Algorithms for Highly Symmetric Linear and Integer Programs

This paper deals with exploiting symmetry for solving linear and integer programming problems. Basic properties of linear representations of finite groups can be used to reduce symmetric linear programming to solving linear programs of lower dimension. Combining this approach with knowledge of the geometry of feasible integer solutions yields an algorithm for solving highly symmetric integer linear programs which only takes time which is linear in the number of constraints and quadratic in the dimension.Comment: 21 pages, 1 figure; some references and further comments added, title slightly change

Precision Measurement of the 29Si, 33S, and 36Cl Binding Energies

The binding energies of 29Si, 33S, and 36Cl have been measured with a relative uncertainty $< 0.59 \times 10^{-6}$ using a flat-crystal spectrometer. The unique features of these measurements are 1) nearly perfect crystals whose lattice spacing is known in meters, 2) a highly precise angle scale that is derived from first principles, and 3) a gamma-ray measurement facility that is coupled to a high flux reactor with near-core source capability. The binding energy is obtained by measuring all gamma-rays in a cascade scheme connecting the capture and ground states. The measurements require the extension of precision flat-crystal diffraction techniques to the 5 to 6 MeV energy region, a significant precision measurement challenge. The binding energies determined from these gamma-ray measurements are consistent with recent highly accurate atomic mass measurements within a relative uncertainty of $4.3 \times 10^{-7}$. The gamma-ray measurement uncertainties are the dominant contributors to the uncertainty of this consistency test. The measured gamma-ray energies are in agreement with earlier precision gamma-ray measurements.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Emerging pharmacotherapy of tinnitus

Tinnitus, the perception of sound in the absence of an auditory stimulus, is perceived by about 1 in 10 adults, and for at least 1 in 100, tinnitus severely affects their quality of life. Because tinnitus is frequently associated with irritability, agitation, stress, insomnia, anxiety and depression, the social and economic burdens of tinnitus can be enormous. No curative treatments are available. However, tinnitus symptoms can be alleviated to some extent. The most widespread management therapies consist of auditory stimulation and cognitive behavioral treatment, aiming at improving habituation and coping strategies. Available clinical trials vary in methodological rigor and have been performed for a considerable number of different drugs. None of the investigated drugs have demonstrated providing replicable long-term reduction of tinnitus impact in the majority of patients in excess of placebo effects. Accordingly, there are no FDA or European Medicines Agency approved drugs for the treatment of tinnitus. However, in spite of the lack of evidence, a large variety of different compounds are prescribed off-label. Therefore, more effective pharmacotherapies for this huge and still growing market are desperately needed and even a drug that produces only a small but significant effect would have an enormous therapeutic impact. This review describes current and emerging pharmacotherapies with current difficulties and limitations. In addition, it provides an estimate of the tinnitus market. Finally, it describes recent advances in the tinnitus field which may help overcome obstacles faced in the pharmacological treatment of tinnitus. These include incomplete knowledge of tinnitus pathophysiology, lack of well-established animal models, heterogeneity of different forms of tinnitus, difficulties in tinnitus assessment and outcome measurement and variability in clinical trial methodology. © 2009 Informa UK Ltd.Fil: Langguth, Berthold. Universitat Regensburg; AlemaniaFil: Salvi, Richard. State University of New York; Estados UnidosFil: Elgoyhen, Ana Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentin

Hygienic quality of dehydrated aromatic herbs marketed in Southern Portugal

Dehydrated aromatic herbs are highly valued ingredients, widely used at home level and by food processing industry, frequently added to a great number of recipes in the Mediterranean countries. Despite being considered low-moisture products and classified as GRAS, during pre and post-harvesting stages of production they are susceptible of microbial contamination. In Europe an increasing number of food recalls and disease outbreaks associated with dehydrated herbs have been reported in recent years. In this study the microbial quality of 99 samples of aromatic herbs (bay leaves, basil, coriander, oregano, parsley, Provence herbs, rosemary and thyme) collected from retails shops in the region of Algarve (Southern Portugal) was assessed. All the samples were tested by conventional methods and were assayed for the total count of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci and filamentous fungi. Almost 50 % of the herbs did not exceed the aerobic mesophilic level of 104 CFU/g. The fungi count regarded as unacceptable (106 CFU/g) was not found in any of the tested herbs, while 84 % of the samples ranged from ≤102 to 104 CFU/g. No sample was positive for the presence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and staphylococci. The results are in compliance with the European Commission criteria although they point out to the permanent need of surveillance on the good standards of handling/cooking practices as well as the importance of avoiding contamination at production, retailing and distribution. The microbiological hazards associated with the pathogenic and toxigenic microbiota of dried herbs remain as a relevant public health issue, due to the fact that they are added to foods not submitted to any following lethal procedure. Control measures should be adopted in order to ensure that all phases of their supply chain respect the food safety standards.FCT: UID/BIA/04325/2019.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Onset of Superfluidity in 4He Films Adsorbed on Disordered Substrates

We have studied 4He films adsorbed in two porous glasses, aerogel and Vycor, using high precision torsional oscillator and DC calorimetry techniques. Our investigation focused on the onset of superfluidity at low temperatures as the 4He coverage is increased. Torsional oscillator measurements of the 4He-aerogel system were used to determine the superfluid density of films with transition temperatures as low as 20 mK. Heat capacity measurements of the 4He-Vycor system probed the excitation spectrum of both non-superfluid and superfluid films for temperatures down to 10 mK. Both sets of measurements suggest that the critical coverage for the onset of superfluidity corresponds to a mobility edge in the chemical potential, so that the onset transition is the bosonic analog of a superconductor-insulator transition. The superfluid density measurements, however, are not in agreement with the scaling theory of an onset transition from a gapless, Bose glass phase to a superfluid. The heat capacity measurements show that the non-superfluid phase is better characterized as an insulator with a gap.Comment: 15 pages (RevTex), 21 figures (postscript

Safety of Ecklonia cava phlorotannins as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panelon Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety of Ecklonia cava phlorotannins (marketed as SeaPolynol) as a novel food submitted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No258/97. The novel food is a phlorotannin-rich alcohol extract of Ecklonia cava, which is an edible marine brown alga species. The information provided on the composition, the specifications, the production process and the batch-to-batch variability of the novel food is sufficient and does not raise safety concerns. The intention is to market the novel food as a food supplement for healthy individuals over the age of 12years. A subchronic repeated dose oral toxicity study in rodents tested the novel food at daily doses of 0, 375, 750 and 1,500mg/kg body weight (bw). The Panelconsiders the mid-dose as the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL) of the study. Taking into account this NOAEL of 750mg/kg bw per day and by applying an uncertainty factor of 200, the Panelconsiders an intake level of 3.75mg/kg bw per day as safe. The Panelconcludes that the novel food, Ecklonia cava phlorotannins, is safe for the use in food supplements at a maximum daily intake level of 163mg/day for adolescents from 12 to 14years of age, 230mg/day for adolescents above 14years of age and 263mg/day for adults. (C) 2017 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd on behalf of European Food Safety Authority

Safety of dried aerial parts of Hoodia parviflora as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EC) No258/97

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panelon Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the dried aerial parts of Hoodiaparviflora as a novel food (NF) submitted pursuant to Regulation (EC) No258/97. The information provided on the composition, the specifications, the production process, the batch-to-batch variability and the stability of the NF is sufficient and does not raise safety concerns. The applicant intends to use the NF in a number of energy-reduced/sugar-free/no-added-sugar foods in quantities of up to 15mg per serving. The applicant also proposes to provide the NF as a food supplement. The target population proposed by the applicant is adults. The highest intake estimates were found in the group of elderly (65years) individuals, with a high intake of 1.0mg/kg body weight (bw) per day. One 90-day toxicity study in rodents was provided from which a benchmark dose lower confidence limit (BMDL05) of 53.5mg/kg bw per day was derived for effects of the NF on bodyweight. The Panelconcludes that the addition of the NF to foods as a food ingredient at the uses and use levels as proposed by the applicant would exceed intake levels considered safe in humans. The Panelconsiders that the NF is safe to be used as a food supplement at a maximum dose of 9.4mg/day. The target population is adults. (C) 2017 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd on behalf of European Food Safety Authority

Statement on the safety of synthetic L-ergothioneine as a novel food - supplementary dietary exposure and safety assessment for infants and young children, pregnant and breastfeeding women

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panelon Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to provide a supplementary dietary exposure and safety assessment of synthetic l-ergothioneine for those groups of the population which had been excluded by the applicant in the original application, i.e. infants and young children (i.e. toddlers), pregnant and breastfeeding women. Thus, intake estimates were calculated for these population groups and the following maximum anticipated daily intakes of l-ergothioneine from the NF, in addition to the background diet, were calculated: 2.82 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day for infants, 3.39 mg/kg bw per day for toddlers and 1.31 mg/kg bw per day for adults including pregnant and breastfeeding women. The Panelconsiders that based on the overall toxicological data the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 800 mg/kg bw per day as established in the original assessment also pertains to pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as to young children (i.e. toddlers) and infants. The corresponding margins of exposure (i.e. the ratio between the NOAEL and the maximum anticipated daily intakes) are 284 for infants, 236 for young children and 610 for pregnant and breastfeeding women. These margins of exposure are considered sufficient. The Panelconcludes that the novel food, synthetic l-ergothioneine, is safe under the proposed uses and use levels for infants, young children (i.e. toddlers) and pregnant and breastfeeding women

Safety of betaine as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panelon Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on betaine as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 258/97. The information provided on the composition, the specifications, the batch-to-batch variability, stability and production process of the NF is sufficient and does not raise concerns about the safety of the NF. The NF is proposed to be used in foods intended to meet additional requirements for intense muscular effort with a maximum intake of 2.5 g/day of betaine for sports people above 10 years of age. Based on the lowest BMDL05, which was derived from a chronic toxicity study in rats in which a dose-related increase in platelet counts was observed, and the anticipated daily intake of the NF in the target population, the Margins of Exposure are 3.6 and 5, which are generally regarded as not sufficient. However, the total exposure to betaine from the diet (about 830 mg/day) is not known to be associated with adverse effects. Moreover, no adverse effects on platelet counts were noted in human intervention studies with exposure levels of 4 g/day of betaine for up to 6 months. A significant increase in total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations was noted at intakes of 4 g/day of betaine in overweight subjects with metabolic syndrome but not in healthy subjects, nor at intakes of 3 g/day. Thus, considering 4 g/day of betaine as a reference point and applying an uncertainty factor of 10 to account for interindividual variability, an amount of 400 mg/day of betaine in addition to the background exposure is considered as safe. The Panelconsiders that the NF is safe to be used at maximum intake of 400 mg/day in the target population

Safety of whey basic protein isolate for extended uses in foods for special medical purposes and food supplements for infants pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

In 2018, the EFSA Panel&nbsp;on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) concluded that whey basic protein isolate obtained by ion exchange chromatography from skimmed cow's milk is safe for human consumption under the proposed conditions of use as infant and follow on formula, meal replacement beverages, foods for special medical purposes and food supplements. Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA NDA Panel&nbsp;was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on whey basic protein isolate for extended uses in foods for special medical purposes and food supplements for infants as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The applicant seeks to extend the conditions of use to infant (powder 30&nbsp;mg/100&nbsp;g and reconstituted 3.9&nbsp;mg/100&nbsp;mL) and follow on formulae (powdered 30&nbsp;mg/100&nbsp;g and reconstituted 4.2&nbsp;mg/100&nbsp;mL) as foods for special medical purposes as well as in food supplements for infants (25&nbsp;mg/day). The Panel&nbsp;considers that the proposed extended uses would not increase the potential intake of the NF compared to that assessed in its 2018 opinion. The Panel&nbsp;concludes that whey basic protein isolate is safe at the extended uses and use levels