bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Silencing microRNA155 transforms the properties of endotoxin tolerant dendritic cells and enhance its therapeutic effect on sepsis murine model.
Authors: Yang Min , Hou Chao-Chen , Yang Yan-Yan , Li Shan-Shan , Kong De-Yong , Chen You-Ran , Zhang Hui-Fang , Lu Ming-Qin
Published: October 2020

Sepsis refers to the body's dysfunctional response to infection and leads to life-threatening organ dysfunction. Dentritic cells (DCs), a kind of powerful functional antigen-presenting cell, plays a critical role in immune response and has been used in the field of immunotherapy for multiple diseases. Endotoxin tolerance is a phenomenon that believed to prevent the organism from producing persistent and excessive inflammatory reaction and numerous studies indicated that endotoxin tolerant dendritic cells (ETDCs) have therapeutic effects on experimental models of several diseases. MicroRNA155(miR155), which plays a pivotal role in various physiological and pathological processes in immunity, was reported associated with the formation of endotoxin tolerance. In this paper, we explored the change of properties after silencing miR155 in ETDCs then attempted to study its effects on the murine model of sepsis. Endotoxin tolerant dendritic cells were transfected with adenovirus silencing miR155 and negative control adenovirus, thereafter collected for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction of miR155, costimulatory molecules analysis, allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction and cytokine concentration evaluation. 42 balb/c mice were randomly divided into control group, sham operation group, sepsis group, ETDCs treatment group and miR155-/-ETDCs treatment group. Two treatment groups respectively received tail vein injection of ETDCs and miR155-/-ETDCs 24h earlier than cacal ligation puncture. Our results revealed that silencing miR155 could deepen the immature status of ETDCs and both ETDCs and miR155-/-ETDCs performed a protective effect in murine sepsis models while miR155-/-ETDCs got a better protection. We reasoned that miR155 participates the formation of endotoxin tolerance and the protective effects of ETDCs and miR155-/-ETDCs in the early stage of sepsis may achieved by altering the concentration of mouse cytokines to affect T cell differentiation and exert negative immune regulation.
Current Situation of Surgical Treatment for Rib Fractures in China: Questionnaires from Multi-hospital
Authors: Zhao Weigang , He Weiwei , Zhang Qiang , Yang Jinliang , Wu Weimin , Ning Shaonan , Huang Gang , Yang Yi
Published: October 2020

Background: Although chest wall stabilization (CWS) has been widely performed for rib fractures in the past decade in China, consensus about operative indication, timing, and technical details for CWS is not formulated yet. The aim of this study is to investigate the existing situation of surgical treatment for rib fractures in China. Methods: Four hundred and fourteen questionnaires were sent out to surgeons in different hospitals in China and collected between January 2018 and April 2018. Data were reviewed and extracted for analysis.Results: Three-hundred and seventy-one valid questionnaires were included in this study. About 14500 cases of CWS for rib fracture were performed in the investigated hospitals in 2016 and about 17600 cases in 2017. There were 38.3% hospitals performed chest wall stabilization for single rib fracture and 44.9% hospitals performed chest wall stabilization for two rib fractures. About 92.1% of CWS cases were performed within two weeks while 42.2% surgeons performed CWS for patients with rib fracture more than two weeks. CWS of was performed in 95.6% of hospitals and 93.2% cases were performed by thoracic surgeons. Nickel-titanium memory alloy and pure titanium rib embracing device are mostly used in rib fixation. Only 33.93% of surgeons chose to remove internal fixator at one year after surgery.Conclusions: Although CWS has been widely performed in China, there are many controversies on the indications, timing, and technical details of CWS. Large-scale clinical trial, high-level literature, uniform standards of surgical indications are critical for the healthy development of CWS.
Approaches for Improving Health Equity: The Effect of The Gainesville Community Resource Paramedic Program on Reducing Emergency Department Utilization
Authors: Cistola Andrew S , Bak Ariella N , Guyer Laura , Reed Austin , Rooks Ben , Chacko Lisa
Published: October 2020

Background. The U.S. healthcare system has consistently struggled with inefficiencies in Emergency Department (ED) usage (Enard & Ganelin, 2013). Other studies have established that interventions focusing on care coordination are not able to reduce utilization (Finkelstein, 2020), and current ED reduction programs in the literature focus on establishing patients in primary care (Raven, 2016). In community paramedicine programs, paramedics collaborate with interdisciplinary partners to address the needs of patients outside of traditional health care settings. The Gainesville Community Resource Paramedic Program (Gainesville CRP) was implemented in 2017 to provide an intervention to address social determinants that primary care providers (PCP) cannot address. Methods. A Student’s t-test for paired samples was used to compare total ED visits as well as ED visits with and without hospital admission six months before and after program enrollment. Pearson’s correlation between final change in total ED visits and total PCP visits for pre-CRP, post-CRP, and full-CRP were calculated to determine if there was evidence for bias in utilization patterns. Results. Among program participants (n = 53), significant reductions were observed among total (mean = 2.94, p < 0.001), without admission (mean = 1.30, p = 0.006), and with admission (mean = 1.64, p = 0.002). Significant reductions were also found among selected demographics and morbidities. Reductions in total ED visits were not associated with visits to a PCP before, after, or throughout. Conclusions. Gainesville CRP was able to reduce ED visits independent of PCPs indicating that the approach could inform other ED diversion programs.
Reduced β2-glycoproteinI Alleviated Rat Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury via Mitochondrial Protection and Inhibition of Apoptosis
Authors: Zhou Saijun , Meng Zhenxing , Xiao Shumin , Cheng Ting , Huang Shuai , Yu Demin , Yu Pei
Published: October 2020

BackgroundMyocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is one of the most important reasons for death of coronary heart disease after vascular recanalization. New evidences have shown that β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) plays a protective role in cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to evaluate the effects of reduced β2GPI (R-β2GPI), one form of β2GPI, on myocardial I/R injury, and to explore related mechanisms. MethodsThe in vivo myocardial I/R models of Sprague Dawley rats and in vitro hypoxia/reoxygenation(H/R) models of H9c2 cells were established. The myocardial infarction and morphological changes in SD rats were measured by the TTC staining and HE staining. Creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels in plasma were detected by ELISA Assay kit. Terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) method and caspase-3 colorimetric assay kit were used to determine myocardial apoptosis. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial membrane potential of H9c2 cells were measured by fluorescent probe DCFH-DA and JC-1 fluorescent staining respectively. To evaluate cell damage, cell viability was assessed by determining the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The ratio of Bcl-2/Bax at mRNA level was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression levels of total Akt and phosphorylated Akt as well as the expression levels of total GSK-3βand phosphorylated GSK-3β in H9c2 cells. ResultsOur results suggested that R-β2GPI improved I/R model rats’ heart function, decreased infarct size, reduced serum CK-MB, cTnI levels, cell apoptosis and caspase3 activity. In vitro, R-β2GPI decreased LDH leakage, reduced ROS generation, maintained mitochondrial membrane potential and increased bcl-2/bax mRNA ratio; increased phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β in H9c2 cells following Hypoxia/Reoxygenation (H/R) jnjury. ConclusionR-β2GPI alleviated myocardial I/R (or H/R) injury by reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting mitochondrial apoptotic pathway via increasing the phosphorylation of Akt/GSK-3β.
Autocrine Activation of Cerebral Microglia by Allograft Inflammatory Factor-1
Authors: Fukasawa Mai , Kudo Yoshihiro , Nishihara Anna , Nishio Kensuke , Itou Tomoka , Iinuma Toshimitsu , Asano Masatake
Published: October 2020

Allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) is a marker for activated microglia. Unilateral common carotid artery occlusion (UCCAO) was conducted to elucidate mechanisms that regulate AIF-1 expression in C57BL/6 male mice. Immunohistochemical reactivity of microglia against anti-AIF-1 antibody was increased significantly in the brain of this model. The increased AIF-1 production was further confirmed by ELISA using brain homogenate. Real-time PCR demonstrated that the increased AIF-1 production was regulated at the transcriptional level. Serum AIF-1 levels were further examined by ELISA and marked increase was observed on Day 1 of UCCAO. To examine the influence of AIF-1, immunohistochemical staining was performed and revealed that the immunoreactivity against anti-Iba-1 antibody was significantly increased in various organs. Among them, the accumulation of Iba-1+ cells were observed prominently in the spleen. Intraperitoneal injection of minocycline, a potent microglia inhibitor, reduced the number of Iba-1+ cells suggesting microglia activation-dependent accumulation. Based on these results, AIF-1 expression was further examined in the murine microglia cell line MG6. AIF-1 mRNA expression and secretion were up-regulated when the cells were cultured under hypoxic condition. Importantly, stimulation of the cells with recombinant AIF-1 induced the expression of AIF-1 mRNA. These results suggest that increased AIF-1 production by microglia in cerebral ischemia regulate the AIF-1 mRNA expression at least in part by an autocrine manner.
WITHDRAWN: Optimization of Modular Fixture Layout by Minimizing Work-piece Deformation
Authors: Rashid Muhammad Mohsin , Khan Awais Ahmed , Qasim Muhammad , Waqas Muhammad , Ammar Muhammad , Javaid Muhammad Yasar
Published: October 2020

Machining fixtures are utilized to locate and restrain a workpiece during different manufacturing processes. The workpiece must be properly located and clamped in order to have it to be manufactured according to the prescribed dimensions and tolerance. The real motive of fixture design is to maximize locating accuracy and workpiece firmness while minimizing deformations. The purpose of this research work is to conduct a multi-objective optimization in order to minimize workpiece deflections due to clamping forces and optimized fixture layout by taking into consideration the boundary conditions and loads applied during a machining process. The locators are employed in a 3-2-1 fixture configuration. Then the empirical relations are used to calculate the machining forces and moments generated during drilling and milling processes and after that the workpiece is loaded to model those cutting forces. ANSYS parametric design language (APDL) code which made use of sub-approximation method is utilized to automatically optimize locator and clamp positions. Afterwards the clamping forces are being optimized using balancing force-moment method. Lastly, the maximum deformation of the workpiece against the optimum clamping forces is found by harmonic analysis.
Genome-wide identification and characterization of functionally relevant microsatellites from putative transcription factor genes of tea for efficient genotyping.
Authors: Parmar Rajni , Seth Romit , SHARMA RAM Kumar
Published: October 2020

Background: SSR markers derived from coding region and non-coding un-translated regions (UTRs) act as potential “functional genetic markers”. Tea, one among the most popular herbal drink with multiple medicinal properties is greatly suffered due to several bottlenecks of self-incompatibility, genome heterozygosity and long gestation period. Despite the huge genomic resources, experimentally validated functionally relevant SSR markers are still scarce in tea. Transcription factors (TFs) accounts for larger proportion of plant genomes regulating expression of various desirable traits have not been explored for development of functional marker resource in tea.Results: In current study, putative 2776 transcripts encoding TFs were identified harbouring 3687 SSR loci. High abundance of repeats in ORF (44.37%), UTRs (5'UTR: 32.57%; 3'UTR: 23.0%) suggests significant functional and regulatory relevance of novel SSR loci in trait dissection. 589 polymorphic novel experimentally validated SSR markers (ORF: 297; 5’UTR: 211; 3'UTR: 81) amplified 2864 alleles with allele numbers (Na) of 2 to 17 per locus. Interestingly, repetitive pattern of tri/hexa-repeats in coding region revealed single amino acid repeats reiteration of serine, glycine and proline, leucine in TFs of tea. Moreover, high representation of TF derived polymorphic SSR markers in bHLH (53), WRKY (37), C3H (32), and Myb-related (31) can be utilised for candidate-gene based mapping in tea. Successful utilization of polymorphic SSR makers for genetic diversity characterization of 115 tea cultivars suggests their wider utility in arge-scale fingerprinting studies. Furthermore, 185 SSR markers representing hk x hk, lm x ll, nn x np, ab x cd and ef x eg segregating patterns in selective genotyping of bi-parental mapping population can be potentially employed in genome mapping studies in tea. Conclusion: SSR repeats in regulatory genes influencing normal activity and function of the gene due to the repeat length (expansion and contraction) causing phenotypic variation in plants. Therefore, identification of first set of 1843 novel putative TFs derived microsatellite markers resource with experimentally validated potential polymorphic markers stipulates their importance in various genotyping studies in tea. Interestingly, SSRs retrieved in important TFs may have direct implications for molecular dissection desirable in tea. Genic functional markers developed in the study are powerful tools and can be potentially utilized to accelerate molecular breeding and trait dissection efforts for implantation of marker-asserted selection in tea.
Maternal Low Fasting Plasm Glucose in the Second Trimester is Associated with Neonatal Asphyxia
Authors: Shasha Yuan , Yaxin An , Yuxian Yang , Kun Li , Jing Ke , Dong Zhao
Published: October 2020

Background Neonatal asphyxia (NA) is associated with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, cerebral palsy and neonatal death. Risk factors for NA have been identified as maternal hypertension, premature birth and anemia. While the effect of maternal fasting plasm glucose (FPG) in the second trimester of pregnancy on NA remains unclear. Method Retrospective data from 9661 singleton newborns and mothers were analyzed from January 2016 to July 2018 in Tongzhou district, Beijing. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the risk factors of NA, adjusted for gestational hypertension, triglyceride in the second trimester of pregnancy, fetal distress in utero and preterm birth. Results Of the 9,661 newborns, 26 (2.7‰) were diagnosed with neonatal death (Apgar score 1min = 0) and 52 (5.4‰) with varying degrees of asphyxia (Apgar score 1min = 1 to 6). The asphyxia group showed lower FPG [asphyxia group vs non-asphyxia group, 4.5±0.4 vs 4.8±0.5 mmol/L, P<.01], higher triglyceride level (asphyxia group vs non-asphyxia group, 3.0±1.3 vs 2.5±1.9 mmol/L P<.01) in the second trimester, higher rates of gestational hypertension, fetal distress in utero, preterm birth than the non-asphyxia group (P<.05). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that lower FPG in the second trimester was an independent risk factor of NA [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.26; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.80]. Conclusion Pregnant women with low fasting glucose in the second trimester of pregnancy are at increased risk of birth asphyxia in their offspring.
Prone position increases the risk of pancreatic fistula after laparoscopic radical gastrectomy combined with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy: a case report
Authors: An Xing , Weng Xiangwen , Li Li , Huang Qingsong , Long Kunlan , Deng Shikun , Wang Sha , Zhi Lijia
Published: October 2020

Background: There has not been reported that prone position increases the risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula. We present a case of prone position leading to hyperthermia and pancreatic fistula in a patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) after laparoscopic radical gastrectomy(LRG) combined with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy(HIPEC).Case presentation: A 68-year-old male developed moderate ARDS after LRG combined with HIPEC. Since low tidal volume and high positive end expiratory pressure(PEEP) ventilation could not improve oxygenation, prone ventilation was selected to improve heterogeneous lung injury. However, chills and fever appeared after the position change. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed that the mesenteric fat space in the middle abdomen was fuzzy, local exudation was increased, and the boundary of pancreas was not clear. The increase of amylase in peritoneal drainage fluid was 10 times higher than that in serum amylase. After communicating with the general surgeon, we learned that during the operation, the surgeon had opened the pancreatic capsule to clean the local lymph nodes. It was considered that prone position lead to the sharp increase of abdominal pressure, especially the change of peripancreatic pressure. The visceral organs of the abdominal cavity squeezed each other, the pancreatic tissue was compressed, the pancreatic juice extravasation occurred, and even aggravated the pancreatic fistula. In the follow-up treatment process, the patient were given continuous abdominal drainage and avoided prone position as far as possible. Since then, the patient's temperature tended to be stable. On the 10th day after the operation, the patient successfully withdrew from the ventilator and transferred to the general ward for further specialized treatment.Conclusion: Our case adds further concerns in ARDS patients after LRG combined with HIPEC, including the monitoring of postoperative pancreatic fistula and how to perform prone ventilation more safely.
Detection of SARS-CoV-2 on contact surfaces within shared sanitation facilities and assessment of the potential risks for COVID-19 infections
Authors: Amoah Isaac Dennis , Pillay Leanne , Deepnarian Nashia , Awolusi Oluyemi , Pillay Kriveshin , Ramlal Preshod , Kumari Sheena , Bux Faizal
Published: October 2020

Contamination of contact surfaces with SARS-CoV-2 has been reported as a potential route for the community transmission of COVID-19. This could be a major issue in developing countries where access to basic sanitation is poor leading to the sharing of toilet facilities. In this study, we present the first report of SARS-CoV-2 contamination on key contact surfaces in shared toilets, in the city of Durban, using droplet digital PCR and assessed the probabilistic risks of COVID-19 infections.Approximately, 53-69% of the contact surfaces were contaminated, with SARS-CoV-2 viral loads per cm2 ranging from 25.9 to 132.69 gc/cm2. Toilet seats had the highest contamination per cm2. The results suggested that the leading cause of contamination in shared toilets could be the shedding of the viral particles in feces and contaminated hands. We observed a significant reduction in viral loads on the contaminated surfaces after cleaning, showing the potential of effective cleaning on the reduction of contamination of these surfaces. The probabilistic assessment showed a high potential for COVID-19 infections. Touching the internal latch of the toilet cubicle had the highest risk of infections (4.3x10-2(6.0x10-4)) when a person uses the toilet once in a day, increasing to 1.0x10-1(1.4x10-3) for three uses in a day. The risks estimated in this study were higher than any of the tolerable/acceptable risk figures proposed for COVID-19 from environmental exposure. This calls for the implementation of risk reduction measures, such as strict adherence to wearing face masks, regular washing of hands with soap, and effective and regular cleaning.
Mineral composition and formation conditions of the Inkur tungsten deposit ores (Dzhidinsky ore field, South-Western Transbaikalia)
Authors: Damdinova L. B. , Damdinov B. B.
Published: October 2020

The aim of the study is to clarify the mineral composition and determine the conditions of the formation of the quartz-hubnerite veins of the Inkur stockwork tungsten deposit (the Dzhidinsky ore field, South-Western Transbaikalia). The research methods include a mineralogical and petrographic description of the ore quartz-hubnerite veins; an electron microprobe analysis of the mineral associations; thermometry, cryometry, and Raman spectroscopy of the individual fluid inclusions in quartz, fluorite, hubnerite, and muscovite. The mineralogical and petrographic studies has made it possible to clarify the mineral composition of the Inkur deposit ores and determine the mineral paragenesis formation sequence. The fluid inclusion studies have established that the ore deposition was occurring in the relatively low-salinity (~5.7–14.6 wt. % eq. NaCl) homogeneous solutions due to a decrease of the temperature. The study of the salt composition of the solutions has identified Ca chloride as a prevailing component, with NaCl, KCl, and MgCl as admixtures. CO2 and N2 have been identified in the gas phase of inclusions. Two stages of mineral formation have been defined: high-temperature (≥300 °С) and low-temperature (≥2.00–300 °С). The conducted studies allow qualitative estimation of the chemical composition of the ore-forming solutions. It has been established that one of the main factors of the hubnerite deposition is a temperature factor.
Epigenetic geochemical dynamics and driving mechanisms of chemical elemental distribution patterns in soil in Southwest China
Authors: Cheng Hangxin , Peng Min , Zhao Chuandong , Han Wei , Wang Huiyan , Wang Qiaolin , Yang Fan , Zhang Fugui , Wang Chengwen , Liu Fei , Zhou Yalong , Tang Shiqi , Li Kuo , Yang Ke , Yang Zheng , Cheng Xiaomeng , Chen Ziwan , Zhang Hua , Mo Chunhu
Published: October 2020

The Earth’s surface is a complex system involving mutual interactions of its many components, including mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasses. The interaction and mutual feedback of chemical elements in Earth's surface layer can drive changes in chemical elemental distribution patterns. In this study, we evaluated the mechanisms and interactions driving the distribution patterns of macroelements, probiotics, halogens and heavy metals in soils in Southwest China, based on a systematic geochemical land-quality survey at a scale of 1:250000. The results showed that the parent material determines the natural state of chemical elements in land resources. Epigenetic geochemical dynamics reshapes the distribution patterns of chemical elements in top soil; biogeochemical processes drive the evolutionary trends of land quality; and human activities, such as mining, disrupt the natural evolution of chemical elemental distribution patterns. The establishment of an epigenetic geochemical dynamics theory allows the construction of a framework for understanding the Earth's surface layer and promoting technological innovations for the comprehensive geochemical investigation of land resources.
COVID-19 and investor sentiment influence on the US and European countries sector returns
Authors: Manuel Nogueira Reis Pedro , Pinho Carlos
Published: October 2020

Although some studies recently address the association between COVID-19 sentiment and returns, volatility, or stock trading volume, no one conducts an analysis to measure the impact of investor rationality or irrationality on the influence on countries and sectors’ returns. This work creates a text media sentiment and combines its influence with the outbreak cases on the stock market sector returns of the US, Europe, and their main countries most affected by the pandemic. This allows us to perceive the ranking impact of rationality or irrationality on country and sector stock returns. This work applies a random-effects robust panel estimation, with an M-estimator. This paper concludes that US returns are more sensitive to sentiment, and thus more prone to irrational factors than confirmed cases compared to Europe and that country factors influence the returns differently. In Italy and Spain as the most punished countries in Europe apart from the UK, present sector indexes return more reactive to verified cases, or rationality, namely, tourism, real estate, and the automobile (this last one in Italy). The importance of this work resides in providing a new in-depth analysis of irrational behavioral metrics among countries, which allows for comparison. Moreover, it allows observing which sectors’ and which countries’ asset returns are most sensitive to rational or irrational expressions of events, allowing for arbitraging, financial planning for investors, decision-makers, and academia on an in and out of pandemic context.
AcknowledgmentThis work is funded by National Funds through the FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology, I.P., within the scope of the project Refª UIDB/05583/2020. Furthermore, we would like to thank the Research Centre in Digital Services (CISeD) and the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu for their support.
SEJARAH GERAKAN DAKWAH ABDUL GHANI KASUBA (JIHAD PERDAMAIAN PADA KONFLIK ANTAR AGAMA DI MALUKU UTARA)
Authors: Abdullah Siti Nuralfia
Published: October 2020

The way of Islamic preaching from the time of the Prophet to the present can be said to be diverse. In its development, some famous figures, scholars, and religious teachers also emerged in their respective regions. Each figure also has a different path and experience in the preaching of all fields, including the da’wa jihad carried out by Abdul Gani Kasuba in breaking up inter-religious conflicts in North Maluku. This article uses the method of library research in which is data is taken from the main resources, namely “Sejarah Konflik dan Perdamaian di Maluku Utara (Refleksi Terhadap Sejarah Moloku Kie Raha)” and “Konflik Komunal: Maluku 1999-2000”. As a result, the author concludes that the substance of the missionary movement of Abdul Gani Kasuba is showing a humanist person to the community when preaching, regardless of which people he preaches. He prioritizes the characteristics of ukhuwah wathaniyah that implies the importance of brotherhood based on humanity (ukhuwah basyariah).

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PEMETAAN TATA KELOLA INFRASTRUKTUR PENYIARAN RADIO SWASTA DI DKI JAKARTA
Authors: Haryono Cosmas Gatot , Pamungkas Thomas Bambang
Published: October 2020

The aims of this study is to conduct mapping related to the implementation of governance of private radio broadcasting in DKI Jakarta. This is interesting to do because there are many complaints from the public that the management of broadcast media in Jakarta, especially the Radio Private Broadcasting Institutions, deviates much from the rules stipulated in Law no. 32 of 2002 concerning Broadcasting. This research is a quantitative research with descriptive type that tries to see how the implementation of private radio management in Jakarta as the dependent variable. While the components seen are administrative data, broadcast program data, facilities and infrastructure development, and staffing data. The results obtained indicate that there are many irregularities in radio broadcasting management in DKI Jakarta, including related to share ownership by employees, time allocation for public service announcements, certified employees and ownership of standard infrastructure for broadcasting.

 
CONCEPTUALIZING THE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT: TEACHINGS FROM SELECTED VERSES OF SURAH AL-HUJURAAT
Authors: Sule Muhammad Maga , Yahaya Atiku Garba
Published: October 2020

The speedy advancement in internet technology has revolutionized the use of social media platforms as ways of communication globally. This paper examines the proliferations social media sites in the world and its use among the Muslims.  Unlike traditional media, most of internet based means of social interactions are user-generated. It allows the individual to determine the content of the message with or without censorship or regulation. The liberty to open an account with any site of choice and the freedom it entails, lured some Muslims to surf social media without recourse to or in line with the basic tenets of Islamic teachings.  The paper is a qualitative method where In-Depth Interviews were conducted with seasoned social users.  The researchers purposively selected three participants for the study and interview because they are Muslims and possessed the knowledge about the phenomenon investigated. Some of the findings of the study revealed that some Muslims finds it convenient to share or post unsubstantiated religious messages on social media. Similarly, it has paved way for increasing number of untrained social media preachers. This makes it a delicate tool at the disposal of some of Muslim to fan antagonism among Muslim of creeds and sects in Nigeria. The article concludes that social media is a double-edged sword which side-effects as apparent when Muslim user do not resort to the teachings of Islam as the guiding principle when surfing the social media sites. The unfettered user-generated content of social media in 21st century enables the users to operate outside the ambit of the Islamic convention of social interactions.
Pilkada Langsung: Kisah Sukses dan Problematika
Authors: Jamaludin Teten
Published: October 2020

The implementation of direct local election has become important part of Indonesian society. This election is achievement of the reform. The public can finally vote for their head of the region (the local leaders) based on their own aspiration. The mechanism of this local election is somehow facing pro and contra between direct and indirect. It is considering the positive and negative impacts of the mechanism. The positive impact is to provide an opportunity for proposing their own people of the region to be candidate. This opportunity as a constitutional right of citizen regardless of race, ethnicity, and religion. Other results that there are number of regions are developed since this direct election able to produce several local leaders who are innovative and creative in developing their regions. In contrary, not few of the regional head are entangled with corruption cases. This is caused by the high cost of politics to achieve the seat of that regional head andco-head of the region. In addition, the cost to run the local election is also extremely expensive. Besides the local election socially triggers the horizontal conflict especially among the regional elites and its supporters. Different from the indirect local election that the cost is less. However,its has shortcoming that the regional head electedare not directly reflecting the aspirations of its people.
Multi-objective fuzzy optimization for sustainable irrigation planning
Authors: Gurav Jyotiba B. , Regulwar D. G.
Published: October 2020

The objective of the present work is to determine an optimal cropping pattern under uncertainty, which maximizes four objectives simultaneously, including net benefits (NBF), crop production (CPD), employment generation (EGN) and manure utilization (MUT). Except the objective of maximizing the NBF, the other objectives are related to sustainability. To deal with uncertainty, a multi-objective fuzzy linear programming (MOFLP) model has developed along with fuzziness in decision parameters (objective function coefficient, cost coefficients, technological coefficients and resources) and decision variables (area to be irrigated under each crop in each season) and applied the same to Jayakwadi Project Stage-I, Maharashtra, India. The present study is in the form of a successful attempt to deal with irrigation planning associated with sustainability and uncertainty.
Microbiological investigations of two thermal baths in Budapest, Hungary. Report: effect of bathing and pool operation type on water quality
Authors: Lippai Anett , Farkas Rózsa , Szuróczki Sára , Szabó Attila , Felföldi Tamás , Toumi Marwene , Tóth Erika
Published: October 2020

In Hungary, which is famous for its thermal baths, according to the regulations, waters are investigated in hygienic aspects with standard cultivation methods. In the present study, two thermal baths were investigated (the well and three different pool waters in both) using cultivation methods, taxon-specific polymerase chain reactions (PCRs), multiplex PCRs and next-generation amplicon sequencing. Mainly members of the natural microbial community of the well waters and bacteria originating from the environment were detected but several opportunistic pathogenic taxa, e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. stutzeri, Acinetobacter johnsoni, Acinetobacter baumanni, Moraxella osloensis, Microbacterium paraoxydans, Legionella spp., Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Staphylococcus aureus were revealed by the applied methods. Pools with charging-unloading operation had higher microscopic cell counts, colony-forming unit (CFU) counts, number of cocci, P. aeruginosa and S. aureus compared to the recirculation systems. Bacteria originating from human sources (e.g., skin) were identified in the pool waters with less than 1% relative abundance, and their presence was sporadic in the pools. Comparing the microbiological quality of the pools based on the first sampling time and the following four months' period it was revealed that recirculation operation type has better water quality than the charging-unloading pool operation from a hygienic point of view.
Performance investigation of the slaughterhouse wastewater treatment facility: a case of Mwanza City Slaughterhouse, Tanzania
Authors: Michael Semba , Paschal Chrisogoni , Kivevele Thomas , Rwiza Mwemezi J. , Njau Karoli N.
Published: October 2020

The present study engaged onsite operations and laboratory analysis for Mwanza City Slaughterhouse (MCS) wastewater to improve the efficiency of wastewater treatment of a newly installed facility. The MCS wastewater treatment facility is integrated with various units-biodigester, aeration unit, retention, clarifier, and a constructed wetland. During the initial runs, the MCS facility removed 87.5%, 92.2%, 43%, and 65.4% of effluent biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium, and nitrate, respectively. After conducting effective plant operations for five months, the removal efficiencies of BOD5, COD, ammonium, and nitrate improved to 97.4%, 98.3%, 97.4%, and 97.6%, respectively. In the present study, the unit-by-unit performance values achieved as a result of alterations to the facility's running conditions are presented. The MCS wastewater treatment facility was found to be energy-positive, as it produced an average of 158.2 m3 biogas per day. This amount of biogas, if converted to electricity, would be sufficient to run the facility operations. Generally, the MCS wastewater treatment facility attained the best performance as per design, achieving the effluent levels recommended by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS).
Application of high-frequency spring discharge data: a case study of Mathamali spring rejuvenation in the Garhwal Himalaya
Authors: Kumar Vikram , Paramanik Santosh
Published: October 2020

Water scarcity is becoming the biggest threat to the global population due to unpredictable rainfall, glaciers melt, and other anthropogenic activities. This study focuses on the analysis of monitored high-frequency continuous spring discharge and rainfall data in the contact and fracture type Mathamali spring located in the Garhwal Himalaya. Discharge from the spring and its storage behavior has been studied by analyzing recession components and flow duration curves. Analyzed discharge data revealed that the spring can generate maximum volume during monsoon as compared to winter due to aquifer properties and tendencies to store and transmit water. Springshed intervention practices were implemented in early April 2017. The measured average flow was 16.9 lpm but soon after the interventions, the average flow increased by 2.6 times. The minimum average spring flow was 2.3 lpm which increased by 5 times whereas the average maximum flow increased by 1.8 times. Post-intervention, storage duration has increased by 16%, decaying from 143 lpm (peak flow) to 12.7 lpm (baseflow). The preliminary findings from this spring can be considered as a check for establishing benchmarks for sustainable development of springsheds, climate change adaptation, and development plans to cope up with growing water insecurity in the rural Himalayas.
Effect of soy protein-based flocculant on flocculation and filtration of diatomite and kaolin suspensions
Authors: Maruyama Hideo , Seki Hideshi
Published: October 2020

The effect of ethylated soy protein-based bioflocculant (EtSP) as a filter aid reagent was investigated. The efficiency of EtSP as a filter aid was evaluated in terms of the specific cake resistance, α, and was compared with chitosan and polyaluminum chloride (PAC). Diatomite and kaolin were used as model particles. Total filtration resistance, R, decreased with increasing flocculant dosage (wt.%, flocculant/particle) and was almost constant in the range of 1 wt.% or more for both particles. The α value was significantly decreased from 1.01 × 1011 to 9.01 × 1010 m/kg for diatomite and from 5.11 × 1010 to 5.20 × 109 m/kg for kaolin by the addition of EtSP in the case of 1.0 wt.%. The α value for cakes formed by EtSP was much smaller than that formed by chitosan and PAC. In the case of diatomite, in the dose range of 0.5–1.0 wt.%, the α value for cakes formed by EtSP and chitosan was almost the same. However, at the excess dose of 2.0 wt.% over, the α value formed by chitosan abruptly increased. In the case of kaolin, in the dose range of 1.0–2.0 wt.%, the α values of chitosan and PAC were mostly the same, however, these values were larger by ca. nine times than that of EtSP.
Phenanthridine Sulfonamide Derivatives as Potential DPP-IV Inhibitors:
Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation
Authors: Khalaf Reema Abu , Alqazaqi Shorooq , Aburezeq Maram , Sabbah Dima , Albadawi Ghadeer , Sheikha Ghassan Abu
Published: October 2020

Background:

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder, characterized by hyperglycemia over a
prolonged period, disturbance of fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism, resulting from defective insulin secretion,
insulin action or both. Dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitors are relatively a new class of oral hypoglycemic agents
that reduces the deterioration of gut-derived endogenous incretin hormones that are secreted in response to food ingestion
to stimulate the secretion of insulin from beta cells of pancreas.

Objective:

In this study, synthesis, characterization, and biological assessment of twelve novel phenanthridine
sulfonamide derivatives 3a-3l as potential DPP-IV inhibitors was carried out. The target compounds were docked to study
the molecular interactions and binding affinities against DPP-IV enzyme.

Methods:

The synthesized molecules were characterized using 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, IR, and MS. Quantum-polarized
ligand docking (QPLD) was also performed.

Results:

In vitro biological evaluation of compounds 3a-3l reveals comparable DPP-IV inhibitory activities ranging from
10%-46% at 100 µM concentration, where compound 3d harboring ortho-fluoro moiety exhibited the highest inhibitory
activity. QPLD study shows that compounds 3a-3l accommodate DPP-IV binding site and form H-bonding with the R125,
E205, E206, S209, F357, R358, K554, W629, S630, Y631, Y662, R669 and Y752 backbones.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, phenanthridine sulfonamides could serve as potential DPP-IV inhibitors that require further
structural optimization in order to enhance their inhibitory activity.
High Efficiency of Food Waste Fermentation and Biohydrogen Production in Experimental-industrial Anaerobic Batch Reactor
Authors: Hovorukha Vira , Tashyrev Oleksandr , Havryliuk Olesia , Iastremska Larysa
Published: October 2020

Background:

Multicomponent organic waste is a significant environment hazard. Natural mechanisms can no longer ensure the processing of increasing volumes of such waste. The accumulation of multicomponent organic waste to environment pollution with toxic gases and leachate. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop cost-effective technologies for the rapid treatment of huge volumes of toxic waste. Moreover, multicomponent organic waste can be used as the substrate for the production of green energy - biohydrogen.

Objective:

To scale up the technology of biohydrogen production from multicomponent organic waste in experimental-industrial anaerobic batch reactor and to establish fermentation parameters of its operation.

Methods:

An experimental-industrial anaerobic batch reactor was designed and the method of thermodynamic prognosis was applied to determine the most effective microbial pathway for hydrogen synthesis. The efficiency of the fermentation was evaluated by the pH and redox potential (Eh, mV) of culture medium, the concentration and volume of synthesized gas.

Results:

The experimental-industrial anaerobic batch reactor with a volume of 240 L was successfully applied to scale up the process of obtaining hydrogen via fermentation of organics. The duration of the technological cycle (T) was 1.5-4 days. The coefficient of waste destruction (Kd) that is the ratio between the initial and final weight of waste was high and ranged from 86 to 140. Hydrogen yield was 45-90 L/kg of dry weight of waste. The maximum concentration of hydrogen (H2max) was 50-58%.

Conclusion:

The developed approach and scaling of the biotechnology is promising for industrial application for effective hydrogen production via dark fermentation of multicomponent organic waste. Its industrial application might help to solve the problem of toxic multicomponent organic waste destruction and simultaneously to produce green energy H2.
Numerical Simulation and Experimental Investigation on Seismic Performance of Composite Structural Connection of Encased CFST Column and Reinforced Concrete Beam with Steel Ring
Authors: Ponsubbiah Aravind Raj , Ravi Divahar , S P Sangeetha , T Meenambal , F S Frieda
Published: October 2020

Introduction:

This paper discusses the seismic characteristics of the composite structural joint between the Encased Concrete Filled Steel Tubular (ECFST) Column and Reinforced Concrete (RC) beam. The hysteresis behaviour, envelope curves, ductility, rigidity degradation, energy absorption capacity, and equivalent viscous damping coefficient are also discussed.

Methods:

In this study, the reinforcement placed longitudinally in the RC beam, which is disunited at the joint due to the tubular section of the ECFST column, is connected by providing links in the form of steel rings at the joint. In this study, four specimens with circular steel rings and square concrete casing along with two control specimens are considered. The number of ring layers and concentric rings are used in different combinations among the specimens.

Results:

The structural connection with the circular steel rings and square concrete casing at the ECFST column and RC beam joint showed superior seismic performance due to the provision of the longitudinal bar and the increased confinement at the joint due to the steel rings and additional concrete casing.

Conclusion:

A comparative study was done between the experimental studies and the numerical analysis from the finite element developed using ANSYS. It was found that the experimental investigation results matched with the finite element analysis.
Causality and Stationarity with Structural Break in Electricity Consumption and GDP per capita in Mexico
Authors: German-Soto Vicente
Published: October 2020

La electricidad es clave en la mayoría de los procesos de producción, por tanto, entender causalidad, cointegración y estacionariedad entre consumo de electricidad y producción es un punto de partida en el debate de sus efectos económicos. Modelos de corrección de errores (VECM) y cointegración, junto a pruebas de estacionariedad, examinan esta relación en México durante 1940-2018. Los resultados apoyan esta hipótesis, pero después de considerar el cambio estructural subrayado por la apertura comercial, ya que causalidad, estacionariedad y cointegración solo pueden demostrarse dividiendo el periodo en 1985, fecha de quiebre estimada para producto per cápita. En la primera etapa, la causalidad corrió de electricidad a producto, mientras que en la segunda fue bidireccional. Se recomienda adaptar los programas de electricidad a cambios en la esfera política. La originalidad de esta contribución descansa en el análisis de largo plazo del sector de energía enfatizando la importancia de quiebres estructurales. A pesar de alguna sensibilidad al ejecutar las regresiones, las conclusiones recomiendan fortalecer el sector de energía como medio factible de recuperar el crecimiento sostenido que México alcanzó en otros tiempos.
Bull vs. Bear Oil & Gas Leveraged Exchange Traded Fund: A Rolling Risk-Performance
Authors: Mendoza-Rivera Ricardo Jacob , García-Pérez Luis Enrique , Jiménez Preciado Ana Lorena
Published: October 2020

El objetivo de esta investigación es capturar la exposición riesgo-rendimiento de 4 ETFs de energía apalancados populares: GUSH, DRIP, DGAZ y UGAZ, que son una opción de inversión atractiva cuando el mercado de capitales (acciones y bonos específicamente) no presenta un buen desempeño debido a la incertidumbre inherente del mercado. Se utiliza un modelo de riesgo-rendimiento de ventanas móviles para estudiar la dinámica de tres de los principales componentes de inversión: volatilidad, rendimiento y beta del mercado (β) en diferentes horizontes de tiempo sobre ETF alcistas (bull) y bajistas (bear) que replican índices y commodities basadas en petróleo y gas. El ETF de energía apalancado proporciona de 200% a 300% (para bull) y -200% a -300% (para bear) de rendimiento diario a partir de su índice de referencia, permitiendo implementar estrategias donde se pueden obtener altos rendimientos (así como las altas pérdidas) a partir de la volatilidad del mercado. Los resultados permiten caracterizar la dinámica riesgo-rendimiento de los ETFs energéticos apalancados (bull y bear). En general, los ETF son un mecanismo para que los inversionistas puedan prever la estructura de precios de los energéticos, con el fin de tomar decisiones sobre una asignación eficiente de los recursos.