bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pendidikan Kesehatan Meningkatkan Tingkat Pengetahuan dan Sikap Ibu dalam Merawat Balita dengan ISPA
Authors: Sari Dewi Purnama , Ratnawati Diah
Published: June 2020

Abstrak
Pendahuluan : Pendidikan kesehatan merupakan serangkaian mempengaruhi seseorang demi terciptanya perilaku hidup sehat. Penyuluhan kesehatan masyarakat merupakan suatu kegiatan pendidikan yang dilakukan dengan cara menyebarkan pesan, kepada msayarakat sehingga masyarakat sadar, tahu, mengerti, mau dan dapat melakukan satu tindakan yang behubungan dengan kesehatan.
Tujuan : Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh pendidikan kesehatan terhadap tingkat pengetahuan dan sikap pada ibu balita dalam merawat anak dengan infeksi saluran pernafasan akut di Posyandu Kelurahan Limo.
Metode: Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah quasi eksperimen dan analisa data menggunakan menggunakan uji t-test dependent. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan dengan cara purposive sampling pada ibu yang memiliki balita usia satu sampai lima tahun di Posyandu Kelurahan Limo sebanyak 53 orang.
Hasil: Hasil penelitian menunjukan ada pengaruh antara pendidikan kesehatan terhadap tingkat pengetahuan dan sikap ibu dalam dalam merawat balita dengan ISPA.
Kesimpulan: Hasil penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa pendidikan kesehatan memiliki pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap pengetahuan dan sikap pada ibu balita tentang ISPA di Posyandu Kelurahan Limo.
Pediatric Erosive Gastritis: A Case Report
Authors: Yusuf Sulaiman , Mulya Intan Chaharunia
Published: June 2020

Dyspepsia is a common gastrointestinal disorder which needs diagnostic examination test using endoscopy. Pediatric erosive gastritis, the case presented, is one of the diagnosis confirmed after endoscopy examination test which is mostly associated with Helicobacter pylori infection.  A 10-year-old boy was presented to emergency department complaining cyclic vomiting, heartburn and constipation. Further inquiry revealed that similar progressive condition was also complained one year ago prompting endoscopy examination test to find out the underlying etiology. Erosive gastritis and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) were confirmed after examination. Investigation of Helicobacter pylori infection with fecal examination test was impossible due to constipation. Erosive gastritis is a gastric mucous inflammation commonly caused by Helicobacter pylori infection. The clinical manifestation of gastritis tends to be asymptomatic until a pathological component is found. Any pathology suspicion of the gastric lining may require further endoscopy examination test. The therapy of paediatric erosive gastritis includes Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI), sucralfate  sucralfate as also lifestyle modification could improve children’s condition. In conclusion, paediatric erosive gastritis is an organic disorder of gastric lining treated by Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI), sucralfate and symptomatic agents for associated symptoms.  Helicobacter pylori is often associated with erosive gastritis so that further examination is needed.
Assessing Impact of BRRI Released Modern Rice Varieties Adoption on Farmers’ Welfare in Bangladesh: Application of Panel Treatment Effect Model
Authors: Islam M A , Rahman M C , Sarkar M A R , Siddique M A B
Published: June 2020

This study assesses the impact of Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) released modern wet (Aman) season rice variety adoption on farmers‟ well-being in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Integrated Household Survey (BIHS) data collected by IFPRI were used for this study. The study applied difference-in-difference treatment effect and difference-in-difference quantile treatment effect models using unbalanced panel data to achieve the set objectives. Analysis revealed that BRRI released wet (Aman) season rice technology has a robust and positive effect on small farmers‟ welfare in Bangladesh as indicated by the level of increases in per capita household real income, increases in real aman rice income, and also increases in yield and decreases both in poverty gap and squared poverty gap over time. The marginal and near landless farmers have not gained significantly through adopting BRRI released modern variety over non-adopters in terms of all the indicators except aman rice yield. However, only yield of BRRI released modern wet (Aman) season rice technology has positive and significant impact on the marginal and near landless farmers. As such, BRRI variety adoption seemed to be conducive in increasing the level of yield of marginal and near-landless farms but it hardly helps them to overcome the poverty level, unless other equity-enhancing policy measures are undertaken. Overall, there was large scope for enhancing adoption of BRRI released rice variety in order to reduce the poverty level in rural areas. The current rice policy (rice self-sufficiency) appears to be supportive to help Bangladesh rice sector for achieving food security in the country.

Bangladesh Rice j. 2019, 23(1): 1-11
Photosensitive Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Varieties under Delayed Planting as an Option to Minimize Rice Yield Loss in Flood Affected T. Aman Season
Authors: Biswas A , Ahmed M M E , Halder T , Akter S , Yasmeen R , Rahman M S
Published: June 2020

Photosensitive rice varieties have higher advantages in delayed planting. The present study was undertaken to figure out the degrees of delayed planting and evaluate the performance of six modern Aman rice varieties (BR11, BR22, BR23, BRRI dhan46, BRRI dhan54) against three sets of delayed planting. Each rice variety showed considerable variations for plant height, days to panicle initiation, flowering and maturity. BR22, BR23, and BRRI dhan54 showed a drastic reduction in days to panicle initiation and varied from 65 to 58 days, 69 to 60 days, and 62 to 55 days respectively, while it varied from 76 to 80 days for the control variety BR11. Similarly, days to flowering of BR22 and BRRI dhan54 showed a gradual decrease following different planting time and varied from 92 to 86 days, and 83 to 77 days respectively, while it varied from 109 to 107 days for the control variety BR11. For the above traits, BRRI dhan44 and BRRI dhan46 showed a moderate reduction depending on the three sets of planting time. Grain yield of BR22, BR23 reduced at the third set with a value ranging from 5.8 to 5.0 t/ha, 6.1 to 5.1 t/ha respectively, while BRRI dhan54 showed consistency in grain yield with a range from 5.3 to 5.2 t/ha. In contrast, grain yield of remaining rice varieties ranged between 5.7 to 4.5 t/ha for BRRI dhan46, 6.2 to 3.9 t/ha for BRRI dhan46 while severe reduction for the control variety BR11 with a range from 4.4 to 2.0 t/ha was observed. In conclusion, BRRI dhan54 was found more suitable rice variety in delayed planting compared with other photosensitive rice varieties. In future, BRRI dhan54 could be used as benchmark rice variety in a special rice breeding programme designed for delayed planting.

Bangladesh Rice j. 2019, 23(1): 65-72
Pilgrimage as a Reproduction of Sacred Landscape in Finnish Karelia and the Russian Border Zone
Authors: Mantsinen Teemu T.
Published: June 2020

This article examines how pilgrimages are constructed as a shared ritual of seeking sacred traces, thus creating and reproducing the sacred landscape. It studies an annual event with three connected Finnish Karelian Orthodox processions as a pilgrimage from an anthropological perspective. The event combines various motives, goals, and participants through a similar construction of the sacred landscape, with rituals of nding and creating the sacred in and for the landscape with personal experiences and stories of the imagined past. These processions, one of which crosses the border with modern Russia, attract participants motivated by both religious and heritage tourism. The article draws inspiration from Laura Stark’s notion of a ‘cult of traces’ and engages with pilgrimage studies and theories to offer an analysis of how various acts such as religious rituals, storytelling, and taking pictures are combined in the reproduction and reinvention of the imagined past and the creation of a marked meaningful present to construct and sustain a sacred landscape, thus forming a pilgrimage.
Çevreden Kaynaklanan Göçün Boyutu: Gelişmiş ve Gelişmekte Olan Ülkeler Üzerine Bir Çalışma
Authors: AHSAN Md Moynul , VAROL Nehir
Published: June 2020

Günümüzde iklim değişikliğinin etkileri sonucu tetiklenen çevresel göçler, yoğun olarak yaşanmasına rağmen, uluslararası politikalar açısından hala tartışmalı bir konu olmaya devam etmektedir. Dünyada her 45 kişiden birinin 2050 yılına kadar iklim değişikliği nedeniyle yer değiştirme zorunda kalacağı tahmin edilmektedir. Dünya Bankası’nın son yayımlanan raporunda, Sahra altı Afrika, Güney Asya ve Latin Amerika’daki 143 milyondan fazla (yaklaşık %2,8) vatandaşın 2050 yılına kadar iklim değişikliğinin etkilerinden kaçmak için kendi ülkeleri içerisinde yer değiştirmek zorunda kalacakları belirtilmektedir. Bu durum bile iklim değişikliklerinden kaynaklanan göçün küresel bağlamda bir problem haline geldiğinin bir göstergesidir. Ancak halen, çevre kaynaklı göçmenleri korumak için somut uluslararası bir yasa yoktur. Gelişmekte olan ve gelişmiş ülkeler bu problemden dolayı büyük zorluklarla karşı karşıya olduğundan dolayı, çevresel afetlerin etkilerine karşı “sıcak noktaların” kırılganlıklarını azaltmak ve riski yönetmek için acil, kapsamlı bir çerçeve planı geliştirilmelidir. Bu makale ile sorunun ne kadar büyük olduğu ortaya koyulmakta, gelişmiş ve az gelişmiş ülkelerde çevrekaynaklı göçmenlerin risklerini, sorunlarını azaltmada uluslararası sorumluluğun önemine vurgu yapılmaktadır.
Dance, Diaspora and the Role of the Archives: A Dialogic Reflection upon the Black Dance Archives Project (UK)
Authors: Carr Jane , Baddoo Deborah
Published: June 2020

The Black Dance Archives project collected materials that record the activities of black British artists who created and performed dance predominantly in the later years of the twentieth century. Through the form of a dialogue we bring the perspective of the dance producer who led the project together with a more academic interest in the potential of the materials collected to contribute to dance research. Our shared reflections reveal how a focus on archiving the work of dance artists of diasporic heritage emphasises that dance, as a form of intangible cultural heritage, is particularly vulnerable to becoming lost to future generations. This leads to reflections upon the role of dance archives within the context of post-colonial Britain that brings to the fore some of the complexities of the archival process and the significance of how this project resulted in materials being dispersed across different institutions.
All-Sky Imager Observations of the Latitudinal Extent and Zonal Motion of Magnetically Conjugate 630.0 nm Airglow Depletions
Authors: Martinis Carlos , Hickey Dustin , Wroten Joei , Baumgardner Jeffrey , Macinnis Rebecca , Sullivan Caity , Padilla Santiago
Published: June 2020

630.0 nm all-sky imaging data are used to detect airglow depletions associated with equatorial spread F. Pairs of imagers located at geomagnetically conjugate locations in the American sector at low and mid-latitudes provide information on the occurrence rate and zonal motion of airglow depletions. Airglow depletions are seen extending to magnetic latitudes as high as 25°. An asymmetric extension is observed with structures in the northern hemisphere reaching higher latitudes. By tracking the zonal motion of airglow depletions, zonal plasma drifts in the thermosphere can be inferred and their simultaneous behavior in both hemispheres investigated. Case studies using El Leoncito and Mercedes imagers in the southern hemisphere, and the respective magnetically conjugate imagers at Villa de Leyva and Arecibo, provide consistent evidence of the influence of the South Atlantic Magnetic Anomaly on the dynamics and characteristics of the thermosphere–ionosphere system at low and mid-latitudes.
HLA-DPB1*03 as Risk Allele and HLA-DPB1*04 as Protective Allele for Both Early- and Adult-Onset Multiple Sclerosis in a Hellenic Cohort
Authors: Anagnostouli Maria , Artemiadis Artemios , Gontika Maria , Skarlis Charalampos , Markoglou Nikolaos , Katsavos Serafeim , Kilindireas Konstantinos , Doxiadis Ilias , Stefanis Leonidas
Published: June 2020

Background: Human Leucocyte Antigens (HLA) represent the genetic loci most strongly linked to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Apart from HLA-DR and HLA–DQ, HLA-DP alleles have been previously studied regarding their role in MS pathogenesis, but to a much lesser extent. Our objective was to investigate the risk/resistance influence of HLA-DPB1 alleles in Hellenic patients with early- and adult-onset MS (EOMS/AOMS), and possible associations with the HLA-DRB1*15:01 risk allele. Methods: One hundred MS-patients (28 EOMS, 72 AOMS) fulfilling the McDonald-2010 criteria were enrolled. HLA genotyping was performed with standard low-resolution Sequence-Specific Oligonucleotide techniques. Demographics, clinical and laboratory data were statistically processed using well-defined parametric and nonparametric methods and the SPSSv22.0 software. Results: No significant HLA-DPB1 differences were found between EOMS and AOMS patients for 23 distinct HLA-DPB1 and 12 HLA-DRB1 alleles. The HLA-DPB1*03 allele frequency was found to be significantly increased, and the HLA-DPB1*02 allele frequency significantly decreased, in AOMS patients compared to controls. The HLA-DPB1*04 allele was to be found significantly decreased in AOMS and EOMS patients compared to controls. Conclusions: Our study supports the previously reported risk susceptibility role of the HLA-DPB1*03 allele in AOMS among Caucasians. Additionally, we report for the first time a protective role of the HLA-DPB1*04 allele among Hellenic patients with both EOMS and AOMS.
The Impact of Physical Activities on Cognitive Performance among Healthy Older Individuals
Authors: Klimova Blanka , Dostalova Radka
Published: June 2020

The population is aging in developed countries. This aging process results in many changes, both physical and mental. Over the years, there has been a gradual decline in the level of cognitive functions closely related to the ageing process, which is most often connected with ageing diseases such as dementia. So far, pharmacological treatment has not yet been able to cure this neurological disorder. Health policies around the world seek to find alternative programs and strategies to help a healthy population prevent cognitive decline and prolong active life. One such strategy appears to be physical activity. The aim of this review is to discuss the impact of physical activity on cognitive performance among healthy older individuals. The methodology of this study is based on a systematic electronic literature search of available studies found in three databases: PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. The findings suggest that any physical activity in older age seems to have a positive impact on the improvement of cognitive function. Furthermore, it appears that dancing, due to its multiple mechanisms, might have the biggest effect on the enhancement of cognitive performance in healthy older individuals. However, controlled clinical trials of physical activity intervention in older adults are rare. Therefore, further research in this area (particularly on the amount of physical activity, its intensity and type) is needed.
Early Motor Development Predicts Clinical Outcomes of Siblings at High-Risk for Autism: Insight from an Innovative Motion-Tracking Technology
Authors: Caruso Angela , Gila Letizia , Fulceri Francesca , Salvitti Tommaso , Micai Martina , Baccinelli Walter , Bulgheroni Maria , Scattoni Maria Luisa
Published: June 2020

Atypical motor patterns are potential early markers and predictors of later diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study aimed to investigate the early motor trajectories of infants at high-risk (HR) of ASD through MOVIDEA, a semi-automatic software developed to analyze 2D and 3D videos and provide objective kinematic features of their movements. MOVIDEA was developed within the Italian Network for early detection of Autism Spectrum Disorder (NIDA Network), which is currently coordinating the most extensive surveillance program for infants at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). MOVIDEA was applied to video recordings of 53 low-risk (LR; siblings of typically developing children) and 50 HR infants’ spontaneous movements collected at 10 days and 6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks. Participants were grouped based on their clinical outcome (18 HR received an NDD diagnosis, 32 HR and 53 LR were typically developing). Results revealed that early developmental trajectories of specific motor parameters were different in HR infants later diagnosed with NDDs from those of infants developing typically. Since MOVIDEA was useful in the association of quantitative measures with specific early motor patterns, it should be applied to the early detection of ASD/NDD markers.
Transcriptional Regulation of Natural Killer Cell Development and Functions
Authors: Wang Dandan , Malarkannan Subramaniam
Published: June 2020

Natural killer (NK) cells are the major lymphocyte subset of the innate immune system. Their ability to mediate anti-tumor cytotoxicity and produce cytokines is well-established. However, the molecular mechanisms associated with the development of human or murine NK cells are not fully understood. Knowledge is being gained about the environmental cues, the receptors that sense the cues, signaling pathways, and the transcriptional programs responsible for the development of NK cells. Specifically, a complex network of transcription factors (TFs) following microenvironmental stimuli coordinate the development and maturation of NK cells. Multiple TFs are involved in the development of NK cells in a stage-specific manner. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the understandings of TFs involved in the regulation of NK cell development, maturation, and effector function, in the aspects of their mechanisms, potential targets, and functions.
Viral and Immunological Analytes are Poor Predictors of the Clinical Treatment Response in Kaposi’s Sarcoma Patients
Authors: Lidenge Salum J. , Tso For Yue , Mortazavi Yasaman , Ngowi John R. , Shea Danielle M. , Mwaiselage Julius , Wood Charles , West John T.
Published: June 2020

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent for Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS). The prognostic utility of KSHV and HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus) viremia as well as immunological parameters in clinical management of participants with KS is unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate viral and immunological parameters as predictors of KS treatment responses in participants with KS from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Plasma KSHV-DNA, HIV-1 viral load, total anti-KSHV antibody, KSHV-neutralizing antibody (nAb), cytokine/chemokine levels, and T-cell differentiation subsets were quantified before and after KS treatment in 13 participants with KS and in 13 KSHV-infected asymptomatic control individuals. One-way analysis of variance and the Mann-Whitney t-test were used to assess differences between groups where p-values < 0.05 were considered significant. Subjects with patch and plaque KS lesions responded more favorably to treatment than those with nodular lesions. Pre-treatment and post-treatment levels of plasma KSHV-DNA, HIV-1 viral load, KSHV-Ab responses, cytokines, and T-cell populations did not predict the KS treatment response. Elevated KSHV-humoral and cytokine responses persisted in participants with KS despite a clinical KS response. While patch and plaque KS lesions were more common among treatment responders, none of the analyzed viral and immunological parameters distinguished responders from non-responders at baseline or after treatment.
Chronic Viral Liver Diseases: Approaching the Liver Using T Cell Receptor-Mediated Gene Technologies
Authors: Healy Katie , Pasetto Anna , Sobkowiak Michał J. , Soon Chai Fen , Cornberg Markus , Aleman Soo , Sällberg Chen Margaret
Published: June 2020

Chronic infection with viral hepatitis is a major risk factor for liver injury and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). One major contributing factor to the chronicity is the dysfunction of virus-specific T cell immunity. T cells engineered to express virus-specific T cell receptors (TCRs) may be a therapeutic option to improve host antiviral responses and have demonstrated clinical success against virus-associated tumours. This review aims to give an overview of TCRs identified from viral hepatitis research and discuss how translational lessons learned from cancer immunotherapy can be applied to the field. TCR isolation pipelines, liver homing signals, cell type options, as well as safety considerations will be discussed herein.
Inhibition of Transglutaminase 2 but Not of MDM2 Has a Significant Therapeutic Effect on Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Kang Joon Hee , Lee Seon-Hyeong , Lee Jae-Seon , Oh Su-Jin , Ha Ji Sun , Choi Hyun-Jung , Kim Soo-Youl
Published: June 2020

More than 50% of human cancers harbor TP53 mutations and increased expression of Mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2), which contribute to cancer progression and drug resistance. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has an unusually high incidence of wild-type p53, with a mutation rate of less than 4%. MDM2 is master regulator of apoptosis in cancer cells, which is triggered through proteasomal degradation of wild-type p53. Recently, we found that p53 protein levels in RCC are regulated by autophagic degradation. Transglutaminase 2 (TGase 2) was responsible for p53 degradation through this pathway. Knocking down TGase 2 increased p53-mediated apoptosis in RCC. Therefore, we asked whether depleting p53 from RCC cells occurs via MDM2-mediated proteasomal degradation or via TGase 2-mediated autophagic degradation. In vitro gene knockdown experiments revealed that stability of p53 in RCC was inversely related to levels of both MDM2 and TGase 2 protein. Therefore, we examined the therapeutic efficacy of inhibitors of TGase 2 and MDM2 in an in vivo model of RCC. The results showed that inhibiting TGase 2 but not MDM2 had efficient anticancer effects.
Influence of SnO2 Content on the Humidity Dependent Impedance of the MgFe2O4-Fe2O3-SnO2 Compound
Authors: Nikolic Maria Vesna , Lukovic Miloljub D.
Published: June 2020

A porous MgFe2O4-Fe2O3-SnO2 bulk compound with varying SnO2 content was obtained by sintering an appropriate mixture of magnesium oxide, hematite and tin oxide nanopowders at 1000 and 1100 °C. The obtained structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze sample morphology, showing that the addition of SnO2 resulted in an inhomogeneous microstructure with smaller grain size especially at 1000 °C. Significant grain growth of hematite grains was noted at 1100 °C. The influence of relative humidity in the range 30–90% was monitored at room temperature (25 °C) in the frequency range 42 Hz- 1 MHz. The highest reduction of impedance with humidity was noted at lower frequency. Addition of low amounts of SnO2 and sintering at 1000 °C resulted in the highest sensitivity at 105 Hz of 0.391 MΩ/%RH in the RH30–90% range, while the compound with the highest amount of SnO2 showed the largest decrease in impedance with increase in relative humidity ~26 times. All samples showed low hysteresis (below 2%). Complex impedance data was analyzed using equivalent circuits reflecting the dominant influence of the grain boundary in the lower relative humidity range (30–60%) and both grain boundary and grain components in the higher relative humidity range (60–90%).
Do Oil Price Shocks and Other Factors Create Bigger Impacts on Islamic Banks than Conventional Banks?
Authors: Esmaeil Jabir , Rjoub Husam , Wong Wing-Keung
Published: June 2020

The main aim of this study is to empirically examine and compares the impacts of oil price shocks, Arab revolutions, some macroeconomics, and bank-specific variables on bank profitability indicators between Conventional and Islamic banks in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The study employed panel Autoregressive-Distributed Lag (ARDL) techniques to examine the causal relationship both at the short and long-run. Our results reveal that most of the variables employed in our study significantly influence Return on Asset (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE), and Net Interest Margin (NIM)/ Net Profit Margin (NPM) for both Conventional Banks (CBs) and Islamic Banks (IBs) similarly in the long run. Findings from our study imply that both CBs and IBs have some similar features in nature, which could be because of the structure of the policies for IBs is in line with the regulatory framework for the CBs. The main finding from the study is the significance of oil price shock and the Arab springs that are more pronounced in CBs than IBs. Also, it can be seen that a sustainable profit of IBs is higher than CBs due to the adjustment speed of IBs to equilibrium in the presence of shock is found to be higher than CBs. Hence, our study suggests that oil price shock could be utilized for having a prudent macro regulation for the banks in GCC countries. Our findings are useful to Government officers, bankers, investors, and researchers for their decision making by estimating future trends of the profitability for both Conventional and Islamic banks in the GCC countries.
Effective Electricity Theft Detection in Power Distribution Grids Using an Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System
Authors: Blazakis Konstantinos V. , Kapetanakis Theodoros N. , Stavrakakis George S.
Published: June 2020

Electric power grids are a crucial infrastructure for the proper operation of any country and must be preserved from various threats. Detection of illegal electricity power consumption is a crucial issue for distribution system operators (DSOs). Minimizing non-technical losses is a challenging task for the smooth operation of electrical power system in order to increase electricity provider’s and nation’s revenue and to enhance the reliability of electrical power grid. The widespread popularity of smart meters enables a large volume of electricity consumption data to be collected and new artificial intelligence technologies could be applied to take advantage of these data to solve the problem of power theft more efficiently. In this study, a robust artificial intelligence algorithm adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS)—with many applications in many various areas—is presented in brief and applied to achieve more effective detection of electric power theft. To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies yet that involve the application of ANFIS for the detection of power theft. The proposed technique is shown that if applied properly it could achieve very high success rates in various cases of fraudulent activities originating from unauthorized energy usage.
Evaluation of the Effects of Smart Charging Strategies and Frequency Restoration Reserves Market Participation of an Electric Vehicle
Authors: Rücker Fabian , Merten Michael , Gong Jingyu , Villafáfila-Robles Roberto , Schoeneberger Ilka , Sauer Dirk Uwe
Published: June 2020

The emergence of electric vehicles offers the opportunity to decarbonize the transportation and mobility sector. With smart charging strategies and the use of electricity generated from renewable sources, electric vehicle owners can reduce their electricity bill as well as reduce their carbon footprint. We investigated smart charging strategies for electric vehicle charging at household and workplace sites with photovoltaic systems. Furthermore, we investigated the participation of an electric vehicle in the provision of positive automatic frequency restoration reserve (aFRR) in Germany from 30 October 2018 to 31 July 2019. We find that the provision of positive aFRR in Germany returns a positive net return. The positive net return is, however, not sufficient to cover the current investment cost for a necessary control unit. For home charging, we find that self-sufficiency rates of up to 48.1% and an electricity cost reduction of 17.6% for one year can be reached with unidirectional smart charging strategies. With bidirectional strategies, self-sufficiency rates of up to 56.7% for home charging and electricity cost reductions of up to 26.1% are reached. We also find that electric vehicle (EV) owners who can charge at their workplace can reduce their electricity cost further. The impact of smart charging strategies on battery aging is also discussed.
Probabilistic Microgrid Energy Management with Interval Predictions
Authors: Cheng Jiayu , Duan Dongliang , Cheng Xiang , Yang Liuqing , Cui Shuguang
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we consider a probabilistic microgrid dispatch problem where the predictions of the load and the Renewable Energy Source (RES) generation are given in the form of intervals. A hybrid method combining scenario-selected optimization and reserve strategy using the Model Predictive Control (MPC) framework is proposed. Specifically, first of all, an appropriate scenario is selected by the optimizer at each optimization stage, and then the optimal scheduling and reservation of system capacity are determined based on the selected scenario and possible variations in the future as provided by the predictors. In addition, a new reserve strategy is introduced to adaptively maintain system reliability and respond to variations in the hierarchical microgrid control. Simulations are conducted to compare our proposed method with the existing robust method and the deterministic dispatch with perfect information. Results show that our proposed method significantly improves the system efficiency while maintaining system reliability.
The Use of Nanomaterials in Shaping the Properties of Cement Slurries Used in Drilling
Authors: Rzepka Marcin , Kędzierski Miłosz
Published: June 2020

For several decades, constant research has been performed in the world in order to obtain more durable, tighter, or less environmentally harmful binding materials which could be used to seal casing strings in boreholes. There is an increasing search for innovative solutions allowing the production of the highest possible class of binding cements. Since the beginning of the 21st century, one thing which has become synonymous with development is nanotechnology—a dynamically growing branch of science involving both the design, production, and testing of structures with the size of billionths of a metre. Among other things, a set cement stone is made of the grains of hydrated calcium silicates and calcium aluminates, between which there are pore spaces. Fine grains of nanoparticles can successfully settle inside these spaces, causing a decrease in the porosity and permeability of cement matrix. The paper presents the results of laboratory tests performed for formulas of cement slurries containing between 0.5% and 1% of nanosilica, between 1% and 3% of nanosized alumina and approximately 0.1% of carbon nanotubes. The resulting slurries had a density of approximately 1830–1920 kg/m3 and zero water settling. The thickening times of slurries were selected in accordance with the given geological and technical conditions. Early compressive strength amounting to 3.5 MPa (based on a test using an ultrasound cement analyser) was achieved by slurries after times between approximately 7 and 14 h. Upon setting of samples, cement stones produced from slurries featured a very low share of capillary pores. After 28 days of hydration, the compressive strength of the resulting cement stones took on very high values, reaching even up to 50 MPa. Photographs of cement stones containing nanomaterials (taken by means of scanning microscopy) are a confirmation of the exceptionally compact microstructure of the resulting samples.
Asymmetric Loss Functions for Contract Capacity Optimization
Authors: Lin Jun-Lin , Zhang Yiqing , Zhu Kunhuang , Chen Binbin , Zhang Feng
Published: June 2020

For high-voltage and extra-high-voltage consumers, the electricity cost depends not only on the power consumed but also on the contract capacity. For the same amount of power consumed, the smaller the difference between the contract capacity and the power consumed, the smaller the electricity cost. Thus, predicting the future power demand for setting the contract capacity is of great economic interest. In the literature, most works predict the future power demand based on a symmetric loss function, such as mean squared error. However, the electricity pricing structure is asymmetric to the under- and overestimation of the actual power demand. In this work, we proposed several loss functions derived from the asymmetric electricity pricing structure. We experimented with the Long Short-Term Memory neural network with these loss functions using a real dataset from a large manufacturing company in the electronics industry in Taiwan. The results show that the proposed asymmetric loss functions outperform the commonly used symmetric loss function, with a saving on the electricity cost ranging from 0.88% to 2.42%.
Reliable Discrimination of Green Coffee Beans Species: A Comparison of UV-Vis-Based Determination of Caffeine and Chlorogenic Acid with Non-Targeted Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Adnan Adnan , Naumann Marcel , Mörlein Daniel , Pawelzik Elke
Published: June 2020

Species adulteration is a common problem in the coffee trade. Several attempts have been made to differentiate among species. However, finding an applicable methodology that would consider the various aspects of adulteration remains a challenge. This study investigated an ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy-based determination of caffeine and chlorogenic acid contents, as well as the applicability of non-targeted near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, to discriminate between green coffee beans of the Coffea arabica (Arabica) and Coffea canephora (Robusta) species from Java Island, Indonesia. The discrimination was conducted by measuring the caffeine and chlorogenic acid content in the beans using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The data related to both compounds was processed using linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Information about the diffuse reflectance (log 1/R) spectra of intact beans was determined by NIR spectroscopy and analyzed using multivariate analysis. UV-Vis spectroscopy attained an accuracy of 97% in comparison to NIR spectroscopy’s accuracy by selected wavelengths of LDA (95%). The study suggests that both methods are applicable to discriminate reliably among species.
Mutation of YL Results in a Yellow Leaf with Chloroplast RNA Editing Defect in Soybean
Authors: Zhu Xiaowei , Pan Yi , Liu Zhi , Liu Yucheng , Zhong Deyi , Duan Zongbiao , Tian Zhixi , Zhu Baoge , Zhou Guoan
Published: June 2020

RNA editing plays a key role in organelle gene expression. Little is known about how RNA editing factors influence soybean plant development. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of a soybean yl (yellow leaf) mutant. The yl plants showed decreased chlorophyll accumulation, lower PS II activity, an impaired net photosynthesis rate, and an altered chloroplast ultrastructure. Fine mapping of YL uncovered a point mutation in Glyma.20G187000, which encodes a chloroplast-localized protein homologous to Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) ORRM1. YL is mainly expressed in trifoliate leaves, and its deficiency affects the editing of multiple chloroplast RNA sites, leading to inferior photosynthesis in soybean. Taken together, these results demonstrate the importance of the soybean YL protein in chloroplast RNA editing and photosynthesis.
Adipogenesis: A Complex Interplay of Multiple Molecular Determinants and Pathways
Authors: Ambele Melvin A. , Dhanraj Priyanka , Giles Rachel , Pepper Michael S.
Published: June 2020

The formation of adipocytes during embryogenesis has been largely understudied. However, preadipocytes appear to originate from multipotent mesenchymal stromal/stem cells which migrate from the mesoderm to their anatomical localization. Most studies on adipocyte formation (adipogenesis) have used preadipocytes derived from adult stem/stromal cells. Adipogenesis consists of two phases, namely commitment and terminal differentiation. This review discusses the role of signalling pathways, epigenetic modifiers, and transcription factors in preadipocyte commitment and differentiation into mature adipocytes, as well as limitations in our understanding of these processes. To date, a limited number of transcription factors, genes and signalling pathways have been described to regulate preadipocyte commitment. One reason could be that most studies on adipogenesis have used preadipocytes already committed to the adipogenic lineage, which are therefore not suitable for studying preadipocyte commitment. Conversely, over a dozen molecular players including transcription factors, genes, signalling pathways, epigenetic regulators, and microRNAs have been described to be involved in the differentiation of preadipocytes to adipocytes; however, only peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma has proven to be clinically relevant. A detailed understanding of how the molecular players underpinning adipogenesis relate to adipose tissue function could provide new therapeutic approaches for addressing obesity without compromising adipose tissue function.
Advances in Mast Cell Activation by IL-1 and IL-33 in Sjögren’s Syndrome: Promising Inhibitory Effect of IL-37
Authors: Conti Pio , Stellin Luisa , Caraffa Alesssandro , Gallenga Carla E. , Ross Rhiannon , Kritas Spyros K. , Frydas Ilias , Younes Ali , Di Emidio Paolo , Ronconi Gianpaolo
Published: June 2020

Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease that affects primarily older women and is characterized by irreversible damage of the exocrine glands, including tear (xerophthalmia) and salivary glands (xerostomia). Secretory glands lose their functionality due to the infiltration of immune cells, which produce cytokines and cause inflammation. Primary SS is characterized by dry syndrome with or without systemic commitment in the absence of other pathologies. Secondary SS is accompanied by other autoimmune diseases with high activation of B lymphocytes and the production of autoantibodies, including the rheumatoid factor. Other cells, such as CD4+ T cells and mast cells (MCs), participate in SS inflammation. MCs are ubiquitous, but are primarily located close to blood vessels and nerves and can be activated early in autoimmune diseases to express a wide variety of cytokines and chemokines. In the SS acute phase, MCs react by generating chemical mediators of inflammation, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and other pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-33. IL-33 is the specific ligand for ST2 capable of inducing some adaptive immunity TH2 cytokines but also has pro-inflammatory properties. IL-33 causes impressive pathological changes and inflammatory cell infiltration. IL-1 family members can have paracrine and autocrine effects by exacerbating autoimmune inflammation. IL-37 is an IL-1 family cytokine that binds IL-18Rα receptor and/or Toll-like Receptor (TLR)4, exerting an anti-inflammatory action. IL-37 is a natural inhibitor of innate and acquired immunity, and the level is abnormal in patients with autoimmune disorders. After TLR ligand activation, IL-37 mRNA is generated in the cytoplasm, with the production of pro-IL-37 and later mature IL-37 caspase-1 mediated; both precursor and mature IL-37 are biologically active. Here, we discuss, for the first time, the current knowledge of IL-37 in autoimmune disease SS and propose a new therapeutic role.
Phase 2 and Later of COVID-19 Lockdown: Is it Possible to Perform Remote Diagnosis and Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder? An Online-Mediated Approach
Authors: Narzisi Antonio
Published: June 2020

COVID-19 is still in phase 2. The lockdown has been significantly reduced compared to phase 1. The centers and institutions that deal with the diagnosis and intervention of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require rapid functional adaptation to respond to patients’ needs. The possibility of using technology to activate and manage diagnostic (preliminary diagnosis) and intervention processes should be explored. Two developed telemedicine working models for diagnosis and intervention, including synchronous and asynchronous transmissions, are presented. They are proposals not yet supported by the data. The diagnosis step is composed by two different and consecutives phases: (A) pre-specialistic consultation (PSC) and (B) specialistic assessment. The intervention step implemented well-recognized evidence-based models for preschoolers, school-aged, and older children in an online format. Parents’ support is also included. The described working models have the purpose of carrying out preliminary specialistic answers to the families without aiming to replace preferable in-person assessment. Based on previous research findings, the telemedicine approach is accepted by parents, increases their sense of competence, increases the parent intervention adhesion, and improves the social communication competencies for children with ASD. In conclusion, the presented working models must be considered partial responses to the current emergency status and at the same time as possible integrations into traditional approaches.
Endotheliitis and Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients with COVID-19: Its Role in Thrombosis and Adverse Outcomes
Authors: Mosleh Wassim , Chen Kai , Pfau Steven E. , Vashist Aseem
Published: June 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2), emerging in Wuhan, China and developing into a pandemic with rapidly emerging cardiovascular manifestations [...]
A Probabilistic Method for Estimating the Percentage of Corrosion Depth on the Inner Bottom Plates of Aging Bulk Carriers
Authors: Ivošević Špiro , Meštrović Romeo , Kovač Nataša
Published: June 2020

This paper presents an approach for the model estimating the probabilistic percent corrosion depth for inner bottom plates of fuel oil tanks located in the double bottom of aging bulk carriers. Assuming that corrosion begins after four years of exploitation, a statistical approach to investigations on the ratio of the corrosion rate and the average initial inner bottom plate’s thickness of considered bulk carriers is given. We consider this ratio to be a random variable since it is included in the usual linear corrosion model. By applying adequate statistical tests to the available empirical dataset, three best fitted three-parameter distributions for estimating the cumulative density function and the probability density function of the random variable were obtained. These three distributions were further used to estimate the studied percentage of corrosion depth. Lastly, we present the corresponding numerical and graphical results concerning the obtained statistical and empirical results and give concluding remarks.
Effects of Fish Oil and Grape Seed Extract Combination on Hepatic Endogenous Antioxidants and Bioactive Lipids in Diet-Induced Early Stages of Insulin Resistance in Rats
Authors: Taltavull Núria , Miralles-Pérez Bernat , Nogués Maria Rosa , Ramos-Romero Sara , Méndez Lucía , Medina Isabel , Torres Josep Lluís , Romeu Marta
Published: June 2020

Diacylglycerols (DAG) and ceramides have been suggested as early predictors of insulin resistance. This study was aimed to examine the combined effects of fish oil (FO) and grape seed extract (GSE) on hepatic endogenous antioxidants, DAG and ceramides in diet-induced early stages of insulin resistance. Thirty-five rats were fed one of the following diets: (1) a standard diet (STD group), (2) a high-fat high-sucrose diet (HFHS group), (3) an HFHS diet enriched with FO (FO group), (4) an HFHS diet enriched with GSE (GSE group) or (5) an HFHS diet enriched with FO and GSE (FO + GSE group). In the liver, endogenous antioxidants were measured using spectrophotometric and fluorometric techniques, and non-targeted lipidomics was conducted for the assessment of DAG and ceramides. After 24 weeks, the FO + GSE group showed increased glutathione peroxidase activity, as well as monounsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing DAG, and long-chain fatty acid-containing ceramides abundances compared to the STD group. The FO and GSE combination induced similar activation of the antioxidant system and bioactive lipid accumulation in the liver than the HFHS diet without supplementation. In addition, the FO and GSE combination increased the abundances of polyunsaturated fatty acid-containing DAG in the liver.
Profiling of Volatile Organic Compounds in Wild Indigenous Medicinal Ginger (Zingiber barbatum Wall.) from Myanmar
Authors: Shukurova Musavvara Kh. , Asikin Yonathan , Chen Yanhang , Kusano Miyako , Watanabe Kazuo N.
Published: June 2020

The emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) strongly depend on the plant species and are differently represented in specific taxa. VOCs have a degree of chemical diversity and also can serve as chemotaxonomic markers. Zingiber barbatum Wall. is a wild medicinal ginger plant endemic to Myanmar whose VOC composition has never been screened before. In this study, we screened the rhizome of Z. barbatum to identify the VOC composition by the application of gas chromatography combined with time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS). The resulting VOC profile of Z. barbatum showed that it consists mainly of monoterpenes (21%) and sesquiterpenes (30%). Intraspecific similarities and dissimilarities were found to exist between Z. barbatum genotypes in terms of VOC composition. Four accessions (ZO191, ZO223, ZO217, and the control accession ZO105) collected from the Shan State and Mandalay region of Myanmar were found to share a similar VOC profile, while two accessions (ZO64 and ZO160) collected from the Bago region were found to vary in their VOC profiles compared with the control accession. The two identified compounds, i.e., α-bergamotene and β-(E)-guaiene may serve as discriminative chemical markers for the characterization of Z. barbatum species collected in these three geographical regions of Myanmar. This study represents a first attempt to identify and describe the VOCs in the medicinal species Z. barbatum that have not been reported to date.
Molecular Characterization and Pathogenicity of Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Benin-City, Nigeria
Authors: Obasuyi Osahon , McClure JoAnn , Oronsaye Francis E. , Akerele John O. , Conly John , Zhang Kunyan
Published: June 2020

While numerous studies examine the epidemiology and molecular characterization of Staphylococcus aureus in most developed countries, the detailed molecular characterization and molecular epidemiology of S. aureus strains and clones in Africa is lacking. We determined the molecular epidemiology and virulence of 81 non-duplicate isolates of S. aureus from Benin-City, Nigeria, collected during January–July 2016, and compared with global strains. Forty-seven isolates (58.0%) were found to be methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), while 34 (42.0%) were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). ST152-MSSA (24.7%) and ST7-MRSA-V (19.8%) were the dominant groups identified, which were not genetically related to global predominant strains, but rather exhibited regional dominance. An interesting finding of the study was the presence of highly related strains in the region, which differed primarily in their methicillin resistance gene carriage, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), with 99.4–99.7% relatedness between the genomes of the strains within the MRSA–MSSA pairs. This suggests that the strains within a pair are experiencing gain or loss of SCCmec within local conditions, with evolution continuing to diversify the strains to a small degree. This study represents the most comprehensive genetic and virulence study of S. aureus in Nigeria.