Determination of the inhibitory effects of microdiets used in routine commercial feeding protocols on protease activities of Argyrosomus regius (Asso, 1801) larva

The aim of this study was to determine the inhibitory effects of feed ingredients on protease activities of Argyrosomus regius larvae using in vitro techniques. A. regius larvae fed on a commercial feeding procedure were sampled thirteen times, during the sampling period (from 3 to 32 days after hatching (DAH)). The differences observed in protease activities of meagre larvae during the sampling period were statistically significant (p<0.05). The lowest and highest protease activities of meagre larvae were 5.95±0.6 U/mg protein (15 DAH) and 211.21±12.56 U/mg protein (7 DAH), respectively. The fluctuations observed in protease activities of A. regius larvae were between 10 DAH and 32 DAH. Commercial diets such as Orange Start-S (100-200µ), Orange Start-L (200-300µ), Orange Nurse-XS (300-500µ), Orange Grow-S (300-500µ) and Orange Grow-L (500-800µ) caused the inhibitions on protease activities in meagre larvae to range from 16 to 32 DAH. The results point to the inadequacy of commercial diets such as Orange Grow-S, Orange Grow-L and suitability of Orange Start-S, Orange Start-L, Orange Nurse-XS for feeding meagre larvae during the weaning stage. For the mass production of quality juveniles, future studies should take into account the inhibitory effects of commercial diets and feed ingredients before the manufacturing process. A similar approach may be used to determine the most suitable commercial diets for use during the weaning stages of marine fish larvae to obtain the best growth performance and survival

Performance evaluation of multi-stage manufacturing systems operating under feedback and feedforward quality control loops

In manufacturing, the essential product characteristics are often created through multiple stages. Coupling product data obtained through inspection and controllers based on decision models with prediction capabilities enables quality control loops, enhancing both feedback and feedforward mechanisms. This paper proposes a methodology to merge the formulation of feedback and feedforward quality control loops into a performance evaluation model for multi-stage manufacturing systems. This approach evaluates quality control loop impacts system-wide, aiding in configuring and reconfiguring quality gates. A case study illustrates how allocating inspection technologies and efficient decision models improves overall system performance through effective feedback and feedforward control loops

The Krylov-proportionate normalized least mean fourth approach: Formulation and performance analysis

Cataloged from PDF version of article.We propose novel adaptive filtering algorithms based on the mean-fourth error objective while providing further improvements on the convergence performance through proportionate update. We exploit the sparsity of the system in the mean-fourth error framework through the proportionate normalized least mean fourth (PNLMF) algorithm. In order to broaden the applicability of the PNLMF algorithm to dispersive (non-sparse) systems, we introduce the Krylov-proportionate normalized least mean fourth (KPNLMF) algorithm using the Krylov subspace projection technique. We propose the Krylov-proportionate normalized least mean mixed norm (KPNLMMN) algorithm combining the mean-square and mean-fourth error objectives in order to enhance the performance of the constituent filters. Additionally, we propose the stable-PNLMF and stable-KPNLMF algorithms overcoming the stability issues induced due to the usage of the mean fourth error framework. Finally, we provide a complete performance analysis, i.e., the transient and the steady-state analyses, for the proportionate update based algorithms, e.g., the PNLMF, the KPNLMF algorithms and their variants; and analyze their tracking performance in a non-stationary environment. Through the numerical examples, we demonstrate the match of the theoretical and ensemble averaged results and show the superior performance of the introduced algorithms in different scenarios. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Stacking in Colloidal Nanoplatelets: Tuning Excitonic Properties

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Colloidal semiconductor quantum wells, also commonly known as nanoplatelets (NPLs), have arisen among the most promising materials for light generation and harvesting applications. Recently, NPLs have been found to assemble in stacks. However, their emerging characteristics essential to these applications have not been previously controlled or understood. In this report, we systematically investigate and present excitonic properties of controlled column-like NPL assemblies. Here, by a controlled gradual process, we show that stacking in colloidal quantum wells substantially increases exciton transfer and trapping. As NPLs form into stacks, surprisingly we find an order of magnitude decrease in their photoluminescence quantum yield, while the transient fluorescence decay is considerably accelerated. These observations are corroborated by ultraefficient Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) in the stacked NPLs, in which exciton migration is estimated to be in the ultralong range (>100 nm). Homo-FRET (i.e., FRET among the same emitters) is found to be ultraefficient, reaching levels as high as 99.9% at room temperature owing to the close-packed collinear orientation of the NPLs along with their large extinction coefficient and small Stokes shift, resulting in a large Forster radius of similar to 13.5 nm. Consequently, the strong and long-range homo-FRET boosts exciton trapping in nonemissive NPLs, acting as exciton sink centers, quenching photoluminescence from the stacked NPLs due to rapid nonradiative recombination of the trapped excitons. The rate-equation-based model, which considers the exciton transfer and the radiative and nonradiative recombination within the stacks, shows an excellent match with the experimental data. These results show the critical significance of stacking control in NPL solids, which exhibit completely different signatures of homo-FRET as compared to that in colloidal nanocrystals due to the absence of inhomogeneous broadening

New Stratigraphic and Palaeogeographic Results from the Palaeozoic and Early Mesozoic of the Middle Pontides (Northern Turkey) in the Azdavay, Devrekani, Küre and Inebolu Areas: Implications for the Carboniferous-Early Cretaceous Geodynamic Evolution and Some Related Remarks to the Karakaya Oceanic Rift Basin

The Küre Complex of the Middle Pontides, northern Turkey, is not a remnant of the Palaeotethys but consists of three different units with differing geological history, the Küre Ridge Unit, the Küre Ocean Unit and the Çalça Unit. The Küre Ridge Unit consists of the Serveçay Group, a pre-Permian, low-grade metamorphic Variscan oceanic sequence, and the Sirçalik Group, a Lower and Middle Triassic shallow-water sequence of North Alpine facies and event succession which disconformably overlies the Serveçay Group. Following a hiatus, the Sirçalik Group is overlain by marginal parts of the Akgöl Group with olistoliths of local origin which were derived mainly from the Sirçalik Group. The Küre Ocean Unit consists mostly of the Akgöl Group (siliciclastic turbidites and olistostromes of the Karadagtepe Formation, which is a middle Carnian to Middle Jurassic accretionary complex from the southern, active margin of the Küre Ocean, and mainly Middle Jurassic molasse type shallow-water sandstones, siltstones and shales of an unnamed formation) and of thick oceanic basalts (Ipsinler Basalt). Tectonic slices of Middle Triassic to lower Carnian ophiolites and basalts are also present. The Karadagtepe Formation contains numerous Middle Triassic exotic olistoliths and blocks of shallow-water and predominantly slope and basinal limestones, ocean-floor deep-sea sediments (shales and radiolarites), basalts and small clasts of ophiolites or ophiolitic detritus. The Çalça Unit consists of deposits from the northern, passive margin of the Küre ocean with many Pelsonian to upper Norian Hallstatt Limestones and Rhaetian-Lower Jurassic (?Middle Jurassic) deep-water shales and marls. All three units are overlain following a period of non deposition by the Upper Jurassic Bürnük Formation (red conglomerate, sandstone) and Inalti Formation (shallow-water platform carbonates). The Küre Ridge Unit was split away from the Variscan Sakarya Continent by the opening of the Karakaya oceanic rift basin during latest Permian (Dorashamian) and became a continental splinter between the Karakaya oceanic rift basin and the Küre Ocean (opened during the late Scythian). Southward subduction began in the Küre Ocean during the middle Carnian (beginning of the Karadagtepe siliciclastic turbidites), whereas at the northern passive margin the deposition of Hallstatt Limestones continued until the latest Norian. The deposition of siliciclastic turbidites and olistostromes (Diskaya Unit) began in the entire Karakaya oceanic rift basin during the middle Carnian, and ocean basin deposits (radiolarites, pelagic limestones) and slope deposits form the passive margin (e.g., Hallstatt Limestones) are no more present in the Karakaya oceanic rift basin indicating that this basin was very narrow (only a few hundreds of kilometres). During the late Norian, the Karakaya oceanic rift basin closed, whereas subduction at the southern (active margin) of the Küre ocean continued. At the northern margin of the (Upper Triassic?) Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Beykoz-Çaglayan turbidite basin (north of the Küre Complex) the accretionary complex of an older ocean, the Late Palaeozoic Paphlagonian Ocean, was exposed that yielded clasts in the Beykoz-Çaglayan turbidite basin. Among these clasts Carboniferous to Middle Permian (Capitanian) pelagic rocks (pelagic limestones, radiolarites) could be dated. A Middle to Late Permian southward-directed subduction is assumed for the Paphlagonian Ocean. Its closure occurred either at the end of the Permian or during the Scythian

Localized plasmon-engineered spontaneous emission of CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals closely-packed in the proximity of Ag nanoisland films for controlling emission linewidth, peak, and intensity

Cataloged from PDF version of article.Using metallic nanoislands, we demonstrate the localized plasmonic control and modification of the spontaneous emission from closely-packed nanocrystal emitters, leading to significant changes in their collective emission characteristics tuned spectrally and spatially by plasmon coupling. Using randomly-distributed silver nanoislands, we show that the emission linewidth of proximal CdSe/ZnS core-shell quantum dots is reduced by 22% and their peak emission wavelength is shifted by 14nm, while their ensemble photoluminescence is enhanced via radiative energy transfer by 21.6 and 15.1 times compared to the control groups of CdSe/ZnS nanocrystals with identical nano-silver but no dielectric spacer and the same nanocrystals alone, respectively. (C) 2007 Optical Society of America

Neobisium yozgati n. sp., and N. anaisae n. sp. (Neobisiidae, Pseudoscorpiones), from Turkey and Macedonia (FYROM), respectively

Two new species of endemic and relict cave-dwellers of genus Neobisium Chamberlin, have been described from Turkey and Macedonia (FYROM), respectively. From its phenetically close congener, N. granulatum Beier, N. yozgati n. sp. (from Yozgat, Turkey) is distinguished in many important respects. In addition, N. anaisae n. sp. (from a cave in Krapa, FYROM) differs from its closest forms (N. korabense Ćurčić, N. ohridanum Hadži, and N. vladimirpantici Ćurčić) by many morphological characters and form of different body parts. Both species are illustrated, diagnosed, and thoroughly described. They both represent endemic and relict forms

Comparison of hyperpronation and supination‑flexion techniques in children presented to emergency department with painful pronation

Context: Radial head subluxation, also known as ‘pulled elbow’, ‘dislocated elbow’ or ‘nursemaid’s elbow’, is one of the most common upper extremity injuries in young children and a common reason to visit Emergency Department (ED).Aim: To compare supination of the wrist followed by flexion of the elbow (the traditional reduction technique) to hyperpronation of the wrist in the reduction of radial head subluxations (nursemaid’s elbow) maneuvers in children presented to ED with painful pronation and to determine which method is less painful by children.Settings and Design: This prospective randomize study involved a consecutive sampling of children between 1‑5 year old who were presented to the ED with painful pronation.Materials and Methods: The initial procedure was repeated if baseline functioning did not return 20 minutes after the initial reduction attempt. Failure of that technique 30 minutes after the initial reduction attempt resulted in a cross‑over to the alternate method of reduction.Statistical analysis used: Datas were analyzed using SPSS for Windows 16.0. Mean, standard deviation, independent samples t test, Chi‑square test, and paired t test were used in the assessment of pain scores before and after reduction.Results: When pain scores before and after reduction were compared between groups to determine which technique is less painful by children, no significant difference was found between groups.Conclusions: It was found that in the reduction of radial head subluxations, the hyperpronation technique is more effective in children who were presented to ED with painful pronation compared with supination‑flexion. However, there was no significant difference between these techniques in terms of pain.Key words: Child, emergency department, nursemaid’s elbow, pain, pulled elbo