Economic efficiency of pig breeding schemes. Aspects on a national two breeds program

International audienc

The Relationship Between Academic-Efficacy and Persistence in Adult Remedial Education: A Replication Study

Self-efficacy is considered a construct influencing persistence (Bandura 1997, 2001, 2012). For adults pursuing academic remediation in preparation for higher education, persistence is a specific barrier to success in approximately 50% of cases. This study examined the relationships between general self-efficacy and academic-efficacy constructs with adult remedial education persistence for N = 88 students, and found a lack of relationship consistent with the earlier sample of students (Holmquist, Gable, & Billups, 2013). Further, few relationships were found with selected student demographic characteristics

An Optimal Algorithm for the Maximum-Density Segment Problem

We address a fundamental problem arising from analysis of biomolecular sequences. The input consists of two numbers $w_{\min}$ and $w_{\max}$ and a sequence $S$ of $n$ number pairs $(a_i,w_i)$ with $w_i>0$. Let {\em segment} $S(i,j)$ of $S$ be the consecutive subsequence of $S$ between indices $i$ and $j$. The {\em density} of $S(i,j)$ is $d(i,j)=(a_i+a_{i+1}+...+a_j)/(w_i+w_{i+1}+...+w_j)$. The {\em maximum-density segment problem} is to find a maximum-density segment over all segments $S(i,j)$ with $w_{\min}\leq w_i+w_{i+1}+...+w_j \leq w_{\max}$. The best previously known algorithm for the problem, due to Goldwasser, Kao, and Lu, runs in $O(n\log(w_{\max}-w_{\min}+1))$ time. In the present paper, we solve the problem in O(n) time. Our approach bypasses the complicated {\em right-skew decomposition}, introduced by Lin, Jiang, and Chao. As a result, our algorithm has the capability to process the input sequence in an online manner, which is an important feature for dealing with genome-scale sequences. Moreover, for a type of input sequences $S$ representable in $O(m)$ space, we show how to exploit the sparsity of $S$ and solve the maximum-density segment problem for $S$ in $O(m)$ time.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures, an early version of this paper was presented at 11th Annual European Symposium on Algorithms (ESA 2003), Budapest, Hungary, September 15-20, 200

Simple Power-Law Characterization of Transient Ground-Borne Vibrations

Practical characterization of transient ground-borne vibrations in civil and geotechnical engineering problems is often a difficult and frustrating task. Some modem engineering seismographs now routinely permit the collection of histogram-type data where the peak vibration for a pre-set time interval can be measured and stored for significant time periods. Such data is amenable to analysis utilizing concepts of fractal geometry and self-ordered criticality. Resulting data trends tend to follow power-law relationships that plot as essentially straight lines in log-log space. This application is similar to the Gutenberg-Richter relationship for earthquakes where the relationship between magnitude and frequency is fractal. However, the largest vibrations appear to follow another power-law trend appropriate to characterizing extreme events. Four cases of monitoring apparently random transient ground-borne vibrations are examined using this power-law approach: traffic induced vibrations near the curb of an urban arterial street, an unidentified vibration interfering with a precision machining operation, vibrations induced by vacationing children using the front door of a residence, and vibrations induced by water transport in a pipeline. All cases could be characterized by this approach

Selection indexes for beef cattle

International audienc

Flights in my hands : coherence concerns in designing Strip'TIC, a tangible space for air traffic controllers

Best Paper Honorable Mention awardInternational audienceWe reflect upon the design of a paper-based tangible interactive space to support air traffic control. We have observed, studied, prototyped and discussed with controllers a new mixed interaction system based on Anoto, video projection, and tracking. Starting from the understanding of the benefits of tangible paper strips, our goal is to study how mixed physical and virtual augmented data can support the controllers' mental work. The context of the activity led us to depart from models that are proposed in tangible interfaces research where coherence is based on how physical objects are representative of virtual objects. We propose a new account of coherence in a mixed interaction system that integrates externalization mechanisms. We found that physical objects play two roles: they act both as representation of mental objects and as tangible artifacts for interacting with augmented features. We observed that virtual objects represent physical ones, and not the reverse, and, being virtual representations of physical objects, should seamlessly converge with the cognitive role of the physical object. Finally, we show how coherence is achieved by providing a seamless interactive space

Accuracy and Precision of Tidal Wetland Soil Carbon Mapping in the Conterminous United States

Tidal wetlands produce long-term soil organic carbon (C) stocks. Thus for carbon accounting purposes, we need accurate and precise information on the magnitude and spatial distribution of those stocks. We assembled and analyzed an unprecedented soil core dataset, and tested three strategies for mapping carbon stocks: applying the average value from the synthesis to mapped tidal wetlands, applying models fit using empirical data and applied using soil, vegetation and salinity maps, and relying on independently generated soil carbon maps. Soil carbon stocks were far lower on average and varied less spatially and with depth than stocks calculated from available soils maps. Further, variation in carbon density was not well-predicted based on climate, salinity, vegetation, or soil classes. Instead, the assembled dataset showed that carbon density across the conterminous united states (CONUS) was normally distributed, with a predictable range of observations. We identified the simplest strategy, applying mean carbon density (27.0 kg C m−3), as the best performing strategy, and conservatively estimated that the top meter of CONUS tidal wetland soil contains 0.72 petagrams C. This strategy could provide standardization in CONUS tidal carbon accounting until such a time as modeling and mapping advancements can quantitatively improve accuracy and precision

Personality Assessment in Neuropsychology: The Nonspecificity of MMPI-2 Neurocorrection Methods

Three established methods of neurocorrection claim to improve Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)/MMPI-2 validity with closed-head injury (CHI) patients. These methods (which suggest removing `neurological' items from scoring) were employed here comparing 35 CHI patients with 35 psychiatric patients with elevated profiles. The 14-item correction changed 2-point codes for 41% of CHI and 31% of psychiatric profiles, the 30-item system changed 77% of CHI and 71% of psychiatric profiles, whereas the 37-item system changed 80% of CHI and 71% of psychiatric profiles. There were no significant differences between the two groups in number of profiles changed or number of neurocorrective items endorsed. Using each of the three correction systems, the following percentage of profiles remained elevated: 99%, 87%, and 89%, respectively.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

The Mechanical Behavior of a 25Cr Super Duplex Stainless Steel at Elevated Temperature

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