bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Floor and Ceiling Effects, Time to Completion, and Question Burden of PROMIS CAT Domains Among Shoulder and Knee Patients Undergoing Nonoperative and Operative Treatment
Authors: Gulledge Caleb M. , Smith D. Grace , Ziedas Alexander , Muh Stephanie J. , Moutzouros Vasilios , Makhni Eric C.
Published: December 2019

Background:

The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computer adaptive tests (CATs) have emerged as an efficient technique for measuring patient-reported outcomes among orthopaedic patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the floor and ceiling (F/C) effects, time to completion (TTC), and question burden of PROMIS CATs administered to patients presenting to a shoulder and sports medicine orthopaedic clinic.

Methods:

Patients prospectively completed PROMIS CATs including the physical function (PROMIS-PF) or upper-extremity function (PROMIS-UE), pain interference (PROMIS-PI), and depression (PROMIS-D) domains at their initial encounter and were retrospectively included in this study. Adult patients indicating a single problem involving either the shoulder or knee were included. Patients were also grouped as either preoperative or nonoperative. F/C effects were defined as the proportion of respondents scoring the highest (ceiling) or lowest (floor) possible score across a given domain.

Results:

Included were 2,952 patients (average age, 51.0 ± 16.9 years). The PROMIS-UE, PROMIS-PF, and PROMIS-PI demonstrated negligible F/C effects across all shoulder and knee patients (<2%). The PROMIS-D displayed moderate to significant floor effects (13.9% to 18.9%) and a 0% ceiling effect in all main patient groups. The mean TTC and mean question burden of the PROMIS-UE, PROMIS-PF, and PROMIS-PI ranged from 45.3 to 54.4 seconds and 4.1 to 4.9 questions for all patient groups, while the PROMIS-D exhibited a TTC ranging from 20.9 to 38.6 seconds for all groups and a question burden that ranged from 6.2 to 6.7 questions.

Conclusions:

The PROMIS-PF, PROMIS-UE, and PROMIS-PI demonstrated favorable F/C effects, TTC, and question burden among both nonoperative and preoperative patients. These findings justify consideration of the PROMIS-PF, PROMIS-UE, and PROMIS-PI for clinical and research applications involving shoulder and knee sports medicine patients. Additionally, we found moderate to significant floor effects for the PROMIS-D in all patient groups, which may be multifactorial in nature and may not be unexpected in patients with an isolated joint concern.

Clinical Relevance:

This study highlights the psychometric properties of PROMIS CAT forms for knee and shoulder patients. Understanding these basic properties is important in considering the adoption of PROMIS CAT forms for patients with musculoskeletal conditions.
Macular and peripapillary vessel density measurement in the evaluation of Non-proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Yang Dawei , Cao Dan , Yu Honghua , Yang Xiaohong , Huang Zhongning , Zeng Yunkao , Zhuang Xuenan , Wu Qiaowei , Liu Baoyi , Zhang Liang
Published: December 2019

Purpose: To compare vessel density in macular and peripapillary area between control subjects and patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to evaluate the association between RNFL thickness and different stage of diabetic retinopathy. Methods: A total of 170 eyes (normal control, 43; mild NPDR, 43; moderate NPDR, 42; severe NPDR, 42) underwent OCTA imaging. Optical coherence tomography angiographic parameters were vessel densities of superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP) in macular area and peripapillary area. Results: Vessel density of SCP and DCP in macular area, peripapillary area as well as RNFL thickness were 53.13%±3.03%, 52.07%±2.28%, 53.78%±3.66% and 128.86μm±11.32μm, respectively, in control subjects; 50.24%±3.81%, 47.40%±45.02%, 46.50%±6.03% and 124μm±13.97μm, respectively, in mild NPDR; 46.80%±5.23%; 44.39%±3.99%; 44.64%±4.23%; 121.02μm±20.86μm, respectively, in moderate NPDR; 42.82%±5.46%, 42.34%±5.14%, 43.16%±4.47%, 118.60μm±21.91μm in severe NPDR. The reduction of vessel density of SCP and DCP in macular area, peripapillary area as well as RNFL thickness were correlated with increasing severity of DR. Vessel density of SCP and DCP in macular area, peripapillary area and foveal density 300 (FD 300) in normal control were significantly higher than that of mild, moderate and severe NPDR groups. (all P<0.001). Vessel density of DCP shows better ability to identify the severity of DR (0.913; 95% CI=0.867-0.958; cut off value:0.75) than FD 300, vessel density of SCP in macular area and peripapillary area. Conclusion: Macular and peripapillary vessel density as well as RNFL thickness decreased as DR progresses. Vessel density in DCP could be an objective and sensitive indicator for monitoring progression of DR. OCTA might be clinically useful to evaluate microvascular and microstructural alterations in macula and optive nerve head (ONH), thus providing a new method to study the course of DR.
"Teaching:Individual" to Increase Adherence to Therapeutic Regimen in People with Hypertension and Type-2 Diabetes: Randomized Controlled Trial ENURSIN
Authors: Parra Dora Inés , Guevara Sandra Lucrecia Romero , Sánchez Lyda Zoraya Rojas
Published: December 2019

Background. Educational interventions with multifaceted approach have proven effective to improve adherence to the therapeutic regimen in people with chronic diseases. This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of the nursing intervention “Teaching: Individual” compared with usual care to increase adherence to therapeutic regimen and to analyze the impact of nursing interventions to decrease systolic blood pressure (SBP) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in people with hypertension and/or type-2 diabetes mellitus. Methods. This was a two-arm parallel randomized clinical trial in 200 patients from primary care programs with arterial hypertension and type-2 diabetes. The intervention was designed with a multifaceted approach and conducted individually in six sessions. For statistical analysis of SBP, a linear marginal model was used with an exchangeable correlation matrix for repeated measures, and for treatment adherence as well as generalized HbA1c estimating equations repeated measures were used with an unstructured correlation matrix, using all available data. All analyses were conducted in STATA software version 15.0. Values of p <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results. After six months the follow up score adherence to the therapeutic regimen was higher in the “Teaching: Individual” group compared with the usual care group with a difference in the median of 0.87 points (95% CI: 0.30 to 1.44). The difference in the median of SBP between the groups was -3.79 mmHg (95% CI: -6.85 to -0.73), in favor of the group intervened. The difference in the median of HbA1c was -0.16% (95% CI: -0.41 to 0.09). The effect was not maintained at 12 months of follow up in none of the variables of interest. Conclusions. As well as in other contexts, this study determined that educational interventions with multifaceted approach leaded by nursing are effective in improving therapeutic adherence and control of tension figures in users of primary care programs with high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes. Trial Registration: ENURSIN was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02758275) on 27 April 2016, protocol number 01. Keywords: Nursing Process; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Hypertension, Patient Education as a Topic, Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; Treatment Adherence and Compliance; Glycated Hemoglobin A.
Domain-Adaptive Service Evaluation of Mobile Health Application
Authors: Wang Xiaojia , Du Kuo , Xia Wei , Zhang Shanshan , Xu Weiqun , Guan Yuxiang
Published: December 2019

Background: In the context of "Internet +" medical treatment, mobile health applications provide services for people in a new way, making it possible for people to carry out health management anytime and anywhere. According to the survey data, the most powerful consumers in the field of mobile health applications are those aged 24 to 35. Thus, it can be seen, it is particularly important to study the preferences of young people for mobile health applications.Methods: This study established a domain-adaptive mobile health application evaluation model based on users’ experience, and used an interactive algorithm combining machine learning and Delphi method to calculate the weight distribution of evaluation factors. Compared with previous studies, the establishment of evaluation index based on user experience of youth groups can more comprehensively measure users' demand for mobile health application service quality. Meanwhile, the mobile health application evaluation system established in this study adopts feedback mechanism to realize dynamic evaluation of mobile health applications.Results: The cognitive level of information (weighting 52%) was only four percentage points higher than the emotional level (weighting 48%). The importance of the four criteria is content information on cognition (weighting 31%), interaction information on emotion (weighting 29%), interaction information on cognition (weighting 21%), and content information on emotion (weighting 19%) in descending order. Among 20 sub-criteria, less disruptive (weighting 17.8%), security (weighting 10.9%), utility (weighting 9.3%), reliability (weighting 8.1%), navigational (weighting 6.7%) occupy an important position.Conclusion: We find that the weights assigned to sociability, personalization, aesthetics, and interestingness accounted for a significant proportion of the total weights assigned; however, universality and learnability were poorly weighted. These results have important reference value for the development of mobile health applications.
Preparation and in vitro Evaluation of High Performance Fermented Soybean Meal using a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Zhu Jiajia , Wang Shuaiyu , Gao Mingxing , Zhang Yanping , Tang Qihe , Wang Jinquan , Zhao Li , Lv Hongyu , Hao Zhihui
Published: December 2019

Background: Soybean meal is used in animal feeds as a protein supplement but contains significant amounts of anti-nutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitor that directly inhibit digestion, absorption and utilization of nutrients. Results: Herein, we used solid state batch fermentation of soybean meal using Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae alone and in combination to alter the content of anti-nutritional compounds in the meal. A systematic analysis identified a temperature of 40℃, water content of 40 % in a 48 h fermentation that optimized the fermentation according to our goals. The digestibility of the meal increased within 36 h and by 48 h, the free amino acid content increased while glycinin, β-conglycinin and trypsin inhibitor significantly decreased and the indigestible sugars stachyose and raffinose were reduced to undetectable levels. These processes correlated with high levels of lactic acid that were responsible for an overall pH decrease. Conclusions: Bacterial and mixed fermentations increased nutritional content while eliminating anti-nutritional factors and significantly improved the nutritional quality of the soybean meal.
Estimating the impacts of hospitals’ organisational characteristics on the adoption of health information technology in Mongolian public hospitals
Authors: Zhang Xinping , Tsagaankhuu Sarnai
Published: December 2019

Background The adoption of health information technology (HIT) is an important measure for improving healthcare quality and safety effected by many hospital factors, but it has not yet been estimated in the Mongolian healthcare field. This study examines how hospitals’ organisational characteristics influence the adoption of HIT in Mongolian tertiary and secondary care public hospitals. Methods А cross-sectional study involving the executive directors and quality managers at 39 hospitals. Data came from: (1) hospitals’ organisational characteristics (Mongolian Health Statistics, 2017), including hospital size, ownership type, health maintenance organisation (HMO) penetration, and hospital location; (2) questionnaires used to collect the adoption rate of HIT and HIT categories based on the Health Information and Management Systems Society’s classification (2002). The dependent variable was measured as numbers and the rate of HIT programs adopted included clinical, administrative and strategic information technologies (IT). A regression analysis was used to estimate the factors of impact on the adoption of clinical, administrative and strategic IT. Results On average, the number of HIT programs adopted reached 18, covering nine clinical IT programs, six administrative IT programs and three strategic IT programs. The adoption rate of overall HIT ranged between 29.02–38.05% with a mean of 33.29%. Regression analysis for organisational characteristics impact on HIT adoption found that the adoption of total HIT was positively associated with large hospital size (clinical IT: β=0.256, p< .001; administrative IT: β=0.3654, p< .001; strategic IT: β=0.0006, p<.001), ownership type (strategic IT: β=1995, p< .01), urban location (clinical IT: β=0.2840, p< .001, administrative IT: β=0.2256, p< .01; strategic IT: β=0.2256, p< .001), and HMO penetration (clinical IT: β=0.2560, p< .05, administrative IT: β=0.1985, p< .05; strategic IT: β=0.2236, p< .01). Conclusion Our study found that HIT adoption rate is poor, and HIT adoption is positively associated with hospitals’ organisational characteristics, such as large size, urban location, and HMO penetration. The profit ownership only positively contributes to strategic IT adoption. We concluded that hospitals with the above structural attributes conducive to more HIT adoption.
Attitudes and Comprehension of the Informed Consent Form by the Oncology Patients
Authors: Topçu İbrahim
Published: December 2019

The main purpose of this study was to investigate knowledge and perceptions of the informed consent form by cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. The participants were selected through a random sampling methodology. Out of 30 cancer patients, 28 volunteered to be involved in the study. They completed a sociodemographic form. The findings revealed that the informed consent form does not greatly affect patients about chemotherapy and their decisions. They mostly were not aware of the content and purpose. The factors behind that included incomprehensible language, less time, crowded clinics, and belief on the doctor. It is suggested that chemotherapy patients should obtain more accurate and memorable information about the treatment process and its side effects with informed consent
Effectiveness of probiotics for antipsychotic-induced functional bowel disorders: A single-center retrospective observational study
Authors: Nakamura Masaru , Nagamine Takahiko
Published: December 2019

Background Probiotics have the potential to improve functional constipation, however, evidence is lacking regarding its recommendation related to gut microbiota. Constipation is highly prevalent and a serious side-effect in antipsychotic treatment. This study was to investigate the effects of probiotics supplementation on defecation in psychiatry.Methods Subjects consisted of 31 male and 37 female inpatients who were co-administrated either of two probiotics: BIO-THREE or BIOFERMIN tablets. The medications that affect bowel movement including gastrointestinal drugs and antipsychotics in addition to their levels of chlorpromazine equivalent (CPeq) doses were compared between the two groups. Intestinal function was evaluated at baseline and one and two months using Bristol stool form scale. Sequential change of the three indices: average, constipation and diarrhea levels were compared within the group and analyzed to see any significant correlation against the CPeq levels. Results There were no significant differences in the medical treatment between the groups. In both groups, the average and constipation levels increased, and the diarrhea levels decreased at two months from baseline; in particular, the constipation levels were significantly increased at two months from baseline in the BIO-THREE group (-9.6±1.0 vs -6.5±0.9, mean±se). In the BIO-THREE group, only the diarrhea levels were significantly negatively correlated with the CPeq levels at two months (r= -0.341), while no such correlations were found in the BIOFERMIN group.Conclusions Probiotics supplementation may improve stool consistency, especially severe constipation and ameliorate diarrhea depended on antipsychotic dosage in psychiatric setting.
Beyond biomarkers and towards functional outcomes for adult persons living with HIV. A cross sectional survey in Blantyre Urban, Malawi.
Authors: Manyozo Steven Derrick , Tarimo Nesto , Kawalazira Gift , Muula Adamson Sinjani
Published: December 2019

Introduction Despite improvements in survival, reports indicate that people living with HIV are experiencing a range of physical, cognitive, mental and social health-related challenges associated with HIV, comorbidities and aging recently termed ‘disability’. Among adult persons living with HIV in Malawi, the prevalence of disability and associated risk factors are not known. This study was designed to assess the prevalence of impairments, activity limitations and associated risk factors among adults living with HIV in Blantyre urban, Malawi. Methods We conducted a quantitative cross sectional study among adult persons living with HIV in Blantyre urban from March to August 2018. Participants were recruited consecutively from 5 health centers. We used the WHO’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) for data collection. Written informed consent was sourced from study participants, permission was granted at each study site and the study received ethics approval from the College of Medicine Research Ethics Committee (COMREC). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Categorical variables were summarized as frequencies and percentages and continuous variables were summarized using means and standard deviation. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess association between presence of disability and selected factors. Odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Results Of the 277 participants enrolled in the study, 225 (81%) were female and 52 (19%) were male. The mean age of participants was 37 years ( std. dev 9.5 ). Impairments in mental functions were the most prevalent affecting 118 (43%) study participants. Energy and drive (18%), memory (14%) and sleep (13%) were the most affected mental functions. Impairments in the mental functions, genital urinary, reproductive, digestive, metabolic and endocrine systems were associated with higher odds of disability among the participants. Conclusions Our results indicate a high prevalence of impairments among persons living with HIV. Clinicians and rehabilitation personnel need to be proactive in identifying and managing impairments to promote health among HIV patients.
Nitrogen and potassium fertilization for improved dryland spring wheat grain yield and quality
Authors: Walsh Olga S.
Published: December 2019

Like all cereals, wheat requires potassium (K) for optimal growth and development. This study aimed to better understand the importance of K nutrition for yield and quality of dryland hard red spring wheat. Earn 1 CEU in Nutrient Management by reading this article and taking the quiz at www.certifiedcropadviser.org/education/classroom/classes/745.
Determination of Sample Size and Observation Units
Authors: ACAR Tülin
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this study was to write programs to define sampling sizes and observation units by probability sampling methods and to provide an idea for software developers. The algorithms of the programs were written in Python 3. The programs may be run by double-clicking on the Windows operating system or by the command prompt of the DOS operating system. Each exe file has a memory space of 5 megabits on average. In this respect, the application files are very useful in terms of sharing by email and mobility by USB memory sticks.
Class imbalance techniques for high energy physics
Authors: Murphy Christopher W.
Published: December 2019

A common problem in a high energy physics experiment is extracting a signal from a much larger background.
Posed as a classification task, there is said to be an imbalance in the number of samples belonging to the signal class versus the number of samples from the background class.
In this work we provide a brief overview of class imbalance techniques in a high energy physics setting.
Two case studies are presented: (1) the measurement of the longitudinal polarization fraction in same-sign WW scattering, and (2) the decay of the Higgs boson to charm-quark pairs.
Hydraulic characteristics of stepped spillway dropshafts for urban deep tunnel drainage systems: the case study of Chengdu city
Authors: Liao Lei , An Ruidong , Li Jia , Yi Wenmin , Liu Xiaofan , Meng Wenkang , Zhu Lei
Published: December 2019

Cities in southwestern China experience urban drainage and overflow pollution after extreme rainfall events, which are major problems. In this study, a type of stepped spillway dropshaft suitable for drainage by deep tunnels in Chengdu was proposed and the hydraulic characteristics were investigated experimentally. The results showed that the nappe flow and strong turbulent deflected jet flow in the stepped spillway allowed the dropshaft to greatly dissipate energy. According to the distribution of the time-averaged pressure on the steps, the flow on the steps could be divided into a recirculating region, a wall-impinging region and a mixing region. The time-averaged pressure on the outside of the step was higher than that on the inside due to the centrifugal force effect of the water. The fluctuating pressure distribution of the step approximated the normal distribution. It was acceptable to calculate the minimum pressure with 3 times the root mean square (RMS). The vibration of the flow on the stepped spillway did not resonate with the step. When the outflow tunnel was under submerged outflow conditions, the aeration in the stepped spillway was exhausted through air holes and only a small amount of air entered the outflow tunnel, thereby avoiding an air explosion.
The removal of Rhodamine B by H2O2 or ClO2 combined with hydrodynamic cavitation
Authors: Wang Kun , Jin Ri-ya , Qiao Yi-na , He Zeng-di , Wang Ying , Wang Xiao-jian
Published: December 2019

Rhodamine B (RhB), widely used as an industrial dye, is a toxic organic that is hazardous to human health and can cause water pollution. In this study, the removal rate of RhB was investigated by the following methods: hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) operated individually, and HC combined with oxidants H2O2 or ClO2. The effect of different operating parameters including pressure (2–6 bar) and initial pH (2–8) on the extent of degradation was investigated using an orifice plate as the cavitation device to achieve maximum removal of RhB. Under the parameters of HC, the effect of different loadings was investigated: H2O2 (n(RhB):n(H2O2) was varied from 1:17.60 to 1:211.28) and ClO2 (n(RhB):n(ClO2) was varied from 1:8.87 to 1:177.53). A combination of cavitation and H2O2 or ClO2 resulted in degradations of 80.6% and 95.3%. The results indicated that the combination of HC and oxidants was better than the individual HC process for the degradation of RhB. When combining HC with H2O2 or ClO2, the synergistic coefficients of 62.54 and 74.79 were obtained. The combination of HC and ClO2 was proven to be more effective for the removal of RhB compared to HC alone and the hybrid process of HC and H2O2.
Improved Production of Two Anti-CandidaLipopeptide Homologues Co- Produced by the Wild-TypeBacillus subtilisRLID 12.1 under Optimized Conditions
Authors: Ramchandran Ramya , Ramesh Swetha , A Anviksha , Thakur RamLal , Chakrabarti Arunaloke , Roy Utpal
Published: December 2019

Background::

Antifungal cyclic lipopeptides, bioactive metabolites produced by many species of the genus Bacillus, are promising alternatives to synthetic fungicides and antibiotics for the biocontrol of human pathogenic fungi. In a previous study, the co- production of five antifungal lipopeptides homologues (designated as AF1, AF2, AF3, AF4 and AF5) by the producer strain Bacillus subtilis RLID 12.1 using unoptimized medium was reported; though the two homologues AF3 and AF5 differed by 14 Da and in fatty acid chain length were found effective in antifungal action, the production/ yield rate of these two lipopeptides determined by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography was less in the unoptimized media.

Methods::

In this study, the production/yield enhancement of the two compounds AF3 and AF5 was specifically targeted. Following the statistical optimization (Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken designs) of media formulation, temperature and growth conditions, the production of AF3 and AF5 was improved by about 25.8- and 7.4-folds, respectively under static conditions.

Results::

To boost the production of these two homologous lipopeptides in the optimized media, heat-inactivated Candida albicans cells were used as a supplement resulting in 34- and 14-fold increase of AF3 and AF5, respectively. Four clinical Candida auris isolates had AF3 and AF5 MICs (100 % inhibition) ranging between 4 and 16 μg/ml indicating the lipopeptide’s clinical potential. To determine the in vitro pharmacodynamic potential of AF3 and AF5, time-kill assays were conducted which showed that AF3 (at 4X and 8X concentrations) at 48h exhibited mean log reductions of 2.31 and 3.14 CFU/ml of C. albicans SC 5314, respectively whereas AF5 at 8X concentration showed a mean log reduction of 2.14 CFU/ml.

Conclusion::

With the increasing threat of multidrug-resistant yeasts and fungi, these antifungal lipopeptides produced by optimized method promise to aid in the development of novel antifungal that targets disease-causing fungi with improved efficacy.
Exploring Iranian Women’s Perceptions and Experiences of Their Spouses’ Behavior towards Male Factor Infertility: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Taghipour Ali , Karimi Fatemeh Zahra , Roudsari Robab Latifnejad
Published: December 2019

Background:

Infertility, as a life crisis, affects women more than men, even when
women are not infertile.

Objective:

This study was conducted aimed at exploring Iranian women’s perceptions and experiences
of their husbands’ behavior towards male factor infertility.

Methods:

This qualitative study was performed using content analysis. A purposeful sampling
method was employed and continued until data saturation for women who had referred to Milad
Fertility Clinic and Health Care Centers within the time period of 2014-2015 in Mashhad, Iran, with
their husbands being infertile. Thirty semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 18
women. Conventional content analysis was employed to analyze the data. Besides, Lincoln and
Guba's evaluative criteria were utilized to check the trustworthiness of the study.

Results:

Perceived spousal emotional distress was the main topic of the study, which consisted of
two subgroups, i.e., 1- husbands’ chaotic emotions with the sub-categories, including the “feelings
of inferiority and incompetence”, “isolationism in life”, “irritability and arrogance”, “pessimism
and cynicism”, as well as “anxiety and aggression”, and 2- husbands’ reluctance to seek treatment,
including “inattention to medical prescriptions”, “resistance to the sperm analysis test”, and “opposition
to the assisted reproductive technology and adoption”.

Conclusion:

Male infertility can lead to marital problems and mistreatment of women. Hence, supportive
and preventive measures are required to improve the conditions of such women.
Ultrasound-Assisted Ionic Liquid Microextraction for Preconcentration of Cadmium in Water, Vegetables and Hair Samples Prior to FAAS Determination
Authors: Hafez Eman M. , Sheikh Ragaa El , Sayqal Ali A. , AlMasoud Najla , Gouda Ayman A.
Published: December 2019

Background::

Cadmium (Cd2+) is considered to be one of the most important hazardous
heavy metals due to its toxicity for living organisms at low concentration levels. Therefore, the
estimation of trace Cd2+ in different types of various samples is a very important objective for
chemists using effective methods. In the present work, a novel, green, easy and fast ultrasoundassisted
ionic liquid-dispersive liquid phase microextraction technique (UA-IL-DLPME) was
developed to preconcentrate and determine trace quantities of cadmium (Cd2+) ions from real
samples, prior to detection by FAAS.

Methods:

The proposed technique is based on utilization of ionic liquid (IL) (1-hexyl-3-
methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate [HMIM][FAP]) as an extraction solvent
for Cd2+ ions after complexation with 2-(6-methylbenzothiazolylazo)-6-nitrophenol (MBTANP) at
pH 7.0. The impact of different analytical parameters on the microextraction efficiency was
investigated. The validation of the proposed procedure was verified by the test of two certified
reference materials (TMDA-51.3 fortified water, SRM spinach leaves 1570A) applying the standard
addition method.

Results:

In the range of 2.0-200 μg L−1, the calibration graph was linear. Limit of detection,
preconcentration factor and the relative standard deviation (RSD %, 100 μg L-1, n=5) as precision
was 0.1 μg L-1, 100 and 3.1%, respectively.

Conclusion:

Green UA-IL-DLPME method was developed and applied to preconcentrate and determine
trace quantities of Cd2+ in real water, vegetables and hair samples with satisfactory results.
CO2 Mitigation in the Power Sector of Thailand: Analyses of Cleaner Supply-side Options Beyond the Paris Agreement
Authors: Chhay Lyheang , Limmeechokchai Bundit
Published: December 2019

Background:

The drastically increasing share of fossil fuel supply to meet the rapidly growing electricity demand resulting in increasing Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, is the major concern in Thailand. In 2015, fossil fuels used in electricity generation in Thailand accounted for around 85.3% of the total electricity generation.

Aim:

The aim of the study is to analyze carbon dioxide mitigation options under the cleaner supply-side option beyond the Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) of Thailand.

Methods:

In this study, the Long-range Energy Planning (LEAP) model is used to analyze the share of electricity generation and CO2 mitigation from four main different scenarios, namely Business-as-Usual (BAU), Renewable Energy (RE), Carbon Capture Storage (CCS), and Carbon Tax (CT) scenarios during 2015 to 2050. The BAU scenario is constructed following the power development targets of the Power Development Plan in 2015.

Results:

The results illustrate that in the BAU scenario, electricity generation and carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector will increase by 57.7% and 37.3%, respectively in 2050 as compared to 2015. The imposition of carbon tax of $20/tCO2 from 2020 and an increase to $500/t CO2 by 2050 will have a high potential to reduce CO2 emissions from the power sector as compared with other scenarios.

Conclusion:

Results show that except for the RE scenarios considering the lower share of solar and biomass, all scenarios would help Thailand in achieving the target of INDC by 2030. Results provide that the share of imported electricity is higher with the imposition of carbon tax as compared to the scenarios with the promotion of renewable energy, CCS and EV technology.
Gendered Marketing of Food Supplements in Lifestyle Magazines in Greece
Authors: Kotsaga Effrosyni
Published: December 2019

Background:

Marketing of food supplements in Greece in print media has not been examined and this study is the first attempt to provide a comparative statistical analysis.

Methods:

Lifestyle magazines that were distributed all over Greece and aimed at women and men were collected in the years 2014 and 2016. Five criteria with their subcriteria were developed and were related to the branding of the food supplements; their quality characteristics; the information given about health concerns; photographs of people who promoted food supplements and to claims of their suitability.

Results:

It seems that in terms of product branding, women’s magazines were more likely to be targeted. Some quality characteristics such as information about the ingredients of food supplements or information about banned substances were more likely to be seen in women’s magazines in 2016. In 2014 and 2016, not all advertisements provided information about health concerns and among those which informed readers about health concerns, differentiation in target audiences was observed. Photographs that showed people promoting food supplements as well as claims of suitability for various categories of consumers, seem to be gendered in 2014 but this trend was not strong enough in 2016.

Conclusion:

It can be argued that the marketing of food supplements was aggressive and gendered in 2014 and changed in 2016 with better information on public health but had retained some gendered stereotypes.
Machine Learning Based Parametric Estimation Approach for Poll Prediction
Authors: Koli Abdul M. , Ahmed Muqeem
Published: December 2019

Background:

The process of election prediction started long back when common practice
for election predictions were traditional methods like pundits, hereditary factor etc. However,
in recent times new methods and techniques are being used for election forecasting like Data mining,
Data Science, Big data, and numerous machine learning techniques. By using such computational
techniques the whole process of political forecasting is changed and poll predictions are carried
out through them.

Objective:

The main objective of this research work is to propose an election prediction model for
developing areas especially for the state of Jammu and Kashmir (India).

Methods:

The election prediction model is developed in Jupyter notebook web application using
different supervised machine learning techniques. To obtain the optimal results, we perform the hyperparameter
tuning of all the proposed classifiers. For measuring the performance of poll prediction
system we used confusion matrix along with AUROC curve which depicts that this methods
can be well suited for political forecasting. An important contribution of this article is to design a
Prediction system which can be used for making prediction in other fields like cardiovascular disease
predictions, weather forecasting etc.

Results:

This model is tested and trained with real-time dataset of the state Jammu and Kashmir
(India). We applied features selection techniques like Random Forest, Decision Tree Classifier,
Gradient boosting Classifier and Extra Gradient Boosting and obtained eight most important parameters
like (Central Influence, Religion Followers, Party Wave, Party Abbreviations, Sensitive
Areas, Vote Bank, Incumbent Party, and Caste Factor) for poll predictions with their mean weightages.
By applying different classifier to get mean weightage of different parameters for this election
prediction models, it has been observed that Party wave got maximum mean weightage of 0.82% as
compared to others parameters. After obtaining the vital parameters for political forecasting, we applied
various machine learning algorithms like Decision tree, Random forest, K-nearest neighbor
and support vector machine for the early prediction of elections. Experimental results show that
Support Vector Machine outperformed with a higher accuracy of 0.84% in contrast to others classifiers.

Conclusion:

In this paper, a clear overview of election prediction models, their potentials, techniques,
parameters as well as limitations are outlined. We conclude this work by stating that election
predictions can indeed be forecasted with significant parameters however, with caution due to
the limitations which were outlined in developing nations like sensitive areas, social unrest, religion
etc. This research work may be considered as the first attempt to use multiple classifier for forecasting
the Assembly election results of the state Jammu and Kashmir (India).
Optimized Overcurrent Relay Coordination in a Microgrid System
Authors: Swathika Odiyur V.G. , Hemapala Udayanga
Published: December 2019

Background:

Microgrids are a conglomeration of loads and distributed generators at a
distribution level network. Since this network is no longer a single source fed network, the typical protection
strategies may not be deployed. Reconfiguration is a topology changing feature that is visible in microgrid.
This is also another factor that is to be considered while protecting the microgrid setup.

Objective:

To develop an optimized overcurrent relay coordination scheme for microgrid networks.

Methods:

Inorder to devise suitable overcurrent protection scheme for microgrids, initially the normal
and fault currents are captured for all topologies of the microgrid. For each topology, the optimized
time multiplier settings of overcurrent relays are computed using Dual Simplex Algorithm.
This aids in clearing the fault as fast as possible from the network.

Results:

A 21-bus microgrid system is considered and the optimized overcurrent relay coordination
scheme is realized for the same.

Conclusion:

The proposed optimized overcurrent relay coordination was tested successfully on the
21-bus microgrid system. The proposed protection scheme was capable of identifying the optimized
Time Multiplier Setting values of the overcurrent relays in the path of fault clearance. It is evident
that the proposed scheme can be conveniently extended to larger networks.
Market reaction as an impact of announcement increase fed interest rate in Asian and European area
Authors: Mentari Ni Made Indah , Artini Luh Gede Sri
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a difference in the average abnormal return around the date of the announcement of the Fed's interest rate hike in Asia and the European region. The sample of this study was 18 emerging market countries' index indices in Asia and Europe with sample collection techniques using purposive sampling. This study uses One Way Anova analysis techniques and One Sample T-test. The results found that there was no difference in the average abnormal return before and after the announcement of the Fed's interest rate increase. This condition shows that markets in the two regions do not react significantly because markets in Asia and the European region are in an efficient condition in the form of half strong, where the market absorbs information quickly and is reflected in stock prices so there is no difference in the average abnormal return in both regions. The absence of a difference in the average abnormal return is also caused by the uncertainty of the global economy making investors more careful in making investment decisions.
The reaction of Indonesian capital market to political event the announcement of Indonesia presidential election 2019 results
Authors: Ratnaningsih Ni Made Dwita , Widanaputra A. A. G. P.
Published: December 2019

Political events, especially the General Election is one of the non-economic risks that can influence investors' decisions to invest in the capital market. Elections are closely related to the policies that will be implemented by the elected President thus the elections are important for investors as the considerations for investment. This study aimed to determine the reaction of the Indonesian capital market by testing the information content of political events the announcement of the presidential election 2019 results using event study. The population in this study was all the companies that are listed in Indonesia Index KOMPAS 100, the sample was taken by the saturated sample method. The hypothesis was tested with one sample t-test. The announcement of the election results would contain the information that caused the market to react, as the evidenced there were significant abnormal returns occurred around the event window, and the average abnormal return that occur were positive, thus the announced election results that Jokowi-Ma'aruf’s victory was positively welcomed by the market
The role of motivation: the effect of transformational leadership on employee performance
Authors: Piedade Salustiano Dos Reis , Wardana I Made , Riana Gede , Dewi I Gusti Ayu Manuati
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of the influence of transformational leadership on employee performance. The research was conducted at the Ministry of Education of Timor-Leste with a total population of 765 and a sample size of 263 respondents. Data were analyzed by using Smart-PLS 3.0 Program software. The results showed that transformational leadership was positively and significantly related to employee performance. Motivation plays a role in mediating the effect of transformational leadership on employee performance.
PEMBUATAN TES DAN NORMA KEBUGARAN JASMANI UNTUK ANAK USIA DINI (4-6) TAHUN DI PROVINSI DIY
Authors: Prastiwi Bertika Kusuma , Suharjana Suharjana
Published: December 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan model tes kebugaran jasmani untuk anak usia dini (4-6 tahun) yang valid dan reliabel, yang terdiri dari kekuatan otot, ketahanan otot, daya tahan aerobik, dan fleksibilitas. Penelitian ini merupakan research and development dengan pendekatan survei melalui tes pengukuran. Penelitian ini diawali dengan pembuatan draf model, validasi model oleh para ahli. Tahap selanjutnya adalah uji coba skala kecil terhadap 10 siswa dan uji coba skala besar terhadap 20 siswa. Uji coba skala kecil dilakukan di satu Taman Kanak-kanak (TK). Uji skala besar dilaksanakan di dua TK. Uji lapangan utama terhadap 310 siswa yang dilakukan di 15 TK di DIY yang ditetapkan menggunakan cluster sample technique. Validitas menggunakan face validity dan reliabilitas menggunakan test-retest. Teknik pengambilan data tes menggunakan test battery. Teknik analisis data menggunakan uji deskriptif, uji validitas dan reliabilitas menggunakan SPSS 16, dan z skor untuk menyamakan satuan. Hasil penelitian dan pengembangan berupa model tes dan norma kebugaran jasmani untuk anak usia dini (4-6 tahun) berupa buku pedoman tes kebugaran jasmani yang telah divalidasi ahli. Validitas tes 0,982 dan reliabilitas tes 0,930 menggunakan taraf signifikan 0,01. Model tes kebugaran jasmani yang disusun dinyatakan layak karena valid dan reliabel. Hasil pengembangan model tes kebugaran jasmani untuk anak usia dini (4-6 tahun) digunakan sebagai pedoman guru PAUD utamanya di TK dalam pemberian nilai dan perkembangan kebugaran jasmani di TK, yakni pada usia 4-6 tahun. Kata kunci: model tes dan norma kebugaran jasmani, anak usia dini (usia 4-6 tahun).
MENINGKATKAN HASIL BELAJAR SEPAK BOLA MAHASISWA PGSD STKIP St. PAULUS RUTENG MELALUI PENDEKATAN TAKTIK
Authors: Adam Gervasius , Sukoco Pamuji
Published: December 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk meningkatan hasil belajar mahasiswa tingkat I PGSD STKIP Santu Paulus Ruteng melalui pendekatan taktik bermain. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian tindakan kelas (Classroom Action Research) yang terdiri atas dua siklus, menggunakan desain Kemmis & MC. Taggart. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pendekatan taktik bermain yang di padukan dengan permainan lempar tangkap bola dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar dan minat sepak bola mahasiswa kelas IF PGSD STKIP Santu Paulus Ruteng. Berdasarkan data hasil tes pada siklus I rata-rata nilai mahasiswa secara klaksikal megalami peningkatan yaitu terlihat dari pratindakan 30 orang (50,84%) naik menjadi 39 orang (67%) pada siklus I dan pada siklus II menjadi 45 orang (76%) yang tuntas/lulus dengan mencapai kriteria ketuntasan minimum yaitu 60. Kata kunci: hasil belajar, sepak bola, pendekatan taktik bermain   AN EFFORT TO INCREASE THE STUDENTS’ QUALITY AT PGSD OF STKIP ST. PAUL RUTENG IN PLAYING FOOTBALL THROUGH THE TACTICAL APROACH Abstract This research aims to seek the increasing result of the students’ learning process in the first grade at PGSD (Elementary School Teacher Education) of STKIP St. Paul Ruteng through the tactical games approach. This research is a kind of Classroom Action Research which consists of two cycles by using Kemmis & MC. Taggart’s design. The research result shows that the tactical games approach which is combined with throwing-catching of ball play can increase the learning result and the interest in playing football for the 1F-class students at PGSD of STKIP St. Paul Ruteng.  Based on the test result at first cycle, the average score of the students, is increasing classically which is shown by pre-action, namely 30 students (50.84%) becoming 39 students (67%) at first cycle, and then at second cycle it has been 45 students (76%) who have graduated/passed by reaching the minimum score criteria namely 60. Keywords: leaning result, football, the tactical  games approach
GERAK MULTILATERAL MELALUI PERMAINAN BOLA BESAR UNTUK ANAK SD KELAS BAWAH
Authors: Wibawa Kadek Ary , Sugiyanto FX.
Published: December 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan menghasilkan model pembelajaran gerak multilateral yang dibentuk melalui permainan bola besar, serta dikembangkan menjadi panduan guru olahraga dan pembelajaran dengan konsep permainan. Penelitian ini dikembangkan dengan mengadaptasi penelitian dan pengembangan pendidikan model Gall, Gall, & Borg. Uji coba dengan skala kecil dilakukan terhadap 24 orang siswa di SD Mutiara Singaraja dan 85 orang siswa pada skala besar di SDN 1 dan SDN 3 Singaraja. Instrumen yang digunakan untuk mengumpulkan data adalah angket skala nilai validasi, pedoman observasi model pembelajaran permainan, dan pedoman observasi keefektifan model pembelajaran permainan. Hasil penelitian berupa pengembangan model pembelajaran gerak multilateral melalui permainan bola besar yang terdiri atas sembilan permainan, yaitu: (1) Berburu Bebek, (2) Bola Pertemanan, (3) Bola Zig-Zag Berlari, (4) Mengambil Mutiara, (5) Bola Berguling, (6) Bola Tembak, (7) Bola Raja, (8) Bola Gawang, dan (9) Bola Tepuk. Pengembangan model pembelajaran gerak multilateral disusun  dalam buku pedoman pembelajaran dan CD dengan judul “Bola Multi Gerak”. Kata kunci: model, pembelajaran, gerak multilateral, permainan, bola besar MULTILATERAL TEACHING MOTION MODEL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE BIG BALL GAME FOR LOWER GRADE ELEMENTARY KIDS Abstract This study aims to produce a model of motion teaching multilateral form through big ball game. This study was developed by adapting the research and development of educational models Gall, Gall, & Borg. Small-scale trials were carried out on 24 students from SD Mutiara Singaraja. Big-scale trials were carried out on 85 students from SDN 1 and SDN 3 Singaraja. The instrument used to collect the data was a questionnaire rating scale validation, the model observation teaching game, and the observation model of the effectiveness of teaching games. The results of the study is the development of multilateral exercise motion model through the big ball game that consists of 9 games, namely: (1) Duck Hunting, (2) Friendship Ball, (3) Zig-Zag Running Ball, (4) Taking Pearl, (5) Rolling Ball, (6) Shoot Ball, (7) The King of Ball, (8) Goal Ball, and (9) Pat Ball. Multilateral teaching motion model development was compiled in teaching manuals and a CD with the title "Multi Ball Motion". Keywords: models, teaching, game, big ball