Balance Of Processes Research Articles

Solar Rotation Effects in Earth's and Mars' Thermospheric Densities as Revealed by Concurrent MAVEN, Swarm‐C, and GOES Observations

AbstractThe responses of Earth's and Mars' thermospheric densities to quasi‐periodic (∼27‐day) solar rotation variations in flux were measured contemporaneously by the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, and Swarm‐C satellites. While large solar rotation variability is found in both planetary thermospheres, correlation analyses performed on over 6 years of observations reveal that, independently of extreme ultraviolet flux level, Earth's daytime density response is about 10%–50% larger than Mars' at a similar density level. Important altitude dependencies in the density sensitivity to the solar rotation in solar flux are found in the Martian thermosphere, while the terrestrial thermosphere is shown to exhibit only small (±5%) day/night and latitude variations in the response. Detailed analyses focused on correlative periods in 2015–2016 and 2020 indicate important solar cycle effects in the sensitivities of both planetary thermospheres, with increased slopes under low solar flux conditions. These results provide important new insights into processes relevant to the interpretation of the sources of short‐term density variability in Mars' and Earth's thermospheres associated with solar drivers and point to the need for targeted modeling efforts along with dedicated data analyses to help resolve current unknowns in thermal balance processes.

Radiation dose-fractionation in adult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

Balancing process efficiency and adult sterile male biological quality is one of the challenges in the success of the sterile insect technique (SIT) against insect pest populations. For the SIT against mosquitoes, many stress factors need to be taken into consideration when producing sterile males that require high biological quality to remain competitive once released in the field. Pressures of mass rearing, sex sorting, irradiation treatments, packing, transport and release including handling procedures for each step, add to the overall stress budget of the sterile male post-release. Optimizing the irradiation step to achieve maximum sterility while keeping off-target somatic damage to a minimum can significantly improve male mating competitiveness. It is therefore worth examining various protocols that have been found to be effective in other insect species, such as dose fractionation. A fully sterilizing dose of 70Gy was administered to Aedes aegypti males as one acute dose or fractionated into either two equal doses of 35Gy, or one low dose of 10Gy followed by a second dose of 60Gy. The two doses were separated by either 1- or 2-day intervals. Longevity, flight ability, and mating competitiveness tests were performed to identify beneficial effects of the various treatments. Positive effects of fractionating dose were seen in terms of male longevity and mating competitiveness. Although applying split doses generally improved male quality parameters, the benefits may not outweigh the added labor in SIT programmes for the management of mosquito vectors.

Propagation of acoustic wave and analysis of borehole acoustic field in porous medium of heterogeneous viscous fluid

Sound field in fluid-saturated porous medium is closely related to the viscosity of fluid and the heterogeneity of porous medium. In order to improve the physical mechanism of wave propagation in porous medium and expand its application in borehole acoustic field, the shear stress of porous fluid and the heterogeneity of pore structure are considered. The wave theory in porous medium containing viscous fluid is deduced based on the Biot theory. The influence of porous medium parameters on slow shear wave is analyzed, and the dispersion and attenuation of elastic wave caused by shear stress balance in porous fluid under the influence of inhomogeneous pore structure are studied. The analytical solution of borehole acoustic field in porous medium containing viscous fluid is further derived. The phase velocity and attenuation of borehole mode waves in heterogeneous porous medium, and the waveform of borehole full wave are calculated. The influence of pore fluid viscosity on borehole full wave is analyzed. The results show that there are slow shear waves in the porous medium containing viscous fluid. The slow shear wave is characterized by low velocity and large attenuation. In heterogeneous porous medium, the balance process of shear stress related to slow shear wave not only leads to the dispersion and attenuation of fast P-wave, but also affects the propagation characteristics of borehole pseudo Rayleigh wave and Stoneley wave. In addition, the pore fluid viscosity has a great influence on the borehole Stoneley wave. The present work improves the physical mechanism of acoustic wave propagation in porous medium and provides theoretical guidance for the explanation and application of borehole acoustic waves in porous formations.

Mass-Balance Process Model of a Decoupled Aquaponics System

Highlights A mass balanced process model for a large, decoupled aquaponics system was developed in SuperPro Designer. The flows of N, P, and C were determined over the course of a full year of system operation. On average, tilapia assimilated 21.6% of the input nitrogen, while cucumber plants only assimilated an average of 2.81%. The model was suitable for long-term system simulation but was not effective at predicting short term effects. Abstract. Aquaponics presents a viable solution to water pollution from aquaculture by utilizing nitrate- and phosphate-rich effluent for crop production. The objective of this study was to develop a mass-balanced process model based on a pilot-scale aquaponics facility growing Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) in Auburn, Alabama. This enabled a better understanding of how key elements partition among different downstream processes, ultimately affecting nutrients available to plants or discharged to the environment. Data were collected from a pilot scale decoupled aquaponics system for a full calendar year and included weekly water quality, direct GHG emissions, and water flows. Bio-solids, fish mass, and plant mass were also quantified and underwent elemental analysis. Together, these measurements were used to create stoichiometric equations for mass partitioning. The resulting stoichiometry was used to develop a mass-balanced process model constructed in SuperPro Designer software. Four separate variations of the model were developed, one for each season. The model showed that 21.6% of input nitrogen was assimilated by tilapia and only 2.81% by plants, while 33% of input phosphorus was assimilated by tilapia and 2.6% by plants. Modeled effluent concentrations of nitrate from the fish tank, clarifier, and plants averaged 440, 441, and 307 mg L-1, respectively, compared to average measured values of 442, 406, and 298 mg L-1. Modeled effluent phosphate concentrations from the fish tank, clarifier, and plants were 25, 27, and 20 mg L-1 of phosphate, respectively, over the course of one year, while average measured values were 30, 31, and 26 mg L-1. The model was not suitable for predicting short term system changes. The constructed model shows promise in predicting long-term changes in system outputs based on upstream operational changes and is effective for simulation and scenario analysis. Keywords: Aquaponics, Mass balance, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Process Model.

Covidization of Media and Entertainment Industry: Current Times and the Future Ahead

The paper has tried to address the modification and adaptation done by the motion pictures industry on the business model, decision-making process, and revenue model, with a case study on Walt Disney. This paper also tried to understand the digital disruptiveness probable strategies taken by media organizations to conquer the spot of market leader and gain a competitive advantage from the set of homogeneous competitors. The new normal business model that has helped Disney+ to create the core competency has given the organization a long-term benefit to make a sustainable business model. The paper further indulges on how Walt Disney’s proactive, informed, and balanced decision-making process about the sudden change in media business dynamics along with the arts and communication industry is going to be a benchmark while keeping the window of both online and offline media business with growing target audience and revenue generation. In the end, we have tried to come up with a business model for the media industry in contemporary times and the future.

Automated video game parameter tuning with XVGDL+

Usually, human participation is required in order to provide feedback during the game tuning or balancing process. Moreover, this is commonly an iterative process in which play-testing is required as well as human interaction for gathering all important information to improve and tune the game components’ specification. In this paper, a mechanism is proposed to accelerate this process and reduce significantly the costs of it, contributing with a solution to perform the game parameter tuning and game balancing using search algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. The process is executed in a fully automated way, and just requires a game specification written in a particular video game description language. Automated play-testing, and game’s feedback information analysis, are related to perform game parameters’ tuning and balancing, leading to offer a solution for the problem of optimizing a video game specification. Recently, XVGDL, a new language for specifying video games which is based on the eXtensible Markup Language (XML), has been presented. This paper uses XVGDL+, an extension of this lan- guage that incorporates new components to specify, within the video game specification, desirable goals or requirements to be evaluated after each game execution. A prototypical implementation of a Game Engine (termed XGE+) was also presented. This game engine not only enables the execution of an XVGDL+ game specification but also provides feedback information once the game has finished. The paper demonstrates that the combination of XVGDL+ with XGE+ offers a powerful mechanism for helping solving game AI research problems, in this case, the game tuning of video game parameters, with respect to initial optimization goals. These goals, as one of the particularities of the proposal presented here, are included within the game specification, minimizing the input of the process. As a practical proof of it, two experiments have been conducted to optimize a game specification written in XVGDL via a hill climbing local search method, in a fully automated way.

Representing Indian Agricultural Practices and Paddy Cultivation in the Variable Infiltration Capacity Model

AbstractIncreased irrigation due to agricultural intensification has profound impacts on the surface water and energy balance at regional to local scales. Recent updates of the state‐of‐the‐art Land Surface Models (LSMs) include the impacts of irrigation on surface hydrology. The Indo‐Gangetic Plain (IGP) is one of the global hotspots of irrigation water applications. However, the direct application of these models to Indian basins has certain limitations. The commonly employed flood irrigation technique is often indiscriminate and unmanaged, unlike the state‐of‐the‐art models' estimation of crop water use based on soil moisture (SM) conditions. The primary crop in the IGP is paddy, cultivated in inundated fields with quite distinct water and energy partitioning mechanisms represented in very few models. Here, we developed an improved irrigation module to simulate the Indian agricultural practices for the widely used Variable Infiltration Capacity model. We incorporated the crop‐specific water use for flood irrigation, calculated based on previously reported field studies. The water and energy balance processes are modified by incorporating the ponded paddy fields with proper parameterization. We achieved moderate improvement in the simulated evapotranspiration (ET) and SM of the IGP, particularly in the non‐monsoon seasons with the updated model. We found that ET and SM are more sensitive to the irrigation techniques than the interval of irrigation application. Runoff strongly responded to irrigation technique as well as the interval of application. We emphasize accurate representation of irrigation practices in the LSMs, specifically when applied to the human‐natural hydrological system.

Electoral qualifications and restrictions on passive suffrage in elections in Russia

The subject of the article is electoral qualifications and voting restrictions in the Russian Federation legislation.The purpose of the article is to determine the permissible boundaries of electoral restrictions, to define the grounds for acknowledgment of such qualifications (restrictions) as unconstitutional (excessive, disproportionate, breaching the principle of legal equality) as well asto formulate legal argumentsthat will contribute to advancing electoral qualification system in Russia.The authors’ hypothesis is as follows: in comparison with electoral qualifications that are already enshrined in the Constitution, the rise in the number of new electoral qualifications fails to comply with the Constitution’s provisions and is inconsistent with the Russian Federation’s international commitments. The authors meticulously analyse the process of eligibility imposition, draws the line between “electoral qualifications” and “restrictions” in electoral right and compares the Russian system of electoral qualifications (restrictions) with the system of electoral restrictions and limitations in foreign countries.The main results and the scope of application. The analysis of the given issues has shown that electoral qualifications are specific requirements (conditions). Thus if a state is a democratic one and acts in compliance with the electoral requirements(conditions), the citizens of such state are eligible to run for public office. At the same time electoral restrictions (filters) can be considered as supplementary actions that the citizens have to complete in order to be registered as candidates for the elections. Such actions also diminish the legal chances of the citizens to take part in ongoing elections. The authors prove that guided by political rather than legal criteria, Russian law-makers are prone to impose new eligibility restrictions that in turn impede the process of constitutional values balance search.A significant number of electoral qualifications is inconsistent with the purposes which legislators pursue imposing new restrictions and limitations on citizens’ rights as well as with fundamental principles of possible restrictions on citizens’ rights set forth by numerous ECHR’s decisions (proportionality, necessity in democratic society, legitimate goal and sufficient reasons). Since dozens of electoral qualifications exist in the Russian legislation, millions of Russian citizens are deprived of their right to vote. Electoral qualifications do not satisfy the RF Constitution requirements stated in articles 17, 18, 19, 32, 54 as well as the principles of universalsuffrage (universality, equal suffrage and free elections).The authors conclude that the legal regulation of voting right restrictions such as a signature threshold and a municipal filter are to be altered radically. In the short term, the signature threshold preservation is quite feasible provided a substantial decrease in the number of signatures and the simplification of the signature collection procedure. In reference to the municipal filter, undoubtedly, it should be repealed in the near future since there are no opportunities to exclude an administrative pressure on municipal councils’ deputies with the purpose to force them to vote for “suitable” candidatesfor federal and regional authorities.

A Discourse Analysis of Formal Links Used in English Texts in National High School Entrance Exams

Language is a magical key that human beings hold in their hands to open the door of communication. To succeed in communication, formal links are one of the aspects of language that need to be known and used in discourse in addition to the contextual factors (Cook, 1992). Hence, systematic exposure to them is essential for satisfactory language acquisition, and assessment should be in line with this as well. Consequently, this study aimed to reveal whether a national exam English as a foreign language (EFL) learners take include these links. Based on this purpose, English texts taking place in the last five years’ national high school exams (LGS) held in Turkey annually were analyzed by the discourse analytical framework of formal links suggested by Cook (1992) as a part of the qualitative design. The analysis indicated that the types of formal links included in majority of the exams were found to be verb forms, parallelism, referring expressions, repetition, ellipsis, and conjunction. Moreover, outnumbering uses of referring expressions and the infrequency of substitution were revealed. In the light of these findings, high school EFL teachers and the material developers in the ministry were suggested to include different types of formal links in their lessons/materials more frequently so that students could internalize such aspects of language at early stages of their EFL learning process and be one step closer to a balanced acquisition process.

Effectiveness of Educational Intervention Based on Transtheoretical Model on Physical Activity and Menopausal Symptoms.

Menopause is an inevitable part of women's lives. Physical activity as nonhormonal therapy can decrease the symptoms of menopause. This study is aimed at investigating the effect of educational intervention based on the transtheoretical model (TTM) on physical activity and menopausal symptoms of female clients of the health center in Pasargad City, Iran. This quasi-experimental study was performed on 140 females admitted to health center of Pasargad City, Fars Province, Iran (intervention = 70 and control = 70). The data collection tool consisted of demographic data, menopause rating scale, international physical activities questionnaire, and TTM questionnaire (stages of change, processes of change, decision-making balance, and self-efficacy) that were completed before and two months after intervention. For intervention group, the educational program was implemented during 5 sessions of 50-55 min. Data were analyzed by SPSS 25 and by using Chi-square test, independent t-test, and paired t-test. After intervention, the mean scores of physical symptoms are sleep problems, muscle problems and discomfort, psychological symptoms, depression, irritability, and anxiety of intervention group decreased significantly post intervention (p < 0.001). Analysis showed that psychological symptoms, mental fatigue, somatic, and urogenital symptoms, and vaginal dryness increased 2 months after the intervention. Also, the mean score of cons, pros, decision balance, self-efficacy, consciousness raising, dramatic relief, environmental reevaluation, and self-reevaluation have significant changed in intervention group (p < 0.05). In addition, the top percent of progress can be seen in contemplation (31. 5%). This study showed the effectiveness of educational intervention based on TTM to reduce menopausal symptoms and promote physical activity in postmenopausal women.

Fast state-of-charge balancing control strategies for battery energy storage systems to maximize capacity utilization

To improve the carrying capacity of the distributed energy storage system, fast state of charge (SOC) balancing control strategies based on reference voltage scheduling (RVSF) function and power command iterative calculation (PIC) are proposed in this paper, respectively. First, as an improvement to the traditional droop SOC balancing control, the working principle and parameters design of the RVSF-based method is introduced, which can realize the energy interaction among the storage units during the balancing process. The PIC-based fast SOC balancing strategy is then proposed for a system with a current bus sensor. The PIC strategy realizes the fastest SOC equalization speed by ensuring there is always at least one storage unit operating in the maximum power flow during the SOC balancing process. In addition, the proposed strategy is extended to the system with inconsistent energy storage unit capacity. Finally, circuit-based simulation and code-based models for a plan with different energy storage units are constructed in PLECS and MATLAB simulation software, respectively. The hardware in the loop simulation results validate the correctness and feasibility of the proposed strategies and show that the proposed techniques can significantly improve the load capacity and duration of the system under many operating conditions.

Summertime surface mass balance and energy balance of Urumqi Glacier No. 1, Chinese Tien Shan, modeled by linking COSIMA and in-situ measured meteorological records

To get a better overview of atmosphere-driven mass changes at Urumqi Glacier No.1, Chinese Tien Shan, the surface energy budget and mass balance is modeled by linking the COupled Snowpack and Ice surface energy and MAss balance model (COSIMA) with in-situ measured meteorological records for the ablation period in 2018. The COSIMA is calibrated by manual optimization and the modeled results agree well with the in-situ surface temperature, snow height and seasonal mass balance. Our results reveal that Urumqi Glacier No.1 experienced a significant mass loss, with an average value of − 0.77 m w.e. over the ablation period 2018. The surface energy budget components can be classified into two categories: radiation (shortwave and longwave) and turbulent fluxes. Surface melt and solid precipitation were dominated components of mass balance. The COSIMA can reproduce the glaciological mass balance compared with other models. Sensitivity analysis showed that the mass balance was more sensitive to the temperature than precipitation, and mass loss caused by temperature increase of 1 K needed to be compensated by at least 40% precipitation increase. Air temperature during the ablation period was more important than annual precipitation in controlling mass balance changes on Urumqi Glacier No. 1. These findings will enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying mass balance processes of ablation period and their contribution to the acceleration of glacier retreat in Tien Shan.

Changes in physical activity behavior in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis based on a trans-theoretical model.

This article presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies of physical activity (PA) behavioral changes in children and adolescents based on the trans-theoretical model (TTM). The main purpose is to test the rationality of TTM and the secondary purpose is to analyze whether PA can effectively identify the stages of change. The databases CNKI, Wan-Fang, VIP, WOS, PubMed, and EBSCO were searched by computer. Two researchers independently reviewed the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of the literature. Stata 23.0 software was used for statistical analysis. A total of 17 articles of medium and high quality were included in the meta-analysis. First, the behavior changes of PA of children and adolescents are related to the process of change (POC), self-efficacy (SEI), and decisional balance (DBL). The POC, SEI, and DBL have obvious stage characteristics. Second, with increasing intensity of PA, the degree of discrimination of stage of change (SOC) also improved, but PA could not still fully distinguish each stage. It is suggested that follow-up studies should compare the stages of change of different criteria by comprehensive behavioral data, exercise willingness, and exercise habits. Furthermore, it is recommended that more studies use longitudinal surveys or experimental interventions to test the rationality of TTM. It is suggested that the follow-up study design more standardized measurement tools to explore the change in PA behavior of children and adolescents.

Can the genetic variability of Blastocystis sp. be associated with the climatic region of its human carriers?

Blastocystis sp. is a widespread microorganism that colonizes the intestinal tract of several animals, including human beings, while its pathogenic role in humans is still under debate. The objective of the present study was to describe the frequency of Blastocystis sp. subtypes (STs) and their genetic variation within and among samples recovered from scholars inhabiting two rural villages with tropical climates and compare this information with previously documented data from arid and temperate zones in Mexico. Blastocystis sp. positive samples and ST identification were achieved by coprological analysis screening and Polymerase Chain Reaction-sequencing, respectively. Classical population genetics indexes (nucleotide diversity (π), haplotype polymorphism (θ), gene flow (Nm), genetic differentiation (ST), and Tajima's D) were calculated by comparing the sequences here obtained (n=42) and those from previous studies from the arid (n=80) and temperate (n=61) climates from Mexico. Although Blastocystis sp. was the parasite most frequently found between 33% and 26% in both communities, only STs 1-3 were found. Haplotype network inference of Blastocystis sp. STs showed different haplotype profiles among STs vs. climate zones, although no specific haplotypes were identified for any particular climatic zone. Population genetics indexes showed different values within STs and climate zones (π and θ values ranged from 0.004 to 0.147; Nm>4 and ST from 0.006 to 0.12). Our results show that Blastocystis sp. subtypes exhibit a different genetic variability profile according to the climate zone, suggesting a balancing process between the genetic variability within the Blastocystis sp. subtype and the number of haplotypes identified in each climate.

Improving structure identifiability of hydrological processes by temporal sensitivity with a flexible modeling framework

Structure identifiability of hydrological processes refers to the ability to select appropriate mathematical representation from multiple structural options. Although the influence of hydrological processes on model behavior varies in time, this temporal relative influence has not been used to identify process structures. In this work, a framework is proposed to investigate the impacts of temporal relative influence of hydrological processes on structure identification. The framework consists of four elements: (1) a blended model, where hydrological process options and parameter values are regarded as integer and continuous decision variables, respectively, is built based on the flexible modeling framework Raven; (2) the temporal sensitivities of each process are derived by using Sobol’ sensitivity analysis on a moving window; (3) performance metrics with and without sensitivity-weights, which are derived from the temporal sensitivities, are used to identify process structures, respectively; and (4) models identified by these two methods are compared to evaluate performance. A synthetic experiment is designed to validate the proposed framework. Three case studies are carried out in the Tongtianhe, Xunhe, and Wudinghe basins in China. Results are summarized as follows: (1) sensitivity-weighted performance metrics improve the identifiability of process structures by considering the temporal relative influence of hydrological processes on model behavior; (2) quickflow and soil evaporation processes are the two most identifiable processes, followed by infiltration, baseflow, and snow balance processes; and (3) the model identified by sensitivity-weighted performance metrics is more efficient than that selected by the performance metric without sensitivity-weights. It is recommended that the temporal sensitivity of hydrological processes be used to identify model structures based on flexible modeling frameworks.

Direct-acting antiviral therapy may help restore HCV-induced impaired redox balance and liver fibrosis process

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in thiol/disulfide balance, pro-fibrotic mediators (transforming growth factor-beta [TGF-β] and periostin) and a potential biomarker for the prediction of HCV-induced HCC (3β-hydroxysterol Δ24-reductase [DHCR24]) during direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients. Methods This prospective cohort study included 56 non-cirrhotic, treatment-naive CHC patients who were treated with DAAs between January and June 2020. Laboratory tests, including serum total/native thiol, TGF-β , $\text{,}$ periostin, DHCR24, total bilirubin and albumin levels were measured and disulfide levels were calculated at baseline, then at 1 month and at the end of therapy (EOT). Results Of the 56 patients, all achieved a sustained virological response after DAA therapy. There was a significant decrease in serum levels of disulfide and TGF-β, (p=0.020 and p&lt;0.001, respectively) and a significant increase in serum levels of native thiol compared with baseline levels (p=0.010). There was no significant change in levels of total thiol, DHCR24 and periostin levels. Serum TGF-β levels were found to be positively correlated with total bilirubin levels (rs=0.470, p=0.001) and negatively with albumin levels (rs=−0.483, p&lt;0.001). A significant moderate positive correlation was determined between baseline serum DHRC24 and disulfide levels (rs=0.356, p=0.007). Conclusions The study results suggest that the DAA therapy may help to restore the impaired thiol/disulfide balance and reduce the pro-fibrotic process in CHC patients by markedly decreasing serum levels of TGF-β, a key player in HCV-induced liver fibrosis.

Inhibitory Effects of Protopanaxadiol-Producing Transgenic Rice Seed Extracts on RANKL-Induced Osteoclast Differentiation.

(1) Background: Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones are weakened and fractured easily because of various factors. It is mainly observed in elderly and postmenopausal women, and it continues to carry high economic costs in aging societies. Normal bone maintains a healthy state through a balanced process of osteoclast suppression and osteoblast activation; (2) Methods: In this study, osteoclast inhibition was induced by inhibiting osteoclast differentiation using ginseng protopanaxadiol-enriched rice (PPD-rice) seed extract. To analyze the effect of PPD-rice extract on the inhibition of osteoclast differentiation, bone marrow macrophages extracted from mice were treated with PPD-rice and Dongjin seed (non-transformed rice) extracts and analyzed for the inhibition of osteoclast differentiation; (3) Results: The results illustrated that PPD-rice extract reduced the transcription and translation of NFATc1, a modulator of osteoclast formation, decreased the mRNA expression of various osteoclast differentiation marker genes, and reduced osteoclast activity. Moreover, the bone resorptive activity of osteoclasts was diminished by PPD-rice extract on Osteo Assay plates; (4) Conclusions: Based on these results, PPD-rice extract is a useful candidate therapeutic agent for suppressing osteoclasts, an important component of osteoporosis, and it could be used as an ingredient in health supplements.

Effect of Inoculum Microbial Diversity in Ex Situ Biomethanation of Hydrogen.

The effects of the inoculum origin, temperature or operational changes on ex situ biomethanation by complex microbial communities have been investigated; however, it remains unclear how the diversity of the inoculum influences the process and its stability. We explored the effect of microbial diversity of four inocula (coded as PF, WW, S37 and Nrich) on methane production, process stability and the formation of volatile fatty acids as by-products. The highest methane amounts produced were 3.38 ± 0.37 mmol, 3.20 ± 0.07 mmol, 3.07 ± 0.27 mmol and 3.14 ± 0.06 mmol for PF, WW, S37 and Nrich, respectively. The highest acetate concentration was found in less diverse cultures (1679 mg L-1 and 1397 mg L-1 for S37 and Nrich, respectively), whereas the acetate concentrations remained below 30 mg L-1 in the more diverse cultures. The maximum concentration of propionate was observed in less diverse cultures (240 mg L-1 and 37 mg L-1 for S37 and Nrich cultures, respectively). The highly diverse cultures outperformed the medium and low diversity cultures in the long-term operation. Methanogenic communities were mainly composed of hydrogenotrophic methanogens in all cultures. Aceticlastic methanogenesis was only active in the highly diverse sludge community throughout the experiment. The more diverse the inocula, the more methane was produced and the less volatile fatty acids accumulated, which could be attributed to the high number of microbial functions working together to keep a stable and balanced process. It is concluded that the inoculum origin and its diversity are very important factors to consider when the biomethanation process is performed with complex microbial communities.

The Inhibition of Zinc Excitotoxicity and AMPK Phosphorylation by a Novel Zinc Chelator, 2G11, Ameliorates Neuronal Death Induced by Global Cerebral Ischemia.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is necessary for maintaining a positive energy balance and essential cellular processes such as glycolysis, gene transcription, glucose uptake, and several other biological functions. However, brain injury-induced energy and metabolic stressors, such as cerebral ischemia, increase AMPK phosphorylation. Phosphorylated AMPK contributes to excitotoxicity, oxidative, and metabolic problems. Furthermore, brain disease-induced release of zinc from synaptic vesicles contributes to neuronal damage via mechanisms including ROS production, apoptotic cell death, and DNA damage. For this reason, we hypothesized that regulating zinc accumulation and AMPK phosphorylation is critical for protection against global cerebral ischemia (GCI). Through virtual screening based on the structure of AMPK subunit alpha 2, we identified a novel compound, 2G11. In this study, we verified that 2G11 administration has neuroprotective effects via the blocking of zinc translocation and AMPK phosphorylation after GCI. As a result, we demonstrated that 2G11 protected hippocampal neurons against GCI and OGD/R-derived cellular damage. In conclusion, we propose that AMPK inhibition and zinc chelation by 2G11 may be a promising tool for preventing GCI-induced hippocampal neuronal death.

Conceptual Study of Srotas (Body Channels) &amp; Medicinal Plants Acting on Them

Srotas (body channels) are said to be a significant component of the body and are in responsible of Vahana (transferring) Dosha, Dhatu, etc. Srotomaya (made of Srotas) is regarded as the full body. These Srotas have strong ties to each individual moolasthana. Due to their involvement in the development, inspection, and regulation of the Bhavapadartha flowing through the Srotas, these Moolsthana are crucial from a therapeutic and prognosis perspective. Srotas nourishes the body, keeps the digestive and metabolic processes in balance, and restores the cleansing process. Disturbances in the transportation process are among the anomalies in Srotas. Clinically calming Srotasvitiation can be used to manage pathological disorders linked to anomalies in Srotas. The concept of Srotas is explained in this article in light of ayurvedic principles.