Graph Symmetry Detection and Canonical Labeling: Differences and Synergies

Symmetries of combinatorial objects are known to complicate search algorithms, but such obstacles can often be removed by detecting symmetries early and discarding symmetric subproblems. Canonical labeling of combinatorial objects facilitates easy equivalence checking through quick matching. All existing canonical labeling software also finds symmetries, but the fastest symmetry-finding software does not perform canonical labeling. In this work, we contrast the two problems and dissect typical algorithms to identify their similarities and differences. We then develop a novel approach to canonical labeling where symmetries are found first and then used to speed up the canonical labeling algorithms. Empirical results show that this approach outperforms state-of-the-art canonical labelers.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, 1 table, Turing-10

Correlation of hippocampal theta rhythm with changes in cutaneous temperature

A possible role for the hippocampus in alerting an animal to changes in cutaneous temperature was examined. Following local warming or cooling of the ears of unanesthetized, loosely restrained rabbits, theta waves (4-7 Hz EEG waves) were recorded from electrodes straddling the hippocampus. The onset of the hippocampal theta rhythm was correlated with changes in cutaneous temperature, an observation consistent with studies indicating that the theta rhythm is a nonspecific response evoked by stimulation of several sensory modalities. Additional data from cats and rabbits were correlated with specific neurons within the hippocampus, namely pyramidal cells. Post stimulus time histograms obtained by excitation of the dorsal fornix were interpreted in terms of excitatory and inhibitory inputs to pyramidal cells. Thus, the theta rhythm, which appears to be evoked by changes in cutaneous temperature, can be related to a specific type of hippocampal neuron which is in turn connected with other areas of the brain involved in temperature regulation

Conceptual design of a fleet of autonomous regolith throwing devices for radiation shielding of lunar habitats

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in conjunction with Universities Space Research Association (USRA) has requested that the feasibility of a fleet of regolith tossing devices designed to cover a lunar habitat for radiation protection be demonstrated. The regolith, or lunar soil, protects the lunar habitat and its inhabitants from radiation. Ideally, the device will operate autonomously in the lunar environment. To prove the feasibility of throwing regolith on the Moon, throwing solutions were compared to traditional, Earth-based methods for moving soil. Various throwing configurations were investigated. A linear throwing motion combined with a spring and motor energizing system proved a superior solution. Three different overall configurations for the lunar device are presented. A single configuration is chosen and critical parameters such as operating procedure, system volume, mass, and power are developed. The report is divided into seven main sections. First, the Introduction section gives background information, defines the project requirements and the design criteria, and presents the methodology used for the completion of this design. Next, the Preliminary Analysis section presents background information on characteristics of lunar habitats and the lunar environment. Then, the Alternate Designs section presents alternate solutions to each of the critical functions of the device. Fourth, a detailed analysis of throwing the regolith is done to demonstrate its feasibility. Then, the three overall design configurations are presented. Next, a configuration is selected and the conceptual design is expanded to include system performance characteristics, size, and mass. Finally, the Conclusions and Recommendations for Future Work section evaluates the design, outlines the next step to be taken in the design process, and suggests possible goals for future design work

Osteonecrosis of the jaw in a patient under treatment of osteoporosis with oral bisphosphonate

Although uncommon in patients under oral therapy, bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) can be a very severe issue. Early intervention with surgical resection should be the preferable method of treating any stage of the disease, resulting in better outcomes and decreasing the morbidity of this condition. A 77-year-old female patient attended the Special Care Dentistry Centre of the University of São Paulo Faculty of Dentistry (CAPE FOUSP) complaining mainly of “an exposed bone that appeared after tooth extraction performed six months earlier”. The patient was diagnosed with osteonecrosis associated with bisphosphonate (sodium ibandronate) and surgically treated with removal of bone sequestration and antibiotic therapy. The patient was followed up for six years (a total of 6 appointments), presenting good general health and no sign of bone exposure. Imaging findings showed no changes related to BRONJ either

Conceptual design of a fleet of autonomous regolith throwing devices for radiation shielding of lunar habitats

This report presents refinements in two areas of the initial design presented in the report entitled 'Conceptual Design of a Fleet of Autonomous Regolith Throwing Devices for Radiation Shielding of Lunar Habitats'. The first section presents an evaluation of the critical areas of the design and presents alternative solutions for these areas. The areas for design refinement are the traction required by the device and the stability of the device when throwing regolith. Several alternative methods are presented to solve these problems. First, the issue of required traction is covered. Next, the design is refined to provide a more stable device. The issue of stability is addressed both by presenting solutions for the configuration chosen for the computer simulation and by presenting two more device configurations. The next section presents the selected solutions. To prevent inadequate traction, the depth of dig-per-pass is reduced. A method combining a dynamic counterweight and an outrigger is chosen to provide a stable device

The Relationship between National Culture and Succession Planning in Malaysian Public Universities

This study investigates the role of national culture in succession planning. Higher education institutions ought to learn from corporate succession planning practices; nevertheless, succession planning principles must be adapted as needed to meet the unique needs of each institution. Studies of the influence of culture on succession planning in higher education institutions have not yet revealed the specific impact of national culture on succession planning. We use Hofstede’s national culture dimensions, which are power distance, collectivism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation. Data were gathered from five universities in Malaysia, and were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Our findings show that the national culture of university employees influences succession planning. This study contributes to existing understanding of factors affecting succession planning, points towards further research, helps practitioners by demonstrating the importance of taking national culture into account and indicates the importance of implementing succession planning in public universities in Malaysia

TB196: Temperature, Soil Moisture, and Streamflow at the Bear Brook Watershed in Maine (BBWM)

The Bear Brook Watershed in Maine is a whole-ecosystem chemical manipulation initiated in 1987 to study the effects of acid deposition on forests and surface waters. The focus of this research was to understand the biogeochemical response of watersheds with emphasis on chemistry and hydrology. In 2001 a program was initiated to provide more detailed measurements of temperature and moisture to examine critical linkages amongst chemical, biological, and physical processes that ultimately work together to define ecosystem function. The purpose of this publication is to provide data from the initial phase of soil temperature, air temperature, and soil moisture measurements at the site. In addition, the authors have incorporated aspects of relevant precipitation and streamflow characteristics available for the full project period.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_techbulletin/1001/thumbnail.jp

Selection of Voltage Thresholds for Delay Measurement

Since all physical devices have a finite non-zero responsetime, the notion of delay between the input and output logicsignals arises naturally once digital abstraction is done. Thisdelay should be positive and non-zero, since a physical devicetakes a finite amount of time to respond to the input. Defininga strictly positive delay is not a problem in the abstract domainof logic signals, since input and output ’’events‘‘ are preciselydefined. However, when the signal non-idealities are accountedfor, the notion of events is blurred and it is not obvious howto define delay such that it reflects the causal relationshipbetween the input and the output. By necessity, we define thestart and end points of these events by determining the timeinstants when the signals cross some appropriate voltage thresholds.The selection of these voltage thresholds for logic gates aswell as simple interconnect wires, is the subject of this paper.We begin by a discussion of what we mean by signal delay andhow it arises in a logic gate. With this background, startingfrom ideal inputs to ideal inverters and concluding with physicalinputs to physical inverters, we examine the problem of thresholdselection for inverters through a logical sequence of model refinement,using a combination of analytical and experimental techniques.Based on the insight gained through this analysis, we examinethe problem for multi-input (both static and dynamic) gates aswell as point-to-point interconnect wires. We show that thresholdsderived from the gate‘s DC voltage transfer characteristic removesthe anomalies, such as negative delay and large sensitivity toinput waveshape effects, that can arise with the widely used50% and 10%–90% thresholds. Despite its fundamentalnature, however, we note that the problem of threshold selectionhas received scant attention in the literature. To the best ofour knowledge, this is the first detailed study of this problem.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44035/1/10470_2004_Article_137059.pd

THE EFFECT OF JOB SATISFACTION AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT ON NURSES’ PERFORMANCE

The purpose: The purpose of this study was to find the impact of organizational commitment and Job satisfaction on nurses’ job performance. Methodology: The study conducted at the hospital of Ibn al-Athir and employed a quantitative method by structured questionnaires to collect the data. 200 questionnaires were distributed randomly and only 108 valid surveys likewise; the valid questionnaires have been analyzed by SPSS to exam the impact of organizational commitment and job satisfaction on job performance. Findings: the results indicated there is a positive and significant impact of Job satisfaction on nurses' performance. However, the three components of organizational commitment, Affective Commitment, Continuance Commitment, and Normative Commitment have a positive and significant impact on nurse's performance. The findings of this research indicate that employees ' job satisfaction and organizational commitment components play a critical role in nurses' performance. Implications: of this study to enrich the body of literature in the context of Iraq, which is suffering from a lack of studies related to nurses' performance. Novelty: the study provided useful and valuable recommendations to hospitals to increase nurse performance in the context of Iraq

Exploring Users’ Intentions for Using Mobile payment Applications, Based on Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology Theory

The objective of this study is to assess the behavioral intention (BI) of users to use Mobile-Payment based on their behavior. The study used the convenience sampling technique to collect the data from users. 198 questionnaires were analyzed by Smart-PLS 3 to assess the proposed model. The results showed that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, Social influence, and Trust has a positive and significant impact on BI to use of Mobile Payment. in contrast, the Effort expectancy has an insignificant impact on BI to use M-payment. This study could provide insights that can be valuable for businesses and developers in designing and promoting mobile payment applications that cater to users' preferences and needs