Additive Preconditioning Research Articles

Formal Verification of Resource Synchronization Protocol Implementations: A Case Study in RTEMS

To avoid race conditions and ensure data integrity, resource synchronization protocols have been widely studied in real-time systems for decades, providing systematical policies to guarantee a bound on priority inversion-induced blocking time and the avoidance of deadlocks. However, the corresponding realization is often based on assumed abstractions and necessary adaptions in a real-time operating system, by which the theoretically proven properties of such a protocol may not be delivered, leading to potential mismatches. To prevent such mismatches, in this work, we propose to contract the obligations of involved primitives and operations, and apply the deductive verification on a corresponding implementation. To this end, we present a modularized verification framework and demonstrate its applicability by verifying the official implementation of the immediate ceiling priority protocol (ICPP) and the multiprocessor resource sharing protocol (MrsP) in RTEMS, resulting in the discovery of long-stayed mismatches for both synchronization protocols. To resolve them, we provide a possible remedy for the ICPP and an additional precondition regarding nested locking for the MrsP.

Issues of gender discrimination in Ukraine: legislative innovations and new challenges

The article examines the peculiarities of the implementation of gender policy by the Ukrainian state. The main features of international and European legislation aimed at eliminating gender discrimination and establishing the principle of equal treatment are studied. The terms found in the domestic legislation are analyzed – «discrimination», «affirmative actions». It is emphasized that a distinction should be made between the terms «smart adaptation» and «affirmative action». One example of positive action is the so-called gender quotas in elections.
 The author emphasizes that the equality of the sexes in the army, police, and other previously purely «male» professions is an indicative characteristic of the Ukrainian state's desire to be equal to the world's leading states in gender issues. Undoubtedly, this is a specific part of the objective process of real reality and the strengthening of the role and influence of women in society.
 The implementation of gender policy in Ukraine is considered on the example of the spheres of military service and so-called «peaceful» professions.
 Emphasis is placed on the fact that strict adherence to obligations under international agreements is a constitutional principle of the Ukrainian state. Legislative changes help eliminate inequalities between women in the use of rights compared to men. However, it should be borne in mind that both men and women are equal but not similar in terms of, at least, physiological characteristics. Providing the same mechanism for realizing their potential should not be an obstacle to ensuring special rights tied to the objective natural features of the articles. Additional preconditions for self-realization can be borne by additional risks – demographic, psychological, mental, etc. for a particular person and society as a whole. It is important to find a reasonable relationship between the protection of women’s rights and freedoms and the systematic use of their resources.

Additional preconditioning program for bariatric surgery: Any benefits? A large cohort study.

Postbariatric outcomes may improve by providing an additional preconditioning program (APP) in targeted patients. However, APPs are a demand for health resources while only little and inconsistent evidence consists to support their effectiveness. This cohort study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of APP, by comparing outcomes of patients with and without such APP. We carried out a retrospective single-centre cohort study in a before-after design. Patients signing up for primary gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy and eligible for surgery were included if screened as vulnerable patients. Vulnerable patients screened between September 2017 and March 2018 followed an APP and formed the APP-group. Due to a policy change, APPs were no longer performed since September 2018. Vulnerable patients screened between September 2018 and March 2019 thus did not receive an APP (comparator-group). Multidisciplinary follow-up remained unchanged. Endpoints included percentage total weight loss (%TWL), bodyweight, evolution of comorbidities, protein intake, and number of no-shows. The APP-group comprised 231 patients and the comparator-group 153. %TWL differed statistically significantly at 7 (Δ1.5%, p=.01) and 12 months postoperative (Δ2.8%, p < .01) in favour of the comparator-group, as did bodyweight 12 months postoperative (Δ1.8kg, p < .01). Statistically significant differences were also found in the evolution of comorbidities, protein intake, and the number of no-shows, most in favour for the comparator-group. APP proofed not to be superior to Non-App. It is debatable whether statically significant differences are clinically relevant given their small magnitude. A care pathway without an APP seems at least as effective as a care pathway without.

Corrigendum to \u201cBest match graphs\u201d

Two errors in the article Best Match Graphs (Geiß et al. in JMB 78: 2015–2057, 2019) are corrected. One concerns the tacit assumption that digraphs are sink-free, which has to be added as an additional precondition in Lemma 9, Lemma 11, Theorem 4. Correspondingly, Algorithm 2 requires that its input is sink-free. The second correction concerns an additional necessary condition in Theorem 9 required to characterize best match graphs. The amended results simplify the construction of least resolved trees for n-cBMGs, i.e., Algorithm 1. All other results remain unchanged and are correct as stated.

Innovation capability of the company: the roles of leadership and error management

Extensive research has been conducted promoting empowerment, inclusive decision making, and self-determination by employees. However, where does an organization initiate change if employees stay in their comfort zone and rather have a work-to-rule mentality? They just do not take over responsibility and the power they are given. The inductive case study involved first-hand data about leader-member exchange and corporate culture. A qualitative research approach was selected by employing personal construct psychology to receive an unbiased cultural view of employees and leaders interacting. A sample of 61 repertory grid structured interviews with 21 leaders and 40 employees produced 782 unique personal assessment criteria. The applied methodology allows a quantitative analysis of these assessments in association with leadership, error management, and employees' proactive behavior. This unusual psychological-based approach chosen as intuitive interviews predicated on personal construct psychology is unlikely to provoke socially desirable or questionnaire-driven results. Based on the case study findings, a systematic review of contemporary scientific literature was conducted to generate broadly applicable results. The final qualitative synthesis included 41 research articles relevant to the investigated topic. Theoretical and empirical results allowed concluding that leadership vulnerability supports error management and employees' psychological safety. These combinations are prerequisites to proactive behavior. Additional preconditions to proactivity are employee resilience and organizational commitment. This article's results could give practical recommendations in case organizations lack the proactive behavior of their workforce. Finally, this article advocates further research on vulnerability in leadership and managers communicating their own weaknesses and mistakes as it is an underrepresented area in current scientific literature.

Mаss culture as the ground of the extraordinary music art: development, social and cultural value

The purpose of the article is to trace the genesis and significance of mass culture, which has the phenomenon of variety art, in particular, its formation, development, and the preconditions, causes, and conditions of origin, patterns of existence and basic world-view models. The methodology of the research is based on comparative, historical and logical methods. This methodological approach allows us to reveal and analyze certain worldview models of mass culture, the primary and additional preconditions for the formation of mass culture, to emphasize the concepts of D. Bella, Castells, M. Maklien, E. Toffler. The scientific novelty of the work is consisted in broadening the notions of the rapid development of mass culture in the twenty-first century, which is connected with the formation of a mass person to find a dynamic view of the future of man, new dimensions of its self-realization. Conclusions. The genesis of mass culture that emerged at the end of the XIX century represents a whole range of preconditions: economic, social and political, and directly cultural (creation of a new world picture, systems of values, new cultural and artistic mentality). Preconditions of the formation of mass culture are the problem field of processes of self-identification and adaptation of the individual to the social and cultural field; violation of traditional mechanisms of identification and self-identification; the transformation of the basic methods of systematization of information. A certain part of the social and cultural system in the era of the information society remains the basis of mass culture, and existential problems (the problem of free time, the problems of adaptation, the tense rhythm of activity, as well as the lack of a proper understanding of the complex problems of high culture) become the social preconditions for the development and widespread of mass culture. Positivism and pragmatism become the main ideological models of mass culture, and its development, undoubtedly, is connected with the formation of a mass person, "metacultural identity." Thus, mass culture as a social and cultural phenomenon is actively functioning as an entertaining industry, as well as in other artistic spheres that are associated with standardized thinking. Key words: mass culture, variety of music art, Genesis, formation, development, conception, social and cultural significance.

Treatment of Acute Proximal Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears-Part 1: Gap Formation and Stabilization Potential of Repair Techniques.

Background:Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in primary repair of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), with fixation techniques evolving. However, to date, there have been no biomechanical studies comparing fixed to adjustable fixation repair techniques.Hypothesis:Adjustable ACL repair provides for improved stabilization compared with fixed techniques with respect to both gap formation and residual load-bearing capability.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:A total of 4 different ACL repair techniques (n = 5 per group), including single– and double–cinch loop (CL) cortical button fixation as well as knotless single–suture anchor fixation, were tested using a porcine model. For adjustable single-CL loop fixation, additional preconditioning (10 cycles at 0.5 Hz) was performed. The force after fixation and the actuator displacement to achieve a time-zero preload of 10 N were measured for fixed techniques. Incrementally increasing cycling (1 mm/500 cycles) from 1 to 8 mm was performed for 4000 cycles at 0.75 Hz before pull to failure (50 mm/min). The final residual peak load and gap formation for each test block were analyzed as well as ultimate strength.Results:Knot tying of a single-CL over a button (mean ± SD, 0.66 ± 0.23 mm) and knotless anchor fixation (0.20 ± 0.12 mm) resulted in significant time-zero gaps (P < .001) and significantly higher overall gap formation at reduced residual loading (analysis of covariance, P < .001) compared with both the double-CL loop and adjustable fixation techniques. The adjustable group showed the highest failure load and stiffness, at 305.7 N and 117.1 N/mm, respectively. The failure load of the knotted single-CL group was significantly reduced compared with all other groups (P < .001).Conclusion:Adjustable single-CL cortical button fixation with intraoperative preconditioning optimized time-zero ACL tension and led to significantly improved stabilization and reduced gap formation, with the highest ultimate strength. Single-CL loop knot tying over the button and knotless anchor fixation resulted in time-zero gaps to achieve slight tension on the ACL and significantly higher gap formation at reduced load-bearing capability.Clinical Relevance:Although the clinical relevance of gap formation is uncertain, a biomechanical understanding of the stabilization potential of current ACL repair techniques is pertinent to the continued evolution of surgical approaches to enable better clinical outcomes.

Treatment of Acute Proximal Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears-Part 2: The Role of Internal Bracing on Gap Formation and Stabilization of Repair Techniques.

Background:The latest biomechanical studies on some form of internal bracing have shown improved stabilization for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair, but gap formation and load-sharing function have not yet been reported.Hypothesis:Internal bracing of an adjustable ACL repair construct provides improved stabilization with reduced gap formation and higher residual loading on the ACL.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:Internally braced ACL repair constructs with single– and double–cinch loop (CL) cortical buttons, a knotless suture anchor, and a single-CL cortical button with adjustable loop fixation (CLS-ALD) were tested (n = 20 each) in a porcine model at 4 different loads (n = 5 each) over 4000 cycles at 0.75 Hz (n = 80 total). The CLS-ALD technique allowed for additional preconditioning (10 cycles at 0.5 Hz). Test results of the isolated internal brace groups served as a baseline for comparison. Lastly, specimens were pulled to failure (50 mm/min) with a cut internal brace. Final loading and gap formation on the ACL repair construct as well as ultimate strength were analyzed.Results:A statistical significance for peak loads over peak elongation was found between the CLS-ALD and all other reinforced groups (analysis of covariance, P < .001). Accordingly, the adjustable repair technique showed improved load-bearing capability with the internal brace compared with all other fixed repair groups and revealed significantly higher loads than the knotted single-CL group. Also, significantly reduced gap formation was found for the CLS-ALD compared with all other groups (P < .001), with no gap formation up to 150 N with a final gap of 0.85 ± 0.31 mm at 350 N. A significantly higher ultimate failure load (866.2 ± 104.0 N; P < .001) was found for the button-fixed internal brace group compared with all other groups.Conclusion:Internal bracing had a crucial role in improving the stabilization potential of ACL repair at loads occurring during normal daily activity. The added strength of the internal brace allowed for reducing peak loads on the ACL repair construct as well as restricting gap formation to below 3 mm at loads up to 350 N.Clinical Relevance:Improvements in the mechanical characteristics of current ACL repair techniques that enable reduced gap formation and allow for early range of motion and accelerated rehabilitation may strengthen the self-healing response with the formation of stable scar tissue.

Цифровизация мировой торговли: масштабы, формы, последствия

The authors undertake an in-depth analysis of how process of digitalization, namely, wide-scale introduction of powerful information and communication technologies, affects and redefines the international trade. It is pointed out that, according to fresh UN and WTO data, the scope of transborder deliveries within the segment of e-commerce is expanding at a noticeably faster pace than the traditional global trade. The increasing application of ICT-technologies significantly accelerates export and import transactions. This allows to significantly expand the range of participants in cross-border turnover of goods and services. Moreover, it makes possible to involve into this turnover the resources that had been traditionally considered as internationally non-tradable. Thus, new comparative advantages of trading nations are formed. Global trading platforms based on sophisticated Internet solutions have become particularly important due their convenience for involved parties. The sectoral composition of e-commerce is of special interest. Available statistics shows that B2B transactions noticeably prevail over B2C globally and in the leading trading nations. The only important exception from this general trend is presented by China, most possibly thanks to its huge 1.5 billion consumers&rsquo; domestic market. In addition to the many positive effects, the digitalization of trade poses a number of conceptual and practical problems. Concerning the theory, there are growing doubts in the analytical appropriateness of the gravity model that had been traditionally applied for explaining and predicting the geographical distribution of international trade flows. Within the modern global economy with its close digital connectivity and powerful transportation-logistic networks the trades can interact in the almost real-time mode. Respectively, the importance of geographical proximity factor seems to be fading away. In terms of practicalities, an major negative implication of digitalization is that it creates additional preconditions for the monopolization of trade exchange between countries by a handful of Big-tech companies. At last, the fundamental issues of regulating this new area of international cooperation need to be resolved. The governmental policies and rules should be adjusted to the ongoing digital transformations. First of all, this relates to the taxation of e-commerce. The temporary moratorium on imposition of import tariffs was adopted by WTO member-states in 1998 and extended in 2017. In the conditions of a virtual burst of B2B and B2C trade such an approach is increasingly disputed by developing countries. The issue needs to be resolved on a consensus basis. The adoption of recently proposed of Agreement on digital products and other services (ADPOS) may give the WTO a chance to revitalize its role in the global economy.

Requirements for band-pass activation of Ca2+-sensitive proteins such as NFAT

Several proteins are sensitive to frequency-modulated oscillations of calcium levels. Most of them exhibit increased activities for faster frequencies, a characteristic here referred to as high-pass activation. In contrast, the transcription factor NFAT is optimally activated at a specific frequency, a behaviour we call band-pass activation.We constructed a kinetic model of NFAT activation, confirming its ability for band-pass activation at experimentally observed frequencies. To characterise the requirements for band-pass activation further, we developed a minimal model, identifying antagonistic, calcium-dependent regulation with differently responsive regulators as essential for band-pass activation. Further, in optimisations cooperative binding proved to be an important feature for distinct frequency-decoding in models of high- and band-pass activation. A subsequent analysis of the optimised parameter sets revealed the most sensitive parameters along with additional preconditions for efficient decoding.Our analysis is not limited to NFAT, but potentially applies to any protein showing high- or band-pass activation.

Cluster as a Tool to Increase the Competitiveness and Innovative Activity of Enterprises of the Defense Industry Complex

Purpose: the main goal of the publication is to make a comprehensive study of the possible application of the cluster approach to improve the competitiveness and innovation activity of enterprises of the defense industry complex. Methods: the methodology of the research is based on the collection and analysis of initial data and information, the article uses a systematic approach to the study of socio-economic processes and phenomena. The research is based on modern theory of competition, innovation, as well as the modern paradigm of cluster development of the economy. In preparing the study, practical materials from Corporation “Rostec”. Results: the article gives the notion of cluster, the prospects for the use of the cluster approach to enhance competitiveness and innovation enterprises of the military-industrial complex. It is noted that the activation of interaction with the “civil sector” is particularly relevant in the context of the reduction of the state defense order, and the theory and practice of cluster management offers a number of forms of cluster interaction between the enterprises of the defense industry and the civil sector. It is emphasized that the development of cluster mechanisms can solve a number of problems related to the insufficient financial stability of defense industry enterprises in the context of a reduction in the state defense order, low innovation activity and the lack of developed models of interaction with small innovative enterprises. Ultimately, the use of cluster mechanisms in the development of defense enterprises is intended to enhance the competitiveness of the complex, both nationally and globally. It is stated that the existing clusters are not able to fully solve a number of specific tasks related to the diversification of integrated defense industry structures. Attention is drawn to the fact that existing clusters are not able to fully solve a number of specific tasks related to the diversification of integrated defense industry structures, such as the need to use information constituting state secrets, interaction with military representatives, various military state standards, special terminology. Recommendations are given on the activation of the potential of clusters with the participation of defense enterprises, for which it is proposed to initiate, in the established procedure, procedures for amending the legislation regulating industrial policy issues, to form additional organizational, legal and financial-economic preconditions for the cluster development of the military-industrial complex. Conclusions and Relevance: conclusion is drawn that the development of clusters based on the defense industry enterprises can be used, first of all, to diversify production and increase the output of civil high-tech products. To activate the cluster mechanism it is recommended to form additional organizational, legal and financial-economic prerequisites.

Integrating Russian Methods of Teaching Literature into the World Science and Practice

The paper is aimed at solving one of the strategical tasks stated in the Russian literature teaching methods that is associated with its coming into the world science and practice – presentation and dissemination of the Russian experience in the sphere of literary development of school aged readers. The authors are historiographs and proceeding from the results of their research they first suggest considering the possible prospects of completing the task. The first prospect is associated with presentation of the conceptual model of today's Russian methodical system of literary development of schoolchildren in the world science; the second one – with dissemination of the Russian assessment criteria for variative models of the methodical system of literary development of schoolchildren in the world practice. The content of each prospect includes definition of keywords and the technique for implementation of the former. The prospects of presentation and dissemination of the Russian experience in the sphere of literary development of school aged readers that are suggested for implementation can make a considerable contribution to the world experience enriching it with grounded alternative scientific approaches to the assessment of modern condition of literary education in the foreign countries. The authors highlight creation of additional preconditions required for interaction in the area of development of methodology of the comparative science about the reader as one of the important parameter of the successful performance in bringing the prospects into life.Keywords: literary education, reader, structural constituents, conceptual model, variative model.

Conditions, constraints and contracts: On the use of annotations for policy modeling

Organisational policies express constraints on generation and processing of resources. Application domains, however, rely on transformation processes, which are in principle orthogonal to policy specifications, so that domain rules and policies may evolve in a non-synchronised way. In previous papers, we proposed annotations as a flexible way to model aspects of some kinds of policy. Annotations could be used to impose constraints on domain configurations, and we showed how to derive application conditions on transformations, and how to annotate complex patterns. We extend the approach here in different directions: we allow domain model elements (individual resources or collections thereof) to be annotated with collections of elements; we propose an original construction to solve the problem of orphan annotations, when annotated resources are consumed; we introduce a notion of contract, used by a policy to impose additional pre-conditions and postconditions on rules for deriving new resources. We also show how contracts for refined rules can be derived from contract schemes defined on some rule kernel. We discuss a concrete case study of linguistic resources, annotated with information on the licenses under which they can be used. The annotation framework allows forms of reasoning such as identifying conflicts among licenses, enforcing the presence of licenses, or ruling out some modifications of a licence configuration.

Semi-coarsening AMLI preconditioning of anisotropic trilinear FEM systems

Optimal order algebraic multilevel iteration (AMLI) preconditioners based on recursive application of two-level finite element (FE) methods and polynomial stabilization have been introduced and analyzed in Axelsson and Vassilevski (1989, 1990). The construction follows the natural hierarchical splitting using the fact that the finite element spaces corresponding to two successive mesh refinements are nested. Uniform estimates for the constant γ in the strengthened Cauchy–Bunyakowski–Schwarz (CBS) inequality are very important for the derivation of optimal order methods. The value of the upper bound for γ∈(0,1) is a part of the construction of the multilevel extension of the related two-level method.In this paper algebraic two-level and multilevel preconditioning algorithms for second order anisotropic elliptic boundary value problems are constructed. Here we allow big jumps in the coefficients and varying the direction of dominating anisotropy from one element to another in the coarse triangulation. The discretization is done by trilinear conforming finite elements where the semi-coarsening mesh refinement strategy is applied. A new uniform estimates for the related CBS constants are derived. The additive preconditioning strategy for the system with the pivot block in the hierarchical two-level splitting is proposed, where the related sub-problems have two dimensional structure.

Robust Manual Control of a Manufacturing System using Supervisory Control Theory

There are many situations where manual intervention in automated systems, such as flexible manufacturing systems, is inevitable. Commonly the control of a manufacturing system is implemented in terms of operations, and sequences thereof, and these operations can typically be run manually. However, running the operations in arbitrary order may lead to situations such as blocking or collisions, from which it its hard or even impossible to recover or to resume automatic execution. This paper describes an implementation of an operator interface for robust manual control of a manufacturing system, where the operator is aided not to manually drive the system into a state that breaches the system requirements. Hence, blocking and collisions are avoided, and automatic mode can always be resumed. From a model of the manufacturing system based on self-contained operations, each of which is identified in terms of events with preconditions, a supervisor is calculated by use of the Supervisory Control Theory framework. From this supervisor additional preconditions are extracted for each operation. The operations with the extended preconditions are then ported to an operator interface which allows manual control of the production cell by dynamically guiding the operator to only those operations for which the extended preconditions are satisfied.

Transformation of Property Right as a Fundamental Right into Joint Property

Property rights are one of individual’s fundamental rights that are considered absolute. In modern civilized world understanding of exhaustion of property rights is reduced to maximum protection of the third parties that is being accomplished by the encumbrances of property rights. One of them is joint property, the content of which constitutes a set of legal and factual conditions, and as a result the absolutism of property rights becomes relative. The state in the name of society promotes additional conditions for real division of joint property, because it considers it as an exhaustion of property rights that affects municipalities in which the item for division is situated, as well as that affects interests of the population. The research is conducted with an aim to determine the legitimacy and proportionality of the restrictive normative acts in relation to property rights as fundamental rights. Descriptive and analytical methods are used in the research. As a result of this research, the author came to a conclusion that additional preconditions set by the state and the municipalities for the exhaustion of property rights in joint property are disproportionate for the property rights as fundamental rights. It is manifested, first, as a restriction for the exhaustion of individual’s property rights in relation to equivalent individuals- in common items for other co-owners (horizontal vector), and second, as a restriction for the exhaustion of property rights in common items for all co-owners in relation to the third parties (vertical vector). The existing normative regulation is not satisfactory, and that is supported by the court proceedings in the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia. Procedural arrangements for the division of joint property and their legal consequences do not affect the rights of other individuals; therefore, such amendments of normative acts are necessary that would separate the real division of joint property as a legal act that would not be bound to and made dependant on those possibilities of the real estate use that are created as a result of division. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n11p441

Fast nonstationary preconditioned iterative methods for ill-posed problems, with application to image deblurring

We introduce a new iterative scheme for solving linear ill-posed problems, similar to nonstationary iterated Tikhonov regularization, but with an approximation of the underlying operator to be used for the Tikhonov equations. For image deblurring problems, such an approximation can be a discrete deconvolution that operates entirely in the Fourier domain. We provide a theoretical analysis of the new scheme, using regularization parameters that are chosen by a certain adaptive strategy. The numerical performance of this method turns out to be superior to state-of-the-art iterative methods, including the conjugate gradient iteration for the normal equation, with and without additional preconditioning.

The Schur aggregation and solving ill conditioned linear systems: the convergence theorem

This paper provides methods for solving ill conditioned linear systems Ax = b using the Schur aggregation approach. The Schur aggregation is the process of transforming a linear system Ax = b using the Sherman–Morrison–Woodbury formula A −1 = (C − UV H )−1 = C −1 + C −1 U(I r −V H C −1 U)−1 V H C −1. For the ill conditioned linear system Ax = b, it is well known that its accurate solution x = A −1 b can be computed readily if the linear system is well conditioned but the computation requires special care if the system is ill conditioned. In this paper, we essentially reduce the computation of x = A −1 b to the computation of the Schur aggregate S = I r −V H C −1 U. We also discuss the additive preconditioning A → C = A + UV H for preconditioner UV H of a smaller rank r. The aim of this paper is to provide and prove the theorem of convergence of the sum X k = W o + ... + W k where CW k = U k to W = C −1 U.

Decreased Gray Matter Volumes in the Cingulo-Frontal Cortex and the Amygdala in Patients With Fibromyalgia

Studies in fibromyalgia syndrome with functional neuroimaging support the hypothesis of central pain augmentation. To determine whether structural changes in areas of the pain system are additional preconditions for the central sensitization in fibromyalgia we performed voxel based morphometry in patients with fibromyalgia and healthy controls. We performed 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in 14 patients with fibromyalgia and 14 healthy controls. Regional differences of the segmented and normalized gray matter volumes in brain areas of the pain system between both groups were determined. In those areas in which patients structurally differed from healthy controls, the correlation of disease-related factors with gray matter volumes was analyzed. Patients presented a decrease in gray matter volume in the prefrontal cortex, the amygdala, and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The duration of pain or functional pain disability did not correlate with gray matter volumes. A trend of inverse correlation of gray matter volume reduction in the ACC with the duration of pain medication intake has been detected. Our results suggest that structural changes in the pain system are associated with fibromyalgia. As disease factors do not correlate with reduced gray matter volume in areas of the cingulo-frontal cortex and the amygdala in patients, one possible interpretation is that volume reductions might be a precondition for central sensitization in fibromyalgia.

Monetary policy strategy

This book by a leading authority on monetary policy offers a unique view of the subject from the perspectives of both scholar and practitioner. Frederic Mishkin is not only an academic expert in the field but also has been a high-level policymaker. He is especially well positioned to discuss the changes in the conduct of monetary policy in recent years, in particular the turn to inflation targeting. Monetary Policy Strategy describes his work over the last ten years, offering published papers, new introductory material, and a summing up, Everything You Wanted to Know about Monetary Policy Strategy, But Were Afraid to Ask, which reflects on what we have learned about monetary policy over the last thirty years. Mishkin blends theory, empirical evidence, and extensive case studies of monetary policy in advanced and emerging market and transition economies. Throughout, his focus is on these key areas: the importance of price stability and a nominal anchor; fiscal and financial preconditions for achieving price stability; central bank independence as an additional precondition; central bank accountability; the rationale for inflation targeting; the optimal inflation target; central bank transparency and communication; and the role of asset prices in monetary policy.