Factors Related to the Work Performance of Midwives in the IUD Contraception Service in Primary Healthcare Centers of Surabaya City

The decrease of IUD active family planning participants' coverage in Surabaya in the last three years, from 12.27% to 6.1%, became a special attention for Surabaya district health office. The decrease was caused by inadequate work performance of midwives in implementing IUD contraception service in the primary healthcare centers in Surabaya area. Objective of the study was to analyze factors related to the work performance of midwives in the IUD contraception service in the primary healthcare centers of Surabaya city area. This was an analytical- observational study using cross sectional approach. Study population was all midwives in the primary healthcare centers in Surabaya city who provide family planning service, and who had attended in CTU training (362 midwives). Study subjects were 78 respondents, and they were selected using proportional stratified random sampling method. Data collection was conducted through structured interview and observation. Multiple linear regression tests were applied in the data analysis. Results of the study showed that work performance of midwives in the IUD contraception service in Surabaya city area was in a good category (55.1%). Midwives' knowledge on IUD contraception service specifically on screening and counseling before insertion was insufficient (82.1%). Motivation of midwives was good (55.1%). Midwives attitude regarding IUD contraception service was not supportive (51.3%). Perception of midwives towards head of primary healthcare center leadership was good (52.6%). Midwives perception on remuneration they received was good (53.8%). Facilities to support IUD contraception service were available (53.8%).Motivation, attitude, and perception on the leadership were associated with midwives' work performance. However, knowledge, perception of remuneration, and facilities were not associated with midwives' work performance in the IUD contraception service. Motivation and perception on the leadership, in common, were associated with midwives' work performance in the IUD contraception service.Suggestions for district health office was to perform supervision directly and periodically, to evaluate and monitor the implementation of program in every primary healthcare center, and to provide permission for midwives who want to take further study

Orbital Nature of Carboionic Monoradicals Made from Diradicals

The electronic, optical, and solid state properties of a series of monoradicals, anions and cations obtained from starting neutral diradicals have been studied. Diradicals based on s-indacene and indenoacenes, with benzothiophenes fused and in different orientations, feature a varying degree of diradical character in the neutral state, which is here related with the properties of the radical redox forms. The analysis of their optical features in the polymethine monoradicals has been carried out in the framework of the molecular orbital and valence bond theories. Electronic UVVis-NIR absorption, X-ray solid-state diffraction and quantum chemical calculations have been carried out. Studies of the different positive-/negative-charged species, both residing in the same skeletal π-conjugated backbone, are rare for organic molecules. The key factor for the dual stabilization is the presence of the starting diradical character that enables to indistinctively accommodate a pseudo-hole and a pseudoelectron defect with certainly small reorganization energies for ambipolar charge transport.The authors thank the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (projects MINECO/FEDER PGC2018-098533-B-100 and PID2021-127127NB-I00) and the Junta de Andalucía, Spain (UMA18FEDERJA057 and Proyecto de Excelencia PROYEXCEL- 00328). We also thank the Research Central Services (SCAI) of the University of Málaga and the US National Science Foundation (CHE-1954389 to M.M.H., CHE-2003411 to M.A. P.). F.N and Y.D. acknowledge support from “Valutazione della Ricerca di Ateneo” (VRA)-University of Bologna. Y.D. acknowledges Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca (MUR) for her Ph.D. fellowship. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBU

Ecological Invasion, Roughened Fronts, and a Competitor's Extreme Advance: Integrating Stochastic Spatial-Growth Models

Both community ecology and conservation biology seek further understanding of factors governing the advance of an invasive species. We model biological invasion as an individual-based, stochastic process on a two-dimensional landscape. An ecologically superior invader and a resident species compete for space preemptively. Our general model includes the basic contact process and a variant of the Eden model as special cases. We employ the concept of a "roughened" front to quantify effects of discreteness and stochasticity on invasion; we emphasize the probability distribution of the front-runner's relative position. That is, we analyze the location of the most advanced invader as the extreme deviation about the front's mean position. We find that a class of models with different assumptions about neighborhood interactions exhibit universal characteristics. That is, key features of the invasion dynamics span a class of models, independently of locally detailed demographic rules. Our results integrate theories of invasive spatial growth and generate novel hypotheses linking habitat or landscape size (length of the invading front) to invasion velocity, and to the relative position of the most advanced invader.Comment: The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com/content/8528v8563r7u2742

Characterisation and internalisation of recombinant humanised HMFG-1 antibodies against MUC1

The humanised HMFG-1 immunoglobulin has been extensively developed as a clinical immunotherapeutic agent for MUC1 expressing tumours. We have constructed a single-chain Fv (scFv) and Fab fragment from this antibody and shown that both these species retain their specificity for MUC1. The scFv was less stable and less soluble than the Fab. Detailed analyses of the binding kinetics of the whole IgG and Fab fragment show that the affinity for MUC1 synthetic peptides is low (approximately 100 n for the IgG and 10 μ for the Fab), with particularly low but similar dissociation rate constants (0.031–0.095 s−1). Binding to native antigen on the cell surface is over two orders of magnitude better. Confocal immunofluorescence microscopy shows that both the IgG and Fab are internalised rapidly (the IgG is internalised within 15 min) and colocalise to early endosomes. This work provides an appreciation of the binding, internalising and trafficking kinetics, important for the development of future therapeutics based on this antibody

Evaluation of Environmental Flows in Rivers Using Hydrological Methods (Case study: The Barandozchi River- Urmia Lake Basin)

Introduction Development of water resources projects are accompanied by several environmental impacts, among them, the changes in the natural flow regime and the reduction of downstream water flows. With respect to the water shortages and non-uniform distribution of rainfall, sustainable management of water resources would be inevitable. In order to prevent negative effects on long-term river ecosystems, it is necessary to preserve the ecological requirements of the river systems. The assessment of environmental flow requirements in a river ecosystem is a challenging practice all over the world, and in particular, in developing countries such as Iran. Environmental requirements of rivers are often defined as a suite of flow discharges of certain magnitude, timing, frequency and duration. These flows ensure a flow regime capable of sustaining a complex set of aquatic habitats and ecosystem processes and are referred to as "environmental flows". There are several methods for determining environmental flows. The majority of these methods can be grouped into four reasonably distinct categories, namely as: hydrological, hydraulic rating, habitat simulation (or rating), and holistic methodologies. However, the current knowledge of river ecology and existing data on the needs of aquatic habitats for water quantity and quality is very limited. It is considered that there is no unique and universal method to adapt to different rivers and/or different reaches in a river. The main aim of the present study was to provide with a framework to determine environmental flow requirements of a typical perennial river using eco-hydrological methods. The Barandozchi River was selected as an important water body in the Urmia Lake Basin, Iran. The preservation of the river lives, the restoration of the internationally recognized Urmia Lake, and the elimination of negative impact from the construction of the Barandoz dam on this river were the main concerns in this study. Materials and Methods: With lack of ecological data, the environmental requirements of the Barandozchi River were investigated using five eco-hydrological methods (1- Tennant, 2- Tessman, 3- Flow Duration Indices, 4- FDC shifting, 5- DRM). Some of these methods are too simplistic and do not take into account the direct hydro-ecological interactions (e.g. Tennant method), and some have been developed for a specific country/region (e.g., DRM), and need to be adapted to a different physiographic environment before they can be reliably applied. Two ecological friendly models GEFC, and DRM were tested to estimate the environmental flow of this river. The results were compared with corresponding flows allocated for the release from the Barandoz Dam (currently under construction). Results and Discussion: The prediction of the mean annual environmental flows from five eco-hydrological methods are presented and compared with the corresponding value reported in the downstream dam’s documents. The ultimate decision making based on the potential flows in the river, the environmental class of the river management, and engineering judgment is also recommended for the flows in the river towards the Urmia Lake. The results indicated that the flow allocation for the river environment (4% of mean annual flows) is not sufficient to meet the minimum flow requirements for any of the targeting species in the river ecosystem. In order to maintain the Barandozchi River at minimum acceptable environmental status (i.e. Class C of environmental management), an average annual flow of 1.9 m3/s (26% MAR) are to be provided. The distribution of monthly flow rates in the river is also recommended for sustaining the Barandozchi River life. Conclusion: The provision for the minimum ecological flows was investigated in the Barandozchi River ecosystem. The results indicated that, in order to maintain the Barandozchi River at minimum acceptable environmental status (i.e. Class C), an average annual flow of 1.9 m3/s (26% MAR) are to be provided along the river towards the internationally recognized Urmia Lake, in Iran. Considering the construction of the Barandoz dam on this river, the pre-determined environmental flow releases from the dam are to be revised in order to increase the order of flows from 4% to 26% or more. Further investigation is necessary to take into account for the targeting riverine species and for the saving of the Urmia lake ecosystem. It is noted that minimum flow requirements are to be allocated in critical months of the year or during drought period of the river basin. Water leasing from agricultural users is an option or a necessary action whenever long-term environmental damages to the river ecosystem must be avoided

Use of hydrological methods for assessment of environmental flow in a river reach

Environmental flow assessment and maintenance are relatively new practices, especially in developing countries. This paper describes the desktop assessment of environmental flows in a river with insufficient data on ecological features and values. In this study, the potential environmental flows in a typical river reach of the Shahr Chai River in Iran were investigated using a newly developed hydrological method (flow duration curve (FDC) shifting) and Global Environmental Flow Calculator software. This approach uses monthly flow data to develop an environmental FDC and to generate flow requirements corresponding to different features of the river ecosystem. Results were compared with those from four alternative hydrological methods: the desktop reserve model (DRM), Tennant, low-flow index, and flow duration curve analysis (FDCA). Comparisons of these methods indicated that to maintain the basic function of the river ecosystem, the river flows should be managed within an acceptable environmental level. The predictions from the Tennant method and the low-flow index (7-day low flow with a 10-year return period), and from the FDCA (for flows exceeding 90 % of occurrence) are not as reliable as those from the FDC shifting technique and DRM. Comparative results indicate that a minimum flow rate of 1.2 m3/s (equivalent to 23 % of the natural mean annual runoff, or flow with 80 % occurrence depicted from the FDC) is required for the Shahr Chai River to run toward the internationally recognized Urmia Lake in Iran

Analisis Sistem Otomatisasi Kandang Ayam Boiler Berbasis IoT

Industri Perunggasan banyak diminati dikarenakan hanya membutuhkan waktu yang singkat dalam proses panen yaitu 5-6 minggu. Meskipun peternakan ayam broiler merupakan bisnis yang menjanjikan akan tetapi, pemeliharaan dan penempatan lokasi kandang ayam pedaging memegang peranan yang penting dikarenakan masih memiliki beberapa masalah yang belum terselesaikan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode eksperimen dengan melibatkan beberapa variabel. Pada penelitian ini terdapat 2 variabel, yaitu variabel bebas yaitu adalah suhu, kelembapan dan kuantitas pakan. Variabel terikat pada penelitian ini adalah sistem monitoring dan controlling berbasis IoT menggunakan NODEMCU ESP8266 dan LCD 16x2. Perancangan dilakukan dengan menggunakan sensor-sensor dan aktuator yang disesuaikan parameter pada penelitian. Hasil analisis data dan pembahasan menunjukkan bahwa sistem monitoring dan controlling pada kandang ayam berjalan dengan baik, pengiriman data yang dilakukan oleh NodeMCU Esp8299 dapat disimpan didalam database dan selanjutnya dapat dimonitoring dan dikontrol oleh pengguna. Pembacaan sistem monitor suhu dan kelembaban dari sensor DHT22 dengan hasil cukup akurat pembacaan sensor DHT22 dengan rata-rata selisih pembacaan suhu 0.0065% hingga 0.0140% dari ketiga percobaan

Experimental and Field Investigation of the Use of Radial Gates as Flow Measurement Structures at Free and Submerged Flow Conditions

The development of an enhanced approach for the use of radial gates as flow measurement structures is important in irrigation networks. In this study, new theoretical relationships were developed to estimate the discharge coefficient (Cd) for a single radial gate with three different sills, at free and submerged flow conditions. These equations were calibrated and verified by using about 2600 laboratory data from the world-wide literature. Results indicated that the flow rate under the radial gates can be estimated by an error in the order of ±5%. The reliability of the proposed relationships and in particular the scale effects, were tested using 530 field data of radial gates operating on different canal networks. The predictions of the flow rates from the proposed method are shown to be superior compare with the other predictive methods. In the presence of multi radial gates in a given cross section, the total discharge is estimated by an error up to ±30% when using single radial gate relationships. This discrepancy is considered to be mainly due to the influence of different gate openingsand the difference between gate and canal widths. A self-developed correction factor, k, was introduced to account for the dimensionless effective parameters such as the ratio of gate-to-canal width, the geometry of the gates, and the ratios of upstream and downstream depths to the average gates openings. The results are promising the predictive errors of the total flow rates are reduced by ±5% and ±10% for 74% and 94% of the flow data, respectively