Coherence estimate between a random and a periodic signal: Bias, variance, analytical critical values, and normalizing transforms

The present work deals with recent results on the sampling distribution of the magnitude-squared coherence (also called just coherence) estimate between a random (Gaussian) and a periodic signal, in order to obtain analytical critical values, alternative expressions for the probability density function (PDF) as well as the variance and bias of the estimate. A comparison with the more general case of coherence estimation when both signals are Gaussian was also provided. The results indicate that the smaller the true coherence (TC) values the closer both distributions become. The behaviour of variance and bias as a function of the number of data segments and the TC is similar for both coherence estimates. Additionally, the effect of a normalizing function (Fisher's z transform) in the coherence estimated between a random and a periodic signal was also evaluated and normality has been nearly achieved. However, the variance was less equalized in comparison with coherence estimate between two Gaussian signals.     

Domestic patents and developing countries: arguments for their study and data from Brazil (1980–1995)

This paper presents data from Brazilian Patent Office (Instituto Nacional de Propriedade Industrial, INPI) and compares them with data from the United States Patent Office (USPTO). Developing countries have technological activities that are important locally but not significant at international level (imitation, local learning, adaptation of foreign innovations). These activities might be patentable only at national level. Therefore, the study of domestic patents of developing countries provides a broader picture than USPTO patents. This paper compares 8309 INPI patents with 475 USPTO patents (between 1980 and 1995). Domestic patent data show peculiarities in the Brazilian case, possibly shared with other countries in similar technological level: (a) high share of individual patents; (b) foreign-owned firms with important activities; (c) low firm involvement in R&D activities. Some characteristics are shared with developed countries: (a) domestic firms as the major patentees; (b) according to firm size, there is a U-shaped distribution of patents; (c) evidences of multi-technology large firms; (d) a relatively small share of firms have more than one patent in the whole period. The contrast between USPTO and national patenting statistics shows different rankings according to ownership structure, leading firms, industrial sectors, and international patent classification. These differences highlight sources of international competitiveness and point to weaknesses in Brazilian innovative activities. This paper concludes evaluating the contributions (and weaknesses) of this database for the evaluation of the Brazilian National System of Innovation.     

Effects of AM3 (Inmunoferon) on increased serum concentrations of interleukin-6 and tumour necrosis factor receptors I and II in cyclists

The aims of this study were to examine the changes in plasma concentrations of inflammatory cytokines induced by training and competition in professional cyclists. We report the serum concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), tumour necrosis factor receptors I and II (TNFR-I and -II) in a prospective, randomized, double-blind trial involving the administration of AM3 (Inmunoferon), an oral booster immunomodulator, or placebo to 16 professional cyclists (n = 8 in each group) for 65 consecutive days. Serum was collected just before treatment began (baseline), at the end of pre-competition training, before the mountain stage of the competition (60 days), 4 h after finishing this stage (62 days), and 18 h after the fifth and last day of competition (65 days). To determine the normal levels of cytokines and soluble TNF receptors, individual samples from 14 moderately trained healthy controls were studied. After 60 days of training, the serum concentrations of IL-6 did not differ significantly from those at the beginning of the study for either group of cyclists (placebo and AM3). A significant rise was seen in IL-6 concentrations in both the AM3 and placebo groups at 62 days, 4 h after finishing the mountain stage. The increase was significantly greater in the placebo group than in the AM3 group. At 65 days of treatment, 18 h after the fifth and last day of competition, IL-6 concentrations were similar to those recorded at the end of the training, but were significantly higher in the placebo group than in the AM3 group. At the end of training, serum TNFR-I concentrations in both groups of cyclists were significantly lower than at baseline. The concentrations of serum TNFR-I and -II both 4 h after finishing the mountain stage and 18 h after the fifth and last day of competition were significantly higher than those recorded after training in both groups. Professional cycling competition is associated with increases in serum IL-6 and TNFR-I and -II concentrations. Inmunoferon treatment reduced significantly the concentrations of IL-6 but not those of TNFR-I and -II.     

Effects and prevalence of responders after a multicomponent intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents with overweight/obesity: Action for health study

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to verify the effect of a multicomponent intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF), and to determine the prevalence of responders on CMRF among children and adolescents with overweight/obesity. This is a quasi-experimental study, developed with 35 children and adolescents with overweight/obesity (control group (CG) = 18; intervention group (IG) = 17), aged between 7 and 13 years. Participants in IG underwent a multicomponent intervention for 12 weeks. The following variables were evaluated: anthropometric measures, maturational stages and CMRF (body fatness, HOMA-IR, triglycerides, high-density and low-density lipoprotein) (HDL-C, LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and AST/ALT ratio. Mixed analysis of variance and the prevalence of responders were used for statistical analysis. There was a significant time x group interaction on body fatness (p < 0.001), HOMA-IR (p = 0.01), HDL-C (p < 0.001), LDL-C (p = 0.009) and TC (p < 0.001). The prevalence of responders for CMRF in IG and CG was respectively: body fatness (47%; 0%; p = 0.04), HOMA-IR (58.8%; 16.6%; p = 0.04); triglycerides (17.6%; 5.5%; p = 0.31); HDL-C (76.4%; 5.5%; p = 0.01), LDL-C (35.3%; 5%; p = 0.08), TC (64.7%; 5%; p = 0.01), AST (5.8%; 0%; p = 0.87), ALT (29.4%; 11.1%; p = 0.24) and AST/ALT ratio (24.4%; 22.2%; p = 0.67). Multicomponent intervention induced positive changes on CMRF along with a higher prevalence of positive adaptations in IG than the CG in some of the cardiometabolic outcomes assessed.     

Conceptual change or Conceptual Profile change?

In this paper I draw an overview of a new model to analyse conceptual evolution in the classroom, based on the notion of Conceptual Profile. This model differs from conceptual change models in suggesting that it is possible to use different ways of thinking in different domains and that a new concept does not necessarily replace previous and alternative ideas. According to this model, learning science is to change a conceptual profile and become conscious of the different zones of the profile, which includes commonsense and scientific ideas.To exemplify how the Conceptual Profile notion can help to understand the evolution of conceptions in the classroom I shall determine the different zones that constitute the epistemological and ontological profile of the concepts of the atom and of physical states of matter.     

Flipping the Classroom in Freshman English Library Instruction: A Comparison Study of a Flipped Class Versus a Traditional Lecture Method

A problem that Instruction Librarians often grapple with is the lack of time that is necessary to deliver, and assess, proper library instruction to students so the students grasp the Information Literacy concepts that are delivered especially in one or two instruction sessions. This article examines using the flipped classroom model in English library instruction classes where the works cited page of students final paper was assessed according to a rubric designed to assess the Authority, Timeliness, and Variety of the sources cited. The study compared results of flipped classroom sections against traditional lecture method classes with mixed results.     

Representing Serials Metadata in Institutional Repositories

This study focused on how serials information for journal articles is presented based on a sampling of institutional repository platforms at a variety of institutions. Since metadata on journal articles in institutional repositories can often be incomplete and haphazard, not only due to the difficulty of entering the metadata in the first place, but due to the difficulty of adapting existing metadata schemes to represent a journal article accurately, how can libraries increase the discoverability of these individual articles from a wide variety of journals? By examining existing metadata schemes and how they are used to represent articles currently in institutional repositories, libraries can look for a way forward to better represent articles though adapting schemas, exploring possibilities for standardization of metadata for articles, and promoting good practices.     

Effects of mother-son incest and positive perceptions of sexual abuse experiences on the psychosocial adjustment of clinic-referred men

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to examine the long-term impact of mother-son incest and positive initial perceptions of sexual abuse experiences on adult male psychosocial functioning. METHOD: Sixty-seven clinic-referred men with a history of sexual abuse participated. The participants completed self-report measures regarding their current psychosocial functioning and described the nature of their sexual and physical abuse experiences during childhood. RESULTS: Seventeen men reported mother-son incest, and these men endorsed more trauma symptoms than did other sexually abused men, even after controlling for a history of multiple perpetrators and physical abuse. Mother-son incest was likely to be subtle, involving behaviors that may be difficult to distinguish from normal caregiving (e.g., genital touching), despite the potentially serious long-term consequences. Twenty-seven men recalled positive or mixed initial perceptions of the abuse, including about half of the men who had been abused by their mothers. These men reported more adjustment problems than did men who recalled purely negative initial perceptions. CONCLUSIONS: Mother-son incest and positive initial perceptions of sexual abuse experiences both appear to be risk factors for more severe psychosocial adjustment problems among clinic-referred men.