bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MENTAL ACTS OF MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS WHEN SOLVING FRACTIONS PROBLEMS
Authors: Ikhwanudin Trisno
Published: August 2021

In the classroom, we will find various types of students with their special learning needs. One group of learners who have different learning needs are gifted students. The paper will focus on the study of mathematically gifted students. This research aims to obtain a description of the mathematically gifted students’ mental acts when solving fractions problems. The respondents were two students of the 7th graders in junior high school, in the West Java Province, Indonesia. The research approach was qualitative. The data were collected through paper and pencil measure, observation, and interview. The data were analyzed by grounded theory with coding and constant comparison. The results show four types of mental acts, those are interpreting, explaining, problem-solving, and inferring. The results of this study can be made as one of didactic anticipation when teachers teach the concept of fractions to the mathematically gifted student. These findings are significant to be considered by the teacher when teaching the mathematically gifted student. Teachers should anticipate how students think when they teach gifted students. So that teachers and students can achieve optimal learning outcomes.
DESAIN INSTRUMEN TES KEMAMPUAN PEMECAHAN MASALAH MATEMATIS BERBASIS GAME UNITY
Authors: Kurniawan Riqi , Lukman Hamidah Suryani , Nurcahyono Novi Andri
Published: August 2021

This study aims to find out the process of designing test instruments and produce instrument design test mathematical problem-solving ability based on game unity. The research method used is Research and Development by using the Addie model. ADDIE stage used is analyze and Design. The analysis is carried out by the stages of problem formulation, collecting data, evaluating data feasibility, analyzing and interpreting relevant data, and organizing and presenting results that are then obtained compared to current issues, while the design is done by making hypothetical designs, then developed into a display design using the software. The results obtained are the process of designing instrument test mathematical problem-solving ability based on game unity can be designed with the stages of searching for valid mathematical problem-solving ability test or create a problem that is then validated, flowchart creation, design, and application creation using game engine unity. Test instrument design is made using a unity game engine, problem presentation is made in the form of images and instructions, and filling answers using ideal problem-solving stages.
PERCEIVED STRESS IN OLDER ADULTS THROUGH THE USE OF SOCIAL ROBOTS DURING COVID-19
Authors:   Universidad Europea del Atlántico (España), Corral Barrio Veronica
Published: August 2021

En 2019 se inició una pandemia debido al Coronavirus o Covid-19. Las consecuencias de las limitaciones sociales impuestas en los ancianos con la ausencia total o parcial del contacto físico han provocado una disminución de la salud mental debido al aumentodel estrés percibido llegando a desembocar en un aumento de la sintomatología depresiva o ansiosa. Esta investigación consta de 22 personas entre 70 y 90 años con deterioro cognitivo leve o moderado distribuidos al azar en G.E. y G. C. Se llevan a cabo 15sesiones de relajación con la herramienta de un robot social en G.E. y solamente relajación en el G.C. La evaluación se realiza con una medición a través del Cuestionario de Estrés Percibido antes y después del proceso, además de una medición de la frecuencia cardiaca antes y después de la última sesión. Los resultados muestran una disminución significativa en el estrés percibido en el G.E. mientras que no es significativa en el G.C. En ambos grupos disminuye significativamente la frecuencia cardiaca. Por lo tanto, el robot social como herramienta terapéutica puede tener un papel relevante en el tratamiento de la salud mental de las personas mayores.
PSYCHOLOGICAL HARASSMENT AT WORK (MOBBING) AND ITS IMPACT ON THE CLIMATE AND WORK PERFORMANCE IN TEACHERS OF THE PUBLIC SYSTEM TEACHING OF THE SOUTHERN AREA OF PUERTO RICO
Authors:   Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana (México), Morales Franceschi Julissa , Martín Ayala Juan Luís ,   Universidad Europea del Atlántico (España), Amutio Careaga Alberto ,   Universidad del País Vasco (España), Rosario Nieves Ilia C. ,   Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico)
Published: August 2021

Esta investigación pretendióhallar como los cambios en el clima organizacional exacerba conductas de acoso hacia el maestro en dos municipios del área sur de Puerto Rico. Se indagó cómo el Departamento de Educación de Puerto Rico maneja las situaciones de acoso laboral y cómo el mobbingha afectado el rendimiento laboral del maestro. Se utilizó una muestra de 202 maestros del sistema de educación pública. Se realizóunmuestreo no probabilístico de tipo intencional. Se utilizaron los siguientes cuestionarios:(A) Cuestionario del Álamo sobre Maltrato Laboral(2006)y(B) Cuestionario de Clima Organizacionaldel Departamento de Salud de Lima, Perú (Ugarteet al, 2009). Los objetivosdel estudio fueron logrados. Los resultados y las conclusiones nos muestran:i)los maestros afectados por el acoso tenderán a percibir que su rendimiento laboral disminuye; ii) el clima organizacional negativo hace que sea mayor la predisposición al acoso y que el rendimiento laboral disminuya; iii) no existe un protocolo en el Departamento de Educación para manejar situaciones de acoso; iv) los maestros reflejaron una proporción equivalente entre someterse o enfrentarse al acosador;v)la mayor cantidad de participantes identificaron al acosador como su jefe inmediato; vi) lasconsecuencias del acoso psicológico en el trabajo se manifiestan a nivel físico (trastornos cardiovasculares) y psicológico (estrés y depresión). Las recomendaciones del estudio son las siguientes: asesoramiento legal para los maestros y orientación a directores escolares. Se espera que se continúen nuevas investigaciones sobre el tema y que se apruebe la Ley en Puerto Rico.
INQUIRY-BASED PHYSICS EDUCATION BY USING SCIENCE LEARNING SYSTEM XPLORER GLX
Authors: Šlekienė Violeta , Ragulienė Loreta
Published: August 2021

In order to improve students’ competencies of natural science must be consistent and systematic development of learning methods and strategies. Since Physics is an experimental science, the role of practical activities in physics education is very important. Experimental activities are one of the main Physics teaching/learning methods. One of these methods is inquiry-based learning, in which students answer research questions through data analysis. Computer-based data logging is a powerful strategy for the teaching and learning of physics. It helps to deliver a deep and meaningful physics education, increasing the interaction between the student and the concepts under investigation. This article deals with Physics experimental works by using the Xplorer GLX on different levels (confirmation, structured, guided and open inquiry) of inquiry-based learning. The research methodology is based on the provisions of the constructivist education theory underlying the structured, guided and open explorations as an effective educational technology, which promotes a positive attitude towards science, helps to apply the acquired knowledge in different situations, develops higher-level thinking skills, encourages active learning processes. Experimental activities use an inquiry-based approach, based on a small-scale research activity through different levels of inquiry using science learning system Xplorer GLX. The aim of each experimental activity is to gain practical research skills, master research methods, learn how to work safely with the physical equipment, to collect, process and convey the results of experiment and link them to theoretical models, to make generalizations and conclusions. One physics laboratory work (Capacitor Discharge) at the level II, as structured exploration, and level III, as guided exploration, using science learning system Xplorer GLX is presented. A key focus is on learning through collaborative work, supported by practical work. Students work together to collect & analyse data and present their results. Key words: Xplorer GLX, Inquiry-based education, four levels of Inquiry, physics education, computer based experiment.
WHEN BLENDED LEARNING IS FORCED IN THE AMID OF COVID-19: WHAT HAPPEN ON EFL LEARNERS’ SPEAKING ANXIETY?
Authors: Sumarsono Dedi , Haryadi Haryadi , Bagis Abdul Kadir
Published: August 2021

The existence of Covid-19 has forced the migration of the teaching and learning paradigm from face to face interaction to online learning and to the combination of both known as blended learning. Blended learning is believed to provide opportunity for students to interact with each other with anxiety put at the lowest. This research was aimed to know 1) to what extent is the EFL Learners’ anxiety influenced by blended learning approach in this covid-19 pandemic?; 2) What factors contribute to student’ anxiety during Speaking activities in class in the Covid -19 age?. Mix research method was employed in this study as the data was analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. This study was conducted at second semester students of English department at Mandalika University of Education. The findings show that most students were anxious when communicating with each other. Factors like lack of confidence and fear of making mistakes, lack of vocabulary, low English proficiency, lack of practice, fear of being unable to follow and understand others were the primary causes of their anxiety.
THE HISTORICAL JOURNEY OF THE LEGAL CHANGE IN THE ḤANAFĪ SCHOOL ABOUT THE COMPENSATION OF BENEFITS
Authors: YELEK Kamil
Published: August 2021

The non-compensation of benefits is a basic rule according to the Ḥanafī school (madhhab). However, the late Ḥanafī scholars (mutaʾakhkhirūn) made some exceptions to this established rule (ẓāhir al-riwāya) in the madhhab. The exceptions to this rule are the benefits (use-values) of endowment property, orphans’ property and property set up for profitable use (mu‘add li-l-istighlāl). The late Ḥanafīs accepted the view that benefits could only be compensated in these three places by slightly stretching the relevant rule. Fatwās (legal opinions) on this subject were initially discussed in wāqi’āt literature. Later they gained a certain authority by being repeated in many works of the same genre. Finally, this view which has been accepted by the Ḥanafī Sheikhs (mesāikh), has become a part of the doctrine by taking its place in the later standard texts and legal commentaries (shurūh) of the school. In this study, the question how the rule of ẓāhir al-riwāya in the Ḥanafī school about the compensation of benefits (damān al-manāfi‘) was revised by the late Ḥanafīs will be discussed. Additionally, the question “when the exceptions mentioned were arised” will be searched. The incorrectness of some views that have been claimed recently on the subject will be examined by the help of the examples in the Ḥanafī legal literature.
PERANCANGAN SISTEM INFORMASI PENJUALAN ALAT KESEHATAN DAN KEDOKTERAN BERBASIS WEB PADA PT. SINAR BULAN PURNAMA MEDICAL MAKASSAR
Authors: Fatimah Sitti , Tabrani Achmad
Published: August 2021

PT Sinar Bulan Purnama Medical merupakan suatu perusahaan yang bergerak dalam bidang penjualan alat-alat kesehatan dan kedokteran yang berlokasi di Kota Makassar Propinsi Sulawesi Selatan tepatnya di Jl. Adhyaksa Baru no. 12 G. Produk yang di jual adalah alat-alat kesehatan dan kedokteran untuk keperluan pribadi maupun untuk keperluan umum seperti pada rumah sakit, klinik, dan instansi-instansi pendidikan yang berkaitan dengan kesehatan. Dalam pelaksanaan proses penjualan dan pemasarannya masih bersifat konvensianal, yaitu proses jual belinya masih harus dilakukan dengan datang dan melihat langsung produk yang ingin di beli konsumen. Proses memasarkannya pun  masih dengan menggunakan selebaran dan info iklan pada radio dan beberapa media cetak lokal. Oleh karena itu, kami mencoba untuk membuat suatu rancangan program penjualan yang terkomputerisasi. Lebih menarik dan mengglobal dari segi pemasaran serta mudah untuk diaplikasikan dan digunakan dalam mengolah dan menghasilkan informasi yang efektif dan efisien tentang jual beli alat-alat kesehatan dan kedokteran.
PERANCANGAN SISTEM INFORMASI PENGINAPAN BERBASIS DEKSTOP DI PENGINAPAN A2HAY SORONG PAPUA BARAT
Authors: Rahmawati Miftah Sigit , Purnamasari Abdilah Rahmi
Published: August 2021

Abstrak Penginapan A2Hay merupakan Home Stay yang terletak di Kota Sorong Papua Barat, yang berdiri sejak tahun 2014 tepatnya pada bulan april, saat ini penginapan A2Hay memiliki total 9 kamar. Proses bisnis Penginapan A2Hay dimulai saat melakukan reservasi, reservasi hanya dapat dilakukan dengan cara memesan langsung ditempat. Penelitian ini dilakukan menggunakan metode Waterfall dengan tahapan analisis kebutuhan, desain sistem, pembuatan kode program, pengujian program, operasi dan perawatan. Hasil dari penelitian ini yaitu Sistem Informasi Penginapan Berbasis Dekstop Di Penginapan A2hay Sorong Papua Barat dibangun menggunakan bahasa Pemrograman Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Sebagai Program Editor, Crystall Report 13.0 Sebagai Cetak Laporan, Dan Microsoft Access 2010 sebagai database. Perancangan Sistem Informasi Penginapan Berbasis Dekstop Di Penginapan A2hay Sorong Papua Barat dapat melakukan pengelolahan data transaksi tamu, pencarian data, penggajian karyawan dan pembuatan laporan.
Rancang Bangun Aplikasi Sistem Pakar Diagnosa Penyakit Pada Bayi Menggunakan Metode Dempster Shafer
Authors: Amri Irman , Iskandar Alam Teguh Hidayat , Rezki Rezki
Published: August 2021

Bayi merupakan individu yang berusia 1-12 bulan yang ditandai dengan pertumbuhan danperkembangan yang cepat disertai dengan perubahan dalam kebutuhan zat gizi (Wong, 2003).Setiap tahun diperkirakan bayi meninggal pada bulan pertama kehidupannya, dan dua pertiganya meninggal pada minggu pertama. Penyebab utama kematian pada minggu pertamakehidupan adalah komplikasi kehamilan dan persalinan seperti asfiksia, sepsis dan komplikasiberat lahir rendah. Kurang lebih 98% kematian ini terjadi di negara berkembang dan sebagianbesar kematian ini dapat dicegah dengan pengenalan dini dan pengobatan yang tepat namunkarena kurangnya waktu dan pegawai yang ada menyebabkan sosialisasi tidak dapat dilakukansecara merata.Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah membuat sebuah aplikasi sistem pakar berbasis websiteyang dapat mempermudah kaum awam khususnya para ibu-ibu utuk mendeteksi lebih awalpenyakit yang diderita oleh anak mereka dengan menggunakan informasi yang telah diperolehdari para Pakar (Dokter Anak) dan melakukan perhitungan dengan menggunakan metodeDempster Shafer untuk menampilkan hasil yang lebih akurat.Setelah melakukan pengembangan sistem dengan metode waterfall dan pengujian sistemmenggunakan black box, dapat disimpulkan bahwa aplikasi ini dapat berjalan baik dan optimal.Aplikasi ini dinilai sangat memudahkan kaum awam khususnya ibu-ibu untuk mendeteksipenaykit yang diderita anak tanpa bertemu dokter terlebih dahulu.
Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Seleksi Penerima Beasiswa Program Indonesia Pintar di SMK Negeri 1 Sorong Dengan Menggunakan Metode Analytical Hierarchy Process Berbasis Dekstop
Authors: Rahmawati Miftah Sigit , Iskandar Alam Teguh Hidayat , Sulfiana Sulfiana
Published: August 2021

Beasiswa di SMK Negeri 1 Sorong merupakan pemberian berupa bantuan keuangan yangdiberikan kepada perorangan yang bertujuan meringankan beban biaya siswa demikeberlangsungan pendidikan yang ditempuh. Kendala yang di hadapi oleh pihak sekolah yaituterdapat banyak kriteria yang harus di perhitungkan sehingga kesulitan dalam menentukanprioritas calon penerima PIP dan perhitungan yang di lakukan oleh bagian staff tata usaha(TU) masih secara manual dengan data-data yang ada sehingga perhitungan pun di lakukanberulang-ulang untuk mendapatkan hasil yang akurat dan perhitungan pun memakan waktuyang cukup lama. Ketidakefisienan dalam menghitung data tersebut mengakibatkan sasaranpenerima beasiswa PIP kurang tepat.
Unraveling the distribution patterns of bacterioplankton in a mesoscale cyclonic eddy confined to an oxygen-depleted basin
Authors: Pajares S
Published: August 2021

Mesoscale eddies in oxygen minimum zones profoundly affect the structure and productivity of marine planktonic communities and alter key biogeochemical cycles. The influence of a mesoscale cyclonic eddy on the spatial distribution of bacterioplankton was investigated in a semi-enclosed, oxygen-depleted basin in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Most of the bacterial taxa showed a strong vertical distribution from oxygen-rich surface waters to anoxic bottom waters, but also a horizontal distribution pattern in the upper ocean associated with the eddy presence. Synechococcocales, Flavobacteriales, SAR86, and Actinomarinales were abundant in the euphotic zone within the Gulf of California water mass, whereas SAR324, SAR406, SAR202, SUP05, Arctic97B-4, and Thioglobaceae dominated the bottom layer of this basin within the Subtropical Subsurface water mass. In contrast, bacterial taxa with a preference for mesopelagic waters (Thiomicrospirales, SAR324, SAR202, HOC36, UBA10353 marine group, and Nitrospinales) dominated surface waters of the eddy center where common surface taxa (Synechococcus, SAR86, and Actinomarinales) were scarce. These changes in community composition led to a distinct diversity of bacterioplankton between the center and edges of the eddy within the euphotic zone. These results show the strong role of oxygen and water masses in controlling the vertical distribution of bacterioplankton, whereas the eddy more strongly modifies the bacterial assemblage in the upper ocean.
Environmental influences shaping microbial communities in a low oxygen, highly stratified marine embayment
Authors: Da Silva RRP , White CA , Bowman JP , Raes E , Bisset A , Chapman C , Bodrossy L , Ross DJ
Published: August 2021

Microbial communities in the marine environment drive biogeochemical and nutrient cycles. However, microbial composition and therefore their role in ecosystems is likely to be strongly influenced by the environment. Here, we examined Macquarie Harbour, a highly stratified system on the west coast of Tasmania, Australia, to determine environmental factors driving microbial diversity. Water was sampled along spatial and environmental gradients to examine the structure and composition of the microbial communities, using high-throughput sequencing. The spatial distribution of the communities was found to be homogenous throughout the harbour’s surface, although it differed from riverine and oceanic samples. In contrast, the distribution and composition of microbial communities varied with depth-related changes in salinity and oxygen. Prokaryotes associated with riverine and brackish waters dominated the oxic surface waters. Phytoplankton metabolite-related bacteria and nitrite oxidizers were abundant at the halocline, whereas microbes linked to the consumption of organic matter, nitrogen and sulphur metabolization inhabited the hypoxic bottom waters and may be acting as major players in oxygen consumption throughout the harbour’s water column. This study provides valuable insights into microbial community ecology in a semi-enclosed and highly stratified environment and will improve our knowledge on how bacterial and archaeal distribution may be influenced by a changing environment.
Prevalence of microplastics and anthropogenic debris within a deep-sea food web
Authors: Hamilton BM , Rochman CM , Hoellein TJ , Robison BH , Van Houtan KS , Choy CA
Published: August 2021

Microplastic particles (<5 mm) are ubiquitous throughout global marine ecosystems, including the deep sea. Ingestion of microplastics and other anthropogenic microparticles is reported in diverse marine taxa across trophic levels. Trophic transfer, or the movement of microplastics across trophic levels, is reported in laboratory studies but not yet widely measured in marine food webs. The Monterey Bay submarine canyon ecosystem contains a well-studied, known deep-sea food web in which to examine the trophic fate of microplastics. We measured microplastic abundance across 17 genera spanning approximately 5 trophic levels and a diversity of feeding behaviors. Samples were collected using remotely operated vehicles and oblique midwater trawls, and gut contents of all individuals examined (n = 157) were analyzed for microplastic abundance and other anthropogenic particles greater than 100 µm using stereo microscopy. Microparticles were analyzed with Raman spectroscopy to confirm material type. Anthropogenic particles were found in all genera examined, across crustacean, fish, mollusk, and gelatinous organisms, in amounts ranging from 0 to 24 particles per individual. There was no significant relationship between microplastic amount and fish trophic level, suggesting that the trophic transfer of microparticles is not occurring. Body size was positively correlated with microplastic abundance across all taxa. The fish genus Scomber sp. drove this relationship, suggesting higher microparticle abundance in mobile individuals with broad horizontal distributions. Future work should examine physiological pathways for microplastic transport within organisms (e.g. excretion, accumulation on gills, internal translocation of particles) and between organisms within shared habitats to more fully understand the fate of microplastics within aquatic food webs.
Stock structure and effective population size of the commercially exploited gummy shark Mustelus antarcticus
Authors: Petrolo E , Boomer J , O’Hare J , Bilgmann K , Stow A
Published: August 2021

The Australian gummy shark Mustelus antarcticus is distributed across southern and eastern Australian waters and is the main target of a large shark fishery. Commercial harvest of the species is considered sustainable based on biomass estimates that show recovery from past overexploitation. However, the effective population size and genetic-based assessments of stock structure remain unresolved. We evaluated the genetic structure and effective population size (Ne) of the gummy shark using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms. We found genetic divergence between individuals from the east coast and those along the south coast, resulting in 2 discrete populations with signatures of adaptive divergence. Spatial analyses revealed widespread gene flow within each of these populations, with some evidence for mild isolation-by-distance observed using individual-based tests. Demographic modelling of each population showed a comparatively rapid decline of Ne in the most recent past compared to more historical projections, with evidence that such declines have occurred to the point where genetic variation could be at risk. The identification of 2 divergent populations of gummy shark suggests that management should consider each individually to ensure the long-term sustainability of the species.
Size and body condition of sympatric killer whale ecotypes around the Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Durban JW , Fearnbach H , Paredes A , Hickmott LS , LeRoi DJ
Published: August 2021

Killer whales Orcinus orca are apex predators, and their health can indicate trophic dynamics in ecosystems that support them. We used aerial photogrammetry to estimate body lengths, to better understand size differences and food requirements, and widths, to infer current nutritional condition, of killer whales in the rapidly warming waters around the Antarctic Peninsula. A remotely controlled hexacopter drone was used to collect aerial images of 242 killer whales of 3 sympatric ecotypes (Type A, n = 34; Type B1, n = 19; and Type B2, n = 189) in the austral summers between 2015/2016 and 2018/2019. Total length (TL) varied between ecotypes, with B2s being diminutive in size, indicating large differences in energy requirements. The mean length for adult females ranged from 5.82 m (B2s) to 6.93 m (B1s), and the mean for adult males ranged from 6.44 m (B2s) to 7.80 m (As). We also found significant differences in head width (HW, proxy for body condition), with B2s being significantly leaner. Although this variation may reflect natural shape differences, we also estimated divergent regression lines of HW~TL indicating that this difference was greater at larger body sizes, with some anomalously thin adult female B2s. We suggest that these dissimilarities may indicate a density-dependent response, with leaner body condition in adults with higher energetic requirements, as the abundance of B2s is almost an order of magnitude greater than that of B1s and As. We hypothesize that food limitation resulted from a decline in carrying capacity during recent reductions in sea ice and warmer ocean temperatures.
The Queer Rhythm of Cecil Taylor's ‘Enter Evening’
Authors: Stover Chris
Published: August 2021

Cecil Taylor's Unit Structures (1966) is fundamentally a conjunctive, polyvocal expression: between music and text, composition and improvisation, individual expression and collective enunciation. This essay analyses aspects of Taylor's polyvocal expression as an ongoing series of productive assemblages that queer conventional notions of (musical) rhythm by reconsidering the very concept of rhythm in Deleuzo-Guattarian terms. In order to enact this move, I develop Deleuze and Guattari's concept of ‘supple segmentarity’ to theorise Taylor's propulsive, gestural language as a (queer) continuation of – rather than rupture within – the logic of elastic temporality that flows through many Afro-diasporic musical practices.
Framing and Staging Madness in the Ethico-aesthetic Paradigm: How Witold Gombrowicz's Operetka Expresses Nicolas Philibert's La moindre des choses
Authors: Bandosz Benjamin
Published: August 2021

Nicolas Philibert's 1997 documentary, La moindre des choses, depicts the daily lives of residents and staff at the private psychiatric clinic La Borde, and their production of Witold Gombrowicz's play Operetka. This paper will analyse the aesthetic and ethical implications of La Borde's production of Gombrowicz's play by mapping the documentary, text and production's collective expressions. The film's capacities to reconfigure audience subjectivities through a filmic and intensive entanglement will be explored at length by framing the documentary's cinematography in Félix Guattari's theories of the ethico-aesthetic paradigm and minor cinema.
Optimization of Specific Productivity for Xylonic Acid Production by Gluconobacter oxydans Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: He Tao , Xu Chaozhong , Ding Chenrong , Liu Xu , Gu Xiaoli
Published: August 2021

Large amounts of xylose cannot be efficiently metabolized and fermented due to strain limitations in lignocellulosic biorefinery. The conversion of xylose into high value chemicals can help to reduce the cost of commercialization. Therefore, xylonic acid with potential value in the construction industry offers a valuable alternative for xylose biorefinery. However, low productivity is the main challenge for xylonic acid fermentation. This study investigated the effect of three reaction parameters (agitation, aeration, and biomass concentration) on xylose acid production and optimized the key process parameters using response surface methodology The second order polynomial model was able to fit the experimental data by using multiple regression analysis. The maximum specific productivity was achieved with a value of 6.64 ± 0.20 g gx−1 h−1 at the optimal process parameters (agitation speed 728 rpm, aeration rate 7 L min−1, and biomass concentration 1.11 g L−1). These results may help to improve the production efficiency during xylose acid biotransformation from xylose.
Exosomes Secreted by Microglia During Virus Infection in the Central Nervous System Activate an Inflammatory Response in Bystander Cells
Authors: Luong Nhungoc , Olson Julie K.
Published: August 2021

Microglia become persistently infected during Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection in the central nervous system (CNS) of susceptible mice. We have previously shown that microglia infected with TMEV become activated through the innate immune receptors to express type I interferons, cytokines, and chemokines. Persistent TMEV infection in the CNS promotes chronic neuroinflammation and development of demyelinating disease similar to multiple sclerosis. In the current studies, we wanted to determine whether TMEV-infected microglia secrete exosomes which contribute to neuroinflammation in the CNS thus promoting the development of demyelinating disease. Exosomes are vesicles containing RNA, DNA, and proteins that are released from one cell and taken up by another cell to facilitate communication between cells. These studies isolated exosomes secreted by microglia during TMEV infectionin vitroas well as exosomes secreted by microglia during early TMEV infection in mice. These studies show that microglia secrete exosomes during TMEV infection which contain the viral RNA coding region. The exosomes secreted by microglia during TMEV infection can be taken up by uninfected bystander cells, including CNS resident microglia, astrocytes, and neurons. The viral RNA in the exosomes can be transferred to the bystander cells. In addition, the bystander cells that took up these exosomes were activated through the innate immune response to express type I interferons, IFNα and IFNβ, pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-12, and TNFα, and chemokines, CCL2. Most interestingly, exosomes secreted by microglia during early TMEV infection in mice activated an inflammatory response when transferred to the brains of naïve mice. These results show that exosomes secreted by microglia during early TMEV infection contain viral RNA and can activate uninfected bystander CNS cells to promote an inflammatory immune response. Thus, exosomes secreted by microglia during virus infection may promote viral persistence and neuroinflammation which contributes to the development of demyelinating disease.
MeiosisOnline: A Manually Curated Database for Tracking and Predicting Genes Associated With Meiosis
Authors: Jiang Xiaohua , Zhao Daren , Ali Asim , Xu Bo , Liu Wei , Wen Jie , Zhang Huan , Shi Qinghua , Zhang Yuanwei
Published: August 2021

Meiosis, an essential step in gametogenesis, is the key event in sexually reproducing organisms. Thousands of genes have been reported to be involved in meiosis. Therefore, a specialist database is much needed for scientists to know about the function of these genes quickly and to search for genes with potential roles in meiosis. Here, we developed “MeiosisOnline,” a publicly accessible, comprehensive database of known functional genes and potential candidates in meiosis (https://mcg.ustc.edu.cn/bsc/meiosis/index.html). A total of 2,052 meiotic genes were manually curated from literature resource and were classified into different categories. Annotation information was provided for both meiotic genes and predicted candidates, including basic information, function, protein–protein interaction (PPI), and expression data. On the other hand, 165 mouse genes were predicted as potential candidates in meiosis using the “Greed AUC Stepwise” algorithm. Thus, MeiosisOnline provides the most updated and detailed information of experimental verified and predicted genes in meiosis. Furthermore, the searching tools and friendly interface of MeiosisOnline will greatly help researchers in studying meiosis in an easy and efficient way.
Long Non-Coding RNA SNHG6 Supports Glioma Progression Through Upregulation of Notch1, Sox2, and EMT
Authors: Nie Jing , Feng Yao , Wang He , Lian Xiao-Yu , Li Ying-Fu
Published: August 2021

Gliomas, particularly the advanced grade glioblastomas, have poor 5-year survival rates and worse outcomes. lncRNAs and EMT have been extensively studied in gliomas but the disease progression remains poorly understood. SNHG6 has been shown to affect glioma cell proliferation but its effect on EMT of glioma cells along with its effect on disease progression is not known. We screened four glioma cell lines; H4, A172, U87MG, and SW088 and grouped them based on high vs. low SNHG6 expression. Transfections with SNHG6 specific siRNA resulted in induction of apoptosis of high SNHG6 expressing A172 and U87MG cells. This was accompanied by inhibition of EMT and downregulation of EMT-modulating factor Notch1, β-catenin activity and the cancer stem cell marker Sox2. The regulation was not found to be reciprocal as silencing of Notch1 and Sox2 failed to affect SNHG6 levels. The levels of SNHG6 and Notch1 were also found elevated in Grade IV glioma patients (n = 4) relative to Grade II glioma patients (n = 5). These results identify SNHG6 and Notch1 as valid targets for glioma therapy.
Development of a Positive Selection High Throughput Genetic Screen in Dictyostelium discoideum
Authors: Williams Felicia N. , Wu Yumei , Scaglione K. Matthew
Published: August 2021

The cellular slime moldDictyostelium discoideumis a powerful model organism that can be utilized to investigate human health and disease. One particular strength ofDictyosteliumis that it can be utilized for high throughput genetic screens. For many phenotypes, one limitation of utilizingDictyosteliumis that screening can be an arduous and time-consuming process, limiting the genomic depth one can cover. Previously, we utilized a restriction enzyme-mediated integration screen to identify suppressors of polyglutamine aggregation inDictyostelium. However, due to the time required to perform the screen, we only obtained ∼4% genome coverage. Here we have developed an efficient screening pipeline that couples chemical mutagenesis with the 5-fluoroorotic acid counterselection system to enrich for mutations in genes of interest. Here we describe this new screening methodology and highlight how it can be utilized for other biological systems.
They Might Cut It—Lysosomes and Autophagy in Mitotic Progression
Authors: Hämälistö Saara , Stahl-Meyer Jonathan , Jäättelä Marja
Published: August 2021

The division of one cell into two looks so easy, as if it happens without any control at all. Mitosis, the hallmark of mammalian life is, however, tightly regulated from the early onset to the very last phase. Despite the tight control, errors in mitotic division occur frequently and they may result in various chromosomal instabilities and malignancies. The flow of events during mitotic progression where the chromosomes condensate and rearrange with the help of the cytoskeletal network has been described in great detail. Plasma membrane dynamics and endocytic vesicle movement upon deadhesion and reattachment of dividing cells are also demonstrated to be functionally important for the mitotic integrity. Other cytoplasmic organelles, such as autophagosomes and lysosomes, have until recently been considered merely as passive bystanders in this process. Accordingly, at the onset of nuclear envelope breakdown in prometaphase, the number of autophagic structures and lysosomes is reduced and the bulk autophagic machinery is suppressed for the duration of mitosis. This is believed to ensure that the exposed nuclear components are not unintentionally delivered to autophagic degradation. With the evolving technologies that allow the detection of subtle alterations in cytoplasmic organelles, our understanding of the small-scale regulation of intracellular organelles has deepened rapidly and we discuss here recent discoveries revealing unexpected roles for autophagy and lysosomes in the preservation of genomic integrity during mitosis.
An Ovarian Cancer Susceptible Gene Prediction Method Based on Deep Learning Methods
Authors: Ye Lu , Zhang Yi , Yang Xinying , Shen Fei , Xu Bo
Published: August 2021

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most fatal diseases among women all around the world. It is highly lethal because it is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage which may reduce the survival rate greatly. Even though most of the patients are treated timely and effectively, the survival rate is still low due to the high recurrence rate of OC. With a large number of genome-wide association analysis (GWAS)-discovered risk regions of OC, expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analyses can explore candidate susceptible genes based on these risk loci. However, a large number of OC-related genes remain unknown. In this study, we proposed a novel gene prediction method based on different omics data and deep learning methods to identify OC causal genes. We first employed graph attention network (GAT) to obtain a compact gene feature representation, then a deep neural network (DNN) is utilized to predict OC-related genes. As a result, our model achieved a high AUC of 0.761 and AUPR of 0.788, which proved the accuracy and effectiveness of our proposed method. At last, we conducted a gene-set enrichment analysis to further explore the mechanism of OC. Finally, we predicted 245 novel OC causal genes and 10 top related KEGG pathways.
Sepiolite-Hydrogels: Synthesis by Ultrasound Irradiation and Their Use for the Preparation of Functional Clay-Based Nanoarchitectured Materials
Authors: Ruiz-Hitzky Eduardo , Ruiz-García Cristina , Fernandes Francisco M. , Lo Dico Giulia , Lisuzzo Lorenzo , Prevot Vanessa , Darder Margarita , Aranda Pilar
Published: August 2021

Sepiolite and palygorskite fibrous clay minerals are 1D silicates featuring unique textural and structural characteristics useful in diverse applications, and in particular as rheological additives. Here we report on the ability of grinded sepiolite to generate highly viscous and stable hydrogels by sonomechanical irradiation (ultrasounds). Adequate drying of such hydrogels leads to low-density xerogels that show extensive fiber disaggregation compared to the starting sepiolite—whose fibers are agglomerated as bundles. Upon re-dispersion in water under high-speed shear, these xerogels show comparable rheological properties to commercially available defibrillated sepiolite products, resulting in high viscosity hydrogels that minimize syneresis. These colloidal systems are thus very interesting as they can be used to stabilize many diverse compounds as well as nano-/micro-particles, leading to the production of a large variety of composites and nano/micro-architectured solids. In this context, we report here various examples showing how colloidal routes based on sepiolite hydrogels can be used to obtain new heterostructured functional materials, based on their assembly to solids of diverse topology and composition such as 2D and 1D kaolinite and halloysite aluminosilicates, as well as to the 2D synthetic Mg,Al-layered double hydroxides (LDH).
Downregulation of Filamin a Expression in the Aorta Is Correlated With Aortic Dissection
Authors: Chen Yue , Wei Xiang , Zhang Zihao , He Yi , Huo Bo , Guo Xian , Feng Xin , Fang Ze-Min , Jiang Ding-Sheng , Zhu Xue-Hai
Published: August 2021

Filamins (FLNs) are actin cross-linking proteins, and as scaffolding proteins, FLNs are closely associated with the stabilization of the cytoskeleton. Nevertheless, the biological importance of FLNs in aortic dissection (AD) has not been well-elucidated. In this study, we first reanalyzed datasets downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and we found that in addition to the extracellular matrix, the actin cytoskeleton is a key structure associated with AD. Given that FLNs are involved in remodeling the cytoskeleton to affect cellular functions, we measured their expression levels in the aortas of patients with Stanford type A AD (TAAD). Our results showed that the mRNA and protein levels of FLNA were consistently decreased in dissected aortas of both humans and mice, while the FLNB protein level was upregulated despite decreased FLNB mRNA levels, and comparable expression levels of FLNC were observed between groups. Furthermore, the immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that FLNA was highly expressed in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) of aorta in non-AD samples, and downregulated in the medial layer of the dissected aortas of humans and mice. Moreover, we revealed that FOS and JUN, forming a dimeric transcription factor called AP-1 (activating protein-1), were positively correlated with the expression of FLNA in aorta. Either overexpression of FOS or JUN alone, or overexpression of FOS and JUN together, facilitated the expression of FLNA in primary cultured human aortic SMCs. In the present study, we not only detected the expression pattern of FLNs in aortas of humans and mice with or without AD, but we also found that the expression of FLNA in the AD samples was significantly reduced and that AP-1 might regulate the expression of FLNA. Our findings will contribute to the elucidation of the pathological mechanisms of AD and provide potential therapeutic targets for AD.
5-Year Clinical Outcomes of Successful Recanalisation for Coronary Chronic Total Occlusions in Patients With or Without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Wang Peizhi , Yuan Deshan , Jia Sida , Zhu Pei , Zhang Ce , Liu Yue , Li Tianyu , Jiang Lin , Song Ying , Xu Jingjing , Tang Xiaofang , Zhao Xueyan , Xu Bo , Yang Yuejin , Yuan Jinqing , Gao Runlin
Published: August 2021

Background: Despite substantial improvement in chronic total occlusions (CTO) revascularization technique, the long-term clinical outcomes in diabetic patients with revascularized CTO remain controversial. Our study aimed to investigate the 5-year cardiovascular survival for patients with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for CTO.

Methods: Data of the current analysis derived from a large single-center, prospective and observational cohort study, including 10,724 patients who underwent PCI in 2013 at Fuwai Hospital. Baseline, angiographic and follow-up data were collected. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), which consisted of death, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), stroke and target vessel revascularization (TVR). The secondary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Cox regression analysis and propensity-score matching was performed to balance the baseline confounders.

Results: A total of 719 consecutive patients with ≥1 successful CTO-PCI were stratified into diabetic (n = 316, 43.9%) and non-diabetic (n = 403, 56.1%) group. During a median follow-up of 5 years, the risk of MACCE (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08–2.00, P = 0.013) was significantly higher in the diabetic group than in the non-diabetic group, whereas the adjusted risk of all-cause mortality (HR 2.37, 95% CI 0.94–5.98, P = 0.068) was similar. In the propensity score matched population, there were no significant differences in the risk of MACCE (HR 1.27, 95% CI 0.92–1.75, P = 0.155) and all-cause mortality (HR 2.56, 95% CI 0.91–7.24, P = 0.076) between groups. Subgroup analysis and stratification analysis revealed consistent effects on 5-year MACCE across various subgroups.

Conclusions: In patients who received successful CTO-PCI, non-diabetic patients were related to better long-term survival benefit in terms of MACCE. The risk of 5-year MACCE appeared to be similar in less-controlled and controlled diabetic patients after successful recanalization of CTO. Further randomized studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
Bacterial-Induced Blood Pressure Reduction: Mechanisms for the Treatment of Hypertension via the Gut
Authors: Cookson Tyler Alexander
Published: August 2021

Hypertension is a major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. As more research into the gut microbiome emerges, we are finding increasing evidence to support that these microbes may have significant positive and negative effects on blood pressure and associated disorders. The bacterial-derived metabolites that are produced in the gut are capable of widespread effects to several tissue types and organs in the body. It is clear that the extensive metabolic function that is lost with gut dysbiosis is unlikely to be replenished with a single metabolite or bacterial strain. Instead, combinations of bacteria and concomitant therapies will provide a more well-rounded solution to manage hypertension. The bioactive molecules that are recognized in this review will inform on ideal characteristics of candidate bacteria and provide direction for future research on the gut microbiome in hypertension.
Bayesian Pure-Tone Audiometry Through Active Learning Under Informed Priors
Authors: Cox Marco , de Vries Bert
Published: August 2021

Pure-tone audiometry—the process of estimating a person's hearing threshold from “audible” and “inaudible” responses to tones of varying frequency and intensity—is the basis for diagnosing and quantifying hearing loss. By taking a probabilistic modeling approach, both optimal tone selection (in terms of expected information gain) and hearing threshold estimation can be derived through Bayesian inference methods. The performance of probabilistic model-based audiometry methods is directly linked to the quality of the underlying model. In recent years, Gaussian process (GP) models have been shown to provide good results in this context. We present methods to improve the efficiency of GP-based audiometry procedures by improving the underlying model. Instead of a single GP, we propose to use a GP mixture model that can be conditioned on side-information about the subject. The underlying idea is that one can typically distinguish between different types of hearing thresholds, enabling a mixture model to better capture the statistical properties of hearing thresholds among a population. Instead of modeling all hearing thresholds by a single GP, a mixture model allows specific types of hearing thresholds to be modeled by independent GP models. Moreover, the mixing coefficients can be conditioned on side-information such as age and gender, capturing the correlations between age, gender, and hearing threshold. We show how a GP mixture model can be optimized for a specific target population by learning the parameters from a data set containing annotated audiograms. We also derive an optimal tone selection method based on greedy information gain maximization, as well as hearing threshold estimation through Bayesian inference. The proposed models are fitted to a data set containing roughly 176 thousand annotated audiograms collected in the Nordic countries. We compare the predictive accuracies of optimized mixture models of varying sizes with that of an optimized single-GP model. The usefulness of the optimized models is tested in audiometry simulations. Simulation results indicate that an optimized GP mixture model can significantly outperform an optimized single-GP model in terms of predictive accuracy, and leads to significant increases the efficiency of the resulting Bayesian audiometry procedure.