PENGARUH PENAMBAHAN EKSTRAK BAWANG MERAH (Allium cepa) DALAM PENGENCER TRIS - KUNING TELUR TERHADAP KUALITAS SPERMATOZOA SAPI BALI PADA PENYIMPANAN IN VITRO (The effect of additional onion (Allium cepa) extract in tris - egg yolk extender on the sperm...

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding onion extract (OE) to Tris-egg yolk (T-EY) diluent on the quality of bali bulls spermatozoa. The semen of three bali bulls aged 3-4 years were collected twice a week using the artificial vaginal method. Semen with good quality, motility 79%, viability 84.63%, abnormality 2.93% diluted with T-EY diluent with the addition of OE: T0: 0%; T1 1%; T2: 2%; T3: 3%; T4: 4%; and T5: 5%. The diluted semen was preserved in a refrigerator at 3-5 °C and evaluated for the quality of the spermatozoa every 24 hours. The results showed that the addition of OE in T-EY diluent had a positive effect on the quality of bali bulls spermatozoa. The addition 3% of OE (T3) in T-EY diluent resulted in higher spermatozoa quality (P <0.05) than the other treatments, namely motility 42.01%, viability 48.74%, and abnormalities 4.13% on the sixth day of preservation. It was concluded that the addition of onion extract in Tris - egg yolk diluents could improve the quality of bali bulls spermatozoa,  with the best level of onion extract being 3%

Linearity Testing of Photovoltaic Cells: Preprint

Photovoltaic devices are rated in terms of their peak power with respect to a specific spectrum, total irradiance, and temperature. To rate photovoltaic devices, a reference detector is required whose response is linear with total irradiance. This paper describes a procedure to determine the linearity of the short-circuit current (Isc) versus the total irradiance (Etot) by illuminating a reference cell with two lamps. A device is linear if the current measured with both lamps illuminating the cell is the same as the sum of the currents with each lamp illuminating the cell. The two-lamp method is insensitive to the light spectra or spatial nonuniformity changing with irradiance. The two-lamp method is rapid, easy to implement, and does not require operator intervention to change the irradiances. The presence of room light only limits the lowest irradiance that can be evaluated. Unlike other methods, the two-lamp method does not allow the current to be corrected for nonlinear effects

STATUS FISIOLOGIS SAPI SUMBA ONGOLE (Bos indicus) DI KAWASAN PEMBIBITAN SAPI PULAU SUMBA

Physiological status is an indicator to determine the degree of health and productivity of livestock. This study aims to identify the physiological status of Sumba Ongole (SO) beef cattle on the island of Sumba by measuring body temperature, respiration frequency, pulse, and body conditioning score (BCS). Overall, there were 70 cows used in the study. Based on gender, there were 21 bulls and 49 cows and they were classified based on age, there were 3 categories, 1-1.5 years, 2-2.5 years, and 3 years. The parameters measured were body temperature, respiratory rate, pulse frequency, and BCS. The results of the study which were processed using analysis of variances (ANOVA) showed that there was no effect of sex or age on body temperature, respiration frequency, pulse frequency (P> 0.05), but there was a significant difference in the age category with the body score of SO cattle (P<0.05). It could be concluded that the physiological status of SO beef cattle which includes body temperature, respiration frequency, and pulse frequency does not show a significant effect on both sex and age, but there is a significant difference in the body score of cattle based on age categories. This research data could probably be used later as a reference for maintaining the health management of SO beef cattle to achieve optimal productivity and profitability

Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2) and syndecan-1 (SDC1) are potential biomarkers for putative circulating CD15+/CD30+ cells in poor outcome Hodgkin lymphoma patients.

BACKGROUND: High risk, unfavorable classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) includes those patients with primary refractory or early relapse, and progressive disease. To improve the availability of biomarkers for this group of patients, we investigated both tumor biopsies and peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) of untreated (chemo-naïve, CN) Nodular Sclerosis Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma (NS-cHL) patients for consistent biomarkers that can predict the outcome prior to frontline treatment. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Bioinformatics data mining was used to generate 151 candidate biomarkers, which were screened against a library of 10 HL cell lines. Expression of FGF2 and SDC1 by CD30+ cells from HL patient samples representing good and poor outcomes were analyzed by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemical (IHC), and immunofluorescence analyses. RESULTS: To identify predictive HL-specific biomarkers, potential marker genes selected using bioinformatics approaches were screened against HL cell lines and HL patient samples. Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 (FGF2) and Syndecan-1 (SDC1) were overexpressed in all HL cell lines, and the overexpression was HL-specific when compared to 116 non-Hodgkin lymphoma tissues. In the analysis of stratified NS-cHL patient samples, expression of FGF2 and SDC1 were 245 fold and 91 fold higher, respectively, in the poor outcome (PO) group than in the good outcome (GO) group. The PO group exhibited higher expression of the HL marker CD30, the macrophage marker CD68, and metastatic markers TGFβ1 and MMP9 compared to the GO group. This expression signature was confirmed by qualitative immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent data. A Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that samples in which the CD30+ cells carried an FGF2+/SDC1+ immunophenotype showed shortened survival. Analysis of chemo-naive HL blood samples suggested that in the PO group a subset of CD30+ HL cells had entered the circulation. These cells significantly overexpressed FGF2 and SDC1 compared to the GO group. The PO group showed significant down-regulation of markers for monocytes, T-cells, and B-cells. These expression signatures were eliminated in heavily pretreated patients. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that small subsets of circulating CD30+/CD15+ cells expressing FGF2 and SDC1 represent biomarkers that identify NS-cHL patients who will experience a poor outcome (primary refractory and early relapsing)

Gal4 turnover and transcription activation

Growing evidence supports the notion that proteasome-mediated destruction of transcriptional activators can be intimately coupled to their function. Recently, Nalley et al. challenged this view by reporting that the prototypical yeast activator Gal4 does not dynamically associate with chromatin, but rather 'locks in' to stable promoter complexes that are resistant to competition. Here we present evidence that the assay used to reach this conclusion is unsuitable, and that promoter-bound, active Gal4 is indeed susceptible to competition in vivo. Our data challenge the key evidence that Nalley et al. used to reach their conclusion, and indicate that Gal4 functions in vivo within the context of dynamic promoter complexes

Mediator Acts Upstream of the Transcriptional Activator Gal4

We show that Mediator, a protein originally isolated on the basis of its ability to respond to transcriptional activators, and thought to be regulated by an activator, can also be the master that controls the activator

New fossils of Australopithecus sediba reveal a nearly complete lower back

Abstract: Adaptations of the lower back to bipedalism are frequently discussed but infrequently demonstrated in early fossil hominins. Newly discovered lumbar vertebrae contribute to a near-complete lower back of Malapa Hominin 2 (MH2), offering additional insights into posture and locomotion in Australopithecus sediba. We show that MH2 demonstrates a lower back consistent with human-like lumbar lordosis and other adaptations to bipedalism, including an increase in the width of intervertebral articular facets from the upper to lower lumbar column (“pyramidal configuration”). This contrasts with recent work on lordosis in fossil hominins, where MH2 was argued to demonstrate no appreciable lordosis (“hypolordosis”) similar to Neandertals. Our three-dimensional geometric morphometric (3D GM) analyses show that MH2’s nearly complete middle lumbar vertebra is human-like in shape but bears large, cranially-directed transverse processes, implying powerful trunk musculature. We interpret this combination of features to indicate that A. sediba used its lower back in both human-like bipedalism and ape-like arboreal positional behaviors, as previously suggested based on multiple lines of evidence from other parts of the skeleton and reconstructed paleobiology of A. sediba

Indoor measurement of photovoltaic device characteristics at varying irradiance, temperature and spectrum for energy rating

This was accepted for publication in the journal Measurement Science and Technology. The definitive published version can be found at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0957-0233/21/11/115701The first three-dimensional performance matrix for use in photovoltaic (PV) energy rating is reported utilizing a novel energy rating solar simulator based on LEDs. Device characteristics are measured indoors at varying irradiance (G), temperature (T) and spectrum (E). This opens the possibility for a more accurate measurement system for energy yield prediction of PV devices, especially for devices with high spectral dependence such as wide bandgap solar cells as they take into account spectral changes in the light. The main aspects of the LED-based solar simulator used are briefly described. A measurement method is developed and detailed in the paper, which takes into account the current imperfections in the achievable spectrum. Measurement results for a crystalline silicon solar cell are used to demonstrate the measurement approach. An uncertainty analysis of the measurement system is given, resulting in an overall absolute uncertainty of 4.3% (coverage factor k = 2) in maximum power measurements at 765 W m−2 irradiance with scope for further improvements

Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.

Linearity Testing of Photovoltaic Cells

Photovoltaic devices are rated in terms of their power output or efficiency with respect to a specific spectrum, total irradiance, and temperature. In order to rate photovoltaic devices, a reference detector whose response is linear with total irradiance is needed. This procedure documents a procedure to determine if a detector is linear over the irradiance range of interest. Testing the short circuit current versus the total irradiance is done by illuminating a reference cell candidate with two lamps that are fitted with programmable filter wheels. The purpose is to reject nonlinear samples as determined by national and international standards from being used as primary reference cells. A calibrated linear reference cell tested by the two lamp method yields a linear result