bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electronic signature and attestation in conveyancing practice: A Malaysian legal perspective
Authors: Hua Siong Wong , Munzil Muhamad Mohd
Published: March 2022

Background 

The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought about an unprecedented disruption to global business activities. Physical face-to-face activities must be restricted due to movement control order (MCO). The clients are required to sign the documents physically in the presence of the solicitor who must subsequently attest to the signature of the clients. The issue arises whether electronic signature (e-signature) and attestation are permissible under the laws of Malaysia. The aim of this research was to study the legality of e-signature and attestation in conveyancing practice in Malaysia and subsequently to propose recommendations to overcome these issues.  

Methods  

This is qualitative study and not an empirical study. The data was collected by library-based research from various primary and secondary data sources, including case law in Malaysia, written statutes, publication of journal and article.  

Results 

The Digital Signatures Act 1997 (DSA) and the Electronic Commerce Act 2006 (ECA) have legalised e-signatures. The DSA is the law that governs the digital signatures in Malaysia. ECA has listed a few documents which are not legally accepted if signed electronically, namely Power of Attorney, the Wills and codicils, the Trusts, and negotiable instruments. However, with regards to the issue of attestation of these documents, there are no clear laws which govern the attestation. The legal issue arises when the lawyers who have attested these documents are liable to be called as witness under the Evidence Act 1950 to testify their signature if these documents are tendered as evidence in any court proceedings.  

Conclusion 

Thus, it is suggested that there is a need for unique legal framework for e-signature and attestation in Malaysia due to the lack of specific laws which govern the issues of electronic signature and attestation.
The genome sequence of the peppered moth, Biston betularia Linnaeus, 1758
Authors: Boyes Douglas , Wright Charlotte ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: March 2022

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Biston betularia (the peppered moth; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Geometridae). The genome sequence is 405 megabases in span. The majority of the assembly (99.99%) is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, with the Z sex chromosome assembled.Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl has identified 12,251 protein coding genes.
Occupational health and safety in large-scale fishing vessels registered in Aegean ports
Authors: Mermer Alihan , Türk Meral , Tosunoğlu Zafer
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to determine the occupational safety knowledge level of the fishers and the factors affecting it in large-scale (trawl-purse seine) fishing vessels registered in Aegean ports. In the survey study, conducted with the participation of 295 person from both types of fishing, 40% (118) of the participants consisted of fishers working in trawlers and 60% (177) in purse-seiners. The knowledge level of 51.5% of the fishers was insufficient under score 7, while 48.5% of them were found to be sufficient with score 8 or more. It was determined that 40% of the fishers had occupational accidents, and hastiness with 15.5%, carelessness with 14.9% and fatigue with 5.8% followed the first place among the causes of accidents. It has been determined that the accidents occurred not only during the operation, but also at the port operations and during the cruise. As a result, it is considered that awareness and training activities to increase the knowledge level of fishers on occupational health and safety will be the most effective method in reducing the possibility of accidents and getting occupational diseases.
Assessing of fluctuating asymmetry in otolith of the Alburnus spp. from Anatolian lotic and lentic systems
Authors: Yedier Serdar , Kontaş Seda , Bostancı Derya
Published: March 2022

Fluctuating asymmetry can cause developmental disorders in fish, and particularly high levels of asymmetry adversely affect fish life. In this study, the fluctuating asymmetry levels of the otoliths of four Alburnus species (A. chalcoides (Güldenstädt, 1772), A. tarichi (Güldenstädt, 1814), A. escherichii Steindachner, 1897, and A. mossulensis Heckel, 1843) found in Turkish inland waters were investigated. A total of 160 fish were collected in the Turkish inland waters. The fluctuating asymmetry level was calculated for the width and length characters of the asteriscus. Alburnus species, which were examined in the present study, were divided into four total length classes and fluctuating asymmetry of otolith was evaluated according to both the total length classes and species. There was significant difference between the right and left asteriscus otolith measurements for A. escherichii (P<0.05). Besides, there were no significant differences between females and males’ otoliths measurements of the species (P>0.05). The highest and lowest asymmetry levels in the otolith length and otolith width were calculated in the A. escherichii among the Alburnus species. However, the highest and lowest asymmetry levels in otolith length and otolith width were calculated in the A. mossulensis among the total length groups of the Alburnus species. In this study, it was determined that the fluctuating asymmetry level varies according to different fish species and habitats.
Effects of ceramic balls on trout welfare during their live transfer conditions
Authors: Akdemir Gülperi , Er Akif , İpek Zeynep Zehra , Minaz Mert , Kayış Şevki
Published: March 2022

The effects of ceramic balls on live transfer conditions of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, (Walbaum,1792)) were determined by examining ammonia, pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature of water and gill histology of fish. Salt addition and various pH levels of water were also studied for comparison. The study was designed two different pH levels (high 7.98±0.2 and low 6.01±0.1), salt (6g/L), and ceramic ball (10g/l) addition and fish stock density to be 62.3 kg/m3. The trial tanks were mounted on a vehicle to represent actual transport conditions. Fish were sampled every hour for gill histology. As a results, the lowest ammonia value was determined as 1.98 mg/L in the ceramic ball. The highest ammonia value in the high pH group was 2.83 mg/l. When the gill tissues of the fish were examined, the significant differences observed were oedema and epithelial lifting in the control and high pH groups. Hyperplasia, epithelial lifting, and multiple deformations were observed in all the experimental groups except the ceramic ball group. This study showed that based on the histological results of the gills and the stability of the pH levels of the water and the effect on the reduction of the ammonia value of the water, that the ceramic balls are particularly useful for the transport of live fish.
Análisis de la evidencia sobre el juicio y la toma de decisiones morales entre el 2005 y 2020
Authors: Goenaga Jesus , Lopera Juan Diego , Villada Johny
Published: March 2022

Esta investigación presenta una revisión sistemática de 80 estudios sobre juicio moral en la toma de decisiones morales desde las ciencias cognitivas, publicados entre 2005 y 2020, en inglés y español. Los artículos se evaluaron de acuerdo con los niveles de evidencia de la Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (sign), llevando a cabo un análisis metodológico e identificando las siguientes tendencias teóricas: neurociencias cognitivas; variables de influencia biológica, psicológica y sociocultural; debate razón vs. intuición; divergencia entre juicio y comportamiento moral; y comprensión del juicio moral como proceso de evaluación. Se concluye que los estudios revisados ofrecen representatividad de evidencia en niveles explicativos, preferencia por el tipo de investigación empírico analítica, manejo asiduo de variables independientes en diseños experimentales, uso de instrumentos de dilemas morales y registro electrofisiológico, los cuales ofrecen amplias posibilidades inferenciales. Sin embargo, es necesaria mayor consistencia teórica y metodológica para evitar contradicciones que dificulten el fortalecimiento de los modelos teóricos.
Multi-Period Workload Balancing in Last-Mile Urban Delivery
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhao Lei , Savelsbergh Martin , Wu Shengnan
Published: March 2022

In the daily dispatching of last-mile urban delivery, a delivery manager has to consider workload balance among couriers to maintain workforce morale. We consider two types of workload: incentive workload, which relates to the delivery quantity and affects a courier’s income, and effort workload, which relates to the delivery time and affects a courier’s health. Incentive workload has to be balanced over a relatively long period of time (a payroll cycle—a week or a month), whereas effort workload has to be balanced over a relatively short period of time (a shift or a day). We introduce a multi-period workload balancing problem under stochastic demand and dynamic daily dispatching, formulate it as a Markov decision process (MDP), and derive a lower bound on the optimal value of the MDP model. We propose a balanced penalty policy based on cost function approximation and use a hybrid algorithm combining the modified nested partitions method and the KN++ procedure to search for an optimal policy parameter. A comprehensive numerical study demonstrates that the proposed balanced penalty policy performs close to optimal on small instances and outperforms four benchmark policies on large instances, and provides insight into the impact of demand variation and a manager’s importance weighting of operating cost and workload balance.
Clostridioides difficile Bacteraemia and Septic Arthritis in a Sickle Cell Disease Patient
Authors: Alqurashi Moayad , Madani Badr , Mursi Mohamed , Eltayeb Nazik
Published: March 2022

Extra-colonic Clostridioides difficile infection is rare. Here we describe a sickle cell disease patient with avascular necrosis who presented with persistent bacteraemia due to C. difficile and septic arthritis in a native knee joint, which responded very well to medical and surgical treatment but recurred multiple times within weeks of the cessation of antibiotics.
Changes and advances in the field of infective endocarditis
Authors: Mills Mark T , Al-Mohammad Abdallah , Warriner David R
Published: March 2022

Infective endocarditis is a rare but deadly disease, with a highly variable presentation. The clinical manifestations of the condition are often multisystemic, ranging from dermatological to ophthalmic, and cardiovascular to renal. Thus, patients with infective endocarditis may first present to the acute or general physician, who may have a variable knowledge of the condition. The diagnosis of infective endocarditis can be challenging, relying on clinical, imaging and microbiological features. Recent decades have seen a transformation in the epidemiology and microbiology of infective endocarditis and yet, despite advances in diagnostics and therapeutics, mortality rates remain high. This review outlines the emerging studies and guidelines on the assessment and management of infective endocarditis, focusing on the evolving epidemiology of the condition, the role of new imaging modalities, updated diagnostic criteria, the latest on antimicrobial and surgical management, and the role of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of patients with infective endocarditis.
Fog Computing Enabled Hydroponic Farming Systems
Authors: Minh Quang Tran , Gia Vy Nguyen Tran , Tan Sang Nguyen , Huu Phat Nguyen , Tsuchiya Takeshi
Published: March 2022

Intelligent hydroponic farming that leverages IoT advantages is a pattern of modern farming technology as it not only increases crop productions but also reduces negative impacts from traditional methods. This paper proposed a fog computing enabled hydroponic farming framework that devises low-cost data collection and novel data analysis mechanisms to deliver intelligent farming systems. In this framework, the data from multiple IoT sensors at the garden are collected, filtered and analyzed by artificial neural network (ANN) models deployed at the fog landscapes, while the ANN models are trained in the cloud with a large amount of historical farming data. This approach allows the intelligent models being updated, reducing the communication cost and response time, while utilizing computing resources available on the network edge. The evaluation results on the developed prototype depict the effectiveness and the performance of the proposed approach revealing that it is feasible and ready to be applied in real-world applications.
Broadband terahertz tunable multi-film absorber based on phase-change material
Authors: Peng Hao , Yang Ke , Huang Zhenxin , Chen Zhi
Published: March 2022

Based on the impedance matching method, we have numerically demonstrated a broadband tunable multilayer structure in a terahertz (THz) regime. The switchable functional characteristics of the absorber can be achieved by utilizing the phase transition property of vanadium dioxide (

V
O

2

). When

V
O

2

is in the metallic state, the designed device behaves as a broadband absorber with an absorbance greater than 90% under normal incident from a 4.5 to 10 THz range. When

V
O

2

is in the insulating state, the absorption in this band is down to near 0%. Moreover, this high absorption band shows a good polarization insensitive property and can be maintained over a range of incident angles up to 45°. Our proposed device exhibits the merits of wideband reconfigure absorbance in THz, and the absorber can be easily fabricated without involving any lithographic process, both of which are very attractive to potential THz applications such as sensing, camouflaging, and modulation of THz waves.
Surgical scene generation and adversarial networks for physics-based iOCT synthesis
Authors: Sommersperger Michael , Martin-Gomez Alejandro , Mach Kristina , Gehlbach Peter Louis , Ali Nasseri M. , Iordachita Iulian , Navab Nassir
Published: March 2022

The development and integration of intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) into modern operating rooms has motivated novel procedures directed at improving the outcome of ophthalmic surgeries. Although computer-assisted algorithms could further advance such interventions, the limited availability and accessibility of iOCT systems constrains the generation of dedicated data sets. This paper introduces a novel framework combining a virtual setup and deep learning algorithms to generate synthetic iOCT data in a simulated environment. The virtual setup reproduces the geometry of retinal layers extracted from real data and allows the integration of virtual microsurgical instrument models. Our scene rendering approach extracts information from the environment and considers iOCT typical imaging artifacts to generate cross-sectional label maps, which in turn are used to synthesize iOCT B-scans via a generative adversarial network. In our experiments we investigate the similarity between real and synthetic images, show the relevance of using the generated data for image-guided interventions and demonstrate the potential of 3D iOCT data synthesis.
Improving signal-to-background ratio by orders of magnitude in high-speed volumetric imaging in vivo by robust Fourier light field microscopy
Authors: Zhai Jiazhen , Shi Ruheng , Kong Lingjie
Published: March 2022

Fourier light field microscopy (FLFM) shows great potential in high-speed volumetric imaging of biodynamics. However, due to the inherent disadvantage of wide-field illumination, it suffers from intense background, arising from out of the depth-of-field signal and tissue scattered noise. The background will not only deteriorate the image contrast, making quantitative measurement difficult, but also introduce artifacts, especially in functional imaging of the neuronal network activity in vivo. Here, we propose the robust Fourier light field microscopy (RFLFM), which suppresses the background in FLFM by introducing structured illumination and computational reconstruction based on HiLo. The superior performance of RFLFM is verified by volumetric imaging of biological dynamics in larval zebrafish and mouse in vivo, at a volumetric imaging rate up to 33.3 Hz. The statistical results show that the fluorescence background can be significantly depressed, with the signal-to-background ratio improved by orders of magnitude and the whole image contrast improved by as much as

∼
10.4

times. Moreover, we stress that, in functional imaging of neuronal network activity in turbid brain tissues, our system can avoid artifacts resulting from background fluctuations, while conventional light field microscopy fails. As a simple but powerful tool, we anticipate our technique to be widely adopted in robust, high-contrast, high-speed volumetric imaging.
Polarization microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging for quantitative characterization of deep biological tissue microstructures
Authors: Li Yujing , Zhang Shanxiang , Wu Linghua , Cheng Zhongwen , Zhang Zhenhui , Wang Haohao , Zhao Shuxiang , Ren Mingyang , Yang Sihua , Xing Da , Qin Huan
Published: March 2022

Polarization optical imaging can be used to characterize anisotropy in biological tissue microstructures and has been demonstrated to be a powerful tool for clinical diagnosis. However, the approach is limited by an inability to image targets deeper than

∼
1
  
mm

due to strong optical scattering in biological tissues. As such, we propose a novel polarization microwave-induced thermoacoustic imaging (P-MTAI) technique to noninvasively detect variations in deep tissue by exploiting the thermoacoustic signals induced by four pulsed microwaves of varying polarization orientations. The proposed P-MTAI method overcomes the penetration limits of conventional polarization optical imaging and provides submillimeter resolution over depths of several centimeters. As part of the paper, the structural characteristics of tissues were quantified using a new parameter, the degree of microwave absorption anisotropy. P-MTAI was also applied to the noninvasive detection of morphological changes in cardiomyocytes as they transitioned from ordered to disordered states, providing a potential indication of myocardial infarction.
Large electromagnetic field enhancement in plasmonic nanoellipse for tunable spaser based applications
Authors: Jamil Saqib , Farooq Waqas , Ullah Najeeb , Daud Khan Adnan , Khalil Usman Khan , Mosavi Amir
Published: March 2022

We theoretically demonstrated a class of plasmonic coupled elliptical nanostructure for achieving a spaser or a nanolaser with high intensity. The plasmonic ellipse is made up of gold film substrate. The proposed structure is then trialed for various light polarizations, moreover, a simple elliptical nanostructure has been chosen primarily from which different cases have been formed by geometry alteration. The structure supports strong coupled resonance mode i.e. localized surface plasmon (LSP). The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the investigated system is numerically examined using the finite-element method (FEM). The calculations showed that the LSPR peaks and the local field intensity or near field enhancement (NFE) of the active nanosystem can be amplified to higher values by introducing symmetry-breaking techniques in the proposed ellipse and its variants. The coupled nanostructure having different stages of wavelengths can be excited with different plasmonic resonance modes by the selection of suitable gain media. In addition, a small-sized nanolaser with high tunability range can be developed using this nanostructure. The spaser phenomena are achieved at several wavelengths by changing light polarization and structure alteration methods. Giant localized field enhancement and high LSPR values enable the proposed model to be highly appealing for sensing applications, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and much more.
Association between viral suppression during the third trimester of pregnancy and unintended pregnancy among women on antiretroviral therapy: Results from the 2019 antenatal HIV Sentinel Survey, South Africa
Authors: Woldesenbet Selamawit , Kufa Tendesayi , Manda Samuel , Ayalew Kassahun , Lombard Carl , Cheyip Mireille , Puren Adrian
Published: March 2022

Objectives

About half of the pregnancies among women living with HIV (WLWH) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan African countries are reported to be unintended. Unintended pregnancy is associated with late initiation of antenatal care (ANC), and may delay provision of viral load monitoring services, antenatal adherence counselling and support, and other services that promote sustained viral suppression throughout pregnancy. This study examines the association between unsuppressed viral load during the third trimester of pregnancy and unintended pregnancy among women who initiated ART before pregnancy.

Methods

This was an analysis of data from a national antenatal survey conducted at 1 589 public health facilities in South Africa between 1 October and 15 November 2019. Consenting pregnant women aged 15–49 years attending ANC during the survey period were enrolled. Demographic and clinical data were collected through interview and medical record review. Pregnancy intention was assessed using two questions from the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy, and responses were categorized as “unintended,” “undecided,” and “intended.” Blood specimens were collected from all women and tested for HIV; and if positive, a viral load test was performed. A survey domain-based poisson regression model examined the association between unsuppressed viral load during the third trimester of pregnancy and unintended pregnancy among women who initiated ART before pregnancy. Viral suppression was defined as viral load <50 copies/mL.

Results

Of 10 901 WLWH with viral load data available, 63.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 62.4%-64.1%) were virally suppressed. Among the 2 681 women (representing 24.1% of all WLWH with viral load data) who initiated ART before pregnancy and were in their third trimester at the time of enrolment, 74.4% (95% CI: 73.0%-75.8%) were virally suppressed. In the same population, the proportion virally suppressed was lower among women whose current pregnancies were unintended (72.1%, 95% CI: 70.1%-74.1%) compared to women whose pregnancies were intended (78.3%, 95% CI: 75.9%-80.5%). In multivariable analyses adjusted for age, gravity, marital status, education, location of facility and syphilis status, unintended pregnancy was associated with unsuppressed viral load during the third trimester (adjusted relative risk: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1–1.4) among women who initiated ART before pregnancy.

Conclusion

The identified association between unsuppressed viral load and unintended pregnancy among pregnant women who initiated ART before pregnancy highlights the need to strengthen routine assessment of fertility preferences and provision of contraceptive services to reproductive age WLWH receiving ART.
Species-specific enamel differences in hardness and abrasion resistance between the permanent incisors of cattle (Bos primigenius taurus) and the ever-growing incisors of nutria (Myocastor coypus)
Authors: Fischer Valentin L. , Winkler Daniela E. , Głogowski Robert , Attin Thomas , Hatt Jean-Michel , Clauss Marcus , Wegehaupt Florian
Published: March 2022

Hypselodont (ever-growing) teeth of lagomorphs or rodents have higher wear rates (of a magnitude of mm/week), with compensating growth rates, compared to the non-ever-growing teeth of ungulates (with a magnitude of mm/year). Whether this is due to a fundamental difference in enamel hardness has not been investigated so far. We prepared enamel samples (n = 120 per species) from incisors of cattle (Bos primigenius taurus) and nutria (Myocastor coypus, hypselodont incisors) taken at slaughterhouses, and submitted them to indentation hardness testing. Subsequently, samples were split into 4 groups per species (n = 24 per species and group) that were assessed for abrasion susceptibility by a standardized brush test with a control (no added abrasives) and three treatment groups (using fine silt at 4 ±1 μm particle size, volcanic ash at 96 ±9 μm, or fine sand at 166 ±15 μm as abrasives), in which enamel abrasion was quantified as height loss by before-and-after profilometry. The difference in enamel hardness between the species was highly significant, with nutria enamel achieving 78% of the hardness of cattle enamel. In the control and the fine sand group, no enamel height loss was evident, which was attributed to thein vitrosystem in the latter group, where the sand particles were brushed out of the test slurry by the brushes’ bristles. For fine silt and volcanic ash, nutria enamel significantly lost 3.65 and 3.52 times more height than cattle. These results suggest a relationship between enamel hardness and susceptibility to abrasion. However, neither the pattern within the species nor across the species indicated a monotonous relationship between hardness and height loss; rather, the difference was due to qualitative step related to species. Hence, additional factors not measured in this study must be responsible for the differences in the enamel’s susceptibility to abrasion. While thein vitrobrush system cannot be used to rank abrasive test substances in terms of their abrasiveness, it can differentiate abrasion susceptibility in dental tissue of different animal species. The results caution against considering enamel wear as a similar process across mammals.
Does it work? Using a Meta-Impact score to examine global effects in quasi-experimental intervention studies
Authors: Doyle Nancy Elizabeth , McDowall Almuth , Randall Raymond , Knight Kate
Published: March 2022

The evaluation of applied psychological interventions in the workplace or elsewhere is challenging. Randomisation and matching are difficult to achieve and this often results in substantial heterogeneity within intervention and control groups. As a result, traditional comparison of group means using null hypothesis significance testing may mask effects experienced by some participants. Using longitudinal studies of coaching interventions designed to provide support for dyslexic employees, this study describes and evaluates a different approach using a Meta-Impact score. We offer a conceptual rationale for our method, illustrate how this score is calculated and analysed, and show how it highlights person-specific variations in how participants react and respond to interventions. We argue that Meta-Impact is an incremental supplement to traditional variable-centric group-wise comparisons and can more accurately demonstrate in practice the extent to which an intervention worked. Such methods are needed for applied research, where personalized intervention protocols may require impact analysis for policy, legal and ethical purposes, despite modest sample sizes.
Pentosan polysulfate regulates hepcidin 1-facilitated formation and function of osteoclast derived from canine bone marrow
Authors: Wijekoon Suranji , Sunaga Takafumi , Wang Yanlin , Mwale Carol , Kim Sangho , Okumura Masahiro
Published: March 2022

Hepcidin which is the crucial regulator of iron homeostasis, produced in the liver in response to anemia, hypoxia, or inflammation. Recent studies have suggested that hepcidin and iron metabolism are involved in osteoporosis by inhibiting osteoblast function and promoting osteoclastogenesis. Pentosan polysulfate (PPS) is a heparin analogue and promising novel therapeutic for osteoarthritis (OA). This study was undertaken to determine whether PPS inhibits hepcidin-facilitated osteoclast (OC) differentiation and iron overload. Canine (n = 3) bone marrow mononuclear cells were differentiated to OC by macrophage colony-stimulating factor and receptor-activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand with the treatment of hepcidin1 (200, 400, 800, 1200 nmol/L) and PPS (1, 5, 10, 20, 40 μg/mL). Differentiation and function of OC were accessed using tartrate-resistant acid phosphate staining and bone resorption assay while monitoring ferroportin1 (FPN1) and iron concentration by immunocytochemistry. Gene expression of OC for cathepsin K (CTK), matrix metallopeptidase-9, nuclear factor of activated-T-cells cytoplasmic 1 and FPN1 was examined. Hepcidin1 showed significant enhancement of OC number at 800 nmol/L (p<0.01). PPS impeded hepcidin-facilitated OC at 1, 5 and 10 μg/mL and reduction of resorption pits at 5 and 10 μg/mL (p< 0.01). All OC specific genes were downregulated with PPS, specifically in significant manner with CTK at higher concentrations. However, heparin induced FPN1 internalization and degradation was inhibited at higher concentrations of PPS while restoring iron-releasing capability of OC. We demonstrate for the first time that PPS is a novel-inhibitor of hepcidin-facilitated OC formation/function which might be beneficial for treatment of OA and osteoporosis.
Persepsi Wisatawan Terhadap Objek Wisata dan Pengelolaannya di Kabupaten Toraja Utara
Authors: Nurfaida Nurfaida , Arifin Hadi Susilo , Sitorus Santun R.P. , Eriyatno Eriyatno
Published: March 2022

Kabupaten Toraja Utara memiliki potensi pariwisata yang dapat diandalkan sebagai daya tarik wisata, namun jika tidak dikelola dengan baik tidak dapat berkembang secara optimal. Salah satu faktor penyebab adalah kualitas layanan yang belum optimal. Makalah ini bertujuan menunjukkan hasil identifikasi persepsi wisatawan terhadap objek wisata dan pengelolaannya di Kabupaten Toraja Utara. Metode yang digunakan adalah model Servqual dan Importance Performance Analysis. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa seluruh butir pernyataan dari dimensi fisik, keandalan, daya tanggap, jaminan kepastian, dan empati bernilai negatif. Kesenjangan negatif berarti wisatawan belum merasa puas dengan kualitas layanan objek wisata. Nilai kesenjangan paling tinggi adalah “sarana kuliner yang memadai” dengan nilai -2,19 dan -1,46. Pemetaan kinerja-kepentingan untuk wisatawan nusantara menunjukkan terdapat tiga butir pernyataan pada kuadran prioritas utama, yaitu “fasilitas jalan yang memadai menuju kawasan wisata, sarana keperluan pribadi lainnya yang memadai”, dan “pengelola mampu memberikan pelayanan yang cepat”. Menurut wisatawan mancanegara, terdapat dua butir pernyataan pada kuadran prioritas utama, yaitu “sarana informasi yang memadai” dan “kebersihan kawasan wisata”. Pengelola objek wisata dapat memprioritaskan strategi pengelolaan pada perbaikan sarana kuliner, sarana keperluan pribadi, sarana informasi, fasilitas jalan, kebersihan kawasan, dan pelayanan.
Study of emitted gases from incinerator of Al-Sadr hospital in Najaf city
Authors: Mohsen Kizar AL Hasnawi Fatima , Suhad Abdulsattar AL Mahbobi , Layth Abdulrasool AL Asadi
Published: March 2022

Medical waste incinerator of Al-Sadar hospital in Najaf city is one of the environmental pollution sources in the city due to reasons related to the quantity and quality of gases emitted from it, so this study aims to estimate environmental damage by determining the concentrations of some of these emitted gases. The study is concerned with determining the concentrations of six gases over five months (November 2013–March 2014), these gases were oxygen (O2), silane (SiH4), hydrogen (H2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), in addition to studying some weather factors such as wind speed and temperature that affect on the concentrations of the gaseous pollutants. It is found that the study area suffers from pollution with SO2 gas, which is one of the main standard pollutants for assessing polluted areas, where the mean of gas concentration during the study period was 0.205 [ppm] and thus exceeded the permissible limits. Moreover, some of the studied gases (like NO2 and H2S) have concentration close to the upper limit of the standards, where NO2 gas concentration in December and January were 0.17 [ppm] and 0.2 [ppm], respectively, and H2S gas concentrations in February and March were 3.5 [ppm] and 4.4 [ppm], respectively, which poses a threat to public health and other elements of the environment, which confirms the existence of an air pollution problem that the study area and the nearby areas suffer from.
Machinability of alloy ductile iron and forged 16MnCr5 steel
Authors: Tanabi Hamed
Published: March 2022

The remarkable mechanical properties of austempered ductile iron (ADI) render ADI as an alternative material for forged steels. On the other hand, the high strength and hardness make the machining of ADI to be challenging. In this study, the ADI is presented as an alternative material to fabricate the ring gear of the two-wheel tractors. A series of experiments were designed to evaluate the machinability of the alloyed ductile iron before the austempering process. 16MnCr5 alloy steel and alloyed ductile specimens were subjected to drilling tests. The effect of drilling parameters on thrust force was investigated based on a design of experiments approach. A regression model was established to predict thrust force at various drilling conditions. Then, the machinability rating was defined as the ratio of the predicted thrust forces. The results showed that at lower feed rates, the thrust force is very close for both materials, such that the estimated machinability rating is 86%.
Effect of particles on tensile and bending properties of jute epoxy composites
Authors: Adin Hamit , Adin Mehmet Şükrü
Published: March 2022

In this investigation, mechanical properties of composite materials produced from woven jute type were investigated. These composites were produced in the form of epoxy adhesive layers by using hand lay-up method in which aluminum, mica and ceramic particles were added into epoxy as a structural adhesive by 2, 4 and 6 wt%. Samples produced according to ASTM D procedures were subjected to tensile and three point bending loads to examine the effect of the particles. Experimental results were presented in tables and graphs. As a result, it was observed that the tensile and bending failure loads of the composite materials obtained by using the particle reinforced adhesive increased. Also, the biggest rise in tensile strength was achieved with 4 wt% aluminum and the biggest increase in bending strength was observed for 2 wt% aluminum particles.
Multi-objective optimization of build orientation considering support structure volume and build time in laser powder bed fusion
Authors: Günaydın Ahmet Can , Yıldız Ali Rıza , Kaya Necmettin
Published: March 2022

Additive manufacturing is a production technology based on creating three-dimensional parts directly from computer-aided design data layer-by-layer. In recent years, it has been used in many industries with the production of functional, high-quality metallic parts with the powder bed fusion process by laser. The build orientation of the three-dimensional part has a major impact on many factors such as part quality, waste amount, production time, and cost. In this study, a multi-objective optimization is carried out using non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II to simultaneously optimize different objectives that may conflict with each other, such as the amount of support structure and build time. Estimation methods are developed for computing the amount of support structure and the build time, which reflect the current state of the technology. With the developed method, build orientation is optimized for a complex part, and the wide range of alternative results are visualized and evaluated. The design for additive manufacturing knowledge required to correctly perform the build orientation process is eliminated by automating the pre-processing stage. Therefore, the contribution is made to the accessibility and sustainability of the PBF-L, which has high process costs by minimizing support structure volume and build time.
Exploration of the trait-activation model of pain catastrophizing in Native Americans: results from the Oklahoma Study of Native American pain risk (OK-SNAP)
Authors: Lannon Edward W. , Hellman Natalie , Huber Felicitas A. , Kuhn Bethany L. , Sturycz Cassandra A. , Palit Shreela , Payne Michael F. , Guereca Yvette M. , Toledo Tyler , Shadlow Joanna O. , Rhudy Jamie L.
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Native Americans (NAs) have the highest prevalence of chronic pain of any racial/ethnic group. This issue has received little attention from the scientific community. One factor that may contribute to racial pain disparities is pain catastrophizing. Pain catastrophizing is a construct related to negative pain outcomes in persons with/without chronic pain. It has been suggested that the relationship between trait catastrophizing and pain is mediated by situation-specific (state) catastrophizing. The present study has 2 aims: (1) to investigate whether state pain catastrophizing mediates the relationship between trait catastrophizing and experimental pain (e.g., cold, ischemic, heat and electric tolerance), and (2) to investigate whether this relationship is stronger for NAs.

Methods

145 non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) and 137 NAs completed the study. Bootstrapped indirect effects were calculated for 4 unmoderated and 8 moderated mediation models (4 models with path a moderated and 4 with path b).

Results

Consistent with trait-activation theory, significant indirect effects indicated a tendency for trait catastrophizing to be associated with greater state catastrophizing which in turn is associated with reduced pain tolerance during tonic cold (a × b=−0.158) and ischemia stimuli (a × b=−0.126), but not during phasic electric and heat stimuli. Moderation was only noted for the prediction of cold tolerance (path a). Contrary to expectations, the indirect path was stronger for NHWs (a × b for NHW=−.142).

Conclusions

Together, these findings suggest that state catastrophizing mediates the relationship between trait catastrophizing and some measures of pain tolerance but this indirect effect was non-significant for NAs.
APLIKASI TEKNOLOGI BUDIDAYA LADA PERDU DI BAWAH TEGAKAN TANAMAN PEPAYA DI DESA PATEMON PURBALINGGA JAWA TENGAH
Authors: Hadi Sapto Nugroho , Harjoso Tri
Published: March 2022

Kegiatan ini bertujuan untuk menerapkan teknologi budidaya lada perdu secara tepat sebagai tanaman sela di bawah tegakan tanaman pepaya untuk optimalisasi lahan dan peningkatan pendapatan petani di Desa Patemon, Kecamatan Bojongsari, Kabupaten Purbalingga, Provinsi Jawa Tengah. Mitra kegiatan adalah Kelompok Tani â€œKubang Taniâ€. Metode yang digunakan adalah 1). Transfer teknologi dan pendampingan yang melibatkan penyuluh pertanian di Kecamatan Bojongsari mengenai teknologi budidaya lada perdu sebagai tanaman sela, 2). Pembuatan demonstrasi dan plot (demplot) seluas 100 ubin (1400 m2), dan 3). Pelatihan pembuatan pupuk organik dari kotoran hewan sapi. Hasil yang diperoleh dari kegiatan ini: 1). Wawasan petani terkait teknologi budidaya lada perdu sebagai tanaman sela meningkat, 2). Petani mendapatkan pengalaman praktik langsung teknik budidaya daya lada perdu yang tepat menggunakan 200 bibit unggul, pupuk berimbang, sistem pemeliharaan yang baik seperti penyiangan gulma, penyulaman, dan pengairan, 3). Demplot seluas 1400 m2 sebagai percontohan untuk penerapan teknologi budidaya lada perdu, dan 4). Petani mendapat pengalaman dan keterampilan memanfaatkan sumberdaya lokal seperti kotoran sapi untuk dijadikan pupuk organik.
Pemberdayaan Teknologi Informasi untuk Kemajuan Restoran
Authors: Asrihapsari Andi , Effendi Adnan , Nugrhaningsih Putri
Published: March 2022

Pengabdian ini bertujuan untuk membantu restoran dalam upaya mengoptimalkan perkembangan teknologi informasi yang ada. Bantuan dilakukan dalam bentuk kegiatan pendampingan terhadap manajemen restoran dalam mengaplikan beberapa teknologi informasi sesuai kebutuhan mereka. Metode yang digunakan selama pendampingan ini adalah melalui lima tahap. Tahap pertama adalah preparation, yaitu tahap pengenalan usaha mitra, kemampuan mitra, dan kebutuhan mitra akan IT restoran. Tahap kedua adalah development, yaitu tahap membangun sistem kebijakan iptek yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan dan keinginan mitra. Tahap ketiga adalah quality plan, yaitu tahap membangun sistem evaluasi kebijakan iptek yang mana bisa mendeteksi kelemahan dari sistem tersebut. Tahap keempat implementation, yaitu tahap menerapkan sistem kebijakan iptek pada aktivitas di restoran. Tahap kelima adalah evaluation, yaitu tahap menerapkan sistem evalusi kebijakan iptek. Berdasarkan hasil pengabdian, restoran mitra pengabdian telah berupaya meningkatkan kinerja restorannya dengan mengadopsi beberapa fasilitas IT, yaitu aplikasi kasir berbasis android dengan Loyverse dan WiFi dengan IndiHome. Pengabdian ini berusaha membantu melakukan pendampingan ke restoran agar dapat mengaplikasikan IT restoran tersebut dengan optimal. Dampak setelah pengabdian adalah pencatatan transaksi di restoran menjadi lebih mudah dan tertib dengan adanya aplikasi kasir berbasis android, restoran mulai mengandalkan fasilitas WiFi sebagai pendukung operasional manajemen yaitu untuk menjalankan aplikasi WhatsApp dan sosial media restoran, menjalankan aplikasi kasir serta menjadi salah satu daya tarik disetiap promo yang dilakukan restoran.
Training of Trainers Penulisan Artikel Web Desa Wisata Gerbosari, Samigaluh Kulon Progo
Authors: Amalia Nurisqi , Satrianto Elton Buyung
Published: March 2022

Tujuan dari program pendampingan ini adalah meningkatnya pemahaman masayarakat Desa Gerbo Sari, Samigaluh, Kulon Progo tentang, kaidah menulis karya ilmiah  dan menulis artikel secara profesional. Metode kegiatan adalah dengan pendekatan secara klasikal dan individual. Pendekatan klasikal digunakan pada kegiatan penyampaian materi secara teoritik langkah-langkah menulis artikel. Pendekatan individual digunakan pada saat peserta pendampingan menulis artikel yakni dengan metode workshop. Berdasarkan hasil pelaksanaan pelatihan pengelolaan artikel website Desa Gerbosari, Pokdarwis di Desa Gerbosari dapat mengelola dan mempraktikkan secara langsung pembuatan artikel di website Desa Gerbsari sesuai dengan pelatihan yang sudah diberikan. Pelatihan pengelolaan website ini sangat bermanfaat bagi masyarakat untuk mengoptimalkan promosi Desa Wisata Gerbosari secara online untuk mendukung misi Desa Gerbosari yaitu menuju Desa Gerbosari Sejahtera Mandiri melalui pengoptimalan promosi Desa Wisata Gerbosari
Pengolahan Bunga Kering dengan Teknik Resin sebagai Alternatif Merchandise Khas Dusun Jantur, Desa Gunungsari, Kecamatan Bumiaji, Kota Batu
Authors: Fitrahayunitisna Fitrahayunitisna , Rahmawati Femi Eka , Anggrian Mayang , Iksan Nur
Published: March 2022

Dusun Jantur terletak di Desa Gunungsari, Kecamatan Bumiaji, Kota Batu, Propinsi Jawa Timur. Desa Gunungsari memiliki potensi wisata bunga. Sebagaimana Desa Gunungsari merupakan desa binaan Universitas Brawijaya, maka pengabdiaan masyarakat dalam hal ini ingin mengembangkan pelatihan kewirausahaan masayarakat dibidang seni pembuatan merchandise resin berbahan bunga kering. Dengan adanya pelatihan resin, diharapkan produk-produk tersebut menjadi alternatif sumber pencaharian masyarakat dalam rangka mengembangkan kewirausahaan dan kemajuan perekonomian dusun. Rumusan masalah dalam kegiatan ini antara lain adalah 1) Bagaimana teknik pembuatan resin dari bunga kering? 2) Bagaimana teknik pengemasan produk resin? Dan 3) Bagaimana strategi pemasaran produk resin?. Manfaat dari kegiatan ini adalah mengembangkan produk yang menjadi kekhasan dusundan menginspirasi masyarakat dalam mengembangkan potensi yang dimiliki sebagai sumber alternatif dalam menggerakkan roda perekonomian. Sasaran dari kegiatan ini ada dua yakni umum dan khusus. Sasaran secara umum adalah pemuda-pemudi karang taruna. Sasaran secara khusus adalah ibu-ibu rumah tangga yang tidak bekerja, buruh petik bunga, petani, dan peternak. Metode pelaksanaan yang dilakukan mencakup tiga hal, yakni penyuluhan, pelatihan, dan konseling.
Training for Trainer Outbond Konservasi untuk Meningkatkan Perilaku Cinta Lingkungan pada Anak
Authors: Hasyim Mohamad Yusuf Ahmad , Miftahuddin Ahmad , Astuti Dies Oktavia Dwi
Published: March 2022

Permasalahan lingkungan, khususnya terkait sampah merupakan salah satu permasalahan utama di Desa Morodemak Kecamatan Bonang Kabupaten Demak. Adanya permasalahan lingkungan dan sampah ini turut dipengaruhi oleh sikap dan perilaku cinta lingkungan (pro-environmental behavior). Perilaku cinta lingkungan berupakan bentuk perilaku yang bersifat konservasi, yaitu perilaku yang secara aktif turut mendukung terwujudnya lingkungan yang berkelanjutan (sustainable environment). Selain upaya kuratif dengan melakukan pembersihan terhadap sampah yang ada di desa, upaya preventif atau pencegahan perlu dilakukan, khususnya melalui pendidikan karakter konservasi pada anak-anak. Kegiatan pengabdian ini bertujuan umum meningkatkan karakter konservasi pada anak-anak di Desa Morodemak Kecamatan Bonang Kabupaten Demak melalui Outbond Konservasi dengan memanfaatkan potensi wisata mangrove di desa setempat. Tujuan khusus dari pengabdian ini adalah melakukan pelatihan untuk tim wisata Mangrove Morodemak yang terdiri dari pemuda-pemuda Karang Taruna untuk dapat menyelenggarakan Outbond Konservasi bagi anak-anak. Tahapan kegiatan yang akan dilakukan dalam pengabdian ini meliputi: 1) penyusunan modul Outbond Konservasi, 2) pelatihan traning for trainer bagi tim wisata Mangrove Morodemak dalam mengadakan Outbond Konservasi, 3) simulasi atau praktik penyelenggaraan Outbond Konservasi oleh tim wisata di Desa Morodemak Kecamatan Bonang Kabupaten Demak. Alternatif pemecahan masalah yang diterapkan melalui kegiatan pengabdian ini adalah melalui kegiatan pendidikan dan pelatihan. Adapun metode pendidikan dan pelatihan yang akan diterapkan adalah: 1) ceramah, 2) diskusi dan tanya jawab, 3) roleplay dan simulasi, dan 5) evaluasi. Hasil evaluasi menunjukkan bahwa peserta menilai positif seluruh aspek penyelenggaraan kegiatan. Hasil pengamatan juga menunjukkan peserta memahami cara mempraktikkan outbond konservasi untuk anak sehingga dapat diterapkan sebagai salah satu paket wisata.
Accuracy Measurements and Decision Making by NaÃ¯ve Bayes and Forward Chaining Method to Identify the Malnutrition Causes and Symptoms
Authors: Ibtasam Muhammad
Published: March 2022

Malnutrition is characterized as muscle weakening and cognitive disparity caused by social, dietary, political, food security issues. It appears as many underlying symptoms like fatigue, weakness, micronutrient deficiencies, weight loss to apparent symptoms of muscle mass reduction. Every 1 in 5 children is malnourished in developing countries. Purpose: Policies and program formulation require prevalence facts to classify the most prevalent cause. Diagnostic tools and computer modeling have revolutionized the world of health sciences. Much algorithmic formulation can help to predict the prognosis of diseases based on the previous fact sheets. Methods/Study design/approach: Naïve Bayes provides the posterior probability value that gives an analysis of the member with the whole sample set. Forward chaining gives the logistic conclusion with IF and THEN approach. Result/Findings: Naïve Bayes provided high accuracy of 88% as compared to 85% forward chaining. Novelty/Originality/Value: In this study, the Naïve Bayes algorithm approach is coupled with the forward chaining system to provide a highly accurate measurement of the cause of malnutrition.