scholarly journals Persistent states in vision break universality and time invariance

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (48) ◽  
pp. 14990-14995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Wexler ◽  
Marianne Duyck ◽  
Pascal Mamassian
Keyword(s):  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Distinct Population ◽  
Short Term ◽  
External Perturbations ◽  
Population Distributions ◽  
Time Invariance ◽  
Global Statistics ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Spontaneous Fluctuations

Studies of perception usually emphasize processes that are largely universal across observers and—except for short-term fluctuations—stationary over time. Here we test the universality and stationarity assumptions with two families of ambiguous visual stimuli. Each stimulus can be perceived in two different ways, parameterized by two opposite directions from a continuous circular variable. A large-sample study showed that almost all observers have preferred directions or biases, with directions lying within 90 degrees of the bias direction nearly always perceived and opposite directions almost never perceived. The biases differ dramatically from one observer to the next, and although nearly every bias direction occurs in the population, the population distributions of the biases are nonuniform, featuring asymmetric peaks in the cardinal directions. The biases for the two families of stimuli are independent and have distinct population distributions. Following external perturbations and spontaneous fluctuations, the biases decay over tens of seconds toward their initial values. Persistent changes in the biases are found on time scales of several minutes to 1 hour. On scales of days to months, the biases undergo a variety of dynamical processes such as drifts, jumps, and oscillations. The global statistics of a majority of these long-term time series are well modeled as random walk processes. The measurable fluctuations of these hitherto unknown degrees of freedom show that the assumptions of universality and stationarity in perception may be unwarranted and that models of perception must include both directly observable variables as well as covert, persistent states.

The effect of phosphate and potash fertilizers on cut and grazed grassland

1970 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-407 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Brockman ◽  
P. G. Shaw ◽  
K. M. Wolton
Keyword(s):  
Short Term ◽  
Long Term Experiments ◽  
K Fertilizer ◽  
P Fertilizer ◽  
Cutting Management ◽  
Experimental Management ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Grazed Swards ◽  
Grazed Grassland

SUMMARYAn experiment was carried out over a 5-year period on a grass/clover sward at North Wyke to compare three methods of experimental management—individually grazed plots, communally grazed plots and cutting with removal of herbage. Responses to phosphate and potash fertilizers under each management were measured.P fertilizer increased grass yields in the first 4 years and decreased clover yields in the last 2. In almost all respects cut and grazed sward responded similarly to P. Fertilizer K had no effect on grass yield but markedly increased clover yield and raised herbage K content. Grazed swards developed a higher herbage K content than cut swards, and K fertilizer increased it more in the fourth and fifth years on the individually grazed than on the communally grazed plots. Thus communal grazing resulted in appreciable transfer of K from plot to plot in animal returns.It is concluded that whilst cutting management may be used for short-term experiments, its use in long-term experiments gives different results from grazing. Communal grazing can lead to the transfer of N and K effects from plot to plot, so that plots must be grazed individually except perhaps where P is the only variable nutrient.

Djibouti looks further east with new port deal

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Container Terminal ◽  
Far East ◽  
Gulf Of Aden ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Port Management ◽  
The Us ◽  
Strategic Location ◽  
Almost All

Subject Djibouti port management Significance Djibouti on February 22 unilaterally terminated Dubai Ports World (DP World)’s contract to manage Djibouti’s main economic asset, the Doraleh Container Terminal (DCT), the port that handles almost all of land-locked Ethiopia’s foreign trade. The port’s seizure brings a bitter, six-year legal and commercial dispute between the Emirati-owned DP World and Djibouti’s President Ismael Omar Guelleh to a climactic end, reconfiguring alliances in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea. Singapore-based Pacific International Lines (PIL) will now manage the port, as Djibouti eyes a long-term future aligned towards the Far East. Impacts The de facto nationalisation of DCT will not significantly disrupt Ethiopia’s economy or transit trade in the short term. Despite US unease over Chinese maritime ambitions, Western diplomats will be wary of involvement in the Djibouti-UAE dispute. Given Djibouti's strategic location, the US will not downsize its military base absent a wider change in its regional strategic priorities. PIL will aim to boost transhipments via Djibouti, potentially bolstering French and Chinese links within the Ocean Alliance consortium.

Board evaluation in the top Nordic football clubs

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 210-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tor Brunzell ◽  
Sten Söderman
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Plan ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Board Members ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Football Clubs ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Positive Effect

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study if and how the evaluation of the boards in the top Nordic male football clubs affects the boards’ composition and work.Design/methodology/approachThe study includes all the clubs in the two top divisions in each of the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden). The study makes use of a questionnaire where 66 (out of 145) chairmen answer 17 questions concerning the board composition and work on a five‐point Likert‐scale.FindingsThe responses were related to whether the board is annually evaluated or not. Descriptive statistics demonstrates that more than half of the clubs have an annual board evaluation. Most common is that the Chairman performs the evaluation himself/herself with help from designated board members; the evaluation being performed through informal discussions. A total of 44 clubs have a nominee committee. Almost all of the clubs transfer the result of the board evaluation to its nominee committee, most commonly verbally. Furthermore, results show that board evaluation has a significant positive effect on the following functions of football boards: review of business plan, strategy, objective and budget; discussion on short‐term development; discussion on long‐term development; and work efficiency.Originality/valueThe results of this study are consistent with a similar study of listed Nordic companies. The main difference between the results of the two studies is that clubs, unlike publicly listed companies, almost always perform the evaluation through internal interviews rarely using external consultants and individual anonymous questionnaires.

scholarly journals Populasi, One Child Policy dan Reformasi Cina

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-101
Author(s):  
YUSNARIDA EKA NIZMI NIZMI
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Population Policy ◽  
Aging Population ◽  
Economic Stability ◽  
Short Term ◽  
One Child Policy ◽  
Child Policy ◽  
The Government ◽  
Almost All

Abstract One child policy has been implemented  in 1979 and the effects both  negative and positive clearly to women. One child policy is a simple China’s economic growth grand strategy that was design to reduce population growth, infrastructure problems,  labour and resources. This policy obviously effective in controlling almost all family just to have one child. The problem is that one child policy should be noted only just for short term, implemented for giving state to get its economic goals and to socialize the values of small family and not for long term solution.  Various critics defense this policy because of its unrespect and harmful for women and also breaking the human rights. This research analyze one child policy and its implications to decline labour ratio which threat economic stability because of aging population. China government  needs to be focus on the meaning of growth in wholistic and more understand that economic growth is also include better echievements in social politics and economic policy dimension. These dimensions will not be reached if the government keep going its attention only on liberalization and modal accumulation.   Keywords: Population Policy, One Child Policy, Family Planning, Economic Growth.   Sejak One Child Policy diimplementasikan pada tahun 1979, terlihat dengan jelas pengaruh positif dan negatifnya terhadap kaum perempuan. Kebijakan satu anak adalah salah satu bagian sederhana dari grand strategi pertumbuhan ekonomi Cina, yang dirancang untuk membatasi pertumbuhan populasi  dan mengurangi tekanan infrastruktur, ketenagakerjaan dan sumberdaya.  Kebijakan ini efektif dalam membatasi  hampir semua keluarga hanya memiliki satu anak. Masalahnya adalah bahwa kebijakan ini harus dipandang sebagai sebuah program jangka pendek, diimplementasikan untuk memberi negara kesempatan mencapai tujuan-tujuan ekonominya dan membantu mensosialisasikan nilai dari keluarga kecil, dan bukan sebagai solusi jangka panjang untuk tekanan ekonomi. Kritik terhadap kebijakan ini sudah banyak bermunculan, kebijakan ini membahayakan kaum perempuan dan implikasinya melanggar hak asasi manusi. Tulisan ini menganalisa posisi kebijakan satu anak dan implementasinya yang banyak mendapatkan pertentanga dan penurunan rasio tenaga kerja yang pensiun yang dapat mengancam stabilititas ekonomi Cina karena persoalan “aging population”. Pemerintah Cina perlu untuk memfokuskan makna pertumbuhan secara holistik dan lebih memahami bahwa pertumbuhan juga mencakup pencapaian yang lebih baik dalam dimensi sosial, politik, dan kebijakan ekonomi.  Dimensi-dimensi ini tidak akan dapat dicapai jika pemerintah terus melanjutkan perhatiannya hanya pada liberalisasi dan akumulasi modal.   Kata Kunci: Kebijakan Populasi, Kebijakan satu anak, Perencanaan Keluarga, Pertumbuhan Ekonomi  

scholarly journals Common ocular motor paralysis in a tabetic anatomical examination. A. Papadaki. (Neurological Review, 1904)

2021 ◽  
Vol XII (3) ◽  
pp. 293-294
Author(s):  
S. Kagan
Keyword(s):  
Medulla Oblongata ◽  
Ocular Motor ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Motor Paralysis ◽  
Peripheral Neuritis ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Transient Diplopia

Musculi externi eyes are rarely (39: 100) paralyzed in the prodromal period of the tabes. Paralysis is mild and transient at first, but returns severe and prolonged. In this case, all, or almost all, of the motor of the eye is affected, which deviates outward, and ptosis sets in. Temporary paralysis, according to some, are considered to be a consequence of peripheral neuritis, and long-term paralysis is a consequence of damage to the centers of the medulla oblongata. Adamkievitz considered the cause of transient diplopia to be a short-term rush of blood to the nerve trunks and nuclei, and Gweicher - sclerosis of the arteries and ischemia of the motor centers. Dejerine, in a case of isolated paralysis, of a tabetik's eyelid lifter, after opening, found a deep degeneration of his nerve filament, while the trunk of nervi oculomotorii turned out to be unchanged. Because of this, he considers the disease to be peripheral nervo-tabes.

scholarly journals Spaceflight Induced Disorders: Potential Nutritional Countermeasures

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Costa ◽  
Francesco Saverio Ambesi-Impiombato ◽  
Tommaso Beccari ◽  
Carmela Conte ◽  
Samuela Cataldi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Body ◽  
Space Station ◽  
Space Environment ◽  
Nutritional Deficiencies ◽  
Space Travel ◽  
Basic Training ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Selection Strategies ◽  
Almost All

Space travel is an extreme experience even for the astronaut who has received extensive basic training in various fields, from aeronautics to engineering, from medicine to physics and biology. Microgravity puts a strain on members of space crews, both physically and mentally: short-term or long-term travel in orbit the International Space Station may have serious repercussions on the human body, which may undergo physiological changes affecting almost all organs and systems, particularly at the muscular, cardiovascular and bone compartments. This review aims to highlight recent studies describing damages of human body induced by the space environment for microgravity, and radiation. All novel conditions, to ally unknown to the Darwinian selection strategies on Earth, to which we should add the psychological stress that astronauts suffer due to the inevitable forced cohabitation in claustrophobic environments, the deprivation from their affections and the need to adapt to a new lifestyle with molecular changes due to the confinement. In this context, significant nutritional deficiencies with consequent molecular mechanism changes in the cells that induce to the onset of physiological and cognitive impairment have been considered.

Expression ofManduca sextaV-ATPase genesmvB, mvGandmvdis regulated by ecdysteroids

2002 ◽  
Vol 205 (8) ◽  
pp. 1059-1067 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephan Reineke ◽  
Helmut Wieczorek ◽  
Hans Merzendorfer
Keyword(s):  
Manduca Sexta ◽  
Biological Significance ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Northern Blots ◽  
Transcript Levels ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Immunohistochemical Studies

SUMMARYV-ATPases are complex proteins consisting of a peripheral, ATP-hydrolysing V1 complex and a membrane-bound H+-translocating Vo complex. The plasma membrane V-ATPase from the tobacco hornworm(Manduca sexta) midgut is made up of eight different V1and four different Vo subunits. During starvation and moulting,V-ATPase activity decreases as a result of the dissociation of the V1 complex from the Vo complex. To determine whether subunit biosynthesis is reduced during periods of enzyme inactivity, we measured the transcript levels and transcriptional activities of V-ATPase genes. Northern blots revealed the downregulation of almost all V-ATPase transcripts during starvation. During moulting, transcript levels of the three V-ATPase genes examined, mvB, mvG and mvd, also decreased,and this decrease was negatively correlated with the titre of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE) and positively correlated with the titre of juvenile hormone (JH). To test the biological significance of these correlations, we injected both hormones into feeding larvae and measured transcript levels several hours later. A short-term increase and a long-term decrease in levels of mRNA were observed after 20-HE injection, whereas JH injection had no significant effect. Immunohistochemical studies of the midgut epithelium revealed that 20-HE injection led to changes in goblet cell morphology and in the subcellular distribution of the V1 complex comparable with the situation during the moult and during starvation. Reporter gene assays in Sf21 cells using mvB, mvG and mvdpromoters to initiate transcription of firefly luciferase led, after incubation of the cells with 20-HE, to results comparable with those obtained in the injection experiments. These findings suggest that putative ecdysone-responsive elements are present in all three promoters. Taken together, our results suggest that the expression of V-ATPase genes is controlled in a coordinated manner by ecdysteroids.

Acupuncture Mechanisms for Clinically Relevant Long-Term Effects – Reconsideration and a Hypothesis

2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 82-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christer Carlsson
Keyword(s):  
Long Term Potentiation ◽  
Anxiety Reduction ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Inhibitory System ◽  
Long Term Depression ◽  
Acupuncture Research ◽  
Descending Pain Inhibitory System ◽  
Almost All

From the author's direct involvement in clinical research, the conclusion has been drawn that clinically relevant long-term pain relieving effects of acupuncture (>6 months) can be seen in a proportion of patients with nociceptive pain. The mechanisms behind such effects are considered in this paper. From the existing experimental data some important conclusions can be drawn: Much of the animal research only represents short-term hypoalgesia probably induced by the mechanisms behind stress-induced analgesia (SIA) and the activation of diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC). Almost all experimental acupuncture research has been performed with electro-acupuncture (EA) even though therapeutic acupuncture is mostly gentle manual acupuncture (MA). Most of the experimental human acupuncture pain threshold (PT) research shows only fast and very short-term hypoalgesia, and, importantly, PT elevation in humans does not predict the clinical outcome. The effects of acupuncture may be divided into two main components – acupuncture analgesia and therapeutic acupuncture. A hypothesis on the mechanisms of therapeutic acupuncture will include: Peripheral events that might improve tissue healing and give rise to local pain relief through axon reflexes, the release of neuropeptides with trophic effects, dichotomising nerve fibres and local endorphins. Spinal mechanisms, for example, gate-control, long-term depression, propriospinal inhibition and the balance between long-term depression and long-term potentiation. Supraspinal mechanisms through the descending pain inhibitory system, DNIC, the sympathetic nervous system and the HPA-axis. Is oxytocin also involved in the long-term effects? Cortical, psychological, “placebo” mechanisms from counselling, reassurance and anxiety reduction.

scholarly journals HOW FEASIBLE A CONVERTIBLE IJARAH CONTRACT FOR SME’S FINANCING: A SIMULATION APPROACH

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuliani Dalimunthe ◽  
Akhmad Syakhroza ◽  
Mustafa Edwin Nasution ◽  
Zaafri Ananto Husodo
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Economic Performance ◽  
Business Sector ◽  
Simulation Approach ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Islamic Financial Institutions ◽  
Main Input ◽  
Almost All

Islamic financial institutions have relied for decades on margin-based contracts toprovide financing for the business sector, despite the basic idea that Islamic financeis expected to provide an equity-based or a profit and loss sharing (PLS) contract.This fact raises the need to encourage the use of a margin-based instrument with aninnovative scheme that allows for conversion of the contract into a PLS-based contract.Moreover, we propose a convertible ijarah contract to fill this need. A convertible ijarahcontract is an ijarah (rent) contract that is convertible to a PLS contract according tothe Islamic financier’s decision. In this study, we simulate three scenarios of projectfinancing with (a) murabaha as a margin-based contract, (b) musharaka as a PLScontract and (c) a convertible ijarah contract. The aim is to evaluate whether theconvertible ijarah contract will provide a higher return for the financier compared to theother contracts. The main input of the simulation is nine sectors of Indonesian SMEs’financial performance. We found that when the financial performance of IndonesianSMEs was measured by short-term financial performance, the convertible ijarahcontract outperformed the murabaha contract for all sectors but did not outperformthe musharaka contract, except for low-margin sectors. However, when the financialperformance of Indonesians SMEs was measured by long-term economic performance,we found that the convertible ijarah contract outperformed the murabaha contract andmusharaka contract for almost all sectors.

scholarly journals How do Dutch general practitioners detect and diagnose atrial fibrillation? Results of an online case vignette study

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Verbiest - van Gurp ◽  
D. van Mil ◽  
H. A. M. van Kesteren ◽  
J. A. Knottnerus ◽  
H. E. J. H. Stoffers
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Case Vignette ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Vignette Study ◽  
Symptom Frequency ◽  
Case Vignettes ◽  
Almost All

Abstract Background Detection and treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) are important given the serious health consequences. AF may be silent or paroxysmal and remain undetected. It is unclear whether general practitioners (GPs) have appropriate equipment and optimally utilise it to detect AF. This case vignette study aimed to describe current practice and to explore possible improvements to optimise AF detection. Methods Between June and July 2017, we performed an online case vignette study among Dutch GPs. We aimed at obtaining at least 75 responses to the questionnaire. We collected demographics and asked GPs’ opinion on their knowledge and experience in diagnosing AF. GPs could indicate which diagnostic tools they have for AF. In six case vignettes with varying symptom frequency and physical signs, they could make diagnostic choices. The last questions covered screening and actions after diagnosing AF. We compared the answers to the Dutch guideline for GPs on AF. Results Seventy-six GPs completed the questionnaire. Seventy-four GPs (97%) thought they have enough knowledge and 72 (95%) enough experience to diagnose AF. Seventy-four GPs (97%) could order or perform ECGs without the interference of a cardiologist. In case of frequent symptoms of AF, 36–40% would choose short-term (i.e. 24–48 h) and 11–19% long-term (i.e. 7 days, 14 days or 1 month) monitoring. In case of non-frequent symptoms, 29–31% would choose short-term and 21–30% long-term monitoring. If opportunistic screening in primary care proves to be effective, 83% (58/70) will support it. Conclusions Responding GPs report to have adequate equipment, knowledge, and experience to detect and diagnose AF. Almost all participants can order ECGs. Reported monitoring duration was shorter than recommended by the guideline. AF detection could improve by increasing the monitoring duration.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document