English Proficiency of Students at Politeknik Negeri Balikpapan Based on TOEIC

English language proficiency is generally measured by English competency scores such as TOEFL and TOEIC. To be able to apply the right learning patterns for students of Politeknik Negeri Balikpapan (Poltekba) for the purpose of mastering the TOEIC, an analysis of their English proficiency is needed by measuring their TOEIC scores. This analysis can be used as a reference for English lecturers in providing relevant learning materials according to the needs of the students and the industrial world. The research method used is qualitative-quantitative because it focuses on analyzing the TOEIC scores of the students. The researchers conducted analysis on the TOEIC scores as the data and explained them descriptively. The data used in this analysis are TOEIC scores from 291 students. The scores were mapped into 6 levels of English proficiency. The results of this study describe the level of English proficiency and the comparison between mastering Listening and Reading Comprehensions by the students at Politeknik Negeri Balikpapan

Evaluating pre-treatment methods in the isolation and purification of monoclonal IgG antibody

In this study, the effects of different sample preparation techniques on the separation of monoclonal antibody IgG I were inve st igated experimentally. Monoclonal IgG I was obtained from hybridoma cell line TB /C3 transfected with bcl-2 carrier plasmid. which was grown in serum-free medium. Three different pre-treatment techniques prior to Protein G affinity chromat ography have been used in order to concentrate and partial purify the monoclonal antibody . The pre-treatments researched in this paper are precipitation of the antibody by ammonium sulfate, dilution of the antibody in the binding buffer of affinity chromatography and ultra filtration through an Amicon Ultra- 15 filter with molecular weight cut-off at 100 kDa. Purification through direct application of the antibody onto the Protein G affinity column without pre-treatments was used as a control method. The results indicate that the ultra filtration through an Amicon filter was an effective method for both concentration and partial purification of the antibodies in laboratory scale

Zero-one IP problems: Polyhedral descriptions & cutting plane procedures

A systematic way for tightening an IP formulation is by employing classes of linear inequalities that define facets of the convex hull of the feasible integer points of the respective problems. Describing as well as identifying these inequalities will help in the efficiency of the LP-based cutting plane methods. In this report, we review classes of inequalities that partially described zero-one poly topes such as the 0-1 knapsack polytope, the set packing polytope and the travelling salesman polytope. Facets or valid inequalities derived from the 0-1 knapsack and the set packing polytopes are algorithmically identifie

Thermal-structural analyses of Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) hot section components

Three dimensional nonlinear finite element heat transfer and structural analyses were performed for the first stage high pressure fuel turbopump (HPFTP) blade of the space shuttle main engine (SSME). Directionally solidified (DS) MAR-M 246 and single crystal (SC) PWA-1480 material properties were used for the analyses. Analytical conditions were based on a typical test stand engine cycle. Blade temperature and stress strain histories were calculated by using the MARC finite element computer code. The structural response of an SSME turbine blade was assessed and a greater understanding of blade damage mechanisms, convective cooling effects, and thermal mechanical effects was gained

Are Friendly Farmers Environmentally Friendly? Environmental Awareness as a Social Capital Outcome

This paper examines the hypothesis that social capital at the individual level affects environmentally friendly practices. Social capital represents the social connectedness of the individual. An individual with higher social capital is more likely to have better exposure and access to information about the importance of environmentally friendly practices. We study sustainable agricultural practices among Georgia farmers and examine whether their social capital levels have any effect on, (1) their adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, and (2) the extent to which they engage in these practices. Using the Georgia Social Capital Survey our measure of social capital is associational activities. We address a number of econometric issues: potential endogeneity of the social capital variable, peer-group effect in the form of social pressure, and a sorting issue.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Community Development and Local Social Capital

While a substantial amount of research has been devoted to showing what social capital does, research explaining social capital itself lags behind. In this paper we examine whether local economic development can explain the variation in social capital across various geographical clusters in the state of Georgia. The findings show that even after accounting for various demographic and economic characteristics, the HDI explains the variation in a number of social capital levels (especially those measured by associational involvement) across various geographical clusters in the state of Georgia.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Community Development and Local Social Capital

While a substantial amount of research has been devoted to showing what social capital does, research explaining social capital itself lags behind. The literature has a long tradition of examining the effect of social capital on local economic growth and development. In this paper we examine whether local economic development can explain the variation in social capital across various geographical clusters in the state of Georgia. We begin by devising a measurement tool, a Human Development Index (HDI), to measure community development. Our social capital measure includes associational memberships, voluntary activities, and philanthropy obtained from the Georgia Social Capital Survey. The findings show that even after accounting for various demographic and economic characteristics, the HDI explains the variation in a number of social capital levels (especially those measured by associational involvement) across various geographical clusters in the state of Georgia.economic development, human development, social capital, Agribusiness, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Labor and Human Capital, Public Economics, R00,

Structural response of SSME turbine blade airfoils

Reusable space propulsion hot gas-path components are required to operate under severe thermal and mechanical loading conditions. These operating conditions produce elevated temperature and thermal transients which results in significant thermally induced inelastic strains, particularly, in the turbopump turbine blades. An inelastic analysis for this component may therefore be necessary. Anisotropic alloys such as MAR M-247 or PWA-1480 are being considered to meet the safety and durability requirements of this component. An anisotropic inelastic structural analysis for an SSME fuel turbopump turbine blade was performed. The thermal loads used resulted from a transient heat transfer analysis of a turbine blade. A comparison of preliminary results from the elastic and inelastic analyses is presented

Properdin and factor H: Opposing players on the alternative complement pathway "see-saw"

This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Properdin and factor H are two key regulatory proteins having opposite functions in the alternative complement pathway. Properdin up-regulates the alternative pathway by stabilizing the C3bBb complex, whereas factor H downregulates the pathway by promoting proteolytic degradation of C3b. While factor H is mainly produced in the liver, there are several extrahepatic sources. In addition to the liver, factor H is also synthesized in fetal tubuli, keratinocytes, skin fibroblasts, ocular tissue, adipose tissue, brain, lungs, heart, spleen, pancreas, kidney, muscle, and placenta. Neutrophils are the major source of properdin, and it is also produced by monocytes, T cells and bone marrow progenitor cell line. Properdin is released by neutrophils from intracellular stores following stimulation by N-formyl-methionine-leucine-phenylalanine (fMLP) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). The HEP G2 cells derived from human liver has been found to produce functional properdin. Endothelial cells also produce properdin when induced by shear stress, thus is a physiological source for plasma properdin. The diverse range of extrahepatic sites for synthesis of these two complement regulators suggests the importance and need for local availability of the proteins. Here, we discuss the significance of the local synthesis of properdin and factor H. This assumes greater importance in view of recently identified unexpected and novel roles of properdin and factor H that are potentially independent of their involvement in complement regulation

In vitro responses of dracaena fragrans cv. massangeana to growth regulators

In vitro studies on Dracaena fragrans cv. Massangeana revealed that young stem segments were capable of proliferating shoots on agar-solidified Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium containing different combinations and concentrations of BAP and NAA. Highest percentage of explants forming shoots was obtained on medium supplemented with 3.0 mgll BAP and 0.1 mgll NAA. The highest number ofshoots per explant occurred on medium containing 2.0 mgll BAP only. Highest percentage of callus formation and highest mean fresh weight of callus from young stem segments were achieved on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mgll2,4-D. Adventitious rooting occurred after transferring excised shoots onto a hormone-free MS medium. Rooting was 100% for shoots derived from media with 0-2.0 mg/l BAP and a relatively low concentration of NAA (0.1 mg/l)