bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RENIN-INHIBITORY BIOACTIVE PEPTIDES WITH ANTIHYPERTENSIVE PROPERTY: A REVIEW
Authors: Bello Mada Sanusi , Paul Ugwu Chizoba , Musa Abarshi Muawiya , Saliu Muhammad Auwal
Published: July 2020

Blood pressure is regulated by the renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS). Renin-catalyzed conversion of angiotensinogen to angiotensin I is the rate-limiting step of the RAAS pathway, which arguably makes renin a better target for prevention, treatment and management of hypertension than Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE). Hydrolysis of food proteins releases bioactive peptides that can interact with receptors, enzymes and molecules in the organism to promote health. Several studies have shown that these bioactive peptides could be exploited for management of hypertension which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Antihypertensive peptides are bioactive peptides derived from plant and animal sources with inherent potential to ameliorate hypertension by different mechanism including scavenging of free radicals, reduced cholesterol level, inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and renin production. Although there was sufficient information on ACE-inhibitory and antioxidative peptides while information on the potential role of renin-inhibitory peptides against hypertension is limited. Thus, herein the present review primarily used ISI, SCOPUS and PubMed indexed journals containing experimental reports to elucidate the potential role of bioactive peptides against antihypertensive effect via renin inhibition.

 

Key words: Hypertension; Bioactive peptides; Renin inhibition; Mechanism of action.
ASSESSMENT OF URBAN GENERATED CLIMATE ANOMALY IN OKENE TOWN, OKENE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KOGI STATE, NIGERIA
Authors: Sunday Ishaya
Published: July 2020

Abstract

This study assessed urban generate climate change in Okene town of Kogi State, Nigeria. The objectives of this study include acquiring temperature, relative humidity and solar radiation data from SWAT satellite image from 1986 to 2016; determine the trend, normality, changes in temperature, relative humidity and solar radiation in the study area from 1986 to 2016.  Climate data was collected from the Soil and Water Assessment Tools (SWAT) from 1986 to 2016 of Okene Town. Simple Statistical Measures of mean, maximum, minimum, standard deviation, Average deviation, coefficient of variation, skewness and kurtosis were used for discerning the trends and normality of temperature, relative humidity and solar radiation. The chi square statistical test was use to test the study hypothesis. The trend line equation shows positive for temperature (0.0567x +26.27), Solar radiation (0.036x + 18.1) and negative trend in relative humidity (y = -0.001x + 0.733). Chi square statistical result shows that there are significant changes in temperature, relative humidity and solar radiation over the past three decades in Okene town of Kogi State. In tackling this anomaly, there is need for greening the town by embanking on radical planting of trees and creation of cool pavement technologies towards cooler surfaces by convection or higher reflectance as adaptive/mitigation measures against Urban Heat Island in Okene town.
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF MARKETING WHITE SKINNED SWEET POTATO (Ipomoea batatas) IN SELECTED MARKETS OF KANO STATE, NIGERIA.
Authors: Balarabe Z. A. , Yaro A. M. , Yakubu S. A. , Shu'aibu A. U. , Safiyanu S. A. , Aliyu S. A.
Published: July 2020

The study focused on the analysis of marketing White skinned Sweet Potato in selected markets of Kano State. Multistage sampling techniques was used for the study and data was collected using a structured questionnaire supplemented with key informant interview. A total of one hundred and seventeen 117 white sweet potato marketers were sampled. The analytical tool employed included simple descriptive statistics, net marketing margin, Gini Coefficient, marketing efficiency and multiple regression of the respondents in the study area. The result of the socio economic characteristics showed that 33% of the white sweet potato marketers were adult belonging to the age group of 30-39 years, 60% of marketers had household size of 1-10 members, 41% had 1-10 years of marketing experience, 91% were married with 91% males, the result of educational background study area shows that 46.8% had informal education. The result of the profitability analysis revealed that white sweet potato marketing was profitable with ₦574.52 and the total revenue realized for the marketing were ₦3,829.06. The result further revealed Gross Margin (GR) of 0.85 traded in the study area while return per naira invested was found to be 1.18 accrued from every 1.00 invested. The result also revealed that marketing of white sweet potato was efficient with 225.27%. The study further revealed variables such as: marketing experience, labour costs, transportation costs, loading and off-loading were found to be statistically significant. Results also indicate that the major determinant of net marketing income in the study area included labour
TOXICOLOGICAL EFFECT OF INHALED MOSQUITO INCENSE STICKS SMOKE ON THE HISTOLOGY AND BIOCHEMICAL RESPONSES IN EXPERIMENTAL RATS
Authors: Nafiu Abdullahi Shafiu , Dahiru M. M. , Rabiu D. H. , Mohammed J. M.
Published: July 2020

This study was carried out to investigate the toxicological effects of four brands of mosquito incense stick smoke (DR insecticide stick (AS-1987), Incense upgraded formula (BM-102), Fragrance (B3-254) and Citronella (A7-435) on selected biochemical and histological profile of male albino wistar rats.  Fifteen (15) wistar rats with mean weight (174.6 ±0.91g) were randomly divided into five (5) groups. Group I were considered as negative control while group II, III, IV and V were challenged with the brands of mosquito incense stick smoke for 8 hours daily by inhalation for 21 days. Laboratory investigations were carried out using standard protocols. It was observed that the activities of the liver enzymes (Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) increased significantly (p<0.05) in all the experimental rats when compared with the control. The histopathological alterations examined in the liver tissues of the experimental rats during the study period include mild necrosis, mild degeneration of hepatocytes and cellular infiltration from group III, IV and V respectively. Lung tissues of the challenged rats of group II, III and V revealed mild cellular infilterations around alveolar septa, hyperplasia and bronchiolar epithelial wall degeneration   respectively. Kidney tissues revealed glomeruli distortion, mild haemorrhage and renal damage from group III and IV respectively. The alterations examined in the liver, kidney and lung tissues of the experiment rats were period dependent but independent of mosquito sticks brands which inferred that continuous exposure to mosquito stick
DETERMINATION OF ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN SOME VEGETABLES AND FRUIT BY QuEChERS TECHNIQUES AND GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY /MASS SPECTROMETRY
Authors: Suleiman F. , Nuhu A. A. , Omoniyi K. I. , Yashim Z. I.
Published: July 2020

The concentrations of organochlorine pesticide residues were analysed in some vegetables and fruit (spinach, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, carrots and onions)  grown at Dagachi farming areas along River Galma of Zaria in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Sample collection and preparation were carried out using standard procedures. The concentrations of all the pesticides in the fruits and vegetables samples were analysed using quick easy cheap effective rugged and safe (QuEChERS) multi- residue extraction and clean up techniques, followed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC – MS). The most commonly detected organochlorine pesticide residues in the entire samples analysed are lindane, delta – BHC, heptachlor epoxide (B), endosulfan I, dieldrin, and endosulfan II. Furthermore, the results of the study shows that the mean concentration of these organochlorines pesticide detected were higher in onion and spinach with heptachlor epoxide (B) having concentrations 2.303 mg/kg and 2.011 mg/kg respectively. Likewise, endosulfan II (1.433 mg/kg) in lettuce was observed. Heptachlor epoxide (B) detected were also very high in other samples such as carrot, cabbage, and tomatoes and with values 0.600 mg/kg, 0.716 mg/kg, and 0.524 mg/kg respectively. Indeed, these concentrations of all the organochlorine pesticides detected in the fruit and vegetables samples analysed were observed to be at alarming levels, much higher than the maximum residue limits (MRLs) by the Codex 2009 (WHO and FAO) except for lindane with values 0.007 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/kg in carrot and onions respectively
EXTRACTION AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETER ANALYSIS OF DESERT DATE (Balanite aegyptiaca) OIL FROM DUTSIN-MA
Authors: Kabo Kamaluddeen Suleiman , Ali Tijjani , Ogbesejana Abiodun B.
Published: July 2020

Desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca) is perennial plant with a variety of application in vegetable oil, food preparation, condiment and medicine. This work covers extraction and physico-chemical parameters analysis: acid value, iodine value and saponification value of Balanite aegyptiaca seed oil samples obtainable at Dutsin-Ma Area, Katsina State. Soxhlet extraction method was used in order to extract oil from the samples followed by its analysis according to standard protocols. The result shows that the seeds have high oil content, percent yield of 39.58% with the density of 0.91 g/cm3, acid value 2.66, iodine value 98.74 g/100g, saponification value of 186.5 mgKOH/g and low moisture content of 2.6% was obtained. This shows that the seeds of Balanite aegyptiaca oil of Dutsin-Ma local area have high oil yield and good qualities making it suitable for use in a variety of applications to improve its value chain
RUSSIAN LANGUAGE NEEDS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA
Authors: Nikitina Larisa , Cho Mar Ma Tin , Furuoka Fumitaka
Published: July 2020

In the context of higher education foreign language courses are viewed as skills-oriented subjects that aim to enable students to communicate in a foreign language. The main four language skills to be developed are listening, speaking, reading and writing. Until recently, decisions about which of the linguistic skills should be emphasized in a foreign language program have been taken without seeking the opinions of language learners. To address this issue, the present research examined needs for learning the Russian language among students in a Malaysian public university. To achieve this research aim, a survey questionnaire was distributed among prospective learners of Russian. Four different statistical methods were performed to analyse the data, namely, the descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, the exploratory factor analysis and the reliability test. The findings from the descriptive statistics revealed that the respondents considered developing face-to-face interactive skills, such as the speaking and listening skills, as most important. The findings of the t-test suggested that demographic variables might have some influence on the students’ perceptions of the skills’ importance. For example, the students who spoke Malay at home placed a higher value on developing their ability to speak in a polite manner and to understand non-verbal communitive acts, such as gestures. The results of the exploratory factor analysis revealed that the language skills as perceived by the students formed several dimensions where interactive and non-interactive skills tended to form distinct clusters. This research concludes with a discussion of pedagogical implications to be drawn from the findings.
Key words: language needs, Russian language, higher education, Malaysia.
PEMERINTAH DAN PERANANNYA DALAM PELAYANAN PENGURUSAN KARTU TANDA PENDUDUK (KTP) DI KECAMATAN LUBUK BAJA KOTA BATAM
Authors: Sari Meri Enita Puspitasar
Published: July 2020

Abstract This study is intended to see how the government service in the management of identity card (KTP) either from the apparatus or from its role. Identity Card (KTP) is one of the mandatory identity that must be owned by every citizen of Indonesia and has been regulated by the rules in effect so that in the implementation of society must get good service. A policy will be successfully implemented if the government apparatus in running it in the community in accordance with the role and rules that apply and the community must also accept and support the policy so that there is a good interaction. Lubuk Baja sub-district has performed its role and provide maximum services, but there are still obstacles in terms of human resources, access and facilities. The importance of increasing human resources by providing training and training for the socialization, implemtation and evaluation of the policy can work well, the government should also provide easy access for the community and the addition of facilities that support the role and services to run well. Keywords: government, role, public service  AbstrakStudi ini bertujuan untuk melihat bagaimana pelayanan pemrintah dalam pengurusan kartu tanda penduduk (KTP) baik itu dari aparaturnya ataupun dari peranannya. Kartu Tanda Penduduk (KTP) merupakan salah satu identitas wajib yang harus dimiliki setiap warga Negara Indonesia dan sudah diatur oleh aturan-aturan yang berlaku sehingga dalam pelaksanaannya masyarakat harus mendapatkan pelayanan yang baik. Suatu kebijakan akan berhasil dilaksanakan apabila aparatur-aparatur pemerintah dalam menjalankannya dimasyarakat sesuai dengan peranan dan aturan yang berlaku dan masyarakat juga harus menerima dan mendukung kebijakan tersebut sehingga terjadi interaksi yang baik. Kecamatan Lubuk Baja sudah menjalankan peranannya dan memberikan pelayanan yang maksimal, hanya saja masih terdapat kendala dari segi sumber daya manusia, akses dan fasilitas-fasilitas. Pentingnya peningkatan sumber daya manusia missal dengan memberikan pelatihan dan diklat agar dalam tahap sosialisasi, implemtasi dan evaluasi kebijakan dapat berjalan dengan baik, pemerintah juga harus memeberikan kemudahan akses bagi masyarakat dan penambahan-penambahan fasilitas yang mendukung peranan dan pelayanan agar berjalan dengan baik. Kata Kunci : pemerintah, peranan, pelayanan publik
PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT PESISIR BERBASIS KELUARGA PERSEPEKTIF GENDER
Authors: Sutarto Dendi
Published: July 2020

Kajian Pemberdayaan Masyarakat pesisir Batam, Karimun, dan Kepulauan Lingga berbasis keluarga bertujuan untuk mengetahui startegi, model dan faktor-faktor apakah yang mempengaruhi dalam pemberdayaan masyarakat pesisir. Analisis ini bermanfaat untuk memberikan rekomedasi solusi dan model untuk meningkatkan kemandirian dan pemberdayaan masyarakat secara berkenjutan. Kajian ini merupakan analsis metode deskriptif kualitatif dengan pendekatan gender. Faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi pemberdayaan masyarakat secara berkelanjutan; Learning by doing, Problem solving, Self evaluation, Self development and coordination, Self selection, Self decisim independent variable. Konsep ini memberikan arah dalam pencapaian tujuan pemberdayaan masyarakat pesisi Batam, Lingga dan Karimun sebagai masyarakat pesisir kepulauan, dengan segenap potensi alam yang sangat besar, dengan itu semuan mereka membutuhkan sumber daya manusia sebagai kekuatan untuk mengelola potensi laut, perikanan, pertanian, home industry yang ada. Ada keyakinan besar dengan kekuatan sumber daya manusia sebagai word view atau cara mereka melihat dunia, potensi yang memiliki nilai sosial, ekonomis dan sebagainya sebagai kekuatan besar bagi mereka.
IMPLEMENTASI PROGRAM E-GOVERNMENT KECAMATAN BATAM KOTA TAHUN 2018
Authors: Armando Gerry , Solihin Muhammad , Ayu Pratiwi Diah
Published: July 2020

E-government merupakan teknologi informasi dan komunikasi agar mempermudah masyarakat dalam mengakses informasi Pemerintahan. Kecamatan Batam Kota memiliki website yang kurang aktif dalam melayani dan berbagi informasi kepada masyarakat. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui dan menganalisis faktor pendukung dan penghambat program website Kecamatan Batam Kota. Metode penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan analisa deskriptif. Pengumpulan data melalui studi lapangan berupa observasi, wawancara dan dokumentasi. Informan penelitian ditentukan secara purposive sampling. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa kebijakan mengenai e-government di Kota Batam sudah ada namun dalam implementasinya, website Kecamatan Batam Kota belum berjalan efektif dalam melayani masyarakat. Pelayanan yang di harapkan lebih cepat berbasis website belum dapat terwujud. Ini seharusnya di perhatikan agar website Kecamatan Batam Kota bisa lebih baik.
PERAN PEMERINTAH MELALUI DINAS KESEHATAN KABUPATEN SUMBAWA BARAT DALAM MENYOSIALISASIKAN BAHAYA MERKURI BAGI KESEHATAN DI KECAMATAN BRANG REA
Authors: Yusmawati Yusmawati , Permana Restiawan
Published: July 2020

Banyaknya penambang emas rakyat tanpa izin (ilegal) terjadi di Kabupaten Sumbawa Barat khususnya di Kecamatan Brang Rea. Hal ini mengakibatkan air sungai tercemar zat merkuri oleh limbah pertambangan tersebut. Pencemaran ini tentunya mengancam kesehatan masyarakat di sana. Rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini adalah peran pemerintah melalui Dinas Kesehatan Kabupaten Sumbawa Barat dalam menyosialisasikan bahaya merkuri bagi kesehatan masyarakat di Kecamatan Brang Rea. Pendekatan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah kualitatif. Sedangkan jenis penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif. Komunikasi kesehatan memerlukan metode dan media agar pesan dapat tersampaikan dengan baik. Metode komunikasi tatap muka yang dilakukan tenaga kesehatan berupa penyuluhan kesehatan yang pesannya berisi bahaya merkuri bagi kesehatan. Selain metode komunikasi tatap muka, dibutuhkan juga media komunikasi kesehatan berupa poster. Poster dipilih oleh Puskesmas Brang Rea dalam kegiatan komunikasi kesehatannya dengan alasan bahwa poster cocok digunakan sebagai tindak lanjut dari suatu pesan yang sudah disampaikan beberapa waktu yang lalu. Dengan demikian poster bertujuan untuk mengingatkan kembali dan mengarahkan pembaca ke arah tindakan tertentu sesuai dengan apa yang diinginkan oleh komunikator.
The capacity of human memory: Is there any limit to human memory?
Authors: Namaziandost Ehsan , Ziafar Meisam
Published: July 2020

There exist some estimates of the capacity of human memory. Recent studies have proven the fact that Long Term Memory is subject to constant reconfigurations mostly at lower levels of neural clusters. There is no consensus on one definition for the capacity of memory. As far as retrieval of items present in memory is not the concern, it is reasonable to refrain from putting limits on capacity of human memory; otherwise, one must accept a number game which renders no fixed definite final estimation. Recently such capacity is defined as the amount of interference created by the item which must remain active in the memory.
Determinants of the nursery role of seagrass meadows in the sub-tropical Gulf of Mexico: inshore-offshore connectivity for snapper and grouper
Authors: Fodrie FJ , Heck KL , Andrus CFT , Powers SP
Published: July 2020

Quantifying the nursery role of habitats or locations in supporting fisheries is central to understanding population-scale animal-habitat relationships, and in guiding ecosystem-based management. We assessed the nursery role of northern Gulf of Mexico seagrass meadows for gray snapper, lane snapper, and gag recruiting to Alabama’s extensive offshore reef complex. We accomplished this using broadscale juvenile trawl surveys and geochemical tags—indicative of past habitat use—stored in the otoliths of >2200 fishes. These natural tags revealed that 47-61% of snapper and gag recruits to Alabama reefs originated in Florida panhandle seagrass nurseries. Seagrass meadows in Alabama and Mississippi were also important nurseries for snappers and gag, contributing 26-46% of recruits. Despite high juvenile snapper and gag catches along the extensive Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana, relatively few of those fishes recruited to Alabama’s reefs (<13% of total recruits, across species), although they may have recruited to populations outside our sampling domain. Beyond the applied value of these data for resource management (i.e. interstate connectivity), our findings highlight broadscale drivers of the nursery role of juvenile habitats for coastal marine populations. These factors include: (1) juvenile habitat extent (i.e. extensive Florida panhandle meadows sourced the most recruits for Alabama fisheries); (2) proximity between juvenile and adult habitats (i.e. highest unit-area contribution from Alabama-Mississippi meadows); and (3) unidirectional, alongshore migration of egressing juveniles (i.e. primarily east-to-west movement, enhancing connectivity with Florida panhandle nurseries, and dampening connectivity with Chandeleur nurseries).
Lisinopril Indifferently Improves Heart Rate Variability During Day and Night Periods in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: ALBARWANI S. , AL-SIYABI S. , TANIRA M. O.
Published: July 2020

The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of 10 weeks of lisinopril treatment to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) on day/night variations of blood pressure, heart rate and autonomic cardio-regulation parameters. Male SHR with surgically implanted radio-telemetry implant that provided direct measurements of arterial pressure and electrocardiogram wave were used. Animals were allocated to two groups (n=5 each). The first group was treated with lisinopril (20 mg/kg by gavage) daily for 10 weeks (treated group); whereas the second was gavaged daily with tap water (untreated group). Arterial blood pressure, ECG and other telemetry parameters were recorded at the start and at the end of 10-week treatment. Collected data were analyzed using specialized software and were statistically tested. In addition to the expected lowering of blood pressure, spectral analysis of R-R intervals revealed that lisinopril treatment for 10 weeks significantly caused 2-3 fold increase in heart rate variability (HRV) during both active and inactive periods. However, R-R interval durations demonstrated variable distribution patterns during those periods. The cause of observed distribution pattern of R-R intervals during active and inactive periods may be of significance to better understand HRV changes and warrants further investigations.
OVERSOWN TUSSOCK COUNTRY LESSONS FROM 30 YEARS OF IMPROVEMENT AND MANAGEMENT ON TARA HILLS
Authors: Allan B.E. , Chapman H.M.
Published: July 2020

The traditional mix of white, red and alsike clovers with cocksfoot, ryegrass and timothy was used to improve approximately 2000 ha on Tara Hills High Country Research Station during the 1950s and 1960s. The present frequency of these species, as well as the adventives sweet vernal and browntop, were recorded over contrasting altitude (low, 500-750 m vs high, 750-1000 m), aspect (sunny verses shady) and grazing management (controlled versus uncontrolled utilisation). White clover was the most successful of the oversown clovers, and was most abundant on the moist shady faces. Red clover did not persist on landscapes where utilisation was controlled. Alsike displayed similar landscape and management preferences to red clover. There is a need for a legume that will persist under well utilised low, sunny landscapes. Cocksfoot dominated landscapes where utilisation was uncontrolled, except for high shady faces where browntop was dominant. With controlled utilisation, the frequency of cocksfoot was reduced considerably. Ryegrass was the only introduced grass to show greater frequency under controlled utilisation. The presence of timothy was insignificant on all landscapes. Sweet vernal displayed similar tolerances of environment and management to cocksfoot. Keywords: pasture species, landscapes, aspect, altitude, pasture utilisation.
GENETIC VARIABILITY WITHIN TAGASASTE
Authors: Woodfield Dr , Forde M.B.
Published: July 2020

A collection of 65 accessions of tagasaste was grown in Palmerston North for description and analysis of potentially useful variation within the species. Variability within populations of tagasaste was high (74-90% of the phenotypic variation) but differences between populations were also evident. In particular there is a large amount of potentially useful variation both within and between populations for production and growth habit. Initial evidence suggests that much of this variation is heritable, with broad-sense heritabilities ranging from 36-64%, and that the potential for breeding Improved varieties is good. Keywords: Browse shrubs, plant breeding, growth habit, heritability Chamaecytisus palmensis.
EVALUATION OF FOUR PERENNIAL RYEGRASS CULTIVARS IN NEW ZEALAND
Authors: Kerr G.A.
Published: July 2020

Four perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) cultivars have been evaluated at a range of summer-autumn drought prone sites in New Zealand. Evaluation has been carried out at seven repllcated large plot grazing trials sown with clover and one trial without clover evaluated under mowing. The cultivars with a low level of lolium endophyte (Acremonium loliae) infection, Ruanui and the majority of Nui lines, have displayed poor persistence. In summer-autumn dry areas, sowing seed with a high endophyte content appears the only alternative to obtain a persistent perennial ryegrass pasture. Within the high endophyte cultivars (Yatsyn 1, Ellett and some Nui lines), Yatsyn 1 has performed consistently well in terms of long term yielding ability, indicating persistence. Keywords: Lolium perenne, endophyte (Acremonium loliae), annual yields, seasonal yields, Ruanui, Nui, Ellett, Yatsyn 1.
lNCORPORATlON OF MATUA PRAlRlE GRASS lNTO GRAZING SYSTEMS
Authors: Ridler B.J. , Stachurski L.J. , Brooke I.M.
Published: July 2020

The inclusion of Matua prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii Kunth) as a pure sward mto grazing systems involving dairy, bull beef and integrated dairy bull beef systems is investigated using a linear programming model. The ability to test in the model alternative animal production patterns and therefore intake of dry matter throughout the year has allowed definition of the most profitable systems for Matua. The results highlight the need to consider animal production patterns and pasture management objectives which combine to give the best profitability rather than the inflexible animal requirements based on traditional management concepts. Keywords: linear programming
IMPACT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY ON PRODUCTION AND FEED REQUIREMENTS OF DAIRY COWS AT PASTURE
Authors: Davis S.R. , Thom E.R. , L'Huillier P.J. , Bryant A.M.
Published: July 2020

Application of the technologies of genetic engineering in the dairy industry will begin within 5 years, probably with the use of bovine somatotropin as a lactation stimulant. There are several other likely developments which may manipulate the animal, the plant or the rumen micro-organism to increase or diversify production or to decrease milking frequency. To take full advantage of increased potential milk production, ways to minimise the seasonality of feed supply must be developed.
WHITE CLOVER CULTIVAR RESPONSES TO PHOSPHATE FERTILISERS OF DIFFERING SOLUBILITY
Authors: Mackay A.D. , Caradus J.R.
Published: July 2020

A glasshouse study investigated the dry matter response of Grasslands Kopu and Grasslands Tahora white clover, cultivars of differing origins and morphologies, to three phosphate fertilizers, monocalcium phosphate (MCP), partially acidulated phosphate rock (PAPR) and a reactive phosphate rock, North Carolina phosphate rock (NCPR), of differing water solubility. Kopu responded more rapldly and reached Its maximum dry matter yield at a lower phosphorus (P) level than Tahora when MCP and NCPR were the P fertilizers. With PAPR as the P fertilizer, their response was similar. The shoot dry matter response by Kopu to all three P sources was reflected more in leaf weight and size than leaf number or stolon length. In contrast Tahora responded to added P by increasing leaf number and stolon length to a much greater extent than Kopu. Keywords: Trifolium repens, monocalcium phosphate, partially acidulated phosphate rock, reactive phosphate rock.
INTEGRATION OF SHEEP ON A DAIRY FARM
Authors: Laurie R.J.
Published: July 2020

My wife and I have been actively farming in the Menzies Ferry District for 12 years. The property is 211 ha in total, with the dairy unit comprising 85 ha. A married couple are also employed on the farm. My property backs on to the Mataura River. Ninety-nine percent of the property floods in a loo-year flood - there have been three such floods in the last 10 years.
SEARCHING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE WAY TO MANAGE PRAIRIE GRASS
Authors: Black C.K. , Chu A.C.P.
Published: July 2020

The perlormance of 'Grasslands Matua' prairie grass was compared under lax and hard grazing by sheep. Pasture utilisation and tiller densities were measured to determme If l"cremng utllsatlon would result I" sward decline Lax grazmg permitted ward persistence but resulted m only 56% pasture utilisatlon Hard grazmg at 75% pasture ut!llsatlon resulted m less total herbage harvested, owng primarily to ward decline. Nevertheless, it was shown that hard grazing can improve pasture utilisation without affecting sward persistence of grazing 1s delayed until new replacement tillers have appeared This allows significantly greater pasture utll1satlon than lax grazing and maintains prawe grass tiller density, Keywords: Bromus willdenoii Kunth. grazing intensity, pasture persistence, tiller appearance. Matua pra,w grass
Efficiency of cultivation of perennial legume-grass mixtures on gray forest soils of Kaluga region
Authors: Lukashov Vladimir , Korotkova Tat'yana , Isakov Aleksandr
Published: July 2020

The results of research conducted by the authors on gray forest soils in Kaluga region. Shows the energy efficiency of cultivation of perennial and annual fodder crops are calculated based on actual energy consumption and release of metabolic energy yield. The data on the effect of perennial grasses on the content of humus and the change in the acidity of the soil. The scheme to study the efficiency of common crops of different varieties of red clover, lucerne and festulolium changeable, it provides a brief description of the studied cultures. Shows data on yield of green mass, harvesting of 1 hectare of dry matter, metabolizable energy and crude protein according to variants of experience. On the basis of obtained results the conclusion about the feasibility of using the studied mixtures to increase the energy and protein value of feeds, ensuring the most efficient use of nonrenewable energy, conservation and improvement of soil fertility, sustainability of agro ecosystems.
Voronezh experimental station for perennial herbs — 100 years: the main results and prospects of work
Authors: Kosolapov Vladimir , Saprykin Sergey , Ivanov Iosif , Chekmareva Anna
Published: July 2020

In 2020, the Voronezh experimental station for perennial grasses will celebrate its 100th anniversary. The article presents the history of the station's creation, its achievements, and shows the role of well-known agricultural scientists who took part in the establishment of the station and the organization of scientific work. The stages and directions of scientific research in different periods are highlighted.
An Equivalent Circuit Analysis and Suspension Characteristics of AC Magnetic Suspension Using Magnetic Resonant Coupling
Authors: Rahman Arifur , Mizuno Takeshi , Takasaki Masaya , Ishino Yuji
Published: July 2020

The fundamental characteristics and performances of alternating current (AC) magnetic suspension using magnetic resonant coupling are studied analytically and experimentally. Nowadays, wireless power transfer to the suspended object is required during non-contact suspension in some applications. Therefore, magnetic resonant coupling has been introduced for AC magnetic suspension to achieve self-stabilizing magnetic suspension and energy transfer to the floator simultaneously. The effect of circuit parameters for developing an experimental apparatus and performances are predicted from the solution of the equivalent circuits analytically. First, an equivalent magnetic circuit is derived and analyzed to characterize the self-inductance and mutual inductance with the gap. Second, an equivalent electrical circuit is analyzed to derive the current and force equations including magnetic parameters of the circuit. The derivation of these equations is numerically solved to study the characteristics of the primary current, the secondary current, and the force with respect to the gap and the applied frequency. The comparison between theoretical and experimental results is depicted, and the reason for differences is explained. The experimental and theoretical results show that positive stiffness is possible, which is essential for achieving self-stabilization. The self-stability is confirmed by the frequency response of the suspension system to disturbance experimentally.
MZe786 Rescues Cardiac Mitochondrial Activity in High sFlt-1 and Low HO-1 Environment
Authors: Sanchez-Aranguren Lissette Carolina , Rezai Homira , Ahmad Shakil , Alzahrani Faisal A. , Sparatore Anna , Wang Keqing , Ahmed Asif
Published: July 2020

Hypertensive disorder in pregnancy is a major cause of maternal and perinatal mortality worldwide. Women who have had preeclampsia are at three to four times higher risk in later life of developing high blood pressure and heart disease. Soluble Flt-1 (sFlt-1) is elevated in preeclampsia and may remain high postpartum in women with a history of preeclampsia. Heme oxygenase-1 (Hmox1/HO-1) exerts protective effects against oxidative stimuli and is compromised in the placenta of pregnant women with preeclampsia. We hypothesized that sFlt-1 inhibits cardiac mitochondrial activity in HO-1 deficient mice. HO-1 haplo-insufficient mice (Hmox1+/−) were injected with adenovirus encoding sFlt-1 (Ad-sFlt-1) or control virus (Ad-CMV). Subsequently, they were treated daily with either placebo or MZe786 for six days, when the heart tissue was harvested to assess cardiac mitochondrial activity. Here, we show that the loss of HO-1 disturbed cardiac mitochondrial respiration and reduced mitochondrial biogenesis. The overexpression of sFlt-1 resulted in the inhibition of the cardiac mitochondrial activity in Hmox1+/− mice. The present study demonstrates that the hydrogen sulfide (H2S) releasing molecule, MZe786, rescues mitochondrial activity by stimulating cardiac mitochondrial biogenesis and antioxidant defense in Hmox1−/− mice and in Hmox1+/− mice exposed to a high sFlt-1 environment.
Recurrent Neural Network-Based Hybrid Localization for Worker Tracking in an Offshore Environment
Authors: Lee Gunwoo
Published: July 2020

Accidents involving marine crew members and passengers are still an issue that must be studied and obviated. Preventing such accidents at sea can improve the quality of life on board by ensuring a safe ship environment. This paper proposes a hybrid indoor positioning method, an approach which is becoming common on land, to enhance maritime safety. Specifically, a recurrent neural network (RNN)-based hybrid localization system (RHLS) that provides accurate and efficient user-tracking results is proposed. RHLS performs hybrid positioning by receiving wireless signals, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as inertial measurement unit data from smartphones. It utilizes the RNN to solve the problem of tracking accuracy reduction that may occur when using data collected from various sensors at various times. The results of experiments conducted in an offshore environment confirm that RHLS provides accurate and efficient tracking results. The scalability of RHLS provides managers with more intuitive monitoring of assets and crews, and, by providing information such as the location of safety equipment to the crew, it promotes welfare and safety.
Quantifying the Rate, Degree, and Heterogeneity of Morphological Change during an Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition Using Digital Holographic Cytometry
Authors: Kamlund Sofia , Janicke Birgit , Alm Kersti , Judson-Torres Robert L. , Oredsson Stina
Published: July 2020

Cells in complex organisms can transition between epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes during both normal and malignant physiological events. These two phenotypes are not binary, but rather describe a spectrum of cell states along an axis. Mammalian cells can undergo dynamic and heterogenous bidirectional interconversions along the epithelial–mesenchymal phenotypic (EMP) spectrum, and such transitions are marked by morphological change. Here, we exploit digital holographic cytometry (DHC) to develop a tractable method for monitoring the degree, kinetics, and heterogeneity of epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes in adherent mammalian cell populations. First, we demonstrate that the epithelial and mesenchymal states of the same cell line present distinct DHC-derived morphological features. Second, we identify quantitative changes in these features that occur hours after induction of the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). We apply this approach to achieve label-free tracking of the degree and the rate of EMP transitions. We conclude that DHC is an efficient method to investigate morphological changes during transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal states.
Deep Learning at the Mobile Edge: Opportunities for 5G Networks
Authors: McClellan Miranda , Cervelló-Pastor Cristina , Sallent Sebastià
Published: July 2020

Mobile edge computing (MEC) within 5G networks brings the power of cloud computing, storage, and analysis closer to the end user. The increased speeds and reduced delay enable novel applications such as connected vehicles, large-scale IoT, video streaming, and industry robotics. Machine Learning (ML) is leveraged within mobile edge computing to predict changes in demand based on cultural events, natural disasters, or daily commute patterns, and it prepares the network by automatically scaling up network resources as needed. Together, mobile edge computing and ML enable seamless automation of network management to reduce operational costs and enhance user experience. In this paper, we discuss the state of the art for ML within mobile edge computing and the advances needed in automating adaptive resource allocation, mobility modeling, security, and energy efficiency for 5G networks.
Multiclass Non-Randomized Spectral–Spatial Active Learning for Hyperspectral Image Classification
Authors: Ahmad Muhammad , Mazzara Manuel , Raza Rana Aamir , Distefano Salvatore , Asif Muhammad , Sarfraz Muhammad Shahzad , Khan Adil Mehmood , Sohaib Ahmed
Published: July 2020

Active Learning (AL) for Hyperspectral Image Classification (HSIC) has been extensively studied. However, the traditional AL methods do not consider randomness among the existing and new samples. Secondly, very limited AL research has been carried out on joint spectral–spatial information. Thirdly, a minor but still worth mentioning factor is the stopping criteria. Therefore, this study caters to all these issues using a spatial prior Fuzziness concept coupled with Multinomial Logistic Regression via a Splitting and Augmented Lagrangian (MLR-LORSAL) classifier with dual stopping criteria. This work further compares several sample selection methods with the diverse nature of classifiers i.e., probabilistic and non-probabilistic. The sample selection methods include Breaking Ties (BT), Mutual Information (MI) and Modified Breaking Ties (MBT). The comparative classifiers include Support Vector Machine (SVM), Extreme Learning Machine (ELM), K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN) and Ensemble Learning (EL). The experimental results on three benchmark hyperspectral datasets reveal that the proposed pipeline significantly increases the classification accuracy and generalization performance. To further validate the performance, several statistical tests are also considered such as Precision, Recall and F1-Score.
Phoenix dactylifera L. Seed Pretreatment for Oil Extraction and Optimization Studies for Biodiesel Production Using Ce-Zr/Al-MCM-41 Catalyst
Authors: Jibril Zainab Ibrahim , Ramli Anita , Jumbri Khairulazhar , Mohamad Yunus Normawati
Published: July 2020

This work compared the effect of soaking and roasting Phoenix dactylifera L. seeds pretreatment methods on oil yield. The conversion of the Phoenix dactylifera L. seed oil to fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) was conducted via transesterification reaction using Ce-Zr/Al-MCM-41 monometallic and bimetallic catalysts. The reaction conditions were optimized using response surface methodology based on the central composite design (RSM-CCD). The result shows a quadratic model fitting with an R2 value of ~0.98% from the analysis of variance. In addition, the optimum FAME yield of 93.83% was obtained at a reaction temperature of 60.5 °C, a reaction time of 3.8 h, a catalyst concentration of 4 wt.%, and a methanol to oil molar ratio of 6.2:1 mol/mol. The effect of the regenerated catalyst was significantly maintained for five cycles. The fuel properties of the produced FAME lie within the values reported in studies, ASTM D6751, and EN14214 standards.
Effects of Sulfuric Acid Treatment on the Performance of Ga-Al2O3 for the Hydrolytic Decomposition of 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane (HFC-134a)
Authors: Kim Min-Jae , Kim Yeonjin , Youn Jae-Rang , Choi Il-Ho , Hwang Kyung-Ran , Kim Seung Gon , Park Young-Kwon , Moon Seung-Hyun , Lee Ki Bong , Jeon Sang Goo
Published: July 2020

HFC-134a, one of the representative hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used as a coolant gas, is a known greenhouse gas with high global warming potential. Catalytic decomposition is considered a promising technology for the removal of fluorinated hydrocarbons. However, systematic studies on the catalytic decomposition of HFC-134a are rare compared to those for other fluorinated hydrocarbon gases. In this study, Ga-Al2O3 and S/Ga-Al2O3 catalysts were prepared and the change in their properties post-acid treatment was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH3-TPD), in situ Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The S/Ga-Al2O3 catalyst achieved a much higher HFC-134a conversion than Ga-Al2O3, which was ascribed to the promotional effect of the sulfuric acid treatment on the Lewis acidity of the catalyst surface, as confirmed by NH3-TPD. Furthermore, the effect of hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas produced by HFC-134a decomposition on the catalyst was investigated. The S/Ga-Al2O3 maintained a more stable and higher HFC-134a conversion than Ga-Al2O3. Combining the results of the stability test and characterization, it was established that the sulfuric acid treatment not only increased the acidity of the catalyst but also preserved the partially reduced Ga species.
Oropharyngeal Hairy Polyp: A Case of Respiratory Failure in a Newborn
Authors: Feraco Paola , Bragantini Emma , Incandela Francesca , Gagliardo Cesare , Silvestrini Marina
Published: July 2020

Hairy polyps, also known as dermoid polyps (DPs), are rare benign cystic lesions of bigerminal origin that may occur in several head and neck regions, including the oropharynx. Despite their benign histopathological nature, DPs may be life threatening, due to their upper airway location, and DPs represent one of the most unusual causes of respiratory distress during the neonatal period. In this paper, we describe a case of respiratory failure in a newborn with an oropharyngeal mass that was accidentally found during difficult intubation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected a well-defined soft tissue pedunculated mass, arising from the left oropharynx wall, consistent with an oropharyngeal DP. The newborn had a prompt recovery after trans-oral mass removal. Our case underlines the importance of imaging in differential diagnosis of children’s respiratory distress, secondary to a variety of lesions within the region of the skull base or oropharynx. It allowed us to assess the origin of the lesion, as well as its relationship with the adjacent soft tissues, and to exclude intracranial extension, thus providing essential information for the surgical planning.
Impact of Obesity on Ceftriaxone Efficacy
Authors: Barber Katie E. , Loper J. Taylor , Morrison Austin R. , Stover Kayla R. , Wagner Jamie L.
Published: July 2020

Background: Ceftriaxone has standard, set dosing regimens that may not achieve adequate serum concentrations in obese patients compared to non-obese patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of obesity on ceftriaxone efficacy when used as definitive monotherapy to treat infections. Methods: This retrospective cohort included adult inpatients treated with ceftriaxone monotherapy for ≥72 h between July 01, 2015–July 31, 2017. Patients were excluded if their infection lacked source control within 72 h or if they had polymicrobial infections requiring more than one antibiotic for definitive therapy. The primary outcome was the rate of clinical failure between obese versus non-obese patients, defined as a composite of (1) change in definitive therapy > 72 h due to clinical worsening; (2) residual leukocytosis (white blood cell count (WBC) > 10 × 109/L) > 72 h after treatment initiation; (3) presence of a fever (single temperature > 100.9 °F) > 72 h after treatment initiation; or (4) readmission within 30 days due to re-infection with the same organism. Results: A total of 101 patients were included in the study: 39 obese and 62 non-obese. The most common indications for ceftriaxone were urinary tract (52.5%), respiratory tract (24.8%), and bloodstream (24.8%) infections. The most commonly isolated organisms were Escherichia coli (48.5%) and Klebsiella species (15.8%). Most patients received 1g every 24 h. Clinical failure was observed in 61.5% of obese patients versus 40.3% of non-obese patients (p = 0.038). Conclusion: Obese patients treated with ceftriaxone were more likely to experience clinical failure when compared to non-obese patients. Further analyses are warranted to determine if weight-based dosing is required in obese patients treated with ceftriaxone.
Hybrid Adaptive Lossless Image Compression Based on Discrete Wavelet Transform
Authors: Starosolski Roman
Published: July 2020

A new hybrid transform for lossless image compression exploiting a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and prediction is the main new contribution of this paper. Simple prediction is generally considered ineffective in conjunction with DWT but we applied it to subbands of DWT modified using reversible denoising and lifting steps (RDLSs) with step skipping. The new transform was constructed in an image-adaptive way using heuristics and entropy estimation. For a large and diverse test set consisting of 499 photographic and 247 non-photographic (screen content) images, we found that RDLS with step skipping allowed effectively combining DWT with prediction. Using prediction, we nearly doubled the JPEG 2000 compression ratio improvements that could be obtained using RDLS with step skipping. Because for some images it might be better to apply prediction instead of DWT, we proposed compression schemes with various tradeoffs, which are practical contributions of this study. Compared with unmodified JPEG 2000, one scheme improved the compression ratios of photographic and non-photographic images, on average, by 1.2% and 30.9%, respectively, at the cost of increasing the compression time by 2% and introducing only minimal modifications to JPEG 2000. Greater ratio improvements, exceeding 2% and 32%, respectively, are attainable at a greater cost.