Entropy and biological systems: experimentally-investigated entropy-driven stacking of plant photosynthetic membranes

According to the Second Law of thermodynamics, an overall increase of entropy contributes to the driving force for any physicochemical process, but entropy has seldom been investigated in biological systems. Here, for the first time, we apply Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) to investigate the Mg21-induced spontaneous stacking of photosynthetic membranes isolated from spinach leaves. After subtracting a large endothermic interaction of MgCl2 with membranes, unrelated to stacking, we demonstrate that the enthalpy change (heat change at constant pressure) is zero or marginally positive or negative. This first direct experimental evidence strongly suggests that an entropy increase significantly drives membrane stacking in this ordered biological structure. Possible mechanisms for the entropy increase include: (i) the attraction between discrete oppositely-charged areas, releasing counterions; (ii) the release of loosely-bound water molecules from the inter-membrane gap; (iii) the increased orientational freedom of previously-aligned water dipoles; and (iv) the lateral rearrangement of membrane components.This work was supported consecutively by Australian Research Council grants (DP0664719 and DP 1093927)

Konflik Elit Politik dalam Pemilihan Umum Gubernur dan Wakil Gubernur Provinsi Maluku Utara Tahun 2007

Regional Head Election conflict (Pemiulkada) Governor and Vice Governor of North Maluku province in 2007 involving these time supporters spotted from the rivalry between the pair of Abdul Gafur-Abdurrahim Fabanyo with Thaib Armayin-Gani Kasuba contested the Governor and Vice Governor of North Maluku Province. The conflict took place due to the interests of the two camps to lead North Maluku. This research aims at describing the conflict's political elite in the general election the Governor and Vice Governor of North Maluku province in 2007. The method of research used the qualitative method. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, direct observation, and study the documentation. Sample determined in purposive for in-depth interviews conducted in purposive sampling a number of 15 people consisting of: KPUD provinces and Districts: 2 persons, members of DPRD the North Maluku Provincial/party Poles: 2 persons, community leaders: 1 person, the Candidate Governor and Vice Governor: 2 persons, successful teams: 3 persons, academics: 2 persons, reporters: 2 persons, and NGO Activists: 1 person. Data analysis is carried out, which further descriptive data of the organized were investigated thoroughly and return data that has been collected from various sources. The data collected is then read back overall and made notes about edge data considered important and in line with the focus and purpose of the study, then do the coding of data, easily searched for and found when needed in making the categorization. The next step is done categorization, where the data had meaning the same category made its own name / its own label also earmarked for discover patterns and theme, researchers conducted before of interpretation of data. The final phase done researchers namely interpret research conducted exists for withdrawal conclusion after verifying all the data to answer problems in this election. The research results show that in the implementation of the general election governor and the vice governor of North Maluku 2007 found: First, conflict start seen since stage registration candidates, in which couples H. Mudaffar Syah-H. Rusdi Hanafi cancelled of his preferred candidate by KPUD provincial North Maluku because they did not fulfill regulation the 15 % to the votes and support seats. Second, stage campaign period, conflict can also be seen start hardened because third candidate couple and team the success of protest against the schedule some of which day has fallen during Ramadan and Eid, and when socialization stage the schedule is accepted all parties well. Third, calculation stage and recapitulation the ballot, where conflict is more open and prolonged caused the political elite prefer the interests of each as to be almost no space negotiations to conflict resolution. Fourth, stage conflict resolution, done through state apparatus with the approach security, negotiations, and dialogue. Although recognized, during conflict the political elite never want to sit with to dialogue in order to find resolution (handling) the conflict. Conflict elite politic in general election governor and the vice governor of North Maluku in 2007 it ended after the issuance of the decisions law for the winner by the Supreme Court (MA) and Rejected Dispute Authority Between Agencies (SKLN) requested by KPUD provincial North Maluku in the constitutional court (MK). Suggested, First, the elites politic and the public to the fore must maintain the climate that conducive, far from the nature of brutal and violence and will lead to physical conflict. Second, the elite standing general election to be ready kala and ready to have a real seikap fighter, ready to accept reality political. And when important is the elite party supporters successful the team / supporters, security officials insurer general election to be neutral and uphold rules and regulations. And a third of the political elite must be more oriented in the citizens needs and indicated democratic behavior according to ethics political. Keyword : political elite, conflict, electionRegional Head Election conflict (Pemiulkada) Governor and Vice Governor of North Maluku province in 2007 involving these time supporters spotted from the rivalry between the pair of Abdul Gafur-Abdurrahim Fabanyo with Thaib Armayin-Gani Kasuba contested the Governor and Vice Governor of North Maluku Province. The conflict took place due to the interests of the two camps to lead North Maluku. This research aims at describing the conflict's political elite in the general election the Governor and Vice Governor of North Maluku province in 2007. The method of research used the qualitative method. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, direct observation, and study the documentation. Sample determined in purposive for in-depth interviews conducted in purposive sampling a number of 15 people consisting of: KPUD provinces and Districts: 2 persons, members of DPRD the North Maluku Provincial/party Poles: 2 persons, community leaders: 1 person, the Candidate Governor and Vice Governor: 2 persons, successful teams: 3 persons, academics: 2 persons, reporters: 2 persons, and NGO Activists: 1 person. Data analysis is carried out, which further descriptive data of the organized were investigated thoroughly and return data that has been collected from various sources. The data collected is then read back overall and made notes about edge data considered important and in line with the focus and purpose of the study, then do the coding of data, easily searched for and found when needed in making the categorization. The next step is done categorization, where the data had meaning the same category made its own name / its own label also earmarked for discover patterns and theme, researchers conducted before of interpretation of data. The final phase done researchers namely interpret research conducted exists for withdrawal conclusion after verifying all the data to answer problems in this election. The research results show that in the implementation of the general election governor and the vice governor of North Maluku 2007 found: First, conflict start seen since stage registration candidates, in which couples H. Mudaffar Syah-H. Rusdi Hanafi cancelled of his preferred candidate by KPUD provincial North Maluk

Interplate seismicity at the CRISP site: the 2002 Osa earthquake sequence

The Costa Rica Seismogenesis Project (CRISP) is designed to explore the processes involved in the nucleation of large interplate earthquakes in erosional subduction zones. On 16 June 2002 a magnitude Mw=6.4 earthquake and its aftershocks may have nucleated at the subduction thrust to be penetrated and sampled by CRISP, ~40 km west of Osa Peninsula. Global event locations present uncertainties too large to prove that the event actually occurred at a location and depth reachable by riser drilling. We have compiled a database including foreshocks, the main shock, and ~400 aftershocks, with phase arrival times from all the seismological networks that recorded the 2002 Osa sequence locally. This includes a temporal network of ocean-bottom hydrophones (OBH) that happened to be installed close to the area at the time of the earthquake. The coverage increase provided by the OBH network allow us to better constrain the event relocations, and to further analyze the seismicity in the vicinity of Osa for the six months during which they were deployed. Moreover, we undertook teleseismic waveform inversion to provide additional constraints for the centroid depth of the 2002 Osa earthquake, allowing further study of the focal mechanism. Along the Costa Rican seismogenic zone, the 2002 Osa sequence is the most recent. It nucleated in the SE region of the forearc where this erosional margin is underthrust by a seamount covered ocean plate. A Mw=6.9 earthquake sequence occurred in 1999, co-located with a subducted ridge and associated seamounts. The Osa mainshock and first hours of aftershocks began in the CRISP area, ~30 km seaward of the 1999 sequence. In the following two weeks, subsequent aftershocks migrated into the 1999 aftershock area and also clustered in an area updip from it. The Osa updip seismicity apparently occurred where interplate temperatures are ~100°C or less. In this study, we present the relocation of the 2002 Osa earthquake sequence and background seismicity using different techniques and a moment tensor inversion for the mainshock, and discuss the corresponding uncertainties, in an effort to provide further evidence that the planned Phase B of CRISP will be successful in drilling the seismogenic coupling zone

Pengaruh Penggunaan Multimedia Interaktif dalam Pembelajaran Matematika untuk Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Siswa SD

Mata pelajaran matematika merupakan mata pelajaran yang perlu diberikan kepada peserta didik mulai dari sekolah dasar (SD), dengan tujuan untuk membekali peserta didik dengan kemampuan berfikir logis, analitis, sintetis, kritis dan kreatif, serta kemampuan bekerjasama. Beberapa hal yang diperoleh di lapangan berkaitan dengan pembelajaran matematika adalah anggapan siswa bahwa pembelajaran matematika itu membosankan, susah, dan sulit dipahami. Selain itu, dalam pembelajaran matematika kurangnya motivasi siswa dalam belajar. Hal ini akan berdampak pada kurangnya antusiasme sehingga siswa sulit memahami pelajaran. Oleh karena itu, perlu adanya sebuah inovasi dalam pembelajaran matematika. Media pembelajaran khususnya komputer sebagai salah satu sarana untuk menunjang proses pembelajaran dan meningkatkan hasil belajar dapat menjadi sebuah solusi allternatif dalam pembelajaran matematika di SD. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran matematika menggunakan multimedia interaktif berpengaruh secara signifikan terhadap peningkatan hasil belajar siswa. Selain itu, siswa juga mempunyai sikap yang positif terhadap pembelajaran matematika menggunakan multimedia interaktif. Pada pembelajaran menggunakan multimedia interaktif siswa merasa senang belajar matematika, dan termotivasi untuk belajar matematika. Oleh karena itu, penggunaan multimedia interaktif dapat dijadikan sebagai solusi alternatif dalam pembelajaran matematika di SD

Subduction-zone structure and magmatic processes beneath Costa Rica constrained by local earthquake tomography and petrological modelling

A high-quality data set of 3790 earthquakes were simultaneously inverted for hypocentre locations and 3-D P-wave velocities in Costa Rica. Tests with synthetic data and resolution estimates derived from the resolution matrix indicate that the velocity model is well constrained in central Costa Rica to a depth of 70 km; northwestern and southeastern Costa Rica are less well resolved owing to a lack of seismic stations and seismicity. Maximum H2O content and seismic wave speeds of mid-ocean ridge basalt and harzburgite were calculated for metamorphic phase transformations relevant to subduction. Both the 3-D P-wave velocity structure and petrological modelling indicate the existence of low-velocity hydrous oceanic crust in the subducting Cocos Plate beneath central Costa Rica. Intermediate-depth seismicity correlates well with the predicted locations of hydrous metamorphic rocks, suggesting that dehydration plays a key role in generating intermediate-depth earthquakes beneath Costa Rica. Wadati-Benioff zone seismicity beneath central Costa Rica shows a remarkable decrease in maximum depth toward southeastern Costa Rica. The presence of asthenosphere beneath southeastern Costa Rica, which entered through a proposed slab window, may explain the shallowing of seismicity due to increased temperatures and associated shallowing of dehydration of the slab. Tomographic images further constrain the existence of deeply subducted seamounts beneath central Costa Rica. Large, low P-wave velocity areas within the lower crust are imaged beneath the southeasternmost volcanoes in central Costa Rica. These low velocities may represent anomalously hot material or even melt associated with active volcanism in central Costa Rica. Tomographic images and petrological modelling indicate the existence of a shallow, possibly hydrated mantle wedge beneath central Costa Ric

Penerapan Aplikasi Mobile Information Karimun Island Menggunakan Ionic Framework

Karimunjawa is an archipelago in the Java Sea that belongs to the district of Jepara, Central Java. With a land area of approximately 1,500 hectares and waters of approximately 110,000 hectares, Karimunjawa is now developed into a charm of marine parks that began to favor a lot of local tourists and foreign tourism. Karimunjawa has excellent potential such as nature tourism, religious tourism and culinary tourism. Local and foreign tourists desperately need information about the location to be visited. But to find the location of this tour is still scattered in various websites, so it takes a long time to find out the tourist information quickly and precisely. Utilization of the progress of smartphone technology is one solution of this problem. Therefore, this researh aimed to develop an information application based on Android and which provide information of tourism potential in Karimunjawa island, map, favorites, distance of tourist location and review for tourists in the application which is called Karimun Guide Jepara. In the development of the method used this application is Guidelines for Rapid Application Engineering (GRAPPLE) using an ionic framework that is devoted to build mobile hybrid applications with HTML5, CSS and AngularJS. Karimun Guide Development Jepara, data, maps and map locations are incorporated into the firebase databases so that updating apps is easy and fast.Keywords: Tourism Potential, Ionic Framework, Firebase, Androi