High speed train communications systems using free space optics

In this work, we propose a broad-band free space optical (FSO) wireless communications system for high-speed trains. The system consists of optical transceivers positioned outside the train and along the railway track. The train receivers are in the coverage area of base stations positioned along the railway track to ensure continuous link availability. In this paper, we present modelling of two cases for over-ground and underground train systems before embarking to practically implement the system in our research laboratory. Also discussed is the protocol for the data distribution along the track as well as the initial experimental demonstration of the proposed link

Comparative study of physicochemical and thermal properties of the seed oils of three cucurbit species

Three indigenous cucurbit seeds from Ivory Coast namely Cucumeropsis mannii Naudin, Citrullus lanatus var. Citroides (Thrumb.) Matsum & Nakai and Cucumis melo var. Agrestis were investigated for the physicochemical properties. Thermal properties of their crude oils extracted by a cold solvent method were also tested. Physicochemical characterization of the seeds showed that they are important sources of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and mineral elements. C. lanatus seeds had the highest lipid content (46.40%) followed by C. melo seeds (36.50%) and C. mannii seeds (35.70%) on dry weigh bases. Most of the index values and chemical characteristics of extracted seed oils are not significantly different, except for the peroxide value and the color parameters of C. mannii. Linoleic acid, whose values ranged from 54.84% to 70.76%, was the major fatty acid out of all seed oil species. The thermal properties revealed that C. melo seed oil had low transition temperatures followed by C. lanatus seed oil and C. mannii seed oil depending on their fatty acid compositions. These results suggest that these thermal properties could be used in the industrial fractionation and the cucurbit seed oils may be used as edible oils due to their similarity to the commonly used edible oils

Search for gravitational waves associated with the InterPlanetary Network short gamma ray bursts

We outline the scientific motivation behind a search for gravitational waves associated with short gamma ray bursts detected by the InterPlanetary Network (IPN) during LIGO's fifth science run and Virgo's first science run. The IPN localisation of short gamma ray bursts is limited to extended error boxes of different shapes and sizes and a search on these error boxes poses a series of challenges for data analysis. We will discuss these challenges and outline the methods to optimise the search over these error boxes.Comment: Methods paper; Proceedings for Eduardo Amaldi 9 Conference on Gravitational Waves, July 2011, Cardiff, U

Consistent, small effects of treefall disturbances on the composition and diversity of four Amazonian forests

Summary 1. Understanding the resilience of moist tropical forests to treefall disturbance events is important for understanding the mechanisms that underlie species coexistence and for predicting the future composition of these ecosystems. Here, we test whether variation in the functional composition of Amazonian forests determines their resilience to disturbance. 2. We studied the legacy of natural treefall disturbance events in four forests across Amazonia that differ substantially in functional composition. We compared the composition and diversity of all free-standing woody stems 2-10 cm diameter in previously disturbed and undisturbed 20 9 20 m subplots within 55, one-hectare, long-term forest inventory plots. 3. Overall, stem number increased following disturbance, and species and functional composition shifted to favour light-wooded, small-seeded taxa. Alpha-diversity increased, but beta-diversity was unaffected by disturbance, in all four forests. 4. Changes in response to disturbance in both functional composition and alpha-diversity were, however, small (2 -4% depending on the parameter) and similar among forests. 5. Synthesis. This study demonstrates that variation in the functional composition of Amazonian forests does not lead to large differences in the response of these forests to treefall disturbances, and overall, these events have a minor role in maintaining the diversity of these ecosystems

Individual Attachment Style Modulates Human Amygdala and Striatum Activation during Social Appraisal

Adult attachment style refers to individual personality traits that strongly influence emotional bonds and reactions to social partners. Behavioral research has shown that adult attachment style reflects profound differences in sensitivity to social signals of support or conflict, but the neural substrates underlying such differences remain unsettled. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we examined how the three classic prototypes of attachment style (secure, avoidant, anxious) modulate brain responses to facial expressions conveying either positive or negative feedback about task performance (either supportive or hostile) in a social game context. Activation of striatum and ventral tegmental area was enhanced to positive feedback signaled by a smiling face, but this was reduced in participants with avoidant attachment, indicating relative impassiveness to social reward. Conversely, a left amygdala response was evoked by angry faces associated with negative feedback, and correlated positively with anxious attachment, suggesting an increased sensitivity to social punishment. Secure attachment showed mirror effects in striatum and amygdala, but no other specific correlate. These results reveal a critical role for brain systems implicated in reward and threat processing in the biological underpinnings of adult attachment style, and provide new support to psychological models that have postulated two separate affective dimensions to explain these individual differences, centered on the ventral striatum and amygdala circuits, respectively. These findings also demonstrate that brain responses to face expressions are not driven by facial features alone but determined by the personal significance of expressions in current social context. By linking fundamental psychosocial dimensions of adult attachment with brain function, our results do not only corroborate their biological bases but also help understand their impact on behavior

Control of root-knot nematodes by composted agro-industrial wastes in potting mixtures

Abstract The use of composted dry cork, dry-grape marc (fruit residue after pressing) and a 1:1 mixture of dry-olive marc+dry-rice husk as an amendment to potting mixtures was assessed for the management of Meloidogyne species. Amending the potting mixture with composted dry cork at rates of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% v/v, reduced the root galling and final populations of Meloidogyne incognita race 1 and M. javanica in tomato, and final nematode population in olive plants, compared with the control. In tomato, increasing the rate of that amendment exponentially reduced the root galling caused by Meloidogyne incognita race 1 (40.8%) and the final nematode population (81.9%). Similarly, increasing rates of the amendment exponentially reduced the root galling of tomato caused by M. javanica (51.3%) and the final population (82.6%). Infection of olive roots by M. incognita race 1 did not cause visible galling; however, amendment with dry cork reduced the final nematode population by 87.9%. Amending the potting mixture with dry-grape marc also reduced the root galling and final populations of M. incognita race 1 and M. javanica in tomato, though the reductions in root galling (24.4% and 25.6%, respectively) and final nematode populations (34.2% and 34.7%, respectively) were not enough for effective nematode management. Root galling and final nematode population were not reduced in potting mixture amended with the 1:1 mixture of composted dry-olive marc and dry-rice husk.

Process Scheduling in DSC and the Large Sparse Linear Systems Challenge

this paper appeared in "Design and Implementation of Symbolic Computation Systems," A. Miola (ed.), Springer Lect. Notes Comput. Science, 722, 66--80 (1993)

Expression of the calcium-independent cytokine-inducible (iNOS) isoform of nitric oxide synthase in rat placenta.

The presence of the calcium-independent cytokine-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) has been investigated in rat placenta from day 19 of gestation till delivery. iNOS has been detected at the mRNA, enzyme activity and protein levels in complete placenta. Immunocytochemical detection of iNOS was heterogeneously distributed in control placenta. Intraperitoneal injection of pregnant rats at 21 days of gestation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased the iNOS immunoreactivity in the decidua basalis of the placenta, and, when the mRNA levels and enzyme activity were measured in total tissue, a moderate increase (approx. 160%) was observed. A constitutive nuclear factor kappaB activity was observed in placenta from both control and LPS-treated animals. These results indicate constitutive expression of iNOS in rat placenta

ACTIVAGE - Interoperability layer architecture

This document is the deliverable D3.2.2 or D3.7 "ACTIVAGE Interoperability layer architecture" and represent the main outcome of the activity T3.1 "Specification of the open cross-pilot ACTIVAGE architecture", that is part of Work Package WP3 "ACTIVATE Secure Interoperability Layer". The present document is also tightly related to other WP3 task: T3.4 "Implementation of the interoperability layer" that integrates T3.2 "ACTIVAGE solution for security and privacy" and T3.3 "Building bridges to the IoT protocols and platforms". The overall scope of this deliverable is to present the ACTIVATE Interoperability layer architecture. The content of this deliverable can be summarized as follows: Section 1 describes the nature and the reason why this deliverable 3.2.2 has particular relevance for the ACTIVAGE project. Moreover, this section also set the objectives to the defined structure and organisation of the document, and notes the differences between the 2 versions of the deliverable (D3.2 and D3.2.2). Section 2 is an introductory section that provides a brief description about main concepts from the Internet of Things that are involved in the ACTIVAGE project. This section also addresses the potential of Internet of Things in the context of the Active and Healthy Ageing area that concerns the ACTIVAGE project. In this section, the objectives and proposals of the deliverable are explained in detail besides the challenges that must be confronted to reach the deliverable goals. Section 3 of the present document is dedicated to the IoT Platform Interoperability State of the Art. This section is fruit of an extensive research and organisational collective work, as it is described in the section below. Here the main objectives to pursue, such as the achievement of interoperability within IoT platforms, are explained. The definitions, terminology and main concepts of IoT platforms are detailed in a clear descriptive way and along with a summary of the main features of each IoT platform that is involved in the project this section represent a pivotal part for the semantic interoperability specification in the full project. Interoperability use cases of the Activage IoT Ecosystem Suite (AIoTES) are described. The last point of this section includes the architecture of the Deployment Sites. Section 4 in this deliverable addresses the Semantic Interoperability concept, and the AIoTES common data model is introduced. Section 5 presents the ACTIVAGE Architecture, on where the IoT Semantic Interoperability Layer is included as a core part of it, and its functionality and internal elements are detailed. All main components of the architecture are described in this section, as architectural building blocks. Also, the interfacing among different blocks is explained. The main objective of this part of the deliverable is shared whose first aiming to efficiently and effectively integrate the platforms and devices of the IoT-AHA Ecosystem and second to provide the guidance for deployment sites on procedures for such integration. Finally, the document ends with the conclusions and the future work