bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sınıf Öğretmeni Adaylarının Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Farkındalıkları ve ‘Doğal Kaynaklar’ Kavramına Yönelik Metaforik Algıları
Authors: Aydın Gürler Sümeyye
Published: May 2023

Bu çalışmada sınıf öğretmeni adaylarının sürdürülebilir kalkınma farkındalıkları ve doğal kaynaklar kavramına yönelik metaforik algılarının belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmada karma yöntem kullanılmıştır. Çalışmanın örneklemini 2021-2022 eğitim-öğretim yılında Gaziantep Üniversitesinin iki eğitim fakültesinde öğrenim gören 310 sınıf öğretmeni adayı oluşturmuştur. Nicel veriler Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Farkındalık Ölçeği ile nitel veriler ise Metafor Yoluyla Doğal Kaynaklar Kavramına İlişkin Veri Toplama Formu ile elde edilmiştir. Çalışmanın nicel boyutunda, öğretmen adaylarının sürdürülebilir kalkınma farkındalıklarının orta puanın üzerinde olduğu, 3. sınıf ve kadın öğrencilerin sürdürülebilir kalkınma farkındalıklarının daha iyi olduğu görülmüştür. Çalışmanın nitel boyutunda ise öğretmen adaylarının doğal kaynaklar kavramına ilişkin en çok “su” ve “nefes” metaforlarını ürettikleri görülmüştür. Bunun yanı sıra sürdürülebilir kalkınma farkındalığı düşük olan öğretmen adayları doğal kaynakların yaşamın devamı için gerekliliğine, orta düzeyde olan öğretmen adayları yaşamın devamlılığı ve bilinçli kullanılmasının önemine, yüksek düzeyde olan öğretmen adayları ise değerli/önemli olmasına daha çok vurgu yapmışlardır.
‘Farklılık’ Algısını Parçalamak ve Özel Eğitim İçin Yeniden Birleştirmek
Authors: Tanık Hatice , Çalıkoğlu Burcu Seher , Kaya Aygen Büşra
Published: May 2023

Çalışma öğretmen adaylarının “farklı olmak” kavramına yönelik zihinsel algıları ortaya çıkarmak amacıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışma grubu İstanbul’da bir vakıf üniversitesindeki eğitim fakültesinin Türkçe, Arapça, ilköğretim matematik, özel eğitim ve sınıf öğretmenliği bölümlerinde öğrenim gören ve özel eğitim dersine kayıtlı olan 176 öğretmen adayından oluşmaktadır. Araştırma tarama modellerinden tekil tarama modeli ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veri seti, katılımcı öğretmen adayların “Farklı olmak......…....benzer. Çünkü, …….” ifadelerini tamamlaması yoluyla  elde edilmiştir. Öğretmen adaylarının 77 ortak olmak üzere toplam 527 metafor ürettikleri gözlemlenmiştir. Farklılık için en çok “güneş” metaforunu kullanmayı tercih etmişlerdir. Araştırmanın ilk aşamasında, öğretmen adayları tarafından üretilen metaforlar; içerik analizi sonucunda (1) kişiye ortama zamana veya duruma göre değişen bir kavram olarak farklılık, (2) dahil olan / kabul edilen ve bütünleştiren bir kavram olarak farklılık, (3) özgün bir tavır olarak farklılık, (4) dışlanan, kabul edilmeyen ve ayrımcılığa maruz kalan bir kavram olarak farklılık, (5) anlaşılması gereken bir kavram olarak farklılık ve (6) mücadeleyi içeren bir kavram olarak farklılık olmak üzere altı farklı temada toplanmıştır. Araştırmanın ikinci aşamasında, farklılık kavramına ilişkin tüm üretilen anlamlar birleştirilmiş ve özel gereksinimliler adına yeni bir farklılık bilinci inşa edilmiştir. Bu farklılık bilincini geliştirmek için; öğretmen adaylarının lisans programlarında, normalleşme politikası, uyumsuzlukla yüzleşme ve norm değerlerinin oluşumu ve yok oluşu konularına yer verilmesi gerektiği düşünülmüştür.
İki Önemli Öğretmenlik Mesleği Yeterliği: Eğitim Programı Okuryazarlığı ve Eğitim Programı Liderliği
Authors: Bolat Yavuz , Baş Muhammet
Published: May 2023

Bu araştırma birer öğretmen yeterliği olarak kabul edilen Eğitim Programı Okuryazarlığı (EPO) ile Eğitim Programlı Liderliği (EPL) kavramlarına açıklık getirerek bu iki yeterlik arasındaki ilişkiyi bilimsel verilerle ortaya çıkarmayı amaçlamaktadır. Bu çalışma nitel ve nicel verilerin birlikte kullanıldığı ayrıca içerisinde bir ölçek geliştirme sürecinin de olduğu karma desenli bir araştırmadır. Bu araştırmaya farklı eğitim kurumlarında ve branşlarda görev yapan 595 öğretmen katılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre öğretmenlerin EPO yeterlikleri genel itibariyle yüksek olmasına karşın okuma ve yazma boyutlarında farklılık göstermiştir. EPO yeterliklerinden hedef alanına dönük yeterliklerin daha düşük olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Eğitim Programı Okuryazarlığı Ölçeği ile Eğitim Programı Liderliği Ölçeği alt boyutları arasındaki ilişkiler de birlikte düşünüldüğünde bu iki öğretmen yeterliği arasında bir ilişkinin olduğunu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Araştırmadan elde edilen veriler nitel verilerle desteklenerek alana ilişkin bazı öneriler sunulmuştur.
Yetersizlikten Kaçınma Çabası Ölçeğinin Türkçeye Uyarlama Çalışması
Authors: Pekin Zeynep , Deniz Mehmet Engin
Published: May 2023

Bu araştırmanın amacı, Yetersizlikten Kaçınma Çabası Ölçeğinin Türkçeye uyarlama çalışmasının yapılmasıdır. Veriler uygun örnekleme metoduyla Yeditepe Üniversitesi öğrencilerinden toplanmıştır. Araştırma dört aşamada gerçekleştirilmiştir. Dil geçerliği (Çalışma I, n=77), AFA (n=221) ve DFA (n=220) aracılığıyla yapı geçerliği (Çalışma II), uygunluk geçerliği (Çalışma III, n=441) ve güvenirlik (Çalışma IV, n= 441) çalışmaları yapılmıştır. AFA ve DFA sonuçlarına göre, Türkiye örnekleminde orijinal ölçekte olduğu gibi iki faktörlü yapı desteklenmiştir. 27 madde toplam varyansın %50'sini açıklamıştır. Uyum indeksleri, iyi model uyumuna karşılık gelmiştir. Ölçeğin öz-anlayış ve sosyal karşılaştırma ile arasındaki korelasyonların anlamlı olduğu görülmüştür. Ayrıca güvenirlik çalışmalarının bulgularına göre, ölçeğin yüksek düzeyde güvenilir olduğu saptanmıştır. Sonuç olarak, Yetersizlikten Kaçınma Çabası Ölçeğinin Türkiye’de psikologlar, psikolojik danışmanlar gibi uygulayıcılar ve araştırmacılar tarafından kullanılabilecek geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçme aracı olduğu bulunmuştur.
Bir Örgütsel Sessizlik Alanı: Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı Zümre Toplantıları
Authors: Karabay Aydın , Kılıç Gülenay Nagihan , Kocabaş İbrahim
Published: May 2023

Bu araştırma Millî Eğitim Bakanlığına bağlı okullarda çalışan öğretmenlerin zümre toplantılarında sessiz kalma davranışlarının nedenlerinin araştırılması amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırma nitel araştırma yaklaşımlarından durum çalışması deseninde tasarlanmıştır. Araştırmanın katılımcıları İstanbul ilinde çalışan en az bir yıl ilçe zümre başkanlığı yapmış öğretmenlerden oluşmaktadır. Örnekleme yöntemi olarak ölçüt örnekleme yönteminden yararlanılmış ve 7. katılımcı ile görüşüldüğünde veri doygunluğa ulaşıldığından veri toplama süreci tamamlanmıştır. Veri toplama aracı olarak araştırmacıların geliştirdiği yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılmıştır. Veriler içerik analizi ve betimsel analiz yapılarak analiz edilmiştir. Yapılan analizler sonucunda zümre başkanı seçilme şekli, örgütsel sessizlik ve öneriler temaları oluşmuştur. Bu temalardan elde edilen bulgulara göre öğretmenlerin zorunlu olarak zümre başkanı yapıldığı ve bu göreve talebin çok az olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Ayrıca zümre toplantılarının örgütsel sessizlik alanı olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır. Araştırmanın bulgularından hareketle uygulayıcılara, öğretmenlerin toplantılarda belirttiklerini dikkate almaları, toplantı kararlarının eğitim-öğretim faaliyetlerine nasıl yansıdığı ile ilgili geri bildirim vermeleri, politika yapıcılara zümre başkanlığının cazip hale getirilmesine yönelik çalışmalar yapmaları önerilmektedir.
An Examination of Heart Rate Variability at Anaerobic Threshold and Respiratory Compensation Points During Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test
Authors: Alparslan Tuncay , Arabacı Ramiz , Görgülü Recep
Published: May 2023

The aim of this study is to examine the changes in HRV values before, during (at AT and RC) and after maximal incremental cardiopulmonary exercise test. The sample comprised 121 healthy men who recreational do exercise 2-3 days a week. (age: 30.5 ± 4.6 years, height: 177.8 ± 6.1 cm; weight: 80.2 ± 10.2 kg). Anthropometric measurements were measured by using body analyzer, and aerobic capacities of participants were measured by using the cardiopulmonary exercise test via the Bruce protocol. According to this, heart rate variability recordings were taken at seven stages during the cardiopulmonary exercise test: before the test (1), at the beginning of the test (2), between the beginning of the test and the anaerobic threshold (3), at the anaerobic threshold (4), between the anaerobic threshold and the respiratory threshold (5), at the respiratory threshold (6), and finally (7), 30 seconds after the cardiopulmonary exercise test. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the HRV values obtained from the test stages. In conclusion, using a gas analyzer during cardiovascular exercise testing, HRV values (MeanRR, SDNN, RMSSD, LFnu) determined at seven stages continue to decrease from the beginning. A rest period of 30 seconds (passive rest) immediately after completing the exercise does not seem to be sufficient for recovery. According to the results of this study, it can be considered that the sympathetic nervous system activity (LFnu) exhibits a more pronounced appearance at threshold zones.
DETERMINASI KEADILAN PAJAK, TAX MORALE TARIF PAJAK, DAN TEKNOLOGI SISTEM PERPAJAKAN TERHADAP TAX EVASION
Authors: Fajarwati Diana
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this study is to find out whether there is an effect of tax rates on tax evasion, whether there is an effect of tax fairness on tax evasion, whether there is an effect of tax system technology on tax evasion and whether there is an effect of tax morale on tax evasion. This study uses a type of quantitative research using primary data in the form of a questionnaire. The sample used is individual non-employee taxpayers who are registered at KPP Pratama Cibitung. The sampling technique in this study used the Purposive Sampling method, namely sampling based on certain criteria from the required population. Based on calculations using the slovin formula, 100 respondents were obtained using multiple linear regression analysis techniques. Based on the tests that have been carried out, the results obtained state that Tax Rates have a significant positive effect on Tax Evasion, Tax Justice has a significant negative effect on Tax Evasion, Tax System Technology has a significant negative effect on Tax Evasion and Tax Morale has a significant negative effect on Tax Evasion.
Analisis Kerentanan Keamanan Sistem Informasi Akademik Universitas Bina Darma Menggunakan OWASP
Authors: Ariyadi Tamsir , Widodo Tantri Langgeng , Apriyanti Nely , Kirana Febriani Sasti
Published: May 2023

Sistem Keamanan Informasi Akademik Universitas Bina Darma ialah suatu sistem berbasis web yang mengolah semua data ataupun informasi dan melakukan berbagai proses kegiatan akademik dimana melibatkan tenaga pendidik dan peserta didik, administrasi akademik, data nilai mahasiswa dan masih banyak lagi yang berkaitan dengan akademik. Pastinya data akademik tersebut sangat penting dan harus dijaga keamanannya. Oleh kareena itu, perlu dilakukan analisis kerentanan keamanan . Pada penelitian ini peneliti menggunakan metode Action Research  yang menitikberatkan pada hasil scan yang berkaitan dengan celah keamanan dari website tersebut dan juga Framework OWASP dalam pengujian. Hasil dari penelitian ini sendiri yakni memberi informasi mengenai port-port mana yang saja yang terbuka dan juga solusi untuk meningkatkan keamanan website dan meminimalisir terjadinya Attack yang dilakukan oleh Hacker.
Analisis Penggunaan Pra-proses pada Metode Transfer Learning untuk Mendeteksi Penyakit Daun Singkong
Authors: Ariyanto Amelia Devi Putri , Hasanah Salsabiil , Subkhi M. Bahrul , Suciati Nanik
Published: May 2023

Singkong menjadi salah satu tanaman penting pada bidang agronomi dan banyak dikonsumsi oleh masyarakat. Namun, terdapat salah satu kendala dalam menjaga kelestarian tanaman singkong yaitu pendeteksian penyakit. Jika penyakit pada tanaman singkong dapat terdeteksi lebih dahulu melalui citra daunnya, maka penyakit tersebut dapat segera diobati. Proses klasifikasi dapat dilakukan untuk mendeteksi penyakit pada tanaman secara otomatis. Pada penelitian ini dilakukan klasifikasi tanaman singkong dengan menggunakan beberapa tahap pra-proses yaitu pra-proses dengan augmentasi, tanpa augmentasi dan pra-proses dengan rotasi, pada beberapa metode transfer learning seperti ResNet50 dan MobileNetV2. Penggunaan beberapa metode tersebut bertujuan untuk mencari metode mana yang memiliki hasil akurasi tertinggi. Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa MobileNetV2 tanpa augmentasi memberikan akurasi tertinggi sebesar 98.64% dalam mendeteksi penyakit tanaman singkong. Hal ini dapat menjadi referensi bagi peneliti selanjutnya dalam menentukan tahap pra-proses terbaik dalam metode transfer learning.
Perancangan Arsitektur Enterprise Dengan TOGAF ADM dan ITIL V3 Tahap IT Service Design (Studi Kasus: Universitas Nusa Nipa)
Authors: Darkel Yohanes Brekmans M , Emanuel Andi Wahyu Rahardjo
Published: May 2023

Tujuan arsitektur enterprise (EA) adalah menyatukan TI dan organisasi bisnis secara konsisten. Di Biro Universitas Nusa Nipa, EA mengajarkan bagaimana model bisnis, data, informasi, aplikasi, dan teknologi yang dimiliki oleh perusahaan. Oleh karena itu, manajemen layanan TI harus dimutakhirkan sesuai dengan kemajuan teknologi untuk mengendalikan administrasi. Integrasi bidang ITSM dan EA dianggap tepat. EA akan memberi saran tentang cara membuat arsitektur yang baik dari sudut pandang seluruh organisasi. EA akan mengarahkan proses perancangan desain yang masuk akal dari sudut pandang organisasi secara keseluruhan. Sementara ITSM akan memandu proses perencanaan untuk penyediaan dan pemeliharaan layanan TI organisasi, kerangka kerja TOGAF ADM digunakan dalam proses manajemen layanan TI pada tahap Desain Layanan, pada ITILV3. Pada tahap perencanaan (pendahuluan), Arsitektur Visi, Arsitektur Bisnis, Arsitektur Sistem Informasi (Arsitektur Data dan Arsitektur Aplikasi), Arsitektur Teknologi, dan Peluang dan Solusi menjadi satu-satunya fokus penelitian ini pada desain EA dengan TOGAF ADM. Kebijakan atau prosedur operasional yang diterapkan di Biro TI Universitas Nusa Nipa, ITILV3, digunakan sebagai titik acuan analisis kesesuaian dari pemangku kepentingan, proses, data, dan infrastruktur pada tahapan Service Design, Service Transition, dan Service Operation dari layanan TI proses manajemen, sehingga dapat menentukan keadaan perusahaan saat ini dan melaksanakan perancangan arsitektur dimasa yang akan datang.
Bidirectional GRU dengan Attention Mechanism pada Analisis Sentimen PLN Mobile
Authors: Rohman Moh. Ainur , Suhartono Suhartono , Chamidy Totok
Published: May 2023

PLN Mobile adalah aplikasi ponsel customer self-service yang terintegrasi dengan Aplikasi Pengaduan dan Keluhan Pelanggan (APKT) dan Aplikasi Pelayanan Pelanggan Terpusat (AP2T). Mulai awal tahun 2021 sampai sekarang PLN menggencarkan sosialisasi PLN Mobile pada masyarakat sehingga jumlah ulasan PLN Mobile pada google playstore meningkat drastis. Untuk mengetahui kepuasan pelanggan tidak bisa hanya dengan melihat dan menganalisis dari kolom ulasan PLN Mobile di google playstore, hal ini dikarenakan data ulasan berbentuk tidak terstruktur. Untuk mengatasi masalah ini dibutuhkan teknik khusus yaitu analisis sentimen. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengusulkan arsitektur analisis sentimen untuk mengatasi ketidakmampuan algoritma deep learning seperti LSTM dan GRU dalam menangkap informasi penting. Arsitektur yang diusulkan yaitu mengkombinasikan Bidirectional GRU (BiGRU) dengan attention mechanism menggunakan word2vec sebagai word embedding. Attention mechanism digunakan untuk menangkap kata yang penting sehingga arsitektur tersebut dapat memahami informasi yang penting. Kemudian, arsitektur yang diusulkan dilakukan perbandingan dengan metode CNN, CNN-GRU, CNN-LSTM, CNN-BiGRU, CNN-BiLSTM dengan menggunakan data ulasan PLN Mobile. Hasil eksperimen menunjukkan bahwa arsitektur analisis sentimen yang diusulkan memiliki akurasi dan f1-score yang lebih tinggi.
Analisa Usability pada Sistem Perpustakaan Menggunakan Metode User Centered Design
Authors: Oktarina Nadia , Muttakin Fitriani , Anofrizen Anofrizen , Fronita Mona
Published: May 2023

Perpustakaan Universitas Muhammadiyah Riau menawarkan sistem perpustakaan digital sebagai wadah repository dengan mencakup jurnal online, skripsi, disertasi, riview penelitian ilmiah, e-book hingga prosiding.  Dalam pelaksanaanya terdapat permasalahan yang terjadi diantaranya fitur unduh pada sistem seringkali hanya menampilkan pesan error serta tidak tersedia nya fitur layanan komentar dan share. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk menganalisa dalam segi usability serta design yang ada pada sistem perpustakaan menggunakan metode User Centered Design dengan hasil berupa direkomendasikan sebuah prototype design interface baru sesuai dengan kebutuhan user. Dalam penelitian yang dilakukan didapatkan hasil berupa 2 variabel yang ditolak sehingga harus dilakukan peningkatan layanannya, diantaranya variabel Assistance agar user bisa berkomunikasi dengan pihak pengelola dan variabel Usability agar user dapat men­-share sebuah informasi dan mengkomentari informasi yang diberikan dengan usulan perbaikan ini di implementasikan ke dalam design tampilan yang baru berdasarkan aturan atau prinsip UCD yang perhitungannya dinyatakan tidak dapat diterima tanpa mengubah design lainnya. Hasil yang diperoleh dalam pengujian usability didapatkan sebesar 86,5% yang dikategorikan sangat baik untuk keseluruhan sistem perpustakaan.Kata kunci: Sistem Informasi, Analisa, Usability, User Centered Design, Perpustakaan
Analisis Tingkat Akurasi Variasi Algoritma Min-Max Backpropagation sebagai Pre-Processing Data Time Series
Authors: Mandailina Vera , Abdillah Abdillah , Syaharuddin Syaharuddin
Published: May 2023

Forecasting data does not have to be static, there are also data with high fluctuations with up and down trends. Therefore, data normalization techniques are very important before training and testing data. This paper aims to test eight types of Min-Max backpropagation algorithms with several types of data, namely static data, seational data, monotonically fluctuating data up and down. A backpropagation network architecture with three hidden layers is used to test these data. The test results show that the 6th Min-Max algorithm has a high level of accuracy. Furthermore, the results of the 6th Min-Max modification found that changes in the multiplier variable can reduce the MSE value in the training process to a maximum value of 35.25% and in the testing process to 27.39%. The results of this study can be used as a reference in the future in performing the data nornalization process before the forecasting process is carried out.
Hyperathletic Artistry: Nathan Chen and Yuzuru Hanyu Performing Asian Masculinities
Authors: Lim Wesley , H. S. Ho Michelle
Published: May 2023

The Chinese American skater Nathan Chen and the Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu have demonstrated what we call a ‘hyperathletic-artistic turn’: recognizing an almost superhuman, quad-jumping ability along with an equally developed artistic side. This article closely analyses their 2018 Olympic season performances exploring costuming, music, dance choreography, and jumping ability. While Chen's balletic and dancerly choreography – a ‘return of the dancer’ aesthetic – maintains an individualistic maverick instead of commercially recognisable macho hypermasculinity, Hanyu's ‘soft masculine queer turn’ draws from the queer costuming and mannerisms of Johnny Weir and the confidence of Evgeni Plushenko. Through their performances and choreography, we argue that Chen and Hanyu importantly carve out emerging artistic forms of East Asian and Asian-American masculinities in the predominantly white sport of figure skating. These skaters are part of a driving force in an East Asian turn in men's figure skating.
The Unwritten History of the Woman of Genius (Austen, Staël, Siddons): What She Says, Goes
Authors: Lynch Deidre
Published: May 2023

Jane Austen, Clifford Siskin once proposed, was for a long time the sole exception to the ‘Great Forgetting’: the only female author from a period when women in fact dominated the literary marketplace whom English-language readers still remembered a century later. The better to recover Austen’s own thinking about the memorability and durability of female achievement, this article puts Austen’s third novel, Mansfield Park (1814) into conversation with the Swiss-French novelist Germaine de Staël’s Corinne, or Italy (1807). It traces Austen’s response to Stael’s influential storyline of female genius, as well as the allusions to the English tragedienne Sarah Siddons that form another link between the two novels. In Staël’s story of a brilliant but doomed improvisatrice, the glamour of the female genius is associated, poignantly, with a vocality that eludes archiving in written marks or signs. Yet the premise that what the woman of genius says, goes, and that her words are fated to vanish into thin air, also becomes within Corinne the foundation for Stael’s investigation of cultural transmission and of the limitations of written forms as archives of transient aural experiences. With its commentaries on performance, memory, and ephemerality, Mansfield Park continues this project of media theory.
Biodegradable plastic mulch films increase yield and promote nitrogen use efficiency in organic horticulture
Authors: Samphire Martin , Chadwick David R. , Jones Davey L.
Published: May 2023

Plastic film mulches (PFM) are used extensively due to their ability to increase yield and suppress weed emergence. Their effects on plant-soil-microbial interactions, however, are less well understood. Organic systems rely on the supply of nutrients from organic sources (e.g., manures and fertility-building leys) and where poor N availability often limits yield. The issue is compounded by horticultural crops (e.g., lettuce) with a high N demand, but which are inefficient at recovering N from soil. The effect of PFM on the mineralisation of organic fertilisers and its interaction with other agronomic factors such as planting density is also less well-researched. We hypothesised that biodegradable PFM would be a useful tool to increase the efficiency of N management in organic horticulture by increasing the supply of available N leading to increased crop N uptake and crop yield, and simultaneously reducing N losses during the growing season. We conducted two field experiments under a temperate maritime climate with lettuces grown with either conventional (LDPE) PFM or a polylactic acid-based biodegradable PFM alongside un-mulched controls. The first experiment involved black or white coloured PFMs and two planting densities while the second experiment involved treatments with and without addition of poultry manure. Overall, yields were increased by 39% in both experiments with PFM, while soil mineral N concentrations were up to 5 times higher with PFM than without. Measurements of soil organic matter (SOM) turnover (Tea Bag Index) and soil CO2 efflux indicated a more rapid decay of SOM in the presence of the PFM. The use of PFM also promoted N use efficiency (NUE) by 300% in the presence of poultry manure. Denser planting with PFM resulted in proportionately higher yields. Higher yield and higher N concentrations (5-10%) in crop tissue in mulched plots resulted in higher total N uptake, however, total N uptake was low compared to soil concentrations: mulching with biodegradable PFM resulted in higher residual mineral N than un-mulched plots (77-147 mg kg-1 vs. 19 -70 mg kg-1). Our results are consistent with reduced N losses to the environment during the growing season and increased mineralisation under PFM. In conclusion, our findings support the adoption of PFM for organic horticulture and show that biodegradable PFM perform similarly to LDPE-based PFMs.
Extracellular vesicles in oral squamous cell carcinoma: current progress and future prospect
Authors: Zhang Yanqi , Liu Jianing , Liu Shiyu , Yu Lu , Liu Siying , Li Meng , Jin Fang
Published: May 2023

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most aggressive oral and maxillofacial malignancy with a high incidence and low survival rate. OSCC is mainly diagnosed by tissue biopsy, which is a highly traumatic procedure with poor timeliness. Although there are various options for treating OSCC, most of them are invasive and have unpredictable therapeutic outcomes. Generally, early diagnosis and noninvasive treatment cannot be always satisfied simultaneously in OSCC. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in intercellular communication. EVs facilitate disease progression and reflect the location and status of the lesions. Therefore, EVs are relatively less invasive diagnostic tools for OSCC. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which EVs are involved in tumorigenesis and tumor treatment have been well studied. This article dissects the involvement of EVs in the diagnosis, development, and treatment of OSCC, providing new insight into the treatment of OSCC by EVs. Different mechanisms, such as inhibiting EV internalization by OSCC cells and constructing engineered vesicles, with potential applications for treating OSCC will be discussed in this review article.
Analysis and design of single-cell experiments to harvest fluctuation information while rejecting measurement noise
Authors: Vo Huy D. , Forero-Quintero Linda S. , Aguilera Luis U. , Munsky Brian
Published: May 2023

Introduction:Despite continued technological improvements, measurement errors always reduce or distort the information that any real experiment can provide to quantify cellular dynamics. This problem is particularly serious for cell signaling studies to quantify heterogeneity in single-cell gene regulation, where important RNA and protein copy numbers are themselves subject to the inherently random fluctuations of biochemical reactions. Until now, it has not been clear how measurement noise should be managed in addition to other experiment design variables (e.g., sampling size, measurement times, or perturbation levels) to ensure that collected data will provide useful insights on signaling or gene expression mechanisms of interest.

Methods:We propose a computational framework that takes explicit consideration of measurement errors to analyze single-cell observations, and we derive Fisher Information Matrix (FIM)-based criteria to quantify the information value of distorted experiments.

Results and Discussion:We apply this framework to analyze multiple models in the context of simulated and experimental single-cell data for a reporter gene controlled by an HIV promoter. We show that the proposed approach quantitatively predicts how different types of measurement distortions affect the accuracy and precision of model identification, and we demonstrate that the effects of these distortions can be mitigated through explicit consideration during model inference. We conclude that this reformulation of the FIM could be used effectively to design single-cell experiments to optimally harvest fluctuation information while mitigating the effects of image distortion.
The role of epigenetic methylation/demethylation in the regulation of retinal photoreceptors
Authors: Lu Chao-Fan , Zhou Ya-Nan , Zhang Jingjing , Su Songxue , Liu Yupeng , Peng Guang-Hua , Zang Weidong , Cao Jing
Published: May 2023

Photoreceptors are integral and crucial for the retina, as they convert light into electrical signals. Epigenetics plays a vital role in determining the precise expression of genetic information in space and time during the development and maturation of photoreceptors, cell differentiation, degeneration, death, and various pathological processes. Epigenetic regulation has three main manifestations: histone modification, DNA methylation, and RNA-based mechanisms, where methylation is involved in two regulatory mechanisms-histone methylation and DNA methylation. DNA methylation is the most studied form of epigenetic modification, while histone methylation is a relatively stable regulatory mechanism. Evidence suggests that normal methylation regulation is essential for the growth and development of photoreceptors and the maintenance of their functions, while abnormal methylation can lead to many pathological forms of photoreceptors. However, the role of methylation/demethylation in regulating retinal photoreceptors remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to review the role of methylation/demethylation in regulating photoreceptors in various physiological and pathological situations and discuss the underlying mechanisms involved. Given the critical role of epigenetic regulation in gene expression and cellular differentiation, investigating the specific molecular mechanisms underlying these processes in photoreceptors may provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of retinal diseases. Moreover, understanding these mechanisms could lead to the development of novel therapies that target the epigenetic machinery, thereby promoting the maintenance of retinal function throughout an individual’s lifespan.
Merits and challenges of iPSC-derived organoids for clinical applications
Authors: Xu Ziran , Yang Jiaxu , Xin Xianyi , Liu Chengrun , Li Lisha , Mei Xianglin , Li Meiying
Published: May 2023

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have entered an unprecedented state of development since they were first generated. They have played a critical role in disease modeling, drug discovery, and cell replacement therapy, and have contributed to the evolution of disciplines such as cell biology, pathophysiology of diseases, and regenerative medicine. Organoids, the stem cell-derived 3D culture systems that mimic the structure and function of organs in vitro, have been widely used in developmental research, disease modeling, and drug screening. Recent advances in combining iPSCs with 3D organoids are facilitating further applications of iPSCs in disease research. Organoids derived from embryonic stem cells, iPSCs, and multi-tissue stem/progenitor cells can replicate the processes of developmental differentiation, homeostatic self-renewal, and regeneration due to tissue damage, offering the potential to unravel the regulatory mechanisms of development and regeneration, and elucidate the pathophysiological processes involved in disease mechanisms. Herein, we have summarized the latest research on the production scheme of organ-specific iPSC-derived organoids, the contribution of these organoids in the treatment of various organ-related diseases, in particular their contribution to COVID-19 treatment, and have discussed the unresolved challenges and shortcomings of these models.
Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae major outer membrane protein P5 contributes to bacterial membrane stability, and affects the membrane protein composition crucial for interactions with the human host
Authors: Su Yu-Ching , Kadari Mahendar , Straw Megan L. , Janoušková Martina , Jonsson Sandra , Thofte Oskar , Jalalvand Farshid , Matuschek Erika , Sandblad Linda , Végvári Ákos , Zubarev Roman A. , Riesbeck Kristian
Published: May 2023

Non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a Gram-negative human pathogen that causes a wide range of airway diseases. NTHi has a plethora of mechanisms to colonize while evading the host immune system for the establishment of infection. We previously showed that the outer membrane protein P5 contributes to bacterial serum resistance by the recruitment of complement regulators. Here, we report a novel role of P5 in maintaining bacterial outer membrane (OM) integrity and protein composition important for NTHi-host interactions. In silico analysis revealed a peptidoglycan-binding motif at the periplasmic C-terminal domain (CTD) of P5. In a peptidoglycan-binding assay, the CTD of P5 (P5CTD) formed a complex with peptidoglycan. Protein profiling analysis revealed that deletion of CTD or the entire P5 changed the membrane protein composition of the strains NTHi 3655Δp5CTD and NTHi 3655Δp5, respectively. Relative abundance of several membrane-associated virulence factors that are crucial for adherence to the airway mucosa, and serum resistance were altered. This was also supported by similar attenuated pathogenic phenotypes observed in both NTHi 3655Δp5CTD and NTHi 3655Δp5. We found (i) a decreased adherence to airway epithelial cells and fibronectin, (ii) increased complement-mediated killing, and (iii) increased sensitivity to the β-lactam antibiotics in both mutants compared to NTHi 3655 wild-type. These mutants were also more sensitive to lysis at hyperosmotic conditions and hypervesiculated compared to the parent wild-type bacteria. In conclusion, our results suggest that P5 is important for bacterial OM stability, which ultimately affects the membrane proteome and NTHi pathogenesis.
The role of microbiota in the pathophysiology of uterine fibroids – a systematic review
Authors: Korczynska Lidia , Zeber-Lubecka Natalia , Zgliczynska Magdalena , Zarychta Elzbieta , Zareba Kornelia , Wojtyla Cezary , Dabrowska Michalina , Ciebiera Michal
Published: May 2023

For a long time, the uterus had been considered a sterile organ, meaning that under physiological conditions the uterus would not be colonized by bacteria. Based on available data, it may be concluded that the gut and uterine microbiome are related, and that the role of this microbiome is greater than expected. Despite being the most common pelvic neoplasms in women of reproductive age, uterine fibroids (UFs) are still poorly understood tumors whose etiology has not been fully determined. This systematic review presents the relationship between intestinal and uterine dysbiosis and uterine fibroids. A systematic review of three medical databases was carried out: the MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane. In this study, 195 titles and abstracts were reviewed, including only original articles and clinical trials of uterine microbiome criteria. Finally, 16 studies were included to the analysis. In recent years, researchers dealing with reproduction in a broad sense have focused on the microbiome in various locations to study its role in the pathogenesis and, consequently, the prevention and treatment of diseases of the genital organ. Conventional microbial detection methods are not suitable for identifying bacteria, which are difficult to culture. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) provides an easier and faster and more informative analysis of bacterial populations. It seems that gut microbiota dysbiosis has the potential to be a risk factor for uterine fibroids or affect the disease process. Some changes were shown in many types of bacteria, such as Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia detected in fecal samples in patients with uterine fibroids. In view of the few results on the link between the microbiome and uterine fibroids, further intensive studies in humans and animal models are necessary, including the possible use of different microbiome modulations in the prevention or treatment of uterine fibroids.
Population genomics and pathotypic evaluation of the bacterial leaf blight pathogen of rice reveals rapid evolutionary dynamics of a plant pathogen
Authors: Song Zhiwei , Zheng Jinshui , Zhao Yancun , Yin Jiakang , Zheng Dehong , Hu Huifeng , Liu Hongxia , Sun Ming , Ruan Lifang , Liu Fengquan
Published: May 2023

The Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is a bacterial pathogen causing bacterial blight disease in rice, resulting in significant yield reductions of up to 50% in rice production. Despite its serious threat to food production globally, knowledge of its population structure and virulence evolution is relatively limited. In this study, we employed whole-genome sequencing to explore the diversity and evolution of Xoo in the main rice-growing areas of China over the past 30 years. Using phylogenomic analysis, we revealed six lineages. CX-1 and CX-2 primarily contained Xoo isolates from South China, while CX-3 represented Xoo isolates from North China. Xoo isolates belonging to CX-5 and CX-6 were the most prevalent across all studied areas, persisting as dominant lineages for several decades. Recent sporadic disease outbreaks were primarily caused by Xoo isolates derived from the two major lineages, CX-5 and CX-6, although Xoo isolates from other lineages also contributed to these outbreaks. The lineage and sub-lineage distributions of Xoo isolates were strongly correlated with their geographical origin, which was found to be mainly determined by the planting of the two major rice subspecies, indica and japonica. Moreover, large-scale virulence testing was conducted to evaluate the diversity of pathogenicity for Xoo. We found rapid virulence evolution against rice, and its determinant factors included the genetic background of Xoo, rice resistance genes, and planting environment of rice. This study provides an excellent model for understanding the evolution and dynamics of plant pathogens in the context of their interactions with their hosts, which are shaped by a combination of geographical conditions and farming practices. The findings of this study may have important implications for the development of effective strategies for disease management and crop protection in rice production systems.
Patterns of Anti-Inflammatory and Immunomodulating Drug Usage and Microvascular Endothelial Function in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Mangoni Arduino A. , Woodman Richard J. , Piga Matteo , Cauli Alberto , Fedele Anna Laura , Gremese Elisa , Erre Gian Luca ,   The EDRA Study Group
Published: May 2023

Objectives: Specific anti-inflammatory and/or immunomodulating drugs (AIDs) can influence endothelial function which is often impaired in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We sought to determine whether overall patterns of AID usage are similarly associated with endothelial function.

Methods: The reactive hyperaemia index (RHI), a marker of microvascular endothelial function, was measured in 868 RA patients reporting their intake of seven AIDs known to affect endothelial function. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to characterise patterns of AID usage. Models for 2–6 classes were compared using the AIC and BIC statistics and Lo-Mendell-Rubin likelihood ratio tests. Associations between the classes and RHI were adjusted for age, gender, body mass index, diabetes, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, family history of ischaemic heart disease, smoking status, RA duration, DAS28 score, steroid dose, existing hypertension, and C-reactive protein.

Results: LCA identified five distinct AID usage classes: Class 1, generally low medication usage; Class 2, using either sulfasalazine or non-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors; Class 3, methotrexate users; Class 4, TNF-inhibitor users; and Class 5, hydroxychloroquine users. The geometric mean for the RHI for subjects in classes 1 to 5 was 1.92, 1.81, 1.94, 2.10, and 2.07, respectively, with subjects in classes 4 and 5 having better endothelial function than subjects in class 2 (p = 0.003 for each). The glucocorticoid dosage did not influence the classes formed or the association between the classes and the RHI in sensitivity analyses.

Conclusion: There were five broad patterns (classes) of AID usage in RA patients. The RHI was relatively lower in users of either sulfasalazine or non-TNF inhibitors. TNF inhibitors or hydroxychloroquine may counteract the negative effects of RA on endothelial function.
Clinical and economic impact of COVID-19 on people with obesity in a Spanish cohort during the first pandemic peak
Authors: M Torrego-Ellacuría , MA Rubio-Herrera , B González López-Valcárcel , ME Fuentes-Ferrer , V Martín , F Poyato , P Barber-Pérez , C Santucci , A Nuñez , C González-Pérez , M Luaces
Published: May 2023

Introduction

COVID-19 and obesity relationship has been extensively studied since the COVID-19 outbreak, proving obesity is a risk factor. This study aims to broaden the available information about this association and to evaluate the economic impact of obesity and the COVID-19 disease combination.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed a sample of 3,402 patients admitted to a Spanish hospital with available body mass index (BMI) data.

Results

The prevalence of obesity was 33.4%. Patients with obesity showed a higher risk of hospitalization (OR 95% ConfidenceInterval [CI]=1.46; [1.24-1.73]; p < 0.001), which increased with the obesity degree (I: OR [95% CI]=1.28 [1.06-1.55], p =0.010; II: OR [95% CI]=1.58 [1.16-2.15], p =0.004; III: OR [95% CI] =2.09 [1.31-3.34], p =0.002). Patients with type III obesity had a significantly higher risk of intensive care unit (ICU) admission (OR [95% CI]= 3.30 [1.67-6.53]; p = 0.001) and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) need (OR [95% CI]= 3.98 [2.00-7.94]; p<0.001). The average cost per patient was remarkably higher in patients with obesity (p = 0.007), reaching an excess cost of 28.41% in the study cohort and rising to 56.5% in patients < 70 years. The average cost per patient increased significantly with the degree of obesity (p = 0.007).

Discussion

In conclusion, our results suggest a strong association between obesity and adverse COVID-19 outcomes and higher expenditures in patients with both conditions.
Precision radiotherapy using MR-linac for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in MEN1 patients (PRIME): a protocol for a phase I-II trial, and systematic review on available evidence for radiotherapy of pNETs
Authors: van Vliembergen Eline N. M. , Eijkelenkamp Hidde , Valk Gerlof D. , Vriens Menno R. , Meijer Gert J. , Intven Martijn P. W. , de Laat Joanne M.
Published: May 2023

Background

Surgical resection is the standard of care for the treatment of pancreatic neuro-endocrine tumors (pNETs) in patients with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 (MEN1). However, surgery can cause significant short- and long-term morbidity. Magnetic resonance-guided radiotherapy (MRgRT) is a potential effective treatment with little side effects. With traditional radiotherapy techniques, irradiation of pancreatic tumors to high dose levels was hampered by poor visibility of the tumor during treatment. MRgRT uses onboard MRI to guide the treatment, thereby enabling delivery of ablative irradiation doses to the tumor, while sparing surrounding tissues. In this study, we describe results from a systematic review assessing efficacy of radiotherapy in pNET and present the protocol of the PRIME study.

Methods

PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library were searched for articles assessing efficacy and side effects of radiotherapy for the treatment of pNETs. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I Risk of Bias Tool for observational studies. Descriptive statistics were used to describe results of included trials.

Results

Four studies comprising of 33 patients treated by conventional radiotherapy were included. Despite the heterogeneity of studies, radiotherapy appeared to be effective for the treatment of pNETs with most patients responding (45.5%) or stabilizing (42.4%) in tumor size.

Conclusion and trial design

Due to the limited literature available and concerns about damage to surrounding tissue, conventional radiotherapy is currently little used for pNETs. The PRIME study is a phase I-II trial with a single arm prospective cohort study design, investigating the efficacy of MRgRT in MEN1 patients with pNET. MEN1 patients with growing pNETs with a size between 1.0 and 3.0 cm without malignant features are eligible for inclusion. Patients are treated with 40 Gy in 5 fractions on the pNET, using online adaptive MRgRT on a 1.5T MR-linac. The primary endpoint is the change in tumor size at MRI 12 months follow-up. Secondary endpoints include radiotoxicity, quality of life, endocrine and exocrine pancreas function, resection rate, metastatic free and overall survival. When MRgRT is found effective with low radiotoxicity, it could reduce the need for surgery for pNET and preserve quality of life.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO https://clinicaltrials.gov/, (CRD42022325542).
Responses of ecosystem water use efficiency to drought in the Lancang–Mekong River Basin
Authors: Luo Xuan , Wang Yinfei , Li Yungang
Published: May 2023

The ecosystem water use efficiency (WUE), a crucial indicator of how climate change will affect terrestrial ecosystems, depicts the coupling of the carbon gain and water loss in terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, the spatiotemporal variations in the WUE and its responses to drought in the Lancang–Mekong River Basin (LMRB) from 1982 to 2018 were investigated using the gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) data acquired from the Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) products. The analyses revealed that: (1) the mean yearly WUE for the LMRB was 1.63 g C kg−1 H2O, with comparatively higher values in forests and warm temperate climatic types. The interaction of temperature and leaf area index was the main factor affecting the spatial distribution of WUE. The yearly WUE for the entire region exhibited a decreasing trend with a rate of −0.0009 g C kg −1 H2O·yr−1, and the spatially significantly decreasing area accounted for 41.67% of the total area. (2) The annual WUE was positively correlated with drought in the humid regions, accounting for 66.55% of the total area, while a negative relationship mainly occurred in the high-altitude cold region. (3) The ecosystem WUE lagged behind the drought by 3 months in most regions. The lag effect was more apparent in the grassland-dominated upstream region and the cropland-dominated Mekong Delta. (4) The resilience analysis revealed that the ecosystems in forests and temperate climate types were strongly resistant to drought, while the grassland and high-altitude regions with a dry and cold climate had relatively poor resilience. The results of this study shed light on how the WUE responds to drought across diverse land use types, climate types, and elevation gradients, uncovering fresh insights into the potential mechanisms behind the impact of drought on water and carbon cycles within ecosystems.
The CD40 agonist HERA-CD40L results in enhanced activation of antigen presenting cells, promoting an anti-tumor effect alone and in combination with radiotherapy
Authors: Frankish Jamie , Mukherjee Debayan , Romano Erminia , Billian-Frey Katharina , Schröder Matthias , Heinonen Karl , Merz Christian , Redondo Müller Mauricio , Gieffers Christian , Hill Oliver , Thiemann Meinolf , Honeychurch Jamie , Illidge Tim , Sykora Jaromir
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The ability to modulate and enhance the anti-tumor immune responses is critical in developing novel therapies in cancer. The Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Receptor Super Family (TNFRSF) are potentially excellent targets for modulation which result in specific anti-tumor immune responses. CD40 is a member of the TNFRSF and several clinical therapies are under development. CD40 signaling plays a pivotal role in regulating the immune system from B cell responses to myeloid cell driven activation of T cells. The CD40 signaling axis is well characterized and here we compare next generation HERA-Ligands to conventional monoclonal antibody based immune modulation for the treatment of cancer.

Methods & results

HERA-CD40L is a novel molecule that targets CD40 mediated signal transduction and demonstrates a clear mode of action in generating an activated receptor complex via recruitment of TRAFs, cIAP1, and HOIP, leading to TRAF2 phosphorylation and ultimately resulting in the enhanced activation of key inflammatory/survival pathway and transcription factors such asNFkB, AKT, p38, ERK1/2, JNK, and STAT1 in dendritic cells. Furthermore, HERA-CD40L demonstrated a strong modulation of the tumor microenvironment (TME) via the increase in intratumoral CD8+ T cells and the functional switch from pro-tumor macrophages (TAMs) to anti-tumor macrophages that together results in a significant reduction of tumor growth in a CT26 mouse model. Furthermore, radiotherapy which may have an immunosuppressive modulation of the TME, was shown to have an immunostimulatory effect in combination with HERA-CD40L. Radiotherapy in combination with HERA-CD40L treatment resulted in an increase in detected intratumoral CD4+/8+ T cells compared to RT alone and, additionally, the repolarization of TAMs was also observed, resulting in an inhibition of tumor growth in a TRAMP-C1 mouse model.

Discussion

Taken together, HERA-CD40L resulted in activating signal transduction mechanisms in dendritic cells, resulting in an increase in intratumoral T cells and manipulation of the TME to be pro-inflammatory, repolarizing M2 macrophages to M1, enhancing tumor control.