bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OSSE for a sustainable marine observing network in the Sea of Marmara
Authors: Aydoğdu Ali , Hoar Timothy J. , Vukicevic Tomislava , Anderson Jeffrey L. , Pinardi Nadia , Karspeck Alicia , Hendricks Jonathan , Collins Nancy , Macchia Francesca , Özsoy Emin
Published: July 2018

Abstract. An observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) is presented in the Sea of Marmara. A high-resolution ocean circulation model (FESOM) and an ensemble data assimilation tool (DART) are coupled. The OSSE methodology is used to assess the possible impact of a FerryBox network in the eastern Sea of Marmara. A reference experiment without assimilation is performed. Then, synthetic temperature and salinity observations are assimilated along the track of the ferries in the second experiment. The results suggest that a FerryBox network in the Sea of Marmara has potential to improve the forecasts significantly. The salinity and temperature errors get smaller in the upper layer of the water column. The impact of the assimilation is negligible in the lower layer due to the strong stratification. The circulation in the Sea of Marmara, particularly the Bosphorus outflow, helps to propagate the error reduction towards the western basin where no assimilation is performed. Overall, the proposed FerryBox network can be a good start to designing an optimal sustained marine observing network in the Sea of Marmara for assimilation purposes.
Brief communication: Understanding solar geoengineering's potential to limit sea level rise requires attention from cryosphere experts
Authors: Irvine Peter J. , Keith David W. , Moore John
Published: July 2018

Abstract. Stratospheric aerosol geoengineering, a form of solar geoengineering, is a
proposal to add a reflective layer of aerosol to the stratosphere to reduce
net radiative forcing and so to reduce the risks of climate change. The
efficacy of solar geoengineering at reducing changes to the cryosphere is
uncertain; solar geoengineering could reduce temperatures and so slow melt,
but its ability to reverse ice sheet collapse once initiated may be limited.
Here we review the literature on solar geoengineering and the cryosphere and
identify the key uncertainties that research could address. Solar
geoengineering may be more effective at reducing surface melt than a
reduction in greenhouse forcing that produces the same global-average
temperature response. Studies of natural analogues and model simulations
support this conclusion. However, changes below the surfaces of the ocean and
ice sheets may strongly limit the potential of solar geoengineering to reduce
the retreat of marine glaciers. High-quality process model studies may
illuminate these issues. Solar geoengineering is a contentious emerging
issue in climate policy and it is critical that the potential, limits, and
risks of these proposals are made clear for policy makers.
The Digital Library of the Middle East and Implementing International Cultural Heritage Preservation Policy
Authors: Herdrich Peter
Published: July 2018

This article reviews the origins and goals of the Digital Library of the Middle East and discusses how the DLME and other digital library projects implement international cultural heritage preservation policy.
Investigación agropecuaria con enfoque agroecológico para el desarrollo de una agricultura sostenible en Nicaragua
Authors: Muñoz Izaguirre Pedro Enrrique
Published: July 2018

El objetivo de este ensayo es aportar reflexiones acerca de la investigación agropecuaria con enfoque agroecológico como herramienta para el desarrollo de una agricultura sostenible en Nicaragua. Para brindar un panorama general de la investigación se abordan diferentes puntos de vista necesarios para su funcionamiento como son: el fortalecimiento del talento humano que realiza la actividad de investigación, la participación del productor en el proceso de investigación, la inversión público-privada y el fortalecimiento del Sistema Nicaragüense de Investigación e Innovación Agropecuaria, el que tiene la responsabilidad de plantear nuevas investigaciones para la generación de tecnologías que aporten al desarrollo de una agricultura sostenible, que tome en cuenta las interrelaciones entre los componentes físicos, biológicos y socioeconómicos, y el impacto ambiental que se suscitan dentro de los sistemas productivos.
Transitioning psychiatric patients for positive outcomes
Authors: Dennis Janice , Long Delois
Published: July 2018

A study was conducted at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Administration Medical Center (LSCVAMC) to examine if moving 20 psychiatric patients from one location to another affected their anxiety level. The LSCVAMC closed their Brecksville facility to consolidate the two Branches (Wade Park and Brecksville), and build a new Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) Tower. These changes were implemented to reduce operating costs for LSCVAMC and reduce the number of inpatient psychiatric beds. A five-question survey was given to each patient one week prior to the move, and immediately following the move to assess their thoughts related to the move. The results showed that despite 45% expressing thoughts that the move to Wade Park made them nervous/anxious prior to the move, no patients expressed that they were anxious post move when asked. Eighty percent of the patients expressed that they would enjoy being in a newly renovated facility. The post report of the patients was no nervousness/anxiety related to the move.
Pre-Service English Teachers' Perceptions, Obstacles and Experiences When Teaching English in the EFL Context
Authors: Alghamdy Rashed Zannan
Published: July 2018

This article has identified the opinions, perceptions obstacles and experiences of the EFL pre-service English teacher who participated in a training program in EFL context. In this study, only qualitative data was gathered. The participants in this study were 7 pre-service English teachers aged 23-28 years, from seven boys’ schools in Al-Baha city in Saudi Arabia. The researcher interviewed them at the end of the semester of the training program. The findings of this study were that some EFL pre-service English teachers felt that the training program enabled them to increase their confidence and social skills, enabling them to gain more experiences.However, there were many disadvantages, barriers and obstacles to practicing pre-service teaching in the training program. These included: some EFL students were naughty and they caused problems in the classroom, the EFL students’ English level was very weak such that they could not communicate in the language and even they also could not understand the teacher’s instructions. Being in the training program, and studying at the college at the same time was very challenging for the pre-service English teachers. Also, some their main teachers were not willing to guide them. They were also often shy and embarrassed before the students. There were claims that the preparation book was difficult for most pre-service teachers to prepare. Most complained that they lacked the resources they required to prepare for their lessons.
A Study on Consultant’s Social Value, Learning, Leadership Type Influence on Consulting Flow and Performance
Authors: Choo Yang-Hyun , Choo Soon-Jin , Lee Seung-Hee
Published: July 2018

The purpose of this study is to investigate consultants in ongoing consulting projects for smaller enterprises to implement an empirical study on the degree of influence of consultant value, consultant learning and consultant leadership type on consulting performance, which have not been mentioned in preceding study. The surveyed were consultants who had provided consulting service to smaller enterprises. For the study, a total of 223 sets of questionnaires were collected but 18 poorly-answered sets were excluded to utilize 205 sets for the study research. As a summary of the results, the social responsibility had a significant effect on consulting Flow whereas social support did not. learning motivation, learning intention and transformational/transactional/servant leadership on consulting Flow found that all of the variables had a significant effect on consulting Flow. In addition to that, social responsibility, support and learning motivation, learning intention and transformational/transactional/servant leadership on consulting satisfaction found that all of the variables significantly affected consulting satisfaction.
An Evaluation of Holsti’s Concept of Foreign Policy Restructuring: Has FPR Been Sufficiently Covered in the Arab World?
Authors: Shaltout Hoda Fadel
Published: July 2018

Using Holsti’s pioneer work on the concept of foreign policy restructuring (FPR) as the yardstick theoretical framework, the article critically assesses its impact on the literature with particular emphasis on the Arab World. The article’s aim is to solve the puzzle involving the diffident reference to Hoslti’s work, the extent to which FPR has been covered in the Arab World and, in case of a modest contribution, the factors causing such lack of attention to that particular field of study in the region. It specifically questions the existence of an explicit substantive and geographical literature gap, notwithstanding the efforts of successive scholars, the centrality of the Arab region, and the tremendous changes that hit a number of countries within it since the end of 2010 and on. Such state of affairs, not only amplifies the heavy cost of the current gap but also loudly echoes urgent calls to address it. The hypothesis is that such situation is inherently due to structural limitations within Holsti’s work and the scarcity of subsequent efforts to develop the concept further as well as, as far as the Arab World is concerned, regional inherent methodological factors. The author will follow an analytical and descriptive approach to trace the available literature with emphasis on Holsti’s work and key subsequent efforts. The article concludes by underlining the urgent need for a fresh and continuous work on studying FPR in the Arab World considering the critical role that part occupies in global politics.
Influence of Similarity Law on Movement Characteristics of Vibration Actuator
Authors: Yaguchi Hiroyuki , Itoh Yusuke
Published: July 2018

Currently, a belt conveyor or an automatic guided vehicle is used as a conveying device in a factory. However, Transportation of the ceiling surface and the wall surface in these devices is impossible. Elevator is used for conveying from the lower floor to the upper floor. Therefore, the conveying device capable of movement on a wall and a ceiling significantly improves the efficiency of work. Based on this background, development of working robots capable of transporting on a wall surface is required. In the present study, the vibration actuator with a very simple structure capable of movement on a magnetic substance by means of the inertial force of a vibration model was again considered. Furthermore, upsizing for the actuator in order to improve the propulsion characteristics was considered. The volume of the permanent magnet constituting the vibration component of the actuator was increased according to the similarity rule. Four models of actuator with approximately equal drive frequency were prototyped and experimentally tested. The experimental results demonstrate that the maximum efficiency of the actuator for a standard model pulling its own weight was 27.1 %. Furthermore, the actuator is able to pull a load mass of 170 g. For the actuator of 5 times model, the actuator is able to climb upward at 9.5 mm/s while pulling a load mass of 3500 g. This actuator is able to propel a load mass of approximately 36 times the weight of the actuator itself.
Nota de la editora
Authors: Alegría Marta
Published: July 2018

Nota de la editora invitada del volumen 11.2.
The impact of a writing programme on reading acquisition of at-risk first grade children
Authors: Salvador Liliana , Alves Martins Margarida
Published: July 2018

Our aim was to assess the impact of a writing programme on the reading acquisition of first graders considered at-risk of developing reading difficulties. Eighteen children from six classrooms of three primary schools attended this programme. Their results on literacy tests at the end of the first trimester were very low when compared to those of the remaining 91 children attending the same classrooms. This programme, based on a socio-constructive approach, had 12 sessions. In each session, children were asked to discuss the writing of words and sentences until they reached an agreement. The adult's role was to guide and question children along their process of discovery and reflection. The dynamics that occurred during the sessions and the adult’s help (scaffolding) were characterized. At the end of the programme, children who underwent the intervention reached similar reading results as the remaining children in the classrooms.
Shaping Consumer Behavior in Fashion Industry by the Interactive Communication Forms
Authors: Kaczorowska-Spychalska Dominika
Published: July 2018

The intense processes of digital transformation are resulting in changes in consumer behavior in the fashion market. The digital consumer expects increasingly attractive products that reflect new fashion trends, a low risk of purchase and immediate availability. They are active and engaged, and interaction with them is becoming a form of creating value for a company/brand. Being aware of fashion and their related needs, consumers require from brands a dialogue, transparency of activities undertaken, and personalisation of experiences created together with their diversity. A good solution here could be a fast fashion strategy, which is a new way of thinking about creating value with the customer and for them in the textile market. However, it requires from brands an increasingly customer-focused market orientation and looking for forms of communication that are much more engaging than before. The aim of the paper is to identify the influence of interactive forms of communication on shaping customer behavior in the fashion market. Particular attention was paid to social media, mobile marketing and solutions based on the concept of the Internet of Things.
Influence of Weave Parameters on Woven Fabric Tear Strength
Authors: Milašius Rimvydas , Legaudienė Brigita , Laureckienė Ginta
Published: July 2018

The influence of weave on woven fabric tear strength is analysed in this paper. Brierlay’s factor Fm, Milašius’ factor P and P’ and modification of parameter P made by the authors (P’weft) were used in the investigations presented. Woven fabrics of 100 % viscose multifilament yarn manufactured from the same yarns and with the same density but with seven different weaves (plain weave, weft rib 2/2, warp rib 2/2, twill 2/2, twill 3/1, basket weave 2/2 and 4 healds sateen) were used for the investigations. It was stated that the well-known weave parameters of Brierley Fm and Milašius P and P’ cannot be used for the prediction of the tear strength of all kinds of weaves without any limitations. All parameters presented can be used for the strength prediction of a weave when they are divided into two groups – a rib-based group and twill-based group. Prediction of the tear strength for rib-based weaves in the weft has to be carried out using parameter P’weft, where the influence of parameters P1 and P is varied.
THE REFORM OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION IN POLAND - LEGAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND EXPECTATIONS
Authors: Stec Roman , Roliński Marcin , Ciołek Łukasz
Published: July 2018

The local self-government is the entity of public authority which participates in exercising public authority because of its legal interest. The tasks of local self-government are exercised in its own name and under its own responsibility. The Constitution of the Republic of Poland does not specify the structure of local self-government in Poland. The aim of the article titled "The reform of local administration in Poland - legal and sociological conditions and expectations" is the legal assessment of the functioning of district self-government in Poland and the assessment of the District Self government Act.
RECRUITMENT AS A WAY OF EMPLOYING SELF-GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES IN CLERICAL POSITIONS IN POLAND
Authors: Czerw Jarosław
Published: July 2018

Recruitment is the basic way of employing self-government employees in clerical positions in Poland. The recruitment of candidates for these positions takes place in the situation of existing a clerical vacant position in a given administrative unit. The recruitment process is run by a recruitment committee appointed by the head of the unit. From among all the participating candidates, not more than five best applicants are selected by the committee. The candidates must comply with the essential requirements and, to the greatest extend, meet the additional requirements. These candidates are introduced to the head of the unit who, from among them, selects the candidate to be employed for the clerical position. The purpose of this article is to analyze the legal and legal-organizational measures of the recruitment process as a way of employing local government employees in official positions in Poland.
NORMATIVE AND LEGAL FACTORS OF THE LABOR MARKET AND EMPLOYMENT IN UKRAINE
Authors: Dubych Klavdiya Vasylivna
Published: July 2018

In the article, the research presents the drivers for the labor market and employment shadowing, the normative and legal factors in Ukraine, which are characterized by the following: the imperfection, obsolete domestic labor legislation, insufficient coherence of the corresponding normative legal acts and their provisions with international norms in the employment; low level of effectiveness of anti-corruption legislation and state programs in the part of shadowing the labor market and employment of the population as an integral part of the state anticorruption policy; the lack of effective regulatory and legal mechanisms of state administration to fight the shadow employment, adherence to legal social and labor relations in the field of employment; cumbersome tax system and instability of the taxation laws; excessive regulation of entrepreneurial activity and legal insecurity of economic entities in terms of the abuse by state controlling bodies. Taking into account the above we have found that one of the factors of the shadow processes of the labor market and employment in Ukraine is the imperfection of the regulatory framework, which does not facilitate the legalization of the labor market and employment of the population, but as a paradox - encourages the processes of shadowing.
DETERMINANTY NORMATYWNEGO DOSKONALENIA INSTRUMENTÓW OSTROŻNOŚCIOWYCH SYSTEMU FINANSOWEGO W POLSCE
Authors: Prokopowicz Dariusz
Published: July 2018

W niniejszym artykule przeprowadzono diagnozę korelacji procesów normatywnego doskonalenia instrumentów ostrożnościowych systemu finansowego i antykryzysowej polityki społeczno-gospodarczej prowadzonej w Polsce. Od połowy lat 90. ubiegłego wieku rośnie znaczenie procesu doskonalenia procedur zarządzania ryzykiem w bankach komercyjnych działających w Polsce oraz potrzeby dopracowywania regulacji prawnych określających zasady przeprowadzania tego procesu. W kontekście potrzeby realizowanych keynsowskich działań antykryzysowych ekonomiści wskazują na potrzebę ciągłego dopracowywania regulacji ostrożnościowych funkcjonujących w systemach bankowych. Główną determinantą, która zaktywizowała procesy doskonalenia regulacji prawnych dotyczących funkcjonowania banków był globalny kryzys finansowy z 2008 roku. W sytuacji słabnącej koniunktury gospodarczej i podwyższonego ryzyka rosła potrzeba doskonalenia procedur i bankowych regulacji prawnych dotyczących bezpieczeństwa dokonywanych transakcji finansowych w Polsce. Poprzez dokonującą się od 1989 roku transformację polskiej gospodarki polegającą na jej urynkowieniu analogiczne procesy realizowane były w sektorze finansowym. Doskonalenie procedur bankowych systemu finansowego skorelowane jest z sukcesywnie postępującą globalizacją ale także z antykryzysową polityką społeczno-gospodarczą w Polsce. W związku z tym sukcesywnie rośnie poziom dostosowywania procedur i normatywów prawnych dotyczących działających w Polsce banków komercyjnych do standardów Unii Europejskiej i wytycznych Komitetu Bazylejskiego. Jednym ze szczególnych aspektów tych procesów dostosowawczych była analiza korelacji procesów normatywnego doskonalenia instrumentów ostrożnościowych systemu finansowego i antykryzysowej polityki społeczno-gospodarczej w Polsce. W wyniku przeprowadzonych obserwacji i analiz wykazano, że istnieje ta korelacja.
INVENTING INDEPENDENCE. NEGOTIATING THE INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY LAW FOR FUTURE POLAND AT THE END OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
Authors: Łotysz Sławomir
Published: July 2018

Shortly after Poland regained its independency in November 1918, the Chief of State Józef Pilsudski signed two decrees introducing the patent law in the country and bringing the Polish Patent Office into existence. In recent literature, the introduction of both decrees has been acknowledged as the starting point of legal patent protection in the independent Poland, while it is largely forgotten to whom the whole preparatory work should have been attributed. The draft of the patent law signed by Pilsudski has been worked out well before November 1918, by the Ministry of Industry of the Provisional Council of State of the Kingdom of Poland, a quasi-independent governing body established by the German and Austro-Hungarian occupying forces. This article attempts to reconstruct a contemporary discourse upon that issue, while explaining at the same time the reasons that made the enacted law very much imperfect. This work is based mainly on authentic documents from that era, and, since it uses both legal and technical writings, it is a novel attempt to address this issue. This paper argues that deficiencies of the first Polish patent legislation resulted from inability or, perhaps, unwillingness of the Ministry of Industry to seek advices from the experts in patent law – lawyers and patent agents, unquestionably being the most predisposed to this task.
A idealidade transcendental e a realidade empírica do mundo como vontade e representação - filosofar e filosofia em Schopenhauer
Authors: Kamata Yasuo
Published: July 2018

A distinção kantiana entre filosofia e filosofar refere-se a duas questões tradicionais, a saber, à questão das relações dos seres e à questão dos seres enquanto tais, sendo esta última reinterpretada em sentido filosófico-transcendental como questão sobre as condições de possibilidade da experiência. Schopenhauer deu continuidade a esta linha de pensamento. Neste ensaio pretendemos mostrar que a diferenciação metodicamente consciente entre idealismo transcendental e realismo empírico possibilita uma consistente interpretação de Schopenhauer.
Farmacologia e toxicologia do ácido ascórbico: uma revisão
Authors: Silva Maria Caroline Jacques da
Published: July 2018

L-Ascorbic acid (AA) or vitamin C is a six carbon cetolactone, structurally related to glucose and other hexoses. The major sources of AA are citrus fruits, strawberry, melon, green pepper, potato, tomato and leafy green vegetables. AA interferes with a broad spectrum of oxidation-reduction reactions, acting in at least 10 enzymatic systems. In this way, vitamin C influences the synthesis of collagen, carnitine, and neurotransmitters; the transformation of cholesterol into bile acids; biotransformation of xenobiotics substances; absorption of iron; and formation and scavenging of oxygen free radicals. AA is used as food addictive because of its antioxidant properties.Therapeutically, it is used as nutritional supplement during scurvy. Human beings and other primates, as well as guinea pigs and some species of bats are mammals that are unable to synthesize AA; thus, they need AA in the diet to prevent scurvy. Rats are able to synthesize AA using glucose, through intermediary formation of D-glucuronic acid, L-gulonic acid and gulonolactone.Homo sapiens lack the hepatic enzyme gulonolactone oxidase, which catalyses the last reaction of the biosynthesis pathway (L-gulonolactone conversion to ascorbic acid). The functions of central nervous, immune, and cardiovascular systems, and the periodontal tissue, as well as the detoxification function of the liver, are negatively influenced by vitamin C deficiency. In this way, it has been described several benefits of vitamin supplement ingestion, as decreasing of LDL cholesterol, including mega doses that can reach as much as 18g daily. Although there have been raised many literatures about vitamin C use in a wide variety of diseases, there is a lack of clinical efficiency of mega doses; besides, some side effects can come up, as diarrhea and oxalate stones in the kidneys. However, the ideal daily intake of vitamin C is still unknown. This happen because the recommended daily intake is based in a single role of AA, the scurvy prevention. Daily ingestion of AA should be the same quantity excreted or destroyed by oxidation, taking into consideration AA actions on the enzymatic systems. Actually, vitamin C is necessary for health in little quantities and is harmful in large doses. It happens because the cells are always walking a balance between oxidation and reduction processes, and AA in great quantities assume oxidative characteristics, interfering in this balance. Although the existence of several evidences indicating AA toxicity in large doses, there are some authors who believe that the ingestion of large doses is safe, but they admit that the disposable data are very contradictory.
A psychological approach to promoting truth in politics: The pro-truth pledge
Authors: Tsipursky Gleb , Votta Fabio , Mulick James A.
Published: July 2018

Some recent psychology research has shown why people engage in deceptive behavior, and how we can prevent them from doing so. Given the alarming amount of fake news in the US public sphere, a group of psychologists has sought to combine the available research in a proposed intervention, the Pro-Truth Pledge, to help address this problem. The pledge asks signees to commit to 12 behaviors that research in psychology shows correlate with an orientation toward truthfulness. Early results show both that private citizens and public figures are willing to take the pledge, and initial survey, interview, and observational evidence shows the effectiveness of the pledge on reducing sharing misinformation on social media.
Evaluating the political organisation of Muslim citizens in the Netherlands: The role of political orientation, education and multiculturalism
Authors: Bot Willemijn , Verkuyten Maykel
Published: July 2018

Political participation is an important aspect of the integration of Muslim citizens into western societies. However, Muslims’ formal political participation is often met with resistance from the majority population. In two studies, we investigated among national samples of majority Dutch whether the level of resistance to the democratic political organizations of Muslim citizens is associated with political orientation and level of education. Furthermore, we examined whether these associations are mediated by the endorsement of multiculturalism. Findings from both studies show that the higher educated and politically left-wing individuals are more supportive of Muslim political organisation and that this association is (partly) explained by the endorsement of multiculturalism. Additionally, in Study 2 it is found that attitudes toward cultural tradition and group equality mediate the relations between education and political orientation with multiculturalism.
Defining nature. Competing perspectives: between nativism and ecological novelty
Authors: Davis Mark
Published: July 2018

In the 1980s, three sub-disciplines of ecology emerged – restoration ecology, conservation biology, and invasion biology – and all three embraced the nativism paradigm. By the early 2000s, historians, sociologists, and philosophers interested in the development of science began to examine the growing field of invasion biology and usually were critical of it. In the past few years, a new perspective has been taking hold in the field of ecology. Referred to as ecological novelty it emphasizes that many factors are producing ecologically novel environments. A much more simply descriptive concept, it is currently competing with the nativism paradigm to define nature. Whether the nativism or ecological novelty paradigm emerges as the dominant perspective going forward will determine how nature and biodiversity are managed.
Más allá del recuento de especies: Una nueva manera de enfocar la biodiversidad
Authors: Llopis-Belenguer Cristina , Blasco-Costa Isabel , Balbuena Juan Antonio
Published: July 2018

Los índices tradicionales de diversidad (principalmente riqueza, abundancia y equitatividad de especies) han sido altamente reveladores para el seguimiento de procesos en comunidades y ecosistemas en ecología moderna. Sin embargo, hace aproximadamente dos décadas, un grupo de investigadores, pioneros en su campo, apreciaron que estos índices no resolvían por completo las cuestiones que se proponían. Por ello plantearon cambiar el modo de cuantificar la biodiversidad. Fundamentalmente, esta nueva metodología considera la distancia entre las especies (en términos filogenéticos o funcionales) de forma previa a aplicar los índices de biodiversidad oportunos. La incorporación de elementos filogenéticos y funcionales en la evaluación de la diversidad permite acercarnos al concepto de biodiversidad de manera más completa.
Global mapping of potential natural vegetation: an assessment of Machine Learning algorithms for estimating land potential
Authors: Hengl Tomislav , Walsh Markus G , Sanderman Jonathan , Wheeler Ichsani , Harrison Sandy P , Prentice Iain C
Published: July 2018

Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV) is the vegetation cover in equilibrium with climate, that would exist at a given location non-impacted by human activities. PNV is useful for raising public awareness about land degradation and for estimating land potential. This paper presents results of assessing Machine Learning Algorithms (MLA) for operational mapping of Potential Natural Vegetation (PNV). The following MLA were considered: neural networks (nnet package), random forest (ranger), gradient boosting (gmb), K-nearest neighborhood (class) and cubist. Three case studies were considered: (1) global distribution of biomes based on the BIOME 6000 data set (8057 modern pollen-based site reconstructions), (2) distribution of forest tree taxa in Europe based on detailed occurrence records (1,546,435 ground observations), and (3) global monthly Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR) values (30,301 randomly-sampled points). A stack of 160 global maps representing biophysical conditions over land, including atmospheric, climatic, relief and lithologic variables, were used as explanatory variables. The overall results show that random forest gives the overall best performance. he highest accuracy for predicting BIOME 6000 classes (20) was estimated to be between 33% (with spatial Cross Validation) and 68% (simple random subsetting), with the most important predictors being total annual precipitation, monthly temperatures and bioclimatic layers. Predicting forest tree species (73) resulted in mapping accuracy of 25%, with the most important predictors being monthly cloud fraction, mean annual and monthly temperatures and elevation. Regression models for FAPAR (monthly images) gave an R-square of 90% with most important predictors being total annual precipitation, monthly cloud fraction, CHELSA bioclimatic layers and month of the year, respectively. Further developments of PNV mapping could include using GBIF records to map global distribution of plant species at different taxonomic levels. This methodology could also be extended to dynamic modeling of PNV, so that future climate scenarios can be incorporated. Global maps of biomes, FAPAR and tree species at 1 km spatial resolution are available for download via http://dx.doi.org/10.7910/DVN/QQHCIK.
NPAS4 recruits CCK basket cell synapses and enhances cannabinoid-sensitive inhibition in the mouse hippocampus
Authors: Hartzell Andrea L , Martyniuk Kelly M , Brigidi G Stefano , Heinz Daniel A , Djaja Nathalie A , Payne Anja , Bloodgood Brenda L
Published: July 2018

Experience-dependent expression of immediate-early gene transcription factors (IEG-TFs) can transiently change the transcriptome of active neurons and initiate persistent changes in cellular function. However, the impact of IEG-TFs on circuit connectivity and function is poorly understood. We investigate the specificity with which the IEG-TF NPAS4 governs experience-dependent changes in inhibitory synaptic input onto CA1 pyramidal neurons (PNs). We show that novel sensory experience selectively enhances somatic inhibition mediated by cholecystokinin-expressing basket cells (CCKBCs) in an NPAS4-dependent manner. NPAS4 specifically increases the number of synapses made onto PNs by individual CCKBCs without altering synaptic properties. Additionally, we find that sensory experience-driven NPAS4 expression enhances depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI), a short-term form of cannabinoid-mediated plasticity expressed at CCKBC synapses. Our results indicate that CCKBC inputs are a major target of the NPAS4-dependent transcriptional program in PNs and that NPAS4 is an important regulator of plasticity mediated by endogenous cannabinoids.
Pooled genome-wide CRISPR screening for basal and context-specific fitness gene essentiality in Drosophila cells
Authors: Viswanatha Raghuvir , Li Zhongchi , Hu Yanhui , Perrimon Norbert
Published: July 2018

Genome-wide screens in Drosophila cells have offered numerous insights into gene function, yet a major limitation has been the inability to stably deliver large multiplexed DNA libraries to cultured cells allowing barcoded pooled screens. Here, we developed a site-specific integration strategy for library delivery and performed a genome-wide CRISPR knockout screen in Drosophila S2R+ cells. Under basal growth conditions, 1235 genes were essential for cell fitness at a false-discovery rate of 5%, representing the highest-resolution fitness gene set yet assembled for Drosophila, including 407 genes which likely duplicated along the vertebrate lineage and whose orthologs were underrepresented in human CRISPR screens. We additionally performed context-specific fitness screens for resistance to or synergy with trametinib, a Ras/ERK/ETS inhibitor, or rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, and identified key regulators of each pathway. The results present a novel, scalable, and versatile platform for functional genomic screens in invertebrate cells.
Focal optogenetic suppression in macaque area MT biases direction discrimination and decision confidence, but only transiently
Authors: Fetsch Christopher R , Odean Naomi N , Jeurissen Danique , El-Shamayleh Yasmine , Horwitz Gregory D , Shadlen Michael N
Published: July 2018

Insights from causal manipulations of brain activity depend on targeting the spatial and temporal scales most relevant for behavior. Using a sensitive perceptual decision task in monkeys, we examined the effects of rapid, reversible inactivation on a spatial scale previously achieved only with electrical microstimulation. Inactivating groups of similarly tuned neurons in area MT produced systematic effects on choice and confidence. Behavioral effects were attenuated over the course of each session, suggesting compensatory adjustments in the downstream readout of MT over tens of minutes. Compensation also occurred on a sub-second time scale: behavior was largely unaffected when the visual stimulus (and concurrent suppression) lasted longer than 350 ms. These trends were similar for choice and confidence, consistent with the idea of a common mechanism underlying both measures. The findings demonstrate the utility of hyperpolarizing opsins for linking neural population activity at fine spatial and temporal scales to cognitive functions in primates.
Epidemiology of tuberculosis and treatment outcomes among children in Pakistan: a 5 year retrospective study
Authors: Laghari Madeeha , Sulaiman Syed Azhar Syed , Khan Amer Hayat , Memon Naheed
Published: July 2018

Background

Regardless of the advancement in medical technologies, the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in children has remained a challenge. Childhood TB is rampant and an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to determine the trend of TB and treatment outcomes in children aged ≤14 years registered for TB treatment under DOTS course in three districts of Sindh, Pakistan.

Methods

For this retrospective study, records of TB children (≤14 years) registered for the treatment of TB from January 2011 to December 2015 in three districts of Pakistan, were collected. Demographic data, baseline weight, clinical manifestations, radiography, histopathology results and treatment outcomes were collected from TB unit registers.

Results

A total of 2,167 children were treated for TB during the study period. Of these, 1,199 (55.3%) were females and 1,242 (57.3%) were from urban areas. Over three-quarter of patients (76.9%) had pulmonary TB with 13.3% of sputum smear positive cases. The overall treatment success rate was 92.4%. In multivariate analysis, rural residents (OR: 2.146, p < 0.001), sputum smear positive cases (OR: 3.409, p < 0.001) and re-treated patients (OR: 5.919, p < 0.001), were significantly associated with unsuccessful treatment outcomes. However, age group ≤2 years, male and those who were underweight were found to have the highest risk of pulmonary tuberculosis (OR: 1.953, p < 0.001; OR: 1.262, p = 0.028; OR: 1.342, p = 0.008), respectively.

Conclusion

Patients at risk of treatment failure must be given particular attention. Moreover, strategies are needed to further improve the diagnosis and treatment of TB among children and improve the recording system.
Analysis of the light intensity dependence of the growth ofSynechocystisand of the light distribution in a photobioreactor energized by 635 nm light
Authors: Cordara Alessandro , Re Angela , Pagliano Cristina , Van Alphen Pascal , Pirone Raffaele , Saracco Guido , Branco dos Santos Filipe , Hellingwerf Klaas , Vasile Nicolò
Published: July 2018

Synechocystisgathered momentum in modelling studies and biotechnological applications owing to multiple factors like fast growth, ability to fix carbon dioxide into valuable products, and the relative ease of genetic manipulation.Synechocystisphysiology and metabolism, and consequently, the productivity ofSynechocystis-based photobioreactors (PBRs), are heavily light modulated. Here, we set up a turbidostat-controlled lab-scale cultivation system in order to study the influence of varying orange–red light intensities onSynechocystisgrowth characteristics and photosynthetic activity.Synechocystisgrowth and photosynthetic activity were found to raise as supplied light intensity increased up to 500 μmol photons m−2s−1and to enter the photoinhibition state only at 800 μmol photons m−2s−1. Interestingly, reverting the light to a non-photo-inhibiting intensity unveiledSynechocystisto be able to promptly recover. Furthermore, our characterization displayed a clear correlation between variations in growth rate and cell size, extending a phenomenon previously observed in other cyanobacteria. Further, we applied a modelling approach to simulate the effects produced by varying the incident light intensity on its local distribution within the PBR vessel. Our model simulations suggested that the photosynthetic activity ofSynechocystiscould be enhanced by finely regulating the intensity of the light incident on the PBR in order to prevent cells from experiencing light-induced stress and induce their exploitation of areas of different local light intensity formed in the vessel. In the latter case, the heterogeneous distribution of the local light intensity would allowSynechocystisfor an optimized usage of light.
Shape and size of the arenas affect amphipod behaviours: implications for ecotoxicology
Authors: Kohler Shanelle A. , Parker Matthew O. , Ford Alex T.
Published: July 2018

The use of behaviour in ecotoxicology is expanding, however the lack of standardisation and validation of these assays currently presents a major drawback in moving forward in the development of behavioural assays. Furthermore, there is a current paucity of control data on test species, particularly invertebrate models. In this study we assessed a range of behaviours associated with spatial distribution and locomotion in relation to arena size and shape in two species of amphipod crustacean (Echinogammarus marinus and Gammarus pulex). Arena shape had significant effects on almost all behavioural parameters analysed. Increasing arena size resulted in an increased mean velocity and activity plus increased proportional use of the central zones. These results indicate that ‘ceiling effects’ may occur in some ecotoxicological studies resulting in potentially ‘false’ negative effects if careful consideration is not paid to experimental design. Differences in behaviours were observed between the two species of amphipod. For example, G. pulex spend approximately five times (∼20%) more of the available time crossing the central zones of the arenas compared to E. marinus (∼4%) which could have implications on assessing anxiolytic behaviours. The results of this study highlight several behaviours with potential for use in behavioural ecotoxicology with crustaceans but also underscore the need for careful consideration when designing these behavioural assays.
ASarcoptes scabieispecific isothermal amplification assay for detection of this important ectoparasite of wombats and other animals
Authors: Fraser Tamieka A. , Carver Scott , Martin Alynn M. , Mounsey Kate , Polkinghorne Adam , Jelocnik Martina
Published: July 2018

Background

The globally distributed epidermal ectoparasite,Sarcoptes scabiei,is a serious health and welfare burden to at-risk human and animal populations. Rapid and sensitive detection ofS. scabieiinfestation is critical for intervention strategies. While direct microscopy of skin scrapings is a widely utilised diagnostic method, it has low sensitivity. PCR, alternatively, has been shown to readily detect mite DNA even in microscopy-negative skin scrapings. However, a limitation to the latter method is the requirements for specialised equipment and reagents. Such resources may not be readily available in regional or remote clinical settings and are an important consideration in diagnosis of this parasitic disease.

Methodology

A Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the ITS-2 gene forS. scabieiwas developed and evaluated on clinical samples from various hosts, previously screened with conventionalS. scabies-specific PCR. Species specificity of the newly developed LAMP assay was tested against a range of DNA samples from other arthropods. The LAMP assays were performed on a real-time fluorometer as well as thermal cycler to evaluate an end-point of detection. Using skin scrapings, a rapid sample processing method was assessed to eliminate extensive processing times involved with DNA extractions prior to diagnostic assays, including LAMP.

Results

TheS. scabieiLAMP assay was demonstrated to be species-specific and able to detect DNA extracted from a single mite within a skin scraping in under 30 minutes. Application of this assay to DNA extracts from skin scrapings taken from a range of hosts revealed 92.3% congruence (with 92.50% specificity and 100% sensitivity) to the conventional PCR detection ofS. scabiei. Preliminary results have indicated that diagnostic outcome from rapidly processed dry skin scrapings using our newly developed LAMP is possible in approximately 40 minutes.

Discussion

We have developed a novel, rapid and robust molecular assay for detectingS. scabieiinfesting humans and animals. Based on these findings, we anticipate that this assay will serve an important role as an ancillary diagnostic tool at the point-of-care, complementing existing diagnostic protocols forS. scabiei.
Assessment of antioxidant properties of membrane ultrafiltration peptides from mungbean meal protein hydrolysates
Authors: Sonklin Chanikan , Laohakunjit Natta , Kerdchoechuen Orapin
Published: July 2018

Background

Bioactive peptides can prevent damage associated with oxidative stress in humans when consumed regularly. Recently, peptides have attracted immense interest because of their beneficial functional properties, safety and little or no side effects when used at high concentration. Most antioxidant peptides are small in size, less than 1 kDa, and contains a high proportion of hydrophobic amino acid. Particularly, tyrosine, leucine, alanine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, phenyalanine, cysteine, methionine and histidine in peptide chain exhibited high antioxidant activity. Mungbean meal protein (MMP) is highly abundant in hydrophobic amino acids. It indicated that MMP might be a good source of antioxidants. Therefore, the objectives were to optimize the conditions used to generate mungbean meal protein hydrolysate (MMPH) with antioxidant activity from bromelain and to investigate the antioxidant activities of different molecular weight (MW) peptide fraction.

Methods

Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used for screening of the optimal conditions to produce MMPH. After that MMPH was fractionated using ultrafiltration membranes with different MW distributions. Crude-MMPH and four fractions were investigated for five antioxidant activities: 2,2,1-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl, superoxide, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and metal ion chelation activity.

Results

The optimal condition to produce the MMPH was 15% (w/w) of bromelain and hydrolysis time for 12 h which showed the greatest DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity. After mungbean protein from optimal condition was separated based on different molecular weight, the DPPH radical scavenging activity was the highest for the F4 (less than 1 kDa) peptide fraction. Metal ion chelating activity was generally weak, except for the F4 that had a value of 43.94% at a protein concentration of 5 mg/mL. The F4 also exhibited high hydroxyl and superoxide activities (54 and 65.1%), but moderate activity for ferric reducing antioxidant power (0.102 mmole Fe2+/g protein) compared to other peptide fractions and crude-MMPH. Molecular weight and amino acid were the main factors that determined the antioxidant activities of these peptide fractions. Results indicated that F4 had strong antioxidant potentials.

Discussion

The lowest MW fraction (less than 1 kDa) contributed to the highest DPPH, superoxide, hydroxyl and metal chelation activity because influence of low MW and high content of hydrophobic amino acid in peptide chain. Results from this study indicated that MMPH peptides donate protons to free radicals because they had significantly high DPPH value compared to superoxide, hydroxyl and FRAP, which reactions were electron donation. Moreover, MMPH peptides had the ability to inhibit transition metal ions because of highly abundant glutamic acid and aspartic acid in peptide chain.