bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Assessment of Yield Performance of Neglected Cocoyam (Colocasia esculeta (L.) Schott) Parts as Planting Materials in the South Western Nigeria
Authors: Tajudeen Ogunkunle , H. O. Oshagbemi , R. S. M. Gidado , Aruleba R. D. Adenika O. F.
Published: September 2019

Hitherto, there is scarcity of information on the usefulness of neglected small corms and cormels of cocoyam in the South West Nigeria. A 9 (nine) months trial was conducted to compare the growth and yield performance of different types of cocoyam planting materials with treatment consisting of T1; sprouted small cocoyam cormels, T2, trimmed out lower parts of harvested cocoyam corm and T3; moderate sized corm of 50-100g (control) arranged in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates. Data on the number of leaves and plant height was taking at 4 week interval for 24 weeks while data on number and weight of harvested cormels was taking at 9 months after planting (MAP). The data collected were subjected to a univariate General Linear Model (GLM) two ways Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using IBM SPSS software statistical package 21. Significance mean differences were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 0.05 level of significance. The result showed that the highest mean number of leaves and plant height was obtained from treatment T1 (10.22) and T2 (92.83) respectively at 24 weeks after planting (WAP). While both treatment T1 and T3 collectively had the highest number of consumable cormels (54.0) in which treatment T3 weighed the highest (3.202 kg). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in both the number of leaves produced and plant height among the different cocoyam planting materials utilised at 24 (WAP). Similarly, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the number and weight of cormels produced by the different treatments at 9 months after planting (MAP). The study therefore concluded that both sprouted small cocoyam cormels, trimmed out corms during planting compared favourably with moderate sized corm of weight 50-100g commonly used as planting material in term of yield potential and therefore recommended to be schedule for demonstration to cocoyam farmers in the study area for adoption.
Námsmatsaðferðir - Fjölvalspróf
Authors: Schram Ásta Bryndís
Published: September 2019

Námsmatsaðferðir í háskólum eru margs konar, en þær eru valdar með tilliti til þess viðfangsefnis sem um ræðir og þess sem stendur til að meta hjá nemanda í samræmi við hæfni­viðmið námskeiðs. Ritgerðaskil, fjölvalspróf (krossapróf ), úrdrættir og mat á fyrirlestrum nemenda eru algengar aðferðir við námsmat. Námsmat þarf, ef vel á að vera, að byggja á hæfniviðmiðum námskeiðs. Það þarf að sýna hvort nemandinn hafi náð þeirri hæfni og öðlast þá þekkingu sem til stóð að hann næði tökum á í námskeiðinu. Þar af leiðandi er mikilvægt fyrir kennara að hafa yfirsýn yfir þær námsmatsaðferðir sem eru í boði eða átta sig á fjölbreytni þeirra og tilgangi. Gott er að hafa fjölbreytni í námsmati í námskeiðum því námsmatsaðferðir krefjast ekki allar sömu leikni af hendi nemandans. Til dæmis reyna ritgerðarskrif á nemandann á annan hátt heldur en próf með fjölvalsspurningum. Hér er kastljósinu beint að fjölvalsprófum sem námsmatsaðferð.
Tengsl vinnuálags og leiðsagnarmats
Authors: Waage Edda Ruth Hlín
Published: September 2019

Innan Líf- og umhverfisvísindadeildar við Háskóla Íslands var gerð starfendarannsókn vorið 2016 í námskeiðinu Kannanir, viðtöl og vettvangsathuganir. Rannsóknin hafði það markmið að skoða vinnuálag nemenda í námskeiðinu, þar á meðal að mæla og kort-leggja vinnuframlag þeirra en einnig að leita skilnings á upplifun nemenda þar að lútandi. Rannsóknin var gerð í kjölfar umkvartana nemenda um mikið vinnuálag í námskeiðinu, sem birtust í kennslukönnun vorið 2015. Í þessari grein er ætlunin að draga fram hluta af niðurstöðunum, sem snýr að vinnuframlagi nemenda í námskeiðinu, og skoða með tilliti til þess námsmats sem beitt var í námskeiðinu.
Wind Energy in Indonesia
Authors: Pristiandaru Danur Lambang , Pambudi Nugroho Agung
Published: September 2019

Like many countries, an increase in population and economic growth has made Indonesia’s energy demands significantly raise. By 2050, Indonesia hopes to have 31% of its energy supply met by tapping on renewable energy, like the wind which can yield up to 16.7% of the power. However, the development of wind energy in Indonesia is still low. One underlying reason is the average speed of wind in Indonesia quite low, making it very difficult to produce energy on a large scale. Many of Indonesia’s current wind energy systems installed in remote locations, often as part of a development or research project in stand-alone or hybrid systems. These partly caused by a lack of confidence in wind power and not being sure of where could be the best locations for wind plants. This paper studies the status of wind energy in Indonesia, the challenges that it faces and future policies.Keywords: wind energy, Indonesia, potential, future policy
Model Validation of Biomass-Coal Blends Co-Pyrolysis to Produce Hybrid Coal
Authors: Zahra Aghietyas Choirun Az , Prasetyo Hendi Aviano , Rizkiana Jenny , Wulandari Winny , Sasongko Dwiwahju
Published: September 2019

Co-pyrolysis of coal and biomass blend to produce hybrid coal has recently been experimentally studied by some previous researchers. For similar generated energy, a newly developed hybrid coal is claimed to be more environmentally friendly compared to the coal only due to the release of neutral CO2. To acquire a better understanding of co-pyrolysis of coal and biomass blend, an experiment had been carried out in a tubular furnace reactor. For this purpose, the blends of constant mass composition of 20 wt% sawdust and 80 wt% low-rank coal were used throughout the study. It was found from the experiment that approximately 42.1% carbon, and 1.6% of ash were produced from the co-pyrolysis blend. Then, a steady state simulation of co-pyrolysis was developed using Aspen Plus v8.8 to predict the hybrid coal carbon content and required heat to perform the co-pyrolysis. The model simulation showed that hybrid coal yielded 44.0% carbon, which was at 4.5% deviation from the experimental study. The model had also been successfully used to estimate heat required to produce hybrid coal. It predicted that the equivalent heat of 336.2 kW was required to produce hybrid coal from 1,000 kg/h blend feed. The heat generated by the modeling of sawdust biomass combustion for fuel purposes was also estimated to supply heat for endothermic co-pyrolysis. It was found that 1,000 kg/h sawdust was predicted to be equivalent to 371.4 kW. This suggests that for scaling up purpose, ratio of sawdust fuel to blend feed of 1:1.1 is sufficient for this process.

Keywords: co-pyrolysis, hybrid coal, low-rank coal, sawdust, Aspen Plus
Pelaksanaan Program Perencanaan Persalinan Dan Pencegahan Komplikasi (P4K) Melalui Peran Keluarga
Authors: Yusriani Yusriani , Mukharrim Muh. Said , Ahri Reza Aril
Published: September 2019

The maternal mortality rate (MMR) is one of the important indicators of public health. AKI describes the number of women who die from a cause of death related to pregnancy disorders or treatment (excluding accident or incidental cases) during pregnancy, childbirth and during the puerperium (42 days after delivery) regardless of the length of pregnancy per 100,000 live births. South Sulawesi Province is one of the regions experiencing high maternal mortality problems, especially in Gowa Regency, namely in 2018 as many as 17 cases of maternal deaths, the highest cases of which were in the work area of Somba Opu Health Center, namely 5 cases. The general objective of this study is to analyze the role of the family in implementing the P4K program. The design of this study was qualitative with descriptive explanative design using purposive sampling technique with 33 informants consisting of 6 pregnant women, 4 husbands, 5 posyandu cadres, 3 village midwives, 1 coordinator midwife puskesmas, 8 heads environment and 6 village heads. The role of the family in implementing the P4K program in the work area of Somba Opu Health Center in Gowa Regency has been carried out but not optimally, there are still some indicators that have not been fulfilled.
HUBUNGAN STATUS IMUNISASI, UMUR DAN JENIS KELAMIN TERHADAP PENYAKIT CAMPAK DI KOTA TANGERANG SELATAN TAHUN 2018
Authors: Azis Abdul , Ramadhani Nur Rizky
Published: September 2019

Campak merupakan penyakit yang sangat menular dan sebagai penyebab utama kematian anak di negara berkembang termasuk Indonesia. Dari data Kemenkes (2017) angka kejadian campak cenderung meningkat dimana pada tahun 2016 terjadi 12.681 kasus, jumlah tersebut lebih tinggi dari sebelumnya yaitu tahun 2015 yang hanya terjadi 10.655 kasus.  Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan status imunisasi, umur dan jenis kelamin terhadap kejadian campak di Kota Tangerang Selatan Tahun 2018. Penelitian ini menggunakan rancangan penelitian analitik observasional dengan pendekatan kuantitatif. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode case control dan data yang digunakan adalah data sekunder. Populasinya adalah semua tersangka kasus campak yang bertempat tinggal di wilayah Kota Tangerang Selatan yang terdapat pada data form C1 campak yang tersedia di bagian surveilans Dinas Kesehatan Kota Tangerang Selatan Tahun 2016 - 2017. Teknik pengambilan sampel dengan metode random sampling, didapatkan 50 data kasus dan 100 data kontrol. Dari hasil penelitian didapatkan bahwa ada hubungan antara status imunisasi dan umur terhadap kejadian campak, sedangkan jenis kelamin tidak ada hubungan. Untuk status imunisasi diperoleh p-value = 0.000, umur diperoleh p-value = 0.000 dan jenis kelamin diperoleh p-value = 0,094. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah ada hubungan antara status imunisasi dan umur terhadap kejadian campak di Kota Tangerang Selatan Tahun 2018. Diharapkan responden dapat melaksanakan imunisasi sejak usia dini untuk mencegah dan meminimalisir angka kejadian campak.
Pengaruh Pemberian Jus Terong Ungu terhadap Perlemakan Hati Tikus Wistar
Authors: Sufyan Dian Luthfiana
Published: September 2019

ABSTRACT
Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is an infiltration of fat inside hepatocytes until exceeding 5% of the liver weight. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) contain high anthocyanin level, (8 - 85 mg per 100 gram edible portion) and pectin fiber. This study was aimed to determine the effect of eggplant juice to the fatty liver of Rattus novergicus strain Wistar that were given atherogenic diet. This study using control group post test design performed in wistar rat that placed in pharmacologic laboratory of Brawijaya University. Sampling was carried out by completely random sampling with 30 rats for total sample. Data were processed and analyzed using SPSS 16. Statictical test using one way ANOVA and post hoc tukey. The results showed there was significant correlation between dosage I (1,3 gr/3 ml), dosage II (2,6 gr/3 ml) and dosage III (5,2 gr/3 ml) of eggplant juice to fatty liver (p<0,001). Food intake of rat influenced the number of fatty liver cells. This reasearch conclusion is eggplant juice has effect to white rat fatty liver. Based on this study, it was recommended to consume eggplant as anthocyanin and pectin source to reduce fatty liver that induced by atherogenic diet.
Key words: NAFLD, atherogenic diet, eggplant, anthocyanin, pectin
 
Perlemakan hati non alkohol adalah suatu infiltrasi dari lemak, terutama trigliserida di dalam hepatosit atau sel-sel hati hingga lebih dari 5% berat organ hati. Terong ungu (Solanum melongena L.) merupakan tanaman sayur yang mengandung pigmen antosianin cukup tinggi yakni 8 – 85 mg per 100 gram nya serta serat pektin. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui efek jus terong ungu terhadap perlemakan hati tikus wistar yang diberi diet aterogenik. Penelitian eksperimental ini menggunakan metode Control Group Post Test Design bertempat di laboratorium farmakologi FKUB. Pemilihan sampel dilakukan menggunakan metode RAL (Rancangan Acak Lengkap) dengan jumlah sampel total sebanyak 30 tikus putih. Data diolah dan dianalisis menggunakan SPSS 16. Uji statistik menggunakan one way ANOVA dilanjutkan Post Hoc Tukey. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara dosis I (1,3 gr/3 ml), dosis II (2,6 gr/3 ml) dan dosis III (5,2 gr/3 ml) jus terong ungu terhadap perlemakan hati (p<0,001). Berdasarkan penelitian ini dapat disimpulkan bahwa jus terong ungu memiliki efek terhadap perlemakan hati tikus putih. Dari penelitian ini, disarankan konsumsi terong ungu sebagai sumber antosianin dan pektin untuk menurunkan perlemakan hati yang dipicu oleh faktor diet aterogenik.
Kata kunci:perlemakan hati non alkohol, diet aterogenik, terong ungu, antosianin, pektin
Celebrity ‘Ulama’: Contiguity Religion and Popular Culture
Authors: Kumalasari Intan , Sormin Darliana , Barus Muhammad Irsan
Published: September 2019

Post-1998 is the spread of spiritualism discourse. The emergence of celebrity ‘ulama’ in Islamic expression of contemporary Indonesian treasury is one example of how popular culture with a set of ideologies taking advantage of the rise of Islam. Television became an agent of a culture to the people with his ability as a link between one culture with another culture. Televisions have unpacked the real with the imaginary. With television all things can be esthetizatied, the sacred and the profane into somersaults. Television media such strength finally gave birth to a new religious authority, called celebrities ‘ulama’. Factors caused by the emergence of celebrity ‘’ulama’ are sociological, which characterized by many people who prefer to watch the celebrity ‘ulama’ than watching Conventional Ulama. Then supported by sophisticated Tecnology Science, the stage, and commodification. This shows that Islam has been negotiating with the market and subsequently published widely in the public sphere as a form of freedom of expression in the new order in which the strength of the potential of Islam to be appreciated by the government. This can be described as a form of commodification of religion in the sense of religious values commercialized for profit.
Study the Effect of Heating Process on Nutritional, Phytochemical and Antioxidant Activity of Mandarin Peel: Implication for Waste Management
Authors: Shafiq M. , Firdous S. , Irfan Q. , Khan S. J. , Qadir A.
Published: September 2019

The aim of present study was to explore nutritional value of mandarin peel (waste product) and utilize it in feed or an alternative to synthetic supplements as it is a powerful source of vitamin C and polyphenolic contents. Mandarin peels were dried by placing them at three different heating systems (Sun, vacuum oven and microwave drying) and extraction was carried out using four different solvent systems (methanol, ethanol, acetone and aqueous). Present results showed that mandarin peels retain best nutritional quality on electric oven drying followed by sun drying and microwave drying systems. A significant amount of ascorbic acid was found as sun drying (18.34 mg) > electrical oven drying (17.49 mg) > microwave oven drying (15.22 mg) per 100 g of sample. Highest antioxidant activity of mandarin peels was observed in ethanolic extraction of electrical oven drying (89.38±0.7%). Maximum value of total phenolics content (TPC) was present in electrical oven dried (189±0.9 mg gallic acid equivalent /100 g) and sun dried sample (171.1±0.9 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g) of ethanolic extraction. Total Flavonoid content (TFC) was present highly in ethanolic extraction of sun dried sample (376.55±0.7 mg quercetin equivalent/100 g).
A Few Methods for Estimating Life Expectancy
Authors: Phukon M. , Ahamed M. I.
Published: September 2019

In this paper, firstly, an extensive empirical investigation is done by fitting linear regressions exhaustively to observe the pattern and nature of linear relationships of life expectancies of each age-group with that of all other age-groups in fifty-four Sample Registration System (SRS) life tables of Assam state of India. Secondly, two second degree polynomial regression models have been proposed for estimating life expectancies at birth (e0). Both the models have been empirically illustrated in fifty-four SRS life tables of India and fifty-four SRS life tables of each of 16 major Indian states. The estimated values of e0 are examined in relation to estimated values of the same by some other methods and e0 values available in SRS tables of the years 2001-05 and 2011-15. Moreover, e0 values for all districts of Assam are estimated by using one of the proposed polynomial regressions together with some indirect techniques of estimation.
The Wave Energy Up Conversion of Plasma Wave in Inhomogeneous Ionosphereic Plasma
Authors: Deka P. N. , Gogoi S.
Published: September 2019

Different types of instabilities are observed in the thermodynamically nonequilibrium Earth's ionosphere. Effective energy exchange process among waves may takes place through nonlinear interaction modes because of availability of free energy. We consider gradients in density and magnetic field is present in the system which support drift wave turbulence. In this study we concern on the wave energy up conversion of electrostatic nonresonant lower hybrid wave through plasma maser instability in the mid-altitude ionospheric region. We have formulated the growth rate of lower hybrid wave by Vlasov-Poisson mathematical frame and estimated its value by observational data.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure, Mesophase Behaviour and Optical Property of Azo-ester Bridged Compounds
Authors: Karim M. R. , Sheikh M. R. K. , Islam M. S. , Salleh N. M. , Yahya R.
Published: September 2019

Azo-ester mesogen containing two liquid crystalline compounds C1-C2 having polymerizable acrylate functional group as the terminal were designed and synthesized. The chemical structures and purity of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by different spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR.  X-ray crystal structure showed that compound C1 exhibited more stable E configuration with two bulky groups in the opposite sides of the N=N double bond motifs. The 1, 2-diphenyldiazene fragment in the structure of C1 is essentially planar with RMS deviation from planarity of 0.0555 Å. Analysis of the crystal packing of compound C1 revealed its intriguing supramolecular sheet-like multilayer molecular packing stabilized by C-H…O interaction involving the phenyl and acryloyl hydrogen with the carbonyl oxygen and alkoxy oxygen atoms. Thermogravimetric investigation demonstrated that both of the compounds exhibited excellent thermal stability and their thermal degradation was influenced by the terminal substituent. The DSC and POM studies confirmed that compounds C1-C2 exhibited enantiotropic liquid crystalline mesophase behaviour. Optical investigations demonstrated that both of the compounds showed strong absorption band around 300-420 nm and exhibited blue fluorescence emission.
A Survey on Tetanus Toxoid (TT) Vaccination Status of Women of Reproductive Age (15 - 49 years) in a Rural Community of Satkhira
Authors: Ferdaus Farhana , Hussain Rubaiyat Farzana , Biswas Sailendra Nath , Haque AQM Ataul , Sultana Nahida
Published: September 2019

Background: Tetanus is a preventable disease. No age is immune unless protected by previous vaccination. Infection generally occurs through wound infection and unhygienic condition of child birth.

Objective: To find out the TT vaccination status of women of reproductive age group.

Materials and Method: This cross-sectional type of descriptive study was carried out during January, 2017 to May 2017. Data were collected from 219 respondents selected by purposive type of sampling through face to face interview using a pretested mixed type of questionnaire.

Results: Among total respondents, majority 53 (24.20%) were belonged to 20-25 years of age group. Two hundred and fourteen (97.71%) of total respondents had knowledge about TT vaccination. In present study, 184 (84.02%) had coverage and among them 93 (42.47%) of respondents had completed their vaccination (5 doses). One hundred and seventy (92.39%) of respondents received vaccination from government organization. Current study also reflects gradual increase in health consciousness among young women as 44 (28.38%) of respondents completed vaccination before their first pregnancy.

Conclusion: Acceptance of TT vaccination has been increased up to a satisfactory level. Another large scale study is recommended to find out TT coverage among all women of reproductive age group (15-49 years) of Bangladesh.

KYAMC Journal Vol. 10, No.-2, July 2019, Page 73-76
Comparison of Chemical Compositions, Antioxidant, and Anti-Photoaging Activities of Paeonia suffruticosa Flowers at Different Flowering Stages
Authors: He Jingyu , Dong Yaqian , Liu Xiaoyan , Wan Yiling , Gu Tanwei , Zhou Xuefeng , Liu Menghua
Published: September 2019

Paeonia suffruticosa is an ornamental, edible, and medicinal plant. The ethanolic extracts of P. suffruticosa bud and flower were examined for their antioxidant, anti-photoaging, and phytochemical properties prior to chemometric analysis. The results showed that the bud ethanolic extract (BEE) and the flower (the early flowering stage) ethanolic extract (FEE) had better antioxidant activities, and significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the skin tissues. In total, 68 compounds, including 20 flavonoids, 15 phenolic derivatives, 12 terpenoids, 9 fatty acids, and 12 others were identified or tentatively identified by ultra-fast liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UFLC-Q-TOF-MS). Gallic acid, 1,2,3,4,6-O-pentagalloyl glucose, paeoniflorin, and oxypaeoniflorin were predominant compounds in the extracts. Taken together, P. suffruticosa flowers are a candidate for functional material in food and health related industries, and their optimal time to harvest is before the early flowering stage.
Dried Yeast Extracts Curtails Pulmonary Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Tissue Destruction in a Model of Experimental Emphysema
Authors: Kim Yun-Ho , Kang Min-Kyung , Lee Eun-Jung , Kim Dong , Oh Hyeongjoo , Kim Soo-Il , Oh Su , Kim Kyung-Hee , Park Sang-Jae , Choi Yean-Jung , Kang Young-Hee
Published: September 2019

Pulmonary emphysema is characterized by a loss of alveolar integrity due to prolonged cigarette smoking and inhaled irritants. Dried yeast extracts (YE) are employed as food additives, savory flavorings, or creation of umami taste sensations. Despite being rich in nutrition, their application as nutraceuticals and functional foods is not investigated much and little is known about the inhibition of pulmonary emphysema. This study examined whether YE ameliorated pulmonary emphysema in mice is evoked by cigarette smoke (CS) and ovalbumin (OVA). Mice were orally administrated with 25–100 mg/kg YE for 8 weeks. Alveolar epithelial A549 cells exposed to lipopolysaccharide or CS extracts (CSE) were supplemented with 10–100 µg/mL YE. Oral YE administration reduced bronchoalveolar lavage fluid leukocytosis in CS-/OVA-exposed mice. YE reduced induction of inflammatory mediators and MMP-12, and diminished reactive oxygen species production and emphysematous alterations in CS-challenged airways. The YE treatment blunted bax/bcl-2 ratio and activation of p53 and caspases in CS-exposed lungs. Apoptotic death was dampened in CSE-loaded YE-supplemented A549 cells. YE curtailed tissue levels of MMP-12 in inflammatory OVA-exposed lungs. YE abrogated the secretion of TNF-α and MCP-1 through blocking NF-κB signaling in endotoxin-loaded A549 cells. Thus, the antioxidant YE may therapeutically ameliorate oxidative stress and inflammatory tissue destruction in emphysematous diseases.
An Aromatic Aldehyde Synthase Controls the Synthesis of Hydroxytyrosol Derivatives Present in Virgin Olive Oil
Authors: Sánchez Rosario , García-Vico Lourdes , Sanz Carlos , Pérez Ana G.
Published: September 2019

The phenolic composition of virgin olive oil (VOO) is strongly determined by the content and distribution of secoiridoid phenolic glucosides present in the olive fruit. Among them, oleuropein is the most abundant in olive mesocarp and is characterized by containing an hydroxytyrosol residue in its chemical structure. Hydroxytyrosol-containing molecules are those that exhibit the most important biological activities in virgin olive oil. In this regard, we identified an aromatic aldehyde synthase gene (OeAAS) from an olive transcriptome, which was synthesized, expressed in Eschrichia coli, and purified its encoded protein. The recombinant OeAAS is a bifunctional enzyme catalyzing decarboxylation and amine-oxidation reactions in a single step. OeAAS displays strict substrate specificity for l-DOPA to form 2,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde, the immediate precursor of hydroxytyrosol. In addition to the biochemical characterization of the enzyme, the expression analysis carried out in different olive cultivars and ripening stages indicate that OeAAS gene is temporally regulated in a cultivar-dependent manner. High correlation coefficients were found between OeAAS expression levels and the phenolic content of olive fruits and oils, which supports a key role for OeAAS in the accumulation of hydroxytyrosol-derived secoiridoid compounds in olive fruit and virgin olive oil.
Effects of Tannase and Ultrasound Treatment on the Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Green Tea Extract
Authors: Xu Xiao-Yu , Meng Jin-Ming , Mao Qian-Qian , Shang Ao , Li Bang-Yan , Zhao Cai-Ning , Tang Guo-Yi , Cao Shi-Yu , Wei Xin-Lin , Gan Ren-You , Corke Harold , Li Hua-Bin
Published: September 2019

The present study investigated the effects of tannase and ultrasound treatment on the bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of green tea extract. The single-factor experiments and the response surface methodology were conducted to study the effects of parameters on antioxidant activity of green tea extract. The highest antioxidant activity was found under the optimal condition with the buffer solution pH value of 4.62, ultrasonic temperature of 44.12 °C, ultrasonic time of 12.17 min, tannase concentration of 1 mg/mL, and ultrasonic power of 360 W. Furthermore, phenolic profiles of the extracts were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. Overall, it was found that tannase led to an increase in gallic acid and a decrease in epigallocatechin gallate, and ultrasounds could also enhance the efficiency of enzymatic reaction.
High- and Low-Temperature Properties of Layered Silicate-Modified Bitumens: View from the Nature of Pristine Layered Silicate
Authors: Jia Meng , Zhang Zengping , Wei Long , Li Jiange , Yuan Dongdong , Wu Xingjiao , Mao Zhiyong
Published: September 2019

Layered silicates, as bitumen modifiers, have received increasing attention. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of layered silicates on bitumen properties. For this study, montmorillonite (MMT), rectorite (REC), organic montmorillonite (OMMT), and organic rectorite (OREC) were selected. The layered structure type of layered silicates was characterized by SEM (scanning electron microscope) and XRD (X-ray diffraction diffractometer). Tests for determining high-temperature properties included viscosity, DSR (dynamic shear rheometer), and TG (thermogravimetry) tests, and studies for determining the low-temperature properties were conducted by BBR (bending beam rheometer) and DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) tests. Our results show that MMT, REC, OMMT, and OREC were all intercalated structures. OREC had the largest d001 interlayer space, followed by REC, OMMT, and MMT. OREC improved the high-temperature property of virgin bitumen more effectively than OMMT. Meanwhile, REC-modified bitumen exhibited a high-temperature property similar to OMMT-modified bitumen. When compared with REC and OREC, MMT and OMMT were less efficient in reducing the low-temperature properties of virgin bitumen, and OMMT was the least efficient. Therefore, it can be concluded that the nature of pristine layered silicates has a great impact on the high- and low-temperature properties of bitumen. Moreover, organic treatment can simultaneously improve the high- and low-temperature properties of layered silicate-modified bitumens.
Pre-Composting and Vermicomposting of Pineapple (Ananas Comosus) and Vegetable Waste
Authors: Castillo-González Eduardo , Giraldi-Díaz Mario Rafael , De Medina-Salas Lorena , Sánchez-Castillo Marcela Patricia
Published: September 2019

In the last few years, pineapple (Ananas comosus) has grown to be considered one of the most important fruits worldwide due to its high production and consumption. However, inadequate disposal of the waste it generates, which represents up to 67% of its total weight, can have environmental impacts. Therefore, this study focuses on the degradation of organic waste produced in the industrialized processing of pineapple waste (rinds, crowns and cores), which undergo a process of vermicomposting at a laboratory level. The methodology used included the pre-composting process and vermicomposting through Californian red worms using mixes tested in three different proportions of pineapple waste (PR) and load material (LM) made up of vegetable waste and eggshells. Testing revealed that the pre-composting process for this waste was feasible as a first stage of the degradation process; the characteristics of the pre-composted material allowed a favorable adaptation for both the worms and general degradation. It also showed efficiencies in the removal of organic carbon between 36.40% and 45.78%. Results also showed the total nitrogen content remained between 1.2% and 2.2% and the carbon/nitrogen relation (C/N) had values under 20 as required for high-quality vermicompost.
A Bounded Scheduling Method for Adaptive Gradient Methods
Authors: Tang Mingxing , Huang Zhen , Yuan Yuan , Wang Changjian , Peng Yuxing
Published: September 2019

Many adaptive gradient methods have been successfully applied to train deep neural networks, such as Adagrad, Adadelta, RMSprop and Adam. These methods perform local optimization with an element-wise scaling learning rate based on past gradients. Although these methods can achieve an advantageous training loss, some researchers have pointed out that their generalization capability tends to be poor as compared to stochastic gradient descent (SGD) in many applications. These methods obtain a rapid initial training process but fail to converge to an optimal solution due to the unstable and extreme learning rates. In this paper, we investigate the adaptive gradient methods and get the insights on various factors that may lead to poor performance of Adam. To overcome that, we propose a bounded scheduling algorithm for Adam, which can not only improve the generalization capability but also ensure the convergence. To validate our claims, we carry out a series of experiments on the image classification and the language modeling tasks on several standard benchmarks such as ResNet, DenseNet, SENet and LSTM on typical data sets such as CIFAR-10, CIFAR-100 and Penn Treebank. Experimental results show that our method can eliminate the generalization gap between Adam and SGD, meanwhile maintaining a relative high convergence rate during training.
Service Life Prediction of Reinforced Concrete in a Sea-Crossing Railway Bridge in Jiaozhou Bay: A Case Study
Authors: Li Zhe , Jin Zuquan , Zhao Tiejun , Wang Penggang , Zhao Lixiao , Xiong Chuansheng , Kang Yue
Published: September 2019

Reinforced bar corrosion induced by chloride ingression is one of the most significant threats to the durability of concrete structures in marine environments. The concrete cover thickness, compressive strength, chloride diffusion coefficient, and surface defects of reinforced concrete in the Jiaozhou Bay sea-crossing railway bridge were measured. The temperature and relative humidity in the concrete and the loading applied onto the reinforced concrete were monitored. Based on the DuraCrete model, a revised model for the service life prediction of concrete structures was established, considering the effects of temperature and loading on the chloride diffusion coefficient. Further, the reliability indexes of the reinforced concrete box girder, pier, and platform, located in the marine and land sections, in relation to service lives lasting various numbers of years, were calculated. The measured and calculated results show that the mean cover thicknesses of concrete piers in the marine and land sections are 52 mm and 36 mm, respectively, and the corresponding standard deviations are 5.21 mm and 3.18 mm, respectively. The mean compressive strengths of concrete in the marine and land sections are 56 MPa and 46 MPa, respectively. The corresponding standard deviations are 2.45 MPa and 2.67 MPa, respectively. The reliability indexes of the reinforced concrete box girder and platform in the marine section, under the condition of a service life of 100 years, are 1.81 and 1.76, respectively. When the corrosion-resistant reinforced bar was used in the pier structure in the marine section, its reliability index increased to 2.01. Furthermore, the reliability index of the reinforced concrete damaged by salt fog in the land section was 1.71.
Contributions of Water-Related Building Installations to Urban Strategies for Mitigation and Adaptation to Face Climate Change
Authors: Pimentel-Rodrigues Carla , Silva-Afonso Armando
Published: September 2019

In addition to the possible contributions of buildings to mitigating CO2 emissions, increased attention is being paid to the potential impacts of climate change on urban environments. According to the United Nations, about 54% of the planet’s population currently lives in cities, but this percentage is expected to rise to 66% in 2050, which reveals the scale of this issue. This paper develops a reflection on the possible contributions of water-related building installations to mitigate emissions and increase urban area adaptation to the effects of climate change. One of the most promising solutions to facing climate change, which is analysed in detail in this paper, is combining rainwater harvesting systems with green roofs. However, in view of developing the necessary engineering projects, there are insufficient existing studies to estimate the parameters to be used in each location given their climate characteristics, particularly the monthly runoff coefficients, which constitute the key parameter for designing these installations in some regions. Some recent standards present generic theoretical values for designing these combined installations, but they are far from reality in some regions, such as the Mediterranean basin. Therefore, based on the data available in Portugal, this paper reports some of the results obtained from research on the values of the monthly runoff coefficients.
Classification of Hyperspectral Images Based on Supervised Sparse Embedded Preserving Projection
Authors: Cai Fen , Guo Miao-Xia , Hong Li-Fang , Huang Ying-Yi
Published: September 2019

Dimensionality reduction is an important research area for hyperspectral remote sensing images due to the redundancy of spectral information. Sparsity preserving projection (SPP) is a dimensionality reduction (DR) algorithm based on the l1-graph, which establishes the relations of samples by sparse representation. However, SPP is an unsupervised algorithm that ignores the label information of samples and the objective function of SPP; instead, it only considers the reconstruction error, which means that the classification effect is constrained. In order to solve this problem, this paper proposes a dimensionality reduction algorithm called the supervised sparse embedded preserving projection (SSEPP) algorithm. SSEPP considers the manifold structure information of samples and makes full use of the label information available in order to enhance the discriminative ability of the projection subspace. While maintaining the sparse reconstruction error, the algorithm also minimizes the error between samples of the same class. Experiments were performed on an Indian Pines hyperspectral dataset and HJ1A-HSI remote sensing images from the Zhangjiang estuary in Southeastern China, respectively. The results show that the proposed method effectively improves its classification accuracy.
MLW-gcForest: A Multi-Weighted gcForest Model for Cancer Subtype Classification by Methylation Data
Authors: Dong Yunyun , Yang Wenkai , Wang Jiawen , Zhao Juanjuan , Qiang Yan
Published: September 2019

Effective cancer treatment requires a clear subtype. Due to the small sample size, high dimensionality, and class imbalances of cancer gene data, classifying cancer subtypes by traditional machine learning methods remains challenging. The gcForest algorithm is a combination of machine learning methods and a deep neural network and has been indicated to achieve better classification of small samples of data. However, the gcForest algorithm still faces many challenges when this method is applied to the classification of cancer subtypes. In this paper, we propose an improved gcForest algorithm (MLW-gcForest) to study the applicability of this method to the small sample sizes, high dimensionality, and class imbalances of genetic data. The main contributions of this algorithm are as follows: (1) Different weights are assigned to different random forests according to the classification ability of the forests. (2) We propose a sorting optimization algorithm that assigns different weights to the feature vectors generated under different sliding windows. The MLW-gcForest model is trained on the methylation data of five data sets from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA). The experimental results show that the MLW-gcForest algorithm achieves high accuracy and area under curve (AUC) values for the classification of cancer subtypes compared with those of traditional machine learning methods and state of the art methods. The results also show that methylation data can be effectively used to diagnose cancer.
Development and Optimization of the Novel Fabrication Method of Highly Macroporous Chitosan/Agarose/Nanohydroxyapatite Bone Scaffold for Potential Regenerative Medicine Applications
Authors: Kazimierczak Paulina , Palka Krzysztof , Przekora Agata
Published: September 2019

Bone scaffolds mimicking the three-dimensional bone structure are of essential importance for bone regeneration. The aim of this study was to develop and optimize the production method of highly macroporous bone scaffold composed of polysaccharide matrix (chitosan–agarose) reinforced with nanohydroxyapatite. The highly macroporous structure was obtained by the simultaneous application of a gas-foaming agent and freeze-drying technique. Fabricated variants of biomaterials (produced using different gas-foaming agent and solvent concentrations) were subjected to porosity evaluation and compression test in order to select the scaffold with the best properties. Then, bioactivity, cytotoxicity, and cell growth on the surface of the selected biomaterial were assessed. The obtained results showed that the simultaneous application of gas-foaming and freeze-drying methods allows for the production of biomaterials characterized by high total and open porosity. It was proved that the best porosity is obtained when solvent (CH3COOH) and foaming agent (NaHCO3) are applied at ratio 1:1. Nevertheless, the high porosity of novel biomaterial decreases its mechanical strength as determined by compression test. Importantly, novel scaffold is non-toxic to osteoblasts and favors cell attachment and growth on its surface. All mentioned properties make the novel biomaterial a promising candidate to be used in regenerative medicine in non-load bearing implantation sites.
Analysing Tumour Growth Delay Data from Animal Irradiation Experiments with Deviations from the Prescribed Dose
Authors: Karsch Leonhard , Beyreuther Elke , Eger Passos Doreen , Pawelke Jörg , Löck Steffen
Published: September 2019

The development of new radiotherapy technologies is a long-term process, which requires proof of the general concept. However, clinical requirements with respect to beam quality and controlled dose delivery may not yet be fulfilled. Exemplarily, the necessary radiobiological experiments with laser-accelerated electrons are challenged by fluctuating beam intensities. Based on tumour-growth data and dose values obtained in an in vivo trial comparing the biological efficacy of laser-driven and conventional clinical Linac electrons, different statistical approaches for analysis were compared. In addition to the classical averaging per dose point, which excludes animals with high dose deviations, multivariable linear regression, Cox regression and a Monte-Carlo-based approach were tested as alternatives that include all animals in statistical analysis. The four methods were compared based on experimental and simulated data. All applied statistical approaches revealed a comparable radiobiological efficacy of laser-driven and conventional Linac electrons, confirming the experimental conclusion. In the simulation study, significant differences in dose response were detected by all methods except for the conventional method, which showed the lowest power. Thereby, the alternative statistical approaches may allow for reducing the total number of required animals in future pre-clinical trials.
KCa3.1 Channels Confer Radioresistance to Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Mohr Corinna J. , Gross Dominic , Sezgin Efe C. , Steudel Friederike A. , Ruth Peter , Huber Stephan M. , Lukowski Robert
Published: September 2019

KCa3.1 K+ channels reportedly contribute to the proliferation of breast tumor cells and may serve pro-tumor functions in the microenvironment. The putative interaction of KCa3.1 with major anti-cancer treatment strategies, which are based on cytotoxic drugs or radiotherapy, remains largely unexplored. We employed KCa3.1-proficient and -deficient breast cancer cells derived from breast cancer-prone MMTV-PyMT mice, pharmacological KCa3.1 inhibition, and a syngeneic orthotopic mouse model to study the relevance of functional KCa3.1 for therapy response. The KCa3.1 status of MMTV-PyMT cells did not determine tumor cell proliferation after treatment with different concentrations of docetaxel, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, or cyclophosphamide. KCa3.1 activation by ionizing radiation (IR) in breast tumor cells in vitro, however, enhanced radioresistance, probably via an involvement of the channel in IR-stimulated Ca2+ signals and DNA repair pathways. Consistently, KCa3.1 knockout increased survival time of wildtype mice upon syngeneic orthotopic transplantation of MMTV-PyMT tumors followed by fractionated radiotherapy. Combined, our results imply that KCa3.1 confers resistance to radio- but not to chemotherapy in the MMTV-PyMT breast cancer model. Since KCa3.1 is druggable, KCa3.1 targeting concomitant to radiotherapy seems to be a promising strategy to radiosensitize breast tumors.
FAK-Copy-Gain Is a Predictive Marker for Sensitivity to FAK Inhibition in Breast Cancer
Authors: Kim Young-Ho , Kim Hyun-Kyoung , Kim Hee Yeon , Gawk HyeRan , Bae Seung-Hyun , Sim Hye Won , Kang Eun-Kyung , Seoh Ju-Young , Jang Hyonchol , Hong Kyeong-Man
Published: September 2019

Background: Cancers with copy-gain drug-target genes are excellent candidates for targeted therapy. In order to search for new predictive marker genes, we investigated the correlation between sensitivity to targeted drugs and the copy gain of candidate target genes in NCI-60 cells. Methods: For eight candidate genes showing copy gains in NCI-60 cells identified in our previous study, sensitivity to corresponding target drugs was tested on cells showing copy gains of the candidate genes. Results: Breast cancer cells with Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK)-copy-gain showed a significantly higher sensitivity to the target inhibitor, FAK inhibitor 14 (F14). In addition, treatment of F14 or FAK-knockdown showed a specific apoptotic effect only in breast cancer cells showing FAK-copy-gain. Expression-profiling analyses on inducible FAK shRNA-transfected cells showed that FAK/AKT signaling might be important to the apoptotic effect by target inhibition. An animal experiment employing a mouse xenograft model also showed a significant growth-inhibitory effect of F14 on breast cancer cells showing FAK-copy-gain, but not on those without FAK-copy-gain. Conclusion: FAK-copy-gain may be a predictive marker for FAK inhibition therapy in breast cancer.
Long Non-Coding RNA in the Pathogenesis of Cancers
Authors: Chi Yujing , Wang Di , Wang Junpei , Yu Weidong , Yang Jichun
Published: September 2019

The incidence and mortality rate of cancer has been quickly increasing in the past decades. At present, cancer has become the leading cause of death worldwide. Most of the cancers cannot be effectively diagnosed at the early stage. Although there are multiple therapeutic treatments, including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted drugs, their effectiveness is still limited. The overall survival rate of malignant cancers is still low. It is necessary to further study the mechanisms for malignant cancers, and explore new biomarkers and targets that are more sensitive and effective for early diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cancers than traditional biomarkers and methods. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of RNA transcripts with a length greater than 200 nucleotides. Generally, lncRNAs are not capable of encoding proteins or peptides. LncRNAs exert diverse biological functions by regulating gene expressions and functions at transcriptional, translational, and post-translational levels. In the past decade, it has been demonstrated that the dysregulated lncRNA profile is widely involved in the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cancer, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. In particular, lncRNAs have been revealed to play an important role in tumor growth and metastasis. Many lncRNAs have been shown to be potential biomarkers and targets for the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. This review aims to briefly discuss the latest findings regarding the roles and mechanisms of some important lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of certain malignant cancers, including lung, breast, liver, and colorectal cancers, as well as hematological malignancies and neuroblastoma.
Vimentin Phosphorylation Is Required for Normal Cell Division of Immature Astrocytes
Authors: Pablo Yolanda de , Marasek Pavel , Pozo-Rodrigálvarez Andrea , Wilhelmsson Ulrika , Inagaki Masaki , Pekna Marcela , Pekny Milos
Published: September 2019

Vimentin (VIM) is an intermediate filament (nanofilament) protein expressed in multiple cell types, including astrocytes. Mice with VIM mutations of serine sites phosphorylated during mitosis (VIMSA/SA) show cytokinetic failure in fibroblasts and lens epithelial cells, chromosomal instability, facilitated cell senescence, and increased neuronal differentiation of neural progenitor cells. Here we report that in vitro immature VIMSA/SA astrocytes exhibit cytokinetic failure and contain vimentin accumulations that co-localize with mitochondria. This phenotype is transient and disappears with VIMSA/SA astrocyte maturation and expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); it is also alleviated by the inhibition of cell proliferation. To test the hypothesis that GFAP compensates for the effect of VIMSA/SA in astrocytes, we crossed the VIMSA/SA and GFAP−/− mice. Surprisingly, the fraction of VIMSA/SA immature astrocytes with abundant vimentin accumulations was reduced when on GFAP−/− background. This indicates that the disappearance of vimentin accumulations and cytokinetic failure in mature astrocyte cultures are independent of GFAP expression. Both VIMSA/SA and VIMSA/SAGFAP−/− astrocytes showed normal mitochondrial membrane potential and vulnerability to H2O2, oxygen/glucose deprivation, and chemical ischemia. Thus, mutation of mitotic phosphorylation sites in vimentin triggers formation of vimentin accumulations and cytokinetic failure in immature astrocytes without altering their vulnerability to oxidative stress.