A model-driven privacy compliance decision support for medical data sharing in Europe

Objectives: Clinical practitioners and medical researchers often have to share health data with other colleagues across Europe. Privacy compliance in this context is very important but challenging. Automated privacy guidelines are a practical way of increasing users' awareness of privacy obligations and help eliminating unintentional breaches of privacy. In this paper we present an ontology-plus-rules based approach to privacy decision support for the sharing of patient data across European platforms. Methods: We use ontologies to model the required domain and context information about data sharing and privacy requirements. In addition, we use a set of Semantic Web Rule Language rules to reason about legal privacy requirements that are applicable to a specific context of data disclosure. We make the complete set invocable through the use of a semantic web application acting as an interactive privacy guideline system can then invoke the full model in order to provide decision support. Results: When asked, the system will generate privacy reports applicable to a specific case of data disclosure described by the user. Also reports showing guidelines per Member State may be obtained. Conclusion: The advantage of this approach lies in the expressiveness and extensibility of the modelling and inference languages adopted and the ability they confer to reason with complex requirements interpreted from high level regulations. However, the system cannot at this stage fully simulate the role of an ethics committee or review board. © Schattauer 2011

Biological control by (Coccinella algerica, Kovar 1977) against the puceron of crops under greenhouses (station bioressources of El Outaya Crstra) Biskra; Algeria

Inputs from chemicals, particularly pesticides, to control crop pests have adverse effects on soil and the environment, among others. To reduce pest attacks, biological control with indigenous predators is the alternative and the cleanest, most environmentally friendly and ecologically balanced way.In order to achieve this objective, we carried out ladybird breeding and releases were carried out on vegetable crops under glass in the Bioressources (CRSTRA) station where chemical inputs are not used. This study shows that massive and successive releases larvae Coccinella algerica stage L3 and L4 (10 to 20 larvae C.algerica and ≈350 individuals in Individuals in adult stage / infested plants) reduced effectively the population of aphids.Keywords: Biological control; Coccinella algerica; Vegetable crops; Station Bioressource

Preparation and Characterization of bis (4-methoxyanilinium) tetrachlorozincate

A new zinc complex of formula [C7H10NO]2 ZnCl4 has been prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction,  IR and UV-Visible spectroscopies. The complex crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n with a minimal tetrahedral distortion of the ZnCl42- ion and with lattice parameters: a =12.054 (2) Å, b =7.129 (3) Å, c =23.480 (2) Å, β = 100.67 (2)°, V = 1983.03 (1) Å3 and Z = 4. The crystal structure was solved and refined to R = 0.080 and RW = 0.227 with 9611 independent reflections. It can be described by organic layers of p-anisidinium cations held together by C-H…O hydrogen bonds parallel to (010) plane, linked to the inorganic groups of ZnCl42- anions through N-H…Cl hydrogen bonds, electrostatic and Van Der Waals interactions, to form a three-dimensional network

Defect Pool Numerical Model in Amorphous Semiconductor Device Modeling Program

Програма моделювання аморфних напівпровідникових приладів (ASDMP), розроблена професором P. Chatterjee і широко підтверджена експериментальними результатами, є детальною програмою, де рівняння Пуассона і рівняння безперервності електронів і дірок розв’язуються одночасно без жодного спрощення. Вона враховує кінетику захоплення і рекомбінації через стани у забороненій зоні. У цій програмі щільність станів моделюється за допомогою стандартної моделі (SM). Така модель описує дефекти двома гаусіанами поблизу центра забороненої зони та двома хвостами, експоненціально розподіленими за енергією, і припускає, що щільність станів однорідна у просторі. Defect pool model (DPM) є вдосконаленою моделлю формування дефектів у гідрогенізованому аморфному кремнії на основі ідеї, що сітка невпорядкованих атомів a-Si:H має великий спектр локальних середовищ, в яких може бути сформований дефект. Таким чином, ці дефекти вибирають місця, де їх енергія утворення мінімальна, і це стає можливим з рухом водню.Використовуючи підхід до опису дефектів, ми розробили чисельну DPM і застосували її у ASDMP при термодинамічній рівновазі. Ми використали ASDMP, щоб отримати щільність станів у кожній позиції сонячного елемента на основі стандартної структури p-i-n. Показано вплив допінгу на концентрацію дефектів та досліджено вплив положення рівня Фермі на розподіл щільності станів. Ми визнали використання ASDMP ключовим результатом того, що негативно заряджені дефекти в матеріалі n-типу розташовані нижче за енергією, ніж позитивно заряджені дефекти в матеріалі p-типу, навіть якщо енергія кореляції позитивна.Ми розрахували електричне поле і діаграми смуг при термодинамічній рівновазі як з DPM, так і з SM. Ми показали, що електричне поле, отримане від DPM, сильніше поблизу інтерфейсів і нижче в об'ємі, де діаграми смуг більш плоскі. Така поведінка електричного поля, розрахованого за даною моделлю, підкреслюється зі збільшенням нахилу хвостів валентної зони.Amorphous Semiconductor Device Modeling Program (ASDMP), developed by Professor P. Chatterjee and widely validated by experimental results, is a detailed program where the Poisson’s equation and the electron and hole continuity equations are simultaneously solved without any simplifying assumption. It takes into account the trapping and recombination kinetic through the gap states. In this program, the density of states is modeled using the standard model (SM). Such a model describes the defects by two Gaussians near the center of the gap and two tails exponentially distributed in energy, and assumes the density of states homogenous in space. The defect pool model (DPM) is an improved model for defect formation in hydrogenated amorphous silicon based on the idea that the a-Si:H network has a large spectrum of local environments at which a defect could be formed. So, these defects choose the sits where their formation energy is minimal and this becomes possible with hydrogen motion. Using the defect pool approach, we have developed a numerical DPM and inserted it in ASDMP at thermodynamic equilibrium. We have used ASDMP to get the density of states in each position of a solar cell based on a standard p-i-n structure. We have shown the effect of doping on defect concentration and studied the impact of the position of Fermi level on the distribution of the density of states. We recognized using ASDMP the key result that negatively charged defects in n-type material are situated lower in energy than positively charged defects in p-type material even when the correlation energy is positive. We calculated the electric field and the band diagrams at thermodynamic equilibrium both with the DPM and the SM. We showed that the electric field obtained from the DPM is stronger near the interfaces and lower in the bulk where the band diagrams are flatter. This behavior of the electric field calculated with this model is accentuated with the increase of the slope of the valence band tails

Coda wave attenuation tomography in Northern Morocco

In this study we focused on seismic attenuation (1/ Q) tomography in Northern Morocco. For this purpose, two different models are employed: The Single Backscattering model hypothesis of Aki and Chouet (1975) to calculate values of Coda Q (Q) and the Back-projection technique of Xie and Mitchell (1990) to estimate lateral variation in Q via a tomographic inversion. For this investigation, the Coda Q method is applied to a number of 94 local earthquakes with a magnitude between Ml=0.7 and Ml=4. The digital seismograms of these earthquakes were recorded during the year 2008 by both local temporary and permanent broadband seismic station network deployed in Northern of Morocco. The Q quality factor values have been computed at central frequencies 0.75, 1.5, 3, 6 and 12 Hz. The lapse time windows are restricted to 30s in order to sample the earth's crust only. The Q results indicate that strong frequency dependence follow a power law for the entire area. The preliminary results of seismic Coda Q attenuation tomography shows a dependence at each frequency band, between seismic attenuation and the geology structure units in the study area, especially in the region of Al Hoceima and the eastern part of the Rif which are characterized by high attenuation values due to active faults area, while low attenuation values are seen in the west and the south of the Rif in high frequencies.Peer Reviewe

A Leptin-regulated Circuit Controls Glucose Mobilization During Noxious Stimuli

Adipocytes secrete the hormone leptin to signal the sufficiency of energy stores. Reductions in circulating leptin concentrations reflect a negative energy balance, which augments sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation in response to metabolically demanding emergencies. This process ensures adequate glucose mobilization despite low energy stores. We report that leptin receptor–expressing neurons (LepRb neurons) in the periaqueductal gray (PAG), the largest population of LepRb neurons in the brain stem, mediate this process. Application of noxious stimuli, which often signal the need to mobilize glucose to support an appropriate response, activated PAG LepRb neurons, which project to and activate parabrachial nucleus (PBN) neurons that control SNS activation and glucose mobilization. Furthermore, activating PAG LepRb neurons increased SNS activity and blood glucose concentrations, while ablating LepRb in PAG neurons augmented glucose mobilization in response to noxious stimuli. Thus, decreased leptin action on PAG LepRb neurons augments the autonomic response to noxious stimuli, ensuring sufficient glucose mobilization during periods of acute demand in the face of diminished energy stores

Carrier transport and sensitivity issues in heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer solar cells on N-type crystalline silicon: A computer simulation study

Heterojunction with intrinsic thin layer or HIT solar cells are considered favorable for large-scale manufacturing of solar modules, as they combine the high efficiency of crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells, with the low cost of amorphous silicon technology. In this article, based on experimental data published by Sanyo, we simulate the performance of a series of HIT cells on N-type crystalline silicon substrates with hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) emitter layers, to gain insight into carrier transport and the general functioning of these devices. Both single and double HIT structures are modeled, beginning with the initial Sanyo cells having low open circuit voltages but high fill factors, right up to double HIT cells exhibiting record values for both parameters. The one-dimensional numerical modeling program "Amorphous Semiconductor Device Modeling Program" has been used for this purpose. We show that the simulations can correctly reproduce the electrical characteristics and temperature dependence for a set of devices with varying I-layer thickness. Under standard AM1.5 illumination, we show that the transport is dominated by the diffusion mechanism, similar to conventional P/N homojunction solar cells, and tunneling is not required to describe the performance of state-of-the art devices. Also modeling has been used to study the sensitivity of N-c-Si HIT solar cell performance to various parameters. We find that the solar cell output is particularly sensitive to the defect states on the surface of the c-Si wafer facing the emitter, to the indium tin oxide/P-a-Si:H front contact barrier height and to the band gap and activation energy of the P-a-Si:H emitter, while the I-a-Si:H layer is necessary to achieve both high Voc and fill factor, as it passivates the defects on the surface of the c-Si wafer. Finally, we describe in detail for most parameters how they affect current transport and cell properties

ER Stress Inhibits Liver Fatty Acid Oxidation while Unmitigated Stress Leads to Anorexia-Induced Lipolysis and Both Liver and Kidney Steatosis

The unfolded protein response (UPR), induced by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, regulates the expression of factors that restore protein folding homeostasis. However, in the liver and kidney, ER stress also leads to lipid accumulation, accompanied at least in the liver by transcriptional suppression of metabolic genes. The mechanisms of this accumulation, including which pathways contribute to the phenotype in each organ, are unclear. We combined gene expression profiling, biochemical assays, and untargeted lipidomics to understand the basis of stress-dependent lipid accumulation, taking advantage of enhanced hepatic and renal steatosis in mice lacking the ER stress sensor ATF6α. We found that impaired fatty acid oxidation contributed to the early development of steatosis in the liver but not the kidney, while anorexia-induced lipolysis promoted late triglyceride and free fatty acid accumulation in both organs. These findings provide evidence for both direct and indirect regulation of peripheral metabolism by ER stress