Conceptual information processing: A robust approach to KBS-DBMS integration

Integrating the respective functionality and architectural features of knowledge base and data base management systems is a topic of considerable interest. Several aspects of this topic and associated issues are addressed. The significance of integration and the problems associated with accomplishing that integration are discussed. The shortcomings of current approaches to integration and the need to fuse the capabilities of both knowledge base and data base management systems motivates the investigation of information processing paradigms. One such paradigm is concept based processing, i.e., processing based on concepts and conceptual relations. An approach to robust knowledge and data base system integration is discussed by addressing progress made in the development of an experimental model for conceptual information processing

The Relationship of Organizational Justice and Interpersonal Attraction in Survivors’ Acceptance of Co-Worker Terminations

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of organizational justice and interpersonal attraction in survivors’ acceptance of co-worker terminations. Four scenarios were tested manipulating high and low levels of the two independent variables (organizational justice and interpersonal attraction) and their effects on the dependent variable (level of acceptance of coworker terminations). Findings indicate justice during the termination process is more important than how much the coworker was liked on the survivors’ acceptance of coworker terminations. The practical implication is that organizations must be careful to insure that terminations are done in a just manner in order to engender the acceptance of the surviving workforce

Affective organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior: examining the relationship through the lens of equity sensitivity

The main purpose of this study was to test the relationship between affective organizational commitment (AOC), organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and equity sensitivity, which heretofore has not been examined. Results revealed an interaction between AOC and equity sensitivity such that persons with an entitled orientation exhibited higher levels of OCB as their degree of AOC increased. Individuals with an entitled orientation and lower levels of AOC exhibited the lowest levels of OCB. This research suggests that organizations should focus on improving the level of AOC in order to increase the citizenship behavior of their entitled members. The moderating effect of equity sensitivity may help to explain why the relationship between AOC and OCB has been characterized as modest or weak in previous research studies

Disentangling the complexity of permafrost soil by using high resolution profiling of microbial community composition, key functions and respiration rates

Thawing permafrost can stimulate microbial activity, leading to faster decomposition of formerly preserved organic matter and CO2 release. Detailed knowledge about the vertical distribution of the responsible microbial community that is changing with increasing soil depth is limited. In this study, we determined the microbial community composition from cores sampled in a high Arctic heath at Svalbard, Norway; spanning from the active layer (AL) into the permafrost layer (PL). A special aim has been on identifying a layer of recently thawed soil, the transition zone (TZ), which might provide new insights into the fate of thawing permafrost. A unique sampling strategy allowed us to observe a diverse and gradually shifting microbial community in the AL, a Bacteroidetes dominated community in the TZ and throughout the PL, a community strongly dominated by a single Actinobacteria family (Intrasporangiaceae). The contrasting abundances of these two taxa caused a community difference of about 60%, just within 3 cm from TZ to PL. We incubated subsamples at about 5°C and measured highest CO2 production rates under aerobic incubations, yet contrasting for five different layers and correlating to the microbial community composition. This high resolution strategy provides new insights on how microbial communities are structured in permafrost and a better understanding of how they respond to thaw.publishedVersio

Fundamentos de la epidemiología genómica, lecciones aprendidas de la enfermedad por coronavirus (COVID-19) y nuevas direcciones

La pandemia de la enfermedad por coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) fue una de las principales causas de muerte en todo el mundo en 2020. La enfermedad es causada por el coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), un virus de ARN de la subfamilia Orthocoronavirinae relacionado con otros 2 coronavirus clínicamente relevantes, SARS-CoV y MERS-CoV. Al igual que otros coronavirus y varios otros virus, el SARS-CoV-2 se originó en los murciélagos. Sin embargo, a diferencia de otros coronavirus, el SARS-CoV-2 resultó en una pandemia devastadora. La pandemia de SARS-CoV-2 continúa, debido a la evolución viral que conduce a variantes más transmisibles e inmunes evasivas. Tecnologías como la secuenciación genómica, ha impulsado el cambio de la epidemiología sindrómica a la molecular, y promete una mejor comprensión de las variantes. La pandemia de COVID-19 ha expuesto obstáculos críticos que deben abordarse para desarrollar la ciencia de las pandemias. Gran parte del progreso se está aplicando en el mundo desarrollado. Sin embargo, persisten las barreras para el uso de la epidemiología molecular en los países de ingresos bajos y medianos (LMIC), incluida la falta de logística para equipos y reactivos y la falta de capacitación en análisis. Revisamos la literatura de epidemiología molecular para comprender sus orígenes desde la epidemia de SARS (2002-2003) hasta los eventos de influenza y la pandemia actual de COVID-19. Abogamos por una mejor vigilancia genómica del SARS-CoV y por comprender la diversidad de patógenos en posibles huéspedes zoonóticos. Este trabajo requerirá capacitación en computación filogenética y de alto rendimiento para mejorar los análisis del origen y la propagación de patógenos. Los objetivos generales son comprender y reducir el riesgo de zoonosis a través de la colaboración interdisciplinaria y la reducción de las barreras logísticas

CBR Anisotropy from Primordial Gravitational Waves in Two-Component Inflationary Cosmology

We examine stochastic temperature fluctuations of the cosmic background radiation (CBR) arising via the Sachs-Wolfe effect from gravitational wave perturbations produced in the early universe. We consider spatially flat, perturbed FRW models that begin with an inflationary phase, followed by a mixed phase containing both radiation and dust. The scale factor during the mixed phase takes the form $a(\eta)=c_1\eta^2+c_2\eta+c_3$, where $c_i$ are constants. During the mixed phase the universe smoothly transforms from being radiation to dust dominated. We find analytic expressions for the graviton mode function during the mixed phase in terms of spheroidal wave functions. This mode function is used to find an analytic expression for the multipole moments $\langle a_l^2\rangle$ of the two-point angular correlation function $C(\gamma)$ for the CBR anisotropy. The analytic expression for the multipole moments is written in terms of two integrals, which are evaluated numerically. The results are compared to multipoles calculated for models that are {\it completely} dust dominated at last-scattering. We find that the multipoles $\langle a_l^2\rangle$ of the CBR temperature perturbations for $l>10$ are significantly larger for a universe that contains both radiation and dust at last-scattering. We compare our results with recent, similar numerical work and find good agreement. The spheroidal wave functions may have applications to other problems of cosmological interest.Comment: 28 pgs + 6 postscript figures, RevTe

Pilot Weather Advisor System

The Pilot Weather Advisor (PWA) system is an automated satellite radio-broadcasting system that provides nearly real-time weather data to pilots of aircraft in flight anywhere in the continental United States. The system was designed to enhance safety in two distinct ways: First, the automated receipt of information would relieve the pilot of the time-consuming and distracting task of obtaining weather information via voice communication with ground stations. Second, the presentation of the information would be centered around a map format, thereby making the spatial and temporal relationships in the surrounding weather situation much easier to understan