The Behaviour of Dickey Fuller test in the case of noisy data: to what extent we can trust the outcome.

We examine the behaviour of Dickey Fuller test (DF) in the case of noisy data using Monte Carlo simulation. The findings show clearly that the size distortion of DF test becomes larger as the noise increases in the data.Hypothesis testing; Unit root test; Monte Carlo Analysis.

Identification of Participation-Related Activities to Be Used As Part of the Development of a Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Adolescents with Hearing Loss

Investigating self-efficacy beliefs among adolescents with hearing loss is imperative as these perceptions affect a broad range of age-related functioning. Validated self-efficacy questionnaires for use with persons with hearing loss are currently limited to four adult measures. Development of an adolescent-relevant questionnaire aims to quantify self-efficacy for participation in daily activities and to individualize treatment interventions for adolescents with hearing loss. Developing the self-efficacy questionnaire was based on a scoping literature review to develop a list of activities performed by typically developing adolescents. The questionnaire was piloted on a sample of youth with hearing loss. The Adolescent Self-Efficacy Questionnaire for Hearing Loss (ASEQ-HL) is a 37-item questionnaire based on the inventory of youth-related activities. The activities were linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - Child and Youth (ICF-CY) framework. The questionnaire was structured according to self-efficacy questionnaire development guidelines proposed by Bandura (2006b)

Computational Approach to Identifying Universal Macrophage Biomarkers.

Macrophages engulf and digest microbes, cellular debris, and various disease-associated cells throughout the body. Understanding the dynamics of macrophage gene expression is crucial for studying human diseases. As both bulk RNAseq and single cell RNAseq datasets become more numerous and complex, identifying a universal and reliable marker of macrophage cell becomes paramount. Traditional approaches have relied upon tissue specific expression patterns. To identify universal biomarkers of macrophage, we used a previously published computational approach called BECC (Boolean Equivalent Correlated Clusters) that was originally used to identify conserved cell cycle genes. We performed BECC analysis using the known macrophage marker CD14 as a seed gene. The main idea behind BECC is that it uses massive database of public gene expression dataset to establish robust co-expression patterns identified using a combination of correlation, linear regression and Boolean equivalences. Our analysis identified and validated FCER1G and TYROBP as novel universal biomarkers for macrophages in human and mouse tissues

Chiral force of guided light on an atom

We calculate the force of a near-resonant guided light field of an ultrathin optical fiber on a two-level atom. We show that, if the atomic dipole rotates in the meridional plane, the magnitude of the force of the guided light depends on the field propagation direction. The chirality of the force arises as a consequence of the directional dependencies of the Rabi frequency of the guided driving field and the spontaneous emission from the atom. This provides a unique method for controlling atomic motion in the vicinity of an ultrathin fiber.Comment: text and figures were revised, and a new discussion was adde

Local u'g'r'i'z' Standard Stars in the Chandra Deep Field-South

Because several observing programs are underway in various spectral regimes to explore the Chandra Deep Field South (CDF-S), the value of local photometric standards is obvious. As part of an NOAO Surveys Program to establish u'g'r'i'z' standard stars in the southern hemisphere, we have observed the central region of the CDF-S to create local standards for use by other investigators using these filters. As a courtesy, we present the CDF-S standards to the public now, although the main program will not finish until mid-2005.Comment: Accepted by AJ (scheduled for October 2003 issue). 26 pages, 5 tables, 5 figures. High resolution version of Figure 7 available at http://home.fnal.gov/~dtucker/Southern_ugriz/index.htm

Management of early blight of potato using bio control agents and plant extracts

The early blight of potato is mainly controlled by using chemical fungicides but chemical fungicides have got some adverse effect on environment as well as human beings. Keeping this in mind an experiment was conducted to test the efficacy of four plant extracts (tea, garlic, onion and neem leaf extract) and four bio-control agents (Trichoderma viride, Pseudomonas fluorescence, Streptomyces graseoviridis and Bacillus substilis) in controlling early blight of potato under field and in in vitro condition. These antifungal compounds were applied 3 times at 7days interval after first appearance of the disease in the field. Among the bio control agents T. viride was found highly effective in per cent disease reduction (52.39%) of disease over control treatment. The tuber yield (25.51 t/ ha.) was also highest in this treatment compared to control treatment (19.53 t/ha). This was followed by treatment T2 i.e. P. fluorescens where per cent incidence and intensity of disease were (65.00%) and (19.10%) respectively with 38.97% reduction of disease over control with tuber yield 23.65 t/ha. It was followed by S. graseoviridis where per cent incidence and intensity of disease were (68.00%) and (22.90%) respectively with 26.30% reduction of disease over control with tuber yield 21.07 t/ha. Among plant extracts, only neem leaf extract exhibited per cent reduction of disease (33.18%) over control treatment in field condition and inhibition of radial growth (59.85%) and spore germination (81.95%) in in vitro condition. Therefore both T. viride and neem can be used for managing the early blight of potato

Pengembangan Alat Praktikum Termodinamika Berbasis Problem Based Learning Bagi Peserta Didik Sma/ma Kelas XI

Penelitian ini bertujuan 1) Mengembangkan alat praktikum termodinamika berbasis problem based learning bagi peserta didik SMA/MA kelas XI 2) Mengetahui kualitas alat praktikum termodinamika berbasis problem based learning berdasarkan penilaian ahli materi, ahli media, danpendidik fisika SMA/MA 3) Mengetahui respon peserta didik dan keterlaksanaan alat praktikumtermodinamika berbasis problem based learning bagi peserta didik SMA/MA kelas XI. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian R&D dengan model prosedural yang mengadaptasi prosedur penelitian pengembangan menurut Borg and Gall yaitu (1) studi pendahuluan, (2) merencanakan penelitian, (3) pengembangan desain, (4) uji lapangan terbatas, (5) revisi hasil uji lapangan terbatas, (6) uji lapangan lebih luas, (7) revisi hasil uji lapangan lebih luas, (8) uji kelayakan, (9) revisi hasil uji kelayakan, dan (10) diseminasi dan implementasi. Penelitian ini dilakukan sampai pada tahap ke-7, yaitu revisi hasil uji lapangan lebih luas. Instrumen penelitian berupa lembar penilaian kualitas alat praktikum termodinamika berbasis problem based learning untuk ahli materi, ahli media, dan pendidik Fisika SMA/MA menggunakan skala Likert yang dibuat dalam bentuk checklist. Instrumen untuk peserta didik berupa skala respon peserta didik menggunakan skala Likert yang dibuat dalam bentuk checklist. Instrumen keterlaksanaan alat praktikum berupa deskripsi keterlaksanaan alat praktikum saat dilakukan uji coba produk kepada peserta didik. Data hasil penilaian diubah menjadi rerata skor kemudian dibandingkan dengan tabel klasifikasi kriteria kualitatif penilaian produk dan respon peserta didik. Hasil penelitian yang telah dikembangkan berupa alat praktikum termodinamika berbasis problem based learning bagi peserta didik SMA/MA kelas XI berdasarkan karakteristik Problem Based Learning. Kualitas alat praktikum termodinamika yang dikembangkan menurut penilaian ahli materi, ahli media, dan pendidik Fisika SMA/MA adalah sangat baik (SB). Respon peserta didik terhadap alat praktikum termodinamika pada uji coba produk adalah sangat setuju (SS), sedangkan hambatan pada keterlaksanaan alat praktikum yaitu pada kerjasama kelompok, percobaan hukum ke-0, rangkaian alat praktikum, dan waktu pengamatan. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa alat praktikum termodinamika yang dikembangkan dapat digunakan sebagai salah satu media pembelajaran bagi peserta didik kelas XI SMA/MA

Predation potential of flower fly Eupeodes nuba (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Syrphidae) on black bean aphid Aphis fabae Scopoli (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and the parasitoids species on its host in the field

The flower fly species, Eupeodes nuba (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Syrphidae) is crucial for agroecosystems as it provides various ecosystem services such as pest control through the use of predatory larvae and crop pollination by adults. In this research, the consumption rate of different instars of Aphis fabae (Scopoli, 1763) by E. nuba larvae has been studied under laboratory conditions at 25±2 °C, 60±10% humidity (RH). Fifty aphids and one larva of flower fly were present in each replicate. The results showed that the maximum number of A. fabae consumed by the larvae of E. nuba was 49.13 individuals at the third instar, followed by 35.73 individuals of aphids at the second instar and 16.26 individuals for the first instar of the predator. The highest daily consumption of aphids occurred during the third instar of the predator. A. fabae was heavily parasitized by different aphid parasitoids, Binodoxys acalephae (Marshall, 1896), Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall, 1896), and Aphelinus asychis (Walker, 1839) on the broad bean. Parasitization rates of these parasitoids increased during the broad bean plant season. The first recording of A. fabae as a new host for A. psychic. The survey of three parasitoids indicated that L. fabarum had the highest population in December, the parasitoid B. acalephae was the highest in January, and the highest population of A. asychis was recorded in February. It seems that biological control can be used as an alternative to chemical pesticides to control A. fabae