permet également d'identifier les facteurs les plus critiques sur la stabilité des talus, ce qui est une question fondamentale pour une gestion efficace du réseau des talus dans l'infrastructure routière, notamment dans la planification de les opérations de conservation et d'entretien.(undefined