bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analisis Penerapan Manajemen Risiko Kredit Dalam Meminimalisir Kredit Bermasalah Pada PT. BPR Swadaya Anak Nagari Bandarejo Simpang Empat Periode 2013-2018
Authors: Desda Mia Muchia , Yurasti Yurasti
Published: May 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui dan menganalisis tentang penerapan manajemen risiko kredit dalam meminimalisir kredit bermasalah pada PT. BPR SAN Bandarejo Simpang Empat dan untuk mengetahui upaya yang dilakukan oleh PT. BPR SAN Bandarejo Simpang Empat dalam menangani terjadinya kredit bermasalah. Jenis penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode penelitian deskriptif dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa penerapan manajemen risiko kredit yang meliputi pengawasan aktif dewan komisaris dan direksi, kebijakan, prosedur dan penetapan limit, proses identifikasi, pengukuran, pemantauan, dan sistem Informasi manajemen risiko kredit, serta sistem pengendalian intern untuk meminimalisir kredit bermasalah pada PT. BPR SAN Bandarejo Simpang Empat telah dilaksanakan dengan baik. Berdasarkan adanya penelitian ini, menyarankan agar bank dapat menjaga independensi staf kredit dan meningkatkan proses pemantauan kredit serta dilakukannya penyelamatan kredit untuk mencegah kemungkinan timbulnya kerugian lebih lanjut atas suatu kredit yang tidak lancar melalui pengelolaan hubungan dengan debitur. Sedangkan penyelesaian kredit bermasalah ditempuh dengan cara melakukan klaim asuransi, penghapusbukuan, dan lelang agunan.

 

Kata Kunci : Manajemen risiko, kredit, kredit bermasalah
KEMAMPUAN GURU DALAM MENGAJAR DENGAN MODEL KOOPERATIF MELALUI WORKSHOP DI SD NEGERI 016 PULAU KECIL
Authors: Ermansyah Ermansyah
Published: May 2019

This research is motivated by the ability of teachers to implement learning has not shown maximum results. This is due to the lack of the teacher's ability to apply the learning model and the use of learning models that are not yet in accordance with the students' creative characteristics and classroom situation. The purpose of this study is to improve the ability of teachers to teach. In this case the researcher tries to intensify the implementation of the cooperative model workshop in an effort to minimize weaknesses in carrying out the learning process. This research was conducted in two cycles, the steps in each cycle consisted of planning, implementing actions, observing, and reflecting. The results showed, in the aspect of teacher attendance in the first cycle, only 5 people attended the workshop with a percentage of 83%, after the second cycle had increased to 100%. In the aspect of readiness of teacher materials in participating in the workshop as many as 4 people or 67% in the prepared category, after the second cycle it was increased to 100% ready category. The readiness aspect of leptop as much as 50% is ready and after the second cycle has increased to 83% the teacher is ready. The results of the teacher teaching assessment using the cooperative model in the first cycle, the average teacher gets a score of 67.8 in the good category, after the second cycle, the teacher's teaching assessment results increase to 86.5 in the excellent category. Based on the above results, the researcher can conclude that by applying the workshop cooperative learning models can improve the ability of teachers to teach at SD Negeri 12 Pulau Kecil.
Contract Codification: Cautionary Lessons from Australia
Authors: Eldridge John
Published: May 2019

In March 2012, the Australian Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department published a Discussion Paper which explored the prospect of codifying or otherwise reforming the Australian law of contract. There is little reason to think that the codification of the Australian law of contract is likely to be embarked upon in the foreseeable future. At the same time, recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in codification in Britain. This paper examines the experience of contract codification efforts in Australia with a view to identifying a number of cautionary lessons. It focuses on two challenges inherent in contract codification which have been given too little attention by the proponents of reform in Australia.
Aberrant DNMT3B7 Expression Correlates to Age, Race, and Hormone Receptor Status in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Mullin Christian , Busser Jennifer , Ciampanelli Anna , Raimondi Stacey
Published: May 2019

Invasive breast cancer caused almost 40,000 deaths last year alone. Deciphering a way to better understand aggressive phenotypes of breast cancer could potentially provide a novel approach to increase the efficacy of breast cancer treatments. The aberrant gene DNA methyltransferase 3B7, DNMT3B7, has been observed in virtually all cancer types and has been shown to affect multiple facets of breast cancer progression including changes in cell adhesion, cellular proliferation, and anchorage-independent growth. A bioinformatics approach was taken to attempt to determine which clinical parameters are potentially altered by DNMT3B7 expression in breast cancer patients. Clinical parameters including age at initial diagnosis, menopausal status, race, and the status of three hormone receptors — estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor 2 (ER, PR, HER2, respectively) — were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and analyzed using T-tests and ANOVA. Our results show increased expression of the aberrant gene, DNMT3B7, is correlated with age at initial diagnosis, race, and hormone receptor status (ER negative, PR negative, and HER2 positive) in breast cancer patients, but not with menopausal status. Taken together, these data indicate that DNMT3B7 expression may be an important marker in tumor progression.

KEYWORDS: DNMT3B7, DNA Methylation; Bioinformatics; Breast Cancer; Tumor Progression; Estrogen Receptor; Progesterone Receptor: Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2
hTERT Suppression via Small Interference RNA in Cervical Cancer Cells
Authors: Gray Shawn , Christensen Douglas
Published: May 2019

Telomerase (TERT) functions to extend the telomeric repeat terminus of each chromosome allowing embryonic cells to proliferate into an adult organism. The TERT gene is subsequently inactivated following maturation, consequently conveying a finite lifespan to every adult cell line, as shortened chromosome arms trigger cell apoptosis. This process ensures that older cells lines, which are invariably accumulating mutations, are eliminated from the body and replaced by stem cells containing founding DNA. One of the defining attributes of a cancer cell is the ability to divide perpetually. This capability to divide continually is often due to the reactivation of TERT. Therefore, the abolishment of TERT activity presents a promising avenue for cancer treatment. Here, we demonstrate through qRT-PCR and ELISA techniques that although small interference RNA (siRNA) results in a transcription knockdown of ninety-seven percent the actual protein activity reduction is far less dramatic.
KEYWORDS: Telomerase; Small Interference RNA; Cancer; Tumor; hTERT; qRT-PCR; RNA Interference; ELISA
Engaging Students in Science through a Nature Hike: A Case of Two Students with ADHD
Authors: Moore Ashleigh , Daniel Kristy Lynn , Thomas Aimée
Published: May 2019

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is becoming prevalent amongst elementary school aged students and can lead to learning disorders. Additionally, informal science education is a field of study that is becoming increasingly popular and important in the world of science, especially with elementary students. Thus, it is important to understand how students with ADHD react to informal learning experiences. We measured learning gains and changes in environmental awareness among 84 fifth grade students that participated in an informal nature hike associated with the Over, Under, and Through: Students’ Informal Discover the Environment program. We also used a case study approach to reveal the hike experiences of two students with ADHD. Both students demonstrated increased attention and interest in science during and after their participation in the nature hike. While this is a small scale, case study, findings from this work and related literature suggest that more informal experiential learning opportunities should be integrated into science classes as they help improve student attention, content recall, and attitude toward science.
KEYWORDS: ADHD; Engagement; Environmental Science Education; Informal Science Education; Mobile Technology; Nature Hike
Evaluation of Antiulcer Activity of Laghusoothshekhar (an Ayurvedic Formula) in Pyloric Ligature Induced Gastric Ulcers in Albino Rats
Authors: Sayed Nilofer , Barve Vandana
Published: May 2019

Laghusoothshekhar is an ayurvedic formula widely used for gastritis and peptic ulcers that has been described in various ayurvedic texts such as Bharat Bhaishajya Ratnakar, Ayurved saar sangraha and Nav samhita with slight variations in their ingredients. Marketed formulas from the first two references are available but the study of this formula from nav samhita is not yet carried out nor is it available commercially. It is a simple formula of few ingredients and is widely prepared and used by ayurvedic practitioners for treating gastritis (both acute and chronic) and peptic ulcers. Hence, efforts were taken to evaluate its antiulcer activity. Four groups comprising of six animals each were studied. Control Group: vehicle (2% w/v gum acacia), Group A: (50 mg/kg), Group B: (100 mg/kg), Group C: ranitidine (25 mg/kg). One hour after the last dose, pyloric ligation was done and animals were deprived of food and water for 4 hours, thereafter sacrificed and the number of ulcers and their severity was calculated. Both the doses of Laghusoothshekhar showed significant anti-ulcer activity and the histopathological findings of the gastric tissues confirmed the same. The results proved that the drug is as efficient as the standard drug ranitidine used in the treatment of gastritis and peptic ulcers. Ranitidine inhibits acid production by reversibly blocking H2 receptors on the basolateral membrane of parietal cells in the stomach.
KEYWORDS: Laghusoothshekhar; Pyloric Ligation; Ranitidine; Nav Samhita; Ayurveda; Amlapitta; Peptic Ulcers; Gastritis; Naagvel Patra; Ginger; Suvarna Gairik
Ebola Impact and Quarantine in a Network Model
Authors: Radulescu Anca , Herron Joanna
Published: May 2019

Much effort has been directed towards using mathematical models to understand and predict contagious disease, in particular Ebola outbreaks. Classical SIR (susceptible-infected-recovered) compartmental models capture well the dynamics of the outbreak in certain communities, and accurately describe the differences between them based on a variety of parameters. However, repeated resurgence of Ebola contagions suggests that there are components of the global disease dynamics that we don’t yet fully understand and can’t effectively control. In order to understand the dynamics of a more widespread contagion, we placed SIR models within the framework of dynamic networks, with the communities at risk of contracting the virus acting as nonlinear systems, coupled based on a connectivity graph. We study how the effects of the disease (measured as the outbreak impact and duration) change with respect to local parameters, but also with changes in both short-range and long-range connectivity patterns in the graph. We discuss the implications of optimizing both these measures in increasingly realistic models of coupled communities.
KEYWORDS: Epidemic Spread; Network Dynamics; Network Connectivity; Coupled Differential Equations; Compartmental Model; Information Transfer; Outbreak Impact; Outbreak Duration
Analysis of Vortex Pool-and-Chute Fishway
Authors: Nyberg Mathew , Draeger Brian , Weekly Brian , Cashman Eileen , Love Michael
Published: May 2019

Fishways are constructed in riverine habitats where structures such as culverts, dams, and flood channels have negatively impacted flow conditions suitable for the movement of native and migratory fish species. These auxiliary channels are engineered to resist gravitational force with frictional force, resulting in sustained depth and reduced velocity over a range of design flow rates. The Chézy hydraulic resistance coefficient accounts for such forces and provides a metric useful for determining the effectiveness of a fishway to alter flow conditions prohibitive to the passage of fish. The objective of this analysis was to use a scale model of an innovative vortex pool-and-chute fishway, that operates with both plunging and streaming flow simultaneously, designed by Michael Love and Associates, to determine the Chézy resistance coefficients over a range of flow rates under controlled hydraulic conditions. Using dimensional analysis to ensure proper scaling allowed laboratory measurements of the model to be translated into a real-world prototype design. The conceptual prototype fishway is a 144-foot-long by 30-foot-wide channel with an 8% slope. A 1:15 scale model was constructed to evaluate the design at prototype equivalent flow rates between 58 and 283 cubic feet per second (cfs). Chézy coefficients were estimated by two different calculation methods; the streaming flow method and the streaming and plunging flow method. Coefficients ranging between 22.3 and 39.2 ft1/2/s were determined by the streaming flow calculation method, whereas the streaming and plunging flow calculation method yielded estimates from 18.9 to 25.0 ft1/2/s at corresponding flow rates. For flows that were exclusively plunging, values of 32.2 to 41.9 ft1/2/s were found. In general, Chézy coefficient estimates were observed to decrease with increasing discharge and values were found to be comparable to those calculated for fishways implemented at similar slopes. The preliminary model fishway results indicated that implementation of a prototype fishway could effectively alter flows for adequate fish passage under the given conditions.
KEYWORDS: Hydraulics; Fish Passage; Fishway; Chézy Coefficient; Geometric Scaling; Froude Scaling; Streaming Flow; Plunging Flow; Dimensional Analysis; Similitude
Identifying Issues Surrounding First Generation Students
Authors: Rubio Lena , Mireles Candi , Jones Quinlan , Mayse Melody
Published: May 2019

First-generation students compose a subpopulation within the institution of higher education, which exhibits its own set of resources in areas such as academic preparation, support systems, family background, and finances to apply to education. This quantitative study examined gaps and barriers to resources currently available to assist the population. The researchers utilized four pre-developed demographic questions along with a 34-item survey instrument assessing the experiences of first generation students, to gather the data presented in the study. The analysis involved coding and elementary data analysis of demographics and reporting frequencies. The 200 participants in the study identified as first-generation students at four-year universities within the United States. The majority of the participants surveyed were white (69.5%; n= 139), between the ages of 17 and 26 (94.5%; n=189), and from families within the middle-class income bracket of (39.5%; n= 79). The results indicated that most common barrier to participants attending college was tuition-cost (63%; n=126), followed by a lack of information about a college, such as financial aid availability and required documents (34.5%; n=69). Over 64% (n=129) received support or guidance from support networks in the form of parents and/or guardians. The study provided information about the issues encountered by first-generation students, as well as the accessed support networks, and preferred resources.
KEYWORDS: First-Generation Student; College Retention; Academic Preparation; Financial Assistance; Support Systems
Adaptation of Esherichia coli to Antiobiotic Cycling via Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms
Authors: Hager Samuel , Jensen Ellen , Johnson Timothy , Mitchell David
Published: May 2019

Bacteria are quick to adapt and evolve, especially under the effects of selective pressures from chemical antibiotics. In addition, bacteria may develop resistance to antibiotics from multiple classes simultaneously, making their eradication from the human body particularly challenging. This study aims to demonstrate that bacterial multiple-drug resistance can be developed and retained in a laboratory setting. Escherichia coli B was grown in tryptic soy broth in the presence of a small, increasing concentration of streptomycin. This exposure resulted in a strain of E. coli, which had an increased minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) towards streptomycin, or “resistance.” This resistant strain was then grown in like manner in nalidixic acid and then penicillin G. The result was a strain that became resistant to streptomycin and nalidixic acid, and increasingly resistant to nalidixic acid after penicillin G exposure. Additionally, the bacteria retained resistance to streptomycin and nalidixic acid even after exposure to those chemicals ceased. Genome sequencing and comparison to E. coli B reference strain REL606 revealed the emergence of point mutations with each exposure to an antibiotic. Of particular interest is a mutation associated with the appearance of nalidixic acid resistance. Base pair 4,553,488 was changed from adenine to guanine, resulting in a change from aspartate to glycine in the protein helicase. Previous studies have not indicated mutations to this locus as nalidixic acid resistance conferring. Thus, this mutation may be a novel mutation conferring E. coli B nalidixic acid resistance. Since the region of the mutated helicase is functionally undefined, a mechanism is not apparent. Further research needs to be done to confirm this hypothesis and illuminate a mechanism.
KEYWORDS: Bacteria; Escherichia coli; Evolution; Antibiotic Resistance; Nalidixic Acid; Streptomycin; Point Mutation; Single-nucleotide Polymorphism; Helicase; Minimum Inhibitory Concentration
Gender and Sexuality in Medieval Islamic Mysticism: A Comparative Study of Ibn ‘Arabi and al-Ghazali
Authors: Dovel Emily
Published: May 2019

Mysticism, defined as a direct experience with God that cannot occur through intellectual knowledge, has the potential to offer women opportunities disallowed by a patriarchal society. Because mysticism exists outside of religious institutions and hierarchies, female mystics could receive opportunities for public expression often prohibited by Medieval Islamic societies. Islamic Mysticism, or Sufism, has a long history of prominent female mystics. However, Sufi thought in the 12th and 13th centuries was certainly affected by the misogynistic influences of the greater society. In order to explore the ideological conflict within medieval Sufism, between the potential for gender egalitarianism within mysticism and the influences of patriarchy, this paper examines the theology of two prominent Sufi mystics, Ibn ‘Arabi and al-Ghazali, and proposes some explanations for the large disparity between the two Sufis’ opinions on gender and sexuality. Specifically, al-Ghazali fully supports the subjugation of women, and even equates the perpetuation of patriarchy to religious piety. This paper argues that, living under the politically turbulent and authoritarian reign of the Seljuks in Iraq, during the late 11th and early 12th centuries, al-Ghazali was particularly disinclined to question traditional orthodoxy, particularly with regard to gender. Ibn ‘Arabi, by contrast, accepts the spiritual, intellectual, and legal equality of women to a remarkable extent. Raised in Muslim Spain in the late 12th and early 13th centuries, Ibn ‘Arabi was exposed to female mystics as teachers and experienced little political pressure to conform to traditional doctrine. Further, Ibn ‘Arabi subscribes to Oneness of Being theology in which the created, material universe is an emanation of God, and is ultimately part of the same divine being. As such, unlike many religious thinkers within patriarchal societies, who tend to reject worldliness—along with women and female sexuality—in an attempt to reach God, Ibn ‘Arabi believes that all things material—including women and the human body—are ultimately connected to divinity.
KEYWORDS: Islam; Sufism; Gender; Sexuality; Theology; Medieval History
Breaking the Chain of Silence: Political Activism and Social Justice in Omar Offendum’s Syrian-American Hip-Hop
Authors: Olafsen Harry , Ali Mohammed , McCord Mikayla , Cazan Roxana
Published: May 2019

Dissatisfied with the decisions of the Western political class to remain uninvolved in helping settle the conflict in Syria, many hip-hop, rap, and pop artists from Syria and the surrounding region have been creating and performing politically charged music that promotes liberty, and justice in the Middle East. One artist in particular, Omar Offendum (in the United States), writes and brings to the stage his hip-hop music in a way that continues and enhances this political-artistic movement across the Atlantic. Employing rhymes and rhythms that foster commotion and make noise, Offendum breaks the global indifference accumulated around the topics of the Syrian war and the unsolvable debates about allowing a certain number of Syrian asylum seekers to apply for refugee status in Western nations. He underscores that apathy is not an option for those who oppose the oppressor. In this paper, we argue that Offendum’s music constitutes an effective tool of political propaganda that can raise social consciousness of the needs of Syrians today and inspire social justice. Because the political-ideological space that feeds his creative act is set in a civil-rights-conscious U.S., Offendum often appeals to a heritage, reminding the listener of the activism of the Black Panthers, the legacy of Malcom X, and the freedom battles of Rodney King and his followers. In many of his songs, Offendum uses Arabic, both as a means of highlighting the authenticity of his hybrid identity and as a method of marking a cultural space for a diverse audience to come together. In this paper, we offer a brief historical look at the role of hip-hop in the struggle for civil rights in the US in order to locate the legacy Offendum’s music builds on and to assess its power. We then perform a close analysis of three of his most famous songs and conclude with a brief discussion of the impact of Offendum’s on social media platforms globally.
KEYWORDS: Hip-Hop; Activism; Social Justice; Omar Offendum; Social Consciousness; Syrian War; Syrian Refugees; Civil Rights
How to Become a “Real Chicagoan” in No Time: The Promise and Pedagogy of Walking Tourism
Authors: Henry Jacob
Published: May 2019

This study takes seriously the tourist’s desire to feel like a local and examines how walking tour guides work toward fulfilling that desire. The paper examines some of the techniques used by urban walking tour guides to convey local cultural cues. The tourist, armed with these cues, may feel able to fit into a new culture as a quasi-insider. Through qualitative methods, primarily participant observation, the researcher identifies three tactics that guides implement to make the tourist to feel like a local. These tactics are labeled agent alignment, urban alchemy, and material action. These tactics take place within a borderzone, the liminal time-space between insider and outsider status. A successful guide facilitates the border crossing, allowing the tourist to transition from tourist to perceived ‘real Chicagoan.’ However, the unsuccessful guide forces tourists to exit the borderzone unchanged, still as tourists. These findings highlight the uniqueness of walking tourism as a niche tourism and wade into the conceptual milieu of ‘localism’ and ‘the local.’
KEYWORDS: Walking Tourism; Urban Tourism; Tour Guides; Localization; Interculturalism; Urban Alchemy; Agent Alignment; Chicago
Evolution of Leucyl-tRNA Synthetase Through Eukaryotic Speciation
Authors: Unvert Katelyn , Kovacs Frank , Zhang Chi , Hellmann-Whitaker Rachel , Arndt Katelin
Published: May 2019

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are part of the cellular translation machinery and as such, they are essential enzymes for every known cell. Due to their ubiquitous nature, their evolutionary history has been intensely researched to better understand the origins of life on a molecular level. Herein, we examine the evolutionary relatedness of leucyl-tRNA synthetases (LeuRS) from each major eukaryotic branch through the speciation process. This research effort was centered on amino acid sequence data as well as generating homology protein models for each LeuRS enzyme. Comparative analysis of this sequence and structural data for LeuRS amongst eukaryotes has indicated a high level of conservation within the active sites of these enzymes. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed this high degree of conservation as well as established evolutionary relatedness between these LeuRS enzymes. Based on this data, vertical gene transfer propagated LeuRS throughout the eukaryotic domain. Horizontal gene transfer and domain acquisition events were not observed within the eukaryotic organisms studied. Our data also highlighted LeuRS adaptation through the speciation process due to slight variability of scaffolding residues outside of the active site regions. We hypothesize that this variability may be due to mechanistic differences amongst LeuRS enzymes that have assumed non-translational functionality through the evolutionary process.
KEYWORDS: tRNA Synthetase; Leucyl-tRNA Synthetase; Eukaryotic Evolution; LeuRS Conservation; Vertical Gene Transfer; Horizontal Gene Transfer; Convergent Evolution; Primordial Enzymes
Analysis of Fungal Contamination on Commercially Sold Rice in Puerto Rico
Authors: Colón Carrión Nicole , Lozada Troche Chad
Published: May 2019

Crops and stored grains are susceptible to pathogens that represent a threat to our health. The study presented herein compares the normal surface and endophytic fungal communities present on white and brown rice grains. One hundred grains of each rice variety was analyzed to determine their fungal contaminants and endophytes. Fungi were inoculated on SDA media, and purified in PDA media; morphological characterization was performed followed by amplification of the ITS region using PCR for all fungal isolates. Statistical analysis indicated significant differences between medium brown rice compared to white rice for surface and endophytic communities (p-value £ 0.05). In addition, a higher fungal diversity was found on brown rice grains compared to white rice. This variation may be due to differences in the processing methods used for each rice grain type. BLAST analysis revealed the presence of toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus, A.oryzae, Penicillium verrucosum, and P. viridicatum. The study of fungal growth in rice grains can contribute to the minimization of mycotoxin production by its prevention and control; therefore, decreasing crop contamination and human exposure to their metabolites.
KEYWORDS: Fungi; Rice; Fungal contaminants; Fungal endophytes
Enhancing Number System Knowledge to Promote Number Sense and Adaptive Expertise: A Case Study of a Second-Grade Mathematics Student
Authors: Player Cami , Shumway Jessica
Published: May 2019

Instruction for developing students’ number sense is a critical area of research in mathematics education due to the role number sense plays in early mathematics learning. Specifically, number system knowledge—systematic relations among numerals and the use of number relations to solve arithmetic problems—has been identified as a key cognitive mechanism in number sense development. Number system knowledge is a component of number sense, and the researchers of this study hypothesize that it plays a critical role in second-grade students’ understanding of relationships among numbers and adaptive expertise with mathematics problems. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to investigate the variations of an eight-year-old student’s number system knowledge learning as she participated in an instructional treatment over nine weeks. The main research question of this study was: In what ways does a student struggling in mathematics develop number system knowledge during a nine-week period in her second-grade classroom as she engages in a number system knowledge instructional treatment? The case in this study was selected based on her low pretest score combined with her desire for making sense of mathematics. The data sources for this study were a number system knowledge assessment and student interviews. The analysis involved a multiple-cycle coding process that resulted in themes of adaptive expertise and the union of procedural and conceptual knowledge in mathematics instruction. The results suggest that this number system knowledge instructional treatment provided this case-study student to develop more pronounced adaptive expertise in solving mathematics problems. An in-depth analysis of how and why one struggling student develops number system knowledge during a nine-week instructional treatment within the context of her mathematics class provides exploratory evidence to help researchers and teachers develop and implement similar practices in elementary mathematics instruction.
KEYWORDS: Number Sense; Number System Knowledge; Mathematics Education; Whole Numbers and Operations; Elementary Education; Teaching and Learning; Case Study Research
Glycemic Index of Selected Foods in Jamaica
Authors: Francis Ryan , Bahado-Singh Perceval S , Wheatley Andrew O , Smith Ann Marie , Asemota Helen N
Published: May 2019

Background: Fruits, vegetables and legumes for their complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber and micronutrients, should form an essential part of every diet. In order to give good dietary advice to diabetic patients, it is necessary to know the glycemic index of foods commonly consumed locally. The objective of this study was to determine the Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) of commonly available and consumed Guava (Psidium guajava), Watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris), Gungo (Cajanus cajan), Papaya (Carica papaya) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in Jamaica. Methods: Ten (10) healthy Jamaican subjects (5 males, 5 females) with mean age 30 ± 2 years and mean BMI 25 ± 1 kg/m2 were recruited to the study. Using a non-blind, crossover design trial, the subjects consumed 50 (or 25) grams of available carbohydrate portions of glucose (standard food) and test foods after an overnight fast and their serum glucose levels were determined at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after the consumption of each test food. Glucose was tested on three separate occasions, and the test foods once. The GI value was calculated geometrically by expressing the Incremental Area Under the Blood Glucose Curve (IAUC) for the test foods as a percentage of each subject's average IAUC for the standard food. Results: The results indicated that the IAUC for Watermelon (95 ± 11) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of Tomato (37 ± 12), and Gungo (58 ± 13). The differences in IAUC of Watermelon (95 ± 11), Guava (83 ± 27) and Papaya (80 ± 7) were not statistically significant. Similarly, there was no significant difference in GI among the samples studied. Conclusion: Tomato, Gungo, Papaya Watermelon and Guava were shown to have low glycemic index and glycemic load values.
DESIGNING KANTIN KEJUJURAN CORNER AT SMP NEGERI 1 KEMANG, BOGOR REGENCY
Authors: ANDAYANI ANDAYANI , HERMAINI Budi , NOVITA Dian , HANDAYANI Monika , AISYAH Siti
Published: May 2019

Located in Tegal Village, Kemang District, Bogor Regency, SMP Negeri 1 Kemang is the only secondary school for the children from the surrounding villages. The local government has the expectation for the school to excel in various aspects, such as to develop the school to be a Secondary School with Exemplary Character. The development of Kantin Kejujuran (lit: Honesty Canteen) is expected to raise the students’ awareness of the importance of honesty. The development began in 2017, and it focused on the development of physical facilities. Along such development, initial assessment on the perception of students and teachers towards the value of honesty was conducted using the Likert scale. Open questionnaires were distributed to get the general idea of teachers and students’ expectation towards Kantin Kejujuran. In the designing process, it was found that there are similarities between the students’ and teachers’ perceptions towards the value of honesty, in which it is considered important and needs to be developed. The procedure of using Kantin Kejujuran in accordance with the characteristics of the students needed to be developed from 2018.
Identification of Novel MicroRNAs and Their Diagnostic and Prognostic Significance in Oral Cancer
Authors: Falzone Luca , Lupo Gabriella , La Rosa Giusy Rita Maria , Crimi Salvatore , Anfuso Carmelina Daniela , Salemi Rossella , Rapisarda Ernesto , Libra Massimo , Candido Saverio
Published: May 2019

Background: Oral cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Despite that the oral cavity is easily accessible for clinical examinations, oral cancers are often not promptly diagnosed. Furthermore, to date no effective biomarkers are available for oral cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify novel biomarkers able to improve both diagnostic and prognostic strategies. In this context, the development of innovative high-throughput technologies for molecular and epigenetics analyses has generated a huge amount of data that may be used for the identification of new cancer biomarkers. Methods: In the present study, GEO DataSets and TCGA miRNA profiling datasets were analyzed in order to identify miRNAs with diagnostic and prognostic significance. Furthermore, several computational approaches were adopted to establish the functional roles of these miRNAs. Results: The analysis of datasets allowed for the identification of 11 miRNAs with a potential diagnostic role for oral cancer. Additionally, eight miRNAs associated with patients’ prognosis were also identified; six miRNAs predictive of patients’ overall survival (OS) and one, hsa-miR-let.7i-3p, associated with tumor recurrence. Conclusions: The integrated analysis of different miRNA expression datasets allows for the identification of a set of miRNAs that, after validation, may be used for the early detection of oral cancers.
Evaluating Goal Programming as a Backcasting Tool to Assess the Impact of Local Stakeholder Determined Policies on the Future Provision of Ecosystem Services in Forested Landscapes
Authors: Corrigan Edwin , Nieuwenhuis Maarten
Published: May 2019

Forest management in Ireland has traditionally focused on timber production and policies have been implemented with this in mind. Since the mid-1990s, the focus is transitioning from timber production to a more multifunctional forest management approach following the principles of sustainable forest management. A method known as “backcasting” has the potential to include local stakeholders into land-use and policy planning. Two case study areas were chosen to investigate the potential of backcasting for integrated forest landscape planning in Ireland: Western Peatlands and Newmarket. Potential beneficial policies produced by local stakeholders in participatory workshops were assessed for robustness using a goal programming model and the resulting changes in forest management and ecosystem service provisions were analysed. While each evaluated backcasting policy increased the provision of that policy’s targeted ecosystem service(s), it was at a cost to some others. The widening of buffer zones did reduce the landscape level risk to water sedimentation and the policy to enhance each landscape’s recreation potential did the intended. However, both policies reduced the amount of timber produced for most potential futures. The option of using genetically improved tree species showed potential to mitigate the effect of these policies on timber production. We present this study as a useful reference point toward evaluating the efficacy of a range of potentially implementable scenarios in Ireland. We believe the backcasting approach has promise for future use in other landscapes, given the success of this approach in our study. Given that much of the information required to model the ecosystem services was extracted from scientific research and datasets from outside of Ireland, the approach may well be useful for others seeking to do similar outside of Ireland.
Devising Urban Biodiversity Habitat Provision Goals: Ecosystem Services Analysis
Authors: Pedersen Zari Maibritt
Published: May 2019

This paper employs a unique ecosystem services analysis methodology to evaluate how cities could support or generate ecosystem services. Ecosystem services analysis can provide quantifiable goals for urban ecological regeneration that are determined by the site-specific ecology and climate of an urban area. In this research, the ecosystem service of habitat provision is the key focus. The role of urban green space and urban forests is crucial within this. Setting ambitious targets for urban ecological performance and ecosystem services provision is of great importance due to the large negative environmental impact that cities currently have on ecosystems and, therefore, ecosystem service provision, and because healthier ecosystems enable humans to better adapt to climate change through creating potentials for increased resilience. A comparative case study analysing the ecosystem service of habitat provision in two existing urban environments with similar climates (Cfb according to the Köppen Climate Classification System) but in different parts of the world, namely Wellington, New Zealand and Curitiba, Brazil, was conducted to examine how the ecosystem services analysis concept can used to devise urban habitat provision goals. The paper concludes that, although achieving habitat provision goals derived from ecosystem services analysis in urban areas is likely to be difficult, determining quantitative site- and climate-specific staged goals could enable urban design professionals to increase the effectiveness of conservation and regeneration efforts in terms of ecosystem service provision from urban green and blue spaces.
Viral Metagenomics on Cerebrospinal Fluid
Authors: Edridge Arthur W. D. , Deijs Martin , van Zeggeren Ingeborg E. , Kinsella Cormac M. , Jebbink Maarten F. , Bakker Margreet , van de Beek Diederik , Brouwer Matthijs C. , van der Hoek Lia
Published: May 2019

Identifying the causative pathogen in central nervous system (CNS) infections is crucial for patient management and prognosis. Many viruses can cause CNS infections, yet screening for each individually is costly and time-consuming. Most metagenomic assays can theoretically detect all pathogens, but often fail to detect viruses because of their small genome and low viral load. Viral metagenomics overcomes this by enrichment of the viral genomic content in a sample. VIDISCA-NGS is one of the available workflows for viral metagenomics, which requires only a small input volume and allows multiplexing of multiple samples per run. The performance of VIDISCA-NGS was tested on 45 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with suspected CNS infections in which a virus was identified and quantified by polymerase chain reaction. Eighteen were positive for an RNA virus, and 34 for a herpesvirus. VIDISCA-NGS detected all RNA viruses with a viral load >2 × 104 RNA copies/mL (n = 6) and 8 of 12 of the remaining low load samples. Only one herpesvirus was identified by VIDISCA-NGS, however, when withholding a DNase treatment, 11 of 18 samples with a herpesvirus load >104 DNA copies/mL were detected. Our results indicate that VIDISCA-NGS has the capacity to detect low load RNA viruses in CSF. Herpesvirus DNA in clinical samples is probably non-encapsidated and therefore difficult to detect by VIDISCA-NGS.
Weight-Related Teasing of Adolescents Who Are Primarily Obese: Roles of Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance and Physical Activity Self-Efficacy
Authors: Ievers-Landis Carolyn E. , Dykstra Carly , Uli Naveen , O’Riordan Mary Ann
Published: May 2019

Adolescents who are obese are at risk for being teased about their appearance with the concomitant negative psychological sequelae. Identifying modifiable variables associated with teasing could inform pediatric weight-management interventions. Characterizing society’s role in the victimization of these at-risk individuals could guide anti-bullying programs for schools and broader public health efforts. This study aims to examine novel societal and cognitive factors associated with weight-related teasing frequency. Participants were adolescents (N = 334) being evaluated for a hospital-affiliated weight-management program. The outcome was perceived weight-related teasing frequency. Predictors were sociocultural awareness and internalization of appearance-related attitudes, physical activity self-efficacy, and psychological functioning. Multivariate regressions controlled for demographics and body mass index (BMI) z-scores with separate regressions testing interactions of BMI z-scores with all predictors. In adjusted analyses, higher physical activity self-efficacy and fewer depressive symptoms related to lower teasing frequency. Interactions indicated that less awareness/internalization of sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, more positive body image, and higher self-esteem related to lower teasing frequency regardless of BMI. Targeted interventions and public health campaigns should be developed and tested for adolescents that improve body image with promotion of diverse views about attractiveness, bolster confidence in overcoming physical activity barriers, and identify and treat mood symptoms.
Analysis of Ankle sEMG on Both Stable and Unstable Surfaces for Elderly and Young Women—A Pilot Study
Authors: Błaszczyszyn Monika , Konieczny Mariusz , Pakosz Paweł
Published: May 2019

Body aging is frequently accompanied with numerous consequences such as increased tendency to falls, which may be connected not only with the impaired ability of keeping balance, but also with some limitations of the system responsible for the maintenance of balance. The aim of this study was defining the importance of muscle activity in the ankle joint when standing on stable and unstable surfaces with eyes open and closed as well as examining indications of the influence of body aging on the activity of the selected muscles. The study was carried out on a group of 20 healthy women divided into two age groups (aged 24 ± 3.6 years and aged 64 ± 4.2 years). The activity of muscles stabilizing the ankle joint while standing on different types of surfaces was tested with an EMG (surface electromyography) on both elderly and young women during trials with open and closed eyes. The tests showed higher activation in the evaluated muscles of the anterior group (tibialis anterior (TA), peroneus longus (PL)) of elderly women. For the posterior shin muscles of both groups, a higher activation was observed in the gastrocnemius lateralis muscle (GL) of elderly women, whereas gastrocnemius medialis muscle (GM) showed highly comparable activity. The results obtained in this work confirm the importance of proprioception training and muscle strength in the rehabilitation of older people as well as in prophylactic exercise aimed toward the prevention of ankle injuries.
Preparation and Characterization of High Amylose Corn Starch–Microcrystalline Cellulose Aerogel with High Absorption
Authors: Luo Qi , Huang Xin , Gao Fei , Li Dong , Wu Min
Published: May 2019

Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) aerogels were synthesized, blendingwith high amylose corn starch of different contents based on a NaOH–urea solution, and following by vacuum freeze-drying technology. The microstructure of the aerogel was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as an interconnected, porous three-dimensional structure, while X-ray diffractogram (XRD) measurements showed that the crystalline form was converted from cellulose I to cellulose II during dissolution and regeneration. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the content of starch had little effect on the thermal stability of the aerogel, whereas the content of starch had great influences on absorption and viscoelastic properties. When the ratio of starch was 10% and 15%, the prepared aerogels presented a low density and abundant pores, which endowed the aerogels, not only with the highest absorption ratio of pump oil and linseed oil (10.63 and 11.44 g/g, respectively), but also with better dynamic viscoelastic properties.
Modeling of Microsegregation and Homogenization of 6xxx Al-Alloys Including Precipitation and Strengthening During Homogenization Cooling
Authors: Sarafoglou Panagiota I. , Serafeim Alexandros , Fanikos Ioannis A. , Aristeidakis John S. , Haidemenopoulos Gregory N.
Published: May 2019

Control of the homogenization process is important in obtaining high extrudability and desirable properties in 6xxx aluminum alloys. Three consecutive steps of the process chain were modeled. Microsegregation arising from solidification was described with the Scheil–Gulliver model. Dissolution of Mg2Si, Si (diamond) and β-AlFeSi (β-Al5FeSi) to α-AlFeSi (α-Al12(FeMn)3Si) transformation during homogenization have been described with a CALPHAD-based multicomponent diffusion Dual-Grain Model (DGM), accounting for grain size inhomogeneity. Mg2Si precipitation and associated strengthening during homogenization cooling were modeled with the Kampmann–Wagner Numerical (KWN) precipitation framework. The DGM model indicated that the fractions of β-AlFeSi and α-AlFeSi exhibit an exact spatial and temporal correspondence during transformation. The predictions are in good agreement with experimental data. The KWN model indicated the development of a bimodal particle size distribution during homogenization cooling, arising from corresponding nucleation events. The associated strengthening, arising from solid solution and precipitation strengthening, was in good agreement with experimental results. The proposed modeling approach is a valuable tool for the prediction of microstructure evolution during the homogenization of 6xxx aluminum alloys, including the often-neglected part of homogenization cooling.
Maximization of FDM-3D-Objects Gonio-Appearance Effects Using PLA and ABS Filaments and Combining Several Printing Parameters: “A Case Study”
Authors: Micó-Vicent Bàrbara , Perales Esther , Huraibat Khalil , Martínez-Verdú Francisco Miguel , Viqueira Valentín
Published: May 2019

In order to consider 3D objects from suitable Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) printers as prototypes for the automotive sector, this sample must be able to reproduce textural effects (sparkle or graininess) or metallic or gonio-appearance to reinforce the attractive appeal of these materials. This study worked with two different commercial filaments: grey metallic PLA (poly(lactic acid)) and ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer) with diffractive pigments. For both materials, a statistical design of experiments (DoE) was carried out to find the printing parameters effect on the final 3D-objects gonio-appearance. The selected printing parameters were printing speed (2 levels), layer height (2 levels) and sample thickness (3 levels). Twelve smooth square objects were printed from each material. The ABS-diffractive filaments achieved the most significant flop and higher sparkle values than metallic PLA. Graininess was high when working with PLA filaments instead of ABS. Layer height was the most significant parameter to maximize PLA objects’ flop or sparkle effects. The best result was found when printing at 0.1 mm. For the ABS samples, the stronger flop and sparkle effects were achieved with the 50 mm/s printing speed, the 0.1 mm layer height and the lowest thickness level. This study shows the methodology to study the printing parameters effects and interactions to maximize the FDM-3D-objects gonio-appearance.