A Light Workflow Management System Using Simple Process Models

Workflow management systems are considereda hot technology. Nevertheless, up to now they havenot had the diffusion other packages such asproductivity tools, E-mail systems and groupwareplatforms have. We believe that this fact is due tothe many limitations of current workflow technology(weak support for changes; complex exception handlingmechanisms; limited openness to and integrability withother system components;...) and that radically newworkflow management systems should be designed anddeveloped in order to offer adequate products to themarket. In this paper, we outline the main innovativefeatures of the workflow management component of theMilano system making it highly flexible and adaptable.Particular attention is paid to its modellingframework, which is based on a class of net systemswell supported by efficient algorithms, and to theservices it offers to both workflow designers andactors. The most relevant aspects of the MILANOworkflow management system are also illustratedthrough a realistic example.     

Deficits in emotional and social cognition in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: These studies investigated whether non-demented ALS patients display impairments on tests of emotional decision making and social and emotional cognition, sensitive to frontal variant Frontotemporal Dementia (fvFTD). Previous studies have shown predominant executive dysfunction and dorsolateral prefrontal involvement in ALS, but evidence of other prefrontal dysfunction implicated in fvFTD is sparse. Method: In Study A, 19 ALS patients and 20 healthy controls undertook a test of affective decision making, modified Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). Behavioral measures included the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale. In Study B, 14 ALS patients and 20 controls undertook tests of social and emotional cognition (Judgment of Preference based on eye gaze, the Mind in the Eyes, recognition of Facial Expressions of Emotion). Results: In Study A, ALS patients demonstrated a significantly different performance profile from healthy controls on the IGT and did not learn to avoid the disadvantageous stimuli (Block 3, d = 0.60, Block 4 days = 0.68). Behavior ratings showed increased apathy from premorbid levels. In Study B, ALS patients were impaired on attentionally demanding (d = 3.12) and undemanding (d = 7.52) conditions of the Judgment of Preference task, despite many showing intact executive functions. A smaller subset showed impaired emotion recognition. Behavior change was also evident. Conclusions: The findings reveal a Theory of Mind deficit on a simple test that was dissociated from the presence of executive dysfunction and suggests a profile of cognitive and behavioral dysfunction indicative of a subclinical fvFTD syndrome. The relative contribution of prefrontal pathways to the cognitive profile in ALS is considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Nanocomposite polymer electrolyte based on whisker or microfibrils polyoxyethylene nanocomposites

Nanocomposite polymer electrolytes composed of high molecular weight poly(oxyethylene) PEO as a matrix, LiTFSI as lithium salt and ramie, cotton and sisal whiskers with high aspect ratio and sisal microfibrils (MF), as reinforcing phase were prepared by casting-evaporation. The morphology of the composite electrolytes was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and their thermal behavior (characteristic temperatures, degradation temperature) were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry.Nanocomposite electrolytes based on PEO reinforced by whiskers and MF sisal exhibited very high mechanical performance with a storage modulus of 160 MPa at high temperature. A weak decrease of the ionic conductivity was observed with the incorporation of 6 wt% of whiskers. The addition of microfibrils involved a larger decrease of the conductivity. This difference may be associated to the more restricted PEO mobility due to the addition of entangled nanofibers.     

Calcium ions enclosed in casein phosphopeptide aggregates are directly involved in the mineral uptake by differentiated HT-29 cells

Casein phosphopeptides (CPPs) display the ability to form aggregates with calcium and promote the mineral uptake in models of intestinal cells. The present study aimed to clarify which fraction of calcium, CPPs – bound or free, is directly involved. A commercial preparation of calcium enriched CPPs was employed. The free intracellular calcium was monitored at the single cell level by fura-2 fluorescence. Results showed that calcium enriched CPPs formed aggregates and promoted mineral uptake by the cells at a stable level regardless of the amount of extracellular calcium, indicating that the fraction of calcium bound to CPPs was responsible of the bioactivity. The decalcified CPPs bind free calcium available in solution, form aggregates and promote the mineral uptake by the cells, but are dependent on extracellular calcium.     

Thin asphalt pavement performance equation through direct computation of falling weight deflectometer-derived strains

A fundamental aspect in a pavement management system is the evaluation of the pavement structural condition and its capability in supporting the designated traffic. The nondestructive technique of the falling weight deflectometer and the layered elastic model are commonly used to identify pavement structural condition. The approach in this article is mechanistic–empirical, with the intent to correlate the strain at the bottom of the asphalt layer with the number of coverages to failure. Strains were computed through mathematical approximation of the deflection basin measured at failure. The proposed asphalt criterion showed the same trend of the subgrade strain criterion developed in conjunction with the reformulation of the California bearing ratio (CBR)-Beta design criteria. The approach provided encouraging results when compared with the other analyses in the development of the CBR-Beta criteria. The database was from the full-scale flexible pavement testing at the US Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, MS, USA.     

Block of the Mevalonate Pathway Triggers Oxidative and Inflammatory Molecular Mechanisms Modulated by Exogenous Isoprenoid Compounds

Deregulation of the mevalonate pathway is known to be involved in a number of diseases that exhibit a systemic inflammatory phenotype and often neurological involvements, as seen in patients suffering from a rare disease called mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD). One of the molecular mechanisms underlying this pathology could depend on the shortage of isoprenoid compounds and the subsequent mitochondrial damage, leading to oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines’ release. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that cellular death results from the balance between apoptosis and pyroptosis, both driven by mitochondrial damage and the molecular platform inflammasome. In order to rescue the deregulated pathway and decrease inflammatory markers, exogenous isoprenoid compounds were administered to a biochemical model of MKD obtained treating a murine monocytic cell line with a compound able to block the mevalonate pathway, plus an inflammatory stimulus. Our results show that isoprenoids acted in different ways, mainly increasing the expression of the evaluated markers [apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, nucleotide-binding oligomerization-domain protein-like receptors 3 (NALP3), cytokines and nitric oxide (NO)]. Our findings confirm the hypothesis that inflammation is triggered, at least partially, by the shortage of isoprenoids. Moreover, although further studies are necessary, the achieved results suggest a possible role for exogenous isoprenoids in the treatment of MKD.     

Phenols,lignans and antioxidant properties of legume and sweet chestnut flours

Total phenols (TPC) and antioxidant properties were determined in chick-pea, green and red lentils and sweet chestnut flours, in both aqueous-organic extracts and their residues, by the Folin Ciocalteau method and by the FRAP assay, respectively. Plant lignans were quantified in flours by means of HPLC. In addition, the FRAP of plant lignans (secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol, isolariciresinol, pinoresinol, matairesinol), their mixture and enterolignans (enterodiol and enterolactone) were determined. In all flours, the highest TPC values were found in the residue. Specific and varietal significant differences were observed in all parameters. The highest TPC (737.32 and 1492.93 mg/100 g d.w.) and FRAP (140.32 and 101.25 μmol/g d.w.) values were reached by green lentils in both aqueous-organic extract and residue, respectively. Sweet chestnuts had the highest total lignans (980.03 μg/100 g d.w.). It was also found that the plant lignans standards have a higher antioxidant activity than enterolignans standards and that matairesinol has the highest activity.     

Single‐ridge waveguide T‐junctions for compact multilayer beam forming networks

In this work, an H‐plane and an E‐plane single‐ridge waveguide T‐junction exhibiting compact size and broadband performance are presented. Thanks to these features the proposed devices turn out to be key components for the implementation of high‐performance multilayer antenna beam‐forming networks. Effectiveness and suitability of such T‐junctions are demonstrated through the design of a broadband array antenna feeding network. The presented components operate at Ku band, nevertheless the adopted architectures are fully scalable to other frequency band of interest.     

Simultaneous detection of cow and buffalo milk in mozzarella cheese by Real-Time PCR assay

A Real-Time PCR Allelic Discrimination TaqMan assay based on the analysis of one diagnosis position enabling the identification of cows’ and buffalo milk in dairy products was developed. Specific primers and probes were designed on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. In particular, primers were designed upstream and downstream the chosen diagnosis site in a well conserved region for both Bos taurus and Bubalus bubalis. Two probes were designed to specifically hybridise to B. taurus and B. bubalis sequences.