bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Correlation Between Learning Motivation, Vocabulary Mastery and Listening Comprehension
Authors: Fatikhah Eska Norma , Martono Martono , Asrori Muh.
Published: November 2019

This article is aimed at discussing and reporting the result of a study about correlation between learning motivation, vocabulary mastery and listening comprehension. The correlation was proven by the result of the study which was carried out at a senior high school in Surakarta. The sample of the study were 30 students of XI MIA 2 taken by cluster random sampling. A questionnaire was used to collect learning motivation data and objective tests were used to collect vocabulary mastery data and listening comprehension data. Single correlation and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. The result of the analysis shows that there is a positive correlation between (1) learning motivation and listening comprehension; (2) vocabulary mastery and listening comprehension;

(3) learning motivation, vocabulary mastery simultaneously, and listening comprehension. Thus, it cannot be neglected that learning motivation and vocabulary mastery give contribution toward listening comprehension.
Improving Students’ Reading Ability Through Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD)
Authors: Wulandari Santi , Asrori M. , Setyaningsih Endang
Published: November 2019

The objectives of this research are: (1) to know whether Student  Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD) can improve the students’ reading ability and (2) to describe what happens when STAD is implemented in  teaching  reading in the classroom.This study used a classroom action research design. The participants of this research were the students  from  one  of  Junior  High  Schools  in  Surakarta,  Central Java.  There were 32 students  which  consisted of

14 males and 18 females. The techniques of collecting the data are using qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative data consists of observation, interview, document analysis, questionnaire, photographs, and test. While the quantitative data was the students’ test score. The research findings  show that   the use of Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD) can improve students’ reading ability and class condition. It can be seen from their interest and motivation for English class and the mean score of pre-test 57.50 which increased

67.50 in post-test 1, and 80.16 in post-test 2. It can be concluded that the use of Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD) can improve the students’ reading ability and the classroom condition.
Improving The Students’ Participation in Speaking by Using Teams Games Tournament
Authors: P. Intan I.
Published: November 2019

This study is conducted based on the situation of the tenth-grade students of one of state schools in Surakarta which found by the researcher in the classroom. They are: 1) Students do not focus on giving attention to the lesson. 2) They do not give response to the teacher’s questions and they rarely asked questions. 3) Most of them are afraid to share ideas or give an opinion to the lesson. 4) They do not actively participate in a group discussion. Their speaking score result is still low and under the standard passing grade. All problems found by the researcher shows that the students’ participation is low and it has an impact on their participation in speaking. This research tries to use Teams Games Tournament to improve students’ participation in speaking. This study use classroom action research in implementing TGT. This research finds out that the students’ participation in speaking improved after the implementation of Teams Games Tournament in the classroom. 
Dinamika Dan Partisipasi Anggota Kelompok Wanita Tani Dalam Program Diversifikasi Olahan Pangan Fungsional di Desa Jimbaran, Margorejo, Pati
Authors: Jamiatun Jamiatun , Nurunnisa Dwi Putri Jeng Ivo , Rahmatika Nurul Wahidah , Mar’ati Abida Choirul , Al Aribah Salwa , Rusdiyana Eksa
Published: November 2019

Kegiatan pemberdayaan dilakukan di Desa Jimbaran, Margorejo, Pati. Metode yang digunakan yaitu penyuluhan, pelatihan pembuatan produk pangan fungsional berbasis ubi kayu dan bandeng, dan pendampingan IPTEK. Target luaran yang diharapkan adalah meningkatkan pengetahuan dan keterampilan masyarakat sasaran serta terciptanya produk unggulan berbasis olahan pangan ampas ubi kayu dan bandeng. Dari kegiatan ini, diperkenalkan tiga macam produk yaitu BAKAMBU (bakso ampas ubi kayu dan bandeng), PUKEPO (pudding ketela pohon), dan DOKEPO (donat ketela pohon) aneka rasa. Bentuk-bentuk pemberdayaan masyarakat yang dilakukan melibatkan partisipasi masyarakat mulai dari perencanaan, pelaksanaan dan evaluasi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dinamika dan partisipasi anggota Kelompok Wanita Tani (KWT) Wijaya Kusuma dalam program diversifikasi olahan pangan berbasis potensi ubi kayu dan bandeng. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif yang berusaha  menguraikan masalah yang diteliti. Hasil pemberdayaan menunjukkan bahwa dinamika anggota KWT selama program berlangsung dinamis dan tingkat partisipasi berada pada kategori aktif. Pemberdayaan masyarakat melalui diversifikasi pangan lokal berbasis ubi kayu dan bandeng  memberikan manfaat berupa terciptanya lingkungan masyarakat yang terbebas dari limbah ampas ubi kayu, terciptanya lapangan pekerjaan, dan meningkatkan pendapatan masyarakat.
El diablo negro: el adjetivo μέλας en la Septuaginta, Nuevo Testamento, Epístola de Bernabé y el Pastor de Hermas
Authors: BROTÓNS MERINO María José
Published: November 2019

En la Literatura cristiana primitiva, particularmente en la Epístola de Bernabé (4:10 y 20:1), el Diablo es denominado ὁ Μέλας, apelativo traducido como “el Negro”. Una reflexión permite buscar el origen del vínculo entre negro y diablo en la literatura anterior: primeramente en la literatura griega, donde encontramos un uso ambiguo de μέλας, y en segundo lugar en la Biblia, ya que la Epístola de Bernabé está escrita en un contexto cristiano. Sin embargo, en la connotación negativa de μέλας en la Septuaginta no está clara, y es en el Nuevo Testamento donde el estudio debe extenderse a σκότος (“oscuridad”), para encontrar una relación directa con el diablo.
Homère chez Eustathe de Thessalonique : la traduction des Proèmes sur l’Iliade et l’Odyssée
Authors: KOLOVOU Georgia E.
Published: November 2019

In the present contribution, we present the translation of the Proems on Odyssey and Iliad of the Byzantize scholar of the 12th century Eustathius of Thessalonica. Firstly, we integrate these texts into the ensemble of the philological works of the erudite Byzantine and we show how the commentary on the Odyssey can be read in relation to the commentary on the Iliad. In the second part, we translate in French his Proems where Eusthathius explains himself the particular method of his compilative, autonomous and highly personal commentary on Homer.
La lengua de los mozárabes. Otra lectura de las fuentes
Authors: MELLADO RODRÍGUEZ Joaquin
Published: November 2019

Tradicionalmente se viene considerando que poco o nada podemos conocer de la lengua hablada entre los mozárabes, aunque, por otra parte, es conocido que desde el s. VI el latín ya no es la lengua materna en ninguna zona peninsular, sino el fruto del aprendizaje en las numerosas escuelas episcopales, monacales e incluso parroquiales. Ante la obvia ausencia de testimonios directos de la lengua hablada, hemos de buscar una vía de acercamiento a esa realidad de la lengua de la calle de manera indirecta y siempre, inexcusablemente, indagando entre lo que nos ha quedado, los textos escritos, espigando detalles, vulgarismos de acá y allá que han ido deslizándose en la lengua escrita ante la presión ejercida por la lengua hablada. Ensayaremos una suerte de lectura entre líneas, rastreando los textos conservados a la búsqueda de detalles que nos permitan aproximarnos a la realidad lingüística de este amplio sector de la población cordobesa que se ve cada día más presionado por la enorme pujanza de la lengua árabe en la esplendorosa Córdoba omeya.
Un oscuro poeta cristiano de época Abasí, y una poetisa mozárabe que no existió
Authors: López López Angel Custodio
Published: November 2019

El cristianismo árabe de todas las épocas es un tema que ha sido poco tratado por los investigadores occidentales. En este artículo se aborda el estudio de una figura literaria que hasta ahora era prácticamente desconocida en el panorama de la literatura árabe en general, e incluso en las monografías dedicadas a los autores cristianos. Se trata del poeta sirio iraquí Zabīnā Ibn Isḥāq al-Naṣrānī, que vivió en la época de mayor esplendor del Califato Abasí. Para ello se recopilan todas las noticias que nos han llegado sobre su persona, deshaciéndose de camino una grave confusión que arranca ya en los autores árabes y que lo presenta como una poetisa cristiana de al-Ándalus. Después se edita, traduce y comenta el breve Diván poético que se ha conservado de su obra literaria, la cual no está exenta de valor, pues según argumenta un crítico literario del siglo XI, algunos de sus versos pudieron servir de inspiración al gran poeta neoclásico al-Mutanabbī.
Sacred & Pseudepigrapha Writings Symposium ‎‎(SPWI)‎ Textual Culture in Jewish and Christian ‎Intellectual Circles ‎‎
Authors: Luis Cobreros Goretti
Published: November 2019

Congreso internacional celebrado en  la Facultad de Filosofía y Letras de la Universidad de Córdoba el ‎3 de diciembre de 2018
Korelasi Pengetahuan Mahasiswa Tentang Pemanasan Global Terhadap Perilaku Peduli Lingkungan Sekitar
Authors: Nugroho Wahyu Septa , Ismail Ismail , Hariz Anif Rizqianti
Published: November 2019

Kehidupan manusia tidak dapat dipisahkan dari lingkungannya. Ada tidaknya masalah lingkungan tergantung bagaimana sikap dan tanggung jawab manusia terhadap lingkungannya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui seberapa besar pengaruh pengetahuan tentang pemanasan global terhadap perilaku peduli lingkungan sekitar, dilakukan pada mahasiswa Pendidikan Biologi, Fakultas Sains dan Teknologi, UIN Walisongo. Diperoleh hasil bahwa pengetahuan pemanasan global tidak mempengaruhi secara signifikan perilaku peduli lingkungan sekitar. Pada umumnya perilaku peduli lingkungan sudah baik yaitu sebesar 62% dan pengetahuan tentang pemanasan global sudah cukup baik yaitu sekitar 75%. Dari analisis data diperoleh hasil perhitungan adalah r = 0,125 memberikan penafsiran bahwa tingkat pengaruh variabel sangat rendah. Kemudian diuji keberartian koefisien korelasinya dan didapat hasil berdasarkan perhitungan diperoleh bahwa thitung = 0,896 untuk x dan y. Harga ini dikonsultasikan dengan dk = 52 dan taraf signifikansi 5% diperoleh ttabel= 2,009. Karena thitung <ttabelmaka Ho diterima artinya tidak terdapat pengaruh yang signifikan antara pengetahuan tentang pemanasan global terhadap perilaku peduli lingkungan. Kemudian dihitung Koefisien Determinasi Pada Regresi Linier Sederhana. Didapat hasil bahwa Nilai koefisien determinasir2= 0,1252 = 0,016. Ini berarti bahwa pengaruh pengetahuan pemanasan global (X) terhadap sikap peduli lingkungan(Y) sebesar 1,6% terhadap perilaku peduli lingkungan. Selain dipengaruhi pengetahuan tentang pemanasan global juga dipengaruhi faktor lain  sebesar 98,4% yang tidak dijelaskan dalam penelitian ini.
Perbandingan Pemberian Variasi Konsentrasi Pupuk dari Limbah Cair Tahu Terhadap Pertumbuhan Tanaman Cabai Rawit (Capsicum frutescens L.)
Authors: Amalia Wakhida , Hayati Nur , Kusrinah Kusrinah
Published: November 2019

Tanaman Cabai Rawit (Capsicum frutescens L.) merupakan salah satu komoditas di Indonesia. Sektor pertanian di Indonesia masih mengandalkan pupuk anorganik untuk meningkatkan produktivitas tanaman Cabai Rawit (Capsicum frutescens L.). Pemberian pupuk anorganik berlebih menyebabkan berkurangnya kesuburan tanah. Pupuk organik dari limbah cair tahu dapat dijadikan sebagai alternatif untuk mengurangi penggunaan pupuk anorganik. Limbah cair tahu difermentasi selama 10 hari dengan bahan tambahan EM4 dan air kelapa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui perbandingan pemberian variasi konsentrasi pupuk dari limbah cair tahu terhadap pertumbuhan tanaman Cabai Rawit (Capsicum frutescens L.). Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan metode eksperimen. Rancangan percobaan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini yaitu Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan 4 kali ulangan. Perlakuan dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 5 yaitu pupuk 0% (kontrol), 5%, 10%, 15%, dan 20%. Pengamatan dilakukan terhadap tiga parameter pertumbuhan yaitu diameter batang, tinggi tanaman, dan jumlah helai daun. Analisis data menggunakan One-way ANOVA dan Uji lanjutan Beda Nyata Terkecil (BNT) pada taraf signifikansi 5% (). Hasil uji One-way ANOVA menunjukkan Fhitung diameter batang, tinggi tanaman, dan jumlah helai daun lebih besar dibandingkan Ftabel pada  5%. Uji BNT menunjukkan pada perlakuan pupuk konsentrasi 5%, 10%, 15% dan 20% menunjukkan perbedaan dibanding perlakuan kontrol.
Perbandingan Variasi Konsentrasi Pupuk Organik Cair dari Limbah Ikan Terhadap Pertumbuhan Tanaman Cabai Merah (Capsicum annum L.)
Authors: Zahroh Fatimatuz , Kusrinah Kusrinah , Setyawati Siti Mukhlishoh
Published: November 2019

Limbah ikan merupakan salah satu limbah yang belum dimanfaatkan secara maksimal. Potensi limbah ikan berupa jeroan dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai pupuk organik cair karena masih mengandung unsur hara yang dibutuhkan tanaman. Pupuk organik cair merupakan salah satu pupuk yang dapat digunakan untuk tanaman holtikultura seperti tanaman cabai merah (Capsicum annum L.).  Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh perbedaan pemberian variasi konsentrasi pupuk organik cair dari limbah ikan terhadap pertumbuhan tanaman cabai merah (Capsicum annum L.). Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian kuantitatif. Pendekatan penelitian yang digunakan adalah eksperimental laboratorium dengan menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap yang terdiri dari 5 perlakuan 4 ulangan sehingga ada 20 unit eksperimen dan ditempatkan secara acak yaitu pupuk 0% (P1), pupuk 3,5% (P2), pupuk 4% (P3), pupuk 4,5% (P4), dan pupuk 5% (P5). Pengamatan dilakukan terhadap tiga parameter pertumbuhan yaitu jumlah daun, diameter batang, dan tinggi tanaman. Teknis analisis data menggunakan One-way ANOVA dengan taraf signifikansi 5% dan uji lanjutan Duncan. Hasil uji One-way ANOVA  pada pertumbuhan jumlah daun tanaman cabai merah adalah Fhitung sebesar 6,770 dan Ftabel yaitu 3,06 (Fhitung > Ftabel). Hasil uji One-way ANOVA  pada pertumbuhan tinggi batang adalah Fhitung sebesar 5,267 dan Ftabel yaitu 3,06 (Fhitung > Ftabel). Hasil uji One-way ANOVA   pada pertumbuhan diameter batang tanaman cabai merah adalah Fhitung sebesar 2,770 dan Ftabel yaitu 3,06 (Fhitung < Ftabel). Uji lanjutan Duncan menunjukkan pada perlakuan konsentrasi 4,5 % (P4) menunjukkan perbedaan yang paling signifikan terhadap pertumbuhan jumlah daun dan tinggi batang tanaman cabai merah.
Pengembangan Kawasan Industri Ramah Lingkungan Sebagai Upaya Untuk Menjaga Keseimbangan Ekosistem (Studi Kasus di Taman Industri BSB Semarang)
Authors: Hariz Anif Rizqianti , Purwanto Purwanto , Suherman Suherman
Published: November 2019

Kawasan industri merupakan suatu kawasan tempat pemusatan kegiatan industri yang dilengkapi dengan sarana dan prasarana penunjang yang dikembangkan dan dikelola oleh perusahaan kawasan industri. Sumber daya dan energi yang dibutuhkan dalam penyediaan sarana dan prasarana tersebut, serta bahan baku yang digunakan dalam industri, menyebabkan terjadinya eksploitasi berbagai sumber daya alam, yang apabila eksploitasi tersebut tidak terkendali akan dapat menyebabkan terjadinya kerusakan lingkungan. Aktivitas industri memiliki peran dalam pertumbuhan ekonomi, tetapi di sisi lain juga mendorong terjadinya kerusakan lingkungan. Keberadaan kawasan industri dalam sebuah ekosistem tentunya akan menimbulkan dampak dan perubahan pada ekosistem tersebut. Padahal dalam ekosistem sendiri terdapat berbagai macam komponen yang menyusunnya, baik itu komponen biotik maupun abiotik. Untuk itu, muncul sebuah konsep yang disebut konsep industri hijau, yaitu kawasan industri yang ramah lingkungan, sehingga dapat dicapai manfaat lingkungan, ekonomi, dan sosial sebanyak mungkin. Dan tujuan jangka panjang dari konsep ini adalah untuk mempertahankan keseimbangan ekosistem yang menjadi tempat berlangsungnya kegiatan industri pada kawasan industri. Proses pengembangan kawasan industri terus dilakukan agar dapat menjadi kawasan industri hijau. Taman Industri BSB merupakan salah satu kawasan industri di Semarang yang sedang berkembang. Dalam penelitian ini dilihat hal-hal apa saja yang menjadi kekuatan, kelemahan, peluang, dan ancaman dalam pengembangan Taman Industri BSB menjadi kawasan industri hijau. Metode yang digunakan dalam pemilihan strategi adalah analisis SWOT. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa strategi yang dapat dilakukan pada tahap awal pengembangan adalah melakukan pembelian bahan baku bersama antar industri sejenis dalam kawasan, pengoperasian IPAL kawasan untuk mengolah air limbah secara komunal, dan kerjasama antara industri dalam kawasan dan masyarakat sekitar dengan mengembangkan industri kecil daur ulang.
Efektivitas Antifungi Ekstrak Daun Patikan Kebo (Euphorbia hirta) Terhadap Jamur Penyebab Kandidiasis (Candida albicans)
Authors: Zulkarnain Zulkarnain , Muthiadin Cut , Nur Fatmawati , Rukmana Rusmadi
Published: November 2019

Candidiasis is an infectious disease caused by the fungus Candida albicans. This  study aims to determine the effect of patikan kebo (Euphorbia hirta) leaf extract in inhibiting the growth of C. albicans. This research is an experimental study which was compiled using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) by giving Patikan Kebo (E. hirta) leaf extract  in several concentrations, the concentrations of 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, and 60% and controls (aquadest) and C. albicans mushroom with three repetitions. The parameters measured are the amount of inhibitory diameter formed around the paper discs in the 24 hour and 48 hour period. D ata obtained with three repetitions and observations of 24 hours and 48 hours showed that giving patikan kebo leaf extract in several types of concentration had an effect on inhibiting the growth and fungi of C . albicans. Furthermore, the data obtained were analyzed using analysis of variance (F-test) at the level of α 0.05 and continued using the Smallest Significant Difference (LSD) α 0.05 where the results showed that the giving of patikan kebo extract significantly affected the microbial growth test (C. albicans), where the higher the concentration of patikan kebo leaf extract, the greater the inhibition zone formed around the paper disk. 
Economic and environmental impact analysis of ammoniacal nitrogen removal from landfill leachate using sequencing batch reactor: a case study from Czech Republic
Authors: Badri Narayan R. , Zargham B. I. , Ngambia Audrey , Riyanto Arlieza R.
Published: November 2019

Lany landfill, located in the Czech Republic, generates around 10 m3/d of leachate, heavily polluted with ammoniacal nitrogen, heavy metals and salts, which needs to be treated onsite in order to minimize their effect on the ecosystem and on human health. A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was designed for ammoniacal nitrogen removal from the leachate and the economic feasibility and environmental impact of the designed SBR was assessed. From the cost-benefit analysis, capital expenditure (CAPEX) of 33,500 €/year and operational expenditure (OPEX) of 13,521 €/year were estimated. A shadow price concept tool was used to calculate the environmental benefit as 21,000 €/year. The net present value of the project was evaluated to be 19,528 € with an internal rate of return of 21.6%. For environmental assessment, triple bottom line (TBL) analysis on the existing practice of discharging the leachate to a nearby wastewater treatment plant and on-site treatment using SBR was performed. The total score for existing practice was calculated to be 55.1% while for on-site treatment it was 59.6%. Based on the results it was concluded that on-site treatment is both economically and environmentally feasible. A mitigation plan was also prepared for the impacts identified in the environmental assessment.
Case study of the cascading effects on critical infrastructure in Torbay coastal/pluvial flooding with climate change and 3D visualisation
Authors: Gibson M. J. , Chen A. S. , Khoury M. , Vamvakeridou-Lyroudia L. S. , Stewart D. , Wood M. , Savić D. A. , Djordjević S.
Published: November 2019

Critical infrastructures (CIs) are commonly designed, built and maintained based on rigorous standards in order to withstand the climate and weather-related pressures. However, shifts in climate characteristics may result in increases of the magnitude and frequency of potential risks, or expose specific CI to new or increased risks not previously considered. As vital components of the normal functioning of modern societies, their resilience encompasses the operational elements, their structural integrity and the capacity to maximise business output under climate stressors. In this work, we apply an integrated and participatory methodological approach to assess the risk and enhance the resilience of interconnected CIs to urban flooding under climate change. The proposed methodology has been applied to an extended case study in Torbay to extend previous works, which seeks to protect coastal communities from future events through using the proposed methodology to justify future investment in coastal defences, as a part of the validation of EU-CIRCLE projects developed methodologies.
Knowledge-based multi-objective genetic algorithms for the design of water distribution networks
Authors: Johns Matthew B. , Keedwell Edward , Savic Dragan
Published: November 2019

Water system design problems are complex and difficult to optimise. It has been demonstrated that involving engineering expertise is required to tackle real-world problems. This paper presents two engineering inspired hybrid evolutionary algorithms (EAs) for the multi-objective design of water distribution networks. The heuristics are developed from traditional design approaches of practicing engineers and integrated into the mutation operator of a multi-objective EA. The first engineering inspired heuristic is designed to identify hydraulic bottlenecks within the network and eliminate them with a view to speeding up the algorithm's search to the feasible solution space. The second heuristic is based on the notion that pipe diameters smoothly transition from large, at the source, to small at the extremities of the network. The performance of the engineering inspired hybrid EAs is compared with Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II and assessed on three networks of varying complexity, two benchmarks and one real-world network. The experiments presented in this paper demonstrate that the incorporation of engineering expertise can improve EA performance, often producing superior solutions both in terms of mathematical optimality and also engineering feasibility.
O que dizem os professores indígenas Tembé sobre a educação escolar e o futuro da aldeia:
Authors: MARTINS DA SILVA GLAUBER RANIERI , NASCIMENTO IVANY PINTO
Published: November 2019

O presente estudo compõe parte da pesquisa realizada com professores indígenas Tembé na Terra Indígena do Alto Rio Guamá. Neste artigo analisamos as representações sociais de professores Tembé sobre o futuro da aldeia e a educação. O aporte teórico-metodológico que fundamentou a construção deste estudo foi a Teoria das Representações Sociais. Como instrumento de coleta de dados utilizamos a entrevista narrativa. O tratamento e análise dos dados se baseou na análise de conteúdo, com ênfase na evocação livre. Os sujeitos da pesquisa foram selecionados através de critérios previamente definidos. As análises possibilitaram compreender que o acesso às amenidades urbanas constitui possibilidade de desenvolvimento econômico e educacional e imprime diferenciações à aldeia, interferindo no modo de vida da população. As representações sociais sobre o futuro da aldeia e a educação se organizam dando sentido a esta, como aporte à preservação das identidades e às possibilidades de desenvolvimento futuro para os indígenas Tembé.
Editorial
Authors: Araújo Marta Maria de
Published: November 2019

Editorial
An Insightful 10-year Recollection Since the Emergence of the 5-steps Rule
Authors: Chou Kuo-Chen
Published: November 2019

Objective:

One of the most challenging and also the most difficult problems is how to formulate a biological sequence with a vector but considerably keep its sequence order information.

Methods:

To address such a problem, the approach of Pseudo Amino Acid Components or PseAAC has been developed.

Results and Conclusion:

It has become increasingly clear via the 10-year recollection that the aforementioned proposal has been indeed very powerful.
A Spectral Rotation Method with Triplet Periodicity Property for Planted Motif Finding Problems
Authors: Wang Xun , Wang Shudong , Song Tao
Published: November 2019

Background:

Genes are known as functional patterns in the genome and are presumed
to have biological significance. They can indicate binding sites for transcription factors and they
encode certain proteins. Finding genes from biological sequences is a major task in computational
biology for unraveling the mechanisms of gene expression.

Objective:

Planted motif finding problems are a class of mathematical models abstracted from the
process of detecting genes from genome, in which a specific gene with a number of mutations is
planted into a randomly generated background sequence, and then gene finding algorithms can be
tested to check if the planted gene can be found in feasible time.

Method:

In this work, a spectral rotation method based on triplet periodicity property is proposed
to solve planted motif finding problems.

Results:

The proposed method gives significant tolerance of base mutations in genes. Specifically,
genes having a number of substitutions can be detected from randomly generated background
sequences. Experimental results on genomic data set from Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveal that
genes can be visually distinguished. It is proposed that genes with about 50% mutations can be
detected from randomly generated background sequences.

Conclusion:

It is found that with about 5 insertions or deletions, this method fails in finding the
planted genes. For a particular case, if the deletion of bases is located at the beginning of the gene,
that is, bases are not randomly deleted, then the tolerance of the method for base deletion is
increased.
New Computational Tool Based on Machine-learning Algorithms for the Identification of Rhinovirus Infection-Related Genes
Authors: Xu Yan , Zhang Yu-Hang , Li JiaRui , Pan Xiao Y. , Huang Tao , Cai Yu-Dong
Published: November 2019

Background:

Human rhinovirus has different identified serotypes and is the most common cause of cold in humans. To date, many genes have been discovered to be related to rhinovirus infection. However, the pathogenic mechanism of rhinovirus is difficult to elucidate through experimental approaches due to the high cost and consuming time.

Method and Results:

In this study, we presented a novel approach that relies on machine-learning algorithms and identified two genes OTOF and SOCS1. The expression levels of these genes in the blood samples can be used to accurately distinguish virus-infected and non-infected individuals.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest the crucial roles of these two genes in rhinovirus infection and the robustness of the computational tool in dissecting pathogenic mechanisms.
Computational Identification of piRNAs Using Features Based on RNA Sequence, Structure, Thermodynamic and Physicochemical Properties
Authors: Monga Isha , Banerjee Indranil
Published: November 2019

Rationale:

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a recently-discovered class of small noncoding
RNAs (ncRNAs) with a length of 21-35 nucleotides. They play a role in gene expression regulation,
transposon silencing, and viral infection inhibition. Once considered as “dark matter” of
ncRNAs, piRNAs emerged as important players in multiple cellular functions in different organisms.
However, our knowledge of piRNAs is still very limited as many piRNAs have not been yet identified
due to lack of robust computational predictive tools.

Methods:

To identify novel piRNAs, we developed piRNAPred, an integrated framework for piRNA
prediction employing hybrid features like k-mer nucleotide composition, secondary structure, thermodynamic
and physicochemical properties. A non-redundant dataset (D3349 or D1684p+1665n) comprising
1684 experimentally verified piRNAs and 1665 non-piRNA sequences was obtained from piRBase
and NONCODE, respectively. These sequences were subjected to the computation of various sequence-
structure based features in binary format and trained using different machine learning techniques,
of which support vector machine (SVM) performed the best.

Results:

During the ten-fold cross-validation approach (10-CV), piRNAPred achieved an overall accuracy
of 98.60% with Mathews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.97 and receiver operating characteristic
(ROC) of 0.99. Furthermore, we achieved a dimensionality reduction of feature space using an
attribute selected classifier.

Conclusion:

We obtained the highest performance in accurately predicting piRNAs as compared to
the current state-of-the-art piRNA predictors. In conclusion, piRNAPred would be helpful to expand
the piRNA repertoire, and provide new insights on piRNA functions.
Short-term Effect of Fresh Pomegranate Juice on Serum Cortisol and Thyroxine in Patients with type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Banihani Saleem Ali , Makahleh Seham M. , El-Akawi Zeyad J.
Published: November 2019

Background:

The effect of pomegranate juice on type 2 diabetic conditions
has been determined in various occasions. However, such an effect on cortisol and
thyroxine hormones, which are major controllers of energy metabolism, is not yet
revealed.

Objectives:

this study, we intended to measure the short-term effect of fresh
pomegranate juice on serum cortisol and thyroxine in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials and Methods:

This study was a randomized clinical trial in which 89 fasted
patients with type 2 diabetes were supplemented with fresh pomegranate juice at a dose
of 1.5 mL kg-1. Blood specimens were then collected before and at 1 and 3 hours after
juice administration. Serum cortisol and thyroxine were assessed using commercial
chemiluminescent-immunoassay kits.

Results:

Serum cortisol, but not thyroxine, was significantly (P < 0.0001) lower in
patients with type 2 diabetes after ingesting fresh pomegranate juice. In addition, no
significant correlation (r2 = 0.00003, P = 0.9569) was observed between cortisol
response to fresh pomegranate juice and the level of fasting serum glucose in the
recruited patients. Moreover, no significant difference (P = 0.9118) in cortisol response
to fresh pomegranate juice was found between recruited males and females.

Conclusions:

In conclusion, fresh pomegranate juice decreased serum cortisol, 1 hour
after juice ingestion, but not serum thyroxine 3 hours after juice ingestion, in patients
with type 2 diabetes. In addition, cortisol response to fresh pomegranate juice was found
not to be affected by patients’ gender and the level of fasting serum glucose.
Development of A Fission Yeast Cell-Based Platform for High Throughput Screening of HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors
Authors: Benko Zsigmond , Zhang Jiantao , Zhao Richard Y.
Published: November 2019

Background:

HIV-1 protease inhibitor (PI) is one of the most potent classes of drugs in combinational antiretroviral therapies (cART). When a PI is used in combination with other anti- HIV drugs, cART can often suppress HIV-1 below detection thus prolonging the patient’s lives. However, the challenge often faced by patients is the emergence of HIV-1 drug resistance. Thus, PIs with high genetic-barrier to drug-resistance are needed.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to develop a novel and simple fission yeast (Schizosaccharomyces pombe) cell-based system that is suitable for high throughput screening (HTS) of small molecules against HIV-1 protease (PR).

Methods:

A fission yeast RE294-GFP strain that stably expresses HIV-1 PR and green fluorescence protein (GFP) under the control of an inducible nmt1 promoter was used. Production of HIV-1 PR induces cellular growth arrest, which was used as the primary endpoint for the search of PIs and was quantified by an absorbance-based method. Levels of GFP production were used as a counter-screen control to eliminate potential transcriptional nmt1 inhibitors.

Results:

Both the absorbance-based HIV-1 PR assay and the GFP-based fluorescence assay were miniaturized and optimized for HTS. A pilot study was performed using a small drug library mixed with known PI drugs and nmt1 inhibitors. With empirically adjusted and clearly defined double-selection criteria, we were able to correctly identify the PIs and to exclude all hidden nmt1 inhibitors.

Conclusion::

We have successfully developed and validated a fission yeast cell-based HTS platform for the future screening and testing of HIV-1 PR inhibitors.
Nanotechnology: Regulatory Outlook on Nanomaterials and Nanomedicines in United States, Europe and India
Authors: Malik Rashi , Patil Sharvil
Published: November 2019

Background:

The outlook on “Nano-materials, products, medicine and technology”
lacks a consensus on the definition to be considered by regulatory bodies all over the world. Engineered
nanoparticles, the formulated products containing nanomaterials, are not subject to any
precise regulation pertaining to production, handling and labeling till now. Also, nano medicines
holding an immense potential involved in treatment and diagnosis with emerging research, yet, lag
behind with unnoticed concerns regarding their safety and toxicity. Therefore, a regulatory
framework focused on specific guidelines for products with the application of nanotechnology is
being designed for extending the immense benefits of nanomedicines to humanity. Regulatory
bodies have taken the forefront in dealing with the risks associated with nanomedicines, including
the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Food and Drug Administration
(USFDA), and the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate of the European Commission
(EC).

Objective:

The study aimed to depict the current status and suggest future perspectives of nanomedicine,
by compiling the guidance of different regulatory bodies, thereby, eliminating the
vagueness of nanotechnology in regulatory terms.

Conclusion:

Ambiguity continues to prevail considering the regulations and safety of nanomaterials.
Therefore, it becomes vital to facilitate the harmonization of assessment practices for nanomaterials
with a unanimous opinion. On global level, OECD and its Working Party are currently
dealing with manufactured nanomaterials.
Analysis of different method used in reactive power compensation: A review
Authors: Dwivedi Anurag , Tiwari Nitesh , Mishra Sacchi , Prajapati Nikita
Published: November 2019

Background:

Reactive power compensation is very important for economic power transfer.

Objective:

to review the different reactive power compensation method with their importance.

Method:

Tap changing transformer, series compensation, shunt compensation, STATCOM, SSSC, DVR, UPFC.

Results:

All the reactive power compensation method used in this paper have their own significance due to their advantages and disadvantage.

Conclusion:

New VAR compensating technique is best compared to the conventional compensation technique.
Validation of an Electronic Visual Analog Scale mHealth Tool for Acute Pain Assessment: Prospective Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Escalona-Marfil Carles , Coda Andrea , Ruiz-Moreno Jorge , Riu-Gispert Lluís Miquel , Gironès Xavier
Published: November 2019

Background

Accurate measurement of pain is required to improve its management and in research. The visual analog scale (VAS) on paper format has been shown to be an accurate, valid, reliable, and reproducible way to measure pain intensity. However, some limitations should be considered, some of which can be implemented with the introduction of an electronic VAS version, suitable to be used both in a tablet and a smartphone.

Objective

This study aimed to validate a new method of recording pain level by comparing the traditional paper VAS with the pain level module on the newly designed Interactive Clinics app.

Methods

A prospective observational cross-sectional study was designed. The sample consisted of 102 participants aged 18 to 65 years. A Force Dial FDK 20 algometer (Wagner Instruments) was employed to induce mild pressure symptoms on the participants’ thumbs. Pain was measured using a paper VAS (10 cm line) and the app.

Results

Intermethod reliability estimated by ICC(3,1) was 0.86 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.81 to 0.90, indicating good reliability. Intramethod reliability estimated by ICCa(3,1) was 0.86 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.81 to 0.90, also indicating good reliability. Bland-Altman analysis showed a difference of 0.175 (0.49), and limits of agreement ranged from –0.79 to 1.14.

Conclusions

The pain level module on the app is highly reliable and interchangeable with the paper VAS version. This tool could potentially help clinicians and researchers precisely assess pain in a simple, economic way with the use of a ubiquitous technology.
Prevention of HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections by Geofencing and Contextualized Messages With a Gamified App, UBESAFE: Design and Creation Study
Authors: Besoain Felipe , Perez-Navarro Antoni , Jacques Aviñó Constanza , Caylà Joan A , Barriga Nicolas A , Garcia de Olalla Patricia
Published: November 2019

Background

Advances in the development of information and communication technologies have facilitated social and sexual interrelationships, thanks to the websites and apps created to this end. However, these resources can also encourage sexual contacts without appropriate preventive measures in relation to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). How can users be helped to benefit from the advantages of these apps while keeping in mind those preventive measures?

Objective

This study aimed to prevent STIs by helping users to remember preventive measures in the risky situations.

Methods

We have used the design and creation methodology and have developed a software system. This system has two parts: an Android operating system app with emphasis on ubiquitous computing and gamification as well as a server with a webpage. First, a functional test with 5 men who have sex with men (MSM) allowed us to test the app with end users. In addition, a feasibility test with 4 MSM for a month allowed us to try the UBESAFE system with all its functionalities.

Results

The main output is a system called UBESAFE that is addressed to MSM. The system has two main parts: (1) an app that sends preventive contextualized messages to users when they use a contact app or when they are near a point where sexual contacts are likely and (2) a server part that was managed by the public health agency of Barcelona (ASPB), which preserves the quality and pertinence of messages and places and offers instant help to users. To increase users’ adherence, UBESAFE uses a gamified system to engage users in the creation of preventive messages. Users increased the initial pool of messages by more than 100% (34/30) and created more than 56% (9/16) of places (named hot zones).

Conclusions

The system helped MSM who used it to become conscious about HIV and other STIs. The system also helped the ASPB to stay in contact with MSM and to detect behaviors that could benefit from preventive measures. All functions were performed in a nonintrusive manner because users used the app privately. Furthermore, the system has shown how important it is to make users a part of the creation process as well as to develop apps that work by themselves and thus become useful to the users.
Innovative Assisted Living Tools, Remote Monitoring Technologies, Artificial Intelligence-Driven Solutions, and Robotic Systems for Aging Societies: Systematic Review
Authors: Sapci A Hasan , Sapci H Aylin
Published: November 2019

Background

The increase in life expectancy and recent advancements in technology and medical science have changed the way we deliver health services to the aging societies. Evidence suggests that home telemonitoring can significantly decrease the number of readmissions, and continuous monitoring of older adults’ daily activities and health-related issues might prevent medical emergencies.

Objective

The primary objective of this review was to identify advances in assistive technology devices for seniors and aging-in-place technology and to determine the level of evidence for research on remote patient monitoring, smart homes, telecare, and artificially intelligent monitoring systems.

Methods

A literature review was conducted using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature Plus, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Xplore, ProQuest Central, Scopus, and Science Direct. Publications related to older people’s care, independent living, and novel assistive technologies were included in the study.

Results

A total of 91 publications met the inclusion criteria. In total, four themes emerged from the data: technology acceptance and readiness, novel patient monitoring and smart home technologies, intelligent algorithm and software engineering, and robotics technologies. The results revealed that most studies had poor reference standards without an explicit critical appraisal.

Conclusions

The use of ubiquitous in-home monitoring and smart technologies for aged people’s care will increase their independence and the health care services available to them as well as improve frail elderly people’s health care outcomes. This review identified four different themes that require different conceptual approaches to solution development. Although the engineering teams were focused on prototype and algorithm development, the medical science teams were concentrated on outcome research. We also identified the need to develop custom technology solutions for different aging societies. The convergence of medicine and informatics could lead to the development of new interdisciplinary research models and new assistive products for the care of older adults.
An Employment Intervention Program (Work2Prevent) for Young Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Youth of Color (Phase 2): Protocol for a Single-Arm Mixed Methods Pilot Test to Assess Feasibility and Acceptability
Authors: Hill Brandon J , Motley Darnell N , Rosentel Kris , VandeVusse Alicia , Garofalo Robert , Schneider John A , Kuhns Lisa M , Kipke Michele D , Reisner Sari , Rupp Betty M , Sanchez Maria , McCumber Micah , Renshaw Laura , West Goolsby Rachel , Loop Matthew Shane
Published: November 2019

Background

Young cisgender men who have sex with men (YMSM), young transgender women (YTW), and gender nonconforming (GNC) youth of color face substantial economic and health disparities. In particular, HIV risk and infection among these groups remains a significant public health issue. In 2017, 17% of all new HIV diagnoses were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact among adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 24 years. However, such disparities cannot be attributed to individual-level factors alone but rather are situated within larger social and structural contexts that marginalize and predispose YMSM, YTW, and GNC youth of color to increased HIV exposure. Addressing social and structural risk factors requires intervention on distal drivers of HIV risk, including employment and economic stability. The Work2Prevent (W2P) study aims to target economic stability through job readiness and employment as a structural-level intervention for preventing adolescent and young adult HIV among black and Latinx YMSM, YTW, and GNC youth. This study seeks to assess intervention feasibility and acceptability in the target populations and determine preliminary efficacy of the intervention to increase employment and reduce sexual risk behaviors.

Objective

The goal of the research is to pilot-test a tailored, theoretically informed employment intervention program among YMSM, YTW, and GNC youth of color. This intervention was adapted from Increased Individual Income and Independence, an existing evidence-based employment program for HIV-positive adults during phase 1 of the W2P study.

Methods

The employment intervention will be pilot-tested among vulnerable YMSM, YTW, and GNC youth of color in a single-arm pre-post trial to assess feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary estimates of efficacy.

Results

Research activities began in March 2018 and were completed in November 2019. Overall, 5 participants were enrolled in the pretest and 51 participants were enrolled in the pilot.

Conclusions

Interventions that address the social and structural drivers of HIV exposure and infection are sorely needed in order to successfully bend the curve in the adolescent and young adult HIV epidemic. Employment as prevention has the potential to be a scalable intervention that can be deployed among this group.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03313310; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03313310

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/16401
Characteristics of Soils Developing from Gabbro, Phyllite and Chert Parent Rock in Karangsambung District
Authors: Taher Ratna , Nurudin Makruf , Hanudin Eko
Published: November 2019

Understanding the nature of the soil is very important to know the potential and the proper management of the soil. This study aimed to determine the differences in morphological, physical, and chemical properties of the soils developing from gabbro, phylitte and chert parent materials. The soil profile was made to represent each parent rock of gabbro, phyllite and chert located on the upper and middle slopes with pine-dominated vegetation and mixed gardens. Observation in the field is a professional description to observe soil morphology. Soil samples were taken at each horizon to analyze soil physical properties (bulk density, particle density, and texture), soil chemical properties (pH, exchanged cations, cation exchange capacity, available P, organic C, and total N). Texture analysis results showed that clay content of the soil developing from parent rock of Gabro 1 is the highest, followed by the soil clay content from  Chert 1, Phyllite 1, Chert 2, Phyllite 2, and Gabbro 2, respectively. The order of soil acidity level (pH) is Gabbro 2 > Gabbro 1> Chert 1 ~ Chert 2 > Phyllite 1 ~ Phyllite 2. Meanwhile, the order of the cation exchange capacity is Gabbro 1> Gabbro 2> Phyllite 1> Chert 1> Phyllite 2> Chert 2, and the order of the base saturation is Chert 2> Gabbro 2> Chert 1> Phyllite 2 > Phyllite1> Gabbro 1.
The Effects of Silica on Growth and Yield of Chrysanthemum Plants (Dendranthema Sp.) Cultivar Sheena and Snow White
Authors: Puspitasari Sylvatera Ayu , Indradewa Didik
Published: November 2019

Silica is one of beneficial nutrient in plants. Silica functions to strengthen epidermal wall and vascular tissues so that it can affect the stems that are getting bigger and stronger. The present study was conducted to determine the effects of silica fertilizers on growth and yield of chrysanthemum plants in Sheena and Snow White varieties that have different anatomies. The present study used Split Plot Design. The main plot was the concentration of silica with 4 levels, i.e. 0 mg/l/m2, 31.1 mg/l/m2, 62.2 mg/l/m2, and 93.3 mg/l/m2. The subplots were two varieties, Sheena and Snow White. The present study revealed that Si fertilizers with 62.2 mg/L concentration could accelerate harvest age and the stem hardness in Snow White aged 45 days. The Snow White which has bark stem anatomy was more responsive to silica fertilizers than the Sheena with the woody stem anatomy. This research provides benefits for researchers, farmers and policy stakeholders to increased yield and quality for local and international market competition.