bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RELEVANSI KURIKULUM SEKOLAH MENENGAH KEJURUAN DENGAN KEBUTUHAN DU/DI DITINJAU DARI KEGIATAN PRAKTIK KERJA INDUSTRI
Authors: Anggita Maya , Roemintoyo Roemintoyo , Rahmawati Kundari
Published: June 2023

Abstrak: Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui: (1) Penguasaan kompetensi oleh siswa dalam pelaksanaan praktik kerja industri (Prakerin); (2) Tugas yang diberikan oleh industri pada pelaksanaan Prakerin; (3) Kompetensi yang belum diajarkan di sekolah namun dibutuhkan dalam dunia industri; (4) Relevansi kurikulum SMK dengan DU/DI ditinjau dari pelaksanaan Prakerin. Penelitian kualitatif ini mengambil studi kasus di salah satu sekolah swasta di Jawa Tengah dengan data yang digunakan bersumber dari kepala sekolah, guru, pengelola Bursa Kerja Khusus (BKK), pihak pengelola Prakerin di sekolah, siswa yang sedang atau telah melaksanakan Prakerin, dan pihak DU/DI. Hasil penelitian ini adalah sebagai berikut: (1) Kurikulum yang diterapkan di SMK adalah kurikulum 2013 revisi 2017. Penguasaan kompetensi-kompetensi oleh siswa dalam kurikulum yang telah ditetapkan sudah cukup dengan nilai rata-rata rapor sebesar 82,65; (2) Tugas yang diberikan oleh pihak industri bervariasi menyesuaikan dengan kemampuan siswa dan pekerjaan yang sedang dilaksanakan oleh industri; (3) Terdapat beberapa kompetensi yang belum diajarkan atau belum detail dalam kegiatan pembelajaran; (4) Persentase tingkat relevansi antara kurikulum SMK dengan kebutuhan DU/DI tergolong cukup relevan yaitu sebesar 67,93%.

Abstract: The purposes of this research are to find out: (1) Mastery of competence by students in the implementation of industrial apprenticeship program; (2) The tasks assigned by the industry during the industrial apprenticeship program; (3) Competencies that have not been taught in schools but are needed in the industrial world; (4) Curriculum relevancy of Vocational Secondary School (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan/SMK: in Bahasa) with industrial world reviewed from the industrial apprenticeship program. This qualitative research applied a case study in a private Vocational Secondary School located in Central Java.  The data sources in this study were teachers, the officers of Special Job Exchange, the management of industrial apprenticeship programs, students who were or had implemented Industrial apprenticeship programs, and industry parties.The results of this research are as follows: (1) The vocational secondary school uses the 2013 revised 2017 curriculum. Mastery of competencies by students in the established curriculum is considered sufficient with an average value of 82.65; (2) The assignments given by the industry vary according to the abilities of students and the work being carried out by the industry; (3) There are several competencies that have not been taught or have not been detailed in learning activities; (4) The percentage level of relevance between the vocational school curriculum and the needs of industry is sufficient, which is 67.93%.
Pengembangan Bahan Ajar Fisika Bangunan Berbasis E-Module di Program Studi Pendidikan Teknik Bangunan
Authors: Kenyo Ayu Putri , Ramadhan M Agphin , Murtinugraha R Eka
Published: June 2023

Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan bahan ajar mata kuliah fisika dasar berbasis e-module pada materi fisika bangunan yang dapat membantu pendidik dalam menyampaikan materi dan membantu meningkatkan persentase hasil belajar mahasiswa yang baik pada mata kuliah fisika dasar di Program Studi Pendidikan Teknik Bangunan, Fakultas Teknik, Universitas Negeri Jakarta. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan dengan menggunakan metode penelitian riset dan pengembangan (R&D) dan model penelitiannya adalah model 4D yang terdiri dari 4 tahap penelitian, yaitu Define, Design, Develop, dan Disseminate. Penelitian ini menggunakan instrumen yang berguna dalam pengumpulan data analisa kebutuhan, pengujian kelayakan produk oleh ahli materi dan ahli media, serta penilaian pengguna produk oleh mahasiswa. Hasil dari penelitian ini merupakan bahan ajar mata kuliah fisika dasar berbasis e-module yang berfokus pada materi fisika bangunan yang terdiri dari 4 bab materi pokok. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa: (1) hasil validasi produk oleh ahli materi mendapatkan persentase rata-rata sebesar 86% (sangat layak). (2) hasil validasi produk oleh ahli media mendapatkan persentase rata-rata sebesar 99% (sangat layak). (3) peningkatan nilai rata-rata mahasiswa pada hasil uji coba terbatas dengan persentase sebesar 21%. (4) hasil rata-rata skor sebesar 4,16 (dari skala 5) yang termasuk ke dalam kategori baik pada penilaian produk oleh mahasiswa. 

Abstract:This study aims to develop teaching materials for introductory physics courses based on an e-module on building physics materials. It can help educators deliver material and increase the percentage of good student learning outcomes in introductory physics courses in the Building Engineering Education Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, State University of Jakarta. This research was carried out using the research and development (R&D) method, and the research model was the 4D model, which consisted of 4 research stages: Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate. This study uses instruments that are useful in collecting needs analysis data, testing product feasibility by material and media experts, and evaluating product users by students. The results of this study are teaching materials for introductory physics courses based on e-module, which focus on building physics material that consists of 4 subject matter chapters. The study results show that: (1) the results of product validation by material experts get an average percentage of 86% (very feasible). (2) The product validation results by media experts get an average percentage of 99% (very feasible). (3) an increase in the average value of students in the results of limited trials with a percentage of 21%. (4) the average score of 4.16 (on a scale of 5) is included in the excellent category in product evaluation by students.
Potensi Perkuatan Tanah Gambut dengan Penambahan Tanah Non Organik dan Semen
Authors: Masrur Muhammad Ali
Published: June 2023

Abstrak : Tanah Gambut adalah salah satu jenis tanah yang sering dipermasalahkan dalam suatu pekerjaan pelaksanaan konstruksi dikarenakan tanah gambut mempunyai daya dukung yang rendah. Salah satu yang jadi tolak ukur dalam kemampuan tanah dalam pembuatan sarana transportasi sebagai jalan yaitu nilai daya dukung tanah adalah berupa nilai California Bearing Ratio (CBR). Tujuan penelitian ini dilakukan untuk perbaikan tanah gambut dengan perkuatan pada tanah gambut dengan penambahan tanah non organik dan semen. Perbandingan komposisi  tanah gambut dengan tanah non organik adalah 40%:60%. Tanah yang digunakan berasal dari yang ada di Kelurahan Kalampangan, kecamatan Sebangau, Palangka Raya Kalimantan Tengah, dengan penambahan semen 0%, 3%, 5% dan 7%. Pengujian sampel meliputi pengujian sifat fisik dan pengujian mekanis berupa berat jenis, pemadatan standar dan CBR dan melakukan perbandingan antara sesudah dan sebelum penelitian. Hasil dari pengujian laboratorium tanah gambut dengan penambahan tanah non organik dan semen 0% diperoleh nilai CBR 6,62%. Sedangkan pada penambahan semen 3%, 5%, dan 7% didapat nilai CBR yaitu 12,16%, 12,92%, dan 14,44%. Berdasarkan hasil tersebut maka dapat dikatakan Secara umum tanah gambut dengan penambahan tanah non organik dan semen  menghasilkan peningkatan pada nilai CBR.

 
Abstract : The peat land is one type of soil that is often questioned in a construction work because it has a low carrying capacity. One of the benchmarks in the ability of the soil in making transportation facilities as roads is the value of the carrying capacity of the soil in the form of the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value. The purpose of this study was to improve peat soil by strengthening the peat soil with the addition of non-organic soil and cement. The research was conducted chemically with sample composition is  40% peat soil and 60% non-organic soil taken from Kalampangan Village, Sebangau sub-district, Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, with the addition of 0%, 3%, 5% and 7% cement. The research includes testing of physical properties and mechanical tests such as density, standard compaction and CBR and making comparisons between after and before the study. The results of laboratory testing of peat soil with the addition of non-organic soil and 0% cement obtained a CBR value of 6.62%. Meanwhile, with the addition of 3%, 5% and 7% cement, the CBR values were 12.16%, 12.92% and 14.44%. Based on these results, it can be said that in general, peat soil with the addition of non-organic soil and cement resulted in an increase in the CBR value.
Identifying obstacles in the evaluation of companies based on the research cluster method
Authors:   Stefan cel Mare University, Socoliuc Mihaela Ionela , Melega Anatol ,   Stefan cel Mare University, Hlaciuc Elena ,   Stefan cel Mare University, Botez Daniel ,   Vasile Alecsandri University
Published: June 2023

In the current context of accelerating digitisation in almost all areas of business, assessing the market value of a company has become a topic of debate both among practitioners and in the academic community due to a significant increasing presence of intangibles in the assets of these companies. Therefore, the purpose of our research is focused on the identification of existing impediments in the evaluation process of companies over time. The established objectives are: meta-analysis of the most relevant papers on company valuation and bibliometric analysis of WoS indexed papers, during the period of 1975-2021 having such topics as performance, corporate governance, information, market, company, fair value, intellectual capital and earnings management. The research methodology is based on a database formed by all studies indexed in WoS in the last approximately 45 years with the mentioned topics and the obtained results consist in determining the structure of research clusters formed by the key concepts used in company evaluation. The usefulness of the results is confirmed by the creation of future research directions on the topic of company valuation, because having the help of the existing intensity of links between research clusters of this domain, it is much easier for researchers to approach new directions and themes related to this subject.
Training network preparation and practical solutions for economic improvement at universities of Mexico in the literature from 2020 to 2023
Authors:   Technological Institute of Sonora, Campas Celia Yaneth Quiroz , Cordoba Victor Hugo Meriño ,   Catholic University Luis Amigó, Ruíz Gilberto Bermudez ,   Anahuac University, Aguayo José Marcos Bustos ,   The National Autonomous University of Mexico, Sánchez Arturo Sánchez ,   The Autonomous University of Tlaxcala, Lirios Cruz García ,   Autonomous University of Mexico State
Published: June 2023

In administrative-economic sciences, factor analysis models are essential for their explanatory capacity of institutional responses to a risk event. The objective of this document was to contrast a model that explains the emergence of corporate governance dimensions in the face of the pandemic. An exploratory study was carried out based on a systematic review of the literature from 2020 to 2023, considering the search by keywords in Google Scholar and Microsoft academic, as well as the experts from a public university in the center of Mexico. The results show that corporate identity explains the university’s response to the pandemic. In relation to the theory of corporate governance which explains the emergence of identity, reputation, and image in the face of a risky event, we have established the relationship between the three factors. The established three-dimensional model suggests the prevalence of identity as a central factor of corporate governance in the face of COVID-19.
Determining mitigation on landslide prone level in watershed area: analysis of study on Samin Hulu Karanganyar District of Indonesia and its economic consequences
Authors:   Slamet Riyadi University, Priyono Priyono , Handoko Sigit ,   PGRI University of Yogyakarta, Rahayu Rahayu ,   Sebelas Maret University, Sawitri Sicilia ,   Semarang State University, Murwaningtyas Fransiska Sinta Devi ,   Sebelas Maret University
Published: June 2023

Landslides in Indonesia have caused much damage and claimed lives inland, environment, people, and property. This study aims to identify and analyze the types of landslides, the factors causing landslides, and the impacts of landslide-prone impacts in determining food security and agricultural economics. The research method used was survey and laboratory analysis. The research was conducted in the Samin Hulu Tengah River Basin (Matesih and Karangpandan Districts) Karanganyar Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The research data were obtained using field surveys and literature studies. The research data is in the form of thematic maps of the area, data on landslides in the watershed, soil samples analysis, and survey results. The results showed that the level of landslide-prone in Karangpandan District was higher than in Matesih District. The causes of landslides were triggered by higher rainfall, higher slopes, more dominant andesite rocks. In Karangpandan, there are five types of landslides, namely Landslides, Rocks, Subsidence, Landslides, and Soilcreep. Regarding the methods of land management and food security, the analysis of the findings showed that the cultivation pattern, increasing soil fertility, landslide and water resources management had the greatest relationship with agricultural economy. Farmers who used the methods regarding landslide and water resources management had more safe and healthy access to food due to increased land quality and productivity. Therefore, it can be said that in order to increase the yield of agricultural products, increase food security and invest in this field, more support services should be provided to farmers and necessary measures should be taken for more participation and cooperation of farmers in the field of sustainable land management.
Paradigm Shift in Conventional Hydraulic Fracturing - Emerging Fracturing Techniques Using Thermochemical Fluids
Authors: Al-Ghamdi Ahmed , Al-Jawad Murtada , Mahmoud Mohamed
Published: June 2023

Hydraulic fracturing has long been an established well stimulation technique in the oil & gas industry, unlocking hydrocarbon reserves in tight and unconventional reservoirs. The two types of hydraulic fracturing are proppant fracturing and acid fracturing. Recently, a new of hydraulic fracturing is emerging which is delivering yet more enhanced production/injection results. This paper conducts a critical review of the emerging fracturing techniques using Thermochemical fluids.

The main purpose of hydraulic fracturing is to break up the reservoir and create fractures enhancing the fluid flow from the reservoir matrix to the wellbore. This is historically achieved through either proppant fracturing or acid fracturing. In proppant fracturing, the reservoir is fractured through a mixture of water, chemicals and proppant (e.g. sand). The high-pressure water mixture breaks the reservoir, and the proppant particles enter in the fractures to keep it open and allow hydrocarbon flow to the wellbore. As for acid fracturing, the fractures are kept open through etching of the fracture face by acid such as Hydrochloric Acid (HCl).

An emerging technique of hydraulic fracturing is through utilization of thermochemical solutions. These environmentally friendly and cost-efficient are not reactive as surface conditions, and only react in the reservoir at designated conditions through reservoir temperature or pH-controlled activation techniques. Upon reaction, the thermochemical solutions undergo an exothermic reaction generating in-situ foam/gases resulting in creating up to 20,000 psi in-situ pressure and temperature of up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. Other reported advantages from thermochemical fracturing include the condensate bank removal (due to the exothermic reaction temperature) and capillary pressure reduction.
Isolation and Identification of Endophytic microflora from Cissus quadrangularis Linn. of some districts of Assam
Authors: Deka Namita , Patgiri Saranga Ranjan , Sharma Bidisha
Published: June 2023

The present study aims at exploring the microbial diversity in one of the most important medicinal plant- Cissus quadrangularis Linn. Stems and leaves of the plant under study were collected from three districts of Assam. The study was conducted in two different seasons-summer and winter. 16 endophytic fungal species were isolated from the studied samples and were morphologically identified of which 5 were sterile ones. The isolation of endophytic bacteria was done on Nutrient Agar media using standard protocols. Based on the amplification of 16S rDNA amplification and comparing the results with the BLAST results and the phylogenetic tree, the organisms were identified to be- Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus velenzensis. This study will give further scope for studying the secondary metabolites from the Endophytic isolates of this plant and establish relationship for its bone healing ability.
Self-Testing of a Single Quantum System: Theory and Experiment
Authors: Hu Xiao-Min , Xie Yi , Arora Atul , Ai Ming-Zhong , Bharti Kishor , Zhang Jie , Wu Wei , pingxing Chen , Cui Jin-Ming , Liu Bi-Heng , Huang Yun-Feng , Li Chuan-Feng , Guo Guangcan , Roland Jeremie , Cabello Adan , Kwek Leong Chuan
Published: June 2023

Self-testing allows for characterising quantum systems under minimal assumptions. However, existing schemes rely on quantum non-locality and cannot be applied to systems that are not entangled. Here, we introduce a robust method that achieves self-testing of individual systems by taking advantage of contextuality. The scheme is based on the simplest contextuality witness for the simplest contextual quantum system—the Klyachko-Can-Binicioglu-Shumovsky inequality for the qutrit. We establish a lower bound on the fidelity of the state and the measurements as a function of the value of the witness under a pragmatic assumption on the measurements. We apply the method
in an experiment on a single trapped 40Ca+ and using randomly chosen measurements and perfect detection efficiency. Using the observed statistics, we obtain the first experimental demonstration of self-testing of a single quantum system with negligible deviations from the assumptions.
Distribution characteristics of non-point source pollution and identification of key source areas in Nanyi Lake(China) Basin: Based on InVEST model and source list method
Authors: Ding Lei , QI Cui-cui , Zhang Wei-qing
Published: June 2023

The InVEST model was used to verify the accuracy of the simulation results of the InVEST model by using the source list method to improve the identification efficiency of key source areas of TP non-point source pollution in the Nanyi Lake Basin. The results showed that the TP non-point source pollution in Nanyi Lake was affected by the pollution source, the filtration rate of pollution load, and the mass concentration of potential TP runoff. The InVEST model has good applicability in areas where agricultural TP is the main source of pollution. This study shows that the InVEST model combined with the source list method provides a more effective method for identifying the key source areas of TP non-point source pollution in the river basin, and formulates corresponding measures according to their pollution characteristics, so as to provide a reference for the control of non-point source pollution in the basin.
Physiological responses and removal pathways of Auxenochlorella protothecoides, Tetradesmus obliquus and Chlamydomonas acidophila to antibiotics commonly found in wastewater
Authors: Frascaroli Gabriele , Roberts Joanne , Hunter Colin , Escudero Ania
Published: June 2023

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of mixtures of seven widely used human antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, metronidazole, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) on the growth, pH, pigment production and antibiotics removal of three microalgal species (Auxenochlorella protothecoides, Tetradesmus obliquus, and Chlamydomonas acidophila). Batch assays were carried out containing media with mixtures of pharmaceuticals at three concentrations: 10, 50 and 100 µg L-1. A decrease in the pH and increased production of chlorophylls and carotenoids, up to 40% for A. protothecoides, were observed in the media with the highest concentration of antibiotics. However, no inhibition has been observed in the growth of the three species. The antibiotics were primarily removed through biosorption by the microalgae biomass, ranging between 21 and 70%. Bioaccumulation and biodegradation were only observed for A. protothecoides – a species never investigated before for the removal of antibiotics – presumably due to a rise in the heterotrophic activity selectively triggered by the concentrations of antibiotics. In the present study, it has been observed that physiological responses and the removal of antibiotics by microalgae are interlinked and depend on the levels and types of exogenous compounds.
A Systematic Review on the Efficacy of Artificial Intelligence in Geriatric Healthcare: A Critical Analysis of Current Literature
Authors: RANGRAZE IMRAN , Khan Shehla
Published: June 2023

Objective:To carry out systematic analysis of existing literature on role of Artificial Intelligence in geriatric patient healthcare.
Methods: A detailed online search was carried out using search phrases in reliable sources of information like Pubmed database,Embase database, Ovid database, Global Health database, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Study specific information was gathered, including the organisation, year of publication, nation, setting, design of the research, information about population, size of study sample, group dynamics, eligibility and exclusion requirements, information about intervention, duration of exposure to the intervention , comparators, details of outcome measures, scheduling of evaluations, and consequences. After information gathering, the reviewers gathered to discuss any differences.
Results: 31 studies were finally selected for systemic review. Although there was some disagreement on the acceptance of AI-enhanced treatments in LTC settings, this review indicated that there was little consensus about the efficacy of those initiatives for older individuals. Social robots have been shown to increase social interaction and mood, but the data was more conflicting and less definitive for the other innovations and consequences. The majority of research evaluated a variety of results, which made it impossible to synthesise them in a meaningful way and prevented a meta-analysis. In addition, many studies have moderate to severe bias risks due to underpowered design
Conclusion: It is challenging to determine whether AI supplemented technologies for geriatric patients are significantly beneficial. Although some encouraging findings were made, more study is required.
Temporal trade-off between territorial and thermoregulatory behaviors of a generalist lizard in a dry forest
Authors: Valencia-Esqu Jose Israel , Kiere Lynna Marie , Osorio-Beristain Marcela
Published: June 2023

Avoiding dangerously hot body temperatures is important for survival, but animals may perform reproductive behaviors at the expense of behaviors used to cool down (or vice-versa), resulting in a thermoregulation-reproduction trade-off. Although this trade-off has been demonstrated in semi-aquatic animals, it has not been studied in terrestrial ectotherms. This is an important research gap given the importance of survival-reproduction trade-offs in evolutionary ecology and the pace of habitat warming due to vegetation loss and global climate change. We explored this trade-off in territorial males of the lizard Sceloporus ochoterenae, which mates during the hot-dry season in seasonally dry tropical forest. We first confirmed the existence of a temporal trade-off between performing push-ups (a territorial behavioral display) versus sheltering in the shade (thermoregulatory behavior), then used confirmatory path analysis to explore how it is affected by vegetation cover, microclimate temperature, and the presence of a conspecific intruder. We found that territories with less vegetation cover had higher microclimate temperatures, where focal males spent more time performing push-ups at the expense of sheltering in the shade. Focal males also spent more time performing push-ups the longer an intruder was present, who was also affected by the environmental variables. Territorial males spent more time in sunny spots when performing push-ups despite the potential for overheating, perhaps because the display is more effective when performed in the open. The potential effects of continued habitat warming on this trade-off vary widely, including intensifying it, driving lizards to change their daily activity rhythms, and chronic overheating.
Rhizosheath formation in soil depends on mucilage concentration and water content
Authors: Rahim Riffat , Jahromi Omid Esmaeelipoor , Amelung Wulf , Kroener Eva
Published: June 2023

Aims: Root exudates contain polymers that form crosslinks and can create a jelly-like substance named mucilage, which adheres to soil and thus promotes the formation of rhizosheath, i.e., of soil that remains attached to roots after gentle shaking. We hypothesized that rhizosheath formation shows an optimum at intermediate mucilage concentration and water content, but that its formation is limited at both high mucilage concentration and dryness as well as at low mucilage concentration and wetness. As parameters are difficult to control in real root-soil systems, we used an artificial root-soil-system where soil moisture and mucilage concentrations could be varied independently from one another in their effect on rhizosheath formation.
Methods: Flax cords were disposed in sandy loam soil and in quartz sand, and in later study they were also amended to different moisture contents with five different concentrations of mucilage (from 0 to 0.2g dry mucilage g-1 water), isolated from chia and flaxseed mucilage after swelling of the respective seeds in distilled water for 15 min.
Results: We found that in dry soil, rhizosheath formation peaked at intermediate mucilage concentration. This behavior was supported by our conceptual model of mucilage spreading and rhizosheath formation, which relies on a radial diffusion equation and assumes that at low mucilage concentration in the added water, molecule numbers are insufficient to support polymer-like networks that stick soil particles together. In a very concentrated gel, in turn, mucilage is too sticky to diffuse far into soil. Increasing soil moisture promotes rhizosheath formation both in low and high mucilage concentration range, though only to intermediate volumetric water contents of 0.15cm cm–3.
Conclusions: We conclude that both water and mucilage concentration are important drivers in rhizosheath formation, but effects are not additive but can combine to an optimum range, with maximum rhizosheath here formed at 0.12 g mucilage g-1 rhizosphere water.
Application of English translation system design based on semantic relation classification in teaching ecological health
Authors: Xie Yanhong
Published: June 2023

At present, the teaching ecology in the public environment is not healthy. The relationship between the ecological subjects (teachers and students) is indifferent and lacks resonance. Students' resistance to teaching leads to ineffective teaching. Meanwhile, the accuracy of English machine translation is generally not high, and there are problems such as insufficient accuracy of the semantic classification and unclear semantic expression. To improve the model robustness and solve the semantic classification problem in the NMT task, this paper proposes a lightweight bidirectional LSTM network SAT-BiLSTM (Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory) with an attention mechanism. The SAT-BiLSTM translation network is composed of six decoders and six encoders, and the bidirectional LSTM network with an improved strong attention mechanism is used to process the input text and the output text. Experimental results show that compared with other NMT models, the system improves the translation speed and accuracy, achieves better statistical results on rare words translation, and the semantic classification is more accurate. This study is helpful to improve the effectiveness of English classroom teaching and create a healthy college English classroom ecosystem.
Spatial transcriptomics reveals strong association between SFRP4 and extracellular matrix remodeling in prostate cancer
Authors: Andersen Maria K. , Krossa Sebastian , Midtbust Elise , Pedersen Christine A. , Wess Maximillian , Høiem Therese S. , Viset Trond , Størkersen Øystein , Nervik Ingunn , Sandsmark Elise , Bertilsson Helena , Giskeødegård Guro F. , Rye Morten B. , Tessem May-Britt
Published: June 2023

Increased gene expression levels of secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) is a biomarker in aggressive prostate cancer. Prostate tumor heterogeneity is a major obstacle when studying the biological mechanisms of molecular markers. To understand how SFRP4 relates to prostate cancer we performed comprehensive spatial and multiomics analysis of the same prostate cancer tissue samples. The experimental workflow included spatial transcriptomics, bulk transcriptomics, proteomics, DNA methylomics and tissue staining. SFRP4 mRNA was predominantly located in cancer stroma, produced by fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells, and co-expressed with extracellular matrix components. We also confirmed that higher SFRP4gene expression is associated with cancer aggressiveness. Gene expression of SFRP4was affected by gene promotor methylation. Surprisingly, the high mRNA levels did not reflect SFRP4 protein levels, which was much lower. This study contributes previously unknown insights of SFRP4 mRNA in the prostate tumor environment that potentially can improve diagnosis and treatment.
Teaser: Combining a comprehensive set of different methods on the same samples reveals new understanding of SFRP4 in prostate cancer
Suspended Load Modeling of River using Soft Computing Techniques
Authors: Moradinejad Amir
Published: June 2023

The phenomenon of sediment transport has always affected many river and civil structures. Not knowing the exact amount causes a lot of damage. Therefore, it is very important to correctly estimate the sediment load of rivers in terms of sedimentation, erosion, and flood control. In this research, adaptive neuro-fuzzy models (ANFIS), gene expression programming (GEP), support vector regression (SVR), Group Method of Data Handling (GMDH), and the classical method of sediment rating curve (SRC) were used to model and prediction. For this purpose, the daily data of temperature, rainfall, sediment, and discharge of the Jalair station located in the Markazi province of Iran were used. The results obtained from these five methods were compared with each other and with the measured data. To evaluate the used methods, correlation coefficient, root mean square error, mean absolute error, and Taylor diagram were used. The results show the acceptable performance of data mining methods compared to the Sediment rating curve. Also, the superiority of the model (GEP) was shown with the highest coefficient of determination R2 with a value of 0.98 and the lowest root mean square error RMSE in terms of tons per day with a value of 3721. The efficiency of the ANFIS and GMDH model with R2 values of 0.93, 0.98, and RMSE values of 16556, and 18638 was somewhat better than the SVR model with an R2 value of 0.90 and RMSE value of 35158. Data mining-based methods can be used as an alternative to estimate the suspended load of the river.
Development of a novel microhaplotype panel for steelhead/rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and application for phylogenetic analysis in California
Authors: Gall Ronan Le , Barthelemy Noé , Clemento Anthony J. , Columbus Cassondra D. , Campbell Ellen , Correa Elenea C. A. , Rodzen Jeff A. , Garza John Carlos , Pearse Devon E.
Published: June 2023

The rapid advance of high-throughput sequencing has prompted a transition in wildlife and fisheries genetics from using microsatellites toward markers that are more amenable to genotyping by sequencing. Microhaplotypes are novel multi-allelic genetic markers that utilize a high-throughput genomic amplicon sequencing approach to genotype large numbers of individuals for parentage and kinship analysis and population genetic studies, including applications in monitoring and fisheries management. We describe the development of a panel of microhaplotypes for Oncorhynchus mykiss, a species of high cultural and economic importance both in its native range in the North American and the Kamchatka Peninsula of northeast Asia, and globally through introductions for aquaculture and due to its reputation as a prized sport fish among recreational fishers. The panel includes 124 loci presumed to be neutral, a marker for the sex determination locus (SdY), and 10 loci targeting previously identified adaptive genomic variants associated with important life-history traits in this species. We demonstrate that this panel provides high resolution for phylogeographic and other genetic analysis and provide an initial standardized reference population genetic baseline of California O. mykiss.
Ebola Virus NP Binding to Host Protein Phosphatase-1 Regulates Capsid Formation
Authors: Ahmad Asrar , Tigabu Bersabeh , Ivanov Andrey , Jerebtsova Marina , Ammosova Tatiana , Ramanathan Palaniappan , Kumari Namita , Brantner Christine A. , Pietzsch Colette A. , Abdullah Ghadeer , Popratiloff Anastas , Widen Steve , Bukreyev Alexander , Nekhai Sergei
Published: June 2023

The Ebola virus (EBOV) transcriptional regulation involves host protein phosphatases PP1 and PP2A, which dephosphorylate the transcriptional cofactor of EBOV polymerase VP30. The 1E7-03 compound, which targets PP1, induces VP30 phosphorylation and inhibits EBOV infection. This study aimed to investigate the role of PP1 in EBOV replication. When EBOV-infected cells were continuously treated with 1E7-03, the NP E619K mutation was selected. This mutation moderately reduced EBOV minigenome transcription, which was restored by the treatment with 1E7-03. Formation of EBOV capsids, when NP was co-expressed with VP24 and VP35, was impaired with NPE 619K. Treatment with 1E7-03 restored capsid formation by NP E619K mutation, but inhibited capsids formed by WT NP. The dimerization of NP E619K, tested in a split NanoBiT assay, was significantly decreased (~ 15-fold) compared to WT NP. NP E619K bound more efficiently to PP1 (~ 3-fold) but not B56 subunit of PP2A or VP30. Cross-linking and co-immunoprecipitation experiments showed fewer monomers and dimers for NP E619K which were increased with 1E7-03 treatment. NP E619K showed increased co-localization with PP1α compared to WT NP. Mutations of potential PP1 binding sites and NP deletions disrupted its interaction with PP1. Collectively, our findings suggest that PP1 binding to the NP regulates NP dimerization and capsid formation, and that NP E619K mutation, which has the enhanced PP1 binding, disrupts these processes. Our results point to a new role for PP1 in EBOV replication in which NP binding to PP1 may facilitate viral transcription by delaying capsid formation and EBOV replication.
Morphological and genetic diversity in Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc., infecting groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
Authors: shera Prabhu Narayan Meena , ashok Ashok Kumar Meena , chet Chet Ram
Published: June 2023

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an oilseed crop largely grown throughout the world. Ten isolates of S. rolfsii collected from groundnut grown areas were investigated for their morphological and genetic variability study. Morphological variability among the isolates was confirmed based on sclerotia distribution pattern, colours of sclerotia, number of sclerotia produced by isolate, weight of hundred sclerotia and different diameter sizes of sclerotia. Genetic diversity among the isolates was confirmed by using ITS primers that produced rDNA amplicon size ranging from 650-700bp which confirmed that all isolates belong to Sclerotium. RAPD primers confirmed genetic variation among the isolates. Highest numbers of amplicons (13) were observed in the OPA-9 primer. 105 polymorphic and monomorphic bands were produced by RAPD primers. Isolates SrA-SrH (0.575), SrBKN-SrA (0.384) and SrBKN-SrBKL (0.330) exhibited highest similarity coefficient. Based on dendrogram generated by UPGMA, SrBKN, SrA, SrH, SrJPF, SrJPP and SrT isolates were considered in Groups I. SrBKL shows highest (51%) diversity in Group II while Churu (SrC) isolate showed 49% diversity in Group III. Dendrogram and cluster analysis cleared that Group I was more genetically diverse among the isolates. Morphological and molecular diagnosis of the pathogen has a pivotal role in the implementation of chemical (fungicide) and biological (bio-agents) methods. Morphological study and diagnosis of pathogen by ITS and RAPD primers further exploited for genetically diverse strains of S.rolfsii.
Fabrication and Evaluation of Ultrasound-Responsive Emulsion Loading Paclitaxel for Targeted Chemotherapy
Authors: Kim Gayoung , Won Jongho , Kim Chul-Woo , Park Jong-Ryul , Park Donghee
Published: June 2023

Chemotherapy is the most widely used cancer treatment, but it has several drawbacks, such as adverse side effects and low bioavailability. To address these limitations, various drug delivery systems have been investigated, including liposomes, micelles, and emulsions. These drug delivery technologies have been improving the efficacy and safety of conventional chemotherapy. This study presents an emerging drug delivery technology for targeted chemotherapy using drug-loaded ultrasound-responsive emulsion (URE) as a drug carrier and ultrasound technology for external activation. URE was designed to be responsive to ultrasound energy and fabricated using an emulsification technique. To investigate this technology, paclitaxel, as a model drug, was used and encapsulated into URE. The size distribution, morphology, and drug release behavior of paclitaxel-loaded URE (PTX-URE) were characterized, and the echogenicity of PTX-URE was assessed using ultrasound imaging equipment. The cellular uptake and cytotoxicity of PTX-URE with ultrasound were evaluated in breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231). Our in vitroresults indicate that the combination of PTX-URE and ultrasound significantly enhanced cellular uptake by 10.6-fold and improved cytotoxicity by 24.1% compared to PTX alone. These findings suggest that the URE platform combined with ultrasound is a promising technology to improve drug delivery efficiency for chemotherapy.
The effect of COVID-19 on the frequency of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia: a monocentric, retrospective, and observational study
Authors: Prete Valentina Del , Paterno Giovangiacinto , Cennamo Oreste , Berrilli Federica , Cave David Di
Published: June 2023

Background
Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) and SARS-CoV2 share some similarities in their effects on the respiratory system, clinical presentation, and management. The COVID-19 pandemic required rapid action to curb transmission and mitigate its lethiferous impact. Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) were globally adopted. We hypothesized that these measures reduced the transmission and acquisition of P. jirovecii in both hospital and community settings.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective observational study on 2950 respiratory specimens from patients with suspected pulmonary infection, analyzed at the Laboratory of Parasitology Unit of the Policlinico Tor Vergata of Rome, Italy, from January 2014 to December 2022.
Results
We show a significant reduction in the frequency of PCP in the COVID-19 pandemic era, compared to the previous period. Among the four sequence types of P. jirovecii identified, genotype 1 was the most prevalent (37%). We observed a non-significant trend of decreasing cases with genotype 1 and increasing cases with genotype 3 over the study period.
Conclusions
The nationwide implementation of NPIs against COVID-19 may have changed the microbiological landscape of exposure, thereby decreasing the exposure to P. jirovecii and consequently reducing the incidence of PCP.
Maternal parity influences the birth sex ratio and birth interval of captive Francois' langur (Trachypithecus francoisi)
Authors: Yi Bojun , Wang Song , Sun Tao , Liu Ruoshuang , Lawes Michael J. , Yang Li , Liu Xuefeng , Li Yifeng , Huang Chengming , Zhou Qihai , Fan Penglai
Published: June 2023

The age and parity of female primates reflects their physical condition and reproductive experience. Individual age-parity dependent condition of females and the survival of their offspring represents a fitness tradeoff. This reproductive tradeoff is expressed in the individual birth sex ratio, offspring mortality and interbirth interval (IBI). Thus, maternal antenatal and postnatal investment hypotheses argue that, dependent on their physical condition determined by available resources, mothers can adjust the birth sex ratio, offspring mortality, and IBI. These hypotheses predict that more female offspring are produced by experienced mothers in poor condition (Trivers-Willard hypothesis), and that offspring mortality decreases and IBI shortens with parity (targeted reproductive effort hypothesis). Here we test the latter predictions in captive populations of the endangered Francois’ langur (Trachypithecus francoisi), using long-term (1980 to 2021) demographic and reproductive data from 21 Chinese zoos and three breeding centers. In these food provisioned populations, birth sex ratio changed slightly from male-biased to female-biased as parity increased, consistent with the predictions of the Trivers-Willard hypothesis. Although mortality of male offspring was greater than female offspring, overall offspring mortality did not vary with parity among females. The duration of postnatal care or IBI of male offspring was significantly shorter than for female offspring. However, IBI did shorten significantly, even for male offspring, with increasing parity, as predicted by the targeted reproductive effort hypothesis. Selecting females with more reproductive experience is recommended for captive breeding programs as they produce more female offspring, increasing the overall viable population size of this endangered species.
Analysis of the Technical Feasibility of Sustainable Concrete Production Using Waste Foundry Sand as a Fine Aggregate
Authors: Marques¹ Emily Noronha , Bergmann² Carlos Perez , Masuero³ Ângela Borges
Published: June 2023

Waste foundry sand (WFS) is one of the waste residues from the process of elaboration of components in foundries. Presently, its annual production is estimated at three million tons. This residue is derived from a composition of very fine natural sand, which consists predominantly of silica. The material retains properties that render it a compelling candidate for deployment as an alternative constituent to natural fine aggregate in concrete applications. This substitution holds the assurance of fostering enhanced sustainability in both construction and metallurgical industries. Considering these facts, the present study proposed the testing of three different proportions of replacement– 25%, 50%, and 100% by mass - of natural sand by WFS in concrete. To evaluate the feasibility of these replacements, several tests were conducted encompassing mechanical properties as well as aspects related to the durability of the concrete. The results indicated a significant improvement in mechanical performance, wherein there was an increase in compressive strength as the substitution content increased, with no significant variation in elastic modulus. Regarding the aspects associated with durability, both the absorption test and the alkali-aggregate reaction test did not present a statistically significant disparity relative to the core concrete, thereby demonstrating the technical feasibility of WFS utilization in concrete.
A power transformation for non-normal processes capability estimation
Authors: Lavrac Silvija , Turk Goran
Published: June 2023

Process capability estimation depends on the underlying data distribution. If data is not normally distributed, other techniques for capability estimation should be taken into consideration. In this paper, we propose modified power transformation method for non-normal process capability estimation. Proposed method is compared to Box-Cox, Johnson and Abbasi-Niaki transformation method using simulation studies. In terms of transformed data and capability estimation, proposed transformation method showed better performance than Box-Cox and Abbasi-Niaki method.
In Situ Carboxyl Functionalization of Hybrid Organosilica Reverse Osmosis Membranes for Water Desalination
Authors: Xu Rong , Cheng Shixin , Xu Cheng , Qi Lv , Zhong Jing , Liu Gongping , Huang Meina , Wasnik Priyanka , Jiang Qinglong
Published: June 2023

A new strategy is proposed to tune the surface and structural properties of hybrid organosilica membranes. It involves an in situ carboxyl functionalization via the thiol-ene click reaction between the double bonds of bis(triethoxysilyl)ethylene and mercaptosuccinic acid. Water sorption measurements and quantum chemical calculations confirm that the introduction of carboxyl functionalities into the organosilica networks leads to a more compact pore structure and an improved affinity for water molecules. Compared to the original ethenylene-bridged organosilica membranes, the in situ carboxyl functionalization doubles the membrane permeability without any drop in water/salt selectivity in reverse osmosis (RO). Furthermore, the carboxyl functionalized organosilica membrane demonstrates high durability during a continuous RO desalination process of 200 h, showing excellent prospects as a high efficiency and robust molecular separation membrane for environmental and industrial applications.
Could ultrasound and muscle elastography be promising tools for assessing disease activity in juvenile dermatomyositis patients?
Authors: de Andrade Renata Lopes Francisco , Mendonça José Alexandre , Piotto Daniela Petry , Guimarães Julio Brandão , Terreri Maria Teresa
Published: June 2023

Background
Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) is the most common idiopathic inflammatory myopathy in children. Imaging exams are useful for muscle assessment, with ultrasonography (US) being a promising tool in detecting disease activity and tissue damage. There are few studies about muscle elastography.
Objectives
Our aim was to associate clinical, laboratory, and nailfold capillaroscopy (NC) assessments with US in JDM patients; and to compare the findings of US and Strain Elastography (SE) from patients and healthy controls.
Methods
Twenty-two JDM patients and fourteen controls, aged between 5 and 21 years, matched for age and sex were enrolled. Patients underwent clinical exam to access muscle strength and completed questionnaires about global assessment of the disease and functional capacity. Patients were submitted to NC and measurement of muscle enzymes. All subjects underwent US assessment, using gray scale, Power Doppler (PD), and SE.
Results
In qualitative and semi-quantitative gray scale, we observed a higher frequency of alterations in patients (p < 0.001), while in PD, there was a higher frequency of positivity in patients' deltoids and anterior tibialis (p < 0.001). Active disease was associated with an important change in the semi-quantitative gray scale in deltoids (p = 0.007), biceps brachii (p = 0.001) and quadriceps femoris (p = 0.005). The SE demonstrated a high negative predictive value of 87.2.
Conclusion
US was able, through gray scale, to differentiate JDM patients from controls, while PD achieved such differentiation only for deltoids and anterior tibialis. The semi-quantitative gray scale showed disease activity in proximal muscles. SE was not able to differentiate patients from controls.