bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PENGARUH SOSIALISASI PROGRAM WAJIB BELAJAR PENDIDIKAN DASAR SEMBILAN TAHUN TERHADAP PARTISIPASI MASYARAKAT DALAM BIDANG PENDIDIKAN DI KELURAHAN ARGASUNYA KECAMATAN HARJAMUKTI KOTA CIREBON
Authors: Widiyana Dini , Siswoyo Mukarto , Nurfalah Farida
Published: July 2022

Research by the author is the Effect of Socialization Compulsory Nine- Year Basic Education Against Public Participation in the Field of Education in Sub Argasunya Harjamukti District of Cirebon. The problem that the writer suggested was the participation of society, especially in the field of education in Sub Argasunya Harjamukti District of Cirebon not maximized, the problem allegedly caused by the non-optimal implementation of the socialization program of compulsory nine-year education by the Cirebon City Department of Education. The research method that I use is a survey method, with quantitative descriptive analysis techniques. The research question asked, is there any influence of socialization program compulsory nine-year education on community participation in village Argasunya Harjamukti District of Cirebon. In the research showed that the result of socialization conducted by the Department of Education of City of Cirebon is quite good, but not optimal, as seen from the success of socialization which reached 65.6% with a total score of 3938, and community participation in education is quite good but not optimal as it reached 64.2% with a total score of 3854. the implementation of the program socialization compulsory nine-year education has a fairly close correlation to the participation in the Village Argasunya Harjamukti District of Cirebon to the value ryx count 0,645 and 0,000 is a significant value less than 0.05 (0.000 <0.05). Because of the significant value less than 0.05 then there is a positive and significant influence between the socialization of education programs on community participation in education. Thus H0 (the null hypothesis) is rejected and Ha (Alternative Hypothesis) is received.Keywords: Socialization, Compulsory, Public Participation.
POLA PARTISIPASI MASYARAKAT DALAM PENGELOLAAN BADAN USAHA MILIK DESA STUDI KASUS: BUM DESA TIRTA MANDIRI PONGGOK
Authors: Priharjanto Akhmad , Andriana Nina
Published: July 2022

Badan Usaha Milik Desa (BUM Desa) didirikan untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat desa. Salah satu prinsip dalam pengelolaan BUM Desa adalah partisipasi masyarakat. Saat ini BUM Desa tumbuh pesat namun masih sedikit BUM Desa yang sukses. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif deskriptif studi kasus yang mengambarkan bagaimana pola partisipasi masyarakat dalam pengelolaan BUM Desa Tirta Mandiri Ponggok. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan partisipasi masyarakat pada BUM Desa Tirta Mandiri Ponggok dilaksanakan dengan pola yang luas mulai dari perencanaan, pelaksanaan, pertangungjawaban, dan kepemilikan modal. Hasil penelitian ini diharapkan dapat menjadi acuan bagi pengelola BUM Desa dalam melaksanakan partisipasi masyarakat.
EVALUASI PERATURAN DAERAH NOMOR 18 TAHUN 2018 TENTANG IZIN PENGELOLAAN DAN PENGUSAHAAN PENANGKARAN BURUNG WALET DI KECAMATAN TUALANG KABUPATEN SIAK
Authors: Wahyudi Wahyudi , Ferizko Adia , Sufi Wasiah
Published: July 2022

Pesatnya pengusahaan walet yang membangun tempat usaha penangkaran sarang burung walet yang ada di Kecamatan Tualang Kabupaten Siak, membuat pemerintah daerah setempat untuk menetapkan suatu Peraturan Daerah (PERDA), baik izin penangkaran,pajak, cara pengawasan dan letak yang berkaitan dengan tata kelola penangkaran burung walet yang ada di Kabupaten Siak, dengan adanya peraturan tersebut tidak menutup kemungkinan akan masih banyaknya penangkaran burung walet. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui Evaluasi Kebijakan Peraturan Daerah Nomor 18 Tahun 2018 Tentang Izin Pengelolaan dan Pengusahaan Penangkaran Burung Walet di Kecamatan Tualang Kabupaten Siak. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah kualitatif dengan berbagai pertimbangan instrument penelitian observasi, wawancara dan dokumentasi. Teori yang digunakan berdasarkan Konsep Teori William N. Dunn dalam Rian Nugroho (2014:713) Efektifitas. Efesiensi, Kecukupan, Perataan, Responsivitas dan Ketepatan. Hasil penelitian Kebijakan Peraturan Daerah Nomor 18 Tahun 2018 Tentang Izin Pengelolaan dan Pengusahaan Penangkaran Burung Walet di Kecamatan Tualang Kabupaten Siak dilaksanakansesuai dengan mekanisme yang berlaku, namun belum optimal dalam pelaksanaan sosialisasi, pengawasan serta penerapan sanksi yang tegas daripihak implementor terhadap parapengusaha yang melanggar dan belummemiliki izin pengelolaan danpengusahaan sarang burung walet tersebut.
STRATEGI KOMUNIKASI KERUKUNAN UMAT BERAGAMA (FKUB) DALAM MEMBERIKAN INFORMASI MENGENAI ATURAN PEMBANGUNAN RUMAH IBADAT DI KOTA CIREBON
Authors: Andriany Dian , Azis Moh Malik Abdul
Published: July 2022

Forum kerukunan umat beragama disingkat FKUB adalah forum yang dibentuk oleh masyarakat dan difasilitasi oleh pemerintah dalam rangka membangun, memelihara, dan memberdayakan umat beragama untuk kerukunan dan kesejahteraan, dalam menjalankan tugas dan fungsinya sebagai penjaga kerukunan umat beragama di wilayah kota Cirebon yang mempunyai dinamika umat beragama yang kompleks.Hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa FKUB Kota Cirebon menggunakan strategi komunikasi model analisis seperti analisis SWOT, analisis akar masalah, analisis kekuatan medan, analisis kesenjangan, pembakuan mutu, metode konstruksi skenario, dan metode analisisi identifkasi isu. Realisasi dari penerapan strategi tersebut dengan memberikan sosialisasi lewat para pemuda antar agama dan tokoh-tokoh agama yang di Kota Cirebon untuk menyampaikan informasi aturan pendirian rumah ibadat. Faktor-faktor yang menghambat dari FKUB Kota Cirebon dalam mengupayakan penyampaian informasi tersebut adalah intervensi dari struktur diatas yang membawahi FKUB Kota Cirebon itu sendiri.
Designing Bantenese EFL listening media to develop senior high school students� local cultural awareness
Authors: Rachmawati Dina , Murti Oktania Cinanti
Published: July 2022

This research was carried out to develop a prototype of a local content-based audio media for teaching listening in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) for senior high school level. The research was conducted under two research questions i.e. What are the learning needs of Senior High Schools students for EFL listening media? How was the Bantenese local content-based media for listening developed? Design based Research was employed to conduct the study. Semi-structure interview and open-ended questionnaire were conducted to collect information about the students needs for listening in EFL teaching and learning activities. To figure out how the process of media development was done, an open-ended questionnaire was administered to students and to teachers in order to assess the quality of the media. Additionally, material and media expert validations were done. Data analysis revealed that first; the students needed Bantense folk tales local content-based audio media for listening materials in EFL classrooms in order to build their local cultural awareness. Second, the audio media was developed by adopting bottom-up approach undergoing iterative processes i.e. the phases of analysis of practical problem, the phases of media development, and testing and refinement phase, and reflection phase. The development processes yielded three products i.e. teacher handbook, student handbook, and MP3 listening materials which accommodates Bantenese folk tales. In conclusion, developing a local-content based learning media aiming at developing students awareness of their local culture and identity could be done through developing a teaching and learning media that addresses the students learning needs and be in accordance with English current curriculum adopted at schools.
"How Do You Work Out This Zoom Classroom?": Pre-service English Teachers� Challenges and Expectations During Transition to Online Teaching Practicum
Authors: Gustine Gin Gin
Published: July 2022

The role of teaching practicum for pre-service teachers in significant and an integral part in many teacher education programs. Against this backdrop, the challenges and expectations from pre-service English teachers during the online teaching practicum, as the result of Covid-19 physical and social distancing, have not been explored well. This qualitative case study research is expected to shed lights on the expectations and challenges faced by pre-service English teachers who conducted their teaching practicum online during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data were generated from individual and focus group interview with nine pre-service English teachers who were all conducting their online teaching practicum period from February-July 2020. Result showed that the challenges pre-service English teachers faced were lack of pedagogical knowledge in how to teach in online class environment and lack of knowledge in online assessment. To solve these problems, pre-service teachers expect a strong support and assistance from both school teachers and university supervisors in terms of improving their knowledge and skills in using appropriate Information Communication Technology in the class.
The Implicature of Reddit Memes from r/HistoryMemes Sub-Reddit
Authors: Pramesthi Nadia Agatha
Published: July 2022

Memes have been a media of entertainment when the internet has been a part of human’s life. Reddit as a source of a community who shares anything from news, information, gossip, to memes, is the core of this research. Fifty memes taken from a subreddit called r/HistoryMemes became the object of the research. The question is, do the memes exclusively enjoyed by the community or do the memes can also be brought outside the community and people still understand the joke?  Using the Implicature theory, the researcher tries to answer the question. The result is that there is a possibility for the people outside the community of r/HistoryMemes subreddit to understand the joke that is delivered by the meme
Dynamic Load Model Systems of Tendon Inflammation and Mechanobiology
Authors: Benage Lindsay G. , Sweeney James D. , Giers Morgan B. , Balasubramanian Ravi
Published: July 2022

Dynamic loading is a shared feature of tendon tissue homeostasis and pathology. Tendon cells have the inherent ability to sense mechanical loads that initiate molecular-level mechanotransduction pathways. While mature tendons require physiological mechanical loading in order to maintain and fine tune their extracellular matrix architecture, pathological loading initiates an inflammatory-mediated tissue repair pathway that may ultimately result in extracellular matrix dysregulation and tendon degeneration. The exact loading and inflammatory mechanisms involved in tendon healing and pathology is unclear although a precise understanding is imperative to improving therapeutic outcomes of tendon pathologies. Thus, various model systems have been designed to help elucidate the underlying mechanisms of tendon mechanobiology via mimicry of the in vivo tendon architecture and biomechanics. Recent development of model systems has focused on identifying mechanoresponses to various mechanical loading platforms. Less effort has been placed on identifying inflammatory pathways involved in tendon pathology etiology, though inflammation has been implicated in the onset of such chronic injuries. The focus of this work is to highlight the latest discoveries in tendon mechanobiology platforms and specifically identify the gaps for future work. An interdisciplinary approach is necessary to reveal the complex molecular interplay that leads to tendon pathologies and will ultimately identify potential regenerative therapeutic targets.
mTORC2 protects the heart from high-fat diet-induced cardiomyopathy through mitochondrial fission in Drosophila
Authors: Liu Peiduo , Chang Kai , Requejo Guillermo , Bai Hua
Published: July 2022

High-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity has become the major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we use Drosophila as a model to study the role of mTORC2 in HFD-induced mitochondrial fission and cardiac dysfunction. We find that knockdown of mTORC2 subunit rictor blocks HFD-induced mitochondrial fragmentation and Drp1 recruitment. Knockdown of rictor further impairs cardiac contractile function under HFD treatment. Surprisingly, knockdown of Akt, the major effector of mTORC2, did not affect HFD-induced mitochondrial fission. Similar to mTORC2 inhibition, knockdown of Drp1 blocks HFD-induced mitochondrial fragmentation and induces contractile defects. Furthermore, overexpression of Drp1 restored HFD-induced mitochondrial fragmentation in rictor knockdown flies. Thus, we uncover a novel function of mTORC2 in protecting the heart from HFD treatment through Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fission.
Blebs—Formation, Regulation, Positioning, and Role in Amoeboid Cell Migration
Authors: Schick Jan , Raz Erez
Published: July 2022

In the context of development, tissue homeostasis, immune surveillance, and pathological conditions such as cancer metastasis and inflammation, migrating amoeboid cells commonly form protrusions called blebs. For these spherical protrusions to inflate, the force for pushing the membrane forward depends on actomyosin contraction rather than active actin assembly. Accordingly, blebs exhibit distinct dynamics and regulation. In this review, we first examine the mechanisms that control the inflation of blebs and bias their formation in the direction of the cell’s leading edge and present current views concerning the role blebs play in promoting cell locomotion. While certain motile amoeboid cells exclusively form blebs, others form blebs as well as other protrusion types. We describe factors in the environment and cell-intrinsic activities that determine the proportion of the different forms of protrusions cells produce.
Fine-tuning of regulatory T cells is indispensable for the metabolic steatosis-related hepatocellular carcinoma: A review
Authors: Riaz Farooq , Wei Ping , Pan Fan
Published: July 2022

The majority of chronic hepatic diseases are caused by nutritional imbalance. These nutritional inequities include excessive intake of alcohol and fat, which causes alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), respectively. The pathogenesis of hepatic diseases is mainly dependent on oxidative stress, autophagy, DNA damage, and gut microbiota and their metabolites. These factors influence the normal physiology of the liver and impact the hepatic microenvironment. The hepatic microenvironment contains several immune cells and inflammatory cytokines which interact with each other and contribute to the progression of chronic hepatic diseases. Among these immune cells, Foxp3+CD4+regulatory T cells (Tregs) are the crucial subset of CD4+T cells that create an immunosuppressive environment. This review emphasizes the function of Tregs in the pathogenesis of ALD and NAFLD and their role in the progression of NAFLD-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Briefly, Tregs establish an immunosuppressive landscape in the liver by interacting with the innate immune cells and gut microbiota and their metabolites. Meanwhile, with the advancement of steatosis, these Tregs inhibit the proliferation, activation and functions of other cytotoxic T cells and support the progression of simple steatosis to HCC. Briefly, it can be suggested that targeting Tregs can act as a favourable prognostic indicator by modulating steatosis and insulin resistance during the pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis and NAFLD-associated HCC.
Patterns of Convergence and Divergence Between Bipolar Disorder Type I and Type II: Evidence From Integrative Genomic Analyses
Authors: Huang Yunqi , Liu Yunjia , Wu Yulu , Tang Yiguo , Zhang Mengting , Liu Siyi , Xiao Liling , Tao Shiwan , Xie Min , Dai Minhan , Li Mingli , Gui Hongsheng , Wang Qiang
Published: July 2022

Aim: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) analyses have revealed genetic evidence of bipolar disorder (BD), but little is known about the genetic structure of BD subtypes. We aimed to investigate the genetic overlap and distinction of bipolar type I (BD I) & type II (BD II) by conducting integrative post-GWAS analyses.

Methods: We utilized single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)–level approaches to uncover correlated and distinct genetic loci. Transcriptome-wide association analyses (TWAS) were then approached to pinpoint functional genes expressed in specific brain tissues and blood. Next, we performed cross-phenotype analysis, including exploring the potential causal associations between two BD subtypes and lithium responses and comparing the difference in genetic structures among four different psychiatric traits.

Results: SNP-level evidence revealed three genomic loci, SLC25A17, ZNF184, and RPL10AP3, shared by BD I and II, and one locus (MAD1L1) and significant gene sets involved in calcium channel activity, neural and synapsed signals that distinguished two subtypes. TWAS data implicated different genes affecting BD I and II through expression in specific brain regions (nucleus accumbens for BD I). Cross-phenotype analyses indicated that BD I and II share continuous genetic structures with schizophrenia and major depressive disorder, which help fill the gaps left by the dichotomy of mental disorders.

Conclusion: These combined evidences illustrate genetic convergence and divergence between BD I and II and provide an underlying biological and trans-diagnostic insight into major psychiatric disorders.
Chemical Constituents With Antiproliferative Activity From Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth.
Authors: Peng Xingjia , Ang Song , Zhang Yizi , Fan Fenling , Wu Mengshuo , Liang Peiting , Wen Yan , Gan Lishe , Zhang Kun , Li Dongli , Yue Jianmin
Published: July 2022

Two new patchoulene sesquiterpenoid glycosides (1–2), a natural patchoulane-type sesquiterpenoid (3) and a natural cadinene-type sesquiterpenoid (4), were isolated from the aerial parts of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth., together with eleven known sesquiterpenoids (5–15) and eleven known flavonoids (16–26). Their chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods, including NMR, HRESIMS, IR, and CD spectroscopic data analysis, as well as chemical hydrolysis. The isolated compounds 1–13 and 15–26 were tested for inhibitory effects on the proliferation of HepG2 cancer cells. Among them, compounds 17 and 19 displayed anti-proliferative effects against HepG2 cells with IC50 values of 25.59 and 2.30 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the flow cytometry analysis and Western blotting assays revealed that compound 19 significantly induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells by downregulating the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax and upregulating the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9. Therefore, the potential pharmaceutical applications of P. cablin would be applied according to our study findings.
Fluorescent Covalent Organic Frameworks: A Promising Material Platform for Explosive Sensing
Authors: Qian Yuhang , Li Jiani , Ji Mingyang , Li Jundan , Ma Dongge , Liu Anan , Zhao Yubao , Yang Chun
Published: July 2022

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a novel class of porous crystalline organic materials with organic small molecule units connected by strong covalent bonds and extending in two- or three-dimension in an ordered mode. The tunability, porosity, and crystallinity have endowed covalent organic frameworks the capability of multi-faceted functionality. Introduction of fluorophores into their backbones or side-chains creates emissive covalent organic frameworks. Compared with common fluorescent organic solid materials, COFs possess several intrinsic advantages being as a type of irreplaceable fluorescence materials mainly because its highly developed pore structures can accommodate various types of guest analytes by specific or non-specific chemical bonding and non-bonding interaction. Developments in fluorescent COFs have provided opportunities to enhance sensing performance. Moreover, due to its inherent rigidified structures and fixed conformations, the intramolecular rotation, vibration, and motion occurred in common organic small molecules, and organic solid systems can be greatly inhibited. This inhibition decreases the decay of excited-state energy as heat and blocks the non-radiative quenching channel. Thus, fluorescent COFs can be designed, synthesized, and precisely tuned to exhibit optimal luminescence properties in comparison with common homogeneous dissolved organic small molecule dyes and can even compete with the currently mainstream organic solid semiconductor-based luminescence materials. This mini-review discusses the major design principle and the state-of-the-art paragon examples of fluorescent COFs and their typical applications in the detection and monitoring of some key explosive chemicals by fluorescence analysis. The challenges and the future direction of fluorescent COFs are also covered in detail in the concluding section.
Malay and English Language Contact in Social Media Texts in Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia
Authors: McLellan James
Published: July 2022

This paper focuses on aspects of language contact, specifically Malay and English in the domain of social media. Key components of the theoretical framework are world Englishes being by definition code-mixed varieties, and the complementary notions of nativization (of English) and englishization (of Malay, in this case). Texts examined and analyzed are from Whatsapp chats and groups, with the consent of all participants, and from public social media sites in the Malay world, mostly Negara Brunei Darussalam (henceforth Brunei) but also Malaysia. Brunei is known for having a very high percentage of social media use per head of population, with especially high levels of use of Instagram and Facebook, as well as discussion forums such as Reddit. In their social media interactions Bruneians and Malaysians have a range of language choices, from monolingual English to monolingual Malay, and varying degrees of code-mixing or translanguaging. Many Bruneians and Malaysians are multilingual, and thus may have more than two languages as resources to draw on. Analysis of threads of discussion forum postings on the same topic demonstrate the multilingual repertoire of participants, for whom any of the available language choices are unmarked. This is in part owing to the use of English as one medium of education alongside Malay: consistently in Brunei since 1985, inconsistently in Malaysia since 1963. The conclusion of the paper raises two questions: whether it is valid to posit the language of social media as a new variety comprising both local and global influences and inputs, and whether social media is a driver of change in varieties of English in Southeast Asia.
The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis-Calcium Score Improves Statin Treatment Allocation in Asymptomatic Adults
Authors: Shlomai Gadi , Shemesh Joseph , Segev Shlomo , Koren-Morag Nira , Grossman Ehud
Published: July 2022

Background

The current categorization of cardiovascular (CV) risk broadens the indications for statin therapy. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) identifies those who are most likely to benefit from primary prevention with statin therapy. The multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis-calcium (MESA-C) includes CAC for CV risk stratification.

Objective

We aimed to establish whether the MESA-C score improves allocation to statin treatment in a cohort of asymptomatic adults. We also analyzed patient survival according to their risk score calculation.

Design

A retrospective analysis of asymptomatic adults.

Participants

A total of 632 consecutive subjects free of coronary artery disease (CAD) and/or stroke, mean age 56 ± 7 years, 84% male, underwent clinical evaluations and CAC measurements.

Main Measures

PCE and MESA-C risk scores were calculated for each subject. According to the 10-year risk for CV events, subjects were classified into moderate and high CV risk (≥7.5%) for whom a statin is clearly indicated, or borderline and low CV risk (<7.5%).

Key Results

During mean follow-up of 6.5 ± 3.3 years, 52 subjects experienced their first CV event. Those with a MESA-C risk score < 7.5% had favorable outcomes even when the PCE indicated a risk of ≥ 7.5%. The MESA-C score improved the discrimination of CV risk with the ROC curves C-statistics increasing from 0.653 for the PCE to 0.770 for the MESA-C. Of those, 84% (99/118) with borderline CV risk (5–7.5%) according to the PCE score, were reallocated by the MESA-C score into a higher (≥7.5%) or lower (<5%) CV risk category. Furthermore, subjects with low MESA-C scores had the highest survival rate regardless of the PCE risk, while those with high MESA-C risks had the lowest survival rate regardless of the PCE risk.

Conclusion

In asymptomatic subjects, the MESA-C score improves allocation to statin treatment and CV risk discrimination, while both scores are essential for more precise survival estimations.
Impact of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation on Right Ventricular Function After Heart Transplantation
Authors: Zhao Cheng , Hao Xing , Xue Chao , Zhao Yichen , Han Jie , Jia Yixin , Hou Xiaotong , Wang Jiangang
Published: July 2022

Aims

Acute right ventricular failure remains a common challenging clinical syndrome in heart transplant (HTx) recipients. While extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a proven strategy for the treatment of this condition, the outcomes after weaning and during follow up remain understudied. We aimed to evaluate the right-sided heart function in ECMO survivors following HTx.

Methods

Between September 2005 and December 2019, 205 patients with end-stage heart failure who underwent standard orthotopic HTx were enrolled. In total, 68 (33.2%) patients were included in the ECMO group and 137 (66.8%) patients were included in the non-ECMO group.

Results

Of the 68 patients in the ECMO group, 42 (61.8%) were successfully weaned from ECMO. After a median follow-up period of 53 months, there were 25 (59.5%) and 27 (23.7%) deaths in the ECMO and non-ECMO groups (P = 0.023), respectively. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) before discharge (P = 0.003) was the unique predictor of all-cause mortality during follow up. Meanwhile, patients in the ECMO group with more than moderate SPAP increase before discharge had higher mortality than patients in the non-ECMO group without such increase (P = 0.005).

Conclusions

Recipient right-sided heart characteristics were strong predictors of ECMO need after HTx. ECMO patients had high mortality in the perioperative and follow-up periods, and the changes in right ventricular function in ECMO patients may be associated with pulmonary vessel injury before and after HTx.
Aberrant branched-chain amino acid catabolism in cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Xiong Yixiao , Jiang Ling , Li Tao
Published: July 2022

Globally, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death. Research has focused on the metabolism of carbohydrates, fatty acids, and amino acids to improve the prognosis of cardiovascular diseases. There are three types of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs; valine, leucine, and isoleucine) required for protein homeostasis, energy balance, and signaling pathways. Increasing evidence has implicated BCAAs in the pathogenesis of multiple cardiovascular diseases. This review summarizes the biological origin, signal transduction pathways and function of BCAAs as well as their significance in cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial hypertrophy, heart failure, coronary artery disease, diabetic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia and hypertension.
Lithology-Based 3D Modeling of Urban Geological Attributes and Their Engineering Application: A Case Study of Guang’an City, SW China
Authors: Zhou Fang , Li Minghui , Huang Congjun , Liang Hong , Liu Yujie , Zhang Jianlong , Wang Baodi , Hao Ming
Published: July 2022

Urban geological modeling (UGM) is a fundamental approach for the visualization of underground space and recognition of complex geological conditions of a city. Previous UGM studies, with the assumption of homogeneous geological characteristics, have resulted in deviated modeling properties due to the negligence of parameters with obviously different spatial distributions in lithologies. This study presents a case study of Guang’an city in SW China by using a sequential simulation interpolation (SSI) method that reflects geological heterogeneity by combining field surveys, topography, borehole data, geological profiles, and stratigraphic columns to establish a lithology distribution model in the study area. The geotechnical attribute model of the area of interest was established based on lithology to capture subtle variations in lithology due to obvious differences in geotechnical characteristics of clay, sand, mudstone, sandy mudstone, and shaly sandstone. This 3D model could provide a reference for the urban underground space master planning and future sustainable development of Guang’an city. In addition, this study also discusses the prospects and directions of urban geological modeling and provides a few suggestions for engineering in urban areas.
Being in-sync: A multimodal framework on the emotional and cognitive synchronization of collaborative learners
Authors: Aoyama Lawrence Lena , Weinberger Armin
Published: July 2022

Collaborative learners share an experience when focusing on a task together and coevally influence each other’s emotions and motivations. Continuous emotional synchronization relates to how learners co-regulate their cognitive resources, especially regarding their joint attention and transactive discourse. “Being in-sync” then refers to multiple emotional and cognitive group states and processes, raising the question: to what extent and when is being in-sync beneficial and when is it not? In this article, we propose a framework of multi-modal learning analytics addressing synchronization of collaborative learners across emotional and cognitive dimensions and different modalities. To exemplify this framework and approach the question of how emotions and cognitions intertwine in collaborative learning, we present contrasting cases of learners in a tabletop environment that have or have not been instructed to coordinate their gaze. Qualitative analysis of multimodal data incorporating eye-tracking and electrodermal sensors shows that gaze instruction facilitated being emotionally, cognitively, and behaviorally “in-sync” during the peer collaboration. Identifying and analyzing moments of shared emotional shifts shows how learners are establishing shared understanding regarding both the learning task as well as the relationship among them when they are emotionally “in-sync.”
Parental homework-help profiles throughout grades 6 – 9: Relations to motivation and mathematics skills
Authors: Kikas Eve , Mädamürk Kaja , Silinskas Gintautas
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to examine how parental profiles during homework help (supportive versus controlling) for children in Grades 6 and 9 change over time and relate to children’s motivation and math skills. Participants included 719 mother–child dyads. Children’s perceptions of parental help and math skills were assessed in both grades; children’s math-related self-concept, interest, and mother-rated task persistence were assessed only in Grade 6. Three similar profiles of parental help appeared in both grades. Most mothers and children belonged to the Average support and control profile (around 60% in both grades); 29–33% belonged to the Average support, high control profile; and 8–11% belonged to the Low support, below average control profile. Profiles differed based on children’s self-concept, task persistence, and math skills in Grade 6. Transitions of parental homework help predicted children’s math skills in Grade 9. These findings help to conceptualize parental homework help as a multidimensional construct that may manifest in three different profiles which differentially relate to the child’s skills and motivation.
Kisspeptin Exhibits Stimulatory Effects on Expression of the Genes for Kisspeptin Receptor, GnRH1 and GTH Subunits in a Gonadal Stage-Dependent Manner in the Grass Puffer, a Semilunar-Synchronized Spawner
Authors: Zahangir Md. Mahiuddin , Shahjahan Md. , Ando Hironori
Published: July 2022

Kisspeptin has an important role in the regulation of reproduction by directly stimulating the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in mammals. In non-mammalian vertebrates, there are multiple kisspeptins (Kiss1 and Kiss2) and kisspeptin receptor types, and the two kisspeptins in teleosts have different effects depending on fish species and reproductive stages, serving reproductive and non-reproductive functions. In the grass puffer, Takifugu alboplumbeus, which has only a single pair of kiss2 and kissr2, both genes display seasonal, diurnal, and circadian oscillations in expression in association with the periodic changes in reproductive functions. To elucidate the role of kisspeptin in this species, homologous kisspeptin peptide (gpKiss2) was administered at different reproductive stages (immature, mature and regressed) and the expression levels of the genes that constitute hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis were examined in male grass puffer. gpKiss2 significantly elevated the expression levels of kissr2 and gnrh1 in the brain and kissr2, fshb and lhb in the pituitary of the immature and mature fish. No noticeable effect was observed for kiss2, gnih, gnihr, gnrh2 and gnrh3 in the brain and gpa in the pituitary. In the regressed fish, gpKiss2 was ineffective in stimulating the expression of the gnrh1 and GTH subunit genes, while it stimulated and downregulated the kissr2 expression in the brain and pituitary, respectively. The present results indicate that Kiss2 has a stimulatory role in the expression of GnRH1/GTH subunit genes by upregulating the kissr2 expression in the brain and pituitary at both immature and mature stages, but this role is mostly ineffective at regressed stage in the grass puffer.
Revisiting Theoretical Tools and Approaches for the Valorization of Recalcitrant Lignocellulosic Biomass to Value-Added Chemicals
Authors: Pham Le Thanh Mai , Choudhary Hemant , Gauttam Rahul , Singer Steven W. , Gladden John M. , Simmons Blake A. , Singh Seema , Sale Kenneth L.
Published: July 2022

Biorefinery processes for converting lignocellulosic biomass to fuels and chemicals proceed via an integrated series of steps. Biomass is first pretreated and deconstructed using chemical catalysts and/or enzymes to liberate sugar monomers and lignin fragments. Deconstruction is followed by a conversion step in which engineered host organisms assimilate the released sugar monomers and lignin fragments, and produce value-added fuels and chemicals. Over the past couple of decades, a significant amount of work has been done to develop innovative biomass deconstruction and conversion processes that efficiently solubilize biomass, separate lignin from the biomass, maximize yields of bioavailable sugars and lignin fragments and convert the majority of these carbon sources into fuels, commodity chemicals, and materials. Herein, we advocate that advanced in silico approaches provide a theoretical framework for developing efficient processes for lignocellulosic biomass valorization and maximizing yields of sugars and lignin fragments during deconstruction and fuel and chemical titers during conversion. This manuscript surveys the latest developments in lignocellulosic biomass valorization with special attention given to highlighting computational approaches used in process optimization for lignocellulose pretreatment; enzyme engineering for enhanced saccharification and delignification; and prediction of the genome modification necessary for desired pathway fine-tuning to upgrade products from biomass deconstruction into value-added products. Physics-based modeling approaches such as density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamics simulations have been most impactful in studies aimed at exploring the molecular level details of solvent-biomass interactions, reaction mechanisms occurring in biomass-solvent systems, and the catalytic mechanisms and engineering of enzymes involved in biomass degradation. More recently, with ever increasing amounts of data from, for example, advanced mutli-omics experiments, machine learning approaches have begun to make important contributions in synthetic biology and optimization of metabolic pathways for production of biofuels and chemicals.
Research on the Rotor Fault Diagnosis Method Based on QPSO-VMD-PCA-SVM
Authors: Wang Lu , Liu Hui , Liang Jie , Zhang Lijuan , Ji Qingchang , Wang Jianqiang
Published: July 2022

The rotor system is a core part of rotating machinery equipment. Its safe and reliable operation directly affects the economic benefit of using the equipment and the personal safety of users. To fully explore the complex feature mapping relationship between rotor vibration signals and fault types, rotor vibration signals were studied under different working conditions from the perspective of feature parameter construction and feature information mining. First, a variational mode decomposition algorithm was used to decompose the vibration signals, and quantum behavior particle swarm optimization was used to minimize the mean envelope entropy of intrinsic mode function components to determine the optimal combination of modal number and penalty coefficient. Second, the principal component analysis was used to reduce the dimensionality of IMF components of vibration signals. Finally, a support vector machine was used to mine the feature mapping relationship between vibration data after dimensionality reduction and rotor operation state to accurately identify rotor fault types. The proposed method was used to analyze the measured vibration signals of the rotor system. The experimental results showed that the proposed method effectively extracted characteristic information of the rotor running state from the vibration data, and the accuracies of four types of fault diagnoses were 100%, 88.89%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. In addition, the accuracies of the four fault diagnoses in this study were better than those of the previously reported models.
Phosphorous remediation using alginate/glomalin biobeads: Examining structural cohesivity, nutrient retention, and reapplication viability
Authors: Percivall Kelly , Amgain Naba R. , Inglett Kanika , Strauss Sarah L. , Bhadha Jehangir H.
Published: July 2022

Excess nutrient loading from agriculture and urban runoff into limnetic and marine ecosystems is associated with harmful algal blooms that result in eutrophication. Sequestration of nutrients such as phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) from agricultural outflows and recycling them as soil amendments would be an environmentally and economically sustainable strategy to alleviate this problem. This study explored the use of biobeads constructed with phytoplankton, Chlorella vulgaris, alginate and glomalin as a possible medium for a cyclic culture-harvest-reapply (CHR) system to address the problem of eutrophication. These “biobeads” were constructed from different concentrations of sodium alginate, C. vulgaris, and glomalin. Bead vitality was evaluated by introducing C. vulgaris to both eutrophic (phosphate ∼1.5 ppm) and hypereutrophic (phosphate ∼4.0 ppm) solutions and measuring phosphate removal. After 9 days in the eutrophic solution, biologically active groups reduced orthophosphate concentrations by an average of 1.35 ppm (80%). In the hypereutrophic solution, an average of 1.52 ppm total phosphate removal (38%) was observed over 5 weeks. The addition of glomalin in high concentrations increased the structural cohesivity of the hydrogel matrix, while low concentrations had an inverse effect. Reapplication of these biobeads to topsoil did not reduce plant growth or plant health parameters. These data suggest that glomalin, in appropriate proportions, is a suitable secondary scaffolding for a sodium alginate hydrogel immobilization medium. The alginate beads of immobilized C. vulgaris could be a promising treatment technique for phosphorus-containing urban wastewater. Further research is warranted to assess long-term impacts on nutrient dispersal and soil quality upon reapplication.
Analysis of the Influence of Agricultural Natural Disaster on Farmers’ Technology Adoption Decision
Authors: Yu Yawen , Wei Jingzhou
Published: July 2022

Xinjiang is the main cotton-producing area in China. However, its natural environment is special, and natural disasters frequently occur during the agricultural production process. Fortunately, the application of modern agricultural production technology provides a good tool for cotton farmers to reduce disaster losses. In order to analyze the impact of agricultural natural disasters on farmers’ adoption of agricultural production technology, based on the survey data of 216 cotton farmers in the main cotton production areas, this study uses a binary logistic model to analyze the impact of disaster types and stages on cotton farmers’ application of drip irrigation water-saving technology. The results show that hail, drought, and disease disasters have a significant impact on the application of drip irrigation water-saving technology, considering that the damage to equipment and technology’s control of disasters are the reasons behind; post-disaster remediation in the growth or maturity period also has a significant impact, which can reduce losses; and market price risk for cotton also has a significant impact.
Evaluating the Performance of Small Wastewater Treatment Plants
Authors: Engstler Eva , Kerschbaumer David J. , Langergraber Guenter
Published: July 2022

An evaluation of the treatment performance of small wastewater treatment plants with the capacity of ≤50 PE (population equivalent) was carried out using data collected in external monitoring reports, taking Upper Austria as an example. External monitoring data for 2009–2018 were available for this analysis. About 2′500 small WWTPs are in operation in Upper Austria. The main technologies implemented include about 870 Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) plants, 630 conventional activated sludge (CAS) plants and 535 vertical flow (VF) wetlands. The data set for the present evaluation comprises a total of approx. 14′000 external monitoring reports from approx. 2′000 small WWTPs. This paper presents the results of this evaluation. The evaluation showed that all technologies meet the legal requirements regarding BOD5, COD and NH4-N effluent concentrations. However, for small WWTPs with a polishing stage consisting of a VF wetland, the median values of the effluent concentrations and the limit value exceedances are significantly lower. There is no evidence of a significant deterioration in treatment performance with the age of the plant for any technology. However, for all technical WWTPs such as SBR and CAS plants, a greater fluctuation of the measured values (i.e. the median values of the effluent concentrations) can be observed when the plant is longer in operation. Compared to technical WWTPs, this fluctuation is significantly smaller in VF wetlands.
Energy transition for meeting ecological goals: Do economic stability, technology, and government stability matter?
Authors: Tang Tao , Shahzad Farrukh , Ahmed Zahoor , Ahmad Mahmood , Abbas Shujaat
Published: July 2022

Unquestionably, energy transition, which entails increasing renewables in the energy mix, is among the most reliable strategies to discontinue the utilization of fossil fuels and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, technological advancement can not only stimulate green energy supply but also promote resource efficiency for realizing ecological goals. Also, persistent long-term energy policies and uninterrupted investments are needed to progress on SDGs for climate control and sustainable development. Hence, factors such as economic and government stability are pertinent to implementing and governing energy strategies. Against this background, this study assesses the potential of energy transition in meeting ecological goals by taking into account the roles of economic stability, technology, and government stability in BRICS from 1992 to 2018. Using the second-generation Westerlund cointegration test, the study found a long-run association among variables. The findings from the Continuously Updated Fully Modified (CuP-FM) test disclosed that energy transition is effective in limiting the ecological footprint (EF) in BRICS. Alongside this, economic stability and technology reduce ecological degradation. In addition, government stability stimulates environmental sustainability, while population density decreases environmental sustainability. Finally, the implications of these conclusions for meeting SDGs are discussed and policy directions are provided.
Patterns of gene expression in ovaries of sexual vs. asexual lineages of a freshwater snail
Authors: McElroy Kyle E. , Bankers Laura , Soper Deanna , Hehman Gery , Boore Jeffrey L. , Logsdon John M. , Neiman Maurine
Published: July 2022

Why sexual reproduction is so common when asexual reproduction should be much more efficient and less costly remains an open question in evolutionary biology. Comparisons between otherwise similar sexual and asexual taxa allow us to characterize the genetic architecture underlying asexuality, which can, in turn, illuminate how this reproductive mode transition occurred and the mechanisms by which it is maintained or disrupted. Here, we used transcriptome sequencing to compare patterns of ovarian gene expression between actively reproducing obligately sexual and obligately asexual females from multiple lineages of Potamopyrgus antipodarum, a freshwater New Zealand snail characterized by frequent separate transitions to asexuality and coexistence of otherwise similar sexual and asexual lineages. We also used these sequence data to evaluate whether population history accounts for variation in patterns of gene expression. We found that source population was a major source of gene expression variation, and likely more influential than reproductive mode. This outcome for these common garden-raised snails is strikingly similar to earlier results from field-collected snails. While we did not identify a likely set of candidate genes from expression profiles that could plausibly explain how transitions to asexuality occurred, we identified around 1,000 genes with evidence of differential expression between sexual and asexual reproductive modes, and 21 genes that appear to exhibit consistent expression differences between sexuals and asexuals across genetic backgrounds. This second smaller set of genes provides a good starting point for further exploration regarding a potential role in the transition to asexual reproduction. These results mark the first effort to characterize the causes of asexuality in P. antipodarum, demonstrate the apparently high heritability of gene expression patterns in this species, and hint that for P. antipodarum, transitions to asexuality might not necessarily be strongly associated with broad changes in gene expression.