The Crossbyton project

The Analog Design Verification System (ADVS), the largest single solar collector built, was tested. Referred to as the Solar Gridiron or Bowl Concept, it employs a stationary mirror, with tracking accomplished by the mirror

Data-driven Design of Engineering Processes with COREPROModeler

Enterprises increasingly demand IT support for the coordination of their engineering processes, which often consist of hundreds up to thousands of sub-processes. From a technical viewpoint, these sub-processes have to be concurrently executed and synchronized considering numerous interdependencies. So far, this coordination has mainly been accomplished manually, which has resulted in errors and inconsistencies. In order to deal with this problem, we have to better understand the interdependencies between the subprocesses to be coordinated. In particular, we can benefit from the fact that sub-processes are often correlated to the assembly of a product (represented by a product data structure). This information can be utilized for the modeling and execution of so-called data-driven process structures. In this paper, we present the COREPRO demonstrator that supports the data-driven modeling of these process structures. The approach explicitly establishes a close linkage between product data structures and engineering processes

Análise da rentabilidade dos sistemas empresarial e familiar de produção de pêssego no sul do Rio Grande do Sul.

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Sclerostin does not play a major role in the pathogenesis of skeletal complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus

In contrast to previously reported elevations in serum sclerostin levels in diabetic patients, the present study shows that the impaired bone microarchitecture and cellular turnover associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-like conditions in ZDF rats are not correlated with changes in serum and bone sclerostin expression. INTRODUCTION: T2DM is associated with impaired skeletal structure and a higher prevalence of bone fractures. Sclerostin, a negative regulator of bone formation, is elevated in serum of diabetic patients. We aimed to relate changes in bone architecture and cellular activities to sclerostin production in the Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat. METHODS: Bone density and architecture were measured by micro-CT and bone remodelling by histomorphometry in tibiae and femurs of 14-week-old male ZDF rats and lean Zucker controls (n = 6/group). RESULTS: ZDF rats showed lower trabecular bone mineral density and bone mass compared to controls, due to decreases in bone volume and thickness, along with impaired bone connectivity and cortical bone geometry. Bone remodelling was impaired in diabetic rats, demonstrated by decreased bone formation rate and increased percentage of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclastic surfaces. Serum sclerostin levels (ELISA) were higher in ZDF compared to lean rats at 9 weeks (+40 %, p < 0.01), but this difference disappeared as their glucose control deteriorated and by week 14, ZDF rats had lower sclerostin levels than control rats (-44 %, p < 0.0001). Bone sclerostin mRNA (qPCR) and protein (immunohistochemistry) were similar in ZDF, and lean rats at 14 weeks and genotype did not affect the number of empty osteocytic lacunae in cortical and trabecular bone. CONCLUSION: T2DM results in impaired skeletal architecture through altered remodelling pathways, but despite altered serum levels, it does not appear that sclerostin contributes to the deleterious effect of T2DM in rat bone

Pan-European grading scales: lessons from national systems and the ECTS

This article assesses the impact of the Bologna Process on the grading schemes of EU member countries. In light of some problems regarding the implementation of the European Credit Transfer system (ECTS), the author proposes further reforms and offers some elements of a unified grading system for European higher education. The author explores the variation among Europe’s grading systems and the resulting lessons learned are shared here. Lastly, this article also argues that principles of justice and fairness, deemed central to academic freedom, are best upheld by the use of a unified grading system at national and European levels

Technical Note: Characterisation of a DUALER instrument for the airborne measurement of peroxy radicals during AMMA 2006

A DUALER (dual-channel airborne peroxy radical chemical amplifier) instrument has been developed and optimised for the airborne measurement of the total sum of peroxy radicals during the AMMA (African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses) measurement campaign which took place in Burkina Faso in August 2006. The innovative feature of the instrument is that both reactors are sampling simultaneously from a common pre-reactor nozzle while the whole system is kept at a constant pressure to ensure more signal stability and accuracy. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Laboratory experiments were conducted to characterise the stability of the NO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; detector signal and the chain length with the pressure. The results show that airborne measurements using chemical amplification require constant pressure at the luminol detector. Wall losses of main peroxy radicals HO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; and CH&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; were investigated. The chain length was experimentally determined for different ambient mixtures and compared with simulations performed by a chemical box model. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The DUALER instrument was successfully mounted within the German DLR-Falcon. The analysis of AMMA data utilises a validation procedure based on the O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; mixing ratios simultaneously measured onboard. The validation and analysis procedure is illustrated by means of the data measured during the AMMA campaign. The detection limit and the accuracy of the ambient measurements are also discussed

Rotational Diffusion in a Chain of Particles

We study the coupled rotational diffusion in a two-particle chain on the basis of a Smoluchowski equation and calculate time-correlation functions that are measurable in an experiment. This might be used to explore hydrodynamic interactions in the limit where lubrication theory is valid.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, to be published in J. Phys.: Condens. Matte

Does adult ADHD interact with COMT val 158 met genotype to influence working memory performance?

Peer reviewedPostprin