An exploration of community and culture related fire injury risks

There can be different types and different levels of fire injury risks relating to different communities and cultures. In this paper we examine the fire injury risks associated with different communities and cultures in the Greater Manchester area within the UK over the period 2010 to 2015. Typically ethnicity data is only recorded for fire injuries rather than fire incidents. In particular, the research reported in this paper examines the fire injury risks relating to age, cooking practices, candle and incense use, alcohol consumption rates, and smoking rates across different communities and cultures. Overall there appeared to be significant differences between the injury risk of alcohol related fires, smoking related fires, and kitchen fires between the different community and cultural groups within the area studied over the given time period. In addition fire injury risk appears significantly higher for elderly individuals in the White British and White Irish community groups

Representation recovers information

Early agreement within cognitive science on the topic of representation has now given way to a combination of positions. Some question the significance of representation in cognition. Others continue to argue in favor, but the case has not been demonstrated in any formal way. The present paper sets out a framework in which the value of representation-use can be mathematically measured, albeit in a broadly sensory context rather than a specifically cognitive one. Key to the approach is the use of Bayesian networks for modeling the distal dimension of sensory processes. More relevant to cognitive science is the theoretical result obtained, which is that a certain type of representational architecture is *necessary* for achievement of sensory efficiency. While exhibiting few of the characteristics of traditional, symbolic encoding, this architecture corresponds quite closely to the forms of embedded representation now being explored in some embedded/embodied approaches. It becomes meaningful to view that type of representation-use as a form of information recovery. A formal basis then exists for viewing representation not so much as the substrate of reasoning and thought, but rather as a general medium for efficient, interpretive processing

Finite element modeling on the effect of intra-granular porosity on the dielectric properties of BaTiO 3 MLCCs

The effect of porosity on the electrical properties of BaTiO3-based MultilayerCeramic Capacitors (MLCCs) is studied. A dense ceramic prepared via powderfrom a solid-state processing route is compared against a ceramic that containsintra-granular pores from powder prepared via hydrothermal processing. Finiteelement models are created to contain intra-granular pores, solved and analyzed toshow an increase in the electric field and current density surrounding the pores.For single-pore and two intra-pore arrangements, the electric field is enhanced bya factor of~1.5 and 2.5, respectively, when compared to a fully dense (pore-free)material. For ceramics with equivalent density, the number of pores dramaticallyalters the electrical response. For a system containing 100 pores, the electric fieldcan increase at least fourfold, therefore facilitating a possible starting route forelectrical breakdown of the grain. These results are compared to the Gerson-Mar-shall model, typically used in the literature for the calculation of the breakdownstrength due to porosity. The results highlight the need to include the effect ofadjacent pore interactions. Although studied here for BaTiO3-based MLCC’s theresults are applicable to other devices based on ceramics containing porosity

IGR J18483-0311: an accreting X-ray pulsar observed by INTEGRAL

IGR J18483-0311 is a poorly known transient hard X-ray source discovered by INTEGRAL during observations of the Galactic Center region performed between 23--28 April 2003. Aims: To detect new outbursts from IGR J18483-0311 using INTEGRAL and archival Swift XRT observations and finally to characterize the nature of this source using the optical/near-infrared (NIR) information available through catalogue searches. Results: We report on 5 newly discovered outbursts from IGR J18483-0311 detected by INTEGRAL.For two of them it was possible to constrain a duration of the order of a few days. The strongest outburst reached a peak flux of 120 mCrab (20--100 keV): its broad band JEM--X/ISGRI spectrum (3--50 keV) is best fitted by an absorbed cutoff power law with photon index=1.4+/-0.3, cutoff energy of ~22 keV and Nh ~9x10^22 cm^-2. Timing analysis of INTEGRAL data allowed us to identify periodicities of 18.52 days and 21.0526 seconds which are likely the orbital period of the system and the spin period of the X-ray pulsar respectively. Swift XRT observations of IGR J18483$-$0311 provided a very accurate source position which strongly indicates a highly reddened star in the USNO--B1.0 and 2MASS catalogues as its possible optical/NIR counterpart. Conclusions: The X-ray spectral shape, the periods of 18.52 days and 21.0526 seconds, the high intrinsic absorption, the location in the direction of the Scutum spiral arm and the highly reddened optical object as possible counterpart, all favour the hypothesis that IGR J18483-0311 is a HMXB with a neutron star as compact companion. The system is most likely a Be X-ray binary, but a Supergiant Fast X-ray Transient nature can not be entirely excluded.Comment: accepted for publication in A&A, 10 pages, 17 figures, 4 table

Sleep disturbance at pre-deployment is a significant predictor of post-deployment re-experiencing symptoms.

Background: Insomnia is common in service members and associated with many mental and physical health problems. Recently, longitudinal data have been used to assess the impact of disturbed sleep on mental health outcomes. These studies have consistently shown relationships between sleep disturbance and development of mental illness. Objective: The present study examined the longitudinal relationship between sleep disturbance and PTSD symptomatology in a cohort of Marines and Navy Corpsmen deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan (n = 2,404) assessed prior to deployment, as well as at -3 and 6 months post-deployment. Additionally, we aimed to investigate the extent to which these relationships are moderated by combat-stress severity, and to what extent these findings are replicated in a second, separate cohort of Marines and Navy corpsmen (n = 938) assessed with identical measures prior to deployment and within 3 months of return. Method: The present study employed latent variable path models to examine the relationships between pre-deployment sleep disturbance and post-deployment re-experiencing symptoms. Initial cross-lagged path models were conducted on discovery and replication samples to validate the hypothesized predictive relationships. Follow up moderation path models were then conducted to include the effect of combat-stress severity on these relationships. Results: Initial cross-lagged models supported a significant relationship between pre-deployment sleep disturbance and future re-experiencing PTSD symptoms at all time points. Initial moderation models showed a small moderator effect of combat-stress severity, though the main predictive relationship between pre-deployment sleep disturbance and PTSD symptoms remained significant. The moderator effect was not significant in the replication sample. Conclusions: The results of this study support pre-deployment sleep disturbance as a risk factor for development of post-deployment PTSD symptoms. Interventions aimed at normalizing sleep may be important in preventive measures for PTSD

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β expression is increased in the brain during HIV-1-infection and contributes to regulation of astrocyte tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) associated with infection and activation of mononuclear phagocytes (MP) in the brain, occur late in disease. Infected/activated MP initiate neuroinflammation activating glial cells and ultimately disrupting neuronal function. Astrocytes secrete tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 in response to neural injury. Altered TIMP-1 levels are implicated in several CNS diseases. CCAAT enhancer-binding protein ß (C/EBPß), a transcription factor, is expressed in rodent brains in response to neuroinflammation, implicating it in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and HAND. Here, we report that C/EBPß mRNA levels are elevated and its isoforms differentially expressed in total brain tissue lysates of HIV-1-infected and HIV-1 encephalitis patients. In vitro, HAND-relevant stimuli additively induce C/EBPß nuclear expression in human astrocytes through 7 days of treatment. Over-expression of C/EBPß increases TIMP-1 promoter activity, mRNA, and protein levels in human astrocytes activated with interleukin-1ß. Knockdown of C/EBPß with siRNA decreases TIMP-1 mRNA and protein levels. These data suggest that C/EBPß isoforms are involved in complex regulation of astrocyte TIMP-1 production during HIV-1 infection; however, further studies are required to completely understand their role during disease progression