An intelligent WWW agent for similarity-based searching

This paper describes the development of a WWW agent that uses similarity-based methods to search the Internet. The Internet Information Agent (IIA) works by analysing a sample of the type of text that is known to be of interest to the user. It then extracts a number of linguistic features and stores these as a feature vector that is used to describe the content of the document. This data is then used as input to a range of similarity metrics that allow the agent to compare new texts with the original and thereby acquire "more of the same". The agent's strengths lie in its use of a range of similarity metrics that are known to perform well over a wide variety of input. The agent has been tested across a range of input data and evaluated against a number of criteria. The results of this evaluation are described and the prospects for the ongoing development of the agent are discussed

Padronização de uma bateria para a avaliação de fatores de risco psicossociais trabalhistas em trabalhadores colombianos

A battery of questionnaires to assess psychosocial risk factors at work was developed in 2010 in response to Resolution 2646 created by the Colombian Ministry of Social Protection. However, this battery presents some theoretical and practical limitations. A new battery of instruments has been designed and validated that includes instruments and risk indicators of the demand-control-social support and the effort-reward imbalance models. Other factors, not included in these models, but that Resolution 2646 suggests should be assessed, have also been added, and with this additional information, the new battery allows us to also calculate a “global indicator” of demand, control, and social support; family and social risk conditions, coping and personality; and health and wellbeing. The new battery was administered to a sample of 16,095 workers from different occupations and representative Colombian regions. An analysis of the various domains indicates that internal consistency of the various scales is high. The new battery has the following properties: it is simple to use in paper format or when administered by computer, it enables comparison between occupations, it offers unified scores for each variable, and provides information to assess the risk factors suggested by Resolution 2646. In addition, it will make it possible to compare the results obtained when analyzing Colombian workers with those obtained from studies of workers from other countries.Em 2010, desenvolveu-se uma bateria de instrumentos para avaliar fatores psicossociais trabalhistas de risco para a saúde, em resposta à Resolução 2 646 do Ministério da Proteção Social da Colômbia. Contudo, esta conta com algumas limitações que, a partir da construção e da validação de uma nova bateria, neste estudo se pretendem superar. Além disso, a nova bateria oferece recursos adicionais para a avaliação desses fatores: a presente bateria incorpora os instrumentos e os indicadores centrais dos modelos demanda-controle-apoio social e desiquilíbrio esforço-recompensa e os fatores internos do trabalho não considerados nesses modelos, mas que a Resolução considera necessários, mediram-se com testes preexistentes ou desenvolvidos pelos autores. Com os dados coletados, é possível calcular indicadores globais de demanda, controle e apoio social; além de condições familiares e sociais de risco, enfrentamento, personalidade e indicadores de saúde e bem-estar. Para a validação, a bateria foi aplicada a uma amostra de 16 095 trabalhadores de diferentes cargos e municípios colombianos. As anál i ses de consistência interna e validade permitem afirmar que a bateria é simples de aplicar em papel ou digital, permitirá comparar cargos, obter pontuações unificadas por variável, oferecer um diagnóstico de um número importante das variáveis sugeridas na Resolução bem como permitirá comparar os resultados dos trabalhadores colombianos com os de outros países. Palavras-chave: fatores trabalhistas de risco psicossocial, Resolução 2 646 de 2008, modelo demanda-controle-apoio social, modelo desiquilíbrio esforço-recompensa, estresse profissional, avaliação.En 2010 se desarrolló una batería de instrumentos para evaluar factores psicosociales laborales de riesgo para la salud, en respuesta a la Resolución 2646 de 2008 del Ministerio de la Protección Social de Colombia. Sin embargo, esta cuenta con algunas limitaciones que, a partir de la construcción y validación de una nueva batería, en el presente estudio se buscan superar. La nueva batería ofrece recursos adicionales para la evaluación de estos factores: incorpora los instrumentos e indicadores centrales de los modelos demanda-control-apoyo social y desequilibrio esfuerzo-recompensa, y los factores intralaborales no contemplados en dichos modelos, pero que la Resolución considera necesarios, se midieron con pruebas preexistentes o desarrolladas por los autores. Con los datos recolectados es posible calcular indicadores globales de demanda, control y apoyo social; además de condiciones familiares y sociales de riesgo, afrontamiento, personalidad e indicadores de salud y bienestar. Para la validación, la batería se aplicó a una muestra de 16.095 trabajadores de diferentes ocupaciones y municipios colombianos. Los análisis de consistencia interna y validez permiten afirmar que la batería es sencilla de aplicar en papel o por computador, permitirá comparar ocupaciones, obtener puntuaciones unificadas por variable, ofrecer un diagnóstico de un número importante de las variables sugeridas en la Resolución y comparar los resultados de los trabajadores colombianos con los de otros países

Autonomic dysfunction in patients with advanced cancer; prevalence, clinical correlates and challenges in assessment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The results of a small number of studies of autonomic function in patients with advanced cancer suggest that autonomic dysfunction (AD) is common. In other disease-specific groups this is associated with decreased survival, falls and symptoms such as postural hypotension, nausea, early satiety and fatigue. The contribution of AD to symptoms in advanced cancer is unknown.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a prospective cohort study designed to identify the risk factors for falls in patients with advanced cancer. Ambulant adult patients admitted consecutively to palliative care services were invited to participate. Participants underwent an assessment at baseline which included standard clinical tests of autonomic function, assessment of symptom severity, muscle strength, anthropometric measurements, walking speed, medication use, comorbidities and demographics. Information regarding survival was recorded ten months following cessation of recruitment. The clinical correlates of AD, defined as definite or severe dysfunction using Ewing's classification, were examined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Survival analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier plots and the log rank test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 185 patients recruited, 45% were unable to complete all of the clinical tests of autonomic function. Non-completion was associated with scoring high on clinical indicators of frailty. It was possible to accurately classify 138/185 (74.6%) of participants as having either definite or severe versus normal, early or atypical AD: 110 (80%) had definite/severe AD. In logistic regression analysis, age (OR = 1.07 [95% CI; 1.03-1.1] <it>P </it>= 0.001) and increased severity of fatigue (OR = 1.26 [95% CI; 1.05-1.5] <it>p </it>= 0.016) were associated with having definite/severe AD. In analysis adjusted for age, median survival of participants with definite/severe AD was shorter than in those with normal/early/atypical classification (χ²= 4.3, <it>p </it>= 0.038).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Autonomic dysfunction is highly prevalent in patients with advanced cancer and is associated with increased severity of fatigue and reduced survival. Due to frailty, up to 45% of participants were unable to complete standard clinical tests of autonomic function. In order to further investigate the impact of AD and the therapeutic potential of treatment of AD in patients with advanced cancer, the validity of alternative novel methods of assessing autonomic function must be appraised.</p

Relativistic and retardation effects in the two--photon ionization of hydrogen--like ions

The non-resonant two-photon ionization of hydrogen-like ions is studied in second-order perturbation theory, based on the Dirac equation. To carry out the summation over the complete Coulomb spectrum, a Green function approach has been applied to the computation of the ionization cross sections. Exact second-order relativistic cross sections are compared with data as obtained from a relativistic long-wavelength approximation as well as from the scaling of non-relativistic results. For high-Z ions, the relativistic wavefunction contraction may lower the two-photon ionization cross sections by a factor of two or more, while retardation effects appear less pronounced but still give rise to non-negligible contributions.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure

Locally advanced adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinomas of the cervix compared to squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix in gynecologic oncology group trials of cisplatin-based chemoradiation

OBJECTIVE: Conflicting results have been reported for adeno- and adenosquamous carcinomas of the cervix with respect to their response to therapy and prognosis. The current study sought to evaluate impact of adeno- and adenosquamous histology in the randomized trials of primary cisplatin-based chemoradiation for locally advanced cervical cancer. METHODS: Patients with adeno- and adenosquamous cervical carcinomas were retrospectively studied and compared to squamous cell carcinomas in GOG trials of chemoradiation. RESULTS: Among 1671 enrolled in clinical trials of chemoradiation, 182 adeno- and adenosquamous carcinomas were identified (10.9%). A higher percentage of adeno- and adenosquamous carcinomas were stage IB2 (27.5% versus 20.0%) and fewer had stage IIIB (21.4% versus 28.6%). The mean tumor size was larger for squamous than adeno- and adenosquamous. Adeno- and adenosquamous carcinomas were more often poorly differentiated (46.2% versus 26.8%). When treated with radiation therapy alone, the 70 patients with adeno- and adenosquamous carcinoma of the cervix showed a statistically poorer overall survival (p=0.0499) compared to the 647 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. However, when treated with radiation therapy with concurrent cisplatin-based chemotherapy, the 112 patients with adeno- and adenosquamous carcinomas had a similar overall survival (p=0.459) compared the 842 patients with squamous cell carcinoma. Adverse effects to treatment were similar across histologies. CONCLUSION: Adeno- and adenosquamous carcinomas of the cervix are associated with worse overall survival when treated with radiation alone but with similar progression-free and overall survival compared to squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix when treated with cisplatin based chemoradiation

XMM-Newton observations of the eastern jet of SS433

The radio supernova remnant W50 hosts at its center the peculiar galactic X-ray binary SS 433. It shows a central spherical structure with two `ears' which are supposed to be formed by the interaction of the precessing jets of SS 433 with the supernova shell. In two pointings in September/October 2004 for 30 ks each the eastern jet of SS 433 was observed with XMM-Newton to study the outermost parts of the `ear' and the X-ray bright emission region about 35 arcmin from SS 433. The spectra consist of two components: a non-thermal power law with photon index \Gamma ~ 2.17+/-0.02 and a thermal component at a typical temperature of kT ~ 0.3 keV. The X-ray emission seems to fill the whole interior region of the radio remnant W50. The jet terminates in the eastern `ear' in a ring-like terminal shock which indicates a flow with a kind of hollow-cone morphology. The spatial coincidence of X-ray and radio emission suggests physical conditions similar to those found at the outer shocks of ordinary supernova remnants. The bright emission region closer to SS 433 radiates non-thermally in a spatially well confined geometry at higher X-ray energies. At soft X-rays the shape of the region gets blurred, centered on the hard lenticular emission. The shape of this region and the bend in the jet propagation direction might be caused by the interaction of a re-collimated jet with the outer, non homogeneous interstellar matter distribution. The physical conditions leading to the re-collimation of the jet and the peculiar emission morphology are far from being understood and require deeper observations as well as a detailed modeling of the interaction of a jet with its surroundings.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, to appear in A&

Angular distribution studies on the two-photon ionization of hydrogen-like ions: Relativistic description

The angular distribution of the emitted electrons, following the two-photon ionization of the hydrogen-like ions, is studied within the framework of second order perturbation theory and the Dirac equation. Using a density matrix approach, we have investigated the effects which arise from the polarization of the incoming light as well as from the higher multipoles in the expansion of the electron--photon interaction. For medium- and high-Z ions, in particular, the non-dipole contributions give rise to a significant change in the angular distribution of the emitted electrons, if compared with the electric-dipole approximation. This includes a strong forward emission while, in dipole approxmation, the electron emission always occurs symmetric with respect to the plane which is perpendicular to the photon beam. Detailed computations for the dependence of the photoelectron angular distributions on the polarization of the incident light are carried out for the ionization of H, Xe$^{53+}$, and U$^{91+}$ (hydrogen-like) ions.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, published in J Phys

An early MIS 3 pluvial phase in Southeast Arabia: climatic and archaeological implications

Climatic changes in Arabia are of critical importance to our understanding of both monsoon variability and the dispersal of anatomically modern humans (AMH) out of Africa. The timing of dispersal is associated with the occurrence of pluvial periods during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 (ca. 130–74 ka), after which arid conditions between ca. 74 and 10.5 ka are thought to have restricted further migration and range expansion within the Arabian interior. Whilst a number of records indicate that this phase of aridity was punctuated by an increase in monsoon strength during MIS 3, uncertainties regarding the precision of terrestrial records and suitability of marine archives as records of precipitation, mean that the occurrence of this pluvial remains debated. Here we present evidence from a series of relict lake deposits within southeastern Arabia, which formed at the onset of MIS 3 (ca. 61–58 ka). At this time, the incursion of monsoon rainfall into the Arabian interior activated a network of channels associated with an alluvial fan system along the western flanks of the Hajar Mountains, leading to lake formation. Multiproxy evidence indicates that precipitation increases intermittently recharged fluvial systems within the region, leading to lake expansion in distal fan zones. Conversely, decreased precipitation led to reduced channel flow, lake contraction and a shift to saline conditions. These findings are in contrast to the many other palaeoclimatic records from Arabia, which suggest that during MIS 3, the latitudinal position of the monsoon was substantially further south and did not penetrate the peninsula. Additionally, the occurrence of increased rainfall at this time challenges the notion that the climate of Arabia following MIS 5 was too harsh to permit the further range expansion of indigenous communities

Clergy work-related satisfactions in parochial ministry: the influence of personality and churchmanship

The aim of this study was to test several hypotheses that clergy work-related satisfaction could be better explained by a multidimensional rather than a unidimensional model. A sample of 1071 male stipendiary parochial clergy in the Church of England completed the Clergy Role Inventory, together with the short-form Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Factor analysis of the Clergy Role Inventory identified five separate clergy roles: Religious Instruction, Administration, Statutory Duties (conducting marriages and funerals), Pastoral Care, and Role Extension (including extra-parochial activities). Respondents also provided an indication of their predispositions on the catholic-evangelical and liberal-conservative dimensions. The significant associations of the satisfactions derived from each of the roles with the demographic, personality, and churchmanship variables were numerous, varied, and, with few exceptions, small in magnitude. Separate hierarchical regressions for each of the five roles indicated that the proportion of total variance explained by churchmanship was, in general, at least as great as that explained by personality, and was greater for three roles: Religious Instruction, Statutory Duties, and Role Extension. It was concluded that clergy satisfactions derived from different roles are not uniform and that churchmanship is at least as important as personality in accounting for clergy work satisfaction