Enrichment of the Phenotypic and Genotypic Data Warehouse analysis using Question Answering systems to facilitate the decision making process in cereal breeding programs

Currently there are an overwhelming number of scientific publications in Life Sciences, especially in Genetics and Biotechnology. This huge amount of information is structured in corporate Data Warehouses (DW) or in Biological Databases (e.g. UniProt, RCSB Protein Data Bank, CEREALAB or GenBank), whose main drawback is its cost of updating that makes it obsolete easily. However, these Databases are the main tool for enterprises when they want to update their internal information, for example when a plant breeder enterprise needs to enrich its genetic information (internal structured Database) with recently discovered genes related to specific phenotypic traits (external unstructured data) in order to choose the desired parentals for breeding programs. In this paper, we propose to complement the internal information with external data from the Web using Question Answering (QA) techniques. We go a step further by providing a complete framework for integrating unstructured and structured information by combining traditional Databases and DW architectures with QA systems. The great advantage of our framework is that decision makers can compare instantaneously internal data with external data from competitors, thereby allowing taking quick strategic decisions based on richer data.

Characterization of soluble and bound EPS obtained from 2 submerged membrane bioreactors by 3D-EEM and HPSEC

This research study deals with the quantification and characterization of the EPS obtained from two 25 L bench scale membrane bioreactors (MBRs) with micro-(MF-MBR) and ultrafiltration (UF-MBR) submerged membranes. Both reactors were fed with synthetic water and operated for 168 days without sludge extraction, increasing their mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS) concentration during the experimentation time. The characterization of soluble EPS (EPSs) was achieved by the centrifugation of mixed liquor and bound EPS (EPSb) by extraction using a cationic resin exchange (CER). EPS characterization was carried out by applying the 3-dimensional excitation–emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopy (3D-EEM) and high-performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with the aim of obtaining structural and functional information thereof. With regard to the 3D-EEM analysis, fluorescence spectra of EPSb and EPSs showed 2 peaks in both MBRs at all the MLSS concentrations studied. The peaks obtained for EPSb were associated to soluble microbial by-product-like (predominantly protein-derived compounds) and to aromatic protein. For EPSs, the peaks were associated with humic and fulvic acids. In both MBRs, the fluorescence intensity (FI) of the peaks increased as MLSS and protein concentrations increased. The FI of the EPSs peaks was much lower than for EPSb. It was verified that the evolution of the FI clearly depends on the concentration of protein and humic acids for EPSb and EPSs, respectively. Chromatographic analysis showed that the intensity of the EPSb peak increased while the concentrations of MLSS did. Additionally, the mean MW calculated was always higher the higher the MLSS concentrations in the reactors. MW was higher for the MF-MBR than for the UF-MBR for the same MLSS concentrations demonstrating that the filtration carried out with a UF membrane lead to retentions of lower MW particles.

A review of thermochemical conversion of microalgae

Microalgae are very effective microorganisms for CO2 capturing and a promising source of lipids for biodiesel as well as other interesting compounds. Many different ways of exploitation of these organisms are being tested. This work presents a review of the state of the art of the research and development of thermochemical conversion of microalgae with a special focus on pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction. Aspects related to the type of reactors, the products obtained and the analytical applications are covered. The actual reaction scheme of pyrolysis of microalgae is extremely complex because of the formation of over hundreds of intermediate products. Various kinetic models reported in the literature and in a previous study with experimental validations are presented in this review to provide the current status of the study.

The nuclear safety framework in the European Union after Fukushima. Egmont Paper No. 73, December 2014

Summary. On 11 March 2011, a devastating earthquake struck Japan and caused a major nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The disaster confirmed that nuclear reactors must be protected even against accidents that have been assessed as highly unlikely. It also revealed a well-known catalogue of problems: faulty design, insufficient back-up systems, human error, inadequate contingency plans, and poor communications. The catastrophe triggered the rapid launch of a major re-examination of nuclear reactor security in Europe. It also stopped in its tracks what had appeared to be a ‘nuclear renaissance’, both in Europe and globally, especially in the emerging countries. Under the accumulated pressure of rising demand and climate warming, many new nuclear projects had been proposed. Since 2011 there has been more ambivalence, especially in Europe. Some Member States have even decided to abandon the nuclear sector altogether. This Egmont Paper aims to examine the reactions of the EU regarding nuclear safety since 2011. Firstly, a general description of the nuclear sector in Europe is provided. The nuclear production of electricity currently employs around 500,000 people, including those working in the supply chain. It generates approximately €70 billion per year. It provides roughly 30% of the electricity consumed in the EU. At the end of 2013, there were 131 nuclear power reactors active in the EU, located in 14 countries. Four new reactors are under construction in France, Slovakia and Finland. Secondly, this paper will present the Euratom legal framework regarding nuclear safety. The European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) Treaty was signed in 1957, and somewhat obscured by the European Economic Community (EEC) Treaty. It was a more classical treaty, establishing institutions with limited powers. Its development remained relatively modest until the Chernobyl catastrophe, which provoked many initiatives. The most important was the final adoption of the Nuclear Safety Directive 2009/71. Thirdly, the general symbiosis between Euratom and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will be explained. Fourthly, the paper analyses the initiatives taken by the EU in the wake of the Fukushima catastrophe. These initiatives are centred around the famous ‘stress tests’. Fifthly, the most important legal change brought about by this event was the revision of Directive 2009/71. Directive 2014/87 has been adopted quite rapidly, and has deepened in various ways the role of the EU in nuclear safety. It has reinforced the role and effective independence of the national regulatory authorities. It has enhanced transparency on nuclear safety matters. It has strengthened principles, and introduced new general nuclear safety objectives and requirements, addressing specific technical issues across the entire life cycle of nuclear installations, and in particular, nuclear power plants. It has extended monitoring and the exchange of experiences by establishing a European system of peer reviews. Finally, it has established a mechanism for developing EU-wide harmonized nuclear safety guidelines. In spite of these various improvements, Directive 2014/87 Euratom still reflects the ambiguity of the Euratom system in general, and especially in the field of nuclear safety. The use of nuclear energy remains controversial among Member States. Some of them remain adamantly in favour, others against or ambivalent. The intervention of the EAEC institutions remains sensitive. The use of the traditional Community method remains limited. The peer review method remains a very peculiar mechanism that deserves more attention.

The China-Russia trade relationship and its impact on Europe. Breugel Working Paper Issue 4, 2016

This paper analyses empirically how increasingly close trade relations between China and Russia might affect the European Union (EU). We show that EU countries are complementary to Russia on the Chinese market. However, Chinese exports are increasingly relevant substitutes for EU exports on the Russian market. This means that an increase in China-Russia economic cooperation should have a negative impact on European exports. We simulate a scenario in which trade tariffs between Russia and China are eliminated, which is found to reduce EU exports to Russia. Finally, a more granular approach to the question analyses which sectors in Europe will be more affected by the increasing economic links between China and Russia, and finds that electronic machinery, equipment and machinery, and nuclear reactors will be particularly affected. Such findings obviously show quickly China is moving up the ladder in terms of export structure and how strategically important it is for Europe to continue upgrading its industry to compete at the highest level of that ladder.

Barium isotope fractionation during witherite (BaCO3) dissolution, precipitation and at equilibrium

This study examines the behavior of Ba isotope fractionation between witherite and fluid during mineral dissolution, precipitation and at chemical equilibrium. Experiments were performed in batch reactors at 25 oC in 10-2 M NaCl solution where the pH was adjusted by continuous bubbling of a water saturated gas phase of CO2 or atmospheric air. During witherite dissolution no Ba isotope fractionation was observed between solid and fluid. In contrast, during witherite precipitation, caused by a pH increase, a preferential uptake of the lighter 134Ba isotopomer in the solid phase was observed. In this case, the isotope fractionation factor αwitherite-fluid is calculated to be 0.99993 ± 0.00004 (or Δ137/134Bawitherite-fluid ≈ -0.07 ± 0.04 ‰, 2sd). The most interesting feature of this study, however, is that after the attainment of chemical equilibrium, the Ba isotope composition of the aqueous phase is progressively becoming lighter, indicating a continuous exchange of Ba2+ ions between witherite and fluid. Mass balance calculations indicate that the detachment of Ba from the solid is not only restricted to the outer surface layer of the solid, but affects several (~7 unit cells) subsurface layers of the crystal. This observation comes in excellent agreement with the concept of a dynamic system at chemical equilibrium in a mineral-fluid system, denoting that the time required for the achievement of isotopic equilibrium in the witherite-fluid system is longer compared to that observed for chemical equilibrium. Overall, these results indicate that the isotopic composition of Ba bearing carbonates in natural environments may be altered due to changes in fluid composition without a net dissolution/precipitation to be observed.

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