bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pelatihan Pembuatan Busy Book Berbahan Flannel pada Guru TK Al-Ghaffar Desa Mulyoagung Kecamatan Dau
Authors: Mafulah Siti , Purnawati Maria
Published: September 2020

TK Islam Al-Ghaffar adalah salah satu TK yang berada di Desa Mulyoagung Kecamatan Dau Kabupaten Malang Jawa Timur, terbatasnya APE yang ada disekolah menjadikan permasalahan tersendiri dalam proses belajar mengajar, sehingga siswa kerap kali diajarkan dengan menggunakan buku paket yang telah di sediakan oleh sekolah. Hal ini menyebabkan siswa kurang antusias dalam mempelajari hal baru karena dianggap kurang menarik dan menyenangkan. Tujuan dari kegiatan ini adalah memberikan wawasan dan pelatihan pembuatan Busy Book sebagai media pembelajaran yang sesuai dengan topik dan usia anak TK. Metode yang digunakan dalam pengabdian masyarakat ini adalah: pertama, Pemberian pengetahuan dan wawasan tentang pentingnya media dan penerapannya dalam proses belajar mengajar. Kedua, pengenalan Busy Book sebagai media pembelajaran yang dapat diterapkan dalam kelas, dan yang terakhir workshop pembuatan Busy Book beserta penentuan langkah-langkah pembelajaran dalam kelas. Hasil dari kegiatan ini adalah guru memiliki wawasan tentang pentingnya media pembelajaran bagi siswa sesuai dengan usianya. Kedua, guru juga mampu membuat dan mengembangkan ide mereka menjadi sebuah kegiatan siswa berdasarkan tema dalam Busy Book. Dari hasil evaluasi pada akhir kegiatan, dapat disimpulkan bahwa kegiatan abdimas berjalan dengan lancar dan sukses, semua peserta mengikuti kegiatan dengan baik sampai kegiatan berakhir.TK Islam Al-Ghaffar is a school located in Mulyoagung, Dau, Malang, East Java, Indonesia. Limited media is the main problem in the teaching-learning process. Teachers ever use the package book in teaching their students so that the students think that the process of learning was not fun, and they cannot enjoy, were not enthusiastic in learning new things. This community service aimed was to train teachers in making Busy Book as media, and the contents were suited to the topic and the students’ age. The method applied in this community service were; first, introduce the teachers the importance of media in the teaching-learning process. Second, introduce Busy Book as a media in teaching young learners, and the last is a workshop in making Busy Book and the way in teaching. The result of this activity is that the teachers had insight into the importance of learning media based on their age. Besides, teachers were also able to make and develop their ideas into Busy Book or student activities based on a theme. From the results of the evaluation at the end of the activity, it can be concluded that the community service went smoothly and successfully. It can be indicated that all participants followed the whole activity.
Implementasi 21st Century Community Counseling Program bagi Anak Kurang Beruntung di Yayasan Anak Bangsa Mandiri Banua
Authors: Haryadi Rudi , Prasetia Muhammad Eka , Ridhani Akhmad Rizkhi , Abidarda Yulizar
Published: September 2020

Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini bertujuan untuk untuk memberikan pelatihan 21st century skill melalui pelayanan bimbingan dan konseling secara terprogram bagi anak-anak kurang beruntung agar mampu mencegah masuknya pengaruh negatif lingkungan urban bagi mereka. Kegiatan dilaksanakan di Rumah Singgah milik Yayasan Anak Bangsa Mandiri Banua. Kegiatan ini mempunyai 11 metode terprogram yang dilaksanakan berkesinambungan selama 6 bulan. Tujuh dari sebelas program konseling komunitas telah dilaksanakan secara tatap muka, yaitu: (1) koordinasi program dengan pengelola komunitas; (2) asesmen dan orientasi program; (3) bimbingan klasikal teknik kuis dan teka-teki; (4) pelatihan keterampilan bahasa asing dasar; (5) bimbingan klasikal tema ‘leadership’ dengan Teknik storytelling dan symbolic modeling; (6) bimbingan kelompok tema ‘problem solving’ dengan metode permainan eduaktif; dan (7) konseling kelompok art therapy. Sedangkan 4 sisanya dilaksanakan secara daring karena adanya pemberlakuan aturan social-distancing akibat Pandemi Covid-19, yaitu: (1) bimbingan karier tema cita-cita dan masa depan; (2) konseling individual; (3) gerakan sadar literasi; dan (4) asesmen akhir. Hasil asesmen pada sebelum dan sesudah program menunjukkan adanya peningkatan kecil 21st century skills anak (+7,8 poin). Direkomendasikan agar kegiatan ini dapat terus diterapkan guna memperoleh efek yang lebih baik dalam peningkatan 21st century skills pada anak. Community service activities aim to provide 21st-century skills training through programmatic guidance and counselling services for disadvantaged children to be able to prevent the entry of negative influences on the urban environment for them. The activity held at the Rumah Singgah owned by the Yayasan Anak Bangsa Mandiri Banua. This activity has 11 programmed methods that are carried out continuously for six months. Seven of the eleven community counselling programs have been carried out face-to-face: (1) program coordination with community managers; (2) assessment and orientation of the program; (3) classical guidance on quiz and puzzle techniques; (4) basic foreign language skills training; (5) classical guidance on the theme 'leadership' with storytelling and symbolic modelling techniques; (6) theme group guidance ‘problem solving’ with educational methods; and (7) art therapy group counselling. While the remaining four are carried out online because of the enactment of social-distancing rules due to the Covid-19 Pandemic: (1) career guidance on the themes of ideals and future; (2) individual counselling; (3) literacy conscious movements; and (4) final assessment. The results of the assessment before and after the program showed a small increase in 21st-century children's skills (+7,8 points score). It is recommended that this activity can continue to be applied to obtain a better effect in improving 21st-century skills in children.
Pelatihan Blended Learning Berbantuan Webex Meeting dan Mentimeter untuk Mengefektifkan Kegiatan Belajar Mengajar
Authors: Dinata Pri Ariadi Cahya , Sakman Sakman , Syarpin Syarpin
Published: September 2020

Kompleksitas permasalahan pembelajaran 4.0 dapat diatasi dengan penggunaan teknologi. Akan tetapi, tidak semua guru mahir memanfaatkan teknologi untuk membantu proses pembelajaran. Untuk itu, program pengabdian masyarakat ini bertujuan memberikan pelatihan kepada guru-guru di SMA Negeri 4 Palangka Raya tentang blended learning dan aplikasi-aplikasi pendukungnya. Metode yang diberikan adalah ceramah, tanya jawab, tutorial, dan demonstrasi. Konsep blended learning dan variasi model terapannya dikenalkan kepada para peserta pelatihan. Kemudian, aplikasi cisco webex dan mentimeter dilatihkan penggunaannya melalui tutorial dan demonstrasi sebagai aplikasi pendukung blended learning. Cisco webex meeting dapat digunakan guru untuk terhubung dengan peserta didik dari jarak jauh melalui video conference, sedangkan mentimeter dapat dimanfaatkan untuk meningkatkan keterlibatan siswa dalam proses pembelajaran. Dari pelatihan ini dihasilkan lima Rencana Pelaksanaan Pembelajaran (RPP) yang dikerjakan secara berkelompok oleh peserta pelatihan dengan menerapkan media cisco webex dan mentimeter. Hasil dari pelatihan ini dapat mendorong guru untuk mulai mengaplikasikan teknologi pada pembelajaran agar efektif dan efisien. The problem complexities in learning 4.0 can be solved by using technologies. However, there is a lack of teacher skills in applying technology to enhance the learning process. Therefore, this dedication to society program aims to train teachers in SMAN 4 Palangka Raya about blended learning and its supporting media. The given method was the lecture, question and answer, tutorial, and demonstration. The blended learning concept and its model variations were introduced to trainees. Then, the Cisco Webex meeting and Mentimeter were trained to them by tutorials and demonstrations as supporting media of blended learning. The Cisco Webex meeting can be used by teachers to stay connected to students by video conference, while the Mentimeter can be used to improve students' engagement in the learning process. From this training, five lesson plans were produced in groups by the trainees using cisco Webex and Mentimeter. Hopefully, this training can encourage teachers to start applying technology to learning to be effective and efficient.
Human Well-Being and Pandemic Crisis: Implications for Social Work Practice from Kerala Experience
Authors: Elsa Mary Jacob  , Chandran L Arya , Dr.Abraham Francis
Published: September 2020

Nipah virus, the consecutive 2018 and 2019 floods, the internal social, economic, and political struggles have had a significant impact on the lives of people in Kerala, India.   While the state of Kerala was trying to get back to some form of stability, Covid-19 slams into, in an unprecedented way, drastically disrupting the lives of many. It has shaken the interconnectedness and interdependence of families and placed communities in a state of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. This article is about the vulnerabilities, experiences, voices, and untold stories of courage and resilience among people in Kerala. Authors present a reflective analysis of the multidimensional impact of Covid-19 on the ordinary lives of the people of Kerala. 

The deleterious impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the entire humanity reckons the attention of governments, economists, educators, social scientists, medical and allied professionals, including social workers, to make concerted efforts to preserve and promote human well-being. Taking into consideration the structural inequalities in society, the present paper utilises a critical social work theoretical lens to analyse how it has impacted the well-being of people, especially the marginalised and vulnerable communities in Kerala.
Gender Gaps in Elementary Education in India in the post Right to Education Act Period: Implications for Policy
Authors: Hoque Nurzamal , Mahanta Ratul
Published: September 2020

While the gender gaps in elementary education in India have almost been eliminated, we obtain somewhat different picture when adjusting the gaps to the appropriate school-age children (6-14 years) and the number of the child population. We calculate gender gaps in enrolment, transition rate (from primary to upper primary level), achievement in the examination, and test scores in different subjects in the post Right to Education Act period and obtain that girls are ahead of the boys in almost all aspects. The age-adjusted gender gap in enrolment has improved, implying that over time girls are more likely to enrol in schools within the appropriate school-age. Also, fewer girls are expected to remain out of schools compared to boys within the appropriate school-age. Perhaps, this progress in enrolment has resulted in better performances of girls in transition rate, achievement in examinations and test scores in individual subjects. The rising girls’ performance on different indicators of elementary education indicates the potential impacts of female share on future labour market.
COVID 19-Induced Lockdown 2.0 and Looming Crisis across Sectors of Economy: Evidence from the Indian States
Authors: Das Tiken , Guha Pradyut
Published: September 2020

Due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, most economic activities have come to a standstill. It assumes that lockdown with social distancing measures may lower the spread of infected cases, as it will be over-optimistic to expect the complete burnout of the virus. The present study attempts to access the loss of the country’s economy in the wake of the coronavirus-induced 50-day lockdown (40-day lockdown + 10-day preoperative period). The data on Net State Value Added (NSVA) at base price 2011-2012 by economic activity was collected from the Reserve Bank of India for five consecutive financial years. This study assumes 10-day for restoring back to the production capacity, although each sector has its own dynamics and different cycles. The autoregressive process was used for forecasting the growth rate of Gross Value Added. The study found that across Indian states, the amount of loss was most extensive in the state of Maharashtra, as against Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Besides the manufacturing sector, the enormous burden of loss was reflected in the real estate sector, followed by ownership of dwellings and professional services. The highest per capita loss of the NSVA was found in the state of Goa, as against Delhi. The study argued that all the affected sectors likely to register negative growth in the subsequent two quarters.
Kannur: Inside India’s Bloodiest Revenge Politics
Authors: Achutha Menon Vishnu
Published: September 2020

Kannur is a beautiful coastal district of Kerala, which made its way to the national headlines for its brutal political murders. The state has the highest social development parameters when compared to other states but despite this, what makes Kannur standout in terms of political happenings is a matter to be discussed.
Coastal Agriculture and Its Challenges: A Case Study in Gosaba Island, Sundarban, India
Authors: GHOSH SOUMEN , MISTRI BISWARANJAN
Published: September 2020

Agriculture is the main economic activity in Sundarban to sustain the basic livelihood of rural people. In recent decades, the nature of agriculture mainly cropping patterns, crop productivity, and agricultural land use is gradually changing because of various natural as well as anthropogenic factors. The frequent occurrence of climatic extremes over the Bay of Bengal has been directly or indirectly affected the agricultural system of the delta. In the wake of the 2009 cyclone Aila, the crop production in Gosaba rapidly declined due to high salinity and low pH in the soil. Most of the agricultural land remains a seasonal fallow due to the shortage of freshwater during the dry season. The direction of the surface slope has been altered by the unsystematic construction of embankment and haphazard construction of closure in river channels. The saucer-shaped appearance of the island causes massive drainage congestion induced waterlogging problem in the agricultural field. Waterlogging causes crop damage and low productivity. Farmers continue to face substantial monetary loss and entrapping in poverty. To overcome these issues, climate-resilient cropping strategy, proper maintenance of the drainage system, and adaptation of modern land reshaping techniques for diversified agriculture systems are urgently needed for the profound agro-based economic future of the delta.
Mitigation of Gaseous Emissions from Swine Manure with the Surficial Application of Biochars
Authors: Meiirkhanuly Zhanibek , Koziel Jacek A. , Chen Baitong , Białowiec Andrzej , Lee Myeongseong , Wi Jisoo , Banik Chumki , Brown Robert C. , Bakshi Santanu
Published: September 2020

Environmental impact associated with odor and gaseous emissions from animal manure is one of the challenges for communities, farmers, and regulatory agencies. Microbe-based manure additives treatments are marketed and used by farmers for mitigation of emissions. However, their performance is difficult to assess objectively. Thus, a comprehensive, practical, and low-cost treatments are still in demand. We have been advancing such treatments based on physicochemical principles. The objective of this research was to test the effect of the surficial application of a thin layer (¼"; 6.3 mm) of biochar on the mitigation of gaseous emissions from swine manure. Two types of biochar were tested: highly alkaline and porous (HAP) biochar made from corn stover and red oak (RO), both with different pH and morphology. Three 30-day trials were conducted with a layer of HAP and RO (2.0 & 1.65 kg∙m-2, respectively) applied on manure surface, and emissions of ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), greenhouse gases (GHG), and odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured. A significant reduction of NH3 and phenol emissions was observed. In the case of H2S, CH4, CO2, N2O, and other odorous VOCs, the biochar treatment reduced the emissions during the first 1~2 weeks, followed by either no effect or even (in some cases) increase of emissions. Based on this initial lab-scale testing, biochar is promising to be an effective, practical, and economical treatment to reduce emissions from stored swine manure. However, larger-scale experiments are needed to understand how biochar properties and the dose and frequency of application can be optimized to mitigate odor and gaseous emissions from swine manure. The lessons learned can also be applicable to consider using biochar for surficial applications to mitigate gaseous emissions from other types of waste and area sources.
New Findings in the Study of the Pathogenesis of Urethral Pain Syndrome
Authors: Streltsova Olga , Kuyarov Anton , Molvi Muhhamad Shuaib Abdul Malik , Zubova Svetlana , Lazukin Valery , Tararova Ekaterina , Kiseleva Elena
Published: September 2020

Urethral pain syndrome (UPS) is still a pathology in which the diagnosis is formulated as a "diagnosis of exclusion". The exact pathogenetic mechanisms are not yet fully understood and clear recommendations for the prevention and treatment of UPS are absent. The goal of the study was to assess the condition of the tissues in the female urethra in UPS, by using transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and cross-polarization optical tomography (CP OCT). TVUS showed an expansion in the diameter of the internal lumen of the urethra, especially in the proximal region compared with the norm. Compression elastography revealed areas with increased stiffness (presence of fibrosis) in urethral and surrounding tissues. When studied with CP OCT it was shown that with UPS, the structure of the tissues in most cases was changed: trophic alterations in the epithelium (hypertrophy or atrophy) and fibrosis of underlying connective tissue were observed. The proximal fragment of the urethra with UPS underwent changes identical to those of the bladder neck. This paper showed that the introduction of new technology — CP OCT — in conjunction with TVUS will allow verification of structural changes in tissues of the lower urinary tract at the level of their architectonics and will help doctors understand better the basics of the UPS pathogenesis.
Time-Series of Vegetation Indices (VNIR/SWIR) Derived from Sentinel-2 (A/B) to Assess Turgor Pressure in Kiwifruit
Authors: Jopia Alberto , Zambrano Francisco , Pérez-Martínez Waldo , Vidal-Páez Paulina , Molina Julio , De la Hoz Mardones Felipe
Published: September 2020

For more than ten years, Central Chile faces drought conditions, which impact crop production and quality, increasing food security risk. Under this scenario, implementing management practices that allow increasing water use efficiency is urgent. The study was carried out in kiwifruit trees, located in the O’Higgins region, Chile; for season 2018-2019 and 2019-2020. We evaluate nine vegetation indices in the VNIR and SWIR regions derived from Sentinel-2 (A/B) satellites to know how much variability in the canopy water status could explain. Over the study's site were installed sensors that continuously measure the leaf's turgor pressure (Yara Water-Sensor). A strong correlation between turgor pressure and vegetation indices was obtained with the Spearman's rho coefficient ($\rho$). However, the NIR range's indices were influenced by the vegetative development of the crop rather than its water status. Red-edge showed better performance as the vegetative growth did not affect it. It is necessary to expand the study to consider higher variability in kiwifruit's water conditions and incorporate the sensitivity of different wavelengths.
Joint Optimization Strategy of Coverage Planning and Energy Scheduling for Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks
Authors: Gong Cheng , Guo Chao , Xu Haitao , Zhou Chengcheng , Yuan Xiaotao
Published: September 2020

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) has the characteristics of large-scale deployment, flexible networking, and wide application. It is an important part of the wireless communication networks. However, due to limited energy supply, the development of WSN is greatly restricted. Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks (WRSNs) transform the distributed energy around the environment into usable electricity through energy collection technology. In this work, a joint optimization strategy is proposed to improve the energy management efficiency for WRSNs. The joint optimization strategy is divided into two phases. In the first phase, we design an Annulus Virtual Force based Particle Swarm Optimization (AVFPSO) algorithm for area coverage planing. It adopts the multi-parameter joint optimization method to improve the efficiency of the algorithm. In the second phase, a Queuing Game-based Energy Supply (QGES) algorithm is designed for energy scheduling. It converts energy supply and consumption into network service. By solving the game equilibrium of the model, the optimal energy distribution strategy can be obtained. The simulation results show that our scheme improves the efficiency of coverage and energy, and extends the lifetime of WSN.
Engineering Novel Epitope-Based Subunit Vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 by Exploring the Immunoinformatics Approach
Authors: Sarkar Bishajit , Ullah Md. Asad , Araf Yusha , Rahman Mohammad Shahedur
Published: September 2020

As the number of infections and deaths caused by the recent COVID-19 pandemic is increasing dramatically day-by-day, scientists are rushing towards developing possible counter-measures to fight the deadly virus, SARS-CoV-2. Although many efforts have already been put forward for designing and developing potential vaccines, however, most of them are proved to possess negative consequences. Therefore, in this study, the methods of immunoinformatics were exploited to design novel epitope-based subunit vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2, targeting four essential proteins of the virus i.e., spike glycoprotein, nucleocapsid phosphoprotein, membrane glycoprotein, and envelope protein. The highly antigenic, non-allergenic, non-toxic, non-human homolog and 100% conserved (across other isolates from different regions of the world) epitopes were used for constructing the vaccine. In total, fourteen CTL epitopes and eighteen HTL epitopes were used to construct the vaccine. Thereafter, several in silico validations i.e., the molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation (including the RMSF and RMSD studies), and immune simulation studies were also performed which predicted that the designed vaccine should be quite safe, effective, and stable within the biological environment. Finally, in silico cloning and codon adaptation studies were also conducted to design an effective mass production strategy of the vaccine. However, more in vivo and in vitro studies are required on the predicted vaccine to finally validate its safety and efficacy.
Rebuilding the Academy: Strategies for Supporting Academic Mothers during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic and Beyond
Authors: Fulweiler Robinson W. , Davies Sarah W. , Biddle Jennifer F. , Burgin Amy J. , Cooperdock Emily H.G. , Hanley Torrance C. , Kenkel Carly , Marcarelli Amy M. , Matassa Catherine M. , Santiago-Vazquez Lory Z. , Traylor-Knowles Nikki , Ziegler Maren
Published: September 2020

The issues mothers face in the academy have been discussed for decades. Routinely, new studies report significant differences between women and men at comparable career stages with respect to salary, service demands, publications, grant submissions, and overall funding rates. The COVID-19 pandemic is further exposing these inequalities as women scientists who are parenting while also engaging in a combination of academic related duties are falling further behind. COVID-19 is shaking the very foundations of our society and laying bare the many inequalities that defined our pre-COVID world. We can solve these inequities by investing strategically in creative solutions, thereby making the most of women’s contributions to scientific endeavors. Here we describe strategies that would make the academy more equitable for working mothers now and into the future. Importantly, while the data are clear that mothers are being disproportionally impacted by COVID-19, many groups could benefit from these same ideas. Now is the time to act. Rather than rebuilding what we once knew, let us be the architects of a new world.
The Impact of COVID-19 Outbreak on the Tourism Needs of Algerian Population
Authors: Madani Azzeddine , Boutebal Saad Eddine , Benhamida Hinde , Bryant Christopher Robin
Published: September 2020

This research aims to understand the vision and the reaction of the population towards tourism and holidays during this period of the COVID-19 pandemic. It investigates also the tourist needs of the Algerian population after the closure of international borders. Methods: The data were collected using mixed quantitative and qualitative methods through a questionnaire applied to 203 people in different regions of Algeria (a North African country) from 1st June to 13 July 2020. Results: The needs of Algerian tourists are characterized by a great need for leisure to relieve psychological stress caused by COVID-19 (M = 25.33) among the study sample (p <0.05). The results also show an average need to rationalize the costs of tourist services (M = 5.26) according to the respondents (p <0.01). This is in addition to the great need (M = 7.75) among respondents (p <0.05) of the awareness that the tourism sector can contribute to the economic recovery in Algeria after the confinement period. About 75.86% of respondents demand the cleanliness of tourist sites, while 69.95% recommend improving safety because of the size of tourist sites in the Algerian territory and also measures related to social distancing. The results show that 53.69% of respondents preferred the month of August to go on vacation, 29.06% chose the month of September, and 17.25% would prefer the months of October, November and December since they expect a reduction in the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the tourism needs of the Algerian population, which has become increasingly aware of the consequences of the pandemic in relation to their health and on the country's economy. These results can help the authorities of the tourism sector to better understand and identify the tourism needs of this population in the current period and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Biological Activity of Ajuga iva Extracts against the African Cotton Leafworm Spodoptera littoralis
Authors: Taha-Salaime Leena , Lebedev Galina , Abo-Nassar Jackline , Marzouk Sally , Inbar Moshe , Ghanim Murad , Aly Radi
Published: September 2020

Control of the crop pest African cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) by chemical insecticides has led to serious resistance problems. Ajuga plants contain phytoecdysteroids (arthropod steroid hormone analogs regulating metamorphoses) and clerodanes (diterpenoids exhibiting antifeedant activity). We analyzed these compounds in leaf extracts of the Israeli Ajuga iva L. by LC-TOF-MS and TLC, and their efficiency at reducing S. littoralis fitness. First and third instars of S. littoralis larvae were fed on castor bean leaves smeared with an aqueous suspension of dried methanolic crude extract of A. iva phytoecdysteroids and clerodanes. Mortality, larval weight gain, relative growth rate and survival were compared to feeding on control leaves. We used DAPI and phalloidin staining to localize A. iva crude leaf extract activity in the insect gut. A. iva crude leaf extract (50, 100 and 250 µg/µL) significantly increased mortality of first-instar S. littoralis larvae (36%, 70% and 87%, respectively) compared to controls (6%). Third-instar larval weight gain decreased significantly (by 52%, 44% and 30%, respectively), as did relative growth rate (–0.05 g/g per day compared to the relevant controls), ultimately resulting in few survivors. Crude leaf extract (250 µg/µL) reduced gut size, with relocation of nuclei and abnormal actin-filament organization. A. iva extract has potential for alternative, environmentally safe insect-pest control.
Response of Malaria Hazard and Risk to a Hydroelectric Dam in Ethiopia Using GIS and Remote Sensing
Authors: Smith Abigail , Sim Sunhui
Published: September 2020

Malaria is a disease spread by female mosquitos of the Anopheles genus. It is acutely prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, where 90% of malaria deaths occur annually. One Sub-Saharan African country historically impacted by malaria is Ethiopia. In the past twenty years, malaria prevalence has decreased throughout Sub-Saharan Africa; yet, anthropogenic environmental changes are changing the landscape of malaria. Scholarly literature has cited a positive relationship between hydroelectric dams and malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ethiopia is currently expanding their hydroelectric infrastructure. The Gilgel Gibe III Dam is located on the Omo River in Southwestern Ethiopia. It began generating electricity in 2015 and its reservoir has a capacity of 14,700 million m3 of water. This research utilized Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing to identify populations at an increased risk of malaria due to Gilgel Gibe III Dam. Two different techniques were employed: the proximity approach and the remote sensing approach. The proximity approach was based on distance from the reservoir. It identified all populations living within three kilometers of the reservoir as being at an increased risk. The remote sensing approach evaluated the slope, elevation, water content, and land surface temperature of the study area to create a mosquito breeding habitat risk map. Then, populations living within three kilometers of the two main High-Risk areas were identified. This study suggests that mosquito breeding habitat risk is not equally distributed throughout the Gilgel Gibe III Reservoir. This causes certain populations to be at a heightened risk of malaria.
Oxidative Damage of Mussels Living in Seawater Enriched with Trace Metals, from the Viewpoint of Proteins Expression and Modification
Authors: Kournoutou Georgia G. , Giannopoulou Panagiota C. , Sazakli Eleni , Leotsinidis Michalis , Kalpaxis Dimitrios L. , Dinos George P.
Published: September 2020

The impact of metals bioaccumulation on marine organisms is under investigation. This study was designed to determine the association of oxidative stress in mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis induced by seawater enriched with trace metals with protein synthesis. Mussels were exposed to 40 μg/L Cu, 30 μg/L Hg, or 100 μg/L Cd for 5 and 15 days, and the pollution effect was evaluated by measuring established oxidative biomarkers. The results showed damage on the protein synthesis machine integrity and specifically, on translation factors and ribosomal proteins expression and modifications. Exposure of mussels to all metals caused oxidative damage that was milder in the cases of Cu and Hg, and more pronounced for Cd. However, after prolonged exposure of mussels to Cd (15 days), the effects receded. These changes that perturb protein biosynthesis can serve as a great tool for elucidating the mechanisms of toxicity and could be integrated in biomonitoring programs.
Resistance and Virulence Properties of Extraintestinal Pathogenic E. Coli Causing Nosocomial-and Community-Acquired Urinary Tract Infections in Hospitalized Patients in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Authors: Campos Ana Carolina da C. , Andrade Nathália , Correal Julio C. D. , Santos Carla C. , du Teil Espina Marines , Dijl Jan Maarten van , Chlebowicz-Fliss Monika A. , Friedrich Alex W. , Mutters Nico T. , Damasco Paulo V. , Rosa Ana Cláudia de P. , W. A. Rossen John
Published: September 2020

Background: Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is the most common cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs). They are often multidrug-resistant (MDR), making them challenging to treat. Additionally, virulence mechanisms as biofilm formation are associated with persistent UTIs. Aims: To reveal a possible association between patients’ risk factors and UTIs caused by MDR or biofilm-forming ExPECs and characterize ExPECs causing asymptomatic bacteriuria, community- (CA), or hospital-acquired (HA) UTIs in hospitalized patients in Brazil. Methods: Bacterial DNA was extracted from the urine of 63 hospitalized patients and sequenced using short-read sequencing. Antibiotic susceptibility was evaluated using VITEK-2, and the biofilm-forming, adhesion, and invasion abilities were quantitatively assessed. Results: Antibiotic resistance rates were high, and the majority of UTIs were complicated CA-UTIs. Most MDR- and ESBL-producing E. coli isolates belonged to high-risk lineages and were associated with UTIs in patients with comorbidities and over 60 years of age. The mortality rate of patients infected with MDR-isolates was higher than of those infected with non-MDR isolates. Most isolates were biofilm-forming, but no association with patients’ risk factors was found. Conclusions: Complicated UTIs caused by MDR- and biofilm-forming bacteria are frequently found in hospitalized patients in Brazil suffering from a UTI and are associated with high-risk lineages.
Partial Information Decomposition and the Information Delta: A Geometric Unification Disentangling Non-Pairwise Information
Authors: Kunert-Graf James , Sakhanenko Nikita , Galas David
Published: September 2020

Information theory provides robust measures of multivariable interdependence, but classically does little to characterize the multivariable relationships it detects. The Partial Information Decomposition (PID) characterizes the mutual information between variables by decomposing it into unique, redundant, and synergistic components. This has been usefully applied, particularly in neuroscience, but there is currently no generally accepted method for its computation. Independently, the Information Delta framework characterizes non-pairwise dependencies in genetic datasets. This framework has developed an intuitive geometric interpretation for how discrete functions encode information, but lacks some important generalizations. This paper shows that the PID and Delta frameworks are largely equivalent. We equate their key expressions, allowing for results in one framework to apply towards open questions in the other. For example, we find that the approach of Bertschinger et al. is useful for the open Information Delta question of how to deal with linkage disequilibrium. We also show how PID solutions can be mapped onto the space of delta measures. Using Bertschinger et al. as an example solution, we identify a specific plane in delta-space on which this approach’s optimization is constrained, and compute it for all possible three-variable discrete functions of a three-letter alphabet. This yields a clear geometric picture of how a given solution decomposes information
The Optimum Method for Urban Land Surface Temperature Estimation
Authors: Salakkham Ekkaluk , Piyatadsananon Pantip
Published: September 2020

Land Surface Temperature (LST) estimation has been studied for several purposes, while the optimal method of estimating the LST has not been criticized yet. This research explores the optimum method in Land Surface Temperature (LST) estimation using LANDSAT-8 imagery data. Four different LST retrieval approaches, the Radiative Transfer Equation-based method (RTE), the Improved Mono-Window method (IMW), the Generalized Single-Channel method (GSC), and the Split-Window algorithm (SW), were calculated to present the LSTs over Buriram Town Municipality, Thailand. The calculated LSTs from these four methods were compared with the ground-based temperature data, taken on the same date and time of the employed LANDSAT-8 images. For this reason, the optimum method of the LST calculation was justified by considering the lowest normalized root means square error (NRMSE) values. As a result, the SW algorithm presents an optimum method in LST estimation. Regarding the SW, this algorithm requires not only the atmospheric profiles during satellite acquisition but also the retrieval of several coefficients. Besides, the LST retrieval method based on the SW algorithm is sensitive to water vapor content and coefficients. Although the SW algorithm is an optimum method explored in this study, it is emphasized that the adjustable values of coefficient response to the atmospheric state may be recommended. With these conditions, the SW algorithm can generate the land-surface temperature over the mixed land-use and land cover on the LANDSAT-8 images.
The Impact of Serotype Cross-Protection on Vaccine Trials: DENVax as a Case Study
Authors: Aguiar Maíra , Stollenwerk Nico
Published: September 2020

There is a growing public health need for effective preventive interventions against dengue, and a safe, effective and affordable dengue vaccine against the four serotypes would be a significant achievement for disease prevention and control. Two tetravalent dengue vaccines, Dengvaxia (Sanofi Pasteur) and DENVax (Takeda Pharmaceutical Company), have now completed phase 3 clinical trials. While Dengvaxia resulted in serious adverse events and is restricted to individuals with prior dengue infections, DENVax has shown, at first glance, some encouraging results. Using the available data for the TAK 003 trial, we estimate, via the Bayesian approach, vaccine efficacy (VE) of the post-vaccination surveillance periods. Although better measurement over long time was expected for the second part of the post-vaccination surveillance, variation in serotype-specific efficacy needs careful consideration. Besides observing that individual serostatus prior to vaccination is determinant of DENVax vaccine efficacy, we also compare the VE estimations for 12 and 18 months and we observe that the efficacy is decreasing over time. The comparison of efficacies over time is informative and very important, bring up the discussion of the role of temporary cross-immunity in dengue vaccine trials and the impact of serostatus prior to vaccination in the context of dengue fever epidemiology.
Satellite Image Multi-Frame Super-Resolution Using 3D Wide-Activation Neural Networks
Authors: Dorr Francisco
Published: September 2020

The small satellite market continues to grow year after year. A compound annual growth rate of 17% is estimated during the period between 2020 and 2025. Low-cost satellites can send a vast amount of images to be post-processed at the ground to improve the quality and extract detailed information. In this domain lies the resolution enhancement task, where a low-resolution image is converted to a higher resolution automatically. Deep learning approaches to Super-Resolution (SR) reached the state-of-the-art in multiple benchmarks; however, most of them were studied in a single-frame fashion. With satellite imagery, multi-frame images can be obtained at different conditions giving the possibility to add more information per image and improve the final analysis. In this context, we developed and applied to the PROBA-V dataset of multi-frame satellite images a model that recently topped the European Space Agency’s Multi-frame Super Resolution (MFSR) competition. The model is based on proven methods that worked on 2D images tweaked to work on 3D: the Wide Activation Super Resolution (WDSR) family. We show that with a simple 3D CNN residual architecture with WDSR blocks and a frame permutation technique as data augmentation better scores can be achieved than with more complex models. Moreover, the model requires few hardware resources, both for training and evaluation, so it can be applied directly from a personal laptop.
Projeção populacional, mudanças climáticas e efeitos econômicos: uma avaliação a partir de blocos econômicos agrícolas
Authors: Faria Weslem Rodrigues , Salgueiro Perobelli Fernando , Lima de Oliveira Souza Daniele
Published: September 2020

A trajetória populacional futura e as mudanças climáticas são aspectos que geram incertezas quanto aos seus prováveis efeitos sobre a economia, especialmente a produção agrícola e indústria de alimentos. O artigo simula os efeitos de cenários populacionais e um de mudanças climáticas a partir do modelo de equilíbrio geral computável GTAP. É construída uma versão do GTAP 10 para reconhecer as atividades da agropecuária e silvicultura e indústria de alimentos, além de oito regiões denominadas blocos econômicos agrícolas, construídos a partir de técnicas de análise multivariada. As simulações dinâmicas do desvio acumulado entre o baseline e os cenários de política até 2050 apontaram, isoladamente, efeitos negativos generalizados das mudanças climáticas sobre o PIB e atividades econômicas dos blocos. Os resultados dos cenários populacionais indicaram que os blocos constituídos por países mais ricos e com economias mais diversificadas tenderiam a ganhar em detrimento dos demais em termos de PIB. Por outro lado, seria incentivada, de forma generalizada, a produção da agropecuária e silvicultura e da indústria de alimentos dos blocos. Em termos conjuntos, os efeitos negativos das mudanças climáticas tenderiam a superar os efeitos positivos dos cenários populacionais e de forma mais intensiva naqueles que projetam menor crescimento populacional.
ANALISIS EKONOMI DAN PROSPEK USAHA TANAMAN DAN TERNAK SAPI DI LAHAN PERKEBUNAN KELAPA
Authors: Rusdiana S. , Adawiyah Cut R
Published: September 2020

This  paper  studies  the  results  of  the  2012  field  survey  research  area targeted  is  the  location  of  plantations  owned  by  farmers  in  the  village  of  Coventry District Leuwi Booths Bogor Regency of West Java, to get  a general idea on the land through a pattern of oil palm plantations and the business of cattle through research studies with application of livestock on land that has not produced oil crops (TBM), coconut trees that produce (TM) and coconut trees that do  not produce or damaged (TTM  /  TR)  conservation-minded,  analissi  financial  economics.  Financial  analysis methods  is  used  to  determine  income  from  coconut  plantations  and  cattle  business. Primary data  were obtained directly from the farmers, the secondary data obtained from  the  relevant  authorities  and  research  results.  Primary  and  secondary  data collected are tabulated qualitative and quantitative analysis as well as the tables. The results  of  the  financial analysis  of the  plant  economically  immature  coconut  (TBM) gains  from  the  coconut  around  Rp-3.780.000/tahun/ha  because  immature  coconuts, which  means  the  cost  is  still  in  pemeliharana  coconut  plants,  of  cattle  around Rp5.143.000  /  year,  whereas  immature  (TBM)  benefits  of  coconut  around Rp6.750.000 / year / ha of cattle around Rp1.972.000/tahun and plants do not produce or  damaged  plants  (TTM  /  TR)  gains  from  the  coconut  around  Rp1.200.000  of livestock  around  Rp4.950.000/tahun.  It  means  that  utilization  of  vacant  land  in coconut plantations  damaged by cattle in financial analysis and profitable livestock farmers can maintain the existence of livestock.
KAJIAN EFISIENSI ALOKASI PENGGUNAAN INPUT PADA USAHA TERNAK AYAM RAS PETELUR
Authors: Ningsih Kustiawati
Published: September 2020

The research wasconducted inJune-July 2013 at  Bettet Village Pamekasan City  Subdistrict  Pamekasan  Regency.  The  research  objectivewas  to  determine  the allocation  efficiency  of    input  use  on  breeding  laying  hens.  Secondary  and  primary data  were  obtained  through  interview   and  observation methods.  Descriptive  analysis with  applying  the  Cobb-Douglas  production  function  and  testing  Efficiency  Value Price  for  Input  Use  (Factor)  is  used  to  analyze  the  data.  Results  showed  that  the model  of  Cobb  Douglas  production  function  breeding  laying  hens  at  Bettet  Village Pamekasan City Subdistrict Pamekasan Regenc yis quite good. This can be seen in the value ofR2=0.9585,  meaning that  the independent variable(X1  s/dX6)  in the modelis able to  explain the relationship  with the  dependent  variable  (production) of  95.85%,while  the  remaining  4.15%  is  explained  by  other  variables  not  in  the  study.  In addition,  the results  of the  Cobb  Douglas  production function  model  breeding  laying hens at  Bettet Village have  calculated F value  =  527.485  >  F  table  =  2.599  with =0.05  and  degrees  of  freedom  df(6,20),  meaning  that  the  independent  variables(X1 s/dX6)  together  in  a  model  that  explains  the  relationship  of  the  dependent  variable (production)  significantly.  Assessment  results  for  the  efficiency  of  use  of  each  input prices  (factor)  indicates  that  the allocation of the  inputs  on  breeding  laying hens  at Bettet  Village  Pamekasan  City  Subdistrict  Pamekasan  Regency  still  not  efficient.  It can  be  seen  from  the  t  value  of  each  input  is  greater  thanttable  with  α=0.05and19 degrees of freedom (df =19).
PENINGKATAN BRAND IMAGE (CITRA MEREK) DALAM RANGKA PENGEMBANGAN PRODUK AGROINDUSTRI KERING KENTANG (Studi Kasus pada Kering Kentang “Kirana” di Kabupaten Tuban)
Authors: Maulidah Silvana , Santoso Heru HS , F. Fahmi Yudhi
Published: September 2020

This research purpose it is to analyze: (1) The expectations of consumers towards  agro-industry  brand  image;  (2)  Analyze  improvement  planning  of  brand image  in  order  to  development  of  agro-industry  keringkentangkiranaproducts.The method  used  in  this  study  is  a  instrument  variables  test,  descriptive  analysis  and qualitative analysis.Descriptive analysis aims to describe the facts, or population or certain areas  with factual and systematic. Analysis qualitative in this study is using Quality Function Deployment QFD, from stage 1 to stage 4. The result showed that: ( 1 ) Consumer expectations of the brand image attributes that need to be improved and become a first priority for repaired is legal, advertising, durability, packaging, and logo  design  with  a  value  of  0,10.  For  the  second  attributes  that  must  guarded  and maintained by the company is the price and the taste with the value 0,096, while the third priority is the aroma, texture, color and brand name  with a normal  weight of 0,077.  (  2  )  Planning  and  improvement  in  brand  image  in  order  to  development KeringKentangKirana,  performed  by  observing  the  production  plan  that  have  the highest  importance  weight  values  to  be  prioritized  and  addressed  by  CV  Putra Mandiri  Perkasa  within  development  of  KeringKentangKirana,  first  production planning  is  standardize  the  production  process  with  a  value  of  2,04,  raw  material selection with a value 1,796 , packaging design and logo with a value 1,755, and the latter is an extension of ads with a value 1,491.