Effect of two green algae species (Chlorella sp. & Scenedesmus obliquus) enriched with B group vitamins on food chain of Rutilus frisii kutum (Kamensky, 1901) fry

The Effect of two freshwater green algae species Chlorella sp. & Scenedesmus obliquus enriched (from the beginning of culture and after 96 hours) with different dosages of B group vitamins (0, 0.5, 1, and 2 ml of enriching solution per each liter of algae medium) on fecundity of Daphnia magna and growth of Rutilus frisii kutum fry were investigated in a research from spring, 2008 to autumn, 2009. First, each of the green algae species were cultured purely and massively in the Zander (Z-8+N) medium and then the nutritional value (the amount of protein, lipid, and carbohydrate) of enriched algae were meausered. In this study, enriching of Chlorella sp. & S. obliquus with a suitable mix of B group vitamins significantly improved their nutritive value. So the highest amount of nutritional value of Chlorella sp. was obtained because of enriching with dosage 0.5 ml.l-1 (366.654Kcal) and for Scenedesmus obliquus with dosage of 1 ml.l-1 (376.95Kcal). The acquired amount from control group showed an increase of respectively 42% and 11%. According to the results, increased dosages of enriching solution caused Daphnia fecundity to increase (at both stages : enrichment from the beginning of culture and after 96 hours). So the highest average of D. magna reproduction rate was obtained through being fed with Chlorella sp. and S. obliquus enriched with dosage of 2 ml enriching solution per liter of algae medium. The average fecundity of D. magna fed with Chlorella sp. enriched with dosage of 2 ml.l-1 enriching solution from the beginning of culture and after 96 hours was obtained respectively 2.128 ± 0.375 and 2.1 ± 0.69 and the average fecundity of D. magna fed with S. obliquus enriched with dosage of 2 ml enriching solution from the beginning of culture and after 96 hours was obtained respectively 2.128 ± 0.375 and 2.1 ± 0.69 which showed respectively an increase of 61 ٪, 91٪, 77 ٪, and 83٪ in proportion to the acquired amount from control group. When enriching solution was added to either algae culture medium from the beginning of culture, showed statistically significant differences (P<0.05) between dosages of 0 and 2 ml.l-1, 1 and 2 ml.l-1, and 0.5 and 2 ml enriching solution per each liter of Chlorella sp. culture medium and between dosages of 0 and 1 ml.l-1, and 0 and 2 ml enriching solution per each liter of S. obliquus culture medium. The highest average of body weight gain percentage and specific growth rate of kutum fry was obtained respectively 21.19%, 26.63%, 1.92, and 2.34 from the beginning of culture and after 96 hours with dosage of 1 ml B group vitamins per each liter of Chlorella sp. culture medium, which showed respectively an increase of 50%, 70%, 46%, and 62% in proportion to the acquired amount from control group. In the cases which Chlorella sp. were grown in the medium containing vitamin, from point of view of the average percentage of weight and specific growth rate of kutum fry significant differences were observed on the basis of the result of One-way ANOVA between dosages of 0 and 1, 1 and 2 , 0.5 and 1 ml B group vitamins per each liter. The highest average of body weight gain percentage and specific growth rate of kutum fry was obtained respectively 32.02%, 29.42%, 2.78, and 2.34 from the beginning of culture and after 96 hours with dosage of 2 ml B group vitamins per each liter of S. obliquus culture medium, which showed respectively an increase of 32%, 19%, 28%, and 17% in proportion to the acquired amount from control group. In the cases which S. obliquus were grown in the medium containing vitamin, from point of view of the average percentage of weight and specific growth rate of kutum fry significant differences were observed on the basis of the result of One-way ANOVA between dosages of 0 and 1, 0 and 2. According to the results of the present research we can say that considerable enhancement in the quality of the food of D. magna can be made by manipulation of the nutritional value of fresh water unicellular green algae with suitable mixture of B group vitamins, so that both the fecundity of D. magna will increase and the nutritional requirements of the kutum fry will be filled in this way.

The survey of sexual maturity in Mugil cephalus so measuring sex hormones and histologic studies

In this study the process of female gray mullet brooders was carried out by using histological study and masurment of sex steroids. Results of histological studies showed that oocyte of gray mullet brooders in Gomishan Rearing Center conditions of develop to the end of yolk globule stage. The results were observed with oocyte in chromatin nucleolar stage (first stage) with means of diameter of 20 p m, in August, perinucleolar stage (second stage) in September with mean diameter of 87 p m, yolk vesicle stage (third stage) in October with mean diameter 200 p m and yolk granules stage (forth stage) from October to November with average diameter of 180 — 650 p m. For the reason of stopping oocyte develop at the end of fourth stage, hormonal induction to final oocyte maturation and ovulation was used. For this purpose, carp pituitary , HCG and LRH-A2 with different combinations were used in two stages, second injection was used 24 hours after first injection. 15 females brooders were divided in 5 groups, different hormonal combinations were injected to four groups and to fifth group as control, only saline, was injected. The process of female brooder rippening in hormonal induction was studied via masurment of sex steroids including 17 a - hydroxy progestrone, estradio1-17)6 and testosterone. Blood samples were collected from caudal vein during first injection, 24, 30 and 48 hours after the first injection. At the same time, for distinguishing histological changes the sample has been attained from the gonads Sex stroid fluctuation patterns in different brooder groups that injected hormon were similar, however hormonal composition had similar effects. All brooder that their oocyte in the beginning of hormonal injection were At the end of fourth stage with oocyte diameter average of 600 p m received to final maturation and ovulation. The brooder that its oocytes were At the begining or mid-fourth stage did not show ovulation but hormonal induction caused oocyte develop at the beginning of fifth stage. Study of 17-hydroxy progestrone fluctuation showed that the maximum level of this steroid (0.347 ng/ml) measured 30 hours after the first injection and was significantly higher (p< 0.05) than those of control group. So, 17-hydroxy progestrone is probably precursor of maturation inducing steroid (MIS). However the maximum level of that observed was coincident with germinal vesicle breakdown, oil droplets coalescence and dissolution of yolk granuls The maximum levels of esteradiol— 17/0 and testosterone (3.778 and 16.801ng/ml,respectively) in spawned brooders,were observed 24 hours after the first injection. levels of those steroids were significantly higher (p<0.05) than control group. Maximum level of sex steroids in the brooders that did not spawn to the end of treatment was observed with more delay than those in spawned brooders. Therefor maximum level of 17a-hydroxy progestrone (0.264 ng/ml) in those brooders observed in fourth sampling time and the maximum levels of estradio1-17a and testosterone (2.944 and 18.993 ng/ml, respectivly)observed in third sampling time that was significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of control group. For the study of stress effect on brooders during the hormonal induction, level of cortisol was measured in every sampling time. level of cortisol had high fluctuation that showed handling level and stress effect on brooders. However maximum level of cortisol in majority of brooders was dominant in third sampling time that was coincident with final maturation.

Phylogeny and zoogeography of the cyprinid hemicultrine group (Cyprinidae : Cultrinae)

Ying-Gui Dai and Jun-Xing Yang (2003) Phylogeny and zoogeography of the cyprinid hemicultrine group (Cyprinidae: Cultrinae). Zoological Studies 42(1): 73-92. The hemicultrine group consists of middle-sized cyprinids in Asia which taxonomically belong to the subfamily Cultrinae in the Cyprinidae (Cypriniformes), but there has been no convincing generic phylogenetic hypothesis proposal so far. On the basis of a morphological study of 65 specimens soaked in formalin and 14 skeletal specimens of 8 species in 6 genera within the hemicultrine group as an ingroup, a 70-character matrix was obtained. The generic phylogenetic relationships of the hemicultrine group are hypothesized with the matrix by the method of cladistic analysis. When the species Rasborinus lineatus or Cultrichthys erythropterus is used as the sole outgroup, the matrix gives the same single most-parsimonious tree of generic phylogenetic relationships within the hemicultrine group which shows that the hemicultrine group forms a monophyletic group. However, when Rasborinus lineatus is used as the sole outgroup and Cultrichthys erythropterus and Paralaubuca barroni are included in the ingroup, the hemicultrine group is validated to represent a paraphyletic group, and the hemicultrine group and the genus Paralaubuca form a monophyletic group. The tree of generic relationships and zoogeography of the monophyletic group comprising the hemicultrine group and the genus Paralaubuca suggest the following: (1) The monophyletic group comprises 2 smaller monophyletic groups: the genera Hemiculterella + Pseudohemiculter + Hainania and the genera Hemiculter + Paralaubuca + Pseudolaubuca + Toxabramis. (2) The sister groups of the monophyletic group show both overlapping and vicariant distribution patterns; therefore the generic distribution pattern of the monophyletic group maybe have resulted from both dispersal and vicariance events. (3) The monophyletic group probably originated on the Asian mainland from the Yangtze River to the Pearl River and on Hainan Island in China. (4) The monophyletic group probably originated after the Japanese Archipelago was separated from the Asian mainland at the beginning of the Quaternary Period in the Cenozoic but before Taiwan, Hainan Island, and Indonesia were completely isolated from the Asian mainland after the ice age in the Quaternary Period. (5) Speciation of the genus Hemiculter should have been the earliest, and those of the genera Paralaubuca, Pseudolaubuca, and Hainania ought to be the latest in the process of evolution of this monophyletic group. http://www.sinica.edu.tw/zool/zoolstud/42.1/73.pdf.

Synchronization with partial state feedback on SO(n)

In this paper we consider the problem of constructing a distributed feedback law to achieve synchronization for a group of k agents whose states evolve on SO(n) and which exchange only partial state information along communication links. The partial state information is given by the action of the state on reference vectors in ℝn. We propose a gradient based control law which achieves exponential local convergence to a synchronization configuration under a rank condition on a generalized Laplacian matrix. Furthermore, we discuss the case of time-varying reference vectors and provide a convergence result for this case. The latter helps reach synchronization, requiring less communication links and weaker conditions on the instantaneous reference vectors. Our methods are illustrated on an attitude synchronization problem where agents exchange only their relative positions observed in the respective body frames. ©2009 IEEE.

Phylogenetic relationships of labeonine cyprinids of the disc-bearing group (Pisces : Teleostei)

Phylogenetic relationships of labeonine cyprinids of the disc-bearing group (Pisces. Teleostei). Zoological Studies 44 (1): 130-143. The disc-bearing group is composed of 4 currently recognized cyprinid genera: Discocheilus, Discogobio, Garra, and Placocheilus. This group is defined as having a lower lip modified to form a mental adhesive disc whose posterior margin is not continuous with the mental region, and includes 91 widely distributed species in tropical Africa and Asia. So far, it is represented in China by 28 species (about 1/3 of the total number) of all 4 genera. A phylogenetic analysis, based on 29 morphological characters scored from first-hand observations of 23 of the Chinese species examined, revealed that the disc-bearing group forms a monophyletic clade in which Garra is the basal lineage, and Placocheilus constitutes a subclade with the sister pair of Discocheilus and Discogobio. In such a phylogenetic framework, the validity of each genus of the disc-bearing group was evaluated. It was confirmed that Discocheilus, Discogobio and Placocheilus represent 3 valid cyprinid genera. Evidence provided in this phylogenetic analysis, incorporated with conclusions reached in the known literature, reveals that the monophyly and validity of Garra need to be further studied using observations of more Garra species. Additional characters should also be examined, as the characters utilized in this study and in Abebe's with Getahun's (1999) study are insufficient to resolve the monophyly of Garra.

Characterization of entanglement transformation via group representation theory

Entanglement transformation of composite quantum systems is investigated in the context of group representation theory. Representation of the direct product group SL(2, C) circle times SL(2, C), composed of local operators acting on the binary composite system, is realized in the four-dimensional complex space in terms of a set of novel bases that are pseudo-orthonormalized. The two-to-one homomorphism is then established for the group SL(2, C) circle times SL(2, C) onto the SO(4, C). It is shown that the resulting representation theory leads to the complete characterization for the entanglement transformation of the binary composite system.

Theory of elasticity and electric polarization effects in the group-III nitrides

In this work, the properties of strained tetrahedrally bonded materials are explored theoretically, with special focus on group-III nitrides. In order to do so, a multiscale approach is taken: accurate quantitative calculations of material properties are carried out in a quantum first-principles frame, for small systems. These properties are then extrapolated and empirical methods are employed to make predictions for larger systems, such as alloys or nanostructures. We focus our attention on elasticity and electric polarization in semiconductors. These quantities serve as input for the calculation of the optoelectronic properties of these systems. Regarding the methods employed, our first-principles calculations use highly- accurate density functional theory (DFT) within both standard Kohn-Sham and generalized (hybrid functional) Kohn-Sham approaches. We have developed our own empirical methods, including valence force field (VFF) and a point-dipole model for the calculation of local polarization and local polarization potential. Our local polarization model gives insight for the first time to local fluctuations of the electric polarization at an atomistic level. At the continuum level, we have studied composition-engineering optimization of nitride nanostructures for built-in electrostatic field reduction, and have developed a highly efficient hybrid analytical-numerical staggered-grid computational implementation of continuum elasticity theory, that is used to treat larger systems, such as quantum dots.

So different, yet so similar: meta-analysis and policy modeling of willingness to participate in clinical trials among Brazilians and Indians.

BACKGROUND: With the global expansion of clinical trials and the expectations of the rise of the emerging economies known as BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China), the understanding of factors that affect the willingness to participate in clinical trials of patients from those countries assumes a central role in the future of health research. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) of willingness to participate in clinical trials among Brazilian patients and then we compared it with Indian patients (with results of another SRMA previously conducted by our group) through a system dynamics model. RESULTS: Five studies were included in the SRMA of Brazilian patients. Our main findings are 1) the major motivation for Brazilian patients to participate in clinical trials is altruism, 2) monetary reimbursement is the least important factor motivating Brazilian patients, 3) the major barrier for Brazilian patients to not participate in clinical trials is the fear of side effects, and 4) Brazilian patients are more likely willing to participate in clinical trials than Indians. CONCLUSION: Our study provides important insights for investigators and sponsors for planning trials in Brazil (and India) in the future. Ignoring these results may lead to unnecessary fund/time spending. More studies are needed to validate our results and for better understanding of this poorly studied theme.

The recovery mechanism of platinum group metals from catalytic converters in spent automotive exhaust systems

The recovery of platinum group metals (PGMs) from catalytic converters of spent exhaust systems is considered in this paper. To be cost-effective, recovery processes must be well over 90% efficient and so the optimisation of their operation is vital. Effective optimisation requires a sound understanding of the operation and the underlying process mechanisms. This paper focuses on pyrometallurgical recovery operations used and typified by the Johnson–Matthey process. Analysis of this process reveals that it cannot be simply explained by the gravity model that is normally assumed. The analysis reveals that the affinity of PGM particles for the melted collector metal is a key factor in the behaviour of the process. A rational explanation of the key issues that govern the process behaviour is proposed and shown to be consistent with available operational data. The results generated would be applicable to other similar processes.

Dynamics of nonlinearly coupled magnetic-field-aligned electromagnetic electron-cyclotron waves near the zero-group-dispersion point in magnetized plasmas

The nonlinear coupling between two magnetic-field-aligned electromagnetic electron-cyclotron (EMEC) waves in plasmas is considered. Evaluating the ponderomotive coupling between the EMEC waves and quasistationary plasma density perturbations, a pair of coupled nonlinear Schrodinger equations (CNLSEs) is obtained. The CNLSEs are then used to investigate the occurrence of modulational instability in magnetized plasmas. Waves in the vicinity of the zero-group-dispersion point are considered, so that the group dispersion terms may either bear the same or different signs. It is found that a stable EMEC wave can be destabilized due to its nonlinear interactions with an unstable one, while a pair of unstable EMEC waves yields an increased instability growth rate. Individually stable waves remain stable while interacting with one another. Stationary nonlinear solutions of the coupled equations are presented. The relevance of our investigation to nonlinear phenomena in space plasmas is discussed. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.

The not-so-extreme white dwarf of the CV GD 552

GD 552 is a cataclysmic binary which was previously believed to be composed of an M-star and a white dwarf, the latter having an extreme mass of 1.4 solar masses. In a recent paper we showed that this is not compatible with new observational evidence and presented an alternative model in which the white dwarf has a typical mass and the companion is a brown dwarf, making the system a likely member of the elusive group of CVs which have already evolved through minimum orbital period. Here we present additional spectroscopical evidence supporting this conclusion by means of skew mapping.

'Something That Unites Us All': Understandings of St. Patrick's Day Parades as Representing the Irish National Group

The present study investigates how attendees at national celebratory crowd events-specifically St. Patrick's Day parades-understand the role of such events in representing and uniting the national community. We conducted semi-structured interviews with people who attended St. Patrick's Day parades in either Dublin or Belfast. In year 1, full-length interviews were conducted before and after the events (N=17), and in years 1 and 2, shorter interviews were conducted during the events (year 1 N=170; year 2 N=142). Interview data were analysed using thematic analysis, allowing the identification of three broad themes. Participants reported that (i) the events extend the boundary of the national group, using participation to define who counts as Irish; (ii) the events strategically represent the nature of the national group, maximising positive images and managing stereotypical representations; and (iii) symbolism serves to unify the group but can also disrupt already fragile unity and so must be managed. Overall, this points to a strategic identity dimension to these crowd events. We discuss the implications of these findings for future research in terms of the role of large-scale celebratory events in the strategic representation of everyday social identities.

Efficient Processing of Spatial Group Keyword Queries

With the proliferation of geo-positioning and geo-tagging techniques, spatio-textual objects that possess both a geographical location and a textual description are gaining in prevalence, and spatial keyword queries that exploit both location and textual description are gaining in prominence. However, the queries studied so far generally focus on finding individual objects that each satisfy a query rather than finding groups of objects where the objects in a group together satisfy a query.

We define the problem of retrieving a group of spatio-textual objects such that the group's keywords cover the query's keywords and such that the objects are nearest to the query location and have the smallest inter-object distances. Specifically, we study three instantiations of this problem, all of which are NP-hard. We devise exact solutions as well as approximate solutions with provable approximation bounds to the problems. In addition, we solve the problems of retrieving top-k groups of three instantiations, and study a weighted version of the problem that incorporates object weights. We present empirical studies that offer insight into the efficiency of the solutions, as well as the accuracy of the approximate solutions.

Lancefield group C and G streptococci in human infection : molecular typing, virulence and antimicrobial susceptibility

Tese de doutoramento, Ciências e Tecnologias da Saúde (Microbiologia), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Medicina, 2014

Fairness in assessing group projects: a conceptual framework for higher education

Group projects form a large and possibly growing component of the work undertaken for assessing students in higher education, and especially in post-graduate work in business. Yet the assessments sources, methods and purposes result in an array of combinations that the literature fails to capture in its full complexity. Tutors may be able to assess the work of the group as well as they might the work of any individual. But grades - and degrees - are awarded to individuals. Writers on higher education speak of using self- and peer-assessment as a way of qualifying the evaluation of group work so as to differentiate between individuals. But these commonly used terms - drawn from approaches to assessing individual work - are ambiguous or even misleading in the context of group work. This paper proposes a framework for discussing the assessment of group projects in an effort to help identify how the benefits of group learning and be translated into fairer summative assessments.