bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association analysis of frost tolerance in rye using candidate genes and phenotypic data from controlled, semi-controlled, and field phenotyping platforms
Authors: Li Yongle , Böck Andreas , Haseneyer Grit , Korzun Viktor , Wilde Peer , Schön Chris-Carolin , Ankerst Donna P , Bauer Eva
Published: October 2011

Background

Frost is an important abiotic stress that limits cereal production in the temperate zone. As the most frost tolerant small grain cereal, rye (Secale cereale L.) is an ideal cereal model for investigating the genetic basis of frost tolerance (FT), a complex trait with polygenic inheritance. Using 201 genotypes from five Eastern and Middle European winter rye populations, this study reports a multi-platform candidate gene-based association analysis in rye using 161 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and nine insertion-deletion (Indel) polymorphisms previously identified from twelve candidate genes with a putative role in the frost responsive network.

Results

Phenotypic data analyses of FT in three different phenotyping platforms, controlled, semi-controlled and field, revealed significant genetic variations in the plant material under study. Statistically significant (P < 0.05) associations between FT and SNPs/haplotypes of candidate genes were identified. Two SNPs in ScCbf15 and one in ScCbf12, all leading to amino acid exchanges, were significantly associated with FT over all three phenotyping platforms. Distribution of SNP effect sizes expressed as percentage of the genetic variance explained by individual SNPs was highly skewed towards zero with a few SNPs obtaining large effects. Two-way epistasis was found between 14 pairs of candidate genes. Relatively low to medium empirical correlations of SNP-FT associations were observed across the three platforms underlining the need for multi-level experimentation for dissecting complex associations between genotypes and FT in rye.

Conclusions

Candidate gene based-association studies are a powerful tool for investigating the genetic basis of FT in rye. Results of this study support the findings of bi-parental linkage mapping and expression studies that the Cbf gene family plays an essential role in FT.
Decreasing incidence of severe malaria and community-acquired bacteraemia among hospitalized children in Muheza, north-eastern Tanzania, 2006-2010
Authors: Mtove George , Amos Ben , Nadjm Behzad , Hendriksen Ilse CE , Dondorp Arjen M , Mwambuli Abraham , Kim Deok Ryun , Ochiai R Leon , Clemens John D , von Seidlein Lorenz , Reyburn Hugh , Deen Jacqueline
Published: October 2011

Background

The annual incidence and temporal trend of severe malaria and community-acquired bacteraemia during a four-year period in Muheza, Tanzania was assessed.

Methods

Data on severely ill febrile children aged 2 months to 14 years from three prospective studies conducted at Muheza District Hospital from 2006 to 2010 was pooled and analysed. On admission, each enrolled child had a thin and thick blood film and at least one rapid diagnostic test for falciparum malaria, as well as a blood culture. The annual incidence of bacteraemia and severe malaria among children coming from Muheza was calculated and their temporal trend was assessed.

Results

Overall, 1, 898 severe falciparum malaria and 684 bacteraemia cases were included. Of these, 1, 356 (71%) and 482 (71%), respectively, were from the referral population of Muheza. The incidence of falciparum malaria and all-cause bacteraemia in Muheza decreased five-fold and three-fold, respectively, from the first to the fourth year of surveillance (p < 0.0001). During this period, the median ages of children from Muheza admitted with severe malaria increased from 1.7 to 2.5 years (p < 0.0001). The reduction in all-cause bacteraemia was mainly driven by the 11-fold decline in the incidence of non-typhoidal salmonellosis. The annual incidences of Haemophilus influenzae and pneumococcal invasive bacterial infections decreased as well but were much fewer in number.

Conclusions

These results add to the growing evidence of the decline in malaria associated with a decrease in non-typhoidal salmonellosis and possibly other bacteraemias. Malarial prevention and control strategies may provide a greater benefit than the mere reduction of malaria alone.
Performance evaluation of a motor-imagery-based EEG-Brain computer interface using a combined cue with heterogeneous training data in BCI-Naive subjects
Authors: Choi Donghag , Ryu Yeonsoo , Lee Youngbum , Lee Myoungho
Published: October 2011

Background

The subjects in EEG-Brain computer interface (BCI) system experience difficulties when attempting to obtain the consistent performance of the actual movement by motor imagery alone. It is necessary to find the optimal conditions and stimuli combinations that affect the performance factors of the EEG-BCI system to guarantee equipment safety and trust through the performance evaluation of using motor imagery characteristics that can be utilized in the EEG-BCI testing environment.

Methods

The experiment was carried out with 10 experienced subjects and 32 naive subjects on an EEG-BCI system. There were 3 experiments: The experienced homogeneous experiment, the naive homogeneous experiment and the naive heterogeneous experiment. Each experiment was compared in terms of the six audio-visual cue combinations and consisted of 50 trials. The EEG data was classified using the least square linear classifier in case of the naive subjects through the common spatial pattern filter. The accuracy was calculated using the training and test data set. The p-value of the accuracy was obtained through the statistical significance test.

Results

In the case in which a naive subject was trained by a heterogeneous combined cue and tested by a visual cue, the result was not only the highest accuracy (p < 0.05) but also stable performance in all experiments.

Conclusions

We propose the use of this measuring methodology of a heterogeneous combined cue for training data and a visual cue for test data by the typical EEG-BCI algorithm on the EEG-BCI system to achieve effectiveness in terms of consistence, stability, cost, time, and resources management without the need for a trial and error process.
Performance characterization of CSMA/CA adapted multi-user MIMO aware MAC in WLANs
Authors: Thapa Anup , Pudasaini Subodh , Shin Seokjoo
Published: October 2011

To realize the multi-user multiple input multiple output (MIMO) advantage over WLANs, it requires significant changes in the MAC protocol. Either the dominant MAC protocol carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) needs to be replaced by a novel multi-user MIMO aware MAC protocol or it should be upgraded into multi-user MIMO aware CSMA/CA. Nevertheless, the simplest approach would be upgrading the CSMA/CA. Simple modifications in the control packets format and/or the channel access mechanism can upgrade CSMA/CA into simple, yet practicable, multi-user MIMO aware MAC protocol. By utilizing convenient changes, several modification approaches can be provisioned for this purpose. Hence, it is important to understand their performance benefits and trade-offs. In this article, we discuss some of such modification approaches that best represent the possible modifications. We provide their detail performance analysis based on analytical modeling and derived expressions in terms of throughput and delay. We also derive expressions for achievable performance and present their performance limits too.
Increased HCMV seroprevalence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Lepiller Quentin , Tripathy Manoj K , Di Martino Vincent , Kantelip Bernadette , Herbein Georges
Published: October 2011

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer, usually arising after years of chronic liver inflammation that could result from viral infections such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitic C virus (HCV) infections. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infects primary human hepatocytes and remains an important cause of morbidity in immunocompromised persons where it may manifest as symptomatic end-organ disease including hepatitis. The goal of the present study was to determine a potential correlation between HCMV infection and the appearance of HCC.

Methods

First, we analyzed the seroprevalence of HCMV in a cohort of 11,318 patients hospitalized between 2003 and 2009 in different departments of a French University Hospital. Second, we studied HCMV seroprevalence in a cohort of 190 subjects who were stratified on the basis of age, gender, HCC, cirrhosis (Cir), and the exposition to hepatotropic viruses (HCV, HBV). We further determined whether HCMV DNA was present specifically in tumour area in liver biopsies from HCC-positive patients by using nested PCR.

Results

We found that the HCMV seroprevalence was high in the Hepatology department. The HCMV seroprevalence was significantly higher in patients infected with HCV and/or HBV than in patients who were not infected by those later viruses (76.2% versus 56.5%, p < 0.001). The HCMV seroprevalence was significantly higher in patients with HCC (74%) and lower in patients without HCC (54% for HCC-/Cir+ patients, 57% for HCC-/Cir- subjects). We observed a positive correlation between serum IL-6 levels and HCMV seroprevalence in cirrhotic patients, but not in HCC patients. Serum IL-6 levels correlated positively with C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Preliminary histological studies from liver biopsies from HCC-positive patients highlighted that HCMV DNA can be detected in tumour area of some of the patients studied.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that HCMV seroprevalence in patients with HCC is significantly higher than in patients without HCC, is positively correlated with serum IL-6 levels in cirrhotic patients, and is positively associated with the presence of other hepatotropic viruses such as HCV and HBV.
Incidence and risk factors for malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea in children under 5 in UNHCR refugee camps: A retrospective study
Authors: Hershey Christine L , Doocy Shannon , Anderson Jamie , Haskew Christopher , Spiegel Paul , Moss William J
Published: October 2011

Background

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) refugee camps are located predominantly in rural areas of Africa and Asia in protracted or post-emergency contexts. Recognizing the importance of malaria, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases as major causes of child morbidity and mortality in refugee camps, we analyzed data from the UNHCR Health Information System (HIS) to estimate incidence and risk factors for these diseases in refugee children younger than five years of age.

Methods

Data from 90 UNHCR camps in 16 countries, including morbidity, mortality, health services and refugee health status, were obtained from the UNHCR HIS for the period January 2006 to February 2010. Monthly camp-level data were aggregated to yearly estimates for analysis and stratified by location in Africa (including Yemen) or Asia. Poisson regression models with random effects were constructed to identify factors associated with malaria, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases. Spatial patterns in the incidence of malaria, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases were mapped to identify regional heterogeneities.

Results

Malaria and pneumonia were the two most common causes of mortality, with confirmed malaria and pneumonia each accounting for 20% of child deaths. Suspected and confirmed malaria accounted for 23% of child morbidity and pneumonia accounted for 17% of child morbidity. Diarrheal diseases were the cause of 7% of deaths and 10% of morbidity in children under five. Mean under-five incidence rates across all refugee camps by region were: malaria [Africa 84.7 cases/1000 U5 population/month (95% CI 67.5-102.0), Asia 2.2/1000/month (95% CI 1.4-3.0)]; pneumonia [Africa 59.2/1000/month (95% CI 49.8-68.7), Asia 254.5/1000/month (95% CI 207.1-301.8)]; and diarrheal disease [Africa 35.5/1000/month (95% CI 28.7-42.4), Asia 69.2/1000/month (95% CI 61.0-77.5)]. Measles was infrequent and accounted for a small proportion of child morbidity (503 cases, < 1%) and mortality (6 deaths, < 1%).

Conclusions

As in stable settings, pneumonia and diarrhea are important causes of mortality among refugee children. Malaria remains a significant cause of child mortality in refugee camps in Africa and will need to be addressed as part of regional malaria control and elimination efforts. Little is known of neonatal morbidity and mortality in refugee settings, and neonatal deaths are likely to be under-reported. Global measles control efforts have reduced the incidence of measles among refugee children.
Quantitative copy number analysis by Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) of BRCA1-associated breast cancer regions identifies BRCAness
Authors: Lips Esther H , Laddach Nadja , Savola Suvi P , Vollebergh Marieke A , Oonk Anne MM , Imholz Alex LT , Wessels Lodewyk FA , Wesseling Jelle , Nederlof Petra M , Rodenhuis Sjoerd
Published: October 2011

Introduction

Our group has previously employed array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH) to assess the genomic patterns of BRCA1-mutated breast cancers. We have shown that the so-called BRCA1-likeaCGH profile is also present in about half of all triple-negative sporadic breast cancers and is predictive for benefit from intensified alkylating chemotherapy. As aCGH is a rather complex method, we translated the BRCA1aCGH profile to a Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) assay, to identify both BRCA1-mutated breast cancers and sporadic cases with a BRCA1-likeaCGH profile.

Methods

The most important genomic regions of the original aCGH based classifier (3q22-27, 5q12-14, 6p23-22, 12p13, 12q21-23, 13q31-34) were mapped to a set of 34 MLPA probes. The training set consisted of 39 BRCA1-likeaCGH breast cancers and 45 non-BRCA1-likeaCGH breast cancers, which had previously been analyzed by aCGH. The BRCA1-likeaCGH group consisted of germline BRCA1-mutated cases and sporadic tumours with low BRCA1 gene expression and/or BRCA1 promoter methylation. We trained a shrunken centroids classifier on the training set and validation was performed on an independent test set of 40 BRCA1-likeaCGH breast cancers and 32 non-BRCA1-likeaCGH breast cancer tumours. In addition, we validated the set prospectively on 69 new triple-negative tumours.

Results

BRCAness in the training set of 84 tumours could accurately be predicted by prediction analysis of microarrays (PAM) (accuracy 94%). Application of this classifier on the independent validation set correctly predicted BRCA-like status of 62 out of 72 breast tumours (86%). Sensitivity and specificity were 85% and 87%, respectively. When the MLPA-test was subsequently applied to 46 breast tumour samples from a randomized clinical trial, the same survival benefit for BRCA1-like tumours associated with intensified alkylating chemotherapy was shown as was previously reported using the aCGH assay.

Conclusions

Since the MLPA assay can identify BRCA1-deficient breast cancer patients, this method could be applied both for clinical genetic testing and as a predictor of treatment benefit. BRCA1-like tumours are highly sensitive to chemotherapy with DNA damaging agents, and most likely to poly ADP ribose polymerase (PARP)-inhibitors. The MLPA assay is rapid and robust, can easily be multiplexed, and works well with DNA derived from paraffin-embedded tissues.
Gremlin 2 regulates distinct roles of BMP and Endothelin 1 signaling in dorsoventral patterning of the facial skeleton
Authors: Zuniga Elizabeth , Rippen Marie , Alexander Courtney , Schilling Thomas F. , Crump J. Gage
Published: October 2011

Patterning of the upper versus lower face involves generating distinct pre-skeletal identities along the dorsoventral (DV) axes of the pharyngeal arches. Whereas previous studies have shown roles for BMPs, Endothelin 1 (Edn1) and Jagged1b-Notch2 in DV patterning of the facial skeleton, how these pathways are integrated to generate different skeletal fates has remained unclear. Here, we show that BMP and Edn1 signaling have distinct roles in development of the ventral and intermediate skeletons, respectively, of the zebrafish face. Using transgenic gain-of-function approaches and cell-autonomy experiments, we find that BMPs strongly promote hand2 and msxe expression in ventral skeletal precursors, while Edn1 promotes the expression of nkx3.2 and three Dlx genes (dlx3b, dlx5a and dlx6a) in intermediate precursors. Furthermore, Edn1 and Jagged1b pattern the intermediate and dorsal facial skeletons in part by inducing the BMP antagonist Gremlin 2 (Grem2), which restricts BMP activity to the ventral-most face. We therefore propose a model in which later cross-inhibitory interactions between BMP and Edn1 signaling, in part mediated by Grem2, separate an initially homogenous ventral region into distinct ventral and intermediate skeletal precursor domains.
Self-maintained escort cells form a germline stem cell differentiation niche
Authors: Kirilly Daniel , Wang Su , Xie Ting
Published: October 2011

Stem cell self-renewal is controlled by concerted actions of niche signals and intrinsic factors in a variety of systems. In the Drosophila ovary, germline stem cells (GSCs) in the niche continuously self-renew and generate differentiated germ cells that interact physically with escort cells (ECs). It has been proposed that escort stem cells (ESCs), which directly contact GSCs, generate differentiated ECs to maintain the EC population. However, it remains unclear whether the differentiation status of germ cells affects EC behavior and how the interaction between ECs and germ cells is regulated. In this study, we have found that ECs can undergo slow cell turnover regardless of their positions, and the lost cells are replenished by their neighboring ECs via self-duplication rather than via stem cells. ECs extend elaborate cellular processes that exhibit extensive interactions with differentiated germ cells. Interestingly, long cellular processes of ECs are absent when GSC progeny fail to differentiate, suggesting that differentiated germ cells are required for the formation or maintenance of EC cellular processes. Disruption of Rho functions leads to the disruption of long EC cellular processes and the accumulation of ill-differentiated single germ cells by increasing BMP signaling activity outside the GSC niche, and also causes gradual EC loss. Therefore, our findings indicate that ECs interact extensively with differentiated germ cells through their elaborate cellular processes and control proper germ cell differentiation. Here, we propose that ECs form a niche that controls GSC lineage differentiation and is maintained by a non-stem cell mechanism.
Determination of diclofenac residue in swine tissue following intramuscular administration
Authors: Pejcic Zorica , Jezdimirovic Milanka , Pokrajac Milena
Published: October 2011

Diclofenac residue (DF) in swine tissue (liver, kidney, muscle, injection site) were examined using the method of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) 15h, 72h,and 120h after i.m. administration of an individual therapeutic dose of diclofenac-sodium. At 15h after administration, the highest concentration of DF was found in the kidney (0.614 mg/kg), while a concentration about two times lower was found in the liver (0.316 mg/kg). At the injection site, the DF concentration was 0.432 mg/kg, while DF remained in a very low concentration (0.052 mg/kg) in the muscle outside the injection site, which was the lowest concentration in comparison with all the other examined tissues. At 72h after administration, DF was present in all examined tissues, but its concentrations were lower than the level that could be determined using the analytic procedure. Traces of the administered medicine disappeared after the waiting period of 120h in all tissues, except for the injection site. The longer presence of the medicine at the injection site could be a consequence of local inflammation, or irritation, that could cause a reduction in pH values of the area around the injection site, thus leading to slower dissolving and a longer presence of the DF at the injection site.
Epidemiological studies on helminthoses in goats and sheep caused by Protostrongylidae leiper, 1926
Authors: Panayotova-Pencheva Mariana
Published: October 2011

Studies on sheep, goats and terrestrial snails rom a pasture in a north-eastern Bulgarian region have been carried cut. Protostrongylids of 4 genera - Muellerius, Cystocaulus, Protostrongylus and Neostrongylus have been established. The infection extensity in goats is higher than that in sheep while the generic diversity is greater in sheep. In tracing the season dynamics in the parasitic infections of the end hosts it has been established that during the summer the infection extensity is permanently kept in its high values. In the autumn a drop in infection extensity is observed but the amount of the larvae released with faeces is augmented reaching its maximum in November-December. A relative increase in the infection extensity as well as in the larval output is observed in February and solely for the larval output such an increase is recorded in April. Season dynamics in the spread of the different protostrongylid genera in the end hosts and the influence of age and sex on larval output have been traced. The season dynamics of the extensity and intensity of the infection of the snails on the pasture has also been followed up. H. obvia is the intermediate host of greatest importance for the spread of protostrongylidoses in the region under study.
Clinical approach to discoloration in body hair in a Rottweiler dog
Authors: Or M.E. , Kayar A. , Parkan Ç. , Gönül R. , Morkoç T. , Dodurka H.T.
Published: October 2011

Micanfin (Biocan-M?, Bioveta) is a new veterinary drug used successfully in the treatment and prophylaxis of dermetomycosis in dogs and cats. In this study, leukotrichia was determined after administration of Micanfin and the objective was to determine the diagnosis and treatment protocol of the case. The case was a male Rottweiler dog, aged four, weighing 35 kg, presented with alopecia at a special veterinary clinic. A routine clinical examination, skin scraping, and antibiogram-mycologic examination of the body fluids were performed. A hematological examination and the levels of some serum parameters were determined. At the end of mycologic examinations, while there was no reproduction, it was found that the serum zinc level was very low. It was detected after other laboratory examinations that the case was hypothyroidism. All the body hair, except for a small area locally returned to the original colour, decreased activity reported by the animal owner disappeared at the end of the zinc applications and the treatment performed for the hypothyroidism (Biocan-M?). In conclusion, it was determined that the Micanfin vaccine application had not caused any side effects such as leukotrichia and the case was hypothyroidism.
Strategy for ecologic control in fighting Varroa destructor
Authors: Stanimirovic Zoran , Cirkovic Dragan , Pejin Ivana , Pejovic Dejan
Published: October 2011

The ectoparasite Varroa destructor is one of the most wide-spread parasites of the honey bee, which is increasing its resistence to traditional synthetic acaricides more and more with each year. New regulations on quality of the European Union ban the presence of residue in bee products, which rules out the use of chemical means in the course of the honey harvest. The concept of ecologic control of Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies implies the complementary use of adequate biotechnical and biophysical measures and treatments using preparations based on etheric oils and organic acids. The combination of these treatments according to the presented strategy makes it possible to keep varroasis under control.
Field evaluation of an orf vaccine in sheep and goat flocks with high neonatal mortality
Authors: Giadinis Nektarios , Filliusis George , Lafi Shawkat , Panousis Nikolaos , Pourliotis Konstantinos , Bojkovski Jovan , Karatzias Harilaos
Published: October 2011

A high percent of annual neonatal mortality attributed to orf infection was observed between 2001 and 2004 in 2 sheep and 2 mixed (sheep and goat) flocks of Northern Greece. In order to protect the neonatal lambs and kids from orf infection a commercially available live orf vaccine was used. Pregnant sheep and goats were vaccinated subcutaneously a month before parturition, while 10 sheep and 10 goats in each flock remained unvaccinated and were used as negative controls. The vaccine was significantly effective (P<0.05) in reducing the orf lesions and the mortality rate in lambs and kids of the 4 flocks. During the next year 3 of the 4 flocks were revaccinated. A significantly low percentage of orf lesions and neonatal mortality continued to occur in revaccinated flocks, while a significant percentage (P<0.05) of orf lesions and neonatal mortality reappeared in the nonrevaccinated flock. The antibody titres in vaccinated sheep and goats were increased significantly on days 60 and 105 post-vaccination, while the titres in the controls remained low (P<0.05).
Effect of natural zeolite on biochemical and hematological parameters in blood, body mass and growth of calves
Authors: Samanc Horea , Kirovski Danijela , Adamovic Milan , Vujanac Ivan , Fratric Natalija , Prodanovic Radisa
Published: October 2011

The work presents the results of investigations of the effect of natural zeolite (clinoptilolite type) on the degree of resumption of cloistral immunoglobulin, the value of hematological parameters and enzyme activity in blood serum (AST, ALT, and LDH), body mass, and daily growth of calves in the first three months of life. Investigations were carried out on three groups of 10 male and female calves each, with a 1:1 ratio of sexes, (control, K, and two experimental groups, I and II), of the black-and-white breed, Holstein type. All three groups of calves were fed with the usual rations (colostrum, collective cows' milk, fodder mix with 18% total proteins, and Lucerne hay).The experimental groups of calves, as opposed to the controls, received colostrums and collective cows' milk with the addition of a preparation based on natural zeolite in quantities of 5 and 10 g/l milk. The concentration of immunoglobulin G in blood serum of experimental groups of calves was significantly higher than the values of the control group (35.9?6.43 g/l in Group I; 32.5?7.39 g/l in Group II; 20.8?6.88 g/l in control group K). The results of the investigations of the values of hematological parameters (number of erythrocytes, hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit value) do not show any digressions from the physiological values and are approximately the same in the experimental and the control groups of calves, which indicates that the examined quality of the zeolite-based preparation did not affect the degree of the resumption of iron and other oligoelements significant for erythropoietin. The data on the enzyme activity in blood serum indicate that the examined preparation does not cause any significant functional or morphological changes in the tissue of parenchymatous organs or muscles. There were no significant disorders in the health of calves of the experimental groups, while 3 calves of the control group had gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea). Calves of experimental group I which received colostrum and collective cows' milk with an addition of 5g zeolite/l milk had a significantly greater average body mass and daily growth on the 90th day of life than calves of the control group (116.0-6.9: 105.3-6.4 kg, and 0.868:0.743 g). The addition of natural zeolite in quantities of 5 g/l colostrum or milk yields better results and has an advantage over the higher doze of zeolite of 10 g/l.
Accurate calculation of the bound states of the quantum dipole problem in two dimensions
Authors: Amore Paolo
Published: October 2011

We present an accurate calculation of the energies of the bound states of the quantumdipole problemin two dimensions using a Rayleigh-Ritz approach. We obtain an upper bound for the energy of the ground state, which is by far the most precise in the literature for this problem. We also obtain an alternative estimate of the fundamental energy of the model performing an extrapolation of the results corresponding to different subspaces. Finally, our calculation of the energies of the first 500 states shows a perfect agreement with the expected asymptotic behavior.
Vegetation history reconstructed from anthracology and pollen analysis at the rescue excavation of the MO Motorway, Hungary
Authors: Náfrádi Katalin , Bodor Elvira , Törőcsik Tünde , Sümegi Pál
Published: October 2011

The significance of geoarchaeological investigations is indisputable in reconstructing the former environment and in studying the relationship between humans and their surroundings. Several disciplines have developed during the last few decades to give insight into earlier time periods and their climatic conditions (e.g. palynology, malacology, archaeobotany, phytology and animal osteology). Charcoal and pollen analytical studies from the rescue excavation of the MO motorway provide information about the vegetation changes of the past. These methods are used to reconstruct the environment of the former settlements and to detect the human impact and natural climatic changes. The sites examined span the periods of the Late-Copper Age, Late-Bronze Age, Middle-Iron Age, Late-Iron Age, Sarmatian period, Late Sarmatian period, Migration period, Late-Migration period and Middle Ages. The vegetation before the Copper Age is based only on pollen analytical data. Anthracological results show the overall dominance of Quercus and a great number of Ulmus, Fraxinus, Acer, Fagus, Alnus and Populus/Salix tree fossils, as well as the residues of fruit trees present in the charred wood assemblage.
THE PROBLEMS AND POSSIBILITIES OF INCREASING THE COMPETETIVE ADVANTAGE OF NATIONAL ECONOMY: A CASE OF LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY / ŠALIES ŪKIO KONKURENCINIO PRANAŠUMO DIDINIMO PROBLEMOS IR GALIMYBĖS: DARBO PRODUKTYVUMO ATVEJIS
Authors: Mačiulytė-Šniukienė Alma , Paliulis Narimantas Kazimieras
Published: October 2011

The article reveals a conception of national competitiveness and identifies the impact of the World Economic Forum on the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI). The paper discusses theoretical points and identifies factors determing changes in labour productivity. Also, the analysis of changes in labour productivity in Lithuania (2000–2009) have been performed discovering the causes of a decline in labour productivity in 2009. The article studies the impact of research and technological development (R&D) expenses, wages, direct foreign investments, tangible and intangible capital on labour productivity. The conclusion draws that an increase in investments in the research and development of the business sector is one of the ways to increase labour productivity and competitiveness in Lithuania.

Santrauka

Straipsnyje atskleista nacionalinio konkurencingumo samprata, nustatyta darbo produktyvumo įtaka „Pasaulio ekonomikos forumo“ skaičiuojamam Pasaulio konkurencingumo indeksui (PKI). Aptarti teoriniai darbo produktyvumo klausimai, nustatyti veiksniai, galintys nulemti darbo produktyvumo pokyčius. Taip pat atlikta Lietuvos darbo produktyvumo pokyčių 2000–2009 m. analizė, nustatytos darbo produktyvumo sumažėjimo 2009 m. priežastys. Ištirta išlaidų moksliniams tyrimams ir technologijų plėtrai (MTTP), darbo užmokesčio, tiesioginių užsienio investicijų, materialaus ir nematerialaus kapitalo įtaka darbo produktyvumui. Prieita prie išvados, kad vienas iš būdų kelti Lietuvos darbo produktyvumą, o drauge ir konkurencingumą – didinti investicijas į MTTP verslo sektorių.
Web Search Results Discovery by Multi-granular Graphs
Authors: Bordogna Gloria , Campi Alessandro , Psaila Giuseppe , Ronchi Stefania
Published: October 2011

In this chapter, the authors propose a novel multi-granular framework for visualization and exploration of the results of a complex search process, performed by a user by submitting several queries to possibly distinct search engines. The primary aim of the approach is to supply users with summaries, with distinct levels of details, of the results for a search process. It applies dynamic clustering to the results in each ordered list retrieved by a search engine evaluating a user’s query. The single retrieved items, the clusters so identified, and the single retrieved lists, are considered as dealing with topics at distinct levels of granularity, from the finest level to the coarsest one, respectively. Implicit topics are revealed by associating labels with the retrieved items, the clusters, and the retrieved lists. Then, some manipulation operators, defined in this chapter, are applied to each pair of retrieved lists, clusters, and single items, to reveal their implicit relationships. These relationships have a semantic nature, since they are labeled to approximately represent the shared documents and the shared sub-topics between each pair of combined elements. Finally, both the topics retrieved by the distinct searches and their relationships are represented through multi-granular graphs, that represent the retrieved topics at three distinct levels of granularity. The exploration of the results can be performed by expanding the graphs nodes to see their contents, and by expanding the edges to see their shared contents and their common sub-topics.
Stereoscopic Vision for Off-Road Intelligent Vehicles
Authors: Rovira-Más Francisco
Published: October 2011

After mechanization, the next disruptive technology in agriculture will probably be robotization. The introduction of information technology and automation in farm fields started in the eighties with the advent of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the subsequent development of Precision Agriculture. While being indispensable for many innovative applications, global positioning is not sufficient for all situations encountered in the field, where local sensing is essential if accurate and updated, information has to control automated vehicles. Safeguarding, high resolution mapping, and real time monitoring can only be achieved with local perception sensors such as cameras, lasers, and sonar rangers. However, machine vision offers multiple advantages over other sensing alternatives, and among imaging sensors, stereo vision provides the richest source of information for real time actuation. This chapter presents an overview of current and future applications of 3D stereo vision to off-road intelligent vehicles, with special emphasis in real problems found in agricultural environments and practical solutions devised to cope with them, as image noise, system configuration, and 3D data management. Several examples of stereo perception engines implemented in robotized off-road vehicles illustrate the concepts introduced along the chapter.
3D DMB Player and Its Reliable 3D Services in T-DMB Systems
Authors: Jung Cheolkon , Jiao Licheng
Published: October 2011

This chapter introduces a 3D DMB player which can provide realistic 3D services to consumers in terrestrial-digital multimedia broadcasting (T-DMB) systems. This chapter also provides a parameter approximation method which can create auto-stereoscopic images reliably in the 3D DMB player. Since the bit-budget for the transmission of additional data stream is strictly limited in current T-DMB systems, depth-image-based rendering (DIBR) techniques have been studied to provide 3D services in mobile devices. In order to create the auto-stereoscopic images reliably in the 3D DMB player, exact parameters such as convergence distance, scale factor, and far/near clipping plane should be given in contents. However, some contents contain unknown or inappropriate parameter values in a real environment. This makes it extremely difficult to create auto-stereoscopic images and provide consumers with reliable 3D services. Therefore, we explain how to approximate the rendering parameters by taking mobile display size into consideration. Experimental results show that the parameter approximation method can create auto-stereoscopic images reliably in the 3D DMB player.
Dynamic Analysis and Research of Motor’s Elastic Shaft of the Large Miner High Shearer’s Cutting Parts
Authors: Gao Hong Bing , Yang Zhao Jian
Published: October 2011

Take one large miner high electric draught shearer for example. According to the lumped mass method, the gear’s moment of inertia of the shearer’s cutting part was equivalent to the gears connecting the output shaft of the electric cutting motor, the stiffness of central shaft and coupling was equivalent to the output elastic shaft of the electric cutting motor, and the dynamic analysis model of the elastic shaft of the cutting part was set up. Based on this model, the lagrange equation was built. The critical speed of the elastic shaft system, the motion situation on main vibration and harmonic vibration mode, motor shaft’s angular displacement, angular velocity, and angular acceleration’s dynamic response process under the condition of step loads were all analyzed and obtained. The critical speed provided theoretical basis for choosing the working speed of every shaft system of the shearer. The hollow elastic shaft had a protective effect to cutting motor’s damping and overload. The research results provided theoretical basis for the design of the elastic shaft of large miner high shearer.
Improved Ant Colony Algorithm and its Application to the Parameter Optimization in Rainstorm Intensity Formula
Authors: Du Jia Xing , Miao Shao Hui , Zhao Bin , Li Hong Yun
Published: October 2011

Ant Colony Algorithm (ACA) is a kind of excellent algorithm which solves the problem of combination optimization. However, there are a great many difficulties when the ACA is used to solve the problems of continuous optimization directly. In the paper, the author tries to introduce the evolutional strategy of the variable domain search item in order to improve the ACA. The improved ACA is applied to solving the continuous problems such as the parameter optimization in rainstorm intensity formula. The result which is compared with the results of other optimizing algorithms shows that the improved ACA can be used to solve the parameter optimization in rainstorm intensity formula. Moreover, the rainstorm intensity formula which is obtained the optimizing parameters by all kinds of optimizing algorithms is compared with the effect of fitting initial data. It is better than other optimizing methods. Ant algorithm is a new bionic algorithm which is put forward by Italian academician, Dorigo, et al. The academicians are inspired by the result which people studied the real ant colony behavior in nature[a-b]. The ant colony in nature finds out finally the shortest route from the nest to the food source by information exchange and cooperation each other when they search for the food in nature. According to the similarity between the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) and the process, Dorigo et al. solves the TSP at last by releasing “man-made ant”. Subsequently, the ACA obtains a successful application in a series of combinatorial optimizing problems such as job-shop dispatching problem, assigning problem and sequential ordering. These applications show the superiority of the ACA in finding the solutions to the complicated discrete optimizing problems. However, the continuous optimizing problem is different from the combinatorial one. What to find the solutions to the continuous optimizing problems needs that the algorithm can produce its new solution in the continuous solution space in order to find out the most excellent one while the ACA itself doesn’t have the function. Therefore, there are a lot of difficulties to find the solution to continuous optimizing problem directly[c-e]. On the basis of deep study for a great many algorithms which are applied to continuous optimizing problem, the author tries to introduce the evolutional strategy into the ACA and expects that the improved ACA is used to solve the continuous optimizing problem. And the excellent algorithm is introduced to the meteorological fields to solve a number of continuous optimizing problems.
The Seperation of Flavonoids and Polyphenols from Eucommia Ulmoides Leaves and their Antioxidation In Vivo
Authors: Dong Wen Bin , Liu Di , Yang Jin , Xu Xian Meng
Published: October 2011

The flavoniods and polyphenols were separated from Eucommia ulmoids leaves by resin, at last, four components containing different ingredients were gotten. Two components, one of which contained more polyphenols, and one of which contained more flavoniods (EUII), were chosen for in vivo antioxidation test. The antioxidation activity in vivo was studied by measuring the content of malondialchehyche (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity in mice orally administrated by EUI and EUII. The results showed that 20% ethanol elution solution (EUI) contained more polyphenols and 60% ethanol elution solution (EUII) contained more flavoniods; by comparing with negative control (NC) group, EUI, which contained more polyphenols, showed more obvious antioxidation activities in vivo. The results also meant that polyphenols was the leading working material for Eucommia ulmoids leaves in antioxidation in vivo.
Engineering Application Research of Enhanced Microbiological Treatment for Coking Wastewater
Authors: Wang Yan Qiu , Lv Yan Li , Shan Ming Jun , Pan Da Wei
Published: October 2011

The wastewater from the coke plant is of poor biodegradability with high concentrations of ammonia and organic pollutants. The engineering application research of enhanced microbiological treatment for coking wastewater was carried out in a coking plant located in Heilongjiang province. The daily capacity of the project is 1600 cubic meters. The system including bioreactors was started up successfully in winter. The CODCrand ammonia nitrogen contents of influent were 2500mg/l and 260mg/l respectively and the effluent met the requirements of first grade standard in "Integrated Wastewater Discharge Standard" (GB 8978-1996). Compared with traditional full nitrification denitrification process, the project has such feathers as lower energy consumption, smaller area occupation, less alkali adding, lower excessive microorganisms production, lower construction and operation costs and higher processing efficiency.
Study on Purification of Eutrophic Lake Using Biological Agents
Authors: Pan Da Wei , Shan Ming Jun , Wang Yan Qiu , Lv Yan Li
Published: October 2011

Biological nutrient removal process is generally considered as the most efficient and cost-effective solution to deal with the pollution of natural water. In this paper, Contrastive experiments have been carried out to determine the feasibility of biological treatment of eutrophic lake water from Yingze lake of Anshan. The qualified native bacterium were selected, separated and enriched from the water and bottom sediment of eutrophic lake. The strains used in the experiments included native microbial strains and commercial strains. Contrastive experiments showed the microbial strains can effectively decrease COD, turbidity, ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen and total phosphorus and inhibit algae growth. The native microbial strains can rapidly adapt to lake water environment and perform their normal functions in a relatively shorter time compared with commercial strains. The removal of total phosphorus from lake water by native microbial strains was inferior to that of commercial strains, but native microbial strains in combination with commercial strains can greatly improve the removal of total phosphorus.
Antitumor Activities of Hydroxylated 9,10-Anthraquinone Derivatives
Authors: Wang Xing Po , Xu Wen Fang
Published: October 2011

A series of novel Hydroxylated 9,10-anthraquinone derivatives were designed and synthesized as potential antitumor agents starting from the natural product Emodin. The structures of the compounds were identified by NMR, ESI-MS and elemental analysis. Their antitumor activities against KLE cell line were tested by MTT assay. Some of them were found to exhibit a cytotoxicity profile more potent than Emodin on KLE cell line.
Steel Plates Subjected to Uniform Blast Loading
Authors: Oskouei A. Vatani , Kiakojouri F.
Published: October 2011

In this study, for behavior of steel plate which subjected to uniform blast loading the general purpose finite element software ABAQUS, was used. The aim of this paper is to recognize the effect of stiffener configurations, boundary conditions, mesh dependency, load patterns, geometry of plates and damping on dynamic response of the plates. Special emphasis is focused on the evolution of mid-point displacements. The results show that stiffener configuration and boundary conditions have a significant influence on the response, while the effects of damping and load pattern on maximum response are negligible. The results obtained allow an insight into the effect of stiffener configurations and other parameters on the response of the plates under uniform blast loading.
Research on Cooling Effect with Cooling Groove Structure Parameters of Liquid Rocket Engine Thrust Chamber
Authors: Nie Tao , Liu Wei Qiang
Published: October 2011

To study the effects of wall thickness, rib height and groove width on cooling effect and pressure drop, three dimensional heat transfer of liquid propellant rocket engine with cooling groove is numerically investigated using gas-solid-liquid coupled heat transfer model. The one-dimensional model is adopted to describe the coolant flow and 3D heat transfer model is used to calculate the coupling heat transfer through the wall. In this text, wall thickness, rib height and groove width varied while the groove number is fixed and coolant mass flow rate remains constant. When liner material is QZr0.2 alloy, we find the optimal design point of the aspect ratio. Moreover, a fitting function of the optimal aspect ratio is acquired. The biggest error of the fitting function is 3.3% compared with numerical results.
Properties of Graphite Matrix Composite Bipolar Plate Reinforced by Short Carbon Fiber
Authors: Wang Yan Ming , Wang Wei Qiang , Li Ai Ju
Published: October 2011

Short carbon fiber is used to reinforce phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin/graphite composite. With carbon fiber by thick nitric acid liquid-phase oxidative surface treatment (TNALPOST) and its content 3.wt%~ 4.wt%, the composite flexural strength is increased highly and electrical conductivity is also increased on some degree. To PF resin/graphite matrix material without carbon fiber added, if PF resin content is 15.wt%, its flexural strength is 49.0MPa and electrical conductivity is 111S/cm. But with adding carbon fiber by TNALPOST and the same PF resin content , the composite flexural strength and electrical conductivity approach 68MPa、122S/cm respectively, both mechanical property and electrical property satisfy the requirement of USA Department of Energy on carbon filler/polymer composite bipolar plate. The PF resin/graphite composite without carbon fiber added presents brittle fracture mode, but with carbon fiber added, it presents ductile fracture mode. According to the fracture morphology by scanning electron microscopy, carbon fiber and matrix is on relatively weak boundary bonding state accompanied by fiber de-bounding、sliding、pulling-out and bridge-making to crack, they are main factors contributed to improving composite toughness.
Controlled Preparation of Microporous Polymer Membrane by Simple Biodegradation Method
Authors: Guo Gui Zhen , Sun You Yi , Yang Bin Hua , Liu Ya Qing
Published: October 2011

A microporous poly(vinyl alcohol)/Starch composite polymer membrane was successfully synthesized by a biodegradation method. Effects of different poly(vinyl alcohol)/Starch compositions on the porous structures of the porous polymer membranes were further investigated in detail. The characteristic properties of PVA/ Starch composite polymer membranes were systematically studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), SL200B angle of contact instrument and Sturm test. The result shows the formation of 1μm-10μm microporous in the blend polymer membrane, which strongly depended on the content of starch in the blend. This method is convenient and will greatly promote the practical application of porous polymer membranes in various areas.