Distance statistics in random media: high dimension and/or high neighborhood order cases

Consider an unlimited homogeneous medium disturbed by points generated via Poisson process. The neighborhood of a point plays an important role in spatial statistics problems. Here, we obtain analytically the distance statistics to $k$th nearest neighbor in a $d$-dimensional media. Next, we focus our attention in high dimensionality and high neighborhood order limits. High dimensionality makes distance distribution behavior as a delta sequence, with mean value equal to Cerf's conjecture. Distance statistics in high neighborhood order converges to a Gaussian distribution. The general distance statistics can be applied to detect departures from Poissonian point distribution hypotheses as proposed by Thompson and generalized here.Comment: 5 pages and 2 figure

“Emotional Nose”: The Hedonic Character of Olfaction and its Epistemological and Clinical Implications

The olfactory system is the oldest device that most organisms have to perceive their physical and social environment. However, progressing in the evolutionary tree, the importance of the olfactory perception has decreased, and the sight has taken dominance. Notwithstanding, the olfaction still plays a fundamental role, as it is strictly associated with emotions, which are a medium between perception and behavior. The current work aims at addressing the hedonic character of the olfaction, showing its strong clinical implications for clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and CogInfoCom

Evaluating the Improvement of Quality of Life in Rural Areas

The research starts from the necessity to create specific tools for evaluating the impacts of rural development policies on fragile areas. The study is motivated by the need for developing an appropriate evaluation method that leads to gather meaningful information for a broader understanding of the quality of life in rural areas, including the subjective well-being’s dimensions and its determinants and feeds the policy designs on this specific domain. The multidimensional nature of quality of life is a main challenge in terms of evaluation. Indeed, within the Rural Development Programmes 2007-2013, the enhancement of the quality of life in rural areas is one of the major strategic objectives to be addressed by a menu of measures. Selections of some current literature on the multidimensional nature of quality of life have been used as conceptual basis for analysing the extent to which the European evaluation framework for rural development programmes (EC 1999, 2006, 2010) - based on the intervention logic model, the use of economic indicators and evaluative questions - is able to capture the relevant dimensions of well-being rural people’s lives. A part of the research is based on the analysis of ex-post evaluations carried out in Italy. The evaluations are expected to assess the improvement of quality of life in rural areas as effect of programmes’ implementation. The paper provides two different experiences of quantification of quality of life in rural area: a synthetic measure of marginality as a proxy of quality of life indicators (in Piedmont) and a synthetic index of quality of life (in Emilia Romagna). The paper proposes a wider integrated evaluation approach to be used in the context of the evaluation of impacts of rural development programmes, that through the combined utilization of quantitative and qualitative indicators and additional evaluative questions, allows a more comprehensive assessment of quality of life in rural areas.evaluation, quality of life, marginality, qualitative indicators, Agricultural and Food Policy, O180,

A method for narrow-band searches of continuous gravitational wave signals

Targeted searches of continuous waves from spinning neutron stars normally assume that the frequency of the gravitational wave signal is at a given known ratio with respect to the rotational frequency of the source, e.g. twice for an asymmetric neutron star rotating around a principal axis of inertia. In fact this assumption may well be invalid if, for instance, the gravitational wave signal is due to a solid core rotating at a slightly different rate with respect to the star crust. In this paper we present a method for {\it narrow-band} searches of continuous gravitational wave signals from known pulsars in the data of interferometric detectors. This method assumes source position is known to high accuracy, while a small frequency and spin-down range around the electromagnetic-inferred values is explored. Barycentric and spin-down corrections are done with an efficient time-domain procedure. Sensitivity and computational efficiency estimates are given and results of tests done using simulated data are also discussed.Comment: 13 pages; 6 figures; accepted in PR

Rebag-Ware: Reputation-based Governance of Public Works

Reputation-based Governance (Rebag) is a framework to address governance problems that hinges on the reputation of the relevant actors. It functions thanks to an appropriate Web-based information system that encompasses the concept of Internet-based Reputation System, of which eBay represents an example. Rebag-Ware is a demonstrator of such an information system, showing an application of the proposed governance model to the management of public works. Rebag provides strong incentives to the actors of governance to behave efficiently and honestly. It allows for the computation of routine statistics that are used to fight corruption. Also, it allows for very advanced forms of public involvement that include participative planning and budgeting. In the paper, Rebag-Ware 1.0 is used to show some of the characteristics of the proposed model of governance. The site of the project is http://www.rebag.it. Rebag-Ware can be accessed at: http://fire.ei.unibo.it:8080/rebagware/

Zygostates dasyrhiza (Kraenzl.) Schltr. (Orchidaceae: Oncidiinae), a new record from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Zygostates dasyrhiza (Kraenzl.) Schltr. is here documented for the first time for the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A morphological description, data about geographic distribution and habitat, an artificial key to the three Zygostates species native to Rio Grande do Sul, and additional comments about this species are provided.(Zygostates dasyrhiza (Kraenzl.) Schltr. (Orchidaceae: Oncidiinae), novo registro para o Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil) A presença de Zygostates dasyrhiza (Kraenzl.) Schltr. (Orchidaceae: Oncidiinae) é documentada pela primeira vez para o estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Neste trabalho são apresentados a descrição, distribuição geográfica, hábitat e comentários adicionais para a espécie, bem como uma chave artificial para separar as três espécies de Zygostates nativas do Rio Grande do Sul

Push-pull fatigue tests on ductile and vermicular cast irons

This article aims at measuring and comparing the fatigue strength with fully reversed push-pull tests in the case of two different cast irons: ductile and vermicular. Spheroidal Graphite Iron (SGI), also known as ductile cast iron, is nowadays used in a very large variety of applications. It represents a valid option when strength and stiffness are required, namely, when high values of tensile strength and Young’s modulus are coupled with appreciable deformation before failure. By contrast, a different cast iron, known as Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) or vermicular cast iron, presents its benefits in replacing SGI with respect to specific applications. In particular, with better castability, machinability and thermal resistance, SGI is ideal when components suffer simultaneous mechanical and thermal loadings, such as cylinder blocks and heads. While SGI benefits of a wide scientific literature, CGI is a relatively unknown material, especially referring to its response under fatigue loads

Elevated serum levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and stem cell growth factor β in patients with idiopathic and systemic sclerosis associated pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can be idiopathic or secondary to autoimmune diseases, and it represents one of the most threatening complications of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine with proinflammatory functions that appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of hypoxia-induced PH. In SSc patients, high serum levels of MIF have been associated with the development of ulcers and PAH. Stem cell growth factor β (SCGF β) is a human growth factor that, together with MIF, is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic spinal cord injury. The aim of our study was to measure serum levels of MIF in patients with idiopathic and SSc-associated PAH. We enrolled 13 patients with idiopathic PAH and 15 with SSc-associated PAH. We also selected 14 SSc patients without PAH and 12 normal healthy controls, matched for sex and age. PAH was confirmed by right hearth catheterism (mPAP>25 mmHg). MIF and SCGF β levels were measured by ELISA. We found significantly higher circulating levels of MIF and of SCGF β in patients with idiopathic PAH (P=0.03 and P=0.004) and with PAH secondary to SSc (P=0.018 and P=0.023) compared to SSc patients without PAH. Higher levels of MIF were found in those patients with an higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (P=0.03). We can hypothesize that MIF and SCGF β are able to play a role in PAH, both idiopathic or secondary, and in the future they may be evaluated as useful biomarkers and prognostic factors for this serious vascular disease

Acidentes de Trabalho na Universidade de Brasília: Causas e Conseqüências

Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar as causas e conseqüências dos acidentes de trabalho no âmbito da Universidade de Brasília. Procurou também entender os motivos que levaram os servidores a se acidentarem e ao final contribuir com sugestões adequadas de melhorias nos processos de trabalho nos quais os funcionários da Universidade de Brasília estão inseridos. A pesquisa documental foi realizada junto ao Hospital Universitário de Brasília HUB e no Núcleo Especializado em Segurança do Trabalho NEST, através das CIAT s Comunicações Internas de Acidentes de Trabalho. Foram analisadas 223 CIAT s, referentes aos anos de 2003, 2004 e 2005, representando 100% da amostra, ou seja, foram verificados todos os acidentes ocorridos no período de estudo. O levantamento dos dados revelou que dos 223 acidentes, 181 foram verificados no Hospital Universitário de Brasília - HUB, representando 82%. O tipo de acidente de maior ocorrência foi ocasionado por perfuração com manejo de agulhas. O período de estudo constatou a ocorrência de 127 lesões desta natureza, representando 71%. O estudo revelou ainda que os acidentes aconteceram em sua maioria com profissionais de saúde, como Médicos, Enfermeiros, Auxiliares de Enfermagem, Técnicos de Laboratório, Alunos de Odontologia, Internos e servidores da área operacional que procedem a retirada do lixo hospitalar