Journal articles on the topic 'Artificial islands Weight'

Previous applications of genetic programming (GP) have been restricted to searching for algebraic approximations mapping the design parameters (e.g., geometrical parameters) to a single design objective (e.g., weight). In addition, these algebraic expressions tend to be highly complex. By adding a simple extension to the GP technique, a powerful design data analysis tool is developed. This paper significantly extends the analysis capabilities of GP by searching for multiple simple models within a single population by splitting the population into multiple islands according to the design variables used by individual members. Where members from different islands “cooperate,” simple design models can be extracted from this cooperation. This relatively simple extension to GP is shown to have powerful implications to extracting design models that can be readily interpreted and exploited by human designers. The full analysis method, GP heuristics extraction method, is described and illustrated by means of a design case study.

Andaman local goat (ALG) is meat animal in Andaman and Nicobar islands (ANI) of India. Present study was conducted to measure the seasonal effect on physiological and haematological profiles, scrotal circumference (SC) and testicular weight during rainy and dry summer seasons in ALG. A total of 10 adult intact ALG bucks (body condition score: 3.0-3.5 and classified as good; 3-4 years) were selected from the goat breeding farm, ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair, ANI, India. Results revealed that these experimental profiles differed significantly (p < 0.05) between the seasons. Significantly (p < 0.05) higher haematological profiles, SC and testicular weight were observed in rainy season than in dry summer season whereas physiological profiles such as rectal, skin and scrotal temperatures were higher in dry summer than in wet rainy season. The study concluded that the rainy season has significantly greater beneficial effects than dry summer season on reproduction and artificial breeding programmes in semi-intensive management of goat in the present location.

The use of wind power generation can reduce the pollution in the environment and solve the problem of power shortages on offshore islands, grasslands, pastoral areas, mountain areas, and highlands. Wind speed forecasting plays a significant role in wind farms. It can improve economic and social benefits and make an operation schedule for wind turbines on large wind farms. This paper proposes a combined model based on the existing artificial neural network algorithms for wind speed forecasting at different heights. We first use the wavelet threshold method with the original wind speed dataset for noise reduction. After that, the three artificial neural networks, extreme learning machine (ELM), Elman neural network, and Long Short-term Memory (LSTM) neural network, are applied for wind speed forecasting. In addition, the variance reciprocal method and social cognitive optimization (SCO) algorithm are used to optimize the weight coefficients of the combined model. In order to evaluate the forecasting performance of the combined model, we select wind speed data at three heights (20 m, 50 m and 80 m) at the National Wind Technology Center M2 Tower. The experimental results show that the forecasting performance of the combined model is better than the single model, and it has a good forecasting performance for the wind speed at different heights.

Abstract The potential growth of buffalo grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) and couch grass (Cynodon dactylon) on artificial floating islands (AFIs) and their ability to remove total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) from a simulated paper mill wastewater was studied. This was done to assess the potential of AFIs for removal of nutrients from aerated stabilization basins (ASBs) that had occasional growth of blue-green algae (BGA) to bloom levels. Small scale AFIs were prepared using polyethylene foam and planted with the grasses in 30 L of tested water. Trials were conducted in a plastic covered greenhouse over a three-month period where temperatures ranged from 15 to 44 °C. The results showed that both buffalo and couch grasses can adapt to planting in AFIs showing increases of 125% and 148% in wet weight, respectively. Nutrient uptake by buffalo grass and couch grass were found to be similar. Percentage uptakes of TP and TN from the synthetic water by the buffalo grass were 82% and 47%, whereas by couch grass, uptakes were 83% and 45%, respectively.

This study analyzed the content of gamma-emitting radionuclides in fish farmed on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain). The fish species included in this study were sea bass, gilthead bream, and rainbow trout. The first two species are produced in offshore enclosures, while the third is produced in a freshwater fish farm. All measurements were performed using two high-purity germanium gamma-ray detectors. The content of gamma-emitting radionuclides in the fodder used to feed the different species of farmed fish studied was also determined. The following nuclides were often detected in the analyzed samples: 137Cs, 40K, 235U, 228Ac, 214Bi, 208Tl, 212Pb, and 214Pb. As a complement to this analysis, 210Po concentrations in two fish samples were determined by alpha spectrometry. The nuclide presenting the highest concentration was, as expected, the naturally occurring 40K, with an average concentration of 0.13 ± 0.01 Bq/g (wet weight) (Bq/gww) in gilthead bream and sea bass and 0.12 ± 0.01 Bq/gww in rainbow trout. The 235U concentrations determined in the same fish species were 0.6 ± 0.5, 0.8 ± 0.7, and 1.6 ± 1.0 mBq/gww, respectively. This nuclide is seldom reported in fish samples. The concentrations of 137Cs (the only artificial nuclide determined in this study) in gilthead bream and sea bass were 0.026 ± 0.006 and 0.044 ± 0.01 mBq/gww, respectively. In addition to the radiometric analysis, the contribution of the analyzed nuclides to the effective dose from the mean daily intake of the fish was calculated. The calculated contribution, in terms of dose per person, produced by intake of the analyzed fish was 0.8 μSv/year. This value does not represent a significant risk to the local population.

Climbing perch is one of economically-valued local fish in Indonesia, particularly in Borneo, Sumatra, and Java Islands. The fish has the potential to be developed as freshwater aquaculture species. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the production performance and blood profile of climbing perch cultured in peat pond with different stocking densities. The research was conducted in Kereng Bangkiray Village, Sebangau District, Palangkaraya City, Central of Borneo. Nine fish ponds sized 5.0 m x 5.0 m x 1.5 m were used. Nets with a mesh size of 1 cm measuring 2.0 m x 1.5 m x 1.0 m was installed in each fish pond for the experiment. The treatment consisted of different stocking densities, namely 15 fish/m2, 30 fish/m2, and 45 fish/m2. Fish with the body weight of 20 ± 1.25 g were used. Fish were cultured for four months. An artificial diet containing 30% protein was given with a feeding rate of 5%. The experiment was designed in a complete randomized design. The result showed that the production performances (i.e. survival, specific growth rate, absolute weight, and biomass) were significantly higher at the densities of 15 and 30 fish/m2 than that of 45 fish/m2 (P<0.05). Blood profile such as glucose, erythrocyte, leucocyte, and hemoglobin were higher at the density of 45 fish/m2 except for hematocrit which was higher at the densities of 30 and 15 fish/m2. Water quality parameters such as dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia at the densities of 15 and 30 fish/m2 showed better values than that of 45 fish/m2 stocking density. To optimize the productivity and maintain the optimum water quality condition, the optimal stocking density for climbing perch culture is suggested at 30 fish/m2.

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 203335, “Using MSE and Downhole Drilling Dynamics in Achieving a Record Extended-Reach Well Offshore Abu Dhabi,” by Nashat Abbas and Jamal Al Nokhatha, ADNOC, and Luis Salgado, Halliburton, et al., prepared for the 2020 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, Abu Dhabi, held virtually 9–12 November. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Complex extended-reach-drilling (ERD) wells often present challenges with regard to geological aspects of data requirement and transmittal, reactive geosteering response times, and accuracy of well placement. Such scenarios may require innovative approaches in Middle East carbonate reservoirs. The objective of the complete paper is to illustrate that, by assessing the details of reservoir geology and key operational markers relevant for best practices, drilling approaches can be customized for each reservoir or scenario. Reservoir Background and Geology The planned reservoir section is a single horizontal of approximately 25,000-ft lateral length at a spacing of 250 m from adjacent injectors. The well was drilled from an artificial island. Field A, a shallow-water oil field, is the second-largest offshore field and the fourth-largest field in the world. Horizontal drilling was introduced in 1989, and an extensive drilling campaign has been implemented since then using steerable drilling technologies. This study is concerned only with wells drilled to develop Reservoir B in Field A, which contributes to the main part of initial oil in place and production. The thick limestone reservoir is subdivided into six porous layers, labeled from shallow to deep as A, B, C, D, E, and F. Each porous layer is separated by thin, low-porosity stylolites. The reservoir sublayer B, consisting of approximately 18-ft-thick calcareous limestones, was selected as the target zone for the 25,420-ft horizontal section. ERD, constructed on artificial islands, began on 2014 with a measured depth (MD)/true vertical depth (TVD) ratio approaching 2.2:1 or 2.4:1. A recent ERD well, Well A, was drilled at the beginning of 2020 with a MD/TVD ratio of 5:1. This value is a clear indication of progressively increasing challenges since the start of the project. Mechanical specific energy (MSE) has long been used to evaluate and enhance the rate of penetration (ROP); however, its use as an optimization tool in ERD wells has not been equally significant. This may have been mostly because of historical use of surface-measured parameters, which do not necessarily indicate the energy required to destroy the rock, particularly in ERD wells. Using optimization tools as part of the bottomhole assembly (BHA) downhole close to the bit provides actual weight-on-bit (WOB) and torque-on-bit (TOB) applied to the drilling bit to destroy the rock and, thus, results in more-representative MSE measurements to optimize drilling parameters and ROP in ERD wells.

Abstract The Mackenzie River in northwestern Canada is the largest North American source of freshwater to the Arctic Ocean There are continuous discharges of petroleum into the river from an oil field at Norman Wells both from refinery and natural seepage sources. Recently oil production was expanded using several artificial islands constructed in the river Coincident with the expansion native DENE fishermen in downstream communities complained that the quality of fish deteriorated. Specifically, the liver of burbot (Lota lota) was reported to have become small and dark in colour, and our investigation of that complaint is the subject of this report. Examination of the burbot revealed that the liver condition was associated with a low content of fat The question posed was whether this quality problem could be related to petroleum inputs from Norman Wells. Residue analyses of the fish showed low, but consistent, contamination with low-boiling aromatic hydrocarbons, with fish taken in winter more highly contaminated than fish taken in summer. The low levels in summer fish were found in fish from many freshwater locations with no obvious connection to a petroleum source This may reflect a broad atmospheric dispersal of these materials. Burbot from the lower Mackenzie River did not have elevated liver mixed-function oxidase enzyme activities relative to a reference population from Lake Winnipeg Experimental treatments with oil induced these enzyme activities, and so fish seem unlikely to have been affected by the enzyme inducing components of petroleum. Experimental starvation of burbot in the laboratory resulted in a loss of liver fats and in development of apparently the same liver condition The condition of the fish seems more likely to be of natural origin through factors related to nutrition or parasitism, although pollution cannot be ruled out definitively. Unexpectedly high concentrations of toxaphene (up to 5000 ng/g wet weight) and other organochlorines were found in burbot livers

In order to ensure the safety and reliability of the submerged tunnel covering layer at the junction of an artificial island and tunnel under extremely bad conditions, the wave current characteristics and the stability of the protective structure in the variable slope section were studied. By conducting model tests, the coupling effect of wave and current is revealed in this study. The hydrodynamic field, including the varying angles between waves and currents, is simulated in the model test. The ratio (Hs'/Hs) of the wave height and the ratio (U'/U) of the velocity with and without the existence of a current, the relative velocity (U/C), the wave steepness (Hs/L), the relative water depth (d/L) and the angle (α) between wave and current are obtained, and the corresponding calculation expression is derived, by checking the test results, the empirical formula can better predict the changes of wave height and water flow after wave current coupling. The stable weight of the surface protection rock is obtained through an optimization test. Based on the relationship between the stable weight of the protection rock and the wave height under the wavecurrent coupling effect, a modified expression for calculating the stable weight of the armor block is derived. The modified calculation method can support estimating the stable weight of the armor rocks of an overburden structure of a similar immersed tunnel under the wave–current coupling effect. This study can not only solve the practical problems of major projects of the Shenzhen–Zhongshan channel but also provide valuable basic data and technical support for the construction of overburden of subsea-immersed tube tunnels in the future.

Spawners of sockeye salmon caught in northern Iturup and in the Prostor Bay and Kurilsky Bay in July-August, 2021 are investigated. Almost all of them had the age 1.2+ or 1.3+, with prominent prevalence of the former both for females (88.9 %) and males (80.0 %); other age groups had symbolic representation. Older individuals of both sexes were significantly larger. The sockeye of Iturup Island spend only 2 years in the sea, so both females and males are smaller by weight than the producers of other sockeye herds in the Russian Far East. The short puberty is supposedly favorable for formation of relatively abundant stock of artificial reproduction by the sockeye of Iturup Island.

This study investigated the use of a combined formula of artificial feed and fresh marine algae Gracilaria sp in a submerged cage culture system and its effect on Haliotis squamata relative growth and survival rates. The experiment was performed in Lae-Lae Island, Makassar from May to October 2016. The sample Abalone juvenile larvae were 1.5 cm in size and stocked at a density of 30 pcs/cage. The cage size was 30 cm x 15 cm x 7 cm and equipped with a 2-inch Paralone pipe. This experiment employed a completely random design (CRD) with 3 treatments and 3 replicates. The applied treatment included the combination of artificial feed and fresh marine algae Gracilaria sp. Each treatment included: A. 25% artificial feed + 75% fresh marine algae, B. 50% artificial feed + 50% fresh marine algae, C. 75% artificial feed + 25% fresh marine algae, and was given at the proportion of 20% of the abalone's weight. The results of the study indicated that the use of a combined artificial feed with fresh marine algae (Gracilaria sp.) had no significant effect on relative growth and survival rates of Haliotis squamata. Although feed treatment did not significantly affect the relative growth and survival rate, descriptively, treatment A contributed to the most optimal relative growth and the survival rate compared to treatments B and C.

Island-type petrochemical parks have gradually become the ‘trend’ in establishing new parks because of the security advantages brought by their unique geographical locations. However, due to the frequent occurrence of natural disasters and difficulties in rescue in island-type parks, an early warning model is urgently needed to provide a basis for risk management. Previous research on early warning models of island-type parks seldom considered the particularity. In this study, the early warning indicator system is used as the input parameter to construct the early warning model of an island-type petrochemical park based on the back propagation (BP) neural network, and an actual island-type petrochemical park was used as a case to illustrate the model. Firstly, the safety influencing factors were screened by designing questionnaires and then an early warning indicator system was established. Secondly, particle swarm optimization (PSO) was introduced into the improved BP neural network to optimize the initial weights and thresholds of the neural network. A total of 30 groups of petrochemical park data were taken as samples—26 groups as training samples and 4 groups as test samples. Moreover, the safety status of the petrochemical park was set as the output parameter of the neural network. The comparative analysis shows that the optimized neural network is far superior to the unoptimized neural network in evaluation indicators. Finally, the Zhejiang Petrochemical Co., Ltd., park was used as a case to verify the accuracy of the proposed early warning model. Ultimately, the final output result was 0.8324, which indicates that the safety status of the case park was “safer”. The results show that the BP neural network introduced with PSO can effectively realize early warning, which is an effective model to realize the safety early warning of island-type petrochemical parks.

Abstract One of the methods of a marine rehabilitation program to accelerate the recovery of damaged coral reefs is to make artificial reefs as a new coral growth substrate. Interestingly, many benthic invertebrates overgrowth the artificial reef structures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the benthic organisms encrusting the artificial reefs including the cement and iron substrates. In June 2018, 10 artificial reef structures were deployed in 7-8m depth around Putri Island, Belinyu, Bangka Regency. The artificial reef structures were made in the form of an iron frame with a cement concrete weight. Colonization of sessile benthic organisms is generally marine invertebrates; Scleractinia corals, sponges, bivalves, hydrozoa, bryozoa, soft corals, gastropoda, crinoid, ascidian, and gorgonian. Natural recruited coral Pocillopora sp. was found in all artificial reef structures with colony sizes 3-8cm and surprisingly only coral pocillopora found adhered in iron frames and sinkers. The other benthic organisms are sponge, crinoid, and bryozoa with the number of densities are 2 organism/m2. Meanwhile, the lowest benthic density are groups of Mollusc and Ascidian with organism/m2. The type of succession that occurs in this research was likely a primary succession. The preference of benthic organisms among reefs appeared to be related to the proximity of natural hard-bottom habitat and type of iron and coating materials.

Abstract – Broiler chickens or broiler chickens are one of the popular sources of nutrition in Indonesia. The production of broilers reaches 3.15 billion heads, with the most production center on Java’s island. The Covid-19 disaster that hit Indonesia caused broilers’ production to decrease due to the government’s social restrictions. To maximize production and reduce production efficiency, artificial Intelligent application innovations are carried out for temperature, humidity, and gas control in broiler chicken coops. Artificial Intelligent methods of developing machines can think like humans to help control and make decisions. This artificial Intelligent model uses a fuzzy logic Pulse Width Modulator (PWM)model. The device used for control utilizes Internet of Things technology with a microcontroller as its primary device and sensor as an environmental data reader. The microcontroller used is ESP32 which has been embedded with Wifi to facilitate the transmission of data to the server. To read the sensors’ environmental conditions used by temperature sensors, humidity uses DHT11 and ammonia gas using MQ2. Environment data is sent to the server, which is useful for the user monitoring the cage environment’s condition remotely and, if needed, can be controlled by using the application interface. In this research, the process of system development using waterfall method, namely needs analysis, design, implementation and testing. The system’s application results were tested using two models, namely, trying the sensor reading value compared to the weight on the hygrometer and observation of the reaction of chickens in the cage. The test results obtained the difference in value between the sensor and hygrometer can be tolerated and the chicken reaction following the system’s cooling status.

All available data on sakhalin sturgeon Acipenser mikadoi are summarized. Its historical and modern habitats are described and their significant reduction is noted. Now the species is abundant in the Russian part of its range only — in the Tumnin River, where it is represented in commercial catches by two clearly different groups: large-sized juveniles (FL 43–68 cm) and mature fish (FL 135–169 cm). Juveniles of sakhalin sturgeon migrate during their first years, as their osmoregulatory system forms, to the lower reaches of Tumnin, to the internal estuary, and then to the Datta Bay, the Tatar Strait and the Japan Sea. When returned to the Tumnin, the spawners of sakhalin sturgeon have the length 135–169 cm (n = 29) and weight 15–36 kg. Sex ratio among the caught mature fish is 13.0 : 4 or 3.2 : 1 for females : males, on average. Fecundity of the sturgeon females sampled for artificial reproduction varied from 44.8 to 150.0 thousand eggs, on average 87.3 ± 12.1 . 103 eggs. In total, 17 mature spawners of A.mikadoi were caught in the Tumnin River in 2006–2019 for artificial reproduction (♀ = 13, ♂ = 4), 13 individuals were injected, among them 4/5 of females and 2/3 of males gave high-quality sex products. Producers of this species were distinguished by high survival during manipulations of fish breeding (100 %). Their progeny had low survival, both embryos during incubation and juveniles during rearing; the survival rate for the stage from eggs laid for incubation to juveniles with weight 3.4–7.0 g was 1.85 %. The low survival was supposedly reasoned by combination of unfavorable environmental factors and fish-breeding manipulations. Totally 11,214 juveniles of sakhalin sturgeon with weight from 3.4 to 7.0 g were released into the natural habitat (Tumnin river) in 2007, 2008, 2015, 2017, and 2019. At Anyui sturgeon fish hatchery, the broodstock of sakhalin sturgeon with 274 individuals of 5 ages is created and operated successfully. The male sturgeons in the hatchery mature at the age of 8 years. Here, 11 males of the 2007–2008 year-classes participated in the spawning in 2015–2019. Re-maturation of males was not recorded yet. For the broodstock formation in other fish hatcheries, 200 juveniles of sakhalin sturgeon were transferred to them. To preserve the species, a set of measures is proposed to strengthen its protection and to enhance its artificial reproduction, including the fry releasing into the rivers of the mainland coast, Sakhalin Island, and Japan.

Abstract. The relationships between age of hens, number of laid eggs, egg weight on one hand and fertility and hatchability on the other were analysed during two periods of individual pedigree hatching. Altogether 1 369 hens originated from 9 selected initial laying lines of Bar Plymouth Rock (BPR) (3 lines), Rhode Island Red (RIR) (4 lines), Rhode Island White (RIW), and Sussex Light (SUL) breeds. A total number of 23 473 eggs from hens of all 9 aforementioned lines were set after being artificially inseminated. The total average hatchability of set eggs was 73.2 % and the average percentage of unfertilised eggs was 9.3 %. Positive correlations (rp =0.22 to rp =0.72; P<0.01) were found between the total number of eggs laid till the 240th day of age and the number of eggs produced at the beginning of the laying period in the all studied lines. There were negative correlations (rp =−0.03 to rp =−0.16; P<0.01) between the total number of eggs laid till the 240th day of age and the average egg weight (on the 222nd day of age). Zero to positive correlations existed between the total number of eggs laid till the 240th day of age on one hand and the number of hatching eggs, number of hatched chicks/hen and hatchability; the calculated values ranged from rp =−0.02 to rp =0.30 (P<0.01), from rp = −0.08 to rp =0.36 (P<0.01), and from rp =−0.09 to rp =0.30 (P<0.01), respectively. Correlations between the egg weight and number of hatched chicks/hen were negative to zero and their values ranged from rp =−0.19 (P<0.01) to rp =0.02. Correlations between the egg weight and hatchability were always negative (rp =−0.15; P<0.05 to rp =−0.04). Regarding the fact that there is a concurrent selection for an increased egg weight it can be said that this preference of smaller eggs is really counter-productive. A positive relationship between the number of hatching eggs/hen and the hatchability (rp =−0.02 to rp =0.39; P<0.01) was influenced by calculated negative correlations existing between the weight of eggs and the hatchability as well as between the weight of eggs and the number of laid eggs. As far as the hatchability is concerned, it can be concluded that in the aforementioned laying lines those hens are preferred, which produce more eggs of smaller size and that this fact obviously influences also the efficiency of selection for a greater weight of produced eggs.

`Green Mignonette', `Salinas', `Parris Island Cos', and `Amaral 400' lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.); `WR-55 Days' Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. Pekinensis Group); Waianae Strain' green mustard cabbage [Brassica juncea (L.) Czerniak]; `Tastie Hybrid' head cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. Capitata Group); and an unnamed local selection of green bunching onions (Allium fistulosum L.) were field-grown during Fall 1987 and Spring 1988 at Waimanalo, Oahu, Hawaii, in full-sun and with four artificially produced levels of shade (30%, 47%, 63%, and 73%). Yields of cos lettuce, green mustard cabbage, and green bunching onions were irresponsive to shade or negatively affected by shade in both seasons. Yield responses of the other crops to shade varied seasonally. Optimum shading of 30% to 47% increased `Green Mignonette', `Salinas', and `Amaral 400' lettuce yields by 36% and head cabbage and Chinese cabbage yields by 23% and 21%, respectively, compared to full-sun plots in one or both seasons. Leaf areas similar to unshaded controls were maintained as shade intensity increased, while leaf dry weight decreased in all crops except `Salinas' and `Parris Island Cos' lettuce. Maximum rates of net photosynthesis (Pn) were attained at 1500 umol·s-1·m-2, which was about two-thirds of full sunlight.

Abstract. This article presents a dielectric database of organic Arctic soils (DDOAS). The DDOAS was created based on the dielectric measurements of seven samples of organic-rich soils collected in various parts of the Arctic tundra: Yamal Peninsula, Taimyr Peninsula, Samoylov Island (all in the Russian Federation) and the northern slope of Alaska (US). The organic matter content (by weight) of the presented soil samples varied from 35 % to 90 %. The refractive index (RI) and normalised attenuation coefficient (NAC) were measured under laboratory conditions by the coaxial-waveguide method in the frequency range from ∼ 10 MHz to ∼ 16 GHz, while the moisture content changed from air-dry to field capacity, and the temperature changed from −40 to +25 ∘C. The total number of measured values of the RI and NAC contained in the database is more than 1.5 million. The created database can serve not only as a source of experimental data for the development of new soil dielectric models for the Arctic tundra but also as a source of training data for artificial intelligence satellite algorithms of soil moisture retrievals based on neural networks. The DDOAS is presented as Excel files. The files of the DDOAS are available on https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3819912 (Savin and Mironov, 2020).

Yeast volatile organic compounds (VOCs), i.e. low molecular weight organic acids, alcohols and esters, are considered as potential and sustainable sources of natural aromas that can replace commonly used artificial flavors in food and other industrial sectors. Although research generally focuses on the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, other so-called unconventional yeasts (NCY) are beginning to attract the attention of researchers, particularly for their ability to produce alternative panels of VOCs. With this respect, a Saprochaete suaveolens strain isolated from dragon fruit in Reunion Island was shown to produce α-unsaturated esters from branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) such as isobutyl, isoamyl or ethyl tiglate, which are rarely found in other yeasts strains. Given that β-oxidation allows the growth of S. suaveolens on BCAAs as sole carbon source, we developped a method based on UV mutagenesis to generate mutants that can no longer grow on BCAAs, while redirecting the carbon flow towards esterification of α-unsaturated esters. Among the 15,000 clones generated through UV irradiation, we identified nine clones unable to grow on BCAAs with one of them able to produce eight times more VOCs as compared to the wild-type strain. This higher production of α-unsaturated esters in this mutant strain coincided with an almost complete loss of enoyl-CoA hydratase activity of the β-oxidation pathways and with a twofold increase of acyl-CoA hydrolase with not significant changes in the enzymes of the Ehrlich pathway. Moreover, from our knowledge, it constituted the first example of VOCs enhancement in a microbial strain by UV mutagenesis.

The development of the urban agglomeration has caused drastic changes in landscape pattern and increased anthropogenic heat emission and lead to the urban heat island (UHI) effect more serious. Therefore, understanding the interpretation ability of landscape pattern on the thermal environment has gradually become an important focus. In the study, the spatial heterogeneity of the surface temperature was analyzed using the hot-spot analysis method which was improved by changing the calculation of space weight. Then the interpretation ability of a single landscape and a combination of landscapes to explain surface temperature was explored using the Pearson correlation coefficient and ordinary least squares regression from different spatial levels, and the spatial heterogeneity of the interpretation ability was explored using geographical weighted regression under the optimal granularity (5 × 5 km). The results showed that: (1) The hot spots of surface temperature were distributed mainly in the plains and on the southeast hills, where the landscapes primarily include artificial landscape (ArtLS) and farmland landscape (FarmLS). The cold spots were distributed mainly in the northern hills, which are dominated by forest landscape (ForLS). (2) On the whole, the interpretative ability of ForLS, FarmLS, ArtLS, green space landscape pattern, and ecological landscape pattern to explain surface temperature was stronger, whereas the interpretative ability of grassland landscape and wetland landscape to explain surface temperature was weaker. The interpretation ability of landscape pattern to explain surface temperature was obviously different in different areas. Specifically, the ability was stronger in the hills than in the plain and plateau. The results are intended to provide a scientific basis for adjusting landscape structural, optimizing landscape patterns, alleviating the UHI effect, and coordinating the balance among cities within the urban agglomeration.

The ecology of two meltwater streams on King George Island, Ornithologists Creek (with penguin rookeries close to its lower reaches) and Petrified Forest Creek (a highly oligotrophic system), was studied during the 1996–97 summer season. To estimate seasonal productivity of the periphyton and to establish which environmental parameters influenced periphyton growth most strongly, two types of artificial substrata (fibreglass nets – ash-free dry weight (AFDW), and microscope slides – Chlorophyll a (Chl a)) were tested in situ. Thus relative periphyton productivity (RPP) reflects algal colonization and growth as well as losses due to cell mortality and abrasive action of moving sediments. The Petrified Forest Creek was more productive (AFDW = 108.63 μg cm−2 d−1, Chl a = 0.35 μg g cm−2 d−1) than the Ornithologists Creek (AFDW = 69.90 μg cm−2 d−-1, Chl a = 0.26 μg cm−2 d−1). RPP differed both along the streams, and during the season. Significant positive or negative relationships (generalized linear models) were found between RPP and streamwater ‘physico-chemical parameters’ and ‘geomorphological-geographical characteristics’ of the streams' catchments. In addition, in the lower reaches of both streams almost no active colonization or growth was recorded. In the Petrified Forest Creek, the periphyton biomass was so high that mainly passive organic matter deposition occurred. By contrast, in the lower reach of Ornithologists Creek, periphyton colonization and growth was around zero, being negatively influenced by penguin excrement. Ornithologists Creek was richer in nutrients (DIN, DRP), which also fluctuated more widely along its length and throughout the season, than in the Petrified Forest Creek. Parameters associated with the inorganic carbon cycle of the streamwater reflect higher RPP in Petrified Forest Creek. Moreover, RPP was higher in stream reaches with higher amounts of gravel boulders on the bottom.

Limited monitoring activities to assess data on heavy metal (HM) concentration contribute to worldwide concern for the environmental quality and the degree of toxicants in areas where there are elevated metals concentrations. Hence, this study used in-situ physicochemical parameters to the limited data on HM concentration in SW and GW. The site of the study was Marinduque Island Province in the Philippines, which experienced two mining disasters. Prediction model results showed that the SW models during the dry and wet seasons recorded a mean squared error (MSE) ranging from 6 × 10−7 to 0.070276. The GW models recorded a range from 5 × 10−8 to 0.045373, all of which were approaching the ideal MSE value of 0. Kling–Gupta efficiency values of developed models were all greater than 0.95. The developed neural network-particle swarm optimization (NN-PSO) models for SW and GW were compared to linear and support vector machine (SVM) models and previously published deterministic and artificial intelligence (AI) models. The findings indicated that the developed NN-PSO models are superior to the developed linear and SVM models, up to 1.60 and 1.40 times greater than the best model observed created by linear and SVM models for SW and GW, respectively. The developed models were also on par with previously published deterministic and AI-based models considering their prediction capability. Sensitivity analysis using Olden’s connection weights approach showed that pH influenced the concentration of HM significantly. Established on the research findings, it can be stated that the NN-PSO is an effective and practical approach in the prediction of HM concentration in water resources that contributes a solution to the limited HM concentration monitored data.

Modern development contributes to the need to transform inefficiently used spaces that have a promis-ing location in the structure of cities. For the implementation of ambitious projects, the territory of the Na-gatinskaya floodplain (about 100 hectares) in the Southern Administrative District of Moscow is considered. The favorable location is near the center with the center of the capital, on the territory of the artificial penin-sula, in close proximity to the natural territories of the south of the capital, which are in contact with a part of the former industrial zone of the I.A. Likhachev (ZIL). It took almost three decades to find solutions related to the arrangement of the territory. The long period of choice of options due to the scale of the proposals, subjective reasons and even a change in the status of the territory. In the implementation of ambitious projects using the Nagatinskaya floodplain took part: Hermann Tilke (project of the route for Formula 1, 2000), Normann Forster (the largest building in the world, 2007), Russian and international companies: Soyuzmultfilm, DreamWorks, GK "Regions" and many others. However, despite the attractiveness of the territory, its size and position in the city, interesting and necessary projects were not implemented. All the proposed options for arranging combine recreational and sports orientation, water use, environmental and social components. The information collected as a result of the work allowed us to obtain data for an objective assessment of the Dream Island project. The authors pro-posed to use the SWOT-analysis for structuring urban information and assessing the prospects of construc-tion. The weight of the main factors of the method was determined: Strength (strength) -27%, Weakness -10%, Opportunities (possibilities) -37%, Troubles (problem, ie possible threats) - 26%, which fully explains the difficulties with the implementation of this large-scale project of use of disturbed territory The revealed val-ues explain the relationship between the theoretical justification and the real situation.

<p>ABSTRACT<br />East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) in the 1998 was able to supply beef cattle with minimum body weight of 250 kg to Java. This capacity, however, decreases today due to the some contraints faced. Pasture is a comparative advantage for grazing system. However, quality of the pasture has declined, and rice intensification policy has reduced grazing areas. The cases of livestock theft are also high which will decrease farmers interest to rearing cattle. Calf mortality is high and slaughtering productive cows is still occurred which<br />resulted in decreasing beef cattle population. Policy measures to push NTT as a source of beef cattle include pasture management and improvement and application of integrated paddy-cattle to anticipate the reduction of grazing areas in spuring the carrying capacity. Cattle securing is required to avoid theft. Control policies on slaughtering of productive cows are needed through institutional development by the local government. Decreasing calf mortality rates with no shepherd and addition of feed based on local resources are needed. Furthermore, improvement of beef cattle genetic quality through natural mating with the provision of superior male, and development of snapping estrus and artificial insemination are required. These strategies will be able to push increasing beef cattle population in NTT, therefore NTT would revive as a supplier of beef cattle to Java Island.<br />Keywords: Beef cattle, regional development, East Nusa Tenggara</p><p>Abstrak</p><p>Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) pada tahun 1980-an merupakan pemasok ternak sapi potong ke Pulau Jawa dengan bobot badan minimal 250 kg/ekor. Namun, kemampuan tersebut makin menurun karena berbagai kendala yang dihadapi. Padang penggembalaan merupakan keunggulan komparatif dengan sistem pemeliharaan digembalakan. Namun, kualitas padang penggembalaan makin menurun, selain kebijakan intensifikasi tanaman padi yang berdampak terhadap berkurangnya area penggembalaan. Kasus pencurian ternak yang tinggi akan menurunkan minat peternak dalam usaha ternak. Kematian anak sapi yang masih tinggi dan adanya pemotongan sapi betina produktif akan mengganggu program peningkatan populasi sapi di NTT. Langkah kebijakan untuk memacu NTT kembali sebagai sumber ternak sapi potong di antaranya adalah perbaikan padang penggembalaan dan pengelolaannya dan penerapan model integrasi padi-sapi untuk mengantisipasi berkurangnya area penggembalaan dan meningkatkan daya dukung pakan. Jaminan keamanan ternak diperlukan akibat kasus maraknya pencurian, karena sapi adalah aset utama petani dalam memenuhi ekonomi keluarga. Kebijakan pengendalian pemotongan sapi betina produktif dapat dilakukan melalui pengembangan kelembagaan yang tepat oleh Pemda. Kematian anak sapi dapat diturunkan dengan tidak mengikutkan anak dalam penggembalaan. Perbaikan kualitas genetik dilakukan melalui kawin alam dengan pejantan unggul, maupun pe-ngembangan gertak berahi dan inseminasi buatan. Strategi ini diharapkan mampu memacu peningkatan populasi sapi potong dan mengembalikan peran NTT sebagai pemasok sapi ke Pulau Jawa.<br /><br /></p>

Detector finds and settlement – The Eastern Limfjord in Late Iron Age and Viking timesDuring the past 30 years Danish fields have formed the backdrop for a silent revolution. Since the appearance of the metal detector in the 1970s, detector enthusiasts have succeeded in increasing dramatically the number of finds and known archaeological sites, especially from the Late Iron Age and Early Medieval period. This growth in the archaeological record has, among other things, led to a new understanding of settlement patterns and the general development of society.Despite scepticism in the beginning, and a few misleading incidents involving illegal use of metal detectors, the liberal Danish legislation concerning the private use of metal detectors must therefore be termed “a success”.This has indeed also been the case in Northern Jutland, around the Limfjord. Since the very beginning of the detector adventure the Aalborg area has yielded more new finds year on year than most other areas of Denmark, being only surpassed by Bornholm and Southeast Funen. However, despite the results they have amassed, the efforts of Northern Jutland’s detectorists do not seem to have been appreciated, and co-operation with the detectorists has not increased and improved in the manner seen in Southeastern Denmark.The many detector finds from along the Limfjord have, of course, received some attention from Danish archaeologists. ­Esp­ecially so after excavations were carried out at a couple of the major sites, Sebbersund and Bejsebakken. However, a num­ber of other sites have not yet received the same attention, even though they have yielded, and continue to yield, a substantial number of detector finds. These sites have been overlooked both in the field and in the archaeological literature. This article is an attempt to improve on the latter situation. It offers a presentation of the finds recovered so far and a preliminary analysis of the material.The material recovered by detector from the region contains a great number of single stray finds. However, several sites clearly orientated towards the coasts of the Limfjord are characterised by much richer find assemblages (fig. 1). These sites are the main subject of this article, with particular focus on Late Iron Age material.In general, the detector sites seem all to represent settlements, but when trying to analyse the detector finds and sites we are still faced with some fundamental questions. For example, it is obvious today that there is remarkably poor correlation bet­ween the overall distribution of metal obj­ects and the settlement structures on the sites.Thanks to the detectorists it is now possible to draw a fairly credible picture of the Late Iron Age settlement pattern around the Eastern Limfjord. This picture shows a remarkably dense concentration of rich settlements in a generally densely populated coastal zone. However, when compared to the areas rich in detector finds in the southeastern part of Denmark and Scania, this picture reveals one remarkable difference: the lack of a main centre.The landscape and the sitesApart from drainage of low-lying meadows and a few shallow areas along the coast, the landscape alongside the Eastern Limfjord in the Late Iron Age resembled that of the present day. The eastern part of the Limfjord formed a narrow, winding channel, and both the northern and the southern coast consisted of wide foreshores, replaced a little further inland by moraine hills. The hills stood isolated from each other and the mainland by small rivers and low-lying, wet meadows which were flooded by the sea in the Stone Age. Øland and Gjøl actually remained islands until the 19th century when farmers succeeded in draining the shallow waters between the hills and the mainland.North of the fjord, the lowlands behind the hills continued for several kilometres. South of the fjord, these wet meadows were, after a few hundred metres, typically replaced by a hilly landscape dissected by river valleys.Further to the west, the fjord at that time apparently offered two different sailing routes in and out: one to the west and a one to the northwest, through the Sløjenkanal.The latter has completely disappeared today and investigations suggest that the mouth of this channel silted up during the 1st century AD. However, place names, historical records and archaeological finds indicate that the channel still played an import role during the Viking Age. Most likely the ships where simply carried over the sand bank at its mouth.The rich detector sites dealt with in this article are Øland, Gjøl, Lindholm Høje, Humlebakken, Postgården, Thulebakken, Bejsebakken, Sofiendal/Gammel Hasseris, Nørholm, Mellemholm and Sebbersund. All but one are located on the top of the distinctive moraine hills along the Limfjord, lying typically between 1 and 3 km from the actual coast. In contrast to the other sites, Sebbersund is located on a small pen­insula directly on the coast of the Limfjord, by the entrance to a small lagoon.The extent to which the sites have been subjected to archaeological investigation varies considerably. Extensive excavations have been carried out at Lindholm Høje, Sebbersund, Postgården and Bejsebakken. The latter has been almost totally excavated.Minor excavations have been carried out at Humlebakken, Thulebakken and Sofiendal/Gammel Hasseris – whereas the history of Øland, Gjøl, Mellemholm and Nørholm is characterised by an almost total lack of archaeological activity, apart from the topsoil surveys performed by the detectorists.The metal finds – chronological tendenciesSince the only properly registered detector finds from the sites on the Eastern Limfjord are those designated as treasure trove, only these finds are included in this analysis. However, changing criteria for the designation of treasure trove have clearly affected the composition of the find material in question. The increasing number of detector finds has forced the National Museum to tighten up the designation criteria. This has led to the situation where many finds which previously were declared as treasure trove are now returned to local museums and the finders (fig. 4). Consequently, fewer finds from the more recently discovered detector sites have been declared treasure trove, making comparison with the finds from “older” sites very difficult.Bronze brooches constitute by far the greatest part of the material chosen for this study. Out of 709 finds, 478 are brooches – corresponding to 67.5 %. The earlier detector finds available show little typological variation, whereas variation clearly increases in finds from the later part of Late Iron Age and, especially, the Viking Age, from which there is a wide range of metal artefacts (fig. 5).In order to compare the chronological composition of the material from the different sites, I have produced a series of diagrams based on the number and dating of the brooches from each site (fig. 6.). With a few exceptions, the diagrams give an impression of marked continuity in the flow of metal objects at the sites and, in most cases, an increasing circulation of metal objects during the Late Iron Age, reaching a peak in the Late Germanic Iron Age. However, this peak is somewhat artificial since it is mainly due to the fact that only brooches have been included in the analysis. Had the entire range of finds been included, this would have shown that circulation of metals continued to grow through­­­out the Viking Age.Øland, Gjøl and Sebbersund do not fit this picture of continuity. The detector finds from these sites consist, almost exclusively, of objects from the Late Germanic Iron Age and Viking Age. However, Øland and Gjøl belong to the most recently discovered detector sites and the finds from them can hardly be expected to give a fully representative picture of the metal objects present in the soil here.In contrast, Sebbersund is a well-known “old” site and a similar, but more thorough, analysis of the brooches from the site, including the ones recovered during excavations, has produced the very same result. Activities at Sebbersund seem, therefore, to have been very limited in the Germanic Iron Age, before blossoming in the Viking Age and then ceasing almost completely around AD 1100.Furthermore, on the topic of continuity, the finds from all the rich detector sites on the Eastern Limfjord also include various amounts of medieval artefacts and, in most cases, early medieval churches or monasteries are located nearby. Activities on these sites carried on well into the medieval period.The distribution of the finds – size and structure of the sitesHalf of the rich detector sites on the Eastern Limfjord have been subjected to excavation and in all cases settlement remains were revealed. Similar excavations in other parts of Denmark have shown the same pattern and it seems safe to assume that the metal items present in the topsoil at the rich detector sites analysed in this article are the result of settlement remains under degradation.Furthermore, since cremation graves were the dominant burial type during a major part of Late Iron Age in Northern Jutland, one would expect to find a large number of fire-damaged metal objects among the detector finds if these originated from burial sites. This is not the case.The quality of the information on find site varies greatly from find to find and the recorded geographical information presents little opportunity for inferences to be made concerning the structure of each site. However, the overall distribution of the finds clearly poses an interesting problem. On all of the rich sites, with the exception of Sebbersund, the metal objects lie scattered over huge areas. These are far greater than those which can be expected to conceal traces of prehistoric settlement. The detector site on Nørholm hill is the largest so far, covering approximately 400 acres.The Bejsebakken case underlines the phenomenon; this settlement has been almost totally excavated. If the extent of the settlement is compared with the distribution of detector finds from the hill it is obvious that there is a concentration of metal objects recovered from the topsoil above the remains of the settlement, but it is equally clear that a considerable number of finds have been detected outside this area (fig. 7).The large number of metal objects found outside the area with archaeological remains of the settlement probably reflects some sort of adjacent activity area connected to the farmsteads on the top of the hill. However, the area in question covers several acres. In my opinion it seems most likely that the surprisingly wide distribution of the metal objects is due to the use of settlement waste as manure on the fields in the vicinity of the farmsteads.A wide distribution of the detector finds is, incidentally, a very common phenomenon. Along with a similar topographic setting, this feature is shared by almost all the large detector sites on the Eastern Lim­fjord. It therefore seems likely that agriculture played an important role in the economy of these settlements.Only the settlement at Sebbersund does not conform to this picture. In contrast to the other sites, the detector finds here seem to be concentrated within an extremely limited area. This situation, however, corresponds well with the excavation results from the 1980s which led to the interpretation of the settlement structures as remains of a trading place without traces of any ordinary agrarian settlement.Crafts and TradeObviously, only a very limited number of the activities which took place at the Iron Age settlements can be revealed by the use of metal detectors. However, a few of the metal objects indicate the presence of metal crafts and trade.Generally, the direct indicators of trade are sparse. Means of payment such as coins and pieces of silver are rare and only Sebbersund has yielded a significant number of balance weights. Furthermore, all of the finds belonging to this category are from the Viking Age. However, a substantial number of foreign metal objects clearly point to the fact that the sites on the Lim­fjord were part of a far-reaching communication network (figs. 8 and 9). Excavations at several of the sites have also recovered various imported goods, and trade must have been a common phenomenon.The imported finds seem to reflect a contact network which evolved through time. In the Germanic Iron Age, the network seems mainly to have covered the rest of Scandinavia, whereas the British Isles and the northwestern part of Continental Europe, especially the area around the mouth of the Rhine, were clearly also included in the Viking Age. However, not only the direction of the traffic seems to have evolved. When looking at the number and character of the objects found on the sites, it seems obvious that the traffic increased in the course of the Late Iron Age and that trade in bulk goods began and expanded through the Viking age.Crafts are generally poorly represented in the detector finds. A few items, such as raw materials in the form of small pieces of gold and silver, half-finished brooches, a matrix for the production of bracteates and three identical brooches at one site, indicates the in situ production of jewellery at the sites. This conclusion is also supported by the fact that several types of brooches and some ornamental elements exclusively or mainly occur on the Eastern Limfjord.As could be expected, a much broader spectrum of crafts has been demonstrated through excavations at some of the sites and, apart from showing the traditional variation of crafts, the excavation results generally seem to demonstrate a marked focus on the production of textiles. At Sebbersund and Bejsebakken the number of pit-houses exceeds several hundreds and the majority of these were clearly used for the production of textiles. This production must definitely have exceeded what could possibly have been needed loc­ally.Regional settlement pattern and interpretation of the rich sitesAt present, it is only possible to draw a fairly credible picture of the Late Iron Age settlement pattern on the Eastern Lim­fjord by including the considerable number of single detector finds from the region. On this basis, the area seems to have been quite densely populated with a series of richer settlements along the coasts of the fjord (fig. 11).The lack of inland settlements equally rich in metal finds seems to indicate that the coast-near settlements on the fjord served, in some respects, as central places relative to the settlements further inland.It is obvious that the circulation of metal objects varied considerably from settlement to settlement and from period to per­iod. Despite these variations, none of the detector sites has so far yielded an assemblage which allows us to assign any of the settlements to a position elevated markedly above the others in the settlement system for the region. However, the considerable variation in the number of finds from the different sites clearly points to the fact that some settlements were more successful than others. This seems to have been very much the case on the Nørholm and the Bejsebakken hills, especially in the Late Germanic Iron Age, during which the circulation of metal objects here accelerated markedly relative to the other sites.The lack of a pronounced main centre in a generally wealthy region stands in remarkable contrast to contemporary settlement patterns known from the southeastern part of Denmark and Scania. These latter areas were apparently characterised by a society of a much more hierarchical nature and by settlement patterns including easily recognisable centres mainly characterised by extreme concentrations of rich gold and silver finds along with the presence of unusual imports.The development of a highly stratified society seems, therefore, to have proceeded at a somewhat slower pace in the Lim­fjord region. Together with the growing importance of the Limfjord for communication, this led to the characteristic settlement pattern which included a large number of settlements of centre-like character located along the coasts of the eastern part of the fjord in the Late Iron Age.Torben Trier ChristiansenAalborg Historiske Museum

Abstract Most phenotypic traits in nature involve the collective action of many genes. Traits that evolve repeatedly are particularly useful for understanding how selection may act on changing trait values. In mice, large body size has evolved repeatedly on islands and under artificial selection in the laboratory. Identifying the loci and genes involved in this process may shed light on the evolution of complex, polygenic traits. Here, we have mapped the genetic basis of body size variation by making a genetic cross between mice from the Faroe Islands, which are among the largest and most distinctive natural populations of mice in the world, and a laboratory mouse strain selected for small body size, SM/J. Using this F2 intercross of 841 animals, we have identified 111 loci controlling various aspects of body size, weight and growth hormone levels. By comparing against other studies, including the use of a joint meta-analysis, we found that the loci involved in the evolution of large size in the Faroese mice were largely independent from those of a different island population or other laboratory strains. We hypothesize that colonization bottleneck, historical hybridization, or the redundancy between multiple loci have resulted in the Faroese mice achieving an outwardly similar phenotype through a distinct evolutionary path.

The reproductive biology of the land crab Gecarcoidea lalandii was documented for the Ly Son Island, Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Approximately 30 crabs, collected every month in the 12-month period from August 2019 to July 2020, were analyzed gonadal development stages, sex ratio, spawning season, fecundity and size at first sexual maturity. Results showed that number of male and female crab in nature was not significantly different. Gonadal of the crab passed through five stages of maturation. The crab spawns continuously during the spawning season. In nature, the crab can mature whole year-round with a higher proportion from January to August and the peak maturation from June to July. The spawning season is of this species is only on the raining period from June to July. Length at first sexual maturity of the crab was 53.91 mm of carapace width for female and 50.39 mm male crab. The absolute fecundity varied in 473,000-820,000 eggs ind-1 and highly related to body weight. The current findings provide the scientific foundation for fishery resource management and artificial breeding of the land crab in Ly Son.

Abstract Study question Does human embryo culture in different IVF culture media lead to DNA methylation alterations in IVF offspring? Summary answer Genome-wide analyses identified no significant DNA methylation differences between culture medium groups in IVF children (neonates or 9-year olds) from two culture media studies. What is known already During in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments, embryos undergo preimplantation development in an artificial environment, while concurrently undergoing epigenetic reprogramming. Adversity during this period, such as peri-conception calorie restriction, has been linked to persistent DNA methylation aberrations and increased risk of cardiometabolic disease. Early environmental adversity is suspected in IVF offspring as they are born with lower birthweights and show increased risk of cardiometabolic dysfunction in adulthood as compared to their naturally-conceived counterparts. This is further supported by the observation from two culture media trials (MEDIUM0 and MEDIUM1) that embryo culture in different culture media leads to differences in birthweight. Study design, size, duration We recruited singleton offspring from two IVF culture media trials. The MEDIUM0 study, a pseudo-randomized trial comparing G3 (Vitrolife) and K-SICM (Cook), was conducted from 2003-2006. At the 9-year follow-up, saliva was collected (cohort-A). The MEDIUM1 study, a multi-center randomized controlled trial comparing G5 (Vitrolife) and HTF (Lonza), was conducted from 2010-2012. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) was collected at birth (cohort-B). Participants/materials, setting, methods DNA methylation was analysed in 120 saliva samples (65 G3, 55 Cook) and 106 UCB samples (47 HTF, 59 G5) using the Infinium MethylationEPIC array (Illumina). Mixed effects linear models, correcting for (gestational) age, sex, sample composition and batch effects alongside maternal age, pregnancy complications and IVF centre for cohort-B, were implemented at single or aggregated sites. Methylation outliers were defined as values over three interquartile ranges below or above 25th and 75th percentiles respectively. Main results and the role of chance 111 of the 120 saliva samples (60 G3, 51 Cook) and 105 of the 106 UCB samples (47 HTF, 58 G5) passed our quality control criteria. We filtered sites on sex chromosomes, and based on quality, proximity to single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and proportion of missing values, leaving 650,000-700,000 of the 850,000 sites included on the EPIC array for our analyses. To account for heterogeneity in the cellular composition of our samples we estimated their cell compositions using a reference-based approach. First, we investigated individual CpG sites, finding no differentially methylated sites in either cohort after correction for multiple testing (false discovery rate adjusted p. value threshold &lt; 0.1). Sites were then aggregated into regions based on their allocations to genes, promoters and CpG islands. No differentially methylated regions were identified in either cohort. A targeted analysis of DNA methylation of imprinting genes showed no differentially methylated sites or regions. To examine the contribution of stochastic epigenetic alterations we quantified the number of methylation outliers per sample. Although this revealed a predominance of hypomethylation outliers, there was no difference in the total number or distribution of DNA methylation outliers between the two culture media groups of cohort-A and cohort-B. Limitations, reasons for caution This analysis is currently limited by the lack of comparison to a naturally-conceived control group. As such, we cannot yet conclude whether IVF embryo culture, in any medium, is associated with DNA methylation aberrations. Additionally, given the large number of comparisons, we may lack power to detect small differences. Wider implications of the findings Although there are disparities in birth weight and childhood growth after embryo culture in different media, we observed no DNA methylation alterations preserved postnatally. Whether DNA methylation of these individuals deviates from that of naturally-conceived individuals will be determined in the near future. Trial registration number MEDIUM1: NTR 1979 /NL1866 (Netherlands Trial Registry)

Substrate surface area and fractal complexity have been reported to influence the abundance and diversity of mobile cryptic animal communities. Surfaces with higher fractal dimensions not only offer additional space for colonization, but bias space availability toward smaller size ranges, increasing the number of available niches. Conversely, smaller surface areas tend to be associated with a decrease in abundances while reduced fractal complexities may support less diversity in the benthic community. In this study, we compared morphological parameters between rubble sampled from rubble mounds accumulated at the seaward side of artificial breakwaters and rubble sampled from a nearby location with no breakwaters (=control site). The purpose of this work was to establish a methodology for comparing the surface area and fractal complexity of coral rubble fragments using easily available equipment that could be efficiently utilized during field work. Rubble fragments were individually weighed and photographed in controlled light conditions. Each photograph was then analyzed using ImageJ software. Rubble pieces from each photograph went through segmentation, the separation of sample outlines from the picture background, before being measured and analyzed for surface area, width, and length (size estimators), and circularity, aspect ratio, roundness, solidity, and Feret properties (shape estimators). Surface fractal complexity was also measured, using the box counting method on segmented rubble surfaces. We observed lowered surface areas, weight, and fractal complexity for rubble fragments sampled at the breakwater. We demonstrate how this method could be used to compare coral rubble from a variety of environmental conditions, thus becoming a useful aid in environmental monitoring, in addition to adding important information to the collection and analyses of biological data.

We explore the use of superconducting quantum phase slip junctions (QPSJs), an electromagnetic dual to Josephson Junctions (JJs), in neuromorphic circuits. These small circuits could serve as the building blocks of neuromorphic circuits for machine learning applications because they exhibit desirable properties such as inherent ultra-low energy per operation, high speed, dense integration, negligible loss, and natural spiking responses. In addition, they have a relatively straight-forward micro/nano fabrication, which shows promise for implementation of an enormous number of lossless interconnections that are required to realize complex neuromorphic systems. We simulate QPSJ-only, as well as hybrid QPSJ + JJ circuits for application in neuromorphic circuits including artificial synapses and neurons, as well as fan-in and fan-out circuits. We also design and simulate learning circuits, where a simplified spike timing dependent plasticity rule is realized to provide potential learning mechanisms. We also take an alternative approach, which shows potential to overcome some of the expected challenges of QPSJ-based neuromorphic circuits, via QPSJ-based charge islands coupled together to generate non-linear charge dynamics that result in a large number of programmable weights or non-volatile memory states. Notably, we show that these weights are a function of the timing and frequency of the input spiking signals and can be programmed using a small number of DC voltage bias signals, therefore exhibiting spike-timing and rate dependent plasticity, which are mechanisms to realize learning in neuromorphic circuits.

The Sumatra barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) is one of the Indonesia indigenous ornamental fish from Sumatra island. The breeding of sumatra barb fish has actually seen a decline in color quality because this species cannot produce carotenoid in the body. To solve this problem, needed an alternative using supplementation the carotenoid in the feed. The objective of this study was aimed to determine the effectiveness of red spinach flour doses as feed on the quality of the sumatra barb. The sumatra barb ornamental fish, with weight about 0.54 g and length about 3.50 cm, were reared in the aquarium (30 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm). The completely randomized design with 4 treatments (A=0% (control), B=2%, C=4%, and D=6%) and 3 replications were analyzed in this study. Parameters in this study consisted of body skin color qualities (e.g. L = lightness, C = chroma, and H = hue) and the number of carotenoid in the skin, fins, and meat. The fish were reared for 42 days and given feed 3 times per day. This result showed that supplementation of red spinach flour by 6% with carotenoid 45.26 ppm in feed, 50.44 ppm in fins, 16.10 ppm in the skin, and 3.69 ppm in meat, could increase sumatra barb color qualities. It was indicated decreasing lightness 60.83%, increasing chroma 20.57%, and sustaining hue 87,09°.AbstrakIkan sumatra albino (Puntigrus tetrazona) merupakan salah satu ikan hias asli Indonesia yang berasal dari pulau Sumatera. Budidaya ikan sumatra albino mengalami penurunan dalam kualitas warna karena spesies ini tidak dapat memproduksi karotenoid dalam tubuhnya. Guna mengatasi permasalahan ini, maka dibutuhkan sebuah alternatif berupa penambahan karotenoid dalam pakan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji efektivitas dosis tepung bayam merah sebagai pakan terhadap kualitas warna ikan sumatra albino. Ikan hias sumatra albino dengan bobot 0,54 g dan panjang 3,50 cm dipelihara di dalam akuarium (30 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm).Penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan empatperlakuan (A=0% (kontrol), B=2%, C=4%, dan D=6%) dan tiga ulangan. Parameter yang diamati meliputi nilai kualitas warna kulit ikan (L=lightness, C=chroma, dan H=hue) dan total karotenoid pada kulit, sirip,serta daging ikan sumatra albino. Ikan dipelihara selama 42 hari dan diberi pakan tigakali sehari. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwapenambahantepung bayam merah pada dosis 6%dengan kandungan karotenoid 45,26 ppm pada pakan, 50,44 ppm pada sirip, 16,10 ppm pada kulit, dan 3,69 ppm pada daging, dapat meningkatkan kualitas warna ikan sumatra albino. Hal tersebut diindikasikan dengan menurunnya nilai L=60,83%, meningkatnya nilai C=20,57%, dan mempertahankan nilai H=87,09°.

If you cannot learn to love (yes love) this city you have no other. Simon Tay, 'Singapore Night Song' (137). Having lived in Australia for more than a year now, it is easier to view my own country through a telescope and learn to love what I used to loathe. It is easier to hold and weigh the ball of its contradictions in my palm and learn how each strand I unknot tells on myself, on my writing, to realise with a shudder that I am a moving microcosm of the city I was born in. Indeed, the more removed I am, the easier it is to be an apologist as it is to be a patriot. Robert Drewe makes the claim that Australia is the most urbanised country in the world (7). Obviously, he has yet to walk the length and breadth of Singapore. To talk about Singapore is to talk about the city. As the joke goes, the capital of Singapore is Singapore, and there is no other city quite like Singapore. It cheerfully admits to being an artificial creation, a test tube mixing West and East and bubbling with possibilities. It resents the reach and rinse of Western influences, yet it cannot afford to close itself from international trade and commerce. It is an Asian metropolis with a noveau-riche arrogance about its place in the world, yet is a mere blip on the map. Call it what you will - a glass-dome city, a Disneyland postcard, an autocratic, authoritarian state with a muzzle and cane ready to keep its citizens in line the name-calling is probably valid, at some point, to some extent. Yet Surprising Singapore, as the tourist brochures coin it, is a lot more elusive than the rumours. Everything about it - its size and vulnerability, the quirk of its history, the fabric of its immigrant cultures that sometimes threatens to fray along the fringes - demands its failure. But in just one full leap of a generation, Singapore has sprung the trap of Third World poverty, rising to become one of the richest nations in the world. Something has to give, and it is in the Singaporean writer's sensibility that we read and understand the human cost. Sometimes it is hard to believe that creatures of flesh and bone may tear up the roads like paper, peeling the rind of earth as carelessly as eating an orange. Aaron Lee, 'Road-Works' (65). Dennis Haskell rightly points out that it would be impossible to be a Romantic in Singapore (27). Not only impossible, but also false. For the reality is this: whatever nature there is, is there by design, not by default, nor by coincidence. Nostalgia is cheap when land is scarce. The country has no hinterland to call its own, no natural resources to draw on but the will of its population of just over three million people. Because of the sheer limitation of size poet Edwin Thumboo once quipped that Singapore is physically an island 224 square miles - 226 square miles at low tide (159) the city has to keep changing, evolving, re-sculpting its coastlines, taking over the sky, laying mazes of walkways and tunnels beneath the ground. Flux becomes a necessity by virtue of circumstance, a virtue of necessity. We are a country of dust where nothing is saved but face. Felix Cheong, 'Work in Progress' (45). The consequence is that Singapore is and will always be - a work in progress, constantly re-modelling its fa瀥volvAade, its face, its planners drafting and grafting the way a poet must rework his manuscript to the fullness of his gift. It is a post-modernist fable turning upon itself, over and over, deconstructing its own meaning, answering only to its own vision. The moment it has finished, arms outstretched and ill at ease, it is finished. In his essay Chaos in Poetry, D.H. Lawrence avers that the task of poets is to reveal the inward desire of mankind… The desire for chaos is the breath of their poetry. The fear of chaos is in their parade of forms and technique (92). Stretch the analogy a little and the same holds true for Singapore. Examine its skyline on a clear blue day and you cannot help but marvel at how well this city-state parades its forms and technique. How well it conceals its fear of chaos beneath skyscraper chrome and glass. How, at its heart, it is still a frightened child of a city learning to cope with the means and meanings of change, pitched at once between promise and compromise, between a desire for chaos and the craftsmanship to contain it. Perhaps this fluidity is a measure of redemption, like a writer with the wit and strength to scratch out the eyes of an unclear poem and begin on a clean sheet, all resources and lines shaped and sharpened by impatient fingers. Everything else about Singapore its politics, policies, polemics follows from this, originates from this fundamental insecurity. When I love you for my fallen love, O City of Endless Energies, your eyes burn out along the street. Gwee Li Sui, 'Kenosis' (34). Having grown up in the relative ease and affluence of Singapore after independence, all I know is the city. I am a child of my times, a child of the city, and its energy has now become my own. It is in my fingertips, in the grip of pen poised steady above paper. The restlessness owns me, steers eloquence towards a mouth, towards poetry. I have even conditioned myself to write on the move in a crowded train or a bus letting the jolt and shuffle set a rhythm in my head. The whirl of a world as I stand on the still ledge of words, recording, rendering, remembering. There is poetry in the silence of a man contemplating his feet on a train, unable - or unwilling - to connect with another through the corner of his eye. There is poetry in the knowing snatches of conversation eavesdropped. There is poetry in the smile of flowers as the boy opens his heart, for the first time, to his first love. For a moment, just a moment the lyrical in the transient. The City is what we make it, You and I. We are the City. For better or for worse. Edwin Thumboo, 'The Way Ahead' (39). Excerpts of poems taken from No Other City: The Ethos Anthology of Urban Poetry. References Drewe, Robert. Introduction. The Penguin Book of the City. Victoria, Australia: Penguin Books, 1997. 1-7. Haskell, Dennis. Foreword. No Other City: The Ethos Anthology of Urban Poetry. Ed. Alvin Pang and Aaron Lee. Singapore: Ethos Books, 2000. 26-31. Lawrence, D.H. Selected Literary Criticism. London: Heinemann, 1967. Thumboo, Edwin. Edwin Thumboo Interviewed by Peter Nazareth. World Literature Written in English. 18.1(1979): 151-171. Citation reference for this article MLA Style Cheong, Felix. "A Poets Sense of the City" M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 5.2 (2002). [your date of access] < http://www.media-culture.org.au/0205/poets.php>. Chicago Style Cheong, Felix, "A Poets Sense of the City" M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 5, no. 2 (2002), < http://www.media-culture.org.au/0205/poets.php> ([your date of access]). APA Style Cheong, Felix. (2002) A Poets Sense of the City. M/C: A Journal of Media and Culture 5(2). < http://www.media-culture.org.au/0205/poets.php> ([your date of access]).