Влияние гегемона на создание альянсов в региональной подсистеме

Благодарности: выражаю благодарность доценту, кандидату исторических наук Победашу Дмитрию Ивановичу за ценные комментарии к настоящей работе.Acknowledgments: I express my gratitude to Assoc. Prof., Ph.D. Pobedash Dmitry Ivanovich for valuable comments on this work.Сформулированы стратегии создания альянсов в регионе, находящемся под властью гегемона. В работе применены стратегии альянсов Уолта в однополярном мире к региональному контексту и определено основное различие между системой и подсистемой, которые будут влиять на альянсы государств в трех сценариях.In this thesis, we formulate the alignment strategies of states in a region under a hegemon. The author applies Walt’s strategies of alliances in a unipolar world to a regional context and identifies the main difference between the system and subsystem that will influence the alignment of the regional states in three foreseeable scenarios

Increase of precuneus metabolism correlates with reduction of PTSD symptoms after EMDR therapy in military veterans: an 18F-FDG PET study during virtual reality exposure to war

International audienc

A Novel Blind Image Source Separation Using Hybrid Firefly Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm

Signal and image separation are extensively used in numerous imaging applications and communication systems. In this paper, a novel Blind Source Separation (BSS) approach, based on the Hybrid Firefly Particle Swarm Optimization (HFPSO), is proposed for separating mixed images. This approach processes the observed source without any prior knowledge about the model and the statistics of the source signal. The proposed method presents high robustness against local minima and converges quickly to the global minimum. Via numerical simulations, the proposed approach is tested and validated in comparison with standard Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Robust Independent Component Analysis (RobustICA), and Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithms. The obtained results show that the presented technique outperforms the existing ones in terms of quality of image separation, the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR), and Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM). Moreover, the obtained results demonstrate that our approach provides also promising results in image separation from noisy mixtures

COMPUTATIONALLY INEXPENSIVE FREE VORTEX METHOD TO OBTAIN VORTEX CORE POSITION IN THE WAKE OF A HORIZONTAL AXIS WIND TURBINE

This work aims to develop a free wake model, allowing quick simulation of flow through a horizontal axis wind turbine. The rapidity of computation is particularly interesting when this aerodynamic model is integrated with complementary mechanical and electrical models in order to study the unsteady behavior of the complete chain of energy transfer in the wind turbine. The proposed model takes into account both the tangential and longitudinal vorticity of the vortex system formed behind the rotor. The employed vortex system replaces the helical wake close to the wind turbine by a series of vortex rings and the far wake by a semi-infinite vortex cylinder. By taking into account the root vortex, the proposed model is used to study the development of the near wake of a horizontal axis wind turbine for different speeds of rotation. The shape of the near wake as well as the position of the trailing vortices are compared with particle image velocimetry experimental results for a low-power wind turbine tested in the wind tunnel of Arts et Métiers-ParisTech. The model shows a good agreement between the calculation and the experience

The relationship between sensory sensitivity and autistic traits in the general population.

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) tend to have sensory processing difficulties (Baranek et al. in J Child Psychol Psychiatry 47:591–601, 2006). These difficulties include over- and under-responsiveness to sensory stimuli, and problems modulating sensory input (Ben-Sasson et al. in J Autism Dev Disorders 39:1–11, 2009). As those with ASD exist at the extreme end of a continuum of autistic traits that is also evident in the general population, we investigated the link between ASD and sensory sensitivity in the general population by administering two questionnaires online to 212 adult participants. Results showed a highly significant positive correlation (r = .775, p < .001) between number of autistic traits and the frequency of sensory processing problems. These data suggest a strong link between sensory processing and autistic traits in the general population, which in turn potentially implicates sensory processing problems in social interaction difficulties

Auditory network connectivity in tinnitus patients: a resting-state fMRI study

Objective: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) uncovers correlated activity between spatially distinct functionally related brain regions and offers clues about the integrity of functional brain circuits in people with chronic subjective tinnitus. We chose to investigate auditory network connectivity, adopting and extending previously used analyses methods to provide an independent evaluation of replicability. Design: Independent components analysis (ICA) was used to identify coherent patterns arising from spontaneous brain signals within the resting-state data. The auditory network component was extracted and evaluated. Bivariate and partial correlation analyses were performed on pre-defined regions of bilateral auditory cortex to assess functional connectivity. Study sample: Our design carefully matched participant groups for possible confounds, such as hearing status. Twelve patients (seven male, five female; mean age 66 years) all with chronic constant tinnitus and eleven controls (eight male, three female; mean age 68 years) took part. Results: No significant differences were found in auditory network connectivity between groups after correcting for multiple statistical comparisons in the analysis. This contradicts previous findings reporting reduced auditory network connectivity; albeit at a less stringent statistical threshold. Conclusions: Auditory network connectivity does not appear to be reliably altered by the experience of chronic subjective tinnitus

Acoustic Intensity Causes Perceived Changes in Arousal Levels in Music: An Experimental Investigation

Listener perceptions of changes in the arousal expressed by classical music have been found to correlate with changes in sound intensity/loudness over time. This study manipulated the intensity profiles of different pieces of music in order to test the causal nature of this relationship. Listeners (N = 38) continuously rated their perceptions of the arousal expressed by each piece. An extract from Dvorak's Slavonic Dance Opus 46 No 1 was used to create a variant in which the direction of change in intensity was inverted, while other features were retained. Even though it was only intensity that was inverted, perceived arousal was also inverted. The original intensity profile was also superimposed on three new pieces of music. The time variation in the perceived arousal of all pieces was similar to their intensity profile. Time series analyses revealed that intensity variation was a major influence on the arousal perception in all pieces, in spite of their stylistic diversity

Gipc3 mutations associated with audiogenic seizures and sensorineural hearing loss in mouse and human

Sensorineural hearing loss affects the quality of life and communication of millions of people, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we identify mutations in Gipc3 underlying progressive sensorineural hearing loss (age-related hearing loss 5, ahl5) and audiogenic seizures (juvenile audiogenic monogenic seizure 1, jams1) in mice and autosomal recessive deafness DFNB15 and DFNB95 in humans. Gipc3 localizes to inner ear sensory hair cells and spiral ganglion. A missense mutation in the PDZ domain has an attenuating effect on mechanotransduction and the acquisition of mature inner hair cell potassium currents. Magnitude and temporal progression of wave I amplitude of afferent neurons correlate with susceptibility and resistance to audiogenic seizures. The Gipc3343A allele disrupts the structure of the stereocilia bundle and affects long-term function of auditory hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons. Our study suggests a pivotal role of Gipc3 in acoustic signal acquisition and propagation in cochlear hair cells

Biosignals reflect pair-dynamics in collaborative work : EDA and ECG study of pair-programming in a classroom environment

Collaboration is a complex phenomenon, where intersubjective dynamics can greatly affect the productive outcome. Evaluation of collaboration is thus of great interest, and can potentially help achieve better outcomes and performance. However, quantitative measurement of collaboration is difficult, because much of the interaction occurs in the intersubjective space between collaborators. Manual observation and/or self-reports are subjective, laborious, and have a poor temporal resolution. The problem is compounded in natural settings where task-activity and response-compliance cannot be controlled. Physiological signals provide an objective mean to quantify intersubjective rapport (as synchrony), but require novel methods to support broad deployment outside the lab. We studied 28 student dyads during a self-directed classroom pair-programming exercise. Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activation was measured during task performance using electrodermal activity and electrocardiography. Results suggest that (a) we can isolate cognitive processes (mental workload) from confounding environmental effects, and (b) electrodermal signals show role-specific but correlated affective response profiles. We demonstrate the potential for social physiological compliance to quantify pair-work in natural settings, with no experimental manipulation of participants required. Our objective approach has a high temporal resolution, is scalable, non-intrusive, and robust.Peer reviewe