bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do We Have To Worry The Internet Syndrome At The Millenial Muslim Generations In The Digital 4.0 Era?
Authors: Diniaty Amirah , Zarkasih  , Mustakim  , Vebrianto Rian
Published: October 2020

This research aims to describe the internet syndrome at the younger generation of Muslims; frequency, duration, type of application, content accessed, and their attitude towards the negative content. This research applied the survey method. The respondents were elementary, junior, and senior high school students in Pekanbaru City, which numbered 130 people. The purposive random sampling research samples were students in Islamic curriculum background schools that were accessible to researchers. The data were gained through closed questionnaires and analyzed descriptively. The results show that internet use in younger generation of Muslim is worrying, judging from the frequency and duration of their access, and more on social media to chat, to share photos or to view videos. Most respondents used their allowance to access the internet without their parents’ concern. High school respondents are tempted to see sadistic and pornographic content when accessing the internet, compared to junior and elementary school respondents.

Keywords: Internet syndrome; Students; Millennial Muslim generations
REREONGAN SERUMPI FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN SITU UDIK VILLAGE BOGOR WEST JAVA
Authors: Mujahidin Endin , Bahagia Bahagia , Wibowo Rimun , Mangunjaya Fachruddin Majeri
Published: October 2020

The objective of this research to investigate about rareongan sarumpi for rural development in Situ Udik Village Bogor West Java. The research method used qualitative approach. The data are gathred through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. The selection of sample as informant exert purposive sampling technique. The result is the leader of village exert non hierarchy and range between society and chief of village. The impact is leader and society are mutual support. The other is community development in Situ Udik village use bottom-up action like rereongan serumpi for society. The resources come from society and give back again result to society. The other is rereongan serumpi conserve gotong royong as cultural. The implementation of rereongan serumpi utilize mutual cooperation (gotong royong). People applicate togetherness, willing to help another people as well as conserve charity for assisting people. Lastly, rereongan serumpi is related to social capital. Individual and other person in inside group have strong social binding as well as society build social connection outside of local people
OPTIMALISASI PERAN DAN FUNGSI KEPALA RUANGAN DALAM PELAKSANAAN SOSIALISASI REGULASI DAN STANDAR PROSEDUR OPERASIONAL KESELAMATAN PASIEN
Authors: Warashati Dina , Novieastari Enie , Afriani Tuti
Published: October 2020

Keselamatan pasien merupakan hal yang penting dari suatuÂ  pelayanan kesehatan di era saat ini. Seorang perawat wajib memiliki kemampuan dan kepercayaan diri dalamÂ  melaksanakan program-program keselamatan pasien. Perawat butuh suatu acuan danÂ  pedoman berupa pemahaman yang jelas mengenai suatu panduan dan standar oprasional prosedurÂ  yang ada dan disepakati disuatu organisasi. Manajemen berkewajiban memastikan bahwa seluruh stafnya paham,Â  mengikuti dan patuhÂ  melaksanakan Â panduan dan standar oprasional prosedur yang ada. Pengkajian di rumah sakit di Jakarta dengan metode studi kasus didapatkan adanya insiden jatuh, kesalahan identifikasi pasien, kesalahan pengobatan, ketidak seragaman pada tindakan asuhan keperawatan, belum optimalnya komunikasi SBAR saat serah terima, penyimpanan obat-obatan konsentrasi tinggi belum sesuai standar dan adanya konflik antar profesi. Tujuan study ini adalah memberikan penguatan peran dan fungsi manajemen kepala ruangan terkait cara sosialisasi panduan dan standar oprasional prosedur yang benar dalam upaya meningkatkan keselamatan pasien. Penguatan yang diberikan kepada kepala ruangan dan perawat primer berupa bimbingan teknis yang benar menurut teori dan aplikasi langsung diruangan rawat inap. Kegiatan ini menggunakan tahap perubahan berencana dari kurt lewin untuk mengatasi permasalahan yang ditemui. Hasil penelitianÂ  ini menunjukkan bahwa pemahaman terhadap standar oprasional prosedur akan mengubah perilaku seseorangÂ  kearah yang lebih baik, dan terdapat hubungan yang cukup kuat ditemukan antara kualitas standar operasional prosedur dengan kinerja, sehingga kepala ruangan wajib memiliki kompetensi yang baik dalam melakukan sosialisasi panduan dan standar oprasional prosedur. Disarankan untuk rumah sakit agar memberikanÂ  pelatihan manajemen bangsal kepada kepala ruangan sebagai penguat kompetensinya dan meningkatkan rasa percaya diri untuk memberikan justifikasi dan argumentasi, sebagai bekal negosiasi terhadap rekan-rekan petugas kesehatan lainnya.
KESIAPSIAGAAN PERAWAT RUMAH SAKIT DALAM MENGHADAPI BENCANA: TINJAUAN SISTEMATIS
Authors: Ramdani Ramdani , Trisyani Yanny , Emaliyawati Etika
Published: October 2020

Kesiapsiagaan terhadap bencana merupakan aspek yang sangat penting penentu keberhasilan dalam penanggulangan bencana. Untuk mengurangi dampak bencana di seluruh fase yang berbeda, banyak tindakan keperawatan yang diperlukan, termasuk pencegahan atau mitigasi, kesiapsiagaan, respon, pemulihan, dan rekonstruksi atau rehabilitasi. Akan tetapi informasi tentang gambaran kesiapsiagaan perawat terhadap bencana secara sistematis masih terbatas. Sehingga tinjauan ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi hasil penelitian yang ada tentang kesiapan perawat di rumah sakit dalam menghadapi bencana secara lebih komprehensif. Metode: Pencarian literature dilakukan terhadap artikel yang diterbitkan dari 2014 sampai 2019 menggunakan PubMed dan Google Scholar dengan kombinasi kata kunci readiness atau preparedness dan disaster dan healthcare professional atau nursing. Kriteria inklusi pencarian adalah studi yang berfokus pada analisis kesiapsiagaan pada perawat, jenis studi cross sectional, diterbitkan dalam bahasa Inggris dan bahasa Indonesia. Semua makalah yang terpilih dimasukkan berdasarkan penilaian independen berdasarkan kriteria dari JBI. Hasil: Pencarian awal menghasilkan 1.143 artikel dan hanya 9 artikel yang termasuk dalam tinjauan artikel, dari 9 artikel menunjukanÂ  mayoritas perawat rumah sakit menunjukkan kesiapan yang buruk terhadap respon bencana rentang dari 45,8% sampai 78,5%. Mereka juga tidak percaya diri dengan kemampuannya dalam menghadapi bencana yang besar (52,1% - 72,4%). Akan tetapi, sebanyak (48,3% - 82,3%) perawat menunjukkan kesiapan yang baik terhadap respon bencana dalam hal manajemen klinis dan kesiapan dalam perlindungan diri. Kesimpulan : Hasil review menunjukan bahwa sebagian besar perawat memiliki kesiapan yang kurang optimal dalam menangani bencana. Pembuat kebijakan harus mendorong diadakanya pelatihan untuk perawat mengenai kesiapsiagaan bencana di rumah sakit.
GAMBARAN FASE BERDUKA PADA PASIEN STROKE DI WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS PEMBANGUNAN
Authors: Sari Restiani Paripurna , Sutini Titin , Amira Iceu
Published: October 2020

Stroke merupakan suatu masalah yang dapat terjadi kapan saja dan tidak terprediksi sebelumnya sehingga pasien dapat mengalami fase berduka. Populasi pada penelitian ini yaitu pasien stroke yang berkunjung ke Puskesmas Pembangunan sebanyak 30 orang. Teknik sampel dengan menggunakan total sampling. Instrumen berisi 15 pertanyaan dan data penelitian disajikan dengan distribusi frekuensi berdasarkan nilai fase berduka. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pasien stroke yang mengalami fase berduka hampir setengahnya responden berada pada fase tawar menawar (bargaining) sebanyak 36,7%, fase anger 26,7%, fase denial 16,7%, fase depresi 13,3% dan sebagian kecil mengalami fase acceptance sebanyak 6,7%. Kesimpulan pada penelitian ini adalah hampir setengahnya responden mengalami fase tawar menawar (bargaining) dan sebagian kecil berada pada fase penerimaan acceptance. Saran pada penelitianÂ  ini untuk tenaga kesehatan agar lebih memperhatikan pasien pada saat mengalami fase berduka, untuk pasien agarÂ  lebih sabar lagi dalam menghadapi fase berduka.
ANALISIS KREATIFITAS DAN INOVASI PENGUSAHA COFFEE SHOP SUBSEKTOR PENIKMAT KOPI DI PEKANBARU
Authors: Joesyiana Kiki , Prihastuti Asepma Hygi , Sukri Saipul Al
Published: October 2020

Riau Provincial Government focusing on working at creative eonomy to increase income, open up jobs and increase foreign exchange. Creative economy is considered to be one of  the efforts to overcome poverty problem in Riau, which is culinary businesses, such as coffee shop. The trend of drinking coffee has become part of the lifestyle, especially the millennial generation to support their activities. To increase the competitiveness of coffee shop in Pekanbaru, creativity and innovation need to be increased in order to increase public buying interest. The number of respondents is 131 people who are coffee connoisseurs at 27 coffee shop in Pekanbaru that have a star rating above 3,5 and reviews above 100 at google.com. The sample collection technique uses Non Probability Sampling, while the sample selection uses purposive sampling. Data collection was carried out by distributing questionnaires, interviews, observation and documentation. Data processing uses SPSS version 21. The result of this study indicate that creativity and innovation have influence on consumer buying interest, where innovation is influenced by creativity.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ONLINE CLASSES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (Case Study : Students Of The Management Study Program Of Persada Bunda)
Authors: Joesyiana Kiki
Published: October 2020

Online classes are the main means of lecturing process during the Covid-19 Pandemic. No exception for the management economics Department of Persada Bunda College Pekanbaru which utilizes online applications, such as Zoom, Whatsapp groups, Google classrooms, and other application media to carry out the online class process. This research was conducted to find out what the effectiveness of online classes were like for the Management Study Program students of the Persada Bunda Economic College Pekanbaru during the Covid-19 Pandemic. This research is a quantitative descriptive study that brought an online survey method via google form. The obtained test results were that the majority of students from the Management Study Program of the Persada Bunda Pekanbaru have carried out the online class process from home using a cellphone / smartphone by utilizing a fair internet data connection. The online class process shows a general picture that the students' understanding towards the material provided was less than optimal and the increasing number of assignments given to students had an impact on the class process which was less effective. Other results show that students are not ready to face the new rule set by the government, "the new normal life" if online classes continue. Another result also show that the effective lecturing system during the Covid-19 pandemic should be both online and offline that are carried out alternately while still paying attention to health protocols in order to prevent Covid-19 from spreading.
Estimation of Total Nitrogen Content in Forage Maize (Zea mays L.) Using Spectral Indices: Analysis by Random Forest
Authors: López-Calderón Magali J. , Estrada-Ávalos Juan , Rodríguez-Moreno Víctor M. , Mauricio-Ruvalcaba Jorge E. , Martínez-Sifuentes Aldo R. , Delgado-Ramírez Gerardo , Miguel-Valle Enrique
Published: October 2020

Knowing the total Nitrogen content (Nt) of forage maize (Zea mays) is important so that decisions can be made quickly and efficiently to adjust the timing and amount of both irrigation and fertilizer. In 2017 and 2018 during three growing cycles in two study plots, leaf samples were collected and the Dumas method was used to estimate Nt. During the same growing seasons and on the same sampling plots, a Parrot Sequoia camera mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was used to collect high resolution images of forage maize study plots. Thirteen multispectral indices were generated and, from these, a Random Forest (RF) algorithm was used to estimate Nt. RF is a machine-learning technique and is designed to work with extremely large datasets. Overall analysis showed five of the 13 indices as the most important. One of these five, the Transformed Chlorophyll Absorption in Reflectance Index/Optimized Soil-Adjusted Vegetation Index, was found to be the most important for estimation of Nt in forage maize (R2 = 0.76). RF handled the complex dataset in a time-efficient manner and Nt did not differ significantly when compared between traditional methods of evaluating Nt at the canopy level and using UAVs and RF to estimate Nt in forage maize. This result is an opportunity to explore many new research options in precision farming and digital agriculture.
Mycobacterium Avium Paratuberculosis: A Disease Burden on the Dairy Industry
Authors: Garvey Mary
Published: October 2020

Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis is responsible for paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease in cows, having economic impacts on the dairy industry and a prevalence rate exceeding 50% in dairy herds. The economic burden of Johne’s disease relates to decreased milk production and costs of disease prevention, treatment, and management, while having an economic impact on dairy producers, processors, consumers, and stakeholders of the dairy industry. Determining the true economic impact of the disease is difficult at regional and farm level as symptoms are not evident in subclinically infected animals. At present, the virulence, pathogenicity, persistence, and infectious dose of M. avium paratuberculosis are poorly understood, consequently effective paratuberculosis control measures remain obscure. M. avium paratuberculosis is potentially zoonotic with foodborne transmission a public health risk due to a possible causative link with inflammatory bowel disease in humans. A preventive approach is necessary to reduce the presence of this drug-resistant pathogen in dairy herds and subsequently dairy food. The use of inefficient diagnostic tests coupled with the long latency period of infection results in delayed animal culling and trade of asymptomatic animals, leading to regional transmission and increased disease prevalence. To date, there has been limited success at controlling and treating this terminal endemic disease, leading to significant prevalence rates. This study aims to outline the key factors associated with Johne’s’ disease while outlining its significant impact on the dairy sector.
Fentanyl Plasma Concentrations after Application of a Transdermal Patch in Three Different Locations to Refine Postoperative Pain Management in Rabbits
Authors: Mirschberger Valentina , von Deimling Christian , Heider Anja , Spadavecchia Claudia , Rohrbach Helene , Zeiter Stephan
Published: October 2020

Transdermal patches allow a noninvasive and “stress free” analgesia in rabbits. As fentanyl uptake is dependent on exogenous and endogenous factors of the area where the patch is applied, this study investigated three different locations (neck, inner and outer surfaces of the ear) for fentanyl patch application to provide adequate and reliable fentanyl plasma concentrations above those previously shown to be analgesic. Fentanyl plasma concentration was measured at different time points (3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, 120 h) and rabbits were assessed for their general conditions and treatment-related side effects. Practicability of the proposed methods was evaluated. Following patch application on the neck, fentanyl plasma concentrations equal to or above the analgesic value were measured in all rabbits between 6 and 72 h. Comparable concentrations were reached between 9 and 48 h in all animals for the outer ear surface. However, for the inner ear surface, analgesic concentrations were not reached, even if practicability was considered the best for this location. Preparation of the neck skin was judged as the most cumbersome due to the clipping of the dense fur and patch removal resulted in erythema. In summary, the application of the fentanyl patch on the neck and outer ear surface allowed the reach of reliable plasma concentrations above the analgesic threshold in rabbits. When applied on the neck, fentanyl patches provided the longest duration of analgesic plasma concentrations, whereas patch application and removal were easier on the outer ear surface.
The Differential Composition of Whey Proteomes in Hu Sheep Colostrum and Milk during Different Lactation Periods
Authors: Zhang Xueying , Liu Xinxin , Li Fadi , Yue Xiangpeng
Published: October 2020

Colostrum and milk proteins are essential resources for the growth and development of the newborns, while their kinds and amounts vary greatly during the lactation period. This study was conducted to better understand whey proteome and its changes at six lactation time points (0 d, 3 d, 7 d, 14 d, 28 d, and 56 d after lambing) in Hu sheep. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF/TOF MS) technologies, a total of 52 differentially expressed protein spots (DEPS), corresponding to 25 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), were obtained. The protein spots abundance analysis revealed that the proteins are the most abundant at 0 d after lambing. Gene ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were used to explore the biological functions of the DEPs. The biological process was mainly involved in localization, the single-organism process, the cellular process, and a series of immune processes. The cellular components engaged in the extracellular region were the cell, organelle, and membrane. The most prevalent molecular function was binding activity. In addition, the DEPs were involved in nine significant pathways, including the Hippo signaling pathway and Complement and coagulation cascades. These results intuitively presented the changes in Hu sheep whey proteins during a 56-d lactation period, and revealed potential biological functions of the DEPs, providing a scientific basis for early weaning.
Simulation-Based Evaluation of the Performance of Broadband over Power Lines with Multiple Repeaters in Linear Topology of Distribution Substations
Authors: Musil Petr , Mlynek Petr , Slacik Jan , Pokorny Jiri
Published: October 2020

Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) is considered a promising communication technology in the concept of Smart Grids. This paper evaluates networks based on BPL, with a focus on the impact of repeaters in the linear topology of distribution substations. In large-scale Smart Grids network planning, positions of repeaters have to be carefully chosen. This article should help to determine such positions and limitations of BPL linear topology networks. Laboratory and on-field measurements and their results are presented in this article. Results show the impact of repeater’s deployment for different testing methodologies also with regard to other already presented studies. Measured values and the determined impacts of repeaters are later used as input data for simulation of the linear BPL topology in terms of network throughput with multiple streams and bottlenecks. These occur especially on lines shared by multiple communicating nodes. Furthermore, the simulation investigates the balancing time of multiple data streams throughput. The simulation shows that the throughput balancing can occupy a significant time slot, up to tens of seconds before the throughput of different streams balances. Also, the more data is generated, the more time the balancing time takes. Additionally, the throughput drop caused by a repeater is determined into the range of 35–60%. Based on the measurement and simulation results, lessons learned are presented, and possible performance improvements are discussed.
Smart Grid for Industry Using Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Roesch Martin , Linder Christian , Zimmermann Roland , Rudolf Andreas , Hohmann Andrea , Reinhart Gunther
Published: October 2020

The growing share of renewable power generation leads to increasingly fluctuating and generally rising electricity prices. This is a challenge for industrial companies. However, electricity expenses can be reduced by adapting the energy demand of production processes to the volatile prices on the markets. This approach depicts the new paradigm of energy flexibility to reduce electricity costs. At the same time, using electricity self-generation further offers possibilities for decreasing energy costs. In addition, energy flexibility can be gradually increased by on-site power storage, e.g., stationary batteries. As a consequence, both the electricity demand of the manufacturing system and the supply side, including battery storage, self-generation, and the energy market, need to be controlled in a holistic manner, thus resulting in a smart grid solution for industrial sites. This coordination represents a complex optimization problem, which additionally is highly stochastic due to unforeseen events like machine breakdowns, changing prices, or changing energy availability. This paper presents an approach to controlling a complex system of production resources, battery storage, electricity self-supply, and short-term market trading using multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL). The results of a case study demonstrate that the developed system can outperform the rule-based reactive control strategy (RCS) frequently used. Although the metaheuristic benchmark based on simulated annealing performs better, MARL enables faster reactions because of the significantly lower computation costs for its own execution.
Polynomial Expressions for the Thermal Efficiency of the Parabolic Trough Solar Collector
Authors: Bellos Evangelos , Tzivanidis Christos
Published: October 2020

The parabolic trough solar collector (PTC) is the most mature solar concentrating technology, and this technology is applied in numerous thermal applications. Usually, the thermal efficiency of the PTC is expressed with the aid of polynomial expressions. However, there is not a universal expression that is applied in all cases with high accuracy. Many studies use expressions with the first-degree polynomial, second-degree, or fourth-degree polynomial expressions. In this direction, this work is a study that investigates different expressions about the thermal efficiency of a PTC with a systematic approach. The LS-2 PTC module is examined with a developed numerical model in the Engineering Equation Solver for different operating temperatures and solar beam irradiation levels. This model is validated using experimental literature data. The found data are approximated with various polynomial expressions with up to six unknown parameters in every case. In every case, the mean absolute percentage error and the R2 are calculated. According to the final results, the use of the third power term leads to the best fitting results, as well as the use of the temperature difference term (ΔΤ), something that is new according to the existing literature. More specifically, the final suggested formula has the following format: “ηcol = a0 + a3∙ΔT3/Gb + b∙ΔΤ”. The results of this work can be used by the scientists for the optimum fitting of the PTC efficiency curves and for applying the best formulas in performance determination studies.
The Human Respiratory System and its Microbiome at a Glimpse
Authors: Santacroce Luigi , Charitos Ioannis Alexandros , Ballini Andrea , Inchingolo Francesco , Luperto Paolo , De Nitto Emanuele , Topi Skender
Published: October 2020

The recent COVID-19 pandemic promoted efforts to better understand the organization of the respiratory microbiome and its evolution from birth to adulthood and how it interacts with external pathogens and the host immune system. This review aims to deepen understanding of the essential physiological functions of the resident microbiome of the respiratory system on human health and diseases. First, the general characteristics of the normal microbiota in the different anatomical sites of the airways have been reported in relation to some factors such as the effect of age, diet and others on its composition and stability. Second, we analyze in detail the functions and composition and the correct functionality of the microbiome in the light of current knowledge. Several studies suggest the importance of preserving the micro-ecosystem of commensal, symbiotic and pathogenic microbes of the respiratory system, and, more recently, its relationship with the intestinal microbiome, and how it also leads to the maintenance of human health, has become better understood.
Vaccination Route Determines the Kinetics and Magnitude of Nasal Innate Immune Responses in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Dong Fen , Tacchi Luca , Xu Zhen , LaPatra Scott E. , Salinas Irene
Published: October 2020

Many pathogens infect animal hosts via the nasal route. Thus, understanding how vaccination stimulates early nasal immune responses is critical for animal and human health. Vaccination is the most effective method to prevent disease outbreaks in farmed fish. Nasal vaccination induces strong innate and adaptive immune responses in rainbow trout and was shown to be highly effective against infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN). However, direct comparisons between intranasal, injection and immersion vaccination routes have not been conducted in any fish species. Moreover, whether injection or immersion routes induce nasal innate immune responses is unknown. The goal of this study is to compare the effects of three different vaccine delivery routes, including intranasal (IN), intramuscular (i.m.) injection and immersion (imm) routes on the trout nasal innate immune response. Expression analyses of 13 immune-related genes in trout nasopharynx-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT), detected significant changes in immune expression in all genes analyzed in response to the three vaccination routes. However, nasal vaccination induced the strongest and fastest changes in innate immune gene expression compared to the other two routes. Challenge experiments 7 days post-vaccination (dpv) show the highest survival rates in the IN- and imm-vaccinated groups. However, survival rates in the imm group were significantly lower than the IN- and i.m.-vaccinated groups 28 dpv. Our results confirm that nasal vaccination of rainbow trout with live attenuated IHNV is highly effective and that the protection conferred by immersion vaccination is transient. These results also demonstrate for the first time that immersion vaccines stimulate NALT immune responses in salmonids.
Molecular Action of Hydroxytyrosol in Wound Healing: An In Vitro Evidence-Based Review
Authors: Utami Nike Dewi , Nordin Abid , Katas Haliza , Bt Hj Idrus Ruszymah , Fauzi Mh Busra
Published: October 2020

Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is an essential molecule isolated from the phenolic fraction of olive (Olea europaea). HT has been implicated for its health-stimulating effect mainly due to its antioxidative capacity. The current review summarises and discusses the available evidence, related to HT activities in wound healing enhancement. The literature search of related articles published within the year 2010 to 2020 was conducted using Medline via Ebscohost, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Studies were limited to in vitro research regarding the role of HT in wound closure, including anti-inflammation, antimicrobial, antioxidative, and its direct effect to the cells involved in wound healing. The literature search revealed 7136 potentially relevant records were obtained from the database search. Through the screening process, 13 relevant in vitro studies investigating the role of HT in wound repair were included. The included studies reported a proangiogenic, antioxidative, antiaging, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect of HT. The current in vitro evidence-based review highlights the cellular and molecular action of HT in influencing positive outcomes toward wound healing. Based on this evidence, HT is a highly recommended bioactive compound to be used as a pharmaceutical product for wound care applications.
Gene Panel Tumor Testing in Ovarian Cancer Patients Significantly Increases the Yield of Clinically Actionable Germline Variants beyond BRCA1/BRCA2
Authors: Barbosa Ana , Pinto Pedro , Peixoto Ana , Guerra Joana , Pinto Carla , Santos Catarina , Pinheiro Manuela , Escudeiro Carla , Bartosch Carla , Silva João , Teixeira Manuel R.
Published: October 2020

Since the approval of PARP inhibitors for the treatment of high-grade serous ovarian cancer, in addition to cancer risk assessment, BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing also has therapeutic implications (germline and somatic variants) and should be offered to these patients at diagnosis, irrespective of family history. However, variants in other genes besides BRCA1 and BRCA2 are associated with ovarian cancer predisposition, which would be missed by a genetic testing aimed only at indication for PARP inhibitor treatment. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the yield of clinically actionable germline variants using next-generation sequencing of a customized panel of 10 genes for the analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples from 96 ovarian carcinomas, a strategy that allows the detection of both somatic and germline variants in a single test. In addition to 13.7% of deleterious germline BRCA1/BRCA2 carriers, we identified 7.4% additional patients with pathogenic germline variants in other genes predisposing for ovarian cancer, namely RAD51C, RAD51D, and MSH6, representing 35% of all pathogenic germline variants. We conclude that the strategy of reflex gene-panel tumor testing enables the identification of clinically actionable germline variants in a significantly higher proportion of ovarian cancer patients, which may be valuable information in patients with advanced disease that have run out of approved therapeutic options. Furthermore, this approach increases the chance to make available genetic counseling, presymptomatic genetic testing, and gynecological cancer prophylaxis to female relatives who turn out to be healthy carriers of deleterious germline variants.
Blocking c-MET/ERBB1 Axis Prevents Brain Metastasis in ERBB2+ Breast Cancer
Authors: Gautam Shailendra K. , Kanchan Ranjana K. , Siddiqui Jawed A. , Maurya Shailendra K. , Rauth Sanchita , Perumal Naveenkumar , Atri Pranita , Venkata Ramakanth C. , Mallya Kavita , Mirza Sameer , Ponnusamy Moorthy P. , Band Vimla , Mahapatra Sidharth , Jain Maneesh , Batra Surinder K. , Nasser Mohd Wasim
Published: October 2020

Brain metastasis (BrM) remains a significant cause of cancer-related mortality in epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (ERBB2+) breast cancer (BC) patients. We proposed here that a combination treatment of irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor neratinib (NER) and the c-MET inhibitor cabozantinib (CBZ) could prevent brain metastasis. To address this, we first tested the combination treatment of NER and CBZ in the brain-seeking ERBB2+ cell lines SKBrM3 and JIMT-1-BR3, and in ERBB2+ organoids that expressed the c-MET/ERBB1 axis. Next, we developed and characterized an orthotopic mouse model of spontaneous BrM and evaluated the therapeutic effect of CBZ and NER in vivo. The combination treatment of NER and CBZ significantly inhibited proliferation and migration in ERBB2+ cell lines and reduced the organoid growth in vitro. Mechanistically, the combination treatment of NER and CBZ substantially inhibited ERK activation downstream of the c-MET/ERBB1 axis. Orthotopically implanted SKBrM3+ cells formed primary tumor in the mammary fat pad and spontaneously metastasized to the brain and other distant organs. Combination treatment with NER and CBZ inhibited primary tumor growth and predominantly prevented BrM. In conclusion, the orthotopic model of spontaneous BrM is clinically relevant, and the combination therapy of NER and CBZ might be a useful approach to prevent BrM in BC.
(2R,3S)-Dihydroxybutanoic Acid Synthesis as a Novel Metabolic Function of Mutant Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 and 2 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Idle Jeffrey R. , Seipel Katja , Bacher Ulrike , Pabst Thomas , Beyoğlu Diren
Published: October 2020

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) frequently harbors mutations in isocitrate 1 (IDH1) and 2 (IDH2) genes, leading to the formation of the oncometabolite (2R)-hydroxyglutaric acid (2R-HG) with epigenetic consequences for AML proliferation and differentiation. To investigate if broad metabolic aberrations may result from IDH1 and IDH2 mutations in AML, plasma metabolomics was conducted by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) on 51 AML patients, 29 IDH1/2 wild-type (WT), 9 with IDH1R132, 12 with IDH2R140 and one with IDH2R172 mutations. Distinct metabolic differences were observed between IDH1/2 WT, IDH1R132 and IDH2R140 patients that comprised 22 plasma metabolites that were mainly amino acids. Only two plasma metabolites were statistically significantly different (p < 0.0001) between both IDH1R132 and WT IDH1/2 and IDH2R140 and WT IDH1/2, specifically (2R)-hydroxyglutaric acid (2R-HG) and the threonine metabolite (2R,3S)-dihydroxybutanoic acid (2,3-DHBA). Moreover, 2R-HG correlated strongly (p < 0.0001) with 2,3-DHBA in plasma. One WT patient was discovered to have a D-2-hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase (D2HGDH) A426T inactivating mutation but this had little influence on 2R-HG and 2,3-DHBA plasma concentrations. Expression of transporter genes SLC16A1 and SLC16A3 displayed a weak correlation with 2R-HG but not 2,3-DHBA plasma concentrations. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that 2,3-DHBA was a better biomarker for IDH mutation than 2R-HG (Area under the curve (AUC) 0.861; p < 0.0001; 80% specificity; 87.3% sensitivity). It was concluded that 2,3-DHBA and 2R-HG are both formed by mutant IDH1R132, IDH2R140 and IDH2R172, suggesting a potential role of 2,3-DHBA in AML pathogenesis.
Agro-Waste Derived Biomass Impregnated with TiO2 as a Potential Adsorbent for Removal of As(III) from Water
Authors: Poudel Bhoj Raj , Aryal Ram Lochan , Bhattarai Sitaram , Koirala Agni Raj , Gautam Surendra Kumar , Ghimire Kedar Nath , Pant Bishweshwar , Park Mira , Paudyal Hari , Pokhrel Megh Raj
Published: October 2020

A novel type of adsorbent, TiO2 impregnated pomegranate peels (PP@TiO2) was successfully synthesized and its efficacy was investigated based on the removal of As(III) from water. The adsorbent was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer (EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, to evaluate its morphology, elemental analysis, crystallinity, and functional groups, respectively. Batch experiments were conducted on PP@TiO2 for As(III) adsorption to assess the adsorption isotherm, effect of pH, and adsorption kinetics. Characterization data suggested that TiO2 was successfully impregnated on the biomass substrate. The equilibrium data better fitted to the Langmuir isotherm model having a maximum adsorption capacity of 76.92 mg/g and better distribution coefficients (KD) in the order of ~103 mL/g. The highest percentage of adsorption was found at neutral pH. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-2nd-order model. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) of the adsorption product exhibited that arsenic was present as As(III) and partially oxidized to As(V). PP@TiO2 can work effectively in the presence of coexisting anions and could be regenerated and reused. Overall, these findings suggested that the as-prepared PP@TiO2 could provide a better and efficient alternative for the synergistic removal of As(III) from water.
Porous Copper/Zinc Bimetallic Oxides Derived from MOFs for Efficient Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to Methanol
Authors: Wang Zhenyu , Jiao Xiuling , Chen Dairong , Li Cheng , Zhang Minghui
Published: October 2020

A novel metal organic framework (MOF)-derived porous copper/zinc bimetallic oxide catalyst was developed for the photoreduction of CO2 to methanol at a very fast rate of 3.71 mmol gcat−1 h−1. This kind of photocatalyst with high activity, selectivity and a simple preparation catalyst provides promising photocatalyst candidates for reducing CO2 to methanol.
Novel Insights into Molecular Mechanisms of Chronic Pain
Authors: Niederberger Ellen
Published: October 2020

Pain is the most frequent cause triggering patients to visit a physician. The worldwide incidence of chronic pain is in the range of 20% of adults, and chronic pain conditions are frequently associated with several comorbidities and a drastic decrease in patients’ quality of life. Although several approved analgesics are available, such therapy is often not satisfying due to insufficient efficacy and/or severe side effects. Therefore, novel strategies for the development of safe and highly efficacious pain killers are urgently needed. To reach this goal, it is necessary to clarify the causes and signal transduction cascades underlying the onset and progression of the different types of chronic pain. The papers in this Special Issue cover a wide variety of mechanisms involved in different pain types such as inflammatory, neuropathic or cancer pain. Therefore, the results summarized here might contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms in chronic pain and thereby to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for pain patients.
Adaptation of Proteasomes and Lysosomes to Cellular Environments
Authors: Mebratu Yohannes Afework , Negasi Zerihun Hailemariam , Dutta Saugata , Rojas-Quintero Joselyn , Tesfaigzi Yohannes
Published: October 2020

Protein degradation is important for proper cellular physiology as it removes malfunctioning proteins or can provide a source for energy. Proteasomes and lysosomes, through the regulatory particles or adaptor proteins, respectively, recognize proteins destined for degradation. These systems have developed mechanisms to allow adaptation to the everchanging environment of the cell. While the complex recognition of proteins to be degraded is somewhat understood, the mechanisms that help switch the proteasomal regulatory particles or lysosomal adaptor proteins to adjust to the changing landscape of degrons, during infections or inflammation, still need extensive exploration. Therefore, this review is focused on describing the protein degradation systems and the possible sensors that may trigger the rapid adaptation of the protein degradation machinery.
A New Fractional Particle Swarm Optimization with Entropy Diversity Based Velocity for Reactive Power Planning
Authors: Khan Muhammad Waleed , Muhammad Yasir , Raja Muhammad Asif Zahoor , Ullah Farman , Chaudhary Naveed Ishtiaq , He Yigang
Published: October 2020

Optimal Reactive Power Dispatch (ORPD) is the vital concern of network operators in the planning and management of electrical systems to reduce the real and reactive losses of the transmission and distribution system in order to augment the overall efficiency of the electrical network. The principle objective of the ORPD problem is to explore the best setting of decision variables such as rating of the shunt capacitors, output voltage of the generators and tap setting of the transformers in order to diminish the line loss, and improve the voltage profile index (VPI) and operating cost minimization of standard electrical systems while keeping the variables within the allowable limits. This research study demonstrates a compelling transformative approach for resolving ORPD problems faced by the operators through exploiting the strength of the meta-heuristic optimization model based on a new fractional swarming strategy, namely fractional order (FO)–particle swarm optimization (PSO), with consideration of the entropy metric in the velocity update mechanism. To perceive ORPD for standard 30 and 57-bus networks, the complex nonlinear objective functions, including minimization of the system, VPI improvement and operating cost minimization, are constructed with emphasis on efficacy enhancement of the overall electrical system. Assessment of the results show that the proposed FO-PSO with entropy metric performs better than the other state of the art algorithms by means of improvement in VPI, operating cost and line loss minimization. The statistical outcomes in terms of quantile–quantile illustrations, probability plots, cumulative distribution function, box plots, histograms and minimum fitness evaluation in a set of autonomous trials validate the capability of the proposed optimization scheme and exhibit sufficiency and also vigor in resolving ORPD problems.
Deep Learning-Based Power Control Scheme for Perfect Fairness in Device-to-Device Communication Systems
Authors: Kim Donghyeon , Lee In-Ho
Published: October 2020

The proximity-based device-to-device (D2D) communication allows for internet of things, public safety, and data offloading services. Because of these advantages, D2D communication has been applied to wireless communication networks. In wireless networks using D2D communication, there are challenging problems of the data rate shortage and coverage limitation due to co-channel interference in the proximity communication. To resolve the problems, transmit power control schemes that are based on deep learning have been presented in network-assisted D2D communication systems. The power control schemes have focused on enhancing spectral efficiency and energy efficiency in the presence of interference. However, the data-rate fairness performance may be a key performance metric in D2D communications, because devices in proximity can expect fair quality of service in the system. Hence, in this paper, a transmit power control scheme using a deep-learning algorithm based on convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed to consider the data-rate fairness performance in network-assisted D2D communication systems, where the wireless channels are modelled by path loss and Nakagami fading. In the proposed scheme, the batch normalization (BN) scheme is introduced in order to further enhance the spectral efficiency of the conventional deep-learning transmit power control scheme. In addition, a loss function for the deep-learning optimization is defined in order to consider both the data-rate fairness and spectral efficiency. Through simulation, we show that the proposed scheme can achieve extremely high fairness performance while improving the spectral efficiency of the conventional schemes. It is also shown that the improvement in the fairness and spectral efficiency is achieved for different Nakagami fading conditions and sizes of area containing the devices.
IoT System for School Dropout Prediction Using Machine Learning Techniques Based on Socioeconomic Data
Authors: Freitas Francisco A. da S. , Vasconcelos Francisco F. X. , Peixoto Solon A. , Hassan Mohammad Mehedi , Dewan M. Ali Akber , Albuquerque Victor Hugo C. de , Filho Pedro P. Rebouças
Published: October 2020

School dropout permeates various teaching modalities and has generated social, economic, political, and academic damage to those involved in the educational process. Evasion data in higher education courses show the pessimistic scenario of fragility that configures education, mainly in underdeveloped countries. In this context, this paper presents an Internet of Things (IoT) framework for predicting dropout using machine learning methods such as Decision Tree, Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, K-nearest neighbors, Multilayer perceptron, and Deep Learning based on socioeconomic data. With the use of socioeconomic data, it is possible to identify in the act of pre-registration who are the students likely to evade, since this information is filled in the pre-registration form. This paper proposes the automation of the prediction process by a method capable of obtaining information that would be difficult and time consuming for humans to obtain, contributing to a more accurate prediction. With the advent of IoT, it is possible to create a highly efficient and flexible tool for improving management and service-related issues, which can provide a prediction of dropout of new students entering higher-level courses, allowing personalized follow-up to students to reverse a possible dropout. The approach was validated by analyzing the accuracy, F1 score, recall, and precision parameters. The results showed that the developed system obtained 99.34% accuracy, 99.34% F1 score, 100% recall, and 98.69% precision using Decision Tree. Thus, the developed system presents itself as a viable option for use in universities to predict students likely to leave university.
Compact Rectifier Circuit Design for Harvesting GSM/900 Ambient Energy
Authors: Muhammad Surajo , Jiat Tiang Jun , Kin Wong Sew , Iqbal Amjad , Alibakhshikenari Mohammad , Limiti Ernesto
Published: October 2020

In this paper, a compact rectifier, capable of harvesting ambient radio frequency (RF) power is proposed. The total size of the rectifier is 45.4 mm × 7.8 mm × 1.6 mm, designed on FR-4 substrate using a single-stage voltage multiplier at 900 MHz. GSM/900 is among the favorable RF Energy Harvesting (RFEH) energy sources that span over a wide range with minimal path loss and high input power. The proposed RFEH rectifier achieves measured and simulated RF-to-dc (RF to direct current) power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 43.6% and 44.3% for 0 dBm input power, respectively. Additionally, the rectifier attained 3.1 V DC output voltage across 2 kΩ load terminal for 14 dBm and is capable of sensing low input power at −20 dBm. The work presents a compact rectifier to harvest RF energy at 900 MHz, making it a good candidate for low powered wireless communication systems as compares to the other state of the art rectifier.
A New Approach to Determining Liquid Concentration Using Multiband Annular Ring Microwave Sensor and Polarity Correlator
Authors: Sethi Waleed , Ibrahim Ahmed , Issa Khaled , Albishi Ali , Alshebeili Saleh
Published: October 2020

This article presents a new approach to determining liquid concentration using a new microwave sensor and polarity correlator. The sensor design incorporates an annular ring resonator having inside three parallel lines, a trapezoid ground plane and a co-planar waveguide (CPW) tapered feeder, which altogether achieve multiple frequency bands. Multiple bands of interest are obtained at the lower end of the microwave spectrum, i.e., from 1–6 GHz, as this region is widely accepted in analyzing various liquid samples. The sensor size is 71 × 40 × 1.6 mm3 with material selection based on an economically available FR4 substrate. The sensor is realized and experimentally validated for its sensitivity by utilizing in-lab prepared aqueous solution samples. Further, liquid concentration is determined by adopting a polarity correlator, which is applied to the sensor’s responses obtained at different values.
N Evolution and Physiochemical Structure Changes in Chars during Co-Pyrolysis: Effects of Abundance of Glucose in Fiberboard
Authors: Xu Deliang , Yang Liu , Zhao Ming , Song Yu , Karnowo  , Zhang Hong , Hu Xun , Sun Hongqi , Zhang Shu
Published: October 2020

The simple incineration of wood-based panels (WBPs) waste generates a significant amount of NOx, which has led to urgency in developing a new method for treating the N-containing biomass residues. This work aims to examine the N evolution and physiochemical structural changes during the co-pyrolysis of fiberboard and glucose, where the percentage of glucose in the feedstock was varied from 0% to 70%. It was found that N retention in chars was monotonically increased with increasing use of glucose, achieving ~60% N fixation when the glucose accounted for 70% in the mixture. Pyrrole-N (N-5) and Pyridine-N (N-6) were preferentially formed at high ratios of glucose to fiberboard. While the relevant importance of volatile–char interactions to N retention and transformation could be observed, the volatile–volatile reactions from the two feedstocks played a vital role in the increase in abundance of glucose. With the introduction of glucose, the porous structure and porosity in chars from the co-pyrolysis were dramatically altered, whereas the devolatilization of glucose tended to generate larger pores than the fiberboard. The insignificant changes in carbon structure of all chars revealed by Raman spectroscopy would practically allow us to apply the monosaccharides to the WBPs for regulating N evolution without concerns about its side effects for char carbon structures.