bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence different amount of cellulose on the mechanical strength of dental acrylic resin
Authors: Taczała Joanna , Fu Chang , Sawicki Jacek , Pietrasik Joanna
Published: March 2020

The mechanical strength of PMMA is not sufficient when a patient applies high mastication force to the denture base plate. Many fillers to reinforce PMMA was used. However, cellulose incorporated into dental acrylic resin has never been reported. In this work, two types of modified cellulose were incorporated in the heat-cured acrylic resin, and the flexural strength was investigated. The conclusion is that the addition of properly modified cellulose could have good influence on the flexural strength of dental acrylic resin. The addition of cellulose modified by 3-Methacryloxypropylmethyldimethoxysilane has increased average flexural strength and the standard deviation was satisfactory. However, Triethoxy(octyl)silane may not appropriate to achieve the intended purpose, or the modification of the cellulose by this silane itself must still be subjected to further testing. The ability to form new chemical chains between the cellulose and acrylic surfaces had a greater impact on the strength of acrylic than facilitated even distribution of cellulose.
The influence of grinding wheel type on microhardness and residual stresses in vacuum-carburised 20MnCr5 steel using the single-piece flow method
Authors: Zgórniak P , Wołowiec-Korecka E , Januszewicz B , Sikora M , Rosik R
Published: March 2020

The aim of the experiment described in the paper was to determine the effect of selected conditions of abrasive machining on the size and distribution of microhardness and residual stresses developed in the technological surface layer of flat specimens made of 20MnCr5 steel. The specimens were subjected to single-piece flow low-pressure carburising (LPC) and high-pressure gas quenching (HPGQ) in a 4D Quenching chamber in order to achieve an effective case depth of ECD=0.4 mm. This was followed by grinding the specimens with Quantum and Vortex alumina grinding wheels. Cooling and lubricating fluid were supplied to the grinding zone using the flood (WET) method. The samples were ground in one pass of the grinding wheel using one grinding depth (ae = 0.01 mm). The measurements for each specimen were made twice - after the thermo-chemical treatment and after the grinding. Microhardness and residual stress were measured using the X-ray method sin2Ψ. The final part of the article provides an analysis of the measurement results and presents conclusions and recommendations for further studies.
The influence of grinding conditions on surface roughness parameters of 20MnCr5 steel vacuum-carburised by single-piece flow method
Authors: Sikora M , Zgórniak P , Wołowiec-Korecka E
Published: March 2020

The purpose of the experimental tests described in the article was to determine the effect of selected abrasive machining conditions on the value of surface roughness of 20MnCr5 steel samples. The samples were subjected to vacuum carburising (LPC) using the ‘single-piece flow’ method and high-pressure gas quenching (HPGQ) in a 4D Quenching chamber to obtain an effective case depth (ECD) of 0.4 mm. Next, the samples were ground with a Norton Vortex corundum grinding wheel. Cooling and lubricating fluid was delivered to the grinding zone using the flooding method (WET) and with the minimum quantity lubrication method (MQL). The samples were ground in one pass of the grinding wheel using two grinding depths – ae = 0.01 mm and ae = 0.02 mm. For each grinding test, surface roughness measurements were made using a stationary laboratory profilometer T8000 from Hommel Werke. These measurements enabled the determination of the 2D and 3D roughness parameters. Analysis of the measurement results showed that for the adopted test conditions, the use of the MQL method resulted in a decrease in surface roughness compared to the surface ground using the WET method. This property applies to both tested grinding depths.
Frictional behaviour of TiN coatings grown by atomic layer deposition
Authors: Grodzicki Wojciech , Kolodziejczyk Lukasz
Published: March 2020

The main idea of the presented work is the evaluation of frictional properties of the TiN coatings deposited by atomic layer deposition technology using atomic force microscopy approach. Ogletree method was employed in order to calibrate the lateral force and estimate the average friction coefficient of TiN coatings. Obtained titanium nitride coatings were also characterized in terms of morphology, surface topography and mechanical properties. The evaluation has been done with reference to the commercially available TiN produced by commonly known magnetron sputtering method.
Design, Construction and Testing of Portable Systems for Temperature, Humidity and Ammonia Monitoring of Chicken Coop
Authors: Supriyono H , Bimantoro U , Harismah K
Published: March 2020

The air and environment quality have big impact for chicken health. The most dominant component polluting environment of chicken coop is ammonia which is produced by chicken manure. Other environment components that affect chicken health are including temperature and humidity of the air. The problem faced by chicken farmer is that the decreasing of chicken health which leads to the death caused by the bad air and environment condition. These environment variables were usually predicted by the farmer manually. The objective of the publication is to monitor the ammonia, temperature and humidity electronically by using computer-based systems for a chicken coop. The developed systems used DHT 22 sensor as a temperature detector and MQ-135 sensor as ammonia gas detector. The systems also able to control the fan and lamps to maintain temperature and humidity of the chicken coop stable. Data from the sensors then were processed by NodeMCU ESP8266 microcontroller and then was displayed on 20x4 LCD. Afterward, the data was sent to the Android smartphone by using social networking platform Telegram for distance notification systems. Testing results showed that the developed system works well.
DC Power Supply using Digital Potentiometer on Switching Regulator Module Monitored and Controlled via NI LabView
Authors: Nugraha F , Priramadhi R A , Ramdhani M
Published: March 2020

Smart Controlled Adjustable Power Supply is an automated power supply device in which the Voltage output from the device can be controlled using Digital Potentiometer as a voltage feedback manipulator and can be monitored using PC. Voltage and output current can be controlled in accordance with the specifications of the desired voltage 0-30V DC with 0.01 V resolution. This Study will show how Digital POT can change the output voltage of the LM2576 Module and show the correlation between the BIT number of POT and the Voltage output. Afterward, the device will be controlled and monitored via NI LabView so it can easily be accessed by everyone and can compete in industry 4.0 due to its accessibility. There will be some test runs to prove the designed device is working properly and match the desired spesifications.
Solar Cell Output Optimization using Light Convergence Method
Authors: Aprillia Bandiyah Sri , Ekaputri Cahyantari , Zul Fahmi Muhammad Rafiqy
Published: March 2020

Light intensity is one of the many factors that can influence the power output of a solar cell. In this research, light convergence method is performed by using a Fresnel lens to increase the light intensity that are passes through the solar cells. 2 solar cells are used for this research. One of them is paired with a Fresnel lens positioned perpendicularly at a distance of 5cm. The output from both solar cells are then compared. The solar cell paired with the Fresnel lens contains a higher power output by up to 40.29% at 13.10 o’clock in the afternoon compared to a normal solar cell. However therein lies a decrease in power output at 10.00 – 10.30 o’clock and 13.30 – 14.00 o’clock by up to -30.65% because shadows from the Fresnel lens relative to the sun’s position affects the light intensity a solar cell receives. Results from 3 days’ worth of tests shows that at 10.00 – 14.00 o’clock, the solar cell paired with a Fresnel lens retain a higher average power output of around 6.08% compared to a solar cell without one.
IoT Based Logistics Vehicle Security Monitoring System
Authors: Priharti W , Sumaryo S , Saraswati T , Nurfadilah M R
Published: March 2020

Speed, security and accuracy of a goods transportation play an important role in the logistics industry. This study proposes a logistics vehicle monitoring system that are consists of automated locking and tracking system to ensure the security and on-time arrival of the transported goods. Global Positioning System (GPS) combined with Global System for Mobile Communication/General Packet Radio Service (GSM/GPRS) internet connection method was utilized to provide real-time monitoring using an Android application display. The automatic locking command was successfully executed within 30.50 s delay. The logistics vehicle location accurate to 16.7 m was pinpointed within 28.72 s delay. The warning was successfully given when the logistic vehicle was moving away at minimum 500 m from the destination point to ensure the delivery route was exactly followed.
Diet Calorie Determination System using Case-Based Reasoning
Authors: Mustafidah Hindayati , Yosi Aprilia Olivia , Fitri Ardhista Shabrina , Fatimah Vita Nurul Arfiana , Fitriana Yolla Arinda Nur
Published: March 2020

The balance of food consumption plays a crucial role in the health and quality of metabolism in the body, especially for people with diabetes, because the balance of nutrients in the body is not balanced. But even for healthy people, it is necessary to maintain nutrition in the framework of a healthy lifestyle. To determine a healthy diet is not easy, especially food, which is a source of energy. By building a case-based reasoning (CBR) system, it can solve this difficulty. The flow of this system development includes 4R (retrieve, reuse, revise, retain). The work system of CBR is a new case having similarities with situations that have already existed (previous problems), so the solution has similarities with the earlier issues. The attributes used are age, gender, weight, height, and activity. This system will significantly help the community in determining the right calorie diet so that the body’s health is maintained.
Convolutional Neural Network for Brain Tumor Detection
Authors: Febrianto D C , Soesanti I , Nugroho H A
Published: March 2020

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging technique used to diagnosing brain tumor disease. Early diagnosis of brain tumors is an essential task in medical work to find out whether the tumor can potentially become cancerous. Deep learning is a handy and efficient method for image classification. Deep learning has been widely applied in various fields including medical imaging, because its application does not require the reliability of an expert in the related field, but requires the amount of data and diverse data to produce good classification results. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is the deep learning technique to perform image classification. In this paper, we compared two model CNN find the best model CNN to classify tumours in Brain MRI Image and at the end, we have trained CNN and obtained a prediction accuracy of up to 93%.
Build Design of Information Media Application in Purwokerto Based on Multimedia
Authors: Pinandita Tito , Saputri Silvia Deviani
Published: March 2020

Transportation is a major problem for newcomers in certain places. Types of transportation and trails make newcomers confused when they want to visit a certain place. There are several media that can solve the problem, but the limitations of the media make it difficult for newcomers to find the right track in the city, for example in Purwokerto city. One of the media that can be used is multimedia-based media. In this case, it can be created using Adobe Flash CS5. This software can be used to create animations about urban transport vehicle lines in Purwokerto. Multimedia applications make users know information that is accurate, precise, fast and interesting.
The Development of Hydrogel Polymer from Diapers Waste with The addition of Straw Nano Fibers as The Growing Media of Green Beans Plant
Authors: Imalia C L , Selviana G A , Chafidz A , Haryanto
Published: March 2020

The increase in diapers usage gives a serious contribution to environmental pollution. The hydrogel in diaper waste can be an alternative growing media. But, the growing media must have enough nutrition to fulfil the plant’s need. Therefore, some amounts of filler are necessary to be added to the growing media of diapers waste hydrogel. This research aimed to find out the characteristics of diapers waste hydrogel, the effect of adding straw nanofiber towards the release constant rate, and the growth of green beans. The hydrogel of diapers waste was loaded with various concentration (0%, 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) of straw nanofibres and dried at 40°C for 3 days. The results show the morphology of the diapers waste hydrogel surface more dense with the addition of straw nanofibres. The release rate constant value increased with the increasing of straw nanofiber content. In this research, it can be proved that diaper waste hydrogel can be developed as the growing media, especially for green bean plant.
Analysis of concrete mixtures with marble waste material as cement substitution and glass waste as sand substitution on concrete compressive strength
Authors: Zulkarnain F , Hadipramana J , Krisnianda
Published: March 2020

Concrete technology that continues to develop produces high quality concrete which will be a problem of increasing concrete needs. Along with the soaring price of cement as the main ingredient in making concrete, the cost of making concrete is a problem that needs to be sought as a solution for technological development in the field of building construction. Therefore making concrete mixes by suppressing the amount of cement used can be one of the solutions to the problem. The many needs of the Indonesian community for buildings cannot be separated from the increasing demand for building materials. One of them is marble and glass which in the process there is trash or waste from the results of the remains of the pieces or discarded without any prior management. Therefore the need for efforts that can be made to handle the amount of marble or glass waste by utilizing it as a filler in making concrete. This research is to find out the quality of compressive strength of concrete mixed with marble waste. This study used a compressive strength of 20 MPa plan after the study was carried out obtained the average compressive strength of 10% marble concrete waste at 14 days at 22,35 MPa and at 28 days at 23,20 MPa. The average compressive strength value of glass waste concrete 8% at 14 days is 22,64 MPa and at 28 days is 23,48 MPa. Meanwhile, the average compressive strength value of the concrete combination of 10% marble waste + 8% glass waste at 14 days is 22,92 MPa and at 28 days is 23,77 MPa it can be concluded that all concrete variations in marble waste of 10% and glass waste of 8% have increased. This proves that marble and glass waste can be used in certain variations.
Fluorescent concrete with strontium phosphorus powder and plastic waste
Authors: Purnama D D , Iduwin T , Hidayawanti R
Published: March 2020

Concrete as a structural material can also function in the aesthetic field. The use of fluorescent concrete can beautify buildings, roads and other construction buildings with concrete material. The use of plastic waste has added value to this concrete because it can reduce environmental damage. So that beautiful, environmentally friendly concrete is expected to be created. This research was carried out in the hope of utilising strontium phosphorus powder and plastic waste to increase the value of concrete benefits. The research that will be carried out consists of several stages. First, the problem identification phase and the materials were making up the concrete, so that the characteristics of the material can be known. The second stage is the concrete mix design using SNI 03-2834-2000 guidelines. The third stage is making the compressive strength and concrete panel specimens carried out in the laboratory. The fourth step is testing the compressive strength and concrete panel specimens and analyzing the test results. Concrete test results show that the more the percentage of strontium phosphorus powder instead of cement, the lower the compressive strength of the concrete. For the percentage of concrete plus 4% plastic waste and 5%, strontium phosphorus powder has a compressive strength of 11.69 MPa compared to normal concrete 26.03 MPa. Then the longest time the fluorescent concrete produced by panel concrete plus cement paste 10% strontium phosphorus powder is for 3 hours.
Social capital of local communities in the water resources management: an insight from Kepulauan Riau
Authors: Yudiatmaja W E , Yudithia  , Samnuzulsari T , Suyito  , Edison
Published: March 2020

This paper draws the process of water resources management of local communities by using the social capital point of view. By using a comparative case study, this research was conducted in two regions in Kepulauan Riau, Senggarang and Mantang. Social capital of local communities, such as norms, trust, beliefs, and gotong-royong play a significant role in the process of governing water resources in different ways. This paper contributes to the study of water resources management by recognizing the social capital of local communities. In practical terms, this study is also valuable to the practice of water resources management in the local context in Indonesia. The theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of the study are discussed.
Characteristic of Vertical Mixed Flow Dryer in Coffee Bean Drying Process
Authors: Sutrisno  , Ariwibowo D , Yulianto M E , Sitawati R
Published: March 2020

This paper proposes a new type of vertical mixed flow dryer and evaluates the characteristic of the dryer for coffee bean drying. The specific design of vertical mixed flow dryer was in the drying chamber that equipped with a perforated-sloped tray to retard grain flow while drying. The dryer characteristic was presented in a form of humidity and temperature behaviour during the drying process. This characteristic could be a database to get coffee with standard moisture content (MC). Parameter stated were air temperature (°C), humidity (kg/kg dry air), coffee bean mass flow rate (kg/s), and air velocity (m/s). For air velocity of 2 m/s, this dryer was able to dry coffee bean from 52% initial MC to final 14% MC for 11,5 hours.
Study on optical properties and luminescence of Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped La2O3-Nb2O5-Ta2O5 glasses prepared by aerodynamic levitation
Authors: Zhang Minghui , Wen Haiqin , Pan Xiuhong , Tang Meibo , Zheng Wei
Published: March 2020

Aerodynamic levitation method has been successfully used to prepare new Er3+/Yb3+ co-doped La2O3-Nb2O5-Ta2O5 glasses. 980 nm laser can be used to excite the glass for strong absorption of Yb3+ ions. The glass show high infrared transmittance of ∼80%. Moreover, the OH− concentration is very low with the value of ∼7 ppm, indicating excellent infrared transmission. The glass performs good optical properties with refractive index of near 2.3. The plane sweeping of EDS reveals that Er3+ and Yb3+ are distributed homogeneously in the glass. Strong down-conversion luminescence centered at 1530 nm has been achieved from the glass excited at 980 nm. The near-infrared emission is due to the transition of 4I13/2 → 4I15/2 in Er3+ ions. After fitting the decay curve, the lifetime of the near-infrared emission can be decided to be ∼5.517 ms. Such long lifetime is very helpful for rare earth ions to achieve strong emission.
NaMnO2−xthin nanosheets assembled microspheres as electrode for aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor
Authors: Xu Song , Wan Tao , Zhou Kai-bin , Zhu Guang-ming , He Zhi-qiang , Huang Hai-bo , Zhou Ting , Mao Wen-qi , Wu Jie-jun , Gong Shang-kun , Qiao Yan-xin
Published: March 2020

This study proposes MnO2thin nanosheets assembled microspheres with oxygen vacancies and pre-insertion of Na ions (NaMnO2−x) as highly capable supercapacitor electrodes. The NaMnO2−xelectrode can reach a stable potential window of 1.2 V without oxygen evolution reactions in three-electrode configuration. The voltage window of the assembled aqueous ASC device can be expanded to 2.4 V (1 M Na2SO4) by using NaMnO2−xelectrode and activated carbon electrode as positive and negative electrodes, respectively. The NaMnO2−xelectrode delivers a good specific capacitance of 215 F · g−1at current density of 1 A · g−1. It displays high-rate capability and an excellent cycling stability, maintaining 95.5% of its initial specific capacitance at 2 A · g−1after 2500 cycles. The ASC device shows a high energy density and power density of 28.56 W · h · kg−1and 1246 W · kg−1, respectively, at a current density of 1 A · g−1.
Investigation the effect of doping concentration in Ruthenium-doped TiO2 thin films for solar cells and sensors applications
Authors: Al-Shomar S M
Published: March 2020

Thin films of Ru doped TiO2 have been deposited on glass substrates at different doping concentration (0.05, 0.07, 0.09, 0.11 mol l−1) by the sol gel method. The prepared thin films were studied: their structural, morphological, optical and photocatlytic properties. The XRD spectra confirm that all the samples have anatase phase with preferential orientation along (101) plane. The position of (101) peaks shift to higher angles with increase doping concentration and 0.07 mol l−1 sample have a sharp and high intensity diffraction peak. Due to condensation and agglomeration effect. The thickness of the thin films increases from 110 nm to 255 nm with the increment of Ru concentrations. AFM images show that the films had good quality and pyramidal shape was distributed over their entire surface. Transmittance and absorbance spectra of the un-doped and Ru doped TiO2 thin films were recorded by UV–vis spectrometer. The optical band gap of the thin films increases from 3.66 eV to 3.85 eV as the Ru amount increases; this is due to the Moss-Burstein effect. Calculated results show that both the excitation coefficient (k) and refractive index (n) decreases with wavelength at all Ru concentration. Optical conductivity can improve after doping which can be a suitable material for use in sensor and solar cell applications. The photocatalytic activity was investigated by monitoring the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible and sun light. The results revealed that the photocatalytic activity under sun light was higher comparing to UV light for all films. Ru doped TiO2 thin films enhance the efficiency of its photocatalytic activity. It was found that the percentage of degradation was higher in 0.11 mol l−1 Ru doped TiO2 when compared with other films.
Ductile fracture behavior and flow stress modeling of 17-4PH martensitic stainless steel in tensile deformation at high temperature
Authors: Feng Chao , Zhang Li , Wu Jian , Yu Hang
Published: March 2020

The ductile fracture behavior of 17-4PH martensitic stainless steel at high temperature was investigated based on the experimental data of hot uniaxial tensile test. The elongation and reduction of area indicated that the ductility was mainly enhanced during the deformation at the temperature 1150 °C–1200 °C with high strain rate more than 0.1 s−1. The hot flow stress curves were obtained from the tensile experiments, and the true strain of necking initiation was determined by analyzing the contours of fractured specimens. Then, the true stress-true strain data of the deformations before necking were adopted to establish the tensile flow stress model. In order to express the combined influences of the strain, strain rate and temperature on flow stress, a modified Johnson-Cook model was proposed to describe the hot constitutive behavior of the presented steel. It indicates that reasonable agreements between the model-predicted results and the experimental data were achieved.
Single event burnout hardening of trench shielded power UMOSFET using High-κ dielectrics
Authors: Krishnamurthy Saranya , Kannan Ramani , Hussin Fawnizu Azmadi
Published: March 2020

This study proposes the High-κ dielectric Trench Shielded power UMOSFET (HK TS-UMOSFET) to be assessed using the two-dimensional numerical simulations. The simulations are employed to evaluate HK TS-UMOSFETs susceptibility to single-event burnout (SEB) mechanism. Based on the findings, the influence of alternative high permittivity gate dielectrics to silicon dioxide (SiO
2) in TS-UMOSFET was discussed. Furthermore, in order to improve the performance of the device, its electrical behaviour was simulated with several high-κ dielectrics including Al
2
O
3, Si
3
N
4 and Aluminium Nitride (AlN). When heavy ions strike the sensitive areas of the device, the electric field distribution and SEB threshold values were extracted. Based on the values yielded, (AlN) was identified as a promising high-κ material to achieve SEB-hardened TS-UMOSFET compared to the other high-κ dielectrics. In conclusion, with (AlN), the HK TS-UMOSFET offers a high SEB tolerance and improved electrical characteristics.
Did India’s ecological fiscal transfers incentivize state governments to increase their forestry budgets?
Authors: Busch Jonah , Kapur Avani , Mukherjee Anit
Published: March 2020

Ecological fiscal transfers (EFTs) involve higher levels of government distributing funds to lower levels of government based on ecological indicators. In 2015 India established the world’s largest system of EFTs when its 14th Finance Commission added forest cover to the formula that determines the amount of tax revenue the Union government distributes annually to each state. Here we gather state-by-state data on forestry budgets to assess whether India’s EFTs incentivized states to protect and restore forests as evidenced by increases to their forestry budgets. We find that states increased their forestry budgets by 19% in absolute terms in the three years after the introduction of EFTs relative to the three years prior. However, forestry budgets as a share of overall state budgets shrank by 16% after the introduction of EFTs, from 0.99% to 0.83%. Furthermore, states that obtained a larger share of their budget from EFTs did not disproportionately increase their forestry budget. Taken together, this suggests the introduction of EFTs has not yet led states to increase their forestry budgets. We develop a causal chain that suggests two reasons this could be: (1) low expectations on the part of state government officials that EFTs would continue in such a way that increases in forest cover would be rewarded with increases in revenue; and/or (2) insufficient motivation to increase forestry budgets as an investment in future revenue from EFTs. The 15th Finance Commission has plausibly addressed low expectations by keeping forests in the tax revenue distribution formula for another period and updating the year for which forest cover is measured from 2013 to 2017. It has plausibly addressed insufficient motivation by increasing the weight on forests in the formula from 7.5% to 10%. Future research can show whether these modified EFTs incentivize states to increase forest protection and restoration.
Green nanotechnology-based zinc oxide (ZnO) nanomaterials for biomedical applications: a review
Authors: Medina Cruz David , Mostafavi Ebrahim , Vernet-Crua Ada , Barabadi Hamed , Shah Veer , Cholula-Díaz Jorge L , Guisbiers Gregory , Webster Thomas J
Published: March 2020

The rise of nanotechnology has brought to the world a new potential and broader perspective of what humanity can achieve through material manipulation at the nanoscale. As a consequence, the use of different nanomaterials has revolutionized both the industrial and biomedical worlds. Metallic and metal-oxide nanostructures have shown great potential due to their high surface to volume ratio and high reactivity. Among them, zinc oxide (ZnO) has revealed wider applicability, including in nanomedicine, where ZnO nanomaterials have shown great potential leading to effective interactions with biological membranes and exhibiting antibacterial and/or anticancer behaviors. However, consistent with several other nanostructures, the synthesis of ZnO nanomaterials is not devoid of drawbacks, such as the production of harmful and toxic byproducts, the use of toxic reagents, the employment of expensive instruments, and the lack of biocompatibility, all of which need to be overcome before extensive use. As a solution, green nanotechnology has allowed the production of ZnO nanostructures using environmentally friendly and cost-effective methods, which are based on the use of living organisms, natural biomolecules and waste materials. Once produced, green-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles have shown enhancements in terms of their cytocompatibility and biomedical properties compared to their traditionally produced counterparts, becoming excellent antibacterial or anticancer agents. These ZnO nanoparticles have also proven to be valuable materials in combination with wound healing processes and biosensing elements in order to trace small amounts of biomarkers associated with different diseases. As a consequence, there is a synergy between green nanotechnology and ZnO nanomaterials, which is leading to an exciting flourishment in the field, presenting a wide variety of biomedical applications for these nanostructures. This review compares and contrasts recent approaches and examples of the use of green-synthesized ZnO nanomaterials with traditionally synthesized structures, demonstrating a remarkable potential for their use as a powerful biomedical agent.
The impact of risk factors for dementia in China
Authors: Liu Yingxu , Zhang Shu , Tomata Yasutake , Nurrika Dieta , Sugawara Yumi , Tsuji Ichiro
Published: March 2020

Brief summary

We evaluated the impact of seven risk factors for dementia in China. Physical inactivity, midlife hypertension and low education are proposed to be the largest fraction contributors to dementia. 55% of dementia were attributable to one or more of the seven risk factors.

Background

Previous studies have highlighted the impact of seven risk factors (midlife obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, low education, diabetes mellitus, midlife hypertension and depression) against dementia. However, the impact of these risk factors on dementia has not been evaluated among the Chinese population.

Objective

To clarify the impact of seven major risk factors on the incidence of dementia in China.

Design

The prevalence of risk factors was derived from the latest national surveys. Relative risks of corresponding risk factors were derived from the latest cohort or cross-sectional studies.

Setting and subjects

Three national surveys were included in the present study to obtain prevalence data of seven risk factors: the China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (CCDRFSS) (2013), which covered about 170,000 adults (aged ≥18 years) from 31 provinces; (2) China National Survey of Chronic Kidney Disease (CNSCKD) (2010), which covered about 50,000 adults (aged ≥18 years) from 13 provinces; and (3) China Family Panel Studies Survey (CFPSS) (2012), which covered about 30,000 adults (aged ≥18 years) from 25 provinces.

Methods

Levin’s formula was used to calculate the population attributable fraction (PAF) for each risk factor for dementia. The combined PAF of the seven risk factors was calculated assuming the independence of each risk factor.

Results

Physical inactivity (PAF, 24.3%), midlife hypertension (PAF, 22.1%) and low education (PAF: 11.9%) were the top three factors that contributed to dementia. The total PAF of the seven risk factors was 55% in the Chinese population.

Conclusions

promotion of physical activity, control of hypertension and improvement of nationwide educational level may be helpful public health strategies to decrease the incidence of dementia in China.
Growing research in geriatric medicine: a trainee perspective
Authors: Welch Carly ,   Geriatric Medicine Research Collaborative, McCluskey Lauren , Wilson Daisy , Moorey Hannah , Majid Zeinab , Madden Katy , McNeela Natalie , Richardson Sarah , Burton Jenni , Taylor Joanne , Masoli Jane , Ronan Lindsay , Torsney Kelli , Lochlainn Mary Ni , Cox Natalie , Lim Stephen , Todd Oliver , Hale Matthew , Lunt Eleanor , Willott Ruth , Healy Roisin , Makin Stephen , Gaunt Victoria , Jelley Benjamin , Walesby Katherine , Hernandez Nazaneen , Alsahab Mustafa , Giridharan Kumudhini , Alme Katinka Nordheim , Cedeño Veloz Bernardo Abel , Lal Rajni , Jasper Emily , Subramanian Manicka S , Matchekhina Lubov , Lamloum Mounir , Briggs Robert
Published: March 2020

Growing research in geriatric medicine is a priority area. Currently, involvement of geriatricians in research lags behind other specialties. The reasons for this are multifactorial, but a lack of training infrastructure within geriatric medicine higher specialist training is contributory. This is widespread across European countries and internationally. The Geriatric Medicine Research Collaborative (GeMRC) offers an opportunity to engage trainees in research, regardless of their previous individual research experiences. Utilising national trainee networks, GeMRC is able to conduct large-scale projects within short periods of time that can have real impact upon patient care. We consider that embedding GeMRC within higher specialist training with formal college support will assist to upskill trainee geriatricians in research methodology. Collaboratives are internationally recognised across disciplines. Expansion across European and international countries offers the opportunity for international collaboration in geriatric medicine. International trainee-led networks will enable the conduct of large-scale global projects in geriatric medicine.
Cancer Stage at Diagnosis, Historical Redlining, and Current Neighborhood Characteristics: Breast, Cervical, Lung, and Colorectal Cancers, Massachusetts, 2001–2015
Authors: Krieger Nancy , Wright Emily , Chen Jarvis T , Waterman Pamela D , Huntley Eric R , Arcaya Mariana
Published: March 2020

In the 1930s, maps created by the federal Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) nationalized residential racial segregation via “redlining,” whereby HOLC designated and colored in red areas they deemed to be unsuitable for mortgage lending on account of their Black, foreign-born, or low-income residents. We used the recently digitized HOLC redlining maps for 28 municipalities in Massachusetts to analyze Massachusetts Cancer Registry data for late stage at diagnosis for cervical, breast, lung, and colorectal cancer (2001–2015). Multivariable analyses indicated that, net of age, sex/gender, and race/ethnicity, residing in a previously HOLC-redlined area imposed an elevated risk for late stage at diagnosis, even for residents of census tracts with present-day economic and racial privilege, whereas the best historical HOLC grade was not protective for residents of census tracts without such current privilege. For example, a substantially elevated risk of late stage at diagnosis occurred among men with lung cancer residing in currently privileged areas that had been redlined (risk ratio = 1.17, 95% confidence interval: 1.06, 1.29), whereas such risk was attenuated among men residing in census tracts lacking such current privilege (risk ratio = 1.01, 95% confidence interval: 0.94, 1.08). Research on historical redlining as a structural driver of health inequities is warranted.
Clinical Competencies for the Care of Hospitalized Patients with Alcohol Use Disorders
Authors: Phillips Thomas , Porter Amy , Sinclair Julia
Published: March 2020

Aims

The UK government aims to develop alcohol care teams (ACTs) that provide care for alcohol dependence in general hospital settings. Service descriptors have been identified to support the development of ACTs. The aim of this study was to use Delphi panel principles to identify the clinical competencies required to provide these elements of service.

Methods

We formed an expert consensus panel of 24 senior clinical alcohol practitioners, leaders and experts by experience drawn from all regions of England. The study was divided into three distinct phases: (a) a review and synthesis of current literature in this area, (b) a face-to-face meeting of the expert panel and (c) subsequent iterations to refine the competencies until consensus was reached.

Results

Our initial search strategy resulted in 555 competency statements being extracted from a range of national clinical professional and occupational standards and other sources. The research team refined these statements to 98 competencies in advance of the expert meeting. The panel identified 14 additional statements and reduced the number of competencies to 78. Subsequent iterations finalized 72 competencies across the 8 service descriptors.

Conclusions

Drawing on the existing published resources and clinical experience, the expert panel has provided consensus on the core clinical competencies required for alcohol care teams in caring for hospitalized patients with alcohol use disorders. Whilst it is acknowledged that the range of current provision is variable, these competencies provide a template for clinical practice and the development of multidisciplinary ACTs.
The Quaternary evolutionary history of Bristol rock cress (Arabis scabra, Brassicaceae), a Mediterranean element with an outpost in the north-western Atlantic region
Authors: Koch Marcus A , Möbus Johanna , Klöcker Clara A , Lippert Stephanie , Ruppert Laura , Kiefer Christiane
Published: March 2020

Background and Aims

Bristol rock cress is among the few plant species in the British Isles considered to have a Mediterranean–montane element. Spatiotemporal patterns of colonization of the British Isles since the last interglacial and after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) from mainland Europe are underexplored and have not yet included such floristic elements. Here we shed light on the evolutionary history of a relic and outpost metapopulation of Bristol rock cress in the south-western UK.

Methods

Amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) were used to identify distinct gene pools. Plastome assembly and respective phylogenetic analysis revealed the temporal context. Herbarium material was largely used to exemplify the value of collections to obtain a representative sampling covering the entire distribution range.

Key Results

The AFLPs recognized two distinct gene pools, with the Iberian Peninsula as the primary centre of genetic diversity and the origin of lineages expanding before and after the LGM towards mountain areas in France and Switzerland. No present-day lineages are older than 51 ky, which is in sharp contrast to the species stem group age of nearly 2 My, indicating severe extinction and bottlenecks throughout the Pleistocene. The British Isles were colonized after the LGM and feature high genetic diversity.

Conclusions

The short-lived perennial herb Arabis scabra, which is restricted to limestone, has expanded its distribution range after the LGM, following corridors within an open landscape, and may have reached the British Isles via the desiccated Celtic Sea at about 16 kya. This study may shed light on the origin of other rare and peculiar species co-occurring in limestone regions in the south-western British Isles.
HiChIP-Peaks: a HiChIP peak calling algorithm
Authors: Shi Chenfu , Rattray Magnus , Orozco Gisela
Published: March 2020

Motivation

HiChIP is a powerful tool to interrogate 3D chromatin organization. Current tools to analyse chromatin looping mechanisms using HiChIP data require the identification of loop anchors to work properly. However, current approaches to discover these anchors from HiChIP data are not satisfactory, having either a very high false discovery rate or strong dependence on sequencing depth. Moreover, these tools do not allow quantitative comparison of peaks across different samples, failing to fully exploit the information available from HiChIP datasets.

Results

We develop a new tool based on a representation of HiChIP data centred on the re-ligation sites to identify peaks from HiChIP datasets, which can subsequently be used in other tools for loop discovery. This increases the reliability of these tools and improves recall rate as sequencing depth is reduced. We also provide a method to count reads mapping to peaks across samples, which can be used for differential peak analysis using HiChIP data.

Availability and implementation

HiChIP-Peaks is freely available at https://github.com/ChenfuShi/HiChIP_peaks.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Shaking with fear: the role of noradrenaline in modulating resting tremor
Authors: Taylor Natasha L , Müller Eli J , Shine James M
Published: March 2020

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Cognitive load amplifies Parkinson’s tremor through excitatory network influences onto the thalamus’, by Dirkx etal. (doi: 10.1093/brain/awaa083).
Developmental Regulation of Basket Interneuron Synapses and Behavior through NCAM in Mouse Prefrontal Cortex
Authors: Sullivan Chelsea S , Mohan Vishwa , Manis Paul B , Moy Sheryl S , Truong Young , Duncan Bryce W , Maness Patricia F
Published: March 2020

Parvalbumin (PV)-expressing basket interneurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulate pyramidal cell firing, synchrony, and network oscillations. Yet, it is unclear how their perisomatic inputs to pyramidal neurons are integrated into neural circuitry and adjusted postnatally. Neural cell adhesion molecule NCAM is expressed in a variety of cells in the PFC and cooperates with EphrinA/EphAs to regulate inhibitory synapse density. Here, analysis of a novel parvalbumin (PV)-Cre: NCAM F/F mouse mutant revealed that NCAM functions presynaptically in PV+ basket interneurons to regulate postnatal elimination of perisomatic synapses. Mutant mice exhibited an increased density of PV+ perisomatic puncta in PFC layer 2/3, while live imaging in mutant brain slices revealed fewer puncta that were dynamically eliminated. Furthermore, EphrinA5-induced growth cone collapse in PV+ interneurons in culture depended on NCAM expression. Electrophysiological recording from layer 2/3 pyramidal cells in mutant PFC slices showed a slower rise time of inhibitory synaptic currents. PV-Cre: NCAM F/F mice exhibited impairments in working memory and social behavior that may be impacted by altered PFC circuitry. These findings suggest that the density of perisomatic synapses of PV+ basket interneurons is regulated postnatally by NCAM, likely through EphrinA-dependent elimination, which is important for appropriate PFC network function and behavior.
Different Principles Govern Different Scales of Brain Folding
Authors: Mallela Arka N , Deng Hansen , Bush Alan , Goldschmidt Ezequiel
Published: March 2020

The signature folds of the human brain are formed through a complex and developmentally regulated process. In vitro and in silico models of this process demonstrate a random pattern of sulci and gyri, unlike the highly ordered and conserved structure seen in the human cortex. Here, we account for the large-scale pattern of cortical folding by combining advanced fetal magnetic resonance imaging with nonlinear diffeomorphic registration and volumetric analysis. Our analysis demonstrates that in utero brain growth follows a logistic curve, in the absence of an external volume constraint. The Sylvian fissure forms from interlobar folding, where separate lobes overgrow and close an existing subarachnoid space. In contrast, other large sulci, which are the ones represented in existing models, fold through an invagination of a flat surface, a mechanistically different process. Cortical folding is driven by multiple spatially and temporally different mechanisms; therefore regionally distinct biological process may be responsible for the global geometry of the adult brain.
Research on Invasive Nontyphoidal Salmonella Disease and Developments Towards Better Understanding of Epidemiology, Management, and Control Strategies
Authors: Kariuki Samuel , Owusu-Dabo Ellis
Published: March 2020

During the 11th International Conference on Typhoid and Other Invasive Salmonelloses held in Hanoi, Vietnam, a number of papers were presented on the burden of disease, epidemiology, genomics, management, and control strategies for invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella (iNTS) disease, which is increasingly becoming an important public health threat in low- and middle-income countries, but especially in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA). Although there were minor variations in characteristics of iNTS in different settings (urban vs rural, country to country), it was observed that iNTS has gained greater recognition as a major disease entity in children younger than 5 years. Renewed efforts towards greater understanding of the burden of illness, detection and diagnostic strategies, and management and control of the disease in communities in sSA through the introduction of vaccines will be important.
Serological Evaluation of Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination in the Bakoye and Falémé Foci, Mali
Authors: Dolo Housseini , Coulibaly Yaya I , Sow Moussa , Dembélé Massitan , Doumbia Salif S , Coulibaly Siaka Y , Sangare Moussa B , Dicko Ilo , Diallo Abdallah A , Soumaoro Lamine , Coulibaly Michel E , Diarra Dansine , Colebunders Robert , Nutman Thomas B , Walker Martin , Basáñez Maria-Gloria
Published: March 2020

Background

Ivermectin-based onchocerciasis elimination, reported in 2009–2012, for Bakoye and Falémé, Mali, supported policy-shifting from morbidity control to elimination of transmission (EOT). These foci are coendemic with lymphatic filariasis (LF). In 2007–2016 mass ivermectin plus albendazole administration was implemented. We report Ov16 (onchocerciasis) and Wb123 (LF) seroprevalence after 24–25 years of treatment to determine if onchocerciasis EOT and LF elimination as a public health problem (EPHP) have been achieved.

Methods

The SD Bioline Onchocerciasis/LF Ig[immunoglobulin]G4 biplex rapid diagnostic test (RDT) was used in 2186 children aged 3–10 years in 13 villages (plus 2 hamlets) in Bakoye and in 2270 children in 15 villages (plus 1 hamlet) in Falémé. In Bakoye, all-age serosurveys were conducted in 3 historically hyperendemic villages (1867 individuals aged 3 -78 years).

Results

In Bakoye, IgG4 seropositivity was 0.27% (95% confidence interval [CI] = .13%–.60%) for both Ov16 and Wb123 antigens. In Falémé, Ov16 and Wb123 seroprevalence was 0.04% (95% CI = .01%–.25%) and 0.09% (95% CI = .02%–.32%), respectively. Ov16-seropositive children were from historically meso/hyperendemic villages. Ov16 positivity was <2% in ≤14 year-olds, and 16% in ≥40 year-olds. Wb123 seropositivity was <2% in ≤39 year-olds, reaching 3% in ≥40 year-olds.

Conclusions

Notwithstanding uncertainty in the biplex RDT sensitivity, Ov16 and Wb123 seroprevalence among children in Bakoye and Falémé is consistent with EOT (onchocerciasis) and EPHP (LF) since stopping treatment in 2016. The few Ov16-seropositive children should be skin-snip polymerase chain reaction tested and followed up.
Listening to the Patient: Improving the Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Authors: Sharp Dan , Ringer Sara , Park K T , Tole Swati , Rubin David T , Regueiro Miguel
Published: March 2020

Lay Summary

There is an urgent need for new treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases, but it’s hard to enroll the large number of patients needed for clinical trials. Making trials more patient-friendly by giving patients a voice would help solve this problem.