bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peran Kepemimpinan Kepala Madrasah dalam Meningkatkan Kualitas Pendidikandi Madrasah Aliyah
Authors: Makhromi Makhromi
Published: January 2019

Penelitian ini dibingkai oleh persoalan kepemimpinan di lembaga pendidikan Islam yang fokusnya berkaitan dengan peran kepemimpinan. Dua pertanyaan pokok yang ingin dijawab dalam penelitian ini adalah peran kepemimpinan apa yang tampak pada perilaku kepala madrasah serta apakah peran kepemimpinan tersebut menjadi unsur yang dapat meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan di madrasah yang bersangkutan. Penulis menetapkan MA Al-Mahrusiyah sebagai lokusnya dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif. Hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa peran kepemimpinan demokratis tampak lebih dominan sebagai kecenderungan perilaku kepala madrasah dan ternyata peran tersebut mampu meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan di Madrasah Aliyah Al Mahrusiyah Lirboyo, Kota Kediri.
Membangun Karakter Anak Yang Islami di Sekolah Dasar
Authors: Yuanita Dianis Izzatul
Published: January 2019

Sekolah Dasar Islam muncul karena adanya ketidakpuasan atau kekecewaan pada masyarakat terhadap sistem pendidikan nasional yang ada di Indonesia. Kebanyakan dari masyarakat sekarang menilai bahwa sekolah dasar islam lebih unggul dibandingkan dengan sekolah dasar lainnya karena Sekolah Dasar Islam merupakan integrasi antara pendidikan yang memadukan kurikulum dari pemerintah dengan pendidikan agama. Kurikulum di Indonesia sekarang terpusat pada pendidikan karakter. Atas keprihatinan pemerintah dengan karakter peserta didik sekarang telah mengindikasikan bahwa kerusakan merupakan faktor utama diadakannya pendidikan karakter Islam. Adanya kurikulum pendidikan karakter di sekolah dasar yang mengintegrasikan pada setiap matapelajaran karena tidak lepas dari permasalahan yang ada. Pada dasarnya pendidikan karakter Islam di sekolah dasar muncul karena diharapkan semua peserta didik akan menjadi manusia yang akhlakul karimah, yang lebih berkarakter, dan mengarahkan peserta didik mempunyai kepribadian sesuai ajaran agama.
Model Komunikasi Islam
Authors: Arifin Bustanul
Published: January 2019

Sebagai ilmu, komunikasi mengalami perkembangan dinamis. Dinamika ilmu komunikasi mengambil bentuk dalam berbagai konteks kehidupan manusia, baik sebagai makhluk individual dan sosial yang melahirkan beberapa tipe klasifikasi komunikasi, antara lain komunikasi intrapersonal, interpersonal, publik, dan massa. Perkembangan ilmu komunikasi terus berlanjut dan berintegrasi dengan keilmuan atau konsep-konsep dalam Islam. Perwujudan integrasi ilmu komunikasi dengan Islam kemudian banyak dikenal dengan istilah komunikasi profetik. Konsep profetik di sini bersifat lentur, lebih substantif, dan menyeluruh yakni tidak hanya bermakna dakwah yang selalu hanya berdimensi teologis, tapi juga membangun dimensi sosiologis manusia, yaitu untuk mengangkat derajat kemanusiaan (memanusiakan manusia), membebaskan manusia dan membawa manusia beriman kepada Tuhan. Berarti, profetik dalam konteks komunikasi di sini dimaksudkan untuk mengambil makna sosial kenabian dalam kehidupan saat ini.
Tanin Sebagai Inhibitor Korosi Artefak Besi Cagar Budaya
Authors: Swastikawati,dkk Ari
Published: January 2019

Stabilisasi adalah proses untuk menstabilkan artefak besi yang bertujuan untuk mencegah korosi lanjutan.Proses tersebut dilakukan dengan mengaplikasikan larutan inhibitor. Inhibitor korosi yang sering digunakan dalamproses stabilisasi artefak besi adalah tanin. Tanin merupakan senyawa kimia yang banyak ditemukan pada tanaman.Indonesia memiliki kekayaan alam yang berlimpah salah satunya adalah tanaman yang menghasilkan zat taninantara lain: teh, daun jambu biji, daun gambir, daun kopi, salak dan sebagainya. Sehingga Indonesia memilikipotensi yang besar untuk mengembangkan tanaman tersebut sebagai inhibitor korosi artefak besi. Kajian Taninsebagai Inhibitor Korosi Artefak Besi Cagar Budaya bertujuan untuk mengetahui metode aplikasi tanin yang tepatpada artefak besi dan menentukan lingkungan yang sesuai untuk artefak besi yang telah dikonservasi dengan tanin.Metode penelitian yang dilaksanakan dalam kajian ini meliputi studi referensi, observasi dan eksperimen dilaboratorium. Eksperimen yang dilakukan meliputi ektraksi teh dari Nglinggo, pengukuran kadar tanin dalamekstrak teh, dan dilanjutkan dengan uji metode aplikasi tanin dengan berbagai perlakuan. Perlakuan tanin sintetikdibandingkan dengan ekstrak teh. Perlakuan penambahan asam fosfat, dan perlakuan pelapisan dengan paraloidpada sampel besi yang telah diberi tanin. Serta perlakuan pengaruh lingkungan (suhu dan kelembaban) denganmenempatkan sampel besi yang telah diberi tanin di luar ruangan, dalam ruang tanpa AC, dan dalam ruang ber-AC.Hasil penelitian menunjukan kandungan ekstrak daun teh tua asal Nglinggo 12,11% dan kandungan ekstrakdaun teh mudanya 12,61%. Kandungan tanin dalam daun teh tua asal Nglinggo 1,78% dan kandungan tannin dalamdaun teh mudanya 2,69%. Tanin dari ekstrak teh dapat menghambat korosi pada artefak besi namun kemampuannyamasih di bawah tanin sintetik. Dalam aplikasi larutan ekstrak untuk stabilisasi besi perlu penambahan asam fosfatuntuk mencapai pH optimum. Pelapisan paraloid dibutuhkan jika lapisan tanin besi yang terbentuk tipis. Jika taninyang terbentuk sudah tebal maka tidak diperlukan lapisan pelindung tambahan. Pelapisan diperlukan pada artefakyang distabilkan dengan ekstrak teh. Lamanya perlindungan kompleks besi-tanin terhadap artefak besi sangatdipengaruhi oleh kondisi lingkungan. Besi yang telah distabilkan dengan tanin dan dilapisi akan lebih terawetkanjika berada pada lingkungan yang stabil dengan kelembaban udara di bawah 50% jika masih mengandung klor dandi bawah 65% jika sudah tidak mengandung klor.
Indonesian Essential As Biocidesin Traditional-Based Artefact Consertvationstudy : A mini Review1
Authors: Cahyandaru,dkk Nahar
Published: January 2019

Banyak minyak atsiri memiliki aktivitas biosida, seperti antijamur, antibakteri, dan insektisida. Aktivitasbiosida tersebut tergantung pada senyawa aktif dalam minyak dan spesies mikrobanya. Penelitian tentang penerapanminyak atsiri sebagai biosida banyak dikembangkan di berbagai bidang. Praktik kehidupan tradisional untukpengawetan bahan menggunakan produk alami yang mengandung minyal atsiri di temukan di banyak wilayahdi Indonesia. Di Jawa, larasetu (dikenal sebagai akar wangi) dimasukkan ke dalam lemari kain untuk melindungikain dari serangga dan jamur. Ekstrak cengkeh (yang dicampur dengan tembakau) biasa digunkan sebagai larutanpembersih dan pelindung untuk rumah kayu tradisional di Jawa Tengah bagian utara. Masih banyak contoh laindari penggunaan produk tradisional untuk memelihara peralatan sehari-hari. Tujuan dari artikel ini adalah untukmenggali potensi minyak atsiri Indonesia sebagai bahan konservan yang unggul.Minyak atsiri dari bahan alami memiliki prospek yang baik untuk dikembangkan sebagai bahan pelestarianartefak, walaupun masih dibutuhkan penelitian yang intensif. Hasil dari beberapa penelitian yang dilakukan diLaboratorium Balai Konservasi Borobudur menunjukkan prospek yang menjanjikan. Minyak daun cengkeh secarailmiah terbukti sebagai antijamur dan antirayap pada konsevasi artefak kayu (Cahyandaru, 2010). Minyak lada danminyak sereh juga efektif untuk konservasi artefak kayu, dimana sifat antijamur dan antirayapnya telah terbuktisecara ilmiah (Haldoko, 2014). Minyak atsiri sereh (Cymbopogon nardus L)memilikiaktitaspositifuntukmematikanjamur yang tumbuh pada batu andesit (Riyanto et al., 2016). Penelitian lain masih berlangsung untuk antijamurkerak (lichene) menggunakan minyak cengkeh, minyak pala, dan minyak kunyit.
STUDI POTENSI ANCAMAN PADA SITUS BENTENG GUNUNG BIRAM, ACEH BESAR, PROVINSI ACEH
Authors: Ajis Ambo Asse
Published: January 2019

Situs Benteng Gunung Biram terletak di Desa Lamtemot, Kecamatan Lembah Seulawah, KabupatenAceh Besar di Provinsi Aceh merupakan salah satu situs perbentengan yang dipelihara Unit Pelaksana Teknis(UPT) Balai Pelestarian Cagar Budaya Aceh.Keunikan situs ini terletak pada design arsitekturnya yang murnilocal genius, seperti: tidak memiliki bastion, menggunakan perekat lokal, adaptif dengan lingkungan dan fungsiyang berkelanjutan dari zaman ke zaman. Sebagai sebuah cagar budaya (CB) yang berusia lebih dari 400 Tahun,permasalahan utama yang dihadapi situs ini adalah kecenderungan ancaman terhadap kualitas fisiknyasemakinmenguat. Hasil dari studi lapangan memperlihatkanada 3 (tiga) sumber ancaman yang sementara ini ditemukan,yaitu: ancaman kebencanaan, ancaman internal dan eksternal yang secara berkelanjutan memproses pelemahanstrukturbenteng dari waktu ke waktu.
Kajian Pengaruh Intensitas Suara Terhadap Bangunan Cagar Budaya Berbahan Batu Tahap I
Authors: Adhidhuto,dkk Linus Setyo
Published: January 2019

Kegiatan konser musik atau acara lainnya yang menggunakan sound system besar sering dilaksanakandi Candi Borobudur, Candi Prambanan serta candi-candi lainnya. Hal ini menimbulkan kekhawatiran di kalanganpelestari cagar budaya akan dampak buruk suara keras yang dihasilkan oleh speaker terhadap cagar budaya. Untukmengetahui dampak tersebut perlu dilakukan pengukuran getaran yang timbul pada candi pada saat berlangsungkonser atau acara-acara lainnya yang menggunakan sound system besar. Salah satu faktor yang menentukanbesarnya getaran yang timbul akibat sumber getaran secara umum adalah redaman dan frekuensi natural. Bilasumber getaran semakin mendekati frekuensi natural candi maka resonansi getaran akan semakin besar. Untukdapat membuktikan hal tersebut maka dilakukan percobaan getaran dalam skala laboratorium dengan sumbergetaran, dalam hal ini berupa suara, dengan variasi frekuensi yang mendekati dan sama dengan frekuensi naturalsampel. Setelah dilakukan pengambilan data di lapangan ternyata getaran yang timbul sangat kecil. Pengukurandata getaran pada saat konser berlangsung sepanjang tahun 2017 menunjukkan getaran yang timbul mencapaikecepatan maksimal 0,085 mm/s, sekitar 4,25 % dari batas ambang yang dikeluarkan oleh Kementerian LingkunganHidup yaitu sebesar 2mm/s. Getaran yang kecil ini tidak dapat dijadikan acuan dalam menetapkan batas ambangkebisingan atau tingkat intensitas suara pada cagar budaya sehingga hasil dari kajian ini hanya bisa menetapkanbatas ambang berdasarkan frekuensi yang diperbolehkan
An Expectation–Maximization-Based IVA Algorithm for Speech Source Separation Using Student’s t Mixture Model Based Source Priors
Authors: Rafique Waqas , Chambers Jonathon , Sunny Ali
Published: January 2019

The performance of the independent vector analysis (IVA) algorithm depends on the choice of the source prior to better model the speech signals as it employs a multivariate source prior to retain the dependency between frequency bins of each source. Identical source priors are frequently used for the IVA methods; however, different speech sources will generally have different statistical properties. In this work, instead of identical source priors, a novel Student’s t mixture model based source prior is introduced for the IVA algorithm that can adapt to the statistical properties of different speech sources and thereby enhance the separation performance of the IVA algorithm. The unknown parameters of the source prior and unmixing matrices are estimated together by deriving an efficient expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. Useful improvement in the separation performance in different realistic scenarios is confirmed by experimental studies on real datasets.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Antibiotics in 2018
Authors:   Antibiotics Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Life Cycle Analysis of Ecological Impacts of an Offshore and a Land-Based Wind Power Plant
Authors: Piasecka Izabela , Tomporowski Andrzej , Flizikowski Józef , Kruszelnicka Weronika , Kasner Robert , Mroziński Adam
Published: January 2019

This study deals with the problems connected with the benefits and costs of an offshore wind power plant in terms of ecology. Development prospects of offshore and land-based wind energy production are described. Selected aspects involved in the design, construction, and operation of offshore wind power plant construction and operation are presented. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the environmental impact of offshore and land-based wind power plants. Life cycle assessment analysis of 2-MW offshore and land wind power plants was made with the use of Eco-indicator 99 modeling. The results were compared in four areas of impact in order to obtain values of indexes for nonergonomic (impact on/by operator), nonfunctional (of/on the product), nonecological (on/by living objects), and nonsozological impacts (on/by manmade objects), reflecting the extent of threat to human health, the environment, and natural resources. The processes involved in extraction of fossil fuels were found to produce harmful emissions which in turn lead to respiratory system diseases being, thus, extremely dangerous for the natural environment. For all the studied areas, the impact on the environment was found to be higher for land-based wind power plants than for an offshore wind farm.
Quadratic Electro-Optic Effect in Metal Nanoparticles in a Transparent Dielectric Medium
Authors: Thakur Mrinal , Van Cleave Justin
Published: January 2019

The quadratic electro-optic effect/Kerr coefficients were measured for the first time for metal nanoparticles. In particular, gold nanoparticles in glass were studied. Measurements were made using the field-induced birefringence method at a wavelength near the onset of the surface plasmon resonance. The magnitudes of the Kerr coefficients for different sizes of gold nanoparticles in glass were measured and compared with that of subnanometer size metallic particles in non-conjugated conductive polymers. The magnitude of the Kerr coefficient was found to increase rapidly (about d−3) when the diameter, d, of the nanoparticles was decreased. This is consistent with the existing theories and understanding of nonlinear optics in metal nanoparticles. The results imply a broad range of new applications of metal nanoparticles in electro-optic switching/modulation, low-cost Kerr cells and other uses in optoelectronics.
Sustainability Evaluation of Product Packaging System with a Three-Stage Network Data Envelopment Analysis Methodology
Authors: Xie Yong , Gao Yafang , Zhang Shihao , Bai Hailong , Liu Zhenghao
Published: January 2019

This study presents a method that is based on the three-stage network Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to evaluate the sustainability of packaging systems for a product. This method facilitates the selection of better product packaging alternatives from an environmentally friendly point of view and it comprises the following four steps: (i) the definition of packaging sustainability indicator (PSI) based on environmental efficiency and impact indicator of three-stage in packaging life cycle, (ii) modeling a three-stage Network DEA model for a packaging system, (iii) computing PSI based on the DEA model, and (iv) result analysis. An empirical test has been progressed to prove the feasibility of the proposed method by selecting the three types of milk packaging systems. The results indicated that the PSI value of PrePack is the maximum and the Tetra Pak minimum. According to these results, the study provides an environmentally friendly evaluation method for product packaging systems, which is more intuitive than Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
Selected Aspects of Biofuels Market and the Electromobility Development in Poland: Current Trends and Forecasting Changes
Authors: Kupczyk Adam , Mączyńska Joanna , Redlarski Grzegorz , Tucki Karol , Bączyk Anna , Rutkowski Dominik
Published: January 2019

This work presents basic information associated with markets of selected alternative fuels used in transport, such as methyl esters, conventional bioethanol and lignocellulosic bioethanol, and the market of electrical vehicles. Legal conditions, which stimulate development and regulate the mode of functioning of the liquid biofuel market until 2020 are discussed, based on provisions of EU directives. Data on biofuel production in Poland are presented, as well as biofuel consumption in the EU, the USA and Brazil in 2017. The most important conclusions of the proposal for a directive on the promotion of renewable energy sources in transport in EU member states in years 2021–2030 are discussed. The authors have also indicated the key legal and territorial conditions associated with the development of electromobility and present basic information on electric vehicles in Poland and Europe. The results of the research on the attractiveness of these sectors in 2018 are presented and compared with the results obtained in years 2007–2017. A score-based sector attractiveness method was used in the research.
A Coherent Performance for Noncoherent Wireless Systems Using AdaBoost Technique
Authors: Gamal Heba , Ismail Nour Eldin , Rizk M. R. M. , Khedr Mohamed E. , Aly Moustafa H.
Published: January 2019

Boosting is a machine learning approach built upon the idea of producing a highly precise prediction rule by combining many relatively weak and imprecise rules. The Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost) algorithm was the first practical boosting algorithm. It remains one of the most broadly used and studied, with applications in many fields. In this paper, the AdaBoost algorithm is utilized to improve the bit error rate (BER) of different modulation techniques. By feeding the noisy received signal into the AdaBoost algorithm, it is able to recover the transmitted data from the noisy signal. Consequently, it reconstructs the constellation diagram of the modulation technique. This is done by removing the noise that affects and changes the signal space of the data. As a result, AdaBoost shows an improvement in the BER of coherently detected binary phase shift keying (BPSK) and quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK). The AdaBoost is next used to improve the BER of the noncoherent detection of the used modulation techniques. The improvement appears in the form of better results of the noncoherent simulated BER in comparison to that of the theoretical noncoherent BER. Therefore, the AdaBoost algorithm is able to achieve a coherent performance for the noncoherent system. The AdaBoost is simulated for several techniques in additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and Rayleigh fading channels so, as to verify the improving effect of the AdaBoost algorithm.
The Next Generation Cognitive Security Operations Center: Adaptive Analytic Lambda Architecture for Efficient Defense against Adversarial Attacks
Authors: Demertzis Konstantinos , Tziritas Nikos , Kikiras Panayiotis , Sanchez Salvador Llopis , Iliadis Lazaros
Published: January 2019

A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a central technical level unit responsible for monitoring, analyzing, assessing, and defending an organization’s security posture on an ongoing basis. The SOC staff works closely with incident response teams, security analysts, network engineers and organization managers using sophisticated data processing technologies such as security analytics, threat intelligence, and asset criticality to ensure security issues are detected, analyzed and finally addressed quickly. Those techniques are part of a reactive security strategy because they rely on the human factor, experience and the judgment of security experts, using supplementary technology to evaluate the risk impact and minimize the attack surface. This study suggests an active security strategy that adopts a vigorous method including ingenuity, data analysis, processing and decision-making support to face various cyber hazards. Specifically, the paper introduces a novel intelligence driven cognitive computing SOC that is based exclusively on progressive fully automatic procedures. The proposed λ-Architecture Network Flow Forensics Framework (λ-ΝF3) is an efficient cybersecurity defense framework against adversarial attacks. It implements the Lambda machine learning architecture that can analyze a mixture of batch and streaming data, using two accurate novel computational intelligence algorithms. Specifically, it uses an Extreme Learning Machine neural network with Gaussian Radial Basis Function kernel (ELM/GRBFk) for the batch data analysis and a Self-Adjusting Memory k-Nearest Neighbors classifier (SAM/k-NN) to examine patterns from real-time streams. It is a forensics tool for big data that can enhance the automate defense strategies of SOCs to effectively respond to the threats their environments face.
Fortification of Ground Roasted Coffees with Iron, Zinc, and Calcium Salts: Evaluation of Minerals Recovery in Filtered and Espresso Brews
Authors: Soares Angela , Barros Nathalia M. , D Saint’Pierre Tatiana , De P. Lima Juliana , Calado Verônica , Donangelo Carmen. M , Farah Adriana
Published: January 2019

Micronutrient deficiencies are of great public health and socioeconomic importance. Food fortification has been widely used as a simple low-cost resource to increase mineral intake. Considering that coffee is the most consumed food product worldwide, in this study, C. arabica and C. canephora seeds were roasted, ground, and fortified with three salts of iron, zinc, and calcium as part of the selection of appropriate mineral vehicles for fortification. After ranking the performance through a test by a trained tasters’ panel, only two salts for each mineral remained. Mineral recoveries were evaluated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) in filtered (paper and nylon filters) and espresso brews. The best mean recoveries for each mineral in espresso brew prepared from fortified coffees were: 80.8% of iron as ferrous bisglycinate chelate, 75.4% of zinc as zinc lactate, and 72.1% of calcium as calcium lactate. These better ranked salts by the tasters’ panel. In filtered brews, mean recovery values of 51.1%, 47.6%, and 51.6% were obtained for the same mineral salts, respectively. No difference or very small differences were observed between species and types of filter. The results implications are discussed.
Improving Fermentation Rate during Use of Corn Grits in Beverage Alcohol Production
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Hager Anna-Sophie , Sun Alberto , Debyser Winok , Javier Guagliano Bruno , Singh Vijay
Published: January 2019

Corn grits are commonly used adjuncts in the brewing industry in the United States, especially for lager beers. The major challenge of using a high amount of adjuncts in the brewing process is reduced levels of nutrients available to yeast during fermentation, which negatively affects the growth and functioning of yeast, and results in sluggish fermentation. The problem is usually addressed by adding external nutrition. The objective of this work was to assess the suitability of corn components other than brewer’s grits to improve the fermentation rates. Water obtained after soaking of corn germ, a vital source of lipids and soluble proteins, was investigated as a source of nutrient during brewing of 40:60 (w/w) corn grits and malt mixture. Performance of water-soluble nutrients from germ of two corn verities, yellow dent corn and flint corn, was investigated. Germ soak water was added during corn grits slurry formation before mashing. The addition of germ water increased the free amino nitrogen levels by 37% and Zn concentrations by 3.6 times in the wort, which resulted in up to a 28% higher fermentation rate (between 48 to 72 h of fermentation) and shortened the fermentation time from 120 to 96 h. The use of water obtained from the soaking of flint corn germ resulted in a similar shortening of fermentation time. In another approach, nutrient-rich concentrated germ soak water was directly added into the wort, which also resulted in similar improvements in the fermentation rate as those from adding germ soak water during slurry formation. Due to leaching of micronutrients and soluble proteins, the oil concentrations in the germ increased by more than 30%, enhancing its economic value.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Biosensors in 2018
Authors:   Biosensors Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Behavioral Sciences in 2018
Authors:   Behavioral Sciences Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Targeted Delivery to Tumors: Multidirectional Strategies to Improve Treatment Efficiency
Authors: Kutova Olga M. , Guryev Evgenii L. , Sokolova Evgeniya A. , Alzeibak Razan , Balalaeva Irina V.
Published: January 2019

Malignant tumors are characterized by structural and molecular peculiarities providing a possibility to directionally deliver antitumor drugs with minimal impact on healthy tissues and reduced side effects. Newly formed blood vessels in malignant lesions exhibit chaotic growth, disordered structure, irregular shape and diameter, protrusions, and blind ends, resulting in immature vasculature; the newly formed lymphatic vessels also have aberrant structure. Structural features of the tumor vasculature determine relatively easy penetration of large molecules as well as nanometer-sized particles through a blood–tissue barrier and their accumulation in a tumor tissue. Also, malignant cells have altered molecular profile due to significant changes in tumor cell metabolism at every level from the genome to metabolome. Recently, the tumor interaction with cells of immune system becomes the focus of particular attention, that among others findings resulted in extensive study of cells with preferential tropism to tumor. In this review we summarize the information on the diversity of currently existing approaches to targeted drug delivery to tumor, including (i) passive targeting based on the specific features of tumor vasculature, (ii) active targeting which implies a specific binding of the antitumor agent with its molecular target, and (iii) cell-mediated tumor targeting.
RCBTB1 Deletion Is Associated with Metastatic Outcome and Contributes to Docetaxel Resistance in Nontranslocation-Related Pleomorphic Sarcomas
Authors: Mauduit Olivier , Brulard Céline , Lesluyes Tom , Delcroix Vanessa , Pérot Gaëlle , Choublier Nina , Michaud Mickael , Baud Jessica , Lagarde Pauline , Aurias Alain , Coindre Jean-Michel , Lartigue Lydia , Blay Jean-Yves , Chibon Frédéric
Published: January 2019

Half of soft-tissue sarcomas are tumors with complex genomics, which display no specific genetic alterations and respond poorly to treatment. It is therefore necessary to find new therapeutic targets for these sarcomas. Despite genetic heterogeneity across samples, oncogenesis may be driven by common pathway alterations. Therefore, genomic and transcriptomic profiles of 106 sarcomas with complex genomics were analyzed to identify common pathways with altered genes. This brought out a gene belonging to the “cell cycle” biological pathway, RCBTB1 (RCC1 And BTB Domain Containing Protein 1), which is lost and downregulated in 62.5% of metastatic tumors against 34% of non-metastatic tumors. A retrospective study of three sarcoma cohorts revealed that low RCBTB1 expression is prognostic for metastatic progression, specifically in patients that received chemotherapy. In vitro and in vivo, RCBTB1 overexpression in leiomyosarcoma cells specifically sensitized to docetaxel-induced apoptosis. This was associated with increased mitotic rate in vitro and higher growth rate of xenografts. By contrast, RCBTB1 inhibition decreased cell proliferation and protected sarcoma cells from apoptosis induced by docetaxel. Collectively, these data evidenced that RCBTB1 is frequently deleted in sarcomas with complex genomics and that its downregulation is associated with a higher risk of developing metastasis for patients receiving chemotherapy, likely due to their higher resistance to docetaxel.
The Roles of Ubiquitin-Binding Protein Shuttles in the Degradative Fate of Ubiquitinated Proteins in the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and Autophagy
Authors: Zientara-Rytter Katarzyna , Subramani Suresh
Published: January 2019

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy are the two major intracellular protein quality control (PQC) pathways that are responsible for cellular proteostasis (homeostasis of the proteome) by ensuring the timely degradation of misfolded, damaged, and unwanted proteins. Ubiquitination serves as the degradation signal in both these systems, but substrates are precisely targeted to one or the other pathway. Determining how and when cells target specific proteins to these two alternative PQC pathways and control the crosstalk between them are topics of considerable interest. The ubiquitin (Ub) recognition code based on the type of Ub-linked chains on substrate proteins was believed to play a pivotal role in this process, but an increasing body of evidence indicates that the PQC pathway choice is also made based on other criteria. These include the oligomeric state of the Ub-binding protein shuttles, their conformation, protein modifications, and the presence of motifs that interact with ATG8/LC3/GABARAP (autophagy-related protein 8/microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3/GABA type A receptor-associated protein) protein family members. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the Ub recognition code that is bound by Ub-binding proteasomal and autophagic receptors. We also discuss how cells can modify substrate fate by modulating the structure, conformation, and physical properties of these receptors to affect their shuttling between both degradation pathways.
An Efficient Computational Scheme for Two-Phase Steam Condensation in the Presence of CO2 for Wellbore and Long-Distance Flow
Authors: Islam Akand , Sun Alexander , Sepehrnoori Kamy
Published: January 2019

Here we present an efficient and robust calculation scheme for two-phase, one-dimensional (1D) steady state steam condensation in the presence of CO2, based on conservation rules and thermodynamic phase relations. The mixing of fluids and phases is assumed to be homogeneous. Heat transfer is considered between the fluids and the ambient formations. For convenience, state equations are presented in terms of the entropy changes of individual phases, and the simple additive rule for the mixture. To monitor phase changes, the phase rule is checked. This investigation has practical significance for steam injection operation and long-distance pipe flow applications in the geothermal and mid- and up-stream oil and gas industries.
Non-High-Risk Neuroblastoma: Classification and Achievements in Therapy
Authors: Meany Holly J.
Published: January 2019

Neuroblastoma, a tumor of the sympathetic nervous system, is the most common extra-cranial neoplasm of childhood. Variables with prognostic significance in patients with neuroblastoma, including age at diagnosis, disease stage, tumor histology, MYCN gene amplification, tumor cell ploidy, and the presence of segmental chromosomal aberrations are utilized to classify patients based on risk of disease recurrence. Patients with non-high-risk neuroblastoma, low- and intermediate-risk categories, represent nearly half of all newly diagnosed cases. This group has an excellent event-free and overall survival with current therapy. Over time, the objective in treatment of non-high-risk neuroblastoma has been reduction of therapy intensity to minimize short- and long-term adverse events all the while maintaining excellent outcomes.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Children in 2018
Authors:   Children Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Peer review is an essential part in the publication process, ensuring that Children maintains high quality standards for its published papers [...]
Properties of Post-Consumer Polyethylene Terephthalate Coating Mechanically Deposited on Mild Steels
Authors: Silva Elisângela , Fedel Michele , Deflorian Flavio , Cotting Fernando , Lins Vanessa
Published: January 2019

An anticorrosive coating of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was applied on carbon steel by using an industrial press. The PET layer showed a good adhesion on the substrate, evaluated by using a pull off test, when compared with the traditional organic coatings. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that the PET layer was uniform, homogeneous, and free of cracks or defects. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) proved that the PET properties were not affected by the deposition process. The PET organic coating is a promising coating, due to its corrosion resistance evaluated by using salt spray tests, even though the applied thickness of 65 µm was considered thin for a high-performance coating. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the PET coating has a capacitive effect and its electrochemical behavior was not affected as the exposure time increased, resulting in an impedance modulus value of 1010 Ω·cm2, after 576 h of immersion in an aqueous solution of NaCl 3.0 wt %.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Colloids and Interfaces in 2018
Authors:   Colloids and Interfaces Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Membrane Filtration of Anionic Surfactant Stabilized Emulsions: Effect of Ionic Strength on Fouling and Droplet Adhesion
Authors: Dickhout Janneke M. , Lammertink Rob G. H. , de Vos Wiebe M.
Published: January 2019

Membranes hold great potential to be used for the successful treatment of oily waste water, but membrane fouling leads to substantial decreases in performance. Here we study the impact of ionic strength on membrane fouling from an emulsion stabilized by the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS). For this we use a unique combinatorial approach where droplet adhesion to a cellulose surface in a flow cell is compared to membrane fouling (flux decline) on a cellulose membrane. In the initial membrane fouling stages droplet adhesion dominates. While the flow cell demonstrates a high number of droplets adhering especially at high ionic strengths (100 mM NaCl), the strongest flux decline is observed at intermediate (10 mM NaCl) ionic strength. This suggests that the fouling mechanism must be different, with pore blocking expecting to dominate at intermediate ionic strength. At the later fouling stages the porosity of the cake layer plays a key role in the flux reduction. At low ionic strength, oil droplets repel each other strongly and an open, more permeable, cake layer is formed. However at higher ionic strength, a screening of charge interactions leads to a lower porosity and thereby a lower flux. This leads to a clear trend: with a higher ionic strength a higher flux decline is observed. Flux recovery is high at all ionic strengths, in line with the observation in the flow cell that oil droplets can easily be sheared of a cellulose surface at all ionic strengths. This work thus highlights the critical effect of the ionic strength on membrane fouling by anionically stabilized emulsions. Moreover it shows how the use of an optical flow cell can provide key insights to help explain observations in more standard membrane fouling experiments.
Bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium Salts of Dioxothiadiazole Radical Anions: Preparation, Crystal Structures, and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Pakulski Paweł , Arczyński Mirosław , Pinkowicz Dawid
Published: January 2019

Phenanthroline dioxothiadiazoles are redox active molecules that form stable radical anions suitable for the construction of supramolecular magnetic materials. Herein, the preparation, structures and magnetic properties of bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium (PPN) salts of [1,2,5]thiadiazole[3,4-f][1,10]phenanthroline 1,1-dioxide (L), [1,2,5]thiadiazole[3,4-f][4,7]phenanthroline 1,1-dioxide (4,7-L), 5-bromo-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-f][1,10]phenanthroline 2,2-dioxide (BrL), and 5,10-dibromo-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-f][1,10]phenanthroline 2,2-dioxide (diBrL) are reported. The preparation of new bromo derivatives of the L: 5-bromo-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-f][1,10]phenanthroline 2,2-dioxide (BrL) and 5,10-dibromo-[1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-f][1,10]phenanthroline 2,2-dioxide (diBrL)—suitable starting materials for further derivatization—are described starting from a commercially available and cheap 1,10-phenanthroline. All PPN salts show antiferromagnetic interactions between the pairs of radical anions, which in the case of PPN(diBrL) are very strong (−116 cm−1; using Ĥ = −2JSS type of exchange coupling Hamiltonian) due to a different crystal packing of the anion radicals as compared to PPN(L), PPN(4,7-L), and PPN(BrL).
Single Crystal Diamond Deposited by Dual Radio-Frequency Plasma Jet CVD with High Growth Rate
Authors: Liu Hao , Li Jia-jun , Li Zhen-rui , Xu Kai , Chen Zheng-jia , Chen Guang-chao
Published: January 2019

Single crystal diamonds were deposited on high pressure high temperature (HPHT) substrate with high growth rate, up to 18.5 μm/h, by using dual radio-frequency inductive coupled plasma jet. The methane flux was found to influence the growth rate of single crystal diamond. The reason for this might be ascribed to the electron temperature increase, raising the flux of methane, based on the plasma diagnosis results by optical emission spectra (OES). The results of Raman spectroscopy and the X-ray rocking-curve indicated that as-deposited diamonds are of good quality.
On Plowing Frictional Behavior during Scratch Testing: A Comparison between Experimental and Theoretical/Numerical Results
Authors: Larsson Per-Lennart
Published: January 2019

Scratch testing is a contact mechanics based nondestructive testing method that, if correctly evaluated, can give a lot of information about the material and tribological behavior of a material. In contrast to the situation with another contact-based method, indentation testing, wear characteristics can also be investigated, for example. In order to get results of practical importance from a scratch test, it is necessary to have evaluation formulae available. Indeed, such formulae exist for scratch testing but can be substantially influenced by frictional effects. For this reason, closed-form analytical relations have been suggested for the purpose of accounting for such effects during scratching and in particular the plowing frictional effect. As a major benefit, these relations can also be of assistance during material characterization through scratch testing. However, the proposed existing relations are based solely on theoretical/numerical analyses and, remembering that the scratch test of course is an experimental approach, verification by experiments is a necessity. Such a task is performed in the present study and it is shown that, based on standard contact global properties, the relations are accurate for most polymeric materials but could also be used for some metallic ones.
A Guide to Using Compound-Specific Stable Isotope Analysis to Study the Fates of Molecules in Organisms and Ecosystems
Authors: Whiteman John P. , Elliott Smith Emma A. , Besser Alexi C. , Newsome Seth D.
Published: January 2019

The measurement of stable isotopes in ‘bulk’ animal and plant tissues (e.g., muscle or leaf) has become an important tool for studies of functional diversity from organismal to continental scales. In consumers, isotope values reflect their diet, trophic position, physiological state, and geographic location. However, interpretation of bulk tissue isotope values can be confounded by variation in primary producer baseline values and by overlapping values among potential food items. To resolve these issues, biologists increasingly use compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA), in which the isotope values of monomers that constitute a macromolecule (e.g., amino acids in protein) are measured. In this review, we provide the theoretical underpinnings for CSIA, summarize its methodology and recent applications, and identify future research directions. The key principle is that some monomers are reliably routed directly from the diet into animal tissue, whereas others are biochemically transformed during assimilation. As a result, CSIA of consumer tissue simultaneously provides information about an animal’s nutrient sources (e.g., food items or contributions from gut microbes) and its physiology (e.g., nitrogen excretion mode). In combination, these data clarify many of the confounding issues in bulk analysis and enable novel precision for tracing nutrient and energy flow within and among organisms and ecosystems.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Data in 2018
Authors:   Data Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Prevalence, Wellbeing, and Symptoms of Dysmenorrhea among University Nursing Students in Greece
Authors: Vlachou Eugenia , Owens Dimitra Anna , Lavdaniti Maria , Kalemikerakis John , Evagelou Eleni , Margari Nikoletta , Fasoi Georgia , Evangelidou Eftychia , Govina Ourania , Tsartsalis Athanasios N.
Published: January 2019

Dysmenorrhea (pain during menstruation) is one of the most common medical conditions among women of reproductive age. Dysmenorrhea has been studied around the world but not yet in Greece. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and impact of dysmenorrhea on the wellbeing (exercising, and social and academic functioning) among nursing students in Greece. A cross-sectional study of 637 nursing students was conducted by administering a questionnaire at a university in Athens. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 89.2% and the rate of severe intensity was 52.5%. Factors that were associated with severe dysmenorrhea were family history (p = 0.02), early menarche (p = 0.05) and menstruation duration (p = 0.05). Women with moderate and severe pain reported using pain relievers (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), paracetamol etc., p < 0.0005). Finally, activities affected by severe pain were class attendance (p = 0.01), personal studying (p < 0.0005), exercising (p < 0.0005), and socializing (p < 0.0005). Exam attendance (p = 0.27) and clinical placement attendance (p = 0.48) were not affected by severe dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea has a high prevalence among nursing students and seems to affect important aspects of wellbeing and academic performance when the pain intensity is severe. The present findings lay the foundation for further investigation of dysmenorrhea both in the Greek population and cross-culturally.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Drones in 2018
Authors:   Drones Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Identifying Species and Monitoring Understorey from UAS-Derived Data: A Literature Review and Future Directions
Authors: Hernandez-Santin Lorna , Rudge Mitchel L. , Bartolo Renee E. , Erskine Peter D.
Published: January 2019

Understorey vegetation plays an important role in many ecosystems, yet identifying and monitoring understorey vegetation through remote sensing has proved a challenge for researchers and land managers because understorey plants tend to be small, spatially and spectrally similar, and are often blocked by the overstorey. The emergence of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) is revolutionising how vegetation is measured, and may allow us to measure understorey species where traditional remote sensing previously could not. The goal of this paper was to review current literature and assess the current capability of UAS to identify and monitor understorey vegetation. From the literature, we focused on the technical attributes that limit the ability to monitor understorey vegetation—specifically (1) spatial resolution, (2) spectral sensitivity, (3) spatial extent, and (4) temporal frequency at which a sensor acquires data. We found that UAS have provided improved levels of spatial resolution, with authors reporting successful classifications of understorey vegetation at resolutions of between 3 mm and 200 mm. Species discrimination can be achieved by targeting flights to correspond with phenological events to allow the detection of species-specific differences. We provide recommendations as to how UAS attributes can be tailored to help identify and monitor understorey species.
Drones for Conservation in Protected Areas: Present and Future
Authors: Jiménez López Jesús , Mulero-Pázmány Margarita
Published: January 2019

Park managers call for cost-effective and innovative solutions to handle a wide variety of environmental problems that threaten biodiversity in protected areas. Recently, drones have been called upon to revolutionize conservation and hold great potential to evolve and raise better-informed decisions to assist management. Despite great expectations, the benefits that drones could bring to foster effectiveness remain fundamentally unexplored. To address this gap, we performed a literature review about the use of drones in conservation. We selected a total of 256 studies, of which 99 were carried out in protected areas. We classified the studies in five distinct areas of applications: “wildlife monitoring and management”; “ecosystem monitoring”; “law enforcement”; “ecotourism”; and “environmental management and disaster response”. We also identified specific gaps and challenges that would allow for the expansion of critical research or monitoring. Our results support the evidence that drones hold merits to serve conservation actions and reinforce effective management, but multidisciplinary research must resolve the operational and analytical shortcomings that undermine the prospects for drones integration in protected areas.
Hidden Node Detection between Observable Nodes Based on Bayesian Clustering
Authors: Yamazaki Keisuke , Motomura Yoichi
Published: January 2019

Structure learning is one of the main concerns in studies of Bayesian networks. In the present paper, we consider networks consisting of both observable and hidden nodes, and propose a method to investigate the existence of a hidden node between observable nodes, where all nodes are discrete. This corresponds to the model selection problem between the networks with and without the middle hidden node. When the network includes a hidden node, it has been known that there are singularities in the parameter space, and the Fisher information matrix is not positive definite. Then, the many conventional criteria for structure learning based on the Laplace approximation do not work. The proposed method is based on Bayesian clustering, and its asymptotic property justifies the result; the redundant labels are eliminated and the simplest structure is detected even if there are singularities.
Dynamic Scoring: Probabilistic Model Selection Based on Utility Maximization
Authors: Vecer Jan
Published: January 2019

We propose a novel approach of model selection for probability estimates that may be applied in time evolving setting. Specifically, we show that any discrepancy between different probability estimates opens a possibility to compare them by trading on a hypothetical betting market that trades probabilities. We describe the mechanism of such a market, where agents maximize some utility function which determines the optimal trading volume for given odds. This procedure produces supply and demand functions, that determine the size of the bet as a function of a trading probability. These functions are closed form for the choice of logarithmic and exponential utility functions. Having two probability estimates and the corresponding supply and demand functions, the trade matching these estimates happens at the intersection of the supply and demand functions. We show that an agent using correct probabilities will realize a profit in expectation when trading against any other set of probabilities. The expected profit realized by the correct view of the market probabilities can be used as a measure of information in terms of statistical divergence.