bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Online Learning during Covid-19: What is the Most Effective Platform for Teaching and Learning Mathematics?
Authors: Aziza Mela
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this research was to find how the first online learning implementation in the Department of Mathematics Education in The Islamic State Institute of Bengkulu during the Covid-19 pandemic. This research was qualitative research which was conducted in July as an evaluation of the first online learning from March until July. 90 students were chosen by purposive sampling and then given an online questionnaire. The results showed that there were some mathematical courses students took in the Even Semester 2019/2020. The platforms used by lecturers while teaching Mathematics were 39.6% WhatsApp Group, 22% Google Classroom, 13.2% Cisco Webex, and 25.2 % others. Platforms that were felt effective as online learning applications were 52.7% Cisco Webex, 26.4 % WhatsApp Group, 9.9% Zoom meeting, 5.5% Google Classroom, and 5.5% others. This is felt to be effective because it does not consume a lot of data packages, has a strong signal, and can be accessed at any time (WhatsApp Group and Google Classroom). In addition, this platform can be used for live conferencing / video calls using whiteboards which are deemed effective for teaching math material (Cisco Webex). However, several obstacles were found during the implementation of online learning, namely difficulties in obtaining sufficient internet data packages; limited network; difficult assignments and assessments; less effective teaching methods; and use of multiple applications.
Implementasi Program Gerakan Literasi Sekolah di Sekolah Menengah Pertama (SMP)
Authors: Widodo Antoni
Published: June 2021

Artikel ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui implementasi program Gerakan Literasi Sekolah (GLS) di SMP IT Insan Harapan Kota Tangerang Selatan. Jenis penelitian ini menggunakan kualitatif deskriptif. Informan  penelitian meliputi Kepala Sekolah, Wakil Kepala Sekolah Bidang Kurikulum, Guru, dan Peserta didik. Instrumen penelitian menggunakan wawancara, observasi, dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa Gerakan Literasi Sekolah belum dilakukan dengan rutin. Upaya yang dilakukan oleh sekolah dalam mendukung Gerakan Literasi 1) Menyediakan buku bacaan yang beragam 2) Membuat kegiatan 2 jam membaca di hari jumat 3) melaksanakan 15 menit membaca sebelum pembelajaran di mulai 4)membuat laboratorium computer (warnet sekolah). Sedangkan kendala yang dihadapi dalam melaksanakan program Gerakan Literasi Sekolah (GLS) 1) tidak konsisten dalam penerapan 15 menit membaca sebelum pembelajaran di mulai 2) pelaksanaan yang tidak rutin dalam menerapkan kegiatan membaca 2 jam pembelajaran setiap minggu 3) masih kurangnya sarana dan prasana perpustakaan 4) kurangnya pengawasan dalam implementasi Gerakan Literasi Sekolah (GLS), implementasi program Gerakan Literasi Sekolah perlu adanya dukungan dari komponen sekolah seperti pengawas, Kepala Sekolah, dan Komite Sekolah.
Urgensi Pendidikan Berpikir Kritis Era Merdeka Belajar bagi Peserta Didik
Authors: Kurniawan Nanda Alfan , Saputra Randi , Aiman Ummu , Alfaiz Alfaiz , Sari Dita Kurnia
Published: June 2021

Pendidikan bagi peserta didik telah memasuki paradigma baru di masa pandemi COVID-19 pada lima bulan terakhir. Kebijakan yang ditempuh pemerintah dengan menetapkan merdeka belajar menjadi era baru dalam dunia pendidikan. Peserta didik pada satuan tingkat pendidikan dasar hingga pendidikan tinggi perlu menyesuaikan diri dengan situasi baru dalam proses belajar era merdeka belajar masa kini. Situasi pandemi COVID-19 mengajak pendidikan untuk melakukan aktivitas belajar dan pembelajaran secara tidak langsung melalui media berbasis online dengan memanfaatkan kecanggihan teknologi informasi hasil revolusi industri 4.0. Pendidikan melalui media berbasis online memberikan peluang bagi peserta didik untuk berkembang secara mandiri dengan pembinaan dan bimbingan dari para pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan pada tingkat dasar hingga pendidikan tinggi. Peserta didik membutuhkan bentuk pendidikan yang tepat agar mampu menyesuaikan kondisi pribadi dengan kompetensi yang dibutuhkan dalam pendidikan era merdeka belajar. Pendidikan berpikir kritis menjadi salah satu alternatif bagi peserta didik untuk membekali aspek fisik dan psikis agar mampu menyesuaikan diri dalam pendidikan di era medeka belajar. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah memberikan gambaran deskriptif mengenai pentingnya pendidikan berpikir kritis bagi peserta didik di era merdeka belajar. metode penelitian ini menggunakan studi pustaka. sumber data adalah artikel penelitian dan buku-buku yang relevan dengan tujuan penelitian. Teknik analisis data menggunakan analisis isi (conten analys) dan instrumen penelitian berupa chek list sumber data penelitian yang di butuhkan. hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pendidikan berpikir kritis bagi peserta didik menjadi kebutuhan penting di era merdeka belajar. sehingga pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan perlu menyediakan fasilitas dalam menyediakan pendidikan berpikir kritis bagi peserta didik.
Laboratory Investigation on the Effect of Microsilica Additive on the Mechanical Behavior of Deep Soil Mixing Columns in Saline Dry Sand
Authors: Esmaeili Morteza , Astaraki Farshad , Yaghouti Hamed , Movahedi Rad Majid
Published: June 2021

Since loose and salty subgrades consider as problematic barriers while constructing new transportation infrastructures such as railway tracks and roads are required, the current study aims to find a solution to stabilize these kinds of subgrades using the deep soil mixing (DSM) technique and micro silica additive. In the present study a series of experimental DSM columns were executed in a salty sand-filled chamber utilizing a laboratory scale DSM apparatuses. In the first step, by adding three salt percentages of 5, 10 and 20 into the original sand, four different sandy subgrades with a relative density of 70% were prepared. Considering three percentages of 10, 15 and 20 for micro silica additive, the water-to-cement ratio of 1, salt percentages of 0, 5, 10 and 20 totally 150 sand-cement columns were constructed in the lab environment. In continuation, unconfined compression strength (UCS) and elasticity modulus of all capped DSM columns have been determined and interpreted using scanning electron microscope (SEM) images at three ages of 7,14 and 28 days. The results indicated that increasing the salinity of subgrade soil from 0 to 20% resulted in a falling UCS and Young module by 28 and 21% for 28-days specimens. Furthermore, as a solution, adding micro silica in cement-water grout up to 15% resulted in enhancing mechanical characteristics of the DSM columns. So that adding 15% microsilica caused a 21 and 42% increase in UCS and elasticity modulus of 28-days samples respectively, executed in subgrade with 20% salt.
Arazi Örtüsü/Arazi Kullanım Değişimlerinin Farklı Zamanlı Landsat Uydu Görüntüleri ile Belirlenmesi: Çarşamba Delta Ovası Örneği
Authors: DEMİRAĞ TURAN İnci , DENGİZ Orhan , KAYA Nursaç Serda
Published: June 2021

Arazi örtüsü/arazi kullanımı değişimleri sürdürülebilir ve planlı olmadığı takdirde, ekolojide önemli tahribatlara neden olabilmektedir. Çalışmanın amacı, Samsun ilinin doğusunda yer alan ve Karadeniz Bölgesi’nin en önemli ovalarından birisini oluşturan Çarşamba Delta Ovası’nın arazi kullanımı ve arazi örtüsünün yaklaşık otuz yıllık süreçteki zamansal değişiminin uzaktan algılama tekniği kullanılarak belirlenmesidir. Çalışmada 1994, 2000, 2011, 2020 yıllarına ait Landsat uydu görüntüleri kullanılmıştır. Sınıflandırma işleminin yapılabilmesi için ENVI 5.3v programında kontrollü sınıflandırma yapılarak altı ana arazi örtüsü ve arazi kullanım sınıfları oluşturulmuş, oluşturulan sınıfların kontrolü ve tespiti amacıyla arazi çalışması yapılmış ve kontrollü sınıflandırma sonucunda tarım, mera, orman, fındık alanları, yapay yüzeyler ve su alanları olarak altı sınıf tanımlanmıştır. Arazi kullanım etkinliğinin belirlenmesi için analog veriler sayısallaştırılmış ve CBS veri tabanına aktarılmıştır. Ova üzerinde en geniş alan tarım alanlarına ait iken bunu fındık alanları ve yapay alanları izlemektedir. Özellikle yaklaşık son on yıllık süreçte yapay alanlar ve fındık arazilerinde artış, mera alanlarındaki azalış odaklı değişim gösteren alanların boyutu önem arz etmektedir. Ayrıca, bu çalışma geniş alanların arazi kullanımı ve arazi örtüsü değişiminin belirlemesi ve kullanım eğilimlerinin izlenmesinde, uzaktan algılama ve coğrafi bilgi sitemlerinin doğru ve hızlı veri üretmeleri açısından önemli rolleri olduğunu göstermiştir.
PENGARUH MODEL COOPERATIVE LEARNING TYPE MAKE A MATCH TERHADAP PENGUASAAN KONSEPTUAL SISWA KELAS IV SD NEGERI 6 KAUR
Authors: Bastari Ginan Bastari , Koto Irwan Koto , Susanta Agus Susanta
Published: June 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh model cooperative learning type make a match terhadap penguasaan konseptual siswa kelas IV SD Negeri 6 Kaur. Jenispenelitian ini adalah kuantitatif dengan metode eksperimen semu, dengan desain The Matching Only Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design yang dilaksanakan di kelas IV SD Negeri 6 Kaur. Populasi  penelitian  ini  adalah  seluruh siswa kelas IV SD  Negeri  6  Kaur.  Sampel  yang dipilih adalah kelas  IVA yang berjumlah 18 siswa sebagai kelas eksperimen, kelas IVB  yang  berjumlah 18 siswa sebagai kelas kontrol. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan tes Pretest-Posttest sebanyak 20 soal obyektif dan 20 soal angket. Data hasil penelitian ini dianalisis dengan menggunakan analisis deskriptif dan inferensial yaitu uji-t. Data hasil penelitian diketahui bahwa nilai rata-rata pretest kelas ekperimen (40,83 ; SD=13,15) dan posttestkelas eksperimen (87,87 ; SD=9,59). Hasil persentase kenaikan nilai rata-rata hasil belajar aspek kognitif kelas kontrol 86,9% dan eksperimen 115,2%. Kenaikan persentase nilai pada kelas eksperimen lebih besar dari pada kelas kontrol, dapat dilihat dari perbedaan kenaikan  hasil  belajar  kognitif  sebesar  28,3%.Maka  diperoleh   hasil perhitungan Uji-t pada  aspek  kognitif yaitu  thitung  (6,074) >ttabel (1,697). Nilai thitung yang diperoleh lebih besar dari nilai ttabel maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa terdapat pengaruh Model Cooperative Learning Type Make a Match Terhadap Penguasaan Konseptual Dan Siswa Kelas IV SD Negeri 6 Kaur.
PENERAPAN DISCOVERY LEARNING UNTUK MENINGKATKAN EFIKASI DIRI DAN HOTS PADA TEMA DAERAH TEMPAT TINGGALKU SISWA KELAS IV A MIN 1 KOTA BENGKULU
Authors: SUmini Sumini SUmini , Winarni Endang Widi , Koto Irwan Koto
Published: June 2021

The objectives of this research to improve students’ selff efficacy and HOTS. This research was a classroom action research done in 3 cycles performed, each cycle was consist of four stages namely: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The action research was done in class IVA, consist of 34 students, 16 female students, and 18 male students. The data were collected by an observation sheet, a questionnaire,  and a test of HOTS. Then, the data were analyzed by avarage, percentage, and classification. The results of research showed that the teaching activity, self efficacy, HOTS were improved, and discovery learning effectively improve students’ HOTS. Reccomendation of this research were: 1) the teachers should guide and correct the students’ work, then encourage, reinforcement, even giving reward to students; 2) the teachers should direct the students to develop the knowledge to the environment activity, and inrease references; 3) the teachers should guide the students to connect the answers to their daily experiment; and 4) for the further research, reccommended to conduct the spesific about ability of students’ to answer the question by creation using discovery learning.
STUDI DESKRIPTIF KEGIATAN PEMBELAJARAN PKN BERBASIS KURIKULUM 2013 DALAM MENUMBUHKAN KARAKTER NASIONALISME SISWA SDN 03 KOTA BENGKULU
Authors: Tugiyem Tugiyem , Djuwita Puspa , Susanta Agus
Published: June 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk untuk mendeksripsikan proses pelaksanaan pembelajaran PKn yang terintegrasi dengan materi ajar lainnya berbasis penumbuhan karakter dalam K13, kegunaan bahan ajar PKn yang terintegrasikan dengan pembelajaran lain berbasis penumbuhan karakter nasionalisme dan mengetahui cara guru menilai pertumbuhan karakter nasionalisme. Pendekatan dan jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah deskriptif kualitatif. Sumber data penelitian ini adalah pengawas, kepala sekolah, guru dan siswa SD Negeri 03 Kota Bengkulu. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi dengan uji kredibilitas data melalui peningkatan ketekunan, perpanjangan pengamatan dan triangulasi. Data yang diperoleh dianalisis melalui reduksi data, penyajian (display) data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian ini, siswa menunjukkan penumbuhan karakter nasionalisme dalam kegiatan pembiasaan siswa, kegiatan tersebut meliputi kegiatan rutin, kegiatan spontan, keteladanan, dan pengkondisian. Bahan ajar PKn dalam menumbuhkan karakter nasionalis pada siswa dengan memilih dan memilah materi yang sesuai dengan karakter tersebut. Guru menilai karakter nasionalisme dalam diri siswa dengan mengunakan jurnal pengembangan sikap dan lembar observasi sikap siswa pada proses pembelajaran.
Implementasi Literasi dalam Pembelajaran Membaca Berbasis Cerita Rakyat Bengkulu pada Siswa Kelas Iv SD IT Al-Qiswah Bengkulu
Authors: Chinditya Chindytia Chinditya , Susanta Agus Susanta , Muktadir Abdul Muktadir
Published: June 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui implementasi literasi pada pembelajaran membaca berbasis cerita rakyat Bengkulu pada tahap pembiasaan, pengembangan dan pembelajaran membaca di kelas IV SD IT AL-Qiswah Bengkulu. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif dengan jenis metode deskriptif yang dilakukan di SD IT AL-Qiswah Bengkulu. Pengumpulan data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah observasi, wawancara dan dokumentasi. Analisis data digunakan untuk menganalisa implikasi gerakan literasi membaca melalui reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa (1) implementasi literasi membaca berbasis cerita rakyat Bengkulu pada tahap pembiasaan yakni menumbuhkan minat baca melalui 15 menit membaca buku non pelajaran cerita rakyat Bengkulu (2) implementasi literasi membaca berbasis cerita rakyat Bengkulu pada tahap pengembangan guru memberikan simulasi tentang isi dan memberikan pemahaman mengenai isi bacaan cerita rakyat Bengkulu (3) implementasi literasi membaca berbasis cerita rakyat Bengkulu pada tahap pembelajaran yakni terbiasanya penggunaan lingkungan akademik, fisik, sosial dan afektif untuk literasi membaca cerita rakyat Bengkulu.
Penerapan Pembelajaran Menulis Puisi Dengan Teknik Kata Kunci
Authors: Muktadir Abdul Muktadir , Ariffiando Nady Febri
Published: June 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatkan keterampilan menulis puisi dengan menggunakan teknik kata kunci. Metode penelitian dilakukan adalah PTK yang berdaur silkus melalui prosedur perencanaan, pelaksanaan, observasi dan refleksi. Subjek penelitian adalah mahasiswa S-2 PGSD semester I. Data penelitian adalah tes, pengamatan dan dokumentasi. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah lembaran observasi mahasiswa, lembar penilaian keterampilan. Data hasil observasi akan dianalisis secara deskriptif, data hasil tes dianalisis menggunakan rata-rata. Hasil penelitian menyimpulkan: 1)  Langkah-langkah penerapan teknik kata kunci dapat meningkatkan proses hasil pembelajaran menulis puisi mahasiswa, 2) Pemilihan tema   menulis puisi  berdasarkan lingkungan pembelajaran memudahkan mahasiswa dalam menuangkan idenya.
Innovación organizacional como factor de competitividad empresarial en mypes durante el Covid-19
Authors: García Monsalve Jhenyfer Jhoana , Tumbajulca Ramírez Isban Adilson , Cruz Tarrillo José Joel
Published: June 2021

Esta investigación tiene por objetivo determinar la influencia de la innovación organizacional en la competitividad empresarial en tiempos de Covid-19 en las mypes del sector comercio. Es de tipo básico con un alcance descriptivo correlacional. El diseño de la investigación es no experimental y de corte transversal. Los participantes de estudio son 200 gerentes. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron validados mediante juicio de expertos y se comprobó su fiabilidad a través del alpha de Cronbach con un coeficiente de 0,886 para innovación organizacional y 0,778 para la competitividad empresarial. Los resultados muestran que sí existe relación significativa entre la innovación empresarial y la competitividad (r=0,459) con una significancia de p-valor=0,000. Por lo tanto, se puede afirmar que aquellas mypes que apuesten por una innovación en la forma de ofrecer, o brindar su servicio o producto podrán mantenerse en el mercado a pesar de la crisis. Además, los resultados muestran que el 81% de empresas que innovó son más competitivas que el 19% que no lo hizo.
Sağlık Turizmi Hastaları İçin E-Nabız Uygulamalarının Geliştirilmesi: Bir Model Önerisi
Authors: YILDIRIM Banu Fulya , ÖZDEMİRCİ Fahrettin , SOYDAN Güray
Published: June 2021

Dünya çapında giderek daha fazla insan yurt dışında sağlık hizmeti almayı talep etmektedir. Türkiye sağlık turizmi konusundaki yetkinliği, sağlık ve bakım hizmetlerinin kalitesi nedeni ile sağlık turizmi hastaları için güven duyulan bir ülke olmanın yanı sıra fiyat avantajı ile de tercih edilen bir ülke konumundadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı; bir sağlık bilgi sistemi olarak e-Nabız uygulamalarının (www.enabiz.gov.tr) sağlık turizmi hastalarına ve hekimlere uygulanabilir olması için eksikliklerin giderilmesi, yeni bir model çerçevesinde daha etkin kullanımının sağlanmasıdır. Bu amaçla Türkiye’nin ve dünyanın en prestijli hastaneleri arasında yer alan Hacettepe Üniversitesi Hastaneleri Uluslararası Hasta Koordinatörlüğü bünyesinde 01.04.2019 ile 01.04.2020 tarihleri arasında ayaktan ve yatarak hizmet almış 409 sağlık turizmi hastasına ve Hacettepe Üniversitesi bünyesinde öğretim üyesi ve araştırma görevlisi olarak çalışmakta olan 572 hekime yüz yüze anketler uygulanmıştır. İstatistiksel değerlendirmeler IBM Statistics 25.0 paket programı ile yapılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda, e-Nabız uygulamalarının sağlık turizmi hastaları ve hekimler için de geliştirilmeye ihtiyaç olduğu ve sağlık verilerine elektronik ortam üzerinden erişimin sağlık turizmi hastaları tarafından talep edildiği tespit edilmiştir. Çalışmada kanıtlanan hipotezler ve yapılan literatür incelemesi sonucu elde edilen bilgiler doğrultusunda sağlık turizmi hastalarının söz konusu talep ve ihtiyaçlarını karşılamak amacıyla e-Pulse International sistemi model önerisi oluşturulmuştur. Çalışmada e-Pulse International sisteminin uygulama sürecine ait aşamalar kurgulanmış ve temel bileşenleri tanıtılmıştır. E-Pulse International sistemi ile Türkiye’ye gelen sağlık turizmi hastalarının sağlık verilerine dünyanın her yerinden hızlı ve güvenilir bir şekilde erişmelerini sağlamak, işlemlerini kolaylaştırarak, onlara kişiselleştirilmiş, hızlı ve güvenilir hizmet sunmak ve sağlık turizmi hastalarına verilen hizmetlerin kalitesinde bir değer yaratarak sağlık turizminin ülke ekonomisine katkısını artırmak hedeflenmektedir. Bu kapsamda sağlık turizmi hastalarının Türkiye’de aldıkları sağlık hizmeti ile ilgili memnuniyet oranlarının artırılması açısından e-Pulse International sisteminin geliştirilmesi çok önemli katkıda bulunacaktır. Sağlık turizmi hastalarına e-Pulse International sistemi hizmetinin sunulması Türkiye’yi diğer sağlık turizmi hizmeti sunan ülkeler arasında daha fazla tercih edilir duruma getirecektir. Sistem, sağlık turizmi hastalarının veri erişimini sağlaması bakımından tedavi süreci konforunu artırarak sağlık turizmini olumlu yönde etkileyecek ve gelişmesine katkıda bulunacaktır.
Whole-Exome Sequencing in a Cohort of High Myopia Patients in Northwest China
Authors: Liu Yang , Zhang Jin-Jin , Piao Shun-Yu , Shen Ren-Juan , Ma Ya , Xue Zhong-Qi , Zhang Wen , Liu Juan , Jin Zi-Bing , Zhuang Wen-Juan
Published: June 2021

High myopia (HM) is one of the leading causes of visual impairment worldwide. In order to expand the myopia gene spectrum in the Chinese population, we investigated genetic mutations in a cohort of 27 families with HM from Northwest China by using whole-exome sequencing (WES). Genetic variations were filtered using bioinformatics tools and cosegregation analysis. A total of 201 candidate mutations were detected, and 139 were cosegregated with the disease in the families. Multistep analysis revealed four missense variants in four unrelated families, including c.904C>T (p.R302C) in CSMD1, c.860G>A (p.R287H) in PARP8, c.G848A (p.G283D) in ADAMTSL1, and c.686A>G (p.H229R) in FNDC3B. These mutations were rare or absent in the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC), 1000 Genomes Project, and Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD), indicating that they are new candidate disease-causing genes. Our findings not only expand the myopia gene spectrum but also provide reference information for further genetic study of heritable HM.
Regulation of Osteoclastogenesis and Bone Resorption by miRNAs
Authors: Inoue Kazuki , Ng Courtney , Xia Yuhan , Zhao Baohong
Published: June 2021

Osteoclasts are specialized bone-resorbing cells that contribute to physiological bone development and remodeling in bone metabolism throughout life. Abnormal production and activation of osteoclasts lead to excessive bone resorption in pathological conditions, such as in osteoporosis and in arthritic diseases with bone destruction. Recent epigenetic studies have shed novel insight into the dogma of the regulation of gene expression. microRNAs belong to a category of epigenetic regulators, which post-transcriptionally regulate and silence target gene expression, and thereby control a variety of biological events. In this review, we discuss miRNA biogenesis, the mechanisms utilized by miRNAs, several miRNAs that play important roles in osteoclast differentiation, function, survival and osteoblast-to-osteoclast communication, and their translational potential and challenges in bone biology and skeletal diseases.
Age-Dependent in vitro Maturation Efficacy of Human Oocytes – Is There an Optimal Age?
Authors: Karavani Gilad , Wasserzug-Pash Peera , Mordechai-Daniel Talya , Bauman Dvora , Klutstein Michael , Imbar Tal
Published: June 2021

In vitro maturation of oocytes from antral follicles seen during tissue harvesting is a fertility preservation technique with potential advantages over ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC), as mature frozen and later thawed oocyte used for fertilization poses decreased risk of malignant cells re-seeding, as compared to ovarian tissue implantation. We previously demonstrated that in vitro maturation (IVM) performed following OTC in fertility preservation patients, even in pre-menarche girls, yields a fair amount of oocytes available for IVM and freezing for future use. We conducted a retrospective cohort study, evaluating IVM outcomes in chemotherapy naïve patients referred for fertility preservation by OTC that had oocyte collected from the medium with attempted IVM. A total of 133 chemotherapy naïve patients aged 1–35 years were included in the study. The primary outcome was IVM rate in the different age groups – pre-menarche (1–5 and ≥6 years), post-menarche (menarche-17 years), young adults (18–24 years) and adults (25–29 and 30–35 years). We demonstrate a gradual increase in mean IVM rate in the age groups from 1 to 25 years [4.6% (1–5 years), 23.8% (6 years to menarche), and 28.4% (menarche to 17 years)], with a peak of 38.3% in the 18–24 years group, followed by a decrease in the 25–29 years group (19.3%), down to a very low IVM rate (8.9%) in the 30–35 years group. A significant difference in IVM rates was noted between the age extremes – the very young (1–5 years) and the oldest (30–35 years) groups, as compared with the 18–24-year group (p < 0.001). Importantly, number of oocytes matured, percent of patients with matured oocytes, and overall maturation rate differed significantly (p < 0.001). Our finding of extremely low success rates in those very young (under 6 years) and older (≥30 years) patients suggests that oocytes retrieved during OTC prior to chemotherapy have an optimal window of age that shows higher success rates, suggesting that oocytes may have an inherent tendency toward better maturation in those age groups.
Automatically Constructed Neural Network Potentials for Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Zinc Proteins
Authors: Xu Mingyuan , Zhu Tong , Zhang John Z. H.
Published: June 2021

The development of accurate and efficient potential energy functions for the molecular dynamics simulation of metalloproteins has long been a great challenge for the theoretical chemistry community. An artificial neural network provides the possibility to develop potential energy functions with both the efficiency of the classical force fields and the accuracy of the quantum chemical methods. In this work, neural network potentials were automatically constructed by using the ESOINN-DP method for typical zinc proteins. For the four most common zinc coordination modes in proteins, the potential energy, atomic forces, and atomic charges predicted by neural network models show great agreement with quantum mechanics calculations and the neural network potential can maintain the coordination geometry correctly. In addition, MD simulation and energy optimization with the neural network potential can be readily used for structural refinement. The neural network potential is not limited by the function form and complex parameterization process, and important quantum effects such as polarization and charge transfer can be accurately considered. The algorithm proposed in this work can also be directly applied to proteins containing other metal ions.
The Trustworthiness of Voice Assistants in the Context of Healthcare Investigating the Effect of Perceived Expertise on the Trustworthiness of Voice Assistants, Providers, Data Receivers, and Automatic Speech Recognition
Authors: Wienrich Carolin , Reitelbach Clemens , Carolus Astrid
Published: June 2021

As an emerging market for voice assistants (VA), the healthcare sector imposes increasing requirements on the users’ trust in the technological system. To encourage patients to reveal sensitive data requires patients to trust in the technological counterpart. In an experimental laboratory study, participants were presented a VA, which was introduced as either a “specialist” or a “generalist” tool for sexual health. In both conditions, the VA asked the exact same health-related questions. Afterwards, participants assessed the trustworthiness of the tool and further source layers (provider, platform provider, automatic speech recognition in general, data receiver) and reported individual characteristics (disposition to trust and disclose sexual information). Results revealed that perceiving the VA as a specialist resulted in higher trustworthiness of the VA and of the provider, the platform provider and automatic speech recognition in general. Furthermore, the provider’s trustworthiness affected the perceived trustworthiness of the VA. Presenting both a theoretical line of reasoning and empirical data, the study points out the importance of the users’ perspective on the assistant. In sum, this paper argues for further analyses of trustworthiness in voice-based systems and its effects on the usage behavior as well as the impact on responsible design of future technology.
Molecular Insulin Actions Are Sexually Dimorphic in Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Ortiz-Huidobro Rosa Isela , Velasco Myrian , Larqué Carlos , Escalona Rene , Hiriart Marcia
Published: June 2021

The increment in energy-dense food and low physical activity has contributed to the current obesity pandemic, which is more prevalent in women than in men. Insulin is an anabolic hormone that regulates the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins in adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle. During obesity, nutrient storage capacity is dysregulated due to a reduced insulin action on its target organs, producing insulin resistance, an early marker of metabolic dysfunction. Insulin resistance in adipose tissue is central in metabolic diseases due to the critical role that this tissue plays in energy homeostasis. We focused on sexual dimorphism on the molecular mechanisms of insulin actions and their relationship with the physiology and pathophysiology of adipose tissue. Until recently, most of the physiological and pharmacological studies were done in males without considering sexual dimorphism, which is relevant. There is ample clinical and epidemiological evidence of its contribution to the establishment and progression of metabolic diseases. Sexual dimorphism is a critical and often overlooked factor that should be considered in design of sex-targeted therapeutic strategies and public health policies to address obesity and diabetes.
Pooled Sequencing Analysis of Geese (Anser cygnoides) Reveals Genomic Variations Associated With Feather Color
Authors: Ren Shuang , Lyu Guangqi , Irwin David M. , Liu Xin , Feng Chunyu , Luo Runhong , Zhang Junpeng , Sun Yongfeng , Shang Songyang , Zhang Shuyi , Wang Zhe
Published: June 2021

During the domestication of the goose a change in its feather color took place, however, the molecular mechanisms responsible for this change are not completely understood. Here, we performed whole-genome resequencing on three pooled samples of geese (feral and domestic geese), with two distinct feather colors, to identify genes that might regulate feather color. We identified around 8 million SNPs within each of the three pools and validated allele frequencies for a subset of these SNPs using PCR and Sanger sequencing. Several genomic regions with signatures of differential selection were found when we compared the gray and white feather color populations using the FST and Hp approaches. When we combined previous functional studies with our genomic analyses we identified 26 genes (KITLG, MITF, TYRO3, KIT, AP3B1, SMARCA2, ROR2, CSNK1G3, CCDC112, VAMP7, SLC16A2, LOC106047519, RLIM, KIAA2022, ST8SIA4, LOC106044163, TRPM6, TICAM2, LOC106038556, LOC106038575, LOC106038574, LOC106038594, LOC106038573, LOC106038604, LOC106047489, and LOC106047492) that potentially regulate feather color in geese. These results substantially expand the catalog of potential feather color regulators in geese and provide a basis for further studies on domestication and avian feather coloration.
Scale Drop Disease Virus (SDDV) and Lates calcarifer Herpes Virus (LCHV) Coinfection Downregulate Immune-Relevant Pathways and Cause Splenic and Kidney Necrosis in Barramundi Under Commercial Farming Conditions
Authors: Domingos Jose A. , Shen Xueyan , Terence Celestine , Senapin Saengchan , Dong Ha Thanh , Tan Marie R. , Gibson-Kueh Susan , Jerry Dean R.
Published: June 2021

Marine farming of barramundi (Lates calcarifer) in Southeast Asia is currently severely affected by viral diseases. To better understand the biological implications and gene expression response of barramundi in commercial farming conditions during a disease outbreak, the presence of pathogens, comparative RNAseq, and histopathology targeting multiple organs of clinically “sick” and “healthy” juveniles were investigated. Coinfection of scale drop disease virus (SDDV) and L. calcarifer herpes virus (LCHV) were detected in all sampled fish, with higher SDDV viral loads in sick than in healthy fish. Histopathology showed that livers in sick fish often had moderate to severe abnormal fat accumulation (hepatic lipidosis), whereas the predominant pathology in the kidneys shows moderate to severe inflammation and glomerular necrosis. The spleen was the most severely affected organ, with sick fish presenting severe multifocal and coalescing necrosis. Principal component analysis (PC1 and PC2) explained 70.3% of the observed variance and strongly associated the above histopathological findings with SDDV loads and with the sick phenotypes, supporting a primary diagnosis of the fish being impacted by scale drop disease (SDD). Extracted RNA from kidney and spleen of the sick fish were also severely degraded likely due to severe inflammation and tissue necrosis, indicating failure of these organs in advanced stages of SDD. RNAseq of sick vs. healthy barramundi identified 2,810 and 556 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the liver and muscle, respectively. Eleven significantly enriched pathways (e.g., phagosome, cytokine-cytokine-receptor interaction, ECM-receptor interaction, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, calcium signaling, MAPK, CAMs, etc.) and gene families (e.g., tool-like receptor, TNF, lectin, complement, interleukin, chemokine, MHC, B and T cells, CD molecules, etc.) relevant to homeostasis and innate and adaptive immunity were mostly downregulated in sick fish. These DEGs and pathways, also previously identified in L. calcarifer as general immune responses to other pathogens and environmental stressors, suggest a failure of the clinically sick fish to cope and overcome the systemic inflammatory responses and tissue degeneration caused by SDD.
A Novel Prognostic Biomarker of Luminal Breast Cancer: High CD39 Expression Is Related to Poor Survival
Authors: Ni Xiaojian , Wan Wenze , Ma Jingjing , Liu Xinyou , Zheng Bohao , He Zhixian , Yang Weige , Huang Lihong
Published: June 2021

Background

CD39 is one of the functional surface markers for T regulatory cells, the prognostic role and immune-related effects of CD39 in luminal breast cancer (BC) patients has not been evaluated yet. The aim of the current study was to explore the association between CD39 expression and clinic pathological characteristics and the prognosis in luminal BC patients.

Methods

Clinical information and RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) expression data were extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Patients were divided into a high or low CD39 expression group by the optimal cutoff value (4.18) identified from the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The relationships between CD39 expression and clinic pathological features were evaluated by the corresponding statistical tests. Survival analyses were applied to evaluate the overall survival between the high and low CD39 expression groups in luminal BC. Furthermore, Gene Expression Omnibus datasets were used for external data validation. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was also performed, and CIBERSORT was used to analyze the immune cell populations.

Results

Analysis of 439 cases of tumor data showed that CD39 was overexpressed in luminal BC. The multivariable analysis suggested that CD39 expression was an independent prognostic factor for luminal BC patients. GSEA suggested that CD39 might play an important role in luminal BC progression through immune regulation. Analysis of immune cell patterns revealed high CD39 expression correlated to a higher proportion of CD8+ T cells and M2 macrophages.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that CD39 expression correlates with the prognosis of luminal BC through TCGA database mining. Further studies are warranted further to elucidate this potential novel therapeutic strategy for BC.
A Computational Systems Analyses to Identify Biomarkers and Mechanistic Link in Psoriasis and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Adil Sidra , Paracha Rehan Zafar , Tariq Salma , Nisar Maryum , Ijaz Sadaf , Siddiqa Amnah , Hussain Zamir , Amir Afreenish
Published: June 2021

Psoriasis is the most common and chronic skin disease that affects individuals from every age group. The rate of psoriasis is increasing over the time in both developed and developing countries. Studies have revealed the possibility of association of psoriasis with skin cancers, particularly non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC), which, include basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). There is a need to analyze the disease at molecular level to propose potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets in comparison to cSCC. Therefore, the second analyzed disease of this study is cSCC. It is the second most common prevalent skin cancer all over the world with the potential to metastasize and recur. There is an urge to validate the proposed biomarkers and discover new potential biomarkers as well. In order to achieve the goals and objectives of the study, microarray and RNA-sequencing data analyses were performed followed by network analysis. Afterwards, quantitative systems biology was implemented to analyze the results at a holistic level. The aim was to predict the molecular patterns that can lead psoriasis to cancer. The current study proposed potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for psoriasis and cSCC. IL-17 signaling pathway is also identified as significant pathway in both diseases. Moreover, the current study proposed that autoimmune pathology, neutrophil recruitment, and immunity to extracellular pathogens are sensitive towards MAPKs (MAPK13 and MAPK14) and genes for AP-1 (FOSL1 and FOS). Therefore, these genes should be further studied in gene knock down based studies as they may play significant role in leading psoriasis towards cancer.
CAR-T Cell Therapy: Mechanism, Management, and Mitigation of Inflammatory Toxicities
Authors: Fischer Joseph W. , Bhattarai Nirjal
Published: June 2021

Engineered T cell therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) expressing T cells (CAR-T cells) have great potential to treat many human diseases; however, inflammatory toxicities associated with these therapies present safety risks and can greatly limit its widespread use. This article briefly reviews our current understanding of mechanisms for inflammatory toxicities during CAR T-cell therapy, current strategies for management and mitigation of these risks and highlights key areas of knowledge gap for future research.
Regulatory T Cells in GVHD Therapy
Authors: Guo Wen-wen , Su Xiu-hua , Wang Ming-yang , Han Ming-zhe , Feng Xiao-ming , Jiang Er-lie
Published: June 2021

Graftversushost disease (GVHD) is a common complication and the leading cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Pharmacological immunosuppression used in GVHD prophylaxis and treatment lacks specificity and can increase the likelihood of infection and relapse. Regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) play a vital role in restraining excessive immune responses and inducing peripheral immune tolerance. In particular, clinical trials have demonstrated that Tregs can prevent and treat GVHD, without increasing the risk of relapse and infection. Hence, adoptive transfer of Tregs to control GVHD using their immunosuppressive properties represents a promising therapeutic approach. To optimally apply Tregs for control of GVHD, a thorough understanding of their biology is necessary. In this review, we describe the biological characteristics of Tregs, including how the stability of FOXP3 expression can be maintained. We will also discuss the mechanisms underlying Tregs-mediated modulation of GVHD and approaches to effectively increase Tregs’ numbers. Finally, we will examine the developing trends in the use of Tregs for clinical therapy.
Aggressive Environment Resistance of Concrete Products Modified With Nano Alumina and Nano Silica
Authors: Zhao Yao , Cui Na , Zhao Shuyuan , Zhu Yunzhe , Hou Pengkun , Feng Lichao , Xie Ning
Published: June 2021

The service life of concrete products with exposure to an aggressive environment has raised great concerns in the past decades. Nanomaterials have been used as a promising approach to improve the environmental resistance of concrete products when exposed to synergistic attacks. The impacts of CaCl2 on nano-modified concrete, especially along with freeze/thaw (F/T) and wet/dry (W/D) cycles, were barely discussed. In this study, the impacts of CaCl2 along with F/T and W/D cycles on the nano SiO2 and Al2O3 modified concrete were investigated. The mass loss, flexural strength, compressive strength, and relative dynamic modulus of elasticity were tested to evaluate the durability of concrete products. The testing results indicate that the addition of nanoparticles has a distinctive effect on the environment resistance enhancement of concrete samples. The microstructure analysis demonstrates that with the addition of nanoparticles, high-density hydration products were formed, which is beneficial to the properties enhancement of concrete products. This study not only provides an approach to realize the nano modification on the durability of concrete products but also helps to design and fabricate environmentally resistant concrete products when exposed to a synergistic aggressive environment.
Control of Streptomyces alfalfae XY25T Over Clubroot Disease and Its Effect on Rhizosphere Microbial Community in Chinese Cabbage Field Trials
Authors: Hu Yuanliang , Qiu Lu , Zhang Zongjie , Liu Kai , Xia Xian , Xiong Shuanglian , Zhao Shumiao , Zhao Zhuqing , Hu Yongmei , Liang Yunxiang
Published: June 2021

Clubroot caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae is one of the most destructive diseases in cruciferous crops. Streptomyces alfalfae XY25T, a biological control agent, exhibited great ability to relieve clubroot disease, regulate rhizosphere bacterial and fungal communities in Chinese cabbage, and promote its growth in greenhouse. Therefore, field experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of S. alfalfae XY25T on clubroot and rhizosphere microbial community in Chinese cabbage. Results showed that the control efficiency of clubroot by S. alfalfae XY25T was 69.4%. Applying the agent can alleviate soil acidification; increase the contents of soil organic matter, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium; and enhance activities of invertase, urease, catalase, and alkaline phosphatase. During Chinese cabbage growth, bacterial diversity decreased first and then increased, and fungal diversity decreased gradually after inoculation with S. alfalfae XY25T. High-throughput sequencing analysis showed that the main bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, and Planctomycetes, and the major fungal phyla were Ascomycota and Basidiomycota in rhizosphere soil. The dominant bacterial genera were Flavobacterium, Candidatus, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Sphingomonas, Flavisolibacter, and Gemmatimonbacteria with no significant difference in abundance, and the major fungal genera were Monographella, Aspergillus, Hypocreales, Chytridiaceae, Fusarium, Pleosporales, Agaricales, Mortierella, and Pleosporales. The significant differences were observed among Pleosporales, Basidiomycota, Colletotrichum, two strains attributed to Agaricales, and another two unidentified fungi by using S. alfalfae XY25T. Moreover, quantitative real-time PCR results indicated that P. brassicae content was significantly decreased after the agent inoculation. In conclusion, S. alfalfae XY25T can affect rhizosphere microbial communities; therefore, applying the agent is an effective approach to reduce the damage caused by clubroot.
Beating Naive Bayes at Taxonomic Classification of 16S rRNA Gene Sequences
Authors: Ziemski Michal , Wisanwanichthan Treepop , Bokulich Nicholas A. , Kaehler Benjamin D.
Published: June 2021

Naive Bayes classifiers (NBC) have dominated the field of taxonomic classification of amplicon sequences for over a decade. Apart from having runtime requirements that allow them to be trained and used on modest laptops, they have persistently provided class-topping classification accuracy. In this work we compare NBC with random forest classifiers, neural network classifiers, and a perfect classifier that can only fail when different species have identical sequences, and find that in some practical scenarios there is little scope for improving on NBC for taxonomic classification of 16S rRNA gene sequences. Further improvements in taxonomy classification are unlikely to come from novel algorithms alone, and will need to leverage other technological innovations, such as ecological frequency information.
Comparing Quantitative Methods for Analyzing Sediment DNA Records of Cyanobacteria in Experimental and Reference Lakes
Authors: Mejbel Hebah S. , Dodsworth William , Baud Alexandre , Gregory-Eaves Irene , Pick Frances R.
Published: June 2021

Sediment DNA (sedDNA) analyses are rapidly emerging as powerful tools for the reconstruction of environmental and evolutionary change. While there are an increasing number of studies using molecular genetic approaches to track changes over time, few studies have compared the coherence between quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and metabarcoding techniques. Primer specificity, bioinformatic analyses, and PCR inhibitors in sediments could affect the quantitative data obtained from these approaches. We compared the performance of droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) for the quantification of target genes of cyanobacteria in lake sediments and tested whether the two techniques similarly reveal expected patterns through time. Absolute concentrations of cyanobacterial 16S rRNA genes were compared between ddPCR and HTS using dated sediment cores collected from two experimental (Lake 227, fertilized since 1969 and Lake 223, acidified from 1976 to 1983) and two reference lakes (Lakes 224 and 442) in the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA), Canada. Relative abundances ofMicrocystis16S rRNA (MICR) genes were also compared between the two methods. Moderate to strong positive correlations were found between the molecular approaches among all four cores but results from ddPCR were more consistent with the known history of lake manipulations. A 100-fold increase in ddPCR estimates of cyanobacterial gene abundance beginning in ~1968 occurred in Lake 227, in keeping with experimental addition of nutrients and increase in planktonic cyanobacteria. In contrast, no significant rise in cyanobacterial abundance associated with lake fertilization was observed with HTS. Relative abundances ofMicrocystisbetween the two techniques showed moderate to strong levels of coherence in top intervals of the sediment cores. Both ddPCR and HTS approaches are suitable for sedDNA analysis, but studies aiming to quantify absolute abundances from complex environments should consider using ddPCR due to its high tolerance to PCR inhibitors.
First Report of Coexistence of blaSFO–1 and blaNDM–1 β-Lactamase Genes as Well as Colistin Resistance Gene mcr-9 in a Transferrable Plasmid of a Clinical Isolate of Enterobacter hormaechei
Authors: Ai Wenxiu , Zhou Ying , Wang Bingjie , Zhan Qing , Hu Longhua , Xu Yanlei , Guo Yinjuan , Wang Liangxing , Yu Fangyou , Li Xiaolong
Published: June 2021

Many antimicrobial resistance genes usually located on transferable plasmids are responsible for multiple antimicrobial resistance among multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. The aim of this study is to characterize a carbapenemase-producing Enterobacter hormaechei 1575 isolate from the blood sample in a tertiary hospital in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that 1575 was an MDR isolate. The whole genome sequencing (WGS) and comparative genomics were used to deeply analyze the molecular information of the 1575 and to explore the location and structure of antibiotic resistance genes. The three key resistance genes (blaSFO–1, blaNDM–1, and mcr-9) were verified by PCR, and the amplicons were subsequently sequenced. Moreover, the conjugation assay was also performed to determine the transferability of those resistance genes. Plasmid files were determined by the S1 nuclease pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (S1-PFGE). WGS revealed that p1575-1 plasmid was a conjugative plasmid that possessed the rare coexistence of blaSFO–1, blaNDM–1, and mcr-9 genes and complete conjugative systems. And p1575-1 belonged to the plasmid incompatibility group IncHI2 and multilocus sequence typing ST102. Meanwhile, the pMLST type of p1575-1 was IncHI2-ST1. Conjugation assay proved that the MDR p1575-1 plasmid could be transferred to other recipients. S1-PFGE confirmed the location of plasmid with molecular weight of 342,447 bp. All these three resistant genes were flanked by various mobile elements, indicating that the blaSFO–1, blaNDM–1, and mcr-9 could be transferred not only by the p1575-1 plasmid but also by these mobile elements. Taken together, we report for the first time the coexistence of blaSFO–1, blaNDM–1, and mcr-9 on a transferable plasmid in a MDR clinical isolate E. hormaechei, which indicates the possibility of horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes.