bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generation Times of E. coli Prolong with Increasing Tannin Concentration while the Lag Phase Extends Exponentially
Authors: Štumpf Sara , Hostnik Gregor , Primožič Mateja , Leitgeb Maja , Bren Urban
Published: December 2020

The current study examines the effect of tannins and tannin extracts on the lag phase duration, growth rate, and generation time of Escherichia coli. Effects of castalagin, vescalagin, gallic acid, Colistizer, tannic acid as well as chestnut, mimosa, and quebracho extracts were determined on E. coli’s growth phases using the broth microdilution method and obtained by turbidimetric measurements. E. coli responds to the stress caused by the investigated antimicrobial agents with reduced growth rates, longer generation times, and extended lag phases. Prolongation of the lag phase was relatively small at low tannin concentrations, while it became more pronounced at concentrations above half the MIC. Moreover, for the first time, it was observed that lag time extensions follow a strict exponential relationship with increasing tannin concentrations. This feature is very likely a direct consequence of the tannin complexation of certain essential ions from the growth medium, making them unavailable to E. coli for its growth.
Sprout Regeneration of Shrub Willows after Cutting
Authors: Zou Yang , Li Xiaoping , Yang Guo
Published: December 2020

Shrub willow (Salix L. spp.) is a promising bioenergy resource crop due to its high growth rates and superb regenerative ability. Sprouting capacity is influenced by many factors, such as parent tree species and size, which are important limiting factors for stump survival or sprout growth. In this study, we aimed to quantify the survival and regeneration performance of sprouts (including sprout height, sprout diameter, sprout number, leaf morphological traits, leaf chlorophyll content, and ground part dry biomass) from the stumps of two Salix species from three diameter classes (10–15, 16–19, and 20–30 mm). An attempt was made to explore why the stump size affects the regeneration of willows by analyzing the carbon and nitrogen proportion of stumps. Stump survival did not differ between the two Salix species. However, the sprout regeneration of S. triandra was much better than that of S. suchowensis. An increase in stump diameter caused increases in the number of sprouts produced per stump, the mean height and basal diameter of sprouts per stump, the leaf chlorophyll content, and the biomass of sprouts per stump. By contrast, stump diameter did not significantly affect stump survival. The results indicate that the larger stumps store more carbon and nitrogen than small-sized stumps, which may be one of the reasons why the larger willow stumps have a stronger resprouting ability. This study provides essential information regarding the sprout regeneration of short-rotation coppice willow plantations after harvest.
Bee-Mediated Selection Favors Floral Sex Specialization in a Heterantherous Species: Strategies to Solve the Pollen Dilemma
Authors: Oliveira Larissa C. , Teixido Alberto L. , Trevizan Renata , Brito Vinícius L. G.
Published: December 2020

Animal-pollinated plants show a broad variation in floral morphology traits and gametophyte production within populations. Thus, floral traits related to plant reproduction and sexuality are usually exposed to pollinator-mediated selection. Such selective pressures may be even stronger in heterantherous and pollen flowers, in which pollen contributes to both bee feeding and pollination, overcoming the “pollen dilemma” or the inability to perform both functions simultaneously. We describe the phenotypic gender and sexual organ morphology of flowers in two populations of Macairea radula (Melastomataceae), a heterantherous and buzz-pollinated species with pollen flowers. We estimated selection gradients on these traits through female and male fitness components. Both populations showed sizeable phenotypic gender variation, from strict hermaphrodites to increased femaleness or maleness. We found a continuous variation in style and stamen size, and this variation was correlated with corresponding shape values of both sexual organs. We detected bee-mediated selection towards short and long styles through seed number and towards intermediate degrees of heteranthery through pollen removal in one population, and selection towards increased maleness through pollen dispersal in both populations. Our results suggest that bee-mediated selection favors floral sex specialization and stylar dimorphism in M. radula, optimizing reproductive success and solving the pollen dilemma.
Genome Size Evolution and Dynamics in Iris, with Special Focus on the Section Oncocyclus
Authors: Samad Nour Abdel , Hidalgo Oriane , Saliba Elie , Siljak-Yakovlev Sonja , Strange Kit , Leitch Ilia J. , Dagher-Kharrat Magda Bou
Published: December 2020

Insights into genome size dynamics and its evolutionary impact remain limited by the lack of data for many plant groups. One of these is the genus Iris, of which only 53 out of c. 260 species have available genome sizes. In this study, we estimated the C-values for 41 species and subspecies of Iris mainly from the Eastern Mediterranean region. We constructed a phylogenetic framework to shed light on the distribution of genome sizes across subgenera and sections of Iris. Finally, we tested evolutionary models to explore the mode and tempo of genome size evolution during the radiation of section Oncocyclus. Iris as a whole displayed a great variety of C-values; however, they were unequally distributed across the subgenera and sections, suggesting that lineage-specific patterns of genome size diversification have taken place within the genus. The evolutionary model that best fitted our data was the speciational model, as changes in genome size appeared to be mainly associated with speciation events. These results suggest that genome size dynamics may have contributed to the radiation of Oncocyclus irises. In addition, our phylogenetic analysis provided evidence that supports the segregation of the Lebanese population currently attributed to Iris persica as a distinct species.
Preparation and Properties of Intrinsically Atomic-Oxygen Resistant Polyimide Films Containing Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) in the Side Chains
Authors: Wu Hao , Zhang Yan , Guo Yi-Dan , Qi Hao-Ran , An Yuan-Cheng , Jia Yan-Jiang , Tan Yao-Yao , Liu Jin-Gang , Wu Bo-Han
Published: December 2020

The relatively poor atomic-oxygen (AO) resistance of the standard polyimide (PI) films greatly limits the wide applications in low earth orbit (LEO) environments. The introduction of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) units into the molecular structures of the PI films has been proven to be an effective procedure for enhancing the AO resistance of the PI films. In the current work, a series of POSS-substituted poly (pyromellitic anhydride-4,4′-oxydianiline) (PMDA-ODA) films (POSS-PI) with different POSS contents were synthesized via a POSS-containing diamine, N-[(heptaisobutyl-POSS)propyl]-3,5-diaminobenzamide (DABA-POSS). Subsequently, the effects of the molecular structures on the thermal, tensile, optical, and especially the AO-erosion behaviors of the POSS-PI films were investigated. The incorporation of the latent POSS substituents decreased the thermal stability and the high-temperature dimensional stability of the pristine PI-0 (PMDA-ODA) film. For instance, the PI-30 film with the DABA-POSS content of 30 wt% in the film exhibited a 5% weight loss temperature (T5%) of 512 °C and a coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CTE) of 54.6 × 10−6/K in the temperature range of 50–250 °C, respectively, which were all inferior to those of the PI-0 film (T5% = 574 °C; CTE = 28.9 × 10−6/K). In addition, the tensile properties of the POSS-containing PI films were also deteriorated, to some extent, due to the incorporation of the DABA-POSS components. The tensile strength (TS) of the POSS-PI films decreased with the order of PI-0 > PI-10 > PI-15 > PI-20 > PI-25 > PI-30, and so did the tensile modulus (TM) and the elongations at break (Eb). PI-30 showed the TS, TM, and Eb values of 75.0 MPa, 1.55 GPa, and 16.1%, respectively, which were all lower than those of the PI-0 film (TS = 131.0 MPa, TM = 1.88 GPa, Eb = 73.2%). Nevertheless, the incorporation of POSS components obviously increased the AO resistance of the PI films. All of the POSS-PI films survived from the AO exposure with the total fluence of 2.16 × 1021 atoms/cm2, while PI-0 was totally eroded under the same circumstance. The PI-30 film showed an AO erosion yield (Es) of 1.1 × 10−25 cm3/atom, which was approximately 3.67% of the PI-0 film (Es = 3.0 × 10−24 cm3/atom). Inert silica or silicate passivation layers were detected on the surface of the POSS-PI films after AO exposure, which efficiently prevented the further erosion of the under-layer materials.
Micellar Nanocarriers from Dendritic Macromolecules Containing Fluorescent Coumarin Moieties
Authors: Concellón Alberto , San Anselmo María , Hernández-Ainsa Silvia , Romero Pilar , Marcos Mercedes , Serrano José Luis
Published: December 2020

The design of efficient drug-delivery vehicles remains a big challenge in materials science. Herein, we describe a novel class of amphiphilic hybrid dendrimers that consist of a poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendritic core functionalized with bisMPA dendrons bearing cholesterol and coumarin moieties. Their self-assembly behavior both in bulk and in water was investigated. All dendrimers exhibited smectic A or hexagonal columnar liquid crystal organizations, depending on the generation of the dendrimer. In water, these dendrimers self-assembled to form stable spherical micelles that could encapsulate Nile Red, a hydrophobic model compound. The cell viability in vitro of the micelles was studied in HeLa cell line, and proved to be non-toxic up to 72 h of incubation. Therefore, these spherical micelles allow the encapsulation of hydrophobic molecules, and at the same time provided fluorescent traceability due to the presence of coumarin units in their chemical structure, demonstrating the potential of these dendrimers as nanocarriers for drug-delivery applications.
Continuous Production of Water-Borne Polyurethanes: A Review
Authors: Liu Xuehua , Hong Wei , Chen Xudong
Published: December 2020

Water-borne polyurethanes are novel functional polymers that use water as the dispersion medium. When compared with solvent-borne polyurethanes, water-borne polyurethanes are more environmentally friendly and easier to transport and store. Water-borne polyurethanes have attracted increasing attention due to their extensive applications in plastics, paints, adhesives, inks, biomaterials, and other fields. In this study, the characteristics of water-borne polyurethanes were discussed, followed by a review of studies detailing reaction procedures and mechanisms for their continuous production. Additionally, current and future applications of continuous production processes for water-borne polyurethanes are presented.
The Role of Non-Rubber Components on Molecular Network of Natural Rubber during Accelerated Storage
Authors: Zhang Huifeng , Zhang Lu , Chen Xu , Wang Yueqiong , Zhao Fuchun , Luo Mingchao , Liao Shuangquan
Published: December 2020

Though the non-rubber components have long been recognized to be a vital factor affecting the network of natural rubber (NR), the authentic role of non-rubber components on the network during accelerated storage has not been fully illuminated. This work attempts to clarify the impact of non-rubber components on the network for NR during accelerated storage. A natural network model for NR was proposed based on the gel content, crosslinking density, and the non-rubber components distribution for NR before and after centrifugation. Furthermore, the effect of non-rubber components on the network was investigated during accelerated storage. The results show that terminal crosslinking induced by non-rubber components and entanglements are primary factors affecting the network formation during accelerated storage. By applying the tube model to analyze the stress-strain curves of NR, we found that the contribution of the entanglements to the network formation is larger than that of terminal crosslinking during accelerated storage. The work highlights the role of non-rubber components on the network during accelerated storage, which is essential for understanding the storage hardening mechanism of NR.
Attitudes toward Civil Human Rights among Italian Students of Sociology: The Effects of Religion and Theology
Authors: Francis Leslie J. , Breskaya Olga , McKenna Ursula
Published: December 2020

Connecting with and building on the research tradition established by The International Empirical Research Programmes in Religion and Human Rights, this study explores the power of two measures shaped within empirical theology (the Theology of Religions Index that distinguishes seven ways in which religions may be viewed and the New Indices of God Images that distinguishes between the God of Grace and the God of Law) to predict individual differences in attitude toward civil human rights among students of sociology under the age of thirty who had lived in Italy all their lives, after taking into account the effect of baptismal status (Catholic or not Catholic) and frequency of mass attendance. Data provided by 1046 participants demonstrated that more positive attitudes toward civil human rights are associated with being male, with not being baptised Catholic, with not attending mass, and with the God of Grace, but not with the God of Law. Five of the positions identified within the framework of the theology of religions are significant predictors of attitude toward civil human rights: the most positive attitude is associated with atheism and the least positive attitude is associated with exclusivism.
Reporting as a Key Element of an Effective Near-Miss Management System in Shipping
Authors: Hasanspahić Nermin , Frančić Vlado , Vujičić Srđan , Maglić Lovro
Published: December 2020

Shipping is a high-risk industry and prone to accidents. A near-miss management system is an important aspect of the safety performance in shipping because the causes are the same for near-misses and accidents. Reporting, analyzing, and learning from near-misses can prevent the recurrence of accidents and thus improve safety on ships. This paper addresses near-miss management systems in shipping and provides insights into the quality of the implementation of these systems, with an emphasis on the importance of reporting. Research data were derived from two surveys and supported by data gained from near-miss reports and existing literature reviews. Professional seafarers of various ranks, ages, nationalities, and experiences, serving on tankers, cruise ships, bulk carriers, and container ships, voluntarily participated in these surveys. The first survey comprised 223 participants, and the second survey involved 22 participants. The research results indicate that near-miss reporting is inadequate, and several barriers limit appropriate near-miss reporting. The difficulty of seafarers in identifying near-miss events was found to be one of the major barriers to near-miss reporting at sea. Based on this research, a conceptual model of a near-miss management system was developed, and measures that can be applied to overcome barriers and increase reporting are proposed.
Using the Delphi Method to Evaluate the Appropriateness of Urban Freight Transport Solutions
Authors: Karakikes Ioannis , Nathanail Eftihia
Published: December 2020

Before implementing an Urban Freight Transport (UFT) solution, certainty is required about the effectiveness of the considered alternatives. Selecting an effective solution necessitates the engagement of all stakeholders involved in the management of the UFT system. The aim of the study is the formulation of a common assessment platform for facilitating the selection of the most appropriate UFT solution, taking into account the solutions’ effectiveness and the stakeholder perceptions and consensus. Solution maturity, social acceptance, and user uptake, which are considered as the main drivers of stakeholders’ engagement, are evaluated based on a real time Delphi survey, in parallel with solutions’ sustainability dimensions (economy and energy, environment, society, transport, and mobility). The Delphi method emerges as a suitable tool in this direction as stakeholders’ subjective judgments, and not analytical techniques, are required. The platform is demonstrated through the assessment of ten UFT solutions by 184 stakeholders (public authorities, supply chain operators, and other interested groups) who reside in cities across the world. The results of the demonstration showed that Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) for freight monitoring and electric vehicles are the highest rated solutions, while drone deliveries are the lowest, reaching respectively the highest and lowest consensus levels.
A Kalman Filter-Based Approach for Online Source-Term Estimation in Accidental Radioactive Dispersion Events
Authors: Di Ronco Andrea , Giacobbo Francesca , Cammi Antonio
Published: December 2020

In the present work, a online data assimilation approach, based on the Kalman filter algorithm, is proposed for the source term reconstruction in accidental events with dispersion of radioactive agents in air. For this purpose a Gaussian plume model of dispersion in air is embedded in the Kalman filter algorithm to estimate unknown scenario parameters, such as the coordinates and the intensity of the source, on the basis of measurements collected by a mobile sensor. The approach was tested against pseudo-experimental data produced with both the Gaussian plume model and the Lagrangian puff model SCIPUFF. The results show the good capabilities of the proposed approach in retrieving the values of the unknown parameters when (i) one or more release parameters are poorly known and (ii) a sufficient number of experimental measurements describing the evolution of the dispersion process can be collected in a short time by means of mobile sensors. Thanks to its flexibility and computational efficiency, and due to the exploitation of the Kalman filter potentialities through the use of a simplified model of dispersion in air, the proposed approach can constitute a useful tool for the management of emergency scenarios.
The Role of Credence Attributes in Consumer Choices of Sustainable Fish Products: A Review
Authors: Maesano Giulia , Di Vita Giuseppe , Chinnici Gaetano , Pappalardo Gioacchino , D'Amico Mario
Published: December 2020

This review aims to assess consumer choices of sustainable fish products, considering a number of attributes that have been considered in the academic literature on this topic. In order to examine the effectiveness of sustainable labels, the research question was focused on the relation between sustainable fish labels and consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP). The findings showed how, overall, consumers have positive perceptions regarding sustainable fish products and show a willingness to pay a premium price for the attribute of sustainability. According to the results, the country of origin attribute was found to be the most important attribute in relation to consumer choice. The results indicated a high WTP for local fish products, relative to imported alternatives. Consumers prefer wild-caught fish for its perceived quality, better safety and health aspects, and taste perception than the farm-raised option. As for animal welfare, the results show that consumers are willing to pay a moderate premium price for products that have an improved fish welfare or those that avoid by-catch, such as products with eco-labels like “turtle safe”. With regard to organic labels, the studies identified a positive organic price premium for fish products. However, organic labels do not play a major role in consumer choice, when compared with other attributes.
Public Agency in Changing Industrial Circular Economy Ecosystems: Roles, Modes and Structures
Authors: Uusikartano Jarmo , Väyrynen Hannele , Aarikka-Stenroos Leena
Published: December 2020

Value creation in the circular economy (CE) is a result of co-creation. In the industrial context, the theme of collaboration has been studied extensively on a company-to-company basis, but related public agency remains unexplored. Still, circular actions happen in societal contexts where public actors and logics are constantly present, enabling the change toward more sustainable actions. For systematic discovery of the topic, the following research questions are considered: (a) What roles can a public actor have in an industrial CE ecosystem? (b) What are the relationship modes a public actor can have? (c) In what kind of actor structures may the roles and modes occur? The study relies on two multiple case studies in the international (Study 1) and Finnish eco-industrial parks (Study 2) contexts. The results are based on qualitative content analysis conducted with both primary and secondary data. As a result, six distinct roles—operator, organizer, financer, supporter, policymaker, and regulator—and two modes—facilitative and dirigiste—for public agency in industrial CE ecosystems were identified. The roles depict the concrete means used by public actors whereas the modes depict the characteristics of these actions. Finally, exemplar organization models for the recognized roles and modes in industrial CE ecosystems were examined. The study provides insights into how public actors can contribute to sustainability transitions among their territories and helps practitioners to better understand the premises for public–private interaction.
Technical Limits in Circularity for Plastic Packages
Authors: Brouwer Marieke T. , Thoden van Velzen Eggo U. , Ragaert Kim , ten Klooster Roland
Published: December 2020

The current Dutch recycling value chain for plastic packaging waste (PPW) has not reached its full circularity potential, as is apparent from two Circular Performance Indicators (CPIs): net packaging recycling rate and average polymer purity of the recycled plastics. The performance of the recycling value chain can be optimised at four stages: packaging design, collection, sorting, and recycling. This study explores the maximally achievable performance of a circular PPW recycling value chain, in case all stakeholders would implement the required radical improvement measures in a concerted action. The effects of the measures were modelled with material flow analysis. For such a utopic scenario, a net plastic packaging recycling rate of 72% can be attained and the produced recycled plastics will have an average polymeric purity of 97%. This is substantially more than the net packaging recycling rate of 37% for 2017 and will exceed the EU target of 50% for 2025. In such an ideal circular value chain more recycled plastics are produced for more demanding applications, such as food packaging, compared to the current recycling value chain. However, all stakeholders would need to implement drastic and coordinated changes, signifying unprecedented investments, to achieve this optimal circular PPW recycling value chain.
Transport for the Elderly: Activity Patterns, Mode Choices, and Spatiotemporal Constraints
Authors: Zhou Yang , Yuan Quan , Yang Chao
Published: December 2020

The rapid aging of the population has posed significant challenges to society and raised new demand for transportation services. Understanding travel needs of the elderly is crucial to making effective strategies for accommodating their demand in many newly motorized cities in developing countries such as China. Using a Markov-chain-based mixture model, we identify two main activity patterns of the elderly: recreation-shopping-oriented (RS-oriented) pattern and schooling-drop-off/pick-up-oriented (SDP-oriented) pattern. Elderly people in the RS-oriented pattern enjoy a cozy life with much time spent on recreation and shopping activities, while those in the SDP-oriented pattern take responsibility of sending grandchildren to school and taking them back home. The RS-oriented elderly people are faced with spatial constraints to access the sparsely distributed recreational sights; however, the SDP-oriented group is subject to temporal constraints when making daily trips. These results would encourage policy makers to reconsider the role of transportation in aged people’s lives and better accommodate their demand through designing safer walking and cycling environment and improving the quality of transit services.
Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Concrete Reinforced with Eucalyptus globulus Bark Fibres
Authors: Mansilla Claudia , Pradena Mauricio , Fuentealba Cecilia , César Andrés
Published: December 2020

Concrete is a material with high compressive strength, but predisposed to shrinkage cracking, rapid cracks propagation, and brittle failures. The incorporation of fibre is an acceptable solution to reduce these limitations. However, high cost and energy consumption related to man-made fibres have placed natural fibres as an attractive sustainable alternative, especially considering that different natural fibres are industrial waste (as the Eucalyptus globulus bark fibre). Still, natural fibres can produce an important reduction of concrete strength. Hence, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of Eucalyptus globulus bark fibre in traditional concrete mechanical properties as compressive and flexural strength. For this, an experimental program was developed in such a way that reduces the results uncertainties and increases the power of decision regarding the percentage and fibre conditions of the samples. The results indicate that, unlike other natural fibres, the traditional mechanical properties have a slight reduction and acceptable workability. This fact is more evident in the samples with 0.50% fibre with respect to the weight of cement. Therefore, reinforcing mortars and concrete with Eucalyptus globulus bark fibres emerges as an eco-friendly building alternative to reuse this industrial waste.
PID Control Design for SISO Strictly Metzlerian Linear Systems
Authors: Krokavec Dušan , Filasová Anna
Published: December 2020

For linear time-invariant Metzlerian systems, this paper proposes an original approach reflecting specific structural system constraints and positiveness in solving the problem of PID control. Refining parameter constraints and introducing enhanced equivalent system descriptions, the reformulated design task is consistent with the control law representation and is formulated as a linear matrix inequality feasibility problem. Taking into account structural restriction of Metzlerian positive systems, a characterization of PID control law parameters is permitted, to highlight dynamical properties of the closed-loop system solutions and the significant structural influence of derivative gain value of the control law parameters in design.
Chirality: The Backbone of Chemistry as a Natural Science
Authors: Ribó Josep M.
Published: December 2020

Chemistry as a natural science occupies the length and temporal scales ranging between the formation of atoms and molecules as quasi-classical objects, and the formation of proto-life systems showing catalytic synthesis, replication, and the capacity for Darwinian evolution. The role of chiral dissymmetry in the chemical evolution toward life is manifested in how the increase of chemical complexity, from atoms and molecules to complex open systems, accompanies the emergence of biological homochirality toward life. Chemistry should express chirality not only as molecular structural dissymmetry that at the present is described in chemical curricula by quite effective pedagogical arguments, but also as a cosmological phenomenon. This relates to a necessarily better understanding of the boundaries of chemistry with physics and biology.
Icosahedral Polyhedra from D6 Lattice and Danzer’s ABCK Tiling
Authors: Al-Siyabi Abeer , Ozdes Koca Nazife , Koca Mehmet
Published: December 2020

It is well known that the point group of the root lattice D6 admits the icosahedral group as a maximal subgroup. The generators of the icosahedral group H3, its roots, and weights are determined in terms of those of D6. Platonic and Archimedean solids possessing icosahedral symmetry have been obtained by projections of the sets of lattice vectors of D6 determined by a pair of integers (m1, m2) in most cases, either both even or both odd. Vertices of the Danzer’s ABCK tetrahedra are determined as the fundamental weights of H3, and it is shown that the inflation of the tiles can be obtained as projections of the lattice vectors characterized by the pair of integers, which are linear combinations of the integers (m1, m2) with coefficients from the Fibonacci sequence. Tiling procedure both for the ABCK tetrahedral and the  octahedral tilings in 3D space with icosahedral symmetry H3, and those related transformations in 6D space with D6 symmetry are specified by determining the rotations and translations in 3D and the corresponding group elements in D6. The tetrahedron K constitutes the fundamental region of the icosahedral group and generates the rhombic triacontahedron upon the group action. Properties of “K-polyhedron”, “B-polyhedron”, and “C-polyhedron” generated by the icosahedral group have been discussed.
Oscillation Criteria for a Class of Third-Order Damped Neutral Differential Equations
Authors: Elabbasy Elmetwally M. , Qaraad Belgees , Abdeljawad Thabet , Moaaz Osama
Published: December 2020

In this paper, we study the asymptotic and oscillatory properties of a certain class of third-order neutral delay differential equations with middle term. We obtain new characterizations of oscillation of the third-order neutral equation in terms of oscillation of a related, well-studied, second-order linear equation without damping. An Example is provided to illustrate the main results.
Aflatoxin B1 and Sterigmatocystin Binding Potential of Lactobacilli
Authors: Kosztik Judit , Mörtl Mária , Székács András , Kukolya József , Bata-Vidács Ildikó
Published: December 2020

Due to global climate change, mould strains causing problems with their mycotoxin production in the tropical–subtropical climate zone have also appeared in countries belonging to the temperate zone. Biodetoxification of crops and raw materials for food and feed industries including the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) binding abilities of lactobacilli is of growing interest. Despite the massive quantities of papers dealing with AFB1-binding of lactobacilli, there are no data for microbial binding of the structurally similar mycotoxin sterigmatocystin (ST). In addition, previous works focused on the detection of AFB1 in extracts, while in this case, analytical determination was necessary for the microbial biomass as well. To test binding capacities, a rapid instrumental analytical method using high-performance liquid chromatography was developed and applied for measurement of AFB1 and ST in the biomass of the cultured bacteria and its supernatant, containing the mycotoxin fraction bound by the bacteria and the fraction that remained unbound, respectively. For our AFB1 and ST adsorption studies, 80 strains of the genus Lactobacillus were selected. Broths containing 0.2 µg/mL AFB1and ST were inoculated with the Lactobacillus test strains. Before screening the strains for binding capacities, optimisation of the experiment parameters was carried out. Mycotoxin binding was detectable from a germ count of 107 cells/mL. By studying the incubation time of the cells with the mycotoxins needed for mycotoxin-binding, co-incubation for 10 min was found sufficient. The presence of mycotoxins did not affect the growth of bacterial strains. Three strains of L. plantarum had the best AFB1 adsorption capacities, binding nearly 10% of the mycotoxin present, and in the case of ST, the degree of binding was over 20%.
Characterization of Novel Erwinia amylovora Jumbo Bacteriophages from Eneladusvirus Genus
Authors: Kim Sang , Lee Sung , Giri Sib , Kim Hyoun , Kim Sang , Kwon Jun , Park Jungkum , Roh Eunjung , Park Se
Published: December 2020

Jumbo phages, which have a genome size of more than 200 kb, have recently been reported for the first time. However, limited information is available regarding their characteristics because few jumbo phages have been isolated. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to isolate and characterize other jumbo phages. We performed comparative genomic analysis of three Erwinia phages (pEa_SNUABM_12, pEa_SNUABM_47, and pEa_SNUABM_50), each of which had a genome size of approximately 360 kb (32.5% GC content). These phages were predicted to harbor 546, 540, and 540 open reading frames with 32, 34, and 35 tRNAs, respectively. Almost all of the genes in these phages could not be functionally annotated but showed high sequence similarity with genes encoded in Serratia phage BF, a member of Eneladusvirus. The detailed comparative and phylogenetic analyses presented in this study contribute to our understanding of the diversity and evolution of Erwinia phage and the genus Eneladusvirus.
Fusion Cytokines IL-7-Linker-IL-15 Promote Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Subunit Vaccine to Induce Central Memory like T Cell-Mediated Immunity
Authors: Bai Chunxiang , Zhou Lijun , Tang Junxia , He Juanjuan , Han Jiangyuan , Niu Hongxia , Zhu Bingdong
Published: December 2020

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis), is among the most serious infectious diseases worldwide. Adjuvanted protein subunit vaccines have been demonstrated as a kind of promising novel vaccine. This study proposed to investigate whether cytokines interliukine-7 (IL-7) and interliukine-15 (IL-15) help TB subunit vaccines induce long-term cell-mediated immune responses, which are required for vaccination against TB. In this study, mice were immunized with the M. tuberculosis protein subunit vaccines combined with adnovirus-mediated cytokines IL-7, IL-15, IL-7-IL-15, and IL-7-Linker-IL-15 at 0, 2, and 4 weeks, respectively. Twenty weeks after the last immunization, the long-term immune responses, especially the central memory-like T cells (TCM like cell)-mediated immune responses, were determined with the methods of cultured IFN-γ-ELISPOT, expanded secondary immune responses, cell proliferation, and protective efficacy against Mycobacterium bovis Bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) challenge, etc. The results showed that the group of vaccine + rAd-IL-7-Linker-IL-15 induced a stronger long-term antigen-specific TCM like cells-mediated immune responses and had higher protective efficacy against BCG challenge than the vaccine + rAd-vector control group, the vaccine + rAd-IL-7 and the vaccine + rAd-IL-15 groups. This study indicated that rAd-IL-7-Linker-IL-15 improved the TB subunit vaccine’s efficacy by augmenting TCM like cells and provided long-term protective efficacy against Mycobacteria.
Identifying patients at risk of psychosis: a qualitative study of GP views in South West England
Authors: Strelchuk Daniela , Wiles Nicola , Derrick Catherine , Zammit Stanley , Turner Katrina
Published: December 2020

Background

Early intervention in people with an at-risk mental state for psychosis can decrease the rates of transition to psychosis. GPs play a key role in the identification of this patient group but very few studies have explored GPs’ awareness of patients who are at risk of psychosis.

Aim

To explore GPs’ views and experiences of identifying patients with an at-risk mental state for psychosis, and the barriers and facilitators to identification.

Design and setting

In-depth semi-structured interviews were held with GPs working in South West England primary care. The interviews were conducted between March and July 2019.

Method

A topic guide was used to ensure consistency across interviews. This guide was revised to incorporate a definition of the at-risk mental state for psychosis, as after conducting a few interviews it became clear that some GPs were not familiar with this construct. Interviews were audiorecorded and analysed thematically.

Results

A total of 20 GPs were interviewed. Some GPs were not familiar with the concept of being at risk of developing psychosis, and perceived that they may not have the right skills to identify this patient group. Other barriers related to patients not presenting or disclosing psychotic symptoms, and limitations imposed by scarce resources on the structure and provision of NHS services, such as lack of continuity of care and high thresholds for accessing specialised services.

Conclusion

Identifying people at risk of psychosis in primary care is difficult. Provision of GP training, development of policies that support continuity of care, and improved access to specialised services could help improve the identification of this patient group.
Evaluating changes in nitrogen and sulphur content in a soil-plant system in a long-term fertilization experiment
Authors: Juhász Evelin Kármen , Balláné Kovács Andrea
Published: December 2020

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of long term NPK fertilization (considering that S containing superphosphate was supplied for 26 years of experiment, but since 9 years S has not used any longer) on sulphur- and nitrogen content and N/S ratio of winter wheat. The second objective of this work was to determine the changes of the amount of the different nitrogen and sulphur fraction in chernozem soil in a long term fertilization experiment. The third aim of the work was to determine if a relationship could be established between the studied parameters. Based on our results, it can be stated that the sulphur containing superphosphate supplied in the period of 1984-2010 has no longer significant effect on total sulphur content of plant in 2018. The NPK fertilization treatments had positive effect on total nitrogen content of winter wheat. In general, increasing NPK doses resulted in significantly higher nitrogen. The effect of irrigation applied in previous years has no statistically significant effect on the sulphur and nitrogen content of wheat. The wheat grain produced in our experiment, especially in fertilized treatments showed S deficiency. Analysing the changes of CaCl2 soluble nitrate-N and total N of the soil, it can be stated that the effect of increasing fertilizer doses clearly appears in these parameters, because the treatment with increasing fertilizer doses resulted higher CaCl2 soluble N forms compared to the control treatment in soil. These values increased until flowering stage of wheat and after that a slightly decrease was observed as a result of higher N uptake of plant. In overall, it can be stated, that the effect of superphosphate on measured sulphur fraction is prevailed. With increasing fertilizer doses higher sulphate content was detected in soil, but the sulphate content measured in different soil extractant is not enough for the wheat in this experiment area. Studying the correlation between the measured parameters of plant and soil, it can be concluded, that the relationships between nitrogen in the plant and in the soil is stable, and did not change during the growing season. The correlation between plant S and soil S varied in the measured periods and the r value was low in most cases. At the stage of flowering the highest r value was found between KCl-SO4 and plant S. In the stage of ripening the strongest correlation was detected between KH2PO4-SO4 and grain S content.
Effect and interaction of crop management factors and crop year on the yield of maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Bramdeo Karamchand , Rátonyi Tamás
Published: December 2020

The aim of this study was to determine the combination of treatment levels of crop management factors which can optimize and sustain maize yield under varying climatic conditions. The effect of winter wheat forecrop, three tillage systems (Mouldboard-MT, Strip-ST, Ripper-RT), two planting densities (60,000 & 80,000 plants ha-1), three fertilizer levels (N0-control, N80, N160 kg ha-1) with four replications in irrigated and non-irrigated treatments were evaluated over a five year period, 2015–2019. The obtained results revealed that growing season rainfall positively correlated with yield, whereas, temperature negatively correlated with yield. Impact of adverse weather on yield was less severe in biculture, irrigated plots, at lower planting density (60,000), lower fertilizer rate (N80) and in RT and ST, compared to MT. In years with favorable rainfall, yields of MT and RT were significantly (P<0.05) higher than ST. However, in a less favorable year, such as 2015, with 299 mm growing season rainfall and the lowest July rainfall (59% below mean) there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in yield among the three tillage treatments. Higher planting density (80,000), and fertilization rate (N160) in tandem with MT are treatments combination conducive for high yield under favorable climatic conditions, whereas, in years with low rainfall and high temperatures, RT and ST offer alternative to MT for optimum yield with 60,000 plants ha-1 and N80 treatment level. Crop year effect accounted for 20.7% of yield variance, fertilization 35.8%, forecrop 12.8%, plant density 3.4%, tillage 1.2% and irrigation <1%. It is conclusive that with proper selection of the appropriate levels of agrotechnological inputs the adverse effect of weather on yield can be mitigated.
Penentuan Faktor Kelayakan Penerimaan Karyawan Menggunakan Algoritma Decision Tree pada Perusahaan PT. Personel Alih Daya
Authors: Sahputra Deni Anugrah , Saelan M. Rangga Ramadhan , Utami Lilyani Asri , Gata Windu
Published: December 2020

Kebutuhan pekerjaan yang semakin meningkat, membuat pelamar pekerjaan semakin meningkat[2]. PT Personel Alih Daya (PERSADA) adalah salah satu outsourcing di Indonesia yang sudah memiliki 19 kantor cabang. membutuhkan banyak kandidat untuk pemenuhan tenaga kerja di Mitra. oleh karena itu diadakan walkin interview dari hari Senin sampai dengan Jumat. Untuk mendapatan tenaga kerja yang memenuhi standar kualifikasi mitra. Pelamar kerja yang datang (walk in interview) ke PT Personel Alih Daya (PERSADA) rata-rata mencapai 50 orang setiap harinya. Untuk memaksimalkan penentuan kelayakan penerimaan tenaga kerja, serta terpenuhnya kebutuhaan tenaga kerja semakin cepat, maka diperlukannya sebuah prediksi cepat untuk mengetahui kelayakan penerimaan karyawan menggunakan algoritma decission tree pada perusahaan PT. Personel Alih Daya. Untuk menentukan kelayakan tenaga kerja baru bisa di klasifikasikan dengan cepat menggunakan prediksi berdasarkan kriteria paling berpengaruh dalam menentukan kelayakan penerimaan karyawan. dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode C4.5 artibut yang digunakan dalam penelitian tersebut berdasarkan umur, domisili, jenis kelamin, Posisi kerja, jurusan, referensi, level pendidikan dan hasil test. Dengan algoritma tersebut menghasilkan angka akurasi 73,27 serta dengan angka curva AUC 0,789.
Sosyal Bilgiler Öğretmen Adaylarının Estetik Değerine İlişkin Metaforları
Authors: SEYHAN Ayşe
Published: December 2020

Bu araştırmanın amacı, sosyal bilgiler öğretmeni adaylarının “Estetik” değerine ilişkin sahip oldukları algıların metaforlar aracılığı ile ortaya çıkarılmasıdır. Araştırma nitel araştırma modeli kapsamında olgubilim deseninde kurgulanmıştır. Çalışma grubunu, Türkiye’de bir üniversitede öğrenim gören 120 öğretmen adayı oluşturmaktadır. Veriler, “Estetik……………. gibidir / benzer; çünkü…………” şeklinde yazılı form ile toplanmıştır. Elde edilen verilerin değerlendirilmesinde içerik analizi kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada, sosyal bilgiler öğretmen adaylarının “Estetik” değeri için birbirinden farklı olarak 69 geçerli metafor geliştirdiği belirlenmiştir. Belirlenen metaforlar, güzellik (39), uyum (21), etkileyici varlık (18), farklılık (13), mutluluk verici (12), sanat (12), yansıtma aracı (8) olmak üzere 7 kavramsal kategoride toplanmıştır. Estetik değeri katılımcılar tarafından en çok doğa (9), evren (7), güzellik (7), sanat (6) ve çiçek (5) metaforları ile ilişkilendirmiştir. Diğer metaforlar bir kez veya iki kez ifade edilmiştir. Geliştirilen metaforların cinsiyete göre dağılımlarına bakıldığında, belirlenen kategorilerin hepsinde, kadın ve erkek katılımcıların hepsinin metafor ürettikleri görülmektedir. Geliştirilen metafor sayısı açısından “Yansıtma aracı olarak estetik” kategorisinde kadın ve erkek katılımcılar eşit sayıda metafor üretmiştir. Diğer kategorilerde kadın katılımcıların daha fazla metafor geliştirdiği anlaşılmaktadır.
Del ‘gabinete montonero’ a la Universidad Nacional y Popular de Buenos Aires (1973-1974)
Authors: Friedemann Sergio
Published: December 2020

El artículo se inscribe en un cruce del campo de estudios sobre la universidad con la historia del peronismo. El propósito del texto es reconstruir las redes, grupos político-técnicos y profesionales que formaron parte de un listado que la organización Montoneros le elevó a Perón y Cámpora en abril de 1973, para que definieran el armado del gabinete del Poder Ejecutivo Nacional. A partir del “organigrama” o “gabinete montonero”, como se lo conoció, es posible observar que diversas personas sugeridas para ministerios y secretarías del gobierno central fueron finalmente designadas en la Universidad de Buenos Aires. Allí, la izquierda peronista pudo protagonizar una reforma universitaria que resultaría inconclusa. El trabajo contribuye a examinar la heterogeneidad interna de este sector y la complejidad de las relaciones entre Montoneros y sus organizaciones de superficie o aliadas. Siguiendo un enfoque cualitativo, tendremos en cuenta las menciones al “organigrama” en literatura académica, periodística y testimonial, complementando la indagación con fuentes primarias escritas y orales. La confrontación de distintos tipos de fuentes permite reconstruir entramados de pertenencia y afinidades entre grupos y actores que se vincularon con la “tendencia revolucionaria” del peronismo, pero sin subordinarse necesariamente a su organización hegemónica Montoneros.
Turkish sign language digits classification with CNN using different optimizers
Authors: SEVLİ Onur , KEMALOĞLU Nazan
Published: December 2020

Sign language is a way for hearing-impaired people to communicate among themselves and with people without hearing impairment. Communication with the sign language is difficult because few people know this language and the language does not have universal patterns. Sign language interpretation is the translation of visible signs into speech or writing. The sign language interpretation process has reached a practical solution with the help of computer vision technology. One of the models widely used for computer vision technology that mimics the work of the human eye in a computer environment is deep learning. Convolutional neural networks (CNN), which are included in deep learning technology, give successful results in sign language recognition as well as other image recognition applications. In this study, the dataset containing 2062 images consisting of Turkish sign language digits was classified with the developed CNN model. One of the important parameters used to minimize network error of the CNN model during the training is the learning rate. The learning rate is a coefficient used to update other parameters in the network depending on the network error. The optimization of the learning rate is important to achieve rapid progress without getting stuck in local minimums while reducing network error. There are several optimization techniques used for this purpose. In this study, the success of four different training and test processes performed with SGD, RMSprop, Adam and Adamax optimizers were compared. Adam optimizer, which is widely used today with its high performance, was found to be the most successful technique in this study with 98.42% training and 98.55% test accuracy.