bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
STUDY OF EFFECT OF EMS, MMS AND GR ON YIELD CONTRIBUTING TRAITS IN URDBEAN, VIGNA MUNGO
Authors: SAGADE A. B.
Published: February 2019

The study of the effect of three well known mutagens, ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS), methyl methane sulphonate (MMS) and gamma rays (GR) on the yield contributing traits of the urdbean variety TPU-4 were carried out in the M3 generation. Effect of selected mutagenic treatments/doses of EMS (0.02, 0.03 and 0.04 M), MMS (0.0025, 0.05 and 0.01 M) and (GR) (30, 40 and 50 KR) on different yield contributing traits like plant height, plant spread, number of pods per plant, pod length, number of seeds per pod, seed yield per plant and 100 seed weight were analyzed in the M3 populations of the variety TPU-4. Seeds of M2 plants and control were harvested separately and sown to raise M3 population.. Genetic variabilty in the mutagen administered M3 progeny of the urdbean variety TPU-4 was analyzed by employing statistical methods. Data on mean values and shift in the mean of seven quantitative traits was evaluated on individual plant basis. The experimental findings revealed that concentrations / dose of the all these mutagens showed inhibitory effect on plant height, number of pods per plant, pod length and number of seeds per pod. Lower concentrations of mutagens exerted a promotory effect on plant spread, 100 seed weight and seed yield per plant while higher concentrations of these mutagens inhibited them to different extent.
FISH DIVERSITY IN RELATION TO FISH ECONOMICS OF BENETURA RESERVOIR FROM MURUM DIST. OSMANABAD (MAHARASHTRA), INDIA
Authors: DANGE S.S. , RAJPUT K.H. , BABARE M. G.
Published: February 2019

An attempt was made to study the fish diversity and analysis of fish economics of Benetura Reservoir from Murum,Dist.Osmanabad in Marathwada region. It is a perennial water body resource for human consumption and agriculture. There is no report on the biodiversity of Benetura Reservoir with special reference to fish diversity and fish economics. In present investigation about 11 species of fish were identified among them 8 abundant, 1 moderate and 2 rare. The importance of fish economics in fish production and analysis of data were also studied.
GROWTH RESPONSE OF VIGNA UNGUICULATA CULTIVATED ON ORGANIC MANURES AND BIOFERTILIZERS
Authors: CHHAYA BHALSHANKAR
Published: February 2019

Vermicompostis is a method of making compost with the use of earthworms. Neem cake is a seed residue left after extraction of oil used as a biopesticide and organic nitrogen fertilizer. Azotobacter bacteria are used as nitrogen fixing biofertilizer and Phosphate solubilizing bacteria. All these organic fertilizers and biofertilizers are managed to study their effect on yield of crop Vignaunguiculata. Treatments are given as VC, NC, Bio,NPK and control in randomized block design. Highest DM yield was shown inVC followed by NPK, BIO, and NC and lowest in CON.
Voting for Radical Right Parties in Europe: The Role of Cultural Change and Party Polarization (Part 2)
Authors: Safronov Viacheslav V.
Published: February 2019

The article is devoted to the problem of rapid growth in recent decades of electoral support for radical right-wing parties in Western, Central and Eastern Europe. It presents the results of empirical testing of the theory of silent counterrevolution and two-dimensional party polarization. Data from the European Social Survey (ESS 2006-14) and content analysis of electoral party manifestos (CMP/MARPOR), and statistics on migrants, electoral institutions and liberal culture for 56 parliamentary elections in 24 European countries were analyzed using two-level logistics modeling. The results show that anti-immigration attitudes and distrust of parliament are the most important distinguishing features of supporters of nationalists and populists. In accordance with the silent counter-revolution theory, the voting mobilization of nationalist supporters in parliamentary elections, according to the facts revealed, depends on the spread of liberal culture in society. The analysis also revealed that the conditions for their mobilization are favorable when party positions in the economic dimension converge and cultural polarization increase at the same time, although this conclusion needs further verification.
From globalization to post-globalization: enclaves of augmented modernity and prospects of social development
Authors: Ivanov Dmitry V.
Published: February 2019

The article presents an attempt to reconceptualize social development and to measure its level for societies facing the post-globalization as globalizing networks and flows paradoxically are localized in super-urban areas. The economic and social divide between the group of the largest cities and the rest of the world supports the idea that globalization has resulted not in the ‘world society’ or ‘worldwide sociality’ but rather in networked enclaves of globality where people experience borderless, multicultural, and mobile social life in the regime of augmented modernity. In the post-globalization age, the ‘core’ of socioeconomic order is dispersed into networks of enclaves of augmented modernity contrasting with exhausted modernity outside them. The nations’ prospects of social development depend on number, size, and influence of cosmopolitan super-urban areas attracting and generating transnational material, human, and symbolic flows. The super-urbanization index is elaborated to measure nations’ prospects under post-globalization conditions. Traditional indices of standard of living and quality of life have to be augmented in the new theoretical model and system of empirical indicators of social development under post-globalization conditions.
Development of Lower Cost Monolithic Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell with Carbon Counter-Electrode
Authors: Agaphela Daniel , Günther Matthias , Kusumocahyo Samuel , Nursam Natalita M.
Published: February 2019

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were developed as low-cost and environmentally friendly alternatives to other types of solar cells. However, due to efficiency and stability shortcomings, and also because of the cost reductions in crystalline Si cells, DSSCs are not yet commercially successful. Several parameters have to be improved, one of which is the cost that should be reduced further. There are two ideas to achieve this: the platinum electrode can be substituted by a cheaper carbon electrode, and the sandwich structure of the cells, with two glass substrates with a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer on them, can be changed to a monolithic structure, in which only one TCO-coated glass substrate is used. In the present project the performance of such monolithic cells with carbon counter-electrode is compared to the performance of cells with sandwich structure that are otherwise identically constructed. The performance assessment was done by means of an I-V curve measurement. The main result is that monolithic cells have a lower efficiency. The data indicate that the internal serial resistance of the monolithic cells was higher than in the sandwich cells. In a further step, three monolithic cells were interconnected in series in a submodule, and the performance of this submodule was assessed. The result indicates that the serial resistance of the three cells that were interconnected in the submodule, including the contacts, was lower than three times the serial resistance of the individual cells including the contacts. This shows that there is a potential for a more efficient usage of monolithic cells by means of a module design that allows for lower resistances in the interconnection of the cells within the module as well as in the module contacts. This should be pursued in further research, as well as the reduction of the internal resistance of the monolithic cells.
Antioxidant and Anti-Melanogenic Activities of Pakoba Leaves (Syzygium sp) from North Celebes
Authors: Rosa Dela , Roeroe Catherine , Susanti Agustina
Published: February 2019

In this research the potential of Pakoba leaf extract to be used as antioxidant and skin whitening (anti-melanogenic agent) is investigated. The antioxidant activity of Pakoba leaves were studied using DPPH method and the result showed that the 80 percent methanol crude extract has strong antioxidant activity with an IC50 value of 22.66 ± 1.02 μg/ml. The aqueous fraction of the sample has an IC50 value of 53.30 ± 1.42 μg/ml, followed by n-butanol fraction (53.63 ± 1.45 μg/ml) and chloroform fraction (511.54 ± 1.59 μg/ml). The anti-melanogenic activity of the crude methanol extract showed IC50 value of 316.56 ± 11.04 μg/ml. Thus, it isconcluded that crude extract of Pakoba leaves shows good potential as the antioxidant source although it does not show good anti- melanogenic activity.
3D Path Planning for Quadrotor Using Gazebo Simulator
Authors: Dirgantara Mohammad Ryan , Budiarto Eka , Rusyadi Rusman
Published: February 2019

This research explores the 3D path planning for quadrotor, which is an unmannedaerial vehicle (UAV) with four rotors. The quadrotor is simulated using robot operating system(ROS) and Gazebo software, and is equipped with camera, GPS sensor, and inertialmeasurement unit (IMU) sensor to do the mapping of its environment. The packages used inROS are Hector Quadrotor package, joystick package, Octomap package, and MoveIt package.These packages were modified so that it could be integrated with each other and fulfill theobjective of this research. For the 3D path planning, a method called rapidly-exploring randomtree (RRT) is explored and implemented. Several experiments regarding the behavior of thequadrotor, the mapping, and the path planning were conducted to find out the performance andlimitations of the simulation. This simulation is set up so that it can be used to validate a newdesign of quadrotor before it is tested with a physical prototype.
An Internet of Things system for measuring parameter of Photovoltaic Panel
Authors: Sompie Sherwin , Rumbayan Meita
Published: February 2019

Internet of Things (IoT) system is developing at an impressive rate nowadays. It iscapable of performing machine-to-machine communication, cloud connection, datamanagement and collection simultaneously. In this paper, the authors have designed an IoTsystem in a Photovoltaic (PV) panel with real time current and voltage measurement, cloudconnection capability and measurement storage function into an IoT server. The graphical datastored allows evaluation of the PV Panel’s overall performance. Our IoT systems were poweredwith Arduino-based microcontroller paired with current and voltage sensor, as well as WIFIwireless communications system and Bluetooth module. We paired our system with an androidsmartphone to display the data and stored it into the Blynk server. Blynk is a cloud-based IoTcapable of controlling and storing data for Arduino-based microcontrollers over Wi-Fi orEthernet connection. In our experiment for 50WP PV panel, we were able to store the parameterfor over one week measurement ,that give us enough data to get the PV performance.
Carbon Nanotube-Coated Thread for Wearable Proprioception Sensing
Authors: Wicaksono Dedy H.B. , Benhanan Bilhan , Parung Deby Erina
Published: February 2019

This paper focuses on the development of thread-based sensor for proprioceptionsensing in finger and knee. The thread sensor is made by dipping cotton thread into carbonnanotube (CNT) dispersion. The electrical and electromechanical properties of the threadchange depending on the dipping parameters. The resistance of the CNT-Coated threadschanges due to in-plane force, exhibiting a piezoresistive-like mechanism. The CNT-coatedthread functioning as strain gage is sewn into hand glove and yoga pants. The thread sensor willstretch upon finger or knee bending, and its resistance will change accordingly. Using thiswearable sensor, proprioception detection is conducted for finger bending and sit-to-standmovement.
The Effect of Media Violence on Early Teens’ Hostility
Authors: Adeline Fionna , Schumacher Sharon
Published: February 2019

As violence shown in films steadily increases, notably in those targeted towards the teenage audience, this research looks into its effect specifically by observing the change in audiences’ hostility. An experiment was done on 125 Indonesian secondary school students to observe the effect of exposure to media violence on their feelings of hostility, measured using Anderson’s State Hostility Scale (1995, 2012). Students’ hostility scores were measured beforeand after being exposed to an assigned clip; either a violent clip, or an equally exciting but non-violent clip as a control group. Results showed that those in the violent condition were significantly more hostile after watching than before watching, and those in the violent condition were significantly more hostile post-exposure than those in the non-violent condition. Out of the four dimensions of hostility, the dimension ‘Lack of positive feelings’ was significantly highest in both conditions, and only the dimension ‘Aggravation’ significantly differed between the two conditions. These findings indicate that exposure to media violenceraises teen audiences’ hostility levels significantly, which implies that further precaution should be taken when exposing teens to certain film content which has significant immediate effects ontheir moods, while also raising the issue of its potential long-term effects, should this exposure be continuous.
Pengaruh Perencanaan Pajak, Kepemilikan Manajerial, Ukuran Perusahaan dan Aktiva Pajak Tangguhan Terhadap Praktek Manajemen Laba
Authors: Andrayani Titi , Fitriasuri Fitriasuri , Terzaghi M. Titan
Published: February 2019

Earnings management is a condition where earning  management intervene in the process of preparing financial statements for the external parties so that it can leveling, raising, and decreasing the profit. This research was aims to find out the effect of tax plan, managerial ownership, company size and deferred tax assets towards the profit management practices. As for the population in this study consisted of 144 manufacture company that registered on Indonesia Stock Exchange with one year of research period in 2016. This research was used purposive sampling. The amount of the company’s sample that fulfill this research’s criteria was 51 companies that meet the criteria of the research variable. The technique analysis that used in this research was multiple linear regression. The examiner’s results shows that the deferred tax assets have positive and significant effects towards the profit management, while the tax plan, managerial ownership and company size have negative and insignificant effects towards the profit management practice.
A New “Turn-On” Fluorescence Probe for Al3+ Detection and Application Exploring in Living Cell and Real Samples
Authors: Gao Zhi-Yan , Zhang Cui-Jiao , Zhang Xian , Xing Shu , Yao Jin-Shui , Qiao Cong-De , Liu Wei-Liang
Published: February 2019

An excess of Al3+ will lead to biological disorders and even many diseases. Therefore, detecting the levels of Al3+ in the human body has drawn great attention for health monitoring. The fluorescence method has been broadly applied because of high sensitivity, real-time detection, and intracellular imaging. In this work, a new probe with “turn-on” fluorescence based on Schiff base derivative, 3,6-imine-triphenylamine-(9-ethyl) carbazole (ITEC), has been successfully synthesized and studied. The high selectivity and sensitivity of ITEC to Al3+ were verified by fluorescence spectra and the detection limit was 2.19 nmol/L. A 1:2 stoichiometry of ITEC-Al3+ was obtained by the 1H NMR spectra and Job’s plot. Furthermore, ITEC was successfully applied to the detection of Al3+ with different concentrations in living HeLa cells. The analog experiments about nature contamination of Al3+ in cells and real samples were finished.
Application of Virtual Reality for Learning the Material Properties of Shape Memory Alloys
Authors: Tarng Wernhuar , Chen Chia-Jung , Lee Chi-Young , Lin Chih-Ming , Lin Yu-Jun
Published: February 2019

A shape memory alloy (SMA) is an alloy which can eliminate deformation at lower temperatures and restore its original shape upon heating. SMAs have been receiving considerable attention in the research field of materials science, and their applications include robotics, automotive, aerospace, and biomedical industries. Observing the SMA’s shaping and restoration processes is important for understanding its working principles and applications. However, the transformation of its crystal structure with temperature can only be seen using special equipment, such as a transmission electron microscope (TEM), which is an expensive apparatus and the operation requires professional skills. In this study, a teaching module is designed using virtual reality (VR) technology and research results of an SMA to show its shape memory properties, shaping and restoration processes, as well as the real-life applications in an immersive and interactive way. A teaching experiment has been conducted to analyze students’ learning effectiveness using the teaching module (the experimental group) compared with that of using real SMA materials as the teaching aids (the control group). Two classes of students in the Department of Materials Science (one as the experimental group and the other as the control group) were selected as the samples by convenience sampling from a university in North Taiwan. The experimental group contained 52 students and the control group contained 70 students. A nonequivalent pretest-posttest design was adopted to explore whether the two groups had a significant difference in learning effectiveness. The experimental results reveal that the teaching module can improve the learning effectiveness significantly (p = 0.001), and the questionnaire results also show that a majority of the students had positive attitudes about the teaching module. They believed that it could increase their learning motivation and help them understand the properties and applications of the SMA.
Experimental Evaluation of Screw Pullout Force and Adjacent Bone Damage According to Pedicle Screw Design Parameters in Normal and Osteoporotic Bones
Authors: Lee Eun , Goh Tae , Heo Jin-Young , Kim Yoon-Jin , Lee Sang-Eui , Kim Yun , Lee Chi-Seung
Published: February 2019

This paper proposes an optimum design of the pedicle screw with respect to bone density and variables of the screw design. First, pedicle screws are designed and manufactured with design variables including the core diameter and conical angle that affect the pullout force of the pedicle screw. Variables of bone density are also classified into two groups, namely grade 10 (0.16 g/cc) with osteoporotic bone density and grade 20 (0.32 g/cc) with normal bone density. The effect of each parameter on the pullout force and relationship between the pullout force and screw designs are investigated. Furthermore, bone damage after fixation failure or insertion in the patient body is considered separately from the pullout strength. Therefore, cross sectional images of the artificial bone are observed to analyze the degree of damage after the pullout test of the pedicle screw by using micro-CT (computed tomography). The region and degree of bone damage are quantitatively analyzed. The effects of the core diameter and conical angle of the pedicle screw on the pulling force, bone damage, and fracture behavior are analyzed via the aforementioned experiments and analysis. An optimal pedicle screw design is suggested based on the experimental results.
An Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm Based on a Multi-Objective Framework for Supplier Integration
Authors: Farooq Muhammad Umer , Salman Qazi , Arshad Muhammad , Khan Imran , Akhtar Rehman , Kim Sunghwan
Published: February 2019

Modern day industries strive to obtain long-term supplier integrations (SI) with potentially stronger supplier groups, to achieve fast and reliable production. This paper studies the process of selecting vendors, while simultaneously considering the aspects of random factors, multiple criteria, and efficiently reaching optimal solutions to improve the SI. A framework was developed that consists of three layers of expert opinions, supplier requirements, and multi-objective bee colony optimization. The model factors affecting the SI decision were explored from the comprehensive relevant literature, and these factors were shortlisted and prioritized. Routines for the modeled framework were coded by using the proposed algorithms which were implemented for a real-world problem from a manufacturing small and medium enterprise (SME) in Pakistan. Optimization of SI was carried out on an archived artificial bee colony (AABC). Its effectiveness was also evaluated by comparison with simple artificial bee colony (ABC) and particle swarm algorithms. The methodologically calculated results, obtained from simulation of a mathematically reinforced optimization framework, are highly beneficial for the industry, as well as local and international suppliers. A detailed and in-depth evaluation of suppliers was provided by the sensitivity analysis, which presented a more rigorous authentication and elaboration of the results. The presented framework is the first of its kind for the SMEs of Pakistan and can be applied with little modification to other industries.
A Web Service for Evaluating the Level of Speech in Korean
Authors: Song Hye-Jeong , Choi Ji-Eun , Lee Yoon-Kyoung , Yoon Ji Hye , Kim Jong-Dae , Park Chan-Young , Kim Yu-Seop
Published: February 2019

Speaking is a way for humans to communicate with others using language. The ability to speak according to the speaker is very diverse. In general, language skills improve as intelligence improves. Therefore, it is known that the analysis of a speaker’s utterances is a good tool to evaluate the intellectual maturity of the speaker. Until recently, these evaluations have been done manually based on the experience of a handful of experts, but this approach is not only time consuming and costly, but also highly subjective. In this paper, we propose a Korean automatic speech analysis system based on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and web service to solve this problem. For this study, we constructed a web service based on Django to respond to the requests of various users. When a user delivered a transcription file of utterances to the server via the web, the server analyzed the speech ability of the speaker based on various indicators. The server compared the transcription file with the language ability indicators of persons of the same age as the speaker and displayed the result immediately to the user. In this study, we used KoNLPy, a Korean language-processing tool. The automatic speech analysis service analyzed not only the overall language ability of the speaker but also individual domains such as sentence completion ability and vocabulary ability. In addition, a faster and immediate service was made possible without sacrificing accuracy as compared to human analysis.
Triterpene Derivatives as Relevant Scaffold for New Antibiofilm Drugs
Authors: da Silva Gloria Narjara Santos , Primon-Barros Muriel , Macedo Alexandre José , Gnoatto Simone Cristina Baggio
Published: February 2019

New medicines for the treatment of bacterial biofilm formation are required. For this reason, this study shows the in vitro activity of betulinic acid (BA), ursolic acid (UA) and their twenty derivatives against planktonic and biofilm cells (gram-positive bacterial pathogens: Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis). We evaluated the antibiofilm activity (through the crystal violet method), as well as the antibacterial activity via absorbance (OD600) at concentrations of 5, 25 and 100 µM. Likewise, the cytotoxicity of all compounds was evaluated on a kidney African green monkey (VERO) cell line at the same concentration, by MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) methodology. We verified for the first time whether different groups at carbon 3 (C-3) of triterpenes may interfere in the antibiofilm activity with minimal or no antibacterial effect. After the screening of 22 compounds at three distinct concentrations, we found antibiofilm activity for eight distinct derivatives without antibiotic effect. In particular, the derivative 2f, with an isopentanoyl ester at position C-3, was an antibiofilm activity against S. aureus without any effect upon mammalian cells.
The Structural Effectivity of Bent Piles in Ammatoan Vernacular Houses
Authors: Wasilah Wasilah
Published: February 2019

Ammatoa Kajang vernacular houses are buildings that have existed for a hundred years as residential house buildings. These traditional houses are unique in their use of bent piles. This research examines the strength of the structural system of Ammatoan vernacular houses based on said houses’ ability to adapt to various environmental conditions and natural phenomena. This study seeks to enrich these studies by examining the specific structural strength of these buildings. In the face of modernization and extreme climate change, the continued existence of such traditional houses has been threatened. Disaster may strike at any time, and as such we must explore the structural strength of their structures to predict these buildings’ ability to endure such events. This research applies an interpretative model to explore the structural system, using a load test to examine the houses’ structural strength. Although such a model assumes that each building has the same pitch, each house has its own pitch. Therefore, the measurement results cannot be applied generally to describe the structural strength of every Ammatoan house. This research also notes that the pin joint system, material selection, and application of a grounded foundation are factors that promote these buildings’ continued endurance and ability to withstand earthquakes.
Discrete Element Modeling of the Seismic Behavior of Masonry Construction
Authors: Lemos José
Published: February 2019

Discrete element models are a powerful tool for the analysis of masonry, given their ability to represent the discontinuous nature of these structures, and to simulate the most common deformation and failure modes. In particular, discrete elements allow the assessment of the seismic behavior of masonry construction, using either pushover analysis or time domain dynamic analysis. The fundamental concepts of discrete elements are concisely presented, stressing the issues related to masonry modeling. Methods for generation of block models are discussed, with some examples for the case of irregular stone masonry walls. A discrete element analysis of a shaking table test performed on a traditional stone masonry house is discussed, as a demonstration of the capabilities of these models. Practical application issues are examined, namely the computational requirements for dynamic analysis.
Mechanistic Modelling of Radiation Responses
Authors: McMahon Stephen J. , Prise Kevin M.
Published: February 2019

Radiobiological modelling has been a key part of radiation biology and therapy for many decades, and many aspects of clinical practice are guided by tools such as the linear-quadratic model. However, most of the models in regular clinical use are abstract and empirical, and do not provide significant scope for mechanistic interpretation or making predictions in novel cell lines or therapies. In this review, we will discuss the key areas of ongoing mechanistic research in radiation biology, including physical, chemical, and biological steps, and review a range of mechanistic modelling approaches which are being applied in each area, highlighting the possible opportunities and challenges presented by these techniques.
Hydroxyethyl Starch-Based Nanoparticles Featured with Redox-Sensitivity and Chemo-Photothermal Therapy for Synergized Tumor Eradication
Authors: Yu Chan , Liu Chuqi , Wang Shaocong , Li Zheng , Hu Hang , Wan Ying , Yang Xiangliang
Published: February 2019

Chemo-photothermal combination therapy could achieve synergistically enhanced efficiency against tumors. Nanocarriers with good safety and high efficiency for chemo- photothermal therapy are pressingly needed. A new type of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) based on nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) and indocyanine green (ICG) was, thus, developed in this study. DOX-loaded HES conjugates with redox-sensitivity (HES-SS-DOX) were first synthesized and they were then combined with ICG to self-assemble into HES-SS-DOX@ICG NPs with controlled compositions and sizes via collaborative interactions. The optimal HES-SS-DOX@ICG NPs had good physical and photothermal stability in aqueous media and showed high photothermal efficiency in vivo. They were able to fast release the loaded DOX in response to the redox stimulus and the applied laser irradiation. Based on the H22-tumor-bearing mouse model, these NPs were found to tendentiously accumulate inside tumors in comparison to other major organs. The HES-SS-DOX@ICG NPs together with dose-designated laser irradiation were able to fully eradicate tumors with only one injection and one single subsequent laser irradiation on the tumor site during a 14-day treatment period. In addition, they showed almost no impairment to the body. The presently developed HES-SS-DOX@ICG NPs have good in vivo safety and highly efficient anti-tumor capability. These NPs in conjugation with laser irradiation have promising potential for chemo-photothermal cancer therapy in the clinic.
Metformin Treatment Suppresses Melanoma Cell Growth and Motility Through Modulation of microRNA Expression
Authors: Tseng Hui-Wen , Li Sung-Chou , Tsai Kuo-Wang
Published: February 2019

Melanoma is a highly aggressive cancer with high mortality in advanced stages.Metformin is an oral biguanide drug used for diabetes and has demonstrated positive effects oncancer prevention and treatment. Herein, we found that metformin significantly suppressedmelanoma cancer cell motility and growth through inducing cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase andpromoting cell apoptosis. Using the next-generation sequencing approach, we identified threeupregulated microRNAs (miRNA; miR-192-5p, miR-584-3p, and miR-1246) in melanoma cellstreated with metformin. Among these, we examined the roles of miR-192-5p and miR-584-3p anddiscovered that they significantly suppressed melanoma cell motility. Furthermore, they inhibitedmelanoma cell growth through destroying cell cycle progression and inducing cell apoptosis. Usingmicroarray and bioinformatics approaches for identifying putative target genes, Epidermal growthfactor (EGF) containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1) gene for miR-192-5pand an isoform of the secretory carrier membrane proteins (SCAMP3) gene for miR-584-3p could besilenced through targeting their 3′UTR region directly. EFEMP1 and SCAMP3 knockdownsignificantly suppressed melanoma cell growth, but only EFEMP1 knockdown inhibited its motilityabilities. Our findings indicated that miR-192-5p and miR-584-3p might contribute to metformininducedgrowth and motility suppression in melanoma cells through silencing their target genesEFEMP1 and SCAMP3.
Design and Characterization of a Novel Artificial Peroxidase
Authors: Yuan Ye , Xu Jia , Zhao Zhenyu , Li Hui , Wang Kai , Wang Zhi , Wang Liping
Published: February 2019

In this study, we reported on a novel mimetic peroxidase, deuterohemin–Ala–His–Glu, (Dh–A–H–E). The kinetic parameters of Dh–A–H–E suggested that it was a mimetic peroxidase and followed the ping–pong mechanism. Compared to horseradish peroxidase, Dh–A–H–E exhibited excellent stability when tested at different pH and temperatures, and using different organic solvents. Based on our above results, a new method using Dh–A–H–E has successfully been developed for the fast and quantitative detection of trace amounts of glucose.
Gli Proteins: Regulation in Development and Cancer
Authors: Niewiadomski Paweł , Niedziółka Sylwia M. , Markiewicz Łukasz , Uśpieński Tomasz , Baran Brygida , Chojnowska Katarzyna
Published: February 2019

Gli proteins are transcriptional effectors of the Hedgehog signaling pathway. They play key roles in the development of many organs and tissues, and are deregulated in birth defects and cancer. We review the molecular mechanisms of Gli protein regulation in mammals, with special emphasis on posttranslational modifications and intracellular transport. We also discuss how Gli proteins interact with co-activators and co-repressors to fine-tune the expression of Hedgehog target genes. Finally, we provide an overview of the regulation of developmental processes and tissue regeneration by Gli proteins and discuss how these proteins are involved in cancer progression, both through canonical regulation via the Hedgehog pathway and through cross-talk with other signaling pathways.
Design of an Open Platform for Multi-Disciplinary Approach in Project-Based Learning of an EPICS Class
Authors: Ngo Ha Quang Thinh , Phan Mai-Ha
Published: February 2019

Nowadays, global engineers need to be equipped with professional skills and knowledge to solve 21st century problems. The educational program, created in digital learning rooms of the Higher Engineering Education Alliance Program (HEEAP) program supported by Arizona State University, became a pioneer in teaching learners to work within the community. First, the combination of a novel instructional strategy and an integrated education in which project-based approach is employed to apply the technical knowledge. During this, students in mechatronics, computer science, and mechanics must collaborate with peers from industrial systems engineering. Second, in this paper, the design of an open structure connecting multi-disciplinary major is illustrated with a new teaching approach. It is proved to be better by combining specialized understandings of various types in a wide range of applications. From this basis support, participants could implement additional components quickly while keeping the cost low, making the products feasible and user-friendly. Last but not least, students are facilitated with a free library that helps to control simply despite lacking experience in robotics or automation. Several examples show that students are capable of developing things by themselves on open design. In brief, this platform might be an excellent tool to teach and visualize the practical scenario in a multi-disciplinary field.
Robot Motion Planning in an Unknown Environment with Danger Space
Authors: Jahanshahi Hadi , Jafarzadeh Mohsen , Sari Naeimeh Najafizadeh , Pham Viet-Thanh , Huynh Van Van , Nguyen Xuan Quynh
Published: February 2019

This paper discusses the real-time optimal path planning of autonomous humanoid robots in unknown environments regarding the absence and presence of the danger space. The danger is defined as an environment which is not an obstacle nor free space and robot are permitted to cross when no free space options are available. In other words, the danger can be defined as the potentially risky areas of the map. For example, mud pits in a wooded area and greasy floor in a factory can be considered as a danger. The synthetic potential field, linguistic method, and Markov decision processes are methods which have been reviewed for path planning in a free-danger unknown environment. The modified Markov decision processes based on the Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy inference system is implemented to reach the target in the presence and absence of the danger space. In the proposed method, the reward function has been calculated without the exact estimation of the distance and shape of the obstacles. Unlike other existing path planning algorithms, the proposed methods can work with noisy data. Additionally, the entire motion planning procedure is fully autonomous. This feature makes the robot able to work in a real situation. The discussed methods ensure the collision avoidance and convergence to the target in an optimal and safe path. An Aldebaran humanoid robot, NAO H25, has been selected to verify the presented methods. The proposed methods require only vision data which can be obtained by only one camera. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed methods.
Which Selective Logging Intensity is Most Suitable for the Maintenance of Soil Properties and the Promotion of Natural Regeneration in Highly Continental Scots Pine Forests?–Results 19 Years after Harvest Operations in Mongolia
Authors: Sukhbaatar Gerelbaatar , Nachin Baatarbileg , Purevragchaa Battulga , Ganbaatar Batsaikhan , Mookhor Khishigjargal , Tseveen Batchuluun , Gradel Alexander
Published: February 2019

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests are one of the main vegetation types in the Asian forest-steppe zone. However, over-harvesting currently threatens the natural regeneration and sustainability of these forests. In this study, we examine the long-term effects of different logging intensities on soil properties and natural regeneration in a natural Scots pine forest in the West Khentii Mountains (Mongolia), 19 years after selective logging. Our experimental design included five treatments: clear cut (CC), treatments with high (HI), medium (MI), low (LI) intensities, and a reference parcel with no logging impact at all (RE). We described and quantified the harvest events and applied ANOVA and LMM modeling to analyze and explain the long-term impacts of the logging intensities on soil properties and natural regeneration. We found that logging has a significant negative influence on the physical and chemical properties of the soil because it increases soil compaction and reduces soil nutrients. The most critical impacts of logging were on soil bulk density, total porosity, organic matter, and total nitrogen and phosphorus. The LMM modeling showed that organic matter (OgM), total nitrogen (TN), available K (AK) and pH values are especially impacted by logging. Our study revealed that the values for all of these variables show a linear decrease with increasing selective logging intensity and have a level of significance of p < 0.05. Another finding of this study is that selective logging with low and medium intensities can promote natural regeneration of Scots pine to numbers above those of the reference site (RE). High intensity logging and clear-cuts, however, limit the regeneration of Scots pine, reduce overall seedling numbers (p < 0.05), and create conditions that are suitable only for the regeneration of deciduous tree species. This underlines the risk of Scots pine forest degradation, either by replacement by broad-leaf trees or by conversion into non-forest ecosystems.
Hormones and Heterosis in Hybrid Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera L.)
Authors: Hu Yue , Thomas Barb R.
Published: February 2019

Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.) is a transcontinental tree species in North America, making it an ideal species to study intra-specific hybrid vigour as a tool for increasing genetic gain in growth. We tested the hypothesis that intra-specific breeding of disparate populations of balsam poplar would lead to the expression of hybrid vigour and we determined the role of endogenous hormones linked to ecophysiological and growth performance. In September 2009, three field trials were established in Canada (two in Alberta (AB), i.e., Fields AB1 and AB2, and one in Quebec (QC), i.e., Field QC1) in conjunction with Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc. and the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, Quebec. Five male parents from each province as well as five female parents from QC and four female parents from AB were used for breeding intra-regional and inter-regional crosses. Based on a significant difference at year six for height and diameter, from the AB1 and AB2 field trials, the AB × QC cross-type was selected for further study. Cuttings from the AB × QC cross-type were grown in a randomized complete block design under near-optimal greenhouse conditions. Families were identified as slow- or fast-growing, and the relationship between hormone levels and growth performance of the genotypes within the families were examined. In late June, after 34 days of growth, internode tissue samples collected from each progeny were analyzed for gibberellic acids, indole-3-acetic acid, and abscisic acid content. Stem volume of two-month-old rooted cuttings, grown under optimal greenhouse conditions, was positively and significantly correlated with the photosynthetic rate, greenhouse growth, and stem volume of 8-year-old field-grown trees (Fields AB1 values: r = 0.629 and p = 0.012; AB2 values: r = 0.619 and p = 0.014, and QC1 values: r = 0.588 and p = 0.021, respectively). We determined that disparate and native populations of balsam poplar can be bred to produce superior progeny with enhanced stem growth traits.
A Socio-Ecological Approach to Mitigating Wildfire Vulnerability in the Wildland Urban Interface: A Case Study from the 2017 Thomas Fire
Authors: Kolden Crystal A. , Henson Carol
Published: February 2019

Wildfire disasters are one of the many consequences of increasing wildfire activities globally, and much effort has been made to identify strategies and actions for reducing human vulnerability to wildfire. While many individual homeowners and communities have enacted such strategies, the number subjected to a subsequent wildfire is considerably lower. Furthermore, there has been limited documentation on how mitigation strategies impact wildfire outcomes across the socio-ecological spectrum. Here we present a case report documenting wildfire vulnerability mitigation strategies undertaken by the community of Montecito, California, and how such strategies addressed exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. We utilize geospatial data, recorded interviews, and program documentation to synthesize how those strategies subsequently impacted the advance of the 2017 Thomas Fire on the community of Montecito under extreme fire danger conditions. Despite the extreme wind conditions and interviewee estimates of potentially hundreds of homes being consumed, only seven primary residences were destroyed by the Thomas Fire, and firefighters indicated that pre-fire mitigation activities played a clear, central role in the outcomes observed. This supports prior findings that community partnerships between agencies and citizens are critical for identifying and implementing place-based solutions to reducing wildfire vulnerability.
Social Norms Influencing the Local Food Environment as Perceived by Residents and Food Traders: The Heart Healthy Hoods Project
Authors: Sandín Vázquez María , Rivera Jesús , Conde Paloma , Gutiérrez Marta , Díez Julia , Gittelsohn Joel , Franco Manuel
Published: February 2019

Exploring subjective elements of the food environment remains key to understand why and how residents purchase food. Our aim was to explore and describe the social norms relating to the local food environment and food purchasing behaviors, as perceived by residents and food traders in Madrid, Spain. This qualitative study took place in a middle socioeconomic status neighborhood of Madrid between January 2015 and May 2016. We conducted 35 semi-structured interviews. We used stratified purposive sampling to recruit residents, neighborhood workers (N = 20) and food traders (N = 15) representing different levels of involvement with food purchasing behaviors. We analyzed these data using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach. Participants highlighted social aspects of the food environment in relation to food purchasing behaviors. First, interpersonal and relational food environment elements were emphasized, including trust and tradition. Participants also identified generational demographic trends in relation to changes in the way residents purchased food: the new pace of life and the lack of time to buy fresh food and to cook at home. All these elements were influenced by the economic crisis. Food environment interventions aiming to improve food purchasing behaviors and residents’ diets should consider intermediate social aspects of the food environment like trust and tradition and the fast pace of life of younger generations.
Dose-Dependent Toxic Effect of Cotinine-Verified Tobacco Smoking on Systemic Inflammation in Apparently Healthy Men and Women: A Nationwide Population-Based Study
Authors: Choi Won-Jun , Lee Ji-Won , Cho A Ra , Lee Yong-Jae
Published: February 2019

Chronic exposure to tobacco smoke leads to chronic low-grade systemic inflammation; however, little is known about the dose-dependent toxic effect of objective tobacco smoking on systemic inflammation. We examined the dose-dependent toxic effect of cotinine-verified tobacco smoking on leukocyte count in a representative sample of Korean adults, including 8655 men and 10,432 women aged 19–65 years from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The participants were categorized into five groups by the level of urine cotinine (Ucot) as follows: A non-smoker group (<50.00 ng/mL) and four quartile groups for smokers for both men and women. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for sex-specific high leukocyte count (≥75th percentile) were calculated across five groups of Ucot concentrations using multiple logistic regression analyses. The mean values of leukocyte count gradually increased according to the grade of Ucot concentration in both sexes. The ORs (95% CIs) for high leukocyte count in the 4th Ucot quartile concentrations versus the non-smokers were 4.09 (3.39–4.94) for men and 3.91 (2.82–5.41) for women after adjusting for confounding variables. The present study confirmed the dose-response toxic effect of tobacco smoking on chronic low-grade systemic inflammation.
Repeated Measures Regression in Laboratory, Clinical and Environmental Research: Common Misconceptions in the Matter of Different Within- and Between-Subject Slopes
Authors: Hoover Donald , Shi Qiuhu , Burstyn Igor , Anastos Kathryn
Published: February 2019

When using repeated measures linear regression models to make causal inference in laboratory, clinical and environmental research, it is typically assumed that the within-subject association of differences (or changes) in predictor variable values across replicates is the same as the between-subject association of differences in those predictor variable values. However, this is often false. For example, with body weight as the predictor variable and blood cholesterol (which increases with higher body fat) as the outcome: (i) a 10-lb. weight increase in the same adult affects more greatly an increase in cholesterol in that adult than does (ii) one adult weighing 10 lbs. more than a second indicate higher cholesterol in the heavier adult. A 10-lb. weight gain in the first adult more likely reflects a build-up of body fat in that person, while a second person being 10 lbs. heavier than the first could be influenced by other factors, such as the second person being taller. Hence, to make causal inferences, different within- and between-subject slopes should be separately modeled. A related misconception commonly made using generalized estimation equations (GEE) and mixed models on repeated measures (i.e., for fitting cross-sectional regression) is that the working correlation structure only influences variance of the parameter estimates. However, only independence working correlation guarantees that the modeled parameters have interpretability. We illustrate this with an example where changing the working correlation from independence to equicorrelation qualitatively biases parameters of GEE models and show that this happens because within- and between-subject slopes for the outcomes regressed on the predictor variables differ. We then systematically describe several common mechanisms that cause within- and between-subject slopes to differ: change effects, lag/reverse-lag and spillover causality, shared within-subject measurement bias or confounding, and predictor variable measurement error. The misconceptions we describe should be better publicized. Repeated measures analyses should compare within- and between-subject slopes of predictors and when they do differ, investigate the causal reasons for this.