bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Okul Öncesi Eğitim Öğretmenlerinin Sanat Etkinliklerinde Karşılaşmış Oldukları Sorunlar ve Çözüm Önerileri (Mardin Örneği)
Authors: Gökdemir Mehmet Ali
Published: November 2019

Bu araştırmanın amacı, okul
öncesi eğitim öğretmenlerinin sanat etkinliklerinde karşılaşmış oldukları
sorunlar ve bu sorunlara yönelik geliştirdikleri çözüm önerilerini
belirlemektir. Araştırmada, nitel
araştırma desenlerinden olgubilim deseni kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma
grubunu 2018-2019 Eğitim ve Öğretim yılı Mardin ilinde bulunan 5 anaokulunda
çalışmakta olan 14 okul öncesi eğitim öğretmeni oluşturmaktadır. Verilerin
toplanmasında, araştırmacı tarafından geliştirilen on soruluk yarı
yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde betimsel
analiz kullanılmıştır. Öğretmenlerle yapılan görüşmelerde, öğretmenlerin çoğu
sanat etkinliklerinin öğrencilerin yaratıcılığını, küçük kaslarını, el
becerilerini, hayal dünyalarını ve motor becerilerinin geliştiğini
belirtmişlerdir. Öğretmenler, öğrencilerin arkadaşlarının işlerini kopya
etmesi,  okul idaresinin gerekli
malzemeleri temin etmekte yardımcı olmaması, sınıfları aşırı kalabalık olması,
sınıfların sanat etkinliklerine uygun olmaması, velilerin sanat etkinliklerini
gereksiz görmesi gibi bazı sorunlar yaşadıklarını dile getirmişlerdir.
Öğretmenlerin çoğu bu sorunlara, sınıf mevcutları azaltılmalı, , okul öncesi
eğitim için Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı’nın maddi destek vermesi, idarecilere okul
öncesi eğitim konusunda bilgilendirme seminerleri verilmesi, sınıflarda geniş
sanat köşeleri oluşturulması, okul öncesi eğitim için okullarda sanat
atölyeleri oluşturulması ve velilere sanat etkinliklerinin önemini anlatan
seminerler verilmesi gibi öneriler geliştirilmişlerdir.
Parents' Educational Expectations: Does It Matter for Academic Success?
Authors: Lindberg E.nihal , Yıldırım Erdal , Elvan Özlem , Öztürk Dürdane , Recepoğlu Serpil
Published: November 2019

Previous studies
showed that high parental expectations are linked to student motivation to
achieve in school, social resilience, aspirations to attend college, high
grades, to achieve high scores on standardized tests, and persist longer in
school. Adding to these direct effects, parent expectations have been stated as
affecting student outcomes indirectly through parental beliefs and perceived
efﬁcacy in providing academic support to their children. In this study, it was
aimed to examine the parental expectations of their youths’ academic success
and future educational career. Thirty-five mothers and 15 fathers whose
children were in the eighth grade were interviewed. In the semi-structured
interview, fifty parents were asked the factors affecting their expectations,
if they share their expectations with their youths, if there are any
differences between parents’ and youths’ own expectations. Thematic analysis
technique was applied to the transcribed data. The results showed that although
there were differences between expected and current situation of academic
success of youths, parents mentioned their expectation that their youths’
academic success will be good because of the youths’ own ability or effort. On
the other hand, parents’ expectation is not based on the current situation of
the youth’s academic success but based on the parents’ aspiration.
Öğretmen Gözünden Öğrenci Direncine Bakış: Görüşleri, Stratejileri ve Önerileri
Authors: Yıldız Emine , Sarı Mediha
Published: November 2019

Öğretmenler
zaman zaman öğrencilerin uygun olmayan hareketleriyle karşılaşabilirler.
Öğrencilerin sistemli bir şekilde, planlayarak, kendilerince olumsuz olan veya
olabilecek bir duruma karşı gerçekleştirdikleri bu tepkiler direnç davranışı
olarak ifade edilmektedir. Öğretmenlerin, öğrenci direnç davranışlarının
farkında olması ve bu duruma yönelik stratejileri öğrenme-öğretme sürecinin
aksamaması açısından büyük önem taşımaktadır. Bu durum temel alınarak
ortaokullarda görev yapan öğretmenlerin bakış açısından, öğrenci direnç
davranışlarına ilişkin görüşleri, stratejileri ve önerileri incelemek amacıyla
yapılan bu araştırma, fenomenolojik desende yapılan nitel bir çalışmadır. Veri
analizinde betimsel analiz kullanılmıştır. Araştırma, 2017-2018 eğitim-öğretim
yılında Adana il merkezinde bulunan yedi devlet ortaokulunda görev yapan 70
öğretmen üzerinde yapılmıştır. Verilerin toplanmasında yazarlar tarafından
hazırlanan “Öğrenci Direnç Davranışlarına Yönelik Öğretmen Görüşme Formu”
kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda öğretmenlerin direnç davranışlarına ilişkin
algılarının olumsuz olduğu görülmüştür. Öğretmenlerin direnç davranışları
konusunda bilgilendirilmesi için ve direnç davranışlarıyla baş etme
stratejilerini uygulayabilmesi için hizmet içi eğitimler verilmesi
önerilebilir.
Surgical Repair of VSD and their Short Term Outcome in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Zahidul Hoque Kazi , Chowdhury Masumul Gani , Islam Ashraful , Hossain Makbul , Rahman Mostafizur , Ahmed Sohail , Hossain Mohammed Zakir
Published: November 2019

Background: Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) is the commonest congenital cardiac anomaly in Bangladesh. For this reason, patch repair of VSD is commonly performed cardiac surgery here.
Aim: To observe the short term outcome of patch repair of VSD.
Methods: 50 consecutive patients were enrolled in the study by purposive sampling who received treatment for isolated VSD in Department of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery of Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. They underwent ventricular patch repair from January, 2017 to December, 2017. A prospective observational cross-sectional study was conducted for this 12 months period. A pre-structured, interview and observation based, peer reviewed data collection sheet was prepared. Data regarding Sociodemographic, clinical, surgical and outcome profile were recorded. Data were compiled, edited and analyzed with SPSS version 23. Data were presented as mean and standard deviation, frequency percentage and median with range.
Results: The mean birth weight of 50 patients was 2.8 kg (range: 2.1-3.5 kg) whereas the median of gestational age was 38 weeks. Among these 50 patients, 22 (44%) and 28 (56%) were boys and girls respectively. The indication of surgery was volume load, failure to thrive and repeated respiratory tract infection. Out of 50 patients, 46 (92%) had perimembranous variety. On the contrary, 4 (8%) experienced Double committed type of VSD. The mean Bypass time and Aortic cross-clamp time were recorded as 70 ± 13.7 minutes and 35 ± 6.85 minutes respectively. Out of 50 patients who underwent ventricular patch repair, 2 (4%) experienced pneumothorax, 1 (2%) got chylothorax and 1 (2%) had transient heart block. Total 45 (90%) patients showed uneventful outcome.
Conclusion: Contemporary results of ventricular patch repair in case of VSD showed unparallel outcome with extremely low morbidity in our perspective.
Type of Dominant Personality in Coronary Artery Heart Disease Patients
Authors: Prastyo Beny , Abdurrachman Abdurrachman , Setiawati Yunias , Julario Rerdin , Andira Lukman Hakim
Published: November 2019

Coronary heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in Indonesia. Personality is one of the risk factors of coronary heart disease. The aim of the study was to investigate the dominant personality according to Big Five Personality in patients with coronary heart disease. We used an analytical descriptive study with cross-sectional design. The samples taken were patients with coronary heart disease in Dr. Soetomo General Hospital Surabaya in May 2019. Data of personality were collected using the Big Five Personality questionnaire. The result showed that the dominant personality according to Big Five Personality in patients with coronary heart disease was conscientiousness.

Keywords: big five personality; coronary heart disease; personality type
Effect of Dietary Rumen-Protected L-Tryptophan Supplementation on Growth Performance, Blood Hematological and Biochemical Profiles, and Gene Expression in Korean Native Steers under Cold Environment
Authors: Lee Jae-Sung , Priatno Wahyu , Ghassemi Nejad Jalil , Peng Dong-Qiao , Park Jin-Seung , Moon Jun-Ok , Lee Hong-Gu
Published: November 2019

We assessed the growth performance, physiological traits, and gene expressions in steers fed with dietary rumen-protected L-tryptophan (RPT) under a cold environment. Eight Korean native steers were assigned to two dietary groups, no RPT (Control) and RPT (0.1% RPT supplementation on a dry matter basis) for six weeks. Maximum and minimum temperatures throughout the experiment were 6.7 °C and −7.0 °C, respectively. Supplementation of 0.1% RPT to a total mixed ration did not increase body weight but had positive effects of elevating average daily gain (ADG) and reducing the feed conversion ratio (FCR) on days 27 and 48. The metabolic parameter showed a higher glucose level (on day 27) in the 0.1% RPT group compared to the control group. Real-time PCR analysis showed no significant differences in the expression of muscle (MYF6, MyoD, and Desmin) metabolism genes between the two groups, whereas the expression of fat (PPARγ, C/EBPα, and FABP4) metabolism genes was lower in the 0.1% RPT group than in the control group. Thus, we demonstrate that long-term (six weeks) dietary supplementation of 0.1% RPT was beneficial owing to enhanced growth performance by increasing the ADG and glucose level, decreasing FCR, and maintaining homeostasis in immune responses in beef steers in a cold environment.
Increases in Hydrophilicity and Charge on the Polar Face of Alyteserin 1c Helix Change its Selectivity towards Gram-Positive Bacteria
Authors: Liscano Yamil , Salamanca Constain H. , Vargas Lina , Cantor Stefania , Laverde-Rojas Valentina , Oñate-Garzón José
Published: November 2019

Recently, resistance of pathogens towards conventional antibiotics has increased, representing a threat to public health globally. As part of the fight against this, studies on alternative antibiotics such as antimicrobial peptides have been performed, and it has been shown that their sequence and structure are closely related to their antimicrobial activity. Against this background, we here evaluated the antibacterial activity of two peptides developed by solid-phase synthesis, Alyteserin 1c (WT) and its mutant derivative (ΔM), which shows increased net charge and reduced hydrophobicity. These structural characteristics were modified as a result of amino acid substitutions on the polar face of the WT helix. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of both peptides was obtained in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The results showed that the rational substitutions of the amino acids increased the activity in Gram-positive bacteria, especially against Staphylococcus aureus, for which the MIC was one-third of that for the WT analog. In contrast to the case for Gram-positive bacteria, these substitutions decreased activity against Gram-negative bacteria, especially in Escherichia coli, for which the MIC was eight-fold higher than that exhibited by the WT peptide. To understand this, models of the peptide behavior upon interacting with membranes of E. coli and S. aureus created using molecular dynamics were studied and it was determined that the helical stability of the peptide is indispensable for antimicrobial activity. The hydrogen bonds between the His20 of the peptides and the phospholipids of the membranes should modulate the selectivity associated with structural stability at the carboxy-terminal region of the peptides.
Polyphenolic Composition and Hypotensive Effects of Parastrephia quadrangularis (Meyen) Cabrera in Rat
Authors: Cifuentes Fredi , Palacios Javier , Nwokocha Chukwuemeka , Bórquez Jorge , Simirgiotis Mario , Norambuena Ignacio , Chiong Mario , Paredes Adrián
Published: November 2019

Parastrephia quadrangularis (Pq), commonly called “Tola”, is widely used in folk medicine in the Andes, including for altitude sickness. In this study, polyphenolic composition was determined, and hypotensive effects were measured; the ethnopharmacological use as hypotensive was related to the presence of phenolic compounds. For this purpose, male Sprague-Dawley rats (6 to 8 weeks of age, 160 to 190 g) were fed Pq extract (10 to 40 mg/kg) for 10 days through gavage. Blood pressures and heart rate were significantly (p < 0.01) reduced in normotensive rats receiving Pq extract (40 mg/kg body weight). Pq extract induced a negative inotropic effect, and endothelium-dependent vasodilation mediated by nitric oxide (NO). Furthermore, preincubation with Pq extract significantly decreased the cytosolic calcium on vascular smooth muscle cells A7r5 in response to L-phenylephrine (PE). Seven metabolites were isolated from the Pq extract, but three flavonoids (10−4 M) showed similar vasodilation to the extract in intact rat aorta as follows: 5,3′,4′-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone (2); 3,5,4′-trihydroxy-7,8,3′-trimethoxyflavone (6); and 5,4′-dihydroxy-3,7,8,3′-tetramethoxyflavone (7). The Pq extract and compounds 2 and 7 significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the contraction to Bay K8644 (10 nM, an agonist of CaV1.2 channels). Administration of Pq decreased cardiac contractility and increased endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation.
Temporal Changes in China’s Air Temperature Distribution and Its Impact on Hot Extreme Occurrence
Authors: Wei Lingna , Dong Jianzhi , Chen Xi , Shao Wei
Published: November 2019

The likelihood of experiencing hot extremes has drastically increased due to global warming. Using 554 ground-based air temperature stations, changes in the number of hot days (NHD) in the Chinese mainland during 1960 to 2011 was investigated. We found that the NHD of the current period (1991–2011) was 70% higher than that of the base period (1960–1990). This NHD increment was attributed to the increased summer air temperature mean and its extended hot tail length—defined as the range of the mean and 90th percentile of summer air temperature. To distinguish the relative contribution of air temperature mean and hot tail length change to the NHD occurrence, a numerical-based frame work was proposed. Results showed that global warming (mean temperature increase) contributes approximately 75% of the total NHD increment. Although the average contribution of the hot tail length change is relatively small, it dominates the NHD change in regions where global warming is insignificant, e.g., the central part of China. Results suggest that frameworks and models that fail to capture the air temperature tail changes will result in biased low hot extreme occurrence estimations. This low bias would be particularly significant in regions where the mean temperature change is marginal. Hence, capturing the tail change should be the key model evaluation criterion in regions where the annual mean temperature change is relatively insignificant.
On the Critical Issues in Temozolomide Research in Glioblastoma: Clinically Relevant Concentrations and MGMT-independent Resistance
Authors: Stepanenko Aleksei A. , Chekhonin Vladimir P.
Published: November 2019

The current standard first-line treatment for adult patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma includes concurrent radiotherapy and daily oral temozolomide (TMZ), followed by adjuvant TMZ. As a prodrug, TMZ undergoes spontaneous hydrolysis generating a methylating agent. O6-methylguanine is considered the most preponderant toxic damage mechanism at therapeutically relevant TMZ doses, whereas MGMT, which encodes the O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase DNA repair enzyme, is the most relevant resistance mechanism. Speculations on clinically relevant TMZ concentrations, cytotoxic and cytostatic effects of TMZ, and resistance mechanisms exist in the literature. Here, we raise the following principal issues: What are the clinically relevant TMZ concentrations in glioma patients, and which TMZ-induced molecular lesion(s) and corresponding resistance mechanism(s) are important for TMZ therapeutic effects at clinically relevant concentrations? According to clinical data from patients with glioblastoma, the mean peak TMZ concentrations in the peritumoral tissue might be much lower (around 5 µM) than usually used in in vitro research, and may represent only 20% of systemic drug levels. According to in vitro reports, single-dose TMZ at concentrations around 5 µM have minimal, if any, effect on apoptosis and/or senescence of glioblastoma cell lines. However, the clinically relevant concentrations of TMZ are sufficient to radiosensitize both MGMT-positive and -negative cell lines in vitro. It is speculated that a single DNA repair protein, MGMT, is highly efficient in protecting cells against TMZ toxicity. However, an endogenous level of MGMT protein expression is not universally correlated with TMZ responsiveness, and MGMT-independent mechanisms of TMZ resistance exist.
Visual Perception of Facial Emotional Expressions during Saccades
Authors: Barabanschikov Vladimir A. , Zherdev Ivan Y.
Published: November 2019

The regularities of visual perception of both complex and ecologically valid objects during extremely short photo expositions are studied. Images of a person experiencing basic emotions were displayed for as low as 14 ms amidst a saccade spanning 10 degrees of visual angle. The observers had a main task to recognize the emotion depicted, and a secondary task to point at the perceived location of the photo on the screen. It is shown that probability of correct recognition of emotion is above chance (0.62), and that it depends on its type. False localizations of stimuli and their compression in the direction of the saccade were also observed. According to the acquired data, complex environmentally valid objects are perceived differently during saccades in comparison to isolated dots, lines or gratings. The rhythmic structure of oculomotor activity (fixation–saccade–fixation) does not violate the continuity of the visual processing. The perceptual genesis of facial expressions does not take place only during gaze fixation, but also during peak speed of rapid eye movements both at the center and in closest proximity of the visual acuity area.
Enhanced Hsa-miR-181d/p-STAT3 and Hsa-miR-181d/p-STAT5A Ratios Mediate the Anticancer Effect of Garcinol in STAT3/5A-Addicted Glioblastoma
Authors: Liu Heng-Wei , Lee Peter Mingjui , Bamodu Oluwaseun Adebayo , Su Yu-Kai , Fong Iat-Hang , Yeh Chi-Tai , Chien Ming-Hsien , Kan I-Hung , Lin Chien-Min
Published: November 2019

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM), a malignant grade IV tumor, is the most malignant brain tumor due to its hyper-proliferative and apoptosis-evading characteristics. The signal transducer and activators of transcription (STAT) family genes, including STAT3 and STAT5A, have been indicated to play important roles in GBM progression. Increasing number of reports suggest that garcinol, a polyisoprenylated benzophenone and major bioactive component of Garcinia indica contains potent anti-cancer activities. Material and Methods: The present study investigated the anti-GBM effects of garcinol, focusing on the STAT3/STAT5A activation, using a combination of bioinformatics, in vitro, and ex vivo assays. Results: Our bioinformatics analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)–GBM cohort (n = 173) showed that STAT3 and STAT5A are preferentially elevated in primary and recurrent GBM, compared to non-tumor brain tissues, and is significantly correlated with reduced overall survival. In support, our immunohistochemical staining of a GBM cohort (n = 45) showed an estimated 5.3-fold (p < 0.001) elevation in STAT3 and STAT5A protein expression in primary and recurrent GBM versus the non-tumor group. In vitro, garcinol treatment significantly suppressed the proliferative, invasive, and migratory potential of U87MG or GBM8401 cells, dose-dependently. In addition, garcinol anticancer effect significantly attenuated the GBM stem cell-like phenotypes, as reflected by diminished ability of U87MG or GBM8401 to form colonies and tumorspheres and suppressed expression of OCT4 and SOX2. Furthermore, analysis on GBM transcriptome revealed an inverse correlation between the level of STAT3/5A and hsa-miR-181d. Garcinol-mediated anti-GBM effects were associated with an increased hsa-miR-181d/STAT3 and hsa-miR-181d/5A ratio. The results were further verified in vivo using U87MG mouse xenograft model where administration of garcinol significantly inhibited tumor growth. Conclusions: We present evidence of anti-GBM efficacy of garcinol mediated by enhancing the hsa-miR-181d/STAT3 and hsa-miR-181d/5A ratios in GBM cells. Our findings suggest a potential new therapeutic agent for combating aggressive GBM.
Fast Catalytic Pyrolysis of Dilaurin in the Presence of Sodium Carbonate Alone or Combined with Alumina
Authors: Fonseca Noyala , Pereira Aline , Fréty Roger , Sales Emerson
Published: November 2019

The objective of this work was to study the fast pyrolysis of a diglyceride intermediate compound during the conversion of triglycerides to fatty acids, esters and/or hydrocarbons. Dilaurin was selected as a model compound. Pyrolysis was conducted in a micro-pyrolyzer coupled to GC-MS equipment at 500, 550 and 600 °C for 15 s in the presence of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) as the catalyst. Results were compared to pyrolysis data using γ-Al2O3 as a catalyst. At 600 °C with Na2CO3 almost total conversion of diglyceride was obtained, with the formation of 41.3% hydrocarbons (C3 to C13). In the same conditions using alumina as a catalyst 68.5% of hydrocarbons were obtained. Na2CO3 presented itself as an efficient feedstock modifier, allowing pre-cracking and partial deoxygenation of the load. The use of the Na2CO3 and γ-Al2O3 conjugated system in layers reduced the fatty acid content in the products, increasing both the reagent conversion and the hydrocarbon variety (C3 to C23). This work suggests that the use of a double bed catalytic reactor is suitable for performing a deoxygenating pretreatment and producing hydrocarbons compatible with current liquid fuels, being potentially useful for more complex raw materials such as those from biomass treatments.
NG2 as an Identity and Quality Marker of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Barilani Mario , Peli Valeria , Cherubini Alessandro , Dossena Marta , Dolo Vincenza , Lazzari Lorenza
Published: November 2019

The therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) extracellular vesicles (EV) is currently under investigation in many pathological contexts. Both adult and perinatal MSC are being considered as sources of EV. Herein, we address antigen expression of cord blood and bone marrow MSC and released EV to define an identity and quality parameter of MSC EV as a medicinal product in the context of clinical applications. The research focuses on EV-shuttled neural/glial antigen 2 (NG2), which has previously been detected as a promising surface marker to distinguish perinatal versus adult MSC. Indeed, NG2 was significantly more abundant in cord blood than bone marrow MSC and MSC EV. Ultracentrifuge-isolated EV were then challenged for their pro-angiogenic properties on an xCELLigence system as quality control. NG2+ cord blood MSC EV, but not bone marrow MSC EV, promote bFGF and PDGF-AA proliferative effect on endothelial cells. Likewise, they successfully rescue angiostatin-induced endothelial cell growth arrest. In both cases, the effects are NG2-dependent. These results point at NG2 as an identity and quality parameter for cord blood MSC EV, paving the way for their clinical translation.
Detection Papers with Metal Complexes with Triphenylmethane Dyes for the Detection of G-Series Nerve Agents (Sarin, Soman, Cyclosarin) in the Liquid Phase
Authors: Lobotka Martin , Pitschmann Vladimír , Matějovský Lukáš
Published: November 2019

The paper presents the results of the study of the possibilities of using color metal complexes to detect the presence of chemical warfare agents (CWA) in liquid or aerosol form. Aluminon/Fe3+ and Eriochrome Cyanine R/Cu2+ coordination complexes and their ability to detect CWA in liquid phase are discussed. Detection systems have been demonstrated on instances of simple detection papers exposed to drops of real CWAs. Detection papers showed a positive response to G-series nerve agents and vesicant lewisite. Other liquid CWA do not interfere and the systems are also resistant to common organic solvents and a wide range of industrial chemicals.
Multi-Band Superconductivity and the Steep Band/Flat Band Scenario
Authors: Bussmann-Holder Annette , Keller Hugo , Simon Arndt , Bianconi Antonio
Published: November 2019

The basic features of multi-band superconductivity and its implications are derived. In particular, it is shown that enhancements of the superconducting transition temperature take place due to interband interactions. In addition, isotope effects differ substantially from the typical BCS scheme as soon as polaronic coupling effects are present. Special cases of the model are polaronic coupling in one band as realized e.g., in cuprates, coexistence of a flat band and a steep band like in MgB2, crossovers between extreme cases. The advantages of the multiband approach as compared to the single band BCS model are elucidated and its rather frequent realization in actual systems discussed.
A Cd(II) Coordination Polymer Based on Mixed Ligands: Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Properties
Authors: Han Shuai-Shuai , He Zi-Wei , Li Lei , Chen Shui-Sheng
Published: November 2019

A new coordination polymer, namely, [Cd(L)(frda)(H2O)]·0.5L·H2O (1) was synthesized by hydrothermal reaction based on mixed multi-N donor 1-(4-(1H-imidazol-5-yl) phenyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole (L) and O-donor 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid ligands (H2frda) with CdCl2·2.5H2O. Compound 1 was characterized by single-crystal x-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, and IR spectroscopy. In 1, both the multi-N donor and O-donor frda2− ligands act as linear two-connectors to bridge Cd(II) atoms, forming a two-dimensional (2D) layer. Interestingly, the parallel 2D layers stack in an AAA···mode, and the infinite one-dimensional (1D) channels formed along the a-axis direction, where the uncoordinated L molecules were embedded in the void. Furthermore, the weak interactions including the rich hydrogen bonding and π−π stacking interactions progress the 2D structure into a three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular polymer. Diffuse reflectance spectra and the luminescent property were also investigated.
The Potential Application of MnZn Ferrite Nanofluids for Wettability Alteration and Oil-Water Interfacial Tension Reduction
Authors: Mohd Mokhtar Nurul Afiqah , Beh Hoe Guan , Lee Kean Chuan
Published: November 2019

Recently, a non-invasive method of injecting magnetic/dielectric nanofluids into the oil reservoir was used for oil recovery application. The use of magnetic nanofluids in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) has been reported to improve oil recovery. It is believed that the magnetic properties of nanoparticles (NPs) have a direct influence on the viscosity and wettability of nanofluid, and on oil-water interfacial tension (IFT). Thus, Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 (MnZn) ferrites may be a good candidate to be used in nanofluids for wettability alteration and oil-water IFT reduction due to their excellent magnetic properties, such as a high initial permeability and low magnetic losses. Therefore, this work investigated the potential of MnZn ferrite NPs to alter viscosity, wettability, and oil-water IFT. MnZn Ferrite NPs have been synthesized by a sol-gel auto-combustion process. The effects of calcination temperature varying from 300 °C to 700 °C on the phase formation, microstructures such as surface morphology, and magnetic characterizations were studied. MnZn ferrite nanofluids were prepared using synthesized MnZn NPs that dispersed into brine along with sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS) as a dispersant, and their effects on the wettability and oil-water IFT were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements revealed that MnZn ferrite calcined at 300 °C and 400 °C were single phase. The average crystallite size calculated through Scherrer’s equation differed from 32.0 to 87.96 nm. The results showed that the nanofluid with MnZn particles calcined at 300 °C is the best nanofluid in terms of IFT reduction and base nanofluid’s wettability alteration. Moreover, the overall results proved that nanofluid with MnZn ferrite NPs can alter the wettability of base nanofluid, oil-nanofluid IFT, and nanofluid viscosity. This study provides insights towards a better understanding of the potential application of MnZn Ferrite nanofluids to Wettability Alteration and IFT Reduction in Enhanced Oil Recovery.
Transformation of Schema from Relational Database (RDB) to NoSQL Databases
Authors: Alotaibi Obaid , Pardede Eric
Published: November 2019

Relational database has been the de-facto database choice in most IT applications. In the last decade there has been increasing demand for applications that have to deal with massive and un-normalized data. To satisfy the demand, there is a big shift to use more relaxed databases in the form of NoSQL databases. Alongside with this shift, there is a need to have a structured methodology to transform existing data in relational database (RDB) to NoSQL database. The transformation from RDB to NoSQL database has become more challenging because there is no current standard on NoSQL database. The aim of this paper is to propose transformation rules of RDB Schema to various NoSQL database schema, namely document-based, column-based and graph-based databases. The rules are applied based on the type of relationships that can appear in data within a database. As a proof of concept, we apply the rules into a case study using three NoSQL databases, namely MongoDB, Cassandra, and Neo4j. A set of queries is run in these databases to demonstrate the correctness of the transformation results. In addition, the completeness of our transformation rules are compared against existing work.
Diet-Induced Rat Model of Gradual Development of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) with Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) Secretion
Authors: Maciejewska Dominika , Łukomska Agnieszka , Dec Karolina , Skonieczna-Żydecka Karolina , Gutowska Izabela , Skórka-Majewicz Marta , Styburski Daniel , Misiakiewicz-Has Kamila , Pilutin Anna , Palma Joanna , Sieletycka Katarzyna , Marlicz Wojciech , Stachowska Ewa
Published: November 2019

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common liver disorders in industrialized Western countries. The prevalence of the disease is estimated to range from 4% to 46% worldwide. The aim of study was to develop an animal model with gradual NAFLD development. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol (HFHCh) diet. The rats from the study and control groups were sacrificed after 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 weeks of dietary exposure. Results: Analysis of biochemical parameters showed that after only two weeks, ALT and cholesterol concentration in serum were elevated. After 4 weeks, TNF-α and HOMA-IR were significantly higher compared to the control group. NAFLD progression started after 12 weeks of diet-weight gain and increased LPS secretions were noticed. During the experiment, rats induced steatosis (from stage 0/1 after 4 weeks to stage 2/3 after 20 weeks), inflammation (from stage 0/1 after 4 weeks to stage 1/2 after 20 weeks), and fibrosis (from stage 1 after 12 weeks to stage 2 after 20 weeks). Conclusion: We can assume that the presented model based on the HFHCh diet induced gradual development of NAFLD. We confirmed that the animal NAFLD model increases LPS secretions during disease progression.
Biochar Is Comparable to Dicyandiamide in the Mitigation of Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Camellia oleifera Abel. Fields
Authors: Deng Bangliang , Fang Haifu , Jiang Ningfei , Feng Weixun , Luo Laicong , Wang Jiawei , Wang Hua , Hu Dongnan , Guo Xiaomin , Zhang Ling
Published: November 2019

Research Highlights: Intensive nitrogen (N) application for agricultural purposes has substantially increased soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Agricultural soil has great potential in the reduction of N2O emissions, and applications of biochar and nitrification inhibitors may be useful for mitigating agricultural soil N2O emissions. Background and Objectives: Camellia oleifera Abel. is an important woody oil plant in China. However, intensive N input in C. oleifera silviculture has increased the risk of soil N2O emissions. As an important greenhouse gas, N2O is characterized by a global warming potential at a 100-year scale that is 265 times that of carbon dioxide. Thus, mitigation of soil N2O emissions, especially fertilized soils, will be crucial for reducing climate change. Materials and Methods: Here, we conducted an in situ study over 12 months to examine the effects of C. oleifera fruit shell-derived biochar and dicyandiamide (DCD) on soil N2O emissions from a C. oleifera field with intensive N application. Results: A three-fold increase of cumulative soil N2O emissions was observed following N application. Cumulative N2O emissions from the field with N fertilization were reduced by 36% and 44% with biochar and DCD, respectively. While N2O emissions were slightly deceased by biochar, the decrease was comparable to that by DCD. Conclusions: Results indicated that biochar may mitigate soil N2O emissions substantially and similarly to DCD under specific conditions. This result should be examined by prolonged and multi-site studies before it can be generalized to broader scales.
Developing a Microbial Consortium for Enhanced Metabolite Production from Simulated Food Waste
Authors: Schwalm Nathan D. , Mojadedi Wais , Gerlach Elliot S. , Benyamin Marcus , Perisin Matthew A. , Akingbade Katherine L.
Published: November 2019

Food waste disposal and transportation of commodity chemicals to the point-of-need are substantial challenges in military environments. Here, we propose addressing these challenges via the design of a microbial consortium for the fermentation of food waste to hydrogen. First, we simulated the exchange metabolic fluxes of monocultures and pairwise co-cultures using genome-scale metabolic models on a food waste proxy. We identified that one of the top hydrogen producing co-cultures comprised Clostridium beijerinckii NCIMB 8052 and Yokenella regensburgei ATCC 43003. A consortium of these two strains produced a similar amount of hydrogen gas and increased butyrate compared to the C. beijerinckii monoculture, when grown on an artificial garbage slurry. Increased butyrate production in the consortium can be attributed to cross-feeding of lactate produced by Y. regensburgei. Moreover, exogenous lactate promotes the growth of C. beijerinckii with or without a limited amount of glucose. Increasing the scale of the consortium fermentation proved challenging, as two distinct attempts to scale-up the enhanced butyrate production resulted in different metabolic profiles than observed in smaller scale fermentations. Though the genome-scale metabolic model simulations provided a useful starting point for the design of microbial consortia to generate value-added products from waste materials, further model refinements based on experimental results are required for more robust predictions.
Edible Brown Seaweed in Gluten-Free Pasta: Technological and Nutritional Evaluation
Authors: Fradinho Patrícia , Raymundo Anabela , Sousa Isabel , Domínguez Herminia , Torres María Dolores
Published: November 2019

Seaweed is a novel source of important nutritional compounds with interesting biological activities that could be processed into added-value products, namely gluten-free foods. In this study, two previously developed products obtained from Laminaria ochroleuca processing (liquid extract and a purée-like mixture) were incorporated in gluten-free (GF) pasta in order to develop functional products especially designed for the celiac population. The raw and cooked pastas were characterized in terms of their cooking quality parameters, nutritional composition, texture and rheological properties, and antioxidant activity. It was found that the developed GF pastas had similar mechanical and texture characteristics to the control. Both supplemented GF pastas presented a significantly (p < 0.05) higher fibre and mineral content than the control pasta.
DDB1 Regulates Sertoli Cell Proliferation and Testis Cord Remodeling by TGFβ Pathway
Authors: Zheng Wei , Nazish Jabeen , Wahab Fazal , Khan Ranjha , Jiang Xiaohua , Shi Qinghua
Published: November 2019

Testis cords are the embryonic precursors of the seminiferous tubules. Development of testis cords is a key event during embryonic testicular morphogenesis and is regulated by multiple signaling molecules produced by Sertoli cells. However, the exact nature and the cascade of molecular events underlying testis cord development remain to be uncovered. In the current study, we explored the role of DNA damage binding protein 1 (DDB1) in Sertoli cells during mouse testis cord development. The genetic ablation of Ddb1 specifically in Sertoli cells resulted in the compromised Sertoli cell proliferation and disruption of testis cord remodeling in neonatal mice. This testicular dysgenesis persisted through adulthood, resulting in smaller testis and low sperm production. Mechanistically, we observed that the DDB1 degradation can stabilize SET domain-containing lysine methyltransferase 8 (SET8), which subsequently decreases the phosphorylation of SMAD2, an essential intracellular component of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling. Taken together, our results suggest an essential role of Ddb1 in Sertoli cell proliferation and normal remodeling of testis cords via TGFβ pathway. To our knowledge, this is the first upstream regulators of TGFβ pathway in Sertoli cells, and therefore it furthers our understanding of testis cord development.
Late Orogenic Heating of (Ultra)High Pressure Rocks: Slab Rollback vs. Slab Breakoff
Authors: Sizova Elena , Hauzenberger Christoph , Fritz Harald , Faryad Shah Wali , Gerya Taras
Published: November 2019

Some (ultra)high-pressure metamorphic rocks that formed during continental collision preserve relict minerals, indicating a two-stage evolution: first, subduction to mantle depths and exhumation to the lower-crustal level (with simultaneous cooling), followed by intensive heating that can be characterized by a β-shaped pressure–temperature–time (P–T–t) path. Based on a two-dimensional (2D) coupled petrological–thermomechanical tectono-magmatic numerical model, we propose a possible sequence of tectonic stages that could lead to these overprinting metamorphic events along an orogenic β-shaped P–T–t path: the subduction and exhumation of continental crust, followed by slab retreat that leads to extension and subsequent asthenospheric upwelling. During the last stage, the exhumed crustal material at the crust–mantle boundary undergoes heating from the underlying hot asthenospheric mantle. This slab rollback scenario is further compared numerically with the classical continental collision scenario associated with slab breakoff, which is often used to explain the late heating impulse in the collisional orogens. The mantle upwelling occurring in the experiments with slab breakoff, which is responsible for the heating of the exhumed crustal material, is not related to the slab breakoff but can be caused either by slab bending before slab breakoff or by post-breakoff exhumation of the subducted crust. Our numerical modeling predictions align well with a variety of orogenic P–T–t paths that have been reported from many Phanerozoic collisional orogens, such as the Variscan Bohemian Massif, the Triassic Dabie Shan, the Cenozoic Northwest Himalaya, and some metamorphic complexes in the Alps.
Social Prescribing Programmes to Prevent or Delay Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults
Authors: Smith Toby O , Jimoh Oluseyi F , Cross Jane , Allan Louise , Corbett Anne , Sadler Euan , Khondoker Mizanur , Whitty Jennifer , Valderas Jose M , Fox Christopher
Published: November 2019

The increasing incidence of frailty is a health and social care challenge. Social prescription is advocated as an important approach to allow health professionals to link patients with sources of support in the community. This study aimed to determine the current evidence on the effectiveness of social prescribing programmes, to delay or reduce frailty in frail older adults living in the community. A systematic literature review of published (DARE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, NICE and SCIE, National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluation Database) and unpublished databases (OpenGrey; WHO Clinical Trial Registry; ClinicalTrials.gov) were searched to July 2019. Studies were eligible if they reported health, social or economic outcomes on social prescribing, community referral, referral schemes, wellbeing programmes or interventions when a non-health link worker was the intervention provider, to people who are frail living in the community. We screened 1079 unique studies for eligibility. No papers were eligible. There is therefore a paucity of evidence reporting the effectiveness of social prescribing programmes for frail older adults living in the community. Given that frailty is a clinical priority and social prescribing is considered a key future direction in the provision of community care, this is a major limitation.
Airborne Survival of Escherichia coli under Different Culture Conditions in Synthetic Wastewater
Authors: Chan Wing Lam , Chung Wing Tung , Ng Tsz Wai
Published: November 2019

Bioaerosol generated in wastewater treatment plants has potential to harm human health. Survival of bacteria in bioaerosol during suspension is one of the major factors that affect its biological risk. It is hypothesized that bacteria grown in different wastewater have different physiology and lead to variation in airborne survival. This study investigated the relationship between the cultured conditions and the bioaerosol survival. Synthetic wastewater was used as the culture medium to simulate the water quality of wastewater. Escherichia coli BW25113 were cultured in different conditions, including growth salinity, growth temperature, growth pH, and presence of pesticide. The fatty acid composition and the reduction in airborne survival of the E. coli cultured under these conditions were determined and compared. Results showed that increasing growth salinity and temperature led to a lower reduction in airborne survival of E. coli. E. coli cultured at pH 6 had a higher reduction in airborne survival than those cultured at pH 7 and 8. Moreover, a correlation was observed between the membrane fluidity (fluidity index) and the reduction airborne survival for both aerosolization and airborne suspension. A link between culture conditions, bacterial membrane fluidity, and airborne survival was established. Culture conditions (wastewater quality) that lead to a low membrane fluidity of bacteria increase the airborne survival of bioaerosol, and vice versa. This provides a new aspect to evaluate bioaerosol survival and improve assessment on biological risk of bioaerosols.
Tumor PD-L1 Induction by Resveratrol/Piceatannol May Function as a Search, Enhance, and Engage (“SEE”) Signal to Facilitate the Elimination of “Cold, Non-Responsive” Low PD-L1-Expressing Tumors by PD-L1 Blockade
Authors: Hsieh Tze-Chen , Wu Joseph M.
Published: November 2019

Programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) is an immune regulatory protein that facilitates tumor escape from host immune surveillance. In the clinic, tumors with high level of PD-L1 have been used to identify patients who might respond favorably to treatment by anti-PD-L1 antibodies (PD-L1 blockade, PLB). Typically, a progression-free response of 9–20% to PLB has been observed, the basis for the low success rate is largely unknown. Recently, we show upregulation of PD-L1 in cancer cells by ≥IC50 supra-pharmacological dose of grape polyphenol resveratrol and piceatannol, alone and combined. Herein, we summarize recent published studies on the regulation of tumor PD-L1 by flavonoids and grape polyphenols. We hypothesize that the induced tumor PD-L1 by resveratrol and/or piceatannol may serve as a Search, Enhance, and Engage (“SEE”) signal to sensitize and augment the recognition and detection of low PD-L1-expressing “cold, non-responsive” tumors. The “SEE” strategy enhances the “visibility” of previously unidentified tumor cells for targeting and eventual eradication by the host antitumor activity. This strategy expands the selection criteria for patients with improved sensitivity and potential responsiveness when used in combination with PLB. The modulation of tumor PD-L1 by flavonoids or polyphenols is proposed to improve the response to PLB in low PD-L1 tumors.
Peristaltic Propulsion of Jeffrey Nanofluid with Thermal Radiation and Chemical Reaction Effects
Authors: Abbas Munawwar Ali , Bhatti Muhammad Mubashir , Sheikholeslami Mohsen
Published: November 2019

In this article, we have studied non-uniform hemodynamic nanofluid flow in the presence of an external magnetic field. The fluid contains magnetized nanoparticles in the presence of thermal radiation and chemical reaction. The magnetic field plays an essential role in targeting drugs by magnetic nanoparticles (“ferrofluids”) for different kinds of diseases in a human body. The Jeffrey viscoelastic model is employed to simulate non-Newtonian characteristics. With an approximation of long wavelength and minimal Reynolds number, a mathematical formulation has been performed. Numerical and analytical simulation has been used to examine the role of all the emerging parameters. Individual cases for the Newtonian fluid, non-Newtonian, nanofluid, and base fluid, have been exhibited numerically. A magnificent graphical correlation is additionally given with recently obtained outcomes to show the validity of the present findings and methodology.
Estimation of the Significant Wave Height from Marine Radar Images without External Reference
Authors: Ludeno Giovanni , Serafino Francesco
Published: November 2019

In the context of the sea state monitoring by means of the X-band marine radar, the estimation of a significant wave height ( H s ) is, currently, one of the most challenging tasks. For its estimation, a calibration is usually required using an external reference, such as in situ sensors, and mainly buoys. In this paper, a method that allows us to avoid the need for an external reference for H s estimation is presented. This strategy is, mainly, based on the correlation between a raw radar image and the corresponding non-calibrated wave elevation image to which varying its amplitude by using a scale factor creates a mathematical model for the radar imaging. The proposed strategy has been validated by considering a simulated waves field, generated at varying sea state conditions. The results show a good estimation of the significant wave height, confirmed by a squared correlation coefficient greater than 0.70 for each considered sea state.
Comment on “Dual-Band Perfect Metamaterial Absorber Based on an Asymmetric H-Shaped Structure for Terahertz Waves [Materials] (2018) [2193; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11112193]”
Authors: Ahmed Fahad , Ahmed Afzal , Tamoor Tania , Hassan Tayyab
Published: November 2019

In a recent publication, Lu et al [...]