bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hard Coating is Because of Oppositely Worked Force-Energy Behaviors of Atoms
Authors: Ali Mubarak , Hamzah Esah , Toff Mohd Radzi Mohd
Published: October 2018

Coatings of suitable materials having thickness of few atoms to several microns on the viable substrates are the basic need of society and they attend the regular attention of scientific community working in various fields of science and technology. Decorative and protective coatings, transparent and insulating coatings, coatings of medical implants and surgical instruments, coatings for drug delivery and security purposes, ultra-precision machine coatings and coatings of miscellaneous uses are in the routine demand of research and commercial objectives. Different hard coatings develop under the significant composition of differently natured atoms where their force-energy behaviors as per recovering of transition states provide the provision for electron (of outer ring) belonging to gas atom to undertake another clamp of unfilled energy knot (of outer ring) belonging to solid atom. Set process conditions switch force-energy behaviors of differently natured atoms as per set process conditions where they worked differently to the original state behaviors. Different natured atoms develop structure in the form of hard coating by locating the ground point between original points where gas atoms increase potential energy under the decreasing levitational force at electron-level while the solid atoms decrease potential energy under the decreasing gravitational force at electron-level. Ti-atom to Ti-atom binding is through the difference of expansion of their lattices when one atom is just landing on the already appropriately landed atom where the adhered nitrogen atoms come nearly at their interstitial sites. Under suitable set parameters, different natured atoms deposit in the form of coating at substrate surface under the given conditions depending on the source-behavior of their ejecting or dissociating associated to employed technique. In random arc-based vapor deposition system, depositing different natured atoms at substrate surface depends on the input power where involved non-conserved energies engaged the non-conservative forces to keep their structure adhered. Different properties and characteristics of hard coatings emerged as per engaged forces under the set conditions of involved energy. The present study sets new trends not only in the field of coatings but also in the diversified class of materials and their counterparts, wherever, atoms recall their roles.
Long-Term Zinc Supplementation Improves Liver Function and Decreases the Risk of Developing Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Hosui Atsushi , Kimura Eiji , Abe Sumiko , Tanimoto Takashi , Onishi Kousaku , Kusumoto Yukihiro , Sueyoshi Yuka , Matsumoto Kengo , Hirao Motohiro , Yamada Takuya , Hiramatsu Naoki
Published: October 2018

Background and Aim: Zinc plays a pivotal role in various zinc enzymes, resulting in the maintenance of liver function. Patients with chronic liver diseases (CLDs) usually have lower concentrations of zinc, which decrease further as liver fibrosis progresses. It remains unknown whether long-term zinc supplementation improves liver function and reduces the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. Patients and Methods: Two hundred sixty-seven patients with CLDs who received a zinc preparation (Zn-group; 196 patients), or who did not receive zinc (no Zn-treatment group; 71 patients) were retrospectively analyzed in this study. The Zn-group was divided into 4 groups according to their serum Zn concentrations at 6 months after the start of Zn treatment. Results: Liver function significantly deteriorated in the no Zn-treatment group, while no notable change was observed in the Zn-group. The cumulative incidence rates of events and HCC at 3 years were lower in the Zn-group (9.5%, 7.6%) than in the no Zn-treatment group (24.9%, 19.2%) (p<0.001). According to the serum Zn concentrations, the cumulative incidence rates of events and HCC were significantly decreased in patients with Zn concentrations ≥ 70 µg/dl (p<0.001). Conclusion: Zinc supplementation appears to be effective at maintaining liver function and suppressing events and HCC development, especially among patients whose Zn concentration is greater than 70 µg/dl.
Evaluating the Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Craft Beer Industry: an Assessment of Challenges and Benefits of Greenhouse Gas Accounting
Authors: Shin Rachel , Searcy Cory
Published: October 2018

A growing number of companies in the brewery industry have made commitments to measure and reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, many brewers, particularly craft brewers with relatively low rates of production, have struggled to meet these commitments. The purpose of this research was to investigate the challenges and benefits of measuring and reducing GHG emissions in the craft brewery industry. The research was conducted in Ontario, Canada, which has seen strong recent growth in the craft brewery industry. A case study and semi-structured interviews among Ontario Craft Brewers were conducted. The case study found that indirect (scope 3 emissions under the WBCSD & WRI GHG Protocol) GHG sources accounted for 46.4% of total GHGs, with major sources from barley agriculture, malted barley transportation, and bottle production. Direct emissions (scope 1) accounted for only 14.9% of GHGs, while scope 2 emissions, comprised mainly of energy consumption, accounted for 38.7% of GHGs. The case study and interviews found that the main challenges in calculating brewery GHGs are secondary data availability, technical knowledge, and finances. The study also found that the main benefits for Ontario breweries to measure their GHGs include sustainability marketing and preserving the environment. The interviews also found a poor understanding of carbon regulation among Ontario Craft Brewers, which is interesting considering that Ontario implemented a provincial cap and trade program in 2017.
Antiproliferative, Proapoptotic, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Effects of Sinapis nigra L. and Sinapis alba L. Extracts
Authors: Boscaro Valentina , Boffa Luisa , Binello Arianna , Amisano Gabriella , Fornasero Stefania , Cravotto Giancarlo , Gallicchio Margherita
Published: October 2018

High Brassicaceae consumption reduces the risk of developing several cancer types, probably due to their glucosinolate amount. Extracts from Sinapis nigra L. and Sinapis alba L. have been obtained from leaves and seeds under different conditions using ethanol/water mixtures because well accepted by food industry. The EtOH/H2O 8:2 mixture gives better yields in glucosinolate amounts from grinded seeds, mainly sinalbin in S. alba and sinigrin in S. nigra. The highest antiproliferative activity in both non-tumour and tumour cell lines was induced by S. alba seeds extract. To evaluate whether Sinapis spp effect was only due to glucosinolate content or it was influenced by the extracts’ complexity, cells were treated with extracts or glucosinolates, in the presence of myrosinase. Pure sinigrin did not modify cell proliferation, while pure sinalbin was less effective than the extract. The addition of myrosinase increased the antiproliferative effects of the S. nigra extract and sinigrin. Antiproliferative activity was correlated to MAPKs modulation, which was cell and extract-dependent. Cell-cycle analysis evidenced a proapoptotic effect of S. alba on both tumour cell lines and of S. nigra only on HCT 116. Both extracts showed good antimicrobial activity in disc diffusion tests and on ready-to-eat fresh salad. These results underline the potential effects of Sinapis spp in chemoprevention and food preservation.
Hierarchical Environmental Factors Affecting the Distribution of Abies koreana on the Korean Peninsula
Authors: Park Jeong Soo , Shin Hak Sub , Choi Chul-hyun , Kim Jinhee , Lee Junghyo
Published: October 2018

Regional declines of the Korean fir (Abies koreana) have been observed since the 1980s on the subalpine region. To explain this decline, it is fundamental to investigate the degree to which environmental factors have contributed to plant distributions on diverse spatial scales. We applied a hierarchical regression model to determine quantitatively the relationship between the abundance of Korean fir (seedlings) and diverse environmental factors across two different ecological scales. We measured Korean fir density and the occurrence of its seedlings in 102 (84) plots nested at five sites and collected a range of environmental factors at the same plots. Our model included hierarchical explanatory variables at both site-level (weather conditions) and plot-level (micro-topographic factors, soil properties, and competing species). The occurrence of Korean fir seedlings was positively associated with moss cover and rock cover but negatively related to dwarf bamboo cover. On site-level, winter precipitation was significantly positively related to the occurrence of seedlings. A hierarchical Poisson regression model revealed that Korean fir density were negatively associated with slope aspect, topographic position index, Quercus mongolica cover, and mean summer temperature. Our results suggest that drought and competition with other species are factors which halt the survival of Korean fir. We can predict that the population of Korean fir will continue to decline on the Korean Peninsula due to rising temperatures and seasonal drought, and only a few Korean fir will survive on northern slopes or valleys where competition with dwarf bamboo and Q. mongolica can be avoided.
Evidence of Reactivity in the Membrane for the Unstable Monochloramine during MIMS Analysis
Authors: Louarn Essyllt , Adli-Idlibi A. Monem , Leprovost Julien , Héninger Michel , Mestdagh Hélène
Published: October 2018

Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometry (MIMS) was used to analyze monochloramine solutions (NH2Cl) and ammonia solutions in a compact FTICR. Chemical ionization enables identification and quantification of the products present in the permeate. The responses of protonated monochloramine and ammonium increase linearly with the solution concentration. The enrichments were respectively 1.2 and 5.5. Pervaporation is dependent on pH and only the basic form of ammonia NH3 pervaporates through the membrane. Unexpectedly, the small ammonia molecule permeated very slowly. It could be due to interactions with water molecules inside the membrane that create clusters. Moreover, NH2Cl solutions, in addition to the NH3Cl+ signal, presented a strong NH4+ signal at m/z 18.034 . Ammonia presence in the low-pressure zone before ionization is probable as NH4+ was detected with all the precursors used, particularly CF3+ and trimethylbenzene that presents a proton affinity higher than monochloramine. Ammonia may be formed inside the membrane due to the fact that NH2Cl is unstable and may react with the water present in the membrane. Those results highlight the need for caution when dealing with chloramines in MIMS and more generally with unstable molecules.
Reliability and Generalizability of Similarity-Based Fusion of MEG and fMRI Data in Human Ventral and Dorsal Visual Streams
Authors: Mohsenzadeh Yalda , Mullin Caitlin , Lahner Benjamin , Cichy Radoslaw , Oliva Aude
Published: October 2018

To build a representation of what we see, the human brain recruits regions throughout the visual cortex in cascading sequence. Recently, an approach was proposed to evaluate the dynamics of visual perception in high spatiotemporal resolution at the scale of the whole brain. This method combined functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data with magnetoencephalography (MEG) data using representational similarity analysis and revealed a hierarchical progression from primary visual cortex through the dorsal and ventral streams. To assess the replicability of this method, here we present results of a visual recognition neuro-imaging fusion experiment, and compare them within and across experimental settings. We evaluated the reliability of this method by assessing the consistency of the results under similar test conditions, showing high agreement within participants. We then generalized these results to a separate group of individuals and visual input by comparing them to the fMRI-MEG fusion data of Cichy et al. (2016), revealing a highly similar temporal progression recruiting both the dorsal and ventral streams. Together these results are a testament to the reproducibility of the fMRI-MEG fusion approach and allows for the interpretation of these spatiotemporal dynamic in a broader context.
Mechanisms of Phase Transformation and Creating Mechanical Strength in a Sustainable Calcium Carbonate Cement
Authors: Rodríguez-Sánchez Jesús , Liberto Teresa , Barentin Catherine , Dysthe Dag Kristian
Published: October 2018

Calcium carbonate cements have been synthesized by mixing amorphous calcium carbonate and vaterite powders with water to unravel the mechanisms of creating mechanical strength during the setting reaction. In-situ XRD was used to monitor the transformation of ACC and vaterite phases into calcite. Unlike this transformation of crystals suspended in a stirred solution, the transformation in the cement is controlled by vaterite dissolution. The supersaturation within the cement paste, Ω, depends not only on the bulk free energy difference of the phases, ΔG, but also on the grain size evolution. Among the strengthening mechanisms, an initial geometric reorganization of CaCO3 particles has been identified by rheological measurements; followed by the formation of an interconnected network of calcite crystals that increases in strength as the crystals grow and form bridges among them. All compositions yield microporous calcite structures with diverse transformation history, crystal bridging efficiency, and hence final mechanical properties.
PENGARUH TINGKAT KONFORMITAS TEMAN SEBAYA TERHADAP INTENSITAS PERUNDUNGAN (BULLYING) YANG TERJADI PADA ANAK SEKOLAH DASAR
Authors: Saftiani Tiyni , Hamiyati Hamiyati , Rasha Rasha
Published: October 2018

This research aim bullying cases that occur every year. The purpose of this research is to find out the influence of peer conformities level on bullying behavior intensity that occurs in elementary school children. The method used in this research is asosiative quantitative approach with 160 population of children of elementary school and a sample of 114 respondents. The sampling technique used is Simple Random Sampling. The prerequisite test in this study approach Kolmogorov-smirnov normality test and regression linearity test, the result of the test that normal and linear. The results of hypothesis test using the t-test with a significant level of 0.05 obtained  >  which is equal to 2.085> 1.980. It shows that there is a significant influence between variables of peer conformity with bullying behavior variables.  Based on the results of the determination coefficient test results obtained 37%, which means that peer confomity has a positive and significansignificant influence on bullying behavior.

Abstrak

Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh meningkatnya kasus perundungan yang terjadi setiap tahunnya sehingga penelitian ini dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh tingkat konformitas teman sebaya terhadap intensitas perundungan yang terjadi pada anak sekolah dasar. Jenis penelitian ini adalah kuantitatif asosiatif dengan populasi sebanyak 160 siswa sekolah dasar dan sampel sebanyak 114 responden. Teknik sampling yang digunakan adala Simple Random Sampling. Uji prasyarat pada penelitian ini menggunakan uji normalitas Kolmogorov-smirnov dan uji linearitas regresi, diperoleh hasil bahwa data berdistribusi normal dan bersifat linear. Hasil uji hipotesis menggunakan uji-t dengan taraf signifikan 0,05 diperoleh  >  yaitu sebesar 2,085 > 1,980. Hal itu m=unjukkan bahwa ada pengaruh yang signifikan antara variabel konformitas teman sebaya dengan variabel perilaku perundungan. Berdasarkan hasil uji koefesien determinasi diperoleh hasil 37% yang berarti bahwa konfomitas teman sebaya memiliki pengaruh yang positif dan signifikan terhadap perilaku perundungan.

Kata kunci: Perundungan, konformitas, anak, sekolah dasar
The Dawn Sky Brightness Observations in the Preliminary Shubuh Prayer Time Determination
Authors: Hamdani Fahmi Fatwa Rosyadi Satria , Noor Laksmiyanti Annake Harijadi
Published: October 2018

The indication of began to enter the shubuh prayer time is when emerge the morning dawn and lasted until the sun rises. The sun position when emerge the morning dawn is below the intrinsic horizon marked with a minus sign (-) with the value of a certain height. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has set the sun altitudes of dawn in the shubuh prayer time with minus (-) 19°+ sunrise/sunset altitudes as standard is the reference time of dawn prayers in Indonesia. However, this provision in fact reap discourse in some quarters because it is not in accordance with the phenomenon of morning dawn emergence at the beginning of the shubuh prayer time empirically. This study aims to decide the morning dawn, as the beginning of dawn determinant. The tool used in this study is the Sky Quality Meter (SQM), to detecting the morning dawn emergence as a sign of the beginning of the shubuh prayer time. The results of this study found that the brightness of the sky throughout the night or the morning dawn in Tayu Beach, Pati, Central Java, in the span of four days of observation that is at 4: 31 a.m with an average altitude of the sun is -17°(17°below the horizon).
TAMING POVERTY IN NIGERIA: LANGUAGE, ZAKAT AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Abdurraheem Hamzah , Suraju Saheed Badmus
Published: October 2018

Poverty, hunger and unemployment are social scourges ravaging many African countries, Nigeria inclusive. They constitute great obstacles to sustainable development and pose serious threats to security challenges. With her enormous human and material potentials, Nigeria ranks the 23rd poorest country in the world. To tackle the menace of poverty, hunger and unemployment, successive Nigerian governments have initiated series of poverty eradication or poverty-alleviation programmes. But these programmes, due to corruption and inefficient leadership, availed Nigerians nothing, as 61.5% of Nigerians, according to the  National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), are living below $1.25 per day. Against this backdrop, this paper focuses attention on poverty and identifies Zakat, the third pillar of Islam, as a panacea for its alleviation. The paper discovers that lexical repetition, lexical collocation, synonyms, presuppositions and implicature are diverse linguistic features that are woven into the textual fabric of the Glorious Quran to foreground the paramount importance of Zakat as a social security towards poverty reduction.  With a view to promoting national development and security, the paper concludes by advocating for an enabling law establishing a Central Zakat (and Sadaqah) Administrative Board that will be saddled with the responsibilities of collecting Zakat and distributing it to the beneficiaries as stated in Suratu-t-Tawbah,  verse 60 (9:60).
Life and Works of Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah: An Overview
Authors: Bhat Samee-Ullah
Published: October 2018

Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah was a prolific author whose imposing life in the field of writing was characteristically distinguished from other personalities and who devoted his life to religious and academic works and inspired many scholars for serving the cause of Islam. In modern times, it is also surprising enough for every scholar who observes the circumstances in which Dr. Hamidullah lived on one hand and the large number of valuable works produced by him about different subjects on the other hand with high academic standards. He has almost covered the whole range of Islamic studies in his writings and tried to explore true picture of Islam and its fundamental sciences. Although the dimensions of his works spread over all these spheres- theology, the holy Qur'an, Hadith, Fiqh, Islamic History and culture, ethics, politics, economics but hadith, Fiqh, Sirah and Islamic History were his favorite subjects. His contributions to these subjects were universally recognized in academic circles from the point of richness of material and high standard of research. In this research paper, an attempt is made to illustrate the life of Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah in a brief manner on one hand and an analysis of his major works on Sirah has been discussed on the other hand.
Developing Models of Productive Waqf Masjid Agung Syuhada Yogyakarta
Authors: Oktarina Amimah , Asnaini Asnaini
Published: October 2018

The problems of poverty and social inequality in a country with a majority Muslim population is of concern, one of which is Indonesia. One of the religious institution in Islam which are of direct relevance functionally with efforts to solve social problems and humanity is waqf. The emergence of the paradigm of productive waqf, is a momentum as an attempt to transform from its traditional management of waqf professional management. Masjid Agung Syuhada Yogyakarta can be considered successful in the management of this productive waqf for their productive economic programs. In this paper will discuss how to model the development of productive waqf in Masjid Agung Syuhada Yogyakarta. By using methods of field research and qualitative approach to the data will be obtained and analyzed through qualitative descriptive analysis techniques. Data were obtained through in-depth observation, interviews and documentation. The results showed productive waqf that have been applied by Masjid Agung Syuhada Yogyakarta made many contributions both internally and externally through the productive economy that is sustainable. Waqf funds collected are managed properly and professionally so that the distribution can also be dialogue, it means that the waqf funds channeled productively with their development in several business areas in Masjid Agung Syuhada Yogyakarta.

 
Characterizing Patient Preferences Surrounding Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Reuter John M. , Hutyra Carolyn A. , Politzer Cary S. , Calixte Christopher C. , Scott Daniel J. , Attarian David E. , Mather Richard C.
Published: October 2018

Background:

Episode-based bundled payments for total knee arthroplasty emphasize cost-effective patient-centered care. Understanding patients’ perceptions of components of the total knee arthroplasty care episode is critical to achieving this care. This study investigated patient preferences for components of the total knee arthroplasty care episode.

Methods:

Best-worst scaling was used to analyze patient preferences for components of the total knee arthroplasty care episode. Participants were selected from patients presenting to 2 orthopaedic clinics with chronic knee pain. They were presented with descriptions of 17 attributes before completing a best-worst scaling exercise. Attribute importance was determined using hierarchical Bayesian estimation. Latent class analysis was used to evaluate varying preference profiles.

Results:

One hundred and seventy-four patients completed the survey, and 117 patients (67%) were female. The mean age was 62.71 years. Participants placed the highest value on surgeon factors, including level of experience, satisfaction rating, and complication rates. Latent class analysis provided a 4-segment model of the population.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrated differences in patient preferences for the components of a total knee arthroplasty care episode and characterized distinct preference profiles among patient subsets. Stakeholders can use this information to focus efforts and policy on high-value components and to potentially create customized bundles guided by preference profiles.

Clinical Relevance:

This study is clinically relevant because the patient preferences identified here may help providers to design customized bundles for total knee arthroplasty care.
Above- and Belowground Responses to Shifts in Soil Moisture in Bearing Apple Trees
Authors: Eissenstat David M. , Neilsen Denise , Neilsen Gerry H. , Adams Thomas S.
Published: October 2018

Limiting irrigation to increase fruit quality as well as conserve limited water resources is of increasing importance. We examined the links of aboveground growth and physiology to root growth and distribution under cultural practices associated with restricted irrigation and mulching in an apple (‘Gala/M.9’; Malus ×domestica Borkh.) orchard in a semiarid climate. Trees were either mulched to maintain a 10-cm depth or left unmulched. After orchard establishment, half the trees (partially irrigated) received daily drip irrigation only sufficient to meet 50% of daily evapotranspiration for 45 days before fruit harvest using one emitter per tree. The other trees continued to receive 100% irrigation using two emitters. Over three growing seasons, fruit yield was strongly affected in 2 of 3 years by partial irrigation if trees were unmulched but not if mulched. Fruit size and other quality parameters were minimally affected by partial irrigation. Total fine root length in fully irrigated trees was nearly double that of partially irrigated trees. Our results suggest that increases in soil moisture associated with mulching enabled mulched apple trees to tolerate deficit irrigation with minimal consequences for production and quality of apples, but with an overall less extensive and smaller root system.
Two Prolonged Bee Visits Suffice to Maximize Drupelet Set for Red Raspberry
Authors: Andrikopoulos Corey J. , Cane James H.
Published: October 2018

Red raspberry is one of the many fruit crops reliant on the European honey bee for pollination services. Recent declines among managed honey bee colonies coupled with expanding U.S. acreage have led to a marked increase in the cost of U.S. colony rentals for raspberry. The current stocking density recommendation for raspberry is 2 to 5 colonies/ha. This estimate is based on the assumption that a raspberry flower requires dozens of visits to achieve maximal drupelet set. Recent studies, however, suggest that far fewer visits are required for full drupelet set. Here, drupelet set resulting from bee visitation to a raspberry flower is assessed to determine if two prolonged visits will suffice to maximize drupelet set. For all three red raspberry cultivars examined there was no difference in drupelet set resulting from two visits when compared with openly pollinated flowers, the two visits being the first prolonged visit on each of two consecutive mornings. These findings should help refine honey bee stocking densities to better match the pollination needs of cultivated red raspberries.
Relative Salt Tolerance of 22 Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Cultivars
Authors: Sun Youping , Niu Genhua , Masabni Joseph G. , Ganjegunte Girisha
Published: October 2018

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the relative salt tolerance of pomegranate (Punica granatum) cultivars. Twenty-two pomegranate cultivars were irrigated weekly with a saline solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 10.0 dS·m–1 for 4 weeks and subsequently with a saline solution at an EC of 15.0 dS·m–1 for another 3 weeks (salt treatment). Another group of uniform plants was watered with a nutrient solution without additional salts at an EC of 1.2 dS·m–1 (control). No visual foliar salt damage (leaf burn, necrosis, or discoloration) was observed during the entire experimental period; however, salt treatment impacted pomegranate growth negatively, with a large variation among cultivars. Salt treatment reduced shoot length by 25% and dry weight (DW) by 32% on average for all cultivars. Cluster analysis classified the 22 tested pomegranate cultivars in two groups. The group consisting of ‘Arturo Ivey’, ‘DeAnda’, ‘Kazake’, ‘Russian 8’, ‘Apseronski’, ‘Purple Heart’, ‘Carolina Vernum’, ‘Chiva’, ‘Kunduzski’, ‘Larry Ceballos 1’, ‘ML’, ‘Salavatski’, ‘Spanish Sweet’, and ‘Wonderful’ was more salt tolerant than the group including ‘Al-Sirin-Nar’, ‘Kandahar’, ‘Surh-Anor’, ‘Early Wonderful’, ‘Angel Red’, ‘Ben Ivey’, ‘Utah Sweet’, and ‘Mollar’. The sodium (Na) concentration in the leaf tissue of all 22 pomegranate cultivars was less than 1 mg·g–1 on a DW basis. All pomegranate cultivars in the salt treatment had an average leaf chloride (Cl) content of 10.03 mg·g–1 DW—an increase of 17% from the control. These results indicate that pomegranate plants have a strong capability to exclude Na and Cl accumulation in leaf tissue. In conclusion, the pomegranate plant is very tolerant to saline water irrigation up to an EC of 15 dS·m–1 with little foliar salt damage and a slight growth reduction. Investigation is needed to determine the effects of saline water on the fruit yield and nutritional quality of pomegranate.
Soil Type and Phosphorus Fertilization Affect Poa annua Growth and Seedhead Production
Authors: Guertal E.A. , McElroy J.S.
Published: October 2018

Core Ideas

Excessive P fertilization produced larger Poa annua plants.

Excess P fertilization created Poa annua plants that flowered earlier.

Limiting P fertilization will help to create smaller Poa annua plants.

Annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) is a winter annual weed in southern landscapes. Previous research indicated that soil P or pH affects growth of annual bluegrass, which could provide tools for integrated control of a plant considered a weed in some turfgrass systems. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of P rate and soil type on growth parameters of annual bluegrass. This greenhouse study evaluated rates of P (0, 25, 50, 99, and 197 kg P ha−1) on 3 soil types (silty clay loam, loamy sand, and sand/peat [90:10% v/v] greensmix). Plant height, days to first seedhead (panicle), branches per panicle, seeds per branch, seed number and weight, and shoot and root dry weight data were collected by hand sampling and counting. Annual bluegrass seed was affected by both soil type and rate of P fertilization. Annual bluegrass plants grown in greensmix that received lower or zero P were 25% smaller than fertilized, took a week longer to produce a visible seed head, and had seed of reduced weight. Number of panicles, branches per panicle, seeds per panicle, and seeds per panicle branch were all unaffected by P rate, but often by soil type, where there were fewer of all when grown in greensmix. Avoidance of excessive P fertilization and subsequent accumulation of soil P may be an additional tool for the management and reduction of annual bluegrass.
Neuromuscular diseases with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Cesar Sergi
Published: October 2018

[first paragraph of article]Neuromuscular disorders are frequently associated with cardiac abnormalities, even in pediatric population. Cardiac involvement includes both structural changes and conduction disease. In general, HCM is a rare manifestation of neuromuscular diseases. Autosomal dominant inheritance with mutations in sarcomeric genes are described in about 60% of young adults and adult population with HCM. Other genetic disorders, such as inherited metabolic and neuromuscular diseases and other chromosome abnormalities are responsible of 5–10% of HCM in adults. We review the most frequent neuromuscular diseases related with HCM.
Storage diseases with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype
Authors: Ruiz-Guerrero Luis , Barriales-Villa Roberto
Published: October 2018

Never judge a book by its cover, nor assume hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) as sarcomeric, as appearances can deceive. HCM phenocopies account for a 5–10% of the cases, mainly represented by storage diseases, flagged by the increasing prevalence of senile cardiac amyloid in developing countries. Multisystemic and heterogeneous presentation of these entities is a challenge for clinicians, and time delay in diagnosis is a major concern. Promising drugs and gene-specific tailored therapies are under development, therefore, more than ever, appropriate understanding of these conditions is mandatory for adequate early treatment and counselling.In this review, storage disorders will be classified as extracellular and intracellular deposit storage diseases, focusing our attention on the most prevalent conditions from the cardiologist’s perspective.
Foreword to the Special Issue: HCM in 2018
Authors: Elliott Perry
Published: October 2018

[first paragraph of article]The first description of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can be attributed to any number of great anatomists and physicians working from the 17th century onwards, but the modern era is often said to have begun with Donald Teare’s landmark paper of 1958 that spurred a period of intense clinical investigation that has continued unabated to the present day. The fruits of this collective endeavour include an understanding of the genetic architecture of the disease, an appreciation of its complex pathophysiology, and much progress in clinical management. However, many challenges remain, particularly with respect to disease prevention and the management of progressive heart failure.
Microbiological and physico-chemical properties of packaged, residential treatment device and tap water drinking water and their possible effects on human health
Authors: Aydın Neriman , Tanrıverdi Mustafa , Özçırpıcı Birgül , Cüce Coşkun , Alben Fulya , Erceylan Serap , Taş Medine
Published: October 2018

The objective of this study was to examine the microbiological and physico-chemical properties of different types of drinking water used. The cross-sectional type study was carried out between January 1 and April 30, 2016. The samples acquired for the study from 50 packages, 50 tap water taps, and 50 residential treatment devices were examined both microbiologically and biochemically. The pH values varied between 5.57 and 8.26. pH values of tap and packaged waters were all determined to be proper, and improperly low pH values were determined in 25 of the samples acquired from the residential treatment devices. It was determined that amounts of fluoride, chloride, nitrate, nitrite, arsenic, and ammonium were all acceptable. Fluoride amounts were determined to be high at a statistically significant level in packaged and residential treatment device water (p = 0.000). Escherichia coli was determined in 10% of tap water and 2% of packaged water. Microbiological contaminations of the samples collected after the pump-faucet and water fountain were determined to be greater in comparison with those of samples collected directly from packaged waters. It was determined that the residential treatment process is applied more on drinkable waters. The purification of water causes significant physico-chemical changes.
On the factors influencing public knowledge and acceptance of reclaimed water from a survey of three cities in northern China
Authors: Zhu Zhongfan , Wang Hongrui , Li Aihua
Published: October 2018

In this study, we analysed the survey results regarding the level of public knowledge about, and general attitudes towards, reclaimed water in Jinan, Weifang, and Yantai, three cities in northern China that experience serious water shortages. The objective is to identify the factors influencing public knowledge and acceptance of reclaimed water and determine the hurdles of water reuse applications. The results showed that: (1) educational background was moderately correlated, and age and monthly income were weakly correlated, with the respondents' knowledge about water resources and use; (2) gender, occupation, and economic income were not related to public attitudes toward reclaimed water, and older people and those with higher educational backgrounds were more willing to accept the use of reclaimed water than were other respondents. This study could provide a valuable reference in other regions of China and developing countries facing similar issues of reclaimed water. The knowledge of this study will help to overcome public acceptance hurdles in other projects.
Innovation management in Russia: challenges and prospects
Authors: Barinova N. V.
Published: October 2018

The current stage of economy development is characterized by serious interest in studying economic theory, which includes such lines as study of management in its broad and narrower sense. The article analyzed academic literature on the subject ‘Innovation management’, researched and summed up foreign and Russian experience. The author shows different interpretations of the term ‘innovation’ found in foreign and home academic literature. On the basis of academic sources’ analyzing the author depicts key aspects of the system and functionally- riented approaches. The author puts forward the classification of the principle models of innovation system existing in global economy: models on the basis of innovation and models based on innovation proliferation. Key factors influencing the process of innovation management were identified and problems hindering the development and introduction of innovation in Russia were analyzed. A considerable section of the research deals with models of open and closed innovations, their specific features and practice of their use in Russian business. The author gives practical examples of innovation management from Russian and foreign experience and shows prospects of innovation development in Russia.
The impact of dividend policy on estimating the company value (illustrated by index of industrial and highly technological companies Nasdaq 100)
Authors: Savchenko E. O.
Published: October 2018

The dividend policy is one of the most important factors of investment appeal of securities and therefore, of making a relevant decision about their buying or selling. In case of choosing this strategy it is necessary to understand which factors influence the dividend policy and what impact it exerts on the company value. Studying sources showed that there are two points of view on this problem: that it influences the company value and that it does not. Followers of each of these views provided their arguments. Analysis demonstrated the growth in the number of publications, where on the basis of calculations it was proved that dividend policy does exert impact on the company value. The article by using the method of regressive analysis (simple regression) within the frames of three key approaches to estimation of the company value carries out empiric test of the relation between dividends being paid and the company value. Conclusions drawn by the author show both the fact of such impact and its positive nature and it can confirm conclusions made by F.Fam and K.French, which were published in 1998 about positive correlation between the dividend policy and the company value.
Formal methods of estimating risks in trade
Authors: Fomin G. P.
Published: October 2018

Risks in trade are estimated by absolute or relative level of losses. In absolute terms risk is estimated by the amount of possible loss in material, physical or value (money) term. In relative terms risk can be estimated as an amount of possible loss referred to a certain basis, for example as a property condition of the trade enterprise or total cost of resources on operation or expected profit. In this case the amount of risk is estimated as an occasional deviation of profit or proceeds of sales in direction of drop in comparison with expected values. The article shows specificity of analyzing risks in trade, which is connected with studying losses and revealing damages. The author identifies zones of risks of expected loss values and demonstrates indexes of trade enterprise risks, which should be controlled at all stages of conducting the trade and economic process. By systematizing theoretical and practical material dealing with the said topic an example was provided connected with the use of the totality of formal methods of estimating risks while shaping an optimal product range of goods in the process of distribution of limited funds to make up an order-application for purchasing goods with minimum risk.
Russian credit organizations in the international system of counteracting income legalizing (laundering) and finance terrorism
Authors: Vashchekina I. V.
Published: October 2018

In order to counteract the shadow sector of economy, organized crime and terrorist attacks many countries set up systems of opposing criminal income laundering and terrorism financing, whose primary goal is finance monitoring. The first level of such systems forms associations of international status, the second level is occupied by national systems of CIL/FT, the third level is formed by certain finance and commercial organizations interacting with the first two. The Russian national system of CIL/FT is based on cooperation of Rosfinmonitoring, the Bank of Russia and other organizations, whose list is fixed by Russian legislation. They ensure the compliance of Russian credit organizations functioning with FATF recommendations, Wolfsberg principles and measures aimed at Basel AML-index of Russia. Struggle against laundering is one of the most important objectives of providing competitiveness of all Russian economy, as it fosters creation of positive investment climate, improves the international prestige of the country as a whole and strengthens its political positions.
Molecular Docking: Challenges, Advances and its Use in Drug Discovery Perspective
Authors: Saikia Surovi , Bordoloi Manobjyoti
Published: October 2018

Molecular docking is a process through which small molecules are docked into the macromolecular structures for scoring its complementary values at the binding sites. It is a vibrant research area with dynamic utility in structure-based drug-designing, lead optimization, biochemical pathway and for drug designing being the most attractive tools. Two pillars for a successful docking experiment are correct pose and affinity prediction. Each program has its own advantages and drawbacks with respect to their docking accuracy, ranking accuracy and time consumption so a general conclusion cannot be drawn. Moreover, users don’t always consider sufficient diversity in their test sets which results in certain programs to outperform others. In this review, the prime focus has been laid on the challenges of docking and troubleshooters in existing programs, underlying algorithmic background of docking, preferences regarding the use of docking programs for best results illustrated with examples, comparison of performance for existing tools and algorithms, state of art in docking, recent trends of diseases and current drug industries, evidence from clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance are discussed. These aspects of the molecular drug designing paradigm are quite controversial and challenging and this review would be an asset to the bioinformatics and drug designing communities.
Delivery of Dry Powders to the Lungs: Influence of Particle Attributes from a Biological and Technological Point of View
Authors: Zellnitz Sarah , Roblegg Eva , Pinto Joana , Fröhlich Eleonore
Published: October 2018

Dry powder inhalers are medical devices used to deliver powder formulations of active
pharmaceutical ingredients via oral inhalation to the lungs. Drug particles, from a biological perspective,
should reach the targeted site, dissolve and permeate through the epithelial cell layer in order to
deliver a therapeutic effect. However, drug particle attributes that lead to a biological activity are not
always consistent with the technical requirements necessary for formulation design. For example, small
cohesive drug particles may interact with neighbouring particles, resulting in large aggregates or even
agglomerates that show poor flowability, solubility and permeability. To circumvent these hurdles,
most dry powder inhalers currently on the market are carrier-based formulations. These formulations
comprise drug particles, which are blended with larger carrier particles that need to detach again from
the carrier during inhalation. Apart from blending process parameters, inhaler type used and patient’s
inspiratory force, drug detachment strongly depends on the drug and carrier particle characteristics such
as size, shape, solid-state and morphology as well as their interdependency. This review discusses critical
particle characteristics. We consider size of the drug (1-5 µm in order to reach the lung), solid-state
(crystalline to guarantee stability versus amorphous to improve dissolution), shape (spherical drug particles
to avoid macrophage clearance) and surface morphology of the carrier (regular shaped smooth or
nano-rough carrier surfaces for improved drug detachment.) that need to be considered in dry powder
inhaler development taking into account the lung as biological barrier.
Facile Synthesis of Chitosan Based-(AMPS-co-AA) Semi-IPNs as a Potential Drug Carrier: Enzymatic Degradation, Cytotoxicity, and Preliminary Safety Evaluation
Authors: Ullah Kaleem , Sohail Muhammad , Mannan Abdul , Rashid Haroon , Shah Aamna , Murtaza Ghulam , Khan Shujaat Ali
Published: October 2018

Objective:

The study describes the development of chitosan-based (AMPS-co-AA) semi-IPN
hydrogels using free radical polymerization technique.

Methods:

The resulting hydrogels were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
(FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray diffraction
(XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The successful crosslinking of chitosan, 2-
Acrylamido-2-Methylpropane Sulfonic Acid (AMPS), and Acrylic Acid (AA) was confirmed by FT IR.
Unloaded and drug-loaded hydrogels exhibited higher thermal stability after crosslinking compared to
the individual components. XRD confirmed the decrease in crystallinity after hydrogel formation and
molecular dispersion of Oxaliplatin (OXP) in the polymeric network. SEM showed rough, vague and
nebulous surface resulting from crosslinking and loading of OXP.

Results:

The experimental results revealed that swelling and drug release were influenced by the pH of
the medium being low at acidic pH and higher at basic pH. Increasing the concentration of chitosan and
AA enhanced the swelling, drug loading and drug release while AMPS was found to act inversely.

Conclusion:

It was confirmed that the hydrogels were degraded more by specific enzyme lysozyme as
compared to the non-specific enzyme collagenase. In-vitro cytotoxicity suggested that the unloaded
hydrogels were non-cytotoxic while crude drug and drug-loaded hydrogel exhibited dose-dependent
cytotoxicity against HCT-116 and MCF-7. Results of acute oral toxicity on rabbits demonstrated that
the hydrogels are non-toxic up to 3900 mg/kg after oral administration, as no toxicity or histopathological
changes were observed in comparison to control rabbits. These pH-sensitive hydrogels appear to
provide an ideal basis as a safe carrier for oral drug delivery.
Assessment of Signal Peptides to Optimize Interleukin 2 (IL-2) Folding and Expression
Authors: Nazifi Narges , Tahmoorespur Mojtaba , Sekhavati Mohammad Hadi , Haghparast Alireza , Behroozikhah Mohammad Ali
Published: October 2018

Background:

Using a bacterial expression system such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) is very common for protein expression because of its simplicity, low cost and high efficiency.

Objective:

In order to express proteins that contain di-sulfide bands, an oxidative space such as the periplasmic environment of the bacteria is required. Therefore, a leader sequence which named Signal Peptide (SP) is needed to direct recombinant protein to fold in periplasmic space. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a prominent cytokine which known as growth factor for T-cells and typically produced by a variety of immune cells that stimulate and regulate inflammatory and immune responses.

Methods:

This study was designed to predict the best signal peptides to express IL-2 in E. coli. To predict the best signal peptides for the expression of IL-2 in Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli), forty-five sequences of SPs were extracted from data base. Some most important details such as n, h and c regions of signal peptides and their probability were studied through the signalP software.  Afterwards, physico–chemical features of SPs were analyzed by Portparam and Solpro tools. Finally, secretion-pathway and sub-cellular localization sites were evaluated by PRED-TAT and ProtcompB softwares.

Results:

At the end of the in-silico analyzes, it was determined that ccmH, PelB, traU, yohN, lolA, yhcN are the most reliable SPs, respectively, with highest score and best performing to express the IL-2 protein in E. coli.