bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preparation of magnetic chitosan microspheres using iron sand particles prepared by ball milling method
Authors: Rahmi  , Lelifajri  , Ayu ASW 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Iron sand particles prepared by ball milling method have been used in the magnetic chitosan microspheres preparation. FTIR, XRD and SEM analyses were performed to characterize the magnetic chitosan microspheres. SEM images and FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of magnetic chitosan microspheres. The patterns of XRD showed the presence of iron sand particles reduced the crystallinity of chitosan. The adsorption experiments were conducted for mercury removal from aqueous solutions. AAS was performed to determine the mercury concentrations in the solutions after the adsorption process. The results showed the adsorption capacity (Q) of the magnetic chitosan microspheres was not significantly different from magnetic chitosan microspheres prepared using iron oxide.
Chemical and microbiological characteristics of Pacik Kule, a traditional fermented carp from Southeast Aceh
Authors: Muzaifa M , Martunis  , Nilda C , Nurhayati  
Published: April 2020

AbstractPacik kuleis a dish made from carp (Cyprinus carpio) which is commonly found in Southeast Aceh as traditional food. Before being processed intopacik kule, carps are fermented for 1 to 2 days at room temperature using salt or without salt. This study aims to analyze the effect of salt addition and fermentation time on the chemical and microbial characteristics ofpacik kule.This research used factorial completely randomized design consisting of 2 factors. The first factor was the fermentation time which consists of 2 levels, namely 1 day (K1) fermentation, and 2 days (K2) fermentation. The second factor is the addition of salt consisting of 2 levels, which is S1 (without salt) and (S2) with salt (1.5%). The analysis conducted is a chemical analysis and microbiological analysis. The results showed that the length of fermentation affected the total lactic acid bacteria but did not affect other parameters such as protein content, total volatile bases, and pH. The addition of salt affected the water content and total lactic acid bacteria but did not affect protein content, pH, and total volatile bases (TVB). The interaction between length of fermentation and salt addition affected water content, protein content, total volatile bases (TVB), and total lactic acid bacteria. Based on the results of chemical and microbiological analysis, fermentation for 1 day with the addition of salt (1.5%) was the best treatment with the highest protein content (11.93%), total lactic acid bacteria (9.4 log CFU/g), water content the lowest (17.41%) and the lowest total volatile base (13.63 mgN / 100g).
K2O/NbOPO4 solid acid catalyst for biodiesel production
Authors: Nurhazanah N , Sy Y , Husin H , Rosnelly CM , Maulana A 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Biodiesel production from palm oil and alcohol has been carried out using a K2O/NbOPO4 solid acid catalyst. NbOPO4 catalyst was synthesized through the sol-gel method, followed by drying and calcination at a temperature of 800°C for 6 hours. The catalyst was further treated using K2CO3 with various concentrations of 15, 25, 35, 45 and 55% through the impregnation technique. Morphology and composition of the catalyst were evaluated by SEM, EDX and XRD instruments. The results showed that the catalyst has non homogeneous particles with size ranging between 1.86 μm to 25 μm, accompanied by the agglomeration. The results of the analysis also confirmed that the prepared catalyst contains potassium, niobium, phosphorus and oxygen with a composition of 10.15; 17.67; 6.11 and 41.83%, respectively. The catalytic activity was tested in the transesterification reaction for 3 hours, at a temperature of 65°C with the molar ratio of palm oil to alcohol of 12:1 and catalyst loading of 6%. The highest yield of 98.87% was obtained on the process using the catalyst impregnated with 35% K2CO3. The overall results show that there is a very promising potential of NbOPO4 catalysts for biodiesel production.
Performance of tannic acid/tetraethylenepentamine coated polymeric membrane for the separation of different surfactant-stabilized oil in water emulsions
Authors: Senusi F , Ismail S 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
The present research reported on the surface coating of PVDF membrane with polyphenolic-amine, which improves the hydrophilicity and underwater oleophobic properties. The separation efficiency and antifouling property of emulsion oil by pristine PVDF and polyphenolic-amine coated PVDF microfiltration membranes were evaluated. The performance of pristine and coated membrane was compared using three different types of surfactant-stabilized oil droplets (T80/Diesel/H2O, SDS/Diesel/H2O and CTAB/Diesel/H2O) in terms of flux recovery ratio (FRR) and removal efficiency. The continuous cycle using cross-flow filtration mode was also investigated. The filtration experiments indicated that modifying the surface properties of the PVDF polymer membrane by polyphenolic-amine coating method can significantly improve the antifouling properties compared to unmodified polymeric membranes.
Stability and durability studies of zwitterionic adsorbent coating for the removal of organic pollutants: Chemical and thermal tolerance
Authors: Azha S F , Ismail S 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
The zwitterionic adsorbent coating (ZACC) was used to eliminate both cationic and anionic dyes. The ZACC was developed in a way to improve the current ordinary form of adsorbents (beads, powdery) for flexible working application especially in treating the industrial textile effluents. Since it is in a coating form, a number of factors have to be considered especially in terms of its stability and durability in wastewater. This is to prevent any detected adsorbent leaching and fast loss in treated water. This study was investigated for harsh conditions (chemical and thermal) to prove its strength. The chemical tolerance has established the stability of ZACC strip by showing a highly robust and potent structure and form even after 100 days in acidic, neutral and mix dyes solution. Result also showed the percentage removal of BG dye could attained within 87.4 - 97.1 % as increased the pH from 3 to 11. While higher removal of AR 1 obtained in acidic medium (99.4 %). The percentage weight loss obtained were 0.25 % and 0.11 % respectively for thermal stability test in drying oven and outside building.
Hydrothermal Synthesis of Activated Carbon/α-Fe2O3 Nanocomposite and Its Application for Removing Tartrazine Dye
Authors: Lubis S , Ramli M , Sheilatina  , Ermanda Y 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Hematite containing activated carbon (AC/α-Fe2O3) nanocomposite has been prepared by hydrothermal method and used as photocatalyst for removing tartrazine dye. Hematite was extracted from iron sand while activated carbon was derived from coffee waste which was activated using hydrochloric acid. The structure and morphology of photocatalyst was characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), nitrogen adsorption-desorption (BET) and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). These techniques indicate that the AC/α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite has an average crystallite size of 35.47 nm and specific surface area of 41.52 m2/g. The photocatalytic activity evaluation showed that various factors influencing the removal of tartrazine dye including pH of dye solution, photocatalyst dosage, dye concentration and irradiation time. The results showed that AC/α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite can remove tartrazine up to 91.01% under UV light and 93.69% under solar light which were obtained at pH value of 2, photocatalyst dosage of 250 mg and initial concentration of tartrazine is 15 ppm with irradiation time for 210 min under UV light and 180 min under solar light. The AC/α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite also can remove tartrazine dye contained in noodle waste water up to 94.67% and 97.86 under UV light irradiation for 150 min and 120 min under solar light irradiation, respectively.
X-ray dose-dependent structural changes of the [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Ohnishi Yusuke , Muraki Norifumi , Kiyota Daiki , Okumura Hideo , Baba Seiki , Kawano Yoshiaki , Kumasaka Takashi , Tanaka Hideaki , Kurisu Genji 
Published: April 2020

Abstract
Plant-type ferredoxin (Fd) is an electron transfer protein in chloroplast. Redox-dependent structural change of Fd controls its association with and dissociation from Fd-dependent enzymes. Among many X-ray structures of oxidized Fd have been reported so far, very likely a given number of them was partially reduced by strong X-ray. To understand the precise structural change between reduced and oxidized Fd, it is important to know whether the crystals of oxidized Fd may or may not be reduced during the X-ray experiment. We prepared the thin plate-shaped Fd crystals from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and monitored its absorption spectra during experiment. Absorption spectra of oxidized Fd crystals were clearly changed to that of reduced form in an X-ray dose-dependent manner. In another independent experiment, the X-ray diffraction images obtained from different parts of one single crystal were sorted and merged to form two datasets with low and high X-ray doses. An Fo–Fo map calculated from the two datasets showed that X-ray reduction causes a small displacement of the iron atoms in the [2Fe-2S] cluster. Both our spectroscopic and crystallographic studies confirm X-ray dose-dependent reduction of Fd, and suggest a structural basis for its initial reduction step especially in the core of the cluster.
Efficacy of face mask in preventing respiratory virus transmission: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Liang Mingming , Gao Liang , Cheng Ce , Zhou Qin , Uy John Patrick , Heiner Kurt , Sun Chenyu 
Published: April 2020

AbstractBackgroundConflicting recommendations exist related to whether masks have a protective effect on the spread of respiratory viruses.MethodsThe Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement was consulted to report this systematic review. Relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP (Chinese) database.ResultsA total of 21 studies met our inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses suggest that mask use provided a significant protective effect (OR=0.35 and 95% CI=0.24-0.51). Use of masks by healthcare workers (HCWs) and non-healthcare workers (Non-HCWs) can reduce the risk of respiratory virus infection by 80% (OR=0.20, 95% CI=0.11-0.37) and 47% (OR=0.53, 95% CI=0.36-0.79). The protective effect of wearing masks in Asia (OR=0.31) appeared to be higher than that of Western countries (OR=0.45). Masks had a protective effect against influenza viruses (OR=0.55), SARS (OR=0.26), and SARS-CoV-2 (OR=0.04). In the subgroups based on different study designs, protective effects of wearing mask were significant in cluster randomized trials and observational studies.ConclusionsThis study adds additional evidence of the enhanced protective value of masks, we stress that the use masks serve as an adjunctive method regarding the COVID-19 outbreak.
Transcriptome and regulatory maps of decidua-derived stromal cells inform gene discovery in preterm birth
Authors: Sakabe Noboru , Aneas Ivy , Knoblauch Nicholas , Sobreira Debora R. , Clark Nicole , Paz Cristina , Horth Cynthia , Ziffra Ryan , Kaur Harjot , Liu Xiao , Anderson Rebecca , Morrison Jean , Cheung Virginia C. , Grotegut Chad , Reddy Timothy E. , Jacobsson Bo , Hallman Mikko , Teramo Kari , Murtha Amy , Kessler John , Grobman William , Zhang Ge , Muglia Louis J. , Rana Sarosh , Lynch Vincent J. , Crawford Gregory E. , Ober Carole , He Xin , Nóbrega Marcelo A. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractWhile a genetic component of preterm birth (PTB) has long been recognized and recently mapped by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), the molecular determinants underlying PTB remain elusive. This stems in part from an incomplete availability of comprehensive functional genomic annotations in human cell types relevant to pregnancy and PTB. Here, we generated extensive transcriptional and chromatin annotations of cultured primary decidua-derived mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) andin vitrodifferentiated decidual stromal cells (DSCs) and developed a computational framework to integrate these functional annotations with results from a GWAS of gestational duration in 56,384 women. This resulted in a significant enrichment of heritability estimates in functional noncoding regions in stromal cells, as well as in the discovery of additional loci associated with gestational duration and target genes of associated loci. Our strategy illustrates how systematic functional annotations in pregnancy-relevant cell types aid in the experimental follow-up of GWAS for PTB and, likely, other pregnancy-related conditions.
Increased TSH-producing cells in the pituitary gland of Pax6 haploinsufficient mice
Authors: Johnson Kenji K. , Lauderdale James D. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractAniridia is a congenital condition characterized by absence of iris and is caused by a semidominant mutation in the transcription factor encoded by thePAX6gene. Although ocular phenotypes of this disorder are well characterized, recent studies report that individuals with aniridia have a higher propensity for obesity, infertility, polycystic ovarian disease, and severe eczema compared to theirPax6-normal siblings. These symptoms collectively suggest an underlying endocrine disturbance related to haploinsufficient levels ofPax6.In mice, during development,Pax6expression in the pituitary gland begins at E9.0 in the primordial anterior pituitary gland (Rathke’s Pouch). This expression becomes restricted to the dorsal anterior pituitary by E11.5, but is expressed throughout the anterior lobe by E14.5, and remains through adulthood. It is possible that a reduction inPax6could result in a change in pituitary hormone levels or cell numbers, which may explain symptoms experienced by aniridics. Using theSmall eyemouse model, we find thatPax6reduction results in a decrease in GH-producing cells and an increase in TSH-producing cells in neonate mice, with the TSH increase continuing into adulthood. AdultPax6haploinsufficient mice also have an increase in anterior pituitary volume and weigh significantly less than their wild-type littermates. Furthermore, we show that the increase in TSH-producing cells leads to an increase in thyroxin (T4) in mutant mice, although tri-iodothyronine (T3) levels remain unchanged. These findings present a new role forPax6in the endocrine system, which serves to refine our current understanding ofPax6in endocrine development and maintenance and provides new avenues for investigating endocrine-related symptomatology in aniridia.
Ebola virus inclusion body formation and RNA synthesis are controlled by a novel domain of NP interacting with VP35
Authors: Miyake Tsuyoshi , Farley Charlotte M. , Neubauer Benjamin E. , Beddow Thomas P. , Hoenen Thomas , Engel Daniel A. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractEbola virus (EBOV) inclusion bodies (IBs) are cytoplasmic sites of nucleocapsid formation and RNA replication, housing key steps in the virus life cycle that warrant further investigation. During infection IBs display dynamic properties regarding their size and location. Also, the contents of IBs must transition prior to further viral maturation, assembly and release, implying additional steps in IB function. Interestingly, expression of the viral nucleoprotein (NP) alone is sufficient for generation of IBs, indicating that it plays an important role in IB formation during infection. In addition to NP, other components of the nucleocapsid localize to IBs, including VP35, VP24, VP30 and the RNA polymerase L. Previously we defined and solved the crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of NP (NP-Ct), but its role in virus replication remained unclear. Here we show that NP-Ct is absolutely required for IB formation when NP is expressed alone. Interestingly, we find that NP-Ct is also required for production of infectious virus-like particles and retention of viral RNA within these particles. Furthermore, co-expression of the nucleocapsid component VP35 overcomes deletion of NP-Ct in triggering IB formation, demonstrating a functional interaction between the two proteins. Of all the EBOV proteins only VP35 is able to overcome the defect in IB formation caused by deletion of NP-Ct. This effect is mediated by a novel protein-protein interaction between VP35 and NP that controls both regulation of IB formation and RNA replication itself, and which is mediated by a newly identified domain of NP, the “central domain” (CD).ImportanceInclusion bodies (IBs) are cytoplasmic sites of RNA synthesis for a variety of negative sense RNA viruses including Ebola virus. In addition to housing important steps in the viral life cycle, IBs protect new viral RNA from innate immune attack and contain specific host proteins whose function is under study. A key viral factor in Ebola virus IB formation is the nucleoprotein, NP, which also is important in RNA encapsidation and synthesis. In this study, we have identified two domains of NP that control inclusion body formation. One of these, the central domain (CD), interacts with viral protein VP35 to control both inclusion body formation and RNA synthesis. The other is the NP C-terminal domain (NP-Ct), whose function has not previously been reported. These findings contribute to a model in which NP and its interactions with VP35 link the establishment of IBs to the synthesis of viral RNA.
The violence of narrative: embodying responsibility for poverty‐related stress
Authors: Thomas Felicity , Wyatt Katrina , Hansford Lorraine 
Published: April 2020

AbstractNarratives of self‐responsibility are pervasive in neoliberally oriented contexts, and have been found to engender feelings of shame and failure amongst those affected by poverty. Here, we use findings from research in two low‐income communities in south‐west England to examine how these narratives become embodied within people's daily lives when they intersect with systems of welfare support and the current political drive to upscale treatment for common mental health conditions. Drawing on Bourdieu's notion of symbolic violence, we examine how narratives of self‐responsibility and associated welfare reform strategies impact on the mental health of people living in economic hardship. The data show how such narratives inflict, sustain and exacerbate mental distress and suffering, and how they become naturalised and normalised by individuals themselves. We demonstrate how this situation pushes people to seek support from General Practitioners, and how clinical interactions can normalise, and in turn, medicalise, poverty‐related distress. Whilst some people actively resist dominant narratives around self‐responsibility, we argue that this is insufficient under broader sociocultural and political circumstances, to free themselves from the harms perpetuated by symbolic violence.
Ethanol produces multiple electrophysiological effects on ventral tegmental area neurons in freely moving rats
Authors: Doyon William M. , Ostroumov Alexey , Ontiveros Tiahna , Gonzales Rueben A. , Dani John A. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractAlthough alcohol (i.e., ethanol) is a major drug of abuse, the acute functional effects of ethanol on the reward circuitry are not well defined in vivo. In freely moving rats, we examined the effect of intravenous ethanol administration on neuronal unit activity in the posterior ventral tegmental area (VTA), a central component of the mesolimbic reward system. VTA units were classified as putative dopamine (DA) neurons, fast‐firing GABA neurons, and unidentified neurons based on a combination of electrophysiological properties and DA D2 receptor pharmacological responses. A gradual infusion of ethanol significantly altered the firing rate of DA neurons in a concentration‐dependent manner. The majority of DA neurons were stimulated by ethanol and showed enhanced burst firing activity, but a minority was inhibited. Ethanol also increased the proportion of DA neurons that exhibited pacemaker‐like firing patterns. In contrast, ethanol mediated a variety of effects in GABA and other unidentified neurons that were distinct from DA neurons, including a nonlinear increase in firing rate, delayed inhibition, and more biphasic activity. These results provide evidence of discrete electrophysiological effects of ethanol on DA neurons compared with other VTA cell types, suggesting a complex role of the VTA in alcohol‐induced responses in freely moving animals.
On the drivers of UK direct investment in the Spanish regions: A spatial Durbin approach
Authors: Maza Adolfo , Gutiérrez‐Portilla Paula , Villaverde José 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThis paper empirically examines the key factors driving UK direct investment in the Spanish regions over the period 2000–2016 and, consequently, tries to unveil its main motivation. Applying a spatial Durbin panel model to capture spatial linkages, the results point to the existence of complementarity between the FDI received by a region and that of the remaining ones. This outcome, along with a positive and statistically significant spillover effect of market potential, reveals that complex‐vertical FDI motivation with agglomeration economies prevails among UK MNEs investing in Spain. Additionally, our findings unveil the role played by some other FDI drivers, such as wages and infrastructure. Furthermore, the paper is unique in decomposing the average direct and spillover effects by region and pairs of regions, so that remarkable differences can be identified. This breakdown has strong significance from a policy perspective since it can guide regional policy makers. In short, our findings point out to the fact that FDI policy should be jointly designed by those regions presenting strong bilateral spillover effects. Thus, greater cooperation among policy makers would be welcome.
Sanctions, short‐term mindsets, and delinquency: Reverse causality in a sample of high school youth
Authors: van Gelder Jean‐Louis , Averdijk Margit , Ribeaud Denis , Eisner Manuel 
Published: April 2020

PurposeWe question the commonly assumed view of a fixed causal ordering between self‐control, delinquency, and sanctions and test the hypothesis that experiencing sanctions may reduce levels of self‐control, thereby increasing the risk of future delinquent behaviour. As a subsidiary goal, we argue for a parsimonious view of self‐control that is limited to its key components, risk‐taking, and impulsivity.MethodsWe use three waves of data from the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood into Adulthood (z‐proso), an ongoing prospective longitudinal study of Swiss urban youth (N = 1,197), and include police contacts and school sanctions as predictors of delinquency. We test our hypothesis using path analysis and control for a series of potential confounders, including prior levels of self‐control and earlier delinquency.ResultsIn line with our hypothesis, the results indicate that sanctioning reduces levels of self‐control, net of prior levels of self‐control, and earlier delinquency and that self‐control mediates the relation between sanctioning and subsequent delinquency.ConclusionsWe conclude that the relation between self‐control and crime may be bi‐ rather than unidirectional with sanctions reducing levels of self‐control, which in turn contributes to criminal behaviour. Implications for theory are discussed.