bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Status of conservation agriculture based tillage technology for crop production in Bangladesh
Authors: Hossain M Israil , Sarker MJU , Haque M Arshadul
Published: August 2015

Conservation agriculture (CA) based tillage technology permits direct seeding through the moderate level of crop residue. CIMMYT introduced this technology in the farmers field of Bangladesh for wheat crop in collaboration with Wheat Research Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI). Farmers accept CA based tillage technologies considering the advantages of higher yields, reduced cost of tillage operation, and minimum turn around time between the crops. Up land crops are more suitable under these tillage technologies. Weed management in rice cultivation is not yet in a good shape. Most of the tillage implements are operated by imported Chinese two wheel tractor (power tiller). There are few four wheel tractor CA implement using in research farm. Local manufacturers are being fabricated these cost effective small minimum tillage seed drill, raised bed planter, zero till drill, and strip till drills efficiently in different districts of Bangladesh. Farmers accept CA technologies in their field, especially raised bed planting and minimum tillage technology. There are about 425 numbers of raised bed planters and 865 minimum tillage seed drill in the country. Area coverage under bed planting and minimum tillage system are 5764 ha and 21850 ha, respectively. There are 20125 numbers of farmers involved in raised bed farming. There is a big prospect accelerating the CA based tillage technology in the farmers field as irrigation water availability becoming limited or more costly. Mind set up is the big issue for adopting CA tillage technology. Training and multi disciplinary approaches can push forward these tillage technologies ahead.Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 40(2): 235-248 June 2015
Performance of lentil varieties under relay and minimum tillage conditions in T. Aman rice
Authors: Islam MR , Uddin MK , Ali MO
Published: August 2015

A study on comparative productive efficiency and feasibility of lentil varieties both at relay and minimum tillage were conducted at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Ishurdi, Pabna, Bangladesh during the Rabi season of 2007-08 and 2008-09. Three lentil varieties viz. BARI Masur-2, BARI Masur-3 and BARI Masur-4 and two sowing methods viz. relay sowing and furrow sowing (Minimum tillage) were compared. The highest seed yield (1.59 t/ha) was obtained from BARI Masur-4 because of highest number of pods/plant and plant population/m2 while lowest from BARI Masur-2 (1.39 t/ha). The sowing methods had significant effect on the seed yield of lentil. Crops sown in furrows produced higher seed yield (1.60 t/ha) than that of crops in relay sowing. The interaction effect between varieties and sowing methods also had significant effect on the seed yield and yield attributes. The lentil variety BARI Masur-4 when grown in furrows gave the highest seed yield (1.70 t/ha). Though seed yield and gross return were highest in furrow sowing but highest benefit cost ratio (4.67) was found in relay sowing method.Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 40(2): 271-278 June 2015
Laparoscopic vs Open Appendectomy : A Comparative Study
Authors: Islam Sardar Rezaul , Pasha Kamal , Rahman Shahinur , Nasir Emdad , Hanif Emon , Barman Auditi
Published: August 2015

Backgraound: Open appendectomy (OA) has been the treatment of choice for acute appendicitis since its introduction by Mc-burney in 1884. Laparoscopic appendectomy(LA) though widely practiced, has not gained universal approval. LA was first described in 1983. Some early studies showed equivocal results about benefit of LA. Recent studies showed overall benefit in favour of LA. So far no such a large study was done in any Bangladeshi hospital. So, we decided to do this study with a view to evaluate the therapeutic benefit of LA by comparing with conventional OA.Materials and methods: We collected data of 763 appendectomies done in Jahurul Islam medical college hospital from July 2007 to June 2012 for a period of 5 years. Out of them 448 had conventional OA and 315 had LA. We compared the mean operation time, time of first oral feeding, narcotic analgesic requirement, duration of post operative hospital stay.Results: We found that mean operation time was 33±5.8 minute and 37± 7.5 minute in LA and OA respectively. Duration of post operative hospital stay was 1.2 days shorter in Laparoscopic group. LA required 1.1 shots of  less analgesic than OA. Oral feeding was resumed 21 hours earlier following LA compared to OA. Laparoscpic appendectomy was safely performed in paediatric patient without any adverse effect. We also found that, in female patient, concurrent ovarian cysts, tubal pregnancy and endometriosis can be diagnosed and managed laparoscopically in the same sitting.Conclusion: Our study found that laparoscopic appendectomy is an effective and safe procedure irrespective of age and sex of the patient. LA has added advantage of early return of bowel movement, less post-op hospital stay and less requirement of narcotic analgesic.
Matrix Computations of CorwinGreenleaf Multiplicity Functions for Special Unitary Group G = SU (m,n))
Authors: Nasrin Salma , Nilu Tanzila Yeasmin , Fardous Jannatun , Akter Rubina
Published: August 2015

In this paper, CorwinGreenleaf multiplicity functions for special unitary group have been studied in the light of the KirillovKostant Theory. This was pioneered by the famous mathematician L. Corwin and F.Greenleaf. The multiplicity function is defined as n(?G?,OH?)=#((OG??pr-1(OG?))/H).In the case where G = SU(m,n), it has been shown that n(OG?,OH?)is at most oneDhaka Univ. J. Sci. 63(2):125-128, 2015 (July)
Soil properties and biological activity as influenced by nutrient management in rice- fallow sorghum
Authors: Goutami N , Rani PP , Pathy RL , Babu PR
Published: August 2015

A field experiment was conducted to observe the effect of inorganics, bio-fertilizers and FYM applied to rice-fallow sorghum on soil properties and biological activity at Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla during 2012. Soil samples were collected at flowering and harvest of the crop and were analysed for bulk density (BD), porosity, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic carbon, N, P, K and micronutrients by standard methods. Results indicated that the soil properties viz., bulk density, porosity, pH and EC were not markedly influenced by the imposed treatments, while significantly high organic carbon was recorded in FYM treated plots. There was a significant influence of the treatments on available nitrogen and phosphorus, but not on potassium. Among micronutrients (Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe), the treatmental influence was significantly related to Fe only. Addition of inorganics in combination with organics and bio-fertilizers proved to be more efficient in improving the microbial population and enzyme activities (urease and dehydrogenase) significantly.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 5 (1): 10-14, June, 2015
Association of Albumin to Creatinine Ratio with Severity of Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Islam Lohani Md Tajul , Abdullah Abu Sadique , Al Azad Sarker Md Alauddin , Jubayer Mohammad , Amin Md Gaffar , Sabah KM N , Rahman Mohammad Abdur , Khaled Md Fakhrul Islam , Tushar Asif Zaman , Chowdhury Abdul Wadud , Safiuddin Mohammad , Hasan ATM Iqbal
Published: August 2015

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cause of mortality and morbidity all over the world. It is also becoming a significant burden on healthcare service in Bangladesh. Atherosclerosis is the main pathology behind coronary artery disease. Endothelial dysfunction plays a crucial role in the process of atherosclerosis. Microalbuminuria (MA) is a reliable marker of endothelial dysfunction. This is why microalbuminuria is recognized as a simple marker of atherogenic milieu It was a cross sectional analytical study carried out in the department of Cardiology, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka during the period of May, 2013 to April, 2014. After ethical consideration a total of 120 patients with IHD admitted in the department of Cardiology who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria and underwent coronary angiogram were taken as sampling population by purposive sampling. 1st morning spot urine sample was taken for measurement of ACR.Microalbumnuria was measured by rate nephelometry using Behring protein analyzer. All the study subjects were placed into two groups according to ACR value (group I- positive urinary ACR >30 mg/g & group II-Normal urinary ACR <30 mg/g). Angiographic severity of coronary artery disease was assessed by vessel score and stenosis score. Age and sex distribution of the subjects in two groups with MA and without MA were similar. No significant difference was observed between two groups with regard to smoking, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and family history of IHD. Prevalence of diabetes mellitus was significantly more in subjects with MA than without MA (60% vs 33.9%, p=0.006). All 40 patients of group I had significant CAD. 57(71.2%) patients of group II had significant CAD and 23(28.8%) patients had no significant CAD. The difference was highly significant (p<0.001). Single vessel involvement was significantly more frequent in subjects of group II than group I (35.0% vs15.0%, p=0.022) Double vessel involvement was more in group I than group II, but the difference was not statistically significant (36.8% vs 32.40%,p=0.641).Triple vessel involvement was significantly more frequent in subjects of group I than group II (50.0% vs10.7%, p<0.001). The mean stenosis score of group I was significantly higher than group II (95% CI 4.966 to 2.809, p<0.001). The mean ±SD total coronary vessel score of group I was 16.60±4.75 with a range of 7.0-21.0 and mean ±SD total coronary vessel score of group II was 8.26±6.24 with a range of 0.0-21.0. The mean total score of group I wassignificantly higher than group II (95% CI 10.558 to 6.117, p<0.001). Patient with microalbuminuria has more extensive and complex angiographic coronary artery disease compared to those without microalbuminuria.University Heart Journal Vol. 10, No. 1, January 2014; 18-22
Case Report of a 17 Year Young Adult with Dermmoid Cyst in Thymus
Authors: Ghosh Shantonu Kumar , Rahman Khan Mohammad Amanur , Rahman Md Mostafizur , Islam Md Ashraful , Adhikary Asit Baran , Aftabuddin Mohammad , Islam Md Aminul
Published: August 2015

Teratoma of thymus gland is a rare variety of anterior mediastinaltumour. It may cause compression over airway resulting respiratory depression. This is a case of a 17 yearyoung adult, farmer, presented with swelling over front of root of neck for 1 month with history of surgery over the same region 4 months back. Clinically two oval, pedunculated masses were found. CT scan of chest revealed enlargement of thymus. FNAC of the mass could not exclude possibility of mesenchymal or thymic neoplasm. Peroperativelythymus was found enlarged and was variegated in appearance (dermoid and gelatinous material was found). Thymus was resected in toto. Excision of sinus tract was also done. His operation was uneventful, postoperative recovery was excellent. He was discharged to home on 14th postoperative day with good physical condition. Although rare, mediastinalteratoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinaltumours. Early diagnosis and complete excision is necessary. Possibility of malignant change should also be considered.University Heart Journal Vol. 10, No. 1, January 2014; 47-50
Posthuman performativity, gender and “school bullying”
Authors: Ringrose Jessica , Rawlings Victoria
Published: August 2015

In this article we take off from critiques of psychological and school bullying typologies as creating problematic binary categories of bully and victim and neglecting sociocultural aspects of gender and sexuality. We review bullying research informed by Judith Butler’s theories of discursive performativity, which help us to understand how subjectification works through performative repetitions of heterosexual gender norms. We then build on these insights drawing on the feminist new materialist approach of Karen Barad’s posthuman performativity, which we argue enlarges our scope of inquiry in profound ways. Barad’s theories suggest we move from psychological models of the inter-personal, and from Butlerian notions of discursive subjectification, to ideas of discursive-material intra-action to consider the more-thanhuman relationalities of bullying. Throughout the article, we demonstrate the approach using examples from qualitative research with teens in the UK and Australia, exploring nonhuman agentic matter such as space, objects and time as shaping the constitution of gender and sexual bullying events. Specifically we examine the discursive-material agential intraactions of skirts and hair through which ‘girl’ and ‘boy’ and ‘slut’ and ‘gay’ materialise in school spacetimematterings. In our conclusion we briefly suggest how the new materialism helps to shift the frame of attention and responses informing gendered intraactions in schools.
Fifth-Order Iterative Method for Solving Multiple Roots of the Highest Multiplicity of Nonlinear Equation
Authors: Liang Juan , Li Xiaowu , Wu Zhinan , Zhang Mingsheng , Wang Lin , Pan Feng
Published: August 2015

A three-step iterative method with fifth-order convergence as a new modification of Newton’s method was presented. This method is for finding multiple roots of nonlinear equation with unknown multiplicity m whose multiplicity m is the highest multiplicity. Its order of convergence is analyzed and proved. Results for some numerical examples show the efficiency of the new method.
Air Quality of Beijing and Impacts of the New Ambient Air Quality Standard
Authors: Chen Wei , Wang Fusheng , Xiao Guofeng , Wu Kai , Zhang Shixuan
Published: August 2015

Beijing has been publishing daily reports on its air quality since 2000, and while the air pollution index (API) shows that the air quality has improved greatly since 2000, this is not the perception of Beijing’s residents. The new national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS-2012), which includes the monitoring of PM2.5, has posed stricter standards for evaluating air quality. With the new national standard, the air quality in Beijing is calculated using both NAAQS-2012 and the previous standard. The annual attainment rate has dropped from 75.5% to 50.7%. The spatial analysis of air quality shows that only a background station could attain the national standard, while urban and suburban stations exceed the national standard. Among the six pollutants included in the NAAQS-2012, PM2.5 is the major contributor to the air quality index (AQI) comparing with the five other pollutants. The results indicate that under previous NAAQS without PM2.5 monitoring, the air quality has improved greatly in the past decade. By considering PM2.5, the air quality attainment has dropped greatly. Furthermore, a great effort is needed for local government to bring down the PM2.5 concentration.
Functional Role of NBS1 in Radiation Damage Response and Translesion DNA Synthesis
Authors: Saito Yuichiro , Komatsu Kenshi
Published: August 2015

Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) is a recessive genetic disorder characterized by increased sensitivity to ionizing radiation (IR) and a high frequency of malignancies. NBS1, a product of the mutated gene in NBS, contains several protein interaction domains in the N-terminus and C-terminus. The C-terminus of NBS1 is essential for interactions with MRE11, a homologous recombination repair nuclease, and ATM, a key player in signal transduction after the generation of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which is induced by IR. Moreover, NBS1 regulates chromatin remodeling during DSB repair by histone H2B ubiquitination through binding to RNF20 at the C-terminus. Thus, NBS1 is considered as the first protein to be recruited to DSB sites, wherein it acts as a sensor or mediator of DSB damage responses. In addition to DSB response, we showed that NBS1 initiates Polη-dependent translesion DNA synthesis by recruiting RAD18 through its binding at the NBS1 C-terminus after UV exposure, and it also functions after the generation of interstrand crosslink DNA damage. Thus, NBS1 has multifunctional roles in response to DNA damage from a variety of genotoxic agents, including IR.
Opportunities within the Revised EU Common Agricultural Policy to Address the Decline of Farmland Birds: An Irish Perspective
Authors: Ó hUallacháin Daire , Copland Alex , Buckley Kieran , McMahon Barry
Published: August 2015

The loss of global biological diversity continues despite on-going conservation efforts. Agriculture is the major terrestrial land use in Europe and any conservation efforts to protect biological diversity must address sustainable use of these food production systems. Using Ireland, within the European Union policy framework, as an example, the declines in farmland birds are discussed. The opportunities afforded to farmland bird conservation as a result of the recent reform to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) are outlined. The potential for revised and refined CAP, specifically agri-environment schemes, to deliver benefits for biodiversity and for farmland bird species within Irish agricultural ecosystems is explored. Despite all the efforts to date and the significant resources invested in implementing agri-environment measures and schemes, few attempts have been made to collect monitoring and surveillance data with which to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of schemes, and measures that are designed to assist in the recovery of farmland biodiversity, including bird species, in Ireland.
Exergetic Analysis of an Integrated Tri-Generation Organic Rankine Cycle
Authors: Mathkor Ratha , Agnew Brian , Al-Weshahi Mohammed , Latrsh Fathi
Published: August 2015

This paper reports on a study of the modelling, validation and analysis of an integrated 1 MW (electrical output) tri-generation system energized by solar energy. The impact of local climatic conditions in the Mediterranean region on the system performance was considered. The output of the system that comprised a parabolic trough collector (PTC), an organic Rankine cycle (ORC), single-effect desalination (SED), and single effect LiBr-H2O absorption chiller (ACH) was electrical power, distilled water, and refrigerant load. The electrical power was produced by the ORC which used cyclopentane as working fluid and Therminol VP-1 was specified as the heat transfer oil (HTO) in the collectors with thermal storage. The absorption chiller and the desalination unit were utilize the waste heat exiting from the steam turbine in the ORC to provide the necessary cooling energy and drinking water respectively. The modelling, which includes an exergetic analysis, focuses on the performance of the solar tri-generation system. The simulation results of the tri-generation system and its subsystems were produced using IPSEpro software and were validated against experimental data which showed good agreement. The tri-generation system was able to produce about 194 Ton of refrigeration, and 234 t/day distilled water.
Assuring Quality Health Care in the Emergency Department
Authors: Letvak Susan , Rhew Denise
Published: August 2015

The provision of quality healthcare is an international mandate. The provision of quality healthcare for mental health patients poses unique challenges. Nowhere is this challenge greater than in the emergency department. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe evidence-based initiatives for improving the quality of care of mental health patients in the emergency department. Specifically, the use of telepsychiatry and reducing provider biases will be presented.
Simulating the Hydrologic Impact of Arundo donax Invasion on the Headwaters of the Nueces River in Texas
Authors: Jain Shailee , Ale Srinivasulu , Munster Clyde , Ansley R. , Kiniry James
Published: August 2015

Arundo donax (hereafter referred to as Arundo), a robust herbaceous plant, has invaded the riparian zones of the Rio Grande River and the rivers of the Texas Hill Country over the last two decades. Arundo was first observed along the Nueces River in central Texas in 1995 by the Nueces River Authority (NRA). It then spread rapidly downstream due to its fast growth rate and availability of streamflow for its consumptive use, and it completely displaced the native vegetation, primarily Panicum virgatum (hereafter referred to as switchgrass) in the riparian zone. It was hypothesized that Arundo reduced streamflows due to higher water use by Arundo when compared to switchgrass. The overall goal of this study was to assess the impacts of Arundo invasion on hydrology of the headwaters of the Nueces River through observed long-term streamflow and precipitation data analysis and simulation modeling with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The observed data analysis indicated that while there was no significant change in monthly precipitation between the pre-Arundo invasion (1979–1994) and post-Arundo invasion (1995–2010) periods, streamflows changed significantly showing a positive (slightly increasing) trend during the pre-invasion period and a negative (slightly decreasing) trend during the post-invasion periods. The simulated average (1995–2010) annual evapotranspiration of Arundo in the seven Hydrologic Response Units (HRUs) in which Arundo invaded, was higher by 137 mm when compared to switchgrass. The water uptake by Arundo was therefore higher by 7.2% over switchgrass. Higher water uptake by Arundo resulted in a 93 mm higher irrigation (water use from the reach/stream) annually when compared to switchgrass. In addition, the simulated average annual water yield (net amount of water that was generated from the seven Arundo HRUs and contributed to streamflow) under Arundo was less by about 17 mm as compared to switchgrass. In conclusion, model simulations indicated that Arundo invasion in the Nueces River has caused a statistically significant increase in water uptake and reduction in streamflow compared to the native switchgrass, which previously dominated the headwaters.
Theoretical Framework for Plastic Waste Management in Ghana through Extended Producer Responsibility: Case of Sachet Water Waste
Authors: Quartey Ebo , Tosefa Hero , Danquah Kwasi , Obrsalova Ilona
Published: August 2015

Currently, use and disposal of plastic by consumers through waste management activities in Ghana not only creates environmental problems, but also reinforces the notion of a wasteful society. The magnitude of this problem has led to increasing pressure from the public for efficient and practical measures to solve the waste problem. This paper analyses the impact of plastic use and disposal in Ghana. It emphasizes the need for commitment to proper management of the impacts of plastic waste and effective environmental management in the country. Sustainable Solid Waste Management (SSWM) is a critical problem for developing countries with regards to climate change and greenhouse gas emission, and also the general wellbeing of the populace. Key themes of this paper are producer responsibility and management of products at end of life. The paper proposes two theatrical recovery models that can be used to address the issue of sachet waste in Ghana.
Investigation of Travel and Activity Patterns Using Location-based Social Network Data: A Case Study of Active Mobile Social Media Users
Authors: Sun Yeran , Li Ming
Published: August 2015

Due to its relatively high availability and low cost, location-based social network (LBSN) (e.g., Foursquare) data (a popular type of volunteered geographic information) seem to be an alternative or complement to survey data in the study of travel behavior and activity analysis. Illustrating this situation, recently, a number of studies attempted to use LBSN data (e.g., Foursquare check-ins) to investigate patterns of human travel and activity. Of particular note is that compared to other individual-level characteristics of users, such as age, profession, education, income and so forth, gender is relatively highly available in the profiles of Foursquare users. Moreover, considering gender differences in travel and activity analysis is a popular research topic and is helpful in better understanding the changes in women’s roles in family, labor force participation, society and so forth. Therefore, this paper empirically investigates how gender influences the travel and activity patterns of active local Foursquare users in New York City. Empirical investigations of gender differences in travel and activity patterns are conducted at both the individual and aggregate level. The empirical results reveal that there are gender differences in the travel and activity patterns of active local users in New York City at both the individual and aggregate level. Finally, the results of the empirical study and the extent to which LBSN data can be exploited to produce travel diary data are discussed.
Inhibitory Effects of Amorphigenin on the Mitochondrial Complex I of Culex pipiens pallens Coquillett (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Ji Mingshan , Liang Yaping , Gu Zumin , Li Xiuwei
Published: August 2015

Previous studies in our laboratory found that the extract from seeds of Amorpha fruticosa in the Leguminosae family had lethal effects against mosquito larvae, and an insecticidal compound amorphigenin was isolated. In this study, the inhibitory effects of amorphigenin against the mitochondrial complex I of Culex pipiens pallens (Diptera: Culicidae) were investigated and compared with that of rotenone. The results showed that amorphigenin and rotenone can decrease the mitochondrial complex I activity both in vivo and in vitro as the in vivo IC50 values (the inhibitor concentrations leading to 50% of the enzyme activity lost) were determined to be 2.4329 and 2.5232 μmol/L, respectively, while the in vitro IC50 values were 2.8592 and 3.1375 μmol/L, respectively. Both amorphigenin and rotenone were shown to be reversible and mixed-I type inhibitors of the mitochondrial complex I of Cx. pipiens pallens, indicating that amorphigenin and rotenone inhibited the enzyme activity not only by binding with the free enzyme but also with the enzyme-substrate complex, and the values of KI and KIS for amorphigenin were determined to be 20.58 and 87.55 μM, respectively, while the values for rotenone were 14.04 and 69.23 μM, respectively.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Cooperates in Zearalenone-Induced Cell Death of RAW 264.7 Macrophages
Authors: Chen Fenglei , Li Qian , Zhang Zhe , Lin Pengfei , Lei Lanjie , Wang Aihua , Jin Yaping
Published: August 2015

Zearalenone (ZEA) is a fungal mycotoxin that causes cell apoptosis and necrosis. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of ZEA toxicity. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of ZEA on the proliferation and apoptosis of RAW 264.7 macrophages and to uncover the signaling pathway underlying the cytotoxicity of ZEA in RAW 264.7 macrophages. This study demonstrates that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway cooperated in ZEA-induced cell death of the RAW 264.7 macrophages. Our results show that ZEA treatment reduced the viability of RAW 264.7 macrophages in a dose- and time-dependent manner as shown by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay (MTT) and flow cytometry assay. Western blots analysis revealed that ZEA increased the expression of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP), two ER stress-related marker genes. Furthermore, treating the cells with the ER stress inhibitors 4-phenylbutyrate (4-PBA) or knocking down CHOP, using lentivirus encoded short hairpin interfering RNAs (shRNAs), significantly diminished the ZEA-induced increases in GRP78 and CHOP, and cell death. In summary, our results suggest that ZEA induces the apoptosis and necrosis of RAW 264.7 macrophages in a dose- and time-dependent manner via the ER stress pathway in which the activation of CHOP plays a critical role.
Correction: Lubanga, U.K., et al. Semiochemical and Vibrational Cues and Signals Mediating Mate Finding and Courtship in Psylloidea (Hemiptera): A Synthesis. Insects 2014, 5, 577–595.
Authors: Lubanga Umar , Guédot Christelle , Percy Diana , Steinbauer Martin
Published: August 2015

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [1]: [...]
Modelling the Potential of Integrated Vegetation Bands (IVB) to Retain Stormwater Runoff on Steep Hillslopes of Southeast Queensland, Australia
Authors: Ryan Justin , McAlpine Clive , Ludwig John , Callow John
Published: August 2015

Rainfall intensity is predicted to increase under a changing climate, leading to increased risks of hillslope erosion, downstream sedimentation and flooding. For many catchments used for grazing and agricultural land uses, it will become increasingly important to maintain ecohydrological functioning despite climatic extremes. One means to achieve this is through strategic reforestation using locally endemic species, in spatial configurations that effectively intercept, retain or and redistribute overland flows. This paper adopts a modelling approach for investigating the potential of one such design termed “integrated vegetation bands” (IVB), to increase the retention of runoff across steep hillslopes, particularly in the sub-tropics where rainstorms are becoming increasingly intense. A spatially distributed simulation model (MIKE-SHE) was applied to a steep, grazed catchment (Maronghi Creek catchment, Southeast Queensland, Australia) to compare stormwater runoff characteristics between: (1) the existing pasture land cover; and (2) a series of hypothetical IVB added across this pasture land. The IVB were approximately 20 m wide, and configured at 5% gradient towards ridgelines. Results for estimates of overland flow depth and infiltration (spatial), and accumulative water balance (temporal), confirm that the area of hillslope retaining > 10 mm/day more runoff increased by 22% under IVB compared to the pasture land use. Excluding the IVB themselves, the area of hillslope where runoff retention increased was 11%. During the most intense rainfall, IVB held up to 25% greater water depth and had 10% greater infiltration at the hillslope scale. At the sub-catchment scale, discharge decreased by 7% and infiltration increased by 23%. The findings for sub-tropical landscapes presented here are consistent with studies conducted in temperate regions. Based on the results of this preliminary modelling work, the IVB concept has been established as a paired-catchment field trial in a high rainfall catchment in Southeast Queensland, Australia.
A Practical Tuning Method for the Robust PID Controller with Velocity Feed-Back
Authors: Sariyildiz Emre , Yu Haoyong , Ohnishi Kouhei
Published: August 2015

Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control is the most widely used control method in industrial and academic applications due to its simplicity and efficiency. Several different control methods/algorithms have been proposed to tune the gains of PID controllers. However, the conventional tuning methods do not have sufficient performance and simplicity for practical applications, such as robotics and motion control. The performance of motion control systems may significantly deteriorate by the nonlinear plant uncertainties and unknown external disturbances, such as inertia variations, friction, external loads, etc., i.e., there may be a significant discrepancy between the simulation and experiment if the robustness is not considered in the design of PID controllers. This paper proposes a novel practical tuning method for the robust PID controller with velocity feed-back for motion control systems. The main advantages of the proposed method are the simplicity and efficiency in practical applications, i.e., a high performance robust motion control system can be easily designed by properly tuning conventional PID controllers. The validity of the proposal is verified by giving simulation and experimental results.
Proteins and Carbohydrates from Red Seaweeds: Evidence for Beneficial Effects on Gut Function and Microbiota
Authors: Cian Raúl , Drago Silvina , De Medina Fermín , Martínez-Augustin Olga
Published: August 2015

Based on their composition, marine algae, and namely red seaweeds, are good potential functional foods. Intestinal mucosal barrier function refers to the capacity of the intestine to provide adequate containment of luminal microorganisms and molecules. Here, we will first outline the component of seaweeds and will summarize the effects of these on the regulation of mucosal barrier function. Special attention will be paid to unique components of red seaweeds: proteins and derived peptides (e.g., phycobiliproteins, glycoproteins that contain “cellulose binding domains”, phycolectins and the related mycosporine-like amino acids) together with polysaccharides (e.g., floridean starch and sulfated galactans, such as carrageenans, agarans and “dl-hybrid”) and minerals. These compounds have been shown to exert prebiotic effects, to regulate intestinal epithelial cell, macrophage and lymphocyte proliferation and differentiation and to modulate the immune response. Molecular mechanisms of action of peptides and polysaccharides are starting to be elucidated, and evidence indicating the involvement of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGFR), Toll-like receptors (TLR) and signal transduction pathways mediated by protein kinase B (PKB or AKT), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK) will also be summarized. The need for further research is clear, but in vivo experiments point to an overall antiinflammatory effect of these algae, indicating that they can reinforce membrane barrier function.
Antioxidant, Anti-Nephrolithe Activities and in Vitro Digestibility Studies of Three Different Cyanobacterial Pigment Extracts
Authors: Paliwal Chetan , Ghosh Tonmoy , Bhayani Khushbu , Maurya Rahulkumar , Mishra Sandhya
Published: August 2015

Phycobiliprotein-containing water and carotenoid-containing methanolic extracts of three different cyanobacteria, Pseudanabaena sp., Spirulina sp. and Lyngbya sp., were studied for their DPPH scavenging, iso-bolographic studies, and anti-nephrolithe activities. The best EC50 values for DPPH scavenging were in Lyngbya water (LW, 18.78 ± 1.57 mg·mg−1 DPPH) and Lyngbya methanol (LM, 59.56 ± 37.38 mg·mg−1 DPPH) extracts. Iso-bolographic analysis revealed most of the combinations of extracts were antagonistic to each other, although LM—Spirulina methanol (SM) 1:1 had the highest synergistic rate of 86.65%. In vitro digestion studies showed that DPPH scavenging activity was considerably decreased in all extracts except for Pseudanabaena methanol (PM) and LM after the simulated digestion. All of the extracts were effective in reducing the calcium oxalate crystal size by nearly 60%–65% compared to negative control, while PM and Spirulina water (SW) extracts could inhibit both nucleation and aggregation of calcium oxalate by nearly 60%–80%.
Centrifugal Step Emulsification can Produce Water in Oil Emulsions with Extremely High Internal Volume Fractions
Authors: Schuler Friedrich , Paust Nils , Zengerle Roland , Von Stetten Felix
Published: August 2015

The high throughput preparation of emulsions with high internal volume fractions is important for many different applications, e.g., drug delivery. However, most emulsification techniques reach only low internal volume fractions and need stable flow rates that are often difficult to control. Here, we present a centrifugal high throughput step emulsification disk for the fast and easy production of emulsions with high internal volume fractions above 95%. The disk produces droplets at generation rates of up to 3700 droplets/s and, for the first time, enables the generation of emulsions with internal volume fractions of >97%. The coefficient of variation between droplet sizes is very good (4%). We apply our system to show the in situ generation of gel emulsion. In the future, the recently introduced unit operation of centrifugal step emulsification may be used for the high throughput production of droplets as reaction compartments for clinical diagnostics or as starting material for micromaterial synthesis.
Quantitative Characterization of the Growth of Deinococcus geothermalis DSM-11302: Effect of Inoculum Size, Growth Medium and Culture Conditions
Authors: Bornot Julie , Molina-Jouve Carole , Uribelarrea Jean-Louis , Gorret Nathalie
Published: August 2015

Due to their remarkable resistance to extreme conditions, Deinococcaceae strains are of great interest to biotechnological prospects. However, the physiology of the extremophile strain Deinococcus geothermalis has scarcely been studied and is not well understood. The physiological behaviour was then studied in well-controlled conditions in flask and bioreactor cultures. The growth of D. geothermalis type strains was compared. Among the strains tested, the strain from the German Collection of Microorganisms (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen DSM) DSM-11302 was found to give the highest biomass concentration and growth rate: in a complex medium with glucose, the growth rate reached 0.75 h−1 at 45 °C. Yeast extract concentration in the medium had significant constitutive and catalytic effects. Furthermore, the results showed that the physiological descriptors were not affected by the inoculum preparation steps. A batch culture of D. geothermalis DSM-11302 on defined medium was carried out: cells grew exponentially with a maximal growth rate of 0.28 h−1 and D. geothermalis DSM-11302 biomass reached 1.4 g·L−1 in 20 h. Then, 1.4 gDryCellWeight of biomass (X) was obtained from 5.6 g glucose (Glc) consumed as carbon source, corresponding to a yield of 0.3 CmolX·CmolGlc−1; cell specific oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production rates reached 216 and 226 mmol.CmolX−1·h−1, respectively, and the respiratory quotient (QR) value varied from 1.1 to 1.7. This is the first time that kinetic parameters and yields are reported for D. geothermalis DSM-11302 grown on a mineral medium in well-controlled batch culture.
Protein-Carbohydrate Interactions, and Beyond …
Authors: De Schutter Kristof , Van Damme Els
Published: August 2015

Carbohydrates are ubiquitous and play an intriguing role inside the cell as well as on the cell surface.[...]
Optimal Energy Transfer in Light-Harvesting Systems
Authors: Chen Lipeng , Shenai Prathamesh , Zheng Fulu , Somoza Alejandro , Zhao Yang
Published: August 2015

Photosynthesis is one of the most essential biological processes in which specialized pigment-protein complexes absorb solar photons, and with a remarkably high efficiency, guide the photo-induced excitation energy toward the reaction center to subsequently trigger its conversion to chemical energy. In this work, we review the principles of optimal energy transfer in various natural and artificial light harvesting systems. We begin by presenting the guiding principles for optimizing the energy transfer efficiency in systems connected to dissipative environments, with particular attention paid to the potential role of quantum coherence in light harvesting systems. We will comment briefly on photo-protective mechanisms in natural systems that ensure optimal functionality under varying ambient conditions. For completeness, we will also present an overview of the charge separation and electron transfer pathways in reaction centers. Finally, recent theoretical and experimental progress on excitation energy transfer, charge separation, and charge transport in artificial light harvesting systems is delineated, with organic solar cells taken as prime examples.
Aqueous Extract of Nypa fruticans Wurmb. Vinegar Alleviates Postprandial Hyperglycemia in Normoglycemic Rats
Authors: Yusoff Nor , Ahmad Mariam , Al Hindi Bassel , Widyawati Tri , Yam Mun , Mahmud Roziahanim , Razak Khairul , Asmawi Mohd
Published: August 2015

Nypa fruticans Wurmb. vinegar, commonly known as nipa palm vinegar (NPV) has been used as a folklore medicine among the Malay community to treat diabetes. Early work has shown that aqueous extract (AE) of NPV exerts a potent antihyperglycemic effect. Thus, this study is conducted to evaluate the effect of AE on postprandial hyperglycemia in an attempt to understand its mechanism of antidiabetic action. AE were tested via in vitro intestinal glucose absorption, in vivo carbohydrate tolerance tests and spectrophotometric enzyme inhibition assays. One mg/mL of AE showed a comparable outcome to the use of phloridzin (1 mM) in vitro as it delayed glucose absorption through isolated rat jejunum more effectively than acarbose (1 mg/mL). Further in vivo confirmatory tests showed AE (500 mg/kg) to cause a significant suppression in postprandial hyperglycemia 30 min following respective glucose (2 g/kg), sucrose (4 g/kg) and starch (3 g/kg) loadings in normal rats, compared to the control group. Conversely, in spectrophotometric enzymatic assays, AE showed rather a weak inhibitory activity against both α-glucosidase and α-amylase when compared with acarbose. The findings suggested that NPV exerts its anti-diabetic effect by delaying carbohydrate absorption from the small intestine through selective inhibition of intestinal glucose transporters, therefore suppressing postprandial hyperglycemia.
Monitoring Ground Subsidence in Hong Kong via Spaceborne Radar: Experiments and Validation
Authors: Qin Yuxiao , Perissin Daniele
Published: August 2015

The persistent scatterers interferometry (PSI) technique is gradually becoming known for its capability of providing up to millimeter accuracy of measurement on ground displacement. Nevertheless, there is still quite a good amount of doubt regarding its correctness or accuracy. In this paper, we carried out an experiment corroborating the capability of the PSI technique with the help of a traditional survey method in the urban area of Hong Kong, China. Seventy three TerraSAR-X (TSX) and TanDEM-X (TDX) images spanning over four years are used for the data process. There are three aims of this study. The first is to generate a displacement map of urban Hong Kong and to check for spots with possible ground movements. This information will be provided to the local surveyors so that they can check these specific locations. The second is to validate if the accuracy of the PSI technique can indeed reach the millimeter level in this real application scenario. For validating the accuracy of PSI, four corner reflectors (CR) were installed at a construction site on reclaimed land in Hong Kong. They were manually moved up or down by a few to tens of millimeters, and the value derived from the PSI analysis was compared to the true value. The experiment, carried out in unideal conditions, nevertheless proved undoubtedly that millimeter accuracy can be achieved by the PSI technique. The last is to evaluate the advantages and limitations of the PSI technique. Overall, the PSI technique can be extremely useful if used in collaboration with other techniques, so that the advantages can be highlighted and the drawbacks avoided.
Research on the Contribution of Urban Land Surface Moisture to the Alleviation Effect of Urban Land Surface Heat Based on Landsat 8 Data
Authors: Zhang Yu , Chen Longqian , Wang Yuchen , Chen Longgao , Yao Fei , Wu Peiyao , Wang Bingyi , Li Yuanyuan , Zhou Tianjian , Zhang Ting
Published: August 2015

This paper presents a new assessment method for alleviating urban heat island (UHI) effects by using an urban land surface moisture (ULSM) index. With the aid of Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS data, the land surface temperature (LST) was retrieved by a mono-window algorithm, and ULSM was extracted by tasselled cap transformation. Polynomial regression and buffer analysis were used to analyze the effects of ULSM on the LST, and the alleviation effect of ULSM was compared with three vegetation indices, GVI, SAVI, and FVC, by using the methods of grey relational analysis and Taylor skill calculation. The results indicate that when the ULSM value is greater than the value of an extreme point, the LST declines with the increasing ULSM value. Areas with a high ULSM value have an obvious reducing effect on the temperature of their surrounding areas within 150 m. Grey relational degrees and Taylor skill scores between ULSM and the LST are 0.8765 and 0.9378, respectively, which are higher than the results for the three vegetation indices GVI, SAVI, and FVC. The reducing effect of the ULSM index on environmental temperatures is significant, and ULSM can be considered to be a new and more effective index to estimate UHI alleviation effects for urban areas.
Model-Based Design of Tree WSNs for Decentralized Detection
Authors: Tantawy Ashraf , Koutsoukos Xenofon , Biswas Gautam
Published: August 2015

The classical decentralized detection problem of finding the optimal decision rules at the sensor and fusion center, as well as variants that introduce physical channel impairments have been studied extensively in the literature. The deployment of WSNs in decentralized detection applications brings new challenges to the field. Protocols for different communication layers have to be co-designed to optimize the detection performance. In this paper, we consider the communication network design problem for a tree WSN. We pursue a system-level approach where a complete model for the system is developed that captures the interactions between different layers, as well as different sensor quality measures. For network optimization, we propose a hierarchical optimization algorithm that lends itself to the tree structure, requiring only local network information. The proposed design approach shows superior performance over several contentionless and contention-based network design approaches.
Highly Sensitive Electrochemical Determination of Alfatoxin B1 Using Quantum Dots-Assembled Amplification Labels
Authors: Zeng Xiaoqun , Gao Huiju , Pan Daodong , Sun Yangying , Cao Jinxuan , Wu Zhen , Pan Zhenyu
Published: August 2015

A competitive electrochemical immunoassay for highly sensitive detection of AFB1 is demonstrated using layer-by-layer (LBL) assembled quantum dots (QDs) as labels. To investigate the effects of the higher sensitivity of square wave voltammetric stripping (SWV) and of the LBL technique on the proposed immunoassays, the proposed assay was compared to electrochemical (EC) and fluorescent immunoassays, which did not use LBL technology. Peanut samples were analyzed using the three immunoassays. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.018, 0.046 and 0.212 ng/mL, respectively, while the sensitivities were 0.308, 1.011 and 4.594 ng/mL, respectively. The proposed electrochemical immunoassay displayed a significant improvement in sensitivity, thereby providing a simple and sensitive alternative strategy for determining AFB1 levels in peanut samples.