Speculations on enigmatic structures in relation to associated copepod phylogeny

A median exoskeletal structure, lying between the maxillipeds, is described in the female of Lichomolgides cuanensis (Poecilostomatoida: Lichomolgidae) a copepod symbiont of the compound ascidian Trididemnum tenerum. This structure is compared with the intermaxillipedal process of the primitive copepod order Platycopioida. It is tentatively suggested that despite the evolutionarily advanced status of poecilostomatoids, the structure might represent a plesiomorphic feature of considerable antiquity. Some speculative implications for the phylogeny of associated copepods are briefly discussed.     

Variance estimation for statistics computed from single recurrent event processes

This article is concerned with variance estimation for statistics that are computed from single recurrent event processes. Such statistics are important in diagnosis for each individual recurrent event process. The proposed method only assumes a semiparametric form for the first-order structure of the processes but not for the second-order (i.e., dependence) structure. The new variance estimator is shown to be consistent for the target parameter under very mild conditions. The estimator can be used in many applications in semiparametric rate regression analysis of recurrent event data such as outlier detection, residual diagnosis, as well as robust regression. A simulation study and application to two real data examples are used to demonstrate the use of the proposed method.     

Exploiting mAb structure characteristics for a directed QbD implementation in early process development

In today’s biopharmaceutical industries, the lead time to develop and produce a new monoclonal antibody takes years before it can be launched commercially. The reasons lie in the complexity of the monoclonal antibodies and the need for high product quality to ensure clinical safety which has a significant impact on the process development time. Frameworks such as quality by design are becoming widely used by the pharmaceutical industries as they introduce a systematic approach for building quality into the product. However, full implementation of quality by design has still not been achieved due to attrition mainly from limited risk assessment of product properties as well as the large number of process factors affecting product quality that needs to be investigated during the process development. This has introduced a need for better methods and tools that can be used for early risk assessment and predictions of critical product properties and process factors to enhance process development and reduce costs. In this review, we investigate how the quantitative structure–activity relationships framework can be applied to an existing process development framework such as quality by design in order to increase product understanding based on the protein structure of monoclonal antibodies. Compared to quality by design, where the effect of process parameters on the drug product are explored, quantitative structure–activity relationships gives a reversed perspective which investigates how the protein structure can affect the performance in different unit operations. This provides valuable information that can be used during the early process development of new drug products where limited process understanding is available. Thus, quantitative structure–activity relationships methodology is explored and explained in detail and we investigate the means of directly linking the structural properties of monoclonal antibodies to process data. The resulting information as a decision tool can help to enhance the risk assessment to better aid process development and thereby overcome some of the limitations and challenges present in QbD implementation today.     

短程硝化活性污泥微生物群落结构及羟胺代谢对短程硝化的影响

活性污泥法随着技术的成熟,已应用在高氨氮污水/废水处理中,通过不断发展衍生出的很多新型工艺也成为研究热点,短程硝化反应作为代表已逐渐体现出优越性。短程硝化能达到高效净化污水的目的,其反应中的代谢产物羟胺也和微生物类群及反应产物之间有着至关重要的影响。反应器中活性污泥的微生物群落结构和动态密切相关,探究微生物群落结构能帮助生物强化、优化参数,提高脱氮效率。本文主要总结了近年来有关短程硝化/半短程硝化活性污泥微生物群落组成与结构及其与反应器处理效率之间的关系,以及羟胺代谢对短程硝化的影响等方面的研究进展,这些研究加深了对微生物群落结构和污水处理工艺之间的认识,但充分发掘生物信息、提高工艺效能之路仍然充满挑战,还需利用氮平衡方法、Real-time PCR法等多种生物技术手段对短程硝化进行全方位研究,为实践提供坚实的理论基础。     

Gaussian process functional regression modeling for batch data

A Gaussian process functional regression model is proposed for the analysis of batch data. Covariance structure and mean structure are considered simultaneously, with the covariance structure modeled by a Gaussian process regression model and the mean structure modeled by a functional regression model. The model allows the inclusion of covariates in both the covariance structure and the mean structure. It models the nonlinear relationship between a functional output variable and a set of functional and nonfunctional covariates. Several applications and simulation studies are reported and show that the method provides very good results for curve fitting and prediction.     

多头绒泡菌染色体构建过程的形态学研究

以同步核内有丝分裂的多头绒泡菌(Physarum polycephalum)原质团为材料,在有丝分裂周期中连续取材,按常规方法制备超薄切片,在电镜下研究了染色体形态构建的整个过程。有丝分裂前期,首先是G_2期凝集的染色质块逐渐解集缩成为松散状,染色质在松散的同时逐渐改组成直径为80～150nm的松散染色线结构。接着是在松散的染色线上形成一些电子密度高的集缩区,随着集缩区的增多和扩展,染色线缩短变粗,最后形成直径300～350nm的染色体。上述两个过程各需30min左右。与上述过程同时发生的是,核仁由中央位置逐渐移向边缘,前期50min左右时在近核膜处呈团块状解体。染色体形态构建的整个过程约需1h,可分为染色质的松散改组和集缩两个连续的步骤,25～30nm染色质纤维是这一过程中能分辨的最细的形态单位。     

Incorporation of impurity anions into DSP: insights into structure and stability from computer modelling

DSP is an important by-product of alumina production via the Bayer process. Under Western Australian processing conditions, the DSP has a sodalite-type structure that can incorporate anions within its framework. This is particularly useful for removal of impurity anions from liquor recycled in the circuit. As a first step to gaining a fundamental understanding of the incorporation process, we have undertaken molecular mechanics calculations to examine the interaction energy between a series of anions and the sodalite framework, as a measure of the affinity of the anions for the sodalite cage. Our calculations predict that the ions have an increased affinity for the cage along the series aluminate, chloride, carbonate, sulfate and hydroxide. These calculations have successfully predicted the trends that we observe from competitive-uptake experiments in our laboratory.     

The frequency spectrum of a mutation,and its age,in a general diffusion model

General formulae are derived for the probability density and expected age of a mutation of frequency x in a population, and similarly for a mutation with b copies in a sample of n genes. A general formula is derived for the frequency spectrum of a mutation in a sample. Variable population size models are included. Results are derived in two frameworks: diffusion process models for the frequency of the mutation; and birth and death process models. The coalescent structure within the mutant gene group and the non-mutant group is considered.     

The influence of niche and neutral processes on a neotropical anuran metacommunity

One of the most important questions in ecology is the relative importance of local conditions (niche processes) and dispersal ability (neutral processes) in driving metacommunity structure. Although many studies have been conducted in recent years, there is still much debate. We evaluated the processes (niche and neutral) responsible for variation in anuran composition in 28 lentic water bodies in southeastern Brazil. Because anurans depend heavily on environmental conditions, we hypothesized that environmental variables (niche processes) are the most important drivers of community composition. Additionally, as anurans have limited dispersal abilities, and the study region presents harsh conditions (high forest fragmentation, low rainfall and long dry season), we expected a lower, but significant, spatial signature in metacommunity structure, due to neutral dynamics. We used a partial redundancy analysis with variation partitioning to evaluate the relative influence of environmental and spatial variables as drivers of metacommunity structure. Additionally, we used a recently developed spatial autocorrelation analysis to test if neutral dynamics can be attributed to the pure spatial component. This analysis is based on predictions that species abundances are independent but similarly spatially structured, with correlograms similar in shape. Therefore, under neutral dynamics there is no expectation of a correlation between the pairwise distance of spatial correlograms and the pairwise correlation of species abundances predicted by the pure spatial component. We found that the environmental component explained 21.5%, the spatial component 10.2%, and the shared component 6.4% of the metacommunity structure. We found no correlation between correlograms and correlation of abundances predicted by the pure spatial component (Mantel test = ?0.109, P = 0.961). In our study, niche‐based processes are the dominant process that explained community composition. However, neutral processes are important because spatial variation can be attributed to pure neutral dynamics rather than to missing spatially structured environmental factors.     

城市森林景观格局与过程研究进展

大规模的城市化进程,改变了城市以及周边区域的景观格局,显著影响着城市森林生态系统的结构、过程与功能.景观尺度上的城市森林景观格局与生态过程研究已经成为当前城市森林学的研究热点.在阐明城市森林及其景观格局与过程概念的基础上,综述了国内外城市森林景观格局与过程的研究内容、研究方法的进展情况,指出了以下几个方面有望成为今后城市森林景观研究的发展方向:景观尺度上的城市森林系统能流、物质循环等生态学过程研究;城市森林景观格局演变的社会驱动力研究;基于生态服务功能的城市森林规划研究;半都市化地区的森林景观格局与过程研究;基于空间显式景观模型的城市森林景观格局与过程模块开发.     

A coalescent dual process in a Moran model with genic selection, and the lambda coalescent limit

The genealogical structure of neutral populations in which reproductive success is highly-skewed has been the subject of many recent studies. Here we derive a coalescent dual process for a related class of continuous-time Moran models with viability selection. In these models, individuals can give birth to multiple offspring whose survival depends on both the parental genotype and the brood size. This extends the dual process construction for a multi-type Moran model with genic selection described in Etheridge and Griffiths (2009). We show that in the limit of infinite population size the non-neutral Moran models converge to a Markov jump process which we call the Λ-Fleming-Viot process with viability selection and we derive a coalescent dual for this process directly from the generator and as a limit from the Moran models. The dual is a branching-coalescing process similar to the Ancestral Selection Graph which follows the typed ancestry of genes backwards in time with real and virtual lineages. As an application, the transition functions of the non-neutral Moran and Λ-coalescent models are expressed as mixtures of the transition functions of the dual process.     

The lacinia mobilis and Similar Structures – a Valuable Character in Arthropod Phylogenetics?

Homology between the lacinia mobilis of peracarid crustaceans (Malacostraca) and movable appendages of the mandibular edge in other crustaceans, hexapods, and myriapods has been advocated in classical as well as recent phylogenetic studies, and in some cases this feature has been attributed major significance in arthropod systematics. A comparative SEM survey of the lacinia mobilis in Peracarida and its alleged homologues (prostheca of Hexapoda, internal tooth of Diplopoda, ‘lacinia mobilis’ of Symphyla and Remipedia) rejects the primary homology of these varied structures. The lacinia mobilis of Peracarida can be characterized precisely by asymmetry on the left and right mandibles, as a strong tooth-like structure on the left mandible which is oriented at a right angle to the remaining edge and as a stalked, spine-like structure on the right mandible. A fundamental difference to other Malacostraca is that the peracarid lacinia mobilis characterizes the adult mandibles. Supposed homologues of the peracarid lacinia mobilis are instead a modified pectinate lamella (Diplopoda, Chilognatha) or a movable appendage that is associated with the pars molaris rather than the pars incisivus (Symphyla), or an inner separation of the incisor process (Remipedia). The detailed structure of the prostheca in Campodeoida and Ephemeroptera weakens interpretations of its origin as a separation of the incisor process.     

LCA Case Study of zinc hydro and pyro-metallurgical process in China

Goal, Scope and Background  China is one of the main producers of metallic zinc and its annual production has been becoming the largest in the world since the year 2000. To improve the environmental situation of zinc production in China, a life cycle assessment was performed for hydro and pyro-metallurgical processes, based on the case study of Zhuzhou Smelter and Shaoguan metallurgical plant, respectively. Methods  The system is modeled into several sub-modules so as to identify the source of environmental impacts. Results and Discussion  The main results of LCA study are summarized as follows: (1) Hydro-metallurgical process is superior to pyro-metallurgical process in GWP and inferior to pyro-metallurgical process in GER and ACP. (2) Compared with the advanced foreign zinc metallurgical process, the GWP, ACP and HME of the zinc metallurgical process in China are much higher. (3) In hydro-metallurgical processes, residue treatment and auxiliary processes are the main contributors of ACP and GWP, which are the key sub-modules, and should be improved. In pyro-metallurgical processes, the main sub-modules needing improvement are smelting, power and electricity generation. (4) Electricity is the main energy consumption in the hydro-metallurgical processes, accounting for 60% of GER. In pyro-metallurgical process, main energy sources are metallurgical coke and anthracite, both also accounting for 60% of GER. Conclusions  According to the discovery of LCA study, three main measures to improve the environmental performance of zinc products were proposed: 1) Regulating the structure of energy sources of Shaoguan Smelter, 2) removing SO^b2 in low concentration from flue gas by absorption with zinc oxide, and 3) adjusting the material structure of Walze rotary furnace.     

森林流域生态水文过程动力学机制与模拟研究进展

水文过程是联系气候变化和森林生态系统时空变化的关键因素．未来的气候变化和人类大尺度活动将影响森林流域生态系统与水文过程的变化,森林流域生态与水文过程耦合、生态系统水文过程动力学机制研究在认识和调控生态资源及其合理利用、区域生态恢复,以及社会经济可持续方面均具有重要意义．森林流域生态系统中的水文过程可分为降雨截留、蒸散和产汇流过程．森林流域生态与水文耦合过程边界条件的确定,土壤表面特定水文过程的参数化,降雨、土壤水分运动和植被的动态耦合作用,分布式模型的应用以及森林生态水文过程动力学机制与调控等将是今后生态水文动力学过程研究的重点,综述了森林流域生态水文过程动力学机制与调控的研究进展。     

Caulerpenyne from Caulerpa taxifolia: A comparative study between CPC and classical chromatographic techniques

Caulerpenyne (Cyn) is a cytotoxic compound firstly isolated in 1978 from Caulerpa prolifera. This metabolite, constituted by a highly reactive diacetoxybutadiene moiety, exhibited a wide range of biological properties with mainly antibacterial properties and antitumoral activities. Few structure–activity relationships (SAR) are available to design more potent bioactive derivatives by pharmacomodulation. Cyn can be produced by total synthesis or extracted from natural sources in particular the green alga Caulerpa taxifolia. Since conventional chromatographic procedures to isolate Cyn from C. taxifolia are time- and solvent-consuming, it was crucial to find a more efficient process to obtain pure Cyn. In our study, Cyn has been purified from C. taxifolia with two different techniques: Centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) and a classical chromatographic process. The comparative study showed that CPC constitutes a very simple and efficient process to access Cyn.     

Process analytical technology implementation for protein refolding: GCSF as a case study

Process analytical technology is gaining interest in the biopharmaceutical industry as a means to enable consistency in processing and thereby in product quality via process control. Protein refolding is known to be significantly impacted by critical process parameters and feed material attributes including composition and pH of the solubilisation and refolding buffers. Hence, to achieve robust process control and product quality, these attributes and parameters need to be monitored. This paper presents an approach towards statistical process control and monitoring of protein refolding, from buffer preparation to refold quenching, during manufacturing of therapeutic proteins from Escherichia coli based systems. The proposed approach utilises measurements of online redox potential, temperature, and pH for development of a statistical model. The model has then been integrated with LabView to permit real-time monitoring of the refolding process. The proposed system has been demonstrated to successfully identify process deviations and thereby enable process control for manufacturing product of consistent quality.     

Monitoring of a sequencing batch reactor using adaptive multiblock principal component analysis

Multiway principal component analysis (MPCA) for the analysis and monitoring of batch processes has recently been proposed. Although MPCA has found wide applications in batch process monitoring, it assumes that future batches behave in the same way as those used for model identification. In this study, a new monitoring algorithm, adaptive multiblock MPCA, is developed. The method overcomes the problem of changing process conditions by updating the covariance structure recursively. A historical set of operational data of a multiphase batch process was divided into local blocks in such a way that the variables from one phase of a batch run could be blocked in the corresponding blocks. This approach has significant benefits because the latent variable structure can change for each phase during the batch operation. The adaptive multiblock model also allows for easier fault detection and isolation by looking at the relationship between blocks and at smaller meaningful block models, and it therefore helps in the diagnosis of the disturbance. The proposed adaptive multiblock monitoring method is successfully applied to a sequencing batch reactor for biological wastewater treatment.     

Process development and intensification for enhanced production of Bacillus lipopeptides

The growing interest in Bacillus lipopeptides for high-value applications has driven process design, development and optimization for enhanced lipopeptide production. Traditional optimization approaches have been directed towards improving the overall titres by modification of media components and environmental parameters, almost exclusively in submerged cultures. Carbon and nitrogen sources, trace elements and oxygen availability have all been demonstrated to exhibit significant influences on lipopeptide yield, productivity and selectivity. This insight into process-linked kinetics, especially selectivity, has led to the introduction of novel process intensification and integration strategies which further promote process efficiency, and which include foam fractionation, inverse fluidization, rotating disc contacting and microfiltration with recycle. These strategies have not only transformed the production capabilities, but have also successfully integrated upstream production with downstream purification through cell retention and in situ product removal. This review analyses and critically discusses the impact of process conditions and process optimization strategies for improving lipopeptide production kinetics, specifically highlighting the emerging trend of process intensification and integration strategies and further, proposes a heuristic route to enhance lipopeptide production.