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In individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain, a reciprocal relationship between sleep and pain across short and long-term evaluations exists. Sleep influences pain levels, while the level of pain also impairs sleep. However, given the day-to-day variability of both sleep and pain intensity, assessing this relationship within a daily time frame should be considered. To systematically review the literature concerning the bidirectional day-to-day relationship between night-time sleep variables and day-time pain intensity in individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain. A systematic search (final search on October 12, 2023) in four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycInfo) identified eligible articles based on pre-defined criteria. Three independent reviewers executed data extraction and risk of bias assessment using the "Quality In Prognosis Studies" tool. The study findings were synthesized narratively. Eleven articles (1014 study participants; 83 associations) were included. A bidirectional relationship between pain intensity and sleep was found. Nine articles indicated night-time sleep quality to be a more consistent predictor for next day pain intensity than vice versa. Nonetheless the bidirectional day-to-day sleep-pain relationship in individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain, results suggest that self-reported sleep quality has a stronger predictive value on pain intensity then vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the extent of pollution in the marine environment remains challenging. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and metals can, during dredging operations, be transported from a port or harbour into the open sea, where they may exert a harmful effect on the marine ecosystem. To fully understand the impact of these chemicals, monitoring programs should not only focus on sediment concentrations, but should also take into account the bioaccumulated concentration in the tissue of multiple target organisms. In this study, the concentration of primary contaminants is determined in common starfish (Asterias rubens), flying crab (Liocarcinus holsatus), and brown shrimp (Crangon crangon) and the difference in the concentration of contamination between different dredge disposal sites at open sea is investigated. Different factors such as lipid weight, dry weight, grain size, and total organic carbon were measured and used to understand the difference between the observed bioaccumulation and the measured sediment concentrations. Different contaminants are detected in biota such as common starfish, flying crab and brown shrimp. These contaminants can be linked to dredging activities, with disposal sites associated with industrial ports showing higher contamination. [Display omitted] • Pollutant concentrations in sea stars correspond to marine sediment concentrations. • Differences in accumulation should be taken into account to select bio-indicators. • Highest concentration is measured in disposal sites associated with industrial ports. • PCB accumulation strongly correlates to lipid weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Maastricht University Medical Center+ is a Dutch center of expertise appointed by the Netherlands Federation of University Medical Centers for the treatment of thymomas. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term oncologic, surgical, and neurologic outcomes of all patients who underwent a robotic thymectomy for a thymoma at Maastricht University Medical Center+. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical-pathologic data of all consecutive patients with a thymoma who underwent robotic thymectomy using the DaVinci robotic system at Maastricht University Medical Center+ between April 2004 and December 2018. Follow-up data were collected from 60 referring Dutch hospitals. In total, 398 robotic thymectomies were performed, and 130 thymomas (32.7%) were found. Median follow-up time was 46 months; median procedure time, 116 minutes; and median hospitalization time, 3 days. In 8.4% of patients, a conversion was performed, and in 20.8%, a complication was registered. The majority of myasthenic patients with a thymoma went into remission, mostly within 12 to 24 months after thymectomy (81%). No statistical difference was found in the number of complications, conversions, incomplete resections, or deaths between patients with myasthenia gravis and nonmyasthenic patients. Thirty-six patients (27.7%) underwent postoperative radiotherapy. The recurrence rate was 9.1%, and the 5-year thymoma-related survival rate was 96.6%. Robotic thymectomy was found to be safe and feasible for early stage thymomas, most advanced-stage thymomas, and thymomatous myasthenia gravis. A national guideline could contribute to the improvement of the oncologic follow-up of thymic epithelial tumors in the Netherlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the ever increasing complexity of configuring and fine-tuning machine learning models, the field of automated machine learning (AutoML) has emerged over the past decade. However, software implementations like Auto-WEKA and Auto-sklearn typically focus on classical machine learning (ML) tasks such as classification and regression. Our work can be seen as the first attempt at offering a single AutoML framework for most problem settings that fall under the umbrella of multi-target prediction, which includes popular ML settings such as multi-label classification, multivariate regression, multi-task learning, dyadic prediction, matrix completion, and zero-shot learning. Automated problem selection and model configuration are achieved by extending DeepMTP, a general deep learning framework for MTP problem settings, with popular hyperparameter optimization (HPO) methods. Our extensive benchmarking across different datasets and MTP problem settings identifies cases where specific HPO methods outperform others. • Multi-target prediction (MTP) in an umbrella term that covers many different sub-areas. • DeepMTP was already proposed as a single approach that is compatible with the most MTP problem settings to date. • DeepMTP already automates many different aspects of the typical machine learning pipeline but not the hyperparameter optimization step. • We benchmark different hyperparameter methods using popular datasets from multiple MTP problem settings. • Various comparisons motivate why we select Hyperband as the best approach for our framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review explores the effects of the inclusion of microalgal biomass in feed on the health of poultry (broilers and laying hens). Microalgae have emerged as a promising feed additive, valued not only for their rich nutritional profile, but also for their bioactive substances. Bioactive compounds, such as phenolics, polyunsaturated fatty acids, oligosaccharides and carotenoids, exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral functions, which hold promise for promoting poultry health. With the ban on prophylactic antibiotic use in feed, microalgal biomass emerges as an innovative feed additive to enhance growth performance and prevent health issues in poultry. This review extensively explains the critical health parameters of poultry, including histology of the intestinal tract, intestinal permeability, immunity, antioxidant status and prebiotic effects on the intestinal microbiome. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights into the inclusion of microalgae in poultry feed, promoting these health parameters. It concludes with suggestions for further research and practical recommendations on how to improve poultry health using microalgal biomass. • C. vulgaris and A. platensis increased IgA, IgM and IgG, promoting immune function • Antioxidant activity increased and MDA decreased, indicating less oxidative stress • Less studied species (e.g., Dunaliella sp.) also have health-promoting potential • A knowledge gap on effects on laying hens was found, most studies focus on broilers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Machine learning has been broadly implemented to investigate biological systems. In this regard, the field of phage biology has embraced machine learning to elucidate and predict phage–host interactions, based on receptor-binding proteins, (anti-)defense systems, prophage detection, and life cycle recognition. Here, we highlight the enormous potential of integrating information from omics data with insights from systems biology to better understand phage–host interactions. We conceptualize and discuss the potential of a multilayer model that mirrors the phage infection process, integrating adsorption, bacterial pan-immune components and hijacking of the bacterial metabolism to predict phage infectivity. In the future, this model can offer insights into the underlying mechanisms of the infection process, and digital phagograms can support phage cocktail design and phage engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of the study was to investigate rehabilitation strategies of Flemish physical therapists before and after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Secondly, we aimed to investigate physical therapists' preferences on continuing education and evaluate their self-rated confidence and competence when treating patients before and after ACL reconstruction. Survey-based study. Online survey platform. Flemish physical therapists (n = 283). The online survey consisted of a combination of 40 open- and closed-ended questions, divided across 5 sections: (1) participant demographics and clinical practice information, (2) patient population information, (3) continued education practices, (4) rehabilitation strategies, and (5) physical therapist self-rated confidence and competence to treat patients with ACL reconstruction. A wide variability in rehabilitation strategies were found across the whole ACL rehabilitation continuum, which were in general not in line with best available evidence. Nevertheless, the overall self-rated confidence and competence of physical therapists treating patients before and after ACL reconstruction were high. Our findings indicate a need to improve rehabilitation practices before and after ACL reconstruction. Advanced research dissemination and implementation are required to achieve better rehabilitation outcomes. A wide variability in rehabilitation strategies before and after ACLR was found. Responses regarding clinical practice did not agree with best available evidence. The overall self-rated confidence and competence of physical therapists were high. ACL rehabilitation practices need to improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate to which extent disability, psychological and pain-related factors are associated with the outcomes of an isometric trunk muscle strength test and a cardiopulmonary exercise test in persons with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP). Cross-sectional study. REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center (Hasselt, Belgium). Persons with CNSLBP. Questionnaires concerning disability, patient specific functioning, kinesiophobia, perceived stress, pain intensity, and central sensitization were recorded. Outcomes of an isometric trunk strength test (maximum back and abdominal torque) and cardiopulmonary exercise test (VO 2 max) were assessed. Multivariate linear regression models determined factors explaining outcome variance. Data of 101 persons (39 males, mean age: 44.2y (SD = 9.6)) was assessed. Neither disability, nor psychological, nor pain-related factors were associated with the assessments. Variance in back muscle strength (R2 = 0.44, F = p < 0.01), abdominal muscle strength (R2 = 0.68, F = p < 0.01), and aerobic capacity (R2 = 0.76, F = p < 0.01) could only be explained through the included demographics covariates (age, gender, weight). This study highlighted the lack of biopsychosocial factors in explaining variance in outcomes of abdominal and back strength, and aerobic capacity in persons with CNSLBP with characteristics as depicted in the current sample. This information supports the valid interpretation of the outcomes of these assessments. • Disability does not impact physical fitness assessments in CNSLBP. • Psychological outcomes do not impact physical fitness assessments in CNSLBP. • Pain-related outcomes do not impact physical fitness assessments in CNSLBP. • Persons with CNSLBP with a more dominant disorder should also be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

to assess intra/inter-operator reliability and agreement of maximum isometric abdominal and back muscle strength in a functional trunk and isolated lumbar protocol, using an isokinetic dynamometer, in healthy persons and persons with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP). Test-retest. Participants performed two assessments consisting of two protocols on the Biodex 3 system, evaluating maximum isometric back and abdominal strength in a functional trunk and isolated lumbar position. During the first assessment, each protocol was executed twice, supported by different operators. Healthy persons (n = 20) and persons with CNSLBP (n = 20). Intraclass Correlation (ICC), Standard Error of Measurement (SEM and %SEM), and Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) of muscle strength outcomes and seat positioning characteristics were calculated. Intra/inter reliability of muscle strength outcomes was excellent (ICC: 0.94–0.98), while seat positioning characteristics varied from low to high (ICC: 0–0.94). For muscle strength outcomes, %SEM ranged from 4.7 to 9.2% and MDC ranged from 14.3 to 29.8 Nm in trunk flexion and 39.1–68.5 Nm in trunk extension. The Biodex 3 system can be used reliably to assess maximum isometric trunk muscle strength with the aforementioned protocols in healthy persons and persons with CNSLBP. All muscle strength outcomes showed comparable agreement (%SEM < 10%). • Excellent reliability is shown in a functional trunk and isolated lumbar muscle strength protocol in HP and CNSLBP. • Differences in seat positioning do not affect the reliability of muscle strength outcomes while using these protocols. • Muscle strength changes of >10% display a true difference independent of measurement error when using these protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review aimed to systematically investigate the literature on the effectiveness of exercise and physical activity programs on fatigue and sleep in people with arthritis. For that, seven databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials. After the searches, 36 studies investigating 2281 participants were included. Risk of bias assessments were done by two independent reviewers using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework was used to judge the certainty of evidence. The evidence on benefits of exercise and physical activity programs on fatigue and sleep parameters in people with osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis was either lacking or inconclusive. There was very low to low certainty evidence for a slight benefit of exercise and physical activity programs on fatigue at short-term in people with ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis. However, the evidence was very uncertain for the medium- and long-term as well as for any sleep parameters. The results indicate that exercise and physical activity programs may offer some benefits on fatigue for people with arthritis in the short-term, although the best type of exercise remains uncertain. The available evidence on improvements in sleep was insufficient to draw strong conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Introduction Renal papillary necrosis is not commonly seen in daily practice, but can have severe consequences when it is not diagnosed in time. It is known to be associated with sickle cell hemoglobinopathies; however a wide range of etiologies are possible, and it is therefore not the first diagnosis clinicians consider in patients with sickle cell disease who present with hematuria. Methods A literature search was performed to summarize the current knowledge about renal papillary necrosis associated with sickle cell disease. These findings are illustrated with a case of a 9-year old girl with sickle cell disease who was referred with painless gross hematuria. Results Typical radiologic signs for renal papillary necrosis are necrotic cavities that fill with contrast, small collections of contrast peripheral to the calyces in the papillary region (ball-on-tee sign), calcification of the papillary defect, filling defects, hydronephrosis, blunted papillary tip, clefts in the renal medulla filled with contrast, hyperattenuated medullary calcifications, non-enhanced lesions surrounded by rings of excreted contrast, and clubbed calyces. Discussion This study focuses on the pathophysiology of renal papillary necrosis associated with sickle cell disease, the possible symptoms, as well as the diagnostic steps, with a special interest in particular presentation on old (retrograde pyelography) and new (computed tomography) gold standard in radiologic imaging, and the management for this pathology. Conclusion This study aims to remind clinicians of this “forgotten” diagnosis and what signs to look for in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease who present with hematuria. In pediatric cases radiation protection is important, therefore knowing what radiologic signs can be found on retrograde pyelography can lead to early identification of this pathology without having to proceed to computed tomography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability worldwide and clinical pain is the major symptom of OA. This clinical OA-related pain is firmly associated with symptoms of insomnia, which are reported in up to 81% of people with OA. Since understanding the association between both symptoms is critical for their appropriate management, this narrative review synthesizes the existing evidence in people with OA on i) the mechanisms underlying the association between insomnia symptoms and clinical OA-related pain, and ii) the effectiveness of conservative non-pharmacological treatments on insomnia symptoms and clinical OA-related pain. The evidence available identifies depressive symptoms, pain catastrophizing and pain self-efficacy as mechanisms partially explaining the cross-sectional association between insomnia symptoms and pain in people with OA. Furthermore, in comparison to treatments without a specific insomnia intervention, the ones including an insomnia intervention appear more effective for improving insomnia symptoms, but not for reducing clinical OA-related pain. However, at a within-person level, treatment-related positive effects on insomnia symptoms are associated with a long-term pain reduction. Future longitudinal prospective studies offering fundamental insights into neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms explaining the association between insomnia symptoms and clinical OA-related pain will enable the development of effective treatments targeting both symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of fungicides is the most common and most effective method to control Alternaria diseases in potatoes. Boscalid, a member of the succinate dehydrogenase inhibiting (SDHI) fungicide group, is frequently used in combination with Quinone outside inhibitors (QoIs) such as strobilurins in spraying programs. However, due to the frequent application of these fungicides, resistant populations can develop. Indeed, resistance towards SHDIs is an emerging problem in both A. alternata and A. solani populations. To gain deeper knowledge on the prevalence of SDHI mutants, 83 A. solani and 53 A. alternata isolates, collected during 2014 and 2015 in Belgium, situated in the center of Europe, were screened for the presence of amino acid substitutions in the different subunits of the succinate dehydrogenase gene ( SdhB , SdhC and SdhD ). The isolate screening revealed that mutations, causing a reduced sensitivity towards SDHIs, were widespread in the Belgian Alternaria population; 70% of the A. solani and 41% of the A. alternata isolates possessed one or more mutations. Mutations in the subunit SdhC were most frequently detected in the A. solani population, while mutations in the subunit SdhD were absent. In the A. alternata population, mutations were found in the three Sdh subunits. Mutations in the subunit SdhB were predominant, whereas mutations in the subunit SdhD were only marginally detected. Furthermore, it was seen that most isolates with a QoI mutation, providing resistance towards strobilurins, simultaneously carried substitutions in the Sdh gene. This means that 40% of the A. solani and 58% of the A. alternata population possesses a dual fungicide resistance. This is very important since SDHIs and QoIs are often formulated together in one fungicide. The fungicide sensitivity tests confirmed that the isolates with mutations were significantly less sensitive towards the SDHI boscalid compared to the isolates with neither a SDHI nor a QoI mutation. No significant differences in resistance level between isolates with mutations in the different subunits were detected. Furthermore, based on mycelium growth and spore germination capacity, there was no fitness cost associated with these mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of species' response is a key to understand the ecology of a species (e.g. critical habitat requirement and biological invasion processes) and design better conservation and management plans (e.g. problem identification, priority assessment and risk analysis). Predictive machine learning methods can be used as a tool for modeling species distributions as well as for describing important variables and specific habitat conditions required for a target species. This study aims (1) to demonstrate how habitat information such as species response curves can be retrieved from a species distribution model (SDM), (2) to assess the effects of data prevalence on model accuracy and habitat information retrieved from SDMs, and (3) to illustrate the differences between three data-driven methods, namely a fuzzy habitat suitability model (FHSM), random forests (RF) and support vector machines (SVMs). Nineteen sets of virtual species data with different data prevalences were generated using field-observed habitat conditions and hypothetical habitat suitability curves under four interaction scenarios governing the species–environment relationship for a virtual species. The effects of data prevalence on species distribution modeling were evaluated based on model accuracy and habitat information such as species response curves. Data prevalence affected both model accuracy and the assessment of species' response, with a stronger influence on the latter. The effects of data prevalence on model accuracy were less pronounced in the case of RF and SVMs which showed a higher performance. While the response curves were similar among the three models, data prevalence markedly affected the shapes of the response curves. Specifically, response curves obtained from a data set with higher prevalence showed higher tolerance to unsuitable habitat conditions, emphasizing the importance of accounting for data prevalence in the assessment of species–environment relationships. In a practical implementation of an SDM, data prevalence should be taken into account when interpreting the model results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting and selecting sound events is emerging as an interesting technique for characterizing and representing the sound environment of a specific location. In this article we propose a computational model for automatically constructing a so-called acoustic summary, i.e. a comprehensive collection of sounds aiming to represent the specific sound environment at a given location. Such an acoustic summary could be used by architects, soundscape designers, and urban planners to explore – by listening – the sonic environment at a certain location as it is perceived by a human listener. The model is based on a self-organizing map, a type of neural network. It starts by extracting several psychoacoustic features from the sound. A specific, extensive and unsupervised training allows this map to be tuned to the typical sounds that are likely to be heard at the microphone location. The learning algorithm takes into account some basic aspects of human perception. For example, salient events tend to be better remembered than the ones that do not stand out, even if they occur less frequently. After the training, the self-organizing map is used to form an exhaustive acoustic summary by means of automatically recording specific sound events for the microphone location. In addition to describing the proposed tool, this paper also presents a validation test with local residents in order to show the ability of the model to pick up sounds which bring out the distinctiveness and the specificity of the soundscape as a local resident would do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose three estimation strategies (local, remote and mixed) for ultrafine particles (UFP) at three sites in an urban air pollution monitoring network. Estimates are obtained through Gaussian process regression based on concentrations of gaseous pollutants (NOx, O 3 , CO) and UFP. As local strategy, we use local measurements of gaseous pollutants (local covariates) to estimate UFP at the same site. As remote strategy, we use measurements of gaseous pollutants and UFP from two independent sites (remote covariates) to estimate UFP at a third site. As mixed strategy, we use local and remote covariates to estimate UFP. The results suggest: UFP can be estimated with good accuracy based on NOx measurements at the same location; it is possible to estimate UFP at one location based on measurements of NOx or UFP at two remote locations; the addition of remote UFP to local NOx, O 3 or CO measurements improves models' performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Operational flood mitigation and flood modeling activities benefit from a rapid and automated flood mapping procedure. A valuable information source for such a flood mapping procedure can be remote sensing synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. In order to be reliable, an objective characterization of the uncertainty associated with the flood maps is required. This work focuses on speckle uncertainty associated with the SAR data and introduces the use of a non-parametric bootstrap method to take into account this uncertainty on the resulting flood maps. From several synthetic images, constructed through bootstrapping the original image, flood maps are delineated. The accuracy of these flood maps is also evaluated w.r.t. an independent validation data set, obtaining, in the two test cases analyzed in this paper, F -values ( i.e. values of the Jaccard coefficient) comprised between 0.50 and 0.65. This method is further compared to an image segmentation method for speckle analysis, with which similar results are obtained. The uncertainty analysis of the ensemble of bootstrapped synthetic images was found to be representative of image speckle, with the advantage that no segmentation and speckle estimations are required. Furthermore, this work assesses to what extent the bootstrap ensemble size can be reduced while remaining representative of the original ensemble, as operational applications would clearly benefit from such reduced ensemble sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of epistemic uncertainty in engineering is being recognized more and more. In this work, epistemic uncertainty is captured through the use of fuzzy variables, i.e. variables that are described in terms of possibility distributions. Taking into account epistemic uncertainty implies that one should also be able to propagate such uncertainty through increasingly complex models. In earlier work, we have developed a general tool, called Fuzzy Calculator, to propagate epistemic uncertainty regarding non-interactive fuzzy input variables. In reality, however, the fuzzy input variables of a model are often interactive. Taking into account this interactivity reduces the uncertainty on the fuzzy output variable and should therefore always be aimed for. However, the full determination of the joint possibility distribution of the fuzzy input variables is not an easy task. In literature, it is often claimed that triangular norms can be used to model interactivity between fuzzy variables. Making use of a generalization of Nguyen's alpha-cut approach, we have developed a general-purpose Fuzzy Calculator that is able to take into account interactivity modelled by a triangular norm. However, the absence of a general strategy to select an appropriate triangular norm often results in the use of other strategies to model interactivity in practice. Therefore, we have also applied our Fuzzy Calculator to a case study where the interactivity between the fuzzy input variables is identified through possibilistic clustering. The results illustrate that this Fuzzy Calculator is an efficient tool to propagate epistemic uncertainty regarding non-interactive as well as interactive fuzzy input variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of distance variables expressing the likelihood of species occurrence at a given site in relation to the distance to observed species presence is demonstrated to improve species distribution models, especially when combined with environmental variables which relate species occurrence to the environmental habitat characteristics. In this study we developed models to predict the spatio-temporal distribution of Culicoides imicola , which is the main transmission vector for the bluetongue virus in the Mediterranean region. We investigated (i) the importance of the environmental habitat characterization by means of bioclimatic variables, (ii) the effect of different distance variables to model the dispersal process, and (iii) the suitability of two different parameter identification procedures to determine the distance variables for species distribution modeling. Results showed that niche-based species distribution models, which only use environmental data, could estimate the occurrence of Culicoides imicola accurately, given that environmental data of the period of high species abundance (April until October) was included. The use of these models may therefore be hampered for predictive risk assessment aiming to estimate the probabilities and magnitude of undesired effects caused by the occurrence of C. imicola . Species distribution models accounting for species dispersal in addition to the environmental habitat characteristics, i.e. hybrid models, did provide accurate predictions of C. imicola distributions well before the onset of the season of high species abundance. A Gaussian or negative exponential function of the distance to presence locations was most suitable to model insect dispersal. The enhanced predictive capacity of these models potentially leads towards an increased model applicability in risk assessment and disease control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Microbiology builds upon biological material deposited in biological resource centers (BRCs) as a reference framework for collaborative research. BRCs assign so-called strain numbers to label the deposited material and are responsible for long-term preservation and worldwide distribution of the material. Cultured microorganisms can be deposited into multiple BRCs and BRCs also mutually exchange their holdings. As a result, many different strain numbers can be attached to biological material that stems from the same isolate. In practice, this material is considered equivalent and used interchangeably. This implies that finding information on given biological material requires all equivalent strain numbers to be used when searching. StrainInfo introduces strain passports for microorganisms: a uniform overview of information known about a given microbial strain. It contains all known equivalent strain numbers and information on the exchange history, sequences and related literature of the strain. Each passport has an associated strain browser that gives direct access to the underlying BRC catalog entries on which the passport was based. Taxon, sequence and literature passports are implemented in a similar manner. In addition to web pages that serve human users, integrated information is also offered in machine readable formats useful for automated, large-scale analysis. StrainInfo is envisioned to be an open platform integrating microbial information. This platform can form the basis for new methods of microbiological research, leveraging the vast amount of electronic information available online. StrainInfo is available from http://www.StrainInfo.net. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: StrainInfo has augmented its type strain and species/subspecies passports with a recommendation for a high-quality 16S rRNA gene sequence available from the public sequence databases. These recommendations are generated by an automated pipeline that collects all candidate 16S rRNA gene sequences for a prokaryotic type strain, filters out low-quality sequences and retains a high-quality sequence from the remaining pool. Due to thorough automation, recommendations can be renewed daily using the latest updates of the public sequence databases and the latest species descriptions. We discuss the quality criteria constructed to filter and rank available 16S rRNA gene sequences, and show how a partially ordered set (poset) ranking algorithm can be applied to solve the multi-criteria ranking problem of selecting the best candidate sequence. The proof of concept of the recommender system is validated by comparing the results of automated selection with an expert selection made in the All-Species Living Tree Project. Based on these validation results, the pipeline may reliably be applied for non-type strains and developed further for the automated selection of housekeeping genes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper reports the friction and wear response of WC–10%Co(Cr/V) cemented carbide with different surface finishes, attained by grinding (G) and wire-EDM, respectively, during sliding experiments at 400°C. For comparison, tests under the same conditions were carried out at 25°C. The wear experiments were performed under a normal force of 14N, which produced a Hertzian maximum pressure of 3.10GPa, and a sliding speed of 0.3m/s against WC–6%Co(Cr/V) balls of 6mm diameter. At 25°C the average values of the friction coefficients were 0.36±0.04 and 0.39±0.06 for the ground and wire-EDM surface finishes, respectively. The mechanical behavior of both systems at 25°C was assessed by carrying out analytical calculations of the stress field created by a circular sliding contact under a spherical indenter, where the residual stresses were considered. The theoretical results are in agreement with the experimental data, indicating that the wire-EDM sample has a specific wear rate, which is approximately 3.1 times greater than that corresponding to the G sample at 25°C. At 400°C, an increase in the friction coefficients takes place up to values of 0.75±0.1 and 0.71±0.8, for the ground and wire-EDM surface finishes, respectively. The increase was associated to an adhesive mechanism, which is more pronounced for the G sample. However, for the wire-EDM sample this increase was more linked to a marked abrasive mechanism. The wear rates for both samples at 400°C are similar to those obtained at 25°C, which indicates that apparently the test temperature does not have an important effect on the wear rate. However, it is known that temperature influences considerably the residual stress nature. Therefore, these results were explained by taking into account the wear mechanisms between the tribopairs in view of the mechanical characteristics and the morphological features obtained from SEM coupled with EDS analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB) is one of the most destructive fungal diseases of small grain cereals resulting in a reduced grain yield and quality. FHB is the result of a complex interaction between weather conditions and agricultural practices including crop rotation, tillage, fungicide application and host resistance. This study deals with the results of field experiments conducted during the growing seasons 2009–2010 until 2011–2012 at Bottelare (Belgium). The experiments were set up to evaluate the influence of maize–wheat rotation on the visual symptoms of FHB and deoxynivalenol (DON) content in winter wheat. Using a randomised complete block design with four replications, we studied the impact of (a) maize variety as previous crop, (b) maize harvest method (grain or silage maize), (c) tillage method and (d) the influence of the wheat variety resistance on the FHB incidence and DON content. The experimental results showed that the susceptibility of the maize varieties for Fusarium and maize harvest method had only a minor effect on the FHB incidence and DON content of the wheat crop during the subsequent growing season. The tillage method and wheat variety resistance were more important; both factors had a significant influence on the FHB incidence and DON content. Furthermore, the quantitative effect of these factors depended on the disease pressure. The DON content reduction obtained by ploughing and by sowing moderately resistant wheat varieties was higher in case the weather conditions favoured FHB development. Furthermore, it was shown that repeated maize–wheat rotation in combination with favourable weather conditions for FHB could result in an accumulation of inoculum, which, for instance, led to DON contents up to 9.90 mg/kg in August 2012. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cellular automata (CAs) allow for transparent modelling of complex systems based on simple transition rules and are flexible in incorporating individual differences and local interactions. They may therefore be particularly suited to answer river management questions that could not be addressed by existing habitat suitability models, such as the optimal distance between spawning grounds. This study explores the usability of CAs for spatio-temporal modelling of a pike population to support river management. Specifically, we evaluated the usability of the CA model by analyzing its sensitivity to three model parameters: the number of pike in the grid, the initial pike distribution and the grid resolution. The model includes habitat characteristics and basic expert knowledge on the ecology of pike and was tested on a 10km stretch of the river Yser in Flanders (Belgium). Simulation results showed that the model converged to a realistic pike distribution over the study area only at high pike density and low grid resolution, irrespective of the initial pike distribution. Pike density and grid resolution affected the sensitivity to the initial pike distribution in the grid. Specifically, the sensitivity was high at low pike density and high grid resolution, and absent when pike density was high. This analysis indicated that initial conditions and cell size may have a severe impact on the model output, illustrating the importance of firstly analyzing this impact before conducting further analyses. Depending on the outcome of such analyses, CAs can be a promising modelling technique to evaluate and predict the effect of river restoration on pike populations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]