TRANSISI EKONOMI POLITIK GAM: Kajian Arah Pembangunan Gerakan Aceh Merdeka GAM

Makalah ini membahas tentang kajian – kajian sosial dan politik masyarakat Aceh sebagai suatu pertimbangan pemikiran untuk memajukan dan kesejahteraan masyarakat serta membangun kembali peradaban, tata kehidupan dan strutkur sosial yang telah terbangun semenjak dahulu. Pasca perjanjian damai antara Pemerintah Republik Indonesia (RI) dan Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM) di Helsinki, Finlandia, 15 Agustus 2005, bertempat di Smolna the Government Bunked Hall (Balai Pertemuan Finlandia), GAM dan Pemerintah Republik Indonesia (RI) dapat bertemu dan duduk bersama di satu meja untuk mengikrarkan janji, membubuhkan tandatangan dalam (Memorandum of Understanding) MoU Helsinki atas kesepakatan perdamaian, penghentian perselisihan yang telah berlangsung selama hampir tiga puluh tahun lebih. Yang memfasilitasi perdamaian adalah Crisist Management Initiative (CMI), lembaga yang dipimpin oleh mantan Presiden Finlandia Marti Ahtisaari yang memediasi pertemuan perundingan tersebut. Tercapainya kesepakatan perdamaian Aceh merupakan perjalanan panjang dari kedua belah pihak dalam proses negosiasi politik yang alot. Lobi-lobi politik dalam proses perundingan, ditempuh Pemerintah RI melalui pendekatan kemanusiaan dengan mempertimbangkan penderitaan rakyat Aceh harus dihentikan, rusaknya tatanan perekonomian harus disudahi, hancurnya sarana dan prasarana umum serta hilangnya puluhan ribu nyawa masyarakat sipil yang tidak berdosa menjadi telaah para perunding untuk mengakhiri konflik konflik rakyat Indonesia di penghujung barat.Makalah ini membahas tentang kajian – kajian sosial dan politik masyarakat Aceh sebagai suatu pertimbangan pemikiran untuk memajukan dan kesejahteraan masyarakat serta membangun kembali peradaban, tata kehidupan dan strutkur sosial yang telah terbangun semenjak dahulu. Pasca perjanjian damai antara Pemerintah Republik Indonesia (RI) dan Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (GAM) di Helsinki, Finlandia, 15 Agustus 2005, bertempat di Smolna the Government Bunked Hall (Balai Pertemuan Finlandia), GAM dan Pemerintah Republik Indonesia (RI) dapat bertemu dan duduk bersama di satu meja untuk mengikrarkan janji, membubuhkan tandatangan dalam (Memorandum of Understanding) MoU Helsinki atas kesepakatan perdamaian, penghentian perselisihan yang telah berlangsung selama hampir tiga puluh tahun lebih. Yang memfasilitasi perdamaian adalah Crisist Management Initiative (CMI), lembaga yang dipimpin oleh mantan Presiden Finlandia Marti Ahtisaari yang memediasi pertemuan perundingan tersebut. Tercapainya kesepakatan perdamaian Aceh merupakan perjalanan panjang dari kedua belah pihak dalam proses negosiasi politik yang alot. Lobi-lobi politik dalam proses perundingan, ditempuh Pemerintah RI melalui pendekatan kemanusiaan dengan mempertimbangkan penderitaan rakyat Aceh harus dihentikan, rusaknya tatanan perekonomian harus disudahi, hancurnya sarana dan prasarana umum serta hilangnya puluhan ribu nyawa masyarakat sipil yang tidak berdosa menjadi telaah para perunding untuk mengakhiri konflik konflik rakyat Indonesia di penghujung barat

Prototype Catfish Seed Calculator Using Arduino Uno in Cloudy Water

Since Indonesia is an archipelagic nation, the economic sector of fisheries, particularly catfish farming, is one that has a lot of potential. However, a lot of catfish breeders still count their fish seeds by hand, which is time-consuming, particularly in hazy water conditions. Therefore, an automatic catfish seed counter is required in order to make calculations simpler, quicker, and more precise even under hazy water situations. In order to address these objectives, the prototype of a catfish seed counting device in murky water is shown in this study. This tool's prototype was created and constructed utilizing an Arduino Uno as the processor, two different types of sensors as inputs, and an LCD and buzzer as outputs. The FC-51 proximity sensor is used to count the quantity of fish seeds, while the turbidity module sensor measures the amount of turbidity in the water. With a total sample size of 50 fish fry, the test was run under three conditions for the turbidity level of the water samples: 6.21 NTU, 11.10 NTUs, and 16.38 NTU. According to the test results, the catfish seed counter in murky water performed admirably and was fairly accurate. An average error value of 3.2% is achieved with a water turbidity value of 6.21 NTU. An average error value of 6.8% was discovered at the turbidity value of 11.10 NTU. Finally, an average error value of 18.8% was discovered at a water turbidity value of 16.38 NTU. In order for this catfish seed counter to be effective, water turbidity values below 13 NTU with a minor error of 10% are preferred, particularly water turbidity values below 8 NTU with a little error of 5%

Ifza Mechtech: Ifza Fold / Muhammad Zikry Aizat Moharam ...[et al.]

Folding clothes is one of the basic duties that we should have done almost every day. By folding clothes, we can train ourselves to be more discipline. It is because folding clothes take times to finish. For the person that really prioritize tidiness, this process can really help them as it can prevent the clothes from wrinkle. Folding clothes also can help to minimize the usage of space whether in a shop lot or in a house

An organized 3D in vitro model for peripheral nerve studies

Three-dimensional cell cultures have been proposed to address the limitations in two-dimensional cell cultures (i.e. lack of relevant architectural features) and very few have developed 3D cell culture methods for peripheral nerve studies. Therefore, the present study reports on the development of a 3D in vitro peripheral nerve model using aligned electrospun polycaprolactone fibre scaffolds manufactured under tightly controlled and reproducible conditions with uniform diameters of 1 μm, 5 μm and 8 μm. Fibres were characterized by SEM for diameter, density and alignment properties and formed in to scaffolds for 3D in vitro culture. Three different approaches were adopted using: i) neuronal or primary Schwann cell cultures alone; ii) neuronal and primary Schwann cells in co-culture and iii) isolated dorsal root ganglion cultures, containing both neuronal and Schwann cells, with immunohistochemical and 3D confocal microscopy analysis. Neurite guidance was evident on all fibres diameters with the longest neurites detected on 8 μm fibres when cultured alone. However, co-culture with primary Schwann cells was found to enable neurite formation on all scaffolds. Dorsal root ganglion explants when grown on scaffolds showed both organised aligned neurite guidance and notably the co-localization of Schwann cells with neurites. Neurite lengths of up to 2.50 mm were routinely observed using 1 μm diameter fibres after 10 days and all cultures demonstrated a migrating Schwann cell „front‟ of up to 2.70 mm (1 μm diameter fibres). Thus, a direct relationship was found between fibre diameter, neurite outgrowth and Schwann cell behaviour. Myelin formation was also studied in neuronal/Schwann cell co-cultures either as neuronal cells plus primary Schwann cells or as DRG explants, although no myelin expression was detected. This work therefore supports the use of aligned electrospun PCL microfibres for the development of 3D peripheral nerve models in vitro, with future value in a number of areas including developmental biology, disease studies and the design of devices and scaffolds for peripheral nerve repair

University rankings: A review of methodological flaws

University rankings have gradually become an issue for concern in the academic community worldwide. Several mechanisms with different methodologies have been developed to rank the universities appropriately. However, some ranking tools have notable issues, especially with the indicators adopted. Some are based merely on research performance, whilst others have focused solely on specific fields, such as science and technology - which could have deprived those in the arts and social sciences. This paper uses a narrative review to highlight a number of inconsistencies in the methodologies applied to rank universities. Five main ranking tools commonly applied to the world's universities are reviewed, namely Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Times Higher Education (THE), Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), Leiden University ranking and Webometrics ranking. We found that several flaws in the rankings caused inconsistencies in university placings in different rankings. Suggestions for integrating multiple criteria and indicators for better ranking exercises are proposed

Synthesis and Characterization of Cellulose Acetate from TCF Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Pulp

Cellulose acetate (CA) was successfully synthesized by the acetylation of TCF cellulose pulp from oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) at room temperature, using acetic anhydride as the acetylating agent and acetic acid as the solvent in the presence of sulfuric acid/sodium bisulfate as catalysts. Degree of substitution (DS) was controlled by the variables of acetylation time and acetic anhydride to cellulose ratio, under the heterogeneous state. The product (CA) obtained was characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that the CA obtained has characteristics similar to commercial CA, and DS is significantly dependent on acetylation time and the acetic anhydride-to-cellulose ratio

Cardamonin (2′,4′-dihydroxy-6′-methoxychalcone) Isolated from Boesenbergia Rotunda (L.) Mansf. Inhibits CFA-induced Rheumatoid Arthritis in Rats

Boesenbergia rotunda (L.) Mansf. had been traditionally used as herbs to treat pain and rheumatism. Cardamonin (2′,4′-dihydroxy-6′-methoxychalcone) is a compound isolated from Boesenbergia rotunda (L.) Mansf.. Previous study had shown the potential of cardamonin in inhibiting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in vitro. Thus, the possible therapeutic effect of cardamonin in the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) joints is postulated. This study was performed to investigate the anti-arthritic properties of cardamonin in rat model of induced RA, particularly on the inflammatory and pain response of RA. Rheumatoid arthritis paw inflammation was induced by intraplantar (i.pl.) injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in Sprague Dawley rats. Using four doses of cardamonin (0.625, 1.25, 2.5, and 5.0 mg/kg), anti-arthritic activity was evaluated through the paw edema, mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia responses. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was carried out to evaluate the plasma level of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Histological slides were prepared from the harvested rat paws to observe the arthritic changes in the joints. Behavioral, biochemical, and histological studies showed that cardamonin demonstrated significant inhibition on RA-induced inflammatory and pain responses as well as progression of joint destruction in rats. ELISA results showed that there was significant inhibition in TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 levels in plasma of the cardamonin-treated RA rats. Overall, cardamonin possesses potential anti-arthritic properties in CFA-induced RA rat model

Micro-RNA Regulation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Its Significance in Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is among the leading causes of death worldwide. Micro-RNAs (miRNAs), regulatory molecules that repress protein expression, have attracted considerable attention in CVD research. The vasculature plays a big role in CVD development and progression and dysregulation of vascular cells underlies the root of many vascular diseases. This review provides a brief introduction of the biogenesis of miRNAs and exosomes, followed by overview of the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) intracellular signaling during phenotypic switching, senescence, calcification and neointimal hyperplasia. Evidence of extracellular signaling of VSMCs and other cells via exosomal and circulating miRNAs was also presented. Lastly, current drawbacks and limitations of miRNA studies in CVD research and potential ways to overcome these disadvantages were discussed in detail. In-depth understanding of VSMC regulation via miRNAs will add substantial knowledge and advance research in diagnosis, disease progression and/or miRNA-derived therapeutic approaches in CVD research.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

An automated approach for fibroblast cell confluency characterisation and sample handling using AIoT for bio-research and bio-manufacturing

AbstractCurrent methods used in cell culture monitoring, characterisation and handling are manual, time consuming and highly dependent on subjective observations made by human operators, resulting in inconsistent outcomes. This project focuses on developing an automated system for cell growth analysis, utilising Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) for use in bio-manufacturing and bio-research. The proposed AIoT system applies a U-Net convolutional neural network (CNN) model for fibroblast cell segmentation to monitor confluency and incorporates a mechanical robotic arm for automated sample handling. Intel Movidius Neural Compute Stick 2 (NCS2) and OpenVINO Toolkit were used to allow for standalone deployment on an UP2 Squared and a Raspberry Pi board that is integrated with a digital microscope system. The robotic arm was programmed to pick, place and sort the cell samples within the working environment. The results obtained from the CNN model development achieved an accuracy of 95% and an intersection over Union (IoU) of 66%. The OpenVINO Toolkit successfully optimised power-consumption and accelerated the segmentation on a 2K image to be completed in less than 13 seconds. The AIoT cell detection and characterisation system is able to automatically analyse the cell culture while reducing manual sample handling by laboratory personnel. Eventually, it is hoped that this AIoT automated cell detection and characterisation system will have a positive impact and contribute towards the implementation of the Industrial Revolution IR4.0 in bio-based research and industries

Deploying Patch-Based Segmentation Pipeline for Fibroblast Cell Images at Varying Magnifications

Cell culture monitoring necessitates thorough attention for the continuous characterization of cultivated cells. Machine learning has recently emerged to engage in a process, such as a microscopy segmentation task; however, the trained data may not be comprehensive for other datasets. Most algorithms do not encompass a wide range of data attributes and require distinct system workflows. Thus, the main objective of the research is to propose a segmentation pipeline specifically for fibroblast cell images on phase contrast microscopy at different magnifications and to achieve reliable predictions during deployment. The research employs patch-based segmentation for predictions, with U-Net as the baseline architecture. The proposed segmentation pipeline demonstrated significant performance for the UNet-based network, achieving an IoU score above 0.7 for multiple magnifications, and provided predictions for cell confluency value with less than 3% error. The study also found that the proposed model could segment the fibroblast cells in under 10 seconds with the help of OpenVINO and Intel Compute Stick 2 on Raspberry Pi, with its optimal precision limited to approximately 80% cell confluency which is sufficient for real-world deployment as the cell culture is typically ready for passaging at the threshold