Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lecturer Supervisors’ Perspectives on Challenges in Online Thesis Supervision

The Covid-19 epidemic has resulted in an offline-to-online shift in EFL undergraduate thesis supervision, with all of its associated difficulties. As a result, this qualitative study used a constructivist epistemology to look at the challenges of online EFL thesis supervision from the perspective of the lecturer supervisors. 23 lecturer supervisors from higher educational institutions in Central Java and Papua were engaged as the participants. The data were gathered using In-depth interviews. The data were further analyzed according to the interactive model of analysis. The findings revealed a number of challenges in online thesis supervision, including being in the processes of adjusting to the shift from offline to online thesis supervision, ineffective communication between supervisors and students, a lack of time to always access online media, difficulties faced by students in collecting field data, and a decrease in students’ active participation in online thesis supervision. More research is expected to be done on the same topic as this study’s, but with more participants from other Indonesian regions. Such research might help confirm our present results and might add to the body of knowledge about online thesis supervision in Indonesia.
Assessment of Various Density Functional Theory Methods for Finding Accurate Structures of Actinide Complexes

Density functional theory (DFT) is a widely used computational method for predicting the physical and chemical properties of metals and organometals. As the number of electrons and orbitals in an atom increases, DFT calculations for actinide complexes become more demanding due to increased complexity. Moreover, reasonable levels of theory for calculating the structures of actinide complexes are not extensively studied. In this study, 38 calculations, based on various combinations, were performed on molecules containing two representative actinides to determine the optimal combination for predicting the geometries of actinide complexes. Among the 38 calculations, four optimal combinations were identified and compared with experimental data. The optimal combinations were applied to a more complicated and practical actinide compound, the uranyl complex (UO2(2,2′-(1E,1′E)-(2,2-dimethylpropane-1,3-dyl)bis(azanylylidene)(CH3OH)), for further confirmation. The corresponding optimal calculation combination provides a reasonable level of theory for accurately optimizing the structure of actinide complexes using DFT.
Implementing a Community-Based Initiative to Improve Nutritional Intake among Home-Delivered Meal Recipients

Home-delivered meal (HDM) recipients are a highly vulnerable group of older adults at risk for malnutrition and subsequent health decline. To help HDM recipients increase their nutritional intake, HDM agencies may provide expanded meal options that allow older adults to have greater autonomy over their meal selection; however, the extent to which recipients are able to select nutritious meals that are responsive to their health complexities is unknown. This study examined the nutritional content of meals selected by HDM recipients enrolled in an expanded menu plan through a large HDM agency. Data were drawn from a retrospective chart review of 130 HDM recipients who had the option of selecting their own HDM meals and frequency of meal delivery. Findings indicate that older adults who selected their own meals chose meals that were significantly lower in protein, potassium, fat, and calories. The lack of these nutrients suggests that older adults enrolled in expanded menu plans should be referred to registered dietitian nutritionists who can provide skilled guidance in meal selection. To address this need, we also describe and provide preliminary data representing a referral program designed to connect HDM recipients to dietetic services with the goal of optimizing older adult nutrition and health-related outcomes.
Investigating the Effects of Auditory and Vibrotactile Rhythmic Sensory Stimulation on Depression: An EEG Pilot Study

Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a persistent psychiatric condition and one of the leading causes of global disease burden. In a previous study, we investigated the effects of a five-week intervention consisting of rhythmic gamma frequency (30-70 Hz) vibroacoustic stimulation in 20 patients formally diagnosed with MDD. In that study, the findings suggested a significant clinical improvement in depression symptoms as measured using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), with 37% of participants meeting the criteria for clinical response. The goal of the present research was to examine possible changes from baseline to posttreatment in resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) recordings using the same treatment protocol and to characterize basic changes in EEG related to treatment response. Materials and methods The study sample consisted of 19 individuals aged 18-70 years with a clinical diagnosis of MDD. The participants were assessed before and after a five-week treatment period, which consisted of listening to an instrumental musical track on a vibroacoustic device, delivering auditory and vibrotactile stimulus in the gamma-band range (30-70 Hz, with particular emphasis on 40 Hz). The primary outcome measure was the change in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) from baseline to posttreatment and resting-state EEG. Results Analysis comparing MADRS score at baseline and post-intervention indicated a significant change in the severity of depression symptoms after five weeks (t = 3.9923, df = 18, p = 0.0009). The clinical response rate was 36.85%. Resting-state EEG power analysis revealed a significant increase in occipital alpha power (t = -2.149, df = 18, p = 0.04548), as well as an increase in the prefrontal gamma power of the responders (t = 2.8079, df = 13.431, p = 0.01442). Conclusions The results indicate that improvements in MADRS scores after rhythmic sensory stimulation (RSS) were accompanied by an increase in alpha power in the occipital region and an increase in gamma in the prefrontal region, thus suggesting treatment effects on cortical activity in depression. The results of this pilot study will help inform subsequent controlled studies evaluating whether treatment response to vibroacoustic stimulation constitutes a real and replicable reduction of depressive symptoms and to characterize the underlying mechanisms.
Pengaruh Occupational Self-Efficacy, Learning Goal Orientation Dan Grit Terhadap Pembelajaran Informal Karyawan

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh occupational self-efficacy, learning goal orientation, dan grit terhadap pembelajaran informal karyawan pada organisasi sektor publik. Partisipan penelitian ini adalah 243 karyawan organisasi sektor publik yang ada di Jakarta, Indonesia. Data dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan alat ukur pembelajaran informal, occupational self-efficacy, learning goal orientation dan grit serta dianalisis dengan menggunakan alat analisis SPSS versi 23. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa variabel occupational self-efficacy tidak signifikan berpengaruh pada pembelajaran informal di tempat kerja. Data juga menunjukkan bahwa learning goal orientation memengaruhi pembelajaran informal secara positif dan signifikan setelah mengontrol pengaruh dari variabel occupational self-efficacy. Terakhir, grit berpengaruh secara positif dan signifikan pada pembelajaran informal setelah mengontrol pengaruh dari variabel occupational self-efficacy dan learning goal orientation. Salah satu implikasi praktis yang merupakan hasil penelitian ini adalah bahwa organisasi dapat menetapkan tujuan yang menantang kepada karyawan untuk menumbuhkan motivasi instrinsik yang mereka miliki terutama untuk melakukan pembelajaran informal di tempat kerja.
Crop Prediction Based on Characteristics of the Agricultural Environment Using Various Feature Selection Techniques and Classifiers

Agriculture is a growing field of research. In particular, crop prediction in agriculture is critical and is chiefly contingent upon soil and environment conditions, including rainfall, humidity, and temperature. In the past, farmers were able to decide on the crop to be cultivated, monitor its growth, and determine when it could be harvested. Today, however, rapid changes in environmental conditions have made it difficult for the farming community to continue to do so. Consequently, in recent years, machine learning techniques have taken over the task of prediction, and this work has used several of these to determine crop yield. To ensure that a given machine learning (ML) model works at a high level of precision, it is imperative to employ efficient feature selection methods to preprocess the raw data into an easily computable Machine Learning friendly dataset. To reduce redundancies and make the ML model more accurate, only data features that have a significant degree of relevance in determining the final output of the model must be employed. Thus, optimal feature selection arises to ensure that only the most relevant features are accepted as a part of the model. Conglomerating every single feature from raw data without checking for their role in the process of making the model will unnecessarily complicate our model. Furthermore, additional features which contribute little to the ML model will increase its time and space complexity and affect the accuracy of the model’s output. The results depict that an ensemble technique offers better prediction accuracy than the existing classification technique.
Nutrient enrichment intensifies the effects of warming on metabolic balance of stream ecosystems

Climate warming and eutrophication are leading drivers of environmental change, and both are likely to alter the role of freshwaters in the global carbon cycle. Recent studies demonstrate that warming of streams can increase freshwater contributions of CO2 to the atmosphere, yet little is known about how such contributions are modulated by the identity or supply of limiting nutrients. We quantified responses of ecosystem metabolism and metabolic balance to whole‐stream enrichments of either nitrogen or phosphorus across a 5°C range of ambient temperature. We show that nutrient enrichment drove large reductions in net ecosystem production, and interactions with temperature amplified these effects in warm N‐enriched streams. Partitioning of autotrophic and heterotrophic respiration revealed that these responses were driven by increased respiration of microbial heterotrophs. Our study provides direct experimental evidence that warming‐induced increases in CO2 emissions to the atmosphere are likely intensified in stream ecosystems subject to eutrophication.
Failure Analysis of Network Based Accessible Pedestrian Signals in Closed-Loop Operation

The potential failure modes of a network based accessible pedestrian system were analyzed to determine the limitations and benefits of closed-loop operation. The vulnerabilities of the system are accessed using the industry standard process know as Failure Modes and Effects Analysis. This analysis reveals that because the closed-looped operation increases operational observability, there is only one failure mode that is not detectible. Investigation on reliability of hardware and software indicate that the probability of this particular event is extremely low. The three primary components of a distributed real-time control system are hardware, software, and communications. Environmental conditions are the predominant factors that determine hardware reliability. The system was tested for its ability to function in the presence of electrical transients specified the NEMA. All hardware components meet or exceed NEMA temperature requirements. Software errors are difficult to detect and difficult to predict. Best practices in development and testing can minimize the number of errors. Testing includes multiple years of both laboratory and field testing.
CinC Challenge 2013: comparing three algorithms to extract fetal ECG

This paper reports a comparison between three fetal ECG (fECG) detectors developed during the CinC 2013 challenge for fECG detection. Algorithm A1 is based on Independent Component Analysis, A2 is based on fECG detection of RS Slope and A3 is based on Expectation-Weighted Estimation of Fiducial Points. The proposed methodology was validated using the annotated database available for the challenge. Each detector was characterized in terms of its performance by using measures of sensitivity, (Se), positive predictive value (P+) and delay time (td). Additionally, the database was contaminated with white noise for two SNR conditions. Decision fusion was tested considering the most common types of combination of detectors. Results show that the decision fusion of A1 and A2 improves fQRS detection, maintaining high Se and P+ even under low SNR conditions without a significant td increase.
Altered RBP1 Gene Expression Impacts Epithelial Cell Retinoic Acid, Proliferation, and Microenvironment

Vitamin A is an essential diet-derived nutrient that has biological activity affected through an active metabolite, all-trans retinoic acid (atRA). Retinol-binding protein type 1 (RBP1) is an intracellular chaperone that binds retinol and retinal with high affinity, protects retinoids from non-specific oxidation, and delivers retinoids to specific enzymes to facilitate biosynthesis of RA. RBP1 expression is reduced in many of the most prevalent cancers, including breast cancer. Here, we sought to understand the relationship between RBP1 expression and atRA biosynthesis in mammary epithelial cells, as well as RBP1 expression and atRA levels in human mammary tissue. We additionally aimed to investigate the impact of RBP1 expression and atRA on the microenvironment as well as the potential for therapeutic restoration of RBP1 expression and endogenous atRA production. Using human mammary ductal carcinoma samples and a series of mammary epithelial cell lines representing different stages of tumorigenesis, we investigated the relationship between RBP1 expression as determined by QPCR and atRA via direct liquid chromatography-multistage-tandem mass spectrometry-based quantification. The functional effect of RBP1 expression and atRA in epithelial cells was investigated via the expression of direct atRA targets using QPCR, proliferation using Ki-67 staining, and collagen deposition via picrosirius red staining. We also investigated the atRA content of stromal cells co-cultured with normal and tumorigenic epithelial cells. Results show that RBP1 and atRA are reduced in mammary tumor tissue and tumorigenic epithelial cell lines. Knock down of RBP1 expression using shRNA or overexpression of RBP1 supported a direct relationship between RBP1 expression with atRA. Increases in cellular atRA were able to activate atRA direct targets, inhibit proliferation and inhibit collagen deposition in epithelial cell lines. Conditions encountered in tumor microenvironments, including low glucose and hypoxia, were able to reduce RBP1 expression and atRA. Treatment with either RARα agonist AM580 or demethylating agent Decitabine were able to increase RBP1 expression and atRA. Cellular content of neighboring fibroblasts correlated with the RA producing capacity of epithelial cells in co-culture. This work establishes a direct relationship between RBP1 expression and atRA, which is maintained when RBP1 expression is restored therapeutically. The results demonstrate diseases with reduced RBP1 could potentially benefit from therapeutics that restore RBP1 expression and endogenous atRA.
Natural-Fiber-Reinforced Chitosan, Chitosan Blends and Their Nanocomposites for Various Advanced Applications

There has been much effort to provide eco-friendly and biodegradable materials for the next generation of composite products owing to global environmental concerns and increased awareness of renewable green resources. This review article uniquely highlights the use of green composites from natural fiber, particularly with regard to the development and characterization of chitosan, natural-fiber-reinforced chitosan biopolymer, chitosan blends, and chitosan nanocomposites. Natural fiber composites have a number of advantages such as durability, low cost, low weight, high specific strength, non-abrasiveness, equitably good mechanical properties, environmental friendliness, and biodegradability. Findings revealed that chitosan is a natural fiber that falls to the animal fiber category. As it has a biomaterial form, chitosan can be presented as hydrogels, sponges, film, and porous membrane. There are different processing methods in the preparation of chitosan composites such as solution and solvent casting, dipping and spray coating, freeze casting and drying, layer-by-layer preparation, and extrusion. It was also reported that the developed chitosan-based composites possess high thermal stability, as well as good chemical and physical properties. In these regards, chitosan-based “green” composites have wide applicability and potential in the industry of biomedicine, cosmetology, papermaking, wastewater treatment, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.
Effectiveness of Low Copper-Containing Chemicals against Olive Leaf Spot Disease Caused by Venturia oleaginea

The high level of copper (Cu) accumulation in the soil, the risk of surface water contamination, and the potential public health problems due to Cu entering the food chain have raised concerns on the use of Cu compounds in agriculture, including olive growing. As a consequence, there is worldwide regulatory pressure on agricultural systems to limit the use of Cu compounds. Hence, a field trial was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of low copper containing chemicals to control olive leaf spot (OLS) disease caused by Venturia oleaginea. The trial was conducted in 2021 in an olive (cv. Nabali Baladi) grove in Palestine. Copper complexed with lignosulphonate and gluconate (Disper Cu Max®) and the self-defense inducer Disper Broton GS® were evaluated and compared to dodine and the traditionally and frequently used copper hydroxide. In addition, untreated trees were used as the control. Treatments were made in March, July, and August. In March 2021, leaves grown in 2020 were present and 100% infected. V. oleaginea infections caused defoliation in untreated and treated olive trees with varying degrees of intensity: the Control had the most defoliation, followed by copper hydroxide and Disper Cu Max®, whereas dodine and, in particular, Disper Broton GS® had the least. All treatments reduced symptomatic leaves but their efficacy varied significantly: copper hydroxide was the least effective, Disper Cu Max® was intermediate, dodine and, mainly, Disper Broton GS® were the most effective. Overall, the results are promising since Disper Cu Max® and Disper Broton GS® were able to significantly reduce OLS damage and the amount of copper used for treatments.
The Comparative Efficacy of Treatments for Children and Young Adults with Internet Addiction/Internet Gaming Disorder: An Updated Meta-Analysis

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a formal mental disorder leading to bad outcomes for children and adolescents. This study comprehensively compared the estimated effect of various pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions for IGD from randomized controlled trials (RCT) through updated meta-analysis, using meta-regression. A search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Airiti Library between 2000 and 2017 was conducted for various IA/IGD intervention modalities. A total of 124 studies from 29 selected papers involving 5601 children and young adults with IA/IGD were found. Meta-analyzing the pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) revealed a preliminary random effect of 1.399 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.272–1.527, suggesting highly effective treatment of IA/IGD. After adjusting for the confounding risks of age, publication year, type of subjects, and type of study, this study revealed that combining pharmacotherapy with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or multi-level counseling (MLC) was the most effective treatment option. Using a scale of time spent online or a severity of IA symptoms scale was a more effective measurement, with p-values = 0.006 and 0.002, respectively. IA/IGD patients with comorbid depression showed worse outcomes than youth with another comorbidity. The corresponding model goodness-of-fit indices were τ2 = 1.188; I2-Residual = 89.74%; and Adjusted-R2 = 16.10%. This systematic review indicates that pharmacotherapy combined with CBT or MLC might be an effective therapeutic strategy for youth with gaming disorder.
Self-construal, moral disengagement, and unethical behavior in peer-to-peer accommodation: the moderating role of perceived consumption liquidity

Abstract Drawing on moral disengagement theory and liquid consumption theory, this study proposed and tested a conceptual model of guests’ unethical behavior in peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation, an area of concern as the P2P market grows and regulation is insufficient. The moderating role of perceived consumption liquidity and mediating role of moral disengagement in the relationship between self-construal and guests’ unethical behavior was investigated. Using an online survey and a between-subject experiment, this study found that moral disengagement fully mediates the positive effect of independent self-construal and partially mediates the negative effect of interdependent self-construal on guests’ unethical behavior in P2P accommodation. Findings also suggest that perceived consumption liquidity moderates the effect of self-construal on guests’ moral disengagement. The theoretical and practical implications for P2P accommodation are discussed.
Comprehensive Transcriptomic Analysis of Cordyceps militaris Cultivated on Germinated Soybeans

Abstract The ascomycete fungus Cordyceps militaris infects lepidopteran larvae and pupae and forms characteristic fruiting bodies. Owing to its immune-enhancing effects, the fungus has been used as a medicine. For industrial application, this fungus can be grown on geminated soybeans as an alternative protein source. In our study, we performed a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis to identify core gene sets during C. militaris cultivation on germinated soybeans. RNA-Seq technology was applied to the fungal cultures at seven-time points (2, 4, and 7-day and 2, 3, 5, 7-week old cultures) to investigate the global transcriptomic change. We conducted a time-series analysis using a two-step regression strategy and chose 1460 significant genes and assigned them into five clusters. Characterization of each cluster based on Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases revealed that transcription profiles changed after two weeks of incubation. Gene mapping of cordycepin biosynthesis and isoflavone modification pathways also confirmed that gene expression in the early stage of GSC cultivation is important for these metabolic pathways. Our transcriptomic analysis and selected genes provided a comprehensive molecular basis for the cultivation of C. militaris on germinated soybeans.