Cyanide is a well-known constituent of mine wastewater which can be degraded by various process. However, due to cost and environmental challenges, microbial degradation seems to be the most effective process. When wastewater is treated with microorganisms, process performance should not only be based on toxicant degraded but also on the impact of the toxicant on the physical properties of the microorganisms. Heat capacity of lyophilised biomass of Fusarium oxysporum was measured using modulated differential scanning calorimeter. The heat capacity for F. oxysporum grown in cyanidation wastewater was 1.1982, 1.077 and 1.143 J K-1 g-1 on glucose (GA), Beta vulgaris (BA) and cyanide supplemented with Beta vulgaris (BCN), respectively at 298.15 K and 1 atm. The enthalpy of formation of dry biomass are -297.58, -233.07 and -278.60 kJ/C-mol for BA, BCN and GA, respectively. These values were found to be within the range of some biological molecules. The presence of cyanide in the wastewater minimally affected the thermodynamic property of the dried biomass of F. oxysporum.

Abstract Certain process variables usually affect the yield of ores from clays in acid dissolution processes. Varying these variables has been identified to affect the yield of ores from clays. In order to increase the process efficiency and evaluate the interactive effects of the process variables, optimization is usually performed for the dissolution process. In this study the interactive effects of calcination temperature, leaching temperature, acid concentration, liquid-solid weight ratio and stirring speed on the yield of alumina from the local clay was investigated using the Response Surface Methodology based on the central composite rotatable design. The second order polynomial regression equation was appropriate for fitting the experimental data and 0.9209 was obtained as the correlation between the predicted and experimental responses. Calcinations temperature of 677.27oC; leaching temperature of 65.18oC; acid concentration of 1.9mol/cm3; liquid-solid weight ratio of 10.36 and stirring speed of 442.92rpm were the values of the process variables which gave the optimum alumina yield of 80.07%.

The transport phenomena across polymeric membrane may be enhanced by applying various strengths inside or outside the system. Recently, polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) has been considered one of the most popular methods that acts as a sink for the contaminant and immobilizes it. In literature, there is no report about to achieve the synthesis of multi-layer PIMs. In this paper, an improvement of a novel category of membrane without carrier for performing ions separation was reported. Different membranes were elaborated from binary mixtures of polymers, cellulose triacetate (CTA), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) using 2-Nitrophenyl octyle-ether (NPOE) as a plasticizer in order to increase specific interactions between the different polymers. The membranes (Polymer 1– Plasticizer – Polymer 2) were synthesized by phase inversion method modified by changing the procedure of a plasticizer addition and characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, SEM, zeta potential and contact angle. The CTA-based membranes exhibited well-defined pores completely filled with the second polymer and plasticizer (NPOE). Surfaces of all synthesized membranes were found to be smooth. The systems constituted by the mixture of (polymer 1 + plasticizer + polymer 2) did not give any diffraction. Overall, our results showed that the addition of the plasticizer resulted in homogeneous membranes with modified physical properties, such as thickness, and hydrophobicity. A study of transport of Pb(II) in (CTA+NPOE+PMMA), (CTA+NPOE+PVC) and (PMMA+NPOE+PVC) membranes was studied. Dialysis experiments of lead ions across a polymer inclusion membrane has shown that (CTA+NPOE+PMMA) and (PMMA+NPOE+PVC) membranes proved a good performance by fixing 12.15% and 25.31% of lead, respectively. These results confirm the affinity between a basic polymer (poly-methyl methacrylate) and the metallic ion (Pb2+).

Saturated α-substituted β ketoesters are important building blocks in synthesis of pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Herein, we report a one-pot biosynthesis of α-substituted β ketoesters via Knoevenagel condensation and reduction of received unsaturated alkenes in situ, catalyzed by single ene-reductase (NerA). A series of inexpensive and readily available aldehydes and 1,3-diketones were condensed and reduced by NerA in aqueous solution at room temperature. We also note that low loadings (3 mg/ml) of NerA are sufficient to facilitate the cascade process, both E and Z isomeric intermediates can be reduced effectively and improved the overall yield up to 95%. Meanwhile, the method can be applied in preparative-scale synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediate. This process conforms to the concepts of green chemistry and shows advantages for synthesis of high value saturated α-substituted β ketoesters.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an immune-mediated chronic cholestasis. The disruption of T cell homeostasis plays an important role in PBC pathogenesis. Lysosomal associated membrane protein 2 isoform A (LAMP-2A) has been implicated in the regulation of CD4+ T cell responses, therefore we aim to evaluate the activation state of CD4+ T cells in PBC, and to investigate the role of LAMP-2A in it. The peripheral blood of PBC patients (PBC, n=42) and healthy controls (HC, n=20) were phenotypically analyzed, and LAMP-2A expression in CD4+ T cells was assessed by flow cytometry. Naïve CD4+ T cells of PBC patients were isolated and activated in vitro to estimate their activation responses. Additionally, we assessed the changes induced by silencing LAMP-2A expression. We found that CD4+ T cells of PBC patients exhibited significant hyperactivity, and naïve CD4+ T cells showed high LAMP-2A expression, which could be a novel biomarker for PBC activity. Moreover, by interfering with LAMP-2A expression in vitro, the overreactions of PBC naïve CD4+ T cells were reversed. Our study will help to clarify that increased LAMP-2A expression in the naïve CD4+ T cells of PBC patients may lead to a tendency for increased activation responses, which may be involved in the development and progression of PBC. To reverse the hyperactivity of CD4+ T cells and reduce the resulting biliary injury, LAMP-2A could be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of PBC.

Evaluating the factors that drive patterns of population differentiation in plants is critical for understanding several biological processes such as local adaptation and incipient speciation. Previous studies have given conflicting results regarding the significance of pollination mode, seed dispersal mode, mating system, growth form, and latitudinal region in shaping patterns of genetic structure, as estimated by FST values, and no study to date has tested their relative importance together across a broad scale. Here we assembled a 337-species dataset for seed plants from publications with data on FST from nuclear markers and species traits, including variables pertaining to the sampling scheme of each study. We used species traits, while accounting for sampling variables, to perform phylogenetic multiple regressions. Results demonstrated that FST values were higher for tropical, mixed-mating, non-woody species pollinated by small insects, indicating greater population differentiation, and lower for temperate, outcrossing trees pollinated by wind. Among the factors we tested, latitudinal region explained the largest portion of variance, followed by pollination mode, mating system and growth form, while seed dispersal mode did not significantly relate to FST. Our analyses provide the most robust and comprehensive evaluation to date of the main ecological factors predicted to drive population differentiation in seed plants, with important implications for understanding the basis of their genetic divergence. Our study is the first that we are aware of to robustly demonstrate greater population differentiation in tropical regions.

Significant amounts of soluble product aggregates were observed in the low-pH viral inactivation (VI) opertion during an initial scale-up run for an IgG4 monoclonal antibody (mAb IgG4-N1). Being earlier in development, a scale-down model did not exist, nor was it practical to use costly Protein A eluate (PAE) for testing the VI process at scale, thus, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based high molecular weight (HMW) prediction model was developed for troubleshooting and risk mitigation. It was previously reported that the IgG4-N1 molecules upon exposure to low pH tend to change into transient and partially unfolded monomers during VI acidification (i.e., VIA) and form aggregates after neutralization (i.e., VIN) (Jin et al. 2019). Therefore, the CFD model reported here focuses on the VIA step. The model mimics the continuous addition of acid to PAE and tracks acid distribution during VIA. Based on the simulated low-pH zone (≤ pH 3.3) profiles and PAE properties, the integrated low-pH zone (ILPZ) value was obtained to predict HMW level at the VI step. The simulations were performed to examine the operating parameters, such as agitation speed, acid addition rate, and protein concentration of PAE, of the pilot scale (50-200L) runs. The conditions with predictions of no product aggregation risk were recommended to the real scale-up runs, resulted in 100% success rate of the consecutive 12 pilot-scale runs. This work demonstrated that the CFD-based HMW prediction model could be used as a tool to facilitate the scale up of the low-pH VI process directly from bench to pilot/production scale.

Mycorrhizal fungi alter their host plant’s resistance to herbivores and their competitive ability. However, most studies on how mycorrhizae alter resistance have been conducted in single plant studies, and so the interacting effects of mycorrhizae and competition on constitutive and induced plant resistance is largely unexplored. We tested whether mycorrhizal colonization with Rhizophagus intraradice would alter herbivore performance and the expression of chemical resistance traits in tomato plants with and without intraspecific competition. We treated the plants with jasmonic acid to measure their induced chemical resistance traits which we evaluated by measuring leaf consumption by Trichoplusia ni caterpillars and two traits that affect herbivore performance: protease inhibitors, an antinutritive protein, and carbon/nitrogen ratio, a metric of plant nutritional quality. Mycorrhizae decreased resistance (increased leaf consumption) to herbivores when the plants were not in competition but had no effect in competition. While mycorrhizae reduced protease inhibitors, independent of competition or treatment with jasmonic acid, this did not increase caterpillar feeding. However, mycorrhizae, competition and induction with jasmonic acid interacted to decrease plant nutrition, measured as C/N ratio, which was correlated with caterpillar feeding. Here, we show that mycorrhizae induced decreases in plant nutritional quality; a novel mechanism by which mycorrhizae affect resistance to herbivores. Mycorrhizae and competition interact to decrease plant nutritional quality and alter resistance to herbivores.

Post-glacial dispersal and colonization processes have shaped community patterns in sub-Arctic regions such as Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Important questions remain about the species that colonized this area, in particular the role of glacial history and biological traits in governing colonization patterns from refugial and southerly geographic regions. This study quantifies sub-Arctic beetle phylogenetic community structure using the net relatedness index (NRI) and nearest taxon index (NTI); calculated using publicly available data from BOLD; compares patterns across families with different traits (habitat, diet) using standard statistical analysis (ANOVA) as well as phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) using a higher-level beetle phylogeny; and compares phylogenetic community structure in Churchill with a region in southern Canada (Guelph, Ontario). The dominant pattern detected in our study was that aquatic families were much better represented in Churchill compared to terrestrial families, when compared against richness sampled from across Canada and Alaska. Individually, most families showed significant phylogenetic clustering in Churchill. Closely related species were likely found together due to the strong environmental filtering present in Arctic environments. There was no significant difference in phylogenetic structure between Churchill and Guelph, although the trend was towards stronger clustering in the North. Similarly, there was no difference in phylogenetic structure metrics calculated for aquatic vs. terrestrial beetle families, again with a trend towards stronger clustering in water beetles. By contrast, there was a significant relationship between traits and community structure. Predators showed significantly stronger clustering in Churchill compared to other feeding modes, perhaps due to phylogenetic conservatism of their overwintering ability or generalist diet of some clades within families. This study contributes to our understanding of the traits and processes structuring insect biodiversity and macroecological trends in the sub-Arctic.

Glyphosate is the world’s most widely used herbicide. The commercial success of this molecule is due to its non-selectivity and its action, which would supposedly target specific biosynthetic pathways found mainly in plants. Multiple studies have however provided evidence for high sensitivity of many non-target species to glyphosate and/or to formulations (glyphosate mixed with surfactants). This herbicide, found at significant levels in aquatic systems through surface runoffs, impacts life history traits and immune parameters of several aquatic invertebrates’ species. Some of these species are vectors of diseases, one of the most important of which is the mosquito. Mosquitoes, from hatching to emergence, are exposed to aquatic chemical contaminants. In this study, we first compared the toxicity of pure glyphosate to the toxicity of glyphosate-based formulations for the main vector of avian malaria in Europe, Culex pipiens mosquito. Then we evaluated, for the first time, how field realistic dose of glyphosate interacts with larval nutritional stress to alter mosquito life history traits and susceptibility to avian malaria parasite infection. Our results show that exposure of larvae to field-realistic doses of glyphosate, pure or in formulation, did not affect larval survival rate, adult size and female fecundity. One of our two experimental blocks showed, however, that exposure to glyphosate decreased development time and reduced mosquito infection probability by malaria parasite. Interestingly the effect on malaria infection was lost when the larvae were also subjected to a nutritional stress, probably due to a lower ingestion of glyphosate.

L’esposizione prolungata ad emissioni odorigene, provenienti da impianti di ingegneria sanitaria ambientale, genera disagi, come stress emotivi o veri e propri malesseri fisici alle persone residenti nei dintorni degli stessi. In questi casi risulta necessaria un’attenta valutazione degli impatti odorigeni. Tale valutazione può essere effettuata secondo due approcci: la misurazione delle fonti di emissione e/o la stima delle zone di impatto. Le linee guida tedesche presenti nella norma VDI3940 propongono la standardizzazione del metodo per la valutazione dell’impatto odorigeno tramite ispezioni di campo. Lo studio analizzato vuole analizzare la procedura della norma VDI3940, attraverso la discussione di un caso studio, con l’obiettivo di ridurre le criticità ad essa associate, come l’elevato costo e i lunghi tempi di applicazione. I risultati mostrano che in particolari condizioni è possibile ridurre la frequenza di campionamento e i gruppi di valutatori.

Understanding the main determinants of species coexistence across space and time is a central question in ecology. However, ecologists still know little of the scales and conditions at which biotic interactions matter and how these interact with the environment to structure species assemblages. Here we use recent theoretical developments to analyze plant distribution and trait data across Europe and find that plant height clustering is related to both evapotranspiration and gross primary productivity. This clustering is a signal of interspecies competition between plants, which is most evident in mid-latitude ecoregions, where conditions for growth (reflected in actual evapotranspiration rates and gross primary productivities) are optimal. Away from this optimum, climate severity likely overrides the effect of competition, or other interactions become increasingly important. Our approach bridges the gap between modern coexistence theory and large-scale species distribution data analysis.

In this study, the impacts of nitrogen loading rates on microalgal communities and intracellular storage compounds in a chemostat enrichment system were investigated. The chemostat was operated at a constant dilution rate of 0.5 d-1 with different nitrogen loading rates of 10, 20, 32.5, 42 and 63 mgN.l-1.d-1. The cultures with the lowest nitrogen loading rates showed nitrogen fixation capacity. Diverse microalgal communities were observed for nitrogen loading rates of 10 and 20 mgN.l-1.d-1. Chlorella sorokiniana and Chlorella vulgaris were dominant species at nitrogen loading rates of 42 and 32.5 mgN.l-1.d-1, respectively. Different species of Arthrospira platensis, Chlorella sp., Rhopalodia coexisted under the light-limited condition at NLR of 63 mgN.l-1.d-1. Lipids accumulation overtook starch accumulation at all nitrogen loading rates. mgN.l-1.d-1. Lipids accumulation overtook starch accumulation at all nitrogen loading rates. Specifically, the concentration of lipids in the enriched species cells, Chlorella sorokiniana was 4.2 times higher than the amount of accumulated starch. The results demonstrate that the approximately balanced addition of nutrients and light in chemostat enrichment culture could be an important trait to enrich a potential lipid production organism.

Nutrient perturbations are a threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Interactions among important species can influence the recovery of aquatic ecosystems from nutrient perturbations, and the persistence in a clear water state for a given regime of nutrient loading. In a factorial manipulation of two foundation species (macrophytes and mussels), we measured 16 large (15000L) ponds at high resolution (15 min interval) over two years with two periods of nutrient perturbation. We found that each foundation species had strong individual effects on multiple ecosystem properties (e.g. phytoplankton densities and metabolism), largely in line with our expectations (i.e. reduction of algal biomass relative to control). However, when both species were present, we saw dramatic increases in algal biomass and other ecosystem parameters, indicating strong non-additive antagonistic effects. Overall, our results demonstrate how interactions between foundation species can cause surprisingly strong deviations from the expected responses of aquatic ecosystems to nutrient additions.

Trait-based species distribution models (trait-SDMs) enable prediction to new species and situations based on traits. However, predictive transferability is unknown. We fit trait-SDMs with specific leaf area (SLA), maximum height and seed mass as species level predictors in generalised linear mixed models with four environmental predictors for 20 species of eucalypt trees in an outlying reference region. Trait-environment interactions included heavy-seeded species increasing in rugged areas and high-SLA species increasing in areas receiving runoff. We predicted occurrences using traits for 82 species across 18 target regions over >100,000 km2 in south-eastern Australia. Median predictive performance for new species in target regions was 0.65 (area under the receiver operating curve) and 1.24 times that of random (area under the precision recall curve). Prediction in target regions did not worsen across geographic, environmental or compositional space. This work provides a path for first-order models of species distribution using traits.

Despite ca. seven decades of theoretical elaboration since Peter Medawar’s foundational ‘An Unsolved Problem of Biology’, we argue that the fundamental problem of the evolution of senescence, i.e. the increasing risk of mortality and decline in reproduction with age after maturity, remains unsolved. Theories of senescence predict the inescapability of senescence, or its universality at least among species with a clear germ-soma barrier. Here, using demographic information for 475 multicellular species, we exemplify the discrepancy between these theoretical predictions and currently available data. We derive age-based trajectories of mortality and reproduction whose form cannot be satisfactorily explained by the theories of senescence, and show that species’ may often display senescence for one fitness component but not the other. We propose that theories of senescence must be extended beyond merely individual chronological age; size, the species’ ecological context, and kin selection may all play hidden, yet integral roles in shaping patterns of senescence.

This paper presents a MATLAB GUI based software tool to solve the optimal power flow (OPF) problem in power systems. The computer program, called optimal power flow graphical user interface (opfgui), has been developed to present the efficiency of different metaheuristic optimization methods in solving the OPF problem. The opfgui program offers a choice of seven standard IEEE test systems, six objective functions, and ten optimization methods. The program generates not only optimal solution, that is, optimum control variables and objective function, but also important results such as, convergence profile, bus voltages and bus powers, brunch power flows and losses, violating constraints (if exist), and statistical evaluation of the results. The software aims to support students in the course of power system analysis that includes studies of the OPF. Using opfgui, the students can compare the performances of different optimization methods in solving the OPF problem.

Dominance hierarchies have been visually represented in several ways, but most leave it difficult to quickly understand complex interactions between multiple entities in a community. Here we propose a new way to visually represent the hierarchy of dominance between entities in such systems called an “agonistic diagram”. We demonstrate this method using data from nectar-feeding bird communities in Australia and America, then using data from inquiline ants, European Badgers, and urban cats. The advantages of using agonistic diagrams are: (1) that the agonistic diagram can be compared visually with other interaction diagrams in related fields, like mutualism, and (2) that the analytical tools used in other fields can be used to assess agonistic networks. Thus, agonistic networks can be quantified in new ways, making it possible to obtain with relatively minor changes, automated agonistic diagrams from the computational programs and ecological metrics that are currently used to understand mutualistic interactions. This includes metrics of nestedness, modularity, and robustness, the identity of core and peripheral species, and the effects of extinction on networks, among other information.

Hydroxyl derivatives of cinnamic acid, both natural and synthetic, are well-known antioxidants. However, not all of them feature the same radical-scavenging propensity. Establishing the relation between structure and reactivity towards radical of those species plays a crucial role in the design of novel antioxidant pharmaceuticals founded on the same parent structure. The study aims at clarifying the relationship between topology, geometry, electron and spin density distribution and the radical-scavenging activity. Different mechanisms are discussed based on the enthalpies of the possible structures generated in the process of dissociation of the OH-bonds. All structures are modelled utilizing first principles methods and accounting for the polar medium at neutral pH (B3LYP/6-311++G**/PCM). A hybrid mechanism is suggested applicable not only to hydroxylated cinnamic acids but to phenolic acids in polar environment in general.

In this paper, a novel beam steerable 2.4 GHz MIMO antenna array is proposed based on the Yagi-Uda principle. The antenna consists of two co-axially excited patch radiators with modified ground plane. A conducting strip with an integrated PIN diode is optimally placed between the patch radiators to act as a director or a reflector to steer the main beam by an angle of +/- 60◦. For all switching modes, the MIMO antenna demonstrates an average gain and efficiency of 5 dB and 92%, respectively, at the resonance frequency of 2.4 GHz. Reduced envelope correlation coefficient in one switching mode exhibited 17 dB improvement in mutual isolation. The simulated results agreed well with measured data. This simple, low-cost, efficient, and mutually isolated antenna array can be very useful in MIMO WLAN applications.

Quenching of Limit cycles in nonlinear multivariable systems is a formidable task and for memory type systems in particular. The phenomenon of signal stabilization with random inputs has been investigated for 2x2 memory type nonlinear self oscillating systems. The results obtained developing a computer programmes for a novel digital simulation process have been substantiated by use of SIMULINK of MATLAB.

Second-order linear hyperbolic equations are solved by using a new three level method based on non-polynomial spline in the space direction and Taylor expansion in the time direction. Numerical results reveal that three level method based on non-polynomial spline is implemented and effective.

In this paper, motivated by Hilfer and Hilfer-Katugampola fractional derivatives, we introduce new Hilfer-generalized proportional derivatives which interpolate the classical fractional derivatives of Hilfer, Riemann-Liouville, Caputo and generalized proportional fractional derivatives. We also present some important properties of the proposed derivatives. Furthermore, as an application, we show that this equation is equivalent to the Volterra integral equation and prove the existence, uniqueness of the solution to the Cauchy problem with the nonlocal initial condition. Finally, two examples were given to illustrate the results.

Prediction models are extensively used in numerous areas including clinical settings where a prediction model helps to detect or screen high-risk subjects for early interventions to prevent an adverse outcome, assist in medical decision-making to help both doctors and patients to make an informed choice regarding the treatment, and assist in healthcare services with planning and quality management. There are two main components of prediction modeling: model development and model validation. Once a model is developed using an appropriate modeling strategy, its utility is assessed through model validation. Model validation provides a true test of a model’s predictive ability when the model is applied on an independent data set. A model may show outstanding predictive accuracy in a dataset that was used to develop the model, but its predictive accuracy may decline radically when applied to a different dataset. In the era of precision health where disease prevention through early detection is highly encouraged, accurate prediction of a validated model has become even more important for successful screening. Different clinical practice guidelines also recommend incorporating only those prediction models in clinical practice that has demonstrated good predictive accuracy in multiple validation studies. Our purpose is to introduce the readers with the basic concept of model validation and illustrate the fundamental steps and procedures that are necessary to implement model validation.