Like many others, I believe that the information revolution is a constitutive moment in human history, and not only because of the development of technologies that change our habits and improve the quality of our lives. More than anything else, it is because the information revolution profoundly and dramatically changes our self-concept. That revolution is changing our understanding of the place we occupy in the universe (the erosion of anthropocentrism), forcing us to rethink our uniqueness as human beings and our human essence. I believe that the preconditions of our existence are changing dramatically nowadays, and consequently, our notions of belonging and identity require revision.

Old age constitutes a vulnerable stage for developing gambling-related problems. The aims of the study were to identify patterns of gambling habits in elderly participants from the general population, and to assess socio-demographic and clinical variables related to the severity of the gambling behaviours. The sample included N = 361 participants aged in the 50–90 years range. A broad assessment included socio-demographic variables, gambling profile and psychopathological state. The percentage of participants who reported an absence of gambling activities was 35.5 per cent, while 46.0 per cent reported only non-strategic gambling, 2.2 per cent only strategic gambling and 16.3 per cent both non-strategic plus strategic gambling. Gambling form with highest prevalence was lotteries (60.4%), followed by pools (13.9%) and bingo (11.9%). The prevalence of gambling disorder was 1.4 per cent, and 8.0 per cent of participants were at a problematic gambling level. Onset of gambling activities was younger for men, and male participants also reached a higher mean for the bets per gambling-episode and the number of total gambling activities. Risk factors for gambling severity in the sample were not being born in Spain and a higher number of cumulative lifetime life events, and gambling severity was associated with a higher prevalence of tobacco and alcohol abuse and with worse psychopathological state. Results are particularly useful for the development of reliable screening tools and for the design of effective prevention programmes.

The present study analyzes the profiles of boys and girls, considering gender, in the early stages of adolescence in the variables of character strengths, attitudes toward diversity and violence, and sexism. The aim is to explore the gender differences, whether the variables in each set differ from one another and whether these differences are maintained in profiles for boys and girls. The participants were 527 students (mean age = 12.21 and SD = 0.53) from the city of Málaga (Spain). Profile analysis was used to analyze data. The results, using an alpha of 0.0021 for each contrast, indicate that boys and girls differ in their character strengths, particularly in the case of girls, whose prominent strengths relate to pro-social behavior and peer relationships, where Cohen´s d are higher than .30. Moreover, boys justify attitudes of violence to a greater extent (Cohen´s d from .44 to .81) and show greater agreement with sexist beliefs (d = .63). The research suggests that it would be of interest to encourage advancement in character strengths at this age.

Part of results of the multi-epoch intranight optical spectroscopic monitoring of the Markarian 6 nucleus carried out at the telescopes of 6-m of the Special Astrophysical Observatory (Russia), 2.6-m of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (Armenia) and 2-m of the Tautenburg Observatory (Germany) is presented.

Observations were made in 1979, 1986, 1988-1991 and 2007-2009 during a total of 33 nights with an average sampling rate of 4 spectra per night. TV-scanner and long-slit spectrographs equipped with Image Tube and CCD detector arrays were used. Altogether we analyzed 110 Hβ and 58 Hα region spectra to search for intranight variability in the broad hydrogen emission line profiles. The typical spectral resolutions were 4 Å for scanner spectra, 6 Å for photographic spectra, and 5 Å and 10 Å for CCD spectra. The S/N ratio at the continuum level near the Hβ and Hα lines was in the range 15–50.

The purpose of the search was to look for the characteristic variability signatures of different kinematical models of the broad emission-line region. We considered the centering and guiding errors which can result in differences between spectra.

We found variations in the broad Balmer line difference profiles on time scale of hour with the level of significance of 3.6 σ to 5.0 σ. Variations take the form of narrow, small bumps located at the blue and red sides or only at the blue side of the lines. In the intermediate level of broad line flux, the Hβ and Hα profiles show fine structure. Detected profile changes occurred at the same radial velocity shifts as the details in the fine structure.

The variability is at least 2 orders of magnitude more rapid than any observed for broad Balmer line profiles in AGNs that we are aware of in the literature.

Discovered extremely rapid line-profile variability may be associated with reverberation effects. Two-sided profile changes may indicate the response of circularly rotating hydrogen clouds in the BLR to a light pulse from a central source. One-sided profile variations may be attributed to a response of a non-disk component: the subarcsec scale region of the jet.

Supraglacial lakes form in Antarctic blue ice regions from penetration of solar radiation into the ice in summer. Three lakes were mapped for their structure in summers 2004–05 and 2010–11 in western Dronning Maud Land, and one was also examined for the radiation budget. The lake body consisted of two layers, each ∼1 m thick: an upper layer with a thin ice layer on top and main body of liquid water, and a lower layer containing slush and hard ice sub-layers. A sediment-rich slush pocket was found at the bottom. Hydraulic conductivity of the lake body was 0.25–30 cm s-1 depending on the stage of evolution, with 6.3 cm s-1 for closely packed slush. Albedo of the lake was 0.4–0.6 and light attenuation coefficient was 0.5–0.7 m-1. The formation and the depth scale of the lakes are determined by the light attenuation distance and thermal diffusion coefficient, limiting the growth to less than about 1.5 m in one summer. The potential winter growth is more and thus the lakes freeze up in winter in the present climatic conditions.

The objective of this study was to develop a mathematical model that accurately describes the rise and decline in plasma progesterone concentrations, and is able to define parameters describing progesterone appearance and disappearance during the bovine oestrous cycle. Daily plasma progesterone data from 27 cows were used to develop a compartmental model consisting of an appearance function and an appearance modulating function. Model outputs included an apparent appearance or secretion duration, appearance rate and an average disappearance rate (expressed as arbitrary units per day; units/d). Shape-based clustering identified three common shape-based groups (or clusters) of progesterone profiles defined as either ‘peaked’ profile, with the profile reaching a distinguishable peak, 'structured', with the profile exhibiting a wave-like pattern, or ‘flat top’, with the profile reaching a plateau. Differences in the model parameters for the three different shapes of progesterone profiles were examined: peaked (n=13), flat top (n=7) and structured (n=7). The mean duration of apparent appearance was 11·49 (sd 0·17 d) for all 27 profiles. The model estimates for total appearance of progesterone (area under the curve; ng/ml per cycle), mean appearance rate and maximum appearance rate were 69·04 ng/ml per cycle (sd 15·2 ng/ml per cycle), 3·19 ng/ml per cycle (sd 0·7 ng/ml per d) and 6·70 ng/ml (sd 1·31 ng/ml), respectively. The average disappearance rate was 1·0 units/d (sd 0·04 units/d). The apparent appearance duration was greatest (P<0·01) in the flat top profiles (12·54, sd 0·41 d) followed by the structured (11·77, sd 0·66 d) and the peaked (10·80, sd 0·30 d) profiles. Total and mean progesterone appearance, maximum progesterone appearance rate, and the progesterone disappearance rates were not different between the profiles. The model successfully simulated all components of the progesterone profile and was able to define specific parameters of different shaped progesterone profiles. A simple model able to estimate parameters describing progesterone appearance and disappearance can be used to explore the relationships between profile shapes and reproductive outcomes.

This paper describes the robotics facilities and associated research program of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, lead center in telerobotics for the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Emphasis is placed on evolution from teleoperation to remote System automation. Research is described in manipulator modelling and control, real-time planning and monitoring, navigation in outdoor terrain, real-time sensing and perception, human-machine interface, and overall System architectures. Applications to NASA missions emphasize robotic spacecraft for solar System exploration, satellite servicing and retrieval, assembly of structures, and surveillance. Applications to military missions include battlefield navigation, surveillance, logistics, command and control.

The aim of this paper is to review the current status of poultry production and its future prospects in Bangladesh, covering both rural and commercial poultry production. As an important sub-sector of livestock production, the poultry industry in Bangladesh plays a crucial role in economic growth and simultaneously creates numerous employment opportunities. The poultry industry, as a fundamental part of animal production, is committed to supplying the nation with a cheap source of good quality nutritious animal protein in terms of meat and eggs. Two main systems of poultry production are common in Bangladesh nowadays: commercial poultry production – where birds are kept in total confinement, and traditional scavenging or semi-scavenging poultry production. Approximately 20% of the protein consumed in Bangladesh originates from poultry. With the exception the dip in production due to the recent Avian Influenza outbreak, the growth of this industry in terms of standards of commercialization, is very rapid. A gap still exists between the requirement and supply of poultry meat and eggs within the recent frame-work of the informal marketing system that is currently used. Among poultry species, the chicken population is dominant over others, at almost 90%, followed by ducks (8%) and a small number of quail, pigeons and geese. Free range ‘backyard’ and scavenging poultry, that are traditionally reared by rural women and children, still play an important role in generating family income, in addition to improving the family's diet with eggs and meat. Productive and reproductive performance of indigenous birds is relatively very low (35-40 eggs and 1-1.5 kg meat per bird per year), but genetic improvements by selective breeding, along with adequate nutrition and proper management, looks promising and quite possible. Commercial poultry production in Bangladesh, is conducted on an industrial scale and is growing tremendously in spite of recent difficulties but is expected to make a significant contribution to the economic development of the country. A national poultry policy is expected to be approved by the government shortly, which, when implemented, will improve the organization of production and marketing, allowing increased stability and security of output throughout the year. In addition, efforts should be taken to ensure safety standards of poultry meat and eggs for human consumption. Experts from the government, research institutes, universities, NGOs and other relevant sectors need to work in a collaborative manner in order to allow sustainable production and fight challenges jointly when they appear from time to time. Corresponding attention to research and development will allow the poultry sector to flourish in Bangladesh. As government funding is limited, industrialists need to come forward either to establish their respective research facilities or to provide funds to universities and research institutes in order to undertake research works of national and international importance.

L'utilisation du perçage laser s'avère une alternative incontournable lorsque le diamètre de perçage est aux environs de 10 à 50 $\mu $m, domaine où les moyens conventionnels deviennent difficiles à mettre en œuvre et coûteux. De plus il se présente comme une technique de choix pour un certain nombre de matériaux : les composites, les mous et les ultradurs, qui ne sont pas travaillés facilement au niveau microscopique avec les outils de coupe mécaniques. Nous avons apporté la preuve que des conditions d'expérience bien choisies sont capables de produire des micro-trous avec des rapports de forme records (jusqu'à 600) dans des polymères purs comme les PET, PI, PC, PS, PMMA, PEEK,... Par exemple des trous de diamètre typiquement dans les 30 $\mu $m peuvent être aussi longs que 18 mm, profondeur à laquelle la vitesse tombe presque à zéro, et le profil devient stationnaire. D'autres matériaux (métaux, céramiques), qui peuvent être de la même façon micropercés par laser, n'offrent pas les mêmes rapports de forme aussi élevés. Les mécanismes du processus de perçage ont été étudiés en détail et un modèle analytique original a été construit récemment. Les divers résultats expérimentaux, obtenus avec le laser KrF, sont revus en insistant sur les paramètres conduisant à la formation de "bons" trous avec les rapports de forme élevés. Pour les applications il est aussi important de noter que de tels rapports de forme élevés sont obtenus avec la configuration ordinaire du laser KrF ayant une divergence de 3 mrad en standard. Cependant, comme le modèle le montre, il y a encore de l'espace pour une amélioration du rapport de forme en utilisant un faisceau avec une divergence plus faible (la limite théorique est 0,2 mrad). De nouveaux travaux de recherche se poursuivent actuellement.

We have developed a method for the prediction of an amino acid sequence that is compatible with a three-dimensional backbone structure. Using only a backbone structure of a protein as input, the algorithm is capable of designing sequences that closely resemble natural members of the protein family to which the template structure belongs. In general, the predicted sequences are shown to have multiple sequence profile scores that are dramatically higher than those of random sequences, and sometimes better than some of the natural sequences that make up the superfamily. As anticipated, highly conserved but poorly predicted residues are often those that contribute to the functional rather than structural properties of the protein. Overall, our analysis suggests that statistical profile scores of designed sequences are a novel and valuable figure of merit for assessing and improving protein design algorithms.