Bipolarity in the querying of temporal databases

A database represents part of reality by containing data representing properties of real objects or concepts. To many real-world concepts or objects, time is an essential aspect and thus it should often be (implicitly) represented by databases, making these temporal databases. However, like other data, the time-related data in such databases may also contain imperfections such as uncertainties. One of the main purposes of a database is to allow the retrieval of information or knowledge deduced from its data, which is often done by querying the database. Because users may have both positive and negative preferences, they may want to query a database in a bipolar way. Moreover, their demands may have some temporal aspects. In this paper, a novel technique is presented, to query a valid-time relation containing uncertain valid-time data in a heterogeneously bipolar way, allowing every elementary query constraint a specific temporal constraint

A Relational Model for the Possibilistic Valid-time Approach

In real world, it is very common that some objects or concepts have properties with a time-variant or timerelated nature. Modelling this kind of objects or concepts in a (relational) database schema is possible, but time-variant and time-related attributes have an impact on the consistency of the entire database and must be appropriately managed. Therefore, temporal database models have been proposed to deal with this problem in the literature. Time can be affected by imprecision, vagueness and / or uncertainty, since existing time measuring devices are inherently imperfect. Additionally, human beings manage time using temporal indications and temporal notions, which may also be imprecise. However, the imperfection in human-used temporal indications is supported by human interpretation, whereas information systems need appropriate support in order to accomplish this task. Several proposals for dealing with such imperfections when modelling temporal data exist. Some of these proposals transform the temporal data into a compact representation but there is not a formal model for managing and handling uncertainty regarding temporal information. In this work we present a novel model to deal with imprecision in valid-time databases together with the definition and implementation of the data manipulation language, DML.Junta de Andalucia P07-TIC-03175 BES-2009-013805 TIN2008-0206

Aspects of dealing with imperfect data in temporal databases

In reality, some objects or concepts have properties with a time-variant or time-related nature. Modelling these kinds of objects or concepts in a (relational) database schema is possible, but time-variant and time-related attributes have an impact on the consistency of the entire database. Therefore, temporal database models have been proposed to deal with this. Time itself can be at the source of imprecision, vagueness and uncertainty, since existing time measuring devices are inherently imperfect. Accordingly, human beings manage time using temporal indications and temporal notions, which may contain imprecision, vagueness and uncertainty. However, the imperfection in human-used temporal indications is supported by human interpretation, whereas information systems need extraordinary support for this. Several proposals for dealing with such imperfections when modelling temporal aspects exist. Some of these proposals consider the basis of the system to be the conversion of the specificity of temporal notions between used temporal expressions. Other proposals consider the temporal indications in the used temporal expressions to be the source of imperfection. In this chapter, an overview is given, concerning the basic concepts and issues related to the modelling of time as such or in (relational) database models and the imperfections that may arise during or as a result of this modelling. Next to this, a novel and currently researched technique for handling some of these imperfections is presented

A new set of DNA macrochips for the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae: features and uses

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been widely used for the implementation of DNA chip technologies. For this reason and due to the extensive use of this organism for basic and applied studies, yeast DNA chips are being used by many laboratories for expression or genomic analyses. While membrane arrays (macroarrays) offer several advantages, for many laboratories they are not affordable. Here we report that a cluster of four Spanish molecular-biology yeast laboratories, with relatively small budgets, have developed a complete set of probes for the genome of S. cerevisiae. These have been used to produce a new type of macroarray on a nylon surface. The macroarrays have been evaluated and protocols for their use have been [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

A Practical Example on Uncertainty Evaluation: Spectrophotometric Determination of pKa

A practical example, focused on the evaluation of uncertainty and its propagation in spectrophotometric determination of ionization constants, is proposed in this work. The Hildebrand - Reilley method has been used in order to calculate the acetaminofen pKa value. After applying this method a linear relationship between pH and a logarithmic term depending on absorbances, was established. The value of pKa is obtained as the intercept of this straight-line and its error is evaluated from least squares calculations. As errors in both variables have to be considered, weighted least squares (WLS) must be used. The evaluation of uncertainty in pH measurements was carried out according to IUPAC recommendations in the case of glass electrode with two calibration standards. The uncertainty contributions of absorbance and work standard concentration, evaluated according to GUM, have been propagated to Hildebrand – Reilley expression in order to obtain the errors to be used in WLS calculations. Due to the different topics included in this tutorial, it can be considered as a useful tool for training people learning about the evaluation of uncertainty in measurements and its propagation

Intensification of low-temperature drying by using ultrasound

[EN] The main aim of this work was to test the feasibility of power ultrasound to intensify low-temperature drying processes. For this purpose, the convective drying kinetics of carrot, eggplant, and apple cubes (side 10 mm) were carried out at atmospheric pressure, 2 m/s, 14 C, and 7% relative humidity with (acoustic power 19.5 kW/m3) and without ultrasound application. Under the same experimental conditions, kinetics studies of ethanol removal from a solid matrix were also performed. Diffusion models were used to describe drying curves and identify kinetic parameters in order to evaluate and quantify the process intensification attained by ultrasound application. The effect of ultrasound application was similar for all products tested; that is, the drying time was shortened between 65 and 70%. In the case of ethanol removal, the time reduction achieved by ultrasound application was 55%. The mass transfer coefficient and effective moisture diffusivity increased by 96 to 170% and by 407 to 428%, respectively, when ultrasound was appliedThe authors acknowledge financial support from the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Spain under Projects DPI2009-14549-C04-01 and DPI2009-14549-C04-04. Moreover, the authors acknowledge the contribution of Eng. Ramon Pena, Cesar Ozuna, and Juan V. Santacalina in the experimental work and development of the new drying device.García Pérez, JV.; Carcel Carrión, JA.; Riera, E.; Rossello Matas, C.; Mulet Pons, A. (2012). Intensification of low-temperature drying by using ultrasound. Drying Technology. 30(11-12):1199-1208. doi:10.1080/07373937.2012.675533S119912083011-1

L-Arginine and beetroot extract supplementation in the prevention of sarcopenia

Producción CientíficaAging is associated with a significant decline in neuromuscular function, leading to a reduction in muscle mass and strength. The aim of the present report was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with nitric oxide precursors (l-arginine and beetroot extract) in muscular function during a training period of 6 weeks in elderly men and women. The study (double-blind, placebo-controlled) involved 66 subjects randomly divided into three groups: placebo, arginine-supplemented and beetroot extract-supplemented. At the end of this period, no changes in anthropometric parameters were observed. Regarding other circulating parameters, urea levels were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in women of the beetroot-supplemented group (31.6 ± 5.9 mg/dL) compared to placebo (41.3 ± 8.5 mg/dL) after 6 weeks of training. In addition, the circulating creatine kinase activity, as an index of muscle functionality, was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in women of the arginine- (214.1 ± 162.2 mIU/L) compared to the beetroot-supplemented group (84.4 ± 36.8 mIU/L) at the end of intervention. No significant effects were noticed with l-arginine or beetroot extract supplementation regarding strength, endurance and SPPB index. Only beetroot extract supplementation improved physical fitness significantly (p < 0.05) in the sprint exercise in men after 6 weeks (2.33 ± 0.59 s) compared to the baseline (2.72 ± 0.41 s). In conclusion, beetroot seems to be more efficient during short-term training while supplementing, preserving muscle functionality in women (decreased levels of circulating creatine kinase) and with modest effects in men.Caja Rural de Soria e Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante (ISABIAL) - (Grant 190290

Tuberculine reaction measured by infrared thermography

Setting: The infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis gives a delayed immune response, measured by the tuberculine skin test. We present a new technique for evaluation based on automatic detection and measurement of skin temperature due to infrared emission.; Design: 34 subjects (46.8+/-16.9 years) (12/22, M/F) with suspected tuberculosis disease were examined with an IR thermal camera, 48h after tuberculin skin injection.; Results: In 20 subjects, IR analysis was positive for tuberculine test. Mean temperature of injection area was higher, around 1 degrees C, for the positive group (36.2+/-1.1 degrees C positive group; 35.1+/-1.6 degrees C negative group, p < 0.02 T test for unpaired groups).; Conclusion: IR image analysis achieves similar estimation of tuberculin reaction as the visual evaluation, based on higher temperature due to increased heat radiation from the skin lesion.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Calorie Restriction Improves Physical Performance and Modulates the Antioxidant and Inflammatory Responses to Acute Exercise

Our aim was to characterize the effects of calorie restriction on the anthropometric characteristics and physical performance of sportsmen and to evaluate the effects of calorie restriction and acute exercise on mitochondria energetics, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Twenty volunteer taekwondo practitioners undertook a calorie restriction of 30–40% on three alternate days a week for one month. Eleven volunteer sportsmen participated as controls. Both groups performed an energy efficiency test to evaluate physical performance, and samples were taken before and after exercise. The total weight of participants significantly decreased (5.9%) after calorie restriction, while the efficiency of work and the contributions of fat to obtain energy were enhanced by calorie restriction. No significant differences induced by acute exercise were observed in individual non-esterified fatty acid percentage or oxidative stress markers. Calorie restriction downregulated the basal gene expression of nitric oxide synthase, antioxidant enzymes, mitochondrial uncoupling proteins, and repairing stress proteins, but it enhanced the expression of sirtuins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In conclusion, one month of calorie restriction decreases body weight and increases physical performance, enhancing energy efficiency, moderating the antioxidant and inflammatory basal gene expression, and influencing its response to acute exercise.This research was funded by Acción Estratégica en Salud del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación DPS2008-07033-C03-03, Program of Promotion of Biomedical Research and Health Sciences, Projects 11/01791, Red Predimed-RETIC RD06/0045/1004, CIBEROBN CB12/03/30038, and Balearic Island Government (35/2011 and 23/2012) and FEDER funds. X.C. was funded by a FOLIUM program of Institut d’Investigació Sanitària de les Illes Balears. M.H.L. was founded by APOSTD/2017/023 fellowship from Generalitat Valenciana to APS