A tool for sustainability impact assessment (ToSIA)of forest-wood chains linked with a database of sustainability indicators collected within the EFORWOOD project

Within the EFORWOOD project new approaches to assess the sustainability impacts of forest-wood chains (FWC) using indicators of environmental, social and economic sustainability were developed

Optimized annealing of traveling salesman problem from the nth-nearest-neighbor distribution

We report a new statistical general property in traveling salesman problem, that the $n$th-nearest-neighbor distribution of optimal tours verifies with very high accuracy an exponential decay as a function of the order of neighbor $n$. With defining the energy function as the deviation $\lambda$ from this exponential decay, which is different to the tour length $d$ in normal annealing processes, we propose a distinct highly optimized annealing scheme which is performed in $\lambda$-space and $d$-space by turns. The simulation results of some standard traveling salesman problems in TSPLIB95 are presented. It is shown that our annealing recipe is superior to the canonical simulated annealing.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, preprin

Prediction model of alcohol intoxication from facial temperature dynamics based on K-means clustering driven by evolutionary computing

Alcohol intoxication is a significant phenomenon, affecting many social areas, including work procedures or car driving. Alcohol causes certain side effects including changing the facial thermal distribution, which may enable the contactless identification and classification of alcohol-intoxicated people. We adopted a multiregional segmentation procedure to identify and classify symmetrical facial features, which reliably reflects the facial-temperature variations while subjects are drinking alcohol. Such a model can objectively track alcohol intoxication in the form of a facial temperature map. In our paper, we propose the segmentation model based on the clustering algorithm, which is driven by the modified version of the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) evolutionary optimization with the goal of facial temperature features extraction from the IR (infrared radiation) images. This model allows for a definition of symmetric clusters, identifying facial temperature structures corresponding with intoxication. The ABC algorithm serves as an optimization process for an optimal cluster's distribution to the clustering method the best approximate individual areas linked with gradual alcohol intoxication. In our analysis, we analyzed a set of twenty volunteers, who had IR images taken to reflect the process of alcohol intoxication. The proposed method was represented by multiregional segmentation, allowing for classification of the individual spatial temperature areas into segmentation classes. The proposed method, besides single IR image modelling, allows for dynamical tracking of the alcohol-temperature features within a process of intoxication, from the sober state up to the maximum observed intoxication level.Web of Science118art. no. 99

A smart sewer asset information model to enable an ‘Internet of Things’ for operational wastewater management

Real-time prediction of flooding is vital for the successful future operational management of the UK sewerage network. Recent advances in smart infrastructure and the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), presents an opportunity within the wastewater sector to harness and report in real-time sewer condition data for operation management. This study presents the design and development of a prototype Smart Sewer Asset Information Model (SSAIM) for an existing sewerage network. The SSAIM, developed using Industry Foundation Class version 4 (IFC4) an open neutral data format for BIM, incorporates distributed smart sensors to enable real-time monitoring and reporting of sewer asset performance. Results describe an approach for sensor data analysis to facilitate the real-time prediction of flooding

Quel avenir pour les politiques de développement régional au Québec ? (Version mise à jour le 9 août 2004)

This document presents a detailed analysis of the regional development issue in Quebec. First, it includes an analysis of the available regional economic data, which confirms the relative decline of "peripheral" regions versus "central" regions. A critical survey of regional policies enforced during the XXth century and of regional development theories that inspired them is then presented. The authors also survey contemporary regional policies and institutions in Quebec and provide an overview of the situation elsewhere in Canada and of some international experiences. Towards suggesting policy prescriptions, the authors introduce regional policy issues that are relevant at the beginning of the XXIst century and the multiple lessons that can be drawn from the economic literature. They discuss the "regional-international" paradigm and the two major approaches to regional development - "place prosperity" and "people prosperity". The authors conclude by proposing a regional policy that covers all Quebec regions, differentiating between "peripheral" regions, the metropolitan region of Montreal and the "adjacent-metropolitan" region of Montreal. (Revised version on August 9th 2004 with a new Figure 14) Ce document présente une analyse détaillée de la problématique du développement régional au Québec. Il comprend d'abord une analyse des données économiques régionales disponibles, qui confirme le déclin relatif des régions « périphériques » par rapport aux régions « centrales ». Une recension critique des politiques régionales appliquées au cours du XXe siècle et des théories du développement régional qui les ont inspirées est ensuite présentée. Les auteurs brossent également le tableau des politiques et institutions régionales contemporaines au Québec et offrent un survol de la situation ailleurs au Canada et de quelques expériences internationales. Avec pour objectif d'effectuer des recommandations aux gouvernements, les auteurs présentent les enjeux des politiques régionales au début du XXIe siècle ainsi que les multiples enseignements de la littérature économique dans ce domaine. Le paradigme « régional-international » et l'opposition entre les deux grandes approches de développement régional - la « prospérité des lieux » et la « prospérité des individus » - sont discutés. Les auteurs suggèrent enfin une politique régionale concernant l'ensemble du territoire québécois et différenciée entre les régions « périphériques », la région métropolitaine de Montréal et la région « métropolitaine-adjacente » de Montréal. (Version mise à jour le 9 août 2004 afin de corriger une erreur de manipulation de données à la figure 14 et dans le texte s’y rapportant)regional development, regional policy, peripheral regions, regional disparities, urbanisation, développement régional, politiques régionales, régions périphériques, disparités régionales, urbanisation

Dipeptidylpeptidase IV (CD26) defines leukemic stem cells (LSC) in chronic myeloid leukemia

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a stem cell (SC) neoplasm characterized by the BCR/ABL1 oncogene. Although mechanisms of BCR/ABL1-induced transformation are well-defined, little is known about effector-molecules contributing to malignant expansion and the extramedullary spread of leukemic SC (LSC) in CML. We have identified the cytokine-targeting surface enzyme dipeptidylpeptidase-IV (DPPIV/CD26) as a novel, specific and pathogenetically relevant biomarker of CD34+/CD38─ CML LSC. In functional assays, CD26 was identified as target enzyme disrupting the SDF-1-CXCR4-axis by cleaving SDF-1, a chemotaxin recruiting CXCR4+ SC. CD26 was not detected on normal SC or LSC in other hematopoietic malignancies. Correspondingly, CD26+ LSC decreased to low or undetectable levels during successful treatment with imatinib. CD26+ CML LSC engrafted NOD-SCID-IL-2Rγ−/− (NSG) mice with BCR/ABL1+ cells, whereas CD26─ SC from the same patients produced multilineage BCR/ABL1– engraftment. Finally, targeting of CD26 by gliptins suppressed the expansion of BCR/ABL1+ cells. Together, CD26 is a new biomarker and target of CML LSC. CD26 expression may explain the abnormal extramedullary spread of CML LSC, and inhibition of CD26 may revert abnormal LSC function and support curative treatment approaches in this malignancy

Experimental strategies for the investigation of low temperature properties in granitic and pegmatitic melts

The physical behavior of silicate melts during the final stages of intrusion in the earth's crust are poorly understood. In particular, the low temperature limit of igneous petrogenesis is poorly constrained. The extreme differentiates of granitic magmatism that lead to pegmatite genesis span a very large range of composition not normally considered to be within the domain of igneous melt compositions. This combination of very low petrogenetic temperatures and extreme chemistries requires a concentrated effort for the determination of melt properties under conditions of pressure, temperature and composition appropriate to these systems. An experimental strategy for the determination of melt properties under appropriate conditions is presented. The determination of individual melt properties at very low temperatures is described with the aid of three examples, heat capacity, volume and viscosity. In this way the physical behavior of an important component of the earth's crust will become accessible

Discovery of the Vanadium Isotopes

Twenty-four vanadium isotopes have so far been observed; the discovery of these isotopes is discussed. For each isotope a brief summary of the first refereed publication, including the production and identification method, is presented.Comment: to be published in At. Data. Nucl. Data Table

Discovery of the Cobalt Isotopes

Twenty-six cobalt isotopes have so far been observed; the discovery of these isotopes is discussed. For each isotope a brief summary of the first refereed publication, including the production and identification method, is presented.Comment: to be published in Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Table

Stainless steel made to rust: a robust water-splitting catalyst with benchmark characteristics

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is known as the efficiency-limiting step for the electrochemical cleavage of water mainly due to the large overpotentials commonly used materials on the anode side cause. Since Ni–Fe oxides reduce overpotentials occurring in the OER dramatically they are regarded as anode materials of choice for the electrocatalytically driven water-splitting reaction. We herewith show that a straightforward surface modification carried out with AISI 304, a general purpose austenitic stainless steel, very likely, based upon a dissolution mechanism, to result in the formation of an ultra-thin layer consisting of Ni, Fe oxide with a purity >99%. The Ni enriched thin layer firmly attached to the steel substrate is responsible for the unusual highly efficient anodic conversion of water into oxygen as demonstrated by the low overpotential of 212 mV at 12 mA cm−2 current density in 1 M KOH, 269.2 mV at 10 mA cm−2 current density in 0.1 M KOH respectively. The Ni, Fe-oxide layer formed on the steel creates a stable outer sphere, and the surface oxidized steel samples proved to be inert against longer operating times (>150 ks) in alkaline medium. In addition Faradaic efficiency measurements performed through chronopotentiometry revealed a charge to oxygen conversion close to 100%, thus underpinning the conclusion that no “inner oxidation” based on further oxidation of the metal matrix below the oxide layer occurs. These key figures achieved with an almost unrivalled-inexpensive and unrivalled-accessible material, are among the best ever presented activity characteristics for the anodic water-splitting reaction at pH 13