Effects Of Different Forms Research Articles

Simulation of dispersion effects by considering interactions of pedestrians and bicyclists using an agent space model

As the number of bicyclists in urban areas continues to increase, the need to realistically model the movement and interactions of bicyclists in mixed urban traffic is rapidly gaining importance. Therefore, this paper presents an agent space model (ASM) to elucidate the movements of bicyclists and pedestrians on shared roads. The ASM model, via simulation, particularly illustrates the dispersion phenomenon observed for non-motorized road users. The mutual interactions and diverse bicyclist and pedestrian properties were also incorporated into this model. The mutual interactions were realised through agent spaces of different sizes in conflict and overtaking behaviours for the following combinations: bicyclist-to-pedestrian, bicyclist-to-bicyclist, pedestrian-to-bicyclist, and pedestrian-to-pedestrian, which were obtained through experiments. The hypothesis test indicated that different agent spaces exist for different types of interactions. The experimental data were used to obtain several variables that describe the elements of road user agent spaces, including longitudinal and lateral distances and the dynamic relationship between the longitudinal distance and speed. The simulation results indicated that with an increase in the number of pedestrians, the maximum capacity decreased and the dispersion degree increased. The following psychological and physiological factors affect the degree of dispersion of bicyclists: travelling speed, reaction time, intensity, probability of selecting the head-on direction, and probability of selecting the right-hand direction. In addition, lane formation was observed in all simulations. The results also demonstrated that dedicated bicycle lanes will significantly reduce the dispersion degree. Moreover, the safety and efficiency effects of different forms of bicycle lanes were analysed from the perspective of the degree of dispersion. The simulation results can provide specific guidelines for understanding the causes of phenomena such as dispersion and lane formation, as well as for studying the traffic dynamics, effects of dedicated bicycle lanes, and macroscopic characteristics according to different bicyclist-pedestrian ratios.

PSVII-16 Effects of different forms of Cu on in vitro ruminal fermentation and digestibility of a lactation diet

Abstract Vistore® mineral products are hydroxychloride minerals that feature high metal content and improved bioavailability. This study was conducted to compare different sources of copper (Cu) on in vitro rumen fermentation parameters. Three ruminally-cannulated Jersey heifers were adapted to a lactation diet for two weeks before being used as donors. Three sources of Cu at 4 ppm: No supplemental Cu (CON), CuSO4, Vistore Cu, and another Cy hydroxychloride product (Vistore-competitor). The concentration of Cu in this study was selected from a titration study (0 to 8 ppm CuSO4) to identify the minimum concentration of CuSO4 affecting rumen fermentation. The lactation diet (TMR) was dried and ground to 1mm and used as the substrate. Rumen fluid was collected two hours after feeding. Substrate (0.5 g) was inoculated with 100 mL of a 3:1 McDougall’s buffer: ruminal fluid mixture at 39ºC for 24 h. Each treatment was run in triplicate and in three runs. Data were analyzed with R 4.0. The model included fixed effect of treatment and random effect of run. CuSO4 tended to increase lag time (0.78 vs -0.57 h, P = 0.06), reduced (P < 0.05) DMD (52.4 vs. 56.1%), cellulose digestibility (4.9% vs. 41.9%), isobutyrate molar % (0.58 vs. 0.78%) and NH3-N concentration (5.46 vs. 6.91 mg/dL). Vistore and Vistore-competitor maintained the fermentation and digestibility compared to CON. In general, Vistore Cu and Vistore-competitor maintained ruminal fermentation and digestibility parameters while negative effects of CuSO4 were observed. These results indicate different Cu mineral sources may affect the rumen differently.

Effect of different forms of carbon on the reduction behaviour of iron ore-carbonaceous material composite pellets in multi-layer bed rotary hearth furnace (RHF)

ABSTRACT The present study investigates the effect of different forms of carbon in various coal and char-based composite pellets on reduction kinetics in a laboratory-scale multi-layer bed rotary hearth furnace at 1250°C. A novel plot showing the variation of DOM (degree of metallization) against DOR (degree of reduction) demonstrated the role of heat and mass transfer in the reduction process irrespective of layers and type of pellets. Char-based composite pellets exhibited higher reduction efficiency than coal-based pellets, even at comparable fixed carbon levels, attributed to micro-porous morphological features, and less fayalite formation in the char-based pellets. Top layer registered the maximum extent of reduction, and middle layer registered the minimum. Bottom layer also showed comparable reduction to the top layer due to more active volatile contribution at the bottom layer. Formation of fayalite at the top layer restricted the maximum extent of reduction beyond 80%.

Нові рекомендації з локальної терапії остеоартрозу колінних суглобів та дослідження ефективності кетопрофену: огляд літератури й результати власних досліджень

Актуальність. Основною скаргою пацієнтів з остеоартрозом (ОА) є біль помірної або значної інтенсивності, а найбільш часто вживаними засобами, що використовують для зменшення больового синдрому, — нестероїдні протизапальні препарати (НПЗП). Мета: вивчення ефективності та безпечності терапії препаратом кетопрофен у формі геля, що використовували для лікування хворих з гонартрозом, а також його впливу на вираженість больового синдрому та якість життя. Матеріали та методи. На базі відділу клінічної фізіології та патології опорно­рухового апарату ДУ «Інститут геронтології ім. Д.Ф. Чеботарьова НАМН України» проведене пілотне дослідження, в якому взяли участь 23 особи чоловічої та жіночої статі віком 50–69 років з остеоартрозом колінних суглобів І–ІІ стадії. Пацієнти були поділені на дві групи: група І — 13 пацієнтів, лікування яких полягало у нанесенні препарату кетопрофен у вигляді аплікацій тонким шаром на колінний суглоб двічі на добу протягом 10 днів, і група ІІ — 10 пацієнтів, які приймали плацебо (вазелінова олія, що не містила у своєму складі кетопрофен та активні допоміжні речовини) у вигляді аплікацій на колінний суглоб двічі на добу протягом 10 днів. Дослідження складалось із скринінгу, візиту через 10 днів терапії та візиту через 20 днів після припинення прийому терапії. При кожному візиті проводили оцінку інтенсивності больового синдрому та функціонального стану колінних суглобів, що визначали за допомогою шкали WOMAC (загальний показник, показники субшкал болю, скутості, повсякденної активності), індексу Лекена та 15­метрового тесту. Крім того, проведено огляд статей електронних медичних баз даних PubMed, Google Scholar та Cochrane Library, у якому надані велика кількість публікацій щодо ефективності різних форм та представників групи НПЗП і їх порівняльний аналіз. Результати. У групі пацієнтів, які приймали препарат кетопрофен, зареєстроване вірогідне зменшення інтенсивності больового синдрому, проявів скутості, поліпшення повсякденної активності за даними субшкал опитувальника WOMAC та зменшення часу виконання 15­метрового тесту. Висновки. Кетопрофен є ефективним та безпечним засобом локальної терапії при лікуванні ОА колінних суглобів.

Magnesium Picolinate Improves Bone Formation by Regulation of RANK/RANKL/OPG and BMP-2/Runx2 Signaling Pathways in High-Fat Fed Rats.

Magnesium (Mg) deficiency may affect bone metabolism by increasing osteoclasts, decreasing osteoblasts, promoting inflammation/oxidative stress, and result in subsequent bone loss. The objective of the present study was to identify the molecular mechanism underlying the bone protective effect of different forms of Mg (inorganic magnesium oxide (MgO) versus organic magnesium picolinate (MgPic) compound) in rats fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Forty-two Wistar albino male rats were divided into six group (n = 7): (i) control, (ii) MgO, (iii) MgPic, (iv) HFD, (v) HFD + MgO, and (vi) HFD + MgPic. Bone mineral density (BMD) increased in the Mg supplemented groups, especially MgPic, as compared with the HFD group (p < 0.001). As compared with the HFD + MgO group, the HFD + MgPic group had higher bone P (p < 0.05) and Mg levels (p < 0.001). In addition, as compared to MgO, MgPic improved bone formation by increasing the levels of osteogenetic proteins (COL1A1 (p < 0.001), BMP2 (p < 0.001), Runx2 (p < 0.001), OPG (p < 0.05), and OCN (p < 0.001), IGF-1 (p < 0.001)), while prevented bone resorption by reducing the levels of RANK and RANKL (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the present data showed that the MgPic could increase osteogenic protein levels in bone more effectively than MgO, prevent bone loss, and contribute to bone formation in HFD rats.

Sequence determinants as key regulators in gene expression of T cells.

T cell homeostasis, T cell differentiation, and T cell effector function rely on the constant fine‐tuning of gene expression. To alter the T cell state, substantial remodeling of the proteome is required. This remodeling depends on the intricate interplay of regulatory mechanisms, including post‐transcriptional gene regulation. In this review, we discuss how the sequence of a transcript influences these post‐transcriptional events. In particular, we review how sequence determinants such as sequence conservation, GC content, and chemical modifications define the levels of the mRNA and the protein in a T cell. We describe the effect of different forms of alternative splicing on mRNA expression and protein production, and their effect on subcellular localization. In addition, we discuss the role of sequences and structures as binding hubs for miRNAs and RNA‐binding proteins in T cells. The review thus highlights how the intimate interplay of post‐transcriptional mechanisms dictate cellular fate decisions in T cells.

Social capital mediates the effect of socio‐economic status on prosocial practices: Evidence from the CGSS 2012 survey

AbstractAlthough the relationship between socio‐economic status (SES) and prosocial practices has been extensively studied, little is known about the role that social capital plays in this relationship. This study examines the mediating effect of different forms of social capital, including informal neighbourhood capital, membership in voluntary associations, and professional connection, on the relationship between SES and prosocial practices. A total of 3,300 urban samples and 2,170 rural samples from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) 2012 were selected to conduct two‐group structural equation modelling. Our results suggested that (a) all three forms of social capital mediated the effect of SES on donating, but only informal neighbourhood capital and membership mediated the effect of SES on volunteering, and (b) SES had a different relationship with social capital in urban China than in rural China. SES had a weak positive correlation with informal neighbourhood capital in rural areas but a negative one in urban areas. SES also had a stronger relationship with membership in voluntary associations in rural areas. Our analyses support the notion that higher SES promotes prosocial practices through social capital.

Genome-wide identification of FRK genes in Populus trichocarpa and their expression under different nitrogen treatments.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-01055-6.

Design of copper salt@graphene nanohybrids to accomplish excellent resilience and superior fire safety for flexible polyurethane foam

Flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF) is the most commonly used polyurethane, but its highly flammable characteristics makes it ignite easily and release a lot of heat and toxic gases. Here, the effect of different forms of copper salt modified graphene (rGO@CuO, rGO@Cu2O and rGO@CSOH) on improving the fire protection efficiency and mechanical property of FPUF is explored. Hybrid FPUF is characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), cone calorimeter, thermogravimetric analysis/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-IR), tension, compression, and falling ball rebound testing. Compared with pure FPUF, the FPUF/rGO@CSOH show a significant decreasement in reducing the heat release of FPUF, the PHRR and THR are reduced by 36.9% and 29.4%, respectively. While the FPUF/rGO@Cu2O demonstrate excellent smoke and toxic gases suppression in FPUF, the PSPR and TSR are reduced by 24.6% and 51.9%, and the COP and COY are also reduced by 51.9% and 55.3%, respectively. After adding the copper salt hybrid, the buffering performance of FPUF did not change. Fortunately, the tensile and compressive strength increase obviously. The flame retardant and smoke suppression mechanism of hybrid FPUF has also been studied. This article gives a effective strategy for the preparation of FPUF with outstanding mechanical property, flame retardant and smoke suppression properties.

Learning-Induced Shifts in Mice Navigational Strategies Are Unveiled by a Minimal Behavioral Model of Spatial Exploration.

Shifts in spatial patterns produced during the execution of a navigational task can be used to track the effects of the accumulation of knowledge and the acquisition of structured information about the environment. Here, we provide a quantitative analysis of mice behavior while performing a novel goal localization task in a large, modular arena, the HexMaze. To demonstrate the effects of different forms of previous knowledge we first obtain a precise statistical characterization of animals’ paths with sub-trial resolution and over different phases of learning. The emergence of a flexible representation of the task is accompanied by a progressive improvement of performance, mediated by multiple, multiplexed time scales. We then use a generative mathematical model of the animal behavior to isolate the specific contributions to the final navigational strategy. We find that animal behavior can be accurately reproduced by the combined effect of a goal-oriented component, becoming stronger with the progression of learning, and of a random walk component, producing choices unrelated to the task and only partially weakened in time.

Heterogeneous effects of genetic risk for Alzheimer\u2019s disease on the phenome

Here we report how four major forms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) genetic risk—APOE-ε4, APOE-ε2, polygenic risk and familial risk—are associated with 273 traits in ~500,000 individuals in the UK Biobank. The traits cover blood biochemistry and cell traits, metabolic and general health, psychosocial health, and cognitive function. The difference in the profile of traits associated with the different forms of AD risk is striking and may contribute to heterogenous presentation of the disease. However, we also identify traits significantly associated with multiple forms of AD genetic risk, as well as traits showing significant changes across ages in those at high risk of AD, which may point to their potential roles in AD etiology. Finally, we highlight how survivor effects, in particular those relating to shared risks of cardiovascular disease and AD, can generate associations that may mislead interpretation in epidemiological AD studies. The UK Biobank provides a unique opportunity to powerfully compare the effects of different forms of AD genetic risk on the phenome in the same cohort.

The Role of Anger in Motivating Leadership.

As doctors, we see every working day the pervasive effects of different forms of structural violence and discrimination that undermine the hopes and aspirations of those on the losing side. This leads to powerlessness, fear and anger. Anger is not only forward facing but also directed toward, systems, institutions, governments—rather than individuals. At its best it is a protest against the status quo. We point out that leadership is one of the core values of our professionalism. In the light of what we see and hear, we have a responsibility to use the anger that this engenders within us to speak truth to power: this speaking is leadership. Our message is: feel the fear and the anger, use it to change the world, and enfold leadership in hope and the pursuit of justice.

Review: Effects of different forms of calf starters on feed intake and growth rate: A systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis of studies from 1938 to 2021

ABSTRACT Purpose This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive review with meta-analysis to determine the effects of different forms of calf starters (ground, pelleted, textured, ground diets blended with hay, and textured diets blended with hay) on starter feed intake and growth rate of dairy calves during preweaning and postweaning periods. Sources The main sources for information and data included in this review were peer-reviewed literature from 1938 to 2021. The search engines Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar were used. Findings of 37 full-text articles and 60 studies were Bayesian meta-analyzed for pooled estimates. Synthesis Newborn calves are not functional ruminants. Thus, this function must be developed, and that largely occurs due to the chemical composition of their diet and its fermentation in their rumens. There is ongoing discussion regarding what kinds of processing or form of calf starters should be used to improve growth performance of dairy calves. Conclusions and Applications This review article attempted to review all the literature related to different forms of starter feed (i.e., ground, pelleted, textured). It appears that considerable changes have occurred between 1938 and 2020 in the calf starter manufacturing process. Results of this meta-analysis showed that greater starter intake occurred when hay was supplemented to the finely ground starter (125 g/d) or when calves received textured starters compared with pelleted diets (107 g/d). Because variation is great in calf studies, there was not sufficient evidence for a recommended starter physical form for improving the growth rates of dairy calves. Processing of calf starter diets requires further investigation according to the guidelines for measuring and reporting calf and heifer experimental data.

Tobacco Use and Alcohol Consumption Among College Students: A Behavioural Study in Belagavi City, Karnataka

Tobacco and alcohol consumption is a major social problem and public health issue worldwide. A review of literature on the studies of tobacco and alcohol consumption among the students across the country reveals that there is considerable prevalence among boys and girls. In this context, a cross-sectional study was conducted on tobacco use and alcohol consumption among college-going students in Belagavi corporation area in Karnataka. The study found that, as a whole, 70%–80% of all students know the harmful health effect of different forms of abuses. Among the three abuses, alcohol ever users are the highest, followed by people smoking tobacco and smokeless tobacco. The ever users of smoking tobacco are almost four times higher among males than females. The age group comprising 16–20 years is a very sensitive age group for initiating smoking and alcohol consumption. Interestingly though students had their first experience for the first time with their friends; their own curiosity was the prime cause to set off any habit. The current users of alcohol (7.2%) were higher than the current users of smoking tobacco (4.7%) and smokeless tobacco (0.37%). The daily users of smoking tobacco and alcohol were 0.87% and 1.8%, respectively. Further, occasional users of smoking tobacco were three times higher than daily users, and occasional users of alcohol were almost four times higher than daily users. None of the students were daily users of smokeless tobacco. The 19–22-year age group and those staying outside home were more vulnerable towards getting into this habit. Therefore, policy intervention is required to this age group. Friends’ assistance is the single largest source to seek advice to quit from any abuse, while least assistance is taken by the professionals. This finding of the study has some critical implication for policy priority at the institutional level. This really calls for the more roles of professional counsellors to address the problem. As a whole, any single solution is not enough, however. Both exogenous and endogenous approaches are required for behavioural changes of youth.

Effects of weariness of life, suicide ideations and suicide attempt on HPA axis regulation in depression

The neuropathological mechanisms leading to suicidality are still unknown, which, in view of an annual toll of around 1 million completed suicides constitutes an urgent clinical and societal problem. Alterations of stress hormone (ACTH and cortisol, representing the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical, HPA axis) regulation has been repeatedly studied in context of suicidality. Following a suicide attempt, stress hormone activity seems to be blunted, while depressed patients with suicidal ideation often present with elevated HPA axis activity. MethodsWe investigated the effects of different forms of suicidality on HPA axis regulation in 568 hospitalized patients of the Munich Antidepressant Response Signature (MARS) project. All patients had a diagnosis of a depressive disorder; 62 patients reported a recent suicide attempt, 192 patients suicide ideation, and 171 patients expressed weariness of life as the weakest form of suicidality, the latter not being analyzed in studies so far. All patients participated in the combined dexamethasone/corticotropin releasing hormone (dex/CRH) test for assessing HPA axis regulation shortly after admission to the hospital. ResultsWe found an increased ACTH and cortisol response following the dex/CRH-test in patients that were weary of life. In contrast, stress hormone response in suicide attempters and suicide ideators did not differ from non-suicidal patients. Further, repeated suicide attempts in patients’ history were associated with more pronounced stress hormone attenuation. ConclusionIn this so far largest study analyzing the HPA axis with respect to suicidality, we could not confirm the assumption of a general attenuation of HPA axis response in depressed suicide ideators and attempters. Conversely, HPA axis appears to be influenced by divergent effects of a specific suicidal psychopathology as well as outlasting effects of previous suicide attempts. We discuss these findings in the light of recent concepts of suicidality, pointing to multifactorial effects of acute and predisposing conditions on HPA axis reactivity in depressed patients.

Effects of Marathon Running on Cognition and Retinal Vascularization: A Longitudinal Observational Study.

Physical activity has beneficial effects on both cardiovascular and neurocognitive parameters, and these two modalities are known to interact at rest. However, findings on their interaction during exercise are inconclusive. Therefore, this longitudinal study aimed to investigate the effects of different forms of exercise (training period, marathon race, and recovery period) on both parameters and their interaction. We included 100 marathon runners (MA) (mean ± SD age = 43.6 ± 10.0 yr, 80 males) and 46 age- and sex-matched sedentary controls (SC, for baseline comparison). Over the 6-month study period with six visits (12 and 2 wk before the marathon; immediately, 24 h, 72 h, and 12 wk after the marathon), we assessed cognitive parameters by evaluating the 1- to 3-back d prime, the d2 task, and the Trail Making Tests A (TMT A) and B (TMT B), and the retinal vessel parameters by assessing arteriolar-to-venular ratio (AVR), central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE), and central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE). In the long-term analysis, 3-back d prime correlated positively with AVR (P = 0.024, B = 1.86, SE = 0.824) and negatively with CRVE (P = 0.05, B = -0.006, SE = 0.003), and TMT B correlated negatively with CRAE (P = 0.025, B = -0.155, SE = 0.069), even after correcting for age and systolic blood pressure as possible confounders. Acute effects were inconsistent with maximal cognitive improvement 24 h after the marathon. AVR was significantly smaller in SC compared with MA. Chronic exercise seems to prime the central nervous system for acute, intensive bouts of exercise. Our findings indicate a possible relationship between cognitive performance in high-demand tasks and retinal vasculature and support the idea of a neuroplastic effect of exercise.

Coevolving Dynamics between Epidemic and Information Spreading considering the Dependence between Vigilance and Awareness Prevalence

It has been demonstrated that the propagation of information and awareness regarding a disease can assist in containing the outbreak of epidemics. Previous models for this coevolving usually introduced the dependence between these two processes by setting a lower but time-independent infection rate for individuals with awareness. However, a realistic scenario can be more complicated, as individual vigilance and the adopted protective measures may depend on the extent of the discussion on the disease, whereas individuals may be irrational or lack relevant knowledge, leading to improper measures being taken. These can introduce a time-varying dependence between epidemic dynamics and awareness prevalence and may weaken the effect of spreading awareness in containing a pandemic. To better understand this effect, we introduce a nonlinear dependence of the epidemic infection rate on awareness prevalence, focusing on the effect of different forms of dependence on the coevolving dynamics. We demonstrate that a positive correlation between vigilance and awareness prevalence can enhance the effect of information spreading in suppressing epidemics. However, this enhancement can be weakened if some individuals are irrational. Our results demonstrate the importance of rational behavior in the strategy of containing epidemics by propagation of disease information.

Type-specific impacts of silver on the protein profile of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are particularly among the widely used nanomaterials in medicine, industry, and agriculture. The small size and large surface area of AgNPs and other nanomaterials result in their high reactivity in biological systems. To better understand the effects of AgNPs on plants at the molecular level, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) seedlings were exposed to 30 mg/L silver in the form of nanoparticle (AgNPs), ionic (AgNO3), or bulk (Ag0) in 50% Hoagland media for 7 days. The effects of silver on the expression of plant membrane transporters H+-ATPase, vacuolar type H+-ATPase (V-ATPase), and enzymes isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), and catalase in roots was assessed using RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence-confocal microscopy. We observed significantly higher expression of catalase in plants exposed to AgNPs (Fold of expression 1.1) and AgNO3 (Fold of expression 1.2) than the control group. The immunofluorescence imaging of the proteins confirmed the gene expression data; the expression of the enzyme catalase was upregulated 41, 216, and 770% higher than the control group in plants exposed to AgNPs, Ag0, and AgNO3, respectively. Exposure to AgnO3 resulted in the upregulation (fold of expression 1.2) of H+-ATPase and downregulation (fold of expression 0.7) of V-ATPase. A significant reduction in the expression of the redox-sensitive tricarboxylic cycle (TCA) enzyme mitochondrial IDH was observed in plants exposed to AgNPs (38%), AgNO3 (48%), or Ag0 (77%) compared to the control. This study shows that exposure to silver affects the expression of genes and protein involved in membrane transportation and oxidative response. The ionic form of silver had the most significant effect on the expression of genes and proteins compared to other forms of silver. The results from this study improve our understanding about the molecular effects of different forms of silver on important crop species. Novelty statement Silver nanoparticles released into the environment can be oxidized and be transformed into ionic form. Both the particulate and ionic forms of silver can be taken by plants and affect plants physiological and molecular responses. Despite the extensive research in this area, there is a scarce of information about the effects of silver nanoparticles on the expression of membrane transporters especially H+-ATPase involved in regulating cells' electrochemical charge, and the activity of enzymes involved in oxidative stress responses. This is a unique study that evaluates the expression of cellular proton transporters and enzymes of redox balance and energy metabolisms such as membrane transporters, H+-ATPase, and V-ATPases, and enzymes catalase and IDH. The results provide us valuable information about the impact of silver on plants at the molecular level by evaluating the expression of genes and proteins. Key Message The exposure of plants to silver as an environmental stressor affects the expression of genes and proteins involved in maintaining cell’s electrochemical gradient (H+-ATPase, V-ATPase) and redox potential (IDH, catalase).

Assessment of a Novel Oleaginous Filamentous Microalga Klebsormidium sp. Lgx80 (Streptophyta, Klebsormidiales) for Biomass and Lipid Production1.

Commercial cultivation of eukaryotic microalgae has so far employed a unicellular form of species only (e.g., Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Dunaliella salina, and Haematococcus pluvialis). In this study, we assessed the feasibility of using the filamentous eukaryotic microalga Klebsormidium sp. LGX80 as a new cultivar for biomass and lipid production. The effects of different forms and concentrations of nitrogen on growth and lipid production of Klebsormidium sp. LGX80 were studied by using a glass column (ø4.5×60cm) photobioreactor under laboratory conditions. Growth and lipid production of the new strain were further evaluated in an outdoor pilot-scale tubular photobioreactor. The results showed that when supplied with urea as a source of nitrogen Klebsormidium sp. LGX80 yielded a final biomass concentration of 8.49±0.10g·L-1 in which a cellular lipid content was 59.2±0.4% DW. Under such conditions, the biomass and lipid productivities were 471.7±5.9 and 248.1±0.0mg·L-1 ·d-1 , respectively. Fatty acid analysis revealed that the main fatty acids of Klebsormidium sp. LGX80 were palmitic acid (C16:0), linoleic acid (C18:2ω6), and linolenic acid (C18:3ω3), of which linoleic acid (C18:2ω6) accounted for up to 67.5±0.1% of total fatty acids. When grown outdoors in a 13,000-L tubular photobioreactor with an initial nitrogen concentration of 3mM urea, Klebsormidium sp. LGX80 reached the highest biomass concentration of 2.63±0.09g·L-1 with the cells containing 38.0±0.5% lipids (% DW), resulting in the volumetric biomass and lipid productivities of 147.2±3.6 and 37.9±0.9mg·L-1 d-1 , respectively. The results of light:dark cycle experiment showed that a durative and prolonged light irradiation hindered the biosynthesis of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b in the cells, but promoted the carotenoid accumulation. These results suggested that Klebsormidium sp. LGX80 can be a potential oleaginous filamentous microalga for commercial production of microalgal oils.

Effect of Different Forms of Periodic Piecewise Linear Forces on Duffing Oscillator

The paper highlights the effect of different forms of periodic piecewise linear forces in the ubiquitous Duffing oscillator equation. The external periodic piecewise linear forces considered are Triangular, Hat, Trapezium, Quadratic and Rectangular. With the aid of some numerical simulation tools such as bifurcation diagram, phase portrait and Poincare´ map, the different routes to chaos and various strange attractors are found to occur due to the applied forces. The effect of an ε-parametric control force in the Duffing system is also analyzed. To characterize the regular and chaotic behaviours of this system, the maximal Lyapunov exponent is employed.