SPME-GC-MS analysis of volatile organic compounds in honey from Basilicata. Evidence for the presence of pollutants from anthropogenic activities

Solid‐phase microextraction gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis of nineteen samples of honey from Basilicata (southern Italy) showed the presence of some flavour components never described before in honey. Furthermore, some phenyl‐substituted hydrocarbons were detected. These compounds may be derived from the wastewater treatment plant in the area. Furthermore, in honey collected near an oil extraction plant, hydrocarbons were found; these may be derived from such plants present in the area.     

Non linear behavior of vocal fold vibration in an experimental model of asymmetric larynx: role of coupling between the two folds

Morphometric evaluation of 54 dry cervical spines from C3 to C7 (a total of 270 cervical vertebrae) was performed to determine the bony boundaries of the uncinate process for resection of the uncinate process for access to posterolateral osteophytes or herniated disks at the time of anterior cervical diskectomy. The uncinate processes were significantly higher (p < 0.01) at the C4-C6 levels (5.8 +/- 1.1 mm to 6.1 +/- 1.3 mm) than at the C3 or C7 levels. The distance between the medial and lateral margins of the base of the uncinate process was significantly smaller (p < 0.01) at the C3 level (4.9 +/- 0.7 mm) than at the C7 level (6.3 +/- 0.7 mm). The anteroposterior diameter of the medial margin of the uncinate process decreased gradually from the C5 (12.5 +/- 1.5 mm) to C7 levels (11.6 +/- 1.3 mm) (p < 0.05). The inter-uncinate distance widened from the C3 (19.2 +/- 1.5 mm) to the C7 (24.6 +/- 2.1 mm) levels (p < 0.01). The mid-anteroposterior diameter of vertebral body increased gradually from the C3 (14.7 +/- 1.1 mm) to the C7 levels (16.1 +/- 1.5 mm) (p < 0.01). The width of the vertebra increased gradually from C3 to C7 (from 19.2 +/- 1.8 mm at C3 to 25.6 +/- 2.0 mm at C7) (p < 0.01). Knowledge of all the aforementioned data may be helpful during anterolateral cervical uncosectomy or uncoforaminotomy.     

Changes in adolescents' daily interactions with their families from ages 10 to 18: Disengagement and transformation.

In a cross-sequential study spanning 5th-12th grade, 220 White working-and middle-class youth provided reports on their experience at 16,477 random moments in their lives. Amount of time spent with family was found to decrease from 35% to 14% of waking hours across this age period, indicating disengagement. However, transformation and continued connection were evident in stability across age in time talking and alone with parents; an age increase in family conversation about interpersonal issues, particularly for girls; and with age, adolescents' more frequent perception of themselves as leading interactions. After a decrease in early adolescence, older teens reported more favorable affect in themselves and others during family interactions. Last, the age decline in family time was found to be mediated not by internal family conflict but by opportunities and pulls an adolescent experiences from outside the family. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An expert intermediary system for interactive document retrieval

Constructing natural language interfaces to computer systems often requires achievement of advanced reasoning and expert capabilities in addition to basic natural language understanding. In this paper the above issue is tackled in the frame of an actual application concerning the design of a natural language interface for interactive document retrieval. After a short discussion of the peculiarities of this application, which requires both natural language understanding and reasoning capabilities, the general architecture and fundamental design criteria of a system presently being developed at the University of Udine are presented. The system, named IR-NLI, is aimed at allowing non-technical users to directly access through natural language the services offered by online databases. Attention is later focused on the basic functions of IR-NLI, namely understanding, dialogue and reasoning. An example of interaction with IR-NLI is fully worked out to introduce the main features of the system. Knowledge representation methods and algorithms adopted are then illustrated. Perspectives and direction for future research are also discussed.     

Positive association between Helicobacter pylori infection and food allergy in children

BACKGROUND: In children Helicobacter pylori has been involved as a pathogenetic factor in gastritis and duodenal ulcer and as a cofactor in protein-losing enteropathy, chronic diarrhoea, short stature, and gastritis lymphoproliferative disease. A subset of an H. pylori strain possesses an antigen, CagA, as a virulence factor. In the present study we determined anti-H. pylori IgG and anti-CagA IgG titres in children with food allergy. METHODS: Ninety paediatric patients were studied: 30 with food allergy, 30 with atopic asthma, and 30 with inflammatory bowel disease. Anti-H. pylori IgG and anti-CagA IgG were determined in all children by means of a commercial enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). RESULTS: The anti-H. pylori IgG titre was significantly higher in allergic patients than in the other two groups. The anti-CagA IgG titre did not differ significantly between the patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show a positive association between H. pylori infection and food allergy in children. We hypothesize that virulence factors other than CagA may be involved in the pathogenesis of H. pylori infection in paediatric patients with food allergy.     

Proactive cooperative scheduling and buffer management for multimedia networks

Is it possible, and to what extent feasible, for link schedulers and buffer managers in multimedia networks with propagation delays to relieve effectively congestion by means of feedback signaling? We show that a proactive cooperative control algorithm for distributed resource scheduling and buffer management obviates the problem of propagation delays. The algorithm is based on traffic predictions of correlated input traffic streams into network nodes. Nodes projecting to be under stress signal their neighboring upstream nodes for the latter to readjust their flow rates, whileguaranteeing quality of service as negotiated at call setup. Detailed implementations of the adaptive, feedback control mechanisms of distributed asynchronous algorithms that project future overload conditions are presented. The design allows the underlying single-node link scheduling and buffer management algorithm to be run in either a cooperative or a noncooperative mode of operation.     

Development of Ag-Sheathed Bi(2223) Tapes with Improved Microstructure and Homogeneity

The development of the fabrication process of Ag-sheathed Bi(2223) tapes has been carried out in order to improve their transport and mechanical properties, as required by the power applications which are so far under study. Critical current density values of 28 kA/cm² at 77 K have been achieved on long multifilamentary Bi(2223) tapes, with a fabrication process that has been successfully employed in the fabrication of samples longer than 50 m. The microstructure and homogeneity of Ag-sheathed multifilamentary Bi(2223) tapes has been markedly improved by employing an alternative deformation technique. In a substantial part of the fabrication process, swaging, drawing, and rolling have been replaced by deformation with an active turks-head machine, which allows the deformation of rectangular shaped wires. At present, critical current densities in excess of 25 kA/cm² at 77 K have been achieved on long samples prepared with this technique. Moreover, innovative filament configurations have been employed for the fabrication of square-shaped Bi(2223) wires with reduced anisotropy and with critical current densities exceeding 20 kA/cm² at 77 K.     

A co-synthesis approach to embedded system design automation

Embedded systems are targeted for specific applications under constraints on relative timing of their actions. For such systems, the use of pre-designed reprogrammable components such as microprocessors provides an effective way to reduce system cost by implementing part of the functionality as a program running on the processor. However, dedicated hardware is often necessary to achieve the requisite timing performance. Analysis of timing constraints is, therefore, key to determination of an efficient hardware-software implementation. In this paper, we present a methodology for embedded system design as a co-synthesis of interacting hardware and software components. We present a decomposition of the co-synthesis problem into sub-problems, that is useful in building a framework for embedded system CAD. In particular, we present operation-level timing constraints and develop the notion of satisfiability of constraints by a given implementation both in the deterministic and probabilistic sense. Constraint satisfiability analysis is then used to define hardware and software portions of functionality. We describe algorithms and techniques used in developing a practical co-synthesis framework, vulcan. Examples are presented to show the utility of our approach.     

MAGFET based current sensing for power integrated circuit

A new on-chip non-invasive integrated current sensing, compatible with standard CMOS technology, has been developed, using a 1.2 μm BiCMOS ALCATEL technology, to sense the current in the drain side of a power MOSFET. The circuit is based on a split-drain magnetic sensor, implemented on the same chip of an integrated gate driver for a power MOSFET. A CMOS biasing circuit with a differential current output is also developed. The simulation results of the current sensing show a conversion gain of 1.25 mV/mT.     

A three field element via Augmented Lagrangian for modelling bulk metal forming processes

A new 2D quadrilateral element is developed for the modelling of 2D incompressible rigid/viscoplastic problems: the QMITC-3F. The element formulation is based on the interpolation of three fields: velocities, strain rates and pressures. The incompressibility constraint is enforced using an Augmented Lagrangian technique. The new element is used in conjunction with the flow formulation and the pseudo-concentrations technique for modelling bulk metal forming processes.Dedicated to J. C. Simo