VISJET-a computer ocean outfall modelling system

Sewage and industrial effluents from coastal cities are often discharged into the adjacent sea after some land-based treatment. In modern design, the wastewater is often discharged in buoyant jet groups from risers mounted on a submarine outfall on the seabed to achieve rapid mixing of effluents with tidal flow. A mathematical model for buoyant jets in currents based on the Lagrangian models, called JETLAG, was developed. The paper presents a system called VISJET, for visualizing the ocean sewage discharge system based on the JETLAG model. We discuss the features of VISJET system and show how computer visualization can be used to help with the design of an ocean sewage discharge system.published_or_final_versio

Pengaruh penggunaan software algebrator terhadap hasil belajar siswa materi pokok sistem persamaan linear dua variabel di kelas VIII SMP NEGERI 2 Padangsidimpuan

Penelitian ini dilatar belakangi oleh kurangnya penggunaan media pada saat pembelajaran. Pemakaian media pembelajaran dapat menimbulkan hasil dan pencapaian yang bagus untuk peserta didik, dengan penggunaan media terhadap pembelajaran akan mempengaruhui psikologi terhadap peserta didik. Dengan penggunaan media tersebut guru bisa menarik perhatian para peserta didik sehingga pembelajaran semakin terarah. Salah satu media yang bisa digunakan adalah media pembelajaran Software Algebrator. Aplikasi dari teknologi ini merupakan salah satu bentuk dari media pembelajaran berbasis Ilmu Teknologi (IT) yang berguna sebagai salah satu solusi untuk meningkatkan keaktifan, kreativitas dan hasil belajar siswa diantaranya media tersebut termasuk salah satunya adalah Software Algebrator, rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini adalah apakah ada pengaruh penggunaan media pembelajaan Software Algebrator terhadap hasil belajar siwa materi pokok sistem persamaan linear dua variabel di kelas VIII SMP Negeri 2 Padangsidimpuan? Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kuantitatif eksperimen. Populasi dalam penelitian ini yaitu siswa kelas VIII di SMP Negeri 2 Padangsidimpuan yang berjumlah 346. Sampel dalam penelitian ini diambil dengan teknik Purposif Sampling yaitu teknik penentuan sampel dengan pertimbangan tertentu. Sampel di kelompok eksperimen yaitu kelas VIII4 sebanyak 32 siswa dan kelompok kontrol VIII5 sebanyak 32 siswa. Kelompok eksperimen diberikan dengan menggunakan media pembelajaran Software Algebrator sedangkan kelompok kontrol menggunakan model pembelajaran konvensional. Data hasil belajar siswa diambil dengan menggunakan pretest dan posttest dengan tes yang berbentuk essay. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian memiliki data pengujian hipotesis hasil belajar maka hipotesis penelitian dapat diterima terlihat bahwa thitung = 2.896 ttabel = 1,697. Berdasarkan hasil nilai tersebut, maka dapat diambil kesimpulan terdapat pengaruh penggunaan Software Algebrator terhadap hasil belajar siswa pada materi sistem persamaan linear dua variabel di kelas VIII SMP Negeri 2 Padangsimpuan

Analisis Penerimaan Aplikasi Perpustakaan Digital Bagi Pemustaka Di Perpustakaan Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU)

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis penerimaan aplikasi Perpustakaan digital UMSU bagi pemustaka di Perpustakaan UMSU dengan menggunakan pendekatan Technology Acceptanced Model(TAM) yaitu Persepsi Kegunaan (Perceived Usefulness), Persepsi Kemudahan (Perceived Ease of Use), Sikap Terhadap penggunaan (Attitude toward Behavior, Niat Perilaku untuk menggunakan ( Behavioral Intent to Use), dan Penggunaan sistem secara aktual (Actual System Use). Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif deskriptif, alasan peneliti menggunakan penelitian kualitatif deskriptif karena ingin mengetahui pemahaman yang lebih mendalam mengenai penerimaan aplikasi Perpustakaan Digital UMSU untuk pemustaka dalam memanfaatkan aplikasi Perpustakaan Digital UMSU. Pada proses pengumpulan data, peneliti menggunakan tiga teknik pengumpulan data yaitu observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi. Pemilihan informan yang digunakan adalah purposive sampling dengan memilih partisipan yang spesifik untuk menjawab pertanyaan penelitian. Setelah melakukan pengumpulan data, peneliti akan melakukan analisi data menggunakan pendekatan analisis interaktif yang diajukan oleh Milles & Huberman yaitu reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penerimaan aplikasi perpustakaan digital UMSU adalah pemustaka merasa bahwa aplikasi ini memudahkan akses terhadap sumber-sumber informasi yang mereka butuhkan dan meningkatkan efisiensi dalam proses pencarian informasi. Selain itu, mereka juga menganggap aplikasi ini sangat berguna dalam mendukung kegiatan akademik mereka. Namun, beberapa kendala teknis dan kebutuhan akan pelatihan lebih lanjut juga diidentifikasi sebagai faktor yang mempengaruhi tingkat penerimaan. Secara keseluruhan, penerimaan aplikasi perpustakaan digital di kalangan pemustaka di UMSU cukup positif, dengan rekomendasi untuk peningkatan fitur dan dukungan teknis untuk lebih mengoptimalkan penggunaannya

The prognostic significance of a negative PSMA-PET scan prior to salvage radiotherapy following radical prostatectomy

Aim: The optimal management for early recurrent prostate cancer following radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with negative prostate-specific membrane antigen positron-emission tomography (PSMA-PET) scan is an ongoing subject of debate. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of salvage radiotherapy (SRT) in patients with biochemical recurrence with negative PSMA PET finding. Methods: This retrospective, multicenter (11 centers, 5 countries) analysis included patients who underwent SRT following biochemical recurrence (BR) of PC after RP without evidence of disease on PSMA-PET staging. Biochemical recurrence-free survival (bRFS), metastatic-free survival (MFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed using Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression assessed predefined predictors of survival outcomes. Results: Three hundred patients were included, 253 (84.3%) received SRT to the prostate bed only, 46 (15.3%) additional elective pelvic nodal irradiation, respectively. Only 41 patients (13.7%) received concomitant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Median follow-up after SRT was 33 months (IQR: 20-46 months). Three-year bRFS, MFS, and OS following SRT were 73.9%, 87.8%, and 99.1%, respectively. Three-year bRFS was 77.5% and 48.3% for patients with PSA levels before PSMA-PET ≤ 0.5 ng/ml and > 0.5 ng/ml, respectively. Using univariate analysis, the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade > 2 (p = 0.006), metastatic pelvic lymph nodes at surgery (p = 0.032), seminal vesicle involvement (p < 0.001), pre-SRT PSA level of > 0.5 ng/ml (p = 0.004), and lack of concomitant ADT (p = 0.023) were significantly associated with worse bRFS. On multivariate Cox proportional hazards, seminal vesicle infiltration (p = 0.007), ISUP score >2 (p = 0.048), and pre SRT PSA level > 0.5 ng/ml (p = 0.013) remained significantly associated with worse bRFS. Conclusion: Favorable bRFS after SRT in patients with BR and negative PSMA-PET following RP was achieved. These data support the usage of early SRT for patients with negative PSMA-PET findings

Effect of U(VI) aqueous speciation on the binding of uranium by the cell surface of Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, a natural yeast isolate from bentonites

This study presents the effect of aqueous uranium speciation (U-hydroxides and U-hydroxo-carbonates) on the interaction of this radionuclide with the cells of the yeast Rhodotorula mucigilanosa BII-R8. This strain was isolated from Spanish bentonites considered as reference materials for the engineered barrier components of the future deep geological repository of radioactive waste. X-ray absorption and infrared spectroscopy showed that the aqueous uranium speciation has no effect on the uranium binding process by this yeast strain. The cells bind mobile uranium species (U-hydroxides and U-hydroxo-carbonates) from solution via a time-dependent process initiated by the adsorption of uranium species to carboxyl groups. This leads to the subsequent involvement of organic phosphate groups forming uranium complexes with a local coordination similar to that of the uranyl mineral phase meta-autunite. Scanning transmission electron microscopy with high angle annular dark field analysis showed uranium accumulations at the cell surface associated with phosphorus containing ligands. Moreover, the effect of uranium mobile species on the cell viability and metabolic activity was examined by means of flow cytometry techniques, revealing that the cell metabolism is more affected by higher concentrations of uranium than the cell viability. The results obtained in this work provide new insights on the interaction of uranium with bentonite natural yeast from genus Rhodotorula under deep geological repository relevant conditions

Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis

Due to the well-defined role of β-alanine as a substrate of carnosine (a major contributor to H+ buffering during high-intensity exercise), β-alanine is fast becoming a popular ergogenic aid to sports performance. There have been several recent qualitative review articles published on the topic, and here we present a preliminary quantitative review of the literature through a meta-analysis. A comprehensive search of the literature was employed to identify all studies suitable for inclusion in the analysis; strict exclusion criteria were also applied. Fifteen published manuscripts were included in the analysis, which reported the results of 57 measures within 23 exercise tests, using 18 supplementation regimes and a total of 360 participants [174, β-alanine supplementation group (BA) and 186, placebo supplementation group (Pla)]. BA improved (P = 0.002) the outcome of exercise measures to a greater extent than Pla [median effect size (IQR): BA 0.374 (0.140–0.747), Pla 0.108 (−0.019 to 0.487)]. Some of that effect might be explained by the improvement (P = 0.013) in exercise capacity with BA compared to Pla; no improvement was seen for exercise performance (P = 0.204). In line with the purported mechanisms for an ergogenic effect of β-alanine supplementation, exercise lasting 60–240 s was improved (P = 0.001) in BA compared to Pla, as was exercise of >240 s (P = 0.046). In contrast, there was no benefit of β-alanine on exercise lasting <60 s (P = 0.312). The median effect of β-alanine supplementation is a 2.85% (−0.37 to 10.49%) improvement in the outcome of an exercise measure, when a median total of 179 g of β-alanine is supplemented

PLURIMATICS: THE PLURIMAT-BASED BIOINFORMATICS (Part 1 of 5)

Опыт реставрации и реконструкции «Плюримата» для медико-биофизических приложений