Pengembangan kualitas sumber daya manusia di Sentra Industri Sanitair Kelurahan Karangbesuki Kecamatan Sukun Malang

INDONESIA: Dalam prakteknya, penelitian ini dilakukan di Sentra Industri Sanitair yang berada di kelurahan Karangbesuki Malang. Sentra industri ini cukup berkembang di kota Malang, yang perkembangannya meliputi beberapa aspek, baik aspek usahanya maupun aspek tenaga kerjanya (sumber daya manusia). Dan penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan kualitas sumber daya manusia di industri sanitair Karangbesuki dan strategi yang diterapkan dalam pengembangan kualitas sumber daya manusia di Sentra Industri Sanitair Karangbesuki Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian kualitatif deskriftif. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Sentra Industri Sanitair Kelurahan Karangbesuki Kecamatan Sukun Malang dengan metode pengumpulan data menggunakan observasi, wawancara dan dokumentasi, teknik analisis data pelaksanaanya ada tiga tahapan yaitu penyederhanaan, penyajian data, penarikan dan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian di lapangan bahwa dalam pengembangan kualiatas sumber daya manusia sentra industri sanitair telah ditemukan strategi dalam pengembangan kualiatas sumber daya manusia dalam strategi pengembangan sumber daya manusia menggunakan metode pembelajaran langsung dan metode on the job training dengan bimbingan salah seorang karyawan yang pengetahuan dan kemampuannya sudah cukup mumpuni dalam bidang tersebut, namun yang disayangkan dalam pengembangan sumber daya manusia di sentra industri sanitair ini tidak adanya pelatihan khusus dan berkala untuk beberapa karyawan yang tidak memiliki kemampuan dalam bidang kerajinan. ENGLISH: In practice, this research conducted at the Sanitary Industry Centers located in the village of Malang Karangbesuki. Industrial district is quite developed in the city of Malang, the development includes several aspects, both aspects of its business and labor aspects (human resources). And this study aimed to describe the quality of human resources in the industry sanitair Karangbesuki and strategies applied in the development of human resources in the Sanitary Industry Centers Karangbesuki. This research is descriptive qualitative research. The experiment was conducted at the Center for Urban Sanitary Industry Karangbesuki Breadfruit District of Malang with the data collection method using observations, interviews and documentation, implementation of data analysis techniques, there are three stages namely simplification, data presentation, drawing and conclusions. The results of research in the field that the human resource development kualiatas sanitair industrial centers have been found in the strategy of human resource development kualiatas in human resource development strategy using the direct method and the method of learning on the job training with the guidance of one of the employees who had enough knowledge and ability qualified in the field, but the unfortunate in the development of human resources in the industrial district sanitair absence of special and regular training for some employees who do not have the ability in the field of handicrafts

Field test of a novel detection device for Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen in cough

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is a highly infectious disease that is spread from person to person by infected aerosols emitted by patients with respiratory forms of the disease. We describe a novel device that utilizes immunosensor and bio-optical technology to detect M. tuberculosis antigen (Ag85B) in cough and demonstrate its use under field conditions during a pilot study in an area of high TB incidence. METHODS: The TB Breathalyzer device (Rapid Biosensor Systems Ltd) was field tested in the outpatient clinic of Adama Hospital, Ethiopia. Adults seeking diagnosis for respiratory complaints were tested. Following nebulization with 0.9% saline patients were asked to cough into a disposable collection device where cough aerosols were deposited. Devices were then inserted into a portable instrument to assess whether antigen was present in the sample. Demographic and clinical data were recorded and all patients were subjected to chest radiogram and examination of sputum by Ziehl-Nielsen microscopy. In the absence of culture treatment decisions were based on smear microscopy, chest x-ray and clinical assessment. Breathalyzer testing was undertaken by a separate physician to triage and diagnostic assessment. RESULTS: Sixty individuals were each subjected to a breathalyzer test. The procedure was well tolerated and for each patient the testing was completed in less than 10 min. Positive breath test results were recorded for 29 (48%) patients. Of 31 patients with a diagnosis of tuberculosis 23 (74%; 95% CI 55-87) were found positive for antigen in their breath and 20 (64%; 95% CI 45-80) were smear positive for acid fast bacilli in their sputum. Six patients provided apparent false positive breathalyzer results that did not correlate with a diagnosis of tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that the breathalyzer device described warrants further investigation as a tool for studying exhalation of M. tuberculosis. The portability, simplicity of use and speed of the test device suggest it may also find use as a tool to aid early identification of infectious cases. We recommend studies be undertaken to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the device when compared to microbiological and clinical indicators of tuberculosis disease

A role for tumor necrosis factor-alpha in remodeling the splenic marginal zone during Leishmania donovani infection.

The development of secondary lymphoid organs is a highly regulated process, mediated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family cytokines. In contrast, the mechanisms controlling changes in lymphoid architecture that occur during infectious disease are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that during infection with Leishmania donovani, the marginal zone of mice undergoes extensive remodeling, similar in extent to developmental abnormalities in mice lacking some TNF family cytokines. This process is selective, comprising a dramatic and rapid loss of marginal zone macrophages (MZMs). As a functional consequence, lymphocyte traffic into the white pulp is impaired during chronic leishmaniasis. Significantly, MZMs were preserved in L. donovani-infected B6.TNF-alpha(-/-) mice or mice that received anti-TNF-alpha antibodies, whereas studies in CD8(+) T-cell-deficient mice and in mice lacking functional CD95L, excluded a direct role for either cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity or CD95-mediated apoptosis in this process. Loss of MZMs was independent of parasite burden, yet could be partially prevented by chemotherapy, which in turn reduced endogenous TNF-alpha levels. This is the first report of an infectious agent causing selective and long-lasting changes to the marginal zone via TNF-alpha-mediated mechanisms, and illustrates that those cytokines involved in establishing lymphoid architecture during development, may also play a role in infection-induced lymphoid tissue remodeling

Improving COVID-19 vaccine uptake among Black populations : a systematic review of strategies

Given the growing body of evidence on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black populations, the aim of this systematic review was to identify the interventions and strategies used to improve COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake among Black populations globally. To identify relevant studies, we conducted a systematic review of the literature based on a systematic search of 10 electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Sociological Abstracts, Dissertations and Theses Global, and SocINDEX. We screened a total of 1728 records and included 14 peer-reviewed interventional studies that were conducted to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black populations. A critical appraisal of the included studies was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. The intervention strategies for increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake were synthesized into three major categories: communication and information-based interventions, mandate-based interventions, and incentive-based interventions. Interventions that incorporated communication, community engagement, and culturally inclusive resources significantly improved vaccine uptake among Black populations, while incentive- and mandate-based interventions had less impact. Overall, this systematic review revealed that consideration of the sociocultural, historical, and political contexts of Black populations is important, but tailored interventions that integrate culture-affirming strategies are more likely to decrease COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and increase uptake among Black populations

Immune engineering enhances H7N9 vaccine immunogenicity by regulatory T cell epitope deletion in hemagglutinin

Avian-origin H7N9 influenza is a novel influenza group A virus that emerged in humans in China in 2013. H7N9 influenza hemagglutinin (HA) elicits weak neutralizing antibody responses in natural infection and vaccination. Limited helper T cell response could explain the poor immunogenicity observed [1]. We hypothesize a T cell epitope in H7-HA stimulates regulatory T cells (Tregs) capable of suppressing crucial signals needed for protective antibody production. Furthermore, deletion of the epitope without perturbing neutralizing B cell epitope structures may increase H7-HA immunogenicity to produce an optimized vaccine. Immunoinformatics tools were used to identify H7N9 class II HLA epitopes with high potential to cross-react with Tregs educated on human antigens. In peripheral blood leukocyte cultures, H7N9 epitopes with significant human homology expanded CD4+CD25+FoxP3+CD39+ Tregs and reduced IFNγ secretion when co-incubated with other H7N9 epitopes with low potential cross-reactivity [2]. We applied this finding to design an antigenically improved H7-HA based on Anhui/01 by introducing three modifications to recombinant HA (rHA) that delete a highly conserved Treg activating epitope. Engineered rHA (Opt1 rH7-HA) demonstrated both preserved antigenicity and improved immunogenicity in humanized mice. Monoclonal antibodies raised against wild type H7-HA recognized Opt1 rH7-HA with affinity equivalent to the wild type protein, suggesting that modifications did not induce significant structural perturbations. Similarly, human polyclonal sera demonstrated identical binding profiles against Opt1 and wild type rH7-HA. Vaccination of immunodeficient mice reconstituted with human PBMCs (N=8) using non-adjuvanted Opt1 rH7-HA stimulated higher anti-H7-HA IgG titers and higher frequencies of anti-H7-HA plasma cells than mice immunized with wild-type protein. In a related study, HLA-DR3 transgenic mice were immunized with Alum-formulated H7N9 virus-like particles containing either Opt1 or wild-type H7-HA and hemagglutinin inhibition (HAI) titers were measured. Opt1 rH7-HA stimulated protective levels of HAI antibodies suggesting that modifications of H7-HA preserved neutralizing epitopes. The Opt1 H7N9 VLP vaccine raised HAI antibodies sooner and at lower doses than wild-type vaccine. Epitope-driven approaches to vaccine design that carefully consider T cell subsets primed in immunization promise to enhance vaccine efficacy. 1. De Groot AS, Ardito M, Terry F, Levitz L, Ross T, Moise L, Martin W. Low immunogenicity predicted for emerging avian-origin H7N9: implication for influenza vaccine design. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2013 May;9(5):950-6. 2. Liu R, Moise L, Tassone R, Gutierrez AH, Terry FE, Sangare K, Ardito MT, Martin WD, De Groot AS. H7N9 T-cell epitopes that mimic human sequences are less immunogenic and may induce Treg-mediated tolerance. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2015;11(9):2241-52

Antimicrobial resistance profiling of Salmonella enterica distinct serotypes isolated from pork in São Paulo

Salmonellosis still is one of the most important worldwide zoonosis due to its high endemicity, mortality, and difficulty in control (Stevens et al., 2009). In the São Paulo city, different realities regarding good production practices and quality control of animal products coexists, especially when considering points of direct consumer sales. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance profiles of Salmonella enterica distinct serotypes isolated from pork in São Paulo

Highly Frequent Mutations in Negative Regulators of Multiple Virulence Genes in Group A Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome Isolates

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS) is a severe invasive infection characterized by the sudden onset of shock and multiorgan failure; it has a high mortality rate. Although a number of studies have attempted to determine the crucial factors behind the onset of STSS, the responsible genes in group A Streptococcus have not been clarified. We previously reported that mutations of csrS/csrR genes, a two-component negative regulator system for multiple virulence genes of Streptococcus pyogenes, are found among the isolates from STSS patients. In the present study, mutations of another negative regulator, rgg, were also found in clinical isolates of STSS patients. The rgg mutants from STSS clinical isolates enhanced lethality and impaired various organs in the mouse models, similar to the csrS mutants, and precluded their being killed by human neutrophils, mainly due to an overproduction of SLO. When we assessed the mutation frequency of csrS, csrR, and rgg genes among S. pyogenes isolates from STSS (164 isolates) and non-invasive infections (59 isolates), 57.3% of the STSS isolates had mutations of one or more genes among three genes, while isolates from patients with non-invasive disease had significantly fewer mutations in these genes (1.7%). The results of the present study suggest that mutations in the negative regulators csrS/csrR and rgg of S. pyogenes are crucial factors in the pathogenesis of STSS, as they lead to the overproduction of multiple virulence factors

VCAM-1 and VLA-4 Modulate Dendritic Cell IL-12p40 Production in Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis

Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) interacts with its major ligand very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) to mediate cell adhesion and transendothelial migration of leukocytes. We report an important role for VCAM-1/VLA-4 interactions in the generation of immune responses during experimental visceral leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania donovani. Our studies demonstrate that these molecules play no direct role in the recruitment of leukocytes to the infected liver, but instead contribute to IL-12p40-production by splenic CD8+ dendritic cells (DC). Blockade of VCAM-1/VLA-4 interactions using whole antibody or anti-VCAM-1 Fab′ fragments reduced IL-12p40 mRNA accumulation by splenic DC 5 hours after L. donovani infection. This was associated with reduced anti-parasitic CD4+ T cell activation in the spleen and lowered hepatic IFNγ, TNF and nitric oxide production by 14 days post infection. Importantly, these effects were associated with enhanced parasite growth in the liver in studies with either anti-VCAM-1 or anti-VLA-4 antibodies. These data indicate a role for VCAM-1 and VLA-4 in DC activation during infectious disease

PGL-III, a Rare Intermediate of <i>Mycobacterium leprae</i> Phenolic Glycolipid Biosynthesis, Is a Potent Mincle Ligand

Although leprosy (Hansen's disease) is one of the oldest known diseases, the pathogenicity of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) remains enigmatic. Indeed, the cell wall components responsible for the immune response against M. leprae are as yet largely unidentified. We reveal here phenolic glycolipid-III (PGL-III) as an M. leprae-specific ligand for the immune receptor Mincle. PGL-III is a scarcely present trisaccharide intermediate in the biosynthetic pathway to PGL-I, an abundant and characteristic M. leprae glycolipid. Using activity-based purification, we identified PGL-III as a Mincle ligand that is more potent than the well-known M. tuberculosis trehalose dimycolate. The cocrystal structure of Mincle and a synthetic PGL-III analogue revealed a unique recognition mode, implying that it can engage multiple Mincle molecules. In Mincle-deficient mice infected with M. leprae, increased bacterial burden with gross pathologies were observed. These results show that PGL-III is a noncanonical ligand recognized by Mincle, triggering protective immunity. </p

Discrimination of water quality monitoring sites in River Vouga using a mixed-effect state space model

The surface water quality monitoring is an important concern of public organizations due to its relevance to the public health. Statistical methods are taken as consistent and essential tools in the monitoring procedures in order to prevent and identify environmental problems. This work presents the study case of the hydrological basin of the river Vouga, in Portugal. The main goal is discriminate the water monitoring sites using the monthly dissolved oxygen concentration dataset between January 2002 and May 2013. This is achieved through the extraction of trend and seasonal components in a linear mixed-effect state space model. The parameters estimation is performed with both maximum likelihood method and distribution-free estimators in a two-step procedure. The application of the Kalman smoother algorithm allows to obtain predictions of the structural components as trend and seasonality. The water monitoring sites are discriminated through the structural components by a hierarchical agglomerative clustering procedure. This procedure identified different homogenous groups relatively to the trend and seasonality components and some characteristics of the hydrological basin are presented in order to support the results