Three Decision-making Mechanisms to facilitate Negotiation of Service Level Agreements for Web Service Compositions

The negotiation of Service Level Agreements for composite web services is a very complex process. It involves the coordination of the negotiation process so that the end-to-end QoS requirements of the user request are satisfied while ensuring that the atomic QoS requirements are also simultaneously satisfied. This paper summarizes three decision-making mechanisms which support the process of Service Level Agreement negotiation for composite web services. The mechanisms include: the decomposition of the overall user preferences into the preferences of individual negotiation agents representing each atomic services within the composition; the selection of the prospective negotiation partners for the actual interaction from a list of potential service providers and finally the negotiation of Service Level Agreement with the selected provider agents while ensuring that the end-to-end QoS is satisfied

Efficient Energy and Electrostatic Properties Calculations at the MP2 Theory Level: A Case Study of Density Matrix-Based Computational Quantum Chemistry

Wavefunction-less, density matrix-based approach to computational quantum chemistry is briefly discussed. Implementation of second-order M oller-Plesset Perturbation Method energy and dipole moment calculations within the new paradigm is presented. Efficiency and reliability of the method is analyzed

Efficient Energy and Electrostatic Properties Calculations at the MP2 Theory Level: A Case Study of Density Matrix-Based Computational Quantum Chemistry

Wavefunction-less, density matrix-based approach to computational quantum chemistry is briefly discussed. Implementation of second-order M oller-Plesset Perturbation Method energy and dipole moment calculations within the new paradigm is presented. Efficiency and reliability of the method is analyzed

Heat shock protein and heat shock factor I expression and localization in vaccinia virus infected human monocyte derived macrophages

BACKGROUND: Viruses remain one of the inducers of the stress response in the infected cells. Heat shock response induced by vaccinia virus (VV) infection was studied in vitro in human blood monocyte derived macrophages (MDMs) as blood cells usually constitute the primary site of the infection. METHODS: Human blood monocytes were cultured for 12 – 14 days. The transcripts of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and two viral genes (E3L and F17R) were assayed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the corresponding proteins measured by Western blot. Heat shock factor 1 DNA binding activities were estimated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and its subcellular localization analyzed by immunocytofluorescence. RESULTS: It appeared that infection with vaccinia virus leads to activation of the heat shock factor 1. Activation of HSF1 causes increased synthesis of an inducible form of the HSP70 both at the mRNA and the protein level. Although HSP90 mRNA was enhanced in vaccinia virus infected cells, the HSP90 protein content remained unchanged. At the time of maximum vaccinia virus gene expression, an inhibitory effect of the infection on the heat shock protein and the heat shock factor 1 was most pronounced. Moreover, at the early phase of the infection translocation of HSP70 and HSP90 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus of the infected cells was observed. CONCLUSION: Preferential nuclear accumulation of HSP70, the major stress-inducible chaperone protein, suggests that VV employs this particular mechanism of cytoprotection to protect the infected cell rather than to help viral replication. The results taken together with our previuos data on monocytes or MDMs infected with VV or S. aureus strongly argue that VV employs multiple cellular antiapoptotic/cytoprotective mechanisms to prolong viability and proinflammatory activity of the cells of monocytic-macrophage lineage

Ostre poporodowe wynicowanie macicy — opis przypadku i przegląd literatury

Poporodowe wynicowanie macicy jest bardzo rzadkim powikłaniem trzeciego okresu porodu, w wyniku którego dochodzi do wstrząsu krwotocznego. Występuje z częstością około 1:20 000 przypadków. W artykule przedsta- wiono opis przypadku wynicowania macicy, którą po nieudanej próbie ręcznej repozycji odprowadzono operacyjnie metodą Huntingtona.

Biodiversity and habitats of polar region polyhydroxyalkanoic acid-producing bacteria: bioprospection by popular screening methods

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), the intracellular polymers produced by various microorganisms as carbon and energy storage, are of great technological potential as biodegradable versions of common plastics. PHA-producing microbes are therefore in great demand and a plethora of different environments, especially extreme habitats, have been probed for the presence of PHA-accumulators. However, polar region have been neglected in this regard, probably due to the low accessibility of the sampling material and unusual cultivation regime. Here, we present the results of a screening procedure involving 200 bacterial strains isolated 25 habitats of both polar regions. Agar-based tests, microscopy and genetic methods were conducted to elucidate the biodiversity and potential of polar-region PHA-accumulators. Microscopic observation of Nile Red stained cells proved to be the most reliable screening method as it allowed to confirm the characteristic bright orange glow of the Nile Red – PHA complex as well as the typical morphology of the PHA inclusions. Psychrophilic PHA-producers belonged mostly to the Comamonadaceae family (Betaproteobacteria) although actinobacterial PHA synthesizers of the families Microbacteriaceae and Micrococcaceae also featured prominently. Glacial and postglacial habitats as well as developed polar region soils were evaluated as promising for PHA-producer bioprospection. This study highlights the importance of psychrophiles as biodiverse and potent polyhydroxyalkanote sources for scientific and application-aimed research

Hematological malignancies in children with ataxia–telangiectasia – a difficult clinical problem

Ataksja–teleangiektazja (Louis-Bar syndrome) jest rzadkim, genetycznie uwarunkowanym zespołem niedoboru odporności dziedziczonym w sposób autosomalny recesywny. Defekt genowy dotyczy długiego ramienia chromosomu 11q22-23. Do charakterystycznych cech zespołu należy niezborność ruchowa, teleangiektazje zlokalizowane na skórze i gałkach ocznych, niedobór odporności i skłonność do rozwoju nowotworów.W pracy przedstawiono przypadek występowania choroby rozrostowej układu krwiotwórczego u rodzeństwa z zespołem ataksja–teleangiektazja: 6-letniej dziewczynki i 8-letniego chłopca. Dziewczynka zmarła po upływie 3 miesięcy od rozpoznania chłoniaka Hodgkina (Hodgkin's lymphoma) w wyniku progresji. U chłopca rozpoznano ostrą białaczkę limfoblastyczną T-komórkową (T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia). Uzyskano remisję onkologiczną, w trakcie leczenia wystąpiły jednak poważne, zagrażające życiu powikłania.Ataxia–telangiectasia (Louis-Bar syndrome) is a rare, genetically determined immunodeficiency syndrome inherited in an autosomal recessive trait. Gene defect concerns the long arm of chromosome 11q22-23. Characteristic symptoms include ataxia, telangiectasiae localized on the skin and eyeballs, immunodeficiency, and increased susceptibility to malignancies.Report presents a case of siblings: 6-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy diagnosed with ataxia–telangiectasia syndrome. Both of them developed proliferative disease of the hematopoetic system. The girl was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and died after a three months as a result of progression. The boy developed T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Disease remission was obtained, but severe life-threatening complications occurred

Nondestructive detection method for the calcium and nitrogen content of living plants based on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) using multispectral images

Herein, we present the novel method targeted for determination of plant nutritional state with the use of computer vision and Neural Networks. The method is based on multispectral imaging performed by an exclusively designed Agroscanner and a dedicated analytical system for further data analysis with Neural Networks. An Agroscanner is a low-cost mobile construction intended for multispectral measurements at macro-scale, operating at four wavelengths: 470, 550, 640 and 850 nm. Together with developed software and implementation of a Neural Network it was possible to design a unique approach to process acquired plant images and assess information about plant physiological state. The novelty of the developed technology is focused on the multispectral, macro-scale analysis of individual plant leaves, rather than entire fields. Such an approach makes the method highly sensitive and precise. The method presented herein determines the basic physiological deficiencies of crops with around 80% efficiency

Ocena jakości handlowych mąk całoziarnowych - pszennej orkiszowej, pszennej zwyczajnej i żytniej oraz uzyskanych z nich zakwasów spontanicznych Quality Assessment of Commercial Wholegrain Flours Produced from Spelt Wheat, Common Wheat and Rye, and of Spontaneous Sourdough Prepared with Them

Celem pracy była próba wyprodukowania zakwasów spontanicznych z całoziarnowej mąki z pszenicy zwyczajnej, pszenicy orkisz oraz z mąki żytniej. W badanych mąkach oznaczono zawartość: wody, popiołu, wybranych składników mineralnych, białka ogółem, tłuszczu surowego, błonnika pokarmowego, wybranych mikotoksyn oraz fosforanów mio-inozytolu. Oznaczono ponadto kwasowość tłuszczową, kwasowość potencjalną, liczbę opadania (LO) oraz ilość glutenu i indeks glutenowy. Ze wszystkich całoziarnowych mąk sporządzono zakwasy, które kontrolowano przez 4 dni poprzez oznaczanie kwasowości czynnej (pH) i kwasowości potencjalnej. Całoziarnowe mąki z pszenicy orkisz odznaczały się większą zawartością białka, związków tłuszczowych i związków mineralnych, ale mniejszą zawartością błonnika całkowitego w porównaniu z mąkami uzyskanymi z pszenicy zwyczajnej i żyta. Wszystkie mąki całoziarnowe (z wyjątkiem orkiszowej MO1) charakteryzowały się podobną zawartością fosforanów mio-inozytolu w formie IP6 i IP2, jedynie mąka żytnia odznaczała się dodatkowo formami IP5 i IP3. W żadnej z badanych mąk pszennych nie oznaczono zawartości mikotoksyn, tj. DON i zearalenonu, z wyjątkiem mąki z pszenicy orkisz MO1, w której zidentyfikowano śladowe jego ilości. Zakwasy otrzymane z mąk całoziarnowych z pszenicy orkisz po 72 h fermentacji w temp. 30 ºC charakteryzowały się większą kwasowością w porównaniu z zakwasami z mąki z pszenicy zwyczajnej, a bardziej zbliżoną do zakwasów żytnich. Zatem wszystkie otrzymane zakwasy można stosować do produkcji chlebów ze 100-procentowej mąki całoziarnowej z żyta, pszenicy orkisz i pszenicy zwyczajnej, w miejsce stosowanego dotychczas w praktyce zakwasu żytniego. The objective of the study was an attempt to produce spontaneous sourdoughs from wholegrain flours made from common wheat, spelt wheat, and rye. In the flours analyzed, the following was determined: water content, ash, selected mineral components, total protein, raw fat, dietary fibre, selected mycotoxins, and myo-inositol phosphates. Moreover, there were determined fat acidity, potential acidity, falling number as well as the content of gluten and gluten index. Using every type of the wholegrain flours tested, sourdoughs were produced; they were, further, monitored for 4 days by determining the active acidity (pH) and titratable acidity. In comparison to flours made from common wheat and rye, the wholegrain spelt wheat flours were distinguished by higher contents of protein, fat, and mineral compounds; however, they had less total fibre. All the wholegrain flours (except MO1 spelt flour) were characterized by a similar content of myoinositol phosphates in the form of IP6 and IP2, but only the rye flour was additionally distinguished by the IP5 and IP3 forms. Mycotoxins, i.e. DON and zearalenone, were not found in any wheat flours except for the MO1 spelt flour, in which trace amounts of zearalenone were identified. Sourdoughs produced from the wholegrain spelt flour after the 72 h fermentation at 30 ºC were characterized by a greater acidity compared to those produced from the wheat flour and their acidity was more similar to that of the rye sourdoughs. Thus, all the types of sourdough obtained can be used to produce bread from 100 % wholegrain flour made from rye, spelt, and common wheat

Developing lactic acid bacteria starter cultures for wholemeal rye flour bread with improved functionality, nutritional value, taste, appearance and safety

Starter cultures composed of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were developed based on the genotypic and phenotypic characterisation of isolates belonging to dominant groups of bacteria in spontaneous rye wholemeal sourdoughs. Combinations of strains have been evaluated on an industrial scale in the sourdough fermentation process. Wholemeal rye bread was prepared using sourdoughs obtained with 3 new starter cultures, and compared to bread made using the commercial culture (LV2). All newly developed cultures used for the preparation of wholemeal rye bread allowed to obtain better quality products as compared to the LV2 based bread. The best results were obtained when the culture containing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 2MI8 and exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing Weissella confusa/cibaria 6PI3 strains was applied. The addition of yeast during sourdough breads production, especially the one prepared from mentioned above starter culture, significantly improved their organoleptic properties, their volume and crumb moisture was increased, and also the crumb acidity and hardness was reduced. Fermentation of rye wholemeal dough, especially without the yeast addition, resulted in a significant reduction in the content of higher inositol phosphates as compared to the applied flour, which is associated with improved bioavailability of minerals. The results of this study prove that the investigated new starter cultures can be successfully applied in wholemeal rye bread production