bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Iron Acquisition Mechanisms: Promising Target Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Hameed Saif , Pal Rahul , Fatima Zeeshan
Published: September 2015

Continuous deployment of antitubercular drugs in treating Tuberculosis (TB) caused byMycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB) has led to the emergence of drug resistance resulting in cross-resistance to many unrelated drugs, a phenomenon termed asMulti-DrugResistance (MDR-TB). Despite reasonable documentation of major factors which contribute to MDR mechanisms, it appears unavoidable to consider novel mechanisms combating MDR. The ability of pathogenic MTB, to sense and become accustomed to changes in the host environment is essential for its survival and confers the basis of their success as dreadful pathogen. One such significant environmental factor that MTB must surmount is iron limitation, since they encounter diverse anatomical sites during the establishment of infection within the host. Considering the importance of MTB, being the second most common cause of mortality, this review focuses on gaining insights of iron acquisition mechanisms in MTB and how it can be exploited as efficient anti-mycobacterial drug target.
Evaluation of a Commercial Multiplex PCR for Rapid Detection of Multi Drug Resistant Gram Negative Infections
Authors: Chavada Ruchir , Maley Michael
Published: September 2015

Introduction:

Community and healthcare associated infections caused by multi-drug resistant gram negative organisms (MDR GN) represent a worldwide threat. Nucleic Acid Detection tests are becoming more common for their detection; however they can be expensive requiring specialised equipment and local expertise. This study was done to evaluate the utility of a commercial multiplex tandem (MT) PCR for detection of MDR GN.

Methods:

The study was done on stored laboratory MDR GN isolates from sterile and non-sterile specimens (n=126, out of stored 567 organisms). Laboratory validation of the MT PCR was done to evaluate sensitivity, specificity and agreement with the current phenotypic methods used in the laboratory. Amplicon sequencing was also done on selected isolates for assessing performance characteristics. Workflow and cost implications of the MT PCR were evaluated.

Results:

The sensitivity and specificity of the MT PCR were calculated to be 95% and 96.7% respectively. Agreement with the phenotypic methods was 80%. Major lack of agreement was seen in detection of AmpC beta lactamase in enterobacteriaceae and carbapenemase in non-fermenters. Agreement of the MT PCR with another multiplex PCR was found to be 87%. Amplicon sequencing confirmed the genotype detected by MT PCR in 94.2 % of cases tested. Time to result was faster for the MT PCR but cost per test was higher.

Conclusion:

This study shows that with carefully chosen targets for detection of resistance genes in MDR GN, rapid and efficient identification is possible. MT PCR was sensitive and specific and likely more accurate than phenotypic methods.
Documentation of Focal Neurology on Patients with Suspected Cauda Equina Syndrome and the Development of an Assessment Proforma
Authors: Mehta Nisarg , Garbera David , Kaye Jeremy , Ramakrishnan Muthukrishnan
Published: September 2015

Objective :

Cauda equina syndrome is a relatively rare condition with a disproportionately high medico legal profile. Definitive management involves prompt surgical decompression with outcome dependent on timing of surgery. Documentation of a comprehensive clinical and neurological assessment including examination of anal tone and perianal sensation is essential in reducing litigation and identifying patients requiring urgent surgical decompression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the documentation of focal neurology in patients with suspected cauda equina syndrome and devise an assessment proforma to use in the accident and emergency departments.

Methods :

A retrospective case note review was performed in all patients presenting to A&E with suspected cauda equina syndrome from January 2013 to March 2014. A full neurological examination was defined as having all modalities documented such as: MRC grade power, reflexes, sensory exam, vibration proprioception, anal tone & perianal sensation.

Results :

Sixty-nine patients with suspected cauda equina syndrome were identified with a median age of 44 (35-55) and a male to female ratio of 1:1.6. 4 patients (6%) had confirmed cauda equina syndrome and were transferred to a tertiary neurosurgical centre for further management. Only 2 patients (3%) had a complete neurological examination documented. 11 (16%) patients did not have any documentation of perianal sensation and 8 patients (12%) did not have documentation of anal tone

Conclusion :

Documentation of neurological was poor across our department. The introduction of an assessment proforma is proposed to increase documentation and optimise emergency department evaluation in these patients.
Real Time Intraoperative Monitoring of Blood Loss with a Novel Tablet Application
Authors: Sharareh Behnam , Woolwine Spencer , Satish Siddarth , Abraham Peter , Schwarzkopf Ran
Published: September 2015

Introduction :

Real-time monitoring of blood loss is critical in fluid management. Visual estimation remains the standard of care in estimating blood loss, yet is demonstrably inaccurate. Photometric analysis, which is the referenced “gold-standard” for measuring blood loss, is both time-consuming and costly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a novel tablet-monitoring device for measurement of Hb loss during orthopaedic procedures.

Methods :

This is a prospective study of 50 patients in a consecutive series of joint arthroplasty cases. The novel System with Feature Extraction Technology was used to measure the amount of Hb contained within surgical sponges intra-operatively. The system’s measures were then compared with those obtained via gravimetric method and photometric analysis. Accuracy was evaluated using linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis.

Results :

Our results showed a significant positive correlation between Triton tablet system and photometric analysis with respect to intra-operative hemoglobin and blood loss at 0.92 and 0.91, respectively.

Discussion :

This novel system can accurately determine Hb loss contained within surgical sponges. We believe that this user-friendly software can be used for measurement of total intraoperative blood loss and thus aid in a more accurate fluid management protocols during orthopaedic surgical procedures.
The activity of different extracts from Panax quinquefolium L. cultures against pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus with respect to ginsenoside content
Authors: Sienkiewicz Monika , Głowacka Anna , Kowalczyk Edward , Kochan Ewa
Published: September 2015

Ginsenosides can be isolated from various cultures of Panax quinquefolium L.,
American ginseng. The aim of the study was to determine the antibacterial
activity of extracts from leaves, stalks, hairy root cultures and field
roots of P. quinquefolium L. containing ginsenosides against Staphylococcus
aureus isolates obtained from various clinical materials. The agar well
diffusion assay was used to evaluate microbial growth inhibition at various
concentrations of extracts. The susceptibility of the clinical isolates to
recommended antibiotics was determined with the disk-diffusion method. The
results showed that the tested extracts inhibited the growth of all S.
aureus clinical isolates, including MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus)
with MIC values ranging from 0.5 mg/mL to 1.7 mg/mL. The level of
antimicrobial activity of extracts depends on the ginsenoside content. Both
field roots and hairy root cultures represent excellent sources of these
metabolites. Extracts with ginsenosides were found to inhibit
multidrug-resistant staphylococci and can be a valuable complement to
antistaphylococcal therapy.
Understaffing and the real cost: A burning issue
Authors: Maskey Sandesh P
Published: September 2015

Not available.Journal of Kathmandu Medical CollegeVol. 3, No. 4, Issue 10, Oct.-Dec., 2014Page: 129-130
Knowledge, prevalence and treatment practices of uterine prolapse among women of reproductive age in the Jhaukhel- Duwakot Health Demographic Surveillance Site, Bhaktapur, Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Binjwala , Choulagai Bishnu , Onta Sharad , Shrestha Khadga B , Petzold Max , Krettek A
Published: September 2015

Background: Uterine prolapse (UP) is a main contributor to reproductive health problems that infl uence women’s quality of life. In Nepal, the UP prevalence ranges from 7-27%. Women experience various diffi culties and symptoms due to UP, which are determined by the type as well as thestage of UP.Objectives: This study aimed to explore the knowledge, prevalence and treatment practices of uterine prolapse among women of reproductive age in the peri-urban Jhaukhel-Duwakot Health Demographic Surveillance Site (JD-HDSS) in the Bhaktapur district of Nepal.Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data in two stages. A structured survey of 3,124 households in JD-HDSS, incorporating 60% of all women of reproductive age, assessed knowledge of uterine prolapse and identifi ed self-reported disease prevalence (symptomatic). Next, we organised a fi ve day clinical screening camp at JD-HDSS to identify the prevalence of uterine prolapse in attendees.The household survey was conducted on September-December 2012 and the UP screening camp on May-June 2013. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse the proportion of comprehensive knowledge regarding UP and the prevalence of UP.Results: Ninety-three percent of womenin JD-HDSS had heard of uterine prolapse and 55% of those had comprehensive knowledge. Self-reported (symptomatic) prevalence was 2.11% (8.5% including women who had undergone hysterectomy for uterine prolapse). Among these, 52.6% had received no treatment. The most common reported treatments of uterine prolapse included surgery (53.2%), exercise and medicine (35.5%) and pessary (11.3%). Among women attending the outreach camp (N=303), UP prevalence was 15.18%.Conclusion: Knowledge of uterine prolapse among women in JD-HDSS is almost double that reported in a national survey. Similarly, the prevalence of self-reported uterine prolapse in JD-HDSS is almost three fold less than the national prevalence. Knowledge,early healthcare practices and availability of surgical care for uterine prolapse might have contributed to these fi ndings.Journal of Kathmandu Medical College Vol. 3, No. 4, Issue 10, Oct.-Dec., 2014Page: 136-143
Effect of hybrid reinforcement on the high temperature tensile behavior of magnesium nanocomposite
Authors: Hassan Syed Fida , Tun Khin Sandar , Gasem Zuhair M. , Al-Aqeeli Nasser , Gupta Manoj
Published: September 2015

In the present study, results revealed that hybrid (0.7 % yttria + 0.3 % copper) nano-particle reinforcement has a significant strengthening effect on commercially pure magnesium reaching 100 °C, which gradually diminishes with further increase in temperature. Due to the presence of reinforcement particles, magnesium matrix also completely recrystallizes at 100 °C. Hybrid nano-reinforcement also assisted in the deformation process and achieved large ductility at a relatively low temperature.
Bulk processing of fine grained OFHC copper by cyclic channel die compression
Authors: Satheesh Kumar S.S. , Raghu T.
Published: September 2015

The applicability of cyclic channel die compression (CCDC) for producing fine grained structure in oxygen free high conductivity (OFHC) copper is investigated in the present work. OFHC copper was severely plastically deformed at room temperature up to an effective plastic strain of 7.2 through three cycles of CCDC. Optical microscopy studies indicated microstructural inhomogeneity after the first cycle followed by considerable improvements in deformation homogeneity during subsequent straining. EBSD analysis of microstructural evolution revealed maximum grain refinement during the initial stages of strainitrun 2176 ng and lower grain refinement rates subsequently. Substantial grain refinement in CCDC processed samples was manifested by the formation of fine grained equiaxed structures (∼1 – 2 μm) from coarse grained (58 μm) starting material after three cycles. Grain boundary characteristics divulged continuous changes in the relative fraction of high-angle and low-angle boundaries with strain. The room temperature tensile behaviour indicated considerable improvement in yield strength by ∼3.5 times from 129 MPa to 422 MPa after the first cycle correlating with the structural refinement observed. Initially degraded room temperature ductility revealed a marginal gain at large strain owing to the restoration of strain hardening ability. Hardening and softening regimes revealed in a Hall–Petch plot are attributed to the relative evolution of grain boundary characteristics.
Transforming inequality: Eastern Tibetan pastoralists from 1955 to the present
Authors: Levine Nancy E.
Published: September 2015

This paper traces the recent history and major political and economic transformations that eastern Tibetan pastoralists have experienced from traditional times to the present and examines how changing rights over land and domestic animals have affected patterns of economic and social inequality in this population. Ethnographic data and responses to household surveys conducted in Sichuan and Gansu Provinces in China support the finding that the division of the grasslands to individual households through long-term contracts to state-owned land and government policies supporting sedentarisation are contributing to asset inequality and creating the foundation for class-based social differentiation in this population.
The politics of standardising and subordinating subjects: the nomadic settlement project in Tibetan areas of Amdo
Authors: Gyal Huatse
Published: September 2015

Since 2006, Tibetan nomads have been resettled into centralised urban settlement towns as part of China's effort at 'Building a New Socialist Countryside' in Tibetan areas. The official narrative of this new policy falls very much within the ambit of neoliberal mantras, such as bringing modernisation, economic efficiency, market-oriented personhood, comfortable living and, most importantly, environmental protection and national security to its west. At the heart of such policies is the idea that the west would remain 'backward' and 'unruly' if left alone or uncared for. In this context, this paper aims to elucidate how a sense of backwardness that ostensibly poses a threat to social and political stability is transformed into the spatial and social reorganisation of Tibetan pastoral regions. Drawing on my ethnographic research in the summer of 2012, this paper takes the newly built resettlement village in Jentsa (established in 2009), Amdo, as a case study to explore how a multitude of actors on the ground have come to view, respond, and cope with this new policy by simultaneously relying on and incorporating the new space, and by constituting alternative forms of participation and social space. I argue that, if we are to understand the multiplicity of interactions and actors at play in the process of implementing nomadic settlement project in Tibetan areas in general, and in Jentsa in particular, we need to develop models of understanding these relationships that acknowledge their complexity.
Genetic variability for grain yield and yield associated traits in transplant Aman rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Begum Mashtura , Hossain Md Amir , Hossain Fakir Muhammad Munawar , Hasan Ahmed Khairul
Published: September 2015

For any crop improvement program, it is imperative to assess the grain yield progress of the existing crop varieties to find the further avenue to out yield the existing superior ones. Therefore, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh from July to December 2013 to find out the genetic variation for grain yield and their associated traits of transplant Aman rice varieties. The experiment consisted of 11 varieties viz. Bashiraj, Binadhan-7, BR10, BR11, BR22, BR23, BRRIdhan32, BRRIdhan39, BRRIdhan49, BRRIdhan57 and IR64. The high yielding Bangladeshi varieties were selected based on their releasing year with a local and one exotic T. Aman rice varieties. Among the varieties, BR10 produced the highest grain yield (3.83 t ha-1). Binadhan-7 rice variety recorded the highest chlorophyll content (39.93 SPAD value) at 29DAT, (44 SPAD value) at 39 DAT and (47.30 SPAD value) at 49 DAT. The highest phenotypic (1491.81) and genotypic (1147.26) variances and genetic advance (61.19) were obtained from spikelets panicle-1 and this parameter had greater ability to increase yield. Among the traits, the highest heritability was recorded by effective tillers hill-1 (87.91%) which influenced the grain yield. Therefore, it may be concluded that the variety BR10 of transplant Aman rice produced maximum grain yield, spikelets panicle-1, showed high phenotypic and genotypic variances and genetic advance. Bashiraj, BRRIdhan49 and BRRIdhan57 also can be considered as planting materials as their yield performance is close to BR 10. Therefore, the findings of the present study will help the breeders for further yield improvement of rice.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.2(2): 207-213, August 2015
Isolation and characterization of arsenic resistant soil bacteria and their effects on germination of rice under arsenic contamination
Authors: Ahmed Istiaq , Islam Md Tofazzal , Chowdhury Md Akhter Hossain , Kamruzzaman Md
Published: September 2015

This study was carried out to isolate, screen and characterize arsenic (As) resistant bacteria from As contaminated soils of Dumrakandi and Matlab under Faridpur and Chandpur districts and to evaluate their efficiency in reducing As toxicity against rice seedlings during germination. Thirteen strains were isolated from the soils which showed resistance to different levels of sodium arsenite (viz. 5, 10, 20 and 40 mM) in both agar plate and broth assay using BSMY I media. Among the isolates, BTL0011, BTL0012, BTL0015 and BTL0022 showed highest resistance to 40 mM sodium arsenite. Gram staining and KOH solubility test revealed that five strains were gram positive and rest eight was gram negative. They grew well in the liquid media at pH 5.5 to 8.5. In-vitro rice seedling bioassay with two superior isolates (BTL0011 and BTL0022) revealed that As resistant strains significantly enhanced seed germination of BRRI dhan29 and BRRI dhan47 at 60 ppm As. This study was laid out in CRD with three replications. The performance of BTL 0022 was superior to BTL0011. The overall results suggest that BTL0011 and BTL0022 can be used for bioremediation of As contaminated soils and to increase the germination and seedling growth of rice in As contaminated soils.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.2(2): 229-237, August 2015
Women labor participation in rice production in some selected areas of Thakurgaon district
Authors: Roy Asha , Ethen Dilshad Zahan , Tama Riffat Ara Zannat , Begum Ismat Ara
Published: September 2015

The present study was undertaken to analyze the participation of women labor in rice production activities covering randomly selected 50 rural households of two villages under Ranisonkail Upazila of Thakurgaon district. Data were collected from the selected households using face to face semi-structured interviews during December 2013 to February 2014. The study revealed that in rice production activities the percentage of hiring out days for women were 94.18 and 92.90 in aman and boro seasons, respectively. To determine the effects of the explanatory variables on women labor participation in rice production, Ordinary Least Square method was used. The analysis showed that age of the respondents and total household expenditure were positively related with women participation but negatively related with education, number of male earning members and farm size of the households. The study concludes that education, credit facilities, extension and motivation, need-based training should have the potential to increase womens participation in farm activities reasonably contributed to household income. Therefore, effective initiatives undertaken by the concerned agencies in improving womens education, skill acquisition training and access to information could enhance womens empowerment in order to achieve gender equality and development at all levels in the rural society of Bangladesh.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.2(2): 239-246, August 2015
Effect of mechanized cultivation on yield parameters of Mungbean
Authors: Mondol Md Raziul Hassan , Anwar Md Babul , Ali Md Rahamot , Sarker Khokan Kumer , Rahman Md Matiar
Published: September 2015

A field experiment was conducted at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Jessore during Kharif-I 2013 with four treatments viz. T1 = conventional tillage + manual seeding (in line), T2 = conventional tillage + manual seeding (in broadcasting), T3 = power tiller operated seeder (PTOS) and T4 = seeding with bed planter method used in the experiment. The objective of this study was to achieve the goal of increased mungbean production in Bangladesh through different tillage and seeding methods. Besides, to disseminate information in the farmers level conservation tillage is new technology for increasing and sustaining productivity and profitability of mungbean cultivation in mechanized way. From the study, the results revealed that seeding with bed planter method treatment was the most effective and profitable for production of mungbean among all tillage and seeding methods in considering gross margin (40705 Tk /ha) and benefit cost ratio (1.73).Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.2(2): 253-259, August 2015
Trial of sex reverse percentage on female Shing (heteropneustes fossilis) by using 17?-Estradiol sex hormone
Authors: Ahmed Gias Uddin , Rahman Md Mamunur , Alam Mohammad Nurul , Alam Md Ashraful
Published: September 2015

A study was conducted to evaluate the production of monosex (female) shing (Heteropneustes fossilis ) by using a sex hormone (17?-Estradiol). The experiment was composed of three treatments T1 (70 mg 17?-Estradiol /kg feed), T2 (80 mg 17? Estradiol /kg feed) and T3 (90mg 17?- Estradiol /kg feed) in duplicate were fed shing fishes in cemented cistern. The hormone was administered orally at variable doses with Tiger brand nursery fish feed (Eon Group) for 30 days. The fry were fed with the hormone mixed feed five times in a day. Every seven days intervals 50% water of the tanks were changed. A high mortality rate (47.6% to 67.4%) was observed in different treatments. The occurrence of female fish at the end of the experiment in treatment TI, T2 and T3 were 75%, 86%, and 96% female respectively. T3 (90 mg 17?-Estradiol /kg, feed) showed the best performance with 96% sex reversal to female progeny.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.2(2): 313-317, August 2015
Changing trends of physicochemical parameters in Kaptai lake of Bangladesh
Authors: Bashar Md Abul , Basak S Sanjib , Uddin Kazi Belal , Islam AKM Saiful , Mahmud Yahia
Published: September 2015

Physicochemical parameters were studied for a period of two years from July 2012 to June 2014. The parameters namely air and water temperature were estimated using centigrade thermometer, transparency using secchi disc while pH, CO2, total hardness, total alkalinity, dissolved oxygen (DO) were estimated using HACH water test kit. The highest air and water temperature (31.52°C and 30.38°C) were recorded in September, 2013 whereas the lowest air and water temperature 21.04°C and 20.42°C were recorded in January, 2014. The pH of water was found to alkaline in nature (6.9 to 8.20). The maximum free CO2 value (7.81 mg/l) was recorded in February, 2014 and minimum (2.36 mg/l) in November, 2012.The value of total alkalinity was found to fluctuate from 51.9 mg/l in December 2012 to 90.68 mg/l in December 2013. Total hardness of lake water varied from 37.8 (August) to 47.3 (November) in 2012 and 55.17 (July) to 87.49 (February) in 2013-14 with regular trends in fluctuation. Mean secchi disc reading varied from 1.94±.57 m in 2012-13 and 2.02±0.40 m in 2013-14. Dissolved oxygen was found to vary from 6.10 (February) to 6.80 (November) during 2012, 3.90 (February) to 6.38 mg/l (July) during 2013 with a mean value of 6.4±1.51 and 5.74±0.68 mg/l. Water depth was found to fluctuate from 4.39 to 11.76 m with a mean value of 7.96± 2.56 m for one year study. The present research provides baseline information on changing trends of physicochemical parameters of Kaptai Lake which will facilitate sustainable management and conservation of this lake ecosystem.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.2(2): 319-327, August 2015
Present biodiversity status of loaches in the selected Hill-streams of Bangladesh
Authors: Akand Md Kamrul Hasan , Hossain Mostafa Ali Reza , Islam Md Shariful
Published: September 2015

A year-long survey was conducted to study the biodiversity status of freshwater loaches of Bangladesh. Data and sample collection were carried out in the hill-streams of Bangladesh in the three districts namely Sylhet, Netrokona and Dinajpur. Fish samples were also collected from Mymensingh district. The study was based on fish landing centre and fish market visit, on the spot data collection, interview of the fishermen and the fish traders, sample collection and secondary data collection. During the study, 12 loaches under 2 families were found. Among the collected loaches 8 are exclusively used as food fish and the rest 4 species can be considered as both food fish and ornamental fish. Among the total number of species found during the study, 2 loaches were threatened based on IUCN Red List. Among the loaches recorded in the survey, 2 are endangered (EN), 3 data deficient (DD) and 7 not threatened (NO). Among the collected loaches Botia dario, Botia lohachata and Lepidocephalichthys annandalei were very rare. The non-availability and less availability of some of the species indicate the alarming decline of the biodiversity of loaches in the surveyed area and in the country as a whole.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.2(2): 329-334, August 2015
Parallel Variants of Broyden’s Method
Authors: Bistran Ioan , Maruster Stefan , Mafteiu-Scai Liviu
Published: September 2015

In this paper we investigate some parallel variants of Broyden’s method and, for the basic variant, we present its convergence properties. The main result is that the behavior of the considered parallel Broyden’s variants is comparable with the classical parallel Newton method, and significantly better than the parallel Cimmino method, both for linear and nonlinear cases. The considered variants are also compared with two more recently proposed parallel Broyden’s method. Some numerical experiments are presented to illustrate the advantages and limits of the proposed algorithms.
Organic Cultivation of Tomato in India with Recycled Slaughterhouse Wastes: Evaluation of Fertilizer and Fruit Safety
Authors: Roy Malancha , Das Rimi , Kundu Amit , Karmakar Sanmoy , Das Satadal , Sen Pradip , Debsarcar Anupam , Mukherjee Joydeep
Published: September 2015

Environmental and health safety of recycled slaughterhouse wastes-derived fertilizer and the produce obtained through its application is not well understood. Waste bovine blood and rumen digesta were mixed, cooked and sun-dried to obtain bovine-blood-and-rumen-digesta-mixture (BBRDM, NPK 30.36:1:5.75). 1.26 ± 0.18 log CFU mL−1 fecal coliforms were recovered in BBRDM. E. coli O157:H7, Mycobacteria, Clostridium sp., Salmonella sp., Bacillus sp. and Brucella sp. were absent. No re-growth of pathogens was observed after 60 days storage in sealed bags and in the open. However, prions and viruses were not evaluated. Heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Cd, Cu, Zn, As, Ni, Mn) concentrations in BBRDM were within internationally permissible limits. BBRDM was applied for field cultivation of tomato during 2012–2013 and 2013–2014. Lycopene and nitrate contents of BBRDM-grown tomatoes were higher than Diammonium phosphate (DAP) + potash-grown tomatoes because BBRDM supplied 2.5 times more the amount of nitrogen than DAP (NPK 18:46:0) + potash (NPK 0:0:44). Heavy metals and nitrate/nitrite concentrations in tomatoes were within internationally acceptable limits. BBRDM-grown tomatoes showed no mutagenic activity in the Ames test. Sub-acute toxicity tests on Wistar rats fed with BBRDM-grown tomatoes did not show adverse clinical picture. Thus, no immediate environmental or health risks associated with BBRDM and the tomatoes produced were identified.
Entropies from Coarse-graining: Convex Polytopes vs. Ellipsoids
Authors: Kalogeropoulos Nikos
Published: September 2015

We examine the Boltzmann/Gibbs/Shannon SBGS and the non-additive Havrda-Charvát/Daróczy/Cressie-Read/Tsallis Sq and the Kaniadakis κ-entropy Sκ from the viewpoint of coarse-graining, symplectic capacities and convexity. We argue that the functional form of such entropies can be ascribed to a discordance in phase-space coarse-graining between two generally different approaches: the Euclidean/Riemannian metric one that reflects independence and picks cubes as the fundamental cells in coarse-graining and the symplectic/canonical one that picks spheres/ellipsoids for this role. Our discussion is motivated by and confined to the behaviour of Hamiltonian systems of many degrees of freedom. We see that Dvoretzky’s theorem provides asymptotic estimates for the minimal dimension beyond which these two approaches are close to each other. We state and speculate about the role that dualities may play in this viewpoint.
A New Process Monitoring Method Based on Waveform Signal by Using Recurrence Plot
Authors: Zhou Cheng , Zhang Weidong
Published: September 2015

Process monitoring is an important research problem in numerous areas. This paper proposes a novel process monitoring scheme by integrating the recurrence plot (RP) method and the control chart technique. Recently, the RP method has emerged as an effective tool to analyze waveform signals. However, unlike the existing RP methods that employ recurrence quantiﬁcation analysis (RQA) to quantify the recurrence plot by a few summary statistics; we propose new concepts of template recurrence plots and continuous-scale recurrence plots to characterize the waveform signals. A new feature extraction method is developed based on continuous-scale recurrence plot. Then, a monitoring statistic based on the top- approach is constructed from the continuous-scale recurrence plot. Finally, a bootstrap control chart is built to detect the signal changes based on the constructed monitoring statistics. The comprehensive simulation studies show that the proposed monitoring scheme outperforms other RQA-based control charts. In addition, a real case study of progressive stamping processes is implemented to further evaluate the performance of the proposed scheme for process monitoring.
Experimental Research on Water Boiling Heat Transfer on Horizontal Copper Rod Surface at Sub-Atmospheric Pressure
Authors: Yu Li-Hua , Xu Shu-Xue , Ma Guo-Yuan , Wang Jun
Published: September 2015

In recent years, water (R718) as a kind of natural refrigerant—which is environmentally-friendly, safe and cheap—has been reconsidered by scholars. The systems of using water as the refrigerant, such as water vapor compression refrigeration and heat pump systems run at sub-atmospheric pressure. So, the research on water boiling heat transfer at sub-atmospheric pressure has been an important issue. There are many research papers on the evaporation of water, but there is a lack of data on the characteristics at sub-atmospheric pressures, especially lower than 3 kPa (the saturation temperature is 24 °C). In this paper, the experimental research on water boiling heat transfer on a horizontal copper rod surface at 1.8–3.3 kPa is presented. Regression equations of the boiling heat transfer coefficient are obtained based on the experimental data, which are convenient for practical application.
Decision Support for the Provision of Ecosystem Services under Climate Change: An Editorial
Authors: Vacik Harald , Borges José , Garcia-Gonzalo Jordi , Eriksson Ljusk-Ola
Published: September 2015

The Special Issue “Providing Ecosystem Services under Climate Change: Community of Practice of Forest Decision Support Systems” is based on the presentations given at the 24th World Congress of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations and provides an overview on Forest Management Decision Support Systems currently designed and applied for the sustained provision of ecosystem services within the context of climate change. The contributions provide an overview on models, methods, techniques used in decision support and the proposed frameworks to support decision making. With populations and economies growing worldwide, the demands on forest resources increase, and sustaining the supply of ecosystem services becomes crucial. Through growing public participation in decisions regarding the management of natural resources, new demands have emerged for tools that support our understanding of environmental issues, and for the development and evaluation of alternative management options; there is a desire to project the consequences of different courses of action. Decision Support Systems (DSS) have been proven to solve such ill-structured decision problems by integrating database management systems with analytical and operational research models, thus providing various reporting capabilities. Several case studies focus on decision problems, the development and evaluation of alternative management options, and on projecting the consequences of different courses of action in the provision of ecosystem services. Conclusions on the state-of-the-art in decision support and the needed advances in research are drawn.
Genomics in Public Health: Perspective from the Office of Public Health Genomics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Authors: Green Ridgely , Dotson W. , Bowen Scott , Kolor Katherine , Khoury Muin
Published: September 2015

The national effort to use genomic knowledge to save lives is gaining momentum, as illustrated by the inclusion of genomics in key public health initiatives, including Healthy People 2020, and the recent launch of the precision medicine initiative. The Office of Public Health Genomics (OPHG) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) partners with state public health departments and others to advance the translation of genome-based discoveries into disease prevention and population health. To do this, OPHG has adopted an “identify, inform, and integrate” model: identify evidence-based genomic applications ready for implementation, inform stakeholders about these applications, and integrate these applications into public health at the local, state, and national level. This paper addresses current and future work at OPHG for integrating genomics into public health programs.
Social Norms about a Health Issue in Work Group Networks
Authors: Frank Lauren
Published: September 2015

The purpose of this study is to advance theorizing about how small groups understand health issues through the use of social network analysis. To achieve this goal, an adapted cognitive social structure examines group social norms around a specific health issue, H1N1 flu prevention. As predicted, individual’s attitudes, self-efficacy, and perceived social norms were each positively associated with behavioral intentions for at least one of the H1N1 health behaviors studied. Moreover, collective norms of the whole group were also associated with behavioral intentions, even after controlling for how individual group members perceive those norms. For members of work groups in which pairs were perceived to agree in their support for H1N1 vaccination, the effect of individually perceived group norms on behavioral intentions was stronger than for groups with less agreement.
The Effect of Coatings on the Affinity of Lanthanide Nanoparticles to MKN45 and HeLa Cancer Cells and Improvement in Photodynamic Therapy Efficiency
Authors: Sawamura Takashi , Tanaka Tatsumi , Ishige Hiroyuki , Iizuka Masayuki , Murayama Yasutoshi , Otsuji Eigo , Ohkubo Akihiro , Ogura Shun-Ichiro , Yuasa Hideya
Published: September 2015

An improvement in photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficiency against a human gastric cancer cell line (MKN45) with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and lanthanide nanoparticles (LNPs) is described. An endogenous photosensitizer, protoporphyrin IX, biosynthesized from ALA and selectively accumulated in cancer cells, is sensitizable by the visible lights emitted from up-conversion LNPs, which can be excited by a near-infrared light. Ten kinds of surface modifications were performed on LNPs, NaYF4(Sc/Yb/Er) and NaYF4(Yb/Tm), in an aim to distribute these irradiation light sources near cancer cells. Among these LNPs, only the amino-functionalized LNPs showed affinity to MKN45 and HeLa cancer cells. A PDT assay with MKN45 demonstrated that amino-modified NaYF4(Sc/Yb/Er) gave rise to a dramatically enhanced PDT effect, reaching almost perfect lethality, whereas NaYF4(Yb/Tm)-based systems caused little improvement in PDT efficiency. The improvement of PDT effect with the amino-modified NaYF4(Sc/Yb/Er) is promising for a practical PDT against deep cancer cells that are reachable only by near-infrared lights.
Incorporation of Human Recombinant Tropoelastin into Silk Fibroin Membranes with the View to Repairing Bruch’s Membrane
Authors: Shadforth Audra , Suzuki Shuko , Alzonne Raphaelle , Edwards Grant , Richardson Neil , Chirila Traian , Harkin Damien
Published: September 2015

Bombyx mori silk fibroin membranes provide a potential delivery vehicle for both cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) components into diseased or injured tissues. We have previously demonstrated the feasibility of growing retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) on fibroin membranes with the view to repairing the retina of patients afflicted with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The goal of the present study was to investigate the feasibility of incorporating the ECM component elastin, in the form of human recombinant tropoelastin, into these same membranes. Two basic strategies were explored: (1) membranes prepared from blended solutions of fibroin and tropoelastin; and (2) layered constructs prepared from sequentially cast solutions of fibroin, tropoelastin, and fibroin. Optimal conditions for RPE attachment were achieved using a tropoelastin-fibroin blend ratio of 10 to 90 parts by weight. Retention of tropoelastin within the blend and layered constructs was confirmed by immunolabelling and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In the layered constructs, the bulk of tropoelastin was apparently absorbed into the initially cast fibroin layer. Blend membranes displayed higher elastic modulus, percentage elongation, and tensile strength (p < 0.01) when compared to the layered constructs. RPE cell response to fibroin membranes was not affected by the presence of tropoelastin. These findings support the potential use of fibroin membranes for the co-delivery of RPE cells and tropoelastin.
Model-Based Synthesis of Locally Contingent Responses to Global Market Signals
Authors: Magliocca Nicholas
Published: September 2015

Rural livelihoods and the land systems on which they depend are increasingly influenced by distant markets through economic globalization. Place-based analyses of land and livelihood system sustainability must then consider both proximate and distant influences on local decision-making. Thus, advancing land change theory in the context of economic globalization calls for a systematic understanding of the general processes as well as local contingencies shaping local responses to global signals. Synthesis of insights from place-based case studies is a path forward for developing such systematic knowledge. This paper introduces a generalized agent-based modeling framework for model-based synthesis to investigate the relative importance of structural versus agent-level factors in driving land-use and livelihood responses to changing global market signals. Six case-study sites that differed in environmental conditions, market access and influence, and livelihood settings were analyzed. Stronger market signals generally led to intensification and/or expansion of agriculture or increased non-farm labor, while changes in agents’ risk attitudes prompted heterogeneous local responses to global market signals. These results demonstrate model-based synthesis as a promising approach to overcome many of the challenges of current synthesis methods in land change science and identify generalized as well as locally contingent responses to global market signals.
First-Principles Investigation of Adsorption and Diffusion of Ions on Pristine, Defective and B-doped Graphene
Authors: Wan Wei , Wang Haidong
Published: September 2015

We performed first-principles calculations to reveal the possibility of applying pristine, defective, and B-doped graphene in feasible negative electrode materials of ion batteries. It is found that the barriers for ions are too high to diffuse through the original graphene, however the reduced barriers are obtained by introducing defects (single vacancy, double vacancy, Stone–Wales defect) in the graphene. Among the three types of defects, the systems with a double vacancy could provide the lowest barriers of 1.49 and 6.08 eV for Li and Na, respectively. Furthermore, for all kinds of B-doped graphene with the vacancy, the systems with a double vacancy could also provide the lowest adsorption energies and diffusion barriers. Therefore, undoped and B-doped graphene with a double vacancy turn out to be the most promising candidates that can replace pristine graphene for anode materials in ion batteries.
Nitrogen-Containing Diterpenoids, Sesquiterpenoids, and Nor-Diterpenoids from Cespitularia taeniata
Authors: Wang Shih-Sheng , Cheng Yuan-Bin , Lin Yu-Chi , Liaw Chia-Ching , Chang Jiun-Yang , Kuo Yao-Haur , Shen Ya-Ching
Published: September 2015

Two new nitrogen-containing verticillene diterpenoids, cespilamides A and B (1 and 2), three new nitrogen-containing sesquiterpenoids, cespilamides C–E (3–5), and five new norverticillene and verticillene diterpenoids, cespitaenins A–E (6–10), were isolated from the Taiwanese soft coral Cespitularia taeniata. Compound 1 possesses an unusual oxazo ring system at C-10 while compound 2 displays an unprecedented C–C bond cleavage between C-10 and C-11 with an N-ethylphenyl group at C-10. Biogenetic pathways of 1 and 2 are proposed. The absolute configuration of 1 was confirmed by Mosher’s method and molecular mechanics calculations (MM2). The cytotoxicities of compounds 1–10 were evaluated against a small panel of human cancer cell lines.
Alginate-Derived Oligosaccharide Inhibits Neuroinflammation and Promotes Microglial Phagocytosis of β-Amyloid
Authors: Zhou Rui , Shi Xu-Yang , Bi De-Cheng , Fang Wei-Shan , Wei Gao-Bin , Xu Xu
Published: September 2015

Alginate from marine brown algae has been widely applied in biotechnology. In this work, the effects of alginate-derived oligosaccharide (AdO) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/β-amyloid (Aβ)-induced neuroinflammation and microglial phagocytosis of Aβ were studied. We found that pretreatment of BV2 microglia with AdO prior to LPS/Aβ stimulation led to a significant inhibition of production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. We further demonstrated that AdO remarkably attenuated the LPS-activated overexpression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB in BV2 cells. In addition to the impressive inhibitory effect on neuroinflammation, we also found that AdO promoted the phagocytosis of Aβ through its interaction with TLR4 in microglia. Our results suggested that AdO exerted the inhibitory effect on neuroinflammation and the promotion effect on microglial phagocytosis, indicating its potential as a nutraceutical or therapeutic agent for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Therapies from Fucoidan: An Update
Authors: Fitton Janet , Stringer Damien , Karpiniec Samuel
Published: September 2015

Fucoidans are a class of sulfated fucose-rich polysaccharides found in brown marine algae and echinoderms. Fucoidans have an attractive array of bioactivities and potential applications including immune modulation, cancer inhibition, and pathogen inhibition. Research into fucoidan has continued to gain pace over the last few years and point towards potential therapeutic or adjunct roles. The source, extraction, characterization and detection of fucoidan is discussed.
Magnetic Actuation Based Motion Control for Microrobots: An Overview
Authors: Xu Tiantian , Yu Jiangfan , Yan Xiaohui , Choi Hongsoo , Zhang Li
Published: September 2015

Untethered, controllable, mobile microrobots have been proposed for numerous applications, ranging from micro-manipulation, in vitro tasks (e.g., operation of microscale biological substances) to in vivo applications (e.g., targeted drug delivery; brachytherapy; hyperthermia, etc.), due to their small-scale dimensions and accessibility to tiny and complex environments. Researchers have used different magnetic actuation systems allowing custom-designed workspace and multiple degrees of freedom (DoF) to actuate microrobots with various motion control methods from open-loop pre-programmed control to closed-loop path-following control. This article provides an overview of the magnetic actuation systems and the magnetic actuation-based control methods for microrobots. An overall benchmark on the magnetic actuation system and control method is also discussed according to the applications of microrobots.
Involvement of the Heme-Oxygenase Pathway in the Antiallodynic and Antihyperalgesic Activity of Harpagophytum procumbens in Rats
Authors: Parenti Carmela , Aricò Giuseppina , Chiechio Santina , Di Benedetto Giulia , Parenti Rosalba , Scoto Giovanna
Published: September 2015

Harpagophytum procumbens (H. procumbens), also known as Devil’s Claw, has been used to treat a wide range of pathological conditions, including pain, arthritis and inflammation. Inflammatory mediators, released at the site of injury, can sensitize nociceptive terminals and are responsible for allodynia and hyperalgesia. Carbon monoxide (CO), produced in a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme heme oxygenase (HO), may play a role in nociceptive processing and has also been recognized to act as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator in the nervous system. This study was designed to investigate whether the HO/CO pathway is involved in the analgesic response of H. procumbens in carrageenan-induced hyperalgesia in rats. Mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia were evaluated by using von Frey filaments and the plantar test, respectively. The results of our experiments showed that pretreatment with the HO inhibitor ZnPP IX significantly decreased the antihyperalgesic effect produced by H. procumbens (800 mg/kg, i.p.) in carrageenan-injected rats. Consistently, the pretreatment with hemin, a HO-1 substrate, or CORM-3, a CO releasing molecule, before a low dose of H. procumbens (300 mg/kg, i.p.) induced a clear antiallodynic response in carrageenan injected rats. These results suggest the involvement of HO-1/CO system in the antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic effect of H. procumbens in carrageenan-induced inflammatory pain.