The determination of trypsin inhibitor levels in foodstuffs

The trypsin inhibitor activity of processed foods can be determined by measuring the loss of activity of added trypsin under standard conditions. Observed values are not usually independent of the degree of inhibition, and averaging over a range of inhibition levels or extrapolation to zero inhibition may not produce a more reliable value. A somewhat modified method is described which has been tested in two laboratories and used for large numbers of different samples on a routine basis; its application and limitations are discussed.     

A logic of argumentation for specification and verification of abstract argumentation frameworks

In this paper, we propose a logic of argumentation for the specification and verification (LA4SV) of requirements on Dung??s abstract argumentation frameworks. We distinguish three kinds of decision problems for argumentation verification, called extension verification, framework verification, and specification verification respectively. For example, given a political requirement like ??if the argument to increase taxes is accepted, then the argument to increase services must be accepted too,?? we can either verify an extension of acceptable arguments, or all extensions of an argumentation framework, or all extensions of all argumentation frameworks satisfying a framework specification. We introduce the logic of argumentation verification to specify such requirements, and we represent the three verification problems of argumentation as model checking and theorem proving properties of the logic. Moreover, we recast the logic of argumentation verification in a modal framework, in order to express multiple extensions, and properties like transitivity and reflexivity of the attack relation. Finally, we introduce a logic of meta-argumentation where abstract argumentation is used to reason about abstract argumentation itself. We define the logic of meta-argumentation using the fibring methodology in such a way to represent attack relations not only among arguments but also among attacks. We show how to use this logic to verify the requirements of argumentation frameworks where higher-order attacks are allowed [A preliminary version of the logic of argumentation compliance was called the logic of abstract argumentation?(2005).]     

Fuel cell electric vehicle as a power plant: Fully renewable integrated transport and energy system design and analysis for smart city areas

Reliable and affordable future zero emission power, heat and transport systems require efficient and versatile energy storage and distribution systems. This paper answers the question whether for city areas, solar and wind electricity together with fuel cell electric vehicles as energy generators and distributors and hydrogen as energy carrier, can provide a 100% renewable, reliable and cost effective energy system, for power, heat, and transport. A smart city area is designed and dimensioned based on European statistics. Technological and cost data is collected of all system components, using existing technologies and well-documented projections, for a Near Future and Mid Century scenario. An energy balance and cost analysis is performed. The smart city area can be balanced requiring 20% of the car fleet to be fuel cell vehicles in a Mid Century scenario. The system levelized cost in the Mid Century scenario is 0.09 €/kWh for electricity, 2.4 €/kg for hydrogen and specific energy cost for passenger cars is 0.02 €/km. These results compare favorably with other studies describing fully renewable power, heat and transport systems.     

Dietary supplement for energy and reduced appetite containing the β-agonist isopropyloctopamine leads to heart problems and hospitalisations

In 2013 the Dutch authorities issued a warning against a dietary supplement that was linked to 11 reported adverse reactions, including heart problems and in one case even a cardiac arrest. In the UK a 20-year-old woman, said to have overdosed on this supplement, died. Since according to the label the product was a herbal mixture, initial LC-MS/MS analysis focused on the detection of plant toxins. Yohimbe alkaloids, which are not allowed to be present in herbal preparations according to Dutch legislation, were found at relatively high levels (400–900 mg kg^–1). However, their presence did not explain the adverse health effects reported. Based on these effects the supplement was screened for the presence of a β-agonist, using three different biosensor assays, i.e. the validated competitive radioligand β2-adrenergic receptor binding assay, a validated β-agonists ELISA and a newly developed multiplex microsphere (bead)-based β-agonist assay with imaging detection (MAGPIX^®). The high responses obtained in these three biosensors suggested strongly the presence of a β-agonist. Inspection of the label indicated the presence of N-isopropyloctopamine. A pure standard of this compound was bought and shown to have a strong activity in the three biosensor assays. Analysis by LC-full-scan high-resolution MS confirmed the presence of this ‘unknown known’ β3-agonist N-isopropyloctopamine, reported to lead to heart problems at high doses. A confirmatory quantitative analysis revealed that one dose of the preparation resulted in an intake of 40–60 mg, which is within the therapeutic range of this compound. The case shows the strength of combining bioassays with chemical analytical techniques for identification of illegal pharmacologically active substances in food supplements.     

Commitments and interaction norms in organisations

In an organisational setting such as an online marketplace, an entity called the ‘organisation’ or ‘institution’ defines interaction protocols, monitors agent interaction, and intervenes to enforce the interaction protocols. The organisation might be a software system that thus regulates the marketplace, for example. In this article we abstract over application-specific protocols and consider commitment lifecycles as generic interaction protocols. We model interaction protocols by explicitly-represented norms, such that we can operationalise the enforcement of protocols by means of norm enforcement, and we can analyse the protocols by a logical analysis of the norms. We adopt insights and methods from commitment-based approaches to agent interaction as well as from norm-based approaches to agent behaviour governance. First, we show how to use explicitly-represented norms to model commitment dynamics (lifecycles). Second, we introduce an operational semantics to operationalise norm enforcement. Third, we show how to logically analyse interaction protocols by means of commitment dynamics and norm enforcement. The model, semantics, and analysis are illustrated by a running example from a vehicle insurance domain.     

Review of The psychology of human possibility and constraint.

Reviews the book, The psychology of human possibility and constraint by Jack Martin and Jeff Sugarman (see record 1999-02336-000). The way to read this little book is to share in the authors' concern for understanding individuals and for vindicating psychology as a discipline concerned with the psychological development of individuals. Apart from its unsettling philosophical overexcitability, there is a notable distortion in the authors' efforts to understand individual transcendence, namely, a near total failure to deal with values, moral growth, and individual freedom. Human development is understood procedurally, in historical context of course, but as culminating in a "theory" of self and others. This lingering rationalist bias is in part due to their philosophical borrowings, but it also betrays the functionalist stance so characteristic of our contemporary focus on usefulness. For all that, this is an engaging book, one I recommend for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Contextual Deontic Logic: Normative Agents, Violations and Independence

In this paper we discuss when and how to use deontic logic in multi-agent systems. Our central question is how to proceed once a norm has been violated or defeated, a key issue of deontic logic applications in multi-agent systems. To bridge the logical analysis of norms in philosophy with applications in agent theory, we propose a practical approach based on violation contexts and independence statements. In particular, we introduce a combination of two traditional deontic logics, which we extend with so-called deontic and factual independence assumptions. We show how different notions of violability and defeasibility can be encoded in the logic by defining different ways in which independence assumptions are derived from the explicit manner of presentation. We also show how our approach can be used to give a new analysis of several notorious paradoxes of deontic logic.