4,484 research outputs found

    Efektifitas Implementasi Smm Iso 9001:2008 Pada Smk Negeri Di Kota Singaraja

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    Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memberikan gambaran tentang : 1) efektivitas penerapan Sistem Manajemen Mutu (SMM) ISO 9001:2008 pada SMK Negeri di kota Singaraja dilihat dari konteks, masukan, proses, dan hasil penerapan; 2) kendala-kendala yang dihadapai dalam melaksanakan SMM ISO 9001:2008 pada SMK Negeri dikota Singaraja serta alternatif pemecahannya. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan pada SMK Negeri dikota Singaraja pada tahun pelajaran 2013/2014, dengan menggunakan model evaluasi CIPP dari Stufflebeam yang melibatkan 354 responden. Variabel konteks yang terdiri dari sub variabel SMM sekolah dan keterlibatan komite sekolah. Variabel masukan terdiri dari sub variabel manajemen sekolah dan keterlibatan dunia USAha/dunia industri (DU/DI). Variabel proses yang terdiri dari sub variabel pemeliharaan dan pengadaan sarana pendidikan, kegiatan belajar mengajar oleh guru, dan kegiatan belajar mengajar siswa. Variabel produk dengan sub variabel nilai ujian tahun pemelajaran 2013/2014 (UN, US dan UK). Metode kuesioner digunakan untuk menjaring data SMM sekolah, manajemen sekolah dengan responden semua staff manajemen, keterlibatan dunia USAha/dunia industri (DU/DI), dan proses pembelajaran siswa. Metode wawancara untuk menjaring data keterlibatan komite sekolah. Metode observasi untuk menjaring data kegiatan belajar mengajar oleh guru. Metode studi dokumen untuk menjaring data SMM sekolah, pengadaan dan pemeliharaan sarana pendidikan, dan nilai ujian. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa : 1) efektif dilihat dari variabel konteks dengan frekuensi kategori positif 54.286% untuk SMM dan frekuensi kategori positif 75% untuk keterlibatan komite; 2) efektif dilihat dari variabel masukan dengan frekuensi kategori positif 57.6271% untuk manajmen sekolah dan frekuensi kategori positif 52.041% untuk keterlibatan DU/DI; 3) kurang efektif dilihat dari variabel proses dengan frekuensi kategori negatif 63.1578% untuk pemeliharaan dan pengadaan saran pendidikan, dan frekuensi kategori positif 57.4713% untuk kegiatan belajar mengajar oleh guru, dan frekuensi kategori positif 52.308% untuk kegiatan belajar mengajar siswa; 4) efektif dilihat dari variabel produk dengan frekuensi kategori positif 52.055.00% untuk nilai ujian. Bertolak dari hasil penelitian tersebut dapat direkomendasikan: 1) meningkatkan koordinasi setiap kebijakan baru; 2) penerapan SMM perlu disosialisasikan secara terus menerus pada setiap kesempatan; 3) meningkatkan komitmen warga sekolah untuk menerapakan SMM; 4) meningkatkan koordinasi dengan industri menuju Manajemen Partisipatif; 5) memberikan tugas dan tanggungjawab yang jelas kepada kepala program

    Absolute quantitation of DNA methylation of 28 candidate genes in prostate cancer using pyrosequencing

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    This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Aberrant DNA methylation plays a pivotal role in carcinogenesis and its mapping is likely to provide biomarkers for improved diagnostic and risk assessment in prostate cancer (PCa). We quantified and compared absolute methylation levels among 28 candidate genes in 48 PCa and 29 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) samples using the pyrosequencing (PSQ) method to identify genes with diagnostic and prognostic potential. RARB, HIN1, BCL2, GSTP1, CCND2, EGFR5, APC, RASSF1A, MDR1, NKX2-5, CDH13, DPYS, PTGS2, EDNRB, MAL, PDLIM4, HLAa, ESR1 and TIG1 were highly methylated in PCa compared to BPH (p < 0.001), while SERPINB5, CDH1, TWIST1, DAPK1, THRB, MCAM, SLIT2, CDKN2a and SFN were not. RARB methylation above 21% completely distinguished PCa from BPH. Separation based on methylation level of SFN, SLIT2 and SERPINB5 distinguished low and high Gleason score cancers, e.g. SFN and SERPINB5 together correctly classified 81% and 77% of high and low Gleason score cancers respectively. Several genes including CDH1 previously reported as methylation markers in PCa were not confirmed in our study. Increasing age was positively associated with gene methylation (p < 0.0001). Accurate quantitative measurement of gene methylation in PCa appears promising and further validation of genes like RARB, HIN1, BCL2, APC and GSTP1 is warranted for diagnostic potential and SFN, SLIT2 and SERPINB5 for prognostic potential

    Permeabilised skeletal muscle reveals mitochondrial deficiency in malignant hyperthermia-susceptible individuals

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    Background: Individuals genetically susceptible to malignant hyperthermia (MH) exhibit hypermetabolic reactions when exposed to volatile anaesthetics. Mitochondrial dysfunction has previously been associated with the MH-susceptible (MHS) phenotype in animal models, but evidence of this in human MH is limited. Methods: We used high resolution respirometry to compare oxygen consumption rates (oxygen flux) between permeabilised human MHS and MH-negative (MHN) skeletal muscle fibres with or without prior exposure to halothane. A substrate-uncoupler-inhibitor titration protocol was used to measure the following components of the electron transport chain under conditions of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) or after uncoupling the electron transport system (ETS): complex I (CI), complex II (CII), CI+CII and, as a measure of mitochondrial mass, complex IV (CIV). Results: Baseline comparisons without halothane exposure showed significantly increased mitochondrial mass (CIV, P=0.021) but lower flux control ratios in CI+CII(OXPHOS) and CII(ETS) of MHS mitochondria compared with MHN (P=0.033 and 0.005, respectively) showing that human MHS mitochondria have a functional deficiency. Exposure to halothane triggered a hypermetabolic response in MHS mitochondria, significantly increasing mass-specific oxygen flux in CI(OXPHOS), CI+CII(OXPHOS), CI+CII(ETS), and CII(ETS) (P=0.001–0.012), while the rates in MHN samples were unaltered by halothane exposure. Conclusions: We present evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in human MHS skeletal muscle both at baseline and after halothane exposure

    Discordant bioinformatic predictions of antimicrobial resistance from whole-genome sequencing data of bacterial isolates: an inter-laboratory study.

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    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a threat to public health. Clinical microbiology laboratories typically rely on culturing bacteria for antimicrobial-susceptibility testing (AST). As the implementation costs and technical barriers fall, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has emerged as a 'one-stop' test for epidemiological and predictive AST results. Few published comparisons exist for the myriad analytical pipelines used for predicting AMR. To address this, we performed an inter-laboratory study providing sets of participating researchers with identical short-read WGS data from clinical isolates, allowing us to assess the reproducibility of the bioinformatic prediction of AMR between participants, and identify problem cases and factors that lead to discordant results. We produced ten WGS datasets of varying quality from cultured carbapenem-resistant organisms obtained from clinical samples sequenced on either an Illumina NextSeq or HiSeq instrument. Nine participating teams ('participants') were provided these sequence data without any other contextual information. Each participant used their choice of pipeline to determine the species, the presence of resistance-associated genes, and to predict susceptibility or resistance to amikacin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime. We found participants predicted different numbers of AMR-associated genes and different gene variants from the same clinical samples. The quality of the sequence data, choice of bioinformatic pipeline and interpretation of the results all contributed to discordance between participants. Although much of the inaccurate gene variant annotation did not affect genotypic resistance predictions, we observed low specificity when compared to phenotypic AST results, but this improved in samples with higher read depths. Had the results been used to predict AST and guide treatment, a different antibiotic would have been recommended for each isolate by at least one participant. These challenges, at the final analytical stage of using WGS to predict AMR, suggest the need for refinements when using this technology in clinical settings. Comprehensive public resistance sequence databases, full recommendations on sequence data quality and standardization in the comparisons between genotype and resistance phenotypes will all play a fundamental role in the successful implementation of AST prediction using WGS in clinical microbiology laboratories

    Oxidative stress, lysosomal damage and dysfunctional autophagy in molluscan hepatopancreas (digestive gland) induced by chemical contaminants

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    Autophagy is a highly conserved evolutionary survival or defence process that enables cells and organisms to survive periods of environmental stress by breaking down cellular organelles and macromolecules in autolysosomes to provide a supply of nutrients for cell maintenance. However, autophagy is also a part of normal cellular physiology that facilitates the turnover of cellular constituents under normal conditions: it can be readily augmented by mild environmental stress; but becomes dysfunctional with severe oxidative stress leading to cellular pathology. The molluscan hepatopancreas or digestive gland provides a versatile and environmentally relevant model to investigate lysosomal autophagy and stress-induced dysfunctional autophagy. This latter process has been implicated in many animal and human disease conditions, including degenerative and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as obesity related conditions. Many environmental pollutants have also been found to induce dysfunctional autophagy in molluscan hepatopancreatic digestive cells, and in this study, the marine blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis was exposed for 7 days to: 0.1 μM, 1 μM and 10 μM concentrations of fluoranthene and phenanthrene (PAHs); chlorpyrifos and malathion (organophosphorus compounds); atrazine (triazine herbicide); copper (transition metal) and dodecylbenzene sulphonic acid (LAS, surfactant). The marine snail or periwinkle, Littorina littorea, was also exposed to phenanthrene, chlorpyrifos and copper. Indices of oxidative stress, cell injury and dysfunctional autophagy were measured (i.e., lysosomal membrane stability, protein carbonyls, lipofuscin, and lysosomal accumulation of lipid or lipidosis). Evidence of oxidative stress, based on the elevation of lipofuscin and protein carbonyls, was found for all compounds tested; with chlorpyrifos being the most toxic to both species. Dysfunctional autophagy was induced by all of the compounds tested in both species, except for atrazine in mussels. This failure of normal autophagy was consistently associated with oxidative stress. Autophagic dysfunction is an important emerging feature in the aetiology of many disease conditions in animals and humans; and an explanatory conceptual mechanistic model has been developed for dysregulation of autophagy in response to oxidative stress

    Oscillating epidemics in a dynamic network model: stochastic and mean-field analysis

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    An adaptive network model using SIS epidemic propagation with link-type-dependent link activation and deletion is considered. Bifurcation analysis of the pairwise ODE approximation and the network-based stochastic simulation is carried out, showing that three typical behaviours may occur; namely, oscillations can be observed besides disease-free or endemic steady states. The oscillatory behaviour in the stochastic simulations is studied using Fourier analysis, as well as through analysing the exact master equations of the stochastic model. By going beyond simply comparing simulation results to mean-field models, our approach yields deeper insights into the observed phenomena and help better understand and map out the limitations of mean-field models

    Perceptions and Determinants of Eating for Health and Performance in High-Level Male Adolescent Rugby Union Players

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    Sports nutrition recommendations provide guidance on dietary strategies to optimise sports performance. However, research indicates that young athletes often find it difficult to follow these guidelines in practice. Limited research exists on the determinants that influence adherence to sports nutrition guidelines. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and determinants of eating for health and performance in high-level male adolescent rugby union players. Determinants were explored using semi-structured individual interviews in New Zealand high-level male rugby union players (n = 20, 16⁻18 years). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and then underwent thematic analysis. Perceptions of eating for health and performance included balance and variety, appropriate portions, and specific foods. Both adolescent- and sport-specific determinants influenced the food choices of participants. Determinants relevant to adolescent lifestyles included the influence of significant others such as peers and family but also included the taste, cost, convenience, and availability of food. Sports-specific determinants revolved around the desire to enhance sports performance, motivation to perform, and team culture. The media (mainstream and social media), physical appearance, and feeling good were identified as both adolescent- and sport-specific factors influencing food choice. These findings highlight the importance of having support and positive role modelling to help young athletes make optimal food choices for health and performance. Strategies to further enable healthy eating practices should aim to strengthen the support available to young athletes in the home, school, and sporting environments and should include education on appropriate social media use to inform eating for health and performance

    Influence of a knot on the strength of a polymer strand

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    Many experiments have been done to determine the relative strength of different knots, and these show that the break in a knotted rope almost invariably occurs at a point just outside the `entrance' to the knot. The influence of knots on the properties of polymers has become of great interest, in part because of their effect on mechanical properties. Knot theory applied to the topology of macromolecules indicates that the simple trefoil or `overhand' knot is likely to be present with high probability in any long polymer strand. Fragments of DNA have been observed to contain such knots in experiments and computer simulations. Here we use {\it ab initio} computational methods to investigate the effect of a trefoil knot on the breaking strength of a polymer strand. We find that the knot weakens the strand significantly, and that, like a knotted rope, it breaks under tension at the entrance to the knot.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure

    The pharmaceutical use of permethrin: Sources and behavior during municipal sewage treatment

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    This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final published article is available from the link below. Copyright @ 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.Permethrin entered use in the 1970s as an insecticide in a wide range of applications, including agriculture, horticultural, and forestry, and has since been restricted. In the 21st century, the presence of permethrin in the aquatic environment has been attributed to its use as a human and veterinary pharmaceutical, in particular as a pedeculicide, in addition to other uses, such as a moth-proofing agent. However, as a consequence of its toxicity to fish, sources of permethrin and its fate and behavior during wastewater treatment are topics of concern. This study has established that high overall removal of permethrin (approximately 90%) was achieved during wastewater treatment and that this was strongly dependent on the extent of biological degradation in secondary treatment, with more limited subsequent removal in tertiary treatment processes. Sources of permethrin in the catchment matched well with measured values in crude sewage and indicated that domestic use accounted for more than half of the load to the treatment works. However, removal may not be consistent enough to achieve the environmental quality standards now being derived in many countries even where tertiary treatment processes are applied.United Utilities PL
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