The SFA-LSSVM as a Decision Support System for Mitigating Liquefaction Disasters

Advanced data mining techniques are potential tools for solving civil engineering problems. This study proposes a novel classification system that integrates smart firefly algorithm (SFA) with least squares support vector machine (LSSVM). SFA is an optimization algorithm which combines firefly algorithm (FA) with smart components, namely chaotic logistic map, chaotic gauss/mouse map, adaptive inertia weight and Lévy flight to enhance optimization solutions. The least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) was adopted in this study for its superior performance of solving real-world problems. Based on the provided engineering data, the analytical results confirm that the SFA-LSSVM has 95.18% prediction accurac

Prediction of conformational changes by single mutation in the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) identified in HBsAg-negative blood donors

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Selection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) by host immunity has been suggested to give rise to variants with amino acid substitutions at or around the <it>'a' </it>determinant of the surface antigen (HBsAg), the main target of antibody neutralization and diagnostic assays. However, there have never been successful attempts to provide evidence for this hypothesis, partly because the 3 D structure of HBsAg molecules has not been determined. Tertiary structure prediction of HBsAg solely from its primary amino acid sequence may reveal the molecular energetic of the mutated proteins. We carried out this preliminary study to analyze the predicted HBsAg conformation changes of HBV variants isolated from Indonesian blood donors undetectable by HBsAg assays and its significance, compared to other previously-reported variants that were associated with diagnostic failure.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Three HBV variants (T123A, M133L and T143M) and a wild type sequence were analyzed together with frequently emerged variants T123N, M133I, M133T, M133V, and T143L. Based on the Jameson-Wolf algorithm for calculating antigenic index, the first two amino acid substitutions resulted in slight changes in the antigenicity of the <it>'a' </it>determinant, while all four of the comparative variants showed relatively more significant changes. In the pattern T143M, changes in antigenic index were more significant, both in its coverage and magnitude, even when compared to variant T143L. These data were also partially supported by the tertiary structure prediction, in which the pattern T143M showed larger shift in the HBsAg second loop structure compared to the others.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Single amino acid substitutions within or near the <it>'a' </it>determinant of HBsAg may alter antigenicity properties of variant HBsAg, which can be shown by both its antigenic index and predicted 3 D conformation. Findings in this study emphasize the significance of variant T143M, the prevalent isolate with highest degree of antigenicity changes found in Indonesian blood donors. This highlights the importance of evaluating the effects of protein structure alterations on the sensitivity of screening methods being used in detection of ongoing HBV infection, as well as the use of vaccines and immunoglobulin therapy in contributing to the selection of HBV variants.</p

Reverse-Transcriptase Characteristics of Hepatitis B Virus Polymerase Gene in Treatment-Naïve Asymptomatic Chronic Hepatitis B Individuals

Nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUCs) remain the main treatment for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Long-term use of NUCs significantly reduces disease progression; however, it might lead to resistance-associated mutations. We studied characteristics of polymerase gene related to NUCs resistance in na&iuml;ve hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive individuals. The research was done at Laboratory of Hepatitis, Eijkman Institute, Jakarta Thirty eight samples were obtained and submitted for HBV DNA detection. Identification of mutations was performed by PCR-sequencing, and analyzed to obtain NUCs resistance motifs. Genotype and subtype were determined based on HBsAg sequence. Mutation of rtQ238H/N was found in 37 (97.4%) samples. Of those, 23 (62.2%) showed rtQ238H mutation, 10 (27.0%) had rtQ238N mutation, and four (10.8%) with double mutations of rtA194T and rtQ238H. Genotype B was found in 26 (68.4%), C in 11 (28.9%), and D in one (2.6%) samples. Statistically, the mutation variant of rtQ238H was associated with genotype B (p&lt;0.001), while rtQ238N with C (p&lt;0.001). The ayw subtype was found in 25 (65.8%), adr in 11 (28.9%), and adw in two (5.3%) samples. No mutation associated with NUCs resistance was found in most samples. This emphasizes that NUCs are still a prospective treatment in na&iuml;ve CHB patients.&nbsp; Mutation of rtQ238H was a variant found to be significantly associated with HBV genotype B and rtQ238N with genotype C

Analisa distribusi tekanan pengereman yang dibutuhkan pada kendaraan truk tronton (tandem axle)

Pada saat pengereman terjadi perlambatan. Karena adanya perlambatan maka timbul gaya inersia. Selain gaya inersia jika pengereman dilakukan pada jalan belok maka akan terjadi juga gaya sentrifugal. Kedua gaya ini menga-kibatkan terjadinya momen pitching dan momen rolling pada kenJaraan. Akibatnya kedua momen ini terjadi sudut pitch-ing dan sudut rolling atau dengan kata lain terjadi defleksi pada suspensi. Suspensi yang terdefleksi mempun-yai gaya reaksi yang besarnya tergantung pada besarnya defleksi dan kekakuan suspensi yang digunakan . Pada dasarnya perpindahan beban dinamis pada ken-daraan diakibatkan oleh adanya gaya inersia dan gaya sentrifugal yang terjadi saat pengereman. Dan dengan adanya perpindahan beban dinamis maka terjadi perubahan gaya normal pada semua roda. Dan gaya normal inilah yang digunakan untuk menganalisa besarnya tekanan pengereman yang dibutuhkan

Pengembangan budaya inovasi dalam perusahaan

Tidak semua perusahaan menjadikan inovasi sebagai budaya di perusahaannya dan banyak perusahaan yang tidak mengetahui cara mengembangkan budaya inovasi. Penelitian Tugas Akhir ini ditujukan untuk melihat sejauh mana perusahaan yang berada di wilayah Surabaya dan sekitarnya melakukan inovasi kemudian membangun suatu budaya yang memiliki dasar inovasi didalamnya. Metode pengumpulan data yang dilakukan adalah dengan melakukan wawancara kepada pihak perusahaan. Hasil wawancara dianalisis secara deskriptif dan dibandingkan dengan teori penunjang, guna melihat hubungan antara kondisi budaya organisasi perusahaan yang saat ini dengan kondisi budaya inovasi yang ideal. Hasil yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahwa perusahaan yang ada saat ini melakukan kegiatan inovasi baik terhadap produk maupun proses perusahaan. Kegiatan inovasi perusahaan dipengaruhi oleh strategi bisnis perusahaan akan tetapi budaya organisasi tidak terpengaruh oleh strategi bisnis perusahaan melainkan memiliki hubungan dengan sistem kepemimpinan. Guna membangun budaya inovasi maka perlu menerapkan budaya organisasi gabungan dan merubah sistem kepemimpinan ke arah yang mendukung inovasi

Penerapan Matching Principles Atas Pengakuan Pendapatan Dan Beban Serta Pengaruhnya Terhadap Laporan Keuangan Pada PT. Asuransi Jiwa Central Asia Raya Di Surabaya

Dalam era globalisasi dan makin berkembangnya dunia usaha, badan usaha asuransi yang bergerak di bidang jasa mencoba untuk melaju mengiku­ ti perkembangan jaman yang ada. Sebagai badan usaha yang bergerak di bidang jasa maka badan mi perlu menunJukkan keberadaannya dalam dunia usaha dewasa ini, lebih-lebih badan usaha asuransi belum QOpuler di kalan­ gan masyarakat, sehingga dikhawatirkan adanya kurang informasi terhadap asuransi dan salah interpretasi terhadap asuransi itu sendiri. Hal ini dicapai dengan membuat laporan keuangan yang layak dan konsisten. Pendapatan usaha di dalam badan usaha asuransi berasal dari pener­ imaan premi yang langsung diakui dan dicatat pada saat realisasi pertang­ gungan sesua1 polis. Sedangkan beban yang terjadi, akan timbul apabila pemegang polis melakukan klaim sehingga menimbulkan beban klaim. Behan klaim ini ttmbul secara tak pasti, tergantung pada kondisi pemegang polis itu sendiri. Sehingga apabila terjadi beban klatm, maka langsung dtbebankan pada saat beban itu terjadi. Matching principles itu sendiri adalah suatu proses untuk menandingkan beban terhadap pendapatan yaitu pendapatan dilaporkan dulu kemudian disusul dengan melaporkan beban yang berhubun­ gan dengan pendapatan tersebut dalam periode yang sama. Hal ini membuat badan usaha mengalami kesulitan dalam penentuan laba rugi pada setiap periode, karena pendapatan yang terjadi tidak dapat diakui bersamaan dengan terjadinya beban sehingga dapat mengakibatkan laba periode yang lalu lebih besar dari laba periode saat ini ataupun seba­ liknya. Berhasilnya suatu badan usaha asuransi salah satunya akan terlihat dari kemampuannya dalam memperoleh laba dalam suatu periode tertentu. Laporan laba rugt perlu sekali dalam badan usaha asuranst selain laporan neraca dan laba ditahan. Laporan keuangan yang layak dan konsisten perlu sebagai alat pertanggungjawaban dan sebagai sumber informasi untuk bahan pengambilan keputusan berbagai pihak yang berkepentingan dengan badan .usaha asuransi, baik pihak internal badan usaha maupun pihak ek­ sternal. Dari hasil penelitian yang dilakukan, dapat disimpulkan bahwa badan usaha asurans1 mempunyai kekhususan dan keunikan dibandingkan dengan badan usaha yang lain. Kekhususan dan keunikan itu terletak pada jasa yang diberikan dan perlakuan akuntansinya. Di dalam badan usaha asuransi, beban klaim/beban produksi tidak dapat secara akurat diketahui sebelumnya sampai masa pertanggungan itu pun selesai. Dan matching prin­ ciples tidak dapat secara tepat dtlaksanakan, oleh karena beban yang terjadi dalam badan usaha tidak dapat sepenuhnya diakui bersamaan dengan terja­ dinya pendapatan dalam suatu periode tertentu

Genetic diversity of Hepatitis B Virus in Indonesia: epidemiological and clinical significance

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major public health problem particularly in Asia and Pacific that belongs to hepatitis B endemic regions. With high genetic diversity of the entire genome, this DNA virus has been classified into eight genotypes, genotype A to H, and recently two new genotypes, I and J, has been found in Asia. Interestingly, distribution of HBV genetic diversity is geographically specific worldwide. Further, distribution of HBV genetic diversity in Indonesia is associated and follows the ethnic background and geography of host. The distribution of HBV genotype B and C in Indonesia has been suggested co-migrated with the peopling of the Indonesian archipelago in the past. Internal viral genomic evolution including inter-strain recombination and pressure by host immune response has been suggested to give strong contribution in the genetic diversity of HBV. Thus, HBV genetic diversity is partly due to virus-host interactions and partly due to parallel evolution in geographically distinct areas. Some of these variations have significant impact to public health and clinical settings. Mutations within Hepatitis B surface Antigen (HBsAg) particularly in the ‘a’ determinant may cause HBsAg undetectable by commercially available assays. These mutations give significant impact to antigenic index and tertiary structure prediction that might cause failure of HBsAg detection. The occurrence of such mutations is partly the background of occult hepatitis B, and could mislead the diagnosis and disease management. It may have significant implication to public health, particularly in the detection failure of HBV in blood donors. With this alarming data, national policy for screening blood donors on HBsAg detection should be reviewed. Further, this situation reiterates medical professionals to be more careful in giving blood and or blood products. Therefore, HBV genetic diversity is of medical and public health concern. In addition, HBV genetic diversity information can be used in tracing human migration particularly in Asia-Pacific. It can be concluded that the knowledge in HBV genetic diversity is important for understanding the pathogenesis of HBV infection and the related host immune system, providing important contribution to hepatitis B molecular epidemiology, with implication in reducing subsequent morbidity and mortality. This HBV diversity data can be used as important information that is ethnically specific for the development of diagnostic tools and vaccines. In parallel, the knowledge of HBV genomic variety can be integrated and linked to non-clinical purposes in linguistic, human genetic and archeological perspectives in the efforts to maximize human healt