Optimal cooling strategies for magnetically trapped atomic Fermi-Bose mixtures

We discuss cooling efficiency for different-species Fermi-Bose mixtures in magnetic traps. A better heat capacity matching between the two atomic species is achieved by a proper choice of the Bose cooler and the magnetically trappable hyperfine states of the mixture. When a partial spatial overlap between the two species is also taken into account, the deepest Fermi degeneracy is obtained for an optimal value of the trapping frequency ratio. This can be achieved by assisting the magnetic trap with a deconfining light beam, as shown in the case of fermionic 6Li mixed with 23Na, 87Rb, and 133Cs, with optimal conditions found for the not yet explored 6Li-87Rb mixture.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Physical Review

The UAE\u27s tourism competitiveness: A business perspective

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the most popular tourism destinations and the most competitive in the Middle East and North Africa region. Currently, the country aims to reach its full potential to better compete on a global scale. This paper examines factors influencing the competitiveness of the UAE as a tourism destination from the business perspective. The data were collected from a convenience sample of 311 business entrepreneurs and analyzed using a hierarchical regression. The results suggest that destination resources, destination infrastructure and support services, and the general business environment have a significant influence on the UAE\u27s tourism competitiveness. The implications of the study\u27s results are discussed

Multiple channel crosstalk removal using limited connectivity neural networks

Limited connectivity neural network architectures are investigated for the removal of crosstalk in systems using mutually overlapping sub-channels for the communication of multiple signals, either analogue or digital. The crosstalk error is modelled such that a fixed proportion of the signals in adjacent channels is added to the main signal. Different types of neural networks, trained using gradient descent algorithms, are tested as to their suitability for reducing the errors caused by a combination of crosstalk and additional gaussian noise. In particular we propose a single layer limited connectivity neural network since it promises to be the most easily implemented in hardware. A variable gain neuron structure is described which can be used for both analogue and digital data

Measurement properties of the benign prostatic hyperplasia impact index in tadalafil studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To assess the measurement properties of the Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index (BII) for use in men with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) treated with tadalafil.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data from a dose-titration (Study 1) and a dose-finding placebo-controlled (Study 2) tadalafil studies of men 45 years of age or older with moderate to severe LUTS (N = 281; N = 1053) were included in this post-hoc analysis. Measures included the BII, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), IPSS Quality of Life Index (IPSS-QoL), LUTS Global Assessment Question, uroflowmetry measure peak flow rate (Q_max) and postvoid residual volume (PVR). Spearman rank and Pearson correlation coefficients were computed between the BII score and the other measures at each visit. Wilcoxin two-sample tests, t-tests and general linear modeling compared BII scores of subjects with global ratings of improvement versus no improvement, and subjects taking tadalafil versus placebo. Effect size, standardized response mean and Guyatt's responsiveness statistic were calculated for BII and IPSS change scores.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were high correlations between BII and IPSS & IPSS-QoL and low correlations between BII and Q_max& PVR at each visit. There were significant differences in BII at the End-of-Study Visit between subjects reporting improvement versus subjects reporting no improvement (Studies 1 and 2, <it>P </it>< .0001) and subjects taking tadalafil versus subjects taking placebo (Study 1, <it>P </it>= .0045; Study 2, <it>P </it>= .0064). The BII and IPSS were both responsive to change.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Results show that the BII is reliable, shows responsiveness to change in patients with BPH-LUTS, and demonstrates construct validity.</p

A hybrid neural network/rule-based technique for on-line gesture and hand-written character recognition

A technique is presented which combines rule-based and neural network pattern recognition methods in an integrated system in order to perform learning and recognition of hand-written characters and gestures in realtime. The GesRec system is introduced which provides a framework for data acquisition, training, recognition, and gesture-to-speech transcription in a Windows environment. A recognition accuracy of 92.5% was obtained for the hybrid system, compared to 89.6% for the neural network only and 82.7% for rules only. Training and recognition times are given for an able-bodied and a disabled user

Non-intrusive load monitoring and classification of activities of daily living using residential smart meter data

This paper develops an approach for household appliance identification and classification of household Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) using residential smart meter data. The process of household appliance identification, i.e. decomposing a mains electricity measurement into each of its constituent individual appliances, is a very challenging classification problem. Recent advances have made deep learning a dominant approach for classification in fields such as image processing and speech recognition. This paper presents a deep learning approach based on multi-layer, feedforward neural networks that can identify common household electrical appliances from a typical household smart meter measurement. The performance of this approach is tested and validated using publicly-available smart meter data sets. The identified appliances are then mapped to household activities, or ADLs. The resulting ADL classifier can provide insights into the behaviour of the household occupants, which has a number of applications in the energy domain and in other fields

Parental Perceptions of Independence and Efficacy of their Children with Visual Impairments

Raising any child to become successful and self-sufficient presents challenges to all parents; however, the complexity of the decision-making in parenting may become more intricate for parents of children with visual impairments. It can be a challenge determining the balance between intense overprotection for reasons of safety versus the encouragement and attention to the participation in unique or challenging learning experiences. Parents of children with visual impairments may also struggle to find the fine line between viewing the child through he lens of the impairment (as other or less than) versus treating the child in the same manner other children are treated in relation to expectations and independence. The need to protect or limit the child with a visual impairment may be present in spite of awareness of the strong connection between experiences in physical and social activities as a means to develop self-determination, and independence. As for all children, for children with visual impairments, parental overprotection and the limiting of experiential activities can have negative implications on the degree of their children’s psychological-emotional and physical well-being sufficient to the development of optimal levels of independence and self-sufficiency. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of parents and primary care-providers of this special population regarding their child’s ability to engage the environment independently (independence) and the degree to which the parents feel required to intervene in the oversight of their child’s activities various experiences (perceived efficacy). Survey results indicated that parents of children with visual impairments are not a monolithic group in terms of their perceptions of their children’s independence or in their perceptions of their child’s efficacy. Recommendations for future research address the need to consider implications for parenting, parent education, and the role of teachers of children with visual impairments, and orientation and mobility specialist

Body Condition of Endangered Humpback Chub in Relation to Temperature and Discharge in the Lower Colorado River

Determining the population status of endangered Humpback Chub Gila cypha is a major component of the adaptive management program designed to inform operation of Glen Canyon Dam upstream from Grand Canyon, Arizona. In recent decades, resource managers have identified a portfolio of management actions (with intermittent implementation) to promote population recovery of Humpback Chub, including nonnative fish removal, changes in water release volumes and discharge ramping schedules, and reductions in hydropower peaking operations. The Humpback Chub population in Grand Canyon has increased over this same period, causal factors for which are unclear. We took advantage of unusual hydrology in the Colorado River basin in 2011 to assess trends in juvenile Humpback Chub length–weight relationships and condition in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam as well as in the unregulated Little Colorado River. Within each river, we observed higher length–weight b-parameter estimates (exponent of the standard power equation) at higher water temperatures. We also found higher slope estimates for the length–weight relationship at higher temperatures in the Little Colorado River. Slope estimates were more variable in the Colorado River, where mean water temperatures were more uniform. The next step is to examine whether Humpback Chub length–weight relationships influence population metrics such as abundance or survival. If these relationships exist, then monitoring condition in juvenile Humpback Chub would provide a quick and low-cost technique for assessing population response to planned management experiments or changing environmental conditions

The Importance of extraction protocol on the analysis of novel waste sources of lignocellulosic biomass

peer-reviewedAs the utilization and consumption of lignocellulosic biomass increases, so too will the need for an adequate supply of feedstock. To meet these needs, novel waste feedstock materials will need to be utilized. Exploitation of these novel feedstocks will require information both on the effects of solvent extraction on the succeeding analysis of potential novel feedstocks and how accurate current methodologies are in determining the composition of novel lignocellulosic feedstocks, particularly the carbohydrate and lignin fractions. In this study, the effects of solvent extraction on novel feedstocks, including tree foliage, tree bark and spent mushroom compost, with 95% ethanol, water and both sequentially were examined. Chemical analyses were carried out to determine the moisture content, ash, extractives, post-hydrolysis sugars, Klason lignin (KL) and acid-soluble lignin (ASL) within the selected feedstocks. The result of extraction could be seen most strongly for Klason lignin, with a strong association between higher levels of Klason lignin levels and greater amounts of non-removed extractives (tree foliage and bark). Higher Klason lignin levels are reported to be due the condensation of non-removed extractives during hydrolysis, hence the lower Klason lignin determinations following extraction are more exact. In addition, total sugar determinations were lower following extractions. This is because of the solubility of non-cell-wall carbohydrates; thus, the determinations following extraction are more accurate representations of structural cell-wall polysaccharides such as cellulose. Such determinations will assist in determining the best way to utilize novel feedstocks such as those analyzed in this work