bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Sleep Duration and Insomnia Symptoms with Components of Metabolic Syndrome and Inflammation in Middle-Aged and Older Adults with Metabolic Syndrome in Taiwan
Authors: Syauqy Ahmad , Hsu Chien-Yeh , Rau Hsiao-Hsien , Kurniawan Adi Lukas , Chao Jane C-J
Published: August 2019

The study determined the association of sleep duration and insomnia symptoms with the components of metabolic syndrome and inflammation in middle-aged and older adults with metabolic syndrome in Taiwan. This cross-sectional study used the database compiled in Taiwan between 2004–2013. A total of 26,016 volunteers aged 35 years and above were selected. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation. Compared with regular sleep duration (6–8 h/day), short (<6 h/day) or long sleep duration (>8 h/day) and insomnia symptoms significantly increased the odds ratios of high waist circumference, high blood pressure, low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, high triglycerides, high fasting blood glucose, and high C-reactive protein. Insomnia symptoms did not modify the effects of sleep duration on the components of metabolic syndrome and inflammation. Our study suggests that short or long sleep duration and insomnia symptoms may have an adverse effect on metabolic syndrome and inflammation.
Association between Dietary Intake and Lipid-Lowering Therapy: Prospective Analysis of Data from Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab) Using a Quantile Regression Approach
Authors: Gadowski Adelle M. , Nanayakkara Natalie , Heritier Stephane , Magliano Dianna J. , Shaw Jonathan E. , Curtis Andrea J. , Zoungas Sophia , Owen Alice J.
Published: August 2019

Lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) should be accompanied by dietary guidance for cardiovascular risk reduction; however, current evidence suggests sub-optimal dietary behaviors in those on LLT. We examined the associations between the dietary intake of key food groups (vegetables, fruit, cereal, protein, and dairy) and LLT use in Australian adults using quantile regression. We used data from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab), a prospective population-based study of adults aged ≥25 years, conducted over 5 years (1999–2005). Measurements included a 121-item food frequency questionnaire and LLT use. LLT use was categorized as: LLT users (n = 446), commenced LLT (n = 565), ceased LLT (n = 71), and non-users (n = 4813). Less than 1% of the cohort met recommended intakes of all food groups at the baseline and follow up. The median daily dietary intake at the follow up among LLT users was 2.2 serves of vegetables, 1.4 serves of fruit, 2.8 serves of cereal, 2.0 serves of protein, and 1.4 serves of dairy. Adjusted analysis showed no differences across the quantiles of intake of key food groups in LLT users and commenced LLT compared to non-users. The LLT medication status is not associated with any difference in meeting recommended intakes of key foods.
Antimicrobial Desensitization: A Review of Published Protocols
Authors: Chastain Daniel B. , Hutzley Vanessa Johanna , Parekh Jay , Alegro Jason Val G.
Published: August 2019

Antimicrobial desensitization represents a last-line option for patients with no alternative therapies, where the benefits of this intensive process must outweigh the potential harm from drug exposure. The goal of antimicrobial desensitization procedures is to establish a temporary state of tolerance to drugs that may otherwise cause hypersensitivity reactions. While no universal antimicrobial desensitization protocols exist, this review critically analyzes previously published desensitization protocols. The purpose of this review is to provide a greater insight for clinicians and institutions to ensure desensitization procedures are efficacious while minimizing potential for patient harm. With an increasing rate of antimicrobial resistance and the critical need to preserve antimicrobial agents, desensitization may represent another option in our antimicrobial stewardship toolkit.
Polyelectrolyte Complexes between Polycarboxylates and BMP-2 for Enhancing Osteogenic Differentiation: Effect of Chemical Structure of Polycarboxylates
Authors: Terauchi Masahiko , Tamura Atsushi , Tonegawa Asato , Yamaguchi Satoshi , Yoda Tetsuya , Yui Nobuhiko
Published: August 2019

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) has received considerable attention because of its osteoinductivity, but its use is limited owing to its instability and adverse effects. To reduce the dose of BMP-2, complexation with heparin is a promising approach, because heparin enhances the osteoinductivity of BMP-2. However, the clinical use of heparin is restricted because of its anticoagulant activity. Herein, to explore alternative polymers that show heparin-like activity, four polycarboxylates, poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA), poly(aspartic acid) (PAsp), and poly(glutamic acid) (PGlu), were selected and their capability to modulate the osteoinductivity of BMP-2 was evaluated. Dynamic light scattering indicated that these polycarboxylates formed polyelectrolyte complexes with BMP-2. The osteogenic differentiation efficiency of MC3T3-E1 cells treated with the polycarboxylate/BMP-2 complexes was investigated in comparison to that of the heparin/BMP-2 complex. As a result, PGlu/BMP-2 complex showed the highest activity of alkaline phosphatase, which is an early-stage marker of osteogenic differentiation, and rapid mineralization. Based on these observations, PGlu could serve as an alternative to heparin in the regenerative therapy of bone using BMP-2.
A PolSAR Change Detection Index Based on Neighborhood Information for Flood Mapping
Authors: Mahdavi Sahel , Salehi Bahram , Huang Weimin , Amani Meisam , Brisco Brian
Published: August 2019

Change detection using Remote Sensing (RS) techniques is valuable in numerous applications, including environmental management and hazard monitoring. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images have proven to be even more effective in this regard because of their all-weather, day and night acquisition capabilities. In this study, a polarimetric index based on the ratio of span (total power) values was introduced, in which neighbourhood information was considered. The role of the central pixel and its neighbourhood was adjusted using a weight parameter. The proposed index was applied to detect flooded areas in Dongting Lake, Hunan, China, and was then compared with the Wishart Maximum Likelihood Ratio (MLR) test. Results demonstrated that although the proposed index and the Wishart MLR test yielded similar accuracies (accuracy of 94% and 93%, and Kappa Coefficients of 0.82 and 0.86, respectively), inclusion of neighbourhood information in the proposed index not only increased the connectedness and decreased the noise associated with the objects within the produced map, but also increased the consistency and confidence of the results.
Contrasting Performance of the Remotely-Derived GPP Products over Different Climate Zones across China
Authors: Chen Yanan , Gu Hongfan , Wang Munan , Gu Qing , Ding Zhi , Ma Mingguo , Liu Rongyuan , Tang Xuguang
Published: August 2019

Precise quantification of terrestrial gross primary production (GPP) has been recognized as one of the most important components in understanding the carbon balance between the biosphere and the atmosphere. In recent years, although many large-scale GPP estimates from satellite data and ecosystem models have been generated, few attempts have been made to compare the different GPP products at national scales, particularly for various climate zones. In this study, two of the most widely-used GPP datasets were systematically compared over the eight climate zones across China’s terrestrial ecosystems from 2001 to 2015, which included the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) GPP and the breathing Earth system simulator (BESS) GPP products. Additionally, the coarse (0.05o) GPP estimates from the vegetation photosynthesis model (VPM) at the same time scale were used for auxiliary analysis with the two products. Both MODIS and BESS products exhibited a decreasing trend from the southeast region to the northwest inland. The largest GPP was found in the tropical humid region with 5.49 g C m−2 d−1 and 5.07 g C m−2 d−1 for MODIS and BESS, respectively, while the lowest GPP was distributed in the warm temperate arid region, midtemperate semiarid region and plateau zone. Meanwhile, the work confirmed that all these GPP products showed apparent seasonality with the peaks in the summertime. However, large differences were found in the interannual variations across the three GPP products over different climate regions. Generally, the BESS GPP agreed better than the MODIS GPP when compared to the seasonal and interannual variations of VPM GPP. Furthermore, the spatial correlation analysis between terrestrial GPP and the climatic factors, including temperature and precipitation, indicated that natural rainfall dominated the variability in GPP of Northern China, such as the midtemperate semiarid region, while temperature was a key controlling factor in the Southern China and the Tibet Plateau area.
Mapping Crop Residue by Combining Landsat and WorldView-3 Satellite Imagery
Authors: Hively W. Dean , Shermeyer Jacob , Lamb Brian T. , Daughtry Craig T. , Quemada Miguel , Keppler Jason
Published: August 2019

A unique, multi-tiered approach was applied to map crop residue cover on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay, United States. Field measurements of crop residue cover were used to calibrate residue mapping using shortwave infrared (SWIR) indices derived from WorldView-3 imagery for a 12-km × 12-km footprint. The resulting map was then used to calibrate and subsequently classify crop residue mapping using Landsat imagery at a larger spatial resolution and extent. This manuscript describes how the method was applied and presents results in the form of crop residue cover maps, validation statistics, and quantification of conservation tillage implementation in the agricultural landscape. Overall accuracy for maps derived from Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 were comparable at roughly 92% (+/− 10%). Tillage class-specific accuracy was also strong and ranged from 75% to 99%. The approach, which employed a 12-band image stack of six tillage spectral indices and six individual Landsat bands, was shown to be adaptable to variable soil moisture conditions—under dry conditions (Landsat 7, 14 May 2015) the majority of predictive power was attributed to SWIR indices, and under wet conditions (Landsat 8, 22 May 2015) single band reflectance values were more effective at explaining variability in residue cover. Summary statistics of resulting tillage class occurrence matched closely with conservation tillage implementation totals reported by Maryland and Delaware to the Chesapeake Bay Program. This hybrid method combining WorldView-3 and Landsat imagery sources shows promise for monitoring progress in the adoption of conservation tillage practices and for describing crop residue outcomes associated with a variety of agricultural management practices.
Stepwise Disaggregation of SMAP Soil Moisture at 100 m Resolution Using Landsat-7/8 Data and a Varying Intermediate Resolution
Authors: Ojha Nitu , Merlin Olivier , Molero Beatriz , Suere Christophe , Olivera-Guerra Luis , Ait Hssaine Bouchra , Amazirh Abdelhakim , Al Bitar Ahmad , Escorihuela Maria , Er-Raki Salah
Published: August 2019

Global soil moisture (SM) products are currently available from passive microwave sensors at typically 40 km spatial resolution. Although recent efforts have been made to produce 1 km resolution data from the disaggregation of coarse scale observations, the targeted resolution of available SM data is still far from the requirements of fine-scale hydrological and agricultural studies. To fill the gap, a new disaggregation scheme of Soil Moisture Active and Passive (SMAP) data is proposed at 100 m resolution by using the disaggregation based on physical and theoretical scale change (DISPATCH) algorithm. The main objectives of this paper is (i) to implement DISPATCH algorithm at 100 m resolution using SMAP SM and Landsat land surface temperature and vegetation index data and (ii) to investigate the usefulness of an intermediate spatial resolution (ISR) between the SMAP 36 km resolution and the targeted 100 m resolution. The sequential disaggregation approach from 36 km to ISR (ranging from 1 km to 30 km) and from ISR to 100 m resolution is evaluated over 22 irrigated field crops in central Morocco using in-situ SM measurements collected from January to May 2016. The lowest root mean square difference (RMSD) between the 100 m resolution disaggregated and in-situ SM is obtained when the ISR is around 10 km. Therefore, the two-step disaggregation is more efficient than the direct disaggregation from SMAP to 100 m resolution. Moreover, we propose a moving average window algorithm to increase the accuracy in the 100 m resolution SM as well as to reduce the low-resolution boxy artifacts on disaggregated images. The correlation coefficient between 100 m resolution disaggregated and in situ SM ranges between 0.5–0.9 for four out of the six extensive sampling dates. This methodology relies solely on remote sensing data and can be easily implemented to monitor SM at a high spatial resolution over irrigated regions.
Integrating Soil Compaction Impacts of Tramlines Into Soil Erosion Modelling: A Field-Scale Approach
Authors: Saggau Philipp , Kuhwald Michael , Duttmann Rainer
Published: August 2019

Soil erosion by water is one of the main soil degradation processes worldwide, which leads to declines in natural soil fertility and productivity especially on arable land. Despite advances in soil erosion modelling, the effects of compacted tramlines are usually not considered. However, tramlines noticeably contribute to the amount of soil eroded inside a field. To quantify these effects we incorporated high-resolution spatial tramline data into modelling. For simulation, the process-based soil erosion model EROSION3D has been applied on different fields for a single rainfall event. To find a reasonable balance between computing time and prediction quality, different grid cell sizes (5, 1, and 0.5 m) were used and modelling results were compared against measured soil loss. We found that (i) grid-based models like E3D are able to integrate tramlines, (ii) the share of measured erosion between tramline and cultivated areas fits well with measurements for resolution ≤1 m, (iii) tramline erosion showed a high dependency to the slope angle and (iv) soil loss and runoff are generated quicker within tramlines during the event. The results indicate that the integration of tramlines in soil erosion modelling improves the spatial prediction accuracy, and therefore, can be important for soil conservation planning.
Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index Decomposition of CO2 Emissions from Urban Passenger Transport: An Empirical Study of Global Cities from 1960–2001
Authors: Tu Meiting , Li Ye , Bao Lei , Wei Yuao , Orfila Olivier , Li Wenxiang , Gruyer Dominique
Published: August 2019

The urban transport sector has become one of the major contributors to global CO2 emissions. This paper investigates the driving forces of changes in CO2 emissions from the passenger transport sectors in different cities, which is helpful for formulating effective carbon-reduction policies and strategies. The logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method is used to decompose the CO2 emissions changes into five driving determinants: Urbanization level, motorization level, mode structure, energy intensity, and energy mix. First, the urban transport CO2 emissions between 1960 and 2001 from 46 global cities are calculated. Then, the multiplicative decomposition results for megacities (London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo) are compared with those of other cities. Moreover, additive decomposition analyses of the 4 megacities are conducted to explore the driving forces of changes in CO2 emissions from the passenger transport sectors in these megacities between 1960 and 2001. Based on the decomposition results, some effective carbon-reduction strategies can be formulated for developing cities experiencing rapid urbanization and motorization. The main suggestions are as follows: (i) Rational land use, such as transit-oriented development, is a feasible way to control the trip distance per capita; (ii) fuel economy policies and standards formulated when there are oil crisis are effective ways to suppress the increase of CO2 emissions, and these changes should not be abandoned when oil prices fall; and (iii) cities with high population densities should focus on the development of public and non-motorized transport.
An Assessment Model for Evaluating Asymmetric Effects of Attribute-Level Performance on Satisfaction
Authors: Jin Yanchun , Park Yoonseo , Yu Jiaohui
Published: August 2019

The effects of attribute performance on satisfaction have been widely addressed in the discussion on satisfaction. In traditional view, customer satisfaction should be enhanced by improving product or service attribute performance. However, as theoretical and empirical studies have shown, the linkage between attribute performance and overall satisfaction is asymmetric and nonlinear, which means that it is not a definite relationship between high performance of attribute and satisfaction. Regarding the research on delivering asymmetric effects, the Kano model was utilized extensively in the previous studies. But this method suffers from lacking a validity testing and failing to take account of the degree of attribute’s importance. To get a more effective access to measuring the asymmetric and nonlinear effects of attributes on customer satisfaction, this study presents an integrated approach which can express asymmetric effects through evaluating the significance of different attributes to satisfaction based on response surface analysis and importance grid analysis methods. In this paper, an empirical study on rural tourists’ satisfaction was undertaken using this integrated method. Furthermore, compared with the regression with a dummy variable method, this proposed approach shows more responsive to enhancing attribute performance and makes allowance for improving a certain target attribute in the customer satisfaction improvement process.
From Symmetry to Asymmetry on the Disc Manifold: Modeling of Marion Island Data
Authors: Bekker Andriette , Nagar Priyanka , Arashi Mohammad , Rautenbach Hannes
Published: August 2019

The joint modeling of angular and linear observations is crucial as data of this nature are prevalent in multiple disciplines, for example the joint modeling of wind direction and another climatological variable such as wind speed or air temperature, the direction an animal moves and the distance moved, or wave direction and wave height. Hence, there is a need for developing flexible distributions on the hyper-disc, which has support of the interior of the hyper-sphere, as it allows for modeling the combination of angular and linear observations. This paper addresses this need by developing flexible distributions for the disc that have the ability to capture any inherent bimodality present in the data. A new class of bivariate distributions is proposed which has support on the unit disc in two dimensions that includes, as a special case, the existing Möbius distribution on the disc. This class is obtained by expressing the density function in a general form using a measurable function termed as generator. Special cases of this generator are considered to demonstrate the flexibility. By applying a conformal mapping to the generator function a new Möbius distribution class emanates. This class of bivariate distributions on the disc is the first to account for bimodality and skewness present in the data. The flexible behavior of the proposed models in terms of bimodality and skewness is graphically demonstrated. Preliminary evidential analysis of the wind data observed at Marion Island reveals the absence of unimodality in the data. The fit of the proposed models, which account for bimodality, to the Marion Island wind data were evaluated analytically and visually.
Application of Fuzzy Sets to the Expert Estimation of Scrum-Based Projects
Authors: Rola Paweł , Kuchta Dorota
Published: August 2019

The paper is basically dedicated to the problem of effort estimation for the Product Backlog items of IT projects led accordingly to the Scrum framework. The effort estimation issue is important, because low quality estimation decreases the efficiency of project implementation. The paper proposes an estimation method for the Product Backlog items of Scrum-based IT projects (which can be adapted also to other projects), which has two original elements with respect to the state of art in Scrum estimation: the usage of fuzzy numbers and strict rules for consensus forming, combined with a space for human interaction. The assumptions of the method should be complied with and were formulated on the basis of literature and authors experience. Two case studies were used for an initial method validation. The case studies confirmed a high potential of the method to increase estimation quality in Scrum-based projects, as well as in other project types. The case studies were conducted using research methods fulfilling the symmetry principle. The paper is thus an example of symmetry in management research.
Attention Bilinear Pooling for Fine-Grained Classification
Authors: Wang Wenqian , Zhang Jun , Wang Fenglei
Published: August 2019

Fine-grained image classification is a challenging problem because of its large intra-class differences and low inter-class variance. Bilinear pooling based models have been shown to be effective at fine-grained classification, while most previous approaches neglect the fact that distinctive features or modeling distinguishing regions usually have an important role in solving the fine-grained problem. In this paper, we propose a novel convolutional neural network framework, i.e., attention bilinear pooling, for fine-grained classification with attention. This framework can learn the distinctive feature information from the channel or spatial attention. Specifically, the channel and spatial attention allows the network to better focus on where the key targets are in the image. This paper embeds spatial attention and channel attention in the underlying network architecture to better represent image features. To further explore the differences between channels and spatial attention, we propose channel attention bilinear pooling (CAB), spatial attention bilinear pooling (SAB), channel spatial attention bilinear pooling (CSAB), and spatial channel attention bilinear pooling (SCAB) as four alternative frames. A variety of experiments on several datasets show that our proposed method has a very impressive performance compared to other methods based on bilinear pooling.
The Maximum Hosoya Index of Unicyclic Graphs with Diameter at Most Four
Authors: Liu Weijun , Ban Jingwen , Feng Lihua , Cheng Tao , Emmert-Streib Frank , Dehmer Matthias
Published: August 2019

The Hosoya index of a graph is defined by the total number of the matchings of the graph. In this paper, we determine the maximum Hosoya index of unicyclic graphs with n vertices and diameter 3 or 4. Our results somewhat answer a question proposed by Wagner and Gutman in 2010 for unicyclic graphs with small diameter.
Genetic Profiling of Aspergillus Isolates with Varying Aflatoxin Production Potential from Different Maize-Growing Regions of Kenya
Authors: Dooso Oloo Richard , Okoth Sheila , Wachira Peter , Mutiga Samuel , Ochieng Phillis , Kago Leah , Nganga Fredrick , Domelevo Entfellner Jean-Baka , Ghimire Sita
Published: August 2019

Highly toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus have been reported to frequently contaminate maize, causing fatal aflatoxin poisoning in Kenya. To gain insights into the environmental and genetic factors that influence toxigenicity, fungi (n = 218) that were culturally identified as A. flavus were isolated from maize grains samples (n = 120) from three regions of Kenya. The fungi were further characterized to confirm their identities using a PCR-sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA which also revealed all of them to be A. flavus. A subset of 72 isolates representing ITS sequence-based phylogeny cluster and the agroecological origin of maize samples was constituted for subsequent analysis. The analysis of partial calmodulin gene sequences showed that the subset consisted of A. flavus (87%) and Aspergillus minisclerotigenes (13%). No obvious association was detected between the presence of seven aflatoxin biosynthesis genes and fungal species or region. However, the presence of the aflD and aflS genes showed some association with aflatoxin production. The assessment of toxigenicity showed higher aflatoxin production potential in A. minisclerotigenes isolates. Given that A. minisclerotigenes were mainly observed in maize samples from Eastern Kenya, a known aflatoxin hotspot, we speculate that production of copious aflatoxin is an adaptative trait of this recently discovered species in the region.
Post-Treatment of Nanofiltration Polyamide Membrane through Alkali-Catalyzed Hydrolysis to Treat Dyes in Model Wastewater
Authors: Jun Byung-Moon , Yoon Yeomin , Park Chang Min
Published: August 2019

This research focused on the influence of post-treatment using alkali-catalyzed hydrolysis with a full-aromatic nanofiltration (NF) polyamide membrane and its application to the efficient removal of selected dyes. The post-treated membranes were characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, goniometry, and zeta-potential analysis to analyze the treatment-induced changes in the intrinsic properties of the membrane. Furthermore, the changes in permeability induced by the post-treatment were evaluated via the measurement of water flux, NaCl rejection, and molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) under different pH conditions and post-treatment times. Major changes induced by the post-treatment in terms of physicochemical properties were the enhancement of permeability, hydrophilicity, and negative charge due to the hydrolysis of the membrane’s amide bonds. Four different dyes were selected as representative organic pollutants considering the MWCO of the post-treated membranes. Compared with the pristine NF membrane, membranes post-treated at pH 13.5 showed better water flux with similar rejection of the target dyes. On the basis of these results, the proposed post-treatment method for NF membranes can be applied to the removal of organic pollutants of various size.
Potential Changes in Runoff of California’s Major Water Supply Watersheds in the 21st Century
Authors: He Minxue , Anderson Michael , Schwarz Andrew , Das Tapash , Lynn Elissa , Anderson Jamie , Munévar Armin , Vasquez Jordi , Arnold Wyatt
Published: August 2019

This study assesses potential changes in runoff of California’s eight major Central Valley water supply watersheds in the 21st century. The study employs the latest operative climate projections from 10 general circulation models (GCMs) of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) under two emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) to drive a hydrologic model (VIC) in generating runoff projections through 2099. Changes in peak runoff, peak timing, seasonal (major water supply season April–July) runoff, and annual runoff during two future periods, mid-century and late-century, relative to a historical baseline period are examined. Trends in seasonal and annual runoff projections are also investigated. The results indicate that watershed characteristics impact runoff responses to climate change. Specifically, for rain-dominated watersheds, runoff is generally projected to peak earlier with higher peak volumes on average. For snow-dominated watersheds, however, runoff is largely projected to peak within the same month as historical runoff has, with little changes in peak volume during mid-century but pronounced decreases during late-century under the higher emission scenario. The study also identifies changes that are common to all study watersheds. Specifically, the temporal distribution of annual runoff is projected to change in terms of shifting more volume to the wet season, though there is no significant changing trend in the total annual runoff. Additionally, the snowmelt portion of the total annual runoff (represented by April–July runoff divided by total annual runoff) is projected to decline consistently under both emission scenarios, indicative of a shrinking snowpack across the study watersheds. Collectively, these changes imply higher flood risk and lower water supply reliability in the future that are expected to pose stress to California’s water system. Those findings can inform water management adaptation practices (e.g., watershed restoration, re-operation of the current water system, investing in additional water storage) to cope with the stress.
How useful is routine pre-endoscopy viral screening?
Authors: Jemilohun Abiodun Christopher , Elikwu Charlse John , Ezuduemoih Daniel Ekhaeyouno
Published: August 2019

Pre-procedural screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are routinely done in several endoscopy centres in Nigeria. These tests constitute an additional layer of financial burden to the patients since most of them settle their medical bills out of pocket. At the same time, the burden of these viral infections on the society demands that all measures are taken to prevent their iatrogenic transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV among patients referred for gastrointestinal endoscopy so as to determine the relevance of routine screening before procedures. The study was a retrospective cross-sectional survey of patients referred to the Digestive Endoscopy Unit of the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilisan-Remo, for endoscopy from January 2015 to December 2018. A total of 432 patients were included in the study. The mean age was 48.15 (±15.89) while the age range was 12-86 years. Of these, 240 (54.7%) were females while 199 (45.3%) were males. The results of the viral screening available in the record book varied: HBV (n = 419), HCV (n = 238) and HIV (n = 417). The prevalence of HBV, HCV and HIV was 4.3% (95% CI = 2.4% - 6.2%), 2.1% (95% CI = 0.4% - 4.2%) and 1.0% (95% CI = 0.2% - 1.9%) respectively. Fourteen (3.3%), 5 (2.2%) and 14 (3.4%) patients who were initially negative, were rescreened for HBV, HCV and HIV respectively for repeat endoscopy. None of these patients tested positive for the viruses. We found no evidence of viral transmission from endoscope to patients in our centre. Viral pre-screening for endoscopy in settings with low to moderate prevalence rates of HBV, HCV and HIV infections may not be necessary.
SPECIAL TAP FOR CUTTING INTERNAL SMALL-SIZED THREADS
Authors: Никитина И. , Nikitina I. , Поляков А. , Polyakov A.
Published: August 2019

The paper presents the original design of a special tap for cutting precise threads. Distinctive design features of the tap are: the presence of the rear threaded guide that together with the copier threaded sleeve device perceives the axial forces and provides the tap axial feed strictly corresponding to the step of the thread being cut, excluding its breaking under the action of axial forces; the presence of a smooth front guide part with the direction on the cut hole, to reduce the influence of radial forces leading to the breakdown of the thread due to radial vibrations of the tap; the presence of the chamfer that implements the most technological cutting scheme such as flank infeed. A prototype of a special tap made on a turning and milling machine tool is presented, confirming the manufacturability of the proposed tool design. Research conducted in the field of engineering analysis with the CAE system Ansys shows a significant increase in structural rigidity and in natural frequencies.
DASAR DAN TUJUAN PELAYANAN PETUGAS PASTORAL GEREJA
Authors: Ardijanto Don Bosco Karnan
Published: August 2019

Every Catholic is called and sent to continue Christ’s mission in union with the Church. To realize her/his call, s(he) participates in pastoral ministries of local Church. In fact, most of them participate in pastoral ministries is not based on true motivation. This article wants to challenge pastoral ministers to purify their fundamental motivation in order to nourish the Mystic Body of Christ. It also suggests them to cooperate with each other in their pastoral ministries.
MEMBANGUN GERAKAN INTELEKTUAL PUBLIK
Authors: Wilhelmus Ola Rongan
Published: August 2019

Jalur pendidikan formal cenderung mencetak banyak intelektual berkelas yang ruang geraknya cenderung tidak lebih dari mimbar kuliah, seminar, dan ruang diskusi. Mereka pandai berkonsep dan bahkan menelurkan banyak teori baru. Namun, dalam dunia praktis keseharian, mereka adalah kelompok berjarak, kaum teralienasi yang asing dalam dunianya sendiri. Artikel ini memberi sumbangan pemikiran bahwa intelektual yang sejati adalah intelektual yang ada dan hadir dalam situasi konkret keseharian hidup masyarakat. Ajakan ini semakin menukik dengan dihadirkannya pemikiran tokoh-tokoh berkelas, seperti Antonio Gramsci, Ralph Waldo Emerson, dan Edward Said.
MENULIS ARTIKEL OPINI: SARANAEVANGELISASI KEBENARAN TENTANG MANUSIA
Authors: Wilhelmus Ola Rongan
Published: August 2019

Bagi intelektual Katolik, menulis artikel opini untuk koran, majalah dan surat kabar tidak sekedar penyebarluasan ide atau gagasan untuk membentuk serta mempengaruhi pemikiran dan sikap publik tentang isu atau persoalan tertentu. Sebaliknya, penulisan artikel opini pada tempat pertama perlu dilihat sebagai bagian dari panggilan Ilahi untuk melakukan karya evangelisasi tentang keadilan, kebenaran, kedamaian, kesetiakawanan, pembelaan dan perlindungan terhadap hak-hak asasi manusia. Artikel opini ditulis untuk mempromosi kebenaran hakiki di tengah masyarakat tentang pribadi manusia sebagai ciptaan Ilahi. Diperlukan pemahaman, latihan dan keterampilan menulis artikel opini.
EVANGELISASI DAN PENDIDIKAN AGAMA KATOLIK DI SEKOLAH
Authors: Supriyadi Agustinus
Published: August 2019

Evangelisasi hendaknya menjadi aktivitas Gereja yang terjadi secara terus-menerus di lingkungan mana pun yang menungkinkan karya keselamatan Allah dapat berlangsung, termasuk di lingkungan formal (sekolah). Sekolah hendaknya bukan saja menjadi lingkungan berkembangnya ilmu pengetahuan saja, tetapi juga sekaligus menjadi lingkungan di mana guru agama Katolik bersama para siswa mengupayakan agar pemberitaan Injil Kerajaan Allah dan tentang Yesus Kristus dapat berlangsung. Pendidikan agama Katolik di sekolah dapat menjadi sarana yang sangat efektif dan efisien bagi sebuah evangelisasi. Belajar dari Yesus Sang Guru dan Evangelis sejati, guru agama dalam proses pendidikan agama Katolik di sekolah dapat menimba bagaimana evangelisasi dapat diwujudkan sesuai dengan harapan Gereja.
Penerapan Standar Akuntansi Keuangan EMKM Dalam Penyusunan Laporan Keuangan pada UMKM (Suatu Studi UMKM Pesisir Di Kecamatan Malalayang Manado)
Authors: Rawun Yuli , Tumilaar Oswald Natan
Published: August 2019

UMKM merupakan suatu kegiatan ekonomi yang kecil, namun dapat memberikan dampak yang besar dalam perekonomian. Untuk itu perlu adanya laporan keuangan yang baik, sesuai Standar IAI yang telah menerbitkan Standar Akuntansi Keuangan untuk Entitas Mikro Kecil Menengah pada tanggal 24 Oktober 2016 dan berlaku efektif 1 Januari 2018. Diterbitkannya SAK EMKM bertujuan untuk implementasikan pada entitas tanpa akuntabilitas publik. Dari hasil penelitian yang dilakukan oleh tim, tidak ada satu pun UMKM yang Menyusun Laporan Keuangan. Dikarenakan tidak mengertinya cara penyusunan laporan keuangan dan tidak adanya keinginan dari pelaku UMKM untuk menyusun laporan keuangan sesuai dengan SAK EMKM yang ada.
Struktur Modal dan Profitabilitas pada Perusahaan Manufaktur Sektor Aneka Industri
Authors: Novitasari Diana , Mahardhika Arya Samudra
Published: August 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji Debt to Equity Ratio (DER), Long term Debt to Equity Ratio (LDER) dan Times Interest Earned (TIE) terhadap Return on Equity (ROE) pada perusahaan sektor aneka industri yang terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia tahun 2014-2017. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah teknik analisis regresi berganda dan uji hipotesis F-statistik untuk menguji pengaruh secara simultan. Penelitian ini juga menggunakan t-statistik untuk menguji koefisien regresi secara parsial. Pada hasil uji asumsi klasik menunjukkan bahwa tidak ditemukan adanya penyimpangan asumsi klasik. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa data yang tersedia telah memenuhi syarat untuk dianalisa dengan model regresi linear berganda. Dari penelitian ini diperoleh kesimpulan sebagai berikut: variabel Debt to Equity Ratio (DER) tidak berpengaruh terhadap ROE, variabel Long term Debt to Equity Ratio (LDER) tidak berpengaruh terhadap ROE dan variabel Times Interest Earned (TIE) berpengaruh positif terhadap ROE.
Analisis Pengaruh Tingkat Kesehatan Keuangan Terhadap Pendapatan Premi Pada Perusahaan Asuransi yang Terdaftar di BEI Tahun 2013-2017
Authors: Yuliantoro Heri Ribut , Yefni Yefni , Apreza Lovita
Published: August 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh tingkat kesehatan keuangan terhadap pendapatan premi pada perusahaan asuransi yang terdaftar di BEI tahun 2013-2017. Data yang digunakan adalah laporan keuangan perusahaan asuransi yang terdaftar di BEI tahun 2013-2017 yang diperoleh dari situs resmi BEI. Model analisis yang digunakan adalah regresi linier berganda. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa kesehatan keuangan yang terdiri dari rasio RBC, Solvency Ratio, Underwriting Ratio, Net Premium Growth, Comission Expense Ratio dan Investment Yield Ratio tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap pendapatan premi, sedangkan Loss Ratio berpengaruh signifikan terhadap pendapatan premi pada perusahaan asuransi yang terdaftar di BEI tahun 2013-2017. Selanjutnya, penelitian ini juga menunjukkan nilai pengaruh RBC, Solvency Ratio, Underwriting Ratio, Loss Ratio, Comission Expense Ratio, Investment Yield Ratio dan Net Premium Growth sebesar terhadap pendapatan premi sebesar 77,8%.

Kata kunci: tingkat kesehatan keuangan, RBC, Solvency Ratio, Underwriting Ratio, Loss Ratio, Comission Expense Ratio, Investment Yield Ratio, Net Premium Growth, pendapatan premi.
Penyusunan Laporan Simpan Pinjam Menggunakan Microsoft Access pada Koperasi Karyawan Politeknik Caltex Riau
Authors: Wibowo Tulus Fahrurrozi , Zarefar Atika , Arifulsyah Hamdani
Published: August 2019

Penelitian ini betujuan untuk menyusun laporan simpan pinjam, laporan neraca dan laporan laba/rugi tahun 2016 di Koperasi Karyawan Politeknik Caltex Riau menggunakan Microsoft Access 2016. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode penerapan sistem, yaitu metode pengumpulan data, perancangan dan pengolahan data menggunakan sistem. Dari hasil penelitian di Koperasi Karyawan Politeknik Caltex Riau menggunakan Microsoft Access yang telah dibuat dapat memberikan informasi kepada pengurus dan anggota tahun 2016, yaitu jumlah anggota yang terdaftar berjumlah 97 anggota, anggota yang melakukan pinjaman berjumlah 38 anggota dengan total pinjaman sebesar Rp521.457.000, anggota yang melakukan simpanan berjumlah 97 anggota dengan total simpanan sebesar Rp159.461.836, sisa hasil usaha unit simpan pinjam dan unit dagang sebesar Rp.34.703.088 dan Rp.22.446549, sisa hasil usaha gabungan dari 97 anggota sebesar Rp 34.703.088, hasil dari laporan neraca sebesar Rp766.898.956, dan hasil laporan laba/rugi sebesar Rp 22.446.549.

Kata kunci: Microsoft Access, Laporan Simpan Pinjam, Laporan Neraca, Laporan Laba/Rugi.
Analisis Pengukuran Kinerja dengan Konsep Balance Scorecard pada PT Bumi Hijau Puri Persada
Authors: Silviana Elisa , Nurulita Suci , Yuliantoro Heri Ribut
Published: August 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengukuran kinerja PT Bumi Hijau Puri Persada dengan konsep Balanced Scorecard. Data primer diperoleh dari jawaban kuesioner dan wawancara terhadap pelanggan dan karyawan PT Bumi Hijau Puri Persada. Data sekunder diperoleh dari laporan keuangan baik laporan laba rugi maupun laporan posisi keuangan PT Bumi Hijau Puri Persada periode tahun 20015-2017. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa kinerja PT Bumi Hijau Puri Persada secara keseluruhan cukup baik dengan nilai sebesar 0,24. Perspektif keuangan yang diukur dengan analisis rasio keuangan dinilai kurang baik dengan nilai (-0,33) yang meliputi rasio likuiditas yang cukup baik, rasio solvabilitas yang kurang baik, rasio profitabilitas yang dikategorikan kurang baik, dan rasio aktivitas yang dikategorikan baik. Hasil penelitian pada perspektif pelanggan menunjukkan kinerja yang cukup baik dengan nilai 0,56 yang meliputi atribut produk dan jasa, citra perusahaan, dan hubungan dengan pelanggan. Perspektif bisnis internal juga menunjukkan kinerja yang cukup baik dengan nilai 0,57 yang meliputi proses inovasi,  proses operasi, dan layanan purna jual. Selain itu, perspektif pertumbuhan pembelajaran dinilai cukup baik dengan nilai 0,57 yang meliputi kapabilitas karyawan, kapabilitas sistem informasi, dan motivasi, pemberdayaan, keselarasan.
Social Capital and Financial Performance : The Mediating Role of Capital Structure
Authors: Puryandani Siti , Hidayatullah Surya Kusuma Kholid
Published: August 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji bagaimana para pelaku usaha bereaksi terhadap perubahan lingkungan dan memanfaatkan keberadaan modal sosial agar dapat meningkatkan kinerja keuangan dengan mempertimbangkan  struktur modal yang mewakili keputusan pendanaan. Kompleksitas permasalahan yang dihadapi, tekanan faktor eksternal dan kelemahan secara internal jika tidak dikelola secara baik akan membuat pelaku usaha dalam jangka pendek terganggu kinerjanya. Variabel penelitian adalah modal sosial, keputusan pendanaan dan kinerja keuangan. Obyek penelitian adalah perusahaan furnitur berorientasi ekspor di kota Semarang yang masih melakukan operasional sampai tahun 2018 sebanyak 35 sampel. Kebutuhan data diperoleh dari responden melalui wawancara terstruktur dan kuesioner. Alat analisis yang digunakan adalah analisis jalur dan uji Sobel untuk menentukan apakah struktur modal yang mewakili keputusan pendanaan mampu memediasi pengaruh modal sosial terhadap kinerja perusahaan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa modal sosial terbukti berpengaruh terhadap keputusan pendanaan dengan koefisien regresi sebesar 0,197 dan signifikan pada 0,010. Modal sosial berpengaruh terhadap kinerja keuangan dengan koefisien regresi sebesar 0,645 dan signifikan pada 0,000. Keputusan pendanaan terbukti berpengaruh terhadap kinerja keuangan dengan koefisen regresi sebesar 0,644 dan signifikan pada 0,000. Melalui uji Sobel dapat disimpulkan bahwa keputusan pendanaan mampu memediasi pengaruh modal sosial terhadap kinerja keuangan.

Kata kunci : modal sosial, keputusan pendanaan dan kinerja  keuangan
Parental Styles And Aggression In Children And Adolescents
Authors: Stoeva Teodora
Published: August 2019

n the article is considered the influence of the different parental styles-authoritarian; democratic; permissive; and style of rejection, on the emergence and development of aggression in children and adolescents. They have been formulated the following hypotheses:1. It was assumed that the protective style of parenting that inhibits the development of social intelligence, and the permissive style, leading to a perception that any behavior is acceptable, are associated with aggression in childhood.2. It was assumed that the authoritarian style of parenting, in which is used the method of punishment, is associated with aggression, both in childhood and adolescence. The results show that a key factor for the development of aggression has been proved to be the authoritarian style of parenting. The study has implications for the family counseling related to the treatment of the parental patterns and relationships in families with children and adolescents with aggressive behavior. The results for the "autoritarian style“, key to the emergence of aggression, especially in adolescence, shows that the parental counseling should include training, related to the discussion of alternative styles of behavior. It is appropriate the parents to be included in training for the so-called education of management strategies of parenting - by offering case studies and exercises on the issue of effective methods of rewards and punishments against children and adolescents.
NeuroScience-based Voice Dialogue Imago Therapy
Authors: WengLok Chan Dr Edwars
Published: August 2019

Most couple therapy models (Declaire & Gottman, 2001; Beck, 1967; Bader & Pearson, 1988; Greenberg & Johnson, 1988; Johnson, 1996) do not produce effective outcomes. This is mainly because of the lack of sound theoretical constructs for most of these models. This paper shows how a model based on Imago Therapy (Hendrix & Hunt, 1988; Hendrix & Hunt, 2003; Hendrix & Hunt, 2005) and Voice Dialogue Facilitation (Stone and Stone, 1989; Stone & Stone, 1993; Stone & Stone, 2000) can be based on sound neuroscience evidence: Chan (2015); (Pare & Duvarci, 2012); Lewis, Fari & Lannon (2000); Harlow’s (1958); (Brehony, 2003; Farrow & Woodruff, 2007; Schore, 2003) and can help couples in distress not only heal and reestablish their initimacy, but also prevent experiences of future distress in ways that the current Imago Therapy model cannot.
Apakah pengendalian intern berpengaruh pada kualitas informasi laporan keuangan?
Authors: Wahyuni Endang , Widodo Sri
Published: August 2019

This research aims to determine the effect of accrual-based application, internal control, IT utilization and HR competency on the quality of financial statement information. The research is a quantitative approach with primary data source. The population in this research was 29 Organisasi Perangkat Daerah (OPD) of Sleman Regency. The sample in this research amounted to 107 respondents taken using a purposive sampling. Data collection in this research using a questionnare. The data analysis using a multiple regression. The result of this research show that the accrual-based application, IT utilization and HR competency have a positive effect on the quality of financial statement information, while internal control has no significant affect on the quality of financial statement information.
Ventrículo izquierdo no compacto
Authors: Trespalacios Erik , Mejía V. Alfonso , Senior Juan Manuel , Bergmark Brian
Published: August 2019

El ventrículo izquierdo no compacto (VINC) o “esponjoso”, es una cardiomiopatía recientemente descrita y reconocida con implicaciones pronósticas importantes. Se caracteriza por la presencia de un miocardio ancho con nichos intertrabeculares profundos sobre el lado endocavitario, llevando a hipertrabeculación. Aunque la etiología es desconocida, se ha descrito una importante agregación familiar y una superposición de esta patología con otras cardiopatías de carácter genético como la cardiomiopatía dilatada (CMD) y la cardiomiopatía hipertrófica (CMH). Desde el punto de vista clínico se presenta como un síndrome de falla cardiaca, aunque puede debutar con muerte súbita, arritmias o embolismo sistémico. En la actualidad la herramienta diagnóstica de mayor utilidad es la ecocardiografía, por sus menores costos, reproducibilidad y disponibilidad en forma extensa en los servicios médicos. Sin embargo, se ha demostrado una mayor certeza diagnóstica con la resonancia magnética cardiaca (RMC). El tratamiento de estos pacientes no difiere del recomendado para pacientes con síndrome de falla cardiaca de otras etiologías