The impacts of EU accession on the agriculture of the Visegrad Countries

The Visegrad Countries (VC)2 joined the European Union in 2004, which has offered several possibilities and challenges for their agriculture. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the status of the sector in the light of latest available data as well as to identify the factors lying behind different country performances. Results suggest that EU accession has had a diverse impact on the Visegrad Countries’ agriculture and member states capitalised their possibilities in a different manner, due to initial conditions and pre- and post-accession policies

Profiling and framing structures for pervasive information systems development

Pervasive computing is a research field of computing technology that aims to achieve a new computing paradigm. Software engineering has been, since its existence, subject of research and improvement in several areas of interest. Model-Based/Driven Development (MDD) constitutes an approach to software design and development that potentially contributes to: concepts closer to domain and reduction of semantic gaps; automation and less sensitivity to technological changes; capture of expert knowledge and reuse. This paper presents a profiling and framing structure approach for the development of Pervasive Information Systems (PIS). This profiling and framing structure allows the organization of the functionality that can be assigned to computational devices in a system and of the corresponding development structures and models, being. The proposed approach enables a structural approach to PIS development. The paper also presents a case study that allowed demonstrating the applicability of the approach.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

A Big Data Architecture for Log Data Storage and Analysis

We propose an architecture for analysing database connection logs across different instances of databases within an intranet comprising over 10,000 users and associated devices. Our system uses Flume agents to send notifications to a Hadoop Distributed File System for long-term storage and ElasticSearch and Kibana for short-term visualisation, effectively creating a data lake for the extraction of log data. We adopt machine learning models with an ensemble of approaches to filter and process the indicators within the data and aim to predict anomalies or outliers using feature vectors built from this log data

Belle II Technical Design Report

The Belle detector at the KEKB electron-positron collider has collected almost 1 billion Y(4S) events in its decade of operation. Super-KEKB, an upgrade of KEKB is under construction, to increase the luminosity by two orders of magnitude during a three-year shutdown, with an ultimate goal of 8E35 /cm^2 /s luminosity. To exploit the increased luminosity, an upgrade of the Belle detector has been proposed. A new international collaboration Belle-II, is being formed. The Technical Design Report presents physics motivation, basic methods of the accelerator upgrade, as well as key improvements of the detector.Comment: Edited by: Z. Dole\v{z}al and S. Un

Salt Reduction Initiatives around the World – A Systematic Review of Progress towards the Global Target

Objective To quantify progress with the initiation of salt reduction strategies around the world in the context of the global target to reduce population salt intake by 30% by 2025. Methods A systematic review of the published and grey literature was supplemented by questionnaires sent to country program leaders. Core characteristics of strategies were extracted and categorised according to a pre-defined framework. Results A total of 75 countries now have a national salt reduction strategy, more than double the number reported in a similar review done in 2010. The majority of programs are multifaceted and include industry engagement to reformulate products (n = 61), establishment of sodium content targets for foods (39), consumer education (71), front-of-pack labelling schemes (31), taxation on high-salt foods (3) and interventions in public institutions (54). Legislative action related to salt reduction such as mandatory targets, front of pack labelling, food procurement policies and taxation have been implemented in 33 countries. 12 countries have reported reductions in population salt intake, 19 reduced salt content in foods and 6 improvements in consumer knowledge, attitudes or behaviours relating to salt. Conclusion The large and increasing number of countries with salt reduction strategies in place is encouraging although activity remains limited in low- and middle-income regions. The absence of a consistent approach to implementation highlights uncertainty about the elements most important to success. Rigorous evaluation of ongoing programs and initiation of salt reduction programs, particularly in low- and middle- income countries, will be vital to achieving the targeted 30% reduction in salt intake

Booms and busts in commodity markets: bubbles or fundamentals?

This paper considers whether there were periodically collapsing rational speculative bubbles in commodity prices over a 40-year period from the late 1960s. We apply a switching regression approach to a broad range of commodities using two different measures of fundamental values—estimated from convenience yields and from a set of macroeconomic factors believed to affect commodity demand. We find reliable evidence for bubbles only among crude oil and feeder cattle, showing the popular belief that the extreme price movements observed in commodity markets were caused by pure speculation to be unsustainabl

Tobacco peroxidase as a new reagent for amperometric biosensors

The results of testing a new enzyme, anionic tobacco peroxidase (TOP), in various amperometric biosensors are summarized. The biochemical and electrochemical properties of the enzyme are briefly characterized. As compared to the commonly used cationic peroxidase from horseradish roots, TOP exhibits a wider optimum stability pH range, higher stability to inactivation with hydrogen peroxide, and higher efficiency in direct electron-transfer processes. The enzyme immobilized by adsorption on graphite is effective in determining aminophenols and aromatic diamines under flow conditions with a detection limit of 10 nM. Upon immobilization on graphite by incorporation into a get of a redox-active polymer (crosslinked polyvinylimidazole with osmium 4,4'-dimethylbipyridinium chloride), TOP exhibited sensitivity and stability comparable to those of horseradish peroxidase and a wider linearity range. Upon immobilization on a self-assembled thiol monolayer at a gold electrode, TOP was much superior to horseradish peroxidase in the sensitivity of determining hydrogen peroxide, regardless of the charge of the monolayer. Prospects for the further use of the native enzyme and its genetically engineered unglycosylated form are considered

An amperometric biosensor based on laccase immobilized in polymer matrices for determining phenolic compounds

An amperometric enzyme electrode based on laccase for determining phenolic compounds is proposed. The following three types of polymer materials were used for enzyme immobilization on the surface of a glassy-carbon electrode: positively charged cetyl ethyl poly (ethyleneimine) (CEPEI) and negatively charged commercial Nafion and Eastman AQ 29D polymers. The advantages and disadvantages of each of the above polymers for enzyme immobilization are discussed. The detection limits of the model phenolic compounds hydroquinone and pyrocatechol in a buffer solution on laccase immobilization in a Nation membrane were 3.5 x 10(-8) and 5.0 x 10(-8) M, respectively, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Electrodes with laccase immobilized in Nation and Eastman AQ 29D membranes exhibited the shortest response time. The operating stability and the stability in storage can be significantly improved by the additional incorporation of gelatin in the polymer matrices. Gelatin prevents enzyme inactivation as a result of enzyme modification by the free-radical oxidation products of phenolic compounds