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This paper aims to study the natural convective magneto-hydrodynamic flow of fluid through vertical concentric annuli with iso-flux heating under the conditions of constant internal heat absorption and an induced magnetic field. By solving the set of dimensionless coupled governing equations, we were able to obtain exact expressions for the temperature field, velocity field, and induced magnetic field. We also managed to derive the formulas for skin friction, mass flux, and induced current density. We also examined the effects of non-dimensional parameters on skin friction and mass flux. For easy comprehension and interpretation, the results are provided graphically and in tabular form. The heat absorption parameter, the induced current density, the induced magnetic field, and velocity exhibit a negative trend as the Hartmann number (Ha) value increases. The induced magnetic field has the effect of raising both the induced current density and velocity profile. It is found that, when a fluid absorbs heat, the heat absorption parameter experiences reverse flow. For the heat-absorbing fluids, the radii ratio has the effect of increasing velocity, induced magnetic field, and induced current density. The numerical values of skin friction and mass flux at cylindrical walls increase (decrease) with increasing heat absorption parameter and generally it has decreasing tendency with increasing Hartmann number [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, the virus is still circulating. It is important to detect it, as its symptoms are similar to other endemic diseases, e.g. dengue fever. Detection can be done using birds' specific immunoglobulin Y, IgY Anti-SARS-CoV-2-Chicken Nucleocapsid (IgY anti-N), obtained by immunising chickens with the SARS CoV2 nucleocapsid protein. However, IgY purification requires further research, as commonly used ligands are unsuitable. Another common problem with IgY anti-N is aggregation, even when stored at low temperatures. Thus, this research aims to purify IgY anti-N and eliminate low-temperature storage-induced aggregates. In this study, polyethene glycol (PEG) was used for delipidation. The resulting IgY was divided into 2 parts, one of which was stored at 4 °C and purified within the next 1 or 2 days (labelled as IgY 4 °C), while the other was stored at -20 °C and purified within a period of 1 or 2 years (labelled as IgY -20 °C). The next step involved purifying both samples using hydrophobic chromatography and sequential anion exchange. Peaks resulting from the hydrophobic column were analyzed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Another purification result was analysed using PAGE. The migration of each separation step result was observed using native, denaturing and non-reducing PAGE. The study showed, qualitatively, that using two-step chromatographic techniques, hydrophobic interaction and ion exchange chromatography significantly increased the purity of IgY during purification. Additionally, the results demonstrated that hydrophobic chromatography purifies IgY and removes aggregates that may arise from storage. Moreover, similar to immunoglobulin G, IgY anti-N was found to have an uncommon migration in native PAGE compared to other proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the delivery system behind the success story of mRNA vaccines and the development of DNA and peptide vaccines. LNPs should have particle sizes ranging from 60 to 150 nm for such applications. Achieving such particle size criteria can be challenging in the LNP preparation using a micromixer system with different parameters: i.e., the N/P ratio, aqueous flow rate (AFR) and total flow rate (TFR). Such an issue can be addressed by applying response surface methodology (RSM). Therefore, in this study, we implemented RSM to optimize LNP preparation parameters, including the N/P ratio and AFR. TFR remained constant at 1 mL.min-1 since, from a previous study, it is not a critical parameter for achieving the desired LNP size. Here, we used the pDNA of ACE-2 as a dummy nucleotide. Particle sizes of the resulting LNPs were determined using a dynamic light scattering (DLS) method. Our results indicate that AFR is a significant factor in determining LNP size, whereas the N/P ratio does not have a significant impact on LNP size. We achieved an LNP size of 104.00 nm by applying the N/P ratio of 32.0000 and AFR of 0.9621 mL.min-1. Our results showed that RSM could ease the optimization process in the preparation of LNP, which may support the acceleration of vaccine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(δ-valerolactone) (PVL) are aliphatic polyesters that can generally be used for basic medical materials such as bone and dental implant materials, drug delivery systems, and scaffolds in tissue engineering. PCL and PVL belong to the polylactone group which have superior properties such as good biocompatibility, nontoxicity, flexibility, thermoplastic and can be biodegraded in a controlled manner. These superior properties make it the main choice in producing medical materials. This study aims to determine the degree of polymerization of PCL and PVL catalyzed using a bis(β-diketonate)zirconium(IV) complex. In addition, analysis of the Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) and Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO) was also carried out on the catalyst complex. The ring-opening polymerization reaction (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) and δ-valerolactone (δ-VL) lasted for 4 h at 100 °C. The resulting PCL and PVL were then characterized for their chemical and thermal properties using FTIR, 1HNMR, XRD, DTA and TGA. Both PCL and PVL are semicrystalline. On the other hand, the resulting PCL has a melting point of 65.5 °C, with a degree of polymerization (DP) of 17. Meanwhile, the resulting PVL has a melting point of 63.4 °C with a DP of 8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epitope-based peptide vaccine can elicit T-cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 to clear the infection. However, finding the best epitope from the whole antigen is challenging. A peptide screening using immunoinformatics usually starts from MHC-binding peptide, immunogenicity, cross-reactivity with the human proteome, to toxicity analysis. This pipeline classified the peptides into three categories, i.e., strong-, weak-, and non-binder, without incorporating the structural aspect. For this reason, the molecular detail that discriminates the binders from non-binder is interesting to be investigated. In this study, five CTL epitopes against HLA-A*02:01 were identified from the coarse-grained molecular dynamics-guided immunoinformatics screening. The strong binder showed distinctive activities from the non-binder in terms of structural and energetic properties. Furthermore, the second residue from the nonameric peptide was most important in the interaction with HLA-A*02:01. By understanding the nature of MHC-peptide interaction, we hoped to improve the chance of finding the best epitope for a peptide vaccine candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marennine, a blue pigment produced by the blue diatom Haslea ostrearia, is known to have some biological activities. This pigment is responsible for the greening of oysters on the West Coast of France. Other new species of blue diatom, H. karadagensis, H. silbo sp. inedit., H. provincialis sp. inedit, and H. nusantara, also produce marennine-like pigments with similar biological activities. Aside from being a potential source of natural blue pigments, H. ostrearia-like diatoms present a commercial potential for the aquaculture, food, cosmetics, and health industries. Unfortunately, for a hundred years, the exact molecular structure of this bioactive compound has remained a mystery. A lot of hypotheses regarding the chemical structure of marennine have been proposed. The recent discovery of this structure revealed that it is a macromolecule, mainly carbohydrates, with a complex composition. In this study, some glycoside hydrolases were used to digest marennine, and the products were further analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectroscopy (MS). The reducing sugar assay showed that marennine was hydrolyzed only by endo-1,3-β-glucanase. Further insight into the structure of marennine was provided by the spectrum of 1H NMR, MS, a colorimetric assay, and a computational study, which suggest that the chemical structure of marennine contains 1,3-β-glucan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the primary export fishing products from Indonesia is crab. Since the ASEAN nations of Singapore and Malaysia have the same potential of the US and Japan, several crab businesses have established export destination markets there. The goal of this study was to assess the Indonesian competitiveness relative to other countries exports of crabs in the markets of Singapore and Malaysia from 2017 to 2021 to improve strategies for boosting Indonesian crabs' competitiveness in the international market, particularly in Singapore and Malaysia. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) index with time-series data from 2017 to 2021 and the diamond Porter model (DPM) approach were the analytical methods used in this study. Three different varieties of crab from Indonesia are shipped to Singapore and Malaysia. According to RCA estimations, two out of every three Indonesian crabs have high competitiveness, but they still need to be enhanced in light of the intense competition. According to the DPM research, the strategy, structure, and competition of the Indonesian crab business still need improvement. Other elements, particularly those related to circumstances, government, and opportunities are also important. To achieve a favorable effect on the Indonesian economy and foster a more wealthy society, the competitiveness of Indonesian crab items should rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single‐chain variable fragment (scFv) is an antibody fragment composed of VH and VL linked by a hydrophilic linker that can be designed according to the shape of the target molecule and synthesized in prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells via biotechnology engineering. This study developed an electrochemical immunosensor that detects the RBD of SARS‐CoV‐2 using a screen‐printed carbon electrode modified with gold nanoparticles, and scFv as a bioreceptor. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was employed to measure specific interactions of antigens with antibodies. The developed immunosensor had a limit of detection and a quantification limit of 4.86 ng mL−1 and 16.20 ng mL−1, respectively. The immunosensor was stable at room temperature for up to 30 days' storage. The immunosensor was assessed at biosafety level 3 using 33 nasopharyngeal swab specimens (clinical samples); the pieces of data were compared with quantitative Reverse Transcriptase‐PCR. The agreement of the data, the low detection limit achieved, the rapid analysis (30 min), the miniaturization, and the portability of the instrument combined with the easiness to use has the potential to become Point of Care (POC) for diagnosing the COVID‐19 disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polystyrene (PS) is a type of plastic that is often used in daily life as plastic bags, food containers, and medical equipment. However, PS has a drawback in that is difficult to degrade. To overcome this problem, PS plastic is modified by mixing it with biodegradable synthetic polymers such as poly(d-valerolactone) (PVL) to produce polyblends. The PVL used in this work was produced through the polymerization of d-VL with involve a bis(dibenzoylmethane) zirconium(IV) (bis(dibzm)2Zr) catalyst. This research was conducted to prepare a PS/PVL polyblend with various compositions to produce a more compatible polyblend. The mixing is done by using a blending technique with a PS/PVL ratio of 10/0, 10/1, 10/2, 10/3, and 10/4, respectively. The best mixing results were obtained at the PS/PVL 10/2 ratio, where the tensile strength data was 5.97 MPa and the elongation was 2.51%. In addition, the results of the Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) test indicate that there has been a secondary interaction between PS and PVL. Last, the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) test showed that when PS was mixed with PVL, its thermal properties decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the influence of Relationship Marketing And Relationship Quality On Customer Loyalty. Maintaining customer loyalty is needed in the company, but the most important thing is how the company's efforts in conducting relationship marketing (marketing relationship) and relationship quality (quality relationship) in realizing customer loyalty (customer) at Bank Muamalat. This study used the quantitative method with multiple linear regression analysis with 100 respondents using the slovin formula. The results showed that the relationship marketing variable X1 calculated t value (2,979) > table t value (1,986) which means that relationship marketing has a positive effect on variable Y (customer loyalty). The variable relationship quality X2 value t count (2.586) > value t table (1.986) which means that relationship quality (X2) has a positive effect on the variable customer loyalty (Y) with a significant level of 0.011 < 0.05. obtained acalculated F value of 31.024 > Ftable of 3.09 so that the value then F0 is rejected and F 1 received with a significant 0.000 < 0.05 (which is determined), it can be interpreted that together there is a significant influence between relationship marketing and relationship quality on customer loyalty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LL-37 is a membrane-active antimicrobial peptide (AMP) that could disrupt the integrity of bacterial membranes due to its inherent cationic and amphipathic nature. Developing a shorter derivative of a long peptide such as LL-37 is of great interest, as it can reduce production costs and cytotoxicity. However, more detailed information about the residual interaction between LL-37 and the membrane is required for further optimization. Previously, molecular dynamics simulation using mixed all-atom and united-atom force fields showed that LL-37 could penetrate the bilayer membrane. This study aimed to perform all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, highlighting the residual interaction of LL-37 with the simplest model of the bacterial membrane, POPE:POPG (2:1), and compare its interaction with the POPC, which represents the eukaryotic membrane. The result showed leucine–leucine as the leading residues of LL-37 that first contact the membrane surface. Then, the cationic peptide of LL-37 started to penetrate the membrane by developing salt bridges between positively charged amino acids, Lys–Arg, and the exposed phosphate group of POPE:POPG, which is shielded in POPC. Residues 18 to 29 are suggested as the core region of LL-37, as they actively interact with the POPE:POPG membrane, not POPC. These results could provide a basis for modifying the amino acid sequence of LL-37 and developing a more efficient design for LL-37 derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Zr β-diketonates worked as efficient catalysts for ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) ring-opening polymerization (ROP). • Density-functional theory calculation revealed that a trifluoromethyl group on the ligand hindered the propagation process by reducing oxygen atom nucleophilicity. • Three possible complex states before ε-CL coordination in the ROP were proposed, with direct insertion of ε-CL oxygen into Zr identified as the most favorable pathway based on thermodynamic calculations. A series of zirconium β-diketonates, i.e., tris(acetylacetonato)zirconium(IV) chloride (1), tris(benzoylacetonato)zirconium(IV) chloride (2), tris(dibenzoylmethanato)zirconium(IV) chloride (3), and tris(benzoyltrifluoroacetonato)zirconium(IV) chloride (4) work as efficient catalysts in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) to generate poly(ε-CL) with repeating unit up to 68. The activity of the complexes was in the order of 2 > 4 > 1 > 3 , with more Lewis acidic complexes 2 and 4 gave higher catalytic activity. DFT calculations showed that a trifluoromethyl moiety in the ligand decreases the oxygen nucleophilicity at intermediate complexes, and thus inhibiting the propagation process. Three possible states of the complex before ε -CL coordination in the ROP were proposed as follows: (i) dissociation of one ligand; (ii) dissociation of one coordinated-oxygen of the ligand from zirconium and (iii) direct insertion of sp 2-oxygen of ε-CL into Zr (no change of the complex geometry). The thermodynamic analysis via the Gibbs energy calculations at DFT level revealed that a direct insertion of sp 2-oxygen of ε-CL into zirconium is the most plausible pathway for the ROP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Regional Tax and Levy Management Agency is one of the Regional Apparatus Organizations within the Musi Rawas Regency Government. This study aims to determine the effect of leadership style, competence, reward on the performance of the State Civil Apparatus of the Regional Tax and Retribution Management Agency of Musi Rawas Regency. The research design used is a quantitative associative type with a causal relationship. The research sample is the entire state civil apparatus of the Regional Tax and Retribution Management Agency of Musi Rawas Regency totaling 42 employees. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews. The analysis in this study used a computer program Statistical Package For Social Sciences (SPSS) For Windows ver. 20. The results show that together the variables of leadership style, competence and reward have a positive and significant effect on performance. Partially, both competence and reward variables have an effect on performance. But partially the leadership style variable has no effect on performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea cucumbers are marine invertebrates commonly found in benthic areas and deep seas. On a global scale, they have a high commercial value with an increased level of production and trade. This study aims to analyze the bioactive compound in Sea cucumber (Muelleria lecanora) using the Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Method (UAE) and Gas Chromatography-MassSpectrometry (GC-MS). Furthermore, it identifies the antibacterial activityin microorganisms Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. The bioactive compounds were extracted using methanol, acetone, and n-hexane solvent and were separated by ultrasound-assisted extraction. In the initial stage, phytochemicals were screened using Gas Chromatography-MassSpectrometry (GC-MS). Disc diffusion method was then used to determine theantibacterial activity against Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli. The results showed that methanol extract is more suitable for extracting bioactive compounds of Muelleria lecanora than acetone and n-hexane. Meanwhile, acetone solvents are more suitable for the production of flavonoid and steroid compounds than Mulleria lecanora samples. Heneicosane compounds that function as a new antiproliferative for inhibition of tumor and cancerous cells are produced from n-hexane. The antibacterial activity of acetone, methanol and n-hexane extract determined by diffusion assay was effective against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella but ineffective againstEscherichia coli. GC-MS results showed that the major constituents obtained were steroid and flavanoid. From this study, Sea cucumber extract can be considered a healthy nutrientin food and pharmaceutical products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic endocrine disorder that affects more than 20 million people in the United States. DM-related complications affect multiple organ systems and are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among people with DM. Of the numerous acute and chronic complications, atherosclerosis due to diabetic dyslipidemia is a condition that can lead to many life-threatening diseases, such as stroke, coronary artery disease, and myocardial infarction. The nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway is an emerging antioxidative pathway and a promising target for the treatment of DM and its complications. This review aims to explore the Nrf2 pathway's role in combating diabetic dyslipidemia. We will explore risk factors for diabetic dyslipidemia at a cellular level and aim to elucidate how the Nrf2 pathway becomes a potential therapeutic target for DM-related atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential consideration is whether hermeneutics as an alternative approach can dialogue between the texts and reality. This research is library research, in which the data sources are obtained through various written works, both in the form of books and journals. The study is descriptive qualitative that provides a clear picture and systematic about the methodology of Islamic legal thought Fazlur Rahman understandings. To synchronize his background with interpretations, he then used a normative theological approach, namely an approach that emphasizes form religious symbols originating from the Quran and sunnah text. The double movement hermeneutic theory is his effort in dialoguing between text and context. He appreciates history and adapts developments in every space and time. He tried to do a two-way movement: moving from reality to the historical context of texts and moving from historical facts to contemporary reality. The first error in interpreting text often occurs due to the separation between the text from its context. In these circumstances, the double movement theory finds its relevance in making the Quran capable of dialogue with dynamic issues such as polygamy and ahlul Kitab. The double movement has strong historical roots in the Quran's disciplines, including asbab al-nuzul, makkiyah-madaniyah, and nasikh-mansukh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Democracy gives people the same right to vote and to be voted in a political position. High citizen participation in leader election is utilized as an indicator of the quality of democracy. On the other hand, citizen participation in the election in some cases in some districts of Indonesia did not run smoothly and peacefully but in the case of Medan city, the periodical election of regional heads (pilkada) did not show the social upheaval of different options as well as in the segmentation of ethnic groups as supporters of candidates competing in it. This study is aimed at discovering the interest pattern of PASTI and Joko Tingkir as ethnic groups and political compensation, which was gained by them in Pilkada of Medan city in 2015. This study employed qualitative research with case study type. The research data were obtained through in-depth interviews, library study, documentation, and focus group discussion. It is found that there is a similarity pattern of ethnic group involvement in constructing political communication with contestant but there is difference of orientation of postelection compensation expectation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to determine the effect of compensation and competence on the performance of ad hoc employees at the General Election Commission of Ogan Ilir district. The population in this study is all ad hoc employees of KDP for the 2024 election at the Ogan Ilir Regency KPU which amounts to 80 employees and 5 commissioners to measure employee performance. So the total population in this study is 85 employees and all of them are samples used in this study using the census method. The results of multiple linear regression analysis show that compensation and competence have a positive and significant effect on employee performance. Compensation, agencies can provide salaries that are differentiated based on the level of education of employees so that employees who have a higher level of education can have a more adjusted salary difference. Competence, the role of superiors in providing motivation and morale, in addition, the provision of material, direction or training in accordance with employee needs as a provision for employees in facing challenges and changes that occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: (-)-Balanol is an ATP mimic that inhibits protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) with limited selectivity. While PKA is a tumour promoter, PKC isozymes act as tumour promoters or suppressors, depending on the cancer type. In particular, PKCε is frequently implicated in cancer promotion, making it a potential target for anticancer drugs. To improve isozyme selectivity of balanol, exhaustive structural and activity relationship (SAR) studies have been performed in the last two decades, but with limited success. More recently, fluorination on balanol has shown improved selectivity for PKCε, although the fluorine effect is not yet clearly understood. Understanding the origin to this fluorine-based selectivity will be valuable for designing better balanol-based ATP mimicking inhibitors. Computational approaches such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can decipher the fluorine effect, provided that correct charges have been assigned to a ligand. Balanol analogues have multiple ionisable functional groups and the effect of fluorine substitutions on the exact charge state of each analogue bound to PKA and to PKCε needs to be thoroughly investigated in order to design highly selective inhibitors for therapeutic applications. Results: We explored the charge states of novel fluorinated balanol analogues using MD simulations. For different potential charge states of these analogues, Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MMGBSA) binding energy values were computed. This study suggests that balanol and the most potent fluorinated analogue (5S fluorine substitution on the azepane ring), have charges on the azepane ring (N1), and the phenolic (C6"OH) and the carboxylate (C15"O2H) groups on the benzophenone moiety, when bound to PKCe as well as PKA. Conclusions: To the best our knowledge, this is the first study showing that the phenolate group is charged in balanol and its analogues binding to the ATP site of PKCε. Correct charge assignments of ligands are important to obtain predicted binding energy values from MD simulations that reflect experimental values. Both fluorination and the local enzymatic environment of the ATP site can influence the exact charge states of balanol analogues. Overall, this study is highly valuable for further rational design of potent balanol analogues selective to PKCε. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch is a polymeric carbohydrate composed of glucose. As a source of energy, starch can be degraded by various amylolytic enzymes, including α-amylase. In a large-scale industry, starch processing cost is still expensive due to the requirement of high temperature during the gelatinization step. Therefore, α-amylase with raw starch digesting ability could decrease the energy cost by avoiding the high gelatinization temperature. It is known that the carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) and the surface-binding site (SBS) of α-amylase could facilitate the substrate binding to the enzyme’s active site to enhance the starch digestion. These sites are a noncatalytic module, which could interact with a lengthy substrate such as insoluble starch. The major interaction between these sites and the substrate is the CH/pi-stacking interaction with the glucose ring. Several mutation studies on the Halothermothrix orenii, SusG Bacteroides thetaiotamicron, Barley, Aspergillus niger, and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera α-amylases have revealed that the stacking interaction through the aromatic residues at the SBS is essential to the starch adsorption. In this review, the SBS in various α-amylases is also presented. Therefore, based on the structural point of view, SBS is suggested as an essential site in α-amylase to increase its catalytic activity, especially towards the insoluble starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides detailed information regarding the imaging doses to patient radiosensitive organs from a kilovoltage computed tomography (CT) scan procedure using OSLD. The study reports discrepancies between the measured dose and the calculated dose from the ImPACT scan, as well as a comparison with the dose from a chest X-ray radiography procedure. OSLDs were inserted in several organs, including the brain, eyes, thyroid, lung, heart, spinal cord, breast, spleen, stomach, liver and ovaries, of the RANDO phantom. Standard clinical scanning protocols were used for each individual site, including the brain, thyroid, lung, breast, stomach, liver and ovaries. The measured absorbed doses were then compared with the simulated dose obtained from the ImPACT scan. Additionally, the equivalent doses for each organ were calculated and compared with the dose from a chest X-ray radiography procedure. Absorbed organ doses measured by OSLD in the RANDO phantom of up to 17 mGy depend on the organ scanned and the scanning protocols used. A maximum 9.82% difference was observed between the target organ dose measured by OSLD and the results from the ImPACT scan. The maximum equivalent organ dose measured during this experiment was equal to 99.899 times the equivalent dose from a chest X-ray radiography procedure. The discrepancies between the measured dose with the OSLD and the calculated dose from the ImPACT scan were within 10%. This report recommends the use of OSLD for measuring the absorbed organ dose during CT examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to predict the binding pose of bufadienolides from Kalanchoe pinnata on Na+/K+-ATPase using molecular docking in comparison with a known inhibitor, and to determine the important functional group of bufadienolide that is responsible for good binding. Material and methods: Docking was performed on the receptor file (PDB ID: 4RES) using AutoDock 4.2. Before docking, the complex structure of ligand-receptor was minimized using AMBER 14. The physico-chemical properties were predicted using Biovia Draw. Results: The sterical hindrance of Glu117 to the 1,3,5-orthoacetate moiety was removed after minimisation. The docking energy, Polar Surface Area (PSA) and A Log P showed good correlation with the experimental data. The 14-OH of all bufadienolides formed a hydrogen bond with Thr797. However, the energy breakdown analysis of docking result demonstrated that C1 has the highest ligand efficiency with the strongest hydrogen bond and electrostatic energies, followed by C2 and C3. The hydrogen bond from the 10-OH and the orthoacetate ring in C1 was stronger than that of 10-CH2OH in C2 and 10-OH in C3. Conclusion: The best activity of C1, as compared to C2 and C3, was due to the presence of 1,3,5-orthoacetate moiety, 10-CHO, 11-OH, and 14-OH. In addition, the 11-OH group appeared to decrease the toxicity of the bufadienolide by improving its selectivity to the receptor. This result is expected to be useful in the further development of bufadienolide-based inhibitor for anticancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted with the aim of determining the influence of transformational leadership style and job transfers on employee performance at BPJS Employment. The population in this study is all permanent employees of BPJS Employment, South Sumatra regional office in 2022-2023, totaling 100 employees. In this research, the respondents in this research are all 100 permanent employees at BPJS Employment in 2022-2023 and all of them are the number of respondents in this research using the census technique method. The results of multiple linear analysis show that transformational leadership style and job transfer have a positive and significant effect on employee performance. Transformational leadership style has a dominant influence on employee performance. Transformational leadership style, it is expected that the role of superiors needs to be an evaluation. Superiors are expected to provide enthusiasm and appreciation for employee performance results by giving awards to employees who provide good performance results and achieve achievements. Job transfers, it is hoped that the process for carrying out this rotation will need to be adjusted again. Where, if employees are often given work rotation, employees have to change their work environment and living environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

α-Amylase is one of the important enzymes in the starch-processing industry. However, starch processing requires high temperature, thus resulting in high cost. The high adsorptivity of α-amylase to the substrate allows this enzyme to digest the starch at a lower temperature. α-Amylase from Saccharomycopsis fibuligera R64 (Sfamy R64), a locally sourced enzyme from Indonesia, has a high amylolytic activity but low starch adsorptivity. The objective of this study was to design a computational model of Sfamy R64 with increased starch adsorptivity using bioinformatics method. The model structure of Sfamy R64 was compared with the positive control, ie, Aspergillus niger α-amylase. The structural comparison showed that Sfamy R64 lacks the surface-binding site (SBS). An SBS was introduced to the structure of Sfamy R64 by S383Y/S386W mutations. The dynamics and binding affinity of the SBS of mutant to the substrate were also improved and comparable with that of the positive control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen engagement and participation are a key focus for government and government agencies, and with the advent of Internet technologies questions arise about the role and impact of technology on citizen participation. This paper aims to explore the role of technology in citizen participation within schools. This research used in-depth comparative case studies using examples from two different schools and school systems, one in the United Kingdom and one in Indonesia. The wider school systems are complex and dynamic environments with multiple stakeholders, media, and supporting systems, and the schools operate under geopolitical and social influences. This paper provides a framework, based on Actor-Network Theory (ANT), for capturing e-participation in schools, particularly identifying the influence of technology as a conduit for enabling, engaging, and empowering stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a new approach with two-dimensional point of view to test predicting factors that are influencing European trader decisions for the adoption of innovative seafood products in the distributor channels. A combination of two main predicting factors for adoption is investigated in the “supply factors” (4Ps: product, promotion, place, and price) and the “five innovation demand factors” (5IDs: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability). The findings indicate that 4Ps and 5IDs have a significant effect as controlling variables in the decision-making process for innovation adoption. This fact shows a strategic function and illustrates that supply–demand factors have a pressure effect on the innovation adoption process in the market. The results are important both for satisfying consumer expectations and for industrial innovation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines Thematic Development types based on the framework of Systemic Functional Linguistics that are used by tertiary students. It aims to find out how the students used Thematic Development to produce effectively and efficiently their report texts. The data were all clauses taken from fifteen students' report text divided into three levels: high, middle, and low achievement. The findings showed there are three types of Thematic Development patterns used in students' report text, they are Theme Reiteration, Zig-zag, and Multiple-Rheme patterns. The most dominant pattern is Theme Reiteration occurred 50 times (67.5%), followed by Zig-Zag occurred 18 times (24.3%), and the Multiple-Rheme pattern occurs 6 times (8.1%). The dominance of the Theme Reiteration in their texts is to enable the readers to focus on a specific element to follow the development of the text. By the result, it indicates the students' report writing conveyed the messages cohesively and coherently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Bacillus lehensis G1 is a Gram-positive, moderately alkalitolerant bacterium isolated from soil samples. B. lehensis produces cyclodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase), an enzyme that has enabled the extensive use of cyclodextrin in foodstuffs, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. The genome sequence of B. lehensis G1 consists of a single circular 3.99Mb chromosome containing 4017 protein-coding sequences (CDSs), of which 2818 (70.15%) have assigned biological roles, 936 (23.30%) have conserved domains with unknown functions, and 263 (6.55%) have no match with any protein database. Bacillus clausii KSM-K16 was established as the closest relative to B. lehensis G1 based on gene content similarity and 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis. A total of 2820 proteins from B. lehensis G1 were found to have orthologues in B. clausii, including sodium–proton antiporters, transport proteins, and proteins involved in ATP synthesis. A comparative analysis of these proteins and those in B. clausii and other alkaliphilic Bacillus species was carried out to investigate their contributions towards the alkalitolerance of the microorganism. The similarities and differences in alkalitolerance-related genes among alkalitolerant/alkaliphilic Bacillus species highlight the complex mechanism of pH homeostasis. The B. lehensis G1 genome was also mined for proteins and enzymes with potential viability for industrial and commercial purposes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study examined the causality relationship between corruption and poverty by adding economic growth in Nigeria using data from 1970 to 2011. VECM with co-integration test was employed to test the causality. The results indicate a long run relationship between corruption, economic growth and poverty in Nigeria. Evidence from the dynamic economic growth model has established the linkage of growth influence on corruption. Therefore, our findings strongly supported a significant reduction in corruption through the institutional good governance approach. Also, there was significant improvement in GDP growth within the study period. Therefore, findings of the study recommend government to give emphasis on the development of critical sectors that are growth enhancing in the short and medium term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fevicordin-A (FevA) isolated from Phaleria macrocarpa (Scheff) Boerl. seeds was evaluated for its potential anticancer activity by in vitro and in silico approaches. Cytotoxicity studies indicated that FevA was selective against cell lines of human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) with an IC50 value of 6.4 µM. At 11.2 µM, FevA resulted in 76.8% cell death of T-47D human breast cancer cell lines. Critical pharmacophore features amongst human Estrogen Receptor-a (hERa) antagonists were conserved in FevA with regard to a hypothesis that they could make notable contributions to its pharmacological activity. The binding stability as well as the dynamic behavior of FevA towards the hERa receptor in agonist and antagonist binding sites were probed using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation approach. Analysis of MD simulation suggested that the tail of FevA was accountable for the repulsion of the C-terminal of Helix-11 (H11) in both agonist and antagonist receptor forms. The flexibility of loop-534 indicated the ability to disrupt the hydrogen bond zipper network between H3 and H11 in hERa. In addition, MM/GBSA calculation from the molecular dynamic simulations also revealed a stronger binding affinity of FevA in antagonistic action as compared to that of agonistic action. Collectively, both the experimental and computational results indicated that FevA has potential as a candidate for an anticancer agent, which is worth promoting for further preclinical evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to know whether all cows have been showing declining fertility or only a proportion of cows are attributed to the declining fertility, and to describe factors affecting the level of fertility. A total of 131 cows calved from February 2005 to December 2007 in a dairy herd were examined. Fourteen cows were excluded from the study because of early culling. Of the remaining 117 cows, 47 (40%) conceived within 115 days postpartum after 1–3 artificial insemination (AI) (normal fertility cows), 42 (36%) conceived after 115 days postpartum following 1–3 AI or were culled after 1–2 (sub-fertility cows/culled), and 28 (24%) were inseminated more than three times without detectable genital tract abnormalities (repeat breeders). Calving to conception interval in the normal fertility group was 72 + 3 days, while in the sub-fertility/culled and repeat breeding groups the intervals were 170 + 8 and 259 + 16 days, respectively. Endometritis was the risk factor for sub-fertility/culled (odds ratio (OR) = 3.76). Prolonged luteal phase (OR = 4.08), delayed first ovulation (OR = 6.02), and delayed corpus luteum formation after AI (OR = 8.55) were the risk factors for repeat breeding. In conclusion, 60% cows showed reduced fertility in a herd, while the other 40% had normal fertility. Uterine infection and some ovarian disorders contributed to reduced fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objectives were to characterize repeat breeding in dairy cows, including reproductive performance and risk factors. Data from 613 Holstein Friesian cows in nine dairy herds across Japan were enrolled. A repeat breeder was defined as a cow that did not become pregnant after three inseminations, despite no clinically detectable reproductive disorders. In contrast, cows that became pregnant within three inseminations were considered to have normal fertility. Of the 613 cows, 87.3% eventually became pregnant after repeated AI (maximum calving to conception interval was 435 d). Mean (±SEM) first AI conception rate, days in milk at first AI, calving to conception interval and service per conception were 38.3%, 82±2 d, 125±3 d, and 2.0±0.1 times, respectively. Normal fertility cows (n=479) required only 114±3 d to conceive and 1.7±0.1 inseminations per pregnancy, whereas repeat breeders (n=86) required significantly more days to conceive (211±10) and more inseminations per pregnancy (4.7±0.2). Based on survival analysis, it took 94 d after calving for 50% of normal fertility cows to become pregnant, compared to 155 d for repeat breeders. For repeat breeders, 31.4, 50.0, and 58.1% became pregnant within 210, 300, and 435 d after calving, respectively. The risk factors for repeat breeding were parity (relative risk [RR]=0.809; P=0.058), resumption of postpartum ovarian cycles (RR=1.928; P=0.009), and days in milk at first AI (RR=0.991; P=0.039). In conclusion, repeat breeder dairy cows had very poor reproductive performance. Lower parity, abnormal resumption of postpartum ovarian cycles, and shorter days in milk at first AI were risk factors for repeat breeding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Estrous expressions in dairy cows have been shortened and weakened. Dairy heifers, on the other hand, may not have had such changes in estrous signs as observed in cows, since they have less stresses than cows. The aim of this study was to describe the duration of estrus in a herd of dairy heifers. A total of 56 Holstein Friesian heifers estrus was synchronized using two different hormonal protocols. They were checked for primary and secondary estrous signs with the help of heat detection devices for 48 h at an interval of 4 h starting at 16.00 hour, one day after PGF2α treatment. Onset and end of standing estrus during 48 h observation period was recorded in 35 of the 44 heifers coming into estrus within 5 days after PGF2α treatment during the observation period. The duration of standing estrus on the average (±SD) was 9.7 ± 5.3 h. Percentage of heifers with standing estrus longer than 12 h was 40%, and 53% showed standing estrus only for 4–8 h. It is indicated that duration of estrus in dairy heifers has been shortened recently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single Chain Variable Fragment (scFv), a small fragment of antibody can be used to substitute the monoclonal antibody for diagnostic purposes. Production of scFv in Escherichia coli host has been a challenge due to the potential miss-folding and formation of inclusion bodies. This study aimed to express anti-CHIKV E2 scFv which previously designed specifically for Asian strains by co-expression of three chaperones that play a role in increasing protein solubility; GroEL, GroES, and Trigger Factor. The scFv and chaperones were expressed in Origami B E. coli host under the control of the T7 promoter, and purified using a Ni-NTA column. Functional assay of anti-CHIKV-E2 scFv was examined by electrochemical immunosensor using gold modified Screen Printed Carbon Electrode (SPCE), and characterized by differential pulses voltammetry (DPV) using K3[Fe(CN)6] redox system and scanning microscope electron (SEM). The experimental condition was optimized using the Box-Behnken design. The results showed that co-expression of chaperone increased the soluble scFv yield from 54.405 μg/mL to 220.097 µg/mL (~5×). Furthermore, scFv can be used to detect CHIKV-E2 in immunosensor electrochemistry with a detection limit of 0.74048 ng/mL and a quantification limit of 2,24388 ng/mL. Thus, the scFv-anti-CHIKV-E2 can be applied as a bioreceptor in another immunoassay method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]