Mesoscale distribution patterns of diatoms in surface sediments as tracers of coastal upwelling of the Galician shelf (NW Iberian Peninsula)

Diatom distribution on continental shelf sediments from the upwelling area off Galicia (NW Iberian Peninsula) has been determined in 78 surface sediment samples. Three well defined biofacies with a close relationship to upwelling influence along the coast have been distinguished from both the absolute diatom abundances in the sediments and assemblage diatom composition based on multivariate statistics: Rias Baixas and the shelf areas south and north to Cape Finisterre. Chaetoceros resting spores as well as highest absolute diatom content in the sediments are recorded in the highly productive Rias Baixas where most of the primary production is due to intense upwelling phenomena. The western shelf, south of Cape Finisterre. is characterized by Thalassionema nitzschioides and Thalassiosira cf. leptopus. Both taxa reflect a minor influence of upwelling conditions and productivity related to more persistent nutrient input due to coastal outwelling rather than upwelling. Minor and patchy upwelling conditions as well as lower productivity in the northern shelf are characterized by the lowest absolute diatom content in the sediments and the important increase in relative abundance of the resistant Paralia sulcata. Caution must be taken in the interpretation of Paralia sulcata dominated biofacies in downcore studies since a juxtaposition of discontinuous upwelling conditions and dissolution effects may be the factors responsible for the relative increase on the taxon in the sediments. The obtained results show the extent and limitations of fossil diatom distribution in surface sediments as tracers of regional coastal upwelling conditions in continental shelves where the existence of extensive areas of relict sediments and transported diatoms may mask the present-day upwelling signal of the photic zone.This work was supported by the European Union in the framework of the MAST programme, contract no. MAS2-CT93-0069 (Ocean Margin Exchange, OMEX). It is also a contribution to projects XUGA10307B93 (Xunta de Guliciu) and APC-950010 (Direccibn General de Znvestigacibn Cien tljica y Ticnica)Peer reviewe

Interrelasi Kiai, Penghulu dan Pemangku Adat dalam Tradisi Islam Wetu Telu di Lombok

Islam Wetu Telu is also Islam, though it is different from traditional avtivities. Islam Wetu Telu is much colored by sincritism among Islamic teaching, Hinduism, and enciunt tradision. These three matters are sigriticantly interrelated to the true history of Islam Wetu Telu as stated by Jalaluddin. Arzaki, the director of internatural and tourism development institution. Another version stated Islam Wetu Telu etablished after the colonial of Belanda in Lombok in 1980 in relations to the strategy to againts the Islam follow of Sasak people

Foam-free production of the rhamnolipid precursor 3-(3-hydroxyalkanoyloxy) alkanoic acid (HAA) by Pseudomonas putida

Surfactants represent a large group of industrial relevant substances and can be generated chemically, but also biologically. Important microbial producers are several Pseudomonas species, mainly known for their ability to produce rhamnolipids. For safety reasons, recombinant Pseudomonas putida is preferred for heterologous production of rhamnolipids as well as its precursor 3-(3-hydroxyalkanoyloxy) alkanoic acid (HAA), which is a promising platform substance. The surface-active properties of HAA combined with classical submerged aeration cause strong foam formation making biotechnological production in stirred tank bioreactors challenging. Therefore, a foam-free bioprocess for HAA production was developed in this study. The combination of headspace aeration, overpressure up to 8 bar, and temperature reduction prevented oxygen limitation, shortened process time, and enhanced the maximum HAA concentration to 1.71 g l − 1 with a space-time yield of 0.08 g l − 1 h − 1

Parallel use of shake flask and microtiter plate online measuring devices (RAMOS and BioLector) reduces the number of experiments in laboratory-scale stirred tank bioreactors

Background Conventional experiments in small scale are often performed in a Black Box fashion, analyzing only the product concentration in the final sample. Online monitoring of relevant process characteristics and parameters such as substrate limitation, product inhibition and oxygen supply is lacking. Therefore, fully equipped laboratory-scale stirred tank bioreactors are hitherto required for detailed studies of new microbial systems. However, they are too spacious, laborious and expensive to be operated in larger number in parallel. Thus, the aim of this study is to present a new experimental approach to obtain dense quantitative process information by parallel use of two small-scale culture systems with online monitoring capabilities: Respiration Activity MOnitoring System (RAMOS) and the BioLector device. Results The same mastermix (medium plus microorganisms) was distributed to the different small-scale culture systems: 1) RAMOS device; 2) 48-well microtiter plate for BioLector device; and 3) separate shake flasks or microtiter plates for offline sampling. By adjusting the same maximum oxygen transfer capacity (OTRmax), the results from the RAMOS and BioLector online monitoring systems supplemented each other very well for all studied microbial systems (E. coli, G. oxydans, K. lactis) and culture conditions (oxygen limitation, diauxic growth, auto-induction, buffer effects). Conclusions The parallel use of RAMOS and BioLector devices is a suitable and fast approach to gain comprehensive quantitative data about growth and production behavior of the evaluated microorganisms. These acquired data largely reduce the necessary number of experiments in laboratory-scale stirred tank bioreactors for basic process development. Thus, much more quantitative information is obtained in parallel in shorter time.Cluster of Excellence “Tailor-Made Fuels from Biomass”, which is funded by the Excellence Initiative by the German federal and state governments to promote science and research at German universities

Организационно-управленческие инновации в системе подбора персонала компании «Сахалин Энерджи»

Объектом исследования является нефтегазодобывающая компания "Sakhalin Energy". Предметом исследования являются инновационные технологии в подборе персонала в данной компании. Цель работы – разработать рекомендации по совершенствованию системы подбора персонала компании "Sakhalin Energy". Для достижения цели были поставлены и решены следующие задачи: изучить характеристику компании "Sakhalin Energy"; проанализировать систему подбора персонала в компании; выявить организационно-управленческие инновации в системе побора персонала компании; выявить недостатки данной системы подбора персонала; разработать рекомендации и оценить эффективность от предложенных мер.The object of the research is the oil and gas producing company Sakhalin Energy. The subjects of research are innovative technologies in the recruitment system in this company. The purpose of the research is to develop recommendations for improving the recruitment system. To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set and resolved: to study the characteristics of Sakhalin Energy; analyze the system of recruitment in the company; identify organizational and managerial innovations in the recruitment system; identify the limitations of this system of recruitment; develop recommendations and evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed measures

Разработка алгоритмического и программного обеспечения для укладки графов на плоскости

Объектом исследования является процесс укладки графов на плоскость. Цель работы - Разработка алгоритмического и программного обеспечения для укладки графов на плоскости. В процессе работы производилось изучение существующих способов отображения планарных и непланарных графов на плоскости и разработка программного обеспечения для отображения диаграмм баз данных на плоскости.The object of the study is the process of laying graphs on a plane. The aim of the work is to Develop algorithmic and software for laying graphs on the plane. In the course of work, the study of existing methods of displaying planar and non-planar graphs on the plane and the development of software for displaying database digrams on the plane were carried out

A mathematical model of aging-related and cortisol induced hippocampal dysfunction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The hippocampus is essential for declarative memory synthesis and is a core pathological substrate for Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common aging-related dementing disease. Acute increases in plasma cortisol are associated with transient hippocampal inhibition and retrograde amnesia, while chronic cortisol elevation is associated with hippocampal atrophy. Thus, cortisol levels could be monitored and managed in older people, to decrease their risk of AD type hippocampal dysfunction. We generated an in silico<it/>model of the chronic effects of elevated plasma cortisol on hippocampal activity and atrophy, using the systems biology mark-up language (SBML). We further challenged the model with biologically based interventions to ascertain if cortisol associated hippocampal dysfunction could be abrogated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The in silico<it/>SBML model reflected the in vivo<it/>aging of the hippocampus and increased plasma cortisol and negative feedback to the hypothalamic pituitary axis. Aging induced a 12% decrease in hippocampus activity (HA), increased to 30% by acute and 40% by chronic elevations in cortisol. The biological intervention attenuated the cortisol associated decrease in HA by 2% in the acute cortisol simulation and by 8% in the chronic simulation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Both acute and chronic elevations in cortisol secretion increased aging-associated hippocampal atrophy and a loss of HA in the model. We suggest that this first SMBL model, in tandem with in vitro<it/>and in vivo<it/>studies, may provide a backbone to further frame computational cortisol and brain aging models, which may help predict aging-related brain changes in vulnerable older people.</p