Utilization Of Different Sources Research Articles

Metabolomics and quantitative analysis to determine differences in the geographical origins and species of Chinese dragon's blood.

The aim of this study was to comprehensively analyze the differences in Chinese dragon's blood (CDB), specifically Dracaena cochinchinensis and Dracaena cambodiana, from different geographical origins. Metabolomic analysis of CDB was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A reliable ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography method with a photodiode array detector (UHPLC-PDA) was developed and applied for the quantitative analysis of 12 phenolic compounds in 51 batches of samples. A total of 1394 metabolites were detected, of which 467 were identified as differentially accumulated metabolites. Multivariate analysis revealed that both origin and species had an effect on the composition of CDB, with greater variation between species. 19 phenolic compounds were selected as quality markers to distinguish D. cochinchinensis (Hdsp) from D. cambodiana (Hdca), and oppositin and spinoflavanone a were identified as quality markers to discriminate D. cochinchinensis samples from Hainan (Hdsp) and Guangxi Provinces (Gdc). Quantitative analysis indicated that four phenolic compounds, including loureirin D, 4H-1-benzopyran-4-one,2,3-dihydro-3,5,7-trihydroxy-3-[(4-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-,(R)-, loureirin B, and pterostilbene, showed significant differences between Gdc and Hdsp. Additionally, five phenolic compounds, namely resveratrol, loureirin D, pinostilbene, 4H-1-benzopyran-4-one,2,3-dihydro-3,5,7-trihydroxy-3-[(4-methoxyphenyl)methyl]-, (R)-, and loureirin B, exhibited significant differences between Hdsp and Hdca. There are significant differences in the quality of CDB from different geographical origins and species, which lays the foundation for the in-depth development and utilization of different sources of CDB.

Key Information Sources and their Utility for Upliftment of Members of Tribal Farmer Producer Groups

Information is the crucial component in every walk of life. Information channels for and between the farmersare vital for increasing the agricultural yields. The present study in Seethampeta block of Srikakulam districtin Andhra Pradesh was focused on identifying the utility of different sources of information. A sample of145 respondents was selected through multi-stage proportionate sampling method. The data were collectedwith the help of well-structured interview schedule through personal interview method. The findings ofthe study elicited that progressive farmers served as regular source of information for majority (70.34 %) ofthe tribal FPG members and among the occasional source of information Subject Matter Specialists fromKVK were preferred by exactly four-fifths (80.00 %) of the members of tribal FPGs. Radio was never preferredas information source by 77.24 per cent of respondents. Information utility and information score werehigh for progressive farmers with values of 0.84 and 2.25 respectively. The study concludes by saying thatwhatever information is available to the members of tribal FPGs, it should be communicated at right timein right form and right channel which can improve the utility of information and thus the quality of work.

The urgency of linking peace and citizenship education

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to highlight the utility of different sources of learning in informal, formal and non-formal venues in lifelong learning developing under variable contextual conditions. This calls for an integration of two fields that have been isolated for too long, namely, citizenship education and peace education.Design/methodology/approachUntrue, indoctrinating and even coercive communications negate learning that contributes to the formation of convictions based in conscientization. Political awareness is imperative for strengthening the human being’s influence as an historical subject and participant in present and future social movements.FindingsTraditionally, citizenship education focused on citizens’ understanding of and relation to national political systems and domestic affairs. This focus was later enlarged to both a sub-national civic culture and to international orientations with an increasing interest in the global dimension. Peace education originated in peace research and action embedded in an understanding of peace from a value perspective aiming at transformation towards alternative visions of the future. Learners’ perceptions of problems, conflicts and contradictions ranging from local to global levels are starting points for a politicization approach in peace education.Originality/valueIt is claimed in this paper that this comprehensive approach in peace education is imperative in citizenship education in any society. The rationale for this integration of citizenship and peace education is that becoming and being a citizen involves a lifelong process of learning aiming at increasing political awareness and influence.

Microbial Fuel Cells: An Alternate Approach for Bioelectricity Generation and Waste Management

Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are the device that involves bacteria and organic matter, to generate electrical current via bacterial metabolism from a wide range of organic and inorganic substrates. MFCs are novel bioreactors, that convert chemical energy into electrochemical energy through bio-catalysis of various wastes (agriculture, food, households, food processing industries) using microorganisms. MFC is a promising approach that offers direct, clean, green energy generation, ease of waste recyclability, and by-product utilization of different sources. In recent, MFCs research advances related to electrode development and utilization of suitable different rural and urban wastes is a significant interest in the MFC application. Hence in a large-scale application, the MFC concept is one of the effective technologies for the management of different wastes and is simultaneously used for electricity generation to cater to the energy demand in rural or remote areas that are not linked to the electric grid. MFCs help reduce the global energy crisis and reduce the pressure on non-renewable energy resources.

Coping with Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure in India: Evidence from NSS 71st Round

The present paper seeks to examine the incidence and socio-economic inequality in the utilisation of different sources of finance to cope up with out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditure in rural and urban India. By employing National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), 71st Round (2014) data, the authors found that among inpatient cases, about 60 and 50% households in rural and urban areas respectively rely upon distress sources such as borrowings, contributions from friends and relatives and sale of assets to finance OOP health expenditure. Socio-economically deprived sections in rural areas have a higher likelihood of using distress financing than in urban areas. Greater dependency on debt and sale of assets emphasises the need for a comprehensive health financing system in the country.

Disability and the Family in South Wales Coalfield Society, c.1920–1939

This article utilises the south Wales coalfield in the interwar period as a case study to illustrate the applicability of two sociological theories – family systems theory and the social ecology of the family – to impairment in the past. It demonstrates that a theoretically-informed approach can help to situate impairment in its particular contexts, most especially the family and the community, and give a better sense of the lived experience of disability. It also demonstrates the complexity of the experience of disability as the family and economic circumstances of each impaired individual varied and led to different forms of care-giving or the utilisation of different sources of support. The article also sheds further light on the ubiquity of disability as many families included a number of individuals with different impairments and this too had consequences for experiences and coping strategies.

ASSEMBLY OF LOW-COST LAB-MADE PHOTOREACTOR FOR PREPARATION OF NANOMATERIALS

In this paper, a low-cost and versatile lab-made photoreactor was constructed for the preparation of nanomaterials such as gold nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide. The power of the lab-made photoreactor can be easily adjusted according to the number of lamps turned on. Moreover, the lab-made photoreactor allows the utilization of different sources of irradiation with distinct wavelengths. Performance tests for production of gold nanoparticles showed reproducibility and equal efficiency as compared to the literature. Also, the photoreactor powered with UV-A and UV-C as sources of irradiation can be used for modulation of the reduction degree of graphene oxide.

Spatial and temporal variability in desert dust and anthropogenic pollution in Iraq, 1997–2010

ABSTRACTSatellite imaging has emerged as a method for monitoring regional air pollution and detecting areas of high dust concentrations. Unlike ground observations, continuous data monitoring is available with global coverage of terrestrial and atmospheric components. In this study we test the utility of different sources of satellite data to assess air pollution concentrations in Iraq. SeaWiFS and MODIS Deep Blue (DB) aerosol optical depth (AOD) products were evaluated and used to characterize the spatial and temporal pollution levels from the late 1990s through 2010. The AOD and Ångström exponent (an indicator of particle size, since smaller Ångström exponent values reflect a source that includes larger particles) were correlated on 50 × 50 km spatial resolution. Generally, AOD and Ångström exponent were inversely correlated, suggesting a significant contribution of coarse particles from dust storms to AOD maxima. Although the majority of grid cells exhibited this trend, a weaker relationship in other locations suggested an additional contribution of fine particles from anthropogenic sources. Tropospheric NO2 densities from the OMI satellite were elevated over cities, also consistent with a contribution from anthropogenic sources. Our analysis demonstrates the use of satellite imaging data to estimate relative pollution levels and source contributions in areas of the world where direct measurements are not available.Implications: The authors demonstrated how satellite data can be used to characterize exposures to dust and to anthropogenic pollution for future health related studies. This approach is of a great potential to investigate the associations between subject-specific exposures to different pollution sources and their health effects in inaccessible regions and areas where ground monitoring is unavailable.

The infectious intracellular lifestyle of Salmonella enterica relies on the adaptation to nutritional conditions within the Salmonella-containing vacuole

ABSTRACTSalmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) is a Gram-negative pathogen that causes various host-specific diseases. During their life cycle, Salmonellae survive frequent exposures to a variety of environmental stresses, e.g. carbon-source starvation. The virulence of this pathogen relies on its ability to establish a replicative niche, named Salmonella-containing vacuole, inside host cells. However, the microenvironment of the SCV and the bacterial metabolic pathways required during infection are largely undefined. In this work we developed different biological probes whose expression is modulated by the environment and the physiological state of the bacterium. We constructed transcriptional reporters by fusing promoter regions to the gfpmut3a gene to monitor the expression profile of genes involved in glucose utilization and lipid catabolism. The induction of these probes by a specific metabolic change was first tested in vitro, and then during different conditions of infection in macrophages. We were able to determine that Entner-Doudoroff is the main metabolic pathway utilized by Salmonella during infection in mouse macrophages. Furthermore, we found sub-populations of bacteria expressing genes involved in pathways for the utilization of different sources of carbon. These populations are modified in presence of different metabolizable substrates, suggesting the coexistence of Salmonella with diverse metabolic states during the infection.

Phialomyces macrosporus decreases anthracnose severity on coffee seedlings by competition for nutrients and induced resistance

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a phytopathogenic fungus that gradually weakens both coffee seedlings and adult plants and reduce the quality of the berries. There are no commercial products in the market to control this disease, and therefore, the prospection of different biocontrol agents is a viable option. Phialomyces macrosporus was selected among 10 saprophytic fungi for its higher activity against C. gloeosporioides on coffee seedlings. Foliar application of P. macrosporus to coffee seedlings seven days before the inoculation of C. gloeosporioides reduced disease severity by 32 to 41%. Phialomyces macrosporus grew on the surface of coffee leaves and increased the permeability of the cuticle followed by increased activities of guaiacol peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and the buildup in total phenol content and lignin deposition, consistent with the induced resistance phenomenon. No evidence of mycoparasitism either in vivo or in vitro was observed. However, this fungus reduced the sporulation of the pathogen both in culture medium and on necrotic leaf lesions by competition for nutrients, which was confirmed by in vitro experiments on the utilization of different sources of carbon and nitrogen. This antagonistic saprophyte was able to promote plant growth and colonize roots and stems endophytically. The results of this study indicate that the saprophytic fungus P. macrosporus acts by a combination of induced resistance and competition for nutrients in the reduction of anthracnose severity on coffee seedlings.

Fatty acid profile and composition of milk protein fraction in dairy cows fed long-chain unsaturated fatty acids during the transition period

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utilization of different sources of unsaturated long-chain fatty acids in diets for dairy cows during the transition period and early lactation on the milk fatty acid profile and composition of the protein fraction. Thirty-six Holstein cows were divided into three groups, fed the following diets: control (C); soybean oil (SO); and calcium salts of long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (CS). The milk samples utilized for analysis were obtained weekly from parturition to twelve weeks of lactation; each one of the samples originated from two daily milkings. Milk composition and total nitrogen, non-protein nitrogen and non-casein nitrogen levels were analyzed. The cows receiving the diet with calcium salts had lower concentrations of non-protein nitrogen (%CP) in milk compared with the animals fed the diet with soybean oil. There was a decrease in concentration of medium-chain fatty acids C12-C16, and a concomitant increase in concentrations of long-chain fatty acids >C18 in milk fat for the animals fed the diets CS and SO when compared with diet C. Soybean oil and CS diets increased milk-fat concentrations of the acids C18: 1 trans-11, C18: 2 cis-9, trans-11 and C18: 2 trans-10 cis-12 in relation to diet C. The utilization of sources of long-chain fatty acids in the diet of dairy cows increases the biological value of milk in early lactation due to higher concentrations of specific fatty acids such as CLA C18: 2cis-9, trans-11.

Evacuees’ information sources and reentry decision making in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike

In the aftermath of a hurricane, local emergency managers need to communicate reentry plans to households that might be scattered over multiple counties or states. To better understand evacuees' households' reliance on different information sources at the time they decided to return home, this study collected data on reentry after Hurricane Ike. The results from a survey of 340 evacuating households indicated that there was low compliance with official reentry plans and that none of the information sources produced greater compliance with official reentry plans. Nonetheless, there were significant changes in the utilization of different sources of emergency information over the course of an evacuation but local news media remained the most common sources throughout the event. There also were significant differences in the relative importance of different sources of reentry information, with people relying most on information from peers. In summary, local authorities need to identify more effective ways to communicate with evacuees that have relocated to distant communities and to motivate them to comply with official reentry plans.

Social Scientific Inquiry Into Genocide and Mass Killing: From Unitary Outcome to Complex Processes

This article reviews social scientific research on the occurrence of genocide and mass killing, focusing on the underlying, contributing processes. Relevant studies are grouped by their primary analytic focus: (a) macro-level state and institutional processes, (b) political elites and policy decisions, (c) nonelite perpetrator motivation and participation, (d) social construction of victim group identity, and (e) local and regional variation within larger episodes. We also discuss issues relating to the conceptualization and definition of genocide, the utilization of different sources of data, methodological tendencies, and general analytic trends. Although recent studies show a promising move toward greater analytic disaggregation and engagement with various causal processes and outcomes at the meso and micro levels, genocide scholars must broaden their theoretical engagement with parallel fields of inquiry, continue to be creative in locating original data sources, and account for both positive and negative cases.

Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of rhizobia isolated from pasture legumes native of Sardinia and Asinara Island.

Thirty-five rhizobial strains were isolated from nodules of Lotus edulis, L. ornithopodioides, L. cytisoides, Hedysarum coronarium, Ornithopus compressus and Scorpiurus muricatus growing in Sardinia and Asinara Island. Basic characteristics applied to identification of rhizobia such as symbiotic properties, antibiotic- and salt-resistance, temperate-sensitivities, utilization of different sources of carbon and nitrogen were studied. The results from the 74 metabolic tests were used for cluster analysis of the new rhizobial isolates and 28 reference strains, belonging to previously classified and unclassified fast-, intermediate- and slow-growing rhizobia. All strains examined were divided into two large groups at a linkage distance of 0.58. None of the reference strains clustered with the new rhizobial isolates, which formed five subgroups almost respective of their plant origin. RFLP analysis of PCR-amplified 16S-23S rDNA IGS showed that the levels of similarity between rhizobial isolates from Ornithopus, Hedysarum and Scorpiurus, and the type strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum, Mesorhizobium loti, M. ciceri, M. mediterraneum, Sinorhizobium meliloti and Bradyrhizobium japonicum were not more than 30%. Thus, it can be assumed that these groups of new rhizobial isolates are not closely related to the validly described rhizobial species.

Impact of Plantations on Forest Use and Forest Status in Orissa, India

In Orissa 100 thousand ha of village plantations were established from 1985 to 1992 as an aid project to support the subsistence needs of rural poor and to relieve heavy pressure on the natural forests. The aim of this paper is to examine the welfare and environmental effects of these village plantations. To do this, extensive data collection was needed which included both household utilization of different sources of biomass as well as remote-sensing information, to establish the status of the vegetation and it's spatial location vis-a-vis the users. The study shows that plantations have the potential for substantial welfare improvements for the target population, especially women, through increased consumption of biomass, decreased time for collection and decreased pressure on natural forests. However, interventions need to be very selective in order to be successful, with special consideration given to plantation location compared to natural forest.

The role of shape in 4-month-old infants’ object segregation

This research examined four-month-old infants’ use of featural information ( shape or color and pattern) to segregate a display into two adjacent pieces. The infants were shown displays consisting of two objects that were the same or different in shape and that were decorated with either similar or different surface markings such that featural information could suggest that the two portions were either connected or not. Three displays were created that allowed the comparison of infants’ use of shape information and color and pattern information. The results suggest that, at four months of age, infants are more likely to use shape differences than color and pattern differences to find object boundaries. The results are discussed in the context of infants’ learning about the utility of different sources of information for predicting object boundary locations.

Targeting of workplace inspections for lead

The prevention of occupational lead poisoning requires identification of worksites with ongoing excessive lead exposures. The utility of different sources of surveillance data in identifying worksites was evaluated by comparing a list of companies inspected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for lead with 1) Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) claims for lead poisoning, and 2) the New York Health Department's Heavy Metal Registry (NYHMR) reports of individuals with elevated blood lead levels. For the period 1981 through 1985, the NYHMR identified 179 companies with at least one employee having an elevated blood lead level. Of the 134 OSHA inspections conducted in New York during the same time period, 23 (17%) companies were identified by the NYHMR. In Ohio from 1979 through 1985, 50 companies had workers' compensation claims filed against them involving documented elevated blood lead levels. OSHA inspected 306 companies; 23 (7.5%) were identified by the BWC. In both states, companies inspected by OSHA were concentrated in larger industries with traditional, well-recognized lead hazards (e.g., primary metal and fabricated metals). Companies identified by compensation claims and laboratory reports tended to be in industries dominated by smaller establishments where lead is not a primary part of the industrial process (e.g., automotive repair and construction). Sources of surveillance data, such as workers' compensation claims and laboratory reports, identify worksites that tend not to be routinely inspected by OSHA and which need intervention to prevent excessive lead exposure. To maximize the impact of public health resources devoted to the elimination of occupational lead poisoning, follow-up efforts at companies identified by state health departments and workers' compensation systems offer an important opportunity to complement OSHA's inspection efforts.

Influence of different types of physical fatigue on a visual detection task.

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of different types of physical fatigue-past demand for exertion-on the performance of a visual detection task performed with and without masking. 31 male subjects were first administered a VO2 max test and familiarized with the detection task. They were divided into two groups to control potential effects of masking. They were subjected to three experimental treatment involving the utilization of different sources of energy: (a) a short anaerobic alactic acid effort recruiting phosphocreatine, (b) a supramaximal effort (anaerobic lactic acid) recruiting glycogen without oxygen, and (c) a progressive (partially anaerobic) effort recruiting glycogen and oxygen. All three were performed on a treadmill. Blood samples were collected for the anaerobic lactacid and the partially anaerobic exercises. Once fatigued, all subjects undertook the detection task. A 2 X 3 X 2 X 8 analysis of variance, with repeated measures on the last three factors, was applied to the data (mask/no mask X type of exercise X pre-post performance measures X location of the letter to be detected). No significant difference was found for either the main effects or interactions, except for the location of the letter and the mask/no mask condition. It appears therefore that a physically fit population (mean VO2 max = 62.39 ml X kg(-1) X min(-1)) shows no detectable decrement in a perceptual task performed after fatiguing exercises recruiting various types of energy sources.

The effect of organic nitrogen supplement on the utilization of different sources of detritus1

A particulate organic nitrogen supplement was added to two detrital materials (red macroalga Gracilaria foliifera and marsh grass Spartina alterniflora) and its effect on their utilization by the polychaete Capitella capitata was investigated with isotope tracer techniques.With the decay‐resistant Spartina, added nitrogen had no effect on the oxidation or the net incorporation of Spartina carbon by the worms. With easily decomposable Gracilaria detritus there was an exponential increase in both oxidation and net incorporation with increasing nitrogen. Added organic nitrogen had no effect on the microbial biomass associated with Spartina detritus but resulted in an increase with Gracilaria detritus.Nitrogen enrichment by microbial activity is not the only regulator of nutritional value of detritus to macroconsumers. The extent to which the substrate can be broken down and utilized by associated microbes and macrodetritivores also influences the nutritional quality of detritus to macroconsumers.

Recherche sur la nutrition azot�e de plusieurs souches de ?Armillaria mellea.

Investigation of nitrogen nutrition in different strains of Armillaria mellea. I. Utilisation of different sources of nitrogen. The assimilation of different forms of nitrogen - NO3-, NH4+ and L-asparagine by isolates of Armillaria mellea from France and Poland was investigated. Both the growth aspect, in which mycelial biomass production was related to the utilisation of nitrogen sources, and the morphological aspect, involving aerial mycelium, sclerotia and rhizomorphs, were studied. Significantly difterent effects were recorded for the influence of nitrogen source, the period of growth and their interaction on the growth of various isolates. Different nitrogen sources significantly affected sclerotial and rhizomorph formation. Isolates of A. mellea, geographically and genetically different, were shown to be also physiologically specialised as was also C. tabescens.