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The research aims to obtain empirical evidence of the reliability, dimensionality, and validity of instruments of higher-order thinking learning environment inventory (HOTLEI). Data was collected using quantitative methods with the Rasch model analysis. The numbers sample is 1361 students from 15 junior high schools in DKI Jakarta, West Java, and Banten. The research concluded that the measurement reliability was at a good level and excellent in extensive trials. The HOTLEI fulfils unidimensionality adequacy based on raw variance explained of 31.6% and 42.3%, and eigenvalues less than 3.0. A mount of 32 valid items is categorised as productive for HOTLEI measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flooding represents around 32% of total disasters in Indonesia and disproportionately affects the poorest of communities. The objective of this study was to determine significant statistical differences, in terms of river catchment characteristics, between regions in West Java that reported suffering from flood disasters and those that did not. Catchment characteristics considered included various statistical measures of topography, land-use, soil-type, meteorology and river flow rates. West Java comprises 154 level 9 HydroSHEDS sub-basin regions. We split these regions into those where flood disasters were reported and those where they were not, for the period of 2009 to 2013. Rainfall statistics were derived using the CHIRPS gridded precipitation data package. Statistical estimates of river flow rates, applicable to ungauged catchments, were derived from regionalisation relationships obtained by stepwise linear regression with river flow data from 70 West Javanese gauging stations. We used Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests to identify catchment characteristics that exhibit significant statistical differences between the two sets of regions. Median annual maximum river flow rate (AMRFR) was found to be positively correlated with plantation cover. Reducing plantation land cover from 20 to 10% was found to lead to a modelled 38% reduction in median AMRFR. AMRFR with return periods greater than 10 years were found to be negatively correlated with wetland farming land cover, suggesting that rice paddies play an important role in attenuating extreme river flow events. Nevertheless, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests revealed that built land cover is the most important factor defining whether or not an area is likely to report flood disasters in West Java. This is presumably because the more built land cover, the more people available to experience and report flood disasters. Our findings also suggest that more research is needed to understand the important role of plantation cover in aggravating median annual maximum river flow rates and wetland farming cover in mitigating extreme river flow events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lichen is a symbiotic organism consisting of algae (photobionts) and fungi (mycobiont). In Indonesia, Usnea is the only genus of lichen that has been widely recognized and used by the local community for traditional medicine. It is locally known as kayu angin, rusuk angin, or janggot Kai. Furthermore, it produces lichen acid and other compounds as secondary metabolites that need investigation. Therefore, this study aimed to identify species and determine the secondary metabolites of Usnea in West Java. There were 13 species of Usnea identified, with U. rubrotincta, U. mutabilis, and U. barbata being new to West Java. The extraction of U. esperantiana has the highest number of lichen acids, with 20 different types identified. This study showed that Usnea contains lichen acid, flavonoid, and saponin compounds. The secondary metabolites are a potential source of natural products for bioprospecting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research attempts to examine the effect of transformational leadership (TL) on job satisfaction (JS) and job performance (JP) mediated by leader-member exchange (LMX) at all correctional officers in West Java. The quantitative method is adopted by conducting a questionnaire survey on all officers in the West Java area, with a total of 215 respondents. The questionnaire was done through the Google Forms platform and distributed in a time-lagged method. The sample of respondents who were interviewed was obtained through a purposive sampling technique, namely taking samples with certain considerations. The data in this study was then analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), which was assisted by the AMOS program. The findings revealed that TL has a large impact on JS, JP, and LMX, whereas LMX has a significant impact on JS and JP. This study contributes to the literature by linking TL, LMX, JS, and JP. It examines and analyzes how and why TL and LMX can affect JS and JP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collembola (springtails) is an important soil biology indicator to monitor toxicity or ecological disturbances in the ecosystem. The impact of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) rice cv Rojolele events expressing Cry1B-Cry1Aa driven by the maize ubiquitin promoter resistant to yellow rice stem borer (YSB, Scirpophaga incertulas Walker) on non-target Collembola community was assessed. The experiment was performed at four locations under confined field trials according to the Indonesia's environmental safety regulation on genetically engineered crops. Six transgenic rice events were tested with non-transgenic Rojolele and the moderately resistant IR42 rice varieties as controls. The experimental design was randomised block design with three replicates. Collembola were collected from the bunds between plots using pitfall and Berlese funnel traps at seedling, vegetative and generative stages, as well as at harvesting time. The results showed that Collembola abundance and diversity were significantly affected by both experimental sites and observation times. However, no significant differences in Collembola diversity and abundance between Bt rice and non-Bt controls were observed. Thus, we can conclude that the cultivation of the Bt rice cv Rojolele events expressing Cry1B-Cry1Aa protein fusion do not adversely affect biodiversity and abundance of Collembola at the four confined rice fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abundance of microplastics (MP) in the aquatic environment is increasingly disturbing for maritime countries, especially Indonesia, because it has the potential to threaten the health and sustainability of aquatic ecosystems. This review summarized and discussed the distribution of MP abundance in Indonesian aquatic ecosystems which concluded that rivers, bays and estuaries, beaches, seas, and even fish and shellfish have been contaminated. The highest contamination of MP was found in the waters of Jakarta, West Java, and East Java, which are densely populated areas. The potential threat of exposure and accumulation of MP to human health was also discussed. However, differences in the methods and units of measurement for MP as well as limited information regarding the interaction of MP with human organ functions are weaknesses in this review. The future research on the relationship between food and feeding habits of the community around contaminated waters with the accumulation of MP in the human body is needed to identify the prevention and treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze students' thinking skills through integrating dilemmas stories with a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics-Project-Based Learning (STEM-PBL) in polymers topic. The participants were 47 Grade 12 students from a public senior high school in West Java Province. The research employed a qualitative method to obtain data through classroom observations, reflective journals, interviews, and a concept test. Students' thinking skills were assessed using Hess' Cognitive Rigor Matrix, which combines Bloom's taxonomic and Webb's depth of knowledge. The results show that most students reach level C2 of Bloom's taxonomy and level 1 of Webb's depth of knowledge, meaning that most students understand and recall the information. The results indicate that integrating dilemmas stories with STEM-PBL enables students to explain using simple sentences and prior knowledge. In addition, this approach provides an opportunity for students to develop their critical thinking, creativity, and argumentation skills through problem-solving and project making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed at investigating the impact of population, human development index, and economic growth in determining the income inequality in West Java of Indonesia. This paper used a panel regression to gain insight into comprehensively understanding the relationship between the variables. This study engaged eight years of time series data from 2011 to 2018 and cross-section data of 27 regencies/municipalities in West Java Province from Statistics Indonesia (BPS). The findings indicate that population, human development index and economic growth affect income inequality. In partial, total population and human development index can explain the income inequality. Meanwhile, economic growth failed in influencing income disparity of West Java Province. This finding suggests that the Kuznets hypothesis of the "U-Reverse" curve in West Java Province was not proven for the period 2011 to 2018. This study emphasizes the significant impact of having strategies in suppressing the population in West Java Province both through programs and binding regulations relating to births and immigration. Also, there should be synergy between stakeholders in providing jobs opportunities that potentially reduce inequality in the West Java province of Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

West Java Health Laboratory (WJHL) is one of the many institutions in Indonesia that have sequenced SARS-CoV-2 genome. Although having submitted a large number of sequences since September 2020, however, these submitted data lack advanced analyses. Therefore, in this study, we analyze the variant distribution, hotspot mutation, and its impact on protein structure and function of SARS-CoV-2 from the collected samples from WJHL. As many as one hundred sixty-three SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences submitted by West Java Health Laboratory (WJHL), with collection dates between September 2020 and June 2021, were retrieved from GISAID. Subsequently, the frequency and distribution of non-synonymous mutations across different cities and regencies from these samples were analyzed. The effect of the most prevalent mutations from dominant variants on the stability of their corresponding proteins was examined. The samples mostly consisted of people of working-age, and were distributed between female and male equally. All of the sample sequences showed varying levels of diversity, especially samples from West Bandung which carried the highest diversity. Dominant variants are the VOC B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, B.1.466.2 variant, and B.1.470 variant. The genomic regions with the highest number of mutations are the spike, NSP3, nucleocapsid, NSP12, and ORF3a protein. Mutation analysis showed that mutations in structural protein might increase the stability of the protein. Oppositely, mutations in non-structural protein might lead to a decrease in protein stability. However, further research to study the impact of mutations on the function of SARS-CoV-2 proteins are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]