Effects of missing observations on predictive capability of central composite designs

Quite often in experimental work, many situations arise where some observations are lost or become unavailable due to some accidents or cost constraints. When there are missing observations, some desirable design properties like orthogonality, rotatability and optimality can be adversely affected. Some attention has been given, in literature, to investigating the prediction capability of response surface designs; however, little or no effort has been devoted to investigating same for such designs when some observations are missing. This work therefore investigates the impact of a single missing observation of the various design points: factorial, axial and center points, on the estimation and predictive capability of Central Composite Designs (CCDs). It was observed that for each of the designs considered, precision of model parameter estimates and the design prediction properties were adversely affected by the missing observations and that the largest loss in precision of parameters corresponds to a missing factorial point.Comment: 18 PAGES, 12 FIGURE

Large-Scale Modelling of the Environmentally-Driven Population Dynamics of Temperate Aedes albopictus (Skuse)

The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, is a highly invasive vector species. It is a proven vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses, with the potential to host a further 24 arboviruses. It has recently expanded its geographical range, threatening many countries in the Middle East, Mediterranean, Europe and North America. Here, we investigate the theoretical limitations of its range expansion by developing an environmentally-driven mathematical model of its population dynamics. We focus on the temperate strain of Ae. albopictus and compile a comprehensive literature-based database of physiological parameters. As a novel approach, we link its population dynamics to globally-available environmental datasets by performing inference on all parameters. We adopt a Bayesian approach using experimental data as prior knowledge and the surveillance dataset of Emilia-Romagna, Italy, as evidence. The model accounts for temperature, precipitation, human population density and photoperiod as the main environmental drivers, and, in addition, incorporates the mechanism of diapause and a simple breeding site model. The model demonstrates high predictive skill over the reference region and beyond, confirming most of the current reports of vector presence in Europe. One of the main hypotheses derived from the model is the survival of Ae. albopictus populations through harsh winter conditions. The model, constrained by the environmental datasets, requires that either diapausing eggs or adult vectors have increased cold resistance. The model also suggests that temperature and photoperiod control diapause initiation and termination differentially. We demonstrate that it is possible to account for unobserved properties and constraints, such as differences between laboratory and field conditions, to derive reliable inferences on the environmental dependence of Ae. albopictus populations

Полиэтничность крымской тематики в художественной литературе

Статья обращена к актуальной проблеме для крымского Причерноморья – сохранению литературного наследия, оставленного писателями разных национальных культур, отразившего обычаи, верования крымского этноса, способствующего сегодня духовному объединению всех народностей Крыма на основе гуманистических ценностей.Стаття звернена до актуальної проблеми для кримського Причорномор'я – збереженню літературної спадщини, залишеної письменниками різних національних культур, що відбила звичаї, вірування кримського етносу, що сприяє сьогодні духовному об'єднанню всіх народностей Криму на основі гуманістичних цінностей.The article is pointed to actual problem of Crimean coast – a conservation of the literary heritage, left writers of the different national cultures, reflected custom, beliefs of crimean ethnos, promoting today spiritual integration of all nationalities of Crimea on base of humanistic valuables

Військовополонені Першої світової війни в Кременчуцькому гарнізоні

У статті досліджено правове становище та умови перебування військовополонених Першої світової війни на території Кременчуцького гарнізону в другій половині 1916 року. На основі архівних даних визначено кількісний склад полонених, його розподіл за національною, соціальною та конфесійною ознаками. Досліджено динаміку чисельності, побутові умови та використання праці військовополонених.В статье исследовано правовое положение и условия пребывания военнопленных Первой мировой войны на территории Кременчугского гарнизона во второй половине 1916 года. На основе архивных данных определен количественный состав пленных, его распределение по национальной, социальной и конфессиональной принадлежности. Исследована динамика численности, бытовые условия и использования труда военнопленных.In article the legal status and conditions of stay of prisoners of war of the First World War in territory of the Kremenchug garrison in second half of 1916 is investigated. On the basis of contemporary records the quantitative structure captured, its distribution on a national, social and confessional accessory is defi ned. Dynamics of number, conditions of life and uses of work of prisoners of war is investigated

Shared characteristics underpinning C 4 leaf maturation derived from analysis of multiple C 3 and C 4 species of Flaveria

Most terrestrial plants use C3 photosynthesis to fix carbon. In multiple plant lineages a modified system known as C4 photosynthesis has evolved. To better understand the molecular patterns associated with induction of C4 photosynthesis, the genus Flaveria that contains C3 and C4 species was used. A base to tip maturation gradient of leaf anatomy was defined, and RNA sequencing was undertaken along this gradient for two C3 and two C4Flaveria species. Key C4 traits including vein density, mesophyll and bundle sheath cross-sectional area, chloroplast ultrastructure, and abundance of transcripts encoding proteins of C4 photosynthesis were quantified. Candidate genes underlying each of these C4 characteristics were identified. Principal components analysis indicated that leaf maturation and the photosynthetic pathway were responsible for the greatest amount of variation in transcript abundance. Photosynthesis genes were over-represented for a prolonged period in the C4 species. Through comparison with publicly available data sets, we identify a small number of transcriptional regulators that have been up-regulated in diverse C4 species. The analysis identifies similar patterns of expression in independent C4 lineages and so indicates that the complex C4 pathway is associated with parallel as well as convergent evolution

Kant's Argument Against Self-Murder and its Relation to the Principle of Self-Preservation of Reason

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston University.The goal of this dissertation is two-fold. It is, first, to reconstruct Kant's argument against self-murder, and, second, to analyze the function of the principle of self preservation of reason with regard to the prohibition of self-murder. I argue that self-murder is contrary to the principle of self-preservation of reason and violates the trustee-relationship between the homo phaenomenon and the homo noumenon. The analysis shows that moral self-preservation in Kant is a rational principle which serves to secure the possibility of moral faith and self-perfection. In the first part of the dissertation, I provide a comprehensive analysis of Kant's argument against self-murder by examining all of the relevant statements in his works, the Nachlab , as well as the lectures recorded by Herder, Powalski, Collins, and Vigilantius. Since self-murder violates a perfect duty to oneself, key topics of the analysis are: the dual status of the duty of self-preservation as both inner duty of right and duty of virtue, the right and end of humanity, as well as Kant's model of self-possession in terms of proprietas. The analysis makes clear that self-murder destroys the moral self and must be distinguished from sacrificing one's life in order to preserve one's moral integrity. [truncated

Allowed Gamow-Teller Excitations from the Ground State of 14N

Motivated by the proposed experiment $^{14}N(d,{^2He})^{14}C$, we study the final states which can be reached via the allowed Gamow-Teller mechanism. Much emphasis has been given in the past to the fact that the transition matrix element from the $J^{\pi}=1^+ T=0$ ground state of $^{14}N$ to the $J^{\pi}=0^+ T=1$ ground state of $^{14}C$ is very close to zero, despite the fact that all the quantum numbers are right for an allowed transition. We discuss this problem, but, in particular, focus on the excitations to final states with angular momenta $1^+$ and $2^+$. We note that the summed strength to the $J^{\pi}=2^+ T=1$ states, calculated with a wide variety of interactions, is significantly larger than that to the $J^{\pi}=1^+ T=1$ final states.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Проблемы специализированной помощи обожженным в России и пути их решения

На основании изучения динамики ожогового травматизма в России, тяжести травм и летальности среди больных с ожогами отмечено увеличение тяжести термической травмы, частоты раннего ожогового сепсиса и летальности среди взрослого населения, определены организационные и научные пути решения проблемы, повышения эффективности работы ожоговых центров.Basing on the study of the dynamics of burns in Russia, severity of the injury and death rate in the patients with burns the authors emphasize the increase in severity of thermal injury, incidence of early burn sepsis and death rate in adults. Organizational and scientific ways to solve the problem as well as to increase the efficacy of work of burn centers are defined

Debate sobre la Ley Federal del Trabajo

Se recuerda con preocupación la forma como la política laboral instrumentada en el sexenio de Carlos Salinas impuso "soluciones" a cada uno de los conflictos obrero patronales, soluciones adoptadas al margen y por sobre la normatividad laboral de esos días. Se abre boca a la discusión sin pensar que los avances tengan alguna significación, ya que muy pronto se llegó a ciertas conclusiones colectivas, de definición y proposición de temáticas tales como la libertad sindical, las condiciones de trabajo y la efectividad de las nuevas normas. Estas propuestas y reflexiones hechas en un contexto en el que la productividad en el trabajo y la capacitación para su realización, son preocupaciones de los trabajadores y sus sindicatos, en que la búsqueda de una salida a la crisis económica que padecemos puede ser encontrada sin mayores sacrificios que los que ya padece la clase trabajadora y en función a un interés nacional y popular