Search results for "Reliability and Quality"
showing 10 items of 386 documents
Development of a method for the direct fermentation of semolina by selected sourdough lactic acid bacteria
2016
Three obligately heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains (Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis PON100336, Leuconostoc citreum PON10079 and Weissella cibaria PON10030) were used in this study as a multi-species starter culture for sourdough production. The starter inoculum was prepared and propagated in sterile semolina extract (SSE) broth. Acidification kinetics, microbiological counts detected on specific media for sourdough LAB, polymorphic profile comparison and species-specific PCRs evidenced a stability of the liquid inoculum over time determining its suitability for direct addition to semolina. In order to validate this innovative method for the production of durum wheat (Trit…
Sleep, alertness and alertness management among commercial airline pilots on short-haul and long-haul flights
2016
Item does not contain fulltext Airline pilots' sleep and on-duty alertness are important focus areas in commercial aviation. Until now, studies pertaining to this topic have mainly focused on specific characteristics of flights and thus a comprehensive picture of the matter is not well established. In addition, research knowledge of what airline pilots actually do to maintain their alertness while being on duty is scarce. To address these gaps in research knowledge, we conducted a field study on a representative sample of the airline pilots of a medium-sized airline. The sample consisted of 90 pilots, of whom 30 flew long-haul (LH) routes, 30 short-haul (SH) routes, and 30 flew both. A tota…
Impact of Dietary Fiber Enrichment on the Sensory Characteristics and Acceptance of French Baguettes
2013
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the consequences of dietary fiber (DF) enrichment in standard or superior quality French baguettes. Sensory characteristics of five experimental breads and seven commercial breads were described by a trained panel using a conventional sensory profile. The same set of breads was also evaluated by a panel of consumers who had to rate their expected liking based on the external appearance of a whole bread and then their perceived liking based on the tasting of a sample of that bread. DF enrichment was responsible for deterioration in the expected and perceived liking of breads. However, this deterioration was less substantial when the DF enrichment was…
Evaluation of geomorphometric characteristics and soil properties after a wildfire using Sentinel-2 MSI imagery for future fire-safe forest
2021
Abstract Understanding spatiotemporal geomorphological and pedological changes as a consequence of wildfires can allow stakeholders, land planners, and policymakers to design efficient fire safety-based afforestation and restoration programs of forest lands. The use of remote sensing techniques is a key tool to achieve this goal. The suitable combination of Sentinel-2 MSI data for mapping of different spectral indices related to burn severity and their relationship with other morphometric and soil properties can contribute to a better understanding of the impact of fire, and this is relevant in regions where is still scarce fire-related research such as Turkey. In this investigation, the us…
Messages beyond the phone: Processing variable message signs while attending hands-free phone calls.
2021
We examined the effects of different types of cognitive distraction coming from a hands-free phone conversation on the processing of information provided by variable message signs (VMS), on driving performance indicators, and on a physiological index of mental effort (heart rate). Participants drove a route in a driving simulator and had to respond to VMS messages under three conditions: no-distraction, visuospatial distraction (attending phone calls with questions inducing visuospatial processing), and conceptual distraction (attending phone calls with questions requiring semantic memory). Results showed more errors responding to VMS messages in the visuospatial distraction condition. In a…
Would New Zealand adolescents cycle to school more if allowed to cycle without a helmet?
2018
Abstract Introduction The effectiveness of bicycle helmet use in preventing head injuries has been well documented. Mandatory helmet-use legislation is present in multiple countries including New Zealand. However, studies examining the correlates of adolescents' perception that they would cycle to school more often if helmet legislation was repealed are scant. This study examined these correlates in a sample of New Zealand adolescents. Methods Adolescents (n = 774; age: 13–18 years) from all 12 secondary schools in Dunedin, New Zealand, completed an online questionnaire about their cycling to school and cycling in general behaviours and perceptions and opinions about bicycle helmet use as a…
Spatial analysis of traffic accidents near and between road intersections in a directed linear network.
2019
Although most of the literature on traffic safety analysis has been developed over areal zones, there is a growing interest in using the specific road structure of the region under investigation, which is known as a linear network in the field of spatial statistics. The use of linear networks entails several technical complications, ranging from the accurate location of traffic accidents to the definition of covariates at a spatial micro-level. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to display a detailed analysis of a dataset of traffic accidents recorded in Valencia (Spain), which were located into a linear network representing more than 30 km of urban road structure corresponding t…
Investigation of the consequences of the modifiable areal unit problem in macroscopic traffic safety analysis: A case study accounting for scale and …
2019
Abstract Traffic safety analysis at the macroscopic level usually relies on previously defined areal traffic analysis zones (TAZs) that are used as the units of investigation. Hence, statistical inference is made on the basis of such units, implying that the consideration of a certain TAZ configuration may influence the results and conclusions achieved. Regarding this, the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) is a well-known issue in the field of spatial statistics, which refers to the effects that arise in statistical properties and estimations when there is a change in areal units of analysis. In this paper, the consequences of MAUP have been investigated through a dataset of traffic cras…
Building a statistical surveillance dashboard for COVID-19 infection worldwide
2020
When a pandemic like the current novel coronavirus (COVID-19) breaks out, it is important that authorities, healthcare organizations and official decision makers, have in place an effective monitoring system to promptly analyze data, create new insights into problematic areas and generate actionable knowledge for fact-based decision making. The aim of this article is to describe an initial work focused on building a comprehensive statistical surveillance dashboard for the epidemic of COVID-19, which can be exploited also for future needs. We propose novel ways of exploring, analyzing and presenting data, using metrics that have not been used previously. We also show the steps necessary to b…
An experimental search for a correlation between outdoor 222Rn concentration and 210Pb activity in air particulate samples
2018
This work was aimed to search for a correlation between outdoor 222Rn air concentration and 210Pb activity in particulate samples collected on a filter. The existence of a correlation could support the hypothesis that both 222Rn and its long-lived product 210Pb are embedded into the same air masses and undergo the same air transport phenomena. Lead-210 activity was determined by means of gamma ray spectrometric measurement carried out a few days after the sampling whereas 222Rn concentration was measured through a commercial monitor. Experimental tests allowed to obtain a weak correlation between 222Rn and 210Pb air concentration as a preliminary result due to high uncertainties of outdoor …