bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uji Viabilitas dan Vigor Benih Padi (Oryza sativa L.) selama Penyimpanan pada Tingkat Kadar Air yang Berbeda
Authors: Tefa Anna
Published: November 2018

Padi merupakan tanaman pangan utama bagi sebagian besar penduduk indonesia. Budidaya padi memerlukan benih yang memiliki vigor dan viabilitas tinggi untuk meningkatkan produksi. Kadar air benih selama penyimpanan merupakan salah satu indikator vigor daya simpan yang menggambarkan kemampuan benih untuk dapat disimpan dalam waktu lama. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui kadar air benih yang optimum selama penyimpanan yang dapat meningkatkan viabilitas dan vigor benih padi. Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap (RAL) pola faktorial. Faktor pertama adalah kadar air benih yang terdiri atas 4 perlakuan yaitu K0 (20% sebagai kontrol), K1(14%), K2 (12%), K3 (10%). Faktor kedua adalah periode simpan yang terdiri atas 4 perlakuan yaitu 0, 1, 2, dan 3 bulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kadar air benih 14% memberikan viabilitas benih yang tinggi pada penyimpanan 1 bulan pada peubah potensi tumbuh maksimum 100%, daya berkecambah 84% pada periode simpan 3 bulan. Kadar air 14% juga meningkatkan vigor benih pada peubah inkes vigor 0,89% pada periode simpan 3 bulan, kecepatan tumbuh 12,68%/etmal pada periode simpan 3 bulan, keserempakan tumbuh 1,46% dan 1,57% pada periode simpan 2 dan 3 bulan serta berat kering kecambah normal 0,27 g dan 0,24 g pada periode simpan 2 dan 3 bulan. ©2017 dipublikasikan oleh Savana Cendana.
Pengaruh Jenis Biochar dan Jenis Pupuk Organik terhadap Pertumbuhan dan Hasil Kacang Hijau (Vigna radiata L.)
Authors: Mikel Fransiskus Xaverius , Neonbeni Eduardus Yosef
Published: November 2018

Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh jenis biochar dan jenis pupuk organik terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil kacang hijau (Vigna radiata, L.) serta mengetahui jenis biochar dan jenis pupuk pada pertumbuhan dan hasil kacang hijau, benih yang dipakai berasal dari sarana produksi pertanian terdekat yang bebas dari organisme pengganggu tanaman. Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap (RAL) tiga faktorial yang diulang tiga kali. Faktor yang pertama terdiri dari tiga aras yaitu tanpa biochar, arang sekam padi, arang sebuk gergaji, faktor yang kedua terdiri dari tiga aras yaitu tanpa pupuk organik, pupuk kandang sapi dan pupuk guano. Penelitian dilaksanakan pada bulan Juni sampai dengan bulan Agustus 2016 di kebun percobaan Fakultas pertanian Universitas Timor, TTU, NTT.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa antara jenis biochar dan jenis pupuk organik tidak terjadi interaksi, baik pengaruhnya terhadap parameter pertumbuhan maupun hasil kacang hijau yang diamati. Biochar serbuk gergaji dan pupuk guano memberikan pengaruh paling optimal terhadap hasil tertinggi kacang hijau berupa berat biji, masing-masing seberat 2,60 g/tanaman dan 3,12 g/tanaman. ©2017 dipublikasikan oleh Savana Cendana.
Pengaruh Takaran Pupuk Guano dan Biochar terhadap Pertumbuhan dan Hasil Tanaman Kacang Merah (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) di Lahan Kering pada Dataran Menengah
Authors: Naben Patrisius , Raharjo Krisantus Tri Pambudi
Published: November 2018

Penelitian dilaksanakan untuk mengetahui pengaruh takaran pupuk guano dan biochar terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman kacang merah pada dataran menengah, di kebun percobaan Faperta Universitas Timor pada bulan Februari – April 2017, menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok faktorial 3 x 3 diulang 3 kali. Faktor pertama takaran guano yang terdiri dari 3 taraf yaitu tanpa guano, guano 5 t/ha dan guano 10 t/ha sedangkan faktor kedua takaran biochar yang terdiri dari 3 taraf yaitu tanpa biochar, biochar 5 t/ha dan biochar 10 t/ha. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tidak terjadi interaksi antara aplikasi pupuk guano dengan biochar. Pemberian guano 10 t/ha secara nyata meningkatkan kadar lengas tanah (17,62%), luas daun (8.595 cm2), jumlah bintil akar (175,11), bobot kering akar (0,70 g), rasio tajuk akar (16,24), jumlah polong pertanaman (2,86), jumlah biji per polong (2,86), bobot kering biji (7,24 g) dan bobot biji per petak (1,17 t/ha) dengan presentase peningkatan hasil sebesar 31,1%. Peningkatan level pemberian Biochar tidak menunjukkan beda nyata antar level perlakuan, tetapi cenderung meningkatkan pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman. ©2017 dipublikasikan oleh Savana Cendana.
Pengaruh Model Defoliasi Daun Jagung dan Jumlah Benih terhadap Hasil Jagung dan Kacang Nasi pada Sistem Tumpangsari Salome (Kearifan Lokal Timor)
Authors: Ceunfin Syprianus , Humoen Maria Ursula , Boyfala Sonya M. A. , Seran Apriana H. , Lelang Adrianus
Published: November 2018

Sistem tumpangsari yang dilakukan di pulau Timor khususnya Kabupaten Timor Tengah Utara (TTU) masih sangat tradisional yaitu dengan menanam beberapa jenis tanaman yang berbeda spesies dalam lubang tanam yang sama. Sistem ini biasanya disebut dengan Salome atau satu lubang rame-rame. Sistem tumpangsari salome tentunya memiliki kelemahan yaitu terjadi persaingan secara vertikal maupun secara horizontal. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh model defoliasi dan jumlah benih terhadap hasil jagung dan kacang nasi serta untuk mengetahui Land Equivalend Racio (LER) dalam sistem tumpangsari salome. Rancangan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) factorial 6 x 4 + monokultur yang diulang 3 kali. Faktor pertama adalah model defoliasi daun jagung, Tanpa defoliasi, defoliasi batang atas 50% dari tongkol, defoliasi batang atas 100% dari tongkol, defoliasi daun jagung dengan hanya meninggalkan tulang daun 100% dari pangkal hingga daun bendera, defoliasi daun jagung dengan hanya meninggalkan tulang daun dari daun bendera hingga tongkol, defoliasi daun jagung dengan hanya meninggalkan tulang daun dari daun pangkal hingga tongkol. Faktor kedua adalah perbandingan jumlah benih jagung umur genjah kultivar lokal timor dan benih kacang nasi tipe tegak, satu jagung satu kacang, satu jagung dua kacang, dua jagung satu kacang, dua jagung dua kacang. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa model defoliasi daun jagung dan jumlah benih mempengaruhi hasil jagung secara signifikan tetapi tidak berpengaruh terhadap hasil kacang nasi dan tumpangsari salome menghasilkan nilai total LER>1. ©2018 dipublikasikan oleh Savana Cendana.
Identifikasi Cendawan Patogen pada Beberapa Varietas Benih Padi Sawah Berdasarkan Model Penyimpanan
Authors: Amteme Kresentia , Tefa Anna
Published: November 2018

Benih dikatakan sehat, apabila benih yang digunakan bebas dari mikroorganisme penyebab penyakit salah satunya adalah cendawan. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mendapatkan jenis cendawan patogen yang menginfeksi benih padi. Penelitian dilaksanakan di laboratorium Fakultas Pertanian dan laboratorium Biologi Universitas Timor sejak bulan Maret – Mei 2017. Penelitian menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap pola faktorial dengan dua faktor. Faktor pertama terdiri dari tiga varietas yakni Ciherang, IR dan Siputih. Faktor kedua terdiri dari model penyimpanan yakni penyimpanan dalam karung plastik, sokal dan kaleng. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan tiga varietas dan model bahan pengemas benih tidak menunjukkan perbedaan nyata terhadap daya berkecambah. Persentase potensi tumbuh maksimum antara varietas siputih (97,33) berbeda secara nyata dengan varietas IR (72,00) dan pada model benih yang disimpan dalam karung plastik (94,22) berbeda secara nyata dengan benih yang disimpan dalam sokal (68,88). Hasil identifikasi ditemukan lima cendawan dari genus Aspergillus sp.1 dan sp.2, Altenaria, Curvularia, Fusarium dan Rhizopus yang menginfeksi benih sehingga menurunkan daya berkecambah. Tingkat serangan cendawan berbeda-beda pada varietas dan model penyimpanan. Kelima cendawan patogen yang ditemukan, dua cendawan diantaranya yaitu Aspergillus dan Fusarium menginfeksi benih dengan tempat penyimpanan yang berbeda lebih rendah, untuk mengurangi tingkat infeksi cendawan Altenaria, Curvularia dan Rhizopusdapat diberi perlakuan fungisida. ©2018 dipublikasikan oleh Savana Cendana.
Penyakit Bukan Utama Tanaman Gandum di Kabupaten Timor Tengah Utara
Authors: Rusae Aloysius
Published: November 2018

Gandum (Triticum spp.) adalah tanaman serealia, memiliki kandungan gizi yang cukup tinggi. Wilayah Timor Tengah Utara mempunyai prospek bagi pengembangan gandum. Keberadaan patogen pada pertanaman gandum belum diamati dan diidentifikasi karena belum pernah dilakukan penanaman gandum di daerah tersebut. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui penyakit-penyakit lain yang menyerang tanaman gandum apabila diintroduksi ke Kabupaten Timor Tengah Utara, Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur. Metode yang digunakan adalah penanaman gandum, pengamatan penyakit dan identifikasi penyakit bukan utama. Varietas gandum yang ditanam adalah varietas Dewata, Selayar dan Nias. Pengamatan terhadap kejadian dan keparahan penyakit dilakukan setiap 4 minggu. Identifikasi patogen dilakukan dengan karakterisasi morfologi dengan bantuan kunci identifikasi. Penelitian laboratorium untuk identifikasi penyakit dilakukan di Laboratorium Mikologi Tumbuhan, Departemen Proteksi Tanaman, Institut Pertanian Bogor. Penyakit lain yang menginfeksi tanaman gandum adalah busuk pucuk Fusarium, bercak daun, hawar malai Curvularia dan Helminthosporium, dan daun terpilin. Persentase kejadian keempat penyakit tersebut sangat rendah. ©2018 dipublikasikan oleh Savana Cendana.
Analisis Kestabilan Titik Tetap Model Matematika Penyebaran Penyakit DBD Tipe SEIR
Authors: Bano Elinora Naikteas
Published: November 2018

Dengue adalah salah satu penyakit infeksi yang ditularkan ke manusia oleh gigitan nyamuk Aedes aegypti atau Aedes albopictus. Infeksi virus dengue berupa demam dengue, demam berdarah dengue dan Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS). Virus dengue mempunyai empat jenis serotipe yaitu: DEN_1, DEN_2, DEN_3, DEN_4. Pada model, akan dipelajari dinamika penyebaran penyakit demam berdarah dengue tipe SEIR. Dari model kemudian akan ditentukan titik tetap, selanjutnya dianalisis kestabilan dari masing-masing titik tetap dengan mempertimbangkan bilangan reproduksi dasar (R_0 ).Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwauntuk titik tetap tanpa penyakit kondisi akan stabil ketika R_0<1, sedangkan titik tetap endemik akan stabil untuk kondisi ketika R_0>1.
Renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Peng , Ro Jae Y.
Published: November 2018

The global incidence of cases of kidney cancer has increased rapidly, and a relatively high incidence of kidney cancer has been reported in developed countries such as Northern and Eastern Europe. Various factors can affect the incidence and mortality of kidney cancer, including demographic risk factors, lifestyle factors, iatrogenic risk factors, nutritional factors and diet, occupation, and genetic factors. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) refers to a tumor group with heterogeneity derived from renal tubular cells, which form almost all kidney cancer types. Clear cell RCC (ccRCC) is the most frequent renal tumor subtype, accounting for 75% of renal cancer, followed by papillar RCC(pRCC) making up approximately 10% of RCC. Hematoxylin-eosin staining shows a clear, eosinophilic cytoplasm in ccRCC cells. Epithelial cells forming the papillae and tubules have pRCC histological characteristics. Traditionally, genetic mutations of VHL and MET are the genetic features in ccRCC and pRCC, respectively. Recently, a new concept supports the contribution of mutations in some chromatin-modifier genes, including polybromo 1 (PBRM1), SET domain containing 2 (SETD2), BRCA1-associated protein-1 (BAP1), and lysine (K)-specific demethylase 5C (KDM5C). The metabolic disease concept in renal cancer is noted by researchers worldwide. The PD-1 pathway has been valued by researchers of kidney cancer in recent years, and new agents, such as anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) and CTLA4 inhibitors (Ipilimumab), have been approved to treat advanced RCC. Partial nephrectomy (PN) and radical nephrectomy (RN) remain the standard management option for local RCC with a stage of T1 and T2, respectively. PN can also be selected for T2 stage RCC in suitable cases. Even though targeted therapy consisting of mainly the anti-VEGF and anti-mTOR pathways is recommended as the first-line and second-line treatment for RCC, the effectiveness and side effect of these therapies should be improved in future research.
Linking Soil Microbial Properties with Plant Performance in Acidic Tropical Soil Amended with Biochar
Authors: Azlan Halmi Muhammad Farid , Hasenan Siti Nahdiyyah , Simarani Khanom , Abdullah Rosazlin
Published: November 2018

Soil microbial properties are frequently used as indicators of soil fertility. However, the linkage of these properties with crop biomass is poorly documented especially in biochar amended soil with high carbon:nitrogen (C:N). A short-term field trial was conducted to observe the growth response of maize to biochar treatment in a highly weathered Ultisol of humid tropics and to observe the possible linkage of the measured microbial properties with maize biomass. Soil microbial biomass (carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P)), enzyme activity (β-glucosidase, urease, phosphodiesterase) and gene abundance (bacterial 16S rRNA, fungal ITS) were analyzed. For comparison, total soil C, N, and P were also analyzed. The data revealed no significant linkage of soil C, N, and P with maize biomass. A significant association of enzyme activity and gene abundance with maize biomass was not recorded. Strong positive correlation between maize above ground biomass with microbial biomass N was found (r = 0.9186, p < 0.01). Significant negative correlation was recorded between microbial biomass C:N with maize biomass (r = −0.8297, p < 0.05). These statistically significant linkages observed between microbial biomass and maize biomass suggests that microbial biomass can reflect the soil nutrient status, and possibly plant nutrient uptake. Estimation of microbial biomass can be used as a fertility indicator in soil amended with high C:N organic matter in the humid tropics.
Low Threshold Plasmonic Nanolaser Based on Graphene
Authors: Xu Litu , Li Fang , Liu Shuai , Yao Fuqiang , Liu Yahui
Published: November 2018

A hybrid plasmonic nanolaser based on nanowire/air slot/semicircular graphene and metal wire structure was designed. In this structure, the waveguides in the nanowires and the graphene-metal interface are coupled to form a hybrid plasma mode, which effectively reduces the metal loss. The mode and strong coupling of the laser are analyzed by using the finite-element method. Its electric field distribution, propagation loss, normalized mode area, quality factor, and lasing threshold are studied with the different geometric model. Simulation results reveal that the performance of the laser using this structure can be optimized by adjusting the model parameters. Under the optimal parameters, the effective propagation loss is only 0.0096, and the lasing threshold can be as low as 0.14 μm−1. This structure can achieve deep sub-wavelength confinement and low-loss transmission, and provides technical support for the miniaturization and integration of nano-devices.
A Study on the Forming Characteristics of AZ 31B Mg Alloy in a Combined Forward–Backward Extrusion at Warm Temperatures
Authors: Yoon Duk Jae , Kim Eung-Zu , Na Kyoung Hoan , Lee Yong-Shin
Published: November 2018

This paper was on the forming characteristics of AZ 31B Mg alloy in a combined forward–backward extrusion (CFBE) at warm temperatures. Both experimental studies and thermomechanical finite element analyses were performed. A finite element analysis model coupled with damage evolution was presented. Based on our previous work, the forward extrusion ratio, backward extrusion ratio, forming temperature, and punch speed were chosen as the most important process parameters. Two punch speeds of 2 mm/s and 20 mm/s were examined for the forming temperatures of 180 °C and 200 °C. Forward extrusion ratios were 2.25, 4.0, and 9.0, while backward extrusion ratios were 1.33, 2.16, 4.02, and 7.75. Effects of those parameters on the forming limit, deformation behaviors, extrusion load, and the mechanical properties of an extruded product were discussed in detail.
NF-κB Signaling in Targeting Tumor Cells by Oncolytic Viruses—Therapeutic Perspectives
Authors: Struzik Justyna , Szulc-Dąbrowska Lidia
Published: November 2018

In recent years, oncolytic virotherapy became a promising therapeutic approach, leading to the introduction of a novel generation of anticancer drugs. However, despite evoking an antitumor response, introducing an oncolytic virus (OV) to the patient is still inefficient to overcome both tumor protective mechanisms and the limitation of viral replication by the host. In cancer treatment, nuclear factor (NF)-κB has been extensively studied among important therapeutic targets. The pleiotropic nature of NF-κB transcription factor includes its involvement in immunity and tumorigenesis. Therefore, in many types of cancer, aberrant activation of NF-κB can be observed. At the same time, the activity of NF-κB can be modified by OVs, which trigger an immune response and modulate NF-κB signaling. Due to the limitation of a monotherapy exploiting OVs only, the antitumor effect can be enhanced by combining OV with NF-κB-modulating drugs. This review describes the influence of OVs on NF-κB activation in tumor cells showing NF-κB signaling as an important aspect, which should be taken into consideration when targeting tumor cells by OVs.
Deconstruction of the CYP153A6 Alkane Hydroxylase System: Limitations and Optimization of In Vitro Alkane Hydroxylation
Authors: Kochius Svenja , Van Marwijk Jacqueline , Ebrecht Ana Cristina , Opperman Diederik Johannes , Smit Martha Sophia
Published: November 2018

Some of the most promising results for bacterial alkane hydroxylation to alcohols have been obtained with the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase CYP153A6. CYP153A6 belongs to the class I CYPs and is generally expressed from an operon that also encodes the ferredoxin (Fdx) and ferredoxin reductase (FdR) which transfer electrons to CYP153A6. In this study, purified enzymes (CYP, Fdx, FdR and dehydrogenases for cofactor regeneration) were used to deconstruct the CYP153A6 system into its separate components, to investigate the factors limiting octane hydroxylation in vitro. Proteins in the cytoplasm (cell-free extract) were found to better enhance and stabilize hydroxylase activity compared to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and catalase. Optimization of the CYP:Fdx:FdR ratio also significantly improved both turnover frequencies (TFs) and total turnover numbers (TTNs) with the ratio of 1:1:60 giving the highest values of 3872 h−1 and 45,828 moloctanol molCYP−1, respectively. Choice and concentration of dehydrogenase for cofactor regeneration also significantly influenced the reaction. Glucose dehydrogenase concentrations had to be as low as possible to avoid fast acidification of the reaction medium, which in the extreme caused precipitation of the CYP and other proteins. Cofactor regeneration based on glycerol failed, likely due to accumulation of dihydroxyacetone. Scaling the reactions up from 1 mL in vials to 60 mL in shake flasks and 120 mL in bioreactors showed that mixing and shear forces will be important obstacles to overcome in preparative scale reactions.
PPK-Means: Achieving Privacy-Preserving Clustering Over Encrypted Multi-Dimensional Cloud Data
Authors: Yin Hui , Zhang Jixin , Xiong Yinqiao , Huang Xiaofeng , Deng Tiantian
Published: November 2018

Clustering is a fundamental and critical data mining branch that has been widely used in practical applications such as user purchase model analysis, image color segmentation, outlier detection, and so on. With the increasing popularity of cloud computing, more and more encrypted data are converging to cloud computing platforms for enjoying the revolutionary advantages of the cloud computing paradigm, as well as mitigating the deeply concerned data privacy issues. However, traditional data encryption makes existing clustering schemes no more effective, which greatly obstructs effective data utilization and frustrates the wide adoption of cloud computing. In this paper, we focus on solving the clustering problem over encrypted cloud data. In particular, we propose a privacy-preserving k-means clustering technology over encrypted multi-dimensional cloud data by leveraging the scalar-product-preserving encryption primitive, called PPK-means. The proposed technique is able to achieve efficient multi-dimensional data clustering as well to preserve the confidentiality of the outsourced cloud data. To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first to explore the privacy-preserving multi-dimensional data clustering in the cloud computing environment. Extensive experiments in simulation data-sets and real-life data-sets demonstrate that our proposed PPK-means is secure, efficient, and practical.
Analysis of the Sugar Content in Food Products by Using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry and Enzymatic Methods
Authors: Al-Mhanna Najah M. , Huebner Holger , Buchholz Rainer
Published: November 2018

The aim of this study is to develop and optimise a method of sugar content determination in food products. Date juice (syrup) was used as a sample natural food resource for the analysis because of its potential usage as an alternative substrate for a variety of fermentation processes. Hence, qualifying and quantifying its sugar content is a crucial step. Therefore, gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) was used as a pre-qualitative method to identify the types of sugar in the date sample. The results demonstrate that the analysed date juice contains glucose, fructose and sucrose. This analysis was obtained by measuring the retention time of individual standard sugar samples such as glucose, fructose, mannose and sucrose. In addition, the mass spectra of the standard and date juice samples contained characteristic fragments of glucose, fructose and sucrose. Thus, GCMS results determined the appropriate enzymatic assays for quantifying the sugars in date juice. These results were similar to those of the two enzymatic methods (standard enzymatic assay and measuring the change in pH by CL10 analyser). Therefore, they confirmed the identified sugars and provided the sugar contents of the sample. Consequently, sugar quantification results indicate that 1 g of date juice sample contains a total of 0.5275–0.5507 g of six-carbon sugars (glucose + fructose) and 0.064–0.068 g of sucrose. As a consequence, the total sugar content in 1 g of date juice is 0.600–0.615 g. These results are comparable to the sample analysis that is provided by the date juice production company.
Public Health Preparedness for and Response to Nuclear Disasters: An Editorial
Authors: Nomura Shuhei , Murakami Michio
Published: November 2018

In 2011, resilience to nuclear disasters emerged as a core public health challenge. [...]
Projection of Future Extreme Precipitation and Flood Changes of the Jinsha River Basin in China Based on CMIP5 Climate Models
Authors: Yuan Zhe , Xu Jijun , Wang Yongqiang
Published: November 2018

Projecting future changes in extreme flood is critical for risk management. This paper presented an analysis of the implications of the Fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase (CMIP5) climate models on the future flood in the Jinsha River Basin (JRB) in Southwest China, using the Xinanjiang (XAJ) hydrologic model. The bias-corrected and resampled results of the multimodel dataset came from the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISI-MIP). Relatively optimal general circulation models (GCMs) were selected with probability density functions (PDFs)-based assessment. These GCMs were coupled with the XAJ model to evaluate the impact of climate change on future extreme flood changes in the JRB. Two scenarios were chosen, namely: a midrange mitigation scenario (Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5, RCP4.5) and a high scenario (RCP8.5). Results show that: (1) The XAJ model performed well in simulating daily discharge and was suitable for the study area, with ENS and R2 higher than 0.8; (2) IPSL-CM5A-LR and MIROC-ESM-CHEM showed considerable skill in representing the observed PDFs of extreme precipitation. The average skill scores across the total area of the JRB were 0.41 to 0.66 and 0.53 to 0.67, respectively. Therefore, these two GCMs can be chosen to analyze the changes in extreme precipitation and flood in the future; (3) The average extreme precipitation under 20- and 50-year return period across the JRB were projected to increase by 1.0–33.7% under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 during 2020 to 2050. The Upper basin is projected to experience the largest increase in extreme precipitation indices, possibly caused by a warmer climate. The extreme flood under 20- and 50-year return period will change by 0.8 to 23.8% and −6.2 to 28.2%, respectively, over this same future period. Most of scenarios projected an increase during the near future periods, implying the JRB would be likely to undergo more flooding in the future.
Vitamin D Status and Analysis of Specific Correlates in Preschool Children: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southern Croatia
Authors: Karin Zeljka , Gilic Barbara , Supe Domic Daniela , Sarac Zdenko , Ercegovic Katarina , Zenic Natasa , Uljevic Ognjen , Peric Mia , Markic Josko
Published: November 2018

Vitamin D deficiency is a globally important problem, particularly in children, but there is a lack of information regarding this deficiency in preschool children from southeastern Europe. This study aimed to establish the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and associations of gender, time spent outdoors, physical activity (PA), and body mass index (as predictors) with the 25(OH)D level (outcome) in healthy preschool children. The participants were preschoolers (all 5–6 years of age) from southern Croatia. All the participants were tested during their mandatory medical examination 6–7 months prior to school enrollment. The PA was obtained using the preschool-age physical activity questionnaire (Pre-PAQ), which categorizes PA into five levels (from sedentary to vigorous PA). The prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency was high: 58% of the children had 25(OH)D levels of <50 nmol/L (deficiency), and an additional 29% had an insufficient level of 25(OH)D (50–75 nmol/L). Boys had higher levels of 25(OH)D than girls. A multinomial regression using 25(OH)D categories as the outcome and a sufficient level (>75 nmol/L) as the reference value identified gender as the only significant predictor of 25(OH)D status, with boys being at lower risk for 25(OH)D deficiency than girls. These results showed a high prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency in preschoolers from the southern part of Croatia, which is additionally alarming based on the geographical position of the studied region (42° N) and its high number of sunshine hours (>2600 h per year). Future studies examining other potential correlates of 25(OH)D in the region are warranted.
Study on Water Suitability of Apple Plantations in the Loess Plateau under Climate Change
Authors: Gao Xuerui , Wang Ai , Zhao Yong , Zhao Xining , Sun Miao , Du Junkai , Gang Chengcheng
Published: November 2018

With the implementation of the Grain for Green Project, the apple plantation area is increasing in Loess Plateau. However, due to severe water scarcity, the sustainability of apple tree growth is threatened. In this paper, we used meteorological data (1990–2013) and forecasted climate data (2019–2050) to estimate water demand and establish a water suitability model to study the water balance between available water and water consumption of the apple trees. The results show that: (i) the order of the average water demand of apple plantation in each subarea is Shaanxi Province > Yuncheng area > Gansu Province > Sanmenxia Region, ranging from 500 to 950 mm; (ii) the temporal variability of water suitability from 1990 to 2013 is large, and the higher values are concentrated in the late growth stage of the apple trees and the lower values are concentrated in the early growth stage; (iii) the temporal and spatial distribution of water suitability is relatively stable and even in the Loess Plateau in the period of 2019–2050; (iv) the water suitability is mainly affected by effective precipitation and reference evapotranspiration and the reference evapotranspiration is mainly affected by the solar radiation (36%) and average temperature (38%). Furthermore, due to the joint influence of precipitation increases and solar radiation (average temperature) increases, the future water suitability of the apple plantation area in the Loess Plateau is showing a non-significant downward trend under RCP4.5 scenario.
Dexamethasone Inhibits Synergistic Induction of PDE4B Expression by Roflumilast and Bacterium NTHi
Authors: Lee Byung-Cheol , Susuki-Miyata Seiko , Yan Chen , Li Jian-Dong
Published: November 2018

Phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B) plays an important role in inflammation. Recently we have reported that roflumilast as a PDE4-selective inhibitor, synergizes with nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) to up-regulate PDE4B expression in vitro and in vivo. Clinical evidence and our previous results suggest that synergistic induction of PDE4B could be counterproductive for suppressing inflammation or may contribute to tolerance to roflumilast. We thus investigated if dexamethasone inhibits the synergistic induction of PDE4B by roflumilast and NTHi as well as inflammation. Here, dexamethasone markedly suppressed the synergistic induction of PDE4B in human lung epithelial cells and in vivo. We also found that dexamethasone further suppressed NTHi-induced inflammatory response in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, Compound A, as a dissociating non-steroidal glucocorticoid receptor (GR) ligand, inhibited the synergistic induction of PDE4B, thereby suggesting the requirement of dexamethasone-mediated GR activation in the suppression of PDE4B expression. Taken together, our data suggest that dexamethasone may help attenuate inflammation and tolerance through suppressing the PDE4B expression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients using roflumilast.
Endobronchial Ultrasound under Moderate Sedation versus General Anesthesia
Authors: Fernandes Maria Gabriela O. , Santos Vanessa F. , Martins Natália , Sucena Maria C. , Passos Madalena M. , Marques Maria Manuel , Magalhães Adriana M. , Bugalho António
Published: November 2018

Background: Different anesthetic protocols may influence endobronchial ultrasound-guided needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) outcomes, patient comfort, and even safety. In this study, two anesthesia techniques were assessed and compared for EBUS-TBNA. Methods: A prospective, multicenter study was carried out. Patients were allocated to Group 1 (general anesthesia with neuromuscular blockade and controlled ventilation) and Group 2 (intravenous sedation). EBUS-TBNA accuracy was the primary outcome. Safety, patient comfort and satisfaction, and operators’ difficulties were defined as secondary outcomes. Results: Of the 115 patients enrolled (Group 1 = 59, Group 2 = 56), EBUS-TBNA was performed for hilar or mediastinal lesion diagnosis and lung cancer staging in, respectively, 77 (67%) and 38 (33%) patients. The numbers of lymph nodes stations (1.8 ± 1.0 vs. 1.7 ± 1.0, p = 0.472) and punctures per station (6.9 ± 3.1 vs. 6.0 ± 2.5, p = 0.084) were similar between groups. Adequate samples were obtained from 109 patients (97.3%) with similar diagnostic accuracy. Procedure duration was not significantly different (p = 0.348). Hemodynamic parameters and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were higher in Group 1 at the beginning and at the end of the procedure. Adverse events were equally distributed, and no significant differences were found regarding patient satisfaction and bronchoscopist/anesthesiologist difficulties. Conclusions: The type of anesthesia used did not influence EBUS-TBNA outcomes. EBUS-TBNA performed under sedation or general anesthesia did not affect the diagnostic yield, complication rate, and patients’ comfort and satisfaction.
Exergaming for Children and Adolescents: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
Authors: Benzing Valentin , Schmidt Mirko
Published: November 2018

Exergaming, or active video gaming, has become an emerging trend in fitness, education and health sectors. It is defined as digital games that require bodily movements to play, stimulating an active gaming experience to function as a form of physical activity (PA). Since exergaming is becoming more popular, claims have been made on the usefulness of exergaming. It has, for example, been entitled as being “the future of fitness” by the American College of Sports Medicine, promoting PA and health in children and adolescents. However, research also suggests that long-term engagement in exergaming is difficult to achieve, and there is a noticeable reservation towards exergaming by parents, teachers and caregivers. To provide an overview and to outline the future directions of exergaming, the aim of this review was to critically illustrate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of exergaming to promote PA and health in children and youth. The available evidence indicates that exergaming has the potential to improve health via an increase in PA. However, it seems that this potential is frequently underexploited, and further developments such as customized exergames are needed.
Rituximab and Fibrillary Glomerulonephritis: Interest of B Cell Reconstitution Monitoring
Authors: Leibler Claire , Moktefi Anissa , Matignon Marie , Debiais-Delpech Céline , Oniszczuk Julie , Sahali Dil , Cohen José L. , Grimbert Philippe , Audard Vincent
Published: November 2018

Fibrillary glomerulonephritis (FGN) is a rare glomerular disease characterized by glomerular deposition of randomly arranged non-amyloid fibrils. FGN has a poor renal prognosis and its optimal treatment is a medical challenge. Rituximab therapy has recently emerged as a promising approach even though its mechanism of action remains hypothetical. We describe the case of a 55-year-old woman with FGN successfully treated by rituximab. During the 36-month follow-up, she had three relapses of FGN, occurring each time in the context of B cell recovery. Investigation of the distribution of B cell subpopulations at the time of the third relapse showed, as previously described for some immunological diseases, an increase in the proportion of switched memory B cells relative to healthy subjects, whereas global memory B cell pool was not yet recovered. This case suggests that B cell reconstitution should be carefully monitored in the management of FGN treated with rituximab.
Three-Dimensional Bone Substitutes for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Biological and Structural Characterization
Authors: Turco Gianluca , Porrelli Davide , Marsich Eleonora , Vecchies Federica , Lombardi Teresa , Stacchi Claudio , Di Lenarda Roberto
Published: November 2018

Background: Bone substitutes, either from human (autografts and allografts) or animal (xenografts) sources, suffer from inherent drawbacks including limited availability or potential infectivity to name a few. In the last decade, synthetic biomaterials have emerged as a valid alternative for biomedical applications in the field of orthopedic and maxillofacial surgery. In particular, phosphate-based bone substitution materials have exhibited a high biocompatibility due to their chemical similitude with natural hydroxyapatite. Besides the nature of the biomaterial, its porous and interconnected architecture is essential for a correct osseointegration. This performance could be predicted with an extensive characterization of the biomaterial in vitro. Methods: In this study, we compared the biological, chemical, and structural features of four different commercially available bone substitutes derived from an animal or a synthetic source. To this end, µ-CT and SEM were used to describe the biomaterials structure. Both FTIR and EDS analyses were carried out to provide a chemical characterization. The results obtained by these techniques were correlated with cell adhesion and proliferation of the osteosarcoma MG-63 human cell line cultured in vitro. Results: The findings reported in this paper indicate a significant influence of both the nature and the structure of the biomaterials in cell adhesion and proliferation, which ultimately could affect the clinical performance of the biomaterials. Conclusions: The four commercially available bone substitutes investigated in this work significantly differed in terms of structural features, which ultimately influenced in vitro cell proliferation and may so affect the clinical performance of the biomaterials.
Development and Application of an Additively Manufactured Calcium Chloride Nebulizer for Alginate 3D-Bioprinting Purposes
Authors: Raddatz Lukas , Lavrentieva Antonina , Pepelanova Iliyana , Bahnemann Janina , Geier Dominik , Becker Thomas , Scheper Thomas , Beutel Sascha
Published: November 2018

Three-dimensional (3D)-bioprinting enables scientists to mimic in vivo micro-environments and to perform in vitro cell experiments under more physiological conditions than is possible with conventional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture. Cell-laden biomaterials (bioinks) are precisely processed to bioengineer tissue three-dimensionally. One primarily used matrix material is sodium alginate. This natural biopolymer provides both fine mechanical properties when gelated and high biocompatibility. Commonly, alginate is 3D bioprinted using extrusion based devices. The gelation reaction is hereby induced by a CaCl2 solution in the building chamber after material extrusion. This established technique has two main disadvantages: (1) CaCl2 can have toxic effects on the cell-laden hydrogels by oxygen diffusion limitation and (2) good printing resolution in the CaCl2 solution is hard to achieve, since the solution needs to be removed afterwards and substituted by cell culture media. Here, we show an innovative approach of alginate bioprinting based on a CaCl2 nebulizer. The device provides CaCl2 mist to the building platform inducing the gelation. The necessary amount of CaCl2 could be decreased as compared to previous gelation strategies and limitation of oxygen transfer during bioprinting can be reduced. The device was manufactured using the MJP-3D printing technique. Subsequently, its digital blueprint (CAD file) can be modified and additive manufactured easily and mounted in various extrusion bioprinters. With our approach, a concept for a more gentle 3D Bioprinting method could be shown. We demonstrated that the concept of an ultrasound-based nebulizer for CaCl2 mist generation can be used for 3D bioprinting and that the mist-induced polymerization of alginate hydrogels of different concentrations is feasible. Furthermore, different cell-laden alginate concentrations could be used: Cell spheroids (mesenchymal stem cells) and single cells (mouse fibroblasts) were successfully 3D printed yielding viable cells and stable hydrogels after 24 h cultivation. We suggest our work to show a different and novel approach on alginate bioprinting, which could be useful in generating cell-laden hydrogel constructs for e.g., drug screening or (soft) tissue engineering applications.
Pressure Control of Insulation Space for Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier with Nonlinear Feedback Technique
Authors: Cao Jinghua , Zhang Xianku , Zou Xiang
Published: November 2018

This paper introduces a novel control strategy into the insulation space for liquid natural gas carriers. The control strategy proposed can improve the effects of control for differential pressure and reduce the energy consumption of nitrogen. The method combines a nonlinear feedback technique with a closed-loop gain shaping algorithm (CGSA). It is designed for the pressure control system which is vital for liquid natural gas carriers (LNGCs) in marine transportation. The control error is modulated using nonlinear function. The deviation signal is replaced with a nonlinear feedback signal. Comparison experiments are conducted under different conditions to prove the effectiveness of this strategy. This paper compares three control strategies: a control strategy with nonlinear feedback based on CGSA, a control strategy without nonlinear feedback based on CGSA, and a two-degree-of-freedom (DOF) control strategy. The simulation results show that this control strategy with nonlinear feedback performs better than the other two. The average reduction of control input is about 38.8%. The effect of pressure control is satisfactory.
Open-Source Wireless Cloud-Connected Agricultural Sensor Network
Authors: Fisher Daniel K. , Woodruff Lisa K. , Anapalli Saseendran S. , Pinnamaneni Srinavasa R.
Published: November 2018

Agricultural research involves study of the complex soil–plant–atmosphere–water system, and data relating to this system must be collected under often-harsh outdoor conditions in agricultural environments. Rapid advancements in electronic technologies in the last few decades, as well as more recent widespread proliferation and adoption of electronic sensing and communications, have created many options to address the needs of professional, as well as amateur, researchers. In this study, an agricultural research project was undertaken to collect data and examine the effects of different agronomic practices on yield, with the objectives being to develop a monitoring system to measure soil moisture and temperature conditions in field plots and to upload the data to an internet website. The developed system included sensor nodes consisting of sensors and electronic circuitry to read and transmit sensor data via radio and a cellular gateway to receive node data and forward the data to an internet website via cellular infrastructure. Microcontroller programs were written to control the nodes and gateway, and an internet website was configured to receive and display sensor data. The battery-powered sensor nodes cost $170 each, including electronic circuitry and sensors, and they were operated throughout the cropping season with little maintenance on a single set of batteries. The solar-powered gateway cost $163 to fabricate, plus an additional cost of $2 per month for cellular network access. Wireless and cellular data transmissions were reliable, successfully transferring 95% of sensor data to the internet website. Application of open-source hardware, wireless data transfer, and internet-based data access therefore offers many options and advantages for agricultural sensing and monitoring efforts.
Mechanical Properties of U-Cu Intermetallic Compound Measured by Nanoindentation
Authors: Li Ruiwen , Mo Chuan , Liao Yichuan
Published: November 2018

The physico-chemical properties of the Uranium intermetallic compound are of technological importance for improvement of the safety and compatibility of nuclear engineering systems. Diffusion couple samples with U and Cu were assembled and U-Cu intermetallic compounds were fabricated at interface by hot pressure diffusion method at a treatment temperature of 350 °C to 650 °C and at a pressure of 168 MPa in a vacuum furnace. The microstructure and element distribution of the compound phase have been studied by means of SEM, EDS, and XRD. The result showed that a new phase was developed to a thickness of approximately 10 μm with a ration of U:Cu with 1:5. Mechanical properties such as elastic moduli and hardness of the compound have been studied by means of nanoindentation. The nanoindentation testing on sample indicated that hardness of Uranium intermetallic compound are higher than that of metal U and Cu. Uranium intermetallic compound and U have a Young’s moduli with 121 GPa, 160 GPa respectively. The elastic/plastic responses of U-Cu intermetallic compound and U under nanoindentation tests were also discussed in detail.
Indium-Zinc-Tin-Oxide Film Prepared by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering for Electrochromic Applications
Authors: Li Ke-Ding , Chen Po-Wen , Chang Kao-Shuo , Hsu Sheng-Chuan , Jan Der-Jun
Published: November 2018

This paper reports on the fabrication of indium-zinc-tin-oxide (IZTO) transparent conductive film deposited by direct current (DC) reactive magnetron sputtering. The electrical, structural, and optical properties of IZTO film were investigated by Hall measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and optical transmission spectroscopy with various sputtering powers. The IZTO film prepared used power at 100 W showed the lowest resistivity of 5.2 × 10−4 Ω cm. To accomplish rapid switching and high optical modulation, we have fabricated an electrochromic device (ECD) consisting of an working electrode (WO3 electrode film deposited on IZTO/ITO/glass) and a counter-electrode (Pt mesh) in 0.2 M LiClO4/PC liquid solution. The device demonstrated an optical contrast of 44% and switching times of 4.6 s and 8.1 s for the coloring and bleaching state, respectively, at the wavelength of 550 nm.
Trans-Sasakian 3-Manifolds with Reeb Flow Invariant Ricci Operator
Authors: Zhao Yan , Wang Wenjie , Liu Ximin
Published: November 2018

Let M be a three-dimensional trans-Sasakian manifold of type ( α , β ) . In this paper, we obtain that the Ricci operator of M is invariant along Reeb flow if and only if M is an α -Sasakian manifold, cosymplectic manifold or a space of constant sectional curvature. Applying this, we give a new characterization of proper trans-Sasakian 3-manifolds.
Analysis of Coke Oven Gas Injection from Dome in COREX Melter Gasifier for Adjusting Dome Temperature
Authors: Zhou Heng , Wu Shengli , Kou Mingyin , Yao Shun , Shen Yansong
Published: November 2018

Coke oven gas (COG) injection from the dome in a COREX melter gasifier is a good method to not only reduce the amount of solid fuel used for gasification, but also to adjust the freeboard temperature that should be maintained within a certain range. In this paper, the characteristics of COG injection used to adjust dome temperature are studied through a static model. The results show that an increase in melting rate causes a decrease in dome temperature and generator gas volume. However, with an increase in coke rate, dome temperature increases, while generator gas volume decreases. For low coke rate conditions, the dome temperature is generally found to be lower than 1050 °C, and COG is blasted for combustion and heat releasing. For high coke rates, the dome temperature is generally higher than 1050 °C. Under the premise that oxygen reduction cannot meet the demand, COG is used for decomposition. After the COG injection, the amount and reduction capacity of the generator gas can meet the needs of reduction in shaft furnace. The findings of this work can be used as a theoretical basis to guide plant operations for COG injection.
Dendritic Segregation of Zn-Al Eutectoid Alloys
Authors: Peter Ildiko , Agapie Mirela , Varga Bela
Published: November 2018

The structural investigations performed and described in this paper are focused on both the segregation phenomenon at the dendrite level, and on the external structure in the equilibrium state. Qualitative and quantitative investigations of the Zn-Al eutectoid alloy (22% Al) structures in equilibrium and non-equilibrium states were considered and studied, revealing that, in this composition, dendritic segregation determines the eutectic transformation. Solidification in non-equilibrium conditions controls both the eutectic transformation and the significant variation of the chemical composition within the dendritic unit, as well as in other constituents. The most important effect of dendritic segregation is on the ratio of the different phases and on their geometry and distribution within the metallic matrix, which determines the material topology. The phenomena involved in such conditions are governed by the structural transformations, which take place during solidification and cooling in a solid state.