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Abstract Exposure to both oxidative and shear stress, a condition that the red blood cell (RBC) continuously experiences in the circulation in vivo can be mimicked in a Couette type viscometer and monitored by ektacytometry. RBCs maintain their deformation and orientation under shear stress and oxidative stress until a threshold is reached at which these conditions appear to overwhelm the elaborate and complex pathways that maintain a proper redox environment in the cell. Oxidative stress under shear alters the ability of the cell to deform, changes cell morphology, its orientation in the shear stress field, and appears to alter intracellular and membrane characteristics. The application of the RoxyScan technology allows the comparison of oxidant effects and the role of antioxidant systems. This provides the opportunity to study the ability of RBC to deal with oxidative stress in various conditions, including RBC disorders such as sickle cell disease (SCD).

Abstract Walking is among our most frequent and natural of voluntary behaviours, yet the consequences of locomotion upon perceptual and cognitive function remain largely unknown. Recent work has highlighted that although walking feels smooth and continuous, critical phases exist within each step for the successful coordination of perceptual and motor function. Here, we test whether these phasic demands impact upon visual perception, by assessing performance in a visual detection task during natural unencumbered walking. We finely sample visual performance over the stride cycle as participants walk along a smooth linear path at a comfortable speed in a wireless virtual reality environment. At the group-level, accuracy, reaction times, and response likelihood show strong oscillations, modulating at approximately 2 cycles per stride (~2 Hz) with a marked phase of optimal performance aligned with the swing phase of each step. At the participant level, Bayesian inference of population prevalence reveals highly prevalent oscillations in visual detection performance that cluster in two idiosyncratic frequency ranges (2 or 4 cycles per stride), with a strong phase alignment across participants.

Background: Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a virus that can attack and reduce the human immune system, causing various symptoms of the disease called AIDS. Prevention is very important for people living with HIV in order to break the chain of HIV transmission. The aim of this research is to identify the understanding of the people living with HIV regarding preventing HIV transmission in Jayapura City. Method: The type of research is quantitative analytic with a cross sectional design. The research was conducted at the Waena and Hebeybhulu Yoka Community Health Centers in June-July 2023. The respondents in this study were PLWHA who came to take medicine at the community health centers. Using a saturated sampling technique, there were 63 respondents. The measuring instrument used was a questionnaire, data was analyzed univariately and bivariately using the chi-square test (α < 0.05). Results: The majority of respondents were adults (92.1%), the majority of gender was female (58.7%), high education (79.4%), not working (54.0%), the majority of marital status was unmarried. (52.4%), information about HIV through print media (81%), direct media from health workers (74.6%), good understanding regarding preventing HIV transmission (69.8%). The results of the chi-square test showed a relationship between understanding of PLWHA and actions to prevent HIV transmission in Jayapura City (p-value = 0.005 < 0.05). Conclusion: PLWHA will undergo regular treatment and take preventive measures so as not to infect partners or other people.

This data paper presents microplastic (MP) concentration and composition data from four campaigns in a one-year period in the Seine River within the Greater Paris area. Detailed data on MP occurrence, physical water parameters, hydrological conditions, and potential sewer point sources are presented. Initial analysis of the data set shows that MP concentrations were significant (median: 600 particles m−3 and 100 mg m−3) and MP fluxes showed variations across sampling sites and campaigns. Three polymer types (polypropylene - PP, polyethylene - PE, polystyrene - PS) account for 96% of the total number of MP. This dataset provides valuable insights for understanding river MP pollution under anthropogenic pressure.

Abstract Background There is insufficient knowledge about the systemic health effects of exposure to fine (PM2.5) and ultrafine particles emitted from typical indoor sources, including cooking and candlelight burning. We examined whether short-term exposure to emissions from cooking and burning candles cause inflammatory changes in young individuals with mild asthma. Thirty-six non-smoking asthmatics participated in a randomized controlled double-blind crossover study attending three exposure sessions (mean PM2.5 µg/m3 ; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons ng/m3): (a) air mixed with emissions from cooking (96.1; 1.1), (b) air mixed with emissions from candles (89.8; 10), and (c) clean filtered air (5.8; 1.0). Emissions were generated in an adjacent chamber and let into a full-scale exposure chamber where participants were exposed for five hours. Several biomarkers were assessed in relation to airway and systemic inflammatory changes; the primary outcomes of interest were surfactant Protein-A (SP-A) and albumin in droplets in exhaled air – novel biomarkers for changes in the surfactant composition of small airways. Secondary outcomes included cytokines in nasal lavage, cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), epithelial progenitor cells (EPCs), genotoxicity, gene expression related to DNA-repair, oxidative stress, and inflammation, as well as metabolites in blood. Samples were collected before exposure start, right after exposure and the next morning. Results SP-A in droplets in exhaled air showed stable concentrations following candle exposure, while concentrations decreased following cooking and clean air exposure. Albumin in droplets in exhaled air increased following exposure to cooking and candles compared to clean air exposure, although not significant. Oxidatively damaged DNA and concentrations of some lipids and lipoproteins in the blood increased significantly following exposure to cooking. We found no or weak associations between cooking and candle exposure and systemic inflammation biomarkers including cytokines, CRP, and EPCs. Conclusions Cooking and candle emissions induced effects on some of the examined health-related biomarkers, while no effect was observed in others; Oxidatively damaged DNA and concentrations of lipids and lipoproteins were increased in blood after exposure to cooking, while both cooking and candle emissions slightly affected the small airways including the primary outcomes SP-A and albumin. We found only weak associations between the exposures and systemic inflammatory biomarkers. Together, the results show the existence of mild inflammation following cooking and candle exposure.

We provide incidences (cases/10 million persons) in the Netherlands during 2009–2019 for pathogens listed as potential bioterrorism agents. We included pathogens from the highest categories of the European Medicines Agency or the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Notifiable diseases and recently published data were used to calculate the average annual incidence. Coxiella burnetii had the highest incidence because of a Q fever epidemic during 2007–2010. Incidence then decreased to 10.8 cases/. Pathogens with an incidence >1 were Brucella spp. (2.5 cases), Francisella tularensis (1.3 cases), and Burkholderia pseudomallei (1.1 cases). Pathogens with an incidence

Knowing the connection between company’s success factor from knowledge management will be a great finding for other companies. The purpose of this research is to analyze how companies implement Knowledge Management (KM) based on the four KM lifecycles by Bukowitz and Williams The data comes from any scientific paper about the implementation of KM in companies in Southeast Asia from 2016 until 2022. This research utilized Systematic Literature Review (SLR) based on the PICOC methodology. This systematic literature review observes and identifies the KM implementation through the KM lifecycle. KM lifecycle consists of four cycles: get, use, learn, and contribute. The get stage consists of three main modes of implementation: company ways of seeking information to decide, company ways of seeking information to solve a problem, and company ways of seeking information to innovate. The use stage consists of two main modes of implementation: company ways of combining information in new/different ways and company ways of combining information in exciting practices. The learning stage consists of one primary mode of implementation: company ways of learning from experiences to create a competitive gain. The contribute stage consists of one primary mode of implementation: employee ways of dispatching their knowledge to the communal knowledge base.

One example of information technology that has been widely applied to the business processes of a business venture is a web-based information system. Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are productive businesses supporting the country's economy and individual companies. One of the MSMEs that will be the object of research this time is MSME Putra Anugrah Sejahtera, and This MSMEs sells premium spray paint for wheels with more than 100 colours. Around 15-20 customers daily make direct transactions at these MSMEs. In the running business processes, there are several obstacles, such as incorrect information when checking the stock of goods and recording sales transactions. This research aims to produce a web-based cashier and inventory information system to minimize errors and simplify sales and inventory transactions. System development using the Prototyping model with RDBMS MySQL was successfully developed. The results testing of systems using the User Acceptance Test (UAT) show that the resulting system follows user needs and answers the obstacles UMKM Putra Anugrah Sejahtera faces.

This study analyzes the rise of online gambling among department primary teacher education students at Universitas Nusantara PGRI Kediri. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. The data collection technique used is observation or observation and in-depth interviews. The informants in this study were as many as 32 students. Online gambling is popular among students: slot gambling and soccer betting. Then players who play online gambling have several factors that make them play, namely: 1) Lack of understanding of religion, 2) Social factors, 3) Economic factors, 4) Lack of education factor, and 5) The influence of technology. In addition, researchers also found negative impacts from online gambling, namely: 1) Addiction, 2) Mental disorders, 3) Decreased economic level, and 4) Lots of debt. In this study, there are also efforts to prevent someone from online gambling, namely: 1) Looking for busyness, 2) Looking for a new environment, 3) Working well with finances, 4) Socialization, 5) Studying religion, 6) Wise in using the internet. Analisis Fenomenologis Maraknya Judi Online di Kalangan Mahasiswa di Kediri Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis maraknya judi online dikalangan mahasiswa Pendidikan Guru Sekolah Dasar Universitas Nusantara PGRI Kediri. Metode yang digunakan pada penelitian ini adalah kualitatif deskriptif. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan adalah observasi atau pengamatan dan wawancara mendalam. Informan dalam penelitian ini sebayak 32 mahasiswa. Ada dua bentuk judi online yang marak dikalangan mahasiswa yaitu judi slot dan judi bola. Lalu pemain yang bermain judi online memiliki beberapa faktor yang membuat mereka bermain yaitu: 1) Faktor kurangnya pemahaman agama, 2) Faktor pergaulan, 3) Faktor ekonomi, 4) Faktor kurangnya Pendidikan, 5) Pengaruh teknologi. Selain itu peneliti juga menemukan dampak negatif dari judi online yaitu : 1) Kecanduan, 2) Gangguan mental, 3) Penurunan taraf ekonomi, 4) Banyak berhutang. Pada penelitian ini juga terdapat upaya agar seseorang terhindar dari judi online yaitu : 1) Mencari kesibukan, 2) Mencari lingkungan baru, 3) Mengatur keuangan dengan baik, 4) Sosialisasi, 5) Belajar agama, 6) Bijaksana dalam menggunakan internet.

Plastic pollution has become an enormous environmental problem, endangering ecosystems, livelihoods, safety and human health. Large quantities of plastics are trapped in or transported by rivers. Monitoring methods mostly focus on plastics floating at the surface or deposited on riverbanks, while a substantial part of plastics may be transported below the water surface. Available underwater monitoring methods rely on nets and large equipment, making them labour-intensive, expensive and invasive. The measurements are, therefore, limited to occasional point measurements. In this paper, we explore the potential of echo sounding for the monitoring of suspended macroplastic (plastic items bigger than 5 mm). We performed tests in a controlled (basin), a semi-controlled (harbour) and an uncontrolled (river) environment using the high-end Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP). This device is already in use for the estimation of flow velocity and suspended sediment concentrations using the wide network of ADCPs in the Netherlands and other countries. In the undisturbed controlled environment, 25 items varying in size, material, and orientation could be detected up to at least 4.6 m from the ADCP. The semi-controlled experiments showed that most of these items can also be detected among other naturally occurring scatterers, such as aquatic life, organic material and air bubbles. The field tests under natural conditions, combining ADCP and net measurements, showed that ADCP data can be calibrated towards a correct order of magnitude estimate of plastic transport. The coupling of the ADCP data to item characteristics such as size, material and orientation is still challenging, but more research into, for example, the signature of items may enable distinguishing item characteristics. This fundamental knowledge, combined with repetitions of validated field measurements under different flow conditions, is needed for the development of a robust monitoring method. Such a method may enable continuous or cross-sectional monitoring of suspended plastics and give insight into historic and plastic transport through 30-year long datasets. These insights can help improve and determine the effect of current mitigation and cleaning efforts.

Tujuan penelitian ini adalah: Apakah sangat tinggi, tinggi, rendah dan sangat rendah dukungan orangtua berpengaruh terhadap minat belajar siswa?. Metode penelitian korelasional dengan pendekatan kuantitatif. Populasi dan sampel adalah siswa kelas VI SDN sebanyak 17 siswa, teknik total sampling. Lokasi penelitian dilakukan di SDN Mojoroto 4 Kota Kediri. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah angket. Teknik analisis data menggunakan korelasi product moment dan persentase. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa: 1) Sangat tinggi dukungan orangtua berpengaruh terhadap minat belajar siswa. Pada kategori dukungan sangat tinggi sebanyak 1 siswa (5,9%) dengan minat belajar sangat tinggi sebanyak 13 siswa (76,5%),) Tinggi dukungan orangtua berpengaruh terhadap minat belajar siswa. Dukungan orangtua terhadap minat belajar pada kategori tinggi dengan nilai rata-rata pada dukungan orangtua sebesar 168.00 sedangkan minat belajar sebesar 130.64. dalam kategori dukungan orangtua mayoritas pada kategori tinggi sebanyak 8 siswa (47,1%) dengan minat belajar tinggi sebanyak 4 siswa (23,5%). 3) Rendahnya dukungan orangtua berpengaruh terhadap minat belajar siswa. Pada kategori dukungan rendah sebanyak 5 siswa (29,4%) mendapatkan dukungan rendah dari orang tua dengan cukup minat belajar sebanyak 0 siswa (0%). 4) Sangat rendahnya dukungan orangtua berpengaruh terhadap minat belajar siswa. Pada kategori dukungan sangat rendah sebanyak sebanyak 3 siswa (17,6%) dengan tidak minat belajar sebanyak 0 siswa (0%).

This study aims to produce educational media based on Augmented Reality (AR) on the photosynthesis material used in PGSD students at Nusantara PGRI Kediri University who are taking the basic concepts of Science (IPA) 2. The type of development research model used in this study is the Borg Gall model and Lee Owen with the stages of research and data collection, planning, product development, design validation, design revision. However this research is only limited to design revision after expert validation, this is due to limited research time. The instrument used in this research activity was a validity questionnaire (media expert, material expert, and linguist). Data analysis used in this research activity is descriptive qualitative data analysis and qualitative descriptive. The results of the research obtained from the media expert validator were 73 or 91%, the score of the results of the validation of the Photosynthesis material expert was 37 or 92%, and the score of the results of the validation of the linguists was 38 or 95%. This means that the development of AR-based educational media on photosynthetic material is valid, so that it can be used for learning media on photosynthetic material

Summary: Genetics have nominated many schizophrenia risk genes and identified convergent signals between schizophrenia and neurodevelopmental disorders. However, functional interpretation of the nominated genes in the relevant brain cell types is often lacking. We executed interaction proteomics for six schizophrenia risk genes that have also been implicated in neurodevelopment in human induced cortical neurons. The resulting protein network is enriched for common variant risk of schizophrenia in Europeans and East Asians, is down-regulated in layer 5/6 cortical neurons of individuals affected by schizophrenia, and can complement fine-mapping and eQTL data to prioritize additional genes in GWAS loci. A sub-network centered on HCN1 is enriched for common variant risk and contains proteins (HCN4 and AKAP11) enriched for rare protein-truncating mutations in individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Our findings showcase brain cell-type-specific interactomes as an organizing framework to facilitate interpretation of genetic and transcriptomic data in schizophrenia and its related disorders.

Abstract The aim of the UPHILL study (a nutrition and lifestyle intervention in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension [PAH]: effect on quality of life [QoL]), was to determine the effect of innovative nutritional interventions on adjustments in nutritional intake and QoL. In this study a group of prevalent PAH patients at a single center in Amsterdam (the Netherlands) was informed about healthy nutrition using a newly designed video e‐learning. They were subsequently instructed to follow a healthy diet during dietary intervention. Nutritional intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (HELIUS) and QoL by the short‐form (SF)‐36 questionnaire. Nutritional parameters were determined in blood samples. Seventeen patients stable under treatment, who had been diagnosed with PAH 7.0 [3.0−14.0] years before, started and completed the intervention (2 males, 15 females; 45.35 ± 13.57 years). Since all patients in the intervention group made behavioral changes in nutritional intake, during study and follow‐up, nutritional and lifestyle adaptations persisted. Despite the fact that patients had already high mean scores at baseline for both mental (74.10 [60.51−84.25]) and physical QoL (66.46 [50.21−73.84]), scores improved further during e‐learning. Furthermore, patients who realized most nutritional adaptations, had the best improvement in QoL. This pilot study showed that e‐learning modules on nutrition provide an unique opportunity to change nutritional intake in PAH patients and by that improve QoL.

The purpose of this study was to obtain information regarding the implementation of learning during the Covid-19 pandemic period in college. This research activity uses a type of library research which means that in obtaining data in the form of information on relevant matters from various sources such as documents, books, magazines, news, and others. The criteria for selected articles and news are those that discuss the implementation of learning during the Covid-19 pandemic in college. From the 10 sources obtained, then the most relevant were selected so that 7 articles were obtained. The results obtained in this study indicate that the implementation of learning during the Covid-19 pandemic in college can be carried out properly and effectively using online learning. Another finding is that the Covid-19 pandemic is a momentum for lecturers and students to start and familiarize online learning with various learning applications. And there are many online learning applications, but the applications that are widely used are the Google Classroom and Whatsapp applications

Objective – This article reports the survey findings from a mixed-methods assessment of the six-year Institute for Research Design in Librarianship (IRDL). The Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) provided funding for IRDL from 2014-2019; during this time, 124 academic and research librarians participated in a year-long continuing education program for novice researchers. This article assesses the effectiveness of IRDL in meeting short-term and long-term goals related to research productivity, job performance, and identity as a researcher. Beyond the assessment of IRDL itself, the study addresses the implications of IRDL for creating effective research continuing education programs and institutional support for librarian research. Methods – In the first part of a two-phase study, we surveyed all 124 librarians who completed the in-person summer research workshop and year-long online follow-up program. The lead researcher invited those who completed the survey to participate in the study's second phase, a focus group or an in-depth interview. Results – Eighty-nine participants responded to the survey, for a 72% response rate. The results show that IRDL was successful in helping a majority of participants complete their IRDL project and conduct new research. Participants reported work-related benefits of participating in the program, including tenure, rank promotion, merit-based salary increases, and new employment opportunities. IRDL contributed to developing personal learning networks, research collaborations, and a sense of identity as a researcher. IRDL increased the research confidence of the participants by providing them with research methods instruction, coupled with an opportunity to practice what they have learned during a year-long support program. Conclusion – This assessment study confirms that IRDL is an effective program for novice librarian-researchers who want to improve their research skills, develop new research relationships among their peers, and advance in their careers. It also provides insight into the conditions for a successful continuing education and research support program. Many librarians experience anxiety about conducting and disseminating their research; IRDL demonstrates the importance of placing novice researchers in a supportive environment, where research is viewed as a positive experience that is directly related to professional success. These experiences lead to increased confidence and identity as a researcher, which contributes to increased research productivity.

Objectives: L-Glutamine was FDA-approved for sickle cell disease (SCD) in 2017, yet the mechanism(s)-of-action are poorly understood. This study investigates the potential activation of autophagy as a previously unexplored mechanism-of-benefit. Design: Prospective, open-label, 8-week, phase-2 trial of oral L-glutamine (10 g TID) in patients with SCD at risk for pulmonary hypertension identified by Doppler-echocardiography by an elevated tricuspid-regurgitant-jet-velocity (TRV)≥ 2.5 m/s. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from blood samples taken from SCD patients at baseline, two, four, six and eight weeks of glutamine therapy, and from controls at baseline; BAX (pro-apoptotic marker) and LC3-II/LC3-I (autophagy marker) were measured via western blot analysis to assess apoptosis and autophagy respectively. Setting: Comprehensive SCD Center in Oakland, California. Results: Patients with SCD (n = 8) had a mean age of 44 ± 16, 50% were male; 63% Hb-SS, and mean TRV= 3.1 ± 0.7 m/s. Controls’ mean age (n = 5) was 32 ± 12% and 57% were male; all were Hb-AA with a mean TRV= 1.8 ± 0.6. At baseline, SCD-PBMCs had 2-times higher levels of BAX and LC3-I versus controls (both p = 0.03). Levels of BAX expression increased by 300% after 8-weeks of glutamine supplementation (p = 0.005); LC3-I protein levels decreased while LC3-II levels increased by 70%, giving a significant increase in the LC3-II/LC3-I ratio (p = 0.02). Conclusion: PBMCs from glutamine-supplemented SCD patients have upregulated apoptotic and autophagy proteins. The parallel increase in BAX and the LC3-II / LC3-I ratio with glutamine supplementation suggest a possible role of autophagic cell death. The increase in apoptotic markers provide insight into a possible mechanism used by peripheral PBMCs during glutamine supplementation in patients with SCD.

Abstract Nutritional deficiencies have been described in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), such as in iron and vitamin D. However, an extensive description of vitamin and mineral status is lacking and until now there is no data on dietary intake in PAH patients. We analyzed blood samples and determined nutritional intake using a food frequency questionnaire (HELIUS) in a cohort of prevalent PAH patients at a single center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed by the SF‐36 questionnaire. In total, 37 patients were included (6 males, 31 females; 48 ± 16 years). The dietary intake of sugar was above 25 g in 87% of the patients and fluid intake was above 1500 ml in 78% of the patients. Sodium intake was below 1800 mg in the majority (56%) of the patients. Sugar and fluid intake were linear related. We confirm previously observed deficiencies of iron and vitamin D in our study population. In addition, we observed a functional vitamin B12 deficiency in 29% of patients, which coincided with an increased expression of methylmalonic acid. 60% of patients had a low vitamin K1 status (

We used national registry data on human cases of Francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica infection to assess transmission modes among all 26 autochthonous cases in the Netherlands since 2011. The results indicate predominance of terrestrial over aquatic animal transmission sources. We recommend targeting disease-risk communication toward hunters, recreationists, and outdoor professionals.

There is a large interest in the annotation of speech addressed to infants. Infant-directed speech (IDS) has acoustic properties that might pose a challenge to automatic speech recognition (ASR) tools developed for adult-directed speech (ADS). While ASR tools could potentially speed up the annotation process, their effectiveness on this speech register is currently unknown. In this study, we assessed to what extent open-source ASR tools can successfully transcribe IDS. We used speech data from 21 Dutch mothers reading picture books containing target words to their 18- and 24-month-old children (IDS) and the experimenter (ADS). In Experiment 1, we examined how the ASR tool Kaldi-NL performs at annotating target words in IDS vs. ADS. We found that Kaldi-NL only found 55.8% of target words in IDS, while it annotated 66.8% correctly in ADS. In Experiment 2, we aimed to assess the difficulties in annotating IDS more broadly by transcribing all IDS utterances manually and comparing the word error rates (WERs) of two different ASR systems: Kaldi-NL and WhisperX. We found that WhisperX performs significantly better than Kaldi-NL. While there is much room for improvement, the results show that automatic transcriptions provide a promising starting point for researchers who have to transcribe a large amount of speech directed at infants.

Abstract This article is one of ten reviews selected from the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine 2021. Other selected articles can be found online at https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/annualupdate2021 . Further information about the Annual Update in Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine is available from https://link.springer.com/bookseries/8901 .

Using the metaphor of a medieval village, I share and reflect on my story as a PhD student, holder of an underrepresented identity in STEM, and next-generation boundary spanner in science communication. I am a science communicator to faith-based communities--a neglected and often contentious space in science communication. Through 6 years of graduate education, my metaphorical village helped me to discover and refine my "impact identity," the fusion of my outreach with my scholarship that enables me to advance into the next stage of my career with community engagement as one of my strongest assets. Beyond my personal story, I reflect on what a "village" can look like for other boundary spanners. My village concept can help students, universities, and others in higher education navigate the development of next-generation boundary spanners in science communication.

Riverine systems are directly affected by plastic pollution and function as pathways for plastic transport to the sea. Plastic litter can enter the water by remobilization from the bed or from the riverbank, after which it can be transported with the flow. The process of remobilization is still poorly understood. To get a detailed understanding of the role rivers play in plastic transport and hence develop management measures to prevent or mitigate plastic transport it is vital to get a fundamental understanding of the factors contributing to remobilization of plastic on the riverbank. Therefore, we investigated how the wave action of inland navigation, one of the dominant actors in anthropogenic rivers, affects the remobilization of land-based plastics. Quantification of remobilization was performed along the riverbank of an intensely navigated river in the Netherlands (the river Waal) allowing for a real-world assessment of remobilization. Plastic pieces were placed at standardized distances from the average waterline to determine the plastic remobilization along the riverbank at different locations. Subsequently, wave actions of passing inland navigation was used to assess plastic remobilization. Inland navigation induced wave action was found to significantly cause remobilization of plastics present on the riverbank. The distance of the plastic object to the waterline combined with the wave height, riverbank slope and plastic size significantly affected remobilization probability. Overall, the remobilization effect was strongest on plastics present within ≤ 1.0 m from the waterline. With a wave height ≥ 0.5 m all plastics present up to 3.0 m from the waterline were remobilized and thereby potentially transported downstream through the river.

Probiotic bacteria are increasingly popular as dietary supplements and have the potential as alternatives to traditional antibiotics. We have recently shown that pretreatment with Lactobacillus spp. Lb21 increases the life span of C. elegans and results in resistance toward pathogenic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The Lb21-mediated MRSA resistance is dependent on the DBL-1 ligand of the TGF-β signaling pathway. However, the underlying changes at the metabolite level are not understood which limits the application of probiotic bacteria as timely alternatives to traditional antibiotics. In this study, we have performed untargeted nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolic profiling. We report the metabolomes of Lactobacillus spp. Lb21 and control E. coli OP50 bacteria as well as the nematode-host metabolomes after feeding with these diets. We identify 48 metabolites in the bacteria samples and 51 metabolites in the nematode samples and 63 across all samples. Compared to the control diet, the Lactobacilli pretreatment significantly alters the metabolic profile of the worms. Through sparse Partial Least Squares discriminant analyses, we identify the 20 most important metabolites distinguishing probiotics from the regular OP50 food and worms fed the two different bacterial diets, respectively. Among the changed metabolites, we find lower levels of essential amino acids as well as increased levels of the antioxidants, ascorbate, and glutathione. Since the probiotic diet offers significant protection against MRSA, these metabolites could provide novel ways of combatting MRSA infections.

Normative studies are needed to obtain norms for comparing individuals with the reference population on relevant clinical or educational measures. Norms can be obtained in an efficient way by regressing the test score on relevant predictors, such as age and sex. When several measures are normed with the same sample, a multivariate regression-based approach must be adopted for at least two reasons: (1) to take into account the correlations between the measures of the same subject, in order to test certain scientific hypotheses and to reduce misclassification of subjects in clinical practice, and (2) to reduce the number of significance tests involved in selecting predictors for the purpose of norming, thus preventing the inflation of the type I error rate. A new multivariate regression-based approach is proposed that combines all measures for an individual through the Mahalanobis distance, thus providing an indicator of the individual's overall performance. Furthermore, optimal designs for the normative study are derived under five multivariate polynomial regression models, assuming multivariate normality and homoscedasticity of the residuals, and efficient robust designs are presented in case of uncertainty about the correct model for the analysis of the normative sample. Sample size calculation formulas are provided for the new Mahalanobis distance-based approach. The results are illustrated with data from the Maastricht Aging Study (MAAS).

An important aspect of implementing community empowerment programs is that the program is ongoing and sustainable. Entrepreneurial activity is one of the important programs in empowering the community. Therefore, the determining element of the optimal running and continuation of a community empowerment program is the entrepreneurial capabilities of the beneficiaries. Program facilitation generally has limitations in implementing community empowerment, both in terms of budget and program intensity. Therefore, beneficiary business actors need to develop their entrepreneurial capabilities through several training program and facilitator’s assistancy. These capacity building programs and facilitation could develop the sustainability of the implemented activities can be achieved. The entrepreneurial capability development program has been implemented by the Setaria Farmer Group in Kutai Kartanegara Regency, in order to optimize activities and develop product innovations as well as expand market share coverage. Developing exploitative capabilities through various empowerment activities is a provision for the Setaria Farmer Group to utilize honed entrepreneurial capabilities. Afterwards, they can maintain the sustainability of business activities that are being pioneered and developed, including adapting. the market share situation during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Computational modeling of cardiac mechanics and hemodynamics in ischemic heart disease (IHD) is important for a better understanding of the complex relations between ischemia-induced heterogeneity of myocardial tissue properties, regional tissue mechanics, and hemodynamic pump function. We validated and applied a lumped two-compartment modeling approach for IHD integrated into the CircAdapt model of the human heart and circulation.Methods: Ischemic contractile dysfunction was simulated by subdividing a left ventricular (LV) wall segment into a hypothetical contractile and noncontractile compartment, and dysfunction severity was determined by the noncontractile volume fraction (NCVF). Myocardial stiffness was determined by the zero-passive stress length (Ls0,pas) and nonlinearity (kECM) of the passive stress-sarcomere length relation of the noncontractile compartment. Simulated end-systolic pressure volume relations (ESPVRs) for 20% acute ischemia were qualitatively compared between a two- and one-compartment simulation, and parameters of the two-compartment model were tuned to previously published canine data of regional myocardial deformation during acute and prolonged ischemia and reperfusion. In six patients with myocardial infarction (MI), the NCVF was automatically estimated using the echocardiographic LV strain and volume measurements obtained acutely and 6 months after MI. Estimated segmental NCVF values at the baseline and 6-month follow-up were compared with percentage late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) at 6-month follow-up.Results: Simulation of 20% of NCVF shifted the ESPVR rightward while moderately reducing the slope, while a one-compartment simulation caused a leftward shift with severe reduction in the slope. Through tuning of the NCVF, Ls0,pas, and kECM, it was found that manipulation of the NCVF alone reproduced the deformation during acute ischemia and reperfusion, while additional manipulations of Ls0,pas and kECM were required to reproduce deformation during prolonged ischemia and reperfusion. Out of all segments with LGE>25% at the follow-up, the majority (68%) had higher estimated NCVF at the baseline than at the follow-up. Furthermore, the baseline NCVF correlated better with percentage LGE than NCVF did at the follow-up.Conclusion: We successfully used a two-compartment model for simulation of the ventricular pump and tissue mechanics in IHD. Patient-specific optimizations using regional myocardial deformation estimated the NCVF in a small cohort of MI patients in the acute and chronic phase after MI, while estimated NCVF values closely approximated the extent of the myocardial scar at the follow-up. In future studies, this approach can facilitate deformation imaging–based estimation of myocardial tissue properties in patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Plastic litter transported in rivers may enter the marine environment. Due to the durability of plastic, the residence times in the aquatic environment are decades to millennia. Plastic litter items come in a wide variety. The density of the item and the flow velocity largely determine the vertical distribution of the plastic litter, although the litter shape and wind can also play a role in a river. Estimates of plastic transport in a river are usually based on observations of visible litter items in the near-surface layer alone. Only a very limited number of studies have observed the vertical distribution in rivers or estuaries. We have carried out 28 sampling surveys in a river bend located in the lower part of the Rhine-Meuse delta that is under the influence of tides. To observe the vertical distribution, we sampled with three nets simultaneously up to 5 m water depth, at both sides of the river bend. In total, almost 90% of the collected debris was organic matter. Plastic litter represented the large majority of the non-organic litter: about 80% by mass, having an average concentration of 0.5 mg/m3, and more than 90% by number. We observed that by mass and by number the plastic mass concentration in the middle net was generally lower than in the lower and upper nets. In total, more plastic litter was present in the two nets lower in the water column than in the surface net. A higher plastic concentration was found at the downwind side of the channel than at the upwind side of the fairway. It was found that the plastic litter mass concentrations were of the same order of magnitude during ebb than during flood tide. The litter size that contributed most to the mass concentration (around 65%) were items in between 25 and 500 mm, which were mostly soft plastics (i.e. foils). In the lower net, relatively more small hard plastic items were found. It was observed that these plastic items were sometimes entangled in organic matter. The plastic flux lower in the water column may follow the transport of organic matter like aquatic plants.

The density of wood is a key indicator of the carbon investment strategies of trees, impacting productivity and carbon storage. Despite its importance, the global variation in wood density and its environmental controls remain poorly understood, preventing accurate predictions of global forest carbon stocks. Here we analyse information from 1.1 million forest inventory plots alongside wood density data from 10,703 tree species to create a spatially explicit understanding of the global wood density distribution and its drivers. Our findings reveal a pronounced latitudinal gradient, with wood in tropical forests being up to 30% denser than that in boreal forests. In both angiosperms and gymnosperms, hydrothermal conditions represented by annual mean temperature and soil moisture emerged as the primary factors influencing the variation in wood density globally. This indicates similar environmental filters and evolutionary adaptations among distinct plant groups, underscoring the essential role of abiotic factors in determining wood density in forest ecosystems. Additionally, our study highlights the prominent role of disturbance, such as human modification and fire risk, in influencing wood density at more local scales. Factoring in the spatial variation of wood density notably changes the estimates of forest carbon stocks, leading to differences of up to 21% within biomes. Therefore, our research contributes to a deeper understanding of terrestrial biomass distribution and how environmental changes and disturbances impact forest ecosystems.

Tree growth and longevity trade-offs fundamentally shape the terrestrial carbon balance. Yet, we lack a unified understanding of how such trade-offs vary across the world's forests. By mapping life history traits for a wide range of species across the Americas, we reveal considerable variation in life expectancies from 10 centimeters in diameter (ranging from 1.3 to 3195 years) and show that the pace of life for trees can be accurately classified into four demographic functional types. We found emergent patterns in the strength of trade-offs between growth and longevity across a temperature gradient. Furthermore, we show that the diversity of life history traits varies predictably across forest biomes, giving rise to a positive relationship between trait diversity and productivity. Our pan-latitudinal assessment provides new insights into the demographic mechanisms that govern the carbon turnover rate across forest biomes.

Abstrak: SDN Sukorame 2 memiliki komitmen yang kuat untuk mengembangkan karakter siswa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memaparkan implementasi kedisiplinan sebagai bekal membentuk pendidikan karakter pada siswa di SDN Sukorame 2. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian bahwa implementasi kedisiplinan sebagai bekal membentuk pendidikan karakter pada siswa di SDN Sukorame 2 telah dicurahkan kedalam program sekolah yang meliputi: Siswa hadir 10 menit sebelum pelajaran dimulai, siswa memakai seragam sesuai jadwal, mengikuti upacara benderan dengan khidmat, melaksanakan dan mentaati tata tertib sekolah, melaksanakan tugas piket sesuai jadwal.