bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pengurangan Kadar Lignin Pada Biomassa Lignoselulosik Menggunakan Urea Untuk Meningkatkan Perolehan Glukosa Bahan Mentah Bioetanol
Authors: Octavia Silvi
Published: October 2016

Secara umum konversi lignoselulosa menjadi bioetanol dilakukan dalam 4 (empat)  proses, pengolahan awal, sakarifikasi, fermentasi, dan pemurnian (distilasi). Pengolahan awal dipandang sebagai tahap yang membutuhkan biaya paling tinggi. Untuk itu perkembangan penelitian diarahkan pada pencarian dan pemanfaatan teknologi pengolahan awal yang   ekonomis, sehingga dapat menurunkan biaya dan terutama dapat dikembangkan di negara berkembang seperti Indonesia. Salah satu teknologi yang diharapkan dapat memenuhi persyaratan ini adalah teknologi perendaman menggunakan amoniak ataupun turunan amoniak. Amoniak diyakini mempunyai selektifitas yang tinggi terhadap lignin (delignifikasi) sehingga dapat meningkatkan perolehan gula fermentasi pada proses sakarifikasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan urea, yang mengandung amoniak 5% (b/v) pada kondisi 100oC dan 1 atm, sebagai bahan pendelignifikasi dan mengkaji ketercernaan bahan produk rendaman (berupa tandan kosong sawit dan bagas sorgum manis) oleh enzim selulosa. Hasil penelitian menunjukan peningkatan gula hasil hidrolisis enzim sebanyak 144% dibandingkan hidrolisis bahan tanpa pengolahan awal.
Performance Improvement of Digital Hearing Aid Systems
Authors: Alimi Isiaka Ajewale
Published: October 2016

Digital hearing aids addresses the issues of noise and speech intelligibility that is associated with the analogue types. One of the main functions of the digital signal processor (DSP) of digital hearing aid systems is noise reduction which can be achieved by speech enhancement algorithms which in turn improve system performance and flexibility. However, studies have shown that the quality of experience (QoE) with some of the current hearing aids is not up to expectation in a noisy environment due to interfering sound, background noise and reverberation. It is also suggested that noise reduction features of the DSP can be further improved accordingly. Recently, we proposed an adaptive spectral subtraction algorithm to enhance the performance of communication systems and address the issue of associated musical noise generated by the conventional spectral subtraction algorithm. The effectiveness of the algorithm has been confirmed by different objective and subjective evaluations. In this study, an adaptive spectral subtraction algorithm is implemented using the noise-estimation algorithm for highly non-stationary noisy environments instead of the voice activity detection (VAD) employed in our previous work due to its effectiveness. Also, signal to residual spectrum ratio (SR) is implemented in order to control the amplification distortion for speech intelligibility improvement. The results show that the proposed scheme gives comparatively better performance and can be easily employed in digital hearing aid system for improving speech quality and intelligibility.
A Study of a various Acoustic Beamforming Techniques Using a Microphone Array
Authors: Abdalla Ahmed , Mohammed Suhad , Abdalla Abdelazeim , Bin Tang , Ramadan Mohammed
Published: October 2016

In this paper, A study of numerous acoustic beamforming algorithms is carried out. Beamforming algorithms are techniques utilize to determine the Direction of arrival of (DOA) the speech signals while suppress out the corresponding noises and interferences. The simple delay and sum beamformer technique which use the constrained least mean squares (LMS) filter for spatial filtering is firstly investigated. Secondly, a constrained least mean square algorithm (also known as Frost Beamformer) is considered. The beamformer algorithms are simulated in MATLAB and therefore, the simulation results indicate that there a significant enhancement in the Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR) for frost beamformer as compared to the simple delay and sum beamformer.
Fast reverse converter Architecture for Balanced Five Moduli Set {2n, 2n+1, 2n-1, 2n+1-1, 2n-1-1}
Authors: Esmaeildoust Mohammad , Sharifi Sakineh
Published: October 2016

In this paper fast residue-to-binary converter for the moduli sets {2n, 2n+1, 2n-1, 2n+1-1, 2n-1-1} will be presented. The reverse converter architecture has three step designs includes Chinese Reminder Theorem (CRT) in first step and mixed radix conversion (MRC) for second and third steps. Comparison with the state-of-the-arts works in literature confirms that the proposed architecture improves the speed of residue-to-binary conversion and has excellence in hardware saving.
A Quantitative Approach of Reversible Logic Gates in QCA
Authors: Shafi Abdullah Al , Bahar Ali Newaz , Islam Md Shifatul
Published: October 2016

Abstract—Quantum Dot Cellular Automata (QCA) is an eminent nano-technology and solution of Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) for it’s computation and transformation procedure. It is attractive for it’s size, faster speed, high scalable feature, low power consumption and higher switching frequency compared to CMOS technology. Reversible logic has many factual operation in QCA as well as VLSI design, nanotechnology, digital signal processing (DSP). This paper presents a systematic design of reversible gate based on QCA. A modified pattern of Fredkin gate, MCL gate and a new scheme of URG gate, BJN gate is proposed in this paper. For design and verification QCADesigner, a widely used simulation tool is employed. The proposed circuits can be used in erecting of nano scale low power information processing system and modelingcomplex computing systems.
A Survey of Side-Channel Sensing in Wireless Networked Systems
Authors: Chi Zicheng , Zhu Ting , Jiang Dingde , Yi Ping
Published: October 2016

In recent years, Side-Channel Sensing(SCS) became hotter and hotter in wireless network (a type of computer network that uses wireless data connection to connect network nodes) and mobile computing (a computer is transported during usage) systems. People found that sensors, RF radios, or even daily used lamps potentially can have more and stronger functionalities than their original purposes. Usually, the SCS can enable new application, save energy, perform novel communication or provide special data. Because of SCS, the fields such as Human-Computer Interaction, Indoor Localization and Device-to-Device Communication got further improved. In this paper, we perform a comprehensive survey on Side-Channel Sensing and analyze the concerns on energy, communication, and data. To do this, we firstly classify the recent studies by original purposes and extensional purposes. Later, we analyze the energy, communication, and data concerns on the technical layer. Eventually, we provide a summary on related works. Our survey covers more than 60 studies in recent three years from relative high ranked conferences.       In recent years, Side-Channel Sensing(SCS) became hotter and hotter in wireless network (a type of computer network that uses wireless data connection to connect network nodes) and mobile computing (a computer is transported during usage) systems. People found that sensors, RF radios, or even daily used lamps potentially can have more and stronger functionalities than their original purposes. Usually, the SCS can enable new application, save energy, perform novel communication or provide special data. Because of SCS, the fields such as Human-Computer Interaction, Indoor Localization and Device-to-Device Communication got further improved. In this paper, we perform a comprehensive survey on Side-Channel Sensing and analyze the concerns on energy, communication, and data. To do this, we firstly classify the recent studies by original purposes and extensional purposes. Later, we analyze the energy, communication, and data concerns on the technical layer. Eventually, we provide a summary on related works. Our survey covers more than 60 studies in recent three years from relative high ranked conferences.
Developing a common cloud platform to manage Ghana’s healthcare system. Case study: Ghana Health Service (GHS)
Authors: Adueni Isaac Akuamoah-Boateng , Hayfron-Acquah James Ben , Panford Joseph Kobina
Published: October 2016

Cloud computing integration into healthcare services can bring about significant benefits economically, and increase the formation and effective organization of integrated healthcare delivery systems. The second section contains data from different sources, takes a gander at cloud applications in healthcare from the perspective of governmental offices, researchers and computer specialists. This work sorts to create a common cloud platform that can be used to manage Ghana’s healthcare delivery system. The application of innovative information technology driven services in healthcare systems has the potential to enhance operational efficiency, provide collaboration and improve patient outcomes. Available information indicates that healthcare services are in dire need of attention with respect to providing efficient, cost effective and timely delivery of healthcare services. It details different shades of opinion, experience, applicability the development, use and integration of cloud technology into healthcare systems.
Diurnal Variation of Surface Radio Refractivity Over Three Meteorological Stations in Nigeria
Authors: Adegboyega Gabriel Adisa , Sadiq Temitope
Published: October 2016

Analysis and study of the vertical variation of refractivity in the troposphere is required for radio systems planning in order to achieve successful operation. The diurnal variation of surface radio refractivity over three meteorological stations in Nigeria is presented. The stations include Lagos-Ikeja (6⁰35’N, 3⁰40’E), Akure (7⁰15’09”N, 5⁰11’35”E) and Minna (9⁰37’N, 6⁰32’E). Monthly mean values of temperature, pressure and relative humidity were used to compute refractivity for three stations. The surface refractivity also shows latitudinal and seasonal variation. The maximum refractivity values were obtained for Ikeja (Lagos) of 394 N-units, Akure of 404 N-units and Minna of 364 N-units.
Adsorption and removal of bisphenol A from aqueous solution by p-phenylenediamine modified magnetic graphene oxide
Authors: Tang Xiaosheng , Tang Ping , Si Shihui , Liu Liangliang
Published: October 2016

p-Phenylenediamine functionalized magnetic graphene oxide nanocomposites
(PPD-MGO) were prepared and utilized in the adsorption and removal of
bisphenol A in aqueous solution. The novel nanomaterials were characterized
by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier infrared spectrometry
(FT-IR) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The factors affected the
adsorption of bisphenol A including adsorption time, temperature and pH of
solution, adsorption kinetics and isotherms were all investigated. The
results showed that PPD-MGO nanomaterial exhibited good adsorption ability
for bisphenol A and good resuability. The maximum adsorption capacity reached
155.0 mg g-1 at 45?C and pH 7. The removal rate was 99.2 % after three times
of adsorption with new nanomaterials. After five cycles adsorption, the
adsorption capacity of PPD-MGO remained at 94.0 %. The adsorption of
bisphenol A was found that fitted pseudo second order kinetics equations and
the Freundlich adsorption model. The experimental results showed the PPD-MGO
nanomaterial had a good adsorption ability to remove organic compounds in
aqueous solution.
Immobilization of cell wall invertase in polyacrylamide hydrogel for invert sugar production
Authors: Margetic Aleksandra , Vujcic Zoran
Published: October 2016

Cell wall invertase (CWI) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae was immobilized in polyacrylamide hydrogels. The aim of the development of a new biocatalyst was to obtain an improved enzyme for invert sugar production. The monomer concentration and enzyme amount in the immobilizate were optimized, and the obtained biocatalyst had an enzyme activity of 138?6 IU g-1. The pH and temperature optima were 4.0 and 70 ?C, respectively. The stability of immobilized enzyme was determined at several temperatures in the absence of substrate and the half-life obtained at 50 ?C was 81 days, at 60 ?C, 128 min and at 70?C, 1.24 min. The biocatalyst was tested at low pH values, 3.0 and 3.5 were tested, and showed great stability. The KM values were 34.1?1.7 and 126.2?6.3 mM for free and immobilized CWI, respectively. The activation energies were 37.7 and 23.0 kJ mol-1 for free and immobilized CWI, respectively. Cell wall invertase immobilized in polyacrylamide hydrogel (CWI?PAA) was tested for the production of high concentrated invert sugar in a batch and a packed bed reactor. After five days of continuous process, the quality and characteristics of the produced invert sugar remained unchanged.
Intratendinous ganglion cyst of peroneus brevis tendon and its reconstruction with semitendinosus graft
Authors: Frangez Igor , Nizic-Kos Tea , Cimerman Matej
Published: October 2016

Introduction. A ganglion cyst is a common benign tumor, mainly found in the wrist and ankle. The ones originating from a tendon, such as in our case, are the most rare. The ganglion cyst presents with a variety of symptoms, offering a wide range of possible differential diagnoses. Physical examination is crucial to make an accurate diagnosis, but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help in identifying the ganglion cyst. The treatment is mostly conservative, but in cases when the ganglion cyst disables the patient?s ability for normal life functioning, due to pain and decreased mobility, surgery is necessary. Case report. A 38-year-old female with persistent ankle pain and edema was clinically diagnosed with luxation of peroneal tendons. Further investigation with MRI showed tenosynovitis of peroneal ten-dons and rupture of the superior peroneal retinaculum with an intratendinous ganglion cyst of peroneus brevis tendon. Surgical treatment with the reconstruction of peroneus brevis and peroneal retinaculum was performed with semitendinosus graft and anchor sutures. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of the intratendinous ganglion. After four months of rehabilitation, the patient returned to normal daily and sports activities and was pain-free on the follow-up. No recurrence of the ganglion cyst was acknowledged. Conclusion. Surgery is crucial for patients with intratendinous ganglion cyst and symptomatic instability of the peroneal tendons with chronic subluxation.
Surgical treatment of osteoporotic fractures
Authors: Milenkovic Sasa , Mitkovic Milorad , Mitkovic Milan
Published: October 2016

nema
Lifetime Duration of Depressive Disorders in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: de Groot Mary , Crick Kent A. , Long Molly , Saha Chandan , Shubrook Jay H.
Published: October 2016

OBJECTIVE

Depression in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with long-term complications, disability, and early mortality. No studies have systematically examined the length of episodes and remission in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) and T2D. This study examined the course of depressive disorders in patients with T2D and MDD.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Participants (N = 50) enrolled in a behavioral intervention for adults with T2D and MDD were interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR to assess history of depressive disorders at baseline (lifetime history), postintervention, and 3-month follow-up. Onset and remission dates were recorded for all Axis I depressive disorders from birth to final interview.

RESULTS

Average number of MDD episodes was 1.8 with a mean duration of 23.4 months (SD 31.9; range 0.5–231.3). Over the life course, mean exposure to MDD was 43.1 months (SD 46.5; range 0.5–231.3). Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis indicated median episode duration decreased with subsequent episodes (14 months, first episode; 9 months, second episode; P < 0.002). In patients with multiple depressive episodes, recovery time was shorter with each subsequent episode (P = 0.002). No differences in length of episode or remission were observed based on chronology of T2D diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall exposure to depression in this sample of adults with T2D represents a substantial period of time that can contribute to negative medical and psychiatric outcomes. Recurrent episodes decrease in duration as do recovery periods, resulting in a waxing and waning pattern. Findings from this study underscore the need to effectively diagnose and treat depression in patients with T2D to minimize risk of future depressive episodes.
Operationalizing and Examining Family Planning Vigilance in Adult Women With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Sereika Susan M. , Becker Dorothy , Schmitt Patricia , Powell A. Blair , Diaz Ana Maria , Fischl Andrea F.R. , Thurheimer-Cacciotti Jennifer , Herman William H. , Charron-Prochownik Denise
Published: October 2016

OBJECTIVE

Because unplanned pregnancies could cause maternal-fetal complications for women with diabetes, family planning vigilance (FPV) is imperative. The aims of this article are to operationalize and describe FPV and examine the associations among FPV behaviors and diabetes self-care management (DSM) and health outcomes of women with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Retrospective data were used from a follow-up study of adult women with T1D who participated as adolescents in a preconception counseling (PC) intervention trial and matched comparison women with T1D who did not receive the adolescent PC intervention. Participants completed online questionnaires regarding family planning behaviors, DSM, and clinical and reproductive health outcomes.

RESULTS

Participants (N = 102) were, on average, 23.7 years old (range 18–38) and 98.0% were white, 82.2% had some college, 25.8% were married, and 11.8% had biological children. Of those sexually active (n = 80, 78.4%), 50% were contraceptive vigilant and 11% were FPV (i.e., being contraceptive vigilant, receiving PC, and initiating discussions with health care professionals). Among FPV behaviors, only receiving PC and initiating discussion with health care professionals were correlated (r = 0.29, P = 0.010). Compared with nonvigilant women, contraceptive vigilant and FPV women used more effective contraceptive methods (P = 0.025) and experienced less diabetic ketoacidosis (P = 0.040) and hospitalizations (P = 0.064), whereas FPV women were aware of PC (P = 0.046) and younger when they received PC (P < 0.001). FPV components were associated with DSM and health outcomes (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Women with diabetes should be FPV, but few were. FPV women were more likely to have PC earlier and better health outcomes, supporting early PC intervention.
Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
Authors: Barnes Jessica
Published: October 2016

Wheat is one of the world’s most widely grown, traded, and consumed crops. This article reviews the interdisciplinary literature on human-wheat interactions, tracing how various actors engage with wheat up until its point of consumption. I look first at wheat as a seed, examining efforts to transform wheat over time through farmer selection and scientific breeding, and the emergence of high-yielding wheat, hybrid wheat, and genetically modified wheat. Second, I look at wheat as a plant and what it means to farm wheat. I highlight two key dimensions of farmer-wheat interactions—farmers’ choice of variety and their management of risk. Finally, I look at wheat as a grain and the practices of transportation, sorting, and trade that mediate flows of harvested grain from field to market. Through reviewing these three areas of literature, the article reveals the social worlds that both shape and are shaped by this globally significant crop.
Language, Identity and Conflict: Examining Collective Identity through the Labels of the Palestinians in Israel
Authors: Amara Muhammad
Published: October 2016

This article argues that the identity labels attached to the Palestinians in Israel resulted from a reciprocal interchange of ideas between the Israeli political establishment and the Palestinians themselves, as part of the struggle over identity between the two parties. Each side chose identity labeling criteria that fit its narrative. This shows that such labels are not mere terms but rather serve through their historical evolution and political context to reflect the struggle for collective identity by Palestinian citizens among themselves as well as with the Zionist establishment of Israel, and highlights their symbolic significance. The main question which this paper attempts to answer is how the collective identity of the Palestinian citizens of Israel was shaped and determined within the Israeli context.
Acoustic-Based Cutting Pattern Recognition for Shearer through Fuzzy C-Means and a Hybrid Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Xu Jing , Wang Zhongbin , Wang Jiabiao , Tan Chao , Zhang Lin , Liu Xinhua
Published: October 2016

As the conventional cutting pattern recognition methods for shearer are huge in size, have low recognition reliability and an inconvenient contacting measurement method, a fast and reliable coal-rock cutting pattern recognition system is always a baffling problem worldwide. However, the recognition rate has a direct relation with the outputs of coal mining and the safety quality of staff. In this paper, a novel cutting pattern identification method through the cutting acoustic signal of the shearer is proposed. The signal is clustering by fuzzy C-means (FCM) and a hybrid optimization algorithm, combining the fruit fly and genetic optimization algorithm (FGOA). Firstly, an industrial microphone is installed on the shearer and the acoustic signal is collected as the source signal due to its obvious advantages of compact size, non-contact measurement and ease of remote transmission. The original sound is decomposed by multi-resolution wavelet packet transform (WPT), and the normalized energy of each node is extracted as a feature vector. Then, FGOA, by introducing a genetic proportion coefficient into the basic fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA), is applied to overcome the disadvantages of being time-consuming and sensitivity to initial centroids of the traditional FCM. A simulation example, with the accuracy of 95%, and some comparisons prove the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed scheme. Finally, an industrial test validates the practical effect.
A Modified Thermal Treatment Method for the Up-Scalable Synthesis of Size-Controlled Nanocrystalline Titania
Authors: Keiteb Aysar , Saion Elias , Zakaria Azmi , Soltani Nayereh , Abdullahi Nura
Published: October 2016

Considering the increasing demand for titania nanoparticles with controlled quality for various applications, the present work reports the up-scalable synthesis of size-controlled titanium dioxide nanocrystals with a simple and convenient thermal treatment route. Titanium dioxide nanocrystals with tetragonal structure were synthesized directly from an aqueous solution containing titanium (IV) isopropoxide as the main reactant, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as the capping agent, and deionized water as a solvent. With the elimination of the drying process in a thermal treatment method, an attempt was made to decrease the synthesis time. The mixture directly underwent calcination to form titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanocrystalline powder, which was confirmed by FT-IR, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The control over the size and optical properties of nanocrystals was achieved via variation in calcination temperatures. The obtained average sizes from XRD spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed exponential variation with increasing calcination temperature. The optical properties showed a decrease in the band gap energy with increasing calcination temperature due to the enlargement of the nanoparticle size. These results prove that direct calcination of reactant solution is a convenient thermal treatment route for the potential large-scale production of size-controlled Titania nanoparticles.
Multiyear Rainfall and Temperature Trends in the Volta River Basin and their Potential Impact on Hydropower Generation in Ghana
Authors: Kabo-Bah Amos , Diji Chuks. , Nokoe Kaku , Mulugetta Yacob , Obeng-Ofori Daniel , Akpoti Komlavi
Published: October 2016

The effects of temperature and rainfall changes on hydropower generation in Ghana from 1960–2011 were examined to understand country-wide trends of climate variability. Moreover, the discharge and the water level trends for the Akosombo reservoir from 1965–2014 were examined using the Mann-Kendall test statistic to assess localised changes. The annual temperature trend was positive while rainfall showed both negative and positive trends in different parts of the country. However, these trends were not statistically significant in the study regions in 1960 to 2011. Rainfall was not evenly distributed throughout the years, with the highest rainfall recorded between 1960 and 1970 and the lowest rainfalls between 2000 and 2011. The Mann-Kendall test shows an upward trend for the discharge of the Akosombo reservoir and a downward trend for the water level. However, the discharge irregularities of the reservoir do not necessarily affect the energy generated from the Akosombo plant, but rather the regular low flow of water into the reservoir affected power generation. This is the major concern for the operations of the Akosombo hydropower plant for energy generation in Ghana.
Study of Dislocations in the Minicrystallized Regions in Multicrystalline Silicon Grown by the Directional Solidification Method
Authors: Chen Nan , Qiu Shenyu , Huang Jianhua , Du Guoping , Liu Guihua
Published: October 2016

Directionally solidified multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si)-based solar cells have dominated the global photovoltaic market in recent years. The photovoltaic performance of mc-Si solar cells is strongly influenced by their crystalline defects. The occurrence of minicrystallization results in much smaller grain size and, therefore, a larger number of grain boundaries in mc-Si ingots. Dislocations in the minicrystallized regions have been rarely investigated in the literature. In this work, optical microscopy was used to investigate dislocations in the mincrystallized regions in mc-Si ingots grown by the directional solidification method. The distribution of dislocations was found to be highly inhomogeneous from one grain to another in the mincrystallized regions. High inhomogeneity of dislocation distribution was also observed in individual grains. Serious shunting behavior was observed in the mc-Si solar cells containing minicrystallized regions, which strongly deteriorates their photovoltaic properties. The shunting was found to be highly localized to the minicrystallized regions.
Comparative Analysis of Battery Behavior with Different Modes of Discharge for Optimal Capacity Sizing and BMS Operation
Authors: Abbas Mazhar , Kim Eung-sang , Kim Seul-ki , Kim Yun-su
Published: October 2016

Battery-operated systems are always concerned about the proper management and sizing of a battery. A Traditional Battery Management System (BMS) only includes battery-aware task scheduling based on the discharge characteristics of a whole battery pack and do not take into account the mode of the load being served by the battery. On the other hand, an efficient and intelligent BMS should monitor the battery at a cell level and track the load with significant consideration of the load mode. Depending upon the load modes, the common modes of discharge (MOD) of a battery identified so far are Constant Power Mode (CPM), Constant Current Mode (CCM) and Constant Impedance Mode (CIM). This paper comparatively analyzes the discharging behavior of batteries at an individual cell level for different load modes. The difference in discharging behavior from mode to mode represents the study of the mode-dependent behavior of the battery before its deployment in some application. Based on simulation results, optimal capacity sizing and BMS operation of battery for an assumed situation in a remote microgrid has been proposed.
Protective Effect of Pretreatment with Acenocoumarol in Cerulein-Induced Acute Pancreatitis
Authors: Warzecha Zygmunt , Sendur Paweł , Ceranowicz Piotr , Dembiński Marcin , Cieszkowski Jakub , Kuśnierz-Cabala Beata , Olszanecki Rafał , Tomaszewska Romana , Ambroży Tadeusz , Dembiński Artur
Published: October 2016

Coagulation is recognized as a key player in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The aim of the current research was to examine the effect of pretreatment with acenocoumarol on the development of acute pancreatitis (AP) evoked by cerulein. Methods: AP was induced in rats by cerulein administered intraperitoneally. Acenocoumarol (50, 100 or 150 µg/kg/dose/day) or saline were given once daily for seven days before AP induction. Results: In rats with AP, pretreatment with acenocoumarol administered at the dose of 50 or 100 µg/kg/dose/day improved pancreatic histology, reducing the degree of edema and inflammatory infiltration, and vacuolization of acinar cells. Moreover, pretreatment with acenocoumarol given at the dose of 50 or 100 µg/kg/dose/day reduced the AP-evoked increase in pancreatic weight, serum activity of amylase and lipase, and serum concentration of pro-inflammatory interleukin-1β, as well as ameliorated pancreatic DNA synthesis and pancreatic blood flow. In contrast, acenocoumarol given at the dose of 150 μg/kg/dose did not exhibit any protective effect against cerulein-induced pancreatitis. Conclusion: Low doses of acenocoumarol, given before induction of AP by cerulein, inhibit the development of that inflammation.
Behavior of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Various Titanium-Based Coatings
Authors: Qu Chengjuan , Kaitainen Salla , Kröger Heikki , Lappalainen Reijo , Lammi Mikko
Published: October 2016

The chemical composition and texture of titanium coatings can influence the growth characteristics of the adhered cells. An enhanced proliferation of the human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) would be beneficial. The present study was aimed to investigate whether titanium deposited at different atmospheres would affect the cell growth properties, cellular morphology, and expression of surface markers of hMSCs. Titanium-based coatings were deposited on silicon wafers under oxygen, nitrogen, or argon atmospheres by ultra-short pulsed laser deposition using two different gas pressures followed by heating at 400 °C for 2 h. The characteristics of the coated surfaces were determined via contact angle, zeta potential, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Human MSCs were cultivated on differently coated silicon wafers for 48 h. Subsequently, the cell proliferation rates were analyzed with an MTT assay. The phenotype of hMSCs was checked via immunocytochemical stainings of MSC-associated markers CD73, CD90, and CD105, and the adhesion, spreading, and morphology of hMSCs on coated materials via SEM. The cell proliferation rates of the hMSCs were similar on all coated silicon wafers. The hMSCs retained the MSC phenotype by expressing MSC-associated markers and fibroblast-like morphology with cellular projections. Furthermore, no significant differences could be found in the size of the cells when cultured on all various coated surfaces. In conclusion, despite certain differences in the contact angles and the zeta potentials of various titanium-based coatings, no single coating markedly improved the growth characteristics of hMSCs.
Tetrandrine Induces Apoptosis of Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma NPC-TW 076 Cells through Reactive Oxygen Species Accompanied by an Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Signaling Pathway
Authors: Lin Ya-Jing , Peng Shu-Fen , Lin Meng-Liang , Kuo Chao-Lin , Lu Kung-Wen , Liao Ching-Lung , Ma Yi-Shih , Chueh Fu-Shin , Liu Kuo-Ching , Yu Fu-Shun , Chung Jing-Gung
Published: October 2016

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an epithelial malignancy of the head and neck and the incidence is higher in Southeast Asia. Tetrandrine (TET) is a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, a natural product, and exhibits biological activities including action against many human cancer cell lines. However, the molecular mechanism of TET-induced cell apoptosis in human NPC cells is still unclear. In the present study, we investigated TET-induced apoptotic cell death and associated possible signal pathways on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma NPC-TW 076 cells in vitro. Phase contrast microscopy was used to examine cell morphology and DAPI staining was used to examine chromatin condensation. Flow cytometry assay was used to measure total viable cells, cell cycle and sub-G1 phase distribution, reactive oxygen species (ROS), Ca2+, and mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨm) in NPC-TW 076 cells. Results indicate that TET induced cell death through the cell morphological changes, caused G0/G1 phase arrest, increased ROS and Ca2+ production, and finally caused apoptotic cell death in NPC-TW 076 cells. There was no influence on the level of ΔΨm after TET treatment. Western blotting indicated that TET increased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress associated protein expression such as GADD153, GRP78, ATF-6α and ATF-6 βwhich indicated that TET induced cell death through ER stress. ER stress is a potential target in cancer treatment, so the ability of TET to induce ER stress response and to activate programming cell death in NPC-TW 076 cells make this molecule become a promising anticancer agent.
Nujiangexathone A, a Novel Compound Derived from Garcinia nujiangensis, Induces Caspase-Dependent Apoptosis in Cervical Cancer through the ROS/JNK Pathway
Authors: Zhang Li , Kong Si-Yuan , Zheng Zhao-Qing , Meng Xiao-Xiao , Feng Ji-Ling , Tan Hong-Sheng , Lao Yuan-Zhi , Xiao Lian-Bo , Xu Hong-Xi
Published: October 2016

Nujiangexathone A (NJXA), a novel compound derived from Garcinia nujiangensis, has been demonstrated to inhibit the proliferation of several human cancer cell lines. This study is the first to demonstrate the apoptosis inductive activities of NJXA and the possible underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that NJXA inhibited colony formation by HeLa and SiHa cells in a dose-dependent manner. An Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay showed that NJXA strongly triggered apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Western blotting analyses showed that NJXA induced the caspase-dependent apoptosis of HeLa and SiHa cells by triggering a series of events, including changes in the levels of Bcl-2 family proteins, cytochrome c release, caspase-3 activation, and chromosome fragmentation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that NJXA induced cell apoptosis by activating the reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated JNK signaling pathway. Consistent with this finding, a ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC, 10 mM), hindered NJXA-induced apoptosis and attenuated the sensitivity of HeLa and SiHa cells to NJXA. In vivo results further confirmed that the tumor inhibitory effect of NJXA was partially through the induction of apoptosis. Taken together, our results demonstrated that NJXA induced the apoptosis of HeLa and SiHa cells through the ROS/JNK signaling pathway, indicating that NJXA could be important candidate for the clinical treatment of cervical cancer.
Visual and Plasmon Resonance Absorption Sensor for Adenosine Triphosphate Based on the High Affinity between Phosphate and Zr(IV)
Authors: Qi Wenjing , Liu Zhongyuan , Zhang Wei , Halawa Mohamed , Xu Guobao
Published: October 2016

Zr(IV) can form phosphate and Zr(IV) (–PO32−–Zr4+–) complex owing to the high affinity between Zr(IV) with phosphate. Zr(IV) can induce the aggregation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), while adenosine triphosphate(ATP) can prevent Zr(IV)-induced aggregation of AuNPs. Herein, a visual and plasmon resonance absorption (PRA)sensor for ATP have been developed using AuNPs based on the high affinity between Zr(IV)with ATP. AuNPs get aggregated in the presence of certain concentrations of Zr(IV). After the addition of ATP, ATP reacts with Zr(IV) and prevents AuNPs from aggregation, enabling the detection of ATP. Because of the fast interaction of ATP with Zr(IV), ATP can be detected with a detection limit of 0.5 μM within 2 min by the naked eye. Moreover, ATP can be detected by the PRA technique with higher sensitivity. The A520nm/A650nm values in PRA spectra increase linearly with the concentrations of ATP from 0.1 μM to 15 μM (r = 0.9945) with a detection limit of 28 nM. The proposed visual and PRA sensor exhibit good selectivity against adenosine, adenosine monophosphate, guanosine triphosphate, cytidine triphosphate and uridine triphosphate. The recoveries for the analysis of ATP in synthetic samples range from 95.3% to 102.0%. Therefore, the proposed novel sensor for ATP is promising for real-time or on-site detection of ATP.
Design and Implementation of an Electronic Front-End Based on Square Wave Excitation for Ultrasonic Torsional Guided Wave Viscosity Sensor
Authors: Rabani Amir
Published: October 2016

The market for process instruments generally requires low cost devices that are robust, small in size, portable, and usable in-plant. Ultrasonic torsional guided wave sensors have received much attention by researchers for measurement of viscosity and/or density of fluids in recent years. The supporting electronic systems for these sensors providing many different settings of sine-wave signals are bulky and expensive. In contrast, a system based on bursts of square waves instead of sine waves would have a considerable advantage in that respect and could be built using simple integrated circuits at a cost that is orders of magnitude lower than for a windowed sine wave device. This paper explores the possibility of using square wave bursts as the driving signal source for the ultrasonic torsional guided wave viscosity sensor. A simple design of a compact and fully automatic analogue square wave front-end for the sensor is also proposed. The successful operation of the system is demonstrated by using the sensor for measuring the viscosity in a representative fluid. This work provides the basis for design and manufacture of low cost compact standalone ultrasonic guided wave sensors and enlightens the possibility of using coded excitation techniques utilising square wave sequences in such applications.
ESIPT-Based Photoactivatable Fluorescent Probe for Ratiometric Spatiotemporal Bioimaging
Authors: Zhou Xiaohong , Jiang Yuren , Zhao Xiongjie , Guo Dong
Published: October 2016

Photoactivatable fluorophores have become an important technique for the high spatiotemporal resolution of biological imaging. Here, we developed a novel photoactivatable probe (PHBT), which is based on 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole (HBT), a small organic fluorophore known for its classic luminescence mechanism through excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) with the keto form and the enol form. After photocleavage, PHBT released a ratiometric fluorophore HBT, which showed dual emission bands with more than 73-fold fluorescence enhancement at 512 nm in buffer and more than 69-fold enhancement at 452 nm in bovine serum. The probe displayed a high ratiometric imaging resolution and is believed to have a wide application in biological imaging.
A Cooperative Downloading Method for VANET Using Distributed Fountain Code
Authors: Liu Jianhang , Zhang Wenbin , Wang Qi , Li Shibao , Chen Haihua , Cui Xuerong , Sun Yi
Published: October 2016

Cooperative downloading is one of the effective methods to improve the amount of downloaded data in vehicular ad hoc networking (VANET). However, the poor channel quality and short encounter time bring about a high packet loss rate, which decreases transmission efficiency and fails to satisfy the requirement of high quality of service (QoS) for some applications. Digital fountain code (DFC) can be utilized in the field of wireless communication to increase transmission efficiency. For cooperative forwarding, however, processing delay from frequent coding and decoding as well as single feedback mechanism using DFC cannot adapt to the environment of VANET. In this paper, a cooperative downloading method for VANET using concatenated DFC is proposed to solve the problems above. The source vehicle and cooperative vehicles encodes the raw data using hierarchical fountain code before they send to the client directly or indirectly. Although some packets may be lost, the client can recover the raw data, so long as it receives enough encoded packets. The method avoids data retransmission due to packet loss. Furthermore, the concatenated feedback mechanism in the method reduces the transmission delay effectively. Simulation results indicate the benefits of the proposed scheme in terms of increasing amount of downloaded data and data receiving rate.
Landscape Analysis to Assess the Impact of Development Projects on Forests
Authors: Choi Jaeyong , Lee Sanghyuk , Ji Seung , Jeong Jong-Chul , Lee Peter
Published: October 2016

The consistent demand for development of forest lands in South Korea has resulted in the need for a new approach to estimate environmental impacts in order to sustainably manage forests. In this study, two types of development were selected: golf courses and industrial complexes. Using FRAGSTATS ver. 4.2 (University of Massachussetts, Amherst, MA, USA), the fragmentation effects of each development type were analyzed based on forest area within project sites and buffer zones ranging up to 2000 m. Each type had representative landscape metrics reflecting the average impact ranges by forest area: “Number of Patches”, “Patch Density” and “Total Edge Length” for golf courses; “Number of Patches”, “Patch Density” and “Connectance Index” for industrial complexes. Golf courses with the smallest forest area had a larger impact range than those with larger forest areas. For industrial complexes, the impact range increased with forest area. Although individual sites exhibited some variation in impact range, they were generally consistent with the overall patterns observed. Investigating tree growth by buffer zone showed the ecological effect of development. To comprehensively manage development of forest lands, further research on other development types is needed. These results could be useful for creating a decision-making system with regard to development on forest lands.
Analysis and GIS Mapping of Flooding Hazards on 10 May 2016, Guangzhou, China
Authors: Lyu Hai-Min , Wang Guo-Fu , Shen Jack , Lu Lin-Hai , Wang Guo-Quan
Published: October 2016

On 10 May 2016, Guangdong Province, China, suffered a heavy rainstorm. This rainstorm flooded the whole city of Guangzhou. More than 100,000 people were affected by the flooding, in which eight people lost their lives. Subway stations, cars, and buses were submerged. In order to analyse the influential factors of this flooding, topographical characteristics were mapped using Digital Elevation Model (DEM) by the Geographical Information System (GIS) and meteorological conditions were statistically summarised at both the whole city level and the district level. To analyse the relationship between flood risk and urbanization, GIS was also adopted to map the effect of the subway system using the Multiple Buffer operator over the flooding distribution area. Based on the analyses, one of the significant influential factors of flooding was identified as the urbanization degree, e.g., construction of a subway system, which forms along flood-prone areas. The total economic loss due to flooding in city centers with high urbanization has become very serious. Based on the analyses, the traditional standard of severity of flooding hazards (rainfall intensity grade) was modified. Rainfall intensity for severity flooding was decreased from 50 mm to 30 mm in urbanized city centers. In order to protect cities from flooding, a “Sponge City” planning approach is recommended to increase the temporary water storage capacity during heavy rainstorms. In addition, for future city management, the combined use of GIS and Building Information Modelling (BIM) is recommended to evaluate flooding hazards.
False positives and false negatives measure less than 0.001% in labeling ssDNA with osmium tetroxide 2,2’-bipyridine
Authors: Kanavarioti Anastassia
Published: October 2016

Osmium tetroxide 2,2’-bipyridine (OsBp) is known to react with pyrimidines in ssDNA and preferentially label deoxythymine (T) over deoxycytosine (C). The product, osmylated DNA, was proposed as a surrogate for nanopore-based DNA sequencing due to OsBp’s “perfect” label attributes. Osmylated deoxyoligos translocate unassisted and measurably slow via sub-2 nm SiN solid-state nanopores, as well as via the alpha-hemolysin (α-HL) pore. Both nanopores discriminate clearly between osmylated and intact nucleobase; α-HL was also shown to discriminate between osmylated T and osmylated C. Experiments presented here confirm that the kinetics of osmylation are comparable for short oligos and long ssDNA and show that pyrimidine osmylation is practically complete in two hours at room temperature with less than 15 mM OsBp. Under the proposed labeling conditions: deoxyoligo backbone degradation measures less than 1/1,000,000; false positives such as osmylated deoxyadenine (A) and osmylated deoxyguanine (G) measure less than 1/100,000; false negatives, i.e., unosmylated C measure less than 1/10,000; and unosmylated T must measure substantially lower than 1/10,000 due to the 27-fold higher reactivity of T compared to C. However, osmylated C undergoes degradation that amounts to about 1–2% for the duration of the labeling protocol. This degradation may be further characterized, possibly suppressed, and the properties of the degradation products via nanopore translocation can be evaluated to assure base calling quality in a DNA sequencing effort.
Social Responsibility and Commitment in Management Institutes: Mediation by Engagement
Authors: Gupta Manish , Sayeed Omer
Published: October 2016

Due to its major influence on individual’s performance, engagement is increasingly becoming popular among practitioners. While its influence on performance has been well established, research on the influence of variables related to organizations on engagement is still in its nascent stage. Therefore, this study examines the mediating role of employee engagement in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) – organizational commitment relationship. Multiple regression results using responses from 150 academics working in Indian management institutes predominantly owned by business groups partially support the relationships hypothesized. The findings may encourage Indian management institutes owned by business groups to consider CSR in teaching and research as serious investment areas in order to have a more engaged and committed workforce.
Model of Market Orientation of High-Tech Firms in Germany: Validation Study
Authors: Jangl Patrik
Published: October 2016

The aim of this validation study was to verify a four-factor model of market orientation on a sample of German high-tech companies in the manufacturing industry. A modified version of the measuring scale (MMOS), composed of twelve items, was used for measurement. The target group consisted of business and marketing managers (N = 374) who recorded their answers on a seven-point Likert scale. The main methods used to achieve the objectives were exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Having verified the psychometric properties of the instrument, I proceeded to confirm the hypothesis of a four-factor solution model. Reliability and validity of the measuring instrument was also examined, which allowed a confirmation of the second hypothesis. The research may serve as the evidence of the instrument suitability for measuring market orientation in European cultural conditions. To obtain results from other sectors, the author recommends further research replication using the MMOS instrument.