Realisation barriers in energy efficiency projects in Croatian public buildings: a critic overview and proposals

This paper discusses in detail specific barriers to establishing energy efficiency policies in Croatian public buildings that affect the realisation of energy efficiency projects. Barriers were discovered after years of collaboration with public institutions in Croatia, especially at a local level. Although the information presented in this paper relates specifically to the geographical areas of Splitsko- Dalmatinska and Dubrovacko-Neretvanska counties in Croatia, the research can be generalised to the country as a whole. The paper also analyses the important role of the United Nations Development Programme in encouraging proactive energy efficiency policies in public buildings in Croatia. Finally, a new organisational framework is proposed to eliminate existing barriers and to establish a system which will lead to the effective realisation of energy efficiency projects in buildings. The research presented in this paper should also be useful to countries facing similar barriers to energy investments.     

Insulin Resistance and Cancer: In Search for a Causal Link

Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition which refers to individuals whose cells and tissues become insensitive to the peptide hormone, insulin. Over the recent years, a wealth of data has made it clear that a synergistic relationship exists between IR, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cancer. Although the underlying mechanism(s) for this association remain unclear, it is well established that hyperinsulinemia, a hallmark of IR, may play a role in tumorigenesis. On the other hand, IR is strongly associated with visceral adiposity dysfunction and systemic inflammation, two conditions which favor the establishment of a pro-tumorigenic environment. Similarly, epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA, in IR states, have been often associated with tumorigenesis in numerous types of human cancer. In addition to these observations, it is also broadly accepted that gut microbiota may play an intriguing role in the development of IR-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cancer, whereas potential chemopreventive properties have been attributed to some of the most commonly used antidiabetic medications. Herein we provide a concise overview of the most recent literature in this field and discuss how different but interrelated molecular pathways may impact on tumor development.     

High-precision isothermal titration calorimetry with automated peak-shape analysis

Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is a powerful classical method that enables researchers in many fields to study the thermodynamics of molecular interactions. Primary ITC data comprise the temporal evolution of differential power reporting the heat of reaction during a series of injections of aliquots of a reactant into a sample cell. By integration of each injection peak, an isotherm can be constructed of total changes in enthalpy as a function of changes in solution composition, which is rich in thermodynamic information on the reaction. However, the signals from the injection peaks are superimposed by the stochastically varying time-course of the instrumental baseline power, limiting the precision of ITC isotherms. Here, we describe a method for automated peak assignment based on peak-shape analysis via singular value decomposition in combination with detailed least-squares modeling of local pre- and postinjection baselines. This approach can effectively filter out contributions of short-term noise and adventitious events in the power trace. This method also provides, for the first time, statistical error estimates for the individual isotherm data points. In turn, this results in improved detection limits for high-affinity or low-enthalpy binding reactions and significantly higher precision of the derived thermodynamic parameters.     

Consequence-based management of railroad bridge networks

To increase profitability, add capacity and comply with new federal regulations on bridge safety, North American railroads are exploring means to improve the management of their bridge networks. Current maintenance, repair and replacement (MRR) decisions are informed by bridge inspections and ratings, which recommend observing the response of bridges under trains. However, an objective relationship between bridge responses and the associated impact to railroad operations has yet to be established. If the consequences of MRR decisions could be better determined, then the railroads could more effectively allocate their limited resources. Chief bridge engineers from different Class I railroads provided the values of displacements and assessment used to develop this paper. Researchers monitored displacements from over 50 train crossing events and related them to decisions on operations and maintenance. This paper develops an approach for consequence-based management of bridge networks for making network MRR decisions, employing fragility curves to relate service condition limit states to transverse displacement. The operational costs associated with these service conditions can estimate the total costs of a given MRR policy. In this way, optimum MRR decisions can minimise the total network costs. This framework provides a consistent approach for the prioritisation of railroad bridge MRR decisions.     

Progress in control and data acquisition for the ITER neutral beam test facility

SPIDER, the ion source test bed in the ITER neutral beam test facility, is under construction and its operation is expected to start in 2014. Control and data acquisition for SPIDER are undergoing final design. SPIDER CODAS, as the control and data acquisition system is referred to, is requested to manage 25 plant units, to acquire 1000 analogue signals with sampling rates ranging from a few S/s to 10 MS/s, to acquire images with up to 100 frames per second, to operate with long pulses lasting up to 1 h, and to sustain 200 MB/s data throughput into the data archive with an annual data storage amount of up to 50 TB. SPIDER CODAS software architecture integrates three open-source software frameworks each addressing specific system requirements. Slow control exploits the synergy among EPICS and Siemens S7 programmable controllers. Data handling is by MDSplus a data-centric framework that is geared towards the collection and organization of scientific data. Diagnostics based on imaging drive the design of data throughput and archive size. Fast control is implemented by using MARTe, a data-driven, object-oriented, real-time environment. The paper will describe in detail the progress of the system hardware and software architecture and will show how the software frameworks interact to provide the functions requested by SPIDER CODAS. The paper will focus on how the performance requirements can be met with the described SPIDER CODAS architecture, describing the progress achieved by carrying out prototyping activities.     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of CTP Synthetase Inhibitors as Potential Agents for the Treatment of African Trypanosomiasis

Acivicin analogues with an increased affinity for CTP synthetase (CTPS) were designed as potential new trypanocidal agents. The inhibitory activity against CTPS can be improved by increasing molecular complexity, by inserting groups able to establish additional interactions with the binding pocket of the enzyme. This strategy has been pursued with the synthesis of α‐amino‐substituted analogues of Acivicin and N1‐substituted pyrazoline derivatives. In general, there is direct correlation between the enzymatic activity and the in vitro anti‐trypanosomal efficacy of the derivatives studied here. However, this cannot be taken as a general rule, as other important factors may play a role, notably the ability of uptake/diffusion of the molecules into the trypanosomes.     

Isolation and Characterization of Microsatellite Markers for Passiflora contracta

Passiflora contracta Vitta (Passifloraceae) is an endemic species of the Atlantic Rainforest, one of the most species-rich ecoregions in the world, although extremely endangered. We have developed an enriched microsatellite library in order to fine-scale studies of the genetic structure of P. contracta. Twelve pairs of microsatellite primers were designed, and seven loci were successfully amplified and characterized by genotyping two wild populations of P. contracta. All seven loci were polymorphic, with an average number of alleles found being 4.8 and 5 per population. The cross-species transferability was tested using sister species Passiflora ovalis Vell. Ex Roemer. The development of these markers will contribute to the studies of population genetics in P. contracta as well as future studies concerning diversity patterns in the Atlantic Rainforest, and may also help to establish strategies for the conservation of this species.     

Computational reflection and its application to platform verification

The complexity of modern hardware design has created the need for higher levels of abstraction, where system modeling is used to integrate modules into complex System-on-Chip (SoCs) platforms. SystemC, and its TLM (Transaction Level Modeling) extensions, have been used for this purpose mainly because of their fast prototyping and simulation features, which allow for early design space exploration. This paper proposes an approach to explore and interact with SystemC models by means of an introspection technique known as Computational Reflection. We use reflection to implement a white-box introspection mechanism called ReflexBox. We show that ReflexBox is a fast, non-intrusive technique that can be used to dynamically gather and inject stimuli into any SystemC module, without the need to use a proprietary SystemC implementation, change the SystemC library, instrument or even inspect the module source code. Our approach can be used to support many different verification tasks like platform debugging, performance evaluation and communication analysis. To show ReflexBox effectiveness we used it in three platforms case studies to address tasks like register inspection, performance analysis and signal replaying for testbench reuse. In all cases we assumed no source code availability and measured the impact on the overall platform performance.     

Inherited Retinal Diseases Due to RPE65 Variants: From Genetic Diagnostic Management to Therapy

Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a heterogeneous group of conditions that include retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) and early-onset severe retinal dystrophy (EO[S]RD), which differ in severity and age of onset. IRDs are caused by mutations in >250 genes. Variants in the RPE65 gene account for 0.6–6% of RP and 3–16% of LCA/EORD cases. Voretigene neparvovec is a gene therapy approved for the treatment of patients with an autosomal recessive retinal dystrophy due to confirmed biallelic RPE65 variants (RPE65-IRDs). Therefore, the accurate molecular diagnosis of RPE65-IRDs is crucial to identify ‘actionable’ genotypes—i.e., genotypes that may benefit from the treatment—and is an integral part of patient management. To date, hundreds of RPE65 variants have been identified, some of which are classified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic, while the significance of others is yet to be established. In this review, we provide an overview of the genetic diagnostic workup needed to select patients that could be eligible for voretigene neparvovec treatment. Careful clinical characterization of patients by multidisciplinary teams of experts, combined with the availability of next-generation sequencing approaches, can accelerate patients’ access to available therapeutic options.     

Color measurement: comparison of colorimeter vs. computer vision system

The aim of this work was to compare two food color measurement techniques, the traditional tristimulus colorimeter and an image analysis system. In this sense a computer vision system was developed, consisting of a digital camera, a controlled illumination environment, and a software package to process the images. The conversion between color spaces was performed employing empirical mathematical models; a standard color chart was used for its calibration. The color of 40 samples of raw and processed foods was measured in the CIELAB color space with the computer vision system and a colorimeter. The equivalence between both techniques, for individual L*, a* and b* values, was determined using appropriate hypothesis tests. For most samples both systems provide equivalent results, although the total color difference ?Ε was high enough to be noticeable. The average ?Ε was 5.88?±?3.32, with an average absolute ?L*?=?2.79?±?2.42, ?a*?=?3.02?±?2.94; ?b*?=?2.84?±?2.53. In addition, the color measured by the image analyses technique seemed to be more similar to the real ones.