bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘I’M GETTING THERE’: AN INVESTIGATION OF ACADEMIC WRITING DEVELOPMENTS OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN A FOREIGN BRANCH CAMPUS IN MALAYSIA
Authors: ADI BADIOZAMAN Ida Fatimawati
Published: March 2019

Many foreign university branch campuses in Malaysia make it compulsory for students to undertake academic literacy units (i.e. Reading for Academic Purposes, Technical Report Writing) in order to equip them with language skills as well as reading and writing for academic purposes. Despite the ubiquitousness of such units in universities, little is known about their effectiveness. This longitudinal study aims to address this gap. This paper reports on data collected from the first phase of a mixed methods study that seeks to explore (i) students’ self-concept in academic writing, (ii) perceived impact of the Academic Writing (AW) unit on the writing development and (iii) the transferability of skills to other academic units. Findings from the questionnaire revealed that the AW unit had a significant positive impact on their writing skills and that the skills acquired were reported to be highly transferable to other study units. Nevertheless, to ensure academic success, the study concludes that the foundations for first year studies need to be laid early. Keywords: academic writing, L2 writing, academic language-learning needs, language learning, English for academic purposes (EAP)
TAGANG SYSTEM AND THE BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY AT KAMPUNG TERBAT MAWANG, SERIAN, SARAWAK
Authors: Ansley Angelina anak , Kiong Wong Swee , Sanggin Spencer Empading
Published: March 2019

Tagang system is a method used to conserve an aquatic life. In Sabah, this system has been implemented since 2003 and known as tagal system. Due to its benefits to the community and aquatic life in Sabah, Sarawak Agriculture Department adopted and extended the tagal system to the people of Sarawak, especially in rural areas. In Iban language, the term tagal system is known as tagang system, which means ‘prohibit or prevent’ or ‘do not’, but in the Bidayuh language, it is known as tegang system. Terbat Mawang village which is located near Kedup River was chosen for the Tagang Project. Tagang Project was implemented officially in 2006. However, because of the drought in 2009, this project was almost terminated. The objective of this paper is to assess the benefits of the tagang system to the community. The outcome of this study shows that the acceptance and cooperation between the community and the department of agriculture are essential for the success of this project. This study used documents analysis, observation and in-depth interview.
PERSEMBAHAN BANGSAWAN DI SARAWAK PADA ALAF KE-21
Authors: Abdullah Nur Afifah Vanitha binti
Published: March 2019

Persembahan bangsawan yang terawal di Sarawak direkodkan pada tahun 1914 di Kuching. Kemudiannya bangsawan menjadi hiburan popular dalam kalangan masyarakat tempatan. Sejak itu teater ini telah berkembang dan melalui empat fasa selari dengan perkembangan politik, ekonomi dan sosial negeri ini dari 1914 sehingga 2004. Setakat ini persembahan bangsawan terakhir yang dikaji adalah Bangsawan Cucu Sharif Masahor, yang dipentaskan oleh Medan Teater Sarawak (MANTERA) pada 2004. Sejak itu terdapat tiga persembahan bangsawan yang telah dipentaskan dengan peruntukan yang besar. Sehubungan itu, dengan menggunakan teori Persembahan Richard Schechener (1985), kertas kerja ini bertujuan menjawab persoalan, ‘apakah ‘production mode’ tiga persembahan selepas Bangsawan Cucu Sharip Masahor 2004? Data bagi menjawab persoalan ini diperolehi dari kajian jenis fundamental dengan rekabentuk kajian kualitatif. Instrumen kajian utama bagi mengumpul data adalah temubual dengan para penggiat teater di Kuching yang terlibat dalam perancangan dan pementasan teater tersebut. Selain itu, analisa kandungan turut dilakukan terhadap akhbar dan bahan bercetak pementasan bangsawan seperti buku program persembahan. Dapatan kajian dalam artikel ini adalah, ‘production mode’ persembahan bangsawan di Sarawak masih sama dengan persembahan bangsawan 2004. Tenaga produksinya terdiri daripada para penggiat sekitar Kuching, tujuan pementasan adalah untuk memelihara bangsawan, menggunakan dana dari agensi kerajaan dan juga agensi bukan kerajaan, serta kaedah pengurusan berbentuk pengkhususan dalam menguruskan persembahan-persembahan ini.
Sarawak Peat Characteristics and Heat Treatment
Authors: Sa’don N. M. , Abdul Karim A. R. , Jaol W. , Wan Lili W. H.
Published: March 2019

Peat layer is extensively scattered over the land of Malaysia. In Sarawak alone, peatland represents 13 percent (about 1.66 million hectares) of Sarawak’s total land area. They are present, mostly in low-lying areas; with in some areas, peat exceeding 10 m in depth. During past few decades, the demands on development of land were expanded into the swamp and deep peat areas which cannot be avoided. Thus proper management and construction practices should be emphasized, in order to overcome consequential occurrence of ground subsidence problems. The objectives of this study are to determine the characteristics of Sarawak peat, their empirical correlations as well as the effect of heat treatment on peat. The samples were taken from Matang, Batu Kawa, and Kota Samarahan sites, in Sarawak. The characteristic tests consist of degree of humidification, loss on ignition, Atterberg limit, particle density, moisture content and pH value. The results recorded high moisture content and organic content of Sarawak peat. It is also being categorized under the hemic group with pH values ranging from 3 to 4. The heat treatments with temperatures ranging from 100°C to 400°C were used on the peat samples. Samples collected were undergoing heat treatment and changes to its physical characteristic were compared with the original Sarawak peat. It was found that the heat treatments do influence the physical properties of Sarawak peat and have shown significant reduction in the compression index determined through the empirical correlations.
EVALUATION OF WATER HYACINTH STEM ASH AS POZZOLANIC MATERIAL FOR USE IN BLENDED CEMENT
Authors: Das Neelu , Singh Shashikant
Published: March 2019

In this paper, the potential use of water hyacinth stem ash (WHA) in the partial replacement of cement is studied. WHA was used as a replacement for ordinary Portland cement at 10, 15, 20 and 25 wt. %. To evaluate the pozzolanic activity of WHA, the properties investigated were chemical composition, particle size, soundness, setting time, specific gravity, presence of crystalline matter, compressive strength, water absorption and sorption. Mortar cubes were tested for compressive strength up to the age of 56 days, whereas water absorption and sorption tests are carried out at the age of 28 days. Test results reveal that mortar cubes with 10% WHA substitution for Portland cement produced comparative compressive strength values to control mortar. It was also observed that the use of WHA in Portland cement has reduced water absorption characteristics.
EFFECTIVENESS OF AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM (AES) IN REDUCING RED LIGHT VIOLATION (RLV) BEHAVIOURS: A CASE STUDY IN KUALA LUMPUR
Authors: M.R. Kabit , N.A. Sabihin , W.H. Wan Ibrahim
Published: March 2019

The national statistics indicates that red light violations (RLV) have become a significant safety problem throughout the nation. As a result, the Malaysian government has initiated the installation of automated enforcement system (AES) to reduce RLV related crashes at identified critical locations particularly in Kuala Lumpur region. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of AES installation in reducing RLR at signalised intersections using a case study at Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur. Before and after AES installation data were collected and were analysed using a statistical tool. T-test results indicated that the installation of AES has significantly reduced RLV behaviours at the studied signalised intersection. The results of this study provide a useful insight on the benefits of AES in decreasing intersection related crashes by means of reducing RLV behaviours among the road users through AES installation.
DEVELOPMENT OF RESERVOIR OPERATION FOR BATANG AI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
Authors: Kwong Kiat Kiu , Josep Putuhena Frederik
Published: March 2019

Batang Ai Hydroelectric Project is meant to generate electricity. The Batang Ai Dam has a maximum capacity to generate around 108MW when it is fully operational. Efficient reservoir operation should be carried out very carefully in order to provide reliable water supply for power generation and water demand. The research of this project is to review the Batang Ai Dam storage conservation for the reservoir operation by using storage conservation simulation. The simulations are carried out with various outflow conditions using the principle of the storage equation. Lastly, the results from the simulation show that with proper regulation of the reservoir outflow, the Batang Ai Hydroelectric Project reliability to provide continuous power supply without shortage in water supply is assured.
STUDY ON RULE CURVE DEVELOPMENT FOR HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER (HEP) DAM OPERATION. CASE STUDY: MURUM HEP DAM
Authors: Titus Gregory , Putuhena Frederik Josep
Published: March 2019

An operation rule curve of a dam provides specific on the target elevation of thereservoir. This can vary throughout the year. This is an indication to the reservoir operator ofactivities to conduct for various situations involving reservoir and the hydrologic conditions.This rule curve shall apply to Murum dam solely for power generation purpose. Thedecisions on when and how much to release will impact the ability to pass a flood as well ashydropower capacity. The main objective of this research is to select the most suitablemethod and to develop the operation rule curves for Murum dam primarily for hydropowergeneration. A trial-and-error method has been selected for this study. Reservoir operationmodeling and simulation have been commenced using historical rainfall data, after runoffwas generated by rainfall runoff modellings. Three (3) simulations are conducted fordeveloping the operation rule curves. They are rule curve according to Sarawak EnergyBerhad’s requirement, ideal rule curve and mean rule curve. All three sets of rule curves aresuccessfully developed using turbine discharges of the dam as the parameters and to achievethe target firm energy generation of 635MW.
COASTAL AND ESTUARY RESERVOIR: CASE STUDIES FOR JOHOR RIVER BASIN
Authors: Heng H. H. , Pan W. F. , Siaw F. L. , Hii C. P.
Published: March 2019

This paper presents an alternative water storage concept at lower sea-river interface vis-à-vis the conventional dam/reservoir storage scheme in the upper headwater region of a river basin. Two (2) estuary or coastal reservoir schemes are proposed to meet the future water demand of Johor Bahru and its vicinity. The low flow yields of a 98% reliability (or design 1:50-year return period) for both river schemes are also presented. A hydrological assessment is carried out to correlate the hydrometric variables, i.e. rainfall and streamflow. A long term 54-year streamflow record is adopted as input to the yield calculation. The reliable yields of 98% reliability criteria are in turn estimated based on a water balance or mass conservation. This new paradigmatic shift of reservoir storage location from headwater region to lower estuary/coastal interface can harness sufficient yield to meet the future demand of Johor Bahru and vicinity.
EFFECT OF ORGANIC SOIL ON STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF COMPRESSED CEMENT-SOIL BLOCK
Authors: Shirin M. S. , Ali M. M. , Hasan M. R. , Saiful Islam Md.
Published: March 2019

Compressed cement-soil block is used as low cost building material. In the south-western region of Bangladesh, there is availability of organic soil which is in the formation of overlying layer. Moreover, sandy materials do not occur and are not found easily in Bangladesh. The scarcity of sandy materials has led to the increase of the retail price and subsequently to higher production cost. So organic soil materials have been used as filler directly to produce cement-soil block. In this study, the compressive and flexural strengths of cement-soil block of density 1448kg/m³ to 1611kg/m³ with specified ratio of cement content were investigated using prism specimens. The observed elapsed periods were 1, 3, 7, 14, 28, 56 and 112 days with the variation of organic contents of 2%, 5%, 10%, 20% and 40%. Preferable results on the 28th day indicated that the compressive strength and the flexural strength of cement-soil block with 20% organic content increased by 125% and 102% respectively. Moreover, the influence of density on the strength properties of cement-soil block was found to be higher than the age of the specimen.
METALDEHYDE TOXICITY: A BRIEF ON THREE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
Authors: Saad A.M. , Ismail S.W. , Dahalan F.A.
Published: March 2019

Extensive use of metaldehyde to combat agriculture pest creates environmental problems. Not limited to targeted pests, it also endangers non-target groups including the environment, humans and animals. Its solubility in water is capable of polluting drinking water sources and increases cost of water treatment. Despite the low level of concentration, metaldehyde is able to bioaccumulate over time and causes dysfunction in certain organs. Thus, this paper gives a brief view on the toxicity level of metaldehyde and the permissible concentration range of this compound for three different groups namely sediments and plants, water and animals.
Seismic Performance of Damper Installed In High-Rise Steel Building In Bangladesh
Authors: Tabassum T. , Ahmed K.S.
Published: March 2019

This research paper describes the results of analysis of the seismic behavior of a thirty story steel building with and without damper under different earthquake acceleration signals. The proposed procedure placed the various types of damper like friction damper, bilinear damper and exponential damper on the top three floors of the building. The study compares the different performances such as the joint displacement, joint acceleration, the base force of structure with and without damper for a thirty-story steel building using ETAB2015. The study further performs time history analysis for different seismic accelerograms to observe the actual time domain responses of the structure. Linear time-history analysis on this steel building structure indicates that maximum displacement, maximum base force, and maximum acceleration effectively reduce in the presence of damper at top three floors of the building.
Analysis of Delay In Execution of Construction Projects
Authors: Muralidhar P. , Kumar Jain Rahul , Srivasta B. , Poorna Chandra Rao V.
Published: March 2019

The construction industry is one of the major sectors that provide important ingredients for the development of country’s economy. A survey is conducted to identify the major causes of construction delays, its effects, and minimizing delays in construction projects using relative importance index method. The questionnaire was circulated among various construction companies located in India to find the reasons which are affecting the construction projects in India. The various factors are identified for this purpose and these critical factors are then categorized into owner, contractor, consultant, material, design, labor, equipment and external factors. About fifty six responses are received for the analysis purpose. SPSS software is applied to perform the analysis. The survey is concentrated on the frequency of occurrence of this factors and what is the severity of this factors in the five point scale.
Study of Engineering Behavior of Coal Mine Waste Generated From Barapukuria Coal Mine As Road Subgrade
Authors: Hossain M. B. , Kumruzzaman M. , Roknuzzaman M.
Published: March 2019

This study is focused on the possibility of using coal mine wastes as a replacement for conventional road subgrades. Various laboratory tests carried out on fresh coal mine waste collected from Barapukuria Coal Mine (Located at Dinajpur, Bangladesh) showed that, it behaves like low strength soil with 0.71% CBR and 18.74% plasticity index which is unsuitable for engineering utilization. Later, fine sand and cement were added with the waste. Three different cement proportion were tested (5%, 8% and 10% of total weight) keeping a constant sand proportion (20% of total weight). The unconfined compression strength and CBR value were found to increase greatly. Analyzing the test results, waste mixed with 8% cement and 20% sand showing 27.44% CBR and 9.09% plasticity index was found to be effective for using as subgrade. Chemical analysis of waste detected the presence of lead as 0.026 ppm which may cause groundwater contamination.
Effect of Wall Inclination on Dynamic Active Thrust for Cohesive Soil Backfill
Authors: Gupta A. , Yadav V. , Sawant V. A. , Agarwal R.
Published: March 2019

Design of retaining walls under seismic conditions is based on the calculation of seismic earth pressurebehind the wall. To calculate the seismic active earth pressure behind the vertical retaining wall, many researchers reportanalytical solutions using the pseudo-static approach for both cohesionless and cohesive soil backfill. Design charts havebeen presented for the calculation of seismic active earth pressure behind vertical retaining walls in the non-dimensionalform. For inclined retaining walls, the analytical solutions for the calculation of seismic active earth pressure as well as thedesign charts (in non-dimensional form) have been reported in few studies for c-ϕ soil backfill. One analytical solution forthe calculation of seismic active earth pressure behind inclined retaining walls by Shukla (2015) is used in the present studyto obtain the design charts in non-dimensional form. Different field parameters related with wall geometry, seismic loadings,tension cracks, soil backfill properties, surcharge and wall friction are used in the present analysis. The present study hasquantified the effect of negative and positive wall inclination as well as the effect of soil cohesion (c), angle of shearingresistance (ϕ), surcharge loading (q) and the horizontal and vertical seismic coefficient (kh and kv) on seismic active earthpressure with the help of design charts for c-ϕ soil backfill. The design charts presented here in non-dimensional form aresimple to use and can be implemented by field engineers for design of inclined retaining walls under seismic conditions. Theactive earth pressure coefficients for cohesionless soil backfill achieved from the present study are validated with studiesreported in the literature.
Theoretical Framework of Urban Water Security In Indonesia
Authors: Wuysang J. E. , Triweko R. W. , Yudianto D.
Published: March 2019

For years cities in Indonesia have experienced massive urban and economic developments which involvedconversion of land to economic areas and human settlements. These cause some cities in Indonesia to face critical condition isproviding clean waters and services of urban sanitation. As a consequence of clean water demand, industries and householdexplore ground water as a source of clean water. Over abstraction of ground water has impacted declining of groundwater tableand land subsidence. Due to the problems that have been created by aspects above, it is necessary to acquire a frameworkdealing with the complexity of urban water problems in Indonesian cities that could explain the urban water security, and tobe used to monitor and evaluate the progress of the cities in improving their urban water services. This paper is describing thedimensions that give affects to urban water security with their phenomena and problems in Indonesian cities and build thetheoretical framework of urban water security. The result of this research is a theoretical framework of urban water security,consists of five key dimensions of urban water security, such as: Water Supply Management, Stormwater Management,Wastewater Management, Groundwater Management and Solid Waste Management.
Jesus on non-violence and violent response
Authors: Udoudom Mfonobong David , Enang Nelson Robert , Bassey Samuel Akpan
Published: March 2019

Violent stories are often sale outs on local news outlets, while many locals longs to hear it. However, experiencing violence increases our fears and becoming a victim results heightens our mistrust of others. This phenomenon has lead many philosophers to speculate on how to reaction and manage conflict. Some answers we seek for on how to respond to violence are grounded in the praxis of Jesus as depicted in different historical books. There is, however, a tension in the account of Matthew, between Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and the violent endings of some of the parables, some of His actions and speeches. This paper seeks to expose Jesus non violence and violent response to conflict situations.
What is film? Points of contact between André Bazin and Chris Marker
Authors: Schröter Jens
Published: March 2019

The paper discusses the position of André Bazin and Chris Marker on the ontology of film.
Holographic Knowledge and Non-Reproducibility
Authors: Schröter Jens
Published: March 2019

The paper is part of a bigger research project on the media archaeology, theory and aesthetics of holography. Here the question of the non-reproducibility of holographic, wave-optical forms and their usage in ID-technologies is discussed.
Technoscientific Operations of Statehood: The Media Monopoly
Authors: Schröter Jens
Published: March 2019

How is the relation of the so-called individual to the state materialized? Normally in an IDCardor something similar. The ID-Card is the technical relay between the body and theabstract orders of addresses that define the citoyen. To ensure the functionality of the state IDCardsare highly protected – as is money. ID-Cards and money are often very advanced andcomplex technoscientific and medial objects. They use very advanced technologies likeholography, kinegrams, unreproducible color schemes, point-clouds etc. The paper describesthe historical emergence of socio-technical arrangements to protect the medial form of thestate. It thereby becomes visible that all modern, even the most democratic, states have a‘media monopoly’ (of protected documents) that is co-constitutive with its monopoly onpower. The ‘media monopoly’ is under constant threat by new technological and socialdevelopments and is constantly defended. And in this process, interestingly enough, newtechnologies are seen as the non-human actors that threaten the state.
Disciplining Media Studies: An Expanding Field and its (Self-) Definition
Authors: Schröter Jens
Published: March 2019

This chapter is a modified translation of the foreword to the Handbuch Medienwissenschaft(Handbook of Media Studies, Schröter ed.) published in Germany in 2014. The purpose ofthis handbook is to provide an overview of the vibrant and heterogeneous field ofkulturwissenschaftliche Medienwissenschaft – media studies as oriented toward humanitiesand cultural studies interests and approaches rather than those of communication studiesand the social sciences, subsequently referred to simply as “media studies.” Some of thecategories used to structure the handbook have been generated from the historicaldiscussions in the field; and inevitably, these same historical discussions have shown thedifficulties of defining the external boundaries of the field of media studies, its internaldifferentiations and the way they re-connect to traditional disciplines. It gives an overview ofthe history of the disciplinary constitution of ‘media studies’ with a special focus on differentapproaches to disciplinary self-reflection that have accompanied the field from the verybeginning.2 In this way, it introduces the reader to a variety of sources not very well known inthe Anglophone world. Therefore, the penultimate section of this chapter, originally titled “The structure of this handbook” might on the one hand appear to some to be too specific for the current volume. On the other hand, however, it serves as a concrete example of how the field may be configured.
From Hot/Cold to Analog/Digital. Automation as the Limit of McLuhan’s Media Anthropology
Authors: Schröter Jens
Published: March 2019

The paper discusses the last chapter of McLuhans "Understanding Media", "Automation" and relates it to question of economics, anthropology and media theory.
Life Cycle Assessment of Honey: Considering the Pollination Service
Authors: Arzoumanidis Ioannis , Raggi Andrea , Petti Luigia
Published: March 2019

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been increasingly used for the improvement of the environmental performance of products and services, including food systems. Amongst them, however, honey appears to have been rarely analysed. Furthermore, the pollination by honeybees can be regarded as one of the functions of an apiculture system and is of utmost importance both for natural ecosystems and agriculture. When implementing an LCA of an apiculture system, the pollination service can and should be considered as one of the functions of a multifunctional system and the issue of how to deal with this multifunctionality in the modelling of that system should be considered carefully. The aim of this paper is to explore the economic value of pollination as a potential basis for managing multifunctionality in LCA modelling as well as its implementation in a case study. Economic allocation was performed between the pollination service and honey production. The results demonstrated that the production phase is the most impactful one for most of the environmental categories (due to the use of glass for the honey jars and electricity consumption during the storage of supers in refrigerator rooms), followed by the distribution phase. Finally, the most affected environmental impact category appeared to be natural land transformation, followed by marine ecotoxicity, freshwater eutrophication and human toxicity.
Do the Calls of a Bird, the Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala), Need Adjustment for Efficient Communication in Urban Anthropogenic Noise?
Authors: Lowry Hélène , Lill Alan , Wong Bob B. M.
Published: March 2019

Urban environments are characteristically noisy and this can pose a challenge for animals that communicate acoustically. Although evidence suggests that some birds can make acoustic adjustments that preclude masking of their signals in high-disturbance environments such as cities, studies to date have tended to focus on acoustic signals important in mate attraction (e.g., songs). Far less attention has been given to the impact of urban noise on other kinds of calls. To redress this, we compared a range of different vocalizations (encompassing alarm calls, begging calls and parent response calls) among urban and rural individuals of a successful Australian ‘urban adapter’, the Noisy miner, Manorina melanocephala. We found that urban miners had significantly higher minimum sound frequencies for calls with low base-frequencies (<2 kHz); however, calls with base-frequencies ‘naturally’ above the main frequency range of urban noise (>2 kHz) had the same minimum frequency in urban and rural birds. Dominant frequency and call duration did not differ between urban and rural individuals. Although urban Noisy miners exhibited differences from rural individuals in the minimum frequency of calls, this shift was not large enough to avoid masking from low-frequency, anthropogenic noise. Nevertheless, our findings suggest that the calls of Noisy miners may be naturally well suited to being heard in noisy urban environments by having (a) dominant frequencies higher than low-level, anthropogenic noise and (b) several important call-types with frequencies above the main frequency range associated with urban noise.
A Review of the Construction of Nano-Hybrids for Electrochemical Biosensing of Glucose
Authors: Batool Razia , Rhouati Amina , Nawaz Mian Hasnain , Hayat Akhtar , Marty Jean Louis
Published: March 2019

Continuous progress in the domain of nano and material science has led to modulation of the properties of nanomaterials in a controlled and desired fashion. In this sense, nanomaterials, including carbon-based materials, metals and metal oxides, and composite/hybrid materials have attracted extensive interest with regard to the construction of electrochemical biosensors. The modification of a working electrode with a combination of two or three nanomaterials in the form of nano-composite/nano-hybrids has revealed good results with very good reproducibility, stability, and improved sensitivity. This review paper is focused on discussing the possible constructs of nano-hybrids and their subsequent use in the construction of electrochemical glucose biosensors.
Allergic Signs in Glioma Pathology: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives
Authors: Costanza Massimo , Finocchiaro Gaetano
Published: March 2019

Historically restrained to immune defense against parasite infections, allergic inflammation has been recently rediscovered to protect from a wide array of environmental triggers, such as xenobiotics and carcinogens, which can induce DNA damage and ultimately lead to cancer development. Moreover, cells and mediators typical of allergic responses can importantly modulate the tissue inflammatory milieu, which represents a crucial gatekeeper towards the acquisition of malignancy by cancer cells through immune escape. Numerous studies have described an inverse association between allergies and glioma development. Mast cells, key players of allergic reactions, have been recently found at increased numbers in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and lethal primary brain tumor, and they have been implicated in GBM pathogenesis. In this review, we summarize epidemiological studies and discuss the main evidence highlighting a potential interplay between allergic responses, and glioma formation and progression. Last, we draw future lines of research for better clarification whether and through which mechanisms allergic inflammation might impact on gliomagenesis. The comprehension of the immune mechanisms favoring or counteracting tumor growth might open the path to novel immunotherapy approaches.
Differential MicroRNA Landscape Triggered by Estrogens in Cancer Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) of Primary and Metastatic Breast Tumors
Authors: Vivacqua Adele , Muoio Maria Grazia , Miglietta Anna Maria , Maggiolini Marcello
Published: March 2019

Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a main role in breast cancer progression and metastasis. Estrogens modulate in breast CAFs the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) that are involved in the development of many tumors. In order to provide novel insights on the regulation of miRNAs by estrogens in breast cancer, we analyzed the expression of 754 miRNAs in CAFs obtained from primary mammary tumors and CAFs derived from a cutaneous breast cancer metastasis. Using the TaqMan™ Human MicroRNA Array, we found that 17β-estradiol (E2) modulates numerous peculiar and common miRNAs in CAFs derived from primary and the metastatic malignancies. In particular, we assessed that E2 modulates 133 miRNAs (41 up and 92 downregulated) in CAFs derived from primary breast tumors, whereas E2 modulates 415 miRNAs (399 up and 16 downregulated) in CAFs derived from a cutaneous metastasis of breast carcinoma. Therefore, a number of miRNAs three times higher in metastatic CAFs with respect to primary breast CAFs was found modulated by E2. Our findings shed new light on the cumulative regulation of miRNAs by E2 in the main players of the tumor microenvironment as CAFs. Moreover, our data may be taken into consideration that is useful toward innovative prognostic and therapeutic approaches in breast cancer progression.
Circulating MicroRNA Biomarkers for Lung Cancer Detection in East Asian Populations
Authors: Yu Haixin , Guan Zhong , Cuk Katarina , Zhang Yan , Brenner Hermann
Published: March 2019

Background: Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related death in Eastern Asia. The prognosis of LC highly depends on tumor stages and early detection could substantially reduce LC mortality. Accumulating evidence suggested that circulating miRNAs in plasma or serum may have applications in early LC detection. We thus conducted a systematic literature review on the diagnostic value of miRNAs markers for LC in East Asian populations. Methods: PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge were searched to retrieve relevant articles published up to 17 September 2018. Information on study design, population characteristics, investigated miRNAs and diagnostic accuracy (including sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC)) were independently extracted by two reviewers. Results: Overall, 46 studies that evaluated a total of 88 miRNA markers for LC diagnosis in East Asian populations were identified. Sixteen of the 46 studies have incorporated individual miRNA markers as panels (with 2–20 markers). Three promising miRNA panels with ≥90% sensitivity and ≥90% specificity were discovered, two of which were externally validated. Diagnostic performance of circulating miRNAs in East Asian populations was comparable to previously summarized performance in Western populations. Forty-four miRNAs were reported in both populations. No major differences in diagnostic performance by ethnicity of the same miRNA was observed. Conclusions: Circulating miRNAs or miRNA panels, possibly in combination with other promising molecular markers including epigenetic and genetic markers, may be promising candidates for noninvasive LC early detection. However, large studies with samples collected prospectively in true screening settings are required to validate the promising markers or marker panels.
Tailoring Ovarian Cancer Treatment: Implications of BRCA1/2 Mutations
Authors: Madariaga Ainhoa , Lheureux Stephanie , Oza Amit M.
Published: March 2019

High grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the most common epithelial ovarian cancer, harbouring more than 20% germline or somatic mutations in the tumour suppressor genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. These genes are involved in both DNA damage repair process via homologous recombination (HR) and transcriptional regulation. BRCA mutation confers distinct characteristics, including an increased response to DNA-damaging agents, such us platinum chemotherapy and poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi). However, several mechanisms of resistance to these agents have been described, including increased HR capacity through reverse BRCA mutations, non-homologous end-joint (NHEJ) repair alterations and drug efflux pumps. Current treatments of ovarian cancer including surgery, chemotherapy, targeted treatment and maintenance strategies, as well as resistance mechanisms will be reviewed, focusing on future trends with respect to BRCA mutation carriers.
Use of Dendritic Cell Receptors as Targets for Enhancing Anti-Cancer Immune Responses
Authors: Hossain Md Kamal , Wall Katherine A.
Published: March 2019

A successful anti-cancer vaccine construct depends on its ability to induce humoral and cellular immunity against a specific antigen. Targeting receptors of dendritic cells to promote the loading of cancer antigen through an antibody-mediated antigen uptake mechanism is a promising strategy in cancer immunotherapy. Researchers have been targeting different dendritic cell receptors such as Fc receptors (FcR), various C-type lectin-like receptors such as dendritic and thymic epithelial cell-205 (DEC-205), dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN), and Dectin-1 to enhance the uptake process and subsequent presentation of antigen to T cells through major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. In this review, we compare different subtypes of dendritic cells, current knowledge on some important receptors of dendritic cells, and recent articles on targeting those receptors for anti-cancer immune responses in mouse models.
Renal Cell Carcinoma with Sarcomatoid Features: Finally New Therapeutic Hope?
Authors: Pichler Renate , Compérat Eva , Klatte Tobias , Pichler Martin , Loidl Wolfgang , Lusuardi Lukas , Schmidinger Manuela
Published: March 2019

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with sarcomatoid differentiation belongs to the most aggressive clinicopathologic phenotypes of RCC. It is characterized by a high propensity for primary metastasis and limited therapeutic options due to its relative resistance to established systemic targeted therapy. Most trials report on a poor median overall survival of 5 to 12 months. Sarcomatoid RCC can show the typical features of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and may contain epithelial and mesenchymal features on both the morphological and immunhistochemical level. On the molecular level, next-generation sequencing confirmed differences in driver mutations between sarcomatoid RCC and non-sarcomatoid RCC. In contrast, mutational profiles within the epithelial and sarcomatoid components of sarcomatoid RCC were shown to be identical, with TP53 being the most frequently altered gene. These data suggest that both epithelial and sarcomatoid components of RCC originate from the same progenitor cell, segregating primarily according to the underlying histologic epithelial subtype of RCC (clear cell, papillary or chromophobe). Current studies have shown that sarcomatoid RCC express programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) at a much higher level than non-sarcomatoid RCC, suggesting that blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis may be an attractive new therapeutic strategy. Preliminary results of clinical trials evaluating checkpoint inhibitors in patients with sarcomatoid RCC showed encouraging survival data and objective response and complete response rates of up to 62% and 18%, respectively. These findings may establish a new standard of care in the management of patients with sarcomatoid RCC.
Store-Operated Calcium Entry Contributes to Cisplatin-Induced Cell Death in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Authors: Gualdani Roberta , de Clippele Marie , Ratbi Ikram , Gailly Philippe , Tajeddine Nicolas
Published: March 2019

Cisplatin (CDDP) is one of the principal chemotherapeutic agents used for the first-line treatment of many malignancies, including non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Despite its use for over 40 years, its mechanism of action is not yet fully understood. Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE), the main pathway allowing Ca2+ entry in non-excitable cells, is involved in tumorogenesis, cancer progression and chemoresistance. It has become an attractive target in cancer treatment. In this study, we showed that siRNA-mediated depletion of stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) and transient receptor potential channel 1 (TRPC1), two players of the store-operated calcium entry, dramatically reduced CDDP cytotoxicity in NSCLC cells. This was associated with an inhibition of the DNA damage response (DDR) triggered by CDDP. Moreover, STIM1 depletion also reduced CDDP-dependent oxidative stress. In parallel, SOCE activation induced Ca2+ entry into the mitochondria, a major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within the cell. This effect was highly decreased in STIM1-depleted cells. We then conclude that mitochondrial Ca2+ peak associated to the SOCE contributes to CDDP-induced ROS production, DDR and subsequent apoptosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that it is shown that Ca2+ signalling constitutes an initial step in CDDP-induced apoptosis.
Validation of miRNAs as Breast Cancer Biomarkers with a Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Rehman Oneeb , Zhuang Hanqi , Muhamed Ali Ali , Ibrahim Ali , Li Zhongwei
Published: March 2019

Certain small noncoding microRNAs (miRNAs) are differentially expressed in normal tissues and cancers, which makes them great candidates for biomarkers for cancer. Previously, a selected subset of miRNAs has been experimentally verified to be linked to breast cancer. In this paper, we validated the importance of these miRNAs using a machine learning approach on miRNA expression data. We performed feature selection, using Information Gain (IG), Chi-Squared (CHI2) and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operation (LASSO), on the set of these relevant miRNAs to rank them by importance. We then performed cancer classification using these miRNAs as features using Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers. Our results demonstrated that the miRNAs ranked higher by our analysis had higher classifier performance. Performance becomes lower as the rank of the miRNA decreases, confirming that these miRNAs had different degrees of importance as biomarkers. Furthermore, we discovered that using a minimum of three miRNAs as biomarkers for breast cancers can be as effective as using the entire set of 1800 miRNAs. This work suggests that machine learning is a useful tool for functional studies of miRNAs for cancer detection and diagnosis.
Correlative Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of the Angle-Resolved Composition Evolution of Thin Films Sputtered from a Compound Mo2BC Target
Authors: Achenbach Jan-Ole , Mráz Stanislav , Primetzhofer Daniel , Schneider Jochen M.
Published: March 2019

The angle-resolved composition evolution of Mo-B-C thin films deposited from a Mo2BC compound target was investigated experimentally and theoretically. Depositions were carried out by direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) in a pressure range from 0.09 to 0.98 Pa in Ar and Kr. The substrates were placed at specific angles α with respect to the target normal from 0 to ±67.5°. A model based on TRIDYN and SIMTRA was used to calculate the influence of the sputtering gas on the angular distribution function of the sputtered species at the target, their transport through the gas phase, and film composition. Experimental pressure- and sputtering gas-dependent thin film chemical composition data are in good agreement with simulated angle-resolved film composition data. In Ar, the pressure-induced film composition variations at a particular α are within the error of the EDX measurements. On the contrary, an order of magnitude increase in Kr pressure results in an increase of the Mo concentration measured at α = 0° from 36 at.% to 43 at.%. It is shown that the mass ratio between sputtering gas and sputtered species defines the scattering angle within the collision cascades in the target, as well as for the collisions in the gas phase, which in turn defines the angle- and pressure-dependent film compositions.
Analysis of Unsteady Flow and Heat Transfer of Nanofluid Using Blasius–Rayleigh–Stokes Variable
Authors: Lu Dianchen , Mumtaz Sumayya , Farooq Umer , Ahmad Adeel
Published: March 2019

This article investigates the unsteady flow and heat transfer analyses of a viscous-based nanofluid over a moving surface emerging from a moving slot. This new form of boundary layer flow resembles with the boundary layer flow over a stretching/shrinking surface depending on the motion of the moving slot. The governing partial differential equations are transformed to correct similar form using the Blasius–Rayleigh–Stokes variable. The transformed equations are solved numerically. Existence of dual solutions is observed for a certain range of moving slot parameter. The range of dual solution is strongly influenced by Brownian and thermophoretic diffusion of nanoparticles.
Sol-Gel and Electrospinning Synthesis of Lithium Niobate-Silica Nanofibers
Authors: Garibay-Alvarado Jesús Alberto , Farías Rurik , Reyes-López Simón Yobanny
Published: March 2019

Lithium niobate-silica fibers were produced by the combination of the sol-gel method and the electrospinning technique. Two sol-gel solutions starting from niobium-lithium ethoxide and tetraethyl orthosilicate were prepared and then mixed with polyvinylpyrrolidone; the solutions were electrospun in a coaxial setup. The obtained lithium niobate-silica polymeric fibers were approximately 760 nm in diameter. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the composite composition by showing signals corresponding to lithium niobate and silica. Scanning electron microscopy showed coaxial fibers with a diameter of around 330 nm arranged as a fibrillar membrane at 800 °C. At 1000 °C the continuous shape of fibers was preserved; the structure is composed of silica and lithium niobate nanoparticles within the fibers. The formation of crystalline lithium niobate and amorphous SiO2 phase was also confirmed by XRD peaks.
Adsorption of Uranium (VI) from Aqueous Solutions by Amino-functionalized Clay Minerals
Authors: Tobilko Victoria , Spasonova Larysa , Kovalchuk Iryna , Kornilovych Borys , Kholodko Yurij
Published: March 2019

Silylation of clay minerals from Cherkasy deposit (Ukraine) montmorillonite (layer silicate) and palygorskite (fibrous silicate) was performed using organosilane (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). Solvents with different polarity (ethanol, toluene) were used in synthesis. The structure of modified minerals was characterized by complex of methods (X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption at −196 °C and thermal analysis). Studies of adsorption characteristics of APTES-modified clay minerals were carried out in relation to uranium (VI). The results indicated that modified montmorillonite and palygorskite were effective materials for water purification from UO22+.
Study of Liquid Crystals Showing Two Isotropic Phases by 1H NMR Diffusometry and 1H NMR Relaxometry
Authors: Gradišek Anton , Cifelli Mario , Wojcik Michal , Apih Tomaž , Dvinskikh Sergey V. , Gorecka Ewa , Domenici Valentina
Published: March 2019

In this work, we report a study of two thermotropic liquid crystalline samples showing a not common mesophase behavior. The samples, namely a di-benzyloxy biphenyl derivative labelled 9/2 RS/RS, and a bimesogenic liquid crystal labelled L1, show a direct transition between two isotropic phases followed, at lower temperatures, by the optically isotropic, 3D structured, cubic phase. These systems have been investigated by means of 1H NMR diffusometry and 1H NMR relaxometry in order to characterize their isotropic–isotropic’–cubic mesophase behavior, mainly on the dynamic point of view. In particular, the temperature trend of the self-diffusion coefficients measured for both samples allowed us to significantly distinguish between the two isotropic phases, while the temperature dependence of the 1H spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) did not show significant discontinuities at the isotropic–isotropic’ phase transition. A preliminary analysis of the frequency-dependence of 1H T1 at different temperatures gives information about the main motional processes active in the isotropic mesophases.
Elucidation of the Crystal Structures and Dehydration Behaviors of Ondansetron Salts
Authors: Mizoguchi Ryo , Uekusa Hidehiro
Published: March 2019

In drug development, it is extremely important to evaluate the solubility and stability of solid states and to immediately determine the potential for development. Salt screening is a standard and useful method for obtaining drug candidates with good solid state properties. Ondansetron is marketed as a hydrochloride dihydrate, and its dehydration behavior was previously reported to transition to an anhydrate via a hemihydrate as an intermediate by heating. Here, we synthesized ondansetron hydrobromide and hydroiodide and examined their dehydration behaviors. Single-crystal structure analysis confirmed that like ondansetron hydrochloride, ondansetron hydrobromide formed a dihydrate. Moreover, the crystal lattice parameters and hydrogen bonding networks were similar and isomorphic. While single-crystal structure analysis showed that ondansetron hydroiodide also formed a dihydrate, the crystal lattice parameters and hydrogen bonding networks were different to those of ondansetron hydrobromide and hydrochloride. Additionally, the dehydration behavior of ondansetron hydrobromide differed from that of the hydrochloride, with no hemihydrate intermediate forming from the hydrobromide, despite similar anhydrate structures. Given that it is difficult to predict how a crystal structure will form and the resulting physical properties, a large amount of data is needed for the rational design of salt optimization.