A New General Method to Generate Random Modal Formulae for Testing Decision Procedures

The recent emergence of heavily-optimized modal decision procedures has highlighted the key role of empirical testing in this domain. Unfortunately, the introduction of extensive empirical tests for modal logics is recent, and so far none of the proposed test generators is very satisfactory. To cope with this fact, we present a new random generation method that provides benefits over previous methods for generating empirical tests. It fixes and much generalizes one of the best-known methods, the random CNF_[]m test, allowing for generating a much wider variety of problems, covering in principle the whole input space. Our new method produces much more suitable test sets for the current generation of modal decision procedures. We analyze the features of the new method by means of an extensive collection of empirical tests

A hypothesis about parallelism vs. seriality in dreams

The current article discusses the hypothesis about parallelism vs. Seriality in dreams. The process of dream building implies the construction of a complex network of closely interrelated sources. On the other hand, the dream experience develops as a succession of events. In this paper a hypothesis is advanced about how the psychophysiological system of dream building, which is distributed, acts to provide a serial output. This hypothesis is basically connected with the property, enjoyed by the dream experience, of simultaneously representing a plurality of meanings. Our point is that the serial output is created by the system in a conceptually simple way, i.e., by providing a dream plot able to simultaneously represent the overcoming of the present concerns, which are more than one because of the shift of the present concern. This property appears as a typical feature of the dreaming experience

Morning naps architecture and mentation recall complexity

Mentation reports were collected after spontaneous awakenings from morning naps in 18 healthy participants, and associations between sleep stages duration and complexity of recalled mentation were investigated. Participants were continuously recorded with polysomnography and allowed to sleep for a maximum of 2 hr. Mentation reports were classified according to both their complexity (1–6 scale) and their perceived timing of occurrence (Recent or Previous Mentation with respect to the final awakening). The results showed a good level of mentation recall, including different types of mentation with lab-related stimuli. N1 + N2 duration was positively related to the complexity of Previous Mentation recall, while rapid eye movement sleep duration was negatively related. This suggests that the recall of complex mentation, such as dreaming with a plot, occurring far from awakening may depend on the length of N1 + N2. However, the duration of sleep stages did not predict the complexity of Recent Mentation recall. Nevertheless, 80% of participants who recalled Recent Mentation had a rapid eye movement sleep episode. Half of the participants reported incorporating lab-related stimuli in their mentation, which positively correlated with both N1 + N2 and rapid eye movement duration. In conclusion, nap sleep architecture is informative about the complexity of dreams perceived as having occurred early during the sleep episode, but not about those perceived as recent

FIB/SEM and SEM/EDS microstructural analysis of metal-ceramic and zirconia-ceramic interfaces

Recently introduced FIB/SEM analysis in microscopy seems to provide a high-resolution characterization of the samples by 3D (FIB) cross-sectioning and (SEM) high resolution imaging. The aim of this study was to apply the FIB/SEM and SEM/EDS analysis to the interfaces of a metal-ceramic vs. two zirconiaceramic systems. Plate samples of three different prosthetic systems were prepared in the dental lab following the manufacturers’ instructions, where metal-ceramic was the result of a ceramic veneering (porcelain-fused-tometal) and the two zirconia- ceramic systems were produced by the dedicated CAD-CAM procedures of the zirconia cores (both with final sintering) and then veneered by layered or heat pressed ceramics. In a FIB/SEM equipment (also called DualBeam), a thin layer of platinum (1μm) was deposited on samples surface crossing the interfaces, in order to protect them during milling. Then, increasingly deeper trenches were milled by a focused ion beam, first using a relatively higher and later using a lower ion current (from 9 nA to 0.28 nA, 30KV). Finally, FEG-SEM (5KV) micrographs (1000–50,000X) were acquired. In a SEM the analysis of the morphology and internal microstructure was performed by 13KV secondary and backscattered electrons signals (in all the samples). The compositional maps were then performed by EDS probe only in the metal-ceramic system (20kV). Despite the presence of many voids in all the ceramic layers, it was possible to identify: (1) the grain structures of the metallic and zirconia substrates, (2) the thin oxide layer at the metalceramic interface and its interactions with the first ceramic layer (wash technique), (3) the roughness of the two different zirconia cores and their interactions with the ceramic interface, where the presence of zirconia grains in the ceramic layer was reported in two system possibly due to sandblasting before ceramic firing

PENGENDALIAN PERSEDIAAN BAHAN BAKU SINGKONG PADA INDUSTRI RUMAH TANGGA KERIPIK SINGKONG “IXXES” DI KELURAHAN KOLHUA KECAMATAN MAULAFA KOTA KUPANG

This research has been conducted in Home Industry “Ixxes” in Kolhua Village, Maulafa Subdistrict, Kupang City from March to April 2020. The objectives of this study are (1) To find out how the Home Industry “Ixxes” in controlling the supply of cassava raw materials, (2) To find out the optimal quantity every time you order cassava raw materials. The research location was determined deliberately on the consideration that Home Industry "Ixxes" has been operating since 2003 until now. The research method used is the case study method. The data collected in the form of primary data and secondary data. The data analyzed is data for 2020. The results of research on the “Ixxes” Home Industry are (1) How to control inventory of cassava raw materials carried out by the Home Industry uses a simple method, namely by estimating the amount of cassava raw material needed in every purchase. Where, the purchase of cassava raw materials is based on previous purchases and is usually done when the raw material supply of cassava has been used up. (2) The optimal quantity for each purchase of cassava raw material is 1,315 kg

Neurotrophic keratitis: Current challenges and future prospects

Neurotrophic keratitis (NK) is a degenerative corneal disease caused by damage of trigeminal corneal innervation, which leads to spontaneous epithelial breakdown and corneal ulceration. The impairment of corneal sensory innervation causes the reduction of both protective reflexes and trophic neuromodulators that are essential for the vitality, metabolism, and wound healing of ocular surface tissues. A wide range of ocular and systemic conditions, including herpetic keratitis, ocular chemical burns, corneal surgery, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and neurosurgical procedures, can cause NK by damaging trigeminal innervation. Diagnosis of NK requires careful investigation of any ocular and systemic condition associated with the disease, complete ocular surface examination, and quantitative measurement of corneal sensitivity. The clinical stages of NK range from corneal epithelial alterations (stage 1) to persistent epithelial defect (stage 2) and ulcer (stage 3), which may progress to corneal perforation. Management of NK is based on clinical severity, and the aim of the therapy is to halt the progression of corneal damage and promote epithelial healing. Although several medical and surgical treatments have been proposed, no therapies are currently available to restore corneal sensitivity, and thus, NK remains difficult and challenging to treat. The purpose of this review is to summarize available evidence on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of NK. Novel medical and surgical therapies including the topical administration of nerve growth factor and corneal neurotization are also described

Long working hours and cardiovascular mortality: a census-based cohort study

Objectives Long working hours have been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. However, results are inconsistent and large cohort studies are needed to confirm these findings. Methods We conducted a census-based cohort study including 11,903,540 Italian workers aged 20-64 years, registered in the 2011 census, with a 5-year follow-up (2012-2016). We estimated cause-specific hazard ratios (cHRs) through Cox regression models to quantify the association between long working hours and CVD mortality. Results Over 5 years of follow-up, 17,206 individuals died from CVD (15,262 men and 1944 women). Men working 55 or more hours per week had a cHR of 0.95 (95% confidence interval, CI 0.89-1.02) for all CVDs, while women showed a cHR of 1.19 (95% CI 0.95-1.49). Professional women working more than 55 h per week had a cHR of 1.98 (95% CI 0.87-4.52). Conclusions This study does not support an association between long working hours and CVD mortality among active Italian men, while it suggests a possible excess risk among women, although based on limited number of events