A ground system for early forest fire detection based on infrared signal processing

This article presents a ground remote automatic system for forest surveillance based on infrared signal processing applied to early fire detection. Advanced techniques, which are based on infrared signal processing, are used in order to process the captured images. With the aim of determining the presence or absence of fire, the system performs the fusion of different detectors that exploit different expected characteristics of a real fire, such as persistence and increase. Theoretical simulations and practical results are presented to corroborate the control of the probability of false alarm. Results in a real environment are also presented to authenticate the accuracy of the operation of the proposed system. In particular, some experiments have been done to evaluate the delay of the system (tens of seconds on average) in detecting a controlled ground fire in a range of 1–10 km. Moreover, temporary evolution of false alarms and true detections are presented to evaluate the long-term performance of the system in a real environment. We have reached a detection probability of 100% at a false alarm rate of around 1?×?10^?9.     

Scenario-based virtual network infrastructure management in research and educational testbeds with VNUML

Virtual machine technologies have evolved during the last 40 years from mainframe to commodity (x86) systems. Although these techniques are nowadays quite mature in data center environments (consolidation, service continuity, etc.), scenario-based virtual infrastructure management tools keep evolving in research and educational areas. In this work, one such tool is described, Virtual Network User Mode Linux (VNUML), which has been successfully used during the past few years to help researchers and educators to build testbeds in a wide range of innovative network environments (such as IPv6 IX design and third-generation networks). Such application cases are detailed in this paper, assessing the soundness and flexibility of the tool. However, in spite of these successful applications, several challenges remain to be solved in virtual scenario management (distributed management, decoupling from any particular virtualization technique, and alignment with industry standards), and the way they are being addressed as part of VNUML’s evolution is also discussed.     

Towards content trust of web resources

Trust is an integral part of the Semantic Web architecture. Most prior work on trusts focuses on entity-centered issues such as authentication and reputation and does not take into account the content, i.e., the nature and use of the information being exchanged. This paper defines content trust and discusses it in the context of other trust measures that have been previously studied. We introduce several factors that users consider in deciding whether to trust the content provided by a Web resource. Our goal is to discern which of these factors could be captured in practice with minimal user interaction in order to maximize the quality of the system's trust estimates. We present results on a study to determine which factors were more important to capture, and describe a simulation environment that we have designed to study alternative models of content trust.     

Pilot plant studies of biodiesel production using Brassica carinata as raw material

In recent years, the development of alternative fuels from renewable resources, like biomass, has received considerable attention. Biodiesel is defined as fatty acid methyl or ethyl esters from vegetable oils, when it is used as fuel in diesel engines and heating systems.

In this context, the cultivation of Brassica carinata as oilseed crop for biodiesel production in the south of Europe (Spain and Italy) and north of Africa has gained special interest, since it allows the use of set-aside lands, giving higher yields per hectare than the traditional Spanish crops.

Methyl or ethyl esters are the product of transesterification of vegetable oils with alcohol (methanol/ethanol) using an alkaline catalyst. In addition, the process yields glycerol, which has large applications in the pharmaceutical, food and plastics industries.

In the present work, the process of biodiesel production for pilot plant using B. Carinata oil as raw materials with methanol and using potassium hydroxide as catalyst has been studied.

The biodiesel quality meets European specifications defined by pr EN 14214:2002 (E). The obtained results have been used for industrial scale up of the process.     

香奈儿背后的家族

我们是一个很谨慎的家族,(对香奈儿)我们从来不说什么.香奈儿是关于可可·夏奈尔的,是关于卡尔的,是关于每一个在香奈儿工作、创作的人的,而不是关于维德摩尔家族的." --杰拉尔·维德摩尔     

城市发展与世界银行

世界银行不是通常意义上的银行，它为185个成员国所拥有。自1944年成立以来．世界银行从一个机构扩展为一个世界银行集团．由五个紧密联系的发展机构共同组成：国际复兴开发银行（IBRD：International Bank for Reconstruction and Development），国际开发协会（IDA：International Development Association）．国际金融公司（IFC：International Finance Corporation），多边投资担保机构（M1GA：Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency），以及国际投资争端处理中心（ICSlD：International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes）。     

Phytate degradation by Bifidobacterium on whole wheat fermentation

Whole cereal-based products have a beneficial effect on health, but they also contain high levels of phytate, defined as anti-nutrient. The possible use of different strains of bifidobacterial species (B. catenulatum, B. longum and B. breve) with phytate degrading activity as starters in the fermentation process was investigated. Fermentative parameters of doughs (pH, volume, total titrable acidity [TTA] and acetic and lactic acids production) and the hydrolysis profile of the phytic acid were determined during whole wheat dough fermentation. During fermentation in the presence of different bifidobacterial strains, the concentration of phytic acid showed a progressive decrease, leading to a higher release of hydrolysis products than in the control, within short fermentation time. According to the fermentative parameters bifidobacterial strains showed a good adaptation to the dough ecosystem. The range of TTA and lactic acid production was dependent on the strain. Among the tested bifidobacterial strains, those belonging to the species B. breve and B. longum induced a higher hydrolysis of phytic acid with simultaneous production of lower inositol phosphates. In addition, dough containing those strains had high pH and minor acidity than those containing a commercial starter (L. plantarum). Therefore, the tested bifidobacterial strains could be used as breadmaking starters contributing to different acidification degrees and promoting simultaneously the degradation of phytic acid in the whole wheat dough.     

Determination of tetracyclines in multi-specie animal tissues by pressurized liquid extraction and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

A specific, sensitive and robust pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method for determining tetracycline, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline and doxycycline in bovine, swine, poultry and lamb muscle tissues is presented. PLE was performed using an ASE^® 200 from Dionex and water as extractant, followed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) using an Oasis HLB cartridge. The method was validated for beef, chicken, pork and lamb meat in compliance with the requirements set by Commission Decision, 2002/657/EC [Commission Decision 2002/657/EC (2002). Implementing Council Directive 96/23/EC concerning the performance of analytical methods and interpretation of results. Official Journal of European Communities, L239, 66–98. (Available at: <http://europe.eu.int>)]. The average recoveries of the different meat samples, spiked with the four tetracyclines at three levels (1, 100 and 200 μg kg⁻¹ of each tetracycline), were always higher than 89% with intraday and interday precision lower than 15% and 17%, respectively. A good linearity was established for the four tetracyclines in the range from 5 to 10,000 μg kg⁻¹ with r > 0.995. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were between 0.5 and 1 μg kg⁻¹, which are well below the tolerance levels set by the European Union. The decision limit (CCα) and the decision capability (CCβ) were in the range 101–116 and 112–130 μg kg⁻¹, respectively. Compared with previous methods, sample preparation time required for the analysis and LOQs, are reduced. The method demonstrated its successful application for the analysis of 100 meat samples. Two samples of beef and one sample of chicken out of 25 of each type tested positive while none of 25 samples of either, lamb or pork, tested positive.     

The Microbiota and the Gut–Brain Axis in Controlling Food Intake and Energy Homeostasis

Obesity currently represents a major societal and health challenge worldwide. Its prevalence has reached epidemic proportions and trends continue to rise, reflecting the need for more effective preventive measures. Hypothalamic circuits that control energy homeostasis in response to food intake are interesting targets for body-weight management, for example, through interventions that reinforce the gut-to-brain nutrient signalling, whose malfunction contributes to obesity. Gut microbiota–diet interactions might interfere in nutrient sensing and signalling from the gut to the brain, where the information is processed to control energy homeostasis. This gut microbiota–brain crosstalk is mediated by metabolites, mainly short chain fatty acids, secondary bile acids or amino acids-derived metabolites and subcellular bacterial components. These activate gut–endocrine and/or neural-mediated pathways or pass to systemic circulation and then reach the brain. Feeding time and dietary composition are the main drivers of the gut microbiota structure and function. Therefore, aberrant feeding patterns or unhealthy diets might alter gut microbiota–diet interactions and modify nutrient availability and/or microbial ligands transmitting information from the gut to the brain in response to food intake, thus impairing energy homeostasis. Herein, we update the scientific evidence supporting that gut microbiota is a source of novel dietary and non-dietary biological products that may beneficially regulate gut-to-brain communication and, thus, improve metabolic health. Additionally, we evaluate how the feeding time and dietary composition modulate the gut microbiota and, thereby, the intraluminal availability of these biological products with potential effects on energy homeostasis. The review also identifies knowledge gaps and the advances required to clinically apply microbiome-based strategies to improve the gut–brain axis function and, thus, combat obesity.     

Effects of gas composition in modified atmosphere packaging on the meat quality of Spanish Manchega lamb

The effects of four types of packaging atmosphere, each with a different gas composition (20–80% CO₂), on the meat quality of Spanish Manchega lamb were examined in order to suggest a gas composition for optimal preservation. Meat quality was assessed by pH, colour (L*,a* and b* values), water‐holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL) and shear force (SF). Gas composition affected all parameters except L* and SF. The pH values decreased significantly in samples packed with 80% CO₂ but remained constant in the other groups. The b* values were lower in samples packed without O₂ than in the other groups and increased with time. However, the a* values decreased in all groups with time. Samples packed in low‐CO₂ atmosphere tended to lose more water (ie to have less WHC and show more CL). The SF values decreased with time, and similar values of this parameter were observed for all treatments. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry