bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polynomial chaos to efficiently compute the annual energy production in wind farm layout optimization
Authors: Padrón Andrés Santiago , Thomas Jared , Stanley Andrew P. J. , Alonso Juan J. , Ning Andrew
Published: January 2018

Abstract. In this paper, we develop computationally-efficient techniques to calculate statistics used in wind farm optimization with the goal of enabling the use of higher-fidelity models and larger wind farm optimization problems. We apply these techniques to maximize the Annual Energy Production (AEP) of a wind farm by optimizing the position of the individual wind turbines. The AEP (a statistic itself) is the expected power produced by the wind farm over a period of one year subject to uncertainties in the wind conditions (wind direction and wind speed) that are described with empirically-determined probability distributions. To compute the AEP of the wind farm, we use a wake model to simulate the power at different input conditions composed of wind direction and wind speed pairs. We use polynomial chaos (PC), an uncertainty quantification method, to construct a polynomial approximation of the power over the entire stochastic space and to efficiently (using as few simulations as possible) compute the expected power (AEP). We explore both regression and quadrature approaches to compute the PC coefficients. PC based on regression is significantly more efficient than the rectangle rule (the method most commonly used to compute the expected power). With PC based on regression, we have reduced by as much as an order of magnitude the number of simulations required to accurately compute the AEP, thus enabling the use of more expensive, higher-fidelity models or larger wind farm optimizations. We perform a large suite of gradient-based optimizations with different initial turbine locations and with different numbers of samples to compute the AEP. The optimizations with PC based on regression result in optimized layouts that produce the same AEP as the optimized layouts found with the rectangle rule but using only one-third of the samples. Furthermore, for the same number of samples, the AEP of the optimal layouts found with PC is 1 % higher than the AEP of the layouts found with the rectangle rule.
Sonoridades africanas en Iberoamérica: La marimba tradicional afroesmeraldeña, Ecuador
Authors: Palacios Mateos Fernandeo
Published: January 2018

Los instrumentos musicales reflejan, tanto en sus sonoridades como en sus materiales de construcción y disposición física, un proceso histórico social y una realidad cultural determinados; constituyen ámbitos de lectura de las distintas culturas en las que se insertan. El presente artículo aborda desde el contexto sociocultural, histórico y organológico el instrumento musical representativo de la cultura afrodescendiente del litoral pacífico del norte de Ecuador, la marimba. Transita por sus orígenes, materiales y técnicas de construcción, así como por sus características musicales representativas. La población afrodescendiente de la provincia de Esmeraldas, conformada progresivamente desde la diáspora afroamericana hasta nuestros días, constituye a la marimba como un ícono de su cultura, un cálido timbre que la representa.
La innovación como estrategia para el desarrollo de los sistemas en la agricultura familiar de Nicaragua
Authors: Guzmán Gómez Maurucio Antonio
Published: January 2018

El presente artículo es una investigación documental de referencia bibliográfica de tipo no experimental, concerniente al tema de “la Innovación como Estrategia para el Desarrollo de los Sistemas en la Agricultura Familiar de Nicaragua”, publicados con el  objetivo de que el lector comprenda y aprenda  de este nuevo modelo. Actualmente los países de las Américas enfrenten el desafío común de lograr un desarrollo competitivo y sostenible de la agricultura, que sea compatible con la conservación y el manejo adecuado de los recursos naturales, y con la reducción del hambre y la pobreza en la agricultura familiar. En esencia, hay todo un reto de promover innovaciones, tanto  tecnológicas como institucionales para la superación de este flagelo, que tiene que ver con respuestas integrales, mediante alianzas multiactores en los propios territorios. Tomando en cuenta esta problemática, el Gobierno de Nicaragua ha orientado la creación del Sistema Nicaragüense de Investigación e Innovación Agropecuaria SNIA, con el propósito de mejorar la coordinación, compartir información y complementar los procesos de investigación e innovación entre todos los sectores. Sin embargo, hace falta mucho por hacer para empoderar bajo este sistema a las Instiuciones y organizaciones públicas y privadas de que de alguna manera realizan trabajo en los territorios.
Editorial
Authors: Arévalo Cuadra Raúl
Published: January 2018

Editorial Revista Torreón Universitario / Año 6 / No. 15 / febrero - mayo 2017
Moldeando identidad en los talleres alfareros de San Juan de Oriente
Authors: González Hodgson Kevin
Published: January 2018

El presente artículo hace un esbozo general sobre la producción de diseños cerámicos que configuran la identidad cultural de San Juan de Oriente, Masaya, considerando que su cultura material es resultado de la herencia transmitida por generaciones en el tiempo y ha estado sujeta a modelos alienantes y correlacionados al fenómeno de globalización cuya tendencia ha penetrado el orden sociocultural local, motivando una variabilidad en la forma y contenido de elaborar diseños cerámicos. Los resultados exponen de manera sintetizada, la situación actual sobre la producción alfarera en los talleres frente al sistema de mercado que impera hoy así, como la puesta de un catálogo cerámico que tiene utilidad práctica, por cuanto, recoge un registro visual de diseños morfológicos y decorativos de origen prehispánicos que contribuyen a la revitalización del arte cerámico de sus creadores mediante la enseñanza de valores y conocimientos propios de su cultura, aportando de esta manera al fortalecimiento de su identidad.
O revivalismo medieval pelas lentes do gênero: as fotografias De Julia Margaret Cameron para a obra the Idylls of the King e outros poemas de Alfred Tennyson
Authors: Pereira Maria Cristina
Published: January 2018

Pioneira na arte da fotografia, Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879) produziu centenas de retratos e tableaux vivants. Estes últimos, embora inseridos no movimento Pré-Rafaelita então em voga na Inglaterra, davam mostra de uma visão da Idade Média um pouco distinta da que seus contemporâneos ajudaram a construir: menos heroica e mais íntima, com grande quantidade e protagonismo de mulheres. A fim de estudar suas ideias a esse respeito, analisaremos neste artigo um conjunto de imagens feitas por ela em 1874 para a obra The Idylls of the King, de Alfred Tennyson, com histórias da corte do rei Artur (além de cinco outros poemas também marcados pelo medievalismo), e faremos comparações com outro conjunto de imagens feitas para aquela mesma obra: as 36 gravuras que o ilustrador francês Gustave Doré publicou entre 1867 e 1868
Poéticas de gênero e a transexualidade das fotografias bordadas
Authors: Vasco Marcela
Published: January 2018

Neste artigo, é explorado o uso do bordado como metodologia de pesquisa em dois campos de conhecimento aparentemente distintos - os estudos da transexualidade e a antropologia da imagem -, a fim de propor uma abordagem mais particular tanto da transexualidade quanto da imagem, explorando possíveis encontros, contornos e emaranhados das linhas que as ligam.
Scripts juvenis delineados em imagens digitais: consumo, relações de gênero e sociabilidades
Authors: Zdradek Ana Carolina Sampaio , Beck Dinah Quesada
Published: January 2018

O presente trabalho é parte de uma pesquisa de mestrado na qual foi discutida e problematizada a construção das juventudes contemporâneas. O aporte teórico está inscrito no campo dos Estudos de Gênero e dos Estudos Culturais pós-estruturalistas. A partir do movimento metodológico da netnografia entendeu-se a linguagem como processo central nas cenas publicitárias da campanha “Fanta – Leva na boa”. O estudo coloca em tensionamento o modo como se movimentam normas, definições e compreensões a partir da construção de uma identidade descolada e alto astral produzida pela Fanta. A participação ativa de jovens nas redes sociais se mostrou a principal estratégia para efetivação do consumo e nesse cenário diferentes roteiros foram construídos para vivências jovens, os quais acionam efeitos de sentido sobre comunicação digital, gênero e relações sociais.
A sedução da floresta selvagem: representações sobre identidade étnica na imigração alemã no Rio Grande do Sul
Authors: Gevehr Daniel Luciano , Dilly Gabriela
Published: January 2018

Analisam-se as representações sobre o espaço natural e as aproximações existentes entre os nativos e os imigrantes alemães no Rio Grande do Sul, construídas em diferentes épocas e contextos, pelo intelectual e político Karl Von Koseritz, pelo jesuíta Ambrósio Schupp e pelo monsenhor Matias José Gansweidt. Privilegiamos em nossa pesquisa os escritos produzidos por Koseritz e Schupp no final do século XIX, colocando os Mucker como exemplo dos colonizadores que foram seduzidos pela natureza selvagem e, com isso, comparados aos nativos que habitavam a região. Num segundo momento, aproximamos nossa análise sobre os escritos de Matias José Gansweidt, que na década de 1920, produziu suas narrativas sobre os ataques dos nativos nas áreas ocupadas pelos imigrantes alemães no Rio Grande do Sul.
Yield and Quality Performance of Italian and American Strawberry Genotypes in Brazil
Authors: Diel Maria I. , Pinheiro Marcos V. Marques , Cocco Carine , Caron Braulio O. , Fontana Daniele C. , Meira Daniela , Thiesen Leonardo A. , Schmidt Denise
Published: January 2018

The strawberry cultivars show variation in agronomic performance when grown in different regions of the world, due to the genotype × environment interaction. The aim of the study was to evaluate the yield performance and quality of Italian and American strawberry cultivars. We evaluated the phyllochron, which measures the time required for the emission of successive leaves in a plant, the number and commercial and non-commercial fruit yield, titratable acidity and total soluble solids (obtained from evaluations of the Brix degree of the fruit). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with 11 treatments, which were composed of the Italian strawberry cultivars (CREA-FRF PIR 29, CREA-FRF PA3, CREA-FRF CE 51, CREA-FRF CE 56, CREA-FRF Jônica and CREA-FRF Pircinque) and American (Albion, Camarosa, San Andreas, Camino Real and Aromas), with four replications per treatment, eight plants per plot, giving a total 32 plants per cultivar. Analysis of variance showed differences for phyllochron, marketable fruits yield and total soluble solids content. The American cultivar Albion showed higher phyllochron, the cultivar CREA-FRF Pircinque the lowest phyllochron. The highest yields of marketable fruits were found in American cultivars Camino Real and CREA-FRF Pircinque. The higher solids soluble was observed in Italian cultivars. Thus, we highlight the Italian strawberry cultivars, because they reflect good yield when compared to the American cultivars.
The evolution of the goals and conditions of the execution of the penalty of deprivation of liberty from the Middle Ages to the present day
Authors: Bieda Justyna , Rydz-Sybilak Katarzyny
Published: January 2018

The functions of prisons in old Poland, their role and organization changed along with the evolution of views on the objectives of the institution of punishment in the system of criminal law. The picture will be completely different if the punishment is to have a main rehabilitation effect, and another when the basic premise of the penal policy is the principle of deterrence, not the moral improvement of the offender (it was in Poland until the 18th century).
The penalty of deprivation of liberty could be carried out in five different ways. The choice of prison was primarily determined by the type of crime committed, but also the state of the convict was very important.
The first, as early as the 12th-13th centuries are prisons, in which the population of lower states, ie townsmen, and peasants, were imprisoned. Initially, they play only a preventive role. In the Middle Ages, an upper tower was also developed, mainly applied to the nobility, it was an institution in which convicted in decent, even home conditions performed his penance.
In the modern era, ie in the first half of the 16th century, a lower tower
is being established, often not so much a place of imprisonment, but a place of slow death.
Significant changes in the character and function of penitentiary institutions were brought by the 18th century, which was connected with the enlightenment flowing into the Republic of Poland, under which the punishment was also to be a means of improvement and rehabilitation, and not only revenge. The practice of imprisoning people in the tower, which was only a place of penance, deprived of any rehabilitation factors, slowly disappears, while prison comes to the fore. Here, the marshal prison should be pointed out, constituting a symbol of changes taking place, a modern facility in which the convict punished in humane conditions for those times, but above all, he was cared for his moral improvement, so that in the future he would not return to crime. The houses of improvement and forced labor houses started to play an extremely important role, the goal of which was to improve the prisoners through work and prayer.
European Model for Restorative Justice with Children and Young People. Conclusions for Poland
Authors: Czarnecka-Dzialuk Beata
Published: January 2018

The article presents main results of the European Research on Restorative Juvenile Justice organized by International Juvenile Justice Observatory (IJJO) and European Council for Juvenile Justice (ECJJ). In three books resulted of the research, available online, there is information on restorative practices in juveniles cases in 28 European Union Member States, then the European Model for Restorative Justice with Children and Young People that has been elaborated on the basis of best practices. The Toolkit for Professionals contains useful practical indications for implementing different restorative justice programs. Although there is scientific evidence of benefits of restorative processes, no country reaches the full potencial of restorative justice. This is especially true with Poland, in spite of having legislation (however, concerning just one of restorative processes, namely mediation, that should be improved), a group of trained mediators, examples of good practise of certain restorative programs and measures. There is strong need to promote restorative proceedings among practitioners and in the society and undertake research to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of restorative justice.
Privatization of Prisons - Old or New Problem? Perspective for Poland.
Authors: Zalewski Wojciech , Kędzierski Bartosz
Published: January 2018

At the moment, we are witnessing an ever stronger expansion of the private sector in the criminal policy of modern States. This issue is also noticeable on the Polish ground. A particular expression of this issue is the privatization of the prison sector. The authors of this study discuss the problem of privatization of the prison system in a historical perspective referring to systems in which a private prison is already in operation. The historical perspective is particularly important in relation to the postulates of creating analogous solutions in Poland.
Review and comments on the background of the book, "Whether and which prisons are needed. Reflections on Contemporary Issues. Anniversary Book on the occasion of 25 years of the Polish Penitentiary Association". Scientific eds.: Piotr Stępniak, Tomasz Kalisz and Wojciech Zalewski.
Authors: Utrat-Milecki Jarosław
Published: January 2018

This presentation was prepared for the 25th anniversary of the Polish Penitentiary Association. Its Editors suggested the invited authors to submit articles relating to four basic issues:
1) the dysfunctionality of the penalty of deprivation of liberty;
2) the alternatives to custodial sentences;
3) the problem of increasing participation in the population of prisoners with unfavorable criminal and social forecasts as a side effect of the development of an alternative to the penalty of deprivation of liberty (this is determined by the compression of the prison population);
4) the question of the complexity of the process of rational execution of the penalty of deprivation of liberty.
The influence of chemical composition
of nanofluids on dimensional changes
of hardened constructional steel
Authors: Gęstwa W.
Published: January 2018

Purpose: The possibility definition of utilization of the quenching from the nanofluids group
is to the hardened of elements created from constructional steels. The definition of influence
size of nanofluids on the dimension changes of the element created from low carbon
constructional steel is also the important aspect of this work.
Design/methodology/approach: Methodology used during investigations enclosed two
areas. First area enclosed the investigation of quenching mediums propriety in the support
about the English method, which permitted estimate of their warmth receipt ability in the
support about cooling curved in the arrangement the temperature – the time or the cooling
speed. Second area enclosed the investigations of the hardened element which let define
dimension changes and hardness on the transverse section. The formed structure was also
estimated on the cross section in the support about the light microscope.
Findings: of this article is show the possibility obtainment of minimum dimension changes
the element of the cooled in nanofluids near the retained of hardness and structure on the
level which was got in the quenching mediums until now used for the studied material. The
summery up the use of quenching mediums of the nanofluids group at the base of distilled
water, ammoniac water and Al2O3 nanoparticles causes decrease of dimension changes
near keep on the same of hardness of hardened elements from constructional steel.
Research limitations/implications: Research limitations result from the quantity of
the quenching mediums used in the investigations which one can use as the point of the
reference for nanofluids. This arose from initial investigations over this aspect, which is the
dimension change of elements. It should also use real the parts of machines or tool in farther
investigations.
Practical implications: of results presented in this article, we will get in the range of the
construction projecting of steel elements, where should consider technological surpluses
for this element and material proprieties which has to which meet. For full utilization in the
practice, however you should conduct additional investigations still both in the laboratory
scale, how and industrial.
Originality/value: Originality of this article is the performance of the influence of quenching
mediums from the group nanofluids on the dimension changes of hardened steel elements.
Psychometric properties and factor structure of the satisfaction with life scale in an elderly portuguese students sample.
Authors: López-Ramos Yolanda , Navarro-Pardo Esperanza , Fernández Muñoz Juan José , Da Silva Pocinho Ricardo Filipe
Published: January 2018

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) in a 363 retirees students sample from several Portuguese universities. The 70% were female (253) and 30% were male (110) with an average age of 67 years (SD = 7.59) and a range from 48 to 90 years. R commander was used for Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Amos 18.0 module for Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). One factor solution was the best-fitting model. The internal consistency of the SWLS was .769. Correlational analysis showed negative relationships with loneliness (UCLA Scale) and symptoms of depression (15-GDS), supporting concurrent validity. The SWLS can be used with confidence in future research among elderly students to measure their life satisfaction. Some limitations of the results and its applications in other samples are discussed.
Evaluación experimental de programas para el desarrollo emocional en docentes de Educación Secundaria
Authors: Torrijos Fincias Patricia , Torrecilla Sánchez Eva María , Rodríguez Conde María José
Published: January 2018

 

Emotional intelligence is a predictive factor of wellbeing among teachers. The discussion therefore focuses on the pertinence of, and need for, developing competences in Secondary Education teachers. This involves the design, implementation and evaluation of two training programmes linked to conflict management and the promotion of emotional competences.

 

The efficacy of the training programmes is studied through the adoption of a pre-experimental type research design with pre/post-test measures. The results obtained following the application of both these programmes show statistically significant changes (p <  .05) in the different dimensions of competence. It is therefore concluded that there is empirical evidence to support the hypothesis that emotional competence is enhanced by appropriate educational experiences, empowering teachers to face the challenges of their classroom practices.

 
Escala de Desarrollo Armónico: un estudio de validación
Authors: Abellán Olivares Francisco Javier , Rabadán Anta Rafael , Calvo Llena María Teresa
Published: January 2018

This paper gathers firstly, the study of psychometric validation of the Scale of Harmonic Development (SHD) (Abellán, 2011). 218 children between the ages of 0-12 years were participated in the study. The exploratory factorial analysis showed the one-dimensional nature of the scale as a whole and all its subscales; as well as the internal consistency of the measurements and the adequacy of the items, revealing the scale’s usefulness as a screening test for prevention of children’s development. Secondly, a first approach to the scale’s validation process is presented in this dissertation, for which another 67 six-year-old children were evaluated. The concurrent validation with the scales IDB (Fundació Catalana per a la Síndrome de Down, 1998) and BLOC Screening (Puyuelo, Renom, Selanas & Wiig, 2002) conducted through analysis of correlations provided contradictory data that will be contrasted in future studies with a broader sample.
An engineered bacterium auxotrophic for an unnatural amino acid: a novel biological containment system
Authors: Kato Yusuke
Published: January 2018

Biological containment is a genetic technique to program dangerous organisms to grow only in the laboratory and to die in the natural environment. Auxotropy for a substance not found in the natural environment is an ideal biological containment. Here, we constructed an Escherichia coli strain that cannot survive in the absence of the unnatural amino acid 3-iodo-L-tyrosine. This synthetic auxotrophy was achieved by conditional production of the antidote protein against the highly toxic enzyme colicin E3. An amber stop codon was inserted in the antidote gene. The translation of the antidote mRNA was controlled by a translational switch using amber-specific 3-iodo-L-tyrosine incorporation. The antidote is synthesized only when 3-iodo-L-tyrosine is present in the culture medium. The viability of this strain rapidly decreased with less than a 1 h half-life after removal of 3-iodo-L-tyrosine, suggesting that the decay of the antidote causes the host killing by activated colicin E3 in the absence of this unnatural amino acid. This containment system can be constructed by only plasmid introduction without genome editing, suggesting that this system may be applicable to other microbes carrying toxin-antidote systems similar to that of colicin E3.
Forever young... Colonization pattern of epibionts on Posidonia oceanica artificial leaves in relation to ocean acidification
Authors: Gambi Maria Cristina , Di Meglio Emanuela , Donnarumma Luigia
Published: January 2018

Ocean acidification (OA) is today considered one of the most pervasive stressors for marine biota at the level of species, communities and ecosystems. Naturally acidified systems, such as the CO2 vents, represent suitable laboratories to study the effects of OA on benthic organisms. An analysis of the colonization pattern of epibionts settled on artificial leaves (mimics) of Posidonia oceanica in relation to ocean acidification at the shallow CO2 vents off the island of Ischia, is here presented. Mimics of Posidonia oceanica artificial leaves (dark green flexible PVC stripes 1 cm wide x 36 cm long) were placed from September 2009 to September 2010 along a gradient of OA of the Ischia vent’s system at six stations (3 on the south and 3 on the north side of the study area), located at extreme low pH (mean pH 7.5), low pH (7.8), and control, normal pH conditions (8.12). Six artificial leaves per station were collected every three months and analysed for taxa identification and estimates of coverage (algae and sessile clonal invertebrates) and number of individuals (not clonal taxa). Patterns of colonization in control stations showed a progressive increase in time in coverage values of many organisms, mainly calcifying forms as coralline algae, which represent the dominant taxon, spirorbids and bryozoans. Colonization of artificial leaves located in low pH stations followed a similar temporal pattern as control conditions, but with lower coverage and higher patchiness of calcareous forms at 12 months of colonization. Epibionts in extreme low pH conditions were dominated by filamentous green/brown algae, with the occurrence of a few coralline algae, spirorbids and bryozoans, especially in the early months of colonization (3 and 6 months). Colonization at 9 and 12 months showed the disappearance of even these rare calcareous organisms and occurrence only of filamentous turf and fleshy algae, with a very simplified epibiont assemblage, remaining at an early, young colonization stage. These results indicate a strong selection of calcareous forms and the lack of successional stages in extreme low pH conditions, while the few calcifiers settled at short exposure time (3-6 months) do not seem to survive at longer exposure to critical values of OA.
Neuroanatomy of the Upper Cretaceous turtle Chedighaii hutchisoni Gaffney, Tong & Meylan, 2006 (Pleurodira, Bothremydidae)
Authors: Deantoni Fernanda
Published: January 2018

Background. While Computed Tomography scanning is a powerful non-invasive tool for the study of paleoneurology, the neuroanatomy of turtles remains unexplored in comparison to other higher taxa. I herein present data on the morphology of intracranial structures of Chedighaii hutchisoni based on CT scan generated endocasts. Methods. The CT scan of C. hutchisoni (KUVP 14765, holotype) was virtually manipulated using software Mimics (Materialise) v.10.01, with manual correction and preparation of internal structures in coronal view. Results. The endocast presents poorly demarcated flexures and cartilaginous rider, and cerebral hemisphere region larger than medulla. The abducens nerve (CNVI) canal is slightly curved and thinner than the internal carotid canal (cci). The semicircular canals are approximately the same caliber as the cci. The anterior (csa) and posterior (csp) semicircular canals form an angle of 80° and are equally elevated. The facial nerve (CNVII) canal is short and extends posterolaterally into the prootic; the junction with the cci happens at mid-length of the CNVII canal. One ramus of the statoacustic nerve (CNVIII) is visible. In the ophistotic there is one paired foramina for the glossopharyngeal nerve (CNIX). Discussion. The endocast of C. hutchisoni is in many aspects similar to the other bothremydids Galianemys whitei and G. emringeri, with some particularities. The canal of CNVI shows an intermediate condition between G. whitei (shorter, thinner than cci and rounded, handle-shaped) and G. emringeri (longer, thicker than cci and almost rectilinear). The semicircular canals are slightly thicker than in other studied pelomedusoids and chelids (e.g. Chelus fimbriatus and Elseya dentata), and the bony labyrinth is similar to that of G. emringeri, although in both Galianemys species the csa is more elevated than the csp in the common crus. The angle between csa and csp is also similar to G. emringeri and other pelomedusoids such as Podocnemis unifilis, P. expansa, Caninemys tridentata and Peltocephalus dumerillianus. C. hutchisoni presents one paired foramina for CNIX, not visible in both Galianemys species. Compared to an endocast of C. barberi (originally misidentified as Bothremys sp.), C. hutchisoni presents greater cerebrum/medulla width proportion, the cci of C. barberi is thicker and enters the sella turcica in a acuter angle, and CNVI is visible in ventral view in C. barberi, whereas in C. hutchisoni it hides beneath the cci. Further studies will help elucidate the variation of intracranial structures in Bothremydidade and in the remaining pleurodires families.
Germination of Acacia harpophylla (Brigalow) seeds in relation to soil water potential: Implications for rehabilitation of a threatened ecosystem
Authors: Arnold Sven , Kailichova Yolana , Baumgartl Thomas
Published: January 2018

Initial soil water conditions play a critical role when seeding is the primary approach of revegetation on post-mining areas. In some semi-arid climates, such as the Brigalow Belt Bioregion in eastern Australia, extensive areas are affected by surface mine developments. Together with erratic rainfall patterns and clayey soils water deficit is the primary environmental stressor, which makes the Brigalow Belt representative for other water-limited ecosystems worldwide. Apart from other environmental stressors germination is governed by the water potential of the surrounding soil material. While previous studies confirmed the high tolerance of Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) seeds to a broad range of temperature and salinity, the question remains how soil water potential triggers seed germination. In this study, we used three replicates of 50 seeds of predominant native Brigalow to investigate germination in relation to water potential as environmental stressor. Solutions of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG 6000) were applied to expose seeds to nine osmotic water potentials ranging from soil water saturation (0 kPa) and field capacity (-10 to -30 kPa) to the permanent wilting point (-1,500 kPa). We measured germinability (number of germinated seeds relative to total number of seeds per lot) and mean germination time (mean time required for maximum germination of a seed lot) to quantify germination. Based on these empirical data we estimated the parameters of the hydrotime model, which facilitates to simulate timing and success of seed emergence. Our findings indicate that Brigalow seeds are remarkably water stress tolerant with germination being observed at a water potential as low as -1,500 kPa. Likewise, the average base water potential of a seed population (hydrotime model) was very low and ranged between -1,533 kPa and -1,451 kPa. In general, Brigalow seeds germinate opportunistically over a broad range of abiotic conditions related to temperature, salinity, and water availability. Direct seeding and germination of native plants on post-mining land may be an effective and economically viable solution in order to re-establish plant communities. However, due to their ability of asexual reproduction, alternative rehabilitation approaches such as transplantation of whole soil-root compartments may become attractive for restoration ecologists to achieve safe, stable, and non-polluting ecosystems.
Signals from real-world falls
Authors: Klenk Jochen , Palmerini Luca , Bourke Alan K , Schwickert Lars , Becker Clemens ,   the FARSEEING group
Published: January 2018

Objective measurement of real-world fall events by using body-worn sensor devices can improve the understanding of falls in older people and enable new technology to prevent, predict, and automatically recognize falls. However, relative to the required recording time, these events are rare and hence challenging to capture. Therefore, the FARSEEING (FAll Repository for the design of Smart and sElf-adapaive Environments prolonging INdependent livinG) consortium and associated partners established a meta-database of signals from real-world falls. Until the end of 2014, 397 falls were measured and reported. This includes falls data from several settings and disease groups, mainly geriatric rehabilitation, Parkinson’s disease, cerebellar and sensory ataxia. Seventy-five per cent of the falls were measured with a sampling rate of 100 Hz with devices including at least accelerometers and gyroscopes. To date more than 100 of these real-world falls have been validated and finally processed for data analyses. The observed signal patterns showed a high heterogeneity and differed considerably from those of simulated falls. Preliminary analyses of the available real-world falls data with two different fall-detection approaches using wavelets as well as temporal and mechanical thresholds considerably improved the detection performance. The FARSEEING consortium will continue to increase the number of measured real-world falls in the meta-database beyond the end of the project. External users can request data access on the FARSEEING website.
Seagrass ecosystems status between the sliding baseline syndrome and the need for reference conditions
Authors: Montefalcone Monica , Vacchi Matteo , Morri Carla , Ferrari Marco , Bianchi Carlo Nike
Published: January 2018

Marine coastal ecosystems are facing compositional and functional changes due to the increasing human footprint worldwide, and the assessment of their long-term changes becomes particularly challenging in this new "Anthropocene Epoch". Measures of change can be done by comparing the present ecosystem status to a defined baseline representing the reference condition. The "syndrome" of the sliding (or shifting) baselines, which describes the incremental lowering of ecological standards, has become a major concern when long-term changes have to be assessed because an already degraded environment status could be accepted as reference. The challenge of delineating ecosystems change in the context of sliding baselines is particularly relevant along highly anthropized coasts, as the case of the Liguria (NW Mediterranean Sea), where pristine coastal areas could not be expected anymore. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EEC) suggests three approaches to define reference conditions: i) comparison with the status in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs); ii) use of historical information; iii) modelling. Here we report recent applications of these three approaches in Liguria to assess the status of seagrass meadow ecosystem. Ligurian MPAs are too recent and often insufficiently enforced, so that Posidonia oceanica meadows developing in MPAs are far from the expected good ecological status. Available historical information on seagrass distribution was sometime unreliable. Models are promising but face intellectual difficulties (e.g., choice of descriptors). Validating historical data with predictive models showed effective in delineating the trajectory of change experienced by the Ligurian seagrass meadows. Many meadows have been lost and most are showing structural degradation, which favoured the substitution by alien green algae of the genus Caulerpa and triggered a phase shift in the seagrass ecosystems, with the consequent loss of biodiversity, functioning and economic value of the ecosystem services provided by healthy meadows.
Can DNA-based ecosystem assessments quantify species abundance? Testing primer bias and biomass - sequence relationships with an innovative metabarcoding protocol
Authors: Elbrecht Vasco , Leese Florian
Published: January 2018

Metabarcoding is an emerging genetic tool to rapidly assess biodiversity in ecosystems. It involves high-throughput sequencing of a standard gene from an environmental sample and comparison to a reference database. However, no consensus has emerged regarding laboratory pipelines to screen species diversity and infer species abundances from environmental samples. In particular, the effect of primer bias and the detection limit for specimens with a low biomass has not been systematically examined, when processing samples in bulk. We developed and tested a DNA metabarcoding protocol that utilises the standard cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding fragment to detect freshwater macroinvertebrate taxa. DNA was extracted in bulk, amplified in a single PCR step, and purified, and the libraries were directly sequenced in two independent MiSeq runs (300-bp paired-end reads). Specifically, we assessed the influence of specimen biomass on sequence read abundance by sequencing 31 specimens of a stonefly species with known haplotypes spanning three orders of magnitude in biomass (experiment I). Then, we tested the recovery of 52 different freshwater invertebrate taxa of similar biomass using the same standard barcoding primers (experiment II). Each experiment was replicated ten times to maximise statistical power. The results of both experiments were consistent across replicates. We found a distinct positive correlation between species biomass and resulting numbers of MiSeq reads. Furthermore, we reliably recovered 83% of the 52 taxa used to test primer bias. However, sequence abundance varied by four orders of magnitudes between taxa despite the use of similar amounts of biomass. Our metabarcoding approach yielded reliable results for high-throughput assessments. However, the results indicated that primer efficiency is highly species-specific, which would prevent straightforward assessments of species abundance and biomass in a sample. Thus, PCR-based metabarcoding assessments of biodiversity should rely on presence-absence metrics.
Tooth marks on isolated bones cannot be attributed to Tyrannosaurid play behavior
Authors: Yun Chan-gyu
Published: January 2018

Rothschild (2014) argues that many tyrannosaurid tooth marks left on isolated dinosaur bones cannot be attributable to their feeding behavior but instead, can be attributable to their play behavior. However, the evidence suggested by Rothschild (2014) are very weak. Carnivores do consume parts like pes, which claimed to be not attractive to carnivores. Also, isolated bones do not suggest that the part was already isolated when the animal bit it and carnivores do not always consume bones even if they have the ability to do so. This suggests that tyrannosaurid bite marks on isolated bones, do represent feeding behavior.
Effects of three commonly used diuretics on the urinary proteome
Authors: Li Xundou , Zhao Mindi , Li Menglin , Jia Lulu , Gao Youhe
Published: January 2018

Biomarker is the measurable change associated with a physiological or pathophysiological process. Unlike blood which has mechanisms to keep the internal environment homeostatic, urine is more likely to reflect changes of the body. In other words, urine is likely to be a better biomarker source than blood. However, the urinary proteome are affected by many factors. In this study, the effects of three commonly used diuretics (furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide and spirolactone ) on the urinary proteome were analyzed in rats. Urine samples were collected before and after the intragastric administration of diuretics at therapeutic doses and analyzed using LC-MS/MS. Based on quantification by Progenesis LC-MS software, there are 7, 5 and 2 proteins with the p value ≤0.05, a fold change ≥2, a spectral count ≥5 and FDR ≤1%, respectively. Most their human orthologs were considered to be stable in the healthy human urinary proteome. 10 of the 14 proteins have been reported as disease biomarkers in previous studies. So the effects of diuretics should be given more attention in future urinary protein biomarkers studies. The effects of diuretics on urinary proteome are different which can provide clues to elucidate the mechanisms of the diuretics.
A platform for crowdsourcing the creation of representative, accurate landcover maps
Authors: Estes Lyndon , McRitchie Dennis , Choi Jonathan , Debats Stephanie R , Evans Tom , Guthe William , Luo Dee , Ragazzo Gabrielle , Zempleni Reka , Caylor Kelly
Published: January 2018

Accurate landcover maps are fundamental to understanding socio-economic and environmental patterns and processes, but existing datasets contain substantial errors. Crowdsourcing map creation may substantially improve accuracy, particularly for discrete cover types, but the quality and representativeness of crowdsourced data is hard to verify. We present an open-sourced platform, DIYlandcover, that serves representative samples of high resolution imagery to an online job market, where workers delineate individual landcover features of interest. Worker mapping skill is frequently assessed, providing estimates of overall map accuracy and a basis for performance-based payments. A trial of DIYlandcover showed that novice workers delineated South African cropland with 91% accuracy, exceeding the accuracy of current generation global landcover products, while capturing important geometric data. A scaling-up assessment suggests the possibility of developing an Africa-wide vector-based dataset of croplands for $2-3 million within 1.2-3.8 years. DIYlandcover can be readily adapted to map other discrete cover types.
Epiphytic bryozoan assemblages on Posidonia oceanica leaves in the area affected by Costa Concordia wreck
Authors: Penna Marina , Bacci Tiziano , Nicoletti Luisa , Rende Sante Francesco , Trabucco Benedetta , Gennaro Paola , Marusso Veronica , Cicero Anna Maria
Published: January 2018

Epiphytes cover on Posidonia oceanica leaves in the area affected by Costa Concordia wreck (Giglio Island, Tuscany, Italy) have been assessed as indicator of environmental quality within the integrated monitoring plan set up after the accident. Bryozoans have wide habitat distribution and are one of the most common sessile organisms in the epiphytic community of P. oceanica, have large species diversity and so are potential indicators of environmental factors and changes. The samples were taken from shortly after the sinking of the ship until just before the removal of the wreck in July (2012, 2013 and 2014). Three sampling sites were selected according to an asymmetric hierarchical experimental design. Three sampling areas of approximately 5 × 5 m and tens of meters apart from each other were randomly selected in each site. Five orthotropic shoots were collected haphazardly for each area. The sites were differently related to the influence of the wreck; one impact and two control sites. Percentage cover of bryozoan species was evaluated on the whole internal face of the four outer leaves per shoot. The analysis of the epiphyte community allowed us to identify most species normally present on these substrates. Besides a high natural spatio-temporal variability, feeble differences in the bryozoan assemblages were detected between the site near the wreck and the control sites, probably as a consequence of several synergic effects, firstly to the physical presence of the wreck and of the wreck removal yard.
Contiguity: Contig adjacency graph construction and visualisation
Authors: Sullivan Mitchell J , Ben Zakour Nouri L , Forde Brian M , Stanton-Cook Mitchell , Beatson Scott A
Published: January 2018

Contiguity is an interactive software for the visualization and manipulation of de novo genome assemblies. Contiguity creates and displays information on contig adjacency which is contextualized by the simultaneous display of a comparison between assembled contigs and reference sequence. Where scaffolders allow unambiguous connections between contigs to be resolved into a single scaffold, Contiguity allows the user to create all potential scaffolds in ambiguous regions of the genome. This enables the resolution of novel sequence or structural variants from the assembly. In addition, Contiguity provides a sequencing and assembly agnostic approach for the creation of contig adjacency graphs. To maximize the number of contig adjacencies determined, Contiguity combines information from read pair mappings, sequence overlap and De Bruijn graph exploration. We demonstrate how highly sensitive graphs can be achieved using this method. Contig adjacency graphs allow the user to visualize potential arrangements of contigs in unresolvable areas of the genome. By combining adjacency information with comparative genomics, Contiguity provides an intuitive approach for exploring and improving sequence assemblies. It is also useful in guiding manual closure of long read sequence assemblies. Contiguity is an open source application, implemented using Python and the Tkinter GUI package that can run on any Unix, OSX and Windows operating system. It has been designed and optimized for bacterial assemblies. Contiguity is available at http://mjsull.github.io/Contiguity .
The evolution of the flippers and the paleoecology of Panchelonioidea (Testudines, Cryptodira)
Authors: Gerheim Isadora , Romano Pedro S. R.
Published: January 2018

Background. The recent data on Panchelonioidea’s phylogeny suggested the family level relationships as (Toxochelyidae, (Cheloniidae, (Protostegidae, Dermochelyidae))). Despite the similarity between their limbs, it is known that the flippers morphology on marine turtles evolved independently in these clades. A remarkable feature is the presence of phalangeal condyles in Toxochelyidae and basal Protostegidae, a plesiomorphic state that allows the movement of the hand. On the other hand, the apomorphic state of having a rigid paddle is found in modern turtles (Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae). Also, living Chelonioidea (Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae) has the longest length of the hand and the shortest length of the humerus compared to other Testudines, as analyzed by Joyce and Gauthier (2004, Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B, 271). Methods. We took measurements of the forelimb (the length of humerus, ulna and digit III) from five Panchelonioidea fossil species (Protostega gigas, Toxochelys latiremys, Allopleuron hoffmanni, Eochelone brabantica and Archelon ischyros) using ImageJ 1.48v. The percentages of the length of the hand and the humerus with respect to the whole limb were then calculated. The percentages of the five species were added to the two-dimension ternary diagram made by Joyce and Gauthier (2004) in order to evaluate the plot of these species and compare them to other turtles. Results. Archelon ischyros was plotted near Toxochelys latiremys. The Toxochelidae are the sister group of Chelonioidea and they are known to have a poor development of the limbs into flippers and a preference for shallow and benthic habitat. Both were located near non-marine turtle species, showing that they had the relatively shortest hand within Panchelonioidea, whereas Protostega gigas, Allopleuron hoffmanni and Eochelone brabantica was plotted close to the recent Cheloniidae. Discussion. The results suggest a less pelagic habitat for Protostega gigas and Archelon ischyros, resembling a hypothesis formulated by Hay (1905, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 21) that Archelon was not as pelagic as Dermochelys and by Wieland (1909, Am. Jour. Sci., 27) that this species did not have a powerful type of muscular insertion, maybe indicating a less strong swimming power. These results together with the fact that basal species of Protostegidae retain the phalangeal condyles, suggests that after the split between these families, the flippers retained the primitive length of limbs. It also brings back a Zangerl’s hypothesis (1980, Amer. Zool., 20) of a Chelydra-like ancestor for Panchelonioidea, with unspecialized limbs. As conclusion, we suggest that Panchelonioidea ancestor flipper condition would last in stem Toxochelyidae and stem Chelonioidea and then get independently specialized in Cheloniidae and Dermochelyidae.