Minimization of uncertainty for ordered weighted average

Existing ordered weighted average (OWA) characterization methods maximize similarity among information sources by seeking maximal weights entropy or by minimizing weights variance. These methods are based solely on the weights, and the uncertainties of input information sources are ignored. However, the purpose of information fusion is to decrease uncertainty and improve data quality. Following this objective, this work proposes a new method to calculate the OWA weights based on the minimization of the aggregated uncertainty. The resulting aggregated value is the most precise, in the sense that any other combination of weights produces larger uncertainty. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Hysteresis‐Based Design of Dynamic Reference Trajectories to Avoid Saturation in Controlled Wind Turbines

The main objective of this paper is to design a dynamic reference trajectory based on hysteresis to avoid saturation in controlled wind turbines. Basically, the torque controller and pitch controller set‐points are hysteretically manipulated to avoid saturation and drive the system with smooth dynamic changes. Simulation results obtained from a 5MW wind turbine benchmark model show that our proposed strategy has a clear added value with respect to the baseline controller (a well‐known and accepted industrial wind turbine controller). Moreover, the proposed strategy has been tested in healthy conditions but also in the presence of a realistic fault where the baseline controller caused saturation to finally conduct to instability.     

Selection of the more adequate prediction index to estimate the frame size a group of institutionalized and free living elderly in Venezuela. (Preliminary study)

The objective of the study was to identify an easy to measure indicator of body frame size to allow refinement of anthropometric nutritional evaluation. Body dimensions and frame indices related to height, which might be potential frame size predictors in the elderly, were studied. In 307 subjects (163 women, 144 men) aged 60-99 years of whom 187 were institutionalized and 120 free-living outpatients, weight, height, mid-arm circumference; triceps, subscapular, midthigh and calf skinfolds; elbow, wrist, femur and biacromial widths, were measured. Body mass index, upper arm muscle area, upper arm fat area, fat percentage, sum of skinfolds and frame indices were calculated. Results were calculated in function of age, sex and life-style. Biacromial breadth, biacromial/height index, wrist breadth and wrist/height index gave variable correlations with indices of body mass and body fat. Femur breadth and femur/height index were significantly correlated with body fat indices. Elbow breadth, humerus/height index were not correlated to body fat indices, but were significantly correlated with weight, height and fat free mass. Elbow breadth and humerus/height index fulfilled most of the criteria of good predictors of body frame size in the group pf elderly studied.     

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.