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Resumen Objetivos Se ha asociado la depresion perinatal de la madre a un vinculo madre-hijo deficiente. Se ha reportado el efecto adverso de la deficiencia de dicho vinculo. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar y comparar los sintomas depresivos posnatales y el vinculo madre-hijo en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales (UCIN), y las madres con neonatos sanos, respectivamente. Y, en segundo lugar, explorar la asociacion entre la sintomatologia depresiva y los vinculos en ambos grupos. Metodos En este estudio de casos se selecciono a madres que se encontraban en el periodo posparto temprano, que habian dado a luz en el mismo centro perinatal de Grecia. Los casos consistieron en 88 madres de neonatos que fueron hospitalizados en la UCIN y 100 controles, consistentes en madres de neonatos sanos a termino. Para la recopilacion de los datos se utilizaron cuestionarios que incluian datos demograficos y variables perinatales. Para la evaluacion del vinculo y la situacion posnatal, se utilizaron la Mother to Infant Bonding Scale, el Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire y la Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Resultados Existio una diferencia significativa entre las puntuaciones sobre el vinculo de las madres de la UCIN y el grupo control (t = –2,696, p = 0,008). Las madres de la UCIN presentaron menores puntuaciones en terminos de vinculo con los neonatos, en comparacion con el grupo control, y presentaron puntuaciones mas altas de depresion en comparacion con los controles (χ2 = 28,588, p = 0,000). Las puntuaciones sobre depresion guardaron relacion con las puntuaciones sobre vinculos en ambos grupos. Discusion El ingreso en la UCIN tiene un impacto sobre el vinculo e interactua de alguna manera con la salud mental posparto de la madre. Por ello se hace necesaria mas investigacion. Conclusiones Las madres de la UCIN se han mostrado mas vulnerables que las madres de bebes sanos, ya que han expresado un menor vinculo madre-hijo y puntuaciones mas altas de depresion. El apoyo a estas madres vulnerables y la facilitacion de vinculos madre-hijo por parte del personal de la UCIN es de la mayor importancia.

In the present work, the inorganic content of different milk samples is investigated by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique. Milk samples of different animal origin, in liquid, lyophilized powder, and ashed forms were studied using both infrared (1064 nm) and visible (532 nm) laser excitation conditions and the optimum experimental conditions for the measurement of the inorganic elements present in low concentration, were determined. Spectral features of major (Ca, Na, Mg and K) and minor minerals (P, Zn, Cu and Si) were detected and identified. The LIBS results for the different milk samples were found to correlate perfectly with the results obtained from atomic absorption measurements, demonstrating the potential of LIBS technique for the fast and in-situ qualitative characterization of the inorganic content of different animal origin milk samples.

Different streams of low-grade biomass of different origins (road side grass, miscanthus, wheat straw and spruce bark) were upgraded to reasonable quality commodity fuels by significantly reducing the alkali and chlorine content, through washing with water in a first step and torrefaction in a second. The aim was to produce a cleaner fuel with a higher energy content for further densification. The final goal was to demonstrate the improvements attained by the upgrading process during combustion using the lab-scale combustion simulator facility of ECN part of TNO. Analyses of the original, washed and washed/torrefied samples showed that approximately 90% of Cl and up to 60–80% of K can be removed by this upgrading route; during the torrefaction step Cl and S are removed from the solids; during torrefaction K and Na are not significantly altered; the pre-wash step is crucial for the removal of K. Si and Ca remain largely in the solid fraction; post-wash seems to be a viable route to upgrade dry-type of biomasses; “straw” like material requires more time for washing than “grass” type. The combustion results showed that: NOx emissions are generally decreased after upgrading; High temperature chlorine corrosion can be effectively mitigated; Fine particulate matter (submicron/aerosols) formation is strongly reduced, effectively reducing the risk of alkali induced fouling. However, slagging tests revealed that pre-washing and torrefaction has minor impact on the slagging propensity of the fuel. Only, slightly reduced slagging is observable and therefore the use of mineral combustion additives, or smart blending with other fuels in order to further mitigate the slagging risks is strongly recommended.

Coastal and offshore waters in the South China Sea are warming and becoming acidified due to rising atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), yet the combined effects of these two stressors are poorly known. Here, we carried out shipboard incubations at ambient (398 μatm) and elevated (934 μatm) pCO2 at in situ and in situ+1.8 °C temperatures and we measured primary productivity at two coastal and two offshore stations. Both warming and increased CO2 levels individually increased phytoplankton productivity at all stations, but the combination of high temperature and high CO2 did not, reflecting an antagonistic effect. Warming decreased Chl a concentrations in off-shore waters at ambient CO2, but had no effect in the coastal waters. The high CO2 treatment increased night time respiration in the coastal waters at ambient temperatures. Our findings show that phytoplankton assemblage responses to rising temperature and CO2 levels differ between coastal and offshore waters. While it is difficult to predict how ongoing warming and acidification will influence primary productivity in the South China Sea, our data imply that predicted increases in temperature and pCO2 will not boost surface phytoplankton primary productivity.

Biomass properties can be improved for heat and power applications through combined torrefaction and pelleting. Good pellet quality in terms of durability, density, moisture absorption, fines production and heating value paired with a low power consumption in the pellet mill render the densification process of torrefied materials challenging. The aim of this study is to identify the lignin components/intermediates and the corresponding mechanisms during torrefaction of wood that play a role in pelleting behaviour and pellet quality. The importance of lignin lies in its ability to act as a natural binder during densification. Structural differences caused by torrefaction of spruce and poplar (270 °C, 32–45 min) were studied by using NMR and TD-GC/MS as well as by pressing single pellets. Spruce chips were torrefied (280 °C, 35–45 min) and conditioned in steam in a pilot plant. The products were ground on a 4-mm sieve and densified in a single-pellet press, where differences in the measured responses were explained on basis of their lignin properties. The lignin was isolated from the spruce samples by organosolv fractionation and characterised in terms of amount, molecular weight distribution (SEC) and glass-transition temperature (DSC). The results of the tests and analyses indicate that torrefied softwood should be densified immediately after production. Furthermore, pellet quality of the torrefied material was found to depend on the binding ability of its lignin in the presence of moisture during densification. Additionally, storage of torrefied spruce prior to densification causes reduced binding ability of its lignin leading to pellets of lower quality.

In this paper, the generation scheduling problem for autonomous island systems with significant penetration of non-dispatchable Renewable Energy Source (RES) generation is investigated, proposing a unit commitment-economic dispatch (UC-ED) model which is fully compatible with the provisions of the regulatory framework currently applicable to the Greek non-interconnected island (NII) systems. Two UC-ED model variants are presented and comparatively assessed, in order to illustrate the impact of various system parameters (technical characteristics of the thermal units, reserve requirements, etc.) on the expected operating profile of the NII system. A detailed UC-ED model is first proposed, which takes into account the reserve requirements at different time scales (primary, secondary and tertiary reserves) and respective capabilities of generating units. An alternative, simplified UC-ED model is also presented, formulated on the basis of aggregate spinning reserves, to cater for uncertainties in the actual reserve capabilities of existing thermal units. The developed UC-ED models are applied to an existing NII system to evaluate their performance and results obtained on an annual basis.

In this work Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and absorption spectroscopy aided by machine learning are employed for discriminating some extra virgin Greek olive oils of different olive cultivars for the first time. LIBS and absorption spectra of extra virgin olive oils belonging to Kolovi and Koroneiki cultivars, as well as mixtures of them, were collected, analyzed, and used to develop classification schemes employing Linear Discriminant Analysis and Gradient Boosting, the latter allowing the determination of the most important spectral features. Both algorithms were found to provide efficient classification of the olive oil spectra with accuracies exceeding 90%. Furthermore, for the first time, the emission spectra of LIBS were fused with the absorption spectra to create predictive models and their accuracies were found to be significantly improved. This work demonstrates the enhanced capabilities of LIBS and absorption spectroscopy and the potential of their combination for olive oil quality monitoring and control.

Rosemary essential oil (REO) contains bioactives having antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. This work investigated the effect of REO combined with modified atmosphere packaging conditions (MAP), in our case, aerobic, vacuum or high O2, to extend the shelf life of beef. Beef slices were wrapped in special three-layer sheets of packaging material, some with a coating of REO (active packaging, AP), and some without REO (non active packaging, NAP), and stored at 4 °C for 20 days. The use of REO proved efficacious in every storage condition, as seen in the lower counts of psychrotrophics, Brochothrix thermosphacta, Pseudomonas spp., and Enterobacteriaceae in AP meat compared to NAP meat. Sensory and colourimetric analyses showed that the best packaging conditions were high-O2 atmosphere in combination with REO. Based on microbiological data, shelf life of beef was 5–6 days for AP samples packaged under aerobic conditions and 14–15 days for AP samples in high-O2 conditions.

Increased vascular permeability and leakage are hallmarks of several pathologies and determine disease progression and severity by facilitating inflammatory / metastatic cell infiltration. Using tissue-specific genetic ablation in endothelial cells, we have investigated in vivo the role of Tpl2, a MAP3 kinase with pleiotropic effects in inflammation and cancer. In response to pro-inflammatory stimuli, endothelial Tpl2 deletion alters Tight Junction (TJ) claudin-5 protein expression and attenuates the increase in vascular permeability, inflammatory cell infiltration and accumulation of plasma proteins. This results in significantly attenuated disease scores in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis and significantly less tumor nodules in a haematogenic lung cancer metastasis model. Accordingly, pharmacologic inhibition of Tpl2 or siRNA-mediated Tpl2 knockdown recapitulates our findings and reduces lung metastatic tumor invasions. These results establish a novel endothelial-specific role for Tpl2 in the regulation of TJ-mediated endothelial permeability and highlight the therapeutic potential of Tpl2 blockade in chronic inflammatory and metastatic diseases.

This paper presents a new network-constrained unit commitment (UC) model, which is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) optimization problem with embedded ac power flow (AC-PF) constraints. Piecewise linear AC-PF equations are formulated, which constrain the UC dispatch schedule within permissible transmission capacity and voltage deviation limits, solely by executing the main optimization problem. The proposed model is tested on a six-bus and the IEEE RTS-79 test systems, using GAMS software, whereas the obtained AC-PF results are validated against DIgSILENT/Powerfactory package. The UC schedules are comparatively assessed with detailed results presented in the relevant literature for the same test systems, employing different UC+AC-PF models.

Improving the performance of electronic and optoelectronic components has enabled the investigation of transmitting optical channels with data rates greater than 40 Gb/s, over infrastructures that were initially supporting 10 Gb/s transport. However, for transporting high capacity channels, over long distances, considerable signal processing is necessary, with current emphasis being on digital techniques. Meanwhile in the context of optical networking where spectrally adjacent channels may cross different routes to interconnect the same source destination nodes, adaptive transmission systems become vital. This paper will suggest, compare and develop the necessary transponder technologies that enable transportation of 40 Gb/s channels over deployed Metropolitan Area optical Networks (MAN) infrastructure with emphasis on the interplay between realistic performance, feasibility and complexity/cost. Specifically it will investigate utilizing deployed optical infrastructure for transporting 40 Gb/s DQPSK channels in conjunction with various high performance, low complexity electronic equalizers that can compensate the corresponding linear impairment enhancement that accompanies this upgrade, namely Chromatic Dispersion and Polarization Mode Dispersion while they can be implemented in a single FPGA. It is shown that resource constraint performance evaluation is vital and the exact technology choice is related to the deployed infrastructure.

This paper presents a new multi-objective optimization technique for multi-terminal DC (MTDC) networks to enhance power dispatch control under stochastic operating conditions. The proposed method utilizes the DC voltage droop control concept to achieve distributed DC voltage control of the MTDC grid, while a centralized power dispatch controller monitors system operation and updates the voltage droop settings of the onshore converters in order for them to comply with scheduled power set-points dispatched by the transmission system operator, maintaining at the same time low system losses. The overall optimization problem is formulated and its effectiveness is assessed applying the Monte-Carlo simulation method. A five-terminal MTDC grid is selected as a study-case system, which corresponds to the planning for the future interconnection of Aegean Sea islands with significant wind potential to the mainland grid.

Biomass torrefaction was tested on pilot scale (50 kg h-1 throughput) for 3 types of wood: spruce, ash and willow at torrefaction temperatures of 250a#176;C-265a#176;C. Quantitative analysis of process streams was accomplished by utilising on- and off-line analytical methods. The data obtained from the pilot tests could be very well translated into large-scale operations. A theoretical overall thermal ef?ciency of 88e89% was calculated for a large-scale heat-integrated torrefaction process that uses wet woody feedstock containing a mass fraction of 45% moisture. These results show that a pilot plant is most suitable not only for exploration of (new) feedstocks but also for generating experimental data that provide valuable information for the design of full-scale plants. The detailed mapping of the mass and energy balances presented in this work can be used further as input for process optimisation, evaluation of commercial viability and techno-economic analyses which can further help in up-scaling and commercialisation of the torrefaction technology.

The objective of this study was to evaluate a waste, waste cooking oil (WCO) as substrate for carotene production by Blakeslea trispora in shake flask culture. WCO was found to be a useful substrate for carotene production. B. trispora formed only pellets during fermentation. The oxidative stress in B. trispora induced by hydroperoxides and BHT as evidenced by increase of the specific activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) increased significantly the production of carotenes. The highest concentration of carotenes (2021 ± 75 mg/l or 49.3 ± 0.2 mg/g dry biomass) was obtained in culture grown in WCO (50.0 g/l) supplemented with CSL (80.0 g/l) and BHT (4.0 g/l). In this case the carotenes produced consisted of β-carotene (74.2%), γ-carotene (23.2%), and lycopene (2.6%). The external addition in the above medium glucose, Span 80, yeast extract, casein acid hydrolysate, l-asparagine, thiamine. HCl, KH2PO4, and MgSO4·7H2O did not improve the production of carotenes.

Photovoltaic (PV) stations are increasingly becoming subject to grid code requirements that include frequency response and active power control capability. The main goal of this paper is to propose a generic model for a two-stage grid-connected PV system with frequency response capability, suitable for power system studies. The proposed model includes a suitable control scheme, which provides both droop and inertial response, as well as the ability to operate at a scheduled active power reserve, enabling thus the provision of under-frequency response. A linearized small-signal model is developed to assess the stability of the proposed PV power control loop when the PV generator provides frequency response, whereas time-domain simulations are performed in order to quantify the benefits achieved by droop-type and inertia frequency controllers, including a discussion on the selection of their parameters. The analysis demonstrates the satisfactory performance of the proposed PV system model, which provides all functionality required by grid codes in the context of active power control.

Offshore wind farms connected to the mainland through High Voltage DC links based on Voltage Source Converters (VSC–HVDC) are subject to Grid Code (GC) requirements, such as frequency response, Fault Ride Through (FRT) capability, and active and reactive power control. Due to the presence of HVDC links, GC compatibility becomes a challenging task from a control and regulation perspective, since the offshore network AC voltage and frequency are decoupled from the onshore grid voltage and frequency and hence grid-side disturbances are not directly experienced by the Wind Turbines (WTs). To address this challenge of modulating the response of offshore WTs according to the onshore grid conditions, without resorting to dedicated communication schemes, which may introduce delays and reliability concerns, three alternative control strategies are presented and evaluated for the offshore HVDC VSC, which are based only on local measurements. Each strategy can cope with onshore frequency response, FRT and power control requirements at the same time. A coordinated control approach between the WT and HVDC converters is also proposed by integrating a voltage dependent current modulation strategy into the default WT current controllers. Time domain simulations are carried out in DIgSILENT PowerFactory in order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control schemes.

The research objective was to evaluate the performance of biobased plastics for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) both on laboratory and industrial scales. Therefore the shelf-life (4 °C) of rumpsteak, ham sausage, filet de saxe, grated cheese and pre-fried fries that were MAP-packed in poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and cellulose-based multilayer packages was evaluated and compared with their shelf-life when packed in conventional materials. Furthermore, tests were performed on industrial packaging lines. The biobased packages showed sufficient gas-barrier to guarantee the shelf-life of MAP-packed food products, even when materials with lower barrier properties were used, but for rumpsteak and ham sausage, different light permeabilities of the packaging materials led to more discoloration. Furthermore, the biobased materials performed well on the industrial packaging machines, but seemed too brittle to hold larger contents. This study shows promising results toward the application of biobased packaging materials for different food products. Industrial relevance Environmental concerns regarding food packaging have led to the development of more sustainable alternatives. One of these alternatives are biobased materials. This research shows that several biobased plastics can contain and protect the food as well as maintaining its sensory quality. The biobased packages showed sufficient gas barrier to guarantee the shelf-life of the MAP packed food products, even when materials with lower barrier properties were used. Furthermore, case studies at different companies (on industrial packaging lines) show that a successful entrance in the market will not be hindered by technical problems.

Facilitation and inactivation of P/Q-type Ca2+ currents mediated by Ca2+/calmodulin binding to Ca(V)2.1 channels contribute to facilitation and rapid depression of synaptic transmission, respectively. Other calcium sensor proteins displace calmodulin from its binding site and differentially modulate P/Q-type Ca2 + currents, resulting in diverse patterns of short-term synaptic plasticity. Neuronal calcium sensor-1 (NCS-1, frequenin) has been shown to enhance synaptic facilitation, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. We report here that NCS-1 directly interacts with IQ-like motif and calmodulin-binding domain in the C-terminal domain of Ca(V)2.1 channel. NCS-1 reduces Ca2 +-dependent inactivation of P/Q-type Ca2+ current through interaction with the IQ-like motif and calmodulin-binding domain without affecting peak current or activation kinetics. Expression of NCS-1 in presynaptic superior cervical ganglion neurons has no effect on synaptic transmission, eliminating effects of this calcium sensor protein on endogenous N-type Ca2+ currents and the endogenous neurotransmitter release machinery. However, in superior cervical ganglion neurons expressing wild-type Ca(V)2.1 channels, co-expression of NCS-1 induces facilitation of synaptic transmission in response to paired pulses and trains of depolarizing stimuli, and this effect is lost in Ca(V)2.1 channels with mutations in the IQ-like motif and calmodulin-binding domain. These results reveal that NCS-1 directly modulates Ca(V)2.1 channels to induce short-term synaptic facilitation and further demonstrate that CaS proteins are crucial in fine-tuning short-term synaptic plasticity.

Increasing penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) to the power systems leads to the continuous evolution of grid interconnection requirements, which now include Low Voltage Ride Through (LVRT) practically for all types of generating units connected to the MV or HV networks, including photovoltaics (PV). It is essential that the Distributed Generation (DG) models used in power system studies properly represent the enhanced response characteristics of the stations. In this paper, a model is presented for a PV system with grid-code compatibility, which is suitable for power system dynamic and transient analysis studies. For this purpose, an overall control strategy is introduced to achieve LVRT capability, while elements essential for the correct representation of the dynamic performance of the system, such as the Phase Locked Loop (PLL) and the output LCL filters, are properly accounted for. Time domain simulations are provided for balanced and unbalanced voltage dips, in order to demonstrate the performance of the PV system and evaluate the accuracy of the proposed simplified model. The response of the detailed switching model is also included in the simulation results.

SUMMARY Activation of CaV2.1 voltage-gated calcium channels is facilitated by preceding calcium entry. Such self-modulatory facilitation is thought to contribute to synaptic facilitation. Using knockin mice with mutated CaV2.1 channels that do not facilitate (Ca IM-AA mice), we surprisingly found that, under conditions of physiological calcium and near-physiological temperatures, synaptic facilitation at hippocampal CA3 to CA1 synapses was not attenuated in Ca IM-AA mice and facilitation was paradoxically more prominent at two cerebellar synapses. Enhanced facilitation at these synapses is consistent with a decrease in initial calcium entry, suggested by an action-potential-evoked CaV2.1 current reduction in Purkinje cells from Ca IM-AA mice. In wild-type mice, CaV2.1 facilitation during high-frequency action potential trains was very small. Thus, for the synapses studied, facilitation of calcium entry through CaV2.1 channels makes surprisingly little contribution to synaptic facilitation under physiological conditions. Instead, CaV2.1 facilitation offsets CaV2.1 inactivation to produce remarkably stable calcium influx during high-frequency activation., Graphical Abstract, In Brief Weyrer et al. use Ca IM-AA mice in which CaV2.1 calcium channel facilitation is eliminated to study synaptic facilitation at hippocampal and cerebellar synapses. Under conditions of physiological temperature, external calcium, and presynaptic waveforms, facilitation of CaV2.1 channels is small and does not contribute to synaptic facilitation at these synapses.

This review provides state of the art information on the performance of bioplastics materials, focusing on food packaging. It gives an overview of the main materials used for producing biobased films, their limitations, solutions thereof, possible applications and a state of the art on bioplastics already used as a food packaging material. Furthermore an inventory on bioplastics was made in the context of a research project. Important characteristics regarding packaging material are summarized in an extended table, which shows a big variety (e.g. permeability, tensile properties), suggesting a wide range of food products can be packed in biobased polymer films.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with no effective treatment to date. Despite its multi-factorial aetiology, oxidative stress is hypothesized to be one of the key pathogenic mechanisms. It is thus proposed that manipulation of the expression of antioxidant genes that are downregulated in the presence of mutant SOD1 may serve as a therapeutic strategy for motor neuronal protection. Lentiviral vectors expressing either PRDX3 or NRF2 genes were tested in the motor neuronal-like NSC34 cell line, and in the ALS tissue culture model, NSC34 cells expressing the human SOD1(G93A) mutation. The NSC34 SOD1(G93A) cells overexpressing either PRDX3 or NRF2 showed a significant decrease in endogenous oxidation stress levels by 40 and 50% respectively compared with controls, whereas cell survival was increased by 30% in both cases. The neuroprotective potential of those two genes was further investigated in vivo in the SOD1(G93A) ALS mouse model, by administering intramuscular injections of adenoassociated virus serotype 6 (AAV6) expressing either of the target genes at a presymptomatic stage. Despite the absence of a significant effect in survival, disease onset or progression, which can be explained by the inefficient viral delivery, the promising in vitro data suggest that a more widespread CNS delivery is needed.

The carotene production from a synthetic medium sterilized at initial pH 11.0 by Blakeslea trispora in a bubble column reactor was investigated. Under the above conditions the fungus formed compact aggregates (pellets). As a consequence, a mild oxidative stress in B. trispora was occurred indicated by the specific activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The oxidative stress resulted in a significant increase in carotene production and a change in the biosynthesis of carotenes. The highest concentration of carotenes (85.0 mg/g dry biomass) was obtained after 8 days of fermentation. In this case, the proportion of β-carotene, γ-carotene, and lycopene was 52.42%, 45.43%, and 2.15%, respectively. Bubble column reactor has a potential for carotene production from synthetic medium sterilized at initial pH 11.0.

Presynaptic Ca(V)2.1 channels, which conduct P/Q-type Ca(2+) currents, initiate synaptic transmission at most synapses in the central nervous system. Regulation of Ca(V)2.1 channels by CaM contributes significantly to short term facilitation and rapid depression of synaptic transmission. Short term synaptic plasticity is diverse in form and function at different synapses, yet CaM is ubiquitously expressed. Differential regulation of Ca(V)2.1 channels by CaM-like Ca(2+) sensor (CaS) proteins differentially affects short term synaptic facilitation and rapid synaptic depression in transfected sympathetic neuron synapses. Here, we define the molecular determinants for differential regulation of Ca(V)2.1 channels by the CaS protein calcium-binding protein-1 (CaBP1) by analysis of chimeras in which the unique structural domains of CaBP1 are inserted into CaM. Our results show that the N-terminal domain, including its myristoylation site, and the second EF-hand, which is inactive in Ca(2+) binding, are the key molecular determinants of differential regulation of Ca(V)2.1 channels by CaBP1. These findings give insight into the molecular code by which CaS proteins differentially regulate Ca(V)2.1 channel function and provide diversity of form and function of short term synaptic plasticity.

The oxidative stress and the morphological changes in Blakeslea trispora induced by enhanced aeration during carotene production in a bubble column reactor was investigated. Enhanced aeration caused changes of the morphology of microorganism from aggregates with large projected area to aggregates with small projected area. This morphological differentiation of the fungus was associated with high oxidative stress as evidenced by increase of the specific activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The oxidative stress in B. trispora resulted in a significant increase in carotene production. The highest concentration of carotenes (55.0 ± 2.5 mg/g dry biomass) was obtained at aeration rate of 4 vvm. Very high oxidative stress in B. trispora caused a change in the biosynthesis of carotenes resulting an increase in γ-carotene concentration. The maximum proportion of β-carotene (91.68%), γ-carotene (44.67%), and lycopene (11.54% of total carotenes) was observed at aeration rates of 4, 5, and 5 vvm, respectively. The external addition of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and hydrogen peroxide in the medium did not improve the production of carotenes.

This paper focuses on the application of a special controller that can introduce damping to interarea oscillations of electric power systems by modulating the active power output of wind generators and can thus replace power system stabilizers of conventional synchronous generator units. The controller is tested for Doubly Fed Asynchronous Generators, as well as for Full Converter Wind Generators, on a simplified interconnected system and on an autonomous four-generator, two-area system traditionally used for interarea oscillation analysis and is shown to perform efficiently without significant adverse side effects.

On the stipulation that “a theory of personality must be testable” (H. Eysenck), along with the view that the P50 component of the event-related potentials (ERP) indexes pre-attentive operation that reflects thalamocortical and/or reticular activating system (RAS) processes, the present study investigates the association of Eysenck’s personality dimensions, namely psychoticism, extraversion, neuroticism, and lie, with P50 ERP. Sixty volunteers were analyzed (29 males). P50 waveforms were measured through 26 electrode leads during the initiation, inhibition and reproduction condition of the Hayling Sentence Completion test. Extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism, and lie dimensions were measured by means of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed that the low psychoticism group had significantly greater amplitudes than the groups with medium and high scores. The differences among the groups reached higher levels of significance in the initiation and the inhibition condition than in the reproduction condition. In the inhibition condition significant differences were located at the frontal leads, whereas in the initiation condition they were scattered throughout the electrode leads. The associations of extraversion, neuroticism and lie scale with P50 were not significant. These results suggest that psychoticism may be related to pre-attentive operation mediated by thalamocortical and/or RAS processes.