Listening to the Lomans

Sensors are an important part of intelligent lighting. They can sense the sound and brightness of the environment, the movement and presence of the human body, and sense the temperature, humidity and air quality of the environment. After sensor detection, it can further control the movement of lighting products, switch light and shade, color temperature, switch and scene changes, achieve the lighting effects of functional lighting, scene lighting, and environmental protection requirements for energy saving and emission reduction. The application of sensors and light sensors in intelligent lighting control has increased the level of intelligence in lighting control and saved a lot of energy.

Cinematic Visions of the SephardicJew A CHANGE OF SCENE, A CHANGE OF FORTUNE: CINEMATIC VISIONS OF THE SEPHARDIC JEW "Aboltar cazal, aboltar mazal"l by linda C. Ehrlich linda C. Ehrlich, associate professor at' Case Western Reserve University, has published articles and reviews about cinema in East-West Film Journal, Journal of Film and Video, Post Script, Literature/Film Quarterly, Cinemaya , Japan Forum CinemaJournal, and Film Quarterly, among others. She has co-edited CinematicLandscapes, an anthology of articles on the interface between the visual arts and the cinemas of China and Japan (University of Texas Press, 1994). In addition to her publications on Asian cinema, she has written on the films of Spanish directors Victor Erice and Carlos Saura. 1 The term "Jewish film" has tended to be associated with Yiddish films or with contemporary productions from the state of Israel. Only recently have special film exhibitions revealed another kind ofJewish film-feature films and documentaries about the Sephardic Jew.2 What better way to explore this rich historical and cultural tradition than through the subtlety lA Ladino saying which can be translated as "A change of scene, a change of fortune" (from Moshe Lazar, The Sephardic Tradition: Ladino and Spanish-jeUJish Literature [New York: Norton, 1972], p. 145). 2Note, for example, the exhibition by The Film Society of Lincoln Center entitled "The Other Jews: Sephardim in the Cinema" (December 1992), and "Cultural Identities in Transition: A Sephardic Film Festival" (April 1995), both co-sponsored by the Sephardic House and the Yeshiva University Museum. The National Center for Jewish Film has also organized a travelling film series entitled "A Modem Lens on Sephardic Jewry." 2 SHOFAR Winter 1997 Vol. 15, No.2 and intensity of the cinema? As anthropologist Harvey E. Goldberg notes: "Today, Sephardi Jewry constitutes less than 20 percent of world Jewry, but the importance of Sephardi communities within the modern Jewish world outweighs their numerical value.,,3 The story of the Sephardic Jew is one of dramatic ascents to positions of political and economic strength, often followed by crises. This large group ofJews, expelled from Spain in the fifteenth century, subsequently made their homes throughout the Mediterranean region, farther north to Holland and England, and even over to the New World.4 Once the ascendent force in world Jewry, their influence lessened by the midseventeenth century. During World War II, whole communities were wiped out by the Nazis. Israel's subsequent rise to power led to a rise in antiSemitism among the non-Jewish populations in various.lands where the Sephardim had established communities. The story of the Sephardic Jew reveals a strong inner core of continued , if often hidden, tradition. The act of hiding has at once diffused and intensified their sense of identity. Known for their deep religiosity and yet flexibility in the face of surrounding cultures, the Sephardim have preserved a powerful sense of communal memory. These exiles carried with them a distinctive language. and set of religious traditions which carried over to the details of their daily life and their music. How can a filmmaker depict such a world in which the past colors so many present encounters? Many of the documentary films on this topic focus on a Sephardic woman as the unique carrier of tradition, and as a unique spokesperson for a rich past. Another common element is that many of the films open with a montage of still photos, as haunting faces gaze down at us from the wall. We are privileged by a view of the private life of families, with the world of memory repeatedly coming to the fore. As film critic J. Hoberman has pointed out: "... nostalgia for a vanished world is in itself a Jewish trait. Modern Jewish history is full of lost, sacred sites.,,5 The documentary films present attempts to preserve, or revive, or merely recall lives and traditions in transition. 'Sephardi and Middle Eastemjewries: History and Culture in the Modern Era, ed. Harvey E. Goldberg (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996), p. 2. 'The word "Sepharad" is mentioned in Obadiah 1:20, and is connected with the Latin name for Spain, Hispania. sJ. Hoberman, "Diaspora: Artists Invent a NewJewish Tradition," Village Voice (April 18...

This study uses retrospective data from the 1976–7 Malaysian Family Life Survey to examine the determinants of infant mortality variations in Peninsular Malaysia. It considers proximate biological correlates of mortality as well as family characteristics and behaviour, and inspects the degree to which some of these latter factors exercise their effects indirectly through more proximate factors. It assesses how these influences and interactions change in importance through successive sub-periods of the first year of an infant's life. Biological factors such as low birthweight are more important early in the first year of life, while such behavioural and environmental factors as mother's education, or types of water and sanitation system, are more important later. Breast-feeding significantly reduces mortality, especially during the first half of infancy. Unsupplemented breastfeeding is more beneficial than supplemented breast-feeding.

This paper describes a new method to automatically improve scene lighting for video conferencing by learning the photometric mapping between a lower exposure and desired exposure created using High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging techniques. Once the mapping is learned in a calibration step, it can be used to transform all subsequent images, effectively producing higher dynamic range video without ghosting artifacts. A stereo algorithm is also described that allows multiple exposures to be taken at every frame, useful if the lighting of a scene changes significantly. Results show that this is an effective way to improve face lighting and therefore the overall experience of video conferencing.

Objectives: To assess the use of healthcare resources for preterm infants and to evaluate family function and socioeconomic support in a defined population from birth to 4 years of age....

Extensive literature in human and animal models has documented an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and externalizing behavior in offspring. It remains unclear; however, the extent to which postnatal environmental smoke exposure is associated with behavioral development, particularly for children whose mothers did not smoke during pregnancy. The present study examined whether magnitude of exposure to environmental smoke across the first four years of life demonstrated a linear association with later externalizing symptoms. Exposure was quantified through salivary cotinine measured when children were 6, 15, 24, and 48months of age, providing a more accurate quantification of realized exposure than can be estimated from parental report of cigarettes smoked. Data were available for n=1,096 (50% male; 44% African American) children recruited for the Family Life Project, a study of child development in areas of rural poverty. Analyses indicate a linear association between cotinine and children's symptoms of hyperactivity and conduct problems. This association remained significant after controlling for family poverty level, parental education, parental history of ADHD, hostility, depression, caregiver IQ, and obstetric complications. Furthermore, this association was unchanged when excluding mothers who smoked during pregnancy from the model. Findings are consistent with animal models demonstrating an effect of environmental exposure to nicotine on ongoing brain development in regions related to hyperactivity and impulsivity, and highlight the importance of mitigating children's exposure to environmental smoke, including sources that extend beyond the parents.

To date, no study has examined the implications of biological fathers' coresidence for the socioemotional development of children of teenage mothers. Previous research suggests competing hypotheses. Men who father children with teenage women have low education and earnings and are disproportionately likely to be antisocial. However, teenage mothers are less distressed when fathers are more involved caregivers. The current study follows a multi-city sample of children born to teenage women (n = 509) for their first three years of life in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Children whose biological father coresided continuously (20%) were more likely to be securely attached to their mother and had fewer externalizing problems than other children at age 3. Paternal coresidence did not increase household income, and it only marginally lowered maternal parenting stress.


 
 
 This study aims at exploring the factors associated with workaholism. A total of three hundred and sixty one (N=361) (W orkaholics=175, Non-workaholics=186) working adults, ranging from 25 to 59 years of age with educational background of at least bachelor’s degree from different departments in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan were recruited. In this report workaholics were compared to non-workaholics on measures of test for workaholism and self-designed questionnaire. It was found that educational level, age, economic crisis during childhood, and health-related problems such sleep disorders and hypertension were independently associated with workaholics as compared to non-workaholics. Childhood family experiences were also investigated and it was found that workaholism was an outcome of disturbed family experiences in early years of life. It was concluded that workaholism plays an important role in improving the standard of workaholics’ personal, family and professional life materially but at the cost of their own health. This study recognizes workaholism in Peshawar and would help recommend policies and health awareness in this region.
 
 

The electroretinogram is an essential tool in the evaluation of the functional integrity of the retina, which may be especially useful in preverbal children. The present review describes the modifications needed for performing an electroretinogram in young children. Also, we present electroretinogram studies that have added to our understanding of the maturation of the visual system, the development of retinopathy of prematurity, and ametropia. The selected articles were grouped into four subjects: the technical modifications for performing a pediatric electroretinogram, including the possible need for sedation, the patient's position, and the recording electrodes; the maturation of the electroretinogram in preterm infants and in the first years of life; advancements in the understanding of retinopathy of prematurity; and understanding the development of ametropia based on the electroretinogram findings. Although the technique for performing an electroretinogram must be modified for young children, when needed, it can and should be performed early in life. This will yield an early diagnosis that may be useful for planning family and personal life.

Dear Editor-in-ChiefCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are number one cause of mortality throughout world. More than 20 million people will die mainly from heart disease and stroke by year 2030 (1). In 2006, the estimated incidence of ACS was 141 per 100,000 population per year, and inpa-tient mortality rate was approximately 7% (2). In Euroheart Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) survey, 23% of cases were less than 55 years old (3).ACS refers to a spectrum of clinical presentations ranging from unstable angina (UA) to non ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) and to ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). ACS is more prevalent in older patients; thus comparatively few studies have focused on profiles of ACS in younger patients. The occur-rence of ACS in young adults will lead to prema-ture morbidity and mortality in person's most productive years of life which also affect his or her family and working life. It may also affect not only physical but psychosocial of patients.We conducted a study to identify characteris-tics, treatments, complications of ACS in young patients who were admitted to a teaching hospital in Malaysia. Young patients aged less than 45 years old who were diagnosed with ACS based on symptoms and electrocardiography changes and/or serum biomarkers changes and admitted between 2002 and 2011 were included in this cross sectional study. The cut offage of 45 yr old had been used in most studies to define young patients with ACS (4). The exclusion crite-ria for this study were patients who were referred or transferred from other hospitals for further management.The ethical approval was obtained from Hu-man Research Ethics Committee with reference USMKK/ PPP/ JEPeM (256.4 (1.2). Approval from Director of Hospital was also obtained prior to study.A total of 282 patients were included, with a mean age (standard deviation) of 39.2(5.1) years and male to female ratio of 4.5:1. Of total samples, 46.8% were diagnosed as unstable angi-na, 29.8% as non ST elevation myocardial infarc-tion and 23.4% as ST elevation myocardial infarc-tion. Most of patients presented with retros-ternal chest pain (72.0%), followed by dyspnea (55.7%), sweating (46.5%) and palpitation (43.3%). The most frequent risk factors of ACS were diabetes mellitus (59.9%), followed by dys-lipidaemia (49.3%), current smoking (46.8%), hypertension (43.5%) and heart disease (24.8%). Thirty sixpoint one percent had inpatient compli-cation(s) of ACS with most common being heart failure (35.4%), followed by arrhythmia (18.4%), cardiogenic shock (14.9%) and pulmo-nary oedema (9.6%) and death (7.8%). Regarding treatment, only 18.8% had percutaneous coro- nary intervention, 7.8% had coronary artery by-pass graftand rest received medical treat-ments. Length of stay ranged from one to 38 days. Only 47.9% had angiogram that showed one vessel disease in 12.4%, two vessels disease in 9.2% and three vessels disease in 9.9%. ST ele-vation myocardial infarction [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2. …

SummaryIntroduction.Alcohol is an important factor weighting towards global disease burden, premature death and Disability-Adjusted Life Years. This study examines the burden imposed on the Borgo Trento Verona Hospital Emergency Department (ED) Italy by patients with Acute Alcohol Intoxication (AAI).Methods.A 6-year retrospective study was performed by reviewing medical records in all patients (≥ 16 years old) diagnosed with AAI. Clinical criteria for inclusion in the sample followed those defined in the "Alcohol Intoxication Symptoms" section of DSM-IV-TR. Ambiguous cases presenting traumas potentially related to AAI were confirmed positive using a Blood Alcohol Level (BAL) test before inclusion in the sample. Socio-demographic data, case history, timing of admission/discharge and outcome were collected for each patient.Results.One thousand five hundred forty-seven patients (males:females = 6.6:1) were included in the study. With regard to marital status, the crude rate within the sample shows that single and married subjects have a significantly higher prevalence (p < 0.01). When demographic data of residents was taken into consideration, divorced/separated and single categories were significantly more represented (p < 0.05).The admissions appeared fairly constant throughout the week with a higher prevalence of patients aged between 25-55 years, and a significant peak of the youngest age class on weekends. Higher rates of admission were recorded during the late afternoon and night.The triage code of admission appeared uniformly distributed along the week, with the highest prevalence of green code (67.7%), followed by yellow one (25.8%). The analysis of clinical symptoms and BAL highlights that moderate clinical severity concerns almost 50%, and clinically critical severity the 6.6% of cases of access.Admissions rates of foreign patients resulted to be 3 times higher compared to those of natives when adjusted to demographic data.Discussion.Social disadvantages such as foreign provenance and social difficulties as unemployment, low money intake, perception of loneliness, and dysfunction in family life were frequently identified in the sample. An exception was found within the youngest age group, where the AAI are mostly related to alcohol abuse during social outings over the weekend.EDs play a crucial role in helping patients with AAI, but prevention of alcohol abuse though implementation of social and sanitary health policies on all ages (but especially among the youngest) is essential.

In light of the dynamic systems perspective, the current study expanded existing literature by examining the moderating effect of maternal sensitivity on the quadratic association between infant negative reactivity and future executive function development. Using a longitudinal, multimethod design, we addressed executive function development among preschoolers. This study utilized data from the Family Life Project (N = 1292). Infant negative reactivity at 6 months, maternal sensitivity across first 3 years, and executive functions during preschool age were observational assessed. A path model with moderation analyses revealed a U-shaped quadratic association between infant negative reactivity and preschoolers’ inhibitory control, only when maternal sensitivity was high. The results suggest that maternal sensitivity may assist infants with both low and high, but not moderate, levels of negative reactivity towards better executive function development. Findings support the ongoing nonlinear person-environment interplay during early years of life.

Many studies focus on proximal associations between parental sensitivity and emotional well-being in early childhood, with less data examining how parenting in infancy predicts children’s emotional trajectories across childhood, in particular negative emotional symptoms of anxiety and depression. Thus, this study utilized data from The Family Life Project (N=1,015), a prospective study of child development in rural poverty, and assessed whether sensitive parenting in the first 4 years of life predicted child internalizing emotional symptoms (i.e. anxiety and depression) from kindergarten to 5th grade and whether early child executive functioning mediated this relationship. Path models indicated that observation of sensitive parenting predicted a decrease in teachers’ report of child negative emotional symptoms over time and predicted fewer negative emotional symptoms in 5th grade. Moreover, though executive functioning performance did not mediate change in symptoms over time, executive functioning did mediate the relationship between sensitive parenting and 5th grade symptoms, suggesting that executive functioning is one mechanism by which early sensitive parenting buffers long-term emotional development. Findings highlight the importance of early parenting and executive functioning in development of anxiety and depression symptoms and suggests potential targets for transdiagnostic intervention.

This article examines the role of infant feeding behavior in the development and quality of caretaker-infant interactions in Black families. The first section reviews literature on the importance of early infant feeding behaviors to the physical, emotional and cognitive development of the infant. Emphasis is placed on the role of early feeding interactions as the context for the development of caretaker-infant relationships and the reciprocal influence of caretaker-infant interactions on the infant’s subsequent development. The second section identifies factors that may place Black infants at higher risk for poor feeding in the first year of life. These factors include the higher incidence of low birthweight and premature infants born to Black women, as well as prenatal exposure to alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. The implications of these findings and the broader impact of drug use in the Black community on Black family life and outcomes are discussed.

When Alexander Reinagle arrived in America in the early summer of 1786, he was thirty years old and already a knowledgeable musician and a sophisticated gentleman. He chose to settle in Philadelphia, the cultural center of the young republic, and there he soon became an important figure in shaping the musical affairs of the city. This article documents Reinagle's family life in England and Scotland, his early professional years before coming to America, and his life in Philadelphia as a performer, concert manager, much sought-after teacher, gifted composer of keyboard pieces, and even, at times, an importer of pianos. The study of his family life and early professional years sheds significant light on why he was able to experience success so quickly in the New World.