An integrated system to remote monitor and control anaerobic wastewater treatment plants through the internet.

The TELEMAC project brings new methodologies from the Information and Science Technologies field to the world of water treatment. TELEMAC offers an advanced remote management system which adapts to most of the anaerobic wastewater treatment plants that do not benefit from a local expert in wastewater treatment. The TELEMAC system takes advantage of new sensors to better monitor the process dynamics and to run automatic controllers that stabilise the treatment plant, meet the depollution requirements and provide a biogas quality suitable for cogeneration. If the automatic system detects a failure which cannot be solved automatically or locally by a technician, then an expert from the TELEMAC Control Centre is contacted via the internet and manages the problem.     

Optoelectronic devices towards monolithic integration

Starting from the present state-of-the-art of discrete devices up to the realization of monolithic semiconductor integrated prototypes, an overview of optoelectronic devices for telecommunications is given. Among discrete devices single frequency lasers, tunable and multi-sectionDFB lasers andPIN andAPD photodiode detectors are analysed, including the use of new technologies in progress for a second generation of devices. On the future perspective ofIBCN distribution networks, some economics of the hybrid and monolithic form of integration are attempted. Finally a short outline of the most recent achievements in monolithic integration is presented, taking into particular consideration the activities in this field byEEC ESPRIT andRACE programmes.     

Physical attractiveness and self-perception of mental disorder.

Prior research has reported a relation between physical attractiveness and severity of mental disorder, with less attractive people being more maladjusted. However, because these two variables have been measured simultaneously, it has not been possible to separate cause from effect. To clarify this question, in this study we first measured physical attractiveness, social competence, and perceived risk of developing a mental disorder in 280 college women. Seven months later, we measured the subjects' self-perception of having a mental disorder. Women who were more attractive were higher in social competence and lower in perceived risk of mental disorder. More attractive women were also lower in self-perception of mental disorder 7 months later. This relation between attractiveness and self-perception of mental disorder remained significant even after controlling for the Time 1 measures (social competence, perceived risk of mental disorder, and age). The implications of these findings for the hypothesized role of attractiveness in the determination of adjustment are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Broadband frequency-domain electromagnetic analysis and automatic extraction of Spice-compatible equivalent circuits

A very simple and effective algorithm able to predict the frequency response of a multiport device over a wide band, starting from the electromagnetic analysis at some spot frequencies, is derived. Data obtained by the proposed procedure are further processed to extract a Foster's type, lumped element, equivalent circuit, suitable for use as a Spice model of the device.     

On the derivation of coupled-line models from EM simulators and application to MoM analysis

This paper addresses the problem of deriving an actual coupled-line model from the "spot frequency" characteristics of transmission media derived by means of a numerical electromagnetic simulator. For a given set of coupled lines, possibly asymmetric and lossy, one of the main issues is to recover a model whose parameters are physically and practically meaningful. In order to satisfy the requirements, the model ought to basically yield a natural generalization of the well-known even/odd and c//spl pi/ modes for couples of lines, and collapse to a set of uncoupled lines when coupling is negligible. Hence, part of this study is devoted to discussing and evaluating models that satisfy such requirements. The end result is a Weissfloch-type equivalent circuit made up of uncoupled lines and input and output ideal transformers. The algorithm is then applied to the network parameters of coupled lines. The latter are evaluated by a full-wave method of moments approach, and a subsequent short-open calibration (SOC) procedure. Finally, a new algorithm is introduced that is able to evaluate and remove the contribution of the naked discontinuity due to ports, usually not directly available from the SOC routine.     

Practical design of a high-power tuning-less W-band triplexer for ground radar surveillance systems

The design of a rectangular waveguide 95 GHz (W-band) triplexer for ground radar systems is presented. The triplexer comprises three in-line filters with inductive irises as coupling elements and a manifold formed by three T-junctions. In particular, the scheme proposed is aimed at handling large powers and reducing losses. The triplexer was assembled and measured, showing very good agreement with the simulated results.     

Immunohistochemical expression of p53 and c-erbB-2 in breast carcinoma: relation with epidemiologic factors, histologic features and prognosis

We have performed immunohistochemical staining for p53 and c-erbB-2 on formaldehyde-fixed, paraffin-embedded primary invasive ductal carcinomas from 112 patients, with a minimal follow-up time of 60 months. All of them had received postoperative chemoradiation therapy. We have analyzed the association of these factors with epidemiologic risk factors, histopathologic features and hormonal receptor status and the influence on prognosis. Our results indicate that the expression of c-erbB-2 protein defines a group of node-negative patients with poor prognosis. The overexpression of c-erbB-2 has shown a significant association with estrogen receptor status (those tumors expressing c-erbB-2 are usually estrogen receptor negative), presence of fibrosis and lymphoplasmacytoid infiltrates. P53 expression has shown no relation either with prognosis or with any other histopathologic or clinical feature. The only factors with prognostic influence in our series have been tumor size, the presence of node metastases, TNM stage and the prognostic morphometric index (Baak's index), apart from c-erbB-2 in node-negative patients. However, only the TNM stage showed an independent association with prognosis after a multivariate analysis. In summary, in our experience the expression of p53 protein has no prognostic influence on breast carcinoma, and TNM stage remains to be as the most powerful prognostic factor in these patients.     

Degradation of lincomycin in aqueous medium: Coupling of solar photocatalysis and membrane separation

The photocatalytic oxidation of a common antibiotic, the lincomycin was carried out in aqueous suspensions of polycrystalline TiO₂ Degussa P25 irradiated by sunlight. In order to improve the performance of the lincomycin degradation a hybrid system consisting of a solar photoreactor with the photocatalyst in suspension coupled with a membrane module, used to confine both photocatalyst and pollutants in the reaction environment, was tested.A preliminary study was carried out in order to determine some kinetics parameters of the drug photodegradation. The influence of initial substrate concentration on the lincomycin photooxidation rate was investigated. The photooxidation rate follows a pseudo-first order kinetics with respect to the lincomycin concentration under the used experimental conditions. The presence of the membrane reactor allows the catalyst separation and to operate in continuous mode as the membranes rejection for lincomycin and its oxidation products was quite high.     

BRAF Gene and Melanoma: Back to the Future

As widely acknowledged, 40–50% of all melanoma patients harbour an activating BRAF mutation (mostly BRAF V600E). The identification of the RAS–RAF–MEK–ERK (MAP kinase) signalling pathway and its targeting has represented a valuable milestone for the advanced and, more recently, for the completely resected stage III and IV melanoma therapy management. However, despite progress in BRAF-mutant melanoma treatment, the two different approaches approved so far for metastatic disease, immunotherapy and BRAF+MEK inhibitors, allow a 5-year survival of no more than 60%, and most patients relapse during treatment due to acquired mechanisms of resistance. Deep insight into BRAF gene biology is fundamental to describe the acquired resistance mechanisms (primary and secondary) and to understand the molecular pathways that are now being investigated in preclinical and clinical studies with the aim of improving outcomes in BRAF-mutant patients.     

Hydrogen sorption sites in the gallium containing hybrid catalysts used for the aromatization of light alkanes

Gallium species which were incorporated initially in the oxide form, were all in the (+3) oxidation state in the hybrid catalyst and exhibited two types of hydrogen chemisorption sites, s_hw and s_hs. The stronger sorption sites shs which predominated at higher gallium dispersion, corresponded probably to the most effective surface configuration for gallium in the aromatization ofn-butane.