bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Weekly Cisplatin Plus Radiation for Postoperative Head and Neck Cancer (JCOG1008): A Multicenter, Noninferiority, Phase II/III Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Kiyota Naomi , Tahara Makoto , Mizusawa Junki , Kodaira Takeshi , Fujii Hirofumi , Yamazaki Tomoko , Mitani Hiroki , Iwae Shigemichi , Fujimoto Yasushi , Onozawa Yusuke , Hanai Nobuhiro , Ogawa Takenori , Hara Hiroki , Monden Nobuya , Shimura Eiji , Minami Shujiro , Fujii Takashi , Tanaka Kaoru , Homma Akihiro , Yoshimoto Seiichi , Oridate Nobuhiko , Omori Koichi , Ueda Tsutomu , Okami Kenji , Ota Ichiro , Shiga Kiyoto , Sugasawa Masashi , Asakage Takahiro , Saito Yuki , Murono Shigeyuki , Nishimura Yasumasa , Nakamura Kenichi , Hayashi Ryuichi ,   the Head and Neck Cancer Study Group of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG-HNCSG)
Published: March 2022

PURPOSE

The standard treatment for postoperative high-risk locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA-SCCHN) is chemoradiotherapy with 3-weekly cisplatin (100 mg/m2). However, whether chemoradiotherapy with weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m2) yields comparable efficacy with 3-weekly cisplatin in postoperative high-risk LA-SCCHN is unknown.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this multi-institutional open-label phase II/III trial, patients with postoperative high-risk LA-SCCHN were randomly assigned to receive either chemoradiotherapy with 3-weekly cisplatin (100 mg/m2) or with weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m2) to confirm the noninferiority of weekly cisplatin. The primary end point of phase II was the proportion of treatment completion, and that of phase III was overall survival. A noninferiority margin of hazard ratio was set at 1.32.

RESULTS

Between October 2012 and December 2018, a total of 261 patients were enrolled (3-weekly cisplatin, 132 patients; weekly cisplatin, 129 patients). At the planned third interim analysis in the phase III part, after a median follow-up of 2.2 (interquartile range 1.19-3.56) years, chemoradiotherapy with weekly cisplatin was noninferior to 3-weekly cisplatin in terms of overall survival, with a hazard ratio of 0.69 (99.1% CI, 0.374 to 1.273 [< 1.32], one-sided P for noninferiority = .0027 < .0043). Grade 3 or more neutropenia and infection were less frequent in the weekly arm (3-weekly v weekly, 49% v 35% and 12% v 7%, respectively), as were renal impairment and hearing impairment. No treatment-related death was reported in the 3-weekly arm, and two (1.6%) in the weekly arm.

CONCLUSION

Chemoradiotherapy with weekly cisplatin is noninferior to 3-weekly cisplatin for patients with postoperative high-risk LA-SCCHN. These findings suggest that chemoradiotherapy with weekly cisplatin can be a possible treatment option for these patients.
Proposal for a New Pathologic Prognostic Index After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PINC)
Authors: Redegalli M. , Schiavo Lena M. , Cangi M. G. , Smart C. E. , Mori M. , Fiorino C. , Arcidiacono P. G. , Balzano G. , Falconi M. , Reni M. , Doglioni C.
Published: March 2022

Background

Limited information is available on the relevant prognostic variables after surgery for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) subjected to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). NACT is known to induce a spectrum of histological changes in PDAC. Different grading regression systems are currently available; unfortunately, they lack precision and accuracy. We aimed to identify a new quantitative prognostic index based on tumor morphology.

Patients and Methods

The study population was composed of 69 patients with resectable or borderline resectable PDAC treated with preoperative NACT (neoadjuvant group) and 36 patients submitted to upfront surgery (upfront-surgery group). A comprehensive histological assessment on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained sections evaluated 20 morphological parameters. The association between patient survival and morphological variables was evaluated to generate a prognostic index.

Results

The distribution of morphological parameters evaluated was significantly different between upfront-surgery and neoadjuvant groups, demonstrating the effect of NACT on tumor morphology. On multivariate analysis for patients that received NACT, the predictors of shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were perineural invasion and lymph node ratio. Conversely, high stroma to neoplasia ratio predicted longer OS and DFS. These variables were combined to generate a semiquantitative prognostic index based on both OS and DFS, which significantly distinguished patients with poor outcomes from those with a good outcome. Bootstrap analysis confirmed the reproducibility of the model.

Conclusions

The pathologic prognostic index proposed is mostly quantitative in nature, easy to use, and may represent a reliable tumor regression grading system to predict patient outcomes after NACT followed by surgery for PDAC.
Left Ventricular Adaptation to Exercise Training via Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Studies of Twin Responses to Understand Exercise THerapy
Authors: MARSH CHANNA E. , THOMAS HANNAH J. , NAYLOR LOUISE H. , DEMBO LAWRENCE G. , SCURRAH KATRINA J. , GREEN DANIEL J.
Published: February 2022

Purpose

Changes in left ventricular mass (LVM) and end-diastolic volume (EDV) in response to exercise training are important determinants of functional capacity in health and disease, but the impact of different exercise modalities remains unclear.

Methods

Using a randomized crossover design we studied the impact of resistance (RES) and endurance (END) training using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in previously untrained monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs (n = 72; 22 MZ pairs, 14 DZ same-sex pairs; 26.1 ± 5.4 yr). Twins, as pairs, undertook 3 months of RES and 3 months of END training (order randomized), separated by a 3-month washout.

Results

Group results revealed that END increased LVM (P < 0.001) and EDV (P = 0.007), whereas RES did not (P > 0.05). A higher proportion of individuals responded to END than RES for LVM (72% vs 38%, P < 0.001) and EDV (67% vs 40%, P = 0.003). Baseline cross-sectional intraclass correlations were higher for MZ than DZ twin pairs for all variables (e.g., LVM heritability = 0.42), but no significant correlations were apparent between pairs for change in any variable in response to either RES or END (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that cardiac adaptation in response to exercise is modality-specific and that low responders to one mode of exercise can be high responders to an alternative. Heritability estimates based on cross-sectional data, which suggested a genetic contribution to LVM, do not accord with estimates based on training effects, which indicated limited genetic impact on adaptation in this 3-month study of exercise training. This study has implications for understanding the physiological and health impacts of typically used exercise modalities on cardiac adaptation in previously untrained individuals.
Patterns of Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Health Outcomes in Adults: A Systematic Review
Authors: BRADY RUTH , BROWN WENDY J. , HILLSDON MELVYN , MIELKE GREGORE I.
Published: February 2022

Purpose

The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature on accelerometer-measured physical activity and health outcomes in adults.

Methods

Eight electronic databases were searched for relevant articles published up to March 2021. Only population-based studies of adults (age ≥18 yr) that directly compared two or more categories of physical activity (i.e., bout duration, intensity, and daily/weekly frequency) with a health outcome (e.g., mortality, cardiometabolic, healthy aging, depression, sleep, and brain structure) were included.

Results

Of the 15,923 publications retrieved, 52 articles were included. Twenty-eight studies directly compared the associations between physical activity accumulated in different bout durations, 31 studies directly compared the associations between physical activity accumulated in different intensities, and 9 studies directly compared the associations between the effects of varying daily and weekly frequencies of physical activity, with health outcomes. Most showed no differences in relationships with health outcomes when physical activity was accumulated in short (<10-min) or long (≥10-min) bouts. Overall, there were no differences in the relationships with most health outcomes when different intensities and daily/weekly frequencies were compared. However, in most studies, researchers did not adjust their analyses for total volume of physical activity. Moreover, variations in researcher-driven decisions about data collection and processing methods made it difficult to compare study findings.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that physical activity accumulated in many patterns of bout duration, intensity, or daily/weekly frequency is associated with a range of beneficial health outcomes in adults. Lack of adjustment for total volume of physical activity in most studies and inconsistent methods for defining components of physical activity prevent firm conclusions about which specific patterns of bout duration, intensity, and daily/weekly frequency are most important for health benefits.
Radiation and iodine dose reduced thoraco-abdomino-pelvic dual-energy CT at 40 keV reconstructed with deep learning image reconstruction
Authors: Noda Yoshifumi , Kawai Nobuyuki , Kawamura Tomotaka , Kobori Akikazu , Miyase Rena , Iwashima Ken , Kaga Tetsuro , Miyoshi Toshiharu , Hyodo Fuminori , Kato Hiroki , Matsuo Masayuki
Published: March 2022

Objective

To evaluate the feasibility of a simultaneous reduction of radiation and iodine doses in dual-energy thoraco-abdomino-pelvic CT reconstructed with deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR).

Methods:

Thoraco-abdomino-pelvic CT was prospectively performed in 111 participants; 52 participants underwent a standard-dose single-energy CT with a standard iodine dose (600 mgI/kg; SD group), while 59 underwent a low-dose dual-energy CT with a reduced iodine dose [300 mgI/kg; double low-dose (DLD) group]. CT data were reconstructed with a hybrid iterative reconstruction in the SD group and a high-strength level of DLIR at 40 keV in the DLD group. Two radiologists measured the CT numbers of the descending and abdominal aorta, portal vein, hepatic vein, inferior vena cava, liver, pancreas, spleen, and kidney, and background noise. Two other radiologists assessed diagnostic acceptability using a 5-point scale. The CT dose-index volume (CTDIvol), iodine weight, CT numbers of anatomical structures, background noise, and diagnostic acceptability were compared between the two groups using Mann–Whitney U test.

Results:

The median CTDIvol [10 mGy; interquartile range (IQR), 9–13 mGy vs 4 mGy; IQR, 4–5 mGy] and median iodine weight (35 g; IQR, 31–38 g vs 16 g; IQR, 14–18 g) were lower in the DLD group than in the SD group (p < 0.001 for each). The CT numbers of all anatomical structures and background noise were higher in the DLD group than in the SD group (p < 0.001 for all). The diagnostic image quality was obtained in 100% (52/52) of participants in the SD group and 95% (56/59) of participants in the DLD group.

Conclusion:

Virtual monochromatic images at 40 keV reconstructed with DLIR could achieve half doses of radiation and iodine while maintaining diagnostic image quality.

Advances in knowledge

Virtual monochromatic images at 40 keV reconstructed with DLIR algorithm allowed to reduce the doses of radiation and iodine while maintaining diagnostic image quality.
Case Report: Medicolegal evaluation in a case of fatal scald where a child fell into a cauldron in rural Nepal
Authors: Atreya Alok , Gyawali Lokaratna , Menezes Ritesh G , Ateriya Navneet , Shreshtha Jamuna , Ghimire Sristi
Published: March 2022

Thermal injuries in young children involving the buttocks, perineum, and lower limbs raise suspicion of child abuse. Determining the manner of death and ruling out homicide in a fatal case of scalding remains a challenge for forensic practitioners. One such issue is reported in the present case report, where a medicolegal evaluation of a fatal scald in a two-year-old girl child is discussed. Young children sustaining serious injuries from scalds is a grave social concern. Such young lives need to be protected from scald injuries whether accidental or purposeful. Differences in injury patterns on the basis of their distribution and their characteristics are important to determine manner of death in such cases.
Medical mentorship deconstructed: an analysis and structural recommendation for high value mentorship
Authors: Kim Duane , Manzo Rosa D. , Montoya Michael , Nguyen Marissa , Vang Kao Houa , Weber Lindsey , Yepez Marisela
Published: March 2022

Background: Mentorship is a necessary component for young students to pursue a career in medicine. In medically underserved areas, mentorship can be sparse due to the lack of access to healthcare professionals. The purpose of this project was to gain an understanding of the mentorship received by practicing medical students.

Methods: The authors conducted structured, one-on-one interviews with 10 current medical students about their perceptions and experiences with mentorship. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for themes and subthemes.

Results: Our findings revolve around three time periods of mentorship: 1) Before Obtaining a Mentor; 2) During the Mentorship; and 3) After the Mentorship.  In our findings we describe key characteristics such as professional development, personal qualities of the mentor, and professional and personal guidance as important components in guiding the mentee starting from the undergraduate level and continuing to their current level of education. 

Conclusion: Interviewees’ experiences with and perspectives on the mentorship they received were generally positive, though it was evident there are some aspects of the mentee-mentor relationship that can be improved upon and universally changed. Building on the results obtained, setting expectations, providing mentor training, and pairing mentors/mentees from similar backgrounds are what we propose to create fulfilling and meaningful relationships between a mentee and mentor.
A Study on the Basics Processes of Massive MIMO
Authors:   Department of Electronics and Communications, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt., Abdelfatah Marwa , ElSayed Shaimaa , Zekry Abdelhalim
Published: March 2022

Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) is a key technique used in 5G mobile communication systems; it aims to efficiently increase the spectral efficiency of the communication systems. Massive MIMO is a MIMO system with a massive number of antennas in the base station, it uses its large number of antennas to efficiently transmit and receive the signals between the base stations and the user equipment and maximize the spectral efficiency of the system. Massive MIMO is mainly composed of three important processes: channel estimation, uplink transmission (receive beamforming), and downlink transmission (transmit beamforming). Based on the effective channel estimation methods, the base station can process the signal to make efficient transmit and receive beamforming and provide good transmission and reception quality, which is measured by the spectral efficiency of the system. Many references present the basics of massive MIMO processes, including channel estimation, transmit beamforming and receive beamforming. This paper aims to present a cleared and concluded study on these basics massive MIMO processes. It presents different channel estimation methods and evaluates its performance based on the normalized mean square error. It also presents different receive and transmit beamforming techniques and evaluates its performance based on spectral efficiency.
Service Capacity and Price Promotion Wars
Authors: Bae Junhyun , Chen Li , Yao Shiqing
Published: March 2022

Firms often engage in price promotion wars to gain market share from their competitors. However, poor customer satisfaction as a result of limited service capacity may significantly impact such a pricing strategy. In this paper, we consider a two-firm price competition model in which customers’ purchase decisions are affected by their anticipation of a poor service encounter. Our equilibrium analysis reveals that firms would be less aggressive in engaging in price cutting when customers care more about service quality and when service capacity is relatively low. Interestingly, when service capacity is close (but not exact) to covering one half of the total market demand, firms would adopt a mixed strategy with randomized pricing, driven by unilateral motives to either capture more market share (by lowering prices) or increase profit margin (by raising prices). We further show that having a superior service capacity presents a competitive advantage for a firm and such advantage can be preemptive. In an extended two-period model that allows for customer switching after a poor service encounter, we find that when service capacity is relatively low, firms may offer deeper price discounts in the first period if customers are forward looking than if they are myopic. Our numerical study confirms that the main qualitative insights obtained in our base model continue to hold when the customer switching behavior is considered.

This paper was accepted by Jay Swaminathan, operations management.

Supplemental Material: Data and the online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.4325 .
Pengolahan Limbah Pewarna Batik di Desa Klampar Kecamatan Proppo Kabupaten Pamekasan dengan Penerapan Adsorben Superadsorpsi
Authors: Purnomo Adi Setyo , Prasetyoko Didik , Nurhadi Hendro , Hakim Muhammad Lukman , Asranudin Asranudin , Alkas Taufiq Rinda , Yuniarti Eka Pratiwi , Rohmah Alya Awinatul , Nabilah Badzlin
Published: February 2022

Industri batik di Indonesia didominasi oleh kelompok UMKM yang tersebar di seluruh Nusantara. Hampir setiap daerah terdapat industri batik yang mencirikan budaya daerah. Salah satu UMKM batik yang sedang digalakkan oleh pemerintah adalah UMKM batik Madura di Desa Klampar, Kecamatan Proppo, Kabupaten Pamekasan. Wilayah Klampar telah ditetapkan sebagai kampung batik melalui surat keputusan Bupati Pamekasan. UMKM batik di Desa Klampar hampir sama seperti di daerah lain, namun produk batik dengan motif Madura yang kuat telah menjadi ciri khas produk kain atau pakaian batik jadi. UMKM batik di Desa Klampar menggunakan pewarna sintetik yaitu Remazol dan Naftol dalam pewarnaannya. Sekitar 15 tahun terakhir mereka menggunakan Remazol dan Naftol secara masif bahkan bahan kimia lainnya seperti HCl dan Hipoklorit sebagai pemudar. Pengetahuan bahan berbahaya dan beracun oleh UMKM Desa Klampar sangat rendah yang ditandai dengan pembuangan limbah sisa pencucian atau perendaman batik secara langsung. Berdasarkan kasus penanganan limbah yang buruk, maka tim abdimas ITS telah mendiseminasikan paket teknologi dekolorator basis kolom matriks adsorben super adsorpsi dari hasil riset laboratorium kimia. Reaktor terhubung dengan tabung dekolorator yang berisi adsorben arang aktif-silika-zeolit. Sistem ini dapat menghilangkan limbah pewarna menjadi larutan yang aman dibuang di lingkungan. Tim abdimas telah menyerahkan 1 unit reaktor kepada UMKM batik Mawar di Desa Klampar dengan harapan akan memberikan dampak signifikan terhadap kontaminasi lingkungan pertanian dan perairan di sekitar mitra UMKM Batik Mawar di Desa Klampar.
Sosialisasi Sistem Jaminan Halal Bagi Pelaku Usaha Mikro, Kecil dan Menengah (UMKM)
Authors: Savitri Niken Anggraini , Putra Rizki Revianto
Published: February 2022

Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional yang bekerjasama dengan Komite Nasional Keuangan Syariah mendefinisikan sektor Usaha Mikro, Kecil, dan Menengah (UMKM) sebagai penggerak utama halal value chain dalam Masterplan Ekonomi Syariah yang dirilis pada tahun 2019. Dipilihnya UMKM sebagai agen penggerak halal value chain bukanlah tanpa alasan. UMKM telah menjadi tonggak penggerak perekonomian nasional dan merupakan unit usaha yang sangat dekat dengan berbagai lapisan masyarakat. Hal ini menjadi sangat strategis mengingat dalam Masterplan Ekonomi Syariah Republik Indonesia tahun 2019-2024 pertumbuhan masyarakat menengah di Indonesia meningkat hinga 7%-8% per tahun. Sayangnya sertifikasi halal di Indonesia saat ini masih belum optimal. Masih banyak pelaku UMKM yang belum sadar akan pentingnya melakukan sertifikasi halal. Beberapa penyebabnya natara lain adalah kurangnya kesadaran konsumen akan sertifikasi halal, sehingga pelaku usaha makanan halal tidak melihat sertifikasi halal sebagai sebuah added value dalam bisnis mereka. Berdasarkan permasalahan tersebut, kami mengusulkan solusi dalam bentuk sosialisasi, pelatihan, dan pendampingan kepada UMKM di kota Surabaya terkait proses produksi halal dan bisnis digital. Kegiatan yang akan dilaksanakan meliputi pelatihan kader halal untuk memberikan sosialisasi mengenai konsep halal hingga Sistem Jaminan Halal (SJH) dan pendampingan dalam implementasi proses halal. Program-program tersebut diharapkan dapat memberikan bekal pengetahuan dan informasi yang cukup khususnya bagi UMKM untuk menuju proses sertifikasi halal bagi produknya, sekaligus membantu UMKM tersebut untuk mempersiapkan diri menuju transformasi digital.
Analisis Pemahaman Materi Getaran dan Viskositas dari Siswa SMA Trensains Tebuireng Jombang pada Pelatihan Praktikum Penentuan Viskositas Zat Cair Menggunakan Konsep Getaran Teredam
Authors: Asih Retno , Sudarsono Sudarsono , Pratapa Suminar , Suasmoro Suasmoro , Arifin Zaenal , Asrori M. Zainul , Nurdiansah Haniffudin
Published: February 2022

Kemampuan siswa dalam analisis dan pemecahan masalah merupakan aspek-aspek penting dalam pembelajaran fisika. Akan tetapi keterbatasan alat praktikum untuk mendemonstrasikan konsep fisika serta ketidaktepatan metode pembelajaran sering kali membuat siswa merasa kesulitan dalam menguasai aspek tersebut. Oleh karena itu, kegiatan pelatihan praktikum penentuan viskostas zat cair menggunakan konsep getaran teredam ini dilakukan guna mendukung peningkatan kemampuan siswa dalam memahami konsep-konsep fisika. Kegiatan pelatihan ini dilakukan di SMA Trensains Tebuireng Jombang. Alat praktikum dirancang agar dapat digunakan untuk mengeksplorasi beberapa konsep fisika, tidak hanya untuk praktikum penentuan viskositas cairan, tetapi juga dapat digunakan dalam praktikum penentuan konstanta pegas, sebagai peraga osilasi harmonik sederhana dan osilasi teredam. Analisis terhadap nilai tes dari siswa sebelum dan sesudah pelatihan menunjukan adanya peningkatan nilai yang signifikan melalui pelatihan. Peningkatan ini teramati pada semua aspek penilaian: pemahaman teori dasar dan konsep dasar praktikum, serta pada kesemua topik pembelajaran: konsep osilasi, osilasi teredam dan viskositas. Selain itu, berdasarkan distribusi nilai, jumlah siswa yang mendapatkan nilai pada rentang diatas 66 (per 100) mengalami kenaikan signifikan setelah pelatihan.
Pendampingan Pembuatan Pupuk Cair Berbasis Organik dan Aplikasinya terhadap Tanaman Uji secara Hidroponik
Authors: Darmawan Raden , Juliastuti Sri Rachmania , Hendrianie Nuniek , Qadariyah Lailatul , Wiguno Annas , Firdaus Ayu Paramita , Putri Imro’atus Nur Mufidah Dimyati , Nurfia Ina , Fitria Renita Nurul , Nisa Ridha Agustina Kholifatun , Akbar Achmad Fajrul
Published: February 2022

Limbah merupakan sisa hasil dari sebuah proses atau usaha yang tidak dapat digunakan kembali serta memberikan efek negative terhadap lingkungan. Dalam keseharian, UMKM Jenang Murni di Ponorogo, menghasilkan limbah air kelapa sebanyak 30–40 liter dan limbah cair tersebut hanya hanya dibuang ke lingkungan. Hal ini, tentu akan menyebabkan permasalahan lingkungan. Di sisi lain, kebutuhan dan harga pupuk yang semakin meningkat dan mahal, dan sebagai upaya untuk mencegah kerusakan tanah akibat penggunaan pupuk anorganik. Tuntutan untuk mengurangi pencemaran lingkungan dan merespon kebutuhan serta mahalnya harga pupuk, melatarbelakangi pengabdian tentang pemanfaatan limbah menjadi lebih bermanfaat dan bernilai ekonomis. Permasalahan tersebut, dapat diatasi dengan mengolah limbah air kelapa menjadi pupuk organik cair. Metode yang digunakan adalah dengan melakukan pendampingan eksperimen pembuatan pupuk cair, dimana limbah air kelapa diolah mejadi pupuk organik yang kemudian diaplikasikan ke tanaman uji secara hidroponik. Kegiatan yang dilakukan bertujuan untuk memberikan pemahaman serta mengedukasi kepada UMKM yang berada di Ponorogo serta Pondok Pesantren Al Ahsan melalui pendampingan langsung dan kegiatan webinar secara khusus sehingga bisa meningkatkan pemahaman dalam produktifitas pupuk limbah organik dari limbah air kelapa yang diharapkan mampu meningkatkan perekonomian.
Pengendalian Kualitas Statistika Dasar bagi Staf Quality Assurance PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk
Authors: Mashuri Muhammad , Suharsono Agus , Wibawati Wibawati , Ahsan Muhammad , Khusna Hidayatul , Aksioma Diaz Fitra , Suhermi Novri
Published: February 2022

Kualitas menjadi bahan pertimbangan utama dalam memilih atau menggunakan suatu produk. Pengendalian kualitas statistik telah diaplikasikan secara luas dalam bidang industri maupun jasa. Dalam bidang industri, tujuh alat statistika memiliki peranan yang penting. Salah satu alat statistik yang banyak digunakan dalam bidang industri adalah peta kendali. Penggunaan peta kendali cukup efektif untuk memonitor apakah suatu proses produksi terkendali secara statistik atau tidak. PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk merupakan Badan Usaha Milik Negara (BUMN) yang bergerak pada bidang pembuatan semen. Tingginya permintaan semen membuat PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk selalu berupaya untuk menjaga kualitas sesuai dengan standar kualitas yang telah ditetapkan. Kualitas semen yang baik akan menambah nilai kepercayaan dari masyarakat kepada PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk. Monitoring kualitas yang dilakukan oleh devisi Quality Assurance (QA) merupakan salah satu bagian penting di PT Semen Indonesia. Oleh kerena itu diperlukan pelatihan bagi staff bagian QA sehingga mampu melakukan monitoring kualitas dengan metode yang tepat. Empat materi yang disampaikan pada pelatihan yaitu peran statistika untuk quality improvement, tujuh alat statistika, peta kendali variabel, dan peta kendali atribut. Pelatihan yang diberikan dapat meningkatkan kompetensi bagi peserta dibuktikan dengan diperolehnya rata-rata nilai post-test yang lebih tinggi daripada rata-rata nilai pre-test.
Sosialisasi Bahaya dan Upaya Pencegahan Social Engineering untuk Meningkatkan Kesadaran Masyarakat tentang Keamanan Informasi
Authors: Tyas Darmaningrat Eko Wahyu , Noor Ali Achmad Holil , Herdiyanti Anisah , Subriadi Apol Pribadi , Muqtadiroh Feby Artwodini , Astuti Hanim Maria , Susanto Tony Dwi
Published: February 2022

Pada tahun 2018, pengguna media sosial di Indonesia mencapai 49% dari total penduduk Indonesia yaitu 130 juta populasi dari total 265,4 juta populasi. Perilaku upload foto, video, atau tulisan yang seringkali berisikan informasi pribadi mereka tersebut dapat menyebabkan pengguna berada dalam posisi yang berbahaya dan berpotensi hilangnya privasi pengguna. Beberapa kasus kriminal seputar penyalahgunaan informasi kerap kali terjadi di Indonesia. Banyak dari kasus tersebut dilakukan dengan tujuan untuk mendapatkan keuntungan. Pelaku mengambil foto dan informasi nomor seluler korban melalui sosial media dan mengedit foto korban menjadi foto vulgar. Foto tersebut digunakan sebagai umpan untuk mengancam korban dan memeras korban. Kasus mengenai penyalahgunaan informasi tersebut disebabkan oleh kurangnya kesadaran akan pentingnya menjaga privasi informasi di media sosial.

Social engineering merupakan salah satu teknik yang perlu diwaspadai dalam menjaga keamanan informasi. Social engineering berfokus pada bagian terlemah pada sistem jaringan komputer, yaitu manusia. Teknik ini berusaha mengambil informasi pribadi dari target korban dengan melakukan manipulasi psikologis melalui mekanisme interaksi sosial. Selain itu, dalam pelaksanaan social engineering pelaku juga dapat meminta langsung apa yang diinginkan ataupun menciptakan suasana palsu dimana seseorang menjadi bagian dari situasi tersebut. Social engineering merupakan salah satu teknik hacking yang paling mudah di lakukan karena dilakukan dengan mengeksploitasi kelemahan manusia seperti rasa takut, rasa percaya, dan rasa ingin menolong.

Berdasarkan permasalahan tersebut, tim pengabdi ingin melakukan sosialisasi mengenai berbagai teknik social engineering, dampak yang bisa ditimbulkan, serta upaya pencegahannya kepada masyarakat. Adanya kebijakan work-from-home (WFH) dan study-from-home (SFH) di era pandemi COVID-19 saat ini mengakibatkan penggunaan gadget dan media sosial semakin massif. Sebagian besar berpendapat bahwa materi yang disampaikan menarik dan sangat sesuai dengan kondisi saat ini. Hal ini membuat peserta kegiatan sangat antusias dan menyampaikan cukup banyak pertanyaan dalam sesi tanya jawab. Semua peserta juga bersedia untuk dikontak kembali apabila ada kegiatan serupa atau kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat di tahun-tahun mendatang.
Sex, poverty, and public health: Connections between sexual wellbeing and economic resources among US reproductive health clients
Authors: Higgins Jenny A. , Kramer Renee , Senderowicz Leigh , Everett Bethany , Turok David K. , Sanders Jessica N.
Published: February 2022

Objective

To document associations between socioeconomics and indicators of sexual wellbeing.

Methods

We obtained our data from the HER Salt Lake Initiative, a large, longitudinal cohort study of family planning clients in the United States who accessed free contraceptive services between March 2016 and March 2017. Baseline socioeconomic measures included Federal Poverty Level, receipt of public assistance, and difficulty paying for housing, food, and other necessities. Sexual wellbeing measures assessed sexual functioning and satisfaction, frequency of orgasm, and current sex‐life rating. Among participants who had been sexually active in the last month (N = 2581), we used chi‐square tests to examine bivariate associations between sexual and socioeconomic measures.

Results

We found strong and consistent relationships between sexual wellbeing and economic resources: those reporting more socioeconomic constraints also reported fewer signs of sexual flourishing.

Conclusions

Financial scarcity appears to constrain sexual wellbeing. To support positive sexual health, the public health field must continue to focus on economic reform, poverty reduction, and dismantling of structural classism as critical aspects of helping people achieve their full health and wellbeing potential.

ClinialTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02734199.
Quantification of solid-phase chemical reactions using the temperature-dependent terahertz pulsed spectroscopy, sum rule, and Arrhenius theory: thermal decomposition of α-lactose monohydrate
Authors: Komandin G. A. , Zaytsev K. I. , Dolganova I. N. , Nozdrin V. S. , Chuchupal S. V. , Anzin V. B. , Spektor I. E.
Published: March 2022

Transformations of the low-energy vibrational spectra are associated with structural changes in an analyte and closely related to the instability of weak chemical bounds. Terahertz (THz)/far-infrared optical spectroscopy is commonly used to probe such transformation, aimed at characterization of the underlying solid-phase chemical reactions in organic compounds. However, such studies usually provide quite qualitative information about the temperature- and time-dependent parameters of absorption peaks in dielectric spectra of an analyte. In this paper, an approach for quantitative analyses of the solid-phased chemical reactions based on the THz pulsed spectroscopy was developed. It involves studying an evolution of the sample optical properties, as a function of the analyte temperature and reaction time, and relies on the classical oscillator model, the sum rule, and the Arrhenius theory. The method allows one to determine the temperature-dependent reaction rate V1(T) and activation energy Ea. To demonstrate the practical utility of this method, it was applied to study α-lactose monohydrate during its temperature-induced molecular decomposition. Analysis of the measured THz spectra revealed the increase of the reaction rate in the range of V1 ≃ ~9 × 10−4–10−2 min−1, when the analyte temperature rises from 313 to 393 K, while the Arrhenius activation energy is Ea ≃ ~45.4 kJ/mol. Thanks to a large number of obtained physical and chemical parameters, the developed approach expands capabilities of THz spectroscopy in chemical physics, analytical chemistry, and pharmaceutical industry.
Chiral exceptional point in transformation cavity
Authors: Park Sang-Jun , Kim Inbo , Rim Sunghwan , Choi Muhan
Published: March 2022

Unlike the ideal circular whispering gallery cavities, those without mirror symmetry intrinsically support resonant modes exhibiting chirality which indicates an imbalance between clockwise and counterclockwise wave components. In extreme cases, nearly degenerate pairs of copropagating modes can be found around the chiral exceptional points (EPs) in parameter spaces. The chiral EPs have been studied in various schemes; however, most attention has been focused on the cases with piecewise constant or periodic refractive index profiles. In this Letter, we report the formation of a chiral EP in a gradient-index cavity designed by conformal transformation optics. Here, the mirror symmetry of the cavity is broken solely by its gradient index profile, and the parameter space is constructed with coordinate transformation parameters. We unveil the chirality, nonorthogonality, and complex-square-root topology near the chiral EP, which can be explained by the non-Hermitian model Hamiltonian.
Observing the optical modes of parametric instability
Authors: Schiworski Mitchell , Bossilkov Vladimir , Blair Carl , Brown Daniel , Jones Aaron , Ottaway David , Zhao Chunnong
Published: March 2022

Parametric instability (PI) is a phenomenon that results from resonant interactions between optical and acoustic modes of a laser cavity. This is problematic in gravitational wave interferometers where the high intracavity power and low mechanical loss mirror suspension systems create an environment where three-mode PI will occur without intervention. We demonstrate a technique for real-time imaging of the amplitude and phase of the optical modes of PI yielding, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the first ever images of this phenomenon which could form part of active control strategies for future detectors.
Discretization of annular-ring diffraction pattern for large-scale photonics beamforming
Authors: Khachaturian Aroutin , Fatemi Reza , Darbinian Artsroun , Hajimiri Ali
Published: March 2022

A solid-state active beamformer based on the annular-ring diffraction pattern is demonstrated in an integrated photonic platform. Such a circularly symmetric annular-ring aperture achieves a radiating element limited field of view. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a multi-annular-ring aperture with a fixed linear density of elements maintains the beam efficiency for larger apertures while reducing the beamwidth and side-lobe level. A 255-element multi-annular-ring optical phased array with active beamforming is implemented in a standard photonics process. A total of 510 phase and amplitude modulators enable beamforming and beam steering using this aperture. A row–column drive methodology reduces the required electrical drivers by more than a factor of 5.
Histamine H4 Receptor Expression in Triple-negative Breast Cancer: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Speisky Daniela , Táquez Delgado Mónica A. , Iotti Alejandro , Nicoud Melisa B. , Ospital Ignacio A. , Vigovich Félix , Dezanzo Pablo , Ernst Glenda , Uriburu Juan L. , Medina Vanina A.
Published: March 2022

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast cancer subtype. There are neither universally accepted prognostic markers nor molecular targets related to TNBC. The histamine H4 receptor (H4R) has been characterized in TNBC experimental models, demonstrating its critical role in tumor development and progression. In this study, H4R expression was compared in breast cancer subtypes and correlated with clinical features using The Cancer Genome Atlas data (Pan-Cancer Atlas). The H4R status was further evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 30 TNBC human samples in relation to clinicopathological parameters. Results indicate that H4R was downregulated in basal-like/TNBC compared with luminal A and normal breast-like tumors. The higher expression of H4R was associated with improved progression-free and overall survival outcomes in basal-like/TNBC. H4R immunoreactivity was detected in about 70% of tumors, and its expression was positively correlated with the levels in the histologically normal peritumoral tissue. High H4R expression in peritumoral tissue correlated with reduced number of lymph node involvement and unifocal TNBC, while it was associated with increased patient survival. In conclusion, the H4R might represent a potential prognostic biomarker in TNBC. Further studies in large cohorts are needed to better understand the significance of H4R in breast cancer biology:
Crank Nicholson scheme to examine the fractional-order unsteady nanofluid flow of free convection of viscous fluids
Authors: Zubair Tamour , Usman Muhammad , Sooppy Nisar Kottakkaran , Khan Ilyas , Ghamkhar Madiha , Ahmad Muhammad
Published: March 2022

Fractional fluid models are usually difficult to solve analytically due to complicated mathematical calculations. This difficulty in considering fractional model further increases when one considers nth order chemical reaction. Therefore, in this work an incompressible nanofluid flow as well as the benefits of free convection across an isothermal vertical sheet is examined numerically. An nth order chemical reaction is considered in the chemical species model. The specified velocity (wall’s) is time-based, and its motion is translational into mathematical form. The fractional differential equations are used to express the governing flow equations (FDEs). The non-dimensional controlling system is given appropriate transformations. A Crank Nicholson method is used to find solutions for temperature, solute concentration, and velocity. Variation in concentration, velocity, and temperature profiles is produced as a result of changes in discussed parameters for both Ag-based and Cu-based nanofluid values. Water is taken as base fluid. The fractional-order time evaluation has opened the new gateways to study the problem into a new direction and it also increased the choices due to the extended version. It records the hidden figures of the problem between the defined domain of the time evaluation. The suggested technique has good accuracy, dependability, effectiveness and it also cover the better physics of the problem specially with concepts of fractional calculus.
Avoiding bias when inferring race using name-based approaches
Authors: Kozlowski Diego , Murray Dakota S. , Bell Alexis , Hulsey Will , Larivière Vincent , Monroe-White Thema , Sugimoto Cassidy R.
Published: March 2022

Racial disparity in academia is a widely acknowledged problem. The quantitative understanding of racial-based systemic inequalities is an important step towards a more equitable research system. However, because of the lack of robust information on authors’ race, few large-scale analyses have been performed on this topic. Algorithmic approaches offer one solution, using known information about authors, such as their names, to infer their perceived race. As with any other algorithm, the process of racial inference can generate biases if it is not carefully considered. The goal of this article is to assess the extent to which algorithmic bias is introduced using different approaches for name-based racial inference. We use information from the U.S. Census and mortgage applications to infer the race of U.S. affiliated authors in the Web of Science. We estimate the effects of using given and family names, thresholds or continuous distributions, and imputation. Our results demonstrate that the validity of name-based inference varies by race/ethnicity and that threshold approaches underestimate Black authors and overestimate White authors. We conclude with recommendations to avoid potential biases. This article lays the foundation for more systematic and less-biased investigations into racial disparities in science.
Relationships between Dota 2 expertise and decision-making ability
Authors: Sörman Daniel Eriksson , Dahl Karl Eriksson , Lindmark Daniel , Hansson Patrik , Vega-Mendoza Mariana , Körning-Ljungberg Jessica
Published: March 2022

Esports is an often time-consuming activity that has become increasingly popular with billions of players all over the world. The objective of this study was to investigate if there is a relationship between skill level in the strategy video game Dota 2, a game that places many demands on decision making to be successful, and decision making under ambiguity and experience as measured by performance in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), a task known to have ecological validity. Two indicators of players’ performance in Dota 2, namely match-making rating (MMR) and Medal, were used as predictors of performance in the IGT in path models. Results showed that Medal was a significant predictor of performance in IGT, while MMR score was borderline significant. The cognitive reflection task, included in the models as an indicator of the ability to engage in conscious, analytical, rational, and logical thinking, was a significant predictor of performance in IGT, and was significantly and positively related to MMR. The findings from this study give insight into the cognitive demands related to performance in Dota 2. Although results suggest that strategy video gaming may be a factor that contributes to increased decision making abilities, a reversed relationship is also possible, whereby individuals who are better at decision making are also more likely to become successful in Dota-2. More studies, preferably longitudinal, are needed to replicate the findings of this study and to establish the directionality between factors.
Developing customized stepwise MIRU-VNTR typing for tuberculosis surveillance in Georgia
Authors: Maghradze Nino , Jugheli Levan , Borrell Sonia , Tukvadze Nestani , Kempker Russell R. , Blumberg Henry M. , Gagneux Sebastien
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Units–Variable Tandem Repeats (MIRU-VNTR) typing has been widely used for molecular epidemiological studies of tuberculosis (TB). However, genotyping tools for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) may be limiting in some settings due to high cost and workload. In this study developed a customized stepwise MIRU-VNTR typing that prioritizes high discriminatory loci and validated this method using penitentiary system cohort in the country of Georgia.

Methods

We used a previously generated MIRU-VNTR dataset from recurrent TB cases (32 cases) in Georgia and a new dataset of TB cases from the penitentiary system (102 cases) recruited from 2014 to 2015. A Hunter-Gaston Discriminatory Index (HGDI) was calculated utilizing a 24 standard loci panel, to select high discriminatory power loci, subsequently defined as the customized Georgia-specific set of loci for initial typing. The remaining loci were scored and hierarchically grouped for second and third step typing of the cohort. We then compared the processing time and costs of the customized stepwise method to the standard 24-loci method.

Results

For the customized Georgia-specific set that was used for initial typing, 10 loci were selected with a minimum value of 0.32 to the highest HGDI score locus. Customized 10 loci (step 1) typing of 102 Mtb patient isolates revealed 35.7% clustered cases. This proportion was reduced to 19.5% after hierarchical application of 2nd and 3rd step typing with the corresponding groups of loci. Our customized stepwise MIRU-VNTR genotyping approach reduced the quantity of samples to be typed and therefore overall processing time and costs by 42.6% each.

Conclusion

Our study shows that our customized stepwise MIRU-VNTR typing approach is a valid alternative of standard MIRI-VNTR typing panels for molecular epidemiological investigation in Georgia that saves time, workload and costs. Similar approaches could be developed for other settings.
Early detection of venous thromboembolism after the initiation of chemotherapy predicts a poor prognosis in patients with unresectable metastatic pancreatic cancer who underwent first-line chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel
Authors: Yamai Takuo , Ikezawa Kenji , Hiraga Erika , Kawamoto Yasuharu , Hirao Takeru , Higashi Sena , Daiku Kazuma , Maeda Shingo , Abe Yutaro , Urabe Makiko , Kai Yugo , Takada Ryoji , Nakabori Tasuku , Fukutake Nobuyasu , Uehara Hiroyuki , Fujita Masashi , Ohkawa Kazuyoshi
Published: March 2022

Background

Pancreatic cancer is associated with a high thromboembolism risk. We investigated the significance of early venous thromboembolism (VTE) detection in patients with unresectable metastatic pancreatic cancer (UR-MPC) who received first-line chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP).

Methods

This single-center retrospective study enrolled 174 patients with UR-MPC who underwent GnP as a first-line chemotherapy from April 2017 to March 2020. The early detection of VTE (deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary thromboembolism) was defined as diagnosis by the first follow-up CT scan after the initiation of chemotherapy. We compared the patients with early detection of VTE (VTE (+) group) with the others (VTE (-) group). We examined overall survival (OS), progress free survival (PFS), severe adverse events, and predictors associated with OS using the Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

Early detection of VTE was observed in 17 patients (9.8%). Thirteen patients were diagnosed with VTE at treatment initiation, and four patients were diagnosed after treatment initiation. The median time to diagnosis after treatment initiation was 55 days (range: 31–71 days). Only 3 patients were symptomatic. The VTE (+) group exhibited worse OS and PFS than the VTE (-) group (OS: 259 days vs. 400 days, P < 0.001; PFS: 120 days vs. 162 days, P = 0.008). The frequency of grade 3–4 adverse events was not significantly different. Although the performance status was poorer in the VTE (+) group, VTE was identified as a statistically significant independent predictor for OS in multivariate analyses (HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.02–3.44; P = 0.041).

Conclusions

Early VTE detection is a predictor of a poor prognosis in UR-MPC patients who receive GnP as first-line chemotherapy, suggesting that screening VTE for patients with UR-MPC is crucial, even if patients are asymptomatic.