bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis management in Italy ‐ squirrel distribution in a highly fragmented landscape
Authors: Wauters Luc A. , Gurnell John , Currado Italo , Mazzoglio Peter J.
Published: May 2018

American grey squirrels Sciurus carolinensis introduced to northern Italy in 1948 have caused damage to commercial poplar plantations and have replaced the native red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris from most of the 350 km2 of the Piedmont Po‐plain they currently occupy. In order to plan a control programme aiming to stop grey squirrels from further spreading and to decrease their numbers, the current distribution and population size in the highly fragmented landscape of the Po‐plain were studied. The probability of finding grey squirrels in woodland fragments increased with habitat quality (diversity of trees producing large, consumable seeds), woodlot size and the proportion of poplar. Adding isolation variables did not improve the fit of the logistic regression model that predicted squirrel presence. The density of squirrel dreys, an index of population density, in the large Stupinigi forest also increased with tree species diversity. An estimate of the minimum population size for all woodlots assessed for squirrel presence was 1,260 animals in the summer of 1996. This extrapolates to a total of ca 2,500 grey squirrels in Piedmont. Grey squirrels continue to increase their range and are getting close to the continuous mixed forests of the pre‐Alps and to large hazel plantations. Control measures to stop the spread of grey squirrels, and eventually to eradicate them, should be implemented immediately.
Behaviour of hybrid male Tetrao tetrix ♂ × T. urogallus ♀ on black grouse leks
Authors: Porkert Jan , Solheim Roar , Flor Arne
Published: May 2018

Crosses between male black grouse Tetrao tetrix and female capercaillie T. urogallus are the most common grouse hybrids. Some male hybrids (F1‐generation) may be fertile and produce offspring (F2‐generation) with females of capercaillie and, rarely, black grouse. Specimens and descriptions of lek behaviour are also available for probable F3‐ and F>3‐hybrids. Three and two male F, hybrids were documented to display simultaneously on a black grouse lek in Norway (1993–1997), and solitarily displaying hybrids were documented on black grouse leks in the Czech Republic (1960–64), Sweden (1991–93) and Norway (1992). Mating of hybrid males with female capercaillie was observed in 1992 and 1994. The lekking behaviour of the hybrids and their attitudes towards other tetraonids are described.
Female age and breeding performance in a cyclic population of black grouse Tetrao tetrix
Authors: Marjakangas Arto , Törmälä Laura
Published: May 2018

The breeding performance in yearling and adult female black grouse Tetrao tetrix was studied in a 6–7 year cyclic population during 1989–93 in central Finland. Eighty yearlings and 108 adults, radio‐marked in late winter, survived until the breeding season. Adults were larger, had more body mass at capture, initiated laying earlier and had larger eggs and clutches than yearlings. Yearlings and adults lost 11.8 and 20.9%, respectively, of their first nests to egg predators. Hatching dates and success of eggs were similar for both age classes. The proportion of females losing the entire brood was 32% for yearlings and 27.1% for adults. Brood size in late summer and number of chicks produced per female initiating breeding did not differ between age classes.
Notes on the natural history and behaviour of the Chinese grouse Bonasa sewerzowi
Authors: Sun Yue‐Hua , Fang Yun
Published: May 2018

The mating behaviour of Chinese grouse Bonasa sewerzowi at the Lianhuashan Natural Reserve in Southern Gansu Province was studied in 1995. Eleven birds were radio‐marked during the breeding season. Pair formation began in late March. Males held territories of 1.8–3.2 ha (N = 3). The ‘flutter‐jump’ behaviour was believed to be used by males for advertising territories and attracting females. It also could serve as a warning signal. Males competed for females in April and May, but not all males paired with females. Female‐female aggression was not observed. The mating system of Chinese grouse was primarily monogamous, however, the possibility of polyandry or extra‐pair copulations remains. In addition, female choice was believed to be the main factor affecting pair formation.
Uudenmaan läänin terveydenhuollon opetuskentän jännitteet sosiaalityön pioneerin näkökulmasta
Authors: Mutka Sari , Satka Mirja
Published: May 2018

Artikkelissa analysoidaan sosiaalityön näkökulmasta Uudenmaan läänin terveydenhuollon opetuskentän toimijoiden välisiä jännitteitä 1950-luvulla. Rockefeller-säätiön tukeman ja ohjaaman opetuskentän ta­voitteena oli terveydenhuoltotyön käytännönopetuksen tehostamisen lisäksi edistää kansanterveyttä koko maassa hyödyntämällä innovatiivisesti eri alojen asiantuntijoiden yhteistyötä. Analyysi lähestyy tätä vähän tutkittua aihetta ensimmäistä kertaa sosiaalityön näkökulmasta, sillä tutkimusaineistona ovat opetusken­tällä toimineen sosiaalityöntekijän, pitkäaikaisen sosiaalityön vaikuttajan, Helmi Mäen henkilökohtainen arkisto, artikkelit sekä muistelmat. Aineistoa on täydennetty Tyyne Luoman ja Rockefeller-säätiön arkisto­aineistoilla. Opetuskentän analyysissä hyödynnetään toimijaverkoston ja kenttäkamppailun käsitteitä. Ai­neistoihin sovelletaan lähdekriittistä ja kvalitatiivista lukutapaa. Sosiaalialan asiantuntijan tehtäviin kuului mm. sosiaalihuollon ja terveydenhuollon yhteistyön edistäminen. Tulosten mukaan hänen toimijuuteensa vaikuttivat etenkin eri toimijoiden väliset suhteet ja niissä ilmenneet jännitteet, jotka liittyivät esimerkiksi opetuskentän hierarkkiseen organisaatioon ja lääkärikeskeisyyteen sekä Yhdysvalloista omaksutun sosiaa­lityön kotouttamisvaikeuksiin niissä oloissa, joissa 1950-luvun suomalaisessa terveydenhuollossa toimittiin.
Effect of Melia azedarach and Dodonaea viscosa aqueous leaf extracts on fertility in male albino rats
Authors: Kumar R. Vijay , Reddy G. Venkat Raji , Sathyanarayana J. , Bikshapathi T. , Reddy M. Krishna
Published: May 2018

Medicinal plants play a key role in human life as they are helpful in curing several diseases. They not only support health by the pharmacological nature but also utilizable as contraceptive options. The present study reveals that the medicinal plants Melia azedarach and Dodonaea viscosa leaf extracts showing antifertility activity. The decreased sperm count and reproductive organ weights including the necrotic changes in the seminiferous tubules of testis suggesting the antifertility activity of the plants. Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and other serological studies were also carried out to know whether side-effects of the extracts.
D-Pencillamine induced nephrotic syndrome in 11-year old girl with wilson disease: A case report
Authors: Kumar Anil , Praveen Vivian , Belavadi Gangadhar
Published: May 2018

Tuberculosis is an universal health problem worldwide. In Iraq the problem is aggravated by drug resistance. In Silico studies usually pave the way for more investigations of the real problem .On the other hand Mycobacterium tuberculosis does not lend itself for deep wet lab studies, therefore, In Silico studies must precede many aspects of experimental work. In Silico studies were carried out using most virulent strain and a model of studies M. tuberculosis H37Rv to investigate some of the hypothetical proteins which compromised about 39% of the annotated proteins. The studied Rv hypothetical proteins were distributed among cellular compartment fractions with high existence in the cytoplasmic fraction (about 67%). Major function prediction of these proteins were found in cellular process section using different approaches of predictions .However , some of these proteins were still await to be included in the important databases such as COG and GO which concerned mainly with function annotation.
Evaluation of Serum Adenosine Deaminase and Retinol in patients with Laryngeal Cancer
Authors: Sharma S. , Desai P. B. , Metgudmath R. B.
Published: May 2018

Laryngeal cancers account for 4% of all head and neck cancers in India. The disease process has better prognosis if it is diagnosed early. In view of this the objective of the study was to assess the reliability of serum enzyme marker adenosine deaminase and non-enzymatic antioxidant retinol in laryngeal cancer patients as supportive parameters for diagnostic purpose. Materials and methods:-25 clinically and histopathologically confirmed patients of laryngeal cancer in age group of 45-65 years were included in the study and 25 healthy subjects with in the same age group served as controls. Results:-The level of serum ADA was significantly elevated in laryngeal cancer patients in comparison to controls whereas retinol levels were significantly decreased. Conclusion: - Lipid per-oxidation as a result of cancer leads to membrane damage and an increase in cytoplasmic ADA. It is also associated with a decrease in levels of non-enzymatic antioxidant retinol. These biochemical parameters may be used as supportive parameters for diagnostic purpose and may add further for prognostic information. Further studies are required on a larger sample size to explore strategies by which normal levels of anti-oxidant can be maintained by a retinol rich diet which may play a role in reducing the morbidity and mortality due to cancer.
PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS MEANING OF THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE OF HUMAN FREEDOM
Authors: Khomelev Gennadii Vladimirovich
Published: May 2018

The article considers the relation of philosophical and Christian understanding of the problem of human freedom. The philosophical meaning of the Christian doctrine of freedom of will, its philosophical foundations and religious prerequisites are studied. The semantic unity of understanding and interpretation of the problem of human freedom in the modern philosophical and religious world outlook is revealed through a retrospective analysis, logical correlation and reflexive conjugation of such philosophical notions as “Absolute”, “God”, “man”, “will”, “freedom”, “conscience”, “love”, “sacrifice” and their corresponding religious beliefs.
FOLK THEMES AND AUTHOR’S BORROWINGS IN COMPOSITIONS FOR MULTI-TIMBRE BUTTON ACCORDION BY VLADISLAV ZOLOTAREV
Authors: Malkush Anna Sergeevna
Published: May 2018

The article is devoted to the musical creative work of the domestic composer Vladislav Zolotarev. He is justly considered a creator of original repertoire for the multi-timbre button accordion. Folk themes and author’s borrowings in Zolotarev’s compositions are under study. The paper focuses on identifying the peculiarities of the composer’s work with the borrowed material and provides a summary table, which contains the examples of quotations and allusions in Vladislav Zolotarev’s compositions for the button accordion. The analysis allowed the researcher to identify semantic functions of folk themes and author’s borrowings.
Emotions and learning in the chemistry laboratory
Authors: Tiainen Minna , Pietilä Heidi , Tyni Sanna
Published: May 2018

In this study, the first-year chemistry laboratory course was renewed and made more intensive, three weeks course. Students’ experiences of the renewed course were examined by analyzing their learning diaries which they were encouraged to keep during the whole course. The purpose of this study was to find out how the intense coursework affects students’ emotions and learning experiences. Thus, the learning diaries were analyzed in order to find out different emotions that students experienced during the course. These emotions were then classified and represented using a model based on a two-dimensional emotion theory. Diversity of students’ emotions during the course gave us important information how emotions influenced on student’s learning and achievement. For teacher it is valuable to understand and deal with the emotions experienced by students while planning and carrying out the laboratory course. This enables not only higher quality teaching, but also more positive learning outcomes for students regarding their chemistry laboratory studies. FULL TEXT IN FINNISH.
Obituario
Authors: Gómez Cusnir MD Jorge
Published: May 2018

*Jorge Gómez Cusnir MD.Presidente de la Sociedad de Cirugía de Bogotá – Hospital de San José. Palabras pronunciadas en la ceremonia religiosa en Bogotá, el día 10 de enero de 2018.
Ben Hecht's Hard-Boiled Decadence: The Flaneur as Reporter
Authors: Hext Kate
Published: May 2018

This essay illustrates how Ben Hecht's short stories in The Little Review and the Chicago Daily News crucially expand the scope of burgeoning research into post-Wildean, American Decadence. These works (written between 1915 and 1921) have been over-shadowed by Hecht's later Hollywood career to the point where they have all-but eluded scholarly commentary. However, attention to these vignettes of sensual experience in downtown Chicago reveals that they develop Decadence in a unique direction, which fuses the backstreet Decadence of Arthur Machen and Arthur Symons with the pulp fiction published by Hecht's mentor, H. L. Mencken, in The Black Mask. The result, I argue, is that Hecht's short stories create a hard-boiled Decadence: a new form which uses Decadent language to explore the continuity of Decadent sensuality in the unlikely setting downtown Chicago, at the same time as it uses the emerging tropes of hard-boiled fiction to define the impediments to having a Decadent sensibility in such circumstances.
Research Note. A Culture of Costs versus A Culture of Expenses
Authors: Czarniawska Barbara
Published: May 2018

When there is money spent on products of culture, are those costs or expenses? An answer to that question may be of importance not only to accountants and auditors, and it can vary among cultures. This article compares the way the issue is presented by two fiction writers, one Swedish and one British.
Unraveling Nutritional Regulation of Tacrolimus Biosynthesis in Streptomyces tsukubaensis through omic Approaches
Authors: Ordóñez-Robles María , Santos-Beneit Fernando , Martín Juan F.
Published: May 2018

Streptomyces tsukubaensis stands out among actinomycetes by its ability to produce the immunosuppressant tacrolimus. Discovered about 30 years ago, this macrolide is widely used as immunosuppressant in current clinics. Other potential applications for the treatment of cancer and as neuroprotective agent have been proposed in the last years. In this review we introduce the discovery of S. tsukubaensis and tacrolimus, its biosynthetic pathway and gene cluster (fkb) regulation. We have focused this work on the omic studies performed in this species in order to understand tacrolimus production. Transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics have improved our knowledge about the fkb transcriptional regulation and have given important clues about nutritional regulation of tacrolimus production that can be applied to improve production yields. Finally, we address some points of S. tsukubaensis biology that deserve more attention.
Applying Discrete Homotopy Analysis Method for Solving Fractional Partial Differential Equations
Authors: Özpınar Figen
Published: May 2018

In this paper we developed a space discrete version of the homotopy analysis method (DHAM) to find the solutions of linear and nonlinear fractional partial differential equations with time derivative α   ( 0 < α ≤ 1 ) . The DHAM contains the auxiliary parameter ℏ , which provides a simple way to guarantee the convergence region of solution series. The efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method is demonstrated by test problems with initial conditions. The results obtained are compared with the exact solutions when α = 1 . It is shown they are in good agreement with each other.
Correction: Saharuddin, N.Z.; et al. A Power System Network Splitting Strategy Based on Contingency Analysis. Energies 2018, 11, 434
Authors: Saharuddin Nur Zawani , Zainal Abidin Izham , Mokhlis Hazlie , Abdullah Abdul Rahim , Naidu Kanendra
Published: May 2018

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper[...]
Location of Faulty Section and Faults in Hybrid Multi-Terminal Lines Based on Traveling Wave Methods
Authors: Ning Yi , Wang Dazhi , Li Yunlu , Zhang Haixin
Published: May 2018

Traveling-wave-based fault location methods are widely used for modern power systems owing to their high accuracy on two-terminal lines. However, they perform poorly on hybrid multi-terminal lines. Many traveling-wave-based methods have been developed recently to solve this problem, but they have high computational burdens and complex fault location procedures. To tackle this challenge, a new fault location method is presented in this paper. First, to ensure that the implementation of the proposed method is not affected by different line parameters, a normalization algorithm is used for hybrid multi-terminal lines, which consist of overhead lines and cables. To reduce the complexity, a novel fault section identification method that depends only on the first three arrival times is applied to separate a three-terminal fault section from the multi-terminal lines. Consequently, the fault can be located using a corresponding two-terminal fault location method in this fault section. To verify its effectiveness, fault case studies and performance evaluations are performed in the PSCAD and MATLAB/Simulink environment. The simulation results reveal that the proposed method can correctly identify the fault section and accurately locate the faults, which is simple and suitable for hybrid multi-terminal lines.
Dynamic Random Arching in the Flow Field of Top-Coal Caving Mining
Authors: Zhang Ningbo , Liu Changyou , Wu Xiaojie , Ren Tingxiang
Published: May 2018

The large mining height fully mechanized top-coal caving mining technique has developed rapidly and become the most extensively used mining method for ultra-thick coal seams. The arching of coal/gangue and the drawing out of gangue are peculiar phenomena in the process of fully mechanized top-coal caving mining, which not only affects the recovery of top-coal, but also affects the quality of the coal. This paper studies the arching phenomenon in top-coal caving mining process of ultra-thick coal seam. A series of laboratory granular material simulation experiments were performing and a top-coal arching model in the framework of mechanics was established to explore the formation characteristic of arches and their effects to top-coal loss. Then the countermeasures against the arches and technology path of intelligent mining based on improving top-coal recovery were put forward and performed in practice. The results show that the recovery ratio of top-coal has increased nearly 6%, and increased the production efficiency at the same time. The research on arching mechanism and removing strategies of dynamic random arches effectively improves the efficiency of fully mechanized top-coal caving mining in ultra-thick coal seams, and provides the foundation for the realization of intelligent top-coal caving mining technology.
Comparison of Thermal Models for Ground-Mounted South-Facing Photovoltaic Technologies: A Practical Case Study
Authors: Zsiborács Henrik , Pintér Gábor , Bai Attila , Popp József , Gabnai Zoltán , Pályi Béla , Farkas István , Baranyai Nóra Hegedűsné , Gützer Christian , Trimmel Heidelinde , Oswald Sandro , Weihs Philipp
Published: May 2018

This paper examines the thermal properties of free-standing, ground-installed, south-facing crystalline and amorphous silicon photovoltaic modules, the remaining energy and the energy generation of the modules, in ideal and actual summer weather conditions. This work studies the algorithms in other studies used to describe the thermal processes occurring on the surface of photovoltaic modules. Using accurate devices and real, measured data, the deviations and the inaccuracies of theoretical approaches are investigated. The emphasis of the present study is to improve the simulation accuracy of the total emitted long-wave radiation at the module surface and to show the appropriate overall convection coefficient values for ground-mounted south-facing photovoltaic technologies. The innovative aspect of the present paper is an improved model resulting from an improved convective heat transfer and net long-wave radiation calculation. As a result of this research, algorithms describing the energy fluxes were developed. These algorithms have a 1–3% better accuracy of the net long-wave radiation calculations at the module surface. The rate of net energy exchange by convection at the module surface could be improved by 10–12% compared to the previous literature.
Design Optimization of an Electric Variable Transmission for Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Authors: Xu Qiwei , Sun Jing , Wang Wenjuan , Mao Yunqi , Cui Shumei
Published: May 2018

An electric variable transmission (EVT) for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) is investigated in this paper. With a special double rotor structure, the EVT splits and reintegrates the output power of the internal combustion engine (ICE) to run at its optimum working efficiency. However, the high electromagnetic coupling degree causes torque ripple and affects the dynamic performance of the EVT. After introducing the configuration and working principle, the torque mathematical model of the EVT in an ABC three-phase coordinate system is proposed to analyze the cause of this torque ripple. Besides, a finite element method-based (FEM) structural optimization design for reducing the torque ripple and improving the working stability is presented. The magnetic field distribution, induced voltage and torque property validate the rationality of optimization.
Long-Term Effect of Prescribed Burning Regimes and Logging on Coarse Woody Debris in South-Eastern Australia
Authors: Stares Mitchell G. , Collins Luke , Law Bradley , French Kristine
Published: May 2018

Coarse woody debris (CWD) is vital within forest ecosystems for an array of fauna. Forest management practices, such as prescribed burning and logging, influence the creation or loss of CWD. We examined the effect of long-term prescribed burning and logging on (i) the abundance of hollow-bearing CWD, (ii) the volume of CWD in different decay classes, (iii) the probability of hollow presence, and (iv) the size of hollows at a long-term (28 years) experimental site. Volume of CWD in moderate and advanced stages of decomposition decreased with increasing fire frequency while moderately decomposed material was higher in logged plots. The likelihood of a hollow being present increased with diameter and decreased when CWD was extensively charred. Hollow size was smaller when material was externally charred but larger when charring affected a pre-existing hollow. Increases in moderately decayed CWD reflect a pulse input of unmerchantable timber following the one-off logging event 28 years ago, though future loss of mature trees may lead to reduced input rates of woody debris in the future. Charring effects on hollow formation, increasing hollow size but decreasing overall presence, demonstrate the complex effect of fire on this resource. Our research highlights the need to develop a fundamental understanding of CWD input and loss dynamics in response to fire and logging in order to predict changes to this resource under a broad range of management scenarios.
A Review of Environmental Contamination and Health Risk Assessment of Wastewater Use for Crop Irrigation with a Focus on Low and High-Income Countries
Authors: Khalid Sana , Shahid Muhammad , Natasha  , Bibi Irshad , Sarwar Tania , Shah Ali Haidar , Niazi Nabeel Khan
Published: May 2018

Population densities and freshwater resources are not evenly distributed worldwide. This has forced farmers to use wastewater for the irrigation of food crops. This practice presents both positive and negative effects with respect to agricultural use, as well as in the context of environmental contamination and toxicology. Although wastewater is an important source of essential nutrients for plants, many environmental, sanitary, and health risks are also associated with the use of wastewater for crop irrigation due to the presence of toxic contaminants and microbes. This review highlights the harmful and beneficial impacts of wastewater irrigation on the physical, biological, and chemical properties of soil (pH, cations and anions, organic matter, microbial activity). We delineate the potentially toxic element (PTEs) build up in the soil and, as such, their transfer into plants and humans. The possible human health risks associated with the use of untreated wastewater for crop irrigation are also predicted and discussed. We compare the current condition of wastewater reuse in agriculture and the associated environmental and health issues between developing and developed countries. In addition, some integrated sustainable solutions and future perspectives are also proposed, keeping in view the regional and global context, as well as the grounded reality of wastewater use for crop production, sanitary and planning issues, remedial techniques, awareness among civil society, and the role of the government and the relevant stakeholders.
Mechanisms of Intrinsic Tumor Resistance to Immunotherapy
Authors: Rieth John , Subramanian Subbaya
Published: May 2018

An increased understanding of the interactions between the immune system and tumors has opened the door to immunotherapy for cancer patients. Despite some success with checkpoint inhibitors including ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, and nivolumab, most cancer patients remain unresponsive to such immunotherapy, likely due to intrinsic tumor resistance. The mechanisms most likely involve reducing the quantity and/or quality of antitumor lymphocytes, which ultimately are driven by any number of developments: tumor mutations and adaptations, reduced neoantigen generation or expression, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) overexpression, loss of phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) expression, and overexpression of the Wnt–β-catenin pathway. Current work in immunotherapy continues to identify various tumor resistance mechanisms; future work is needed to develop adjuvant treatments that target those mechanisms, in order to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy and to expand its scope.
Correction: Sarkar, D., et al. Multiple Isoforms of ANRIL in Melanoma Cells: Structural Complexity Suggests Variations in Processing. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2017, 18, 1378
Authors: Sarkar Debina , Oghabian Ali , Bodiyabadu Pasani K. , Joseph Wayne R. , Leung Euphemia Y. , Finlay Graeme J. , Baguley Bruce C. , Askarian-Amiri Marjan E.
Published: May 2018

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Manufacturing Technology of Ceramic Pebbles for Breeding Blanket
Authors: Lo Frano Rosa , Puccini Monica , Stefanelli Eleonora , Del Serra Daniele , Malquori Stefano
Published: May 2018

An open issue for the fusion power reactor is the choice of breeding blanket material. The possible use of Helium-Cooled Pebble Breeder ceramic material in the form of pebble beds is of great interest worldwide as demonstrated by the numerous studies and research on this subject. Lithium orthosilicate (Li4SiO4) is a promising breeding material investigated in this present study because the neutron capture of Li-6 allows the production of tritium, 6Li (n, t) 4He. Furthermore, lithium orthosilicate has the advantages of low activation characteristics, low thermal expansion coefficient, high thermal conductivity, high density and stability. Even if they are far from the industrial standard, a variety of industrial processes have been proposed for making orthosilicate pebbles with diameters of 0.1–1 mm. However, some manufacturing problems have been observed, such as in the chemical stability (agglomeration phenomena). The aim of this study is to provide a new methodology for the production of pebbles based on the drip casting method, which was jointly developed by the DICI-University of Pisa and Industrie Bitossi. Using this new (and alternative) manufacturing technology, in the field of fusion reactors, appropriately sized ceramic pebbles could be produced for use as tritium breeders.
Culture Medium Development for Microbial-Derived Surfactants Production—An Overview
Authors: Nurfarahin Abdul Hamid , Mohamed Mohd Shamzi , Phang Lai Yee
Published: May 2018

Surfactants are compounds that can reduce the surface tension between two different phases or the interfacial tension of the liquid between water and oil, possessing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties. Biosurfactants have traits that have proven to be advantageous over synthetic surfactants, but these compounds do not compete economically with synthetic surfactants. Different alternatives increase the yield of biosurfactants; development of an economical production process and the usage of cheaper substrates during process have been employed. One of the solutions relies on the suitable formulation of a production medium by including alternative raw materials sourced from agro-wastes, hydrocarbons, or by-products of a process might help in boosting the biosurfactant production. Since the nutritional factors required will be different among microorganisms, the establishment of a suitable formulation for biosurfactant production will be challenging. The present review describes various nutrients and elements considered in the formulation of a production medium with an approach focusing on the macronutrient (carbon, nitrogen source, and C/N ratio), minerals, vitamins, metabolic regulators, and salinity levels which may aid in the study of biosurfactant production in the future.
Effective Saccharification of Corn Stover Using Low-Liquid Aqueous Ammonia Pretreatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis
Authors: Truong Nguyen Phuong Vi , Kim Tae Hyun
Published: May 2018

Low-liquid aqueous ammonia (LLAA) pretreatment using aqueous ammonia was investigated to enhance enzymatic saccharification of corn stover. In this method, ground corn stover was simply contacted with aqueous ammonia mist (ammoniation step), followed by pretreatment at elevated temperature (90–150 °C) for an extended period (24–120 h) at different solid/liquid (S/L) ratios (0.29, 0.47 or 0.67), termed a pretreatment step. After that, excess (unreacted) ammonia was removed by evaporation, and the pretreated material was immediately saccharified by an enzyme without a washing step. The effects of key reaction parameters on both glucan digestibility and XMG digestibility were evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA). Under the best pretreatment conditions [S/L = 0.47, 0.16 (g NH3)/(g biomass), 90 °C, 24 h], LLAA pretreatment enhanced enzymatic digestibility from 23.1% for glucan and 11.3% for XMG (xylan + galactan + mannan) of untreated corn stover to 91.8% for glucan and 72.6% for XMG in pretreated solid.
Comparative Targeted Proteomics of the Central Metabolism and Photosystems in SigE Mutant Strains of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Authors: Tokumaru Yuma , Uebayashi Kiyoka , Toyoshima Masakazu , Osanai Takashi , Matsuda Fumio , Shimizu Hiroshi
Published: May 2018

A targeted proteome analysis was conducted to investigate the SigE dependent-regulation of central metabolism in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 by directly comparing the protein abundance profiles among the wild type, a sigE deletion mutant (ΔsigE), and a sigE over-expression (sigEox) strains. Expression levels of 112 target proteins, including the central metabolism related-enzymes and the subunits of the photosystems, were determined by quantifying the tryptic peptides in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode of liquid-chromatography–triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Comparison with gene-expression data showed that although the abundance of Gnd protein was closely correlated with that of gnd mRNA, there were poor correlations for GdhA/gdhA and glycogen degradation-related genes such as GlgX/glgX and GlgP/glgP pairs. These results suggested that the regulation of protein translation and degradation played a role in regulating protein abundance. The protein abundance profile suggested that SigE overexpression reduced the proteins involved in photosynthesis and increased GdhA abundance, which is involved in the nitrogen assimilation pathway using NADPH. The results obtained in this study successfully demonstrated that targeted proteome analysis enables direct comparison of the abundance of central metabolism- and photosystem-related proteins.
Porphyrin Co(III)-Nitrene Radical Mediated Pathway for Synthesis of o-Aminoazobenzenes
Authors: Goswami Monalisa , De Bruin Bas
Published: May 2018

Azobenzenes are versatile compounds with a range of applications, including dyes and pigments, food additives, indicators, radical reaction initiators, molecular switches, etc. In this context, we report a general method for synthesizing o-aminoazobenzenes using the commercially available cobalt(II) tetraphenyl porphyrin [CoII(TPP)]. The net reaction is a formal dimerization of two phenyl azides with concomitant loss of two molecules of dinitrogen. The most commonly used methodology to synthesize azobenzenes is based on the initial diazotization of an aromatic primary amine at low temperatures, which then reacts with an electron rich aromatic nucleophile. As such, this limits the synthesis of azobenzenes with an amine functionality. In contrast, the method we report here relies heavily on the o-amine moiety and retains it in the product. The reaction is metal catalyzed and proceeds through a porphyrin Co(III)-nitrene radical intermediate, which is known to form on activation of organic azides at the cobalt center. The synthesized o-aminoazobenzenes are bathochromatically shifted, as compared to azobenzenes without amine substituents. Based on the crystal structure of one of the products, strong H-bonding between the N-atom of the azo functionality and the H of the NH2 substituent is shown to stabilize the trans isomeric form of the product. The NH2 substituents offers possibilities for further functionalization of the synthesized azo compounds.
Targeting General Transcriptional Machinery as a Therapeutic Strategy for Adult T-Cell Leukemia
Authors: Wong Regina Wan Ju , Ishida Takashi , Sanda Takaomi
Published: May 2018

Cancer cells are highly reliant on certain molecular pathways, which support their survival and proliferation. The fundamental concept of molecularly targeted therapy is to target a protein that is specifically deregulated or overexpressed in cancer cells. However, drug resistance and tumor heterogeneity are major obstacles in the development of specific inhibitors. Additionally, many driver oncogenes exert their oncogenic property via abnormal expression without having genetic mutations. Interestingly, recent accumulating evidence has demonstrated that many critical cancer genes are driven by a unique class of enhancers termed super-enhancers. Genes associated with super-enhancers are relatively more susceptible to the inhibition of general transcriptional machinery compared with genes that are regulated by typical enhancers. Cancer cells are more sensitive to treatment with small-molecule inhibitors of CDK7 or BRD4 than non-transformed cells. These findings proposed a novel strategy to identify functionally important genes as well as novel therapeutic modalities in cancer. This approach would be particularly useful for genetically complicated cancers, such as adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), whereby a large mutational burden is present, but the functional consequences of each mutation have not been well-studied. In this review, we discuss recent findings on super-enhancers, underlying mechanisms, and the efficacy of small-molecule transcriptional inhibitors in ATL.
Processing and Thermal Response of Temperature-Sensitive-Gel(TSG)/Polymer Composites
Authors: Gong Jin , Hosaka Eiichi , Sakai Kohei , Ito Hiroshi , Shibata Yoshikazu , Sato Kosei , Nakanishi Dai , Ishihara Shinichiro , Hamada Kazuhiro
Published: May 2018

Temperature-sensitive gels (TSGs) are generally used in the fields of medical, robotics, MEMS, and also in daily life. In this paper, we synthesized a novel TSG with good thermal durability and a lower melting temperature below 60 °C. We discussed the physical properties of he TSG and found it provided excellent thermal expansion. Therefore, we proposed the usage of TSG to develop a strategic breathable film with controllable gas permeability. The TSG particles were prepared firstly and then blended with linear low-density polyethylene/calcium carbonate (LLDPE/CaCO3) composite to develop microporous TSG/LLDPE/CaCO3 films. We investigated the morphology, thermal, and mechanical properties of TSG/LLDPE/CaCO3 composite films. The film characterization was conducted by gas permeability testing and demonstration temperature control experiments. The uniformly porous structure and the pore size in the range of 5–40 μm for the TSG/LLDPE/CaCO3 composite films were indicated by SEM micrographs. The demonstration temperature control experiments clearly proved the effect of the controllable gas permeability of the TSG and, more promisingly, the great practical value and application prospects of this strategic effect for the temperature-sensitive breathable film was proved.
A Statistical Modeling Framework for Characterising Uncertainty in Large Datasets: Application to Ocean Colour
Authors: Land Peter E. , Bailey Trevor C. , Taberner Malcolm , Pardo Silvia , Sathyendranath Shubha , Nejabati Zenouz Kayvan , Brammall Vicki , Shutler Jamie D. , Quartly Graham D.
Published: May 2018

Uncertainty estimation is crucial to establishing confidence in any data analysis, and this is especially true for Essential Climate Variables, including ocean colour. Methods for deriving uncertainty vary greatly across data types, so a generic statistics-based approach applicable to multiple data types is an advantage to simplify the use and understanding of uncertainty data. Progress towards rigorous uncertainty analysis of ocean colour has been slow, in part because of the complexity of ocean colour processing. Here, we present a general approach to uncertainty characterisation, using a database of satellite-in situ matchups to generate a statistical model of satellite uncertainty as a function of its contributing variables. With an example NASA MODIS-Aqua chlorophyll-a matchups database mostly covering the north Atlantic, we demonstrate a model that explains 67% of the squared error in log(chlorophyll-a) as a potentially correctable bias, with the remaining uncertainty being characterised as standard deviation and standard error at each pixel. The method is quite general, depending only on the existence of a suitable database of matchups or reference values, and can be applied to other sensors and data types such as other satellite observed Essential Climate Variables, empirical algorithms derived from in situ data, or even model data.
H-SLAM: Rao-Blackwellized Particle Filter SLAM Using Hilbert Maps
Authors: Vallicrosa Guillem , Ridao Pere
Published: May 2018

Occupancy Grid maps provide a probabilistic representation of space which is important for a variety of robotic applications like path planning and autonomous manipulation. In this paper, a SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) framework capable of obtaining this representation online is presented. The H-SLAM (Hilbert Maps SLAM) is based on Hilbert Map representation and uses a Particle Filter to represent the robot state. Hilbert Maps offer a continuous probabilistic representation with a small memory footprint. We present a series of experimental results carried both in simulation and with real AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles). These results demonstrate that our approach is able to represent the environment more consistently while capable of running online.
Quantitative Study on Corrosion of Steel Strands Based on Self-Magnetic Flux Leakage
Authors: Xia Runchuan , Zhou Jianting , Zhang Hong , Liao Leng , Zhao Ruiqiang , Zhang Zeyu
Published: May 2018

This paper proposed a new computing method to quantitatively and non-destructively determine the corrosion of steel strands by analyzing the self-magnetic flux leakage (SMFL) signals from them. The magnetic dipole model and three growth models (Logistic model, Exponential model, and Linear model) were proposed to theoretically analyze the characteristic value of SMFL. Then, the experimental study on the corrosion detection by the magnetic sensor was carried out. The setup of the magnetic scanning device and signal collection method were also introduced. The results show that the Logistic Growth model is verified as the optimal model for calculating the magnetic field with good fitting effects. Combined with the experimental data analysis, the amplitudes of the calculated values (BxL(x,z) curves) agree with the measured values in general. This method provides significant application prospects for the evaluation of the corrosion and the residual bearing capacity of steel strand.
Experimental Investigation of the Productivity of a Wet Separation Process of Traditional and Bio-Plastics
Authors: Moroni Monica , Lupo Emanuela , Pelle Valerio Della , Pomponi Alessandra , Marca Floriana La
Published: May 2018

The separation process within a mechanical recycling plant plays a major role in the context of the production of high-quality secondary raw materials and the reduction of extensive waste disposal in landfills. Traditional plants for plastic separation employ dry or wet processes that rely on the different physical properties among the polymers. The hydraulic separator is a device employing a wet technology for particle separation. It allows the separation of two-polymer mixtures into two products, one collected within the instrument and the other one expelled through its outlet ducts. Apparatus performance were analyzed as a function of fluid and solid flow rates, flow patterns developing within the apparatus, in addition to the density, shape, and size of the polymers. For the hydraulic configurations tested, a two-way coupling takes place where the fluid exerts an influence on the plastic particles and the opposite occurs too. The interaction between the solid and liquid phases determines whether a certain polymer settles within the device or is expelled from the apparatus. Tests carried out with samples of increasing volumes of solid particles demonstrate that there are no significant differences in the apparatus effectiveness as far as a two-way interaction takes place. Almost pure concentrates of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), and Polycarbonate (PC) can be obtained from a mixture of traditional polymers. Tests conducted on Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Mater-Bi® samples showed that the hydraulic separator can be effectively employed to separate bio-plastics from conventional plastics with remarkable grade and recovery.
Dynamics of a Soil Fungal Community in a Three-Year Green Garlic/Cucumber Crop Rotation System in Northwest China
Authors: Ding Haiyan , Ali Ahmad , Cheng Zhihui
Published: May 2018

A decreased soil biological environment in terms of an unstable microbial population and diversity index is primarily caused by intensive continuous cropping systems. In this study, a crop rotation system was established to evaluate the soil fungal diversity using a pyrosequencing-based analysis during three successive growing seasons (2013, 2014, and 2015) under a field pot investigation. We found that overall green garlic/cucumber rotational effects increased cucumber productivity under these growing practices. Analysis of fungal communities in rhizosphere soils by high-throughput pyrosequencing showed that the estimated treatment effects were more obvious during the three-year trials, and OTU richness was much higher than the control in cucumber-planted soils. The relative frequencies of fungal diversity showed variable responses before and after rotation practices, and mainly α-diversity of fungi increased in garlic planted soil and again decreased after cucumber planted soil in each year. The phylogenetic classification illustrated that the fungal communities were dominated by the taxa Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, and Zygomycota across all samples. Particularly, the relative abundance of the taxon Ascomycota was largely and predominantly enriched with the increasing number of garlic bulbs during the three years. Moreover, the majority of abundant taxa positively correlated with available P and K contents, while being highly negatively correlated with soil pH, EC, and SOC. These results indicate that garlic-cucumber-based crop rotations induce fungal richness and diversity and promote the sustainability of agricultural ecosystems, thus enhancing crop growth and production.
Defense Mechanisms against Viral Infection in Drosophila: RNAi and Non-RNAi
Authors: Swevers Luc , Liu Jisheng , Smagghe Guy
Published: May 2018

RNAi is considered a major antiviral defense mechanism in insects, but its relative importance as compared to other antiviral pathways has not been evaluated comprehensively. Here, it is attempted to give an overview of the antiviral defense mechanisms in Drosophila that involve both RNAi and non-RNAi. While RNAi is considered important in most viral infections, many other pathways can exist that confer antiviral resistance. It is noted that very few direct recognition mechanisms of virus infections have been identified in Drosophila and that the activation of immune pathways may be accomplished indirectly through cell damage incurred by viral replication. In several cases, protection against viral infection can be obtained in RNAi mutants by non-RNAi mechanisms, confirming the variability of the RNAi defense mechanism according to the type of infection and the physiological status of the host. This analysis is aimed at more systematically investigating the relative contribution of RNAi in the antiviral response and more specifically, to ask whether RNAi efficiency is affected when other defense mechanisms predominate. While Drosophila can function as a useful model, this issue may be more critical for economically important insects that are either controlled (agricultural pests and vectors of diseases) or protected from parasite infection (beneficial insects as bees) by RNAi products.
Extraction of Urban Water Bodies from High-Resolution Remote-Sensing Imagery Using Deep Learning
Authors: Chen Yang , Fan Rongshuang , Yang Xiucheng , Wang Jingxue , Latif Aamir
Published: May 2018

Accurate information on urban surface water is important for assessing the role it plays in urban ecosystem services in the context of human survival and climate change. The precise extraction of urban water bodies from images is of great significance for urban planning and socioeconomic development. In this paper, a novel deep-learning architecture is proposed for the extraction of urban water bodies from high-resolution remote sensing (HRRS) imagery. First, an adaptive simple linear iterative clustering algorithm is applied for segmentation of the remote-sensing image into high-quality superpixels. Then, a new convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture is designed that can extract useful high-level features of water bodies from input data in a complex urban background and mark the superpixel as one of two classes: an including water or no-water pixel. Finally, a high-resolution image of water-extracted superpixels is generated. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieved higher accuracy for water extraction from the high-resolution remote-sensing images than traditional approaches, and the average overall accuracy is 99.14%.