Non-linear observability of activated sludge process models

The main contribution of this paper is to present a non-linear observability analysis method of Activated Sludge Models (ASM), which are used in many control applications. The objective is to reduce the unobservable ASM1 model to an observable one that can be used to implement advanced estimation algorithms. Local observability is achieved under certain operating conditions but failed at some points in the whole domain of definition. Furthermore, piece-wise observability rank test is also performed with three measurements and compared with non-linear observability. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the proposed method. Copyright © 2005 IFA

On an application of extended kalman filtering to activated sludge processes: a benchmark study

The growing demand for performance improvements of urban wastewater system operation coupled with the lack of instrumentation in most wastewater treatment plants motivates the need for non-linear observers to be used as virtual sensors for estimation and control of effluent quality. This paper is focused on the development of a general procedure for on-line monitoring of activated sludge processes, using an extended Kalman filter (EKF) approach. The Activated Sludge Model no.1 (ASM1) is selected to describe the biological processes in the reactor. On-line measurements are corrupted by additive white noise and unknown inputs are modelled using fast Fourier transform (FFT) and spectrum analyses. The given procedure aims at reducing the original ASM1 model to an observable and identifiable model, which can be used for joint non-linear state and parameter estimations. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods and show that on-line monitoring of SND and XND concentrations is achieved when dynamic input data are used tocharacterize the influent wastewater for the model

A strontium isoscape of Italy for provenance studies

We present a novel database of biological and geological 87Sr/86Sr values (n = 1920) from Italy, using literature data and newly analysed samples, for provenance purposes. We collected both bioavailable and non-bioavailable (i.e. rocks and bulk soils) data to attain a broader view of the Sr isotope variability of the Italian territory. These data were used to build isotope variability maps, namely isoscapes, through Kriging interpolations. We employed two different Kriging models, namely Ordinary Kriging and Universal Kriging, with a geolithological map of Italy categorized in isotope classes as external predictor. Model performances were evaluated through a 10-fold cross validation, yielding accurate 87Sr/86Sr predictions with root mean squared errors (RMSE) ranging between 0.0020 and 0.0024, dependent on the Kriging model and the sample class. Overall, the produced maps highlight a heterogeneous distribution of the 87Sr/86Sr across Italy, with the highest radiogenic values (>0.71) mainly localized in three areas, namely the Alps (Northern Italy), the Tuscany/Latium (Central Italy) and Calabria/Sicily (Southern Italy) magmatic/metamorphic terrains. The rest of the peninsula is characterized by values ranging between 0.707 and 0.710, mostly linked to sedimentary geological units of mixed nature. Finally, we took advantage of the case study of Fratta Polesine, to underscore the importance of choosing appropriate samples when building the local isoscape and of exploring different end-members when interpreting the local Sr isotope variability in mobility and provenance studies. Our user-friendly maps and database are freely accessible through the Geonode platform and will be updated over time to offer a state-of-the-art reference in mobility and provenance studies across the Italian landscape

Automated glycan assembly of peptidoglycan backbone fragments

We report the automated glycan assembly (AGA) of different oligosaccharide fragments of the bacterial peptidoglycan (PGN) backbone. Iterative addition on a solid support of an acetyl glucosamine and a new muramic acid building block is followed by cleavage from the solid support and final deprotection providing 10 oligosaccharides up to six units

Atypical depressive syndromes in varying definitions

Background: Atypical depression (AD) exhibits distinct patterns of gender,bipolar-II disorder, genetic, and neuro-biological measures. Using prospective data from a community sample, this paper identifies criteria (and correlates) for an AD syndrome that maximizes the association with female sex and bipolar-II. Methods: The Zurich cohort study is composed of 591 subjects selected from a population-based cohort of young adults in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland, screened in 1978 and followed with six interviews through 1999. Seven definitions of atypical depression were tested, using varying combinations of vegetative symptoms and mood reactivity. Results: The atypical definitions using 2 of 3 (fatigue, overeating, oversleeping) or 2 of 2 (overeating, oversleeping) vegetative symptoms showed the strongest association with gender, bipolarity, and family history of mania. The 2/3 definition was chosen for further analysis due to its high sensitivity for identifying these characteristics. This syndrome had cumulated weighted prevalence of 16.4% (males 9.7%, females 23%); when associated with major depressive episodes, 8.2% (males 3.2%, females 15.1%). AD patients were characterized by high treatment rates, severity, and work impairment, early age of onset and long illness. AD was comorbid with social phobia, binge eating, neurasthenia, migraine headache, and subjective cognitive impairmen

Angiogenesis in Spontaneous Tumors and Implications for Comparative Tumor Biology.

Blood supply is essential for development and growth of tumors and angiogenesis is the fundamental process of new blood vessel formation from preexisting ones. Angiogenesis is a prognostic indicator for a variety of tumors, and it coincides with increased shedding of neoplastic cells into the circulation and metastasis. Several molecules such as cell surface receptors, growth factors, and enzymes are involved in this process. While antiangiogenic therapy for cancer has been proposed over 20 years ago, it has garnered much controversy in recent years within the scientific community. The complex relationships between the angiogenic signaling cascade and antiangiogenic substances have indicated the angiogenic pathway as a valid target for anticancer drug development and VEGF has become the primary antiangiogenic drug target. This review discusses the basic and clinical perspectives of angiogenesis highlighting the importance of comparative biology in understanding tumor angiogenesis and the integration of these model systems for future drug development

The Mood Disorder Questionnaire improves recognition of bipolar disorder in psychiatric care

BACKGROUND: We investigated our translation of The Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) as a screening instrument for bipolar disorder in a psychiatric setting in Finland. METHODS: In a pilot study for the Jorvi Bipolar Study (JoBS), 109 consecutive non-schizophrenic psychiatric out- and inpatients in Espoo, Finland, were screened for bipolar disorder using the Finnish translation of the MDQ, and 38 of them diagnostically interviewed with the SCID. RESULTS: Forty subjects (37%) were positive in the MDQ screen. In the SCID interview, twenty patients were found to suffer from bipolar disorder, of whom seven (70%) of ten patients with bipolar I but only two (20%) of ten with bipolar II disorder had been previously clinically correctly diagnosed. The translated MDQ was found internally consistent (alpha 0.79) and a feasible screening tool. CONCLUSIONS: Bipolar disorder, particularly type II, remains commonly unrecognized in psychiatric settings. The Mood Disorder Questionnaire is a feasible screen for bipolar disorder, which could well be integrated into psychiatric routine practice