bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new algorithm for real-time pressure control in water distribution networks
Authors: Creaco E. , Franchini M.
Published: August 2013

This paper presents a new logic algorithm for real-time control of regulation valves in water distribution networks. This method entails identifying in real time the appropriate closure setting of regulation valves in order to reach and keep the desired piezometric height at the control node(s), by making use of measurements concerning both the piezometric height at the control node(s) and the water discharge in the pipes fitted with regulation valves. In the numerical application herein described this control algorithm is implemented within a hydraulic simulation model and is tested in the case study of a real distribution network, in which there is only one control valve, installed in the pipe linking the serving tank to the network. Results showed excellent performance in terms of pressure regulation (with very small deviations from the desired set-point value) and leakage reduction under various operation conditions.
Water distribution network simulation by optimization approaches
Authors: Soltanjalili M. , Bozorg Haddad O. , Seifollahi Aghmiuni S. , Mariño M. A.
Published: August 2013

When a fire-flow condition occurs and a nodal demand is excessive or when a pipe breaks, a water distribution system (WDS) may temporarily become deficient and unable to satisfy all nodal demands. Thus, estimation of the influences of failure conditions on the network is needed. A method for analyzing the hydraulic condition of the network in such a situation is proposed. The method, which is constructed based on the amount of supply on each consumption node, is called node flow analysis (NFA). Given the limitations of the NFA method proposed earlier for determining optimal solutions, such as inflexibility of the approach toward more complicated problems and its time-consuming process, this paper presents the honey-bee mating optimization (HBMO) algorithm for maximizing the total supply of the Two-loop and Hanoi water distribution networks (WDNs) under a failure condition. The proposed method is much faster and simpler to use than the NFA method. Consequently, obtained results confirm the higher accuracy of the proposed method to conditions of WDNs under local pipe breakage. In addition, results make one aware of the effects of each pipe breakage on consumption nodes and in the entire network under two scenarios for maximizing total supply in the network.
Improved risk assessment and risk reduction strategies in the Water Safety Plan (WSP) of Salta, Argentina
Authors: Seghezzo L. , Gatto D'Andrea M. L. , Iribarnegaray M. A. , Liberal V. I. , Fleitas A. , Bonifacio J. L.
Published: August 2013

The Water Safety Plan (WSP) for the city of Salta (Argentina) is presented and discussed. To develop this WSP, we used an adapted version of the methodology proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The new method included a preliminary weighting procedure to assess the relative importance of different parts of the system, and a more systematic estimation of the magnitude of control measures. These modifications allowed the definition of a variety of risk reduction strategies. The risk assessment step was performed during participatory workshops with members of the local water company. The Initial Risk for the entire system was 30.2%, with variations among processes, subprocesses and components. More than 60% of the hazardous situations identified require control measures to reduce the risk below an acceptable threshold. If all control measures were successfully implemented, the Final Risk could be lowered to 17.7%. Methodological changes introduced allowed a more detailed analysis of the risks and can be an important improvement of the assessment procedure.
Bayesian modelling for water loss management decisions
Authors: Gavrila C. , Teodorescu N. , Gruia I.
Published: August 2013

Bayesian networks and their associated methods are especially suited for capturing and dealing with uncertainty. They can be successfully applied both in engineering sciences and in reliability analyses of water distribution systems. In this paper we propose an interactive Bayesian network and a decision-theoretic system which intend to monitor water loss, predict likely outcome and select appropriate decisions.
Factors affecting formation of haloacetonitriles and haloketones during chlorination/monochloramination of Jinlan Reservoir water
Authors: Hong Huachang , Huang Fangqu , Lin Hongjun , Yu Haiying , Wang Fangyuan , Ding Linxian
Published: August 2013

Formations of haloacetonitriles (HANs) and haloketones (HKs) from chlorination and chloramination from Jinlan Reservoir water under different treatment conditions were investigated in this study. Results showed that monochloramine rather than chlorine produced significant lower concentrations of HANs and HKs. In chlorination, the formation of HANs and HKs increased with the reaction time and chlorine dose. Addition of bromide significantly enhanced the total HANs yields but reduced total HKs formation due to the unavailability of bromine-containing HKs. HANs yields increased as the temperature was raised, yet HKs yields increased first and decreased later with temperature. As for the influence of pH, the HKs yields generally increased as the pH decreased, yet no obvious pattern was observed for HANs formation. On the other hand, in monochloramination, the yields of HANs and HKs generally increased with reaction time, temperature and the monochloramine dose. Higher HANs and HKs yields formed at low pH, and the addition of bromide significantly increased the total HANs yields. Range analysis further revealed that avoiding the bromide contamination, lowering the chlorine/monochloramine dose as well as reducing the reaction time were the effective ways to control HANs and HKs formation for drinking water sourced from Jinlan Reservoir water.
Qualitative analysis and classification of surface water in Bukit Merah Reservoir in Malaysia
Authors: Akinbile Christopher O. , Yusoff Mohd Suffian , Talib Siti Hidayah Abu , Hasan Zorkeflee Abu , Ismail Wan Roslan , Sansudin Ummunajwa
Published: August 2013

An attempt was made to analyze and classify water quality at the Bukit Merah Reservoir (BMR) in Malaysia to determine the degree of pollution and ascertain the required treatment level before usage. Parameters determined included; pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), suspended solids (SS), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) using both in-situ and standard laboratory procedures. Heavy metal contents such as nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and magnesium (Mg) were also determined using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP MS). Using the water quality index (WQI) tool, all the parameters indicated considerable degrees of pollution with an average classification number of 75.63 in Class III which indicated that the BMR water was slightly polluted. DO ranged between 2.06 and 12.5 mg/L with a mean value of 5.96 mg/L while BOD ranged between 3.08 and 6.32 mg/L with a mean value of 4.6 mg/L, among many other parameters analyzed. Also, the presence of heavy metals was recorded, but did not appear to be much of a threat with the exception of Fe. Most of the pollutants identified were mainly from infrastructural development and agricultural activities. For domestic uses, cleaner water would be required and this would need substantial investment in treatment, while for recreational, livestock and crop irrigation purposes, the water quality would be acceptable at the present level.
Study of oyster shell as a potential substrate for constructed wetlands
Authors: Wang Zhen , Dong Jian , Liu Lin , Zhu Gefu , Liu Chaoxiang
Published: August 2013

We tested the suitability of oyster shell (OS) as a substrate for phosphorus removal in constructed wetlands (CWs) treating swine wastewater. OS is proven to have a significant phosphorus adsorption capacity; significant phosphorus removal was achieved in vertical subsurface flow constructed wetlands (VSSFs) that were filled with OS and used to treat swine wastewater. In the VSSF system, OS adsorption and precipitation played the greatest role in phosphorus removal, and the phosphorus distribution in the substrate layers was attributed to the vertical flow state of wastewater in the system. Ca–P was the predominant form of phosphorus in the system. Overall, the study results showed that OS could be used for phosphorus removal in CWs. OS also allowed for reuse of a waste substance, making the overall system more environmentally friendly.
Shared failure data for strategic asset management
Authors: Vreeburg J. H. G. , Vloerbergh I. N. , van Thienen P. , de Bont R.
Published: August 2013

Failure data are a valuable source of information on the condition of underground assets. Systematic registration of relevant items on cause, nature and circumstances of each occurring failure is, however, complicated in day-to-day practice. Moreover, in a network of limited size it takes a long time to obtain a statistically relevant amount of data. Dutch water companies in collaboration with the KWR Watercycle Research Institute have joined forces and developed a data standard and central database to store and analyse failure data. As of early 2012, 66,000 km of network are monitored, providing around 2,500 records on failure annually. All in all it provides solid information needed for strategic asset management that helps to support well established asset management plans.
State-space adjustment of radar rainfall and skill score evaluation of stochastic volume forecasts in urban drainage systems
Authors: Löwe Roland , Mikkelsen Peter Steen , Rasmussen Michael R. , Madsen Henrik
Published: August 2013

Merging of radar rainfall data with rain gauge measurements is a common approach to overcome problems in deriving rain intensities from radar measurements. We extend an existing approach for adjustment of C-band radar data using state-space models and use the resulting rainfall intensities as input for forecasting outflow from two catchments in the Copenhagen area. Stochastic grey-box models are applied to create the runoff forecasts, providing us with not only a point forecast but also a quantification of the forecast uncertainty. Evaluating the results, we can show that using the adjusted radar data improves runoff forecasts compared with using the original radar data and that rain gauge measurements as forecast input are also outperformed. Combining the data merging approach with short-term rainfall forecasting algorithms may result in further improved runoff forecasts that can be used in real time control.
Adaptation and Sensitization to Proteotoxic Stress
Authors: Leak Rehana K.
Published: August 2013

Although severe stress can elicit toxicity, mild stress often elicits adaptations. Here we review the literature on stress-induced adaptations versus stress sensitization in models of neurodegenerative diseases. We also describe our recent findings that chronic proteotoxic stress can elicit adaptations if the dose is low but that high-dose proteotoxic stress sensitizes cells to subsequent challenges. In these experiments, long-term, low-dose proteasome inhibition elicited protection in a superoxide dismutase-dependent manner. In contrast, acute, high-dose proteotoxic stress sensitized cells to subsequent proteotoxic challenges by eliciting catastrophic loss of glutathione. However, even in the latter model of synergistic toxicity, several defensive proteins were upregulated by severe proteotoxicity. This led us to wonder whether high-dose proteotoxic stress can elicit protection against subsequent challenges in astrocytes, a cell type well known for their resilience. In support of this new hypothesis, we found that the astrocytes that survived severe proteotoxicity became harder to kill. The adaptive mechanism was glutathione dependent. If these findings can be generalized to the human brain, similar endogenous adaptations may help explain why neurodegenerative diseases are so delayed in appearance and so slow to progress. In contrast, sensitization to severe stress may explain why defenses eventually collapse in vulnerable neurons.
Environment and security: The concept of ecological and environmental security
Authors: Jovanovic-Popovic Dejana
Published: August 2013

The terms environmental and ecological security are often used
interchangeably by both scientists and politicians, especially in Serbia.
Whereas environmental security refers fundamentally to the threat of
environmental degradation to political stability, ecological security refers
to the creation of a condition where physical surroundings of a community
provides for all its needs without diminishing natural resources.
Accordingly, ecological security is embedded in the concept of sustainable
development. Various trends in the development of security concept and
environmental changes are presented in this paper. Finally, scientific
explanations of the terms environmental and ecological security are given.
Sketches of the Serbs in Cavtat until 1945
Authors: Nedeljkovic Sasa
Published: August 2013

At the end of 19th and in the first half of 20th century Catholic Serbs
consisted the majority in Cavtat, also known as ?little Belgrade? for that
reason. They permanently confronted Croatian nationalists who aspired to make
Cavtat a Croatian city. People from Cavtat closely cooperated with national
societies from Dubrovnik. National Women?s Cooperative from Dubrovnik opened
in 1920 a branch in Cavtat with ?Pcelica? institution. Serbian Sisters?
Circle (Kolo srpskih sestara) opened a vocational school in Cavtat at its own
expense. The school was governed by Women?s Charitable Organisation from
Cavtat, and financed by the Circle. King Aleksandar and Queen Marija received
an enthusiastic welcome when they visited Cavtat in 1925. Catholic Serbs
considered the Sokol Movement (Sokolsko drustvo) a binding thread of Yugoslav
society. The Sokol Movement in Cavtat was the most active and the largest
society in Cavtat until the April War in 1941. Cavatat municipality was
separated from Konavle in 1937. The Yugoslav Radical Union (JRZ) led by Niko
Vragolov won the elections. According to the Cvetkovic-Macek Agreement from
August 26th, 1939 Cavtat was separated from Banovina of Zeta and allotted to
Banovina of Croatia. The Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) in Banovina of Croatia
used its leading position to expand persecutions and deprivations of Catholic
Serbs, the Yugoslavs and the Sokols. Local newspapers, especially magazines
Dubrovnik and Sokolski glasnik, reported about these persecutions. In
Banovina of Croatia municipality of Cavtat was appended in 1940 to the
municipality of Konavle with the seat in Gruda. Everything that happened in
and around Dubrovnik in Banovina of Croatia was an introduction to what was
happening later in the Independent State of Croatia (NDH). The Ustashi
persecutions did not cause Catholic Serbs to break down. During the Second
World War Dubrovnik and Cavtat were important strongholds of the Yugoslav
Army in the Homeland. After the War Cavtat became part of Croatia.
The French School System and the Universalist Metanarrative (1880–2000s): Some Reflections about So-Called Explanatory Historical Notions Such as ‘La Forme Scolaire’
Authors: Robert Andre D.
Published: August 2013

This article aims to question the relevance of notions such as ‘la forme scolaire’ in the account of the French state action in keeping up with the development of mass schooling, over a long historical process (from the late nineteenth century to the present day). Through its origin, this model is linked to a Universalist philosophical option that gives the school the responsibility to build not only the French nation, but also almost all humankind (Alfred Fouillée), in a Republican school metanarrative frame. This metanarrative and its philosophical principle entered a crisis when Universalism appeared to involve strong social segregation, and when colonialism was in a certain sense identified with Universalist philosophy. After first defining ‘la forme scolaire’ (and other closely related notions) and outlining three main French school history periods, the article questions what the forme scolaire explanatory and critical power is, its true limits, and what alternative concepts and perspectives are at our disposal. In this way, the alternatives discussed are the postmodernist positions, and that of Michel Foucault. More complex than the authors he inspired, Foucault can open the way to a perspective of school form renewal, free of the illusions of metanarrative and Universalist philosophy, based on a well-tempered multiplicity and a deliberately pluralistic but coherent philosophy (Michel Fabre).
Creating Cultural Hybridity by Exporting Metropolitan Structures and Cultures of Schooling and Educationalisation? The Emergence of a Congolese ‘Elite’ in the 1950s as a Starting Point for Further Research
Authors: Depaepe Marc , Hulstaert Karen
Published: August 2013

This article consists of five sections. First, it briefly describes the results of the authors' previous studies on the history of colonial education in view of the problem introduced by the special issue of which this article is a part. Second, it links these results to such central concepts as the so-called grammars of schooling and educationalisation. Third, in order to further nuance and deepen these concepts, it concentrates on the crucial case of the 1950s in which — in terms of educational as well as social, political and cultural factors — an ‘elite’ was slowly but surely emerging in the Congo. Fourth, it deals with the question of the extent to which the forging of this elite created cultural hybridity in the colonial and postcolonial era and how to research it. Fifth, it tries to qualify the authors' aspirations for future research.
The International Bureau of Education (1925–1968): A Platform for Designing a ‘chart of World Aspirations for Education’
Authors: Hofstetter Rita , Schneuwly Bernard
Published: August 2013

The international conferences and the official publications of the International Bureau of Education (IBE) comprise a platform where a growing number of governments exposed their considerations and concerns with the purpose of building up a better world through education. The resulting recommendations foster the basis of an ‘international code for public education’. The voluminous archives of the IBE comprise a particularly fertile source for understanding ‘the variants and invariants’, and of course also the purposes of school organisations and curricula as promoted by these organisations. The paradoxes of this effort carried out during the first forty years represent both the challenges for its survival and the outline of this article: (a) giving up on all obligations and political statements so as to ensure effective actions at governmental level; (b) documenting local needs so as to establish a world chart; (c) supporting mass schooling through state involvement for promoting individual emancipation; (d) promoting curricula designed on separate subjects so as to guarantee harmonious complete personal growth; (e) advocating scientific objectivity for spreading the methods and principles of New Education; (f) acting upon public schooling, the reserved hunting grounds of nations, for building up international education.
Teachers' Acculturation Attitudes and Their Classroom Management: An Empirical Study among Fifth-Grade Primary School Teachers in Switzerland
Authors: Makarova Elena , Herzog Walter
Published: August 2013

This article investigates the influence of attitudes towards acculturation of 180 primary school teachers on their classroom management. The results indicate that teachers with integrative attitudes towards immigrant students' acculturation have a high propensity to punish students for disruptive behaviour, but they also demonstrate high levels of diagnostic expertise in social areas. Teachers with assimilative attitudes are also likely to punish students for misbehaviour, but tend to have a deficiency in the ability to diagnose social tensions among students. Teachers with assimilative attitudes who report high levels of disruptive behaviour in their classroom have the strongest tendency to punish and the lowest level of diagnostic expertise in social areas.
Toward a Social Responsibility Theory for Educational Research (In Lifelong Learning)
Authors: Van Dellen Theo
Published: August 2013

This article is about educational research (not) mastering the values for decision making and change. The main issue is the yawning gap between theory and practice in educational research, as seen in a professional field such as lifelong learning. At the start of the article a variety of types of research are presented to show the differences of orientation, process, methodology and goal or focus. Next, the issue of the existing gap between theory and practice is approached by contrasting two extremist types of research: traditional empirical-analytical research and the action research paradigm. Workers within these two opposite paradigms are passionate researchers, lecturers or practitioners, but they have different epistemological assumptions and beliefs and, moreover, feel committed to different professional and scientific or academic responsibilities. Following this reasoning, subsequently the need for a social responsibility theory to bridge the yawning gap between theory and practice is discussed thoroughly. Does such a theory transcend the affective separation that exists between researchers from the two extreme paradigms?
Articulating the Immanent: Children Unfolding Numbers
Authors: Saar Tomas
Published: August 2013

The aim of this article is to discuss how pedagogical practices, methods and materials produce processes and assemblages that regulate the positions and kinds of meaning that are allowed to emerge in the classroom. The empirical material used in this article consists of ethnographic field-study observations and interviews at a Swedish primary school. An episode in a maths lesson is described and analysed using concepts and metaphors developed by Deleuze and Guattari. The observations show how the students at one point during the lesson turn from counting and repeating the factual number of cats in a picture to discussing the existence of potential cats. Two pedagogical trajectories are identified and analysed. One relates to the task of determining and conceptualising predefined numbers, and the other consists of flows and forces that explore, embody and unfold ways of relating to numbers that challenge the dominance of cognitive rationality and linear processes of school mathematics. The article ends with a discussion of pedagogy for the primary school that combines the real and the immanent. This approach opens for a mutual articulation of what is and what can be, but also for students' influence on educational practice.
Myxoinflammatory Fibroblastic Sarcoma in Children and Adolescents: Clinicopathologic Aspects of a Rare Neoplasm
Authors: Weiss Vivian L. , Antonescu Cristina R. , Alaggio Rita , Cates Justin M. , Gaskin David , Stefanovici Camelia , Coffin Cheryl M.
Published: August 2013

Myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma (MIFS), originally described as a low-grade malignant soft-tissue tumor in adults, has recently been reported in children and in non-acral sites. This report describes the clinicopathologic features of a series of 5 MIFS in children and adolescents (3 males, 2 females), ranging in age from 5 to 17 years (mean, 13 years). These tumors presented as small, superficial, slowly growing soft-tissues masses of the scalp, neck, middle finger, forearm, and thigh. Histologically, the tumors were composed of spindled and plump polygonal cells with prominent nuclear pleomorphism, nuclear pseudoinclusions; large eosinophilic nucleoli; myxoid foci intermingled with spindled foci; and an accompanying inflammatory infiltrate of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and variable neutrophils. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed variable reactivity for CD34 and smooth muscle actin in the tumor cells. Genetic analysis in 3 cases showed no rearrangements of TGFBR3 or MGEA5. Follow up in 4 cases revealed no recurrence or metastasis. These 5 cases of childhood and adolescent MIFS demonstrate an expanded age range and topographic distribution and a favorable outcome. The differential diagnosis and importance of recognizing this rare neoplasm in young patients are discussed.
“There Is No Map and There Is No Road”: Theorising Best Practice in the Provision of Creative Writing Therapy
Authors: Pert Rebecca
Published: August 2013

A host of recent studiesii have shown that creative acts such as writing have significant psychological, social, and emotional benefits. In the past few decades many healthcare settings have implemented creative writing groups as a complement to more traditional medical interventions for a wide variety of illnesses. However, the relative novelty of creative writing therapy, coupled with its conflicting artistic and medical aims, may mean that a writer who is considering leading such a group might be unclear as to what her role entails: whether she is primarily a teacher, mentor, or therapist; how much control she should exert over the patients’ creative output; the type of feedback, if any, she should give, and how to respond to upsetting or disturbing writing. This paper explores how various experts, from both artistic and medical backgrounds, have theorised what constitutes best practice in creative writing therapy, focussing specifically on the treatment of mental illness. The paper concludes that, as with more traditional medical interventions, creative writing therapy will work differently for each individual - indeed, for some, it may have adverse side-effects. As such, a practitioner must adopt an intuitive, empathetic, flexible approach, practising intense and constant self-reflection, and allowing patients their autonomy while still actively nurturing their development.
The Writer Walking the Dog: Creative Writing Practice and Everyday Life
Authors: Williams Tony
Published: August 2013

Creative writing happens in and alongside the writer’s everyday life, but little attention has been paid to the relationship between the two and the contribution made by everyday activities in enabling and shaping creative practice. The work of the anthropologist Tim Ingold supports the argument that creative writing research must consider the bodily lived experience of the writer in order fully to understand and develop creative practice. Dog-walking is one activity which shapes my own creative practice, both by its influence on my social and cultural identity and by providing a time and space for specific acts instrumental to the writing process to occur. The complex socio-cultural context of rural dog-walking may be examined both through critical reflection and creative work. The use of dog-walking for reflection and unconscious creative thought is considered in relation to Romantic models of writing and walking through landscape. While dog-walking is a specific activity with its own peculiarities, the study provides a case study for creative writers to use in developing their own practice in relation to other everyday activities from running and swimming to shopping, gardening and washing up.
On extended eigenvalues and extended eigenvectors
of truncated shift
Authors: Alkanjo Hasan
Published: August 2013

In this paper we consider the truncated shift operator Su on
the model space K2
u := H2 θ uH2. We say that a complex number λ is an extended eigenvalue of Su if there exists a
nonzero operator X, called extended eigenvector associated
to λ, and satisfying the equation SuX = λXSu. We give a
complete description of the set of extended eigenvectors of
Su, in the case of u is a Blaschke product..
A Review of Routing Protocols Based on Ant-Like Mobile Agents
Authors: Kambayashi Yasushi
Published: August 2013

A survey on the routing protocols based on ant-like mobile agents is given. These protocols are often employed in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANET). Mobile Ad Hoc Networks are collections of wireless mobile nodes such as PDAs, laptop computers, and cellular phones having wireless communication capability that dynamically form a temporary network without using any existing network infrastructures such as wireless access points. The only infrastructure in MANET is the wireless communication interfaces on the devices. In such a circumstance, where some of the wireless devices are not within wireless range of each other, multi-hop routing is required to transmit messages to the destination. A node that wants to start communication with other nodes that are not within its one-hop wireless transmission range has to request intermediate nodes to forward their communication packets to the destination. In this paper, we survey a variety of proposed network protocols to accommodate this situation. We focus especially on biologically-inspired routing algorithms that are based on the ant colony optimization algorithm.
Reprogramming Cells for Brain Repair
Authors: Guarino Alyx , McKinnon Randall
Published: August 2013

At present there are no clinical therapies that can repair traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury or degenerative brain disease. While redundancy and rewiring of surviving circuits can recover some lost function, the brain and spinal column lack sufficient endogenous stem cells to replace lost neurons or their supporting glia. In contrast, pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that exogenous transplants can have remarkable efficacy for brain repair in animal models. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can provide paracrine factors that repair damage caused by ischemic injury, and oligodendrocyte progenitor cell (OPC) grafts give dramatic functional recovery from spinal cord injury. These studies have progressed to clinical trials, including human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived OPCs for spinal cord repair. However, ESC-derived allografts are less than optimal, and we need to identify a more appropriate donor graft population. The cell reprogramming field has developed the ability to trans-differentiate somatic cells into distinct cell types, a technology that has the potential to generate autologous neurons and glia which address the histocompatibility concerns of allografts and the tumorigenicity concerns of ESC-derived grafts. Further clarifying how cell reprogramming works may lead to more efficient direct reprogram approaches, and possibly in vivo reprogramming, in order to promote brain and spinal cord repair.
Bioethanol Production by Carbohydrate-Enriched Biomass of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis
Authors: Markou Giorgos , Angelidaki Irini , Nerantzis Elias , Georgakakis Dimitris
Published: August 2013

In the present study the potential of bioethanol production using carbohydrate-enriched biomass of the cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis was studied. For the saccharification of the carbohydrate-enriched biomass, four acids (H2SO4, HNO3, HCl and H3PO4) were investigated. Each acid were used at four concentrations, 2.5 N, 1 N, 0.5 N and 0.25 N, and for each acid concentration the saccharification was conducted under four temperatures (40 °C, 60 °C, 80 °C and 100 °C). Higher acid concentrations gave in general higher reducing sugars (RS) yields (%, gRS/gTotal sugars) with higher rates, while the increase in temperature lead to higher rates at lower acid concentration. The hydrolysates then were used as substrate for ethanolic fermentation by a salt stress-adapted Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain. The bioethanol yield (%, gEtOH/gBiomass) was significantly affected by the acid concentration used for the saccharification of the carbohydrates. The highest bioethanol yields of 16.32% ± 0.90% (gEtOH/gBiomass) and 16.27% ± 0.97% (gEtOH/gBiomass) were obtained in hydrolysates produced with HNO3 0.5 N and H2SO4 0.5 N, respectively.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Growth-Promoting Pseudomonads Increases Anthocyanin Concentration in Strawberry Fruits (Fragaria x ananassa var. Selva) in Conditions of Reduced Fertilization
Authors: Lingua Guido , Bona Elisa , Manassero Paola , Marsano Francesco , Todeschini Valeria , Cantamessa Simone , Copetta Andrea , D'Agostino Giovanni , Gamalero Elisa , Berta Graziella
Published: August 2013

Anthocyanins are a group of common phenolic compounds in plants. They are mainly detected in flowers and fruits, are believed to play different important roles such as in the attraction of animals and seed dispersal, and also in the increase of the antioxidant response in tissues directly or indirectly affected by biotic or abiotic stress factors. As a major group of secondary metabolites in plants commonly consumed as food, they are of importance in both the food industry and human nutrition. It is known that arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can influence the plant secondary metabolic pathways such as the synthesis of essential oils in aromatic plants, of secondary metabolites in roots, and increase flavonoid concentration. Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria (PGPB) are able to increase plant growth, improving plant nutrition and supporting plant development under natural or stressed conditions. Various studies confirmed that a number of bacterial species living on and inside the root system are beneficial for plant growth, yield and crop quality. In this work it is shown that inoculation with AM fungi and/or with selected and tested Pseudomonas strains, under conditions of reduced fertilization, increases anthocyanin concentration in the fruits of strawberry.
The SP Theory of Intelligence: An Overview
Authors: Wolff J Gerard
Published: August 2013

This article is an overview of the SP theory of intelligence, which aims to simplify and integrate concepts across artificial intelligence, mainstream computing and human perception and cognition, with information compression as a unifying theme. It is conceived of as a brain-like system that receives "New" information and stores some or all of it in compressed form as "Old" information; and it is realised in the form of a computer model, a first version of the SP machine. The matching and unification of patterns and the concept of multiple alignment are central ideas. Using heuristic techniques, the system builds multiple alignments that are "good" in terms of information compression. For each multiple alignment, probabilities may be calculated for associated inferences. Unsupervised learning is done by deriving new structures from partial matches between patterns and via heuristic search for sets of structures that are "good" in terms of information compression. These are normally ones that people judge to be "natural", in accordance with the "DONSVIC" principle—the discovery of natural structures via information compression. The SP theory provides an interpretation for concepts and phenomena in several other areas, including "computing", aspects of mathematics and logic, the representation of knowledge, natural language processing, pattern recognition, several kinds of reasoning, information storage and retrieval, planning and problem solving, information compression, neuroscience and human perception and cognition. Examples include the parsing and production of language with discontinuous dependencies in syntax, pattern recognition at multiple levels of abstraction and its integration with part-whole relations, nonmonotonic reasoning and reasoning with default values, reasoning in Bayesian networks, including "explaining away", causal diagnosis, and the solving of a geometric analogy problem.
Surface Stability and Growth Kinetics of Compound Semiconductors: An Ab Initio-Based Approach
Authors: Kangawa Yoshihiro , Akiyama Toru , Ito Tomonori , Shiraishi Kenji , Nakayama Takashi
Published: August 2013

We review the surface stability and growth kinetics of III-V and III-nitride semiconductors. The theoretical approach used in these studies is based on ab initio calculations and includes gas-phase free energy. With this method, we can investigate the influence of growth conditions, such as partial pressure and temperature, on the surface stability and growth kinetics. First, we examine the feasibility of this approach by comparing calculated surface phase diagrams of GaAs(001) with experimental results. In addition, the Ga diffusion length on GaAs(001) during molecular beam epitaxy is discussed. Next, this approach is systematically applied to the reconstruction, adsorption and incorporation on various nitride semiconductor surfaces. The calculated results for nitride semiconductor surface reconstructions with polar, nonpolar, and semipolar orientations suggest that adlayer reconstructions generally appear on the polar and the semipolar surfaces. However, the stable ideal surface without adsorption is found on the nonpolar surfaces because the ideal surface satisfies the electron counting rule. Finally, the stability of hydrogen and the incorporation mechanisms of Mg and C during metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy are discussed.
Antibacterial and Herbicidal Activity of Ring-Substituted 2-Hydroxynaphthalene-1-carboxanilides
Authors: Gonec Tomas , Kos Jiri , Zadrazilova Iveta , Pesko Matus , Govender Rodney , Keltosova Stanislava , Chambel Barbara , Pereira Diogo , Kollar Peter , Imramovsky Ales , O'Mahony Jim , Coffey Aidan , Cizek Alois , Kralova Katarina , Jampilek Josef
Published: August 2013

In this study, a series of twenty-two ring-substituted 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1‑carboxanilides were prepared and characterized. Primary in vitro screening of the synthesized compounds was performed against Staphylococcus aureus, three methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains, Mycobacterium marinum, M. kasasii, M. smegmatis. and M. avium paratuberculosis. The compounds were also tested for their activity related to inhibition of photosynthetic electron transport (PET) in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) chloroplasts. 2-Hydroxy-N-phenylnaphthalene-1-carboxanilide and 2-hydroxy-N-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)naphthalene-1-carboxamide (IC50 = 29 µmol/L) were the most active PET inhibitors. Some of tested compounds showed the antibacterial and antimycobacterial activity against the tested strains comparable or higher than the standards ampicillin or isoniazid. Thus, for example, 2-hydroxy-N-(3-nitrophenyl)naphthalene-1-carboxamide showed MIC = 26.0 µmol/L against methicillin-resistant S. aureus and MIC = 51.9 µmol/L against M. marinum, or 2-hydroxy-N-phenylnaphthalene-1-carboxamide demonstrated MIC = 15.2 µmol/L against M. kansasii. The structure-activity relationships for all compounds are discussed.
A Food Photograph Series for Identifying Portion Sizes of Culturally Specific Dishes in Rural Areas with High Incidence of Oesophageal Cancer
Authors: Lombard Martani , Steyn Nelia , Burger Hester-Mari , Charlton Karen , Senekal Marjanne
Published: August 2013

Rural areas of the Eastern Cape (EC) Province, South Africa have a high incidence of squamous cell oesophageal cancer (OC) and exposure to mycotoxin fumonisin has been associated with increased OC risk. However, to assess exposure to fumonisin in Xhosas—having maize as a staple food—it is necessary to determine the amount of maize consumed per day. A maize-specific food frequency questionnaire (M-FFQ) has recently been developed. This study developed a food photograph (FP) series to improve portion size estimation of maize dishes. Two sets of photographs were developed to be used alongside the validated M-FFQ. The photographs were designed to assist quantification of intakes (portion size photographs) and to facilitate estimation of maize amounts in various combined dishes (ratio photographs) using data from 24 h recalls (n = 159), dishing-up sessions (n = 35), focus group discussions (FGD) (n = 56) and published literature. Five villages in two rural isiXhosa-speaking areas of the EC Province, known to have a high incidence of OC, were randomly selected. Women between the ages of 18–55 years were recruited by snowball sampling and invited to participate. The FP series comprised three portion size photographs (S, M, L) of 21 maize dishes and three ratio photographs of nine combined maize-based dishes. A culturally specific FP series was designed to improve portion size estimation when reporting dietary intake using a newly developed M-FFQ.
Rationale and Means to Target Pro-Inflammatory Interleukin-8 (CXCL8) Signaling in Cancer
Authors: Campbell Laura , Maxwell Pamela , Waugh David
Published: August 2013

It is well established that chronic inflammation underpins the development of a number of human cancers, with pro-inflammatory signaling within the tumor microenvironment contributing to tumor progression and metastasis. CXCL8 is an ELR+ pro-inflammatory CXC-chemokine which mediates its effects via signaling through two G protein-coupled receptors, CXCR1 and CXCR2. Elevated CXCL8-CXCR1/2 signaling within the tumor microenvironment of numerous cancers is known to enhance tumor progression via activation of signaling pathways promoting proliferation, angiogenesis, migration, invasion and cell survival. This review provides an overview of established roles of CXCL8-CXCR1/2 signaling in cancer and subsequently, discusses the possible strategies of targeting CXCL8-CXCR1/2 signaling in cancer, covering indirect strategies (e.g., anti-inflammatories, NFκB inhibitors) and direct CXCL8 or CXCR1/2 inhibition (e.g., neutralizing antibodies, small molecule receptor antagonists, pepducin inhibitors and siRNA strategies). Reports of pre-clinical cancer studies and clinical trials using CXCL8-CXCR1/2-targeting strategies for the treatment of inflammatory diseases will be discussed. The future translational opportunities for use of such agents in oncology will be discussed, with emphasis on exploitation in stratified populations.
pH-Triggered Conformational Switching along the Membrane Insertion Pathway of the Diphtheria Toxin T-Domain
Authors: Ladokhin Alexey
Published: August 2013

The translocation (T)-domain plays a key role in the action of diphtheria toxin and is responsible for transferring the catalytic domain across the endosomal membrane into the cytosol in response to acidification. Deciphering the molecular mechanism of pH-dependent refolding and membrane insertion of the T-domain, which is considered to be a paradigm for cell entry of other bacterial toxins, reveals general physicochemical principles underlying membrane protein assembly and signaling on membrane interfaces. Structure-function studies along the T-domain insertion pathway have been affected by the presence of multiple conformations at the same time, which hinders the application of high-resolution structural techniques. Here, we review recent progress in structural, functional and thermodynamic studies of the T-domain archived using a combination of site-selective fluorescence labeling with an array of spectroscopic techniques and computer simulations. We also discuss the principles of conformational switching along the insertion pathway revealed by studies of a series of T-domain mutants with substitutions of histidine residues.
Quantitative Assessment of Water Use Efficiency in Urban and Domestic Buildings
Authors: Schuetze Thorsten , Santiago-Fandiño Vicente
Published: August 2013

This paper discusses the potential of water savings at property, household and urban levels, through the application of environmentally sound technologies (ESTs), as well as their quantification using the software Wise Water. Household centered measures are identified that allow for significant reduction of drinking water consumption with comparatively small effort, and without limitation of comfort. Furthermore, a method for the estimation of water recycling, for rainwater harvesting and for the utilization potential as locally available renewable freshwater is presented. Based on this study, the average drinking water consumption in urban households of industrialized countries could be reduced by approximately one third, without significant investment costs, either within the framework of new constructions or by the remodeling of water and sanitation systems in residential buildings. By using a secondary water quality, the drinking water demand could even be reduced by 50%. In the case of an area-wide application, the overall fresh water demand of cities and the exploitation of fresh water resources could be significantly reduced. Due to the comparability of the domestic water use of the investigated households, the findings are internationally transferable, for example to countries in Europe, Asia, and also the USA.
Diasporic Identity, Heritage, and "Homecoming": How Sarawakian-Chinese Tourists Feel on Tour in Beijing
Authors: Tie Caroline , Seaton Tony
Published: August 2013

The Chinese have become one of the most widely dispersed races across the globe. Yet they have often implicitly resisted this dispersion by a powerful, but often unspoken, mythic commitment to the image of China as an enduring homeland, rather than accepting any irreversible transfer
of cultural allegiance and identity to the receiving country. Part of this myth of temporary exile, held and cherished by some diasporic groups, has been the dream of "going back," the return to one's roots. Increasingly, modern tourism apparently offers an easily accessed and temporary mechanism
for going back to a Chinese "homeland" and seeking to discover and explore authentic Chinese identity. This article focuses on the possibilities of diasporic reconnection through tourism and specifically the role of heritage tourism encounters in an ethnic homeland from which some have been
separated for long periods, and others have never seen. It explores theoretical and empirical issues attached to diasporic identity and "homecoming" tourism, using case study data collected from Chinese diasporic tourists from Sarawak on a package tour of China. In presenting the results,
the analysis adopts a dual interpretative approach to heritage that evolved from the data analysis, in which it was decoded by the tour party members as both observations of the quotidian cultural activities and values of the Chinese people, and observations of the selective constructions
of public culture provided and promoted by public agencies. The two perceived aspects of heritage generated contradictory responses within the tour party that were partly a reflection of perceptions and judgments about the intrinsic features of things observed (e.g., their authenticity and
social acceptability). They were also due to differences in the backgrounds of members of the diasporic party in terms of language resources, span of generational residence in Sarawak as emigrants from China, and religion.
The Creation of Closeness: Identity Tourists in Who Do You Think You Are?
Authors: Frew Elspeth , White Leanne
Published: August 2013

This article examines the techniques used by the makers of a popular documentary series that may encourage interest in identity, genealogical, ancestral, roots, or even diaspora tourism—where individuals travel to discover more about their ancestry. By adapting Jens Eder's theory
of character closeness to a nonfiction series, this article identifies the means by which the producers of the Australian series of the television program Who Do You Think You Are? have created a "closeness" for the viewer to the featured identity tourism celebrities.