bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Concentrado artesanal: una alternativa para la alimentación de aves (Gallus gallus domesticus) en razas de doble propósito
Authors: Salvador Bonilla Felipe Santiago
Published: March 2018

El ambiente agropecuario en comunidades rurales en la Zona Oriental de El Salvador adopta un modelo basado en la producción de autoconsumo, implicando la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional del núcleo familiar. En esa dinámica, la Universidad de Oriente realizó un proyecto de investigación en el área de agropecuaria y medio ambiente que tuvo como objetivo evaluar una fórmula de concentrado artesanal, que mejora la producción de huevo en razas de gallinas de doble propósito.Se preparó un alimento utilizando harina de maíz, sorgo, melaza, minerales y vitaminas, empleando un producto farmacéutico (Nutravit), complementado con la adición de la hoja de Madre cacao (Gliceridia sepium) en forma de harina en diferentes porcentajes. Se suministró este alimento a dos razas de gallina de doble propósito conocidas como Plymouth Rock Barrada y Rodhe Island Red, en las cuales se midieron variables de repuesta como peso de la gallina, postura; peso y masa del huevo, y su relación costo/beneficio, durante diez semanas; utilizando un diseño completamente al azar. Se determinó que la dosis que contenía un 5% de harina preparada con hojas de Madre cacao tiene buena aceptabilidad de consumo en las gallinas. También se observó que inﬂuyó en que la masa de huevo alcanzara un mayor porcentaje y una buena pigmentación, mientras que el análisis estadístico determinó para las otras variables medidas diferencias no significativas.Producción Agropecuaria y Desarrollo Sostenible, Vol. 6, 2017: 57-71
Métodos para avaliar efetividade de gestão: o caso particular das Áreas de Proteção Ambiental (APAs)
Authors: Prestes Laura Dias , Perello Luís Fernando Carvalho , Gruber Nelson Luis Sambaqui
Published: March 2018

As Áreas de Proteção Ambiental (APAs) são Unidades de Conservação (UCs) de uso sustentável constituídas por terras públicas e privadas, onde diversos usos são permitidos. Entende-se que sua efetividade de gestão depende de uma melhor compreensão do contexto social em que estão inseridas. Além disso, é um dos principais instrumentos para a conservação no país e a categoria mais representativa do território brasileiro. Atualmente, existem dezenas de metodologias para Avaliação da Efetividade de Gestão, entretanto, ocorrem limitações para o uso dos métodos já conhecidos aplicados às APAs, pois é uma UC particular do Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação e sem correspondência direta com as categorias da International Union for Conservation of Nature. O objetivo deste trabalho, portanto, é propor um método adequado de avaliação de efetividade de gestão de APAs devido as suas características únicas. Elaborou-se um método de Avaliação da Efetividade de Gestão de APAs, adaptando a metodologia Rapid Assessment and Prioritization of Protected Area Management (RAPPAM) à categoria APA com a colaboração de outras 11 metodologias. Como o RAPPAM é projetado para se fazer a avaliação de um grupo de unidades de conservação e avaliação de UCs florestais, a metodologia teve que ser adaptada para se adequar tanto para ser aplicada a apenas uma área como para APAs com territórios marinhos e continentais. O método foi testado aplicando-se o questionário para a equipe da APA da Baleia Franca (APABF), localizada no litoral sul de Santa Catarina. Observou-se que a APABF, por meio do método utilizado, possui uma efetividade de gestão de 49,4%; assim, a efetividade de gestão dela é minimamente satisfatória. Este dado indica que a APABF não está cumprindo com os objetivos de conservação e se encontra altamente vulnerável. Concluiu-se que o método proposto atendeu a expectativa de avaliação de eficiência de gestão da APABF.
Mapeamento participativo como ferramenta para a gestão da pesca de emalhe no litoral centro-sul de São Paulo
Authors: De Souza Vitor Alberto , De Freitas Débora Martins
Published: March 2018

A compreensão da distribuição pesqueira no espaço e sua dinâmica ao longo do tempo são essenciais para o sucesso de Áreas Marinhas Protegidas (AMPs). Para tanto, o mapeamento participativo tem se demonstrado uma metodologia efetiva na obtenção dos dados espacializados da pesca artesanal, promovendo processos de tomada de decisão mais participativos. Na região de Peruíbe, existem diversos instrumentos que ordenam a distribuição espacial da pesca de emalhe e estabelecem áreas de restrição à pesca. A fim de entender como a pesca artesanal de emalhe influencia as áreas de exclusão de pesca na região, foram realizadas entrevistas com pescadores que atuam em Peruíbe, nas quais foram conduzidos exercícios de mapeamento participativo. Com isso, foi possível a elaboração de um diagnóstico da distribuição espacial da pesca de emalhe na região de estudo. Foram identificados pontos onde ocorre o adensamento de pescadores e constatou-se que esses pontos se localizam próximos às Unidades de Conservação (UCs) de proteção integral da região e que, portanto, constituem áreas de incongruência entre os objetivos estabelecidos pelas UCs e o uso por parte dos pescadores. Por esse motivo, um melhor entendimento sobre os motivos da escolha de determinado local de pesca por parte dos pescadores, assim como a previsão de como esses usuários irão se comportar frente ao fechamento de novas áreas para pesca, se fazem necessários para uma gestão mais efetiva das AMPs.
Uma avaliação dos conflitos socioambientais no Núcleo Massambaba do Parque Estadual da Costa do Sol
Authors: Santos Graziele Noronha , Barros Sérgio Ricardo Silveira , Santos Ricardo França
Published: March 2018

O cenário atual da zona costeira no Brasil é de aumento na densidade demográfica, aliada a uma diversificada matriz de atividades econômicas. Nesse cenário, as atividades turísticas e o uso urbano do litoral do município de Saquarema (RJ) são muito semelhantes à realidade do país. A área de estudo é o Núcleo Massambaba do Parque Estadual da Costa do Sol (PECS), limitada ao município de Saquarema e seu entorno, onde foram mapeados os principais conflitos socioambientais relacionados à integridade do Parque, a partir da questão mais crítica na área, que é a urbanização inadequada. O objetivo do trabalho é avaliar os conflitos socioambientais nas áreas adjacentes à Unidade de Conservação fronteiriças ao núcleo Massambaba pelo uso múltiplo do território em que está inserido. Como método, foi realizado um levantamento de dados primários e secundários, os quais foram submetidos às metodologias das matrizes GUT (Gravidade-Urgência-Tendência) e PER (Pressão-Estado-Resposta), com os resultados obtidos analisados por meio da matriz 5W1H, o que possibilitou a proposição de um Plano de Ação para os três maiores problemas encontrados para a área, que são: o não cumprimento dos instrumentos legais voltados ao ordenamento territorial; a inexistência do zoneamento municipal; e a necessidade de maior integração da gestão dos poderes públicos que sobrepõem seus interesses sobre a área. Por fim, apontou-se como o parque pode ter um papel-chave em uma gestão territorial integrada, sobretudo em zonas costeiras.
Gerenciamento de conflitos para a gestão de praias: um estudo de caso na praia de Camboinhas, Niterói, RJ
Authors: Santos Ricardo França , Barros Sergio Ricardo Da Silveira
Published: March 2018

As praias brasileiras oferecem serviços e necessitam de uma infraestrutura alinhada e integrada com a legislação, com os interesses dos atores envolvidos e com uma governança estabelecida. Para suprir esta demanda, surge o padrão internacional ISO 13.009:2015, que trata especificamente da gestão de praias. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar como este instrumento poderia contribuir para o processo de governança e designação de competência aos órgãos gestores envolvidos mitigando os conflitos existentes. Partiu-se de uma revisão bibliográfica e documental para verificar a conformidade entre esta norma e a legislação pertinente a um conflito na praia de Camboinhas, relativo à infraestrutura. Por meio de um processo comparativo entre os requisitos mínimos da norma ISO 13.009:2015 e a legislação pertinente, foi estimado o grau de contribuição da norma para a resolução do conflito. Constatou-se, a partir do Termo de Ajustamento de Conduta (TAC) expedido pelo Ministério Público Estadual, que caso os quiosques estivessem em conformidade com a norma, poderia haver uma contribuição direta para a resolução do conflito, o que corresponderia a uma conformidade de 54,29% das cláusulas previamente acordadas no TAC, e, também, uma divergência da legislação pertinente em relação aos requisitos mínimos da norma em 35,48%. Desta forma, os resultados encontrados indicam que a conformidade dos quiosques poderia contribuir para o processo geral de governança e competência dos órgãos envolvidos, mitigando outros conflitos existentes e atraindo investimentos para a praia.
Aplicação da base ecossistêmica na gestão ambiental de portos
Authors: Andrade Lorena Ferreira Goersch , Asmus Milton Lafourcade , Onetti Javier García , Scherer Marinez Eymael Garcia
Published: March 2018

Este trabalho discute uma proposta de gestão integrada e multidisciplinar para os diferentes setores e serviços portuários do porto de São Francisco do Sul (localizado no litoral Norte do estado de Santa Catarina), Brasil. Foram utilizados fatores das atividades portuárias relacionados ao modelo Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR), objetivando o estabelecimento de um suporte de informação com Base Ecossistêmica necessário a um Sistema de Gestão Ambiental Portuária, aplicado ao estudo de caso. Este suporte de informação foi obtido a partir da proposta metodológica de Asmus et al. (2015) e Scherer et al. (2015), que prevê a caracterização dos ecossistemas e serviços ecossistêmicos existentes na área de estudo, a identificação das macroatividades presentes no porto e a caracterização dos aspectos ambientais gerados pelas macroatividades do porto, permitindo a identificação dos aspectos ambientais significativos e a análise dos principais impactos ambientais identificados, além da elaboração de uma proposta de recomendações de estratégias para gestão ao porto. Os aspectos ambientais significativos para o porto de São Francisco do Sul foram as descargas e vazamentos para a água; os lançamentos de efluentes para os sedimentos marinhos; a geração de resíduos sólidos; as interações que geram mudanças estruturais nos ecossistemas marinhos; e a interação com a comunidade portuária local (em meio terrestre). Foram realizadas sugestões de táticas de gestão direcionadas aos impactos específicos causados por estes aspectos, mostrando como esta é uma metodologia aplicável de forma concisa e prática, correspondendo aos princípios básicos da Gestão com Base Ecossistêmica (GBE), de atender aos setores econômicos, ambientais e sociais a partir dos serviços ecossistêmicos, levando em consideração as atividades humanas e a importância dos ecossistemas.
Política de Avaliação da Educação Brasileira: limites e perspectivas
Authors: Minhoto Maria Angélica Pedra
Published: March 2018

Este artigo trata da constituição e funcionamento do Sistema Nacional de Avaliação da Educação brasileira. O texto recupera informações importantes sobre a origem deste sistema, bem como apresenta e discute as características das peças que o compõem. Analisando os objetivos declarados pelo sistema e os problemas na sua implementação, o trabalho conclui mostrando sua insuficiência e a necessidade de constituição de uma avaliação rigorosa da qualidade das escolas e dos sistemas educacionais, como elemento imprescindível para a construção de uma sociedade justa e democrática.
Vinte Anos da Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional (LDBEN)
Authors: Cury Carlos Roberto Jamil
Published: March 2018

Este artigo coloca em tela os vinte anos de promulgação da Lei de Diretrizes e Bases da Educação Nacional (LDBEN), Lei 9.394/1996. Ao promover uma digressão histórica, o texto chama a atenção para a trajetória na educação brasileira de aspectos e princípios fundantes, a qual resulta no texto da lei atual. A análise mostra ainda a sucessão de alterações que recaíram sobre o texto aprovado em 1996, fruto do açodamento pela sua aprovação. Por fim, o artigo indica um conjunto de desafios para a legislação ampliar o reconhecimento e a efetivação do direito à educação no Brasil.
n. 22 - POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS EDUCACIONAIS PARA IMIGRANTES E REFUGIADOS NO RIO GRANDE DO SUL
Authors: Busko Danielle
Published: March 2018

O objetivo desse artigo é analisar o tema dos imigrantes e refugiados como um desafio para as políticas públicas educacionais, considerando que estas podem ser ferramentas para minimizar a discriminação e apoiar a inserção social. Após a introdução, apresentamos um mapeamento do perfil dos imigrantes e refugiados no Rio Grande do Sul. Abordamos, então, dois enfoques distintos, porém complementares: políticas públicas educacionais para o ensino da língua portuguesa como fator integrador e educação para a cidadania e inclusão. Nas considerações finais, sublinhamos a relevância do capital social e cultural dos migrantes como gerador de novos valores para o contexto que o acolhe.
n. 2 - REFLEXÕES SOBRE A EXPANSÃO DOS INSTITUTOS FEDERAIS NO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO
Authors: Ferreira Sandra Lúcia , Andrade Andrea De , De Souza Fernanda Evelin Camarço
Published: March 2018

Este artigo aborda as causas e consequências do Plano de Expansão da Rede Federal de Educação Profissional, Científica e Tecnológica, focando, sobretudo no caso do Instituto Federal de São Paulo. O estudo desvela as causas que levaram o poder público a decidir sobre a alteração do cotidiano dessa rede de ensino, bem como aponta para algumas das consequências geradas a partir dessas definições políticas. Em linhas gerais, o objetivo é refletir sobre as condições nas quais ocorreu a expansão do Instituto Federal de São Paulo. Para tanto, o artigo aborda o contexto de criação dos Institutos Federais, os desafios enfrentados pela gestão da instituição, as condições da infraestrutura dos campi, o déficit e as insatisfações de docentes e técnico-administrativos, assim como a evasão de alunos e o acompanhamento de egressos.
Multiple Binomial Regression Models of Learning Style Preferences of Students of Sidhu School, Wilkes University
Authors: B Adekanmbi, D.
Published: March 2018

The interest of this study is to explore the relationship between a dichotomous response, learning style preferences by university students of Sidhu School, Wilkes University, as a function of the following predictors: Gender, Age, employment status, cumulative grade point assessment (GPA) and level of study, as in usual generalized linear model. The response variable is the students’ preference for either Behaviorist or Humanist learning style. Four different binomial regression models were fitted to the data. Model A is a logit regression model that fits all the predictors, Model B is a probit model that fits all the predictors, Model C is a logit model with an effect modifier, while Model D is a probit model also with an effect modifier. Models A and B appeared to have performed poorly in fitting the data. Models C and D fit the data well as confirmed by the non-significant chi-square lack of fit with p-values 0.1409 and 0.1408 respectively. Among the four models considered for fitting the data, Model D, the probit model with effect modifier fit best. There was a marginal difference in the measure of goodness-of-fit for models C and D. Since probit model usually do not lend itself to ease of interpretation, model C was focused on for interpretation of results. The four variables that made significant contributions to model C were gender, age, employment status and the interaction variable. Academic performance of the students measured by their GPA and the level of study of the students were not significant predictors of the learning style preference by the students. The results of Model C revealed that the likelihood that a student prefers Behaviorist learning style is negatively related to his or her gender, age, employment status, GPA and level of study. However, the likelihood is positively related to the interaction term: Gender* Age. The result also showed that every one year increase in age of the students leads to decrease in the log-odds of preference for Behaviorist learning style. Also the odds of an MBA student preference for Behaviorist learning style are 1.1925 times greater than the odds of an undergraduate student. The association between gender and age was significant, so that gender modifies the association between age and preference. The interaction term showed that both the male and female odds ratio indicate an increase of odds of Behaviorist learning style, with increasing age of students, but the rate of increase is greater for male students. Plots of residuals and other diagnostic procedures conducted further confirmed that models A and B did not yield good fit, while both models C and D though identified an outlier which was not influential, but the functional forms of the models appeared suitable and seemed to fit the data well, and were therefore considered adequate. The residual mean deviance of model C was slightly above 1 which an indication of a slight overdispersion problem in the model. Important issues arising from the study were also discussed.
The Role of Parental Education, Household Income, and Race on Parents’ Academic Beliefs and the Provision of Home Learning Opportunities for 4- to 8-Year-Old Children
Authors: Zheng Peter , Libertus Melissa
Published: March 2018

Previous research has highlighted the importance of parents’ education, household income, and race for children’s academic achievement. In addition, these factors relate to their beliefs about their children’s academic achievement and their provision of opportunities to strengthen learning. However, direct comparisons of the unique roles of parents’ education, household income, and race are rare and the current study seeks to fill this gap. A heterogeneous sample of 398 parents of 4- to 8-year-old children in the US completed a survey assessing beliefs about the importance of math and reading/writing for their child, how frequently they provided learning opportunities in these skill sets at home, and demographic information. We found that parents’ education was significantly related to their beliefs about the school’s importance in teaching their child math, but when splitting our sample by race, this effect was only significant for White non-Hispanic parents. No significant effects were found for parents’ education on their beliefs about the importance of the school or home in teaching their child reading/writing. In addition, we found that household income was significantly related to parents’ beliefs about the school’s but not the home’s importance in teaching their child math. Finally, household income was found to be significantly related to parents’ beliefs about the home’s but not the school’s importance in teaching their child reading/writing, but this effect was only significant for African American parents. These results suggest that parents’ education and income play different roles in determining parents’ beliefs about the importance of the school or the home in teaching math and reading/writing to their child and these relations were modulated by race.
On a System of Nonlinear Optical Wave Equations in Two-Spatial Dimension
Authors: Lin Jeng-Eng
Published: March 2018

We show that for a system of nonlinear weakly dispersive wave equations in two-spatial dimension, which is a model in nonlinear optics, the local L2 norm of its solutions decays to zero as time approaches infinity.
Participation of Prison Inmates in Vocational Skills Acquisition Programmesfor Self- Reliance and Sustainable Economic Growth in SokotoState, Nigeria
Authors: ABUBAKAR Kulu, HARUNA , ABBA Mannir
Published: March 2018

The study focused on assessing the extent of participation of prison inmates in vocational skills acquisition programmes in SokotoState. The main objective of the study was to assess the extent of participation of prison inmates in vocational skills acquisition programmes for self – reliance and sustainable economic growth in SokotoState. One research question and one null hypothesis guided the study. A survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 1226 respondents at the time of the study. The sample size of the study was 351 comprising all the 85 prison officials and 266 convicted prisoners of the Sokoto central prison deliberately selected for the study. The instrument used for data collection was self-structured questionnaire tagged “Questionnaire on the participation of prison inmates in vocational skills acquisition programmes (QPPIVSAP). The instrument was subjected to face validation by three experts. The reliability coefficient for the instrument was 0.80. The data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation, while the null hypothesis was tested using t-test at the probability of 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed that VSA programmes for prison inmates were only found available in Sokoto Central Prison and there were prison inmates trainees in the prison. The findings further revealed that the trainees participated in the available VSA programmes to a high extent in the study area. Based on these findings, the study recommended among others that the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) should extend the VSA programmes to other convict and satellite’s prisons for inmates’ self – reliance and sustainable economic growth of the state and the country at large. The NPS should introduce more vocational trades that are not available in the prisons. Such as electrical and electronics repairs, graphic arts, shoe making and automobile mechanic skills acquisition programmes while the prison inmates should be encouraged to patronize the programmes for their self-reliance and sustainable economic growth of the society.
Epidemiological Analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strains Isolated from Patients of Small Communities Living in the South-East of Poland
Authors: Zaczek Anna , Szwaja Iwona , Skiba Monika , Brzostek Anna , Puchalski Czeslaw , Lewandowska Karolina , Dziadek Jaroslaw
Published: March 2018

The diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates, collected from a single hospital, was analyzed by ligation-mediated PCR techniques: FLiP and FLAP, and hybridization technique, IS6110-RFLP. The isolated strains were divided in terms of location (3 towns of Podkarpackie voivodeship differing in population size) and relationship (8 members of 4 families, each represented by 2 patients). Within each family identical DNA profiles, as well as drug resistance patterns were identified indicating a great chance of transmission of strains within the same family. Identical, or very similar patterns were also shared by strains isolated from unrelated patients living in a very small town (1 200 inhabitants) or hospitalized in the same place and time.
Relapsing Bacteraemia due to Corynebacterium striatum in a Patient with Peripheral Arterial Disease
Authors: Topic Antea , Civljak Rok , Butic Iva , Guzvinec Marija , Kuzman Ilija
Published: March 2018

We describe the first reported case of Corynebacterium striatum (C. striatum) relapsing bacteraemia in a patient with peripheral arterial disease and proven Corynebacterium species colonization of a chronic foot ulcer, focusing on the difficulties in the management of the patient. We conclude that the optimal duration of the antibiotic treatment for relapsing C. striatum bacteraemia from a chronic ulcer should be 6 weeks together with surgical treatment.
N-Substituted N' -(2-alkylthio-4-chloro-5-methylbenzenesulfonyl)guanidines – Antibacterial, Cytotoxic Activities and Some Structure-Activity Relationships
Authors: Żołnowska Beata , Sławiński Jarosław , Grzonek Aleksandra , Kędzia Anna , Kwapisz Ewa , Kawiak Anna
Published: March 2018

A series of N-substituted N'-(2-alkylthio-4-chloro-5-methylbenzenesulfonyl)guanidine derivatives bearing sulfonamide moiety have been screened in vitro for antibacterial activity against isolates from patients with infections of oral cavity, respiratory tract and intestinal tract. The majority of compounds exhibited good antibacterial potency. 1-[4-Chloro-5-methyl-2-(4-trifluoromethylbenzylthio)benzenesulfonyl]-3-(3-sulfamoylphenyl)guanidine (13) showed very strong activity, with MIC ≤ 6.2 μg/ml against eleven bacteria strains belonged to Gram-positive anaerobes and aerobes. Furthermore, compound 13 exhibited promising activity toward highly resistant microorganisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. It was found that Parvimonas micra, Finegoldia magna, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, Propionibacterium acnes showed the highest susceptibility toward the investigated guanidines.
Feeling like a fish in water or like a fish out of water? A female academic career and experience in North Europe
Authors: Bron Agnieszka
Published: March 2018

The aim of this paper is to present an autobiographical account on the prospects and process of academic career in Nordic countries, and specifically in Sweden. The method used is biographical, or self-ethnographic, dealing with life transitions including struggles and experiences when making the career. The point of departure is the final step in the academic career, i.e. Professorship, and reconstruction of the life events backwards, both as diachronic, a moment in time, as well as synchronic, over time dimensions. This includes research initiation, PhD writing, Postdoc experience, habilitation, and struggling to get a position of a senior lecturer and finally a professor. Involvement in various projects and international networking are presented. Biographical work and learning are used to understand how a woman researcher is navigating in a difficult male dominated terrain, including both negative and positive experiences.
El sanatori en la novel·lística contemporània: ‘El mar’, de Blai Bonet
Authors: Koťátková Adéla
Published: March 2018

La literatura i la medicina tenen un vincle molt estret, ja que moltes obres s’han servit d’històries sobre la malaltia, com també s’han ambientat en instal·lacions sanitàries, entre les quals destaquen els sanatoris. El sanatori antituberculós, com a espai d’aïllament i avantsala de la mort, ha inspirat molts autors. La novel·lística del segle XX va dedicar una atenció significativa a aquestes institucions que, allunyades de la resta de la societat, condicionaven la vida dels malalts però també la seva identitat. La muntanya màgica de Thomas Mann i Pabellón de reposo de Camilo José Cela són dues referències rellevants d’aquesta producció. En la literatura catalana destaca El mar, del mallorquí Blai Bonet.
Global genomic similarity and core genome sequence diversity of the Streptococcus genus as a toolkit to identify close related bacterial strains in complex environments
Authors: Barajas de la Torre Hugo R , Romero Miguel , Martínez-Sánchez Shamayim , Alcaraz Luis D
Published: March 2018

Background. Comparative genomics between closely related bacterial strains aids to distinguish important features like pathogenesis, antibiotic resistance, and phylogenetic structure. Streptococcus is relevant because public health and food safety and it are well-represented (>100 genomes ) in databases of publicly available databases. Streptococci are cosmopolitan, and there are multiple sources of isolation, from humans to dairy products. The Streptococcus have been classified by morphology, serum types, 16S rRNA gene, and Multi Locus Sequence Types (MLST). The Genomic Similarity Score (GSS) is proposed as a tool to quantify genome level relatedness between Streptococcus and using their core genome as a simplified tool to assess strain specific abundances in metagenomic sequences.

Methods. A 16S rRNA gene phylogeny has been calculated for 108 strains, belonging to 16 Streptococcus species and compared the results to a dendrogram using the GSS with all homologous shared information available in the genomes. Additionally, genus core and pan-genome were calculated. The core genome sequences identity was analyzed and the core genome was used as a seed to discriminate abundances between close related strains in metagenomic samples.

Results. A total of 404 proteins are shared by all 108 Streptococcus genomes, which are the core genome. The core identity values ranges across all the compared strains and outgroups are reported. Lower sequence identity variation (90-100%) within the core belongs to ribosomal and translation-related proteins. It was found out that 48 proteins (11.8%) of the core genome are considered a hypothetical protein and those proteins host the larger sequence identity variations within the core. The sequence identity of the core genome identity diminishes as GSS score between species increases. The GSS dendrogram recovers most of the clades in the 16S rRNA gene phylogeny with the advantage to distinguish between 16S polytomies (unresolved nodes). Finally, our proposed core genome was used to distinguish the abundances of close related strains within human oral metagenomes being able to get strain relative abundances between healthy and caries infected (with S. mutans) individuals.

Discussion. The clinical and food safety importance of Streptococcus genus gives a playground to test multiple comparative genomic scenarios due to its excellent genomic coverage. Understanding of genomic variability and strains relatedness is the goal of tools like GSS, which make use of both pairwise shared core and pan-genomic homologous shared sequences for its calculation. Combination of core genome and rapid alignment tools allows to estimate abundance and discriminate in a strain-specific manner in metagenomic samples. Here it is shared with the community both GSS genomic dendrogram and core genome to explore possibilities within streptococci.
Movement maintains forebrain neurogenesis via peripheral neural feedback in larval zebrafish
Authors: Hall Zachary Jonas , Tropepe Vincent
Published: March 2018

The postembryonic brain exhibits experience-dependent development, in which sensory experience guides normal brain growth. This neuroplasticity is thought to occur primarily through structural and functional changes in pre-existing neurons. Whether neurogenesis also mediates the effects of experience on brain growth is unclear. Here, we characterized the importance of motor experience on postembryonic neurogenesis in larval zebrafish. We found that movement maintains an expanded pool of forebrain neural precursors by promoting progenitor self-renewal over the production of neurons. Physical cues associated with swimming (bodily movement) increase neurogenesis and these cues appear to be conveyed by dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in the zebrafish body: DRG-deficient larvae exhibit attenuated neurogenic responses to movement and targeted photoactivation of DRG in immobilized larvae expands the pallial pool of proliferative cells. Our results demonstrate the importance of movement in neurogenic brain growth and reveal a fundamental sensorimotor association that may couple early motor and brain development.
Phylogenetic surveys on the newt genus Tylototriton sensu lato (Salamandridae, Caudata) reveal cryptic diversity and novel diversification promoted by historical climatic shifts
Authors: Wang Bin , Nishikawa Kanto , Matsui Masafumi , Nguyen Truong Quang , Xie Feng , Li Cheng , Khatiwada Janak Raj , Zhang Baowei , Gong Dajie , Mo Yunming , Wei Gang , Chen Xiaohong , Shen Youhui , Yang Daode , Xiong Rongchuan , Jiang Jianping
Published: March 2018

Global climatic transitions and Tibetan Plateau uplifts are hypothesized to have profoundly impacted biodiversity in southeastern Asia. To further test the hypotheses related to the impacts of these incidents, we investigated the diversification patterns of the newt genus Tylototriton sensu lato, distributed across the mountain ranges of southeastern Asia. Gene-tree and species-tree analyses of two mitochondrial genes and two nuclear genes revealed five major clades in the genus, and suggested several cryptic species. Dating estimates suggested that the genus originated in the early-to-middle Miocene. Under different species delimitating scenarios, diversification analyses with birth-death likelihood tests indicated that the genus held a higher diversification rate in the late Miocene-to-Pliocene era than that in the Pleistocene. Ancestral area reconstructions indicated that the genus originated from the northern Indochina Peninsula. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the Miocene Climatic Transition triggered the diversification of the genus, and the reinforcement of East Asian monsoons associated with the stepwise uplifts of the Tibetan Plateau promoted the radiation of the genus in southeastern Asia during the Miocene-to-Pliocene period. Quaternary glacial cycles likely had limited effects on speciation events in the genus, but mainly had contributions on their intraspecific differentiations.
Molecular cloning and expression analysis of threeThERFs involved in the response to waterlogging stress ofTaxodium‘Zhongshanshan406’, and subcellular localization of the gene products
Authors: Fan Wencai , Yang Ying , Wang Zhiquan , Yin Yunlong , Yu Chaoguang , Shi Qin , Guo Jinbo , Xuan Lei , Hua Jianfeng
Published: March 2018

As a subfamily of the APETALA 2/ethylene response element binding protein (AP2/EREBP) transcription factor superfamily, the ethylene response factor (ERF) is widely involved in the regulation of growth and response to various abiotic stresses in plants, and has been shown to be the main transcription factor regulating transcription of the genes related to hypoxia and waterlogging stress. In this study, threeThERFgenes, with significant differences in expression profile in response to flooding stress, were identified from the transcriptomics data acquired fromTaxodiumhybrid ‘Zhongshanshan 406’ (T. mucronatumTenore ×T. distichum(L.) Rich) under waterlogging stress:ThERF15, ThERF39 and ThRAP2.3(GenBank ID:KY463467,KY463468andKY463470, respectively).The full-length cDNA of each of the threeERFs was obtained using the RACE (rapid amplification cDNA ends) method, and all three were intron-free. Multiple protein sequence alignments indicated that ThERF15, ThERF39 and ThRAP2.3 proteins all had only one AP2-ERF domain and belonged to the ERF subfamily. A transient gene expression assay demonstrated that ThERF15, ThERF39 and ThRAP2.3 were all localized to the nucleus. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) revealed that the expression ofThERF15, ThERF39 and ThRAP2.3exhibited significant differences, compared with the control, in response to two levels of flooding treatment (half-flooding or total-submergence) of ‘Zhongshanshan 406’. Quantification of ethylene concentration revealed that ethylene was more relevant to the level of expression than the period of flooding treatment. Based on the experimental results above,ThERF15, ThERF39andThRAP2.3were identified as being related to the regulation of downstream flooding- responsive gene expression in ‘Zhongshanshan 406’.ThRAP2.3is most likely to be a key downstream-response ERF gene to respond to the output of the ethylene signal generated by flooding stress.
Clinical impact of albumin in advanced head and neck cancer patients with free flap reconstruction—a retrospective study
Authors: Tsai Ming-Hsien , Chuang Hui-Ching , Lin Yu-Tsai , Lu Hui , Chen Wei-Chih , Fang Fu-Min , Chien Chih-Yen
Published: March 2018

Background

Poor nutritional status among patients with advanced stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is common. Albumin is a common indicator of nutritional status and has been shown to be a predictor of oncological outcomes and perioperative morbidity. This study aims to determine the prognostic value of the serum albumin level among patients with advanced HNSCC undergoing surgery with simultaneous free flap reconstruction.

Methods

A total of 233 patients with advanced head and neck cancer undergoing tumor resection and immediate microvascular free flap reconstruction in a tertiary referral center were enrolled retrospectively between January 2009 and December 2011. Statistical analyses including Pearson’s chi-squared test were used to determine whether there was a significant difference between each selected clinical factors and postoperative major wound infection. Multiple regression analysis was performed to reveal the relationship between postoperative major wound infection and clinical factors. Kaplan–Meier curves and multivariate Cox regression were applied to analyse survival outcome for overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

Results

Postoperative serum albumin level (p < 0.001) and tumor location were both significantly associated with postoperative major wound infection (p = 0.018) in univariate analysis. Multiple regression analysis showed a higher risk of postoperative major wound infection among patients with postoperative hypoalbuminemia than in their counterparts (odds ratio [OR] 9.811, 95% CI [2.288–42.065],p = 0.002). Patients with a tumor located over the hypopharynx experienced increased risk of postoperative major wound infection (OR 2.591, 95% CI [1.095–6.129],p = 0.030). With respect to oncological outcomes, preoperative serum albumin level is a significant independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

Conclusions

Postoperative hypoalbuminemia is a useful indicator for the development of postoperative complications. In addition, preoperative hypoalbuminemia is a negative prognostic factor for patients who have undergone tumor excision and free flap reconstruction for the advanced stage of HNSCC.
Dynamic Fragmentation of Jointed Rock Blocks During Rockslide‐Avalanches: Insights From Discrete Element Analyses
Authors: Zhao Tao , Crosta Giovanni Battista , Dattola Giuseppe , Utili Stefano
Published: March 2018

The dynamic fragmentation of jointed rock blocks during rockslide avalanches has been investigated by discrete element method simulations for a multiple arrangement of a rock block sliding over a simple slope geometry. The rock blocks are released along an inclined sliding plane and subsequently collide onto a flat horizontal plane at a sharp kink point. The contact force chains generated by the impact appear initially at the bottom frontal corner of the rock block and then propagate radially upward to the top rear part of the block. The jointed rock blocks exhibit evident contact force concentration and discontinuity of force wave propagation near the joint, associating with high energy dissipation of granular dynamics. The corresponding force wave propagation velocity can be less than 200 m/s, which is much smaller than that of an intact rock (1,316 m/s). The concentration of contact forces at the bottom leads to high rock fragmentation intensity and momentum boosts, facilitating the spreading of many fine fragments to the distal ends. However, the upper rock block exhibits very low rock fragmentation intensity but high energy dissipation due to intensive friction and damping, resulting in the deposition of large fragments near the slope toe. The size and shape of large fragments are closely related to the orientation and distribution of the block joints. The cumulative fragment size distribution can be well fitted by the Weibull's distribution function, with very gentle and steep curvatures at the fine and coarse size ranges, respectively. The numerical results of fragment size distribution can match well some experimental and field observations.
Wave Attenuation and Gas Exchange Velocity in Marginal Sea Ice Zone
Authors: Bigdeli A. , Hara T. , Loose B. , Nguyen A. T.
Published: March 2018

The gas transfer velocity in marginal sea ice zones exerts a strong control on the input of anthropogenic gases into the ocean interior. In this study, a sea state‐dependent gas exchange parametric model is developed based on the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate. The model is tuned to match the conventional gas exchange parametrization in fetch‐unlimited, fully developed seas. Next, fetch limitation is introduced in the model and results are compared to fetch limited experiments in lakes, showing that the model captures the effects of finite fetch on gas exchange with good fidelity. Having validated the results in fetch limited waters such as lakes, the model is next applied in sea ice zones using an empirical relation between the sea ice cover and the effective fetch, while accounting for the sea ice motion effect that is unique to sea ice zones. The model results compare favorably with the available field measurements. Applying this parametric model to a regional Arctic numerical model, it is shown that, under the present conditions, gas flux into the Arctic Ocean may be overestimated by 10% if a conventional parameterization is used.
The Roles of Convection Parameterization in the Formation of Double ITCZ Syndrome in the NCAR CESM: I. Atmospheric Processes
Authors: Song Xiaoliang , Zhang Guang J.
Published: March 2018

Several improvements are implemented in the Zhang‐McFarlane (ZM) convection scheme to investigate the roles of convection parameterization in the formation of double intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) bias in the NCAR CESM1.2.1. It is shown that the prominent double ITCZ biases of precipitation, sea surface temperature (SST), and wind stress in the standard CESM1.2.1 are largely eliminated in all seasons with the use of these improvements in convection scheme. This study for the first time demonstrates that the modifications of convection scheme can eliminate the double ITCZ biases in all seasons, including boreal winter and spring. Further analysis shows that the elimination of the double ITCZ bias is achieved not by improving other possible contributors, such as stratus cloud bias off the west coast of South America and cloud/radiation biases over the Southern Ocean, but by modifying the convection scheme itself. This study demonstrates that convection scheme is the primary contributor to the double ITCZ bias in the CESM1.2.1, and provides a possible solution to the long‐standing double ITCZ problem. The atmospheric model simulations forced by observed SST show that the original ZM convection scheme tends to produce double ITCZ bias in high SST scenario, while the modified convection scheme does not. The impact of changes in each core component of convection scheme on the double ITCZ bias in atmospheric model is identified and further investigated.
Modeling Global Ocean Biogeochemistry With Physical Data Assimilation: A Pragmatic Solution to the Equatorial Instability
Authors: Park Jong‐Yeon , Stock Charles A. , Yang Xiaosong , Dunne John P. , Rosati Anthony , John Jasmin , Zhang Shaoqing
Published: March 2018

Reliable estimates of historical and current biogeochemistry are essential for understanding past ecosystem variability and predicting future changes. Efforts to translate improved physical ocean state estimates into improved biogeochemical estimates, however, are hindered by high biogeochemical sensitivity to transient momentum imbalances that arise during physical data assimilation. Most notably, the breakdown of geostrophic constraints on data assimilation in equatorial regions can lead to spurious upwelling, resulting in excessive equatorial productivity and biogeochemical fluxes. This hampers efforts to understand and predict the biogeochemical consequences of El Niño and La Niña. We develop a strategy to robustly integrate an ocean biogeochemical model with an ensemble coupled‐climate data assimilation system used for seasonal to decadal global climate prediction. Addressing spurious vertical velocities requires two steps. First, we find that tightening constraints on atmospheric data assimilation maintains a better equatorial wind stress and pressure gradient balance. This reduces spurious vertical velocities, but those remaining still produce substantial biogeochemical biases. The remainder is addressed by imposing stricter fidelity to model dynamics over data constraints near the equator. We determine an optimal choice of model‐data weights that removed spurious biogeochemical signals while benefitting from off‐equatorial constraints that still substantially improve equatorial physical ocean simulations. Compared to the unconstrained control run, the optimally constrained model reduces equatorial biogeochemical biases and markedly improves the equatorial subsurface nitrate concentrations and hypoxic area. The pragmatic approach described herein offers a means of advancing earth system prediction in parallel with continued data assimilation advances aimed at fully considering equatorial data constraints.
Episodic Reversal of Autumn Ice Advance Caused by Release of Ocean Heat in the Beaufort Sea
Authors: Smith Madison , Stammerjohn Sharon , Persson Ola , Rainville Luc , Liu Guoqiang , Perrie William , Robertson Robin , Jackson Jennifer , Thomson Jim
Published: March 2018

High‐resolution measurements of the air‐ice‐ocean system during an October 2015 event in the Beaufort Sea demonstrate how stored ocean heat can be released to temporarily reverse seasonal ice advance. Strong on‐ice winds over a vast fetch caused mixing and release of heat from the upper ocean. This heat was sufficient to melt large areas of thin, newly formed pancake ice; an average of 10 MJ/m2 was lost from the upper ocean in the study area, resulting in ∼3–5 cm pancake sea ice melt. Heat and salt budgets create a consistent picture of the evolving air‐ice‐ocean system during this event, in both a fixed and ice‐following (Lagrangian) reference frame. The heat lost from the upper ocean is large compared with prior observations of ocean heat flux under thick, multiyear Arctic sea ice. In contrast to prior studies, where almost all heat lost goes into ice melt, a significant portion of the ocean heat released in this event goes directly to the atmosphere, while the remainder (∼30–40%) goes into melting sea ice. The magnitude of ocean mixing during this event may have been enhanced by large surface waves, reaching nearly 5 m at the peak, which are becoming increasingly common in the autumn Arctic Ocean. The wave effects are explored by comparing the air‐ice‐ocean evolution observed at short and long fetches, and a common scaling for Langmuir turbulence. After the event, the ocean mixed layer was deeper and cooler, and autumn ice formation resumed.
Formation of Alkanes and Arenes by Coupling Reactions
Authors: Larock Richard C. , Zhang Xiaoxia
Published: March 2018

Symmetrical or Intramolecular Coupling

Unsymmetrical Coupling