A Study of the Coevolution of Digital Organisms with an Evolutionary Cellular Automaton

This paper presents an Evolutionary Cellular Automaton (ECA) that simulates the evolutionary dynamics of biological interactions by manipulating strategies of dispersion and associations between digital organisms. The parameterization of the different types of interaction and distribution strategies using configuration files generates easily interpretable results. In that respect, ECA is an effective instrument for measuring the effects of relative adaptive advantages and a good resource for studying natural selection. Although ECA works effectively in obtaining the expected results from most well-known biological interactions, some unexpected effects were observed. For example, organisms uniformly distributed in fragmented habitats do not favor eusociality, and mutualism evolved from parasitism simply by varying phenotypic flexibility. Finally, we have verified that natural selection represents a cost for the emergence of sex by destabilizing the stable evolutionary strategy of the 1:1 sex ratio after generating randomly different distributions in each generation.

OV03 TEP IN COLORS: ANATOMICAL VIEW USING ARTICULATED FORCEPS

Aim Present through an illustrative and educational video, an anatomical and colorful vision of the totally extraperitoneal laparoscopic approach (TEP) of inguinofemoral hernias, with the aim of favoring the learning process of this technique, facilitating the identification of the main anatomical structures, ensuring a safe and effective approach. Material and Methods In this video we show the laparoscopic approach to inguinofemoral hernias via TEP, highlighting the most important anatomical structures with different colors. Additionally, the surgical technique of this approach using articulated forceps is shown, which we consider to be a good resource for dissection in a space as small as the preperitoneal one. Results The anatomical study of the inguinofemoral area constitutes the basis of a correct preperitoneal approach, especially in PET, where the most difficult is probably the space location and the identification of the structures. Conclusions The preperitoneal PET route is a relatively novel approach for inguinofemoral hernia repair. Its benefits are based on the ability to identify all the anatomical structures of the myopectineal orifice from a preperitoneal view without the need to access the peritoneal cavity. The knowledge of preperitoneal anatomy is the cornerstone for learning the TEP approach, and we consider that anatomical videos of real surgeries are good strategies to shorten the learning curve. Mastering the preperitoneal anatomy ensures obtaining the benefits inherent to the TEP approach, such as bilateral exploration of the myopectineal orifice, direct visualization of the pain and doom triangles, tension-free repair with mesh of all possible defects and faster postoperative recovery.

Development of craft Beer with pecan shell aqueous extract [(Carya illinoensis) (Wangenh) C. Koch]

Different ingredients and adjuncts have been used in the production of craft beer aiming to add new characteristics to the final product. In turn, the pecan nut has recognized antioxidant properties and, therefore, the extract of its shell was added in the beer production process with the main objective of increasing the beer antioxidant capacity. The all-grain method was used to produce the beverage and, on the packaging step, pecan nutshell extract was added at three different concentrations. The samples underwent antioxidant, physicochemical, and sensorial analysis. Data were submitted to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The use of pecan nutshell extract as an ingredient in beer processing has proved to be a viable alternative due to satisfactory results in sensory evaluation, with good acceptability of the consumers, maintaining physicochemical characteristics similar to the standard beer produced without the extract. However, the addition of the extract did not increase the antioxidant capacity in craft beer. Even though the antioxidant power of produced beer wasn´t increased in this experiment, still pecan nutshell could be a good resource of antioxidants to whom drink beer, and your low price in the market make it viable to beer industry.

Effect of Thermal Manipulation During Embryonic Development on Internal and External Quality Characteristic of Quail Eggs: تأثير المنابلة الحرارية أثناء فترة الحضانة في المواصفات النوعية الداخلية والخارجية لبيضة الفري

Lately, quail egg production has developed as a good resource for animal protein to provide the people requirements of that protein, in addition, the quail egg has some specifications that better than chicken eggs like its content of proteins, vitamins and amino acids. The research aimed to determine the influence of thermal manipulation during embryonic development on the egg quality of the fresh egg. 200 eggs were divided into four equal groups. Eggs of the first group (control) incubated under the standard terms for incubation of quail eggs, and the eggs of other groups were incubated under 41° C for three hours in three consecutive days of different periods of embryonic development (early, late, and dual period). 40 eggs were collected randomly from groups (10 eggs from each) to study the internal and external indications of quail egg quality. The results showed up superiority significantly (p<0.05) of the late embryonic development thermal manipulation group to the control group in most of the indications that have studied. The eggs from the early embryonic development thermal manipulation group were better significantly (p<0.05) than the control group in egg weight and albumen weight. Therefore, we can say that the females, which are coming from eggs that manipulated thermally during the early and late embryonic development, lay an egg that better quality.

Scaffolding of Wikipedia translation for technology-enhanced language learning

This paper reports on the fi ndings from training on language learning of pre service language student teachers on the translation of English Wikipedia articles into Oshikwanyama and Oshindonga. The interpretative framework of scaffolding was used to conduct the training. The study involved a group of 24 pre-service language student and teachers from a university in Namibia. Data was generated through the observation of the Wikipedia translation intervention referred to above. An openended questionnaire that served as a tool for refl ection on the translation was also used. The participants made use of several mediating technological tools (computers, internet, the Wikipedia website, and online dictionaries) as well as language books and dictionaries to translate articles on the Wikipedia website from English, the students’ second language, into Oshikwanyama/Oshindonga, their home languages. The fi ndings suggest that Wikipedia is a good resource for helping student teachers integrate the use of technology into their language learning in the fi rst-language classroom. It also offers student teachers a chance to develop strategies that scaffold learning in a structured way, using both technological and language mediating tools that are accessible and convenient to use.

Chitosan Oligosaccharide Production Potential of Mitsuaria sp. C4 and Its Whole-Genome Sequencing

Chitooligosaccharide is a kind of functional food, which is the degradation product of chitosan (COS) catalyzed by the endo-chitosanase (COSE) enzyme. A COSE with a molecular weight of 34 kDa was purified and characterized from a newly isolated Mitsuaria sp. C4 (C4), and a 38.46% recovery rate and 4.79-fold purification were achieved. The purified C4 COSE exhibited optimum activity at 40°C and pH 7.2 and was significantly inhibited in the presence of Cu2+ and Fe3+. The Km and Vmin of the COSE toward COS were 2.449 g/L and 0.042 g/min/L, respectively. The highest COSE activity reached 8.344 U/ml after optimizing, which represented a 1.34-fold of increase. Additionally, chitooligosaccharide obtained by COSE hydrolysis of COS was verified by using thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Whole-genome sequencing demonstrated that the C4 strain contains 211 carbohydrate enzymes, our purified COSE belonging to GHs-46 involved in carbohydrate degradation. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the novel COSE obtained from the C4 strain was clustered into the degree of polymerization = two to three groups, which can perform catalysis in a similar manner to produce (GlcN)2 and (GlcN)3. This work indicates that the C4 strain could be a good resource for enhancing carbohydrate degradation and might represent a useful tool for chitooligosaccharide production in the functional food industry.

Sustainability Development-Based Agroindustry in Chemistry Learning to Improve the Preservice Chemistry Teachers’ Competence

This research aims to integrate agroindustry and sustainability development into chemistry learning through the Project-Based Learning model (PjBL) to improve the competence of preservice chemistry teachers. This research employed the qualitative method. The Summer Course program was held collaboratively by Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Institut Pertanian Bogor, and Villanova University. The program was implemented online within six weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants consisted of 25 students. The data had been collected through interviews, questionnaires, observations, student portfolios, and reflection journals. Based on the analysis, several projects developed by preservice chemistry teachers increased the application to solve sustainability problems in the agroindustry field. Furthermore, the project was expected to be developed into a natural product that can increase the agroindustry value for coffee farmers. The findings also foster the preservice chemistry teachers to improve their creative thinking, collaboration, higher-order thinking skills, and problem-solving skills. Besides, they developed their communication and collaboration after participating in the program. The paper outline is a project development learning experience in a sustainable field and would be a good resource for student-teacher involvement in teacher education.

Financial development and foreign direct investment nexus: A systematic review of literature

In this study, we review the literature to find how the financial development of a country attracts foreign direct investments for a sustainable real sector development of the country. The area is least focused on literature. Thus we don’t limit our search and review to any time or database or journal category. We find the theoretical logic and empirical evidence so far available in the literature. Our review finds that the development of the financial sector of a country is one of the most important attractors of FDIs. Theoretically, financial sector development works as a symbol of trust and goodness to the new potential investors and a good resource allocation channel for the existing investors. However, very few researchers find that FDIs are more prone to countries with a low developed financial system which may happen due to the presence of risk-taker foreign investors and risk-averse domestic entrepreneurs.

Non-Invasive Diagnosis for Acute Rejection Using Urinary mRNA Signature Reflecting Allograft Status in Kidney Transplantation

Urine has been regarded as a good resource based on the assumption that urine can directly reflect the state of the allograft or ongoing injury in kidney transplantation. Previous studies, suggesting the usefulness of urinary mRNA as a biomarker of acute rejection, imply that urinary mRNA mirrors the transcriptional activity of the kidneys. We selected 14 data-driven candidate genes through a meta-analysis and measured the candidate genes using quantitative PCR without pre-amplification in the cross-sectional specimens from Korean kidney transplant patients. Expression of 9/14 genes (CXCL9, CD3ϵ, IP-10, LCK, C1QB, PSMB9, Tim-3, Foxp3, and FAM26F) was significantly different between acute rejection and stable graft function with normal pathology and long-term graft survival in 103 training samples. CXCL9 was also distinctly expressed in allografts with acute rejection in in situ hybridization analysis. This result, consistent with the qPCR result, implies that urinary mRNA could reflect the magnitude of allograft injury. We developed an AR prediction model with the urinary mRNAs by a binary logistic regression and the AUC of the model was 0.89 in the training set. The model was validated in 391 independent samples, and the AUC value yielded 0.84 with a fixed manner. In addition, the decision curve analysis indicated a range of reasonable threshold probabilities for biopsy. Therefore, we suggest the urine mRNA signature could be used as a non-invasive monitoring tool of acute rejection for clinical application and could help determine whether to perform a biopsy in a recipient with increased creatinine.

Enhanced Diversity Gain of Subcarrier Index Modulated MIMO-GFDM using Constellation Precoding Technique for 5G

The massive growth of mobile users and various applications in coming days requires an enhanced Radio Access Technology (eRAT) to improve the diversity gain and spectral efficiency. Current research on Generalized Frequency Division Multiplexing (GFDM) modulation technique combined with Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) antenna system gives good resource allocation, out band emission and better signal strengths over the existing Orthogonal Multiple Access (OMA) techniques. The proposed scheme explains the improvement of diversity gain, spectral efficiency and energy efficiency of MIMO-GFMD system by combining the benefits of Subcarrier Index Modulation (SIM) and Constellation Precoding (CP) Technique. It is referred as SIM-CP-MIMO-GFDM system. In order to achieve the requirements, in proposed scheme few subcarriers are activated by index modulation bits in quadrature/in-phase dimensions and then data symbols are constellation Precoded. At the receiver, data blocks are detected by using QR Decomposition based Maximum Likelihood (ML) detection. Finally, this paper explains both theoretical and simulation result analysis that the proposed SIM-CP-MIMO-GFDM system outperforms compared to existing systems.