Distribution of Bombus haemorrhoidalis Smith and its Interrelationship with Host Plants in Chitwan Annapurna Landscape of Central Nepal

Occurrence and variety of flowering host plant of native Bombus pollinators are viewed as basicalternatives than the imported species. The use of native bumblebee species for pollination wasconsidered more significant than imported bumblebees to reduce environmental impact and pestproblems. B. haemorrhoidalis is the most dominant species of Chitwan Annapurna Landscape inagricultural and wild flora during April to September 2019. We followed assessable walking trailsand used insect net for sample collection. The effect of different environmental variables on the floralhost plant resources of this native bumblebee was examined. With eight locations ranging from 1407to 2506 meters above sea level, twenty-seven species of seventeen plant families were identified aspollen and nectar foraging host plants. B haemorrhidalis distribution frequency is correlated withrelative humidity (0.07438968) and altitude (0.495657857). The most visited plant family wasBalsaminaceae and plant was Imatian scrabida. This study gives the knowledge of abundance of hostplants, ecological and biological relationship of the B. haemorrhoidalis in Nepal

General Foundation Programs (GFPs) Student Entry and Exit Standards

This paper assessed the performance of General Foundation Programs (GFPs) in Oman in the area of 'Student Entry and Exit Standards'. Data was collected from the GFP quality audit reports prepared and published by Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education (OAAAQA). The study adopted a simple descriptive data analysis method, consisting of identifying the formal conclusions issued by OAAAQA (Commendations, Affirmations, and Recommendations) and analyzing their distribution (frequency of occurrence and percentages) and the issues they covered. The study found out that (a) HEIs are yet to establish sustainable practices in their GFPs in relation to entry and exit standards; and (b) the systems in the GFP are still underdeveloped and practices are largely unsystematic. The paper ended by highlighting four improvement suggestions in order to ensure GFP effectiveness.

General Foundation Programs (GFPs) Student Entry and Exit Standards

This paper assessed the performance of General Foundation Programs (GFPs) in Oman in the area of 'Student Entry and Exit Standards'. Data was collected from the GFP quality audit reports prepared and published by Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education (OAAAQA). The study adopted a simple descriptive data analysis method, consisting of identifying the formal conclusions issued by OAAAQA (Commendations, Affirmations, and Recommendations) and analyzing their distribution (frequency of occurrence and percentages) and the issues they covered. The study found out that (a) HEIs are yet to establish sustainable practices in their GFPs in relation to entry and exit standards; and (b) the systems in the GFP are still underdeveloped and practices are largely unsystematic. The paper ended by highlighting four improvement suggestions in order to ensure GFP effectiveness.

Role of antimicrobial peptide DEFB126 mutation in pathogenesis of male idiopathic infertility

Male infertility is a multifactorial disease, and elucidation of etiopathogenetic mechanisms of its progression is a topical issue. High percentage of the “idiopathic infertility” diagnosis is largely cased by inability to establish etiology of decrease in reproductive spermatic function. Mutation of в-defensin DEFB126 gene is supposed to affect the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa at different levels: it may decrease their ability to migrate through the cervical mucus and reduce binding capacity to epithelial layer of upper female reproductive tract, and it may also increase susceptibility for infections of reproductive tract, due to impairment of local protective function of defensins. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine possible role of rs11468374 gene polymorphism of the DEFB126 gene in pathogenesis of male idiopathic infertility. Patients and methods: The group of patient with decreased fertility included 54 male subjects, ages 34 to 42, with a control group of 19 ejaculate donors without acute or chronic disease aged 28 to 36. The indicators of sperm motility in the Moscow population were compared with individual levels of DEFB126 gene expression, as well as with estimated distribution frequency of rs11468374 alleles and genotypes among the subjects.As compared with the control group, the infertile patients exhibited a more than seven-fold reduction of DEFB126 gene expression. Analysis of distribution frequency for alleles and genotypes rs11468374 polymorphic marker of the DEFB126 gene revealed that the mutant allele is detected almost twice as often in males with infertility, as compared with control group. No cases with the DEFB126 del/del genotype were found among the control group, in contrary to 16.1% in the group of patients. The patients with DEFB126 del/del genotype exhibited 5.2-fold reduction of sperm motility. Thus, the data obtained may be used to extend our knowledge on the pathogenetic mechanisms of male idiopathic infertility and to improve techniques for its diagnostics, as well as to provide personalized approach to the treatment of male reproductive disorders. The association between carriage of del mutant allele and decreased level of sperm motility suggests a role of this polymorphism in pathogenesis of male infertility. A general decrease in the level of DEFB126 gene expression in the patients affected by infertility also presumes a contribution of defensin 126 to pathogenesis of the disorder.

Experimental Assessment of the Transmission Performance of Step Index Polymer Optical Fibers Using a Green Laser Diode

Large-core polymer optical fiber (POF) links have limitations in capacity and reach due to the fibers’ high modal dispersion and attenuation. Most of these links use red laser diodes, even though the attenuation spectrum of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), the basic polymer used to manufacture these fibers, has a lower minimum in the green region. Therefore, we set out to explore the potential use of green light in transmission systems, comparing the performances of three step-index polymer optical fibers (SI-POFs) with different numerical apertures. We obtained measurements of intensity distribution, frequency response and bit error rate (BER), as functions of fiber length. We have also compared the fibers’ frequency responses with red and green light for a few selected lengths. Our results confirm that SI-POFs attenuate less in response to green light, which can increase their length. This advantage is partially counterbalanced by a slightly higher dispersion that limits the capacity of the high-aperture fibers, particularly at relatively short lengths. Our conclusions are critical to understanding SI-POF behavior and to designing thorough SI-POF models that can aid the design of POF-based links for different scenarios.

Analysis of COVID-19 Name Varieties in Chinese Mass and Social Media

The sudden appearance of a new epidemic disease in China created the need for names identifying that disease. Between December 2019 and January 2020, a variety of severe pneumonia-related disease names suddenly appeared, and more name varieties kept coming up afterwards. To better understand the introduction and spread of these names, 16 different COVID-19-related name varieties were selected covering the period from the end of December 2019, when the epidemic started, to mid-March 2020, a moment at which the term competition had stabilized. By way of big data analysis, the initiation and distribution of the 16 names across the media landscape was traced with regard to the impact of different media platforms, while the distribution frequency of each of the selected terms was mapped, resulting in a distinction of three groups of disease names, each with a different media and time profile. The results were discussed based on the hypotheses of disease confusion by name variety and management failures in absence of clear language governance at the national and global levels. The analysis of the data led to a refutation of both hypotheses. Based on this discussion, the study offers empirically based suggestions for the WHO in their naming practices and further research.

Transcriptome analysis of two Pogostemon cablin chemotypes reveals genes related to patchouli alcohol biosynthesis

Pogostemon cablin, a medicinally and economically important perennial herb, is cultivated around the world due to its medicinal and aromatic properties. Different P. cablin cultivars exhibit different morphological traits and patchouli oil components and contents (especially patchouli alcohol (PA) and pogostone (PO)). According to the signature constituent of the leaf, P. cablin was classified into two different chemotypes, including PA-type and PO-type. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of PA biosynthesis, the transcriptomes of Chinese-cultivated P. cablin cv. PA-type “Nanxiang” (NX) and PO-type “Paixiang” (PX) were analyzed and compared with ribonucleic acid sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology. We obtained a total of 36.83 G clean bases from the two chemotypes, compared them with seven databases and revealed 45,394 annotated unigenes. Thirty-six candidate unigenes participating in the biosynthesis of PA were found in the P. cablin transcriptomes. Overall, 8,390 differentially expressed unigenes were identified between the chemotypes, including 2,467 upregulated and 5,923 downregulated unigenes. Furthermore, six and nine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mapped to the terpenoid backbone biosynthetic and sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthetic pathways, respectively. One key sesquiterpene synthase gene involved in the sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthetic pathways, encoding patchoulol synthase variant 1, was significantly upregulated in NX. Additionally, GC-MS analysis of the two chemotypes in this study showed that the content of PA in NX was significantly higher than that of PX, while the content of PO showed the opposite phenotype. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the DEG expression tendency was consistent with the transcriptome sequencing results. Overall, 23 AP2/ERF, 13 bHLH, 11 MYB, 11 NAC, three Trihelix, 10 WRKY and three bZIP genes that were differentially expressed may act as regulators of terpenoid biosynthesis. Altogether, 8,314 SSRs were recognized within 6,825 unigenes, with a distribution frequency of 18.32%, among which 1,202 unigenes contained more than one SSR. The transcriptomic characteristics of the two P. cablin chemotypes are comprehensively reported in this study, and these results will contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of PA biosynthesis. Our transcriptome data also provide a valuable genetic resource for further studies on P. cablin.

Household Solid Waste Management Strategy in Danau Teluk Sub-District, Jambi City

Danau Teluk Sub-District is one of the sub-districts in Jambi City. The waste production produced by Danau Teluk Sub-District based on DLH Jambi City data in 2020 reached 8,793.99 kg/day with a population of 12,563 people. In Danau Teluk Sub-District, the production of managed waste reached 71.05% and unmanaged waste reached 28.95%. Compared to other sub-districts, the percentage of managed waste is the lowest and the percentage of unmanaged waste is the highest. This research is conducted on influencing factors using distribution frequency and multiple linear regression, community and government involvement using distribution frequency and chi-square, and determining strategic priorities in household solid waste management using SWOT. Based on the results of the study, there are two factors that influence the management of household solid waste, namely behaviour and knowledge of local regulations, there are two factors that relate to the management of household solid waste, namely implementation and supervision, then the strategic are to carry out waste reduction starting from the source by reducing the use of goods that produce waste and providing data on waste management that is easily accessible to the public such as through social media, websites, television advertisements, bulletin boards, etc.

Corporate Tax Avoidance of Malaysian Public Listed Companies: A Multi-Measure Analysis

Objective - Even with corporate tax avoidance being extensively studied, it is still lacking a single universal measurement. There is also a dearth of studies focusing on developing economies such as Malaysia. This study, therefore, analyses the correlations between effective tax rates (ETRs) and book-tax differences (BTDs), which are the most commonly used measures of corporate tax avoidance on Malaysian listed companies for ten years. Methodology/Technique - This study performs distribution, frequency, and correlation analyses on the ETRs and BTDs of the Top 300 companies listed in the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia based on market capitalization. The data used spans a ten-year period from 2010 to 2019. Findings - The results of the distribution, frequency, and correlation analyses show that both these measures are closely related gauges of corporate tax avoidance. Novelty - The results of this study provide further statistical proof that ETR and BTD measures of corporate tax avoidance are closely related. Its utilization of data from listed companies in Malaysia expands the current body of literature by addressing corporate tax avoidance practice in a developing economy. By concentrating on both ETR and BTD measures, this study's analysis is consistent with the broad continuum of corporate tax avoidance spectrum and significantly reduces the risk of warping its determination of tax avoidance level. Type of Paper - Empirical. Keywords: Cash ETR; corporate tax avoidance; GAAP ETR; permanent BDT; total BTD. JEL Classification: G30, H25, H26, M40. URI: http://gatrenterprise.com/GATRJournals/AFR/vol6.1_1.html DOI: https://doi.org/10.35609/afr.2021.6.1(1) Pages 44 – 53

PEMBERIAN IMUNISASI HEPATITIS B (PASIF) PADA BAYI YANG LAHIR DARI IBU HBsAg POSITIF

Abstrak Latar Belakang: Berdasarkan data Dinas Kesehatan Kota Surabaya tercatat 748 bayi lahir dari ibu dengan HBsAg positif diseluruh wilayah puskesmas kota Surabaya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pemberian imunisasi hepatitis B (pasif) pada bayi yang dilahirkan dari ibu dengan HBsAg positif di 4 wilayah puskesmas di Kota Surabaya. Metode: Penelitian ini menggunakan deskriptif observasional dan teknik total sampling dengan pendekatan cross-sectional. Sampel yang memenuhi kriteria inklusi sebanyak 56 bayi. Variabel yang diamati meliputi pemberian imunisasi hepatitis B (pasif) pada bayi yang dilahirkan dari ibu dengan HBsAg positif. Analisis data menggunakan univariat atau deskriptif. Hasil: Didapatkan distribusi pemberian imunisasi pasif hepatitis B (HBIG) pada bayi sebanyak 91,1% dan 40 bayi (71,4%) dinyatakan non reaktif saat mereka berusia >9 bulan. Kesimpulan: Hampir seluruh bayi yang lahir dari ibu dengan HBsAg melakukan imunisasi pasif (HBIG) dan imunisasi aktif (HB-0) tepat waktu dan sebagian besar bayi dinyatakan non reaktif terhadap HBsAg saat berusia lebih dari 9 bulan.Abstract Background: Based on data from the Surabaya City Health Office, 748 infants born to HBsAg positive mothers in all of the public city health center of Surabaya. This study aims to describe the giveness hepatitis B immunization (passive) in infants born to HBsAg positive mothers in 4 of the public city health center in Surabaya. Method: This study uses descriptive observational study and total sampling technique with a cross-sectional approach. All samples which is included to inclusion criteria were 56 infants. The variables observed the giveness of hepatitis B immunization (passive) in infants born to HBsAg positive mothers and the HBsAg status of the children after hepatitis B immunization which were performed when they were more than 9 months old. Univariate or descriptive analysis was performed. Results: The study found the distribution frequency the giveness of passive hepatitis B immunization (HBIG) were 91,1% and the HBsAg status when the children more than 9 months old were 71,4% are declared as non-reactive to HBsAg.. Conclusion: Almost all infants born to HBsAg postive mothers have gone through passive immunization (HBIG) and most of them are found to be non-reactive to HBsAg when they are more than 9 months old.