Granular Partition and Concept Lattice Division Based on Quotient Space

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between the concept lattice and quotient space by granularity. A new framework of knowledge representation - granular quotient space - is constructed and it demonstrates that concept lattice classing is linked to quotient space. The covering of the formal context is firstly given based on this granule, then the granular concept lattice model and its construction are discussed on the sub-context which is formed by the granular classification set. We analyze knowledge reduction and give the description of granular entropy techniques, including some novel formulas. Lastly, a concept lattice constructing algorithm is proposed based on multi-granular feature selection in quotient space. Examples and experiments show that the algorithm can obtain a minimal reduct and is much more efficient than classical incremental concept formation methods

Assessment of cell cultures to propagate crustacean viruses

Dewi Syahidah examined the in vitro propagation of some crustacean viruses, including PmeHDV, chequa iflavirus and athab bunyavirus in cell cultures (C6/36, Vero, and RAW cell cultures). She found that research to study the interaction between crustacean viruses and their host cells is widely open as RAW-Blue TM ISG paved the way to the in vitro growth of chequa iflavirus and athtab bunyavirus and to the future assessment of their putative NLSs

Sustainable Cropping Systems

Global crop production must substantially increase to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population. This is constrained by the availability of nutrients, water, and land. There is also an urgent need to reduce the negative environmental impacts of crop production. Collectively, these issues represent one of the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century. Sustainable cropping systems based on ecological principles are the core of integrated approaches to solve this critical challenge. This special issue provides an international basis for revealing the underlying mechanisms of sustainable cropping systems to drive agronomic innovations. It includes review and original research articles that report novel scientific findings on improvement in cropping systems related to crop yields and their resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors, resource use efficiency, environmental impact, sustainability, and ecosystem services

Adsorption Desalination and Cooling Systems: Advances in Design, Modeling and Performance

Increasing energy efficiency; reducing energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions, and the use of waste; and integrating renewable and recycled heat from low-temperature sources are significant challenges today and are key parts of 4th Generation District Heating (4GDH) concept. On the other hand, currently about one billion people around the world are suffering from water scarcity, and another three billion are approaching this situation. Only 2.5% of all water on the planet is freshwater, of which around 70% is not available and only 0.4% constitutes the most valuable portion of freshwater. Adsorption cooling technology is one of the most effective ways of addressing both these issues. This technology cools and produces potable water from the renewable and wasted heat of the near ambient temperature, including from sewage water, solar heat, and underground resources. This Special Issue Reprint Book provides the detailed information concerning the above-mentioned issues

Functionally Relevant Macromolecular Interactions of Disordered Proteins

Disordered proteins are relatively recent newcomers in protein science. They were first described in detail by Wright and Dyson, in their J. Mol. Biol. paper in 1999. First, it was generally thought for more than a decade that disordered proteins or disordered parts of proteins have different amino acid compositions than folded proteins, and various prediction methods were developed based on this principle. These methods were suitable for distinguishing between the disordered (unstructured) and structured proteins known at that time. In addition, they could predict the site where a folded protein binds to the disordered part of a protein, shaping the latter into a well-defined 3D structure. Recently, however, evidence has emerged for a new type of disordered protein family whose members can undergo coupled folding and binding without the involvement of any folded proteins. Instead, they interact with each other, stabilizing their structure via “mutual synergistic folding” and, surprisingly, they exhibit the same residue composition as the folded protein. Increasingly more examples have been found where disordered proteins interact with non-protein macromolecules, adding to the already large variety of protein–protein interactions. There is also a very new phenomenon when proteins are involved in phase separation, which can represent a weak but functionally important macromolecular interaction. These phenomena are presented and discussed in the chapters of this book

Measurement of the Environmental Impact of Materials

Throughout their life cycles—from production, usage, through to disposal—materials and products interact with the environment (water, soil, and air). At the same time, they are exposed to environmental influences and, through their emissions, have an impact on the environment, people, and health. Accelerated experimental testing processes can be used to predict the long-term environmental consequences of innovative products before these actually enter the environment. We are living in a material world. Building materials, geosynthetics, wooden toys, soil, nanomaterials, composites, wastes and more are research subjects examined by the authors of this book. The interactions of materials with the environment are manifold. Therefore, it is important to assess the environmental impact of these interactions. Some answers to how this task can be achieved are given in this Special Issue

Medication Safety in Municipal Health and Care Services

Medicines constitute an essential part of healthcare delivery and help to prevent or treat illness, influence quality of life, and generally increase life expectancy. However, medications can also cause harm if prescribed irrationally, dispensed or used incorrectly, and monitored or followed up insufficiently. In this anthology, we showcase the challenges of medication management and the rational use of medicines in municipal health and care services, and present various strategies and measures related to medication safety. The contributors are researchers representing a wide range of disciplines, with experience from different levels of healthcare services and different areas within the research and education sectors. We hope to raise awareness, engage and enable discussion of initiatives and strategies to improve patient safety related to medications in municipal health and care services, and create a basis for further research to promote safe medication management and rational use of medicines. This anthology will be of interest to anyone involved in or concerned with medication safety, primarily healthcare professionals, academic staff, researchers, policymakers, and managers in healthcare services