A “Soft” Approach to Analysing Mobile Financial Services Sociotechnical Systems

Advances in mobile computing have presented a huge opportunity to provide Mobile Financial Services (MFS) to half of the world’s population who currently do not have access to financial services. However, cybersecurity concerns in the mobile computing ecosystem have slowed down the adoption of MFS. The adoption of MFS is further hampered by the lack of a clear understanding of the interaction between the complex infrastructures and human factors that exist in the ecosystem for Mobile Financial Services Socio-Technical Systems (MFSSTS). This paper presents the work in progress of investigating the problem of MFSSTS. It discusses the preliminary results and understanding obtained from using Human Factor approaches to build and analyse the model for MFSSTS

Analyses of least cost paths for determining effects of habitat types on landscape permeability: wolves in Poland

Determining ecological corridors is crucial for conservation efforts in fragmented habitats. Commonly employed least cost path (LCP) analysis relies on the underlying cost matrix. By using Ecological Niche Factor Analysis, we minimized the problems connected with subjective cost assessment or the use of presence/absence data. We used data on the wolf presence/absence in Poland to identify LCPs connecting patches of suitable wolf habitat, factors that influence patch occupancy, and compare LCPs between different genetic subpopulations. We found that a lower proportion of cities and roads surrounds the most densely populated patches. Least cost paths between areas where little dispersal takes place (i.e., leading to unpopulated patches or between different genetic subpopulations) ran through a higher proportion of roads and human settlements. They also crossed larger maximal distances over deforested areas. We propose that, apart from supplying the basis for direct conservation efforts, LCPs can be used to determine what factors might facilitate or hinder dispersal by comparing different subsets of LCPs. The methods employed can be widely applicable to gain more in-depth information on potential dispersal barriers for large carnivores

Space Charge at Nanoscale: Probing Injection and Dynamic Phenomena Under Dark/Light Configurations by Using KPFM and C-AFM

International audienc

Relationship Between Anti-DFS70 Autoantibodies and Oxidative Stress

Background: The anti-DFS70 autoantibodies are one of the most commonly and widely described agent of unknown clinical significance, frequently detected in healthy individuals. It is not known whether the DFS70 autoantibodies are protective or pathogenic. One of the factors suspected of inducing the formation of anti-DFS70 antibodies is increased oxidative stress. We evaluated the coexistence of anti-DFS70 antibodies with selected markers of oxidative stress and investigated whether these antibodies could be considered as indirect markers of oxidative stress. Methods: The intensity of oxidative stress was measured in all samples via indices of free-radical damage to lipids and proteins such as total oxidant status (TOS), concentrations of lipid hydroperoxides (LPH), lipofuscin (LPS), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The parameters of the non-enzymatic antioxidant system, such as total antioxidant status (TAS) and uric acid concentration (UA), were also measured, as well as the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Based on TOS and TAS values, the oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated. All samples were also tested with indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and 357 samples were selected for direct monospecific anti DFS70 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing. Results: The anti-DFS70 antibodies were confirmed by ELISA test in 21.29% of samples. Compared with anti-DFS70 negative samples we observed 23% lower concentration of LPH (P =.038) and 11% lower concentration of UA (P =.005). TOS was 20% lower (P =.014). The activity of SOD was up to 5% higher (P =.037). The Pearson correlation showed weak negative correlation for LPH, UA, and TOS and a weak positive correlation for SOD activity. Conclusion: In samples positive for the anti-DFS70 antibody a decreased level of oxidative stress was observed, especially in the case of samples with a high antibody titer. Anti-DFS70 antibodies can be considered as an indirect marker of reduced oxidative stress or a marker indicating the recent intensification of antioxidant processes

Root growth and crop performance of soybean under chemical, physical, and biological changes after subsoiling.

Chemical, physical and biological soil attributes can facilitate soybean root growth in greater volume and depth in the soil, which can minimize yield reduction caused by water deficit. Soil management can contribute positively or negatively to these soil attributes. The aim of this work was to evaluate the root growth and crop performance of soybean, in response to chemical, physical and biological changes after subsoiling at different depths. At the R5 phenological stage, trenches were made for sampling and soil collection for chemical, physical and biological analysis and root growth was carried out. At V5, V7, R2 and R5 stages, plants were collected to evaluate height, leaf area and dry mass. At V5, stage number and dry mass of the nodules were evaluated. Subsoiling increased pH and Ca, and decreased Al in the soil, resulted in higher relative density and did not affect in mechanical penetration resistance compared to non-subsoiled soil. Basal respiration and soybean nodulation were higher in the subsoiled soil. Up to 15 cm depth, there were 87.91% of the total root dry mass and 78.79% of the total root volume. Initial and final plant growth were the same in subsoiled and non-subsoiled soil. Number of nodules in the subsoiled soil was 28% higher than in the non-subsoiled soil. Under these study conditions, subsoiling provides lower root growth but benefits grain yield

Environmental factors shaping ungulate abundances in Poland

Population densities of large herbivores are determined by the diverse effects of density-dependent and independent environmental factors. In this study, we used the official 1998–2003 inventory data on ungulate numbers from 462 forest districts and 23 national parks across Poland to determine the roles of various environmental factors in shaping country-wide spatial patterns of ungulate abundances. Spatially explicit generalized additive mixed models showed that different sets of environmental variables explained 39 to 50 % of the variation in red deer Cervus elaphus, wild boar Sus scrofa, and roe deer Capreolus capreolus abundances. For all of the studied species, low forest cover and the mean January temperature were the most important factors limiting their numbers. Woodland cover above 40–50 % held the highest densities for these species. Wild boar and roe deer were more numerous in deciduous or mixed woodlands within a matrix of arable land. Furthermore, we found significant positive effects of marshes and water bodies on wild boar abundances. A juxtaposition of obtained results with ongoing environmental changes (global warming, increase in forest cover) may indicate future growth in ungulate distributions and numbers

Design of Parallel Single-Core Cable Lines of Low Voltage

W układach zasilania niskiego napięcia kiedy zachodzi konieczności wyprowadzenia dużej mocy, powszechnie praktykowanym sposobem wykonania instalacji elektrycznej jest stosowanie wielowiązkowych linii kablowych złożonych z kabli jednożyłowych połączonych równolegle. Podstawowym dokumentem regulującym kwestię doboru przewodów w aspekcie obciążalności prądowej długotrwałej, na którym opierają się projektanci to norma PN-IEC 60364-5-523:2001. Sposób ułożenia linii niejednokrotnie skutkuje wystąpieniem asymetrii obciążenia poszczególnych żył. Fakt ten nie został w normie opisany, nie zostały również zaproponowane sposoby ułożenia linii minimalizujące efekt wzajemnego oddziaływania żył, które skutkuje wystąpieniem zjawiska nierównomiernego obciążenia poszczególnych przewodów, dochodzącego czasem nawet do 100%. W artykule przedstawiono pomiary wykonane w rzeczywistych obiektach, podjęto próbę opisania zjawiska, a także zamodelowania rzeczywistych układów sieciowych oraz zaproponowano rozwiązania budowy linii wykonanych z żył równoległych.In low-voltage power systems, when it is necessary to lead out high power, the most common method to design the electrical installation is to use multi-cable lines consisting of single-core cables in parallel connection. The primary document used by designers that regulates the issue of the cable selection in terms of long-term current-carrying capacity is the PN-IEC 60364-5-523:2001 standard. The cable layout frequently results in asymmetry of the load of particular cores. The standard neither describes this fact nor suggests any methods for the cable layouts that might minimize the effect of the interaction of the wires that leads to the uneven load of particular cables. In the extreme case, this uneven load may reach up to 100%. The article presents measurements conducted in real objects and tries to describe the considered phenomenon to model the existing network systems and to suggest a solution for designing of the parallel-cable lines

Measurements of layer thickness for diagnostics of surface

W pracy przedstawiono zagadnienia, dotyczące pomiaru grubości warstw wierzchnich, przeprowadzane z wykorzystaniem przetworników indukcyjnych. Opisano badania, dotyczące przetwornika indukcyjnego transformatorowego. Na potrzeby pomiarów wykonano przetworniki pomiarowe, dla których przeprowadzono badania ich przydatności w diagnostyce wybranych warstw wierzchnich.Questions relating to the measurement of a top layer thickness were introduced in the work. Measurements carried out with the use of inductive transducers are taken into account. Problems were illustrated by examples of possible applications in diagnostics of protective coatings in car and airplanes industry. In Chapters 2 and 3 there is shown the construction of typical inductive transducer (Fig.1) and some sources of measuring errors. Model of transformer transducers (Fig. 2 and 3) and construction of applied measuring transducer (Fig. 4) were introduced in Chapters 4 and 5. Measuring transducers for which the investigations were conducted were made on needs of measurements. In Chapter 6 there are described results of investigations (Fig. 7 and 8), relating to the inductive transformer transducer. In conclusions the utility of transformer transducers for diagnostics of chosen top layers was defined