Reliable Scientific Basis Research Articles

Quantitative estimation of the impacts of climate change and anthropogenic activities on inflow variations in the Poyang Lake Basin during the last 55 years

The Poyang Lake Basin is a typical flood- and drought-prone region in China. This study applied methods of cumulative anomaly, Hurst exponent, and slope change ratio of cumulative quantity (SCRCQ) to analyse the impacts of climate change and anthropogenic activities on inflow changes of Poyang Lake during the last 55 years. Taking the period of 1961 to 1991 as the base period, results show that the contribution rates of precipitation and anthropogenic activities to inflow changes were 58.7% and 41.3% during the period of 1992 to 2002 and 6.5% and 93.5% during the period of 2003 to 2015, respectively. These results indicate that the impacts of anthropogenic activities on the inflow changes have reinforced gradually and have become the major factor during the last decade. In general, this study provides a reliable scientific basis for water resource management in similar basins.

An inexact robust two-stage mixed-integer linear programming approach for crop area planning under uncertainty

This study presents an inexact robust two-stage mixed-integer linear programming (IRTMLP) approach for crop area planning under uncertainty. The approach is developed by incorporating the techniques of interval parameter programming, robust optimization method, and mixed-integer linear programming within a two-stage stochastic programming optimization framework. In the IRTMLP, uncertainties presented in terms of probability distributions and discrete intervals can be reflected. Moreover, the approach improves upon the previous stochastic programming method and thus has the following four major advantages. First, the IRTMLP approach can incorporate pre-defined irrigation water policies directly into its optimization framework, and second, it can readily facilitate dynamic analysis of water-saving irrigation pattern planning for irrigation water management. Third, it can explicitly account for the variability of the second-stage variables within a conventional two-stage stochastic programming context. Fourth, it can generate more flexible solutions under different robustness levels. The IRTMLP approach is applied to a case study of crop area planning in the middle reaches of the Heihe River Basin, northwest China. Therefore, a variety of decision alternatives for binary and continuous variables can be generated by giving different robustness levels, which will demonstrate how the developed approach can provide desired and stable solutions. In addition, the results can support in-depth analysis of the interrelationships among system benefits, robustness levels and the system-failure risk levels. These results can provide more reliable scientific basis for supporting irrigation water management under arid and semiarid environments.

Effect of Irrigation Time on the Growth Rate and Indoor Environment of Greenhouse Eggplant

In order to obtain a more reasonable irrigation schedule in greenhouse, an experimental study was carried out in Agriculture High-efficient Yongshui Laboratory, North China Institute of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric Power, Henan province in China. This experiment took three irrigation treatments to examine the influence of different irrigation time points on the eggplant growth status and indoor environment. In the test, indoor plant growth detection system was used for a real-time monitoring of both the plant physiological status and indoor environmental status. Through analysis of the stem diameter, leaf–air temperature difference and vapor pressure deficit, the results shown that the stem diameter growth rates of greenhouse eggplant in the three treatments had an increasing order as: irrigation at night < irrigation at noon < irrigation at morning, and the irrigation in morning and nighttime had a better regulating effect on indoor transpiration environment than the noontime. It is indicated that the optimum irrigation time for greenhouse eggplant should be morning irrigation. The results can provide a reliable scientific basis for making irrigation scheduling of main crops in greenhouse.

Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Wetland Changes Using a Kernel Extreme Learning Machine Approach

Natural wetland ecosystems provide not only important habitats for many wildlife species, but also food for migratory and resident animals. In Shanghai, the Chongming Dongtan International Wetland, located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, plays an important role in maintaining both ecosystem health and ecological security of the island. Meanwhile it provides an especially important stopover and overwintering site for migratory birds, being located in the middle of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. However, with the increase in development intensity and human activities, this wetland suffers from increasing environmental pressure. On the other hand, biological succession in the mudflat wetland makes Chongming Dongtan a rapidly developing and rare ecosystem in the world. Therefore, studying the wetland spatio-temporal change is an important precondition for analyzing the relationship between wetland evolution processes and human activities. This paper presents a novel method for analyzing land-use/cover changes (LUCC) on Chongming Dongtan wetland using multispectral satellite images. Our method mainly takes advantages of a machine learning algorithm, named the Kernel Extreme Learning Machine (K-ELM), which is applied to distinguish between different objects and extract their information from images. In the K-ELM, the kernel trick makes it more stable and accurate. The comparison between K-ELM and three other conventional classification methods indicates that the proposed K-ELM has the highest overall accuracy, especially for distinguishing between Spartina alternflora, Scirpus mariqueter, and Phragmites australis. Meanwhile, its efficiency is remarkable as well. Then a total of eight Landsat TM series images acquired from 1986 to 2013 were used for the LUCC analysis with K-ELM. According to the classification result, the change detection and spatio-temporal quantitative analysis were performed. The specific analysis of different objects are significant for learning about the historical changes to Chongming Dongtan and obtaining the evaluation rules. Generally, the rapid speed of Chongming Dongtan’s urbanization brought about great influence with respect to natural resources and the environment. Integrating the results into the ecological analysis and ecological regional planning of Dongtan could provide a reliable scientific basis for rational planning, development, and the ecological balance and regional sustainability of the wetland area.

Research of Heavy Metals Pollution Soil Risk Evaluation by Means of Engineering in Gold Mining Area, Tongguan, China

As the core technology of soil heavy metal remediation and management in Tongguan gold mining area, only the objective and comprehensive evaluation of its governance effect can we promote this technology in Tongguan gold mining area and other similar areas Applications provide solid and reliable data support and scientific basis. In this study, samples were set up in the project area of Tongguan gold mining area. Primary data of the control area were obtained through sample collection and laboratory sample analysis. Soil samples of Tongguan gold mine project area were analyzed by single pollution index method and Nemero integrated pollution index The results showed that all kinds of metal elements in tillage soil have reached the level of cleanliness and the soil quality belongs to the first grade safety status, which provides the data support and scientific basis for the popularization and application of the project.

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ameliorate hepatic steatosis via the PPAR-α/CPT-1α pathway in a mouse model of parenteral nutrition

Parenteral nutrition (PN) is one of the basic therapies for patients with intestinal failure; however, hepatic steatosis associated with PN limits the long-term use of PN. N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been used to improve clinical outcomes of patients receiving PN; however, the mechanisms by which n-3 PUFAs ameliorate hepatic steatosis remain unclear. In the present study, C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to three treatment groups, namely, enteral nutrition (EN), n-3 PUFAs, and n-6 PUFAs. Additionally, MK 886 was used to inhibit PPAR-α. After 7 days of intervention, mice were sacrificed, and liver tissue and serum samples were collected. Results from liver weight and liver triglyceride measurements and Oil Red O staining showed that n-3 PUFAs significantly reduced the liver triglyceride levels. In addition, treatment with n-3 PUFAs resulted in a greater decrease in serum triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared to n-6 PUFAs. The key enzymes involved in FA oxidation, namely, PPAR-α and CPT-1α, were significantly restored at both the mRNA and protein levels in the n-3 PUFAs group. However, the benefits of n-3 PUFAs in improving serum and liver TG levels were abolished when the PPAR-α/CPT-1α pathway was blocked by MK 886. The results of this study indicated that n-3 PUFAs ameliorated the PN-associated hepatic steatosis by activating the PPAR-α/CPT-1α pathway. The present study provided a reliable scientific basis supporting the potential beneficial effects of n-3 PUFAs for improving hepatic steatosis in patients receiving long-term parenteral nutrition.

ECOLOGICAL SENSITIVITY EVALUATION OF TOURIST REGION BASED ON REMOTE SENSING IMAGE – TAKING CHAOHU LAKE AREA AS A CASE STUDY

Abstract. Remote sensing technology is of significant advantages for monitoring and analysing ecological environment. By using of automatic extraction algorithm, various environmental resources information of tourist region can be obtained from remote sensing imagery. Combining with GIS spatial analysis and landscape pattern analysis, relevant environmental information can be quantitatively analysed and interpreted. In this study, taking the Chaohu Lake Basin as an example, Landsat-8 multi-spectral satellite image of October 2015 was applied. Integrated the automatic ELM (Extreme Learning Machine) classification results with the data of digital elevation model and slope information, human disturbance degree, land use degree, primary productivity, landscape evenness , vegetation coverage, DEM, slope and normalized water body index were used as the evaluation factors to construct the eco-sensitivity evaluation index based on AHP and overlay analysis. According to the value of eco-sensitivity evaluation index, by using of GIS technique of equal interval reclassification, the Chaohu Lake area was divided into four grades: very sensitive area, sensitive area, sub-sensitive areas and insensitive areas. The results of the eco-sensitivity analysis shows: the area of the very sensitive area was 4577.4378 km2, accounting for about 37.12 %, the sensitive area was 5130.0522 km2, accounting for about 37.12 %; the area of sub-sensitive area was 3729.9312 km2, accounting for 26.99 %; the area of insensitive area was 382.4399 km2, accounting for about 2.77 %. At the same time, it has been found that there were spatial differences in ecological sensitivity of the Chaohu Lake basin. The most sensitive areas were mainly located in the areas with high elevation and large terrain gradient. Insensitive areas were mainly distributed in slope of the slow platform area; the sensitive areas and the sub-sensitive areas were mainly agricultural land and woodland. Through the eco-sensitivity analysis of the study area, the automatic recognition and analysis techniques for remote sensing imagery are integrated into the ecological analysis and ecological regional planning, which can provide a reliable scientific basis for rational planning and regional sustainable development of the Chaohu Lake tourist area.

Responses of Water Level in China’s Largest Freshwater Lake to the Meteorological Drought Index (SPEI) in the Past Five Decades

Poyang Lake, which is the largest freshwater lake in China, is an important regional water resource and iconic ecosystem that has experienced a period of continuous low water level in recent years. In this paper, the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) was applied to analyze the temporal variability and spatial distribution characteristics of meteorological drought over the Poyang Lake Basin during 1961–2015. In addition, correlation analysis was used to investigate the response relationship between lake level and meteorological drought in the basin. The main results showed that: (1) The decline of water level in Poyang Lake since 2000 has been dramatic, especially in autumn, when the downward speed reached 11.26 cm/day. (2) The meteorological drought in the Poyang Lake Basin has obvious seasonal characteristics, and drying tendencies in spring and autumn were relatively obvious. Following the 1960s, this basin entered a new drought period in the 2000s. (3) The results of correlation analysis showed that three- and six-month timescales were the optimum times for the lake level to respond to the SPEI in the Poyang Lake Basin. Seasonally, the correlation was best in winter and worst in autumn. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of correlations was: Hukou &lt; Xingzi &lt; Duchang &lt; Wucheng &lt; Tangyin &lt; Kangshan. Overall, the results of this study quantified the response of lake level to meteorological drought in the context of climate change, and they provide a reliable scientific basis for water resource management in similar basins.

Determination of Maize Seed Purity Based on Multi-Step Clustering

Abstract. Electrophoresis has been widely used to determine maize seed purity; however, the associated time and complexity hinder its application for maize seeds. Equipment to estimate seed purity was designed to improve the efficiency of identification of circulating maize seeds, and a multi-step clustering method was created for the determination of seed purity. The main components included a host computer, a black box, a seed transmission belt with grooves, a binocular vision system, and an under-controller. First, image information of the crown and the non-embryo side of every maize seed was collected using the binocular vision system while seeds underwent intermittent movement on the transmission belt. Second, multi-area color characteristics, which included red, green, and blue (RGB), hue, saturation, intensity (HSI), and lightness-a-b (Lab) color model parameters of maize seeds were extracted and optimized to generate 25-dimensional purity identification vectors. Finally, a multi-step clustering model was used to determine seed purity. The original center of K-mean clustering was established based on the results of self-organizing map (SOM) clustering; subsequently, maize seed purity parameters were obtained by combining the results of the second and the first clustering analyses. A result was achieved by testing three groups of samples, including 'ZHENGDAN 958' mixed with 'XIANYU 335', 'XIANYU 335' mixed with its male parent, and 'XIANYU 335' mixed with its female parent. The result showed that the correct recognition rate of 'XIANYU 335' mixed with 'ZHENGDAN 958' that had no genetic relationship could reach 100% under the condition of the experimental sample, and the accuracy of identification between 'XIANYU 335' and their respective male and female parents was 96.7% and 88.7%. This recognition rate met with the technical requirements of field inspection and provided a reliable scientific basis for the rapid determination of maize seed purity. Keywords: Identification, Maize seed, Multi-step clustering, Purity, Rapid.

Inexact nonlinear improved fuzzy chance-constrained programming model for irrigation water management under uncertainty

An inexact nonlinear mλ-measure fuzzy chance-constrained programming (INMFCCP) model is developed for irrigation water allocation under uncertainty. Techniques of inexact quadratic programming (IQP), mλ-measure, and fuzzy chance-constrained programming (FCCP) are integrated into a general optimization framework. The INMFCCP model can deal with not only nonlinearities in the objective function, but also uncertainties presented as discrete intervals in the objective function, variables and left-hand side constraints and fuzziness in the right-hand side constraints. Moreover, this model improves upon the conventional fuzzy chance-constrained programming by introducing a linear combination of possibility measure and necessity measure with varying preference parameters. To demonstrate its applicability, the model is then applied to a case study in the middle reaches of Heihe River Basin, northwest China. An interval regression analysis method is used to obtain interval crop water production functions in the whole growth period under uncertainty. Therefore, more flexible solutions can be generated for optimal irrigation water allocation. The variation of results can be examined by giving different confidence levels and preference parameters. Besides, it can reflect interrelationships among system benefits, preference parameters, confidence levels and the corresponding risk levels. Comparison between interval crop water production functions and deterministic ones based on the developed INMFCCP model indicates that the former is capable of reflecting more complexities and uncertainties in practical application. These results can provide more reliable scientific basis for supporting irrigation water management in arid areas.

Submersion simulation in a typical debris flow watershed of Jianzhuangchuan catchment, Loess Plateau

Debris flow is one of the most serious and frequent geological disasters that occur in the Loess Plateau. The outbreak of a debris flow is sudden, ferocious, swift, and destructive. The characteristics and mechanism of debris flow were explored in this study via survey, numerical simulation, and simulation analysis in a Loess Plateau area (Huangling County, Shaanxi Province, China). Numerical models and formulas corresponding to the occurrence and movement mechanism were established based on the HEC-RAS, HEC-GeoRAS, and SWAT results. The range of debris flow deposition was determined through capturing the debris flow free surface. A hydrological model and critical rainfall threshold were determined in order to provide technical support for debris flow forecasting in the Loess Plateau. The results suggest that 10-year floods do not submerge any portion of the basin. One village area was affected by the 100-year flood (total area of 0.648 km2) while four villages areas were submerged by the 1000-year flood (total area of 1.39 km2). The method presented here may provide a reliable scientific basis for mitigating loss due to debris flow hazards.

Simulations of water movement and solute transport through different soil texture configurations under negative‐pressure irrigation

AbstractThis study examined the effects of different soil texture configurations on water movement and solute transport to provide a reliable scientific basis for the application of negative‐pressure irrigation (NPI) technology. HYDRUS‐2D was used to analyse water movement and solute transport under NPI. The main results are as follows: (a) HYDRUS‐2D can be used to simulate water movement and solute transport under NPI, as there was good agreement between the simulated and measured values for water contents, NaCl concentrations, cumulative water infiltration, and wetting distances in the horizontal and vertical directions; the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficients were in the range of 0.94–0.97. (b) Layered soils have obvious effects on water movement under NPI. With the emitter position in the loam layer, when a coarse texture of loamy sand was present below the loam layer (namely, L‐LS), irrigation water accumulated in the topsoil, and this led to an increase in evaporation compared with the homogeneous loam profile. However, fine texture silty loam or silty clay loam layers beneath the loam layer (namely, L‐SiL or L‐SiCL, respectively) was more conducive to water infiltration into the lower layer, and this increased the amount of water infiltration and simultaneously reduced the surface evaporation effectively. (c) Layered soils have obvious effects on solute transport under NPI, and salt accumulation will readily occur in the clay‐rich soil layer at the interface. The maximum soil salt accumulation of L‐LS occurred above the soil interface between the two soil layers with a value of 21.80 g/kg; however, for L‐SiCL and L‐SiL, the maximum salt accumulation occurred below the soil interface between the two soil layers, with values of 23.80 g/kg and 20.08 g/kg, respectively. (d) Interlayered soils showed remarkable changes in the water infiltration characteristics and salt‐leaching intensities under NPI, and the properties for the soil profile with a silty loam interlayer were better than those for the soil profile with a silty clay loam interlayer. The soil profile with a loamy sand interlayer had the lowest amount of water infiltration, which resulted in reductions of the salt‐leaching intensities. Thus, NPI is clearly not suitable for loamy sand soil. Overall, the results demonstrated that soil texture configurations affected water movement and solute transport under NPI. Therefore, careful consideration should be given to the use of NPI to achieve target soil water and solution conditions and reduce water loss.

Theoretical research on radial wells orientating hydraulically created fracture directional extended

Hydraulic fracturing of radial wells have become new technologies to effectively develop low permeability reservoir, thin reservoir, fractured reservoir, “dead area” after water injection etc. Influenced by ground stress and reservoir heterogeneity, hydraulically created fracture will probably not extend smoothly to connect the target area along the direction of radial wells, the reservoir stimulation effect is not ideal. Based on the pressure analysis of fracturing initiation of multiple radial holes and the theory of plasticity district, criterion of multiple radial wells orientating directional fracture propagation in the condition of ground stress is derived. In this condition, multiple radial wells will produce a continuous plasticity district in the reservoirs, while maintaining the fracture extending in plastic zone directionally without the effect of ground stress, which guarantees that fracture is interconnected between the radial wells during fracturing operation, to form the main crack along the direction of radial wells’ axis plane. In consideration of economy, maximum spacing of radial wells are optimized, in order to provide a reliable scientific basis for effectively implementation of hydraulic fracturing technology in radial wells.

Identification of the chemical compositionsof Verbena officinalis L. extract by high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-high resolution mass spectrometry

To investigate the main chemical compositions of Verbena officinals L. extract, a qualitative high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array-high resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-PDA-HRMS) method was established. The structures of the compounds detected were identified by analyzing the chromatographic profiles and the corresponding mass spectra obtained by full scan and MSn full scan. Twenty one compounds including iridoid glycosides, flavonoids, triterpenoids, phenylpropanoids and phenolic diterpenoids were identified, and six of them were not reported in other literatures about Verbena officinalis L. extract, such as carnosic acid, carnosol, rosmanol, isorosmanol, rosmarinic acid and acacetin-7-O-rutinoside. This method is simple, rapid, accurate and sensitive. It provides a reliable scientific basis for the identification of the authenticity and quality control of Chinese medicinal materials.

Economic assessment of virtual power plants in the German energy market — A scenario-based and model-supported analysis

The energy transition (“Energiewende”) in Germany will result in a substantial transformation of the energy supply system. Virtual power plants are expected to be important components of the new intelligent energy infrastructure. They aggregate beside different types of distributed generation units also active consumers and storage technologies in order to integrate these in a profit-maximising, system-stabilising, and sustainable way. The assessment of the economic performance of virtual power plants requires a scenario-based and model-supported analysis. In this relation, future energy market conditions are simulated using the scenario methodology. Starting from the year 2015, three scenarios have been identified that illustrate alternative energy developments in Germany by 2030. Based on these scenarios, the additional revenues potential of the modeled virtual power plant is identified when compared to an independent and non-market-oriented operation mode of distributed energy resources. According to the model results, revenues of the VPP can increase by 11% up to 30% in the analyzed scenarios in 2030 due to the market-oriented operation mode. Nevertheless, the amount and composition vary depending on technology-specific subsidies, temporary nature of power demand and price structures in the energy market. Fluctuating renewable energies are expected to benefit from the market-oriented operation mode in the virtual power plant, especially through the EEG direct marketing. The selective and regulated shutdown of renewable energies in times of negative electricity prices may lead to further cost savings. The utilization of temporary price fluctuations in the spot market and the demand-oriented provision of control power offer high additional revenue potential for flexible controllable technologies such as battery storage, biomethane as well as combined heat and power units. Finally, the determination of the long-term profitability of a virtual power plant still requires a full-scale cost–benefit analysis. For this holistic approach, the model results provide a reliable scientific basis.

A systematic review of the association between allergic asthma and autism.

Autism Spectrum Disorder represents a burdensome condition in early childhood, with a number of risk factors proposed to explain its pathogenesis, most of which without a reliable scientific basis. Allergic asthma is likely to be one of the possible comorbilities of autism. In this paper, the relationship between autism and allergic asthma was analyzed through a systematic literature review, conducted according to the PRISMA Guidelines. The review was performed on PubMed and Science Direct database and covered the period January 1, 2004-July 9, 2016. The search was limited to articles published in peer-reviewed journals. The obtained results were sorted by relevance and the most significant case-control, epidemiological and nationwide-based works associating autism and allergic asthma in humans were selected. A slight correlation between these conditions has been found in more than a half studies selected, suggesting a possible association between the two diseases. Small sample sizes of some works and some methodological limitations rise uncertainty about this link. Autism Spectrum Disorder and asthma could be associated conditions, as evidenced by the higher prevalence of asthma in autistic children with respect to typically developed controls, with also a verisimilar biological basis. Despite that, future studies are required to provide more reliable data, also by employing animal models, to better clarify this, still unsure, relationship. Methods for study selection and inclusion criteria were specified in advance and documented in PROSPERO protocol #CRD42014012851.

Quantitative evaluation of influence of PROSTRATE GROWTH 1 gene on rice canopy structure based on three-dimensional structure model

The discovery and separation of the PROSTRATE GROWTH 1 gene has significantly contributed to reveal the molecular mechanism of rice evolution and has aided the study of the molecular basis of rice plant architecture. However, the influence of the PROSTRATE GROWTH 1 gene on canopy structure characteristics has not been quantitatively evaluated, especially when the canopy was fully covered. Three-dimensional digital technology was used to reconstruct the three-dimensional canopies of two rice varieties with PROSTRATE GROWTH 1 contrasting gene (Teqing with erect growth habit and YIL18 with prostrate growth habit) in three main growth stages (booting stage, heading stage and grain filling stage). The effects of the PROSTRATE GROWTH 1 gene on the canopy structure characteristics were quantitatively evaluated using the virtual layer cutting method. The results showed that YIL18 had the prostrate growth tendency with lower height of canopy, more tillers, narrower leaves and smaller leaf area index, when compared with those of Teqing. The tiller angle (the angle between the tiller and the horizontal plane) was reduced from 77.5° to 62.8°, 83.8° to 75.0° and 83.4° to 77.2° at the three growth stages, respectively, and the mean leaf inclination angle decreased from 66.2° to 44.3°, 74.9° to 64.2° and 76.0° to 68.3° contrasting Teqing with YIL18. Meanwhile, the leaf inclination angle for YIL18, which accounted for the maximum proportion at the upper parts of the canopy, was one grade (10°) lower than that of Teqing. Furthermore, the spike grain number and thousand seed weight of YIL18 were significantly less than those of Teqing but the spike number was more than that of Teqing (P<0.05). Overall, the PROSTRATE GROWTH 1 gene had a significant impact on the canopy structure of rice. Our study assessed the influence of the PROSTRATE GROWTH 1 gene on the canopy structure of rice quantitatively and has provided a reliable scientific basis for future breeding programs.

Phase Formation in REE-Containing Water-Salt Systems at the Preparatory Stages of the ulticomponent Oxide Functional Materials Formation

Using a number of physico-chemical methods, the authors have studied the nature and laws of chemical interaction between structural components, heterogeneous equilibrium (25-100 оC) in model triple water-salt systems of sulphates, nitrates, chlorides neodymium and alkali metals. Complicated processes of complex formation in creations the entire classes of anionic Ln3+ complexes have been determined. Polythermal solubility diagrams have been built for the studied systems. Conditions for the source materials and new phase existence are clarified. Optimal growth conditions have been determined, and synthesis of single-crystal samples has been carried out. A number of physical and chemical properties are studied, and the individuality of double salts has been confirmed. A number of features and usage patterns were revealed in transformations. The obtained results are treated as a reliable scientific basis for substantiation of preparatory process in the up-to-date REE-containing functional materials production. Keywords: Alkali metals, chlorides, neodymium, nitrates, sulfates, water-salt systems.

Cognitive Aspect of Intercultural Communication

The research of cognitive aspects of intercultural communication is aimed to explore national linguistic consciousness, its peculiarities in order to determine the universal basics which make the intercultural communication possible while preserving national cultural identity and language diversity. This scientific analysis can become a background for developing skills of comprehending foreign speech and providing learning and teaching paths towards communication competence in accordance with Common European Framework of References for Languages. The analysis of texts has shown a fast-growing process of penetration of anglicisms into national languages which leads to obvious structural changes in the national languages. The effects of this interference on cognitive process should be studied and discussed as there is a strong awareness that substituting foreign verbal means for the native ones leads to weakening the immunity of the national language consciousness in general and undermines the national traditions of verbal communication approved and used by a national community. The linguistic analysis of professional activities of interpreters in the process of consecutive translation, students’ experimental with work with texts and material for comprehension and translation in class, survey of psychological tests on perception mechanism made it possible to describe a cognitive scheme of human reflection and interpretation of the real world and its developments which make up the contents of perceived texts during listening and reading. The concept of a subject whose activities are performed at a certain place at a certain time can be given the status of a three-coordinate (subject, place, time) cognitive scheme. The didactic exploitation of this cognitive scheme is seen in teaching students to identify these coordinates in the process of comprehending speech or text and thus to perceive its message by structuring and organizing the information. It is thought to be an effective method of developing productive communication skills as well as to be a reliable scientific basis to create and exploit learning and teaching techniques of handling and integrating information, including that of taking notes and organizing received facts in the process of consecutive translation.

Extraction optimization of total triterpenoids from Jatropha curcas leaves using response surface methodology and evaluations of their antimicrobial and antioxidant capacities

Triterpenoids are multifunctional secondary metabolites in plants. But little information is available concerning the actual yield, optimal extraction method and pharmacologic activity with regard to triterpenoids from Jatropha curcas leaves (TJL). Hence, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the extraction parameters. The effects of three independent variables, namely liquid-to-solid ratio, ethanol concentration and extraction time on TJL yield were investigated. TJL obtained by silica column chromatography was tested against bacterial and fungal species relevant to oral disease and wounds through broth microdilution. Antioxidant activity was assessed using the 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays. A second order polynomial model produced a satisfactory fitting of the experimental data with regard to TJL yield (R2 = 0.983, P < 0.01). The optimum extraction conditions were 16 mL/g (liquid-to-solid ratio), 70% (ethanol concentration) and 50 min (extraction time). Predicted values agreed well with the experimental values. TJL had extraordinarily strong antibacterial and antifungal activities (24.42 μg/mL < MIC < 195.31 μg/mL) against all the tested human pathogens except Bacteroides vulgatus (390.62 μg/mL) and Bacteroides stercoris (781.25 μg/mL). The DPPH and ABTS assays revealed a moderate antioxidant activity of TJL compared with ascorbic acid. These results provided reliable scientific basis for further investigation of triterpenoids from J. curcas.