Multiplexed CRISPR-based microfluidic platform for clinical testing of respiratory viruses and SARS-CoV-2 variants

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated a clear need for high-throughput, multiplexed, and sensitive assays for detecting SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses as well as their emerging variants. Here, we present microfluidic CARMEN (mCARMEN), a cost-effective virus and variant detection platform that combines CRISPR-based diagnostics and microfluidics with a streamlined workflow for clinical use. We developed the mCARMEN respiratory virus panel (RVP) and demonstrated its diagnostic-grade performance on 533 patient specimens in an academic setting and then 166 specimens in a clinical setting. We further developed a panel to distinguish 6 SARS-CoV-2 variant lineages, including Delta and Omicron, and evaluated it on 106 patient specimens, with near-perfect concordance to sequencing-based variant classification. Lastly, we implemented a combined Cas13 and Cas12 approach that enables quantitative measurement of viral copies in samples. mCARMEN enables high-throughput surveillance of multiple viruses and variants simultaneously.

Pengaruh Servant Leadership terhadap Nilai Kinerja Guru

Servant leadership is a form of leadership which is oriented to serve the needs of subordinates in order to improve their pay scale. The term of servant leadership was first introduced by Robert K. Greenleaf in 1970. Servant leadership can be implemented in educational institution. School as one of those intuition that runs teaching and learning process is highly determined by the practices of servant leadership performed by the principal. This research aims at investigating the effect of servant leadership on teachers and employees at Sekolah Islam Athirah Makassar. This is a quantitative research using regression analysis in analyzing the data. The variables of this research are servant leadership (X) and teachers and employees grade performance (Y). The total participant is 90 which was taken randomly from each unit including primary school (SD), junior high school (SMP), and senior high school (SMA). The result of regression analysis showed that there was significant effect by0,02 < 0,05. It can be concluded that the X variable has effect on Y variable. In addition, it is obtained that t-test is higher than t-table (2.297 > 1.991) which means Ho is rejected and there is effect of servant leadership on teachers and employees’ performance grade. The regression equation obtained is Y = 76,058 + 0,187 X. Abstrak: Servant leadership atau kepemimpinan yang melayani adalah konsep kepemimpinan yang pertama kali diperkenalkan oleh Greenleaf (1970) yang dimaksudkan sebagai bentuk kepemimpinan yang berorientasi pada sifat melayani kepentingan bawahan agar mereka menjadi lebih sejahtera. Praktik kepemimpinan yang melayani (servant leadership) juga dapat dilaksanakan pada institusi pendidikan. Sekolah sebagai institusi pendidikan yang menjalankan proses pendidikan dan pembelajaran bagi peserta didik sangat ditentukan oleh praktik kepemimpinan yang dijalankan oleh kepala sekolah. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis pengaruh kepemimpinan yang melayani (servant leadership) terhadap kinerja guru dan karyawan di Sekolah Islam Athirah Makassar. Metode penelitian kuantitatif dengan menggunakan analisis regresi, variabel penelitian adalah servant leadership (X) dan nilai kinerja guru dan karyawan (Y), jumlah sampel sebanyak 90 orang guru dari unit SD, SMP dan SMA. Bedasarakan analisis regresi diperoleh nilai signifikan 0,02 < 0,05 sehingga disimpulkan bahwa variabel x berpengaruh terhadap variabel Y. Pada nilai t diperoleh thitung > ttabel (2,297 > 1,991) sehingga H0 ditolak artinya ada pengaruh servant leadership terhadap nilai kinerja guru dan karyawan. Dengan Persamaan Regresi yang terbentuk adalah Y = 76,058 + 0,187 X.

Helping higher education students succeed: An examination of student attributes and academic grade performance

Academic grade performance can be influenced by individual attributes, including motivation, attitudes, and beliefs. These attributes can be manifested by current events, such as technology or world events. Through a survey-based study using validated measures coupled with student grade performance at three instances during their tenure in higher education, we document that attributes common to current students influence academic grade performance differently for higher versus lower performers. Among other findings, we identify that higher performing students’ grade performance is positively affected by the attributes: fear of punishment and distributive justice; while lower performing students’ grades were not affected by those attributes. We provide practical recommendations for faculty to help influence attributes in order to potentially improve academic grade performance. Indeed, this study has important implications for those involved in fostering student success.

The Demands of Simple and Complex Arithmetic Word Problems on Language and Cognitive Resources

Solving arithmetic word problems requires constructing a situation model based on the problem text and translating that into a mathematical model. As such, word problem solving makes demands on students’ language comprehension and their domain-general cognitive resources. These demands may decrease when students get more experienced and use strategies that do not require fully understanding the situation presented in the problem. The current study aims to address this hypothesis. Students (N=444) from third to sixth grade solved a paper-and-pencil task with 48 mathematics problems, comprising symbolic arithmetic problems and standard word problems, as well as more complex word problems that involve two arithmetic steps or include irrelevant numerical information. Their performance was analyzed with multilevel logistic regression analyses. Results showed that within each grade, performance on the different problem types did not differ, suggesting that already in third-grade students seem helped nor hindered by presenting arithmetic problems in a story, even if that story contains irrelevant numerical information. Non-verbal reasoning was more important in standard word problems than in arithmetic problems in symbolic format in one-step arithmetic, and reading comprehension was more important in solving two-step arithmetic word problems than in one-step arithmetic word problems.

A Review on Fabrication of Thermoset Prepreg Composites using Out-of-Autoclave Technology

Autoclave is the technology that has been extensively used to manufacture high-grade performance composite parts for aerospace applications. This technology has been limited to aerospace industries only, primarily due to its high cost in manufacturing parts. The researchers then considered an alternative approach “Out-of-autoclave” (OOA) process, aiming at cost and time optimization. Non-autoclave methods such as OOA cure processes have been developed lately. The OOA process has a high potential for a drastic cost reduction in the manufacturing of composite aerospace structures. It processes parts that have a quality similar to that of parts cured using the autoclave technology. Specially designed OOA prepregs are available in the market for OOA processing, some of which are certified for aerospace manufacturing. This review paper briefly focuses on OOA prepregs and OOA processes that are used for aerospace components manufacturing. Future areas of development in the aerospace sector based on cost optimization and faster cycle times are also discussed in this paper.

BRAIN-BASED AUTHENTICATION: TOWARDS A SCALABLE, COMMERCIAL GRADE SOLUTION USING NONINVASIVE BRAIN SIGNALS.

In this study we report on a field test where we asked if it is feasible to deliver a scalable, commercial-grade solution for brain-based authentication currently given available head wearables. Sixty-two (62) participants living across the United States in autumn 2020 completed four (4) at-home sessions over a single (1) week. In each session there were six (6) authentication events consisting of rapid presentation of images (10Hz) that participants watched for 10 seconds while recording their brain signal with an off-the-shelf brain signal measuring headband. The non-stationary nature of the brain signal, and the fact that the signal results from a superposition of hundreds of simultaneous processes in the brain that respond to context makes the data unique in time, unrepeatable, and unpredictable. Even when a participant watched identical stimuli, we find no two periods of time to be alike (Fig. 4B) and furthermore, no two combinations of time periods are alike. Differences within people (intra-) and across people (inter- participant) from session to session were found to be significant, however stable processes do appear to be underlying the signal complexity and non-stationarity. We show a simplified brain-based authentication system that captures distinguishable information with reliable, commercial-grade performance from participants at their own homes. We conclude that noninvasively measured brain signals are an ideal candidate for biometric authentication, especially for head wearables such as headphones and AR/VR devices.

A Robotics Course during COVID-19: Lessons Learned and Best Practices for Online Teaching beyond the Pandemic

The article describes observations from the online teaching of a robotics class during the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, also known as the coronavirus. The changes in the course structure and in the provided material lead to an unexpected increase in the grade performance of the students. The article provides a description and an analysis of the effects and their possible causes. In addition to a grade-performance analysis, further data from a university-wide and from a course-specific survey are used. The analysis of the effects and their possible causes is furthermore discussed in relation to the educational research literature. Some evidence for the general findings is provided, which are of interest for online teaching or blended learning in general, respectively, for teaching in robotics and related areas. These include some evidence for the benefits of asynchronous online teaching and for the role of social interaction, which may happen in self-organized, smaller peer groups, even without the intervention of the instructor. The findings and the extensive pointers to the literature can also provide useful guidelines for instructors of robotics courses when considering the use of online or blended teaching in the future beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Investigating the impact of gasoline composition on PN in GDI engines using an improved measurement method

An experimental investigation was carried out to investigate Particulate Number (PN) emissions from a modern, small-capacity Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engine. The first part of the study focused on improving measurement repeatability using the Cambustion DMS-500 device. Results showed that sampling near the exhaust valve – while dampening the pressure oscillations in the sampling line – can significantly improve the repeatability. It was also found that uncontrolled phenomena such as deposition in the exhaust system from earlier engine operation can undermine the accuracy of measurements taken at tailpipe level. The second part of the work investigated PN emissions from three types of gasoline fuel, Pump-grade, Performance and Reference. Fuel chemical composition was found to have an appreciable impact on PN, but the magnitude of this effect differs in various operating points, being more pronounced at higher engine load. The Reference fuel was found to have the lowest PN emission tendency, conceivably because of its lower aromatics, olefins and heavy hydrocarbons content. A sweep of operating parameters showed that higher injection pressure reduces PN, but the extent of the reduction depends on fuel physical properties such as volatility.