bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peace processes, violence, and de facto states: introduction
Authors: Stepanova E. , Golunov S.
Published: August 2022

Only a quarter of outcomes of armed conflicts that ended during the first two decades of the 21st century resulted from negotiated peace or ceasefire agreements. While comprehensive, final, and conclusive peace agreements are in relative decline, ceasefires, limited, or partial, accords, and local agreements proliferate. The dynamics of peacemaking and the critical interplay of talks and violence during peace processes become increasingly nonlinear, complex, and unpredictable. In this special issue, a mix of actors, dynamics and factors at the interface of peace processes and violence is narrowed down to contexts that involve de facto states, most of whom experience both an ongoing or stalemated peace process and recurring violence of different types and varying degree of intensity. The article provides the analytical context for the special issue and discusses basic terminology and concepts, such as “peace processes” and “de facto states”, and some of the global data-based trends and research literature on the volume‟s subject. The first part of this article focuses on peace processes and the interplay of peacemaking and violence, the second one looks into the “state of the art” on de facto states, while the third one presents a summary of, including the main take-off from, the authors‟ contributions to this special issue.
Sleep deprivation as a method in the treatment of depression
Authors: Kurczewska Ewa , Rybakowski Janusz
Published: August 2022

: Istnieje wiele doniesień na temat zaburzeń rytmów dobowych w przebiegu chorób afektywnych. Rytmy okołodobowe dotyczą wydzielania wielu neuroprzekaźników (w tym noradrenaliny, serotoniny, dopaminy) oraz hormonów, które są istotne z punktu widzenia leczenia farmakologicznego w psychiatrii. Chronoterapia polega na kontrolowanej ekspozycji na bodźce środowiskowe, które wpływają na rytmy biologiczne i dają zamierzony efekt terapeutyczny. Najlepiej poznaną metodą chronoterapii jest deprywacja snu (sleep deprivation, SD), która posiada wielokierunkowy mechanizm działania, przynosi szybki efekt przeciwdepresyjny, jest metodą skuteczną, posiada niewiele przeciwwskazań i skutków ubocznych. Niestety bardzo często obserwuje się gwałtowne pogorszenie po epizodzie snu, gdy nie stosuje się metod podtrzymujących efektu terapeutycznego SD. Obecnie najbardziej zalecanym schematem jest łączenie całkowitej deprywacji snu (total sleep deprivation, TSD) z przesunięciem fazy snu (sleep phase advance, SPA), terapią jasnym światłem (bright light therapy, BL, LT) oraz farmakoterapią. Takie postępowanie ma udowodnioną skuteczność krótko- i długoterminową, może mieć korzystny efekt w leczeniu depresji lekoopornej.
Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by Acremonium sp. activity
Authors:   Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Heras-Martínez Héctor Mario , Muñoz-Castellanos Laila Nayzzel ,   Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Bugarín Alejandro ,   Florida Gulf Coast University, Ramos-Sánchez Víctor Hugo ,   Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Salmerón Ochoa Iván ,   Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chávez-Flores David ,   Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua Facultad de Ciencias Químicas
Published: August 2022

Chihuahua State is the largest apple producer in Mexico. To prevent apples from freezing during the winter, petroleum-based fuels are used to heat the orchards. In this research work, a microorganism isolated from inside of a fuel plastic container was identified through morphological analysis as the fungus Acremonium sp. By cultivating the fungus in potato dextrose agar medium (PDA), we were able to study the biodegradation rates of three polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The isolated microorganism was incubated at 28 ºC in M9 mineral liquid medium using phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene as the only carbon source at a concentration of 50 µg/mL. Degradation of PAHs was monitored using an environmentally friendly reverse phase ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) system, with a C18 column, 30% water acidified at 0.1% with trifluoroacetic acid, and 70% acetonitrile as the mobile phase, 40 ºC column temperature, and UV detection at 254 nm. After 30 days of biodegradation (optimal time), the final mean concentration for individual degradation experiments were 2.51 µg/mL phenanthrene, 3.02 µg/mL anthracene and 5.53 µg/mL pyrene. Those final concentrations indicate degradation percentile of 95%, 94%, and 89%, respectively. Biodegradation experiments combining all three PAHs showed similarly high degradation percentiles of 93%, 94%, and 85% for phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene, respectively. The dry weight average at day 30 in the individual and combined degradation experiments was 2.34 mg/mg PAHs degraded.
Towards A Model-Based Pattern Language for New Space-Based Systems
Authors: Lohar Bhushan , Cloutier Robert J
Published: August 2022

This paper presents an approach to the application of the Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and Model-Based Systems Architecting (MBSA) principles to develop a Model-Based Pattern Language (MBPL). It takes too long for systems engineers and architects to develop a new system from scratch, particularly new space-based systems derived from the existing space systems architectures. A pattern language is a holistic view of reusable logical model artifacts; many are interdisciplinary and introductory, if at all. The results are mostly a combination of the application-specific logical solution, which further results in the best possible overall solution. The main benefit of the pattern language is reducing the time and validation required to generate a new space-based system architecture; this approach will develop top-level requirements in the initial phase of the system development. The rationale of the methodology proposed by the paper is as follows, collect, and decompose published literature and other open-source information available on space system architectures and system models; develop SysML models for systems, subsystems, products, assembly, subassembly level, and mission-specific requirements using CAMEO SysML software. Arrange these patterns to develop a functional ontology and construct a logical architecture pattern library. This approach created, updated, and managed SysML pattern language, which evaluated the expedited new model construction. Again, our objective is to develop a logical pattern language using public domain information and evaluate patterns by constructing a new space mission concept—for example, planetary surface habitat.
A Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals New Genes in a Molecular Network Associated With Alcohol Dependence and Related Clinical Measures
Authors: Levchenko Anastasia , Malov Sergey , Antonik Alexey , Protsvetkina Anastasia , Rybakova Kseniya V. , Kanapin Alexander , Yakovlev Alexey N. , Nenasteva Anna Y. , Nikolishin Anton E. , Cherkasov Nikolay , Chuprova Natalia A. , Blagonravova Anna S. , Sergeeva Angelica V. , Zhilyaeva Tatyana V. , Denisenko Maria K. , Gainetdinov Raul R. , Kibitov Alexander O. , Krupitsky And Evgeny M.
Published: August 2022

At least 50% of factors predisposing to alcohol dependence (AD) are genetic and women affected with this disorder present with more psychiatric comorbidities, probably indicating different genetic factors involved. We aimed to run a genome-wide association study (GWAS) followed by a bioinformatic functional annotation of associated genomic regions in male and female patients with AD and eight related clinical measures. A genome-wide significant association of rs220677 with AD (p-value = 1.33×10^-8 calculated with the Yates-corrected Chi-square test under the assumption of dominant inheritance) was discovered in female patients. Associations of AD and related clinical measures with seven other single nucleotide polymorphisms listed in previous GWAS of psychiatric and addiction traits were differently replicated in male and female patients. The bioinformatic analysis showed that regulatory elements in the eight associated linkage disequilibrium blocks define the expression of 80 protein-coding genes. Nearly 68% of these and of 120 previously published coding genes associated with alcohol phenotypes directly interact in a single network. This study indicates that a number of genes behind the pathogenesis of AD are different in male and female patients, but implicated molecular mechanisms are functionally connected. The results also suggest the genetic basis of sex-specific psychiatric comorbidities of AD.
Blood Leukocyte Transcriptional Modules and Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Disease Severity and Age in COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Bando Silvia Yumi , Bertonha Fernanda Bernardi , Vieira Sandra E , Oliveira Danielle B. L. , Chalup Vanessa N , Durigon Edison L , Palmeira Patricia , Curi Ana Cristina P , Faria Caroline S , Antonangelo Leila , Lauterbach Gerhard da P , Regalio Fabiane A , Cesar Jr Roberto M , Moreira-Filho Carlos Alberto
Published: August 2022

The transcriptional response of human blood leukocytes to SARS-CoV-2 infection was investigated focusing on the differences between mild and severe cases and between age subgroups. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis and comparative gene expression analysis were used. Three transcriptional modules positively associated with the traits of interest and their respective high hierarchy genes were identified. Enrichment analyses showed that the yellow module, associated with severe cases and older patients, had an overrepresentation of genes involved in inflammatory and innate immune responses, and neutrophil activation. The magenta and black modules, associated with disease severity and younger patients, contained genes related to innate immunity and inflammation and genes that regulate those responses. Subnetworks for these modules were constructed using genes enriched for innate immunity, inflammation, immunoregulation and differentially expressed genes (severe vs. mild). Their analysis evidenced that immunoregulatory functions are more activated in the modules associated with younger patients, what may help to explain the better disease course and faster recovery observed in younger COVID-19 patients. Comparative gene expression analysis between severe and mild groups, followed by gene enrichment and normalized gene expression analyses, revelated a set of 23 potential biomarkers for COVID-19 severity, of which 13 are newly described.
The Effects of a Mediterranean Diet Intervention on Cancer-Related Fatigue for Patients undergoing Chemotherapy: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Kleckner Amber S. , Reschke Jennifer E. , Kleckner Ian R. , Magnuson Allison , Amitrano Andrea M. , Culakova Eva , Shayne Michelle , Netherby-Winslow Colleen S. , Czap Susan , Janelsins Michelle C. , Mustian Karen M. , Peppone Luke J.
Published: August 2022

Cancer-related fatigue is a common, burdensome symptom of cancer and side-effect of chemotherapy. While a Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) promotes energy metabolism and overall health, its effects on cancer-related fatigue remain unknown. In a randomized controlled trial, we evaluated a rigorous MedDiet intervention for feasibility and safety as well as preliminary effects on cancer-related fatigue and metabolism compared to usual care. Participants had stage I-III cancer and at least 6 weeks of chemotherapy scheduled. After baseline assessments, randomization occurred 2:1, MedDiet:usual care. Measures were collected at baseline, week 4, and week 8 including MedDiet adherence, dietary intake, and blood-based metabolic measures. Mitochondrial respiration from freshly isolated T cells was measured at baseline and 4 weeks. Participants (n=33) were 51.0±14.6 years old, 94% were female, and 91% were being treated for breast cancer. The study was feasible, with 100% completing the study and >70% increasing their MedDiet adherence at 4 and 8 weeks compared to baseline. Overall, the MedDiet intervention vs. usual care had a small-moderate effect on change in fatigue at weeks 4 and 8. For those with a baseline MedDiet score<5 (n=21), the MedDiet intervention had a moderate-large effect of 0.67 and 0.48 at weeks 4 and 8, respectively. The MedDiet did not affect blood-based lipids, though it had a beneficial effect on fructosamine (ES= -0.55). Fatigue was associated with mitochondrial dysfunction including lower basal respiration, maximal respiration, and spare capacity (p<0.05 for FACIT-F fatigue subscale and BFI, usual fatigue). In conclusion, the MedDiet was feasible and attenuated cancer-related fatigue among patients undergoing chemotherapy, especially those with lower MedDiet scores at baseline.
A New Architecture for Customizable Exergames: User Evaluation for Different Neuromuscular Disorders
Authors: Eckert Martina , Aglio Alicia , Martín-Ruiz María Luisa , Osma-Ruiz Victor
Published: August 2022

This paper presents a modular approach to generic exergame design that combines custom physical exercises in a meaningful and motivating story. This aims to provide a tool that can be individually tailored and adapted to people with different needs, making it applicable to different diseases and states of disease. The game is based on motion capturing and integrates four example exercises that can be configured via our therapeutic web platform "Blexer-med". To prove the feasibility for a wide range of different users, evaluation tests were performed on 14 patients with various types and degrees of neuromuscular disorders, classified into three groups based on strength and autonomy. Users were free to choose their schedule and frequency. Game scores and three surveys (before, during, and after the intervention) showed similar experiences for all groups, with the most vulnerable having the most fun and satisfaction. The players were motivated by the story and by achieving high scores. The average usage time was 2.5 times per week, 20 minutes per session. Pure exercise time was about half the game time. The concept has proven feasible and forms a reasonable basis for further developments. The full 3D exercise needs further fine-tuning to enhance fun and motivation.
Talaromyces santanderensis: a New Cadmium-tolerant Fungus from Cacao Soils in Colombia
Authors: Guerra Sierra Beatriz E. , Arteaga-Figueroa Luis A. , Sierra-Pelaéz Susana , Alvarez Javier C
Published: August 2022

Inorganic pollutants in Colombian cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) agrosystems cause problems in the production, quality, and exportation of this raw material. There has been an increased interest in bioprospecting studies of different fungal species focused on the biosorption of heavy metals. Furthermore, fungi constitute a valuable, profitable, ecological, and efficient natural soil resource that could be considered in the integrated management of cadmium mitigation. In this study, we report a new species of Talaromyces, isolated from cocoa soil from San Vicente de Chucurí-Colombia. The characterization of the culture was performed on six different standardized media and was distinguished by characteristic colony morphology: biverticillate and monoverticillate penicilli, acerose phialides, and slightly globose smooth-walled conidia. Culture was featured by bright yellow mycelium in young culture on CYA and CYAS medium. Colonies grew faster on Malt and Oat agar, attaining 36 and 32 mm diameter after seven days at 20 ºC. High acid production on CREA medium at 20-30 ºC was observed. Phylogenetic analysis was based on the ITS region and the RPB2, Calmodulin (CaM) and β-Tubulin genes that indicate that it is new to science and is named Talaromyces santanderensis sp. nov. This new species belongs to the Talaromyces section and is closely related to T. lentulus and related to T. soli, T. tumuli and T. pratensis (inside the T. pinophilus species complex) in the inferred phylogeny. Mycelia growth of the fungal strains was subjected to a range of 0-400 ppm Cd and incorporated into malt extract agar (MEA) in triplicates. Fungal radial growth was recorded every three days over a 13-days incubation period and In vitro cadmium tolerance tests showed a high tolerance index = 0,81 when the mycelium was exposed to 300 ppm of Cd. Results suggest T. santanderensis showed tolerance to Cd concentrations that exceed the permissible limits for contaminated soils, and it is promising for its use in bioremediation strategies to eliminate Cd from highly contaminated agricultural soils.
Performance of a Chest Radiography AI Algorithm for Detection of Missed or Mislabeled Findings: A Multicenter Study
Authors: Kaviani Parisa , Digumarthy Subba R. , Bizzo Bernardo , Reddy Bhargava , Tadepalli Manoj , Putha Preethan , Jagirdar Ammar , Ebrahimian Shadi , Kalra Mannudeep K. , Dreyer Keith J.
Published: August 2022

Purpose: We assessed if a CXR AI algorithm can detect missed or mislabeled chest radiographs (CXRs) findings in radiology reports. Methods: We queried multi-institutional radiology reports search database of 13-million reports to identify all CXRs reports with addendums from 1999-2021. Of the 3469 CXR reports with an addendum, a thoracic radiologist excluded reports where addendum was created for typographic errors, wrong report template, missing sections, or uninterpreted signoffs. The remaining reports with addendum (279 patients) with errors related to side-discrepancy or missed findings such as pulmonary nodules, consolidation, pleural effusions, pneumothorax, and rib fractures. All CXRs were processed with an AI algorithm. Descriptive statistics were performed to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of AI to detect missed or mislabeled findings. Results: AI had high sensitivity (96%), specificity (100%), and accuracy (96%) for detecting all missed and mislabeled CXR findings. The corresponding finding-specific statistics for AI were nodules (96%, 100%, 96%), pneumothorax (84%, 100%, 85%), pleural effusion (100%, 17%, 67%), consolidation (98%, 100%, 98%), and rib fractures (87%, 100%, 94%). Conclusion: The CXR AI could accurately detect mislabeled and missed findings. Clinical Relevance: The CXR AI can reduce the frequency of errors in detection and side-labeling of radiographic findings.
Transfer Learning using Generative Adversarial Networks for MRI Brain Image Segmentation
Authors: Khaled Afifa
Published: August 2022

Segmentation is an important step in medical imaging. In particular, machine learning, especially deep learning, has been widely used to efficiently improve and speed up the segmentation process in clinical practice. Despite the acceptable segmentation results of multi-stage models, little attention was paid to the use of deep learning algorithms for brain image segmentation, which could be due to the lack of training data. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) model that performs transfer learning to segment MRI brain images.Our model enables the generation of more labeled brain images from existing labeled and unlabeled images. Our segmentation targets brain tissue images, including white matter (WM), gray matter (GM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We evaluate the performance of our GAN model using a commonly used evaluation metric, which is Dice Coefficient (DC). Our experimental results reveal that our proposed model significantly improves segmentation results compared to the standard GAN model. We observe that our model is 2.1–10.83 minutes faster than stat-of-the-art-models.
Molecular Biosimilarity--A Paradigm Shift
Authors: Niazi Sarfaraz K.
Published: August 2022

Scientific, technical and bioinformatics advances have made it possible to establish analytics-based molecular biosimilarity for the approval of biosimilars. If the molecular structure and other product- and process-related attributes are comparable within the limits of testing then a biosimilar candidate would have safe safety and efficacy as its reference products. The current model of animal and human testing becomes redundant since all of these studies have much lower sensitivity and reproducibility in confirming biosimilarity. The recent AI-based protein structure prediction model has confirmed that the 3D structure can be predicted from the amino acid sequence, reducing the need for structural analysis; however, the new test methods based on MS are millions of times more sensitive and accurate. While the regulatory agencies have begun waiving animal testing and, in some cases, clinical efficacy testing, removing clinical pharmacology profiling brings a dramatic paradigm shift, reducing development costs without compromising safety and efficacy. Also shared is a list of 160+ products ready to enter as biosimilars. Major actions from regulatory agencies and developers are required to make this paradigm shift.
Marketing and Organizational Innovations in Europe
Authors: Costantiello Alberto , Laureti Lucio , Leogrande Angelo
Published: August 2022

In this article we investigate the determinants of marketing or organizational innovators in Europe for 36 countries in the period 2010-2019. We have used data from the European Innovation Scoreboard-EIS of the European Commission. We perform different econometric models i.e. Dynamic Panel, Pooled OLS, Panel Data with Fixed Effects, Panel Data with Random Effects, WLS. Results show that the level of marketing or organizational innovators in positively associated, among others variables to “Innovation Index”, “Innovators” and “Knowledge Intensive Service Exports”, while is negatively associated with “Sales Impacts”, “Foreign Controlled Enterprises Share of Value Added” and “Government procurement of advanced technology products”.
Reduce Corruption in Public Procurement: The Effort Towards Good Governance
Authors: Prakasa Satria Unggul Wicaksana , Asis Asis , Sahid Mualimin Mochammad
Published: August 2022

The Corruption Eradication Commission is introducing new laws on corruption. However, the crucial questions are whether the said laws effectively decrease corruption cases, including corruption in public procurement. The number of factors that result in corruption is increasing, especially in the public procurement sector. One of the most important things that can't be ignored is that the public doesn't take part in supervision. This study aims to examine how to reduce corruption in public procurement through an effort towards good governance. The study takes a socio-legal approach. By reviewing some review literature relevant to public procurement corruption, as well as reports by multiple authorities tracking the same subject. This study concludes that public procurement law policies in Indonesia have not worked well. This is one of them, influenced by corrupt law enforcement officials and the irresponsible political elite. As a result, existing legal regulations are not properly implemented.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Challenges and Protection Practices of Migrant Workers' Rights
Authors: Asmorojati Anom Wahyu , Nur Muhammad , Dewi Indah Kusuma , Hashim Hezlina
Published: August 2022

Indonesia has agreed to the ASEAN Consensus on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers. However, many cases have proved the vulnerability of the legal protection for Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. In other words, the consensus has not protected the workers. Therefore, this research was conducted to analyze considerations for the regulations designed to protect post-consensus migrant workers. The objective comprised three aspects: analysis of the legislation after consensus, the draft policy that realizes the consensus, and the enforcement based on the draft formulated to safeguard the rights of migrant workers—a normative juridical method used in this research. The results showed that the consensus is a soft law that does not have a binding effect and sanction, causing it vulnerable to a violation, especially among undocumented migrant workers.  Therefore, the research recommends bureaucracy reform to reduce the administrative costs for the migrant workers, allowing them to have better legal protection.
The Registration Policy of Interfaith Marriage Overseas for Indonesian Citizen
Authors: Wahyuni Sri , Luthviati Resti Dian , Hayat Muhammad Jihadul , K. Mishra Utkarsh
Published: August 2022

Interfaith marriages have long been a debated issue of marriage law in Indonesia. Since the marriage law was issued, there has been no clear legal stance governing interfaith marriage, particularly when involve Muslim/ah bride or groom. While the fact is, interfaith marriage is an unstoppable reality in the plural society. Not being recognized for its legitimacy according to Indonesian regulation makes the interfaith couples think to utilize out of the box solution that is conducting marriage overseas. The problem is whether interfaith marriages abroad can be considered legal in Indonesia and how is the registration process in Indonesia after their arrival. This study aims to explain the process of registering interfaith marriages carried out outside Indonesia after the couples return to Indonesia. The data was collected through the study of primary legal materials of Indonesian marriage laws and lower regulations. Data were also collected through interviews. This article argues that interfaith marriages are not well regulated in Indonesia. Therefore their validity cannot be justified. Interfaith marriages conducted abroad can be registered at the civil registry office. The civil registry office does not question the validity of the marriage.
Seasonal effects on the semen production of Bali bulls (Bos javanicus) in West Nusa Tenggara's Lelede regional artificial insemination center
Authors: Maulana Tulus , Anwar Saiful , Volkandari Slamet Diah , Nur Muhammad , Said Syahruddin
Published: August 2022

Objective: The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of the rainy and dry seasons on the sperm qualities and frozen sperm production of Bali bulls at the Lelede Regional Artificial Insemination Center (RAIC) in West Nusa Tenggara.

Methods: A total of 1226 ejaculates were examined from five Bali bulls during a 24-month period (November 2018–October 2019), which was classified into rainy (November–April, 658 ejaculates) and dry (May–October, 568 ejaculates) seasons. Semen volume (mL), sperm velocity (1-4), motility (%), concentration (x106 cell/ml), pre-freezing motility (%), post-freezing motility (%), recovery rate (%), and total frozen semen production were examined as sperm quality measures.

Results: The results indicated that during the rainy season, ejaculates and processed sperm were more abundant than during the dry season. Additionally, the features of discarded fresh semen in the volume parameter were significantly (P<0.05) larger during the dry season than during the rainy season. The pattern in semen output rises during the dry season and decreasing during the rainy season.

Conclusions: It was concluded that the rainy season results in a higher number of ejaculates and total sperm production than the dry season. Meanwhile, no differences in sperm characteristics exist between the two seasons.
Response of broiler chickens to different levels of Kepok banana weevil flour as partial mixture for basal commercial feed
Authors: Aswandi Aswandi , Purwanta Purwanta , Sritiasni Sritiasni , Sudarmi Nurtania , Herawati Maria
Published: August 2022

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the response of broilers to the use of Kepok banana hump flour as a partial substitute for commercial feed.

Methods: This study used 256 broiler chickens, with four feed treatments, namely: T0 = 0; T1 = 10; T2 = 30 and T3 = 50% Kepok banana hump flour. The experimental cages in the form of boxes consisted of 32 units of cage plots, with a cage density of 8 birds/cage plot. Research variables: feed consumption, body weight, feed conversion ratio, carcass weight, carcass percentage, abdominal fat percentage, digestive tract weight, heart weight, liver weight, ventriculus weight, ammonia excreta and income over feed cost. The data obtained were analyzed according to the design used, namely: Completely Randomized Design, if the treatment was very significantly different, followed by the smallest real-test.

Results: The results showed that the use of Kepok banana hump flour in commercial feed was very significant (P<0.01) on feed consumption, body weight, feed conversion ratio, carcass weight, carcass percentage, abdominal fat percentage, digestive tract weight, heart, liver, ventriculus, content of ammonia excreta and income over feed cost.

Conclusion: Kepok banana weevil flour as a partial substitute for commercial basalt feed can be used up to 30% in broilers with the highest Income Over Feed Cost produced by feed containing 10% Kepok banana weevil flour, the addition of Kepok banana weevil flour as a partial substitute for commercial feed can reduce the ammonia excreta of broiler chickens.
BUDDHIST SNAKES LADDERS PORTABLE AS LEARNING MEDIA FOR BUDDHIST SUNDAY SCHOOL'S STUDENTS
Authors: Pamungkas Bayu Jati , Putra Didhit Taruna , Lestari Riska Ayu , Asdar Ahsanul Khair
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to develop a game of snakes and ladders as a learning media through the 4-D Thiagarajan model (Define, Design, Development, and Disseminate). This study's data was collected using an interview guide and questionnaires. The data was analyzed using Aiken's V, Gregory, and descriptive statistics. Aiken's V analysis showed that all of the questions were valid. Gregory's analysis showed that the game's manual book had an excellent readability level with an interrater agreement index of 0.857. The test results showed that the games developed were practical and can be used as learning media.
Pengembangan Goalpro Education Game: Mobile Gamification Learning System (MGLS) untuk meningkatkan motivasi belajar model ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction)
Authors: Wijaya Etistika Yuni
Published: August 2022

Salah satu bentuk profesionalitas seorang guru adalah menyediakan media pembelajaran bagi siswa. Kegiatan pembelajaran memerlukan media pembelajaran yang digunakan untuk menunjang siswa dalam memahami suatu materi pembelajaran dan meningkatkan motivasi belajar siswa. Salah satu media pembelajaran yang dikembangkan oleh guru adalah game edukasi. Tujuan dari penelitian pengembangan adalah mengembangkan Goalpro Education Game dengan menggunakan Mobile Gamification Learning System (MGLS); dan mengetahui tingkat kelayakan Goalpro Education Game dengan menggunakan Mobile Gamification Learning System (MGLS). Pengembangan menggunakan model ADDIE. Berdasarkan hasil pengembangan media pembelajaran game edukasi Goalpro berbasis komputer menggunakan unity 3D pada pemahaman konsep algoritma untuk siswakelas X di SMK2 Bangkalan termasuk dalam kategori valid, karena setelah melalui uji kelompok besar terdapat presentase sebesar 90,7%.
17β-Estradiol (E2) alleviates depressive-like behaviors by inhibiting gp130/JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway through estrogen receptor-β
Authors: Chen) 倩 陈 (Qian , Sun Ting , Cheng Jingru , Mei Yufeng , Liu Bohao , LI Yan
Published: August 2022

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a worldwide life-threatening disorder with high incidence and high mortality. Besides, the neurotrophic effects of estrogen have been demonstrated in many neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the mechanistic interplay between depression, neuroinflammation and estrogen remain unclear. Here, this study investigated the effect of E2 on neuroinflammation and depressive-like behaviors induced by ovariectomy (OVX), as well as the underlying mechanism. We found the anti-depressant effect of E2 through behavioral experiments and verified the anti-apoptotic effect of E2 on the depressive hippocampus in mice, and finally we showed that E2 alleviated inflammatory response and reversed depressive-like behaviors by inhibiting gp130/JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway via combining with estrogen receptor-β (ER-β) in vivo and vitro. These results suggested that E2 possesses potent anti-depressive action, which might be mediated via inhibition of neuroinflammation and apoptosis impairment by promoting the interaction between gp130 and ER-β.
Genetic variability and heritability estimates in F2 populations of intra hirsutum for various traits
Authors: Jatoi W. A. , KALERI Farman Ali , Saleem RAZA , MARI Shah Nawaz , Shahnaz MEMON , KALERI Majid Hussain , Lubna RAJPUT , SARWAR Muhammad Kashif
Published: August 2022

Background: Plant breeders are more interested in genetic variance rather than phenotypic variance because that is more amenable to selection and brings further improvement in the desirable characters. Therefore the current investigation was laid out to estimate heritability and genetic advance among F2 progenies of cotton based on these parameters of cotton, i.e. days to 1st boll formation, days to 1st boll opening, boll formed at 90 days after sowing, plant height, sympodial branches plant-1, bolls plant-1, boll weight (g), seed cotton yield plant-1 (g), GOT (%) and staple length.Result: The mean square of genotypes demonstrated substantial difference for most of the characters except plant height, sympodial branches plant-1 and staple length. Based on average performance variety Mehran recorded better performance for most of the components while in F2 progenies Mehran x Koonj and CRIS-508 x CRIS-510 were noted with superior result for various traits. In case of heritability estimation Bakhtawar x CRIS-508 showed maximum heritability (77.80%) for days to 1st boll opening, (82.03%) heritability bolls formed at 90 days after sowing (84.89%) for staple length. Mehran x Koonj expressed maximum (88.78%) heritability for sympodial branches plant-1 and (90.52%) for GOT (%). Koonj x CRIS-510 contributed high (82.83%) heritability for plant height, and Bakhtawar x CRIS-510 showed high heritability for seed cotton yield . considering genetic gain Mehran x CRIS-508 was noted with maximum genetic progression for plenty of the parameters. Conclusions: Mehran variety performed better for boll formation at 90 days after sowing, boll weight (g), seed cotton yield and staple length. Among the F2 progenies Mehran x Koonj, Mehran x CRIS-508 and Bakhtawar x CRIS-508 recorded better mean performance for most of the traits. Regarding heritability estimation F2 progenies Mehran x CRIS-508, Mehran x Koonj, Koonj x CRIS-510 and Bakhtawar x CRIS-510 showed high heritability and genetic gain for various traits that could be useful for further improvement.
Effect of COVID-19 on the affordability of a healthy diet for urban populations in Thailand and the Philippines
Authors: Mwambi Mercy , Schreinemachers Pepijn , Praneetvatakul Suwanna , Harris Jody
Published: August 2022

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has severely affected global food security, but analyses of the impact of the pandemic on the cost and affordability of a healthy diet are limited. This study examines the immediate effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the cost and affordability of a healthy diet among urban households in Bangkok, Thailand and Manila, the Philippines.MethodsWe use official food price and household income and food expenditure data from the national statistics offices. The cost of recommended diet (CoRD) method was used to assess the minimum cost of a healthy diet, following the healthy diet recommendations provided in the national food-based dietary guidelines of the specific countries. Regression discontinuity design was used to determine the COVID-19 effect on food prices and scenario analysis was used to determine the effect of reduced food budgets with and without government relief programs. ResultsThe results show that the average cost of the recommended diet was US$ 0.67 per person/day in Bangkok and US$ 1.44 in Manila immediately before the start of the pandemic. This diet is generally affordable for all households in Bangkok, but only for 40% of households (5.42 million people) in Manila, indicating much higher poverty in the latter. The pandemic and associated government measures, decreased the cost of the recommended diet with 3% in Bangkok (p=0.002) but not in Manila (p=0.298). Assuming contractions in people’s food budgets of 15-20%, the recommended diet would become unaffordable for 1.3-2.3 million people in Bangkok and 5.97 to 7.40 million people in Manila. In Bangkok, government relief largely compensated for this loss, but relief payments in Manila were not enough to compensate the effect. ConclusionThese results show that the main effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the affordability of healthy diets was through the effect on incomes of the poor rather than through prices. The government relief measures should be targeted to low-income beneficiaries to have adequate resources to purchase a healthy diet.
Internal innovations, foreign technology and productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa’s manufacturing firms: The role of absorptive capacity
Authors: BBAALE EDWARD , Kilimani Nicholas , Okumu Ibrahim Mike , Tumwebaze Henry
Published: August 2022

Internal firm innovations and external knowledge/technology transfer are key for spurring the growth of firms and economies. We investigate whether firms that engage in such innovations are more likely to be productive than others as well determine if external knowledge transfers may have an effect on labor productivity mediated by the existence of internal absorptive capacity (generated by human capital and R&D). Using the World Bank Enterprise Survey of 26 African countries and employing both OLS and 2SLS, we find that firms that engage in innovations experience more growth. Most fundamentally, importation of inputs alone in the absence of other innovations does not maximize firm productivity. Finally, firms with a higher absorptive capacity in addition to the other innovations enjoy higher efficiency gains from their imported inputs irrespective firm ownership and size. Government should pursue policies that enhance internal absorptive capacity so as to enable firms tap the global opportunities.
Evaluation of the reported data linkage process and associated quality issues for linked routinely collected healthcare data in Multimorbidity research: a systematic review
Authors: Elstad Maria , Ahmed Saiam , Røislien Jo , Douiri Abdel
Published: August 2022

Background:
Datasets from multi-sources that routinely collect healthcare information such as patient medical records, admissions and disease registries are increasingly used for medical research. In some cases, multiple sources are combined using data linkage techniques to create comprehensive datasets. The patient records are linked on an individual level using available person level identifiers. Errors in this process can introduce bias of unknown size and direction. the objective of this systematic review was to examine how the record linkage process was reported and to understand challenges related to accessing, linking, and analysing linked routinely collected data.
Methods:
A systematic search for relevant studies was conducted in three online databases (Medline, Web of Science and Embase) in May 2021 using predefined search terms, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. All published studies using linked routinely collected data for multimorbidity research were included. Information was extracted on how the linkage process was reported, which conditions were studied together, which data sources were used, as well as challenges encountered during the linkage process or with the linked dataset.
Results:
Twenty studies were included, of which seventeen investigated at the relationship between two specified long-term conditions. Fourteen studies received the linked dataset from a trusted third party. Hospital Episode Statistics was the most common source of data (n = 5). Eight studies reported variables used for the data linkage, while only two studies reported pre-linkage checks. The quality of the linkage was assessed only by three studies, of which two reported linkage rate and one reported raw linkage figures. Only one study checked for bias by comparing patient characteristics of linked and non-linked records.
Conclusions:
The linkage process was poorly reported in multimorbidity research, even though this might introduce bias and potentially lead to inaccurate inferences drawn from the results. There is therefore a need for increased awareness of linkage bias and transparency of the linkage processes, which could be achieved through better adherence to reporting guidelines.
Diversity of RNA Editing in Chloroplast Transcripts across Three Main Plant Clades
Authors: Zhang Aidi , Fang Jing , Zhang Xiujun
Published: August 2022

RNA editing is a post-transcriptional modification of an RNA nucleotide sequence. Until now, different RNA editing systems were found in the major eukaryotic clades. In the plant kingdom, RNA editing was mainly documented in the mitochondria and chloroplast genomes. However, variation among large taxonomic groups and the evolutionary trajectory in terms of intra- and inter- clades remains unclear. To gain a better understanding of RNA editing evolution, in this study, based on publicly available RNA-seq data across three clades (fern, gymnosperm, and angiosperm), we provided a detailed analysis of chloroplast RNA editing events and discussed its evolution in land plants. A total of 5,205 editing sites were determined across 21 species after rigorous screening. We found that the clustering relations of RNA editing sites across 21 species agreed with the phylogenetic tree based on protein sequences approximately, and more editing sites occurred in early-diverging lineages for all the three clades, implying they shared similar evolutionary trajectories of editing loss. We observed that the average RNA editing level varied among species as well as genes, a lowest RNA editing level (~ 0.42) was detected in Selaginella moellendorffii; the highest editing level (~ 0.88) was detected in atpA gene. The reduction of cytosine content with evolution detected in our study further suggested that the substitution of the genomic sequence was the significant driver of loss of editing for later-branching plants. Many of the identified sites in our study have not been previously reported and provided a valuable data set for the future research community. Our findings also provide valuable information for the evolution of RNA editing in plants.
Mother chemical defenses predict offspring defenses in a dendrobatid poison frog
Authors: Brooks Olivia , James Jessie , Saporito Ralph
Published: August 2022

Within and among populations, alkaloid defenses of the strawberry poison frog ( Oophaga pumilio ) vary spatially, temporally, and with life history stage. Natural variation in defense has been implicated as a critical factor in determining the level of protection afforded against predators and pathogens. Oophaga pumilio tadpoles sequester alkaloids from nutritive eggs and are thus entirely dependent on their mothers for their defense. However, it remains unclear how tadpole alkaloid composition relates to that of its mother and how variation in maternally provisioned defenses are effective against predators. Here, we demonstrate that natural variation in the alkaloid composition of mother frogs is reflected as variation in her tadpole’s alkaloid composition. Tadpoles, like mother frogs, varied widely in their alkaloid composition but always contained the identical alkaloids found in their mother. Alkaloid quantity in late stage tadpoles was highly correlated with alkaloid quantity in their mothers, and alkaloid quantity was the best predictor of tadpole palatability, wherein tadpoles with higher alkaloid quantities were less palatable. Mother frogs that provide greater quantities of alkaloids to their tadpoles likely ensure better protection for their offspring by providing defenses during one of the most vulnerable periods of life.
Needs Assessment of Individualized Peer Support for Families with Eating Disorders
Authors: Ohara Chisato , Nishizono-Maher Aya , Sekiguchi Atsushi , Sugawara Ayako , Morino Yuriko , Kawakami Junko , Suzuki Mari Hotta
Published: August 2022

BackgroundPeer support among family members is important in cases of mental illness, but there has been limited practice or research on individual peer support specific to families with eating disorders (EDs). To conduct peer support activities, it is necessary to clarify the needs of families for peer support.ObjectivesThe objectives of this study are to identify the following:1. the needs for group and individual peer support,2. the characteristics of family members who are willing to receive individual peer support, and3. the characteristics of family members willing to provide individual peer support.MethodA cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted for family members with EDs.The questionnaires included demographic information on respondents and their patients, questions about the need for family peer support, interest in studying or offering peer support, social resources, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (J-ZBI_8), the Anorectic Behavior Observation Scale (ABOS).ResultsOut of 314 respondents, 87.3% believed that a group peer support system was necessary, whereas 56.7% believed that an individual peer support system was necessary. As to whether they want to use individual peer support, 70 (22.4%) stated “Extremely YES,” 99 (31.7%) stated “Moderately YES,” 100 (32.1%) stated “undecided,” 30 (9.6%) stated “Moderately NO,” and 13 (4.2%) stated “NO” (4.2%). Family members who are willing to receive individual peer support have poor mental health and a high care burden, and they make heavy use of existing social resources. Regarding the provision of peer support, 38 (12.2%) responded “very interested and willing to provide it if possible,” 87 (27.9%) responded “interested and willing to study,” and 165 (52.9%) responded “interested but cannot afford to training.” Although patients of family members who were willing to provide peer support were likely to recover, it was suggested that family members themselves were not always mentally healthy, thereby indicating the need for professional support in training peer supporters.ConclusionIndividualized peer support can be a useful option in supporting families with EDs. Training for potential peer supporters is needed to implement peer support.
Novel Allelic Variation of Hd1 Involves in Photoperiod Sensitivity of Rice
Authors: Meng Xiaoxi , Liu Shuai , Guo Xiaohu , Xing Shihai , Peng Zhaohua
Published: August 2022

Heading date is one of determinants of rice germplasms adapting to photoperiods. Genes regulating flowering time are extensively studied. Hd1 was identified as a determinant of the flowering time of rice. Understanding the haplotypes of rice Hd1 gene is critical for molecular breeding. Here, a major effect on chromosome 6 regulating flowering time in rice was identified by QTL-seq approach. Sequence and mRNA expression analyses indicated allelic variations of Hd1 on chromosome 6 were the major reason for phenotypic divergences between wild-type (Nipponbare) and mutant (HSS) lines. The Hd1 allele in HSS has a single-base substitution and a 36bp insertion compared to Nipponbare, which introduced an amino acid motif (RRHQR) to the C-terminus of zinc finger domain in Hd1. This weak functional Hd1 allele makes HSS less sensitive to photoperiod causing earlier flowering in long-day and later flowering in short-day compared to the wild type. Sequence and diurnal expression analyses confirmed the reduced the expression of Hd1 affected other flowering time regulators including Hd3a and DTH8 in both long-day and short-day. Expression pattern analyses demonstrated that DTH8 has a roughly positive correlation with Hd1. Our results indicated that Hd1 can positively regulate the expression of DTH8 and the abundance of DTH8-Hd1 complex in response to day length, and the DTH8-Hd1 complex subsequently controls flowering time in rice by regulating Hd3a.