bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do hydroelectric dams affect the abundance and population structure of freshwater shrimps?
Authors: Rodrigues Larissa Rosa , Costa Jaqueline Roberta Pereira da , Passafaro Rafael Montini , Andrade Luciana Segura de
Published: June 2020

Freshwater shrimps play an important role in many ecological processes since they are epibenthic detritivores but also prey on other invertebrates and are predated by fishes. The knowledge about their biology allow the development of management strategies to improve the use of natural resources by avoiding overfishing and enhancing productivity. Here we evaluated the population structure of the shrimp Macrobrachium amazonicum in the river Rio Grande, upstream of the Água Vermelha hydroelectric dam. They were captured monthly from October 2017 until March 2018, in six sites along the river. The first site was ∿1000 m distant from the dam and the sixth was ∿4000 m distant. A sac-like sieve and traps were used to capture the shrimps. The sieve was dragged three times for 180o. The traps were left by the river margins for six hours. In the laboratory, the shrimps were sexed and measured (carapace length; CL). In total, 6455 individuals were captured: 4499 females (294 breeding), 1445 males, and 217 juveniles. Female mean size was 7.50 ± 3.47 mm, male mean size was 7.44 ± 2.40 mm, and juvenile mean size was 3.24 ± 1.10 mm. The smallest individual was found in site III and it was a juvenile of 1.08 mm. The largest had 20 mm and was found in site II. The smallest breeding female had 3.8 mm CL. The largest individuals were more abundant in the sites near the dam, whereas the smallest were more abundant in the farthest sites. The highest abundance was seen in sites III and IV, and the lowest, in site VI. Unlike males and juveniles, females (both breeding and non-breeding) were more abundant (Anova, p < 0.01) near the dam. By knowing the population structure of M. amazonicum it is possible to understand how they are being affected by the environmental changes caused by the hydroelectric dam
Temporal variation and ecological parameters of hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in savannahs in the Alter do Chão protection area, Santarém, Pará, Brazil
Authors: Conceição Ana  Carla Walfredo da , Teston José Augusto
Published: June 2020

This study evaluated the seasonality of Sphingidae spp. in two areas of savannah, in the eastern Brazilian Amazon, sampled for one year (June, 2014 through May, 2015) with the aid of Pennsylvania light traps placed at four sampling points. Data on fauna were obtained through the following parameters: abundance (N), richness (S), composition, Shannon diversity and uniformity indices (H’ and U’), and the Berger-Parker (BP) dominance index. Richness estimates were calculated using Bootstrap, Chao1, ACE, Jackknife 1, and Jackknife2 estimators. The Pearson correlation was also used to analyze the effect of climatic variables such as rainfall, temperature, and relative humidity on richness and abundance. The result for the parameters analyzed during the entire sampling period was N= 374, S= 34, H’= 2.59, U= 0.733 and BP= 0.235. The estimation of richness showed that between 63% and 87% of expected species were collected (Bootstrap estimated 39 species and Chao1 estimated 54). The most representative species were: Isognathus caricae (Linnaeus, 1758) (N= 88), Enyo lugubris lugubris (Linnaeus, 1771) (N= 58), Isognathus menechus (Boisduval, [1875]) (N= 46) and Cocytius duponchel (Poey, 1832) (N= 44), with 54% of the sample containing species considered rare divided into 298 male and 76 female specimens. For climatic variables, there was a moderate positive correlation only between abundance and temperature. The less-rainy period presented greater richness (S= 26) and abundance (N= 222), and the rainy period had better indices for H’ (2.55), U (8.01), and BP (0.230). The richness estimator Jackknife 2 was the best estimator in both sampling periods with 34 in the less-rainy period and 45 in the rainy period. The richness and abundance obtained in this study contribute significantly to the knowledge of Sphingidae fauna in an area of Amazonian savannahs.
Differences in ecomorphology and trophic niche segregation of two sympatric heptapterids (Teleostei: Siluriformes)
Authors: Garcia Thiago Deruza , Quirino Bárbara Angélio , Pessoa Leonardo Antunes , Cardozo Ana Lúcia Paz , Goulart Erivelto
Published: June 2020

Morphological similarity, resource sharing, and differences in habitat use by species are factors that favor their coexistence. The objective of this study was to test possible differences in ecomorphology and diet composition of two Heptapterids (Imparfinis mirini and Cetopsorhamdia iherengi) to identify patterns related to resource use. Samplings were carried out in ten streams in Southern Brazil and 123 individuals were caught. A total of 21 ecomorphological indices were calculated for each individual and the volumetric and occurrence methods were used to quantify stomach contents. Both species presented significant differences in some ecomorphological traits, mainly related to foraging behavior. Even though both species were considered insectivorous, the consumed feeding resources differed between them. Cetopsorhamdia iheringi diet was dominated by Simuliidae and terrestrial Coleoptera larvae, while Imparfinis mirini, presented a diet dominated mainly by Trichoptera larvae, Ephemeroptera nymph, and Annelida. Although ecomorphological patterns cannot be used as an absolute factor to explain diet variations, they provide relevant information about how species share resources. These mechanisms allow us to obtain important subsidies for the conservation and management of freshwater ecosystems since they provide an effective understanding on the interactions that occur between the species.
Renal myxoboliosis of Metynnis hypsauchen in the Brazilian Amazon: morphological and histopathological aspects
Authors: Oliveira Jhonata Eduard Farias de , Figueredo Rayline Thaimenne Alves , Vilhena Maria do Perpétuo Socorro Progene , Berrêdo José Francisco , Sindeaux-Neto José Ledamir , Matos Edilson , Velasco Michele
Published: June 2020

In their natural habitat, fish are constantly threatened by icthyoparasites, notably those from the Phylum Cnidaria, Hatschek, 1888, represented by species of the Myxozoa, responsible for infections in fish that cause complications to their health that can lead to death. Among these parasites, the genus Myxobolus Butschli, 1882 is responsible for the largest number of infections described in fishes from the Americas. This study describes the morphological and histopathological aspects of parasitism by Myxobolus sp. in specimens of Metynnis hypsauchen, obtained from the Capim river, in the municipality of Ipixuna do Pará, Pará, Brazil. During the months of August and March, 2018, 20 animals were captured, euthanized and autopsied. With the aid of a stereomicroscope an external and internal investigation was performed on the animals for the purpose of finding lesions or parasitic cysts, followed by confirmation of infection in Light Microscopy (ML). Cysts and Fragments from parasitized tissues were processed using techniques for histology and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). For histology they were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin (H-E) and Ziehl-Neelsen and for SEM Micrographs were captured, using equipment from the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi. The prevalence of parasitism was 60% (12/20) of the specimens, and the cysts were in the epithelium and lumen of the renal tubules, causing histopathological changes. The characteristics of the parasite spores are those associated with the genus Myxobolus, with an ellipsoid format, two polar capsules and a sporoplasm region. It was possible to confirm a high parasite load of Myxobolus, with compromised renal functions. This study is the first to describe Myxospore in Metynnis hypsauchen.
Cytotoxic, clastogenic and genotoxic effects of cis-tetraammine(oxalato)ruthenium(III) dithionate on human peripheral blood lymphocytes
Authors: Rezende Manuela  da Rocha Matos , Velozo-Sá Vivianne de Souza , Vilanova-Costa Cesar Augusto Sam Tiago , Silveira-Lacerda Elisangela
Published: June 2020

There is a concern about stablishing the clinical risk of drugs used for cancer treatment. In this study, the cytotoxic, clastogenic and genotoxic properties of cis-tetraammine(oxalato)ruthenium(III) dithionite - cis-[Ru(C2O4)(NH3)4]2(S2O6), were evaluated in vitro in human lymphocytes. The mitotic index (MI), chromosomal aberrations (CA) and DNA damage by comet assay were also analyzed. The MTT test revealed that the ruthenium compound showed a slight cytotoxic effect at the highest concentration tested. The IC50 value for the compound after 24 hours of exposure was 185.4 µM. The MI values of human peripheral blood lymphocytes treated with 0.015, 0.15, 1.5 and 150 µM of cis-[Ru(C2O4)(NH3)4]2(S2O6) were 6.1, 3.9, 3.2 and 0.2%, respectively. The lowest concentration, 0.015 µM, did not show any cytotoxic activity. The CA values for the 0.015, 0.15 and 1.5 µM concentrations presented low frequency (1.5, 1.6 and 2.3%, respectively), and did not express clastogenic activity when compared to the negative control, although it was observed clastogenic activity in the highest concentration tested (150 µM). The results obtained by the comet assay suggest that this compound does not present genotoxic activity at lower concentrations. The results show that cis-[Ru(C2O4)(NH3)4]2(S2O6) has no cytotoxic, clastogenic or genotoxic in vitro effects at concentrations less than or equal to 0.015 µM. This information proves as promising in the treatment of cancer and is crucial for future trials.
Sobre as palavras e outros destroços: o artifício do excesso na narrativa de Ana Margarida de Carvalho
Authors: Angelini Paulo Ricardo Kralik
Published: June 2020

Um assombroso exercício narrativo é proposto em Não se pode morar nos olhos de um gato, de Ana Margarida de Carvalho, texto que mergulha num Brasil do final do século XIX, em meio a suas contradições sociais, pós-abolição da escravatura. A obra apresenta um projeto narrativo com duas construções bastante distintas, ainda que complementares, imbricadas ao espaço diegético que ocupam: uma nau clandestina que naufraga na costa do Brasil e uma minúscula praia, que desaparece conforme o movimento das marés, espaço de sobrevivência dos poucos que se salvam no acidente. Neste artigo, investigo o pendor ao excesso – aliás, uma das marcas da literatura portuguesa – edificado pelas vozes narrativas e seu processo gradual de desvelamento, num intrincado jogo textual de recuos e avanços, que mostra e esconde, tal qual o mar, elemento onipresente do texto, a partir do capítulo inicial, dentro da nau, e do segundo capítulo, que já mergulha nas consequências do naufrágio e apresenta a personagem Nunzio. Os dois capítulos são exemplares numa configuração que extrapola as tipologias narrativas clássicas e exigem novos olhares da narratologia. Contrariando as máximas da economia narrativa e do menos é mais, Não se pode morar nos olhos de um gato, de Ana Margarida de Carvalho, é um exercício do excesso e do abundante.
O O estatuto juntivo de ‘nisso’: evidências formais e funcionais
Authors: Rocha Jean Michel Pimentel , Longhin Sanderléia Roberta
Published: June 2020

O objetivo deste trabalho é argumentar em favor do estatuto juntivo de ‘nisso’ em construções temporais, causais e contrastivas. Para tanto, tomamos dados contemporâneos de ‘nisso’ oriundos de enunciação falada, extraídos do Banco de Dados Iboruna, e os analisamos à luz de aspectos formais e funcionais, com o propósito final de evidenciar as propriedades que permitem qualificar ‘nisso’ como juntor. Filiando-nos a um quadro teórico que compreende a junção como dimensão universal da linguagem (Raible, 2001), em que convergem informações dos vários níveis de análise linguística, defenderemos que o modo de junção instaurado por ‘nisso’ se concretiza por meio da ‘referência’, com forte dependência contextual, o que é característico de juntores do paradigma adverbial (Neves, 2002; Blühdorn, 2008). Nessa perspectiva, assumindo ambas as vias metodológicas qualitativa e quantitativa, estarão em pauta questões relativas à própria composicionalidade de ‘nisso’ e questões relativas à construção complexa binária de que ‘nisso’ participa – ‘X, nisso Y’ - com a consideração de fatores inerentes ao modo de conexão, à referenciação encapsuladora de ‘nisso’, à ordenação e ao estatuto informacional das unidades articuladas, bem como à rede polissêmica envolvida.
As motivações para a implementação do ensino de língua inglesa nos anos iniciais de escolarização em uma escola municipal pública
Authors: Ávila Paula Aparecida , Tonelli Juliana Reichert Assunção
Published: June 2020

Neste artigo investigamos as motivações para a implementação da Língua Inglesa nos anos iniciais em uma escola situada no norte do Paraná. Os dados analisados constam de entrevistas com os sujeitos envolvidos direta ou indiretamente com a inserção da língua na escola, a saber: as secretárias de educação, as diretoras e as professoras de inglês. Para esta pesquisa qualitativa interpretativista, caracterizada como um estudo de caso, ancoramo-nos teoricamente nos preceitos da Abordagem do Ciclo de Políticas (ACP) (Bowe, Ball, & Gold, 1992; Mainardes, 2006; Ball & Mainardes, 2011) e em autores como Santos (2005), Muñoz (2014), Chaguri e Tonelli (2013), dentre outros, sobre ensino de inglês para crianças. Os resultados revelam motivações de diferentes naturezas para a inserção da Língua Inglesa na escola investigada, dentre elas: a motivação política; 2) motivação pedagógica; 3) motivação administrativa e 4) a motivação mercantilista. Desse modo, a influência que o inglês exerce nos dias atuais, impulsionado pela força da globalização, pauta-se na maior motivação ao se pensar na oferta de uma língua estrangeira, além de ser considerada pelas participantes da pesquisa como ‘porta de entrada’ para o mercado de trabalho e como sinônimo de sucesso profissional.
A hostilidade do feminicídio em Nélida Piñon
Authors: Gomes Carlos Magno Santos
Published: June 2020

Este artigo aborda a ambiguidade do tema da hospitalidade/hostilidade do estrangeiro, no conto ‘Sangue esclarecido’, da coletânea Sala de armas, de Nélida Piñon. Partimos do estudo da violência contra a mulher como uma forma de hostilidade do hóspede. No conto, o protagonista, mesmo sendo tratado de forma acolhedora, rejeita os princípios da cordialidade, ao impor a virilidade agressiva como repertório de relacionamentos abusivos que antecedem um feminicídio. Em nossos argumentos, usamos os conceitos de ‘hospitalidade’, de J. Derrida - aquela que é normatizada como direito universal; ‘identificação’, de Z. Bauman - a etapa do processo de construção identitária; e ‘masculinidade excessiva’, de L. Machado - a normatização do homem violento que opta pela virilidade agressiva como marca de sua identidade.
A simplex dispersion model for improving precision in the odds ratio confidence interval in mixture experiments
Authors: Liska Gilberto Rodrigues , Citillo Marcelo Ângelo , Menezes Fortunato Silva de , Bueno Filho Júlio Silvio de Sousa
Published: June 2020

A new approach to data analysis in mixture experiments is proposed using the simplex regression, that is in the class of dispersion models family. The advantages of this approach are illustrated in an experiment studying the mixture effect of fat, carbohydrate, and fiber on tumors’ proportion in mammary glands of rats. Model was evaluated by goodness of fit criteria, simulated envelope charts for residuals of adjusted models, odds ratios graphics and their respective confidence intervals. The simplex regression model showed better quality of fit and smaller odds ratio confidence intervals.
Synthesis and potential application of polygalacturonase from a Penicillium brasilianum isolate
Authors: Zeni Jamile , Rigo Diane , Mui Tsai Siu , Duarte Fábio Rodrigo , Treichel Helen , Backes Geciane Toniazzo , Cansian Rogério Luis , Valduga Eunice
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study was to evaluate the synthesis of pectinase from Penicillium brasilianum in shake flasks and address their potential for industrial applications. A Plackett-Burman design followed by a complete second order design were used for the screening of most important factors and to maximize the polygalacturonase activity, respectively. Maximum polygalacturonase activity was 52.8 U mL-1 at 48 hours of bioproduction. The kinetic evaluation for substrate consumption showed that 42% total organic carbon, 52 nitrogen, 23 magnesium, and 60% potassium were consumed. The crude enzyme complex was used on commercial mango juice clarification, and, at a 0.5% concentration (v v-1) reduced viscosity by 10%, turbidity by 12% and clarification by 23%. Therefore, the results presented in this study could provide valuable and beneficial information for the food and enzyme industries (juice) as well as being a new landmark to microbiology by providing essential knowledge on P. brasilianum growing needs.
Experimental research of capillary structure technologies for heat pipes
Authors: Krambeck Larissa , Bartmeyer Guilherme Antonio , Fusão Davi , Santos Paulo Henrique Dias dos , Alves Thiago Antonini
Published: June 2020

This paper presents an experimental study on three different capillary structure technologies of heat pipes for application in the thermal management of electronic packaging. The first capillary structure is that of axial grooves manufactured by wire electrical discharge machining (wire-EDM). The sintering process with copper powder produced the second heat pipe. Finally, a hybrid heat pipe was made by the combination of the two previous methods. The heat pipes were produced using copper tubes with an outer diameter of 9.45 mm and a length of 200 mm, and were tested horizontally at increasing heat loads varying from 5 to 35 W. The working fluid used was distilled water. The experimental results showed that all capillary structures for heat pipes worked successfully, so the studied manufacturing methods are suitable. Nonetheless, the hybrid heat pipe is the best, due to the lowest thermal resistance presented.
Development of pasteurized coffee-flavored dairy beverage added with mint extract (Mentha x piperita)
Authors: Fischer Bruno , Rauschkolb Jean Carlo , Cansian Rogério Luis , Fernandes Ilizandra Aparecida , Junges Alexander , Valduga Eunice , Zeni Jamile
Published: June 2020

The aim of this work was to evaluate different concentrations of ethanol on antioxidant (phenolic and flavonoid) compounds extraction of Mentha x Piperita aiming at applying the extract in whey-based dairy beverages. The extracts were obtained by cold maceration using water and ethanol as solvents. The extract using water and 70% ethanol had a 13.83 (w w-1) yield, 61.72 mg GAE g-1 phenolic compounds extract, 37.27 mg QE g-1 flavonoid content extract and 0.056 mg mL-1 antioxidant activities. The dairy beverage formulations followed a 22 factorial design in order to evaluate the effect of whey/milk and starch addition on the physical-chemical (pH, acidity, moisture, ash, fat, protein, viscosity, and color) and sensorial characteristics (acceptability) of the product. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) allowed for the development and validation of mathematical models for ash content, lipids, viscosity, and luminosity of the dairy beverage. The effects of whey/milk and starch variables on such characteristics were analyzed by the elaboration of contour curves. The product presented a lower color intensity at the highest whey concentration (75%). The product had a good sensory acceptance, and the 50 whey and 50% milk formulation presented a 7.16 points average and 79.51% acceptance index, suggesting that 50% of whey could be added up to the product’s formulation.
Pyrolysis Kinetics of Polypropylene and High Density Polyethylene Wastes Using Kaolin Catalyst
Authors: Erawati Emi , Hamid Hamid , Febriansyar Rosyad Adrian
Published: June 2020

Plastic is materials that are not easily broken down, so it can cause a variety of complex problems such as loss of natural resources, environmental pollution, and depletion of landfill space. Plastic favored by the public is Polypropylene (PP) and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) for example, food storage, transparent drinking glasses and drinking bottles for babies. This will be a problem in the future. Some alternatives used to reduce the volume of plastic waste are the thermal transformation process which is divided into three types of processing, namely combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is a process of thermal degradation of long chains into smaller molecules. The process of pyrolysis in this study used a variety of catalysts (without catalyst, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) and used variations in particle size, namely size I (30 cm3); size II (7.5 cm3); size III (1,875 cm3) weighing 350 grams of plastic cups and 350 grams of bottle caps. Pyrolysis run for 100 minutes and took the result of pyrolysis every 20 minutes interval. The test carried out by using proximate analysis, fuel specification analysis, and GC-MS. Based on the result of research conducted on the pyrolysis process of a mixture of HDPE and PP variations of catalysts, it obtained optimum liquid and gas yields of 98.57% and 1.43%. Besides, in the size variation, the optimum liquid and gas yield was 96.57% and 3.43%. The proximate result has fulfilled the conditions set by the value of ash content, fly substance, and carbon bound 0.15%; 99.57%; 0.28%. In the GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) test the highest % area was 39.18% with C9H18 or 2,4-dimethyl-1-heptane compounds. The best simulation result obtained the value of activation energy and reaction speed for liquid and gas in the variation of the catalyst of (87,930.07; 101,527.17) J/mol and (2.03 x 102; 3.74 x 103).
Effect of Grain Structure on the Mechanical and Corrosion Behavior of Advanced Medium Mn Stainless TWIP Steel
Authors: Gadelhaq Mahmoud H.A. , Hamada Atef S. , Ghayad Ibrahim M. , Järvenpää Antti , Jaskari Matias , Hossam Mohab
Published: June 2020

The influence of recrystallization annealing on the microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behaviour of an austenitic TWIP steel bearing medium Mn and V alloying was investigated. The steel undergone a heavy cold deformation of 65 % reduction. Subsequently, recrystallization annealing at 1000 °C and 1100 °C for 15 min was conducted to achieve different grain structures. The microstructural evolution was studied using optical microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction technique. Mechanical properties were determined using tensile tests at room temperature. Corrosion behaviour was measured by cyclic potentiodynamic polarization at 3.5 pct NaCl. For comparison, austenitic stainless-steel Type 201 was used in this study. It was observed that at 1000 °C, a non-uniform austenitic grain structure with vanadium carbides distributed throughout the matrix was obtained. However, a coarse grain structure without carbides was induced at 1100 °C. The fine-grained structure enhanced at 1000 °C exhibited higher strength and good ductility. Contrary to this, the corrosion results showed that a significant deterioration in the corrosion resistance could be observed in sodium chloride solution for the achieved structure at 1000 °C compared to 201 stainless steel.
Novel Proton-Conducting Oxygen-Deficient Complex Oxides: Synthesis, Hydration Processes, Transport Properties
Authors: Tarasova Nataliia , Animitsa Irina , Galisheva Anzhelika
Published: June 2020

The complex oxide BaLaIn0.9Nb0.1O4.1 with Ruddlesden-Popper structure was obtained for the first time. It was found that the introduction of niobium into indium sublattice leads to the increase in the cell volume. Hydration processes and electrical properties have been investigated. For BaLaIn0.9Nb0.1O4.1 it was proved the capability for water uptake and the appearance of proton current carriers. It was established that niobium doping leads to the increase of conductivity compared to undoped composition BaLaInO4 at ~1 order of magnitude in whole temperature range.
Microstructure Evolution of the as Tempered P92 Steel at High Temperature Exposure
Authors: Xu Yang , Lei Tao , Yang Xi Sheng , Chang Che , Qian Lin Feng , Gong Qian
Published: June 2020

The microstructure evolution during aging at high temperatures is usually used to thermodynamically simulate those cases of aging at low temperatures but for a very long time for P92 steel, because high temperature can accelerate the microstructure process. Therefore, in the present research, in order to comprehensively understand the microstructure evolution mechanisms during aging at especially high temperatures, the as-tempered P92 steel was exposed at 790 °C. Optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to characterize the microstructures. The dominant mechanisms at the four stages in microstructure evolution process during thermal exposure are (I) dislocation annihilation, (II) lath broadening and equiaxed subgrain nucleation, (III) equiaxed subgrain growth, (IV) recrystallization nucleation and growth. The martensitic lath broadening is dominated by both the motion of “Y”-type lath boundary and the combination of parallel lath boundary. The subgrain growth is by virtue of both the combination of the equiaxed subgrain and the bowing out of subgrain boundary.
New Efficient Technique for Finite Element Modeling of Macro Fiber Composite Piezoelectric Materials
Authors: Emad Diaa , Fanni Mohamed A. , Mohamed Abdelfatah M.
Published: June 2020

A lot of interest to simulate piezocomposite actuators with finite element method has been increased recently. However, there are still open questions regarding the modeling methodology, accuracy, and computational time cost. In this work, a new technique for modeling macro fiber composite piezoelectric actuator by finite element analysis is proposed. The presented technique models the piezocomposite actuator as a simple monolithic piezoceramic material with just two electrodes along its longitudinal extremes instead of using the actual large number of electrodes which results in very fine finite element mesh with high computational time cost. The proposed technique is validated successfully by comparing its results with those of the actual detailed model as well as with the published experimental results and manufacturer’s data.
Influence of Type of Secondary Raw Material on Consistency of Fresh Mixture for AAC Production
Authors: Černý Vit , Lédl Matěj , Melichar Jindřich , Drochytka Rostislav
Published: June 2020

Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) is, mainly in Europe, widely used construction material. It has an optimal combination of bulk density, strength and thermal conductivity coefficient for load-bearing and non-load-bearing structures of civil facilities. The production technology is based on a mixture of ground silica sand, lime, cement, gypsum, aluminium powder and additives. The grinding of sand is most often carried out in a wet way, and the sand sludge is consequently used in production technology. The aim of the experiment was verification of the effect of partial replacement of sand with the alternative raw materials in sand sludge on the rheology of the mixture. This parameter determinates how the modified mixtures affect the sludge pumpability. As a reference the consistency of the sand sludge of the normal production density of 1.65 g/cm3 was compared to the sand sludges of different density (1.60, 1.70 and 1.75 g/cm3) and with a fresh aerated concrete (FAC) mixture of 1.60 g/cm3. Then the sludges were modified by 30 % of alternative raw materials (recycled glass, coal slag, FBC ash, FBC bottom ash) as the partial weight replacement for sand. This partial replacement resulted in water/solids ratio adjustment which recommended value is 0.47 for recycled glass and coal slag, 0.59 for fluidized bed combustion (FBC) bottom ash and for FBC fly ash it is 0.70.
Influence of Sodium Hydroxide Grade on the Strength of Fly Ash-Based Geopolymer Cement
Authors: Suwan Teewara , Paphawasit Boontarika , Jitsangiam Peerapong , Chindaprasirt Prinya
Published: June 2020

Portland cement (OPC) is one of the primary contributors accounted for climate change as a massive amount of Carbon dioxide is emitted to the atmosphere during its production processes. Geopolymer cement (GP), a green construction material, is therefore promoted to be an alternative cementitious binder to replace the consumption of that OPC. GP can be synthesized by mixing pozzolanic wastes (e.g., fly ash or slag) with alkaline solutions (e.g., NaOH and Na2SiO3). The mechanical properties of the geopolymer have been confirmed to be similar to or even better than OPC in the same testing conditions. However, the researches on GP have been mostly carrying out in just a laboratory scale, thus, the Laboratory grade of alkaline activators was commonly used. To make GP more realistic in practical works, the Industrial grade of alkaline activators was hence introduced. The results show that the usage of Industrial grade activators not only provides excellent mechanical properties to GP but also reduces its unit price to less than 20 percent of the conventional GP (GP with Laboratory-grade activator). By this approach, the confidence of expanding this green construction material, from Laboratory scale to In-field applications, is considerably increased.
Study of Soil Layer Stratigraphy Based on Georesistivity and Geological Techniques
Authors: Antarissubhi Antarissubhi , Samang Lawalenna , Harianto Tri , Indrabayu Indrabayu
Published: June 2020

The purpose of study was to determine the structure of the studied soil layer based on measurement of geo-resistivity with the Wenner configuration and geotechnical drilling method. Geotechnical drilling was one way of soil/rock investigations to determine the parameters soil layers. Based on the objective, field tests and laboratory tests were carried out to support scientific investigations. The results of measurements in the field using geo-resistivity were performed to a depth of 23 meters, resulted in 2 types of soil sediment layers namely clay and sand. At a depth of approx. 8 meters, the groundwater level was found and through laboratory tests, the results of geotechnical drilling gave 2 types of soil classification to a depth of 15 meters, i.e CH and ML. In general, the results of the geo-electrical and drilling tests represented the soil real conditions in developing the stratigraphy of the subsurface layer of the soil. It showed that in the first layer, the sediment layer resulting from the breakdown of the initial rock or sediment layer which had undergone transportation of sedimentary layers in the form of clay, silt or sand and did not experience compaction so that it has a large resistivity value. The next layer associated with regional geological maps are dominated by sand.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Electrical Discharge Machining Parameters for 2024 Aluminum Alloy Using Grey-Taguchi Method
Authors: Phimoolchat Jurapun , Muttamara Apiwat
Published: June 2020

This paper focused on Grey relational analysis (GRA) to optimize EDM parameters through multi-objective optimization for Al2024 aluminum and electrode graphite ISO-63 was used as a cutting tool. The process parameters pulse on time, duty factor, pulse current and open voltage. Performance characteristics examined included material removal rate (MRR), electrode wear ratio (EWR) and surface roughness (SR). Taguchi’s 27 experimental designs, often called an orthogonal array (OA), was utilized to ignore interaction and concentrate on main effect estimation. GRA was performed to optimize input parameters levels. Results were that MRR increased from 35.00 to 35.11 mm3/min, EWR decreased from 11.63 to 10.89 mm3/min, and SR decreased from 5.01 to 4.97 μm. Taguchi and GRA resulted in clear improvements in MRR, EWR, and SR.
Penile verrucous squamous cell carcinoma: A rare case report
Authors: Yuksel Omer , Karabay Emre , Bilen Osman , Tosun Çağatay , Verim Levent
Published: June 2020

Penile cancer is a rare type of urological cancer. Predisposing factors include phimosis, poor hygiene, and smoking. Circumcision in early childhood has been shown to be protective against penile cancer. About 95% of penile cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, while verrucous type is a rare variant with frequent recurrences, but with a favorable prognosis. The majority of patients are asymptomatic; however, patients may present with pain, discharge, and bad odor depending on the severity of the disease. Although hospital admission is often late due to psychosocial factors, cancer is often localized. Herein, we report a 61-year-old circumcised patient presenting with painful penile mass who was diagnosed with a penile verrucous squamous cell carcinoma in the light of literature data.
Pediatric-adolescent andrology: Single centre experience
Authors: Zampieri Nicola , Camoglio Francesco
Published: June 2020

Introduction: Andrology is the medical specialty dealing with men’s health and reproductive system from birth to adulthood, including genital, hormonal, reproductive, sexual as well as psychological aspects; the aim of this study is to report our 10 year-experience Material and methods: In September 2009, a Pediatric Andrology Outpatient Clinic was opened at the Authors’ Institution. The continuous request for access to the service, together with an increasingly helpful collaboration with local clinicians, has led to an increase in the number of treated patients. At the Clinic, visits are performed for both surgical and medical consultations by the multidisciplinary medical group for the treatment of conditions in the adolescent patient. All patients are followed every 3, 6 and 12 months when indicated. Patients with undescended testes were excluded because managed into a specific protocol. Also patients with syndrome or metabolic diseases are excluded from the analysis. Results: During the study period, September 2009-September 2019, the following conditions were managed: varicocele - 1436 patients; gynecomastia - 18 patients; penile curvature - 89 patients; webbed penis - 132 patients; hypospadias-related diseases - 39 patients; erectile dysfunction - 14 patients; obesity and abnormal semen analysis - 47 patients. During the study period there was an increase for each category especially for medical reasons. Conclusions: Pediatric-adolescent andrology clinics should count on the expertise of different skilled professionals to cope with an ever-increasing number of requests and to offer the timely management of conditions that until very recently were considered social taboos or caused concern only in adulthood like the erectile dysfunction. The evolution of our society, which also means evolution of the mass media, should go hand in hand with the development of Medicine, which needs to adjust to and prevent new healthcare issues.
- 1 - Analysis of the role of social support - cognitive psychology and emotional process approach
Authors: Heydari Mohammad , Xiaohu Zhou , Saeidi Mahdiye , Keung Lai Kin , Shang Yufan , Yuxi Zheng
Published: June 2020

The eyes are extremely important for communication. The muscles around the eyes express emotional states, and the size of the pupil signals whether a person is aroused and alert or bored and fatigued. Pupil size is an overlooked social signal, yet is readily picked up by observers. Observers mirror their pupil sizes in response, which can influence social impressions. Pupil diameter is enhanced in a variety of emotional contexts, including viewing pictures, listening to sounds, and during the threat of shock. This study shows that people associate positive faces with large pupil sizes and negative faces with small pupil sizes. Although workplace social support has been described as a profoundly emotional activity, little is known about the emotional demands faced by employees or how these impacts on their well-being. This study examined relationships between ‘emotional labor,’ burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment), and job satisfaction in a sample of an employee who works in the banking sector or manufacturing sector. Also examined was whether workplace social support moderated any relationships found between emotional labor and strain. The relationship between job experience and emotional labor was also investigated.
Performance management and employee engagement: A South African perspective
Authors: Govender Michelle , Bussin Mark H.R.
Published: June 2020

Orientation: To remain competitive South African organisations must improve their operational efficiency by lowering manufacturing and service costs, and the key is the performance of its employees.Research purpose: The purpose of the study was twofold: firstly, to establish if there is a relationship between performance management and employee engagement; and secondly to ascertain if performance management can be rebooted through increased employee engagement.Motivation for the study: Organisations that measure and manage performance generally outperform those that do not. Organisations need to understand what drives employee engagement and performance to outperform their competitors.Research approach, design and method: A qualitative approach was employed that included a review of research articles and interviews with employees from various functions across all levels within operations of a fast-moving consumer goods organisation based in Gauteng. A sample size of 20 employees was used.Main findings: The results suggest that a relationship exists between performance management and employee engagement and that an increase in employee engagement would result in improved performance of employees and subsequently the organisation. The study revealed that whilst engagement and communication occur across all levels within the organisation, there is still a significant gap. The messages and expectations are not simple enough to be understood. Employees are not empowered to have a voice which causes them to be demotivated. Supportive management, which is fundamental to the success of performance management, is lacking.Practical/managerial implications: The insight from this study may be used to change the way organisations engage with employees and manage performance to ensure it is a beneficial exercise that adds value to all stakeholders.Contribution/value-add: This study will contribute towards organisations understanding the relationship between performance management and employee engagement and how to leverage this towards improving operational efficiency and organisational effectiveness.
Effect of natural preservatives on the organoleptic characteristics and storage stability of smoked Heterotis niloticus
Authors: Amuneke K.E. , Oguntade O.R. , Ikeogu F.C. , Nomeh U.A.
Published: June 2020

Improvement of consumer’s palatability of Heterotis niloticus was investigated by value addition with natural spices and salt to improve its  palatability and shelf-life. The major problem of H. niloticus is its poor taste, hence low demand and poor consumer’s acceptability which affects the market value. The objective of this study was to improve the palatability and shelf-life of H. niloticus using selected natural spices. Heterotis niloticus, procured and treated with natural spices and salt were allowed to drain for one hour, subjected to charcoal fired smoking kiln for 12 hours, cooled and stored for 8 weeks at ambient temperature before microbial analysis. The result showed that treatment 1 had the best quality (37.7%), followed by control sample (34.7%), and treatment 2 (28.9%), while the least was treatment 3 (21.6%). Microbial analysis shows that no Salmonella, Coliforms and E. coli were detected from the samples after smoking. Staphylococcus aureus count ranged from 2 × 102 to 9 × 102 but it was not detected in treatment 1. Improvement of the consumers’ palatability of H. niloticus and improved storage stability by spicing methods improved the  poor taste of H. niloticus which has been discriminated despites excellent muscle quality.

Key words: Heterotis niloticus, organoleptic, spicing, microbial analysis
Differentials in market competitiveness among sweet potato farmers in south east, Nigeria: A gender analysis
Authors: Okoye A.C. , Mbanasor J.A. , Okoye F.U. , Saad A.S.
Published: June 2020

Sweet potato has emerged as an attractive crop of choice for resource-constrained households in Nigeria as it promotes food security and economic growth. Nigeria is the third largest producer of sweet potato in the world, yet the level of market competitiveness in and outside the country  remains poor. This study provided empirical data on gender analyses of market competitiveness among sweet potato farmers in Nigeria. A total of 360 farmers were sampled using a multi-stage procedure and data analyzed using Policy Analysis Matrix. The result showed that sweet potato  production had positive private and social prices for male and female farmers indicating that the system was competitive at given prevalent  government policies and transfers and utilized scarce resources efficiently. The result also shows a negative social and private policy divergence for male and female farmers indicating that the net effect of policy intervention reduced profitability at the farm level which is detrimental to  producers. The coefficients of competitiveness and comparative advantage indicators shows that nominal protection coefficient on tradable outputs and on tradable inputs, effective protection coefficient, domestic resource cost ratio, social cost benefit ratio and private cost ratio were less than unity for both male and female farmers indicating competitiveness in sweet potato production in the study area. If Nigeria is going to attain self-sufficiency in the production of sweet potato and effectively compete in the market with other countries, there is an urgent need on removal of policy distortions through increased incentives and more reduction in the cost of labour through sweet potato mechanization.

Key words: competitive advantage, farm budget and policy analysis matrix (PAM)
Neutralization Effect of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray against Bitis arietans and Naja nigricollis venoms-induced toxicity
Authors: Gbolade Adebayo , Ukaigwe Ifunanya , Omorogbe Anastasia
Published: June 2020

Leaf methanol extract and fractions of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray (Asteraceae) used in traditional medicine was evaluated for neutralization of toxicity induced by Bitis arietans and Naja nigricollis snake venoms in mice and rats. Inhibition of adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation, antioxidant activity, total phenol content and neutralization of venom-induced toxicity were evaluated by standard methods. The methanol extract was the most active inhibitor of platelet aggregation (66.7 - 84.8%) in the B. arietans model at 100 - 500 μg/ml. The methanol extract and fractions appear to be equipotent  in inhibiting platelet aggregation (68 - 74%) induced by N. nigricollis. The aqueous fraction was more active against B. arietans venom at 500 μg/ml as an inhibitor of platelet aggregation (59.4% inhibition), while the dichloromethane (DCM) fraction was more potent against N. nigricollis (70.97% inhibition). The methanol extract showed highest DPPH radical scavenging activity followed by the aqueous and DCM fractions. Total phenolic content was in the order: methanol extract > DCM fraction > aqueous fraction. The aqueous fraction was a better antivenin agent in both B. arietans (complete protection at 24 h) and N. nigricollis-envenomed mice and rat models. Anti-snake venom activity was more prominent at 24 h. The results herein, being the very first report, indicate the potential antiophidic activity of T. diversifolia leaf particularly against B. arietans-induced toxicity.
Impact of adoption of the new rice for Africa 1 on farmers’ yield of in Gombe State, Nigeria
Authors: Bala Jamilu , Hauwa Abdulkareem Yusuf , Musa Yahaya Mumini
Published: June 2020

The study assessed the impact of NERICA 1 rice adoption on farmers’ yield in Gombe State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select two local governments areas, from which 328 farmers were randomly selected as sample size for the study. Data were collected through structured questionnaire and analyzed with percentages and mean. The result revealed that the average farm size was 1.5 for NERICA 1 and 2.1 non-NERICA 1 farmers. The finding showed that only (3%) of the respondents adopted NERICA 1 rice technology. The result showed a difference of 503.3 Kg/ha between the yield of respondents after the comparison and it shows significant impact at 1% probability level. The adoption of NERICA 1 rice has an impact on the yield of respondents. Farmers should be linked with seed companies and research institutes through extension agents to access certified seeds at an affordable price.

Keywords: Impact, rice, adoption, yield
Reporting of Rural grazing area initiative in selected daily newspapers in Nigeria
Authors: Ogunlade Israel , Olabanji Oluwafemi Peter , Adebisi Faridat Adetola , Omotesho Kemi Funmilayo , Olabode Deborah Adedoyin
Published: June 2020

This study assessed how the Rural Grazing Area initiatives (RUGA) were reported in selected Nigerian newspapers, by assessing: the prominence given to RUGA news with reference to other subject matters, the frequency of reportage, and news report format. A systematic quantitative content analysis was used in collecting, analysing as well as interpreting the data for the study. A total of 276 daily publications of three newspapers were analysed from a pool of sample drawn through purposive sampling technique from issues of the newspapers published within three months’ period of July to September, 2019. The data from these newspapers were analysed using percentages. Findings showed that RUGA issues were not given adequate prominence in the three newspapers, and the newspapers performed more of an informative role in the reportage rather than giving a journalistic analysis of the policy itself in form of feature or editorial. News writers should be more analytic in their style of reporting developmental initiatives so as to help people understand the purpose and essence of such initiative. Also, the Nigerian newspapers, should scale-up agricultural content in their publications as a way of consolidating agricultural consciousness in Nigerians.

Keywords: Daily newspapers, reporting, rural grazing, initiative