64,974 research outputs found

    Comet and Meteorite Traditions of Aboriginal Australians

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    Of the hundreds of distinct Aboriginal cultures of Australia, many have oral traditions rich in descriptions and explanations of comets, meteors, meteorites, airbursts, impact events, and impact craters. These views generally attribute these phenomena to spirits, death, and bad omens. There are also many traditions that describe the formation of meteorite craters as well as impact events that are not known to Western science.Comment: Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures, 2014. Edited by Helaine Selin. Springer Netherland

    Revisiting network neutrality

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    The paper discusses the topical subject of network neutrality, from a US and European legal perspective. The article will begin by first defining network neutrality before addressing the underpinning technology and will then compare the legal approaches adopted by Europe and the US. In Europe, there is an existing electronic communications regulatory framework which can be used to address the network neutrality problem rendering any further legislation unnecessary and perhaps, detrimental to the current framework. In the US, however, the main concern arising is a potential for a 'fragmented' internet, which leads to our conclusion that network neutrality legislation is necessary on multiple levels. The article will conclude that the US' stance on network neutrality legislation will cause a seismic shift in the way we view technology and the way that networks are accessed and utilised

    A combinatorial approach to angiosperm pollen morphology

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    Angiosperms (flowering plants) are strikingly diverse. This is clearly expressed in the morphology of their pollen grains, which are characterized by enormous variety in their shape and patterning. In this paper, I approach angiosperm pollen morphology from the perspective of enumerative combinatorics. This involves generating angiosperm pollen morphotypes by algorithmically combining character states and enumerating the results of these combinations. I use this approach to generate 3 643 200 pollen morphotypes, which I visualize using a parallel-coordinates plot. This represents a raw morphospace. To compare real-world and theoretical morphologies, I map the pollen of 1008 species of Neotropical angiosperms growing on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama, onto this raw morphospace. This highlights that, in addition to their well-documented taxonomic diversity, Neotropical rainforests also represent an enormous reservoir of morphological diversity. Angiosperm pollen morphospace at BCI has been filled mostly by pollen morphotypes that are unique to single plant species. Repetition of pollen morphotypes among higher taxa at BCI reflects both constraint and convergence. This combinatorial approach to morphology addresses the complexity that results from large numbers of discrete character combinations and could be employed in any situation where organismal form can be captured by discrete morphological characters

    Efficient Enumeration of Induced Subtrees in a K-Degenerate Graph

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    In this paper, we address the problem of enumerating all induced subtrees in an input k-degenerate graph, where an induced subtree is an acyclic and connected induced subgraph. A graph G = (V, E) is a k-degenerate graph if for any its induced subgraph has a vertex whose degree is less than or equal to k, and many real-world graphs have small degeneracies, or very close to small degeneracies. Although, the studies are on subgraphs enumeration, such as trees, paths, and matchings, but the problem addresses the subgraph enumeration, such as enumeration of subgraphs that are trees. Their induced subgraph versions have not been studied well. One of few example is for chordless paths and cycles. Our motivation is to reduce the time complexity close to O(1) for each solution. This type of optimal algorithms are proposed many subgraph classes such as trees, and spanning trees. Induced subtrees are fundamental object thus it should be studied deeply and there possibly exist some efficient algorithms. Our algorithm utilizes nice properties of k-degeneracy to state an effective amortized analysis. As a result, the time complexity is reduced to O(k) time per induced subtree. The problem is solved in constant time for each in planar graphs, as a corollary

    Dukungan Sosial Hubungannya dengan Kejadian Depresi pada Ibu yang Mempunyai Anak Gangguan Hiperkinetik

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    Beckground: Depression will be occurred in mothers who have children with hyperkinetic disorder with symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and also having difficulty to obey the regulation. Depression makes mothers felt into failure in taking care of their children. Having sadness and hopless in a long time leads them will fall into depression. They will need a physic, spiritual, and emotional rehabilitation. Therefore, a social supports is needed to encounter the problem. The social support can be given emotionally (attention or empa- thy), practically, and financial (money). An informative support can also reduce their problem. In contrast, the lack of support will cause them to be depressed.Objective: The objective of this research is to identify the correlation between social support and depression of mothers having children with hyperkinetic disorder in Arogya Mitra Clinic Klaten.Method: The method used in this research is cross-sectional study using descriptive analytic. The research is conducted in Arogya Mitra Clinic Klaten in March - April 2010. The sample is all of the population that the mothers having children with hiperkinetic disorder. The instruments used in the study are private data questionnaire, Sarason\u27s Social Support Questionnaire, and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale. The data is ana-lyzed by using linier regression analysis.Result and Conclusions: According too the research frequency of depression of mothers having children with hyperkinetic disorder at Arogya Mitra Clinic is 31%. There are significant correlation between social support and depression of mothers having children with hyperkinetic disorder at Arogya Mitra Clinic (p<0,005) is 0,001

    A Health-Check Model for Autonomic Systems Based on a Pulse Monitor

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    Autonomic Computing-a Means of Achieving Dependability?

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    Autonomic Computing is emerging as a significant new approach to the design of computing systems. Its goal is the development of systems that are selfconfiguring, self-healing, self-protecting and selfoptimizing. Dependability is a long-standing desirable property of all computer-based systems. The purpose of this paper is to consider how Autonomic Computing can provide a framework for dependability

    Towards an Autonomic Computing Environment

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    Autonomic Computing is a promising new concept in system development. It aims to (i) increase reliability by designing systems to be self-protecting and self-healing; and (ii) increase autonomy and performance by enabling systems to adapt to changing circumstances, using self-configuring and self-optimizing mechanisms. This paper discusses the type of system architecture needed to support such objectives

    Optimizing DNA Extraction Methods for Nanopore Sequencing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Directly from Urine Samples

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    Empirical gonorrhea treatment at initial diagnosis reduces onward transmission. However, increasing resistance to multiple antibiotics may necessitate waiting for culture-based diagnostics to select an effective treatment. There is a need for same-day culture-free diagnostics that identify infection and detect antimicrobial resistance. We investigated if Nanopore sequencing can detect sufficient Neisseria gonorrhoeae DNA to reconstruct whole genomes directly from urine samples. We used N. gonorrhoeae-spiked urine samples and samples from gonorrhea infections to determine optimal DNA extraction methods that maximize the amount of N. gonorrhoeae DNA sequenced while minimizing contaminating host DNA. In simulated infections, the Qiagen UCP pathogen mini kit provided the highest ratio of N. gonorrhoeae to human DNA and the most consistent results. Depletion of human DNA with saponin increased N. gonorrhoeae yields in simulated infections but decreased yields in clinical samples. In 10 urine samples from men with symptomatic urethral gonorrhea, ≥92.8% coverage of an N. gonorrhoeae reference genome was achieved in all samples, with ≥93.8% coverage breath at ≥10-fold depth in 7 (70%) samples. In simulated infections, if ≥104 CFU/ml of N. gonorrhoeae was present, sequencing of the large majority of the genome was frequently achieved. N. gonorrhoeae could also be detected from urine in cobas PCR medium tubes and from urethral swabs and in the presence of simulated Chlamydia coinfection. Using Nanopore sequencing of urine samples from men with urethral gonorrhea, sufficient data can be obtained to reconstruct whole genomes in the majority of samples without the need for culture

    Trade finance in East Asia - potential responses to the shortfall

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    The crisis of 2008 saw many European banks reduce their provision of trade finance in East Asia. Notwithstanding the actions of the G20 and other bodies to redress this, a substantial shortfall in trade finance facilities in the region remains. This article explores the development of this shortfall, and analyses potential responses to it. These responses range from some much-needed further revisions to the Basle III rules, to deepening of cross-border cooperation, creating a ring-fenced liquidity pool for trade finance, encouraging co-financing among the various providers of trade finance both private and public, and establishing a regional trade finance database. In addition, the article ponders the likelihood of China’s banks beginning to take a substantial role in providing trade finance to the region. Trade finance offers China’s banks a low risk means of expanding into international business, and offers China a way to provide the sort of important service to its region that regional leaders typically seek to provide.postprin
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