Use of UV photography to identify aflatoxin-producing strains ofAspergillus flavus andA. parasiticus

UV photography in glucose, yeast extract (GY) agar medium was tested as a simple and rapid method for the distinction of afiatoxin-positive from aflatoxin-negative strains ofAspergillus flavus andA. parasiticus. In the UV photographs aflatoxin-producing moulds were identified as grey or black colonies, whereas aflatoxin-non-producing moulds appeared as white colonies. Of the afiatoxin-positive strains detected by the UV photographic method, 10% was confirmed by extraction of the GY agar medium and mould mycelium in chloroform, extracts which were analysed subsequently using thinlayer chromatography. Confirmation of aflatoxigenic strains was achieved by biosynthesis on liquid medium yeast extract sucrose (YES) broth.     

Visual Target Localization with the Spincopter

The goal of the Spincopter project was to design an energy efficient aircraft capable of autorotation glide that could be used for both indoor and outdoor surveillance. This paper demonstrates how to utilize the self-rotating capability of the Spincopter in order to acquire a 3D image of its environment and localize predefined object(s). The omnidirectional capabilities of such an UAV extends the otherwise very limited field of view of conventional cameras usually used for aerial photography and surveillance. The paper presents the theoretical background and the actual implementation of such a system. It presents the resulting images and offers a brief survey of the image quality.     

Hybrid Adaptive Control for Aerial Manipulation

This paper presents a control scheme to achieve dynamic stability in a mobile manipulating unmanned aerial vehicle (MM-UAV) using a combination of Gain scheduling and Lyapunov based model reference adaptive control (MRAC). Our test flight results indicate that we can accurately model and control our aerial vehicle when both moving the manipulators and interacting with target objects. Using the Lyapunov stability theory, the controller is proven to be stable. The simulation results showed how the MRAC is capable of stabilizing the oscillations produced from the unstable PI-D attitude control loop. Finally a high level control system based on a switching automaton is proposed in order to ensure the saftey of the aerial manipulation missions.     

Task difficulty and the efficiency of muscular activity.

Hypothesized that intensity and organization of muscle activity are functions of S's expectation of difficulty of a task. Task difficulty was varied for 15 20-40 yr. old instructors and undergraduates by preparing S for holding heavy and light weights, respectively. The difficult task consisted of holding a 41-lb weight following 30 sec. of holding a 19-lb weight. The easy task was holding a 6-lb weight following 30 sec. of holding the 19-lb weight. Electrical activity of the following muscles of the right (active) arm was measured: biceps brachii, brachialis, brachioradialis, flexor carpi ulnaris, and triceps. During the holding of the middle range weight, muscle activity was lower in preparation for the heavy weight than for the light weight, but there were no significant changes in the organization of muscle activity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

On motion optimization of robotic manipulators with strong nonlinear dynamic coupling using support area level set algorithm

Aiming for a better dynamic performance from the robot beyond the physical limits set by the manufacturers, in this paper we propose to integrate the robot dynamics into motion planning and then to approximate the robot joint torques using parameterized B-splines. By introducing a high-dimensional non-linear fitness function, we transform the motion planning problem into an optimization of a non-linear fitness function, and then we develop the approach based on Support Area Level Set Algorithm (SALAS). It integrates dual-stage sampling strategies to avoid early convergence in a small search field and to improve the rate of convergence to the potential solution. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been verified by the simulation of a two-link robotic manipulator.     

Representing soil pollution by heavy metals using continuous limitation scores

The paper suggests a methodology to represent overall soil pollution in a sampled area using continuous limitation scores. The interpolated heavy metal concentrations are first transformed to limitation scores using the exponential transfer function determined by using two threshold values: permissible concentration (0 limitation points) and seriously polluted soil (4 limitation points). The limitation scores can then be summed to produce the map of cumulative limitation scores and visualize the most critically polluted areas. The methodology was illustrated using the 784 soil samples analyzed for Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the central region of Croatia. The samples were taken at 1×1 and grids and at fixed depths of 20 cm. Heavy metal concentrations in soil were determined by ICP-OES after microwave assisted aqua regia digestion. The sampled concentrations were interpolated using block regression-kriging with geology and land cover maps, terrain parameters and industrialization parameters as auxiliary predictors. The results showed that the best auxiliary predictors are geological map, ground water depth, NDVI and slope map and distance to urban areas. The spatial prediction was satisfactory for Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn, and somewhat less satisfactory for Cu and Cr. The final map of cumulative limitation scores showed that 33.5% of the total area is suitable for organic agriculture and 7.2% of the total area is seriously polluted by one or more heavy metals. This procedure can be used to assess suitability of soils for agricultural production and as a basis for possible legal commitments to maintain the soil quality.     

A method for identifying Web applications

Web applications are ubiquitous in today’s businesses. The security of these applications is of utmost importance since security breaches might negatively impact good reputation, and even result in bankruptcy. There are different methods of assessing security of Web applications, mainly based on some automated method of scanning. One type of scan method feeds random data to the application and monitors its behavior. The other type uses a database with predefined vulnerabilities that are checked one by one until either a vulnerability is found, or it can be claimed that the application does not have any known vulnerabilities. The important step in latter type of scan process is the identification of the application since in this case we are narrowing number of checks and, as a consequence, the scan process is faster. This paper describes a method for Web application identification based on a black box principle. Our method is based on the invariance of certain characteristics of Web applications. We experimentally tested and confirmed the usefulness of this approach.     

Scientific potential of European fully open access journals

Scientometrics - The scientific potential of European countries measured by their participation in publication of all peer-review journals as well as open access journals (OAJs) is significant. In...     

Spincopter Wing Design and Flight Control

This paper presents dynamical properties of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), called spincopter. The vehicle structure is based on two wings that are forced in rotation (spinning) by propulsion system formed of two propellers. Based on devised dynamical model, that reveals inherent stability of the vehicle, composition of control algorithms for vertical and horizontal movement is proposed. Due to the specific configuration of the propulsion system, movement in horizontal direction is produced by pulsations in rotational speed of propulsion motors. An analysis of influence that such a configuration has on the vehicle dynamics is given. Finally, design recommendations for rotational wings are elaborated, based on extensive simulations of spincopter by using X-Plane® software package.