Development of the traceability system in the viticultural sector of Romania for improving food safety

Traceability in a food sector can be obtained by developing traceability systems. These systems refer to recording all important data referring to the evolution of a product along the production and supply chain. The benefits derived from the application of this model are great for those involved in the wine production chain (producer, processor and distributor), and for the consumers’ health. Thus, consumers are certain of the safety of the wines they buy, and their right for free choice is ensured by the transparency of the production and marketing chain. Wine producers and processors are more efficient from the viewpoint of products logistics. They might receive fewer complaints from consumers and apply the socalled due diligence defense – the proof they fulfilled their tasks, and they could finally use traceability in marketing to differentiate the products. The benefits for a better protection of public health and traceability help preventing frauds, when the authenticity of certain wines cannot be traced by analyses

In-beam fast-timing measurements in 103,105,107Cd

Fast-timing measurements were performed recently in the region of the medium-mass 103,105,107Cd isotopes, produced in fusion evaporation reactions. Emitted gamma-rays were detected by eight HPGe and five LaBr3:Ce detectors working in coincidence. Results on new and re-evaluated half-lives are discussed within a systematic of transition rates. The $7/2_1^+$ states in 103,105,107Cd are interpreted as arising from a single-particle excitation. The half-life analysis of the $11/2_1^-$ states in 103,105,107Cd shows no change in the single-particle transition strength as a function of the neutron number

Fast-timing measurements in 95,96Mo

Half-lives of the 19/2+ and 21/2+ states in 95Mo and of the 8+ and 10+ states in 96Mo were measured. Matrix elements for yrast transitions in 95Mo and 96Mo are discussed.Comment: Proceedings of XIX International School on Nuclear Physics, Neutron Physics and Applications, Varna, Bulgaria, 2011, 5 pages, 6 figure

Quantum phase transitions in the interacting boson model

This review is focused on various properties of quantum phase transitions (QPTs) in the Interacting Boson Model (IBM) of nuclear structure. The model in its infinite-size limit exhibits shape-phase transitions between spherical, deformed prolate, and deformed oblate forms of the ground state. Finite-size precursors of such behavior are verified by robust variations of nuclear properties (nuclear masses, excitation energies, transition probabilities for low lying levels) across the chart of nuclides. Simultaneously, the model serves as a theoretical laboratory for studying diverse general features of QPTs in interacting many-body systems, which differ in many respects from lattice models of solid-state physics. We outline the most important fields of the present interest: (a) The coexistence of first- and second-order phase transitions supports studies related to the microscopic origin of the QPT phenomena. (b) The competing quantum phases are characterized by specific dynamical symmetries and novel symmetry related approaches are developed to describe also the transitional dynamical domains. (c) In some parameter regions, the QPT-like behavior can be ascribed also to individual excited states, which is linked to the thermodynamic and classical descriptions of the system. (d) The model and its phase structure can be extended in many directions: by separating proton and neutron excitations, considering odd-fermion degrees of freedom or different particle-hole configurations, by including other types of bosons, higher order interactions, and by imposing external rotation. All these aspects of IBM phase transitions are relevant in the interpretation of experimental data and important for a fundamental understanding of the QPT phenomenon.Comment: a review article, 71 pages, 18 figure

An Integrated Dashboard and Balanced Scorecard Solution

Access to information has always been a stringent necessity for any organization. This necessity has become more stringent in the actual economic context, as decisions must be taken in the shortest time. That is why since, the early sixties, the Decision Support Systems appeared. These have evolved together with the client-server technology, during the eighties, towards the today’s Executive Support Systems. Nowadays, these systems tend to be replaced by Dashboards and Balanced Scorecards (BSC), which fulfill the more and more sophisticated and growing information needs of the decision factors. In this article, we shall present an integrated solution for creating dashboards and scorecards using an enterprise portal. In the same time, we will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of a such integrated solution vs. independent solution

NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER IN PREGNANCY

Bell facial paralysis association with pregnancy pathology is quite rare in practice, but reported to the cases outside gestation it is 2 times more frequent, which was why we decided to present this case. In the presented case, we note that the neurological pathology was revealed in a patient, aged 34 years and located in 34 weeks gestation with pregnancy-induced hypertension which was presented accusing facial asymmetry insidiously installed. The treatment was agreed between the obstetrician and the neurologist. Birth was conducted in normal dynamic parameters, evolving naturally with a good fetal and maternal prognosis. Further development of the peripheral facial paralysis was slowly favorable, with a partial remission 3 weeks later. A year and a half after this episode that took place during the gestation, the neurological and clinical examination revealed the persistence of a discrete facial asymmetries

CONVULSIVE SYNDROME IN ECLAMPSIA AND EPILEPSY IN PARTURITION UNDER 30 YEARS OF AGE

The convulsive syndrome in eclampsia and epilepsy is often a major complication in obstetrics. If eclampsia is a pathology of gestation, epilepsy is a pre-existing pathology of pregnancy. Epilepsy can be aggravated by the presence of preeclampsia and eclampsia in both terms of fetal-placental units, frequency of convulsions. Obstetrical behaviour at birth by caesarean surgery or vaginal delivery with or without applying forceps should be chosen so as not to delay maternal and fetal prognosis. Epileptic patients have a higher risk of developing complications in pregnancy, by increasing maternal morbidity due to seizures, coma, birth bleeding or caesarean section, pelvi-genic hematoma, infections. The extraction of the fetuses was performed by caesarean surgery and forceps application. The immediate maternal and fetal, vital and functional prognosis was good. We recommended ablation in epileptic patients and administration of anticonvulsant treatment. The objective of the paper is represented by the study of the neuro-convulsive syndrome in eclampsia, epilepsy and in the association of the preeclampsia – epilepsy, the difference between the three entities and the therapeutic medical and obstetrical attitude for a good materno-fetal prognostic

Nanostructuring Strategies for Silicon‐based Anodes in Lithium‐ion Batteries: Tuning Areal Silicon Loading, SEI Formation/Irreversible Capacity Loss, Rate Capability Retention and Electrode Durability

International audienceSilicon is one of the most promising anode materials for Lithium-ion batteries. Silicon endures volume changes upon cycling, which leads to subsequent pulverization and capacity fading. These drawbacks lead to a poor lifespan and hamper the commercialization of silicon anodes. In this work, a hybrid nanostructured anode based on silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) anchored on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) with defined spacing to accommodate volumetric changes is synthesized on commercial macroscopic current collector. Achieving electrodes with good stability and excellent electrochemical properties remain a challenge. Therefore, we herein tune the active silicon areal loading either through the modulation of the SiNPs volume by changing the silicon deposition time at a fixed VACNTs carpet length or through the variation of the VACNT length at a fixed SiNPs volume. The low areal loading of SiNPs improves capacity stability during cycling but triggers large irreversible capacity losses due to the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer. By contrast, higher areal loading electrode reduces the quantity of the SEI formed, but negatively impacts the capacity stability of the electrode during the subsequent cycles. A higher gravimetric capacity and higher areal loading mass of silicon is achieved via an increase of VACNTs carpet length without compromising cycling stability. This hybrid nanostructured electrode shows an excellent stability with reversible capacity of 1330 mAh g-1 after 2000 cycles

Assessment tools analysis of work-related musculoskeletal disorders: strengths and limitations

Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most common occupational diseases, affecting millions of workers in the European Union and costing employers billions of euros. Researching the relationships and possibilities of optimal mutual adaptation, under given conditions, both of human to his work and of work to humans, in order to increase the technical-economic efficiency, to optimize the conditions of satisfaction, motivation and work results, while maintaining the worker’s state of health also involves, as a basic stage, the assessment of the risks of osteomuscular-articular overload. Starting from a statistical synthesis on the incidence of MSD and the characteristic types of demands, the paper systematizes in a unitary vision the categories of methods, techniques and tools available for recording and evaluating the factors of physical and postural stress of workers. The pointed description of three of the most commonly applied ergonomic risk assessment tools, aimed at developing a synthesis of Strengths-Weaknesses type, which highlights the advantages of methods in counterbalance with their limitations, providing a first basis for selection in order to apply them in the practice of companies that are aware that investing in safety means investing in profit and not losing financial resources and implicitly human, material ones