China\u27s Relations with Brazil and Argentina and Implications for U.S. Security Concerns [Student\u27s Paper Series]

This study on China’s relations with Brazil and Argentina, as well as its implications for U.S. concerns examines two main questions: Why China’s increasing influence on Brazil and Argentina may be considered a cause for U.S. security concerns? And if this is the case, how do China’s strategic alliances with the two countries has impacted U.S. leadership? In an effort to look at China’s influence from multidimensional angles and beyond China’s visible economic influence in these two countries, this paper argues that China’s interest in the Latin American region, with a focus on brazil and Argentina, responds to a more crafted, pragmatic and tailored vision with long-term strategic and political goals. The results of this study reveal that China – avoiding intra-regional competition through a strategic diversification of sectors – has been able to secure critical resources for its population as well as promote enduring alliances in the region that could represent a plausible cause of concern for U.S. interests. In this regard, China’s avoidance of a direct challenge to traditional partners’ influence has responded to the gaps left by a gradual, but steady lack of U.S. involvement

Factores psicosociales y afrontamiento del estrés laboral en docentes universitarios, una revisión sistemática

This systematic review study analyzed the repercussions of psychosocial factors for coping with work-related stress in university teachers. The PRISMA-NMA statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) was used on the Dialnet, SciELO and Redib databases with a sample size of 5417 teachers. Results: 48% presented elevated dissatisfaction in detrimental working conditions, 36% displayed cognitive dysfunction, 12.3% resigned citing Burnout Syndrome and 3.7% presented self-care, self-control, and positive reassessment and sought out support.El presente estudio de revisión sistemática analizó el impacto y las consecuencias de los factores psicosociales para el afrontamiento del estrés laboral de docentes universitarios. Se utilizó la declaración PRISMA-NMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) sobre las bases científicas Dialnet, SciELO y Redib. La población de análisis fue de 5417 docentes de diferentes áreas. Resultados: El 48% presentó altos índices de insatisfacción en perjudiciales condiciones laborales, el 36% evidenció disfuncionalidad cognitiva, el 12,3 % abandonaron sus puestos por Síndrome de Burnout y el 3,7% presentaron estrategias de afrontamiento de autocuidado, autocontrol, reevaluación positiva y búsqueda de apoyo

Features of CT and EUS in mesenteric plexiform neurofibroma with Neurofibromatosis type I: A case report

Plexiform neurofibroma(PNF) is a rare benign tumor of the peripheral nerve, belonging to a subtype of neurofibroma. PNF is common in the head, neck and trunk. It is uncommonly observed in the mesentery. We report a case of mesenteric PNF in a 64-year-old man history of neurofibromatosis type I(NF1), which caused abdomen pain. In addition, the computer tomography(CT) and endoscopic ultrasonography(EUS) manifestations of mesenteric PNF were analyzed. The imaging appearance of a mesenteric plexiform neurofibroma is that many low-density (CT) /mixed echo (EUS) soft tissue masses surrounding the superior mesenteric artery, but not surrounding the superior mesenteric vein. Our case adds to the limited literature regarding NF1 presenting with mesenteric PNF. The computer tomography and endoscopic ultrasonography may facilitate confirma diagnosis of mesenteric PNF

ABSTRACT FACE REPRESENTATION AND TRACKING USING GABOR WAVELET NETWORKS

This work presents a new method for a human face representation and tracking in video sequences. A discrete face template is represented by linear combination of the continuous 2D odd-Gabor wavelet functions (Gabor Wavelet Network). The weights and 2D parameters (position, scale and orientation) of each wavelet are determined optimally. Using this representation, an effective face tracking method is achieved that is robust to illumination changes and deformations of the face image such as eye blinking and smile.

ABSTRACT REAL-TIME FLUID SIMULATION

This paper presents and discusses some methods used for simulation of fluids and highly deformable bodies. Two main approaches are compared, advantages and disadvantages of these methods are evaluated with reference to their possible use in real-time. Simulations of fluid volumes are considered as opposed to the frequently used approach that just use surface simulations.

Voltammetric measurement of Escherichia coli concentration through p-APG hydrolysis by endogenous β-galactosidase

This paper reports a facile electrochemical detection method for Escherichia coli (E. coli) that does not use DNA amplification or immunoassay. The detection principle is based on the activity of the β-galactosidase (β-gal) endogenous enzyme, which hydrolyzes p-aminophenyl-β-d-galactopyranoside (p-APG) into p-aminophenol. After E. coli consumes p-APG within 30 min, the remaining p-APG is oxidized on a gold electrode using cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry. The β-gal expression level is increased through treatment with a β-gal expression inducer (isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside), and the hydrolysis reaction of p-APG is facilitated through permeabilization treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate. The calibration curve for E. coli has a working range of 102–104 colony-forming units per mL in nutrient broth buffer. The total assay time is less than 100 min. The successful application of this approach indicates the possibility of rapid detection

GENERATION OF SENTENCES WITH THEIR PARSES BY SCATTERED CONTEXT GRAMMARS ABSTRACT

This paper uses the propagating scattered context grammars to generate their language’s sentences together with their parses (the sequences of productions whose use lead to the generation of the corresponding sentences). It proves that for every recursively enumerable language, L, there exists a propagating scattered context grammar whose language consists of L’s sentences followed by their parses.

ABSTRACT MINING ASSOCIATION RULES FROM TEXTURE DATABASES

This paper describes a new approach to database technology, automatic description of image content using data mining algorithms. Textures are characterized as a set of association rules, capturing co-occurrence of major data items, its statistical and structural information

PITCH DETECTOR IN SPEECH PROCESSING ABSTRACT

The paper presents a novel method for detection of pitch in speech processing. The work focuses on a time domain algorithm for segmenting voiced speech that uses similarity of adjacent segments. The experimental results while testing this detector are presented and compared to OGIvox speech database. 1 ÚVOD Základním tónem rozumíme základní kmitočet (pitch) na kterém kmitají hlasivky. Spolu s formantovými frekvencemi patˇrí mezi základní fonetické charakteristiky ˇrečového signálu. Využívá se zejména v syntetizátorech a kodérech ˇreči. Existují dvě skupiny metod pracující v časové nebo ve frekvenční oblasti. V časové oblasti se využívá podobnosti ˇrečových úsek ˚ u a ve frekven ční napˇr. vlastností lichých harmonických. Dále bude věnována pozornost detektoru pracujícím v časové oblasti. 2 SEGMENTACE V ČASOVÉ OBLASTI Cílem segmentace je rozdělení ˇrečového signálu na takové části, z nichž délka každé části pˇrímo odpovídá periodě základního tónu ve zkoumaném úseku. Mějme znělý ˇrečový signál a v něm dva sousedící segmenty U1 a U2 začínající v místě, kde signál protíná časovou osu pˇri vzestupu ze záporných hodnot do kladných. Nejjednodušším zp ˚ usobem, jak ohodnotit podobnost segment ˚ u, je ur čit energii rozdílového signálu mezi odpovídajícími si vzorky podle (1). d(U1,U2) = min(n1,n2) n=1 (x1[n] − x2[n]) 2, (1) kde Ui = (xi[1],xi[2],...,xi[ni]) pro i = 1,2 jsou segmenty signálu a ni pro i = 1,2 jsou délky segment ˚ u. Nyní hledáme takovou posloupnost dělících bod ˚ u pro kterou je sou čet dílčích vzdáleností mezi sousedícími segmenty minimální, pˇričemž posloupnost musí začínat (končit) ve vzdálenosti dmin od začátku (konce) signálu a dále největší možná délka segment ˚ u je dmax. Hodnoty udává (2). dmin = Fs, dmax