Optimisation of Mobile Communication Networks - OMCO NET

The mini conference “Optimisation of Mobile Communication Networks” focuses on advanced methods for search and optimisation applied to wireless communication networks. It is sponsored by Research & Enterprise Fund Southampton Solent University. The conference strives to widen knowledge on advanced search methods capable of optimisation of wireless communications networks. The aim is to provide a forum for exchange of recent knowledge, new ideas and trends in this progressive and challenging area. The conference will popularise new successful approaches on resolving hard tasks such as minimisation of transmit power, cooperative and optimal routing

Hybrid of ant colony optimization and flux variability analysis for improving metabolites production

Metabolic engineering has been successfully used for the production of a variety of useful compounds such as L-phenylalanine and biohydrogen that received high demand on food, pharmaceutical, fossil fuels, and energy industries. Reaction deletion is one of the strategies of in silico metabolic engineering that can alter the metabolism of microbial cells with the objective to get the desired phenotypes. However, due to the size and complexity of metabolic networks, it is difficult to determine the near-optimal set of reactions to be knocked out. The complexity of the metabolic network is also caused by the presence of competing pathway that may interrupt the high production of a desireable metabolite. Consequently, this factor leads to low Biomass-Product Coupled Yield (BPCY), production rate and growth rate. Other than that, inefficiency of existing algorithms in modelling high growth rate and production rate is another problem that should be handled and solved. Therefore, this research proposed a hybrid algorithm comprising Ant Colony Optimization and Flux Variability Analysis (ACOFVA) to identify the best reaction combination to be knocked out to improve the production of desired metabolites in microorganisms. Based on the experimental results, ACOFVA shows an increase in terms of BPCY and production rate of L-Phenylalanine in Yeast and biohydrogen in Cyanobacteria, while maintaining the optimal growth rate for the target organism. Besides, suggested reactions to be knocked out for improving the production yield of L-Phenylalanine and biohydrogen have been identified and validated through the biological database. The algorithm also shows a good performance with better production rate and BPCY of L-Phenylalanine and biohydrogen than existing results

Hybrid approach for metabolites production using differential evolution and minimization of metabolic adjustment

Microbial strains can be optimized using metabolic engineering which implements gene knockout techniques. These techniques manipulate potential genes to increase the yield of metabolites through restructuring metabolic networks. Nowadays, several hybrid optimization algorithms have been proposed to optimize the microbial strains. However, the existing algorithms were unable to obtain optimal strains because the nonessential genes are hardly to be diagnosed and need to be removed due to high complexity of metabolic network. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to overcome the limitation of the existing algorithms by proposing a hybrid of Differential Evolution and Minimization of Metabolic Adjustments (DEMOMA). Differential Evolution (DE) is known as population-based stochastic search algorithm with few tuneable parameter control. Minimization of Metabolic Adjustment (MOMA) is one of the constraint based algorithms which act to simulate the cellular metabolism after perturbation (gene knockout) occurred to the metabolic model. The strength of MOMA is the ability to simulate the strains that have undergone mutation precisely compared to Flux Balance Analysis. The data set used for the production of fumaric acid is S. cerevisiae whereas data set for lycopene production is Y. lipolytica metabolic networks model. Experimental results show that the DEMOMA was able to improve the growth rate for the fumaric acid production rate while for the lycopene production, Biomass Product Coupled Yield (BPCY) and production rate were both able to be optimized

Process analytical technology in food biotechnology

Biotechnology is an area where precision and reproducibility are vital. This is due to the fact that products are often in form of food, pharmaceutical or cosmetic products and therefore very close to the human being. To avoid human error during the production or the evaluation of the quality of a product and to increase the optimal utilization of raw materials, a very high amount of automation is desired. Tools in the food and chemical industry that aim to reach this degree of higher automation are summarized in an initiative called Process Analytical Technology (PAT). Within the scope of the PAT, is to provide new measurement technologies for the purpose of closed loop control in biotechnological processes. These processes are the most demanding processes in regards of control issues due to their very often biological rate-determining component. Most important for an automation attempt is deep process knowledge, which can only be achieved via appropriate measurements. These measurements can either be carried out directly, measuring a crucial physical value, or if not accessible either due to the lack of technology or a complicated sample state, via a soft-sensor.Even after several years the ideal aim of the PAT initiative is not fully implemented in the industry and in many production processes. On the one hand a lot effort still needs to be put into the development of more general algorithms which are more easy to implement and especially more reliable. On the other hand, not all the available advances in this field are employed yet. The potential users seem to stick to approved methods and show certain reservations towards new technologies.Die Biotechnologie ist ein Wissenschaftsbereich, in dem hohe Genauigkeit und Wiederholbarkeit eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Dies ist der Tatsache geschuldet, dass die hergestellten Produkte sehr oft den Bereichen Nahrungsmitteln, Pharmazeutika oder Kosmetik angehöhren und daher besonders den Menschen beeinflussen. Um den menschlichen Fehler bei der Produktion zu vermeiden, die Qualität eines Produktes zu sichern und die optimale Verwertung der Rohmaterialen zu gewährleisten, wird ein besonders hohes Maß an Automation angestrebt. Die Werkzeuge, die in der Nahrungsmittel- und chemischen Industrie hierfür zum Einsatz kommen, werden in der Process Analytical Technology (PAT) Initiative zusammengefasst. Ziel der PAT ist die Entwicklung zuverlässiger neuer Methoden, um Prozesse zu beschreiben und eine automatische Regelungsstrategie zu realisieren. Biotechnologische Prozesse gehören hierbei zu den aufwändigsten Regelungsaufgaben, da in den meisten Fällen eine biologische Komponente der entscheidende Faktor ist. Entscheidend für eine erfolgreiche Regelungsstrategie ist ein hohes Maß an Prozessverständnis. Dieses kann entweder durch eine direkte Messung der entscheidenden physikalischen, chemischen oder biologischen Größen gewonnen werden oder durch einen SoftSensor. Zusammengefasst zeigt sich, dass das finale Ziel der PAT Initiative auch nach einigen Jahren des Propagierens weder komplett in der Industrie noch bei vielen Produktionsprozessen angekommen ist. Auf der einen Seite liegt dies mit Sicherheit an der Tatsache, dass noch viel Arbeit in die Generalisierung von Algorithmen gesteckt werden muss. Diese müsse einfacher zu implementieren und vor allem noch zuverlässiger in der Funktionsweise sein. Auf der anderen Seite wurden jedoch auch Algorithmen, Regelungsstrategien und eigne Ansätze für einen neuartigen Sensor sowie einen Soft-Sensors vorgestellt, die großes Potential zeigen. Nicht zuletzt müssen die möglichen Anwender neue Strategien einsetzen und Vorbehalte gegenüber unbekannten Technologien ablegen

ANALYSES OF CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS, FARMER CHALLENGES, POLYAMINE, AND AMINO ACID CONTENT OF ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL FRESH PRODUCE GROWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Execution of the USDA organic standards led to more support for local food as distinct from organic food. The current study was conducted to examine fresh produce perceptions and purchasing decisions of S.C. consumers. Four-hundred and eight S.C. consumers were surveyed at S.C. grocery stores. More than one-third of the S.C. consumers not knowing about the \u27certified S.C. grown\u27 program suggest that the S.C. Department of Agriculture (SCDA) may want to improve the promotion of their program. Eighty-five percent of consumers indicated that they would choose local over organic. This information would be useful to local S.C. produce farmers who are contemplating whether or not to go through the USDA organic certification process. The annual revenue from fruit and vegetable production in S.C. has been estimated to reach $161 million from the state\u27s reported 1,520 vegetable and 1,340 fruit farms. Farmers should be knowledgeable about the latest trends and innovations in produce farming to maintain this level of production. The current producer survey was conducted to identify their current practices, educational needs, and preferred method of information distribution. Seventy-one percent of farmers were conventional, however almost the same amount of farms were interested in receiving information on organic agriculture. Putrescine (diamine), spermine and spermidine (polyamines), as well as cadaverine are indispensible components of living cells and are in fruits and vegetables. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been found to combat diseases. Leafy greens are no exception. There has been an increasing trend toward organic farming because it is perceived as healthier by consumers. Research has shown organic products to be higher than their conventional counterparts in polyamines but more controlled research was necessary to validate this finding. Therefore, USDA organic and conventional collard greens were grown in a greenhouse to examine the effect of cultivation practices on quality attributes. The organic collards weighed significantly less, were significantly lighter and had a significantly higher polyamine concentration (P-value \u3c 0.05) than their conventional counterparts. Polyamines were found to be associated with higher yellow values within the organically grown collards, which may be a predictor of higher levels of polyamines

Method validation of High Performance Liquid Chromatography for determination of mycolic acid profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

This study developed the High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for INH resistant M. tuberculosis (MTB) isolate identification based on a chromatogram profile of mycolic acids (MAs). The aim of this study was to validate the HPLC for determining the characteristic profile of MAs chromatogram of the INH resistant MTB. The optimum derivatization process obtained was as follows: the minimum biomass weight was 25 mg. The experimental temperature was performed in (80-90)o C using a water bath for minimum 30 minutes in order to complete the MAs derivatization. Reagent volume used in the range of (200-500 μL) were not influenced the MAs chromatogram profile. The optimum condition of HPLC was as follows: mobile phase was methanol:isopropanol (60:40) for 3 minutes, followed by gradient elution (4:96) in 50 minutes. Thereafter, the mobile phase composition change gradually for 40 minutes to a final composition of (60:40). The sample volume was 20 μL and the mobile phase flow rate was 1 mL/minute. The result of this study showed that the MAs chromatogram profile of INH resistant MTB looked like H37Rv MTB strain. The chromatogramp profile was a cluster with 6 characteristic peaks at the end of the analysis. The other short chain carbon fatty acids were eluted in the first 15 minutes

Antibacterial Activity of Butanol Extract from Cell Free Fermentation Broth of Streptomyces spp.Isolated from Vegetable Plantation Soil

Thirty five Streptomyces spp. have been isolated from vegetable plantation soil collected from Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. The isolation and fermentation process to obtain antibacterial substances were performed in the International Streptomyces Projects (ISP)-4 media on rotary shaker at 150 rpm, 28oC for seven days. In vitro antibacterial properties testing of one day to five days free cell fermentation broth (CFFB) of the Streptomyces isolates have been carried out by diffusion agar method using Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria as test microorganisms. The aims of this research are to extract the CFFB of the potential isolates by n-butanol and screen in vitro anti bacterial activities of the extract. It was found that the n-butanol extract of the CFFB of Streptomyces B2 and K2 strain showed their activities against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ATCC 12323701 with MIC of 0,1 and 0,5 ppm respectively. Streptomyces B10 and K6 strain showed their potential activities against Bacilus subtilis ATCC 6633 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 with MIC 0,273 and 2,93 respectively. Both isolates are also active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and patients isolate strain