SE4SEE: A grid-enabled search engine for South-East Europe

Search Engine for South-East Europe (SE4SEE) is an application project aiming to develop a grid-enabled search engine that specifically targets the countries in the South-East Europe. It is one of the two selected regional applications currently implemented in the SEE-GRID FP6 project. This paper describes the design details of SE4SEE and provides an architectural overview of the application

Authorship Analysis Approaches

This chapter presents an overview of authorship analysis from multiple standpoints. It includes historical perspective, description of stylometric features, and authorship analysis techniques and their limitations

A Soft+Rigid Hybrid Exoskeleton Concept in Scissors-Pendulum Mode: A Suit for Human State Sensing and an Exoskeleton for Assistance

In this paper, we present a novel concept that can enable the human aware control of exoskeletons through the integration of a soft suit and a robotic exoskeleton. Unlike the state-of-the-art exoskeleton controllers which mostly rely on lumped human-robot models, the proposed concept makes use of the independent state measurements concerning the human user and the robot. The ability to observe the human state independently is the key factor in this approach. In order to realize such a system from the hardware point of view, we propose a system integration frame that combines a soft suit for human state measurement and a rigid exoskeleton for human assistance. We identify the technological requirements that are necessary for the realization of such a system with a particular emphasis on soft suit integration. We also propose a template model, named scissor pendulum, that may encapsulate the dominant dynamics of the human-robot combined model to synthesize a controller for human state regulation. A series of simulation experiments were conducted to check the controller performance. As a result, satisfactory human state regulation was attained, adequately confirming that the proposed system could potentially improve exoskeleton-aided applications

Effect of different modes of erbium:Yttrium aluminum garnet laser on shear bond strength to dentin

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different surface treatments on the shear bond strength (SBS) of resin composites to dentin using total etch dentin bonding adhesives. Materials and Methods: Sixty extracted human molars were flattened to obtain dentin surfaces. The samples were divided into three groups (n = 20): Group I: 37% phosphoric acid + optibond FL + resin composite; Group II: Erbium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser (medium short pulse [MSP] mode, 120 mJ/10 Hz) + optibond FL + resin composite; Group III: Er:YAG laser (quantum square pulse [QSP] mode, 120 mJ/10 Hz) + optibond FL + resin composite. After the specimens were prepared, the SBS test was performed at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The fractured specimens were examined under a stereomicroscope to evaluate the fracture pattern. Statistical analyses were performed with one‑way ANOVA and Tukey’s honestly significant difference tests. One sample of treated dentin surface from each group was sputter‑coated with gold, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were captured.Results: Acid etching showed significantly higher SBS than the other groups (P < 0.05). However, the difference between Er:YAG MSP and QSP mode groups was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). SEM images of the acid‑etched dentin surface showed opened dentinal tubule with a regular surface, but Er:YAG MSP mode treated surface was irregular. The surface treated with Er:YAG QSP mode represented wide dentinal tubules with a clean and flat surface.Conclusion: Using different modes (MSP and QSP) of Er:YAG laser for dentin surface treatment before application of total etch adhesives is still not an sufficient alternative compared to acid etching.Keywords: Acid etching, dentin conditioning, erbium:yttrium aluminum garnet laser, quantum square pulse mod

Fluoride release/recharging ability and bond strength of glass ionomer cements to sound and caries‑affected dentin

Objectives: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of different glass ionomer cements (GICs) on sound/caries-affected dentin and to assess the fluoride release/recharging ability.Methods: After creating artificial caries lesions, teeth with sound and caries-affected dentin were assigned to be restored with one of the GICs: Ketac N100; GC Equia; GCP Glass Fill, and tested using a microtensile test. Ten of each material were prepared, and fluoride ion-release was measured at 10 different intervals. After 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride-gel immersion, fluoride re-release was then measured at the same intervals.Results: In sound dentin, GC Equia exhibited significantly higher μTBS value (P < 0.05). The mean μTBS of Ketac N100 to caries-affected dentin was significantly lower than the other materials (P < 0.05). All materials showed maximal fluoride release at 24 h, GC Equia released the most fluoride.Conclusion: The bond strength of GICs is affected by tooth substrate. High-viscosity GICs show higher initial fluoride release as well as greater fluoride recharge capacity.Key words: Bond strength, caries‑affected dentin, fluoride release, glass ionomer cement

Architecture of a grid-enabled Web search engine

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Search Engine for South-East Europe (SE4SEE) is a socio-cultural search engine running on the grid infrastructure. It offers a personalized, on-demand, country-specific, category-based Web search facility. The main goal of SE4SEE is to attack the page freshness problem by performing the search on the original pages residing on the Web, rather than on the previously fetched copies as done in the traditional search engines. SE4SEE also aims to obtain high download rates in Web crawling by making use of the geographically distributed nature of the grid. In this work, we present the architectural design issues and implementation details of this search engine. We conduct various experiments to illustrate performance results obtained on a grid infrastructure and justify the use of the search strategy employed in SE4SEE. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Influence of Blood Contamination During Multimode Adhesive Application on the Microtensile Bond Strength to Dentin

Objectives: The present study evaluated the effects of blood contamination performed at different steps of bonding on the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of multimode adhesives to dentin when using the self-etch approach. Materials and Methods: Seventy-five molars were randomly assigned to three adhesive groups comprising 25 specimens each: two multimode adhesives [Single Bond Universal (SBU) and All-Bond Universal (ABU)] and a conventional one-step self-etch adhesive [Clearfil S3 Bond Plus (CSBP)]. Each group was subdivided as follows:  (1) uncontaminated (control): bonding application/light curing as a positivecontrol; (2) contamination-1 (cont-1): bonding application/light curing/blood contamination/dry as a negative control; (3) contamination-2 (cont-2): bonding application/light curing/blood contamination/rinse/dry; (4) contamination-3 (cont-3): bonding application/blood contamination/dry/bonding re-application/light curing; and (5) contamination-4 (cont-4): bonding application/blood contamination/rinse/ dry/bonding re-application/light curing. Dentin specimens were prepared for μTBS testing after the composite resin application. Data were analyzed with twoway ANOVA and post-hoc tests (α = 0.05). Results: μTBS values were similar in cont-3 groups, and ABU/cont-4 and corresponding control groups, but were significantly lower in the other groups than in their control groups (P < 0.05). Cont-1 groups showed the lowest μTBS values (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Neither decontamination method prevented the decrease in μTBS when contamination occurred after light curing. Drying the blood contaminants and reapplying the adhesive may regain the dentin adhesion when contamination occurs before light curing. Alternatively, rinsing and drying contaminants followed by adhesive reapplication may be effective depending on adhesive type.Keywords: Micro-tensile, novel adhesives, resin-based composite

Effect of Different Modes of Erbium:yttrium Aluminum Garnet Laser on Shear Bond Strength to Dentin

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different surface treatments on the shear bond strength (SBS) of resin composites to dentin using total etch dentin bonding adhesives. Materials and Methods: Sixty extracted human molars were flattened to obtain dentin surfaces. The samples were divided into three groups (n = 20): Group I: 37% phosphoric acid + optibond FL + resin composite; Group II: Erbium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser (medium short pulse [MSP] mode, 120 mJ/10 Hz) + optibond FL + resin composite; Group III: Er:YAG laser (quantum square pulse [QSP] mode, 120 mJ/10 Hz) + optibond FL + resin composite. After the specimens were prepared, the SBS test was performed at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The fractured specimens were examined under a stereomicroscope to evaluate the fracture pattern. Statistical analyses were performed with one‑way ANOVA and Tukey’s honestly significant difference tests. One sample of treated dentin surface from each group was sputter‑coated with gold, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were captured. Results: Acid etching showed significantly higher SBS than the other groups (P < 0.05). However, the difference between Er:YAG MSP and QSP mode groups was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). SEM images of the acid‑etched dentin surface showed opened dentinal tubule with a regular surface, but Er:YAG MSP mode treated surface was irregular. The surface treated with Er:YAG QSP mode represented wide dentinal tubules with a clean and flat surface. Conclusion: Using different modes (MSP and QSP) of Er:YAG laser for dentin surface treatment before application of total etch adhesives is still not an sufficient alternative compared to acid etching.Keywords: Acid etching, dentin conditioning, erbium:yttrium aluminum garnetlaser, quantum square pulse mod

Genetic background of supernumerary teeth.

Supernumerary teeth (ST) are odontostomatologic anomaly characterized by as the existence excessive number of teeth in relation to the normal dental formula. This condition is commonly seen with several congenital genetic disorders such as Gardner's syndrome, cleidocranial dysostosis and cleft lip and palate. Less common syndromes that are associated with ST are; Fabry Disease, Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, Nance-Horan syndrome, Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome and Trico–Rhino–Phalangeal syndrome. ST can be an important component of a distinctive disorder and an important clue for early diagnosis. Certainly early detecting the abnormalities gives us to make correct management of the patient and also it is important for making well-informed decisions about long-term medical care and treatment. In this review, the genetic syndromes that are related with ST were discussed

Comparing the profitability of organic and conventional broiler production

Recently, organic broiler chicken production has received more attention worldwide. This study has carried out an economic analysis to compare the profitability of organic versus conventional growing systems per unit of broiler meat production. To achieve this goal, 400 slow-growing broiler chickens (Hubbard Red-JA) were reared in an organic production system, and the same number of fast-growing birds (Ross-308) in a conventional system. The profitability was deduced with an economic analysis that compared total costs and net income. Results showed that organic broiler meat can cost from 70% to 86% more with respect to variable and fixed costs when compared with conventional production. The main reasons for the higher cost of organic broiler meat were feed, labor, certification, and outdoor area maintenance. The proportion of fixed costs in total costs was 1.54% in the conventional system and 7.48% in the organic system. The net income per kg of chicken meat in the organic system was € 0.75, which is 180% higher than chicken meat grown in a conventional system (€ 0.27); however, the price of organic broiler meat sold in the present study was twice as high as that obtained for conventional broilers. In conclusion, organic broiler meat production was more profitable than conventional rearing