A GIS-based hydrographic resurvey strategy of the Belgian Continental Shelf

Using a GIS-based approach, bathymetric surveys and maritime traffic records were combined to determine resurvey priorities within the Belgian Continental Shelf (BCS). Four reference layers were produced: (1) water depth; (2) maximum absolute change in water depth; (3) ship traffic intensity; (4) maximum ship draught. The reference layers were reclassified and merged into a weighted overlay analysis. Two combinations of layers and weight factors were used and resulted in priority maps differing greatly from each other. The reliability of the analysis depends on the way weight factors are assigned, and on the availability and accuracy of the data. These are limited for bathymetric surveys. This empirical GIS-based methodology can be applied as a whole to a zone showing various morphodynamic patterns. It can also be automated: additional datasets can be included in the analysis, and different scenarios and assumptions can be easily tested

Hierarchical Temporal Representation in Linear Reservoir Computing

Recently, studies on deep Reservoir Computing (RC) highlighted the role of layering in deep recurrent neural networks (RNNs). In this paper, the use of linear recurrent units allows us to bring more evidence on the intrinsic hierarchical temporal representation in deep RNNs through frequency analysis applied to the state signals. The potentiality of our approach is assessed on the class of Multiple Superimposed Oscillator tasks. Furthermore, our investigation provides useful insights to open a discussion on the main aspects that characterize the deep learning framework in the temporal domain.Comment: This is a pre-print of the paper submitted to the 27th Italian Workshop on Neural Networks, WIRN 201

Flavonoid-membrane Interactions: A Protective Role of Flavonoids at the Membrane Surface?

Flavonoids can exert beneficial health effects through multiple mechanisms. In this paper, we address the important, although not fully understood, capacity of flavonoids to interact with cell membranes. The interactions of polyphenols with bilayers include: (a) the partition of the more non-polar compounds in the hydrophobic interior of the membrane, and (b) the formation of hydrogen bonds between the polar head groups of lipids and the more hydrophilic flavonoids at the membrane interface. The consequences of these interactions are discussed. The induction of changes in membrane physical properties can affect the rates of membrane lipid and protein oxidation. The partition of certain flavonoids in the hydrophobic core can result in a chain breaking antioxidant activity. We suggest that interactions of polyphenols at the surface of bilayers through hydrogen bonding, can act to reduce the access of deleterious molecules (i.e. oxidants), thus protecting the structure and function of membranes

Climate, people, fire and vegetation: new insights into vegetation dynamics in the Eastern Mediterranean since the 1st century AD

Anatolia forms a bridge between Europe, Africa and Asia and is influenced by all three continents in terms of climate, vegetation and human civilisation. Unfortunately, well-dated palynological records focussing on the period from the end of the classical Roman period until subrecent times are rare for Anatolia and completely absent for southwest Turkey, resulting in a lacuna in knowledge concerning the interactions of climatic change, human impact, and environmental change in this important region. Two well-dated palaeoecological records from the Western Taurus Mountains, Turkey, provide a first relatively detailed record of vegetation dynamics from late Roman times until the present in SW Turkey. Combining pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, charcoal, sedimentological, archaeological data, and newly developed multivariate numerical analyses allows for the disentangling of climatic and anthropogenic influences on vegetation change. Results show changes in both the regional pollen signal as well as local soil sediment characteristics match shifts in regional climatic conditions. Both climatic as well as anthropogenic change had a strong influence on vegetation dynamics and land use. A moist environmental trend during the late-3rd century caused an increase in marshes and wetlands in the moister valley floors, limiting possibilities for intensive crop cultivation at such locations. A mid-7th century shift to pastoralism coincided with a climatic deterioration as well as the start of Arab incursions into the region, the former driving the way in which the vegetation developed afterwards. Resurgence in agriculture was observed in the study during the mid-10th century AD, coinciding with the Medieval Climate Anomaly. An abrupt mid-12th century decrease in agriculture is linked to socio-political change, rather than the onset of the Little Ice Age. Similarly, gradual deforestation occurring from the 16th century onwards has been linked to changes in land use during Ottoman times. The pollen data reveal that a fast rise in <i>Pinus</i> pollen after the end of the Beyşehir Occupation Phase need not always occur. The notion of high <i>Pinus</i> pollen percentages indicating an open landscape incapable of countering the influx of pine pollen is also deemed unrealistic. While multiple fires occurred in the region through time, extended fire periods, as had occurred during the Bronze Age and Beyşehir Occupation Phase, did not occur, and no signs of local fire activity were observed. Fires were never a major influence on vegetation dynamics. While no complete overview of post-BO Phase fire events can be presented, the available data indicates that fires in the vicinity of Gravgaz may have been linked to anthropogenic activity in the wider surroundings of the marsh. Fires in the vicinity of Bereket appeared to be linked to increased abundance of pine forests. There was no link with specifically wet or dry environmental conditions at either site. While this study reveals much new information concerning the impact of climate change and human occupation on the environment, more studies from SW Turkey are required in order to properly quantify the range of the observed phenomena and the magnitude of their impacts

Reservoir Computing Approach to Robust Computation using Unreliable Nanoscale Networks

As we approach the physical limits of CMOS technology, advances in materials science and nanotechnology are making available a variety of unconventional computing substrates that can potentially replace top-down-designed silicon-based computing devices. Inherent stochasticity in the fabrication process and nanometer scale of these substrates inevitably lead to design variations, defects, faults, and noise in the resulting devices. A key challenge is how to harness such devices to perform robust computation. We propose reservoir computing as a solution. In reservoir computing, computation takes place by translating the dynamics of an excited medium, called a reservoir, into a desired output. This approach eliminates the need for external control and redundancy, and the programming is done using a closed-form regression problem on the output, which also allows concurrent programming using a single device. Using a theoretical model, we show that both regular and irregular reservoirs are intrinsically robust to structural noise as they perform computation

Information processing using a single dynamical node as complex system

Novel methods for information processing are highly desired in our information-driven society. Inspired by the brain's ability to process information, the recently introduced paradigm known as 'reservoir computing' shows that complex networks can efficiently perform computation. Here we introduce a novel architecture that reduces the usually required large number of elements to a single nonlinear node with delayed feedback. Through an electronic implementation, we experimentally and numerically demonstrate excellent performance in a speech recognition benchmark. Complementary numerical studies also show excellent performance for a time series prediction benchmark. These results prove that delay-dynamical systems, even in their simplest manifestation, can perform efficient information processing. This finding paves the way to feasible and resource-efficient technological implementations of reservoir computing

Inability to Ventilate after Tube Exchange Postoperative to Pneumonectomy

We report a case of inability to ventilate a patient after completion of pneumonectomy, due to migrated tumor tissue to the contralateral side. This represents an unusual complication with a high mortality rate. We have managed to find the cause in time and were able to remove the obstructive tissue using bronchoscopy

Novel project on total plasma based treatment of waste

An experimental plasmachemical reactor has been started at IPP Prague for the innovative and environmerntally friendly total plasma treatment of waste streams, biomass and low grade fuels, with a view to their sustainable energetic and chemical valorisation and to a reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases. Existing incineration and biological waste elimination processes cannot always fulfil the objectives of sustainable development, i.e. maximum recovery of energy and materials from the waste streams in an environmentally friendly manner. Moreover, these processes often generate residues which are concentrates of hazardous material and need to be landfilled. Plasmas offer an alternative and superior solution for the treatment of waste streams. Plasma torches have the unique capability of increasing the energy of the process gas compared with conventional combustion equipment. They therefore offer several distinct advantages over traditional methods where the energy content of the waste is used as the heat source. Since the process energy is provided by direct heat transfer from an electric arc, gases of widely varying chemical composition may be used; use of electrical energy also reduces the gas flow needs and on-site off-gas production, and offers control over the chemistry. The very high heat conditions in a plasma reactor trigger a dual, simultaneous reaction process: organic materials are converted into synthesis gas (syngas) without formation of toxic products such as dioxins and furans, while inorganic materials are converted into a non-leaching, vitrified, inert slag which has industrial applications. The quality of the syngas can be controlled by non-thermal plasmas, using new generations of gas cleaning corona plasma technologies. A plasmachemical experimental reactor has been commissioned in Prague in August-September 2004, using the novel IPP-CAS hybrid gas-water stabilized torch (160 kW).В ІФП в Празі був запущений експериментальний плазмохімічний реактор з використанням найновіших екологічно чистих технологій для повної плазмової обробки відходів, біомаси та низькосортного палива з урахуванням збереження їх енергетичної і хімічної цінності і зниження викидів парникових газів. Існуючі процеси знищення відходів засобом спалювання та біологічної обробки не завжди забезпечують максимальне відновлення енергії і матеріалів з відходів без завдання шкоди навколишньому середовищу. Крім того, ці процеси часто призводять до створення залишків, що містять небезпечні речовини і підлягають похованню. Плазмові технології пропонують альтернативне и краще рішення задачі переробки рідких відходів. Порівняно зі звичайним обладнанням для спалювання, плазмові факели мають унікальну здібність підвищувати енергію газу, що виділяється під час переробки. Тому вони дають деякі явні переваги над традиційними методами, де енергозміст відходів використовується як джерело тепла. Оскільки процес виділення енергії забезпечується прямим передаванням тепла від електричної дуги, можливе використання газів різноманітного хімічного складу. Використання електричної енергії дозволяє зменшити витрати газу та його супровідне виділення і здійснити хімічний контроль. Сильний нагрів в плазмовому реакторі ініціює два одночасних процеса - перетворення органічних речовин у синтетичний газ (сингаз) без створення токсичних продуктів, таких як діоксини та фурани, а неорганічних речовин – у невилужений склоподібний інертний шлак, що має промислове застосування. Якість сингазу можна контролювати за допомогою нетеплової плазмы за новими плазмовими технологіями очищення газів з вживанням плазмової корони. Плазмохімічний експериментальний реактор з використанням нового гібридного газоводяного стабілізованого факела IPP-CAS (160 квт) прийнятий в експлуатацію в Празі в серпні-вересні 2004 р.В ИФП в Праге запущен экспериментальный плазмохимический реактор с использованием новейших экологически чистых технологий для полной плазменной обработки отходов, биомассы и низкосортного топлива с учётом сохранения их энергетической и химической ценности и снижения выбросов парниковых газов. Существующие процессы уничтожения отходов путём сжигания и биологической обработки не всегда обеспечивают максимальное восстановление энергии и материалов из отходов без ущерба для окружающей среды. Кроме того, эти процессы часто приводят к образованию остатков, содержащих опасные вещества и подлежащих захоронению. Плазменные технологии предлагают альтернативное и лучшее решение задачи переработки отходов. По сравнению с обычным оборудованием для сжигания плазменные факелы обладают уникальной способностью повышать энергию газа, выделяющегося при переработке. Поэтому они дают некоторые явные преимущества над традиционными методами, в которых энергия, содержащаяся в отходах, используется как источник тепла. Так как процесс выделения энергии обеспечивается прямой передачей тепла от электрической дуги, можно использовать газы разнообразного химического состава. Использование электрической энергии позволяет уменьшить потребление газа и его сопутствующее выделение и осуществить химический контроль. Сильный нагрев в плазменном реакторе запускает два одновременных процесса - превращение органических веществ в синтетический газ (сингаз) без образования токсических продуктов, таких как диоксины и фураны, а неорганических веществ – в невыщелоченный стекловидный инертный шлак, имеющий промышленное применение. Качество сингаза можно контролировать с помощью нетепловой плазмы по новым плазменным технологиям очистки газов с использованием плазменной короны. Плазмохимический экспериментальный реактор с использованием нового гибридного газоводяного стабилизированного факела IPP-CAS (160 кВт) принят в эксплуатацию в Праге в августе-сентябре 2004 г