The aristotle approach to open hypermedia

Large-scale distributed hypermedia systems comprise a generation of powerful tools to meet the demands of the new information globalization era. The most promising of such systems have characteristics that allow for the easy adaptation both to an, actually, unpredictable technological evolution and to the constantly evolving information needs of users. Such systems are generally known as Open Hypermedia Systems (OHS). Recently, research effort has been focused on the formulation of a solid set of OHS standards (i.e., protocols, reference models and architectures) that would stem from a common understanding and thus, direct future implementations.Keywords: Open Hypermedia Systems, Hypermedia Modeling, Distributed Information System

Sustainability of Systems Producing Ethanol, Power, and Lignosulfonates or Lignin from Corn Stover: A Comparative Assessment

Bad economics and low environmental performance are considered to be typical of ethanol production systems deriving from lignocellulosic material such as agricultural wastes. Integrated ethanol production systems where various byproducts are also exploited have been proposed as a solution to the above-mentioned problems. The main contribution of this study is the development of a model for the examination of the sustainability of five ethanol production systems so as to discern and eventually chose the most attractive ones. This model can be used as a managerial tool for assessing biofuel production systems in general. Interdisciplinary methods and tools from engineering, economics, and operational research have been employed for the systems’ evaluation. More specifically, mass balances were used for the systems’ inventory determination, while their environmental performance is calculated by means of a life cycle impact assessment method and a relevant tool (SimaPro software). Economic analysis is used to access the alternatives’ economics. Moreover, in order to determine the combined performance of each system against certain environmental, economic, and societal criteria, both objective and subjective, the analytic hierarchy process has been employed. The systems’ overall performances are compared with each other, and the systems are ranked in order of preference. Sensitivity analysis has also been used for testing the results’ robustness. For the particular criteria selected and assumptions made, the study claims that the performance of the system producing ethanol and electricity is equal to that of the system producing ethanol, electricity, and lignin as geomaterial, while both outdistance the systems producing ethanol, electricity, and lignosulfonates. Thus, the former systems are more appealing to extensive research and further development

Variants in ADIPOQ gene are linked to adiponectin levels and lung function in young males independent of obesity

The article was funded by the “CUT Open Access Author Fund”Background Obesity is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases, including reduced lung function. The role of polymorphisms of the adiponectin gene, though linked with cardiometabolic consequences of obesity, has not been studied in relation to lung function. Objectives The aim of this study is to examine polymorphisms in the ADIPOQ, ADIPOR1, and ADIPOR2 genes in relation to adiponectin serum levels, BMI, and adiposity in 18-year old Cypriot males, as well as determine whether BMI, adipokines levels and polymorphisms in adipokine related genes are associated with lung function levels. Results From the participants, 8% were classified as obese, 22% as overweight, and the remaining 71% as normal. We found that rs266729 and rs1501299 in ADIPOQ and rs10920531 in ADIPOR1 were significantly associated with serum adiponectin levels, after adjusting for ever smoking. In addition, there was an overall significant increase in FEV1%predicted with increasing BMI (β = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.78) and in FVC %predicted (β = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.73, 1.30). There was also a decrease in FEV1/FVC with increasing BMI (β = -0.53, 95% CI: -0.71, -0.35). Finally, rs1501299 was associated with lung function measures. Discussion Functional variants in the ADIPOQ gene were linked with lung function in young males. Further studies should concentrate on the role of adipokines on lung function which may direct novel therapeutic approaches

An Integrated System for Quality Inspection of Tiles

The ceramic tiles manufacturing process has now been completely automated with the exception of the final stage of production concerned with visual inspection. In this paper we describe an integrated system developed for the detection of defects on colour ceramic tiles and for the colour grading of defect-free tiles. The results suggest that the performance is adequate to provide a basis for a viable commercial visual inspection system. 1 INTRODUCTION The ceramic tiles industrial sector has taken significant advantage of the advances in the world of automation in recent years. All production phases have been addressed through various technical innovations, with the exception of the final stage of the manufacturing process, namely the product inspection. This is still performed manually and is concerned with the sorting of tiles into distinct categories or the rejection of the tiles found with defects and pattern faults. In this paper we describe the integrated system developed under t..

Circulating alanine transaminase (ALT) and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), but not fetuin-A, are associated with metabolic risk factors, at baseline and at two-year follow-up: The prospective Cyprus Metabolism Study

Objective To comparatively evaluate traditional liver tests and fetuin A as predictors of cardiometabolic risk, we studied associations between serum alanine transaminase (ALT), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and fetuin-A and anthropometric, metabolic, and cardiovascular parameters cross-sectionally at baseline, and prospectively, after 2-years of follow-up. Research Design and Methods 616 randomly enrolled young healthy participants in the Cyprus Metabolism Study, including all 93 subjects who participated in the follow-up study 2 years after baseline assessment, were included in this study. Results In the cross-sectional study, serum ALT and GGT were strongly correlated with anthropometric, cardiovascular, and metabolic variables, while serum AST was only correlated with waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. Fetuin-A was correlated with anthropometric variables, systolic blood pressure (SBP), insulin, and homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in the unadjusted model. In the fully adjusted model, both serum ALT and GGT levels remained positively correlated with total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. GGT levels also remained correlated with triglycerides. ALT levels remained strongly positively correlated with insulin (r = 0.17, p <.0001) and HOMA-IR (r = 0.16, p = 0.0001). Serum fetuin-A levels were no longer significantly correlated with any variables. Prospectively, ALT and GGT were predictors of anthropometric variables and LDL cholesterol, while baseline levels of AST and fetuin-A were not predictors of any variables at 2-year follow-up. Conclusions We confirmed associations of ALT and GGT levels but failed to demonstrate an independent association between fetuin-A and cardiometabolic risk factors in young healthy men. Traditional liver tests (LFTs) are thus better than fetuin-A predictors of metabolic risk factors cross-sectionally and prospectively in young healthy adults

Circulating lipocalin 2 is associated with body fat distribution at baseline but is not an independent predictor of insulin resistance: the prospective Cyprus Metabolism Study

The study was supported by the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation (EP gamma E Xi/0205/10). The Mantzoros Lab is supported by a discretionary grant from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.Objective: Lipocalin 2 (LCN2 or NGAL), a protein derived from neutrophils, macrophages, adipocytes, and other cells, has been proposed to be a link between obesity and insulin resistance (IR), but animal and cross-sectional human studies have revealed conflicting results. We studied the association of serum lipocalin 2 with anthropometric, metabolic, and cardiovascular risk markers in young healthy men cross-sectionally and, for the first time, prospectively after 2 years of follow-up, with and without adjustment for potential confounders including serum creatinine. Design: Two hundred and seventy-two participants were randomly selected from the Cyprus Metabolism Study (1056 men, 18 years), of whom 93 subjects participated in the follow-up study 2 years after baseline assessment. Associations were also explored between total and free leptin levels (to serve as positive controls) and anthropometric metabolic variables. Results: In the cross-sectional study, lipocalin 2 levels were marginally correlated in the unadjusted model with central fat distribution but not with body weight or total body fat mass. After adjusting for age, smoking, activity, body mass index, fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio, and serum creatinine, no correlation was found with any cardiovascular risk factor. There was no correlation with the homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) at baseline. In the prospective analyses, baseline levels of lipocalin 2 were not predictive of any variables in unadjusted or adjusted models. As expected, total and free leptin were associated with anthropometric and metabolic variables both cross-sectionally and prospectively. Conclusions: We demonstrate that lipocalin 2 is not an independent predictor of metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors in young men cross-sectionally or prospectively.Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation [EPgammaEXi/0205/10], Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Cente

Soluble leptin receptor and leptin are associated with baseline adiposity and metabolic risk factors, and predict adiposity, metabolic syndrome, and glucose levels at 2-year follow-up: the Cyprus Metabolism Prospective Cohort Study

We examined the relationship between serum levels of leptin-binding protein (soluble leptin receptor [sOB-R]) and leptin with metabolic parameters at baseline and prospectively at 2-year follow-up in young healthy men. A total of 916 eighteen-year-old men were examined at baseline, with a subgroup of 91 participants examined again 2 years later. Anthropometric and metabolic measurements were performed at baseline and at follow-up. In the cross-sectional study, levels of sOB-R were significantly inversely correlated with all baseline measures of obesity and metabolic risk factors (blood pressure, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and fasting glucose), and significantly positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. After correcting for age, smoking status, and waist-to-hip ratio, the inverse correlation remained statistically significant for all measures of adiposity, fasting glucose, and the metabolic syndrome score. Correlations for leptin were similar in magnitude but opposite in direction to correlations for sOB-R. In prospective analyses, baseline levels of sOB-R were predictive at 2-year follow-up of fasting glucose, the metabolic syndrome score, and measures of adiposity in both unadjusted and adjusted models. Similarly, leptin was predictive of fasting glucose, the metabolic syndrome score, adiposity, and systolic blood pressure. We confirm correlations of leptin and sOB-R levels with measures of adiposity and metabolic risk factors at baseline, and demonstrate for the first time prospectively the role of sOB-R as an independent, although weak, predictor of metabolic syndrome and fasting glucose in young men. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Irisin mRNA and circulating levels in relation to other myokines in healthy and morbidly obese humans

Objective: Skeletal muscle is considered to be an endocrine organ that secretes a number of myokines including follistatin (FST), myostatin (MSTN), activin A, and the newly identified irisin. Irisin's biology and function exhibit similarities with the functions of the FST-MSTN-activin A axis. It remains unknown whether there is any interplay among these molecules. The aim of this study is to examine potential associations of irisin with the FST, MSTN, and activin A axis. Methods: Two observational studies were performed to evaluate the associations of irisin with the other three peptides. Study A included 150 healthy males aged 18.48G0.16 years with BMI 23.18±3.75 kg/m2. Fasting serum samples were used to measure the levels of the molecules of interest. Study B included 14 morbidly obese individuals, candidates for bariatric surgery, aged 53.14±8.93 years with BMI 50.18±10.63 kg/m2. Blood samples were obtained after an overnight fast. Eight out of the 14 participants consented to an optional thigh biopsy during their bariatric surgery. Using the above blood and tissue samples, we measured circulating levels and muscle mRNA of irisin, FST, MSTN, and activin A. Results: We report that FNDC5 mRNA in muscle is positively correlated with FST mRNA expression in morbidly obese subjects (ρ=0.93, P<0.001). We also found that circulating irisin is positively correlated with FST circulating levels among lean subjects (ρ=0.17, P=0.05) while this association was suggestive among the obese (ρ=0.56, P=0.07). Conclusion: The newly identified myokine irisin may be positively associated with FST at both the mRNA and circulating protein level