bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MENINGKATKAN AKTIVITAS DAN HASIL BELAJAR MATEMATIKA SISWA DENGAN STRATEGI PEMBELAJARAN BERBASIS MASALAH (PROBLEM BASED LEARNING) PADA POKOK BAHASAN SEGIEMPAT DAN SEGITIGA DI KELAS VI SD NEGERI 1 SELAT
Authors: REPI REPI
Published: November 2019

Masalah  dalam penelitian ini adalah  Bagaimana meningkatkan aktivitas siswa dan guru dalam penerapan strategi pembelajaran berbasis masalah (problem-based learning) dalam pembelajaran matematika pada pembahasan materi segiempat dan segitiga di kelas VI SD Negeri 1 Selat?. Bagaimana meningkatkan hasil belajar matematika siswa dalam penerapan strategi pembelajaran berbasis masalah (problem based learning) dalam pembelajaran matematika pada pembahasan materi segiempat dan segitiga di kelas VI SD Negeri 1 Selat?. Dan tujuan penelitian yaitu untuk mengetahui cara meningkatkan aktivitas siswa dan guru dalam penerapan pembelajaran berbasis masalah (problem based learning) dalam pembelajaran matematika pada pembahasan materi segiempat dan segitiga di kelas VI SD Negeri 1 Selat. Dan untuk mengetahui cara meningkatkan hasil belajar matematika siswa dalam penerapan strategi pembelajaran berbasis masalah (problem based learning) dalam pembelajaran matematika pada pembahasan materi segiempat dan segitiga di kelas VI SD Negeri 1 Selat. Penelitian yang     dilaksanakan   adalah penelitian tindakan kelas classroom action research) yang dilaksanakan minimal dua siklus. Setiap siklus pada penelitian tindakan terdiri dari empat tahap, yaitu 1) Perencanaan, 2) Pelaksanaan, 3) pengamatan, 4) Refleksi. Berdasarkan pembahasan diketahui bahwa strategi pembelajaran berbasis masalah (problem based learning dapat  meningkatkan aktivitas dan hasil belajar matematika siswa dengan) pada pokok bahasan segiempat dan segitiga di kelas VI SD Negeri 1 Selat dinyatakan berhasil ini terbukti dengan peningkatan hasil belajar. Pada siklus I, hasil belajar peserta didik pada siklus I lebih baik dari tes awal sebelum tindakan. Di mana diketahui rata-rata kelas adalah 69,07 dengan ketuntasan belajar 59,26% (16 peserta didik)  meningkat menjadi  ketuntasan belajar 88,89% (24 peserta didik)   Maka disimpulkan bahwa perbaikan pembelajaran di atas dinyatakan tuntas.
PENGARUH KEPEMIMPINAN TRANSFORMASIONAL, KEPUASAN KERJA, KEPERCAYAAN KEPADA PEMIMPIN TERHADAP KETERIKATAN KERJA KARYAWAN PADA PT. BALI BIJAKSANA NUSA DUA – BALI
Authors: Pradhana I Putu Dharmawan , Hendra Putu Nova Kusuma
Published: November 2019

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of transformational leadership, job satisfaction, trust in leaders on employee engagement at PT.Bali Bijaksana Nusa Dua – Bali. The number of samples in this study were 75 employees with a simple random sampling method. Data collection used questionnaire. The data analysis technique used is the classical assumption test, multiple linear regression analysis, t-test, F-test and test coefficient of determination. The results of the study show that there are positive and partial positive effects of transformational leadership, job satisfaction, and trust in leaders in increasing employee engagement at PT. Bali Bijaksana Nusa Dua – Bali. The results showed that the transformational leadership regression coefficient (X1) was 0.268 with a value that meant that each increase in transformational leadership variables could increase employee engagement at PT. Bali Bijaksana Nusa Dua – Bali. Job satisfaction regression coefficient (X2) is equal to 0.303, which means that every increase in job satisfaction variables can increase employee engagement at PT. Bali Bijaksana Nusa Dua – Bali. Regression coefficient value to leader (X3) is equal to 0.256, which means that every increase in the trust variable in the leader can increase employee engagement at PT. Bali Bijaksana Nusa Dua – Bali. As  the results of the determination coefficient of 0.657, its means that 65.7% can explain the model or influence of each variable on work engagement, while the rest (100% -65.7% = 34,3%) is explained by other reasons outside research model.
EFEKTIFITAS LARVASIDA EKSTRAK BUAH BELIMBING MANIS (Averrhoa carambola L) TERHADAP LARVA NYAMUK Aedes aegypti DAN Culex Sp
Authors: Wasilah Siti Zainatun
Published: November 2019

Ekstrak buah belimbing manis (Averrhoa carambola L) berpotensi sebagai larvasida alami karena mengandung senyawa kimia flavonoid, alkaloid, saponin. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efektifitas larvasida ekstrak buah belimbing manis terhadap larvasida Aedes aegypti  sp dan Culex sp serta nilai LC50 setelah pengamatan 24 jam. Penelitian ini menggunakan konsentrasi dengan vareasi konsentrasi 1,5%, 2%, 2,5%, 3%, 3,5%  dan 1 kontrol negatif menggunakan air kran dan 1 kontrol positif menggunakan temefos 0,01%. Jenis Penelitian ini adalah  penelitian eksperimental murni dengan rancangan penelitian post test only with control group design, jumlah sampel larva keseluruhan sebanyak 525 larva instar III Aedes aegypti dan 525 larva instar III Culex sp. Kemudian akan dihitung mortalitas larva setelah 24 jam. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis dengan analisis one way annova. Dari hasil penelitian didapatkan bahwa tidak ditemukan kematian pada control negatif. Persentase rerata kematian pada konsentrasi 1,5%, 2%, 2,5%, 3%, 3,5% larva Aedes aegypti  yaitu 0; 10,68; 21,36 ;30,68 ;54,68 ;61,36 dan larva Culex sp yaitu 14,67 ;14,67 ;21,34 ;57,34 ;60. Dari hasil uji Annova didapatkan P<0,05 yang berarti bahwa ada perbedaan yang bermakna antara jumlah kematian larva Aedes aegypti maupun larva Culex sp  dengan berbagai konsentrasi ekstrak belimbing manis (Averrhoa carambola L) yang diberikan.Nilai LC50 dari uji probit berturut turut untuk larva Aedes aegypti maupun larva Culex sp adalah 3,035% dan 2,92%. Dapat di simpulkan bahwa ekstrak buah belimbing manis (Averrhoa carambola L) efektif dalam membunuh larva Culex sp daripada larva larva nyamuk Aedes aegypti
Care facilities for Germans in Thailand and Poland: making old age care abroad legitimate
Authors: Bender Désirée , Schweppe Cornelia
Published: November 2019

This article looks at old age care facilities abroad that target people who live in Germany. Such facilities have been established in Southeast Asia (mainly Thailand) and in Eastern Europe (mainly Poland). Given that they challenge central guiding orientations for old age care in Germany, considerable criticisms are levelled at them, and their use is viewed with distinct scepticism. Nevertheless, some of these facilities succeed in sustaining considerable demand from Germany over quite a few years. In this article, we therefore ask what strategies and arguments they use to make them a legitimate option for people in Germany and to be established on the German market. Based on two case studies of an old age facility in Thailandand Poland, we will show how they skilfully position themselves as “better” options for residential care even though their strategies considerably vary and result in very different models of old age care. Drawing on neo-institutional organisation theories, we will show how these strategies are essential for the facilities’ emergence as new players in the care market for older people from Germany.
Characteristics and Analysis of an Eddy Current Shock Absorber Damper Using Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Abdo Tamer M. , Huzayyin Ahmed A. , Abdallah Ahmed A. , Adly Amr A.
Published: November 2019

In the paper a model is developed for a proposed eddy current damper using finite element analysis. Several damper configurations are studied and its characteristics are analyzed. The steady state performance for the configurations is compared to reach a design with an acceptable performance for the eddy current damper. Furthermore, the proposed designs performance are compared with the traditional damper performance. It was found that the best two designs to achieve the targeted performance were to have an iron core damper or an iron core with an aluminum sleeve. Those two designs are economical and simple while achieving acceptable performance when compared to traditional dampers and other electromagnetic damping systems.
Pre-Sowing Irrigation Plus Surface Fertilization Improves Morpho-Physiological Traits and Sustaining Water-Nitrogen Productivity of Cotton
Authors: Chen Zongkui , Gao Hongyun , Hou Fei , Khan Aziz , Luo Honghai
Published: November 2019

The changing climatic conditions are causing erratic rains and frequent episodes of moisture stress; these impose a great challenge to cotton productivity by negatively affecting plant physiological, biochemical and molecular processes. This situation requires an efficient management of water-nutrient to achieve optimal crop production. Wise use of water-nutrient in cotton production and improved water use-efficiency may help to produce more crop per drop. We hypothesized that the application of nitrogen into deep soil layers can improve water-nitrogen productivity by promoting root growth and functional attributes of cotton crop. To test this hypothesis, a two-year pot experiment under field conditions was conducted to explore the effects of two irrigation levels (i.e., pre-sowing irrigation (W80) and no pre-sowing irrigation (W0)) combined with different fertilization methods (i.e., surface application (F10) and deep application (F30)) on soil water content, soil available nitrogen, roots morpho-physiological attributes, dry mass and water-nitrogen productivity of cotton. W80 treatment increased root length by 3.1%–17.5% in the 0–40 cm soil layer compared with W0. W80 had 11.3%–52.9% higher root nitrate reductase activity in the 10–30 cm soil layer and 18.8%–67.9% in the 60–80 cm soil layer compared with W0. The W80F10 resulted in 4.3%–44.1% greater root nitrate reductase activity compared with other treatments in the 0–30 cm soil layer at 54–84 days after emergence. Water-nitrogen productivity was positively associated with dry mass, water consumption, root length and root nitrate reductase activity. Our data highlighted that pre-sowing irrigation coupled with basal surface fertilization is a promising option in terms of improved cotton root growth. Functioning in the surface soil profile led to a higher reproductive organ biomass production and water-nitrogen productivity.
Influence of Different Methionine Sources on Performance and Slaughter Characteristics of Broilers
Authors: Ullrich Cristina , Langeheine Marion , Brehm Ralph , Taube Venja , Rosillo Galera Mercedes , Rohn Karl , Popp Johanna , Visscher Christian
Published: November 2019

Sustainably produced poultry meat with consideration of animal health poses a challenge for broiler production. Low protein diets with high amounts of synthetic amino acids (AAs) like methionine (Met) are the consequence. In a five-week feeding trial, 360 broilers (Ross 308) assigned to four feeding groups were offered protein-reduced complete diets (starter: 20% crude protein (CP); grower: 18.5% CP; finisher: 17.5% CP), supplemented with essential AAs. The “MHA” group received DL-2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid (DL-HMTBA; trade name: MHA®), groups “L” and “DL” the respective Met source in equivalent concentrations each exceeding the nutritional recommendations. “R-MHA” (“R” for “reduced”) received the minimum required level (using MHA as Met source). Performance exceeded performance goals without differences between the groups. The average feed conversion ratio (FCR) amounted to 1.35. The carcass/body weight ratio of R-MHA was significantly lower (0.782) compared to DL (0.808) and L (0.809). Breast meat of R-MHA contained significantly more fat (144 g/kg dry matter (DM)) compared to L (104 g/kg DM) and significantly lower CP content (R-MHA: 838 g/kg DM; L: 875 g/kg DM). The results indicated possible improvement in slaughter yield by protein-reduced diets supplemented with L-Met, thus recommending further research focusing on the Met influence.
Pilot-Scale Assessment of a Novel Farrowing Creep Area Supplementary Heat Source
Authors: Smith Benjamin C. , Ramirez Brett C. , Hoff Steven J. , Greiner Laura L.
Published: November 2019

Pre-weaning morality (PWM) is attributed to a poor creep area microclimate and causes major economic and productivity losses for the US swine industry. Piglets need supplementary heat to overcome a high surface area to body weight ratio and minimal thermoregulation. A pilot-scale study was conducted to evaluate a semi-enclosed heated microclimate (SEHM) as a supplementary heat source for farrowing creep areas over six farrowing cycles (from January to July 2019) in two rooms with 24 farrowing stalls in each room. Six SEHMs (each SEHM covers two stalls) were randomly distributed to each room and compared to heat lamps (HLs) for productivity and electricity usage. Data from 113 (SEHM) and 101 litters (HL) showed no significant difference between treatments in average daily gain (p = 0.26), 252.4 ± 8.0 g hd−1 d−1 (SEHM) and 260.3 ± 8.1 g hd−1 d−1 (HL) and PWM (p = 0.08), 9.67% ± 0.82% (SEHM) and 12.04% ± 0.87% (HL). However, a significant difference (p = 0.02) was noted in the PWM attributed to over-lay mortalities, 4.05% ± 0.76% (SEHM) compared to 6.04% ± 0.78% (HL). The SEHM electricity averaged 3.25 kWh d−1 (2.91, 3.59 kWh d−1; 95% CI), which was significantly different (p < 0.01) from the HL equivalent (125 W bulb; 6 kWh d−1).
Dietary Cadmium Chloride Supplementation Impairs Renal Function and Bone Metabolism of Laying Hens
Authors: Zhu Mingkun , Zhou Wenting , Bai Luhong , Li Huaiyu , Wang Liansong , Zou Xiaoting
Published: November 2019

This study was conducted to evaluate the toxic effects of cadmium (Cd) on the kidney function and bone development in laying hens. A total of 480 Hy-line laying hens aged 38 weeks were randomly allocated into five treatments, each of which included six replicates of 16 birds. The concentrations of Cd in the diets of the five groups were 0.47, 7.58, 15.56, 30.55, and 60.67 mg/kg. Results showed that serum calcium (Ca) levels decreased significantly in the 60.67 mg Cd/kg diet group (p < 0.05). The activities of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bone ALP (BALP) decreased significantly in the 15.56, 30.55 and 60.67 mg Cd/kg diet groups (p < 0.05). The levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) increased significantly in the 30.55 and 60.67 mg Cd/kg diet groups, and the estradiol (E2), 1,25-(OH)2-D3 and calcitonin (CT) decreased significantly with the increase of dietary Cd supplementation (p < 0.05). Histological results presented enlargements of renal tubules and tubular fibrosis in the kidney and decreased trabecular bone in the tibia. Tartrate-resistant acidic phosphatase (TRAP) staining results of tibia showed that osteoclast was significantly increased at the relatively high dose of dietary Cd (p < 0.05). In addition, the renal function indicators of blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urea acid (UA), and creatinine were significantly increased in Cd supplemented groups compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Low dose Cd exposure induced antioxidant defenses accompanying the increase in activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the levels of glutathione (GSH) in renal tissue. At the same time, with the increased Cd levels, the activities of CAT, GSH-Px decreased significantly, and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) increased significantly (p < 0.05). The activities of Na+/K+-ATPase and Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase decreased significantly in the relatively high levels of dietary Cd (p < 0.05). These results suggest that Cd can damage renal function and induce disorders in bone metabolism of laying hens.
Substructuring of a Petrol Engine: Dynamic Characterization and Experimental Validation
Authors: Armentani Enrico , Giannella Venanzio , Citarella Roberto , Parente Antonio , Pirelli Mauro
Published: November 2019

In this work, the vibration behavior of a 4-cylinder, 4-stroke, petrol engine was simulated by leveraging on the Finite Element Method (FEM). A reduced modelling strategy based on the component mode synthesis (CMS) was adopted to reduce the size of the full FEM model of the engine. Frequency response function (FRF) analyses were used to identify the resonant frequencies and corresponding modes of the different FEM models, and the obtained results were compared with experimental data to get the model validation. Subsequently, modal-based frequency forced response analyses were performed to consider the loads acting during the real operating conditions of the engine. Finally, the impact on vibrations at the mounts, produced by an additional bracket connecting the engine block and gearbox, was also investigated. Both the full and reduced FEM model demonstrated and reproduced with high accuracy the vibration response at the engine mounts, providing a satisfactory agreement with the vibrations measured experimentally. The reduced modelling strategy required significantly shorter runtimes, which decreased from 24 h for the full FEM model to nearly 2 h for the reduced model.
A Practical Positioning Method in End-Plate Surface Distance Measurement with Nano-Meter Precision
Authors: Gao Hongtang , Wang Zhongyu , Cheng Yinbao , Li Yaru , Sun Shuanghua , Shang Zhendong
Published: November 2019

End-plate surface distance is important for length value dissemination in the field of metrology. For the measurement of distance of two surfaces, the positioning method is the key for realizing high precision. A practical method with nanometer positioning precision is introduced in consideration of the complexity of positioning laser sources of the traditional methods and new methods. The surface positioning is realized by the combination of laser interference and white light interference. In order to verify the method, a 0.1 mm height step is made, and an experiment system based on the method is established. The principle and the basic theory of the method are analyzed, and the measures to enhance the repeatability from optical and mechanical factors and signal processing methods are presented. The experimental result shows that the surface positioning repeatability is in the order of 10 nm. The measurement uncertainty evaluation shows that the standard uncertainty is 21 nm for a 0.1 mm step. It is concluded that the method is suitable to be applied to the length measurement standard of the lab.
Hybrid Micro-Grids Exploiting Renewables Sources, Battery Energy Storages, and Bi-Directional Converters
Authors: Saponara Sergio , Saletti Roberto , Mihet-Popa Lucian
Published: November 2019

This paper analyzes trends in renewable-energy-sources (RES), power converters, and control strategies, as well as battery energy storage and the relevant issues in battery charging and monitoring, with reference to a new and improved energy grid. An alternative micro-grid architecture that overcomes the lack of flexibility of the classic energy grid is then described. By mixing DC and AC sources, the hybrid micro-grid proposes an alternative architecture where the use of bi-directional electric vehicle chargers creates a micro-grid that directly interconnects all the partner nodes with bi-directional energy flows. The micro-grid nodes are the main grid, the RES and the energy storage systems, both, on-board the vehicle and inside the micro-grid structure. This model is further sustained by the new products emerging in the market, since new solar inverters are appearing, where a local energy storage for the RES is available. Therefore, the power flow from/towards the RES becomes bi-directional with improved flexibility and efficiency.
Evolution of Residual Stress Based on Curvature Coupling in Multi-Roll Levelling
Authors: Yi Guodong , Liang Ye , Wang Chao , Xu Jinghua
Published: November 2019

Residual stress is the main cause of flatness defects in sheet metal and the basic method to improve the shape quality of the sheet is to reduce and eliminate the residual stress by multi-roll levelling. The curvature coupling between repeated sheet bendings in multi-roll levelling greatly affects the accuracy of the analysis of the residual stress evolution, which is rarely considered in current research. Aiming to address this problem, a method for eliminating residual stress by multi-roll levelling based on curvature coupling is discussed in this article. An evaluation criterion and an analysis model are proposed to investigate the evolution of the residual stress in multi-roll levelling considering the curvature coupling between bendings. The effects of the intermesh of the work rolls and the plastic deformation of the sheet on the residual stress are also discussed. The results show that multi-roll levelling will cause rolling residual stress while reducing the initial residual stress of the sheet and the larger plastic deformation caused by the intermesh of the work rolls at the entry is beneficial for the complete elimination of the initial residual stress, but the rolling residual stress will increase at the same time. Therefore, the total residual stress of the sheet after levelling depends on the appropriate levelling parameters.
Bayesian Proxy Modelling for Estimating Black Carbon Concentrations using White-Box and Black-Box Models
Authors: Zaidan Martha A. , Wraith Darren , Boor Brandon E. , Hussein Tareq
Published: November 2019

Black carbon (BC) is an important component of particulate matter (PM) in urban environments. BC is typically emitted from gas and diesel engines, coal-fired power plants, and other sources that burn fossil fuel. In contrast to PM, BC measurements are not always available on a large scale due to the operational cost and complexity of the instrumentation. Therefore, it is advantageous to develop a mathematical model for estimating the quantity of BC in the air, termed a BC proxy, to enable widening of spatial air pollution mapping. This article presents the development of BC proxies based on a Bayesian framework using measurements of PM concentrations and size distributions from 10 to 10,000 nm from a recent mobile air pollution study across several areas of Jordan. Bayesian methods using informative priors can naturally prevent over-fitting in the modelling process and the methods generate a confidence interval around the prediction, thus the estimated BC concentration can be directly quantified and assessed. In particular, two types of models are developed based on their transparency and interpretability, referred to as white-box and black-box models. The proposed methods are tested on extensive data sets obtained from the measurement campaign in Jordan. In this study, black-box models perform slightly better due to their model complexity. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate that the performance of both models does not differ significantly. In practice, white-box models are relatively more convenient to be deployed, the methods are well understood by scientists, and the models can be used to better understand key relationships.
Effect of Boron and Oxygen on the Structure and Properties of Protective Decorative Cr–Al–Ti–N Coatings Deposited by Closed Field Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering (CFUBMS)
Authors: Kiryukhantsev-Korneev Ph. V. , Amankeldina Zh. S. , Sheveyko A. N. , Vorotilo S. , Levashov E. A.
Published: November 2019

Boron and oxygen-doped Cr–Al–Ti–N coatings were deposited by closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering (CFUBMS) of TiB target manufactured by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis, and Ti, Cr, and Al targets. To evaluate the influence of doping elements, as-deposited coatings were studied by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES), SEM, XRD, and optical profilometry. Mechanical properties were measured by nanoindentation and tribological, abrasive and electrochemical testing. The introduction of boron suppresses columnar growth and leads to structural refinement and a decrease of coating’s surface roughness. The addition of 2.3 at.% boron results in the highest mechanical properties: hardness H = 15 GPa, stable friction coefficient f = 0.65, and specific wear Vw = 7.5 × 10−6 mm3N−1m−1. To make the coating more visually appealing, oxygen was introduced in the chamber near the end of the deposition cycle. Upper Cr–Al–Ti–B–O–N layers were studied in terms of their composition and coloration, and the developed two-layer decorative coatings were deposited on cast metallic art pieces.
What Happened to the Phycobilisome?
Authors: Green Beverley R.
Published: November 2019

The phycobilisome (PBS) is the major light-harvesting complex of photosynthesis in cyanobacteria, red algae, and glaucophyte algae. In spite of the fact that it is very well structured to absorb light and transfer it efficiently to photosynthetic reaction centers, it has been completely lost in the green algae and plants. It is difficult to see how selection alone could account for such a major loss. An alternative scenario takes into account the role of chance, enabled by (contingent on) the evolution of an alternative antenna system early in the diversification of the three lineages from the first photosynthetic eukaryote.
Natural CLA-Enriched Lamb Meat Fat Modifies Tissue Fatty Acid Profile and Increases n-3 HUFA Score in Obese Zucker Rats
Authors: Carta Gianfranca , Murru Elisabetta , Manca Claudia , Serra Andrea , Mele Marcello , Banni Sebastiano
Published: November 2019

Ruminant fats are characterized by different levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and α-linolenic acid (18:3n-3, ALA), according to animal diet. Tissue fatty acids and their N-acylethanolamides were analyzed in male obese Zucker rats fed diets containing lamb meat fat with different fatty acid profiles: (A) enriched in CLA; (B) enriched in ALA and low in CLA; (C) low in ALA and CLA; and one containing a mixture of olive and corn oils: (D) high in linoleic acid (18:2n-6, LA) and ALA, in order to evaluate early lipid metabolism markers. No changes in body and liver weights were observed. CLA and ALA were incorporated into most tissues, mirroring the dietary content; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) increased according to dietary ALA, which was strongly influenced by CLA. The n-3 highly-unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) score, biomarker of the n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio, was increased in tissues of rats fed animal fats high in CLA and/or ALA compared to those fed vegetable fat. DHA and CLA were associated with a significant increase in oleoylethanolamide and decrease in anandamide in subcutaneous fat. The results showed that meat fat nutritional values are strongly influenced by their CLA and ALA contents, modulating the tissue n-3 HUFA score.
Recent Advances in EPAC-Targeted Therapies: A Biophysical Perspective
Authors: Ahmed Alveena , Boulton Stephen , Shao Hongzhao , Akimoto Madoka , Natarajan Amarnath , Cheng Xiaodong , Melacini Giuseppe
Published: November 2019

The universal second messenger cAMP regulates diverse intracellular processes by interacting with ubiquitously expressed proteins, such as Protein Kinase A (PKA) and the Exchange Protein directly Activated by cAMP (EPAC). EPAC is implicated in multiple pathologies, thus several EPAC-specific inhibitors have been identified in recent years. However, the mechanisms and molecular interactions underlying the EPAC inhibition elicited by such compounds are still poorly understood. Additionally, being hydrophobic low molecular weight species, EPAC-specific inhibitors are prone to forming colloidal aggregates, which result in non-specific aggregation-based inhibition (ABI) in aqueous systems. Here, we review from a biophysical perspective the molecular basis of the specific and non-specific interactions of two EPAC antagonists—CE3F4R, a non-competitive inhibitor, and ESI-09, a competitive inhibitor of EPAC. Additionally, we discuss the value of common ABI attenuators (e.g., TX and HSA) to reduce false positives at the expense of introducing false negatives when screening aggregation-prone compounds. We hope this review provides the EPAC community effective criteria to evaluate similar compounds, aiding in the optimization of existing drug leads, and informing the development of the next generation of EPAC-specific inhibitors.
Estrogen Receptors and Melanoma: A Review
Authors: Dika Emi , Patrizi Annalisa , Lambertini Martina , Manuelpillai Nicholas , Fiorentino Michelangelo , Altimari Annalisa , Ferracin Manuela , Lauriola Mattia , Fabbri Enrica , Campione Elena , Veronesi Giulia , Scarfì Federica
Published: November 2019

In the last three decades cutaneous melanoma has been widely investigated as a steroid hormone-sensitive cancer. Following this hypothesis, many epidemiological studies have investigated the relationship between estrogens and melanoma. No evidence to date has supported this association due to the great complexity of genetic, external and environmental factors underlying the development of this cancer. Molecular mechanisms through which estrogen and their receptor exert a role in melanoma genesis are still under investigation with new studies increasingly focusing on the discovery of new molecular targets for therapeutic treatments.
The Non-Canonical Aspects of MicroRNAs: Many Roads to Gene Regulation
Authors: Stavast Christiaan , Erkeland Stefan
Published: November 2019

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are critical regulators of gene expression. As miRNAs are frequently deregulated in many human diseases, including cancer and immunological disorders, it is important to understand their biological functions. Typically, miRNA-encoding genes are transcribed by RNA Polymerase II and generate primary transcripts that are processed by RNase III-endonucleases DROSHA and DICER into small RNAs of approximately 21 nucleotides. All miRNAs are loaded into Argonaute proteins in the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) and act as post-transcriptional regulators by binding to the 3′- untranslated region (UTR) of mRNAs. This seed-dependent miRNA binding inhibits the translation and/or promotes the degradation of mRNA targets. Surprisingly, recent data presents evidence for a target-mediated decay mechanism that controls the level of specific miRNAs. In addition, several non-canonical miRNA-containing genes have been recently described and unexpected functions of miRNAs have been identified. For instance, several miRNAs are located in the nucleus, where they are involved in the transcriptional activation or silencing of target genes. These epigenetic modifiers are recruited by RISC and guided by miRNAs to specific loci in the genome. Here, we will review non-canonical aspects of miRNA biology, including novel regulators of miRNA expression and functions of miRNAs in the nucleus.
Suppression of Angiogenesis by Targeting Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 7 in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells and Renal Cell Carcinoma: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study
Authors: Shi Chung-Sheng , Kuo Kuan-Lin , Chen Mei-Sin , Chow Po-Ming , Liu Shing-Hwa , Chang Yu-Wei , Lin Wei-Chou , Liao Shih-Ming , Hsu Chen-Hsun , Hsu Fu-Shun , Chang Hong-Chiang , Huang Kuo-How
Published: November 2019

Cancer cells rely on aberrant transcription for growth and survival. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play critical roles in regulating gene transcription by modulating the activity of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII). THZ1, a selective covalent inhibitor of CDK7, has antitumor effects in several human cancers. In this study, we investigated the role and therapeutic potential of CDK7 in regulating the angiogenic activity of endothelial cells and human renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Our results revealed that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a critical activator of angiogenesis, upregulated the expression of CDK7 and RNAPII, and the phosphorylation of RNAPII at serine 5 and 7 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), indicating the transcriptional activity of CDK7 may be involved in VEGF-activated angiogenic activity of endothelium. Furthermore, through suppressing CDK7 activity, THZ1 suppressed VEGF-activated proliferation and migration, as well as enhanced apoptosis of HUVECs. Moreover, THZ1 inhibited VEGF-activated capillary tube formation and CDK7 knockdown consistently diminished tube formation in HUVECs. Additionally, THZ1 reduced VEGF expression in human RCC cells (786-O and Caki-2), and THZ1 treatment inhibited tumor growth, vascularity, and angiogenic marker (CD31) expression in RCC xenografts. Our results demonstrated that CDK7-mediated transcription was involved in the angiogenic activity of endothelium and human RCC. THZ1 suppressed VEGF-mediated VEGFR2 downstream activation of angiogenesis, providing a new perspective for antitumor therapy in RCC patients.
A Novel 3D Scaffold for Cell Growth to Assess Electroporation Efficacy
Authors: Dettin Monica , Sieni Elisabetta , Zamuner Annj , Marino Ramona , Sgarbossa Paolo , Lucibello Maria , Tosi Anna Lisa , Keller Flavio , Campana Luca Giovanni , Signori Emanuela
Published: November 2019

Tumor electroporation (EP) refers to the permeabilization of the cell membrane by means of short electric pulses thus allowing the potentiation of chemotherapeutic drugs. Standard plate adhesion 2D cell cultures can simulate the in vivo environment only partially due to lack of cell–cell interaction and extracellular matrix (ECM). In this study, we assessed a novel 3D scaffold for cell cultures based on hyaluronic acid and ionic-complementary self-assembling peptides (SAPs), by studying the growth patterns of two different breast carcinoma cell lines (HCC1569 and MDA-MB231). This 3D scaffold modulates cell shape and induces extracellular matrix deposit around cells. In the MDA-MB 231 cell line, it allows three-dimensional growth of structures known as spheroids, while in HCC1569 it achieves a cell organization similar to that observed in vivo. Interestingly, we were able to visualize the electroporation effect on the cells seeded in the new scaffold by means of standard propidium iodide assay and fluorescence microscopy. Thanks to the presence of cell–cell and cell–ECM interactions, the new 3D scaffold may represent a more reliable support for EP studies than 2D cancer cell cultures and may be used to test new EP-delivered drugs and novel EP protocols.
ZnO (Ag-N) Nanorods Films Optimized for Photocatalytic Water Purification
Authors: Sanchez Luis , Castillo Carlos , Cruz Willy , Yauri Bryan , Sosa Miguel , Luyo Clemente , Candal Roberto , Ponce Silvia , Rodriguez Juan M.
Published: November 2019

ZnO nanorods (NRs) films, nitrogen-doped (ZnO:N), and ZnO doped with nitrogen and decorated with silver nanostructures (ZnO:N-Ag) NRs films were vertically supported on undoped and N doped ZnO seed layers by a wet chemical method. The obtained films were characterized structurally by X-ray diffraction. Morphological and elemental analysis was performed by scanning electron microscopy, including an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy facility and their optical properties by Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy. Analysis performed in the NRs films showed that the nitrogen content in the seed layer strongly affected their structure and morphology. The mean diameter of ZnO NRs ranged from 70 to 190 nm. As the nitrogen content in the seed layer increased, the mean diameter of ZnO:N NRs increased from 132 to 250 nm and the diameter dispersion decreased. This diameter increase occurs simultaneously with the incorporation of nitrogen into the ZnO crystal lattice and the increase in the volume of the unit cell, calculated using the X-ray diffraction patterns and confirmed by a slight shift in the XRD angle. The diffractograms indicated that the NRs have a hexagonal wurtzite structure, with preferential growth direction along the c axis. The SEM images confirmed the presence of metallic silver in the form of nanoparticles dispersed on the NRs films. Finally, the degradation of methyl orange (MO) in an aqueous solution was studied by UV-vis irradiation of NRs films contained in the bulk of aqueous MO solutions. We found a significant enhancement of the photocatalytic degradation efficiency, with ZnO:N-Ag NRs film being more efficient than ZnO:N NRs film, and the latter better than the ZnO NRs film.
Preparation and Performance Optimization of Original Aluminum Ash Coating Based on Plasma Spraying
Authors: Ni Hongjun , Zhang Jiaqiao , Lv Shuaishuai , Wang Xingxing , Zhu Yu , Gu Tao
Published: November 2019

As an industrial solid waste, the original aluminum ash (OAA) will cause serious pollution to the air and soil. How to reuse the OAA has been a research difficulty. Thus, a method of preparing a plasma spray powder using OAA is proposed. The OAA was hydrolyzed and ball milled, and the flowability of original aluminum ash spray powder (OAASP) was evaluated by the angle of repose. The coating properties were determined via analyzing the microstructure and the phase of the coating, and the effects of plasma spray parameters on the coating properties were investigated by the orthogonal experiment to optimize spray parameters. The results show that the angle of repose of OAASP after granulation was less than 40°, which met the requirements of plasma spraying. When the spraying current was 600 A, the spraying voltage was 60 V, the main gas flow was 33 slpm, and the powder flow rate was 22 g/min, and the prepared original aluminum ash coating (OAAC) had excellent comprehensive performance. After the spraying process parameters were optimized, the microhardness of the coating was 606.54 HV, which is about twice the hardness of the substrate; the abrasion rate was 12.86 × 10−3 g/min; the porosity was 0.16%; and the adhesive strength was 16 MPa. When the amount of Al2O3 added was 50%, the hardness of the coating was increased by 17.61%.
Is the Fatty Acids Profile in Blood a Good Predictor of Liver Changes? Correlation of Fatty Acids Profile with Fatty Acids Content in the Liver
Authors: Maciejewska Dominika , Palma Joanna , Dec Karolina , Skonieczna-Żydecka Karolina , Gutowska Izabela , Szczuko Małgorzata , Jakubczyk Karolina , Stachowska Ewa
Published: November 2019

Background: Existing data show a correlation between the profile of fatty acids, liver, and blood. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the correlation between the fatty acids profile in blood pallets and the liver. Methods: The experiment was performed on 60 eight-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. The study group (n = 30, 5 groups, 6 rats each) received a cholesterol diet; the control group (n = 30, 5 groups, 6 rats each) received standard food for laboratory rats. The rats from both the study and control groups were sacrificed after 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks of dietary exposure. The fatty acids profile was measured using gas chromatography (GC). Results: In both the control and study group, the highest correlations were observed in palmitoleic acid (RHO = 0.68), heptadecanoic acid (RHO = 0.65), vaccenic acid (RHO = 0.72), eicosapentaenoic acid (RHO = 0.68), docosapentaenoic acid (RHO = 0.77), and docosahexaenoic (RHO = 0.77). Among liver indexes, the highest correlations were desaturase-18 (0.61). Conclusions: Fatty acids profile is a sensitive marker of the development of potentially pathological changes in the liver. The potential markers of fatty liver are: oleic acid, vaccenic acid, EPA, DHA, docosapentaenoic acid, and desaturase index (SCD-18 index).
The Concept of Active Learning and the Measurement of Learning Outcomes: A Review of Research in Engineering Higher Education
Authors: Hartikainen Susanna , Rintala Heta , Pylväs Laura , Nokelainen Petri
Published: November 2019

Active learning has gained growing political, instructional, and research interest. However, the definitions of active learning are wide. The learning outcomes related to it have been mostly positive but the measurement methods are not without problems. This review provides an overview of active learning, especially in the context of engineering higher education, by answering two research questions: (1) How is the concept of active learning defined and justified in engineering higher education research? (2) What are the learning outcomes connected to active learning and how is learning measured in engineering higher education research? Sixty-six empirical articles were analyzed inductively with qualitative content analysis. The analysis showed that active learning was defined in various ways, and in some articles, it was not defined at all. In addition, justification (theoretical or empirical) for the use of active learning was seldomly reported. Finally, the indicators used to measure the impact of active learning on students’ learning outcomes were mostly based on students’ self-report data and focused on course specific development in subject-related knowledge. More thorough descriptions and theoretical justifications, as well as the consideration of learning outcomes with appropriate research methods, could reinforce the transparency of empirical interventions and the application of active learning.
Role of Relational Ties in the Relationship between Thriving at Work and Innovative Work Behavior: An Empirical Study
Authors: Riaz Sidra , Xu Yusen , Hussain Shahid
Published: November 2019

Top management in organizations have begun to realize that innovative employees add to the competitive edge of a company which serves to maintain their position in intense market competition. For this purpose, management needs to seek new ways to combine the social environment and employees in the workplace in an inextricable manner that supports innovation. The purpose of this paper was to examine the role of thriving at work and its effects on an individual’s innovative behavior. Based on the socially embedded model of thriving, we aimed to assess the relevant related work on structured potential effects with relational ties (i.e., strong versus weak). Particularly, these ties affect the heedful relating differently. This study examined the antecedents of thriving at work and the innovative behavior among employees at a global investment company. Using partial least squares modeling on a sample of 412 observations (strong and weak ties), strong support was found for the theory-driven hypothesized relationships. The results contribute to a better understanding of the relational roles concerning recently emerging constructs of “thriving at work” and “positive organizational scholarship.” The implications and limitations of this study are further discussed.
Cost-Effective 4 GHz VCO Using Only Miniature Spirals Realized in a 0.18 μm CMOS Process for Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Applications
Authors: Jhon Heesauk , Kim Min-Su , Kang Myounggon
Published: November 2019

This paper presents an extremely cost-effective radio-frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) implementation technique by employing a digital logic CMOS process and reducing area occupation for voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) using all miniature inductors for wireless sensor network (WSN) applications. The designed VCO operates in the 4.0 GHz band with a power consumption of 1.4 mW and a phase noise of −113.6 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz, occupying a Si area of 0.283 × 0.682 mm2. In addition, we confirmed that the figure of merit (FOM) of 183.8 in our design is competitive with that of other LC-VCOs that were fabricated using the RF option and designed with conventional inductors.
High-Resolution Image Inpainting Based on Multi-Scale Neural Network
Authors: Sun Tingzhu , Fang Weidong , Chen Wei , Yao Yanxin , Bi Fangming , Wu Baolei
Published: November 2019

Although image inpainting based on the generated adversarial network (GAN) has made great breakthroughs in accuracy and speed in recent years, they can only process low-resolution images because of memory limitations and difficulty in training. For high-resolution images, the inpainted regions become blurred and the unpleasant boundaries become visible. Based on the current advanced image generation network, we proposed a novel high-resolution image inpainting method based on multi-scale neural network. This method is a two-stage network including content reconstruction and texture detail restoration. After holding the visually believable fuzzy texture, we further restore the finer details to produce a smoother, clearer, and more coherent inpainting result. Then we propose a special application scene of image inpainting, that is, to delete the redundant pedestrians in the image and ensure the reality of background restoration. It involves pedestrian detection, identifying redundant pedestrians and filling in them with the seemingly correct content. To improve the accuracy of image inpainting in the application scene, we proposed a new mask dataset, which collected the characters in COCO dataset as a mask. Finally, we evaluated our method on COCO and VOC dataset. the experimental results show that our method can produce clearer and more coherent inpainting results, especially for high-resolution images, and the proposed mask dataset can produce better inpainting results in the special application scene.
A MPC Strategy for the Optimal Management of Microgrids Based on Evolutionary Optimization
Authors: Rodríguez del Nozal Álvaro , Gutiérrez Reina Daniel , Alvarado-Barrios Lázaro , Tapia Alejandro , Escaño Juan Manuel
Published: November 2019

In this paper, a novel model predictive control strategy, with a 24-h prediction horizon, is proposed to reduce the operational cost of microgrids. To overcome the complexity of the optimization problems arising from the operation of the microgrid at each step, an adaptive evolutionary strategy with a satisfactory trade-off between exploration and exploitation capabilities was added to the model predictive control. The proposed strategy was evaluated using a representative microgrid that includes a wind turbine, a photovoltaic plant, a microturbine, a diesel engine, and an energy storage system. The achieved results demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach, outperforming a global scheduling planner-based on a genetic algorithm by 14.2% in terms of operational cost. In addition, the proposed approach also better manages the use of the energy storage system.
Low Chlorine Fuel Pellets Production from the Mixture of Hydrothermally Treated Hospital Solid Waste, Pyrolytic Plastic Waste Residue and Biomass
Authors: Alam Md Tanvir , Lee Jang-Soo , Lee Sang-Yeop , Bhatta Dhruba , Yoshikawa Kunio , Seo Yong-Chil
Published: November 2019

Thirteen types of fuel pellets were prepared from hydrothermally treated hospital solid waste, hydrothermally treated rice straw, pyrolytic plastic waste residue, rice straw, and Sakhalin fir residue using a flat die pellet machine. Different pellet properties such as pellet density, pellet durability, aspect ratio, physicochemical characteristics, and gross calorific value (GCV) were evaluated as well as compared concerning the European standard specification for residential/commercial densified fuels. In addition, the quality of pellets was compared with coal. The results showed that the pellets made only with hydrothermally treated hospital solid waste, hydrothermally treated rice straw, pyrolytic plastic waste residue, and rice straw failed to meet few individual criteria (<3 wt% ash content, <10 wt% moisture content, <0.03 wt% chlorine content, >96.5 wt% pellet durability, and >600 kg/m3 pellet density) of the European standard specifications. However, most of the mixed fuel pellets satisfied the requirement of pellet properties according to the European standard specification. In particular, up to 16.70 wt% hydrothermally treated rice straw, 1.50 wt% hydrothermally treated hospital solid waste, and 4.76 wt% of pyrolytic plastic waste residue can be blended with Shakhalin fir residue to produce low-chlorine fuel pellets. The gross calorific value of pellets made from the mixture of hydrothermally treated wastes and pyrolytic plastic waste residue (around 22 MJ/kg) showed similar results to that of coal. In the case of mixed pellets, the presence of these hydrothermally treated wastes and pyrolytic plastic waste residue valorized the fuel pellet quality. The main outcome of this study was the production of low chlorine biomass fuel pellets of high gross calorific values blended with hydrothermally treated wastes and pyrolytic waste residues, which opens a new door for utilizing waste in a better way, especially hospital solid waste.