bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analisis Manajemen Risiko dan Pengendalian Kesehatan dan Keselamatan Kerja (K3) pada Pekerjaan Power House
Authors: Tamim Faisal , Ismail Agus
Published: July 2021

Manajemen risiko merupakan suatu usaha untuk mengetahui, menganalisis serta mengendalikan risiko dalam setiap kegiatan perusahaan dengan tujuan untuk memperoleh efektifitas dan efisiensi yang lebih tinggi. Pada penelitian ini akan diteliti mengenai identifikasi risiko K3, penilaian risiko K3, serta bagaimana tindakan pengendalian terhadap risiko K3 pada pekerjaan Power house proyek pembangunan PLTMH Cikandang 1. Metode penilaian menggunakan matriks penilaian risiko yang bersumber dari AS/NZS 4360 : 2004. Identifikasi risiko dilakukan dengan cara melakukan wawancara dan kuesioner. Setelah melakukan identifikasi, nilai dampak dan frekuensi dikalikan untuk mendapatkan nilai tingkat risiko pada tiap faktor risiko.Hasil perhitungan ranking risiko adalah hal selanjutnya yang dilakukan dengan mengurutkan nilai risiko, mulai dari yang terbesar sampai terkecil, kemudian melakukan penanganan dan pengendalian risiko agar tidak berpengaruh besar pada  proyek. Sesuai dengan pengolahan data diperoleh nilai risiko dengan indeks risiko tinggi sebanyak 9 variabel, untuk penggolongan nilai risiko dengan indeks risiko sedang sebanyak 20 variabel, sedangkan untuk penggolongan nilai risiko dengan indeks risiko rendah adalah sebanyak 6 variabel.
Analisis dan Potensi Daerah Aliran Sungai Cirompang-Bojong Kabupaten Garut
Authors: Permana Sulwan , Apriliyani Resti Kristina
Published: July 2021

Sungai ialah satu dari beberapa sumber daya air yang dapat dimanfaatkan untuk berbagai macam kepentingan, seperti halnya irigasi dan Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Minihidro (PLTMH). Dengan demikian, tingkat kebutuhan air yang diperlukan tidaklah sedikit, sehingga hal tersebut dapat berpengaruh terhadap ketersediaan debit air di sungai Cirompang.  Untuk itu, diperlukanlah analisis neraca air guna mendapatkan kesesuaian antara potensi air yang ada dengan pola penggunaan air. Data yang digunakan dalam analisis ini yaitu data curah hujan dari stasiun Cirompang dan Cibatarua serta data klimatologi dari stasiun Pengamat Dirgantara Pamengpeuk-Garut, dengan periode 10 tahun mulai dari 2006 sampai dengan 2015. Untuk perhitungan debit digunakan metode Mock, sedangkan untuk perhitungan debit andalan digunakan  metode kurva durasi debit dengan menggunakan perhitungan probabilitas Weibull. Adapun untuk analisis kebutuhan irigasi yaitu dengan memilih pola dan waktu tanam di wilayah studi. Dari hasil analisis didapatkan debit andalan terbesar yaitu pada bulan Januari sebesar 5,21 m3/det dan debit andalan terkecil yaitu pada bulan September sebesar 1,05 m3/det. Untuk nilai kebutuhan air maksimum irigasi yaitu diperoleh sebesar 1,54 lt/dt/ha (pengambilan pada tingkat primer). Dikarenakan debit yang melalui pintu pengambilan digunakan secara bersamaan, maka debit yang tersedia di sungai Cirompang tidak dapat memenuhi kebutuhan air untuk irigasi dan PLTMH secara keseluruhan untuk setiap bulannya.
Analisis Produktivitas Pemakaian Alat Berat Terhadap Biaya dan Waktu pada Pembangunan Jalan Baru Lingkar Cipanas Kabupaten Garut
Authors: Ramdhani Muhammad Iqbal , Johari Ganjar Jojon
Published: July 2021

Proyek Pembangunan Jalan Baru Lingkar Cipanas Kabupaten Garut di bangun sejauh 3000 m dengan lebar badan jalan 2 x 7 m dan ruang milik jalan 25 meter. Dengan pengerjaan 180 hari kalender dan biaya sebesar kurang lebi 4,8 miliar. Proyek ini dibangun di Kecamatan Tarogong Kaler Kabupaten Garut. Salah satu kajian yang akan di analisis adalah perbandingan lama waktu dan biaya pekerjaan jalan baru dengan menggunakan alat berat dari rencana awal pekerjaan dengan hasil analisis di lapangan. Prduktivitas alat berat yang akan ditinjau pada pekerjaan pemindahan tanah dan pemadatan tanah adalah alat berat excavator, bulldozer, vibrator roller, dan dump truck yang masing masing mempunyai fungsi, waktu dan biaya serta produktivitas yang berbeda beda. Terjadi percepatan proyek pada pembangunan jalan baru lingkar cipanas. Awal rencana jalan tersebut di bangun dengan durasi waktu 180 hari kalender namun yang ada real di lapangan pengerjaan jalan baru lingkar cipanas dapat selesai 100% kurang lebih 2 bulan lebih awal dari yang di rencakan. Akibat itu alat berat yang sebagian ada di lapangan tidak sesuai dengan apa yang direncankan sehingga terjadi percepatan proyek tetapi dengan terjadinya percepatan proyek biaya pun bertambah dari yang sebelumnya di rencakan dalam pekerjaan per itemnya. Maka hasil analisis Proyek Pembangunan Lingkaar Cipanas Kabupaten Garut terjadi percepatan proyek, proyek dapat selesai 100% dengan durasi waktu 102 Hari/14,57 Minggu atau 80 Hari/11,24 Mingu lebih awal dengan biaya tambahan sebesar Rp.80.847.900,00,-. pada harga sewa alat berat. Untuk menutup biaya tambahan sewa alat berat bisa di tutup dengan efesiensi waktu selama 82 hari kalender yang mana setiap item pekerjaan selama 82 hari kalender itu bisa mengganti penambahan biaya bahkan mendapat keuntungan sebesar  Rp.127.038.100,00 bagi pihak kontrakto.
Analisis Kapasitas Balok Baja Ringan Menahan Tekuk Torsi Lateral
Authors: Padhlurohman Fikri , Walujodjati Eko
Published: July 2021

Salah satu elemen struktural pada sebuah bangunan adalah balok. Balok memiliki fungsi sebagai bagian bangunan yang menahan beban-beban diatasnya dan umumnya terbuat dari material beton atau baja, namun kini ada alternatif baru yaitu balok baja ringan. Namun karakteristiknya yang tipis membuat baja ringan rawan terhadap kegagalan tekuk, salah satunya adalah tekuk torsi lateral. Maka dari itu tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui kapasitas sebuah balok baja ringan dengan penampang tersusun back to back dan toe to toe dalam menahan tekuk torsi lateral. Metode perhitungan yang digunakan pada penilitian ini adalah metode initiation yield dan metode lebar efektif. Dari hasil perhitungan didapat bahwa kapasitas momen nominal penampang untuk profil back to back dan toe to toe adalah 1.049,923 Kgm dan 1.223,319 Kgm. Sedangkan untuk hasil perhitungan kapasitas momen nominal akibat tekuk torsi lateral, untuk profil back to back dan toe to toe adalah sebesar 245,793 Kgm dan 336,764 Kgm..
Analisis Prategang pada Box Girder Longspan Ciliwung LRT Jabodebek
Authors: Roestaman Roestaman , Permana Sulwan , Merliana Risna
Published: July 2021

Light Rail Transit atau LRT dibangun sebagai salah satu transportasi massal bermoda kereta, sesuai dengan Peraturan Presiden (Perpres) Nomor 98 Tahun 2015 dan perubahannya, lintas pelayanan LRT dapat mendukung aktifitas penduduk dengan meminimalisir volume lalu lintas ibukota. Struktur LRT Longspan Ciliwung direncanakan dengan struktur melayang dan menerapkan tipe kontruksi prategang Box Girder. Mutu beton pada Box Girder adalah 50 MPa serta menggunakan kabel prategang dengan diameter 15,24 mm. Analisis ini bertujuan untuk membandingkan jumlah kebutuhan strand yang terpasang di lapangan dengan jumlah strand hasil perhitungan. Analisis prategang dilakukan pada segmen yang berada di tengah bentang utama dengan 2 tahapan analisis, tahap I yaitu menganalisis prategang berdasarkan data di lapangan. Sedangkan analisis tahap II yaitu analisis prategang dengan tidak diizinkan tegangan tarik dan yang diizinkan tegangan tarik, sehingga menghasilkan banyak strand perhitungan. Setelah dianalsis, jumlah strand  yang diperlukan berdasarkan hasil analisis tahap II sebanyak 366 buah untuk kondisi tidak diizinkan terjadi tarik hampir sama jumlahnya (perbedaan 1,7 %) dengan strand terpasang di lapangan berdasarkan analisis tahap I sebanyak 372 buah sehingga bisa dipastikan bahwa pemasangan 372 strand di lapangan berdasarkan desain prategang yang tidak diizinkan terjadi tarik.
The Implementation of People's Republic of China's Maritime Security Strategy to Protect Its Energy Security in the Indian Ocean Region (2015-2019)
Authors: Perwita Anak Agung
Published: July 2021

Korea is a country that once full of doubts. As time goes by, every sector from Korea are turns out to be huge achievements of the Korean people. Korean pop culture for instance, becomes a crucial driver for Korean economy. Not only Korean pop culture, recently property investor from Korea also becomes a big player in the US, and moreover in the global stage. New study also tells that Korea as global property industry player could exceed China as China’s economy slowing down. Therefore, question how can South Korea's property industry sectors thrive overseas, such as in the U.S.? Arises. This paper would explain the factors behind South Korean property industry performance in US, including push and pull factors through a scope of global capital movement paradigm. Meaningful government supports, big possibilities, and a good investment climate for South Korean property industry plus the right global demands could be some factors behind the rising of South Korean property industry, especially in the US.

           

Keyword(s): Korea, Property, Industry, Push and Pull Factors, Global Capital Movement
Digitizing The Land of Genghis Khan: Reforming Mongolia’s Internet Law to Achieve Growth in E-Commerce
Authors: Blythe Stephen Errol
Published: July 2021

In the digital age, the E-signature has replaced the handwritten signature. Since 1995, there have been three generations of E-signature law: the first mandated use of the digital signature, the second recognized the legal validity of all types of E-signatures, and the third recognizes all types of E-signatures, but gives preferred status to the digital signature. Mongolia’s Electronic Signature Law (ESL) is third-generation; it recognizes all types of E-signatures but favors the use of the digital signature. Accreditation requirements are specified for Certification Service Providers (CSP), the issuers of certificates and verifiers to third parties that a digital signature is that of a specific subscriber. The CSP is responsible for maintaining the security of information that it receives from its subscribers. The CSP must inform the subscriber of any limitations on the use of the certificate. If a CSP issues a certificate, it must meet stringent security requirements which can only be achieved with a digital signature. CSPs must maintain a publicly accessible repository of certificates and the public keys which relying third parties can use to decrypt a subscriber’s message. A CSP may incur legal liability for publishing a certificate with inaccurate information or for not issuing a private key to the subscriber corresponding to the public key in the repository. The ESL recognizes the legal validity of certificates issued by CSPs in foreign countries. The author recommends reformation of Mongolia’s E-commerce law by adding: (1) consumer protections for E-commerce participants; (2) several new computer crimes; (3) information technology courts; (4) mandatory E-government; and (5) explicit long-arm jurisdiction.
Platforms, alternative influence, and networked political brokerage on YouTube
Authors: Soriano Cheryll Ruth , Gaw Fatima
Published: July 2021

This article interrogates political brokerage on YouTube by examining the platform’s role in the construction of political discourses and in configuring the action of a new genre of political actors advancing a political agenda through historical revisionism. Using assemblage theory and drawing from technography (Bucher, 2018), we propose the concept of ‘networked political brokerage’ to characterize the mutually affirming relationship of YouTube’s governance mechanisms and alternative political influencers’ microcelebrity practices in building, complementing, and magnifying historical revisionist narratives through and within a network of algorithmically-sanctioned videos. We illustrate how this interplay of platform logics and cultures of use (Rieder et al., 2018) privileges and legitimizes political content into knowledge without accountability. We argue for the importance of examining YouTube as a socio-technical driver of this political brokerage process in curating political information in this contemporary political scene.
Політичні погляди дворян Бессарабської губернії на початку ХХ століття
Authors: Захарова Оксана
Published: July 2021

Одним із результатів першої російської революції 1905-1907 рр. стала можливість офіційно відкривати політичні організації. Це сприяло тому, що на території багатьох адміністративно-територіальних одиниць Російської імперії, котра була багатоетнічною країною, офіційно стали відкриватися політичні організації різної ідеологічної спрямованості: національні, консервативні та ліберальні. Представники вищого стану держави теж були членами деяких політично спрямованих організацій.

У статті проведено дослідження політичних поглядів нобілів Бессарабської губернії на початку ХХ ст., їх зміни під час Першої світової війни. У публікації також розглянуто питання належності місцевих нобілів до політичних організацій, їх діяльність у них на початку ХХ ст. та під час Першої світової війни.
Громадсько-політична діяльність педагогів шкіл УРСР у 1950-1980-х роках
Authors: Лаврут Ольга
Published: July 2021

Учительство у радянській державі розглядали у фокусі рупорів ідеології правлячої партії, котрі формували світогляд підростаючого покоління. Воно поставало і з позицій кадрової політики, яка носила чітко регламентований і централізований характер. На учительських з’їздах працівників народної освіти та комісіях з питань освіти обговорювали питання різних сфер життя педагогів і наголошували на їх участі у них.

Ще одним напрямком їх діяльності стало долучення до передвиборчих кампаній. Вони виступали у ролі й агітаторів, акцентуючи на особливостях і перевагах радянської системи, і кандидатів у депутати. Педагоги брали участь й у громадських заходах, приурочені річницям життя та творчості діячів культури. Учителі були агітаторами, членами Педагогічного товариства з поширення політичних і наукових знань. Під гаслами соціально-економічного поступу СРСР педагоги допомагали на підприємствах, на ланах і фермах колгоспів і радгоспів. З одного боку, ці заходи демонстрували інтеграцію кожного у державотворчі процеси, а з іншого – відривали учительство від його безпосередніх справ.
Віктор Янукович: початок політичної кар’єри
Authors: Денисенко Вадим
Published: July 2021

У статі подана коротка характеристика публікацій на сторінках яких відтворено біографію четвертого Президента України – В. Януковича. Відштовхуючись від цих робіт і залучивши нові джерела, нами була здійснена спроба реконструкції перших етапів його політичної біографії. На підставі аналізу доступних документів і свідчень, критично переосмислюємо наявні теорії та припущення відносно кримінального переслідування В. Януковича у 1970-х роках, подальшого його засудження й ув’язнення. Звертаємо увагу на особливості процесу «погашення» цих судимостей.

Показано взаємозв’язок кримінального досвіду набутого В. Януковичем у пізньорадянський період і подальшим, стрімким просування його владною драбиною. Припускаємо, що таке стрімке входження до політичних еліт регіону було обумовлене співпрацею із «силовиками».

На підставі політичного аналізу розподілу впливу між різними фінансово-промисловими групами початку 1990-х років обґрунтовуємо твердження проте, що перехід В. Януковича у «велику політику» був обумовлений домовленостями між Президентом Л. Кучмою та представниками донецької фінансово-промислової групи. Нами зроблена спроба показати, що пролобіювавши на посаду прем’єр-міністра України В. Януковича, представники донецької фінанси-промислової групи не мали повного контролю над цим Урядом, оскільки ключові посади у ньому належали орієнтованим на Президента Л. Кучму акторам.

На підставі аналізу структури, кадрової політики, особливостей розподілу повноважень між членами Уряду В. Януковича обґрунтовується гіпотеза про те, що голові цього Кабінету міністрів відводилася роль клієнта, який сумлінно виконував вказівки своїх патронів і готувався до боротьби за посаду Президента України.
Погіршення відносин між США та КНР під час світової пандемії COVID-19
Authors: Вовчук Людмила , Бойко Аліна
Published: July 2021

Стаття присвячена висвітленню причин погіршення відносин між США та КНР під час світової пандемії коронавірусу. Відносини між США та Китаєм завжди мали хвилеподібний характер, що пояснюється величезною амбіційністю цих гігантів і бажанням бути першим. Однак, серйозна криза між країнами відбулася під час світової боротьби з COVID-19, що викликало занепокоєння у багатьох міжнародних експертів щодо можливого початку нової холодної війни. Американський президент Дональд Трамп, звинувативши КНР у поширенні штучного вірусу, пригрозив «розірвати усі відносини» з ним. Подальші дії обох країн спонукали до ще більш серйозного загострення у відносинах. З приходом до влади в США Дж. Байдена спостерігається зниження рівня напруги у двосторонніх відносинах. Новий американський президент заявив, що Білий дім готовий співпрацювати з Китаєм у тому випадку, якщо це відповідає інтересам США.
Vibration Threshold Exceedances in the Groningen Building Vibration Monitoring Network
Authors: Bronkhorst A. J. , Moretti D. , Geurts C. P. W.
Published: July 2021

Vibration assessment criteria for cosmetic building damage are specified in terms of peak velocity thresholds. For masonry buildings, these thresholds are relatively low compared to vibration levels generated by various sources in the built environment. Therefore they will be exceeded numerous times over the lifetime of most buildings. These exceedances are important when one tries to establish or disprove a causal relation between building damage and a vibration source. Despite the relevance of this information, little is known about the number of times velocity thresholds for cosmetic building damage are exceeded in the built environment. The vibration data collected over a period of more than 5 years in 326 buildings, mostly constructed in masonry and randomly distributed over the Province of Groningen, allowed for a unique opportunity to gain insight. First of all, to determine the number of times these thresholds were exceeded, and secondly to make a comparison between shallow earthquakes and other sources. The number of exceedances and the return period were determined for a set of thresholds (i.e. 0.3, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 20 mm/s), which align with peak velocity thresholds typically encountered in vibration assessment guidelines and standards. The results obtained over a 1 year period with very low seismic activity (only earthquakes with M < 2.0) show that the velocity thresholds for cosmetic damage to masonry buildings (i.e. 1, 3, and 5 mm/s) were exceeded on average less than once a month for 80% of the building sensors. For buildings with a large number of exceedances of these thresholds, the most important sources appear to be traffic, construction work, and hits near the sensor. A subset of 59 building sensors was selected, for which the full operational period of about 5 years was analysed to determine the contribution of earthquakes to the threshold exceedances. Less than 1% of the 1 mm/s exceedances measured by the 59 sensors over their full operational period were caused by earthquakes. Only for building with few exceedances (less than 8), the relative influence of induced earthquakes on the number of exceedances is significant (between 30 and 50%).
Studies for Frost Heave Characteristics and the Prevention of the High-Speed Railway Roadbed in the Zoige Wetland, China
Authors: Niu Fujun , Hu He , Liu Minghao , Ma Qinguo , Su Wenji
Published: July 2021

The Xining–Chengdu high-speed railway crosses the Zoige Wetland, located on the northeast edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the upper reaches of the Yellow River. The cold climate and frost-heave-sensitive subgrade soil cause a large frost heave deformation of the roadbed, threatening the safety of trains. This article systematically studied the ground temperature development, frost heave characteristics, soil water content, and groundwater level variations by field investigation and monitoring. The maximum frost heave deformations of the natural flat ground and hillslope reached 25.64 and 3.17 mm, respectively, and this significant discrepancy was mainly caused by the groundwater supply conditions. Future roadbed stability on the flat ground may be compromised by frost heave deformation. To solve this problem, contrasting indoor tests were conducted to analyze the frost heave characteristics of natural ground clay and replacement coarse-grained soil (CGS). It was shown that the absorbed external water mainly changed into dispersed pore ice in the freezing CGS, while it mainly changed into the layered ice lens in the freezing clay. Further tests showed that the frost susceptibility of the CGS was proportional to the fines content and initial water content. The poorly graded CGS had weaker frost susceptibility than the well-graded CGS. The results suggest that anti-frost methods should be fully considered, including strict control of fines content and water content, prioritizing the use of poorly graded filling, and disruption of local water accumulation in the filling layer.
Sandbox Modeling of Transrotational Tectonics With Changeable Poles: Implications for the Yinggehai Basin
Authors: Liu Jun , Jia Dong , Yin Hongwei , Shen Li , Fan Xiaogen , He Zhiyuan , Cui Jian , Yang Shuang , Zhang Yong
Published: July 2021

The main formation of the Yinggehai Basin has been related to the rotation of the Indochina block, resulting in large-scale strike-slip motion along the Red River Fault Zone (RRFZ). Transrotational tectonics played a key role in the evolution of the Yinggehai Basin. In this study, we present analog experiments with a preexisting basal velocity discontinuity boundary, rotation of crustal blocks concerning vertical axes, and syntectonic sedimentations to evaluate how the transrotational tectonics controls the evolutionary process of the Yinggehai Basin. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to monitor the deformation of the model surface. Four successive poles of rotation have been applied to the model. The basin evolution underwent two phases. An early phase of deformation is characterized by the nucleation of the main internal faults above the velocity discontinuity boundary and segmented en echelon border fault systems. In the early phase, the internal and boundary faults mainly accommodated large-scale strike-slip displacement. During progressive extension, the main internal faults deactivated, and tectonic activity is localized along the boundary and secondary internal faults in the late phase. The boundary faults in the rotating block play a dominant role in the widening and deepening of the rift zone at an accelerating rate. The model surface morphology shows similarities to the Yinggehai Basin, which is wide in the middle and converges toward the northwest and southeast. In addition, experimental profiles have been compared with seismic profiles in the Yinggehai Basin. The model results also indicate that the rotation of the Indochina block combines with strong strike-slip motion. The similarities between modeling and nature provide support for ∼250 km sinistral displacement along the RRFZ between ∼32 and ∼21 Ma.
Development and Validation of a Measure to Assess Early Adolescents’ Perceptions of Caring Student-Teacher Relationships
Authors: Whitehead Jenna , Schonert-Reichl Kimberly A. , Oberle Eva , Boyd Lara
Published: July 2021

There is accruing evidence documenting the importance of caring student-teacher relationships in fostering students’ social and emotional competence (SEC), well-being, and school success, particularly during early adolescence. However, few studies have investigated dimensions of caring student-teacher relationships from the perspective of early adolescents. This study describes the development and validation of the Caring Student-Teacher Relationship (CSTR) scale. Participants included 222 sixth and seventh grade middle school students who completed the CSTR and self-report measures of classroom supportiveness, prosociality, well-being, and school functioning. Students also assessed their teachers’ SEC. Classroom teachers (n = 14) completed self-report measures of mindfulness in teaching and burnout, reported on closeness and conflict in their relationships with students, and rated students’ SECs and academic success. Results from an Exploratory Factory Analysis (EFA) indicated high internal consistency of the CSTR and a two-factor solution: Teacher Support and Attunement and Caring Teacher Qualities. Further analyses revealed that the two factors of the CSTR were related in expected directions to measures of teacher support (e.g., academic and personal) and SEC, and to students’ reports of classroom supportiveness, prosociality, well-being, and school functioning. Positive associations of the two CSTR factors to teacher reports of students’ SEC and academic success were also found. The two factors of the CSTR were positively associated with teachers’ reports of mindfulness in teaching and negatively associated with teachers’ burnout. These findings have implications for understanding the role that students’ perceptions of student-teacher relationships may play in promoting their positive adaptation and success in school.
The Potential Causes of Cystic Fibrosis-Related Diabetes
Authors: Coderre Lise , Debieche Lyna , Plourde Joëlle , Rabasa-Lhoret Rémi , Lesage Sylvie
Published: July 2021

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR). Cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) is the most common comorbidity, affecting more than 50% of adult CF patients. Despite this high prevalence, the etiology of CFRD remains incompletely understood. Studies in young CF children show pancreatic islet disorganization, abnormal glucose tolerance, and delayed first-phase insulin secretion suggesting that islet dysfunction is an early feature of CF. Since insulin-producing pancreatic β-cells express very low levels of CFTR, CFRD likely results from β-cell extrinsic factors. In the vicinity of β-cells, CFTR is expressed in both the exocrine pancreas and the immune system. In the exocrine pancreas, CFTR mutations lead to the obstruction of the pancreatic ductal canal, inflammation, and immune cell infiltration, ultimately causing the destruction of the exocrine pancreas and remodeling of islets. Both inflammation and ductal cells have a direct effect on insulin secretion and could participate in CFRD development. CFTR mutations are also associated with inflammatory responses and excessive cytokine production by various immune cells, which infiltrate the pancreas and exert a negative impact on insulin secretion, causing dysregulation of glucose homeostasis in CF adults. In addition, the function of macrophages in shaping pancreatic islet development may be impaired by CFTR mutations, further contributing to the pancreatic islet structural defects as well as impaired first-phase insulin secretion observed in very young children. This review discusses the different factors that may contribute to CFRD.
Risk Assessment and Prediction of COVID-19 Based on Epidemiological Data From Spatiotemporal Geography
Authors: He Xiong , Zhou Chunshan , Wang Yuqu , Yuan Xiaodie
Published: July 2021

COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease and public health hazard that has been wreaking havoc around the world; thus, assessing and simulating the risk of the current pandemic is crucial to its management and prevention. The severe situation of COVID-19 around the world cannot be ignored, and there are signs of a second outbreak; therefore, the accurate assessment and prediction of COVID-19 risks, as well as the prevention and control of COVID-19, will remain the top priority of major public health agencies for the foreseeable future. In this study, the risk of the epidemic in Guangzhou was first assessed through logistic regression (LR) on the basis of Tencent-migration data and urban point of interest (POI) data, and then the regional distribution of high- and low-risk epidemic outbreaks in Guangzhou in February 2021 was predicted. The main factors affecting the distribution of the epidemic were also analyzed by using geographical detectors. The results show that the number of cases mainly exhibited a declining and then increasing trend in 2020, and the high-risk areas were concentrated in areas with resident populations and floating populations. In addition, in February 2021, the “Spring Festival travel rush” in China was predicted to be the peak period of population movement. The epidemic risk value was also predicted to reach its highest level at external transportation stations, such as Baiyun Airport and Guangzhou South Railway Station. The accuracy verification showed that the prediction accuracy exceeded 99%. Finally, the interaction between the resident population and floating population could explain the risk of COVID-19 to the highest degree, which indicates that the effective control of population agglomeration and interaction is conducive to the prevention and control of COVID-19. This study identifies and predicts high-risk areas of the epidemic, which has important practical value for urban public health prevention and control and containment of the second outbreak of COVID-19.
Groundwater Hydrograph Decomposition With the HydroSight Model
Authors: Kong Feihe , Song Jinxi , Crosbie Russell S. , Barron Olga , Schafer David , Pigois Jon-Philippe
Published: July 2021

Groundwater, the most important water resource and the largest distributed store of fresh water in the world, supports sustainability of groundwater-dependent ecosystems and resilient and sustainable economy of the future. However, groundwater level decline in many parts of world has occurred as a result of a combination of climate change, land cover change and groundwater abstraction from aquifers. This study investigates the determination of the contributions of these factors to the groundwater level changes with the HydroSight model. The unconfined superficial aquifer in the Gnangara region in Western Australia was used as a case study. It was found that rainfall dominates long-term (1992–2014) groundwater level changes and the contribution rate of rainfall reduced because the rainfall decreased over time. The mean rainfall contribution rate is 77% for climate and land cover analysis and 90% for climate and pumping analysis. Secondly, the increasing groundwater pumping activities had a significant influence on groundwater level and its mean contribution rate on groundwater level decline is -23%. The land cover changes had limited influence on long-term groundwater level changes and the contribution rate is stable over time with a mean of 2%. Results also showed spatial heterogeneity: the groundwater level changes were mainly influenced by rainfall and groundwater pumping in the southern study region, and the groundwater level changes were influenced by the combination of rainfall, land cover and groundwater pumping in the northern study region. This research will assist in developing a quantitative understanding of the influences of different factors on groundwater level changes in any aquifer in the world.
An Evolutionary Explanation for the Female Leadership Paradox
Authors: Smith Jennifer E. , von Rueden Christopher R. , van Vugt Mark , Fichtel Claudia , Kappeler Peter M.
Published: July 2021

Social influence is distributed unequally between males and females in many mammalian societies. In human societies, gender inequality is particularly evident in access to leadership positions. Understanding why women historically and cross-culturally have tended to be under-represented as leaders within human groups and organizations represents a paradox because we lack evidence that women leaders consistently perform worse than men. We also know that women exercise overt influence in collective group-decisions within small-scale human societies, and that female leadership is pervasive in particular contexts across non-human mammalian societies. Here, we offer a transdisciplinary perspective on this female leadership paradox. Synthesis of social science and biological literatures suggests that females and males, on average, differ in why and how they compete for access to political leadership in mixed-gender groups. These differences are influenced by sexual selection and are moderated by socioecological variation across development and, particularly in human societies, by culturally transmitted norms and institutions. The interplay of these forces contributes to the emergence of female leaders within and across species. Furthermore, females may regularly exercise influence on group decisions in less conspicuous ways and different domains than males, and these underappreciated forms of leadership require more study. We offer a comprehensive framework for studying inequality between females and males in access to leadership positions, and we discuss the implications of this approach for understanding the female leadership paradox and for redressing gender inequality in leadership in humans.
Ecology of Fear: Spines, Armor and Noxious Chemicals Deter Predators in Cancer and in Nature
Authors: Peplinski Joy , Malone Margaret A. , Fowler Katherine J. , Potratz Emily J. , Pergams Alexander G. , Charmoy Kristie L. , Rasheed Kiran , Avdieiev Stanislav S. , Whelan Christopher J. , Brown Joel S.
Published: July 2021

In nature, many multicellular and unicellular organisms use constitutive defenses such as armor, spines, and noxious chemicals to keep predators at bay. These defenses render the prey difficult and/or dangerous to subdue and handle, which confers a strong deterrent for predators. The distinct benefit of this mode of defense is that prey can defend in place and continue activities such as foraging even under imminent threat of predation. The same qualitative types of armor-like, spine-like, and noxious defenses have evolved independently and repeatedly in nature, and we present evidence that cancer is no exception. Cancer cells exist in environments inundated with predator-like immune cells, so the ability of cancer cells to defend in place while foraging and proliferating would clearly be advantageous. We argue that these defenses repeatedly evolve in cancers and may be among the most advanced and important adaptations of cancers. By drawing parallels between several taxa exhibiting armor-like, spine-like, and noxious defenses, we present an overview of different ways these defenses can appear and emphasize how phenotypes that appear vastly different can nevertheless have the same essential functions. This cross-taxa comparison reveals how cancer phenotypes can be interpreted as anti-predator defenses, which can facilitate therapy approaches which aim to give the predators (the immune system) the upper hand. This cross-taxa comparison is also informative for evolutionary ecology. Cancer provides an opportunity to observe how prey evolve in the context of a unique predatory threat (the immune system) and varied environments.
Deep Phenotyping and Genetic Characterization of a Cohort of 70 Individuals With 5p Minus Syndrome
Authors: Nevado Julián , Bel-Fenellós Cristina , Sandoval-Talamantes Ana Karen , Hernández Adolfo , Biencinto-López Chantal , Martínez-Fernández María Luisa , Barrúz Pilar , Santos-Simarro Fernando , Mori-Álvarez María Ángeles , Mansilla Elena , García-Santiago Fé Amalia , Valcorba Isabel , Sáenz-Rico Belén , Martínez-Frías María Luisa , Lapunzina Pablo
Published: July 2021

Chromosome-5p minus syndrome (5p-Sd, OMIM #123450) formerly known as Cri du Chat syndrome results from the loss of genetic material at the distal region of the short arm of chromosome 5. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder of genetic cause. So far, about 400 patients have been reported worldwide. Individuals affected by this syndrome have large phenotypic heterogeneity. However, a specific phenotype has emerged including global developmental delay, microcephaly, delayed speech, some dysmorphic features, and a characteristic and monochromatic high-pitch voice, resembling a cat’s cry. We here describe a cohort of 70 patients with clinical features of 5p- Sd characterized by means of deep phenotyping, SNP arrays, and other genetic approaches. Individuals have a great clinical and molecular heterogeneity, which can be partially explained by the existence of additional significant genomic rearrangements in around 39% of cases. Thus, our data showed significant statistical differences between subpopulations (simple 5p deletions versus 5p deletions plus additional rearrangements) of the cohort. We also determined significant “functional” differences between male and female individuals.
Sclerosing Sialadenitis Is Associated With Salivary Gland Hypofunction and a Unique Gene Expression Profile in Sjögren’s Syndrome
Authors: Yin Hongen , Pranzatelli Thomas J. F. , French Benjamin N. , Zhang Nan , Warner Blake M. , Chiorini John A. ,   NIDCD/NIDCR Genomics and Computational Biology Core
Published: July 2021

Purpose

To develop a novel method to quantify the amount of fibrosis in the salivary gland and to investigate the relationship between fibrosis and specific symptoms associated with Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) using this method.

Materials and Methods

Paraffin-embedded labial salivary gland (LSG) slides from 20 female SS patients and their clinical and LSG pathology data were obtained from the Sjögren’s International Collaborative Clinical Alliance. Relative interstitial fibrosis area (RIFA) in Masson’s trichrome-stained LSG sections was quantified from digitally scanned slides and used for correlation analysis. Gene expression levels were assessed by microarray analysis. Core promoter accessibility for RIFA-correlated genes was determined using DNase I hypersensitive sites sequencing analysis.

Results

RIFA was significantly correlated with unstimulated whole saliva flow rate in SS patients. Sixteen genes were significantly and positively correlated with RIFA. In a separate analysis, a group of differentially expressed genes was identified by comparing severe and moderate fibrosis groups. This combined set of genes was distinct from differentially expressed genes identified in lung epithelium from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients compared with controls. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of salivary glands suggested most of the RIFA-correlated genes are expressed by fibroblasts in the gland and are in a permissive chromatin state.

Conclusion

RIFA quantification is a novel method for assessing interstitial fibrosis and the impact of fibrosis on SS symptoms. Loss of gland function may be associated with salivary gland fibrosis, which is likely to be driven by a unique set of genes that are mainly expressed by fibroblasts.
Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling of MAIT Cells in Patients With COVID-19
Authors: Shi Jijing , Zhou Jianglin , Zhang Xiaochang , Hu Wei , Zhao Jin-Fang , Wang Shengqi , Wang Fu-Sheng , Zhang Ji-Yuan
Published: July 2021

Background

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are considered to participate of the host immune response against acute severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection; however, single-cell transcriptomic profiling of MAIT cells in patients with COVID-19 remains unexplored.

Methods

We performed single-cell RNA sequencing analyses on peripheral MAIT cells from 13 patients with COVID-19 and 5 healthy donors. The transcriptional profiles of MAIT cells, together with assembled T-cell receptor sequences, were analyzed. Flow cytometry analysis was also performed to investigate the properties of MAIT cells.

Results

We identified that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of MAIT cells were involved in myeloid leukocyte activation and lymphocyte activation in patients with COVID-19. In addition, in MAIT cells from severe cases, more DEGs were enriched in adaptive cellular and humoral immune responses compared with those in moderate cases. Further analysis indicated that the increase of cell cytotoxicity (killing), chemotaxis, and apoptosis levels in MAIT cells were consistent with disease severity and displayed the highest levels in patients with severe disease. Interestingly, flow cytometry analysis showed that the frequencies of pyroptotic MAIT cells, but not the frequencies of apoptotic MAIT cells, were increased significantly in patients with COVID-19, suggesting pyroptosis is one of leading causes of MAIT cell deaths during SARS-CoV-2 infection. Importantly, there were more clonal expansions of MAIT cells in severe cases than in moderate cases.

Conclusions

The results of the present study suggest that MAIT cells are likely to be involved in the host immune response against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Simultaneously, the transcriptomic data from MAIT cells provides a deeper understanding of the immune pathogenesis of the disease.
Na Vuku Makawa ni Qoli: Indigenous Fishing Knowledge (IFK) in Fiji and the Pacific
Authors: Kitolelei Salanieta , Thaman Randy , Veitayaki Joeli , Breckwoldt Annette , Piovano Susanna
Published: July 2021

The time-tested Indigenous fishing knowledge (IFK) of Fiji and the Pacific Islands is seriously threatened due to the commercialization of fishing, breakdown of traditional communal leadership and oral knowledge transmission systems, modern education, and the movement of the younger generations to urban areas for work and/or study. Consequently, IFK, which has been orally transmitted for generations, has either been lost, not learned by the current generation, or remains undocumented. This study focuses on the critical need to conserve and include IFK as a basis for assessing the conservation status of ecologically and culturally keystone fisheries species as a basis for planning site-specific management of marine and freshwater fisheries in Fiji and the Pacific Islands. The study reviews studies of the last two and a half centuries on IFK from Fiji and elsewhere in the small oceanic islands of the Pacific, as a basis for the conservation, documentation and intergenerational transfer of this knowledge as the foundation for sustainable fisheries management. The study also reviews: the nature and conservation status of IFK, itself; and the conservation status of species considered to be of particular ecological and cultural importance; reasons for the loss of species/taxa and associated knowledge and practices; and actions that can be taken to address this loss.
Association Between Syndecan-1, Fluid Overload, and Progressive Acute Kidney Injury After Adult Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Xu Jiarui , Jiang Wuhua , Li Yang , Li Haoxuan , Geng Xuemei , Chen Xin , Hu Jiachang , Shen Bo , Wang Yimei , Fang Yi , Wang Chunsheng , Luo Zhe , Tu Guowei , Hu Jie , Ding Xiaoqiang , Teng Jie , Xu Xialian
Published: July 2021

Background:Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after cardiac surgery and the prognosis of AKI worsens with the increase in AKI severity. Syndecan-1(SDC-1) is a biomarker of endothelial glycocalyx degradation. Fluid overload (FO) is associated with poor outcomes in AKI patients and may be related to the damage of endothelial function. This study aimed at demonstrating the association between elevated SDC-1, FO, and AKI progression.

Methods:In this prospective study, we screened patients who underwent cardiac surgery and enrolled patients who experienced an AKI within 48 h after surgery from December 1, 2018 to January 31, 2019. Blood and urine samples were collected at the time of AKI diagnosis for plasma SDC-1 (pSDC-1) and urine SDC-1 (uSDC-1) measurements. Fluid balance (FB) = accumulated [fluid intake (L) - fluid output (L)]/body weight (kg) × 100%. FO was defined as FB > 5%. The primary endpoint was progressive AKI, defined as AKI progression from a lower to a higher stage. The patients were divided into progressive AKI group vs. non-progressive AKI group.

Results:The quartiles of pSDC-1 concentration (117.3 [67.4, 242.3] ng/mL) showed a graded association with the incidence of progressive AKI, ranging from 5.0, 11.9, 32.6 to 52.4% (pfor trend < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that increased pSDC-1 was an independent risk factor for progressive AKI. The AUC-ROC area of pSDC-1 concentration in predicting AKI progression was 0.847. Linear regression showed a positive correlation between FB and pSDC-1 concentration (R2= 0.384,p< 0.001). In patients with FO, the progressive AKI incidence was significantly higher in the high pSDC-1 (≥117.3 ng/mL) subgroup than in the low pSDC-1 subgroup (58.3 vs. 17.6%, OR = 9.167,P= 0.005). In patients without FO, the progressive AKI incidence was also significantly higher in the high pSDC-1 subgroup with a lower odds ratio (30.4 vs. 7.4%, OR = 6.714,P= 0.002).

Conclusion:Elevated pSDC-1 concentration was associated with progressive AKI after cardiac surgery and showed good predictive ability for progressive AKI. FB was related to the increase of pSDC-1. The interaction between pSDC-1 and FB may further aggravate the progression of AKI.
Uptake of HIV/AIDS Services Following a Positive Self-Test Is Lower in Men Than Women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Tonen-Wolyec Serge , Kayembe Tshilumba Charles , Batina-Agasa Salomon , Tagoto Tepungipame Alliance , Bélec Laurent
Published: July 2021

As far as HIV self-testing (HIVST) is concerned, proving the link to HIV care for users with a positive result contributes to understanding the implementation of HIVST. We sought to examine whether there were differences by sex in the uptake of HIV services following a positive self-test in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This was a mixed-methods study exploring linkage to care for HIVST through a secondary analysis of collected data from three pilot surveys recently conducted in three cities (Kinshasa, Kisangani, and Kindu) during 2018 and 2020 in the DRC. Linkage to HIV care was defined as delayed when observed beyond 1 week. A total of 1,652 individuals were self-tested for HIV. Overall, the proportion of linkage to HIV care was high (n = 258; 82.2%) among individuals having a positive result with HIV self-test (n = 314), but it was significantly lower in men (65.2%) than women (89.2%). Furthermore, linkage to HIV care of men was significantly delayed as compared with that of women (40.0 vs. 20.7%). These findings show a lower uptake of care following a positive self-test in men than women. This trend already previously observed in sub-Saharan Africa shed light on the need to increase linkages to care among men newly diagnosed through HIV self-testing.
Antibacterial Properties of Organosulfur Compounds of Garlic (Allium sativum)
Authors: Bhatwalkar Sushma Bagde , Mondal Rajesh , Krishna Suresh Babu Naidu , Adam Jamila Khatoon , Govender Patrick , Anupam Rajaneesh
Published: July 2021

Garlic (Allium sativum), a popular food spice and flavoring agent, has also been used traditionally to treat various ailments especially bacterial infections for centuries in various cultures around the world. The principal phytochemicals that exhibit antibacterial activity are oil-soluble organosulfur compounds that include allicin, ajoenes, and allyl sulfides. The organosulfur compounds of garlic exhibit a range of antibacterial properties such as bactericidal, antibiofilm, antitoxin, and anti-quorum sensing activity against a wide range of bacteria including multi-drug resistant (MDR) strains. The reactive organosulfur compounds form disulfide bonds with free sulfhydryl groups of enzymes and compromise the integrity of the bacterial membrane. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the development of antibiotic resistance as a global health concern and emphasizes antibiotic stewardship along with the urgent need to develop novel antibiotics. Multiple antibacterial effects of organosulfur compounds provide an excellent framework to develop them into novel antibiotics. The review provides a focused and comprehensive portrait of the status of garlic and its compounds as antibacterial agents. In addition, the emerging role of new technologies to harness the potential of garlic as a novel antibacterial agent is discussed.