A geosemantic proximity-based prototype for the interoperability of geospatial data

The research agenda related to the interoperability of geospatial data is influenced by the increased accessibility of geospatial databases on the Internet, as well as their sharing and their integration. Although it is now possible to get and use geospatial data independently of their syntax and structure, it is still difficult for users to find the exact data they need as long as they do not know the precise vocabulary used by the organizations supporting geospatial databases. It is now a necessity to take into consideration the semantics of geospatial data to enable its full interoperability.To this end, we designed a new conceptual framework for geospatial data interoperability and introduced the notion of geosemantic proximity based on human communication and cognition paradigms. This paper reviews this framework and the notion of geosemantic proximity. It also presents the GsP Prototype, which demonstrates the relevance of our framework and of the notion of geosemantic proximity for geospatial data interoperability. More specifically, we describe the architecture of the GsP Prototype, its implementation, and tests that have been conducted.     

Social networks and aggressive behavior: Peer support or peer rejection?

Studied social networks and aggressive behavior in school in 2 cohorts of boys and girls in the 4th and 7th grades (N?=?695). Measures of social networks yielded convergent findings. Highly aggressive subjects (both boys and girls) did not differ from matched control subjects in terms of social cluster membership or in being isolated or rejected within the social network. Peer cluster analysis and reciprocal "best friend" selections indicated that aggressive subjects tended to affiliate with aggressive peers. Even though highly aggressive children and adolescents were less popular than control subjects in the social network at large, they were equally often identified as being nuclear members of social clusters. Aggressive subjects did not differ from matched control subjects in the number of times they were named by peers as "best friend," nor did the two groups differ in the probability of having friendship choices reciprocated by peers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Survival of Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains in the upper gastrointestinal tract

In the present study six probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains were investigated for their ability to survive in the human upper gastrointestinal tract through a dynamic gastric model of digestion. MRS broth was used as delivery vehicle and survival was investigated during in vitro gastric and gastric plus duodenal digestion. Results highlighted that all tested strains showed good survival rate during both gastric and duodenal digestion. In particular, three strains exhibited a great survival showing a recovery percentage in the range between 117 and 276%. In agreement with survival data, high lactic acid production was detected for all strains, confirming their metabolic activity during digestion.     

Poly[ethylene‐co‐(vinyl alcohol)]‐graft‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) Synthesis by Reactive Extrusion, 1 ‐ Structural and Kinetic Study

Chemical modification of EVOH in the molten state at 185 °C by a grafting from process of poly(ε‐caprolactone) in batch was studied. ¹H NMR was used to characterize the structure evolutions of PCL grafts. In addition to grafting reactions, dynamic covalent transesterification reactions between EVOH residual alcohols and the polyester grafts led to a redistribution of the PCL grafts length. up to 27 and SR up to 80% were obtained. Experiments made in a corotating mini twin‐screw extruder also confirmed these results. The effect of the alcohol to caprolactone ratio and catalyst concentration (SnOct₂) on kinetic evolution showed that few minutes were necessary to complete the polymerization. A kinetic model was proposed and adequate conditions for the synthesis by reactive extrusion were defined.

     

Mass transfer in vertical liquid-solids flow of coarse particles

Wall-to-bed mass transfer in the hydraulic transport of spherical glass particles was studied. The experiments were performed by transporting spherical glass particles 1.20, 1.94 and 2.98 mm in diameter with water in a 25.4 mm I.D. tube. The mass transfer coefficients were determined by following rate of dissolution of a segment of the transport tube prepared from benzoic acid.In the runs in hydraulic transport, the Reynolds number of the tube varied between 1826 and 27597. The loading ratio (G_p/G_f) was between 0.026 and 0.474, and the fluid superficial velocity was between 0.267 · U_t and 4.904 · U_t, where U_t represents the single particle terminal velocity. For these ratios, the voidage ranged from 0.7123 to 0.9228.Also, wall-to-bed mass transfer in the single phase flow regime was studied. In the runs without particles, the Reynolds number of the tube varied between 122 and 39132. The data for the mass transfer factor (j_D) in single phase flow are correlated for turbulent flow regime, using the Chilton-Colburn's type equations, j_D = f(Re). Those investigations were conducted in aim to compare with results for wall-to-bed mass transfer in hydraulic transport.The data for wall-to-bed mass transfer (j_D) in hydraulic transport of spherical particles were correlated by treating the flowing fluid-particle suspension as a pseudofluid, by introducing a modified suspension-wall friction coefficient (f_w) and a modified Reynolds number (Re_m). The data for wall-to-bed mass transfer in the hydraulic transport of particles show that an analogy between mass and momentum transfer exists.     

Effects of growth rate, sex and slaughter weight on fat characteristics of pork bellies

A total of 119 Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) commercial pigs were used to investigate the effect of growth rate (fast vs slow), sex (barrows vs gilts) and slaughter liveweight (107, 115 and 125 kg) on the fat characteristics of bellies. Backfat thickness increased with weight (P < 0.01). Fat firmness score was only affected by sex (P < 0.05), with gilts showing softer bellies than barrows. Fat from gilts and slow growing pigs showed a lower proportion of saturated fatty acids (SFA; P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively), a higher proportion of linoleic fatty acid (C18:2 n-6; P < 0.01), a higher proportion of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively), and an increased iodine value (P < 0.001). Consequently, the fat from these bellies had higher PUFA:SFA ratios (P < 0.001) and n-6:n-3 ratios (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively) than that from the bellies of barrows and fast growing pigs. The belly fat from barrows and fast growing pigs had higher stearic fatty acid (C18:0; P < 0.01) and SFA proportions (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively) than that from gilts and slow growing pigs. The belly fat from gilts and slow growing pigs would better meet the health requirements of consumers, but it is more prone to rancidity during storage leading to a potentially reduced bacon shelf-life.     

Protein Denaturation in Pork Longissimus Muscle of Different Quality Groups

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the protein denaturation characteristics of pork muscles from four quality groups namely RFN (red, firm, and non-exudative), RSE (red, soft, and exudative), PFN (pale, firm, and non-exudative), and PSE (pale, soft, and exudative). The thermograms indicated three endothermic peaks between 45°C to 90°C, corresponding to denaturation of myosin (peak I), sarcoplasmic proteins (peak II), and actin (peak III). The myosin peak was much reduced in PSE samples, while the actin peak remained almost identical in all groups. RFN and RSE samples were found to have very similar protein denaturation characteristics and were not significantly different in their thermodynamic protein denaturation parameters. PFN samples showed similar myofibrilar protein denaturation but significantly different sarcoplasmic protein denaturation characteristics compared to normal (RFN) samples according to their DSC thermograms. Based on these findings, it was suggested that the pale color in PFN pork is linked to sarcoplasmic protein denaturation.     

Role of the bolus degree of structure on the protein digestibility during in vitro digestion of a pea protein-fortified sponge cake chewed by elderly

This study investigated the digestibility of proteins in a pea protein-fortified sponge cake, as well as the impact of the degree of structure of the bolus produced by elderly subjects on the digestibility of proteins by combining ex vivo and in vitro approaches via the standardized protocol INFOGEST. The sponge cakes were consumed by a group of 20 elderly subjects with contrasting physiology, their boli were recovered just before swallowing, and their apparent viscosity was measured to delineate the bolus degree of structure. According to this criterion, two pools were formed with boli from subjects selected at the extremes: low viscosity and high viscosity, with apparent viscosity values (at 120 s⁻¹) of 124 ± 18 and 208 ± 19 Pa s, respectively. The sponge cakes and the two pools underwent in vitro digestion. Protein hydrolysis kinetics was followed by measuring the released primary amino groups (NH₂) and by sodium-dodecyl-sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at different time points. For all samples, the representative bands of pea proteins disappear gradually during digestion, accompanied by the appearance of bands indicating the presence of proteins with M_W < 15 kDa. In addition, the NH₂ concentrations increase over time and do not differ between sponge cake and pea protein isolate. Moreover, the degree of structure of the food bolus has no significant effect on the concentration of NH₂ released. These results showed that pea proteins in a fortified sponge cake are bioaccessible under standardized conditions and that the degree of structure of the bolus did not influence protein digestibility for these foods.     

Effect of calf feeding regimes and diet EDTA on physico-chemical characteristics of veal stored under modified atmospheres

Physico-chemical characteristics of veal from 30 calves allotted to five different rations with respect to iron bioavailability were evaluated at packaging and after 2 and 4 weeks of storage under both 100% CO(2) and 100% N(2). The five diets were 'Milk', 'Grain', 'Mix' (combination of Milk and Grain) and 'Mix + EDTA' and 'Grain + EDTA' where 15 mg EDTA were added per mg Fe in the feed concentrate. Diet EDTA was generally more influential on veal quality than storage treatments. The chelator caused an unexpected pH drop in veal stored four weeks irrespective of storage conditions (p ≤ 0.05). However, the colour, texture and flavour of meat from animals fed EDTA in the Grain- and Mix-ration was equivalent to that of Milk-fed veal (p ≤ 0.05). The EDTA treatments also improved the appearance of veal under anoxic atmospheres. Upon storage however, the chelator increased veal drip losses (p ≤ 0.05) and also cooking losses from Grain-fed calves (p ≤ 0.05). Packaging under CO(2) decreased pH (p ≤ 0.05) and increased drip losses (p ≤ 0.05) but did not alter other physico-chemical parameters. Dietary treatments had no effect on shear forces (p > 0.05) which decreased after two weeks in storage (p ≤ 0.05) independent of gas atmospheres. Overall, the quality characteristics of pale veal were obtained following addition of EDTA in Grain- and Mix-fed animals and were maintained in storage. This approach looks promising for the veal industry but warrants further research.