A network of ontology networks for building e-employment advanced systems

This paper presents the development of a network of ontology networks that enables data mediation between the Employment Services (ESs) participating in a semantic interoperability platform for the exchange of Curricula Vitae (CVs) and job offers in different languages. Such network is formed by (1) a set of local ontology networks that are language dependent, in which each network represents the local and particular view that each ES has of the employment market; and (2) a reference ontology network developed in English that represents a standardized and agreed upon terminology of the European employment market. In this network each local ontology network is aligned with the reference ontology network so that search queries, CVs, and job offers can be mediated through these alignments from any ES. The development of the ontologies has followed the methodological guidelines issued by the NeOn Methodology and is focused mainly on scenarios that involve reusing and re-engineering knowledge resources already agreed upon by employment experts and standardization bodies. This paper explains how these methodological guidelines have been applied for building e-employment ontologies. In addition, it shows that the approach to building ontologies by reusing and re-engineering agreed upon non-ontological resources speeds the ontology development, reduces development costs, and retrieves knowledge already agreed upon by a community of people in a more formal representation.     

Karl Eugen Dühring: Scientist and political extremist

Eugen Dühring was a controversial political scientist that constructed a socialist metaphysical system uniting naturalism with a priori principles. His political views were characterized by extremism; he was racist, chauvinist, antiSemitic, and antiacademic institutions. Although his major activities were in politics, he did contribute some important works in physics and thermodynamics and left us with the well-known Dühring’s rule correlating the boiling point of a solution with that of the pure solvent.     

Historical development of the vapor pressure equation from dalton to antoine

The vapor pressure of a pure liquid or of a solution is a property that has been observed since antiquity. Here, we trace the different equations that have been suggested to describe the variation of the vapor pressure with the temperature, until the time when Antoine proposed his equation, a functionality that has survived the test of time and is the one mostly widely used today.     

Biomodulation of Fluorouracil in colorectal cancer

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) remains the agent of choice for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Research has focused on the biomodulation of 5-FU in order to attempt to improve the cytotoxity and therapeutic effectiveness of this drug in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. Modulation of 5-FU by methotrexate (MTX), trimetrexate (TMTX), interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), leucovorin (LV), or N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-asparte acid (PALA) has produced higher response rates than those observed with 5-FU alone. Methotrexate may improve the durability of response to or survival with 5-FU, but with inferior results compared with those in trials of 5-FU and leucovorin. Trimetrexate produces a number of responses, and further phase III trials are in progress to confirm the results of promising phase II trials with this drug. IFN-alpha has shown therapeutic efficiency when combined with 5-FU alone or with 5-FU and leucovorin, but latest studies with these combinations have shown increased toxicity. Initial single-institution phase I trials with 5-FU and PALA reported promising responses, but the latter responses with PALA were not substantiated in randomized multicenter trials. Leucovorin enhances the cytotoxic activity of 5-FU in vitro and in vivo, and several clinical trials have shown improved response rates and possible trends in improved survival when such therapy is compared with the use of 5-FU as a single-agent. More recent randomized trials have focused their attention on determining the optimal dose and schedule with this combination for producing a better clinical response with minimal toxicity. Schedules using infusional 5-FU appear to be the most active regimens when 5-FU is used as a single agent, as demonstrated by recent randomized trials. The Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) have performed separate randomized trials and have shown that the optimal regimens employ infusional 5-FU as a single agent, and that these are the least toxic regimens, perhaps more effective, and associated with a better quality of life. Future studies will focus on infusional regimens involving either short-term, high-dose protracted or long-term, low-dose protracted infusion of 5-FU, since these regimens have shown the most favorable toxicity spectrum and produced the longest survival times. Future research will also focus on the evaluation of various methods of delivery of 5-FU, including oral administration of the drug in combination with compounds that can modify its catabolism.     

Familial aggregation of arterial pressure figures and weight indices: study in Cuenca

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the familial aggregation of blood pressure and body mass index levels in schoolchildren of Cuenca city, Spain. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was made including 307 both sexes schoolchildren 9-12 years old recruited in three schools of Cuenca city, and 346 of their parents. There were determined sociodemographics variables, weight, height, body mass index, SBP, DBP and fasting plasma total cholesterol, cLDL, cHDL and triglyceride concentrations. RESULTS: Parents-children correlation coefficients in blood pressure levels ranged between -0.1 and 0.2. Parents-daughters correlations were stronger than parents-sons in ponderal indexes. The relationship of ponderal indexes and blood pressure between spouses was weak, with correlation coefficients between 0.08 y 0.1. By stepwise multiple regression analysis it was found that the only variable that explained a significant percentage of blood pressure variability (both systolic and diastolic) was the weight of the schoolchildren in both sexes. Parents body mass index explained more than 32% of body mass index daughter's variability. In sons any variable explained a significant percentage of variability. CONCLUSIONS: The parents-children aggregation of blood pressure is weak. Parents-children aggregation of ponderal indexes is stronger, though there are considerable sex-differences. Spouses relationship, though positive, is weak in all variables.     

A comparison of the performance of lightweight glass containers manufactured by the P&B and B&B processes

The mechanical performance of lightweight glass packages produced by the NNPB (narrow neck press and blow) process was evaluated by comparison with the same glass packages (regular weight) produced by the conventional process (blow and blow). The temper number (annealing process evaluation), thickness distribution behaviour and mechanical performance (impact, vertical load and thermal shock strength) were analysed before and after line simulation, applied in optimized conditions in the laboratory. The performance of lightweight glass packages under transport simulation (truck envelope) in relation to the regular weight bottles was also evaluated. Both bottles presented residual stress values within the specified limits. The lightweight glass bottles had a more homogenous thickness distribution in comparison with the regular weight bottles and a better performance (about 33% improvement) in relation to the impact strength, especially in the heel, even when evaluated after line simulation. As to the vertical load strength, the lightweight glass bottle also indicated a superior performance to the regular weight bottle, both before and after line simulation. Both bottles withstood the temperature difference of 42°C that such packages are supposed to resist according to thermal shock specification. Due to the better thickness distribution of lightweight glass packages, they withstood a maximum temperature difference (progressive thermal shock) of 5–10°C higher than the regular weight bottles. No restrictions of the lightweight glass packages submitted to the transport simulation were found. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The application of synchrotron-based spectroscopic techniques to the study of chromate conversion coatings

This work utilized synchrotron spectroscopic techniques such as extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and synchrotron infrared microspectroscopy (SIRMS) to understand the chemistry, formation, structure and aging of protective chromate conversion coatings (CCC). We shall discuss issues related CCC formed on aluminum-copper alloys. SIRMS combined with argon ion sputtering demonstrated spatial and depth chemical variations of the CCC formed on AA2024-T3. XANES indicated that in the first stages of CCC formation the thickness depends on the Cu content of the substrate and that thinner CCC appears to contain less Cr⁶⁺ for protection. Micro-XANES shows that even monolayer coverage of chromate can protect the alloy surface. EXAFS and XANES measurements were used to monitor the structural changes of the CCC with time. It was observed that a slight decrease in the Cr(VI)Cr(III) ratio occurred during the first 24 h following coating. The structure of the CCC is in close agreement with a Cr mixed oxide. EXAFS data appeared to indicate an increase in ordering in the CCC structure with time.     

A combinatorial auction improves school meals in Chile: a case of OR in developing countries

The Chilean State delivers essential meal services at schools for low‐income students. Junta Nacional de Auxilio Escolar y Becas, the institution in charge of covering 1,300,000 children, leases the meal service to private enterprises. We developed an integer linear programming model to assign the meal contracts, in a process known as combinatorial auctions. The resulting model, which is NP‐hard, led to significant improvements in efficiency and also contributed to making the process more transparent. The results are apparent in substantial improvements in quality and coverage of the service, and important savings to the country, which are equivalent to feeding 300,000 children in addition. We developed techniques to solve the combinatorial models and also to analyze and compare multiple scenarios to find robust solutions. For the objective function of this problem, we analyzed several options to consider different kinds of social benefits. In this paper, we describe the problem, the methodology and the results. We also present empirical results based on 6 years of experience. Finally, we discuss the relevance and impact of using operations research in these central issues in developing countries.     

Observations on the synthesis and structure of wide pore aluminum phosphate molecular sieves

The synthesis of wide pore 18-ring aluminum phosphates has been explored using several amines as templates. The systems studied in more detail involve the use of dipentylamine (DPTA), a combination of tributylamine (TBA) and dipentylamine and dipropylamine (DPA). In the latter two systems a thermally unstable phase with an XRD pattern similar to VPI-5 was obtained which has been identified as the H1 phase. In the DPTA system both thermally stable and unstable phases can be formed, depending on the reaction conditions used. By controlling the gel formation in the DPA system ALPO₄-8 was synthesized by hydrothermal methods. The products in the first two cases contain significantly higher amounts of the amine than has been reported in the synthesis of VPI-5. The structure of the thermally unstable H1 phase has been solved from X-ray powder data collected using a synchrotron X-ray source and shown to contain 6-coordinate aluminum in the 4-rings.     

Exceptional Flame Resistance and Gas Barrier with Thick Multilayer Nanobrick Wall Thin Films

Layer‐by‐layer (LbL) assembly is a powerful and versatile technique to deposit functional thin films, but often requires a large number of deposition steps to achieve a film thick enough to provide a desired property. By incorporating amine salts into the cationic polyelectrolyte and its associated rinse, LbL clay‐containing nanocomposite films can achieve much greater thickness (>1 μm) with relatively few deposition cycles (≤6 bilayers). Amine salts interact with nanoclays, causing nanoplatelets to deposit in stacks rather than as individual platelets. This technique appears to be universal, exhibiting thick growth with multiple types of nanoclay, including montmorillonite and vermiculite (VMT), and a variety of amine salts (e.g., hexylamine and diethanolamine). The characteristic order found in LbL‐assembled films is maintained despite the incredible thickness. Films assembled in this manner achieve oxygen transmission rates below 0.009 cc m⁻² d⁻¹ atm⁻¹ with just 6 bilayers (BLs) of chitosan/VMT deposited. These thick clay‐based thin films also impart exceptional flame resistance. A 2‐BL film renders a 3.2 mm polystyrene plate self‐extinguishing, while an 8‐BL film (3.9 μm thick) prevents ignition entirely. This ability to generate much thicker clay‐based multilayers with amine salts opens up tremendous potential for these nanocoatings in real world applications.