This paper presents the current stage of the development of EA-MOSGWA – a tool for identifying causal genes in Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS). The main goal of GWAS is to identify chromosomal regions which are associated with a particular disease (e.g. diabetes, cancer) or with some quantitative trait (e.g height or blood pressure). To this end hundreds of thousands of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) are genotyped. One is then interested to identify as many SNPs as possible which are associated with the trait in question, while at the same time minimizing the number of false detections.
The software package MOSGWA allows to detect SNPs via variable selection using the criterion mBIC2, a modified version of the Schwarz Bayesian Information Criterion. MOSGWA tries to minimize mBIC2 using some stepwise selection methods, whereas EA-MOSGWA applies some advanced evolutionary algorithms to achieve the same goal. We present results from an extensive simulation study where we compare the performance of EA-MOSGWA when using different parameter settings. We also consider using a clustering procedure to relax the multiple testing correction in mBIC2. Finally we compare results from EA-MOSGWA with the original stepwise search from MOSGWA, and show that the newly proposed algorithm has good properties in terms of minimizing the mBIC2 criterion, as well as in minimizing the misclassification rate of detected SNPs.
Implementation of European directives is closely related to the quality of production and the associated operational safety, maintenance of machines and mechanical systems, both mobile or stationary, in order to reduce the dynamic load (vibration and noise) on the working environment, not only during their operating state but also during their design, production, and setting of the vibration isolation components. Reducing the dynamic load of mechanical systems and their components is reflected in the working environment by reduced emissions and immissions of noise and vibration. The presented paper investigates the methods and conditions for noise and vibration control, focusing mainly on increasing the quality of rotating machine components, such as bearings by means of effective vibration isolation of the machines. The solution of this problem requires theoretical analysis and methodology for the measurement of the mechanical systems involved. The results of the vibroacoustic measurements were analysed in terms of the low frequency vibration and noise level (quality) of bearings and conditions for effective vibration isolation of the machines using vibroacoustic diagnostic method. Furthermore, the impact on the working environment was also analysed. Finally, the paper suggests some actions to be taken to effectively reduce the unwanted vibrosound energy in working places, also using recycled material as a vibration isolation element.
The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), is a polyphagous and holocyclic aphid which significantly damages agricultural crops. In the current study, the effects of micronutrients on some secondary metabolites of bell pepper (Capsicum annum L.) leaves and their subsequent influence on the life table parameters of M. persicae were investigated under greenhouse conditions. The flavonoid content in bell pepper leaves significantly changed following micronutrient treatments in the wavelength of 270 nm while there were no significant differences in the wavelengths 300 and 330 nm. The highest anthocyanin content was recorded after Fe treatment (3.811 mg ⋅ ml–1) while the total phenolic content in the bell pepper leaves increased after Mn (541.2 mg ⋅ ml–1) treatment compared to Fe (254.5 mg ⋅ ml–1) and control (216.33 mg ⋅ ml–1), respectively. The highest values of intrinsic (r) and finite rates of population increase (λ) of M. persicae were gained with Zn (0.320 and 1.377 day–1, respectively) treatment although the highest and the lowest values of the mean generation time (T) were found with Fe and Zn (14.07 and 12.63 days, respectively) treatments, respectively. Our findings suggest that Mn, more than Zn micronutrients, decreased ecological fitness of green peach aphid and may help enhance the efficiency of pest control techniques.
The electron field and photo-field emission from GaN nanostructures has been analyzed in this review. In order to explain the obtained experimental results, a model was proposed taking into account the change in carrier concentration distribution in the main and the satellite valley during the emission process. The lowering of work function (due to the increased number of carriers in the satellite valley) can explain the decrease in the Fowler-Nordheim plot slope. It was shown that the energy difference between the main and satellite valley in GaN was decreased in the case of quantum confinement, thus increasing the probability of electron transition from Γ to X valley at same electric fields.
Investigations of electron photo-field emission demonstrated that the Fowler–Nordheim plots of the emission current have different slopes for nonilluminated and illuminated devices. A model based on the electron emission from valleys having different specific electron affinities is proposed to explain the experimental results. In the absence of illumination the emission takes place only from the lower valley. Upon UV illumination and presence of a high electric field at the emitter tip, the upper valley of the conduction band appears to be occupied by electrons generated at the valence band.
Edible snails are kept in farms in many countries worldwide. As farm animals, they are an object of interest of veterinary studies and applied biology. There is a large demand for tests which would help identify their health and well-being. The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of determining the concentration of urea in hemolymph as a marker of health of the Lissachatina fulica and Cornu aspersum edible snails. The observation covered snails from four farms marked from A to D, in which numerous deaths (farm A) and decreased body weight gain (farms B and C) were observed. In experimental farm D we observed a group of snails subjected to stress and a control group maintained in correct conditions. High concentrations of urea were found in the hemolymph of all farm animals from farms A, B and C, as well as in those subjected to food deprivation in farm D (on average from 96 mg/dl in farm D to 320 mg/dl in farm A). On the other hand, in controls from group D, the concentration of the parameter in question was much lower (< 2.0 mg/dl). The results obtained indicate that the urea concentration is a non-specific marker of pathological conditions in snails, and that the continuous monitoring of this parameter makes it possible to demonstrate irregularities in farming and introduce appro- priate and early measures to eliminate such disturbances.
Solar radiation reflectance was analysed to characterize Arctic ornithogenic tundra developing in the vicinity of large breeding colony of Brunnich‘s guillemots Uria lomvia and kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla at the foot of Gnĺlberget cliff (Hornsund, SW Spitsbergen). Radiometric method was found to be a useful tool for studying structure and functioning of plant formations. We measured reflectance of four wavelengths: 554 nm (YG), 655 nm (RED), 870 nm (NIR) and 1650 nm (SWIR) at 10 plots situated along the transect running from the colony to the sea. Moreover, data of plant community character, species quantitative composition as well as total biomass were collected to relate these parameters with the spectral values. The results showed that radiometric data characterized vegetation well enough to recognize the same plant communities on the basis of spectral reflectance as distinguished with traditional phytosociological methods.
This article is devoted to the official forms in the inflection of chosen toponyms in Poland and the variety of dialectal singular and plural place names. The variety of place names often diverges from the rules of language use, and causes language users problems. The toponyms have peculiar, locally used inflected forms; the outside-linguistic (non-linguistic) factors that are social and local factors, play an important role in the inflection of place names. The local population often uses other forms than those recommended by official sources. I focus my attention on the genitive forms of toponyms because it is mainly here that one can see clear variations in the official and local inflection of place names. The material shows that the singular masculine toponyms have genitive endings: -a (in the official variety), -u (in the local variety), for example Biłgoraj, gen. Biłgoraja, but in the local dialect: biłgoraju. The singular feminine place names have genitive endings: -ej (in the official variety), -y||-i (in the local variety): Brzezowa, gen. Brzezowej, but Brzezowy in the local dialect. The plural toponyms have genitive endings: -ø, -ów, -i (-y), but in the local circulation the ending -ów is dominant and demonstrates a wider expansion in use. For example Brzózki, gen. Brzózek, in the local variety Brzuskuf; Budy, official gen. Bud, but Buduf; Burnie, gen. Burni, in the local dialect: Burniuf. The gathered material reflects a hesitation in the inflection of toponyms, as the linguistic customs and presented dialectal records of forms of genit ives of place names show a significantly diverse approach towards the Polish language.
This paper addresses issues of feminism, masculinity, and the emotional culture of middle-class men who self-declare as feminists. The author discusses feminist theories on masculinity and its relations with femininity, critical theories of masculinity, and the role of emotional culture in the expression of masculinity. Feminists have proposed a dimorphic definition of feminism as a political movement and personal attitude critical of masculine domination. The critique of patriarchal, hegemonic masculinity has led feminists either to identify with “positive” masculinity or to reject masculinity for a post-gender narrative or material-discursive fact of “being a man,” which suggests an inadequacy of the sex/gender distinction in the description of gender identity. The identification with feminism allows men to avoid the crisis of traditional masculinity and the perspective of gendered emotions, as well as to gain insight into gendered determinants of emotional expression.
The main goal of this paper is to propose the probabilistic description of cyclical (business) fluctuations. We generalize a fixed deterministic cycle model by incorporating the time-varying amplitude. More specifically, we assume that the mean function of cyclical fluctuations depends on unknown frequencies (related to the lengths of the cyclical fluctuations) in a similar way to the almost periodic mean function in a fixed deterministic cycle, while the assumption concerning constant amplitude is relaxed. We assume that the amplitude associated with a given frequency is time-varying and is a spline function. Finally, using a Bayesian approach and under standard prior assumptions, we obtain the explicit marginal posterior distribution for the vector of frequency parameters. In our empirical analysis, we consider the monthly industrial production in most European countries. Based on the highest marginal data density value, we choose the best model to describe the considered growth cycle. In most cases, data support the model with a time-varying amplitude. In addition, the expectation of the posterior distribution of the deterministic cycle for the considered growth cycles has similar dynamics to cycles extracted by standard bandpass filtration methods.
This paper presents an improved approach for locating and identifying faults for UHV overhead Transmission line by using GA-ANFIS. The proposed method uses one end data to identify the fault location. The ANFIS can be viewed either as a Fuzzy system, neural network or fuzzy neural network FNN. The integration with neural technology enhances fuzzy logic system on learning capabilities are proposed to analyze the UHV system under different fault conditions. The performance variation of two controllers in finding fault location is analyzed. This paper analyses various faults under different conditions in an UHV using Matlab/simulink. The proposed method is evaluated under different fault conditions such as fault inception angle, fault resistance and fault distance. Simulation results confirm that the proposed method can be used as an efficient for accurate fault location on the transmission line.
The article describes the testing of four selected samples of limestone originating from four commercially exploited deposits. The tests of sorbents included a physicochemical analysis and calcination in different atmospheres. The main aim of the tests was to determine the possibilities for using limestone during combustion in oxygen-enriched atmospheres. Tests in a synthetic flue gas composition make it possible to assess the possibility of CaCO3 decomposition in atmospheres with an increased CO2 concentration.
The aim of this article is to present a modern method of convective drying intensification caused by the external action of ultrasound. The purpose of this study is to discover the mechanism of ultrasonic interaction between the solid skeleton and the moisture in pores. This knowledge may help to explain the enhancement of drying mechanism affected by ultrasound, particularly with respect to biological products like fruits and vegetables. The experimental kinetics tests were conducted in a hybrid dryer equipped with a new ultrasonic generator. The drying kinetics curves determined on the basis of drying model developed by the author were validated with those by the ones obtained from experimental tests. The intensification of heat and mass transfer processes due to ultrasound induced heating effect and vibration effect are analysed. The obtained results allow to state that ultrasound makes drying processes more effective and enhance the drying efficiency of biological products without significant elevation of their temperature.
Simulations of turbulent mixing in two types of jet mixers were carried out using two CFD models, large eddy simulation and κ-ε model. Modelling approaches were compared with experimental data obtained by the application of particle image velocimetry and planar laser-induced fluorescence methods. Measured local microstructures of fluid velocity and inert tracer concentration can be used for direct validation of numerical simulations. Presented results show that for higher tested values of jet Reynolds number both models are in good agreement with the experiments. Differences between models were observed for lower Reynolds numbers when the effects of large scale inhomogeneity are important.
Preliminary lab-scale investigations were conducted on slagging abatement in biomass-firing by fuel mixing. Three agriculture biomass fuels and olive cake were used in the experiments. Polish lignites and bituminous coals were examined as anti-sintering additives. The effects of chlorine release, potassium retention and ash sintering were examined by heating samples of biomass fuels and additives in the muffle oven and, next, firing them in the laboratory down-fired furnace at the temperature in the range of 800-1150ºC. The obtained slag samples were analysed on: chlorine and potassium content, sintering tendency and crystalline components. Among the examined coals lignite from Turów mine and bituminous coal from Bolesław Śmiały mine appeared to be the most effective in potassium retention in aluminosilicate and chlorine release from slag. Possibly the major factor of these coals which reduced ash sintering was relatively high content of kaolinite